aloft in the aire Zanchius saith there are foure sorts of Meteors others make but 3. sorts 1. Fiery which in the Supreame Region of the aire are so enflamed by the fire that they are of a fiery nature as Comets Thunder 2. Airy which being begotten of dry vapours of the earth come neare the nature of aire as winds 3. Waterie which retaine the nature of the water as snow and raine 4. Earthly which being begot of earthly vapours are also digged out of the Earth as metals stones The efficient cause is God according to that of the Psalmist haile snow ice winde and storme doe his will The remote matter of the Meteors are Elements the next matter are exhalations which are two-fold fumus et vapor smoake is of a middle nature between earth and fire vapour betweene water and aire If it come from the earth or some sandy place it is fumus a fume or kind of smoak if it come from the water or some watery place it is a vapour Vapours or exhallations are fumes raised from the water earth by the heavenly bodies into one of the 3. Regions of the aire whence divers impressions are formed according to the quality and quantity of the exhalations Thunder is a sound heard out of a thick or close compacted Cloud which sound is procured by reason of hot and dry exhalations shut within the cloud which seeking to get out with great violence rend the cloud from whence proceedes the tumbling noise which we call Thunder The Earth sends out partly by its owne innate heate and partly by the externall heate and attraction of the Sun certain hot and dry steames which the Philosopher calls exhalations and these going up in some abundance are at last enclosed within some thicke cloud consisting of cold and moist vapours which finding themselves straightned do with violence seeke a vent and breake through the sides or low part of the cloude There is first a great conflict and combate there of the contrary qualities a great rumbling and tumbling and striving of the exhalations within the cloud untill it breake forth into a loud and fearfull cracke Then the exhalation by its heate incensed in the strife proves all on a flame as it comes in the aire and that is Lightning Lastly the exhalation falling downe upon the earth is so violent that sometimes it breakes trees sometimes it singeth and burneth what it meetes mith it kills men and living creatures and in the most abundance of it there is a Thunder bolt begotten through exceeding great heate hardning the earthy parts of it God hath power over the Thunder He commands it rules it orders it for time place manner of working and all circumstances the Thunder in Egypt at the delivering of the Law proves this Therefore in the Scripture it is called the voyce of God and the fearefulnesse and terriblenesse thereof is made an argument of the exceeding greatnesse of God that can at his pleasure destroy his enemies even by the chiding of his voyce in Egypt he smote them with haile lightning thunder and with stormy tempest At the delivering of the Law mighty thunder-claps made way to the Lords appearance and were his harbingers to tell of his comming and prepare the hearts of the people with exceeding great awfulnesse and obedience to receive directions from him The Lord puts down Job 40. 9. with this question Canst thou thunder with a voyce like God speake terribly and with as big and loud a voice as thou canst and if thy voyce be answerable to loud thunder either in terriblenesse or loudnesse then will I confesse my selfe to be thy equall and Elihu reasoned for God by consideration of this great worke David Psal. 29. sheweth the greatnesse of God in the greatnesse of this mighty sound But it pleaseth God to effect this worke not immediately but mediately using naturall and ordinary causes according to his owne good will and pleasure for the effâ—cting thereof There doe arise from the ends of the earth as the Scripture speaks that is from all quarters of this inferiour part of the world consisting of earth and water certain steams or fumes partly drawn up thence by the heate and influence of the Sun and other Planets or constellations partly breathed out of the earth by the naturall heate thereof Whereof some are hot and moist being as it were of a middle nature betwixt water and aire some hot and dry being of a middle nature betwixt fire and aire as some Philosophers thinke of which two as of the matter are brought forth these strange things which wee see in the aire and among the rest Thunder Though thunder bee first in nature being by the violent eruption it makes out of the cloud the cause of fulgurations yet we see first the lightning before wee heare the Thunder because of the swiftnesse of the fire above the aire and because the eye is quicker in perceiving its object then the eare This is done for the benefit of the world that by shaking of the aire it might bee purged and made fit for the use of man and beast being cleansed from those ill and pestilent vapours which otherwise would make it too thicke grosse and unwholsome for our bodies for this is one speciall end of winds thunders and the like vehement works that are in the aire besides the particular work for which God assigneth them and therefore with thunder likely is joyned much raine because the cloud is dissolved at the same time and sometimes violent winds and tempests because the exhalation inflamed snatcheth with it selfe such windy fumes as it meetes withall in the aire and so by violent stirring the aire purgeth it and openeth the parts of the earth by shaking and moving it 1. We must turne all this to a spirituall use viz. to instruct us in the feare of him that is Lord of Hoasis who shews his greatnesse in these mighty deedes of his hand to which purpose alwayes the Scripture speakes of it exhorting the mighty to give unto the Lord glory and strength in regard of this 2. We must observe God so in this and all his great works as to cause our mindes to encrease in the knowledge of his excellencie and our hearts in the love and feare of him All his works are therefore exhorted to praise him because wee by all should learn his praise and greatnesse How able is God to destroy sinners how quickely and in a moment can hee bring them to ruine let him but speake to the thunder haile tempest and they will beate downe and consume his adversaries before his face ô then tremble before him 3. We must learn to put our confidence in God and boldly to promise our selves deliverance when he promiseth it God is wonderfull in making and ruling the clouds This is a work which God doth often alleadge in Scripture to prove his greatnesse Job 37. 26. Hee bindes
of Sea and dry land Some fishes are exceeding small and for their smalnesse workmanship bestowed upon them admirable In the Sea the Cockles a little kinde of shel-fish yet in its kinde very artistciall some-what resembling a Cre-fish which are dainties for rich men Those little and small things are made with so many joynts and parts and turnings such a proportion and shape and every thing so exact and suitable as would stirre up astonishment in any beholder Gods power is likewise in the greatnesse of some fishes as the Whale some of which are 80 yards long their eyes are as bigge as an hogshead and their mouth so wide that a man sitting on horse-backe might bee held in it God hath created the Fowles of heaven among other creatures Psalm 104. 12. Gen. 1. 20 21. The things wherein the Foules differ from other creatures are 1. That they be winged having feathers and wings by which they are covered and by which they doe passe through the aire and the place wherein they flye viz. in the open firmament in this lower heaven Their creation is wonderfull in divers respects First their making is wonderful far differing from that of beasts fishes and men 2. They have great variety of kindes some wilde some tame some great some little some Sea or water birds some land birds 3. Their manner of breeding they lay egges and hatch them out of a kind of confused substance that to us seems void of life by the heate of their bodies they doe bring forth their young naked at first which after by the same cherishing of warmth do bring forth feathers to cover them Many of them are so beautifully adorned with their feathers for colour and are so glorious as a man cannot but looke upon them with wondring and delight for where doth nature shew more variety and a pleasinger composition of colours then in Doves necke a Peacocks taile and some other like birds 4. For their swiftnesse of flying that they can with such celerity passe through the aire 5. They are many wayes serviceable to many they are a dainty foode for weake stomacks they pull up many kindes of wormes and vermine that else would bee very harmefull to us Fowles or birds are more worthy than Fishes because they do more participate of aire and fire the two noblest Elements than of water and earth All birds are mustered under the name of Fowles as under their Genus There are examples of vertues in the fowls propounded for us to imitate and of vices for us to shun In the Phaenixe an example of the Resurrection in the Storke of loving affection in the Dove of innocencie conjugall faith in the Crows and Estridges of unnaturalnesse We should imitate the Stork Crane Swallow in acknowledging the seasonable time of our repentance The Storke hath her name from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 love the * Hebrew word is neer of kin with another which signifieth bowells of compassion as which indeed are most tender in her A story whereof wee have in the description of the Netherlands viz. of a Storke that when the house was on fire where her nest was kept the fire off from her young ones with her owne bodie and wings so long till she was burnt her selfe It is loving to mankind delightfull to build in the tops of houses and chimneys as is usuall to be seen in Germany It is the embleme of a gratefull man for at her departure from the house where she builds as some report she usually leaveth a young one behinde her Aelian writeth of a Storke which bred on the house of one which had a very beautifull wife which in her Husbands absence used to commit adultery with one of her base servants which the Storke observing in gratitude to him who freely gave him house-roome flying in the villans face strucke out both his eyes The Eagle is reckoned the Soveraigne Queen of all Fowls as the Lion is reputed the King of all beasts It is Altivolans avis an high soaring bird that sometime flyeth so high a pitch as she transcendeth the view of man she hath a tender care of her young when they be flush and ready for flight then she stirreth up her nest and fluttereth over them yea she taketh them on her wings and so soareth with them through the aire and carieth them aloft and so freeth them from all danger In that she carrieth her young ones rather upon her wings then in her tallons she sheweth her tender care and love that she beareth unto them The Hebrew name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is translated Fowle Gen. 1. 26. signifieth in generall every living thing which by helpe of wings flyeth above the earth in the aire so that not only birds but also bees wasps hornets and all other winged things may here be understood Bees are notable Deut. 32. 11. 