kinds of Earth and in this sense all consistent things have the notion of Earth all visible fluid things are call'd Waters and there are many kinds of Airs and Fires 7. But when a body that has the consistency of one Element is full of minute parts of another the substance of one Element gets the denomination of the other's quality Thence proceed the degrees of temperaments hot cold c. and in one and the same kind too reduplicated differences of the Elements viz. of Earths some are Earthy some Watry some Aeriall some Fiery and so in the rest ev'n to the lowest species 8. It appears again wherein consist those qualities which distinguish bodies as to their consistency First the notion of liquid consistent plainly follows the nature of rare and dense and soft is a middle between liquid and hard but hard being that which resists division clearly refers to density 9. But grosse and Massive appertain to the quantity of parts for grosse is not so divided into minutest parts as to be able by its subtilty to enter into the least pores or crannies and Massive has no pores or passages in its body but speaks parts constipated and thrust close together Both of them plainly expresse a certain notion of Density 10. As for Fat and tough and viscous or slimy they have this common to them all To stick where they touch but fat in lesser parts viscous in greater tough properly holds its own parts together and cleaves not so much to others 11. They therefore consist of moist and dense well mixt from moist they derive the facility to unite from dense the difficulty to be separated LESSON VII Of the manner of Mixtion and the Passion of mixt things 1. THese things being suppos'd because there are two Active qualities heat and cold which are most eminent in Fire and Water let there first be a mixt body of Earth Water and Aire upon which Fire be suppos'd to act and since there is no mixt thing so compacted but at least some parts of Fire may be forc'd and fly away through it and they in their passage are joyn'd to the parts of Aire or Water 't is apparent that the Fire will carry away some of them with it whence the Compound will become more compacted and solid 2. Again because the parts of Fire are extremely subtile whereever they find a resistance in the solid parts weaker then their power of dividing that way they 'l escape and that not alone but laden with watry or airy parts so that they will leave the Water and Aire to be united with Earth and between themselves by the smallest parts that are possible 3. Whence two things come to passe One that the Whole becomes a like and equall throughout all the Elements being mixt by most minute particles in every part The other that the Elements become lesse divisible from one another in this whole which is to be rendred constant and permanent body 4. Let therebe therefore in another body the natures of Fire Aire and Earth blended together to which let Water be added from without and first you 'l see all the sallies block'd up and the Pores coagulated by vertue of the cold so that the Aire or Fire cannot easily steal out 5. See again the Water with all its weight and force pressing the nearest parts of the Compound on every side whence they are forc'd to compresse and streighten themselves and shrink into a lesse and lesse place to make room for the water and this not in the surface alone but even in the minutest parts as far as the water can pierce which so much the farther it can as its parts are rendred more subtile by the re-active power of the Aire and Fire 6. Behold therefore its parts being even thus condens'd a consistent and hardly-divisible body made which is to be a certain naturall species of Physicall mixt body 7. Hence again the causes of passions are apparent for we see some compounds suffer from Fire a liquefaction and dissolution into minute particles as into Ashes and powder others on the contrary grow hard others again converted into Flame 8. The reason whereof is clear for if the power of the Fire extends it self only so far as to dilate the humid parts which hold together the dry it comes to passe that the humid parts become larger and more rare and consequently the whole it self is rendred more divisible and subject to be diffus'd by its own gravity into the best ply towards the Centre which is to be liquid 9. But if the power of the Fire be so great as to carry away with it the humid parts then the dense ones remain resolv'd into minute particles without a medium to unite them And these operations are effected sometimes by the mere force of the fire it self sometimes by means of some instruments whereby the humid parts are either increas'd or decreas'd according as the Artificer has occasion 10. But farther if humid parts were redundant in the Compound and Fire were so far apply'd as only to restrain the excesse by exhaling those parts which were superfluous the connection of the humid with the Earthy parts will be lesse dissolvable and the proportion of the Earthy to the humid greater whence the Compound grows hard 11. Water too by pressing upon it pierces and enters into the Compound it encompasses sheir's off its lighter and dryer parts which it mingles with the whole dry body and amplifies the humid parts whence it makes the body flaccid and loose and next door to dissolution 12. Some it utterly dissolv's as salts for they are compos'd of certain minute parts betwixt which Water easily enters and so little they are that they swim in the water There becomes therefore a kind of fluid body thickned with little heterogeniall bodies swimming in it to which if Fire be apply'd by exhaling the superfluous humid parts it remains salt as at first 13. But sometimes it happens that something is mix'd with the salt water which has a power of separating the watry parts from those little swimming bodies and of pressing down precipitating them to the bottome for when the supervener has aggregated to it self the parts of that humid body wherein the dissolution was made that which was mixt with them if it be heavier then water descends for before it was sustain'd by its conjunction to the water which was lighter 14. There are bodies too which grow harder and are petrify'd by the mixture of water either because there wanted moisture to make them coagulate as it happens in dry or sandy bodies or because by the addition of the extrinsecall moisture the superfluous humour is suck'd out in which their inward parts were dissolv'd and rendred flaccid or lastly because the pores of the Compound being constipated without the internall heat better dries the inward parts 15. But when the redundant parts are so very minute in themselves that they are easily rarifyable
Of The BEGINNING Of the WORLD Wherein 't is essay'd how subservient Philosophy is to Divinity Same AUTHOUR Cant. 1. Equitatui meo in curribus Pharaonis assimilavi te Amica mea Printed in the Year 1656. To the READER SInce Philosophy has then attain'd its Dignity when apply'd to Action it renders Man better that is more Man and Christians are initiated to this by Divinity this evidently is the highest pitch of Philosophy to wait on and be subservient to the Traditions deriv'd from God Wherefore I saw it absolutely necessary to fortify the Institutions I would recommend to Thee with a subsignation of Theology Nor was I long to seek whether I should first addresse my self For when after the Notions of Nature digested in common I had expos'd the same in a Collection of the World as it were in an Example by the same rule having exhibited the Action of Things like a sceleton in its Principles in the last Book of Metaphysick I saw my self oblig'd to vest It in the CREATION with the Nature due to It. And since in the ancient Theology we had this accurately decyphered beyond the Attempts of Philosophers but untraceable because the Paths of Nature were unknown It seem'd to me a more expresse Seal of Theologicall Approbation could not be desir'd then that the Institutions should carrie a Torch before the Mysteries of Genesis and from those so discover'd receive themselves with advantage the Glory and Splendor of Authority What more I essay'd thou seest the Issue which I wish may benefit Thee A Theologicall Appendix Of THE BEGINNING OF THE WORLD CHAP. I. A Philosophicall discourse concerning the Creation of Heaven and Earth 1. SInce we find by universall experience without any exception that not only the Operations but even the very Subsistence of all bodily Substances is by continued steps brought from possibility to be in act nor can we doubt that the parts and the whole are of the same nature 't is evident the Beginning of the Universe it self if we suppose it manag'd according to the nature of Bodies must proceed by the same rule that from the nearest power and possibility in which it could be it has been rip'ned by degrees to this excellent beauty and did not by instantaneous Creation immediately start into perfection 2. Because therefore God subsists by the very necessity of Being it self and in Being it self there can be nothing of imperfection 't is clear that His ultimate intrinsecall formality and free act preexists before not only the existence but even the very essence of all and every Creature as much as whatever is most essentiall in Him 3. As also that this Being which they have receiv'd from God is the nature of the Creatures nor can they otherwise flow from God then according to their naturall condition Especially since God acts not to attain an end prefix'd to himself but this is His end if we may call any thing an end in respect of God that the Creatures should be so as in his Essence Science and Will He has predesin'd their determinate nature fixed and inviolably to be that the whole Universe might emane His most beautifull Image and in a manner a most adequate participation of Himself 4. So that all things that are to have their most connaturall quality as far as it can stand impartially with the perfection of their fellow bodies this is that which God will'd and what in effect he has brought to passe 5. Be this therefore firmly establisht that God not instantaneously but by a congruous disposition of diverse degrees brought up the world from its deepest possibility that is its simplest and fewest principles to its due perfection 6. Again because neither materia prima nor any other part of a Thing but only Physicall Compound is apt to receive Exiastence and of Physicall Compounds the most simple and as it were most poten tiall that is next above mere possibility are the Elements and something must of necessity have flow'd instantaneously from God It follows that some one or more of the Elements were by Creation call'd by God out of the common Abysse of nothingnesse 7. But not one only Element was created For since Motion does not follow out of the sole vertue of Creation nor could Motion be without Division nor Division without a Substantiall difference of the divider from the divided nor this be made even by Angelicall vertue without time it follows that more Elements were created immediately by God 8. Yet not all the four Since FIRE we call an Element that makes it self be seen which implyes Action but corporeall action is not without motion nor motion from pure Creation 9. But of the other three Elements no one could be conveniently omitted For EARTH and WATER are those we see mixt by Fire through the whole course of Nature and Fire is immediately generated and nourished by AIRE If any one therefore of these three had been wanting the matter had been unfit for Angelicall operation 10. Three Elements therefore were created nor those confus'd in a Chaos for such a confusion had not exhibited the most simple matter but a disorder'd multitude of mixt things since mixt things emerge from a mere confusion of the Elements 11. Earth therefore was the inmost as the densest and of constant nature Aire was the outmost as the most opposite to Earth the middle both Nature and Place water possess'd CHAP. II. An Explication of GENESIS concerning the same 1. LEt 's see now whether the Christians most ancient Theology deriv'd from the Hebrews speaks consonantly to this God saies it in the Beginning created the Heaven and the Earth The Beginning saies not so much a precedency to things that follow'd since it self was something of what was began as that nothing was before it Admirably therefore by this term 't is express'd that the Creation of Heaven and Earth was so instantaneous and in a manner before the rest that neither any Time interven'd nor was it self in Time It shews therefore that they were created out of nothing and that instantaneously and that the rest immediately follow'd out of these once put 2. Nor can it be doubted what it calles Heaven and Earth since the name of Earth is immediately us'd afterwards whence 't is evident that by the remaining name of Abysse is express'd what before was call'd Heaven otherwise the sacred Text is confused and imperfect 3. 'T is added that the Earth was void and empty according to the Hebrew expression solitude and emptinesse or rather of solitude and emptinesse for so the Hebrews often expresse their Adjectives The sense is clear that neither were there men upon the Earth whose properties are fellowship and conversation the privation whereof makes Solitude nor Plants and Animals which as bodies and utensils might fill the place and house of humane habitation 4. It follows that Darknesse was upon the face of the Abysse The word Abysse says a Gulph of waters whose bottom
