a postscript to a book published last year entituled considerations on dr. burnet's theory of the earth beaumont, john, d. 1731. 1694 approx. 14 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 5 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : 2003-01 (eebo-tcp phase 1). a27209 wing b1622 estc r29033 10797719 ocm 10797719 45950 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a27209) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 45950) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, 1641-1700 ; 1415:25) a postscript to a book published last year entituled considerations on dr. burnet's theory of the earth beaumont, john, d. 1731. burnet, thomas, 1635?-1715. telluris theoria sacra. beaumont, john, d. 1731. considerations on dr. burnet's theory of the earth. 8 p. printed and are to be sold by randal taylor, london : 1694. caption title. page 7 signed: john beaumont, jun. reproduction of original in the british library. created by converting tcp files to tei p5 using tcp2tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between 1473 and 1700 available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the 25,363 texts created during phase 1 of the project have been released into the public domain as of 1 january 2015. anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. 5% (or 5 pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of 100 instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level 4 of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p5, characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng creation. earth -early works to 1800. 2002-06 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2002-07 apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images 2002-08 mona logarbo sampled and proofread 2002-08 mona logarbo text and markup reviewed and edited 2002-10 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion a postscript to a book published the last year , entituled considerations on dr. burnet's theory of the earth . many persons , since the publishing my considerations on dr. burnet's theory of the earth , having used cavillations against some parts of them , viz. where i seem to leave some things in mystery , which they will needs have to proceed from enthusiasm : some having done this in my presence , and others where i have not been present , as i have been inform'd by many friends : i have thought fit , by printing this paper , to bring the matter above board , and to see what may be said in the case ; and try whether we cannot sound the depths of these mens thoughts as they take upon them to judge others . to disswade a man from leaving any thing he writes , or discourses on , in mystery , i remembred to have read an ingenious writer of politick essays , who says , that a man renders himself as lyable to censure , by offering to maintain a mysterious truth , as an open falsehood ; and therefore he disswades men , by all means , from meddling in mysteries . i remembred also that ecclesiastical maxim of melancthon ; solent homines aut odisse aut superlè contemnere quae non intelligunt . i called to mind the old tricks , both of aesop's fox , which cried out , that the grapes were sour , which were out of his reach ; and of his ill natur'd curr in the manger , which would not permit the horse to ear oats , when he cared not to eat them himself . i remembred likewise those wretches mentioned in the scriptures , who damm'd up isaac's wells , and would not permit him to draw waters for his use , though themselves made no use of them . moses does not say , if the paschal lamb cannot be eaten by your self , it must presently be burnt ; but first call in your neighbour , and if he cannot eat it , then let it be committed to the fire . and as for some things which may seem obscurely intimated in my work , i well know there are many men in the world who will fully apprehend what they import ; but if all do not , i cannot help it . are there not tacenda on many accounts , in the common practice of life ? and why may there not be in some parts of learning ? it 's known that the greatest writers among mankind have left a great part of what they have writ , wrapt up in enigma's ; or however they have otherwise exprest themselves , it 's intelligible only to a few . are roger bacon , picus mirandula , joannes trithemius , cornelius agrippa , joannes reuchlin , our dr. dee , any of the whole tribe of hermetick philosophers , or any masters of a contemplative life among the jews , gentiles , or christians , i say , are any of these open in all things they write , so that every man acquainted in common school learning , or any man , acquainted in no more , understands them ? or have the writers of the scriptures , or christ himself thought fit , still to be open to every man's capacity ? because in the first chapter of my considerations , i mention a promethean arcanum astrologicum , and a seven reed pipe of pan. without a farther explanation , some will needs have this to be enthusiasm : now as for the promethean arcanum astrologicum , prometheus is known to have been famous for some notable skill he had in astrology , as a school-boy may read in any mythologist : and the assyrians are known to have been the most famous of any men in the world , for astrology , and their most ancient astronomical observations , which sciences they are said to have first learnt of prometheus . and there are many men living in the world , who know themselves to have been touch'd by the rod of prometheus , or of some priest of apollo touch before at the chariot of the sun ; whereby they are become animated with a lively and penetrating aetherial spirit ; whereas before they were as lumps of clay , conversant only with the outside barks of things : and in réference to this , men may remember the epitaph of the antient poet colophonius phoenix on ninus , where reflecting on him for his giving himself wholly over to the vanities and pleasures of this life ; among other things he says thus of him ; astra nunquam vidit , nec forsitan id optavit ignem apud magos sacrum non excitavit ; deum nec virgis attigit , &c. it 's of this fire of the magi that zoroaster speaks in the oracles . quando videris ignem sacrum , forma sine collucentem , totius per profundum mundi , audi ignis vocem . and i know men in our nation , who have seen this fire , and hearkned with dread to the voice of it . and even in the temple of jerusalem , as in the holy place , on the north side stood , on a table , the twelve loaves of shewbread , denoting , as josephus tells us , the twelve signs of the zodiack , and having a crown of gold about them , said by the jews , to denote the crown of the kingdom . so on the south side of it , there stood the candlestick with seven lamps , denoting the seven planets , six of which were turned bending towards the lamp in the middle , and that towards the sanctum sanctorum , where the mystery lay . and how far this may relate to some astrological arcanum , i shall leave it to men acquainted in an apt dispensation of types , and to those masters of a contemplative life , who have pass'd proficients in the most sublime science of mystical divinity . as to the seven reed pipe of pan , a man that knows any thing of hieroglyphical philosophy , knows that pan is always drawn with a pipe of seven reeds , and that those seven reeds denote the seven planets . and certainly virgil had heard this pipe , and could play upon it himself ; when , in the person of corydon , he said to alexis , est mihi disparibus septem compacta cicutis fistula , — having said before to him , mecum unà in sylvis imitabere pana canendo . and why must it be expected that i should be more explanatory concerning this pipe than virgil ? indeed , i make no doubt , but there have been , and are still many men in the world , who through an affected sublimity in writing , or a vanity of seeming knowing in what others are not , have often been sinking themselves in mystery , where , in truth , there is no bottom . and again , on the other hand , i am as well satisfied , that there have been , and are still many men in the world , who being deeply sick of a philautian arrogancy , to keep up their repute for learning among the vulgar , have gone about to perswade them , that there is nothing valuable in learning , forsooth , but what is known to their learned selves , though , in truth , there are parts of learning of far greater excellency than any they ever came acquainted withal . if a meer grammarian , having his boys about him , should hear one logician say to another , that a syllogism contains a majus extremum , a minus extremum , and a medium ; to make himself seem somebody among his boys , he may say , that this is but cant , ostentation , and enthusiasm . for there are men , who knowing nothing of some sciences , and thinking it shame to confess their ignorance of any thing , or seeking a subterfuge , or solacing themselves in their want of knowledge , make their boast , that those things they know not , are but trifles , of little or no use. but , as terence says , it 's no wonder if a whore acts impudently . and are there not many realities in nature , which cannot be brought under every man's apprehension ? a man may talk long enough to a person , born blind , of light , colours , and a sun ; but he shall never make him frame a conception of them . you will say , we are not blind , we have more learning than your self , and therefore you must not obtrude this on us . be it so , you are more learned many ways ; yet if a child tells a blind man that there is a sun , light , and colours , and the blind man will not believe him , the child cannot but smile at him for it , though the blind man may have a sound sense otherways , and the child is but a child . and i say , there are many truths in nature , which cannot be known but by experience ( as all masters of a contemplative life testifie ) and that the greatest man of parts in the world cannot apprehend them , without having had a peculiar and practical initiation for taking knowledge of them ; according to what zoroaster says in the oracles , est quoddam intelligibile , quod oportet te intelligere mentis flore , ( by an esflorescent excess of mind . ) the lord bacon tells us , that the magia naturalis is a setting of forms a work. now i would fain have any man , who has not seen an operation in that kind , to tell me ( if he can ) the meaning of that ; but i know it impossible . we read of socrates , that having perused the works of heraclitus , he said , what he understood of them was excellent , and therefore he believed that what he did not understand of them was so too . and though i pretend not to any excellency of writing , i hope , what i have openly offered in my considerations , may be thought tolerably plausible by indifferent judges ; and if i leave a few things veil'd , i think there may be no great reason for censure . some may object that if we give way to obscure writing , all enthusiasm breaks in upon us , and we know not how to distinguish betwixt the one and the other . to this i can only say , that if , when a man reasons openly , he reasons soundly , and writes in a free and unaffected manner , i think it may be a rational inducement for us to believe , that though sometimes , for reasons known to himself , he leaves some few things in mystery , there may be some worthy learning contained under them , which he conceives not fit to be openly explained . so let any man of judgment read the tract of joannes reuchlin , de verbo mirifico , or his other works ; and though in many places he finds him involv'd in mystery , that he is not understood by him ; yet i believe , by what he has writ openly , and his way of delivery , the reader will be convinc'd , that he is no muddy-brain'd enthusiast , using an affected obscurity , to beget admiration in his readers , for his seeming deep reach into mysteries to others unknown . and so i may say of a multitude of others , of the like kind ; men whom a great insight in the low circumstances of human life , had made truly humble , so that they could be no ways guilty of so poor a vanity . having been thus far explanatory in this matter , i shall little value any man's censure in such cases : nay , i shall be so far from dealing precariously with him for his favourable opinion , that i shall freely come wi●h him to this unexceptionable accommodation , viz. that we laugh at each other by consent , and let him pass for the idiot , who laughs without just cause . and i shall conclude with bede , who was clamour'd , and supercili●usly censured by some men of his time , for his searching into and writing on some parts of learning vulgarly not understood . nihil de multitudine , sed de paucorum prolitate gloriantes , soli veritati insudamus . john beaumont jun. i recommend the following particulars to be inserted in their proper places , in my considerations on the theory of the earth . book 1. chap. 1. pag. 10. lin. 20. after times read , and hence , as the preceding age was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , obscure , so this age was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , fabulous . ib. p. 11. in the last line , after mind read , and from hence sprung their multiplicity of gods , according to the diversified powers of nature . at the end of the said chapter add the following paragraph . i shall conclude this point concerning the learning of the antients , with the testimony of averrhoes ; who ( as the learned fabricius tells ●s in h●s zoroaster ) says in some part of his works , that philosophy was in as great perfection among the antient chaldeans , as it was in the times of aristotle . now the testinony of this man is the more to be valued , because he was indisputably the soundest reasoner , and the most learned among all the arabians , and a great favourer as well as folower of aristotle , he having writ commentaries on his works ; so that had he not been thoroughly convinc'd of the height of philosophy among the antient chaldeans , he would not have brought it in competition with that in the times of aristotle . so again the learned pierius , concerning the learning of the antient egyptians ; constantissimâ famâ celebratum est , sacerdotes aegyptios omnem naturae obscuritatem adeo manifestè sibi cognitam professos , ut 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 traditam disciplinam haereditariam possiderent . chap. 4. p. 15. l. 7. after conceiving , add . and as for any other meaning in it , they would say with trismegistus , in his minerva mundi ; minime posteris credenda fabula putetur esse chaos . i have thought on many other additions and amendments , but i want room to insert them here . finis . london : printed , and are to be sold by randal taylor near stationers hall. 1694 notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a27209-e10 de elem. philos. 1. 2. in proaem . in ep. comment , hierog . praemissâ . the mysterie of god, concerning the whole creation, mankinde to be made known to every man and vvoman, after seaven dispensations and seasons of time are passed over. according to the councell of god, revealed to his servants. by gerrard winstanley. winstanley, gerrard, b. 1609. this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a66686 of text r218568 in the english short title catalog (wing w3048). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. 104 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 35 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo 2017 a66686 wing w3048 estc r218568 99830150 99830150 34600 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a66686) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 34600) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, 1641-1700 ; 1942:18) the mysterie of god, concerning the whole creation, mankinde to be made known to every man and vvoman, after seaven dispensations and seasons of time are passed over. according to the councell of god, revealed to his servants. by gerrard winstanley. winstanley, gerrard, b. 1609. [8], 60 p. printed by i.c. for giles calvert, at the black-spread-eagle, at the west end of pauls, london : 1649. reproduction of the original in the union theological seminary library, new york. eng creation -early works to 1800. judgement of god -early works to 1800. salvation -early works to 1800. a66686 r218568 (wing w3048). civilwar no the mysterie of god, concerning the whole creation, mankinde. to be made known to every man and vvoman, after seaven dispensations and seaso winstanley, gerrard 1649 19733 4 0 0 0 0 0 2 b the rate of 2 defects per 10,000 words puts this text in the b category of texts with fewer than 10 defects per 10,000 words. 2005-08 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2005-09 apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images 2005-10 john latta sampled and proofread 2005-10 john latta text and markup reviewed and edited 2006-01 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the mysterie of god , concerning the whole creation , mankinde . to be made known to every man and vvoman , after seaven dispensations and seasons of time are passed over , according to the councell of god , revealed to his servants . by gerrard winstanley , psal. 145. 13. thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom , and thy dominion endureth throughout all generations . rom. 11. 26. and so all israel shall be saved , as it is written , there shall come out of sion the deliverer , that shall turn away ungodlines from iacob . london , printed by i. c. for giles calvert , at the black-spread-eagle , at the west end of pauls , 1649. to my beloved countrey-men of the county of lancaster . dear country men , when some of you see my name subscribed to this ensuing discourse , you may wonder at it , and it may be despise me in your heart , as davids brethren despised him , and told him it was the pride of his heart to come into the battell , &c. but know , that gods works are not like mens , he doth not alwaies take the wise , the learned , the rich of the world to manifest himself in , and through them to others , but he chuseth the despised , the unlearned , the poor , the nothings of the world , and fills them with the good things of himself , when as he sends the empty away . i have writ nothing but what was given me of my father ; and at the first beholding of this mystery , it appeared to be so high above my reach , that i was confounded and lost in my spirit ; but god , ( whom i believe , is my teacher , for i have joy and rest in him ) left me not in bondage , but set me at liberty , and caused me to see much glory in these following truths ; and when god works none can hinder . it may be some things herein may seeme very strange at the first reading and you may crie out , an error ; an error ; for this is usuall , when the flesh cannot apprehend and be are a truth of god , it brands it for an error , and rejects it as a wicked thing ; as the jewes , because they could not behold god in christ , did breake out in bitternesse of spirit against christ , calling him a deceiver , and that he preached blasphemy , and error , & never rested till they had killed him ; & our lord christ told his disciples , that he had many things to speak to them , but they were not able to bear them as yet . and this i speak in experience , that many truths of god , wherein i now see beauty , my heart at the first hearing rose against them , and could not beare them ; and therefore , if what i have writ meet with such hard entertainment in any of your hearts , it is no wonder , for i know that the flesh that is in you , lusts after envy , but it is part of your bondage which god will deliver you from in due time : you shall finde that i call the whole power of darknesse by the name serpent , which dwells in , and hath taken every man and woman captive , and that god through his sonne christ will redeeme his own workmanship , mankinde , from it , and destroy the serpent onely ; but do not count this a slight thing ; for when god lets you see into the mystery of this iniquity , in the least degree of it , it will prove too hard for you , and you will be nothing but death , curse , and misery . therefore , as you desire that god would manifest love to you , and make you free , be not offended to hear , that god , who is love it self , hath a season to manifest his love to others that are lost , and quicken them that were killed , while you were made alive , and that fell further under death , when you that were lost are redeemed an houre or two before them . iesus christ shed his bloud wilingly for them that did put him to death ; and the saints of god rejoyced , that paul their bitter persecutor , was received to mercy with themselves : why then should you be offended , and thinke you are miserable , if your persecutors and enemies should in gods time be delivered from under the curse , and partake of the glory of the city , together with you . it is much for the glory of god for him to redeeme , not part onely , but all mankinde from death , which his own hands made , it is his revealed will so to do , therefore let it be your joy that the will of your father is , and shall be fulfilled ; and do not thinke the saints are made unhappy , and god dishonored , if he heale them that were lost , and that did not enter into the city , in the beginning of the great day of judgment , for as he is honored in saving you of the citie that were lost : so he will be honored in redeeming these that lye under the power of the second death . and that entred not into the city , seeing there was no difference between you and them , till the will of god made the difference , in taking you at the first and leaving them till the last houre ; for christ gave himself a ransome for all , to be revealed in due time . god doth not reveale his love to all at one time but when he will ; and god hath some thing to do after the resurrection , as he hath , and will yet do much before that day . well , i leave , not questioning , but if any of you be unsatisfied with what i have writ , that you will speak to me , and i hope god will be my wisdom and strength to confirme it ; since i had writ it , i met with more scriptures to confirme it , so that it is not a spirit of private fancie , but it is agreeable to the written word . farwell . your country-man , that loves the life of your soule , gerrard winstanley . these particulars , and such like are contained in this discourse . vvhat mankinde was , is , and shall be . what the serpent is , that caused adams fall , and whence he sprang . the serpent is not gods creature . what the bondage of death is , that adam or all mankind lies under . what the good , and what the bad angels are . god hath cast the twofold murderer out of heaven , and what that is . god will subdue the serpent , not under part , but under the whole creation , mankinde . when all creatures , except man , are to be dissolved into nothing . seven dispensations which god will have mankind to passe through before he subdue the serpent under the feet thereof , and what they are . the citie sion , or the elect , are in gathering up to god in six of those dispensations , in every season of time ; and in the seventh the mystery of god shall be finished , and not till then . the citie sion , or the elect , shall first be taken up to god , afterwards they that were cast into everlasting fire , while the elect were in gathering , shall be redeemed , and partake of the glory of the citie . what is meant by everlasting fire , and the word , for ever and ever , so often used in scripture . god is honoured in the salvation of beleevers , and in the losse and shame of unbeleevers . gods judging the serpent , is mankinds redemption what the day of judgement is . though lost man drink the top , yet the serpent shall drink the dregs of gods judgment , before the son can deliver up the kingdom to the father . what the first and second death is , or the first resurrection , and second death . what the bookes are that must be opened at the great day of judgement . god hath been judging the serpent since adams fall , and will still sit upon the throne till the last day be finished , & yet all but one day of judgment god hates none but the serpent and his seed ; hee loves every branch of mankinde , and in his owne seasons wil manifest his love to every one , though to some at the ninth , some at the tenth , and some at the last houre . god hath given a time , times , and halfe time to the serpent now in the latter dayes to reigne in these . how the serpent under the names of beast , whore and false prophet , makes use of that time god hath given him . the bitternesse that is in mens spirits in these dayes , is the smoak of the serpents torment , the restlesnesse of that wicked one day and night , and beginning of his sorrowes . three scruples against this mystery of god answered a seasonable advice in the close . the mystery of god , concerning the whole creation , mankinde . what mankinde is , was , ana shall be . when god had made adam , there was then two beings , distinct the one from the other , that is , god himselfe , that was an uncreated being , and the humane nature , that was a created being : and though adam was pure and spotlesse , yet he had no other wisdome , beauty , and power , but what god had created . god himself , who is the infinite & endless being , did not dwell bodily in adam , as he did dwell bodily in the humane nature , jesus christ , the second adam , in after-times ; but a pure created wisdome , beauty , and power , did rule , dwell , and act in that created humanity . and after god had made adam , he put him into a garden , called eden , which was full of trees , hearbs , creatures , for pleasure and delight , that he should dresse it , and live contentedly in the use of all things therein ; which indeed is the history to the creatures capacity . yet thereby god declares , that adam himselfe , or that living flesh , mankinde , is a garden which god hath made for his own delight , to dwell , and walk in , wherein he had planted variety of hearbs , & pleasant plants , as love , joy , peace , humility , knowledge , obedience , delight , and purity of life . but all these being created qualities , and a being distinct from the being of god ; god knew and saw , that there would spring up as a weed , and the first fruits of it likewise , an inclinable principle , or spirit of self-love aspiring up in the midst of this created , living garden , and in the midst of every plant therein , which is indeed , aspiring to be as god , or to be a being of it selfe , equall to , and yet distinct from god ; as we see by visible experience in every creature , as horses , cowes , beares , and the like , there appeares an inclinable disposition to promote it selfe , or its own being : but this is but the fruit or invention of the creature after he was made , god did not make it . now as the purest water being let stand , does in time putrifie , so i say , god knew that the first fruit that this created being would bring forth , would be an aspiring desire to be equall , or like to god himselfe , which if the creature delighted in , and so ate , or satisfied himselfe in his own fruit , he should die ; but if he forsook his own invention , and stuck close to god , acknowledgeing his being to be his life , and all in all , then he should live . therefore god made it under a law , that the creature might know himselfe to be a creature , and acknowledge god his maker to be above , to whose command he was to subject himselfe ; for when god had made him a pure living creature , very good , and a being distinct from the being of god , yet in the image of god , like two trees from whence fruit should grow , for adam would bring forth fruit to maintain his created being equall with god ; and god would bring forth fruit to maintain his uncreated being , and to swallow up all other beings into himself , and he to become all in all to every creature that he made . now saith god , i have made thee the lord of all my creatures , and for thy use i made them ; and thou mayest make use of any that pleases thine eyes , and eat of the fruit of any tree that delights thy taste , excepting the tree of knowledge of good and evill that stands in the middle of the garden , and of that thou shalt not eat ; for in that day that thou eatest thereof , thou shall die the death . and this is the law or covenant that i have made between me , that am a being of my selfe ; and thee , that art a being created by me . now when adam had taken of the tree of knowledge of good and evill , that was in the garden of eden , the history , and did eat of it : it declares , that he did eat likewise , and especially of the forbidden fruit that aspired up in himself the living garden of eden the mystery , and gave way with content and delight to that aspiring selfishnesse within himselfe , to be as god , knowing good and evill ; for eating implies delight and satisfaction : for adam did not onely eat of the tree in edens garden , but he had a secret tickling delight arising in him , to be a more knowing man then god made him , and thereby began to reject god ; and not being content with the being god made him in , which if hee had been content with , he had acknowledged god all in all , and the onely infinite and one being , that shall stand unmoveable . but he eats , delights in that aspiring weed , ( or mystery of iniquity ) for himselfe to have a being above , equall to , or distinct from god : so that the ground of adams fall , arises up first in adams heart , as fruit growing up from a created being ; for in that it was in his heart to doe evill , god imputes it to him for evill . well , this selfishnesse in the midle of the living garden , adam , is the forbidden fruit , and this is called the serpent , because it windes it selfe into every creature , and into every created faculty , and twists it self round about the tree , mankind . and when adam put forth his hand to take , and eat of the fruit of the tree , in the history , his hand was guided thereunto by this serpent , whose secret whisperings he delighted in : and truly this delight in selfe , was the eating , and it was the chiefe forbidden fruit that grew up in the middle of the living garden , adam , which god forbad him to eat of , or delight in : but adam did begin to delight in that inward fruit of wickednesse ; and then by the motion thereof , took the fruit of the tree in the middle of eden , and delighted his outward senses therewith , and so brake the law and covenant of god , fell from his purity , and died , according to the word of his maker , that in the day thou eatest , thou shalt dye . and all the faculties and powers of that living created being , adam , are now become absolute rebellions , and enmity it selfe against the being of godl●… and that garden of pleasant plants , adam , is become a stinking dunghill of weeds , and brings forth nothing but pride , envy , discontent , disobedience , and the whole actings of the spirit , and power of darknes . and if the creature should bee honoured in this condition , then god would be dishonoured , because his command is broke , and yet the creature remains glorious , therefore he died . and if so be the creature be utterly lost and perish , and this garden should never be so dressed , as to bring forth fruit to gods delight , then likewise god would suffer dishonour , because his work is spoyled in his hand , and there is no hopes of recovery . but the work of god shall be restored from this lost , dead , weedy , & enslaved condition , and the fruit of the created being shall utterly perish and be ashamed . and things being thus considered , god is pleased to lead us to see a little into these two mysteries : first , the mystery of iniquity , or work of the serpent , which was the aspiring fruit of pride , and selfe-love , that sprung up in the created being , to be as god , and so to be an absolute being of himself , as god is an absolute being of himselfe ; and so this selfe-honouring would sit in gods temple , that is , the humane nature , which god made a garden for himselfe to walk in ; and if that spirit of self-love could not be destroyed , and the humane nature recovered from that bondage , god would suffer much dishonour ; because he being glorious and happy in himselfe , hath made a creature to be a vexation and scourge to him , and cannot subdue it . and this mystery of iniquity , or power of darknesse , hath , does , and will fight against the being of god , till it be taken out of the way , and quite subdued ; as the father hath promised he will subdue it under the feet of his sonne , the humane nature . then secondly , god leads us to the mystery of himselfe , and makes us able to see into the knowledge of that great work that hee is in working : and that is , to destroy this serpent out of the flesh , and all beings , that is enmity against him , and to swallow up his creature man into himselfe , that so there may bee but one onely pure , endlesse , and infinite being , even god himselfe all in all , dwelling and walking in this garden , mankinde , in which he will plant pleasant fruit trees , and pluck up all weeds . cant. 4. 16. since adam fell , to this present day , wee see the wisdome , power , and affection that dwels and rules in man , leads him any way , either to just or unjust actions , so that selfe may be preferred , not caring whether god be honoured , yea , or no . now the mystery of god is this , hee will destroy and subdue this power of darknesse , under the feet of the whole creation , mankinde , and every particular branch , man and woman , deliver him from this bondage and prison , and dwel in his own house and garden himselfe ; so that the wisdome , power , love , life , beauty , and spirit of truth that dwels and rules in man , may be god himselfe , even the lord our righteousnesse , and no other being or power , but himselfe . and as god did dwell bodily in the humane nature , jesus christ , who was the first manifestation of this great mystery of god , so when his work is compleated , he will dwell in the whole creation , that is , every man and woman without exception , as he did dwell in that one branch , jesus christ , who is the pledge , or first fruits . and therefore you shall finde , that when adam had broke the covenant , and died by the law , god did not denounce an utter destruction , without recovery to the creation , mankinde , which was his own work , which his own wisdome and power did produce and bring forth . but he pronounces the finall curse against the serpent , or mans work , which was the fruit that sprung up in , and was acted both inwardly and outwardly by the creation , or created being , in rebellion against the being of god : therefore sinne is properly mans owne act . the words of the father run thus , speaking to the serpent : i will put enmity between thee and the woman , and between thy seed and her seed , it shall bruise thy head , and thou shalt bruise his heele : so that the serpent must be killed ; for bruise his head , and he dies . now the curse that was declared to adam , was temporary : that he should undergoe sorrows , and suffer a bruising in his out-member ; but not a killing , though adam had killed himselfe : so that he hath brought himselfe under the bondage ; god will not strike him now he is downe , and make his death without recovery , but god will destroy death , and quicken adam , or mankinde againe , that we may all see our salvation is from god , though our misery was from our selves , that so whosoever glories , may glory onely in the lord . and now by the way mind one thing , that when this serpent rules , and causes the creature to act , such actings become the creatures losse & shame ; but when god acts in the creatures life , glory , and redemption ; to advance selfe , and deny god , is the creatures death . but to deny self , and to acknowledge god , is the creatures life ; before adam acted rebellion , this aspiring spirit of pride , to be as god , led the humane nature , to disobey god ; and ever since the fall , the same selfish spirit , leads every man and woman captive at his will , and inslaves them in that prison , and bondage , and darkness , to walk in wayes directly contrary to the god of light : and yet many times perswades them , that they do god good service ; let a man read , hear , study , preach , pray , perform actions of justice ; yet if god be not mercifull to the man , this power of darkness will deceive him ; making him to conceit or think he pleases god , when the truth is , he serves but selfe all the time , it is so full of secret strong delusions . therefore i say , the mystery of god is this , god will bruise this serpents head , and cast that murderer out of heaven , the humane nature , wherein it dwels in part , as in the man christ jesus : and he will dwell in the whole creation in time , and so deliver whole mankind out of that bondage . this i see to be a truth , both in my own experience , and by testimony of scripture , as god is pleased to teach me . as first , by experience , i shall instance in my self , who am a branch of adam ; or part of the humane creation : and i lay under the bondage of the serpent , my own invention , as the whole creation does from adams fall , and i saw not any bondage ; but since god was pleased to manifest his love to me , he hath caused me to see that i lay dead in sin , weltring in blood and death , was a prisoner to my lusts , for though through his grace , i saw pride , covetousness , envy , uncleanness , ignorance , injustice , and the whole body of unbelief , working and ruling in me ; yet i was ashamed men should know it , this selfish spirit sought to hide himself so close ; and still made provision to have the will of these lusts satisfied in me . and before god manifested his love to me , i delighted in the favour of these weeds , but since god revealed his son in me , he lets mee see , that those things wherein i did take pleasure , were my death , my shame , and the very power of darkness , wherein i was held , as in a prison ; so that although i felt this deadly body , or wicked one act within me , and although i have been troubled at it , sighed and mourned , strove against it , and prayed against it ; yet i could not deny self , and the more i used meanes to beat him down , as i thought , the more did this power of darkness appear in me , like an overflowing wave of wickedness , drowning me in slavery , and i saw i was a wretched man , wrapped in misery , i mourned that i was so rebellious against god , and i mourned to see i had no power to get out of that bondage of selfishness . and so i continued till god was pleased to pul me out of selfish striving & selfish actings , & made all meanes lie dead before me , and made me dead to such means as i made use of , and thought that deliverance must come that way : and so made me to lie down at his feete , & to waite upon him , & to acknowledg , that unless god did swallow me up into his own being , i should never be delivered , for i saw that the power within me strived to maintain its being , against the being of god ; and all that while i was a stranger to god , though among men , i was a professor , as i thought , of god . but now god hath set me free from that bondage , so that it rules not , though sometime it seemes to face me , like a daring corquered enemy , that cannot hurt . and likewise god causes me to see with much joy and peace of heart , into this mystery of himself , that his eternall councel , which was grounded upon the law of love , himself , was not to destroy me , nor any of his own creation ; but only the serpent , which is my work , or the first fruit that sprung up out of the creation ; which is our bondage , and that he himself will become my self , and liberty , and the life and liberty of his whole creation . and in these two things he hath caused me greatly to rejoyce . first , i see and feele , that god hath set me free from the dominion and over-ruling power of that body of sin . it raines not as a king , though sometimes it appeares creeping in like a slave , that is easily whipped out of doores by strength of god . secondly , i rejoyce in perfect hope and assurance in god , that although this serpent , or murtherer do begin , by reason of any temptation , or outward troubles , to arise , and endeavour to act in rash anger , in pride , in discontent , or the like , as sometimes it does , yet every appearance of this wicked one in me becomes his further ruine , and shall never rise to rule and enslave me as formerly ; for god thereby takes the occasion to call me up higher into himself , and so makes me to see and possess freedom , in my own experience from him , every day more and more ; i am not still a captive , in a being of darkness distinct from god , but god hath freed me therefrom , and taken me up into his own being ; so that now his wisdom , his love , his life , his power , his joy and peace , is mine , i glory here , i can glory no where else . and here i wait upon god with a sweet peace , under reproaches , under losses , under troubles of the world , being that dispensation of his patience which god will have me wait upon him under , till i partake of the full enjoyment of this inheritance , which i have fully , in hope and assurance , but in possession , but in part . and as god is pleased thus to deal with me , or with any branch of adam , in the same kind ; so he hath caused me to see , and to rejoyce in the sight , that he will not lose any of his work , but he will redeem his own whole creation , to himself , and dwell , and rule in it himself , and subdue the serpent under his feet , and take up all his creation , mankind , into himself , and will become , the only , endless , pure , absolute , and infinite being , even infinitely for ever all in all , in every one , and in the whole , that no flesh may glory in it self , but in the lord only . but this mystery of god is not to be done all at once , but in severall dispensations , some whereof are past , some are in being , and some are yet to come ; but when the mystery of god is absolutely finished , or , as the scriptures say , the son hath delivered up the kingdom to the father , this will be the upshot or conclusion , that gods work shall be redeemed , and live in god , and god in it ; but the creatures work without god , shall be lost and perish , man , adam , or whole creation of mankind , which is gods work , shall be delivered from corruption , bondage , death , and pain , and the serpent that caused the fall , shall only perish , and be cast into the lake ; and god will be the same in the latter end , accomplishing what in the beginning he promised , that is , to bruise the serpents head , and subdue him under the feet of his son , the humane nature , wherein he will walk , as a garden of pleasure , and dwell himself for ever . i shall now in the next place mention some scriptures as a testimony that does countenance this truth , that god will not lose any part of his creation , mankind , but will redeem and preserve it , both in particular , & in whole , and will destroy nothing but the serpent , that wicked one , that would be a being equall to , or above god ; but gods work shall stand , and the creatures work shall perish and suffer losse . the first scripture i shall mention , is , 1 cor. 3. 13. every mans work shall be made manifest , for the day shall declare it , because it shall be revealed by fire : and the fire shall try every mans work , of what sort it is . that is , whether it be of god , or of the serpent . if any mans work abide , he shall receive a reward , that is , he shall live in god , and god in him , because god in the man , was the strength of his work , if any mans work shall be burned , he shall suffer losse , but he himself shall be saved , ( mark this ) yet so , as by fire ; not by materiall fire of purgatory , but by the bright , and clear coming of god into this man , whose indwelling presence , like fire , burnes up the stubble of mens own inventions , and purges the drosse from the gold , & divides between the marrow and the bone , that is , makes a separation between his own work and mans work . so likewise rev. 20. 10. and the devill , or murderer , that deceived the nations , was east into the lake of fire and brimstone , and v. 14. and death and hel were cast into the lake of fire : the nations were not cast in at this time , for this scripture i believe points out the great day of judgment , when nations shall be delivered out of that fire , and there shall be no more curse , death , sorrow , nor pain lie upon any part of the creation , but all teares shall be wiped from its eyes , and the serpent only shall perish in the lake ; for after that the city-work is finished , and the number of the elect gathered in , and established in glory ; then the dispensations of god , who is the tree of life , send forth a healing vertue to the nations , and then the nations likewise that are saved , or those that were lost , while the city or elect was in gathering , do now bring their glory into the city likewise ; for every man shall be saved , saith god through paul , without exception , though some at the ninth houre , some at the tenth houre , and some at the last houre ; and this salvation of every man , or the making of the whole creation , a pure river of the water of life , cleer as cristall , proceeds from the throne of god and the lamb , that is , from the judgment seat of god , judging , condemning , and killing the serpent , and so restoring his own creation to purity and life . so likewise 2 cor. 5. 4. for we in this tabernacle do groane , being burdened , not for that we would be uncloathed , but cloathed upon : that mortality might be swallowed up of life . by mortality here , is not meant the laying of the body in , or raising of it out of the dust or grave , but it is the very death which adam , by disobeying , fell under , and that is the death of his purity , or pure being , which is a falling from god into a being directly opposite to the being of god ; as rottonness of flesh , is death to soundness of flesh , darkness is the death to light ; for whereas before the fall , adam knew god , loved and acknowledged god , and was in every part so pure , as god said , behold , it is all very good , but after the fall he became envious , proud , disobedient , full of all lusts and concupiscence of evill , even as we find by experience our bondage ; and so from a friend , he fell to be enmity against god , of a pure creature , he became unclean , and of a child of gods delight , he fell to be a child of wrath ; and of a pure garden , he became a stinking dunghill ; and this is the death or mortality , which not only adam in particular , but all the branches of adam , men and women , lie under . even under a corrupt being . now this rottennesse , or death , under which the whole creation is fallen , and lies in bondage too , it is that serpent , or power of darknesse which paul desires might be swallowed up of life ; that is , that god , who is life , would be pleased to come and dwell in him , and in his creation , and so cast out that mortality , or strong man that is so strongly armed : and this is the serpent that god hath pronounced the dreadfull curse against ; for this is mans work , and it must bee destroyed . i conceive god calls it mans own invention , because it was the first fruit that the creature brought forth ; after he was made , and left to himselfe , even this aspired and sprung up in him , to which he gave consent to promote selfe , and become as god . i shall onely mention one scripture more , though i beleeve i could bring above a hundred scriptures that doe countenance this truth . and if you seriously minde what you read , you shall finde that this is the royall blood that runs through the golden veines of the writings of the prophets and apostles : it is rom. 8. from vers. 19. to 26. but for shortnesse sake i shall mention onely the 21. and 22. verses , beeause the creation it self also shall be delivered ( as well as we that are members of the elected citie ) from the bondage of corruption , into the glorious liberty of the children of god : for we know ( by our experience ) that the whole creation ( of which we are branches ) groaneth and travelleth in pain together untill now . by creature , or whole creation , i see it to be a cleare and soul-comforting truth , to be only mankinde , for whose use , or for the time that god hath determined to finish this great designe , to make his garden man , a garden of pleasure to himselfe , when he hath plucked up all the weeds , and so husbanded the ground , that weeds shall never grow again . i say , all the time , god hath made all other creatures for mans use , or rather to serve his own providence , while he is in working this great mystery about man , and when the work is finished , then all other creatures shall bee dissolved into nothing as at first ; for as god is a spirit , he delights in spirituall things , but these outward creatures were made for the pleasure , profit , and use of man , while he is carnall , and stands in a being distinct from god : and when man is made spirituall , and swallowed up in life , or taken up into the being of god , there will then be no more use or need of these outward creatures , as cattell , corn , meat , drink , and the like ; nor of sunne , moon , nor starre , nor of creature-light , either literall or mysticall ; for god and the lamb shall dwell in the citie , and in the whole creation , and be the light thereof , as the lord christ said , in that day you shall know , that i am in my father , and you in me , and i in you . and , labour not for the meat that perisheth , but for that which endures to eternall life . some may say , if this be true , that god will save every one , then i will live , and take my pleasure in sin , and eat , drink , and be merry , and take all delights while i live , for i am gods workmanship , and he will not lose his own work , i shall be saved . but if he will not lose his work , yet thy work shall perish , think upon that ; and truly i beleeve that the serpent in thee , will make such a merry conclusion , and cry down this truth of god for an errour presently in others , because it beares testimony of his destruction , as the jewes called christ a deceiver , or a man of errors , and killed him , because he bore witnesse that their deeds were evill . well , make that conclusion and take liberty to sin , yet for all that know , thou enslaved creature , that thou shalt be brought to judgement , and thou shalt not escape punishment ; for though sinne be sweet in thy mouth , as it was in judas , to take the 30 pieces of silver , and to act treachery against his master , it wil be bitternesse in the belly , as it was to him ; for the jealousie of the lord shall burn hot against thee , so that thou shalt cal upon the mountains to cover thee from his presence , and wish that thou hadst never been born ; and all the sorrowes spoke of in scripture , shall overtake thee , and such presumptuous sinners as thou art ; and thy joy shall be turned into mourning , and thou shalt be cast into the everlasting fire , which god hath prepared and appointed for the serpent and his seed , or for the devil and his angels : and while thou art in it , the worm of thy gnawing conscience shall never die , nor the fire of gods wrath , or the sense of his anger upon thee , shall never goe out , and shall be a pain more intollerable , then the plucking out of the right eye , or the cutting off the right hand . but now lest scruples should arise in others , as though i writ contradictions , or as though i made god changeable . first , to bid a sinner depart into everlasting fire , and yet afterwards take him out again . now to give answer hereunto . first know , that this was and is the great mystery , worke , and counsell of god , after he had made a visible creature , in a pure being , distinct from himselfe , his purpose being to destroy all the inventions and actings of this creature , that did spring up and arise from the creatures being , as a creature , and not from gods acting in the creature : and god foresaw that the first buddings of this creature would be a desire to maintain it selfe , or creature-being , and so cast god off ; therefore god made him under a law , that if his creature did consent to that selfish desire , he should die ; if not , he should have lived a pure being still , though distinct from god , yet under his protection , as a creator . now every thing that is in , or about the creature , that is of god , shall stand ; but every thing that is in , or from the creature , that is not of god , shall fall and perish . therefore to proceed a little further , that this truth may shine in its own beauty , god does teach me to see , that every action , or dispensation of god , is called a spirit , or an angel , and every action , or aspiring principle that rise up in adam , which led him to disobedience , it pleased god that it should have a being , and likewise be called a spirit , but it is a dead being , and a spirit of darknesse , quite opposite to the god of light and life , and god gives it the name of serpent , dragon , murtherer , wicked one , and unclean spirit , because it twisted it selfe into the middle of the creation , and was an aspiring to be like god , but god did not make the nature of it ; for it was the first fruits of a created being , without god . now god is pleased to make known himself in divers dispensations in the carrying on of this great work of his . as first , he declares himselfe by way of a law , in the day thou eatest , thou shalt die ; now this law , though it was holy , just , and good , yet it was a killing word , or the killing letter , for it took hold of adams disobedience , and flew him ; so that word , thou shalt dye , because flesh , for all flesh broke the covenant in adam , and all flesh died , and all humane flesh was cast under that dispensation of death , and the more we stirre to climb up to god by the workes of the law , the more we intangle our selves in death ; for by the workes of the law no flesh shall be saved . and here is two murtherers which mankind is to be delivered from , before it can live again ; first , this word of the law , which is holy , just , and good , which ties the creature onely to acknowledge the being of god , and no other : when the creature began to minde another being , this righteous law killed him ; for it is not the king , but the kings law that hangs an offender ; and if the rigorous law stands still in force , no flesh can be saved , because every man and woman are selfish , and minds a sinfull being , opposite to god , therefore the condemning power of the law is to be taken away . the second murtherer is the creatures own invention , or aspiring spirit to be as god , knowing good and evill , or to maintain selfe , and this killed the creature , and threw him under the curse of the righteous law , because this would be a being equall with god , and acknowledge another being besides god , whereas there is no other righteous being to be acknowledged , but onely god , or what is in god , or god in it . now in the first discovery of gods counsell and purpose to the creature , if he be redeemed , this compound murtherer must be cast out of heaven by a strong hand , and out-stretched arm of god , so that the being of god might be preserved , the law of god kept pure , and yet fallen man redeemed . as first , this dispensation of death , do this , and live ; do not this , and die , must be cast out of heaven , that is , out of gods hand , and god must not , in the redeeming of him , appeare to the creature under that dispensation : for if he doe , it will still hold the lost creature under death and bondage : and if the creature were made pure again , and left still to deale with the law by his created strength onely , as adam was , truly he would fall again ; for a meere created strength , being distinct from god the creator , would fall again ; for no being can stand pure , but such a created being as god is pleased to dwell bodily in ; for every opposite being will seek to advance it selfe . therefore if god redeem his creature from death , he must appeare absolutely a god of love , under no other dispensation but the law of love , doing all in , and for the creature , and thus in the gospel he does ; for this is the spirit that quickens and saves the creature : and when this word of love was made flesh , it was the first discovery from god , to assure the creature of his redemption from death ; and this was when jesus christ , or god was manifested in flesh , working , doing , suffering all things for the creature , pardoning , accepting , and taking the creature freely into communion with god , by gods own power , and for his own name sake , promising never to remember disobediences any more , but would blot out that hand-writing , the law , of doe and live , not doe and die . and now the killing letter , or murderer is cast out of heaven , out of gods hand , god will never have that to stand between him and his creature any more ; but hee himselfe , who is the law of love , even love it selfe , will dwell and rule a king of righteousnesse in the creature , and be the creatures wisdome , strength , life , joy , and comfort , and his all in all . but secondly , the other murderer , which is worse then this , must be cast out of heaven too , or else the creature cannot live , and that is the serpent , or this aspiring spirit in him to promote selfe : for so long as the creature acknowledges any other being but gods , he is lost ; and truly i think none can be ignorant of this , that the spirit of selfishnesse is in himself , and in every man and woman , therfore it must be cast out of this heaven , mankinde , before it can live again to god . when jesus christ , or god in man appeared , then the word of love was made flesh , that the seed of the woman shall break the serpents head . and when jesus christ fought the great battell , or rather god and the serpent did fight in heaven , that is in the creation , the man christ jesus , and god , or the anoynting , prevailed , he cast the serpent out of heaven , out of that humane flesh which he took up as a part for the whole , or as an earnest of the fathers love to all the rest ; for i beleeve that all temptations that jesus christ met withall , ( for in all things he was tempted like unto us ) they were but the strivings of the serpent , as he did strive in adam that fell , to maintain its being opposite to god ; but jesus christ , or the anoynting in flesh , being not a created power , but the power of god in that created humanity , did not consent as the first adam did , for he with strong hand resisted the whispering of the serpent , and would acknowledge no other being but god , and so prevailed , and cast the serpent out of flesh , and hath obtained a legall power to quicken whom he will , or to cast the serpent out of what man or woman he will : so that it is this anoynting that sets us at liberty from the bondage of sin and the serpent , and he himselfe becomes our life and strength , and the lord our righteousnesse . and when michael our prince had prevailed over the dragon , then there were voyces and songs heard in heaven , that is , in the creation , mankind ; now is come salvation and strength , and the kingdome of our god , and the power of his christ ; for the accuser of our brethren is cast down , which accused them before god day and night . this song , i conceive , was sung by the elect , the citie sion , or saints of god , who are first enlightned , and they sing glory to god in the name of the rest that shall be redeemed ; for the serpent that accused the creation before god , is cast out in part for the whole , or a part for an earnest peny to the whole . so that now mark , the law of god that did accuse and condemne the offending creature , this is cast out of gods hand , and hereafter he will be a god of love , in an intire dispensation of love ; i speak as god doth manifest himself now under the gospel and as he ever will be when the creature is perfectly redeemed . and the serpent , which is the sting , or worme to the creatures conscience , because it was still acting a self-being , opposite to god , and then accusing the creature before god day and night , by the force of a condemning law , for disobediences , which is the creatures bondage and misery ; for the spirit of sin within , this enslaves him , and the condemning law , this casts him from god , and so throwes the sinner under utter darknesse and sorrow . i , but for the creatures comfort , this serpent is cast out of heaven , the creation likewise , and though for the present many poore creatures lie under the bondage , yet the time is drawing neer that they shal be delivered , and the wicked one himselfe , the serpent , shall be cast into the lake , and perish for ever . indeed the serpent would have gods created work to die with him , for he knowes he must dye irrecoverably , but god will redeem his creature , and the serpents head only shall be bruised , which will be his death . well , this two-fold murderer is cast out of heaven , that is , the condemning law is cast out of gods hand by jesus christ , the law of grace and love ; and the serpent is cast out of the creation in part , and shall be cast out of the whole when the mystery of god is finished by the power of the same anointng , jesus christ ; for god the father is reconciled , and he hath taken the creature into fellowship with himselfe : for god was in the man christ jesus , reconciling the world , that is , mankind , to himself , not imputing their sins to them . now this mystery , or work of god is finished fully and compleatly in a two-fold sense , but not in a third , as yet ; and when this third term is finished , then the whole work is finished , and not till then . first , in gods everlasting counsell and purpose , this worke was done from all eternity , before the foundation of the world was laid , and god declared so much , when he uttered this word , i will put enmity between thee and the woman , & between thy seed & her seed , he shall break thy head , and thou shalt bruise his heele . here the curse and death is sealed up to the serpent , but here is mercy and redemption sealed up to the creature ; the creature shall bee redeemed , but he shall goe through bruisings , or pain : secondly , it is compleatly done in action , in the pledge and earnest-penny . when god was manifested in flesh , in the man christ jesus , who was born of a woman . and this is the first fruit of the fathers love manifested and sealed up to the whole creation , mankinde , that as he dwels bodily in that part of humane nature , jesus christ , so in time , according to his own counsell and pleasure , hee will dwell bodily in the whole creation likewise ; therefore saith christ , i goe to my father and your father , to my god and your god ; and he doth not onely speak to his twelve disciples , but to all others that shall beleeve through their word . and when the kings of the earth , and the nations are healed by the leaves of the tree of life , and so bring in their glory into the city sion , as it shall be in the latter end ; i beleeve there will not be a man that partakes of humane nature , nor woman neither , that shall not partake of faith & so beleeve in god through christ the anointing , that fils all , and is all in all . but now in the third sense , the worke is not yet compleated in the whole creation ; for god is pleased to doe this worke in length of time , by degrees , calling some at one houre , and some at another , out of the serpents bondage , and the times and seasons god hath reserved to himself . therefore in the further clearing of this truth , god is pleased to shew forth six dispensations or discoveries of himselfe more , which he will have the creature to passe through before he finish his work , to cast the serpent , death , and hell , into the lake , and before he himselfe appeare to be the tree of life on each side , and in the middle of the pure river of the water of life : which i conceive is the whole creation , man , perfectly redeemed ; which river proceeded out of the throne of god , and of the lamb ; take notice of that . the second dispensation , for there are seven dispensations in the whole ▪ the first i have spoken of already , which was , when god gave the law to adam , as soon as hee had made him : and now the second lies in that first promise , or manifestation of love to the creature , and curse to the serpent , in these words , the seed of the woman shall bruise the serpents head , and this continued from adam till abraham . then the third dispensation or discovery of god is more cleare then the former , for to abraham he speakes more particularly ; he doth not still say in generall termes , the seed of the woman , &c. but in thy seed , abraham , all nations of the earth shall be blessed , and so points-out more directly in what linage and generation of mankind , god would first appeare in to bruise the serpents head ; and this dispensation continued from abraham till moses time , and our fathers embraced these promises , and rejoyced in them . the fourth dispensation is from moses , till god manifested himself in flesh , or till jesus christ was born of mary , that was one of the house of david , of the linage of abraham ; and this dispensation is more then the former , for god , by types , figures , ceremonies , and shadowes , did more manifestly set forth his love to his creature , and his wrath to the serpent ; when the sacrifice was slain and offered , god received an attonement , it being a type of gods in-dwelling in flesh , or a shadow of christ , the lamb , the substance of all those sacrifices . and when achan that troubled israel was put to death in the valley of achor , the fiercenesse of gods wrath was turned away . and i believe god doth teach us by the prophet hosea 2. 14. where he saith , i will give the valley of achor for a doore of hope , which was the place of achans death ; so when the serpent , who is our trouble , is subdued and killed in the valley , humane flesh , then the dispensation of gods anger is turned away from us . the fifth dispensation is from the time that god was manifested in flesh , in the person jesus christ , to the time that he appeared in the flesh and person of his saints likewise ; and this is more cleare then the former , for jesus the anointed , was the substance of all those types and shadowes of the mosaicall law , for now god doth manifestly appear to dwell in flesh , in his creature , and he hath broke the serpents head , and cast him out of heaven ( his creation ) and now this jesus christ is the lamb of god that takes away the sins of the world , that is , destroyes the serpent , who is the sin that dwells in mankind , for now the life of god doth visibly appear to swallow up the death of the creature , and a manifest beginning to set the creature free from bondage ; and this dispensation of god was spoke of by the prophets very often before it appeared , that a child should be borne , a virgin should have a son , which should be called emmanuel , god with us ; and god would bring forth his branch , and the redeemer should come out of sion , that is the anointing that is in sion the church , shall in gods time go forth to heal the nations likewise ; now god throws down the shadowes of the law and drawes his creature to eye jesus , the anointed , or god manifested in flesh , and this is the appearance of visible gospel , or of god himself , bringing glad tydings to men , and so worthily deserving everlasting honour and praise from all creatures . the sixth dispensation is , from the time that god appeared in the flesh of saints , till the perfect gathering up of the elect , which is called the resurrection day , or the great day of judgement . and this is still more cleare then the former , for though god appeared in the person jesus christ , who was a branch of mankind , yet we might still be in doubt , and lie under death still , if he there remain ; but god did not appeare in the man christ jesus only , but in the saints likewise , according to his promise by joel , in the latter dayes , i will power out my spirit upon all flesh , upon my sons and daughters , and young men shall see visions , and old men shall dreame dreames , and this was fulfilled in the apostles , for the same spirit of christ was sent down upon them , acts 2. and i know , saith paul , that i have the spirit of christ ; and know ye not that the anointing dwells in you , except ye be reprobates . and again , we , saith paul , that have received the first fruits of the spirit , we groane within our selves , waiting for the adoption , to wit , the redemption of our bodies . now the apostles in their first preaching , they preached jesus , the anointed , or the lamb , or god manifested in flesh , and this they saw and heard , and they could not but speak in the name of jesus , and god commanded them so to do . but when god had fully declared himself in that dispensation , he sent forth his apostles then to preach more spiritually ; and now , saith paul , though formerly we have known christ after the flesh , that is , god only manifested in that one man jesus , the anointed , yet henceforth know we him no more , ( in such a restraint ) for now the mystery of god , which hath been hid from ages and generations past , is now revealed to his saints in these last dayes , which is christ , or the anointing in you , the hope of glory ; not only god manifested in the man christ jesus , but the same anointing , or tree of life in you likewise , according to that of the prophet , a king shall reigne in the earth , that is , in mankind , and his name shall be called the lord our righteousnesse : and again , the anointing which ye have received abideth in you , and ye need not that any teach you , for the same anointing teacheth you of all things . and truly i believe , that whosoever preaches from his book , and not from the anointing , and so speaking in experience what he hath seen and heard from god , is no minister sent of god , but an hireling , that runs before he be sent , only to get a temporall living ; therefore o england , mind what thou dost , leave off to imbrace hirelings , that come in their own name , and receive such in love whom christ hath sent in his name , and his fathers . and in this dispensation we are to note two things ; first , when as john the baptist prophesied , it was neither light nor dark , for it was between the legall worship that was falling , and gospel truths that were rising , upon the very parting of time between the shadowes of the law of moses , and the appearance of christ the lamb , who was the substance thereof ; and troubles and vexations began to arise in and among the strict professors of the law , so that they could not be satisfyed till they had killed christ , whom they called the man full of errors , that deceived the people . so now the church is at a stand , and the worship is partly light , and partly dark ; some resting upon the bare letter , according to the example of christ , and the apostles only , which is a worship after the flesh , and was true , and was of god in the time of its dispensation . and others do acknowledg god , not exemplarily , but by the faith , the name , and anointing of jesus christ , ruling , teaching , acting , and dwelling in them ; therefore think it not strange , though some old professors , and the book-hirelings especially , be offended hereat , and brand the saints for men full of errors , and seeke to suppresse their testimony ; it was so then , it will be so now , for the same spirit of the world , the serpent , does still persecute the same anointing of god in this , as in the former dispensation ; but you saints of god , be patient , waite upon god , this troubled sea , the serpent , shall not over-whelm you , for stronger is he that is in you , then he that is in the world ; rejoyce , the time of your redemption drawes neere . and againe , think it not strange to see many of the saints of god at a stand , in a wildernes , & at a losse , and so waiting upon god to discover himself to them ; many are like the tide at full sea , which stands a little before the water runs either way ; and assure your selves , i know what i speak , you must be dead to your customes before you can run in the sea of truth , or the river of the water of life ; some walk still according to example , and have either seene nothing , or very little of the anointing in them ; and some walk more in spirit and truth , as the same anointing of the father , which dwells bodily in christ , teacheth them , and leadeth them into all truth . the same anointing unites christ and the saints , and makes them but one mysticall body : i pray not for these alone , saith christ , but for all that shall believe through their word , that they all may be one , as thou father art in me , and i in thee , that they also may be one in us , i in them , and thou in me , that they may be made perfect in one , that is in thee , who art the only pure and holy being . secondly , not , that under this dispensation is the time that the elect , which is so much spoken of in the scriptures , are to be gathered into one city , and perfected , and this anointing is the angell which god hath sent forth in these last dayes , to gather together his elect , from one end of heaven to the other , or out of every nation , kindred , tongue & people , in the earth . and where it is said , that god will send forth not his angel , but his angels , to gather his elect together , it points out the severall measures , or dispensations of the anointing , to every saint , as god will , according to the measure of the guift of christ . now sometime god calls his elect by the name of one , in the singular number , and hereby god declares his first born , jesus christ , who is the head in the name of the whole body . as the prophet writes , behold my servant whom i have chosen , mine elect , in whom my soule delighteth : god hath not chosen the serpent , or creature-invention to dwel in flesh , for this he hath rejected , and takes no delight in . but he hath chosen the anointing , or his own power and name to dwell in flesh , and this he delights in , therefore jesus the anointed , is called the son of god , in whom he is well pleased . and sometimes god calls his elect in the plurall number , as many , and then he declares the mysticall body , or the city , sion , or those that he hath given to christ , and whose names are written in the lambs book . and in this 6. generall dispensation , these only shall be gathered into the city , and whosoever is not writ in the lambs book of life , shall not enter in at this time and season of the father , though there is a time and season known to the father , when they shall be healed likewise , and enter in ; and eat of the heavenly manna , the tree of life , that is in the middle of the city . now this city sion , which consists of head and members ; jesus christ and his saints , who are all baptized into , and knit together by one spirit of god , the anointing . and this city god will redeeme first , or he will subdue the serpent under the feet of this his son first : all that do his commandements , that is , have faith and love , these shall enter into the city , but the fearfull and unbeleevers , murderers , idolaters , and every one that loveth , and maketh a lie , are without , and are cast into the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone , which is the second death , or the death of the serpent , and the serpent ruling in man is the first death which god redeemes us from . all those that were not found writ in the lambs book of life , were cast into the lake of fire . or as mathew calls it , into everlasting fire . or as matthew calls it , into everlasting fire , and shall lie under that dispensation of wrath for ever , that is , all the time of this dispensation , or till the day of judgement be ended , that the serpent , death , and hell , are cast into the lake of fire , and that there shall no more curse lie upon the creature , but from the judgement seat , or throne of god ; the whole creation being redeemed , shall flow forth a pure river of the water of life ; for every dispensation is called a full period , or tearme of time , and an everlasting season . all this time that god is gathering together his elect , he hath given a time , times , and halfe time to the serpent . which in those threefold shapes and a halfe , or in those three dayes and halfe , he is called the beast , or the whore , and this time is given him to make warre , and to fight against the prince of princes , and his saints , and to overcome them , and to waste and destroy the holy people mightily . and this appointed time is the yeare wherein the beast lives , and god gives all advantages to the beast , as riches , outward liberty , worldly power , and generally humane authority into his hand . and puts no weapons into the hands of his saints ; but faith , or the anointing , to fight against the reproaches , slanders , oppressions , poverties , weaknesse , prisons , and the multitude of temptations which the beast , through her wit , malice , and power , casts upon the saints , like a flood of water to drowne them . and to overthrow the work of god by great hand , if it were possible . likewise the serpent stirs up some , whom she deceives , to be seeming professors , outwardly religious , having a form of godlinesse , but through hypocrisie , pride , and selfishnesse , might dishonour god , discourage the tender lambs of christ , and bring an ill report upon the wayes of god . and hence it is that israel of old were trampled upon by the gentiles that were not in covenant . and hence it is , that the beast must tread the holy city under foot 42 moneths . that in the day of judgement it may be said , that the serpent had faire play given him , hee had all advantages , he had a long time given him to ingage warre . i , but god did beat him with his own weapons , and encounters with all the temptations , malice and hypocrisie of the serpent , by the faith and patience of his saints , and thereby fairly destroyes him , himselfe may be judge . but in the latter dayes , when the time , times , and halfe drawes to an end , then god sends forth severall dispensations , or angels , as assistances to this sixth and great dispensation , to poure out vials of wrath upon all the glory of the beast , and curses all his glory by seven degrees , and sounds forth seven trumpets of glory to god , one after another ; which implies perfection of ruine upon every particular , blasting , cursing , or downfall of the beast . and when these dayes appeare , then the rage of the serpent increases , because his time growes short , and his violence , wrath , reproach , oppression , provocations and murders against the saints are multiplied , and times grow very bad : for now iniquiry abounds , and the love of many in whom the serpent dwels , waxes cold , and extreamly bitter , and mad against the saints , in whom the anointing dwells , so that they gnash their tongues with vexation of spirit , and the smoak of their torment ascends upwards ( towards god and his saints , that are above , not so much downward to such like themselves ) and that for ever and ever . by the doubling of this word , ever and ever , he declares that this misery continues untill the sixth dispensation be ended , that is , the one for ever ; and all the time of the great day of judgement , that is the second for ever , and so they have no rest , day nor night , who worship the beast and his image , and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name ; here is the patience of the saints , here are they that keep the commandments of god , and the faith of jesus : for truly the faith and patience of the saints are tried to some purpose , while the beast thus rages , and swels with malice against them . and i beleeve it will appeare more generally visible in time , to me it appears very plain , that the great bitternesse , envy , reproachfull languages , and expressions of malicious wrath , in and among men and women in these dayes , against others whom they brand sectaries , by severall names , will prove part of the smoak of her torment , and part of the restlesnesse of her spirit day and night , which is the beginning of her sorrowes ; for this is the raging sea that casts out its own shame : and men in whom the serpent dwels , speak evill of that they know not . now all the time of this sixth dispensation , god is declaring his great power , in pulling what fire-brands he will out of the serpents hand , and he will take here one , and there one , as he pleases himself . and let the serpent put forth all his wit and power , he shall not hinder the salvation of one man or woman , whom god hath chosen , and purposes to deliver from his bondage ; but he will save under every dispensation whom he will , and bring them into sion , neither shall the serpent , nor any of his seed , ever attain communion with god by all his wit , learning , study , actings and power , but he shall perish , and all creatures in whom the serpent reignes and acts , shall be lost and ashamed in their work , yet every man shall be saved in the end , yet so , as by fire . and here mind two things , first god is honoured in the salvation of beleevers , because he hath undertaken to pull them out of the serpents hand , and to bind that strong man , and to bring in the citie to himselfe , and to appeare in them first ; therefore it is said , that judgement begins at the house of god first , that is , god judges , condemnes , and casts the serpent out of his elect , and saves the whole , and every member of that citie , before he judge , condemne , and cast the serpent out of them , that did not enter into the city , but were without , because their names were not written in that lambs book of life . now for god to save some at one houre , and some at another , both when he will , and whom he will , and those scattered sheep of the house of israel whom god hath chosen , these shall enter into the citie , though all the wit and power of the serpent strive to hinder them from entring , and those whom god hath not chosen , shall not enter into the citie , though all the learning , study , and selfish and meritorious actings of the serpent , strive to enter in never so much : it makes much for the honour of his wisdome , power , and name . secondly , god is honoured in the losse , death , or as the word is interpreted , damnation of unbeleevers ; for faith , or the anointing , which is born of god , and whereby the saints overcome the world , is the power of god dwelling and ruling in man : and unbeliefe is the serpent , which is born of the flesh , and persecutes christ till the time of the gentiles be fulfilled ; and this power of darknesse is that which dwels and rules in the children of disobedience . now both these are grinding at the mill , and are at work for life in humane flesh ; and it advances the glory of god , that they shall live in whom his divine power dwels , though they be full of weaknesse in themselves , and though they be compassed about with divers temptations , being despised of all , and regarded of none , but are the weak , the poore , the foolish things of the world . and it makes for the glory of god , that unbeleevers , in whom the power of the serpent dwels , shall die , though they have all advantages , and means outward , as may be , and though they strive much by learning , study , & actings , as israel of old did , who attained not to righteousnesse , though he sought after it greatly , because he sought for it as it were by the workes of the law , and not by faith , that is , he sought for it in the strength of the serpent , or selfishnesse , but not in the strength of god . well , this sixth dispensation is the gathering time , wherein god summes up the whole number of his elect ; and as every beleever hath fought his fight , kept the faith , and finished his course , they return to dust ; and the unbeleever he returns to dust , for as the one dies , so dies the other ; and as in this world all things come alike to all , we cannot tell either love or hatred by any thing that happens in this life ; and both return to dust alike , as if there were no other reckoning to be made of either . and so from adams time , til the whole number of the elect be taken up to god , out of every nation , kindred , tongue , and people , out of which god in all ages of the world is pleased to choose some to be members of his son , or citizens of sion , and hath appointed in his councel , that mankind shall increase in the world , and act a while , and then return to dust , and one generation passe away , and another come in the place ; but when the elect are gathered as wheat into gods store-house , and the city made compleat , and the chaffe burned in the fire , and none enters into the city , but such whose names are written in the lambs book of life ; and none enters into the lake of fire , but such as are not writ in the lambs book ; so that gods will under this dispensation is done ; then followes immediately the great day of judgment ▪ or the resurrection of mens bodies out of the graves . and this day of judgment is the 7. dispensation of god , and this day windes up the whole mystery of god , and makes the eternal councel of god compleatly manifest and true ; that the serpents head is bruised , and the whole creation , adam , redeemed from the bondage of death , and in this dispensation we are to mind two things . first , in this great day of the lord he raises up the bodies of believers , and unbelievers out of the dust again , wherein he hath reserved them all the time of the battel , between the anointing and the serpent , as a man would keep his jewels in a box for an appointed time . secondly , god brings every man to judgement , and rewards every man according to his work , some rises to the resurrection of life , and others to the resurrection of losse and death : and the bookes were opened , as john writes ; that is , first the book of the mystery of iniquity , or the nature of the serpent in flesh laid open , and made manifest to be a power and spirit of darkness , that strived to be a being equal with god , nay , above god ; but being weighed in the ballance , it is found too light . and then the book of the mystery of god , or the anointing of god in flesh , this is made manifest , and laid open to be the great power of god , and the spirit of truth , which hath advanced god to be the only one infinite being ; even god , all in all , and that besides him there is none . and then another book was opened , that is , the book of life and death , or the book of the law , and of judgment , which gives the sentence , come ye blessed , inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world : and to unbeleevers , go ye cursed into everlasting fire : and now every man is judged according to his works ; the anointing , or the righteous one , is rewarded with life , and all they in whom the anointing did dwell , who are the elect city , and spouse of christ , are called blessed , and taken up into gods kingdome , that is , into love never to fall again . but the serpent , the wicked one , is rewarded with death , and all those disobedient ones , in whom the serpent dwelt , are cast into the everlasting fire , prepared for the devill and his angels ; this is a second part in the day of judgment , which is a trying of every mans work , and the establishing the city , which is the lambs wife , in perfect glory , and in justly condemning the rest : and here god is glorified in the salvation of believers , and in the damnation , or losse of unbelievers ; for his work stands , and abides triall ; but mans work suffers losse , and is ashamed : but this is not the end , for as yet the son hath not delivered up the kingdom to the father , for he must raign till all enemies be subdued , but death , curse , and sorrow is not yet quite subdued ; for it raignes over part of the creation still , even over those poor creatures that were lost , or that did not enter into the city , but were cast into the lake of fire . the serpent as yet holds a power , for there is part of gods work not yet delivered from his bondage : and the serpent would be glad , and it would be some ease to his torment , if any of gods work might die and perish with him . as i have heard some say , that they would be content to suffer the misery of a new war in england , so that such as they mentioned , might suffer as well as they ; this is the spirit of the serpent . i , but the serpent only shall perish , and god will not loose a hair that he made , he will redeeme his whole creation from death . the spirit of darknesse cannot beare this speech , therefore reader observe thy heart , as thou readest , it will either close with a tender spirit of pitty and love herewith , or else swell and fret against it . therefore in the third part of this great day of judgment , after the city work is finished , and the triall over , then does the tree of life , god himself that dwells in the city , and is the light , and life , and glory of it , send forth dispensations , or angels , bringing love to heale the nations , and to bring their glory into the city ; likewise that for the present lies under the dispensation of wrath , and throws the serpent that deceived them , death , and hell , into the lake , but there is no mention that the nations are cast therein , in this last casting in , for they are redeemed from it ; as the tree of life brought forth fruit every change of time , and age of the world , to heale the elect , the lost sheep , or city ; so in this last and great day it brings forth leaves to heale the nations , or such as were not of the city ; their turne to receive mercy comes , though it be at the last houre ; and then all israel , or whole creation , that groaned under the bondage of death , shal partake of the glorious manifestation of the sons of god , for now the deliverer comes out of sion , and shall turne away ungodlinesse from jacob . therefore saith john , i saw a pure river of the water of life , cleare as cristall , proceeded out of the throne of god , and the lamb . now i conceive clearly that this pure river , is the whole creation , mankind , fully and compleatly delivered from death , and curse , as in that 3. verse . and this pure redemption proceedes from the throne of god and the lamb , that is , from the judgment seat of god , judging , condemning , and bruising the serpents head , and so setting his own work , mankind , free from that death and bondage . i shall mention one scripture more that countenances this truth : and i looked , and behold a white cloud , and upon the cloud one sate like the son of man ; having on his head a crown of gold , and in his hand a sharpe sickle : and another angel came out of the temple , crying with a loud voice to him that sate on the cloud , saying , thrust in thy sickle and reape , for the harvest of the earth is ripe ; and he that sate on the cloud , thrust in his sickle on the earth , and the earth was reaped . and then another angel came out of the altar , and cryed in the same manner , to him that had the sickle , as you may read . by a white cloud , i conceive is meant the city sion , or spouse of christ , that is arayed in pure and white , in whom there is no spot , for she is perfectly redeemed ; by him that sate upō this white cloud , is ment the whole anointing , or the great manifestation of god in one person , jesus christ ; and the severall angels that cryed one after another , are severall dispensations , or discoveries of god , that proceed from christ at several times , and seasons . therefore the city being made white , now the manifestations of gods love begin to appeare towards the earth , or nations , which entred not into the city ; now the time and season requires , that the sickle of christ should be thrust into the earth , that is , that the brightness of jesus christ , the lamb , might appear and shine forth upon the nations also , as it did shine upon the city , and we see the conclusion in the 20. verse , and the wine-presse was troden without the city , ( mind that ) and blood came out of the wine-presse , even unto the horse bridles , &c. this phrase i conceive points out the utter ruine and destruction of the serpent , that held the earth or nations which were without the city , in bondage . but now the anointing , or the great dispensation of the love of god , hath reaped the earth as well as the city , and destroyed the serpent there , as well as in the city ; the wine-presse , or the bruising of the serpents head , and shedding his blood , was without the city ; and so both city and country , city and whole earth of mankind , is made a pure river of the water of life , which proceeds from the throne of god and the lamb . but here arise 3. scruples : first , is not god changeable saith one , in saying , go ye cursed into everlasting fire ; and yet afterwards takes them out againe ? i answer , this fire is the dispensation of gods wrath ; and it is everlasting , without end to the serpent ; it was prepared for him and his angels ; and though god bid the unbeleevers depart into it ; yet he did not say , you shall lie there , and never be redeemed . but the scruple lies in the word everlasting , which i as well as you have taken it to be a misery without end to the creature . but i answer , that in scripture phrase , every dispensation of god was called an everlasting time ; as in the day of moses , every service in the temple that aaron was to perform , god said it should be a statute and a law for ever , which notwithstanding ended to be a law in the beginning of the next dispensation , or the appearance of christ in the flesh ; and so , though god send unbelievers to lie under the dispensation of his wrath , and call it everlasting fire , it is but for the time of his dispensation , while he is finishing city work , and judging and rewarding every man , that is , the serpent , and the anointing , according to their works : and after this , comes in their healing time and season , and these times and seasons the father hath reserved to himself , the son knowes them not . a second scruple is this ; shall a man be ever delivered out of hell ? out of hell , saith some , there is no redemption . i answer , first , that there is no scripture , as saith , out of hell there is no redemption , therefore the scruple is raised upon it without ground ; indeed the prophet speaking , how that the living praise god , and the dead cannot , hath these words in preferring life before death : the grave cannot praise thee , death cannot celebrate thee , they that go down into the pit , cannot hope for thy truth . but secondly , to answer more directly , let us consider what hell is , and then whether any shall be delivered out that is there : hell is called death , or a condition below life ; and this is twofold , either a death of purity , far below the nature of god , or a death of sorrows , which is a condition far below the comfort and joyes of god . now every man and woman , as they are branches of adam , have no purity in them , and therefore are in a hell far below the life and nature of god ; and likewise they are unavoidably subject to the sorrowes of that death , as an effect following the cause , therefore unavoidably subject to a condition far below the comfort and joyes of god . this is the condition of every man and woman , and they have no power for to deliver themselves , for god only is our redeemer . and then it followes , that a man may be in hell , and yet may be delivered out ; for as in all this discourse past , it appeares , that as we spring from adam , we do all lie under the bondage , and death , and power of the serpent , which is one part of hell , and yet god delivers his elect from out of it ; and therefore it followes cleare , that if men are capable of so much mercy , being gods creatures , as to be delivered from sin and death , which is one part of hell ; or of a condition below god , they are capable to be delivered through the mercy of the same god , from the sorrowes and paines that follow sin , both which are but the bondage of the serpent , which god will deliver his creature from : this twofold death is the serpents head , which god will bruise . a third scruple is , concerning the day of judgement : some think it is but one single day , of twenty foure houres long ; nay , some make it lesse , but the length of the twinkling of an eye , because the interpretation of scripture runs thus , that in the twinkling of an eye , at the sound of the last trumpet , the dead shall be raised up to judgement . but to answer this phrase , twinkling of an eye , it onely shewes that the day of judgement is very short in comparison of the dayes by-past ; like that in rev. 8. 1. and there was silence in heaven for the space of half an houre , which is not a direct halfe houre , according as men account , but it declares a very short time . therefore i conceive , this is not a single day , of 24. houres , but a longer time ; while the judge sits upon the judgement seat , judgeing the serpent , so long time it is called a day of judgement , because that is the work of this day , or tearm of time , or the full length of that dispensation ; as formerly it was called the day of moses , which was the time while that dispensation of the law continued in force , whereof moses was the mediator ; and so abraham desired to see my day , saith christ , and saw it , that is , the day and time that christ reignes as king in the power and law of love , in and over the saints , and this paul calls the day of christs rest . and this in the truth of it , is that which we call the sabbath day , or day of a christians rest ; and it is not one day in seaven , still typicall , as the jewish sabbath was , but it is the constant reign of christ in and over the saints , which is their rest , and which indeed is the substance of the jewish typicall sabbath ; as david saith , let the earth rejoyce , the lord reignes . and , a king shall reigne in the earth , saith jeremy , and his name shall bee called , the lord our righteousnesse . now christ , or the anointing , doth not reigne one single day in the seaven in his saints , but every day constantly , which is the substance of the jewish single sabbath ; therefore i wish that the gentile-christians could understand , that what the jewes did in the type , these are to perform in the substance , and it is not for the gentiles to worship in types , as did the jewes . again , the time of the indignation , or while god suffers the beast to reigne , is called , the day of the beast ; and god hath given her three dayes and a halfe to tread the holy citie under foot , or the space of 42 moneths , which is three shapes , three discoveries of the reigne of the beast , or three degrees and half of the serpents reformation from bad to worse , from open prophanenesse to close hypocrisie ; and not the single dayes of a week . and so here it is called the day of judgement , from the work and businesse of the day , or full length of that dispensation , so that the great and generall day of judgment , from the time that the bodies of beleevers and unbelievers are raised out of the grave , till the son deliver up the kingdome to the father , i beleeve is a long time , of divers yeares ; the full length or shortnesse of it , god onely knowes , and reserves the time and season of that secret to himselfe ; but it is called the day of judgement , while the worke of judgement lasts ; as in our language it is called the day of assizes , though the sessions or businesse continue divers dayes . now all this day the condemned creatures lie under the dispensation of wrath , under the curse , and under weeping , wailing , and gnashing of teeth for anguish , and this hell , sorrow , or punishment , or death , is everlasting , because it continues the full time of the dispensation , & the worm never dies all the time , the fire and sense of wrath shall never goe out all the time , the fire of lust shall still be burning , and the smoak of blasphemy shall ascend upward , and they shal have no rest day nor night , and the fire of gods wrath shal still be scorching and consuming , which shall be an intollerable pain to the creature . therefore if any man or woman take liberty to sin , let them know this is a truth , they shall be condemned and die , and depart into everlasting fire , and punished in that hell , lie under the dispensation of wrath , and lie at gods mercy for delivery , so that those that will not now wait upon god in his time of long-suffering , or in the dispensation of his patience ; they shal wait upon god whether they will or no in the dispensation of wrath , in sorrow , which is intollerable , which is the second death . the first death i conceive , and i clearly see a truth in it , is adams death , or adams bondage to the serpent ; the second death is the serpents death , after god hath judged him , which is to lie under the wrath of god without end . now he that hath part in the first resurrection , that is , to be delivered from the bondage of the serpent , and raised up from the death of sin , and so made alive to god through the anointing ; over such a man , the second death , or the endlesse dispensation of wrath , which is prepared for the serpent , shall have no power . but if a man have not part in the first resurrection , and so enter not into the city new jerusalem , he shall then tast of the second death , which is the everlasting fire , prepared for the serpent & his seed , and it shal have power over him , and he shall lie under it for ever , that is , till the dispensation change , or till the mystery of god be finished , that the serpent , death , and hell is subdued , and cast into the lake , and the whole creation be set free , and the son deliuer up the kingdome to the father , and god become all in all , as at the beginning he was , before any opposite power appeared against him . but doth not god sit upon the throne of judgement before this great day of judgement appear ? yes , god & the lamb have sate upon the judgement seat , or throne , ever since adam delighted in his own fruit , or consented to the serpent , and god hath been judging the serpent , and bruising his head in every dispensation of his , ever since that time , and casting the serpent , that strong man , out of his elect. and by the powring out of the seven vials , and the sounding of the seven trumpets , declares how god hath been subduing the beast , the whore , and the false prophet , which hath been the severall appearances of the serpent under those names , by which he hath made warre with christ and his saints , so that god hath been about this work of judging the serpent long before this day of judgment came . then it seemes god hath two judgement dayes : no , it is all one ; for from adams time till the son deliver up the kingdome to the father , god hath sate upon the throne , judging the serpent ; but it pleased god so to establish his counsell , that he would not finish this mystery in a short time , but in severall degrees of times and seasons , which he hath reserued in his own power : and this great and last day , is the conclusion of this work , that the serpent shall be subdued under the feet of the whole creation , and be destroyed everlastingly , as it is written , judgement begins at the house of god ; and if it begin at us , saith peter , who are his temple , his little flock , his royall nation , his peculiar people , what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel ? why truly they must come to judgement too , but in the last day , or in the end of time ; so that it is not two judgement dayes , but all one day . and so to wind up all , i shall desire men to mind one thing , that though god hath in scripture declared seven great dispensations , or discoveries of his counsel , and each one clearer then the other ; yet in every one of these god sends forth severall other dispensations , or angels , for the carrying on of the work of that time , or season , which are discoveries of his glory ; for whatsoever comes from god is a spirituall power , not a dead work , but a living . as whatsoever came first from adam , it was a spiritual power , as pride , discontent , envie , and the whole body of unbeliefe , which slighted the being of god , and seekes to preferre a creature-being before him . this discovery of adam was a spiritual power , which is the very bondage which all creatures lie under , and it is an unclean and dead power , but not a living power . but whatsoever comes from god , is a particular angel , or lesser dispensation , as an assistant to the greater . as for example , when god took flesh , and appeared in the man christ jesus , it was the fifth great dispensation , and the angel of gods presence , and michael our prince , that stands before god for us . yet his sufferings in that day , or season of time , was called the dispensation of gods patience , wisdome and love , &c. the strength of patience is an angel of god . i mention this , because i know in my own experience , that if god set it home to others , as i find , it quiets the heart under what condition soever . if thou lie under sorrowes for sins , now know , that it is gods dispensation to thee , wait patiently upon him , hee will work a good issue in his time , but not in thy time . if thou lie under the temptations of men , of losses , of poverty , of reproaches , it is gods dispensation to thee , wait with an humble quiet spirit upon him , till he give deliverance . if thou lie under darknesse , emptinesse , and in a lost and wildernes-condition wait patiently ( it is his dispensation to thee ) till god speak ; for he will speak peace when thou thinkest least of it . if thou be filled with joy and peace through beleeving , wait with an humble thankfull heart still upon god , it is his dispensation to thee , and assure thy selfe , that now god begins to dispense out love to thee , he will still be feeding thee in dispensations , or discoveries of his love ; and he will never let thee lie under the sense of anger any more , for his freedome is a freedome indeed , to a full satisfaction ; the peace that he gives , none can , nor shall take away : and be sure he will never take it again , for the gifts and callings of god are without repentanct . and this is all i have to say concerning this truth . and i have done . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a66686e-680 gen. 1. 31. col. 2. 9. gen. 2. 8 , 9. cant. 4. 12. 16. isaî. 58. 11. gen. 3. 6. ecces . 7. 29. genes . 2. 17. gal. 4. 5. 2 cor. 5. 4. john 4. 34. 1 kings 8. 18. rom. 8. 7 gen. 6. 5. jer. 18. 4. col. 1. 13. isai. 66. 5. 2 thes. 2. 4 , 5. 1 cor. 15 25. heb. 1. 13. 1 cor. 15. 28. 54. isai. 61. ● . luke 4. 18. jer. 23. 6 prov. 8. 22 , 23. gen. 3. 15 heb. 2. 14. luke 9. 23. 2 tim. 2. 26. rom. 8. 13. 1 cor. 1. 13. 1 cor. 15 24. 1 john 4. 15. 1 cor. 3. 13. 2 thes. 2. 8. rev. 21. 24. rev. 22. 1. 2. ephes : 2. 3. rom. 8. 19. rev. 6. 14. heb. 1. 11 , 12. rev. 21. 23. john 14. 20. john 7. 12. rev. 6. 15 , 16. mat. 25. 42. 2 cor. 3. 6. rom. 3. 20. isai. 25. 12. 2 cor. 3. 7. 1 joh. 4. 9. 1 john 4. 8. 15. rev. 12. 8 , 9. john 1. 14. rev. 12. 7. mat. 4. &c. 2 cor. 5. 19. joh. 5. 21 rev. 12. 10. 2 cor. 5. 19 , 20. col. 1. 9. 1 john 4. 15. rev. 22. 1 , 2. rev. 21. 24. acts 17. rev. 20. 14. rev. 22. 1. gen. 3. 15. gen. 18. 18. luke 1. 55. heb. 10. 7. josh. 7. 26. hos. 2. 14. rev. 5. 19. rom. 8. 23. acts 4. 2 cor. 5. 16. col. 4. 27 jer. 23. 6 1 john 2. 27. john 5. 43. john 7. mat. 24. isa. 32. 12. &c. john 16. 13. 1 cor. 12. 13. john 17. 20. ephes. 4. 13. esa. 42. 1. mat. 24. 22. 31. rev. 13. 8. &c. rev. 20. 15. rev. 22. 2. rev. 21. 8. &c. rev. 22. 14. 15. rev. 20. 15. rev. 22. 3. rev. 20. 14. dan. 8. 24 , 25. rev. 16. 17. rev. 12. 15. rev. 11. 2 , 3. rev. 14. 11 , 12. rev. 16. rev. 14. 11 , 12. jude 13. 1 cor. 3. 15. rev. 20. 15. luk. 13. 24. 1 cor. 1. 27. rom. 9. 32. rev. 7. 9. john 5. 29. rev. 20. 12. mat. 2. 5 34. rev. 20. 15. rev. 21. 24. rom. 11. 26. rev. 22. 1. 3. rev. 14. 14. &c. 2 thes. 2. 7. 8. rev. 19. 21. levit. 16. 29. num. 10. 8. acts 1. 7. isai. 38. 18. heb. 4. dan. 11. 36. rev. 11. 2. 9. acts 17. rev. 14. 1 cor. 15. 27. dan. 8. 24. rev. 19. 20. 1 pet. 4. 17. luk. 22 , 8. the divine cosmographer; or, a brief survey of the whole world delineated in a tractate on the viii psalme: by w.h. sometimes of s. peters colledge in cambridge. hodson, william, fl. 1625-1640. this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a03429 of text s104119 in the english short title catalog (stc 13554). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. 103 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 85 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo 2017 a03429 stc 13554 estc s104119 99839858 99839858 4317 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a03429) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 4317) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, 1475-1640 ; 1144:05) the divine cosmographer; or, a brief survey of the whole world delineated in a tractate on the viii psalme: by w.h. sometimes of s. peters colledge in cambridge. hodson, william, fl. 1625-1640. marshall, william, fl. 1617-1650, engraver. [16], 154 p. printed by roger daniel, printer to the universitie of cambridge, [cambridge] : 1640. w.h. = william hodson, whose name appears in full in the preliminary verses. with an additional title page, engraved and signed "w.m. sculpsit" (i.e. william marshall), with imprint: printed for andrew crooke [london]. 1640. the first five preliminary leaves include the engraved title page and a conjugate explanation, two leaves of verses, and an imprimatur leaf. copies lacking some or all of these may represent early states. reproduction of the original in the henry e. huntington library and art gallery. eng bible. -o.t. -psalms viii -commentaries. creation -biblical teaching -early works to 1800. a03429 s104119 (stc 13554). civilwar no the divine cosmographer; or, a brief survey of the whole world, delineated in a tractate on the viii psalme: by w.h. sometime of s. peters c hodson, william 1640 17746 439 65 0 0 0 0 284 f the rate of 284 defects per 10,000 words puts this text in the f category of texts with 100 or more defects per 10,000 words. 2008-11 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2008-12 spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images 2009-01 scott lepisto sampled and proofread 2009-01 scott lepisto text and markup reviewed and edited 2009-02 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion octob. 3. 1639. imprimatur cantabrigiae per rogerum daniel . ra. brownrigg procan . samuel ward . tho. bainbrigg . jo. cosin . the mind of the frontispice . depiction of angel how firmely hangs this earths rich cabinet twix't fleeting air , on floting waters set ? by this one argument , fond atheist see , the earth thou tread'st on shew's a deitie . on such a liquid basis could it stand , if not supported by a pow'rfull hand ? but what 's the earth , or sea , or heav'n to mee without thee three-in-one , and one-in-three ? nec caelum sine t●terra . no● unda placet . depiction of man standing on a globe with a hand pointing down from a cloud the divine cosmographer by 〈…〉 quum te pendenti reputa●… insi●tere terrae nonne vel hinc clar● conspici●… 〈◊〉 ●●um ? printed for andrew crooke . 1640. w●… sulp●it . to my much honoured friend , william hodgson esquire , on his elegant and learned descant on the eighth psalme . when i peruse with a delighted eye thy learned descant on a text so high , the choice of such a subject first i praise ; and then thy skill and genius , that could raise a style in prose so high as to expresse this holy panegyrick ; and no lesse the use , to view through this varietie of creatures the creatours majestie : and must condemn those vain cosmographers , who whilest they strive to search and to rehearse all creatures frame and beauty , while they toyl to find the various nature of each soil , the oceans depth , through whose vast bosome move 〈◊〉 many wonders , nay to skies above and higher spheres their contemplations raise , they loose the pith of all , the makers praise . thomas may . {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . hodsonus ille , lector , ut vides , novâ illustrat arte flammei poli plagas , mundíque tractus ; ceu syracosius senex ingentis olim iuserat coeli vias , suúmque magno reddidit mundum jovi , humana divi dum stupent ars quid queat . sic sic aperti tramitem aeris secans , stagnantis olim transiit terrae vias columba , justi missa de manu senis , miro volatu remigans liquidum aethera . qualisve docti quae tarentini manu efficta veras arte lusit alites . hodsonus ille , lector , ut spatio brevi se continere non queat ampliùs vides . en ! ille mensor aeris , & liquidi poli percurrit orbem , tranat & quod aethera , pinnisque quicquid turbidum findit mare . accessus illi haud invius diespiter quà promit orbi syderis radios novi , vesperéque sero condit ubi lumen suum ; ali isque tentat coeli inaccessas domus . humero efficaci sic priùs coelumtulit , laturum erat quod se , vice atlantis , pue● tonantis olim , pondere haud pressus grav● linguâque doctâ sic & hodsonus potens stylóque docto jam viam adfectat polo ; terrásque notas linquit , & coelum petit , radiavit ipse quod priùs lumine suo . scrib . v. optimo & ami● guilielmus burtonus . kingstoniae ad thamesin apud regn● to my worthy & learned frien●w . h. esquire , upon his divine meditation and elegant explanation of the eighth psalme . mongst all the reverend rites the church dains , none melts the mind so much , so mildly reign● o're mans affections , warming our desire and ycie frozen zeal with heavenly fire , as th' hebrew siren's musick , jordans swan , gods darling david , that prophetick man : whose manna-dewing layes with charming strains and anthemes chanted from inspiring veins do mount our winged souls aloft , which flie ravish't to heaven in blessed theorie . this sacred hymn , the subject of thy quill , limn'd in such orient colours by thy skill , as a rich tablet shewes in lively features gods love to man , & mans rule o're the creatures , fowls of the air , and beasts on earth residing , the scaly frie in the vast ocean gliding , with all the numerous host of heaven past counting , in spangled order and bright beauty mounting ; these all by thee are taught to speak the story of the worlds fabrick , and their founders glory . nor hast thou marr'd the majestie of those mysteries sublim'd , dress'd statelier in thy prose : but rather clear'd those rubs and doubts which did ●n obscure knottie arguments lie hid ; and in this * wine-p●esse trode the grapes whose jnvce ●hall to weak fainting souls such heat infuse , ●s will not only cheat their hearts , but be thy glories truchman to posteritie . reuben bourn . to his ever honoured friend , william hodgson esquire , on his contemplations on the eighth psalme . sir , god hath blessed you with a lovely vine , and you have blessed your god in so divine soul-ravishing fansies , wherewith you are fill'd from the pure * wine-presse of this psalme distill'd i do conceive what pangs were in thee , when thou formd'st and brought'st forth with thy ski●full penne this perfect feature , whose alluring face smiles on the world with an attractive grace . when thou beholdest with a single eye the spangled heavens , the embroidered skie , that looks upon the earth with thousands , we confesse and know that thy divinitie doth much irradiate the celestiall tapers , bright in themselves , but brighter by thy papers curious contriver ! how dost thou enrobe the great and small ones of each massie globe in fine-weav'd ornaments ! such is thy skill , the persian needle comes not near thy quill . richly hast thou adorn'd the earth our mother , sea the earths sister , and the air their brother : and , which is most praise-worthy ; each i see , and all that 's in them , laud the deitie . william moffet , mr. of arts sydn . coll. camb. vic. of edmonton . the divine cosmographer ; or , a brief survey of the whole world , delineated in a tractate on the viii psalme : by w. h. sometime of s. peters colledge in cambridge . printed by roger daniel , printer to the universitie of cambridge . 1640. psal. viii . to the chief musician upon gittith , a psalme of david . o lord our lord , how excellent is thy name in all the earth ! who hast set thy glory above the heavens . 2 out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength , because of thine enemies that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger . 3 when i consider thy heavens , the work of thy fingers , the moon and the starres which thou hast ordained ; 4 what is man , that thou art mindfull of him and the sonne of man that thou visitest him ? 5 for thou hast made him a little lower then the angels , and hast crowned him with glory and honour . 6 thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands ; thou hast put all things under his feet . 7 all sheep and oxen , yea , and the beasts of the field : 8 the fowl of the aire , and the fish of the sea , and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas . 9 o lord our lord , how excellent is thy name in all the earth ! the divine cosmographer ; or , a brief survey of the whole world , delineated in a tractate on the eighth psalme . sect. 1. a preface on the book of psalmes in generall . the holy ghost describing the genealogie of our saviour , from how many kings he was descended , vouchsafeth none of them the style and title of a king but david , and him twice in one verse , matth. 1.6 . and that for a literall and morall reason : partly , because he was the first king settling and establishing the kingdome of israel ; but principally , for that he was endowed with al princely qualities , as justice , wisdome , clemencie , courage , and devotion : a king as mighty in religion as valour ; who wrote more like an evangelist then a prophet . and therefore the fathers conclude him to be , homo in veteri , non de veteri testamento , a man that lived in the time , but not after the manner of the old law , more like a christian then a jew . as the fat was taken away from the peace-offering , so was david chosen out from among the children of israel ecclus 47.2 . that which was most excellent in every thing , the hebrews called the fat : as , adeps frumenti , the fat of the corn ; medulla tritici , the marrow of the wheat . the witty imitatour of solomon doth there make an allusion between the father of solomon and the fat of the peace-offering : all the peace-offering was the lords , yet all was not offered to him ; but part was given to the priest , and a part to the people : but the fat was fully burnt up to the lord : so the zeal of gods house burnt up david as the fat of the sacrifice . in this fire of zeal did he oft ascend , like the angel in the flame of manoah's altar , to the throne of god : and his tongue being touched by a coal from that altar , many a dainty song did he tune upon his harp ; which harp was no● more sweet then his song was holy . though moses the man of god was the first that by a speciall direction from god began and brought up this order , to make musick the conveyer of mens duties into their minds ; yet david the darling of god hath sithence continued it , as having a speciall grace and felicitie in this kind . one touch of the sonne of jesse , one murmure of this heavenly turtle , one michtam of davids jewel , his golden song , is farre above the buskind raptures , the garish phantasmes , the splendid vanities , the pageants and landskips of profaner wits . et hîc rhetoricantur patres : the fathers both greek and latine have robed his psalter with many rich encomiums . athanasius , and basil , and augustine , and hierome , and chrysostome , and almost all the new writers , stand so deeply affected to this book , that they hold it to be the souls anatomie , the lawes epito me , the gospels index omnis latitudo scripturarum , the breadth of the whole scripture ( as he sometimes spake of the creed , and the lord prayer ) may hither be reduced . and it is observeable out of luke 24.24 . that it is put for all the books of the old testament as they are differenced from the law of moses and the prophets . again , it appeareth in the gospel that christ and his disciples were very conversant in this book , because in their sayings and writings not fewer then sixty authorities are produced from above fourty of these psalmes . this book was and still is more usually both sung and read , not onely in the jewish synagogues but in christian assemblies , as well by the people as the minister , and that with more outward reverence , then any par● of holy writ . the jew● acknowledge the old testament , abhorre the new ; the turks disclam● both , yet swear as solemnly by the psalmes o● david as by the alcora● of mahomet . in all ages this boo● hath ever been esteeme● of the best & most learned men . yea , the greatest potentates , who with joseph have had manu● ad clavum & oculos ad calum , have without blushing stooped unto a verse it being the usuall recreation of king david , wh● was , as euthymius speaks primi regis & lingua , & cor , & calamus , the ●ongue , the pen , & heart of the king of heaven . thus , as we reade , our good king alfred translated the psalter himself into the saxon tongue . and our late most learned king james of happie memorie ( who as it is said of scevola , that he was jurisperitorum eloquentissimus , of all lawyers the most eloquent man ; so was he {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , of our nobles the most skilfull in divinitie ; and as sylverius said of caesar , he honoured learning with his own labours : a prince mighty both with his sceptre and his pen ; who besides his prose , it● ad carmen noverat , mad● such a verse when h● pleased , etiam sanissim● coloris , of a most daint and elaborate composit●on , as became buchanan best scholar ) among other things truly and exactly translated ou● church-psalmes , no● long before he was translated hence . the subject of thi● book is singular : fo● whereas the other prophesies were the ambassies from god to the people , or at least the abstracts thereof , these are for the most part holy colloquies , holy whisperings , and secret conferences with god . what a spirituall library of all manner of prayers , precepts , exhortations do i here find ! the psalter of this kingly prophet operateth that in the church which the sun doth in heaven ; it illumi●ateth , heateth , and ma●eth fruitfull all the good desires of christianitie . our prophet once desired to be a doorekeeper in the house of the lord ; and ●e was heard in that he ●rayed for : for , as hilarie ●aith , this whole book of ●salmes was but a bunch of eyes , opening severall ●oores to let the soul enter into all the treasures of devotion . this is the spouses garden : here be lily 〈◊〉 and roses ; here be apple● and pomegranates , an● sweet fruits ; here be the myrrhe , aloes , & cassi● and sweet spices ; here b● the fountains and well of living water ; hîc su●preces & vota , here a● prayers and consolation● and amulets of comfor● more pleasant then the pools of heshbon , mo● glorious then the towe● of libanon , more red● lent then the oyl of a●ron , more fructifyi● then the dew of hermo● prophets , apostles , h● martyrs , all the ancie● fathers have made use of ●is book that begins ●th blessednesse , and ●ntains nothing but ●essednesse ; blessednesse ●ing times repeated twenty ●en times in the con●ete in this one book : ●hich like the tree that ●areth fruit every ●neth , the church hath ●pointed shall bring ●th fruit every moneth 〈◊〉 due season . as the matter is ex●llent , so is it digested ●o an elegant form of ●ords : which fall not ●th the vulgar libertie 〈◊〉 speech , but run in ●mbers upon ordered ●et of divine poesie , composed and set to m●sicall tunes : in observ●tion of which the psa●mist is as criticall as the daintiest lyrick or h●roick , yet with a vast d●paritie , both for subs●mitie of matter and admirable expression . s● rightly did hierome pr●nounce of david to pa●linus , that he is our si●nides , pindarus , alce● catullus , and in stead all others . sundry reasons are ●ven why the lord wou● have the chief points religion included numbers by the sw● singer of israel . t● first is , that they mig● be transmitted pure and without depravation to ●osteritie : for they run ●o evenly and so harmo●ously upon feet , that if ●here want but a word or syllable the errour is de●rehended . secondly ; it is done ●or the help of memorie : ●or concinnitie of numbers is sooner learned ●nd longer reteined then ●rose . thirdly , it puts us in ●ind of the harmonie ●f our actions : in which holy and heavenly use of the harp the royall pro●het by his tunes of mu●ck teacheth men how to ●et themselves in tune , psal. 15. and not one● how to tune themselv● but to tune their ho● hold , psal. 101. fourthly , to leap ov● a large field at once , a● to speak a little more that of which we can ●ver speak enough , it s●veth for the comfort the godly who are mo● often cheared by psalmodie then by praye● in this last respect s. a●gustine thus describeth psalme , psalmus tranqu●litas animarum est er sig● fer pacis , a psalme is t● tranquillitie of the so● and standard-bearer peace . with which greeth that of s. a●●rose , psalmus est vox ec●esiae , et clamor jucundita●s . and this hath truly been verified in the expe●ence of the saints , that ●evout singing of ●salmes causeth teares of ●y to stand in the eyes ●f yet we may call them ●ares , or not rather the ●ew of heaven , with s. ●ernard ) which adde a ●rment to the torment● . o how often , saith ●ood s. augustine , have ●wept for joy , when the ●weet hym●es of thy ●raise , o lord , have ●unded in my eares . et ●liquebatur cor meum , my heart melted , and ●rops of heavenly passions distilled into my sou●suspirans tibi & respiran● sighing and longing afte● thee , i was overjoyed i● spirit , and wholy overcome with the frago● of thy sweet ointment● i will end this prefa● with a note already mad● unto my hand : athanasius in an epistle ad ma● cellinam de optima inte● pretatione psalmorum , reports , that coming to a● old man , and falling i● talk with him about the psalmes , he receive● from him a good direct●on : whereupon , as himself saith , he listened diligently : the note wa● this , that there is grea● odds between the psalms ●nd other scriptures : for ●f you set aside the mysti●all part of them , the ●orall is so penned that ●very man may think it ●peaks de se , in re sua , it 〈◊〉 penned for him , and ●tted for his case : which ●f other parts of scrip●ure cannot be so affirm●d . to this note of a●anasius i will adde ano●er of s. augustines , ●et us so reade psalmes ●ll our selves be turned ●to psalmes , till the ●nging of psalmes and ●ymns unto the lord ●vite the very angels of ●eaven to bear us com●any ; so shall we learn with a near approch t● joyn our souls as clo● to the eares of god 〈◊〉 philip joyned himself t● the chariot of the e●nuch . then sing ye me●rily unto the lord , o 〈◊〉 saints of his , for it well b●cometh you to be thankfull for you are the timbre of the holy ghost . but because concept●ons like hairs may mo● easily be filleted up the dissheveled , i will tie 〈◊〉 my loose thoughts certain knots : i w● single out one deer fro● the herd , and in particular fix my meditatio● on the eighth psalme . sect. 2. before i enter upon the parts of this psalme , must first clear the title , and shew what is imply●d in the very bark and find thereof . the in●cription , which s. au●ustine calles the key of ●very psalme , is , to him ●hat excelleth in gittith . ●o are the eighty first & the eighty ninth inscri●ed . some derive the word ●ittith from a musicall ●strument so called , be●ause either invented or ●ost used in gath : and ●us the chaldee para●hrast translateth it , to sing upon the harp tha● came from gath. so by gittith here may b● meant , either such instruments as were used by the posteritie of obed 〈◊〉 edom the gittite ; or tha● these psalmes were mad● upon occasion of transporting gods ark from the house of obed-edom , the historie whereof is in 2. sam. 6. and 6 ▪ 10 , 11 , 12 verses . others more probabl● think it respecteth the time when this and thos● songs used to be sung namely at the time hag●gittith , at the vintage which feast was solemnly celebrated by the i●raelites ; in which they especially praised the name of god for the great and manifold blessings conferred upon man : which ●s the whole bloud and ●uyce of this psalme . according to this the greek ●ranslateth it the wine-presses : & gath in hebrew signifies a winepresse ; torcular calcav● solus , i have troden the winepresse a●one , isaiah 63.3 . where by the way i could take along with me this observation ; in those words the prophet speaks not of himself ; for it is he that asketh the question , vers. ● . who is he , &c. proper indeed they are to christ , and so proper to him onely that we shall not reade them any-where applyed to any other . it is he that was in torculari , in a presse , yea , in a double winepresse ; in the former he was himself troden and pressed ; he was the grapes and clusters himself ; in the latter , he that was troden on gets up again , and doth tread upon , and tread down his enemies . the presse he was troden in was his crosse and passion ; never cluster lay so quiet and still to be bruised as did christ in that presse : but that which he came out of , where calcatus became calcator , was his descent , and glorious resurrection . upon this little piece of ground i could raise another fabrick , & inferre this collection from the title , to him that excelleth : as david entitleth these psalmes , so doth god for the most part bestow his graces , to him that excelleth ; and with a liberall hand doth he deal his favours to him that improves his talent to the best advantage . gods familie admitteth of no dwarfes , which are unthriving and stand at a stay ; but men of measure , who still labour to find somewhat added to the stature of their souls . the eagles embleme is sublimiùs , to flie higher , even to behold the sun , as plinie noteth ; the suns embleme is celeriùs , swifter , like a giant refreshed to run his course , as david speaketh , psal. 19. the wheat in the gospel hath its embleme , perfectiùs , riper ; first the blade , then the eare , then full corn , mark 4.28 . ezekiels embleme , profundiùs , deeper ; first to the ankle , then to the thigh , ezek. 47.4 . christs embleme was superiùs ; sit up higher , luke 14.10 . charles the fifth his embleme was vlteriùs , go on farther . the woman with childe hath here embleme , pleniùs , fuller , untill she bring forth . so ought every christian to mount higher with the eagle , to runne swifter with the sunne , to sit up higher with the guest , to passe on further with the emperour , to wax fuller with the woman , till they may bring forth good fruits of saving faith , and so come to a full growth to be perfect men in jesus christ . but it is not my intent to angle about the shore : i will now let down my net , and lanch into the deep . sect. 3. the ground upon which the psalmist sweetly runneth through the whole psalme , is a twofold rapture expressed in a sacred rapsodie , in an exstaticall question of suddain wonder ; a wonder at god , and a wonder at man . in his wonder at man , the parts be antitheta : first , of his vilenesse & debasement ; secondly , of his dignitie and exaltation . in the first each word hath its energie , what is man ? and then , what is the sonne of man ? paraphrastically thus , according to the chaldee , what is man ? not man , that rare creature endowed with wisdome & understanding ; not man , as he is cura divini ingenii , the almighties master-piece , the epitome of the greater world : but , what is enosh , or enosch , miserable , dolefull , wretched man ? or , what is the sonne of adam ; whose originall is adamah , earthie ? what is the sonne of calamitie or earth ? what is he ? nay , what is he not ? what not of calamity and earth ? and because the life of opposites is in comparing them , the prophet in a deep speculation looking over that great nightpiece , and turning over the vast volume of the world , seeth in that large folio among those huge capitall letters what a little insensible dagesh-point man is , and suddenly breaks forth into this amazed exclamation , lord ! what is man ? having considered in his thoughts the beauty of the celestiall host , the moon and the starres , he brings up man unto them ; not to rivall their perfection , but to question his ; and after some stand and pause , in stead of comparison makes this enquirie , what is man , or , the sonne of man ? secondly , we are here to take notice of mans dignitie . though the prophet abaseth himself with a what is man ? yet withall he addes , having an eye at gods favour and mercie towards man , thou takest knowledge of him ; thou makest account of him ; making him onely lower then the angels , but lord over the rest of the creatures . and this knowledge , this account o● god , doth more exa● man then his own vilenesse can depresse him . in his wonder towards god , as if gods glory were the circle of david● thoughts , he both begin● and ends the psalme with an elegant epanalepsis priùs incipit propheta mirari quàm loqui ; o lord our governour , how excellent is thy name in all the world ! vers. 1. and desinit loqui non mirari ; o● lord our governour , how excellent is thy name , &c. vers. 9. sicut incipit it● terminat ; & geminatio re● ejusdem intentionem habe● & animi ardorem , saith musculus on psal. 117. to which agreeth that of s. augustine upon this hymne , incipiendum cum deo , & desinendum cum ●o : to praise god is the first thing we must begin with , and the last we must conclude with . and it is easie to observe , how that the universall underlong of most of these ditties is , praised be the lord . davids gracious heart in a sweet sense of the great goodnesse of his god , every-where breathes out this doxologie or divine epipho●ema , praised be the lord . this is the resolution and logicall analysis o● the whole psalme . b● should i fold up so ri● a work in so small a compasse , i did but shew yo● the knotty outside of a arras-hanging : i wi● now open and draw o● at length , and present t● your eyes the pleasan● mixture of colours i● each piece thereof . an● least i should lose my se● in this zoan , in this fiel● of wonders , my meditations shall keep pace wit● the princely prophet● method , and among those magnalia jehovae mirifica domini , the wonderfull works of the lord , i will first conside● how that out of the ●outhes of babes and suck●ngs he ordaineth strength , 〈◊〉 still the enemie and the ●venger . sect. 4. saint hierome writeth of paula that no●le matrone , that she joy●d in nothing more then ●uòd paulam neptim audie●t in cunis balbutiente lin●uâ halleluja cantare , that ●e heard her niece paula ●ven in the cradle with a ●retty stammering tongue 〈◊〉 sing haleluiah unto ●e lord . o god , thou ●eedest no skilfull rhetorician to set forth the praise : ipsa tibi blandos fundent cunabula flores ; even new-born babe● and sucklings do sufficiently declare thy power wisdome , and goodnesse — qui matrum ex uber● pendent , elingues pueri ( dict● mirabile ! ) vires immensas numénque tuu● muto ore fatentur . thus did the blessed innocents , those primiti● martyrum , witnesse ou● saviours glory , non l● quendo sed moriendo , no● by speaking but by su●fering for him , so the god out of their mout● made perfect his praise . christ assuredly got praise ●n that hymn which the angels sung , glory be to god on high ; he got great praise by s. stephen his protomartyr , and by s. ●ohn whom he loved : but ●s praise was made per●ect by the mouth of those ●abes and innocents . marvel not that children ●ake up that train : for ●nto them and unto us ●en was born a child , as ●e prophet speaks , and ●ch an one as ever de●ghted in little ones , like ●s father . to him was ●ver sacrifice more ac●ptable of beasts , then ●mbes ; of birds , then pigeons : and that lamb● of god carried the sam● mind , suffer little children to come unto me , and fo●bid them not , for unto such belongeth the kingdome ● heaven . and if the kingdome of heaven belong to them , good reaso● they should belong un● the king . as great princes will have their se●vants to attend on hi● whom they honour , 〈◊〉 god commands the glorious angels in heave● to take charge of his lit● ones here on earth ; a● they are ever rea● pitching their te● round about them , a● do ever attend either 〈◊〉 their safegard or revenge . nay , they are no longer angels as s. gregorie well observes , then they are so employed : for ac●ording to s. augustine , angel is a name of office ●ot of nature . they are alwayes spirits , but not alwayes angels : for no ●onger messengers from god to man , no longer angels ; since to be an angel , implyes onely to be a messenger . it was a witty essay of ●im , who styled woman the second edition of the e●itome of the whole world , ●eing framed next unto ●an , who was the ab●ridgement of the whole creation ; and though a● infant be but man in 〈◊〉 small letter , yet ( saith another characterist ) he 〈◊〉 the best copie of adam b●fore he tasted of eve or the apple . — felix sine fraudib● aetas ! thrice happie infancie , in which no guile 〈◊〉 gall is to be found ! c●jus innocentia & ignosce●tia , saith culman , whos● humblenesse and harmlesnesse abundantly co●founds the enemie and the avenger : for a littl● child being injured takes not any revenge but onely makes complaint to its parents . i● this respect we should ●mitate little children ; and when any wrong us , not suddenly break into gods office , who saith , vengeance is mine ; whose prerogative royall it is , to ●epay it : but onely make complaint to god our father in heaven , or to the church our mother on earth . he that upon an ambi●uous word , to which he ●rames an interpretation against himself , upon ●ome chimera of spirit , ●oth instantly fall into ●rags , rotomontadoes , ●untilioes , steps as it were ●to his princes chair of state , yea gods own seat , dethroning both and so disturbs heave● and earth . and he the shall communicate wit● another , still reteining t● impure passion of malic● in which is steeped the venome of all other v●ces , doth put adonis i● the crib of bethlehem , 〈◊〉 heretofore the heathe● did . but from our saviou● crib i remove m● thoughts to moses h● cradle . when tyrann● call pharaoh sent out h● bloudie edict for the slaughter of all the mal● babes and sucklings 〈◊〉 israel , when the exec●tioners hand should ha● succeeded the midwives , then was the mercifull daughter of that cruel father moved to compassion with the beauty ●nd tears of a little infant , which with a smile seem'd to implore the aid and gentle pitie of that royall maid : which young and live●y oratorie so prevailed with her , that from the ●rk of bulrushes , where●n she found it forlorn ●nd floting among the waves , she brought it to the palace , and bred it ; ●ot as a child of alms , ●or whom it might have ●een favour enough to live , but as it had bee● her own sonne , in all the delicates and in all the learning of egypt . thu● many times god write● such presages of honou● and majestie in the fac● of children as are able t●confound the enemie an● the avenger . some have observed how aptly these words ex ore infantum , are her● inserted in the secon● verse of this psalme , between the first and the third , wherein the prophet magnifieth god● glory in consideration o● the heavens , & such lik● works of his and his ordaining ; as though the heavens too , the sun , the moon , the starres , and the rest , were to be rec●oned among those babes ●nd infants out of whose mouthes together with ●thers he hath appointed ●e predication and per●ct composition of his ●raises . and because parallel ●xts of scripture , like ●sses set one against another , cast a mutuall ●ght , it will not be a●isse to illustrate this by ●nferring and medita●g on some passages of ●e former part of the ●eteenth psalme , and the next place consider ●w the heavens declare the glory of god , and the firmament sheweth h● handy-work . sect. 5. though men onely were made to be the speech-sounding letter in the alphabet of the creation ; though the heavens , the day and the night be mute , yet hav● they a language whic● is universally understood : the continua● succession of day & nigh● doth notably set forth the wonderfull power & providence of god ; on● day telleth another , & on● night certifieth another , vers. 2. if the world be , as clemens alexandri●us saith , dei scriptura , the first bible that god made for the institution of man ; then may we ●ake those words to be ●art of the book of the world , where nights are as it were the black in●ie lines of learning , dayes the white lightsome spaces between the ●ines , where god hath ●mprinted a legible deli●eation of his glory . here with chryso●tome we may observe the goodly eutaxie of the howers , how like maydens dancing in a round , very handsomely and curiously the● succeed one another , and by little and little , and without any stirre in the world , the inmost convey themselves utter most , the formost , hindermost , and middlemost do all shift places one with another , and yet for all this , they never stand still , but do still stand in their just distances , — & positae spatiis aequalibus horae . where likewise i may assume that of the apostle , rom. 10.15 . how beautifull are the feet of those that bring glad tidings ? how beautifull 〈◊〉 {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , how howerlike ! and then they are fair and beautifull indeed . i will elevate this a point higher , and next consider the goodly and glorious vault of heaven , where are those worlds of light , much bigger then so many globes of earth , hanging and moving regularly in that bright and spacious contignation of the firmament . if there were no other , this were a sufficient errand for a mans being here below , to see and observe those goodly luminaries above our heads , their places , their quantities , their motions , to discern those glories that may answer to so rich a pavement . there is the sunne , the heart of the world , the eyes of the universe , the gemme of natures ring , the prince of life , monarch of dayes and yeares , the bridegroom , the husband of the earth which provides heat and sustenance for her and all the children that hang on her breasts . there is the moon , a weaker light for a necessarie use , mother of moneths , lady of seas & moystures , a secret worker upon bodily humours , whose vertue is not greater in her light then in her influence . there be those twinkling starres , as it were virgins with torches waiting on their mistres the queen of night : posuit etiam deus stellas , gen. 1.16 . some reade , dedit stellas , god gave the starres in way of dowrie or a joynture ; but others , posuit stellas , he set them in order : he hath not set them tanquā in centro , but tanquam in circulo , in excellent order . surely if these dark and low rooms are so well fitted , it is not like those fair and upde● rooms are void . this sidereall heaven ( i● contemplation of which in an holy trance i could gaze my self into wonder ) is not more richly decked with conspicuous candles perpetually burning , then the throne of god with celestiall lights . there are innumerable regiments , bands and royall armies of cherubims and seraphims , archangels and angels , saints and martyrs . there is nothing which a religious soul can covet but she hath it ; and to borrow a strain of the schools , for the closing up of this sweet note , hîc deum amamus amore desiderii ; at in coelo , amore amicitiae : here we desire to have god , there we have our full desire . to cast mine eyes back from whence i have a little digressed , by a retrogradation , i contemplate again the excellencie of man , together with the priviledges of his condition wherewith god hath ennobled him . in some creatures we have onely vestigium , the print of gods foot ; but in others imaginem , his image . the sunne , the moon , and the stars are glorious creatures , yet are they but the work of gods fingers : whereas man is the work of his hands ; thy hands have made me and fashioned me : i will praise thee , for i am fearfully and wonderfully made , &c. the word in the originall signifies such art and curiositie as is used in needlework or embroiderie . man is as it were gods scutcheon , wherein he hath pourtrayed all the titles of the most excellent beauties of the world . god having framed the world ( saith causinus in his holy court ) as a large clock , hath proportionably given to man the place . the first wheel of this great clock of the world , is the primum mobile : the continuall motion , the secret influences of antipathies and sympathies , which are , as it were , hidden in the bowels of nature : the hand thereof , is this goodly and beautifull embowed frettizing of the heavenly orbs which we behold with our eyes : the twelve signes are , as it were , the distinctions of the twelve howers of the day : the sunne exerciseth the office of the steel and gnomon , to point out time ; and in his absence , the moon : the starres contribute thereto their lustrous brightnesse : the flowrie carpet of the earth beneath us , the spangled canopie of the heavens above us , the wavie curtains of the aire about us , are so many emblemes to exercise the wisest in the knowledge of this great workman : the living creatures are the small chimes ▪ and man is the great clock , which is to strike the howers , and rende● thanks to the creatou● s. chrysostome saith that the angels are the morning-starres , whereo● mention is made in job who incessantly praise god ; and men are the evening-starres fashioned by the hand of god to do the same office . briefly , god hath made man the charge of angels , the sole surveyour of heaven , the commander of the earth , the lord of the creatures . and thus am i led by the hand to consider his regencie and dominion over them . sect. 6. when god had formed of the earth every beast of the field , and every fowl of the aire of their own fit matter , he brought them unto man , who was their lord , to acknowledge his sovereigntie , and to receive from him their names , gen. 2.19 . some have conceited adam sitting in some high and eminent place , his face shining farre brighter then ever the face of moses did , and every beast coming as he was called , and bowing the head as he passed by , being not able to behold his countenance . most probable it is , that either by the help of angels , or by that which the greeks call {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , a naturall and secret instinct from god , by which every creature perceiveth what is good & bad for them , they were gathered to adam . god brought them to man for diverse reasons : first , to let him see how much he did excell them , and how much the more he should be thankfull . god made other creatures in severall shapes , like to none but themselves ; man , after his own image : others with qualities fit for service ; man , for dominion . secondly , that he should give them their names , in token of his power over them . thirdly , that posteritie might see what admirable knowledge adam had in giving names to the creatures according to their kinds . all the arts were ingraven upon the creatures , yet none but man could see them : for he receives them both actively and passively ; and therefore by logick he understood their natures , and by grammar their names . if god had given their names , it had not been so great a praise of adams memorie to recall them , as it was then of his judgement at first sight to impose them . by his knowledge he fitted their names to their disposition : and even in this he shewed his dominion over them , in that he knew how to govern them and order them also . to witnesse their subjection they present themselves before him as their awfull king , to do their first homage , and to acknowledge their tenure . such was the wonderfull beautie of mans body , such a majestie resulting from his face , that it struck a reverence into them all . the image of god , as it were the lords coat of arms which he had put upon man , made the creatures afraid of him . though god made man paulò inferiorem angelis , little lower then the angels , yet he made him multò superiorem reliquis , farre above all the creatures : he that made man and all the rest , praeposuit , set man above all the rest . thus while man served his creatour , he was feared of every creature . but did he not lose this patent of dominion by his fall ? are not the beasts now become his enemies ? may we not now take up the complaint of job , chap. 39.7 . the wilde asse derideth the multitude of the citie , and heareth not the crie of the driver . the vnicorn will not serve , nor tarrie by the crib , 9. the hawk will not flie by our wisdome , neither doth the eagle mount up at our command , v. 26 , 27. we cannot draw out leviathan with an hook , neither pierce his jaws with an angle . job . 41.1 , 2. how then is the fear of man upon the creatures ? though adam in the state of innocencie had this rule over them in a more excellent manner , for then they were subject by nature , of their own accord , without compulsion ; yet by his transgression man did not altogether lose this power and dominion : for it was one of the prerogatives which god gave to noah and his sonnes , gen. 9.2 . the fear of you shall be upon every beast of the earth , and upon every fowl of heaven , upon all that moveth on the earth , and upon all the fish of the sea : into your hands are they delivered : that is , saith the paraphrast , the outward priviledges of your first creation i do now , though imperfectly , renew unto you ; let the fear and dread of you be planted naturally in every beast of the earth , whether tame or wild , and in every fowl of the aire , and generally in all that treadeth on the earth , and in all the fishes of the sea : all these , my will is , shall be subject to your will and command , that as by you and for you they were preserved , so they accordingly serve to your use . when christ was in the wildernesse with the beasts fourty dayes and fourty nights , they hurt him not , mark 1.13 . so when the image of god is restored to man in holinesse , all the creatures begin willingly to serve him ; but they are enemies to the unregenerate . the dogs did eat the flesh of jezebel , 2. kings 9.36 . yet they licked the sores of lazarus , luke 16.21 . the ravens pick out the eyes of those that are disobedient to their parents , prov. 30.17 . yet they fed elias in the wildernesse . 1. kings 17.6 . the serpents stung the people of israel , num. 21.6 . yet the viper that leaped on pauls hand hurt him not , acts 28.6 . the lions that devoured daniels accusers , touched not him , dan. 6.23 , 24. and still there are some reliques of god left in man which make the beasts to stand in aw of him : for first , they cannot do that harm to man which they would , because god restrains their power . secondly , they do not offend man , but when he offends god . thirdly , the nature of every wild beast hath been tamed by the nature of man , james 3.7 . fourthly , the most salvage beasts stand in fear of him ; they flie his company ; they shunne his arts and snares ; they fear his voice and shadow . when man goeth to rest , the beasts come forth to hunt their prey , psal. 104.20 . fifthly , they serve man , and submit themselves to his will . the lion will crouch to his keeper : the elephant will be ruled and led about by a little dwarf : the horse yeelds his mouth to the bridle ; the ox his neck to the yoke ; the cow her dugs to our hands ; the sheep her wooll to the shearers . he can now stoop the hawk to his lure , send the dog on his errand , teach one fowl to fetch him another , one beast to purvey for his table in the spoil of others . i am fallen upon a subject not more large then pleasant ; & híc pinguescere potest oratio , my lines could here more easily swell into a volume then be contracted into a manual . for as aeneas sylvius noteth , that there is no book so weakly written but it conteines one thing or other which is profitable ; and as the elder plinie said to his nephew when he saw him walk out some howers without studying , poteras has horas non perdere , you might have chosen whether you would have lost this time : so if we would improve our most precious minutes to the best , and contemplate on this great school of the world , where men are the scholars , and the creatures the characters by which we spell , and put together that nomen majestativum , as s. bernard calls it , that great and excellent name of god , we should find that there is no creature so contemptible but may justly challenge our observation , and teach a good soul one step towards the creatour . there is not any so little a spider which coming into the world bringeth not with it its rule , its book , its light : it is presently instructed in what it should do . the swallow is busie in her masonrie : the bee toyleth all day in her innocent theft : the pismires , a people not strong , prepare their meat in summer , and labour like the bees : sed illae faciunt cibos , hae condunt , but these make , the others hoard up meat . as vulcan is commended in the poet for beating out chains and nets — quae lumina fallere possunt , — non illud opus tenuissima vincunt stamina , so thin that the eye could not see them , being smaller then the smallest thread : so the smaller the creature is , the more is the workmanship of god to be admired both in shaping & using thereof . our god is as cunning and artificiall in the organicall body of the smallest creature of the world as of the greatest : and what application we may make thereof , i shall have fair occasion given me again to treat of , when i come to consider the fowls of the aire , and the fish of the sea . in the mean time having selected this psalme for my meditations on mans lordship and sovereigntie over the creatures , i proceed according to the prophets method ; and from his omnia subjecisti , from some generalls , come to handle some particulars : and , as he hath ranked them in order , i will next declare how the lord hath put under his feet all sheep and oxen , and the beasts of the field . sect. 7. there be beasts ad esum . and ad usum . some of them are profitable alive not dead ; as the dog , & horse , serviceable while they live , once dead they are thrown out for carrion . some are profitable dead not alive ; as the hog that doth mischief while he lives , but is wholesome food dead . some are profitable both alive and dead ; as the ox that draws the plough , the cow that gives milk , while they live ; & when they are killed , nourish and feed us with their flesh : yet none of them is so profitable as that quiet , innocent , harmlesse creature , the sheep : whose every part is good for something ; the wooll for raiment , the skin for parchment , the flesh for meat , the guts for musick . in sacrifices no creature so frequently offered ; in the sinne-offering , peace-offering , burnt-offering , passeover , sabbath-offering ; and especially in the daily-offering they offered a lambe at morning , and a lambe at evening , num. 28. lorinus observeth out of the fathers , why a lambe was so continually offered ; namely , as a type of the offering of christ : who in eight and twenty severall places of the revelation is called the lambe of god . for the name of sheep ; notatissima est dicendi forma , saith bucer : in the 34. of ezekiel , the prophets are thirteen times called shepherds , and the people one and twentie times called sheep . in what honour the name , function and person of shepherds hath been , is every-where apparent through the sacred scriptures . a shepherd was the first tradesman , though the second sonne of all the children of adam . and after abel , many shepherds were in near attendance upon god . a shepherds life , saith philo , est praeludium ad regnum ; ideò reges olim dicti sunt {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} : of which phrase homer and other grecians have made use . the old testament hath none in more esteem then shepherds . moses , that kept jethro's sheep ; jacob , that kept labans sheep ; amos a prophet , taken from the herd ; moses a priest and a prophet , from the sheep ; elisha the lords seer ( and you know whose spirit elisha had ) yet taken from the cattel ; david the lords souldier , ( and who ever got such victories as david ? ) yet fetched from the fold , and by the choyce of god destined to the throne . when he had lien long enough close among his flocks in the field of bethlehem , god sees a time to send him to the pitched field of israel , where at his first appearance in the list with that insolent uncircumcised philistine , whose heart was as high as his head , he takes no other spear but his staff , no other brigandine but his shepherds scrip , no other sword but his sling , no other artillerie but what the brook affords , five smooth small peebles ; and yet by these guided by an invisible hand he overcame the giant . afterwards when the diademe empaled his temples , his thoughts still reflected on his hook and harp . all the state and magnificence of a kingdome could not put his mouth out of taste of a retired simplicitie . as a musician often toucheth upon the sweetest note in his song , pavin or galliard , so our kingly prophet in diverse psalmes , but especially in his three and twentieth , ( which we may call his bucolicon ) hath most daintily struck upon the same string , through the whole hymn : there have you shepherd , sheep , green fields , still waters , wayes , pathes , valleyes , shadows , yea the rod , and the crook . but more then all this ; god the father is called a shepherd , psal. 80.1 . god the sonne doth name himself a shepherd , john 10.11 . god the holy ghost is named a shepherd and bishop of our souls , 1. pet. 2.25 . these very terms of shepherd and sheep have led me farther than i thought besides the waters of comfort . the night hath now furled up her sails , and a clear thin cloud laden onely with a light dew besprinkleth with drops the whole earth , like pearls , which sparkle as little eyes in the faces of the flowers and plants . the glorious sun is now unlocking the doore of the morning to run his race . the winged choristers of heaven do now begin to prune and pick themselves , and in their circling turns mount and soar aloft , and caroll out their praises to god , as rendring their dutifull devotions and thanks unto him who hath thus reflected the beams of the sun upon them : whose sweet anthems and modulations invite mine eare to listen thereunto , and after some pause break off my thoughts from the beasts of the field , and direct my pen to write somewhat of the fowls of the aire . sect. 8. my meditations are now on wing : and i will make a short and speedy flight through the volarie of the open aire , to look on the numberlesse guests which it conteineth ; to see the severall fowls of all shapes , colours & notes , whom nature doth so willingly and bountifully furnish for the benefit of man , even to a mirrour of delicacie , braverie , use . first , if we consider profit , they are for meat . when the israelites in the desert murmured for meat , moses asked whether he should kill all the beeves and sheep , or gather together all the fish of the sea : he forgot the fowls of the aire . but god sent them such a drift of quails , in such abundance , that they were about two cubits above the earth . o the goodnesse and providence of that great house-keeper of this universe ! they desired meat , and received quails ; they desired bread , and had manna . god gave them the meat of kings , and the bread of angels . again , they are not onely food in their flesh , but in their egs also : and as their flesh is for our eating in the day , so are their feathers for our resting in the night . they are profitable both in warre and peace , in sagittis belli , & in calamis pacis : their feathers are for arrows in time of warre to fight with , and for quills in time of peace to write with . secondly , they are good if we consider pleasure . there is pleasure in the taking of them , by fowling to meaner persons , and by hawking to princes and the better sort . there is pleasure in them to the eye ; when the navie of tharshish brought unto solomon gold from ophir , there ●ame also besides apes , and parrats and popin-jayes , ( as some have probably conjectured ) and the starrie-trained peacocks , which are onely birds of pleasure ; whose daintie-coloured feathers being spread against the sunne , have a curious lustre , and look like gemms : the wings of the peacock are pleasant , and the feathers of the ostrich . so is the purpled pheasant with the speckled side . our prophet david was much taken with the colour of the dove ; pennae columbae deargentatae , her feathers are silver-white , psal. 68.13 . and three severall times in the canticles doth solomon set forth the beautie of the spouse , alluding ad oculos columbarum , eyes single and direct as a dove , not learing as a fox , and looking diverse wayes ; oculos columbinos , non vulpinos . there is pleasure in them to the eare . the harmonie of instruments is but devised by art , but the singing and chirping of birds is naturalis musica mundi , the fowls of the aire do sing upon the branches , psal. 104.12 . how doth it delight us to heare the pretty lyrick lark , the blackbird , the linnet , the severall kinds of finches , the mirthfull mavis , the wren , the thrush , & starling , & all the shrill-mouth'd quire , chant forth their dulcid polyphonian notes ! how doth the nightingale ( which the latines call philomela , a bird that loveth to sing ) charm our senses , when she maketh an organ of her throat , sometimes breaking her notes into warbles , sometimes stretching them out at length ! lastly , in these feathered creatures do i likewise find bonum honestum . many rare and admirable documents of instruction may we learn from them . the dove is an hieroglyphick of unspotted chastitie , of white innocencie ; and harmlesse simplicitie . nescit adulterii flammam intemerata columba . never was dove sick of a lustfull disease , but so loving and so true to her mate , that ( i will deliver it from a better pen ) she hath given life to a proverb by her propertie ; true as the turtle , is the highest language conjugall love can speak ●n . the nature of her is described in this distich , est sine felle , gemit , rostro non laedit , & ungues possidet innocuos , puráque grana leg it . she hath no malice to sowre her gall , to dissweeten her temper , she hurteth not with her bill , she hath harmlesse claws , and feedeth on pure grain . in the gospel ( saith that ingenious authour ) where our blessed saviour vouchsafeth to make the dove his own text , and our copie , he proposeth her in his sermon as a patern worthy the imitation of all christians ; be ye innocent as doves ; {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} : a word derived from the privative particle α and the verb {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} or {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , signifying simple , without mixture ; or from the same α and {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} an horn ; and then it implies as much as hurtlesse or harmlesse . who ever saw the rough foot of the dove armed with griping talons ? who ever saw the beak of the dove bloudie ? who ever saw that innocent bird pluming of her spoil , and tiring upon bones ? this qualitie is so eminent in the dove , that our saviour there singled it out for an hieroglyphick of simplicity . whence it was questionlesse , that god of all fowls chose out this for his sacrifice , sin ex aliqua volucri , &c. levit. 1.14 . and before the law abraham was appointed no other fowls but a turtle-dove and a young pigeon , gen. 15.9 . neither did the holy virgin offer any other at her purifying then this embleme of her self and her blessed babe . shortly , the holy ghost in scripture is resembled to a dove , and appeared in the shape thereof : the devil on the contrary is compared to serpent , and used it as his instrument . illa à primordio divinae pacis praeco ; the dove in the beginning brought an olive-branch , and preached peace unto the world : ille à primordio divinae imaginis praedo ; the serpent in the beginning played the thief , and robbed mankind of the image of god . we have an example of mercie in the pelican , which is a bird of mercie , and hath in the hebrew ( as the masters of that tongue observe ) the name of mercie , as a truly mercifull bird . she taketh her name pelican , {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , from smiting or piercing , in regard that by piercing her breast she reviveth her young ones , after they have been killed by serpents , or by her own bill . the brave bird which the grecians call onocrotalus , is so well practiced to expect the hawk for to grapple with her , that even when sleep shutteth her eyes , she sleepeth with her bea● exalted , as if she would contend with her adversarie . hence may we have the quintessence of al● wisdome , to stand upon our guard , and daily expect death ; it being 〈◊〉 businesse we should learn all our life , to exercise i● once . when moses went up unto god , the lord called him out of the mountain , saying , thus shalt thou say to the house of jacob , and tell the children of israel ; ye have seen what i did unto the egyptians , and bow i bare you on eagles wings . by the eagles some there understand moses and aaron , the two guides that led the children of israel out of egypt ; & will have them compared thereunto propter acumen intelligentiae & altitudinem vitae , by reason of their piercing judgement and holy life . they indeed were , as chrysostome saith , mollissimae pennae misericordiae divinae , as it were the down-feathers of gods mercie , because they handled the people committed to their charge tenderly , in imitation of eagles : of whom some report , that whereas other birds carry their young ones in their talons or claws , which cannot be done without some griping , they lay them upon their wings , and so transport them without any grievance . which is a good embleme for magistrates , and teacheth them paternall affection towards their people . gorran in his exposition of saint lukes gospel , cap. 17. v. 37. saith , that the saints resemble the eagles in these five properties . first , calvitie peccatorum . for as the eagles moult off their feathers , and so become bald , so the saints pluck off their sick feathers from their soul ; they circumcise the old man with the lusts thereof , and weed out sinne by the roots . the prophet micah exhorting the people to repentance , bids them to inlarge their baldnesse like the eagle , micah 1.16 . mary magdalene did more then cast her feathers , when she converted her eyes , her hairs , her lips , feathers of wantonnesse , into pledges of repentance . she had been parched with sinne and the heat of concupiscence , as the wife of othniel complained of an hot countrey when she begged of caleb and joshua the springs above and the springs beneath ; this holy sinner at her conversion brought unto our saviour irriguum superius , springs of tears in her eyes above ; & irriguum inferius , springs of bloud ( if i may so speak ) in her heart beneath , even a bleeding , contrite and a wounded spirit . as plinie saith of the fleur de lis , or flower-de-luce , that it is begotten by its own tears ; in the same manner are the saints produced to beatitude by their proper afflictions . the second resemblance is in renovatione novi hominis , in their new birth : who reneweth thy youth like unto the eagle , psal. 103.5 . the eagle by casting her beak , and breaking her bill upon a stone , receives a new youthfulnesse in her age . this rock is christ , upon which the saints break their hearts by repentance . paul had cast his bill and his feathers when he said , now i live not , but it is christ that liveth in me , gal. 2.20 . extinctus fuit saevus persecutor , & vivere coepit pius praedicator , saith gregorie . the third resemblance is in volatûs elevatione , in their loftie flight . doth not the eagle mount up , and make her nest on high ? job 39.27 . so it is with the saints : as their conversation , so their contemplation is as high as heaven . such elevations had our prophet david , psal. 25.1 . & psal. 121.1 . such an eagle was saint paul , qui in terra positus , à terra extraneus : he lived here , yet a stranger while he lived here . of all fowls , saith munster , the eagle onely moves herself straight upward and downward perpendicularly without any collaterall declination . by her playing with thunderbolts , and confronting that part of heaven where lightnings , and storms , and tempests most reigne , she teacheth great and couragious spirits how to encounter all disasters . and by beating her wings on high , we are taught sursum corda , to ascend up in our thoughts where our saviour is . what the poets feign of the eagles laying her egs in jupiters lap fabulously , that doth the faithfull man by davids counsel truly , and with isaiahs eagle flying up to heaven casteth his whole burden upon the lord . the fourth is in visionis claritate , in the clearnesse of vision . saint augustine writeth of the eagle , that being aloft in the clouds she can discern sub frutice leporem , sub fluctibus piscem , under the shrub an hare , under the waves a fish : so the faithfull being eagle-eyed , can with moses in a bramble see the majestie of god ; with the three children in the furnace see the presence of christ ; with elizeus in the straitest siege see an army of angels to defend him ; with s. paul in the heap of afflictions behold a weight of glory provided for him . the last is in viae occultatione , in the secrecy of their way . one of those things which the wise man admired at , was the way of an eagle in the aire , prov. 30.19 . see them flie we may , but their wayes and subtle passages we cannot discern : so the saints good works are seen of men , but their intentions with what mind they do them are not discoverable . i have the longer insisted on this princely bird , the eagle , because among all other birds is ascribed to her maximus honos & maxima vis ; and in the scriptures are grounded many proverbs and similes upon the strength and length of her wing , upon her lofty flight , and sharp sight . it were infinite to follow the allegorists in moralizing her qualities : and to trace plinie or aelian for the varietie of eagles , were a course easie , but a discourse tedious . it would likwise in my poor conceit , something savour of his spice of pride that numbred his people , to reckon and heap up all that i have read on this argument . i have already shewed what excellent lessons the bee , the swallow , and diverse other birds do read unto us , and i must not per eandem lineam serram reciprocare , draw my saw the same way back again . i discharge this point : the next that attendeth our consideration is the other part of gods work , on the fifth day , which i may call his water-work : and so i take into my thoughts the fish of the sea , and whatsoever walketh through the paths thereof . sect. 9. when argus in the poet had the custodie of io , constiterat quocunque loco , spectabat ad io ; ante oculos io , quamvìs aversus , habebat . which way soere he stands he io spies : io behind him is , before his eyes : so may i say of them that go down into the sea in ships , on every side , which way soever they look , they see the works of the lord , and his wonders in the deep , psal. 107.23 . first , the element in it self is wonderfull : first , in regard of the depth , situation and termination of it . secondly , in regard of its motion , its afflux and reflux , its ebs and flowes , its fulls and wanes , its spring and neap-tides . thirdly , in regard of navigation , or the art of sayling , which now is so ordinarie and common , that we almost cease to bestow wonder on it . again , it is wonderfull in the numberlesse number of creatures which it containeth . this one word fiat hath made such infinite numbers of fishes , that their names may make a dictionarie , and yet we shall not know them all . first , for the profunditie of the sea , ( which is the distance between the bottom and superficies of the waters ) it is of that immensitie that in many places no line can touch it . the common received opinion that the depth of it being measured by a plummet seldome exceeds two or three miles , is not to be understood ( saith breerwood a worthy writer ) of the sea in generall , but onely of the depth of the straits or narrow seas , which were perhaps searched by the ancients , who dwelt far from the main ocean . for the site and bounds of it , it is excellent . the naturall place of the waters by the confession of all is above the earth : this at the first they enjoyed , and after repeated and recovered again in the overwhelming of the old world , when the lord for a time delivered them as it were from their bands , and gave them their voluntarie and naturall passage . and at this day there is no doubt , but the sea , which is the collection of waters , is higher then the land , as sea-faring men gather by sensible experiments . thou coverest it with the deep as with a garment , saith the psalme . as a vesture in the proper use of it is above the body that is clothed therewith , so is the sea above the land . and such a garment , saith one , would it have been unto the earth , but for the providence of god towards us , as the shirt that was made for the murdering of agamemnon , where he had no issue out . therefore the psalmist addeth immediatly , at thy rebuke they fled : at the voice of thy thunder they hasted away . they go up by the mountains , they go down by the valleys unto the place which thou hast founded for them . thou hast set a bound that they may not passe over ; that they turn not again to cover the earth . though that fluid element is alwayes running and often roring as if it would swallow up the earth , though this untamed beast be unresistable by the power of man , yet is it ruled like a child by the power of god : the sea is his and he made it , psal. 95.5 . he stilleth the raging of the sea and the noise of the waves , psal. 65.7 . he hath shut up the sea with doores , job 38.8 . he hath established his commandment upon the sea , and said , hitherto shalt thou come and no further ; here will i stay thy proud waves , vers. 11. by many texts of scripture the earth is said to have the sea for its foundation , psal. 24.2 . and psal. 116.16 . yea , to be made out of the matter and to consist in it , 2. pet. 3.5 . god would have his servant job admire hereat , when he asked him , whereupon are the foundations set ? and who laid the corner-stone thereof ? job 38.6 . elsewhere it is said to have no foundation , job 26.7 . onely to hang in the midst of the world by the power of god immoveable , psal. 93.2 . psal. 104.5 . isaiah 40.12 . and 42.5 , &c and these which haply may seem most inept and weak pillars , are firm bases , psal. 104.5 . and mighty foundations mich. 6.2 . all which is an argument demonstrative of gods power and providence , who as he brought light out of darknesse , so hath he set the solid earth upon the liquid waters , and that for the convenience of mans habitation . secondly , it is wonderfull for its motion : why it moveth forward , why it retireth , is to us above all reason wonderfull . that such a motion there is , experience sheweth ; but the searching out of the cause of it , is one of the greatest difficulties in all naturall philosophie . aristotle was so much admired for his logicall wit , that by some he hath been charactered by three speciall epithets : first , that he was {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , a lover of universalities ; secondly , that he was {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , a lover of method ; lastly and chiefly , that he was {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , a subtile searcher out of causes : yet this genius and secretarie of nature , this acute philosopher , this prince of philosophers , is reported to have stood amazed at the flowing and ebbing of euripus , and despairing of finding out the cause thereof , cast himself into the river , and was comprised of that he could not comprehend . what aristotles opinion was concerning this matter is an uncertain conjecture , for as much as little or nothing can be gathered touching this out of any boo● which is certainly known to be aristotles ; for the tractate of the propriety of elements is judged to be none of his , but of some later authour . this is more at large most judiciously discussed by mr nathanael carpenter in his geographie , lib. 2. cap. 6. thirdly , it is wonderfull in the art of navigation on it . is it not strange that there should be a plough to delve a passage through the unwieldy ocean ? that the water should be of such fidelitie as firmly to bear up all vessels from the shallop to the ship , from the smallest carvel to the mightiest and greatest carack , and by the help of favourable and propitious winds convey them on their woven wings from climate to climate , to the benefit and commoditie of their farre-distant owners ? concerning the originall of shipping , i find it to be gods own invention . if god had not said to noah , fac tibi arcam ; and when he had said so , if he had not given him a designe , a module , a platform of the ark , we may doubt whether ever man would have thought of a means to passe from nation to nation , of a ship or any such way of trade and commerce . this ark resting afterwards on the mountain of ararat , gave a precedent to other nations neare-bordering how ships were to be framed . thus navigation first taught by almighty god , was afterwards seconded by the industrie of famous men in all ages . for the use and commodity of navigation may be produced many arguments . the first and principall is the promotion of religion ; how should the gospel have been divulged through the whole world , had not the apostles dispersed themselves , and passed the sea in ships , to convey their sacred message to divers nations and kingdomes ? again , sea-traffick and merchandizing is of that excellent use , that the state of the world cannot subsist without it . not the lyon and the unicorn , but the plough and the ship under god are the supporters of a crown . non omnis fert omnia tellus , no countrey yeeldeth all kind of commodities . there must be a path from egypt to asshur , and from asshur to egypt again , to make a supply of their mutuall wants . mesha the king of moab was a king of sheep ; hiram king of tyre had store of timber and workmen : ophir was famous for gold , chittim for ivorie , basan for oaks , lebanon for cedars , saba for frankincense . we have our gold from india , our spices from arabia , our silks from spain , our wines from france . and thus by the goodnesse and wisdome of god is one countrey the helper and mutuall supporter of anothers welfare . he maketh one the granarie , to furnish her neighbours with corn ; another the armourie , to furnish the rest with weapons ; another the piscarie , to furnish the rest with fish ; another the treasurie , to furnish the rest with gold . by this is the merchant the key of the land , the treasurer of the kingdome , the venter of his soils surplussage , the combiner of nations , and the adamantine chain of countreys . the sea and the earth , saith a learned prelate , are the great coffers of god ; the discoveries of navigation are the keys , which whosoever hath received may know that he is freely allowed to unlock these chests of nature without any need to pick the wards . here could i spread my meditations , and train on my reader with delight : but my principall aim is , to shew how wonderfull the sea is in the great varietie and abundance of creatures that live and move within this wombe of moisture . almighty god hath so richly sown the great and boisterous element of waters with the spawn of all sorts of fish which so innumerably multiply , and hath crowned the deeps with such abundance , that the sea contendeth with the earth for plentie , variety , and delicacy . the breed of it is yeelded to be full of wonder . as there is miraculum in nodo , a wonder in the knitting of those two elements of water and earth in one sphericall and round bodie ; so is there miraculum in modo , a miracle in the manner of the operation : for eodem modo producitur balaena quo rana ; totidémque syllabae ad creandum pisciculos quot ad creandum cete . small fishes are not the superfluitie of nature : there is as much admirablenesse in the little shrimp as in the great leviathan : both are miraculous . there are miracula magna & miracula parva ; & saepe parva sunt magnis majora , saith saint augustine : the basest fish , even that shelfish called murex , giveth our purples , the most sumptuous and delightfull colours : and margarites , the most precious pearls that beautifie princes robes , come from the sea . and this is first the bonum jucundum , the pleasure good , which we find in them . the tast of many fishes , in all manner of magnificence , is more delicate and exquisite then that of flesh . and fish hath ever had the priviledge which at this day it hath , that chief gentlemen are pleased and have skill to dresse it . nor is fishing it self lesse delightfull to them that use it then hunting and hawking are to others . they are indeed princely disports , & studium nobilium , the study , the exercise , the ordinary businesse of many great ones ; yet much riding , many dangers accompany them : hilares venandi labores , &c. whereas fishing , which is a kind of hunting by water , be it with nets , weels , bait , angling or otherwise , is still and quiet . and if so be the angler catch no fish , yet hath he a wholesome walk among the curled woods and painted meads through which a silver-serpent river leads to some cool courteous shade . — he whiffes the dainties of the fragrant fields ; he sucketh in the breath of fine fresh meadow-flowers , which ( like the warbling of musick ) is sweetest in the open aire where it cometh and goeth ; he heareth the melodious harmony of birds , a quire whereof each tree enterteineth at natures charge ; he sees the swans , herons , ducks , water-hens , coots , and many other fowl , with their brood ; which he thinketh better then the noise of hounds ▪ or blast of horns , or all the sport that they can make . this is true of those that use fishing for recreation : but what shall we say of the poore stipendiarie fishermen , qui cruribus ocreati , who booted up to the very groins , toil and take much pains for a little pay ? certainly god crowneth their labour with a sweet repose , and their diet is more wholesom & nourishing ; whereas surfets light frequently on the rich , and the gentle bloud groweth quickly foul : the bread of him that laboureth ( as solomon saith of his sleep ) is sweet and relishable , whether he eat little or much . this hath he prettily expressed in his sicelides ; happie , happie fisher-swains , if that you knew your happines your sports taste sweeter by your pains , sure hope your labour relishes : your net your living : whe● you eat , labour finds appetite and meat . when the seas and tempests rore , you either sleep , or pipe , or play , and dance along the golden shore , thus you spend the night & day : shrill wind 's a pipe , hoarse sea 's a taber , to fit your sports or ease your labour . moreover , by fishing and using themselves thereto men are enabled to do service for their countrey : when reuben abode among the sheep-folds to heare the bleating of the flocks , when gilead did stay beyond jordan , and issachar took his rest in his tents , then the people of zebulun did jeopard their lives unto death in the field against sisera . zebulun is a tribe of account , as well as judah , benjamin , and nepthali , psal. 68.27 . moses by a spirit of prophesie , ( as likewise remembring what old israel had prophesied of this sonne and his posteritie , zebulun shall dwell by the sea-side ; he shall be an haven for ships , gen. 49.13 . ) breathed but this propheticall patheticall dying farewell , they shall suck of the abundance of the seas , and of the treasures hid in the sands , deut. 33.19 . and here doth fall into our contemplation the bonum utile , the great benefit , commoditie and profit that we reap from the sea : which according to our english proverb , is a good neighbour , in that it yeelds such store of fish whereby the inhabitants may be nourished , and other creatures the better preserved . for abrahams servant to fetch a calf from the stalls , jacob to bring a kid from the fold , esau● to bring venison from the field , doth not so much expresse how god filleth us with plenteousnesse , as the unseen prey which the fisherman bringeth from the sea . who can number the sand of the sea ? saith the sonne of sirach , ecclus 1.2 . nay , what man is able to number the fish of the sea ? which are so many that the patriarch jacob prayed that josephs children might encrease like the fish , gen. 48.16 . beasts of the field and birds of the air bring forth but one or two young ones , if they be big ; or , if they be little , some three or foure , others five or six , few above ten , none usually above twenty : but fish , as experience teacheth , every day bring forth hundreds at one time : in the great and wide sea , saith our prophet , are things creeping innumerable , both small and great , psal. 104.25 . in the creation god said , let the waters bring forth in abundance every creeping thing that hath the soul of life , gen. 1.20 . howbeit in all that abundance , as it is observed , there is nothing specified but the whale , as being the prince of the rest , and , to use the phrase of job , king of all the children of pride . wherein the workmanship of the maker is most admirable : for it is said , then god created the whales ; and not singly , the whales , but with an additament , the great whales . so doth the poet term them immania cete , huge whales , as being the stateliest creatures that move in the waters . god made the whale , saith a father , to be vectem maris , the barre of the sea : he , like the serpent in the revelation , casteth out of his mouth water like a floud , — this monstrous whirle-about into the sea another sea doth spout . in creating of them creavit deus vastitates & stupores . for , as plinie writeth of them , when they swim and shew themselves above water , annare insulas putes , you would think that islands swam towards you , and that great hills did aspire to heaven it self with their tops . the greatnesse and strength of a whale in a most elegant narration is expressed by job , which for acutenes , vigour and majestie of style doth farre exceed what ever we can fetch from the schools of rhetoricians : he beginneth it at his first verse of his 40 chap. and so to the end , where he leaveth it ●s an epilogue of gods great work . this emperour of the ocean , this unequald wonder of the deep , this balaena , the great whale ( for so tremellius translateth leviathan in that passage of job ) is very profitable to the merchant , for its oyl , bones , and ribs . in isleland , as munster writeth , of the ribs and bones of the biggest whale many make posts and sparres for the building of their houses . i will land this point with an observation of such fish as are for the food and sustentation of man . i never find that christ enterteined any guests but twice , and that was onely with loaves and fishes . i find him sometimes feasted by others more liberally : but his domestick fare , for the most part , except a● the passeover , was fish ▪ he that chose but twelve apostles out of the whole world , took foure of those twelve that were by profession fishermen ● as , simon peter , and andrew his brother ; and the two sonnes of zebedee , james and john . and the ancient fathers observe , that our saviour did expresse himself to the sea-tribe more than to any of the rest : for he was conceived at nazareth a citie in the portion of zebulun , and in that citie was he brought up , and began to preach first there ; and mount tabor , upon which he was transfigured , was in the tribe of zebulun also . with the hebrews the same word doth signifie a pond or a fish-pool which is used for a blessing . and surely it is a blessing to any countrey , among other commodities which enrich a kingdome , to have the benefits of fish-ponds and sluces ; in which commodious stews men may preserve the fishes which they take , and sell them for advantage and gain . the prophet isaiah foreseeing the destruction of egypt saith , the waters shall fail from the sea , and the river shall be wasted and dried up : and they shall turn the rivers farre away , and the brooks of defense shall be emptied and dried up ; the reeds and flags shall wither . the fishes shall mourn , and all they that cast angle into the brooks shall lament , and they that spreade their net upon the waters shall b● weakned . and we find that among other plague● of egypt this was one , that their fish , the chief part of their sustenance , died with infection : and their nilus did not onely yeeld them a dead but a living annoyance ; it did never before so store them with fish , as it did then plague them with frogs . if it be such a curse to be deprived of so great a blessing , what a blessing it is not to know such a curse ! to descend to the particulars : among this scaly footlesse nation , i likewise find bonum honestum : for from them we may draw symbola virtutum quae imitemur , many exquisite emblemes for our instruction . as fishes when they are hurt , heal themselves again by touching the tench , finding the slime of his body to be as a sovereigne salve : so must we when we are wounded with sinne , repair to our saviour christ , cujus sanat fimbria , saith ambrose , whose garment is our plaister ; whom if we do but touch tactu fidei , by a true faith , we shall be whole . thus the woman in the gospel that twelve yeares long had laboured of an issue of bloud , to whom the art of the physician could neither give cure nor hope , at length by a touch of the verge of his garment was revived from the verge of death : she came trembling to our blessed saviour , and though her tongue were mute , yet her heart spake ; for she said within her self , if i may but touch the hemme of his garment , i shall be safe . that she supposed to find more sanctitie in the touch of the hemme then of the coat , i neither dispute , nor beleeve . but what said she ? if i may but touch , a weak action ; the hemme of his garment , the remotest part ; with a trembling hand , a feeble apprehension . here was the praise of this womans faith , that she promised her self remedy by the touch of the outmost hemme . in the old law those fish were onely reputed clean which had fins and scales . the fins of the fish are for steering of their motion ; the scales , for smoothnesse of passage , for safeguard , for ornament : so are those onely clean in the sight of god , qui squamas & loricam habent patientiae , & pinnulas hilaritatis , who have the scales and coat-armour of patience , and the sins of joy and cheerfulnesse to spring up to god-ward ; or as the paraphrast there saith , those men that have no knowledge and faith to guide them , no good dispositions to set them forward , no good works to set them forth , are not for your entire conversation . by the story of the dolphines assembled in sholes upon the sea-shore to celebrate the obsequies of ceraunus , who had before freed them from the snare of the fishermen , we learn , that good turns are golden nets which catch the swiftest gliding fish . the dolphines moving from the upper brimme of the water to the bottom when she sleepeth , condemneth those that streak themselves upon their beds of down , and snort so long — — indo mitum quod despumare falernum sufficiat , quintâ dum linea tangitur umbrâ ; as would suffice to sleep out a surfet till high noon , &c. i cannot set forth this king of fishes in more orient and better colours then he before hath done brave admiral of the broad briny regions , lover of ships , of men , of melodie , thou up and down through the moist world dost flie swift as a shast , whose salt thou lovest so , that lacking that , thy life thou dost forgo . seas of examples in this kind are infinite . sallust du bartas , a poet above the ordinary level of the world , for the choice of his subject most rare and excellent , is admirably copious on this theme . i will therefore forbear to write iliads after homer . and although for the most part it be true , that wit distilled in one language cannot be transfused into another without losse of spirits , yet who so is able judiciously to compare the translation with the originall , will confesse , to the immortall glory of our countrey-man , — that from the french more weak he bartas taught his six-dayes-work to speak in naturall english . and so — hath lighted from a flame devout as great a flame , that never shall go out . sect. 10. thus have i made a brief circuit over the whole earth , and a short cut over the vast sea : and now before i put my ship into the creek , before i conclude , i must draw these scattered branches home to their root again . the generall substance of them all together is this ; as it is a most pleasant kind of geographie , in this large mappe of the world , in the celestiall and terrestriall globe , to contemplate the creatour ; so there is nothing that obteineth more of god , then a thankfull agnition of the favours and benefits we daily receive at his bountifull hands . if we be not behind with him in this tribute of our lips , he will see that all creatures in heaven and earth shall pay their severall tributes unto us ; the sun his heat , the moon her light , the starres their influence , the clouds their moisture , the sea and rivers their fish , the land her fruits , the mine their treasures , and al● things living their homage and service . o● the contrary ; if the familiaritie of gods blessings draw them into neglect , he will have a● just quarrel against us for our unthankfulnesse ; and our ingratitude ( which is a monster in nature , a soloecisme in maners , a paradox in divinitie ) will prove a parching wind to damme up the fountain of his favours toward us . i will seal up all with a pretty note that hugo hath ; there is no book of nature unwritten on : and that which may not ●e a teacher to inform ●s , will be a witnesse to ●ondemn us . it is the ●oice of all the creatures ●nto man , accipe , redde , ●ave . accipe ; take us to thy ●se and service . i heaven ●m bid to give thee rain ; i sunne , to give thee light ; ● bread , to strengthen thy ●ody ; i wine , to chear thy heart ; we oxen leave our pastures , we lambes our mothers , to do thee service . redde ; remember to be thankfull . he that giveth all , commandeth thee to return him somewhat . it is hard if thou canst not thank the great housekeeper of the world for thy good chear : this is the easi● task and impositio● which the supreme lord of all layeth upon all the goods thou possessest & on all the blessings of this life : — minimo capitur thuri● honore deus . cave ; beware of abusing us . the beasts of the field do crie , do not kill us for wantonnesse ; the fowls of the aire , do not riot with us ; the wine , devoure not me to disable thy self : the howers , which ever had wings , will flie up to heaven to the authour of time , and carrie news of thy usage toward us . and now , manum è ●abula : i have finished my meditations on this psalme , wishing i could have had s. ambrose his facultie , qui in psalmis davidis explicandis ejus lyram & plectrum mutuatus , who in the expression of davids psalms is said to have borrowed davids own harp : so rightly did he expresse his meaning . but my fear is , that i have muddled and made this topaz but so much the darker by going about to polish it . to end as i began , with the commendation of the book of psalmes ; est certè non magnus , verùm aureolus , & ad verbum ediscendus libellus ; the psalter is not a great but a golden book and throughly to be learned . this method our prophet observeth in this excellent hymn ; the proposition and conclusion thereof are both the same ; carceres & meta , the head and the foot , as i● were the voice and the echo : the whole psalm being circular , annular ▪ serpentine , winding into i● self again , as it beginneth so it endeth , o lord our governour , how excellent is thy name in all the world ! finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a03429e-930 * tit psal. pro torcularibus . notes for div a03429e-1290 * titulus psalmi , pro torcularibus . notes for div a03429e-1970 judg. 13.20 . hier. b. king , lect. 26. on jonas . dr hakewell in his davids vow , pag. 2. k. james . psal 84.11 . cant. 4.12.13 . revel. 21. prolog : in psalm . lib. de scalâ claustrali . aug. lib. confess . cap. 6● the title of the eighth psalme explained . emblemes of perseverance . mans abasement . mans dignitie . virgil . beza . matth. 19.14 . the tender care of pharaohs daughter to the infant moses . the howers compared to young maidens . the sun . the moon . the starres . the empyreall heaven . psal. 139 14. the world compared to a large clock . job 38. adam the first nomencl●tor ; and why he gave the creatures their names . observ. answ. lib. de mundo universo . plin. lib 3. cap. 5. nascitur aranea cum lege , libro , & lucer●â . prov. 30.25 . mactabant agnum jugis nostri sacrificii typum , lorin. in act. apost. c. 8. shepherds in high esteem with god . b. hall . num. 11. job 39.16 cant. 1.14 cant. 4 1. cant. 5.12 the dove . matth. 10.16 . the pelican . the eagle exod. 19.3 , 4. homil. 46. in matth. the saints resembled to eagles . judg. 1.15 . lilium lacrymâ suâ seritur . ambr. in job 39.30 . exod. 3.2 . dan. 3. 2. kings 6.17 . rom. 8.18 . tertull. de corona militis , cap. 3. ovid . met. lib. 1. thus elegantly translated by mr george sandys . the sea wonderfull in many respects . whether the waters be higher then the earth ? psal. 104.16 . reciprocatio & aestus maris : the ebbing and flowing of the sea . aristotle . navigation . the benefit thereof . quò va●ts ? nec laborat deus in maximis , nec fastidit in minimis , ambros. aquarum est quod in regibu adoratur . mountaign in his essayes , lib. 1. cap. 49. eccle● 5.12 . judg. 5. boi● . apoc. 12.15 . plin. lib. 9. cap. 2. the tench the physician of fishes . b. hall . levit. 11.9 . deut. 14.9 . ●ern . serm. 1. in die s. andreae . the dolphine . aelian , lib. 8. c. 3. optick glasse of humour cap. 4. p. 5 sylvester . mich. drayton . sam. daniel . hugo de s. vict. a vindication of the new theory of the earth from the exceptions of mr. keill and others with an historical preface of the occasions of the discoveries therein contain'd, and some corrections and additions. whiston, william, 1667-1752. 1698 approx. 108 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 33 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; 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(eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a65674) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 106675) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, 1641-1700 ; 1109:7) a vindication of the new theory of the earth from the exceptions of mr. keill and others with an historical preface of the occasions of the discoveries therein contain'd, and some corrections and additions. whiston, william, 1667-1752. [12], 52 p. printed for benj. tooke ..., london : 1698. attributed to whiston by wing and nuc pre-1956 imprints. errata: p. 52. reproduction of original in the cambridge university library. includes bibliographical references. created by converting tcp files to tei p5 using tcp2tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between 1473 and 1700 available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the 25,363 texts created during phase 1 of the project have been released into the public domain as of 1 january 2015. anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. 5% (or 5 pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of 100 instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level 4 of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p5, characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng keill, john, 1671-1721. -examination of dr. burnet's theory of the earth. creation -early works to 1800. religion and science. earth -early works to 1800. 2000-00 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2001-12 aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images 2002-01 tcp staff (michigan) sampled and proofread 2002-01 tcp staff (michigan) text and markup reviewed and edited 2002-02 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion a vindication of the new the●ry of the earth from the exceptions of mr. keill and others . with an historical preface of the occasions of the discoveries therein contain'd : and some corrections and additions . london : printed for benj. tooke at the middle-temple-gate in fleetstreet . 