1. For their good husbandry she is very painfull shee flies to every herb and flower and seekes and searches into every corner of the same Shee so abhors idlenesse that she punisheth the idle drone and will not give it any quiet harbour in the hive 2. She is thrifty which is another part of good husbandry what she hath gotten in the Summer she charily laies up in her Cells and doth not spend it till she must needs 2. For their care of the common good she is an admirable lover of that she labours eates fights in common and all her paines is directed to the common good she will with unresistable courage assaile any enemie though neuer so strong which shall offer to wrong the common body 3. For their concord Bees of the same hive are linked together in the bond of amity though they be many of them yet they know love each other keep peace among themselves and flye domesticall sedition unless the rulers be multiplyed and by their disorders set the rest of the Bees at variance 4. For their dutifulnesse to their King or Prince they are most loyall subjects to him they labour for him build him more then one palace and that more large and staâ—ely then their owne they fight for him and goe abroade with him Wee see and use the fowles and eate their flesh and lye upon their soft feathers and yet contemplate not the goodnesse of God in them We have divers kinds of tame fowle in our back-sides they bring us young and we kill and dresse them and set them upon our Tables and feast with them They lay egges and we eate of them they sit and hatch and cherish their young and we see that admirable manner of drawing actuall life out of a potentiall life by the working of heate And we have many wilde fowle but who seeth Gods wisedome power bounty in giving them to us Let us stirre up our selves to give God his due glory in respect of this kinde of creature Amongst other creatures the
at the parts of any man if borne lame or deformed this is to despise the Workman to murmure at the Potter 3. It shewes that God hath first chiefe absolute and perpetuall soveraignty over all his creatures so that hee can use command and doe with them as in equity seems good to his heavenly wisedome 4. When we behold the Heavens the Earth Aire and Sea how they are filled what use and commodities they have we should contemplate God in these things we see with our eyes 2. We should learne what a one God is 1. Eternall Hee that made heaven and earth is ancienter than both 2. Almighty Great works cannot be brought to passe without great strength he must needs be Infinite in power which made heaven and earth and hangs the earth as a Ball without any pillar to support it 3. Most wise strength separated from wisedome is little worth God knowes all things the nature of the Heavens Earth Water perfectly because he put such a nature into them tell your selves that God is a wise understanding Essence can order all to the best 4. Exceeding good hee hath infused goodnesse into the Heavens Waters Earth they are helpfull and and serviceable to man how much more goodnes is there in God he is good and doth good 5. See his love in making man best of the Creatures here below we should honour God in our mindes account him the chiefest and onely good and his favour the chiefest felicity bring our wills to long after him to desire him above all other things chusing him as our happinesse loving him and desiring to enjoy himfully Learne to feare him above all not daring to offend him and obey and please him what more agreeable to reason then that the Maker of all should be Ruler of all we are more his than a childe his Parents a servant his Masters Wee should also acknowledge that he made us Psalme 100. and praise him Gods great workes call for great praise commend him with our tongues and speak good of his Name Psalme 19. 2. The heavens declare the glory of God i.e. give occasion to man of declaring it 5. This is a comfort to those who acknowledge God to be such a one as hee is is not he rich enough to maintaine them wise enough to direct them strong enough to protect them If thou want goodnesse he can create in thee a new heart it may comfort the godly in regard of the resurrectionâ— God can raise them up at the last day 6. It is a great terrour to the wicked which doe not feare but despise him God will hate despise and destroy them God can doe it he made heaven and earth and he will doe it because he is true he hath threatned it oh the misery of that man which hath him for his enemy 7. We may learne from all the Creatures in generall 1. to bewaile our Rebellion against God which all of them reprove for they all stand in their kinde and station in which God set them at first The Sun rejoyceth to runne his course the Sea keepeth her bounds the earth stands upon her foundation the heavens keep their motion and declare Gods glorie the very windes and seas obey him 2. All of them teach the invisible things of God Rom. 1. 20. as was before shewed 8. We should make a right use of the creatures use them first devoutly 1 Tim. 4. 5. in faith Rom. 14. 14. and ult with Prayer and Thanksgiving Matth. 15. 36. Acts 27. 35. Secondly soberly 1 Cor. 10. 31. 3. thankfully 1 Tim. 4. 4. Having handled the works of Creation in generall I now proceed according to Moses his Method to a more particular enarration of each dayes worke The whole first Chapter of Genesis may be thus divided 1. The Author of the worlds Creation God 2. The Worke. 3. The approbation of it 1. verse In the beginning of time or being therefore the World was not eternall John begins so and took it hence but beginning there may meane from Eternity or as here Christ did not begin then but was then Prov. 8. 22. Bara Elohim Gods Created That difference between the Noune Plurall and Verbe Singular saith Rivet signifieth not the mysterie of the Trinity but is an idâ—otisme of the Hebrew tongue in which such enallages are frequent as Numb 32. 25. How ever there is no difference in the thing it selfe for the name of Gods being taken here essentially not personally is common to the 3. Persons Gods created is as much as the Father the Son and Holy Ghost created for elsewhere it is manifest from Scripture that not onely the Father but the Sonne and Holy Ghost also created the world Created signifieth an act of infinite power and is not communicable to any creature 1. Ex nihilo fecit quidem potentissime ac magnificentissimè Junius Heaven and Earth In the first day were created Heaven and Earth as it were the foundation and roofe of the building Psalme 104. 5. Esay 40. 21 22. The worke of the first day was 1 Heaven under which name are comprehended partly the Empyrâ—an first and immoveable Heaven which is called in Scripture the third Heaven and Heaven of Heavens Ephes. 4 10. 2 Chron. 6. 18. Acts 1. 11. partly the Celestiall Spheres which it is probable were made the first day but without those lights of the Starres with which at length in the fourth day they were adorned the Hebrew word for Heaven being of the Duall number may imply both The heavenly Intelligences or Angels the Inhabitants of the Invisible Heaven were then made as is probable saith Chemnitius Coelum id est extimum illum hujus universitatis ambitum cum super Caelestibus incolis illius spiritualibus formis atque intelligentiis Gen 2. 1. Job 38. 7. Junius in loc 2. The foure first simple things or elements as some think Earth Water Aire Fire and the fitting of them for use by making day and night Though other hold that the aire and fire are comprehended under Firmament the worke of the second day For the earth there is he emphaticall this earth which we dwell in though then unpolished The earth is described in the second verse it was without forme and void informitie and vacuity in the originall without inhabitants and without ornament the earth and waters were joyned together among themselves the waters at first did encompasse and cover the earth round about as it were a cloathing and garment Psalme 104. 6. Darknesse was on the face of the deep that is the waters which inclosed the earth in themselves 3. v. There is an extraordinary light mentioned the ordinary fountaine of light is the Sunne which in what subject it did inhere is not certaine some say water in the thinner parts of the superficies some the Heavenly Spheres others say the Element of fire for that say they is either included under light or we know
when did I take it into consideration When did I once offer it to the serious meditation of my minde When did I say to my selfe how doth this great ball of earth remaine unmoveable in the midst of this wide and spacious Heaven Why doth it not reele or totter toward the North or South the East or West or now upward now downward What hand doth hold it up and that so stedfastly that for thousands of yeares it hath not moved surely some potent and intelligent workman hath in such a wonderfull manner reared up and founded this building That is he whom we call God why do I not fasten in my selfe a more sure and firme notion of his being and a more lively firme and effectuall acknowledgement of his excellencie We are worthy of great blame that have scarce ever directed our minds to the contemplation and fruitfull meditation of this great act of God among the rest for any good spirituall and holy intent Schollers sometimes in their Philosophicall studies stumble upon these questions and set their witts on worke to find out the natural reason of them but alas in how unsanctified a manner so as not at all to inforce the thing upon their soules for making of them more thankfull and obedient But for the plaine man that is no Scholler though he have wit enough for all things else yet hee hath no wit to enter upon these cogitations and when he findeth the matter so farre above his reach yet to tell himselfe that this is one of Gods workes and so to call on himselfe to feare know and obey him this this is that we must every man lament in himselfe as a just and due cause why the Scripture should ascribe brutishnesse unto us and we unto our selves and why wee should present our selves before the divine Majesty with bashfull and lowly confessions of our wrong done to God in robbing him of the honour due unto him for his workes which our selves have the fruit of Secondly to our selves in depriving our selves of the best and most excellent fruit of them which is to be led by them above themselves unto him This may exhort every one of us to take this work of God from David and to make it as it were our theame or the object of our meditations Whosoever applyeth himselfe to raise up such thoughts shall finde a great unaptnesse in himselfe and a kinde of wearinesse to them with a vehement inclination to entertaine other fancies and the Devill will take occasion hence to disswade him from doing the duty at all as if it were as good omit it as performe it so weakly it is a false tale which Satan tells for God hath promised acceptance to the weakest endeavours in calling himselfe a Father but to accept of the non-performance he hath never promised for even a Father cannot do that Lastly we must learn to seeke unto God and trust in him for spirituall stability of grace in our soules and must thus importune him Lord when there was never an earth thou mad'st one and didst lay the foundation of it so sure that no force nor skill can move it O thou canst also create a frame of holinesse in my heart and soule and so stablish settle and confirm it that it shall never be moved I beseech thee and trust