is unknown or not reach'd and because the most simple manner of reaching is by Sight it properly signifies such a depth of water that Sight cannot reach its bottom Wherefore the sense is most easie that what it had formerly call'd Heaven was a vast diaphanous body upon which there was no Fire to enlighten it It affirms therefore directly that Fire was not created 5. But it subjoyns two parts of the Abysse whilst it says and the Spirit of the Lord was born upon the waters Clearly therefore it affirms three Elements EARTH WATER and AIRE were Created by God but not FIRE And that they were not confus'd is evident in that otherwise it had not been an Abysse that is a capacity of Light and a privation since by the commixtion of Earth the other Elements had been rendered opake Moreover the Spirits being born upon the waters denotes a distinction of Places between the other two Elements 6. But 't is observable that the word was born according to the force of the Originall term speciâ—ies that motion whereby Birds sustain themselves with open wings over their nests least they should crush their young ones and yet to defend them from the cold Whence a certain person amongst the Hebrews explicates it not weighing upon touching but not striking wherefore the Aire cover'd the water but press'd it not 'T is plain therefore that according to the propriety of the expression 't is specifi'd there was as yet no Gravitie and that the Aire is the first of the Elements whose property it is to have any heat in it 'T is evident therefore ther 's no gravitie in the Aire of its own nature and consequently that 't is not an intrinsecall Quality in the other Elements but is in them from the operation of Fire and the order of Agents CHAP. III. A Philosophicall discourse of the vvorks of the tvvo first daies 1. THe Matter of the World being Created it remains that we see what follow'd by the additional operation of Creatures And because the operation of Angels is no other then rarefaction nature wanted its naturall instrument viz. Fire for This we see principally made use of for almost all naturall effects especially the generation of Substances and This is not rais'd out of Water and Earth immediately without first becoming Aire it must be that the Angels or Angel whose task this was by rarefying the Aire rais'd a vast Fire 2. And since there are many sorts of Fire and that which far from the fiery body smoaks no longer but shoots out directly with pure rayes is by a speciall name call'd Light Light must needs have been made by the Angels through the rarefaction of pure Aire as from which no Smoak rises 3. Nor is it lesse certain this must be done in the very confines of Aire and water For since the Angels could not in an instant convert Aire into Light and a locall motion of the neighbouring bodies follows upon rarefaction the Aire must needs have been mov'd whilst 't was yet in the form of Aire and since motion cannot be without a plurality of Substances 't is plain that the Aire divided the water and consequently the first Fire was rais'd in the confines of both 4. Since therefore the Fire being rais'd of necessity acted upon the water it follows that the Waters being stir'd those particles to which the Fire stuck being rarer then the rest and coveting still a larger place by their own and the denser parts of the Water's motion must needs be thrust out into the Aire which is more yielding and those excluded be aggregated together specially towards the Light where by reason of the more vehement action there must needs be greatest abundance of them and more flowing from one side then another since naturall causes work not rigorously even the whole masse of Water and Earth adhering to it by little and little attain a motion towards the same Light so that successively and by parts it rol'd in a Circle and was enlightned having in some places Night in others Day 5. Besides another effect must evidently have follow'd from this production of Light viz. a vast abundance of Clouds be rais'd up into the Aire which by the circulation of the Light about the inferiour Globe must necessarily be remov'd a vast distance from the Globe it self and the Light Whence being no longer sensible of the Globe's attraction they could not by any order of Causes be remitted back towards the Globe Thus therefore ther 's a vast space establisht between the waters in the Globe whence the Clouds were extracted and between those very Clouds themselves which may keep them from one another separate for ever or at least till the end of the World CHAP. IV. An explication of Genesis concerning the same 1. WHat says Theology to this It says And God said Let there be Light and LIGHT was made Speech and command are address'd to another clearly therefore it reaches that by the intermediate operation of Angels Light was made 2. And it was made clearly shews that the making immediately and instantly began viz. that there was no delay in the intermediate Instrument wherefore that 't was an Incorporeall Substance which needed not be mov'd that it might move Moreover the word he said which implyes Knowledge declares it to have been an Intelligent Instrument 3. It adds And God saw the Light that it was good Goodnesse is perfection namely because the nature of the Elements by the addition of Fire was compleat and perfected therefore Light is said to be good Again because the rest of the Elements were passive and Light active therefore Light is call'd good or perfect for what has attain'd an aptitude to produce or make its like is esteem'd perfect in its kind 4. It follows And he divided the light from the darknesse c. 'T is plain this division was made not by Place but by Time since Day and Night are parts of Time and consequently that motion or the diurnall conversion was now begun which is declar'd by those words and he call'd the light Day and the darknesse Night For since as yet Man was not to whom words might be significant He call'd is as much as he establisht the Essence of Day and Night for a name or appellation denotes the essence or quiddity of the Thing nam'd 5. 'T is added and the Evening and the Morning was made one Day in the originall Text and the Evening was made and the Morning was made or the Evening was and the Morning was From which Phrase 't is understood that this motion had for its term whence the Evening and for its term whether the Morning and consequently that the motion was made in a Subject to which it agrees to have Evening and Morning that is in the Earth and that it was from West to East that is towards the Light 6. Again And God said let there be a FIRMAMENT in the midst of the Waters and let it
divide the Waters from the Waters In the Hebrew an Expansion Either word is properly taken since it was a Space unpassable for its vastnesse and expansion and by consequence fixed and fixing the division of the Waters 7. But those words in the midst of the waters are to be noted which teach that no Substance was made a new but only between the waters and the waters which is evident too from the word Heaven which name he gave the Firmament by which very word 't is express'd that before God created the Heaven The Etymology also of the word is to be noted which both in the Hebrew and Greek Idiom signifies as much as whence the waters or whence or where it drops that it may be evidenc'd even from the name that the Aire it self is the Firmament CHAP. V. A Philosophicall discourse of the vvorks of the other four days 1. FArther by the operation of this vast Fire not only the Water but much of the Earth too with the Water must needs have been rais'd up For Chymists know that the intense heat of fire can raise up and carry away crasse Oyls and Oyntments nay even Salts and very Gold it self Since therefore the Earth before the operation of Light was dissolv'd in minutest parts and Dust as void of all Moisture it must needs be that the Heat mix'd every where the Water with Earth and thus all muddy carry'd it up into the Aire but most of all about those parts over which the Fire perpendicularly hung 2. Whence 't is plain two Effects must needs have risen one that the Earth in that Circle should become more hollowed and low then in the rest of its Superficies the other that the Water from the remoter places should flow into these hollownesses whether by the attraction of the Fire or by naturall connection or by some power of Gravity which through the operation of the Fire by little and little attain'd a force 3. 'T is plain therefore that since the motion of the Earth was of necessity by the greatest Circle the Earth by the course of the foresaid causes must be drain'd and dry'd first about the Poles of that Circle and the waters gathered together in the empty hollownesse under that Circle 4. I said by the course of the foresaid causes for if we consider what was likely to be done by accident this consequence will not be universally necessary For 't is clear that the Earth by the boyling of the water being unequally mixt and remixt with continuall agitation must according to the law of contingency have produc'd by the meeting of different parts as many kinds and species of Earths as we see diversities of Fossils which we divide generally into four kinds Stones Metalls Mold and concrete Iuyces 5. And since from the varieties also of those great parts of that masse now tempered with water a notable variety must needs follow the Earth yet cover'd with Waters may easily here and there have boyl'd up into Excrescencies as Islands have often grown up in the Sea By this irregularity therefore some Mountains growing may have appear'd before the Polar Regions of the Earth 6. From the same principles it follows that the Earth did not appear wholly squallid and desart but already impregnated with the Seeds of all things nor with Seeds only but with Plants too those especially which either require or can endure more moisture the rest by little and little as the dryer Earth grew more apt and fitly dispos'd for their birth they too sprung out 7. And because an Animal is nothing but a more-compounded Plant by the same reason the Earth then most aptly tempered and dispos'd brought forth perfect Animals as it now being barrener of its own accord produces such as we call insecta as Mice and Frogs and sometimes new fashion'd Animals 8. But because the waters must needs have been very muddy even They before the Earth must have sprung into Animals fit to inhabit them viz. Fishes small and great as also into certain middle Animals which might fly up to the higher parts of the Earth that is Birds as even now we see all kind of Birds that are bred of Putrefaction by the Sea shores and Lake's sides grow out of the rottennesse of wood tempered with water 9. 'T was necessary too that by the force of that mighty Flame parts of Earth and Water of a vast bulk carry'd up above the Aire should by naturall attraction and the power of the baking Fire coagulate into many vast Bodies whereof some should more abound with fiery vertue and therefore both conceive and belch out abundance of Flames so that being entirely lucid they should be apt to enlighten other bodies too within a fit distance and that others lesse abounding with fiery parts should be fit in a congruous order and method to be concocted and enlightened by Them and themselves too be able to reflect light from the former to the rest 10. Wherefore were they set moved in a convenient site to the Earth now inhabited they might alwaies more or lesse enlighten it nor would there be any longer need of that vast light made by the Angels And this formation of things the Aegyptians Aethiopians Empedocles and other naturall Philosophers as it were by the conduct of Nature out of the very steps and order of Generation which they still observ'd in nature have emulated and attempted though not throughly attain'd CHAP. VI. An Explication of Genesis concerning the same 1. THe sacred Commentaries concerning these things tell us thus And God said let the Waters which are under the Heaven be gathered together into one place and let the dry Land appear Here is the first mention made of gravity whose effect is said to be to congregate into one place that we may see Gravity is not a motion towards any particular Site but towards the unity of a body and that it was made out of the Order of the Universe now establisht after that between the acting Light and the Earth upon which it acted a great distance full of Aire was interpos'd wherein the motion of things ascending and descending might be free 2. Iob 38. 't is said that the Sea flow'd as it were out of a womb whence 't is understood that the Earth throughly moistned with Water sweat out on all sides into the lower Vaults and increas'd the Water where by the extreme force of the light it had been too much suck'd out and so left the Earth in its due temperament Whence ther 's evidenc'd another cause too besides what we have explicated of the Earths appearing viz. because by the permixtion of hot water it swel'd into a far greater bulk 3. It follows and God call'd the dry Land and the gathering together of the waters he call'd Seas For it was not Earth in the same sense wherein at the beginning 't was said God created the Heaven and the Earth for there the Element of Earth was call'd Earth but