1698. preface . it may not perhaps , for some reasons , be improper in it self , or unacceptable to the reader , to have a short history of the occasions and methods of the discovery of the several particulars in the new theory ; and to see by what steps i proceeded in that matter : that at once i may claim to my self what interest or right i really had in the same ; and it may appear how far , and in what manner any other persons or opportunities were concern'd therein : and at the same time the reader may perceive how little affinity there is between a bare hypothesis , the product only of the wit and skill of the inventor , and the several branches of a theory in which the foregoing qualifications were not necessary , and so can or ought to be very little consider'd therein . to wave therefore any more words by way of introduction , i shall come to that account it self , which is the single subject of this preface . the reader is therefore to know , that ever since i saw the university , and began to rellish the new philosophy ; i mean particularly the cartesian , togegether with some other later discoveries of a more solid nature , i withal fell into an exceeding liking of the main part of dr. burnet's theory of the earth ; and thought my self never more pleas'd than in a repeated perusal of so ingenious and remarkable a book . insomuch that upon my being to perform the accustomed exercise in the schools for my first degree , one of my positions was in vindication of the same . this good liking continued with me a great while after ; till my deeper researches into mechanical philosophy , and the discoveries contain'd in mr. newton's wonderful book began to convince me of the indefensibleness of many of the particulars ; and that the whole scheme , as it then lay , could not be justify'd by the principles of sound philosophy ; nor did it , upon better consideration , agree with the accounts in the holy scriptures . yet still several of the particulars , especially the perpetual equinox before the flood ; and the situation of the earth upon a fluid abyss , seem'd very reasonable , and very agreeable to the accounts sacred and profane of those ancient ages of the world. and as i have never yet found reason to alter my opinion about the latter , when duly stated ; so i was in great perplexity how to believe the former ; since i found the way of changing the position of the earth's axis in dr. burnet , by the laws of mechanism plainly impossible ; on which yet ●he before mention'd opinion did in great measure depend . in this doubtfulness of mind , a thought came into my head ( since which i believe 't is now at the least five or six years . ) that from mr. newton's discoveries 't was certain that a comet might pass near the earth ; and that also in case it pass'd near enough and in a certain trajectory , it might alter the position of the earth's axis , as now the sun does , backward and forward every year : ( tho' this be a thing only known to those who have made some progress in mr. newton's book , and not here to be explain'd for every reader . ) i thought it therefore worth my while , after a long time , to try whether , by this means , if a comet , in the most advantagious manner possible came near the earth at the deluge , the earth's axis could be thereby chang'd from a parallelism to that of the ecliptick , to the obliquity of 23½ degrees , which it has had ever since that time . this calculation i try'd about november or december 1694. but could by no means perceive that the hundredth part of the present obliquity was by any such method to be accounted for . which occasion'd therefore my laying aside that hypothesis i had so long before been fond of , and desirous to establish ; and permitted my thoughts a greater freedom about the occasions of the deluge , than dr. burnet's notions had allow'd me before . not long after this , considering the nature of comets , and viewing sometimes mr. newton's scheme of the last famous one among us , which my self could easily remember , in 1680 and 1681. a thought came into my mind , which in discourse i mention'd to a very learned friend , that 't was possible the tail of a comet might afford water at the deluge , and that the confused mass of air , and irregular steams from the comet 's atmosphere or tail might afford a fair solution of that phaenomenon i had been so desirous of the perpetual equinox to account for before : i mean the unhealthy state of our air and earth at present , and the effect thereof , the shortning of mens lives ever since the deluge . these were my first and crude thoughts of this matter ; which tho' the particulars were but ill adjusted , and uncertain ; yet gave me an eagerness of considering the matter farther , and occasion'd all the subsequent discoveries which are contain'd in the new theory . and truly , upon a little farther consideration , now the hint was once given , i soon found that a great many of the phaenomena of nature , and of the deluge , did of their own accord fall in with my notion ; and that if on its original formation , the inward constitution of the earth were suppos'd a fluid , ( as i had long done , tho' on no good consideration of the nature of that fluid ; ) and if withal the inequality of the earth's surface at first , which dr. burnet positively deny'd , could be mechanically accounted for , i then imagin'd i could go a great way in a new hypothesis of the mosaick creation , and the deluge . at which time , about easter 1695 , dr. woodward's essay was made publick ; and read by me with a great deal of eagerness and sollicitude , to see whether the history of the phaenomena of the inward parts of the earth would accord with , or contradict those notions i began to entertain about the points before-mention'd . and as a little before i had observ'd , that 't was highly reasonable to suppose a fluid nearer the center of the earth to be heavier than those upon its surface ; yea than that orb of earth which was above it ; so , as i was reading dr. woodward's essay , that axiom also in hydrostaticks , that bodies according to their different specifick gravities will sink into fluids in a different proportions , and so be extant in different degrees ; came into my thoughts ; upon what occasion i know not : and together , eas'd me , to my no small satisfaction , of the difficulties which before stopp'd my progress in that hypothesis my thoughts were so busy upon . having now got the main strokes of the new theory , so far as concern'd the particular phaenomena of the deluge at least , in my mind : and not finding the observations in dr. woodward's essay wholly disagreeable to the same , i began to write my thoughts , and digest 'em into as regular a method , as the warmth of my temper , still increas'd by the daily addition of new , and to me very surprizing discoveries , would permit . about which time i consider'd , that if the comet pass'd by the earth at the deluge , it must alter the annual motion and period , from the universality of the law of attraction , so fully demonstrated by mr. newton . whereupon i went to try whether , if the earth mov'd in a circle before the flood , the becoming eccentrical at that time would account for , and correspond to those 5¼ odd days , which we now have in ours above 360 , an ●ven and regular year , which i was willing to imagin the antediluvians had enjoy'd . but as this calculation fail'd my present hopes , so it discover'd a coincidence vastly more remarkable ; namely , that the ancient solar year , if the earth's orbit was circular , exactly corresponded with the present and ancient lunar , by reason of the accurate equality and agreement of the eccentricity of the earth with the lunar epact . which coincidence i must own did in the highest degree please and satisfy my thoughts ; and gave me some assurance of the truth , as well as probability of my main hypothesis . soon after this i discern'd another most remarkable way of trying the reality of the passing by of the comet ; namely , to see whether the place of the perihelion , at which i perceiv'd the deluge must , on my hypothesis , begin , would accord with the time of the year deliver'd by moses . this , with no small fear of a disappointment , i try'd : and having only i think tycho's tables of its motion then by me ( in mercator's astronomy , ) i consulted it accordingly , and to my still higher satisfaction and assurance found the astronomical tables , and the mosaick history , exactly to agree in the same time of the second month from the autumnal equinox . soon after this i found out another still more sure way of discovering the time , nay the very day of the beginning of the flood from astronomy , and so of trying whether the former coincidences were by chance , or occasion'd by the reality of that passage of the comet to which i ascribed the deluge . now in this case , tho' i saw the necessity of the day of the comets passing by being near the new or full moon , yet i was not then well enough vers'd in astronomical calculations readily to try this matter ; and besides did not know how many years ought to be accounted since the deluge , because of my own unacquaintedness with the point then , and of the variety of chronologers sentiments about it . however , since i look'd upon the most learned , the lord bishop of coventry and lichfield , ( whose most free , ready , and generous assistance in all my studies , i must own with the highest gratitude ) as by common consent , the most accurate chronologer of this age ; and did remember that in a bible which lay in his study i had formerly observ'd the year of the world 4004 , set in the beginning of st. matthew : i suppos'd his lordship's opinion to be that from the herbrew verity , the christian aera , began anno mundi 4004. upon which supposition , tho' with great diffidence of mistake on every side , i try'd to find the time of the moon corresponding to the beginning of the deluge ; and found it to be as near the new as my hypothesis requir'd . which exceedingly pleas'd me at the present , but gave me a new sollicitude lest it should overturn all in case i had made any mistake in the chronology , since the deluge ; which then at best only depended on the memory of a number i had occasionally seen before ; tho' since i have received full satisfaction in the point . in great concern therefore i went down to his lordship's lodgings , and with no small fear , enquir'd of the truth of what i had remembred , and of his lordship's opinion touching the number of years according to the hebrew verity , till the christian aera ; and found i was exactly right in the whole , to my no small encouragement , and to my greater assurance of the certain truth of that hypothesis which by so many trials had , beyond expectation , approved it self to me . after all this i discover'd , as i thought , that the ocean was an effect and remains of the waters of the deluge ; and that the passing by of the comet would distinguish the earth into two continents , and interpose an ocean betwixt ' em . but here in my first thoughts i was stopt a little , and fear'd that this last hypothesis would overturn my other ; because the position of the centers of the two continents would determine the time of the year when the comet pass'd by ; and that , as my first thoughts represented to me , in a downright opposition to my other accounts of that matter . but it proved quite otherwise , for as all my former fears had come to nothing , but ended to my utmost satisfaction ; so on a more exact consideration i found this position of the centers of the two continents so exactly agreeable with the time of the beginning of the deluge stated by the other methods , that instead of contradicting , i perceiv'd , with pleasure enough , it highly confirm'd and secur'd the same . and then , as to the bigness of the comet , and the several other coincidences all along , they generally occur'd readily to my thoughts as i went on ; and so need not have any particular notice taken of them in this place . but i think somewhat before i had proceeded so far , i drew up a hasty imperfect draught of my notions , to communicate to some friends , and especially to dr. bentley immediately , and the mr. newton afterwards , whom i accordingly waited on , the first at london , and the other as i ( in attendance on my lord bishop of norwich ) pass'd by cambridge ; which was , i think , about whitsontide , the same year 1695. and having now by the hints and directions i received from these learned persons , especially from the latter ; and by a more accurate review and reconsideration of the whole , much corrected , improved , and enlarged my hypothesis ; and took in several particulars more as they occurr'd to me ; especially that most remarkable one about the lowness of caucasus now , and its greater altitude at the deluge , on which i lay so much stress in my book , i found my self prepar'd to digest the whole into a systeme , and began to make it ready for mr. newton's review , and to think of putting it into the press . only i was still somewhat puzled about dr. woodward's observation of the time of the year in which all the plants buried at the deluge were lodg'd in their several places ; whence he had stated the commencing thereof half a year differently from that which all my ways of determining it assur'd me of . in this difficulty i wrote to the doctor for a resolution of some queries relating to those plants , and received such an answer , part of which is in my book , as gave me sufficient foundation , i thought , to clear the difficulty , and turn'd what was before a shrewd objection against , into a real attestation to that time of the year which my hypothesis assign'd in the case . being thus clear of my difficulties , i went on with my work with considerable application , and no small degree of pleasure and satisfaction ; till i brought it to an intire systeme , and sent it to cambridge for mr. newton's final review and correction . which being over , and communicated to me , i soon brought it into the present form , and only added that preliminary discourse , which partly on another occasion , i had in good measure finish'd before ; and which i found would be but a necessary preparation to some points of great moment in the following theory . this is a true and faithful account , as far as my memory can now recollect the particulars , of the progress of this matter , and of the occasions of the several discoveries contain'd in the new theory . 't is true , when i brought my manuscript to mr. newton the first time , he told me ( what i never heard syllable of before ; and of which i know nothing particularly to this hour : ) that he had heard , that mr. halley ( a person sufficiently , and deservedly eminent in the learned world ) had propos'd reasons at gresham-college why a comet could not cause the deluge . but when i ask'd him farther , whether he knew the nature of that hypothesis mr. halley set up , and oppos'd : he told me he did not , so far as to be able , to give me any manner of satisfaction ; but desir'd me to apply my self to mr. halley if i had a mind to be farther inform'd about it . which to this day i have not done , and so could not possibly make any use of any notions he either propos'd , or refuted in this matter , as i am told some persons have been willing to suggest , and which , if it had been so , i should as freely own as i do all the other hints and advantages i have had from any in this matter . and i am under less temptation than another in this case : for however remarkable i look upon several of the discoveries in the new theory ; yet i think the praise belonging to the discoverer not so great as l●sser points , requiring a deeper skill in the author , may justly deserve . the case seems to me to be this . tho' many wise men , with variety of keys , belonging to other places , should long puzzle themselves in vain in the opening of a door : and one of a worse character , who had the good fortune to find the true one , should with ease let them into the closet ; yet i think he , who upon this should value himself , and expect a great degree of commendation , would thereby only demonstrate that he deserv'd but a very little share of it . the application is easy ; and tho' i perhaps do believe that i have found a key , and have open'd and explain'd some points of consequence , in the new theory : yet as i heartily own and adore the divine providence in all the success of my enquiries , so i , with the before-mention'd thoughts , am under little temptation of envying any one their share in these discoveries . and i can safely say , that i have been more than ordinarily cautious not to mention any thing , which was the product even of my own thoughts , if i found that others had also took notice of it , without making such mention of them as the case did require : and whatever imputations i may otherwise deserve , i have long since resolved to give no occasion that any one should take me for a plagiary . lowestoft , suffolk . sept. 2. 1698. an answer to mr. keill's remarks on the new theory of the earth . since i perceive the force of my reasoning has had so great an influence on mr. keill , as to obtain his allowance of the passing by of a comet at the beginning of the deluge , which is the main point i contend for ; and which once establish'd , the rest ( as i think i can still demonstrate ) must , when fully understood , be granted also ; 't is a little surprizing that he of all men should in publick appear against me . and truly i am ready to hope i have but few competent judges besides mr. keill , who , yielding me that main point of all , do yet reject my account of the phaenomena of the deluge ; which are , i think , but natural consequents of such a concession . but to let that pass ; this i am pretty secure of , that if mr. keill were not more deeply engag'd against my design by a peculiar fondness he seems to have for the introduction of unaccountable miracles on all occasions , than by any other decretory objections against me ; 't is probable he would rather privately have communicated his difficulties , and by letter desir'd the resolution of them , than have taken this publick method of writing remarks on the new theory , and leading it as it were in triumph after the conquest he had been gaining over the old one . but not to expostulate this procedure with mr. keill any farther ; i must , before i come to particulars , both openly take notice of his civility and fairness to me , in that he has been pleas'd , amidst his somewhat severe reflections on the mistakes of others , to deal with me kindly and candidly even whilst he looks upon me as guilty of not a few errors in my reasoning ; and at the same time faithfully promise him , that i will cautiously avoid those dis-ingenuous and studied evasions which , as he truly observes , are but too often made to pass for answers to the shrewdest objections . neither will i refuse at any time , on due conviction , to own my mistakes ; and as publickly to retract my errors , as i have publickly profess'd them . but to wave any farther preliminaries , and to come to the particular objections . ( 1. ) 't is alledg'd that my first hypothesis , viz. that a chaos is the atmosphere of a comet , can't be true , because the former is by all agreed to have had darkness on the face of its abyss ; whereas the latter is certainly a transparent fluid ; and so has the light , if not of its own central body from within , yet at least of the sun from without , freely admitted into it . for answer to which i affirm , that as to the central solid , since a comet is not capable of a change to a planet or earth till a long time after its perihelion , or indeed till 't is return'd from the vast and cold regions beyond saturn ; i wonder mr. keill should fear it would be not too warm only , but so vehemently hot as to be light also : iron and other solids will be sufficiently hot a long time after their light or visible fire is gone ; and i don't imagin that comets descending to the sun can be so much hotter and brighter than such a cooling ball of iron as to illuminate the regions about them for many hundred , if not thousand miles together . and then as to the sun , which is allow'd to shine through the atmospheres of comets while they remain such , if mr. keill can prove that the words of moses refer to the past ages , and not to the time of the commencing of the creation , to which principally if not solely all commentators i think refer them ; it will be to mr. keill's purpose : but if not , here is no valid objection against this part of the new theory . for as to the word abyss , which was once dark , and afterward enlightened , i see no reason to restrain it at this time to the dense fluid alone ; ( whither indeed the light could not penetrate after it was once intirely and distinctly collected together below the earth ; ) but by it is , i think , in this place meant all that heterogeneous and hitherto muddy fluid which was beneath the earth's future surface ; or peculiarly below that place where adam was to b●made , and where the spectator in this histori●●l journal of the creation is suppos'd to have 〈◊〉 . and i believe there can be no reason to refuse this interpretation , nor consequently to create hence any difficulty against my hypothesis relating to this matter , what comes to be next consider'd , is this : ( 2. ) if we proceed mechanically and gradually in the formation of a planet from a comet 's atmosphere , we must allow the whole subsidence to be as leisurely , and to proceed by the same steps , that the violence of its heat decreases ; which will then be compleated not in six days , or single years , but scarcely in as many centuries ; and the opake parts will take so much time in descending and composing the crust of earth , that the sun might always as freely almost penetrate the upper regions of the atmosphere at least , if not farther , as it does the whole atmospheres of comets while they are within our observation . now in answer to this ; which i own to be an argument of good force , and to deserve consideration ; i say , that if we found from the phaenomena of comets in their descent towards the sun , after their long periods to cool and settle in , since their last perihelia ; that they had no atmospheres , but that the masses which formerly compos'd 'em were subsided and become like the surface of planets , then indeed this reasoning were unavoidable : ( tho' even in that case this would only enforce a still larger interpretation of the days of creation than i allow , without any farther harm to the rest of the theory : ) but seeing the contrary is evident from astronomical observations , this cannot affect my hypothesis . it must indeed from hence , i think , follow , that all the same laws , properties , and operations of bodies which we find establish'd here on earth , do not so universally obtain in the atmospheres of comets : which i confess the consideration of their phaenomena has always oblig'd me to believe , and which any one who reads a page or two may easily see i was aware of when i wrote my theory . the introduction of the particular laws , powers , and properties of bodies with us , ( that of universal gravity ever excepted ; ) being in my opinion there explain'd the immediate effect of the spirit of god , who is said to have moved on the face of the waters at the very beginning of the mosaick creation . and so much i hope may suffice to shew the inconsequence of this argument ; and that my answer is no present evasion of an emergent difficulty , but my setled thoughts ever since i wrote the new theory . and the consideration of this matter will afford a like answer to what is with some shew of strength urg'd in the next place , ( 3. ) if the sand , stones , and gravel of our earth were formerly in the atmosphere of a comet , which is once in every revolution prodigiously scorch'd by the nearness of the sun , they must formerly have been melted , become transparent , and been turn'd into glass ; because such is now the natural effect of a violent degree of heat with us in the like case . i answer : but then , as we have just now observ'd , we can't universally reason from the state and phaenomena of a planet after its formation , to the chaotick condition it was in before . tho' in truth we do not need this answer in the present case : for neither is it certain , that because such gross and compounded bodies on liquefaction become glass , that therefore their first elementary atoms , or primary dust , scatter'd separately in the vastness of the atmosphere , would then have been subject to the same mutation . nor if that were granted , does mr. keill know that either our earth , or the comet that came by at the flood , was one of those which approach so near the sun , as that the effects he mentions must be unavoidable in them , tho' they should be so in others , whose perihelia expose them to the utmost degree of scorching imaginable . but to proceed . ( 4. ) 't is objected that there is no need of a central hot solid to solve the origin of springs , and such other phaenomena of nature , they being better accounted for by other means ; nor if there were a central hot solid , could its heat be here sensible , because the heat of a very vehement fire can't penetrate a stone wall of a few feet in thickness . now as to the reality of an internal heat , below the influence of the sun , in the bowels of the earth , 't is undeniable matter of fact , and must be accounted for , whatever become of the origin of springs , or the like phaenomena ; and so it may be needful to admit a hot central solid , even tho' such effects as i with dr. woodward am willing to ascribe to an heat , should be deducible from other causes . tho' truly i don't think that account mr. keill refers to here of the origin of fountains so universal , as to stand in no need of subterranean vapours : for which , tho' i believe i can give good reasons ; yet i don't think it at all necessary at present to engage in so long , and somewhat foreign a controversy . but then as to the confinement of heat by a wall of no great thickness , 't is a very different case from our earth : wh●re the heat ever ascending upwards , has first a fluid to heat ; which when hot in one place , will thereby be heated throughout ; and after that , has a crust of earth , somewhat loosely put together , and multitudes of perpendicular fissures quite through it , with other pores and horizontal fissures , to permit the passage of the warm steams to the upper regions . besides all which , the heat is not merely deriv'd anew from the central solid ; but has been , by its means , ever preserv'd since it self was deriv'd from the sun at the ancient perihelia . all which circumstances do so much alter the case , that if mr. keill had been aware of them , i hardly suppose he would have much insisted on this as a mighty difficulty in my book . we are now come to the principal doubt of all , which relates to my interpretation of this fourth day's work , so as to exclude the original creation of the heavenly bodies at that time . wherein mr. keill thinks i have not exactly observ'd my own first postulatum , but receded from the letter of the scripture , without sufficient reasons for so doing . as to which point , i must still own that i am by no means of mr. keill's mind ; and since he only delivers his opinion without producing his particular reasons , or enervating any of those i had so largely given for what i asserted , i see no occasion for a farther vindication at present ; and so shall still leave that matter to the consideration of the free and impartial reader . however , since here occur some particular difficulties , i shall take notice of such of them as have not already been consider'd . ( 5. ) t is objected , that because comets have no secondary ones moving about them , the moon , our secondary planet , must either have been really created , or at least brought into our neighbourhood on the fourth day ; which being therefore the importance of the word made with relation to one , ought to be taken in the same sense when referr'd to the other of the heavenly bodies : and so my interpretation of this day's work , which is built on other principles , must be a mistake . now , tho' i might ask why the moon might not as well have come into our neighbourhood before , as just upon this day , in case she had not of old been our companion ? yet to put this matter to another issue , i desire mr. keill to prove that no comets have any satellites revolving about them . for my part , i think the observations we have yet made about comets are not nice nor numerous enough to determin this point . nay rather , what the histories of many comets relate about the various shapes and figures they have sometimes appeared under , seems to me hardly accountable , unless we allow lesser comets to have been companions to the greater , and by their various positions and other circumstances to have occasion'd some at least of that variety and strangeness in many of their phaenom●n● , which not a few accounts confirm to us . ( 6. ) 't is alledg'd , that before the sun became visible , 't is not supposable that on the second day of the creation his heat could raise vapors enow to fi●l the seas , lakes , and rivers in the primitive earth ; on which yet my account of their original is entirely built . now not to examin the computation which mr. keill makes use of about the quantity of water rais'd and falling in a year , which i suppose may be accurate enough : nor to enquire how little the heat of the sun may be diminish'd on the earth by so few vapors collected together , as may yet be sufficient to hide his body from our fight ; i would ask mr. keill , what if the sun in half a year did not draw up vapors enow to make the thousandth part of the present ocean ? what is this to me ? who assert there was no ocean till the deluge , nor no other than small seas and lakes , perhaps not containing much more than a thousandth part of the water that is now upon the earth . and this is so visible in my book , that i prove there was before the flood no ocean , by this very reason , that the sun could not draw up vapors enow in half a years time to compose so vast a collection of waters . which if mr. keill had been pleas'd to observe , he might have spar'd me the pains of answering such an objection . having proceeded thus far in my own vindication , i must now , according to my promise , be so ingenuous as to own that much of mr. keill's reasoning against my third hypothesis of an only annual motion of the earth before the fall , and so of a half year of cold and darkness together , ( without a greater freedom of thought than i expect in most readers ) taken as 't is at present laid down in my book , is strong and forcible , and unless i fly to such evasions as i have resolv'd against , not easily to be avoided . but then i must desire mr. keill to do me so much justice , as to remember that i told the reader i had somewhat farther to say in the case ; which might therefore , by a private enquiry , have been first understood before this whole proposition , of so great importance , had been absolutely rejected . my words are these : this , when rightly consider'd may save me the labour of returning any other answer to the particular difficulty here mention'd ; and of enlarging upon several other things which might be said , to great satisfaction , on the present occasion . that upon this opportunity therefore i may fully clear my hypothesis from this obvious , popular , and not inconsiderable objection , i shall endeavour to set this matter in a new and clear light. and tho' i do not my self see any plain necessity of altering any thing i have said on this head ; yet because i have been long inclinable to think the following hypothesis very probable ( as 't is certainly very agreeable to the phaenomena of nature , and the main principles of my theory ) and very likely to satisfy the difficulties of abundance of readers , i shall more fully explain my thoughts in this case , and thereby shew that all the arguments that are levell'd against this branch of the new theory are unconcluding . notwithstanding therefore i have already , and do still assert that the original orbits of the planets , and particularly of the earth were perfect circles ; meaning by the original orbits , those in which they were to revolve immediately after they were intirely form'd , and were to be universally inhabited : yet i must now add , what i at first had some imperfect thoughts about , that this reduction of the very oblong and eccentrical orbit of our earth whilst it was a comet , into a uniform , concentrical and circular one , which i suppose it had before the deluge , may justly be allow'd to have been gradual , and not done at once : the greatest part at the commencing of the mosaick creation , and the rest at the commencing of the diurnal rotation afterwards . ( as indeed the diurnal rotation could not mechanically begin , i mean by the oblique collision of a comet , but that the annual orbit would thereby be alter'd also . ) which being suppos'd ; and that providence adjusted all circumstances so as should be most to the advantage of paradise ; we shall then have the earth revolving in a moderate ellipsis , without any diurnal rotation about the sun in the space of a year : ( tho' the exact length of that year will not now be determinable : ) a day and a year will be all one : we shall have that diameter of the earth which pass'd through paradise , parallel to the longer axis of that ellipsis it revolv'd in : and withal , we shall have the place of paradise , respecting the same fixt stars with the perthelion of the ellipsis . which being suppos'd , as the circular orbit is much the best for a globe inhabited all round , that providing equally for the convenience of both hemispheres ; so is this elliptick orbit the best for a globe inhabited but in one place , as the earth was in the primitive state ; this providing peculiarly for the happiness of that particular spot where alone the living part of the creation was to reside ; as on consideration will easily appear . thus , for instance , the heat of the day-time would gradually increase before , and decrease after noon : but yet would never be violent ; because almost all the increase of the heat by the sun 's rising above the horizon still higher and higher in the forenoon or spring , would be prevented by his real receding from the earth , and approaching nearer his apegseon during the same time ; & vice versâ , in the afternoon or summer : which would render the state of the air more equable and uniform , and less uneasy or inconvenient than any other method whatsoever . thus also not only the cold of the night , ( which by our then being nearest the sun would be inconsiderable ; ) but the duration and darkness thereof ( two very severe and frightful phaenomena in my former hypothesis would be entirely avoided . for the whole night would then bear no more proportion to the entire 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , than in the ellipsis the area p b q bears to the whole area h b g f : suppose the proportion of 1 to 6 , which will amount to no more than two months . out of which night-time , we must deduct the two crepuscula , each of about half a month , which reduces now the darkness of the night to a single month : out of which another half month is to be still deducted for the moon 's being above the horizon , and enlightening the earth : so that at last , if the moon 's crepuscula be at all allow'd for , we shall scarce have a single week of pure darkness in the whole year . which hypothesis does at the first view so fully take off the popular objections made against me ; and affords so easy and natural a solution of the difficulties urg'd by mr. keill ; besides its peculiar fitness to render the primary animals , and particularly our first parents happy , and their state to the utmost degree paradisiacal ; that i shall add no more in confirmation of it , but leave it to mr. keill's and the intelligent readers own consideration . only before i pass on , i cannot but take notice of a great mistake of mr. keill's about the quantity of heat in the primitive earth from my hypothesis , which he reckons some hundred of times as great as in the present state : which i am sure must be a plain error , and all its consequences , which he from thence draws against me , without any foundation . the heat then , for the light half year , being but the same quantity of heat all at once ; which now at times , and with interruptions we are partakers of . which may deserve mr. keill's consideration and correction . we are now come to the principal part of my theory , the account of the deluge of noah : against which , 't is objected by mr. keill , ( 7. ) that the presence of a comet , tho' it would cause considerable tides in the seas above , yet it could not in the abyss below the earth : because this latter is pent in , and closely shut up within a thick and solid crust of earth , and has therefore no room to raise it self as the waters of the seas have . now in answer to this , i wonder how mr. keill comes to imagin the orb of earth to be so compact and solid a sphere , as to be able to overcome the great impulse , which on the comet 's approach the abyss would make upon it ? in my hypothesis , i am sure , it had only the consistence of adjoining columns sinking down together into the same fluid , and that extreamly broken , divided , and shatter'd at the commencing of the diurnal rotation ; when great numbers of clefts and fissures were every-where made through it , and the orb by consequence dispos'd to a division and separation of parts upon any considerable impulse whatsoever . one might almost as well assert , that a floor of disjoined planks laid cross the thames , without any fastness on either side could sustain the force of the tide , and prevent its ascent ; as that our crust of earth , so cleft and disjoined as it was , should be able to sustain the force of the tide in the abyss , and prevent its ascent , and those effects which would be consequent thereupon . ( 8. ) 't is objected , that the expanded vapors deriv'd from the comet , would , by passing through the air , and its resistence at their first descent , be all turn'd into water ; and so , tho' this may at once drown the world , yet it will not account for the long rains of forty days , to which the deluge of noah was principally owing . now in answer to this i say , that tho' much the greatest part of the vapors should have been at first turn'd into water , and so continued , yet 't is hard that mr. keill will not allow many of them to escape the same ; enow at least to make a constant rain for forty days together . i am sure 't is to me strange , that so thin a body as our air , lying in so small a compass about the earth , as the height of not very many miles ( for much higher 't is so very thin as to be perfectly inconsiderable ) should have the good luck to stop , arrest , and condense all and every part of so immense and swift a descending column of vapors as we have here to be consider'd . but besides , ( not to question whether mr. keill's method of reducing vapors into rain-water be universal or not : ) let it be granted that these hot vapors were at their first descent forc'd together ; yet till that quantity of heat which caus'd and continued their degree of expansion in the comet 's atmosphere or tail were mightily diminish'd , and they become as cool as vapors turning into water with us , till then i say , whatsoever their first violent motion might on the sudden produce , yet their own proper heat would immediately rarify 'em again , and so elevate 'em to a proportionable height in the air , and capacitate them to produce that continual forty days rain , which appears to have had so great a share in the universal deluge . ( 9. ) 't is objected , that tho' a persorated cylinder of stone or marble , pressing upon water in an exactly equal cylindrical vessel under it , would thereby force it , or any lighter fluid on its surface through the holes upwards ; yet the pressure of the additional waters upon the crust of earth could not cause the eruption of the dense fluid , or of any waters lying upon it in the bowels of the earth , on several accounts ; particularly because in the first ase the cylinder is specifically heavier than water , but in the second the orb of earth is lighter than the dense fluid under it : which mr. keill supposes does wholly alter the case . now in answer to this i say , if mr. keill desire it , i will put a cylinder of wood , which is lighter than water , instead of one of stone or marble which is heavier ; and i do not doubt of the truth of the experiment in this case , if that will afford him satisfaction . but indeed i perceive by all mr. keill's reasoning here , that he mistakes my notion ; and that 't is but setting him right in this , and all his difficulties will vanish of their own accord . i say then , and i am sure mr. keill can't contradict it , that a lighter solid will as truly press a fluid heavier than it self , till it is sunk so deep as the known law of hydrostaticks requires , as a solid that is specifically heavier : and if by its closeness of texture , and want of room about it , it be hindred from really descending so far , it will continually press the fluid , and force it upwards , or any way where there are any holes and fissures without an equal degree of pressure upon them . and this certainly is the present case . suppose the columns of earth at the beginning were 200 miles in depth in the whole , and taken together but half so dense as the fluid on which they rely'd ; then at the mosaick creation , when the strata of the columns were not yet consolidated , but every where previous to the fluid , the several columns would , as mr. keill well knows , sink 100 miles into the fluid , and the other 100 miles would be extant above it . if now after the consolidation of the strata , when the orb can't sink freely as before , a new addition be made at the top of each column ( whether of lighter or heavier matter 't is all one ) equal in weight to two miles of the same column ; which is just the case of the deluge : in this state 't is evident that the pressure of two intire miles of each column , being so prodigiously great , must squeeze the fluid upward through the fissures ( which were just open'd , and fill'd with water to the height of perhaps 60 or 70 miles , from the neighbouring earth satur'd with the same ) and thereby throw out the incumbent water , and perhaps it self upon the face of the earth . and this the more easily , because the pressure was from the water , which would lie chiefly in the valleys , whilst the fissures were mostly in the mountains , and so above the surface of the cortex ; which otherwise by running into them , would a little stop the upward current , and retard the motion of the ascending waters . which things being , i think , undeniably true , and plainly express'd in my book , i must be a little surpriz'd that one so well vers'd in hydrostaticks as mr. keill , should be so perplex'd in this matter . all mr. keill's demonstrations suppose either that not the water on the earth , but in the fissures did contribute to raising the fluid through them ; which i could not be so childish as to imagine . or that the several columns of earth had free liberty , and could subside as far as occasion should be ; which i have in my book , as well as here , shew'd they could not . or that a pressure from a column specifically heavier than the fluid is necessary to raise it upward ; when 't is evidently all one , though it be lighter . so that upon the whole , i think mr. keill might have spar'd those peremptory words which he uses in this point . from all this it is demonstratively evident , that by no sort of pressure of the incumbent fluid , the abyss could be forced upwards to spread it self on the surface of the earth . which i hope on farther consideration he will think fit to retract . ( 10. ) 't is objected , that whereas i derive at least half the waters of the deluge from the bowels of the earth , this is impossible ; because there can be no sphere or collection of waters between the earth and the dense fluid , which is the only place besides , in mr. keill's opinion , the fissures themselves , capable of containing the same . in answer whereto i cannot but say 't is strange mr. keill should look for subterraneous waters every where else but where i always plac'd 'em ; in the pores and cavities of all the lower earth . and i imagine mr. keill himself will not deny that 60 or 70 miles together of the inward earth , satur'd and full with water , might afford much more than we have occasion for at the deluge ; and so might easily supply the fissures , in a constant drein for 5 months together , with enough to go more than half way in the laying the surface of the whole earth under water . however , since we know not , nor did i ever directly assign , in what proportion the two several causes of the deluge contributed their shares thereto ; my theory is not concern'd , though no more water was thrown out upon the earth than fill'd the fissures , as high as the earth was satur'd with water at the mosaick creation : which quantity even mr. keill seems not unwilling to allow me . as to the dense fluid it self , and whether the force were great enough any where to cast any quantity thereof out upon the earth , i know not how to determine . though so far i am sure , that vast quantities of it might have been on the earth without any of its appearing now above ground ; which is mr. keill's objection in this case . for unless there was more than satur'd , and perhaps consolidated with , the sediment of the waters ( which now , as mr. keill will grant , composes at least two or three hundred feet thickness of our present earth : ) i am sure we are not , ( on account of their mighty gravity bearing 'em to the bottom of the whole fluid , ) to expect any remains of it in the seas or ocean , no nor in any pits , holes , or valleys upon the present earth . and here mr. keill is so kind as to afford me a breathing time , and to grant so many of my solutions to be right at once ; namely all those relating to dr. woodward's essay , and the sediment of the deluge ; that i cannot but own my real joy on this occasion : that the force of my reasoning should here prove so strong as to satisfy even mr. keill ( who seems so little to acquiesce in many other of my arguments ) in that intire point , of which i must grant my self , from any enquiries of my own , to be the least master , of all other in my book . and truly i must say that i think mr. keill , by confessing that i have convincingly enough prov'd that a comet pass'd by the earth at the deluge ; and that all dr. woodward's phaenomena are rightly accounted for by that easy hypothesis i took concerning them ; by these concessions , i say , i believe mr. keill has done more to establish my book , than all his objections will avail to reject it : and himself is therefore much more my friend and patron than he ever intended to have been by these remarks on my theory . but to leave this digression , and proceed to the. ( 11. ) and last objection ; which is this , that though i can easily fetch as much water as i have occasion for upon the earth to drown it ; yet i have no way to get handsomly rid of it again ; and consequently my solutions of the phaenomena of the universal deluge come to nothing , and all at last must be resolv'd into miracle . now how it has come to pass that this draining off the waters of the deluge has been so much stuck at , i cannot tell : the thing it self having , i think , no difficulty in it . certainly the pores and interstices of 30 or 40. miles of dry earth are capable of receiving 3 or 4 miles of water into 'em : and certainly the same fissures which permitted the ascent of the fluids from beneath before , would after the ceasing of that force permit the descent of the waters of the deluge ; and by degrees in length of time draw them off , and so leave the earth as it now appears to us . for what is in the perpendicular fissures will sideways run into , and saturate , by the horizontal fissures and other passages , all the neighbouring earth : which if mr. keill doubts of , let him but make a hole in the earth , and fill it with water , and see whether he do not perceive the neighbouring parts to be moistened , and the hole to be soon empty enough to require a new supply ; notwithstanding there be no subterraneous cavern ready to receive it : which easy experiment may go a great way to convince mr. keill that the removing the waters of the deluge is no such insuperable problem , as he seems to suppose it . thus i have gone through the whole body of the reflections made by mr. keill on my new theory : and hope i have observ'd the rules which at his desire i at first set my self in this reply : and all that i , in my turn , shall claim of him , in case he think sit to make any rejoinder , is this , that he would be careful therein to observe the same rules himself , which he expected from me ; and be as ready to own any satisfaction i may have given him in any points , as to reinforce those objections he may perhaps not yet be satisfied about . and as i shall willingly correct any occasional mistakes whether in other points , or in the mathematicks of my book ( a few of which , tho' of no ill consequence to the theory it self , i am conscious of ) if it ever come to a second edition ; so in order thereto i shall heartily thank mr. keill , or any body else , who shall be so kind as by letter to inform me of any of them . i have now done with mr. keill's remarks on my theory , and before we part , i shall only desire him to answer plainly to a question or two relating to the matter now in debate between us , and shall then take my leave . ( i. ) since mr. keill grants that a comet pass'd by at the deluge , and yet contends that the flood is not to be solv'd therefrom , but is to be believ'd wholly miraculous ; to what purpose did the comet so providentially pass by just at that time if it had no relation to the deluge ? does mr. keill imagine , that the same miraculous power which caus'd the deluge could not also , without the attraction of a comet , make the earth's orbit elliptical ? a strange , unheard of , and most surprizing phaenomenon happens in the world ! a blazing star , which we but seldom discover at a vast distance in the heavens , descends hard by the body of our earth : which without the greatest exactness in the chain of providence does not happen in thousands , nay millions of years : and as soon as ever 't is pass'd by , a wonderful , and incredible deluge of waters overflows the whole earth , and drowns all its inhabitants without any other visible or imaginable occasion in the world : and yet , as it seems , the comet only accidentally pass'd by , and had no hand at all in the deluge ! — credat iudaeus apella . ( 2. ) how could those effects i have mention'd be avoided upon the passing by of the comet ? we are not now in a cartesian vortex , where fancy and contrivance can introduce or hinder any effect at pleasure : but we are in mechanical and experimental philosophy , which is an inflexible thing , and not at all subject to our inclinations . when the comet therefore was just pass'd by us , i desire to know how the earth could possibly avoid passing through its atmosphere and tail ? if it could not , pray what could prevent the acquiring that column of vapours i , by computation , find would fall on its surface ? and if such a column of vapours was left on the earth , what could hinder their becoming water , and drowning the earth ? i shall not , though i easily might , carry on the chain of queries any longer . but if mr. keill can fairly answer me these few leading questions , i shall then believe him alike able to answer the rest , and so i shall not pursue this particular any farther , but leave it and this whole matter to his and the reader 's leisure and consideration . apr. 1. 1698. having thus finished what i had to return to mr. keill ; i shall upon this occasion consider such other material difficulties and objections relating to the new theory as have come to my knowledge any way , either in print , or in private letters ; concealing still the names of those who have been so kind as to content themselves with the latter method , tho' at the same time it will appear that in many cases the authors need have been no more ashamed of their arguments , than any of those who have chosen the more publick method , and appear'd from the press against me . and i fear not to appeal to the persons concern'd , for the fairness and justness of my proposal of their objections ; and that the returns i now make are generally for substance the same which my private answers contain'd upon the several occasions . to go on therefore with the numbers . ( 12. ) the next objection is , that i have omitted many insuperable difficulties which have been urg'd against the forming of our present upper earth from the sediment of the d●luge . in answer whereto ; for ( to say nothing that the non-appearance of any towns , cities , buildings , or other remains of the antediluvian world , is next to a demonstration on my side ; ) i must own that i was so incapable of overcoming those insuperable difficul●i●s , that i knew nothing of them : and i did not in the least think , that what i of my self suppos'd concerning the natural subsiding of that sediment , and without any prior dissolution of the old earth , its composing a new crust upon it , had been once hit upon by any one else before me . now whether there be such insuperable difficulties , as to the main strokes of that hypothesis , i ought not to pretend skill enough in the phaenomena of the inner earth positively to determin . dr. woodward's larger work ought to be publish'd before one can venture to pronounce too dogmatically in that point . as to my self , i see hitherto no reason to change my belief therein , notwithstanding the confidence of this author . whatever difficulties may appear at the first sight , ( arising , it may be , from a misunderstanding of several particulars relating thereto , and of several circumstances therein to be consider'd , ) yet those numerous shells , bones , trees , plants , and other bodies found in so many places in the bowels of our present earth , to say nothing of what was urg'd before , or might be from other arguments , are to me so convincing , that 't is not a few difficulties , nay scarce less than a demonstration will persuade me to the contrary . if the non-observation sometimes of the law of specifick gravity , and the consequent irregular position of the strata , be the main objection in the case , as it seems , by this author , to be , i had observ'd and accounted for the same already in the new theory . and certainly if the irregular disposition of bodies in such a chaotick sediment , with the as irregular tempests and commotions of the waters , and the consequent removal of several masses either setled or setling down from one place to another , by which the order , crassitude , and position of the strata must have been strangely diversified , together with all the other circumstances of the old earth , and of the deluge , be consider'd , 't will not be so strange , that the irregular position of the strata , subsiding all the while according to their several specifick gravities , was disturb'd and interrupted without being oblig'd to reject such an intire hypothesis on account hereof . it will however ( that i say something to what is here observ'd from the learned dr. lister ) deserve to be consider'd , whether some of those subterranean places , where such mighty sholes of shells are heap'd together , be as proper for their production as those cavities in animals where 't is said some have been found , ( to say nothing of knives , nails , and other things sometimes found in the bodies of animals , which nobody imagins to have grown there ; ) at least those trees , methinks , which are found buried so deep in the earth , will give some foundation for that hypothesis i here defend : there having been no instances of such productions , i suppose , in animals ; and this author himself , or rather his namesake , in a good humour being willing to allow them as reliques of the deluge , how much soever at another time he seems dissatisfied in that point . but however that matter shall be determin'd , the main and principal parts of the new theory , and those in which i look upon my self as most nearly concern'd , are not very much interested therein . those who , with this author here , suppose the subterranean shell-bones , and vegetables , to have grown originally there where they are now found , may suppose the waters of the deluge to have been indifferent pure , and that their sediment by consequence was less considerable ; and may then omit so many of the phaenomena and their solutions in the new theory as refer to the other opinion , and the rest will , i hope , afford them still all reasonable satisfaction . nay farther , altho' any , with dr. woodward , should see reason to insist upon the dissolution of the old earth , and the resettlement of the same again at the deluge , they will yet , i am pretty sure , be unable to account for the greatest number , and those the principal phaenomena of that deluge , without that passing by of the comet , which if i mistake not , i have next to demonstrated in the new theory ; and upon which the main reasonings of that book , with relation to the deluge , are founded . and tho' what arguments these may urge , should make it reasonable to add somewhat to , or alter somewhat in the particulars in the new theory relating to the sediments of the flood , yet i think they must be far from affecting the principal parts of that book . in case my calculations and deductions concerning the commencing of the earth's diurnal rotation at the fall , and the passage of the comet at the deluge , with their consequences , hold true , ( and i have met with nothing hitherto to he opposed to 'em , ) i shall go near to leave the other coincident point of the subterranean bodies to such as are more capable judges of those matters , and freely give them leave to believe what they shall have good evidence for in that case ; tho' at the same time i must needs profess , that the arguments for what i have asserted , even on that head , appear to me so cogent , that as hitherto i have not , so i do not hereafter much expect to meet with reasons sufficient to alter my opinion therein . but here , before i proceed , give me leave to vindicate my self from an aspersion thrown on me by the author of this last objection ; viz. the quoting dr. woodward's essay for several observations , which 't is said he was not the primary author of , and depriving thereby the first discoverers of their deserved commendations . now if this be so , and those things which i have cited out of that essay be owing to the pains of others , and not his own , ( tho' i am not satisfied how that matter stands , nor am ready to believe the doctor so great a plagiary as some would make us believe , ) i sincerely profess that i was wholly ignorant of it ; and if any thing of that nature have been done , the author of that essay , not of the new theory , is accountable for it . i neither am , nor pretend to be master of much skill in the history of learning , or the natural history of the earth : and this author very rightly takes notice , that i have not shewn a profound or clear knowledge in those matters ( which yet methinks might have been more easily excus'd in a young ( however thoughtful ) divine , as i am stil'd a little before . ) my own studies and inclinations , to say nothing of some other circumstances , have lain somewhat another way : and i do not know any obligation upon me , invitâ minervâ , to force my self into them . i did therefore , i think , what prudence dictated in the case ; where my own stock fail'd , i had recourse to the more skilful ; particularly to dr. burnet's enquiries as to the ancient traditions and doctrines of the philosophers ; and to dr. woodward's essay , just then made publick , as to the present phaenomena of the earth . both of them , in their several kinds , had methought extraordinarily perform'd their parts , so far as i had occasion to make use of them ; and both of them being extant before any of my own notions were known to others , or almost discover'd by myself , i thought , whatever partiality they could possibly be suspected of , with regard to their own several hypotheses ; yet with regard to mine their attestation could not but be deem'd valid and unprejudic'd , and so not unfit for me in those circumstances to rely upon . when therefore i observ'd that almost all which was matter of ancient tradition , or of fact ; almost all that agreed with scripture , and requir'd nothing immechanical or miraculous in 'em both , did easily fall in with my own notions , and calculations ; in particular , when i observ'd that the waters of the deluge , and their contained bodies , would naturally arrive at that very state without , which dr. woodward thought his phaenomena forc'd him to bring 'em to with his own strange hypothesis of the dissolution of the old earth : and that consequently what evidence he had for his own , would in all probability be stronger on the side of my hypothesis ; i made no farther delay or enquiry , but set down things from those authors ( whom i almost alone had opportunity to consult , and whom accordingly i every-where quote in the margin ) as they now stand in the new theory . this is a true and fair account of the matter , and such as i hope ( whatever it do as to the weakening the opinion of my abilities , which i shall not endeavour to raise beyond the truth ) will free me from any just imputation of design , or disrespect to any : of which i am not in the least conscious to my self , and of which i think i have not given any indications in the new theory . and truly , as to what this author in the last place is pleas'd to repeat again , notwithstanding his discovery of a noble genius in the formation of my system , and his unwillingness to accuse me of any ungenerous dealing concerning my ascribing the observations of other eminent philosophers to one of my own acquaintance , who may do as much for me another time ; i think he is not just and ●air to me . i have never had the honour of any acquaintance with the person he means ; neither have i , in my treating that persons hypothesis , shew'd any such favour or partiality as should induce any one to pass so severe a censure upon me . but i suppose he has receiv'd some wrong information , which has occasion'd this reflection ; which i have so much charity as heartily to forgive him , tho' i am certain i have not deserved it at his hands . ( 13. ) 't is alledg'd against me , that my mechanical account of the deluge implies it was no divine iudgment for the world's wickedness ; but from the necessity of the motion of the comet and earth , must have happen'd whether men had repented or not ; and so induces a rigid fatality : and withal 't is said , that tho' miracles , i. e. a violent perturbation of natural laws , be not usual ; yet a providential interposition in particular events is , and must be own'd to be so ; or else the foundation of devotion and religion is gone . now as to a rigid fatality . 't is strange my theory should be built on it , when i 'm sure i never imagin'd such a thing , nor in my opinion or practice at all differ from other christians in those things relating thereto . i believe the same as to the success of prayer , the interest of the divine providence , and the deluge's being a proper effect thereof , as any other christian does : and were not this objector so hot , and engag'd in the point , methinks all this is visible in my book . now the original of this man's mistake is the same , as is the original of their mistake in the arguing against the liberty of will , from the certainty of the divine prescience , and of prophecy depending thereon : and when you have rightly consider'd the latter , i imagin you will easily rectify your mistake in the former case . you say the flood would have happen'd whether men had been wicked or not , because the comet was approaching . let me argue in the other case : the flood would as certainly have happen'd however , from the certainty of the divine prescience which foresaw it . if you answer , the divine prescience foresaw the sins as well as the punishment : so say i , it foresaw the sins , and therefore originally dispos'd the comet 's course for the punishment : which if men had amended , would have been foreseen , and so the comet otherwise dispos'd of at first . and certainly the same answers every-where will serve in my case , which can be alledg'd in the other , on which mine wholly depends . and truly i was so fully sati●●●ed in dr. barnet's answer in this case formerly ( and observe mr. warren to have so little to say to it in his geologia , p. 126. ) that i usually thought those who could not clear this point to their own minds , not capable of philosophick theories . this objector does well distinguish the particular interposition of providence from a miracle , and says our prayers depend on the former . it may be so , for ought that i am sure of to the contrary ; and however , 't is best to suppose it in our devotions , as i always do , and the scripture always does . but seeing the other notion is equally suitable to religion , comes to the very same at last , and will be of vast use in case of the other parts of nature yet to be discover'd , be found reducible to as fixt laws as those we already know , certainly are ; as giving a clear account of the consistency of a setled course of nature , with the constant interposition of providence in the world. i confess i am pretty confident of the truth , as well as fully satisfied of the use of my account of these matters . my own reputation may be blasted among some w●●n persons ( tho' i find few competent judges slick at this point ) by my maintaining this opinion : but i fear religion among the deists will suffer more without it . those who are angry at me , believe the bible , and so will not be hurt , but only displeas'd at my notion . but those who finding nature constant , know not how to bring in , or believe a providence , will be really hurt without such an account as i have given ; and where only my own interest is on one side , and that of religion on the other , i think i can cheerfully submit to some degrees of popular odium , if it should be my hard fortune to incur it , without any reason : which yet the reception i have generally met with , gives me no reason to expect . ( 14. ) 't is alledg'd , that by turning the days of creation into years , i am too bold , and not very consistent with my own hypothesis ; that neither the sacred stile , where days are so often us'd for years , implies any thing ; because those words of time are in all languages us'd indifferently : nor the profane testimonies , because they seem no more to countenance my hypothesis than dr. burnet's ; and in truth were only unintelligible paradoxes coin'd , as usual , in those ages ; and of which many more might be brought to support other fancies ; or at best were but explications of the perpetual spring , which was a fancy of the poets for the golden ages . but sure this is too loose arguing to be oppos'd to all the positive evidence i have alledg'd in this case . i can demonstrate to none but such as grant all my postulata , the 3d of which is here set aside ; and if any think 'em precarious , they must look for better satisfaction in other authors . but however , i do not turn days into years ; but deny their distinction before the fall : and in truth the vulgar expositors ought as well to prove that their days then were of the present length ; as i that they were equal to years ; since there is no particular intimation in the words how long they were ; nay , whoever considers , what will i hope e're long be demonstrated , that days are only in two places of the scripture denominated by evening mornings , the one here , and the other in daniel ; and that 't is evident in the latter they signify years , will not be averse from believing the former to denote the same also . besides , i have already deny'd that all words of time are us'd wholly promiscuously in scripture ; and am confident the contrary is not to be prov'd therefrom . but as to the prophane testimonies ; those who can give a rational account of 'em , will never slight ' em . and whatever is here in the general said , i refer my self to the considering reader whether i have not demonstrated those ancient philosophers to agree better to mine than to dr. burnet's hypothesis . but instead of a farther answer here , i shall add another confirmation of the same nature , which since my book was publish'd was discover'd by a friend , and communicated to me : which i must own to be a much more remarkable testimony than any of those i formerly insisted on ; which therefore i shall recommend to the reader 's consideration ; and 't is this ; 't was the assertion of empedocles , that in the primitive constitution of things , the day , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , by reason of the slowness of the sun's course , was equal to ten months . which if we allow either to refer to the time when the civil year ( as the roman before numa pompilius ) had but 10 months ; or to the day time alone , i mean the space of the sun 's being above the horizon , ( which is a common acceptation of the word day , ) accords so exactly with my hypothesis , as it stands at present , that nothing can do more so : and coming so late , so unexpected , and yet so intirely home to our point , is justly , i think , to be look'd on as decretory in the present case . ( 15. ) 't is said i have not ground enough to suppose a double course of rain at the deluge . this is a matter of small consequence ; for as i with others think the double course much the most agreeable to the sacred history , and have accordingly accounted for it ; so in case it were not so , no great harm would accrue to the rest of my theory : for as , if the comet 's orb was exactly in the plain of the ecliptick , the earth would fall a second time into it , unless its tail was very short ; so if either of those circumstances were otherwise , which we can only determine from the effects , there could be no second course of rain upon my hypothesis . all which is said more with regard to others notions than my own : for i confess i see no manner of reason to recede in this point from what i have said already in the new theory . ( 16. ) 't is said that by supposing seas without clouds before the flood i contradict the known phaenomena of nature : for when vapors and steams are rais'd , they must necessarily gather into clouds , as they do at present . but sure this is too hasty a conclusion : and if the moon has seas , as is generally allow'd , 't is contrary to the known appearances of that planet : to say nothing of any of the others . and certainly the long spaces at some times , and in some regions , which are without clouds , even in our present state of things , when yet vast quantities of vapors continue in the air , are sufficient answers to this argument . 't is , i think , the wind , and the irregular condensation and descent of the superior and inferior vapors which occasion those thick masses in the air we call clouds , and those showers consequent thereupon , and not any thing belonging to the antediluvian earth . ( 17. ) 't is objected , with great shew of accuracy , that in 40 days or 96 day , but a very small quantity of vapors 4000 times as rare as our air could descend ; within which spaces yet the rains at the deluge must be confin'd : for as vapors now condense and fall about a mile in six hours , when they compose the dew ; so vapours 4000 times rarer would be 4000 times as long before they would descend ; so that every mile of the comet 's vapor ( at least that of the tail ) must be 1000 days , or almost 3 years in condensing into rain ; and so by consequence 750000 miles of this vapor must be almost three times 750000 years before it be all condens'd and fallen upon the earth . now in answer to this i say , here is a gross mistake , that every mile of the comet 's vapors must have a distinct time of condensing , and descending . as they all fell at once upon the earth at first , so those of the same degree of rareness would generally be condens'd and descend at once upon the earth in rain afterwards . and as the vapors , being of several degrees of rareness , and subject to various chances , would successively descend and cause continual rains ; so i think the spaces of 40 and of 96 days , sufficient to confine the last of 'em respectively . the altitude , and where the air is 4000 times as rare as with us , and whence , by consequence , the highest would descend from , is not so many miles as one would imagine , ( as the torricellian tube , by its different height , at the foot and top of mountains assures us ) nor indeed any other than very well agrees with the 40 and 96 days of descent , which are necessary in the present case , as on a fair calculation , will , i believe , easily appear ; tho' 't is so impossible to state all the points relating to this matter very nicely , that i think it hardly worth while to set about it , since the general consideration hereof does so wholly take off the force of the present objection . ( 18. ) 't is said that because the bodies of comets appear much less in their perihelia than before , 't is probable their tales are smoak , and not vapor ; and that the earth of the comets was by the sun's heat evaporated , and composed the tail. now truly this is to me news , that the central body of a comet grows much less at the perihelion . 't is true , the atmosphere becomes somewhat less at that time ; which is a natural effect of the rarefaction of part of it into the tail. but smoak is an earthly substance , not to be rarifi'd or elevated in any proportion with vapors ; and indeed when i see showers of dust or smoak as common as those of rain , i may be tempted to doubt of this point , but hardly before ; especially if we regard the tail in its descent from the cold regions , which must certainly be vapor , till the violence of the heat in the perihelion doth mix other earthly bodies therewith . tho' if much smoak were among the vapors , i see not what great harm would ensue to my hypothesis thereby . ( 19. ) 't is said noah and the ark must have been scorch'd or burnt by the heat of the comet and its atmosphere , if they came as near as my hypothesis requires . to omit here the place of noah and the ark , ( in that hemisphere of the earth which escap'd the primary descent of the vapors ; and so let 'em have been never so hot , would be cool'd e're they became rain : ) i pray what harm could a comet , tho' 10 times as hot as the earth ( which yet is too great a heat in the descent to the sun ) at the distance of at least 30000 miles , do to it ? for tho' the comet which mr. newton mentions were heated prodigiously , and would not cool in a very long time ; yet this revolving in such an orbit as my figure supposes , sustaining but the 60th part of the heat , and revolving , if the trajectories were similar , not under 20 times the period of the other , is not liable to the same computations ; or ought to occasion the same difficulties ; which if the other had come by in its room might justly have been alledg'd against me . ( 20. ) 't is objected , with great shew of strength , that the different attractions of the earth and moon must separate 'em farther than before , and thereby at once alter the species of the orbit of the moon , and its periodical time also ; on the continuance of which last so much depends ; for at the comets approach it would , before it came at either of 'em , draw 'em asunder and accelerate 'em differently , and after it was past 'em , it would do the same ; by reason of the different distances of the one and the other to the comet ; and by reason of the proportional attraction of the one commencing before that of the other . in answer to this difficulty , which deserves a careful consideration , i deny that any such eccentricity , or difference of periodical time in the moon would follow : for as the acceleration of the earth commenc'd before that of the moon , so also did its retardation ; and as while the comet was above or below 'em both , it would separate them ; so while it was between 'em it would draw 'em together . besides , in general i demonstrate the whole thing thus : the earth and the moon had equal velocity , and a right position before : and the velocity and position were equally increas'd , or affected alike by the comet , ( as from the like position of these two bodies in a system revolving about their common center of gravity , and from the equal approach and acceleration of the comet to 'em both is plain . ) and consequently their old position and common revolutions would still remain . so that when the moon 's eccentricity could be no other way caus'd by the comet than i conjectur'd , in which the period of the moon would still be preserv'd , all these fears may be at an end . tho' i heartily thank this objector for putting me upon clearing so substantial a point ; in which the main of the new theory was so deeply concern'd . ( 21. ) that our earth should have been once a comet seems not probable , because in all past history no other comet has been observ'd to stop and become a planet ; which one would imagine should now and then have happen'd since the mosaick creation . for answer to which i say , that as the earth is inconsiderable in comparison of the universe or the solar system ; so i believe is 6000 or 7000 years , ( the period i suppose of its duration ) [ much more about 2000 years the reach of our astronomical histories ] to the duration of the whole system . so that tho' we have no other example of an earth form'd from a comet , yet this is no great difficulty in the case . i believe worlds are not form'd every age , nor perhaps every thousandth age neither . ( 22. ) why should not the comet , to which i ascribe the deluge have been seen many days before it approach'd the earth , since 't was in opposition to the sun ? in answer to which i say , that if it were seen , as perhaps it was , and so the memory of the flood 's happening upon it preserv'd ; which one of my solutions will easily permit any one to suppose ; yet because its nearest approach was indiscernible to those who surviv'd , and because withal 't was not then imaginable , that a blazing star could drown the world ; or indeed could approach the earth at all , 't is not to be expected that any ancient history should ascribe the flood to it . ( 23. ) 't is objected , that whereas i assert that the point b. or place of the comet 's passing by the earth , by reason of the prevalence of the outward attraction over the inward , must have been five , six , or seven degrees after the place of the perihelion ; on the contrary , by the nearness of the inward attraction downward , immediately after the passing by of the comet , so far as to over-balance the longer time of the outward attraction , the point b. ought rather to be as far before the perihelion ; and that , by consequence , one of my greatest coincidences is gone , and my superstructure all precarious and false . in answer to which i must ingenuously own , that this is so far true as to take away the distance between the point b , and the perihelion ; which i before assign'd , upon a general view , and before any trial by computation . nay , i must farther own that the above-mention'd inward attraction , by reason of its nearness , does over-ballance the longer time of the outward ; and so the point b. must be rather on the other side of the perihelion . but then i must say 't is on calculation so small , as is wholly inconsiderable ; and the point b , and the perihelion coincident : which being thus granted , unless we can find the motion of the perihelion to have been slower than mr. flamstead's table , which i alone mention'd before , allows , this , will be a shrew'd difficulty in the present case , and destroy one of the best foundations of the new theory . now in this enquiry i find that mr. newton's computation à priori corrected , allows but 53⅓ degrees to the motion of the perihelion since the deluge : that mr. street's tables are very nearly for the same number , viz. 53 10 / 11 nay , that tycho's tables allow only 50½ , so that if we take a mean 51½ this will bring the perihelion at the deluge to the very day the 17th degree of taurus , and the 17th day of the second month. which last computation of tycho's as it was that i first observ'd , so now i finding it so near the exactest computations of others i acquiesce in one very near it : and am not displeas●d that , by means of this coincidence , the very day of the beginning of the deluge may almost be assign'd already ; and when the perihelion's motion is better fix'd , may perhaps be perfectly so ; to the still greater confirmation of all those coincidences , which of themselves have appear'd so remarkable in the case . appendix . upon this occasion i think 't is proper to own and correct a mistake in the new theory : where the axis of a cone is affirmed to pass through the focus of the ellipsis , generated thereon : which mistake , as i am now satisfy'd it is , tho' it were an illustration only , and of no farther consequence , yet ought to be rectify'd : which therefore i hereby do , as far as i am able ; and hope this free confession will procure as free a pardon from every one who considers that himself is not wholly free from errors and mistakes . it may not perhaps be here , upon this occasion , improper also to improve as well as correct the new theory , and make some few additions to it , and where they ought to be inserted the margin will direct the reader . coroll . since the number of years from the deluge till the fixing the present period of human life in the days of moses , is according to the chronology of the septuagint , at least equal to that from the creation to the deluge , according to the hebrew ; ( from which latter the calculations of this 33d phaenomenon are made ) and since withal the lives of men at a medium were during that space from the conjoint testimonies of both the hebrew and septuagint about 265 years ; 't is easy on the grounds proceeded on there to prove , that in case the septuagint's chronology be receiv'd , the world must have been much more populous in the days of moses , than it is at present ; and that by consequence mankind has not increas'd but decreas'd in number since those ancient days ; contrary to the most undoubted matter of fact in all the past and present ages of the world. so that 't is evident that not only some pretended vast numbers of years of the egyptian dynasties or chinese reigns , with any other extravagant computations of those kinds , enlarging the time since the deluge , but also the additional years introduced by the septuagint , nay , or the samaritan pentateuch are false , and contrary to the certain account of the increase of mankind in these latter ages of the world. upon the whole therefore no other accounts of the ancient times , whatever some have imagin'd , have rational evidence , and the phaenomena of nature on their sides ; but those which the hebrew verity delivers to us . corollary . it may here deserve our notice that tho' the present period of human life was generally sixt in the days of moses ; yet seeing such things are gradual , and sooner reduc'd to a standard in some families , countries , and situations than others ; it seems not necessary , nay not probable that the period was universally reduc'd to the lowest at the time assigned . so that if in the next period we find some instances of longevity which are hardly to be parallell'd now , it will be no more than may , nay , than ought in reason to be expected in such a case . thus there is no reason to be surpriz'd that moses himself reach'd 120 , his brother aaron 123 , and their sister miriam about 130 years of age. and in like manner the cases of rahab , booz , obed , and iesse , the progenitors of king david ( where four generations reach'd about 400 years ) which otherwise , notwithstanding what the history notes particularly of the great age of one or two of them , if compar'd with later times , would appear very strange , and next to incredible , are become hereby very easy , and very agreeable to the state of things in those ancient ages of the world. [ by way of corollary at the end of the postscript . ] corollary . the main body of the 10 tribes , as well as of those two of iudah and benjamin , returned out of captivity , and resetled themselves in the reign of cyrus and his successors in their own land. this is , i confess , a new conjecture , and contrary to what iosephus really does , and the sacred history is suppos'd to deliver touching this matter . but when 't is better consider'd , i imagine both iosephus will be found to deliver somewhat which will assist us to rectify his assertion , and the sacred books will be found every where to establish what is directly contrary to the common opinion herein . it may be own'd that the catalogues of particular families mention'd by ezra and nehemiah do not concern the 10 tribes ; nay , it may be own'd , that in the first of cyrus those carried into babylon , or the two tribes alone returned home ; ( and the catalogues belong expresly and singly to the first return of all in the first of cyrus , and that out of babylon only . ) but that the ten tribes did not return either presently after , or in the following reigns , particularly in the 2d of darius , or the 7th or 20th of artaxerxes is , i think , improbable in it self , and not agreeable to the scriptures , nor to that assertion of iosephus on which i ground this corollary , and which i now come to explain . the intire number of those who returned out of captivity is not set down in scripture , but is by iosephus ; and 't is thus : 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . the total summ of those who returned , above the age of twelve years , was 4628000 , without including the levites or their families . now if we suppose this summ taken out of the old iewish records , and that they , as in the scriptures , included only the males , as 't is reasonable to do , it will appear that so great a number must relate to the whole twelve tribes , not to those of iudah and benjamin alone , as iosephus asserts . for seeing the tribes of iudah and benjamin together , in the former numbering of 'em by david , were of males above twenty years old , or that drew the sword , about 500000 , and that after the allowance for their increase at the rate of doubling in 360 years , consider'd with that mighty diminution of 'em by pekah , the king of israel's slaying 120000 of 'em in one battle , their number at this their return from babylon could not be much above one million ; as on calculation will appear . this mighty number in iosephus may justly seem much too large for the two tribes , nay to the full large enough for the twelve together : as any one , who from the intire number in david's time , and the proportion of increase till the return out of captivity , compar'd with the mighty diminution of 'em by abiah , the king of iudah's slaying five hundred thousand of 'em in one battel , reduces this matter to calculation , may easily perceive . which observation methinks is of considerable force to prove that the ten tribes are not lost , nor still scatter'd abroad about assyria alone , as is so commonly suppos'd , but return'd with their brethren the iews to their own land ; and were with them subject to all the accidents mention'd by iosephus under the persian and grecian empires , the asmonaean or maccabaean , and herodian races , till their common and utter excision , and ultimate dispersion by the romans under titus vespasian . this observation and corollary might easily be confirmed from other arguments . but that would be to digress too much from my point . he who doubts may see some confirmation in what archbishop usher takes notice of ( tho' without design to prove what i say ) at the year of the world 3468. to which , together with his own observations hereafter , i refer the reader . 't is perhaps worth our enquiry , whether most mens notions of the time for the abating of the waters of the deluge be not very precarious , at least if not wholly mistaken . 't is the general opinion , taken from the mosaick history of the flood , that the waters were wholly subsided , and the earth laid as dry in a manner as 't is at present , by that time noah came out of the ark ; or in the space of about a year , from the beginning of the flood . 't is true , moses says , that on the seventeenth day of the seventh month the waters were abated , and the ark rested on the mountains of ararat : that on the first day of the tenth month the tops of the mountains were seen : that on the first day of the next year the waters were dried up from off the earth . and then lastly , that on the twenty-seventh day of the second month was the earth dried , and noah call'd out of the ark. but all this may be very true , and yet vast quantities of the waters of the deluge might at the same time remain on the face of the earth . and as the present ocean may be still part of the same , so the rest of them might require a hundred or two hundred years before they arriv'd at or near to their present subsidence and condition . and this , i think , is the truth of the case , and is so far from contradicting the sacred history , that it may be establish'd by an observation or two from thence , as well as by the present phaenomena of nature . as to the sacred history of moses , 't is first evident , that the mountainous regions about ararat or caucasus , especially since they were , from my hypothesis , particularly elevated above the rest , might be wholly clear of the waters in a year's time ; and yet the lower plains and valleys in a very different case , and still to a great depth under the water : and 't is as evident , 2ly , that we have no authentick account of the lower plains , being become dry and habitable , even in regions more elevated than many others , i mean about the middle parts of our continent , till the building of babel , the confusion of languages , and the dispersion of the nations over the earth ; none of which happen'd before the second century from the deluge , in the days of peleg . and then as to the present phaenomena of nature , i think they determin the question before us , and sufficiently demonstrate the longer abode of the waters of the deluge upon the earth than is commonly allow'd . for as many maritime countreys ( which i have already observ'd , and others have noted the same ) do by their remarkably even and smooth surface , shew they have been made so in length of time , by the motion of the sea , which now lays the sands in the same manner : so does the consideration of the nature and position of the strata of the earth in some places now fully confirm the same observation . near my habitation , at present , upon the sea-coast , there is a pretty high and remarkable cliff , at the least twenty foot above the surface of the ocean adjoining : and yet 't is to the very top stratum of all almost as evidently the product of the waters , laying heaps , strata , and beds of sand and chingle ; as that very shore on which we stand , and which is daily made and remov'd by the tides and waves of the present ocean . and as i do not doubt from the always equal height of the ocean every-where , that 't is frequently thus in other places also ; so this is , i think , a plain evidence that the ocean has been at least 20 foot higher than 't is now : and that for a long time together , sufficient i mean to heap up such mighty beds of sand and chingle as the present observation does require . which of it self is at once a demonstration that all the lower regions near the sea have formerly been drown'd , and layn under water : and at the same time does fully confirm that length of time which i assert was taken up in the intire subsidence of the waters of the deluge . in this place i cannot but propose a conjecture i have for some time had in my mind about the peopling of china ; which i think may deserve to be consider'd ; and 't is this. that the chinese are the offspring of noah himself after the flood , and not deriv'd from any of his other posterity shem , ham , or iaphet , as the inhabitants of the rest of the world are . this conjecture depends on the following reasons . ( 1. ) the account of the posterity of shem , ham , and iaphet , and of their dispersion , gives no hint of any that went so far east as china , as i think is plain from the best expositions of the 10th of genesis , where that matter is chiefly treated of . ( 2. ) since the dispersion of the posterity of shem , ham , and iaphet appears to have begun about babylon , a countrey so remote as china could not be so soon reach'd and peopled as the prodigious numbers of its inhabitants at present shew it to have been . the nearest regions must have been first and most fully peopled ; and the remoter not till men were increas'd sufficiently to require new habitations ; and accordingly it has happen'd in the countries of europe , africa , and the western parts of asia ; to which i suppose the dispersion begun at babel is confin'd . but this is a sufficient proof that so very large and prodigiously populous a country as china could not be of so late an original , as it must be in case the chinese are deriv'd from this dispersion . ( 3. ) the sacred history soon after the flood confines it self within the then known world : ( which , i think , did not include china , no more than america , and which is stil'd the whole earth very often in scripture , ) and at the same time says not a word of the great father of the whole race of mankind , noah : ( excepting the number of years he liv'd . ) now this is , i think , a kind of intimation that noah had no share in the actions related in the sacred history : and so by a fair consequence was probably plac'd in china , a region out of the compass of the then known world. ( 4. ) 't is otherwise strange , that whereas caucasus , the resting-place of the ark , was so near the middle of our continent , no footsteps should remain of any colonies sent eastward ; but all mankind should take one course , and place themselves in the western regions alone : and this at the same time , that no reason can be given why the western countreys should be more inviting to them than the eastern , since the latter certainly have been as valuable and pleasant to the past and present ages , as the former . ( 5. ) the chinese language and writing are so intirely different from those with us which the confusion at babel introduc'd , and are at so vast a distance from them , that i think they cannot well be deriv'd from thence , nor from any of those patriarchs whose posterity was there divided into the several parts of the world. all our languages consist of words and syllables made by a few letters : which is wholly different from the way of expressing intire sounds , and of varying the sense by tones or accents among the chinese . all which persuade me , that their original is different from ours : and that as we are the off-spring of shem , ham , and iaphet , whose sons were scattered from babel , so are they of noah who was no way interested in that dispersion , or in those languages which are deriv'd therefrom . ( 6. ) the learned sciences seem to have been anciently much better known in china than in these parts of the world : their government and constitution much firmer , and more lasting than ours : their most ancient histories more authentick and certain than ours ; ( excepting those of more than humane original . ) all which things make one ready to imagin , that as 't is probable noah might be much wiser and learneder than any of his sons ; so all those settlements , laws , and traditions , which are deriv'd from him , are remarkable effects and testimonies of the same : and therefore that in china ( where these effects and testimonies chiefly appear ) all those prerogatives are owing to noah , their original founder , and to no other . ( 7. ) there are some reasons to believe that the chinese mean no other by their first monarch fohi , than noah himself : for as the beginning of their history , with the reign of fohi , will , if their old years were lunar , fall , even from the hebrew verity , about the second century of noah's life ; ( as if they were solar , they will fall about the time of his birth : ) so what their history of king fohi mentions about his sacrificing , and his name of sacrificer given him from thence , seems plainly to refer to the sacred history of noah , and of his sacrifice after the flood . from all which i think 't is evident , that we have good grounds to believe the chinese the off-spring of noah , by his children born after the deluge : and that from this difference of original proceeds all that difference in other things , which is so remarkable , if compar'd with the rest of the world , in that ancient numerous , and learned nation . let the testimony out of plutarch be thus inserted . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . 't was the doctrine of empedocles , that when mankind sprang originally from the earth , the length of the day , by reason of the slowness of the sun's course , was equal to ten of our present months . finis . errata . pag. 6. line 28. read internal heat . 7. 22. read the. 16. 29. read pervious . 17. 16. read waters . 25. read to the raising . 18. 10 , 11. read place , in mr. keill's opinion , besides . 24. 5. dele for . 26. 11. read shells . 29. 11. read this . 31. 24. dele of . 34. 19 , 20. read into its tail , unless it were very short . 36. 8. dele and. 25. read tails . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a65674-e110 dr. bentley , coroll . 3 , & 4. post solut. 59. notes for div a65674-e1070 remarks , pag. ult . pag. 179 , &c. gen. 1. 2. p. 182 , &c. solut. 2. sect. 4. pag. 184 , 185. p. 185 , &c : p. 189. pag. 190 , 191. p. 191 , &c , solut. 7. corol. 2. p. 193 , &c. p. 102. fig. 3. p. 203 , &c. p. 104 , &c. p 207 , &c. remarks , p. 215. p. 215 , &c. p. 217. p. 221 , &c. notes for div a65674-e3180 dr. t. robinson's additional remarks . phaenom . 83. pag. 85. n● . ● . phaenom . 71. dr. nichols 2d conference with a theist . dr. nichols . dan. 8. 14. 26. n. t. p. 84. vid. plut. de plac. philosoph . l. 5. c. 18. censorin . de die natali . c. 20. dr. nichols . dr. nichols . dr. nichols , dr. nichols . dr. nichols . mr. b. p. 1●● . mr. b. mr. b. solut. 93. p. 314. fig. 3. mr. s. p. 473. notes for div a65674-e5140 lem. p. 19. post. 2 coroll . solut. 33. coroll . 5. solut. 7. ruth 3. 10. 1 sam. 17. 12. ezra 2. 1. neh. 7. 5 , 6. antiq. 1. 11. c. 4. vid. p. s. 2 sam. 24. 9. 2 chron. 28. 6. vid. p. s. 2 chron. 13. 17. scholium post corol. 2 solut. 61. gen. 8. 3 , 4. ver . 5. ver . 13. v. 14 , &c. gen. 10. 25. & 11 3 , 2. corol. 2. post solut. 61. mr. ray's physico theolog . discourses , p. 28 , 29. 2d edit . scholium post sect 2. hypoth . 8. gen. 9. 19. pag. 33. a short consideration of mr. erasmus warren's defence of his exceptions against the theory of the earth in a letter to a friend. burnet, thomas, 1635?-1715. 1691 approx. 109 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 22 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : 2003-01 (eebo-tcp phase 1). a30486 wing b5947 estc r36301 15642922 ocm 15642922 104274 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a30486) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 104274) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, 1641-1700 ; 1182:2) a short consideration of mr. erasmus warren's defence of his exceptions against the theory of the earth in a letter to a friend. burnet, thomas, 1635?-1715. 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jennifer kietzman sampled and proofread 2002-09 jennifer kietzman text and markup reviewed and edited 2002-10 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion a short consideration of mr erasmvs warren's defence of his exceptions against the theory of the earth . sir , i have read over mr. warren's defence of his exceptions against the theory of the earth : which , it may be , few will do after me ; as not having curiosity or patience enough , to read such a long pamphlet , of private or little use . such altercations as these , are to you , i believe , as they are to me , a sort of folly ; but the aggressor must answer for that , who makes the trouble inavoidable to the defendant . and 't is an unpleasant exercise : a kind of wild-goose-chase ; where he that leads must be followed , through all his extravagances . the author of this defence must pardon me , if i have less apprehensions both of his judgment and temper , than i had before . for , as he is too verbose and long-winded ever to make a close reasoner : so it was unexpected to me to find his style so captious and angry , as it is in this last paper . and the same strain continuing to the end , i was sorry to see that his bloud had been kept upon the fret , for so many months together , as the pamphlet was a-making . he might have made his work much shorter , without any loss to the sence . if he had left out his popular enlargements , juvenile excursions , stories and strains of country-rhetorick , ( whereof we shall give you some instances hereafter ) his book would have been reduc'd to half the compass . and if from that reduc'd half ; you take away again trifling altercations and pedantick repartees , the remainder would fall into the compass of a few pages . for my part , i am always apt to suspect a man that makes me a long answer : for the precise point to be spoken to , in a multitude of words is easily lost : and words are often multiplied for that very purpose . however if his humour be verbose , it might have been , at least , more easie and inoffensive : there having been no provocation given him in that kind . but let us guess , if you please , as well as we can , what it was in the late answer , that so much discomposed the excepter and altered his style . either it must be the words and language of that answer : or the sence of it , without respect to the language . as to the words , 't is true , he gives some instances of expressions offensive to him ; yet they are but three or four , and those methinks , not very high : tho' he calls them 〈◊〉 of passion ; they are these indiscreet , rude , injudicious , and uncharitable . these characters , it seems , are applyed to the excepter , in some part of the answer , upon occasion offer'd . and whether those occasions were just or no , i dare appeal to your judgement . as to the word rude , which seems the most harsh , i had said indeed , that he was rude to anaxagoras : and so he was , not to allow him to be a competent witness in matter of fact , whom all antiquity , sacred and prophane , hath represented to us as one of the greatest men amongst the ancients . i had also said in another place , that , a rude , and injudicious defence of scripture by railing and ill language , is the true way to lessen and disparage it . this i still justifie as true , and if he apply it to himself , much good may it do him . i do not remember that it is any where said that he was rude to the theorist ; if it be , 't is possibly upon occasion of his charging him with blasphemy , horrid blasphemy against the holy ghost , for saying , the earth was dissolv'd at the deluge . and i appeal to any man , whether this is not an uncharitable , and a rude charge . if a man had cursed god , or call'd our saviour an impostor , what could he have been charg'd with more , than blasphemy , horrid blasphemy ? and if the same things be charg'd upon a man , for saying , the earth was dissolv'd at the deluge , either all crimes and errors must be equal , or the change must be rude . but however it must be rude in the opinion of the theorist , who thinks this neither crime nor error . what says the defence of the exceptions to this ? it makes use of distinctions for mitigation of the censure : and says , it will indirectly , consequentially , or reductively , be of blasphemous importance . here blasphemy is changed into blasphemous importance , and horrid blasphemy into consequential , &c. but taking all these mitigations , it seems however , according to his theology , all errors in religion are blasphemy , or of blasphemous importance . for all errors in religion must be against scripture one way or other : at least consequentially , indirectly , or reductively : and all that are so , according to the doctrine of this author , must be blasphemy or of blasphemous importance . this is crude divinity , and the answer had reason to subjoyn what we cited before , that , a rude and injudicious defence of scripture , is the true way to lessen and disparage it . thus much for rude and uncharitable : as for the other two words , indiscreet and injudicious , i cannot easily be induc'd to make any apology for them . on the contrary , i 'm afraid , i shall have occasion to repeat these characters again , especially the latter of them , in the perusal of this pamphlet . however they do not look like brats of passion , as he calls them : but rather as cool and quiet judgments , made upon reasons and premises . i had forgot one expression more . the answer , it seems , somewhere calls the excepter a dabbler in philosophy , which he takes ill . but that he is a dabbler , both in philosophy and astronomy , i believe will evidently appear upon this second examination of the same passages upon which that character was grounded . we will therefore leave that to the trial , when we come to those passages again , in the following discourse . these , sir , as far as i remember , are the words and expressions which he hath taken notice of , as offensive to him , and effects of passion . but , methinks , these cannot be of force sufficient to put him so much out of humour , and change his style so much , as we find it to be in this last pamphlet . and therefore i am inclinable to believe , that 't is the sence rather , than the words or language of the answer , that hath had this effect upon him : and that some unhappy passages , that have expos'd his mistakes , were the true causes of these resentments . such passages i will guess at , as well as i can , and note them to you as they occur to my memory . but give me leave first , upon this occasion of his new way of writing , to distinguish and mind you of three sorts of arguing , which you may call , reasoning , wrangling , and scolding . in fair reasoning , regard is had to truth only , not to victory : let it fall on whether side it will. but in wrangling and scolding , 't is victory that is pursued and aim'd at in the first place , with little regard to truth . and if the contention be manag'd in civil terms , 't is but wrangling : if in uncivil , 't is scolding . i will not so far anticipate your judgment as to rank this arguer in any of the three orders : if you have patience to read over his pamphlet , you will best see how and where to set him in his proper place . we now proceed to those passages in the answer , which probably have most exasperated the author of the exceptions and the defence . in his exceptions he had said , the moon being present , or in her present place in the firmament , at the time of the chaos , she would certainly trouble and discompose it , as she does now the waters of the sea : and , by that means , hinder the formation of the earth . to this we answer'd , that the moon that was made the 4th . day , could not hinder the formation of the earth , which was made the 3d. day . this was a plain intelligible answer : and at the same time discover'd such a manifest blunder in the objection , as could not but give an uneasie thought to him that made it . however we must not deny , but that he makes some attempt to shift it off in his reply : for he says , the earth formed the 3d. day , was moses's earth , which the excepter contends for : but the earth he disputes against , is the theorist's , which could not be formed the 3d. day . he should have added , and therefore would be hinder'd by the moon : otherwise this takes off nothing . and now the question comes to a clear state : for when the excepter says , the moon would have hinder'd the formation of the earth , either he speaks upon moses's hypothesis , or upon the theorist's hypothesis . not upon the theorist's hypothesis , for the theorist does not suppose the moon present then . and if he speaks upon moses's hypothesis , the moon that was made the 4th . day , must have hinder'd the formation of the earth the 3d. day . so that the objection is a blunder upon either hypothesis . furthermore , whereas he suggests that the answerer makes use of moses's hypothesis to confute his adversary , but does not follow it himself : 't is so far true , that the theorist never said that moses's six-days creation was to be understood literally , but however it is justly urg'd against those that understand it literally , and they must not contradict that interpretation which they own and defend . so much for the moon , and this first passage , which i suppose was troublesome to our author . but he makes the same blunder , in another place , as to the sun. both the luminaries , it seems , stood in his way . in the 10th . chapter of his exceptions , he gives us a new hypothesis about the origin of mountains : which , in short , is this , that they were drawn or suckt out of the earth by the influence and instrumentality of the sun. whereas the sun was not made , according to moses , till the 4th . day , and the earth was form'd the 3d. day . 't is an unhappy thing to split twice upon the same rock , and upon a rock so visible . he that can but reckon to four , can tell whether the 3d. day , or 4th . day , came sooner . to cure this hypothesis about the origin of mountains , he takes great pains in his defence , and attempts to do it chiefly by help of a distinction : dividing mountains into maritime and inland . now 't is true , says he , these maritime mountains , and such as were made with the hollow of the sea , must rise when that was sunk or deprest : namely , the 3d. day . yet inland ones , he says , might be raised some earlier , and some later : and by the influence of the sun. this is a weak and vain attempt to defend his notion ; for , besides that this distinction of maritime and inland mountains , as arising from different causes , and at different times , is without any ground , either in scripture or reason : if their different origin was admitted , the sun 's extracting these inland mountains out of the earth , would still be absurd and incongruous upon other accounts . scripture , i say , makes no such distinction of mountains , made at different times and from different causes . this is plain , seeing moses does not mention mountains at all in his six-days creation : nor any where else , till the deluge . what authority have we then to make this distinction : or to suppose that all the great mountains of the earth were not made together ? besides , what length of time would you require , for the production of these inland mountains ? were they not all made within the six-days creation ? hear what moses says at the end of the 6th . day . thus the heavens and the earth were finished , and all the host of them . and on the 7th . day , god ended his work which he had made . now if the excepter say , that the mountains were all made within these six-days , we will not stand with him for a day or two : for that would make little difference as to the action of the sun. but if he will not confine their production to moses's six days , how does he keep to the mosaical hypothesis ? or how shall we know where he will stop , in his own way ? for if they were not made within the six days , for any thing he knows , they might not be made till the deluge ; seeing scripture no where mentions mountains before the flood . and as scripture makes no distinction of maritime and inland mountains , so neither hath this distinction any foundation in nature or reason . for there is no apparent or discernible difference betwixt maritime and inland mountains , nor any reason why they should be thought to proceed from different causes , or to be rais'd at different times . the maritime mountains are as rocky , as ruderous , and as irregular and various in their shape and posture , as the inland mountains . they have no distinctive characters , nor any different properties , internal or external : in their matter , form , or composition : that can give us any ground to believe , that they came from a different original . so that this distinction is meerly precarious , neither founded in scripture nor reason : but made for the nonce to serve a turn . besides , what bounds will you give to these maritime mountains ? are they distinguisht from inland mountains barely by their distance from the sea , or by some other character ? if barely by distance , tell us then how far from the sea do the maritime mountains reach , and where do the inland begin , and how shall we know the terminalis lapis ? especially in a continued chain of mountains , that reach from the sea many hundreds of miles inland : as the alpes from the ocean to pontus euxinus , and taurus , as he says , fifteen hundred miles in length , from the chinese ocean to the sea of pamphylia . in such an uninterrupted ridge of mountains , where do the land-mountains end , and the sea-mountains begin ? or what mark is there , whereby we may know that they are not all of the same race , or do not all spring from the same original ? such obvious enquiries as these , shew sufficiently , that the distinction is meerly arbitrary and fictitious . but suppose this distinction was admitted , and the maritime mountains made the 3d. day , but inland mountains i know not when : the great difficulty still remains , how the sun rear'd up these inland mountains afterwards . or if his power be sufficient for such effects , why have we not mountains made still to this day ? seeing our mountain-maker the sun is still in the firmament , and seems to be as busie at work , as ever . the defender hath made some answer to this question , in these words , the question is put , why have we no mountains made now ? it might as well have been askt , says he , why does not the fire make a dough-bak'd loaf swell and ●uff up ? and , he says , this answer must be satisfactory to the question propounded . it must be , that is , for want of a better : for otherwise this dowe-comparison is unsatisfactory upon many accounts . first , there was no ferment in the earth , as in this dowe-cake : at least it is not prov'd , or made appear , that there was any . nay , in the exceptions , when this hypothesis was propos'd , there was no mention at all made of any ferment or leaven in the earth : but the effect was wholly imputed to vapors and the sun. but to supply their defects , he now ventures to add the word fermentive , as he calls it . a fermentive , flatulent principle , which heav'd up the earth , as leaven does dowe . but , besides , that this is a meer groundless and gross postulatum , to suppose any such leaven in the earth ; if there had been such a principle , it would have swoln the whole mass uniformly , heav'd up the exterior region of the earth every where , and so not made mountains , but a swoln bloated globe . this sir , is a 2d . passage , which i thought might make the defender uneasie . we proceed now to a 3d. and 4th . in his geography and astronomy . in the 14th . chapter of his exceptions , speaking of the change of the situation of the earth , from a right posture to an oblique , he says , according to the theory , the ecliptick in the primitive earth , was its equinoctical now . this , he is told by the answer , is a great mistake ; namely , to think that the earth , when it chang'd its situation , chang'd its poles and circles . what is now reply'd to this ? he speaks against a change , says the defence , in the poles and circles of the earth ; a needless trouble , and occasion'd by his own oversight . for had he but lookt into the errata's , he might have seen there , that these parentheses , upon which he grounded what he says , should have been left out . so this is acknowledg'd an erratum , it seems , but an erratum typographicum ; not in the sence , but only in the parentheses , which , he says , should have been left out . let us then lay aside the parentheses , and the sentence stands thus , for under the ecliptick , which in the primitive situation of the earth , according to the theory , was its equinoctial : and divided the globe into two hemispheres , as the equator does now . the dry ground , &c. how does this alter or mend the sence ? it is not still as plainly affirm'd , as before , that , according to the theory , the ecliptick in the primitive earth was its equinoctial ? and the same thing is suppos'd throughout all this paragraph . and if he will own the truth , and give things their proper name ▪ 't is down-right ignorance or a gross mistake in the doctrine of the sphere , which he would first father upon the theory , and then upon the parentheses . and this leads me to a 4th . passage , much-what of the same nature , where he would have the earth to have been translated out of the aequator into the ecliptick , and to have chang'd the line of its motion about the sun , when it chang'd its situation . his words are these , so that in her annual motion about the sun , she , namely , the earth before her change of situation , was carried directly under the equinoctial . this is his mistake . the earth mov'd in the ecliptick , both before and after her change of situation : for the change was not made in the circle of her motion about the sun , but in her posture or inclination in the same circle . whereas he supposes that the shifted both posture , and also her circuit about the sun , as his words are in the next paragraph . but we shall have occasion to reflect upon this again in its proper place . we proceed now to another astronomical mistake . a 5th . passage , which probably might disquiet him , is his false argumentation at the end of the 8th . chap. concerning days and months . he says there , if the natural days were longer towards the flood , than at first : ( which no body however affirms ) fewer than thirty would have made a month : whereas the duration of the flood is computed by months consisting of thirty days a-piece : therefore , says he , they were no longer than ordinary . this argumentation the answer told him , was a meer paralogism , or a meer blunder . for 30 days are 30 days , whether they are longer or shorter : and scripture does not determine the length of the days . there are several pages spent in the defence , to get off this blunder : let 's here how he begins : tho' scripture does not limit or account for the length of days expresly , yet it does it implicitly , and withal very plainly and intelligibly . this is deny'd , and if he make this out , that scripture does very plainly and intelligibly determine the length of days at the deluge , and makes them equal with ours at present , then , i acknowledge , he hath remov'd the blunder : otherwise it stands the same , unmov'd and unmended . now observe how he makes this out ; for , says he , scripture gives us to understand , that days before the flood were of the same length that they are of now , by informing vs , that months and years , which were of the same length then , that they are of at present , were made up of the same number of days . here the blunder is still continued , or , at best , it is but transferr'd from days to months , or from months to years . he says , scripture informs us that months and years were of the same length then , that they are of at present . if he mean by the same length , the same number of days , he relapses into the old blunder , and we still require the length of those days . but if scripture informs us that the months and years at the flood , were of the same length that they are of now , according to any absolute and known measure , distinct from the number of days , then the blunder is sav'd . let 's see therefore by whether of these two ways he proves it in the next words , which are these , for how could there be just 12 months in the year , at the time of the deluge : and 30 days in each of those months , if days then had not consisted , as they do now , of 24 hours a piece . we allow a day might then consist of 24 hours , if the distinction of hours was so ancient . but what then , the question returns concerning the length of those hours as it was before concerning the length of the days : and this is either idem per idem , or the same error in another instance . if you put but hours in the place of days , the words of the answer have still the same force : twenty four hours were to go to a day , whether the hours were longer or shorter : and scripture does not determine the length of the hours . this , you see , is still the same case , and the same paralogism hangs upon both instances . but he goes on still in this false tract , in these words : and as providence hath so ordered nature , that days ( that depend upon its diurnal motion ) should be measur'd by circumgyrations of the earth . — so it hath taken care that each of these circumrotations should be performed in 24 hours : and consequently that every day should be just so long that 30 of them ( in way of round reckoning ) might compleat a month . admit all this , that 30 days compleat a month . still if scripture hath not determin'd the length of those days , nor the slowness or swiftness of the circumgyrations that make them , it hath not determin'd to us the length of those months , nor of the years that depend upon them . this one would take to be very intelligible : yet he goes on still in the same maze , thus , but now had the circumgyrations of the earth grown more slow towards the deluge ( by such causes as the excepter suggested ) so as every day had consisted of 30 hours , &c. but how so , i pray ? this is a wild step : why 30 hours ? where does scripture say so : or where does the theorist say so ? we say the day consisted then as now of 24 hours , whether the hours were longer or shorter : and that scripture hath not determin'd the length of those hours , nor consequently of those days , nor consequently of those months , nor consequently of those years . so , after all this a-do , we are just where we were at first , namely , that scripture not having determin'd the absolute length of any one , you cannot by that determine the length of any other . and by his shifting and multiplying instances , he does but absurda absurdis accumulare , ne perpluant . we offer'd before , in our answer , to give the excepter some light into his mistake : by distinguishing in these things , what is absolute from what is relative : the former whereof , cannot , under these or any such like circumstances , be determin'd by the latter . for instance ; a man hath ten children , and he will not say absolutely and determinately what portion he will give with any one of them : but he says , i will give my eldest child a tenth part more than my 2d , and my second a 9th . part more than my 3d , and my third an 8th . part more than my 4th ; and so downwards in proportion , to the youngest . not telling you , in any absolute sum , what money he will give the youngest , or any other : you cannot by this tell what portion the man will give with any of his children . i leave you to apply this , and proceed to a nearer instance , by comparing the measures of time and longitude . if you know how many inches make a foot , how many feet a pace , how many paces a mile , &c. you cannot by these numbers determine the absolute quantity of any one of the foresaid measures , but only their relative quantity as to one another . so if scripture had determin'd , of how many hours a day consisted : of how many days a month : of how many months a year : you could not by this alone determine the absolute duration or quantity of any one of these , nor whether they were longer or shorter than our present hours , days , months , or years . and therefore , i say still , as i said at first , 30 days are 30 days , whether they are longer or shorter : and 30 circumgyrations of the earth , are 30 , whether they be slower or swifter . and that no scripture-proof can be made from this , either directly or consequentially , that the days before the flood , were or were not , longer than they are at present . but we have been too long upon this head . we proceed now from his astronomy to his philosophy . 't was observ'd in the answer , that the excepter in the beginning of the 9th . chap. suppos'd terrestrial bodies to have a nitency inwards , or downwards towards the center . this we noted as a false principle in philosophy : and to rectifie his mistake , he now replyes , that he understood that expression only of self-central and quiescent bodies . whereas in truth , the question he was speaking to , was about a fluid body turning upon its axis . but however let us admit his new sence , his principle , i 'm afraid , will still need rectification ; namely , he affirms now , that quiescent earthly bodies are impregnated with a nitency inward , or downward towards the center . i deny also this reform'd principle ; if bodies be turn'd round , they have a nitency upwards , or from the center of their motion . if they be not turn'd round , nor mov'd , but quiescent , they have no nitency at all , neither upwards nor downwards : but are indifferent to all lines of motion , according as an external impulse shall carry them , this way or that way . so that his impregnation with a nitency downwards , is an occult and fictitious quality , which is not in the nature of bodies , whether in motion or in rest . the truth is , the author of the exceptions makes a great flutter about the cartesian philosophy , and the copernican systeme , but the frequent mistakes he commits in both , give a just suspicion that he understands neither . lastly , we come to the grand discovery of a fifteen-cubit-deluge , which , it may be , was as uneasie to him upon second thoughts , as any of the rest : at least one would guess so , by the changes he hath made in his hypothesis . for he hath now , in this defence , reduc'd the deluge to a destruction of the world by famine , rather than by drowning . i do not remember in scripture any mention made of famine in that great judgment of water brought upon mankind , but he thinks he hath found out something that favours his opinion : namely , that a good part of mankind at the deluge , were not drown'd , but starv'd for want of victuals . and the argument is this , because in the story of the deluge , men are not said to be drown'd , but to perish , die or be destroy'd . but are they said any where in the story of the deluge , to have been famish'd ? and when god says to noah , i will bring a slood of waters upon the earth , to destroy all flesh , does it not plainly signifie , that that destruction should be by drowning ? but however let us hear our author : when he had been making use of this new hypothesis of starving , to take off some arguments urged against his fifteen-cubit deluge ( particularly , that it would not be sufficient to destroy all mankind ) he adds these words by way of proof . and methinks there is one thing which seems to insinuate , that a good part of the animal world might perhaps come to an end thus : by being driven to such streights by the over flowing waters , as to be famisht or starv'd to death . the thing is this , in the story of the deluge , it is no where said of men and living creatures , that they were drown'd , but they dyed , or were destroyed . those that are drown'd are destroy'd , i imagine , as well as those that are starv'd : so this proves nothing . but that the destruction here spoken of , was by drowning , seems plain enough , both from god's words to noah before the flood , and by his words after the flood , when he makes his covenant with noah ▪ in this manner : i will establish my covenant with you , neither shall all flesh be cut off any more by the waters of a flood . now to be cut off , or destroy'd by the waters of a flood , is , methinks , to be drown'd . and i take all flesh to comprehend the animal world , or at least , all mankind . accordingly our saviour says , matt. 24. 39. in noah's time , the flood came , and took them all away : namely , all mankind . this is one expedient our author hath found out , to help to bear off the inconveniences that attend his fifteen-cubit deluge : namely , by converting a good part of it into a famine . but he hath another expedient to joyn to this , by increasing the waters : and that is done , by making the common surface of the earth , or the highest parts of it , as he calls them , to signifie ambiguously , or any height that pleases him ; and consequently fifteen cubits above that , signifies also what height he thinks fit . but in reality , there is no surface common to the earth , but either the exteriour surface , whether it be high or low : or the ordinary level of the earth , as it is a globe or convex body . if by his common surface he mean the exteriour surface , that takes in mountains as well as low-lands , or any other superficial parts of the earth . and therefore if the deluge was fifteen cubits above this common surface , it was fifteen cubits above the highest mountains , as we say it was . but if by the common surface he mean the common level of the earth , as it is a globular or convex body , then we gave it a right name when we call'd it the ordinary level of the earth : namely , that level or surface that lies in an equal convexity with the surface of the sea. and his fifteen cubits of water from that level , would never drown the world. lastly , if by the common surface of the earth , he understand a 3d. surface , different from both these , he must define it , and define the height of it : that we may know how far this fifteen-cubit deluge rise , from some known basis . one known basis is the surface of the sea , and that surface of the land that lies in an equal convexity with it : tell us then if the waters of the deluge were but fifteen cubits higher than the surface of the sea , that we may know their height by some certain and determinate measure , and upon that examine the hypothesis . but to tell us they were fifteen cubits above , not the mountains or the hills , but the highlands , or the highest parts of the common surface of the earth , and not to tell us the height of these highest parts from any known basis : nor how they are distinguisht from hills and mountains , which incur our sences , and are the measures given us by moses : this , i say , is but to cover his hypothesis with ambiguities , when he had made it without grounds : and to leave room to set his water-mark higher or lower , as he should see occasion or necessity . and of this indeed we have an instance in this land pamphlet , for he has rais'd his water-mark there , more than an hundred cubits higher than it was before . in his exceptions he said , not that the waters were no where higher than just fifteen cubits , above the ground , they might in most places be thirty , forty , or fifty cubits higher . but in his defence he says , the waters might be an hundred or two hundred cubits higher , than the general ordinary plain of the earth . now what security have we , but that in the next pamphlet , they may be 500 or a 1000 cubits higher than the ordinary surface of the earth . this is his 2d . expedient , raising his water-mark indefinitely . but if these two methods be not sufficient to destroy mankind , and the animate world , he hath yet a third , which cannot fail : and that is , destroying them by evil angels . flectere si nequeo . this is his last refuge ; to which purpose he hath these words , when heaven was pleas'd to give satan leave , he caus'd the fire to consume job's sheep , and caused the wind to destroy his children . and how easily could these spirits , that are ministers of god's vengeance , have made the waters of the flood fatal to those creatures that might have escaped them , if any could have done it ? as suppose an eagle , or a faulcon : the devil and his crue catcht them all , and held their moses under water . however , methinks , this is not fair play , to deny the theorist the liberty to make use of the ministery of good angels , when he himself makes use of evil spirits . these , sir , and such like passages , where the notions of the excepter have been expos'd , were the causes , i imagine , of his angry reply . some creatures , you know , are more fierce after they are wounded : and some upon a gentle chase will fly from you , but if you press them and put them to extremities , they turn and fly in your face . i see by our author's example , how easily , in these personal altercations , reasoning degenerates into wrangling , and wrangling into scolding however , if i may judge from these two hypotheses which he hath made , about the rise of mountains , and a fifteen-cubit deluge , of all trades i should never advise him to turn hypothesis-maker . it does not seem at all to lie to his hand , and things never thrive that are undertaken , diis iratis , genioque sinistro . but as we have given you some account of this author 's philosophical notions , so it may be you will expect that we should entertain you with some pieces of his wit and eloquence . the truth is , he seems to delight and value himself upon a certain kind of country-wit and popular eloquence , and i will not grudge you the pleasure of enjoying them both , in such instances as i remember . speaking in contempt of the theory and the answer , ( which is one great subject of his wit ) he expresses himself thus : but if arguments be so weak , that they will fall with a fillip , why should greater force be used to beat them down ? to draw a rapier to stab a fly ; or to charge a pistol to kill a spider ; i think would be preposterous . i think so too , in this we 're agreed . in another place , being angry with the theorist , that he would not acknowledge his errours to him , he hath these words , 't is unlucky for one to run his head against a post : but when he hath done , if he will say he did not do it , and stand in and defend what he says : 't is a sign he is as senceless as he was unfortunate : and is fitter to be pitied than confuted . this wit , it may be , you 'll say , is downright clownery . the truth is , when i observ'd , in reading his pamphlet , the courseness of his repartees , and of that sort of wit wherein he deals most and pleases himself , it often rais'd in my mind , whether i would or no , the idea of a pedant : of one that had seen little of the world , and thought himself much wittier and wiser than others would take him to be . i will give you but one instance more of his rustical wit : telling the theorist of an itch of writing : methinks , says he , he might have laid that prurient humour , by scratching himself with the briars of a more innocent controversie : or by scrvbbing sovndly against something else than the holy scripture . he speaks very sensibly , as if he understood the disease , and the way of dealing with it . but i think holy scripture does not come in well upon that occasion . all this is nothing , sir , in comparison of his popular eloquence . see with what alacrity he runs it off hand , in a similitude betwixt adam and a lord lieutenant of a county . when the king makes a gentleman lord-lieutenant of a county , by virtue of his commission is he presently the strongest man that is in it ? does it enable him to encounter whole regiments of souldiers in his single person ? does it impower him to carry a cannon upon his neck ? or when the great gun is fir'd off , to catch the bullet as it flies , and put it up in his pocket ? so when god gave adam dominion over the fowls , did he mean that he should dive like a duck , or soar like a falcon ? that he should swim as naturally as the swan , and hunt the kite , or hobby , as boys do the wren ? did he mean that he should hang up ostritches in a cage , as people do linnets : or fetch down the eagles to feed with his pullen , and make them perch with his chickens in the henroost ? so much for the fowls , now for the fish. when god gave adam dominion over the sea , was he to be able to dwell at the bottom , or to walk on the top of it ? to drain it as a ditch , or to take all its fry at once in a dragnet ? was he to snare the shark , as we do young pickarels : or to bridle the sea-horse , and ride him for a pad ? or to put a slip upon the crocodile's neck , and play with him as with a dog ? &c. sir , i leave it to you , as a more competent judge , to set a just value upon his gifts and elocution . for my part , to speak freely , dull sence , in a phantastick style , is to me doubly nauseous . but least i should cloy you with these lushious harangues , i will give you but one more : and 't is a miscellany of several pieces of wit together . should twenty mariners , says he , confidently affirm , that they sail'd in a ship from dover to calis , by a brisk gale out of a pair of bellows : or if forty engineers should positively swear , that the powder-mill near london , was late blown up , by a mine then sprung at great waradin in hungary , must they not be grievously perjur'd persons ? — or if the historian that writes the peloponnesian war , had told that the soldiers who fell in it , fought only with sun beams , and single currants which grew thereabouts , and that hundreds and thousands were stabb'd with the one , and knock'd on the head with the other : who would believe that ever there were such weapons in that war ; that ever there was such a fatal war in that country ? even so , &c. these , sir , are flights and reaches of his pen , which i dare not censure , but leave them to your judgment . thus much is to give you a tast only of his wit and eloquence : and if you like it , you may find more of the same strain , here and there , in his writings . i have only one thing to mind him of , that he was desir'd by the theorist to write in latin ( if he was a scholar ) as being more proper for a subject of this nature . if he had own'd and followed that character , i 'm apt to think it would have prevented a great many impertinencies : his tongue probably would not have been so flippant in popular excursions and declamations , as we now find it . neither is this any great presumption or rashness of judgment , if we may guess at his skill in that language by his translations , here and there . cum plurimâ religione is render'd with the principles of their religion . and if he say he followed sir w. rawleigh in his translation , he that follows a bad translator without correction or notice , is suppos'd to know no better himself . and this will appear the more probable , if we consider another of his translations , in this present work . rei personam he translates the representation of the things : instead of the person of the guilty : or the person of him that is reus not actor . and in this , i dare say , he was seduc'd by no example . but least we should be thought to misrepresent him , take his own words , such as they are . yea , though it was spoken never so positively , it was but to set forth rei personam : to make the more full and lively representation of the supposed thing . here , you see , he hath made a double blunder , first , in jumbling together person and thing : then , if they could be jumbled together , rei persona would not signifie the full and lively representation of the thing , but rather a disguise or personated representation of the thing . however i am satisfied from these instances , that he had good reason , notwithstanding the caution or desire of the theorist to the contrary , to write his books in his mother's tongue . thus we have done with the first part : which was to mark out such passages , as we thought might probably have inflam'd the authors style in this reply . when men are resolv'd not to own their faults , you know there is nothing more uneasie and vexatious to them , than to see them plainly discover'd and expos'd . we must now give you some account of the contents of his chapters , so far as they relate to our subject . chap. 1st . nothing . chap. 2d . is against extraordinary providence : or that the theorist should not be permitted to have recourse to it upon any occasion . this recourse to extraordinary providence being frequently objected in other places , and of use to be distinctly understood : we will speak of it apart at the latter end of the letter . chap. 3. is about the moon 's hindering the formation of the earth before she was form'd her self , or in our neighbourhood ; as we have noted before . another thing in this chap. is his urging , oyly or oleagineous particles not to have been in the chaos , but made since . i 'll give a short answer to this : either there was or was not , oleagineous matter in the new-made earth , ( i mean in its superficial region . ) when it came first out of a chaos ? if there was , there was also in the chaos , out of which that earth was immediately made . and if there was no oleagineous matter in the new-made earth , how came the soil to be so fertile , so fat , so unctuous ? i say not only fertile , but particularly fat and unctuous : for he uses these very words frequently in the description of that soil . and all fat and unctuous liquors are oleagineous : and accordingly we have us'd those words promiscuously , in the description of that region : ( eng. theor. chap. 5. ) understanding only such unctuous liquors as are lighter than water and swim above it , and consequently would stop and entangle the terrestrial particles in their fall or descent . and seeing such unctuous and oleagineous particles were in the new-made earth , they must certainly have been in the matter out of which it was immediately form'd , namely , in the chaos . all the rest of this chapter we are willing to leave in its full force : apprehending the theory , or the answer , to be in no danger from such argumentations or reflections . the 4th . chap. is very short and hath nothing argumentative the 5th . chap. is concerning the cold in the circumpolar parts , which was spoken to in the answer sufficiently , and we stand to that . what is added about extraordinary providence , will be treated of in its proper place . the 6th . chap. is also short , against this particular , that it is not safe to argue upon suppositions actually false . and i think there needs no more to prove it , than what was said in the answer . chap. 7. is chiefly about texts of scripture , concerning which i see no occasion of saying any more than what is said in the review of the theory . he says ( p. 49. ) that the theorist catches himself in a trap , by allowing that ps. 33. 7. is to be understood of the ordinary posture of the waters , and yet applying it to their extraordinary posture under the vault of the earth . but that was not an extraordinary posture according to the theorist , but their natural posture in the first earth . yet i allow the expression might have been better thus , in a level or spherical convexity , as the earth . he interprets 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ( p. 53. ) which we render the garden of the lord , not to be paradise , but any pleasant garden ; yet gives us no authority , either of ancient commentator or version , for this novel and paradoxical interpretation . the septuagint render it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . the vulgate , paradisus domini : and all ancient versions that i have seen render it to the same sence . does he expect then that his single word and authority , should countervail all the ancient translators and interpreters ? to the last place alledged by the theorist , prov. 8. 28. he says the answerer charges him unjustly that he understands by that word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 no more than the rotundity or spherical figure of the abyss . which , he says , is a point of nonsence . i did not think the charge had been so high however , seeing some interpreters understand it so . but if he understand by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the banks or shores of the sea , then he should have told us how those banks or shores are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 super faciem abyssi , as it is in the text. pag. 59. he says the excepter does not misrepresent the theorist when he makes him to affirm the construction of the first earth to have been meerly mechanical ; and he cites to this purpose two places , which only prove , that the theorist made use of no other causes , nor see any defect in them , but never affirm'd that these were the only causes . you may see his words to this purpose expresly , engl. theor. p. 65. whereof the excepter was minded in the answer , p. 3. in the last paragraph of this chapter , if he affirms any thing , he will have the pillars of the earth to be understood literally . where then , pray , do these pillars stand that bear up the earth ? or if they bear up the earth , what bears them up ? what are their pedestals , or their foundations ? but he says hypotheses must not regulate scripture , though in natural things , but be regulated by it , and by the letter of it . i would gladly know then , how his hypothesis of the motion of the earth , is regulated by scripture , and by the letter of it . and he unhappily gives an instance just contrary to himself , namely , of the anthropomorphites : for they regulate natural reason and philosophy by the letter or literal sence of scripture , and therein fall into a gross errour . yet we must not call the author injudicious , for fear of giving offence . the 8th . chap. begins with the earths being carried directly under the equinoctial , before its change of situation : without any manner of obliquity in her site , or declination towards either of the tropicks in her covrse . here you see , when the earth chang'd its situation , it chang'd , according to his astronomy , two things : its site , and its course ; its site upon its axis , and its course in the heavens . and so he says again in the next paragraph , put the case the earth shift her posture , and also her circvit about the sun , in which she persisted till the deluge . here is plainly the same notion repeated : that the earth chang'd not only its site , but also its road or course about the sun. and in consequence of this he supposes its course formerly to have been under the equinoctial , and now under the ecliptick : it being translated out of the one into the other , at its change . yet he seems now to be sensible of the absurdity of this doctrine , and therefore will not own it to have been his sence : and as an argument that he meant otherwise , he alledges , that he declar'd before , that by the earths ritght situation to the sun , is meant that the axis of the earth was always kept in a parallelism to that of the ecliptick . but what 's this to the purpose ? this speaks only of the site of the earth , whereas his errour was in supposing its course or annual orbit about the sun , as well as its site upon its own axis , to have been different , and chang'd at the deluge : as his words already produc'd against him , plainly testifie . what follows in this chapter is concerning the perpetual equinox . and as to the reasoning part of what he says in defence of his exceptions , we do not grudge him the benefit of it , let it do him what service it can . and as to the historical part , he will not allow a witness to be a good witness as to matter of fact , if he did not assign true causes of that matter of fact . to which i only reply , tho' tiverton steeple was not the cause of goodwin sands , as the kentish men thought , yet their testimony was so far good , that there were such sands , and such a steeple . he also commits an errour as to the nature of tradition . when a tradition is to be made out , it is not expected that it should be made appear that none were ignorant of that tradition in former ages : or that all that mention'd it , understood the true grounds and extent of it : but 't is enough to shew the plain footsteps of it in antiquity , as a conclusion , tho' they did not know the reasons and premises upon which it depended . for instance , the conflagration of the world is a doctrine of antiquity , traditionally deliver'd from age to age : but the causes and manner of the conflagration , they either did not know , or have not deliver'd to us . in like manner , that the first age and state of the world was without change of seasons , or under a perpetual equinox , of this we see many footsteps in antiquity , amongst the jews , christians , heathens : poets , philosophers ; but the theory of this perpetual equinox , the causes and manner of it , we neither find , nor can reasonably expect , from the ancients . so much for the equinox . this chapter , as it begun with an errour , so it unhappily ends with a paralogism : namely , that , because 30 days made a month at the deluge , therefore those days were neither longer nor shorter than ours are at present . tho' we have sufficiently expos'd this before yet one thing more may be added , in answer to his confident conclusion , in these words ; but to talk , as the answerer does , that the month should be lengthen'd by the days being so , is a fearful blunder indeed . for let the days ( by slackening the earth's diurnal motion ) have been never so long , yet ( its annual motion continuing the same ) the month must needs have kept its usual length : only fewer days would have made it up . 't is not usual for a man to persevere so confidently in the same errour ; as if the intervals of time , hours , days , months , years , could not be proportionably increast : so as to contain one another in the same proportion they did before , and yet be every one increast as to absolute duration . take a clock , for instance , that goes too slow : the circuit of the dial-plate is 12. hours , let these represent the 12 ▪ signs in his zodiack : and the hand to be the earth that goes thorough them all : and consequently the whole circuit of the dial-plate represents the year ▪ suppose , as we said , this clock to go too slow , this will not hinder but still fifteen minutes make a quarter , in this clock : four quarters make an hour , and 12. hours the whole circuit of the dial-plate . but every one of these intervals will contain more time than it did before , according to absolute duration , or according to the measure of another clock that does not go too slow . this is the very case which he cannot or will not comprehend : but concludes thus in effect , that because the hour consists still of four quarters in this clock , therefore it is no longer than ordinary . the 9th . chapter also begins with a false notion ▪ that bodies quiescent ( as he hath now alter'd the case ) have a nitency downwards . which mistake we rectified before , if he please . then he proceeds to the oval figure of the earth . and many flourishes and harangues are made here to little purpose . for he goes upon a false supposition , that the waters of the chaos were made oval by the weight or gravitation of the air. a thing that never came into the words or thoughts of the theorist . yet upon this supposition he runs into the deserts of bilebulgerid , and the waters of mare del zur : words that make a great noise , but to no effect . if he had pleas'd he might have seen the theorist made no use of the weight of the air upon this occasion , by the instance he gave of the pressure of the moon , and the flux of the waters by that pressure . which is no more done by the gravitation of the air , than the banks are prest , in a swift current and narrow chanel , by the gravitation of the water . but he says rarefied air makes less resistance than gross air : and rarefied water in an aeolipile , it may be , he thinks presses with less force than unrarefied . air possibly may be rarefied to that degree as to lessen its resistance : but we speak of air moderately agitated , so as to be made only more brisk and active . moreover he says , the waters that lay under the poles must have risen perpendicularly , and why might they not , as well , have done so under the equator ? the waters that lay naturally and originally under the poles , did not rise at all : but the waters became more deep there , by those that were thrust thither from the middle parts of the globe . upon the whole i do not perceive that he hath weaken'd any one of the propositions upon which the formation of an oval earth depended . which were these , first , that the tendency of the waters from the center of their motion , would be greater and stronger in the equinoctial parts , than in the polar : or in those parts where they mov'd in greater circles and consequently swifter , than in those where they were mov'd in lesser circles and slower . secondly , agitated air hath more force to repel what presses against it , than stagnant air : and that the air was more agitated and rarefied under the equinoctial parts , than under the poles . thirdly , waters hinder'd and repell'd in their primary tendency , take the easiest way they can to free themselves from that force , so as to persevere in their motion . lastly , to flow laterally upon a plain , or to ascend upon an inclin'd plain , is easier than to rise perpendicularly . these are the propositions upon which that discourse depended , and i do not find that he hath disprov'd any one of them . and this , sir , is a short account of a long chapter , impertinencies omitted . chap. 10. is concerning the original and causes of mountains , which the excepter unhappily imputes to the heat and influence of the sun. whether his hypothesis be effectually confuted , or not , i am very willing to stand to the judgment of any unconcern'd person , that will have the patience to compare the exceptions and the answer , in this chapter . then as to his historical arguments , as he calls them , to prove there were mountains before the flood , from gyants that sav'd themselves from the flood upon mount sion : and adam's wandring several hundreds of years upon the mountains of india ; these , and such like , which he brought to prove that there were mountains before the flood , he now thinks fit to renounce , and says he had done so before by an anticipative sentence . but if they were condemn'd before by an anticipative sentence , as fables and forgeries , why were they stuft into his book , and us'd as traditional evidence against the theory ? lastly , he contends in this chapter for iron and iron-tools before the flood , and as early as the time of cain● because he built a city ; which , he says , could not be built without iron and iron-tools . to which it was answer'd , that , cain's , like paris or london , he had reason to believe that they had iron-tools to make it . but suppose it was a number of cottages , made of branches of trees , of osiers , and bulrushes : or , if you will , of mud-walls , and a roof of straw , with a fence about it to keep out beasts : there would be no such necessity o● iron-tools . consider , 'pray , how long the world was without knowing the use of iron , in several parts of it : as in the northern countries and america : and yet they had houses and cities , after their fashion . and to come nearer home , consider what towns and cities our ancestros , the britains , had in caesar's time : more than two thousand years after the time of cain . oppidum britanni vocant , cùm sylvam impeditam vallo atque follâ munierant : quò incursionis hostium vitandae causâ , convenire consueverunt : why might not cain's city , be such a city as this ? and as to the ark , which he also would make a proof that there were iron and iron-tools before the flood , 't was answer'd , that scripture does not mention iron or iron-tools in building of the ark : but only gopher wood and pitch . to which he replies , if scriptures silence concerning things be a ground of presumption that they were not , what then shall we think of an oval and unmountainous earth , an inclosed abyss , a paradisiacal world , and the like : which the scripture makes no mention of . i cannot easily forbear calling this an injudicious reflection , tho' i know he hath been angry with that word , and makes it a brat of passion . but i do assure him i call it so coolly and calmly . when a thing is deduc'd by natural arguments and reason , the silence of scripture is enough . if he can prove the motion of the earth by natural arguments , and that scripture is silent in that point , we desire no better proof . now in all those things which he mentions , an oval and unmountainous earth , an inclosed abyss , a paradisiacal world , scripture is at least silent : and therefore 't is natural arguments must determine these cases . and this ill-reasoning he is often guilty of , in making no distinction betwixt things that are , or that are not , prov'd by natural arguments , when he appeals to the interpretation of scripture . chap. 11. is to prove an open sea ( such as we have now ) before the flood . all his exceptions were answer'd before , and i am content to stand to that answer : reserving only what is to be said hereafter concerning the literal sence of scripture . however he is too lavish in some expressions here , as when he says , ( p. 115. ) that adam died before so much as one fish appear'd in the world . and a little before he had said , for fishes , if his hypothesis be believ'd , were never upon this earth , in adam's time . these expressions i say cannot be justified upon any hypothesis . for why might not the rivers of that earth have fish in them , as well as the rivers of this earth , or as our rivers now ? i 'am sure the theory , or the hypothesis he mentions , never said any thing to the contrary : but rather suppos'd the waters fruitful , as the ground was . but as to an open sea , whether side soever you take , that there was , or was not , any , before the flood : i believe however adam , to his dying day , never see either sea or sea-fish : nor ever exercis'd any dominion over either . chap. 12. is concerning the rainbow : and hath no new argument in it , nor reinforcement . but a question is mov'd , whether as well , necessarily signifies as much . the real question to be consider'd here , setting aside pedantry , is this , whether that thing ( sun , or rainbow , or any other ) could have any significancy as a sign , which signified no more than the bare promise would have done without a sign . this is more material to be consider'd and resolv'd , than whether as well and as much signifie the same . chap. 13. is concerning paradise , and to justifie or excuse himself why he baulkt all the difficulties , and said nothing new or instructive , upon that subject . but he would make the theorist inconsistent with himself , in that he had said , that neither scripture , nor reason , determine the place of paradise : and yet determines it by the judgment of the christian fathers . where 's the inconsistency of this ? the theory , as a theory , is not concern'd in a topical paradise ; and says moreover that neither scripture , nor reason , have determin'd the place of it ; but if we refer our selves to the judgment and tradition of the fathers , and stand to the majority of their votes , ( when scripture and reason are silent ) they have so far determin'd it , as to place it in the other hemisphere , rather than in this : and so exclude that shallow opinion of some moderns , that would place it in mesopotamia . and to baffle that opinion was the design of the theorist ; as this author also seems to take notice . after this and an undervaluing of the testimonies of the fathers , he undertakes to determine the place of paradise by scripture , and particularly that it was in mesopotamia , or some region thereabouts . and his argument is this , because in the last verse of the 3d. chap. of genesis , the cherubims and flaming sword are said to be place'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which he says is , to the east of the garden of eden . but the septuagint ( upon whom he must chiefly depend for the interpretation of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the first place , ch . 2. 8. ) read it here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . and the vulgate renders it , ante paradisum voluptatis : and according to the samaritan pentateuch 't is rendered ex adverso . now what better authorities can he bring us for his translation ? i do not find that he gives any , as his usual way is , but his own authority . and as for the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the 2d . chap. and 8th . ver . which is the principal place , 't is well known , that , except the septuagint , all the ancient versions , greek and latin , ( besides others ) render it to another sence . and there is a like uncertainty of translation in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as we have noted elsewhere . lastly , the rivers of paradise , and the countreys they are said to run through or encompass , are differently understood by different authors , without any agreement or certain conclusion . but these are all beaten subjects , which you may find in every treatise of paradise , and therefore 't is not worth the time to pursue them here . then he proceeds to the longevity of the ante-diluvians : which , so far as i can understand him to affirm any thing , he says was not general : but the lives of some few were extraordinarily length'ned by a special blessing ; the elongation of them being a work of providence , not of nature . this is a cheap and vulgar account , ( and so are all the contents of this chap. ) prov'd neither by scripture , nor reason : and calculated for the humour and capacity of those , that love their case more than a diligent enquiry after truth . he hath indeed a bold assertion afterwards , that moses does distinguish , as much or more , betwixt two races of men before the floud : the one long-livers , and the other short-livers , as he hath distinguisht the gyants before the flood , from the common race of mankind . these are his words , is not his distinction equally plain in both cases ? speaking of this formentioned distinction . or , if there be any difference , does he not distinguish better betwixt long-livers and short-livers , than he does betwixt men of gigantick and of usual proportion ? let 's see the truth of this : moses plainly made mention of two races of mankind : the ordinary race , and those of a gigantick race , or gyants . now tell me where he plainly makes mention of short-livers before the flood . and if he no where make mention of short-livers , but of long-livers only , how does he distinguish as plainly of these two races , as he did of the other two ? for in the other he mention'd plainly and severally both the parts or members of the distinction , and here he mentions but one , and makes no distinction . then he comes to the testimonies cited by iosephus for the longevity of the ante-diluvians , or first inhabitants of the earth . and these he roundly pronounces to be utterly false . this gentleman does not seem , to be much skill'd in antiquity , either sacred or profane : and yet he boldly rejects these testimonies ( as he did those of the fathers before ) as utterly false : which iosephus had alledg'd in vindication of the history of moses . the only reason he gives , is , because these testimonies say , they liv'd a thousand years : whereas moses does not raise them altogether so high . but the question was not so much concerning the precise number of their years , as about the excess of them beyond the present lives of men : and a round number in such cases is often taken instead of a broken number . besides , seeing according to the account of moses , the greater part of them liv'd above nine hundred years , at least he should not have said these testimonies in iosephus were utterly false , but false in part , or not precisely true . now he comes to his reasons against the ante-diluvian longevity ; which have all had their answers before , and those we stand to . but i wonder he should think it reasonable , that mankind , throughout all ages , should increase in the same proportion as in the first age : and if a decuple proportion of increase was reasonable at first , the same should be continued all along : and the product of mankind , after sixteen hundred years , should be taken upon that supposition . i should not grudge to admit that the first pair of breeders might leave ten pair : but that every pair of these ten , should also leave ten pair , without any failure : and every pair in their children should again leave ten pair : and this to be continued , without diminution or interruption , for sixteen hundred years , is not only a hard supposition , but utterly incredible . for still the greater the number was , the more room there would be for accidents , of all sorts : and every failure towards the beginning , and proportionably in other parts , would cut off thousands in the last product . chap. 14. is against the dissolution of the earth , and the disruption of the abyss , at the deluge : such as the theory represents . here is nothing of new argument , but some stroaks of new railing wit , after his way . he had said in his exceptions that the dissolution of the earth was horrid blasphemy : now he makes it reductive blasphemy , as being indirectly , consequentially , or reductively , contrary to scripture . but this rule , we told him , all errors in religion would be blasphemy , and if he extend this to errors in philosophy also , 't is still more harsh and injudicious . i wonder how he thinks , the doctrine , which he owns , about the motion of the earth , should escape the charge of blasphemy : that being not only indirectly , but directly and plainly contrary to scripture . we thought that expression , the earth is dissolv'd , being a scripture expression , would thereby have been protected from the imputation of blasphemy : and we alledg'd to that purpose , ( besides , ps. 75. 3. ) isa. 24. 19. amos 9. 5. he would have done well to have prov'd these places in the prophets isaiah and amos , to have been figurative and tropological , as he call it : for we take them both to relate to the dissolution of the earth , which literally came to pass at the deluge . and he not having prov'd the contrary , we are in hopes still that the dissolution of the earth may not be horrid blasphemy , nor of blasphemous importance . then having quarrel'd with the guard of angels which the theorist had assign'd for the preservation of the ark , in the time of the deluge : he falls next into his blunder , that the equator and ecliptick of the earth were interchang'd , when the situation of the earth was chang'd . this error in the earth is cousin-germain to his former error in the heavens , viz. that the earth chang'd its tract about the sun , and leapt out of the equator into the ecliptick , when it chang'd its situation . the truth is , this copernican systeme seems to ly cross in his imagination . i think he would do better to let it alone . however , tho' at other times he is generally verbose and long-winded , he hath the sence to pass this by , in a few words : laying the blame upon certain parentheses or semicircles , whose innocency notwithstanding we have fully clear'd , and shew'd the poison to be spread throughout the whole paragraph , which is too great to be made an erratum typographicum . then after hermus , caister , menander and caicus : nile and its mud : piscenius niger , who contended with septimus severus for the empire , and reprimanded his souldiers for hankering after wine . du val , an ingenious french writer , and cleopatra and her admired antony : he concludes , that the waters of the deluge raged amongst the fragments , with lasting , incessant , and unimaginable turbulence . and so he comes to an argument against the dissolution of the earth . that , all the buildings erected before the flood , would have been shaken down at that time , or else overwhelmed . he instanc'd in his exceptions , in seth's pillars ▪ henochia , cain's city : and ioppa ; these he suppos'd such buildings as were made before , and stood after , the flood . but now seth's pillars and henochia being dismist , he insists upon ioppa only ; and says , this must have consisted of such materials , as could never be prepared , formed , and set up , without iron tools . tho' i do not much believe that ioppa was an antediluvian town , yet whatever they had in cain's time , they might , before the deluge , have mortar and brick ; which as they are the first stony materials , that we read of , for building : so the ruines of them might stand after the deluge . and that they had no other materials is the more probable , because , after the flood , at the building of babel , moses plainly intimates that they had no other materials than those . for the text says , they said one to another , go to , let us make brick , and burn them thoroughly ; and they made brick for stone , and slime had they had mortar . but now this argument , methinks , may be retorted upon the excepter with advantage . for , if there were no dissolutions , concussions , or absorptions , at the deluge , instead of the ruines of ioppa , methinks we might have had the ruines of an hundred antediluvian cities . especially , if , according to his hypothesis , they had good stone , and good iron , and all other materials , fit for strong and lasting building . and , which is also to be consider'd , that it was but a fifteen-cubit deluge , so that towns built upon eminences or high-lands , would be in little danger of being ruin'd : much less of being abolisht . his last argument ( p. 163. ) proves , if it prove any thing , that god's promise , that the world should not be drown'd again , was a vain and trifling thing , to us , who know it must be burnt . and consequently , if noah understood the conflagration of the world , he makes it a vain and trifling thing to noah also . if the excepter delight in such conclusions , let him enjoy them , but they are not at all to the mind of the theorist . chap. 15. now we come to his new hypothesis of fifteen-cubit deluge . and what shifts he hath made to destroy the world with such a diminutive flood , we have noted before : first , by raising his water-mark , and making it uncertain . then by converting the deluge , in a great measure , into famine . and lastly , by destroying mankind and other animals , with evil angels . we shall now take notice of some other incongruities in his hypothesis . when he made moses's deluge but fifteen cubits deep , we said that was an unmerciful paradox , and askt , whether he would have it receiv'd as a postulatum , or as a conclusion . all he answers to this is , that the same question may be askt concerning several parts of the theory : particularly , that the primitive earth had no open sea ▪ whether is that , says he , to be receiv'd as a postulatum , or as a conclusion ? the answer is ready , as a conclusion : deduc'd from premises , and a series of antecedent reasons . now can he make this answer for his fifteen-cubit deluge ? must not that still be a postulatum , and an unmerciful one ? as to the theory , there is but one postulatum in all , viz. that the earth rise from a chaos . all the other propositions are deduc'd from premises , and that one postulatum also is prov'd by scripture and antiquity . we had noted further in the answer , that the author had said in his exceptions , that he would not defend his hypothesis as true and real : and we demanded thereupon , why then did he trouble himself or the world with what he did not think true and real ? to this he replies , many have written ingenious and useful things , which they never believ'd to be true and real . romances suppose , and poetical fictions : will you have your fifteen-cubit deluge pass for such ? but then the mischief is , where there is neither truth of fact , nor ingenuity of invention , such a composition will hardly pass for a romance , or a good fiction . but there is still a greater difficulty behind : the excepter hath unhappily said , our supposition stands supported by divine authority : as being founded upon scripture : which tells us as plainly as it can speak , that the waters prevailed but fifteen cubits upon the earth . upon which words the answerer made this remark , if his hypothesis be founded upon scripture , and upon scripture as plainly as it can speak , why will not he defend it as trve and real ? for to be supported by scripture , and by plain scripture , is as much as we can alledge for the articles of our faith. to this he replies now , that he begg'd allowance at first , to make bold with scripture a little . this is a bold excuse : and he especially , one would think , should take heed how he makes bold with scripture : lest , according to his own notion , he fall into blasphemy or something of blasphemous importance ; indirectly , consequentially , or reductively , at least . however this excuse , if it was a good one , would take no place here : for to understand and apply scripture , in that sence that it speaks as plainly as it can speak , is not to make bold with it , but modestly to follow its dictates and plain sence . he feels this load to lie heavy upon him , and struggles again to shake it off , with a distinction . when he said his fifteen-cubit deluge was supported by divine authority , &c. this , he says , was spoken by him , in an hypothetick or suppositious way : and that it cannot possibly be understood otherwise by men of sence . here are two hard words , let us first understand what they signifie , and then we shall better judge how men of sence would understand his words . his hypothetick or suppositious way , so far as i understand it , is the same thing as by way of supposition ; then his meaning is , he supposes his fifteen-cubit deluge is supported by divine authority : and he supposes it is founded upon scripture as plainly as it can speak . but this is to suppose the question , and no man of sence would make or grant such supposition . so that i do not see what he gains by his hypothetick and suppositious way . but to draw him out of this mist of words , either he affirms this , that his hypothesis is supported by divine authority : and founded upon scripture as plainly as it can speak : or he denies it , or he doubts of it . if he affirm it , then all his excuses and diminutions are to no purpose , he must stand to his cause , and show us those plain texts of scripture . if he deny it , he gives up his cause , and all that divine authority he pretended to . if he doubt of it , then he should have exprest himself doubtfully ; as , scripture may admit of that sence , or may be thought to intimate such a thing ; but he says , with a plerophory , scripture speaks it as plainly as it can speak . and to mend the matter , he unluckily subjoyns in the following words , yea , tho' it was spoken never so positively , it was but to set forth reipersonam : to make a more full and lively representation of the supposed thing . he does well to tell us what he means by rei personam , for otherwise no man of sence , as his phrase is , would ever have made that translation of those words . but the truth is , he is so perfectly at a loss how to bring himself off , as to this particular , that in his confusion he neither makes good sence , nor good latin. now he comes to another inconsistency which was charg'd upon him by the answer : namely , that he rejects the church-hypothesis concerning the deluge , and yet had said before , i cannot believe ( which i cannot well endure to speak ) that the church hath ever gone on in an irrational way of explaining the deluge . that he does reject this church-hypothesis was plainly made out from his own words : because he rejects the common hypothesis : the general standing hypothesis : the usual hypothesis : the usual sence they put upon sacred story , &c. these citations he does not think fit to take notice of in his reply : but puts all upon this general issue , which the answerer concludes with : the church-way of explaining the deluge , is either rational or irrational . if he say it is rational , why does he desert it , and invent a new one . and if he say it is irrational , then that dreadful thing , which he cannot well endure to speak , that , the church of god hath ever gone on in an irrational way of explaining the deluge , falls flat upon himself . let 's hear his answer to this dilemma . we say , says he , that the church-way of explaining the deluge , ( by creating and annihilating waters for the nonce ) is very rational . then say i still , why do you desert it , or why do you trouble us with a new one ? either his hypothesis is more rational than the church-hypothesis , or less rational ? if less rational , why does he take us off from a better , to amuse us with a worse ? but if he say his hypothesis is more rational than that of the church's , then woe be to him , in his own words , that so black a blemish should be fasten'd upon the wisest and noblest society in the world , as to make himself more wise than they , and his hypothesis more rational than theirs . the truth is , this gentleman hath a mind to appear a virtuoso : for the new philosophy , and the copernican systeme : and yet would be a zealot for orthodoxy , and the church-way of explaining things . which two designs do not well agree , as to the natural world ; and so betwixt two stools he falls to the ground , and proves neither good church-man , nor good philosopher . but he will not still be convinc'd that he deserts the church-hypothesis , and continues to deny the desertion in these words , we say that we do not desert or reject the church way of explaining the deluge . now to discover , whether these words are true or false , let us observe , first , what he acknowledges to have said against the church-hypothesis : secondly , what he hath said more than what he acknowledges here . he acknowledges that he said the church-hypothesis might be disgustful to the best and soundest philosophick judgments . and this is not good character . yet this is not all , for he hath fairly dropt a principal word in the sentence , namely , justly . his words , in his exceptions , were these , such inventions ( which he applyes to the church-hypothesis ) as have been , and , ivstly may be disgustful , not only to nice and squeamish , but to the best and soundest philosophick judgments . now judge whether he cited this sentence before , truly and fairly : and whether in these words , truly cited , he does not disparage the church-hypothesis , and justifie , those that are disgusted at it . he furthermore acknowledges that the usual ways of explaining the deluge seem unreasonable to some , and unintelligible to others , and unsatisfactory to the most . but , it seems , he will neither be of these some , others or most . lastly , he acknowledges that he had said , the ordinary supposition , that the mountains were covered with waters in the deluge , brings on a necessity of setting up a new hypothesis for explaining the flood . if so , what was this ordinary supposition : was it not the supposition of the church ? and was that such , as made it necessary to set up a new hypothesis for explaining the flood ? then the old hypothesis was insufficient , or irrational . thus much he acknowledges : but he omits what we noted before , his rejecting or disapproving the common hypothesis , the general standing hypothesis , the usual sence they put upon the sacred story , &c. and do not all these phrases denote the church-hypothesis ? he further omits , that he confest , he had expounded a text or two of scripture , about the deluge , so as none ever did . and deserting the common receiv'd sence , puts an unusual gloss upon them . and is not that common receiv'd sence , the sence of the church ? and his unusual gloss contrary to it ? lastly , he says , by his hypothesis , we need not fly to a new creation of waters , and gives his reasons at large against that opinion , which you may see , except . p. 313. now those reasons he thought either to be good reasons , or bad reasons : if bad , why did he set them down , or why did he not confute them ? if good , they stand good against the hypothesis of the church : for he makes that new creation and annihilation of waters at the deluge , to be the hypothesis of the church . defen . p. 170. i fear i have spent too much time in shewing him utterly inconsistent with himself in this particular . and i wonder he should be so sollicitous to justifie the hypothesis of the church in this point , seeing he openly dissents from it in a greater : i mean in that of the systeme of the world. hear his words , if you please , to this purpose . and what does the famous aristotelian hypothesis seem to be now , but a mass of errours ? where such a systeme was contrived for the heavens , and such a situation assign'd to the earth , as neither reason can approve , nor nature allow . yet so prosperous and prevailing was this hypothesis , that it was generally receiv'd , and successfully propagated for many ages . this prosperous prevailing error , or mass of errors , was it not espoused and supported by the church ? and to break from the church in greater points , and scruple it in less , is not this to strain at gnats , and swallow camels ? so much for his inconsistency with himself . the rest of this chapter in the answer , shews his inconsistency with moses ; both as to the waters covering the tops of the mountains , which moses affirms and the excepter denyes ; and as to the decrease of the deluge , which moses makes to be , by the waters retiring into their chanels , after frequent reciprocations , going and coming . but the excepter says , the sun suck'd up the waters from the earth : just as he had before suck'd the mountains out of the earth . these things are so groundless , or so gross , that it would be tedious to insist longer upon them . and whereas it is not reasonable to expect , that any others should be idle enough , as we must be , to collate three or four tracts , to discern where the advantage lies in these small altercations : i desire only , if they be so dispos'd , that they would collate the exceptions , answer and defence , in this one chapter , which is our author's master-piece : and from this i am willing they should take their measures , and make a judgment , of his good or bad success in other parts . what shifts he hath us'd to make his fifteen-cubit deluge sufficient to destroy all mankind and all animals , we have noted before : and here 't is ( p. 181 , 182. ) that he reduces them to famine . and after that , he comes to a long excursion of seven or eight pages , about the imperfection of shipping after the flood : a good argument for the theorist , that they had not an open sea , iron-tools , and materials for shipping , before the flood . for what should make them so inexpert in navigation for many years and ages after the flood , if they had the practice and experience of it , before the flood ? and what could hinder their having that practice and experience , if they had an open sea , and all iron and other materials , for that use and purpose ? lastly , he comes to his notion of the great deep , or tehom-rabbah . which he had made before , in express words , to be the holes and caverns in the rocks ; i say , in express words , such as these , now supposing that the caverns in the mountains were this great deep : speaking of moses's great deep , according to this new hypothesis . he says further ( p. 105. ) in case it be urg'd , that caverns , especially caverns so high situate , cannot properly be called the great deep . where you see , his own objection supposes that he made those caverns the great deep . and in the same page , speaking of the psalmists great deeps ( in his own sence of making them holes in rocks ) and moses's great deep , he says , the same thing might be meant by both . by all these expressions one would think it plain , that by his great deep he meant his caverns in rocks : yet now , upon objections urged against it , he seems desirous to fly off from that notion . but does not yet tell us plainly what must be meant by moses's great deep . if , upon second thoughts , he would have the sea to be understood by it , why does he not answer the objections that are made by the theorist against that interpretation ? nay , why does he not answer what he himself had objected before ( except p. 310. ) against that supposition ? he seems to unsay now , what he said before : and yet substitutes nothing in the place of it , to be understood by moses's t●hom-rabbah . chap. 16. is a few words concerning these expressions of shutting the windows of heaven and the fountains of the abyss , after the deluge . and these were both shut alike , and both of them no less than the caverns in the mountains . chap. 17. hath nothing of argumentation or philosophy : but runs on in a popular declamatory way , and ( if i may use that forbidden word ) injudicious . all amounts to this , whether we may not go contrary to the letter of scripture , in natural things , when that goes contrary to plain reason . this we affirm , and this every one must affirm that believes the motion of the earth , as our vertuoso pretends to do . then he concludes all with an harmonious close , that he follows the great example of a r. prelate , and militates under that episcopal banner . i am willing to believe that he writ at first , in hopes to curry favour with certain persons , by his great zeal for orthodoxy ; but he hath made such an hotch-potch of new philosophy and divinity , that i believe it will scarce please the party he would cajole : nor so much as his r. patron . i was so civil to him in the answer , as to make him a saint in comparison of that former animadverter : but , by the style and spirit of this last pamphlet , he hath forfeited with me all his saintship , both absolute and comparative . thus much for his chapters : and as to his reflections upon the review of the theory , they are so superficial and inconsiderable , that i believe he never expected that they should be regarded . i wonder however , that he should decline an examination of the 2d . part of the theory . it cannot be for want of good will to confute it : he hath shewn that to the height , whatsoever his power was . neither can it be for want of difference or disagreement in opinion , as to the contents of this later part : for he hath reckon'd the millennium amongst the errors of the ancient fathers , ( def. p. 136. ) and the renovation of the world he makes allegorical . ( p. 224. &c. ) it must therefore be for want of some third thing : which he best knows . but before we conclude , sir , we must remember that we promised to speak apart to two things , which are often objected to the theorist by this writer , and to little purpose ; namely , his flying to extraordinary providence , and his flying from the literal sence of scripture . as to extraordinary providence , is the theorist alone debarr'd from recourse to it , or would he have all men debarr'd , as well as the theorist ? if so , why doth he use it so much himself ? and if it be allow'd to others , there is no reason it should be deny'd the theorist , unless he have disown'd it , and so debarr'd himself that common priviledge . but the contrary is manifest , in a multitude of places , both of the first and second part of the theory ▪ for , besides a discourse on purpose upon that subject , in the 8th . chap. of the first book , in the last chapter and last words of the same book ( latin ) he does openly avow , both providence ( natural and moral ) and miracles : in these words , denique cùm certissimum sit , à divinâ providentiâ pendere res omnes , cujuscunque ordinis , & ab eâdem vera miracula edita esse , &c. and as to the second part of the theory , the ministery of angels is there acknowledg'd frequently , both as to natural and moral administrations . from all which instances it is manifest , that the theorist did not debar himself , by denying either miracles , angelical ministery , or extraordinary providence ; but if the excepter be so injudicious ( pardon me that bold word ) as to confound all extraordinary providence with the acts of omnipotency , he must blame himself for that , not the theorist . the creation and annihilation of waters is an act of pure omnipotency , this the theorist did not admit of at the deluge : and if this be his fault , as it is frequently objected to him ( def. p. 9. 66. 170 , &c. ) he perseveres in it still , and in the reasons he gave for his opinion , which are no where confuted . but as for acts of angelical power , he does every where acknowledge them in the great revolutions , even of the natural world. if the excepter would make the divine omnipotency as cheap as the ministery of angels , and have recourse as freely and as frequently to that , as to this : if he would make all extraordinary providence the same , and all miracles , and set all at the pitch of infinite power , this may be an effect of his ignorance or inadvertency , but is no way imputable to the theorist . in the next place it may be observ'd that the theorist hath no where asserted , that moses's cosmopoeia ( which does not proceed according to ordinary providence ) is to be literally understood ; and therefore what is urg'd against him from the letter of that cosmopoeia , is improperly urg'd and without ground . there are as good reasons , and better authorities , that moses's six-days creation should not be literally understood , than there are , why those texts of scripture that speak about the motion of the sun , should not be literally understood . and as to the theorist , he had often intimated his sence of that cosmopoeia , that it was exprest more humano , & captum populi : as appears in several passages ; in the latin theory , speaking of the mosaical cosmogonia , he hath these words : constat haec cosmopoeia duabus partibus , quarum prima , massas generales atque rerum inconditarum statum exhibet : sequiturque eadem principia , & eundem ordinem , quem antiqui usque retinuerunt . atque in hoc nobiscum conveniunt omnes ferè interpretes christiani : nempe , tohu bohu mosaicum idem esse ac chaos antiquorum . tenebras mosaicas , &c. hucusque convenit mosi cum antiquis philosophis , — methodum autem illam philosophicam hic abrumpit , aliamque orditur , humanam , aut , si mavis , theologicam : quâ , motibus chaos , secundum leges naturae & divini amoris actionem , planè neglectis , & successivis ipsius mutationibus in varias regiones & elementa : his , inquam , post-habitis , popularem narrationem de ortu rerum hoc modo instituit . res omnes visibiles in sex classes , &c. this is a plain indication how the theorist understood that cosmopoeia . and accordingly in the english theory the author says , moses's cosmopoeia : because i thought it deliver'd by him as a law-giver , not as a philosopher . which i intend to show at large in another treatise : not thinking that discussion proper for the vulgar tongue . the excepter was also minded of this in the answer , p. 66. now , 't is much , that he , who hath searcht all the corners , both of the english and latin theory , to pick quarrels , should never observe such obvious passages as these . but still make objections from the letter of the mosaical cosmopoeia : which affect the theorist no more than those places of scripture that speak of the motion of the sun , or the pillars of the earth . in the last place , the theorist distinguisht two methods for explaining the natural world : that of an ordinary and that of an extraordinary providence . and those that take the second way , he said , might dispatch their task as soon as they pleas'd if they engag'd omnipotency in the work . but the other method would require time : it must proceed by distinct steps , and leisurely motions , such as nature can admit ; and , in that respect , it might not suit with the busie lives , or impatient studies , of most men. whom he left notwithstanding to their liberty to take what method they pleas'd : provided they were not troublesome in forcing their hasty thoughts upon all others . thus the theorist hath exprest himself at the end of the first book : interià , cùm non omnes à naturâ ità compositi simus , ut philosophiae studiis delectemur : neque etiant liceat multis , propter occupationes vitae , iisdem vacare , quibus per ingenium licuisset : iis jure permittendum est , compendiariò to sapere ; & relictis viis naturae & causarum secundarum , quae saepe longiusculae sunt , per causas superiores philosophari ; idque potissimùm , cùm ex piis affectibus hoc quandoque fieri possit : quibus velmalè fundatis , aliquid dandum esse existimo , modò non sint turbulenti . thus the theorist , you see , sets two ways before them , and 't is indifferent to him whether they take , if they will go on their way peaceably . and he does now moreover particularly declare , that he hath no ambition , either to make the excepter , or any other of the same dispositions of will , and the same elevation of understanding , proselytes to his theory . thus much for providence ; as to the literal sence of scripture , i find , if what was noted before in the answer , had been duly consider'd , there would be little need of additions upon that subject . the matter was stated freely and distinctly , and the remarks or reflections which the excepter hath made in his defence , upon this doctrine , are both shallow & partial . i say , partial : in perverting the sence , and separating such things as manifestly depend upon one another . thus the excepter falls upon that expression in the answer , let us remember that this contradicting scripture , here pretended , is only in natural things : where he should have added the other part of the sentence , and also observe how far the excepter himself , in such things , hath contradicted scripture . here he makes an odious declamation , as it the answerer had confest that he contradicted scripture in natural things : whereas the words are contradicting scripture , here pretended : and 't is plain by all the discourse , that 't is the literal sence of scripture that is here spoken of , which the excepter is also said to contradict . such an unmanly captiousness shews the temper and measure of that spirit , which rather than say nothing will misrepresent the plain sence of an author . in like manner , when he comes to those words in the answer , the case therefore is this , whether to go contrary to the letter of scripture in things that relate to the natural world , be destroying the foundation of religion , affronting scripture , and blaspheming the holy ghost . he says , this is not to state the case truly , for it is not , says he , going contrary to the letter of scripture that draws such evil consequences after it , but going contrary to the letter of scripture , where it is to be literally under stood . and this the theorist does , he says , and the excepter does not . but who says so besides himself ? this is fairly to beg the question , and can he suppose the theorist so easie as to grant this without proof ? it must be the subject matter that determines , what is , and what is not , to be literally understood . however he goes on , begging still the question in his own behalf , and says , those texts of scripture that speak of the motion and course of the sun , are not to be understood literally . but why not ? because the literal sence is not to his mind ? of four texts of scripture which the theorist alledg'd against him , for the motion of the sun , he answers but one , & that very superficially , to say no worse . 't is ps. 19. where the sun at his rising is said to be as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber , and to rejoyce as a strong man to run his race . and his going forth is from the end of the heaven , and his circuit to the ends of it . which he answers with this vain flourish : then the sun must be a man , and must be upon his marriage ; and must be drest in fine cloaths , as a bridegroom is . then he must come out of a chamber , and must give no more light , and cast no more heat than a bridegroom does &c. if a man should ridicule , at this rate , the discourse of our saviour concerning lazarus in abraham's bosom , and dives in hell , with a great gulf betwixt them , yet talking audibly to one another ; and that lazarus should be sent so far , as from heaven to hell , only to dip the tip of his finger in water , and cool dives his tongue . he that should go about thus to expose our saviours parable , would have a thankless office , and effect nothing : for the substance of it would stand good still : namely , that mens souls live after death , and that good souls are in a state of ease and comfort , and bad souls in a state of misery . in like manner , his ridiculing some circumstances in the comparison made by the psalmist , does not at all destroy the substance of that discourse : namely , that the sun moves in the firmament , with great swiftness and lustre , and hath the circuit of its motion round the earth . this is the substance of what the psalmist declares , and the rest is but a similitude which need not be literally just in all particulars . after this he would fain perswade the theorist , that he hath excused the excepter for his receding from the literal sence , as to the motion of the earth : because he hath granted , that , in certain cases , we may and must recede from the literal sence . but where , pray , hath he granted , that the motion of the earth was one of those cases ? yet suppose it be so , may not the theorist then enjoy this priviledge of receding from the literal sence upon occasion , as well as the excepter ? if he will give , as well as take , this liberty , let us mutually enjoy it . but he can have no pretence to deny it to others , and take it himself . it uses to be a rule in writing , that a man must not stultum fingere lectorem . you must suppose your reader to have common sence . but he that accuses another of blasphemy for receding from the literal sence of scripture in natural things , and does himself , at the same time , recede from the literal sence of scripture , in natural things : one would think , quoad hoc , either had not , or would not exercise , common sence : in a literal way . lastly , he comes to the common known rule , assign'd to direct us , when every one ought to follow , or leave , the literal sence : which is , not to leave the literal sence , when the subject matter will bear it , without absurdity or incongruity . this he repeats in the next page thus , the rule is , when no kind of absurdities or incongruities accrue to any texts , from the literal sence . if this be his rule , to what texts does there accrue any absurdity or incongruity , by supposing the sun to move ? for scripture always speaks upon that supposition , and not one word for the motion of the earth . thus he states the rule , but the answerer supposed , that the absurdity or incongruity might arise from the subject matter . and accordingly he still maintains , that there are as just reasons ( from the subject matter ) and better authorities , for receding from the literal sence , in the narrative of the six-days creation , than in those texts of scripture , that speak of the motions and course of the sun. and to affirm the earth to be mov'd , is as much blasphemy , and more contrary to scripture , than to affirm it to have been dissolv'd , as the theorist hath done . sir , i beg your excuse for this long letter , and leave it to you to judge whether the occasion was just or no. i know such jarrings as these , must needs make bad musick to your ears : 't is like hearing two instruments play that are not in tune and consort with one another . but you know self-defence , and to repel an assailant , is always allow'd : and he that begins the quarrel , must answer for the consequences . however , sir , to make amends for this trouble , i am ready to receive your commands upon more acceptable subjects . your most humble servant , &c. finis ▪ notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a30486-e10 p. 31. p. 1● ▪ exe. p. 77. &c. def. p. 12. ex● . p. 77 , 78. def. p. 73. lin . 12 , 13. p. 97 , 98 , 99 ▪ 100 , 101 ▪ gen. c. 21. def. p. ●●● . def. p. 99. ibid lin . 19. p. 289. ex● . p. 289 , 290. ex● . p. 158 , 159. ibid. p. 159. exc. p. 187. p. 78 , 79 , 80 , 81. p. 38. def. p. 82. p. 181 , 182. gen. 6. 17. def. p. 182. gen. 9. ●● def. 165. & 180. p. 300. p. 180. def. p. 90. def. p. 48. p. 108. p. 214. p. 113. 〈◊〉 def. p. ● . eng. theo. p. 287. excep . p. 293. def. p. 168 , 169. exc. p. 211. def. p. 69 , & p. 98. gen. 13. 10. p. 60. ibid. p. 61. def. p. ●● 86. def. p. 9● . ans. p. 49 , 50. com. li. 5. ibid. def. p. 103. answ. c. 11. p. 114. def. p. 125. p. 131. p. 139. p. 141. gen. 6. 4. p. 142. p. 144 , 145. p. 153 , 154. p. 160 , 161. p. 16● gen. 11. 3. p. 166. exc. p. 302. answ. p. 67. des. p. 168. ibid. p. 16● , 16● . exc. p. 300. see the citations in the answ. p. 68. def. p. 170. p. 171. 〈◊〉 . exc. p. 312. def. p. 171. exc. p. 325. def. p. 136. def. p. 183 , 184 , 185 , &c. def. p. 191. exc. p. 312. ib. p. 105. engl. th. p. 81 , &c. def. p. 215. eng. the. p. 105. &c. eng. the p. 18 , 19. the. lat. p. 53. eng. p. 107 , 108. theor. li. 2. c. 8. p. 288. c. 12. p. 82 , 83. &c. def. p. 202. def. p. 206. p. 207. luk ▪ 16. def. p. 208. p. 215. the nevv-creation brought forth, in the holy order of life wherein the immortal birth is revealed, and the precious pearl, out of the mixture extracted ... / from ... william smith. smith, william, d. 1673. 1661 approx. 113 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 26 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : 2005-12 (eebo-tcp phase 1). a60647 wing s4320 estc r2552 12076423 ocm 12076423 53638 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a60647) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 53638) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, 1641-1700 ; 824:22) the nevv-creation brought forth, in the holy order of life wherein the immortal birth is revealed, and the precious pearl, out of the mixture extracted ... / from ... william smith. smith, william, d. 1673. [4], 7-52, [1] p. printed for robert wilson ..., london : 1661. reproduction of original in huntington library. (from t.p.) i. the state of man in the creation -ii. the state of man in the degeneration, and also the serpents working -iii. the state of man in the separation, and also the serpents working -iv. the way and works of man in the separation, and also the serpents working -v. what it is that doth convince man of evil, and also the serpents working -vi. how man stands in a convinced state, and also the serpents working -vii. how man stands in a converted state, and also the serpents working -viii. the new birth in the regeneration, and also the serpents working -ix. the new creation in the holy order -x. the way and work of man in the new creation. created by converting tcp files to tei p5 using tcp2tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between 1473 and 1700 available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the 25,363 texts created during phase 1 of the project have been released into the public domain as of 1 january 2015. anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. 