that thou wilt do this as thou hast done the former One prime use to which we must improve these naturall benefits is to quicken our prayers and confirme our faith in begging and expecting such as are spirituall When God will confirme the faith of his people and winne them to call upon him for good things he puts them in minde of these wonders in nature they must make use of them therefore for this purpose â—The second Element is water so necessary a creature as nothing can be more dangerously or uncomfortably wanting to the life of man It is an Element moyst in some degree and cold in the highest therefore it cooles the body and tempers the heate that it grow not excessive It hath manifold uses constantly 1. We and our Cattel drinke of it and neither can continue without water or something made of it our bread must be kneaded with it and our meate boyled with it 2. It serves to wash our bodies and the apparell wee weare if our hands and feete were never washt what an evill smell should we carrie about 3. It makes the earth fruitfull The Husband-man looseth his labour if after sowing there come no raine it is 1. Of large and common use no Countrey can want it neither rich nor poore man nor beast 2. Of constant use we must have it daily or something made of it and our beasts also 3. Very profitable we drinke it and wash with it and our meate is prepared by it and beasts drinke it It reprehends us that so ungratefully enjoy and devoure this benefit without lifting our hearts up to God and praising him for it A secret Atheisme prevailes in our hearts which is the cause of this great blockishnesse and ingratitude and corrupts all things to us and forfeits them provokes Gods justice against us Say Lord thou mightst justly choak me for the time to come for want of water that have not been particularly thankfull to thee for this mercie Wee should bring in the parcels of Gods goodnesse for bread water fire when thou washest thy hands let thy heart be lifted up to God that made the Element Say O that I could praise love and obey him that hath done this for me The usefulnesse abundance and easinesse to come by doth highly commend this benefit and the giver of it shewing water to be very good and our selves much beholding to him that giveth it Aunciently in those warmer Countreys especially water was the usuall drinke of men therefore in the description of the cost of famillies in house-keeping when we read of so many Oxen and Sheep slaine and so much meale and fine flower we reade not of any wine which would have been mentioned if it had been usually drunke 3. The Aire or all the void place betweene the clouds and the earth giving breath of life to all things that breath this is the third Element light and subtill moving upward not downeward because it hath no heavinesse in it It is divided into three regions or stages The highest is said to be exceeding hot and also dry because it is neare the fiery Element and starres by the force of whose beames it receiveth the heate which also is much encreased by following the motions of the Heavens The lowest region is they say hot and moist hot by the reflection of the Sun-beames meeting with the earth and moyst from its own proper nature and by reason of the vapours exhaled out of the earth and water or rather it is variable now bot now cold sometime temperate differing according to times and seasons of the yeare and places also or severall climates The middle
region of the aire is cold in respect of the two other because it cannot follow the motions of the Heavens as the upper region doth being hindered by the tops of mountains 2. being free from the reflex beames of the Sun by which the lower region of the aire is made hot The Aire is most thin without light or colour but apt to receive heate light and cold heavier then the fire lighter then the earth or water placed in the midst of them fit for breathing seeing smelling and moving This Element also leades us to God For 1. It tâ—uly and really subsisteth though it be not seene So also the Lord the maker of it hath a reall but invisible existence 2. It is every where within and without us so is God every where present 3. It is the preserver of my life and we may say of it truly as the Apostle of God himselfe in it under God we live move and have our being 4. Fire which is some say to be understood in light an adjunct and quality of it Scaliger would prove a fiery Element because fire tends thither First God made the Elements of the earth and water which in Geography make one globe Others say light neither is that Element nor proceedes from it but the Sun however I shall handle it here among the workes of the first day Without light Gods other works could not have been discovered by men Light is an excellent worke of God tending to manifest his excellency to men it is a comfortable thing to behold the light Psalm 104. 2. Who coverest thy selfe with light as with a garment that is createdst the light thereby shewing his excellencie as a man doth by making and wearing a rich and glorious suite of cloths hee made and doth maintaine the light in its perfection God expresseth his greatnesse above Job in that hee could not make light nor knew not what it was q. d. Job thou art a meane Creature thou dost not create nor order the light neither dost thou know the nature and working of it The greatnesse of this worke appeares principally by two considerations 1. The hidden abstruse and difficult nature of it Philosophers cannot tell what to say of it whether it be a substance or accident and if a substance whether corporeall or incorporeall and spirituall it is a quality say they which makes other things visible that is the effect of it This word light in English signifieth both that which the Latines call lux and that which they call lumen which yet are two distinct things The first being in the Sunnâ— or Moone properly the second in the Aire and an effect of the other Some thinke that it is a substance one of the simple substances which they call Elements of which compounded substances are made by mixing them together and is nothing but the Element of fire which Philosophers speake of being more subtill then the Aire And as the water compassed the earth and the aire the water so did light the aire and was far greater then the aire as that was then the water and earth so as this is the highest of all the Elements 2. It is very usefull needfull and beneficiall For first it carrieth heate in it and conveigheth heate and the coâ—lestiall influences unto all other things 2. It distinguisheth day and night each from other without it what were the world but a dungeon 3. It is exceeding necessary for the dispatch of all businesse 4. To make the beautifull workes of God visible Heaven and Earth and dissipate those sad thoughts and sorrowes which the darknesse both begetteth and maintaineth 1. We cannot see light without light nor know God without his teaching 2. This serves to condemne our selves which cannot see God in this light though we see it with content and lament this blindnesse When the day begins to peepe in at your windowes let God come into your thoughts hee comes clothed thus attired tell your selves how beautiful excellent he is 3. It may exhort us to labour to raise up our hearts to God in hearty thankfulnesse for the light how mercifull and gracious art thou who givest me light and the sight of it take heed of abusing it to sinne and thy eyes whereby thou discernest it especially magnifie God that giveth you spirituall light and sight Christ is the light of the world naturall darknesse is terrible light comfortable what is spirituall Light is so pure faire and cleare that nothing can pollute it a resemblance of Gods infinite purity The creation of day and night and the distinction and vicissitude of both is the last thing in the first dayes work Day is the presence of light in one halfe of the world and night the absence of it in the other So that the dispute whether day or night were first seems superfluous seeing they must needes be both together for at what time the light is in one halfe of the world it must needes bee absent from the other and contrarily for all darknesse is not night nor all light day but darkness distinguished from light that is night light distinguished from darknesse that is day unlesse we wil take day for the naturall not the artificiall day that is the space of 24. houres in which the Sun accomplisheth hiâ— diurnall motion about the Earth Darknesse is nothing but the absence of light Night is the space of time in every place when the light is absent from them Day is the space of time in every place when the light is present with them it is not simply the presence of light but presence of light in one halfe of the world when the other is destitute of it and Night is not simply the absence of light but the absence of it from one halfe of the world when the other halfe enjoyeth it God made the Sun the chiefe instrument of continuing the course of day and night forever by its diurnall and constant motion This is a wonderfull worke of God and to be admired The Scripture notes it the day is thine and the night also is thine saith the Psalmist the ordinances of day and night cannot be changed The greatnesse of this worke appeareth in the cause of it the beneficiall effects First for the cause it is the incredibly swift motion of the Sunne which goeth round about the world in the space of 24. houres that is the space of 60. miles every houre in the earth but how many thousand 60. miles in its own circle or circumference for the Earth is a very small thing compared to the Sun The bodie of the Sunne is 166. times as it is thought greater then the Earth therefore the circumference that it goes must needs be at least so much larger then the compasse of the Earth therefore its course must needs be at least so much larger then the compasse of the Earth therefore its course