these notions of hot and cold 11. And among rare bodies 't is apparent the rarest will be the best dividers that is the hotest but among dense bodies those will be the coldest which most streightly besiege the rare bodies and those are such as are most plyant to their parts whence they which are in some measure moist too will be the coldest LESSON V. Of the Elements 1. WE have deduc'd therefore out of the most simple notion of Quantity dissected by the only differences of more and lesse the Rarest body hot in the highest degree and dry but not in the highest degree the Densest dry in the highest degree and cold but not in the highest degree a Heavy or lesse rare body moist in the highest degree but not so hot lastly a Moderately dense body cold in the highest degree but temperately moist 2. These same bodies in as much as Motion proceeds from them to others are active but in as much as they sustain the action of others they are passive chang'd thus in Name not Nature 3. This property also of an Element they have that they cannot be compounded of other things and all things else are compounded of them they being establisht out of the first Differences which of necessity are found in others There are therefore four ELEMENTS 4. You 'l object Since Rare and Dense vary the Quantity by the very nature of Quantity there will be infinite degrees and thence the number of the Elements will neither be four nor indeed finite 'T is answer'd Men do not determine the kinds of things according to the fruitfulnesse of Nature but by grosse and sensible differences according to the slownesse of our Apprehension 5. Thus therefore a Rare body which makes it self and other things be seen we call Fire One that has not this vertue and yet hinders not other things from making themselves seen we call Aire A Dense body which absolutely excludes light we term Earth One that partly admits it and partly repells it we term Water 6. Not that wise men esteem these very bodies to be truly Elements which we are conversant with round about us But that these mixt bodies obtain that name out of the predominancy of some Element in them which they would deserve if drein'd from all dregs they were entirely refin'd into the nature of the Predominant 7. The Elements therefore are Bodies distinguisht purely by the differences of rare and dense and they are collected into four kinds or heads under the terms we have given them 8. Moreover 't is evident that no bounds or figures do properly belong to the Elements out of their own principles that is precisely by their own nature for since they are nothing but quantitative bodies affected with such a rarity or density the nature of Quantity still remains which is every where divisible and terminable and consequently figurable as one pleases 9. But whether there be not some greatest possible bulk in every one of the Elements out of the very nature of density depends upon Metaphysicall principles Neverthelesse out of their common operation a Sphericall figure is most agreeable to Earth and Fire To Fire because its nature being to diffuse it self with the greatest celerity out of a little matter into a great breadth it must of necessity spread it self on all sides that is into a Sphear 10. To Earth as being the Basis foundation about which moist bodies diffuse themselves and by so doing mold it into a Globe 11. But that Fire flames up like a Pyramid proceeds from the resistance of the Aire incompassing it which 't is forc'd to penetrate with a sharp point 12. Again since the Elements are oppos'd to one another only by the differences of rare and dense 't is evident their transmutation into one another is nothing else but rarefaction and condensation 13. 'T is plain too that dense things being forc'd against rare do compresse them and if there be no way to escape do necessarily condense them which condensation if it be enough both in time and degree will of necessity change that which is condens'd into that Element to which such a density is proper 14. But a rare body compress'd if it get out diffuses it self a main out of those straights whence if any dense body that is rarifiable stick to it it carries it away with it and rarifies it 'T is plain therefore that 't will turn it into the nature of the rarer Element if the other circumstances concurre which are necessary to Action 15. Out of all which we may collect that one Element cannot be chang'd into another without being transferr'd through all the intermediate degrees as if you should endeavour to rarifie Earth into Fire first you must raise it into Water then into Aire and at length into Fire 16. For as we have demonstrated above concerning velocity that a Movable cannot be rais'd out of one into another determinate degree but in time so with the same labour the same may be made evident concerning density since the nature of Quantity is equall and constant in both and Velocity is nothing but A certain density of Motion LESSON VI. Of Mixtion and the second Qualities or those vvhich most immediately follovv Mixtion 1. SInce that part of the world which is expos'd to our knowledge is finite and any never-so-little bulk infinitely repeated exceeds the greatest possible it follows that the singular bodies of this part are finite and some actually the least nay that according to the order of the World bodies cannot be divided beyond a certain term 2. There will be therefore in each of the Elements certain minutest parts which are either not at all or very seldome farther divisible When therefore the Elements are forc'd one against another the sides of the rare ones must of necessity become united with the sides of the dense but when they come to be divided again 't is impossible they should not leave some of those minutest parts sticking to the dense bodies 3. For since in the same Quantity the dense part is lesse divisible then the rare that too which is compounded of rare and dense in the same bulk is lesse divisible then the rare part of the same quantity It must needs be therefore that the rare Elements must stick by their minutest parts to the dense which they have once touch't 4. Hence 't is evident that the minutest parts being rub'd off on every side by the ouching together of divers Elements mixt bodies must necessarily be made For if two dense parts touch one minutest rare since the minutest is indivisible there naturally emerges a Compound of the three as hardly divisible as are the dense ones themselves 5. Whence we have the first Distinction of bodies For since the Elements are four and may be joyn'd together by bigger or lesse parts as oft as great parts of one Element redound the body is call'd by the name of that Element 6. Thus have we severall
extinguish flames very readily as also by a multiply'd reflection of light to sparkle and flame as it were when 't is stirr'd 6. The same too is no little cause of Sea-sicknesse besides the very tossing which of it self is a cause as appears in those who are sick with riding in a Coach for the stomack being offended with the saltnesse strives to cast it up as appears by that salt humour we oft are sensible of in colds 7. Hence too comes it that the sea is not frozen the mixture of salt hindring the freezing wind 's entrance For where the sea is congeal'd 't is not the sea-water but the snow falling on it which makes the sea seem frozen as our Countrey-men that go Northern voyages witnesse Yet others report that near the shoars a sharp wind will freez the sea in some ev'n hotter Countreys 8. But when vast Rivers flow into narrow Bayes they must needs overflow into larger seas whence of necessity there must needs be a kind of perpetuall flux of some seas into others as of the Euxine into the Propontis of this into the Mediterranean of the Mediterranean into the Ocean The reason is because the lesser sea with the same quantity of water is more swell'd and consequently has a higher levell of water Again the power of the sun drinks more out of a larger sea then out of a narrower whence 't is more easily sunk low to receive the adventitious waters 9. Out of the sea the sun like fire out of a boyling pot extracts continuall vapours which either in Rains or Winds it disperses over all the Earth for all those Winds which we feel cool from the Ocean in the Summer though we perceive it not yet both their extraction makes us confesse they are moist and their density and softnesse savouring a similitude of and derivation from Water 10. The Earth therefore heated by the Sun being sprinkled with these whether in Rain or Wind for the Earth being once hot a great while retains it dissolves it self into Vapours and so by little and little they are rais'd to the higher parts of the Earth where if they feel the cold of the Aire without or by any other cause are coagulated into bigger parts they become Water and by degrees break themselves a passage through and flow down upon the lower grounds LESSON V. Of Fountains Rivers and Lakes 1. ANd because the causes of evaporations are continuall Fountains too continually flow which joyning together make Brooks and Rivers and when they have watered the whole surface of the Earth restore to the Sea the superfluous moisture to repair again the Earth with a new distillation 2. Let him that thinks not the Rain-water sufficient for this imagine the Mountains out of their innate heat are more pory then the rest of the Earth and hollow as we have said wherein there may be receptacles of water out of which the heat that is every where mingled often draws vapours which it transmits to the top of Mountains covered with Rocks whence afterwards water starts as it were out of bare Rocks 3. That this is the generation of Fountains the stones and earth at a Fountain-head all deaw'd like the cover of a boiling pot are an argument also the thinnesse subtilty of the vapours so rais'd through the Earth certain herbs too nourisht by such like vapours by observing all which the Water-finders search for Well-springs 4. Of Fountains the famousest are Baths that is hot ones The Authour of the Demonstrative Physick ripping up some fountains both learnt himself and convinc'd others by the very course of nature and by experiments Masterly made that cold Water full of a salt which he calls hermeticall with a mixture of Sulphur will grow hot 5. The same may be seen in watred lime and in Tartar with the spirit of Vitriol infus'd in it The cause of all these is the same viz. The fiery parts fetter'd as it were in dry bodies being set at liberty by the mixture of a liquid body dissipate into vapours that liquour it consisting of parts easily dissolvable 6. Hence it appears why cold fountains sometimes of the same favour are next neighbours to hot ones viz. because they passe not through the same salt 7. Why some are more some lesse hot viz. either through the abundance of this salt or through its nearnesse to the mouth of the Fountain 8. The same Authour evidenc'd the constant lastingnesse of the heat to proceed from the naturall reparation and recruit of the same salt when extracting the salt he found the remaining mud season'd again within three dayes not by the raining of salt down out of the Aire as that Authour thinks but by the nature of the Earth's being such that mixt with Aire it turn'd into salt or salt was made of the moist Aire and that Mud. 9. It appears again why some Fountains have wonderful vertues either in benefit or prejudice of our bodies why others convert Iron into Copper others petrifie sticks and whatever is thrown into them why some yield gold others silver 10. Namely because flowing through severall sorts of Earth they rub off along with them little particles and dust so minute sometimes that they are not discernable from the very body of the water and then the water is reputed to have such a vertue sometimes they are visible and then the water is said to carry some such thing in it 11. Of Fountains flowing out Brooks and Rivers are made whose running they say requires the declivity of one foot in a Mile Their reason is because a line touching the Earth at a Miles end is rais'd nine inches Artificers therefore adde three inches more that it may conveniently run whence the fountains of Nilus should be almost a mile and half higher then the Port of Alexandria but erroneously for when ever the water running behind is so encreased that it be able to raise it self above the water before this rule of declivity changes 12. Among Rivers 't is strange one should swim upon and as it were run over another as Titaresus upon Peneus Boristhenes upon Hypanis The reason is the gravity of the one and the lightnesse of the other or they will not mix out of some other cause as if one of them be oily 13. The overflowing of Rivers in Summer proceeds either from the melting of Snow shut up in Vallies or from an abundance of Rain falling in a far-distant Climate and therefore not suspected by us as is evident in Nilus Niger and some others of no name and scarce any better then Brooks 14. Fountains if they emerge into a hollow place of the Earth beget a Lake and if this cavity happen in any elevated Superficies of the Earth whether in a Mountain or a high Plain it comes to passe that sometimes great Rivers flow out of Lakes And sometimes vast eruptions of waters without any appearing cause when a Lake emprison'd in the bowells of a Mountain suddenly overflows