5% (or 5 pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of 100 instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level 4 of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p5, characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng creation -early works to 1800. society of friends -great britain -doctrines. 2005-04 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2005-05 apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images 2005-07 john latta sampled and proofread 2005-07 john latta text and markup reviewed and edited 2005-10 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the day of restoration's come ; the lamb , the life , the holy one , he is establishing his name : nations must bow unto the same . the heavens are old , the earth is dry , the glory of man must fall and dye ; his leaf decayes , his blossom fades away ; he withers in the night , and burns up in the day . the fire will try his root , and prove his fairest branch ; and root and branch must burn , and none shall stop or quench : the old must passe away , and vanish out of sight ; the new must he set up , and shine in glory bright . blessed is the day . the nevv-creation brought forth , in the holy order of life ; wherein the immortal birth is revealed , and the precious pearl , out of the mixture , extracted : declared in these following particulars , viz. 1. the state of man in the creation . 2. the state of man in the degeneration , and also the serpents working . 3. the state of man in the separation , and also the serpents working . 4. the way and works of man in the separation , and also the serpents working . 5. what it is that doth convince man of evil , and also the serpents working . 6. how man stands in a convinced state , and also the serpents working . 7. how man stands in a converted state , and also the serpents working . 8. the new birth in the regeneration , and also the serpents working . 9. the new creation in the holy order . 10. the way and work of man in the new creation . from one who dearly loveth the creation of god , and patiently waiteth to behold its perfect freedom , william smith . london , printed for robert wilson , at the sign of the black-spread-eagle and windmil , in martins le grand , 1661. to the reader reader , whether thou art a friend unto truth , on an enemy ; or whether thou art a professor or prophane , a cedar or an oak , a flying bird , or a ranting spirit , this following truth , which in this book is declared , may be of service unto thee , if thou wilt but reade it ●eekly and soberly ; for it is given forth from that innocent life that the serpent did ever make war against ; and for the innocents sake it is sent abroad , that the harmless lambs may be preserved , and also delivered out of the net of the wicked fowler , and from the snares of his dark devices : therefore when thou entrest upon it , and undertakest to read it , do it in the dread and fear of the lord god , and sink into the lowness , and feel gods witness in thy own conscience , that thou mayest reade , and also understand ; for it is gods loving kindnesse unto thee , into whose hands it may be ordered to be read or heard , and from the tendernesse of love it is declared , and also sent abroad , that thou ( whoever thou art ) mayest reap some profit by it ; which thou wilt do , if thou readest it in that good spirit which is given unto thee to profit withall , and unto which the truth of it is made manifest , and keepest down that evil spirit , against which it testifieth ; and as thou keepest to the spirits manifestation in thy self , and in that readest it , thou wilt feel when thy condition is reached , and when it is spoken unto ; and as it openeth unto thy understanding , put it not away from thee , but keep quiet and be still , and let not anger nor envy arise in thy heart , which the serpent sometimes will provoke thee to ; and if thou givest way unto it , and sufferest it to arise , it will prevent thee for profiting , though thou mayest reade what is in this book contained ; but as thou readest it in the meeknesse , and receivest it in the love , from which it is declared , and for thy good truly intended , then thou wilt feel the weight of it , and reap advantage and profit by it : and a● thou readest , consider what thou canst witness of these things in thy self that therein is declared , and in so reading or hearing thou wilt profit , and gods witnesse in thy conscience will awaken thee , and truly prove unto thee what thy present state and condition is ; and though never a scripture-text be quoted for the proof of the testimony , yet thou shalt find a proof in thee , which if thou mindest it , will not deceive thee , but will open thy own condition to thee , which will be better for thee than many proofs without thee , and in that thou wilt feel how far thou art come to witness redemption by the power of christ , or where it is the serpent holdeth thee , and what thou art yet in bondage to ; and , as in the light thou seest it , then turn to the light , and deny it , that what-ever it is , it may be judged , and upon the crosse crucified , and in the fire consumed ; for through this gate thou must come , or out of paradise thou art excluded , and from the tree of life for ever fenced : and i having seen , and also observed how the world lyeth in wickedness , and also , how many there be that professe godliness , which when i consider and see how few are regenerated and born again , i am even filled with grief and sorrow ; therefore in true tenderness , and love , and bowels of pitty unto all , the precious truth is declared as it is in jesus ; and also the secret workings of the serpent , that hath alwayes been a deceiver : and thou mayest in this book behold things past , things present , and things to come , wherby thou maist understand the love that god hath unto thee ; and do thou yeeld unto the lord , that his work thou mayest know , who will judge thy lust , crucifie thy life , and destroy the body of sin , and so through death , bring forth a new life , in which thou wilt feel a perfect change wrought , from the earthly into the heavenly , where thou wilt enjoy the lord and his presence , his power and his goodnesse , and sit quietly in joy , and peace and blessing : given forth in worcester-county goal , where i am a present sufferer in bonds , for obedience to the command of jesus christ : in the first moneth , 1661. for which i travel , who am a true lover of innocency , w. s. chap. i. the state of man in the creation . the lord god of life and power , who is from everlasting to everlasting , according to the good pleasure of his own will , and after the counsel of his own heart , he brought forth a pure creation in his wisdom , and by his eternal living word he divided and separated the mater , which in the chaos was in a heap of confusion , and what he commanded by his word , it came to passe , and as he said it should be , so it was done ; and in his wisdom a pure creation was finished , as he commanded ; and when he had stretched forth the heavens , and placed the lights in them ; and when he had laid the foundation of the earth , and brought forth the herbs and trees therein ; and when he divided the waters , and the fish multiplied in them ; when the fowls of the heavens had their flight in the air , and four-footed beasts , and creeping things , had their way upon the earth ; then did the eternal word in the wisdom , make man in his own image , and breathed into him the breath of life , and he became a living soul , and the lord god filled him with wisdom and understanding , and gave him dominion over all the works of his hands ; and man in the wisdom of god ruled over them all , he stood in the wisdom , and received counsel , and had his way in the holy life ; he walked in the paradise of pleasure , and fed upon the tree of life ; he lived in still communion with his god , and his living soul stood in his living virtue ; and the breath of life was alwayes reaching to it ; he was in the pure oneness with god that made him , and the image of the holy life was upon him , and he was in the power , wisdom and strength of god , and bare the image in righteousness and true holiness , without any mixture ; and all things stood clear in the separation as they were created , and there was no mixture to defile : then did the wisdom behold his work , and lo , it was very good in his sight , and he had great pleasure and delight therein , and his mercy , love , goodness and tenderness was to it , and his blessings and peace was upon it ; and man enjoyed the living presence of his maker , and did partake of his love , mercy , blessing and peace ; he had a free course unto the well-spring of life , and there was nothing stood in his way to let him ; so the breath of life was breathed , and in it the soul lived , and was in perfect unity with it ; and this came into man through the wisdom of the creator , according to his own pleasure , and as it seemed good in his own sight ; it was not a thing from without , but the pure operation of the power and wisdom within , after he had formed an earthly body , and brought forth a visible creation , that he might fill it with his heavenly treasure , and with his holy life , which in his wisdom he breathed into it , and brought forth the man in his own image , and there was no mixture in his life and being , which is the earthly bodies nature , and it is a compounded vessel , yet so prepared and formed in the wisdom , as to be a vessel for the incorruptible image of life , which had its course through it , and filled it with its heavenly being , and there was no mixture of the earthly in it : and this was the man that was made after god in righteousness and true holiness , and bare his image in perfect glory ; and the body was prepared to be a vessel fit for his own use who made it , that he might fill it with his pure holy life , which he breathed into it in his wisdom , whereby man became a living soul , and bare the heavenly image ; and here man stood in obedience to the father of spirits , who had made him a spiritual , holy , righteous man , and fed him with spiritual holy food ; and man had no will nor desire after any creature , but stood in the eternal will , and ruled over all the creatures , and his desire was to enjoy the holy life , in which he was generated and brought forth ; and what he desired to partake of in the life , it was ministred unto him according to the good pleasure of the creator , in whom he had his life and breath , and lived in the pure enjoyment of the eternal being , in which he was daily comforted , and continually satisfied : and in this state no sin or evil was committed by him , nor no curse reached him , nor no death was upon him , nor no grave did hold him , nor no wrath went forth against him , but in the mercy he liued , and mercy was his portion , and his delight was in his maker , and with him he walked day and night , and he had liberty in paradise without restraint , and the tree of life he had free course unto , and the cherubims and flaming sword were not set to fence it ; so was man created in righteousness , and served god in righteousness , and lived in the life of righteousness , and he was not in the mixture of any unrighteous thing , but was created in the wisdom of god , and bare the image of god , which drew its breath and life from the holy fountain of its generation , and stood in the eternal essence of the divine nature ; and so did the everlasting god of wisdom , power and strength bring forth his own work , in which his own name was glorified , and then he rested from ill the works that he had made . chap. ii. the state of man in the degeneration , and also the serpents working . vvhen the pure creation was finished in the eternal power and wisdom , it rested in the holy order of life , and was in the pure harmony and oneness with the creator , and there should have rested in the holy order , and not have moved ●●t in the power and wisdom of life ; but there was a part which did not keep its station , but moved out of the wisdom , and wake the order , and did aspire towards the equallity of the holy essence , for which cause it was cast down by the power , and driven into the lowest parts of the creation , and was there to have its place and habitation at the furthest distance from god ; and his anger kindled against it , and he drove it down in his anger , and his wrath abides upon it , and it is sealed down in the anger and wrath without recovery ; and this is the place of that part which kept not in the holy order of the pure creation , but aspired to have been equal with the power , and his name is serpent , the devil , and his place is hell , the bottomless pit , where the almighty god exerciseth his wrath , without ceasing ; because through the aspiring , the creation went out of its holy order , in which it was created good , and in which it should have rested with god , and have had its order in his power and wisdom ; and when this aspiring part was cast down into the lowest part , it became beastly , carthly , sensual and devilish , and was more subtil than any beast of the field ; and having now lost his place in the pure creation , and cast down in the separation , where the almighties wrath was exercised upon him , without ceasing , and he was alwayes in the torment of the anger and wrath , which sealed him down without recovery ; then did he labour with his subtilty to draw out of order , that which yet did keep its station and order , and to beget a motion out of the moving of the power ; and the lord god having given a command unto man in the day that he put him into paradise , and charged him , not to eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil , for in the day thou eatest thereof , thou shalt dye , saith the lord god ; which the serpent knowing , and having in his fall seen through the creation , he attempted the woman , because she was nearest unto man , being given as one meet to be an help unto him , and being also the weaker part of the creation , and in his subtilty he tempted her to eat of the fruit of the tree , that god had forbidden , and he said unto her , hath god said , ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden ? and the woman said unto the serpent , we may 〈◊〉 of the fruit of the trees of the garden , but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden , god hath said , ye shall not eat of it , neither shall ye touch it , lest ye dye . and the serpent said unto the woman , ye shall not surely dye ; for god doth know , that in the day ye eat thereof your eyes shall be opened , and ye shall be as gods , knowing good and evil : and when the serpent had entred the woman with this temptation , and had drawn her mind to look at it ; then she saw that the tree was good for food , and also pleasant to the eye , and to be desired to make one wife , and she did take and eat , and did give also to her husband , and he did eat : so through the weaker part of the creation did the subtilty work , and thereby reached unto the strongest , and entred and prevailed with the strongest , that the creation moved out of the power , and contrary unto the power ; so the power was transgressed , in which all should have rested , and not have moved but in the power , and the creation went out of order ; then man fell from the power and wisdom of the creator , and hearkened to the voice of the deceiver , and transgressed against the god of his life , and so he became a degenerate plant , and lost his authority over the creation , and became subject to the serpents subtilty ; then was he driven out of paradise , and was driven into the earth , where he became corrupted and defiled amongst the mixtures of the earthly properties , and so lost the heavenly image in which he was created , and an earthly image came upon him in the generation of the serpents subtilty , and the world entered into his heart , and from the foundation of it the lamb was slain , and in the world the serpent seated himself , and exercised his power , and became a god of the world ; and then the tree of life was fenced with cherubims and a flaming sword , and what way soever man turned in the serpents subtilty to have come and tasted of the tree of life , the flaming sword turned and met him ; then the serpent wrought deceivably , and began to generate in the mixture of the earthly properties , into which man was driven , and in which the serpent had got dominion over him , and in a moment all the faculties and properties of man changed , and he was suddenly turned from the image of the heavenly , to the image of the earthly , and so he became an earthly man , with an earthly carnal mind , that was at enmity with god , and an earthly wisdom sensual and devillish , in which the serpent stood exalted , and had dominion over man , that brought the pure creation into bondage , where it groaned and travelled in pain ; and here was the pure creation lost , as it stood in the mercy and love of the creator , and it fell from the mercy and love , into the dark mixtures , where the wrath is exercised , and so became a subject of the wrath , where the curse came upon him , and death over-shadowed him , and hell inclosed him , where the torment , anguish and pain is . then the compassion of the eternal mercy moved , and the love opened , and the seed was promised , that should bruise the serpents head , that had so betrayed and deceived man , that man therein might again be recovered out of the dark mixtures , where the wrath is exercised , and be restored into the love and mercy which he did partake of , and was his portion in the pure creation ; and through the serpents subtil working , the first holy image was lost , and a defiled earthly image came up , which marred the beauty of the holy , and the mind that was gone into the earthly could see no beauty or comliness in it , that it should desire it , so could never love it , but hath ever appeared at enmity against it ; and the earthly image is most desirable to the earthly mind , and appeareth most beautiful ; and so the rejoycing standeth in its like , whether it be heavenly , or whether it be earthly , and man in the fall is in the mixture of the earthly part , where the serpent hath generated , and also brought forth an earthly image , which hath its nourishment from the old creation , and its vital parts have their course through the mixture of the earthly properties ; and in the old heavens and the old earth man hath his way , and the earth is become his habitation and his dwelling-place : and thus is man degenerated , and out of paradise driven , and from the tree of life fenced , and is become an earthly man , with an earthly image . chap. iii. the state of man in the separation , and also the serpents working . vvhen man had transgressed and sinned against the power and wisdom of god , and was driven out of paradise , and fenced from the tree of life , he became a servant to the subtilty , and followed his leadings downward , and turned a wanderer in the earth , where the serpent led him in dark corners , and in dry paths ; and man being joyned unto him , he became an enemy unto god , and full of cruelty in the serpents enmity unto every thing that was good ; and the treacherous enemy wrought deceivably to keep man under his dominion , into which he had drawn him with his enticing temptations ; and when any thing arises and breathes towards the lord , he standeth ready with his devouring mouth to swallow it up and destroy it ; and he having the dominion over man , he makes him bow at his will , and with his subtil working , keeps him in the earthly habitations , and earthly paths , into which he hath drawn him , and there holdeth him in the separation from god that made him , and leadeth him about in the dark imaginations of the earthly part , and there doth beget and generate the things that be evil and sinful ; so that man is become deformed , and hath lost that pure image in which he was created , and is turned into the serpents beastly nature , and is acted and ordered by his unclean spirit , that bringeth forth the deeds of darkness , and leadeth man to commit sin with greediness ; and man having lost the authority in which he ruled over the creatures , he is fallen under the power of darkness , and the serpent hath weakned him , and set the creatures over him , and then leads him to commit evil in the use of the creatures , and mans heart being run into them , and become subject to them , he is taken captive with them at the will of the serpent ; and hence it is that drunkennesse and gluttony , pride and covetousnesse is come to rule over man , and the devil hath him captive in them , and he neither knoweth what to eat , nor what to drink , nor what to put on , nor how much earthly substance to desire , the serpent hath so drawn his heart to lust after evil , and he is alwayes willing , but never satisfied , that when he hath received sufficiently of the creatures for his present need , yet he lusteth to receive more , and the lustful desire still presseth eagerly , not being contented with so much as is needfull ; so a man drinketh in his need and is refreshed , but the lust not being therewith satisfied , the devil provokes the will to presse after more , and when man gives way to the lust , and follows the lust , he follows the devil who is the father of it , and therein he serves the devil ; and being overcome with the lust , he is in bondage to it ; and when the will gets forth in the fleshly liberty , the devil puts it speedily forward into excess , and mans lust is not satisfied until he have received so much of the creatures , as deprives him of the right use of the natural faculties of the visible creation , and turns him wholly into the serpents beastly nature , who in that state rejoyceth over him : and here the devil hath his dominion , and hath brought man under him , and under the creatures , which he had dominion over in the pure creation ; so the heart lusteth after drinking until a man be drunk , and lusteth after eating until a man be glutted , and that he doth not know what to eat , and he is become a servant to obey the devil's movings , who leads him and acteth him in those things which he begetteth in him , and centring the mind downward he leadeth man in the lowest parts of the earth , and there generateth a lustful desire after earthly things ; so that man coveteth after the earth , and after the profits that arise from it ; and as it doth encrease , so the heart is more in love with it , and the lust eagerly pursues after more enjoyment of it ; and this is the covetous man in his way , the devil perswades him he hath not yet enough ; such a thing he wants , and when he hath obtained that , then the devil hath another ready to present unto him , and he thirsteth after that , and presseth eagerly to enjoy it , and there is no end of his lustful desire that runs in the covetousness ; and hence ariseth all deceit , fraud and guile , because the covetous desire in the lust watcheth to improve it self , and to get some advantage by it , so that one man defrauds another , and cheats and beguiles one another , because the lustfull desire in which the devil worketh , coveteth after unlawfull gain , thereby to be made rich , and come into esteem amongst men , and so to be set up in honour and dignity in the world ; and when he comes so to be preferred amongst men , yet he is not contented , but lusteth after greater honour , and still to be promoted and set up in higher dignity ; and here man comes into the honour below , but doth not understand the honour that is of god , and so is like the beast that perisheth ; and this honour puffeth up the man , and exalteth him in the pride of his heart ; and as the earthly substance encreaseth , so man is esteemed and honoured amongst men , and the rich are preferred , and the poor they are contemned and despised , and then the rich exercise lordship over the poor ; and the devil he works in the lustful desire , to seek after respect , and to be honoured amongst men , and in the 〈◊〉 of the people , and the heart it is puft up with it , and if it be not given as he expects it , then the devil provokes the l●st to anger ; and here came in the respect of persons , and ●…ing , and cringing , and scraping , and putting off the hat 〈◊〉 respect of the person , who hath made himself rich by dis●…st gain , and is set up to rule by his earthly substance , and 〈◊〉 by the power of god ; and this is the generation of the devil , as man is in the separation from god , for in the beginning it was not so ; and here man is willing , and lusting , and striving after riches and honour , and a worldly glory , and all seeking who should be greatest , and set up highest that they may rule over others ; and when they are set up , then they exercise lordship over others , and expect subjection from all men unto their power ; and when there is something that cannot bear that , there the devil worketh and provoketh to anger , and envy , and malice , and hatred , and evil-will , because one he would be ruler , and another he would not be ruled over ; then the devil worketh in the dark places of the earth , and there stirs up cruelty one towards ●other , and setteth one against another ; and neither he that ruleth , nor he that is ruled over , are contented with their places , but a strife there is who should be greatest ; thence comes wars and contentions , and destroying and killing one another , the devil having rule he provokes man to be angry and envious , and malicious , and generates in the lustful will that seeketh after revenge ; and this is the nurthering spirit , that hath its course through the dark places of the earth , that is full of cruelty , and hath drawn the mind of man after him , and hath begotten in him the many lusts , from which the many sins and evils do arise and are brought forth , that are contrary to the pure god , who in the beginning made all things good ; and the divil hath generated in man a kingdom of darkness , and there hath set up himself as a prince , and in his subtilty ruleth over man , and what he willeth in the lust that is performed , and under his power is man captivated , and the many evils committed ; and it is not so with man in that state as it was in the beginning , but the serpent hath deformed him , and hath begotten many lustfull desires in him , and he eagerly thirsteth after the visible part of the creation , whereby he hath lost his union with the pure power and wisdom of god , in which he was created good , and is gone into the corruptibles , and bringeth forth corruptible deeds , which presseth the pure creation , and keepeth it in bondage , and daily increaseth the weight upon it ; so that the creation groanes and is in sore travail and pain , and the devil and his work is come up over it ; so that covetousness , drunkenness , gluttony , pride , envy , malice , wrath , anger , evil-will , deceit , fraud , guile , truce-breakings , false-accusing , incontinency , headiness , high-mindedness , foolish jesting , idle talking , vain communication , sco●…ing , reproaching , reviling , time-serving , men-pleasing , delighting in sports and pleasures ; these are become the very life of man , and his delight is daily in them : which doth separate him from the enjoyment of the pure god that made him , who in his wisdom made all things good , and there was no such thing brought forth in his pure creation , but hath been begotten by the serpents generation , since mans degeneration , and are all come up since the beginning , through the devils subtil working , for he is the father of them all ; and whose life is in them , or whose delight is after them , they are his children , and are separated from god , and alienated from his life , and the good things they taste not , but the streams of gods pure refreshings are dammed up , that they cannot flow in their own course through the veins of the pure creation , to quicken the inner man , and raise it up , the old man with his deeds stops it , and there is adam in the way , which is truly the first , and is lifted up in the earthly part of the visible creation by the strength of the subtilty ; and stoppeth the flowings and course of the invisible love and life of the creator , in which man had his communion and satisfaction before transgression . chap. iv. the way and works of man in the separation , and also the serpents working . man having lost the power and wisdom in which he was created , and in which he ruled over the creatures , and being drawn downwards by the strength of the subtilty , he is degenerated from the way of holiness and the works of righteousness , and is led in the paths of darkness , and hath his course in the visible part of the creation , and in the defiled way of his own invention , which is broad and leads him to destruction ; and in it he wills and runs , and there the serpent hastens him , and putteth him forward speedily , that he may not at any time stand still , lest he should consider the evil of his way and turn from it , and here he leads man in the separation from god , and draweth him in the crooked path of his subtil devising , and then begetteth a delight to walk therein ; so that mans heart is variously affected with the divers objects and appearances that the serpent presents unto him and affects his heart withal , that his love and delight is wholly in them , so that he loveth his pleasures and profits more than god : and in what way the serpent leads him , he in his subtilty laboureth to make that seem right unto him , and drawe●h a deceitful cover over them , so that many are blinded and do not see the thing as it is in its filthiness ; hence the drunkard saith , my way is love to my friend : and the covetous man , my way is providence and carefulness ; and the proud man , my way is fashionable and comely ; and the deceiver , my way is wit and policy ; and the foolish jester , my way is mirth and gladness : so doth the devil lead man , and blinds his mind , that he cannot see wherein he is deceived , but walketh on and presseth forward , until he come to the end , where the pit is prepared : and this is the broad way in which man walketh , and where he satisfieth the flesh , with the affections and lusts ; and all the evil things proceed from the deceitful heart , where the serpent hath his generation , and so comes murder , adultery , covetousness , drunkenness , pride , envy , malice , with all the things that'are evil , which separates man from god , and keeps him afar off ; and in this state no man pleaseth god , nor none doth good , for all his works are brought forth from the strength and power of darkness , who hath his course through the fleshly part , and in the flesh he generates a lustful desire ; and when man joyneth unto the temptation which the serpent offereth unto the lust that he hath generated , then sin conceiveth , and when sin is conceived , it is brought forth , then death comes over man , and here sin entreth , and death by sin ; for the wages of sin is death ; and as man liveth after the flesh , he dies ; for all his works are corrupted and unclean , and the pure god hath no pleasure in them , but as man walketh in them he is under the condemnation , and the wrath and curse is upon him , and the hand of the lord is against him ; and whether it be prophanesse , or a profession of godliness that riseth from the darkness , and hath its course through the fleshly part of the creation , it is condemned and judged with the spirit , and he that walketh after the flesh , and satisfieth it in the lust which the serpent hath generated , whether it appear sinful , or have a shew of godliness , death comes over man in it , and he dies because his doings are fleshly and carnal ; and death is come over all men , forasmuch as all have sinned ; and whilst mans way is in the fleshly part , and his works brought forth in the lust of it , death is upon him , and he dies the same death as the first man in the transgression , and there is no respect of persons , but he that sinneth without law , he shall perish without law ; and he that sinneth under the law , shall be judged by the law ; so shall every mans way and work be proved , and he will be recompenced according to what he doth ; and he that soweth to the flesh , he shall of the flesh reap corruption , and in that state he cannot inherit incorruption ; so that the drunkard , the swearer , lyar , proud , covetous , boaster , envious , wrathful , foolish jester , vain talker , whoremonger , murderer , deceitful hypocritical professor of godliness out of the power of god , cannot inherit the kingdom of god , for they are in the unclean nature , and their way and works are in the flesh ; and he that liveth after the flesh shall die , and cannot inherit the kingdom , but is in the separation from god that made him , and in the uncleanness that cannot come to him , but must keep at a distance from him ; for righteousness and unrighteousness have no fellowship together , and with that polluted garment man cannot come into gods pure paradise , nor enjoy his pure presence , but is separated afar off from him , and there is plunged in woful misery , and groaning , and sighing in the lowest parts of the visible creation , where the serpent is prince , and ruleth over him ; and as man liveth and walketh in the flesh , and bringeth forth the works of it , he is a degenerated man , and is at a great distance from god , and the earthly part is over , and makes the separation , and burdeneth the pure creation , which is held in bondage , under the mixture of the fallen properties that are out of order ; and it is needful that every man consider his way and his works , and in time lay it to heart , seeing all have sinned , and none in sin can be saved , nor none in the flesh can please god , neither can flesh and blood inherite his kingdom ; and who live and walk in it , are separated and afar off from god , where his wrath is exercised , and his judgments executed , without respect of persons . chap. v. what it is that doth convince man of evil , and also the serpents working . man being drawn into disobedience through the subtil working of the prince of darkness , he became a transgressor of the pure power and wisdom of the creator , and so went out of the good , in which he was created , and went into the evil , by obeying the tempter , and then did eat of the mixture into which he fell , and the imaginations of his heart became evil continually ; and the evil wrought more and more to get dominion over the good ; and man being into the mixture fallen , the evil prevailed , and sin entred , and death by sin ; so as all have sinned , and are deprived of the glory , and alienated from the holy life ; yet did the seed retain its own pure holy quality and property , without any mixture , and it was not extinguished in the fall , but kept its purity , though man went from it , and did not abide in it , and the pure light in its own quality did shine in mans conscience , and was made manifest in the eternal love , to convince man of all his evil wayes and works which he was fallen into , and it did shine in darkness , and discovered the deeds of darkness , and convinced man of the evil of them ; so was adam convinced that he had transgressed , and he did himself : cain was convinced that he had murdered , and he cryed because of his punishment : saul was convinced of his cruelty , and he said to david , thou art more righteous than i : and the light of this holy seed of life shines forth in the love , and is made manifest in the conscience of fallen man , and is freely given of god unto him to seek him in his fallen estate , and it hath its course through the properties of the visible creation , and searcheth out mans life and treasure ; and whatsoever the subtilty hath drawn mans mind into , and begotten a life in it , the light searcheth to him , and convinceth and reproveth him in his own conscience , so that man cannot hide his secrets , but still he is found out with the searching light ; for it shines in darkness , though darknesse comprehend it not , and with its pure brightness it doth discover the deeds of darkness , and also the prince of darkness , and makes manifest his secret workings , and lets man see that he is a stranger unto god , and an alien from his pure life , and is serving that spirit that is at enmity with god ; and it lets him see the evil works that he commits , and in which he is an enemy unto god : so hath the love of god been made manifest in the light of the seed of life , which through all generations hath been the same , and with its pure quality it hath found out the enmity of mans deceitful heart , with all deceitful workings , and hath brought hidden things to light , whereby man hath come to see how his mind hath been exercised , and after what it hath enclined , and after what his heart hath lusted ; and as at any time the lust hath pressed unto evil , and to follow the things that are evil , the light hath been near to convince man of it , and to reprove him for it ; and with this pure light , which hath had its course in man through all generations , hath all evil deeds been made manifest , and with the light in mans conscience condemned , and all the good deeds have been ju●●●ed and approved ; and when man hath done well , he hath been accepted , but when he hath done evil he hath been judged ; ●nd though the subtilty , with his secret working , drew man ●m his rest in god , and disordered the pure creation , yet the ●●●ver and wisdom preserved it self , and retained its glori●●s quality and property without any mixture , which hath ●●s course through the mixture , to find out man again that 〈◊〉 gone from it , and is fallen into the mixture : so doth the ●●●d god wait that he may shew mercy , and through all generations his mercy hath been made manifest , that in mercy ●e might restore the creation into its holy order , and bring man ●●●m under the power of darkness , and set him free out of bondage , that no corruptible thing may abide upon him , into which he is fallen through disobedience , but that it may be taken ●●ay and removed , and the lamb quickned and raised , who ●●●n the foundation of the world was slain , and that he may ●ome into his pure dominion without any spot or blemish ; for he 〈◊〉 more pure than to mix with any corruptible thing , but the cor●●ptible thing presseth his tender life , and the weight of it he ●●areth , and in much patience he suffereth under it , the just 〈◊〉 the unjust , that he may again bring man unto god , and re●●●e the creation into its pure order where it rested with god , 〈◊〉 had its motion in the power and wisdom of god ; and this 〈◊〉 christ the holy seed , with whom the covenant stands sure , ●●ed unto whom all the promises are made , and in him alone ●●●e yea and amen ; and the seed hath been ever revealed , to ●●ite the serpents head , and to destroy his work , and through 〈◊〉 generations it hath wrought through the fallen proper●ies of the visible creation , and hath found man in all his 〈◊〉 goings , and in his secret walking in the paths of darkness ; and it hath ever made manifest the lustful desire , as it hath at ●ny time reached forth unto the thing that is evil , and it hath convinced man in his own conscience when he hath lusted after any evil thing ; this it hath done in generations past , and its pure property doth not alter , and man , through the convincement that reacheth to him in the light , is made a sensible man , and in his own conscience knoweth that he should not do evil , and he seeth the evil in himself before he commits it , and as the temptation prevails over him and drawes him , he sees that he approaches near unto the evil ; and so all men are left without excuse , forasmuch as evil is made manifest unto them , and they are in their own consciences convinced of it , and see it before they do commit it ; and who run into evil , or are found in the evil , either in thought , word , or deed , they transgress against the light , which from the holy seed of life shines forth in the love , to discover , and also to convince man in his own conscience of the thing that is evil ; and man is here in the fall , where all the properties of the whole creation are out of order , and his lustful heart eagerly pursueth those things that are evil , and yet where-ever he runs in the fall , or in what path soever the serpent leads him , the light doth discover it , and makes the evil manifest in his own conscience ; so that the drunkard is convinced 〈…〉 is evil , as he is in the uncleanness of it , and that wh●… 〈◊〉 ●…vince him , is the light in his own conscience , and the light which shews him evil , it is pure without any 〈◊〉 of evil : the deceitful man is convinced that he is no just , and that which doth convince him of it , is the light of christ in his own conscience ; and that which lets him see that he is unjust , is just and holy : the lyar is convinced that his deeds are evil , and he sees it in secret whilst he yet retaineth it in his breast ; and that which lets him see it in his own breast before it be spoken , and convinceth him of it , is the light of christ in his own conscience ; and that which lets man see a lye , and convinces and reproves him in his own conscience for it , that is true , and there is no deceit in it , and it is made manifest to destroy lyes , and the father of lyes ; and there is not any thing that the subtilty hath generated , or doth generate in his deceitful working , but with the true light , that enlightens every man that cometh into the world , his deceitful work is discovered , and man thereof convinced that it is evil ; and the serpents deceitful working amongst the fallen properties , in which he begets every lustful desire , is with the light ●…ced , and the secret of his working made manifest ; for the ●●rpent hath seated himself in the mixture of the earthly cor●…ible part , amongst the fallen properties , and hath his course 〈◊〉 the darkness , and there generateth a deceitful heart , out of which proceedeth all manner of evil that defileth the man ; 〈◊〉 he hath gendered a body of sin , which in the corruptible ●…perties he hath begotten , and he hath wrought deceivably , 〈◊〉 hath drawn mans mind after sin , and hath also begotten is love and delight in it , and so provokes a lustful desire ea●…ly to pursue it , and yet it never can be satisfied in it ; but 〈◊〉 man runs in this path of the serpents devising , and follows 〈◊〉 in his leading , and lusteth after his temptation , he dra●…h a burden upon himself , and cometh into much trouble , 〈◊〉 something there is underneath that groans with the weight 〈◊〉 those lusts and sins which the serpent hath generated into ●…body ; and this is a contrary nature , and is not of the cor●…ible , but with the corruptibles is oppressed and burdened ; 〈◊〉 with those things that the serpent hath generated since the ●●ginning , and hath drawn mans life into , the whole creation 〈◊〉 put out of its holy order , and travelleth in pain , and the 〈◊〉 course of nature is set on fire , whereby man is depri●…d of that pure understanding in which he was created , and in ●…ich he discerned through the order of the whole creation , 〈◊〉 had knowledge of it as it stood in the power and wisdom 〈◊〉 god : and though man be thus far degenerated , and hath 〈◊〉 his understanding that he had in the manhood , and that the ●…pent hath drawn him into the fallen properties of the corrup●…le part of the creation , in which he is become as a beast ●…thout understanding , and doth not know the god of power 〈◊〉 wisdom , nor the order of his creation ; yet in this dege●…ed state in which man is thus separated and afar off from 〈◊〉 , there is a pure holy seed abides within him , which in its 〈◊〉 light and brightness reacheth unto mans deceitful heart , ●hich the serpent hath begotten in him , from which the lust ●…seth and the evil proceedeth ; and with its light and ●…ightness it truly discovereth all the evil that in the deceit●… heart is generated , and it doth truly convince him of the evil , whether thoughts , words , or deeds ; and when the deceitful heart lusteth to anger , and that anger is kindled in mans breast , with the light it is made manifest , and with the light man is convinced that he is exercised in the thing that is evil ; and whatsoever is of the serpents generation , and hath its conception in the deceitful heart , it is with the light found out , and there is nothing can stop its course from passing through the fallen properties to find out man , who is become an evil-worker , and to convince him of all his evil deeds ; and man cannot escape the light , though he walk in the midst of darkness , and have his way in the dark places of the earth , and tread in the serpents devised paths , and bring forth the works of his begetting ; yet doth the light find him out , and with it he is convinced , and it is in his own conscience placed , that all his evil deeds he may see , which from the corruptible part of the visible creation do arise , which separateth him from god , and keepeth him in the alienation from the holy life . chap. vi. how man standeth in a convinced state , and also the serpents working . vvhen man in the fall is overcome of evil , and that his deceitful heart brings forth a birth of the serpents begetting ; the pure light , which hath its course through the fallen properties , comes to him with a convincement , and lets him see that he is an evil-doer , and that he is not exercised in the thing that is good ; and when the light hath thus found him out , and convinced him , it doth also truly and plainly discover unto him , that his way is not right , neither is his doings approved of god ; and if he go on without repentance , he must perish : and in the light man sees his conscience defiled , that there is uncleanness upon him , and that his heart is not upright , but deceitful ; and man will acknowledge this in words , and say he hath a deceitful heart , and many evil things proceed out of it , and he is sensible of them ; and as they are conceived and generated in his heart ; they are made manifest unto him , and he in his conscience is convinced that they are exceeding sinful : many man in his wickedness will thus confess , though he be wholly in the fallen properties where the devil ruleth over him , and acteth and ordereth his mind at his will , yet the light reacheth to him , and so far convinceth him , as to confess he is an evil-doer , and a sinful man ; and this confession will the drunkard make , and the lyar and swearer : and whatever man is acted in by the serpents subtilty , the light doth convince him of it , and brings him at some time to confess his wickedness ; so that every man is left without excuse before the pure god , in that he sees his evil with the true light of christ , the seed of god , which passeth through all the properties of the visible creation , and doth make the way of darkness manifest : and this light hath been within man ever since the breath of life was breathed into him ; and though the fall came upon man in the subtilty , and that he fell into the mixture of the properties of the visible creation , yet the light which was breathed in the life , whereby man became a living soul , it was not extinguished by the fall , neither was its property changed by going into the mixture , but it did retain its pure holy nature , though man was enticed from it into the mixture , where he entred into the evil ; and this pure light of life hath thorow all generations been the same , and with its searching quality it hath found out all the evil that man hath or doth commit , and hath and doth convince him of it ; and what it was in the beginning , it hath never been changed in its property and quality , but hath continued pure , holy , righteous and meek , as it is at this day ; and what is come into man since the beginning , that is not of its nature , but is contrary to it , that it convinceth man of , and testifieth against ; and all the devils works which he hath begotten in man since the beginning , with the light which was in the beginning they are made manifest ; and the light was before sin entred , and with it is all sin and evil , which is the devils work in man , discovered and reproved ; and as the serpent hath got dominion over man , and begets his evil deeds in him ; even so doth the light discover them , and lets man in his own conscience see them , and the light is in his own conscience made manifest to bruise the serpents head , and to destroy his work : and this testimony is sure , though the subtilty cannot receive it ; and all that ever came to be acquainted with the holy seed of life , they never testified of another thing , nor ever preached another gospel ; so that the same gospel that was preached unto abraham , hath been and is the same through all generations ; and this pure quality of the holy seed doth not cease from searching after man , who into the mixture of the properties is fallen , and there it doth strive with him , by convincing and reproving , that he might not there abide , but that he might arise and follow it , and come to inherit the life in which he was created good ; and this is the love of god , which was , and is , and is to come ; who would not have any to perish , but rather that they would turn and live ; and though his love be so freely made manifest , and hath an universal course through all the fallen properties , to find out man who is there in the disorder , and walking in his disorderly and unruly affections , which the devil hath begotten and exerciseth him in ; yet doth not man receive his love in the tender of it , neither turns at the reproof of the light which from the love is made manifest ; but he loveth his evil deeds more than he loveth the light ; so doth not come to the life , but is held with the serpents subtilty in the mixture of the fallen properties , and there his delight is in evil more than good , for which the light condemns him , & the evil-doer cannot escape the convincement of the light for his evil deeds , but what-ever it is that he lusteth after , and hath a life in , with the light he is found out ; and if it be never so secret , he cannot hide it from the light ; and though the serpent do beget and generate many evil things , and provokes unto evil concupiscence , and exerciseth mans mind therein , yet the light doth not cease to bear testimony against man in the evil , and to convince him of his evil deeds : hence it is that man stands in the acknowledgement of his sin and evil , but not turning to the light when he is convinced by it , and doth see his evil in it , he still abides in the evil , which he sees to be evil , and is convinced of it ; and the serpent having do●…on over him , worketh a perswasion in him , that the light which convinceth him is not sufficient to save him , and thereby generates unbelief , and draws away mans mind for ●…ding to the movings of the light , or for waiting to know the operation of its power ; and man regarding the serpents counsel , he is drawn away from the light , and can●●t believe that it is sufficient to save him ; and so man doth ●●t turn to the light when he is convinced by it , because disbelief hath entered him , as to the sufficiency of it to do him good , and the serpent still holding man under his power , ●e perswades him that the light is but some part of the named property , and so calleth it a natural light , or a na●…al conscience , or the most tender part of a natural man ; and that it is not any thing of god , neither can save or give eternal life though it should be obeyed ; and it is but a deceived way , in which many poor deluded people do run rashly ; and it is not the redeemer , nor mediator , nor intercessor ; for that is proper to the man christ , that dyed at jerusalem ; and man must place his faith in that very thing done , for life and salvation , or he cannot be saved ; and if he do but so believe , his sin shall not be imputed , though he live in it and do commit it : this is the fair shew of the serpents likeness , by which he hath deceived many people , in begetting unbelief to the light of christ in their own conscience , that shews them sin , and convinceth them of it , and begetting an imaginary faith , to be saved by the man christ that dyed at jerusalem , though in sin they abide : and hence it is that sin is shewed , but not destroyed , which man seeing , the serpent perswades him that it cannot be otherwayes whilst he beareth the natural body ; for nature is prone to sin , and none can be free from it until that body be laid in the earth : thus the serpent worketh unbelief to the light of christ in man , and begets a false faith to believe in christ without him , and not in any wayes within him , for that is delusion , saith the serpent ; and in the serpents false faith which he begets , man believes that though here in this world he sin out his time , yet hereafter in the world to come he shall be saved : so the serpents faith puts the day of salvation afar off , and draws mans mind into disobedience and unbelief to the pure light of christ in his own conscience , which is salvation to the ends of the earth , unto all that believe in it ; and it doth search after man , and convince him of his evil , that he might turn and live ; but man not obeying , he comes not to know the life and vertue that is in it , neither to partake of the benefit of it , so knows not the man christ that dyed at jerusalem , nor his life and salvation , his mediation and intercession , but abides in the mixture of the fallen properties , where he is a corruptible earthly man , without any change wrought in him by the power of christ , whose pure light is incorruptible : and here man stands convinced with the light , and sees the things that are evil ; but not believing in the light , which makes evil manifest , he still abides in the evil , and is not converted . chap. vii . how man stands in a converted state , and also the serpents working . the pure creation being in sore travel and pain , through the disorder of the fallen properties , where the serpent hath seated himself over all that is called god , whereby he keepeth man in the alienation from the life of god , where death's shadow is over him , and sore grief and pain upon him , which doth heavily oppress him , and make him go mourning day by day , so that man comes into a consideration of his state and condition ; and as he pondereth in his mind , a pure light shines forth in his conscience , that doth discover to him , at what a distance he is from the pure god , and how he is alienated from his life , and what a great body of corruption there is within him , that causeth his separation from god ; and when this is made manifest unto him , he is stricken down in the sence of his misery , and is brought into waiting , to see if he can meet with any thing ●…elp him and relieve him , something he feels that cryes after god , which , with the body of sin , is separated from 〈◊〉 ; and there is an enquiry made which way to come un●… him , and how to be freed from those things that separate from him ? and whilst the earnest goeth unto the lord , the ●ight shines forth more and more , and discoveries are made , and man in the light beginneth to appear unto himself to be ●…eding sinful , and beginneth to call in question many ●…ngs that he hath lived in ; and the light discovers them 〈◊〉 be of the unclean nature , and man begins to dislike them , 〈◊〉 he cannot so delight in them as he hath done in times 〈◊〉 , but begins to be serious , and to wait in the light which ●oth discover them , to see if he may be preserved from ●…em ; for he sees them to be evil , and that they do defile 〈◊〉 , and are an heavy burden unto him , and a sore weight ●pon him ; and by attending to the light , and obeying the light which makes them manifest , he receives some power against them , and begins to get some victory over them ; and ●…ough man in this state have little acquaintance with the light , yet there is a true turning to it , according to the ●●nifestation of it , and the knowledge that is then given by it ; and so far a true conversion is wrought , as man turns ●●om the evil , unto the light which makes the evil manifest , and man hath forsaken much evil in obedience to the light ; and hath ceased from much vanity that sometimes ●e hath lived in , and departs out of the unclean path of com●…on prophanesse ; and those things that once was lovely to 〈◊〉 , are now become loathsom ; and he ceaseth from drun●…ness , and superfluities in meats and drinks , which he hath been accustomed to , and from lying and swearing , and ●…gious apparrel , in which he sometimes hath lived with ●elighting ; and that which worketh this change , and begets a man some moderation , it is the pure light of the holy seed , which never had pleasure in man , as he is exercised in the things that are evil ; so hath it ever found man out to convince him ; and as he obeys it , there is a cord of love ●ast about him , to draw him and convert him ; and here the lord worketh the conversion , and man is converted : and into this state have many come , who with the light have be●… convinced , and also from many evil and prophane things converted , and yet from the bands of death have never perfectly been loosed , but have been still kept in the house of bondage , and the serpent hath wrought deceivably to betray man into another thing , and bath laboured to lead him forth into some profession , where he walketh like a sober man , and a moderate man , to what he hath been in times past , and he comes into a fairer shew than when he first lived in the common prophaneness ; and when the serpent hath drawn his mind hither , and hath brought him into some fair shew of godliness , and man sees that he is much reformed in his evil wayes and courses that sometimes he walked in , he begins to neglect the light in his own conscience , and to follow his profession that the serpent hath drawn his mind unto , and hath set up without him , and man draws his contentment from what he professeth , and with this false conception that the serpent hath generated in the imagination he hath deceived many , and caused them to erre from the right way ; and man hath gone from the light after he hath been convinced with it , and also turned from many evil things by it , and hath become the greatest enemy to it ; for it is the hardest to renew such a man , who hath been once enlightned , and for a time hath had some enclination towards it , and hath known something done by it , and then turns from it , he becomes the hardest and turns most against it , and quenches and stops the power of it , that he comes not to be a regenerated man , nor to know the new birth born , in which the holy order of the pure creation stands ; but the serpent hath brought form his many births and likenesses , whose deformity and impurity hath marred the true births beauty , so as little comliness hath appeared in him that he should be desired ; and here the many wayes and many religions are come up , and many things that are prophane they are denied , and the scriptures they are professed , and with this fair shew are many satisfied ; yet doth the light of christ in mans conscience search after him in ●his professing-state , and though now it do not appear against him as a drunkard , or a swearer , yet it appears against him as a will-worshipper , and a time-server , and a man-pleaser , and against his double-mindedness , unstableness , and hypocrisie , and with its pure quallity finds it all out , and searches through the fallen properties , in which the serpent generates his profession , and brings forth the birth of it ; and though there be a seeming difference betwixt prophaness and such a shew of godliness , their generation is in the womb , and they receive their nourishment out of the mixture of the fallen properties , which are in a chaos of confusion , and is mother , mystery babylon , in which there is no true order ; so that the prophaness and the profession of godliness are both defiled , and with the light that is pure they ●●e both condemned : this is truly the state of many , and thus far have many come , and never could get further , who have taken up their rest in the formal profession , where there is neither relief nor satisfaction , and have not endured the ●●ght of affliction after they have been enlightned , but have gone from the gate that is called strait , which is near to the pool of healing , and have not patiently waited until he hath come to bid them take up their bed and walk ; they could not lie and 〈◊〉 , but have strugled away , though lame and impotent , and have gone from the gate , called strait , and have stragled into the way that is broad , and there are got over the crosse , and have healed themselves in a false liberty , which stands in a seeming shew of godliness ; and in this state there is yet a travel in a strange land , and something breatheth after i● native country , where no corruptible mixture is ; and with the light man in this state is searched , and his deceitful heart discovered , out of which proceedeth both the prophaness and profession of godliness ; and with the light his heart opens , and he comes to see that his heart is not upright before the lord , neither is his heart the same with his profession , but feigned humility and hypocrisie lodgeth in it , and the light smites him and corrects him , both for his profession and for his prophaness ; then man comes to see himself miserable , and to behold both his own righteousness and filthiness , to rise out of the mixtures of the fallen properties , and sees himself in the weakness of the corruptible being , and there he is sensible of the correcting hand of the lord , though he hath denyed much prophaness , and be turned into a profession of godliness , and man comes to see that he is sucking a fruitless fountain , and a dry breast , and so comes to minde the light and wait in it , and it ariseth and pulleth down his strong holds , and layeth his fenced cities waste , and brings to nought the glory of his fair shews , and stains the pride of them ; and he comes to see that those things which he is observing without him cannot bring contentment to him , but still the light searches him , and pursues him , and layes many sore and heavy stripes upon him , and also sets his sins in order before him , and lets him see what a great body they are gendered in , which makes him cry in his misery , who shall deliver me ? and he comes to be sensible of his own insufficiency , and to know that without christ he is miserable for ever , and that without christ he can do nothing ; and so sees that all without him are miserable comforters , and that there is no help to be found in them when there is need ; and then he something more enclines to the light within him , and is diligent unto it , and begins to hearken and obey , and to turn to it and minde it , and to wait to feel its motion ; and as it doth convince him of evil , he hath regard unto it , and yeelds himself to obey , and to deny that which it doth convince him of , and then comes to feel that it leads him out of it , and also destroyes it , and takes it away ; and hereby man comes to be satisfied that it is the truth of god , and the way wherein he ought to walk , and he waits to feel its drawing , and it turns his face towards it , and begets a willingness to give up to follow it ; and so man is not now only convinced , but also converted and turned , both from common prophaness , and also from his seeming shew of godliness ; and he becomes a follower of the light , and to deny himself in many things that the light makes manifest to be evil ; and in the leadings of the light he is kept in the cross to his corruptible will , and walketh in the strait gate and narrow way , and feels something of the power to crucifie and remove many fleshly lusts , that have made war against his soul , whereby he comes to feel that he is somewhat eased , and much weight taken off and removed , which had been upon him , and a sore burden unto him ; and something begins to spring in the deliverance that cryed for it ; and when the light hath thus found man , and man is turned unto it , and that he cannot abide any longer , either in prophaness , or seeming shew of godliness ; but presseth in the light to come wholly out of the mixtures of the fallen properties , to come into the holy order of the pure creation ; then doth the serpent strive in his subtilty to hold man in some part of the mixture , that so he may in something yet keep dominion over him , and that he may not be set wholly free , but may serve him still in something , though he have truly denyed many things : and hence it is that many stick in the birth , who are convinced what is truth , and also in many things converted , and yet feel not true freedom wrought , but are sensible of a travel that cryes after a day of deliverance ; and here hath the serpent deceived many , who have been convinced , and have had true openings and clear discoveries in the manifestation of the light , and not being watchful , the serpent hath stepped in , and with his deceitful working he hath beguiled man , as he beguiled eve , and with the same fruit hath tempted , and over many hath prevailed , and hath drawn many minds in the openings to reach forth in the eagerness to satisfie his lustful desire in the knowledge of gods truth ; and this hath shut the womb upon the babe that tryes for deliverance , and so the judgment hath been fled , and the crosse hath been denyed , and a false liberty out of the fear hath got up , and it hath gendered unto sore bondage ; and though the truth be confessed unto , and professed in practice , yet doth the seed lye in bondage under the puffed-up mind , that the serpent hath filled with knowledge , in which he hath generated a body , and brought forth a false birth , whose neck is stiff , and the heart hard , and will not bow unto the lord , nor be subject to his power , but in knowledge stands exalted , under which the true birth is oppressed , and the beauty of it marred by the false generation of the serpents begetting , which rises out of the mixture and receives its body from the earthly part of the fallen properties ; and man having seen the truth in the openings , and the vain mind being filled with the knowledge of it , he takes root in the earthly , and in the earthly he begins to grow and spread forth his branches with a fair and flourishing shew ; and this earthly body that is thus conceived and generated , and likewise nourished in the mixture of the fallen properties , gets a tincture of truth upon it in the openings , as lead may be covered or tinn'd with pure gold ; and this body beareth a fair shew , and appears exceeding glorious , but is not the glory of the only begotten ; and when this is brought forth through the deceitful working of the old serpent , then he labours to nourish it that it may grow in strength , and be a tall man , and a strong man , and be renownable ; and this being desirable , it hath been eagerly pursued , and knowledge hath encreased , and a great growth there hath been in it ; and man hath waxed into a high stature of it , and hath sprung up in height like a cedar in labanan , and hath grown in the body of knowledge like an oak in bashan ; and under this high and mighty growth of knowledge , hath the little breathing innocency been strangled , and sore burdened and oppressed , and hath still been striving underneath in the meckness and humbleness , and hath oft reached the tall cedar to bring it down , and to the strong oak , to make it bend ; but the cedar would not lose its glory , nor the oak part with its strength , but stoutly have stood , yea , and stubbornly resisted the tender innocency , and have cast off the word of its reproof ; and the tall cedar hath been lifted up , and hath said , who shall rule over me ? and the oak it hath been stubborn , and hath said , who shall cause me to bow ? and so they have trampled over innocency , as a thing of no esteem ; and the gold hath been kept in the mixture , and the clean separation hath not been made , but the subtilty hath wrought over it , and hath kept the dross and tinn above it , and man hath not liked the furnace , neither hath been willing to abide the day of his coming in that manifestation , but hath saved his life in the mixture , in which the serpents dominion standeth , who in his subtility hath ever wrought secretly against the seed of life , which is made manifest to bruise his head , and destroy his work ; and though man may be convinced , and in many things converted , and may have followed the light in the self-denial and daily crosse , to many of the worlds fashions , customs , and traditions , yet may the seed be still closed in the womb of the earthly mixtures , and travel in sore pain for want of deliverance ; and as the power hath risen in man , and hath begun to work in the furnace , and to divide and separate betwixt the precious and the vile , and the furnace hath been truly set to have refined , and the fire hath begun to take hold to have consumed , that the seed out of the mixture might have been redeemed , and an holy birth regenerated ; then hath the serpent violently stirred , seeing his kingdom so near to be destroyed , and he in great danger to be cast out and dis-possessed ; and he hath suddenly drawn man from the power , and out of the furnace that should have refined and brought forth the gold without mixture , and he instantly hath begotten man into a false liberty , and hath exalted him over the crosse and judgment , that the life in the earthly could not abide , and there hath the enemy wrought in his subtilty , and hath drawn mans mind into a fleshly liberty , so as man unto the world returns again , and unto the worlds fashions and customs is a man conformable , and then dare say in the stoutness of his heart , that he liveth with god in the inner man ; and having seen much , and also tasted something of the word and power , but not in the furnace abiding , to know a clean separation made , and a perfect regeneration wrought , he becomes a very subtil worker , and a great enemy to the pure innocency , being fled into the fallen properties to save his life ; and from this ground a monstrous birth is generated , and by the strength of the subtilty brought forth , and it is not in any wayes like the true birth , born in the regeneration , which from the holy womb proceeds , and in the furnace is brought forth , without any mixture of the earthly part ; and where it is truly born , it changeth the whole man throughout , and perfectly redeems him out of the world , with the pashions , customs and traditions , and it hath its nourishment from the breast of the holy life , and grows in the pure holy nature of it , and is strong in its power , in which it makes war and overcomes the serpent and his power : let the tall cedars and strong oaks consider , and stoop and bow , for they must fall and be broken , and the innocency must reign because it is pure , and there is no mixture in it ; and also let such consider , who have had a taste of the true power , and have known something of its work , and are again returned unto folly , and are flown up into the air , and plead their fleshly liberty as a thing that is natural to the visible creation , and dare say , that though such things appear , they do not desile the inner man , neither do they see ! any reproof for their fleshly and carnal doings , but stand justified before the lord in their inner man ; let such know as from the lord , that they are birds of the air , and took their flight in winter , and the hand of the lord will bring them down ; and let the proud and arrogant consider , who dare to say that all their works , whether they be good or evil , are wrought in god , and what they do , it is his doings , though it be drunkenness , or any other evil , and so are in the devilish spirit , ranting and making merry over the pure innocent life ; let such sink down , and hereby know , yea , as from the lord , that their life is for death , and their works for judgment ; for the holy seed is risen that bruiseth the serpents head , and he cannot save it with all his twisting , nor keep his deceitful works from judgement ; but all his building must be defaced , and all his works destroyed . chap. viii . the new birth in the regeneration , and also the serpents working . man being degenerated from the holy order of the pure creation , and being fallen under the serpents power , who is a subtil and deceitful worker , all the faculties and properties of man are in disorder , and are become a chaos of confusion , and without being regenerated and born again he cannot come into his place in which he stood in the pure creation , and enjoyed the presence of the pure god ; neither an he come to the tree of life , but is shut out and fenced with the flaming sword ; for the unclean cannot enter into the pure , neither can come to feed upon the holy life , but must with the sword be cut down , and with the flame be consumed ; and man through the fiery furnace must passe before he can inherit the kingdom , or possess eternal life , which in the pure creation was its rest and portion ; and with this pure light is man in all his wayes found out , that he might return and come again to inherit and possess the life from which he is degenerated and fallen ; and with the light he is in his own conscience convinced of the things that are evil , that he might not abide in them , but that he might forsake them , and deny them , and follow the light out of them ; and as man comes into the obedience , be comes to know that the light of christ in his conscience , which doth shew him sin , and convinces him of sin , that it is sufficient to save him from sin , and redeem him out of sin , and destroy the body of sin , and thereby restore him again into the holy order of the pure creation , where he enjoyed the presence of god , and was good in the sight of god ; and this is that which seeks lost man , and is made manifest to save and redeem him out of his lost estate ; and all that have believed in it through ages and generations , have known the effectual working of its power , by which they have been redeemed out of the earth , and from the vain conversation of the world , and walked as pilgrims and strangers in the world ; and this pure light was with abel , and in it he sacrificed , and his sacrifice was accepted ; it was with seth , and in it he called upon the name of the lord ; it was with noah , and in it he was preserved , when the flood came upon the world of the ungodly ; it was with abraham , and in it he believed , and it was counted unto him for righteousness ; it was with isaac , and in it he was the heir of promise ; it was with jacob , and in it he went over esau's mount , and out of his loyns came the twelve tribes , whom god chose for his own inheritance : it was with moses , and in it he led forth the inheritance of god out of egypt : it was with david , and in it his horn was exalted : it was with job , and in it he was redeemed , and knew his redeemer lived : it was with isaiah , and in it he saw a child born , and a son given : it was with malachy , and in it he saw the separation , and the fewel out of the mixture : it was with john , and in it he saw the lamb of god , and did behold the glory of the only begotten of the father . and this pure light of the holy seed of life , hath had its course through all generations , and hath been made manifest through the several dispensations and administrations , as it hath pleased the father of spirits , and they that did believe in it , did not abide in darkness , nor did not continue satisfying the lustful desire of the fleshly part , but were regenerated through the effectual working of the power whereby they became dead to sin , and alive to god , and were born of the holy seed , which made them holy men , and with it they were filled and divinely inspired , and then they testified of its power , and it was the same thing unto them all , and neither changed its quality nor property , though diversly it manifested it self ; and all the holy men of god , that gave forth the scriptures , they had the name in the nature of the holy seed , and were born of it through the regeneration ; and this was a work that was wrought before scriptures were written , and was the same work in them that writ the scriptures , and it hath been the same in generations since the scriptures were written ; and it is the work of christ , the holy seed , and it is proper unto him alone , to regenerate and make a new man ; and no man can add to the work of regeneration , for it is an inward work , wrought by an invisible power , that no mortal eye can behold : and this work at this day is witnessed amongst a remnant , whom he hath chosen to be his own peculiar people ; and as man turns to the light of christ in his own conscience , it will open his own condition to him , and make manifest every secret thing , that the serpent hath begotten and drawn his life into ; and it will clearly discover unto a mans understanding that they are evil and sinful : and as he mindeth the light , and obeyeth it , it will lead him out of the evil that it maketh manifest unto him ; and thus far man is convinced , and also converted : then the serpent begins to make war , and lahours to hold man in those things which he hath begotten in him ; but as man joyns to the light he will receive strength to stand against him , and also to overcome him ; for after a man is convinced , and also converted and turned to the light , then he enters into a great fight of afflictions , and hath a sore conflict to passe thorow , as he abides faithful , before he get the serpent under his feet ; and after conversion the serpent besets man sore , and laboureth with all his might to stop him in his travel , so that man is sometimes kept by the subtil working of the serpent , and cannot readily get on , nor clearly cast off those things which be is turning from , in obedience to the light , but is still ●ept by the serpent , who labours to save his head from bru●ing ; and the way that he hath to do it , is to draw man into the reasoning , and there to consult how it will be with him , if he wholly give up and deny those things that he is convinced of , and also turning from , and what will be the end if he part with them ; and here have many felt the dragons war against the innocent lamb , that hath been travelling for freedom from under the corruptible things , which have oppressed his innocent life ; and man hearkning to the serpent , and entering into reasoning and consulting , the serpeut keeps the vail over him , and then shews what great losse it will be unto him if he go on to deny all those things , that he is convinced of to be evil , and is turning from ; and also perswades him , that if he should follow the light unto the end , and part with all for it , yet it is not sufficient to save him : and under this vail many stumble at the light , and draw back and follow no further , though for a time they have in some things been obedient ; and this is the man that loves something more than christ , and cannot part with his own life , for the gain of life eternal : and thus doth the old serpent work for the safety of his kingdom ; but through his strong holds have many broken , and from his bonds they are loosed in the power of the light , which being minded and obeyed , it doth convert mans mind from the thing that is evil , and ariseth in its power to judge it and condemn it , and upon the crosse to crucisie it ; so that man dyeth unto it , and it dyeth in man ; and as a drunkard mindeth the light , and obeyeth the light , when it doth convince him that drunkenness is sin , it will lead him out of drunkenness , and destroy that work of darkness , and take away mans life in it ; and this is the work of christ , who is made manifest to destroy the work of the devil , and to burn it up with unquenchable fire , that he thereby may set man free from under the burden of all corruptible things ; and whatever it is that the serpent hath generated in man since the beginning , and drawn mans heart to lust after , the light which was in the beginning , in which is no sin , but pure and undefiled , it doth appear against it , and also every lustful desire that hath its rejoycing in it , and it brings it down with a stroak of severe judgment ; and as man in the light believeth , even so doth it work , and appear in its power , to destroy every lust in which the serpent hath dominion over man , and in which he makes war against the soul ; and as man denies himself , and takes up the crosse , and follows the light faithfully , he becomes a dying man , and the power separateth between the precious and the vile ; and then he will be felt , whose fan is in his hand , and the fire will be known which burns up the chaff ; and as man abides this day , and keeps in the righteous judgment , the old man will be crucisied , and all his deeds consumed , and neither prophaness , nor seeming shew of godliness , shall stand in the judgment , but the tallest must come down , and the strongest must bow ; for the fire will not spare , but through the earth will passe ; and that which is of the earth must burn , and none can quench ; and man abiding this day , and keeping in the patience , judgement will be brought forth unto victory , and man will come forth dead to himself , and alive in christ , and so will come to know that christ worketh that work which no other can do , and that the light doth not only shew him his sin , and convince him of it , but if he turn , obey , and believe in it , so it will take the sin away , and purge his conscience from the dead works , and redeem him out of all the lusts which the serpent hath generated in him , and hath begotten his life into ; and he will know his redeemer liveth , and salvation he will feel in the light , which doth condemn his sin in the flesh : and here drunkard is redeemed out of drunkenness , a swearer from swearing , a lyar from lying , a covetous man from covetousness , an angry man from anger ; and so out of all vain pleasures , sports , jesting , headiness , wildness , customs , fashions and traditions that are in the world through lust ; with the light man is redeemed through its righteous judgment , for with its pure searching quality it finds out every secret thing of the old lustful nature , and proceeds against it in judgment ; so that the serpent cannot escape the light , but with all his subtilty he is found out ; and as man believes in the light , so doth the judgment fall upon the serpents head ; and though it be long before man can give up himself truly , to deny all things that he is convinced of to be evil , or before he can get clearly thorow , or to the end of much that he is turning from ; or before he can witness a perfect regeneration through the fire of cleansing ; yet , as man in the light believes and follows it , the work is going on and prospering , and the lusts and evil deeds are dying , and the serpent he is weakning , and doth not come upon man so furiously and forcibly as formerly , but his temptations are weaker , and man in the light he is stronger , and stands with courage to resist him ; and as man feels at any time dominion over the serpent , and that he is able , as he abides in the light , to resist him ; so doth his strength and courage encrease , and he stands boldly in the battel , and yeelds not when temptations come , but brings them under , and treads them down ; and as the serpent comes upon man , and appears to tempt him into that lust which man is making war against ; man stands prepared unto battel , and is strong and of a good courage , and goes forth against him in his first appearance , and in the power of the light placeth true judgment upon his head , and bruiseth him , and so man is preserved from him , and abstains from evil in the appearance of it ; and this is the serpents great design to keep man alive to himself , and to delight in his hearts lusts , whereby he ruleth over him , and takes him captive at his will , and he is not willing to let him go if all his subtilty can hold him ; therefore many temptations come upon man after he is convinced and comes to own the truth of god ; and as he converts and turns unto the lord , he is many times sorely beset in his way , and often ready to be driven quite back again : and hence it is that man finds such a strong warfare in his spiritual travel , and finds it such a hard work to come into the regenerated state , because there he must deny himself , and forsake all his hearts lusts , and lay down his life in the judgment , and abide the fire of refinement ; and as man in the light begins to approach near unto this great work , then the serpent strives in his subtilty to withhold him and keep him back , and so the two in their contrary natures are felt in the strife ; and this gate is strait , and few there be that find it ; and as man stands faithful and abides in the light , he will feel strength to support him when the enemy thus violently pursues him , and he will stand a conqueror over those lusts that have had dominion over him ; and when the serpent finds that he cannor keep man in the inordinate affection , and lead him forth to satisfie his lust to the full , as he had wont to do ; then in his subtilty he abates his temptation , and perswades man that he may use things moderately , and keep out of excess , for it is the excess that makes it to become evil , and so to be condemned ; but if he cease from excess , the moderate use will not bring condemnation : so he tells the drunkard , if he keep himself from being drunk , he may moderately keep his friend company , and he may be merry with him : and he tells the proud in heart , if they use not excess in their apparrel , they may go decently according to their quality ; and the like temptations for other lusts he hath ; and he tells man , the moderate use of them will not bring condemnation : but here some have found him a lyar , as he is , who came to abstain and restrain from the excess of many things , which once they were serving their lusts in , and caine down to that which the devil called moderation , but found it was in the hearts lusts still , and with the light was still condemned and judged , and no rest nor peace could be found , until the devil was wholly denied , and the hearts lusts given up to the crosse , and there crucified , and thereby redemption perfectly wrought in the power of christ , and then comes the right use to be made of ill things in their place with true moderation ; and in the use of them in the redeemed state there is no condemnation , for they are received and used in the fear of the lord , and what is useful and no more ; and there is no lust abiding that reacheth forth beyond the present need , and there is the blessing felt ; but man that hearkens to the serpent , and takes that for moderation that he calls so , he is deceived ; and though he lessen the use of that which the light reproves him for in the inordinate affection , yet will the light still condemn him , and judge him in his own conscience , until he come to the power , and there have his lust truly crucified : so the serpent tells the drunkard , he may drink moderately , and be merry with his friend : he tells the proud , he may put on such garments as are suitable to his quality amongst men , so that he keep within the bounds of moderation : and many have here denied common drunkenness , and yet satisfying the old lust in the excess : and many that cannot wear so many ribbands , nor great cuffs , as sometimes they could , yet they must have some bunches of ribbands , and little cuffs ; then saith the devil , thou art now in the moderation , and dost no more , or hardly so much as becomes thy quality . and now to give one true and faithful experience , though many in these things might be truly demonstrated : i know a man who once was alive to himself , and served his lusts , and loved pleasures more than god , and in one thing the serpent had sealed his life more than in many others , and his delight was chiefly in it ; and after he came to obey the light of christ in his conscience , it was clearly discovered unto him to be exceeding evil ; and though he minded the light , and stood in the crosse to his lustful desire , yet the devil did not cease to provoke eagerly , still to satisfie the lust , though he could not do the thing as he had done in the use of it , the terror of the lord was upon him , and his righteous judgment reached unto him , and many sore stripes he bore : then saith the serpent , lessen thy inordinate affection , and it will not be so with thee : then he came from the use of much , to the use of lesse ; but the judgment still pursued him , and the terror encreased upon him , and though the use of it was in the end so much lessened , as it was hardly used at all ; yet when it was used , the judgment ceased not , but plagues were forthwith poured , and it was just with the holy god so to do , and he could find no peace , until he gave up his life in the lust , and stood upon his watch , and whenever the serpent approached with that temptation , he placed judgment upon his head , and so walked in the daily crosse , until he was crucified unto the lust , and the lust crucified unto him , which now is as dead as if it had never been . unto him be glory for evermore ; who undertook the cause , and perfected his own work. now man that comes not to know the lust crucified in the ground , he is betrayed into a false moderation , and as he there standeth , he looketh at himself to be above many others , who yet abide in the inordinate affection ; and so the serpent worketh deceivably , to keep man out of the furnace , and to lead him afar off from judgment ; and though the inordinate affection may be abated , yet the lust is not crucified , but the life in it is saved , and man here flies for his life , that when he should deny himself and take up the crosse , he denies the crosse and saves himself , and slies the judgment , and cannot abide that day ; but as man keeps to the light , this way will be made easie , and he will be able to tread thorow it , and come to the end of it , and conquer the serpent who works against him ; and as man follows the light faithfully , it brings him to the judgment and keeps him in the judgment , and there he waits and abides until judgment be brought forth unto victory ; and he , as a willing man , walks in the daily cross , and chearfully gives up all his hearts lusts to be crucified , and then he feels the enmity slain , that hath begotten and nourished the lust ; and so man comes truly through the furnace , and abides the fire of refinement , in which the separation is made , and the corruptible is burned and destroyed ; then the holy seed of life appears without any mixture , and the creation is delivered out of travel and pain , and in this fiery furnace is man regenerated , where the old man is destroyed , his hearts lusts crucified , the body of sin consumed , the dross and tin purged , the gold clearly separated , and brought forth in its own pure property and quality ; and through this living eternal operation is man recovered out of the fall , and the pure creation is again restored into its holy order , in which it was very good , and man is then redeemed out of the fallen properties , where he hath been lusting after evil , and comes again into the paradise of pleasure , and hath his course unto the tree of life , and the flaming sword doth not now fence it from him ; and this is the regeneration which man must come to know in the fire of refinement , where he must part with all that is his own , whether filthiness or right cousness , and come thorow without any unclean thing ; or he cannot enter into the kingdom of god ; and man must put off the corruptible part of the earthly , where he is in the degeneration , before he can be brought into the holy order of the pure creation ; and as the old he puts off in the fire of refinement , and abides in the work of regeneration , he comes to the new , and receives the new , and it is born in him , and thereby his , change is wrought , and he is redeemed out of the fallen properties into the holy order of life , and he is now no more his own , neither can he satisfie lust any longer , but is truly dead unto it , and his life is renewed in the birth of the holy seed , of which he is born , and in which he is a new man , and so puts off drunkenness , and dyes to that lust , and puts on sobriety , and lives in that vertue ; he puts off anger , and dyes to that lust , he puts on ●eekness , and lives in that vertue ; he puts off envie , and dyes to that lust , he puts on love , and lives in that vertue : and so in all things that the serpent hath begotten through his deceitful working , that stands in the old lustful nature , the light judgeth it , the power crucisieth it , the fire burneth and consumeth it , and so cleanseth man from his defilements , and cleareth the way for the holy birth to spring , and for the ●●mb that from the foundation of the world hath been slain , to come into dignity and dominion to reign : so to die is gain ; and blessed is the man that dies in the lord , he comes to inherit life and immortallity , and to possess durable riches , and a life without end ; and is an heir of god , and a joynt-heir with christ , in whom he is made a new man , and boars a heavenly image , in which the father is glorified , who is over all , blessed for ever . chap. ix . the new creation in the holy order . the lord god of eternal glory , searches after man in his fallen and degenerated state , and with his pure light he finds him afar of , with his feet walking in dark paths , and his way in the land of desolation , and there doth he visit him in his poor and low degree ; for man is fallen from god , and departed from his maker , the serpent hath deceived him , and with his subtilty hath drawn him out of the holy order , and hath enticed his mind into the fallen properties of the visible part of the earthly , where he is a servant to the subtil worker , and satisfies his own hearts lusts that is fleshly , and is a sinner against the holy god , and in the disorder of the unruly affections , where the pure creation is in bondage , and travelleth in sore pain , and the old heavens , and the old earth moves over it , and heavily oppresses it ; and man in the fallen estate is never at rest , nor his heart satisfied with lusting ; and in this separation from the god of mercy , is man plunging in the depth of misery ; a sinner he is , and death reigns over him , and wrath is upon him , and in the disorder of the unruly affections , his life is driven about and tossed , and there is no stedfastness in him ; and in this troubled state , there is a cry unto the lord , and a breathing goes forth that would be in rest , and the lord hath respect , and hears , and in bowels of pitty he arises to help , he stretcheth forth his arm , and brings the mountains down ; he comes forth in power and makes the hills to melt ; he utters his voyce , and the earth trembles , he kindles a fire and consumes it into ashes ; he brings man into the nothingness , and dissolves the old birth into its dust ; he causes the old heavens to pass away with a noise , and he melts the elements with fervent heat ; and man no longer lives therein , but his life is taken away , and he lies slain and dead , and there is no motion in him , until the spirit of life from god come into him , and create him new into the holy order of life , and so gives him breath and being as in the beginning ; and he is made and fashioned with the hand of god , and is the workmanship of god , in whom he now receives his life , and out of whose bowels he draws his breath , whereby he is perfectly renewed in the spirit of his nind , and hath no old thing upon him , nor earthly part abiding in him ; but through the fire of refinement he is made dean , and out of the virgins womb he springs , and sucks the beast which giveth life , whereby he grows in strength , and in wisdom increases , and comes into the stature of the fulness of christ , and partakes of his divine nature ; all old things being put off , and all done away in the fire of refinement , he comes forth of the furnace a naked child , and a new creation springs , and a new creature man is made , and rises with the lamb in his nature , and the pearl's glory he is cloathed withal , and into the holy order of life he is restored , and hath his way in the pleasant paradise , and his food from the tree of life , and his motion stands in the power and wisdom of the seed , which is come into dominion , and reigns in its pure quality and property , without any mixture , and there is no corruptible thing abides upon it , but in the refining fire is purged and consumed ; and as man abides the fire , and waits 〈◊〉 the judgment , he puts off the old in which he hath lived , and he puts on the new and is translated ; and here man truly ●…kes to himself , and receives christ the seed of life , and putteth him on , whereby he feeleth christ made unto him wisdom , righteousness , sanctification , and redemption ; and in his power and wisdom , he brings forth a new creation in the holy order of his pure life , in which the six dayes works are passed thorow , and the separation and consumption is wrought in the furnace , where the fire cleanseth , and the seventh ●…y is come unto , which is holy unto the lord , in which man ●…osts from all his own works , as god did from his , and sits down in the power and wisdom of the holy seed , and rests in the stilness of its divine nature , of which he truly is made a partaker ; and in it he is transformed , and stands in the holy order of the new creation , in which he is perfectly made a new creature , and hath his motion in the new heavens , and new forth , wherein dwels righteousness ; and with righteousness he is covered as with a robe , and holiness is become his vesture ; and he bears the heavenly image in the life , and is lovely and amiable to behold , and is in the sight of the holy god , very good . thus is the new creation finished with all the host of it , and is brought forth in the holy order , through the effectual working of the holy power ; and man is changed and renewed in the holy birth of the immortal seed , and again is placed in the paradise of pleasure , and is not senced from the tree of life , but hath access unto it , and it is his dayly food , and he lives by it , and rests in the comfort and consolation of it , which is life without end . chap. x. the way and works of man in the new creation . as man believes in the light , which from the life shines forth , and in his own conscience is made manifest , he comes to the righteous judgment of god , who passeth sentence against him , and condemns him to death , where upon the cross he is crucified , and there he dies unto himself , with all his hearts lust , both in thought , word , and deed ; then doth the fire take hold , and burns and consumes , and through its operation wholly dissolves the old man , and destroyes all his deeds ; and through destruction unto the corruption , there springs a holy pure generation , which hath its conception in the matrix of eternity , and is brought forth in the holy order of life , and in this holy generation is man restored into his first order , and is truly the off-spring of god , and hath his motion in the power and wisdom of god ; and in this restoration man is changed , and becomes a new man in christ , and his way and all his works are new , and he becomes a well-doer , and is accepted of god in christ the beloved ; and here man finds the new and living way , which makes him a new and living man , and leads him unto the living god ; and this is the way of holiness in which the clean feet walk , and man that is in it ordered , he is in the way of peace , and is led into the green pastures of everlasting refreshings , and he walketh continually by the pleasant streams , and hath his course by the river that makes glad the whole city ; and in the holy life of the immortal seed is his life bound up , and he is ordered in the motion of it , and he doth not stir but in the holy order of it , and it is the strength of his reins , and the girdle of his loyns , and keeps man in close communion with it , whereby he is strengthened to run the way of every command , and there is no feebleness upon his loyns , but perfect strength in the motion of the holy seed , which carries him as upon eagles wings ; and he runs and is not weary , he walks and is not faint , and his way is holy , and his works holy unto the lord , and he is created in christ jesus that he should walk in them , and is no more his own , but in the lords disposing , and truly serves the lord in righteousness and true holiness ; and he no more thinks his own thoughts , nor speaks his own words , nor works his own works , but is moved and acted in the power and wisdom of the holy seed , of which he is born and made a new creature ; and his works are works of holiness , proceeding from the life of christ , and man is holy as he is holy ; for unto good works he is craated in christ , and his delight in the new creation is in the thing that is good , and in a new and living way he walks , and brings forth new and living works , in the living power and wisdom of the holy seed ; and thus man is changed , and is made a holy man , a righteous man , a godly man , sober , chast , gentle , meek , patient , loving , kind , good , lowly , tender-hearted , forbearing , and long-suffering , and in all things he walks as becomes the order of the holy life , into which he is born , and in which he lives and moves , and he becomes a lamb in the lambs nature , and beautiful in the brightness and holiness of the pearl's glory ; and thus i● man translated and changed , through the effectual working of gods mighty power ; and with a new heart he glorifies his maker , and is sincere and upright in his heart before god , and the lord. god takes pleasure in him , and approves his way and his work , and justifies him therein , and there is no condemnation upon him , nor any wrath or curse goes forth against him , or falls upon him , but in the eternal love he dwels , and the love dwels in him , and the image of it he bears , and it is clear from defilement , spot , or blemish ; then doth the glory shine in the precious pearl , and the scepter of the lamb doth bear its sway , and upon his throne he is exalted , and with pure righteousness he cloathes his saints , and crowns of pure gold upon their heads he sets , and in the holy land with him they rest , and in the holy order of his life they move , and they learn the songs of holiness , and sing his praise within the gates ; for he fills them with joy and gladness , and with a new heart and a new spirit they sound his name , and cease not to give glory , and honour , and thanksgiving , and praise , and dominion , and hallilujahs unto him that sits upon the throne , and to the lamb for evermore . 1. oh ! mortal man , thy way and works consider ; sleep not in death , lest thou there die for ever . awake , and stand upright , that thou restor'd may'st be both from thy sins and evils great , with all iniquitie . 2. thou wast created good , and stoodst in great renown , a noble plant thou wast , but soon thou wert cast down : the serpent thee deceiv'd , and drew thee into evil , and thou by him art led astray , according to his will. 3. from god thou art driv'n out , and from his dwelling place , the earth thy habitation is , and there thou run'st thy race . thou neither stay'st nor stop'st , but run'st and hastens on , until thou fall'st into the pit , where bonds of death are strong . 4. oh! hearken , and be still , the lord is seeking thee , and with his light of life , he cryes , return to me . this in thy conscience he hath plac'd , thy evil deeds to shew , that thou may'st to repentance come , & know the thing that 's true 5. the light of christ is true , and shines forth in all men : and every evil deed it brings up to be seen . and thou in it may'st know thy thoughts and works each one ; and in thy self thou may'st behold , whatever thou hast done . 6. if thou unto the light dost turn , and in it dost believe , it will not leave thee in thy sins , but certainly relieve : and unto thee it strength will be , against thy deadly foes , and from thy sins will set thee free , in which thou daily grows . 7. oh! turn to it with speed , thy danger 's very great ; thou art in the broad way , and not in the strait gate : 〈◊〉 liv'st in flesh , and serv'st thy lust , which causes wrath to fall , that unto thee , in fury , doth come like to bitter gall. 8. thou hast no pleasure in its tast , because it doth torment ; why then dost thou abide in sin , and dost not soon repent ? the light doth shew , and also call , and makes known unto thee thy sins and thy transgressions great , with all iniquity . 9. and as the light thou mind'st , and yeeld'st for to obey , it will not only shew thee sin , but take it quite away . 〈◊〉 that end it is manifest , the serpent's head to bruise , and all his works for to destroy , if thou dost not refuse . 10. it s quality is pure , and searcheth through thy heart ; it will convince thee in thy self , and tell thee what thou art . 〈◊〉 will not thee deceive , but will deal plain with thee ; and if thou dost in it believe , a convert thou wilt be . 11. and when thou art converted , keep watchful to the light ; for then the enemy will stir , and thou wilt find a fight . 〈◊〉 life will be requir'd , and thou must lay it down , and from the crosse do not thou flie , until the work be done . 12. so in the furnace thou wilt know , a new birth brought to light , as in the judgment thou abid'st , and stand'st by faith to fight . the serpent thou wilt overcome , and all his deeds destroy , which have depriv'd thee of thy peace , and of thy rest and joy. 13. now hear , all ye professors , with all that be prophane ; you cedars tall , and oaks so strong , who have a glorious fame . ●…u flying birds , and ranting strains , who are soar'd up on high , the fire is kindled at your root ; come down before you dye . 14. lye low , and be you still , the judgment you must pass , the true birth is in bondage sore ; your life above it is : which from you must be taken , before the life you know , that from on high , is come to try , in what you stand and grow . 15. your births are all defil'd , corrupted and unclean , the fire hath not consum'd , nor purg'd away your tin. you yet lye in the mixture , and are not separate , that make the seed to groan , under the earthly part . 16. come forth all ye unclean , whose bed is so desil'd , come down unto the pure , and know the little child , which in the womb doth travel , and would delivered be , that you may be regenerate , and from all burdens free . the heavenly harmony in the eternal unity . 1. thou pure simple birth , of the immortal seed , thy love is sweet and free , thou giv'st to all that need : thou' rt pleasant to the tast , thy pasture's fresh and green , the glory of thy countenance is now beheld and seen . 2. thou holy lamb of life , who com'st down from on high ; thou art the shepherd of thy flock , thy sword 's upon thy thigh ; stretch forth thy arm , and smite thy foes , that would not have thee raig●… that praise to thee in unitie , may sound abroad thy fame . 3. thou precious beauteous pearl , that is refined clear , thy lustre shines in nature pure ; no mixture dost thou bear : thy countenance is full of love , thy riches is the treasure ; thee to possess , is life endless : to whom be praise for ever . 4. the birth , the lamb , the pearl are one , the only true begotton son , who sits in glory on his throne ; to whom be hallelujahs sung . even so , amen , even so , amen : praises to thee , thou holy one. w. s. the end . a review of the theory of the earth and of its proofs, especially in reference to scripture burnet, thomas, 1635?-1715. 1690 approx. 120 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 28 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : 2003-01 (eebo-tcp phase 1). a30484 wing b5945 estc r7953 11802555 ocm 11802555 49396 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a30484) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 49396) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, 1641-1700 ; 18:4 or 175:4b) a review of the theory of the earth and of its proofs, especially in reference to scripture burnet, thomas, 1635?-1715. [2], 52 p. printed by r. norton for walter kettilby ..., london : 1690. attributed to thomas burnet. cf. bm. reproduction of original in huntington library. created by converting tcp files to tei p5 using tcp2tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between 1473 and 1700 available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the 25,363 texts created during phase 1 of the project have been released into the public domain as of 1 january 2015. anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. 5% (or 5 pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of 100 instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level 4 of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p5, characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng burnet, thomas, 1635?-1715. -telluris theoria sacra. creation -early works to 1800. philosophy, ancient. cosmology. earth. 2002-06 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2002-07 apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images 2002-08 john latta sampled and proofread 2002-08 john latta text and markup reviewed and edited 2002-10 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion a review of the theory of the earth , and of its proofs : especially in reference to scripture . london , printed by r. norton , for walter kettilby , at the bishop's-head in st. paul's church-yard . 1690. a review of the theory of the earth . to take a review of this theory of the earth , which we have now finish'd , we must consider , first , the extent of it : and then the principal parts whereof it consists . it reaches , as you see , from one end of the world to the other : from the first chaos to the last day , and the consummation of all things . this , probably , will run the length of seven thousand years : which is a good competent space of time to exercise our thoughts upon , and to observe the several scenes which nature and providence bring into view within the compass of so many ages . the matter and principal parts of this theory , are such things as are recorded in scripture . we do not feign a subject , and then descant upon it , for diversion ; but endeavour to give an intelligible and rational account of such matters of fact , past or future , as are there specified and declar'd . what it hath seem'd good to the holy ghost to communicate to us , by history or prophecy , concerning the several states and general changes of this earth , makes the argument of our discourse . therefore the things themselves must be taken for granted , in one sence or other : seeing , besides all other proofs , they have the authority of a revelation ; and our business is only to give such an explication of them , as shall approve it self to the faculties of man , and be conformable to scripture . we will therefore first set down the things themselves , that make the subject matter of this theory : and remind you of our explication of them . then recollect the general proofs of that explication , from reason and nature : but more fully and particularly shew how it is grounded upon scripture . the primary phaenomena whereof we are to give an account , are these five or six . i. the original of the earth from a chaos . ii. the state of paradise , and the ante-diluvian world. iii. the universal deluge . iv. the universal conflagration . v. the renovation of the world , or the new heavens and new earth . vi. the consummation of all things . these are unquestionably in scripture : and these all relate , as you see , to the several forms , states , and revolutions of this earth . we are therefore oblig'd to give a clear and coherent account of these phaenomena , in that order and consecution wherein they stand to one another . there are also in scripture some other things , relating to the same subjects , that may be call'd the secondary ingredients of this theory , and are to be referr'd to their respective primary heads . such are , for instance , i. the longevity of the ante-diluvians . ii. the rupture of the great abyss , at the deluge . iii. the appearing of the rainbow after the deluge : as a sign that there never should be a second flood . these things scripture hath also left upon record : as directions and indications how to understand the ante-diluvian state , and the deluge it self . whosoever therefore shall undertake to write the theory of the earth , must think himself bound to give us a just explication of these secondary phaenomena , as well as of the primary ; and that in such a dependance and connexion , as to make them give and receive light from one another . this part of the task is concerning the world behind us , times and things pass'd , that are already come to light . the remainder is concerning the world before us , times and things to come : that lie yet in the bosome of providence , and in the seeds of nature . and these are chiefly the conflagration of the world , and the renovation of it . when these are over and expir'd , then comes the end , as s. paul says . then the heavens and the earth fly away , as s. john says . then is the consummation of all things , and the last period of this sublunary world , whatsoever it is . thus far the theorist must go , and pursue the motions of nature , till all things are brought to rest and silence . and in this latter part of the theory , there is also a collateral phaenomenon , the millennium , or thousand years reign of christ and his saints , upon earth , to be consider'd . for this , according as it is represented in scripture , does imply a change in the natural world , as well as in the moral : and therefore must be accounted for , in the theory of the earth . at least it must be there determin'd , whether that state of the world , which is singular and extraordinary , will be before or after the conflagration these are the principals and incidents of this theory of the earth , as to the matter and subject of it : which , you see , is both important , and wholly taken out of scripture . as to our explication of these points , that is sufficiently known , being set down at large in four books of this theory . therefore it remains only , having seen the matter of the theory , to examine the form of it , and the proofs of it : for from these two things it must receive its censure . as to the form , the characters of a regular theory seem to be these three ; few and easie postulatums : union of parts : and a fitness to answer , fully and clearly , all the phaenomena to which it is to be apply'd . we think our hypothesis does not want any of these characters . as to the first , we take but one single postulatum for the whole theory : and that an easie one , warranted both by scripture and antiquity : namely , that this earth rise , at first , from a chaos . as to the second , union of parts , the whole theory is but one series of causes and effects from that first chaos . besides , you can scarce admit any one part of it , first , last , or intermediate , but you must , in consequence of that , admit all the rest . grant me but that the deluge is truly explain'd , and i 'le desire no more for proof of all the theory . or , if you begin at the other end , and grant the new heavens and new earth after the conflagration , you will be led back again to the first heavens and first earth that were before the flood . for st. john says , that new earth was without a sea : apoc. 21. 1. and it was a renovation , or restitution to some former state of things : there was therefore some former earth without a sea ; which not being the present earth , it must be the ante-diluvian . besides , both st. john , and the prophet isaias , have represented the new heavens and new earth , as paradisiacal ; according as is prov'd , book the 4th . ch . 2. and having told us the form of the new-futureearth , that it will have no sea , it is a reasonable inference that there was no sea in the paradisiacal earth . however from the form of this future earth , which st. john represents to us , we may at least conclude , that an earth without a sea is no chimaera , or impossibility : but rather a fit seat and habitation for the just and the innocent . thus you see the parts of the theory link and hold fast one another : according to the second character . and as to the third , of being suited to the phaenomena , we must refer that to the next head , of proofs . it may be truly said , that bare coherence and union of parts is not a sufficient proof ; the parts of a fable or romance may hang aptly together , and yet have no truth in them . this is enough indeed to give the title of a just composition to any work , but not of a true one : till it appear that the conclusions and explications are grounded upon good natural evidence , or upon good divine authority . we must therefore proceed now to the third thing to be consider'd in a theory , what its proofs are : or the grounds upon which it stands , whether sacred or natural . according to natural evidence , things are proved from their causes or their effects . and we think we have this double order of proofs for the truth of our hypothesis . as to the method of causes , we proceed from what is more simple , to what is more compound : and build all upon one foundation . go but to the head of the theory , and you will see the causes lying in a train before you , from first to last . and tho' you did not know the natural history of the world , past or future , you might , by intuition , foretell it , as to the grand revolutions and successive faces of nature , through a long series of ages . if we have given a true account of the motions of the chaos , we have also truly form'd the first habitable earth . and if that be truly form'd , we have thereby given a true account of the state of paradise , and of all that depends upon it . and not of that onely , but also of the universal deluge . both these we have shewn in their causes : the one from the form of that earth , and the other from the fall of it into the abyss . and tho' we had not been made acquainted with these things by antiquity , we might , in contemplation of the causes , have truly conceiv'd them , as properties or incidents to the first earth . but as to the deluge , i do not say , that we might have calculated the time , manner , and other circumstances of it : these things were regulated by providence , in subordination to the moral world. but that there would be , at one time or other , a disruption of that earth , or of the great abyss : and in consequence of it , an universal deluge : so far , i think , the light of a theory might carry us . furthermore , in consequence of this disruption of the primeval earth , at the deluge , the present earth was made hollow and cavernous : and by that means , ( due preparations being used ) capable of combustion , or of perishing by an universal fire : yet , to speak ingenuously , this is as hard a step to be made , in vertue of natural causes , as any in the whole theory . but in recompence of that defect , the conflagration is so plainly and literally taught us in scripture , and avow'd by antiquity , that it can fall under no dispute , as to the thing it self . and as to a capacity or disposition to it in the present earth , that i think is sufficiently made out . then , the conflagration admitted , in that way it is explain'd in the 3d. book : the earth , you see , is , by that fire , reduc'd to a second chaos . a chaos truly so call'd . and from that , as from the first , arises another creation , or new heavens and a new earth ; by the same causes , and in the same form , with the paradisiacal . this is the renovation of the world : the restitution of all things : mentioned both by scripture and antiquity : and by the prophet isaiah , st. peter and st. john , call'd the new heavens and new earth . with this , as the last period , and most glorious scene of all humane affairs , our theory concludes , as to this method of causes , whereof we are now speaking . i say , here it ends as to the method of causes . for tho' we pursue the earth still further , even to its last dissolution : which is call'd the consummation of all things : yet all , that we have superadded upon that occasion , is but problematical : and may , without prejudice to the theory , be argued and disputed on either hand . i do not know , but that our conjectures there may be well grounded : but however , not springing so directly from the same root , or , at least , not by ways , so clear and visible , i leave that part undecided . especially seeing we pretend to write no more than the theory of the earth , and therefore as we begin no higher than the chaos , so we are not obliged to go any further than to the last state of a terrestrial consistency : which is that of the new heavens and the new earth . this is the first natural proof , from the order of causes . the second is from the consideration of effects . namely of such effects as are already in being . and therefore this proof can extend onely to that part of the theory , that explains the present and past form and phaenomena of the earth . what is future , must be left to a further trial , when the things come to pass , and present themselves to be examin'd and compar'd with the hypothesis . as to the present form of the earth , we call all nature to witness for us : the rocks and the mountains , the hills and the valleys , the deep and wide sea , and the caverns of the ground : let these speak , and tell their origine : how the body of the earth came to be thus torn and mangled : if this strange and irregular structure was not the effect of a ruine : and of such a ruine as was universal over the face of the whole globe . but we have given such a full explication of this , in the first part of the theory , from chapt. the 9th . to the end of that treatise , that we dare stand to the judgment , of any that reads those four chapters , to determine if the hypothesis does not answer all those phaenomena , easily and adequately . the next phaenomenon to be consider'd , is the deluge , with its adjuncts . this also is fully explain'd by our hypothesis , in the 2d . 3d. and 6th . chapters of the first book . where it is shewn , that the mosaical deluge , that is , an universal inundation of the whole earth , above the tops of the highest mountains , made by a breaking open of the great abyss , ( for thus far moses leads us ) is fully explain'd by this hypothesis , and cannot be conceiv'd in any other method . there are no sources or stores of water sufficient for such an effect : that may be drawn upon the earth , and drawn off again , but by supposing such an abyss , and such a disruption of it , as the theory represents . lastly , as to the phaenomena of paradise and the ante-diluvian world , we have set them down in order in the 2d . book : and apply'd to each of them its proper explication , from the same hypothesis . we have also given an account of that character which antiquity always assign'd to the first age of the world , or the golden age , as they call'd it : namely , equality of seasons throughout the year , or a perpetual equinox . we have also taken in all the adjuncts or concomitants of these states , as they are mention'd in scripture . the longevity of the ante-diluvians , and the declension of their age by degrees , after the flood . as also that wonderful phaenomenon , the rainbow : which appear'd to noah for a sign , that the earth should never undergo a second deluge . and we have shewn , wherein the force and propriety of that sign consisted , for confirming noah's faith in the promise and in the divine veracity . thus far we have explain'd the past phaenomena of the natural world. the rest are futurities , which still lie hid in their causes ; and we cannot properly prove a theory from effects that are not yet in being . but so far as they are foretold in scripture , both as to substance and circumstance , in prosecution of the same principles we have ante-dated their birth , and shew'd how they will come to pass . we may therefore , i think , reasonably conclude , that this theory has performed its task and answer'd its title : having given an account of all the general changes of the natural world , as far as either sacred history looks backwards , or sacred prophecy looks forwards . so far as the one tells us what is past in nature , and the other what is to come . and if all this be nothing but an appearance of truth , 't is a kind of fatality upon us to be deceiv'd . so much for natural evidence , from the causes or effects . we now proceed to scripture , which will make the greatest part of this review . the sacred basis upon which the whole theory stands , is the doctrine of s. peter , deliver'd in his second epistle and third chapter , concerning the triple order and succession of the heavens and the earth . that comprehends the whole extent of our theory : which indeed is but a large commentary upon s. peter's text. the apostle sets out a threefold state of the heavens and earth : with some general properties of each : taken from their different constitution and different fate . the theory takes the same threefold state of the heavens and the earth : and explains more particularly , wherein their different constitution consists : and how , under the conduct of providence , their different fate depends upon it . let us set down the apostle's words , with the occasion of them : and their plain sence , according to the most easie and natural explication . ver. 3. knowing this first , that there shall come in the last days scoffers , walking after their own lusts . 4. and saying , where is the promise of his coming ? for since the fathers fell asleep , all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation . 5. for this they willingly are ignorant of , that by the word of god , the heavens were of old , and the earth consisting of water and by water . 6. whereby the world that then was , being over flowed with water , perished . 7. but the heavens and the earth that are now , by the same word , are kept in store , reserved unto fire against the day of judgment , and perdition of ungodly men . — 10. the day of the lord will come as a thief in the night , in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise , and the elements shall melt with fervent heat ; the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burnt up . 13. nevertheless we , according to his promise , look for new heavens and a new earth , wherein dwelleth righteousness . this is the whole discourse so far as relates to our subject . s. peter , you see , had met with some that scoff'd at the future destruction of the world , and the coming of our saviour ; and they were men , it seems , that pretended to philosophy and argument ; and they use this argument for their opinion , seeing there hath been no change in nature , or in the world , from the beginning to this time , why should we think there will be any change for the future ? the apostle answers to this , that they willingly forget or are ignorant that there were heavens of old , and an earth , so and so constituted ; consisting of water and by water ; by reason whereof that world , or those heavens and that earth , perish'd in a deluge of water . but , saith he , the heavens and the earth that are now , are of another constitution , fitted and reserved to another fate , namely to perish by fire . and after these are perish'd , there will be new heavens and a new earth , according to god's promise . this is an easie paraphrase , and the plain and genuine sence of the apostle's discourse ; and no body , i think , would ever look after any other sence , if this did not draw them into paths they do not know , and to conclusions which they do not fancy . this sence , you see , hits the objection directly , or the cavil which these scoffers made ; and tells them , that they vainly pretend that there hath been no change in the world since the beginning , for there was one sort of heavens and earth before the flood , and another sort now ; the first having been destroyed at the deluge . so that the apostle's argument stands upon this foundation , that there is a diversity betwixt the present heavens and earth , and the ante-diluvian heavens and earth ; take away that , and you take away all the force of his answer . then as to his new heavens and new earth after the conflagration , they must be material and natural , in the same sence and signification with the former heavens and earth ; unless you will offer open violence to the text. so that this triplicity of the heavens and the earth , is the first , obvious , plain sence of the apostle's discourse : which every one would readily accept , if it did not draw after it a long train of consequences , and lead them into other worlds than they ever thought of before , or are willing to enter upon now . but we shall have occasion by and by to examine this text more fully in all its circumstances . give me leave in the mean time to observe , that s. paul also implyes that triple creation which s. peter expresses . s. paul , i say , in the 8th chap. to the romver . 20 , 21. tell us of a creation that will be redeem'd from vanity : which are the new heavens and new earth to come . a creation in subjection to vanity : which is the present state of the world. and a creation that was subjected to vanity , in hopes of being restor'd : which was the first paradisiacal creation . and these are the three states of the natural world , which make the subject of our theory . to these two places of st. peter and st. paul , i might add that third in st. john , concerning the new heavens and new earth ; with that distinguishing character , that the earth was without a sea. as this distinguisheth it from the present earth , so , being a restitution or restauration , as we noted before , it must be the same with some former earth : and consequently , it implies that there was another precedent state of the natural world , to which this is a restitution . these three places i alledge , as comprehending and confirming the theory in its full extent . but we do not suppose them all of the same force and clearness . st. peter leads the way , and gives light and strength to the other two . when a point is prov'd by one clear text , we allow others , as auxiliaries , that are not of the same clearness ; but being open'd , receive light from the primary text , and reflect it upon the argument . so much for the theory in general . we will now take one or two principal heads of it , which vertually contain all the rest , and examine them more strictly and particularly , in reference to their agreement with scripture . the two heads we pitch upon , shall be , our explication of the deluge , and our explication of the new heavens and new earth . we told you before , these two were as the hinges , upon which all the theory moves , and which hold the parts of it in firm union one with another . as to the deluge , if i have explain'd that aright , by the disruption of the great abyss , and the dissolution of the earth that cover'd it , all the rest follows in such a chain of consequences , as cannot be broken . wherefore in order to the proof of that explication , and of all that depends upon it , i will make bold to lay down this proposition , that our hypothesis concerning the universal deluge , is not onely more agreeable to reason and philosophy than any other yet propos'd to the world , but is also more agreeable to scripture . namely , to such places of scripture , as reflect upon the deluge , the abyss , and the form of the first earth . and particularly , to the history of noah's flood , as recorded by moses . if i can make this good , it will , doubtless , give satisfaction to all intelligent persons . and i desire their patience , if i proceed slowly . we will divide our task into parts , and examine them separately : first , by scripture in general , and then by moses his history and description of the flood . our hypothesis of the deluge consists of three principal heads , or differs remarkably in three things from the common explication . first , in that we suppose the antediluvian earth to have been of another form and constitution from the present earth : with the abyss placed under it . secondly , in that we suppose the deluge to have been made , not by any inundation of the sea , or overflowing of fountains and rivers : nor ( principally ) by any excess of rains : but by a real dissolution of the exteriour earth , and disruption of the abyss which it cover'd . these are the two principal points , to which may be added , as a corollary , thirdly , that the deluge was not in the nature of a standing pool : the waters lying every where level , of an equal depth and with an uniform surface : but was made by a fluctuation and commotion of the abyss upon the disruption : which commotion being over , the waters retired into their chanels , and let the dry land appear . these are the most material and fundamental parts of our hypothesis : and these being prov'd consonant to scripture , there can be no doubt of the rest . we begin with the first : that the ante-diluvian earth was of another form and constitution from the present earth , with the abyss placed under it . this is confirm'd in scripture , both by such places as assert a diversity in general : and by other places that intimate to us , wherein that diversity consisted , and what was the form of the first earth . that discourse of st. peter's , which we have set before you , concerning the past , present , and future , heavens and earth , is so full a proof of this diversity in general , that you must either allow it , or make the apostle's argumentation of no effect . he speaks plainly of the natural world , the heavens and the earth : and he makes a plain distinction , or rather opposition , betwixt those before and after the flood : so that the least we can conclude from his words , is a diversity betwixt them ; in answer to that identity or immutability of nature , which the scoffers pretended to have been ever since the beginning . but tho' the apostle , to me , speaks plainly of the natural world , and distinguishes that which was before the flood , from the present : yet there are some that will allow neither of these to be contain'd in st. peter's words ; and by that means would make this whole discourse of little or no effect , as to our purpose . and seeing we , on the contrary , have made it the chief scripture-basis of the whole theory of the earth , we are oblig'd to free it from those false glosses or mis-interpretations , that lessen the force of its testimony , or make it wholly ineffectual . these interpreters say , that st. peter meant no more than to mind these scoffers , that the world was once destroy'd by a deluge of water : meaning the animate world , mankind and living creatures . and that it shall be destroy'd again by another element , namely by fire . so as there is no opposition or diversity betwixt the two natural worlds , taught or intended by the apostle ; but onely in reference to their different fate or manner of perishing , and not of their different nature or constitution . here are two main points , you see , wherein our interpretations of this discourse of the apostles , differ . first , in that they make the apostle ( in that sixth verse ) to understand onely the world animate , or men and brute creatures . that these were indeed destroy'd , but not the natural world , or the form and constitution of the then earth and heavens . secondly , that there is no diversity or opposition made by st. peter betwixt the ancient heavens and earth , and the present , as to their form and constitution . we pretend that these are mis-apprehensions , or mis-representations of the sence of the apostle in both respects , and offer these reasons to prove them to be so . for the first point ; that the apostle speaks here of the natural world , particularly in the 6th . verse ; and that it perish'd , as well as the animate , these considerations seem to prove . first , because the argument or ground these scoffers went upon , was taken from the natural world , its constancy and permanency in the same state from the beginning ; therefore if the apostle answers ad idem , and takes away their argument , he must understand the same natural world , and show that it hath been chang'd , or hath perish'd . you will say , it may be , the apostle doth not deny , nor take away the ground they went upon , but denies the consequence they made from it ; that therefore there would be no change , because there had been none . no , neither doth he do this , if by the world in the 6th . verse , he understands mankind onely ; for their ground was this , there hath been no change in the natural world ; their consequence , this , therefore there will be none , nor any conflagration . now the apostle's answer , according to you , is this , you forget that mankind hath been destroyed in a deluge . and what then ? what 's this to the natural world , whereof they were speaking ? this takes away neither antecedent nor consequent , neither ground nor inference ; nor any way toucheth their argument , which proceeded from the natural world to the natural world. therefore you must either suppose that the apostle takes away their ground , or he takes away nothing . secondly , what is it that the apostle tells these scoffers they were ignorant of ? that there was a deluge , that destroyed mankind ? they could not be ignorant of that , nor pretend to be so ; it was therefore the constitution of those old heavens and earth , and the change or destruction of them at the deluge , that they were ignorant of , or did not attend to ; and of this the apostle minds them . these scoffers appear to have been jews by the phrase they use , since the fathers fell asleep , which in both parts of it is a judaical expression ; and does st. peter tell the jews that had moses read to them every sabbath , that they were ignorant that mankind was once destroyed with a deluge in the days of noah ? or could they pretend to be ignorant of that without making themselves ridiculous both to jews and christians ? besides , these do not seem to have been of the vulgar amongst them , for they bring a philosophical argument for their opinion ; and also in their very argument they refer to the history of the old testament , in saying , since the fathers fell asleep , amongst which fathers , noah was one of the most remarkable . thirdly , the design of the apostle is to prove to them , or to dispose them to the belief of the conflagration , or future destruction of the world ; which i suppose you will not deny to be a destruction of the natural world ; therefore to prove or perswade this , he must use an argument taken from a precedent destruction of the natural world ; for to give an instance of the perishing of mankind onely , would not reach home to his purpose . and you are to observe here that the apostle does not proceed against them barely by authority ; for what would that have booted ? if these scoffers would have submitted to authority , they had already the authority of the prophets and apostles in this point : but he deals with them at their own weapon , and opposes reasons to reasons ; what hath been done may be done , and if the natural world hath been once destroyed , 't is not hard , nor unreasonable , to suppose those prophecies to be true , that say it shall be destroyed again . fourthly , unless we understand here the natural world , we make the apostle both redundant in his discourse , and also very obscure in an easie argument . if his design was onely to tell them that mankind was once destroy'd in a deluge , what 's that to the heavens and the earth ? the 5th . verse would be superfluous ; which yet he seems to make the foundation of his discourse . he might have told them how mankind had perish'd before with a deluge , and aggravated that destruction as much as he pleas'd , without telling them how the heavens and the earth were constituted then ; what was that to the purpose , if it had no dependance or connection with the other ? in the precedent chapter , verse 5th . when he speaks onely of the floods destroying mankind , he mentions nothing of the heavens or the earth : and if you make him to intend no more here , what he says more is superfluous . i also add , that you make the apostle very obscure and operose in a very easie argument . how easie had it been for him , without this apparatus , to have told them , as he did before , that god brought a flood upon the world of the ungodly ; and not given us so much difficulty to understand his sence , or such a suspicion and appearance , that he intended something more ; for that there is at least a great appearance and tendency to a further sence , i think none can deny ; and st. austin , didymus alex. bede , as we shall see hereafter , understood it plainly of the natural world : also modern expositors and criticks ; as cajetan , estius , drusius , heinsius , have extended it to the natural world , more or less ; tho' they had no theory to mislead them , nor so much as an hypothesis to support them ; but attended onely to the tenor of the apostle's discourse , which constrain'd them to that sence , in whole or in part . fifthly , the opposition carries it upon the natural world. the opposition lies betwixt the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the heavens that were of old , and the earth , and the present heavens and earth , or the two natural worlds . and if they will not allow them to be oppos'd in their natures ( which yet we shall prove by and by ) at least they must be oppos'd in their date ; and as this is to perish by fire , so that perish'd by water ; and if it perish'd by water , it perish'd ; which is all we contend for at present . lastly , if we would be as easily govern'd in the exposition of this place , as we are of other places of scripture , it would be enough to suggest , that in reason and fairness of interpretation , the same world is destroy'd in the 6th verse , that was describ'd in the foregoing verse ; but it is the natural world that is describ'd there , the heavens and the earth , so and so constituted ; and therefore in fairness of interpretation they ought to be understood here ; that world being the subject that went immediately before , and there being nothing in the words that restrains them to the animate world or to mankind . in the 2d ch . ver . 5. the apostle does restrain the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by adding 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the world of the ungodly ; but here 't is not only illimited , but according to the context , both preceding and following , to be extended to the natural world. i say by the following context too , for so it answers to the world that is to perish by fire ; which will reach the frame of nature as well as mankind . for a conclusion of this first point , i will set down s. austin's judgment in this case ; who in several parts of his works hath interpreted this place of s. peter , of the natural world . as to the heavens , he hath these words in his exposition upon genesis , hos etiam aerios calos quondam periisse diluvio , in quâdam earum quae canonica appellantur , epistolâ legimus . we read in one of the epistles called canonical , meaning this of s. peter's , that the aerial heavens perish'd in the deluge . and he concerns himself there to let you know that it was not the starry heavens that were destroy'd ; the waters could not reach so high ; but the regions of our air . then afterwards he hath these words faciliùs eos ( coelos ) secundum illius epistolae authoritatem credimus periisse , & alios , sicut ibi scribitur , repositos . we do more easily believe , according to the authority of that epistle , those heavens to have perish'd ; and others , as it is there written , substituted in their place . in like manner , and to the same sence , he hath these words upon psal. 101. aerii utique coeli perierunt ut propinqui terris , secundum quod dicuntur volucres coeli ; sunt autem & coeli coelorum , superiores in firmamento , sed utrùm & ipfi perituri sint igni , an hi soli , qui etiam diluvio perierunt , disceptatio est aliquanto scrupulosior inter doctos . and in his book de civ . dei , he hath several passages to the same purpose , quemadmodum in apostolicâ illâ epistolâ à toto pars accipitur , quod diluvio periisse dictus est mandus , quamvis sola ejus cum suis coelis pars ima perierit . these being to the same effect with the first citation , i need not make them english ; and this last place refers to the earth as well as the heavens , as several other places in s. austin do , whereof we shall give you an account , when we come to shew his judgment concerning the second point , the diversity of the ante-diluvian and post-diluvian world. this being but a foretaste of his good will and inclinations towards this doctrine . these considerations alledg'd , so far as i can judge , are full and unanswerable proofs , that this discourse of the apostle's comprehends and refers to the natural world ; and consequently they warrant our interpretation in this particular , and destroy the contrary . we have but one step more to make good , that there was a change made in this natural world at the deluge , according to the apostle ; and this is to confute the second part of their interpretation , which supposeth that s. peter makes no distinction or opposition betwixt the antediluvian heavens and earth , and the present heavens and earth , in that respect . this second difference betwixt us , methinks , is still harsher than the first ; and contrary to the very form , as well as to the matter of the apostle's discourse . for there is a plain antithesis , or opposition made betwixt the heavens and the earth of old ( ver . the 5th ) and the heavens and the earth that are now ( verse the 7th ) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and the adversative particle , but , you see marks the opposition ; so that it is full and plain according to grammar and logick . and that the parts or members of this opposition differ in nature from one another , is certain from this , because otherwise the apostle's argument or discourse is of no effect , concludes nothing to the purpose ; he makes no answer to the objection , nor proves any thing against the scoffers , unless you admit that diversity . for they said , all things had been the same from the beginning in the natural world , and unless he say , as he manifestly does , that there hath been a change in nature , and that the heavens and earth that are now , are different from the ancient heavens and earth , which perish'd at the flood , he says nothing to destroy their argument , nor to confirm the prophetical doctrine of the future destruction of the natural world. this , i think , would be enough to satisfie any clear and free mind concerning the meaning of the apostle ; but because i desire to give as full a light to this place as i can , and to put the sence of it out of controversie , if possible , for the future , i will make some further remarks to confirm this exposition . and we may observe that several of those reasons which we have given to prove , that the natural world is understood by s. peter , are double reasons ; and do also prove the other point in question , a diversity betwixt the two natural worlds , the anti-diluvian and the present . as for instance , unless you admit this diversity betwixt the two natural worlds , you make the 5th verse in this chapter superfluous and useless : and you must suppose the apostle to make an inference here without premises . in the 6th verse he makes an inference , * whereby the world , that then was , perish'd in a deluge ; what does this whereby relate to ? by reason of what ? sure of the particular constitution of the heavens and the earth immediately before describ'd . neither would it have signified any thing to the scoffers , for the apostle to have told them how the ante-diluvian heavens and earth were constituted , if they were constituted just in the same manner as the present . besides , what is it , as i ask'd before , that the apostle tells these scoffers they were ignorant of ? does he not say formally and expresly ( ver . 5. ) that they were ignorant that the heavens and the earth were constituted so and so , before the flood ? but if they were constituted as these present heavens and earth are , they were not ignorant of their constitution ; nor did pretend to be ignorant , for their own ( mistaken ) argument supposeth it . but before we proceed any further , give me leave to note the impropriety of our translation , in the 5th . verse , or latter part of it ; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ( vel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , this we translate standing in the water , and out of the water , which is done manifestly in compliance with the present form of the earth , and the notions of the translators : and not according to the natural force and sence of the greek words . if one met with this sentence * in a greek author , who would ever render it standing in the water and out of the water ? nor do i know any latin translator that hath ventur'd to render them in that sence ; nor any latin father ; st. austin and st. jerome i 'me sure do not , but consistens ex aquâ , or de aquâ , & per aquam : for that later phrase also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 does not with so good propriety signifie to stand in the water , as to consist or subsist by water , or by the help of water , tanquam per causam sustinentem ; as st. austin and jerome render it . neither does that instance they give from 1 pet. 3. 20. prove any thing to the contrary , for the ark was sustain'd by the waters , and the english does render it accordingly . the translation being thus rectified , you see the ante-diluvian heavens and earth consisted of water , and by water ; which makes way for a second observation to prove our sence of the text ; for if you admit no diversity betwixt those heavens and earth , and the present , shew us 'pray , how the present heavens and earth consist of water , and by water . what watery constitution have they ? the apostle implies rather , that the now heavens and earth have a fiery constitution . we have now meteors of all sorts in the air , winds , hail , snow , lightning , thunder , and all things engender'd of fiery exhalations , as well as we have rain ; but according to our theory , the ante-diluvian heavens , of all these meteors had none but dews and rain , or watery meteors onely ; and therefore might very aptly be said by the apostle to be constituted of water , or to have a watery 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . then the earth was said to consist by water , because it was built upon it , and at first was sustain'd by it . and when such a key as this is put into our hands , that does so easily unlock this hard passage , and makes it intelligible , according to the just force of the words , why should we pertinaciously adhere to an interpretation , that neither agrees with the words , nor makes any sence that is considerable ? thirdly , if the apostle had made the ante-diluvian heavens and earth the same with the present , his apodosis in the 7th . verse , should not have been 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. i say , it should not have been by way of antithesis , but of identity or continuation ; and the same heavens and earth are kept in store reserv'd unto fire , &c. accordingly we see the apostle speaks thus , as to the logos , or the word of god , verse 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , by the same word of god ; where the thing is the same , he expresseth it as the , same ; and if it had been the same heavens and earth , as well as the same word of god , why should he use a mark of opposition for the one , and of identity for the other ? to this i do not see what can be fairly answer'd . fourthly , the ante-diluvian heavens and earth were different from the present , because , as the apostle intimates , they were such , and so constituted , as made them obnoxious to a deluge ; whereas ours are of such a form , as makes them incapable of a deluge , and obnoxious to a conflagration ; the just contrary fate . if you say there was nothing of natural tendency or disposition in either world to their respective fate , but the first might as well have perish'd by fire , as water , and this by water as by fire , you unhinge all nature and natural providence in that method , and contradict one main scope of the apostle in this discourse . his first scope is to assert , and mind them of that diversity there was betwixt the ancient heavens and earth , and the present ; and from that , to prove against those scoffers , that there had been a change and revolution in nature ; and his second scope seems to be this , to show that diversity to be such , as , under the divine conduct , leads to a different fate , and expos'd that world to a deluge ; for when he had describ'd the constitution of the first heavens and earth , he subjoyns , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . quià talis erat , saith grotius , qualem diximus , constitutio & terrae & coeli . w h e r e b y the then world perish'd in a flood of water . this whereby notes some kind of causal dependance , and must relate to some means or conditions precedent . it cannot relate to logos , or the word of god , grammar will not permit that ; therefore it must relate to the state of the ante-diluvian heavens and earth immediately premis'd . and to what purpose indeed should he premise the description of those heavens and earth , if it was not to lay a ground for this inference ? having given these reasons for the necessity of this interpretation ; in the last place , let 's consider st. austin's judgment , and his sence upon this place , as to the point in question . as also the reflections that some other of the ancients have made upon this doctrine of st. peter's . didymus alexandrinus , who was for some time st. jerome's master , made such a severe reflection upon it , that he said this epistle was corrupted , and should not be admitted into the canon , because it taught the doctrine of a triple or triform world in this third chapter . as you may see in his enarr . in epist. canonicas . now this threefold world is first that in the 6th . verse , the world that then was . in the 7th . verse , the heavens and the earth that are now . and in the 13th . verse , we expect new heavens and a new earth , according to his promise . this seems to be a fair account that st. peter taught the doctrine of a triple world ; and i quote this testimony , to show what st. peter's words do naturally import , even in the judgment of one that was not of his mind . and a man is not prone to make an exposition against his own opinion , unless he think the words very pregnant and express . but st. austin owns the authority of this epistle , and of this doctrine , as deriv'd from it , taking notice of this text of st. peter's in several parts of his works . we have noted three or four places already to this purpose , and we may further take notice of several passages in his treatise , de civ , dei , which confirm our exposition . in his 20th . book , ch . 24. he disputes against porphyry , who had the same principles with these aeternalists in the text ; or , if i may so call them , incorruptarians ; and thought the world never had , nor ever would undergo any change , especially as to the heavens . st. austin could not urge porphyry with the authority of st. peter , for he had no veneration for the christian oracles ; but it seems he had some for the jewish , and arguing against him , upon that text in the psalms , coeli peribunt , he shows upon occasion how he understands st. peter's destruction of the old world. legitur coelum & terra transibunt , mundus transit , sed puto quod proeterit , transit , transibunt aliquantò mitiùs dicta sunt quàm peribunt . in epistolà quoque petri apostoli , ubi aquâ inundatus , qui tum erat , periisse dictus est mundus , satis clarum est quae pars mundi à toto significata est , & quatenùs periisse dicta sit , & qui coeli repositi igni reservandi . this he explains more fully afterwards by subjoyning a caution ( which we cited before ) that we must not understand this passage of st. peter's , concerning the destruction of the ante diluvian world , to take in the whole universe , and the highest heavens , but onely the aerial heavens , and the sublunary world. in apostolicâ illâ epistolâ à toto pars accipitur , quod diluvio periisse dictus est mundus , quamvis sola ejus , cum suis coelis , pars ima perierit . in that apostolical epistle , a part is signified by the whole , when the world is said to have perish'd in the deluge , although the lower part of it onely , with the heavens belonging to it , perished : that is , the earth with the regions of the air that belong to it . and consonant to this , in his exposition of that hundred and first psalm , upon those words , the heavens are the work of thy hands , they shall perish , but thou shalt endure . this perishing of the heavens , he says , s. peter tells us , hath been once done already , namely , at the deluge ; apertè dixit hoc apostolus petrus , coeli erant olim & terra , de aquâ & per aquam constituti , dei verbo ; per quod qui factus est mundus , aquâ inundatus deperiit ; terra autem & coeli qui nunc sunt , igni reservantur . jam ergo dixit periisse coelos per diluvium . these places shew us that s. austin understood s. peter's discourse to aim at the natural world , and his periit or periisse ( verse 6. ) to be of the same force as peribunt in the psalms , when 't is said the heavens shall perish ; and consequently that the heavens and the earth , in this father's opinion , were as really chang'd and transform'd at the time of the flood , as they will be at the conflagration . but we must not expect from s. austin or any of the ancients a distinct account of this apostolical doctrine , as if they knew and acknowledg'd the theory of the first world ; that does not at all appear ; but what they said was either from broken tradition , or extorted from them by the force of the apostle's words and their own sincerity . there are yet other places in s. austin worthy our consideration upon this subject ; especially his exposition of this 3d chap. of s. peter , as we find it in that same treatise de civ . dei. there he compares again , the destruction of the world at the deluge , with that which shall be at the conflagration , and supposeth both the heavens and earth to have perish'd . apostolus commemorans factum ante diluvium , videtur admonuisse quodammodò quatenùs in fine hujus secult mundum istum periturum esse credamus . nam & illo tempore periisse dixit , qui tunc erat , mundum ; nec solum orbem terrae , verùm etiam coelos , then giving his usual caution , that the stars and starry heavens should not be comprehended in that mundane destruction , he goes on , atque hoc modo ( penè totus aer ) cum terra perierat ; cujus terrae utique prior facies ( nempe ante-diluviana ) fuerat deleta diluvio . qui autem nunc sunt coeli & terra eodem verbo repositi sunt igni reservandi ; proinde qui coeli & quae terra , id est , qui mundus , pro eo mundo qui diluvio periit , ex eâdem aquâ repositus est , ipse igni novissimo reservatur . here you see s. austin's sence upon the whole matter ; which is this , that the natural world , the earth with the heavens about it , was destroyed and chang'd at the deluge into the present heavens and earth ; which shall again in like manner be destroyed and chang'd by the last fire . accordingly in another place , to add no more , he saith the figure of the ( sublunary ) world shall be chang'd at the conflagration , as it was chang'd at the deluge . tunc figura hujus mundi , &c. cap. 16. thus you see , we have s. austin on our side , in both parts of our interpretation ; that s. peter's discourse is to be referr'd to the natural inanimate world , and that the present natural world is distinct and different from that which was before the deluge . and s. austin having applyed this expresly to s. peter's doctrine by way of commentary , it will free us from any crime or affectation of singularity in the exposition we have given of that place . venerable bede hath followed s. austin's footsteps in this doctrine ; for , interpreting s. peter's original world ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) 2 pet. 2. 5. he refers both that and this ( chap. 3.6 . ) to the natural inanimate world , which he supposeth to have undergone a change at the deluge . his words are these , idem ipse mundus est ( nempe quoad materiam ) in quo nunc humanum genus habitat , quem inhabitaverunt hi qui ante diluvium fuerunt , sed tamen rectè originalis mundus , quasi alius , dicitur ; quia sicut in consequentibus hujus epistolae scriptum continetur , ille tunc mundus aquâ inundatus periit . coelis videlicet qui erant priùs , id est , cunctis aeris hujus turbulenti spaciis , aquarum accrescentium altitudine consumptis , ac terrâ in alteram faciem , excedentibus aquis , immutatâ . nam etsi montes aliqui atque convalles ab initio facti creduntur , non tamen tanti quanti nunc in orbe cernuntur universo . 't is the same world ( namely , as to the matter and substance of it ) which mankind lives in now , and did live in before the flood , but yet that is truly call'd the original world , being as it were another from the present . for 't is said in the sequel of this epistle that the world that was then , perish'd in the deluge ; namely , the regions of the air were consumed by the height and excess of the waters , and by the same waters the earth was chang'd into another form or face . for although some mountains and valleys are thought to have been made from the beginning , yet not such great ones as now we see throughout the whole earth . you see this author does not only own a change made at the deluge , but offers at a further explication wherein that change consisted , viz. that the mountains and inequalities of the earth were made greater than they were before the flood ; and so he makes the change or the difference betwixt the two worlds gradual , rather than specifical , if i may so term it . but we cannot wonder at that , if he had no principles to carry it further , or to make any other sort of change intelligible to him . bede also pursues the same sence and notion in his interpretation of that fountain , gen. 2. 5. that watered the face of the earth before the flood . and many other transcribers of antiquity have recorded this tradition concerning a difference , gradual or specifical , both in the ante-diluvian heavens ( gloss. ordin . gen. 9. de iride . lyran. ibid. hist. scholast . c. 35. rab. maurus & gloss. inter. gen. 2. 5 , 6. alcuin . quaest. in gen. inter . 135. ) and in the ante-diluvian earth , as the same authors witness in other places . as hist. schol. c. 34. gloss. ord. in gen. 7. al. cuin . inter. 118 , &c. not to instance in those that tell us the properties of the ante-diluvian world under the name and notion of paradise . thus much concerning this remarkable place in s. peter , and the true exposition of it ; which i have the more largely insisted upon , because i look upon this place as the chief repository of that great natural mystery , which in scripture is communicated to us , concerning the triple state or revolution of the world. and of those men that are so scrupulous to admit the theory we have propos'd , i would willingly know whether they believe the apostle in what he says concerning the new heavens and the new earth to come , ver . 13. and if they do , why they should not believe him as much concerning the old heavens and the old earth , past ; ver . 5 , & 6. which he mentions as formally , and describes more distinctly than the other . but if they believe neither past nor to come , in a natural sence , but an unchangeable state of nature from the creation to its annihilation , i leave them then to their fellow eternalists in the text , and to the character or censure the apostle gives them , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 men that go by their own private humour and passions , and prefer that to all other evidence . they deserve this censure , i am sure , if they do not only disbelieve , but also scoff , at this prophetick and apostolick doctrine concerning the vicissitudes of nature and a triple world ; the apostle in this discourse does formally distinguish three worlds ( for 't is well known that the hebrews have no word to signifie the natural world , but use that periphrasis , the heavens and the earth ) and upon each of them engraves a name and title , that bears a note of distinction in it ; he calls them the old heavens and earth , the present heavens and earth , and the new heavens and earth . 't is true , these three are one , as to matter and substance ; but they must differ as to form and properties ; otherwise what is the ground of this distinction and of these three different appellations ? suppose the jews had expected ezekiel's temple for the third , and last , and most perfect ; and that in the time of the second temple they had spoke of them with this distinction , or under these different names , the old temple , the present temple , and the new temple we expect : would any have understood those three of one and the same temple ; never demolish'd , never chang'd , never rebuilt ; always the same both as to materials and form ? no , doubtless , but of three several temples succeeding one another . and have we not the same reason to understand this temple of the world , whereof s. peter speaks , to be threefold in succession ? seeing he does as plainly distinguish it into the old heavens and earth , the present heavens and earth , and the new heavens and earth . and i do the more willingly use this comparison of the temple , because it hath been thought an emblem of the outward world. i know we are naturally averse to entertain any thing that is inconsistent with the general frame and texture of our own thoughts ; that 's to begin the world again ; and we often reject such things without examination . neither do i wonder that the generality of interpreters beat down the apostle's words and sence to their own notions ; they had no other grounds to go upon , and men are not willing , especially in natural and comprehensible things , to put such a meaning upon scripture , as is unintelligible to themselves ; they rather venture to offer a little violence to the words , that they may pitch the sence at such a convenient height , as their principles will reach to . and therefore though some of our modern interpreters , whom i mention'd before , have been sensible of the natural tendency of this discourse of st. peter's , and have much ado to bear off the force of the words , so as not to acknowledge that they import a real diversity betwixt the two worlds spoken of ; yet having no principles to guide or support them in following that tract , they are forc'd to stop or divert another way . 't is like entering into the mouth of a cave , we are not willing to venture further than the light goes . nor are they much to blame for this ; the fault is onely in those persons that continue wilfully in their darkness , and when they cannot otherwise resist the light , shut their eyes against it , or turn their head another way . — but i am afraid i have staid too long upon this argument : not for my own sake , but to satisfie others . you may please to remember that all that i have said hitherto , belongs onely to the first head : to prove a diversity in general betwixt the ante-diluvian heavens and earth , and the present : not expressing what their particular form was . and this general diversity may be argued also by observations taken from moses his history of the world , before and after the flood . from the longevity of the antediluvians : the rain-bow appearing after the deluge : and the breaking open an abyss capable to overflow the earth . the heavens that had no rainbow , and under whose benign and steddy influence , men liv'd seven , eight , nine hundred years and upwards , must have been of a different aspect and constitution from the present heavens . and that earth that had such an abyss , that the disruption of it made an universal deluge , must have been of another form than the present earth . and those that will not admit a diversity in the two worlds , are bound to give us an intelligible account of these phaenomena : how they could possibly be in heavens and earth , like the present . or if they were there once , why they do not continue so still , if nature be the same . we need say no more , as to the ante-diluvian heavens : but as to the earth , we must now , according to the second part of the first head ; enquire , if that particular form , which we have assign'd it before the flood , be agreeable to scripture . you know how we have describ'd the form and situation of that earth : namely , that it was built over the abyss , as a regular orb , covering and incompassing the waters round about : and founded , as it were , upon them . there are many passages of scripture that favour this description : some more expresly , others upon a due explication . to this purpose there are two express texts in the psalms : as psal. 24. 1 , 2. the earth is the lords , and the fulness thereof : the habitable world , and they that dwell therein . for he has founded it upon * the seas , and establish'd it upon the floods . an earth founded upon the seas , and establish'd upon the waters , is not this the earth we have describ'd ? the first earth , as it came from the hands of its maker . where can we now find in nature , such an earth as has the seas and the water for its foundation ? neither is this text without a second , as a fellow-witness to confirm the same truth : for in the 136. psalm , ver . 4 , 5 , 6. we read to the same effect , in these words : to him , who alone does great wonders : to him that by wisdom made the heavens : to him that stretched out the earth above the waters . we can hardly express that form of the ante-diluvian earth , in words more determinate than these are ; let us then in the same simplicity of heart , follow the words of scripture ; seeing this literal sence is not repugnant to nature , but , on the contrary , agreeable to it upon the strictest examination . and we cannot , without some violence , turn the words to any other sence . what tolerable interpretation can these admit of , if we do not allow the earth once to have encompass'd and overspread the face of the waters ? to be founded upon the waters , to be establish'd upon the waters , to be extended upon the waters , what rational or satisfactory account can be given of these phrases and expressions from any thing we find in the present situation of the earth : or how can they be verified concerning it ? consult interpreters , ancient or modern , upon these two places : see if they answer your expectation , or answer the natural importance of the words , unless they acknowledge another form of the earth , than the present . because a rock hangs its nose over the sea , must the body of the earth be said to be stretched over the waters ? or because there are waters in some subterraneous cavities , is the earth therefore founded upon the seas ? yet such lame explications as these you will meet with ; and while we have no better light , we must content our selves with them ; but when an explication is offer'd , that answers the propriety , force , and extent of the words , to reject it , onely because it is not fitted to our former opinions , or because we did not first think of it , is to take an ill method in expounding scripture . this foundation or establishment of the earth upon the seas , this extension of it above the waters , relates plainly to the body , or whole circuit of the earth , not to parcels and particles of it ; as appears from the occasion , and its being joyn'd with the heavens , the other part of the world. besides , david is speaking of the origin of the world , and of the divine power and wisdom in the construction and situation of our earth , and these attributes do not appear from the holes of the earth , and broken rocks ; which have rather the face of a ruine , than of wisdom ; but in that wonderful libration and expansion of the first earth over the face of the waters , sustained by its own proportions , and the hand of his providence . these two places in the psalms being duly consider'd , we shall more easily understand a third place , to the same effect , in the proverbs ; delivered by wisdom , concerning the origin of the world , and the form of the first earth , in these words , chap. 8. 27. when he prepared the heavens i was there , when he set an orb or sphere upon the face of the abyss . we render it , when we set a compass upon the face of the abyss ; but if we have rightly interpreted the prophet david , 't is plain enough what compass is here to be understood ; not an imaginary circle , ( for why should that be thought one of the wonderful works of god ) but that exterior orb of the earth that was set upon the waters . that was the master-piece of the divine art in framing of the first earth , and therefore very fit to be taken notice of by wisdom . and upon this occasion , i desire you to reflect upon st. peter's expression , concerning the first earth , and to compare it with solomon's , to see if they do not answer one another . st. peter calls it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , an earth consisting , standing , or sustained by the waters . and solomon calls it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . an orb drawn upon the face of the abyss . and st. peter says , that was done 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the wisdom of god : which is the same 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or wisdom , that here declares her self , to have been present at this work . add now to these two places , the two foremention'd out of the psalmist ; an earth founded upon the seas , ( psal. 24. 2. ) and an earth stretched , out above the waters : ( psal. 136. 6. ) can any body doubt or question , but all these four texts refer to the same thing ? and seeing st. peter's description refers certainly to the ante-diluvian earth , they must all refer to it ; and do all as certainly and evidently agree with our theory concerning the form and situation of it . the pendulous form and posture of that first earth being prov'd from these four places , 't is more easie and emphatical to interpret in this sence that passage in job ch . 26. 7. he stretcheth out the north over the tohu , ( for so it is in the original ) and hangeth the earth upon nothing . and this strange foundation or no foundation of the exteriour earth seems to be the ground of those noble questions propos'd to job by god almighty , ch . 38. where wast thou when i laid the foundations of the earth ? declare if thou hast understanding . whereupon are the foundat●ons thereof fastned , and who laid the corner stone ? there was neither foundation , nor corner stone , in that piece of architecture ; and that was it which made the art and wonder of it . but i have spoken more largely to these places in the theory it self . and if the four texts before-mentioned be consider'd without prejudice , i think there are few matters of natural speculation that can be so well prov'd out of scripture , as the form which we have given to the ante-diluvian earth . but yet it may be thought a just , if not a necessary appendix to this discourse , concerning the form of the ante-diluvian earth , to give an account also of the ante-diluvian abyss , and the situation of it according to scripture ; for the relation which these two have to one another , will be a further means to discover if we have rightly determin'd the form of that earth . the abyss or tehom-rabbah is a scripture notion , and the word is not us'd , that i know of , in that distinct and peculiar sence in heathen authors . 't is plain that in scripture it is not always taken for the sea ( as gen. 1. 2. & 7. 11. & 49. 25. deut. 33. 13. job 28. 14. & 38. 16. ps. 33. 7. & 71. 20. & 78. 15. & 135. 6. apoc. 20. 1. 3. ) but for some other mass of waters , or subterraneous storehouse . and this being observ'd , we may easily discover the nature , and set down the history of the scripture-abyss . the mother-abyss is no doubt that in the beginning of genesis , ver . 2. which had nothing but darkness upon the face of it , or a thick caliginous air . the next news we hear of this abyss is at the deluge , ( gen. 7.11 . ) where 't is said to be broke open , and the waters of it to have drowned the world. it seems then this abyss was clos'd up some time betwixt the creation and the deluge , and had got another cover than that of darkness . and if we will believe wisdom , ( prov. 8. 27. ) who was there present at the formation of the earth , an orb was set upon the face of the abyss at the beginning of the world. that these three places refer to the same abyss , i think , cannot be questioned by any that will compare them and consider them . that of the deluge , moses calls there tehom-rabbah , the great abyss ; and can there be any greater than the forementioned mother-abvss ? and wisdome , in that place in the proverbs , useth the same phrase and words with moses , gen. 1. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 upon the face of the deep or of the abyss ; changing darkness for that orb of the exteriour earth which was made afterwards to inclose it . and in this vault it lay , and under this cover , when the psalmist speaks of it in these words ( ps. 33. 7. ) he gathereth the waters of the sea , as in a * bag ; he layeth up the abyss in storehouses . lastly , we may observe that 't was this mother-abyss whose womb was burst at the deluge , when the sea was born , and broke forth as if it had issued out of a womb ; as god expresseth it to job , ch . 38. 8. in which place the chaldee paraphrase reads it , when it broke forth , coming out of the abyss . which disruption at the deluge seems also to be alluded to job 12. 14 , 15 , and more plainly , prov. 3.20 . by his knowledge the abysses are broken up . thus you have already a threefold state of the abyss , which makes a short history of it ; first , open , at the beginning ; then covered , till the deluge . then broke open again , as it is at present . and we pursue the history of it no further ; but we are told , apoc. 20. 3. that it shall be shut up again , and the great dragon in it , for a thousand years . in the mean time we may observe from this form and posture of the ante-diluvian abyss , how suitable it is and coherent with that form of the ante-diluvian earth which s. peter and the psalmist had describ'd , sustain'd by the waters ; founded upon the waters ; stretcht above the waters ; for if it was the cover of this abyss ( and it had some cover that was broke at the deluge ) it was spread as a crust or ice upon the face of those waters , and so made an orbis terrarum , an habitable sphere of earth about the abyss . so much for the form of the ante-diluvian earth and abyss ; which as they aptly correspond to one another , so , you see , our theory answers and is adjusted to both ; and , i think , so fitly , that we have no reason hitherto to be displeas'd with the success we have had in the examination of it , according to scripture . we have dispatch'd the two main points in question , first , to prove a diversity in general betwixt the two natural worlds , or betwixt the heavens and the earth before and after the flood . secondly , to prove wherein this diversity consisted ; or that the particular form of the ante-diluvian heavens and earth was such according to scripture , as we have describ'd it in the theory . you 'l say , then the work is done , what needs more , all the rest follows of course ; for if the ante-diluvian earth had such a form as we have propos'd and prov'd it to have had , there could be no deluge in it but by a dissolution of its parts and exteriour frame : and a deluge so made , would not be in the nature of a standing pool , but of a violent agitation and commotion of the waters . this is true ; these parts of the theory are so cemented , that you must grant all , if you grant any . however we will try if even these two particulars also may be prov'd out of scripture ; that is , if there be any marks or memorandums left there by the spirit of god , of such a fraction or dissolution of the earth at the deluge . and also such characters of the deluge it self , as show it to have been by a fluctuation and impetuous commotion of the waters . to proceed then ; that there was a fraction or dissolution of the earth at the deluge , the history of it by moses gives us the first account , seeing he tells us , as the principal cause of the flood , that the fountains of the great abyss were cloven or burst asunder ; and upon this disruption the waters gush'd out from the bowels of the earth , as from the widen'd mouths of so many fountains . i do not take fountains there to signifie any more than sources or stores of water ; noting also this manner of their eruption from below , or out of the ground , as fountains do . accordingly in the proverbs , ( chap. 3.20 . ) 't is onely said , the abysses were broken open . i do not doubt but this refers to the deluge , as bede , and others understand it ; the very word being us'd here , both in the hebrew and septuagint , that express'd the disruption of the abyss at the deluge . and this breaking up of the earth at that time , is elegantly exprest in job , by the bursting of the womb of nature , when the sea was first brought to light ; when after many pangs and throes and dilacerations of her body , nature was deliverd of a burthen which she had born in her womb sixteen hundred years . these three places i take to be memorials and proofs of the disruption of the earth , or of the abyss , at the universal deluge . and to these we may add more out of the prophets , job , and the psalms , by way of allusion ( commonly ) to the state of nature at that time . the prophet isaiah in describing the future destruction of the world , chap. 24. 18 , 19. seems plainly to allude and have respect to the past destruction of it at the deluge ; as appears by that leading expression , the windows from an high are open , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , taken manifestly from gen. 7. 11. then see how the description goes on , the windows from an high are open , and the foundations of the earth do shake . the earth is utterly broken down , the earth is quite dissolv'd , the earth is exceedingly moved . here are concussions , and fractions , and dissolutions , as there were in the mundane earth-quake and deluge ; which we had exprest before only by breaking open the abyss . by the foundations of the earth here and elsewhere , i perceive many understand the centre ; so by moving or shaking the foundations , or putting them out of course , must be understood a displacing of the centre ; which was really done at the deluge , as we have shewn in its proper place . if we therefore remember that there was both a dislocation , as i may so say ; and a fraction in the body of the earth , by that great fall ; a dislocation as to the centre , and a fraction as to the surface and exterior region , it will truly answer to all those expressions in the prophet , that seem so strange and extraordinary . 't is true , this place of the prophet respects also and foretells the future destruction of the world ; but that being by fire , when the elements shall melt with servent heat , and the earth with the works therein shall be burnt up , these expressions of fractions and concussions , seem to be taken originally from the manner of the world's first destruction , and to be transferr'd , by way of application , to represent and signifie the second destruction of it , though , it may be , not with the same exactness and propriety . there are several other places that refer to the dissolution and subversion of the earth at the deluge : amos 9. 5 , 6. the lord of hosts is he that toucheth the earth , and it shall melt , or be dissolv'd . — and it shall rise up wholly like a flood , and shall be drowned as by the flood of aegypt . by this and by the next verse the prophet seems to allude to the deluge , and to the dissolution of the earth that was then . this in job seems to be call'd breaking down the earth , and overturning the earth , chap. 12. 14 , 15. behold he breaketh down and it cannot be built again , he shutteth upon man , and there can be no opening . behold , he withholdeth the waters , and they dry up ; also he sendeth them out , and they overturn the earth : which place you may see paraphras'd . theor. book 1. p. 91 , 92. we have already cited , and shall hereafter cite , other places out of job ; and as that ancient author ( who is thought to have liv'd before the judaical oeconomy , and nearer to noah than moses ) seems to have had the praecepta noachidarum , so also he seems to have had the dogmata noachidarum ; which were deliver'd by noah to his children and posterity , concerning the mysteries of natural providence , the origine and fate of the world , the deluge and ante-diluvian state , &c. and accordingly we find many strictures of these doctrines in the book of job . lastly , in the psalms there are texts that mention the shaking of the earth , and the foundations of the world , in reference to the flood , if we judge aright ; whereof we will speak under the next head , concerning the raging of the waters in the deluge . these places of scripture may be noted , as lest us to be remembrancers of that general ruine and disruption of the earth at the time of the deluge . but i know it will be said of them , that they are not strict proofs , but allusions onely . be it so ; yet what is the ground of those allusions ? something must be alluded to , and something that hath past in nature , and that is recorded in sacred history ; and what is that , unless it be the universal deluge , and that change and disturbance that was then in all nature . if others say , that these and such like places are to be understood morally and allegorically , i do not envy them their interpretation ; but when nature and reason will bear a literal sence , the rule is , that we should not recede from the letter . but i leave these things to every one's thoughts ; which the more calm they are , and the more impartial , the more easily they will feel the impressions of truth . in the mean time , i proceed to the last particular mention'd , the form of the deluge it self . this we suppose to have been not in the way of a standing pool , the waters making an equal surface , and an equal heighth every where ; but that the extreme heighth of the waters was made by the extreme agitation of them ; caus'd by the weight and force of great masses or regions of earth falling at once into the abyss ; by which means , as the waters in some places were prest out , and thrown at an excessive height into the air , so they would also in certain places gape , and lay bare even the bottom of the abyss ; which would look as an open grave ready to swallow up the earth , and all it bore . whilst the ark , in the mean time , falling and rising by these gulphs and precipices , sometimes above water , and sometimes under , was a true type of the state of the church in this world ; and to this time and state david alludes in the name of the church , psal. 42. 7. abyss calls unto abyss at the noise of thy cataracts or water-spouts ; all thy waves and billows have gone over me . and again , psal. 46. 2 , 3. in the name of the church , therefore will not we fear , tho' the earth be removed , and tho' the mountains be carried into the midst of the seas . the waters thereof roar and are troubled , the mountains shake with the swelling thereof . but there is no description more remarkable or more eloquent , than of that scene of things represented , psal. 18. 7 , 8 , 9 , &c. which still alludes , in my opinion , to the deluge-scene , and in the name of the church . we will ser down the words at large . ver. 6. in my distress i called upon the lord , and cried unto my god ; he heard my voice out of his temple , and my cry came before him into his ears . 7. then the earth sbook and trembled , the foundations also of the hills moved and were shaken , because he was wroth . 8. there went up a smoke from his nostrils , and sire out of his mouth devoured ; coals were kindled by it . 9. he bowed the heavens also and came down , and darkness was under his feet . 10. and he rode upon a cherub and did flie , he did flie upon the wings of the wind . 11. he made darkness his secret place ; his pavilion round about him was dark waters and thick clouds of the skie . 12. at the brightness before him the thick clouds passed , bail and coals of fire . 13. the lord also thunder'd in the heavens , and the highest gave his voice , hail and coals of fire . 14. yea , he sent out his arrows , and scatter'd them : and he shot out lightnings and discomfited them . 15. then the chanels of waters were seen , and the foundations of the world were discovered ; at thy rebuke , o lord , at the blast of the breath of thy nostrils . he sent from above , he took me ; he drew me out of great waters . this i think is a rough * draught of the face of the heavens and the earth at the deluge , as the last verses do intimate ; and 't is apply'd to express the dangers and deliverances of the church : the expressions are far too high to be apply'd to david in his person , and to his deliverance from saul ; no such agonies or disorders of nature as are here instanc'd i● , were made in david's time , or upon his account ; but 't is a scheme of the church , and of her fate , particularly , as represented by the ark , in that dismal distress , when all nature was in confusion . and though there may be some things here intermixt to make up the scene , that are not so close to the subject as the rest , or that may be referr'd to the future destruction of the world : yet that is not unusual , nor amiss , in such descriptions , if the great strokes be fit and rightly plac'd . that there was smoke , and fire , and water , and thunder , and darkness , and winds , and earth-quakes at the deluge , we cannot doubt , if we consider the circumstances of it ; waters dash'd and broken make a smoke and darkness , and no hurricano could be so violent as the motions of the air at that time ; then the earth was torn in pieces , and its foundations shaken ; and as to thunder and lightning , the encounters and collisions of the mighty waves , and the cracks of a falling world , would make flashes and noises , far greater and more terrible , than any that can come from vapors and clouds . there was an universal tempest , a conflict and clashing of all the elements ; and david seems to have represented it so ; with god allmighty in the midst of it , ruling them all . but i am apt to think some will say , all this is poetical in the prophet , and these are hyperbolical and figurate expressions , from which we cannot make any inference , as to the deluge and the natural world. 't is true , those that have no idea of the deluge , that will answer to such a scene of things , as is here represented , must give such a slight account of this psalm . but on the other hand , if we have already an idea of the deluge that is rational , and also consonant to scripture upon other proofs , and the description here made by the prophet answer to that idea , whether then is it not more reasonable to think that it stands upon that ground , than to think it a meer fancy and poetical scene of things : this is the true state of the case , and that which we must judge of . methinks 't is very harsh to suppose all this a bare fiction , grounded upon no matter of fact , upon no sacred story , upon no appearance of god in nature . if you say it hath a moral signification , so let it have , we do not destroy that ; it hath reference , no doubt , to the dangers and deliverances of the church ; but the question is , whether the words and natural sence be a fancy onely , a bundle of randome hyperboles : or whether they relate to the history of the deluge , and the state of the ark there representing the church . this makes the sence doubly rich , historically and morally ; and grounds it upon scripture and reason , as well as upon fancy . that violent eruption of the sea out of the womb of the earth , which job speaks of , is , in my judgment , another description of the deluge ; 't is chap. 38. 8 , 9 , 10 , 11. who shut up the sea with doors , when it broke forth , as if it had issued out of a womb ; when i made the cloud the garment thereof , and thick darkness a swadling band for it . and broke up for it my decreed place — hitherto shalt thou come , &c. here you see the birth and nativity of the sea , or of oceanus , describ'd * ‖ how he broke out of the womb , and what his first garment and swadling cloaths were ; namely clouds and thick darkness . this cannot refer to any thing that i know of , but to the face of nature at the deluge ; when the sea was born , and wrapt up in clouds and broken waves , and a dark impenetrable mist round the body of the earth . and this seems to be the very same that david had exprest in his description of the deluge , psal. 18. 11. he made darkness his secret place , his pavilion round about him were dark waters and thick clouds of the skies . for this was truly the face of the world in the time of the flood , tho' we little reflect upon it . and this dark confusion every where , above and below , arose from the violent and confus'd motion of the abyss ; which was dasht in pieces by the falling earth , and flew into the air in misty drops , as dust flies up in a great ruine . but i am afraid , we have stayed too long upon this particular , the form of the deluge ; seeing 'tis but a corollary from the precedent article about the dissolution of the earth . however time is not ill spent about any thing that relates to natural providence , whereof the two most signal instances in our sacred writings , are , the deluge and the conflagration . and seeing job and david do often reflect upon the works of god in the external creation , and upon the administrations of providence , it cannot be imagin'd that they should never reflect upon the deluge ; the most remarkable change of nature that ever hath been , and the most remarkable judgment upon mankind . and if they have reflected upon it any where , 't is , i think , in those places and those instances which i have noted ; and if those places do relate to the deluge , they are not capable , in my judgment , of any fairer or more natural interpretation than that which we have given them ; which , you see , how much it favours and confirms our theory . i have now finisht the heads i undertook to prove , that i might shew our theory to agree with scripture in these three principal points ; first , in that it supposeth a diversity and difference betwixt the ante-diluvian heavens and earth , and the present heavens and earth . secondly , in assigning the particular form of the ante-diluvian earth and abyss . thirdly , in explaining the deluge by a dissolution of that earth , and an eruption of the abyss . how far i have succeeded in this attempt , as to others , i cannot tell ; but i am sure i have convinc'd my self , and am satisfied that my thoughts , in that theory , have run in the same tract with the holy writings : with the true intent and spirit of them . there are some persons that are wilfully ignorant in certain things , and others that are willing to be ignorant as the apostle phraseth it ; speaking of those eternalists that denyed the doctrine of the change and revolutions of the natural world : and 't is not to be expected but there are many still of the same humour ; and therefore may be called willingly ignorant , that is , they will not use that pains and attention that is necessary for the examination of such a doctrine , nor impartiality in judging after examination ; they greedily lay hold on all evidence on one side , and willingly forget , or slightly pass over , all evidence for the other ; this i think is the character of those that are willingly ignorant ; for i do not take it to be so deep as a down-right wilful ignorance , where they are plainly conscious to themselves of that wilfulness ; but where an insensible mixture of humane passions inclines them one way , and makes them averse to the other ; and in that method draws on all the consequences of a willing ignorance . there remains still , as i remember , one proposition that i am bound to make good ; i said at first , that our hypothesis concerning the deluge was more agreeable not only to scripture in general , but also to the particular history of the flood left us by moses ; i say , more agreeable to it than any other hypothesis that hath yet been propos'd . this may be made good in a few words . for in moses's history of the deluge there are two principal points , the extent of the deluge , and the causes of it ; and in both these we do fully agree with that sacred author . as to the extent of it , he makes the deluge universal ; all the high hills under the whole heaven were cover'd , fifteen cubits upwards ; we also make it universal , over the face of the whole earth ; and in such a manner as must needs raise the waters above the top of the highest hills every where . as to the causes of it , moses makes them to be the disruption of the abyss , and the rains ; and no more ; and in this also we exactly agree with him ; we know no other causes , nor pretend to any other but those two . distinguishing therefore moses his narration as to the substance and circumstances of it , it must be allowed that these two points make the substance of it , and that an hypothesis that differs from it in either of these two , differs from it more than ours ; which , at the worst , can but differ in matter of circumstance . now seeing the great difficulty about the deluge is the quantity of water required for it , there have been two explications proposed , besides ours , to remove or fatisfie this difficulty ; one whereof makes the deluge not to have been universal , or to have reacht only judea and some neighbouring countreys ; and therefore less water would suffice ; the other owning the deluge to be universal , supplies it self with water from the divine omnipotency , and says new waters were created then for the nonce , and again annihilated when the deluge was to cease . both these explications you see , ( and i know no more of note that are not obnoxious to the same exceptions ) differ from moses in the substance , or in one of the two substantial points , and consequently more than ours doth . the first changeth the flood into a kind of national innundation , and the second assigns other causes of it than moses had assigned . and as they both differ apparently from the mosaical history , so you may see them refuted upon other grounds also , in the third chapter of the first book of the theory . this may be sufficient as to the history of the flood by moses . but possibly it may be said the principal objection will arise from moses his six-days creation in the first chapter of genesis : where another sort of earth , than what we have form'd from the chaos , is represented to us ; namely , a terraqueous globe , such as our earth is at present . 