the waters in a garment Prov. 30. 4. that is makes the Clouds How as it were by an even poysing of one part with the other God makes these Clouds to hover a great while over the earth before they bee dissolved is a thing worthy admiration and greatly surpasseth our knowledge Job 38. 34. Psal. 14. 78. and Prov. 8. 28. Psal. 104. 3. The cloud is water rarified drawn upward till it come to a cold place and then it is thicke and drops downe They are but nine miles say some from the earth but they are of unequall height and are lower in Winter then in Summer when the Sun hath the greater force then they ascend higher and in his smaller force they hang the lower Let us consider the causes of these clouds and the uses of them The efficient causes are thought to be the heate influence of the Sun and the Stars which doth rarifie the water draw thence the matter of the clouds as you shall perceive if you hold a wet cloath before the fire that a thicke steame will come out of it because the fire makes thin the thickness of the water and turns it into a kind of moist vapour and the earth hath some heate mixed with it through a certain quantity of fire that is dispersed in the bowels of it which causeth such like steames to ascend out of it and the coldnsse of the middle region doth condensate and thicken these steames or breaths and turne them againe into water at length and at last to thicke clouds 2. The matter is the steams that the waters and earth doe yeeld forth by this heate The uses of it are to make rain and snow snow is nothing but rain condensated whiâ—ened by the excessive cold in the winter time as it is in descending for the watering of the earth and making it fruitfull or else for the excessive moistning of the earth to hinder the fruitfulnesse of it if God see fit to punish The earth without moysture cannot bring forth the fruitâ— that it should and some parts of the earth have so little water neare them below that they could not else be sufficiently moystened to the making of them fruitfull God hath therefore commanded the Sunne among other offices to make the vapours ascend from the Sea and Earth that he may powre it down again upon the forsaken wildernesse or other places whether for punishment or otherwise Ob. How can it be conceived that the clouds above being heavy with water should not fall to the Earth seeing every heavy thing naturally descendeth and tendeth down-ward Sol. No man by wit or reason can resolve this doubt but only from the word of God which teacheth that it is by vertue of Gods Commandement given in the Creation that the Cloudes fall not Gen. 1. 6. Let the Firmament separate the waters from the waters by force of which commanding word the water hangeth in the clouds and the clouds in the aire and need no other supporters Job 26. 7 8. setting out the Majestie and greatnesse of God in his workes here beginneth that He hangeth the Earth upon nothing be bindeth the waters in the Clouds and the Cloud is not rent under them Philosophie is too defective to yeeld the true reason of this great work of God which commonly attributeth too much to natura naturata nature and too little to natura naturans the God of nature Now we must here also blame our own carelesnesse and folly which forbeare to consider of this worke that hangs over our heads The clouds are carried from place to place in our sight and cover the Sun from us They hinder the over-vehement heate of the Sunne from scorching the earth and yet wee never thinke what strange things they be and what a mercifull Creator is he that prepared them Not seeing God in the workes of nature shewes great stupidity and should make us lament Let us endeavour to revive the thoughts of God in our mindes by his workes When wee see the clouds carried up and downe as wee doe sometimes one way sometimes another swiftly then let us set our heart a worke to thinke there goes Gods Coach as it were here he rides above our heads to marke our way and to reward or punish our good or bad courses with seasonable raine for our comfort or excessive showers for our terrour O seeke to him and labour to please him that hee may not finde matter of anger provocation against us When the Clouds either favour or chastise us let us take notice of Gods hand in these either comfortable or discomfortable effects and not impute it all to the course of nature By meanes of the Clouds God waters the earth yea the drye wildernesse without moysture there can be no fruitfulnesse without Clouds no raine without that no corne or grasse and so no man or beast Raine is as it were the melting of a Cloude turned into water Psal. 104. 13. It is a great work of God to make raine and cause it fitly and seasonably to descend upon the earth It is a work often named in Scripture Deut 11. 14. and 28. 12. Levit. 26. 4. Jer. 5. 24. It is noted in Job divers times 36. 27. He maketh small the drops of water God propounds this worke to Job as a demonstration of his greatnesse Job 38. 25. 34. See Jer 30. 13. Psalm 137. 8. Now this work is the more to be observed in these respects 1. The necessity of it in regard of the good it bringeth if it be seasonable and moderate and the evill which followes the want excesse or untimelinesse of it 2. In regard of mans utter inability to procure or hinder it as in the dayes of Noah all the world could not hinder it and in the dayes of Ahab none could procure it 3. In regard of the greatnesse of the worke in the course of nature for the effecting of which so many wonders concurre First without this drinke afforded to the fields we should soone finde the world pined and sterved and man and beast consumed out of it for want of foode to eate It is the cause of fruitfulnesse and the want of it causeth barrennesse and so destruction of all living creatures that are maintained by the encrease of the earth As mischievous and terrible a thing as a famine is so good and beneficiall a thing is raine which keepeth off famine Secondly It procureth plenty of all necessaries when the Heavens give their drops in fit time and measure the earth also sends forth her off-spring in great store and fit season so both men and beasts enjoy all things according to their naturall desire this so comfortable a thing as plenty is so worthy a work of God is the effect of raine I meane raine in due season and proportion Lastly The greatnesse of the workes which must meet together for making and distributing of
raine doth magnifie the worke The Sunne by his heate drawes up moist steams breath from the earth and water these ascending to the middle region of the aire which is some-what colder then the lower are again thickned and turne into water and so drop downe by their owne heavinesse by drops not altogether as it were by cowles full partly from the height of place from which they fall which causeth the water to disperse it selfe into drops and partly because it is by little and little not all at once thickned and turned into water so descends by little portions as it is thickned So the Sunne and other starres the earth the water windes and all the frame of nature are put to great toile and paines as it were to make ready these Clouds for from the end◠of the earth are the waters drawn which make our showers God is the first efficient cause of raine Gen. 2. 5. It is said there God had not caused it to raine Job 5. 10. Jer. 14. 22. Zach. 10. 1. The materiall cause of it is a vapour ascending out of the earth 3. the formall by the force of the cold the vapours are condensed into Clouds in the middle region of the aire 4. The end of raine to water the earth Genes 2. 6. which generation and use of raine David hath elegantly explained Psal. 147. 8. The cause of the Raine-bow is the light or beames of the Sun in a hollow and dewie cloud of a different proportion right opposite to the Sun beames by the reflection of which beames and the divers mixture of the light and the shade there is expressed as it were in a glasse the admirable Raine-bow We should be humbled for our unthankfulness and want of making due use of this mercie the want of it would make us mutter yet we praise not God nor serve him the better when we have it Jer. 14. 22. intimating without Gods omnipotencie working in and by them they cannot doe it If God actuate not the course of nature nothing is done by it let us have therefore our hearts and eyes fixed on him when wee behold raine sometime it mizleth gently descending sometimes falls with greater drops sometime with violence this ariseth from the greater or lesse quantity of the vapour and more or less heate or cold of the aire that thickneth or melteth or from the greater or smaller distance of the cloud from the earth or from the greater purity or grossenesse of the aire by reason of other concurring accidents either we feele the benefit or the want of raine likely once every moneth· Let not a thing so admirable passe by us without heeding to bee made better by it Want of moisture from above must produce praying confessing turning 1 Kings 8. 35. 36. The colours that appear in the Rainbow are principally 3. 1. The Cerulean or watery colour which notes the destroying of the world by water 2. The grassie or greene colour which shewes that God doth preserve the world for the present 3. The yellow or fiery colour shewing the world shal be destroyed with fire Dew consists of a cold moist vapour which the Sun draweth into the aire from whence when it is somewhat thickned through cold of the night and also of the place whether the Sun exhaled it it falleth down in very small and indiscernable drops to the great refreshment of the earth It falleth only morning aud evening Hath the raine a Father or who hath begotten the drops of dew Out of whose wombe came the raine and the hoary frost of heaven who hath gendred it saith God to Job Ch. 38. 28 29. A frost is dew congealed by overmuch cold It differs from the dew because the frost is made in a cold time and place the dew in a temperate time both of them are made when the weather is calme and not windy and generated in the lowest region of the aire Haile and ice is the same thing viz. water bound with cold they differ onely in figure viz. that the hailestones are or bicular begotten of the little drops of raine falling but ice is made of water continued whether it be congealed in rivers or sea or fountaines or pooles or any vessels whatsoever and retaines the figure of the water congealed Though ice be not Chrystall yet some say Chrystall is from ice when ice is hardened into the nature of a stone it becomes Chrystall more degrees of coldnesse hardnesse and clearenesse give ice the denomination of Chrystall and the name Chrystall imports so much that is water by cold contracted into ice Plinie in his naturall Historie saith the birth of it is from ice vehemently frozen But Doctor Browne in his enquiries into vulgar errours doubts of it The windes are also a great worke of God he made and he ruleth the winds They come not by chance but by a particular power of God causing them to be and to be thus hee brings them out of his treasures He caused the winds to serve him in Egypt to bring Froggs and after Locusts and then to remove the Locusts againe He caused the winds to divide the red Sea that Israell might passe Hee made the winds to bring quailes and the winds are said to have wings for their swiftnesse the nature of them is very abstruse The efficient causes of them are the Sunne and starres by their heate drawing up the thinnest and dryest fumes or exhalations which by the cold of the middle region being beaten back againe doe slide obliquely with great violence through the ayre this way or that way The effects of it are wonderfull they sometimes carrie raine hither and thither they make frost and they thaw they are sometimes exceeding violent and a man that sees their working can hardly satisfie himselfe in that which Philosophers speakes about their causes the wind bloweth where it listeth wee heare its sound but know not whence it commeth nor whether it goeth It is a thing which farre surpasseth our understanding to conceive fully the causes of it They blow most ordinarily at the Spring and fall for there is not so much wind in winter because the earth is bound with cold and so the vapour the matter of the wind cannot ascend nor in summer because vapours are then raised up by the Sun and it consumes them with his great heate These Winds alter the weather some of them bringing raine some drinesse some frost and snow which are all necessary there is also an universall commodity which riseth by the onely moving of the ayre which ayre if not continually stirred would soone putrifie and infect all that breath upon the earth It serves to condemne our owne blindnesse that cannot see God in this great worke the wind commeth downe unto us it is neere us we feele the blasts of it and yet we feele not the power and greatnesse of God in it When