its mover or applyer 9. A BODY therefore is a Thing in Nature or A certain part of the Vniverse provided by the Authour of Nature to produce a certain determinate Motion when 't is apply'd 10. Whence three notions or manners of defining a naturall Ens or Thing are discover'd A Metaphysicall one which is deduc'd adequately under the notion of Being and 't is A thing which has an existence spread into many potentiall parts that is a Thing in or of such parts A Naturall or Physicall one which by Sensible Qualities expounds the notion of those parts and consequently of the Thing And lastly a Morall one as it were which collects the same from the End that is from the quality of its Motion for the Metaphysicall notion properly regards only its capacity of Existence 11. And he that has any one of these three notions even by that has all for the Sensible Qualities impart both a capacity of Existence and a power for Action 12. Whence too it appears that one Body can have but one primary Operation for since the sensible qualities give both the power of working and the capacity of existence and they in the same part of Matter are the same either they conspire to one operation or not if not neither will it be one body but many if they conspire there is then one primary operation of such a body which could not be produc'd either by another disposition nor together with any other disposition then that A naturall Body therefore is that One Thing whose Operation is One. LESSON IV. Of the essentiall unity and distinction of the Elements and mixt bodies 1. SInce 't is said above that ther 's but one possible Substantiall Matter and Quantity is known to be infinite in power the power of Matter too to Quantity must needs be infinite Since therefore actually Quantity is but finite the Composit or compound must needs be in some measure dense 2. And if whole Nature were uniform it must be establisht in a certain degree of Density and Rarity springing from the proportion of Matter to this Quantity but the speciall and particular bodies which are in the Universe as it is now framed participate out of this universall proportion some more some lesse of Density and Rarity 3. Since therefore the notions of Density and Rarity are the first differences of Magnitudes those bodies which first and least of all exceed the nature of Body in common will be distinguish't by these differences that some exist in denser parts others in rarer which in our Physicks we have said are the Elements 4. Since therefore the operations of rare and dense bodies as such are to divide and be divided and this last is passion out of which the essentiall notion is not deduc'd it comes to passe that all the Elements receive their differences according to their power of dividing and since to divide is a kind of simple action they are distinguish't by no other differences then of more and lesse that is of velocity and slownesse 5. Among the Elements therefore those which are fram'd by nature to divide more swiftly must be more perfect and those are they which are more subtile wherefore since the greatest force of dividing agrees to Fire that must be the noblest next to which must be Aire then Water then Earth 6. Which last though by its Bulk and density it may seem more apt to divide and has as it were in the first place the nature of divisive yet by reason of the grossenesse of its parts in naturall action it can doe the very least of them all and consequently 't is the vilest and most beggarly Instrument 7. It appears farther that since a body is essentially an Instrument for a determinate motion and there must needs be some least degree of rarity and density and the littlenesse in bulk hinders both the divisive power and divisibility there may be suppos'd in every Element parts so little that according to the order of the Universe they may neither have a capacity of dividing others nor of being divided by others and so there may not be in them the essentiall notion of an Element nor of any other naturall body 8. Again since all bodies are Conjoin'd it appears that such minutest particles never exist but in composition with others nay when ever two or more Elements are joyn'd it must needs be that their extremes may be suppos'd in so little a quantity that one cannot operate without the other 9. There must needs therefore in nature out of the pure conjunction of the Elements be a notion of a certain body whose parts cannot act at all separately but in conjunction they may that is some body essentially distinct from the Elements and yet made out of their conjunction that is a body whose essence is to be a Mixtum or mixt body 10. But since in bodies universally Unity and Magnitude are consider'd 't is plain the differences of those bodies are collected out of three respects the specificall difference of the Elements that is the degrees of Density and Rarity the Multitude of parts of the same notion and their Bulk 11. A Mixtum therefore is a body of certain parts of divers degrees of rarity and density in a certain number and bulk compacted among themselves ordain'd by nature for a determinate Motion Moreover 't is evident that the qualities of the Elements exist refracted and mutually abated in mixt bodies since the very least must needs simply differ in degrees of rare and dense and these degrees by reason of the composition must needs hinder one another 12. And yet that no substantiall Form of any Element is found in a Mixtum since a Form constitutes a Thing and a Thing is ordain'd for Motion but Motion is of the whole not of the severall parts 13. Out of what has been said 't is evident that the operation of a Mixtum is a certain Division qualifi'd by the nature of the parts of the Mixtum which nature the better 't is that is the more serviceable for the best works of nature so much the nobler is the Mixtum essentially 14. Again if the whole mixture of the Elements be shut up into so little a part that one part cannot separated from another have its proper effect then the Mixtum is simply one and primely mixt but if the mixture be extended so amply that many parts may act asunder according to the divers parts of the temperament then 't is not a Mixtum but a Demixtum or Decompositum that is one made up of many Mixtum's as we see in Metalls and other Mines as Coal c. where many Mixtum's are joyn'd together which are apt to be separated by fire or other artifice LESSON V. Of the Essence of Animals and of the Soul 1. BUt because among Mixtum's some are solid and consistent others fluid and of these by the course of nature the conditions and temperaments are different and in some
here a certain mixt body consisting of infinite variety And for the same cause he call'd the Firmament Heaven for at the beginning Heaven signifi'd Aire and Water in the purity of their natures but here a mixt body made of the Elevation of the Waters with the Aire 4. We understand farther because the waters are commanded to be congregated into one place and yet the effect is call'd Seas the waters which from that mighty celestiall fire had contracted Saltnesse though to appearance they possesse severall places yet have a communion between themselves truly constitute one place though outwardly interrupted as 't is evident of most of them out of Cosmographicall History 5. It follows And God said let the Earth bring forth the green herbs and which produces Seed c. Whence 't is understood that the generation of Plants proceeded from the very springing fecundity of the Earth through the activity of so much heat without any extraordinary and miraculous concourse of God For if in fifteen daies Plants ripen under the Equator which with us require a three moneths space for their generation what doubt but much more copiously and sooner they started out of the womb of the Earth justly tempered by the operation of Angels 6. Nor need we believe because the Plants were perfect therefore Oaks and such like Trees must have been at the full strength which they attain not under an intire Age for it suffices that the barren Trees yielded Shade and the fruitfull their Fruits against the sixth Day 6. The Text goes on Let there be Lights in the Firmament of Heaven and let them divide the day and the night And even from hence 't is evident that the office of Light created the first day was to dry the Earth which being done there was no longer need of so mighty a Fire and therefore the Angels ceas'd from that operation 8. There appears again the difference between that Light and the Sun for the Sun is not call'd light but a light'ner as a Candle or a Torch wherein one part is flame and another fuel of the flame or that yields the light It appears therefore that the SUN is a concrete of combustible matter and a certain Vulcanian Globe all over full of pits vomiting flames and that it receiv'd the office of the former light which was to divide between the day and the night 9. But in that 't is said in the firmament of Heaven the Originall expression has it in the expansion of Heaven or of that whence the waters 't is evident these lights were plac'd in the Aire and that ther 's no difference of nature between the Firmament wherein the Stars and that wherein the Clouds and Birds are and consequently that neither are there any Sphears in which the Fixed Stars should be but they are mov'd as Fishes in the water 10. Upon which grounds 't will not be hard to believe them made of Waters rais'd up out of the Earth as the 103 or 104 Psalm clearly teaches For where our text has it who covers with waters its upper parts viz. of Heaven the Hebrew has who framest its chambers of waters Chambers are lodgings or abiding places aloft the Stars therefore if indeed there are any People in them are elegantly call'd the chambers of Heaven and they are said to be fram'd of water that is built and compacted the watry parts commixt with which the terrestriall were rais'd up partly being drain'd into the concavities as we said concerning our Sea partly keeping a consistency about the globes to thicken the Aire partly remaining in them for a due mixtion sake according to the variety of the parts of the Globes 11. But that the Angels which before kindled the Light were divided amongst the Stars especially the Suns whereof 't is evident there are many Iob shews by those words when ask'd where wast thou when the morning Stars marched triumphantly or exulted alike or together and all the sons of God sounded their trumpets that is when the morning stars began to be mov'd as in the Psalm 't is said of the Sun he rouz'd up himself as a Giant to run his course that is stars making morning or light to which conjoining the sons of God he teaches that each of them had its Angel to excite their first motion as it were sounding the Alarm and giving the sign for motion or making the start and first impression And this interpretation is best accommodated both to the Hebrew words and to the matter whereof He spake and the word together shews that in one day they all began their motion 12. The holy Authour adds the End of these Lights that they might be eminent day and night for so the originall propriety has it where our text saies to rule over that is that they might be very conspicuous And for Signs or according to the force of the originall word Miracles or Prodigies that is that they might make men admire whence by little and little they might be elevated from terrestriall things to know God and his works and worship him 13. Lastly for days and years Whence 't is deduc'd that the Earth had been hitherto mov'd only about its own Centre but from thenceforward began to be mov'd under the Ecliptick viz. Because the motion made by the first fire was so violent that the waters were only drawn towards the light or if any mov'd any other way they were so few that they were in no measure able to alter the course towards the light But the force of the Sun being far lesse did so make the Waters move about the Earth that yet the impulse of the returning Waters was notable whence the Earth was mov'd about the Sun in a line mixt in a manner of a Circular and a right CHAP. VII Some Animadversions about the Text of the first Chapter of Genesis 1. FRom the whole Story 't is evident that our Earth is situated in the very middle of the Universe For since all the rest of the World was form'd by evaporation from the Globe whereof our Earth was the Centre this by Fire intermediate between the Earth the other parts of the World 't is evident that the rest of the world is with a certain equality remote from it and consequently that it is plac'd in the midst 2. Which I would not have so understood as if the Centre of the Earth were the very middle point but that the Great Orbe that is all that Orbe which the Earth makes with its circle about the Sun has the notion of a Centre for that it scarce makes a visible Magnitude in respect of the rest of the world Astronomers find by experience 3. Adde to this a conjecture from the Phaenomena's For the Zodiack is fuller of great and conspicuous Stars then the other parts of the Heavens as it must of necessity have happened if the World began after the manner we have explicated Besides of all those Stars which are