't is indeed very apparent , that moses hath accommodated his six-days creation to the present form of the earth , or to that which was before the eyes of the people when he writ . but it is a great question whether that was ever intended for a true physical account of the origine of the earth : or whether moses did either philosophize or astronomize in that description . the ancient fathers , when they answer the heathens , and the adversaries of christianity , do generally deny it ; as i am ready to make good upon another occafion . and the thing it self bears in it evident marks of an accommodation and condescention to the vulgar notions concerning the form of the world. those that think otherwise , and would make it literally and physically true in all the parts of it , i desire them , without entring upon the strict merits of the cause , to determine these preliminaries . first , whether the whole universe rise from a terrestrial chaos . secondly , what systeme of the world this six-days creation proceeds upon : whether it supposes the earth , or the sun , for the center . thirdly , whether the sun and fixt stars are of a later date , and a later birth , than this globe of earth . and lastly , where is the region of the super-celestial waters . when they have determin'd these fundamentals , we will proceed to other observations upon the six-days work , which will further assure us , that 't is a narration suited to the capacity of the people , and not to the strict and physical nature of things . besides , we are to remember , that moses must be so interpreted in the first chapter of genesis , as not to interfere with himself in other parts of his history ; nor to interfere with s. peter , or the prophet david , or any other sacred authors , when they treat of the same matter . nor lastly , so , as to be repugnant to clear and uncontested science . for , in things that concern the natural world , that must always be consulted . with these precautions , let them try if they can reduce that narrative of the origine of the world , to physical truth ; so as to be consistent , both with nature , and with divine revelation every where . it is easily reconcileable to both , if we suppose it writ in a vulgar style , and to the conceptions of the people : and we cannot deny that a vulgar style is often made use of in the holy writings . how freely and unconcernedly does scripture speak of god allmighty , according to the opinions of the vulgar ? of his passions , local motions , parts and members of his body . which all are things that do not belong , or are not compatible with the divine nature , according to truth and science . and if this liberty be taken , as to god himself , much more may it be taken as to his works . and accordingly we see , what motion the scripture gives to the sun : what figure to the earth : what figure to the heavens : all according to the appearance of sence and popular credulity ; without any remorse for having transgressed the rules of intellectual truth . this vulgar style of scripture in describing the natures of things , hath been often mistaken for the real sence , and so become a stumbling block in the way of truth . thus the anthropomorphites of old contended for the humane shape of god , from the letter of scripture ; and brought many express texts for their purpose : but sound reason , at length , got the upper hand of literal authority . then , several of the christian fathers contended , that there were no antipodes : and made that doctrine irreconcileable to scripture . but this also , after a while , went off , and yielded to reason and experience . then , the motion of the earth must by no means be allow'd , as being contrary to scripture : for so it is indeed , according to the letter and vulgar style . but all intelligent persons see thorough this argument , and depend upon it no more in this case , than in the former . lastly , the original of the earth from a chaos , drawn according to the rules of physiology , will not be admitted : because it does not agree with the scheme of the six-days creation . but why may not this be writ in a vulgar style , as well as the rest ? certainly there can be nothing more like a vulgar style , than to set god to work by the day , and in six-days to finish his task : as he is there represented . we may therefore probably hope that all these disguises of truth will at length fall off , and that we shall see god and his works in a pure and naked light. thus i have finish'd what i had to say in confirmation of this theory from scripture . i mean of the former part of it , which depends chiefly upon the deluge , and the antediluvian earth . when you have collated the places of scripture , on either side , and laid them in the balance , to be weigh'd one against another ; if you do but find them equal , or near to an equal poise , you know in whether scale the natural reasons are to be laid : and of what weight they ought to be in an argument of this kind . there is a great difference betwixt scripture with philosophy on its side , and scripture with philosophy against it : when the question is concerning the natural world. and this is our case : which i leave now to the consideration of the unprejudic'd reader : and proceed to the proof of the second part of the theory . the later part consists of the conflagration of the world , and the new heavens and new earth . and seeing there is no dispute concerning the former of these two , our task will now lie in a little compass . being onely this , to prove that there will be new heavens , and a new earth , after the conflagration . this , to my mind , is sufficiently done already , in the first , second and third chapters of the 4th . book , both from scripture and antiquity , whether sacred or prophane : and therefore , at present , we will onely make a short and easie review of scripture-testimonies , with design chiefly to obviate and disappoint the evasions of such , as would beat down solid texts into thin metaphors and allegories . the testimonies of scripture concerning the renovation of the world , are either express , or implicit . those i call express , that mention the new heavens and new earth : and those implicit , that signifie the same thing , but not in express terms . so when our saviour speaks of a palingenesia , or regeneration , ( matt. 19. 28 , 29. ) or st. peter of an apocatastasis or restitution , ( act. 3. 21. ) these being words us'd by all authors , prophane or ecclesiastical , for the renovation of the world , ought , in reason , to be interpreted in the same sence in the holy writings . and in like manner , when st. paul speaks of his future earth , or an habitable world to come , hebr. 2. 5. or of a redemption or melioration of the present state of nature , rom. 8. 21 , 22. these lead us again , in other terms , to the same renovation of the world. but there are also some places of scripture , that set the new heavens and new earth in such a full and open view , that we must shut our eyes not to see them . st. john says , he saw them , and observ'd the form of the new earth , apoc. 21. 1. the seer isaish spoke of them in express words , many hundred years before . and st. peter marks the time when they are to be introduc'd , namely after the conflagration , or after the dissolution of the present heavens and earth : 2 pet. 3. 12 , 13. these later texts of scripture , being so express , there is but one way left to elude the force of them ; and that is , by turning the renovation of the world into an allegory : and making the new heavens and new earth to be allegorical heavens and earth , not real and material , as ours are . this is a bold attempt of some modern authors , who chuse rather to strain the word of god , than their own notions . there are allegories , no doubt , in scripture , but we are not to allegorize scripture without some warrant : either from an apostolical interpretation , or from the necessity of the matter : and i do not know how they can pretend to either of these , in this case . however , that they may have all fair play , we will lay aside , at present , all the other texts of scripture , and confine our selves wholly to st. peter's words : to see and examine whether they are , or can be turn'd into an allegory , according to the best rules of interpretation . st. peter's words are these : seeing then all these things shall be dissolv'd , what manner of persons ought ye to be , in holy conversation and godliness ? looking for , and hasting the coming of the day of god : wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolv'd , and the elements shall melt with fervent heat . nevertheless , we , according to his promise , look for new heavens and a new earth , wherein righteousness shall dwell . the question is concerning this last verse , whether the new heavens and earth here promis'd , are to be real and material heavens and earth , or onely figurative and allegorical . the words , you see , are clear : and the general rule of interpretation is this , that we are not to recede from the letter , or the literal sence , unless there be a necessity from the subject matter ; such a necessity , as makes a literal interpretation absurd . but where is that necessity in this case ? cannot god make new heavens and a new earth , as easily as he made the old ones ? is his strength decay'd since that time , or is matter grown more disobedient ? nay , does not nature offer her self voluntarily to raise a new world from the second chaos , as well as from the first : and , under the conduct of providence , to make it as convenient an habitation as the primaeval earth ? therefore no necessity can be pretended of leaving the literal sence , upon an incapacity of the subject matter . the second rule to determine an interpretation to be literal or allegorical , is , the use of the same words or phrase in the context , and the signification of them there . let 's then examine our cafe according to this rule . st. peter had us'd the same phrase of heavens and earth twice before in the same chapter . the old heavens and earth , ver . 5. the present heavens and earth , ver . 7. and now he uses it again , ver . 13. the new heavens and earth . have we not then reason to suppose , that he takes it here in the same sence , that he had done twice before , for real and material heavens and earth ? there is no mark set of a new signification , nor why we should alter the sence of the words . that he us'd them always before for the material heavens and earth , i think none will question : and therefore , unless they can give us a sufficient reason , why we should change the signification of the words , we are bound , by this second rule also , to understand them in a literal sence . lastly , the very form of the words , and the manner of their dependence upon the context , leads us to a literal sence , and to material heavens and earth . nevertheless , says the apostle , we expect new heavens , &c. why nevertheless ! that is , notwithstanding the dissolution of the present heavens and earth . the apostle foresaw , what he had said , might raise a doubt in their minds , whether all things would not be at an end : nothing more of heavens and earth , or of any habitable world , after the conflagration ; and to obviate this , he tells them , notwithstanding that wonderful desolation that i have describ'd , we do , according to god's promises , expect new heavens and a new earth , to be an habitation for the righteous . you see then the new heavens and new earth , which the apostle speaks of , are substituted in the place of those that were destroy'd at the conflagration ; and would you substitute allegorical heavens and earth in the place of material ? a shadow for a substance ? what an equivocation would it be in the apostle , when the doubt was about the material heavens and earth , to make an answer about allegorical . lastly , the timeing of the thing determines the sence . when shall this new world appear ? after the conflagration , the apostle says : therefore it cannot be understood of any moral renovation , to be made at , or in the times of the gospel , as these allegorists pretend . we must therefore , upon all accounts , conclude , that the apostle intended a literal sence : real and material heavens , to succeed these after the conflagration : which was the thing to be prov'd . and i know not what bars the spirit of god can set , to keep us within the compass of a literal sence , if these be not sufficient . thus much for the explication of st. peter's doctrine , concerning the new heavens and new earth : which secures the second part of our theory . for the theory stands upon two pillars , or two pedestals , the ante-diluvian earth and the future earth : or , in s. peter's phrase , the old heavens and earth , and the new heavens and earth : and it cannot be shaken , so long as these two continue firm and immoveable . we might now put an end to this review , but it may be expected possibly that we should say something concerning the millennium : which we have , contrary to the general sentiment of the modern millenaries , plac'd in the future earth . our opinion hath this advantage above others , that , all fanatical pretensions to power and empire in this world , are , by these means , blown away , as chaff before the wind . princes need not fear to be dethron'd , to make way to the saints : nor governments unhing'd , that they may rule the world with a rod of iron . these are the effects of a wild enthusiasm ; seeing the very state which they aim at , is not to be upon this earth . but that our sence may not be mistaken or misapprehended in this particular , as if we thought the christian church would never , upon this earth , be in a better and happier posture than it is in at present : we must distinguish betwixt a melioration of the world , if you will allow that word : and a millennium . we do not deny a reformation and improvement of the church , both as to peace , purity , and piety . that knowledge may increase , mens minds be enlarg'd , and christian religion better understood : that the power of antichrist shall be diminish'd , persecution cease , and a greater union and harmony establish'd amongst the reformed . all this may be , and i hope will be , ere long . but the apocalyptical millennium , or the new jerusalem , is still another matter . it differs not in degree only from the present state , but is a new order of things : both in the moral world and in the natural ; and that cannot be till we come into the new heavens and new earth . suppose what reformation you can in this world , there will still remain many things inconsistent with the true millennial state . antichrist , tho' weakned , will not be finally destroy'd till the coming of our saviour , nor satan bound . and there will be always poverty , wars , diseases , knaves and hypocrites , in this world : which are not consistent with the new jerusalem , as s. john describes it . apoc. 21. 2 , 3 , 4 , &c. you see now what our notion is of the millennium , as we deny this earth to be the seat of it . 't is the state that succeeds the first resurrection , when satan is lockt up in the bottomless pit . the state when the martyrs are to return into life , and wherein they are to have the first lot and chief share . a state which is to last a thousand years . and blessed and holy is he , that hath a part in it : on such the second death hath no power , but they shall be priests of god and christ , and shall reign with him a thousand years . if you would see more particular reasons of our judgment in this case , why such a millennium is not to be expected in this world : they are set down in the 8th chap. of the 4th book , and we do not think it necessary that they should be here repeated . as to that dissertation that follows the millennium , and reaches to the consummation of all things , seeing it is but problematical , we leave it to stand or fall by the evidence already given . and should be very glad to see the conjectures of others , more lcarned , in speculations so abstruse and remote from common knowledge . they cannot surely be thought unworthy or unfit for our meditations , seeing they are suggested to us by scripture it self . and to what end were they propos'd to us there , if it was not intended that they should be understood , sooner or later ? i have done with this review : and shall only add one or two reflections upon the whole discourse , and so conclude . you have seen the state of the theory of the earth , as to the matter , form , and proofs of it : both natural and sacred . if any one will substitute a better in its place , i shall think my self more obliged to him , than if he had shew'd me the quadrature of the circle . but it is not enough to pick quarrels here and there : that may be done by any writing , especially when it is of so great extent and comprehension . they must build up , as well as pull down ; and give us another theory instead of this , fitted to the same natural history of the earth , according as it is set down in scripture : and then let the world take their choice . he that cuts down a tree , is bound in reason to plant two , because there is an hazard in their growth and thriving . then as to those that are such rigorous scripturists , as to require plainly demonstrative and irresistible texts for every thing they entertain or believe ; they would do well to reflect and consider , whether , for every article in the three creeds ( which have no support from natural reason ) they can bring such texts of scripture as they require of others : or a fairer and juster evidence , all things consider'd , than we have done for the substance of this theory . we have not indeed said all that might be said , as to antiquity : that making no part in this review , and being capable still of great additions . but as to scripture and reason i have no more to add . those that are not satisfied with the proofs already produc'd upon these two heads , are under a fate , good or bad , which is not in my power to overcome . finis . books printed for walter kettilby . h'enrici mori cantabrigiensis opera omnia , tum que latinè , tum que anglicè scripta sunt ; nunc vero latinitate donata instigatu & impensis generofissimi juvenis johannis cockshuti nobilis angli , 3. vol. fol. — 's exposition upon daniel . quart . — 's exposition upon the revelations . quart . — 's answer to several remarks upon his expositions upon daniel , and the revelations . quart . — 's notes upon daniel and the revelations . quart . — 's paralipomena prophetica , containing several supplements and defences of his expositions . quart . — 's confutation of judiciary astrology against butler . quart . — 's brief discourse of the real presence of the body and blood of christ , in the celebration of the holy eucharist . 40. stitcht . — 's reply to the answer to his antidote against idolatry . oct . — 's remarks upon judge hales of fluid bodies . oct . the theory of the earth , &c. the two first books , concerning the deluge , and concerning paradise . fol. telluris theoria sacra , &c. libri duo priores de diluvio & paradiso . quarto . libri duo posteriores de conflagratione mundi , & de futuro rerum statu . quart . dr. goodal's royal colledge of physicians . quart . sydenham opera universa medica . oct . ent. de circuitione sanguinis . oct . charleton de causis catameniorum & uteri rheumatismo . oct . mr. l'emery's course of chymistry . oct . an answer to harvey's conclave of physicians . dr. scott's christian life , in 3. vol. dr : falkner's libertas ecclesiastica . oct . — 's vindication of liturgies . oct . — 's christian loyalty . oct . dr. fowler 's libertas evangelica . oct . dr. kidder's christian sufferer . oct . mr. w. allen's twelve several tracts , in 4. vol. oct . lately printed . mr. w. allen's nature , series , and order of occurrences , as they are prophetically represented in the 11th . chapter of the revelations . oct . mr. raymond's pattern of pure and undefiled religion . oct . dr. worthington's great duty of self-resignation . oct . reprinted . a relation of the proceedings at charter-house , upon occasion of k. fames's presenting a papist to be admitted into that hospital , by vertue of his letters dispensatory . fol. stitcht . mr. mariott's sermon , on easter-day , before the lord mayor . — 's sermon at the election of the lord mayor . dr. pellings sermon before the k. and q. at white-hall . dec. 8. 1689. notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a30484-e90 1. cor. 15 apoc. 20. theor. book 3 ch . 7 , & 8 theor. book 2. chap. 5. 2. pet. 3. there was a sect amongst the jews that held this perpetuity and immutability of nature ; and maimonides himself was of this principle , and gives the same reason for it with the scoffers here in the text , quod mundus retinet & sequitur consuetudinem suam . and as to those of the jews that were aristoteleans , it was very suitable to their principles to hold the incorruptibility of the world , as their master did . vid. med. in loc . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , per quae . vulgat . quamobrem , beza , quâ de causâ , grot. nemo interpretum reddidit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 per quas ; subint elligendo aquas . hoc enim argumentationem apoquod suppostolicam tolleret , supponeretque illusores illos ignorâsse quod olim fuerit diluvium ; ni non posse suprà ostendimus . * this phrase or manner of speech 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not unusual in greek authors , and upon a like subject ; plato saith , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , but he that should translate plato , the world stands out of fire , water , &c. would be thought neither graecian , nor philosopher . the same phrase is us'd in reciting heraclitus his opinion , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . and also in thales his , which is still nearer to the subject , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which cicero renders , ex aquâ , dixit , constare omnia . so that it is easie to know the true importance of this phrase , and how ill it is render'd in the english , standing out of the water . book 2. c. 5. p. 233. whether you refer the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . separately , to the heavens and the earth , or both to the earth , or both to both , it will make no great difference as to our interpretation . theor. i book . c. 2. cap. 18. cap. 16 : de 6. dier . creat . see theor. book 2. ch . 5. * i know some would make this place of no effect by rendering the hebrew particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 juxta , by or near to ; so they would read it thus , he hath founded the earth by the sea-side , and establish'd it by the floods . what is there wonderful in this , that the shores should lie by the sea-side ; where could they lie else ? what reason or argument is this , why the earth should be the lord's ? the earth is the lord's , for he hath founded it near the seas , where is the confequence of this ? but if he founded it upon the seas , which could not be done by any other hand but his , it shows both the workman and the master . and accordingly in that other place , psal. 136. 6. if you render it , he stretched out the earth near the waters , how is that one of god's great wonders ? as it is there represented to be . because in some few places this particle is render'd otherwise , where the sense will bear it , must we therefore render it so when we please , and where the sence will not bear it ? this being the most usual signification of it , and there being no other word that signifies above more frequently or determinately than this does , why must it signifie otherwise in this place ? men will wriggle any way to get from under the force of a text , that does not suit to their own notions . book 1. p. 88. * this reading or translating is generally followed , ( theor. book 1. p. 86. ) though the english translation read on a heap , unsuitably to the matter and to the sence . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. 38. theor. book 2. p. 194 , 195. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 see philo iudaeus his description of the deluge , both as to the commotions of the heavens , and the fractions of the earth . in his first treatise de abrahamo , mihi pa. 279. * utì comparatio praecedens ‖ de ortu telluris , sumitur ab aedificio , ita haec altera de ortu maris , sumitur ù partu ; & exhibetur oceanus , primùm , ut foetus inclusus in utero , dein us erumpens & prodeuns , denique ut fasciis & primis suis pannis involutus . atque ex aperto terrae usero prorupit aquarum moles , ut proluvies illa , quam simul cum foetu profundere solet puerpera . ‖ ver. 4 , 5 , 6. see theor. book 1. p. 99. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 isa. 65. 17. 2 pet. 3. 11 , 12 , 13. order and disorder, or, the world made and undone being meditations upon the creation and the fall : as it is recorded in the beginning of genesis. apsley, allen, sir, 1616-1683. 1679 approx. 158 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 43 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : 2005-12 (eebo-tcp phase 1). a25742 wing a3594 estc r31266 11870016 ocm 11870016 50109 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a25742) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 50109) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, 1641-1700 ; 996:22) order and disorder, or, the world made and undone being meditations upon the creation and the fall : as it is recorded in the beginning of genesis. apsley, allen, sir, 1616-1683. [7], 78 p. printed by margaret white for henry mortlock ..., london : 1679. in verse. attributed to apsley by wing and nuc pre-1956 imprints. reproduction of original in the huntington library. created by converting tcp files to tei p5 using tcp2tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between 1473 and 1700 available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the 25,363 texts created during phase 1 of the project have been released into the public domain as of 1 january 2015. anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. 5% (or 5 pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of 100 instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level 4 of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p5, characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng creation -early works to 1800. religious poetry, english -early modern, 1500-1700. 2005-03 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2005-03 apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images 2005-04 emma (leeson) huber sampled and proofread 2005-04 emma (leeson) huber text and markup reviewed and edited 2005-10 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion licensed , march 10. 1678 / 9. rog . l'estrange . order and disorder : or , the world made and undone . being meditations upon the creation and the fall ; as it is recorded in the beginning of genesis . london , printed by margaret white for henry mortlock at the phoenix in st. paul's church-yard , and at the white hart in westminster hall. 1679. the preface . these meditations were not at first design'd for publick view , but fix'd upon to reclaim a busie roving thought from wandring in the pernicious and perplexed maze of humane inventions ; whereinto the vain curiosity of youth had drawn me to consider and translate the account some old poets and philosophers give of the original of things : which though i found it , blasphemously against god , and bruitishly below the reason of a man , set forth by some , erroniously , imperfectly , and uncertainly , by the best ; yet had it fill'd my brain with such foolish fancies , that i found it necessary to have recourse to the fountain of truth , to wash out all ugly wild impressions , and fortifie my mind with a strong antidote against all the poyson of humane wit and wisdome that i had been dabling withal . and this effect i found ; for comparing that revelation , god gives of himself and his operations , in his word , with what the wisest of mankind , who only walk'd in the dim light of corrupted nature and defective traditions , could with all their industry trace out , or invent ; i found it so transcendently excelling all that was humane , so much above our narrow reason , and yet so agreeable to it being rectified , that i disdained the wisdome fools so much admire themselves for ; and as i found icould know nothing but what god taught me , so i resolv'd never to search after any knowledge of him and his productions , but what he himself hath given forth . those that will be wise above what is written , may hug their philosophical clouds , but let them take heed they find not themselves without god in the world , adoring figments of their own brains , instead of the living and true god. lest that arrive by misadventure , which never shall by my consent , that any of the pudled water , my wanton youth drew from the prophane helicon of ancient poets , should be sprinkled about the world , i have for prevention sent forth this essay ; with a profession that i disclaim all doctrines of god and his works , but what i learn out of his own word , and have experienc'd it to be a very unsafe and unprofitable thing for those that are young , before their faith be fixed , to exercise themselves in the study of vain , foolish , atheistical poesie . it is a miracle of grace and mercy , if such be not depriv'd of the light of truth , who having shut their eyes against that sun , have , instead of looking up to it , hunted gloworms in the ditch bottoms . it is a misery i cannot but bewail , that when we are young , whereas the lovely characters of truth should be imprest upon the tender mind and memory , they are so fill'd up with ridiculous lies , that 't is the greatest business of our lives , assoon as ever we come to be serious , to cleanse out all the rubbish , our grave tutors laid in when they taught us to study and admire their inspired poets and divine philosophers . but when i have thus taken occasion , to vindicate my self from those heathenish authors i have been conversant in , i cannot expect my work should find acceptance in the world , declaring the more full and various delight i have found in following truth by its own conduct ; nor am i much concern'd how it be entertain'd , seeking no glory by it , but what is render'd to him to whom it is only due . if any one of no higher a pitch than my self , be as much affected and stirr'd up in the reading , as i have been in the writing , to admire the glories and excellencies of our great creator , to fall low before him , in the sense of our own vileness , and to adore his power , his wisdome , and his grace , in all his dealings with the children of men , it will be a success above my hopes ; though my charity makes me wish every one that hath need of it the same mercy i have found . i know i am obnoxious to the censures of two sorts of people : first , those that understand and love the elegancies of poems , they will find nothing of fancy in it ; no elevations of stile , no charms of language , which i confess are gifts i have not , nor desire not in this occasion ; for i would rather breath forth grace cordially than words artificially . i have not studied to utter any thing that i have not really taken in . and i acknowledge all the language i have , is much too narrow to express the least of those wonders my soul hath been ravisht with in the contemplation of god and his works . had i had a fancy , i durst not have exercis'd it here ; for i tremble to think of turning scripture into a romance ; and shall not be troubled at their dislike who dislike on that account ; and profess they think no poem can be good that shuts out drunkenness , and lasciviousness , and libelling satyr , the theams of all their celebrated songs . these , ( though i will not much defend my ownweakness ) dislike not the poem so much as the subject of it . but there are a second sort of people , whose genius not lying that way , and seeing the common and vile abuse of poesie , think scripture prophan'd by being descanted on in numbers ; but such will pardon me when they remember a great part of the scripture was originally written in verse ; and we are commanded to exercise our spiritual mirth in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs ; which if i have weakly compos'd , yet 't is a consenting testimony with the whole church , to the mighty and glorious truths of god which ir not altogether impertinent , in this atheistical age ; and how imperfect soever the hand be , that copies it out , truth loses not its perfection , and the plainest as well as the elegant , the elegant as well as the plain , make up a harmony in confession and celebration of that all-creating , all-sustaining god , to whom be all honour and glory for ever and ever . meditations on the creation , as recorded in the first chapter of genesis . my ravisht soul , a pious ardour fires , to sing those mystick wonders it admires , contemplating the rise of every thing that , with times birth , flow'd from th' eternal spring : and the no less stupendious providence by which discording natures ever since have kept up universal harmonie ; while in one joynt obedience all agree , performing that to which they were design'd with ready inclination ; but mankind alone rebels against his makers will , which tho' opposing he must yet fulfill . and so that wise power , who each crooked stream most rightly guides , becomes the glorious theam of endless admiration , while we see , whatever mortals vain endeavours be , they must be broken who with power contend , and cannot frustrate their creators end , whose wisdom , goodness , might and glory shines in guiding mens unto his own designs . in these outgoings would i sing his praise , but my weak sense with the too glorious rays is struck with such confusion , that i find only the worlds first chaos in my mind , where light and beauty lie wrapt up in seed , and cannot be from the dark prison freed , except that power , by whom the world was made , my soul in her imperfect strugglings aid , her rude conceptions into forms dispose , and words impart , which may those forms disclose . o thou eternal spring of glory , whence all other streams derive their excellence , from whose love issues every good desire , quicken my dull earth with celestial fire , and let the sacred theam that is my choice , give utterance and musick to my voice , singing the works by which thou art reveal'd . what dark eternity hath kept conceal'd from mortals apprehensions , what hath been before the race of time did first begin , it were presumptuous folly to enquire . let not my thoughts beyond their bound aspire , time limits mortals , and time had its birth , in whose beginning god made heaven and earth . god , the great elohim , to say no more , whose sacred name we rather must adore than venture to explain ; for he alone dwells in himself , and to himself is known . and so , even that by which we have our sight , his covering is , he clothes himself with light . easier we may the winds in prison shut , the whole vast ocean in a nut-shell put , the mountains in a little ballance weigh , and with a bullrush plumm the deepest sea , than stretch frail humane thought unto the height of the great god , immense , and infinite , containing all things in himself alone , being at once in all , contain'd in none . yet as a hidden spring appears in streams , the sun is seen in its reflected beams , whose high embodied glory is too bright , too strong an object for weak mortal sight ; so in gods visible productions , we what is invisible , in some sort see ; while we considering each created thing , are led up to an uncreated spring , and by gradations of successive time , at last unto eternity do climb , as we in tracks of second causes tread unto the first uncaused cause are led ; and know , while we perpetual motion see there must a first self-moving power be , to whom all the inferiour motions tend , in whom they are begun , and where they end . this first eternal cause , th' original of being , life , and motion , god we call ; in whom all wisdome , goodness , glory , might , whatever can himself or us delight unite , centring in his perfection , whose nature can admit but only one : divided soveraignty makes neither great , wanting what 's shar'd to make the summ compleat . and yet this soveraign sacred unitie is not alone , for in this one are three , distinguisht , not divided , so that what one person is , the other is not that ; yet all the three , are but one god most high , one uncompounded , pure divinity , wherein subsist so , the mysterious three , that they in power and glory equal be ; each doth himself , and all the rest possess in undisturbed joy and blessedness . there 's no inferiour , nor no later there , all coeternal , all coequal , are . and yet this parity order admits . the father first , eternally begets , within himself , his son , substantial word and wisdom , as his second , and their third the ever blessed spirit is , which doth alike eternally proceed from both . these three , distinctly thus , in one divine , pure , perfect , self-supplying essence shine : and all cooperate in all works done exteriourly , yet so , as every one , in a peculiar manner suited to his person , doth the common action do . herein the father is the principal , whose sacred counsels are th' original of every act ; produced by the son , by'the spirit wrought up to perfection . i' the creation thus , by'the fathers wise decree , such things should in such time , and order be , the first foundation of the world was laid . the fabrique , by th' eternal word , was made not as th' instrument , but joynt actor , who joy'd to fulfill the counsels which he knew . by the concurrent spirit all parts were fitly dispos'd , distinguisht , rendred fair , in such harmonious and wise order set , as universal beauty did compleat . this most mysterious triple unitie , in essence one , and in subsistence three , was that great elohim , who first design'd , then made the worlds , that angels and mankind him in his rich out-goings might adore , and celebrate his praise for evermore ; who from eternity himself supplied , and had no need of any thing beside , nor any other cause that did him move to make a world , but his extensive love , it self delighting to communicate ; its glory in the creatures to dilate , while they are led by their own excellence t' admire the first , pure , high intelligence , by all the powers and vertues which they have , to that omnipotence who those powers gave ; by all their glories and their joys to his , who is the fountain of all joy and bliss ; by all their wants and imbecillities , to the full magazine of rich supplies , where power , love , justice , and mercy shine in their still fixed heights , and ne're decline . no streams can shrink the self-supplying spring , no retributions can more fulness bring to the eternal fountain , which doth run in sacred circles , ends where it begun , and thence with inexhausted life and force begins again a new , yet the same course it instituted in times infant birth , when the creator first made heaven and earth . time though it all things into motion bring is not it self any substantial thing , but only motions measure ; as a twin born with it ; and they both at once begin with the existence of the rolling sphere , before which neither time nor motion were . time being a still continued number , made by the vicissitude of light and shade , by the moons growth , and by her waxing old , by the successive reign of heat and cold , thus leading back all ages to the womb of vast eternity from whence they come , and bringing new successions forth , until heaven its last revolutions shall fulfil , and all things unto their first state restore , when motion ceasing , time shall be no more ; but with the visible heavens shall expire while they consume in the worlds funeral fire ; th' invisible heavens being still the same , shall not be toucht by the devouring flame . treating of which , let 's wave platonick dreams of worlds made in idea , fitter theams for poets fancies , than the reverent view of contemplation , fixt on what is true and only certain , kept upon record in the creators own revealed word , which when it taught us how our world was made , wrapt up th' invisible in mystique shade . yet through those clouds we see , god did create a place his presence doth irradiate . where he doth in his brightest lustre shine ; yet doth not his own heaven , him confine : although the paradise of the fair world above , each where perfum'd with sweet respiring love , refresht with pleasures never shrinking streams , illustrated with lights unclouded beams , the happy land of peace and endless rest which doth both soul and sense with full joys feast , feasts that extinguish not the appetite which is renew'd to heighten the delight . here stands the tree of life , deckt with fair fruit , whose leaves health to the nations contribute . the spreading , true celestial vine where fruitful grafts and noble clusters shine . here majesty and grace together meet ; the grace is glorious , and the glory sweet . here is the throne of th' universal king to which the suppliant world addresses bring . here next him doth his son in triumph sit , waiting till all his foes lie at his feet . here is the temple of his holiness , the sanctuary for all sad distress . here is the saints most sure inheritance to which they all their thoughts and hopes advance . here their rich recompence and safe rest lies , for this they all th' inferiour world despise ; yet not for this alone , though this excel , but for that deity who here doth dwell ; for heaven it self to saints no heaven were did not their god afford his presence there ; but now , as he inhabits it , it is the treasure-house of everlasting bliss , the fathers house , the pilgrims home , the port of happiness , th' illustrious regal court , the city that on the worlds summit stands , united in it self , not made with hands ; whose citizens , walls , pavements are so bright they need no sun in gods more radiant light. the pure air being not thickned with dark clouds , no sable night the constant glory shrowds ; nor needs there night , when no dull lassitude doth into the unwearied soul intrude ; new vigour flowing in with that dear joy whose contemplation doth their lives employ . this heaven , the third to us within , the first , if from the outside we begin , is incorruptible , and still the same , confirm'd by him who did its substance frame : no time its strong foundations can decay , it s renew'd glory fadeth not away . the other heavens which it doth enfold , in tract of time as garments shall wax old , and all their outworn glory shall expire in the worlds dreadful last devouring fire ; but this shall still unchangeable remain , while all the rolling spheres which it contains shall be again into their chaos whirl'd at the last dissolution of the world . for god , who made this blessed place to be the habitation of his sanctitie , admitting nothing into it that 's vile , nothing that can corrupt , or can defile , never withdraws his gracious presence thence but is on all the glory a defence . nor are his gates ere shut by night or day , his only dread keeps all foes far away . he not for need , but for majestick state , innumerable hosts of angels did create to be his outguards , in respect of whom he doth his name el-tzeboim assume . these perfect , pure intelligences be , excel in might , and in celeritie , whose sublime natures , and whose agile powers , are vastly so superiour unto ours , our narrow thoughts cannot to them extend , and things so far above us comprehend , as in themselves , although in part we know , some scantlings by appearances below , and sacred writ , wherein we find there be distinguisht orders in their hierarchie ; arch-angels , cherubims , and seraphims , who celebrate their god with holy hymns . ten thousand thousand vulgar angels stand all in their ranks , waiting the lords command , which with prompt inclination of their will , and chearful , swift obedience they fulfil ; whether he them to save poor men employ , or send them arm'd , proud rebels to destroy ; whether he them to mighty monarchs send , or bid them on poor pilgrim saints attend , whether they must in heavenly lustre go , or walk in mortal mean disguise below : so kind , so humble are they , though so high , they do it with the same alacrity . why blush we not at our vain pride , when we such condescension in heavens courtiers see , that they who sit on heavenly thrones above , scorn not to serve poor worms with fervent love ? and joyful praises to th' almighty sing , when they a mortal to their own home bring ? how gracious is the lord of all , that he should thus consider poor mortalitie , such powers for us , into those powers diffuse , such glorious servants , in our service , use ? who whether they , with light , or heaven , had creation , were within the six days made . but leave we looking through the vail , nor pry too long on things wrapt up in mystery , reserv'd to be our wonder at that time , when we shall up to their high mountain climb . besides th' empyrean heaven we are told of divers other heavens which we behold only by reasons eye , yet were not they if made at least distinguisht the first day . then from the height we cannot comprehend , let us to our inferiour world descend . the earth at first was a vast empty place , a rude congestion without form or grace , a confus'd mass of undistinguisht feed , darkness the deep , the deep the solid hid : where things did in unperfect causes sleep , until gods spirit mov'd the quiet deep , brooding the creatures under wings of love , as tender birds hatcht by a turtle dove . light first of all its radiant wings display'd , god call'd forth light : that word the creature made . whether it were the natures more divine , or the bright mansion where just souls must shine , or the first matter of those tapers which the since-made firmament do still enrich , it is not yet agreed among the wise : but thus the day did out of chaos rise , and casts its bright beams on the floating world , o're which soon envious night her black mists hurl'd , damping the new born splendour for a space , till the next morning did her shadows chace : with restor'd beauty and triumphant force , returning to begin another course , an emblem of that everlasting feud 'twixt sons of light , and darkness still pursued ; and of that frail imperfect state wherein the wasting lights of mortal men begin ; whose comforts , honours , lives , soon as they shine must all to sorrows , changes , death resign ; even their wisdomes and their vertues light are hid by envies interposing night . but though these splendors all in graves are thrown , whereever the true feed of light is sown , the powers of darkness may contend in vain , it shall a conquerour rise and ever reign . for when god the victorious morning view'd , approving his own work he said 't was good : and of inanimate creatures sure the best , as that which shews and beautifies the rest , those melancholy thoughts which night creates and seeds in mortal bosomes , dissipates : in its own nature subtile , swift and pure , which no polluted mirrour can endure . by it th' almighty maker doth dispence to earthy creatures , heavenly influence ; by it with angels swiftness are our eyes , exalted to the glory of the skies . in whose bright character the light divine , which flesh cannot behold , doth dimly shine . thus was the first day made ; god so call'd light , sever'd from darkness , darkness was the night . canto ii. again spoke god ; the trembling waters move , part flie up in thick mists , made clouds above , part closer shrink about the earth below , but did not yet the mountains dry heads show . th' allforming word stretcht out the firmament , like azure curtains round his glorious tent , and in its hidden chambers did dispose the magazines of hail , and rain , and snows , amongst those thicker clouds , from whose dark womb th' imprison'd winds , in flame and thunder come . those clouds which over all the wondrous arch like hosts of various formed creatures march , and change the scenes in our admiring eyes ; who sometimes see them like vast mountains rise . sometimes like pleasant seas with clear waves glide , sometimes like ships on foaming billows ride , sometimes like mounted warriours they advance , and seem to fire the smoaking ordinance . sometimes like shady forests they appear , here monsters walking , castles rising there . scorn princes your embroider'd canopies , and painted roofs , the poor whom you despise with far more ravishing delight are fed , while various clouds sayl o're th' unhoused head , and their heav'd eyes with nobler scenes present than your poetick courtiers can invent . thus the exalted waters were dispos'd , and liquid skies the solid world enclos'd , to magnifie the most almighty hand , that makes thin floods like rocks of crystal stand , not quenching , nor drunk up by that bright wall of fire , which neighbouring them , encircles all . the new built firmament god heaven nam'd , and over all the arch his windows fram'd . from whence his liberal hand at due time pours upon the thirsty earth refreshing showers ; and clothes her bosome with descending snow to cherish the young seeds when cold winds blow : hence every night his fatning dews he sheds , and scatters pearls amidst th' enamel'd beds . but when presumptuous sins the bright arch scale , he beats them back with terrifying hail : which like small shot amidst his foes he sends , till flaming thunder , his great ordnance , rends the clouds , which , big with horror , ready stand to pour their burthens forth at his command . but th' unpolluted air as yet had not from mortals impious breath infection got , enlightned then by a superiour ray a serene lustre deckt the second day . th' inferiour globe was fashion'd on the third , when waters at the all-commanding word did hastily into their channels glide , and the uncover'd hills as soon were dried . in the same body thus , distinct , and joyn'd , water and earth , as flesh and blood , we find . the late collected waters god call'd seas . springs , lakes , streams , and broad rivers are from these brancht , like life-feeding veins , in every land , yet wheresoe're they seem to flow or stand , as all in the vast oceans bosome bred , they daily reassemble in their head , which thorough secret conduits back conveys to every spring , the tribute that it pays . so ages from th' eternal bosome creep , so lose them selves again in that vast deep . so empires , so all other humane things , with winding streams run to their native springs . so all the goodness mortals exercise flows back to god out of his own supplies . now the great fabrick in all parts compleat , beauty was call'd forth to adorn the seat ; where earth , fixt in the centre , was the ground , a mantle of light air compast it round ; then first the watrie , then the fiery wall , and glittering heaven last involving all . earth's fair green robe vi'd with the azure skies , her proud woods near the flaming towers did rife . the valleys trees , though less in breadth and height , yet hung with various fruit , as much delight . beneath these little shrubs and bushes sprung with fair flowers cloth'd , and with rich berries hung , whos 's more delightful fruits seem'd to upbraid the tall trees yielding only barren shade . then sprouted grass and herbs and plants prepar'd to feed the earth's inhabitants , to glad their nostrils , and delight their eyes , revive their spirits , cure their maladies . nor by these are the senses only fed , but th' understanding too , while we may read in every leaf , lectures of providence , eternal wisdom , love , omnipotence . which th' eye that sees not , with hells mists is blind , that which regards not , is of bruitish kind . the various colours , figures , powers of these are their creators growing witnesses , their glories emblems are , wherein we see how frail our humane lives and beauties be . even like those flowers which at the sun-rise spread their gawdy leaves , and are at evening dead . yet while they in their native lustre shine , the eastern monarchs are not half so fine in richer robes god clothes the dirty soyl than men can purchase by their sin and toyl . then rather fields than painted courts admire , yet seeing both , think both must feed the fire : only gods works have roots and seeds , from whence they spring again in grace and excellence , but mens have none , like hasty lightning , they flash out , and so for ever pass away . this fair creation finisht the third day , in whose end , god did the whole work survey , the seas , the skies , the trees , and less plants view'd , and by his approbation made them good ; in all the plants did living seeds enclose , whence their successive generations rose ; gave them those powers which in them still remain , whereby they man and beast with food sustain . thrice had the day to gloomy night resign'd , and thrice victorious o're the darkness shin'd , before the mediate cause of it , the sun or any star had their creation , for with th' omnipotent it is all one to cause the day without , or by the sun. god in the world by second causes reigns , but is not tied to those means he ordains . let no heart faint then that on him depends , when the means fail , that lead to their wisht ends . for god the thing , if good , will bring about with instruments we see not , or without . the fourth light having now expell'd the shade god on that day the luminaries made , and plac'd them all in their peculiar sphears to measure out our days , and months , and years , which by their various motions are renew'd , and heat and cold have their vicissitude : so springs and autumns still successive be , till ages lose them in eternity . the sun whom th' hebrews gods great servant call , plac'd in the middle orb , as lord of all , is in a radiant flaming chariot whirl'd , and dayly carried round abut the world by the first movers force , who in that race scatters his light and heat in every place , yet not at once . now in the east he shines , and then again to'the western deep declines , seeming to quench his blazing taper there while it enlightens the other hemisphere . thus he their share of day and night divides unto each world in their alternate tides . but then its orb by its own motion roll'd , varies the seasons , brings in heat and cold , as it projects its rays in a straight line , or more obliquely on the earth doth shine . and thus doth he to the low world dispense life-feeding and engendring influence . this lord of day with his reflected light guilds the pale moon the empress of the night , whose dim orb monthly wastes and grows , doth at the first sharp pointed horns disclose , then half , then her full shining globe reveals , which waining she by like degrees conceals . the other glittering planets now appear each as a king enthron'd in his own sphear ; then the eighth heaven in fuller lustre shines thick set with stars . all these were made for signs that mortals by observing them might know due times to cultivate the earth below , to gather fruits , plant trees , and sow their seed , to cure their herds , and let their fair flocks breed , into safe harbours to retire their ships , again to launch out into the calm deeps , their wandring vessels in broad seas to guide , when the lost shores no longer are descried ; physicians to direct in their great art , and other useful knowledge to impart . nor were they only made for signs to shew fit opportunities for things we do , but in their various aspects too we read various events which shall in time succeed , droughts , inundations , famines , plagues and wars , by several conjunctions of the stars , at least shewn , if not caus'd , through the strong powers and workings astral bodies have on ours , which as above they variously are joyn'd , so are their subjects here below , enclin'd to sadness , mirth , dread , quiet , love or hate , all that may calm , or trouble any state . yet are they but a second cause , which god shakes over sinners as a flaming rod , and further manages in his own hands , to scourge the pride of all rebellious lands ; falsely and vainly do blind mortals then , to them impute the fates and ills of men , when their sinister operations be only th' effects of mens iniquitie , which makes the lord his glittering hosts thus send to execute the just threats they portend . nor are they characters of wrath alone , they sometimes have gods grace to mankind shown , such was that new star which did heaven adorn , when the great king of the whole word was born . such were those stars that fought for israel when jabins vanquisht host , by gods host fell . even those stars which threaten misery and woe to wicked men , to saints deliverance show : for when god cuts the bloody tyrant down , he will their lives with peace and blessings crown . thus the fourth evening did the fourth day close , and where the sun went down , the stars arose . new triumph now the fifth day celebrates , the perfum'd morning opes her purple gates , through which the suns pavilion doth appear and he array'd in all his lustre there , like a fresh bridegroom with majestique grace , and joy diffusing vigour in his face , comes gladly forth , to greet his virgin bride , trick'd up in all her ornaments and pride ; her lovely maids at his approach unfold their gaudie vests , on which he scatters gold , both chearing and enriching every place , through which he passes in his glorious race . but though he found a noble threatre , as yet in it no living creatures were ; though flowry carpets spread the whole earths face , and rich embroideries the upper arch did grace , and standards on the mountains stood between bearing festoones like pillars wreath'd with green , the velvet couches and the mossy seats , the open walks and the more close retreats were all prepar'd ; yet no foot trod the woods , nor no mouth yet had toucht the pleasant floods ; no weary creature had repos'd its head among the sweet perfumes of the low bed ; the air was not respir'd in living breath , throughout a general stilness reign'd , like death . the king of day came forth , but unadmir'd , like unprais'd gallants blushingly retir'd ; as an uncourted beauty , nights pale queen , grew sick to shine where she could not be seen . when the creator first for mute herds calls , and bade the waters bring forth animals : then was all shell-fish and each scaly race at once produc'd , in their assigned place , the crooked dolphins , great leviathan , and all the monsters of the ocean , like wanton kids among the billows play'd , nor was there after on the dry land made any one beast of less or greater kind whose like we do not in the waters find ; where every greater fish devours the less , as mighty lords poor commoners oppress . next the almighty by his forming word made the whole plumie race , and every bird it s proper place assign'd , while with light wings all mounted heaven , some o're the lakes and springs , some over the vast fens and seas did flie , some near the ground , some in the cloudy skie , some in high trees their proud nests built , some chose the humble shrubs for their more safe repose , some did the marshes , some the rivers love , some the corn-fields , and some the shady grove . that silence which reign'd every where before , it s universal empire held no more , even night and darkness its own dear retreat could not preserve it in their reign compleat : the nightingales with their complaining notes , ravens and owls with their ill-boding throats , and all the birds of night , shrill crowing cocks whose due kept times , made them the worlds first clocks , all interrupted it , even in the night , but at the first appearance of the light a thousand voyces , the green woods whole quire with their loud musick do the day admire ; the lark doth with her single carol rise , to welcome the fair morning in the skies ; the amorous and still complaining dove , courts not the day , but woes her own fair love ; the jays and crows against each other rayl , and chattering pies begin their gossips tale : thus life was carri'd on , which first begun in growth of plants , in fishes motion , and next declar'd it self in living sound , whilst various noise the yielding air did wound . various instincts the birds by nature have , which god to them in their creation gave , that unto their observers do declare the storms and calms approaching in the air , that teach them how to build their nests at spring , and hatch their young under their nursing wing , to lead abroad and guard their tender brood , to know their hurtful and their healing food , to feed them till their strength be perfect grown , and after teach them how to feed alone . could we the lessons they hold forth improve , we might from some learn chaste and constant love , conjugal kindness of the paired swans , paternal bounty of the pelicans , while they are prodigal of their own blood to feed their chickens with that precious food . wisdome of those who when storms threat the skie , in thick assemblies to their shelter flie , and those who seeing devourers in the air , to the safe covert of the wing repair . the gall-less doves would teach us innocence , and the whole race to hang on providence ; since not the least bird that divides the air exempted is from the almighties care , whose bounty in due seasons , feeds them all , prepares them berries when the thick snows fall , cloaths them in many colour'd plumes , which vain men borrow , yet the peacocks gawdy train more beautifully is by nature drest , than art can make it on the gallants crest . this priviledge these creatures had to raise their voices first in their great makers praise , which when the morning opes her rosie gate they with consenting musick celebrate ; again with hunger pincht to god they cry , and from his liberal hand receive supply , who them and all his watry creatures view'd , and saw that they in all their kinds were good . then blest them that for due successions they might multiply . so clos'd he the fifth day . and now the sun the third time rais'd his head and rose the sixth day from his watry bed , when god commands the teeming earth to bring forth great and lesser beasts , each reptile thing that on her bosome creeps , the word obey'd , immediately were all the creatures made . like hermits some made hollow rocks their cell , and did in their prepared mansions dwell . the vermine , weazils , fulmots and blind moles , lay hid in clefts of trees , in crannies and in holes . the serpents lodg'd in marishes and fens , the savage beasts sought thickets , caves and dens . tame herds and flocks in open pastures stay'd , and wanton kids upon the mountains play'd . here life almost to its perfection grew while god these various creatures did indue with various properties , and various sense , but little short of humane excellence , save what we in the brutes dispersed find , is all collected in mans nobler mind , who to the high perfection of his sense , hath added a more high intelligence . yet several brutes have noble faculties , some apprehensive are , some subtile , wise , some have invention and docility , some wonderful in imitation be , some with high generous courage are endued , with kindness some , and some with gratitude , with memory some , and some with providence , with natural love , and with meek innocence : some watchful are , and some laborious be , some have obedience , some true loyalty . among them too we all the passions find , some more to love , some more to hate enclin'd . the musing hare and the lightfooted deer are under the predominance of fear ; goats and hot monkeys are with lust possest , rage governs in the savage tygres brest ; jealousie doth the hearts of fierce bulls move impatient of all rivals in their love . some sportive , and some melancholy be , some proner to revenge and crueltie . the kingly lion in his bosome hath the fiery seed of self-provoking wrath , joy is no stranger to the savage brest , as oft with love , hate and desire possest , through the aversion and the appetite which all these passions in their hearts excite . god cloth'd them all in several woells and hair , whereof some meaner , some more precious are , which men now into garments weave and spin , nor only weare their fleeces , but their skin ; besides employ their teeth , bones , claws , and horn , some medicines be , and some the house adorn . a thousand other various ways we find , wherein alive and dead they serve mankind , who from th' obedience they to him afford might learn his duty to his soveraign lord. canto iii. now was the glorious universe compleat and every thing in beauteous order set , when god , about to make the king of all , did in himself a sacred council call ; not that he needed to deliberate , but pleas'd t' allow solemnity and state , to wait upon that noble creatures birth for whom he had design'd both heaven and earth : let us , said god , with soveraign power indued : make man after our own similitude , let him our sacred imprest image bear ruling o're all in earth , and sea , and air . then made the lord a curious mold of clay , which lifeless on the earths cold bosome lay , when god did it with living breath inspire , a soul in all , and every part entire , where life ris ' above motion , sound and sense to higher reason and intelligence ; and this is truly termed life alone , which makes lifes fountain to the living known . this life into it self doth gather all the rest maintain'd by its original , which gives it being , motion , sense , warmth , breath , and those chief powers that are not lost in death . thus was the noblest creature the last made , as he in whom the rest perfection had , in whom both parts of the great world were joyn'd , earth in his members , heaven in his mind ; whose vast reach the whole universe compriz'd , and saw it in himself epitomiz'd , yet not the centre nor circumference can fill the more comprehensive soul of man , whose life is but a progress of desire , which still enjoy'd , doth something else require , unsatisfied with all it hath pursued until it rest in god , the soveraign good. the earthly mansion of this heavenly guest peculiar priviledges too possest . whereas all other creatures clothed were in shells , scales , gaudy plumes , or woolls , or hair , only a fair smooth skin o're man was drawn , like damask roses blushing through pure lawn . the azure veins , where blood and spirits flow , like violets in a field of lillies show . as others have a down bent counténance , he only doth his head to heaven advance , resembling thus a tree whose noble root in heaven grows , whence all his graces shoot . he only on two upright columns stands , he only hath , and knows the use of hands , which gods rich bounties for the rest receive , and aid to all the other members give . he only hath a voice articulate , varied by joy , grief , anger , love and hate , and every other motion of the mind which hereby doth an apt expression find . hereby glad mirth in laughter is alone by man exprest ; in a peculiar groan , his grief comes forth , accompanied with tears , peculiar shrieks utter his suddain fears . herein is musick too , which sweetly charms the sense , and the most savage heart disarms . the gate of this god in the head did place , the head which is the bodies chiefest grace , the noble palace of the royal guest within by fancy and invention drest , with many pleasant useful ornaments which new imagination still presents , adorn'd without , by majesty and grace , o who can tell the wonders of a face ! in none of all his fabriques more than here doth the creators glorious power appear , that of so many thousands which we see all humane creatures like , all different be ; if the front be the glory of mans frame , those lamps which in its upper windows flame , illustrate it , and as days radiant star , in the clear heaven of a bright face are . here love takes stand , and here ardent desire enters the soul , as fire drawn in by fire , at two ports , on each side , the hearing sense still waits to take in fresh intelligence , but the false spies both at the ears and eyes , conspire with strangers for the souls surprize , and let all life-perturbing passions in , which with tears , sighs and groans issue again . nor do those labyrinths which like brest-works are , about those secret ports , serve for a bar to the false sorcerers conducted by mans own imprudent curiosity . there is an arch i' the middle of the face of equal necessary use and grace , for there men suck up the life-feeding air , and panting bosomes are discharged there ; beneath it is the chief and beauteous gate , about which various pleasant graces wait , when smiles the rubie doors a little way unfold , or laughter doth them quite display , and opening the vermillion curtains shows the ivory piles set in two even rows , before the portal , as a double guard , by which the busie tongue is helpt and barr'd ; whose sweet sounds charm , when love doth it inspire , and when hate moves it , set the world on fire . within this portals inner vault is plac't the palate where sense meets its joys in tast ; on rising cheeks , beauty in white and red strives with it self , white on the forehead spread its undisputed glory there maintains , and is illustrated with azure veins . the brows , loves bow , and beauties shadow are , a thick set grove of soft and shining hair adorns the head , and shews like crowning rays , while th'airs soft breath among the loose curls plays . besides the colours and the features , we admire their just and perfect symmetrie , whose ravishing resultance is that air that graces all , and is not any where ; whereof we cannot well say what it is , yet beauties chiefest excellence lies in this ; which mocks the painters in their best designs , and is not held by their exactest lines . but while we gaze upon our own fair frame let us remember too from whence it came , and that by sin corrupted now , it must return to its originary dust . how undecently doth pride then lift that head on which the meanest feet must shortly tread ? yet at the first it was with glory crown'd , till satans fraud gave it the mortal wound . this excellent creature god did adam call to mind him of his low original , whom he had form'd out of the common ground which then with various pleasures did abound . the whole earth was one large delightful field , that till man sin'd no hurtful briars did yield , but god enclosing one part from the rest , a paradise in the rich spicie east had stor'd with natures wealthy magazine , where every plant did in its lustre shine , but did not grow promiscously there , they all dispos'd in such rich order were as did augment their single native grace , and perfected the pleasure of the place , to such a height that th' apelike art of man , licentious pens , or pencils never can with all th' essays of all presuming wit , or form or feign ought that approaches it . whether it were a fruitful hill or vale , whether high rocks , or trees did it impale , or rivers with their clear and kind embrace into a pleasant island form'd the place , whether its noble scituation were on earth , in the bright moon , or in the air , in what forms stood the various trees and flowers , the disposition of the walks and bowers , whereof no certain word , nor sign remains , we dare not take from mens inventive brains . we know there was pleasant and noble shade which the tall growing pines and cedars made , and thicker coverts , which the light and heat ev'n at noon day could scarcely penetrate , a crystal river on whose verdant banks the crowned fruit-trees stood in lovely ranks , his gentle wave thorough the garden led , and all the spreading roots with moysture fed . but past th' enclosure , thence the single stream parted in four , four noble floods became ; pison whose large arms havilah enfold ; a wealthy land enricht with finest gold , where also many precious stones are found ; the second river gihon , doth surround all that fair land where chus inhabited , where tyranny first rais'd up her proud head , and led her blood-hounds all along the shore , polluting the pure stream with crimson gore . edens third river hiddekell they call , whose waters eastward in assiria fall . the fourth euphrates whose swift stream did run about the stately walls of babylon ; and in the revolution of some years swell'd high , fed with the captiv'd hebrews tears . god in the midst of paradise did place two trees , that stood up drest in all the grace , the verdure , beauty , sweetness , excellence , with which all else could tempt or feast the sense : on one apples of knowledge did abound , and life-confirming fruit the other crown'd . and now did god the new created king into the pleasures of his earthly palace bring : the air , spice , balm , and amber did respire , his ears were feasted by the sylvan quire , like country girls , grass flowers did dispute their humble beauties with the high born fruit ; both high and low their gawdy colours vied , as courtiers do in their contentious pride , striving which of them should yield most delight , and stand the finest in their soveraigns sight . the shrubs with berries crown'd like precious gems , offer'd their supreme lord their diadems which did no single sense alone invite , courting alike the eyes and appetite . among all these the eye-refreshing green , sometimes alone , sometimes in mixture seen , o're all the banks and all the flat ground spread , seem'd an embroider'd , or plain velvet bed . and that each sense might its refreshment have , the gentle air soft pleasant touches gave unto his panting limbs , whenever they upon the sweet and mossie couches lay . a shady eminence there was , whereon the noble creature sate , as on his throne , when god brought every fowl , and every brute , that he might names unto their natures suit , whose comprehensive understanding knew how to distinguish them , at their first view ; and they retaining those names ever since , are monuments of his first excellence , and the creators providential grace , who in those names , left us some prints to trace ; nature , mysterious grown , since we grew blind , whose labyrinths we should less easily find if those first appellations , as a clue , did not in some sort serve to lead us through , and rectifie that frequent gross mistake , which our weak judgements and sick senses make , since man ambitious to know more , that sin brought dulness , ignorance and error in . though god himself to man did condescend , though his knowlege to all natures did extend ; though heaven and earth thus centred in his mind , yet being the only one of his whole kind , he found himself without an equal mate , to whom he might his joys communicate , and by communication multiply . too far out of his reach was god on high , too much below him bruitish creatures were , god could at first have made a humane pair , but that it was his will to let man see the need and sweetness of societie ; who , though he were his makers favourite , feasted in paradise with all delight , though all the creatures paid him homage , yet was not his unimparted joy compleat , while there was not a second of his kind , indued with such a form and such a mind , as might alike his soul and senses feast : he saw that every bird and every beast it s own resemblance in its female viewed , and only union with its like pursued . hence birds with birds , and fish with fish abide , nor those with beasts , nor beasts with these reside : according to their several species too , as several housholds in one city do , so they with their own kinds associate : the kingly eagle hath no buzzard mate ; the ravens , more their own black feather love , than painted pheasants , or the fair-neck'd dove . so bears to rough bears rather do encline than to majestick lions , or fair kine . if it be thus with brutes , much less then can the bruitish conversation suit with man. 't is only like desires like things unite : in union likeness only feeds delight . where unlike natures in conjunction are , there is no product but perpetual war , such as there was in natures troubled womb , until the sever'd births from thence did come , for the whole world nor order had , nor grace till sever'd elements each their own place assigned were , and while in them they keep , heaven still smiles above , th' untroubled deep with kind salutes embraces the dry land , firm doth the earth on its foundation stand ; a chearful light streams from th'aetherial fire , and all in universal joy conspire . but if with their unlike they attempt to mix , their rude congressions every thing unfix ; darkness again invades the troubled skies , earth trembling , under angry heaven lies ; the sea , swoln high with rage , comes to the shore and swallows that , which it but kist before ; th' unbounded fire breaks forth with dreadful light , and horrid cracks which dying nature fright , till that high power , which all powers regulates , the disagreeing natures separates , the like to like rejoyning as before , so the worlds peace , joy , safety doth restore . yet if man could not find in bird or brute that conversation which might aptly suit his higher nature , was it not sublime enough , above the lower world to climb , and in angelick converse to delight , although it could not reach the supreme height ? no ; for though man partake intelligence , yet that being joyn'd to an inferiour sense , dull'd by corporeal vapours , cannot be refin'd enough for angels company : as strings screw'd up too high , as bows still bent or break themselves , or crack the instrument ; so drops neglected flesh into the grave , if it no share in the souls pleasures have . man like himself needs an associate , who doth both soul and sense participate . not the swift horse , the eager hawk , or hound , dogs , parrots , monkies 'mongst whom adam found no meet companion , thinking them too base for the society of humane race , though his degenerate offspring chuse that now which his sound reason could not then allow , but found himself amongst them all alone . whether he beg'd a mate it is not known , likely his want might send him to the spring ; for god who freely gives us every thing , mercy endears by instilling the desire , and granting that which humbly we require : howe're it was , god saw his solitude and gave his sentence that it was not good . yet not a natural , nor a moral ill , because his solitude was not his will opposing his creators end , as they who into caves and desarts run away , seeking perfection in that state , wherein a good was wanting when man had no sin . for without help to propagate mankind gods glory had been to one brest confin'd , which multiplied saints , do now conspire throughout their generations to admire . mans nature had not been the sacred shrine , partner and bride of that which is divine ; the church , fruit of this union , had not come to light , but perisht , stifled in the womb . again 't is not particularly good for man to waste his life in solitude , whose nature for society design'd can no full joy without a second find , to whom he may communicate his heart , and pay back all the pleasures they impart ; for all the joys that we enjoy alone , and all our unseen lustre , is as none . if thus want of a partner did abate mans happiness in mans most perfect state , much more hath humane nature , now decay'd , need of a suitable and a kind aid : it is not good , vertue should lie obscure , that barren rocks , rich treasures should immure , which our kind lord to some , for all men gave , that all might share of all his bounties have . not good , dark lanthorns should shut up the light of fair example , made for the dark night . not good , experience should her candle hide , when weak ones perish , wanting her bright guide . not good , to let unactive graces chill , no lively warmth receive , no good instil by quickning converse . thus nor are the great , the wise , and firm , permitted to retreat , betraying so deserted innocence , to which god made them conduct and defence . nor may the simple and the weak expose themselves alone , to strong and subtile foes ; men for each others mutual help were made , the meanest may afford the highest aid . the highest to necessity must yield , even princes are beholding to the field . he that from mortal converse steals away injures himself , and others doth betray , whom providence committed to his trust , and in that act , nor prudent is nor just . for sweet friends both in pleasure and distress , augment the joy , and make the torment less . equal delight it is to learn and teach , to be held up to that we cannot reach , and others from the abject earth to raise to merit , and to give deserved praise . wisdom imparted like th' encreasing bread , wherewith the lord so many thousands fed , by distribution adds to its own store , and still the more it gives it hath the more . extended power reaches it self a crown , gathering up those whom misery casts down . love raiseth us , it self to heaven doth rise , by vertues varied mutual exercise . sweet love , the life of life , which cannot shine , but lies like gold concealed in the mine , till it through much exchange a brightness take and conversation doth it current make . god having shew'd his creature thus the need of humane helps , a help for man decreed : i will , said he , the mans meet aid provide . but that he from his waking view might hide such a mysterious work , the lord did keep all adam's senses fast lock'd up in sleep . then from his open'd side took without pain a cloathed rib , and clos'd the flesh again , and of the bone did a fair virgin frame who , by her maker brought , to adam came and was in matrimonial union joyn'd , by love and nature happily combin'd . adam's clear understanding at first view his wives original and nature knew ; his will , as pure , did thankfully embrace , his fathers bounty , and admir'd his grace . and as her sweet charms did his heart surprise he spoke his joy in these glad ecstacies , thou art my better self , my flesh , my bone , we late of one made two , again in one shall reunite , and with the frequent birth of our joynt issue , people the vast earth . to shew that thou wert taken out of me isha shall be thy name ; as unto thee ravisht with love and joy my soul doth cleave , so men hereafter shall their fathers leave , and all relations else , which are most dear , that they may only to their wives adhere ; when marriage male and female doth combine children in one flesh shall two parents joyn . lastly , god , who the sacred knot had tied , with blessing his own ordinance sanctified , encrease , said he , and multiply your race , fill th' earth allotted for your dwelling place , i give you right to all her fruits and plants , dominion over her inhabitants ; the fish that in the floods deep bosome lie , all fowls that in the airy region flie , whatever lives and feeds on the dry land , are all made subject under your command . the grass and green herbs let your cattle eat , and let the richer fruits be your own meat , except the tree of knowing good and ill , that by the precept of my soveraign will you must not eat , for in the day you do , inevitable death shall seize on you . thus god did the first marriage celebrate while man was in his unpolluted state , and th' undefiled bed with honour deckt , though perversemen the ordinance reject , and pulling all its sacred ensigns down to the white virgin only give the crown . nor yet is marriage grown less sacred since man fell from his created excellence , necessity now raises its esteem , which doth mankind from deaths vast jaws redeem , who even in their graves are yet alive , while they in their posterity survive . in it they find a comfort and an aid , in all the ills which humane life invade . this curbs and cures wild passions that arise , repairs times daily wasts , with new supplies ; when the declining mothers youthful grace lies dead and buried in her wrinkled face , in her fair daughters it revives and grows , and her dead cinder in their new flames glows . and though this state may sometimes prove accurst , for of best things , still the corruption's worst , sin so destroys an institution good , provided against death and solitude . eve out of sleeping adam formed thus a sweet instructive emblem is to us , how waking providence is active still to do us good , and to avert our ill , when we lock'd up in stupefaction lie , not dreaming that our blessings are so nigh . blessings wrought out by providence alone without the least assistance of our own . mans help produc'd in death-like sleep doth show , our choicest mercies out of dead wombs flow . so from the second adams bleeding side god form'd the gospel church , his mystique bride , whose strength was only of his firmness made , his blood , quick spirits into ours convey'd : his wasted flesh our wasted flesh supplied , and we were then revived when he died . who wak'd from that short sleep with joy did view the virgin fair that out of his wounds grew , presented by th' eternal fathers grace unto his everlasting kind embrace : my spouse , my sister , said he , thou art mine ; i and my death , i and my life are thine ; for thee i did my heavenly father quit that thou with me on my high throne mayst sit , my mothers humane flesh in death did leave for thee , that i to thee might only cleave , redeem thee from the confines of dark hell , and evermore in thy dear bosome dwell : from heaven i did descend to fetch up thee , rose from the grave that thou mightst reign with me . henceforth no longer two but one we are , thou dost my merit , life , grace , glory share : as my victorious triumphs are all thine , so are thy injuries and sufferings mine , which i for thee will vanquish as my own , and give thee rest in the celestial throne : the bride with these caresses entertain'd in naked beauty doth before him stand , and knows no shame purg'd from all foul desire whose secret guilt kindles the blushing fire . her glorious lord is naked too , no more conceal'd in types and shadows as before . so our first parents innocently did behold that nakedness which since is hid , that lust may not catch fire from beauties flame engendring thoughts which die the cheeks with shame , thus heaven and earth their full perfection had , thus all their hosts and ornaments were made , armies of angels had the highest place , bright starry hosts the lower heaven did grace , the mutes encamped in the waters were , the winged troops were quartered in the air , the walking animals , as th' infantry of th' universal host , at large did lie spread over all the earths most ample face , each regiment in its assigned place . paradise the head quarter was , and there the emperour to his viceroy did appear , him in his regal office did install , a general muster of his hosts did call , resigning up into his sole command the numerous tribes , that fill doth sea and land . as each kind severally had before blessing and approbation , so once more , when all together god his works review'd , the blessing was confirmed and renew'd . and with the sixth day the creation ceast . the seventh day the lord himself did rest , and made it a perpetual ordinance then to be observ'd by every age of men , that after six days honest labour they his precept and example should obey , as he did his , their works surcease , and spend that day in sacred rest , till that day end , and in its number back again return , still consecrated , till it have outworn all other time , and that alone remain , when neither toyl , nor burthen , shall again the weary lives of mortal men infest , nor intermit their holy , happy rest . nor is this rest sacred to idleness , god , a perpetual act , sloth cannot bless . he ceast not from his own celestial joy , which doth himself perpetually employ in contemplation of himself , and those most excellent works , wherein himself he shows ; he only ceast from making lower things , by which , as steps , the mounting soul he brings to th' upmost height , and having finisht these himself did in his own productions please , full satisfied in their perfection , rested from what he had compleatly done ; and made his pattern our instruction , that we , as far as finite creatures may trace him that 's infinite , should in our way rest as our father did , work as he wrought , nor cease till we have to perfection brought whatever to his glory we intend , still making ours , the same which was his end : as his works in commands begin , and have conclusion in the blessings which he gave , so must his word give being to all ours ; and since th' events are not in our own powers , we must his blessing beg , his great name bless , and make our thanks the crown of our success . as god first heaven did for man prepare , men last for heaven created were , so should we all our actions regulate , which heaven , both first and last , should terminate , and in whatever circle else they run , there should they end , there should they be begun , there seek their pattern , and derive from thence their whole direction and their influence . as when th' almighty this low world did frame , life by degrees to its perfection came , in vegetation first sprung up , to sense ascended next , and climb'd to reason thence , so we , pursuing our attainments , should press forward from what 's positively good , still climbing higher , until we reach the best , and that acquir'd for ever fix our rest . our souls so ravisht with the joys divine that they no more to creatures can decline . as gods rest was but a more high retreat from the delights of this inferiour seat , so must our souls upon our sabbaths climb , above the world , sequestred for that time , from those legitimate delights , which may rejoyce us here upon a common day . as god , his works compleated , did retire to be ador'd by the angelick quire , so when on us the seventh days light doth shine , should we our selves to gods assemblies joyn , thither all hearts , as one pure offring , bring and all with one accord adore our king. this seventh day the lord to mankind gave , nor is it the least priviledge we have . and ours peculiarly . the orbs above aswell the seventh as the sixth day move , the rain descends and the fierce tempest blows , on it the restless ocean ebbs and flows : bees that day fill the hive , and on that day ants their provisions in their store-house lay , all creatures plie their works , no beast but those which mankind use , share in that rest : which god indulg'd only to humane race , that they in it might come before his face to celebrate his worship and his praise , and gain a blessing upon all their days . o wretched souls of perverse men , who slight so great a grace , refuse such rich delight , which the inferiour creatures cannot share , to which alone their natures fitted are , and whereby favour'd men admitted be into the angels blest societle . yet is this rest but a far distant view of that celestial life which we pursue , by satan oft so interrupted here , that little of its glory doth appear , nor can our souls sick , languid appetite feast upon such substantial , strong delight . as musick pains the grieved aking head , with which the healthful sense is sweetly fed ; so duties wherein sound hearts full joys find , fetters and sad loads are to a sick mind , till it thereto by force it self mure , and from a loathing fall to love its cure . god for his worship kept one day of seven , the other six to man for mans use given ; adam , although so highly dignified , was not to spend in idle ease and pride nor supine sleep , drunk with his sensual pleasures , profusely wasting th' empires sacred treasures , as now his faln sons do , that arrogate his forfeited dominion , and high state ; but god his dayly business did ordain that kings , hence taught , might in their realms maintain fair order , serving those whom they command , as guardians , not as owners of the land , not being set there , to pluck up and destroy those plants , whose culture should their cares employ . nor doth this precept only kings comprize , the meanest must his little paradise with no less vigilance and care attend than princes on their vast enclosures spend . all hence must learn their duty , to suppress th' intrusions of a sordid idleness . who form'd , could have preserv'd the garden fair without th' employment of mans busie care , but that he will'd that our delight should be the wages of our constant industrie , that we his ever bounteous hand might bless crowning our honest labours with success , and tast the joy men reap in their own fruit , loving that more to which they contribute either the labour of their hands or brains , than better things produc'd by others pains . led by desire , fed with fair hope , the fruit oft-times delights not more than the pursuit . for man a nature hath to action prone , that languishes , and sickens finding none . as standing pools corrupt , water that flows , more pure , by its continual current , grows , so humane kind by active exercise , do to the heights of their perfection rise , while their stock'd glory comes to no ripe growth , whose lives corrupt in idleness and sloth which is not natural , but a disease , that doth upon the flesh-cloy'd spirit seize . where health untainted is , then the sound mind in its employment doth its pleasure find . but when death , or its representer sleep upon the mortals tired members creep , this during its dull reign doth life suspend , that ceasing action , puts it to an end . lastly since god himself did man employ to dress up paradise , that moderate joy which from this fair creation we derive , is not our sin but our prerogative , if bounded so , as we fix not our rest in creatures which but transient are at best , yet 't is sin to neglect , not use , or prize , as well as 't is to wast and idolize . canto iv. good were all natures as god made them all , good was his will permitting some to fall , that th' rest renouncing their frail strength might stand humble and firm in his supporting hand , his wisdome and omnipotence might own , when his foes power and craft is overthrown , seeing his hate of sin , might thence confess his pure innate and perfect holiness , and that the glory of his justice might in the rebels torturing flames seem bright . that th' ever bless'd redeemer might take place to illustrate his rich mercy and free grace whereby he fallen sinners doth restore to fuller bliss than they enjoy'd before ; that vertue might in its clear brightness shine which like rich ore concealed in the mine had not been known , but that opposing vice illustrates it by frequent exercise . if all were good , whence then arose the ill ? 't was not in gods , but in the creatures will , averting from that good , which is supream , corrupted so , as a declining stream that breaks off its communion with its head , by whom its life and sweetness late were fed , turns to a noisome , dead , and poysonous lake , infecting all who the foul waters take : or as a branch cut from the living tree , passes into contempt immediately , and dies divided from its glorious stock ; so strength disjoyned from the living rock , turns to contemned imbecillity , and doth to all its grace and glory die . some new-made angels thus , not more sublime in nature , than transcending in their crime , quitting th' eternal fountain of their light , became the first-born sons of woe and night , princes of darkness , and the sad abysse , which now their cursed place and portion is , where they no more must fee gods glorious face nor ever taste of his refreshing grace , but in the fire of his fierce anger dwell , which though it burns , enlightens not their hell. but circumstances that we cannot know of their rebellion and their overthrow we will not dare t' invent , nor will we take guesses from the reports themselves did make to their old priests , to whom they did devise to inspire some truths , wrapt up in many lies ; such as their gross poetick fables are , saturn's extrusion , the bold giants war , division of the universal realm , to gods that in high heaven steer the helm , others who all things in the ocean guide , and those who in th' infernal court preside , who there a vast and gloomy empire sway , whom all the furies and the ghosts obey . but not to name these foolish impious tales , which stifle truth in her pretended veils , let us in its own blazing conduct go , and look no further than that light doth show ; wherein we see the present powers of hell , before they under gods displeasure fell , were once endued with grace and excellence , beyond the comprehension of our sense , pure holy lights in the bright heaven were blazing about the throne , but not fixt there ; where , by the apostasie of their own will , precipitating them into all ill , and gods just wrath , whose eyes are far too pure stain'd and polluted objects to endure , they fell like lightning , hurl'd in his fierce ire , and falling , set the lower world on fire : which their loose prison is where they remain , and walk as criminals under gods chain ; until the last and great assizes come , when execution shall seal up their doom . thus are they now to their created light , unto all truth , and goodness opposite , hating the peace and joy that reigns above , vainly contending to extinguish love , ruine gods sacred empire , and destroy that blessedness they never can enjoy . a chief they have , whose soveraign power and place but adds to'his sin , his torture , and disgrace . an order too there is in their dire state , though they all orders else disturb and hate . ten thousand thousand wicked spirits stand , attending their black prince , at his command , to all imaginable evils prest , that may promote their common interest . nor are they linked thus by faith and love , but hate of god and goodness , which doth move the same endeavours and desires in all , lest civil wars should make their empire fall . an empire which the almighty doth permit , yet so as he controlls and limits it . suffering their rage sometimes to take effect , only to be the more severely checkt ; when he produces a contrary end , from what they did malitiously intend , befools their wisdome , crosses their designs , and blows them up in their own crafty mines , allows them play in the entangling net , so to be faster in damnation set , submits them to each others tyrannies , who did gods softer sacred bonds despise , le ts them still fight , who never can prevail , more curs'd if they succeed , than if they fail , since every soul the rebels gain from god , adds but another scorpion to that rod , bound up , that they may mutual torturers be , tormented and tormenting equally . as a wise general that doth design to keep his army still in discipline , suffers the embodying of some slighter foes , which he at his own pleasure can enclose , and vanquish , that he justly may chastise their folly , and his own troops exercise , their vigilance , their faith and valour prove ; endearing them thereby to his own love , as he alike endears himself to theirs , by his continual succours and kind cares : so the almighty gives the devils scope , who though they are excluded from all hope of e're escaping , no reluctance have , but like the desperate villain they make brave , to death pursue their bold attempts , that all o're whom they cannot reign , with them may fall . and tho' gods watchful guards besiege them round that none can pass their strict prescribed bound , yet make they daily sallies in their pride , which still repulst the holy host deride . their malice in it self and its event , being equally a crime and punishment . thus though sin in it self be ill , 't is good that sin should be , for thereby rectitude thorough oppos'd iniquity , as light by shades , is more conspicuous and more bright . the wonderful creation of mankind , for lasting glory and rich grace design'd , the blessed angels look'd on with delight , gladded to see us climb so near their height ; above all other works , next in degree , and capable of their societie . but 't was far otherwise with those that fell mans destin'd heaven , encreas'd their hell , while they burnt with a proud malitious spite to see a new-made , earth-born favourite , for their high seats and empty thrones design'd ; therefore both against god and man combin'd , to hinder gods decree from taking place , and to devest man of his makers grace ; which while he in a pure obedience stood , they knew , not all their force nor cunning cou'd , but if they could with any false pretence inveigle him to quit his innocence , they hop'd death would prevent the dreaded womb from whence their happier successors must come . wherefore th' accursed soveraign of hell thinking no other devil could so well act this ill part , whose consequence was high enough to engage his hateful majesty , himself exposes for the common cause , and with his hellish kingdomes full applause , goes forth , putting himself into disguise , and so within a bright scal'd serpent lies , folded about the fair forbidden tree , watching a wish'd for opportunitie , which eve soon gave him , coming there alone so to be first and easier overthrown ; on whose weak side , th' assault had not been made had she not from her firm protection stray'd ; but so the devil then , so leud men now prevail , when women privacies allow , and to those flatt'ring whispers lend an ear which even impudence it self would fear to utter in the presence of a friend , whose vertuous awe our frailty might defend . though unexperience might excuse eves fault , yet those who now give way to an assault , by suffring it alone , none can exempt from the just blame that they their tempters tempt , and by vain confidence themselves betray , fondly secure in a known desperate way . as eve stood near the tree , the subtile beast , by satan mov'd , his speech to her addrest hath god , said he , forbid that you should tast these pleasant fruits , which in your eyes are plac't , why are the tempting boughs expos'd , if you may not delight your palates with your view ? god , said the woman , gives us libertie to eat without restraint of every tree which in the garden grows , but only one ; restrain'd by such a prohibition , we dare not touch it , for when e're we do a certain death will our offence ensue . then did the wicked subtile beast replie , ah simple wretch , you shall not surely die , god enviously to you this fruit denies , he knows that eating it , will make you wise , of good and ill give you discerning sense , and raise you to a god-like excellence . eve quickly caught in the foul hunters net , believ'd that death was only a vain threat , her unbelief quenching religious dread infectious counsel in her bosome bred , dissatisfaction with her present state and fond ambition of a godlike height . who now applies herself to its pursuit , with longing eyes looks on the lovely fruit , first nicely plucks , then eats with full delight , and gratifies her murderous appetite ; poyson'd with the sweet relish of her sin , before her inward torturing pangs begin , the pleasure to her husband she commends , and he by her persuasion too offends , as by the serpents she before had done . hence learn pernicious councellors to shun . within the snake the crafty tempter smil'd to see mankind so easily beguil'd , but laugh not satan , god shall thee deride , the son of god and man shall scourge thy pride , and in the time of vengeance shall exact a punishment on thee , for this accursed fact . now wrought the poyson on the guilty pair , who with confusion on each , other stare , while death possession takes , and enters in at the wide breach , laid open by their sin . sound health and joy before th' intruder fled , sickness and sorrow coming in their stead . their late sweet calm did now for ever cease , storms in all quarters drove away their peace ; dread , guilt , remorse in the benighted soul , like raging billows on each other rowl ; deaths harbingers waste in each province make , while thundring terrours mans whole island shake . within , without , disorder'd in the storm , the colour fades , and tremblings change the form , heat melts their substance , cold their joynts benumbs , dull languishment their vigour overcomes . grief conquer'd beauty lays down all her arms , and mightier woe dissolves her late strong charms , shame doth their looks deject , no chearful grace , no pleasant smiles , appear in their sad face , they see themselves fool'd , cheated , and betray'd , and naked in the view of heaven made ; no glory compasses the drooping head , the sight of their own ugliness they dread , and curtains of broad , thin fig-leaves devise to hide themselves from their own weeping eyes ; but , ah , these coverings were too slight and thin to ward their shame off , or to keep out sin , or the keen airs quick piercing shafts , which through both leaves and pores into the bowels flew . while they remain'd in their pure innocence it was their robe of glory and defence : but when sin tore that mantle off , they found their members were all naked , all uncrown'd ; their purity in every place defil'd , their vest of righteousness all torn and spoyl'd . wherefore , through guilt , the late lov'd light they shun , and into the obscurest shadow run ; but in no darkness can their quiet find , carrying within them a disturbed mind , which doth their cureless folly represent , and makes them curse their late experiment ; wishing they had been pure and ignorant still , nor coveted the knowledge of their ill . ah thus it is that yet we learn our good , till it be lost , but seldome understood , rich blessings , while we have them , little prize . until their want their value magnifies , and equally doth our remorse encrease for having cast away such happiness . o wretched man ! who at so dear a rate purchas'd the knowledge of his own frail state , knowledge of small advantage to the wise , which only their affliction multiplies , while they in painful study vex their brain , pursuing what they never can attain ; and what would not avail them if acquir'd , till at the length with fruitless labour tir'd , all that the learned and the wise can find is but a vain disturbance of the mind , a sense of mans inevitable woes , which he but little feels , who little knows ; while mortals , holding on their error , still pursue the knowledge both of good and ill , they neither of them perfectly attain , but in a dark tumultuous state remain ; till sense of ill , encreasing like nights shade , or hath a blot of good impressions made , or good , victorious as the morning light , triumph over the vanquisht opposite . for both at once abide not in one place , good knowledge flies from them who ill embrace . so were our parents fill'd with guilt and fear , when in the groves they gods approaches hear , and from the terrour of his presence fled ; whether their own convictions caus'd their dread , for inward guilt of conscience might suffice to chace vile sinners from his purer eyes ; or nature felt an angry gods descent , which shook the earth , and tore the firmament , we are not told , nor will too far enquire . lightnings and tempests might speak forth his ire . for at the day of universal doom the great judge shall in flaming vengeance come ; an all-consuming fire shall go before , whirlwinds and thunder shall about him roar , horror shall darken the whole troubled skies , and bloody veils shall hide the worlds bright eyes , while stars from the dissolving heaven drop down , and funeral blazes every turret crown . the clouds shall be confounded with the waves , the yawning earth shall open all her graves , loud fragors shall firm rocks in sunder rend , cleft mountains shall hells fiery jaws distend , vomiting cinders , sulphur , pitch , and flame , which shall consume the worlds unjoynted frame , and turn the paradises we admire into an ever-boyling lake of fire . but god then , in his rich grace , did delay these dismalterrors , till the last great day . yet even his first approach created dread , and the poor mortals from his anger fled ; until a calmer voice their sense did greet . love even when it chides is kind and sweet . the sense of wrath far from the fear'd power drives , the sense of love brings home the fugitives . souls flying god into despair next fall , thence into hate , till black hell close up all . but if sweet mercy meet them on the way , that milder voyce , first doth their mad flight stay , and their ill-quitted hope again restore , then love that was forsaking them before returns with a more flaming strong desire of those sweet joys from which it did retire , and in their absence woe and terror found , and all those plagues that can a poor soul wound . while thus this love with holy ardour burns , the bleeding sinner to his god returns , and prostrate at his throne of grace doth lie , if death he cannot shun , yet there to die . where mercy still doth fainting souls revive , and in its kind embraces keep alive a gentler fire , than what it lately felt under the sense of wrath . the soul doth melt , like precious ore , which when men would refine doth in its liquefaction brightly shine ; in cleansing penitential meltings so foul sinners once again illustrious grow , when christs all-heating softning spirit , hath their furnance been , and his pure blood their bath . now though gods wrath bring not the sinner home , who only by sweet love attracted come , yet is it necessary that the sense of it , should make us know the excellence , and taste the pleasantness of pardoning grace , that we may it with fuller joy embrace ; which when it brings a frighted wretch from hell makes it love more , than those who never fell : but mankinds love to god grows by degrees , as he more clearly gods sweet mercy sees , and god at first reveals not all his grace , that men more ardently may seek his face , averted by their folly and their pride , which makes them their confounded faces hide . as still the sun 's the same behind the clouds , such is gods love , which his kind anger shrouds , which doth not all at once it self reveal , but first in the thick shadows that conceal its glory , doth attenuation cause ; then the black , dismal curtain softly draws , and lets some glimmering light of hope appear , which rather is a lessening of our fear , than an assurance of our joy and peace , a truce with misery , rather than release . thus had not god come in mankind had died without repair , yet came he first to chide , to urge their sin , with its sad consequence , and make them feel the weight of their offence . to ' examine and arraign them at his bar , and shew them what vile criminals they were : but ah ! our utterance here is choak'd with woe , with tardy steps from paradise we go . then let us pause on our lost joys a while before we enter on our sad exile . canto v. sad natures sighs gave the alarms , and all her frighted hosts stood to their arms , waiting whom the great soveraign would employ his all deserted rebels to destroy : when god descended out of heaven above his disobedient viceroy to remove . yet though himself had seen the forfeiture , which distance could not from his eyes obscure , to teach his future substitutes how they should judgements execute in a right way , he would not unexamin'd facts condemn , nor punish sinners without hearing them . therefore cites to his bar the criminals , and adam first out of his covert calls , where art thou adam ? the almighty said , here lord , the trembling sinner answer made , amongst the trees i in the garden heard thy voice , and being naked was afeard , nor durst i so thy purer sight abide , therefore my self did in this shelter hide . hast thou ( said god ) eat the forbidden tree , or who declar'd thy nakedness to thee ? she , answer'd adam , whom thou didst create to be my helper and associate , gave me the fatal fruit , and i did eat ; then eve was also call'd from her retreat , woman what hast thou done ? th' almighty said ; lord , answer'd she , the serpent me betray'd , and i did eat . thus did they both confess their guilt , and vainly sought to make it less , by such extenuations , as well weigh'd , the sin , so circumstanc'd , more sinful made : a course which still half softned sinners use , transferring blame their own faults to excuse , they care not how , nor where , and oftentimes on god himself obliquely charge their crimes , expostulating in their discontent , as if he caus'd what he did not prevent ; which adam wickedly implies , when he cries , 't was the woman that thou gavest me ; oft-times make that the devils guilt alone , which was as well and equally their own . his lies could never have prevail'd on eve but that she wisht them truth , and did believe a forgery that suited her desire , whose haughty heart was prone enough to ' aspire . the tempting and the urging was his ill , but the compliance was in her own will. and herein truly lies the difference of natural and gracious penitence , the first transferreth and extenuates the guilt , which the other owns and aggravates . while sin is but regarded slight and small , it makes the value of rich mercy fall , but as our crimes seem greater in our eyes , so doth our grateful sense of pardon rise . poor mankind at gods righteous bar was cast and set for judgement by , when at the last satan within the serpent had his doom , whose execrable malice left no room for plea or pardon , but was sentenc'd first ; thou ( said the lord ) above all beasts accurst , shalt on thy belly creep , on dust shalt feed , between thee and the woman , and her seed and thine , i will put lasting enmity ; thou in this war his heel shalt bruise , but he thy head shall break . more various mystery ne're did within so short a sentence lie . here is irrevocable vengeance , here love as immutable . here doth appear infinite wisdome plotting with free grace , even by mans fall , th' advance of humane race . severity here utterly confounds , here mercy cures by kind and gentle wounds , the father here , the gospel first reveals , here fleshly veils th' eternal son conceals . the law of life and spirit here takes place , given with the promise of assisting grace : here is an oracle fore-telling all , which shall the two opposed seeds befall . the great war hath its first beginning here , carried along more than five thousand year , with various success on either side , and each age with new combatants suppli'd : two soveraign champions here we find , satan and christ contending for mankind . two empires here , two opposite cities rise , dividing all in two societies . the little church and the worlds larger state pursuing it with ceaseless spite and hate . each party here erecting their own walls , as one advances , so the other falls . hope in the promise the weak church confirms , hell and the world fight upon desperate terms , by this most certain oracle they know , their war must end in final overthrow . some little present mischief they may do , and this with eager malice they pursue . the angels whom gods justice did divide , engage their mighty powers on either side , hells gloomy princes the worlds rulers made , heavens unseen host the churches guard and aid . till the frail womans conquering son shall tread beneath his feet the serpents broken head ; though god the speech to mans false foe address , the words rich grace to fallen man express , which god will not to him himself declare , till he implore it by submissive prayer ; sufficient 't is to know a latitude for hope , which doth no penitent exclude . had deaths sad sentence past on man , before the promise of that seed which should restore his fallen state , destroying death and sin , cureless as satans had his misery been . but though free grace did future help provide , yet must he present loss and woe abide ; and feel the bitter curse , that he may so the sweet release of saving mercy know . prepar'd with late indulged hope , on eve th' almighty next did gentler sentence give . i will , said he , greatly augment thy woes , and thy conceptions , which with painful throes thou shalt bring forth , yet shall they be to thee but a successive crop of misery . thy husband shall thy ruler be , whose sway thou shalt with passionate desires obey . alas ! how sadly to this day we find th' effect of this dire curse on womankind ; eve sin'd in fruit forbid , and god requires her pennance in the fruit of her desires . when first to men their inclinations move , how are they tortur'd with distracting love ! what disappointments find they in the end ; constant uneasinesses which attend the best condition of the wedded state , giving all wives sense of the curses weight , which makes them ease and liberty refuse , and with strong passion their own shackles chuse : now though they easier under wise rule prove , and every burthen is made light by love , yet golden fetters , soft lin'd yoaks still be , though gentler ourbs , but curbs of liberty , as well as the harsh tyrants iron yoak , more sorely galling them whom they provoke , to loath their bondage , and despise the rule of an unmanly , fickle , froward fool . whate're the husbands be , they covet fruit , and their own wishes to their sorrows contribute . how painfully the fruit within them grows , what tortures do their ripened births disclose , how great , how various , how uneasie are the breeding sicknesses , pangs that prepare the violent openings of lifes narrow door , whose fatal issues we as oft deplore ! what weaknesses , what languishments ensue , scattering dead lillies where fresh roses grew . what broken rest afflicts the careful nurse , extending to the breasts the mothers curse ; which ceases not when there her milk she dries , the froward child draws new streams from her eyes . how much more bitter anguish do we find labouring to raise up vertue in the mind , then when the members in our bowels grew , what sad abortions , what cross births ensue ? what monsters , what unnatural vipers come eating their passage through their parents womb ; how are the tortures of their births renew'd , unrecompenc'd with love and gratitude : even the good , who would our cares requite , would be our crowns , joys , pillars , and delight , affect us yet with other griefs and fears , opening the sluces of our ne're dried tears . death , danger , sickness , losses , all the ill that on the children falls , the mothers feel , repeating with worse pangs , the pangs that bore them into life , and though some may have more of sweet and gentle mixture , some of worse , yet every mothers cup tasts of the curse . and when the heavy load her faint heart tires , makes her too oft repent her fond desires , now last of all , as adam last had been drawn into the prevaricating sin , his sentence came : because that thou didst yield , ( said god ) to thy enticing wife , the field producing briars and fruitless thorns to thee , accursed for thy sake and sins shall be . thy careful brows in constant toyls shall sweat , thus thou thy bread shalt all thy whole life eat , till thou return into the earths vast womb ; whence , taken first , thou didst a man become ; for dust thou art , and dust again shalt be when lifes declining spark goes out in thee . in all these sentences we strangely find gods admirable love to lost mankind ; who though he never will his word recal , or let his threats like shafts at randome fall , yet can his wisdome order curses so that blessings may out of their bowels flow . thus death the door of lasting life became , dissolving nature , to rebuild her frame , on such a sure foundation , as shall break all the attempts hells cursed empire make . thus god reveng'd mans quarrel on his foe , to whom th' almighty would no mercy show , making his reign , his respite , and success , all augmentations of his cursedness . thus gave he us a powerful chief and head , by whom we shall be out of bondage led . and made the penalties of our offence , precepts and rules of new obedience , fitted in all things to our fallen state , under sweet promises , that ease their weight . our first injunction is to hate and flie the flatteries of our first grand enemy ; to have no friendship with his cursed race , the int'rest of the opposite seed t' embrace , where though we toyl in fights , tho' bruis'd we be , yet shall our combate end in victory : eternal glory , healing our slight wound , when all our labours are with triumph crown'd . the next command is , mothers should maintain posterity , not frighted with the pain , which tho' it make us mourn under the sense of the first mothers disobedience , yet hath a promise that thereby she shall recover all the hurt of her first fall , when , in mysterious manner , from her womb her father , brother , husband , son shall come . subjection to the husband's rule enjoyn'd , in the next place , that yoak with love is lin'd , love too a precept made , where god requires we should perform our duties with desires ; and promises t' encline our averse will , whose satisfaction takes away the ill of every toyl , and every suffering that can from unenforc'd submission spring ; the last command , god with mans curse did give , was that men should in honest callings live , eating their own bread , fruit of their own sweat ; nor feed like drones on that which others get : and this command a promise doth implie , that bread should recompence our industry . one mercy more his sentence did include , that mortal toyls , faintings and lassitude , should not beyond deaths fixed bound extend , but there in everlasting quiet end ; when men out of the troubled air depart , and to their first material dust revert , the utmost power that death or woe can have is but to shut us pris'ners in the grave , bruising the flesh , that heel whereon we tread , but we shall trample on the serpents head . our scatter'd atoms shall again condense , and be again inspir'd with living sense ; captivity shall then a captive be , death shall be swallow'd up in victory , and god shall man to paradise restore , where the foul tempter shall seduce no more how far our parents , whose sad eyes were fixt on woe and terror , saw the mercy mixt , we can but make a wild uncertain guess , as we are now affected in distress , who less regard the mitigation still than the slight smart of our afflicting ill ; and while we groan under the hated yoak , our gratitude for its soft lining choak . but god having th' amazed sinners doom'd , put off the judges frown and reassum'd a tender fathers kind and melting face opening his gracious arms for new embrace , taught them to expiate their heinous guilt by spotless sacrifice and pure blood spilt , which done in faith did their faint hearts sustain , till the intended lamb of god was slain , whose death , whose merit , and whose innocence , the forfeit paid and blotted out th' offence . the skins of the slain beasts , god vestures made , wherein the naked sinners were array'd , not without mystery , which typifi'd that righteousness that doth our foul shame hide . as when a rotting patient must endure painful excisions to effect his cure , his spirits we with cordials fortifie , lest , unsupported , he should faint and die : so with our parents the almighty dealt , before their necessary woes they felt , their feeble souls rich promises upheld , and their deliverance was in types reveal'd , even their bodies god himself did arm with clothes that kept them from the weathers harm , but after all , they must be driven away , nor in their forfeit paradise must stay . then , said the lord , with holy ironie , whence man the folly of his pride might see , the earthy man like one of us is grown , to whom , as god , both good and ill is known , now lest he also eat of th' other tree whose fruit gives life , and an immortal be , let us by just and timely banishment his further sinful arrogance prevent . then did he them out of the garden chace , and set a cherubim to guard the place ; who wav'd a flaming sword before the door , through which the wretches must return no more : may we not liken to this sword of flame the threatning law which from mount sinai came , with such thick flashes of prodigious fire as made the mountains shake and men retire : forbidding them all forward hope , that they could enter into life that dreadful way . whate're it was , whate're it signifies , it kept our parents out of paradise , who now returning to their place of birth found themselves strangers in their native earth . their fatal breach of gods most strict command had there dissolv'd all concord , the sweet band of universal loveliness and peace . and now the calm in every part did cease ; love , tho' immutable , its smiles did shrowd under the dark veil of an angry cloud . and while he seem'd withdrawn , whose grace upheld the order of all things , confusion fill'd the universe . the air became impure , and frequent dreadful conflicts did endure with every other angry element ; the whirling fires its tender body rent . from earth and seas gross vapours did arise , turn'd to prodigious meteors in the skies ; the blustring winds let loose their furious rage , and in their battels did the floods engage . the sun confounded was with natures shame , and the pale moon shrunk in her sickly flame ; the rude congressions of the angry stars in heaven , begun the universal wars , while their malicious influence from above , on earth did various perturbations move , droughts , inundations , blastings , kill'd the plants ; worse influence wrought on th' inhabitants , inspiring lust , rage , ravenous appetite , which made the creatures in all regions fight . the little insects in great clouds did rise , and in battalia's spread , obscur'd the skies ; armies of birds encountred in the air , with hideous cries deciding battles there ; the birds of prey to gorge their appetite , seiz'd harmless fowl in their unwary flight . when the dim evening had shut in the day , troops of wild beasts , all marching out for prey , to the restless flocks would go , and there oft-times by other troops assailed were , who snatcht out of their jaws the new slain food , and made them purchase it again with blood . thus sin the whole creation did divide into th' oppressing and the suffering side ; those still employing craft and violence to ' ensnare and murther simple innocence , true emblems were of satans craft and power in daily ambuscado to devour . nor only emblems were , but organs too , in and by whom he did his mischiefs do , while persecuting cruelty and rage them in his cursed party did engage . love , meekness , patience , gentleness , combin'd the tamer brood with those of their own kind . wherefore god chose them for his sacrifice , when he the proud and mighty did despise , and his most certain oracles declare , they mans restored peace at last shall share : but to our parents , then , sad was the change which them from peace and safety did estrange , brought universal woe and discord in , the never failing consequents of sin ; nor only made all things without them jar , but in their breasts rais'd up a civil war , reason and sense maintain'd continual fight , urging th' aversion and the appetite , which led two different troops of passions out , confounding all , in their tumultuous rout . the less world with the great proportion held : as winds the caverns , sighs the bosomes fill'd ; so flowing tears did beauties fair fields drown , as inndations kept within no bound . fear earth-quakes made , lust in the fancy whirl'd , turn'd into flame , and bursting fir'd the world : spite , hate , revenge , ambition , avarice made innocence a prey to monstrous vice . the cold and hot diseases represent the perturbations of the element . thus woe and danger had beset them round , distrest without , within no comfort found . even as a monarchs favourite in disgrace suffers contempt both from the high and base , and the most abject most insult o're them , whom the offended soveraigns condemn ; so after man th' almighty disobey'd , each little fly durst his late king invade , aswell as the woods monsters , wolves and bears , and all things else that exercise his fears . methinks i hear sad eve in some dark vale her woful state , with such sad plaints , bewail : ah! why doth death its latest stroke delay , if we must leave the light , why do we stay by slow degrees more painfully to die , and languish in a long calamity ? have we not lost by one false cheating sin all peace without , all sweet repose within ? is there a pleasure vet that life can show , doth not each moment multiplie our woe : and while we live thus in perpetual dread , our hope and comfort long before us dead ? why should we not our angry maker pray at once to take our wretched lives away ? hath not our sin all natures pure leagues rent and arm'd against us every element ? have not our subjects their allegiance broke , doth not each worm scorn our unworthy yoak ? are we not half with griping hunger pin'd , before we bread amongst the brambles find ? all pale diseases in our members reign , anguish and grief no less our sick souls pain , whereever i my eyes , or thoughts convert , each object adds new tortures to my heart . if i look up , i dread heavens threatning frown , thorns prick my eyes , when shame hath cast them down , dangers i see , looking on either hand , before me all in fighting posture stand . if i cast back my sorrow-drowned eyes , i see our ne're to be recover'd paradise , the flaming sword which doth us thence exclude , by sad remorse and ugly guilt pursued . if i on thee a private glance reflect , confusion doth my shameful eyes deject , seeing the man i love by me betray'd , by me , who for his mutual help was made , who to preserve thy life ought to have died , and i have kill'd thee by my foolish pride ; defil'd thy glory , and pull'd down thy throne . o that i had but sin'd , and died alone ! then had my torture and my woe been less , i yet had flourisht in thy happiness . if these words adams melting soul did move , he might reply with kind rebuking love . cease , cease , o foolish woman , to dispute , gods soveraign will and power are absolute . if he will have us soon , or slow to die , frail worms must yield , but must not question why . when his great hand appears , we must conclude all that he doth is wife , and just , and good ; though our poor , sin-benighted fouls , are blind , nor can the mysteries of his wisdome find , yet in our present case we must confess his justice and our own unrighteousness . he warn'd us of this fatal consequence , that death must wait on disobedience ; yet we despis'd his threat , and broke his law , so did destruction on our own heads draw ; now under his afflicting hand we lie , reaping the fruit of our iniquity . which , had not he prevented , when we fell , at once had plung'd us in the lowest hell ; but by his mercy yet we have reprieve , and yet are shew'd how we in death may live , if we improve our short indulged space to understand , prize , and accept his grace . did all of us at once like brutes expire , and cease to be , we might quick death desire : but since our chief and immaterial part , not fram'd of dust , doth not to dust revert : its death not an annihilation is , but to be cut off from its supream bliss : whatever here to mortals can befal , compar'd to future miseries is small , the saddest , sharpest , and the longest have their final consummations in the grave , these have their intermissions and allays , though black and gloomy ones , these nights have days , the worst calamities we here endure admit a possibility of cure ; our miseries here are varied in their kind , and in that change the wretched some ease find . sleep here our pained senses stupifies , and cheating dreams in our sick fancies rise , but in our future sufferings 't is not so , there is no end , no intermitted woe , no more return from the accursed place , no hope , no possibility of grace , no sleepy intervals , no pleasant dreams , no mitigations of those sad extreams , no gentle mixtures , no soft changes there , perpetual tortures , heightned with despair , eternal horror , and eternal night , eternal burnings , with no glance of light , eternal pain . o 't is a thought too great , too terrible , for any to repeat , who have not scap'd the dread . let 's not to shun heavens scorching rays , into hells furnace run : but having slain our selves , let 's flie to him who only can our souls from death redeem , to undo what 's done is not within our power , no more than to call back the last fled hour . to think we can our fallen state restore , or without hope , our ruine to deplore , are equal aggravating crimes ; the first repeats that sin for which we were accurst , while we with foolish arrogating pride , more in our selves than in our god confide ; the last is both ungrateful and unjust , that doth his goodness , or his power distrust . which wheresoe're we look , without , within , above , beneath , in every place is seen , doth heaven frown ? above the sullen shrouds god sits , and sees through all the blackest clouds sin casts about us , like the misty night , which hide his pleasing glances from our sight , nor only sees , but darts on us his beams ministring comfort in our worst extreams . when lightnings flie , dire storm and thunder roars , he guides the shafts , the serene calm restores . when shadows occupie days vacant room , he makes new glory spring from night dark womb . when the black prince of air le ts loose the winds , the furious warriours he in prison binds . if burning stars do conflagrations threat , he gives cool breezes to allay the heat . when cold doth in its rigid season reign , he melts the snows , and thaws the air again ; restoring the vicissitude of things , he still new good from every evil brings . he holds together the worlds shaken frame , ordaining every change , is still the same . if he permit the elements to fight , the rage of storms , the blackness of the night ; 't is that his power , love and wisdome may more glory have , restoring calm and day ; that we may more the pleasant blessings prize , laid in the ballance with their contraries . though dangers then , like gaping monsters stand ready to swallow us on either hand ; let us despise them , firm in this faith still , if god will save , they can nor hurt nor kill ; if by his just permission we are slain , his power can heal and quicken us again . if briers and thorns , which from our sins arise looking on earth , pierce through our guilty eyes , let 's yet give thanks they have not choak'd the seed which should with better fruit our sad lives feed . if discord set the inward world on fire , with hast let 's to the living spring retire , there quench , and quiet the disturbed soul , there on loves sweet refreshing green banks rowl , where ecstasied with joy , we shall not feel the serpents little nibblings at our heel . if we look back on paradise , late lost , joys vanisht like swift dreams , thaw'd like a frost , converting pleasant walks to dirt and mire , would we such frail delights again desire , which at their best , however excellent , had this defect , they were not permanent ? if sin , remorse , and guilt give us the chace , let us lie close in mercies sweet embrace , which when it us asham'd , and naked found in the soft arms of melting pity bound ; eternal glorious triumphs did prepare , arm'd us with clothes against the wounding air , by expiating sacrifices taught , how new life shall by death to light be brought . if we before us look , although we see all things in present fighting posture be : yet in the promise we a prospect have of victory swallowing up the empty grave ; our foes all vanquisht , death it self lies dead , and we shall trample on the monsters head . entring into a new and perfect joy , which neither sin nor sorrow can destroy : a lasting and refin'd felicity , for which even we our selves refin'd must be . then shall we laugh at our now childish woes , and hug the birth that issues from these throes . let not my share of grief afflict thy mind , but let me comfort in thy courage find ; 't was not thy malice , but thy ignorance that lately my destruction did advance ; nor can i my own self excuse ; 't was i undid my self by my facility . let 's not in vain each other now upbraid , but rather strive to afford each other aid : and our most gracious lord with due thanks bless , who hath not left us single in distress . when fear chills thee , my hope shall make thee warm , when i grow faint , thou shalt my courage arm ; when both our spirits at a low ebb are , we both will joyn in mutual fervent prayer to him whose gracious succour never fails , when sin and death poor feeble man assails , he that our final triumph hath decreed , and promis'd thee salvation in thy seed . ah! can i this in adams person say , while fruitless tears melt my poor life away ? of all the ills to mortals incident , none more pernicious is than discontent , that brat of unbellef , and stubborn pride , and sensual lust , with no joy satisfied , that doth ing ratitude and murmur nurse , and is a sin which carries its own curse ; this is the only smart of every ill ; but can we without it sad tortures feel ? yes ; if our souls above our sense remain , and take not in th' afflicted bodies pain , when they descend and mix with the disease , then doth the anguish live , reign , and encrease which when the soul is not in it , grows saint , and wastes its strength , not nourisht with complaint , submissive , humble , happy , sweet content a thousand deaths by one death doth prevent ; when our rebellious wills subdued thereby into th' eternal will and wisdome , die ; nor is that will harsh or irrational , but sweet in that which we most bitter call , who err in judging what is ill or good , only by studying that will , understood . what we admire in a low paradise , if they our souls from heavenly thoughts entice , here terminating our most strong desire , which should to perfect permanence aspire , from being good to us they are so far , that they our fetters , yoaks and poysons are , the obstacles of our felicity , the ruine of our souls most firm healths be , quenching that life-maintaining appetite , which makes substantial fruit our sound delight . the evils , so miscall'd , that we endure are wholsome medicines tending to our cure , only disease to these aversion breeds , the healthy soul on them with due thanks feeds . if for a prince , a mistress , or a friend , many do joy their bloods and lives to spend , wealth , honour , ease , dangers and wounds despise , should we not more to gods will sacrifice ? and by free gift prevent that else-sure loss ? whate're our will is , we must bear the cross , which freely taken up , the weight is less , and hurts not , carried on with chearfulness ; besides , what we can lose , are gliding streams , light airy shadows , unsubstantial dreams , wherein we no propriety could have but that which our own cheating fancy gave ; the right of them was due to god alone , and when with thanks we render him his own , either he gives us back our offerings , or our submission pays with better things : were ills as real as our fancies make , they soon must us , or we must them forsake ; we cannot miss ease and vicissitude , till our last rest our labours shall conclude . natural tears there are , which in due bound do not the soul with sinful sorrow drown , repentant tears too are no fretting brine , but loves soft meltings , which the soul refine , like gentle showers , that usher in the spring , these make the soul more fair and flourishing . no murmuring winds of passions here prevail , but the life-breathing spirits sweet fresh gale , which by those fruitful drops all graces feeds , and draws rich extracts from the soaked seeds , but worldly sorrow , like rough winters storms , all graces kills , all loveliness deforms , augments the evils of our present state , and doth eternal woes anticipate . vain is that grief which can no ill redress , but adds affliction to uneasiness ; unnerving the souls powers , then , when they shou'd most exercise their constant fortitude . with these most certain truths let 's wind up all , whatever doth to mortal men befall not casual is , like shafts at randome shot , but providence distributes every lot , in which th' obedient and the meek rejoyce , above their own preferring gods wise choice : nor is his providence less good than wise , tho' our gross sense pierce not its mysteries . as there 's but one most true substantial good , and god himself is that beatitude : so can we suffer but one real ill , divorce from him by our repugnant will , which when to just submission it returns , the reunited soul no longer mourns , his serene rays dry up its former tears , dispel the tempest of its carnal fears , which dread what either never may arrive , or not as seen in their false perspective ; for in the crystal mirror of gods grace all things appear with a new lovely face . when that doth heavens more glorious palace show we cease to ' admire a paradise below , rejoyce in that which lately was our loss , and see a crown made up of every cross. return , return , my soul to thy true rest , as young benighted birds unto their nest , there hide thy self under the wings of love till the bright morning all thy clouds remove . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a25742-e280 es. 10. 5 , 6 , 7 , &c. eccl. 6. 10. es. 27. 4. gen. 45. 4 , 5. act. 2. 23. gen. 50. 20. jam. 1. 17. rom. 1. 19. deut. 29. 29. gen. 1. 1. job 11. 7. 1 tim. 6. 16. & 1. 17. ps. 104. 2. es. 40. 12. job 38. rom. 1 20. heb. 11. 27. esai . 44. 6. rom. 11. 36. act. 17. 24 , 26 , 28. eph. 4. 5. the trinity . 1 joh. 5. 7. mat. 28. 19. mat. 3. 16 , 17. joh. 14. 10. prov. 8. 22 , 30. jo. 1. 1. phil. 2. 6. joh. 5. 18. joh. 1. 14. 1 cor. 1. 14. joh. 16. 13 , 14. joh. 15. 16. joh. 5. 17. heb. 12. 19. es. 42. 4. joh. 5. 26. 1 cor. 8. 6. joh. 5. 19. eph. 1. 11. 2 tim. 1. 9. jo. 1. 3. heb. 1. 2. joh. 5. 19 , &c. gen. 1. 2. job 26. 13. rev. 4. 11. psal. 147 , & 148. act. 17. 24. job 33. 12. psal. 95. 3. rev. 19. 6. ps. 16. 11. gen. 17. 10. job 35. ● . psal. 16. 2. rev. 1. 8. esa. 41. 4. gen. 1. 1. time. be resheth in capite , principio . rev. 10. 6. 2 pet. 3. 12. heb. 12. 27 , 28. heaven . heb. 11. 10. es. 66. 1. mat. 5. 34. 1 king. 8. 27. luk. 23. 43. 1 cor. 13. 13. 1 joh. 4. 16. psal. 16. 11. rev. 20. 5. heb. 4. 9. rev. 14. 13. rev. 22. 2. joh. 15. 1. rev. 21. 25 , 26. ps. 1 10 ex. 15. 17 , 18. rev. 7. 17. 1 pet. 1. 4. col. 3. 1 , 2 , 24. heb. 12. 2. psal. 73. 25. 2 tim. 4. 8. joh. 14 2. heb. 11. psal. 15. 1. & 122. 3. heb. 12. 22. 2 cor. 5. 1. rev. 21. 23. 2 cor. 12. 2. 1 pet. 1. 4. joel 2. 30. esa. 34. 4. ps. 102. 26. 1 pet. 3. 7 , 12. rev. 21. 27. es. 4. 5. angels . esa. 48. 2. mat. 26. 53. 2 sam. 14. 17. 2 thes. 1. 7. dan. 9. 21. es. 6. 6. col. 2. 18. rom. 8. 38. 1 thes. 4. 16. ps. 103. 20 , 21. gen. 3. 24. dan. 7. 10. mat. 6. 10. psal. 91. 11 , 12. 2 king. 19. 35. gen. 32. 1. luk. 2. 13 , 14. gen. 32. 1 , 2. gen. 19. 1. psa. 104. 4. lu. 16. 20. mat. 13. 39. heb. 12. 22. earth's chaos . gen. 1. 2. gen. 1. 3 , 4 , 5. joh. 3. 19 , 20 , 21. col. 1. 12 , 13. 1 pet. 1. 24. psa. 97. 11. notes for div a25742-e5180 gen. 1. 6. the firmament . psal. 104. 2 , 3. job 38. 22 , 23. 2 pet. 3. 5. job 37. 18. ps. 147. 16 , 17 , 18. job 26. to the end . ps. 18. 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 14. job 38. 27 , &c. ex. 9. 2. gen. 1. 10 , &c. psa. 104. 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10. eccl. 1. 7. eccl. 1. 4. rom. 4. 22. eph. 2. 6. ps. 102. 25. job 26. 7. gen. 2. 9. ps. 104. 14. ps. 90. 5 , 6. job 14. 2. es. 40. 6 , 7 , 8. mat. 6. 28 , 29 , 30. jam. 1. 10 , 11. job 14. 7 , 8. 1 cor. 3. 15. gen. 1. 12. the fourth day . hab. 3. 17 , 18. gen. 1. 14. &c. sun. psal. 19. 4 , 5 , 6. moon . stars . act. 27. 10. judg. 5. mat. 2. lu. 22. 28. psal. 19. gen. 1 20 , &c. job 41. mat. 10. 16. mat. 8. 26. & 10. 19. gen. 1. 2 es. 1. 3. notes for div a25742-e9690 psal. 8. 6. gen. 1. 26 , &c. eph. 4. 24. psal. 8. eccl. 3. 11. mat. 11. 25. ps. 144. 12. prov 15. 1. 1 joh. 2. 26. mat. 5. 28. 1 pet. 2. 14. jam. 5. 11. pro. 1. 10 , 11 , 12. pro. 25. 11. eccl. 12. 11. jam. 3. 6. job 4. 19. eccl. 7. 29. gen. 2. 8. gen. 3. 8. gen. 2. 10. gen. 2. 11. ver . 13. ver . 14. gen. 2. 9. ver . 19 , &c. society . ez. 36. 37. gen. 2. 18. heb. 12. 23. eccl. 4. 8 , &c. 1 cor. 12. 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12. mat. 5. 16. 15. eccl. 5. 9. mat. 15. 36. rom. 13. 9 , 10. 1 cor. 13. gen. 2. 21 , 22. ver . 23 , 24. eph. 5. 31. mat. 19. 5. gen. 1. 28 , &c. gen. 2. 22. heb. 134. prov. 18. 22. psa. 127. 3 , 4 , 5. psa. 121. 3 , 4 , 5. job 33. 15 , 16 , 17 , &c. deut. 32. 36. rom. 4. 19 joh. 19. 34. 1 joh. 5. 6. tir. 5. 5. phil. 4. 13. 2 cor. 12. 9. joh. 5. 2. eph. 2. 1 , 5 , 6 , &c. 2 tim. 1. 10. es. 53. 5. act. 20. 28. eph. 5. 25 , 26 , 27 , &c. rev. 5. 19. joh. 17. 9 , 10. psal. 2. 8. cant. 2. 16. & 4. 10. 1 cor. 3. 22 , 23. joh. 6. 38 , 39. rev. 5. 9 , 10. phil. 2. 9. joh 19. 27. col. 2. 13 , 14 , 15. 1 cor. 15. 54 , 55 , 21 , 22. joh. 17. 23 , 24. & 14. 3. eph. 4. 9 , 10 , &c. rom. 8. 17 , 18. 2 tim. 2. 12. col. 1. eph. 1. joh. 1. 16. act. 9. 4. mat. 25. 34. and forward . heb. 4. 13. & 10. 19 , 20. 1 pet. 1. 2. heb. 13. 12. 1 pet. 1. 10 , 11 , 12. eph. 3. 9 , 10. heb. 8. 5. 2 pet. 2. 14. mat. 5. 28. gen. 2. 1. ver . 16. ver . 19. gen. 1. 31. gen. 2. 2 , 3. ex. 20. 8. pro. 8. 22 , 30 , 31. mat. 3. 17. joh. 5. 17 , 20 , 21. jer. 9. 24. psal. 104. & 147. & 145. eccl. 9. 10. heb. 6. 1. phil. 3. 19. 1 cor. 10. 30. 1 joh 5. 3. ps. 119. 9. mat. 6. 33. col. 3. 1. heb. 5. 12 , 13 , 14. es. 58. 13. job 1. 6. heb. 10. 25. mat. 2. 27. ez. 20. 12. heb. 4. 9. & 12. 22. am. 8. 5. rom. 13. 3 , 4. 1 thes. 4. 11. 1 tim. 5 8. pro. 19. 15. & 10. 26. 1 tim. 4. 4 , 5. 1 joh. 2. 17. 1 cor. 7. 31 , 20. notes for div a25742-e18100 gen. 1. 31. rom. 9. 21 , 22 , 23. rom. 11. rom. 3. 6. gen. 18. 25. rom. 11. 33. 1 cor. 10. 12. rom. 16. 20. psal. 2. jos. 24. 19. psal. 5. 4 , 5 , 6. & 7. 11. &c. & 11. 5 , 6. 1 pet. 1. 10. eph. 1. 4 , 11. joh. 3. 16. eph. 2. 5. rom. 8. 35 , 36 , 37 , 38 , 39. rom. 5. 5 , &c. 1 pet. 4. 12 , 13 , 14. eccl. 7. 29. jude 6. joh. 8. 44. jer. 2 13. devils . eph. 2. 2. act. 26. 18. mat. 25. 41. rev. 20. 10. lu. 10. 18. jude 6. 2 pet. 2. 4. hab. 1. 13. lu. 10. 18. jam. 3. 6. joh. 8. 44. jud. 6. 1 cor. 6. 3. mat. 8. 29. gen. 3. 15. 1 pet. 5. 8. job 1. 7 , &c. rev. 12. 10. mark 3. 22 , 24 , 25 , 26. rev. 20. 10. luk. 8. 30. mat. 12. 25 , 26. rev. 20. 2 , 7 , 8. job 2. 6. col. 2. 14 , 15. heb. 2. 9 , 14. luk. 22. 3. 2 tim. 2. 25 , 26. eph. 6. 11 , 12 , &c. 1 pet. 5. 8. rev. 12. 12. lu. 16. 24. rev. 14. 10 , 11. mat. 25. 41. luk. 22. 31 , 32. joh. 17. 20. mat. 4. heb. 2. 18. & 4. 15. & 7. 25. rom. 16. 20. rev. 12. 7 , 8. mat. 4. 11. jude 9. lu. 15. 10. & 16. 22. heb. 12. 22. joh. 8. 44. 1 pet. 3. 13. gen. 3. 1 , &c. 2 tim. 3. 6. pro. 1. 10 , &c. 1 joh. 3. 8. joh. 16. 11. rom. 5. 12. esa. 48. 22. psa. 39. 11. ps. 1 39. 11. eccl. 1. 18. prov. 1. 7. psal. 11● . 10. 1 cor. 1. 20 , 21. & 2. 14. jam. 3. 15 , 16 , 17. ps. 97. 3 , 4. es. 9. 5. & 66. 15 , 16. 1 thes. 1. 8. 2 pet. 3. 12. rev. 1. 7. joel 3. 15 , 16. mat. 24. 29. rev. 19. 20. heb. 12. 11. psal. 89. 31 , 32 , 33. gen. 4. 14. act. 9. psal. 130. 7 , 4. lam. 3. 1 , &c. mat. 27. 46. job 13. 15. hos. 6. 1 , 2 , 3. mal. 3. 2 , 3. rev. 1. 5. rom 12. 1. joh. 16. 9 , 10. mat. 11. 28. luk. 7. 47. 1 joh. 4. 10. lam. 3. 22 , 23. lam. 3. 26 , 29 , &c. hos. 2. 15. notes for div a25742-e23290 gen. 3. 8. 2 sam. 23. 3. gen. 3. 9 , 10 , 11 , 12. ver . 13. rom. 9. 19. ez. 18. 2. jam. 1. 13 , 14 , 15. psal. 51. 3 , 4 , 5. & 32. 5. 1 joh. 1. 8 , 9 , 10. 1 pet. 5. 8. mat. 13. 25. jude 6. mal. 3. 6. zac. 6. 13. 1 cor. 2. 9. rom. 11. 22. esa. 7. 14. rom. 8. 2 , 3 , 4. act. 13. 10. mat. 3. 7. psal. 22. 30. jer. 31. 22. eph. 6. 12. joh. 8. 44. jude 9. gen. 6. 2 , 4 , 5. heb. 2. 10. act. 5. 31. eph. 2. 2. joh. 15. 18 , 19. lu. 12. 32. ps. 105. 12 , 13 , 14 , 15. esa. 9. 6 , 7. rev. 12. 12. joh. 16. 30. joh. 16. 20. mat. 10. 34. psal. 2. 1. rev. 12. 7 , 9. dan. 10. 13 , 21. psa. 104. 4. rom. 16. 20. psa. 50. 15. es. 41. 9. psa. 130. 4. luk. 1. 74. gal. 3. 8 , 16. 1 cor. 15. 54 , 57. 1 cor. 3. 15. gal. 3. 13. gen. 3. 16 , &c. gen. 39. 7. 1 cor. 7. 34 , 39 , 40. 1 pet. 3. 5. gen. 29. 20. 1 sam. 25 , 25. gen. 30. 1. & 35. 18. mat. 24. 19. joh. 16. 21. prov. 10. 1. pro. 15. 20. luk. 2. 48 , 35. mat. 2. 18. gen. 27. 46. gen. 3. 17. ps. 103. 14. & 104. 29. 2 cor. 4. 6. 2 tim. 1. 10. lu. 18. 7 , 8. zac. 9. 10 , 11 , 12. mat. 11. 29 , 30. 1 joh. 5. 3. prov. 1. 10 , &c. eph. 5. 11. 1 tim. 6. 12. jude 3. rev. 2. 10. mic. 7. 16 , 17. 1 tim. 2. 15. es. 9. 6. heb. 2. 12 , 13. eph. 5. 25 , &c. luk. 1. 35. 1 pet. 3. 1 , 2. 1 thes. 4. 11 , 12. 2 thes. 3. 12. rev. 14. 13. mat. 10. 28. job 3. 17 , 18 , 19. eccl. 3. 20. 1 thes. 4. 14. es. 26. 19. job 19. 26 , 27. 1 cor. 15. 20 , 21 , 22 , 26 , 54 , 55 , 57. act. 2. 24. psa. 68. 18. esa. 43. 2 , &c. 1 pet. 4. 12 , 13. jer. 30. 11 , &c. mic. 7. 18 , 19. es. 49. 15. jer. 31. 20. psal. 50. 5. 1 pet. 1. 19. heb. 11. 4. dan. 9. 26 , 27. joh. 1. 29. ps. 40. 6 , 7. 1 joh. 2. 2. rev. 1. 5. & 5. 9 , 10. rom. 5. 10 , 19. col. 2. 14. ps. 32. 1 , 2. rev. 19. 8. rom. 3. 22. & 13. 14. gal. 3. 27. zac. 3. 4 , 5. deut. 33. 27. mat. 6. 30. psa. 89. 32 , 33 , 34. gen. 3. 22. heb. 1. 7 , 12 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 21. 1 pet. 2. 11. heb. 11. 13. psa. 39. 12. rev. 3. 19. psal. 75. 3. psal. 107. 25 , 26 , 27. jud. 5. 20. psa. 78. 45 , 46 , 47 , 48. psal. 104. 20 , 21 , 22. 1 pet. 5. 8. rev. 12. 8 , 12. rom. 8. 20 , 21. es. 11. 7. & 65. 25. es. 57. 20 , 21. eph. 2. 12 , 13 , 14. job 3. jonah 4. 3. psa. 115. 3. rom. 9. 20 , 21 , 22 , 23. ps. 119. 68. rom. 3. 4. psal. 51. 4. gen. 18. 25. rom. 6. ult . gen. 6. 3. 1 pet. 3. 20. joh. 11. 25. mat. 25. 41 , 46. luk. 16. 21 , 22. mat. 10. 28. psa. 130. 1. psal. 107. esa. 29. 8. lu. 16. 26. rom. 2. 8 , 9. jude 13. mat. 13. 50. lu. 16. 24. mat. 8. 12. & 22. 13. rev. 19. 20. hos. 13. 9. rom. 3. 16. psa. 103. 4. eph. 2. 4 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10. rom. 3. 27. psal. 36. 5 , 6. esa. 44. 22. lam. 3. 44 , 31 , 32 , 25. job 37. 11 , 12 , 13. esa. 40. 1 , 2. & 57. 18 , 19. joh. 14. 18. esa. 25. 4. psal. 78. 16 , 17. psal. 30. 5. luk. 8. 24 , 25. esa. 27. 8. esa. 4. 6. cant. 2. 11 , 12. gen. 8. 22. psal. 147. 17 , 18. esa. 45. 6 , 7 , 8. psal. 75. 3. jam. 1. 17. psal. 102. 26 , 27. mal. 3. 6. esa. 54. 11. jer. 31. 35 , 36. 2 cor. 4. 17. esa. 54. 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10. psal. 46. 1 , 2. esa. 8. 9 , 10 , 12 , 13 , 14. esa. 51. 11 , &c. gen. 50. 20. 2 sam. 17. 14. esther 5. 14. & 6. 13. & 7. 10. ezek. 37. 1 , &c. esa. 19. 22. jer. 30. 17. act. 14. 17. joh. 7. 37 , 38. psal. 23. 1 , 2. 6. 7. col. 3. 1 , 2. psal. 107. 35 , 36 , 34 , 33. 1. cor. 7. 31. eccles. 1. 2. 2 cor. 4. 18. psal. 49. 4 , 15. rev. 3. 18 , 20. psa. 32. 1 , 2. 1 joh. 2 2. 25. 1 cor. 15. 54 , 55 , 26. hos. 13. 14. rom. 16. 20. mat. 25. 21. rev. 20. 4. mal. 3. 2 , 3. col. 1. 12. joh. 16. 21. 22. gal. 2. 20. mat. 11. luk. 9. 23 , 24. psal. 90. 5 , 6 , 9. & 49. 10 , 11 , 12 , 13. lu. 12. 20. job 1. 21 & 42. 10 , 11 , 12. 2 cor. 7. 10. psa. 116. 7. a philosophical treatise of the original and production of things writ in america in a time of solitudes by r. franck. franck, richard, 1624?-1708. 1687 approx. 193 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 99 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : 2003-09 (eebo-tcp phase 1). a40386 wing f2065 estc r20723 12117526 ocm 12117526 54367 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a40386) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 54367) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, 1641-1700 ; 68:14) a philosophical treatise of the original and production of things writ in america in a time of solitudes by r. franck. franck, richard, 1624?-1708. [26], 170 p. printed by john gain, and are to be sold by s. tiamirsh ... and s. smith ..., london : 1687. caption title: rabbi moses. "epistle to the reader" and preface signed: philanthropus. reproduction of original in huntington library. created by converting tcp files to tei p5 using tcp2tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between 1473 and 1700 available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the 25,363 texts created during phase 1 of the project have been released into the public domain as of 1 january 2015. anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. 5% (or 5 pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of 100 instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level 4 of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p5, characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng creation -early works to 1800. 2003-05 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2003-05 aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images 2003-07 jennifer kietzman sampled and proofread 2003-07 jennifer kietzman text and markup reviewed and edited 2003-08 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion a philosophical treatise of the original and production of things ▪ writ in america in a time of solitudes . by r. franck . london , printed by iohn gain , and are to be sold by s. tidm●rsh at the king's head in corn-hill : and s. smith at the prince's arms in s t. paul's church-yard . 1687. whereas several literal errors have passed the pr●ss : the reader is d●sire● either to correct , or put a favourable censure upon them . to the sedulous sons of science . gentlemen , this epistle directs you a prospect of the original , and production of things ; where , if in any thing i dev●at from the truth of philosophy , natures progeny , and scriptural a●thority ; i stand at the bar of every mans censure : but if otherwise , as i 'm conscious i have offered no violence ; let me hope and expect a generous approbation . h'●● true , the sublimest speculations i can raise , are but faint , uncultivated , and unpr●fitable endeavours , when presenting them to the shrines of clearer judgments . for as ridling of water through a serce or sieve , makes no decisional separation of the recrements , and impurities , nor the holding up a taper at the sun's meridian , add any lustre to his luminous brightness ; such peradventure some will interpret these ●y suggestions upon th●s admirable subj●ct , when so slenderly to approach , and attempt a survey upon such sublime , and divine discoveries : and because not raising my scenes high enough ; they 'l doom me to encounter their uncharitable opinions , when modestly , and piously , i come to present th●m with my notion● , and speculations of this imbellished creation . h●aven is gods throne , and the earth h●s foot-stool ; from whence i conclude , that the property and quality of every individual devolves in him that gave it a being : otherwise , how could the benignity and bounty of the donor so splendidly shine in the fabrick of the creature ? and because to contribute a ray of his essence-royal , adam was dignified vice-roy of the creation . let no man therefore oppose himself to the divinest by sacriligious oblat●ons , and impious adorations ; le●t he prophane the altar , and make void the offring , when to send up his orisons to an unknown god. hermes in his book of the divine pimander , has pointed out unto us a prospect of heaven . so rabbi moses in the desarts of arabia , by divine inspiration , had a vision of the creation . nor was job ignorant of seraphick intelligence , when to range himself sublimly above the most sedulous mathematicians ; who with an angelick stile left unto us such lectures , whereby to read in the frontispiece of h●aven . the jews also , so did the talmudists by m●saical ord●nation , find the tracts to jerusalem ; whiles divine paul , and the primitive christians by spiritual revelation , became illuminated with t●e go●pel . but nature all this while by h●avens permission went on in operation , and the sophi as amazed stood gazing upon her , till the divinest in his son discovered himself , which struck amazement , and astonishment amongst them ; because when to shine on them the majesty of himself in the glorious mystery of the blessed incarnation ; the sublime divinity assuming humanity : which in parallel lines directs us to inspect this visible world so miraculously drest up , the beautiful outside of a more glorious inside . this invited me to contemplate , and seriously consider , how that every creature , and created being by a fermental law radicated in nature , makes progress to the act of germination , and vegetation . nor can the law of necessity ( i speak of the creation ) impose any other doctrine upon the classes of individuals , till the final exit , and the periods of time. this great world 't is true represents unto us a large and copious volumn of intelligences , sprung up in the beginning from the divine fiat . and because the divinest divin●ly 〈…〉 with such admirable varieties as the orbs , and elements ; those beauteous , shining , luminous bodies ; for such are the stars stuck round to adorn it : it denotes unto us every c●eature god has made , as animals , and ●nan●mates to replenish the earth ; was made to explain the excellency of hims●lf , that so divinely dr●st up this stupendious creation . thus moses our prophetick oracle , in the first chapter of gene●●● , makes obvious unto us the creation in general ; when in this philosophical treatise , if sedulously examined , you 'l find it parce●●'d out into many particulars ; yet not so as to prophane , or diminish holy writ , whereby to expose it to sale , or sacriledge ; but rather to elucidate , and illustrate to every man the more glorious mysteries , and seraphick discoveries of the sacred scriptures ; pointed out unto us by the patriarchs , and the prophets ; and imprest on us by a divine impression , to legitimize us heirs of the glorious eternity , by the mys●●cal vnion betwixt christ and his church ; and the admirable effects of his invincible love , when to lay down his life for an vnregenerate generation . to contemplate therefore this imbellished creation , is to study the tracts and the high way to heaven : and led on by such eminent and convincing authority as moses , the patriarchs , the prophets and apostles ; confirms it beyond dispute our christian duty devoutly to implore , and seriously admire the creators bounty and goodness in creating ; his infinite and superlative wisdom in preserving : but above all his works , his unparalell'd love to inspire life and vertue into the humane race of degenerate mankind ; because when to restore him to a more regal ●'state than adam our protoplast enjoyed in paradice . from whence i conclude all visible beings that are made obvious , and perceptible to us , were designed also by the maker intelligeable ; however the envious and malicious misinterpret , and would every way if possible mascarade the truth , thinking thereby to make things less discoverable , than they really and trully are in themselves . for were it as some sciolists fictitiously imagine , what benefit could any man expect from his studies , more than the knowledge of insects , and animals ; when omitting the superiour dignity of celestials . such with their admirers only gaze upon them as the ignorant , and the arrogant too frequently do , that amuze themselves only with foreign curiosities . nor do i strain my charity when to assert such men think the ornaments of the creation an unprofitable study : who by their arguments endeavour an arrest of judgment , since reputing them dull , and insipid contemplations ; endeavouring thereby to disswade the more ingenious simply to consider them as impoverish'd effects . but god that made them , and still maintains them ; because willing that man above all created beings should read daily lectures in their glorious frontispiece , inspired him to contemplate their internal purity ; which indubitably points some of them signa●●y out as guides , and land-marks to light us up to his more sublime , and superlative habitation . to consider things therefore as they are in themselv●s , what matters it if any man oppose my ass●rtions , and call them it may be imaginary presumptions ; if wh●n because to dive into the mysteries of the creation : surely such men have not well considered that what god in his wisdom has made legible to us , that thing by his clemency was intented intelligible . the superscription of a monarch any man may read , but none except of councel dare examine the contents . so god assignes it our duty to study the creation , since discovering things to us by invisible mediu●●s ; but not that we by a foreign faith pay our orisons and our adorations unto them : no , rather as christians , we must learn god in them , and in knowing him admire his operations . but our prophet moses seems to some ambiguous , when undressing the hoil of this admirable creation , wherefore some spare not with their proselytes prophanely to decry him , and such others as himself studious in the creation ; who resolving among them elves nev●r to labour due m●asures of knowledge whereby to convince their own incredulities , makes them uncapable , and altogether unserviceable , when attempting to enform the vnderstanding of others . so that such sciolists as these do but darken the lustre of the history of god in this stupendious creation , yet propound to themselves to know the divine mysteries of the holy jesus in the miraculous incarnation , glorious crucifixion , and divine ascension : which to mortal astonishment is the te●esm of wisdom , and miracle of this world , lockt up in the bosom of god , and eternity . so that should this generation level arguments against me , it will little avail ; for the standard of truth will defend it self , and the authority of scripture vindicate my assertions . if therefore you but priviledge me farther to proceed , i assume to intitle this imbellished creation the almighty's common place-book , wherein we may read h●s divine operations ; and si●ce he himself has made things visible , as also leg●ble , and ●ntelligible to our capac●ties ; his s●cred sanctions , and divines oracles , ought always to be our daily contemplation . i also consider that angels as mess●ngers are m●de ministring spirits , to administer to us the revelation , and manifestati●n of the vision of truth : that the sun , moon , and stars are the or●inanc●s of heaven ; that elements and prin●●pl●s are marg●nal notes ; and the glorious prospect of this ●ivie 〈◊〉 : that the con●onants and vowels of this blessed creation are the particular indiv●duals contained therein . otherwise how were it p●ssible such a p●rpetual harmony should con●inue betwixt the great , and the ●●sser world ; were th●re not a contiguity , and continuity of par●s , whereby to c●ntract a correspondency betwixt them . for invisible things when clothed with matter , become obvious , and perceptible to every one ; consequently visible . every thing therefore is most certainly governed by the divine wisdom of him that made it ; who made nature a so by his praeordinate counc●l , and adapted her substitute to operate in the vniverse . but to adam only , and his humane race were committed the distinct classes , and families of the creatures ; as also the dignity of a vniversal monarch . this none will deny , yet perhaps some will say my suggestions are invaluable , and confusedly mixt ; so was the chaos if to consult the b●g●nning . it may also be alledged that im no grammarian , however from my youth i venerated learning ; yet the scriptures i always prefer'd before grammar : but i 'll struggle no longer about grammatical preference , since so learnedly controverted by men in most ages . give me leave therefore to conclude my epistle , and in the conclusion assert , and affirm , that without for●●l hypocrisy , or a foreign faith ; i am , and have been since truly to know vertue , devoted to subscribe my name , philanthropus . the preface to the reader . forasmuch as wisdom , and divine knowledg ( preexisting time ) had its original from god the father of light , and immaculate fountain of all pure beings ; resplendent from the glorious ray of himself , that holds the po●ze and ballance of the periods of life , and death , by a soveraignty of right to govern the world. it becomes us therefore , and the rather as christians , to sollicite this admirable corona of wisdom , since woven in the web of the eternity of life ; and by how much it concerns us to acquire this secretum naturae , by so much the rather ought we to hope , and expect it , that offer up our orisons with the pious adepti that expose their charity in this modorn age. since many such are , and i doubt not were in former generations , as in this of ours ; tho modestly to conceal themselves , under a pleasant taciturnity . whose generous protection of hermetick philosophy has amuz'd , and astonish'd most part of the world ; since to breath forth in this , as in former ages , mysterium magnum . rabbi moses was a student in this blessed science ; and so was his sister , the fair mirian : medea and experience tutilaged them both . and moses we read was morally educated in all the skill and knowledg of the egyptians ; thank hermes for that , formerly king of egypt , and intituled by the magi , prince of philosophers . who also laid the rudiments , and foundation of science , several generations before moses was born , and yet notwithstanding the antiquity of hermes , moses was inspired by a divine permission , to talk with god in the holy mount horeb. job also that famous , and most accurate mathematician ; whose library was the firmament , and every star an author , whereby he mentally inspected the orbs ; consequently the constellations , and machine of the creation . and who personally discoursed his creator , as did moses ; but confused , and astonished , as appears by his writings . so paul , that devout , and divine apostle , taught only of god , and bred up by gamaliel ; he exceeded in rhetorical learning and knowledg : who also had a glance and a vision of heaven , as appears by those elegant , and most excellent epistles , exhortatory to the romans ; when to the corinthians , most profoundly philosophical . and such were the lives of the holy men of god ; which piously to trace , what is it other than a heavenly progress . and the soul that inhabits in this mortal tabernacle , any other than the correspondent god himself converseth ; which in clarity displays such a beautious brightness , from the soveraign beams of the son of god , that divinely shining in the inward parts , influenceth the altar , and beautifies the temple . the soul therefore , could she but content her self with divine speculation of ideas only , what need she travel beyond the map ? but as excellent patterns commend their own mines , nature because so fair and beautiful in the type , could not dispence with sluttishness in the anagliph : and who , whiles more strictly she examines the symetry ; models and forms it into various figures ; whose descent to describe , promulges her original : but the frailty of matter , and because hovering about her ( and impendent on the elements ) is excluded eternity . ignorance therefore to delude the vnwary , intitles this release by the sirname of death ; which more properly to describe is the magna charta of life ; that has several ways to break up house , but her best , if duely considered , is without a disease ; and , who when she takes air at this avenue or port-hole , is much without detriment or prejudice to her tenement . nor does she only exerc●se her royalty at the eye , as having some blind iurisdiction in the pores : for this were to measure magical positions by the superficial strictures of common philosophy . whose assertors , too confident of the principles of tradition , labour not to understand what others speak ; but to make others speak what they themselves understand . for it is in nature as appears in religion ; some are still hammering and fashioning of old elements , but seek not the eutopia that lies beyond them . this body therefore let 's consider it the temple , and the soul that 's within it the sanctum sanctorum , for the majesty to dwell in . which if so , this earth must be rarified , to make a pure heaven ; and heaven must be purified , before the divinest will inhabit within it . great and iust therefore is the original good , whose incomprehensible beauty and divine majesty , neither the heavens , nor the earth , nor the orbs , nor the ocean , nor the expatiated abyss , can any ways contain him : which certainly to know , is speculum sapientiae , scraw'd out in the fair frontespiece of the beautiful creation ; as also in that divine manuscript of holy writ , where the patriarchs and the prophets are marginal notes ; and the holy men of god , with our pious ancestors , the lively records and divine remembrancers of the sacred oracles of the majesty of truth . thus far the ark of the covenant travelled , and thus far the talmudists transported themselves ; but some of the cabalists went some degrees farther , when they met with christ and his twelve apostles ; yet could they not see the great messiah . but gabriel the angel salutes the blessed virgin with hail mary , full of grace ; blessed art thou among the daughters of women : for the holy of holies shall overshadow thee with beauty , and thou shalt conceive , and bear a child , and he shall be called the son of god. john baptist also he confirms the miracle ; who , when jesus with him coming forth of the water , the heavens themselves most gloriously opened , and the holy ghost divinely descending ( like a dove ) rested the glory of the majesty upon him ; and then was there a voice heard from the divinest , this is my son , my beloved son ; let the nations hear him . now to the jews this became a stumbling-block , as to some of the rabbies a rock of offence : but to the gentiles that sat in the suburbs of darkness , and , the scriptures tell us , in the shadow of death , the most glorious mystery of the revelation of god , and the everlasting gospel was preached unto them . so that from these two eminent and most sacred primordials , the one of the law , and the other of the gospel , religion , or something like it , took its native original : yet so strangely masqueraded , disfigured , and disguised , that were not a man well assured what it was , it would be found difficult to resolve what to call it . and thus the sun , heavens major luminary , when because at once falling upon several angles , represents the light in various forms : so christianity , though a familiar appellation , yet admits it of such variety in its progress , and peregrination , because when to mingle it self with all sorts of professions , that professors themselves have been puzled how to rate it ; whiles the noble berean searches the scriptures , and as the scriptures manifestly testifie of christ , so christ himself saith , they testifie of him . the great oracle therefore , and the miracle of faith , is christ himself ; and christ is god : from whence the mystery of our eternal salvation , the blessed regeneration , and the spiritual birth , that internally breaths in every pious believer , is , christ in us , the hope of glory ; the sovereign revealer of the wisdom of god , whose light is the beauty of the majesty of light , that enlightneth every one coming into the world ; and is our saving and our sanctifying light , before time had a being , god blessed for ever . thus in brief i present you with a sacred summary of my pious conceptions of the scriptures of truth , divulg'd to the world as a treasure of mysteries , calculated for the assiduous , and only such whose integrity and fidelity internally shine forth , as their faces externally in a glass respond , and answer a due and exact proportion . from whence i conclude this philosophical axiom , as are the writings of moses the standard of truth , that god the creator has by a royal law imposed upon nature eternally to operate , the vniversal spirit therefore is but one in all her operations , ( viz. ) in the fire , to influence ; in the air , to impregnate ; in the water , to germinate ; and in the earth , to vegetate . where note , the elements , consequently the principles were divinely preordained by the sovereign power of him that 's supream , who constituted nature to conserve the creation ; or solemnly i declare , i understand it not . nor would i be thought either rash or unreasonable , to reassume a priviledge in what i distribute : but as words are my own whiles yet in my mouth , and every bodies else when unconfined ; so let them be , and have a charitable reception , when to run their risque in the worlds great lottery ; because , when to fall under various conceptions , yet , if so happy to meet with the ingenious in science , meaning such as dread and honour their creator , and imitate nature in her solitary operations ; which every expert artist , and experienced , will do , provided his inquisitions be after the truth ; to such , and such only i dedicate my labors , together with my endeavours to wisdoms elaborate shrine , that with vertuous inclinations they may seek after discoveries , and the abstruse tracts of their friend , philanthropus . rabbi moses . in the beginning god created the heaven and the earth . which directs me to contemplate this world is a great machine , or an engine-royal , adapted for motion by the power of him that created the creation ; that not so much as an atom can move or stir , save only by a derivative vertue from him that thro wisdom and providence gave a being to the whole ; who knows all the parts and particles of his work. how can he then be thought ignorant of its motion , or in any thing be deficient ? when he that made the world , knows how to influence the hidden springs and parts thereof ; he knows for what end and duration he design'd its motion , and the time when all things shall pass away : so that when the divinest withdraws the springs of life , ( viz. ) his supporting providence , from any creature in the creation , or from the elements , or the whole world it self , it must sink into a state of inactivity , consequently become a meer annihilation . now , that heaven and earth are corelates , who doubts it ? that they sprung spontaneously from one principium , who disputes it ? and that they had in themselves ( by divine ordination ) ends and beginnings most properly adapted and insinuated into them , who so impious and atheistical to suspect it ? that the world had a beginning , is manifest . that eternity preceded time , is most manifest . and that every end terminates in its own proper beginnings , nothing more manifest . every end therefore , separable from its native principium , is subject to mortality : but death is the destruction of all elemental compounded mixts : all compounds therefore are subject to mortality ; which nature endeavours with all her might to preserve , if possible , from the periods of death , and whose champions to purchase this heroick victory , fire and water are instituted and appointed the most proper and immediate agents and instruments ; the last to discharge by immersive calcination , all exteriour and superfluous adustion , whiles the first by sublimation claims a superiority , because when to separate by the intense action of fire whatever recrements and impurities adhere to the center . these , and no other , are the lineal tracts that nature has trod in since the nonage of the universe ; whose seeds , void of form , and confusedly mix'd in a hoil or chaos , were dissolved in water , but rarified and sublimed by pure argument of fire . calcination and sublimation therefore were purposely invented to purge and separate the pure from the impure ; as is solution and distillation the more terrestrial dregs that stiffly adhere to the parts extraneous . now whatever remains without any beginning , that subject is altogether uncapable of end : but all beginnings sprung up from eternity , as is eternity the ray of the majesty . eternity therefore is the parent of time , from whence generation lineally descended ; and generation , because the infant and the child of time , has its periods lock'd up in the prisons of death : and doom'd and predestinated by the law of sin : the apostle tells us , is death in the abstract ; yet improperly the end of any thing save elements , whereby to remonstrate their true beginnings but now to bud , and to blossom forth , because directing towards an eternal state ; which i call the new breathings from a state of corruption , precedent to putrefaction ; the immature offspring and imperfect birth of infirm ancestors and elementary principles . for the body no sooner dismantles it self of the exteriour form , and elementary faetor , when the indivisibility of the more purer parts begin at once to display themselves : for the treasures of life are most strictly lock'd up , and which also begins to perspire and breath forth by the glorious ray of god's soveraign power ; whose refulgent beam illuminates the world , and stirs up the hidden life therein , which before seem'd to sleep passively perdue in the silent sepulcher of divine contemplation . if therefore debasing our selves by sin , be argument of death , and god's eternal displeasure ; a regenerate state implies the sanctity of renovation , which is a clear demonstration of a real conversion . otherwise , how comes it to pass , that the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the believing husband ? now if husband and wife are constipated one flesh by the conjugal celebration and law of matrimony ; why not heaven and earth under the like divine ordinance , since by a supream law from the sovereign legislator ( whose powerful edicts are for ever irrevocable ) made and established synonima regalia . thus th● celestial sun in the clarified firmament influenceth and impregnates this embellish'd creation ; as do's the supercelestial son of the majesty of god most illustriously shine in every believers soul , and is the true light that illuminates the universe , and every man that cometh into the world. so that in this short and compendious paragraph you may read the divine progeny of the whole creation ; the exaltation and dignity of the micro , as the macrocosm ; the great end why the world and man was made ; the reason also why the divinest made man , and drest up so beautifully this stupendious creation : all which was only but to see himself and sovereign majesty by way of reflection ; wherefore he built up a tabernacle in man for his divine residence , and man's redemption . now adam was made this supream monarch , whom his maker dignified with such eminent qualifications , as not only to see , because having the faculty of sense ; but to inspeculate and admire the majesty of his maker that hung up aloft in the firmament of heaven , so many luminous and beautious bodies , impregnating every one with the blessings of vegetation : but moral reason ( and barren apprehension ) because uncapable to exalt it self to these eminent , sublime , and superlative elevations , of necessity sinks under them . and here moses tells you , that in the beginning , the divinest created both the heavens and the earth : now creating or making , what implies it more than manifesting invisibles by visibles ; or discovering such things as lay hid in the chaos , occultly concealed from occular view ; which in time appeared , but not until such time as the waters , by the fiat , were separated from the waters , and then the purer matter ascended upwards , because disintangled from its impure fecula ; which celestial , clarified , and pure crystalline body , is by the scriptures interpreted the firmament ? and hermes tells you in his smaragdine table , that the likeness of that which is placed above , is also beneath , coinhabiting below , to work the myracle of one single thing . there must therefore of necessity be some assimilation in earth , soveraignly qualified with the same existence of celestials ; otherwise , pray tell me , where 's the harmony betwixt them ? and why should god select the little world , called man , for his divine and glorious reception , rejecting , as i may so say , the more copious or great one , as the more commaculate and impure habitation ; had not he divinely dignified the less by soveraign wisdom for his royal entertainment ? there is therefore not only the likeness of superiours ; but the same vertue , beauty , and excellency also in inferiours : christ in you the hope of glory . this is that magnet of vertue and swavity , whose illustrious ray attracts the soul to those transcendent mansions of beatitude and immortallity ; for the kings daughter is all glorious within , because made glorious by the king of heaven ; where note , by way of digression , when to admit of a faint comparison ; the anima , or sulphur of sols beauteous inside , when duely examined by a sedulous adept , a celestial corporiety displays it self , whose glorious appearance gratifies the solicitous with wisdom's oracle , and the treasures of art , by every one acquirable , and by most admired . but the hoil or chaos presents unto us a subject matter as yet indigested , when macerated , mingled , or jumbled together ; and such we are to consider it in the act of fermentation ; when nothing but darkness had its region in the deep , nor did any thing appear upon the face of the waters , until darkness by the divinest was utterly separated by the glorious beam of the majesty of light ; for till then the stars roll'd not in their orbs , nor did the fluctuating ocean move its vital pulse , till actuated by the law of its soveraign maker , which daily remonstrates the flux of the ocean . nor till then did the earth , nor the barren mountains know any thing of the law of life , and vegetation . nor was there any prolifick vertue , or propagating quality hitherto as yet incorporated into them ; when at once the fountains of the great deeps broke up , out of whose exuberant and miraculous womb , not only those innumerable and inexhaustible treasures , as the principles , and elements , but also whatever besides them was made visible , was by wisdom drawn forth out of this immense deep : and to whatever had sense by life and motion , nature by ordination gave it a beginning ; but light and life she had not power to give ; for that sprung spontaneously from the divine fiat ; which great work with the great creator took up but seven days , tho seven times seven is adjudged too little ; nay , had i said months , are supposed little enough , if when attempting to compleat a philosophick operation . so that now the darkness because disappearing , the glorious and beautiful ray of light suddenly and at once invades all the universe ; for after separation by divine ordination , every individual as to vertue and purity in its innate quality arose up from obscurity : and because relinquishing its earthy fecula , elevated it self according to dignity , correspondent also with the purity of matter . the sun therefore with the moon , and the stars exalted themselves ; and surmounting the aether , were supreamly ranged in a divine order . the elements also they separated themselves into four divisions , or distinct classes , whereby to illustrate this imbellish'd creation ; and the principles because lock'd up in every individual , whereby to make permanent by the law of perfection , began to ferment , which the vulgar understand not ; for should they be separated , purified , and reconjoyned , a new creation would inevitably ensue in the microcosm , or the little world ; as by divine appointment it never ceases daily to influence and operate in the macrocosm . from whence all celestials appear immortal ; most fiery , luminous , subtile and bright ; and by the divinest made distant , and remote , were separated from all impure and immund dregs : and because excavated into rotundity , they elevated themselves , and flew up at once ; for which cause also nature of her self desires a round form for things eternal , as being most perfect , permanent , and indeficient . on the contrary , it follows , that terrestial things are subject to corruption , mutation and death ; because contrarieties are joyned in their elementary composition ; and wherewith the dreggs , and impurities of matter were mixed , as at first with what was impure ; otherwise the produce that had proceeded from them , would have been beyond dispute subjects immortal . nor could there ever have been any generation ; for without contrariety of qualities in elements , there had never been alteration , nor mutation of form ; and all would have had but one face without distinction , remaining equally in purity and subtilty : and tho cloathed with its own ornament of beauty and swavity ; yet wanting matter whereon to impress formation , would become deficient , indigent , and destitute of creation . it was necessary therefore to mix subtilty of substance with the gross and impure faecula of matter ; for where nothing but clarity and purity remains , there of necessity can be no action ; and where no action is , there can be no patient , seeing what is pure wants act of power over that also which is as pure ; and this end and operation is natures work of separation for preservation of its essence , and vital encrease ; for if the earth and her fruits were as pure as the heavens , all animals would live as long as celestial incholasts . but nature by the divinest has ordained a law , that whatever partakes of matter , or corporiety , should dwell about that which is also corporial ; and that which is most corruptible and inquinate , about that which is also likest unto it : but the earth , as subordinate , is the most precipitant of bodies ; consequently most gross , and of all things most corruptible : nothing therefore can proceed , or be deducible from it , but what is naturally most agreeable unto it ; wherefore its corruption , sordities and impurities must also be rarified by progress of separation . when therefore it s more pure substance is extracted , and exalted by a true and magnetick philosophical medium ; nature of necessity begins there all her actions , and in separation all is found . and the spirit of god moving upon the face of the waters , was by incubation ( or supream act of power ) by the determinate wisdom and counsel of god , the immediate and proper cause of separation ; for here you may read , that the spirit of god divinely moved upon the face of the waters : and here also you may consider , and deliberately understand , that the spirit of god inspired them with vegetation ; otherwise of themselves how could they bring forth ? for the chaos had a passive , but no active spirit in it , till god by wisdom roused up the ferch , or the hidden life therein concealed ; and illuminating or kindling the commassated matter , by the ray and majesty of his divine spirit that separated the pure from that that 's impure , which could be no otherwise , since no impure thing can enter , nor center where the whole is pure . and thus the angel gabriel salutes the blessed virgin with hail mary , full of grace , god is with thee , the glory of females . now this virgin was a native and true israelite , and had not hitherto known her husband ; which virgin conceives by the holy ghost , and was a miraculous and a spiritual birth ; so that we may consider , there 's nothing impossible with god the creator that made the world ; when in love to incarnate himself to redeem it . and moses he tells you , that when god had breathed into adam , our protoplast , the breath of life , he then became a living soul ; not that adam was destitute of a natural soul , but of a divine and spiritual life , which also implies a supernatural state ; in which excellent state our protoplast stood , when god had transformed his earth into heaven ; and in which pure state he for ever had stood , had he stood in simplicity , and the will of his maker ; for what we sow , that shall we reap ; and nothing is quickned except it die . mortification therefore precedes regeneration ; we must all die to sin , to live to righteousness . but the spirit of god moved upon the waters ; which act of power was no sooner performed , but the waters of themselves incessantly brought forth ; and every created thing that god had made by a divine and soveraign act of power , began to operate , vegetate , and fructuate ; who surrounded the constellations with a crystalline firmament ; and cloathing the principles which stood naked before him , with a body suitable to their necessity , gave laws and ordinances to nature , as substitute , immediately to let loose the universal spirit , whereby to vegetate , encrease , and multiply ; to form also , to animate , and impregnate bodies ; but nature of her self , because bounded with periods , admits death inevitably to invade all compounds ; for were it otherwise , there needed no separation ; and nature , preadventure , would become sloathful , and idle : consequently the fabrick of the whole creation would again redact , and result in a chaos . separation therefore is of absolute necessity , whereby to distinguish the pure from the impure ; the fair and immaculate from the most pollute and unclean ; which after purgation to rectify and conjoyn , and then advance , if it could be , to a plusquam perfection , whereby to imitate nature , as she by president imitates the creator ; what admirable thing would the operator bring forth ? wherefore the apostle he bids you be perfect , as your heavenly father is also perfect : and what can advance to a state of perfection , but that which separates from sin and impurity ? thus the heavens are pure , and infinitely clarified ; yet much more pure is he that created them ; which state to know , is never to know death . wherefore as by imitation some bodies are made always to live in the phylosophick world , which the adeptest intitles and superscribes transmutation ; but the theologist in the super-celestial , that of regeneration . and as one is the period of principles and elements ; such also is the other of corporification , leading death into captivity , and transforming every impure being into a celestial clarity and purity ; and the souls of righteous men into endless glory ; but this operation is performable only by the heavenly arcanum , or medicament of life : which sacred , soveraign , and divine elixir , is the christ of god , the wisdom of the father : to whom devoutly be everlasting praises . and as christ is called the light of the world , &c. light may properly therefore be asserted the manifestation of god , and the oracle of his truth ; for if what visible light is , or appears unto the bodily eye ; the same , but infinitely more glorious , is the invisible light that illuminates the understanding in the eye of the mind : the want of light , it 's true , makes man deplorable ; so is ignorance of the mind to be lamented : and as generation that sprang out from corruption of those things which were esteemed the best , so the light that shines in man when it becomes eclipst by the shades of sin , how dreadful and dismal is that darkness ? as light therefore of all things is accounted most desirable , the want of it to the mind makes the man most miserable : so of all ignorance , that ignorance is the worst which hath reference to the most noble and sublimest object , and by how much the subject of knowledge is better , by so much is the deprivation of that knowledge intollerable : as any one therefore , by putting out a mans eyes , whereby to intercept him the injoyment of light , is reputed cruel ; so he that prevents the means of knowledge , is no less , if not infinitely more ( by a scriptural authority ) adjudged condemnable . light therefore , because exalted above all created beings , it confirms it the standard of wonder and admiration , whose beauteous beam displays it self , the uncreated being before the creation , consequently superexcelling all the rest in dignity ; but the created luminous ray of the sun , that strikes the poles from east to west , nay farther its possible , could we apprehend it ; is sacredly held forth as the almighties taper , whereby to illustrate the visible world , as do's the light of his sovereign , all-glorious son invisibly shine in the souls of saints , to convince the world of sin and unbelief : and tho laban usher leah unto iacob's bed , by introducing her instead of his beautiful rachel ; so every designing imaginarist do's , when describing only exteriour things , but states nothing essentially . such i may say dwell meerly in the face , or at the best , on the superficial parts of the body ; never aspiring after the fulness of beatitude , which philosophy in my opinion looks like to a church that 's drest up with discipline , when wanting sound doctrine . so that if when to consider the exteriour form of complicated mixts shall melt away , probably we arrive at the fiery principium , whose elevations lead on to a state immortal , co-uniting us to that invisible nature , that admits not of any thing save purity intense , by the continued ardency of a pious devotion . as in operation it 's evident , and egregiously true , that the elements themselves assume all colours before the beauty of those colours egrede ; wherefore they begin with blackness first , because the antecessour and parent of putrefaction ; after it passes thro other middle colours , till at length it arrives at a celestial whiteness , which then is air , from whence it ascends to a fiery complexion , in which the power of art , and dominion of fire , when to speak aenigmatically , is compleatly terminated , and beyond which , in my opinion , there 's no natural progress . and god no sooner divinely said , let there be light ; but immediately there was light , so that his commands were in a moment answered ; for how soon did the light spontaneously spring up , and amounting aloft , fill the universe with splendor ? so that now the creation became altogether visible , and every concealed treasure that lay hid therein , exposed it self unto occular view ; whereby to discover the chaos commaserated , and water and earth by previous digestion ( without contention , or strong ebullitions ) began of themselves distinctly to separate ; and the earth as rejected to precipitate downwards , by reason of its gravity , and solid ponderosity ; so that these two elements were only made visible , but the fire and the air , they fled our sight , which by reason of purity became also invisible ; whose sublime bodies by the creators will , elevated themselves to influence the earth , whereby to impregnate it with prolifick vertue . this was , and is that beautiful order , wherein the divinest so divinely placed things , when the earth as an embrio lay hid , and concealed in the exuberant womb of the unweildy waters : and this is that great and stupendious work of separation , which act or operation was fit only for god , who separated the light from the mists of darkness ; which glorious operation the prophet moses points at , as a thing principally to be minded and considered , if provided any one would imitate the creator , when in the beginning he created the universe ; but the end of the creation stands still in the ternary , of which , more at large in its proper place . christ therefore is our soveraign and our saving light , that comprehends the darkness , yet the darkness knows him not , whose beauteous brightness illuminates the world , and is that glory and majesty of light that was from god , that never had beginning , which incomprehensible light shined before the beginning to illuminate the throne of the majesty of god , and is the true essential word of god , and the word is god , the wisdom of the father , as is manifested to us by moses and the prophets . but the created luminaries , as sun , moon , and stars , these are but elementary , subject therefore to corruption , when god shall please to extinguish their light , by withdrawing the beauteous ray of himself ; and as the light of the sun is the beauty of the creation , how much more beautiful is the son of god , the all-glorious beauty of the majesty of god ? the created world therefore was made to discover visible objects , and things corporeal ; but the increated and most sovereign being , to make obvious to us things invisible ; the natural , to inspect both elements and principles ; but the supernatural , to reveal the glory of the father , in the face and fulness of jesus christ. and god saw the light , and behold it was good ; the consequence follows , for god he made it , and god divided the light from the darkness , as by his wisdom the day from the night : separation therefore from adust impurity , makes it sublime , immaculate , and pure : so divine out of a moral , and a celestial out of a terrestrial state , is a transmutation by the grace of god ; for if nothing that 's impure can subsist in his presence , whatever comes there must be spiritually pure : and such are invisibles separated from elements , the waters above the firmament of a pure nature , existent with life , but the waters beneath , elementary and fluctuating : the universal spirit therefore inspiring life and motion , the whole creation began to breath , and bud forth . and god after separation of the light from the darkness , of the pure and sublime from that that 's inquinate , of heaven from earth , of the waters from the waters , of the translucid and diaphanous bodies from corruptible recrements , and sordid impurities : then was there a noble and divine separation , because when to raise an immortal seed out of the principles and rudiments of elements . and such also is the regenerate state in man , when born of the royal seed from heaven ; for flesh and blood , because transient and elementary , are inconsistent with the eternity of god , uncapable therefore to inherit the kingdom : this is that divine and heavenly transmutation , by which christ jesus , the wisdom of the father , with one regal grain transmutes our nature , and our mortal bodies , into an immortal state ; and is that elixir of life and vertue that defends it for ever from torture and destruction , and eternally delivers it from the periods of death . but some will object , what body is this ? and paul solves the doubt by a scriptural explanation , telling us , it s a body increate and incorruptible , consequently uncapable of any mutation , and because impregnated , and animated with life , is under protection , divinely blessed , absolved , and acquitted the assaults of death . what body then , some will say , must it be ? and he tells you , it 's a body as it pleaseth god. but this you 'll object is also insufficient . to speak more plainly then , it 's a regenerate body , born from the spirit , and not from elements , but of a pure and immaculate nature , that never knew nor consented to sin : such a birth will triumph over death , because it can never be made to die , nor subject it self to the periods of death , since bound up in the volume of the infinite eternity . but darkness is the vmbra , or promiscuous shadow of the beautiful and amiable glory of light : and because separated from the beam of light , and gathered to its self , is the representation of death . where note , we may call it the mantle or covering of some solid substance , or some material thing ; and such is the night by earth's interposition , retirements of light , or the suns bright absence : corpulences also are stellat ecclipses , because from globical bodies intermediating ; for night is only the suns bright absence , when deprived the beautiful beam of his light ; and the day ( as i may so say ) the infant of light , because it sprung up from light original . the created light therefore pray tell me what is it , if not the beautiful aurora of eternity , as is eternity the ray of the majesty ? thus the light , as appears , shines still in darkness , and yet the darkness comprehends it not . now what is this darkness but the shades of death ? and what is death but a separation from life , and life it self the amiable infant , that sprung from eternity , as generation from time ? but darkness abhors the lustre of light , lest peradventure fearing the light should inspire it . gold therefore , like the salamander , lives eternally in fire , without detriment , destruction , or diminution of parts ; whiles imperfect metals , when examined by the test , evaporate and vanish , so become imperceptible which displays some impurity in their natural composition ; for were they of a regal stamp and condition , no force of fire would be argument strong enough to make in them the least separation ; so darkness , when made pure by the beam of light , it then becomes a natural brightness ; and mortality , transchanged by the grace of god , becomes immortal by divine transmutation . the day therefore sprung natively from light , as a legitimate heir from the loins of his parents ; nor could it do otherwise , because by the divinest destinated and determinated to such an end by the counsel of god. and thus the beam , or ray of the sun , as its integer light , can be no otherwise , because the proper effect from that efficient cause ; for the celestial sun , if sedately to consider it , was kindled by a virtual spark of invisible light : and this invisible light , the son of god , is the essence , wisdom , and the beauty of the father , and is that soveraign and saving light of the divinity and majesty of god himself . as pure religion therefore is such in it self as it pleads precedency long before error ; consequently it 's a bright and most illustrious taper that directs to the standard of divine truth , in whose frontispiece devotion displays christianity , and which truly is the most eminent , and divine encomium that ever was attributed to men , as mortals , and is in a scriptural sense the new way of conquering , because through christ we are more than conquerours , and fight in this field without carnal weapons ; for no gladiators arm here to combat , nor is there any banner but the cross of christ , and whose enemies are abaddon , and the hierarchy of hell ; and whose engins are sin , and the toils of death , endeavouring therewith to obstruct our passage , when attempting the triumphant joys of heaven . but a nominal christian ( with grief i speak it ) which signifies no more than a formal professor , if when wanting the vital power of the living act of faith , such a profession makes no man a christian any more than reading the alcharon compleats a saint ; nor is every professor a true minister of god , except of god ordain'd to preach : for the gospel is free , and the love of god free , and it was the free act of christ to give himself freely for the sins of the world. christs redemption therefore was a free act of grace , to blot out sin , and usher in repentance ; and all that 's required for so great a suffering , is only conformity to a holy life , and sanctified obedience to that living power , in whom the fulness of the godhead dwells : he therefore that prays , and pays not his orisons to this great oracle the wisdom of the father , stands still indebted for his life and freedom , and proclaims himself an alien to the court of sion , as also a stranger to the new ierusalem . now in opposition to light stands this formidable darkness , a figure of a creature that was found folded up after the divine act and force of separation ; not improper therefore to intitle it darkness , since separabel from the beauteous beam of light : and such is sin , and such also is death , since by adam's transgression , who consenting to sin , violated gods divine and regal command , so wounded himself with his own sting . death and sin therefore , van helmont calls accidents , or some impious malignity that lurk'd about the matter , whereby to lessen light , and abscond or ecclipse its beautiful lustre ; which when removed by the divine grace of god , the body then seems to appear celestial : nor can it be otherwise , since if when to consider there 's no difference , nor distinction betwixt heaven and earth , save clarity of the one , and impurity of the other : and this is a state we daily discourse of , nay , we hourly wish for 't , and long to enjoy it ; yet so great is our zeal to these ambiguous uncertainties , that we dare not trust our selves to entertain it . and because so adhering to the world , and its allurements ( kind answering kind ) whose luscious breast seems sweet and pleasant , and whose surprizing charms luxuriously satiating , we gulp down avarice , and drink down oppression : so like diana with the ephesians , cry , gain is sweet ; thus tainting our selves , become infectious to others ; for a stinking breath , tho loathsome to the company , yet is it to it self a natural perfume ; so sin and impiety in its habitual dress , tho ugly , seems amiable ; and tho faetid , smells fragrant , and knows no impediment . thus paul by faith fought with beasts at ephesus ; and philanthropus with monsters in the desarts of america . 