saltishnesse drowth adustion Our Uurine and excrements for the same reason are also salt the purest part of our nourishment being employed in and upon the body Lydiat attributes it to under-earth or rather under-sea fires of a bituminous nature causing both the motion and saltnesse of the Sea Aristotle affirmeth that the Sea in Summer toward the South is more salt then else-where and is fresher toward the bottome then top The Sea is salt 1. to keepe it from putrifaction which is not necessary in the floods because of their swift motion 2. for the breeding and nourishing of great Fishes being both hotter and thicker 7. What is the cause of the ebbing and flowing of the Sea There have been many opinions of the cause of the ebbing and flowing of the Sea De quo plura pro ingeniis differentium quam pro veritatis fide expressa Some say it is the breathing or blowing of the world as Strabo Albertus Magn. One said it was because the waters getting into certaine holes of the earth were forced out again by Spirits remaining within the earth Macrobius said it was by meeting the East West Ocean Cicero seems to ascribe it only to the power of God others for the most part ascribe it to the various light or influences of the moone which rules over all moist bodies Some attribute it to certaine subterranean or under-Sea fires The final cause of the Seas motion is the preserving and purging of the waters as the aire is purged by windes Coelius Rhodiginus Antiq. lect l. 29. c. 8. writeth of Aristotle that when he had studied long about it at the last being weary he dyed through tediousnesse of such an intricate doubt Some say he drowned himselfe in Euripus because hee could finde no reason why it had so various a fluxion and refluxion seven times a day at least adding before that his praecipitation quoniam Aristoteles non cepit Euripum Euripus capiat Aristotelem Since Aristotle could not comprehend Euripus it should comprehend him But Doctor Brown in his Enquiries seemes to doubt of the truth of this story Other questions there are concerning râ—vers What is the originall of springs and Rivers what manner of motion the running of the rivers is whether straight or circular As one part of the waters and the farre greater part is gathered into one place and much of it hidden in the bowels of the earth and there as it were imprisoned or treasured up by making the Sea and dry land so another part of them was appointed to runne up down within the earth and upon it in springs rivers which rivers are nothing but the assembling of the waters into divers great channells from the fountains and springs which the Psalmist describeth by its matter and use or effect He sendeth the springs into the valleyes which run along the hills that is He made the springs and fountaines to conveigh waters from place to place the use of this is to give drinke unto the beasts even to the wilde asses who quench their thirst there There be many other uses of springs and rivers but this is noted as the most manifest and evident Another use is for the fowles which have their habitation in the trees which grow neere and by meanes of these springs there they sit and sing These spring bring up so much moisture to the upper parts of the earth as causeth trees to grow also for fowles to build and sing in Some of the waters also were drawn up into the middle region of the world changed into Clouds that so they may be dissolved and powred downe againe from thence upon the hills also and other places which cannot be watered by the Springs that so the whole earth may be satisfied with the fruit of Gods works The Poets faigned that Jupiter Neptune and Pluto divided the Universe and that Neptune had the Sea for his part which is called Neptunus either à nando from navigation or a nubendo from covering because the Sea covers the earth and Pontus the nations about Pontus thought no Sea in the world like unto their owne and doubted whether there were any other Sea but that whence Pontus was used for the Sea in generall The Sea is a wide and spacious place Psal. 104. 25. The great deepe the wombe of moisture the well of fountains the great Pond of the world The reason of the greatnesse and widenesse of it is the multitude of waters which were made by God at the first which because they did cover the earth and inclose it round it must needs be farre greater then the earth and therefore when God saw fit to distinguish the dry land from the earth must needs have very great ditches cut for it in the earth and caverns made to hold it therefore the earth in Scripture is said to be spread out upon the Sea because a great part of it is so in respect of the waters that are under it Again the use the principall use of the Sea waters therof was that it might supply vapours for making of the clouds by the attraction of the Sunne and native heate of the Sea in respect of some fire which God hath mixed with the earth and waters that they may be more fit to give life to living things Now if the superficies of the Sea were not very large and wide the Sunne could not have power enough by its attractive heate and warmth by which it doth attenuate make thin the waters into vapours which after the cold of the aire when they come into the middle region of it doth againe thicken and turne it into waters I say the Sunne could not else have power to draw out of the Sea sufficient store of these vapours for watering of the earth with showers So the multitude of the waters and the necessity of having much of them drawn up for raine required that they should not have little receptacles but one so great and spacious a receptacle which we call the Sea Oceanus the Ocean is that generall collection of all waters which environeth the world on every side Mare the Sea is a part of the Ocean to which we cannot come but by some streight In the Sea are innumerable creatures small and great there walke the Shipps there play the Leviathans What living mountaines such are the Whales some of which have beene found 600. foote long and 360. foote broad rowle up and downe in those fearfull billowes for greatnesse of number hugenesse of quantity strangenesse of shapes variety of fashions neither aire nor earth can compare with the waters Another use of the Sea is that there goe the Ships as the Prophet speakes in a kind of wonderment The whole art of Navigation is a strange art the Lord sitted the Sea for this purpose that it might be usefull to transport men from place to place and other things
did not make themselves They could not possibly be without any beginning at all for they are but parts of the whole world and no part of any whole can be eternall because there must be something before that did unite those parts together wherfore they were made by some superiour essence and more excellent then themselves and that is God How great how wise how good how infinitely excellent is He whose hand framed and ordered these things The Sunne ariseth to us constantly the Moone also keepes her course with like constancie Doth not that mighty armie of stars which in a cleare night shew themselves even speake to us as it were to consider of his incomprehensible excellencie which made and rules them Let us accustome our selves hereafter to these meditations if God had not beautified heaven with these excellent bodies light and heate could not have been equally and in due quantity conveyed into all the quarters of the world We must observe this worke so as to praise God for it to informe our selves of his nature and strive to worke more love feare obedience and confidence in our selves towards him The Apostle saith that in the times before the Gospell the Gentiles might have found God as it were by groping Acts 17. 27. Now we that have the Scripture to direct us as in the day-light shall not wee finde God out by these illustrious works of his CHAP. VI. THe fift dayes worke was the Creation of all living creatures which live and move in the two moist Elements the water and the aire viz. Fishes and moving creatures which live and move in the waters and all kinde of Fowles which flye in the open Region of the aire divers in nature shape qualities and manner of living The Hebrew verbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of which the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is here translated the moving creature is derived is used as here so in other Scriptures frequently first to signifie creeping or moving forward without feete as Genes 7. 21. and Levit. 11. 19. and secondly also to bring forth abundantly as here and also Exod. 1. 7. Fishes breed and bring forth young in great abundance more then any other creatures do by the multitude of spawn they would encrease beyond all measure and number if by one meanes or other the spawne were not devoured and consumed Who can render a reason of their ability to swim so in the waters to support themselves in the midst of the waters convey themselves up and down in it Fishes are in Scripture termed Reptilia Psal. 104. 25. In the great and wide Sea there are things creeping innumerable both small and great so called because things when they swim seeme to creep along in the water As birds have their wings and traines by meanes whereof they cut their way and make smooth passage through the aire so fishes are furnished with finnes wherewith they guide themselves in their swimming and cut the current of the streames aud waves for their more easie passage wherein their course is directed by their taile as shtps are conducted by their Helm The Sea gives more and greater dainties then the earth those that did most affect to please their pallate of olde set great store by fishes and paid dearer for them then flesh God hath furnished them with a strong power of encreasing Birds bring forth some foure or five in a nest some three and some but two the most but twenty as the little Wren for being so little the kinde would bee consumed by the things which devoure such weake creatures if those that be did not bring forth very many but every fish brings forth a great multitude many hundreds as we may see in their spawne That God should give unto these things a power to multiply so very fast is wonderfull and it is agreeable to reason too for the fishes doe more devoure one another then the beasts doe the greater being much more ravenous then any beast as being bigger and their stomacks by an antiperistasis of the cold water more vehement in digesting They are said to bee without number Psal. 104. 25. not simply but to us for wee cannot tell the number of them though God which made them doe know the particular number of them Hee can tell how many fishes there bee in the Sea though to us they exceed the power of counting yet he hath the precise and exact number of them We know not the kinds of fishes how much lesse the particulars There be saith Plinie of fishes and other creatures living in the Sea one hundred seventy and sixe severall and distinct kindes What Philosopher can tel how many Dolphins Herrings Whales sword-fishes there be in the Sea The Echeneis Remora or stop-ship but halfe a foot long is able to stay the greatest ship under saile Keckermannus humori frigido à Remora fuso adscribere videtur qui aquam circa gubernaculum conglaciet in Disput. Phisic The Cramp-fish Torpedo is able to benum and mortifie the armes of the lustiest and strongest Fishers that be by touching onely the end of any part of an angle-rod which they hold in their hands although they stand aloft and a great way from her hence it hath its name quod torpore manus afficiat because it benummeth the hands The Naturalists tell us of one fish which they call the Uranoscope which hath but one eye and that in a verticall point on the top of the head directly upward by which it avoids all rocks and dangers There have been known Whales sixe hundred foot long and three hundred 60. foot broad some like mountains some like Islands God himselfe speaking of his owne power of all the creatures rehearseth onely two the Behemoth Job 40. 