they are diffus'd into Flame And these parts are such as we call fat or aiery which consist of a thin moisture compacted with minutest dense parts 16. It falls out too that when the fiery parts within are many and happen upon a convenient moisture they multiply and encrease themselves without any apparent extrinsecall cause and open themixt body it self so that the Vessell cannot contain it but it boyls and runs over as we see in the Must of wine and of other fruits and this kind of action is call'd Fermentation 17. Sometimes too it blazes out in Fire and Flame as appears in Hay and other dry bodies moistned and crowded together which comes to passe by the fiery parts of the dry'd bodies turning the humid parts into fire and at length by their multitude and compressure raising a flame 18. Passion or suffering from Earth is when either by its weight or some other pressure and hardnesse a change is made which even by this is understood to be a division and commonly is wrought two ways For either the parts of one body are intirely separated by the interposition of another body of another nature or else only some are joyn'd to others of the same nature as it happens in liquids when they are swash'd up and down 19. The first of these divisions is made severall ways by breaking cutting cleaving pounding and the like the other by hammering drawing impression bending compression and the like all which appear in themselves to be made by the motion of hard and dense against soft and rare bodies LESSON VIII Of Impassibility Destruction and the Accidents of Mixt bodies 1 THose bodies which are esteem'd not to suffer at all that is no losse as Gold though it melt yet consumes not the Asbestus stone is purifi'd by flames and not endamag'd Hair grows not more flaccid that is its parts are not more loos'ned with water the Adamant is so call'd because neither the hammer nor fire can master it These have got a name through the unskilfulnesse of Artificers 2. For the Moderns have found out how a Diamant may be resolv'd to dust nay even melted as also how to make Gold volatile the Asbestus in the very stone both suffers from a very violent fire and when divided into hairs is able to resist only a moderate one 3. It appears consequentially what must necessarily follow if fire be apply'd to a confirm'd and establisht body For since some parts of a Compound are moister then the rest the first efficacy of the fire will be exercis'd upon them with which if there be any fiery parts mix'd those first fly out with the fire and are call'd Spirits 4. The next are the moist and more insipid parts and they are call'd Flegme Then the more concocted parts in which Earth Fire and Water are well mix'd and they are call'd Oyls or Sulphurs and need a strong fire to extract them 5. That which remains uses by the Chymists to be washt in water wherein they find a more solid part which sinks down and this they call Salt and a lighter part that swimms a top which they throw away as unusefull notwithstanding 't is dry in the highest degree and very efficacious to fix fluid bodies 6. But if a Compound of these two be throughly bak'd in a very strong fire the moisture of the Salt is liquifi'd and the other being clasp'd into it and as it were swimming in it so condenses it into a porous body that it remains alwaies pervious to fire and such a body is call'd Glasse or vitrify'd 7. Whence 't is clear that these bodies are in part made and in part resolved or extracted by the operation of Fire and that they are not Elements but Compounds containing the nature of the whole as appears by Experience 8. Out of what has been said it may be understood what a mixt body is viz. A body coagulated of rare and dense parts in a determinate number bignesse and weight 9. And when many such unite into one a certain homogeneous sensible body emerges serviceable for mans use though it be seldome so pure as to be unmixt with others 10. Hence again it appears that it concerns not a mixt body of what Figure it be since with the same proportion of parts it may be of any especially when one body is compos'd of many little ones All things therefore receive their figure from the circumstances of their Origination 11. For since the same things must be produc'd after the same manner and those that are divers different ways the variety of manners occasions the variety of figures 12. For that which equally dilates every way becomes spherical that which dilates irregularly becomes like a Bowl that which faints in growing longer becomes like a Top. 13. That which cannot extend it self in length becomes parallelly flat that which is in some part defective in breadth becomes a hexagon a quadrate c. that which cannot dilate it self in breadth becomes oblong And thus at large and in generall 't is evident whence proceed the figures of mixt bodies LESSON IX Of the Motion of heavy and light bodies and the Conditions of Acting 1. FRom what has been said we collect that since the Sun either is Fire or at least operates like fire beating upon Earth Water and all other bodies with its Rayes it summons out little bodies which sticking to its Rayes are reflected with them and mov'd from the Centre towards the Circumference 2. By whose motion all the rest must of necessity presse towards the Earth and because the Motion of dense bodies is so much the stronger the denser they are and descending bodies the more they descend the more they repell lesse descending ones there must be wheree're the Sun has any power a Motion of dense bodies towards the Centre and of rare towards the Circumference as experience teaches us there is 3. Whence first we see there can no where be any pure Elements since at least the Rayes of the Sun and the bodies carry'd about with them are mingled every where 4. We see too that dense bodies are heavy and contrarily rare are light and that there is not any inclination requisite in bodies towards the Centre as is evident by the experience of Pumps by which with an easie motion a great weight of water is rais'd or as when we suck a Bullet out of the barrell of a long Gun 5. We see moreover that since this tumult of little bodies ascending and descending swarm's every where place any body in it it must needs be press'd upon by others every where about it and the bodies which are aside on 't must perpetually pierce and enter into it if they find in it lighter bodies which they can repell from the Centre Whence this tumult is even within all bodies and by vertue of it all bodies are mingled 6. Whence again it must needs be that the thin parts of every body consist in a kind of perpetuall
the visible world but where there is any one Element there Aristotle acknowledges the rest too and indeed with the same Eyes we discern an opake body reflecting the light 6. 'T is objected Animals cannot live in the Moon not Men particularly because in it there is not a variety of Earth and Waters nor rains nor clouds Adde to this a most vehement heat the Sun shining continually upon the same part for fifteen whole days together and never receding in latitude above ten degrees from the part illuminated 7. 'T is answer'd If there be a kind of grosser Aire as 't is observ'd there will of necessity be Water for these grosse vapours are made out of Earth and have the nature of water before though perhaps the Clouds are not so big as to be taken notice of Besides the Almains have observ'd something like a vast cloud in the Moon The extreme heat is moderated by the height of the Mountains the lownesse of the Vallies the abundance of water and woods as we see by experience under the Aequator from which the Sun is at farthest about twenty three degrees distant and but about ten only for half the year from the middle between the Aequator and the Tropick yet this hinders not but those are most happy regions LESSON III. Of the parts of the Planetary World and especially those of the Earth 1. THe greatest part of the world which we have some kind of knowledge of consists of the Sun and six great bodies illuminated by it and some lesser ones which are in a manner members cut off from the greater 2. The bigger bodies are counted by Astronomers Saturn Iupiter Mars the Earth Mercury Venus which 't is certain of the rest by evident experiments of Mars and Saturn by their parity to the rest are opake bodies illuminated by the Sun 3. Mercury is believ'd to have appear'd like a spot under the Sun Venus appears horned like the Moon Iupiter suffers from the Stars accompanying him and they reciprocally from him The Sun alone shines of it self 4. Moreover since light is Fire the fountain of light is the fountain of Fire too The SUN therefore is a vast body consisting of Mountains and Plains which belch out fire and as Aetna Lipara and Hecla are never without flames and especially the Vulcanian Mountains of the new world so much lesse is the Sun 5. Both the clouds of ashes vapour'd out in vast abundance and other bodies mix'd with them which make the Spots in the Sun and the fountains of flames observ'd sometimes more fiercely sometimes more remissely to blaze out witnesse this to be the nature of the Sun 6. The whole body therefore of the Sun or at least as deep as is necessary must needs consist of some matter resembling to bitumen or Sulphur and be intended by nature for nothing but an Esca and food of flames serviceable to other bodies 7. And since we have the same Actour upon the other six Bodies the effects too must needs be analogous upon an analogous matter as we have already prov'd that of all other bodies must be amongst these the Earth by which we are nourisht is the best known to us 8. This our very senses tell us is divided into three parts A solid Substance which we call Earth a liquid but crasse one which we call Water and aninvisible one which we call Aire 9. The Earth is not a Loadstone first because it hangs not on any other for the Stars of the Eighth Sphear are at too great a distance to look for any Magneticall action from them secondly because that vertue in it which attracts the loadstone is not diffus'd through the whole body of the Earth but rests only in the bark of it as it were thirdly because if it were a loadstone it would joyn to some other body as the loadstone does to Iron nor would it be carry'd about in any place or with any Motion of its own but proceed to joyn it self with that other The parts of the Earth are Mountains Valleys Caverns Plains 10. And since we know Fire will make water boil and swell and dilate whatever other bodies are mixt with the water we see too that the Earth both within in its bowells and in its superficies is furnisht with heat to concoct Metals and juyces as in our bodies when the heat abounds with moisture above the just proportion in any part it breeds warts and wens and blisters so hills and mountains must of necessity rise out of the body of this great Mother 11. This is evidenc'd both by ancient and modern Experiments which tell us of Islands cast up in the Sea we hear of cinders belcht out of Aetna and Vesuvius for the most part falling upon and encreasing the Mountains but sometimes too raising fields into Mountains and hence it is that Mountains for the most part ingender Metalls and are full of wholesome hearbs as is generally observ'd 12. Hollow places whether upon the Superficies of the Earth which we call Vallies or Caverns within its bowells proceed from two proper causes the sinking and settling of the Earth into those places which the matter for the Mountains left vacant and the washing away of that matter which by rains and torrents is carry'd otherwhere especially into the Sea Thus the Channells of Rivers are made thus between vast and very high Mountains the Channells of the Valleys are deeper Hence in one place the Earth is hollow'd away in another rais'd LESSON IV. Of the Sea and its Accidents 1. THe parts of water are Sea Lakes Pools Rivers Fountains The Sea is but one since all those parts whereof every one is call'd a Sea communicate among themselves either openly or by hidden Channells as the Caspian discharges it self into the Euxine for otherwise t would overflow with the constant tribute of such great Rivers 2. That the Main does not overflow is because of the amplitude and vastnesse of its surface whence it comes to passe that as much is lick'd up by the Sun into clouds and winds as is pour'd in by so many Rivers as will be evident to one that shall observe how much the Sun in one day draws up out of a little Plash 3. Hence proceeds its saltnesse for since the salt which flows in out of the Rivers makes not them so much as brackish neither could they infect the sea were it not that the sun sucking up the lighter parts the salt remains in the rest 4. Moreover the salt which the sun must necessarily make upon the top out of the concoction of the land-floods which fatten the River-water does not sink down to the bottom both by reason of the motion of the sea continually mingling it together as also because the deeper the water the salter and heavier it is unlesse some speciall cause interpose as perhaps in the mouths of Rivers 5. From the abundance of salt the sea gets both density and gravity moreover that it will not