't is true , and as true as the sun 's the great luminary , whose luminous body illustrates the creation ; yet is not the sun that soveraign light that adorned the throne before the creation , when the divinest said , let there be light , and immediately the light of it self sprung up ; which light by his wisdom he called day , and dignified it also with the title of good ; nor could it be otherwise than good in the abstract , since the divinest had called it good , and because proceeding from the fountain of good , its original can be no less than god. now the day had its original , as has the sun its aurora ; and the sun , tho the major luminary of the universe , whose refulgent ray illustrates the creation , by rapidity circulating and patrolling about it ; yet is it by wisdom and the guidance of god another aurora of the increated light , which never ceaseth invisibly to shine , when the sun withdraws from our occular view , as imaginarily supposed towards the western fountains , whiles this pure light never ceaseth to shine in the heart of man , and the throne of the majesty , tho to the world and ignorant it appear invisible : and because too sublime for the weak vision of sight , whereby a dimness seems to overshadow it , as gazing too much at the natural sun , in some measure astonisheth the purlue of sight ; so the soveraignty of the glory of the son of god , whose excessive brightness seems to cause a blindness , when as indeed it 's the purity and soveraignty of light , we are therefore to reduce it under this consideration , that nothing that 's impure can behold what 's pure , nor carnality partake of what is spirituous . there is therefore this difference betwixt natural and supernatural ; as also betwixt celestial and terrestrial things ; that all spirituous bodies can pass the purgatory of fire without any detriment , or diminution of parts ; when as corporeals , if but to touch the flames , are at once in a moment destroy'd and consumed . purification of bodies must therefore necessarily precede , whereby to dignifie and make them celestial . natural things therefore are in one distinct state , but spiritual things are found in another : and by how much our nature is made more spirituous , by so much are we nearer to the nature of god. and as the sun shines naturally more bright and distinctly , more pure than our culinary fires ; how infinitely brighter , and much more pure is the majesty of that light that invisibly shines from the son of god : but our new philosophers ( or erra paters ) are much of the cast with figure-flingers , that presume to step into the prerogative of prophets , and antedate events in configurations , which is a consequence i perswade my self of as much reason , and for ought i know , to as great satisfaction , as to see the auxiliaries draw out and exercise , and the spectators to read their designs by their postures . but i proceed to discourse the firmament of heaven , the fluctuating ocean also , and the waters in the creation , which presents to our consideration matter of admiration , consequently a suitable subject for every philosopher , if sedately to contemplate their admirable separation , when god divided the waters from the waters , and the firmament of heaven stood stationary between them ; which denotes those rarified and invisible waters moses points at above us , are an act of faith , because of invisibility , whilst these below us are demonstrable to us : which argument as formerly confirms our philosophy , that the likeness of that which is remotely above , is also beneath , co-inhabiting below , to work the miracle of one single thing , so that the same act of power and providence that made them separable , made them also invisible , as by the law of demonstration these are made visible to us . but what are these waters , these invisible waters , that surmounting the aether , and because above us perpetually fly our sight , what are they , and what were they in the fiat of the creation , more than the pure and spirituous part , separated from impurity and all aquosity , whiles the pinguous moist faecula , and indigested vapours stifly adhere to the visible form , which by reason of inconcocted crudities and indigestions , when celebrated to warmth , lie fermenting in themselves , and are the daily cause of natural production , animating and exerting the earth to vegetation . these invisible waters therefore above the firmament , must of necessity be a rarefaction of air ; and the firmament , because intermediating betwixt them , remonstrates it celestial , and a clarified earth . for if to consult the creation and created beings , we are to consider them in a two fold capacity ; the visibility of the one , and the invisibility of the other ; elementary bodies , and bodies celestial ; where note , sublunar things are influenced by celestials , as are celestials governed by super celestials . as the sun in his progress , because ruling the day , is by divine appointment the parent of vegetation . so has the moon her nocturnal government , whereby she also operates the ocean , influencing fluidity and the female sex : nor are the stars and constellations deficient or destitute , whereby not to effect and influence inferiors ; so that a perpetual motion is continually maintained , and a constant rotation perpetually continued , otherwise the compound would admit of decay , and a defect in any one part of the creation would inevitably draw on an inconveniency upon the whole . thus the great frame and fabrick of the creation was ranged into a most excellent and beautiful order , which the creator foresaw in the idea or prospect ; nor rested he there until the final complement of his divine counsel and determinate purpose : and then it was that adam was made , which the divinest created no less than a monarch , and intrusted by the creator with the creatures in the creation , inraged lucifer , that infernal prince to emulate the dignity of this new favorite , who reflecti●g on his ambitions that so lately dethron'd him , which obliged him to forfeit his regal possession , he therefore undermines to blow up this favourite , who tainting our protoplast , infects his posterity . and thus the bright and beautiful morning is sometimes sullied with a louring sky : for did not the sun 's early blazing smiles shine upon sodom , and her accurst inhabitants that soon after ended in a fatal tragedy : what must we call this if not a dismal eclipse ? nay , altogether a deprivation of life , save only to lot , and his preserved family , on purpose kept alive by the meanes of miracle , when all the rest were made most miserable morts . whiles therefore we live here in this natural state , we only reap supplies of aliment from elements : but when we shall be discharged the manicles of sin , and releast from the horrour and amazements of death ; we shall then appear under a more spirituous form , and where we shall see things as they really are in themselves ; by which we may know till then we knew nothing : nor are these moral beings , or natural apprehensions any other than signitures or the deliniated figure of that super-excellent beauty we shall see hereafter . and god by wisdom divided the waters from the waters , the celestial from the terrestrial , heaven from earth , the invisible from visible things , and so disposed them by the law of providence , appointing to every one dominion and operation , in order to bring about his determinated creation . and who knows but that these elevated and invisible waters , are the waters moses speaks of that bathe the banks of the new ierusalem ; and that the spangled firmament is the pavement of heaven , or the solid part thereof , if not improper to say so ; nor is 't impertinent to think so , when invisibles are pointed at by visible objects , otherwise i understand not the design in the text , which supposing i do , i am unwilling to be refuted , if when only to hear another mans contradiction . but that there was , and still is a division or an interposition betwixt superiours and inferiours is past dispute ; moses asserts it , and the text affirms it ; where note as a christian it concerns me to enquire , and as a philosopher as gladly desire to be advised , and informed the nature and the quality of these divisional waters ; the vertue and the office of that that 's elementary , as the dignity and operation of that that 's invisible : the first , because elementary we daily converse with , and frequently apply it unto servile uses ; but the latter , since invisible we assign that to moses , except otherwise the divinest by oracle from heaven be pleased to inspireus as the prophet was inspired . faith therefore is the evidence of things invisible , as is demonstration of visible things . the waters above the firmament we have supposed them celestial , because of sublimity , purity , and rarification , which in the great and admirable work of this stupendious separation , the chaos no sooner felt the examen of heat , but water began immediately to operate , and presently became convertible into air , and this i call aetherial rarification , by reason it s not only separated from aquasity , but apparently becomes to the world invisible . why not then by the same argument all the fountains and aquoducts ( nay the ocean it self by the law of necessity evaporate into air , since minutely it operates without intermission , ( this is obvious to every one ) but the sours of the sea you 'll object is so deep ; her springs and supplies so manifestly numerous , that it 's almost impossible to exhaust her treasures , whereby to render her barren or impoverish'd ; to that i answer , god has placed such a magnet in the very bowel and center of the waters , of that attractive and magnetick vertue , that were not the waters bounded by the law of limitation , the earth peradventure would soften and melt ; consequently become convertible into water , and for ought i know , resolve at last into a moist , and a soft thin air. but god the creator has placed such a bar betwixt the visible and invisible waters : he , i say , it is , that by wisdom and providence hung up a spangled vail or covering betwixt them , and calls it the firmament , which intersects , or divides betwixt celestials and terrestials ; yet so , that a sympathy and continued harmony is by the divinest correspondent betwixt them ; and the text tells us , that heaven it self forbears not to sigh , if at any time the sinner be sadned to mourn ; but is filled with alacrity and heavenly joy , even at the conversion of one single penitent : nay so great is the triumph among the saints and angels when a sinner becomes victor over sin and impenitency ; that all our faculties as if divinely exirted , muster up themselves in open hostility , to oppose the invador of our everlasting tranquility : but i intend not to common place upon this divine subject , otherwise than to elucidate the mysteries of the creation : and where rabbi moses has drawn the curtain , i shall modestly by permission endeavour to withdraw it ( provided it be thought neither sacriledge nor impiety ) since to confider behind this mystical interposition the magi have concealed the sanctum sanctorum , nor prophane i , when to say , the beauty of holiness . so that we may read , and begin to understand the firmament by interpretation is called heaven , which certainly is the basis and celestial superstructure of this most admirable and stupendindious creation ; tho to us and our ancestors seemingly invisible : wherefore let us resort to heavens great school , where christ himself is dictator and pilate to conduct us , and chief rabbi to instruct us , for the divinest himself will become our interpreter ; so that god in due time will certainly manage us to that seraphick society of saints and angels , where we shall daily be divinely taught , and by jesus christ the son of god made so prophetical and evangellically intelligeable , that the alphabet of heaven will be the christ-cross-row , whiles about these sublunar orbs , our modern didacticks and learned academicks are hourly so impinged that they sore no higher than custom , and president of profest arts ; and if without offence i may freely speak it , rather of litteral than liberal science . where note , some anti-scripturist's have been lately so prophane as to imagine god like to a country mechanick that builds up with stone , and finishes with timber , without any infusion of life and motion ; as if the whole creation was a creature inanimate , when the voluminous world which is gods great library , is filled full of life , activity , and motion , which life is spirit , and the cause of multiplication , and the natural production of all created things , that by copulation are engendred , or otherwise by putrefaction have received a new state through fermentation ; all which productions are manifest arguments of life and spirit , as also of vegetation . the texture therefore of this great world clearly discovers , and demonstrates its animation ; where the visibility of earth manifestly represents the impure , gross , and natural basis ; and the elemental waters because circulating about it , assimilates also the venal blood , actuating and fermenting in every body , where the vital pulse also operates as is seen in the admirable flux and reflux of the ocean ; and the air of necessity the vehickle for spirits , wherein this vast creature ( meaning the creation ) breath's invisibly ; tho peradventure not altogether , nor in any part insensibly , and the interstellar skies , and aetherial waters , the vital parts ; whiles the sun , moon , and stars are the animating spirits , and supersensual fires that warm the creation . but this kind of philosophy will puzle the putationer , as the primitive truth of the apostles confounded the romans . so moses's philosophy in the rudiments of the creation , will be as little understood as the tracts of hermes , the t●●mudist's , cabalist's , caldeans , egyptians , aud arabians , if when to consider the possibility of nature , which is impossible without supernatural discoveries ; and should we otherwise conclude than by divine authority , we lick up the froth of every sottish generation , so usher to posterity that atheistical opinion calculated by imaginarist's , that the creator slept whiles the chaos of it self without divine direction fell into this beautiful order , as we now behold it ; which , if but to think so is a sin of impiety , and an error so enormous never enough to be lamented . but all such inquietudes we remit them to their destiny , since to carry such , and so many furies in their own bosoms whereby to hurry and torment themselves ; whose unwholsome principles , because nautious to themselves would stamp their impression on those that suck them in ; so that one would think such souls mingled with clay , and because in the limit and circumstance of time are i● some measure confin'd to earth's sublunar mixts , and by the world so severely intangled , that like birds in limetwigs , the more they flutter the faster they find themselves intangled ; in such a state i perswade my self there 's no divine speculation , nor visional faith whereby to see the invisible state of things as they stand nakedly , simply , and purely in themselves , of which these visible objects are but natural representatives . this perswasion directs to me an unregenerate state , because when not to partake of a supernatural birth : the soul therefore that 's immerged with sin , darkness conducts it to a dismal destiny , deeply shadowed under the decays of elements , and impossible without a miracle to make a flight above the world , since by innate inherency its partaker of the world. but the stars if when to consider them the almighty's library , where every star is the volumn of a world , and every world a sumptuous globe , divinely held in the hand of its maker , for such they were , and such they are ; not that these sublime and eminent elevations were only made for mortals confusedly to gaze at ; no , i 'me perswaded rather to excite and stir up admiration , whereby to elevate and quicken our devotion above our selves , when to behold such majesty fixt in the creation ; for are not these luminous and illustrious bodies ( which we behold hung up in that great vortrice of heaven ) celestial lamps , to illuminate the universe ; and not only to illuminate , but animate and vegetate , so in conclusion , influence and impregnate the creation . 't is true , that heaven is a paradise for souls , and a divine reception for the divinity it self ; but not that i prophane to term it a habitation , when alluding that heaven contains the divinest , since heaven is every where where ever god is , whose holy presence institutes it immutable , immeasurable , and eternal like himself : whose nature transmutes it into his own likeness , and puts it into such a divine capacity , that for ever its uncapable of the periods of death . heaven therefore is the divine habitation of god , and the light of heaven the divinity of god ; the blessed society there , saints and angels ; and there it is that the prophets and prophetesses , with apostles and evangelists daily prophesie ; for there every day is a daily sabboth , and elohim betwixt the cherubs is the lord iehovah . but the evening and the morning were the second day , so that twenty four hours , nor more nor less , do but compleat a natural day ; when as the whole tract of time in its natural progress , appears to me but one day super-natural , of which our ancestors , as also our selves from sacred authority had these divine speculations : so that if to consider that two days natural could operate such a change in the great creation ; we may rationally conclude , and as modestly determine the residue an argument to evince the generations : for could i but seriously point out to the creature the blessed creators mystical operation ( which is altogether impossible ) i might then peradventure prove an instrument to some whereby to moderate and disintangle passion , pursuant only after perishing objects , and for ought i know , blot out the prejudice and animosity of others , meaning such as seditiously sow discention among the brethren , endeavouring thereby to reap the fruits of their own conjectural imaginations ; which to do , but undoes one another , by violating the sacred laws of god , as that also of nature , and of true religion , since the scriptures by a divine authority require that every one examine himself , and seriously and sedately study a reformation . then were the waters beneath the heaven by divine appointment gathered together ; and those invisible waters above the heavens rallied themselves , and separated apart ; which admirable and wonderful act or operation occasioned a trepidation all over the chaos ; for till then the waters intermingled with the waters , and the elements as inmates spread themselves among them , till god in his wisdom stirred up the magnet , and then the waters immediately attracted , so by collision broke the bond of unity ; for when so great a change happned in the whole , of necessity every individual separated apart . in which admirable progress every one had its station , yet was it by appointment , and the providence of god ; so that the more sublime the matter was , by so much the higher it ranged it self , removing more remotely from its own faecula : when on the contrary , to admiration , the more gravity it had , by so much the closer it adhered to its recrement ; and in this operation the fire claim'd the precedency ; but next the fire the air pleaded succession ; so that these two elements become as it were invisible , and which also by reason of a spirituallity , administred only to the vital parts : but water and earth , when to consider their corporiety , their gravity , their unity , and more consubstantial parts ; and because also synonimous with the creature , it cloathed and fed it with prolifick vertue : for whatever any thing is of it self , of the same likeness it naturally produceth ; and such as are the constitution of elements and principles , such also are our native and corporial constitutions . to consider things therefore as they are in themselves , we need not to borrow spectacles from others : for if when to consider the sun universally shines , notwithstanding the blind man he seeth it not : and so of eclipses , tho some have seen them ; what then , their natural reason and understanding can't reach them , however credit go's a great way in the case . the blind-man perhaps he swallows a fly , and if he do and feel it not , what prejudice is there in it , when a fly in the glass to him that hath eyes , is not only disturb'd , but in some measure terrified , because fearing to surfeit if not to suffocate . circumspection therefore , and the vertue of temperance circumscribe to us the mediums for long life , when excess of any thing overthrows the whole , and would even do so to this stupendious creation , should it in any thing exceed with intemperance . the vertue therefore , and the office of water is to cleanse , to moisten , to mollific , and dissolve ; to wash also and purific the the outside . and this peradventure was iohn baptists ordinance , when only to blot out the character of circumcision , which indeed was then prevalent among the iews till the baptism of jesus , of more energy and vertue took place to purge out sin by internal purification , and which also is that baptism of the holy ghost which iohn proclain'd was the baptism of fire ; so that these two ordinances and divine operations were vastly different , and distinct from one another , for the one only washes , but the other purifies ; the first to brush off the outward defilements ; but the latter to blot out internal pollution . consider it therefore , you christian professors , and live not by profession , but the life of christianity . and the divinest said , let the dry land appear ; which was no sooner said but it immediately appeared . now dry land which is the solid and fix'd part of the creation : all interpreters agree that its literally earth ; and properly is such , and generally so received , as is by expositors and others concluded . and this dry earth i have also considered was that only which was left after separation of the elements : to which also was added the dignity of an element ; and because ranged and superscribed in the fourth clasis of the macrocosm , is confirm'd the most solid , and most fix'd part of the whole , concentring it self upon its own proper basis , and impending on nothing by a divine ordination , but it s own equal poize and the will of god ; so that neither upwards nor downwards , extension nor demension can any ways remove , displace , or unlodge it ; because god through wisdom has inspired into it the magnet of fixation , gravity , and station which confirms it a central and fixt residence , and the waters to rowl perpetually about it . the air also to incircle and surround it ; and the fire above all to surmount above it , yet every of them is restricted by providence , within the circular globe or firmament of heaven . but where are we now , got above the elements ? no probably , but as far as our eyes will carry us ; no mortal sees farther . our basis i perceive then will be understood the earth , and earth and water compleat but one globe ; so that of the whole , and visible appearance , here seems to remain but one moity left : and the rather to confirm it , it 's obvious to every one , that the firmament of heaven intersects betwixt them ; for the elements of fire and air disappearing , they become invisible ; so that what remains now save only earth and water , which are subjects most solid and visible to us : not that i impose this doctrine upon any man , nor do i offer it as a noval of my own : since therefore of it self it is so demonstrable , let it carry its evidence in the frontispiece of time. earth therefore and water are constipated corelates , as hitherto we have observed them visible elements ; and the difference betwixt them is easily reconcileable , when to consider the gravity of the one and fluidity of the other ; yet both impregnated with vital faculties , and to each is super added a prolifick vertue : and because daily influenced by stars and planets , are by the divinest inspired with life and vegetation . but earth is the nurse and supply of elements , as is water the sister and the mother of earth : and because both filled with vertual production , they fail not to send forth their daily encrease ; whose prolifick breasts minutely sprung up , naturally replenished to supply the universe . but i must caution my self what i say now , least peradventure there are some will decry any hypothesis ; and what if they do , i matter not much , since to leave behind me proselites enough after my death to assert and maintain , that the world had a beginning , this is undeniable . that time sprung from eternity , this is also indisputable . that generation succeeded time , this is beyond all dispute unquestionable . and that generation terminates in death , is altogether infallible . that the elements and principles were lodg'd in the great mass of the chaos , is true . that fire because of its dignity superceeded the rest , is most true . and that air because of its purity climb'd up after the fire , is certainly as true : leaving the waters rolling too and fro , fluctuating , incircling , and inspiring the earth ; and the earth as central to all the rest , by wisdom and providence was concentrate on its basis. now tell me ( if you please ) what false doctrine's here ? and i 'll tell you , that our modern philosophers will allow it orthodox , as the precedent generations and philosophers before them , so govern'd themselves as to assert and vindicate it . so that as i design no captivity by my discourse , nor intend i any conquest or triumph over others ; only the exercise of every man's reason , compelling no man to the dictates of my conclusions : give me leave therefore , such to advise as converse with scripture , or correspond with reason , and the possibility of nature ; such i mean as profligate those fictious notions of heathens , and infidels , and atheistical antiseripturists , whose suggestions are only of an imaginary being of that superlative being , whose real essence is existent in himself , pre-existing time , and is the god of nature . god blessed for ever . and the earth brought forth grass ; here 's natural production , and this natural product spreading it self abroad , in a very short progress run into multiplication ; and because the creator destinated it to the creatures use , it became nutritious and salubrious to them ; consequently agreeable and convertible to their nature . but the apostle tells us , that all flesh is grass ; and as the grass fadeth and withereth away , so flesh and blood , our daily morts , prognosticate them also in a state of corruption ; and in process of time to admit of solution : every thing therefore that is in a capacity of being dissolved , that thing most certainly becomes invisible ; and such a posture stands the whole creation in , since daily to admit of transmutation . and the herb yielded seed , and the fruit-tree his seed , and the roots and fruits also , after their kind , which are radicated and impregnated in every individual ; nor are they found in another specie . and sandivogius tells us before the separation of elements , that every individual had then in it self vertuality but one single primordial seed , yet denies not that this primordial seed had the specimen vertue of all the rest , vertually and primarily radicated in it . however there be some that will oppose this doctrine , and lead by a perverse biass , would gladly refute it ; but blessed is he that receives and believes it ; for it is a secret , and the gift of god sealed up from ignorant and obstinate men ; not only in this , but in every generation . nor can any man , i perswade my self , know god in the abstract , except otherwise by the work of god in the creation ; which commissions me also to say in the creature as paul says , christ in you the hope of glory . if therefore another man's knowledge profit me nothing except he enforms me the measures he knows ; he but exposes my faith to a rambling search , to find out the truth by a dubious examine : how miserable therefore , and much to be lamented is that implicit putationer , whose zeal truckles under every form of religion , and bows his knee to every new model of conformity . let us therefore but examine this stupendious creation , wherein god has made himself obvious to the creature , and which ought to be the study of every enquirer , when because to read lectures in the stars and elements : the copious volumns , and visible folio's of god the creator , that gave then a being , and are his oracles , that by divine interpretation are made visible , conspicuous , and intelligible to us : for here we may read , that generation it self presents unto us the marginal notes ; and genus and species , the vowels and consonants , the magi of old learnt us to spell by ; so that the letters and syllables of this blessed alphabet , points out unto us the manuscript of the universe ; over which great school , god himself is chief rabbi ; whose students and prosolites are nature and religion ; and their daily lectures , and solemn declamations , the visibility and invisibility of this voluminous creation , wherein god makes manifest himself in the creature , which teacheth us to live by the vertual act of faith , whereby we may hope , what at present we cannot enjoy ; so labour to find out the hidden mystery of truth , and the unfrequented tracts of wisdom and experience ; which is , or ought to be the study of every man born into the world ; more especially to christians : for truly to know god is to know life eternal ; for he that knows him but as he is told , i can hardly perswade my self he knows him at all . search well within therefore , peradventure thou wilt find him ; and if thou look without , there is he also to be found . so that in every thing , and in every place , is his mercy , or his justice : where his power is also , and the majesty of his presence ; for nothing is , nor can subsist without him . is not this enough to enamour the creature , whose dependance is wholly upon the creator ; for if when to inspect heaven by divine speculation , with confidence we may assure our selves , his habitation is there : and if we dive into the center of the earth ; there also is his instrument , by which nature operates . the superficial parts also , and the soil of earth ; visibly , and manifestly declare his vegetation : and the celestial incholists , as planets , and constellations , do not they influence this blessed creation . so that the whole , and every part thereof declare him admirable ; therefore to be admired , till led by admiration to the corona of beatitude , which to the religious seems a pleasant short stage ; since the life of man is measured but a span. earth therefore must to earth , and elements to elements ; and all compounded mixts submit themselves to solution ; which properly terminates in the periods of death ; but eternity , stands for ever in the presence of god ; and is therefore most permanent , durable , and everlasting . but the earth budded forth , because fill'd with vegetation ; and every tree , from the cedar , to the shrub ; so the oak , the asp , the poplar , and the ash , had its seed radicated , and inated in its self ; plants and herbs also in due time producted , and variously multiplied to adorn the creation and not so only to the praise of him that made them ; but to sustain , refresh , and gratifie the creature : the mighty god , the lord iehovah , his mighty arm has wrought this creation ; and who shall compensate for so divine a work , if when to consider that we are but earth , and our earthy ornament but the blossom of vegetation ; and vegetation it self , what is it more , than the antecessor , or forerunner of mortification ; and mortification what is it but the prospect of putrefuction , which leads on directly to the prisons of death . every thing therefore that is naturally produced ; results , and terminates in its native beginnings : for whatever thing is elemental , or had inicience from thence ; falls under the same predicament , and destinated to die ; whose ends because fliding into the periods of inactivity , partake of the common destiny of all compounded mixts . for such are the elements , and all elementary beings , ever since they had a being , and birth in the creation : but here to philosophize , when duely separated , and afterwards co-united , and re-conjoyned again ; it represents the invisibility visible to us ; which then resulting in an astrum , or quintessentia , is in a capacity to dignifie other bodies , and make them glorious , as it self is transcedent . but who has considered this great conservator , besides him that reads daily lectures in the orbs , and makes it his business to consult the creation : that makes the host of heaven his daily common-place-book , and he that made heaven , his hourly contemplation : which priviledges me to say , he that made man , made not man for himself , but to admire his maker : till then we shall never be truely devoted , nor know what god is , nor what is his truth , notwithstanding so often by others reminded : but like to the world , and pratling parots , talk to others those things we understand not our selves . in this kind of zeal i was morally educated , and suckt my religion in with my learning , too copious theams to be taught in one academy , when the universe it self is too compendious for a university . i grant its true , that the press made a noise , but you must grant me the pulpit made a greater , till to me there seem'd a defect in both : the first because i found in a great measure impractible ; and the latter peradventure as unexperiental . this conducted me to search after the wisdome of him that alone is the divine miracle of wonder ; and my daily speculations were animated with discovery , when every signature unfolded it self ; and every classis brought forth a clavis , wherewith to unlock the meanders of nature . diana in this vision seem'd almost unvailed ; and every thing naked , in its native simplicity : this represents somewhat an admical state , but unsatisfied in mind as to these discoveries , i was led to contemplate the mysteries of the incarnation ; how the divinity when cloathed with humanity , took not only our nature , but our infirmities upon him ; and was a bright and shining light , illuminating the world , and every thing therein , and is that light which saveth the world ; that shines in darkness , yet the darkness knows it not : a light of that beauty that illustrates eternity , and regenerates us plants in the paradice of god , to legitimize us heirs of the new ierusalem : which if duely considered , here 's a prospect of life ; when at a distance stands hovering the issues of death : so that good , and evil seem to stand in a poiz ' till earth be found lite by the counterpoiz of heaven ; and here it was also i see my self naked , waiting for a change , for god is all . this leads me on to a farther consisideration , if when to contemplate what 's more visible than earth ; and earth , and water to compleat but one globe ; whilst the air is drest up with the blessings of vegetation , whereby to inrich and impregnate the earth : as may be seen in the very front and surface of the soil , since dekt , and adorn'd with such beautiful greens ; as ornaments of superiours , illustrating inferiours : so that the earth was spread with prolifick vertue , and production from thence immediately ensued , by discovering the prodigious plenty of grass ; a word large enough to express it universal , had not some laboured tho' to little purpose , because when to shroud it under the denomination of herbage . grass therefore admits of a large extension , when because to comprehend both animals and vegetables : and is peradventure the original word , notwithstanding the various interpretation of expositors , because directing it self to the level paul speaks of , as two intersecting angles direct to the centre of one and the same single gnomen . so that we need not to cavil about the word grass , where the property of the thing is so well understood . herbage therefore is grass , and paul tells us , flesh is grass : and grass by interpretation is the most universal vegetable . trees and plants also are of the same linage , save only from a larger size of more maturated grass . stones , and concressions also what must we call them , if not coagulated , and petrefied grass . so that grass in one respect is every thing that earth vegetates , tho modified after various formations , and figures ; differently drest up by the hand of nature . and because haveing respect to time , and place ; by supplement of air , and moist soveraign vapours , causeth it to grow , and spreading it self on the superficies of earth , spires out into grass . which when otherwise concealed in subterranean cavities , grows up into metals , and the race of minerals . as for example , have not all trees their roots in the earth , when their loaden boughs hang burdned with fruit. and are not all metalline roots radicated in the air , when the centre of the earth is burdened with their fruits ; what 's more intelligible . now there is but one universal spirit in nature , from whence things originally have all their supplies ; and the three clauses also of animals , vegetables , and minerals ; are they not so many marks , sigels , and characters , which the creator has imprinted , and stampt upon them , whereby the creature might read , and know them . but man above all , because lord of the creation , is made most intelligible , whereby to understand them : wherefore he calls them by names , for distinction ; when as the rest of the creatures know them only by instinct . and this vegetating spirit has its seed in its self , and the air is plentifully replenished with it ; which seeds scatter'd , and spread about the vniverse , furnisheth the creatures in all parts of the creation . the americans can tell you that trees grew naturally where the native indians never had a being ; and were it not for europes agriculture , and industry ; her florid fields , and flourishing pastures , would soon feel the fatal stroke of disorder ; so become forrests , and barren desarts , fit only for beastial , and salvage inhabitants . for god never made nor sent any thing into the world that was either indigent , defective , or imperfect ; every creature , nay , the plants themselves were furnished with prolifick , and seminal qualifications ; sterility was a thing utterly unknown , till disobedience disinherited our royal protoplast ; which had for ever so remained to the periods of time , had not the cross obliterated the curse . our ancestours oft laboured to strike out the eyesore , which the succeeding generations have thought no impediment , because to study new modes of sinning , whereby to improve impiety by consent ; which has rarely ceased to follow every generation , as naturally ( in my opinion ) as rust attends copper ; fretting , and corroding the natural body , till time , and other comodes blot out its character ; so permits the compound to slide into atomes , and yield it self captive to the prisons of death ; waiting from the artist a resurrection . but such bodies as these we call imperfect , because of a leprosie impendent on them ; when as indeed there are other dignified bodies , that fear not to die , because uncapable of death : whose peluced anima like stars in the firmament , make glad the adepti , and solicitous in art. in the next place , i purpose to speak something of light ; and since light by the text is the oracle of god , it was by his wisdome apparently made manifest , when undressing the hoil of this beauteous creation ; which light also leapt out of the bosome of eternity into the vision , and perspective of time ; and because expatiating it self in the chaos was the cause of this admirable separation of the waters , when by divine ordination they divided themselves ; and then it was that dry land appeared : nor could it be otherwise because then the purer parts immediately began to feel the force of separation , so let the recrements subside to the bottome , because of their feculent and impure centre , and thus by the fiat were all impurities separated , from that which of it self was altogether pure ; and this act of separation we attribute to god , who substituted nature daily to operate : for should there happen but the least cessation , the whole compound would annihilate , so become invisible . but every separation of separable things creates the unity , and perpetuates the harmony ; since the life of one element is dependent on another ; nor lives the one without the breathings of the other . the waters perpepetually moistening the earth , whiles the earth inspires , and ferments the water ; but the soft sweetnings , and breathings of air impregnates both ; as do the stars in their station , and celestial rotation , actually influence , and penetrate the whole . from whence we morrally and rationally conclude that earth made dissoluble converts into water ; and water by heat is ra●ified into air. air consequently by circulation is convertible into fire , and this i call motion , and the perpetual rotation of this admirable and imbellished creation , notwithstanding copernicus asserts the contrary , when to tell us that the earth of it self has a motion : however , i know none , except that of vegatation . and now the great creator that made the light commands that lights appear in the 〈◊〉 number ; and divinely ranging them in the frontispiece of heaven , it denot●s unto us the aforesaid separation of that which is pure from that that 's im●ure . fo● 〈◊〉 firmament at once 〈…〉 with 〈◊〉 whose bodies were innumerable , 〈◊〉 , and luminous , and 〈◊〉 made to shine all over the universe●●hey also illuminate and impregnate the creation ▪ and that to admiration , he hung the●●●word in his sublime sanctuary , to discrim● 〈◊〉 day from the obscurities of 〈◊〉 and to mark out the winter 〈◊〉 summer season : for they 〈◊〉 made signs , and expositors of seasons to remonstrate days , 〈◊〉 ●imes to prognosticate : thus we ●●ad , and as constantly we observe the heavens adorned with these beautiful bodies , so that their operations we feel , and sometimes their effects ; but their ends as hitherto are not generally understood , tho frequently th●●ght 〈◊〉 and descanted by putatio●●rs ; who fancy it sacriligious when to mediate on them , or if but to enqui●● into the order of the creation ; supposing the creator like thems●●ves but nigardly , when to conceal such an excellent and admirable 〈…〉 ; least peradventure every 〈◊〉 should p●● into the model , so 〈…〉 maker by the mediums of art● but gods divin● oracles surpasseth mans reason , 〈◊〉 wisdome instructs us the ●●●●ods of the creation ; nor was 〈◊〉 ignorant of these celestial 〈◊〉 who pointed out to us the divin● 〈◊〉 of stars , how some of them 〈◊〉 , and how some move themselves : who cites to us the motion of 〈…〉 constellations ; the forms , and ●●nfigurations also of the signs of the zodiack ; with the blazing . meteo●s , and formidable apparitions ; the beauty of orion , and the splend●ur of the pliades : the lustre of bootes ●ubulus , or arctophylax : the celerity of mercury , and the rotation of ursa major , incircling ursa minor , in opposition to the crosiers , directors to artick , and the antartick poles . but what edifies all this to an illiterate person , any more than a clerum at the commencement in cambridge : ignorance i must confess is an o'rgrown infant , and the greatest enemy and opposer of art , which ought to be shun'd as a monster in nature ; and above all things abhor'd as some mortal contagion ; or thing worse , could worse be supposed : for ignorance , and impudence they poison our faith , and of future hope would have us to suspect the enjoyment of the excellency of those divine things whereof now we know little more than part . for to read in the beautiful face of the firmament , we discover the invisibillity of things made visible , which manifests to us the end of the creation : so that i prophane not , nor would i be thought erronious , when if only to assert that the stars made visible are angels only explicated ( and the saints shall shine as the stars in glory ) consequently that angels are stars complicated ; and as the star hesper is the suns aurora , so the day star of regeneration is the son of god , to light us up to his glorious habitation : it is true , that as the night is opposite to the day , so sin interposeth betwixt god , and the creature ; we must carry the cross to purchase the crown , and divide the day from obscurities of the night : which without a metaphor is the light from darkness , sin from sanctity , death from life ; and which indeed are sublime operations , fit only for him that divinely operates . the frontispiece therefore or visibility of the firmament , god noted out to us for signs , and for seasons ; so for days , and for years ; whereby to prophesie of those fatal events , frequently impendent ore impenitent people : but the seasons declaratively make demonstrative of heat , so do they of cold ; as at other times of rain , and ●lso of fair weather ; because visibly read in the face of the stars , exhalations , corruscations , and embodied clouds . the days also numerate the date of the creation , and the nights direct us to read lectures in the heavens . thus we see that we see nothing , except we see and understand by the wisdome of god , the excellency and beauty of those sublime things , pointed out to us in the mysteries of the creation , viz. how the ray of light profligates darkness ; and the glory of the majesty mortifies death ; the consideration whereof sweeteens all difficulties ; but the blessed fruition ravishes the soul , and makes it infinitely more pleasant and dilectable , than temporal sweets affect the sence . and god the creator made two great lights , the sun and the moon ; whose different progress directs unto us a different appointment : the sun as abovesaid , to rule the day , but the moon by reflection to govern the night . so that the sun by divine ordination , and the providence of god superceeds the moon ; but the moon by a peculiar virtue influenceth the ocean , and adorns the universe : the majesty of the sun is admired by the persians , so is that of the moon adored by the indians . now the suns warm body moderates the earth , and would peradventure in some measure callifie it , did not the moist air generously intermediate . and the moon perhaps would frigidate the ocean , did not the suns soveraign warm beams mildly , and sweetly by influence nourish it . what illuminates the orbs , and what inspires the ocean , if not sun , and moon by the providence of god ▪ that vegetates , and impregnates the creatures in creation . so that if when to consider the majesty of the sun , that incessantly moves without intermission , in the central orbs , and every angle of the universe ; whose defused ray spreads upwards , and downwards ; and every way to influence with heat and motion : and because enricht , and adorned with such eminent qualifications , as the majesty of light , and the excellency of beauty ; it might probably invite sandivogius the philosopher to superscribe him the vehic●lum , or tabernacle for god : which hypothesis is refuted by basil valentine , and contradicted by scriptural authority . for i will build my tabernacle , and dwell among men ; and the saints they shall shine as the stars in glory . but the sun beyond dispute is the most glorious creature that god has created in this stupendious creation , because of its purity , and superlative clarity ; since totally separated from all its dregs : whose inside and outside we made synonimous , formd out of pure principles of life and heat ; whose rapid motion gives action to the orbs , and cloaths all the stars with his lustre , and splendour ; making them shew beauteous by the lustre of his brightness : and because by the divinest deckt , and adorn'd with glory ; he lives without compeer , nor has he any corival ; where note he 's a monarch , and the parent of vegetation . and such is the moon , tho a faint flattering ray ( if when compared with the sun ) yet she illustrates unto us from the same original : and because adapted from adequate primordials , in her occidental cressant she naturally displays a lunar clarity ; when in her oriental purity an incomparable brightness : and tho' by reason of distance she wants a natural warmth , yet in her progress she spreads forth of splendour , whereby she sends beauty to the ends of the ocean . the tides themselves also are a lunar flux , and such is the frail imbicility of females : for the moon has a monarchy within her self , yet directs she by the generous beam of her soveraign , who by wisdome and providence of the supreamest good that governs the whole , and also the parts ; is made to nourish , and refresh the creation : so that to make things plain , by explaining my self , peradventure , may bring my discourse into suspition , were the vulgar my judges ; who , i fancy by this have already doomed , and brought me under the calamity of a lunatick . the residue of the stars , the divinest also he placed them in order by particular classes , and gave to every one by a grant from heaven , a peculiar vertue , and different operation : one to dignifie earth into the purest gold , another to make silver shine in the mines : a third to scatter iron stone , underneath the surface ; a fourth to discover quick●silver fluid ; a fift lays open the mines of tin : and a sixth the beauteous mettalline copper : but the seventh creates the earth into oar , which by smelting at the mills , is convertible into lead : but there are other , and various coagulations , besides these seaven ; as allowed by philosophers , the product and progeny of erratick stars : and such is cat-silver , mine oars , and minerals ; mixt metals also , with various complications . then their 's talk , and realgar ; with zink , bismuth , and cobolt ; and the regal cements of hal , and malk , besides markasites , and pierites ; with innumerable concressions of opacous bodies , enough to astonish the reader , if to name them . precious stones also are of the same progeny , and legitimate heirs of stars and constellations : and tho' some coagulations out-lustre one another , as the cristal , because having a polite and shining face ; so has the crisolite a diaphinous-body : but the saphir , the hiacinth , the smaragdine and emerald , together with the amethist , diamond , ruby , and the carbuncle , are all gloriously tinged with a mettalline tincture : but there are other , and opacous bodies , directing to the topax , beside the turchas ; and such is the onix , and admired granat ; with the cornelian , needless to nominate , in regard by the mobile so generally understood . all which have their officine , and shops in the earth , where illiastes , and archeus , are rector , and operator ; the one to find stuff and the other labour : but demogorgan assists both by the help of vulcan . thus in brief i have given you a short view of celestials , and how they are adapted parents of terrestials . now these glorious and luminous lamps , the stars , were kindled by the divinest to illuminate the world : and god lifted them up , and set them in the firmament as oracles , and ornaments to adorn the universe : whose signature and impressions are perpetually imprest upon earths soft table , to influence and impregnate it with prolifick vertue : for the sun and moon , shews us heaven and earth in a lesser character than most men dream of : and because having a magnetick vertue , and principle in themselves ; the first fills the world with heat , and activity , but the latter because immerg'd with passive qualifications , influenceth fluidity , and the race of females . the sun therefore we superscribe him masculine , but the moon every one intitles feminine : where note , as these luminaries are made to move , consequently so moves the wheels of generation and corruption , which mutually dissolves all compounded bodies . but the moon most properly is the organ of transmutation , as is the sun the parent of generation : and these two luminaries multiply and fructifie every individual as to generation , and multiplication ; for what compound ever was , or is there to be found in whole nature that holds not in it self some proportion of the sun , and so of the moon , whereby to confirm it with life , and motion ; so that what offices soever are performable by these two luminaries , either for preservation of the whole , or conservation of part ; as is the performance for one , such also and after the same manner is the like office for all . since therefore such vertue shines from celestials , what may be expected from super-celestials is not christ the wisdome , the beauty , and the glory of the majesty , whose admirable amazi●g and astonishing brightness shines in the tracts to the new ierusalem . the holy men of god in former ages read daily lectures in this divine manuscript ; and the same starry folio since the beginning of the creation , has lain unfolded to this very generation : so that wanting solomons wisdome , and iobs inspection ; very few , or none do read in it now . surely our rabbies have lost the clavis . hermes its true , and the egyptians before him understood , and stiled god , minos solitaria ; but our great prophet moses ; iehovah , and elohim ; so the cabalists intitled him aleph tenebrosum , from whence some conjecture the delphians in their inscriptions direct their orisons to the unknown god. but the arabs — their orisons : but the arabs and the caldeans marks him out aleph lucidum . so that doubtingly the key of knowledge in some measure may be lost , otherwise the alphabet would not seem so unintelligeable ; unless we have made new heavens of our own , so study them only , and forget the old one . but the creation of harmony who can forget , and not forget him that adorns the universe : so fill up his lamp with foetid oyl , whose stinking empyruma instead of aroma's , infects the altar , and offends the omnipotent . but man by the divinest was created twofold , visible , and invisible : corporeal , and celestial : his elementary body , or visible part of a pure fixt earth ; or a deep red clay : but his soul or invisibility of an essence royal , not to be found in the texture of the great world , more intellectual therefore , and more supernatural ; from whence montanus that great pantheologist , calls man a small or little incarnation , in which work god was pleased to multiply himself . nor was man the primitive work in this blessed creation , but the great world was , out of which man was made : whose principles , and practice ought to be well examined ; should we resolve to take part for the whole ; so guess at the frame by a regular proportion . and as man was taken out of this copious world , so was the woman also taken out of man. for god in his eternal idea foresaw that whereof as yet there was no material copy . the goodness and beauty of which invited him to create man like unto himself ; and beholding that divine and lively image of his own , inwardly to shine in the tabernacle of man ; he became therewith enamoured with divine ardency ; and so loved the creature , that when sin had defaced it ; he again restored it by the suffering of that power by which man at first was made and created . but the sun and the moon were made to operate , and man in a sence was made to imitate ; whose masterpice is invention , and whose study should be that to repair which nature because interrupted left somewhat imperfect : but not that nature cannot perfect her operations ; rather we are to consider all scientifical artists but dull operators , and imitaters of nature , who works by her own copy , slighting all artifice , and artificial presidents ; since such seem useless , and altogether improper to her , that of her self , can perfect the whole . health craves no method for phisick , nor diet ; 't is disease only that claims the priviledge of medicine : then why so preposterous to seek sickness in health , and daily enquire the state of new worlds , when the old one by providence is still so good , and upheld by his power can never die . the wise creator has put therein such a renovating faculty , that of it self by attraction and repercussion , it receives what 's suitable , and agreeable to its nature , rejecting whatever is unagreeable to its resentments , as a thing that 's loathed by a disdainful appetite : let every student therefore study the knowledge of that which god in his wisdome has already made ; since man with all his art can make nothing like it . and now since the stars are commissioned to rule , saturn as superiour , and lord of the universe , assumes the precedency : and who because of his ancient and paternal dignity , claims a prerogative above all the planets ; exalting himself in the supreamest orb : whose wife by allusion of poetical fixion was surnamed ops , the daughter of caelas ; of whom is begot the fair androginas , as also the beautiful and the florid vesta : to whom the votaries , and the vestal nimphs in the days of numa pompilius , offered up their orisons . of metals , therefore saturn is lead ; of minerals antimony , but of stones the granate . next unto saturn's superiour orb , benevolent iupiter assumes the throne ; who sways the scepter in a peaceable dominion , and himself as his government is also peaceable : a monarch that 's surrounded with senators and statesmen ; made happy in his choice when celebrated to iuno , had not his royal consort been wounded with jealousie . now this fair goddess as the poets have conceived sprung from the loins of saturn , and ops : whose metallick progeny was only tin : and of minerals zink , but of stones the iacinth . now trinus magnus or valorous mars , he mounts the chariot ; who by poetical fixion is the son of iuno . this great martialist and champion of the gods , ascends his triumphant throne next unto iupiter , and rules by the sword : whose law as is asserted , is the force of arms : however the poets have prescribed him no wife , but inamoured with venus , some suppose her his paramour : rich in no child but iron , and vitriol , save only the soveraign and medicianal heliatrope : whose markasite is bismuth , and whose minera is the magnet . most illustriously adorned , sol himself advanceth : whose dazling ray ●ills all the world with lustre : but his consort is known by the name of lune , whose fair beauty some say equalizeth his brightness ; yet no child he had but gold , and the carbuncle ; excepting the ruby , and lapis luzuli , with some minerals , and markasites tinged with his lustre : otherwise of themselves they could never shine . but venus succeeds , and because the queen of heaven , she 's reputed the speculation of all the philosophers . who was thought as by fiction the fair daughter of caelus but her mother the ancients have prescribed the ocean : if so , this fair goddess she sprung from the sea , and was the supposed wife of vulcan , master of the cyclops : she had no child indeed excepting copper , yet is she rich to excess in vitriol , wherein lies her treasure : whose nativity of stones is the beautiful emerald ; but her markasite is cobolt . mercury next to venus he ranges himself , and among the planets is stiled intelligencer : a universal lover of metals , and minerals ; principally all those of a regal condition ; we read of no wife that ever he had , because an hemaphrodite , and compleat in both sexes ; whose progeny is quick-silver , and the sparkling diamond . next to mercury the empress of the orbs lune's silver horns they polish the sky . but we have told you already whose wife she is , tho' some among the philosophers superscribe her masculine : whose native child is the burnisht silver , and the beautiful saphir : but her artificial , as hinted by basil valentine ; is the first born daughter of all the philosophers . but the stars , i have considered , ought not to be thus discourst , nor ought we to discipher them after this manner ; nor was it indeed my primitive intention ; however since so bluntly to blab it out : let it serve only therefore to commode the ingenious , and direct the sons of science into the tracts of philosophy ; making the elements natures common-place-book ; in whose legible index if well examined , you may there find all that ever she did , or for the future intends to do . and in this thin tiffeny she wraps up her principles before she embark them into coagulation : and which also retains the species of things , and is the immediate receptacle of spirits after solution of their natural bodies : from whence , and through which the good ones pass to a superiour limbus , or emperoeal heaven ; where all pure essences have their eternal residence . and thus we have determined by a philosophical liberty to liken nature to a beautiful lady , shaded sometimes under a cyprus vail ; metaphorically interpreted a thick mettallick mantle : or rather a complication of elements , and principles : which when it shall please the divinest to unvail , and draw it off from before the creation ; we shall not only see nature really naked ; but the very beauty of things themselves , whereof these we now behold are but representatives : when on the contrary should ignorance invade us ; how an outward dimness , and an inward darkness would presently ensue : from which we pray , libera nos domine . but all complicated bodies are elemental , and spiritual ; which by medium of celestials become magnettically united : and is the true , and the only cause of production , and also vegetation : natures fundamentals , and the philosophers speculation . and the evening and the morning were the fourth day , but every day since the beginning of time is gods day only , and properly his ; and so will remain the whole progress of time ; and will be so when time is no more . but the divine harmony of things in the creation were manifest in time , in which all ends and beginnings have their natural period . the beginning therefore was in creating ; and creating was an act of making things manifest . the periods also , or results of which , are manifestly discovered , by solution of parts . thus the world and all therein had a beginning in time , when the divinest undrest the hoil or chaos ; and then invisible things were made visible to us : which by reason of an elementary composition , are in time lockt up in the periods of death . this is all the philosophy hitherto i have known ; or it may be shall ever be known by another . in the next place we discourse the element of water , imagined by some a solution of earth , or a moist coagulum of ambient air , made fluid only by an internal flux ; which surrounding the earth compleats but one globe : and which aquous fluidity separates only the impurities from the more extraneous and superficial parts ; but cannot reach to the core , or centre , whereby to examine the internal impurities ; which an intence fire naturally purgeth forth , by reason of its ardent activity ( and not improper to say its vulcanick nature ) where the waters of themselves can never reach . two elements therefore are destinated to putrification ; and as the matter to be purified is visible , or invisible ; consequently such are the agents for purification . since the fire therefore is an invisible agent , and that other of water most obvious and visible ; the visible and invisible parts of things are therefore so mended , and cleansed by subtile operation ; whereby they seseparate the more inquinate impurity , that stifly adheres to the immaculate nature , and prestine state of virgin purity . but as the soul within the body is not bett'red by the corporiety of all , or any of the natural composition ( or impendent matter hovering about it ) but is rather stained , poluted , and infected with noxious sapors arising thence from : so you are to consider that the vessel has its honour from the dignity of the arcanum ( or glory of the subject matter ) therein contained . and as the scripture instructs us , that gods surprizing light illuminates every pious act of the creature ; it obligeth us to consider that the goodness of god is as great to forgive ; as by his clemency and bounty he is just to pardon . where note we observe god made things proportionable , and in all respects , suitable to himself . the great world he made therefore to contain the less , but the lesser world he made to contain himself that contains the greater . and thus you have the mystery of the creation , the majesty of reason , the divinity of scripture , and authority of philosophy . but the waters brought forth every moving creature , because in them was the spirit of life : for the spirit of life by divine incubation made ingress into them , filling them with a prolifick vertue : and the first form'd creature that the waters brought forth , was the great and unweildy body of earth ; most recluse , and solitary , because inwardly concealed ; which till then never felt the operative fo●ce of fire . nor did the luminous ray of the sun , nor the vertual influence of stars , nor the divine order of constellations , nor the treasures of hail and rain , of lightning and thunder ; nor the seasons of heat and cold , frost and snow ( besides innumerable living creatures to whom heavens plentiful breast daily administred ) till then none of them knew the potency of life , nor the force and energy of the universal spirit which god by wisdome inspired into them . but some will object , and peradventure say , how , and after what manner does the earth vegetate . shew us also the rationallity and probability whereby the earth and the water become living creatures : to which i readily and briefly answer ; the soul of the divine world is god himself ; but that of the created the universal spirit of nature : and this soul lives by vertue of the divine world , but acts by imagination only in the created , whereby the earth conceives , vegetates , and buds up ; so does the waters protrude , and bring forth even to the period and perfection of its predestinated end . nor can they otherwise do ; because the law of providence and necessity is by divine ordination imposed upon them . and that which enriches them are the sublime treasures of elements , and principles . for wanted they those active , and ingressive instruments , they were of all things in nature most imper●ect ; and would be altogether void , and unprofitable ; so become as it were a meer annihilation ; and not improper should i call it , a caput mortuum . for it were impossible that any created being , if when wanting the vital faculty of life , could be any ways at any time in a capacity to live ; consequently to move , vegetate , and protrude . but the great and the lesser world is fill'd with animation , whereby it daily and hourly buds forth : all which are signal and demonstrable tokens of the spirit of life that animates , and actuates in every creature . life therefore is that active and universal spirit of nature wherewith she infusseth , the whole creation , impregnating every individual therewith ; whereby the character of life is no sooner stampt , infus'd or imprest upon any material subject , but it inwardly lives , as does the invisible world ; which no sooner appears to move forward into act , but the model and frame of the subject matter at once admits of exteriour motion . life therefore as it is the radix of every thing , so it acts demonstratively in every body . the motion of the sun we daily observe is necessarily occasioned by this active spirit of life . and such is the vital pulse in man , as also that large and greater pulse of the ocean . earth vegetates only from this operating spirit , and the air is replenished , and fill'd full of it : every thing that is , lives not without it ; nor can any thing subsist deficient of it . o wonderful nature the miracle of the creator , how intelligeable art thou in all thy operations ; and tho' so simple , naked and demonstratively plain , yet how difficult is it for the artist to find out . so that were we minded to imitate nature in her solitary operations , and fermentation of elements ; we ought first to consider in order to what nature in her daily progress points out unto us , whereby to manidge and introduct us : whose mediums because primarily separation , and solution of parts ; therefore from thence begins manual operation . let solution therefore be the first step , since in separation all is found . then proceed to filtration , evaporation , congealation , cristalization , distillation , digestion , putrefaction , ceration , albification , rubification , and fixation . then will diana appear from under her vail , which none but the eyes of a true philosopher , since the beginning ever yet saw . but now i suspect i 'me beyond the paraphrase of the text , when only designed to discourse the creation ; so of elements and principles , natures own rudiments . how that elements subsist not without previous fermentation of their complicated com●xture of invisible parts ; so that a compleat separation is no where found whereby to unlock , and disintangle the unity of bodies , without a philosophical clavis to display their principles ; which otherwise are limited , and by nature confined to submit to the law of coagulation . of all which i cease farther to disclose ; lest peradventure this secret be already too manifest , when because to devulge it to the root of ingratitudes : so we leave that subject to discourse the leviathan . and , god made great whales , &c. iob calls him leviathan , who after his creation by the permission of god , rolls to● and fro the fluctuating ocean : whose unctuous scales pollish the sea , that ●o amaz●ment it shines like a pot of oyntment ; and whose magnitude amazes his fellow creatures . whose empire is the spacious and bottomless ocean , but himself a monarch over all in the deeps , whose subjects are the several clases of natatiles , that pay tribute to him with the loss of their lives . so that what to say of this prodigious creature , i know not ; nor is any pen capable to discourse his concealments , or fathom the unfathomed depths that conceal him . is not he one of the wonderful mysteries of the ways of god ? whose shining paths discover his ways , and whose motion terrifies the eyes of his beholders ; ● creature he is that lives void of fear , and is as iob says , a king over all the children of pride . leviathan therefore if thought requisite to describe him , i shall rally him under three several distinctions ; and the rather because to make him yet more obvious , give me leave to rumidge the ocean , and dress up my method whereby to illustrate him in the following order . first , then by tradition we entitle him grampus , when because to consider him in his prestine minority ; but successively in his peregrination he assumes to himself that dignity and magnitude , that some call him iubartas . when in process of time , and becoming yet more formidable , some are pleased to superscribe him the whale or leviathan ; whose motion upon the slippery tracts of the ocean , represents him as it were a floating island . and whose excessive bulk , and incredible bigness is enough to astonish every beholder : when otherwise to consider him on the silty owse , his own weight peradventure hazards to sink him ; whereby he becomes a prey to the merchant , or otherwise must lie till death release him . but of this admirable and eminent subject , there are some so precipitant to preconjecture iob too copious ; whiles othersome of a contrary opinion have determined him too brief , and altogether concise , when because as to their apprehension not to enlarge enough upon him : wherefore to reconcile them which is not without difficulty ; the ignorant and unlearned think he has said too much , when by reason of their ignorance they cannot understand him : but to the wise and more judicious he has said too little , and the rather in regard they 'r desirous of knowledge ; for wisdome is always known of her children . but iob that humane oracle of learning and eloquence ; and as learnned as any man in the study of astronomy , has given such eminent and convincing encomiums , with such solid arguments of this admirable creature ; that every description save that of his own strikes a discord in the readers ear : whose mute i confess my self to be , and am unwilling therefore to attempt to encounter what neither my language nor experience can boast of , otherwise , than that i have seen this formidable creature sporting himself in the vast wide ocean ; yet this wont priviledge , but rather precaution me ( with reverend submission ) to a sedate taciturnity , and to affix no more arguments upon this invincible subject : but rather with my author lay my hand on my mouth , and remembring the battle , do so no more . since therefore to consult him without any compeer , and a monarch of such a magnitude , and vast dominions ; should we rumidge all the elements for a mate to match him , none but his own is found to contain him . wherefore we represent him the majesty of mortals , whose search we relinquish to correspond with inferiours ; such are the porpus , the bottle-nose , and the shark , the selk , boneto , and the albicore , the moura or sea serpent , with the conger , bass , remora torpedo , and the american snite . there is also the turbet , scate , dolphin , grooper , and cavalla ; besides the sturgeon , salmon , trout , lucit , mullet , umbar , barble , tenche , &c. and thousands more in salts and freshes . moreover there are shell-fish , as the turtle or tortoise , conct , lobsters , oysters , crabs cockles , mussels , craw-fish , prawns , and shrimps ; but these are arm'd all over . another brigade are alegators , crocadiles , guianas , bevers , otters , and manitees , with many other , but such are amphibious , whom i care not to converse with . living creatures therefore , and such as move , and have their motion by the mediums of water , are our subject matter . and that god created every invidual , made it to live , and gave it motion , is the strength of my assertion ; and that the waters were the cause of their life and motion , is the argument of the text : but that god gave life and motion to the waters that gave life and motion to the creatures therein , is my positive and final conclusion . life then as naturally attends the creation as the ray of light follows the sun. nor can any life issue but what flows from light , as light it self flows from the divine fiat ; which immaculate light sprung up from eternity , as eternity it self shines from the majesty . but since the determinate and original end of water was not generally understood , its nature and office but imperfectly considered , its wonderful vertue and operation intelligeable only to such whom wisdome and nature have duly educated in god's great school , where nothing is taught without wonder and astonishment ; so that all i can offer relating to this admirable subject , is little more than to say nothing , since if i speak any thing , i say too much ; and silence peradventure would better become me , rather than so publickly declame , and devulge to the world these my notions , and it may be by some thought barren apprehensions , that like a chase in arra's figurates only the design , but wants real power of life to prompt forward into motion . which implies , such phaenonima's discover nothing where the genuine truth of any thing admits of a doubt ; and who will be so presumptous to determine possitives by his own own hesitant and imperfect conclusions . but the sea as one great and copious body is acted only by the spirit of life , that in the beginning inspired the creation : and all the rivers and rivulets that fluctuate in islands , consequently all those that spread themselves on the continent , what are they but such and so many meanders running up and down in every angle , representing the arms , boughs , and branches of this prodigious and miraculous creation ; whose trunck or bole is the ocean it self : whose radix or root in the nonage of time lay conceal'd among the admirable mysteries of the creator . so that after what manner the fountains and the rivers , with the springs and rivulets became incipid , whiles the ocean it self is impregnated with salt ; is another mystery , till serioussy to consider the quellem or sand , and the multiform variety of soils in the earth , as also to examine the bottles of heaven , the burdned and impregnated clouds that fall , and daily distil to replenish the earth , with aerial spirits , and prolifick vertue . these also were once one saline substance ; when in the great mass or volumn of the ocean ; whose texture was alienated in the act of separation because rarified and purified by mediums of air ; which more properly admits of an explanation , directing to a ra●efaction and transposition of elements : whiles we direct our intention to the progress of multiplication , by divine grant and praeordinate council . and now the heavens shine a blessing upon the creation , as also upon all elementary constitutions ; for god himself looked down upon the ocean , not only to bless it , but all her inhabitants . thus were they blest , and all that was in them were also blest , when god bid them fructifie , grow up , and encrease . now how can they otherwise than propagate and multiply , since his divine word has already commanded it . we therefore conclude the creation blest , and the creatures in the creation , because being blest , become a blessing to every partaker . for the bounty of the creator can know no limit , tho' the creation it self is bounded with limitation . he therefore that made it had power to confine it , but being himself eternally unmade , neither art , nor power , nor can any thing confine him . where 's peters objection now to raise a scruple , because when to eat what 's common or unclean , since what god has cleansed is undoubtedly clean : but this was a trope or type of religion , whereby to denote god no respecter of persons ; nor relates it to any thing if i calculate right than variety and distinction of judgements and opinion : for probably peter thought none but the iews were worthy the dignity and honour of christianity , when god thought otherwise ; because having chosen the gentiles as a people approved more worthy than the iews ; who not only betrayed the lord of life , but barbarously and inhumanly they murdered their messiah . be fruitful , says the word , encrease , and multiply ; here 's a commission large and great enough , sealed and signed under heavens great charter : so that now the rivers , the lakes , and the rivulets , nay the ocean it self is fill'd with variety . and every classis strives to exile sterility , and obliterate if possible the fate of barrenness . can any element in the creation excepting the ocean proclaim such multitudes as there are of fish , which surpasseth the art of arithmetick to number them . for who has not seen that the belly of one female was enough of it self to accommodate a river , and has not also considered that if every individual had the ray of life shine in it , and common providence attend it for its natural preservation ; to admiration so great would be the encrease , that the waters themselves would even suffocate . but as there is a magnetick quality , and a sympathetick harmony in the creation ; so is there a natural antipathy in the ocean , as there is the like in other elements . the falcon in the air , the shark in the ocean , and the angler to bait with a fish , when design'd to catch a fish ( but such we call troling ) so some sets fellons to ●rapan thieves . it s usual for the great ones to prey upon the little ones , as the grampus upon the surai , the shark upon the boneto , the sturgeon upon the shad , the porpus upon the salmon , the pike upon the dace , and the pearch upon the minue , &c. this i call antipathy ; but simpathy if i mistake not is the mutual concordance , and harmony among the creatures . i have read in helmont of a prodigious pike , that lived as he says to an amazing bigness , and not then to have died a natural death ; when if to consider the whole progress of life , what tribute would such a smelter ( supposing this to be such ) bring to the waters . but lest i fall into a piscatorian error ( which vanity since my youth i can hardly withstand ) let me therefore commend you to my contemplative angler , where at large you may read the historical part of angling . for in the high sea there 's no soundings , what art then must be used to catch fish ? and so profound is this subject that i plough but the surface , whiles others more mathematical measure out the circumference , and dive into natures more hidden mysteries by a secret and pious profound speculation , the eye of faith and reason introducting . but we shall put ashore now , to tread on terra firma . and god said let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind ; cattle , and creeping things ; and the beast of the earth after his kind . then the earth brought forth in great abundance , since by the divine grant of wisdome and providence it had now in it self the three distinct clases of vegetables , and minerals ; besides innumerable and various forms of insects , and animals , surpassing the art of numeration . every cave now was fill'd with concressions , and the surface of the soil was covered with herbage . the florid meadows also were perform'd with odorates , and the flourishing fields were scattered with corn. the banks also that bounded the murmuring streams , were strewed with arbories . the mountains with mines , the valleys with herds , the plains with flocks , and the pastures with cattle ; but the moist and more boggy swamps in vallies , were crouded and covered with amphibious creatures : besides innumerable fowl of all sorts , and kinds hovering in the air , under the canopy of heaven . fish also they floated in the brinish streams , whiles some others contented themselves with freshes ; so that every place , and every thing was fill'd with plenty whereby to enrich this stupendious creation . nor was any part of earth , as well as the ocean , exempt or denied those primary blessings from her great benefactor that had blessed every thing : who not only made her , but such provision for her , that to the periods of time she can know no want : who commissioned nature also by an eternal decree , as a supream governess not only to govern ; but also to labour the elements accommodation . the lion and the lioness roar'd then in the desart ; and the ass with the mule bray'd in the common ; but the hart with the hind bellowed in the forrest : and the leopard with the panther , besides the wolf and the tigre were heard to howl in the barren wilderness . but the grey or badger he yelpt in the earth , whiles the subtle fox in his obscure den lay barking conceal'd in cavities under ground : the horse he neighed in the open field , and the cattle lay lowing in the florid meadows : but the sheep and the lambs , true patterns of innocency ( poor animals ) they lay bleating in every pasture . chantecleer in those times he rose with the day , and the early lark took wing with the morning ; who admiring the beauty of the rising sun , mounts the fair welkin to partake of his splendour ; whiles the black-bird and thrush , with the winters intelligencer ( little robin-red-breast ) mannage the consort till almost evening ; and then pritty philomel or the summer oracle , closes up day with sweet epithalamiums . thus the creation in a perpetual harmony melted the air with melodious consorts of unterrified quires of innocent birds , that as well as they could , exprest their gratitude , for the bounty and generosity of their great benefactor ; who gave them a being , and the blessings of accommodation ; the earth to nourish , and gave them food ; but the windows of heaven were set open , to refresh and gratifie their thirsty appetite . and thus the creation was unacquainted with fear , whiles our ancestor stood in a state of innocency ; and had for ever so remain'd without contradiction ( by authority of the text ) had not sin struck out the character of simplicity . the timerous hare fled not then for fear , nor did the cunney shelter her self in the burrough . the hind calv'd naturally without corruscations ; claps of thunder were then no help to disburden her . nor did the bear lick her cubs into shape or form , for in the beginning was no deformity . the pellican in those days i perswade my self pickt not those wounds in her tender breast infeebling her self to relieve her young ones . nor did the ostridge conceal her eggs , dreading or fearing the crush of the elephant . nor can i hardly perswade my self in these halcion days that the swan as now sang a lacrimy to her funeral ; nor the phenix fire her vrn to generate her species . aligators surely in the minority of time were not so ravenous as to prey upon passengers . nor did the crocadile dissemble his tears to moisten the funerals of his fellow creature . the plover i discover flew then with the tassel ; and the pheasant i fancy kept flight with the falcon. nor did the partridge know engin , nor noosie-thread ; nor dreaded nor feared he the flight of the goshawk . nor can i think otherwise than to say in those days the lark was any time dared with the hobby surely nature in those days was divinely exercised to preserve in unity , and unite in harmony the creatures god had blest , in this blessed creation ; because then to know no other law but that of sympathy , which is naturally of kind : but so alienated now , and in a sense so degenerated as if no other law was ever established . now the generations past , and our worthy ancestors ; as the vertuous in this age will labour to abolish this unnatural antipathy , if when mutually to strengthen one another in the doctrine of christianity , which ought to be the standard among the pious in profession ; lest peradventure we relinquish our soveraign health , so draw on our heads the curse of disease : for to fly from sanity to seek a cure in sickness ; is to run head-long into the water to preserve our selves from drowning . in the beginnings of time ( as it was of old ) no noise of oppression allarm'd the land , nor dreaded any man the sence of invasion . then it was that priviledges were as sacred as life , and the whole creation seem'd all in common . ianus i fancy liv'd not in those days when the inside was made legible and intelligible by the outside . modesty and innocency were then alamode , and simplicity with piety the newest dress . for heaven was pleas'd then to dwell upon earth , but earth must now be rarified into heaven . god then immediately converst the creature , as by mediation christ interceeds the father . and were it not that christ is our saviour and advocate , we should be left without a plea , and sentence denounc'd beyond dispute against us . but christ is risen , in whom we hope to rise ; and lost adam is restor'd by the redeemer of the world : so that what adam lost on the one hand in paradise : christ our mediator has redeemed on the other . thus was the beast and the cattle made ; and thus every creature made after its kind , knew no other law than the law of kind : for instinct of kind was naturally inated and ingrafted into all , as into one : and if so , it were impossible for the creature to degenerate , where a command as hitherto was never violated . then it was that the divinity of the majesty of god most splended and gloriously shin'd on the creation ; for how could it be otherwise when the beauty of the creator like a new risen star reflected on the creature in edens fair field no brambles grew , nor was sterility known in her borders : the trees then lookt big because burd'ned with fruit , and their blushing heads bowed down themselves to the courteous hand that endeavoured to reach them . the earth knew nothing but fulness and plenty , since every thing was supplied with prolifick vertue ; and nourish'd in it self by the primar cause , nature directs the ends of germination . no cankers nor caterpillars bred out of putrefaction , nor were northern blasts injurious to any thing ; nor was there any fatal stroke of diseas , for every thing stood in its primitive purity ; and death was out-lawed , and sin an exile , or at leastwise a rerrour unknown , or unthought of ; nor do i err when to say at that time uncreated . o blessed creation , because god had blest it from the beauteous ray and beam of himself . whose radient morning could scarce raise a blush before titan was ready to unvail his face . whose pleasures were boundless because then unlimited , for excess and intemperance were strangers in her courts . and whose garden full frought with flowers and aroma's , flourish'd with encrease since hitherto the serpent had not tainted the fruit. and the earth of it self brought forth in abundance , whose womb was the storehouse , and factory of treasures . gold grew in ophir as naturally in those days , as lead is drawn up in the peek of derby-shire . and cattle by kind were raised and encreased , as putrefactive excrements convert into insects . but i cease not to wonder since thy works are so wonderful and to admire thy ways because so miraculous . thus heaven and earth were seemingly united ; and the creation bended no knee to any government , save that of its soveraign lord and maker . nor was any thing made that knew any lord , excepting the lord of heaven and earth . nor had the creator as yet made man a king or vice-roy of the creatures in the creation . all the world all this while was but one common-weal , and the tree of life in the midst of the garden : and nothing as hitherto that god had created , had tasted the bitter effects of death . oblessed and sacred government upon earth , when governed by the royal law of heaven ; which certainly had remained in that blessed state , had not sin by consent eclips't and defac'd it , almost to extinguish this beautiful aurora . but let 's tack about now , and begin to examine the genuine nature and complication of animals ; together with the natural composition of man , whom we find at this day complicated of elements ; of all which he consists if when to consider his material parts . and as adam was abstracted from the womb of the great world ; so was woman her self an abstract from him : whose soul as an astrum , or an essence royal is no where to be found in the texture of the universe . wherefore we have considered adam super-natural , whose creation to me seems a small incarnation ( as montanus says ) as if god in this work had multiplied himself . and tho' adams original keep not time with the creation ; however we are children of adams generation . but the world because daily fill'd with revolution ever since the fatal act of sinning ; and that every man because subject to sin , and the slavish law of his lustful appetite , becomes captivated by the man of sin ; so yields himself captive to the prisons of death : whose outward progression is actually moved by irregular motion of the desires inward . but the heavens we see , and the celestial incolists , how they never since the creation consented to sin : and as they were , so are they still carried about with a rapid motion . the reason whereof must necessarily spring from an internal cause , and intrinsick principle ( since intelligences are so ambigious ) and what is this principle if not the soul of the world ; or the universal spirit god has put into nature , whereby as a magnet it retains the matter ; which labouring to re-assume its former liberty , frames to her self a habitation in the centre : and branching into the several members of the body makes more room to act , and bestir her faculties . no wonder therefore that natures are compounded , since nothing but the almighty is without composition . nor is it the great or the lesser world that which transmutes nutrition into blood ; but the active spirit of life , and transmutation is that which is indeed the life of the body . since material principles therefore are only passive , and can neither alter , nor purifie the parts ; we find them in a state to be altered , and purified ; tho not to communicate or dispose themselves to another substance beyond their native intention . wherefore we have considered them altogether finite , and therefore have concluded them also determinate . now if this be a secret , you may call it so ; but , as truth needs no voucher it s a substantial truth . wherefore to conclude this philosophick hypothesis ; let us throw away if possible those two celebrated crutches of pretended modern sanctity , and the solemnity of ceremony : and what results but primitive purity , which since the creation has known no deformity . and god said ( in the text ) let us now make man ; in our own image let us make him , and after our likeness : and let them have dominion over the fish in the sea , the fowl in the air , ( over the cattle also ) and over all the earth ; and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth . by this the creation seem'd to want a head , and less than a prince is too little to govern it . adam must therefore be a universal monarch , and sway the throne , and the regal scepter . and adam must not only wear heavens livery ; but personate the king of heaven himself . here the divinest seems to summons a councel , and god said in himself let us now make man , not like to any thing already made ; but let us make him in likeness like our self : in our own similitude and likeness let us make him ; and enlarge his empire by giving him dominion over all the fish that swim in the sea , and over all the fowl that fly in the air , over the cattle also that move on the earth , and over every living creature that creepeth and moveth ; the wisdome of god so divinely ordered . this was a large and copious commission that god intrusted a single subject withal ; yet such was the good opinion the creator had of the creature , that god intrusts adam with the stock of the creation , and all the creatures , and every complicated being that was made , comprehended , and contained in it . and adam drew all his supplies from above , since enricht with the stock and the treasures of heaven ; nor converst he with any inferiour subject , nor any thing in any respect unsuitable to himself ; whereby he might indignifie or diminish his authority . in the cool of the evening he walked with god , and in the heat of the day the aquaducts refresht him . aurora sent him summons of approach of day : but the night , nor was darkness dreadful to him . the celestial sun was his daily tapour , and the catalogue of stars his hourly contemplation ; but the son of god his perpetual lamp. so that his outside was bettered by his inside , and because richly adorned and divinely beautified , he saw no darkness , nor the shadow of death ; whiles he stood in this innocent state of perfection . for god in the idea beholding a shape , or as i may so say a representation of himself , became therewith inamour'd ; and extreamly loving it , would cohabit with it : when immediately upon the resolution the operation ensued ; and then was this great image the beautiful world ( or rather the representative of his maker ) brought forth , and created . and god said to himself ( or the holy word ) increase in increasing , and multiply in multitudes . but to man only because lord of the creation , i have endowed him with mind , and made him immortal . so that if he die , the cause of death must necessarily proceed from excess of the body , and inequallity of elements ; and pray tell me what death is ? if not a cold icy touch , or a dismal darkness of the compounded moist nature , adhering only to the sensible world. let no man wonder therefore that the light of god which illuminates the world is unlike the beam or ray of the sun , that by reason of its fiery , and excessive brightness , immediately and at once strikes the eye with blindness : but rather to the contrary , heavens brighter glory never at any time dazles the mind , since the mind is the souls ingressive eye , that soars up aloft to those elevated mansions , where that light shines that enlightneth every man , already come , or to come into the world : and is the beauty and glory of light , and our saving health , that influenceth , illuminates , and beautifieth the creation ; and every creature , and created being . but man above all , because made a monarch ; and capable to receive this blessed influence proceeding from god , the majesty of light , and superexcellent brightness , that diefies the soul whiles yet in the body : it s he that 's only blest to contemplate this divine beauty ; and live up to the vertue of piety , and holiness . so that adam in a state of innocency represents ( as montanus says ) a mortal god ; and our heavenly redeemer an immortal man , if when to consider the blessed incarnation . and thus the things that are , were made manifest in time ; but the things that are , and not yet made manifest ; lie hid , and conceal'd in the divinest himself ; who is all things in all , yet subsists without them : manifest only in the mind of man , but invisible to the world , and the visible eye , except in the act of creating only . and as the eminency of all appearing beauties are in the essence much more pure ; so great and greater is the disproportion of beauty betwixt this of earth and the beauty of heaven . all things therefore subject to the eye , represent to us only things subject to sence ! or more fully to explain it , visible operation ; whiles the fabrick of the body needs and requires those similar things that it cannot with conveniency live well without them . but the beauty , and majesty of invisible beings , are inspected only by intellectual converse : since the angles of god are made ministring spirits ; and the spirit of god the divine comforter that leads us spiritually into the vision of glory . and adam was the favourite god only converst with , in whom the divinity divinely shin'd , when our protoplast stood in a state of innocency ; then it was that no impure thing could approach unto him , because then in the favour , and presence of the majesty , our progenitor , in paradise was admitted to stand . for adam was constituted with a divine soul , like to the likeness of him that infus'd it ; which was the likeness of god himself , whose glorious aspect shin'd then on the creature ; otherwise the creatures had never contributed so great humility , and veneration to adam ; when flocking about him as some sacred thing , whereby to honour and give them protection : so that to what place adam was pleased to direct , his life-guard of the creatures continually went with him . but adam too remiss in this great concern , becomes negligent and careless to examine his affair , notwithstanding emulation follows at the heels of prosperity ; for can favourites be without the peoples frowns , tho' under the umbrage of their princes smiles ? no surely , the hierarchy of relapsed angels had an ambitious emulation against his present state ; that if not counterploted by the wisdome of his maker , they 'l conspire his ruine , and perpetual overthrow . for revenge against the will of god carries a kind of sweetness with it ( solamen miseris ) and thus sorrows seem to extenuate sorrow , when others as our selves are in a suffering state . it is true that adam was adorned with more inward lustre than the outward beauty of the whole creation . for in his temple the bodily fabrick , the holy of holies inhabited therein . for it is the residence of the divinest himself , in whom alone dwells the beauty of holiness . let us stand in this station , we shall see our salvation : for he that made us , knows how to deliver us . then shall we find a holy guide to direct us the tracts to the paradice of god. the soul therefore whiles yet in the body , represents a candle conceal'd in a lanthorn ; or a glance of fire in a manner stifled , when because wanting the benefit of air. who in extremity strugles with her elemental chains , yet spans the world with a single thought ; and enjoys that inwardly she 's dismist of outwardly : that in a moment flies to the uttermost parts of the earth , and what ever is absent she at once makes present ; and dead things by imagination she restores to life : nothing can conceal or hide any thing from her , who in an instant surmounts the stars . thus adam by his maker was made a monarch , and one of the creators holy senators ; who read lectures in the heavens , the almighties common-place-book ; and conducted the creatures created in the creation : to whom god gave voice , and the ornament of speech , but above all the glorious intellect of mind ; which angellical state our protoplast stood in so long as he stood in opposition to sin : which gift was ungiven to the rest of the creation ; yet none of them denied the benefit of sence , lapt up only in this thin tiffeny web of mortality ; for sin is but a bulk of emptiness , and impiety ; that like a pageant does nothing it self , but hinders others from doing good ; seducing by the lust and pleasures of the body , whiles the soul is meerly starv'd with penury . innocency was then the best guard of our ancestor , when he stood in the presence of his god in simplicity ; for the more pure that any thing is , the more sublime is that thing also . wherefore we consider adam in an angelical state , when cloathed with piety , and adorned with purity ; then he stood his ground like a heavenly champion , for god had made his earth celestial . this answers something to the doctrine of hermes , that god inhabits in the mind of man ; the mind in the soul , and the soul in the body : and that he is all things in all , both act and power ; for he is god. from the matter therefore the subtilest part is air ; of the air the soul ; of the soul mind ; of the mind god. and the soul of eternity is god himself ; but the soul of the world is eternity ; and heaven as he saith is the soul of the earth : so that nothing , nor part is deficient of soul ; nor is the soul deficient of god. thus in innocency and simplicity o● protoplast stood , in this divine posture without sensual guards , when his maker selected him a representative at the great assembly of the blessed creation ; where all the creatures were convocated together . then it was that adam like a magestrate ; and a legislator ( for such then he was ) gave forth his edicts unto all the creatures his natural subjects . the golden rule was kept then amongst them , when every one did justice by kind ; and not that the dread of punishment compell'd them . for the ray of justice was so generally distributed , that it naturally shined in every individual . the earth in those days was unburdned with tillage , nor do we read it was wounded with culture : the creatures in the creation liv'd purely by instinct ; not making their bodies sepulchres to bury dead carcasses in . there was no temple in those days to prophane ; but now we have temples , nor want we prophaners . wherefore let 's consider the glorious work of the creation , that by the hand of god was no sooner made , but by the will of man was endeavoured to be unmade . creation is not therefore generation , nor have we considered generation is life , but by way of allusion it may be called sence . nor is change death , though commonly so asserted ; but rather a forgetfulness , or obliteration of elements . generation therefore is improperly called a creation ; but rather a production of things only to sence , in time made manifest : nor is change death , but an occultation or hiding of that , that in it self seemed once to live . here methinks i see both sexes in our ancestor shine through the lustre and beauty of adam ; for male and female god created them , so that both sexes liv'd under one species ; and adam in appearance was then hermaphrodite , because having both natures and similitudes in himself . and whatever adam listed should then be done , was accomplished before the desire could grow into act : in so great subjection was every thing to him , that obedience was held more sacred than sacrifice . all the beasts in the field came to him for names , so did the fish , and the fowl of heaven ; and whatever he called them , that was their name . god gave him wisdome , and he wisely improv'd it ; till the tempter by a temptation leudly deprav'd him : so that whiles he steer'd both sexes in one bottome , his success in every thing was more than miraculous ; but to pilot the helm of two distinct vessels , and both at once in a storm under sail ; surpasses the skill and methods of navigation . and god blessed them with blessings in bidding them be fruitful ; which blessing was doubled by multiplication : this was a token of love to the creation , when god daily renewed his blessings upon the creature . for the blessing upon adam was by divine appointment transferred to succession upon adam's generation : which afterwards in time perverted through corruption , by a passive neglect in adams posterity . now as every good thing is the gift of god , and since whatever god gives is certainly good ; the fruit of paradice could be no otherwise than good , because the gift of god that gave it : and the fish in the sea , and the fowl in the air which god gave unto adam , were supreamly good . so that every thing in the creation , and created being , had the tincture and sweetness proceeding from god ; who through wisdome ordain'd it , and by providence maintains it ; the consequence therefore must needs be good . yet above all the blessings that ever god gave us , was in giving unto us himself in his son ; the glorious mystery , and revelation of god ; which gift of god was greater than the world , and was the gift of him that gave himself for the world. to all the creatures in the creation , god bid them be fruitful , and in multiplying multiply , and replenish the earth . but in adam peculiarly as in a divine garden-plot , god sowed there the seed of everlasting life ; from whence by cultivation , and the goodness of god , he might expect to reap an ever-living crop ; for the seed was the seed of eternal life , and not the effects of sin , and dead works . no brambles grew up in this heavenly vintage , whereof god himself was the vine-roon . this is the new and the holy ierusalem , wherein paul may plant , and apollo water ; yet if the sons of adam be barren sciens , how can they produce this soveraign fruit , without the heavenly dews of the son of god. adam may multiply , and replenish the earth ; yet if wanting the blessing of god his benefactor , what profits it . to be good therefore is to be like unto god , and likeness in every thing creats love ; since every thing naturally loves its like : and this love in man is the abstract of god , in as much as god is love original . whatever goodness therefore shines in man , is really a derivative from god himself . so that should we trace the dimensions of adam with the extent of his monarchy ; how large his commission runs , over the earth and the ocean ; it would be endless ; for his limitation was boundless : the fowl of heaven knew no lord but adam ; and the fish in the sea no soveraign but himself : and every created thing that had breath , and moved ; and every moving thing that breathed , and was created ; had no supream , nor superintendent but adam . for adam as a star shin'd then upon earth , and made great by him that 's all goodness , and greatness ; was blest in his posterity , and glorious nativity , or heavenly birth ; since two divine natures shin'd splendidly in him : for god had implanted both himself , and his son , to make adam beautiful , as himself is glorious : the nature of the one was to live and never die ; but the nature of the other was to die to live . this seems a paradox , i 'll therefore explain it . that power that lives and never dies , is the divinity of the majesty of god ; when the almighty before the creation divinely calculated the nativity of life ; for god said in himself , let us now make man , like unto our self ; in our similitude let us make him : which likeness or similitude was uncapable of death , consequently of diminution , or division of parts ; because the similitude of god himself ; for god breathed into adam the breath of life , and he became a living soul : who therefore so vain , precipitant , and idle as to imagine the breath of god can extinguish . time shall wear out , and gerations walk off , and death it self become an exile ; and all things terminate , and drop into decay : but the breath of god which is that illuminating light that enlightens the world , and the soul of man ; when that glorious light shall co-unite with darkness , which is altogether improbable , and utterly impossible : then shall that hidden life god breathed into adam be capable of death , and not before . so that two lives liv'd at once in our ancestor ; a created life , and a life regenerate : a created life , as from a heavenly birth ; which sprung originally from the womb of eternity ; and because made like to the likeness of his maker , it gave him victory to triumph over sin ; putting into his custody the secrets of life , and placing in his hands the keys of death : so that he knew nothing but absolute freedome ; and unprohibited the use of the whole creation , one tree only by the divinest excepted ; in which god had placed a peculiar property , fit only for himself in wisdome to know : god therefore imposed his commands upon adam , not to taste thereof , lest peradventure he die . the other life was that of regeneration , which is christ incarnate , god in the creature ; this life liv'd invisibly before the creation , and is that hidden life in christ ( manifest by the apostle ) christ in you the hope of glory . which remains a mystery to this very day , as in former ages a secret to our ancestors : which life is the power of god to salvation ; and was in the beginning with god himself : and it was god , and was made flesh , and by the will of god dwelt among men . this is that word that spake in the beginning , and moved in the patriarchs our ancestors to speak ; that liv'd immaculately in the blessed virgin , that was made flesh , and dwelt among men ; that bore our infirmities , and was crucified at ierusalem ; that in spight of death took captivity captive , and in despite of hell captivated death : and which also is that eternal word that now is , ever was , and for ever shall be to convince the world of sin , impenitency , incredulity , and ingratitude ; which monster of a sin is worse than witchcraft : and tho' a witch be superscrib'd a rebel in physicks ; yet reversing the point , a rebel is a witch in politicks . the one because acting against the law of nature ; but the other because striving against order , and government . but god gave unto adam a charter royal , that was sign'd and seal'd with those glorious characters of sun , moon , and stars ; and all the host of heaven to witness to it . this was that great and superlative grant that god gave unto adam when he placed him in paradice : and wherewith to refresh him , he gave him every herb , and of every tree that was burd'ned with fruit ; whereof he might eat , and live before him . these royal priviledges god gave unto adam , and heavens benefactor confirm'd them unto him . now adam may freely eat and live , or he may eat , and assuredly die ; for life and death stand as it were in a poiz ; and because to our protoplast seemingly mingled , they seemingly presented one single existence , as if property and quality were intirely one : 't is true one mantle overshadowed both , till god out of compassion made more visible discoveries . and as light shin'd forth by reason of purity , unmasking or unveiling the scenes of darkness , that lay hudled up in the hoil of obscurity ; light as a thing strangely surprized , seem'd suddenly to startle , because then not to know such a horrid deformity , as this we call darkness , was in the beginning co-inhabitant with it ; or conceal'd beneath it : for the light of it self was most pure and immaculate , in as much as it never entred into unity , nor into any association with obscurity or darkness . but darkness represents the solitary shadow of some elementary thing , or something substantial ; wherefore we shall want some solid substance whereby to form our darkness out of ; and what is more solid than the fixity of earth , or more copious than the bulk of the great creation ; when as yet in the hoil or confused chaos , it lay intermingled , and blended together . light must necessarily therefore appear a most glorious creature , which by divine act operated in the separation : for god no sooner said let there be light , and obedient to the command it immediatly sprung up ; which by reason of its purity , and sublime clarity , exalted it self , and fill'd all the universe ; so made visible discovery of things that lay conceal'd in the commassated mixture , or mass of elements . and this miraculous work was accomplisht for man that he might admire the excellency of his maker , and raise his speculations to such a divine pitch , that by visibles he might conclude since such ornaments of beauty and swavity hung about them , that greater excellencies , and diviner curiosities of necessity must adorn the more invisible part ; by reason what 's circumferated and made visible to us , is only the shadow of that more glorious invisibility ▪ visible only to seraphins , and cherubims ; arch-angels and angels ; together with the saints , and the sons of god. farther yet to comfirm these royal priviledges , adams prerogative seems infinitely enlarged ; for all the beasts on the earth , with the fowl of the air , and the fish in the sea , were given him for food , by a royal grant from heaven , to eat of ; but not to riot , so dishonour his creator : and every vegetable , besides the race of animals , were not only allotted him ; but given for nutrition . so that in effect the whole creation , consequently every individual production , by commission from the divinest , was given him for sustentation . and so great a favourite was adam in paradise , and such great kindness had his creator for him , that he made him lord over all the creation ; and every thing that was , was made serviceable to him ; nay in such veneration he stood with the creatures , that all the creation doubled their obedience . here i fancy the innocent lamb ( because then not knowing the terrours of death ) proffered his throat to the shrines of the altar ; and the fatted calf was so far from fear , that he dreaded not the formidable stroke of separation : the kids with the flock sported then with the wolf , and ran about the bear sometimes for diversion . thus the creatures made sport and pastime with danger , as if death and destruction were sanctuary to them ; so naturally was innocency implanted in eden ( or the suburbs of heaven ) that nothing knew its enemy , because no enemy to know . unity and harmony were inseparable companions ; and every individual knew no argument but love ; whose law was alike forcible to others , as the law of harmony was united in it self . the mallard in those days soar'd with the falcon , and the timerous hare lay down with the hound : the leopard , and the tigre sported with the herds ; and the herren with the shad swam without dread of the porpus : the dove and the lark took flight with the tassel , nor was any thing of emulation known then in the creation : innocency shin'd naturally in every thing , and its excellency in the beginning knew no limitation : for nothing could sorrow , nor any thing grieve ; in as much as there was no real cause of suffering : nor could any thing languish , nor be sensible of smart ; because as hitherto pain was uncreated . fear was a thing altogether unexperimented , and death and the grave such eminent strangers , as never to be apprehended . what a pure state the creation then stood in , worthy our contemplation , and the admiration of all men. but adam too niggardly he consults the elements ; and elements because having periods of their own ( by praedestinated ordination ) are lockt up in death . adam therefore mixing simplicity with impurity , which of it self stood in the limit of disobedience , cojoyned himself with finite adherences , so drew down upon himself the shortness of life , and on the succeeding generations the issues of death ; which in time diminished , so by degrees extinguished the beauteous and luminous ray of life , that shined gloriously within him , and was sanctuary without him ; and would ever have gloriously shined in his posterity , had not ●e remisly by one single consent , complyed with his consort so vainly to extinguish it . now when god had made a survey of the creation , the workmanship of his hands , and divinely blessed it ; he placed therein the likeness of himself , the single identity of his divine goodness ; which could not go forth , because the everlasting arms of the majesty of god so sacredly limited , and so sweetly confined it ; that in this divine , and cristalline coagulum , the majesty of heaven beheld himself : who viewing the several classes of the creatures , which by wisdome he divinely had foreseen in the idea ; it so greatly renewed the ardency of his love , which continued and augmented the blessing upon them : for love has that singularity to shine in it self , and in its operation always to renovate . thus god so loved the world he had made , that he gave us himself in giving us his son ; that whosoever believed and persevered in him , should never die , but have life everlasting . thus god made the world to protrude , and vegetate ; and because it should conceive , and daily bring forth ; he placed an appetite , and an immortal soul therein ; and fill'd it as hermes says , with divine imagination ; so that the sun , and celestials fell in love with the harmony ; and because it was beautiful , they married with it : and this great solemnity was celebrated at first , when god laid his ordinance of multiplication upon it . which divine institution has been punctually observed , and kept inviolable ever since the beginning ; and will undoubtedly so long remain , and so long continue , till generation and time shall be no more . and now the deeps began to break up , when the rivers and rivulets with murmuring streams silently invaded the florid plains . the mountains , and the hills also look'd big with flocks , whiles the valleys and savannas , with the fragrant meadows were abundantly crowded with herds of cattle . all the birds in the air now turn'd serenades ; and every flower , and flourishing blossom perfum'd the air with delicious aroma's . the lofty cedar then lifted up his head , and the martial oak , and the ash stood by him ; so did the poplar , and the spreading elme ; but the trembling asp shak'd his palsie head. the vine in those days embraced the olive , and the eglantine intangled himself with the rose . thus every thing whilst naturally inamoured with its like , the woodbine or hony succle tied knots about the hedges . the bee return'd home with loaden thighs , and the flocks of sheep laid down their fleece . the oestridge deplum'd his feathery crest , and the stork retaliated kindness with gratitude . the horse in those days spurn'd not at this rider , nor did the lion know the tyranny of invasion . alegators in the beginning were not devourers ; no● were there known any birds of prey . the vulture , and the tigre liv'd not then upon vermine , for morts were altogether unknown ; nor was any thing infectious that might nautiate the elements : every thing god had made stood in the beauty of harmony : and whatever was made , and by wisdome created ; that thing beyond dispute was most certainly good . adam was invited to this great solemnity , which was then of it self but one single family : nor had he any compeer , nor was there any to controul him except the divinest , that great oracle of heaven that breath'd life into him . and every act that adam made , was registred by the creatures in this blessed creation ; and most sacredly and inviolably kept in paradice , till sin , and impiety spoil'd his principallity : and then it was this great parliament broke up , and the members discontented began to withdraw ; so by degrees refused his protection : and adam considering himself neglected , and uncapable any longer to maintain his prerogative ; folicits new favourites , but they forsook him , or rahter adam forsook himself , but did not know it ; for sin had so strangely disfigured and disguised him , that none of his subjects could remember to know him , or think , or believe him their natural prince ; suspecting him rather some forreign invader , previously insinuated to divest them of community ; and supplant them of those supernatant priviledges , granted them in the beginning from their soveraign donor . so that the creatures at once desert him , and not him only , but his government also ; which look'd but little now , when formerly so great , that all the creatures in the creation paid servillity unto him . thus adam amaz'd to find himself forsaken , makes a league with the elements to reinforce his authority ; but they when examin'd could not cement the breach , nor in whole nor in part re-establish , enthrone , and eternize his grandure ; because having ends , and periods of their own : he therefore complies to walk the shades of death ; and deaths frigid zone , and cold icy touch no sooner approaches , but invades the elements , so lets the compound crumble into dust ; which is the ultimate period of all elementary mixts that ever was , that at present is , or ever shall be in the progress of time . thus the heaven and the earth were finished , and all the host of them ; and on the seventh day god ended his work , the work which he had made ; and rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made ; and blessed , and sanctified it . so that now the great work of the great creator , was by the word fiat determined , and finished ; when the beauteous earth most sumptuously adorned with celestial ornaments , like the queen of honour came splendidly forth with virgin purity to celebrate her espousals ; whose bride-maids were nature , and the celestial incholists : but the spectators , and relations were the various sorts of animals ; together with the multiform generation of individuals , that with general applause , and unanimous consent , gave an approbation suitable to the present occasion . here might be seen all the beasts in the forrest , hand in hand as it were coupled together ( if not improper to say so ) and ranging themselves into an excellent order , came forth to illustrate this great solemnity . and here also all the fish that swam in the ocean , embodied themselves as if they were but one fin ; and with the fowl of the air , so exactly moved ; and with such a reserv'dness so equal was their order ; as if all of them had but one single wing to accilerate , and celeritate their admirable motion . in this excellent posture all the creation stood , when attending the approach of this admirable union . at length the sun appears , her amiable beloved ; who came cloathed with lustre , and excessive beauty ; and all the host of heaven his illustrious convoy : whose harmony was the spheres ; and every thing that had life exirted it self to move by measure ; as if all the creation by gradual motion , with a reserv'd gravity mov'd the orbs at once . thus the creation was compleatly finished ; and heaven and earth became husband and wife ; and god himself divinely blessing them , bid them go forth , encrease and multiply . and on the seventh day when god had ended his work ; he constituted a sabbaoth , or a day of rest , exempt from labour , and other servilities : but upon the elements were no such imposition , nor were they under any breach of command , as legibly construed by this divine injunction . read rabbi moses in sacred writ , and you 'l find it extends to man , and beast only ; if when to consider the minority of time , with the earths inhabitants that knew no servility ; but agriculture , and grazing . wherefore to look back on the nativity of affairs , you 'l meet cain , and abel intrencht in this toil ; when as the residue of the creation knew no limitation : but stood intirely as hitherto unconcern'd ; as if all days were but one day , or the almigty's great holy-day ; wherein every creature , nay all the creation with humility rejoyced , and with elevated praises exprest their thankfulness to the great creator . it was then by proclamation , and a royal command from heaven , that man and beast only should rest from labour . for did not the sun continue his course , and all the stars move in their proper station . did not the orbs , the elements , and the heavens turn round with a rapid motion then as now ; and were they not then , as they now are in a perpetual , and circular rotation . did the tides seem to stop their natural flux , or the sullen waves lay down their brinish heads . had the fountains no issue , did the winds cease to hover in the ambient air , and grow remiss in transporting embodied clouds . did the pulse of the great world neglect to beat , sea-monsters to roar , hurecanes to invade , earth , hail , and rain , thunder and lightning , did they associate together , and proclame a sabbaoth , or a universal cessation . none of these things we read of hapned since the creation ; and what 's the reason ? god in his wisdom governs the creation , but unreasonable man was to pilot the creature . we therefore consider that this most sacred ordinance relates more peculiarly to man , and beast ▪ and that the residue of the creatures in this stupendious creation stand intirely exempted , and acquitted from it . and god blessed the seventh day as a day of sanctity , who through wisdome and providence divinely hallowed it ; which to consider , is a manifest proof to confirm the excellency of a sabbaoth unto us . for god by ordination appointed six days for labour ; but the seventh he set apart for man and beast to rest in . the mind and the body therefore seem under different exercises , by which i conclude ought to have different entertainments ; the last if we consider solicites temporals , but the first if well observed she contemplates eternals : where note the one relates to our present state , but the other if i mistake not to our future felicity : wherever therefore the treasure is , the desire of the soul will also be there . but heaven contents it self with a small allowance : is one day in seven such a great exaction ? what a slender service is required of us mortals for so great kindness from so good a god ; how shall , or dare we detract from our selves , whereby to violate the commands of him that so sweetly by his wisdome puts a divine force upon us : and because unwilling to do our selves good , the divinest is pleased to do good unto us . it 's true at the best we are but formal penitents , that slash our own sides to raise a pity in others ; so wounding our selves make the spectators cry . o where 's the vision of piety , and the mediums of charity ; when to run and embrace a veneal polution , as if so sweet and luscious were the sence of sin , that we 'l choose to die , rather than live without it : so sacrifice our selves to the fury of flames , fancying thereby we burn the world , when as indeed , we but scorch our selves in the fiery trial of a self-will devotion . and god rested from his work of finishing the creation , which he made , and adorn'd for the good of the creature ; which points out to us the alpha and omega , the beginnings of time , and the end of the creature . for when to say the creator rested , it implies that nature began then to opeperate ; after the divinest had put bounds and periods to every creature , and created being . to the stars , and constellations ; so to elements , and principles ; the sea exceeds not her natural course , nor does her swelling flux prevail . nor the luminous sun tho' incircling the heaven with a rapid motion , what does he more than illustrate , vegetate , and illuminate the universe : and the stars which by wisdome he made to shine , what do they but inspire , and influence the earth ? and did not he also impregnate the air , with the conceal'd treasures of rain , and hail ? whereby the earth as the air is fill'd with life , consequently the ocean , as the earth with vegetation . what can i say more ? nor indeed offer less ; where-ever therefore god is said to be , of necessity heaven must also be there : and the apostle tells us , god is all in all , and the fulness of all dwells abundantly in him ; to whom for ever be everlasting praises . amen . finis . the abyssinian philosophy confuted, or, tellvris theoria neither sacred not agreeable to reason being for the most part a translation of petrus ramazzini, of the wonderful springs of modena : illustrated with many curious remarks and experiments by the author and translator : to which is added a new hypothesis deduced from scripture and the observation of nature : with an addition of some miscellany experiments / by robert st. clair ... defontium mutinènsium admiranda scaturgine tractatus physico-hydrostaticis. english ramazzini, bernardino, 1633-1714. 1697 approx. 240 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 154 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; 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(eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a57681) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 99636) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, 1641-1700 ; 473:10) the abyssinian philosophy confuted, or, tellvris theoria neither sacred not agreeable to reason being for the most part a translation of petrus ramazzini, of the wonderful springs of modena : illustrated with many curious remarks and experiments by the author and translator : to which is added a new hypothesis deduced from scripture and the observation of nature : with an addition of some miscellany experiments / by robert st. clair ... defontium mutinènsium admiranda scaturgine tractatus physico-hydrostaticis. english ramazzini, bernardino, 1633-1714. st. clair, robert n. [77], 208 p. fold pl. printed for the author and sold by w. newton ..., london : 1697. signatures a7-8 and a10-11 are tightly bound; a9 is torn with loss of text; a1 is missing in filmed copy. beginning-b7 and c5-b1 photographed from bodleian library copy and inserted at end. reproduction of original in national library of scotland (advocates') created by converting tcp files to tei p5 using tcp2tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to 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if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. 5% (or 5 pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of 100 instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level 4 of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p5, characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng burnet, thomas, 1635?-1715. -telluris theoria sacra. science -early works to 1800. springs -italy -modena. creation -early works to 1800. 2002-06 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2002-07 aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images 2002-08 judith siefring sampled and proofread 2002-08 judith siefring text and markup reviewed and edited 2002-10 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the abyssinian philosophy confuted : or , tellvris theoria neither sacred , nor agreeable to reason . being , for the most part , a translation of petrus ramazzini , of the wonderful springs of modena . illustrated with many curious remarks and experiments by the author and translator . to which is added , a new hypothesis deduced from scripture , and the observation of nature . with an addition of some miscellany experiments . by robert st. clair , m. d. non mihi , sed rationi , aut quae ratio esse videtur . milito securus quid mordicus hic tenet , dut hic . scaliger . london , printed for the author , and sold by w. newton , over against st. bartholomew-close-gate , in little-britain , 1697. to the truly honourable sophronius philalethes . this treatise of the wonderful springs of modena , publisht in latin by bernard rammazzini physician of that town , & translated by me , tho● it has upon view had the approbation of the most knowing mr. beside the most eminent physicians of the colledge , and others , as the most admirable piece of natural history that hath yet seen day in our english world ▪ for therein are at once discovered the changes that nature hath not made but in some thousand of years ; yet i thought it not adviseable for me to expose this stranger , how ingenious , soever to the publick view , and consequently censure , without providing him a friend before-hand ; especially seeing he is to appear against an author , whose reputation for learning , and this his hypothesis is so far establisht , that he has already brought it to many impressions . among all that i have the honour to be acquainted with , worthy sir , i thought i could not address my s●lf , to a fitter patron than your self . whether the dignity of the subject , or the modesty and ingenuity with which the author sets it out , be considered , this treatise will merit your approbation . suffer therefore , worthy sir , amidst the croud of your other more important affairs , this curious searcher of nature , and stranger , under your patrociny , to do that service to the lovers of knowledge , that sir matthew hales makes the clock-maker to do to the philosophers ; for he supposes that in a country abounding with several sects of philosophers , yet unacquainted ●i●ll then , with the noble invention of watches and clocks , a curiously contriv'd clock were exp●s'd to publick view , yet so that they should have no access so look into the inside of it , the epicureans would likely attribute it to the fortuitous concourse of atoms , the p●rpate●ick to the contemperation of the four elements and the cartesian to his three principles , every one according to the fancies he was prepossest with , but the clock-maker , whom he supposes behind the curtain to hear all they say , steps out , and by opening the clock , shews how wide they a● all of the truth , by letting them see the spring , and the contrivance of the wheels , on which the motion of his engine depends , and that it was he who made it . in the same manner , nature her self , by the pen of this observing italian , seems modestly to give a check to the presumption of her pretended interpreters , who will pass a iudgment on her most hidden works , where they never could pretend to make the least observation , on which to found their iudgment . the respect the author shews to scripture authority , is the rather remarkable in him , that he is a roman catholick , who by us are charged with the contrary vice , which makes the fault of the theorist , a professed protestant , more black , that is so bold in contradicting it , and making it speak untruth to accommodate it self to the capacity of the vulgar , which tho' some p●ous divines have allowed in passages of scripture , where the phaenomena of nature are spoken of by the by , ( which yet i prove to be a mistake in the confutation of the theory ) yet to make the whole first chapter of genesis , wherein the spirit of god does è composito , give an account of the creation false , is a piece of presumption few have been guilty of besides our theorist . as for the confutation of the theory , tho' the performance may be short of what the subject requir'd , yet i hope the design will please you , which is to vindicate the truth of the scriptures , for which i know you have a great veneration , from the false glosses and perversions of some that seem to have studied divinity , for nothing else but to ridicule it , which they do the more remarkably , that almost in the same breath they pretend a great respect to it , in which i endeavour to prove , that the passages the theorist cavils at , are to be understood to speak according to the truth of the thing , and not according to the false opinion of the ignorant vulgar . if in this my small endeavour , i may find your patrocin , i shall not care for the displeasure of these men of ephesus , whose made it is to make shrines to this their diana of hypothetical philosophy , i mean who in their closets make systems of the world , prescribe laws to nature , without ever consulting her by observation and experience , who ( to use the noble lord verulams words ) like the spider , with great labour , spin a curious cob-web out of their brains , that is good fo● nothing but to be swept down , which tho' it has a great shew of reason , in effect , has no better right to that venerable title , than the fancies of those who are said to make wind-mills in their head. i have given the whole book the title of the abyssinian philosophy confuted , because as the preface is a confutation of the theory , so if you read rammazzini from page 88 , at the end , to page 102. you will find that the theory is much the same with the abyssinian philosophy , if not taken from it , which being evident to be a mere fiction , is ground enough for the title , and confuta●●●n enough tho' i should say no more . i shall not farther incroach upon your time , but here make an end , after i have subcribed my self , worthy sir , your most affectionate , and devoted servant . ro● st. clair . to the reader . when this book came first to my hand , by the favour of a friend , who about a year and a half a go , brought it from italy , after once reading i was so taken with the principal matter of fact therein contained , and the ●●genious things with which the author illustrates it , that i would not part with it till i could send it abroad in an english dress , as being better than any other argument , to shew the vanity of these mens labours , that would describe to us a world of their own fancying instead of one of god's making , who when they have set it out to the best advantage , can discover to us at the best , but a bare conjecture , which leaves the mind uncertain , instead of satisfying it with solid reason , and is unprofitable either as to life or religion ; yet if that were the worst of it , might be born with as other luxuriances of humane wit , that oftenspends it self on superfluities , when it is not sufficient for things of real use . hoc habet ingenium humanum ut cum ad solida , non sufficit in superracua se effundat . verulum . but when they come to overturn the scripture , to establish their own prophane fancies , as our theorist has done , in favour of a spurious brat , of which he will needs be counted the father ; in this i think every one according to his ability ought to oppose it . yet what satisfactory account can we expect from such , of the old world , and its great change , so remote from us , that can give us so little account of the present world , and the things in it , which yet would be by far more useful to us . the theorist has indeed set out this fiction of his , with all the advantages of a smooth stile , which i believe hath procur'd it so good a reception with the generality , who are more taken with fine words , than plain , tho' solid reasons ; but if we may judge of the buyers inclination by the tendency of the book , i am yet willing to have the charity for the theorist , that 't was not the design of the author ; they are the same persons , who pretend they will not believe many things in scripture , because they cannot see a reason for them , and yet they do greedily entertain this theory , and the fictions of des cartes , which differ little from the abyssinian fiction or hypothesis , as will appear to any that compares both , with what is in this book translated from the italian , only they have new vamp'd it , and set it out in another dress to make it pass for their own . but after i had taken a nearer view of the author's opinion , and what he advances in favour of it , i found it so full of contradictions to scripture and reason , yet join'd with a very high conceit of his own fancies , ( a fault i find very common among the abyssinian philosophers ) that i had once thought of not meddling with it , as an endless labour , upon which account also , i have not meddled with a book printed at oxford , anno de antris laethiferis , especially seeing the learned and pious mr. warren has already done it so fully , that he has left little to be added to it ; but considering that the bigness of his book might obstruct the attaining of the end for which he design'd it , viz. to undeceive the generality of readers , who being the least considering , perhaps have not allowed themselves time to read so large a treatise , or at least so attentively as it deserves ; upon this consideration , ( i say ) i resum'd my former thoughts , with design to be as brief as possible , yet without omitting any thing material in the theory that deserv'd an answer . the author begins tell. theor. ch . iv. the form of the antediluvian earth , was different from the present form of it , which that he might not seem to dictate with an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he promises to prove first from scripture , secondly by reasons , both a priori & posteriori . now that we may see if the performance answer to so great undertakings , we shall first examine his main arguments from scripture , and especially that of st. peter , 11. ch . 3. 5 , 6. ver . for this they willingly are ignorant of , that by the word of god the heavens were of old , and the earth standing out of the water and in the water . v. 6. whereby the world that then was , being over flowed with water , perished . vpon this rock ( says the theorist , prophanely alluding to our saviours words to st. peter ) do we chiefly build the theory as to scripture authority ; and we always thought this an unmoveable foundation , which yet we shall find upon a due search , to be unstable as water , and therefore cannot hold . the words of the text the theory explains thus , the apostle manifestly distinguishes between the old world and the new , and especially because of the different natural states , or their different shapes and qualities of mat●er . secondly , he intimates that the ●orm of the antediluvian world was ●he cause of the deluge . thirdly , he says expresly , the world perisht in ●he deluge . the authour himself ●ays , that the sacred ●riters , when they treat ●f natural things , do not thereby intend to instruct us in natural philosophy , but to infuse into our minds holy affections , and a veneration of the god of israel , whom they preach . may we not thence infer , that to have prosecuted this noble design , would have been fitter for a divine , than thus to abuse the scriptures to another end , than that for which they were written , when he founds a point of philosophy upon this text ; and farther , that seeing what he founds upon it , was contrary to the common opinion of the times that the apostle wrote in , the theorist has mist the meaning of the text. for whom among the writers of the apostles time , or before , can he produce that was of the opinion , that the earth did encompass the waters , as an egg-shell does the white and yolk ; surely , seeing he seems so conversant in antiquities , he might have thought it his interest to find at least one passage among them , to favour this paradox of this , that it might not be reproach'd with being the opinion of one dr. only . and further we may infer , that as the pen-men of the scripture , did not write to teach us philosophy , so neither does the apostle here reprove men for ignorance in a point of philophy , ( especially abyssinian ) but for atheistical principles , as first in denying god's providence , v. 3. there shall come in the last day scoffers , walking after their own lusts , and saying where is the promise of his coming , for since the fathers fell asleep , all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation . where the apostle reproves scoffers , who imagin'd that things went on by chance , and continued so in this first state from the creation , without god's direction , which he carries yet higher , that they disown the power of god in the creation , for this they willingly are ignorant of , that by the word of god , &c. and as the charging of men with wilful ignorance in a point of philosophy , that there was no possibility of knowing , before this new found philosophy , would have been very unjust , so it would have been a coque à lasne , to have thus past from his subject and design of reproving atheists , to reprove ignorance in a point of natural philosophy , and that without giving any notice of it before hand , and such a reproof would have been no more suitableto the scope of the apostle , than to have reproved them for ignorance of such a place as america , which was discovered but of late . but farther , this text which the abyssinian makes his unmoveable foundation , if the scope be seriously considered , gives a strong foundation of an argument against him . the apostle ( as we have already proved ) reproves those who are willingly ignorant of the power of god , and who either denied it altogether , as the epicureans did , who were a famous sect at that time , and who disputed with st. paul at athens , acts 17. 18. or else such as pretended to give an account of the first formation of all things , without taking notice of the power of god in it , which was or among the greek philosophers in those times ; now this is the fault the theois guilty of in the account creation , all the six days works are in scripture said to be performed by the word or power of god , but in the theory all is said to be carried on by the laws of gravitation , without any mention made of the power of god , which is the very thing that is ●ere condemned by the apostle , and ●herefore what the theory thinks ●o make most for it , militates most against it . this charge is justify'd from the theories own words , tell. the. ch . 6. i have followed the most common laws of gravitation and levity , and by their guidance alone , we have seen the promogenial mass after one or two alterations , and an unconstant shape , to have come into that stable form of the earth built upon the waters , that was to continue for some ages . seeing therefore the theorist has willingly left out any mention of the power of god in his whole theory , contrary to the tenour of the scriptures , which ascribes all the works both of creation and providence , to the wisdom and power of god , he may be said to be willingly ignorant of both , and to have written rather like a disciple of orpheus , than a disciple of moses . and yet his laws of gravitation , if rightly considered , will not answer the phaenomena of the creation , for the world was then but a making , and might be then compar'd to the materials of a clock , before an ingenious artisicer , which could never point out the hours and strike , imitate the motions of the sun and moon , as some are made to do , till the artificer had first made the several wheels , &c. in due proportion , and fitted them together , and last of all put a spring or motion to them , which i judge to have been compleated about that time , when he said all was very good , which motion has been continued ever since , except when he hath been pleased by his finger , to put a stop to some of the wheels , as he did when the sun and moon stood still , or to make them run backward , as he did when the shadow went back on the dial of ahaz , or to accelerate their motions more than ordinary , among which may be reckon'd this of the deluge , of which , and the creation , 't is as easie for the theorist to give an account , as if he had been one god almighty's counsel at that time . one might think that the sense of our natural blindness , even in things that most concern our selves , and that we have daily in our hands , might give a check to this presumption , but vain man would be wise . beside this achillean argument and foundation of the theory , from which ●he author hopes never to be beat , he has others , which at the first view , ●nd as he is pleas'd to explain them , ●eem to favour his cause very much , yet after examination , will be found to make no more for him than the former . one is taken from psal. 24. 2. for he hath founded it upon the sea , and establisht it upon the floods , or upon the rivers . what could one think of , more favourable for the theory than this ? but if we compare this with other places of scripture , it will not be found to make for his purpose ; for example , psal. 2. ver . 3. and he shall be like a tree planted upon the rivers ; no body i believe , will make a philo●ophical argument of this , to prove that trees in david's time were planted upon the surface of rivers , but contenting himself with the scope of the psalmist , which is to hold forth by this simile , the flourishing condition of the righteous , will never once call it in question , if trees did grow on the surface of rivers , and take it for granted , that by upon , the psalmist meant upon the banks of rivers , in which sense we say , lands lye upon such seas as they are adjacent to , and houses or cities , seated upon the banks of rivers , to stand upon the rivers : for the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the original , imports this , and in this sense may be explain'd , prov. 6. 27. when he set a compass upon the face of the deep , of which the theorist says , if i rightly understand the matter , this is the place of the earth firmly encompassing the abyss , and what else can be understood by this girth , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with which god is said to have encompass'd the abyss , what is there in the present form of the earth that can answer it , or to the bounds or globe which he hath put about the sea. yes the theorist might have found another meaning in , iob 38. who hath shut up the sea with doors , &c. ver . 11. and set bars and doors , and said , hitherto shalt thou come , and no farther , and here shall the pride of thy waves be stay'd ; these bars or bounds are by all judged to be the sea shore , by which god hath limited the sea , that it shall no more return to overflow the earth as it did before , as in psal. 104 , 9. thou hast set bounds that they pass not over , that they turn not again to cover the earth . and in the common way of speaking among our hydrographers , this bounds is called a girth , so they call the coast round about england , the girth of england . since the theorist contrary to his own position , will adduce scripture to prove his philosophical paradoxes , by the same liberty we from ver . 5. of this psalm , who hath laid the foundation of the earth , that it should not be removed for ever . infer that the theorists foundation is none of god's making , since it is suppos'd by him to have been removed , by falling under the abyss , whereas before it was above it . and may not we infer from god's challenge to iob , ch . 38. ver . 4. where wast thou when i laid the foundation of the earth ? declare if thou hast understanding , v. 6. whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened ? ( the very thing the theorist pretends to tell ) and to which iob ( whom without disparagement to the theorist , we may imagine both a better man and a philosopher than he ) answers , chap. 42. ver . 3. therefore have i utter'd that i understood not , things too wonderful for me , which i knew not ; may not we ( i say ) infer , that the theorist is very presumptuous in thus taking up the argument against god almighty ? and may not we without breach of respect say , theorice quid animum minorem aeternis consilijs fatigas ? this is the philosophy the apostle paul bids us beware of , col. 2. 8. beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceits , which will be very clear if we consider , that the hypothetical was at that time the philosophy in vogue among the grecians , to whom being puft up with a conceit of their own knowledge , the gospel appeared foolishness ; surely , the apostle does not hereby condemn him that studies to know the nature of things , with their causes , &c. vt varios usus meditando extunderet artes . which is natural philosophy ; for solomon the wisest of kings , is in the scripture commended for this , or him that studies the nature of , and way to manage his own spirit , and its thoughts , &c. which is metaphysicks and moral philosophy , both in their places very subservient to religion ; but he condemns the abyssinian philosophy , or the imposing of poetical fictions instead of solid truth , on the understandings of people . now that we have view'd the theorist's strongest holds , and i hope beat him out of them , i think it will not be worth while to seek him out any where else , as to his pretences to sacred authority ; we come next to view his philosophical holds , i hope though it be war time , we may view them without danger from canons or grenades , or at the worst they will be but paper ones , and will do no great hurt ; and this comes in course , for after the author has made the best he can of this place in st , peter he distrusts the strength of his own argument , for in the beginning he confesses , that the meaning of these words seems not to be so express and open , that the form of the anted●luvian earth may be thence concluded ; & therefore he has recourse to his abyssinian philosophy a very good second , as we shall find : dignum patellâ operculum . he supposes the chaos to have been made up of particles , different as to shape , bulk , weight , &c. and that the grossest solid particles by their weight falling downward , suddenly toward the center , formed the kernel of his primogenial earth , and that immediately there followed a new division of the remaining part into two , and no more , viz. fluid and volatile , or air and water , of which the thinnest and lightest part keeping uppermost , made the air , and the grosser the water , out of which were separated the oily parts , which being lighter floated above it ; and last of all he supposes another purgation of the air , from its earthy particles , which falling upon the oily particles , were by their viscidity entangled , and thus hindred from descending into the abyss , and these earthy particles he supposes by the heat of the sun , to have been burnt ●nto a hard crust , which made the shell of the primogenial earth . this is the substance of the hypothesis , from which as a corollary , tho' not heeded by the theorist , we may infer , a new sett of principles , viz. oil and earth , unknown to the learned world before this abyssinian philosophy . now may paracelsus keep to himself his three principles salt , sulphur and mercury , aristotle his four elements , des cartes his three principles of materia subtilis , globuli secundi elementi , & materia tertii elementi , and the most experienc'd van helmont , his axiom of water and seminal principles all things are made ; tho' experience taught him , and others since him , that not only oil , but also salt , earth , &c. are made of water , which is known à posteriori , or by the effect , or experiment ( the foundation of all the knowledge we have of nature . ) but as for the antediluvian world , since it doth not so much concern us now , i shall leave the consideration of its principles to the abyssinian philosophers , who demonstrate all things à priori . and yet in these separations , the theorist is not so philosophical as he pretends to be , for his division of the chaos , into fluid and volatile , water and air , this is purely abyssinian or fictitious , the air being own'd by all philosophers eluid as well as water , nay rather more . but the fifth and last separation of the earth from the air , is contradictory to common sense , as well as his own laws of gravitation ; for how could it come to pass that there remain'd so much earth in the air ( which is 1000 times lighter than water ) after the four separations mention'd , as to be sufficient to make up the crust of the antediluvian earth ? why was it not carried down toward the center , as fast as the water , or at least the oil ? the simile of snow and hail falling down from the air , will not answer the case in hand , for they rise into the middle region of the air in form of a vapour much rarify'd , by which ●●refaction the surface of every particle of water , being made larger , the body becomes lighter than so much air , and so ascends till it come to the middle region , where by its cold , 't is condens'd , and so falls down in rain , hail or snow , according to the different degrees of cold ; that i may not seem to say this gratis , i shall illustrate ●t with an experiment , that will quadrate better with what i have said , than the theorist's simile ; let us suppose a small carps bladder , with the air squeezed out , and the mouth close tyed , to be thrown into a wide mouth'd glass full of water , it will sink to the bottom , but if the vessel and all be put into the pneumatick engine or air-pump , and a receiver fitted to it , upon exhausting the air from the receiver , that little which remains inclosed in the bladder , will expand i● self very much , and so both togethe● will make an aggregate , lighter than water , upon whic● it will rise to the top , because it has more surface expos'd to its pressure , than it had before . now if the theorist can prove that his earthy particles were thus capable of expansion and dilation , this assertion of his , tho' but the opinion of one dr. shall have place among the probable ones , otherwise we will take it for no other than abyssinian , or fictitious . but suppose it to be true , we have no reason to think fabulous or strange pliny's and livy's stories of showers of flesh , stones , &c. seeing the whole earth , the mother of all did this shower down out of the air. and since our author is arbitrary in supposing , i think he might as well have suppos'd the abyss to have been shut up in a bag of raw hides , which would have supported the earth from falling into his abyss , till by being bak'd into a hard crust , it had been able to support it self ; and this will better fit his interpretation of ps. 33. 7. where the sea is by him said , to be gathered as in a bag , for the hard crust of the earth might be better compar'd to a bottle than to a bag. i would not have the theorist think i put a jest upon him , in mentioning this of the raw hides , because notable feats , past belief , in the laying of foundations have been perform'd by this means , a memorable instance of which is to be seen to this day in the english church at vtrecht , where is a great massy pillar that was thus founded ; the account i had of it when i was at vtrecht was this , when the bishop of vtrecht was building the church , as they digg'd to lay the foundation of this pillar , they came to a quick-sand that swallowed up every thing that was put upon it , so that the raising of it was look'd upon as unpracticable , till the bishop proposing a great reward to any that could bring the foundation to bear , a friezlander found out the way , and being overjoyed at the discovery , he told it to his wife , which his son hearing , told it to his play-fellows in the street , by this means it came to the bishop's ears , so that when the ingineer came to demand his reward , he refus'd to pay him , saying , he knew it already , which so incens'd the cruel friezelander , that he kill'd his child and wife for divulging his secret , and the bishop for defrauding him of his reward ; in memory of this there is a picture of an ox upon the pillar , with this inscription , accipe posteritas quod per tua saeculaa nerres , taurinis cutibus fundo solidata columna est . upon a pillar at the end of the church , are twenty or thirty hexameter verses , giving an account of the whole story . the theorist needs not object , that the heat of the sun , which is suppos'd to bake the earth into a hard crust , might burn the hides , for the water in the abyss will secure him from this fear , a confirmation of which may be seen in buchanan's history , where he gives an account of a way practis'd in these times for boiling of meat in raw hides , by which they became hard like iron , and were not burnt . but if we admit that the after-birth of the earthy particles , did ( in the order suppos'd by the theorist ) fall upon the oil , and there were by the heat of the sun , bak'd into a hard crust , how will this agree with the scripture ? gen. 1. 9 let the dry land appear , and it was so ; ver . 10. and god called the dry land earth , &c. how was the earth hardened by the heat of the sun that was not yet made ? for the earth was made on the third , and the sun on the fourth , ver . 16. god made two great lights , the greater 〈◊〉 rule the day , and the lesser to rule the night . but suppose the sun could do this under the line , how came it to be so soon bak'd under the poles , ( where according to the theory's supposition of the poles , of the ecliptick and aequator coinciding ) the sun could never rise above the horizon ? seeing now tho' the sun shines half a year to these places , the air is always very cold , and the earth covered with snow . but let us suppose the earth to have been thus hardened by the heat of the sun and winds , then it must be granted , that it hardened sooner under the line , than towards the poles , and that before the crust was hard enough to support it self from falling into the abyss , it had acquired some considerable weight , by reason of which pressing on the surface of the abyss , it would , according to the nature of all fluids , give way , and rise towards the poles ; where by reason of the greater rawness of the crust , the water would meet with less resistance , and so break the continuity of the egg-shell ; for i do not see by any thing the theorist advances , how the water which in the natural ballance alters its place with the 1 / 200000 of its weight , more on one side than on another , should in this case hold firm , except by the above mentioned supposition of the raw hides . methinks i see the oil'd cake or crust , thus falling in at the sides , and rising towards the poles , and so the whole fabrick of the egg-shell spoil'd : and therefore gentlemen i will by your leave take the liberty to entertain you with another hypothesis , while the theorist is making a surer and better foundation than water for his primogenial earth , or egg-shell , but first crave leave to make an end of this search . the theorist does not tell in what proportion the earth was mixt with the oil , for nature does all her work in proportion ; this the apothecaries know in making their plaisters , where according to the rule of art , there is of oil and wax each an ounce , and of powders half an ounce , for a soft plaister ; and for the hardest plaister there is one ounce of oil , two ounces of wax , and powders six drachms , which being cold makes a mass hard , almost like a stone ; but this , seeing it melts again with the heat , will not answer the end ; the good women know a certain proportion of butter and flower , which , tho' i am ignorant of , yet seeing it bakes into a very hard substance , might do here , were it not very brittle . the theorist may think this a ridiculous comparison , yet this i may be bold to say , and can make out if needful , that a good woman that makes butter'd cakes to sell them again , does more service to the publick , than the doctor has done by his theory . but he does very well to decline this , as being a thing impracticable , except he had been then on god almighty's council , or dispens'd out the ingredients ; for if he had been then present , and but a bare spectator , he could have done no more than now , i. e. to make a conjecture good for nothing . but farther , the oil must have been of some depth , to incorporate so great a quantity of earth ; now the theory does not tell where so great a quantity of earth did stop in the oil , whether near the surface , in the middle , or near the bottom , if they settled to the confines of the oil and water , the heat of the sun , even under the torrid zone could not reach so far as to bake it into a hard crust , except he be suppos'd to have been far more vigorous in his actions , in his own , and the world's infancy , than he is how in his old declining age ; for at sea , within the tropicks , we do not find now , that the sun-beams penetrate much below the surface of the water , this is known by the experience of the seamen , when ( under the line ) they let down their plumets ; for after they have been some time under water 200 fathom deep , they bring them up so cold , that one cannot long hold his hand upon them , which observation the mariners have improved to the cooling of their liquors , better than we do here with ice and snow . it will be most convenient therefore , in my judgment , to suppose this forming of the crust , on or near the surface of the oil ; but by this means 't is very likely there would be a great quantity of oil under that never incorporated with the earth , or was never bak'd , so that when the egg-shell broke , the sea would be covered with it , like so much fat broth , which , there being no more earth to rain out of the air to incorporate with it , must have continued so to this day , except consum'd with the superfluous waters after the deluge . yet further the egg-shell or crust was made before the fishes and fowls were produc'd out of the water , which was on the fifth day , gen. 1. 20. and god said , let the waters bring forth abundantly , the living creature that hath life , and the fowls , &c. ver . 23. and the evening and the morning were the fifth day . now how can this be consistent with a crust of the earth encompassing the abyss , in which there must be no opening or hiatus ? or else how could the crust when it was first forming , be kept from falling in ? in which case this abyss must be a very improper place for fishes to live in , far more for their encreasing and multiplying ; for 't is observ'd now in fish-ponds , if the water be quite frozen , that the fish dye for want of air , and therefore in holland where they have a great many fish ponds about their houses , and great frosts , they break the ice from time to time , lest their fish should dye for want of air. 't is remarkable that the plants were produc'd the same day with the earth , before the sun and moon , but the living creatures , viz. the fishes and fowls were not made till after the fourth day , in which the luminaries were made , that they might have the benefit of the sun and moon to direct them by their light , in their removing to and fro to seek their food ; but the plants which receive their nourishment standing still in the ground , had not so great need of that light , and therefore were made before . from this we may infer , that the order kept in this short history ; is not only to comply with the weak capacities of the ignorant people , but to tell the matter of fact , and that there is no less reason for the order of all the other parts of the history , tho' the theorist has the confidence to ridicule it , as being fitted only to the capacities of ignorant slaves , newly come out of aegypt . but supposing fishes might live there for 1600 years as the faetus does in the mothers womb , shut up in darkness , from the air , and the prolifick heat of the sun ; how can our theorist give an account of the production of fowls out of the water , that is consistent with the scripture , for the earth was made the third day , and firm enough to produce plants , how , or at what ●ent got the fowls out into the open air ? suppose they could make their way through the egg-shell , in places nearer the poles , where 't was still but like mudd ; or was our oil'd cake not strong enough by this time to keep the birds from flying out ? if not , surely they would be so daub'd with oil or earth , that they would never be able to raise themselves out of the mudd , or when raised , to fly . but again , if the fishes were thus inclos'd within the crust , how could the blessing of god upon man take place ? ver. 28. viz. that he should have dominion over the fishes of the sea , seeing for 16 hundred years they were so far remov'd from his habitation , likely some hundreds of miles , the whole crust of the earth being interpos'd between him and them . and expand it self with heat , which would be derogatory from the subtlety of the cartesian aether , upon which he and seignor spoletti the venetian ambassadour's physician , were pleas'd to honour me with a visit at my chamber ; the experiment was this , i had a glass pipe , such as they make the baroscopes of , blown into the shape of a round ball at the end , that was hermetically seal'd and bended into a syphon , whose legs were parallel ; but distant from another three inches , so that the leg on which the ball stood , was nine inches long , but the other two feet long ; the shorter leg , and the intermedial pipe i fill'd quite with water , to the lower end of the great leg , so that there was no air left in the space , then i put into it some filings of steel , about a drachm and an half , and after the filings were laid along in the intermedial pipe , i put to it oil of vitriol 30 or 40 drops , which mixing with the water ( for otherwise strong oil of vitriol does not work upon the filings ) did immediately corrode the iron , and sent up to the ball so great a quantity of this generated air as to fill it , and half the shorter leg in a very little space , in which it was remarkable , that applying my warm hand to the ball , it did expand it self in an instant , so much as to drive out the water at the longer pipe , but on with-drawing my hand , it contracted it self into half the ball , where it has stood ever since december last year , now it 's november ; another thing very remarkable in this is , a considerable heat that is to be observ'd ever since , on the top of the ball , such as is observed in the great end of fresh eggs , and this tho' the water , the other half , be very cold , and at the same time some of the vapours got out into the open air. at the first it had a saltish taste on the top of the ball , which i could not observe in the summer , but now in november i observe it very remarkable with the heat , and so it appeared to a young gentleman that was with me at that time . before i come to apply this to the subject in hand , it will be necessary to remark from scripture , gen. 7. 11. that there were then and still are , great cavities in the bowels of the earth , full of water , to which agree the testimonies of the authors mentioned in ramazzini . these cavities , seeing the scripture says nothing to the contrary , we may suppose to have been made from the beginning , not as deformities , but for noble and excellen● uses , and that by taking off the upper crust from some parts of the earth , and laying it on others , the everlasting mountains , and a bed for the ocean were fram'd at the same time , and thus a passage was open'd for the waters , that before encompass'd the earth , to run into these cavities : 't is not material for our purpose , whether this was all done in one day , as the theory objects , or whether the water could run so fast away from the inland places , as to leave them quite bare , it is enough , if in that day the dry land did appear , as doubtless a great part of it did . the theorist thinks this a very laborious work : as if it were a hard thing for the author of nature ( who tells his servants , that if they had faith but as a grain of mustard-seed , they might remove mountains into the sea ) to remove the mountains out of the sea. 2. that this abyss did communicate with the ocean , which is a consequence of the first , and supported by the testimonies of ram. p. 125 , 158. 3. that in these cavities might be generated minerals and metals , ram. p. 32. and that by the colluctation of several contrary salts in the abyss , might be generated an air and sometimes so suddenly as to make explosions ; of which , and the first supposition , earthquakes , and the rocking of the earth seem to be a pregnant instance , vid. brit. bac. p. 73. where 't is related that the earth rose nine foot high , and was thrown some distance off , which sure was from an exhalation or wind pented in , and suddenly expanded . 5. we may allow also that there were mountains in the beginning , which seems to be plain by psal. 90. 2. in which the formation of the earth , and the mountains are mention'd as coaeval , and therefore are called everlasting mountains , gen. 49. 26. this may be by good consequence also inferr'd from the second chapter of gen. wherein 't is said , there were rivers , one of which , viz. euphrates is to this day known by the name that it had then : from whence we may safely conclude , that the same rivers had the same mountains , from which they descended , that they have now . now if we suppose , that at the time of the deluge there happen'd such a conflict of contrary salts , acid and alcali , as we have now mention'd in the bowels of the earth , there would be an air generated , which in many places being penned up , might cause earthquakes , and at the same time some of this exhalation might escape into the open air , from which might proceed the great rains of forty days continuance , accompanied likely with great thunder , lightning , &c. to strike the greater terror into the wicked , that in their fright they might not find the way to the ark they had formerly so much despis'd , and that if they had thought of such things , they might be hindred by the great rains ; by the air inclos'd in the ●owels of the earth we may ( as it happens in our experiment ) imagine , that the water of the abyss was dislodg'd , and so came out to overflow the earth : ( by which we may interpret the opening of the great depths ) and this at the passages by which the abyss and ocean did communicate , which so swell'd by degrees , till the top of the highest mountains were covered ; further we may infer , that the antediluvian air being infected with the mineral seams , and in a great measure compos'd of them , might occasion that shortning of man's life , which happen'd quickly after the deluge ; which tho' it did not so visibly affect the stronger constitutions of noah and his sons , might lay such a foundation of infirmities in their posterity , as might in moses days shorten their life to 70 or 80 years . we may suppose likewise that ( as in our experiment ) when the heat of the effervescence was over , the water fell in the greater pipe , and rose in the shorter , so when this ebullition was over in the bowels of the earth , the waters returned by degrees into the bowels of the earth , and so the ocean into the bounds set to it by god , as in psal. 104. 6. thou coverest it with the deep as with a garment : the waters stood above the mountains . ver . 7. at thy rebuke they fled , at the voice of thy thunder they hasted away , ver . 8. they go up by the mountains , they go down by the valleys , unto the place which thou hast founded for them , ver . 9. thou hast set a bound that they may not pass over , that they turn not again to cover the earth . one might represent the whole of this to the eye thus , let there be a round ball to represent the earth , ( with a hole at the end , standing for the north pole , at a , which kircher supposes the ocean to circulate thro' the earth ) of glass f f f , full of risings to represent the mountains b b b , let the ball be fill'd with water , and at the hole insert a pipe g g g , which cement to the neck , throw in by this pipe some filings of steel , after which some oil of vitriol , and keep the ball inclining , so that the steams arising may not get out at the hole , but being pented in may drive out the water at the pipe , which if the ball were the center of the earth , would over flow all the surface of the glass , and cover the mountains of it , but this being wanted , we may imagine another glass c c c divided in two as you see , so that they may be cemented together when the other glass ball is inclos'd , all the water that runs out at the mouth of g g g , will over-flow the hills b b b , &c. this is the substance of what i have to say of my hypothesis , which if furnish'd with a good library , with large indexes , it were easie to make swell into a volume big enough to deserve the title of a theory ; among which i might perhaps find , even in the relicts of the fidler orpheus himself , so much esteemed by our theorist , or at least among the other placita philosophorvm , enough to favour it . sed non equidem hoc stude o bullatis ut mihi nugis pagina turgescat , dare pondus idonea fumo . and with this i leave the theory at present , hastning to make an end . of perpetual lamps . there has been much written of perpetual lamps , said to be found in burying places of the old romans ▪ which at first seems past all belief ; for how can it be that a lamp should have fuel for some hundreds of years , to maintain it in life ? and if it had fuel how could it in those close vaults escape being suffocated in its own smoke ? i believe that the appearing of some light by the work-mens tools , hitting against some hard stone or brick in the dark , and so striking fire , might give rise to the first report , which fame ; that never loses by going , has increas'd almost to a miracle . for they say of them , that upon the air 's coming to them , they , contrary to all other fires , do presently die . or they might have met with such an ▪ observation as a noble lord told me he had communicated to him when at rome , by a gentleman of that place who made it ; and it was this , that searching roma subterranea for antiquities , he came to a brick-wall , which ordering to be digg'd thro' , he found to be the wall of a vault , or burying-place , in which before the light was brought in , he observ'd something like a candle burning , which he lost sight of as soon as the candle was brought in : and therefore removing it again , and directing himself by his hand kept between the light and his eye , he found it , and by the description i had of it from that noble person , it was of the nature of mr. boyl's glacial noctiluca , for it was solid , and in a fortnights time did run per deliquium . but whatever be of truth in it , the ingenious have made many conjectures about the salving of this wonderful phaenomenon . des cartes has attempted it by applying his principles to it , but seeing they are abyssinian , i. e. precarious , and the explication hardly intelligible , we pass it in silence . athanasius kircher , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 has given us his conjecture , which seeing it depends upon a mechanical principle , is by far more intelligible than any we can expect out of the mint of a mere abyssinian . he supposes that these lamps are seated upon the opening of a vein of petrol●um ▪ running under ground , of which italy and other hot countries afford many ▪ and the wick to be made of linu● asbeston which never wastes in the fire ; so that nature constantly furnishing fresh fuel , and the wick never ●alling , the flame may continue forever . but how plausible so ever this conjecture be ▪ it will be of small use , because it cannot be had every where . therefore the ingenious dr. hooke has contriv'd , and imparted to the world several pre●●y ways , which are found to answer very well ; for by the poysing of his lamp ▪ he orders it so , that the oil may always be kept to the same height , upon the wick , and consequently the flame , and that therefore the wyck can never waste , because always in the flame , for it wastes not tho' in the midst of the flame , till it be expos'd to the open air ; of which one may see more at large in his treatise of lamps : but with submission i am of opinion , that the weight of the oil when the lamp is full , will make the lamp move heavily , and also make it wear out quickly . i have therefore a good while ago , thought these inconveniencies might be prevented by some hydrostatical contrivance , seeing the main thing sought for here , is to keep the flame at the same height on the wyck ; my way is this , let a vessel a a a , be shap'd after the fashion here mark'd , an inch or more deep , and as broad as you may think fitting for the quantity of oil you are to burn , let also a pipe b b b , coming from the bottom almost as high as the cistern , be filled first with water c c c , so high as to cover the hole of the pipe at the bottom , that the oil d d d poured in afterwards may not get out at the pipe b b b , and so be lost ; let the vessel being almost brimsul , have a cover'd pierc'd with as many holes as 't is design'd to have wycks , be fitted to the mouth of the vessel , when the wycks are lighted , if water falls in by drops at the pipe , it will keep the oil always to the same heighth , or very near ( the weight of water to that of oil , being as 20 8 / 11 to 19 ) which in the depth of an inch or two , will make no great difference of height in the oil , if the water runs faster than the oil wastes ; it will only run over at the top of the pipe , what does not run over coming under the oil , will keep it to the same height , this it will do perpetually without any fear of rub or let , the cover will keep the soot of the lamp from falling in●● the oil , and keep it from thickening with it , the main use of such a contrivance is , where there is occasion for long digestions with a gentle heat . some thoughts about the way of making oil of sulphur per campanam . sulphur at all times has been counted a wonderful product of nature , and therefore by the greeks is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . several attempts have been hitherto made by chymists to analyse it , which they have hitherto done but in part ( that i know of ; ) yet by this they have discovered it to be a mineral oil , coagulated by a mineral acid , and also the same is made evident , by the composition of it ; for if you mix oil of sulphur with oil of turpentine , they will coagulate into a gummy substance which being sublim'd , give true brimstone . the main experiment insisted on is the making of oil of sulphur p. c. only two or three ounces of genuine oil , can be had this way out of a pound , and all the 〈◊〉 seems lost , which i believe mostly to proceed from a defect in the way of making it . it is about fifteen years ago since first reading le 〈◊〉 preparation of ol. sulph . p. c. i thought it might be improved to the catching of all , or most of that which flies away thus . suppose a ●at glass cup , b b b , to have two or more pipes coming in at the bottom , and rising pretty high in the glass a a a , suppose likewise another shap●d like a matrass , fitted to the mouth of b b b , with a ring at the bottom c c c , to keep it from falling into the cup , and that the same matrass is wide enough at top to admit of a crooked pipe e e e , to come into it , and to be luted to it , to which must be fastened adapters , with some water in them , that the acid spirit passing , may find in the way wherewith to embody it self : now if brimstone be put into a cup , and so put into the glass below , with the cautions usual in that case , and so kindled , and the matrass fitted to it , the air coming in by the pipes will keep the flame in life , and carry up the lighter fumes by the neck , into the adapters f f f , which with the water may condense into an acid spirit . this experiment might be varied , by inserting the neck into the wall of a very large room , made tight for the purpose , as they do for flower of br●mstone , to see what dry flowers it gives , and of what nature they are . of phosphorus . i have seen in the parisian memoirs , lent me by the curious dr. sloane , an experiment said to be made by one mr. homburg , about producing phosphorus out of quick-●●me and 〈◊〉 armoniack ; 't is that which i casual●y lighted on , when living with the honourable and never to be forgotten mr. boyle ; for after i had by the force of the fire melted these two together into an opack glass , and the pieces of it were still hot in my hand ( during which time they are very hard ) i had the curiosity to see what the pieces which were very hot would do , if strock against one another in the dark , and was su●priz'd to see it not only strike fire , but also to retain a glimmering light in the places where the pieces hit one another , which i judge to proceed only from the sea salt of the sal-armoniack remaining with the quick-lime , p●t in a violent motion by the collision , and perhaps deserves no more the name of a phosphorus , than the sea water that shines in the dark night , or refin'd sugar , when 't is scrap'd ; a proof of which seems to be the dark spots that appear in the shining parts , which is in all probability from the greater quantity of the quick-lime in the mixture , for of two 〈◊〉 there is but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 iv. of the glass , so that only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 iv. of the sal-armoniack may be concluded to be there . this when cold ; runs p. d. which it continues for a long time ; and when set to evaporate , does retain its fluidity while upon fire a long time , but when removed , in an instant it coagulates into a hard mass , which upon the least heat melts again , and therefore by mr. boyle was called the fusible salt. i will not say that mr. hemburg had that from mr. boyle , or any of his friends ; for why might not he ●all on it by chance , as well as we , tho' this account was printed two years after the honourable mr. 〈◊〉 death ? but to pass this , this liquor is very remarkable for dissolving sublimate corrosive , in the cold of which it dissolves its own weight . 〈◊〉 makes a spirit of this solution thus , 〈◊〉 of this liquor , p. 111. dissolve in it sublim . 〈◊〉 p. 1. imbibe the solution with brown paper , and destill , it comes over in form of a brownish colour'd spirit , smelling like musk ( says my anthor ) some of the mercury is reviv'd in the receiver : three drops of this liquor taken in a convenient vehicle , do greatly purifie the blood , as he says ; as for the smell , 't is so far from having the smell of musk , that rather it stinks of an empyreuma ; and as for its use in physick , 't is so far from having the promis'd effects , that i have known it given from three to sixty drops , without any visible effect , and also that a woman , to whom an hundred drops were given in a venerial distemper , had such pricking pains all over the body following , as could hardly be removed again : yet this , with all its mistakes , has a famous plagiary in town , copied out in a book called the lond. dispens . this man it seems has no regard to what he writes , so he make a bulky book , i could instance many cases in which this rhapsodist has thus without any judgment play'd the plagiary , if time would permit ; it were to be wished that a severe censure were put upon such , who for a little lucre ; will thus set out a wild-fire to lead people into dangerous mistakes , instead of setting up beacons for them , by which they may be guided in so important a business as the practice of physick , at least an index expur gatorus , made by an impartial and judicious pen , might remedy the ill effects of such books , and prevent the multiplying of them for the time to come . errata . page 44. in the margin , tab. 11. f. p. 69. in the margin , tab. 11. f. 2. p. 70. l. 14. r. the water overflowing and falling . ibid. l. 23. or being , r. are . p. 81. l. 18. by hidden passages , and the sand it self . the abyssinian philosophy confuted : or , tellvris theoria neither sacred , nor agreeable to reason . being , for the most part , a translation of petrus ramazzini , of the wonderful springs of modena . illustrated with many curious remarks and experiments by the author and translator . to which is added , a new hypothesis deduced from scripture , and the observation of nature . with an addition of some miscellany experiments . by robert st. clair , m. d. non mihi , sed rationi , aut quae ratio esse videtur . milito securus quid mordicus hic tenet , aut hic . scaliger . london , printed for the author , and sold by w. newton , over against st. bartholomew-close-gate , in little-britain , 1697. the author's preface . if the searchers after nature , of which this age has not a few , whose study is spent about things of greater concern , and therefore are deservedly admired ; if , i say , these found it as easie to search into the inner parts of the earth , as 't is to the anatomists to take an exact view of the bowels of a man , and other living creatures , the one needed not envy the other ; and we should have as full a knowledge of the earth , as we have now of living animals , by the industry of anatomists . we know now , yea to our own no small satisfaction , with our eyes we see , how the blood circulates , what is the motion of the chyle , the lympha ; and other fluids ; so that now to use hippocrates his own words , the fountains of humane nature , and the rivers with which the body is watered , seem to be open'd . but as for the earth , out of whose treasures we draw our nourishment , we can observe nothing but its outward side , and therefore we are ignorant of the more beautiful things that are hid ; and , which is to be grieved for , there is no way by which they may be known . for although the miners have gone down into the bowels of the earth many fathoms , yet they have never gone much deeper than half a mile , which by agricola is said to be the greatest depth of the mines . but what is that to the depth of the earth , whose seme . diameter is said to be 3600 mile . wherefore , to tell the truth , we know the body of the earth only superficially , and not within : yet 't is lawful to judge , that 't is neither a sluggish nor unshapely body , nor yet that all its dignity is plac'd in its outward surface , as in statues , but that its more beautiful parts are inward ; yea , we must think that 't is so shap'd and figur'd by the great creator , as to contain a specimen of the vital o economy , and that the wonderful functions thereof are perform'd in its bowels , by a law no less certain than unknown to us , especially the circular motion of the waters ; of which , though they cannot be demonstrated to the senses , yet by what appears outwardly , 't is evident that the matter is so ; neither has the wit of men stopt , till they had by all art searcht into the state and condition of the subterraneous regions , as far as could be . but seeing there is no other way by which we enter into the earth , but by such apertures , as either nature has made of her own accord , or by mines and wells , which the covetousness of men has digged for metals , or necessity has put them on , for finding veins of waters ; and seeing that in this city there is a frequent digging of wells to a notable depth , ( as much as can be in a very plain place , and remote from mountains ) from which a wonderful spring of water rises ; i thought good therefore to examine these secrets of nature , and to communicate to the professors of natural knowledge , what i have observed of them , and my thoughts threupon , seeing none has written of these things expresly . i am not ignorant that some idle men will speak ill of me , and others will not be wanting who will accuse me , as having spent may time about a thing of no moment : but that does little disquiet me , seeing i have the examples of the most learned , who have been taken up with the most minute things , of whom virgil says , in tenui labor , at tenuis non gloria — but i can answer such men with the words of seneca treating of natural philosophy , you will say , what profit is there in these things ? no greater can be ; to know nature . neither has the treating of this subject any thing more beautiful , seeing it contains many things that may be useful , than that its greatness takes up a man ; nor is it followed for profit , but for its wonderfulness . of the wonderful source of the springs of modena . chap. 1. the structure of these fountains is described , and the most curious things which appear in the digging of the wells , and when the water springs up , are remarked . but that i may not keep the reader longer in suspence , you must know for a certain truth , which many thousands of experiments have already confirmed , that in any place within , or without the city , for some miles round , one may open a spring which shall constantly send forth most pure water . and seeing every citizen may take out of this great stock , as much vvater for his private uses as he pleases , without fear of wronging the publick , or being fin'd for it : therefore when any will have a spring in his own house , he calls some vvorkmen , and having agreed for the price , which for the most part does not exceed the sum of forty crowns , he shews them the place which he thinks most fit , and they without further consideration dig a well in a place mark'd out for them ; and when they have come to the depth of about 63 foot , they pierce the bottom with a great auger , which when it has been driven down 5 foot deep , immediately the vvater gushes out with so great force , throwing up stones and sand , that almost in a moment all the vvell is filled to the top , and the vvater flows out thence constantly . moreover , that which in digging these wells gives the greatest trouble to the vvorkmen , is , the great abundance of vvaters flowing from the sides , by which they are sometimes much troubled , till they come to the depth of 28 foot , where first the potters clay begins to appear : and therefore to keep off these vvaters which are none of the cleanest , when they first break earth , they make a vvell pretty large , drawing out the vvaters that flow together on every side , till they come to the bed of clay ; then they build upon it , as on a solid foudation , a vvall round about of lime and well-burnt bricks , made for the purpose , that so the vvell may be narrower ; and they carefully plaster the outer surface of it with clay , well wrought , pressing it with their feet ; and thus they continue to do till they come to the surface of the earth : for by this means they hinder the influx of vvaters from the sides , which being done , as if all were safe , and there were no more fear of the vvater coming from the sides , they carry on their digging to the lowermost place so successfully , that from the appearing of the clay , they observe no more water to drop ; yea , which is wonderful , they are forc'd sometimes to moisten the earth with vvater , that it may be more easily digged . 't is also no small disadvantage to the diggers , before they come to the beginning of the chalky or clayie ground , that the soft earth falls in upon them by the force of the side-vvaters ; which impediment is not overcome but with great labour : but when at length they come to the bed of clay , and from thence to the greatest depth● there is nothing to hinder them form getting by the usual boring the usual eruption of vvater . for no case is remembred in any place whatsoever within the city , or without the city , for some miles , in which upon opening a hole , and giving vent to the inclosed vvaters , they did not immediately spring up on high . for the diggers do with as great assurance and confidence fasten down their augers in the bottom of the vvells , as one being to draw vvine , would pierce a hogshead when 't is full . i was often present when this phlebotomy , if i may so call it , was practis'd ; and i always observed the vvater to break out almost with the same force , which at the first is muddy and full of sand , but the next day it appears clear enough . but when the vvater has broke out , and the borer is pulled out , sitting on the arms of the auger , immediately two or three vvorkmen that are about the mouth of the vvell draw out the vvater with all possible diligence ; for seeing at that time the force of the vvater drives out much sand and gravel , they say that by this means the course of the vvater is promoted , and the vvells are made to send forth vvater more plentifully ; neither can the stuff settling to the bottom stop the hole . the diggers of the vvells say , that some new-made fountains have thrown up sometimes so much vvater with the gravel and sand , that the ground giving way on every side , and threatning the ruine of the adjacent buildings , they have been forc'd to fill up the fountain again with earth and hewn stones . but the pebble stones , which are thrown up by the force of the vvater , differ not much from those which are seen in the adjacent rivers ; neither are they small , but some of them weigh 3 or 4 ounces : some of these are adorn'd with veins of gold , and pretty hard ; others are harder , and like the rudiments of pebble stones . in some places where the situation of the city is lower , the vvater arises above the plain , from whence it runs easily down , but in higher places it stops below the surface of the plain ; so that 't is necessary to make conduits under ground , thro' which it falls into the publick canals , which afterwards meet into one canal that is navigable , and by which they sail conveniently enough even to venice . for this canal falls into the scultenna , and the scultenna into the po. the number of these fountains is very great , so that now almost every house has one ; and their numbers being increas'd , the old fountains become fewer , as may be seen in the most illustrious family of the sadalets , now belonging to the castelvitrys , where the pipes that now send forth no more vvater , are higher than those that at present do . these fountains also are in the gardens about the town , and in the adjacent villages , some of which rise above the surface of the earth . moreover , the diggers of the vvells say , that they have on trial found them seven miles from the city , beyond scultenna : for having made an hole with an auger , they say the vvater did boil up freely enough , throwing up sand and gravel . vvherefore the limits of this hidden spring are not known enough ; yet 't is reasonable to think , that it is extended farther from east to vvest , than from north to south , seeing in this tract they are not found extended above four miles . this is remarkable , that when the hole is bor'd , and the vvater begins to break out , the next fountains cease from running for some time ; yet after a little time they run again . i have been told by a person of credit , that when a vvell was bor'd in the cloysters of the nuns of st. francis des sales , he saw in another vvell near it the vvater sunk in a moment , which afterward ascended , till both the vvells being in an equilibrium , the vvater settled in the same horizontal surface . i have often observed this decrease , but not with so great swiftness , in which the vvater did not sink so deep on a sudden , but rather by degrees ; and raising a few bubbles , i observed it to decrease ; but when the new well was filled , it ●ose again to its former height . having often understood by the diggers of the wells , that they heard a great noise of the water running under the bottom of the wells , and that when it first begins to be heard they take it as a sign , that 't is time to bore . to be assur'd of this , i went down into the bottom of a well in the beginning of february , holding a lighted candle in my hand , the well being built in a place of no great light ; having staid there a little , i perceived a manifest murmur and noise , yet not such as i expected . then i stampt on the ground with all my force , upon which the ground made a hideous noise , so that i thought i had to do with hell , and therefore quickly gave notice to those that were above , to pull me up with all possible speed , remembring that once the force of the water throwing up the earth prevented the boring . but though i did not stay long there , seeing nothing beside occurred to be observed but the oise of the water , yet i felt so great a heat there , that i did run down in sweat ; and it was no small pleasure to me to observe , when i was drawn up from that thermometer , in so small an interval of time , so many gradual changes of heat and cold. at another time i try'd what was the temper of these wells , in their greatest depth , by letting down a thermometer in the midst of winter , and i found that it differ'd little from the heat of the dog-days in our climate . the diggers perceive no less cold in the summer-time in these wells , and upon that account they refuse to undertake such a work in the middle of summer ; seeing , beside the great cold which oppresses them , such a difficulty of breathing also seises them , that they are almost suffocated ; a great quantity of smoke rises likewise at the same time , so as to put out the candles , which never happens in the winter , for then they breath easily enough , and the candle stands unmoved . the diggers complain much of a bad smell , when they dig in the wells in a hot season ; especially when they light on stumps of trees : for the rotten wood sends forth a most vile stink , which in the winter-time they do not experience , though at that time they perceive a great heat in these wells . but seldom are these wells digged , in which they do not meet with several sorts of trees , as oaks , walnut-trees , elm , ash , some of which stand upright , and some lie along . but it appears not by any mark , that they have been cut by men's hands ; and therefore we must think that these woods were only the habitations of wild beasts in former times . these trees when they are cut by the diggers are soft enough , but when they are exposed to the air , they grow hard like coral . when they were making such a well as this in the middle of april , i observed the rising of such a smoaky exhalation , that the digger could scarcely be observ'd in the bottom ; who also said he was very cold ; and that he could hardly breath ; and at the same time was troubled with a cough : but when the air on a sudden was changed to cold , immediately the said exhalation evanisht , and the digger could breath freely enough ; and he said , he felt a moderate heat . being to try what temper these wells were of in the months next to the summer , i went down into a well which a french jeweller was digging in his house about the end of may , before it was bor'd , and i found such degrees of cold , as are observ'd in this climate about the beginning of winter . during the time that i staid there my chest and my breast was so straitned , that my heart did pant very much . i did not perceive a great noise of waters in this as in others , yet the ground being beat , did give a frightful sound as before . while i was writing this , i thought fit to try the temper of the subterraneous air in a well that was then digging , by letting down into it at the same time a thermometer and barometer to several depths , and marking the difference that is between the open air , and that which is in the wells when they are a digging ▪ and especially in the summer months , in which the workmen seldom undertake such a business , by reason of the inconveniences afore-mentioned . wherefore i have set down the following table , that it may be better known what is the difference between the subterraneous and the open air ; which would be also very convenient and curious , if try'd in the vvinter time : but i do not doubt but the quite contrary things happen then which i will try with the first opportunity . the 12 day of june . the 23 day of june . the 27 day of june . the 1 day of july . the height of the liquor in the thermometer without the well , g. 80. the height of the liquor in the thermometer without the well , g. 77. the height of the liquor in the thermometer , g. 74. the height of the liquor in the thermometer without the well , g. 78. in the well to the depth of 18 feet , g. 64. in the well to the depth of 30 feet , g. 51. in the well to the depth of 45 feet , g. 44. in the greatest depth of the well , g. 40. the height of the mercury in the barometer , g. 80. the height of the mercury in the barometer , without the well , g. 80. the height of the mercury in the barometer , without the well , g. 78. the height of the mercury in the barometer , without the well , g. 79. in the well to the depth of depth of 15 feet , g. 82. in the well to the depth of 30 feet , g. 84. in the well to the depth of 45 feet , g. 85. in the greatest depth of the well , g. 86. 