15. to the end that is the Elephant and the Leviathan Job 41. per totum that is the Whale this being the greatest among the Fishes as that among the beasts The Sword-fish hath a beake or bill sharp pointed wherewith hee will drive through the sides and planks of a shippe and bore them so that they shall sink withall The Dolphin is said to bee a fish of such exceeding great swiftnesse as that oftentimes he outstrippeth a ship under sail in the greatest ruffe and merriest wind in swiftness of course In this fish is propounded to us an example of charity and kind affection toward our Children as Plinie in his description of the nature of this fish sheweth and Aelianus l. 5. c. 18 As also of his singular love toward man whereof Aelianus produceth strange examples It may seeme strange that it should please the Pope to forbid flesh to men rather then fish i. the lesse dainty and luxurious before the more for what is of some alleadged that the curse fell upon the earth and not the Seas is fondly affirmed seeing when it is said cursed bee the earth By earth is meant the whole globe of the earth consisting
in sublimi regione pendent Brierwood There are 3. sorts of Meteors one of fire and hot the other of aire or water and cold the other mingled Hee sendeth snow like wool * Vapor est calidus humidus oriturque ex aere et aqua exhalatio calida et sicca oriturque ex igne terra Zab. a Like chesnuts or egges breaking in the fire b Cum exhalatio Calida sicca in nubibus ocurrit humidae frigidae illam violenta eruptione perrumpit atque ex hac collisiâ—ne fragor oritur qui tonitrudicitur atque accensio inflammatio exhalationis quae fulgur nominatur Arist. l. 2. Meteor c. 2. 8. Job 37. 4. 1 Sam. 7. 10. 29. Psal. per tot 18. 1â— A winters thunder is a summers wonder In Autumne or Spring are oftner meteor seen then in the summer and winter except in such places where the Summer Winter are of the temper of Spring Autumne Job 37. 1 to 6. Plutarch in the life of Flaminius reporteth that there was such a noyse made by the Grecians after their liberty was restored that the birds of the aire that flew over them were seen to fal down by reason that the aire divided by their cry was made so thinue that there was no strength in it to bear them up therefore the thunder must needs rarifie make thin the aire If it bee a great cloud it is called nubes it but a little one it is called nubecula Ab obnubendo operiendo coelum The clouds are called the bottles of heaven Job 38. 37. The windowes and flood-gates of heaven Gen 7. 11. Mal. 3. 10. the fountaines of the deep Prov. 8. 28. the watery roofe of Gods chambers Psal. 104. 3. The pavilion chariot and treasure of the Lord Psal. 18. 11. 2. Sam. 22. 12. swadling bands for the Sea Job 38. 9. The cloud is a thicke moist vapour drawne up from the earth by the heat of the Sun to the middle region of the aire and by the coldnesse there further thickened so that it hangeth untill ether the weight or some resolution cause it to fall downe Mr. Perkins on Jude 12. Consectaries Job 37. 11. to 17. Job 36. 32. Psalme 91. 1. Psalme 104. 3. a Great raine is called nimbus small raine imber Amos 4. 8. b Though all men should unite all their wits purses hands together to make or to hinder one showr of raine they are unable Rich men great wise men have not these waters at command the lesse a creature can do to effect it the more doth the greatness of God shine forth in it In Egypt there is seldom rain it is made fruitfâ—l by the inundation of Niâ—us In India raine is not so frequeÌ„t as with us Jerome saith hee never saw rain there in the months of June July hence raine in harvest was there unusuall Pro. 26. 1. 1 Sam. 12. 16. * as they do in the Indâ—â— Verbum Dei comparatur pluviae Deutr. 32. 2. Ideoque Hebraei uno verbo jorah doctrinam pluviam efferunt Mollerus Thaumantis filiam dixere Iridem Poetae Colores ejus tam exacti ut vix artificis possit exprimere manus Consectaries from the raine Raine bow Job 5. 8 9 10. James 5. 17 18. See Gen. 9. 13. Hosea 14. 5. Valessus de saâ—ra philosophia a lib. 37. ch 2 * lib. 2. chap. 1. b Psal. 104. 24 and 135. 7. It is a dry and hot fume ascending upward beaten backe againe by the coldneâ—se of the middle region some comes downeward againe sideling with more or lesse violence as the sume is larger or subtiler and the cold more or lesse Ventus à violentia vehementia nomen habet quod veniat abundè magna vi irruat in unum aliquem locum mag Ph. Some think the Angells cause the windes to blew Revel 7. 1. but that is but a conceire Prov. 30. 4. Amos 4. 13. c The profit of the wind Dr. Fulke of meteors It made Adam tremble when God came in the winde 1 Cor. 12. 11. Matth. 8. 26. Jer. 18. 17. * Metalla i. e. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is which is ingendred or bred about or with some other thing as gold about silver and silvâ—r aboâ—â— brass Plinis l. 33. chap. 6. Third dayes worke Psal. 104. 89. * It is called mare either froÌ„ the Latine Amarum or the Chaldee marath signifying also bitter because the Sea-water is bitter and salt For the use of man and all other living creatures God made a separation of the earth and water causing the water to sinke down into huge hollow channells prepared to receive it that so the dry land might appeare above it We must consider the earth and waters 1. absolutely as they are Elements and solid bodies so the water hath the higher place being lighter 2. In respect of the superficies of either so the superficie of the earth is higher Carp Geog. If wee compare the Coasts and the neerest Sea then the land is higher then the Sea but if wee compare the land and the maine Sea then the Sea is higher then the Land and therefore the Sea is called Altum where ships flye faster to the shore then from it * Carpenter in his 2d book of Geographie c. 10. saith the perpendicular height of the highest mountaines seldome exceeds â—en fur longs See Sir Walter Raleighs Historie of the world l. 1. c 7 Sect. 11. * Insulae portiones terrae sunt oceano cinctae ortus varia habent principia Emersere quaedam ex mari a continenti avâ—lsae quaedam aggesta nonnullis ortum dedit materia Johnstoni Thaumato graphia naturalis Duo maxima quae mari tribuuntur mira salsedo reciprocatio Johnstoni Thaumatâ— graphia naturalis De Origine Fontium c. 8. 9. See Plinies booke of natural history from ch 97. to 100. * It is called reciprocatio aestus maris because it is caused by a hot exhalation boiling in the Sea or because the Sea suffers as if it boyled again with heate Brierwood de meteoris * l. 7. ch 13. a See Doctor Jorden of Bathes ch 3. Rivers are said to be ingendred in the hollow concavities of the earth and derive both their birth and continuall sustenance from the aire which penetratiâ—g the open chinks of the earth being congealed by the extream cold of that element dissolves into water as the aire in winter nights is melted in a pearly dew sticking on our glass windows Doctor Halls Contemplation It must be large to containe so many creatures Amos 5. 8. and 9. 6. Psal. 104. 25. 107. 23 24 25 26 27 28. Dr. Halls Contemplat Psalm 104. 1 Kings 19. 26 10. 22. Consectaries rom the Sea See the history of Canutus in Cambden The safety of this Kingdoâ—e consists much in its wooden walls The â—s. Navv exceedes all others in the world in beauty strength safety *
not whether to referre it and God created not accidents without subjects The worke of the second day were two-fold 1. That most vast firmament viz. that space between the earth and skie the Hebrew word signifieth the extending of any thing or the thing it selfe 2. The division of the waters above from the Waters below that is of the clouds which are in the middle Region of the Aire from the Fountaines Rivers and Sea which remain under the lowest Region But by the name of Clouds and Waters above the firmament we may understand all the Meteors both waterie and fiery which were created then in their causes Jer. 10. 13. The approbâ—tion given of other dayes is here omitted in the Hebrew not because Hell was created on this day as the Hebrews say but because this work of distguishing the waters was yet imperfect and finished on the third day The worke of the third day was three-fold 1. The conflux or gathering of the waters below into one place in regard of the greater part of them called Sea that so they might not over-flow the earth and by this command of Gods they still continve so Luther said well that all a mans life upon the earth is as great a miracle as the Israelites passing through the red sea 2. The drying of the earth to make it habitable and fit for nourishing plants and living creatures 3. The producing of Herbes and Trees of all kinds The works of the fourth day were the Lights both greater as Sun and Moon and lesser as the other starres placed in the Heavens as certaine receptacles or vessells wherein the Lord did gather light which before was scattered in the whole body of the heavens 2. The use of them they were to give light to the world to distinguish the night from the day the day from the week as also to distinguish seasons Summer and Winter Spring Autumne Seed-time and Harvest They are Signes 1. Naturall by them we may guesse of the Weather Matth. 16. 2 3. from the colour and figure of the Moon some will conjecture what weather is like to be 2. Civill Husbandmen Gardners Fishermen Mariners gather observations from them 3. Ecclesiasticall to know the New Moons and spirituall stâ—ange apparitions in them are signes of Gods anger as extraordinary Eclipses Blazing-starres The works of the fifth day were The Fishes of the Sea and Fowles of the Aire divers iâ— nature shape qualities vertues and manners of living the fishes were appointed to increase multiply and fill the waters and the fowles to increase multiply and flie in the aire The worke of the sixt day is two-fold 1. All terrestriall bruite creatures Beasts Cattle and every thing which creepeth upon the earth in their kinde having vertue and power from God to increase and multiply 2. Man male and Female Adams body of the dust of the earth viz. that hee might have in his owne bosome an argument and incentive of humility left for his excellency he should waxe proud against God Eves body out of a rib of Adam for a signe of most neare conjunction and love betwixt man and wife The Creation ceased in man as in the Master-piece of Gods skil and as in the end to which all other things were destinate For all other Creatures by the bountie of the Creator were to serve Adam as their Lord and Prince CHAP. III. I Shall now insist more largely on the particular Creatures and draw some Consectaries from them saying little of the reasonable Creatures Angels and Men because I intend more fully to treat of them by themselves The Creation of the Heavens is a great and wonderfull worke of God the Heavens were not alwayes neither came they by chance or any other way but by the wonderfull power of God creating them So the Scripture telleth us often Psal. 102. 