crasse it may be and not Iron but a kind of ironish stone so too not Flesh but something like Flesh may have rain'd other where For we are wont to call things by the names of others which they resemble especially when something of miracle is joyn'd with it so greedy we are of seeming to know or have seen something more then others 10. Snow and Hail seem to be accidents of Rain with this difference that snow is rain whilst 't is yet in such little parts that it cannot descend but Hail is it congeal'd when 't is in such drops as are apt for descending For that the generation of Snow is higher then that of Rain the tops of Mountains witnesse cover'd all the yeare with Snow which they could not be were they ever drench'd with Rain 11. And that 't is congeal'd in minutest particles is evident to one that considers it both from the height of its place and the very nature of Snow for the flakes are not of one continu'd body but as it were ashes or little dusts made up together Its whitenesse too proves it that is its eminent virtue of reflecting light for suppose a world of little sphears smooth and extreamly minute made up together into one body as little as can be visible and because every one of those convex Superficies are apt to scatter light in its proportion from every point that quantity must needs appear extreamly white 12. The Rine too witnesses it and a kind of snowy-hail we sometimes see like Coriander Confits for certain minute particles of snow are easily discernable and if one look very curiously upon a flake of snow one shall discern a composition without end as it were of distinct bodies coagulated Lastly the whitenesse of Froth proceeds clearly from the same cause 13. Hence the doubts about snow are easily resolv'd as why the vapours should not rather immediately fall down in Rain then turn into Snow since there needs a lesse intense cold for Rain For either they are admitted to be first in the degree of Rain before they become Snow but descend not because the parts are too little yet or it must be said that Rain does not signifie every moisture but a dropping one such as is not in so minute particles The cause too of its softnesse is plain for even Diamant dust if it be small enough will be soft 14. Again why 't is often sexangular or rather like a Star with six rayes For since six other equall circles just encompasse and inclose a Circle if Snow be compos'd of little Sphears the first composition will have six jettings out to which those things may stick which in motion are apt to touch and stop against what they encounter Such a compound therefore is apt to be form'd into a star-like figure 15. The cold if it has been very intense and dry slacken's before Snow because of the Snow's moisture especially if it come with a gentle a South or West-wind as also because a snowy cloud more compresses and straightens the Aire near the Earth whence the Vapours which rise out of the Earth being thrust and crouded close together grow warmer and thus too Snow lying upon houses makes the upper rooms warmer by hindring both the entrance of the wind and the issuing of the vapours In the same manner also it protects the Earth and Roots from the cold 16. But the warmnesse which is felt after the fall of Snow proceeds from the free action of the Sun which before was restrain'd by a grosse cloud interpos'd against it as also because the cold wherewith we were infested whilst the cloud hung over us lyes now as it were subdu'd and imprison'd under our feet That the falling of Snow hinders Sounds 't is because it deprives the Aire of its agility 17. Hail is Rain congeal'd in falling it receives a figure either from the drops or from the wind and the collision of the drops now growing hard or else by chance or the concurrence of accidentall causes 18. Those that discern monstrous forms and shapes in it sometimes polish and finish up by the help of their imagination certain rude lines as 't is often seen in Stones and whatever other figures 19. That it so soon melts the reason is because there remains in it more water then of the dry vapour the wind or congealing Aire having light upon great drops For that this is the cause of congelation our expecting Ice and a Rine the next day witnesses to wit when the wind is grow'n sharper by the cold of the night LESSON VIII Of fiery Meteors appearing in the Aire 1. who 'd expect Fire out of water Yet we have it sometimes out of the Clouds and even out of Rain Nay in a very Tempest there stick to the Masts things the Ancients call'd Castor and Pollux a wonder familiarly seen by the Mariners 2. But these and many such like seem rather to rellish the nature of vapours that reflect light then of Fire for both Will of the wispe or Ignes fatui do not burn nor flame out but only shine as also those Dioscuri or Castor and Pollux have the form of a globe which is not the figure of Fire Again Flames in a thin and tenuous matter are not long-liv'd as appears in Lightning and in a Candle which we see sometimes blaze up enflaming the smoak about it but suddenly extinguish again and retire to the Wiek The flames too which belch out of the Vulcanian Mountains are often but short-liv'd 3. Be this therefore a sure rule where-ever the figure is determin'd and constant 't is no fiery or flaming matter For the way of Fire is to brandish Pyramids upwards with an uncertain motion the crasser matter pressing downwards 4. Besides an Ignis fatuus has been found fallen down in a slippery viscous substance full of white spots The same too is the matter of Falling-starres as both a learned man hath found it amongst our selves when any such matter is found in the Fields the very Countrey-men cry it fell from Heav'n and the Starres and as I remember call it the Spittle of the Starres 5. Ignes fatui or Wills of the Wisp then are a certain viscous substance reflecting light in the dark evaporated out of a fat Earth and flying in the Aire They commonly haunt Church-yards Privyes and Fens because they are begotten out of fatnesse They fly about Rivers Hedges c. because in those places there 's a certain flux of Aire They follow one that flies them and fly one that follows them because the Aire does so They stay upon Military Ensigns and Spears because such are apt to stop and tenacious of them In the Summer and hot Regions they are more frequent because the good concoction produces fatnesse 6. Flammae lambentes or those we call Haggs are made of Sweat or some other Vapour issuing out of the Head a notunusuall sight amongst us when we ride by night in the Summer
time They are extinguisht like flames by shaking the Horse Mains But I believe rather 't is onely a Vapour reflecting light but fat and sturdy compacted about the Mains of Horses or Men's Hair 7. Cardanus tells of a certain Carmelite that as often as he thrust his head into his Coul it flam'd out and that 't is usuall enough in Spain for sparkles to fly out of woollen garments rubb'd upon ones head Nor doubt I but these are reall fire such as uses to fly out of Wood Canes or Flints by rubbing or striking them for these and such like are full both of fire and a certain vapour which is fewell for it whence when many hot parts light upon a considerable part of the vapour they scorch and kindle it whereupon after such a production of fire there remains in some an offensive sent as of burning 8. The Hair of Horses and Cats as also Sugar rub'd together in the dark are said to produce the same effect The Eyes too of some are said to sparkle viz. when they shine with spirits and reflect the light as if they were glasse Yet doubt I not but the Eyes may by some preternaturall disposition yield reall light it seeming evident in Cats 9. But that the most part of these are idle stories I collect from this experiment that it has seem'd even to my self sometimes that my Chamber was all light and I saw every thing plainly when notwithstanding I have often catch't my self in it and found mine eyes shut all the while and that my memory within was working upon those thiings which I thought I saw and sometimes I found that I err'd too imagining some things to be in this or that Place which indeed were not 10. Falling-Stars are a certain viscid or slimy matter rais'd out of the Earth in very minute parts and coagulated in the Aire which when in its fall it comes within our sight beautifies all its way with reflected light Yet sometimes it falls not downwards but being carry'd traversly by some motion of the Aire 't is call'd a Gliding star 'till either being dissipated or by some other Accident 't is seen no more 11. Caprae Trabes Bolides Faces Dolia Clypei as the Ancients call them or whatever other names such Meteors may have whether they are reall fires or only certain Clouds brighter then ordinary neither is it deducible clearly enough out of Histories they relating scarce any thing save that they burn in such a figure but that they take burning for shining 't is very credible even from hence that they mention no tokens of their burning nor have I ever met with any very curious observer treating of this subject LESSON IX Of truly fiery Meteors hanging in the Aire 1. THe true fires therefore are Lightnings Dragons and those they call Fire-Drakes For first they have not a clear brightnesse as falling and gliding Stars have which is almost a sure sign of reflection but a dimm'd one from the condition of the matter as it were with smoak as we see in our fires though this rule may fail on both sides unlesse it be prudently apply'd Again they are short-liv'd Thirdly the ashes of Dragons are often seen and the effects of Lightning are well known The Nature of Fire-drakes is like that of Lightning or the blazing of Candles so that 't is unquestionably a sudden kindling of an oyly vapour and it varies its figure with every motion as fire uses according to the various dispositions of the combustible matter To apprehend the Causes of these things 2. Let us imagine the hottest days effect that upon the Earth which upon a Chymicall matter the most intense heat does that after the gentler is apply'd to extract Oyles that is the most glutinous and crasse moisture Suppose that out of fat and soft grounds they raise Vapours not liquid but compacted with a deal of dense matter not without a vast abundance of fiery parts imprison'd in them 3. That these Vapours can neither be elevated into a very high station nor long sustain'd above That yet to the proportion of the heat they are carryed higher according to the nature of the Region and of the concurring causes in one Climate then in another And that through the motion and tumult of the Clouds these vapours meeting with one another being of a glutinous substance stick together and are constipated that being constipated they are kindled and being kindled either break out or are thrown out 4. Again this matter being the heaviest of all that are elevated will be hurryed downwards as we see in Golden-gunpowder for the dilating of the fire makes and applyes an impression of the adhering matter that way which the matter leads It breaks therefore through the Clouds there where 't is easiest descending and being in the time of its passage for the most part directed obliquely because the Cloud is thickest towards the Earth 't is so hurry'd to us 5. When nothing but the flame approaches us 't is said to lighten when without Thunder and in a clear season any lightnings appear we say it flashes 6. Hence 't is apparent enough how Thunderbolts come to be darted out of the Clouds For the fire in the Clouds being extreme violent it bakes a light stone like a Pumice or those which are made in furnaces for Metalls and that having the fire still adhering to it and being light of its own nature is carry'd like an iron kettle or earthen Porringer in water and descends with violence 7. Again 't is evident how Thunder is caus'd For that most suddain rarefaction of Fire cannot be made without a most swift compression of one Cloud to another nor this without a mighty noise such as we hear at the suddain extinguishing of a violent and intense fire and at the dashing together of the waves of the Sea in a Storm 8. From the different matter of the Lightning there happens the variety of different effects As when the Purse or Scabbard being intire the Mony or the Blade is melted it proceeds from hence that in the Lightning there is the nature of those Salts which serve to melt Metalls and yet have no power upon slighter subjects when the Wine congeals the Vessell being broken 't is a sign of cold Spirits in the Lightning by which liquid things are rendred consistent and hard things are broken as we see by the congealing of water in a glasse or earthen vessel close stop'd when water will not quench it it has a mixture of Wild-fire in it such as we see in burning Fountains 9. Iron is us'd against Lightning because 't is a kind of matter something akin to Lightning and draws the volatile spirits to it self so that it does other things no hurt Mushromes too come on the better for Tempests because the Rain which accompanies them is warm and fat as the fields of Aetna and Campania are rendred more fruitfull by the eruptions of the Mountains because much heat and