't is also fit to be known , that no force of man is able to drain such wells dry : for if the water should be drawn incessantly with great buckets , it were very much if the water should be depress'd 6 or 8 feet ; the more the water is drawn out , these fountains run more briskly : so that ● it happen at any time , that any of these flow something flowly they draw out the water as fast as they can ; and by this kind of remedy ( even as in men's bodies the blood is taken away , that it may move more quick through its passages ) the load being as 't were taken off , they easily drive away the sickness of these fountains which is their flowness of motion for the same end , they also either make a new hole , or open the old one with an instrument made of many wooden cylinders , which they let down into the wells with great auger fastned in the end of it . but these fountains are subject to no other fault ; they maintain the same purity of their waters uncorrupted ; and as in moist seasons they feel no increase , so in the greatest droughts ( such as we observ'd in these last years , in which the whole region on this and the other side of the po did exceedingly want water ) they suffe no decrease . moreover , these waters are very warm in winter , so that they send forth a smoak ; but in summer they are very cold . some days after the eruption is made , when the water has setled , they usually cover the well with a marble stone , and as it were seal it , and afterwards convey the water by earthen pipes from the same into vessels of marble , or of stone , from which afterwards the water is , by other conduits , continually bed of clay is about 11 feet , and sometimes 't is full of cockle-shells ; it ends therefore about the depth of 39 feet ; after that there appears another bed of marshy earth , about 2 foot thick , compos'd of rushes , leaves of plants , and branches . this marshy bed being taken away by the diggers , another bed of clay of the same thickness with the former , presents it self , which terminates in the depth of about 52 foot ; which being digg'd up , another bed of marshy ground , not unlike the former , is seen ; which being removed , another bed of clayie ground of the same nature with the former two , but not so thick , appears ; which lies upon another bed of marshy earth , which at last terminates on that last plain , in which the auger is fix'd , which is soft , and sandy , and mixt with much gravel , and sometimes full of sea-products . these several beds , with their intervals , are observ'd in all the wells , as well within the walls of the city , as in the suburbs , in a constant order . seeing in digging they often fall on stocks of trees , as i have frequently observed , which gives great trouble in the boring , to the undertakers , 't is a manifest proof that this ground was once expos'd to the air ; but i could never observe those stocks of trees in the beds of chalk , but in the marshy ones only , or in that space which lies between the foundation and the beginning of the clay . there have been also found in the greatest depths of these wells great bones , coals , flints , and pieces of iron . i do willingly pass by many things here , which the common people report , of extraneous things cast up by the violence of the waters at their first breaking forth , as leaves of oaks , chesnut , millet , bean-husks , and many other things ; contenting my self with telling those things only of which i have been an eye-witness , or have heard from persons worthy of credit . these are the things which belong to the history of the wells of modena , and which i have observ'd as i had occasion . chap. ii. that these are not standing , but running waters ; upon this occasion some things are brought in from the hydrostaticks . seing the nature and original of this hidden source deserves to be as much enquir'd into , as that of the nile did formerly , let us pass through these subterraneous vvaters with the sails of our reason , seeing we cannot do it otherwise . first , we may freely affirm , that these waters are not standing , as they are when shut up in a hogshead , but are in con●inual motion , and that pretty quick : for the noise of that wa●er which is heard before the per●oration in the bottom of the wells ●oes make it manifest enough . neither can any object , that even stagnant vvaters are subject to great commotions , as is known of the vulsinian lake , thrasumenus and benacus , of which the chief of the poets says , teque adeo assurgens aestu , benace , marino ! o benacus , which like the ocean roars ! for that is not constant ; yea , these lakes for the most part are very still : but the noise of the vvater before the terebration is constantly heard , which i always perceiv'd distinctly as oft as i descended into these wells ; and to this agree the undertakers of these wells who by the noise of the vvater guess that they have done with digging . but seeing the vvate rises so suddenly to the height 〈◊〉 68 feet , casting forth sand and stones with force , 't is most certain that these subterraneous vvaters descend from a high place , and are continually prest on by others that follow . neither do i think that such a sudden rising of the vvater can be attributed to the weight of the superincumbent earth , which drives the vvater upward by its pressure . i know indeed , that vvater may be elevated above its surface , when 't is driven up by some force lying upon it ; as scaliger , writing against cardan , demonstrates , by the example of a cylindrical vessel with pipes on both sides , and a plug fitted exactly to its capacity ; into which , being full of vvater , if you force down the plug , it will raise the vvater in the pipes , above the surface of the vvater that is in the vessel . but if , by the weight of the incumbent earth , these vvaters were elevated , the earth so superincumbent would be broke off from the rest , which is altogether improbable , there appearing no marks of it . beside , by what way could it come to pass , that these waters should be so excellent , as to surpass all others , if they were without motion , and kept as it were captive ? for every body knows , that standing waters do no less differ from those that are moved , than dead bodies differ from live ones , seeing we commonly call such as run , living waters . these waters therefore do move , and stand not still here , but run down constantly either to the sea , or are swallowed up in some gulph . but whilst i conclude these vvaters to be running , an objection of no small value does occur , and 't is this : if the vvaters run away so violently , there seems to be no reason why these wells being digged , they should rise upwards . but it may be demonstrated by a physical experiment , that the water cannot ascend in such as case . for let there be a vessel full of water , at whose side near the bottom , a pipe is inserted at right angles pierc't with many holes , efg ; and in the lower part let it have a slit , hi . if now you give the water free vent to run out , not only it will not ascend at the holes , but neither will it descend at the slit , but will all run out at the wide mouth of the pipe ; and it will be pleasant to see the water hang out at the slit , and not fall , ( till at the latter end ) the vessel being almost empty , the water will no more run out at the wide mouth , but will all run down through the slit. if therefore this experiment hold , the supposed running of the waters to places farther off , and their manifest ascent into these wells at the same time , seem not to agree with the laws of hydrostaticks : for if they flow freely , and without stopping , without doubt they cannot rise on high ; which is confirmed by what the most learned , scaliger says in his exercitations , who , enquiring whether vvaters may run under other waters , says , that near the river o●tus there is a well on a high hill , and that at the bottom a stream runs swiftly and with great noise . altho' all this seems to be true and obvious to the senses , yet the further progress of these waters may in our case consist with the rising in these wells ▪ which may be demonstrated in the same first figure . for if you put your finger to the mouth of the pipe d , yet so as not to stop it altogether , the water will leap out on high at the same time , by the holes e , f , g , and flow down by the slit h , and withal at the mouth of the pipe , the one action not hindring the other ; and so according as there is more or less of the orifice of the pipe stopt with your finger , more or less water will be raised by the said holes ; but it will never be rais'd to that height it would be , if the mouth were quite stopt . it does not therefore disagree with the laws of hydrostaticks , if these subterraneous waters are running and go further , that at the fame time they should be raised to the height of 68 feet in the wells , yet so as not to exceed the height of the cistern from whence they come , because the passage at which they flow out is not large enough . 't is convenient that some account be given of these phaenomena , observ'd hither to by none that i know , seeing there is no part of philosophy more curious , yet less cultivated , than hydrostaticks . first therefore , 't is no wonder that the water ( while it has a free course and passage through the wide mouth of the pipe ) does not run also at the holes ; yea , of necessity it must be so : for the water has a free descent , neither does it meet with any obstacle to make it rise , as it does in pipes bended upwards ; so neither will it descend by the cleft , because of the pressure and the force it has acquir'd in descending , like a solid body , which suffer it not to turn from its course ; in the same manner as bodies thrown , are carricd in a horizontal line for some space , while the force continues . but the reason why the orifice of the pipe being straightned , the water presently leaps on high , and runs down through the slit , in my opinion is this : that when the lower parts of the water are pressed by the upper ( as the most famous mr. boyle has made evident in his hydrostatical paradoxes ) and are urged with violence to run out , the passage being straitned , by applying the finger to the mouth of the pipe ; some of the water when it cannot overcome the obstacle , seeks a passage to it self where it can : from whence it comes to pass , that the less the water runs out at the mouth of the pipe , with the greater force it runs out at these holes . but when the pressure is abated , and the vessel is almost empty , none runs out at the mouth of the pipe , but what remains , runs slowly through the slit , being the shorter way . from hence it appears , that the direct pressure must be estimated by the weight of the pillar of water , whose base is equal to the horizontal surface it rests on , and its height equal to the perpendicular depth of the water . for example : in a vessel constituted in a horizontal plain , any part of the bottom that can be assigned may be a base to a pillar of water of the same height with the whole water in the vessel . and in the foregoing figure , when it flows freely through the pipe c d , 't is prest by a pillar of water , which has the same base with the orifice of the pipe cd ; which pillar of water forces it self by a lateral pressure into the pipe , and so to run out ; by the force of which pressure it comes to pass , that all the water in the vessel runs out by this imaginary pillar . many things are said of this pressure of the water by hydrostatical vvriters , to wit , that the under parts are prest by the upper , and the upper parts are prest by those that are under . moreover , they are prest side ways by one another ; which diversity of pressures they endeavour to prove by several experiments ; and in effect , every one may experience this lateral pressure in himself , when he is in the watery up to the neck ; for he will feel a pressure on every side , and some difficulty of breathing , which yet is not to be thought to proceed only from the lateral pressure of the water , but another cause : for when the expansion of the chest is necessary to respiration , 't is not so easily perform'd in the water element , as in the air , by reason of its grossness : for as fishes need a greater force for swimming , than birds for flying , as borellus demonstrates , by reason of the grosser body of the water , which must be moved out of its place , and circulate into that left by the fish : so a man sunk in the water up to the neck , needs a greater force for opening his chest , than if he were in the air. and from hence it is , that inspiration in the water is more difficult than expiration . this happens only because the pressure is unequal ; for the pressure of the pillar of air and water on the chest without , exceeds the pressure of the pillar within the chest , that is only of air , so much as the weight of the pillar of water which covers the chest , exceeds the weight or pressure of the pillar of air within the lungs , and of the same height with the water about the chest ; for fluids press only according to the perpendicular heights , and not the grosness of their pillars , as is plain in syphons , in whose legs , tho' of different thickness , the liquor rises but to the same horizonal height . likewise all do agree , that not only the bottom , but also the sides of the vessel are prest ; which pressure some say is considerable , but others not . tho. cornelius thinks it to be equal to the perpendicular pressure : for supposing the water to press by inclin'd lines , and that a body sliding down by inclin'd lines , acquires as great a velocity as if it fell down by a perpendicular , equal to the height of the plain , he thinks the lateral pressure to be equal to the perpendicular . on the other hand , becher , in his physica subterranea , says , that the water presses directly on the bottom , but far less on the sides ; which conjecture he grounds on this , that the little ramparts of earth sustain the pressure of the ocean it self , that it overflows not the adjacent fields ; yea , he endeavours to make it out by a mechanical experiment , that the pressure of the water is only upward and downward . if mr. becher had considered that hydrostatical axiom , viz. that fluids press only according to their perpendicular altitudes , he would not have been frighted by the extent of the great sea at amsterdam , from owning so evident an hydrostatical truth as this is , that the lateral pressure of fluids is equal to the perpendicular : for suppose the banks there to be three fathom , or eightteen feet , above the harlem meer , and the adjacent lands , which they defend from the inundation of the sea , and that the weight of every cubical foot of water is 76 lb. 9 ℥ ½ , and 48 gr . this multiplied by 18 f. the perpendicular height will amount to 1381 ½ lb , ℥ 1. g. 384. which is the weight or lateral pressure that lies on a square foot at the bottom , which a rampart of earth , made strong for the purpose , and 100 foot thick , may be well allowed able to support . 't is true , this computation is made for fresh water ; but the addition of salt in the sea-water , which is about 1 lb of salt to 41 lb of water , will not so much alter the reckning . for my part , as i do not believe the lateral pressure of the vvater to be equal to the perpendicular , so i do not think it despicable ; for it may be shown , that the lateral pressure is less than the perpendicular , by taking notice of this only , that there is a greater endeavour of the vvater to descend by a perpendicular line than an inclin'd one : but suppose that some parts in the sides of the vessel suffer a pressure , equal to the perpendicular pressure , as are these which be at the bottom , and in which those inclin'd ones would end , which have the same depth with the whole vvater ; yet in other parts the lateral pressure cannot be admitted so great . the author here seems like one groping in the dark for the truth , and yet when he has got it between his hands he lets it slip : for he supposes , that the pressure by inclin'd lines is , at the bottom , equal to the pressure by perpendicular lines ; yet he will not own the same in the intermedial parts . indeed the pressure by inclin'd lines in the intermedial parts is not equal to that perpendicular pressure which is at the bottom ; but 't is equal to that perpendicular pressure which is on the same horizontal surface , which may be made evident thus : take a glass tube , such as they use for baroscopes , but open at both ends , a b ; stop the upper end a with your finger , and so immerse it into the vessel e f g h , filled with water to m l , inclining , till it come to the horizontal surface i k , and then take your finger off , the water will rise by the pressure at the orifice b , till it has come to the surface m l , which is the same height it would have come to if the pipe had been perpendicular , as in c d. farther , suppose a pipe bended in the end at the right angles p q , immersed to the same surface i k , as before ; upon taking away your finger form p , it will rise up as high as before , to the surface m l : now 't is evident to any that considers the figure of the pipe , that the pressure at q is lateral , and as forcible as if it were perpendicular : this may be made more pleasant to the eye by putting oil into the pipe , as the honourable mr. boyle shews in his paradoxa hydrostatica , paradox . 7. and yet 't is not to be thought so little of as becherus says : for seeing the sides of vessel are no small hindrance to the fluid that it descends not , the force which the fluid exerces on the sides cannot be small . seeing then , as was before said , the parts of a fluid are crowded on one another , as if they were in a press , 't is not without reason that moderns from this do fetch a solution of that old , yet difficult , problem , which has wearied subtile vvits , vvhy a diver , in the bottom of the sea , is not opprest by the incumbent vvater . they commonly say that it happens , because the diver is lifted up by the water under him , and on the sides the parts of his body are prest with the same force ; neither can they be driven inward , seeing all is full ; so that there is no fear of the luxation of a member , or painful compression . yet the most ingenious mr. boyle thinks the difficulty is not answered enough ; for though by reason of the equal pressure of the ambient fluid , there follows no luxation , yet there appears no reason why there is no pain felt by the compression of the parts one against another . vvherefore the same author recurs to the strong texture of the animal , which can resist the pressure . it might be solv'd thus . there is an air lodged in the pores of all animal iuices , which two together keep distended and full the fibres , which are tubulous , as sir edmund king has very ingeniously discovered long ago ; and it is by the pressure of the ambient fluid ( which is equal on every side ) that this air being forc'd into less compass , the sides of the fibres come closer together , which causes no more pain to the fibres , than the bladder , ( which yet is a very sensible part ) suffers upon its being contracted , when the urine is expelled . if it were not rashness to think any thing can be added to the reasons of so many most famous men , i would say , that seeing the body of a living man is specifically lighter than vvater , tho' not much ; and therefore being more prest by the collateral vvater , according to the principle of archimedes , the syphon in which the diver is that is less prest ought to be lifted up , and therefore he ought to feel no pressure . but because the diver under water may be diversly considered , either as he descends by a perpendicular line , or ascends by it , or is moved by inclining lines , or as being fastned to the bottom , and sticking on a rock , he remains immovable ; in any of these cases he cannot be subject to a dolorous pressure . i have learned from a skilful diver , that when a swimmer will descend perpendicularly , and go to the bottom in a straight posture , he drives the water upward with his hands as with oars ; and when he will rise again , driving the water with his hands towards the bottom , he returns the same way . from whence it comes to pass , that such as are unskilful in swimming , when they strike the water contrary ways , are stifled . it is worth the while to enquire into the reason of these effects , having never seen them in any author , tho' there were need of a delian swimmer here , as they say . i think then , that when a swimmer drives the superincumbent water with his hand upward , he therefore descends ; because such a syphon being so smitten is less prest , and therefore is lifted up , the other being deprest in which the swimmer is ; just as in a scale suspended , and put in an aequilibrium , if one of the scales be hit below , that will be lifted up , and the other of necessity will descend . therefore the body of the swimmer being put in the pillar that is more prest , will of necessity descend ; but when at the same time he does this with both hands , he makes his descent more easie . but when he will rise perpendicularly , and in a straight posture from the bottom , by striking the water with his hands toward the bottom , he makes that syphon more prest ; and therefore the swimmer being plac'd in the other , must of necessity ascend : just as when the scale is put in an aequilibrium , if i hit the scale in the hollow part , that will be deprest , and the other lifted up . the same reason holds , when he ascends or descends by lines inclin'd to the horizon . therefore whether he ascend or descend , or whatever way he move , he ought to be under no dolorous pressure , how deep soever the water be . for seeing , according to the most ingenious borellus , bodies do not appear heavy but when they are in rest ; a● appears in an example given by him of two sacks of wool , one of which being put on the other , does not exerce its weight , or press it , but when 't is resting , and not when it descends . therefore the swimmer descending in the water perpendicularly , ought not to suffer any pressure in the vvater descending with the same swiftness . but when he is carry'd up by the same way , seeing by his body he thrusts upward the vvater lying upon him , which he does not by his own strength , but by the help of the collateral syphon , and therefore needs no help of his muscles to overcome the resistance of the superincumbent vvater ; neither ought he to have the sense of a dolorous pressure , to which the circulation of the ambient fluid coming in behind , does not a little contribute , by not suffering any part of the body to be mov'd out of its place . upon the same account he ought not to feel any dolorous pressure , if he ascend or descend by inclin'd lines , or stick without motion to the bottom : for the other collateral syphon being more prest , does always exerce its force , and the subjacent vvater lifts up the diver , that is specifically lighter than its self upward . the author here supposes the body to be specifically lighter than water , which i judge to proceed from the air inclosed in the chest ; for when that is out , the body sinks by its own weight ; and this gave perhaps the first rise to anatomists to discover whether a child was still-born , or not ; for if its lungs do swim in the water , 't was not still born , but has breathed the air ; but if they sink , then they conclude the child to have been still-born . as for the divers rising or falling by the motion of his hands , 't is the same case as in an oar , when the blade of it moves with greater force than the water , it makes resistance to the oar , which therefore not advancing , the boat of necessity must : so when a man presses the water quickly downward , it makes resistance to his hands ; and therefore the water not giving way fast enough , the body must be thrust upward ; just as in the air , if a man between two chairs did forcibly thrust them down with his two hands , he must be lifted up , because they do not give way . the author says , the pressure is not felt when the diver is ascending or descending , because the water being in motion , does not press upon the body : but it might be made manifest that it does ; and experience makes it beyond contradiction , that they feel no pressure when the water is at rest ; and the divers do own , that they feel a pressure rather in the going down in the diving-bell , than afterward ; as the honourable mr. boyle told me be had communicated to him by the laird of melgum , who practis'd this way of diving , in these words ; the compression of the air being such , as going down did hurt me ; but below , and staying there , was as familiar to me as that above . chap. iii. that these fountains cannot be derived from a subterraneous river . seing then that it is clear enough from what was said before , that the flowing of these vvaters toward the sea , may consist with their rising here , and in any place , it seems to follow , that there is a great subterraneous river under it , from which these fountains do spring : and truly this is the common opinion among us , which yet i cannot assent to . i am not ignorant , that there are some rivers that hide their head under ground , and after some time do rise again . some again there are that never rise above ground , as it happens in the veins of the body ; some do appear in the surface , and some do never . of this seneca speaks very well . nature governs the earth as it does our bodies , in which are veins and arteries ; and nature hath so formed it like our bodies , that our ancestors have call'd them veins . pliny says , that the nile is often swallowed up in gulphs , and after a long time is spew'd up again . they report the same of niger , a river of aethiopia , which rising out of the same lake that the nile does , and running towards the vvest , when it meets with a chain of mountains , it finds hidden ways ; and appearing again on the other side of the mountains , discharges it self into the atlantick ocean . in like manner , tigris in mesopotamia being stopt by the mountain cancasus , hides it self under ground , and is lost in a great cave ; but afterward breaking out near to babylon , is mixt with euphrates . to say nothing of alphaeus , a river in achaia , whom the poets feign to pass a great way not only under ground , but also under the sea it self , and to rise again in the fountain called arethusa : this is known by the offals of the sacrifice , which being thrown down the river , were , every fifth summer , at the time of the olympiack games , cast up by this fountain . and also the seas themselves are thought to communicate by occult passages , as the mediterranean with the red sea , and the caspian with the euxine , as the most learned kircher makes out by good conjectures . father avril a iesuit , in his travels into tartary , says , that 't is more probable that it discharges its self into the persian gulph , of which this is his main proof ; that they who inhabit about the persian gulph , do every year at the end of autumn observe a vast quantity of willow-leaves : now , in regard this sort of tree is altogether unknown in the southerin part of persia , which borders upon that sea ; and for that quite the contrary , the northern part , which is bounded by the sea of kilan , or the caspian-sea , has all the sea-coasts of it shaded with these trees ; we may assure our selves with probability enough , that these leaves are not carried from one end of the empire to the other , but only by the water that rowls them along thro' the caverns of the earth . so far father avril . who further , for establishing a circulation of vvaters from pole to pole , describes a great vvhirlpool under the north pole , of which also olaus magnus and helmont have written , by which a great quantity of vvaters is absonb'd , which falling into the bowels of the earth , is return'd by the south pole. some say that this changes its course once in half a year , going in at the south pole , and coming out again at the north. tho' all this be true , supposing also that within the bowels of this earth there is exercised something like an animal o economy ; and that one may , not without reason , imagine divers ebbings and flowings of vvaters , seeing , as seneca says , the whole earth is not folid , but hollow in a great many parts ; yet i cannot allow as some do , that this is a great broad river , from which these fountains break forth . this opinion of a great river has so firmly possest the minds of all men , that if a little earth quake happen , the inhabitants are in great foar lest the town , which otherwise is greatly shaken with earthquakes , should be swallow'd in a moment of time ; imagining it to be plac't on the arch'd roof of a great river . i confess the conjectures are not slight , on which may be grounded the opinion of such a subterraneous river , which gives water to these fountains ; especially the noise of the vvaters in the bottom of the well before the perforation , and the assurance men have , that in every place where a well is digg'd , water will boil up , casting up sand , pebbles , and many other things ; which seem to evidence its being some great river , or at least some great receptacle . but one reason , to wit , the super-exceeding greatness of this imaginary river , which must be admitted of necessity , is of so great weight , that it overturns all conjectures that would seem to confirm the opinion of so great a river running under this ground . for europe has no river so big as this subterraneous river must be , to which neither the po , nor the rhine , nor the danube , are to be compared . 't is known well enough by what we have before said , and all the inhabitants are convinced , that not only within the compass of the city , which is a mile in diameter , in any place , may be made a fountain , which will constantly send forth water ; but also without the town for some miles , without having any regard to the situation , such fountains may be made , but especially by the aemilian way ; as also beyond the river scultenna a great plenty of these springs and fountains is observ'd . therefore the breadth of this subterraneous river ( unless its course were along this way , in which case it would be extended 4 miles ) should be extended 6 or 7 miles . but who can believe that under this plain , on which this city is plac'd , a river of so great extent should continually flow , with so great a weight lying upon it ! i will not deny , that from south to north the source is not so much extended , seeing these fountains are not observ'd above 4 miles ; which , whether it be for want of experience , or that this is truly its bounds , i dare not affirm . but if we will suppose a subterraneous river , which hath a channel of 4 miles , every one i think will doubt it : nor will he so easily give credit to this opinion , especially seeing this arch that must keep up so great a vveight 68 feet deep , is not of flint or pumice-stone , but altogether made up of earth gathered by degrees . truly , if this prodigy of nature were situated in a mountainous region , i should not be much against admitting the greatest subterraneous width . for if we take notice of the caves and subterraneous recesses which are fam'd in geographers , we shall find them to be made amongst the rocky and steep caverns of the earth , seeing rocks and stones are the bones and strength of it . from whence ovid says , magna parens terra est , lapides in corpore terrae , ossa reor dici — the earth is our great mother , and the stones therein contain'd , i take to be her bones . vve find the corycaean cave in cilicia ( of which pliny , solinus , and others write , that being a very large promontory with a wide mouth , and full of woods within ; 't was 52 miles broad , so as to be very light , and both a cave and a port ) to have been plac'd in the mountain corycus . the river tigris , which we have often mention'd , hides its head , and as often rises again , but only when he sees himself stopt with a chain of mountains . for disdaining that any stop should be put to his swiftness , from which he takes his name , he finds himself a way by the wide bowels of the mountains , and runs hid , till being swell'd with the accession of vvaters , he runs out into the open plain . the river timavus , famous enough among the old poets ( about whose true place , whether 't was near padoua , or tergeste in istria , there were so many contentions among the learned of the last age , as may be seen in leander ▪ albertus , bernardinus scardeomus , iohannes candidus ) though he seem to draw all his water from ●ine fountians , as breasts sticking out in the mountain timavus ▪ yet he borrows them from another place , viz. a subterraneous river , discharging it self by the cavernous vvindings of the mountains , into the sea ; for which he is so proud as to be called , the father and fountain of the sea. seeing we have made mention of timavus , and wonderful things are told of him by vvriters , viz. that he ebbs and flows according to the motion of the sea ; and that he increases so much , as to overflow the adjacent country ; but in the ebbing of the sea he runs gently enough , and carries with himself the sweetness of his vvaters even to the ocean , without mixture . ut doris amara suam non intermiceat undam . ecgl. 10. that doris mix not her salt wa●●es with thine . as the chief of the poets did formerly say of alphaeus : therefore i am willing to 〈◊〉 the contemplation of so curious things . the most learned kircher does very well explain the cause of this prodigious increase , and how the river keeps its vvaters free from saltness , even to its mouth . for he says , that a great abundance of vvater is cast out from the bowels of a mountain near a village called st. cantians , about 14 miles distance from the nine fountains of timavus , and that there 't is swallowed up by a manifest gulph , nor does it appear more : he thinks therefore , that the vvater being swallow'd up by hidden channels , runs into the sea ; and that therefore in the flowing of the sea ; the salt vvater drives back the fresh that meets it with great violence , as being of less force ; and so this subterraneous river is stopt in its course , which not finding room to which it may retire , breaks violently out at the foremention'd fountains in the mountain timavus , communicating with the same subterraneous river . vnde per or a novem vasto cum murmure montis , it mare praeruptum , & pelago praemit arva sonanti . aen. i. 1. whence through nine mouths a sea from mountains raves , which the whole country drowns in foaming waves . by this means 't is not hard to understand , how according to the ebbing and flowing of the sea , there appears so proportionate a vicissitude of ebbing and flowing in timavus . and yet the waters remain fresh : for the sea does not beat back the waters of timavus , nor stop his course in the surface , but meeting the subterraneous river swallowed up in the foresaid valley , forces it to flow back , and throw out its waters by these nine mouths ; and from hence is the prodigious increase of the river timavus . but when the sea ebbs , and gives leave to that subterraneous river to run , timavus also at the same time , when that great regurgitation of the water ceases , runs quietly enough , and with all his sweetness , into the adriatick . neither kircher nor falloppius , determine what sea they suppose to flow into these cavities ; for the mediterranean does not rise high enough to answer the case , seeing it flows but a foot at the most , which is in the adriatick ; if they meant the atlantick , which in some places is observ'd to rise 9 fathom , in many to 2 1 / 2 , to 3 or 5 ; yet perhaps that will not answer the case neither ; for it has a great way to come , before it can come to reach the place ; and when it has swelled to the height there , considering the nine mouths of timavus are in a mountanous countrey , which may be justly supposed elevated far above the sea when at the highest , this solution of the phenomen will not hold . it seems to me more rational to explain it thus : i suppose the water comes from st. cantians , to run under ground in a canale 〈◊〉 , which it fills quite ( so that there is no passage for the air that way ) till it come to the basin a b c , which it fills so , as to overflow into the sea below , and that this basin is not much lower than the mouth of timavus ; for thus the ascent of the water into these nine mouths will be more easily procured . i suppose likewise , that this basin a b c has another passage g h ▪ by which the outer air communicates with the water in this basin , and by which the water in the flux of the sea runs out at h ; then the water that overflow● and fall into the sea when it is at the ebb , because the air gets out at the holes below near the surface ; when the surface of the sea k k k is elevated by the waters flowing into this lower basin through subterraneous passages , and the holes near its surface ( by which the air got out before ) being now stopt , the air is crowded between the surface k k k below , and that in the basin , and thus ▪ acquires a greater elasticity than the air that presses the surface within the pipe g h ; and therefore , according to the laws of hydrostatisks , the water in that pipe must ascend : now if the sea flow two eathom below , it may raise the waters in the pipes g h near as much , so that it may run out at h. i think , the flowing of springs and lakes , such as the ingenious mr. vvalker told me is reported to be found in cornwall on the top of a hill , and in other places , may be explained very well after this manner . our countrey-man falloppius gives a reason of this surprizing phaenomenon of nature , not much differing from this , whose words i thought fit to add here : but you must note , that although the river th●n abo●nd with water , yet that water is fresh , as ●tis also when it decreases ; for 't is always fresh ; but from whence does that come ? you must understand , that in the country of carni there is a castle called st. cantians , from whence rises a great quantity of water , which when it has scarcely appear'd , is swallow'd up by the earth , and appears no more . now the village of st. cantians is 14 miles distant from the river timavus . i believe therefore that the water flowing from the mountain in abundance , is the cause of the increase of timavus ; for i think that this water flows plentifully by these subterraneous passages , which meeteth with other secret passages , by which the sea runs into the mountain next to the river ; and that so there is a congress made , and dashing of the sea water against the other , which runs down from the mountain farther off ; and seeing the flowing of the sea is more forcible than the fresh water , ( for the salt water is more gross than the fresh ) it happens that the fresh water flowing from the high mountains , yields to the other when it meets with it ; from whence it comes , that when in cannot run to the sea , it recoils up to the top of the mountain ; and from hence 't is , that all the mountain abounds with water , and the timavus increases and decreases . such phaenomena of nature sporting it self , may be more easily observ'd in the mountainous countries than elsewhere , seeing the mountains , because of their solid texture , have empty spaces and kettles , which serve not only for cisterns of water , but also for receptacles of fire , as in sicily ; which therefore aristotle calls , full of caverns . so virgil , describing aristaeus going down into the secret places of paeneus , a river in thessaly , running between olympus and ossa , wrote these verses . iamque domum mirans genetricis & humida regna , speluncisque lacus clausos , lucosque sonantes ibat , & ingenti motu stupefactus aquarum , omnia sub magna labentia fl●mina terra spectabat diversa locis . — in english thus : he wandring goes thro' courts , and chrystal realms , loud groves and caves , which water overwhelms ; and with tumultuous waves ●stonisht found all the great river's running under ground . there are many of these subterraneous rivers in this and other countries : there is one very remarkable at bourdeaux in france , which runs under the church of st. sorine ; and it seems under or near a pillar of that church , in which there is made a hole large enough to put in ones head , which has another , hole at the bottom going down thro the pillar to the river , to which if you apply your ear , you may hear the noise of the water falling down , even at the time when the organs ( which make a great noise ) are playing : there is upon the right hand a broad pair of stairs , with a great arched gate , that take down to this subterraneous river , from which they force water into a marble cistern that stands in the church-yard covered with another great stone , yet open on the sides , at which the ignorant people take up water ; believing , by the insinuation of the crafty priests , that 't is by the gift of st. sorin an excellent collyrium for sore● eyes this water as they force into the cistern by the pipes laid under ground on the waxing of the moon , so they let it gradually out by other pipes on the wane of the moon ; which makes the people think that it depends on the course of the moon . populus vult decipi . let us hear seneca , speaking to the purpose ; there are also under the earth less known laws of nature , but as sure ; believe the same to be below , that is above : there are also great caves , there are great vaults and wide places formed by the mountains hanging over them . then although we must confess , that in some places rivers of great bigness flow under the earth , we must not therefore believe that in this great plain on this side the po , there is so great a subterraneous cavity , and that fields of so great a largeness could stand without ruine for so long time . i must add moreover , that the depth of this river , in respect to its breadth , ought not to be small , because nature builds all her caves and subterraneous passages archwise ; which all must have a depth proportionable to the breadth , otherwise they lose their force ; and commonly they are of a circular figure , or coming near to it , i. e. as deep as they are broad , which in this case must be at least 4 mile . but this cavity is of no depth almost , yea , but a few feet , viz. as much as the auger had made in boring : for passing an iron rod throw the hole , the bottom is presently found , as i have often try'd with others that have been with me . moreover , seeing the diggers in the very terebration , often fall on stocks of trees , as my self have often observed ; we must confess therefore , that these trees have been before in open air : and seeing in the bottoms of these wells are often found bones , coals , and pieces of iron , we are likewise forc'd to believe , that people have formerly liv'd on that ground ; or we must think , that this great river at that time had a cover of 6 or 8 foot , and that this our plain did afterwards grow higher , by the daily descent of waters from the apennine , and the paring off of the upper ground . but the above mention'd difficulties do still occur . but let us suppose this great river runs this way , and that hitherto he has suffer'd a bridge ; from whence , i pray , comes so great a plenty of water to fill this great cavity , which we must always suppose to be full , to make the water rise up in the wells ? seeing to sustain the royal dignity of the po , scarcely so many rivers running into it from the apennine and the alps are sufficient ? and on the other hand , we may affirm that the po comes far short of this subterraneous river . lastly , if this river must be 4 miles broad , i do not see why in all the extent of this source , the depth of the wells is always found the same ; for the wells which are digg'd near the sides of this great arch , would be deeper than those elsewhere : but there is almost no difference in the depth of these wells . we cannot therefore give way to the vulgar opinion of this subterraneous river , notwithstanding the conjectures mentioned , which we shall shortly answer . and far less must we believe , that there are many subterraneous streams flowing from the same cistern , and distinguish'd by intervals , which give water continually to these fountains . for how can it be , seeing there are so many thousands of fountains , and continually such wells are made both in the city and suburbs , that the undertakers never fell upon such interstices in the boring ? as i have often told ; and which one can never admire enough , there is no need of any caution here ; no need of diligence in choosing a place , seeing any place markt out either in the city or without , for many miles , is fit for the building of these wells ; and all the difficulty in digging these wells , is in keeping out the side-waters , which sometimes flow in in great quantity , so that they need a wall of bricks to keep it out : but when the vvorkmen have come to this last bottom , then as having got their wish , they begin their perforation with as great assurance of getting vvater by their auger , as if they had moses his rod. neither is the opinion of some to be entertain'd , who think that the subterraneous spaces from which these vvaters flow , were formerly the channels of scultenna and gabellus , between which two rivers modena is now plac'd ; which rivers , as they imagine , after they had descended from the apennine , did join their waters in this place ; and therefore , through length of time , the mountains decreasing and the fields rising , the water rises to this height in these wells when they are digg'd ; or in a hole made with sand wet with water , which is supply'd from these rivers by hidden passages ; and the sand it self , that they may give credit to so plausible a thought , they give an example ; for they say , that near a stream , a hole being made in the sand , tho' dry on the surface , the vvater appears ; which also by the observation of pliny the younger , is known to be done in the sea-shore . for after this author , with his accustomed elegancy in a letter to plin. gallus , described the pleasantness of his countrey-village by the sea-side , in the end of his epistle he makes this relation , as worthy to be taken notice of : it has wells , or rather fountains ; for the nature of all that shore is wonderful ; in whatever place you move the ground , you meet with water ; and that so fresh , as not to have the least saltness from the vicinity of the sea. by these words the most learned man seems to give some specimen of our fountains , seeing there also , in whatever place the ground is digg'd , there is moisture : yet 't is gather'd , by the same pliny's words , that the vvaters of these vvells did not spring up . i believe the same will happen in any sea-coast , except some bed of clay intervene , for the vvaters do easily follow the sand : therefore 't is no wonder , that in any place of pliny's countrey-house the vvater appears fresh , being strain'd through the sand from the nearest sea , and so depriv'd of its saltness . but 't is no way probable , that the case is so in our ground : for tho' i do not deny that these rivers did formerly run in deeper channels , yet that that they give vvater to this spring , i can no ways be induc'd to believe . for these springs are perpetual , neither do they know any increase or decrease ; when yet these rivers , not only in summer , but also sometimes in vvinter , have their sands dry , as we have seen of late years , by reason of the hot season ; seeing all the vvells except these , tho' digg'd deep , gave no vvater in the neighbouring countreys , to the great loss both of men and cattel . but the flowing of a most pure vvater from these fountains is so uniform and constant , that 't is improbable they should depend on the unconstant and unequal state and course of these rivers ; for the vvater decreasing in the deeper veins , the pressure would also decrease , and so these fountains would be diminished . moreover , seeing the countrey of rhegium , parma , and all on this side the po , is plac'd in the same plain ; and many rivers descending from the apennine , glide over these countries . i do not see , why they do not enjoy the same prerogative when vvells are digg'd deep in them . but no where that i know of are such fountains observ'd , so everlasting , and subject to no alteration . therefore we may lawfully judge the cistern that furnishes vvater at the same rate to this source , to be perpetual , never failing , and not temporary . chap. iv. of the ancient state and form of the countrey on this , and the other side of the river po. therefore having discuss'd the opinions which take most among our countrymen , of the nature of this hidden source , it may be thought fit that i should now tell my own : but before i do that , i think it worth while to enquire , and as far as conjecture will allow to discover , what was in those times the outward face of this countrey which we inhabit ; seeing by the digging of these vvells in the land of modena , 't is known enough , that the situation of this countrey , which is called gallia cispadana , and transpadana , was very low and deprest in old times , in comparison of what 't is now . plato , when he brings in critias speaking , writes , that there are two things which bring great and sudden changes in the earth , and totally abolish the monuments of the most ancient countreys . the vvorld felt the first calamity in the universal deluge , the other being reserved against the day of judgment , and the destruction of wicked m●n , as peter says , when a new heaven , and a new earth shall appear . 't is most certain , that the face of the whole earth was most notably changed , in that universal drowning and overturning of all things . but some think that such a change follow'd , that the state of the vvorld before the flood was quite different from what 't was afterwards , which yet i cannot assent to . there is lately come from england a book , whose title is , the sacred theory of the earth , by thomas b●●net . this learned man endeavours to demonstrate , that the earth before the deluge in its first original , had another form than now it appears to have ; so that there were neither seas nor isles , nor mountains nor valleys , nor rivers any where , but the whole body of the vvaters lodg'd in the caverns of the earth . now he feign'd such a face of the earth , to the end that it may be perceiv'd without the creation of new vvaters , from what store-house a quantity of vvater may be drawn sufficient to cover the face of the earth , tho' it had mountains , which we must imagine to have been higher by far than the present ones : so that , according to his reasoning , neither rains , how great soever , nor theo●● rabbah of moses , viz. abyss of vvaters hid in the caverns of the earth , could be sufficient for that universal deluge . but he thinks that the mountains , valleys , seas , isles and rocks , might have appeared in that great cleaving of the whole body of the earth , pieces of it being broke off here and there , and swallow'd up in the great gulph ; while those , which stood in their former state , made a shew of isles , mountains , and rocks ; but these which were wholly covered by the vvaters , had the name of sea and lakes ; and so the earth appeared after the deluge all broken , torn , and of a quite different aspect . this fancy , however it may be taken for new , yet certainly is not the fiction of our times , but more ancient by far . franciscus patritius , a man famous enough for learning , in a certain book of his , of the rhetorick of the ancients , written in italian , and printed at venice by franciscus senensis , anno 1562. the first dialogue has a pleasant story , which he says iulius strozza had from count balthazzar castillon , and he had from a certain abyssine philosopher in spain . this wise abyssinian did say , that in the most ancient annals of aethiopia , there is a history of the destruction of mankind , and the breaking of the earth : that in the beginning of the world the earth was far bigger than now 't is , and nearer to heaven , perfectly round , without mountains and valleys , yet all cavernous within like a spunge , and that men dwelling in it , and enjoying a most pure aether , did lead a pleasant life ; and that the earth brought forth excellent corn and fruits without labour . but when , after a long flux of ages , men were puft up with pride , and so fell from their first goodness , the gods in anger did shake the earth , so that a great part of it fell within its own caverns ; and by this means the water , that before was shut up in dark holes , was violently squeez'd out , and so fountains , lakes , rivers , and the sea it self , took its original : but that portion of the earth , which did not fall into these caverns , but stood higher than the rest , made the mountains : that the isles and rocks in the midst of the sea , are nothing but segments of the earth remaining after the sudden fall of its mass. i am willing , for the satisfaction of the curious , to give the author 's own words , as more tending to our purpose . in the first ages , said the reverend old man , after the last renovation of the vvorld , the earth we dwell on was not of that form , nor so little as 't is at present , but far greater , and of a perfect roundness ; because then it did take up as much place , as it now takes up with the whole vvater and air together : so that between it and heaven there was not any thing interpos'd , but a most pure fire , which is called aether , being of a most pure and vital heat . the earth then was of so large an extent , and so near to heaven . but within , and in the surface , 't was very cavernous , within which were scattered the elements of air and vvater ; and towards the center was scattered a fire , to warm the places remotest from heaven , and therefore obscure and cold . because the other caverns nearer the surface of the earth were illuminated from heaven by the openings above , and by its vvarmth filled with life ; and all these caverns were inhabited by men , and other animals , for the use of which the vvater and air were scattered over the caverns . the earth then was like a spunge , and men dwelt within it ; their life was very happy , and without any evil , because there was not among men either war or sedition . nor did they live inclos'd in cities , as they do now , for fear of wild beasts and other men ; but they liv'd promiscuously , and the earth produc'd its fruits for their necessity , without any labour of theirs . further , the mildness of the air and aether were so great , that the seasons did not vary as they do now : and knowing then the truth and the vertues of all things , they found they were good ; they knew also the vertues of the stars , their senses being nourished in a most pure aether , from whence they had the knowledge of things celestial and elemental . 't is come to our knowledge , that in the most ancient annals of aethiopia , among many others , were found aegypt , aethiopia , persia , assyria , and thracia . now hearken , o count , says the aethiopian , attentively , what occasioned the fall of the earth , and the ruine of mankind . the men of assyria knowing all things , and by means of their vvisdom doing vvonders , were well pleased with it ; from this self conceit grew in them a great love of themselves ; by which the flower of their vvisdom being darkned by degrees , they waxed proud , and began to think themselves gods , and to compare themselves to saturn , that then had the government of the vvorld ; who , as he is slow to anger , and ripe in counsel , was not at all moved at the first : but when their pride increas'd , he in anger depriv'd them of the influxes of his mind ; from which privation there grew in them ignorance , from which flow pride and insolence ; and they began to seek how to get up into heaven , and dethrone him : which when saturn saw , being in his great vvisdom unwilling to defile his hands with humane blood , of himself resigned the government , and gave it into the hand of iupiter his son ; who , after he had taken on him the government of the vvorld , being born to action , made a league with his brother pluto , who reign'd in the roots of the vvorld toward the center : the one began to shake it terribly below , and the other to thunder upon it from above , with which terrible shaking and thundering , the earth open'd in many places , and broke , so that it fell into its own caverns , which by that were raised and filled up . from whence it came to pass , that it both became less , and infinitely further off from heaven , and was buryed in its self , with all the things contained in it . and the elements which stood highest , were , by its weight and restriction , squeez'd out , the lighter and purer did fly higher , and drew nigher to heaven ; but of them which were shut up in the ruins , and were before lodg'd in the caverns , part remain'd below , and part chang'd their place . and it came to pass , that where the great bulk of earth fell , and could not be swallowed up of the caverns , it remained on high , and afterwards being prest hard together by its own weight , and condens'd by the cold , because of its distance from heaven , became mountains and rocks ; and where in the fall great pieces of thick earth were swallowed up , the vvaters were by this discovered , from whence came seas and lakes , rivers and fountains , great and little isles , and rocks scattered up and down the wide sea. the gold , the silver , and other metals , which in the beginning had been most fair and precious trees , were covered in the ruins . but there are some remains of the seeds shak'd off at that time , which now are digg'd with so great labour , being neither so pure , nor of great vertue , as formerly : and the diamonds , carbuncles , rubies , emeralds and chrysoliths , saphires , topazes , and other jewels , which be now found , are the thickning of the rocks of the first age ; and they are , in memory of these first times , to this day had in great esteem , admir'd and reverenced as the most ancient things . the porphyres , the alabasters , serpentines , and other fair marbles of different colours , are no other than some particles of the virgin earth , which was nearest to heaven , and in the fall were thickned , and united , either by their own weight , or some other , or by cold : from whence 't is , that by the searchers after metals and marble , there have been found many both sea and land animals , turn'd into stone and volatils ; yea , many times mens bodies that have been all taken hence , inclos'd in their first shape in most solid stone , without any opening . and from hence 't is , that there are seen so many thousands of fishes , oysters , and cockles congealed , and figure of divers animals ; which some through ignorance of things pa● admir'd so much . these terrible things did at that time hap●pen on the earth ; but the animals and men that were foun● dwellers in the caves , remain'● all bury'd by the earth falling o● them ; and an infinite numbe● of those who dwelt in the oute● parts , by the terrible shaking be● neath , and the frightful nois● above , died of fear ; and amon● the others , all the assyrians . i● the other countries few remained alive , and these also conti●nued , either by the fall , or thro● fear , many days in a transe● and without pulse . but afte● they were recover'd , they con●tinued astonisht and full of grea● fear , that shortned their ow● life , which at the first was ve●ry long , and their childrens there was also among men a stupidity , which made them ignorant of all things , and was the effect of the first astonishment after the fall of their first fathers ; and yet if they seem'd to know any thing , they saw it through a thick cloud . moreover , since the fall , if a man had the truth revealed to him by chance , fear made him keep it secret ; for in all remain'd a memory , the knowledge of truth being the occasion of their parents pride , and that of their ruine . for if any had the boldness to discover it , he darkned it a thousand ways , for fear of being reproved , and severely punisht by another . for this reason the sciences have been taught in dark sayings , in fables , in figures and numbers , in sacred rites , and in a thousand other hidden ways . and from thence 't is belike , that princes and others , who would be powerful in the earth , have chosen to follow the opinion of the common people , and have persecuted with all rigour those that would tell the truth . fear therefore having possessed all men , by which they were disperst , such as remain'd began to join themselves together , and to beget children , to help them and defend them ; they encompast themselves with fences and ditches , in which time they reverenc'd and perform'd obedience to the aged . after this as the number of their posterity increas'd , and the ties of affinity decreas'd , they divided their goods that were hitherto common , and so parted friendship . after which all things went into confusion , every one robbing , cheating , and killing another , and inventing new tricks to defraud his neighbour : from this , as boldness grew in those that were of fiercer spirits , and more ingenious to hurt , others became more fearful ; which fear sharpned their wit , so that consulting together , they found out the name of peace and justice . afterward they contrived a long chain of words , with which tying justice and peace by the feet , by the arms , by the middle , and by the neck , in a thousand ways , they thought to keep her , that she should not depart from their state , committing the keeping of these chains , which they call'd laws , into the hands of wary men , and of their own temper , which they called judges and magistrates . by these artifices did the timorous secure their lives and goods from the injuries of the more powerful ; till at length one that was bolder than the rest , associating himself with the fearful and weak , became their patron . these also were thrust from their place . after this rate have the societies of men been managed hitherto , and so they are at present , and will be for the time to come . when the timorous join'd themselves together , there arose counsellors ; and when they were called into judgment , there arose judges . this now , noble sir , is the great history which the wise abyssinian told the count , worthy to be had in great veneration , and highly to be esteem'd . helmont seems to have entertain'd an opinion about the face of the earth before the deluge , not unlike to this ; his words are these : from whence i conceive the earth to have been in one piece , and undivided ; for asmuch as 't was be-water'd with one fountain ; and lastly , to have had no isles , but the whole globe was sea on one side , and earth on the other . this was the face of the world before the deluge , after which the earth did open into several shapes , and out of the abyss of these chinks did the waters break out . but let us leave the opinion , no less disagreeing with the interpretation of the sacred scriptures , than with nature it self . scaliger speaking of the asserters of that opinion , about the generation of the mountains , says , that they piously dote , who have told , that the earth was pulled out of , and sav'd from the deluge . yet 't is certain , that the earth in that universal deluge did not suffer an ordinary change , so that the fortune of things being changed , thetis and vesta chang'd their places ; from whence ovid says , quodque fuit campus , vallem decursus aquarum fecit , & eluvie mons est deductus in aequor , e'que paludosa siccis humus aret arenis . in english thus : torrents have made a valley of a plain , high hills by deluges born to the main ; steep standing lakes suckt dry by thirsty sand , and on late thirsty earth now lakes do stand . i believe it has not happened otherwise to this countrey of ours : for i conceive , that in the first beginning of the world , all this plain , than which italy has not a greater , and which the po does now divide into gallia cispadana , and transpadana , was once a sea , and a part of the adriatick . so in the universal deluge , the mountains being par'd off , and bar'd , so that they lookt like bodies extenuated by a disease , as plato wrote of the atlantick island ; we have reason to think that this bay of the sea was filled with sand , and so became a valley ; and afterwards , in process of time , by continual descent of waters from the apennine , and the alps , and other particular deluges , ( such as was that which happen'd anno 590. in gallia cisalpina , than which 't is thought there has not been a greater since the days of noah , as pa●●●vin●us says in his fifth book of the antiquities of verona ) this ground did grow up by degrees , and by many lays or beds , to the height we do now see it of . both ancient and modern writers judge the same of the most famous and greatest plains in the earth , as in egypt , &c. which aristottle says formerly was a part of the sea ; and herodot calls it , the gift of the nile ( seeing the etymology of nile is derived from limus , slime ) which he likewise says of the countreys about ilium , teuthrania , and ephesus , to wit , that they were sometime a part of the sea : yea , the same herodot hath left it in writing , that if the nile turn'd its course into the arabick gulph , it would at length cover it all with slime . polybius says , that the lake maeotis and the euxine sea are constantly fill'd with plenty of sand , which great rivers do continually bring into it , and that the time would be when they should be made even with the continent ; taking an argument from the taste of the water , viz. that as maeotis is sweeter than the pontick , so the pontick is sweeter than the euxine . modern writers think no less of the great and plain countreys , among whom is the most learned kircher , who in his mundus subterraneus , says , from the arabick antiquities , and other observations , that the great plain , which lies between the arabick and persian gulph , before the common deluge , was covered with sea-waters . and he also thinks , that the sandy desarts of tartary were formerly the place of waters , and all one with the caspian sea , and afterwards in length of time to have been rais'd to a greater height , and turned into great fields . neither need we to go so far off for examples . we understand by history , that ravenna , as well as venice , was plac'd in the sea ; but seeing now 't is 5 miles from the sea , no body knows how much land has accrew'd to it by the retiring of the sea ; a prodigy truly worthy of wonder , that where ships did sail before , now there are groves of pine-trees . upon the same account may we call the land of ferrara , the gift of eridanus , by reason of the slimy water which this royal river did by many mouths discharge into the adriatick for some ages ; by which it came to pass , that a colony of fishes was by a true metamorphosis chang'd into an habitation of men ; for which ovid says , — vidi factas ex aequore terras , et procul à pelago conchae jacuere marinae . i 've seen the seas oft turned to a plain , and lands were tilled where was before the main . tho' i dare not absolutely say , that all the countrey which lies between the apennine and the alps , was a sea formerly ; yet by what is observ'd in the digging of the wells , oyster-shells , and other sea products being found in their greatest depth , it may be not without ground conjectured , that the adriatick did at least come thus far , or that the bays communicating with the sea , did stagnate here . yet 't is without doubt from the writings of the ancients , that between the ● aemilian way ( in the middle of which is seated modena ) and the po , there was a lake reaching from the adriatick even to placentia , which , from the neighbourhood of the po , they called padusa , into which many rivers descending from the apennine , discharg'd a great quantity of waters . virgil makes mention of this lake in these verses : — piscosove amne padusae dant sonitum rauci per stagna loquacia cygni . or murmuring swans that sound their fanning wings padusa's fishy banks upon , or ecchoing springs . but iohn baptista aleottus , in his most learned book against caesar mengolus of ravenna , shews , by strong reasons and authorities , that no river from splacentia to the coast of the adriatick sea , did come into the channel of the po , but that they all discharged themselves into this padusa ; for which he brings the authority of strabo , who writes , that this lake was a great hindrance to hannibal , when he would have pass'd his army into etruria ; which lake being not long after , by the diligence of m. scaurus the surveyor , dried up , was turned into most fruitful fields , many rivers being brought within their own banks to enter into the po , as tarus , parma , entia , gabellus , scultenna , the rheine , and other rivers of no small note . upon this account we may reasonably think , that the po was not so famous of old , nor had the name of royal , till by the accession of so many rivers he had enlarg'd his power . and therefore herodot , a most ancient writer , deny'd that there was any river found , called eridanus ; which was no small matter of admiration to pliny , that when herodot wrote his history at thurium in italy , he knew no river by the name of eridanus . but seeing herodot , as pliny relates , made his history 310 years after the founding of rome , we may thence conjecture , that the po did at that time run with less glory , and in a straiter channel ; or that the historian spoke of another river . there is distinct enough mention made of this lake in the forecited iohan. de argenta , and especially in leander albertus in his description of italy , who measures the length of this lake from lamon by ravenna , even to scultenna , and tells all the rivers which within this space descended from the mountains into this lake , and there ended their course ; and that hercules , the first duke of ferrara , suffered the bononians to bring the rheine within his banks , that so he might enter into the po ; by which it came to pass , that many valleys of ferrara , and also bononia , were turned into most fruitful lands . but when afterward the rheine had broke over his banks in the time of hercules the second , when the fields were again turn'd into water , and many contentions arose among the bononians and ferrarians ; at length the same prince granted , that the rheine might be again brought into the po. therefore we must observe , that the situation of this countrey , in which modena is now plac'd , was very low , seeing this countrey border'd upon padusa , into which so many rivers did run ; of the lowness of which rushes , coals , bones , stocks of trees , found in the depths of 63 feet , are most sure proofs ; all which make it evident , that this ground was sometime exposed to the air , and that it had no other aspect than now the valleys of como have . therefore 't is not without cause , that cluverius , in his description of italy , thinks a certain place o● pliny deserves amendment . for pliny , when he had described certain islands floating in several places , like the cyclades , as in the caecuban lands , the reatine , the lake of vadimon , writes , that the same is observ'd in the land of modena . but cluverius for matiensis plac'd mutinensis ; forasmuch as one may see such floating islands made of slime and reeds in the valleys of como . yet 't is out of all question , that the situation of this town , together with the adjacent lands , in the space of 1800 years , has grown 14 foot ; for in this depth causways of flint , and shops of artificers are found by digging , which certainly then was the plain of the town , when the colony of the romans was brought hither : further , when i was writing this , there was found a piece of adrian the emperours coin , of corinthian brass , in the depth of 18 feet . history testifies , that mantuae at that time was not far from the marshes ; for appianus alexandrinus tells us , that marcus antonius and pansa , in the siege of mutina , did fight amongst the fenns , and in grounds overgrown with reeds ; and afterwards near mutina , in a little isle of the river labinius , ( when at that time the land of modena was extended so far ) the triumviri met , and establisht that horrible banishment of their countrymen ; when yet in this our age there are no vestigies either of fenns or islands , only most pleasant fields are to be seen . so that with the prince of poets we may cry out , tantum aevi long inqua valet mutare vetustas . such wondrous changes great length of time does bring . yet this growing up of the ground , which is observ'd by the great depth of these wells , ( i do not speak of the deeper parts , whether humane industry cannot reach ) was but slowly made , and by slices , as it were , through length of time , as the several lays of earth do witness , which are observed in all wells constantly in an equal order and distances when they are digged ; so that this growing up of the ground so well distinguish'd , and so remarkable in the digging of all wells , ought to be thought rather the product of so many ages , than the tumultuary and confus'd work of the common deluge . this doubtless then was the face of the countrey on this and the other side of the po , which being formerly covered with waters , and not habitable , now is remarkable for its largeness , and the fertility of its fields , and has in it many towns and cities : for if we turn over old authors , we shall find no mention made of towns or cities below brixillus and cremona , near the po , even to the adriatick ; but as many as were , and yet are in the region on this side the po , were built either near the roots of the apennine , or not far from them , as bononia , modena , regium , parma , &c. but we may infer , both from what was said before , and also from the little that this sandy bed , through which these subterraneous waters do run , wants of being in the same level with the sea , that the sea did cover this countrey in the beginning of the world. for if , according to the observation of aleottus de argenta , a most diligent hydrographer , whom we before cited , the rheine , from the foot of the hills near bononia to the po , into which it does now no more run , has a declivity of 123 feet , 7 inches ; and the po from thence to the sea has a descent of 15 foot 7 inches ; and therefore the whole declivity of the rheine , and perpendicular height to the sea-shore , will be 139 foot , omitting the smaller measures , the plain out of which these fountains spring , and that mutina stands on ( which is distant about 10 mile from the roots of the mountains ) will differ no more than 20 or 40 foot from the level of the sea , as one may conjecture , seeing i have not leisure to examine these matters exactly , nor is it any great matter : but if we might dig further down , other beds would doubtless appear , till we meet at last with the plain , which was formerly the bottom of the sea. but 't is better to search into other things , and to get out of these profound abysses , if we can go no further . chap. v. what is the nature and condition of this hidden spring . as in the works of art , 't is not so safe from the similitude of effects which fall under our eye , nor without fear of a mistake , to infer the same artifice of mechanical parts ; as may be seen by the example of two vvatches , which tho' they have the same outward form , and exactly perform the same operations as to time , yet may have the inward structure quite different ; so 't is less safe to make the same judgments of the curious vvorks of nature , and to determine what instruments it uses , and what is its ways of working : vvherefore 't is much , as aristotle says , if things obscure and hid to our senses be explained by possibilities . seeing i am come so far , that i must at length tell what i think of the nature of this admirable spring , i believe i have done the part of a good guesser , if by sounding this ford , i can tell things probable and agreeable to the laws of nature , instead of things certain . vve may therefore conjecture , that the sea in this our countrey had secret commerce with the appennine , to which it was adjacent in the beginning of the world , and that it still has ; and that it laid a foundation by several subterraneous passages in its bowels for several storehouses of waters , of which this may be believed to be one , from whence these fountains derive their original , and that the water is expanded over all this vein of sand , in which such a spring is discovered : but when the stop is taken away , and the flood-gates are opened , it rises on high as in aqueducts . and this thought of mine , as it does not contradict nature , so it shuns those difficulties , which the foremention'd opinion of an immense space , through which a subterraneous river flows , does incur . that a great abundance of vvaters may secretly flow a long way , through sand , is neither against reason nor experience , seeing 't is the property of sand easily to drink up vvater , and therefore has the name of sinking sand. pliny and solinus say , that the nile , the greatest of rivers , being swallowed up in the sands , runs hid a great way , tho' nothing of that is known in our times . seneca also testifies , that some rivers fall into caves , some are by degrees consumed , and never appear again . the most learned kircher says , that in westphalia , near the village altembechem , there is a certain sandy plain , in which every day the water breaks out with great violence , so as to overflow the whole countrey , and afterwards sinking into the sand , disappears , the surface of the sand remaining dry . the river guadiana in spain , as some relate who have observ'd it , when it has come to a certain plain , is gradually swallowed up , and without noise of the earth ; which is a most certain proof , that this river does not fall into a gulph , but runs away by these beds of sand. in like manner i do believe , that the vvater descends by secret passages from a cistern in the roots of the adjacent mountains , that communicates with the sea , till it come into this deep sandy plain , mixt with much gravel ; so that there is no need to conceive any plain of great width and depth , by which these subterraneous waters may constantly run down , but a few intersperst spaces may suffice , because of the mixture of sand and gravel . helmont says , that sand is original earth , and the seat of the vvaters , but that the rest of the earth is the fruit of this original earth , and that not without reason , seeing the reducing of this sand into vvater is more difficult than of any other body . this same author makes this sand the last bounds of digging , beyond which to proceed were lost labour , because of the continual conflux of sand and vvater . but he thinks that this sand is extended from the shell of the earth to the center , and abundance of water lodges in it ; so that the water which is kept in it is a thousand times bigger than what is in the whole ocean . all seas , rivers and fountains , even in the top of the mountains , owe their original to this invisible ocean , so that the water does every where follow the vital sand. telesus seems to have been of the same judgment , who said , the bottom of the sea was a fountain of that interiour ocean , which agrees with that opinion of plato concerning the gulph , from whose bosom all waters go out , and into which they all fall back again . whatever be of truth in this opinion , of an invisible ocean lurking in the sand , which helmont conceiv'd ingeniously , and upon probable enough arguments ; yet i think none will deny , but water may run a long way through beds of sand ; and when some passage is open , may be rais'd again , especially if it be urg'd by water descending from a higher ground . and i think that 't is probable the matter is so in our fountains , to wit , the water flows out of some cistern plac'd in the neighbouring mountains , by subterraneous passages , where the earth is firm and hard ; but when it has come into the plain , it expatiates far over the sand , and in the way is lifted up to this height when a hole is made with an auger , according to the laws of hydrostaticks . and i think this is a more expeditious and easie way of explicating the nature of this never-enough-admired spring , than to imagine a great vault , ( of which there are no marks ) and a town with a whole countrey hanging over it . to give some specimen how ●his flowing of the water may be according to my explication : suppose , as in fig. 2. that there is a cistern in the bowels of the apennine , drawing water from the sea , and that the water is carry'd by subterraneous pipes from the same cistern , and spread over this deep and sandy plain a b c , mixt with much gravel ; which sandy plain being brought into much lesser bounds , the water is forc'd to run down by a more narrow space than it had in the beginning , and to follow its course till it come into the sea , or some great gulph . therefore wells efgh being digg'd , without any choice in all the tract lying upon this spring , and a hole being made by the auger , the water of necessity must be lifted up on high , being forc't by another , which descending from a higher ground , presses on that which goes before , and drives it up . by this means these waters receive a plentiful supply from their father apennine , as does the well of waters which flows from lebanon , of which there is mention in the sacred history . but 't is , by far , more probable , that the water is sent from the sea into such a cistern , than from showers , or melted snows , seeing rain and snow-waters run away for the most part by rivers above ground ; neither can they enter into the ground so deep ; as seneca also testifies , that there is no rain so great , which wets the ground above ten foot : for as he says , when the earth is glutted , if any more fall , it shuts it out . and truly , how could it come to pass , that they should flow at the same rate as well in moist as in dry seasons , if the rain-water came hither , and they did not rather get their vvaters from the sea , which being strained through the sand , and deprived of all salt , they return to the sea again with interest . truly , i could never yet understand , how that secret cistern , from which vvaters are sent to these fountains , should not be unconstant , if they received moisture for a time from the rains and snows ; and sometimes increase , sometimes decrease ; and therefore , according to the increase and decrease of the pressure , some alteration should appear in these fountains . but the beds of clay , which divide the impure from the most pure vvaters , as most strong fences , do hinder the rain vvaters from being mix'd with these subterraneous vvaters . and plato thought , that a clayie ground was the last bounds of digging in the search of vvell-waters , obliging every one to dig to the chalk ; and if there was no vvater found in that depth , he suffer'd as much to be taken from the neighbours as they had need of , to which pliny subscribes , saying , that when potters clay appears , there is no more hopes of getting water , nor need men dig longer ; which yet agrees not with what is observed here . as i have deduc'd the original of this vvater from the sea , so i do not deny , that many fountains owe their originals to rains and melted snow ; yet with this difference , that the fountains which have their spring from the sea by hidden passages continue perpetual , but those which rise from showers and temporary springs at some time of the year , are diminished , and quite dry up ; as happens in great droughts ; such as baccius mentions to have been anno 1556. in which not only all the fountains , but also great rivers dried up . the countrey on this and the other side of the po did experience such a season almost for two years together , viz. in 1687. and 88 in which time the lands were unpleasant because of the drought , and vvells were digg'd in other places , but to no purpose ; yet little alteration was to be observed in these our fountains , nor yet in the moistest season of all ; which made the year 1690. fatal for dearness of provision , and epidemick diseases ; so that these our fountains seem to be of the same nature with that fountain in tyanus , consecrated to iupiter , of which philostratus says , that it suffer'd neither increase nor decrease ; and therefore by the natives is called vnquenchable . or like the vvell of aesculapius , which as aelius aristides , a most famous orator , relates , was a vvell of pergamus a city of asia , of such a nature , that it was always full to the brim ; and how much soever was drawn from it , it never decreas'd . neither have we reason only to think , that many fountains take their original from the sea , but also many lakes communicate with it . the lake of the vulsinians , whose depth is not yet found out , for discovering of which i have seen between narthana and bisentina ropes let down for some hundreds of fathoms , but in vain . this lake , i say , both summer and vvinter , discharges it self by the river martha perpetnally into the tyrrhenian sea , neither does it receive any rivers , and the mountains which encompass it are never white with snow . beside , in the same lake , when the air was very calm , and the surface of the vvater was smooth , i observed often intestine motions like currents in the ocean , which was known by the fishermens nets , which being sunk under water , were snatcht violently from their hands ; an evident proof of some hidden commerce with the sea. iulius obsequens , in his book of prodigies , relates , that the lake albinus , in the consulate of valerius and m. valerius , was suddenly raised up , when no rain fell from heaven , neither could there be known any cause of so sudden a swelling . i cannot be ignorant that the original of fountains and rivers from the sea is called in question . gaspar bartholinus , who follows the glorious footsteps of his ancestors , printed a treatise at hafnia , wherein he endeavours to prove that opinion to be absurd , which deduces the original of fountains and rivers from the sea ; so that all fountains , as well temporary as perpetual , according to him , owe their original to rain . suppose , as he ingeniously endeavours to prove , that for maintaining the perpetuity of the fountains in a dry season , a collection of the water of the precedent rains in some receptacle within the cavity of the mountains is sufficient . but truly , i cannot see how in some fountains their regularity and equal flowing can hold out for so long a time , as is observ'd in ours for so many ages ; seeing in whatever season , either dry or moist , there appears no sign of increase or decrease . but scaliger answers to those things which use to be objected against the opinion of the original of the fountains and rivers from the sea , in opposition to cardan , saying , there is no reason why the sea-water , before it come to the mountains , does not break out every where , in these words : but , o cardan , he whom in the 2d of genesis , the divine man says to have finisht all things , was so good an architect , so wise a water-bailif , that julius frontinus is nothing to him : he therefore did so skilfully join the pipes of his aqueducts , and fit them for bearing the burthen , as to free you from this fear . but truly , this difficulty which is objected about the sufficient strength of the subterraneous passages , gives no less trouble ( excepting the greater distance ) to the asserters of the other opinion , who attribute the original of fountains and rivers to rains. but how water is furnisht to the fountains from the sea , which being heavy of its own nature , must flow back into the sea from whence it came , making as it were a circle , is not agreed upon among those , who admit the original of fountains to be from the sea , as may be seen in gaspar schottus , who rehearses many opinions of the ancients and moderns , and examines them . so true is it what aristotle says , that 't was an old doubt , why seeing so great a quantity of water runs to the sea , it does not thereupon become bigger . some think that the sea-water ascends above its own original by the attractive force of the earth , some by shaking and the sea-tide , some by force of the inclosed spirit , which drives up the water to the top of the highest mountains ; others do attribute it to the pressure of the air , which by perpetually breaking down the surface , lifts the vvater up on high ; some recur to the divine providence : there are others who say , that the sea-water flows with a natural motion , whether from the bottom of the sea , or the sides , to the springs of fountains plac'd in the most high mountains , because the sea is higher than the earth , as the same schottus thinks . but i like better the opinion of des cartes , of which was also our countrey-man falloppius , who thinks that the sea-water , by reason of the subterraneous heat , is raised in form of a vapor to the highest mountains ; and there , by reason of the ambient rocks condens'd into water , as is usual in chymical distillations , so that the mountains are like heads of the alembicks , by the cold of which the exalted vapors are condensed into water , which afterwards breaks out into springs . iulius caesar recupitus tells , in his history of the burning of vesuvius , that at the same time it did send forth two streams , one of fire towards the shoar , another of water on the other side that looks to the plain of nola , the fire not only keeping time with the waters , but also producing them : for 't is to be thought that by force of the violent heat diffus'd over the mountains , so great a quantity of waters was exhaled from some cistern that held the sea-water , that it was sufficient for making a torrent . perhaps it might be as convenientby deduc'd from the rarefaction of the air inclos'd within the bowels of the mountains , pressing down the surface of the water , and so forcing it out another way . neither do the beds of stone and chalk , which bartholine objects , withstand the lifting of the vapors upward : for supposing the mountains are , as all confess them to be , cavernous within , such beds as these might afford this use , to stop the vapors lifted upward by force of the heat , and let them fall down by various chinks as veins , to which these beds , especially such as are gravelly and stony , are passable ; from whence the fountains arise , which are called mouths of the veins . therefore 't is a more ready way , and more agreeable to the laws of nature , to draw the original of fountains , which are perpetual , and subject to no alteration from the sea , by the continual ascent of vapors in the great receptacles of nature . and 't is reasonable to think it so in our case , both from the old state of the countrey on this side the po , and also the perpetual fires that the neighbouring mountains maintain , which at their wide mouths sometimes throw up much fire and ashes , with stones , with so great a noise and crashing , that it is heard sometimes 12 miles off ; which truly is not new , seeing pliny mentions this , who writes , that in the land of modena the fire comes out on set days ; and tells it as a prodigy , that two mountains met together , smoke and fire coming out ; and that in the day time a great multitude of roman horsemen and travellers were looking on . but that is especially seen in mount gibbius , where there are many fountains , from which petroleum flows . an account of some very remarkable ones i had from my brother who saw them , and was confirmed to me by seignior spoletti , physician to the late ambassadors from venice , and professor of physick at padoua , when he was at my chamber . they be seen on a side of one of the apennine mountains , half way betwixt bologna and florence , near a place called petra mala , about five miles from fierenzola ; 't is in a spot of ground of three or four yards diameter , which incessantly sends up a flame rising very high , with no noise , smoak , or smell , but gives a very great heat , and has been observed to be thus in all times , except of great rains which put it out for a while ; but when that is over , it burns with greater violence than before ; the sand about it when turn'd up sends forth a flame , but within 3 or 4 yards round about it there are corn fields . the people that live near to it , believe that there is a deep hole there ; but he found it to be firm ground . there are 3 or 4 more of those near , but they do not burn so vehement by as this . when i was thinking on a more exact history of these fountains of petroleum , than is in writers . i understood by letters from malliabecchius , ( to whom , as prince of the learned ) whatever happens new in learning is presently brought ) that the most learned d. olinger , the kings professor at copenhagen , had lately published a book , which he found among some manuscripts , under the name of franciscus areostus , of the oil of mount zibinius , or the petroleum of modena , which book that most renowned author dedicated to the same malliabecehius , with a preface to the reader : a great reproach of our floth , who stay till some rise from the remotest countreys to illustrate our matters by our own writings . though i derive the original of our fountains from the sea first , then from some cistern of vvater plac'd in our mountains , into which the vapors , sent up by the inclos'd heat , are returned in form of vvaters . i would not thence infer , that this cistern is plac'd in the tops of the apennine mountains , but i believe rather that 't is plac'd in the foot of the mountain , than in the top ; for though , as i show'd before , 't is not always , necessary , that the vvaters , though inclos'd within pipes , should reach to the height of their cistern , which happens as often as their passage being stratinted , they have not free liberty to flow out , as in fig. 1. but if we should place this cistern in the tops of the apennine mountains , probably the vvaters might rise higher in them , when yet they do not rise to the surface of the ground . but i cannot certainly conjecture in what part , whether near the foot of the mountain , or in their inner parts , this cistern of vvaters is plac'd by the divine architect . i have spar'd no labour nor experiences to find out the head of this spring , and therefore i diligently viewed not only the plain towards the mountains , but the mountains themselves , and could find no marks of it . i observ'd indeed some small lakes , but such as dry up in the summer , and so become pasture for cattel ; of the number of which is the lake paulinus , 25 miles distant from this . i thought best therefore to fetch the original of these waters from another source , viz. from some secret cistern of water plac'd in the inner parts of the apennine mountains . and it is certain , that the inner parts of the mountains are cavernous , and that there are in them cisterns of water , from whence fountains and rivers draw their original . lucan feign'd to himself a great cistern of water in the heart of the apennine , from which all the rivers of italy did flow , that run into both the seas . i am willing to bring in here his verses , seeing to reason in so abstruse matters with the philosophers , or to conjecture with the poets , is the same thing . fontibus his vastis immensos concipit amnes , fluminaque in gemini spargit divortia ponti . in laevum cecidere latus veloxque metaurus , crustuminumque rapax , & junctus sapis isauro , quoque magis nullum tellus se solvit in amnem , erldanus fract as deducit in aequora silvas ; dexterior a petens montis declivia tybrim vnda facit — hence from vast fountains do great rivers flow , and into double seas divorce do slide in several channels , down on the left side metaurus swift and strong crustumium flow . isapis join'd to isaurus , sonna too , and aufidus the adriatick beats . eridanus , than which no river gets more ground , whole forests rowls into the sea o'return'd . but seeing 't is known enough by what we have related in the history of these fountains , that this spring is not so old as the world , seeing the last plain in which the auger was fastned was formerly in the open air , as the trees in it make evident . if in the beginning of the world these waters had flown as they do now , the force of the water would easily have thrown off that weight , as it happens sometime when the boring is delay'd . then one will say , when , and how had this admirable source its original ? to this i may answer , that there are no monuments of this , nor can it be absolutely known when these waters began to flow ; yet 't is certain , that this accumulation of the ground hath not happen'd but after great land-floods , they leaving a great deal of mud here ; otherwise , as i was saying , the force of the water would have thrown off the weight . therefore i am inclin'd to believe , that after the plain was thus rais'd , some new ways were open'd by a great earthquake , so that the waters might flow from the cistern placed in the adjacent mountains , which receives them by a continal evaporation from the sea , and so might flow from that sandy ground , and so to have kept their course for many ages , before the wit of man reach'd hither , and open'd the veins of the earth with the auger as with a launce . and 't is known by many observations , that some fountains die by earthquakes , and some rise ; as ovid says , lib. 15. met. hic fontes natura novos emisit , & illic clausit , & antiquis tam multa tremoribus orbis flumina prosiliunt , aut excaecata residunt . in english thus : here nature , in her changes manifold , sends forth new fountains , there shuts up the old ; streams , with impetuous earthquakes , heretofore have broken forth , and sunk , or run no more chap. vi. the progress and end of these waters is enquired into , and a reason is given of those things which are observ'd in the digging of the wells . 't is worth the enquiry , what is the progress of these our waters that flow under ground , and whether they go ? but here i stick , and there is no place but for conjecture . i have often enquir'd of the undertakers , whether they felt the auger to be carried by violence to any side ; but i could understand nothing certain of them . but seeing the length of this source is far greater than its breadth , i think it more agreeable to truth , that these waters flow from east to vvest , according to the lenghth of the aemilian way , which tract of ground is six mile long , and but four broad , as far as i have had occasion to observe ; but when it has pass'd the way , we may judge that either 't is sunk into these wells of the earth , or by secret turnings and windings falls into the sea , according to the laws by which the water circulates in the body of the earth , which we read described by ecclesiastes in these words , all rivers enter into the sea , yet it does not overflow ; the rivers return to the place from whence they came , thither they return again . and the heathen poets , as lucretius , in these verses , lib. 1. debet ut in mare de terris venit humor aquai . in terr as itidem manare ex aequore salso . as rivers run from earth , and fill the main , so some through secret pores retur● again . but also is proved by the most grave and modern vvriters , with many reasons , as arias montanus , varenius , vossius , becher , and many others , whom the most famous lanzon , physician of ferrara , cites in his animadversions , full of variety . it may be doubted , and that not without reason , whether the course of these waters must be for ever . and truly , seeing from the times of the roman common-wealth , even to this age , there hath been so great an accumulation of the earth , as well in the city as in the adjacent lands , and in the channels of rivers , there is no place left of doubting , but the course of these fountains will at length cease , the causes continuing the same , to wit , while the next rivers take away with them the spoil of the mountains , and therewith cover the plains that lie under . therefore , as these fountains for a far better use did rise many feet above the surface of the earth , but now rarely reaches its surface ; so we must think , that the time will come in which these waters must stand in their vvells , having no descent by which to run down : and these changes , which succeed in great length of time , and without a vvitness , if we consider the present state of things , hardly deserve credit ; yet the thing it self speaks that they have truly happened , and will still follow : but because ( to use aristotile's words ) the things are done in great length of time in respect of our life , they are hid from us , and the ruine of all nations does happen before the change of these things , is told from the beginning to the end . but this is the common fate of cities that are plac'd in the plains , that after many ages they are almost half buried ; or , ( as the egyptian priest in plato says of the cities of greece ) are carried by the force of the rivers into the sea ; though on the other hand , towns which are plac'd on the tops of the mountains , their foundations being par'd , do tell the injuries of time : a sure proof , that there is nothing constant and firm in this world , but that we must look for the city that is on high , and is to continue for ever . but why these fountains , seeing they are supposed to take their original from the sea , have no ebbing or flowing , as some fountains , of which writers take notice ; as is that which pliny the younger mentions in the land of como , which ebbs and flows three times in a day . i think this to happen , because water is furnisht to these fountains from the sea , by the ascent of vapors ; which evaporation , though it be not always equal , because of the subterraneous fires sometimes weaker , sometimes stronger , yet 't is enough if it be such as is sufficient to keep the cistern full always to the same height , on which depends the equality of flux of these our fountains for so many ages , whatever come of the water that sometimes overflows , and is dispersed another way . but why some fountains at certain times flow , and at other times ebb , many causes are brought , of which ( i mean those which draw their source from the sea ) the cause is the ebbing and flowing of the sea , by force of which it comes to pass , that as the sea ebbs and flows , these fountains are sometimes observed full , and sometimes empty . we said , that in the winter-time a great heat was perceiv'd in these fountains , and in the summer time a great cold ; as appears also by the the● mometer let down to several depths , and the table before marked shews : which observations seem not a little to favour the defenders of an antiperistasis ; and so much the rather , that these observations were not made in a mountanous , but in a champion countrey . for i do not think it safe to try it in mines , and the caverns of the mountains ▪ because of the metallick exhalations , and divers salts and kinds of marcasites , with which they are pregnant ; for when such substances are sprinkled with water , they grow hot like quick lime , and raise divers exhalations , which the mineral waters do testifie that break out hot ; to which you may add , there are many store houses of fire , which may not a little alter the subterraneous region , which happens not in great plains , as is the countrey on this and the other side of the po. indeed , the most learn'd mr. boyle has gathered many things of the temper of the air under ground ; all which yet he says he had from such as made observations on many mines ; where he also relates , that in the same places , and at the same times of the year , there is found a different temper of the subterraneous regions , because of the different nature of salts . and he says , that from some mines are felt hot effluvia in the summer-time . and 't is observed , that not only out of the caverns of the mountains , hot exhalations breath in the summer-time , but also frequently a most cold air. in etruria , near the lake of the vulsinenses , near the town martha , is a little cave at the foot of a most high mountain , which is not above 6 or 8 feet deep ; but in the side of the cave at a little chink the wind blows so cold that it may be compar'd to the coldness of the north winds . the fathers of the order of the mimims of st. francis de paula , who have a church with a monastery near it , use this cave as a vault for their wine ; and in the summer-time draw their wine from thence as cold , as if it had been in snow ; yea , if they keep their summer fruits there sometime , they draw them out sprinkled with a cold dew , as i have observed , during my stay with them , in the dog days . but in the great plains where all the earth is solid , and does not keep so many kinds of salts or fires inclos'd , if we might go down deeper by digging , a greater certitude might be had of this subterraneous temperature . but in these vvells of ours i perceived this reciprocation of heat and cold sensible enough , as often as i descended into them at different times ; but that there might happen no deception by the senses being preposses'd with heat or cold , i observed it manifestly by a thermometer exactly sealed . but whatever is the nature of cold or heat , ( for 't is not proper in this place to enquire whether they are bare qualities or corpuscles causing such a sensation in us . ) antiperastis , as i think , ought not to be banish'd out of the schools ; for it may be explained right enough both ways . whether therefore , according to the diversity of climates and countreys , there be a different temper of the air under ground , yet 't is certain that the thermometer being let down , does speak with distinct notes , that there is at least in the first region of the earth , ( whatever be of the deeper and central parts of the earth ) this reciprocation of heat and cold , according to the different changes of the year ; and always in a quality opposite to that which the external air , in which we live , hath : so that here may be used that sentence of the noble hippocrates , lux orco tenebrae iovi ; lux iovi tenebrae orco . but before we come out of these vvells , it will be fit to give the reasons of some phaenomena that are observ'd in the digging of them . it was said before , that there is a great rest in the air in the vvinter-time , so that the candles continue burning ; there is no smoaky exhalation , and they easily draw their breath ; but in the summer-time there is raised a thick cloud , the lights are put out , and the diggers are almost kill'd . but from whence this ? vvhen rather in the winter-time , because of the heat , more intense at that time , and equal to the summers heat , it might seem consonant to reason , that in a moist place a smoaky exhalation should be rais'd , which should trouble the air , and put out the lights ; but in the summer , by reason of the cold which lodges in these vvells , not much unlike the cold in the vvinter , it would seem reasonable that the air should be more pure , nor so intangled with gross vapours , as to be unfit for respiration ! vvhether 't is that the heat , which in the vvinter-time is in these wells by reason of an antiperistasis , being greater , hath force to dissipate these vapors ; but in the summer-time , by reason of the cold , they cannot be dissolved ! or rather , that the exhalations in the winter , that are raised by the heat in these vvells , are lighter than the external and thicker air , and so do ascend more easily , but in the summer are heavier than the external air ; and therefore stagnating there , cause a difficulty of breathing , and put out the lights when kindled . but here i cannot but wonder , why in the mines , though of great depth , as are those in hungary , the miners continue any time of the year with their candles lighted , and that in any season ; nor do they feel so great an inconvenience in breathing : but in our wells that are in the open air , and communicate with the open air , not by turnings , but in a streight line , the vvorkmen in the summer-time are almost suffocated , and their lights put out ; so that in the dog-days there is no hiring of them to work . perhaps this falls out , because the mines in the mountains and dry places have not so gross an air , but such as is sufficient for respiration ; but these being digg'd in a champion countrey , and moist ground , send forth streams more plentifully ; so the air being filled with them is unfit for respiration . i deny not but in the mines the miners are sometimes troubled with shortness of breath , partly by reason of their own breaths , and partly because of the metallick exhalations ; yea , are sometimes killed ; so that to prevent the danger of being stifled , they use air-pumps , for taking up the fowl air , and letting in fresh ; a description of which you may see in agricola . beside , they dig a pit some distance from the mine , tending downwards , from which a mine is extended to the place where the diggers work , which serves for a wind pipe ; and by bringing in fresh air , and driving the old to the mouth of the pit , does much refresh the vvorkmen , and frees them from the danger of being stifled ; but that is only done in the deeper mines , as agricola and mr. boyle relate . the lights therefore are put out in the summer-time in these vvells , and the diggers are seiz'd with a great difficulty of breathing , because the air in it is fill'd with gross vapours ; which thick and ponderous vapors cannot ascend in the hotter and lighter air , but are to lodge there by reason of their weight . but the vital light requires of necessity a thinness , and empty spaces in the air , in which it may lay down its fulginous effluvia , and needs fresh air for its food , otherwise it quickly dies . it was observed before , in rehearsing the curious things that occur in the digging of these vvells , that there are three beds of clay two of 11 foot , another below it of less thickness , with marshy beds between them of two feet thick . i have often times studied to find out the generation of these-beds , examining with my self how they are distinguish'd in this order of time thro' the whole tract . i know there have been amongst our countreymen some who think , that these beds of clay are the product of the universal deluge . but this author , whose name i now pass in silence , lest i should seem to contend with the ghosts , ( for he died this year ) tho' he was born in this countrey , yet having liv'd always abroad , was surely never present at the digging of those wells , but hath had from others all that he says of them : for if he had seen the structure of these fountains , he would never have written , that the clay in these vvells was 24 feet deep , and the marshy ground as thick : for there are three beds of clay , two of 11 foot apiece , and one less , with their beds of marshy ground between of two foot a piece . therefore this conjecture for the truth of the universal deluge , taken from the thickness of the clay , is of no weight . i am perswaded therefore , that after the universal deluge , whose vestigies are perhaps deeper , these beds of clay were produc'd by three particular floods , yet great and most ancient ; so that from one flood to another much time interceded , in which the stagnation of the water , and the ground putrifying together with the leaves and roots of reeds , gave original to these intermedial marshy beds . i can easily believe , that this bulk of clay was made of the earth drawn down from the mountains , by the hasty descent of the waters into these valleys ; seeing for gathering of clay for the potters , 't is usual with us to convey the vvater into pits made by art , out of the rivers scultenna and gabellus , by which means the water being exhaled by the heat of the summer , there settles much clay in them , which the potters afterwards use for making their vessels . and pliny testifies , that the potters art excelled in this city of old , because of the excellency of the clay , and its toughness , saying , that modena was famous in italy for potters work ; when at that time , as he says , luxury had come to that height , that potters work cost more than porcelline . and we have reason to think , that this diversity of beds , which is seen in great plains , has been made by several inundations and accumulations of the ground : but from whence that diversity of beds comes , which is also found in the mountains , is not so easie to determine . agricola says , there were sixteen beds of different colours in the mines of the mountain melibochus , and of different heights ; but if one could dig deeper , doubtless a great many others would appear . if we would stick to the opinion of our faloppius , 't will not be a hard matter to understand the generation of these beds , and their diversity in the mountains ● for he thinks , that the mountains were made by a dry exhalation shut up in the bowels of the earth , which he gathers from their pyramidical figure ; yea , he thinks they are nourished by such an exhalation , and grow by peace-meal ; from whence it comes to pass , that , as in sublimation of antimony , flowers of different sorts are gathered according to the diversity of the pots , so he thinks the same to happen in the caverns of the mountains , according to the different generation of metals and fossils . but when in the creation , mountains were built by the great artificer , 't is fit to own they were made in their whole perfection ( as being the first former of all things ) and with so many beds for various uses . bartholine , in the discourse before cited , shews ingeniously the use which these beds give , especially those of clay , for the generation of fountains , whether they be made of rains , as the temporary ones ; or of sea-water , as the perpetual or regular ones : for these beds are of special use for the collection of waters into one receptacle , and likewise for their running a long way , otherwise they should be lost ; neither would there be any reason , why they should break forth in one place more than another ; which use , without doubt , these beds of clay perform in these fountains ; for while these waters run through the sandy plain , 't is reasonable to think , that there is another bed of clay lying under ; so that being shut up above and below , they follow their course as it were thro' a pipe , except when they break out into the air , a way being open'd to them by these wells . therefore supposing the hidden expansion of these waters over the sandy and gravelly plain , 't is no wonder if a noise be perceiv'd in the bottom of these wells , while the water runs through the gravel , ( which gravel 't is more probable to be there made of the sand , than to fall from the mountains , ( seeing a great part of it is so soft , that by the only rubbing of your fingers it is broke ) and if the water be rais'd in all the wells to the same height , seeing there is the same cause which drives it on high , to wit , the pressure of the water descending from an higher place , and from the same receptacle . and lastly , if they be equally pure and wholsom , seeing they are of the same disposition . for the same reason the same waters are the more lively , the more is drawn from them , and their slowness is corrected when it happens ; because by the sand thrown up , and sinking to the bottom , the hole made with the auger is sometimes stopt ; a sure proof that these vvaters run through a sandy plain , but not at all through an immense wide space ; which may be further known by the depression and failing of the ground , that is observed sometimes to happen when too much water and sand has run out . chap. vii . the proportious inquir'd into , that the elevation of water in a streight pipe , inserted into a horizontal one , has to the height of its cistern . the nature of fluid bodies is so abstruse and intricate , that it could never be enough explained by the most solid wits . among the ancients archimedes has left us a few theorems , but of great moment , in a book which he has written , de insidentibus humido , of things that float ; which book , that i may use tully's own words of crantor's books , is not great , but golden . among the moderns , the honourable mr. boyle , galilaeus , sterinus , borellus ; and lastly , d. guilielminus , a noble mathematician of bononia , have chiefly cultivated this most noble part of philosophy ; who though they all , by many observations and hydrostatical experiments have dived far into the wonderful properties of fluids , yet have left room for a further enquiry : for if in any case seneca's words are of value , 't is in this the greatest and most intricate of all , in which even when much is done , the age following will find something more to do . seeing then , according to our hypothesis , the waters of this hidden source are movable and running , and withal ascend on high ; because , as was said before , the passage by which they go out , and fall into a gulph , is straitned ; and seeing the ascent into these wells is constant and perpetual , nor can be done without some proportion to the height of their cistern ; because this cistern is supposed by us to be in the foot of the nearest apennine mountains , and higher by far than the elevation of these waters from the bottom of the wells to the top ; therefore i thought it would not be unprosftable nor unpleasant , if i endeavoured to shadow out , if not exactly to describe , such a proportion . suppose then there be a vessel abc full of water , to which a pipe de is fastned in a horizontal line , and whose orifice is half shut , so that the water does not flow with a full stream : let there be likewise in the middle of the pipe d f another glass pipe hi inserted perpendicularly ; therefore granting a free passage to the water , i say , that the water will be lifted in the middle pipe hi to such a height , that if the height of the water contain'd in the vessel be of eight parts , the elevation of the water in the streight pipe hi shall be of six parts ; and such a proportion will answer to any division of the mouth of the pipe d f. for if the orifice of the pipe d f be wholly shut , so that no water runs down , none is ignorant that the water in the pipe hi of its own nature must place its self in the same horizontal line with the water contain'd in the vessel , to which effect two things doubtless concur with equal force , to wit , the pressure of the water contain'd in the vessel , and the resistance of the obstacle that wholly obstructs the hole in the pipe , which stop is eqvivalent to a power pressing with equal force against the water stagnating in the vessel ; if then the elevation of the water in such a case is a produce arising from two causes equally working , to wit , the pressure of the water , and the resistance of the stop , it will follow , that when the orifice of the same pipe d f shall only be stopt in part , the ascent of the water in the intermedial pipe h i , whatever it be , will be a product of the same pressure , as in the first case , and the virtual pressure of the stop , but working unequally ; from hence it comes to pass , that when the pressure of the superincumbent water in the vessel that presses it to flow out , is in the same degree and energy as before ; and on the other hand , the force of the stop is removed , the water cannot be lifted up so high in the pipe erected perpendicularly , as to reach the height of the water contain'd in the vessel , but must of necessity be under it ; so that if the height of the water were in supposition eight foot , and operated with such a pressure as were equal to that height , but the stop should not act but half , i. e. as four ; these two working together , and making the ascent of the water , there cannot but happen an effect , which is between these two agents , as 6 is between 8 and 4 , i. e. in an arithmetical proportion ; and therefore in the supposed case the water will be only raised in the streight pipe h i to 6 parts , which elevation is half the aggregate of the height of the water contain'd in the vessel , and the power of the stop. this was my reasoning before i try'd whether the thing agreed to it ; which i did , by inserting a wooden and square pipe into the side of the vessel , as in fig. 3. and fitting a glass pipe divided into 8 parts , and erected perpendicularly to the same pipe ; then putting a stop to the pipe , which might only obstruct the half of it , i let the water run out , and observed that the water did rise in the glass pipe in the same proportion , to wit , as 6 to 8 : yet i must confess , that the ascent of the water did not so exactly answer to the greater or lesser obstacles put to the hole of the pipe , because perhaps of the difficulty of fitting divers doors to the orifice , and because of the undulation of the water produc'd in the glass pipe from the impetus , where 't is observed to go out . having therefore communicated these my observations to the most famous bocchabadatus , mathematician to the great duke , and my intimate friend from our childhood , ( for i always thought it the part of an ingenuous man , that i may use pliny's words , to confess by whom i have profited ) he prompted me with a method by which i might obtain my desire . when therefore he thought that the diversity of stops might be supplied , if to the hole of the pipe , from whence the water should come out , another streight pipe of the same bigness were set , but with a proportion to the height of the cistern . i made trial , and the thing succeeded according to my desire . so in fig. 4. supposing the altitude of the water in the vessel to be of 8 parts , and the pipe mn to be only of 4 parts , by which means 't is equivalent to an obstacle that takes up half the breadth of the aperture , letting the water run out , and the vessel always remaining full , the water in the pipe hg appear'd suspended in e , to wit , in the height of 6 parts , which is half the sum of 8 and 4 , the height of the water and the resistence of the obex . in like manner in fig. 5. when the pipe is of the height of 6 parts , the water in the glass pipe e f was seen to rise to s , to wit , to 7 parts the same was observed ( as in fig. 6. ) when the pipe e h pouring forth the water , was of ● parts , i. e. equivalent to an obstacle stopping the fourth part of the orifice ; for in the glass pipe the water stood in t , i. e. in part 5. and that as exactly as physical experiments will admit , as every one may easily try . i do not doubt but the same will happen in any other case ; therefore reason and experience do sufficiently prove , that the water is raised in a middle arithmetical proportion between the force of the obstacle , and the height of the water in the cistern . while on this occasion i diverted my self in making various hydrostatical experiments in the dog-days , i happened to make a very curious observation , to wit. that though the height of the water be the same in the vessel , and the same horizontal pipe be inserted into it ; yet in the perpendicular pipes , according to the difference of their situation , there is a notable difference of the altitude of the water in one and the other , as in fig. 7. let the vessel a b c d be full of water , the pipe d h be inserted into it , and shut in the extremity , and let f g h i be the glass pipes erected perpendicularly , but m the pipe pouring out water . therefore in the pipe f g , according to what was said before , the water will rise to o , i. e. to parts 5. for the height of the pipe m pouring out the water is suppos'd 2. and the height of the water contain'd in the vessel is as 8. but if the pipe f g be transferred to h i ( the orifice where it was fastned being stopt ) the water will be raised higher , i. e. to n , to almost 7 degrees ; which would likewise happen , if at the same time two glass pipes f g h i stood upright , and the pipe m should pour out water , the vessel being always full ; for this different height of waters is perceiv'd well enough in every case . one may try the same , not only when the pipe that pour'd out the water is longer or shorter , but also when many pipes of different lengths , and with proportion to the height of the water contain'd in the vessel , send forth water at the same time , and many glass pipes are interjected , seeing many cases may be fain'd according to every ones fancy . but seeing there is no small undulation in the glass pipes , because the water running out at m , falls back upon its self ; this inconveniency will in some measure be shunned , if the pipe f h be something bended , that so both the glass pipes , and the pipes sending forth the water be inclin'd to one side ; for in this case there will happen less undulation , and the different heights of the water may be more easily viewed . the reason of this phaenomenon i judge to be , that the impetus of the water running from the cistern out at m , withdraws some of the water from the pipe f g , so that it cannot rise so high ; and the same impetus coming to h i , finding now no vent , makes it rise higher , even to n. this new observation i communicated to the same boccabadatus , who , as he did not a little wonder at the novelty of the thing , so being a most ingenious and exact searcher into natural things , he did not cease to enquire into the cause of it ; yea , afterwards he told me he had the demonstration of it , which he said he would insert into his work which he is to publish , about mechanick force . i thought fit to propose this phaenomenon to the lovers of hydrostaticks , thinking it worthy of the consideration of the more acute vvits , to the end it may be discovered from whence this diversity of pressures proceeds . chap. viii . about the goodness and excellency of the wells of modena . therefore having sail'd over these subterraneous waters , according to the best of my understanding , as far as i could in a dark navigation , in which neither the stars nor the needle did guide me , it remains that i furl my sails , and hasten to the land. georg. 4. but that i may not pass over with a dry foot the nature of these fountains , so far as they are useful to men ; and lest , as the custom is of those that are thirsty , i drink quietly . i shall touch only at some things relating to this subject , though it seem to be beyond my purpose . 't is an old dispute , what in the class of simple waters is most wholsom ? seeing some prefer rain-waters , others prefer fountain-waters ; in some places river-waters are most preferred , in others well-waters . hippocrates seem'd to prefer rain-waters to all others ▪ for these he called the sweetest ▪ the thinnest , and the clearest of all ; seeing what is thinnest and lightest of the water is exalted and drawn up by the sun : yet 't is certain hippocrates spoke of rain waters in the summer-time , which they call horaiae , i. e. early , seeing among waters that want art , he commends these , which in the summer time ▪ fall down from the sky when it thunders ; but these that fall in storms he pronounces bad . celsus , galen , avicenna , paulus , and others , following hippocrates , judge the same . on the other hand , pliny does greatly discommend rain-waters ; yea , he is so angry , that he thinks the o pinion which commends them , to endanger men's lives ; neither does he think it an argument of levity that they have been raised to heaven , seeing stones also have been rais'd to heaven ; and further , vvaters , when they fall from the clouds , may be infected by the exhalations of the earth , so that fountain-water to him seems preferable to them , when plenty of them may be had . but if the thing be duly considered , there will be no place left to dispute ; for all rain-waters , as also fountain-waters being not of the same goodness , seeing every countrey has not the same atmosphere , nor the same ground thro' which the water passes , seeing also ; according to theophrastus , such as the earth is , such is the water ) it often happens , as co●taeus adverts , that in some places for the purity of the air , the rain-waters are better , but in other places the fountain or river-waters are the best ; as the water of the river nile , whose much wish'd-for inundation keeps all egypt every year solicitous . but 't is no wonder that the water of the nile excels in goodness all others , seeing running a long way over a countrey burnt with the heat of the sun , 't is concocted , and is tossed by sudden falls from the highest mountains , and attenuated . hence athenaeus testifies , that when philadelphus king of egypt betroth'd his daughter berenice to antiochus king of assyria , he willed her to take with her the water of the nile . yet when other things do not agree , it seems the fountain-waters ought to be preferred to rain-waters , and all others ; for rain-waters are drawn from all sorts of filth , dung and dead bodies themselves ; and though hippocrates judged them best , yet he adds , that they have need of being boil'd and strain'd . wherefore 't is not without reason , that some do disprove making of syrup of poppeys with rain-water ; and they think that hippocrates spoke according to reason , and not experience . so among the moderns , the most experienc'd etmuller says , that rain-water kept always something earthy behind it , though distilled a hundred times . but so will any water do as well as rain water . but well-waters , seeing they have no motion but when they are stirred , and in the bottom have much slime , and rain-waters being gathered of snow and rains , and running over divers kinds o● earths , and are therefore by hippocrates call'd disagreeing , cannot have that purity and simplicity which the fountain-waters have , which are concocted by the heat pent up in the bowels of the earth , and are strain'd through the same earth . therefore our most pure fountain-waters , as they have the first place in the rank of plain waters , so they yield to none of the most famous fountains of our times ; for as much as the marks , by which the most sincere waters , and fittest for humane use , are commended , do appear in these in a most eminent manner . the chief quality that is wanted in water , and which contains the rest , by way of excellency , is , that it partake most of the nature of the air. so pliny hath written , that wholsom water ought to be most like to the air. on which account cassiodorus commended the virgin water , so famous then at rome , that running most purely it resambled the air. for water ought to be pure , like the air , light and clear , free of smell and taste , thin , and susceptible of heat and cold. but the waters of these fountains are such ; for they are clear like the air , free of smell and taste , do most quickly receive any other quality , and being weigh'd are lighter than any others . though physicians do not seem to value much the argument taken from the lightness ; and the divine master calls these light , which are soon hot and soon cold . and pliny writes , that 't is in vain to examine by the balance the goodness of the waters ; seeing it seldom happens that one is lighter than the other ; which brasavolus try'd in several kinds of waters , before hercules the second duke of ferrara : yet seeing there are not wanting more subtile ways of knowing even the least difference of weight in waters , according to the doctrine of archimedes , levity is not altogether to be neglected , for levity signifies the absence of the terrestrial parts , and is a sure proof of greater simplicity . truly 't is without doubt , that if there were two vessels of the same capacity , and full of the same water , and in one of these , divers kinds of salts were dissolved in a certain quantity , though the water did not grow in bulk , yet the one will be of greater weight than the other , and will be filled with strange qualities ; wherefore gravity and ▪ levity are not to be slighted . i will not deny , that some waters naturally light , are worse than others that are heavier , because of the evil qualities of the soil through which they pass . athenaeus says , that the waters of amphiaraus and e●treria being compar'd together , do not differ in weight , yet the one is wholsom and the other not . so tit●aresius , a river of which homer speaks , running into penaeus , is not mixt with it , but swims over it like oil : yet pliny says , his waters are deadly . and he says , that penaeus refuses to suffer his silver-colour'd waters to be mix'd with the others deadly waters . if we infuse a whole glass of antimony in water , otherwise light , no weight will be added to it to judge of ; but none is ignorant what disorders it raises in the body . and it is necessary to confess these things to be true of the lightness of the water considered alone , but if with other marks of goodness there be lightness join'd , it will be no small accession to its goodness . herodotus describes a fountain of aethiopia , the water of which he says was of such lightness , that nothing could swim in it , no , not a stick , nor what was lighter than a stick ; and such as used those waters were called macrobii , i. e. long-liv'd . gelen himself commends the lightness of the water for a probable conjecture of its goodness . but if the lightness be alone , says he , 't will not be a sufficient mark of good water : which one may also say of all the other signs , seeing none of it self , and separately is a sufficient mark of its goodness . but a surer mark of the goodness of water is , if it be not heavy in the bowels ; for this is truly the lightest , and this kind of lightness is more to be esteemed than that which may be try'd with the scale . for we must not presently , because 't is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. deprived of all quality , so as to be pure , clear , void of smell and taste , give sentence , and pronounce it innocent ; but we must bring another proof , viz. how they affect the bowels ; for it may be that it has all external marks of goodness , yet has a more secret noxiousness , which cannot be found out by the external sense . this therefore will be the true and safer judgment of waters , which is brought from experience it self : and truly that water is to be thought light by the effect , which makes not the bowels feel any weight in passing ; for which kind of lightness the waters of modena are very commendable , as not weighting the stomach when one drinks a full draught of them , but easily pass through the whole body , and are voided by sweat and urine . but above all these , hippocrates chiefly commends these fountains , whose waters come forth of deep springs , which are cold in summer , and warm in winter ; but all these things are observed in these fountains , seeing they rise 68 foot high ; and in summer are very cold , but in winter are warm , yea , exhale some small vapors . neither must we refer the heat which is found in these waters in the winter-time to metallick exhalations , or a mixture of salts with an acid mineral , seeing that is perceiv'd only in the winter-time by an antiperistasis . all know that there are as many differences of waters as of places ; for fountain and well-waters do easily drink up the different qualities of the ground , through which they pass , which are innumerable ; yet those waters are thought more wholsom , that run through thick sand and gravel , because they carry nothing from such a matter upward , which cannot be said of that which runs through clay and soft sand. but the waters of these fountains flow a long way through sand , which is called male , a proof of which is a great abundance of dross , sand , and gravel , which these fountains use to throw up at their first coming forth . moreover , these waters , according to my observation , and of many others , continue without corruption for a long time . for it is found by experiment in long navigations , that the water of neuceria did stink , but ours continued pure . i am not ignorant , 't is a question among physicians no less curious than worthy to be known , whether the sudden corruption of the water be a mark of its goodness or badness ? perhaps hippocrates himself gave cause of doubting , who , after he had commended rain water , says , they soon putrifie , except they be boil'd and strained again . galen , paulus , avicenna , and some of the ancients ; amongst the moderns , ioubertus , salius , augenius , bruvierinus , and many others , take the waters readiness to putrifie for a sign of goodness , providing other notes agree . for the chief property of water is , say they , that they be quickly altered by any external cause ; and from thence they think its inclinableness to putrefaction to arise : but these which continue long free of corruption , say they , partake of an aluminous nature : such are the waters of tyber , which are kept in earthen vessels for months and years , under ground , without corruption . on the other hand , there are some who think an inclinableness to putrefaction among the faults of water ; among whom is costaeus , who says , that it is a mark of the best water , that they do not so easily corrupt : and is deservedly oppos'd to avicenna , who thought that rain-waters were soon corrupted , because they were thinner : for rather from thinness of the substance one might argue , that their substances are less subject to corruption , as is known of distilled waters , and spirits of vvine , which truly is thinner than vvine , and not only does not putrifie it self , but also preserves other bodies free from corruption . seeing then experience it self makes it plain , that those which are most simple do less putrifie , but those which have a greater heterogenity , because of the disagreement of the internal parts , and a continual fermentation , are more easily corrupted . therefore i am easily induc'd to believe , that the curruption of the water is rather to be attributed to its pravity , than goodness . but the reason why the rain waters sooner putrifie , may be this , that when by the heat of the sun the water is rais'd from the earth , all sorts of filth are raised with it , and a great quantity of volatile salts is mixed with it : which made becher say , that all rain-waters being putrified and distilled , did give an ardent spirit . but if promptitude to putrefaction were a sign of goodness , why may we not say the same of eatables , which naturally do soon putrifie ; such as are fleshes , fishes , vvorts , early ripe fruits , and the like , viz. that these aliments are better than those which do not so soon putrifie , seeing they are sooner alter'd by the concocting faculty . weaker foods have a shorter life . hippocrates , as valesius interprets , says , they make men's lives shorter ; and such as cat these meats are infirm and weak , and cannot live so long . so bread of wheat well fermented , and well bak'd , gives a most excellent nourishment , and long life , to sound bodies ; and bread of all food does least putrefie . upon which account 't is , that levinus lemnius commendeth it . for ( says he ) bread long kept does indeed grow mouldy , and grows dry , but does not putrefie . therefore 't is not a little to the praise of our fountains , that they do not corrupt ; so that having other marks of goodness , they are to be reckon'd the best of waters . 't is an old commendation of waters , if pulse be quickly boil'd in them , as pliny , athenaeus , vitruvius , galeus , paulus ; and among the modern physicians , langius , costaeus , bruvierinus , and others , do testifie . but 't is known , that this also is common to unwholsom waters ; for the difficulty of boiling some pulse is not always by the fault of the waters , but very often of the grains themselves , as they have grown in this or the other ground , as theophrastus testifies , when he said , that there are many places which always bring forth pulse that are easily boil'd , others there are which bring forth grains hard to be boil'd yea , plutarch says , that of two furrows join'd together , one brings forth a hard crop , the other not . the women themselves know that well enough , who if they have pulse that are not easily boil'd , use to macerate them a night in water with a sack full of ashes , by which means the close texture of the grain is open'd by the force of the salt in the ashes . and i think none will look upon the water , so made lixivial , as simple ; or will commend it for daily drinking in whole bodies . yet i cannot deny , that salt and crude waters , very far distant from the best , may be for some sickly natures ; or in a neutral state of health , instead of medicine , which hippocrates hath taught expresly in these words : but whatever are salt and crude , are not fit for all to drink of ; yet there are some natures to whom such waters are convenient to be drunk . whatever were hard to be boiled , the greek call'd ateramnia , transferring likewise the same word to a stubborn and inflexible mind . so grains hard to be boil'd were call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , such as are those which theophrastus says , grow in a thick tough earth , and as it were clayie ; as at philippi , when the pulse which egypt bears , both by reason of the nitrous soil , and the heat , are easily boil'd . likewise water , in which grains were hardly boil'd , was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which word hippocrates us'd to signifie the crudity of water in many occasions , of which erotianus hath in his onomasticon made a collection . therefore , as the difficulty of the pulses being boil'd is not always the fault of the waters , so their being easily boil'd is not a mark of their goodness ; which sometimes is proper to the seeds , sometimes to the vvaters ; yea , more effectual in some waters that are not of the best ; seeing in nitrous and lixivious water pulse , roots , and worts are sooner boil'd . upon this account in rain-waters , as being full of saline particles , all kind of grains are sooner boil'd than in fountain-water , which is more pure and defecated . upon this account horatius augenius , preferring rain-water to others for making of ptisan , when he had taken notice that barley did sooner boil in this , than in spring-water , of his own accord confesses , that the rain-vvaters are not sincere ; which made him go into this opinion as a paradox , that the purer the water is , and less mixt , the less 't is fit for the use of life . but in our fountain-waters , pulse of all sorts is easily enough boil'd , and any other kind of aliments , which , as i dare not discommend in them , so i think is no way to be taken for a mark of the best . but certainly that is a greater criterion for judging of the goodness of plain vvaters , which , as vitruvius says , is taken from the habit of men's bodies that live about those waters ; to wit , if they be robust , clear complexions , sound , and not blear-ey'd . now 't is known enough , that both citizens , and such as live in the suburbs here , are of a good habit of body , and subject to none of these distempers ; and the good health which those of modena enjoy beyond other towns on this side the po , is not so much to be ascribed to the wholsomness of the air , as to the goodness of the waters ; as in egypt , where their long life , according to alpinus , is attributed to the water of the nile . seeing therefore in the most strict censure , the waters of these fountains are not only innocent , but wholsom , truly this city has nothing in which it may envy any other as to this point ; yea , seeing its waters are carried to the neighbouring places in the summer-time , the nucerian water is now out of use , to the great benefit of the sick . so in the summer-time they run to these fountains in all kinds of fevers , ( for the use of water , that i may not say the abuse , is grown so frequent , that it seems the only febrifuge ) and chiefly to the fountain which is called abyssus , as to the vvell of esculapius , of which we spoke before . vvherefore i need not fear to make use of what claudian says of aponus , that they are at least amongst our countrey-folks . — commune medentum auxilium , praesens numen inempta salus . physicians common aid , a present help , a powerful deity , and an unpurchas'd health . and so much may suffice concerning the nature and properties of the vvells of modena ; and if i have said something like probable , 't is well ; but if not , then both for the dignity and the difficulty of the matter , volutatum est dolium in cranio . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a57681-e490 theor. l. 1. p. 114. tell. th. l. 1. c. 5. tell. th. c. 5. p. 35 , 36 , 37. ☞ ram. p. 58 , 76. notes for div a57681-e4340 fig. 1. exer. 100. de motu anim . p. 1. prop. 215. notes for div a57681-e5270 ☜ ☜ notes for div a57681-e7150 ep. 2. lib. 4. notes for div a57681-e9590 lib. 5. hist. nat. c. 9. c. 35. lib. 3 quaest. nat. c. 28. cant. 4. l. 3. quae. nat. c. 7. de leg. dial. 8. notes for div a57681-e11180 lib. 7. de re metallica . notes for div a57681-e11830 in lucul . notes for div a57681-e12580 5 aph. 26. lib. 31. n. 11. c. 3. one may rather say saline . in thal. de bonit . aq . c. 1. new observations on the natural history of this world of matter, and this world of life in two parts : being a philosophical discourse, grounded upon the mosaick system of the creation and the flood : to which are added some thoughts concerning paradise, the conflagration by tho. robinson ... robinson, thomas, d. 1719. 1696 approx. 258 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 141 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : 2004-03 (eebo-tcp phase 1). a57471 wing r1719 estc r14369 12390765 ocm 12390765 60989 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a57471) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 60989) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, 1641-1700 ; 225:14) new observations on the natural history of this world of matter, and this world of life in two parts : being a philosophical discourse, grounded upon the mosaick system of the creation and the flood : to which are added some thoughts concerning paradise, the conflagration by tho. robinson ... robinson, thomas, d. 1719. [45], 222, [3] p., 2 folded leaves of plates : ill. printed for john newton ..., london : 1696. errata: p. [43]. advertisements: p. 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ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p5, characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng creation -early works to 1800. meteorology -early works to 1800. natural history -pre-linnean works. 2003-09 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2003-10 spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images 2003-11 emma (leeson) huber sampled and proofread 2003-11 emma (leeson) huber text and markup reviewed and edited 2003-12 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion new observations on the natural history of this world of matter , and this world of life : in two parts . being a philosophical discourse , grounded upon the mosaick system of the creation , and the flood . to which are added some thoughts concerning paradise , the conflagration of the world , and a treatise of meteorology : with occasional remarks upon some late theories , conferences , and essays . by tho. robinson rector of ousby in cumberland . london : printed , for iohn newton at the three pigeons over against the inner-temple-gate in fleet-street , 1696. to the reverend mr. william nicholson arch-deacon of carlisle . reverend sir , i have read over the books you were pleased to lend me , ( viz. ) dr. burnet's theory of the earth , and dr. woodward's essay toward a natural history of it : both which entertain'd me with a great many new and very notable hypotheses , managed with a great deal of art , ingenuity and learning ; but in my opinion very ill grounded ; many of their notions being inconsistent with common sense and experience , with scripture and reason ; especially the mosaick account of the creation , paradise , and the universal deluge ; and in some particulars , dr. woodward seems inconsistent with himself . these following chapters , ( which i make bold to present to your hand , and to give you the trouble of perusing ) will shew you wherein i cannot concur with these great virtuoso's , and why i endeavour to establish a quite different notion of things ; and do ground it upon such philosophical theses , as moses , that great philosopher , has laid down as so many postulata in his short , but most comprehensive system of the creation ; the whole being a short and compendious description of this world of matter , and this world of life wherein we live . sir ; i am so far from being big with a fond concei● of any of these notions , that i dare not trust them in any hands but yours ; for i am unwilling that these papers ( without your approbation and encouragement , ) should go further abroad than your study , lest some ill-natur'd and peevish critick should take occasion to expose the ignorance and disingenuity of their author . i know ( sir ) that the experience you have lately gain'd by searching into those occult regions of matter , being now added to your former speculations about it ; has made you the most capable of determining all differences , and solving the most difficult phaenomena of this kind . if you will be pleas'd therefore to correct with your pen the mistakes you meet with in any of these notions , and let me have your honest and impartial opinion of them , you will further oblige , sir , your most affectionate and humble servant , tho. robinson . to the gentlemen miners . gentlemen , if his observation be true , that no man can lose by the world ; but what he loseth in purse , he gains in experience : you will have no reason to complain , if sometimes your subterranean projects miscarry upon your hand : since that loss may easily be repaired by your experimental knowledge , of those occult regions of matter ; concerning which , the most profound philosopher can give no account , but by way of hypothesis and conjecture . solomon , that great master of experimental knowledge , tells us that wisdom is better than rubies ; and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it . and tho' that by wisdom he may mean that divine philosophy which the new testament calls religion ; yet certainly there is nothing contributes more towards making one morally or physically wise , than experience , as he intimates in the following verse , where he brings in wisdom thus speaking : prov. 8.11 . i wisdom dwell with prudence , and find out the knowledge of witty inventions . i confess that the theorick part of philosophy ( being the first-born , ) is more noble ; and therefore deservedly sits regent in the superior faculties of the soul : attended with sublime notions and speculations ; and sometimes figments and chimaera's are also her maids of honour . and altho' the practick or experimental part , sits below in humble garb , attended only with mechanick artificers , and manual operators : yet she oftentimes entertains the world with more of certainty , and demonstration than the former . gentlemen , i shall not complement you into a good opinion of these no●ions which i am willing should abide the test of an impartial iudgment ; only i think it may be convenient to let you know that they are the product of 20 years experience and observation ; for so long i have been concerned in the inspection of under-ground works of several kinds . besides the place of my habitation being under crosfell , ( one of the highest mountains in england ) whose lofty top gives a large prospect both of the east and west seas ; i have from thence observed , not only the different classes of matter , the eruption of rapid springs ; but also the rising and falling as well as the rarefaction and condensation of vapours . gentlemen , if the publication of this short treatise ( which i presume to present to your hand , as the most proper patrons of subterranean philosophy ) put you to the charge of an easie purchase , you will certainly have it much cheaper than the author , who shall always remain , gentlemen , d●●●ys , april the 16. ( 1696. ) your most humble servant and well-wisher , tho. robinson . the preface . if the learned authors of the new theories and essays had but taken the pains to have consider'd better of those great advantages of learning and education which moses ( the greatest philosopher that ever was in the world , and the first describer of its creation ) had beyond any of those learned philosophers of later date , who have writ upon the same subject ; they would have entertain'd a greater veneration and esteem for his short , but most comprehensive system ; than for the larger volumes of those common philosophers and historians whose writings are only the product of their own natural reason ; though set off with the greatest artifice of words , and advantages of human learning . the first progress which this great philosopher made in human learning and wisdom was in pharoah's court , where he had his education , under the tuition of his own daughter , who having no child of her own , design'd to adopt him her son , and make him heir apparent to that crown : to which end he was by her care instructed in all the learning , wisdom , and philosophy of the egyptians : and no doubt but some of the most learned amongst the hierophanthae , who were the most skilled in the knowledge of mystical as well as natural philosophy , were his tutors . he being thus qualified with the best learning egypt could then afford , the second improvement he made was in the family of his kinsman iethro , who being as well a priest as prince of midian , did not only discipline him in all the rules of policy , conduct , and government ; by which he was fitted and prepar'd for being captain general of that mighty host of the hebrews , which god design'd to deliver from the egyptian yoak , and under his conduct to settle in canaan ; but also he was instructed by him in the religion of his ancestors , the patriarchal traditions concerning the creation of the world , the beginnings of things , and the genealogies of men ▪ which being best known to adam , who coming immediately out of god's hand , did undoubtedly deliver it to his son seth , seth to enos , and so from father to son , to abraham , from whom iethro descended by a second marriage . during his time of residence in midian , which was forty years , and most of that time being spent in contemplation : it s generally believed he wrote this system of the creation , with the rest of his book called genesis , by the assistance and direction of his father-in-law , who could not be ignorant of the patriarchal traditions ; himself being descended from a patriarch of special note . after these gradations and improvements in all kinds of humane learning , wisdom and philosophy , god took him into his own service , and was pleased by a sort of per●onal communication to impart to him as well the manner how all things began to exist , as how the manners of mankind were to be exercised ; so that he may be reasonably supposed to found the authority of his writings , as well as of his government over god's people , upon divine revelation . in this most excellen● system , philosophy , divinity and mystery seem to be so closely interwoven that it wou'd be a matter of great difficulty ( if not impossibility ) for any , unless such as are well skill'd in the cabalistical traditions and mythology , to unravel the contexture and distinguish its parts . and some of the most learned rabbies are of opinion that god directed moses , and the rest of the holy pen-men , frequently to make use of metaphors , allegories , and other sche matical forms , which must needs be attended with some darkness and obscurity ( these being as it were a veil drawn over the face of divine truth ) and this might occasion solomon to joyn the words of the wise , and their dark sayings together . and this was not only the practice of the sacred writers ; but of the learned heathens , especially their priests and philosophers ; who undoubtedly did imitate moses herein : but for different ends and purposes ; for it did highly concern the pagan priests to hide and conceal their mysteries from the light ; which like bastard eagles would not endure the tryal of it . but the holy spirit might direct the holy pen-men to observe their style for reasons of greater and more weighty moment . for the divine wisdom might see it fit in the infancy of the world , to discover his will and mind in some things very suitable to the capacities of the men of that age : and to reserve other things of great moment veil'd under allegories , and mystical expressions until the minds of men were more opened and enlarged ; for discovering of those brighter beams of divine truth . yet that the glories that were after to appear might not be wholly clouded ; he order'd it so , that such a thin veil shou'd be drawn over the matter , as shou'd not more set off the beauty , than stir men up to a diligent search after those divine truths . if then a modest attempt be made to ground a philosophical discourse upon some of these veiled mysteries , with submission to men of greater learning , and better skill'd in mystical philosophy : i presume that it will not be judg'd an effect either of pride or vain-glory. preliminary postulata . i know that it 's much out of fashion to beg principles in this philosophizing age ; yet considering that this schematical account which moses has given of the creation is as well philosophical and mystical , as historical and ad hominem , i presume that these following postulata , being grounded upon such reason , as cannot be denyed , will easily be granted me ; as first — that this natural world was created in a natural way , by the agency of second causes ; god almighty concurring with them by his direction and approbation in these words ( he saw that it was good . ) that the work of the creation cou'd not , in a natural way , be compleated in so short a time as six days ; for as it cannot be easily imagined that all the solid strata and beds of iron cou'd be digested into such good order , as we find them in ; and receive their several degrees of consolidation in that time : neither can it be suppos'd that all these different natures in the vegetative and animal sphere of life shou'd grow up to such a degree of perfection , that adam cou'd eat ripe fruit in paradise of six days production : and that all the beasts of later birth cou'd in that time get strength to appear before him . it may then be taken for a granted principle , that by the six days work is meant the six distinct productions ; and by the evening , and the morning , is meant the principles of activity and passivity , which were the instrumental causes of these productions . that paradise in a literal sense may signify a local place or garden of pleasure , in a philosophical sense all those rational and sensual pleasures our natures are capable of in this material world : in a mystical sense it signifies heaven , or those intellectual pleasures our natures shall be capable of when they are spiritualiz'd and exalted . that adam and eve in a literal sense signify the first individual persons that were of that species . in a philosophical sense , they signify a generation of men , and w●men ; in a mystical sense , they signify reason and sense , or the superior , and inferior faculties of the soul. that by the serpent in a literal sense is signified a subtile insinuating brute , whose speckled skin ( being beautified with all the variety of natural paint ) made it a fit object to work upon the visive f●culty ; in a philosophical sense , it may signifie natural concupiscence : and , in a mystical sense , it may signifie the devil . by the tree of life , in a literal sense , may be signified an individual tree producing fruit , and preserving life . by the tree of knowledg in a literal sense , may be understood a tree bearing fruit of a poisonous quality , and destructive of life ; in a philosophical sense they may signifie the whole species of vegetables , both of a wholesome and poisonous nature ; in a mystical sense they may denote eternal life and eternal death . adam's giving of names to the beasts signifies the exercise of his natural reason , by distinguishing of their natures . lastly , by eve's eating of the forbidden fruit , may be understood the desire of natural concupiscence ; to gratifie her senses with their beloved objects . advertisement with additional remarks . since the writing of the following discourse , a new theory of the earth hath been publish'd by a thoughtful young divine , who agrees in some notions with me ; this therefore is to assure the reader , that my manuscript laid all the last winter in london , and was printed off before i had a sight of the aforesaid book , which several of my friends can testifie ( if there should be occasion ) thro' whose hands these papers have passed . another thing ought to be taken notice of , and that is my referring several hypotheses and observations to a late writer ( a fault which mr. whiston hath committed up and down his book ) who it seems hath taken them from others ; which i accidentally discover'd by falling upon the monthly miscellany letters , vol. 1. numb . 22. pag. 561 , 566. vol. 2. numb . 2. pag. 49. to 57. as also the philosophical transactions of the royal society . numb . 219. from p. 181. to 201. of which 't is but just to give some instances ; for a tender regard ought to be had for the o●iginal inventors of things , who ought not to be robb'd of the fruits of their labours and studies by pyratical rovers , who set up for stupendous and miraculous discoverers . turn to this essay , pag. 33. the origine of mountains from the disruptions and changes of the strata of the earth was steno's opinion . see his prodrom to a dissertation concerning the changes of the earth . pag. 40.75 , 76 , 77. the same steno , in his prod. places about the central fire of the earth , a huge sphere or abyss of waters ; which , according to him , supplies the earth with springs , the air with vapo●rs , and was sufficient for the general deluge , when by the force of the subterraneous fires , it was thrust and forc●d up , whereby the globe was broken to pieces , and dissolv'd in the vast ●luid . pag. 61.62 . the perpendicular and horizontal fissures of the earth , dividing the strata or beds of sediments , are with great care and accuracy delineated and described by dr. steno in his prodrom , and many other phenomen● relating to the history of the earth , are explain'd at the end of his anatom . canis carchar . in his specim . myolog . pag , 76 , 86 , 88. the resetling or subsiding of bodies , as well terrestrial as marine ( dissolv'd or mix'd with the waters of the deluge ) according to the laws of specifick gravity in their several strata or beds of stone , sand , clay , ma●le , slate , lime , chalk , &c. was publish'd above 26 years ago , by nicholas steno , and agostino scilla ; if the ●oremention'd accounts in the monthly miscellan . letters , and the philosophical tra●●●●●●ons ar● to be rely'd upon ; the books thems●lves being not to be come at in a remote province . this stenoni●n hypothesis of the formation of the * present earth out of the several beds or sediments of matter mix'd with , and sinking down from the waters of the general flood according to the affinity and weight of parts is much oppos'd by a late author of two essays from oxford , who cannot believe the deluge to have been universal , nor the whole earth planted with animals from noah's ark , whose arguments i do not approve of , being inconsistent with true philosophy , and divinity : neither is dr. nichol's second creation of animals after the flood to be allow'd of , being contrary to the design of noah's ark , and to the whole mosaick narration . as to my opinion concerning the origine of fossil shell● , of form'd stones , and subterraneous plants ; scilla himself , tho he with s●eno has taken great pains to prove them to be the exuviae or spoils of animals and vegetables ( from the similitudes of their parts in every particular ) and to be the remains of the deluge subsided and lodg'd in several beds , layers , or sediments ; yet i find by dr. lister , that scilla own'd some sorts of them to be of another original , and the learned dr. himself proves beyond all contradiction , that real perfect shells are ●requently found in the bladder , kidneys , imposthumes , and other cells of animal bodies ; and if so , why need we force them into the midst of quarries and rocks by dissolving the whole frame of nature for their sakes ? if true shells can be form'd within stones of the bladder , and in many other parts of the bodies of creatures ; then by the same argument a million may be form'd in the bowels of the greater world , every ways resembling those of the sea , in striae , lamellae , fasciae , tendons , threds , &c. so that they might perswade steno , dr. hook , boccone , scilla , columna , and mr. ray , that they were really the very same , owing their original to the flood , or chaos , or earthquakes . my hypothesis concerning the generations of several animals is much confirm'd by the learned and experienced father buonani in his late observations circa viventia in non viventibus rep●rta ; who maintains equivocal generation from many clear and undoubted proofs . for , pag. 151. to pag. 166. compare huetius and bochart de paradiso . pag. 189 , 191. some great natural philosophers will have the ignes fatui to be flying gloworms , or some other shining insects . pag. 205. see more of the figures and phenomena of snow and hail in barthol . de nive , hook's micrography , boyle of cold , marten's greenland voyage , lewenho●ck's letters . as for mr. whiston's new theory , i am afraid it will be found altogether inconsistént with the mosaick history , being adapted only to the formation of our little globe , without taking in the heavens ( which moses is particular in ) and depending too much upon mechanical & necessary laws ( as several other late theorys and hypotheses do ) whereby the flood and conflagration might be brought to pass without any relation to the fall of man or sin. for comets and eruptions of boyling abysses may frequently destroy our globe , by such chains of natural causes ; comets by the laws of trajection may dash and drown us with their tails , and the central fire may drive up the vast abyss upon us , whether we sin or no ; these phenomena may befall the moon and all the planets , without any respect to inhabitants , and may happen frequently by such concourses and links of mechanism , and by the ordinary laws of motion . therefore we ought to be cautious of making such grand revolutions to rowl upon machines , as well as on the other hand of coining new miracles and second creations without any warrant from scripture ; of the first i am afraid the ingenious mr. whiston is too guilty ; and of the latter the learned dr. nichols . but considering we are in a country of liberty , and in an age of thought and observation , i can easily pardon the freedom they are pleas'd to take in their studies and enquiries . having lately met with an accurate discourse of bernardini ramazzini , printed 4 years ago in quarto , concerning the subterraneous waters , the several layers or beds of earth upon deep diggings , the fossil shells , bones , vegetables , pavements , &c. as also upon inundations , and deluges , with their effects , i thought fit here to acknowledg the many obligations we owe to that inquisitive physician for his various observations on the changes of the earth about the territory of modena , which are equally commendable with those of columna upon apulia ; dr. hooke , mr. ray , dr. plot , and dr. lister upon england ▪ steno upon tuscany ; scilla and boccone upon sicily and malta ; to whose discoveries little hath been added as yet , notwithstanding the high and mighty pretences of a late author ; who , in an essay toward a natural history of the earth , pag. 37. throws dirt upon those very gentlemen , from whose writings he hath made bold to borrow the best part of the observations in his work : 't is also remarkable , how , pag. 249 , 252 , 255 , 256 , 257 , 259. he falls foul upon a very famous and reverend divine for taking the same philosophick liberty , which he himself assumes in many places of his essay . as for his darling notion ( though none of his own ) of specifick gravity , 't is notoriously false in fact and nature , for the strata , layers , or bed● of sediments ( out of which steno , scill● , grandius , ramazzini , and others , will have the earth made up ) do not lie according to their different weights , or according to the statick laws of descent of solids in fluids ; for the strata of marble , and other stone , of lead , and other metals , lye often near the top or superficies , having many lighter strata under them ; and if all the strata thro the whole globe could possibly be viewed and examined , i am confident the respective order of specifick gravity would not hold in any two together ; and who can fancy , that the parts of ferns , mosses , and other plants , of shells , teeth , and other bones , should equiponderate with those of metallick fossils ; nay , oftentimes subside below them ; and whoever views the dimensions , weight , figure , and place of those vast natural columns , call'd the devil 's causy in ireland , will be soon convinced of the weakness of this hypothesis . their origine therefore must be accounted for some other way than what colu●na , steno , scilla , boccone , grandius , and others copying after them , have deliver'd concerning the deluge and inundations , strata , crusts or sediments according to the laws of specifick gravity ; neither are the many phenomena relating to their situation , explicable by any theories of the earth as yet publish'd ; i know not what dr. hooke may do when he comes to print his lectures upon this subject , which the virtuosi expect , and very earnestly crave of him : much also may be perform'd by the learned mr. edward lhwyd , keeper of the oxford museum , who hath been very diligent and accurate in his observations on these bodies , and whose candor and modesty , joyned with his exquisite judgment , render him capable of such an undertaking . as to the origine of subterraneous plants , either digg'd out of earthen beds , or lodged within stony substances , or else impress'd upon them , which steno in his prodroms ( translated by mr. oldenburgh ) pag. 93 , 94 , 95. will needs derive the same way with those of shells , teeth , bones , and other parts of animals , buried in the like strata or sediments of the deluge ; mr. lhwy'd of oxford has rais'd many invincible objections against this stenonian hypothesis in the last edition of camden's britannia , p●g . 692 , 693. and mr. ray in his second preface to the synopsis of british plants ▪ argues very philosophically against this opinion , reviv'd of late with great assurance , and in a positive manner ; but mr. whiston hath done very wisely in taking no notice of the many insuperable difficulties which have been u●g'd against the bringing in of these bodi●s , and the forming our present crusts and layers of earth , out of a general deluge . he hath saved himself much swea● and pains in having recourse only to two or three late books , and in consulting copies instead of originals , which would have given more strength and beauty to his work , and would have look't more masterly ; however the gentleman hath perform●d very well in the main , and hath shewn a profound and clear knowledge in physical science , though not in the history of learning , nor in that of nature . hi● conjectures are admirable , but his quotations and references are not co●mendable , being injurious to those eminent philosophers who were the first i●ventors , and yet passed over in silence , as though there had been no such writers ; many of their observations being attributed by the author of the new theory to one of his own acquaintance , who may do as much for him another time ; but i would not willingly accuse mr. whiston of any ungenerous dealing , having discover'd a noble genius in the formation of his system ; and therefore i conclude with respect to him , and with charity to all mankind . the contents of the first part. chap. 1. the philosophical meaning of these words ( in the beginning god created the heavens and the earth , ) and what may be concluded from them . chap. 2. of god the supream and effici●nt cause ; and why moses proves not the being of a god expresly by way o● argument ; ●ut implicitly by describing of the several degrees of perfection , and the subordinations of life . chap. 3. of the creation of second causes , and the manner of their production , and ways of working . chap. 4. of light and darkness , the common principles of mix'd bodies , what they were in mass ; and how their division made the first production . chap. 5. of light the formal cause of all mix'd productions ; what it was whilst in mass. chap. 6. of darkness , the material cause of all mix'd productions ; what it was in mass , how it was redu●'d into form : of the power of matter and motion : of sympathy and antipathy . chap. 7. of the spirit of god moving upon the face of the waters , what is philosophically meant by it : of the ●irst division of the waters , and the clearing of the sublunary firmament . chap. 8. the division of the lower waters into subterranean , superterr●nean , and nubiferous , and by what gradations the dry land appear'd . chap. 9. of the primeval or antediluvian figure o● the earth . chap. 10. of the constituent p●rts o● the earth ; and ●irst of the volatile part of it , or the central fire , its natural vses . chap. 11. of the sixt part of the earth : and first of the inequality of its surface ; their natural causes and vses . chap. 12. of mountains , their original cause , consistences , and natural vses ; being the first dry land that appear'd . chap. 13. of mountain heaths , &c. chap. 14. o● the plains and valleys , &c. chap. 15. of the channel of the sea , &c. chap. 16. of the ●luid part of this terraqueous globe ; and ●irst of the sea , &c. chap. 17. of those preternatural accident● that disturb and interrupt the course of nature in this material world , &c. chap. 18. of the central damps : their causes , natures , and dreadful effects upon this globe . c●ap . 