15. Esay 40. 12. and 22. and 42. 5. and 45. 2. and 48. 13. God frequently challengeth to himselfe the glory of this exceeding great worke alleadging it as an effect of his wonderfull power and greatnesse The excellency and greatnesse of this worke appeares in divers things 1. The abstrusenesse of the matter 2. The perfection of the forme 3. The exceeding hugenesse of its quantity 4. The height of it 5. It s swift motion Lastly the excellent usefulnesse of if for the Creatures here below and all other things contained in it First the matter of the Heavens is darke and hidden and goes beyond the power of mortall creatures certainly to determine of it Philosophers know not what to say here some of them doe thinke that the upper heavens are made of the same matter with these inseriour bodies and some againe do deny it and thinke it consists of another which they call the fifth Eâ—sence because they perceive it to bee of such different working and qualities front the things below 2. The perfection of the Figure of the heavens and all the Starres of heaven doth marvellously grace it for it is of an Orbicular or round forme a Circle encompassing the earth and waters round which is of it selfe also for the maine Orbicular and this concerning the Starres our senses do declare and concerning the whole Heavens the motions of the Starres which our eye doth tell us for the Sunne riseth every morning over against the place it did set the evening before and so evinceth that its course is round The round figure is the most beautifull strong perfect and capacions figure and this may minde us of Gods Infâ—â—itenesse Perfection and unchangeablenesse 3. Consider the hugenesse of its quantity for who can measure the back-side of heaven or tell how many miles space that mighty Circle doth containe the Globe of Earth and water is very great but all that is as it were an undiscernable Point compared to the whole Globe of heaven how incomprehenâ—â—bly great is he which hath made a building so great The whole circuit of the heavens wherein are the fixed Staus is reckoned by Astronomers to be a thousand and 17. millions of miles at least 4. It is a high and stately building Job 22. 1â— 160. millions of miles high from earth to heaven it is so farre by the Astronomers rules It is a wonder saith one that we can look up to so admirable a height and that the very eye is not tired in the way If this ascending line could be drawne right forward some that have calculated curiously have found it five hundred yeares journey unto the starrie heaven This putteth us in minde of the infinite mercy and goodnesse of God Psalme 103. 3. and of his Majestie the highest heavens are a fit Palace for the most High Psal. 104. 3. 5. It s admirable swift motion and revolution in 24. hours which our conceits cannot follow teacheth us that God is farre more swift and ready to helpe us in our need A Bullet out of a Musquet flies swiftly
it will fly 180 miles an hour according to its motion The Sun moves swifter 1160000 miles in one houre the fixed stars some of them 42 millions of miles each houre 6. The use of it is admirable the motion of the heavenly bodies is the cause of generation and corruption here below if they should cease moving the being of sublunary bodies would cease The inferior heavens are fitted for the generation of Meteors Raine Snow Thunder Lightning by its fit distance as it were from the Earth and Starres Here is room for the making and shewing of them all The lower part of it also by reason of its thinnesse and subtilty is fit for the flying of Birds and for the breathing and the living of man and beast and it is fitted to be enlightned by the Sun-beames and to receive that illumination and heat without which the Creatures here below could not subsist and the starres câ—iefly the Sunne are placed at a convenient distance and it is fitted for the swift motion of the heavenly bodies in regard of its raritie and subtilnesse which if it were thick grosse could not have so speedy a passage through or about the same especially the highest heavens are fitted for the inhabitation of those immortall persons some of which doe and others shall inhabite a being so spacious bright and every way glorious that the multitude of those happy persons may have space enough to see the beauty of GOD. The Philosophers divide the Regions of the world into two Regions the Celestiall and Elementary Region The Celestiall they divide into divers Orbes or Globes for the Heaven of heavens sedes Beatorum the feat of the blessed Saints and Angels they had little knowledge of if any at all The first moveable as they termed it the highest Orbe by the unspeakable swift circumrotation of which they thought all the other Orbes were carried from East to West in the space of 24. houres This is the tenth Globe or Orbe the next they call the Chrystalline or watry Orbe because it is cleare bright and apt to to shine through as water The next is the Starrie heaven which hath eight Spheares one for the fixed Stars and seven other for the Planets each Planet having as they say his distinct Orbe Saturne is the uppermost next Jupiter then Mars in the middest the Sunne then Venus next Mercurie the laâ—t and lowest of all is the Moon So is the division of the heavenly Region the Elementary they divide into the region of fire next to the Moone and of aire next to that and that they distinguish into three Regions the highest middle and lowest then that of the Water and Earth compounded together so they But now the Scriptures divide the World into two parts Heaven and Earth as you read in the first words of the Bible In the beginning God made heaven and earth By Earth it meaneth this Globe of Earth and Water where men Beasts and Fishes are By Heaven all the space from the Earth upward and of this heaven it maketh three parts 1. The highest Heaven the heaven of Heavens 1 Kings 8. 27. the habitation of God himself and all his Saints Angels Job 14. where God reveals his glorious presence to them for ever This is called by Paul the third Heaven 2 Cor. 12. 4. for its scituation above the Aire and skie both which have the name of Heaven and Paradise 2 Câ—r 12. 4. because the earthly Paradise was a figure of it and because it is a place of endlesse joy pleasure 2. The Starry Skie where the Starres are it is described in Job to be firme as a molten Looking-glasse 3. The lower Heavens all that place above our heads to the Starrie Heaven Hence the Clouds are called the clouds of Heaven and the Fowles of Heaven and Birds are said to flie in the face of the Heavens Every one is to fall out with himselfe and blame himselfe for slighting and neglecting the consideration of this work that offers it selfe so constantly to our eyes even this so curiously wrought Curtaine which God hath spread forth especially let us blame our selves for not seeing God in the workman-ship of heaven that wee take not notice of him as the Author of it and raise our hearts higher than the heavens to him that measures them forth as with a Span we should beleeve that he is so Great Good and Wise as this Heaven proclaimeth him the Maker thereof to bee Let us see and bewaile this blindnesse there is no place in the earth which hath not the Heavens spread over it Oh that we could put our selves in minde of him that did spread out the Heavens and remember that he sees us every where for where any worke of his is to be seen surely theâ—e is himselfe to be seen and there he sees all things that are there especially let us learne to presse this knowledge upon our will and affections that it may beget in us obedience love feare joy confidence and other holy vertues without which all talking yea and thinking of God is idle and fruitlesse Let us presse our selves to become subject to him who hath the heavens at command because he made them to love him that hath formed for our use so excellent an house so richly vaulted above see the invisible things of him that made all in these things which you behold thy conversation should bee there where Christ is Col. 3 There is thy Fathers house thine owne Countrey thy inheritance It is a great deale of comfort to Gods people that have such a Father who can so easily stretch out Heaven trust in him for house-roome that can build a world with so much ease For the Angels because I intend to speak more largely of them afterwards I shall here only answer one question athem Why are they not spoken of in the Creation where man and beasts are mentioned and why is not the speciall day named wherein they were made Answ. Not so much for feare the Jewes a people prone to Idolatrie should have worshipped them for then by the same reason Moses should have forborne to have mentioned them in the whole story of Genesis which was publisht at the same time and to the same people that the first part of it but it may be to give us to understand that God did not use any of their help in the Creation and had no need of them at all but made the whole world without them or because hee relates the making of sensible things only but that they were created appears Coloss. 1. 16. The Scripture hath not so clearly expressed the precise time and day of their Creation therefore Ambrose and Danaeus confesse that they know not when they were created But it is probable they were made with the Heavens which some say were made the first others the second day As man was then first made after his habitation the earth was