out with violence they take the shortest line which upon the superficies of a Sphear is the Arch of the greatest Circle LESSON XI Of Earth-quakes and their Effects 1. BUt because we have said there are Caves under ground and both our experience of Pits sunk and many extraordinary effects demonstrate Fire water there too there must necessarily be notable effects of the vapours extracted out of the bowells of the Earth 2. If therefore out of some subterraneous humidbody vapours chance to be rais'd by a subterraneous fire too and they prove too bigg for their place 't is manifest that alwaies increasing and becoming condens'd by the continuall accesse of new vapours they 'l seek themselves a way out according to the force they have where ther 's the easiest passage If that chance to lead into any vast under-ground Cave the Earth will quake with a great impetus and groan but nothing will appear above ground 3. But if the easiest issue be towards the superficies of the Earth the vapour will burst out through it and if it be noxious to Beasts or Birds 't will bring either Death or a Disease along with it making with the eruption either a gaping Hollow or a Mountain according as the Earth either sinks or is sustain'd and as it were vaulted Sometimes 't will bury and swallow up Cities sometimes transport vast pieces of Earth and produce other effects whereof we find expresse memorialls in History 4. The Prognosticks of an Earth-quake they say are an infection of the Fountains with a sulphurious savour an unusuall calmnesse of the Air and Birds a swelling of the Sea without any apparent cause blackish streaks under the Sun of an unusuall length all if they are truly Prognosticks and not onely Accidents which sometimes and not for the most part happen are the effects of a spirituous Vapour bursting out from the bowells of the Earth 5. They are said to happen chiefly in the Spring and Autumn therefore if the opinion be true because the Superficies of the Earth being warm becomes slacker with the rain But I should rather believe it a chance that many should be recorded in Histories about these seasons for both Winter and Summer have felt their Earthquakes and in the Torrid Zone where they are most frequent the differences of Spring and Autumn from the other seasons are very inconsiderable 6. The Sea-shores are most subject to these motions because the subterranious flames and fumes receive no little nourishment from the Sea and the moisture which soaks into the Earth renders it very fit for breeding vapours LESSON XII Of the Meteors of the other parts of the World and especially of Comets 1. THese accidents of our Orbe and its parts which are usually call'd Meteors must necessarily be found too in the other bodies which we have said are enlightned by our Sun And that out of the nature of quantity and the mixture of Rare and Dense if they have their severall degrees and differences 2. Nor in these only but in whatever bodies besides wherein alterations are wrought by the operation of fire upon denser matter for the same reasons 3. 'T is evident too that our Sun cannot warm and enlighten all those bodies that reflect light to us for if it were as far distant from us as Astronomers suppose the Sphear of the Fixed stars 't would appear to us to be but of the sixth Magnitude and consequently it could not communicate to us any considerable either light or heat how much lesse in the situation where 't is could it reflect so far as to us a light of the first Magnitude from any Star so far distant 4. Adde to this that one that should collect from the proportion of the basis of a Cone to its Axis how much light the Sun could reflect to us from the eighth Sphear would find it absolutely invisible Besides the very Aire through which the light passes by little and little drinks up and extinguishes it whence in a thicker Aire it spreads it self a lesse way then in a rarer so that in so vast a journey 't would be utterly deaded and not seen 5. A Meteor of the Planets perceptible by us is a Comet which its very-little Parallaxis convinces to be sometimes sited above the Moon 6. That 't is not fire its constant figure its Tayle not oppos'd to its motion but to the Sun its lasting consistency its matter light and to be seen through and lastly its Motion more regular then we observe in fire largely convince farther that it has nothing of fire but the colour adde to this that Fromundus with his very eyes discern'd the Tayle of that Comet in the Year 1618 to consist of the reflection of the Sun 's light 7. Be it therefore A vapour which partly reflects the light of the Sun partly drinking it in either repells it back again to us by refraction from it self or letting it through by reflection from another body And its fore-part will be the Head it s hinder whether part or something only accessnry to it will be the Tayle 8. And since by this generation of a Comet any figure of its Beard any Motion any winding of its tayle but for the most part the opposition of its Tayle to the Sun and the lesser light of its Tayle then of its Head may be fairly solv'd this intire subject is clearly display'd 9. Out of the same principles may be deduc'd that fading Stars are Comets but so far off that the secundary or refracted light of their Tail by reason of the height either cannot be distinguisht from the body or cannot be extended to us because of its extreme faintnesse as also that its motion cannot be discern'd 10. Even these therefore witnesse that there are Meteors among the very fixed Stars and those so much the more constant and lasting as the bodies out of which they are extracted are larger LESSON XIII Of the Ebbing and Flovving of the Sea and its Accidents 1. SInce out of what has been said it appears that the gravity of the vapours and the straightnesse of their issue are the cause of the violent motion of the winds and that the heaviest vapours are extracted out of the Earth when 't is well moistned It becomes evident that where vapours are rais'd out of the Sea only they are lighter that if they be turn'd into winds without being straightned they will be calm ones And since in the great Pacifick Sea in the Indian Atlantick Ocean quite through the whole Torrid Zone there are vast waters consequently in some measure secure from the incursion of Shore-winds there must needs be light vapours rais'd up by the Sun through all that Tract which the Sun retiring must turn into winds taking that course which the Suns rarefaction of the aire makes most easie this all the year long consequently there must be a continuall East-wind 2. And because the Aire naturally moves in a Circle
infinite which is impossible whereas yet what is future is in that very respect possible 7. The World therefore is neither from nor to eternity because the world includes the motion of bodies passing on in a determinate order and as it were consists in this 'T was therefore created but not for it self for if it could have deserv'd to be made for its own beauties sake upon the same title it would endure for ever It rests therefore that 't was made for something else which cannot be successive since the same evidence with which we have disputed about motion convinces that no successive thing can be eternall The World therefore is made for some permanent thing but there 's nothing permanent found in Nature except the Rationall soul for whose sake the world could exist Spirits therefore born in bodies and perfected in them not such as are purely abstracted from body who have no use of corporeall instruments are the End for which the world was made 8. And the world is nothing but a kind of vast wombe in which these Spirits may be begotten and brought up which has so many Cells as there are severall Races of these Spirits Our Cell is the Earth we inhabit the Cells of the rest are those masses of the Celestiall bodies except the Solar ones which are the basest of all the rest and as far as we can guesse only ministeriall 9. The Quantity of the world both for its Extension and Duration is such as may fitly serve for the breeding up so many differences of Spirits providing the Cells according to the severall kinds and giving every Cell the bignesse and duration which was sufficient for the number the Architect design'd 10. The Figure of the world is not rendred uneven either with hollownesses or jettings out since the notion of Vacuum excludes both these Wherefore 't is either Sphericall or of some other Curvilineall figure which most concisely covers and encompasses so many and such great Cells 11. The exteriour rimme of it is not compos'd of any solid body but of thinnest Vapours exhal'd out of the outmost bodies unlesse perhaps there be reserv'd in nature some farther use of the Outmost body which we know not of Peripateticall INSTITUTIONS Fourth Book Containing that part of METAPHYSICK which explicates the Essentiall Notions of BODIES LESSON I. Of the divisibility of Substance into Formall parts 1. SInce water is manifestly lesse divisible then Aire and yet they are but one Quantitatively if they are more then one according to their Substance there must of necessity be a reall composition of Quantity to Substance since Unity and Plurality are not distinct from the thing whose they are 2. But if they are not two Substances since there cannot be a different proportion of the same thing to it fels yet the proportion of Quantity to the Substance in Aire is greater then in Water it must needs be again that ther 's a reall composition of Quantity to Substance and therefore a Divisibility 3. Whence t is inferr'd that Substance as t is condistinct from Quantity is indivisible since Quantity is divisibility 4. As also that the Notions of Rarity and Density consist in the proportion of the Quantity to the Substance whose it is since rare bodies are more and dense less divisible 5. You 'l object Such as are one in Quantity are one in Substance too But the whole world is one in Quantity that rigorously since there are no Parts actually in a Magnitude Therefore either Quantity is a distinct thing from Substance or else all Bodily Substance will be but one thing really and materially whatever may be imagined of an Intellectuall distinction between them 6. T is answered 'T is a false assumption to say those things which are one in Quantity are one in their Substances too To that which is objected That all things would be really and materially one T is answer'd Either 't is but the same which we call to be One quantitatively and then 't would be shew'd what inconvenience would follow that consequence being admitted or else that term really and materially would be explicated for the Arguers seem to insinuate that it signifies abstracting from our Notions that is they would be one in no kind of unity whereof we have any Notion 7. All things therefore according to that unity which follows the notion of Quantity and that is accidentall are one but according to their Substances and that unity which follows the notion of Substance they are many 8. It follows from what has been said As oft as any division is made the Substance it self is chang'd which is subjected to the Quantity according to the intrinsecalls of Substance as 't is condistinguish't against Quantity For Division being that whereby more are made of one and they not being made more according to the proper unity of Quantity this plurality must of necessity be in the Substance as 't is condistinguish't against Quantity wherefore the Unity too which is destroy'd was in the Substance as condistinguish't from the Quantity since therefore Vnity superadds nothing to Entity but a negative notion of indivision it comes to passe that a change cannot be made in the unity without a change in the Entity and consequently that the Entity is chang'd 9. But the Entity is not so chang'd that two Entities should be made out of nothing but out of one that existed before otherwise there would not have been made a division There was therefore a power or possibility in the Substance to be many as in many ther 's a possibility to be made one again 10. The Substance therefore is chang'd in some respect and remains in the many according to some part of its power wherefore 't is divided according to its own proprieties and there is in Substances divisible according to Quantity another proper divisibility into the Power by which it can be what it is and the Act by which it is what it is or into the Matter remaining and the Form chang'd 11. Yet the parts of the Substance and the Quantity it self with the Substance against which 't is condivided are not actually in their compounds before division for 't is plain that if they are in act one of them before division is not another they are therefore many nor can be divided that is made many 12. Out of what has been said 't is evident that this Formall divisibility has not the true nature of divisibility that is 't is lesse then the divisibility of a Magnitude into its parts For a Magnitude is divided into parts whereof every one exists after the division by their proper existences but one at least of these parts exists no longer and that which remains exists not alone but commonly with some other instead of the part it has lost LESSON II. Of the Formall parts of Substance in particular 1. HEnce it follows that because a change according to the parts of the Substance changes