19. of terrene damps , and their dreadful effects upon this globe , &c. chap. 20. of noah's flood , its causes , the season of the year when it happen'd , the effects and alterations it made upon the earth . chap. 21. of the season of the year when the deluge happen'd . chap. 22. of the alterations which noah's flood made in , and upon the earth . the contents of the second part. chap. 1. of the plastick spirit in matter , and its natural products . chap. 2. of the grand cover of the earth , the sympathetical vnion of the plastick and vivisick spirit ; and the production of vegetables , the first and lowest degree of life . chap. 3. of reducing the confus'd mass of light or the etherial flame into a body , which made the sun ; of reducing those lighter fogs and wa●erish mists into a body , which made the moon ; how by clearing of the superlunary firmament , or the planetary spheres , the stars appear'd , and what the sun , moon , and stars contribute towards the production of sensitive or locomotive animals , and why the creation of these second causes made the fourth production . chap. 4. of the production of the second degree of life , and first of oviparous animals , as fish and waterish insects . chap. 5. of the second genus o● oviparous animals , viz. the aerial : and first of fly-insects , secondly of serpents , thirdly of birds , and why moses makes the waterish and aerial animals congenial . chap. 6. of the terrene , or viviparous animals . chap. 7. of the creation of man , the sixth production . the conclusion : wherein is shewn the meaning and signisicancy of these words . and god saw every thing that he had made , and behold it was very good . a discourse concerning the terrestrial paradise , shewing how adam was introduced into it : the time he continued in it , and how he and eve employed that time. a discourse concerning the conflagration of this material world ; the local hell ; its outmost boundaries , or abraham's gulph . a short treatise of meteorology , with some observations concerning the changes and alterations of the weather . chap. 1. of vapour●●nd exhalations , &c. chap. 2. of the efficient causes o● all meteors , and first of heat . chap. 3. of cold , the other efficient cause of meteors . chap. 4. of the air , or medium wherein all meteors are generated . chap. 5. of fiery meteors , &c. chap. 6. of comets , &c. chap. 7. of thunder , its causes and effects . chap. 8. of vaporous meteors , and first of dews and hoar frosts . chap. 9. of rain , hail , and snow . chap. 10. o● hail and snow , with observations . chap. 11. of frost and thaw . chap. 12. o● the sphere of rarefaction . chap. 13. of wind , helms , and arches . chap. 14. prognostications of the change and alteration of weather , from the setting and rising of the sun. the author living at a great distance from the press , desires the reader ●o p●●don those following mistake● . page 5. line 13. read further , p. 25. l. 6. r. philosophically , p. 27. l. 9. r. anteperistatical , p. 30. l. 10. r. nutritius , p. 44. l. 25. r. fluidity , p. 67 l. 1. r. nature , p. 91. l. 4. r. sublunary , p. 121. l. 24. r. litoral●s , p. 13● . l. 25. r. assimilation , p. 139. l. 10. r. learned , p. 155. l. 28. r. zodiack ▪ a scheme wherein the several phaenomena of this terraqueous globe are explained . abcdefg a the central fire disseminating a vital heat , through the whole cortex or shel of the globe . b the mountains ●rom the centre to the surface . c heaths . d plains . e the channel of the sea. the flatt strata or beds of matter , with their acclivities to the ●ountains and declivities to the seas together with their elevations and depressions : thus described the winding and turnings of the greater veins , dividing the several classes of matter described thus through which the whole mass of s●●terranean water circulates . their lesser fibres , or rami factions ▪ filling all the flat strata with feeders of water , which breaking out upon the surface of the earth cause spring &c. described thus ▪ f the seas with the rivers flowing into them from the tops of the mountains swelling them into a ci●bosity ; and causing in them a continual fermentation . g vapors arising from the seas , which being attracted by the coldness of the mountains , fixeth there : forming an atmosphere round the whole globe . part . i. chap. i. ●he philosophical meaning of these words [ in the beginning god created the heavens and the earth , ] and what may be concluded from them . moses in his philosophical description of the creation , lays it down as a granted principle or a grand thesis , ●●at the heavens and the earth , with 〈◊〉 their parts , furniture and variety 〈◊〉 natures contained in them , were ●●eated [ de novo ] and that god the ●●pream being un-created , and inde●endent , almighty in power , and in●●nite in wisdom and all perfections , ●as the efficient cause : that the time when the world was created , was in the beginning of time ; or when time first began to have a being ; for before the world was created there was duration , or stabilis aeternitas [ as the schoolmen express it ] but time being an equal mensuration of motion , it and motion began together . from this grand thesis we may conclude , first against aristotle , who endeavour'd by many arguments to prove that the world , as it now stands in matter and form , was eternal ; which hypothesis advanceth the world into an equality with god ; makes it its own efficient cause , uncreated and independent . in the second place this mosaick thesis concludes against plato and his followers ; who , tho' he did positively assert , that god made the world ; yet he did conceive that the matter on which it did consist was eternal and pre-existent : by which hypothesis he concludes god to be an impotent cause , not able to create the world without matter and stuff to work upon . these mistaken principles in philososophy were occasion'd from the observation of the regular course of nature ; not considering that there might be other causes which might produce effects in an other way than cou'd ever come within the compass of their narrow observation ; for how spiritual causes produce their effects , its impossible for us whilst we continu● in this dark state of matter ; wherein we have but a very short and narrow prospect to understand . in the third place it concludes against democritus and his followers , who did not only conceit that matter was eternal and pre-existent ; but that the world had no efficient cause , but what was from chance , or the casual motion of matter ; which consisting of infinite numbers of atoms or little corpuscles of different figures , natures and qualities , which rainged about in a vast and infinite space ; until at the last by divisions , separations and mixtures occasioned by their contrary and mixt qualities , and the innate power of sympathy and antipathy , they at last setled into the form and figure of this world , which it can no more alter or vary from , than the active fire be taught to change its nature , and descend and gravation to ascend and fly upward . no doubt but this hypothesis wa● grounded upon an experimental observation of the several kinds of matter of different natures , which being mixt together in a glass , or any transparent vessel , will separate and divide themselves proprio m●tu ; tho never so jumbled and mix'd together . i shall not in this place sh●w you the absurdity of this hypoth●sis ; but rather chuse in the following chapters to give some account what feats , matter and motion will produce by vertue of their contrary qualities , and the power of sympathy and antipathy ; and how far god almighty might make u●e of th●se towards the forming the materrial part of this world. we may hence farther conclude , that although neither the world as it stands , nor the matter on which it consists did pre-exis● ; yet it was an immediate consequent of eternity , and the natural product of the divine essence , and attributes ( viz. ) power , wisdom , and goodness , according to that model and idea pre-conceiv'd in the divine understanding : for it cannot be imagin'd that th● divine essence wou'd for some time sit still , and wrap up it's self in sloth and idleness ; but did always display its self in a vigorous activity . besides the natural tendency of infinite power , is action ; of infinite wisdom is counsel ; of infinite goodness is beneficence : we cannot therefore but conclude from these natural arguments , that god would from all eternity follow the inclinations of his own divine perfections . from this grand thesis we may yet futher conclude , that this universal fabrick of the world was not created at one stroke , by an imperious f●at ; for tho this might have been consistent with infinite power ; yet it would not have been agreeable with infinite wisdom , which consists in deliberation , counsel and contrivance . moses therefore tells us that god first created the heavens , and then the earth : like as some mighty monarch designing to build a spacious and most glorious palace , first forms the model of it in his mind ; and having prepar'd his materials , sets on work his under-agents , who first of all lay the foundations , and compleat his own royal apartments , then the apartments of his chief ministers of state , after that chambers for his domesticks , and last of all lodgings for his out servants ; and the work being finish'd , according to the model which he gave his architects to work by , he gives it his approbation . in like manner , the great and almighty monarch of the universe may be supposed , first to have laid the foundations of those super-coelestial regions of unaccessable light , the royal chambers of his own most glorious presence ; where he sits in great majesty attended with an innumerable retinue of the most noble angels his courtiers : after these he creates the highest of the coelestial spheres , in which he placed thousands of royal mansions , where the arch-angels and brighter cherubins , the chief ministers of state in that coelestial kingdom keep their residence : and these are the morning stars which iob tells us [ by way of synecdoche ] that met together , and the sons of god that did shout for joy . after these god created the inner or lower spheres , in which he placed innumerable numbers of bright , lucid and aetherial globes ; wherein the inferior angels and domestick officers do inhabit , and these the scripture stiles ministring spirits . and these differ in office , power and light , as they are placed in spheres nearer , or at a distance from the regions of light : for as one star differeth from another star in glory , light , purity and magnitude ; so do their heavenly inhabitants : and so shall it be in the resurrection from the dead ; for as men improve here in vertue , goodness and the divine life and light , so shall they be placed nearer , or at a distance from god , the fountain of life and light. after the finishing of these inner courts of this royal palace , last of all god created this material globe or outer court ; and made it the center of the universe : and it 's built of the rubbidge , dross and sediment of the whole creation , and inhabited with the meanest of creatures , and lowest degree of life and perfection , which may most properly be called god's out servants ; over which he has placed man deputy lord governour . this material globe , tho it appears in its own dimensions to be o● great magnitude to us ( who bear not so much proportion to it , as a mole-hill does to the greatest mountain ) yet being compared to the whole universe [ if the computation of the best philosophers be true ] it will scarce bear proportion to the ninety six thousand part of it . it cannot therefore be imagined that the wise creator [ who never made any thing in vain , but to the best end● and wisest purposes● ] should be so fond of a piece of dull stupid matter , as to create all those innumerable numbers of bright , lucid , aetherial globe● ( the least of which exceeding this mole-hill in magnitude by several diameters ) for no other end or purpose than distinguishing of days , months , seasons and years ; and for casting a dark glimmering light to us poor mortals . as god almighty finished any part of the creation , he gave it a motion , and this motion it performs naturally and insensibly , without labour or difficulty ; as our blood circulates through our veins and our vital spirits glide in the nerves through the whole body . the almighty having now finished the creation which made up but one royal palace , containing in it innumerable mansions , fit for the subjects of so great a monarch to live in : he sits at the helm of this floating universe , and steers all its motion● with a steddy and unerring hand . and it can be no more labour to god to govern and actuate this world ; who as an universal soul is diffu●'d in it , and is vitally present in every part of it , than for a man 's rational soul by will and cogitation , to move a finger or a toe , or any other part of his body ; tho at the greatest distance from its seat. chap. ii. of god the supream and efficient cause ; and why moses proves not the being of a god expresly by way of argument ; but implicitly by describing of the several degrees of perfection , and the subordination● of life . when moses writ this excellent system of the creation , politheism and idolatry had prevailed over the generality of mankind , and abraham's posterity were become worshippers of egyptian gods , as appears by their making of a molten calf at horeb. yet notwithstanding this multitude of inferior deities which the world had set up for divine worship ; the generality of mankind did universally believe , that there was one supreme god , who was the efficient cause and almighty creator of this world , consisting of the heavens and the earth : and that this god was the father and governour of all the rest . the philosopher might therefore justly conclude it superfluous to prove by strength of argument a tenet , or rather an article of faith ; to which the common suffrage of mankind did so universally consent and agree : and if it be suppos'd that moses writ this system of the creation , with the rest of his book , which gives an account of the patriarchal genealogies , on purpose for the benefit and instruction of the israelites ; who in all probability could not but be ignorant of the traditions and religion of their ancestors : [ the ●pse dixit ] of so great a philosopher ; a man so eminent for these mighty and unparallel'd miracles and wonders , which th' almighty wrought by his hand upon egypt before their eyes ; were sufficient to convince them , not only of a bare credibility ; but of the truth and certainty of this divine thesus , that there was a god , and that he created the heavens and the earth . but as god did not limit and consine his favours wholly to abraham's posterity ; but extends them to the universal body of mankind : so notwithstanding that moses wri● these books for the instruction of that people in the first place , he undoubtedly de●●gn'd them for the information of others living in a state of ignorance : and therefore although he does no● expresly by way of argument prove the being of a god , and that he wa● the supreme cause of the world's creation [ atheism being not then heard of in the world ] yet he does it implicitly by describing of those several degrees and subordinations of life in the world ; and by shewing how eve●y inferior rank of creatures is subservient to its superior ; and how every inferior species is concatenated and link'd to its superior by intermediates , all which is so visible and obvious in the frame of the world , that an easie philosopher without any great difficulty , or hard study may ascend gradatim , first from those common minerals of salt , sulphur and mercury , to the several degrees and kinds of oars and metals ; from these to the fertile soil : from it to the several degrees of life and perfection in vegetables , as grass , herbs , plants , shrubs , trees , &c. and from these to the zoophyta or plant-animals , which concatenates the highest degree of vegetation to the lowest degree of sensation ; from the several degrees of sensation in brutal animals , to man which is an intermediate animal , that links and couples heaven and eearth together ; from man to t●e several degrees of light , life and perfection in the angelick nature ; and from the intellectual nature , to god the fountain of light , life and perfection ; who , as an universal soul , actuates the whole world , by giving of the several degrees of life and perfection to all the creatures in the animal world , as they are plac'd in orbs or spheres nearer or at a greater distanc● from his divine essen●e . thus in god all creatures live , move , and have their beings , and by these gradations we may either ascend up to heaven , where god almighty resides in infinite glory and perfectio● , or from thence descend to the hidden and dark regions of matter . chap. iii. of the creation of second causes , and the manner of their producton ; and ways of working . the grand reason why plato and aristotle , and ●he rest of the natural philosophers did assume it as a granted principle , that nothing wa● made out of nothing ; and that every thing produced , had necessarily some pre-existent matter out of which it was so formed ; was [ as i have already hinted ] because they cou'd not observe in the ordinary course of nature any thing produced de novo ; therefore ●hey concluded it impossible that any such production cou'd ever be , or ●appen in nature : but from particular experiments or observations to establish a general conclusion ; especially concerning the impossibility of any thing 's existence , is no regular and warrantable way of argumentation ; for there may be agents of another sort , and powers which can produce effects in another way , than cou'd ever come within the compass of our observation ; for we see , and cannot but make it an observation , that one sensitive animal by the power of sensation can do more , and produce greater effects , than all the vegetables can produce by the power and strength of vegetation . and one man by the power of his natural reason can produce more noble effects , than all the brute animals by the strength of sensation ; so one angel by the power and vigour of his spiritual and intellectual natures , can produce effects more great and wonderful , than all the men in the world can by the power of reason , tho' never so exalted and sublimated ; for we read in 2 kings 19. chap. and 15. verse that an angel in one night went out and smote in the camp of th' assyrians one hundred and fourscore and five thous●nd ; but how or by what means this angelick , power was exercised it is not within the compass of shallow reason to conceive : yet we may reasonably conclude from it , that if an angel , by the power of his intellectual nature , can do more than a●l the men in the world ; so god almighty by his divine essence can produce greater and far more wonderful effects than the whole angelick nature ; even such as is impossible either for us , or them to understand . but moses having , to hi● great improvements in natural philosophy , the advan●ages of the patriarchal tradition● , and a divine revelation ; and being best acquainted with god almighty's power in producing effects ; doth not only positively asser● , that god was the maker and builder o● this world ; but that he created i● and the matter on which it doth consist , out o● nothing , and that by uttering of tha● almighty word [ s●at ] not audibly , for then there was no sensible auditor in being ; but mentally , that is , by an act of volition ; sic volo sic ●ubeo being o●ly a prerogative of almigh●y power . the second causes which this almigh●y power created out of nothing , and which he made use of as instrumental i● all productions of a mixt constitution , may be considered either as they are essential or accidental . the essential causes were light and darkness ; the external and accidental causes were motion , time , and place ; without which all natural productions are physically impossible . god having created these second causes by another imperious vvord , set them on working ; and he gave them also a rule or model to work by , which is most commonly called the course of nature ; and when these new agents had produced any effect , he view'd it , and gave it his divine approbation , in these words ; god saw that it was good ( i.e. ) that it was agreeable with that rule and model he had given them to work by ; which words , tho' they be spoken ad hominem , yet undoubtedly moses intended by them to instruct and inform mankind , that the world was not made by chance , or the casual motion of blind atoms , as some since have atheistically asserted ; but by wisdom , councel and deliberation . and this establish'd course of nature , or these laws and rules which the divine wisdom gave to the second causes to work by , he never interrupts or varies from ; but upon great and extraordinary occasions , when he is pleas'd to give some demonstrations , of his almighty power and universal providence by which he governs the world at his will and pleasure ; then he can either divert the natural causes from their usual course , or by them produce supernatural effects ; as the destruction of sodom and gomorrah by extraordinary thunder and lightning ▪ the destruction of all living creatures upon the face of the earth by an universal deluge ; or he can stop them in their natural course , as when he caus'd the sea to divide and stand still , and the sun to move backwards . chap. iv. of light and darkness , the common principles of mix'd bodies , what they were in mass ; and how thei● division made the first production . all the natural philosophers wanting the assistance of a divine revelation , did agree in this ; that there cou'd be no production of a mixt constitution , without a sympathetical union of an active and passive principle ; but what these principles of activity and passivity were , they could not easily determine . these our great philosopher expresseth by the names of light and darkness ; which when they came immediately out of gods hand , were bound up and hamper'd in one confus'd mass ; which might fitly be compar'd to a dark and palpable mist , like the aegyptian darkness which was to be felt , in which vast fog or mist were bound ●p , and smother'd those bright , lucid and active particles of pure and volatile aether , as we see light inclos'd within the walls of a dark lan●horn ; or the active particles of fire when smother'd in ashes , or imprison'd within the dark body of matter . thus darkness was upon the face of this thick mist or fog of matter , until god by another almighty fiat created motion ; which being infus'd into the stagnating mist of matter , the whole mass of it was put into a fermentation and motion ; and whilst the contrary q●alities were acting their antipathies one upon another , these nimble and active particles of lucid aether [ being the most volatile ] broke through this dark mass of matter , and uniting themselves , caus'd a bright shining light , which moses calls day : and this division of light from darkness , occasion'd by the putting of the whole mass of matter into a fermentation and motion , made the first production . chap. v. of light , the formal cause of all mixt productions , what it was whilst in mass. by light is to be understood that vast aetherial flame , which whilst ●t was in mass diffus'd its bright shining rays , not only through the material regions , but the planetary and coelestial spheres : this aetherial flame was the anima mundi , the vehicle of life , wherein was contain'd the seminal and specifick forms of all sublunary creatures , [ man o●ly ●xcepted ] and then da●c'd about the passive matter , like a●oms in the morning sun beams ; until its prolifick slime , by vertue of its plastick power was modifi'd and pr●par'd for receiving of life . and this seems to be the sense and philosophical meaning of moses in the second chapter of genesis , verse the fifth ; god made every plant of the field before it was in the earth , and every herb of the field before it grew ; meaning only their seminal and specifick forms which were contain'd in a vehicle of light , before they were united to their material vehicles . thus light according to the mosaick principles of natural philosophy , became the formal cause or the male parent of all mixt productions . chap. vi. of darkness , the material cause of all mixt productions ; what it was in mass , how it was reduc'd into form : of the power of matter and motion : of sympathy and antiphathy . by darkness , the other principle , or material cause of generation , is not meant a bare p●ivation of light ; but that vast mist , or dark fog of matter consisting of infinite numbers of particles or little corpuscles of different figures , and contrary qualities , which by reason of a principle of motion infus'd into it , run a reel in a dark confusion until these contrary q●alities of heat and cold , siccity and humidity , gravitation and levity , falling out among 'em selves begun to act their antipa●hies upon one another ; which causing them to separate and divide , those of the same kindred and affini●y , by the power of a s●cret and innate sympathy drew together and united . and first of all , these particle● of matter , which were of a hot and volatile nature , being most active and vigorous , plac'd themselves in the centre or middle , as we observe 'em always to do in s●acks of hay , corn or other composi●ions of mixt matters , wherein there is a strife or contest between those contrary qualities of heat and cold , siccity and humidity . and these hot and siery pa●ticles having by their natural tendency taken possession of the centre , began immediately to ●ct their antipathy upon those particles of matter that were of a cold and waterish substance ; forcing them to fly to the circumfe●●nce , and to range about in thick fogs and waterish mists ; filling up not only that vast expansion between the superficies of the ea●th and the moons vortex ; but all ●he planetary spheres . during which contest between heat and cold , fi●e and water , the intermediate matter of a mixt nature , neither ●imply hot nor cold ; but participa●ing of both natures ( viz. ) such as were of an unctious , pinguid , bituminous and terrene quality , se●led themselves in a midle sphere . and every class of matter of the same kind and species , the better to secure it ●elf from intermixing with the matter of a different nature , did inclose it self with great dykes or partitions , consisting of excrementitious , confu●'d and undigested matter ; and the natural position of these being rake-wise from the surface towards the centre , they most properly may be esteem'd the greater joynts of the earth . and as these divide the several kinds of matter , so they preserve the several feeders and mineral waters from intermixing , as will be more largely shewn ; when we shall have occasion to discourse of dykes , rakes , veins , strings , riders , &c. the confus'd m●ss of mixt matter being thus red●c'd to several classes and a regular ●orm ; every class leading to some proper mine or mineral , which is the siner and better digested part of that class ; as coal , rudle , iron and the several kinds of ore ; and these all lay in lax and ●luid strat● or beds , like the loose leaves in an unpres●'d volume or book , or like the weak joynts in a newly conceiv'd embrio , enclos'd in a bag of water in the womb of its pregnant mother . chap. vii . of the spirit of god moving upon the face of the waters , what is pholosophically meant by it : of the first division of the waters , and the clearing of the sublunary firmament . the whole mass of terren● matter being thus far reduc'd into form and order ; [ not according to the laws of gravity , the heaviest subsiding first in order and falling lowest , as dr. woodward conceives , which mistake in observation will be made apparent in its proper place ] [ but by motion of consent , suitability of natures , and an agreeable juxta-position of parts . ] the spirit of god moved upon the face of the waters , which words , if we consider 'em under a philoso●●ical notion , may be understood o● the aetherial flame , which moving upon those waterish fogs and mists , rarifi'd the more subtile and t●nuious parts or fumes of it into a brisk gale of cold condensing wind ; which did not only clear up the sublunary firmament by dividing of those fogs into sublunary and superlunary waters ; but by condensing the sublunary fogs and mists into a vast body of water , it cover'd and surrounded the whole body of terrene matter ; and as the waters sank down towards the centre , they press'd together the several strata or layers of stones , mines , minerals and other subterrene earths , as we press together the leaves of a large volume ; and in our sinking and digging into the body of the earth , we find them lying upon fla●s with a dibb and rise , the rise towards the tops of mountains , and the dibb towards the main ocean ; as the waters left them and forc'd them up , when they drew down into their proper channel . the whole mass of terrene matter being thus compact and cemented together by the pressures of the circumambient ambient waters , as we press brick and tyle in their several moulds ; the central ●ire did by its heat bake and consolidate those stones , metals , mines and minerals that were of a fiery nature , as well as those of an unctuous and pinguid quality , into their several degrees of consolidation and induration ; whilst the anteperistical cold , together with those petrifying juices of salt and nitre which then did abound in all the lax and undigested strata , did petrify those strata of a terrene nature into their several degr●es of induration and lapidifaction . by these natural gradations the earth became fixt upon its center , and ●he waters a fluid body moving and circulating about it ; and they both made one terraqueous globe of a spherical and mathematical rotundity ; all the lines from the superficies to the centre being of an equal length . thus the space between the surface of the waters and the moon 's vortex was clear'd of all those fogs and mists which ranged about in it : and being fill'd with their air , moses calls it the firmament of heaven , which made the second production ( viz. ) of space , wherein the under-agents or second causes had room to work , and produce effects of a higher and more noble nature and quality . chap. viii . the division of the lower waters into subterranean , superterranean , and nubiferous ; and by what gradations the dry land appeared . tho' this great embrio was ready for birth and to breath in fresh air ; yet it could not be deliver'd from this great bag of water , wherein it was enclos'd , by any innate power it had in it self , without a supernatural assistance : the almighty was pleas'd therefore to play the midwife , and to deliver it by breaking of this great body of water ; and by dividing of the sweet from those of a saline and brakish nature . for as soon as the intermediate matter which made the shell of the earth , was redn●'d into form and order ; and the several strata or layers of stones , metals , minerals , and subterrene earths with their cross-cutting and dividing dykes , rakes , ryders , veins and strings or side-branches had receiv'd from the heat of the central fire and the petrefying juices of salt and nitre , their several degrees of incrustation , induration and lapidifaction ; the thirsty matter gradually suckt in the thin sweet water , until all its veins , dykes , cavities and pores were fill'd and saturated with it . the salt water being the sedement of the whole mass , and likewise being too thick to penetrate and pass through the stra●t pores and strainers of the solid and condensed matter , did gradually draw down to its channel : and all the veins and pores of the earth being now saturated with sweet water ; the subterranean lympheducts , or underground water-works began first to bubble up and play from the tops of the highest mountains ; from whence th● rivers took their first rise , and began to form their courses to the sea ; and by their rapidity and weight continually pressing in upon her from all sides , swell'd her up into a gibbosity , and for●'d her into a constant flux and reflux , which reciprocation of motion causing in her a boyling fermentation , the sweet water does disentangle it self from the salt ; and being lighter , riseth up in fumes and vapours , which fly abroad until they be condens'd into clouds , which falling down in showers of sweet water upon the earth become● the succus nutritivus of the fleshy pa●t of it ; giving not only a vital nourishment to the several kinds of animals living on the outer coat or skin of it ; but repairing the subterranean waters by preserving them from wasting . the waters being now divided into superterranean , subterranean and nubiferous , the dry land appear'd , and was gradually prepar'd for being an habitable world. chap. ix . of the primeval or antidiluvian figure of the earth . dr . burnet , in his theory of the earth , conceits and endeavours to perswade the world , that the primeval earth was spherically or mathematically round , without seas , mountains or any inequalities upon its surface . which hypothesis ( or rather ingenious conceit ) seems in the first place to be inconsistent with the original state of this materi●l globe ; which being design'd for a plac● of habition for several kinds of animals of ● mixt and compounded constitution , whose vital ●lame is nourish'd and maintain'd by a continual respiration of a soft and vaporous air ; which must not only be frequently fann'd with the brisk gales and blasts of a cleansing wind , but also moistned and sweetned with showers frequently falling through it : all which have their original cause from the constant flux and reflux of the sea , and those inequalities upon the surface of the earth : without which there would neither have been an atmosphere , wind , rain , or air ; but the superficies of the earth would have been [ by the sun's beams continually beating upon it ] baked and incrusted into the hardness of brick and tyle . this hypothesis seems also inconsistent with the different natures of those animals with which the almighty creator has been pleas'd to stock it ; some of which being only produc'd in a warm and fertile soil , others only in a cold and sterile : so some animals delight only to breath a warm and soft air , others a more bleak and piercing : thus strawberries and gilliflowers will not thrive upon the tops of cold and barren mountains ; nor mountain vegetables in the most fertile soil , or best prepar'd warm beds . this will be made more clear and evident when we shall give account of the natural uses of the flux and reflux of the sea , and those inequalities and irregularities of the earth's surface . once more to suppose the earth to have been of an even and spherical supersicies seems inconsistent with the different kinds and natures of that matter of which it consists ; some of which being hard , others soft , some fix'd others ●luid , it cann't be imagin'd that all this variety of matter would settle in a figure spherically and mathematically round . from these arguments we may without being guilty of any great presumption , conclude against dr. burnet's hypothesis , that as the antediluvian earth consisted of the same matter with this present earth , and produc'd the same species of animals , of the same natures and qualities , it was of the same figure that now we find it in , a terraqueous globe of a physical rotundity , with seas , mountains , &c. and th●t these irregularities and inequalities of this terrestrial globe did not date their original from that disruption which was occasion'd by the deluge as dr. woodward positively asserts , part 2d page 80. is evid●nt from part 6. page 246. where he undertakes to prove that the face of the earth before the deluge was not smooth , even and uniform ; but unequal , and distinguish'd with mountains , valleys ; as also with seas , lakes and rivers . chap. x. of the constituent parts of the earth : and first of the volatile part of it , or the central fire ; its natural uses . the constituent parts of this terraqueous globe are reducible to three different classes of matter , ( viz. ) volatile , fix'd and fluid ; and these bear equal proportion one to another , and in the structure of the earth do occupy the same proportion of place . the volatile matter , consisting of sublimated sulphur , nitre and bitumen keeps possession of the central part ; and as all matter of the same kind and affinity , which having an appetite to union , naturally affects a round and globular figure , so the central fire may be suppos'd to be of the same form. that figure wherein the excentral fire appears , is only accidental , occasion'd by the compressures of the circumambient air. that vast subterranean vault wherein this volatile globe of central fire is contain'd [ which the miners call th● belly of the earth ] may be suppos'd to be either of a round or circular ; or of an aequilateral , multangular figure ; occasion'd by the solid strata of stones spreading and vaulting themselves about it . the natural uses of this central fire seem to be analogous to that vital flame which is seated in the he●rt or center of all animals ; for as that by its vital heat ●nlivens the whole body ; so this central ●ire by that vital warmth it disseminates through the whole mass of matter , enlivens it ▪ and gives as well to the several strata of stones , metals , minerals and other subterranean earths , their degrees of consolidation ; as to the several kinds of ores , their different degrees of purity and perfection . as the vital flame does not only cause the ebullition and pulsisick faculty in the exterior pa●ts of the body ; but also the circulation of the whole mass of blood through all the greater and lesser veins of it ; so the central fire is as well the cause of the ebullition of springs , thermae and mineral feeders which break out upon the tops of mountains and the exterior parts of the earth ; as of the constant circulation of the whole mass of subterranean water through those dykes , rakes and fissures , which from the mountains do divide and spread themselves through the whole body of the earth , and are the greater and lesser veins of it . again , as the vital flame gives the tincture and colour to the blood , flesh and all the heterogeneous parts of the body ; so the central fire , by the different degrees of concoction and boyling up of matter , gave to the several kinds of it their different tinctures and colours ; this might be illustrated by several analogous experiments and observations , as in the boiling of quinc●s and other fruits ; so likewise in b●king of bread ▪ &c. the central fire , by running a perpetual round within the boundaries of its own infernal vault , carries the shell of the earth about with it , and is the cause of its diurnal motion . lastly , it is the earth's aequilibrium that keeps it fix'd upon its center . chap. xi . of the fixt part of the earth : and first of the inequalities of its surface ; their natural causes and uses . the fixt part of this terraqueous globe which we call the earth , may be describ'd either as to its exterior parts , or interior consistences of it . the exterior parts consist of mountains , heaths , dales , plains , valleys , with the channel of the sea. the interior consistences of it are the strata or beds of stones , metals , mines , minerals and subterranean earths , all lying upon flats with a dibb and rise . or they are dikes , rakes , riders , veins and strings either cross-cutting and dividing the several kinds of stones , metals , mines , minerals , &c. of a different kind ; or cross-cutting and dividing those of the same species ▪ as all metallick rakes , &c. of the inequalities of the earths surface . these irregularities and inequalities upon the superficies of the earth , are occasion'd by the elevations and depressions of the solid strata ; and these are cau'd either by the greater dikes , which divide one species of stones , &c. from those of a different kind ; and these greater dikes make channels and water-courses for the greater rivers , which following their windings and turnings till they empty themselves into the sea , cause all those pleasant dales , which at last , when the mountains wear out , dilate themselves into spacious plains and valleys , the lesser dikes and joynts which divide the stones , &c. of the same kind , by throwing them up and down , cause all those lesser hills , which as well delight the eye with a grateful variety of objects , as refrigerate and cherish the whole body with a more cool , clear and wholsome air. there is not any thing in this natural world , that contributes more towards the making of it habitable , then these inaequalities upon its surface . for , first they occasion all these different kinds and natures of soil , which produce the several species of vegetables suitable to the several natures of those animals that feed upon them : the earth's surface being god's storehouse , wherein is provided food and nourishment agreeable to the nature of every animal , and every living creature by a natural instinct knows its proper food and nourishment , and when and where to find it . they occasion all those different qualities of the air , as warm , cold , thick , thin , moist and dry ; for as god has provided food suitable to the several natures to feed on , so he has provided air suitable to their natures to breath in . those inequalities upon the earth occasion all those springs , mineral feeders and medicinal waters , which break out in rapid streams from the tops of mountains , and the skirts of lesser hills ; so that as god has provided convenient food for every animal to feed upon , and agreeable air to breath in ; he has likewise [ by causing of springs to break forth and bubble up at the foot almost of every hill ] provided convenient water for every animal to quench its thirst with . whereas if the earth had been of an even and spherical supersicies , cover'd with one solid strata , or incrusted cover of earth ; i doubt we should have been forc'd to have digg'd as deep as dr. burnet and dr. woodward's abyss , before we sho●'d have met with water sufficient to have quench'd our thirst ; and it s also doubtful that when we had found it , it wou'd not have been sweet and wholsome . these inequalities also cause the s●veral strata of stones , mines and o●es , &c. [ having a natural rise ] to br●ak ●o●th at day , so that the inge●●ou●●●d industrious miner may meet with , not only stone for building of houses , coals for his fires ; but the several kinds of ore to enrich his coffers with . these inequalities also produce all those pleasant and most profitable copises and thickets of all kinds of trees , which delight most to grow where the solid beds of stone are weak and broken and lye near day , and where they may easily thrust their roots into their broken joints and suck in the mineral spirits , &c. chap. xii . of mountains , their original cause , consistences and natural uses ; being the first dry land that appear'd . the mountains are the ebullition o● matter , occasion'd by the central fire when it was in its ●ull strength and vigour . they consist of such strata of stones , metals , raggs , chivers , cills , &c. as are of a hot quality ; and these are like so many hot-beds wherein the several kinds of ore receiv'd their conceptions , as well as their different degrees of concoction and perfection ; as hereafter will be more fully shewn . the mountains consisting of such matter as is of a hot quality , and being bound with strong cills , which having a quicker rise than those upon the plains , do lift up their heads above the rest of the earth ; and became not only the great pillars and supporters of the whole fabrick ; but the first sea-banks that broke the circulation of the waters , and were the first dry land that appear'd . the tops of the mountains reaching a● high as the cold regions of the air ; and having but the advantage of a single r●flection of the sun 's globuli , have always a cold and condensing air upon them , and striking a level with the gibbosity of the sea , do by the sympathy between cold and cold attr●ct the vapours to them , which either fall down in showers of rain , being condens'd by the rising of the ground cold ; or are rarifi'd into wind by the falling of the sphere of rarefaction , which term will be hereafter explain'd when we describe the nature of winds . all the greatest dikes and divis●ons of the earth [ as i have already observ'd ] do contract themselves and meet in the mountains , as the veins do in the necks of animals ; and these being the greater veins of the earth , by dividing into lesser veins and branches , maintain and preserve a constan● communication or circulation of water through the whole body . and this is the only reason why the heads of all the greatest rivers in the world have their rise from the tops or sides of the highest mountains ; which by following of the windings and turnings of these greater dikes or veins , and by receiving into them the lesser dike-feeders , are increas'd from small rivulets into large and navigable rivers , which at the last empty themselves into the main ocean . the declivity of the mountains gives rapidity of motion to the rivers , which does not only preserve their sweetness for the benefit of men and beasts ; but also by pressing upon the sea from all sides , swells her up into a gibbosity , and is the only cause of her flux and reflux , which the following chapters will give account of . as the declivity of the mountains gives rapidity of motion to the rivers ; so it gives motion to the winds and air : for as the condensation of vapours causeth an inundation in the waters ; so the rarefaction of the vapours and exhalations causeth an inundation and overflowing in the air : and those lateral blasts of wind that come so strong upon us , are only waves of the air ; and the roaring noise we oftentimes hear upon the mountains , is only the breaking forth of the winds upon the still body of the air , and there putting of it into a rapid motion , which is increas'd by the descent of the mountains ; for air and water are the same in specie , differing only in degrees of thinness and fludity , as the mountains are the great pillars and supporters of the earth , their foundations all meeting in the center , and forming that vast subterranean vault , which keeps the central fire from breaking forth ; so they are the greatest ornament of its superficies ; giving not only a most pleasant prospect over the plains and valleys , but terminating the visive faculty with a grateful variety of objects . the mountains have their natural position either in ridges or clusters ; those we see in clusters intermixt with great dales , gills and valleys , were [ at the first settling of matter ] all of an even superficies ; but their joynts and divisions consisting of raff , ragg , chiver and such confus'd matter , without strong cills or strata of stones to bind them together , were by great storms and tempests of rain , &c. but especially by noah's flood , broken and driven down into the valleys ; and from thence into the next adjacent sea. and this is the reason why some mountains have a perpendicular rise , why their ribs and sides lye naked and frightful , threatning to fall upon us ; and these great dikes and joynts are either fill'd with ponds of water , which afford great plenty of fish ; or they are become pleasant valleys gills and dales ; having a f●uitful soil and the warmest sun , by reason of its beams being reflected from all sides of the mountains . chap. xiii . of mountain heaths , &c. the mountain heaths lye upon the skirts of mountains towards the sea , their consistences and several strata are rather of a pinguid , bitumious and nitrous , than of a hot and sulphureous quality ; and they generally lead to mines of coals , which are the pneumatick parts of such strata of stones and metals as are their uppercovers ; the principal and more pneumatical ingredients whereof are bitumen , sulphur and nitre ; bitumen gives the flame ▪ nitre blows it up , and sulphur gives the heat . th●ir cros●-cutting and dividing dike● consist of tough clay and a mixture of confus'd matters ▪ these mountain heaths were the second dry land that appear'd ; for as the sea did gradually draw down into its channel ; its unruly waves drove up these lesser hills we see upon the skirts of the mountains , and forc'd their strata of stones , metals , &c. to have a rise towards them , thereby making a channel so spacious as might contain so vast a body of water , and keep its proud waves within their proper limits . their stones , metals , &c. had their degrees of incrustation and lapidifaction from the central fire . chap. xiv . of the plains and valley , &c. the last dry land that appear'd , was the plains and valleys , which by the depression of their strata sank down into the channel of the sea ; the consistences of these are rather of a terrene and nitrous , than ● pinguid quality . they afford us the best free-stone as white , grey , red and yellow ▪ these tinctures and colours they receiv'd from those different degrees of concoction they had from the central fire ; and the degrees of lapidifaction and induration they receiv'd from the anteperistical cold , and petrefying juices : their strata have an easie dibb towards the sea , sometimes not a yard at fifty ; for as the waters divided , their strength abated , and the flat strata laid more level . chap. xv. of the channel of the sea , &c. as the valleys sink down gradually into the channel of the sea ; so the channel is only a spacious valley as far depress'd before the surface of the earth , as the mountains and mountainous heaths are advanc'd above it . its consistences are of a terrene , nitrous , mercurial and saline quality , which is the reason the sea-sand will by a violent heat run into a glassy substance . and why the most precious pearls are found in that part . chap. xvi . of the fluid part of this terraqueous globe ; and first of the sea , &c. the sea is that vast body of salt wa●er contain'd in its proper channel : it s the sediment of the whole mass of water , and therefore is thicker and heavier than either the subterranean or aerial waters ; which is the reason why it can neither penetrate the straight pores of solid matter , and so intermix with its sweet feeders ; nor be elevated in vapours by the sun's in●luence and fall down in brackish showers , which would be destructive as well of plants and herbs as men and beasts . the seas are in a continual flux and reflux : the cause of which is the rapidity and weight of the rivers continually pressing in upon it from all sides ; and the sea-waters being not only thicker , but of a different nature from the thin and sweet river-water , and having a natural appetite to union , will not easily suffer the rivers to incorporate with them , which is the true reason why the rivers swells her up on both sides of the shoar , unt●l the weight of the salt-water over-balancing the weight of the sweet-waters causeth the sea to break in the middle , and by the greater weight and strength of her wa●es forceth the invaders to retreat and ●all back until the salt-water has lost its weight and strength ; and this is the cause of its flux . the salt-water having thus lost i●s weight and strength , the rivers redouble their force , and by the rapidity of their motion and weight of their waves forceth the salt-waters to a gradual and orderly retreat ▪ and to swell up into such a height of gibbosity that its weight again over-balanceth the weight and strength of the rivers ; and this is the cause of its reflux . thus the flux and reflux of the sea is occasion'd by the continual strife between the fresh-water and the salt ▪ and the spring-tides and dead-tides are occasion'd by the gradual increase and decrease of the reciprocation of their motion ; as we observ'd in the spring or balance of a clock in giving her back stroaks at every tenth . this continual strife between the fresh-water and the salt causeth a conconstant heat and fermentation in the sea ; and this boiling fermentation causeth the sweet river-water to fly up in mists and vapours , which causeth an atmosphere to be round the whole terraqueous globe ; and when these mists and vapours are condensed into clouds they fall down in showers of sweet rain upon the surface of the earth . thus tho' the sea affords no sweet-water , yet it is the only medium which preserves and maintains a constant communication and circulation between the subterranean and aerial waters . the saline quality of the sea is occasion'd by her being boiled up into a sediment by the central fire ; as well as those rocks of mineral salt that abound in her channel . this saltish quality of the sea does not only preserve that vast body of water from corrupting ; but by causing her water to be thicker and heavier than those in the fresh rivers , it makes them more able to bear burthens of much greater weight , and fitter to maintain a correspondence and communication of trade between land and land , tho' at the greatest distance . tho' the sea and main ocean seems to contain a vast quantity of water ; yet it being compar'd to the subterranean waters which circulate through the veins of that great body , and are contain'd in the strata and pores of dens'd matter ; it will scarce bear the same proportion to them that one does to seventy-two ; for if the computation of those learned men be true who give account that the sea and main ocean cover but one half of the globe , and that the channel of the sea is but one german mile deep [ the shallows being compar'd to the deeps ] then it would necessarily follow that if the earth were mathematically round , it would cover the whole globe only half a german mile , which bears but proportion to the circumference of the earth , as half a mile does to twenty one thousand six hundred miles . again , the diameter of twenty-one thousand six hundred miles being seven thousand two hundred , of which if we allow a semidiameter to the center or belly of the earth there will remain three thousand six hundred miles for the shell or body of it , to which three thousand six hundred the fluid part or superterranean water can bear no less proportion than one to an hundred ; which computations being granted ( and indeed they cannot ●easonably be deny'd ) in the whole body of the earth , there will be found thirty-six german miles of fluid matter , which bears proportion to the seventy-two superterranean seas or oceans . to strengthen this hypothesis we may further add that in sinking of pits , the deeper we sink , we raise the more water ; and that stone or mine of coal which at three fathom deep runs six tubs of water in one hour , containing thirty gallons a-piece , at six fathom it will double the number ; and so on till the water be invincible ; as in hogsheads full of water the highest tap runs slowly , because there is little weight of water upon it ; but the middle or lowest tap will run double and treble the quantity in the same time , there being double and treble the weight of water upon it . again , if we do further add that besides the water that circulates in the veins of the earth , there is so much of water intermix'd and incorporated with the fixt and solid matter , that if stone , metal , or coal [ when it s digg'd out of its living strata or beds ] be immediately expos'd to the sun or fire , it will in a short time want of weight above an hundredth part , the fluid part being exhal'd . the greater dikes or veins in the earth , are principally four : the first divides and changes the mountain-strata from the mountain-heaths : the second divides those several strata of stone , &c. of which the mountain-heaths consist , from those of the plains and valleys : the third divides those beds and layers of matter on which the plains and valleys consist , from the channel of the sea : the fourth runs under the channel of the sea , whose side-branches causeth all those submarine quick-sands which are the warm beds wherein the sea-fish scatter their eggs for the propagation of their several kinds : as this , so all the rest of the greater dikes and veins have their side-branches filling all the strata of stones , metals , minerals and subterranean earths with water ; so that where-ever we sink into the body of the earth , as soon as we prick [ with our digging instruments those kells of clay &c. which divide the several strata ] we presently raise their feeders . and if any [ who being prompt'd either to gratifie his natural curiosity , or gain some considerable advantage to himself ] would raise a new river upon dry ground , let him go to the foot of some hill or rising ground and begin a level-drift , which by cross-cutting of the several strata of that rising earth , he will tap and fet at liberty all the feeders ; and if he drive on till he shall cross-cut with the drift one branch of those greater dikes , he will raise a considerable river , which may turn to his great advantage . chap. xvii . of those preternatural . accidents that disturb and interrupt the course of nature in this material world &c. having in the former chapters given an account of the originals , causes , consistences and natural uses of the several parts of this natural globe , as well fix'd as fluid : it will not be improper to subjoin an account of such preternatural accidents as sometimes have disturb'd , and may for the future interrupt the regular course of nature ; and at the last so far destroy the frame and fabrick of this material part of it , as to render it uncapable of being an habitable world. and these are earthquakes , hurricanes , volcano's , violent eruptions of the subterranean waters , as at noah's flood ; stagnations of the subterranean air , causing the springs and mineral feeders to sink down into the interior ●arts of the earth ; interruption of the circulation of vapours , and rains upon the earth ( as in the days of elisha the prophet ) ; violent and preternatural thunders , such as destroy'd sodom and gomorrah . these and the like , are the accidental distempers that have happen'd in the body of the earth , and they seem analagous to those fevers , agues , convulsions , &c. which interrupt the healthful constitutions of our own bodies , and are sometimes destructive of 'em : and as all the diseases and distempers our bodies are subject to , have their original from accidental heats or colds , which either sublimates and exalts our animal spirits into a feverish degree of volatility ; or by cold and aguish damps depresseth them into a degree of stagnation . so all those accidental and preternatural disturbances that happen in the course of nature , have their original cause , from the several kinds and natures of damps , which are , either central , subterrene , or aerial ; and are of quality either hot , cold , sweet , or foul. chap. xviii . of the central damps : their causes , natures , and dreadful effects upon this globe . the subterranean vault being filled with a confus'd mass of undigested matter , consisting of sublimat'd sulphur , bitumen and nitre , whenever it happens that there ariseth a war between these angry volatiles , and their fluid neighbours ( viz. ) the subterranean water and air , which circulates through those greater veins that environ this large vault ; and do not only feed and nourish that infernal smother , but keep and confine it within its own boundaries , that it break not forth in violent eruptions upon the fixt body of the earth , as soon as this intestine war commenceth , these active volatiles of sublimated sulphur , bitumen and nitre , collect and aggregate into great bodies . and when these discharge in the central part of the vault , the nitre which is the principal cause of the grand effort or flatus , dilates and expands its self on all sides , upwards and downwards indifferently : and this violent effort or flatus causeth an universal concussion of the whole globe . when the damp gathers towards the circumference of the vault , and there dischargeth it self , the grand flatus hath its tendency upwards ▪ and sometimes causeth a concussion of one half of the globe , without any eruption of fire . when the damp fires upon some class of the superincumbent strata , it either splits them , making cracks and chasms in the exterior parts of the earth for some miles in length , which at the instant of the shock openeth , and in the interval between the shocks closeth again : [ of this kind was that ●rack or chasm which open'd and ●●allow'd up the tents of korah , dathan and abiram ; and no doubt , but the shock struck a terror into the whole camp ] or if the grand flatus be very strong and vehement , it either elevates the whole class above the superficies of the earth , forming a new mountain ; or else it sinks down into the vault , and the vacant place is immediately fill'd with water [ not from dr. woodward's abyss ] but from the veins of the earth which break into it . when the damp fires near or upon some of the great joints or clifts of the earth , the flatus pursues all the windings and turnings of these joints and clifts until it break forth in dreadful hurricanes ; either under the sea , occasioning most horrible disorders and perturbations , raising its surface into prodigious waves , tossing and rowling them about in most strange whirlpools , overturning and swallowing up ships in an instant : and upon the dry land overturning cities , towns , blowing up mountains , &c. tho' these effects of the subterranean nitre when rarified and dilated by the central flame be very dreadful ; yet if these fissures and spiracles through which they get a vent and break out upon the earth had been perpendicular [ as dr. woodward conceits ] they wou'd have destroy'd the whole surface of it . for then every one of these lesser damps or squibs which daily take fire in the subterranean vault , wou'd have broken out upon us . and the greater damps being fired wou'd have blown up not only the inhabitants of the earth ; but their houses with its superficies into the air ; for the deeper the fissure or spiracle is , if it be perpendicular in a streight line , the more strength and impetuosity it gives to the flatus , as we observe in guns and fuzees . again , the very sulphurous exhalations which wou'd have ascended through these perpendicular fissures without interruption , wou'd [ with their noisome smell ] have suf●ocated and stifled those animals that live by respiration , and wou'd have afforded matter for continual thunder in the air. it was then most agreeable with the state of this habitable globe that these fissures or joints of the earth shou'd have their position from the surface to the c●nter in crooked lines with various windings and turnings , openings and closings ; not only for securing us from those dangerous effects of the central and terrene damps ; but also for the better and more commodious communication of the subterranean waters through the flat strata of matter . and lastly , that the subterranean waters by following of the windings and ●urnings of these greater fissures might have a longer journey to the sea , and thereby supply the inhabitants of the earth with sweet waters at a more commodious and convenient distance . these phenomena of central damps , and that they are the only cause of all those universal earth-quakes that have happen'd in this natural world , being wholly new , and the world not yet accquainted with them , may at first sight seem only the products of fancy , or meer conjecture ; yet if seriously and impartially enquir'd into , will be fou●d grounded upon such reason , as cannot without a prejudic'd opinion be easily deny'd . for it cannot be imagin'd by any who have made it their business to understand the structure of the earth ▪ those ●everal classes of solid and dense matter on which it consists , the windings and turnings of those dikes and partitions which divide them and are the subterranean water courses , that there shou'd be magazines of subterranean gunpowder lodg'd in infernal cavities round the whole globe , and that there shou'd be trains laid from one collection to another , and that all these trains shou'd take fire through all the subterranean rivers in one instant of time. neither can it reasonably be suppos'd that there shou'd be a concussion of the whole or half , or any considerable part of the globe , by one subterranean flatus ; but what is from the central vault . again , the consistences of the greatest part of the earth being rather of a gold , terrene and mercurial , than of a bituminous nitrous and sulphureous quality , it cannot be suppos'd that those parts of the earth which afford no quantities of this natural gunpowder shou'd suffer a concussion or earthquake , but from these central damps . besides those miners who have sunk deepest into these occult regions , do from their own experience assure us , that there are no grotto's or cavities above an hundred fathoms deep , unless in those mountainous countries where the consistences are of a sulphurous and nitrous quality , affording plenty of natural gun-powder , which being fir'd cause all those vulcano's we read of in history . chap. xix . of terrene damps , and their dreadful effects upon this globe &c. terrene damps have their original either from heat or cold , and are either fiery or waterish : those which have their original from fire , are of the same nature with those central damps we have given account of . as all local earth-quakes do more frequently happen in the mountainous countries , than in the plains and valleys ; because all the greater dikes , joints and veins of the earth contract and meet there : and the flatus which is the occasion of the shock makes its way by what passage soever it can get vent . but these mountainous cou●tries especially , which yield great store of sulphur , bitumen , and chiefly nitre [ these minerals affording the greatest plenty of natural gun-powder ] are most injur'd by those dreadful shocks , because those mountains whose natural consistences are of so hot and fiery a quality are commonly very cavernous ; and their greater joints and fissures , as well as strong strata having by frequent concussions and earthquakes lost their natural feeders , are become the most proper receptacles for those fiery stores to be lodg'd in until either the central fire , or their own natural heat being contracted into a point , discharge first the lowest damp , and the rest by trains like so many subalterns discharge in course , and sometimes for several months together , till the subterranean gun-powder be all spent . and these burning mountains such as aetna , vesuvius , hecla , and others , are only so many spiracles or vulcano's serving for the discharge of these subterranean damps , which disgorgeth flames of fire , and stones of great weight and substance , showers of sand and rivers of melted minerals ; and yet these mountains by those vulcano's lose nothing of their height or mag●itude , all these eruptions being recruited out of the great magazine of natural gun-powder contain'd in the infernal vault . besides these damps of a fiery natore contain'd in the interior parts of the earth , there are others which sometimes happens in the exterior parts of it ; such as those fiery damps in colleries are only the perspirations of sulphur and nitre out of the cole , wall or mine , collected into a body ; and these either take fire at a candle , or like so many dry exhalations receiv'd into the body of a cloud , and discharge like thunder shakes the earth about the collery , kills the miners , and have other dreadful ●ffects . to these we may add those preter-natural ebullitions and eruptions of subterranean waters , which moses calls the breaking up of the fountains of the great deep : and these whenever they happen upon the earth [ as at noah's flood ] are occasion'd by an universal fermentation and dilation of the central fire , which gaining ground upon their fluid neighbours , force them into a most rapid motion through all the subterranean veins , and consequently causeth those v●olent eruptions of water in all the springs , rivers , joints and fissures of the earth . sometimes the circulation of the subterranean waters stagnates and sinks down into the interior parts of the earth ; the springs and rivers dry up , as in the days of elisha : and this is occasion'd by the stifling and damping of the central heat , the circumambient waters prevailing upon it . sometimes the circumbient air which circulates in the exterior parts of the earth , especially the caverns , joints and concavities of rocky stones and other metals [ and is the only cause of the eruption and motion of springs , rivers , &c. ] damps and stagnates , which forceth the springs and eruptions of waters to stand back , and fill those caverns and joints , from whence they flow until the weight of the waters break the damp , or rather damm of stagnated air ; and then follows eruptions and overflowings of springs , rivers , &c. this kind of damps i have met with sometimes in colleries , where the water made way for it self in such joints and open closers , as it met with in the under cills ; especially lime-stone , which is of all stone the most jointy and open. and when the air in these open joints and cavities was dampt , the waters stood back in the working , and forc'd the mines out of the pit , until the weight broke the damp , and then the waters drain'd this damp most frequently happens in the summer months , when the ambient air is thick with hot and piery exhalations , and the effluvia of sweet blossoms , especially of peas and beans . and this the miners call the sweet damp. this stagnation and damping of the subterranean air is [ in all probability ] the cause of the annual over-flowing of the river nilus , the horary overflowing of the spring at gigleswick in york-shire , the drumming in the well at bautry , &c. and these being by men of learning reckon'd among the magnalia naturae , we shall enquire more particularly into the causes of them : and first of the over-flowing of nilus . nilus is one of the noblest rivers in the world , and is famous not only for the long course it takes through ethiopia and egypt , which is suppos'd to be three thousand miles before it empty's it self into the miditerranean sea ; but also for its over ●lowing and fertilizing that low and level country , supplying in it the want of rain . 't is believ'd by men of great learning that this yearly over-flowing of that country is oc●●s●on'd by the great quantities of snow dissolv'd upon the mountains , from whence it takes its rise ; and these [ as geographers give account ] are that vast ridge of mountains , which for their height bear the name of montes lunae , as i● their lofty tops wash'd their head● in the moon 's waterish vortex . others are of opinion that the yearly over-flowing of that river is caus'd by those great rains which fall every spring in the higher ethiopia : but if either the dissolution of snow , or inundations caus'd by the falling of those spring-rains , were the true reason , &c. they wou'd also cause the othe● rivers in those countries to overflow their banks at the same time ; which is so far from being observable , that when nilus over-flows , the othe● rivers are at a very low ebb. the cause then of this yearly overflowing of nilus , which begins about the 17th of iune and continues until the 6th of october , seems to be a subterranean damp , which yearly stagnates the circulation of air in these vast rocks and open strata , from whence those rapid springs and feeders slow , which are the heads of that famous river . the subterranean air being dampt , the springs and mineral fe●ders are forc'd to stand back and fill all those vast concavities and hollows for several miles upon ●he side-rise , and some miles upon the top-rise of those rocks and metals ; until the weight of so vast a quantity of water [ which may be compar'd to a l●sser sea ] breaks the damp or damm of stagnated air , and then the river begins to over-flow , an● continues until the waters be spent , and the damp gathers again . it s observ'd that when the river nilus begins to over-flow its banks , that great plagues break out in cairo , which seems to be occasion'd by those gross vapours and mineral exhalations that arise from so vast a quantity of stagnated water , which [ whilst by its motion , its purging of it self and recovering of its sweetness ] fly about , corrupt the air , and cause infections . this subterranean damp is likewise the cause of the horary over-●lowing of the spring at gigleswick in yorkshire ; for this spring b●ing the feeder of a lime-stone rock near thirty yards perpendicular in height , which breaks out at the foot of it ; so oft●n as the circulation of the air in the rock is dampt , the spring runs very slowly , and when the weight of the water has broken the damp , it over-flows , and this flux and reflux is once in every hour . i observ'd my self , that before the waters began to flow there was a knocking in the rock , and this was caused by the pressing of the water upon the damp before it broke . the same is the cause of that drumming in the well at bautry , which the inhabitants of the town told me never happ●n'd but against the change of government : this well is observ'd to be ●or the most part dry , which is occasion'd by the feeders standing back ; the drumming noise is occasion'd by the waters pressing upon the damp , and the hollows of the well ; for as soon as the damp is broken , the well fills wi●h water and the drumming is over . this occasions the report of under-ground spirits , which miners call mineral spirits ; and they observe that these spirits give notice by knocking or groaning before the mineral vein be discover'd : i have observ'd my self that in a new collerie , when the workmen were near the coal ( and only the kell which kept the feeder of it unbrok●n ] there wou'd have been a sort of knocking , sighing or groaning , heard in the vein , which was only occasion'd by the weight of the water lying in the coal , and pressing forward for more room and liberty ; for as soon as the coal was prick'd , the water rose in the pit , the knocking was over and the mineral spirit conjur'd . of this kind also is that damp which the miners sometimes meet with in their sinking of deep pits and new works ; where a cloud of breath or sweat perspiring from the bodies of the workmen , will sti●le the circulation of the air , and not suffer the candles to burn. this damp will steal 〈◊〉 breath insensibly from the workm●● and sti●le ' em . there is yet another kind of damp the miners complain of , which they call the foul or stinking damp ; and this is caused by the breaking out of corrupted air from old crusted works . this , if not prevented , will kill and stifle the workmen . the aerial damps will be treated upon in meteorologie . having given an account of the causes , natures and effects of damps , and such preter-natural accidents as have and may disturb and interrupt the regular course of nature ; we cannot but make an enquiry into the causes of noah's flood , the season of the year when it happen'd , and the alterations and devastations it made upon the earth , chap. xx. of noah's flood , its causes , the season of the year when it happen'd , the effects and alterations it made upon the earth . if these two learn'd men ( viz. dr. burnet and dr. woodward had understood better the structure of the terraqueous globe , the natural consistences of it , the causes , natures and effects of damps , and that those subterranean waters which circulate through the veins of the earth bears proportion to seventy two oceans , they wo●'d have discover'd such a quantity of water as wou'd have caus'd an universal deluge without the conceit of a central or subterranean abyss . which hypothesis [ tho' manag'd with the greatest artisice of invention and oratory ] when seriously enquir'd into , will be found to have very little of truth in the bottom of it ; for it seems not only inconsistent with the original settlement of matter , as we have observ'd already ; but also with dr. woodward's hypothesis concerning the re-settling of the fluid matter dissolv'd by the deluge which he positively asserts to have been according to the rules of specifick gravity ; the heaviest subsiding the lowest . this hypothesis if taken for granted , we must necess●rily conclude from it , that all those kinds of ponderous ore , and heaviest rocks of iron , stone , marble , &c. would have sunk down into the central vault and fill'd it up . that the rest of the fix'd matter being by some degree lighter would have spread their solid strata uppermost : and that the fluid waters being by several degrees lighter than the fix'd matter , would have cover'd the whole terre●e globe , and consequently wou'd have caus'd an universal and perpetual deluge upon the earth . but suppose it possible to improve the strength of imagination to such a height , as to fancy that there was originally , and is still , a vast abyss of hot water contain'd in the center of the earth ; it cannot be so easily apprehended by what power or means this vast substance of water shou'd be put into so high a degree of fert●entation and commotion , as to cause an universal disruption and dissolution of the earth , as dr. woodward conceits ; for although that fire placed under a pot sill'd with water , will by emitting of its fiery globuli , and mingling them with the water , cause so violent an ebullition and commotion in it , as to raise the cover and overturn it ; yet it cannot be suppos'd that either that uniform and constant fire or heat , disseminated through the body of the earth ; or the external heat of the sun 's warm influence can produce any such effects ; because fire and nitre do naturally exert their power upwards and side-way , but never downward , but when it is so pent up that it can get no other vent : and when even gun-powder is forc'd to make its effort upon the waters , the strength of its flatus does little execution , being presently sti●l'd . we shall therefore suspend further enquiry about this matter , until dr. woodward's larger volume be made publick , and endeavour to find out some other causes by which that universal deluge which happen'd in noah's time might be effected in an other way , and grounded upon fair probabilities of reason and certainty . first then , no doubt but god almighty was the principal cause , the sins of mankind the provoking cause , and the subterranean superterranean and nubiferous waters were the immediate instruments of it . but how all these divided waters shou'd be re-united and gather'd into such a body as was sufficient to cover all the tops of the mountains fifteen cubits high , as moses gives account , is the only matter of difficulty to be ●ncounter'd . in order to which , i shall not entertain you with a long story of the opinions of learn'd men about it , not undertake to shew you upon what improbable grounds and inconsistences the theorist and dr. woodward have establish'd their hypothesis of it ; but having discover'd a vast and por●entous body of water circulating in the veins of the earth , bearing proportion [ as i have observ'd ] to seventy-two oceans , and several oceans of water more floating in the clouds and rarisied into thin air [ tha● it might be a sit medium for respiration , &c. ] my adventure , shall be ●irst to shew how , and by what cause , the subterranean vvater was rais'd above ground , and the thin air was condens'd into vvater ; how both join'd with the sea , and caus'd the deluge . and then secondly , i shall give account how the waters again divided ; how all things return'd to their natural course ; and by what gradations the dry land appear'd : and more than this is not necessary to make and establish a clear hypothesis of the universal deluge . first then , we may conclude , from arguments of the greatest probability imaginable , that the collection and reuniting of such a quantity of water as was sufficient to drown the world , was caus'd by an universal damp that happen'd at that time in the whole course of nature . for , first , all the central fire by a preternatural fermentation and dilation of those angry volatiles on which it consists , gain'd ground upon its fluid neighbours , those subterranean waters which circulate in the body of the earth , and forcing them into a most rapid ebullition and commotion , caus'd most violent eruptions in all the veins , joints , fissures and hyatus's as well under the channel of the sea , as in all the parts of the earth's surface . these violent eruptions of the submarine and subterranean waters , which moses calls the breaking up of the fountains of the great deep , swell'd up the sea into such a height of gibbosity that it forc'd the rivers to stand back , and rise as high as their fountain heads , which covering all the dry land , excepting the tops of the highest mountains ; the aerial damp caus'd by the moon 's waterish vertex pressing down the vortex or atmosphere of this terraqueous globe , did not only interrupt the communication of the subterranean and aerial waters , by causing the raising and circulation of vapours to cease ; but also by condensing the moist air into waterish clouds , which falling down in continual spouts for forty days and nights together [ the air being without motion , consequently neither able to break nor support them ] the tops of the highest mountains were cover'd fifteen cubits , as moses gives account , gen. 7.15 . and these portentous rains which fell in spouts , moses expresseth by the opening of the windows of heaven , gen. 7.11 . thus the divided waters being reuni●●d as they were in the creation , and the circulation of vapours broken by the stagnation and damping of the aerial regions , the whole surface of the earth was cover'd , until god caus'd a wind to pass over the earth , which breaking the aerial damp , the rain ceased ▪ the subterranean waters sunk down into their veins ▪ recover'd the ground which the central fire had gain'd from them : the rivers forc'd the sea to retreat back to her own channel , and returning to her regular flux and reflux , the vapours arose and repair'd the air again wi●h clouds and moisture , and all things return'd to their natural course . i● cannot be imagin'd how the heart of noah and his family was reviv'd when the sun began to shew its face again , and the rain-bow appear'd in a broken cloud . for noah being undoubtedly as well a natural philosopher as a priest in his family , the appearance of a rain-bow [ which after a long storm is an infallible sign of fair-weather ] cou'd not but encourage him with hopes that the damp was broken and the storm over . god therefore made a covenant with noah and his posterity that there shou'd never be an universal deluge upon the earth , gen. 9.23 . and to establish this covenant with●him , he made the rain-bow [ being a waterish meteor , and after a storm a sign of fair-weather ] a most proper and significant sign and seal of that covenant [ viz. ] a sign commemorative of the past deluge , and a seal confirmative that there shou'd never be any more flood to destroy the earth . and no more than this seems to be meant by the appearance of the rain-bow in the cloud ▪ chap. xxi . of the season of the year when the deluge happen'd . dr . woodward declares his opinion , that the deluge com●enc'd in the spring season in the month we call may ; but upon what reason he grounds this conceit i cannot easily apprehend . for the fruits of the earth being then but growing ; and the former autu●n seeds being destroy'd by the by past winter , nature wou'd have been forc'd to a spontaneous production of the several kinds of vegetables as had lost their seeds . and whe● the several species of animals which were preserv'd from the flood , had liberty to go abroad and seek food , they wou'd not easily have found it in november and december , which months according to his hypothesis were the season when the waters ab●ted , and the beasts orde●'d to leave the ark , and seek their own food where ●hey cou'd find it . it seems then most probable that the universal deluge commenc'd in that month we call august , when the seeds of all vegetables were full ripe , and ready to sow themselves in the fertile soil , that when the deluge was over , and the dry land had for some time appear'd , and had receiv'd heat and incrustation from the warm influence of an approaching sun : these seeds being mingl'd with a warm and waterish soil , might be ready to spring up and supply the animals with pleasant food . we likewise observe that when the dove was sent forth out of the ark the second time , she brought with her a leaf pluck'd from an olive-tree : when she was sent forth a third time , she return'd no more , having found food upon the earth , which cou'd be no other than corn floating upon the surface of the waterish earth . again , moses gives us an account that in the first month , which probably answers our ianuary , the waters were dry'd up from the face of the earth ; and upon the 27th day of the second month , which seems to be our february or march , god order'd all the beasts in the ark , to be tur●'d out to grass , and shift for themselves . again , we find daily not only great trees of several kinds [ as oak , birch , &c. ] rooted up by the roots , and lying upon heaps bury'd and entomb'd in great mosses wher● they never had grown ; but had been brought thi●her by that general d●vastation made by the deluge : but hazel-nuts ▪ whose kernels are as fresh ●s if they had now been growing upon the trees . these nuts having been scatter'd there by the deluge , and having layn there bury'd and ●mbalm'd in those bituminous mosses to this day ; and in all probability might have been continu'd as long as the earth . from these observations , we may reasonably infer , that the flood commenc'd when the seeds of all vegetables were ripe for the propagation of their kinds . we may yet farther add , that all damps as well subterranean as aerial ▪ most frequently happen in the autumn season . chap. xxii . of the alterations which noah's flood made in , and upon the earth . i cannot agree with dr. woodward's hypothesis , wherein he asserts that during the time of the deluge , whilst the water was out upon , and cover'd the terrestrial globe , all the stone and marble with the metals and mineral concretions , &c. of the antediluvian earth , were totally dissolv'd ; and their constituent corpuscles all disjoin'd , their cohaesion perfectly ceasing , &c. this hypothesis seem inconsistent with sense and experience , as well as na●ural reason and scripture [ especially the mosaick account of the deluge . ] for first , experience tells us , that there is no such dissolving power or quality ei●her in the subterranean or aerial waters as to effect such a dissolution as he describes , and these were the immediate instruments of the deluge . it cannot reasonably be suppos'd [ without a miracle ] that all the solid consistences of the earth shou'd be dissolv'd into a fluid substance ; and again resettle and receive their several degrees of consolida●ion in so short a time as the flood continued upon the earth . if the earth suffer'd by the deluge a total and universal dissolution , then all those form'd stones and shells which the dr. conceives to be marine bodies born forth of the sea , by the universal deluge , and left behind at land when the waters return'd , wou'd have lost their forms and shapes , these being not only found upon the surface of the earth ; but in the interior parts of it , incorporated with several solid strata of stone , as well upon the mountains as plains . if not only the solid fossils ; but also sand , earth , animate bodies , parts of animals , bones and teeth , shells , vegetables and parts of vegetables , made one common and confus'd mass , dissolv'd into a fluid substance : then the whole species of vegetables , root and branch , stock and seed , wou'd have been lost , and nature forc'd to a s●ontaneous production , as at the creation . the re-settling of the confus'd fluid ma●s ac●ording to the r●l●s of spe●ifick gravity , the ●e●viest subsiding lowest , is a grand mistake in observation ▪ and by the same rule , the earth wou'd have been cov●r'd with a perpe●ual as well as universal deluge , as w● have already obs●rv'd . as this hypothesis is inconsistent with sense , reason and experience , so is it with the account moses gives of the universal deluge ; for he tells us that there were mountains during the prevalency of the waters , and that the flood cover'd the tops of them fifteen cubi●s . he tells us likewise , that the first dry land that appear'd , was the tops of the mountains , and that the ark rested upon the mountains of ararat . if this account be t●ue , as undoubtedly it is , the alterations which the deluge made were only in the surface and exterior parts of the ear●h : and those places of scripture which speak of destroying the earth , are to be understood , only the outward coat or superficies , and no● the mineral part of it . and neither was the surface of the earth altogethe● destroy'd , as appears by the dove 's b●inging of an olive leaf in her mouth pluck'd off ; and by all living creatures in the ark , being turn'd to grass and to shi●t for themselves in the seventh month after the deluge commenc'd , which might be in the beginni●● of our march. the alterations , which the deluge made upon the earth , being only in the exterior part of it , i shall take notice of such as are most remarkable and obvious . as first , the uppermost strata upon the tops of mountains ▪ were broken up and tumbl'd down to the skirts of them , and these we ●ind lying upon their inland sides in great confusion , with false and counter dibs and rises , like those flags and boards of ice , thrown out of the water upon the breach of a storm . the joints of the mountains consisting of rag raff and chiver , and not being bound together with strong cills of stone , were broken , as we have observ'd already . the courses and channels of rivers were enlarg'd , which caus'd all these pleasant gills and dales with their rapid river running through the midst of them . the whirling about of the water , caus'd all those hills or lesser mountains , whose consistences are only sand , gravel , or broken strata of stone &c. the deluge rooted up all the greater trees , some of which we find bury'd and emb●lm'd in great mosses , as well upon the mountains as in the valleys . the surface of the plains and valleys was fertiliz'd by the deluge , by it● leaving a prolifick slime and faeculent mud upon it . these alterations were not caus'd by the rising , but the decreasing waters ; for whilst the waters were arising , the aerial as well as the subterranean damp continu'd , and the subluniary course of nature was stagnated ; but as soon as god caus'd a wind to pass over the earth , the damp broke , and the waters were put into a most violent perturbation and commotion ; which was the only cause of all those alterations and devastations . the end of the first part . a scheme wherein the several degrees & concatenations of life are explained animalia intermedia zoophi●a insects apes idiots heroes genii boni a angels god the centre of the world. the mineral sphere the vegetative sphere of life the sensitive sphere of life the rational sphere of life the intellectual sphere of life the divine essence or fountain of life as the highest degree of vegetation in the zooph●●a makes a near approach to the lowest degree o● s●nsation in the insects . so the highest degree of sensation in apes &c. makes a near approach to the lowest degree of rationalit● in idiots &c. as the highest degree of rationality in the heros ▪ and speritualizd rationals makes a near approach to the boni genii or lowest order of angels : so the highest degree of intellectuallity in the angelick nature makes a near approach to the divine essence . part ii. chap. i. of the plastick spirit in matter , and its natural products . the plastick and vivifick . powers being the first principles of life in this natural world , which forms the first lines , and kindles the first sparks of the vital flame : it will be necessary in order to our present design , [ which is to give a short account of the originals , degrees and propagations of life in this natural world ] to describe the natural operations and products of these two first principles , and to shew how they act severally , as well as in consort . the plastick spirit in this world of matter , is a subtle saline volatile , which [ whilst matter was in a fluid substance ] diffus'd it self through all the lax strata and consistences of it . and ●s that acid a●● s●line humour in the stomachs of animals , together with the vital flame , by several degrees of concoction and depuration , separates the more pure and spirituous parts of the nourishment from the cras●er and more excrementitious parts of it , or as that acid and saline rennet separates and coagulates the more pure , spirituous and oyly parts of the milk from the waterish and more terre●e ; so this subtle and acid volatile , together with that subterranean flame [ which desseminates its warm and enlive●ing influence , not only through all the greater veins branches and ramifactions of the earth , but also pervades the smallest pores of the densest matter ] did separa●e , collect and coagulate the more simple , pure and homogeneous parts of ma●●er , from the crasser parts of it . and as the mass of fluid and waterish matter , receiv'd its degrees of consolidation , these purer and pneumatical coagulations were concreted in those solid as well as laxer strata wherein we find them , and the magnitude and figure of these concreted coagulations , corr●sponds with those moulds of crasser matter from whence they were extracted , and wherein they are enclos'd and compress'd . these we find lodg'd either in the exterior or interior parts of the earth , those concreted coagulations which we meet with in the outer coat , or grand cover of the earth , are of an irregular figure ; and they are lodg'd in that part in disorder and confusion . and these are either the common pebles , which are of a terrene saline or pinguid quality : or , they are common flints , pyritae and marchasites of a pneumatical and fiery quality : or , they are agates , onyxes , jaspers , cornelians , &c. of a mercurial and waterish quality , which are more or less transparent . this outer coat or surface of the earth consisting of sand , gravel , clay , bituminous peat-earth , and other kinds of matter of an heterogeneous nature , affords the greatest variety of these homogeneous concretions . and these are all of the same nature and quality with that courser and crasser matter from which they were extracted and coagulated . those more simple and homogeneous concretions which we meet with lodged in the interior strata of solid matter , which are of an irregular figure , are either of a liquifiable or calcinable quality . those that are not of a liquifiable nature , are those which the miners call the kernels of stones . for as the spirit of nature [ at the first setling of matter ] reduc'd all the constituent parts of the earth to several classes ; and every class of matter leading to some mine or mineral ; so every bed or layer of stone or metal has its proper kernels , by which the ingenious miner may be directed what mine or mineral ●●ey lead to ; whether to coal , rudle , iron . stone , lead or other metallick ores ; and these coagulated concretions , are commonly lodg'd in the midle of such solid strata those homogeneous and more pneumatical concretions of an irregular figure , which are of a liquifiable quality , are the several kinds of metallick ores , and these are lodg'd in those rakes , veins , riders , and strings which cross-cut and divide those solid strata of a hot quality , and the highest degree of concoction . the male parent of all these is sulphur , which being either white or yellow gives the tincture or colour , to all metals . the female parent is quick-silver , which is the cause of their liquifaction , flexibility , and ductility . all solid bodies consist of two several natures , tangible and pneumatical ; the pneumatical substance , is the native spirit of the body , which distinguisheth the several kinds of them : i define therefore all metallick ores to be the more simple homogeneous corpuscles of such stones and cills as are of a hot quality , and the highest degree of concoction , coagulated and concreted in those rakes , veins , &c. which cross-cut and divide those cills . the more homogeneous that metals are , the less of dross they have in them : the more of this native spirit they have in the tangible parts , they are the more liquifiable , flexible and ductile ; for the cause of liquifaction is the detention of the spirits which play within the body and open it ; so that the greater plenty of spirits any tangible matter has in it , it 's the more flexible , and therefore when the tangible parts are jejune of spirits , or easily emit them , they are fragile , and will not easily liqui●ie . when the tangible parts of matter are ductile or tensile , it 's occasion'd by the appetite which the native spirits have to union , and aversness to discontinue . secondly , that the metallick ores are the homogeneous and pneumatical corpuscles of stones and cills of a hot q●ality , and the like , coagulated and concreted by the plastick spirit of m●tter , is evident from the experience of mineralists , who find the greatest plenty of ore , in the veins of such cills as are of the highest degree of induration and concoction ; for where the cills are weak and soft , and have not receiv'd a right degree of heat and temper , their veins are only fill'd with sparr , soyl , clay or vein-stone , like unripe nuts whos● soft and weak shells are only fill'd with a milky pabulum , having little of kernel in them . again , in the third place , that ores are the pneumatical corpuscles of sulphur and quick● silver coagulated and concreted into clods and nodes , and lodg'd in the veins , will be apparent to those who will take the pains to observe , th●t the more rich any v●in is of ore , the less spangled with sulphur , and quick-silver are those cills and m●tals they cross-cut and divide ; and so on the contrary , the more spangl'd the stones are , the less ore in the vein . and the reason why those metallick spangles are collected , coagulated and concreted in those rakes and veins , is because they lay most open and ready to receive them ; and this is the reason too , why we meet with float ore lying in flat beds in those upper cills which lye open : these being ebullitions or overflowings of vein ore. as that hypothesis of the theorist wherein he conceits ▪ that there was no metallick ores or minerals in the antediluian earth , contradicts the account which moses gives of tubal-cain , who was , as he tells us , an instructer of every artificer in brass and iron : this tubal-cain living before the deluge . so dr. woodward's hypothesis , that the metallick and mineral matter , which is now found in the perpendicular intervals of the strata , was all of it originally , and at the time of the deluge lodg'd in the bodies of the strata , being interspers'd or scatter'd in single corpuscles in the sand or other matter , whereof the strata mainly consisted ; seems inconsistent with reason and his own notions of specifick gravity . for , first , it cannot be easily imagin'd by what art or chymistry the metallick or mineral matter , which interspers'd and scatter'd in single corpuscles in the strata of solid stone , [ especially the corpuscles being smaller than those of the smallest sand ] cou'd be separated and made fit for use . again , if the mass of fluid matter , after the deluge was over , did resettle according to the rules of specifick gravity , the heaviest subsiding the lowest [ as the dr. asserts ] why did not these small grains of ponderous ore subside the lowest , being heavier than the corpuscles of those strata wherein they were lodg'd ? and to assert that they were born up by the waters of the abyss rising up towards the surface [ as the dr. supposeth ] is as inconsistent with gravitation and levity , as for feathers t● sink and lead to swim . these hypotheses being inconsistent both with scripture and reason ; we shall take it for granted , that all these coagulated concretions of metallick ores , were by the plastick spirit in matter lodg'd in the veins of the several strata , lying most open , and being most ready to receive them : and that the state of the antediluvian earth did not differ as to its constituent parts from this postdiluvian earth . having given an account of the originals , natures , and causes of such concreted coagulations , as are of an irregular figure ; i proceed to describe the natures and causes of those of a more regular form. and these are the kernels or catheads which we meet with in coal metals or stone metals , which being either of a saline or pinguid quality , and consisting of the smallest grit , gave way to the plastick spirit to form them into more regular shapes and figures ; and these are either globular , oval , triangular , quadrangular , &c. as the matter coagulated had a natural tendency to such a form or figure ; and they lie in these beds of metals , either in layers , or in disorder and confusion besides these irregular and regular concretions ; there are others of a more uniform shape and figure ; and these may most properly bear the name of form'd ston●s . they are found lodg'd either in beds of pinguid and luxuriant soil , or in such b●ds of stone , chalk , sand , gravel and e●rths as are of a s●line quality . those we meet with lodg'd in beds of pinguid and luxuriant soil , have the forms and shapes of worms , serpents , snails and other t●rrene ins●cts , which perhaps cou'd never come within the compass of our observation . those we meet with in the solid strata of stones , chalk , sand , gravel and earth of a saline quality , have the forms of cockels , muss●ls , oyst●rs , and other marine insects , which probably mankind h●s never yet been acquainted with ; and not withs●anding that these shells have the fo●ms of those marine insects they repres●nt , yet th●y never were the spoil● of marine b●dies ; but form'd in those stones and e●rths , where we find them lodg'd : and it seems most probable that they receiv'd these forms and shapes at the creation of this material globe , wh●n m●tter was in a fluid and wate●ish mass ; and wh●n there was a commixture of light and darkness , of the plastick and vivisick powers ; for then the vivifick spirit of nature disseminated the specifick forms of those animals of the lowest degree of life in those waterish funds and promptuaries of matter in which they were form'd , and increas'd into that shape and figure we now find them in . and if god almighty had not [ by dividing the light from darkness , the vivisick from the plastick power , and by consolidating the exterior strata of matter ] cursed the earth , these terrene and marine insects which we find petrefi'd and entomb'd in marble , limestone and chalk , or bury'd in beds of sand , gravel or earth , might have increas'd to higher degres of perfection , as well as those subterranean toads , frogs , asks and clocks , which we meet with in the cavities and joints of such stones as have lost their natural feeders . but of these the following chapters will give a more full account . chap. ii. of the grand cover of the earth ; the sympathetical union of the plastick and vivifick spirit ; and the production of vegetables , the first and lowest degree of life . the outer cover of the more solid parts of the earth , which we call the surface and fertile soil , being [ as we have observ'd ] the universal fund or promptuary , or the common matrix , wherein was desseminated the specifick forms of the lowest degree of life and vegetation , whilst others of a higher degree danc'd about it , like atoms in a morning sun 's beam. it will be necessary in the first place to give a fuller description of the natures and qualities of it , and to shew by what degrees of heat and vital incubations it was modified and prepar'd to answer that imperious word ▪ let the earth bring forth . when the waters were divided and the sea drawn down to its proper channel , they left behind them a feculent mud and sedement , which being like to a universal q●ag , of a lax and waterish substance , consisting of the several kinds of matter of an heterogeneous nature , and saturated with great plenty of mineral spirits of all qualities : these mineral spirits , by a natural motion and tendency rising up to the surface , as we observe cream riseth up to the top of milk , or as oyl sloateth above water ; the warm influence of the aetherial flame moving upon it , thickn●d these mineral spirits into a liquid gelly , or a pinguid and unctious slime . and this we call the naked skin of the earth or fertile soil . this skin or fertile soil , before it got any coat or cover upon it , was not only tinctur'd and colour'd with all those wate●ish colours of green , red , yellow , &c. but also was spotted and speckl'd with great variety of other colours , occasion'd by a commixture of these mineral spirits . and these gave not only the tinctures and colours to the common and waterish herbs , as grass , plants and flowers , but gave also the different complexions to birds , beasts and men. and as the several colours and complexions were occasion'd by the mixture and temperament of the mineral spirits , so were their different natures and qualities ; for a cunning chymist will extract out of herbs and plants the several kinds of mineral spirits , as well as out of the mineral it self . the virgin matter being thus modifi'd and prepar'd by the warm influence and enlivening vegetations of the aetherial flame , and its naked skin adorn'd and beautifi'd with her great variety of natural paints : those seminal forms or plastick ▪ souls which were disseminated in her warm and moist womb , and sympathetically united to their belov'd matter , began to exert their plastick powers , and put forth spungy strings and roots ; not only to fasten them to the earth , but to suck in such juices as were most proper for their food and nourishment , which by their seminal vertues being digested into the substance of a plant , herb or tree , of such an order , figure and temperament , it became an individual of that numerous species of vegetables ; which began first to peep out of the earth , as corn out of the furrows ; and afterwards gradually increas'd to the highest degree of perfection and maturity its nature was capable of . thus the naked skin of the earth was cover'd with a coat or green livery , beautifi'd and adorn'd with flowers of several kinds of colours ; and as the passive matter increas'd in degrees of heat and modification , it produc'd vegetables of higher degrees of life and perfection , as all kinds of trees , from the lowest shrub to the tallest cedar or most robust oak . that these productions were not brought forth all at once ; but gradually as the passive matter receiv'd higher degrees of heat and modification , is apparent from our observing of those annual productions which every season bringeth forth . for there are some vegetables of a cold and waterish quality , whose natural spirits are more fine , light and active , which require only a smaller degree of heat to raise them , and these are the productions of those early months , ianuary , february and march : and these come to their perfection and maturity before april and may , which present us with an other crop and order of vegetables : and for this same reason , iune , iuly and august go further , and presents us still with different shows of plants , herbs and flowers : and thus as the sun increaseth in heat , and the passive matter in degrees of modification , we are presented with higher and more noble productions . the seminal forms of vegetables , being now united to their material vehicles , and being grown up to their several degrees of perfection and maturity , they retain'd seed in themselves , and did propagate their several kinds by scattering of their ripe seed upon the fertile soil , which like the warm and moist womb of a fruitful mother , dissolves them first into a liquid jelly , and then divides their parts into their several uses . that the seminal forms of vegetables were originally disseminated in the earth as in an universal fund or promptuary , will be yet further evident by those ocular observations which has been frequently made of productions without seed ; for take some quantity of earth digg'd several fathoms under ground , and expose it to the sun and rain , and it will spontaneously without any seed bring forth common grass and several herbs and plants again , we observe that particular soils will produce , without propagation by seed , herbs and plants peculiar to that kind of soil and earth , as pavements do naturally produce knot-grass , &c. if it be object'd , that the smaller seeds are disseminated over all by the winds , and the greater seeds scatter'd by birds that feed upon them . i answer that its commonly observ'd , when earth is brought out of the indies or other remote countries for ballast to ships , and cast forth upon some ground in italy or other countries at a great distance , it will put forth foreign herbs to us unknown : and it cannot be imagin'd that the winds shou'd blow the seeds of these plants from the indies , or that the birds shou'd cross the seas and scatter them at so great a distance . to these i might farther add those try'd experiments of transmutation ▪ transmigration , and degeneration of herbs and plants . having describ'd the original of vegetables the first and lowest degree of life , and shewn that tho' the manne● of their propagation be now by seed ; yet when seed is wanting , the fertile soil will bring forth common grass and other plants in the natural way by a spontaneou● generation : thus the evening and the morning , or the sympathetical union of the active form and passive matter produc'd the first and lowest degree of life , which made the third production . chap. iii. of reducing the confus'd mass or light of the aetherial flame into a body , which made the sun ; of reducing those higher fogs and waterish mists into a body , which made the moon ; how by clearing of the superlunary firmament or the planetary spheres , the stars appear'd : and what the sun , moon and stars contribute towards the production of sensitive or locomotive animals , and why the creation of these second causes made the fourth production . tho' the earth was now gay and trim with a new green livery of grass , adorn'd with painted flowers , and pleasant copices or thickets of young trees ; the passive matter was yet too cold and waterish to draw down out of the second degree of life any of the sensitive forms to actuate and inform it . the almighty power did therefore contract this dilated aetherial flame of light into a body , which moses calls the sun , that those enlivening heats and vital incubations which flow from it , might be more strong and vigorous , and penetrate deeper into the cold matter . and god plac'd this coelestial fire at such a convenient distance from the earth , that it might neither be too much scorch'd by being too near it ; nor frozen , by being at too great a distance from it ; but that it might receive such a temperate heat from it , as to excite its seminal vertues , and draw up its juices into them , and thereby ripen its natural fruits . god gave to the earth also a diurnal motion , that by a just and regular turning about upon its own cen●re , it might have the benefit of day and night every four and twenty hours , so that no part of the earth might be too much heated by thesun's presence upon it , or too long benighted by his absence from it ; because as one side is warm'd and cherish'd by its rays , it withdraws and turns to it its other side ; and so by this just and regular turning about of the earth , and an equal distribution of day and night , the active animals get leave to rest , the over-heated air to cool , and the gasping earth to recover its fainting vertues , which a continu'd day wou'd soon exhaust and extinguish . god gave also the sun an annual motion , and has directed it into such a commodious course , that it sheds forth its enlivening light , heat and influence over all the parts of the earth , and by turns , gives all countries their yearly seasons . and this gradual increase and decrease of heat , answers all the ends of nature , both in the vegetive and animal world much better than the constant temperature and equality of heat , which the theorist supposeth to have been in the an●ediluvian earth . after the creation of the sun , god reduc'd all those vast fogs and waterish mists that rang'd about in the planetary spheres into a body , which moses calls the moon , and he design'd it [ as a reverend and learn'd divine of our own has observ'd ] to be for a vicarious light to the sun , to supply his absence , and perform his office in the lower world. he plac'd the moon in the lowest of the coelestial spheres , at such a conv●nient distance from the earth , that the warm influence of the sun being reflected from it , might carry down with it some of its coelestial moisture . he gave also to the moon so commodious a motion , which it performs in every 28 or 29 days , that when the sun is southward it moves northward , and when the sun moves northward it's motion is southward , by which motion the cold and darkness of the long winter nights are moderated , and these remote regions under the poles comforted with the sun's influence at second-hand , when they want it at the first . thus by reducing of those waterish fogs into the body of the moon , the upper firmament or the planetary spheres were clear'd , and the plan●ts , with the rest of the stars created in the morning of the world , began to appear ; and to send down their aetherial and invisible influences upon this globe , which were obstructed and interrupted by the interposition of these waterish mists . and the creation of the sun and moon and the clearing of the planet●ry spheres god made use of as 〈…〉 , or necessary second causes tow●rd ●he production of the second d●●ree of life , and therefore these made the fourth production . chap. iv. of the production of the second degree of life , and first of oviparous animals , as fish and waterish insects . having already observ'd , that whilst the earth was a fluid and waterish mass , and there was a commix●ure of light and darkness , the plastick and vivifick spirits ; the specifick forms of vegetation , and the lowest forms of animals were disseminate● in the exterior strata of this waterish mass ; and if god had not curs'd the earth , by dividing light from darkness , the material and formal principles of life , the luxuriant matter wou'd have teem'd fo●th such numbers of animal productions , that the surface of the earth and waters wou'd not have maintain'd them . this hypothesis is grounded not only upon the form'd stones we meet with lodg'd in the interior strata of the earth [ which having the shapes and representations of terrene and marine insects ] cou'd proceed from no other original than a plastick spirit ; but also upon those subterranean animals , as toads , frogs , asks and clocks , which we sometimes meet with inclos'd in the cavities and hollows of stone , as well as in their dry joints . i have found a large toad six yards under ground , inclos'd in the very middle of a hard stone , where the joint that led to it was so straight , that it wou'd not receive the thinnest knife ; so likewise great numbers of asks , clocks and beetles in the dry joints of stones , which cou'd have no other generation , but what was from a plastick spirit modifying a subterranean vapour collected into that cavity or dry joint , the vivifick flame kindl'd a spark of life in them , which [ by sucking in such subterranean vapours , as abounded in the joints of these dry stones , which had lost their natural feeders ] were increa●'d to that bulk we found them in ; no doubt but the stamina vitae of these subterrene animals are preserv'd by continual sleeping , and the air they breath is purely subterranean , like embrios in the womb , which live by the respiration of their mothers : and it may seem very probable that these under-ground animals have liv'd in these joints and cavities ever since the deluge , and perhaps long before ; for as nothing preserves the vital flame more than sleep ; so nothing wastes and spends it more than action . to these i might add the production of eels , worms , marine and waterish insects , as the vrtica marina , &c. which being zoophyta or plant animals , and not locomotive , cou'd have no other production , than what was meerly aequivocal or spontaneous , and from matter modifi'd and prepar'd for rec●iving of the vital spark . besides these invisible productions , i shall add one more , visible and apparent . take a strong horse-hair , and put it into the water warm'd by the influence of the sun [ especially in may o● iune ] and within some few hours it will take life , move at both ends , and in a short time , its probable that it might become one of those several kinds of eels we meet with in the waters . notwithstanding that all these productions had their first original from such matter as was most proper and capable to be modisied by the plastick spirit of nature ; yet being produc'd , they sometimes propagate their several kinds by univocal generation , these marine insects which are not locomotive , being only excepted . from these praeliminary instances , and a great many more ocular observations which might easily be produc'd , i conclude , that as the several forms of vegetables , were disseminated in the upper covers of the earth ; so were the specifick forms of several kinds of fish [ as well those which the natu●alists call pelagiae , as those they call l●turales ] desseminated in the wa●●r● , or submarine and fresh-water quicksands ; and as the water receiv'd higher d●grees of modific●tion , they produc'd fish of a higher degree of life , in obedience to that command laid upon them , let the waters bring forth abundantly . the second causes which concurr'd in the production of these waterish animals , were , first , the coelestial influences . secondly , the water which being modified by the plastick spirit and the coelestial influences , became waterish vehicles , or bodies for their specifick forms to act in . thirdly , the submarine and waterish quick-sands in which their eggs were generated . fourthly , the subterranean heat , which abounding most in these submarine quick-sands or waterish nests , did hatch these eggs into life . fifthly , an innate power in the plastick form , which discriminated their kinds . the original production of all kinds of fish , being from their invisibe and vital forms disseminated in waterish quick-sands , as soon as they came to perfection and maturity , they retain'd seed in themselves , by which they propagated their own kinds . the time of their propagation is with us about september ; for then being grown strong and lusty with their summers feeding , and the influence of the moon and the rest of the aetherial bodies , being then more strong and powerful upon the waters . again , about that time the subterranean heat rises towards the surface of the earth , and breaks out in springs and quick sands , which is the reason , why about that time the fresh-water fish draw up to the spring-heads , and the sea fish to the submarine q●ick-sands , wherein they scatter their eggs. the manner how they propagate , is , first by digging up the sand where they intend to make their nests , and then [ not by copulation or penetration of parts , but playing cheek for chole , and by sympathetical touches ] the female whones her eggs , and the male his spawn , which mixing together falls down into these prepar'd nests which they cover up with sand , thereby securing it from the winter floods . after this they return to their winter holds , leaving their eggs to be hatch'd by the subterranean heat , which continues in the springs and quick-sands until the april following ; and then the young frie , being hatch'd creep out of their warm nests and swim down the waters in numerous swarms or shoals . after the production of all the subordinate kinds of fish , god last of all created great whales , by which words moses intimates to us , that all the rest of the waterish animals were produc'd by the ordinary concurrence of second causes ; but god to shew his great power in the deep waters as well as upon the dry land , did seem to give a preter-natural assistance to the production of an animal of so great a body ; which in the atlantick ocean , when they appear to mariners upon the waters , appear like little islands or mountains ; and these are the leviathans that god made to take their pastime in the deep : he made them lords also over all the fish , which he gave to them for meat . for as every superior rank or species of terrene animals feed upon their inferior , and man upon all ; so every superior species of fish live upon their inferior , and so the whale , being lord over all the rest , lives upon its underlings . chap. v. of the second genus of oviparous animals , ( viz ) the aerial : and first , of fly insects , secondly , of serpents , thirdly , of birds , and why moses makes the waterish and aerial animals congenial . as it seems preposterous to create any species of animals , before meat suitable to their natures to live upon was provided for them ; so it seems most probable and agreeable with the ends of nature , that grass , plants , herbs , and the whole set of vegetables shou'd be the first spring and summers product . that the replenishing of the waters with all kinds of fish , the production of the following winter ; and that the next spring shou'd begin with the production of aerial animals ; these ●iving and feeding upon the first products of the earth and waters . again , since the several degrees of modification of matter , and the animal life increaseth , as the enlivening influence of the sun grows hotter and more powerful ; it necessarily follows , that the several kinds of flying insects , [ being the lowest degree of life under this genus ] shou'd be the first product ; for as soon as the fertile soil had receiv'd a degree of heat from the approaching sun , the earth began to revive , the young plants began to peep out of their winter beds , and the tender leaves of trees began to break their autumn buds . the east wind blowing then dry , by it's soft and easie blasts did condense the morning and evening dews into viscous and clammy strings , which like cobwebs hang upon every thorn and spread themselves upon the young grass , till the sun advancing towards the meridian , sent down a warm reflection upon the earth , and caus'd all these fine and tender threads to draw together , and fashion themselves into little nests , in which by a higher degree of heat were form'd little eggs ; which by another degree of heat took life , and did fly about in the open air , some feeding upon dews , others upon leaves ; others upon corruption in the air ; others were blood-suckers . besides these generated of dews , there are infinite numbers of other kinds of insects which are generated of slime and corruption ; and these are either daily or weekly productions , some of which transmute from one species to another , as those insects which we call caterpillars the first summer , the next summer will become butterflies : so cod-bates in april and iune will transmute into those kind of flies we call clegs , which are blood-suckers . to shew particularly the kinds , natures and numbers of all these transmutable insects , wou'd be a task invincible . thus were the several kinds of flying insects produc'd , having their colours , natures and qualities from flowers , plants , herbs , trees , or corrupted water and slime , and their shapes and figures from their plastick forms , these being the lowest degree of life , a small degree of heat produc'd ' em . of the production of serpents . after the production of these flying insects , the east wind still blowing warm and dry , those standing puddles of stagnated and corrupted water being drain'd , and leaving behind a poisonous slime , on which by the sun's influence were form'd poisonous eggs ; which by higher degrees of heat were hatch'd into life , and by sucking in and feeding upon such poisonous matter as they cou'd meet with ●uitable to their natures , they got strength , feet and wings , and became serpents of several kinds , some creepers , as adders and snakes , some with feet , as the asp and viper , some with horns , as the cerafles ; some with wings , as the basilisk and dragon , and the like . altho that these have all of them head , heart , blood , nerves , senses and other parts agreeable with the most perfect animals ; and tho' that some of them be the most subtile amongst the irrationals ; yet by reason of their disparity with quadrupedes , they are accounted amongst the imperfect animals and of a lower degree of life . of the several kinds of birds . after this the cold and waterish earth , being drain'd and warm'd by the increasing influence of the sun , the mountains , heaths , dales , valleys , water-sands and the sea-shore , were cover'd with a luxuriant , plastick and prolifick slime , which drew down [ by way of sympathy ] out of the warm regions of the air , the specifick forms of birds or aerial animals , which being united to this luxuriant and plastick slime , there were form'd innumerable numbers of eggs upon the mountains , heaths , valleys , and all parts of the earths surface ; and no sooner were these eggs form'd , but the warm influence of the sun , sat on brood upon them until they were hatch'd into little chickens . those hatch'd upon the sea-shore became sea-birds , those by the sides of rivers , feeding upon fresh-water fish , and those hatch'd hy the sides of lakes and ponds , became amphibious birds , feeding both upon fish and herbs , as geese , swans , ducks , &c. those hatch'd upon mountains and heaths feeding upon mountain vegetables , heath birds ; those upon the plains and valleys became domesticks , feeding both upon grass and corn ; and those in the woods , singing birds and birds of prey , as the eagle , and the rest of those tyrants of the air. after this manner were the aerial animals produc'd , and the reason why moses makes the aerial and waterish animals congenial , is , first , the parity of their production , being both from eggs. secondly , the affinity of that matter on which they were produc'd , the air and water being transmutable elements . thirdly , from the likeness of their actions and qualities , the one kind having fins by which they swim in the water , the other having wings by which they fly or swim in the air. as these were the productions of the first spring months ( viz. ) ianuary , february and march ; so in these months they do always propagate their kinds by laying of eggs , every species according to its kind ; some on mountains , others in valleys ; some by water-sides , others in the woods , &c. the warm wing of the dam , now supplying the want of a warm sun-beam . for as the wing hatcheth them out of their shells , so it strengthens and nourishes them by vital incubations , till their pinions be able to bear them up to seek their own food : thus the wing is both the midwife that brings them out , and the nurse that brings them up . chap. vi. of the terrene , or viviparous animals . after the production of these animals of a lower degree of life , and perfection , and the sun was advanc'd higher in his annual motion , which darting down his warm beams upon the earth in a more direct line , they did penetrate deeper into the cold matter ; and by drawing forth its fertile spirits towards the skin or surface of it , they set the plastick power on working , and modifying the passive matter into more noble forms ; which by their sympathetical charms drew down the specifick forms of the most perfect animals within the second sphere of life . for in every little pit or hollow of the earth , which being fill'd with luxuriant and prolifick slime was kindl'd by the vivifick vertue of the seminal form , a little bubble of life , which the plastick power began to shape into the form or figure of an animal . and thus was the numerous brood of quadrupedes , [ being animals of the most perfect kind ] first conceiv'd in the warm and moist womb of modified matter , nourish'd by sucking in the luxuriant and prolifick slime ; which by their vital heat they digested and distributed into the several parts and members of their bodies increasing of them by an equal assimulation of parts ; and as soon as these young embrio's had got strength , they crawl'd out of their warm nests of matter , and began to suck in those honey dews , and lick up that sweet manna which laid upon the grass and herbs , and this supply'd to them the want of maternal milk and nourishment . for during the time of these productions , god neither suffer'd it to rain upon the earth , nor the winds to blow , lest this infant brood of young animals shou'd have been destroy'd , before the birds got wing , or ●he beasts foot and strength to defend themselves against a storm ; but there went up only a mist from the earth , which water'd the whole face of the ground . and this mist was only a warm and moist smother , which arose from the earth , as we observe it to rise from the furrows in the spring , months occasion'd by the morning sun-beams , and these clouds which did swim in the air , only serv'd for umbrello's and parasoli to screen those infant animals from being scorch'd by the heat of the sun , and from drying up their food and nourishment . the earth being now stock'd with the several kinds of animals , contain'd under the sensitive genus , they did propagate their kinds by univocal generation . for which end nature and providence hath form'd several vessels of slime-pits in every female , for preserving something analogous to that original slime , which was then the passive principle of generation , and likewise in every male such vessels as are most fit and commodious for preserving a beam or spark of the aetherial flame [ which being the material vehicle , wherein the specifick form is preserv'd ] kindles the first buble of life in the passive matter . and we observe that as soon as age and maturity hath fill'd these seminal vessels with this prolifick slime , and digest'd it into a right degree of heat and temperature , the females of every kind or species of animals , begin to prune , dress and trim themselves , by which modest way of courtship , the male is drawn and charm'd to within their sympathetical spheres : thus the evening and the morning , or the sympathetical union of the active form and passive matter , made the fifth production . chap. vii . of the creation of man , the sixth production . the earth being now cover'd with the great variety of species , contain'd under the genus of vegetation , the waters replenish'd with all kinds of fish , the mountains , plains and valleys stock'd with herds and flocks of all kinds of cattle : god did once more modifie the passive matter into a more noble and excellent form , not only capacitated to receiv● the lower degrees of the animal life : but also fitted with organs to entertain an intellectual soul , which moses ●ells us god breath'd into it : it being impossible for matter , tho' never so curiously modifi'd by the plastick spirit of nature and the joint concurrence of the coelestial influences to draw down by the power of any material sympathy a soul out of the immaterial and intellectual spheres of life to animate and enform it . and this noble creature god call'd man , being made not only after his own image , spiritual and immortal ; but also after his similitude ( viz ) endow'd with all the affections and communicable attributes of the divine nature , by which he became capable not only of disclosing the secret mysteries of nature , and of diving into its deep philosophy ; but also of knowing and adoring his creator ; by which perogatives of his birth , and noble extraction , he became qualifi'd for being his creator's vicegerent upon earth . the conclusion . wherein is shewn the meaning and significancy of these words . and god saw every thing that he had made , and behold it was very good . that god , who is infinite in goodness and all perfections , cannot be the author or producer of any thing , but what is good and perfect in its kind , hath been always assum'd as a granted principle , not only by the best of divines , but even the generality of pagan philosophers : yet moses , notwithstanding this , foreseeing that this excellent frame of the world , which was design'd on purpose to bring all reasonable creatures to the knowledge and veneration of their creator , wou'd be perverted to contrary ends and effects ; and that the production of all the creatures might be ascrib'd wholly to second causes , or to no cause at all ; but to chance and to the casual motion of matt●r , for the prevention of which , he here brings in the almighty more humano taking an exact view and survey of the whole creation , both as to its structure and furniture , and giving it his divine approbation in these words , and he saw every thing that he had made , and behold it was very good . the goodness of the creatures do principally consist in these four particulars . in their correspondency and agreement with those patterns and ideas preconceiv'd in the divine understanding . in their fitness and suitableness for those misplaid ends and purposes for which they were created . in their being good and perfect in their several kinds . in the regular keeping and observing those rules given them at their creation . th●t this infinite variety of orders , shapes and figures , by which the several species of creatures are charact●riz'd and distinguish'd , are not the effects of blind chance or casual motion , but t●e products of infinite power , wisdom and counsel , will be clear and evident , if we carefully observe , that not only their numbers , shapes and figures ; but also their whole contextures and contemperation of parts , with their natures and qualities , have all of them a manifest relation to those several uses and operations they perform ; and this is so fairly illustrated and prov'd by the ing●nious and leaned mr. ray , in his treatise concerning the wisdom and providence of g●d in the creation of the world ; that a ●urther enlargement upon this argument , wou'd be wholly superfluous . that all creatures are good and perfect in their kind , will appear , if we consider that it was most agreeable with the divine wisdom , that the whole scheme and system of nature , shou'd consist in different degrees of perfection and subordination of life : and that every inferior spe●ies shou'd be concatenated to its superior by animals of an intermediate nature , and yet notwithstanding this difference amongst the creatures in degrees of life and perfection , we cannot but observe , that every creature even of the lowest degree of life is good and perfect in its kind ( viz ) without any blemish , defect or flaw ; for the meanest insect , is as perfect an animal , as the elephant and whale , and god's wisdom and power is as well to be admir'd in the paint upon the butterflie's wing , as in the glorious body of the sun. again , there is nothing more agreeable with the divine wisdom , than that there shou'd be in so great a variety of creatures , degrees of subordination and perfection , will yet further appear if we consider that these creatures of a lower degree of perfection do by comparison illustrate and commend those of a higher degree . that those regular subserviencies and harmonies might make up a vital cement whereby the whole frame and structure shou'd be united . it was nec●ssary that there shou'd be variety of natures , and different degrees of life , that the wisdom of the creator might be the more display'd , acknowledg'd and celebrated , and that his infinite and universal goodness might be more visible in the supplying and providing for the wants of so vast a number of creatures of so different natures . lastly , that man being pla●'d at so great a distance from the beatisick vision [ which whilst he continues in this compounded state , wou'd either have dazl'd or confounded his sight , or affright'd and ravish'd his soul out of his body ] it pleas'd therefore the divine wisdom to create all this great variety of creatures that he might behold his creator at second-hand , when his bodily eyes cou'd not bear the sight of him at the first . and secondly , that he might exercise and improve his rational faculties , and entertain his heaven-born soul with natural as well as divine speculations , which in some measure compensates for the want of a clearer sight of the divine vision . again , altho' it must be granted that in those different degrees of perfection all are not alike amiable , lovely and beneficial to man ; yet those that are the less beautiful and lovely sets off the beauty of the rest , as shadows set off the more lively colours . thirdly , that the goodness of the creature , does consist in its fitness for those ends and purposes for which it was created will appear , if we consider that it cannot be easily imagin'd , that god who is infinite in wisdom and goodness , shou'd create any thing in vain ; but to good ends , and the best of purposes . we therefore in the nature of things can discover infinite agreeableness of this to that , and of one thing to another . and though we cannot throughly penetrate and discover the relation use and end , of every thing in nature , by reason of our incapacity , occasion'd by the darkness of that state we live in ; yet we have reason from what we can discover , to conclude , that every thing was created for good ends and particular uses : for , first of all , we do observe that every inferior creature was subservient to its superior : and all the creatures subservient to man ; altho our ignoranc● in this dark and degenerate state , has made us uncapable of understanding their natures and uses . secondly , we observe that every element is fitt'd for its animal , and every animal for its proper element . we observe that every object is fitted for its sense , and every sense to its proper object . we observe that food and nourishment is provided in nature's s●ore-house for every animal , and every animal for its proper food and nourishment . these being trite and common topicks , i refer the reader to those authors who have made it their business to enlarge upon them : i shall proceed therefore to shew how in the last place , the goodness of the creatures consist in observing and keeping of those laws given them at their creation . when the almighty had created the world , and stock'd it with several ranks and degrees o● creatures , he gave them laws to keep , and rules to walk by : and these we call the regular course of nature , from which they never vary unless at their creator's command . these laws which all the creatures are govern'd by , are , 1. a divine impression ; or , 2. natural instinct , 3. external senses . 4. the laws and rules of natural reason . 1. the inanimate creatures , are govern'd by a divine impression ; for if we look up to heaven , we observe how the sun , moon and all the aetherial globes do perform their natural motions , from which they have not vary'd higher or lower , faster or slower , since their first creation ; and how they shed forth their coelestial influences on all things here below . 2. if we look downward , we may observe , how this terraqueous globe consisting of dull and stupid matter , turnes about its own centre , and naturally , constantly and regularly performs its diurnal motion , its cold sides ●her●by receiving th● warm influence of the co●l●stial bodies . 3. we may obse●ve , that those ●●eak a●d groveling plants ( viz. ) the hop , vi●e and ivy , are by nature 〈◊〉 with ●endrils or pliant strings , and how by a natural kind of instinct they seek about for supporters , and having found them , they clasp about them ; for all the plants of this kind , as 〈◊〉 they were sensibe of their being , adjective , are always in busie quest for their substan●ive . fourthly , we may observe how the insects , those animals of the lowest degree of life , propagate and preserve their kind by natural instinct , which in them supplies the want of higher degrees of sense ; for with what curiosity do the bees make their waxen cells , lay in their winter provision , and how obedient they are to their master bees or governors ? with what wonderful art does the spider spin his web out of his own bowels ? with what care and industry does the little ant first make her store house in some dry hill , then seeks about for winter provisions , and that the corn and seed she gathers may not grow nor sprout in her store-house , she eats off that end where the seminal form is lodg'd . fifthly , we may observe how all those winter sleepers , who when their summers provisions are spent , and by their natural instinct they foresee the winter's frost approaching , do withdraw into some warm winter-quarters , where they live by sleeping , till the approaching sun invite them out into the fields . sixthly , we may observe with what wonderful art and curiosity the smallest birds build their nests of several form● suitable to their weakness or strength ▪ how when their nests are built , they lay their eggs , hatch them with their wings , and then feed them till they get strength to fly abroad , and seek their own meat ; we may further observe , that all those creatures that are govern'd by the laws of natural instinct , never varies in their operations ; but walk in the same roads and pursue the same methods . seventhly , we may observe how those animals that are govern'd both by sense and instinct do prepagate their kinds , and how they are all provided with natural armour for self-preservation : we may also observe amongst those animals of a higher degree of sense such instances of love and hatred , as are seldom practis'd by the most passionate lovers , or the most malicious haters . i have known and heard of dogs and other ●re●tures , that have pin'd away ●nd dy'd for want of their masters ▪ and others also that have born such an impl●cable antipathy against some particular persons , as was never to be reconcil'd . eighthly , and lastly , i might instance in those excell●nt laws of prudence and reason , as well as those of the divine life , which god imprinted upon the nature of man , before they were obliterat'd and defac'd by sense . thus all the creatures , m●n only excepted , continue still under the government of those laws given them at their first creation . this may seem sufficient to convince the most profess'd atheist , who is not resolv'd to offer violence to his natural sense as well as reason , that there is a god , and that the world with all its furniture , was the product of the divine power , wisdom and counsel . the end of the second part. a discourse concerning the terrestrial paradise , shewing how adam was introduced into it : the time he continued in it ; and how he and eve employed that time. a discourse concerning the terrestrial paradise , shewing how adam was introduced into it . several men of great learning ▪ as well ancient as modern , have made most industrious enquities , after the place and situation of this terrestrial paradise ; of which moses has given us so particular a description in his second ●hapter of genesis . and their opinions about it , being as different and wide , as east and wes● , heaven and earth ▪ we shall therefore only undertake , to present the reader with some conclusions , drawn , as well from the fairest arguments of probability , as from the mosaick account of the place . and first we conclude from the literal sense of the text , that there was such a place upon earth , as a local paradise ; and that this place , did as far exceed the rest of the earth , in fertility of soil , and all the products of nature , as gardens of the best cultivation , exceed the common fields . we collect from the literal sense , that this terrestrial paradise , in respect of iudea or midian [ where we suppose moses writ this system of the creation ] was eastward . that in respect of the surface of the earth , its particular situation was misplaced in a middle between the tops of the highest mountains , and the lower plains and valleys . that in respect of the heavens , its situation was under the aequinoctial line . these two last hypothesis's having no authority from the sacred scripture , we shall endeavour to ground them ; not only upon the bare account which tranellus has given of the fertility of those aequinoctial regions , but also upon such natural arguments as cannot [ without offering violence to reason if self ] be easily deny'd . for notwithstanding , that several of the ancient writers , were of opinion that those countries , under the torrid zone , were uninhabitable , by reason of the sun 's darting down its fiery globuli upon them in down-right lines : and because they wanted those plentiful and pleasant showers of rain , which fertiliz'd the rest of the habitable world ; yet the experience of later travallers hath discover'd to us , first that the want of rain is repair'd by those great and rich dews , which the morning-cold condenseth , and which lying upon the ground until ten a clock , the sun's influence upon it , having then exhal'd the more nitrons and airy part of it ; the sphere of rarefaction [ which in those regions falls low , and is always open ] rarifies it into such cool gales , and briezes of wind [ which always blowing from ten a clock in the morning until three in the afternoon ] so cools and abates the extremity of the heat ; that no inconvenience or distemp●eture is found there . again , the nights [ as sir walter raleigh has observ'd in his trav●ls ] are so cool , fresh and equal , by re●son of the intire interposition of the earth , that there is not to be found i● any part of the habitable world a better , more wholsome , or equal temper of air. and although there be some tracts , which lye under the perpendicular mountains where the air stagnates , the fresh gales and briezes of wind over-blowing them , and some other places sandy , barren and less inhabited , yet the greatest part of those regions [ especially the dales , which lying above the plains and lower valleys , have always their air brush'd and swee●n'd with these fresh briezes of wind ; and are plentifully water'd , with rapid rivolets arising from the tops and sides of their neighbou●ing mountains . and these as well as ●he plains and valleys , are beautify'd with abundance of stately cedars , and other trees , casting a pleasant shade , and delightful fragrancy . they are enrich'd too with all ●orts of most delicate fruit-trees , always green , and bearing the choi●est fruit in their highest degree of perfection . their boughs and branches are never uncloath'd and left naked ; for their sap never creeps under ground fearing the winter frosts . to these accounts which we have from travellers of the greatest truth ●nd fidelity ; we further add , that as all the flat strata or layers of stones , metals , and sub●erranean earths , have a natural rise toward this middle girdle of the earth , and a gradual declivity towards the two poles ( which all mineralists , who understand the structure of the earth , and the position of the solid strata willingly agree to ) we may thence most reasonably collect , that these aequinoctial regions were the ●irst dry land that appear'd after the waters began to divide and decrease . we yet further subjoin , that as this middle girdle upon the earth , lies parallel to that middle circle in t●e heavens [ we call the sodiack ] through which the sun performs its annual course , we collect that it , with th● adjoining regions , received the first and largest influence of the sun's enlivening vegetation , and consequently were stored with the first products of nature ; as well animals , as vegetables . so that in all probability , there might be ripe fruit in paradise , before those other regions towards the tropicks and poles were drain'd from the waters , or receiv'd the sun's vegetation according to their natural seasons . again , as these aequinoctial regions produced all kinds of vegetables and animals in the highest degree of perfection their natures were capable of : so they did , and do to this day afford us not only the greatest plenty of the most precious stones , but also the most valuable and useful metals , as gold , silver , brass , iron , &c. and this is not only evident from the mosaick account of the rivers of paradise ; but the experience of those merchants , who being tempted by their value , trade thither . once more , as it is most probable , that these aequinoctial regions were the first dry land , that they receiv'd the first enlivening vegetation of the sun , and were honour'd with the first products of nature ; so it is most agreeable with reason , that all the regions upon earth are more or less paradisaical , as their situations are nearer or at a distance from this middle zone , and that from paradise they were first stock'd with the several products of nature , and the several genera of animals ; which began to propagate their kinds there , until the earth was replenish'd . altho' its most probable , that they did degenerate from their original perfection as their propagations were at a distance from paradise . as from these arguments we collect and conclude , that the terrestrial paradise was in respect of the heavens situated under the aequinoctial line ; so in the last place , we conclude that its particular situation was in a middle between the tops of the highest mountains and the lowest valleys . and we ground this hypothesis upon the account which moses gives of the course and motion of that river which water'd paradise : for this river undoubtedly had its rise from the top or side of some of the eastern mountains , and took its course first in one rapid stream , through the midst of that most pleasant dale , and then by dividing it self into four lesser streams , they became the heads of four of the greatest and most noble rivers in the world ▪ which sliding down through the lower dales , plains and valleys , of a great part of asia and africa ; at last empty'd themselves into the main ocean at great distances . the hight of its situation gave it a most wholesome , delightful and cherishing air , together with the most advantageous and grateful prospect over the rest of the rising and growing world. this paradisaical dale , had all the advantages of a natural situation . for first of all , it must be necessarily suppos'd , that it had its situation under the skirts of the highest mountain in those eastern countries , which defended it from the cold blasts of the northern wind , from whose lofty top did flow that rapid mineral feeder which took its course through the midst of it . it may be supposed also , that it was encompassed with lesser hills on all sides excepting the south-e●st , which let into it the warm enlivening beams of the rising sun , and which was the onl● passage that gives liberty of entrance into it . that these hills were beautify'd and adorn'd with all kinds of trees , which might gratifie the senses with their fresh and beautiful colours , always green , and casting a most pleasant shade and delightsome fragrancy ; in which the active and chearful birds sung their morning and evening anthems . that these hills encompassed a large and spacious plain , wherein did spring up and grow to perfection all the species of herbs . plants and flowers that are to be found in the large volume of natures inventory . in the middle of which nature had planted a most curious grove or orchard , wherein did grow all kinds of fruit-trees bearing the choise●t of all fruit , that might either gratifie the eye or please the palate . the most remarkable trees in this most pleasant garden , were the tree of life and the tree of knowledge , which [ being taken in a literal and natural sense ] had their names from the nature and quality of the fruit they bore . the former ( viz. ) the tree of life bore a wholsome fruit , preserving both the growing sensitive and rational life ; and that so long as a body compounded of matter , consisting of contrary qualities could last . the other ( viz. ) the tree of knowledge , bore an unwholesome fruit of a poysonous nature , which destroying the excellent frame and temperament of the body , made it subject to diseases and pains , and last of all to death and mortality . as the former gave us the experience of health , life and vigour , which men are seldom sensible of , whilst that happy state continues . so the fruit of the other gave us the knowledge and sad experience of an unhealthy and sickly constitution of body , and lastly of death and mortality ; hence it had its name of the tree of knowledge from the dear bought experience of its fruit. this i con●ess is but a rude draught of the terrestrial paradise ; yet i presume to offer it as a probable hypothe●is , and i doubt not , [ but with men of better judgment ] it may pass for such , and serve to illustrate their notions of a more elevated and exalted nature , having given a short and compendious description of the terrestrial paradise according to the literal and natural notion of it , we shall proceed to give a probable account how ad●m was introduc'd into it , how long he might continue in it , and how he and his confort eve employ'd that time . adam the royal patriarch of mankind , being form'd as to his body and organical part of the same matter with the rest of the terrene animals , and having a rational and intellectual soul infus'd into him ; as soon as his weak members got strength to walk abroad from the place of his nativity , and to take a view of those large dominions his bountiful creator design'd to put under his goverment ; the first place he had i● prospect was this terr●strial paradise , toward which his curiosity led him ; but not finding an entrance into it , god sent an angel to be his guide , and to introduce him in●o its possession , as an earnest of all th● felicities of this world ▪ and an emblematical assuranc● of the glories of ●he ●oelestial paradise . and no sooner had this royal patriarch enter'd this pleasant and delightful ●arden , but all the birds and bea●●s in paradise [ being surpriz'd at the sight of a creature of a shape and form quite different from any of them , and of so divine and majestick a countenance , ] came towards his presence to gaze and wonder at him . and a panick fear having seiz'd them , they be●ame all his vassals . ● will not undertake to determine the time that adam might spend in walking round the woods and plains of paradise , whilst he took a view of all the creatures , distinguish'd their tribes , and gave names and offices to them , according to their several natures and quali●ies i presume that it can hardly be imagin'd that one day could be sufficient for so great ●●ask . as adam's ambition was to exercise and improve his rational faculties , by enquiring into the natures and quali●ies of the sensitive animals ; no doubt but eve [ being no less desirous to improve her wisdom and knowledge , than her master ad●m ] did spend that time during his absence , not only in gratifying her external se●ses , with the fragrant smell of the fair flowers of paradise , and tasting its sweet fruit ; but in making enquiries into the natures and kinds of fruits and simples , in distinguishing their several sorts , and giving names to them according to their natures . and certainly it was not her ambition to be like god in so divine a perfection as wisdom and knowledge , made her forfeit not only the fair fields and pleasant w●lks of paradise , but life and immortality ; but her taking a course and method to that end , contrary to the express command of her creator . and although it be most probable that a natural serpent , having a speckled skin , beautify'd and adorn'd with all the variety of natural paint , in the most fresh and lively colours , was her officious favorite , and presented to her royal hand this beautiful and lovely fruit ; yet doubtless it was her own natural serpent , or concupisence , did frame and suggest to her a discourse to this effect . hath not our bountiful creator made this world , with all this great variety of creatures in it , on purpose for the entertainment of your external senses with the satisfaction of enjoying their beloved objects , as well as the int●rnal faculties of the rational soul with the entertainments of wisdom and philosophy ? if you taste not then this lovely fruit , you evacuate god's design in creating of it : again , if god did not design that you should eat of this fruit , he would not have made it so beautiful and desireable ; it 's inconsistent with the natural goodness of your creator , to lead you into the fire and oblige you not to burn , to inflame your affection with a strong desire , and not to gratifie it . further , you cannot but observe that god has made all poysonous and hurtful creatures of a less comely , if not of a frightful aspect , and you have a strong antipathy against them ; but this charming complexion tempts you to taste of it . to which the considerative or rational faculty reply'd , our bountiful creator has given us liberty to eat of all the tr●es in the garden , but this is forbidden upon pain of death . this is a grand mistake of the divine intention , saith concupiscence , which was by your eating of this fruit to improve your knowledge , and ●herefore he gave it the name of the tree of knowledge . for as you have discover'd the natural differences amongst the sensi●ive animals , and have given names to them , your creator certainly expects that you should understand the natures and differences amongst fruits and vegetables ; o●herwise you will never be compleatly skill'd in your natural philosophy . this proud thought of being wife , and a natural philosopher , so tickl'd adam , or reason , that he condescended that his bride eve , or concupiscence ▪ sh●u'd take a taste to cure her longing . and she finding it a fruit as w●ll grateful to the taste as pleasant to the eye , perswades adam to a further condescention , until a second considera●ion made him feel the miserable efects of it , as well in his conscience as in the constitution of his body ; which his reason being asham'd of , he fled ●rom the presence of god , who usually , as it 's believ'd by some learn'd authors , came down in the evening to discourse with the young philosopher , who finding himself naked , or at a loss for arguments to defend his guilt and shame , endeavou●'d to cover it with the thin figg-leaves of excuses . a discourse concerning the conflagration of this material world ; the local hell : it s outmost boundaries , or abrahams gulph . a discourse concerning the conflagration of this material world. having in the former part of the history of matter , give● an account of such preternatural accidents as have disturbed , and sometimes in all ages interrupted the regular course of nature ; and having demonstrated that these preternatural disturbances , were occasion'd by that natural strife , that happens between the contrary qualities of heat and cold , fire and water : and having also shewn how water ▪ by uniting her forces in the time of noah , chang'd this terraqueous globe for some time into a waterish planet , by effecting an universal deluge which covered the tops of the highest mountains fifteen cubits ; and how the central fire has ●requently threatned , not only by universal concussions , and earthquakes , to unhinge its foundations , but also by extraordinary and most violent eruptions of fire and vulcano's to break the structure and temperament of it , and turn it into a globe of fire , or fiery planet ; now as a great many learned men in all ages , have been inquisitive into the natural causes of this universal deluge , and the difficulty they met with , being to find water sufficient to effect it , without a miracle ; so a great many le●rned undertakers , have been no less industrious to find fire sufficient to dry up the seas and rivers , and then to effect an universal con●lagration of this material world : these two difficulties [ in my opinion ] might have been ●asily remov'd , if they had understood better the structure of the earth , and the nature and quality of that matter which makes up the constituent parts of it . it will be necessary therefore , in order to our establishing a well-grounded hypothesis concerning the universal con●lagration in a natural way , to resume what we have formerly observed concerning matter in general ; which we have divided into three classes [ viz. ] volatile , fixt , and fluid ; and to shew that these three different class's of matter , bear equal proportions one to an other , and in the structure of the earth occupie the same proportion of place . the volatile class [ which we call the central fire consisting of aethereal , nitrous , sulphurous , and bituminous particles ] bears proportion to one third part of the diameter ; and this class makes the earths equilibrium ; and by running a perpetual round within the circle of its own infernal vault , carries about with it this crust or shell of fixt and fluid matter whereupon we live , once in every twent● four hours , and this we call the diur●al motion of the earth . the fixt and fluid matter being intermixt , like the flesh , blood , and bones , or heterogeneous parts of a compounded body , bears propo●tion to the other two parts of the diameter . the fixt class of matter consists of parts , combustible , calcinable , liquifiable , and inflammable . the fluid class consists of water ; which is either subterranean , or superterranean . the subterranean water , either circulates through the larger veins of the earth , or pervades the strait pores of the densest matter . that which circulates through the larger veins , does not only [ by being transmuted into air ] feed and nourish the central flame , but also hampers it and keeps it within the limits and boundaries of its own infernal kingdom . that which pervades the strait pores of dense matter , does as well feed and nourish the pneumatical and native spirits of that matter , as shackles them , by keeping of them within their little cells , which otherwise would break out , and set on fire the more combustible part of it . the superterraneous waters do by maintaining a constant communication between the subterranean and air●al waters , and by the falling of plentiful showers of rain upon the earths surface , preserve it from being either over-crufted , or set on fire by the external heat of the suns influence upon it . by these divisions and computations it is apparent , that one third part of this globe is volatile , another third part combustible and inflammable , and only a third part fluid . which third part preserves the harmony and conspiracy of its parts , which makes the cement and temperament of the whole body , and if this should once be broken , and the volatile and fluid suffered to act their antipathies upon each other , the whole frame and structure would presently be dissolved , and all things shusled into th●ir original chaos and confusion . now as in all compounded bodies , which have any degree of li●e or vital cement in them , the vital flame is fed and nourished by the radical moisture ; which , as it wasts and consumes , the exterior parts of the body become dry , withered , and more combustible ; and at the last the whole body is thrown into a feverish burning , which continues until the vital flame be extinguish'd , and the native spirits fly out : so in this great body of the earth , the central fire , which is the vital flame of it , by continual feeding upon the fluid matter , does gradually wast and consume it . and this is not only observable in our sinking of pits , where we generally meet with the upper strata or beds of stone and cole drained from their waterish feeders , their native spirits exhal'd ; but also several ancient springs sunk down in their veins ; large rivers decre●s'd in their water courses ; and the seas in s●veral countries to have lost ground , as in aegypt and holland ▪ which undoubtedly [ in former ages ] have been in the possession of the main ocean . from these general desiccations of the fluid part of the globe we conclude that [ according to the natural course of things in this world ] the volatile matter , as the central fire , will in process of time so far gain ground upon the fluid part of it , as to bre●k out upon the combustible and inflammable part , and by setting them first on fire , the whole globe will be turn'd into a fiery planet ; from whose scorching and fiery atmosphere , the fluid matter shall be forc'd to fly and range about it thick ●ogs and waterish mists , until they fix and settle in a waterish vortex , ●ividing the coelestial regions from the smoaky and flaming atmosphere of this burning globe ; and it s most probable that by that vast gulph which father abraham told dives was placed between heaven and hell , is only meant these fogs and waterish mists , which shall divide the outmost boundaries of them ; through which the damned souls may probaly see , hear , and have some interlocution with thos● in the coelestial regions ; tho' all this shall only inflame and aggravate their torments , wh●n they shall see abraham , isaac and iacob , in the kingdom of heaven , and themselves shut out , by this unpassable gulph . having already m●de it apparent , th●t when the confus'd chaos of matter settled into the form of this habitable globe , the volatile part of it by a natural tendency of motion , settled in the central parts ; and that the central vault , wherein this volatile and fiery matter is contain'd , bears proportion to a third part of the whole , seems to be most probable , as well from scripture as natural reason ; for the scripture represents hell as a lake of fire , mat. 9.43 rev. 20.10 , 15. and this lake of fire or local hell is commonly called infernus , which signifies a place infra nos , i. e. below the cortex or outer coat of the fix'd matter whereon we live ; it s also call'd ta●tarus , which signifies the pit of hell , or that infernal dungeon fill●d with fire and brimstone , that burns and scorcheth , but casts no light ; and that this infernal lake of fire was in the central part of the earth , was not only the opinion of the roman church , which had undertaken to give the dimensions of it ; but agrees with the opinions of most of the ancient fathers and doctors of christianity ; it is also agreable with the opinions of our own doctors , who assert , that at the day of judgment , when the sentence against the wicked shall be pronounced in these words , depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire , the central fire shall break out , and cause an universal conflagration of this material world ; for then the central hell shall be enlarged , and the aerial regions which are now the devils territories shall be fill'd with smoak and fire , and the damned confin'd to that everlasting smother , where the worm shall never die , and the fire shall never be quenched ; by which words its more than probable that this terraqueous globe shall be changed into a fiery planet , that the aerial heavens shall become a flaming atmosphere , and that this shall be the eternal state of this world. he that would desire further satisfaction in this particular , may consult dr. hackwel and mr. ray's discourses concerning the conflagration of this world ; my intention being only to shew , that it is most probable that there is a central vault of large dimensions , filled with volatile matter , consisting of nitre , bitumen , and sulphur ; and that it is as probable that this may break out , and set the earth on fire , as its possible for a man to die of a burning fever . a short treatise of meteorology , with some observations concerning the changes and alterations of the weather . a short treatise of meteorology , chap. i. of vapours , and exhalations , &c. vapours and exhalations are the perspirations of this terraqueous globe , and are caus'd as well by the internal heat and fermentation of it , as the external influence of the sun , which by opening of its pores , sucketh them out , and raiseth them up into the regions of the air. these vapours and exhalations are the material cause of the several kinds of meteors that are generated within the compass of the atmosphere ; which extends as high as the fiery globuli of the sun make their rebound from the solid surface of the earth , and fluid superficies of the waters , and no higher . the higher the sun ascends in the meridian , it strikes down these fiery globuli with greater force upon the earth and waters ; and consequently they rise higher , and èlevate the vapours with them . so that the atmosphere is higher or lower in several parts of the earth , as the sun riseth higher or lower in the meridian , and its beams are darted down in a more direct or oblique line . and as the lowness of our northern atmosphere , causeth the sterility and barrenness of the northern mountains ; so the height of the southern atmosphere , causeth those mountains in the aequinoctial and southern regions to be more fertile and productive . chap. ii. of the ●fficient causes of all metors ; and first of heat . by heat is not to be understood the element of fire , which aristotle and his followers conceited to be under the concave of the moon , [ there being no such element there ] but by heat is meant that internal heat and fermentation which is in the body of the earth , and that natural fire which is originally and essentially in the body of the sun , the vehicle of external heat , which streams out from every part of that fiery globe , giving heat , light , and enlivening vegetations to the whole material world , being within the compass of its fiery and luminous atmosphere . these streams of heat and light [ which is only the shadow of heat ] being darted through the regions of the air in strait lines , and single rayes , are not perceivably hot or cold , no more than the light of a candle without the sphere of its heat ; but being doubled by multiplyed reflections , and reboundings from the solid surface of the earth , does increase its heat , as the reflections are multiplyed and rebounded ; which makes it hotter against a wall , than upon the plane ground , and in the vallies , than upon the mountains . we must therefore distinguish between those single rayes of heat , which dart through the air in instants , which are neither perceivably hot or cold , and the heat upon the superficies of the earth , which being contracted by an artificial glass , is r●al fire . the essential qualities of heat are calefaction , elevation , rarefaction , liquefaction , and consolidation , as it meets with matter predisposed to receive its effects . chap. iii. of cold , the other efficient cause of meteors . by cold is not meant a bare privation of heat , as former philosophers did conceit ; but a real body , of a subtile sublimated and homogenous nature , and of a cold and frigid quality . it s proper place of existence is between this earths atmosphere , and the atmosphere of the moon , which is our next neighbouring globe ; and by the rising and falling of this main body of cold , are caused the several changes and alterations of the weather with us . the cause of its rising and falling , is the pressures of these two atmospheres between which it is plac'd : when the waterish atmosphere of the moon presseth it down , it causeth storms and tempests here upon this globe ; and when it rises , it causes the same in the moon . the rising and falling of this main body of cold , is sometimes also occasion'd by its dilating and contracting of it self . now as the suns beams are hotter in their reflections upon the earth , than in the sun it self , so these cold rays which are darted from this main body of cold , being increas'd and multiply'd by reflection from the mountains and rivers , are much colder than the main body of cold in its own sphere . these reflected globuli of cold may be term'd the lower or ground-cold ; because in summer it penetrates the earth , and in winter it seldom rises higher than the tops of the highest mountains , unless when it joins with the main body , and then it causeth great storms of frost and snow , &c. this lower or ground-cold , is commonly the rear-guard and van-guard of the sun , always going before and following it ; and it s most perceivable in the evening and morning twilights ; especially , by birds and aerial animals , whose bodies do so sympathize with the air , that they can more quickly perceive the change of weather ( especially the rising of a storm or rain or snow ) than any of the terrene animals ; and this they commonly discover by their flying high or low , or flocking together ; or sometimes by different notes or voices . this occasion'd the ancient augurs to conceit them prophets , &c. the essential qualities and effects of cold in general , are frigefaction , congelation , and sometimes petre●action ; and when the lower cold is contracted , either by art , or proprio motu , it starves and freezes , as the fire burns and scorcheth . this lower cold contracts and dilates it self , as it meets with opposition from the contrary quality of heat and fire . the effects of the lower cold when it enters the earth . by antiperistasis it fires damps in collieries , mines , burning mountains , and vulcano's . when it lyes upon the earth , it causeth dews and hoar frosts , it sucks out damps and corrupted air out of under-ground works , &c. chap. iv. of the air , or medium wherein all meteors are generated . the air is a vast medium or expansion , fill'd with rarify'd vapours and exhalations ; which like water would stagnate , unless by a daily addition of rarify'd vapours or wind , it were put into a flux and reflux , as the sea is the addition of rivers continually flowing into it from all sides . when the air is calm , then are the meteors generated ; when by the wind the air is put into a violent flux and reflux , they are broken and dispapear . chap. v. of fiery meteors , &c. the lower cold which follows the sun in the evening twilight , continues its operation for some hours after its beams are out of sight , and no longer ; [ the middle of the night being for the most part a calm as well in winter as summer ] during which time of its operation , it causeth all those fiery meteors which the former philosophers gave several names to , as falling stars , rods , beams , ignes fatui or will with wisp , &c. according as they differ'd in matter , magnitude , and manner of appearance ; some consisting of a hot and dry exhalation , others of an exhalation mix'd with a viscous and unctious matter , a third of a simple and unmix'd exhalation : all these are generated in the lower regions of the air , the matter of them being drawn up out of the earth , waters , and bituminous boggs and mosses , by the sun's influence upon them , especially in the spring months . for then the sub●erranean heat draws out to communicate with its main body ; for as at this time all animals renew their hair , clear their blood from gross humours , so doth this great animal the earth purge her self of gross humours , by mushrooms , and other pinguid evaporations ; for then the sub●erranean heat drawing out to communicate with the external heat , brings forth of the earth these mineral spirits and pinguid perspirations , in so plentiful a measure , [ which being taken up into the air are condens'd into clouds , and fall down again upon the earth in such fertilizing showers ] that the psalmist tells us the clouds at this season drop down fatness . these hot and fiery exhalations which are flying about , scatter'd and dispers'd in the lower re●ion of the air , being seiz'd on by the evening cold , are forc'd in defence of ●hemselves to unite their forces , and being united do fire upon their grand enemy ( viz. ) cold. some fire in a round figure like a fireball , which the meteorologists call a falling star ; some in a long train , either strait or crooked , and these they call'd by the name of rods or beams ; others being simple and unmix'd exhalations , flash out in lightning , like gun-powder upon a table ; others being mix'd with a viscous and unctious kind of matter fire near the earth , are mov'd by the motion of the air , or an easie and soft wind , or are drawn down in pursuit of their enemy cold , to waters , mosses , boggs , and heaths , still burning like a candle in a lanthorn , till their unctious matter be exhaust'd , and then they leave a liquid jelly upon the earth . this meteor they call will with wisp , or ignis fatuus , or fool 's fire , because ignorant people conceiting it to be a spirit , keep their eyes upon it , until they lose their way , and then are apt to give a dreadful account of a spirit they met with , which misled them . if any of these fiery exhalations escape the evening cold , the morning cold about break of day , before it be drawn down to the waters , fires them , by causing them to pursue the same method of self-defence they took in the evening . chap. vi. of comets , &c. amongst the fiery meteors , all the former philosophers reckon'd comets to be the most remarkable : and they gave such dismal accounts of the dreadful effects of them , that their very appearance put the world under a great consternation . but in my opinion , the world [ according to the old proverb ] was more affraid than hurt by them . for that comets are fiery meteors , and have such dreadful effects following their appearance , is a mistake in meteorology so palpable , that it needs no confutation : that which we call a comet , being no more than a star of a fiery and luminous body , in conjunction with an other star of an opake and waterish substance , or a vast coelestial cloud , which by receiving into its body the bright rays of the luminous star , becomes translucent , and appears to us in the form and figure of a luminous or fiery globe ; and by emitting beams or streams of light , it appears to be a fiery and burning meteor , which by the meteorologists is call'd a comet . if this conjunction and interposition be centrical , it sends forth its beams of light on every side ; and this we call a bearded comet . if the interposition be not centrical ▪ but the luminous star be higher or lower , or on one side , it sends forth a beam or stream of light upward or downward , or to one side ; and this beam or stream of light , is call'd the tail of the comet . the appearance of this comet continues until their different motions have separated them . a demonstration of this you may have several evenings , when a black waterish cloud interposeth between us and the body of the sun ; if the interposition be centrical , the sun's beams stream out every way ; if the sun be higher , it sends forth its beams of light downward ; if lower , upward , or to one side , according to the interposition of the cloud . against this hypothesis , it may be objected , that there is no such thing in nature as an opake waterish coelestial body . to which i answer , that th● moon is an opake globe of a waterish substance ; and if its natural course and motion was not within the compass of the suns atmosphere , it would be to us invisible : so there may be [ for any thing that we know ] thousands of opake globes , within the vast expansion of the coelestial spheres , which are never visible to us , but when they fall into conjunction , or oppositon , with a luminous star : and when these opake globes are of a round and waterish substance , they appear to us in the form of comets . again , it is most probable that all these new stars , which have appear'd for some time , and then disappear'd , [ which astronomers have given such remarkable accounts of , ] are only opake globes , made visible for sometime , by their being in conjunction or opposition to a luminous star , and when their different motions have separated them the opake star hath disappear'd . chap. vii . of thunder , its causes and effects . of all fiery meteors , there are none so dreadful as thunder , which being an aerial fire damp , the nature and notion of it will be best illustrated by comparing it to an aerial battle between these two powerful and irreconcilable enemies , fire and water . the army of fire consists of hot and fiery exhalations , raised out of the earth and bituminous bogs by the influence and heat of the sun ; especially out of the south-east , full east , and north-east parts of this globe : those vast and spacious continents affording most of those hot and fiery soldiers . the general that commands in chief , and which leads them forth into the field , is a sulphurous and east wind. the army of water consists of cold and moist vapours , raised out of the southern and western ocean . their general that leads them forth to batt●e , is a cold moist west wind : for it s to be observ'd , that for some time befor● the thunder begins , and whilst it continues , the blasts of wind always blow from contrary points , and the clouds gather and march up in the full face of the wind , which always blows from an east quarter . these two armies being form'd into two wings , and two main bodies ; first fire , being the more active and volatile , sends forth a detachment of fiery chariots , from the south-east wing ; which being met with by an other detachment of vaporous clouds from the south-west wing , the battle begins : and those hot and fiery exhalations that we see riding in chariots of fiery clouds , like pillars of translucent smoke , being inclos'd and surrounded with this vaporous cloud , are forc'd to unite all their forces together , that , vis vnita being fortior , they may the better be able to defend themselves , and destroy the enemy . no sooner then the forces on both sides are united , but the fiery exhalations discharge upon the waterish 〈◊〉 ▪ in fire and lightning . the thundring noise we hear is occasion'd by the opposition they met with , and the breach of the cloud ; which falls down in great and dreadful showers of rain upon the earth ; the dr●ps of water being greater or less a● the breach of the cloud is at a higher or lower distance from the earth . after the thundering battel is thus begun , the other wings engage , and we hear the thundering sound of the battel both south-east and north-west . the b●ttel by this time growing very hot , the main bodies engage ; and then nothing is to be heard but a thundering no●se , with continual flashes of lightning , and dreadful showers of rain , falling down from the broken clouds . and sometimes random shots flie about , kill both men and beasts , fire and throw down houses , split great trees and rocks , and tear the ve●y earth . for it is no more impossible for the more earthy part of an exhalation to be on a sudden petresied into stone [ which we call the thunder-bol● ] in the body of a cloud ; than that lax● matter should be petrefied into a stone in the body of the earth ; the antiperistatical cause being the same in both . ●●ese t●o irreconcil●ble enemies still keep the field , until one of them be utterly destroy'd . if the fiery exhalations keep the field , the east wind blows still hot and sulphurous . if the vapours get the victory , the west wind blows cold and moist , the sky is clear , the air is cold , the battel is over , and the earth bu●ies the dead and gets the spoil . if any should think this account of thunder to be rather figment and romance , than true natural philosophy , i advise him [ when ever he sees the thunder packs rising white and translucent in a south-east point , when he feels the air hot ●nd sulphurous , with some contrary blasts of wind coming whistling from the west ] that he haste make on to the top of crossfelt , or some other high mountain , that gives a prospect to both east and west , and he may be inform'd both as to the truth and manner of this aerial battle . chap. viii . of vaporous meteors ; and first of dews , and hoar frosts . dews are vapours condens'd upon the surface of the earth , by the evening and morning cold , these being the times of the dews falling . i have observ'd that sometimes about mid afternoon , the under-ground cold being impatient of a long summers days confinement , has broke out , and condens'd the vapours into a d●w , which by the first reflection of the sun was taken up into the air , and a viscous matter left upon the grass , like cobwebs or fine threds , which we call tela beatae mariae ; and these vapours being condens'd into a cloud , will fall down again in a shower of rain about sun-setting . but the usual time wh●n the evening dews fall , is immediately after the sun is set ; for then the lower cold lyeth upon the ground , and as the sun goes down it riseth . the morning dews begin to fall about break of day : for about that time the waters being colder than the mountains , draw down the lower cold from the mountains to them . and it bringing the vapours along with it , sits regent upon the waters , in thick foggs and waterish mists , until the influence of the sun , by warming of the waters , either scattereth and disperseth the vapours , or forceth them to rise up to the mountains , or the cool regions of the air , leaving only dews upon the ground behind them . these dews , when the cold is contracted and freezing , become hoar fro●ts ; for a dilated cold causeth dews , and a contracted cold frosts . in the spring months , when the subterranean heat draws out from its winter quarters to join with the external heat of the atmosphere , it brings out of the earth with it some of the finer mineral spirits ; and the sun-beams being then powerful and attractive , do suck up these mineral spirits , with the sweet efluvia and perspirations of herbs and flowers ; which the evening and morning cold condenseth into honey-dews , or manna . in these months , the sun's beams are so strong and vigorous , that they will draw up frog-spawn ; which being receiv'd into the body of a warm ●loud , will presently be form'd into little frogs , which will fall down upon the earth in these fertilizing spring showers : sometimes they will suck up blood , which will fall down in showers of rain , especially after bloody battels fought at great distances : so corn , &c. will fall down in rain . but these are magnalia naturae . chap. ix . of rain , hail , and snow . rain , hail , and snow , are the same as to their matter . the difference among them is only accidental ; hail being only drops of rain frozen in their falling down from a broken cloud , by a contract'd body of the lower cold ; snow being vapours frozen before they be condens'd into a cloud . of rain . rain is either general or particular , higher or lower . observations concerning rain . when the evening dew falls before sun-set , and the sun draws it up again , the evening cold condenseth it into a cloud , and it falls down in a shower of rain in the evening twilight . when the evening cold condenseth not the vapours into dews , but draws them up to the tops of the mountains , and thence into the cold regions of the air , they fall down in rain about break of day . when the morning cold condenseth not the dews , but draws up the vapours to the tops of the mountains , and thence into the cold regions of the air , they fall down in rain about ten a clock or sooner , and so continues a general rain for some hours together , the evening and morning vapours being join'd . when the air is calm , and the waters colder than the mountains , the vapours draw down to the waters , and there they lie in a thick fogg or mist , until the sun by warming of the waters , causeth them to rise about nine or ten a clock : if the morning cold dilate it self , it raiseth the vapours to the middle of the mountains , where they continue in a thick fogg , the mountain tops being clear , until the vapours be all spent in a mizling kind of rain . when the morning cold divides it self into many little contracted bodies , these lesser bodies of contracted cold condense the vapours , and they fall down in particular showers , some not mountain height ; so that one may sometimes go through a shower of rain [ if he please ] which will fall upon the skirts of the mountains , when at the same time 't is clear both above and below the shower . thus a man may be above the clouds and the rain . when the morning cold draws the mists and the foggs ●rom the waters , gradatim [ or in sops , as we call it ] to the tops of the mountains , and they trall there too and fro , sometimes rising , and then falling again , the dispute being between the water-cold and the mountain cold , whether should get the prize , if at the last these tralling mists or vapours be lifted up into the cold regions of the air , and be there condens'd by some of those lesser bodies of cold which are flying about , they fall down in particular showers within an hour or less after they be taken up ; so qui●k is the return of vapours into showers of rain . chap. x. of hail and snow . observations . when these lesser bodies of contracted cold , are so placed one above another , having distances of warm air betwixt them , [ as oftentimes it happens in very hot weather , for the greater the heat is , the more narrowly do these lesser bodies of cold contract themselves ] if any of the higher bodies of cold condense the vapours into a cloud , and it break , and fall down in drops of rain through a body of more contracted cold , it freezeth these drops of rain into hail-stones . i have observ'd a shower of rain upon the mountains , the same a shower of hail upon the skirts of the mountains , the same dissolved again into a shower of rain in the vallies . i have observ'd also a shower of hail at one end of the town , the same a shower of rain at the other end ; the contracted body of cold that caused the hail , being not a quarter of a mile in circumference . of snow . when the lower cold riseth , and the upper cold falleth , and so straitens the sphere of rarefaction that the wind blows thin , as out of a contracted mouth , the vapours are frozen in-snow before they be condensed into a cloud , and the shower of snow only at first covers the tops of the mountains ; but as soon as the lower cold riseth mountain height , and joyns with the upper cold , the snow falls down into the vallies and covers the earth . observations . when the wind has blown for some time s. e. or full s. or s. w. we must expect a great and general rain ; for these winds blowing from such regions where the atmosphere rises high , bring over with them the greatest quantity of vapours ; which our mountanous country condenseth into clouds , which fall down in great and general rains. and this is the reason why those countries where most of the vapours rise , have the least of rain ; which want is supplied by great dews , which the evening and morning cold condenseth upon the ground . for where the atmosphere riseth high , the lower and higher cold never meet , which is the cause of their want of rain . when the wind blows n. or n. e. or full e. we have seldom rain , but great flights of snow . for the atmosphere in those parts being very low [ especially in winter ] and the mouth of the sphere of rarefaction very strait , the wind that blows from these quarters is so very thin and freezing , that those few vapours which are brought from those places for the most part fall down in snow . chap. xi . of frost , and thaw , &c. frost and thaw are the effects of quite di●ferent causes ; the one being occasion'd by the influence of heat , the other of cold ; and these two contrary qualities do not give ground one to another without great struggle and contest . the first beginning of freezing is at the waters , and this we call a water frost ; it s the effect or operation of the morning cold ; which drawing down to the waters in the morning twilight , and carrying the vapours along with it , leaves a waterish hoar frost upon the ground behind it . these vapours lie upon the waters until nine a clock ; for by that time the influence of heat having warm'd the waters , forceth them to remove their quarters , first to the cold tops of the mountains , and thence to the cooler regions of the air , from whence they fall down in showers of rain about twelve a clock , this frost only gains the waters , vallies , and plains . the second morning , the cold doubles its force , and glaceates the waters , congeals the earth , and riseth to the middle of the mountains ; [ their tops still continuing in the possession of heat ] this degree of cold is over-powered by the influence of heat about two a clock , and falls down in rain in the evening twilight . the third morning , the cold trebles its force , and gains the tops of the mountains . and the influence of heat commonly recovers this lost ground a little before the sun set ; and in the morning twilight it falls down in a shower of snow , covering only the tops of the highest mountains . the upper and lower cold being now united , the frost keeps its possession of the earth and waters sometimes for a month or more together ; and in some countries [ lying at a distance from the sea ] the whole winter quarter ; the wind all the time blowing cold and thin , the mouth of the sphere of rarefaction being straitned by the joyning of the higher and lower cold. during the time that the earth and waters continue in the possession of frost and snow , the subterranean heat breaks out of the springs and mineral feeders , and joyning with the heart of the sun rege●es the spring-heads , and part of the rivers , gaining them intirely into its possession : but the general frost continues until the vapours rising from the southern or western ocean , recover the wind into some of the solar quarters ; which opening the sphere of rarefaction , the wind blows warm and moist . for as the same breath from an open mouth warms ones fingers , so from a contracted mouth it will cool his porridge . the general frost in the northern countries near the pole , and in countries at a distance from the sea , seldom regeles , until the subterranean heat break forth , and joyn with the heat of the approaching sun , and then the frost and snow is dissolved in a very short time ; and the spring comes on much sooner than in those countries where the regelation is more gradual . thus as a constant intercourse of day and night gives the active animals liberty , by rest and sleep , to recover their wasted strength and spirits ▪ so an annual return of frost and snow , recovers and repairs the strength and spirits of the earth , which had been spent in the preceeding summers productions . for in this natural world all things are repair'd by corrupting , preserv'd by perishing , and reviv'd by dying . as the operation of cold did gradually gain ground upon the influence of heat ; so by the same methods and degrees heat recovers its lost ground , the fresh or thaw beginning first at the waters , and from thence riseth up to the plains and vallies ; and last of all the tops of the mountains [ which are for sometime kept in the possession of frost and cold , after the lower parts of the earth be regeled ] are gained . chap. xii . of the sphere of rarefaction . the sphere of rarefaction is a sphere of heat , wherein the suns reflections meet , and unite themselves in their own defence against the upper and lower cold. and being placed in a middle between them , it riseth or falleth , openeth or closeth as it prevails upon them , or as they open or close , rise or fall . this sphere of heat , by rarefying of vapours and exhalations , causeth wind. that heat is the cause of wind , is apparent from the experience of such people , who , to cause wind , usually set chaff , seeds , or straw on fire . and when houses or towns are accidentally thus set on fire , the heat of the flame , by rarefying of the vapours and exhalations round about , will raise the wind to so great a height , as will make it a matter of great difficulty to quench the flame . chap. xiii . of wind , helms , and arches . wind is the nitrous part of vapour and exhalation , rarified and dilated by the sphere of rarefaction . the winds are either higher or lower , as the sphere of rarefaction riseth or falleth ; they are thicker or thinner , as it openeth or closeth ; they are moist , hot , or dry , as they have more or less of vapour or exhalation in them . the pabulum of winds , is commonly called a helm , from the greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which signifies spiro ▪ to breath ; and they are either visible or invisible . the visible helms , are either opake , mixt , or translucent . these wind helms fix upon the coldest parts of the globe , as the gibbosity of the sea , the tops of the highest mountains , mountain-heaths , waters , and rivers . the matter on which these helms consist , is a vaporous mist , which as it endeavours to rise up , is pressed down by the sphere of rarefaction ; and by rarifying the nitrous part of it [ which is always uppermost ] into wind , the still body of the air is put into a violent flux , every blast of wind being only a wave of air ; the rapidity of its motions is occasion'd by the declivity of the mountains . wherever the grand helm fixeth , from that quarter the wind blows , untill the stock of vapours be spent : for instance , if the grand helm fix upon the mountains of germany , the second helm fixeth upon the gibbosity of the eastern seas ; [ by the gibbosity of the sea , i understand that middle ridge where the flux and reflux breaketh ; ] the third helm fixeth upon crossfelt , and that ridge of mountains ; the fourth helm fixeth upon skidday , and that ridge of mountains ; and so forward until the grand pabulum be spent , and then the wind ceaseth , and the air is calm . that distance between helm and helm we call an arch ▪ over which [ as the vapours rise ] the wind blows them from helm to helm , one feeding and repairing another , until the grand stock be spent . and so on the contrary , if the grand helm fix upon the mountains in irela●d , the wind blows west , forming helms and arches till that stock be spent . the grand helm is always opake ▪ consisting of all vapour . the first wind is wet and ●ainy , the arch over-clouded ; for as the nitrous part of the 〈◊〉 ●iseth , and is ●arify'd into wind , it driveth before it the rain , as the sal● 〈◊〉 [ being fir'd ] drives before it hail shot . the second helm is mix'd , being part exhalation , and part vapour ; the upper part of the helm being exhalation , is translucent ; this wind is showry ▪ and the arch cloudy . the third helm is translucent , being all exhalation , the wind dry , the air clear. the invisible helms are all exhalation , and they seldom rise as high as the tops of mountains ▪ but fix upon waters , rivers , the tops and sides of h●lls , and high buildings ; these winds are the lowest that blow ▪ one may go through them , and find a calm upon the tops of mountains . this is a common observation made by those who live under the mountains . the p●●ulum of these winds being soon spent , they change often . observations concerning winds , helms , and arches . when the vapours and e●halations rise from the waters to the skirts of the mountains , and 〈◊〉 roll and trail to and fro , the sphere of rarefaction is 〈◊〉 , and these vapours and exhalations being rarefy'd into wind , it blows till the stock be spent . these are spring winds , and summer winds ▪ they continue only from ten a clock till three in the afternoon , and are sometimes ●arri●d about 〈◊〉 the sun they seldom rise as high as the tops of the mountain● . when the vapours rise to the tops of the mountains , and fix there in a black and opake ledge , expect a rai●y wind. when they are opake at the bottom , and white at the top , expect a showery rain . when the helm is white and translucent , expect a dry wind. when the helms are even ballanc'd with vapours and exhalations ▪ the wind will blow sometimes from both helms , and sometimes a third blast of wind will come from a middle point or quarter ; and sometimes also a blast of wind will come whirling down from above our heads with great violence . when the whole horizon is helm'd about , expect contrary blasts , whirlwinds , or hurricanes . when the helms rise and close up the arch with black clouds , expect great rains. where the clouds begin to open and brighten mountain height , the wind will blow from that quarter ; for there a new helm is fix'd , and the sphere of rarefaction is faln a working . in large continents at great distance from the sea , where there are not many mountains , wherever the wind-helm fixeth , and the pabulum is gathered , the wind will blow from that point or h●lm for some months together ; these we call trade winds . chap. iv. prognostications of the change and alteration of weather , from the setting and rising of the sun. prognostications of rain , from the setting of the sun. when the sun setteth in ● black waterish cloud , the vapours are condens'd by the evening cold , and the morning cold raiseth them up into the cold regions of the air , where they swim until nine or ten a clock next morning , and then their own weight causeth them to sink and break into rain . when the sun goes down wading , or forcing , [ as they call it ] the vapours are drawing down with the evening cold , and the next morning cold condenseth them into clouds , which the next day fall down in showers of r●●n about twelve a clock . when the sun sets broad and glimmering , it sets in thin vapours , which the next day will fall down in a misling rain . signs of fair weather . when the sun sets clear , and appears little and fiery , the vapours are all spent , and you may expect a fair and hot day to follow . when the sun sets through thin clouds , sharp edged like swords , these are little wind-helms , and you must expect a fair and windy day to follow . when after the sun is set , its beams strike the air with a crimson-red , you may expect that the next day will be fair and windy . signs of rain from the rising sun. if before the sun appears , its rising beams strike the air with a crimson-red , expect wind and rain about ten a clock ; for the air is full of vapours and exhalations . when the sun riseth broad ▪ and glimmering , and is presently receiv'd into a black cloud , the morning cold rise●h , and takes up with it the vapours , which fall down in great rains. when the sun riseth clear , and several little black clouds are ready to receive it , expect a showery day . signs of a fair day , from the rising sun. if the sun rise little and fiery , and the vapours draw down to the waters , leaving a dew upon the ground , these vapours about ten a clock are rarify'd into wind , which continues blowing only till three in the afternoon , and prognosticate a fair season . if the sun rise in thick clouds , and appear not till until ten a clock , expect a clear afte●noon . if the sun appear not till twelve a clock , expect not only a clear afternoon , but a dry season ; for the morning cold riseth not . the rising of the morning cold , and its lif●ing up the vapours with it , is the cause of all the rain we have . finis books printed for iohn newton , at the three pigeons over against the inner-temple-gate in fleet-street . a charge given at the general quarter sessions of the peace for the county of surrey , holden at darking , on tuesday the fifth day of april 1692 , and in the fourth year of their majesties reign . by the honourable hugh hare , esq one of their majesties justices of the peace for that county . the second edition corrected . an historical relation of the conspiracy of iohn lowis count deffieschi against the city of genoua in the year 1547. written in italian , by augustin mascardi , gentleman of the bed chamber to pope urban the eighth . done into english by the honourable hugh hare , esq an account of the isle of iersey , the g●eatest of the islands that are now , the only remainder of the english do●inions in france , with a new and accurate mapp of the said island . by ph. falle , m. a. rector of st. saviour , in the said island , and chaplain in ordinary to his majesty . mr ▪ falle's sermon before the english g●●●ison in iersey , april the 10th 1692. — one sermon at whitehall , decemb. the 30th , 1694. — one sermon before the lord mayor april the 21th , 1695. a discourse of natural and reveal'd religion in several essays , by mr. t. nourse . the anatomy of 〈◊〉 earth , dedicated to all miners , by tho. robinson rector of outby in cumberland . the history of the campagne in flanders for the years 1692 , 1693 , 1694 , and 1695. all written by edward ● auergne m. a. rector of st. brelade in the isle of iersey , and chaplain to his majesties regiment of scots guards . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a57471-e1580 * note , that steno proves the earth to have been twice fluid , twice plain and dry , twice scabrous and craggy ; the first was at the original chaos , the second at the flood ; this ( says he ) is manifest from some beds of the higher hills , containing no heterogeneous bodies , because form'd before there w●re any animals or plants , or other mix'd solids ; and so pres●rv'd in their simple antediluvian st●●e by the heighth of their si●uation , which might secure them against the load of many adventitious or factitious b●ds , falling for the most part on the vallies and low places , where they make up all the compound strata , which in●rust t●● pres●nt earth , and separate it from the primitive o●e , whose beds are more simple , not stuffed up with such di●●●●ent bodies as make up the postdiluvian strata , or sediments . this agrees with what mr. whiston delivers in m●ny places of his new theory . to which we may add that the simple antediluvian beds on the high mountains , destitute of heterogeneous solids , may be l●id open by the washings away of the incumbent diluvian sediments or compound beds , by the torrents of rains , which carry down those c●usts and bodies along with them . notes for div a57471-e4400 dr. ●urnet● inconsistences . the cause of this globes atmosphere . dr. woodard's contradiction of himself . ● . vse . 2. vse . 3. vse . 4. vse . 5. vse . 1. vse . 2. vse . the cause of hills . 1. the cause of different soils and natures of vegetables . 2. the different qualities of the air. 3. the occasion of spring● , &c. 4. of the breaking out of m●nes , &c. 5. of the product●on of trees , &c. the cause of mountain● . 1. vse . their consistences . 2. vse . their natural uses . 3. vse . 4. vse . 5. vse . 6. vse . 7. vse . the position of mountains . the cause of gills , dales and vallie● . the ingred●ents of coal . lesser mountains . the cause of the chanel of the sea. the nature and quality o● the sea. 〈…〉 〈…〉 the cause of the seas gibbosity . the cause of the flux . the cause of its reflux . the cause of spring-tides and dead-tides . the cause of the seas fermen●ation . the effect● and uses of the seas fermentation . the cause of the saltness of the sea. it● uses . the proportion which the subterranean water bears to the sea. of the greater veins of the earth , &c. to raise new river● upon dry ground . a subterranean contest between fire and water . a concussion of the whole globe . a concussion of half the globe . a local earthquake . new mountains and pond● . of hurricains and their effects . dr. woodwards notion of perpendicular fissures is a mistake in observation . of burning mountains . vulcano's . her damps in colleries . their effects . violent eruptions of water . of water damps . an air damp. a sweet da●● . the over-flowing of nilus . the over-flowing of the gigleswick spring . the drumming w●ll a● baut●y mineral spirits . foul. air. the meaning of these words , the fountains of the great deep were broken up . the cause of the aerial damp and its effects . what is meant by the opening of the windows of heaven . the meaning of the wind which god caused to pass over the earth , and its effects . what the rain-bows appearing in the clouds did signifie . a refutation of dr. woodward's hypothesis , &c. the time when the deluge commenced . dr. woodwa●d'● hypothesi● concerning the effects of the d●l●ge refuted . the alterations which th● deluge made upon the ea●●h . the time when these alterations were made . gen. 4. verse 22. part the 4th . page 188. fabius columna , dr. hook , steno , scylla , bocc●●e , ra● , and many others . gen. 2.6 first . secondly first . secondly thirdly . secondly thirdly secondly thirdly . fourthly fourthly the laws of divine impression . the laws of natural instinct . the laws of external sense . the wisdom of god manifested in the works of the creation being the substance of some common places delivered in the chappel of trinity-college, in cambridge / by john ray ... ray, john, 1627-1705. 1691 approx. 330 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 130 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; 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(eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a58185) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 99604) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, 1641-1700 ; 474:1) the wisdom of god manifested in the works of the creation being the substance of some common places delivered in the chappel of trinity-college, in cambridge / by john ray ... ray, john, 1627-1705. [16], 248 p. printed for samuel smith ..., london : 1691. reproduction of original in british library. created by converting tcp files to tei p5 using tcp2tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between 1473 and 1700 available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the 25,363 texts created during phase 1 of the project have been released into the public domain as of 1 january 2015. anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. 5% (or 5 pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of 100 instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level 4 of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p5, characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng natural theology -early works to 1800. science -early works to 1800. creation -early works to 1800. 2005-02 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2005-03 apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images 2005-04 judith siefring sampled and proofread 2005-04 judith siefring text and markup reviewed and edited 2005-10 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the wisdom of god manifested in the works of the creation . being the substance of some common places delivered in the chappel of trinity-college , in cambridge . by john ray , m. a. sometimes fellow of that , and now of the royal society . london : printed for samuel smith , at the princes arms in s. pauls church-yard . 1691. to the much honoured and truly religious lady , the lady letice wendy of wendy in cambridgeshire . madam , two or three reasons induce me to present this discourse to your ladyship , and to make choice of you for its patroness : first , because i owe it to the liberality of your honoured brother , that i have this leisure to write any thing . secondly , because also your many and signal favors , seeing i am not in a capacity to requite them , seem to exact from me at least a publick acknowledgment , which such a dedication gives me an opportunity to make . thirdly , because of such kind of writings i know not where to chuse a more able judge , or more candid reader . i am sensible that you do so much abhor any thing that looks like flattery , that out of an excess of modesty you cannot patiently bear the hearing of your own just commendations , and therefore should i enlarge upon that subject , i know i should have but little thanks for my pains . indeed you have much better motives to do well , than the praise of men , the favor of god , peace of conscience , the hope and expectation of a future reward of eternal happiness ; and therefore i had rather write of you to others , to provoke them to imitate so excellent an example , than to your self , to encourage you in your christian course , and to fortifie you in your athletick conflicts with the greatest of temporal evils , bodily pain and anguish ; though i do not know why you should reject any consideration that may conduce to support you under so heavy pressures , and of so long continuance ; of which to ingenuous natures true honor , that is the concurrent testimony and approbation of good men , is not the meanest . no less man than s. augustine was doubtful whether the extremity of bodily pain , were not the greatest evil that humane nature was capable of suffering : nay ( saith he ) i was sometimes compelled to consent to cornelius celsus , that it was so , neither did his reason seem to me absurd ; we being compounded of two parts , soul and body , of which the first is the better , the latter the worser , the greatest good must be the best thing belonging to the better part , that is wisdom , and the greatest evil the worst thing incident to the worser part ( the body ) that is pain . now though i know not whether this reason be firm and conclusive , yet i am of accord with him , that of all the evils we are sensible of in this world it is the sorest ; the most resolute patience being baffled and prostrated by a fierce and lasting paroxysm of the gout or stone , or colick , and compelled to yield to its furious insults , and confess itself vanquished , the soul being unable to divert , or to do any thing else but pore upon the pain . and therefore those stoical vaunts of their wise mans being happy in perillus his bull , i utterly reject and explode , as vain rhodomontades and chimerical figments , for that there never was such a wise man among them , nor indeed could be ; yet do i not say , that the patience of a good man can be so far conquered by the sharpest and severest torments as to be compelled to deny or blaspheme god or his religion , yea or so much as to complain of his injustice , though perchance he may be brought with job to curse his day , yet not to curse his god , as his wife tempted him to do . now that the great 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the most just judg and rewarder would be pleas'd so to qualifie and mitigate your sufferings as not to exceed the measure of your strength and patience , or else arm you with such an high degree of christian fortitude , as to be able to grapple with the most extreme , and when you have finished your course in this world , grant you a placid and easie passage out of it , and dignifie you as one of his victors , with a crown of eternal glory and felicity , is the prayer of , madam , your ladyships most devoted in all service , john ray. the preface . in all ages wherein learning hath flourished , complaint hath been made of the itch of writing , and the multitude of worthless books , wherewith importunate scriblers have pestered the world , scribimus indocti doctique : and — tenet insanabile multos scribendi cacoethes . i am sensible that this tractate may likely incur the censure of a superfluous piece , and my self the blame of giving the reader unnecessary trouble , there having been so much , so well written of this subject by the most learned men of our time ; dr. more , dr. cudworth , dr. stillingfleet now bishop of worcester , dr. párker , late of oxon , and to name no more the honourable robert boyl , esquire , so that it will need some apology . first therefore , in excuse of it i plead , that there are in it some considerations new and untoucht by others : wherein if i be mistaken , i alledge secondly , that the manner of delivery and expression may be more suitable to some mens apprehension , and facile to their understandings . if that will not hold , i pretend thirdly , that all the particulars contained in this book , cannot be found in any one piece known to me , but lye scattered and dispersed in many , and so this may serve to relieve those fastidious readers , that are not willing to take the pains to search them out : and possibly , there may be some whose ability ( whatever their industry might be ) will not serve them to purchase , nor their opportunity to borrow those books , who yet may spare money enough to buy so inconsiderable a trifle . if none of these excuses suffice to acquit me of blame , and remove all prejudice , i have two further reasons to offer , which i think will reach home , and justify this undertaking . first , that all men who presume to write , at least whose writings the printers will venture to publish , are of some note in the world , and where they do or have lived and conversed , have some sphere of friends and acquaintants , that know and esteem them , who it's likely will buy any book they shall write , for the authors sake , who otherwise , would have read none of that subject , though ten times better ; and so the book , however inferiour to what have been already published , may happen to do much good . secondly , by vertue of my function , i suspect my self to be obliged to write something in divinity , having written so much on other subjects : for being not permitted to serve the church with my tongue in preaching , i know not but it may be my duty to serve it with my hand by writing . and i have made choice of this subject as thinking my self best qualified to treat of it . if what i have now written shall find so favourable acceptance , as to ●ncourage me to proceed , god granting life and health , the reader may expect more : if otherwise , i must be content to be laid aside as useless , and satisfie my self in having made this experiment . as for this discourse , it is the substance of some common places ( so in the university of cambridge , they call their morning divinity exercises ) delivered in trinity-college chappel , when i was fellow of that society ; which i have enlarged with the addition of some collections out of what hath been since written by the forementioned authors upon my subject . i have been careful to admit nothing for matter of fact or experiment but what is undoubtedly true , lest i should build upon a sandy and ruinous foundation ; and by the admixture of what is false , render that which is true , suspicious . i might have added many more particulars , nay , my text warrants me to run over all the visible works of god in particular , and to trace the footsteps of his wisdom in the composition , order , harmony , and uses of every one of them , as well as of those that i have selected . but first , this would be a task far transcending my skill and abilities ; nay , the joynt skill and endeavours of all men now living , or that shall live after a thousand ages , should the world last so long . for no man can find out the work that god maketh from the beginning to the end . eccles. 3. 11. secondly , i was willing to consult the infirmity of the reader , or indeed of mankind in general , which after a short confinement to one sort of dish , is apt to loath it , though never so wholesome , and which at first was most pleasant and acceptable : and so to moderate my discourse , as to make an end of writing before he should be quite tired with reading . i shall now add a word or two concerning the usefulness of the argument or matter of this discourse , and the reason i had to make choice of it , besides what i have already mentioned . first , the belief of a deity being the foundation of all religion ; ( religion being nothing but a devout worshipping of god , or an inclination of mind to serve and worship him ; ) for he that cometh to god , must believe that he is : it is a matter of the highest concernment to be firmly settled and established in a full perswasion of this main point : now this must be demonstrated by arguments drawn from the light of nature , and works of the creation . for as all other sciences , so divinity proves not , but supposes its subject , taking it for granted , that by natural light , men are sufficiently convinced of the being of a deity . there are indeed supernatural demonstrations of this fundamental truth , but not common to all persons or times , and so liable to cavil and exception by atheistical persons , as inward illuminations of mind , a spirit of prophecy and fore telling future contingents , illustrious miracles and the like . but these proofs taken from effects and operations , exposed to every mans view , not to be denied or questioned by any , are most effectual to convince all that deny or doubt of it . neither are they only convictive of the greatest and subtlest adversaries , but intelligible also to the meanest capacities . for you may hear illiterate persons of the lowest rank of the commonolty affirming , that they need no proof of the being of a god , for that every pile of grass , or ear of corn , sufficiently proves that . for , say they , all the men of the world cannot make such a thing as one of these ; and if they cannot do it , who can , or did make it but god ? to tell them that it made it self , or sprung up by chance , would be as ridiculous as to tell the greatest philosopher so . secondly , the particulars of this discourse , serve not only to demonstrate the being of a deity , but also to illustrate some of his principal attributes , as namely his infinite power and wisdom . the vast multitude of creatures , and those not only small but immensely great : the sun and moon , and all the heavenly host , are effects and proofs of his almighty power . the heavens declare the glory of god , and the firmament sheweth his handy work , psal. 19. 1. the admirable contrivance of all and each of them , the adapting all the parts of animals to their several uses : the provision that is made for their sustenance , which is often taken notice of in scripture , psal. 145. 15 , 16. the eyes of all wait upon thee , thou givest them their meat in due season . thou openest thy hand and satisfiest the desire of every living thing . matth. 6. 26. behold the fowls of the air : for they sow not , neither do they reap , nor gather into barns ; yet your heavenly father feedeth them . psalm . 147. 9. he giveth to the beast his food , and to the young ravens when they cry : and lastly , their mutual subserviency to each other , and unanimous conspiring to promote and carry on the publick good , are evident demonstrations of his sovereign wisdom . lastly , they serve to stir up and increase in us the affections and habits of admiration , humility and gratitude . psalm 8. 3. when i considered the heavens the work of thy fingers , the moon and the stars which thou hast ordained ; what is man that thou are mindful of him , or the son of man that thou visitest him ? and to these purposes the holy psalmist is very frequent in the enumeration and consideration of these works , which may warrant me in doing the like , and justifie the denominating such a discourse as this , rather theological than philosophical . the contents . of the coelestial bodies pag. 2 , 3 , 4. 45. to 51. of terrestrial bodies p. 4. 52. the number of animals , vegetables , and fossils ; guess'd at p. 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10. the aristotelian hypothesis p. 12 , 13. the epicurean hypothesis p. 20. to 40. the cartesian hypothesis p. 20. to 40. all these considered and censur'd , from p. 12. to 40. a plastick principle above matter and motion , yet not god himself p. 32. to 37. the differences of natural and artificial things p. 41. the natures and divisions of bodies p. 41 , 42 , 43. the several textures , ends ; and uses of them p. 44. as of the sun p. 47 , 48. of the moon and other planets p. 48 , 49. the advantage of eclipses in chronology , and geography p. 51. of the fixt stars p. 49. 51. of fire p. 52. 54. of air p. 54 to 60. the respiration of the foetus in the womb explained p. 56. to 59. of water p. 60 to 62. of earth p. 62 , 63. of meteors p. 63. of rain p. 64. of winds p. 65. of stones p. 67. 70. transparent , colour'd , opaque , variously figur'd like parts of animals . load-stone , &c. ibid. of metals p. 70. to 73. of vegetation , and plants , their different parts , and uses : of their roots , fibres , bark , wood , vessels , leaves , claspers , prickles , gems , flowers , fruits , seeds , &c. from p. 74 to 86. of sensitive or brute animals , quadrupeds , birds , fishes , insects , their regular and peculiar methods , their actions , their various parts and uses from p. 86. to p. 112. 120. 122. from whence the uses of things p. 112. the study of nature recommended p. 114. 116. 122 , 123. prefer'd to other studies to 132. of the terraqueous globe , its figure and use ; its motion , posture , situation , constitution and consistency p. 135. to 150. of the body of man , its external and internal mechanism , the textures , situations , proportions , actions , and uses of the several parts ; many anaiomical , physical , and theological observations thereupon from p. 151. to 235. more particularly upon the head p. 169. the eye and vision p. 170. to 184. the suspensory or seventh muscle , and the membrana nictitans common to many beasts , yet wanting in man p. 133 , 184. the ear p. 185. to 187. the teeth p. 187. 197. the tongue p. 190. 192. the windpipe p. 203. the heart p. 204. to 209. the hand and the analogous parts in other creatures p. 209. to 213. generation and formation explain'd , from p. 217. to 223. observations on the propagations of several animals and plants ibid. many divine reflections and conclusions from p. 222. to the end . psalm 104. 