from countrey to countrey Men build moveable houses and so goe through the waters on dry ground they flye through the Sea by the helpe of windes gathered in fitly with sails as birds do through the aire and having learnt of birds to steere themselves in the Sea they have an helme at the which the Master sitting doth turne about the whole bodie of his ship at his pleasure The swiftnesse of the motion of a ship is strange some say that with a strong winde they will goe as fast and faster then an arrow out of a bow The Lord hath given understanding to man to frame a huge vessell of wood cut into sâ—t pieces and to joyne it so close with pitch and rozin and other things mixt together that it shall let in none or but a little water and it shall carry a very great burden within yet will not sinke under water and hath given wisedome also to man to make sailes to receive the strength of the winde and cords to move them up and down at pleasure and to make masts to hang on those sails hath given men a dexteterity to run up to the tops of these masts by means of a cord framed in fashion of a ladder that can but even amuze an ordinary beholder and all this for a most excellent use viz. of maintaining commerce betwixt Nation and Nation and of conveighing things needfull from one place to another that all places might enjoy the commodities one of another To this art of Navigation do Kingdoms owe most of their riches delights and choise curiosities a great part of Solomons riches came in this way it is the easiest safest and quickest way of transportation of goods How obnoxious are we to God therefore we should not be bold to offend him how much danger do we stand in if he should let the waters take their own naturall course and exalt themselves above the mountaines At the flood he gave leave to the great Deeps to break their bounds and permitted the waters to take their own place the waters were some 7. yards higher then the tops of highest mountaines He can doe as much now for the demonstration of his just wrath for though He hath promised that the waters shall never overflow the whole earth yet not that they shall never overflow England which stands also in the Sea 2. Let us praise the goodnesse of God which preserveth the whole world alive by a kind of miracle even by keeping the water from overflowing the earth God would convince us that we live of his meere favour and that his speciall power and goodnesse keeps us the waters if they were left to their own naturall propensity would soone overwhelm the earth againe but that God locked them up in the places provided for them This worke is mentioned in divers places Job 38. 8. and 26. 10. Psalme 37. 7. Prov. 8. 29. Jer. 5. 22. First it is absolutely needfull for the preservation of the lives of all things that live and breath out of the Sea 2. It is a strange and hidden work God effecteth it by some setled reason in the course of nature but we cannot by searching find it out Perhaps this may be it the naturall motion of every heavy thing is toward the Center and then it will rest when it hath attained to its own proper place Now the earth is stretched over the flouds and it may seeme that a great part of them doth fill the very bowells concavity of the earth in the very place where the Center or middle point of it is seated Hence it is that they will not be drawne up againe nor follow the upper parts which tosse themselves up and downe but rather pull down those rising graves againe especially seeing it is most evident in nature by many experiments every day that it is utterly impossible there should be any vacuum as they call it any meere empty place in which nothing at all is contained because that would divide the contiguity of things and so cause that the world should bee no longer an orderly frame of divers things together for the parts would not be contiguous and united together if such a vacuum should fall out therefore water will ascend aire will descend and all things wil even loose their own nature and doe quite contrary to their nature rather then such a thing should be Now it may seeme the Lord hath hidden the water in the earth with such turnings and windings some places in which it is being larger some lesse large that the larger places having no open vent for aire to succeed the water cannot be so soone filled from below as they would emptie themselves upward and so there must needs be vacuity if they should not returne back againe and stop their course and therefore they must needs stop as it were in the midst of their carriere And this also may seeme to be a great and principall cause of the fluxe and refluxe of the Sea which if it were not the waters having their course alwayes one way must needs by little and little returne againe to cover the earth If this be the cause as is probable it is wonderfull that God should set such an inclination into all parts of the world that they will suffer any crossing of their own particular natures rather then not maintain the generall course of nature in the close joyning together of things for if they might bee sundred one from another at length the whole must needs be quite out of frame and a generall confusion would follow We must even chide and reprove our selves for our extream stupidity that are so little if ever a whit affected with this worke so great in it selfe and so behoofefull for our very life and being How are we daily and hourly preserved from the swelling waves how comes it that in all this length of time the Sea hath not broken in upon us and overtopped the earth We doe not tell our selves of our debt to God for commanding the waves not to be so bold as to drowne us It may exhort us to feare him that hath appointed the Sands for a bound of the Sea and will not let the waves prevaile over us for all their tossing and tumbling He is of great power and can over-rule so furious an Element and feare not though the waters roare and though the mountains were cast into the midst of the Sea This commends unto us Gods greatnesse who doth so infinitely surpasse the Seas greatnesse and who hath made so much water for it and it a place for so much water Let us thinke of it in particular and dwell a little upon it that we may also know our nothingnesse What a great thing is the Sea in it selfe considerd What is this Island in comparison of the Sea and yet we call it Great Brittaine It must needs bee greater then the earth for the waters did round about involve and
Good and Omniscient as hee wherefore they must bee made by some Maker because they cannot bee Eternall and if made then either by themselves or some other thing besides themselves not by themselves because that implies and absolute contradiction if by some other thing then by a better or worse thing not by a more meane for the lesse perfect cannot give being to a more perfect thing for then it should communicate more to the effect then it hath in it selfe any way which is impossible that any efficient cause should doe not by any better thing then themselves for excepting the Divine Majestie which is the first and best there is no better thing then the Angels save the humanity of our Lord Jesus Christ which could not bee the Maker of them because they were created some thousands of yeares before the humanity was formed in the Virgins womb or united to the second person in Trinity Wee are not able to conceive of their Essence they are simple incorporeall Spirituall substances therefore incorruptible An Angell is a Spirituall Created compleat substance indued with an understanding and will and excellent power of working An Angel is a substance 1. Spirituall that is void of all corporeall and sensible matter whence in Scripture Angels are called Spirits Psal. 104. 4. Heb. 1. 14. Therefore the bodies in which either good or evill Angels appeared were not naturall to them but only assumed for a time and laid by when they pleased as a man doth his garments not substentiall but aeriall bodies they were not Essentially or personally but only locally united to them so that the body was moved but not quickned by them 2. Created by which name hee is distinguished from the Creator 3. Compleate by which an Angel is distinguished from the reasonable soule of man which also is a spirituall substance but incompleate because it is the essentiall part of man 4. Indued with 1. an understanding by which an Angel knoweth God and his works 2. a will by which he desires or refuseth the things understood 3. An excellent power of working by which hee effects what the will commands this is great in them Psalm 103. 20. See 2 Kings 19. 35. The Angels are most excellent creatures when the highest praise is given of any thing it is taken from the excellencie of Angels Psal. 78. 25. 1 Cor. 13. 1. They are called holy Angels Luke 9. 26. Marke 8. 36. therefore they are cloathed with linnen Dan. 11. 4. to signifie their purity and are called Angels of light 2 Cor. 12. 14. to note the purity wherein they were created All the Individuall Angels were made at once and as God made Adam perfect at the first so they were made of a perfect constitution They have all our faculties save such as be badges of our weakenesse they have no body therefore not the faculties of generation nutâ—ition augmentation They have reason conscience will can understand as much as we doe and better too they have a will whereby they can refuse evill and chuse good a conscience reasonable affections though not such as depend upon the bodie They are endowed with excellent abilities know more of God themselves us and other things then we doe love God themselves and men are obedient to God The good Angels obey God 1. Universally in all things Psalme 103. 20. 2. Freely and readily make hast to doe what hee would have done therefore they are said to have Harps Revel 15. 2. as a signe of their chearfull mind 3. With all their might they serve God with diligence sedulity therefore they are said to have wings to flie 4. Constantly Rev. 7. 15. and 14. 4. They have incredible strength and therefore by an excellencie they are called strong in strength Psal. 103. 20. Angels of the power of the Lord Jesus 2 Thess. 1. 7. Powers Rom. 1. 38. One Angel is able to destroy all the men beasts birds and fishes and all the creatures in the world and to overturne the whole course of nature if God should permit it to drowne the earth againe and make the waters overflow it to pull the Sunne Moone and Starres out of their places and make all a Chaos therefore we reade of wonderfull things done by them they stopt the mouths of Lions that they could not touch Daniel they quencht the violence of the fire that it could not touch so much as a haire of the three Childrens heads nor a threed of their garments they made Peters chaines in an instant fall from his hands and feet they can move and stir the earth say the Schoolemen as appears Matth. 28. 2. The Angels shooke the foundation of the Prison where Paul and Silas lay and caused the doores to flie open and every mans bands to fal from him They destroyed the first borne of Aegypt Sodome and Gomorrah One Angel slew in one night in the host of Senacherib and hundred fourscore and 5000. men Reas. Their nature in respect of bodily things is wholy active not passive they are of a spirituall nature what great things can a whirl-wind or flash of lightning doe They are swift and of great agility they have no bodies therefore fill not up any place neither is there any resistance to them they move with a most quick motion they can be where they will they move like the winde irresistibly aud easily without molestation and in an unperceivable time they move more swiftly then the Sun can dispatch that space in as few minuts which the Sun doth in 24. hours They have admirable wisedome 1 Sam. 18. 14. and 14. 20. the knowledge of the good Angels is increased since their Creation for besides their natural knowledg they know many things by revelation Dan. 9. 22 23. Matth. 1. 20. Luke 1. 30. either immediately from God or from his Word Ephes. 3. 9 10. 1 Pet. 1. 12. Luke 15. 18. by experience and conjecture How an Angel doth understand is much disputed their understanding is not infinite they know not all things Mar. 13. of that day the Angells know not againe they cannot know future contingent things any farther then God reveales these things to them neither can they know the secrets of mans heart 1 Kings 8. 39. Psal. 7. 10. for that is proper to the Lord alone They are said indeed to rejoyce at the conversion of a sinner but that is no further then their inward conversion puts it selfe forth into outward actions They do not know the number of the Elect nor the nature of spirituall desertions the manner of mortifying sin unlesse by the Church and Ministry of the word So againe for the manner of their knowledge that of the Schooles about their morning and evening knowledge is vaine but it is plain they know discursivè as well as intuitivè though some say they are creaturae intelligentes but not ratiocinantes There are three degrees of their knowledg say the Schoolmen