therefore Philosophy teaches that even that complexion of nature which rises from acquir'd habits and exercise is apt to be deriv'd to the Issue much more that which was by Nature planted in Adam would have pass'd into his Posterity His Children therefore had he not sin'd would have attain'd from their Origin a certain equability of Passions whereby they would have grown easily obedient to Reason or rather they would have had no passion more vehement then was just fit so that they would have felt no difficulty in following right Reason from which disposition he seems not to have St. Bernard been far of whom 't is wonderfully said that Adam in him had not sin'd 7. Whence the perverse motion of the will in our first Parents was apt to proceed only from extrinsecall sollicitation So we see in the answer of Eve that she was content with the command 'till the Devil proposing a shew of fallacious reason which she could not see through had fastened as it were her mind to the delectable form of the Apple before her by which fastening that naturall equality was corrupted which too in like manner happened to Adam through his amorous fixednesse to his wife as may be collected out of his words wherein ther 's no praising of God the giver but only a commemoration of the lovelinesse of the woman 'T is evident therefore that the naturall principles of motion and passion were corrupted in both our Parents and so in Generation an inequality was deriv'd to their issue not one equall to Theirs but one far greater it being now corrupted from the change of site to the Heavens and the quality of the Aire and Food and so irrecoverably their Posterity drew from the Womb of their Mother an Origin or inclination to sin 8. Which negation of equability because 't is in a subject to which an equality is due by its Creation attains the nature of a privation and because the guilt of Adam is in it or because we derive our Origin from him 't is therefore call'd ORIGINAL not formall SIN and because 't is impossible that Man infected with this can live without sin by the strength of nature without new Grace therefore Nature is call'd the Slave of Sin and given up into slavery to the Devil But whether Originall sin comprehends besides an indisposition of the sensitive Soul a privation of Charity consequent from it in the Issue because ther 's nothing offer'd out of our text spoken concerning that matter I leave to the curious 9. It suffices us that out of what has been said it may be understood how Originall Sin is singular in every one how 't is deriv'd by Generation and how it proceeds from the fault of another 10. Of these things that have been said I know not whether we have not in some measure an Example in Cain and Abel Cain being conceiv'd in Sin perhaps the very night after eating the forbidden fruit before God by punishment had provok'd them to Penance Abel in the time of Penance whence Cain contracted in the conception his Mothers envy against God Abel her humility and piety wherefore what our Interpreter renders I have possest a Man by God may be more truly translated I have loved a Man against God CHAP. XV. Of the Propagation of Mankind out of the same 1. AFter the Death of his Brother Cain departed into the barrener parts as appears from his Curse And this was the first occasion of filling the severall quarters of the Earth And he is said to have sojourn'd towards the East from Eden or rather towards the West for the originall letter has it he sat down in a strange Country before Eden that is he dwelt in a far Country before Eden that is to which the face of Eden is turn'd Adam and his Family being suppos'd to look after him when he went from them that is to the West or having Eden Eastward Now Eden seems to be call'd that Country in which Adam dwelt in memory of the Pleasure he had there 2. And the sacred Authour prosecutes the Generations of Cain to the seventh descent and tels us the Cities that were built and the Arts both for use and pleasure invented in them But how many years each generation contain'd he mentions not but 't is likely they were shorter then the generations assign'd to Seth whence in the time of Enos which extends to about a thousand years after the nativity of Henoch the first-born of Cain the children of Adam on Cain's side may have been exceedingly multiply'd and that hap'ned which is written that in his time The invocation of the name of the Lord was polluted viz. in most of the posterity of Seth and Adam through their Marriages with the daughters of Cain 3. For since the Sons of Seth and the rest that liv'd with Adam may seem to have follow'd a Pastorall life and to have liv'd temperately but the Daughters of Cain to have been delicate and luxurious there appears on the Male's side strength and virility and on the Female's abundance of Moisture figurable by heat whence 't is consonant that a vast and robust issue was born out of their conjunction And out of confidence of their great forces men are prone to fall to injuring and oppressing the weak whence Lamech call'd it a consolation to kill all man-kind according to the by-word that saies 'T is better to be alone then ill accompanied 4. But whether they were of a huge stature of body such as we call Giants appears not out of the sacred History where nothing else is said but that they were Oppressours Strong and such as got themselves a Name or fame CHAP. XVI Of the FLOUD out of the same 1. WHen therefore they were impenitent whilst Noe built the Ark to save the few just that is eight persons the waters began to poure down upon the Earth which Genesis describing saies thus Such a year moneth and day all the Fountains of the great Abysse were broken up and the Cataracts of Heaven were opened there was made a Rain upon the Earth fourty daies and fourty nights The originall text for were broken up has slit themselves and for Cataracts a word which signifies occult cavities from a word which imports as much as to ly in wait as if it would say that the Repositories of heaven wherein God had plac'd as it were waters in ambush were opened 2. To these is to be added that place in the Second of Peter wherein 't is said there was of old a Heaven and an Earth of waters and by waters consisting by the word of God by which that world then overflowâ—d with waters perished But it cannot be understood as if the Earth consisted of Water which is no where written but rather the contrary viz. that the Earth was created together with the Waters the sense therefore is that Heaven consists of waters the Earth by waters to wit mingled together by that mighty fire
whereof largely above Consisting therefore is refer'd to both though it be construed with the later 3. It saies then that the old world was overflow'd by these two waters whence 't is evident those are distinct waters which are here call'd the Cataracts of heaven from those call'd the fountains of the great abysse Now we find no more about Heaven after the Fourth Day but that a vapour ascended from the Earth to water the universall face of the Earth and that the Earth was cover'd with a Mist and as much concerning the Sea Iob speaking in the person of God when I put it on a Cloud for its vestment wrapt it in darknesse as in the cloaths of Infancy For these signifie that the Aire was thick and misty there sweating by the Suns force as it were a perpetuall watry humour out of the Earth whose thinner parts were of necessity continually rais'd up into Clouds which could not fall for a time whilst the Aire quite up to them was thick and as heavy as they but after the Earth being dry'd the Aire between the Earth and the Clouds became it self too more dry and subtile the terrestriall humidity being spent then at length with a mighty vehemence the long-treasur'd-up waters in the clouds descended in such abundance that the Fountains which broke out from the more eminent parts of the Earth were so over-charg'd they slit their channels and with open Torrents roul'd into the Rivers and they oreflowing their banks all at once into the Sea Thus therefore by the waters whereof the former Heavens consisted that is the midst between the Earth and the Stars and by which the Earth consisted viz. which lay hid in its bowels the whole Earth was o'reflow'd in the time of Noe. 4. And the History tells that the waters rose fifteen Cubits above the tops of the Mountains now 't is not incredible that some Men were so tall so that this quantity of water was altogether necessary nay if there had been strong Trees upon the highest Mountains which could have resisted the water this proportion of water had been lesse then needed 5. For since after the Deluge Og may seem to have been nine Cubits high before the Deluge 't is credible enough there were some near fifteen Though to perswade one's self there were ever Men of that vastness which is attributed to the Cyclops and certain Reliques found in the New World there needs a great faith for these stories depend on uncertain memories or on conjectures of Men talking according to likely-hood of old Bones 6. But to return to the abundance of the waters The severer Mathematicians now adaies do not believe any Mountain to be higher perpendicularly then one Italian mile nor need we believe the Mountains before the Floud were so high as they are now the vallies are hollowed deeper with continuall Rains If therefore fifteen Cubits be abated from the highest Mountains make account the water rose a Mile perpendicular about the Earth 7. Whence 't will be deduc'd that about an equall proportion of water out of the Clouds and out of the bowels of the Earth concurr'd to the Deluge for if a Pail set in the open Aire in a very violent rain will be fill'd a cubits height in an hour in fourty daies and fourty nights a continuall and vehement rain from all parts of the Heavens would o'reflow the whole Earth little lesse then a thousand Cubits high as much therefore or more water was to be strein'd out of the Earth that the Floud might rise to a thousand Paces high 8. Which to render credible reflect upon the artifice of Husbandmen not unusuall amongst us by which they draw some feets depth of water over their barrener grounds with the weight whereof the superficies of the Earth being loaded is press'd down constipated with the lower Earth so fills those hollownesses into which the Air 's entrance caus'd the barrennesse whereupon they are rendred fruitfull From which experiment 't is evident that a huge weight of water brought upon the Earth must compresse it strein out the water which was hid in it and represse its swelling and consequently constipate the Earth and force it into a lesser Circle Since therefore the power of the Deluge may easily be believ'd to have extended it self three miles perpendicular within the Earth for the Sea is judg'd so deep now in the deepest parts let the Earth but have contracted it self one sixth part of those three miles and you have water press'd out of its own bowels to cover it five hundred paces round about We have therefore a fit proportion of water for so great an effect if we can contrive whence so much water may have ascended into the Clouds 9. But if the little lesse then two thousand years space be reflected on in which the Sun rais'd up perpetuall vapours to the very Sphear of the Moon and perhaps higher and kept them there by reason of the continuall thicknesse of that Aire between the Earth and Heaven It will be easily credible that there were Clouds amass'd together enough to pour down fourty daies and nights violent Rain which we have said is sufficient for the effect CHAP. XVII Of the Cessation of the Deluge out of the same 1 THe inspired Writer prosecutes the abatement of the water which he divides into four parts to the resting of the Ark upon the mountains of Armenia a hundred and ten daies thence 'till the appearing of the mountains tops about seventy daies from those to the time when the superficies of the Earth shew'd it self and from thence to the intire drynesse almost as many daies as in he first part divided almost equally 2. The causes of so unequall decrease are two deduc'd from the letter a Wind which God rais'd and a motion of the water proceeding from the Wind. As for the Wind 't is clear when the Sun began now to shine bright the Clouds being dispers'd and there was nothing but water upon which it might act there could no other wind be rais'd then such as even now we experience in that vast Clime of the Pacifick and Atlantick Seas though we must needs think 't was far more both vehement and ample when there were no Shores at all whence Contrary winds might blow and contract its bounds 3. The first part therefore of the abatement was made by this Wind through the mediation of the Sun which turn'd the Waters into Wind and the Wind now dry'd dry'd the waters by adhesion as we see it does Linnen cloaths by carrying away with it the watry parts 4. And the Ark is believed to have rested upon the highest Mountain in those parts The Hebrews say that it sunk twelve Cubits into the water still therefore by this account the water was twelve Cubits above the neighbouring Mountains but these Cubits by reason of the former contraction of the Sphear of the waters were lesse in proportion then those whereof there were fifteen