24. how manifold are thy works o lord ? in wisdom hast thou made them all . in these words are two clauses , in the first whereof the psalmist admires the multitude of god's works , how manifold are thy works o lord ? in the second he celebrates his wisdom in the creation of them ; in wisdom hast thou made them all . of the first of these i shall say little , only briefly run over the works of this visible world , and give some guess at the number of them . whence it will appear , that upon this account they well deserve admiration , the number of them being uninvestigable by us ; and so affording us a demonstrative proof of the unlimited extent of the creators skill , and the foecundity of his wisdom and power . that the number of corporeal creatures is unmeasurably great , and known only to the creator himself , may thus probably be collected : first of all , the number of fixt stars is on all hands acknowledged to be next to infinite ; secondly , every fixt star in the now received hypothesis is a sun or sunlike body , and in like manner encircled with a chorus of planets moving about it ; thirdly , each of these planets is in all likelihood furnished with as great variety of corporeal creatures animate and inanimate as the earth is , and all as different in nature as they are in place from the terrestrial , and from each other . whence it will follow that these must be much more infinite than the stars ; i do not mean absolutely according to the philosophick exactness infinite , but only infinite or innumerable as to us , or their number prodigiously great . that the fixt stars are innumerable may thus be made out : those visible to the naked eye are by the least account acknowledged to be above a thousand , excluding those towards the south pole which are not visible in our horizon : besides these , there have been incomparably more detected and brought to light by the telescope ; the milky way being found to be ( as was formerly conjectured ) nothing but great companies or swarms of minute stars singly invisible , but by reason of their proximity mingling and confounding their lights and appearing like lucid clouds . and it 's likely that , had we more perfect telescopes , many thousands more might be discovered ; and yet after all an incredible multitude remain , by reason of their immense distance beyond all ken by the best telescopes that could possibly be invented or polished by the wit and hand of an angel. for if the world be , as des cartes would have it , indefinitely extended ; that is , so far as no human intellect can fancy any bounds of it , then what we see or can come to see must be the least part of what is undiscoverable by us ; the whole universe extending a thousand times farther beyond the utmost stars we can possibly descry , than those be distant from the earth we live upon . this hypothesis of the fixt stars being so many suns , &c. seems more agreeable to the divine greatness and magnificence : but that which induces me much to doubt of the magnitude of the universe and immense distance of the fixed stars , is the stupendious phaenomena of comets , their sudden accension or appearance in full magnitude , the length of their tails and swiftness of their motion , and gradual diminution of bulk and motion , till at last they disappear : neither do i think the universe indefinitely extended , as des cartes upon a false ground [ that the formal ratio of a body was nothing but extension into length , breadth and profundity , or having partes extra partes , and that body and space were synonimous terms ] assert ed : for it may as well be limited this way as in the old hypothesis ; which places the fixt stars in the same spherical superficies ; according to which ( old hypothesis ) they may also be demonstrated by the same mediums to be innumerable , only instead of their distance substituting their smalness for the reason of their invisibility . but leaving the celestial bodies , i come now to the terrestrial ; which are either inanimate or animate . the inanimate are the elements , meteors and fossils of all sorts , at the number of which last i cannot give any probable guess ; bur if the rule , which some considerate philosophers deliver , holds good ; viz. how much more imperfect any genus or order of beings is , so much more numerous are the species contained under it ; as for example : birds being a more perfect kind of animals than fishes , there are more of these than of those , and for the like reason more birds than quadrupeds , and more insects than of any of the rest ; and so more plants than animals : nature being more sparing in her more excellent productions . if this rule i say holds good ; then should there be more species of fossils or generally of inanimate bodies than of vegetables ; of which there is some reason to doubt . unless we will admit all sorts of formed stones to be distinct species . animate bodies are divided into four great genera or orders , beasts , birds , fishes and insects . the species of beasts , including also serpents , are not very numerous : of such as are certainly known and described i dare say not above 150. and yet i believe not many , that are of any considerable bigness , in the known regions of the world , have escaped the cognizance of the curious . [ i reckon all dogs to be of one species they mingling together in generation , and the breed of such mixtures being prolifick . ] the number of birds known and described may be near 500 ; and the number of fishes , secluding shelfish as many ; but if the shelfish be taken in , more than double the number . how many of each genus remain yet undiscovered one cannot certainly nor very nearly conjecture , but we may suppose the whole sum of beasts and birds to exceed by a third part , and fishes by one half , those known . the insects , if we take in the exanguious both terrestrial and aquatick , may in derogation to the precedent rule for number vie even with plants themselves . for the exanguious alone , by what that learned and critical naturalist my honoured friend dr. martin lister hath already observed and delineated , i conjecture , cannot be fewer than 1800 or 2000 species , perhaps many more . the butterflies and beetles are such numerous tribes , that i believe in our own native country alone the species of each kind may amount to 150 or more . and if we should make the caterpillers and hexapods from whence these come to be distinct species , as most naturalists have done , the number will be doubled , and these two genera will afford us 600 species . but if those be admitted for distinct species , i see no reason but their aureliae also may pretend to a specifick difference from the caterpillers and butterflies ; and so we shall have 300 species more , therefore we exclude both these from the degree of species , making them to be the same insect under a different larva or habit. the fly-kind , if under that name we comprehend all other flying insects , as well such as have four as such as have but two wings , of both which kinds there are many subordinate genera , will be found in multitude of species to equal if not exceed both the forementioned kinds . the creeping insects that never come to be winged , though for number they may fall short of the flying or winged , yet are they also very numerous ; as by running over the several kinds i could easily demonstrate : supposing then , there be a thousand several sorts of insects in this island and the sea near it : if the same proportion holds between the insects native of england , and those of the rest of the world , as doth between plants domestick and exotick , ( that is , as i guess , near a decuple ) the species of insects in the whole earth ( land and water ) will amount to 10000 , and i do believe they rather exceed than fall short of that sum . the number of plants contained in c. bauhin's pinax is about 6000 , which are all that had been described by the authors that wrote before him , or observed by himself ; in which work , besides mistakes and repetitions incident to the most wary and knowing men in such a work as that ; there are a great many , i might say some hundreds put down for different species , which in my opinion are but accidental varieties : which i do not say to detract from the excellent pains and performance of that learned , judicious and laborious herbarist , or to defraud him of his deserved honour , but only to shew , that he was too much sway'd by the opinions then generally current among herbarists , that different colour or multiplicity of leaves in the flower and the like accidents were sufficient to constitute a specifick difference . but supposing there had been 6000 then known and described ; i cannot think but that there are in the world more then double that number ; there being in the vast continent of america as great a variety of species as with us , and yet but few common to europe , or perhaps asrick and asia , and if , on the other side the equator , there be much land still remaining undiscovered as probably there may , we must suppose the number of plants to be far greater . what can we infer from all this ? if the number of creatures be so exceeding great , how great nay immense must needs be the power and wisdom of him who form'd them all ! for ( that i may borrow the words of a noble and excellent author ) as it argues and manifests more skill by far in an artificer to be able to frame both clocks and watches , and pumps , and mills , and granadoes and rockets , then he could display in making but one of those sorts of engines ; so the almighty discovers more of his wisdom in forming such a vast multitude of different sorts of creatures , and all with admirable and irreproveable art , than if he had created but a few : for this declares the greatness and unbounded capacity of his understanding . again , the same superiority of knowledg would be displaid by contriving engines of the same kind or for the same purposes after different fashions , as the moving of clocks or other engines by springs instead of weights : so the infinitely wise creator hath shewn in many instances , that he is not confin'd to one only instrument for the working one effect , but can perform the same thing by divers means . so though feathers seem necessary for flying , yet hath he enabled several creatures to fly without them , as two sorts of fishes , and the bat , not to mention the numerous tribes of flying insects . in like manner though the air-bladder in fishes seems necessary for swimming , yet some are so form'd as to swim without it ; viz. first , the cartilagineous kind , which by what artifice they poise themselves , ascend and descend at pleasure , and continue in what depth of water they list , is as yet unknown to us . secondly , the cetaceous kind , or sea-beasts differing in nothing almost from quadrupeds but the want of feet . the air which in respiration these receive into their lungs may serve to render their bodies equiponderant to the water ; and the constriction or dilatation of it , by the help of the diaphragm and muscles of respiration , may probably assist them to ascend or descend in the water , by a light impulse thereof with their fins . again , though the water being a cold element , the most wise god hath so attempered the blood and bodies of fishes in general , that a small degree of heat is sufficient to preserve their due consistency and motion and to maintain life ; yet to shew that he can preserve a creature in the sea , and in the coldest part of the sea too , that may have as great a degree of heat as quadrupeds themselves ; he hath created great variety of these cetaceous fishes , which converse chiefly in the northern seas , whose whole body being encompassed round with a copious fat or blubber ( which , by reflecting and redoubling the internal heat , and keeping off the external cold , doth the same thing to them that cloths do to us ) is enabled to abide the greatest cold of the sea-water . the reason why these fishes delight to frequent chiefly the northern-seas is i conceive not only for the quiet which they enjoy there , but because the northern air , which they breath being more fully charged with nitrous particles , is fittest to maintain the vital heat in that activity as is sufficient to move such an unwieldy bulk , as their bodies are with due celerity and to bear up against and repell the ambient cold ; and may likewise enable them to continue longer under water than a warmer and thinner air could . i come now to the second part of the words ; in wisdom hast thou made them all . in discoursing wherof i shall endeavour to make out in particulars what the psalmist here asserts in general concerning the works of god , that they are all very wisely contrived and adapted to ends both particular and general . but before i enter upon this task , i shall , by way of preface or introduction , say something concerning those systems which undertake to give an account of the formation of the universe by mechanical hypotheses of matter moved either uncertainly , or according to some catholick laws , without the intervention and assistance of any superior immaterial agent . there is no greater , at least no more palpable and convincing argument of the existence of a deity than the admirable art and wisdom that discovers itself in the make and constitution , the order and disposition , the ends and uses of all the parts and members of this stately fabrick of heaven and earth . for if in the works of art , as for example ; a curious edifice or machine , counsel , design , and direction to an end appearing in the whole frame and in all the several pieces of it , do necessarily infer the being and operation of some intelligent architect or engineer , why shall not also in the works of nature , that grandeur and magnificence , that excellent contrivance for beauty , order , use , &c. which is observable in them , wherein they do as much transcend the effects of human art as infinite power and wisdom exceeds finite , infer the existence and efficiency of an omnipotent and all-wise creator ? to evade the force of this argument , and to give some account of the original of the world , atheistical persons have set up two hypotheses . the first is that of aristotle , that the world was from eternity , in the same condition that now it is , having run through the successions of infinite generations ; to which they add , self-existent and unproduced . for aristotle doth not deny god to be the efficient cause of the world. but only asserts , that he created it from eternity making him a necessary cause thereof ; it proceeding from him by way of emanation , as light from the sun. this hypothesis which hath some shew of reason , for something must necessarily exist of it self ; and if something , why may not all things ? this hypothesis , i say , is so clearly and fully confuted by the reverend and learned dr. tillotson now dean of s. pauls london , in his first printed sermon , and the r. reverend father in god john late lord bishop of chester in book i. chap. v. of his treatise of the principles of natural religion , that nothing material can by me be added ; to whom therefore i refer the reader . the epicurean hypothesis rejected . the second hypothesis is that of the epicureans , who held that there were two principles self existent : first , space or vacuity ; secondly , matter or body ; both of infinite duration and extension . in this infinite space or vacuity , which hath neither beginning nor end , nor middle , no limits or extremes , innumerable minute bodies into which the matter was divided called atomes , because by reason of their perfect solidity they were really indivisible ( for they hold no body capable of division , but what hath vacuities intersperst with matter ) of various but a determinate number of figures , and equally ponderous do perpendicularly descend , and by their fortuitous concourse make compound bodies , and at last the world it self . but now , because if all these atomes should descend plum down with equal velocity , as according to their doctrine they ought to do , ( being as we said ) all perfectly solid and imporous , and the vacuum not resisting their motion , they would never the one overtake the other , but like the drops of a shower would always keep the same distances , and so there could be no concourse or cohaesion of them , and consequently nothing created ; partly to avoid this destructive consequence , and partly to give some account of the freedom of will ( which they did assert contrary to the democritick fate ) they did absurdly feign a declination of some of these principles , without any shadow or pretence of reason . the former of these motives you have set down by * lucretius in these words : corpora cum deorsum rectum per inane feruntur ponderibus propriis , incerto tempore fortè , incertisque locis , spatio discedere paulùm ; tantum quod momen mutatum dicere possis . and again ; quòd nisi declinare solerent , omnia deorsum imbris uti guttae caderent per inane profundum , nec foret offensus natus , nec plaga creata principiis , ita nil unquam natura creâsset . the second motive they had to introduce this gratuitous declination of atomes , the same poet gives us in these verses , lib. 2. — si semper motus connectitur omnis , et vetere exoritur semper novus ordine certo ; nec declinando faciunt primordia motûs principium quoddam quod fati foedera rumpat , ex infinito ne causam causa sequatur ; libera per terras unde haec animantibus extat , unde haec est , inquam , fatis avolsa voluntas ? the folly and unreasonableness of this ridiculous and ungrounded figment , i cannot better display and reprove than in the words of cicero , in the beginning of his first book de finibus bonornm & malorum . this declination ( saith he ) is altogether childishly feigned , and yet neither doth it at all solve the difficulty , or effect what they desire . for first they say the atomes decline , and yet assign no reason why . now nothing is more shameful and unworthy a natural philosopher [ turpius physico ] than to assert any thing to be done without a cause , or to give no reason of it . besides this is contrary to their own hypothesis taken from sence , that all weights do naturally move perpendicularly downward . secondly , again supposing this were true , and that there were such a declination of atomes , yet will it not effect what they intend . for either they do all decline , and so there will be no more concourse than if they did perpendicularly descend ; or some decline , and some fall plum down , which is ridiculously to assign distinct offices and tasks to the atomes , which are all of the same nature and solidity . again , in his book de fato he smartly derides this fond conceit thus ; what cause is there in nature which turns the atomes aside ? or do they cast lots among themselves which shall decline , which not ? or why do they decline the least interval that may be , and not a greater ? why not two or three minima as well as one ? optare hoc quidem est non disputare , for neither is the atome by any extrinsecal impulse diverted from its natural course ; neither can there be any cause imagined in the vacuity through which it is carried why it should not move directly ; neither is there any change made in the atome it self , that it should not retain the motion natural to it , by force of its weight or gravity . as for the whole atomical hypothesis , either epicurean or democritick , i shall not , nor need i spend time to confute it ; this having been already solidly and sufficiently done by many learned men , but especially dr. cudworth in his intellectual system of the universe , and the present bishop of worcester dr. stillinfleet in his origines sacrae . only i cannot omit the ciceronian confutation thereof , which i find in the place first quoted , and in his first and second books de naturâ deorum , because it may serve as a general introduction to the following particulars . such a turbulent concourse of atomes could never ( saith he ) hunc mundi ornatum efficere , compose so well ordered and beautiful a structure as the world is ; which therefore both in greek and latine hath from thence [ ab ornatu & munditie ] obtain'd its name . and again most fully and appositely in his second de nat. deorum . if the works of nature are better , more exact and perfect than the works of art , and art effects nothing without reason ; neither can the works of nature be thought to be effected without reason . for is it not absurd and incongruous ? that when thou beholdest a statue or curious picture , thou shouldest acknowledg that art was used to the making of it ; or when thou seest the course of a ship upon the waters , thou shouldest not doubt but the motion of it is regulated and directed by reason and art ; or when thou considerest a sun-dial or clock , thou shouldst understand presently , that the hours are shewn by art and not by chance ; and yet imagine or believe , that the world which comprehends all these arts and artificers was made without counsel or reason . if one should carry into scythia or britain such a sphere as our friend posidonius lately made , each of whose conversions did the same thing in the sun and moon and other five planets , which we see effected every night and day in the heavens , who among those barbarians would doubt that that sphere was composed by reason and art ? a wonder then it must needs be , that there should be any man found so stupid and forsaken of reason as to persuade himself , that this most beautiful and adorned world was or could be produced by the fortuitous concourse of atomes . he that can prevail with himself to believe this , i do not see why he may not as well admit , that if there were made innumerable figures of the 21 letters in gold , suppose , or any other metal , and these well shaken and mixt together , and thrown down from some high place to the ground , they when they lighted upon the earth would be so disposed and ranked , that a man might see and read in them ennius's annals ; whereas it were a great chance if he should find one verse thereof among them all . for if this concourse of atomes could make a whole world , why may it not sometimes make , and why hath it not somewhere or other in the earth made a temple , or a gallery , or a portico , or a house , or a city ? which yet it is so far from doing , and every man so far from believing ; that should any one of us be cast , suppose , upon a desolate island , and find there a magnificent palace artificially contrived according to the exactest rules of architecture , and curiously adorned and furnished ; it would never once enter into his head , that this was done by an earthquake , or the fortuitous shuffling together of its component materials ; or that it had stood there ever since the construction of the world , or first cohaesion of atomes : but would presently conclude that there had been some intelligent architect there , the effect of whose art and skill it was . or should he find there but upon one single sheet of parchment or paper an epistle or oration written , full of profound sense , expressed in proper and significant words , illustrated and adorned with elegant phrase ; it were beyond the possibility of the wit of man to perswade him that this was done by the temerarious dashes of an unguided pen , or by the rude scattering of ink upon the paper , or by the lucky projection of so many letters at all adventures ; but he would be convinced by the evidence of the thing at first fight , that there had been not only some man , but some scholar there . the cartesian hypothesis considered and censured . having rejected this atheistick hypothesis of epicurus and democritus , i should now proceed to give particular instances of the art and wisdom clearly appearing in the several parts and members of the universe ; from which we may justly infer this general conclusion of the psalmist , in wisdom hast thou made them all : but that there is a sort of professed theists , i mean mons. des cartes and his followers , who endeavour to disarm us of this decretory weapon ; to evacuate and exterminate this argument which hath been so successful in all ages to demonstrate the existence , and enforce the belief of a deity ; and to convince and silence all atheistick gainsayers . and this they doe , first , by excluding and banishing all consideration of final causes from natural philosophy ; upon pretence , that they are all and every one in particular undiscoverable by us ; and that it is rashness and arrogance in us to think we can find out god's ends and be partakers of his counsels . atque ob hanc unicam rationem totum illud causarum genus quod à fine peti solet , in rebus physicis nullum usum habere existimo ; non enim absque temeritate me puto investigare posse fines dei. medit. metaph. and again in his principles of philosophy , nullas unquam rationes circa res naturales à fine quem deus aut natura in iis faciendis sibi proposuit admittimus , quia non tantum nobis debemus arrogare ut ejus consiliorum participes esse possimus . and more expresly in his fourth answer , viz. to gassendus's objections ; nec fingi potest , aliquos dei fines magis quàm alios in propatulo esse : omnes enim in imperscrutabili ejus sapientiae abysso sunt eodem modo reconditi ; that is , neither can or ought we to feign or imagine , that some of god's ends are more manifest than others ; for all lie in like manner or equally hidden in the unsearchable abyss of his wisdom . this confident assertion of des cartes is fully examined and reproved by that honourable and excellent person mr. boyl , in his disquisition about the final causes of natural things , sect. 1. from pag. 10. to the end : and therefore i shall not need say much to it ; only in brief this , that it seems to me false and of evil consequence , as being derogatory from the glory of god , and destructive of the acknowledgment and belief of a deity : for first , seeing , for instance , that the eye is employed by man and all animals for the use of vision , which , as they are framed , is so necessary for them , that they could not live without it ; and god almighty knew that it would be so ; and seeing it is so admirably fitted and adapted to this use , that all the wit and art of men and angels could not have contrived it better , if so well ; it must needs be highly absurd and unreasonable to affirm , either that it was not designed at all for this use , or that it is impossible for man to know whether it was or not . secondly , how can man give thanks and praise to god for the use of his limbs and senses and those his good creatures which serve for his sustenance ; when he cannot be sure they were made in any respect for him ; nay , when 't is as likely they were not , and that he doth but abuse them to serve ends for which they never intended . thirdly , this opinion , as i hinted before , supersedes and cassates the best medium we have to demonstrate the being of a deity ; leaving us no other demonstrative proof but that taken from the innate idea ; which , if it be a demonstration , is but an obscure one , not satisfying many of the learned themselves , and being too subtle and metaphysical ro be apprehended by vulgar capacities , and consequently of no force to persuade and convince them . secondly , they endeavour to evacuate and disanul our great argument , by pretending to solve all the phaenomena of nature , and to give an account of the production and efformation of the universe , and all the corporeal beings therein , both celestial and terrestrial as well animate as inanimate , not excluding animals themselves by a sleight hypothesis of matter so and so divided and moved . the hypothesis you have in des cartes's principles of philosophy , part. 2. all the matter of this visible world is by him supposed to have been at first divided by god into parts nearly equal to each other , of a mean size , viz. about the bigness of those whereof the heavenly bodies are now compounded ; all together having as much motion as is now found in the world ; and these to have been equally moved severally every one by itself about its own center , and among one another , so as to compose a fluid body ; and also many of them jointly or in company , about several other points so far distant from one another , and in the same manner disposed as the centres of the fixt stars now are . so that god had no more to do than to create the matter , divide it into parts , and put it into motion according to some few laws , and that would of itself produce the world and all creatures therein . for a confutation of this hypothesis , i might refer the reader to dr. cudworth's system p. 603. 604. but for his ease i will transcribe the words : — god in the mean time standing by as an idle spectator of this lusus atomorum , this sportfull dance of atoms , and of the various results thereof . nay these mechanick theists have here quite outstripped and outdone the atomick atheists themselves , they being much more extravagant then ever those were . for the professed atheists durst never venture to affirm , that this regular systeme of things resulted from the fortuitous motions of atoms at the very first , before they had for a long time together produced many other inept combinations , or aggregate forms of particular things and nonsensical systems of the whole , and they supposedalso that the regularity of things here in this world would not always continue such neither , but that some time or other confusion and disorder will break in again . moreover that besides this world of ours , there are at this very instant innumerable other worlds irregular , and that there is but one of a thousand or ten thousand among the infinite worlds that have such regularity in them , the reason of all which is , because it was generally taken for granted , and lookt upon as a common notion , that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , as aristotle expresseth it ; none of those things which are from fortune or chance come to pass always alike . but our mechanick theists will have their atoms never so much as once to have fumbled in these their motions , nor to have produced any inept system , or incongruous forms at all , but from the very first all along to have taken up their places and ranged themselves so orderly , methodically and directly ; as that they could not possibly have done it better , had they been directed by the most perfect wisdom . wherefore these atomick theists utterly evacuate that grand argument for a god taken from the phaenomenon of the artificial frame of things , which hath been so much insisted upon in all ages , and which commonly makes the strongest impression of any other upon the minds of men &c. the atheists in the mean time laughing in their sleeves , and not a little triumphing to see the cause of theism thus betrayed by its professed friends and assertors , and the grand argument for the same totally slurred by them and so their work done , as it were , to their hands . now as this argues the greatest insensibility of mind , or sottishness and stupidity in pretended theists not to take the least notice of the regular and artificial frame of things , or of the signatures of the divine art and wisdom in them , nor to look upon the world and things of nature with any other eyes than oxen and horses do . so are there many phaenomena in nature , which being partly above the force of these mechanick powers , and partly contrary to the same , can therefore never be salved by them , nor without final causes and some vital principle : as for example , that of gravity or the tendency of bodies downward , the motion of the diaphragm in respiration , the systole and diastole of the heart , which is nothing but a muscular constriction and relaxation , and therefore not mechanical but vital . we might also add among many others the intersection of the plains of the equator and ecliptick , or the earth's diurnal motion upon an axis not parallel to that of the ecliptick , nor perpendicular to the plain thereof . for though des cartes would needs imagine this earth of ours once to have been a sun , and so itself the centre of a lesser vortex , whose axis was then directed after this manner , and which therefore still kept the same site or posture by reason of the striate particles finding no fit pores or traces for their passages through it , but only in this direction ; yet does he himself confess , that because these two motions of the earth , the annual and diurnal , would be much more conveniently made upon parallel axes , therefore , according to the laws of mechanism , they should be perpetually brought nearer andnearer together , till at length the equator and ecliptick come to have their axes parallel , which as it has not yet come to pass , so neither hath there been for these last two thousand years ( according to the best observations and judgments of astronomers ) any nearer approach made of them one to another . wherefore the continuation of these two motions of the earth the annual and diurnal upon axes not parallel is resolvable into nothing but a final and mental cause , or the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , because it was best it should be so , the variety of the seasons of the year depending thereupon . but the greatest of all the particular phaenomena is the formation and organization of the bodies of animals , consisting of such variety and curiosity ; that these mechanick philosophers being no way able to give an account thereof from the necessary motion of matter , unguided by mind for ends , prudently therefore break off their system there , when they should come to animals , and so leave it altogether untoucht . we acknowledg indeed there is a posthumous piece extant , imputed to cartes , and entituled , de la formation du foetus , wherein there is some pretence made to salve all this by fortuitous mechanism . but as the theory thereof is built wholly upon a false supposition , sufficiently confuted by our harvey in his book of generation , that the seed doth materially enter into the composition of the egg : so is it all along precarious and exceptionable ; nor doth it extend at all to the differences that are in several animals , nor offer the least reason why an animal of one species might not be formed out of the seed of another . thus far the doctor , with whom for the main i do consent . i shall only add , that natural philosophers , when they endeavor to give an account of any of the works of nature by preconceived principles of their own , are for the most part grosly mistaken and confuted by experience ; as des cartes in a matter that lay before him , obvious to sense and infinitly more easie to find out the cause of , than to give an account of the formation of the world ; that is the pulse of the heart , which he attributes to an ebullition and sudden expansion of the blood in the ventricles , after the manner of milk , which being heated to such a degree doth suddenly and as it were all at once flush up and run over the vessel . whether this ebullition be caused by a nitro-sulphureous ferment lodged especially in the left ventricle of the heart , which mingling with the blood excites such an ebullition , as we see made by the mixture of some chymical liquors , viz. oil of vitriol , and deliquated salt of tartar ; or by the vital flame warming and boyling the blood. but this conceit of his is contrary both to reason and experience , for first , it is altogether unreasonable to imagine and affirm that the cool venal blood should be heated to so high a degree in so short a time as the interval of two pulses , which is less than the sixth part of a minute . secondly , in cold animals , as for example eels , the heart will beat for many hours after it is taken out of the body , yea tho the ventricle be opened and all the blood squeezed out . thirdly , the process of the fibres which compound the sides of the ventricles running in spiral lines from the tip to the base of the heart , some one way and some the contrary , do clearly shew that the systole of the heart is nothing but a muscular constriction , as a purse is shut by drawing the strings contrary ways : which is also confirm'd by experience ; for if the vertex of the heart be cut off , and a finger thrust up into one of the ventricles , in every systole the finger will be sensibly and manifestly pincht by the sides of the ventricle . but for a full confutation of this fancy , i refer the reader to dr. lower's treatise de corde , chap. 2. and his rules concerning the transferring of motion from one body in motion to another are the most of them by experience found to be false , as they affirm which have made trial of them . this pulse of the heart dr. cudworth would have to be no mechanical but a vital motion , which to me seems probable , because it is not under the command of the will , nor are we conscious of any power to cause or to restrain it , but it is carried on and continued without our knowledge or notice ; neither can it be caused by the impulse of any external movent , unless it be heat . but how can the spirits agitated by heat , unguided by a vital principle produce such a regular reciprocal motion ? if that site which the heart and its fibres have in the diastole be most natural to them , ( as it seems to be ) why doth it again contract itself , and not rest in that posture ? if it be once contracted in a systole by the influx of the spirits , why , the spirits continually flowing in without let , doth it not always remain so ? [ for the systole seems to resemble the forcible bending of a spring , and the diastole its flying out again to its natural site . ] what is the spring and principal efficient of this reciprocation ? what directs and moderates the motions of the spirits ? they being but stupid and senseless matter , cannot of themselves continue any regular and constant motion , without the guidance and regulation of some intelligent being . you will say , what agent is it which you would have to effect this ? the sensitive soul it cannot be , because that is indivisible , but the heart , when separated wholly from the body in some animals ; continues still to pulse for a considerable time ; nay when it hath quite ceased , it may be brought to beat anew by the application of warm spittle , or by pricking it gently with a pin or needle . i answer , it may be in these instances , the scattering spirits remaining in the heart , may for a time being agitated by heat , cause these faint pulsations ; though i should rather attribute them to a plastick nature or vital principle , as the vegetation of plants must also be . but to proceed , neither can i wholly acquiesce in the hypothesis of that honourable and deservedly famous author i formerly had occasion to mention ; which i find in his free enquiry into the vulgar notion of nature , p. 77 , 78. delivered in these words , i think it probable , that the great and wise author of things did , when he first formed the universal and undistinguished matter into the world , put its parts into various motions , whereby they were necessarily divided into numberless portions of differing bulks , figures and situations in respect of each other . and that by his infinite wisdom and power he did so guide and over-rule the motions of these parts , at the beginning of things , as that ( whether in a shorter or a longer time reason cannot determine ) they were finally disposed into that beautiful and orderly frame that we call the world ; among whose parts some were so curiously contrived , as to be fit to become the seeds or feminal principles of plants and animals . and i further conceive , that he setled such laws or rules of local motion , among the parts of the universal matter , that by his ordinary and preserving concurse the several parts of the universe thus once completed , should be able to maintain the great construction or system and oeconomy of the mundane bodies , and propagate the species of living creatures . the same hypothesis he repeats again , pag. 124 , 125. of the same treatise . this hypothesis , i say , i cannot fully acquiesce in , because an intelligent being seems to me requisite to execute the laws of motion . for first motion being a fluent thing , and one part of its duration being absolutely independent upon another : it doth not follow that because any thing moves this moment , it must necessarily continue to do so the next ; but it stands in as much need of an efficient to preserve and continue its motion as it did at first to produce it . secondly , let matter be divided into the subtilest parts imaginable , and these be moved as swiftly as you will ; it is but a sensless and stupid being still , and makes no nearer approach to sense , perception , or vital energy than it had before ; and do but only stop the internal motion of its parts and reduce them to rest , the finest and most subtile body that is may become as gross , and heavy , and stiff as steel or stone . and as for any external laws or established rules of motion , the stupid matter is not capable of observing or taking any notice of them ; neither can those laws execute themselves : therefore there must besides matter and law be some efficient ; and that either a quality or power inherent in the matter itself , which is hard to conceive , or some external intelligent agent , either god himself immediately , or some plastick nature . this latter i incline to , for the reasons alledged by dr. cudworth in his system , pag. 149. which are ; first , because the former , according to vulgar apprehension , would render the divine providence operose , solicitous and distractious : and thereby make the belief of it entertained with greater difficulty , and give advantage to atheists . secondly , it is not so decorous in respect of god , that he should 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , set his own hand as it were to every work , and immediately do all the meanest and triflingst things himself drudgingly , without making use of any inferiour or subordinate ministers . these two reasons are plausible , but not cogent , the two following are of greater force . thirdly , the slow and gradual process that is in the generation of things , which would seem to be a vain and idle pomp or trifling formality , if the agent were omnipotent . fourthly , those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , as aristotle calls them , those errors and bungles which are committed when the matter is inept or contumacious , as in monsters , &c. which argue the agent not to be irresistible ; and that nature is such a thing as is not altogether uncapable , as well as human art , of being sometimes frustrated and disappointed by the indisposition of the matter : whereas an omnipotent agent would always do its work infallibly and irresistibly , no ineptitude or stubbornness of the matter being ever able to hinder such an one , or make him bungle or fumble in any thing . so far the doctor . for my part , i should make no scruple to attribute the formation of plants , their growth and nutrition to the vegetative soul in them ; and likewise the formation of animals to the vegetative power of their souls ; but that the segments and cuttings of some plants , nay the very chips and smallest fragments of their body , branches , or roots , will grow and become perfect plants themselves , and so the vegetative soul , if that were the architect , would be divisible , and consequently no spiritual or intelligent being ; which the plastick principle must be , as we have shewn . for that must preside over the whole oeconomy of the plant , and be one single agent , which takes care of the bulk and figure of the whole , and the situation , figure , texture of all the parts , root , stalk , branches , leaves , flowers , fruit , and all their vessels and juices . i therefore incline to dr. cudworth's opinion , that god uses for these effects the subordinate ministry of some inferiour plastick nature ; as in his works of providence he doth of angels . for the description whereof i refer the reader to his system . secondly , in particular i am difficult to believe , that the bodies of animals can be formed by matter divided and moved by what laws you will or can imagine , without the immediate presidency , direction and regulation of some intelligent being . in the generation or first formation of , suppose the human body , out of ( though not an homogeneous liquor , yet ) a fluid substance , the only material agent or mover is a moderate heat . now how this , by producing an intestine motion in the particles of the matter , which can be conceived to differ in nothing else but figure , magnitude and gravity , should by virtue thereof , not only separate the heterogeneous parts , but assemble the homogeneous into masses or systems , and that not each kind into one mass , but into many and disjoyned ones , as it were so many troups ; and that in each troup the particular particles should take their places , and cast themselves into such a figure ; as for example , the bones being about 300 are formed of various sizes and shapes , so situate and connected , as to be subservient to many hundred intentions and uses , and many of them conspire to one and the same action , this , i say , i cannot by any means conceive . i might instance in all the homogeneous parts of the body , their sites and figures ; and ask by what imaginable laws of motion their bulk , figure , situation and connexion can be made out ? what account can be given of the valves , of the veins and arteries of the heart , and of the veins elsewhere , and of their situation ; of the figure and consistency of all the humours and membranes of the eye , all conspiring and exactly fitted to the use of seeing ; but i have touched upon that already , and shall discourse of it largely afterward . you will ask me who or what is the operator in the formation of the bodies of man and other animals ? i answer , the sensitive soul itself , if it be a spiritual and immaterial substance , as i am inclineable to believe : but if it be material , and consequently the whole animal but a mere machine or automaton , as i can hardly admit , then must we have recourse to a plastick nature . that the soul of brutes is material , and the whole animal , soul and body , but a mere machine is the opinion publickly owned and declared , of des cartes , gassendus , dr. willis and others ; the same is also necessarily consequent upon the doctrine of the peripateticks , viz. that the sensitive soul is educed out of the power of the matter . for nothing can be educed out of the matter , but what was there before , which must be either matter or some modification of it . and therefore they cannot grant it to be a spiritual substance , unless they will assert it to be educed out of nothing . this opinion , i say , i can hardly digest . i should rather think animals to be endued with a lower degree of reason , than that they are mere machines . i could instance in many actions of brutes that are hardly to be accounted for without reason and argumentation ; as that commonly noted of dogs , that running before their masters they will stop at a divarication of the way , till they see which hand their masters will take ; and that when they have gotten a prey , which they fear their masters will take from them , they will run away and hide it , and afterwards return to it ; and many the like actions , which i shall not spend time to relate . should this be true , that beasts were automata or machines , they could have no sense or perception of pleasure or pain , and consequently no cruelty could be exercised towards them ; which is contrary to the doleful significations they make when beaten or tormented , and contrary to the common sense of mankind , all men naturally pitying them as apprehending them to have such a sense and feeling of pain and misery as themselves have ; whereas no man is troubled to see a plant torn , or cut , or stampt , or mangled how you please . besides , having the same members and organs of sense as we have , it is very probable they have the same sensations and perceptions with us . to this des cartes answers or indeed saith , he hath nothing to answer ; but that if they think as well as we , they have an immortal soul as well as we : which is not at all likely , because there is no reason to believe it of some animals without believing it of all , whereas there are many too too imperfect to believe it of them , such as are oysters and sponges and the like . to which i answer that there is no necessity they should be immortal , because it is possible they may be destroyed or annihilated . but i shall not wade further into this controversie , because it is beside my scope , and there hath been as much written of it already as i have to say , by dr. more , dr. cudworth , des cartes , dr. willis and others , pro and con. of the visible works of god and their division . i come now to take a view of the works of the creation , and to observe something of the wisdom of god discernable in the formation of them , in their order and harmony , and in their ends and uses . and first i shall run them over slightly , remarking chiefly what is obvious and exposed to the eyes and notice of the more careless and incurious observer . secondly , i shall select one or two particular pieces , and take a more exact survey of them ; though even in these more will escape our notice than can be discovered by the most diligent scrutiny : for our eyes and senses , however armed or assisted , are too gross to discern the curiosity of the workmanship of nature , or those minute parts by which it acts , and of which bodies are composed ; and our understanding too dark and infirm to discover and comprehend all the ends and uses to which the infinitely wise creator did design them . but before i proceed , being put in mind thereof by the mention of the assistance of our eyes , i cannot omit one general observation concerning the curiosity of the works of nature in comparison of the works of art , which i shall propose in the late bishop of chesters words . the observations which have been made in these latter times by the help of the microscrope , since we had the use and improvement of it , discover a vast difference between natural and artificial things . whatever is natural beheld through that appears exquisitely formed , and adorned with all imaginable elegancy and beauty . there are such inimitable gildings in the smallest seeds of plants , but especially in the parts of animals , in the head or eye of a small fly ; such accuracy , order , and symmetry in the frame of the most minute creatures , a louse , for example , or a mite , as no man were able to conceive without seeing of them . whereas the most curious works of art , the sharpest and finest needle doth appear as a blunt rough bar of iron , coming from the furnace or the forge : the most accurate engravings or embossments seem such rude , bungling and deformed work , as if they had been done with a mattock or a trowel , so vast a difference is there betwixt the skill of nature , and the rudeness and imperfection of art. i might add , that the works of nature the better lights and glasses you use , the more cleaver and exactly formed they appear ; whereas the effects of human art the more curiously they are viewed and examined , the more of deformity they discover . this being premised ; for our more clear and distinct proceeding in our cursory view of the creation , i shall rank the parts of this material and visible world under several heads . bodies are either inanimate or animate . inanimate bodies are either celestial or terrestrial . celestial as the sun , moon and stars : terrestrial are either simple as the four elements , fire , water , earth and air ; or mixt , either imperfectly as the meteors , or more perfectly , as stones , metals , minerals and the like . animate bodies are either such as are endued with a vegetative soul , as plants ; or a sensitive soul , as the bodies of animals , birds , beasts , fishes and insects ; or a rational soul , as the body of man and the vehicles of angels , if any such there be . i make use of this division to comply with the common and received opinion , and for easier comprehension and memory ; though i do not think it agreeable to philosophick verity and accuracy ; but do rather incline to the atomick hypothesis . for these bodies we call elements are not the only ingredients of mixt bodies ; neither are they absolutely simple themselves , as they do exist in the world , the sea-water containing a copious salt manifest to sense ; and both sea and fresh-water sufficing to nourish many species of fish , and consequently containing the various parts of which their bodies are compounded . and i believe there are many species of bodies which the peripateticks call mixt , which are as simple as the elements themselves , as metals , salts , and some sorts of stones . i should therefore with dr. grew and others , rather attribute the various species of inanimate bodies to the divers figures of the minute particles of which they are made up : and the reason why there is a set and constant number of them in the world , none destroyed , nor any new ones produced , i take to be , because the sum of the figures of those minute bodies into which matter was at first divided , is determinate and fixt . 2. because those minute parts are indivisible , not absolutely , but by any natural force ; so that there neither is nor can be more or fewer of them : for were they divisible into small and diversly figured parts by fire or any other natural agent , the species of nature must be confounded , some might be lost and destroyed , but new ones would certainly be produced ; unless we could suppose , these new diminutive particles should again assemble and marshal themselves into corpuscles of such figures as they compounded before ; which i see no possibility for them to do , without some 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to direct them : not that i think these inanimate bodies to consist wholly of one sort of atoms , but that their bulk consists mainly or chiefly of one sort . but whereas it may be objected that metals , ( which of all others seem to be most simple ) may be transmuted one into another , and so the species doth not depend upon the being compounded of atoms of one figure . i answer , i am not fully satisfied of the matter of fact : but if any such transmutation be , possibly all metals may be of one species , and the diversity may proceed from the admixture of different bodies with the principles of the metal . if it be asked , why may not atoms of different species concur to the composition of bodies ? and so though there be but a few sorts of original principles may there not be produced infinite species of compound bodies , as by the various dispositions and combinations of twenty four letters innumerable words may be made up ? i answer because the heterogeneous atoms or principles are not naturally apt to cohere and stick together when they are mingled in the same liquor , as the homogeneous readily do . i do not believe that the species of principles or indivisible particles are exceeding numerous : but possibly the immediate component particles of the bodies of plants and animals may be themselves compounded . of the heavenly bodies . first , for the celestial or heavenly bodies , the equability and constancy of their motions , the certainty of their periods and revolutions , the conveniency of their order and situations argue them to be ordained and governed by wisdom and understanding ; yea so much wisdom as man cannot easily fathom or comprehend . for we see by how much the hypotheses of astronomers are more simple and conformable to reason , by so much do they give a better account of the heavenly motions . it is reported of alphonsus king of aragon , i know not whether truly , that when he saw and considered the many eccentricks , epicycles , epicycles upon epicycles , librations , and contrariety of motions , which were requisite in the old hypothesis to give an account of the celestial phaenomena , he should presume blasphemously to say , that the universe was a bungling piece ; and that if he had been of god's counsel , he could have directed him to have made it better . a speech as rash and ignorant , as daring and prophane . for it was nothing but ignorance of the true process of nature that induced the contrivers of that hypothesis to invent such absurd suppositions , and him to accept them for true , and attribute them to the great author of the heavenly motions . for in the new hypothesis of the modern astronomers , we see most of those absurdities and irregularities rectified and removed , and i doubt not but they would all vanish , could we certainly discover the true method and process of nature in those revolutions . for seeing in those works of nature which we converse with , we constantly find those axioms true , natura non facit circuitus , nature doth not fetch a compass when it may proceed in a streight line ; and natura nec abundat in superfluis , nec deficit in necessariis , nature abounds not in what is superfluous , neither is deficient in what is necessary : we may also rationally conclude concerning the heavenly bodies , seeing there is so much exactness observed in the time of their motions , that they punctually come about in the same periods to the hundredth part of a minute , as may beyond exception be demonstrated by comparing their revolutions , surely there is also used the most simple , facile , and convenient way for the performance of them . among these heavenly bodies ; first , the sun , a vast globe of fire , esteemed by the ancienter and most modest computation above 160 times bigger than the earth , the very life of this inferiour world , without whose salutary and vivifick beams all motion both animal , vital and natural would speedily cease , and nothing be left here below but darkness and death : all plants and animals must needs in a very short time be not only mortified , but together with the surface of land and water frozen as hard as flint or adamant : so that of all the creatures of the world the ancient heathen had most reason to worship him as a god , though no true reason ; because he was but a creature , and not god : and we christians to think that the service of the animals that live upon the earth , and principally man , was one end of his creation ; seeing without him there could no such things have been . this sun , i say , according to the old hypothesis whirled round about the earth daily with incredible celerity , making night and day by his rising and setting ; winter and summer by his access to the several tropicks , creating such a grateful variety of seasons , enlightening all parts of the earth by his beams , and cherishing them by his heat , situate and moved so in respect of this sublunary world , ( and it 's likely also in respect of all the planets about him ) that art and counsel could not have designed either to have placed him better , or moved him more conveniently for the service thereof ; as i could easily make appear by the inconveniences that would follow upon the supposition of any other situation and motion , shews forth the great wisdom of him who so disposed and moved him . secondly , the moon , a body in all probability somewhat like the earth we live upon , by its constant and regular motion helps us to divide our time , reflects the sun beams to us , and so by illuminating the air , takes away in some measure the disconsolate darkness of our winter nights , procures or at least regulates the fluxes and refluxes of the sea , whereby the water is kept in constant motion , and preserved from putrefaction , and so rendred more salutary for the maintenance of its breed , and useful and serviceable for man's conveniencies of fishing and navigation ; not to mention the great influence it is supposed to have upon all moist bodies , and the growth and increase of vegetables and animals : men generally observing the age of the moon in the planting of all kind of trees , sowing of grain , grafting and inoculating , and pruning of fruit-trees , gathering of fruit , cutting of corn or grass ; and thence also making prognosticks of weather , because such observations seem to me uncertain . did this luminary serve to no other ends and uses , as i am perswaded it doth many , especially , to maintain the creatures which in all likelihood breed and inhabit there , yet these were enough to evince it to be the effect and product of divine wisdom and power . thirdly , as for the rest of the planets ; besides their particular uses , which are to us unknown , or merely conjectural , their courses and revolutions , their stations and retrogradations , observed constantly so many ages together in most certain and determinate periods of time , do sufficiently demonstrate that their motions are instituted and governed by counsel , wisdom and understanding . fourthly , the like may be said of the fixt stars whose motions are regular , equal and constant . so that we see nothing in the heavens which argues chance , vanity , or error ; but on the contrary , rule , order and constancy ; the effects and arguments of wisdom : wherefore as cicero excellently concludes , coelestem ergo admirabilem ordinem , incredibilemque constantiam , ex qua conservatio & salus omnium omnis oritur , qui vacare mente putat , noe ipse mentis expers habendus est . : wherefore whosoever thinketh that the admirable order and incredible constancy of the heavenly bodies and their motions , whereupon the preservation and welfare of all things doth depend , is not governed by mind and understanding , he himself is to be accounted void thereof . and again , shall we ( saith he ) when we see an artificial engine , as a sphere , or dial , or the like , at first sight acknowledg , that it is a work of reason and art : cùm autem impetum coeli , admirabili cum celeritate moveri vertique videamus , constantissimè conficientem vicissitudines anniversarias , cum summâ salute & conservatione rerum omnium , dubitare quin ea non solùm ratione fiant , sed excellenti quâdam divinâque ratione : and can we when we see the force of the heavens moved and whirled about with admirable celerity , most constantly finishing its anniversary vicissitudes , to the eminent welfare and preservation of all things , doubt at all that these things are performed not only by reason , but by a certain excellent and divine reason . to these things i shall add an observation , which i must confess my self to have borrowed of the honourable person more than once mentioned already , that even the eclipses of the sun and moon , though they be frightful things to the superstitious vulgar , and of ill influence on mankind , if we may believe the no less superstitious astrologers , yet to knowing men , that can skilfully apply them , they are of great use , and such as common heads could never have imagined : since not only they may on divers occasions help to settle chronology , and rectifie the mistakes of historians that writ many ages ago ; but which is , though a less wonder , yet of greater utility , they are ( as things yet stand ) necessary to define with competent certainty , the longitude of places or points on the terraqueous globe , which is a thing of very great moment not only to geography , but to the most useful and important art of navigation . to which may be added , which i shall hereafter mention , that they serve to demonstrate the spherical roundness of the earth . so that i may well conclude with the psalmist , psalm 19. 1. the heavens declare the glory of god , and the firmament sheweth his handy work. of terrestrial inanimate simple bodies . i come now to consider the terrestrial bodies ; i shall say nothing of the whole body of the earth in general , because i reserve that as one of the particulars i shall more carefully and curiously examine . terrestrial bodies according to our method before propounded are either inanimate or animate , and the inanimate either simple or mixt : simple , as the four elements , fire , water , earth , and air ; i call these elements in compliance ( as i said before ) with the vulgarly received opinion ; not that i think them to be the principles or component ingredients of all other sublunary bodies : i might call them the four great aggregates of bodies of the same species , or four sorts of bodies of which there are great aggregates . these notwithstanding they are endued with contrary qualities , and are continually encroaching one upon another , yet they are so balanced and kept in such an aequilibrium , that neither prevaileth over other , but what one gets in one place it loseth in another . first , fire cherisheth and reviveth by its heat , without which all things would be torpid and without motion , nay without fire no life ; it being the vital flame residing in the blood that keeps the bodily machine in motion , and renders it a fit organ for the soul to work by . the uses of fire ( i do not here speak of the peripateticks elementary fire in the concave of the moon , which is but a mere figment , but our ordinary culinary ) are in a manner infinite for dressing and preparing of victuals baked , boyled and roast ; for melting and refining of metals and minerals ; for the fusion of glass , a material whose uses are so many that it is not easie to enumerate them , it serving us to make windows for our houses , drinking vessels , vessels to contain and preserve all sorts of fermented liquors , destilled waters , spirits , oils , extracts , and other chymical preparations , as also vessels to destil and prepare them in ; for looking glasses , spectacles , microscopes and telescopes , whereby our sight is not only relieved , but wonderfully assisted to make rare discoveries : for making all sorts of instruments for husbandry , mechanick arts and trades , all sorts of arms or weapons of war defensive and offensive ; for fulminating engines ; for burning of lime , baking of bricks , tiles , and all sorts of potters vessels or earthen ware ; for casting and forging metalline vessels and utensils ; for destillations , and all chymical operations hinted before in the use of glass . for affording us light for any work or exercise in winter nights ; for digging in mines and dark carvens : and finally by its comfortable warmth securing us from the injuries of cold , or relieving when we have been bitten and benummed with it . a subject or utensil of so various and inexplicable use , who could have invented and formed , but an infinitely wise and powerful efficient ? secondly , the air serves us and all animals to breath in , containing the fewel of that vital flame we spake of , without which it would speedily languish and go out . so necessary is it for us and other land-animals , that without the use of it we could live but very few minutes : nay fishes and other water-animals cannot abide without the use of it : for if you put fish into a vessel of a narrow mouth full of water , they will live and swim there not only days and months but even years . but if with your hand or any other cover you stop the vessel so as wholly to exclude the air , or interrupt its communication with the water , they will suddenly be suffocated ; as rondeletius affirms he often experimented : if you fill not the vessel up to the top , but leave some space empty for the air to take up , and then clap your hand upon the mouth of the vessel ; the fishes will presently contend which shall get uppermost in the water , that so they may enjoy the open air ; which i have also observed them to do in a pool of water that hath been almost dry in the summer-time because the air that insinuated itself into the water did not suffice them for respiration . neither is it less necessary for insects than it is for other animals but rather more , these having more air-vessels for their bulk by far than they , there being many orifices on each side their bodies for the admission of air , which if you stop with oil or hony , the insect presently dies , and revives no more . this was an observation of the ancients , though the reason of it they did not understand ( oleo illito insecta omnia exanimantur . plin. ) which was nothing but the intercluding of the air ; for though you put oil upon them , if you put it not upon or obstruct those orifices therewith whereby they draw the air , they suffer nothing : if you obstruct only some and not others , the parts which are near and supplied with air from thence are by and by convulsed and shortly relaxed and deprived of motion , the rest that were untoucht still retaining it . nay more than all this , plants themselves have a kind of respiration , being furnished with plenty of vessels for the derivation of air to all their parts , as hath been observed , nay first discovered by that great and curious naturalist malpighius . another use of the air is to sustain the flight of birds and insects . moreover by its gravity it raises the water in pumps , siphons and other engines , and performs all those feats which former philosophers through ignorance of the efficient cause attributed to a final , namely natures abhorrence of a vacuity or empty space . the elastick or expansive faculty of the air , whereby it dilates itself , when compressed ( indeed this lower region of it by reason of the weight of the superincumbent is always in a compressed state ) hath been made use of in the common weather-glasses , in wind guns , and in several ingenious water-works , and doubtless hath a great interest in many natural effects and operations . against what we have said of the necessity of the air for the maintenance of the vital flame , it may be objected , that the foetus in the womb lives ; its heart pulsses ; and its blood circulates ; and yet it draws in no air , neither hath the air any access to it . to which i answer , that it doth receive air so much as is sufficient for it in its present state from the maternal blood by the placenta uterina , or the cotyledones . this opinion generally propounded , viz. that the respiration of the dam , did serve the foetus also ; or supply sufficient air to it , i have met with in books , but the explicit notion of it i owe to my learned and worthy friend dr. edward hulse , which comparing with mine own anatomical observations , i found so consonant to reason , and highly probable , that i could not but yield a firm assent to it . i say then , that the chief use of the circulation of the blood through the cotyledones of a calf in the womb , ( which i have often dissected ) and by analogy through the placenta uterina in an humane foetus , seems to be the impregnation of the blood with air ; for the feeding of the vital flame . for if it were only for nutrition , what need of two such great arteries to convey the blood thither ? it would ( one might rationally think ) be more likely , that as in the abdomen of every animal , so here there should have been some lacteal veins formed , beginning from the placenta , or cotyledons , which concurring in one common ductus , should at last empty themselves into the vena cava . secondly , i have observed in a calf , the umbilical vessels to terminate in certain bodies divided into a multitude of carneous papillae , as i may so call them , which are received into so many sockets of the cotyledons growing on the womb ; which carneous papillae may without force or laceration be drawn out of those sockets . now these papillae do well resemble the aristae or radii of a fishes gills , and very probably have the same use to take in the air. so that the maternal blood which flows to the cotyledons , and encircles these papillae , communicates by them to the blood of the foetus , the air wherewith it self is impregnate ; as the water flowing about the carneous radii of the fishes gills doth the air that is lodged therein to them . thirdly , that the maternal blood flows most copiously to the placenta uterina in women , is manifest from the great hemorrhagy that succeeds the separation thereof at the birth . fourthly , after the stomach and intestines are formed , the foetus seems to take in its whole nourishment by the mouth ; there being always found in the stomach of a calf , plenty of the liquor contained in the amnios wherein he swims , and faeces in his intestines , and abundance of urine in the allantoides . so that the foetus in the womb doth live as it were the life of a fish. lastly , why else should there be such an instant necessity of respiration so soon as ever the foetus is fallen off from the womb ? this way we may give a facile and very probable account of it , to wit , because receiving no more communications of air from its dam or mother , it must needs have a speedy supply from without , or else extinguish and die for want of it : being not able to live longer without air at its first birth , than it can do afterward . and here methinks appears a necessity of bringing in the agency of some superintendent intelligent being , be it a plastick nature , or what you will. for what else should put the diaphragm , and all the muscles serving to respiration in motion all of a sudden so soon as ever the foetus is brought forth ? why could they not have rested as well as they did in the womb ? what aileth them that they must needs bestir themselves to get in air to maintain the creatures life ? why could they not patiently suffer it to die ? that the air of it self could not rush in is clear ; for that on the contrary there is required a great force to remove the incumbent air , and make room for the external to enter . you will say the spirits do at this time flow to the organs of respiration ; the diaphragm and other muscles which concur to that action , and move them . but what rouses the spirits which were quiescent during the continuance of the foetus in the womb ? here is no appearing impellent but the external air , the body suffering no change but of place , out of its close and warm prison into the open and cool air. but how or why that should have such influence upon the spirits , as to drive them into those muscles electively , i am not subtil enough to discern . thirdly , water is one part , and that not the least of our sustenance , and that affords the greatest share of matter in all productions ; containing in it the principles or minute component particles of all bodies . to speak nothing of those inferiour uses of washing and bathing , dressing and preparing of victuals . but if we shall consider the great conceptacula and congregations of water , and the distribution of it all over the dry land in springs and rivers ; there will occur abundant arguments of wisdom and understanding . the sea , what infinite variety of fishes doth it nourish ? psalm 104. 25. in the verse next to my text. the earth is full of thy riches . so is this great and wide sea , wherein are things creeping innumerable , both small and great beasts , &c. how doth it exactly compose itself to a level or equal superficies , and with the earth make up one spherical roundness ? how doth it constantly observe its ebbs and flows , its spring and nepe-tides , and still retain its saltness so convenient for the maintenance of its inhabitants ? serving also the uses of man for navigation , and the convenience of carriage . that it should be defined by shores and strands and limits , i mean at first , when it was natural to it to overflow and stand above the earth . all these particulars declare abundance of wisdom in their primitive constitution . this last the psalmist takes notice of in the 6th , 7th , 8th , and 9th verses of this psalm . speaking of the earth at the first creation , he saith , thou coveredst it with the deep as with a garment , the waters stood above the mountains . at thy rebuke they fled , at the voice of thy thunder they hasted away . ( the mountains ascend , the valleys descend ) unto the place thou hast prepared for them . thou hast set a bound that they may not pass over : that they turn not again to cover the earth . again , the great use and convenience , the beauty and variety of so many springs and fountains , so many brooks and rivers , so many lakes and standing pools of water , and these so scattered and dispersed all the earth over ; that no great part of it is destitute of them , without which it must without a supply other ways be desolate and void of inhabitants ; afford abundant arguments of wisdom and counsel . that springs should break forth on the sides of mountains most remote from the sea. that there should way be made for rivers through straits and rocks , and subterraneous vaults , so that one would think that nature had cut a way on purpose to derive the water , which else would overflow and drown whole countries . that the water passing through the veins of the earth , should be rendred fresh and potable , which it cannot be by any percolations we can make , but the saline particles will pass through a tenfold filtre . that in some places there should spring forth metallick and mineral waters , and hot baths , and these so constant and permanent for many ages ; so convenient for divers medicinal intentions and uses , the causes of which things , or the means and methods by which they are performed , have not been as yet certainly discovered ; how can we reasonably deny that they are the products and effects of profound counsel and understanding ? lastly , the earth , which is the basis and support of all animals and plants , and affords them the hard and solid part of their bodies , yielding us food and sustenance and partly also cloathing . how variously is the surface of it distinguished into hills , and valleys , and plains , and high mountains affording pleasant prospects ? how curiously cloathed and adorned with the grateful verdure of herbs and stately trees , either dispersed and scattered singly , or as it were assembled in woods and groves , and all these beautified and illustrated with elegant flowers and fruits , quorum omnium incredibilis multitudo , insatiabili varietate distinguitur , as tully saith . this also shews forth to them that consider it both the power and wisdom of god : so that we may conclude with solomon prov. 3 , 19. the lord by wisdom hath founded the earth , by understanding hath he established the heavens . but now , if we pass from simple to mixt bodies , we shall still find more matter of admiration and argument of wisdom . of these we shall first consider those they call imperfectly mixt , or meteors . of meteors . as first of all rain , which is nothing else but water by the heat of the sun divided into very small invisible parts , ascending in the air , till encountring the cold , it be by degrees condensed into clouds and descends in drops ; this though it be exhaled from the salt sea , yet by this natural destillation is rendred fresh and potable , which our artificial destillations have hitherto been hardly able to effect ; notwithstanding the eminent use it would be of to navigators , and the rewards promised to those that should resolve that problem of destilling fresh water out of salt. that the clouds should be so carried about by the winds , as to be almost equally dispersed and distributed , no part of the earth wanting convenient showers , unless when it pleaseth god for the punishment of a nation to withhold rain by a special interposition of his providence ; or if any land wants rain , they have a supply some other way , as the land of egypt , though there seldom falls any rain there , yet hath abundant recompence made it by the annual overflowing of the river . this distribution of the clouds and rain is to me ( i say ) a great argument of providence and divine disposition ; for else i do not see but why there might be in some lands continual successive droughts for many years , till they were quite depopulated ; in others as lasting rains , till they were overflown and drowned ; and these , if the clouds moved casually , often happening ; whereas since the ancientest records of history we do not read or hear of any such droughts or inundations , unless perhaps that of cyprus , wherein there fell no rain there for thirty six years , till the island was almost quite deserted , in the reign of constantine . again , if we consider the manner of the rains descent , destilling down gradually and by drops , which is most convenient for the watering of the earth , whereas if it should fall down in a continued stream like a river , it would gall the ground , wash away plants by the roots , overthrow houses , and greatly incommode , if not suffocate animals ; if , i say , we consider these things and many more that might be added , we might in this respect also cry out with the apostle , o the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of god! secondly , another meteor is the wind ; which how many uses it doth serve to is not easie to enumerate , but many it doth : viz. to ventilate and break the air , and dissipate noysom and contagious vapors , which otherwise stagnating might occasion many diseases in animals ; and therefore it is an observation concerning our native country , anglia ventosa , si non ventosa venenosa : to transfer the clouds from place to place , for the more commodious watering of the earth . to temper the excesses of the heat , as they find , who in brasil , new spain , the neighbouring islands , and other the like countries near the equator reap the benefit of the breezes . to fill the sails of ships , and carry them on their voyages to remote countries ; which of what eminent advantage it is to mankind , for the procuring and continuing of trade and mutual commerce between the most distant nations , the illustrating every corner of the earth , and the perfecting geography and natural history , is apparent to every man. to this may be added the driving about of windmills for grinding of corn , making of oyl , draining of pools , &c. that it should seldom or never be so violent and boisterous , as to overturn houses ; yea whole cities ; to tear up trees by the roots , and prostrate woods ; to drive the sea over the lower countries ; as were it the effect of chance , or meer natural causes not moderated by a superiour power , it would in all likelihood often do . all these things declare the wisdom and goodness of him who bringeth the winds out of his treasures . of inanimate mixt bodies . i proceed now to such inanimate bodies as are called perfectè mixta , perfectly mixt , improperly enough , they being many of them ( for ought i know ) as simple as those they call elements . these are stones , metals , minerals and salts , in stones , which one would think were a neglected genus , what variety ? what beauty and elegancy ? what constancy in their temper and consistency , in their figures and colours ? i shall speak of first some notable qualities wherewith some of them are endued . secondly , the remarkable uses they are of to us . the qualities i shall instance in are first colour , which in some of them is most lively , sparkling , and beautiful ; the carbuncle or rubine shining with red , the sapphire with blue , the emerauld with green , the topaz or chrysolite of the ancients with a yellow or gold colour , the amethyst as it were tinctured with wine , the opal varying its colours like changeable taffaty , as it is diversly exposed to the light. secondly , hardness , wherein some stones exceed all other bodies , and among them the adamant all other stones , being exalted to that degree thereof , that art in vain endeavors to counterfeit it , the factitious stones of chymists in imitation being easily detected by any ordinary lapidist . thirdly , figure , many of them shoot into regular figures , as crystal and bastard diamonds into hexagonal ; others into those that are more elegant and compounded , as those formed in imitation of the shels of testaceous fishes of all sorts , sharks teeth and vertebres , &c. if these be originally stones , or primary productions of nature in imitation of shels and fishes bones , and not the shels and bones themselves petrified , as we have somtimes thought . some have a kind of vegetation and resemblance of plants , as corals , pori and fungites , which grow upon the rocks like shrubs : to which i might add our ordinary star-stones and trochites , which i look upon as a sort of rock-plants . secondly , for the uses ; some serve for building and many sorts of vessels and utensils ; for pillars and statues and other carved works in relieve , for the temples , ornament of palaces , portico's , piazzas , conduits , &c. as freestone and marble ; some to burn into lime as chalk and limestone : some with the mixture of beriglia or kelp to make glass , as that the venetians call cuogolo , and common flints which serve also to strike fire ; some to cover houses as slates ; some for marking as morochthus , and the forementioned chalk , which is a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , serving moreover for manuring land , and some medicinal uses ; some to make vessels of which will endure the fire ; as that found in the country of chiavenna near plurs . to these useful stones i might add the warming-stone , digged in cornwal , which being once well heated at the fire retains its warmth a great while , and hath been found to give ease and relief in several pains and diseases , particularly that of the internal haemorrhoids . i might also take notice that some stones are endued with an electrical or attractive virtue . i might spend much time in the discoursing of the most strange and unaccountable nature and powers of the loadstone , a subject which hath exercised the wits and pens of the most acute and ingenious philosophers ; and yet the hypotheses which they have invented to give an account of its admirable phoenomena seem to me lame and unsatisfactory . what can we say of the subtlety , activity , and penetrancy of its effluvia , which no obstacle can stop or repel , but they will make their way through all sorts of bodies , firm and fluid , dense and rare , heavy and light , pellucid and opake : nay they will pass through a vacuity or empty space , at least devoid of air and any other sensible body . it s attractive power of iron was known to the ancients , its verticity and direction to the poles of the earth is of later invention : which of how infinite advantage it hath been to these two or three last ages , the great improvement of navigation and advancement of trade and commerce by rendring the remotest countries easily accessible , the noble discovery of a vast continent or new world , besides a multitude of unknown kingdoms and islands , the resolving experimentally those ancient problems of the spherical roundness of the earth ; of the being of antipodes , of the habitableness of the torrid zone , and the rendring the whole terraqueous globe circumnavigable , do abundantly demonstrate ; whereas formerly they were wont to coast it , and creep along the shores , scarce daring to venture out of the ken of land , when they did having no other guide but the cynosura or pole-star and those near it , and in cloudy weather none at all . as for metals , they are so many ways useful to mankind , and those uses so well known to all , that it would be lost labor to say any thing of them : only it is remarkable , that those which are of most frequent and necessary use , as iron , brass and lead , are the most common and plentiful : others that are more rare , may better be spared , yet are they thereby qualified to be made the common measure and standard of the value of all other commodities , and so to serve for coin or money , to which use they have been employed by all civil nations in all ages . of these gold is remarkable for its admirable ductility and ponderosity , wherein it excels all other bodies hitherto known . i shall only add concerning metals , that they do pertinaciously resist all transmutation ; and though one would sometimes think they were turned into a different substance , yet do they but as it were lurk under a larva or vizzard , and may be reduced again into their natural form and complexions , in despight of all the tortures of vulcan or corrosive waters . note , that this was written above thirty years since , when i thought i had reason to distrust what ever had then been reported or written to affirm the transmutation of metals one into another . i shall omit the consideration of other minerals , and of salts and earths , because i have nothing to say of their uses , but only such as refer to man , which i cannot affirm to have been the sole or primary end of the formation of them . indeed to speak in general of these terrestrial inanimate bodies , they having no such organization of parts as the bodies of animals , nor any so intricate variety of texture , but that their production may plausibly be accounted for by an hypothesis of matter divided into minute particles or atoms naturally indivisible , of various but a determinate number of figures , and perhaps also differing in magnitude , and these moved , and continually kept in motion according to certain established laws or rules ; we cannot so clearly discover the uses for which they were created , but may probably conclude that among other ends they were made for those for which they serve us and other animals . it is here to be noted , that according to our hypothesis , the number of the atomes of each several kind that is of the same figure and magnitude is not nearly equal ; but there be infinitely more of some species than of others , as of those that compound those vast aggregates of air , water , and earth , more abundantly than of such as make up metals and minerals : the reason whereof may probably be , because those are necessary to the life and being of man and all other animals , and therefore must be always at hand ; these only useful to man , and serving rather his conveniences than necessities . the reason why i affirm the minute component particles of bodies to be naturally indivisible by any agent we can employ , even fire it self ( which is the only catholick dissolvent , other menstruums being rather instruments than efficients in all solutions , apt by reason of the figure and smalness of their parts to cut and divide other bodies , ( as wedges cleave wood ) when actuated by fire or its heat , which else would have no efficacy at all ; as wedges have not unless driven by a beetle : ) the reason , i say , i have already given ; i shall now instance in a body whose minute parts appear to be indissoluble by the force of fire , and that is common water , which destill , boil , circulate , work upon how you will by fire , you can only dissolve it into vapour , which when the motion ceases easily returns into water again ; vapour being nothing else but the minute parts thereof by heat agitated and separated one from another . for another instance , some of the most learned and experienced chymists do affirm quicksilver to be intransmutable , and therefore call it liquor aeternus . and i am of opinion that the same holds of all simple bodies , that their component particles are indissoluble , by any natural agent . of vegetables or plants . i have now done with inanimate bodies both simple and mixt. the animate are first , such as are endued only with a vegetative soul , and therefore commonly called vegetables or plants ; of which if we consider either their stature and shape , or their age and duration , we shall find it wonderful . for why should some plants rise up to a great height , others creep upon the ground , which perhaps may have equal seeds , nay the lesser plant many times the greater seed ? why should each particular so observe its kind , as constantly to produce the same leaf for consistency , figure , division , and edging ; and bring forth the same kind of flower , and fruit , and seed , and that though you translate it into a soil which naturally puts forth no such kind of plant , so that it is some * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which doth effect this or rather some intelligent plastick nature , as we have before intimated . for what account can be given of the determination of the growth and magnitude of plants from mechanical principles , of matter moved without the presidency and guidance of some superiour agent ? why may not trees grow up as high as the clouds or vapours ascend , or if you say the cold of the superiour air checks them , why may they not spread and extend their lateral branches so far till their distance from the center of gravity depress them to the earth , be the tree never so high ? how comes it to pass that though by culture and manure they may be highly improved , and augmented to a double , treble , nay some a much greater proportion in magnitude of all their parts ; yet is this advance restrained within certain limits ? there is a maximum quod sic which they cannot exceed . you can by no culture or art extend a fennel stalk to the stature and bigness of an oak . then why should some be very long lived , others only annual or biennial ? how can we imagine that any laws of motion can determine the situation of the leaves , to come forth by pairs , or alternately , or circling the stalk ; the flowers to grow singly , or in company and tusts , to come forth the bosoms of the leaves and branches , or on the tops of branches and stalks ; the figure of the leaves , that they should be divided into so many jags or escallops and curiously indented round the edges , as also of the flower-leaves , their number and site , the figure and number of the stamina and their apices , the figure of the style and seed-vessel , and the number of cels into which it is divided . that all this be done , and all these parts duly proportioned one to another , there seems to be necessary some intelligent plastick nature , which may understand and regulate the whole oeconomy of the plant : for this cannot be the vegetative soul , because that is material and divisible together with the body : which appears in that a branch cut off of a plant will take root and grow and become a perfect plant it self , as we have already observed . i had almost forgotten the complication of the seed-leaves of some plants in the seed , which is so strange that one cannot believe it to be done by matter however moved by any laws or rules imaginable . some of them being so close plaited , and straitly folded up and thrust together within the membranes of the seed , that it would puzzle a man to imitate it , and yet none of the folds sticking or growing together ; so that they may easily be taken out of their cases , and spread and extended even with ones fingers . secondly , if we consider each particular part of a plant , we shall find it not without its end or use : the roots for its stability and drawing nourishment from the earth . the fibres to contain and convey the sap. besides which there is a large sort of vessels to contain the proper and specific juice of the plant : and others to carry air for such a kind of respiration as it needeth ; of which we have already spoken . the outer and inner bark in trees serve to defend the trunk and boughs from the excesses of heat and cold and drought , and to convey the sap for the annual augmentation of the tree . for in truth every tree may in some sence be said to be an annual plant , both leaf , flower and fruit proceeding from the coat that was superinduced over the wood the last year , which coat also never beareth any more , but together with the old wood serves as a form or block to sustain the succeeding annual coat . the leaves before the gemma or bud be explicated to embrace and defend , the flower and fruit , which is even then perfectly formed ; afterwards to preserve the branches , flowers and fruit from the injuries of the summer sun , which would too much parch and dry them , if they lay open and exposed to its beams without any shelter ; the leaves i say qualifie and contemper the heat , and serve also to hinder the too hasty evaporation of the moisture about the root ; not to mention the pleasant and delectable , cooling and refreshing shade they afford in the summer time ; which was very much esteemed by the inhabitants of hot countries , who always took great delight and pleasure to sit in the open air under shady trees : hence that expression so often repeated in scripture , of every mans sitting under his own vine , and under his own fig-tree , where also they used to eat ; as appears by abrahams entertaining the angels under a tree , and standing by them when they did eat . gen. 18. 8. moreover the leaves of plants are very beautiful and ornamental . that there is great pulchritude and comliness of proportion in the leaves , flowers and fruits of plants , is attested by the general verdict of mankind , as dr. more and others well observe . the adorning and beautifying of temples and buildings in all ages , is an evident and undeniable testimony of this . for what is more ordinary with architects than the taking in leaves and flowers and fruitage for the garnishing of their work ; as the roman the leaves of acanthus sat . and the jewish of palm . trees and pomegranates ; and these more frequently than any of the five regular solids , as being more comly and pleasant to behold . if any man shall object , that comliness of proportion and beauty is but a meer conceit , and that all things are alike handsom to some men who have as good eyes as others ; and that this appears by the variation of fashions , which doth so alter mens fancies , that what erewhile seemed very handsom and comly , when it is once worn out of fashion appears very absurd , uncouth and ridiculous . to this i answer , that custom and use doth much in those things where little of proportion and symmetry shew themselves , or which are alike comly and beautiful , to disparage the one , and commend the other . but there are degrees of things ; for ( that i may use * dr. mores words ) i dare appeal to any man that is not sunk into so forlorn a pitch of degeneracy that he is as stupid to these things as the basest of beasts , whether , for example , a rightly cut tetraedrum , cube or icosaedrum have no more pulchritude in them than any rude broken stone , lying in the field or high-ways ; or to name other solid figures , which though they be not regular properly so called , yet have a settled idea and nature , as a cone , sphere , or cylinder , whether the sight of those do not more gratifie the minds of men , and pretend to more elegancy of shape than those rude cuttings or chippings of freestone that fall from the masons hands , and serve for nothing but to fill up the middle of the wall , as fit to be hid from the eyes of men for their ugliness . and therefore it is obvable , that if nature shape any thing but near to this geometrical accuracy , that we take notice of it with much content and pleasure , and greedily gather and treasure it up . as if it be but exactly round , as those spherical stones found in cuba , and some also in our own land , or have but its sides parallel , as those rhomboideal selenites found near st. ives in huntington shire , and many other places in england . whereas ordinary stones of rude and uncertain figures we pass by , and take no notice of at all . but though the figures of these bodies be pleasing and agreable to our minds , yet ( as we have already observed ) those of the leaves , flowers and fruits of trees , more . and it is remarkable , that in the circumscription and complication of many leaves , flowers , fruits , and seeds nature affects a regular figure . of a pentagonal or quincuncial disposition sir tho. brown of norwich produces several examples in his discourse about the quincunx . and doubtless instances might be given in other regular figures , were men but observant . the flowers serve to cherish and defend the first and tender rudiments of the fruit : i might also add the masculine or prolifick seed contained in the chives or apices of the stamina . these beside the elegancy of their figures are many of them endued with splendid and lovely colours , and likewise most grateful and fragrant odours . indeed such is the beauty and lustre of some flowers , that our saviour saith of the lilies of the field ( which some not without reason fuppose to have been tulips ) that solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these . and it is observed by * spigelius , that the art of the most skilful painter cannot so mingle and temper his colours , as exactly to imitate or counterfeit the native ones of the flowers of vegetables . as for the seeds of plants , * dr. more esteems it an evident sign of divine providence , that every kind hath its seed . for it being no necessary result of the motion of the matter ( as the whole contrivance of the plant indeed is not ) and it being of so great consequence that they have seed for the continuance and propagation of their own species , and also for the gratifying mans art , industry and necessities ( for much of husbandry and gardening lies in this ) it cannot but be an act of counsel to furnish the several kinds of plants with their seeds . now the seed being so necessary for the maintenance and increase of the several species , it is worthy the observation , what care is taken to secure and preserve it , being in some doubly and trebly defended . as for instance , in the walnut , almond and plums of all sorts , we have first a thick pulpy covering , then a hard shell , within which is the seed enclosed in a double membrane . in the nutmeg another tegument is added besides all these , viz. the mace within the hard shell immediately inveloping the kernel . neither yet doth the exterior pulp of the fruit or pericarpium serve only for the defence and security of the seed , whilst it hangs upon the plant : but after it is mature and faln upon the earth , for the stercoration of the soil , and promotion of the growth , though not the first germination of the seminal plant. hence ( as * petrus de crescentiis tells us ) husbandmen to make their vines bear , manure them with vine-leaves , or the husks of expressed grapes , and that they observe those to be most fruitful , which are so manured with their own : which observation holds true also in all other trees and herbs . but besides this use of the pulp or pericarpium for the guard and benefit of the seed , it serves also by a secondary intention of nature in many fruits for the food and sustenance of man and other animals . another thing worthy the nothing in seeds , and argumentative of providence and design , is that pappose plumage growing upon the tops of some of them , whereby they are capable of being wafted with the wind , and by that means scattered and disseminated far and wide . furthermore most seeds having in them a seminal plant perfectly formed , as the young is in the womb of animals , the elegant complication thereof in some species is a very pleasant and admirable spectacle ; so that no man that hath a soul in him can imagine or believe it was so formed and folded up without wisdom and providence . but of this i have spoken already . lastly , the immense smalness of some seeds , not to be seen by the naked eye , so that the number of seeds produced at once in some one plant may amount to a million , is a convincing argument of the infinite understanding and art of the former of them . and it is remarkable that such mosses as grow upon walls , the roofs of houses and other high places , have seeds so excessively small , that when shaken out of their vessels they appear like vapor or smoak , so that they may either ascend of themselves , or by an easie impulse of the wind be raised up to the tops of houses , walls or rocks : and we need not wonder how the mosses got thither , or imagine they sprung up spontaneously there . i might also take notice of many other particulars concerning vegetables , as , first , that because they are designed for the food of animals , therefore nature hath taken more extraordinary care and made more abundant provision for their propagation and increase ; so that they are multiplied and propagated not only by the seed , but many also by the root , producing off sets or creeping under ground , many by strings or wires running above ground , as strawberry and the like , some by slips or cuttings , and some by several of these ways . secondly , that some sorts of plants , as vines , all sorts of pulse , hops , briony , all promiferous herbs , pumpions , melons , gourds . cucumbers , and divers other species , that are weak and unable to raise or support themselves , are either endued with a faculty of twining about others that are near , or else furnished with claspers and tendrels , whereby as it were with hands they catch hold of them and so ramping upon trees , shrubs , hedges or poles , they mount up to a great height , and secure themselves and their fruit. thirdly , that others are armed with prickles and thorns , to secure them from the browsing of beasts , as also to shelter others that grow under them . moreover they are hereby rendred very useful to man , as if designed by nature to make both quick and dead hedges and fences , the great naturalist pliny , hath given an ingenious account of the providence and design of nature in thus arming and fencing them in these words . inde ( speaking of nature ) excogitavit aliquas aspectu hispidas , tactu truces , ut tantùm non vocem ipsius naturae fingentis illas , rationémque reddentis exaudire videamur , ne se depascat avida quadrupes , ne procaces manus rapiant , ne neglecta vestigia obterant , ne insidens ales infringat ; his muniendo aculeis telisque armando , remediis ut salva ac tuta sint . ità hoc quoque quod in iis odimus hominum causâ excogitatum est . as for the signatures of plants , or the notes impressed upon them as indices of their virtues , though * some lay great stress upon them , accounting them , strong arguments to prove that some understanding principle is the highest original of the works of nature ; as indeed they were , could it certainly be made appear that there were such marks designedly set upon them ; because all that i find mentioned and collected by authors , seem to me to be rather fancied by men , than designed by nature to signifie or point out any such vertues or qualities as they would make us believe , i have elsewhere , i think upon good grounds , rejected them ; and finding no reason as yet to alter my opinion , i shall not further insist on them . of bodies endued with a sensitive soul , or animals . i proceed now to the consideration of animate bodies indued with a sensitive soul , called animals . of these i shall only make some general observations , not curiously consider the parts of each particular species , save only as they serve for instances or examples . first of all , because it is the great design of providence to maintain and continue every species , i shall take notice of the great care and abundant provision that is made for the securing this end. quanta ad eam rem vis , ut in suo quaeque genere permaneat ? cic. why can we imagine all creatures should be made male and female but to this purpose ? why should there be implanted in each sex such a vehement and inexpugnable appetite of copulation ? why in viviparous animals , in the time of gestation should the nourishment be carried to the embryon in the womb , which at other times goeth not that way ? when the young is brought forth , how comes all the nourishment then to be transferred from the womb to the breasts or paps , leaving its former channel , the dam at such time being for the most part lean and ilfavoured ? here i cannot omit one very remarkable observation i find in cicero . atque ut intelligamus ( saith he ) nihil horum esse fortuitum , sed haec omnia providae solertisque naturae , quae multiplices foetus procreant , ut sues , ut canes , his mammarum data est multitudo , quas easdem paucas habent eae bestiae quae pauca gignunt . that we may understand that none of these things ( he had been speaking of ) is fortuitous , but that all are the effects of provident and sagacious nature , multiparous quadrupeds , as dogs , as swine , are furnished with a multitude of paps : whereas those beasts which bring forth few have but a few . that flying creatures of the greater sort , that is birds should all lay eggs , and none bring forth live young , is a manifest argument of divine providence , designing thereby their preservation and security ; that there might be the more plenty of them ; and that neither the birds of prey , the serpent , nor the fowler should straiten their generations too much . for if they had been viviparous , the burthen of their womb , if they had brought forth any competent number at a time , had been so great and heavy , that their wings would have failed them , and they became an easie prey to their enemies : or if they had brought but one or two at a time , they would have been troubled all the year long with feeding their young , or bearing them in their womb. * dr. more . this mention of feeding their young puts me in mind of two or three considerable observations referring thereto . first , seeing it would be for many reasons inconvenient for birds to give suck , and yet no less inconvenient if not destructive to the chicken upon exclusion all of a sudden to make so great a change in its diet , as to pass from liquid to hard food , before the stomach be gradually consolidated and by use strengthened and habituated to grind and concoct it , and its tender and pappy flesh , fitted to be nourished by such strong and solid diet ; and before the bird be by little and little accustomed to use its bill , and gather it up , which at first it doth but very slowly and imperfectly ; therefore nature hath provided a large yolk in every egg ; a great part whereof remaineth after the chicken is hatch'd , and is taken up and enclosed in its belly , and by a channel made on purpose received by degrees into the guts , and serves instead of milk to nourish the chick for a considerable time ; which nevertheless mean while feeds it self by the mouth a little at a time , and gradually more and more , as it gets a perfecter ability and habit of gathering up its meat , and its stomach is strengthen'd to macerate and concoct it , and its flesh hardened and fitted to be nourished by it . secondly , that birds which feed their young in the nest , though in all likelyhood they have no ability of counting the number of them , should yet , ( though they bring but one morsel of meat at a time , and have not fewer ( it may be ) than seven or eight young in the nest together , which at the return of their dams , do all at once with equal greediness , hold up their heads and gape , ) not omit or forget one of them , but feed them all ; which , unless they did carefully observe , and retain in memory which they had fed , which not , were impossible to be done ; this i say , seems to me most strange and admirable , and beyond the possibility of a meer machine to perform . thirdly , the marvellous speedy growth of birds that are hatched in nests , and fed by the old ones there , till they be fledg'd and come almost to their full bigness ; at which perfection they arrive within the short term of about one fortnight , seems to me an argument of providence designing thereby their preservation , that they might not lie long in a condition exposed to the ravine of any vermine that may find them , being utterly unable to escape or shift for themselves . another and no less effectual argument may be taken from the care and providence used for the hatching and rearing their young and first , they search our a secret and quiet place , where they may be secure and undisturbed in their incubation : then they make themselves nests , every one after his kind , that so their eggs and young may lie soft and warm , and their exclusion and growth be promoted . these nests some of them so elegant and artificial , that it is hard for man to imitate them and make the like . i have seen nests of an indian bird so artificially composed of the fibres , i think , of some roots , so curiously interwoven and platted together as is admirable to behold : which nests they hang on the ends of the twigs of trees over the water , to secure their eggs and young from the ravage of apes and monkeys , and other beasts that might else prey upon them . after they have laid their eggs , how diligently and patiently do they sit upon them till they be hatched , scarce affording themselves time to go off to get them meat ? nay with such an ardent and impetuous desire of sitting are they inspired , that if you takeaway all their eggs , they will sit upon an empty nest : and yet one would think that sitting were none of the most pleasant works . after their young are hatcht for some time they do almost constantly brood them under their wings , lest the cold , and sometimes perhaps the heat , should harm them . all this while also they labor hard to get them food , sparing it out of their own bellies , and pining themselves almost to death rather than they should want . moreover it is admirable to observe with what courage they are at that time inspired , that they will even venture their own lives in defence of them . the most timorous , as hens and geese , become then so couragious as to dare to fly in the face of a man that shall molest or disquiet their young , which would never do so much in their own defence . these things being contrary to any motions of sense , or instinct of self-preservation , and so eminent pieces of self-denial , must needs be the work of providence for the continuation of the species and upholding of the world. especially if we consider that all this pains is bestowed upon a thing which takes no notice of it , will render them no thanks for it , nor make them any requital or amends ; and also , that after the young is come to some growth , and able to shift for it self , the old one retains no such 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to it , takes no further care of it , but will fall upon it , and beat it indifferently with others . to these i shall add one observation more , relating to this head , borrowed of dr. cudworth , system , pag. 69. one thing necessary to the conservation of the species of animals ; that is , the keeping up constantly in the world a due numerical proportion between the sexes of male and female , doth necessarily infer a superintending providence . for did this depend only upon mechanism , it cannot well be conceived , but that in some ages or other , there should happen to be all males , or all females ; and so the species fail . nay , it cannot well be thought otherwise , but that there is in this a providence , superiour to that of the plastick or spermatick nature , which hath not so much of knowledge and discretion allowed to it , as whereby to be able alone to govern this affair . secondly , i shall take notice of the various strange instincts of animals ; which will necessarily demonstrate , that they are directed to ends unknown to them , by a wise superintendent . as 1. that all creatures should know how to defend themselves , and offend their enemies ; where their natural weapons are situate , and how to make use of them . a calf will so manage his head as though he would push with his horns even before they shoot . a boar knows the use of his tushes ; a dog of his teeth ; a horse of his hoofs ; a cock of his spurs ; a bee of her sting ; a ram will but with his head , yea though he be brought up tame , and never saw that manner of fighting . now , why another animal which hath no horns should not make a shew of pushing , or no spurs of striking with his legs and the like , i know not , but that every kind is providentially directed to the use of its proper and natural weapons . 2. that those animals that are weak , and have neither weapons nor courage to fight , are for the most part created swift of foot or wing , and so being naturally timorous , are both willing and able to save themselves by flight . 3. that poultrey , partridge and other birds should at the first sight know birds of prey , and make sign of it by a peculiar note of their voice to their young , who presently thereupon hide themselves : that the lamb should acknowledge the wolf its enemy , though it had never seen one before , as is taken for granted by most naturalists , and may for ought i know be true , argues the providence of nature , or more truly the god of nature , who for their preservation hath put such an instinct into them . 4. that young animals , so soon as they are brought forth , should know their food . as for example , such as are nourished with milk , presently find their way to the paps , and suck at them , whereas none of those that are not designed for that nourishment ever offer to suck , or to seek out any such food . again , 5. that such creatures as are whole-footed or fin-toed , viz. some birds and some quadrupeds , are naturally directed to go into the water and swim there , as we see ducklings , though hatch'd and led by a hen , if she brings them to the brink of a river or pond of water , they presently leave her , and in they go , though they never saw any such thing done before ; and though the hen clocks and calls , and doth what she can to keep them out : so that we see every part in animals is fitted to its use , and the knowledge of this use put into them . for neither do any sort of web-footed fowls live constantly upon the land , or fear to enter the water , nor any land-fowl so much as attempt to swim there . 6. birds of the same kind make their nests of the same materials , laid in the same order , and exactly of the same figure , so that by the sight of the nest one may certainly know what bird it belongs to . and this they do , though living in distant countries , and though they never saw , nor could see any nest made , that is , though taken out of the nest , and brought up by hand ; neither were any of the same kind ever observed to make a different nest either for matter or fashion . this together with the curious and artificial contexture of such nests , and their fitness and convenience for the reception , hatching and cherishing the eggs and young of their respective builders ( which we have before taken notice of ) is a great argument of a superiour author of their and others natures , who hath indu'd them with these instincts , whereby they are as it were , acted and driven to bring about ends which themselves aim not at ( so far as we can discern ) but are directed to ; for ( as aristotle observes ) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , they act not by any art , neither do they enquire , neither do they deliberate about what they do . and therefore , as dr. cudworth saith well , they are not masters of that wisdom according to which they act , but only passive to the instincts and impresses thereof upon them . and indeed to affirm that brute animals do all these things by a knowledge of their own , and which themselves are masters of , and that without deliberation and consultation , were to make them to be endued with a most perfect intellect , far transcending that of human reason : whereas it is plain enough , that brutes are not above consultation but below it ; and that these instincts of nature in them , are nothing but a kind of fate upon them . 7. the bee , a creature of the lowest form of animals , so that no man can suspect it to have any considerable measure of understanding , or to have knowledge of , much less to aim at any end , yet makes her combs and cells with that geometrical accuracy , that she must needs be acted by an instinct implanted in her by the wise author of nature . for first , she plants them in a perpendicular posture , and so close together as with conveniency they may , beginning at the top , and working downwards , that so no room may be lost in the hive , and that she may have easie access to all the combs and cells . besides , the combs being wrought double , that is , with cells on each side , a common bottom or partition-wall could not in any other site have so conveniently , if at all , received or contained the honey . then she makes the particular cells most geometrically and artificially , as the famous mathematician pappus demonstrates in the preface to his third book of mathematical collections . first of all ( saith he , speaking of the cells , ) it is convenient that they be of such figures as may cohere one to another , and have common sides , else there would be empty spaces left between them to no use , but to the weakening and spoiling of the work , if any thing should get in there . and therefore though a round figure be most capacious for the honey , and most convenient for the bee to creep into , yet did she not make choice of that , because then there must have been triangular spaces left void . now there are only three rectilineous and ordinate figures which can serve to this purpose ; and inordinate or unlike ones must have been not only less elegant and beautiful but unequal . [ ordinate figures are such as have all their sides and all their angles equal . ] the three ordinate figures , are triangles , squares , and hexagons . for the space about any point may be filled up either by six equilateral triangles , or four squares , or three hexagons ; whereas three pentagons are too little and three heptagons too much . of these three the bee makes use of the hexagon , both because it is more capacious than either of the other , provided they be of equal compass , and so equal matter spent in the construction of each : and secondly , because it is most commodious for the bee to creep into : and lastly , because in the other figures more angles and sides must have met together at the same point , and so the work could not have been so firm and strong . moreover , the combs being double , the cells on each side the partition are so ordered , that the angles on one side , insist upon the centers of the bottoms of the cells on the other side , and not angle upon , or against angle ; which also must needs contribute to the strength and firmness of the work . another sort of bee i have observed , it may be called the tree-bee , whose industry is admirable in making provision for her young . first , she digs round vaults or burrows [ cuniculos ] in a rotten or decayed tree , of a great length , in them she builds or forms her cylindrical nests or cases , resembling cartrages , or a very narrow thimble , only in proportion longer , of pieces of rose or other leaves which she shares off with her mouth , and plats and joyns close together by some glutinous substance . these cases she fills with a red pap , of a thinner consistence than an electuary , of no pleasant taste , which where she gathers , i know not : on the top of the pap , she lays one egg , and then closes up the vessel with a cover of leaves . the enclosed egg soon becomes an eula or maggor , which feeding upon the pap till it comes to its full growth changes to a nympha , and after comes out a bee. another insect noted for her seeming prudence , in making provision for the winter , proposed by solomon to the sluggard for his imitation , is the ant , which ( as all naturalists agree ) hoards up grains of corn against the winter for her sustenance : and is reported by some to * bite off the germen of them , lest they should sprout by the moisture of the earth , which i look upon as a mere fiction ; neither should i be forward to credit the former relation , were it not for the authority of the scripture , because i could never observe any such storing up of grain by our country-ants . yet is there a quadruped taken notice of even by the vulgar for laying up in store provision for the winter , that is , the squirrel , whose hoards of nuts are frequently found and pillaged by them . the beaver is by credible persons eye-witnesses affirmed to build him houses for shelter and security in winter-time : see mr. boyl of final causes . besides these i have mentioned , an hundred others may be found in books relating especially to physick ; as that dogs when they are sick should vomit themselves by eating grass : that swine should refuse meat so soon as they feel themselves ill , and so recover by abstinence : that the bird ibis should teach men the way of administring clysters . plin. lib. 8. cap. 27. the wild goats of dictamnus for drawing out of darts , and healing wounds : the swallow the use of celandine for repairing the sight , &c. ibid. of the truth of which because i am not fully satisfied , i shall make no inference from them . thirdly , i shall remark the care that is taken for the preservation of the weak and such as are exposed to injuries , and preventing the encrease of such as are noisom and hurtful : for as it is a demonstration of the divine power and magnificence to create such variety of animals , not only great but small , not only strong and couragious , but also weak and timerous ; so is it no less argument of his wisdom to give to these means , and the power and skill of using them , to preserve themselves from the violence and injuries of those . that of the weak some should dig vaults and holes in the earth , as rabbets , to secure themselves and their young ; others should be armed with hard shels ; others with prickles , the rest that have no such armature should be endued with great swiftness or pernicity : and not only so , but some also have their eyes stand so prominent , as the hare , that they can see as well behind as before them , that so they may have their enemy always in their eye ; and long , hollow , moveable ears , to receive and convey the least sound , or that which comes from far , that they be not suddenly surprised or taken ( as they say ) napping . as for sheep , which have no natural weapons or means to defend or secure themselves , neither heels to run nor claws to dig ; they are delivered into the hand , and committed to the care and tuition of man , and serving him for divers uses , are nourished and protected by him ; and so enjoying their beings for a time , by this means propagate and continue their species : so that there are none destitute of some means to preserve themselves and their kind ; and these means so effectual , that notwithstanding all the endeavors and contrivances of man and beast to destroy them , there is not to this day one species lost of such as are mentioned in histories , and consequently and undoubtedly neither of such as were at first created . then for birds of prey and rapacious animals , it is remarkable what aristotle observes , that they are all solitary , and go not in flocks , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . no birds of prey are gregarious . again , that such creatures do not greatly multiply 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . they for the most part breeding and bringing forth but one or two , or at least a few young ones at once : whereas they that are feeble and timorous are generally multiparous ; or if they bring forth but few at once , as pigeons , they compensate that by their often breeding , viz. every month but two throughout the year ; by this means providing for the continuation of their kind . fourthly , i shall note the exact fitness of the parts of the bodies of animals to every ones nature and manner of living . of this dr. * more produces an eminent instance in a poor contemptible quadruped , the mole . first of all ( saith he ) her dwelling being under ground , where nothing is to be seen , nature hath so obscurely fitted her with eyes , that naturalists can scarcely agree , whether she hath any sight at all or no [ in our observation , moles have perfect eyes , and holes for them through the skin , so that they are outwardly to be seen by any that shall diligently search for them ; though indeed they are exceeding small , not much bigger than a great pins head . ] but for amends , what she is capable of for her defence and warning of danger , she has very eminently conferred upon her ; for she is very quick of hearing [ doubtless her subterraneous vaults are like trunks to convey any sound a great way . ] and then her short tail , and short legs , but broad fore-feet armed with sharp claws , we see by the event to what purpose they are , she so swiftly working her self under ground , and making her way so fast in the earth , as they that behold it cannot but admire it . her legs therefore are short that she need dig no more than will serve the mere thickness of her body : and her fore-feet are broad , that she may scoup away much earth at a time : and she has little or no tail , because she courses it not on the ground like a rat or mouse , but lives under the earth , and is fain to dig her self a dwelling there ; and she making her way through so thick an element , which will not easily yield as the water and air do ; it had been dangerous to draw so long a train behind her ; for her enemy might fall upon her rear , and fetch her out before she had perfected and got full possession of her works : which being so , what more palpable argument of providence than she ? another instance in quadrupeds might be the tamandua or ant bear , described by marcgrave and piso , who saith of them , that they are night walkers , and seek their food by night . being kept tame they are fed with flesh , but it must be minced small , because they have not only a slender and sharp head and snout , but also a narrow and toothless mouth ; their tongue is like a great lute string ( as big as a goose-quill ) round , and in the greater kind ( for there are two species ) more than two foot long , and therefore lies doubled in a channel between the lower parts of the cheeks . this when hungry they thrust forth , being well moistened , and lay upon the trunks of trees , and when it is covered with ants suddenly draw it back into their mouths ; if the ants lie so deep that they cannot come at them , they dig up the earth with their long and strong claws , wherewith for that purpose their fore-feet are armed . so we see how their parts are fitted for this kind of diet , and no other ; for the catching of it and for the eating of it , it requiring no comminution by the teeth , as appears also in the chamaeleon , which is another quadruped that imitates the tamandua in this property of darting out the tongue to a great length , with wonderful celerity , and for the same purpose too of catching of insects . besides these quadrupeds , there are a whole genus of birds , called pici martii or woodpeckers , that in like manner have a tongue which they can shoot forth to a very great length , ending in a sharp stiff bony tip , dented on each side ; and at pleasure thrust it deep into the holes , clefts and crannies of trees , to stab and draw out cossi or any other insects lurking there , as also into anthills , to strike and fetch out the ants and their eggs. moreover they have short but very strong legs , and their toes stand two forwards two backwards , which disposition ( as aldrovandus well notes ) nature , or rather the wisdom of the creator , hath granted to woodpeckers , because it is very convenient for the climbing of trees , to which also conduces the stiffness of the feathers of their tails and there bending downward , whereby they are fitted to serve as a prop for them to lean upon and bear up their bodies . as for the chamaeleon he imitates the woodspite , not only in the make , motion and use of his tongue for striking ants , flies , and other insects ; but also in the site of his toes , whereby he is wonderfully qualified to run upon trees , which he doth with that swiftness , that one would think he flew , whereas upon the ground he walks very clumfily and ridiculously . a full description of the outward and inward parts of this animal , may be seen at the end of panarolus's observat. it is to be noted , that the chamelion , though he hath teeth , uses them not for chewing his prey , but swallows it immediately . ii. in birds all the members are most exactly fitted for the use of flying . first , the muscles which serve to move the wings are the greatest and strongest , because much force is required to the agitation of them ; the underside of them is also made concave , and the upper convex , that they may be easily lifted up , and more strongly beat the air , which by this means doth more resist the descent of their body downward . then the trunk of their body doth somewhat resemble the hull of a ship ; the head the prow , which is for the most part small , that it may the more easily cut the air , and make way for their bodies ; the train serves to steer , govern and direct their flight , and however it may be held erect in their standing or walking , yet is directed to lye almost in the same plain with their backs , or rather a little inclining , when they fly . that the train serves to sleer and direct their flight , and turn their bodies like the rudder of a ship is evident in the kite , who by a light turning of his train , moves his body which way he pleases . iidem videntur artem gubernandi docuisse caudae flexibus , in caelo monstrante natura quod opus esset in profundo . plin. lib. 10. cap. 10. they seem to have taught men the art of steering a ship by the flexures of their tails ; nature shewing in the air what was needful to be done in the deep . and it 's notable that aristotle truly observes , that whole-footed birds , and those that have long legs , have for the most part short tails ; and therefore whilest they fly , do not as others draw them up to their bellies , but stretch them at length backwards , that they may serve to steer and guide them instead of tails . neither doth the tail serve only to direct and govern . the flight , but also partly to support the body and keep it even , wherefore when spread , it lies parallel to the horizon , and stands not perpendicular to it , as fishes do . hence birds that have no tails , as some sorts of colymbi or douckers fly very inconveniently with their bodies almost erect . iii. as for fishes their bodies are long and slender , or else thin for the most part , for their more easie swimming and dividing the water . the wind-bladder , wherewith most of them are furnished , serves to poise their bodies , and keep them equiponderant to the water , which else would sink to the bottom , and lie grovelling there , as hath by breaking the bladder been experimentally found . by the contraction and dilatation of this bladder , they are able to raise or sink themselves at pleasure , and continue in what depth of water they list . the fins made of gristly spokes or rays connected by membranes , so that they may be contracted or extended like womens fans , and furnished with muscles for motion , serve partly for progression , but chiefly to hold the body upright ; which appears in that when they are cut off , it wavers to and fro , and so soon as the fish dies , the belly turns upward . the great strength by which fishes dart themselves forward with incredible celerity , like an arrow out of a bow , lies in their tails , their fins mean time , lest they should retard their motion , being held close to their bodies . and therefore almost the whole musculous flesh of the body is bestowed upon the tail and back , and serves for the vibration of the tail , the heaviness and corpulency of the water , requiring a great force to divide it . i might here take notice of those amphibious creatures , which we may call aquatic quadrupeds ( though one of them there is that hath but two feet , viz. the manati or sea-cow ) the beaver , the otter , the phoca or sea calf , the water-rat , and the frog , the toes of whose feet are joyned by membranes , as in water-fowls for swimming ; and who have very small ears , and ear-holes , as the cetaceous fishes have for hearing in the water . to this head belongs the adapting of the parts that minister to generation in the sexes one to another ; and in creatures that nourish their young with milk , the nipples of the breast to the mouth and organs of suction ; which he must needs be wilfully blind and void of sence , that either discerns not , or denies to be intended and made one for the other . that the nipples should be made spungy , and with such perforations , as to admit passage to the milk when drawn , otherwise to retain it ; and the teeth of the young either not spungy , or so soft and tender , as not to hurt the nipples of the dam , are effects and arguments of providence and design . to this head of the fitness of the parts of the body to the creatures nature and manner of living , belongs that observation of aristotle , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . such birds as have crooked beaks and talons , are all carnivorous ; and so of quadrupeds , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 carnivora omnia . all that have serrate teeth , are carnivorous . this observation holds true concerning all european birds , but i know not but that parrots may be an exception to it . yet it is remarkable , that such birds as are carnivorous have no gizzard , or musculous , but a membranous stomach ; that kind of food needing no such grinding or comminution as seeds do , but being torn into strings , or small flakes by the beak , may be easily concocted by a membranous stomach . to the fitness of all the parts and members of animals to their respective uses may also be referred another observation of the same aristotle , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . all animals have even feet , not more on one side than another ; which if they had , would either hinder their walking , or hang by not only useless , but also burthensome . for though a creature might make limping shift to hop , suppose with three feet , yet nothing so conveniently or steddily to walk , or run , or indeed to stand . so that we see , nature hath made choice of what is most fit , proper and useful . they have also not only an even number of feet , answering by pairs one to another , which is as well decent as convenient ; but those too of an equal length , i mean the several pairs ; whereas were those on one side longer than they on the other , it would have caused an inconvenient halting or limping in their going . i shall mention but one more observation of aristotle , that is , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , there is no creature only volatile , or no flying animal but hath feet as well as wings , a power of walking or creeping upon the earth ; because there is no food , or at least not sufficient food for them to be had always in the air ; or if in hot countries we may suppose there is , the air being never without store of insects flying about in it , yet could such birds take no rest , for having no feet , they could not perch upon trees , and if they should alight upon the ground , they could by no means raise themselves any more , as we see those birds which have but short feet , as the swift and martinet , with difficulty do . besides , they would want means of breeding , having no where to lay their eggs , to sit , hatch or brood their young. as for the story of the manucodiata or bird of paradise , which in the former age was generally received and accepted for true , even by the learned , it is now discovered to be a fable , and rejected and exploded by all men : those birds being well known to have legs and feet , as well as others , and those not short , small not feeble ones , but sufficiently great and strong and armed with crooked talons , as being the members of birds of prey . but against the uses of several bodies i have instanced in that refer to man it may be objected , that these uses were not designed by nature in the formation of the things ; but that the things were by the wit of man accommodated to those uses . to which i answer with dr. more in the appendix to his antidote against atheism . that the several useful dependencies of this kind , ( viz. of stones , timber , and metals for building of houses or ships , the magnet for navigation , &c. fire for melting of metals and forging of instruments for the purposes mentioned ) we only find , not make them . for whether we think of it or no , it is , for example , manifest , that fuel is good to continue fire , and fire to melt metals , and metals to make instruments to build ships and houses , and so on . wherefore it being true , that there is such a subordinate usefulness in the things themselves that are made to our hand , it is but reason in us to impute it to such a cause as was aware of the usefulness and serviceableness of its own works . to which i shall add , that since we find materials so fit to serve all the necessities and conveniences , and to exercise and employ the wit and industry of an intelligent and active being , and since there is such an one created that is endued with skill and ability to use them , and which by their help is enabled to rule over and subdue all inferiour creatures , but without them had been left necessitous , helpless and obnoxious to injuries above any other ; and since the omniscient creator could not but know all the uses , to which they might and would be employed by man , to them that acknowledge the being of a deity , it is little less than a demonstration , that they were created intentionally , i do not say only , for those uses . methinks by all this provision for the use and service of man , the almighty interpretatively speaks to him in this manner , i have placed thee in a spacious and well furnished world. i have endued thee with an ability of understanding what is beautiful and proportionable , and have made that which is so agreeable and delightful to thee ; i have provided thee with materials whereon to exercise and employ thy art and strength ; i have given thee an excellent instrument , the hand , accommodated to make use of them all ; i have distinguished the earth into hills , and valleys , and plains , and meadows , and woods ; all these parts capable of culture and improvement by thy industry ; i have committed to thee for thy assistance in thy labors of plowing , and carrying , and drawing , and travel ; the laborious ox , the patient ass , and the strong and serviceable horse ; i have created a multitude of seeds for thee to make choice out of them , of what is most pleasant to thy tast , and of most wholsom and pleasant nourishment ; i have also made great variety of trees , bearing fruit both for food and physick , those too capable of being meliorated and improved by transplantation , stercoration , insition , pruning , watering , and other arts and devices . till and manure thy fields , sow them with thy seeds , extirpate noxious and unprofitable herbs , guard them from the invasions and spoil of beasts , clear and fence in thy meadows and pastures ; dress and prune thy vines , and so rank and dispose them as is most sutable to the climate ; plant thee orchards , with all sorts of fruit-trees in such order as may be most beautiful to the eye , and most comprehensive of plants ; gardens for culinary herbs , and all kinds of salletting ; for delectable flowers , to gratifie the eye with their agreeable colors and figures , and thy scent with their fragrant odors ; for odoriferous and ever-green shrubs and suffrutices ; for exotick and medicinal plants of all sorts , and dispose them in that comly order , as may be both pleasant to behold , and commodious for access . i have furnished thee with all materials for building , as stone , and timber , and slate , and lime , and clay , and earth whereof to make bricks and tiles . deck and bespangle the country with houses and villages convenient for thy habitation , provided with out-houses and stables for the harbouring and shelter of thy cattle , with barns and granaries for the reception , and custody , and storing up thy corn and fruits . i have made thee a sociable creature , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , for the improvement of thy understanding by conference , and communication of observations and experiments ; for mutual help , assistance and defence ; build thee large towns and cities with streight and well paved streets , and elegant rows of houses , adorned with magnificent temples for my honour and worship , with beautiful palaces for thy princes and grandees , with stately halls for publick meetings of the citizens and their several companies , and the sessions of the courts of judicature , besides publick portico's and aquaeducts . i have implanted in thy nature a desire of seeing strange and foreign and finding out unknown countries , for the improvement and advancement of thy knowledge in geography , by observing the bays , and creeks , and havens , and promontories , the outlets of rivers , the situations of the maritime towns and cities , the longitude and latitude , &c. of those places : in politicks , by noting their government , their manners , laws and customs , their diet and medicine , their trades and manufactures , their houses and buildings , their exercises and sports &c. in physiology or natural history , by searching out their natural rarities , the productions both of land and water , what species of animals , plants and minerals , of fruits and drogues are to be found there , what commodities for bartering and permutation , whereby thou maist be enabled to make large additions to natural history , to advance those other sciences , and to benefit and enrich thy country by encrease of its trade and merchandise : i have given thee timber and iron to build thee huls of ships , tall trees for masts , flax and hemp for sails , cables , and cordage for rigging . i have armed thee with courage and hardiness to attempt the seas , and traverse the spacious plains of that liquid element ; i have assisted thee with a compass , to direct thy course when thou shalt be out of all ken of land , and have nothing in view but sky and water . go thither for the purposes before mentioned , and bring home what may be useful and beneficial to thy country in general , or thy self in particular . i perswade my self , that the bountiful and gracious author of mans being and faculties , and all things else , delights in the beauty of his creation , and is well pleased with the industry of man in adorning the earth with beautiful cities and castles , with pleasant villages and country houses , with regular gardens and orchards and plantations of all sorts of shrubs , and herbs , and fruits , for meat , medicine or moderate delight , with shady woods and groves , and walks set with rows of elegant trees ; with pastures clothed with flocks , and valleys covered over with corn , and meadows burthened with grass , and whatever else differenceth a civil and well cultivated region from a barren and desolate wilderness . if a country thus planted and adorned , thus polished and civilized , thus improved to the height by all manner of culture for the support and sustenance , and convenient entertainment of innumerable multitudes of people , be not to be preferred before a barbarous and inhospitable scythia , without houses , without plantations , without corn-fields or vineyards , where the roving hords of the savage and truculent inhabitants , transfer themselves from place to place in wagons , as they can find pasture and forage for their cattle , and live upon milk and flesh roasted in the sun at the pomels of their saddles ; or a rude and unpolished america , peopled with slothful and naked indians , instead of well-built houses , living in pitiful hutts and cabans , made of poles set end-ways ; then surely the brute beasts condition and manner of living , to which , what we have mention'd doth nearly approach , is to be esteemed better than mans , and wit and reason was in vain bestowed on him . lastly , i might draw an argument of the admirable art and skill of the creator and composer of them from the incredible smalness of some of those natural and enlivened machines , the bodies of animals . any work of art of extraordinary fineness and subtlety , be it but a small engine or movement , or a curious carved or turned work of ivory or metals , such as those cups turned of ivory by oswaldus nerlinger of suevia , mentioned by joan. faber in his expositions of recchus his mexican animals , which all had the perfect form of cups , and were gilt with a golden border about the brim , of that wonderful smalness , that faber himself put a thousand of them into an excavated pepper corn , and when he was weary of the work , and yet had not filled the vessel , his friend john carolus schad , that shewed them him , put in four hundred more . any such work , i say , is beheld with much admiration , and purchased at a great rate , and treasured up as a singular rarity in the museums and cabinets of the curious , and as such is one of the first things shew'd to travellers and strangers but what are these for their fineness and parvity ( for which alone and their figure they are considerable ) to those minute machines endued with life and motion , i mean the bodies of those animalcula not long since discovered in pepper water by mr. lewenhoek of delft in holland , ( whose observations were confirmed and improved by our learned and worthy country-man mr. robert hook , ) who tells us , that some of his friends ( whose testimonials he desired ) did affirm , that they had seen 10000 , others 30000 , others 45000 little living creatures in a quantity of water no bigger than a grain of millet . and yet he made it his request to them , that they would only justifie ( that they might be within compass ) half the number that they believed each of them saw in the water . from the greatest of these numbers he infers , that there will be 8280000 of these living creatures seen in one drop of water ; which number ( saith he ) i can with truth affirm i have discerned . this ( proceeds he ) doth exceed belief . but i do affirm , if a larger grain of sand were broken into 8000000 , of equal parts , one of these would not exceed the bigness of one of those creatures . mr. hook tells us , that after he had discovered vast multitudes of those exceeding small creatures which mr. lewenhoeck had described , upon making use of other lights and glasses , he not only magnified those he had discovered to a very great bigness , but discovered many other sorts very much smaller than them he first saw , and some of them so exceeding small , that millions of millions might be contained in one drop of water . if pliny , considering such insects as were known to him , and those were none but what were visible to the naked eye , was moved to cry out , that the artifice of nature was no where more conspicuous than in these ; and again , in his tam parvis atque tam nullis quae ratio , quanta vis , quàm inextricabilis perfectio ? and again , rerum natura nusquam magis quàm in minimis tota est . hist. nat. l. 11. c. 1. what would he have said if he had seen animals of so stupendous smalness as i have mentioned ? how would he have been rapt into an extasie of astonishment and admiration ? again , if considering the body of a gnat , ( which by his own confession is none of the least of insects ) he could make so many admiring queries , where hath nature disposed so many senses in a gnat ? ubi visum praetendit ? ubi gustatum applicavit ? ubi odoratum inseruit ? ubi verò truculentam illam & portione maximam vocem ingeneravit ? quâ subtilitate pennas adnexuit ? praelongavit pedum crura ? disposuit jejunam caveam uti alvum ? avidam sanguinis & potissimum humani sitim accendit ? telum vero perfodiendo tergori quo spiculavit ingenio ? atque ut in capaci , cùm cerni non possit exilitas , ità reciproca geminavit arte , ut fodiendo acuminatum pariter sorbendoque fistulosum esset . which words should i translate would lose of their emphasis and elegancy . if , i say , he could make such queries about the members of a gnat. what may we make ? and what would he in all likelyhood have made had he seen these incredible small living creatures ? how would he have admired the immense subtilty ( as he phrases it ) of their parts ? for to use mr. hook's words in his microscopium p. 103. if these creatures be so exceeding small , what must we think of their muscles and other parts ? certain it is that the mechanism by which nature performs the muscular motion is exceedingly small and curious ; and to the performance of every muscular motion , in greater animals at least , there are not fewer distinct parts concerned than many millions of millions , and these visible through a microscope . let us then consider the works of god , and observe the operations of his hands : let us take notice of and admire his infinite wisdom and goodness in the formation of them : no creature in this sublunary world is capable of so doing beside man ; and yet we are deficient herein : we content our selves with the knowledge of the tongues , and a little skill in philology , or history perhaps and antiquity , and neglect that which to me seems more material , i mean natural history and the works of the creation : i do not discommend or derogate from those other studies : i should betray mine own ignorance and weakness should i do so ; i only wish they might not altogether justle out and exclude this . i wish that this might be brought in fashion among us ; i wish men would be so equal and civil , as not to disparage , deride and vilifie those studies which themselves skill not of , or are not conversant in ; no knowledge can be more pleasant than this , none that doth so satisfie and feed the soul ; in comparison whereto that of words and phrases seems to me insipid and jejune . that learning ( saith a wise and observant prelate ) which consists only in the form and pedagogy of arts , or the critical notions upon words and phrases , hath in it this intrinsical imperfection , that it is only so far to be esteemed as it conduceth to the knowledg of things , being in it self but a kind of pedantry , apt to infect a man with such odd humors of pride , and affectation , and curiosity , as will render him unfit for any great employment . words being but the images of matter , to be wholly given up to the study of these . what is it but pygmalions phrenzy , to fall in love with a picture or image . as for oratory which is the best skill about words , that hath by some wise men been esteemed but a voluptuary art , like to cookery , which spoils wholsome meats and helps unwholsome , by the variety of sawces serving more to the pleasure of tast , than the health of the body . it may be ( for ought i know , and as some divines have thought ) part of our business and employment in eternity to contemplate the works of god , and give him the glory of his wisdom , power and goodness manifested in the creation of them . i am sure it is part of the business of a sabbath-day , and the sabbath is a type of that eternal rest ; for the sabbath seems to have been first instituted for a commemoration of the works of the creation , from which god is said to have rested upon the seventh day . let it not suffice us to be book-learned , to read what others have written , and to take upon trust more falshood than truth : but let us our selves examine things as we have opportunity , and converse with nature as well as books . let us endeavour to promote and increase this knowledge , and make new discoveries , not so much distrusting our own parts , or despairing of our own abilities , as to think that our industry can add nothing to the inventions of our ancestors , or correct any of their mistakes . let us not think that the bounds of science are fixed like hercules his pillars , and inscribed with a ne plus ultra . let us not think we have done when we have learnt what they have delivered to us . the treasures of nature are inexhaustible . here is employment enough for the vastest parts , the most indefatigable industries , the fairest opportunities , the most prolix and undisturbed vacancies . much might be done would we but endeavour , and nothing is insuperable to pains and patience . i know that a new study at first , seems very vast , intricate and difficult ; but after a little resolution and progress , after a man becomes a little acquainted , as i may so say , with it , his understanding is wonderfully cleared up and enlarged , the difficulties vanish , and the thing grows easie and familiar . and for our encouragement in this study , observe what the psalmist saith , psal. 111. 2. the works of the lord are great , sought out of all them that have pleasure therein . which though it be principally spoken of the works of providence , yet may as well be verified of the works of creation . i am sorry to see so little account made of real experimental philosophy in this university , and that those ingenious sciences of the mathematicks , are so much neglected by us : and therefore do earnestly exhort those that are young , especially gentlemen , to set upon these studies , and take some pains in them . they may possibly invent something of eminent use and advantage to the world ; and one such discovery would abundantly compensate the expence and travel of one mans whole life . however , it is enough to maintain and continue what is already invented : neither do i see what more ingenious and manly employment they can pursue , tending more to the satisfaction of their own minds , and the illustration of the glory of god. for he is wonderful in all his works . but i would not have any man cross his natural genius or inclinations , or undertake such methods of study , as his parts are not fitted to , or not serve those ends to which his friends upon mature deliberation have designed him ; but those who do abound with leisure , or who have a natural propension and genius inclining them thereto , or those who by reason of the strength and greatness of their parts , are able to compass and comprehend the whole latitude of learning . neither yet need those who are designed to divinity it self , fear to look into these studies , or think they will engross their whole time , and that no considerable progress can be made therein , unless men lay aside and neglect their ordinary callings , and necessary employments . no such matter . our life is long enough , and we might find time enough , did we husband it well : vitam non accepimus brevem sed fecimus , nec inopes ejus , sed prodigi sumus , as seneca saith . and did but young men fill up that time with these studies , which lies upon their hands , which they are incumbred with , and troubled how to pass away , much might be done even so . i do not see but the study of true physiology , may be justly accounted a proper 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or preparative to divinity . but to leave that , it is a generally received opinion , that all this visible world was created for man ; that man is the end of the creation , as if there were no other end of any creature , but some way or other to be serviceable to man. this opinion is as old as tully , for saith he , in his second book , de nat. deorum . principio ipse mundus deorum hominumque causâ factus est ; quaeque in eo sunt omnia ea parata ad fructum hominum & inventa sunt . but though this be vulgarly received , yet wise men now adays think otherwise . dr. * more affirms , that creatures are made to enjoy themselves , as well as to serve us , and that it 's a gross piece of ignorance and rusticity to think otherwise . and in another place , this comes only out of pride and ignorance or a haughty presumption , because we are encouraged to believe , that in some sence , all things are made for man , therefore to think that they are not at all made for themselves . but he that pronounceth this , is ignorant of the nature of man , and the knowledge of things . for if a good man be merciful to his beast , then surely , a good god is bountiful and benign , and takes pleasure that all his creatures enjoy themselves that have life and sense , and are capable of enjoyment . for my part , i cannot believe that all the things in the world were so made for man , that they have no other use . for it is highly absurd and unreasonable , to think that bodies of such vast magnitude as the fixt stars , were only made to twinkle to us ; nay , a multitude of them there are , that do not so much as twinkle , being either by reason of their distance or of their smalness , altogether invisible to the naked eye , and only discoverable by a telescope , and it is likely perfecter telescopes than we yet have , may bring to light many more ; and who knows , how many may lie out of the ken of the best telescope that can possibly be made . and i believe there are many species in nature , which were never yet taken notice of by man , and consequently of no use to him , which yet we are not to think were created in vain ; but it 's likely ( as the doctor saith ) to partake of the overflowing goodness of the creator , and enjoy their own beings . but though in this sence it be not true , that all things were made for man ; yet thus far it is , that all the creatures in the world may be some way or other useful to us , at least to exercise our wits and understandings , in considering and contemplating of them , and so afford us subject of admiring and glorifying their and our maker . seeing then , we do believe and assert that all things were in some sence made for us , we are thereby obliged to make use of them for those purposes for which they serve us , else we frustrate this end of their creation . now some of them serve only to exercise our minds : many others there be , which might probably serve us to good purpose , whose uses are not discovered , nor are they ever like to be , without pains and industry . true it is , many of the greatest inventions have been accidentally stumbled upon , but not by men supine and careless , but busie and inquisitive . some reproach methinks it is to learned men , that there should be so many animals still in the world , whose outward shape is not yet taken notice of , or described , much less their way of generation , food , manners , uses , observed . if man ought to reflect upon his creator the glory of all his works , then ought he to take notice of them all , and not to think any thing unworthy of his cognizance . and truly the wisdom , art and power of almighty god , shines forth as visibly in the structure of the body of the minutest insect , as in that of a horse or elephant : therefore god is said to be , maximus in minimis . we men , esteeming it a more difficult matter , and of greater art and curiosity to frame a small watch , than a large clock : and no man blames him who spent his whole time in the consideration of the nature and works of a bee , or thinks his subject was too narrow . let us not then esteem any thing contemptible or inconsiderable , or below our notice taking ; for this is to derogate from the wisdom and art of the creator , and to confess our selves unworthy of those endowments of knowledge and understanding which he hath bestowed on us . do we praise daedalus , and architas , and hero , and callicrates , and albertus magnus , and many others which i might mention , for their cunning in inventing , and dexterity in framing and composing a few dead engines or movements : and shall we not admire and magnifie the great 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , former of the world , who hath made so many , yea i may say innumerable , rare pieces , and those too not dead ones , such as cease presently to move so soon as the spring is down , but all living , and themselves performing their own motions , and those so intricate , and various , and requiring such a multitude of parts and subordinate machins , that it is incomprehensible , what art , and skill , and industry , must be employed in the framing of one of them . but it may be objected , that god almighty was not so selfish and desirous of glory , as to make the world and all the creatures therein , only for his own honour , and to be praised by man. to assert this , were in des cartes his opinion , an absurd and childish thing , and a resembling of god to proud man. it is more worthy the deity to attribute the creation of the world to the exundation and overflowing of his transcendent and infinite goodness , which is of its own nature and in the very notion of it most free , diffusive , and communicative . to this i shall answer in two words . first , the testimony of scripture makes god in all his actions to intend and design his own glory mainly . prov. 16. 4. god made all things for himself . how , for himself ? he had no need of them : he hath no use of them . no , he made them for the manifestation of his power , wisdom , and goodness , and that he might receive from the creatures that were able to take notice thereof his tribute of praise . psal. 50. 14. offer unto god thanksgiving . and in the next verse , i will deliver thee , and thou shalt glorifie me . and again in the last verse , whoso offereth praise glorifieth me . so praise is called a sacrifice , and the calves of the lips , hosea 14. 2. esay 42. 8. i am the lord , that is my name , and my glory will i not give to another . esay 48. 11. and i will not give my glory to another . and to me it seems , that where the heavens and earth , and sun , and moon , and stars , and all other creatures are called upon to praise the lord ; the meaning and intention is , to invite and stir up man to take notice of all those creatures , and to admire and praise the power , wisdom and goodness of god manifested in the creation and designations of them . secondly , it is most reasonable that god almighty should intend his own glory . for he being infinite in all excellencies and perfections , and independent upon any other being ; nothing can be said or thought of him too great , and which he may not justly challenge as his due ; nay , he cannot think too highly of himself , his other attributes being adequate to his understanding ; so that , though his understanding be infinite , yet he understands no more than his power can effect , because that is infinite also . and therefore it is fit and reasonable , that he should own and accept the creatures acknowledgments and celebrations of those vertues and perfections , which he hath not received of any other , but possesseth eternally and originally of himself . and indeed , ( with reverence be it spoken , ) what else can we imagine the ever blessed deity to delight and take complacency in for ever , but his own infinite excellencies and perfections , and the manifestations and effects of them , the works of the creation , and the sacrifices of praise and thanks offered up by such of his creatures as are capable of considering those works , and discerning the traces and footsteps of his power and wisdom appearing in the formation of them , and moreover , whose bounden duty it is so to do . the reason why man ought not to admire himself , or seek his own glory , is , because he is a dependent creature , and hath nothing but what he hath received , and not only dependent , but imperfect ; yea , weak and impotent . and yet do i not take humility in man to consist in disowning or denying any gift or ability that is in him , but in a just valuation of such gifts and endowments , yet rather thinking too meanly than too highly of them ; because humane nature is so apt to err in running into the other extreme , to flatter it self , and to accept those praises that are not due to it ; pride being an elation of spirit upon false grounds , or a desire or acceptance of undue honour . otherwise , i do not see why a man may not admit and accept the testimonies of others concerning any perfection , accomplishment or skill that he is really possessed of : yet can he not think himself to deserve any great praise or honour for it , because both the power and the habit are the gift of god : and considering that one vertue is counter-balanced by many vices ; and one skill or perfection , with much ignorance and infirmity . i proceed now to select some particular pieces of the creation , and to consider them more distinctly . they shall be only two . 1. the whole body of the earth . 2. the body of man. first the body of the earth , and therein i shall take notice of 1. it s figure . 2. it s motion . 3. the constitution of its parts . by earth i here understand not the dry land , or the earth contradistinguished to water , or the earth considered as an element : but the whole terraqueous globe composed of earth and water . 1. for the figure , i could easily demonstrate it to be spherical . that the water , which by reason of its fluidity should , one would think , compose it self to a level , yet doth not so , but hath a gibbose superficies , may to the eye be demonstrated upon the sea. for when two ships sailing contrary ways lose the sight one of another : first the keel and hull disappear , afterward the sails , and if when upon deck you have perfectly lost sight of all , you get up the top of the main-mast you may descry it again . now what should take away the sight of these ships from each other but the gibbosity of the interjacent water ? the roundness of the earth from north to south is demonstrated from the appearance of northern stars above the horizon , and loss of the southern to them that travel northward ; and on the contrary the loss of the northern and appearance of the southern to them that travel southward . for were the earth a plain we should see exactly the fame stars wherever we were placed on that plain . the roundness from east to west is demonstrated from eclipses of either of the great luminaries . for why the same eclipse , suppose of the sun , which is seen to them that live more easterly , when the sun is elevated 6 degrees above the horizon , should be seen to them that live one degree more westernly when the sun is but five degrees above the horizon , and so lower and lower proportionably to them that live more and more westernly , till at last it appear not at all , no accompt can be given but the globosity of the earth . for were the earth a perfect plain , the sun would appear eclipsed to all that live upon that plain , if not exactly in the same elevation , yet pretty near it ; but to be sure it would never appear to some , the sun being elevated high above the horizon ; and not at all to others . it being clear then that the figure of the earth is spherical , let us consider the conveniences of this figure . 1. no figure is so capacious as this , and consequently whose parts are so well compacted and united , and lie so near one to another for mutual strength . now the earth , which is the basis of all animals , and as some think of the whole creation , ought to be firm , and stable , and solid , and as much as is possible secured from all ruins and concussions . 2. this figure is most consonant and agreeable to the natural natus or tendency of all heavy bodies . now the earth being such a one , and all its parts having an equal propension or connivency to the center , they must needs be in greatest rest , and most immoveable when they are all equidistant from it . whereas were it an angular body , all the angles would be vast and steep mountains , bearing a considerable proportion to the whole bulk , and therefore those parts being extremely more remote from the center , than those about the middle of the plains , would consequently press very strongly thitherward ; and unless the earth were made of adamant or marble , in time the other parts would give way , till all were levelled . 3. were the earth an angular body and not round , all the whole earth would be nothing else but vast mountains , and so incommodious for animals to live upon . for the middle point of every side would be nearer the center than any other , and consequently from that point which way soever one travelled would be up hill , the tendency of all heavy bodies being perpendicularly to the center . besides how much this would obstruct commerce is easily seen . for not only the declivity of all places would render them very difficult to be travelled over , but likewise the midst of every side being lowest and nearest the center , if there were any rain or any rivers , must needs be filled with a lake of water , there being no way to discharge it , and possibly the water would rise so high as to overflow the whole latus . but surely there would be much more danger of the inundation of whole countries than now there is : all the waters falling upon the earth , by reason of its declivity every way , easily descending down to the common receptacle the sea. and these lakes of water being far distant one from another , there could be no commerce between far remote countries but by land. 4. a spherical figure is most commodious for dinetical motion or revolution upon its own axis . for in that neither oan the medium at all resist the motion of the body , because it stands not in its way , no part coming into any space but what the precedent left , neither doth one part of the superficies move faster than another : whereas were it angular , the parts about the angles would find strong resistance from the air , and those parts also about the angles would move much faster than those about the middle of the plains , being remoter from the center than they . it remains therefore that this figure is the most commodious for motion . here i cannot but take notice of the folly and stupidity of the epicureans , who fancied the earth to be flat and contiguous to the heavens on all sides , and that it descended a great way with long roots ; and that the sun was new made every morning , and not much bigger than it seems to the eye , and of a flat figure , and many other such gross absurdities as children among us would be ashamed of . secondly , i come now to speak of the motion of the earth . that the earth ( speaking according to philosophical accurateness ) doth move both upon its own poles , and in the ecliptick , is now the received opinion of the most learned and skilful mathematicians . to prove the diurnal motion of it upon its poles , i need produce no other arguments than , first , the vast disproportion in respect of magnitude that is between the earth and the heavens , and the great unlikelyhood , that such an infinite number of vast bodies should move about so inconsiderable a spot as the earth , which in comparison with them by the concurrent suffrages of mathematicians of both perswasions , is a mere point , that is , next to nothing . secondly , the immense and incredible celerity of the motion of the heavenly bodies in the ancient hypothesis ; of its annual motion in the ecliptick , the stations and retrogradations of the superior planets are a convincing argument , there being a clear and facile account thereof to be given from the mere motion of the earth in the ecliptick ; whereas in the old hypothesis no account can be given thereof , but by the unreasonable . fiction of epicycles and contrary motions ; add hereto the great unlikelyhood of such an enormous epicycle as venus must describe about the sun , not under the sun as the old astronomers fancied ; so that whosoever doth clearly understand both hypotheses , cannot , i perswade my self , adhere to the old and reject the new , without doing some violence to his faculties . against this opinion lie two objections , first , that it is contrary to sense , and the common opinion and belief of mankind . secondly , that it seemeth contrary to some expressions in scripture . to the first i answer , that our senses are sometimes mistaken , and what appears to them is not always in reality so as it appears . for example , the sun or moon appear no bigger at most , than a cart-wheel , and of a flat figure . the earth seems to be plain ; the heavens to cover it like a canopy , and to be contiguous to it round about : a fire-brand nimbly moved round , appears like a circle of fire ; and to give a parallel instance , a boat lying still at anchor in a river to him that sails or rows by it , seems to move apace : and when the clouds pass nimbly under the moon , the moon it self seems to move the contrary way . and there have been whole books written in confutation of vulgar errours . secondly , as to the scripture , when speaking of these things it accommodates it self to the common and received opinions , and employs the usual phrases and forms of speech , ( as all wise men also do , though in strictness , they be of a different or contrary opinion , ) without intention of delivering any thing doctrinally concerning these points , or confuting the contrary : and yet by those that maintain the opinion of the earths motion there might a convenient interpretation be given of such places as seem to contradict it . howbeit , because some pious persons may be offended at such an opinion , as savouring of novelty , thinking it inconsistent with divine revelation , i shall not positively assert it , only propose it as an hypothesis not altogether improbable . supposing then , that the earth doth move , both upon its own poles , and in the ecliptick about the sun , i shall shew how admirably its situation and motion are contrived for the conveniency of man and other animals : which i cannot do more fully and clearly than dr. more hath already done in his antidote against atheism , whose words therefore i shall borrow . first , speaking of the parallelism of the axis of the earth he saith , i demand whether it be better to have the axis of the earth steady and perpetually parallel to it self , or to have it carelesly tumble this way and that way as it happens , or at least very variously and intricately : and you cannot but answer me , it is better to have it steady and parallel . for in this lies the necessary foundation of the art of navigation and dialling . for that steady stream of particles , which is supposed to keep the axis of the earth parallel to its self , affords the mariner both his cynosura and his compass . the load-stone and the load-star depend both upon this . the load-stone as i could demonstrate , were it not too great a digression ; and the load-star , because that which keeps the axis parallel to its self , makes each of the poles constantly respect such a point in the heavens ; as for example , the north-pole to point almost directly to that which we call the pole-star . and besides , dialling could not be at all without this steadiness of the axis . but both these arts are pleasant , and one especially of mighty importance to mankind . for thus there is an orderly measuring of our time for affairs at home , and an opportunity of traffick abroad with the most remote nations of the world , and so there is a mutual supply of the several commodities of all countries , besides the enlarging our understandings by so ample experience we get both of men and things . wherefore if we were rationally to consult , whether the axis of the earth were better be held steady and parallel to it self , or left at random , we would conclude it ought to be steady , and so we find it de facto , though the earth move floating in the liquid heavens . so that appealing to our own faculties we are to affirm , that the constant direction of the axis of the earth was established by a principle of wisdom and counsel . again , there being several postures of this steady direction of the axis of the earth . viz. either perpendicular to a plain , going through the center of the sun , or coincident , or inclining , i demand which of all these reason and knowledge would make choice of . not of a perpendicular posture . for so both the pleasant variety and great convenience of summer and winter , spring and autumn would be lost , and for want of accession of the sun , these parts of the earth , which now bring forth fruits , and are habitable , would be in an incapacity of ever bringing forth any , and consequently could entertain no inhabitants , and those parts that the full heat of the sun could reach , he plying them always alike without any annual recession or intermission , would at last grow tired or exhausted , or be wholly dried up and want moisture , the sun dissipating and casting off the clouds northwards and southwards . besides , we observe that an orderly vicissitude of things , doth much more gratifie the contemplative property in man. and now in the second place , neither would reason make choice of a coincident position . for if the axis thus lay in a plain that goeth through the center of the sun , the ecliptick would like a colure or one of the meridians , pass through the poles of the earth , which would put the inhabitants of the world , into a pitiful condition . for they that escape best in the temperate zone would be accloyed with long nights very tedious , no less than forty days , and those that now never have their night above twenty four hours , as friesland island , the furthest parts of russia and norway would be deprived of the sun , above a hundred and thirty days together . our selves in england and the rest of the same clime would be closed up in darkness no less than a hundred or eighty days : and so proportionably of the rest both in and out of the temperate zones . and as for summer and winter , though those vicissitudes would be , yet it could not but cause raging diseases , to have the sun stay so long , describing his little circles so near the poles , and lying so hot on the inhabitants , that had been in so long extremity of darkness and cold before . it remains therefore , that the posture of the axis of the earth be inclining not perpendicular nor coincident to the fore-mentioned plain . and verily , it is not only inclining , but in so fit a proportion , that there can be no fitter imagined to make it to the utmost capacity as well pleasant as habitable . for though the course of the sun be curbed between the tropicks , yet are not those parts directly subject to his perpendicular beams , either unhabitable or extremely hot , as the ancients fansied : by the testimony of travellers , and particularly sir walter ralegh , the parts under and near the line , being as fruitful and pleasant , and fit to make a paradise of , as any in the world. and that they are as suitable to the nature of man , and as convenient to live in , appears from the longaevity of the natives ; as for instance , the aethiopes called by the ancients 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , but especially the brasilians in america , the ordinary term of whose life is a hundred years , as is set down by piso a learned physitian of holland , who travelled thither on purpose to augment natural knowledge , but especially what related to physick . and reasonable it is , that this should be so , for neither doth the sun lie long upon them , their day being but twelve hours , and their night as long , to cool and refresh them ; and besides , they have frequent showers , and constant breezes or fresh gales of wind from the east . seeing then , this best posture which our reason could make choice of , we see really established in nature , we cannot but acknowledge it to be the issue of wisdom , counsel and providence . moreover , a further argument to evince this is , that though it cannot but be acknowledged , that if the axis of the earth were perpendicular to the plain of the ecliptick , her motion would be more easie and natural , yet notwithstanding for the conveniencies forementioned , we see it is made in an inclining posture . if any man shall object and say , it would be more convenient for the inhabitants of the earth , if the tropicks stood at a greater distance , and the sun moved further northward and southward , for so the north and south parts would be relieved , and not exposed to so extreme cold , and thereby rendred unhabitable as now they are . to this i answer , that this would be more inconvenient to the inhabitants of the earth in general , and yet would afford the north and south parts but little more comfort . for then as much as the distances between the tropicks were enlarg'd , so much would also the artick and antartick circles be enlarg'd too ; and so we here in england , and so on northerly should not have that grateful and useful succession of day and night , but proportionably to the suns coming towards us , so would our days be of more than twenty four hours length , and according to his recess in winter our nights proportionable ; which how great an inconvenience it would be , is easily seen . whereas now the whole latitude of earth , which hath at any time above twenty four hours day , and twenty four hours night , is little and inconsiderable in comparison of the whole bulk , as lying near the poles . and yet neither is that part altogether unuseful , for in the waters there live fishes , which otherwhere are not obvious , so we know the chief whale-fishing is in greenland : and on the land , bears , and foxes , and deer , in the most northerly country , that was ever yet touched , and doubtless if we shall discover further to the very north-pole , we shall find all that tract not to be vain , useless or unoccupied . thirdly , the third and last thing i proposed , was the constitution and consistency of the parts of the earth . and first , admirable it is that the waters should be gathered together into such great conceptacula , and the dry land appear , and though we had not been assured thereof by divine revelation , we could not in reason , but have thought such a division and separation , to have been the work of omnipotency and infinite wisdom and goodness . for in this condition the water nourishes and maintains innumerable multitudes of various kinds of fishes : and the dry land supports and feeds as great varieties of plants and animals , which have there firm footing and habitation . whereas had all been earth , all the species of fishes had been lost , and all those commodities which the water affords us ; or all water , there had been no living for plants or terrestrial animals , or man himself , and all the beauty , glory , and variety of this inferiour world had been gone , nothing being to be seen , but one uniform dark body of water : or had all been mixt and made up of water and earth into one body of mud or mire , as one would think , should be most natural : for why such a separation as at present we find should be made , no account can be given , but providence . i say , had all this globe been mire or mud , then could there have been no possibility for any animals at all to have lived , excepting some few , and those very dull and inferiour ones too . that therefore the earth should be made thus , and not only so , but with so great variety of parts , as mountains , plains , vallies , sand , gravel , lime , stone , clay , marble , argilla , &c. which are so delectable and pleasant , and likewise so useful and convenient for the breeding and living of various plants and animals ; some affecting mountains , some plains , some vallies , some watery places , some shade , some sun , some clay , some sand , some gravel , &c. that the earth should be so figured as to have mountains in the mid-land parts , abounding with springs of water pouring down streams and rivers for the necessities and conveniencies of the inhabitants of the lower countries ; and that the levels and plains should be formed with so easie a declivity as to cast off the water , and yet not render travelling or tillage very difficult or laborious . these things i say , must needs be the result of counsel , wisdom , and design . especially when ( as i said before ) not that way which seems more facile and obvious to chance is chosen , but that which is more difficult and hard to be traced , when it is most convenient and proper for those nobler ends and designs , which were intended by its wise creator and governor . add to all this , that the whole dry land is for the most part , covered over with a lovely carpet of green grass and other herbs , of a colour , not only most grateful and agreeable , but most useful and salutary to the eye : and this also decked and adorned with great variety of flowers of beautiful colours and figures , and of most pleasant and fragrant odours for the refreshment of our spirits and our innocent delight . a second particular i have made choice of , more exactly to survey and consider , is the body of man : wherein i shall endeavour to discover something of the wisdom and goodness of god. first , by making some general observations concerning the body . secondly , by running over and discoursing upon its principal parts and members . 1. then in general i say , the wisdom and goodness of god appears in the erect posture of the body of man , which is a priviledge and advantage given to man , above other animals . but though this be so , yet i would not have you think , that all the particulars i shall mention , are proper only to the body of man , divers of them agreeing to many other creatures . it is not my business to consider only the prerogatives of man above other animals , but the endowments and perfections which nature hath conferred on his body though common to them with him . of this erection of the body of man , the ancients have taken notice as a particular gift and favour of god. ovid. metam . 1. pronáque cùm spectent animalia caetera terrā , os hominum sublime dedit , coelúmque tueri jussit , & erectos ad sydera tollere vultus . and before him , tully in his second book de nat. deorum . ad hanc providentiam naturae tam diligentem támque solertem adjungi multa possunt , è quibus intelligatur quantae res hominibus à deo , quámque eximiae tributae sunt , qui primùm eos humo excitatos , celsos & erectos constituit , ut deorum cognitionem coelum intuentes capere possent . sunt enim è terra homines , non ut incolae atque habitatores , sed quasi spectatores superarum rerum atque coelestium , quarum spectaculum ad nullum aliud genus animantium pertinet . man being the only creature in this sublunary world , made to contemplate heaven , it was convenient that he should have such a figure or situs of the parts of his body , that he might conveniently look upwards . but to say the truth in this respect of contemplating the heavens or looking upwards , i do not see what advantage a man hath by this erection above other animals , the faces of most of them being more supine than ours , which are only perpendicular to the horizon , whereas some of theirs stand reclining . but yet two or three other advantages we have of this erection , which i shall here mention . first , it is more commodious for the sustaining of the head , which being full of brains and very heavy ( the brain in man being far larger in proportion to the bulk of his body , than in any other animal ) would have been very painful and wearisome to carry , if the neck had lain parallel or inclining to the horizon . secondly , this figure is most convenient for prospect and looking about one . a man may see further before him , which is no small advantage for avoiding dangers , and discovering whatever he searches after . thirdly , the conveniency of this site of our bodies will more clearly appear , if we consider what a pitiful condition we had been in , if we had been constantly necessitated to stand and walk upon all four , man being by the make of his body , of all quadrupeds ( for now i must compare him with them ) the most unfit for that kind of incessus , as i shall shew anon . and besides that we should have wanted , at least in a great measure , the use of our hand , that unvaluable instrument , without which we had wanted most of those advantages we enjoy as reasonable creatures , as i shall more particularly demonstrate afterwards . but it may be perchance objected by some , that nature did not intend this erection of the body , but that it is superinduced and artificial ; for that children at first creep on all four , according to that of the poet. mox quadrupes , ritúque tulit sua membra ferarum . ovid. to which i answer , that there is so great an inequality in the length of our legs and arms , as would make it extremely inconvenient , if not impossible , for us to walk upon all four , and set us almost upon our heads ; and therefore we see that children do not creep upon their hands and feet , but upon their hands and knees ; so that it is plain that nature intended us to walk as we do , and not upon all four. 2. i argue from the situs or position of our faces ; for had we been to walk upon all four we had been the most prone of all animals , our faces being parallel to the horizon and looking directly downwards . 3. the greatness and strength of the muscles of the thighs and legs above those of the arms , is a clear indication , that they were by nature intended for a more difficult and laborious action , even the moving and transferring the whole body , and that motion to be sometimes continued for a great while together . as for that argument taken from the contrary flexure of the joynts of our arms and legs to that of quadrupeds ; as that our knees bend forward , whereas the same joynt of their hind legs bends backward ; and that our arms bend backward , whereas the knees of their fore legs bend forward . although the observation be as old as aristotle , because i think there is a mistake in it , in not comparing the same joynts ( for the first or uppermost joynt in a quadrupeds hind legs bends forward as well as a mans knees , which answer to it being the uppermost joynt of our legs ; and the like mutatis mutandis may be said of the arms ) i shall not insist upon it . ii. the body of man may thence be proved to be the effect of wisdom , because there is nothing in it deficient , nothing superfluous , nothing but hath its end and use ; so true are those maximes we have already made use of , natura nihil facit frustra , and natura non abundat in superfluis , nec deficit in necessariis , no part that we can well spare . the eye cannot say to the hand i have no need of thee , nor the head to the feet i have no need of you . 1. cor. 12. 21. that i may usurp the apostles similitude . the belly cannot quarrel with the members , nor they with the belly for her seeming sloth ; as they provide meat for her , so she concocts and distributes it to them . only it may be doubted to what use the paps in men should serve . i answer partly for ornament , partly for a kind of conformity between the sexes , and partly to defend and cherish the heart ; in some they contain milk , as in a danish family we read of in bartholines anatomical observations . however it follows not that they or any other parts of the body are useless because we are ignorant . had we been born with a large wen upon our faces , or a bavarian poke under our chins , or a great bunch upon our backs like camels , or any the like superfluous excrescency , which should be not only useless but troublesome , not only stand us in no stead but also be ill favoured to behold , and burthensom to carry about , then we might have had some pretence to doubt whether an intelligent and bountiful creator had been our architect ; for had the body been made by chance it must in all likelyhood have had many of these superfluous and unnecessary parts . but now seeing there is none of our members but hath its place and use , none that we could spare or conveniently live without , were it but those we account excrements , the hair of our heads , or the nails on our fingers ends ; we must needs be mad or sottish if we can conceive any other than that an infinitely good and wise god was our author and former . iii. we may fetch an argument of the wisdom and providence of god from the convenient situation and disposition of the parts and members of our bodies : they are seated most conveniently for use , for ornament , and for mutual assistance . first , for use ; so we see the senses of such eminent use for our well-being , situate in the head , as sentinels in a watch-tower , to receive and conveigh to the soul the impressions of external objects . sensus autem interpretes ac nuntii rerum in capite tanquam in arce mirificè ad usus necessarios & facti & collati sunt . cic. de nat. deorum . the eye can more easily see things at a distance , the ear receive sounds from afar : how could the eye have been better placed either for beauty and ornament , or for the guidance and direction of the whole body . as cicero proceeds well , nam oculi tanquam speculatores altissimum locum obtinent , ex quo plurima conspicientes funguntur suo munere : et aures quoe sonum recipere debent , qui naturâ in sublime fertur , rectè in altis corporum partibus collocatae sunt ; itemque nares , eò quò omnis odor ad superiora fertur , rectè sursum sunt . for the eyes like sentinels occupy the highest place , from whence seeing many things they perform their functions : and the ears , which are made for the reception of sounds , which naturally are carried upwards , are rightly placed in the uppermost parts of the body ; also the nostrils , because all odors ascend , are fitly situate in the superior parts . i might instance in the other members . how could the hands have been more conveniently placed for all sorts of exercises and works , and for the guard and security of the head and principal parts ? the heart to dispense life and heat to the whole body , viz. near the center , and yet because it is harder for the blood to ascend than descend , somewhat nearer the head. it is also observable that the sinks of the body are removed as far from the nose and eyes as may be ; which cicero takes notice of in the forementioned place . ut in aedificiis architecti avertunt ab oculis & naribus dominorum ea quae profluentia necessariò essent tetri aliquid habitura , sic natura res similes procul amandavit à sensibus . secondly , for ornament . what could have been better contrived than that those members which are pairs , should stand by one another in equal altitude , and answer on each side one to another . and thirdly , for mutual assistance . we have before shewed how the eye stands most conveniently for guiding the hand , and the hand for defending the eye ; and the like might be said of the other parts , they are so situaté as to afford direction and help one to another . this will appear more clearly if we imagine any of the members situate in contrary places or positions : had a mans arms been fitted only to bend backwards behind him , or his legs only to move backwards ; what direction could his eyes then have afforded him in working or walking ? or how could he then have fed himself ? nay had one arm been made to bend forward and the other directly backward , we had then lost half the use of them , sith they could not have assisted one the other in any action . take the eyes or any other of the organs of sense , and see if you can find any so convenient a seat for them in the whole body as that they now possess . fourthly , from the ample provision that is made for the defence and security of the principal parts : those are , 1. the heart ; which is the fountain of life and vegetation , officina spirituum vitalium , principium & fons caloris nativi , lucerna humidi radicalis , and that i may speak with the chymists , ipse sol microcosmi , the very sun of the microcosme or little world , in which is contained that vital flame or heavenly fire , which prometheus is fabled to have stole from jupiter : or as aristotle phrases it , that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , divinum quid respondens elemento stellarum . this for more security is situate in the center of the trunk of the body , covered first with its own membrane called pericardium , lodged within the soft bed of the lungs , encompassed round with a double fence , ( 1. ) of firm bones or ribs to bear off blows . ( 2. ) of thick muscles and skin , besides the arms conveniently placed to fence off any violence at a distance , before it can approach to hurt it . 2. the brain , which is the principle of all sense and motion , the fountain of the animal spirits , the chief seat and palace royal of the soul ; upon whose security depends whatever privilege belongs to us as sensitive or rational creatures . this , i say , being the prime and immediate organ of the soul , from the right constitution whereof proceeds the quickness of apprehension , acuteness of wit , solidity of judgment , method and order of invention , strength and power of memory ; which if once weakened and disordered , there follows nothing but confusion and disturbance in our apprehensions , thoughts and judgments , is environed round about with such a potent defence , that it must be amighty force indeed that is able to injure it . first , a skull so hard , thick , and tough , that it is almost as easie to split a helmet of iron as to make a fracture in it . 2. this covered with skin and hair , which serve to keep it warm being naturally a very cold part , and also to quench and dissipate the force of any stroke that shall be dealt it , and retund the edge of any weapon . 3. and yet more than all this there is still a thick and tough membrane which hangs looser about it , and doth not so closely embrace it ( that they call dura mater ) and in case the skull happens to be broken doth often preserve it from injury and diminution : and lastly , a thin and fine membrane strait and closely adhering to keep it from quashing and shaking . i might instance ( 3. ) in the lungs , which are so useful to us as to life and sense , that the vulgar think our breath is our very life , and that we breath out our souls from thence . suteable to which notion both anima and spiritus in latine , and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in greek are derived from words that signifie breath and wind : and efflare or exhalare animam signifies to die. and the old romans used to apply mouth to mouth , and receive the last gasps of their dying friends , as if their souls had come out that way . from hence perhaps might first spring that opinion of the vehicles of spirits ; the vulgar , as i hinted before , conceiving that the breath was , if not the soul itself , yet that wherein it was wafted and carried away . these lungs , i say , are for their bettter security and defence shut up in the same cavity with the heart . fourthly , in the abundant provision that is made against evil accidents and inconveniencies . and the liberality of nature as to this particular appears 1. in that she hath given many members , which are of eminent use by pairs , as two eyes , two ears , two nostrils , two hands , two feet , two breasts , [ mammae ] two reins : that so if by any cross or unhappy accident one should be disabled or rendred useless , the other might serve us tolerably well , whereas had a man but one hand , or one eye , &c. if that were gone , all were gone , and we left in evil case . see then and acknowledg the benignity of the deity , who hath bestowed upon us two hands , and two eyes , and other the like parts not only for our necessity but conveniency , so long as we enjoy them : and for our security in case any mischance deprive us of one of them . 2. in that all the vessels of the body have many ramifications : which particular branches , though they serve mainly for one member or muscle , yet send forth some twigs to the neighbouring muscles ; and so interchangeably the branches that serve these , send to them : so that if one branch chance to be cut off or obstructed , its defect may in some measure be supplied by the twigs that come from the neighbouring vessels . 3. in that she hath provided so many ways to evacuate what might be hurtful to us or breed diseases in our bodies . if any thing oppress the head it hath a power to free itself by sneezing : if any thing fall into the lungs , or if any humor be discharged upon them , they have a faculty of clearing themselves and casting it up by coughing : if any thing clog or burden the stomach , it hath an ability of contracting itself and throwing it up by vomit . besides these ways of evacuation there are siege , urine , sweating haemorrhagies from the nose and haemorrhoidal veins , fluxes of rheum . now the reason why nature hath provided so many ways of evacuation is because of the different humors that are to be avoided or cast out . when therefore there is a secretion made of any noxious humor , it is carried off by that emunctory whose pores are fitted to receive and transmit the minute parts of it ; if at least this separation be made by percolation , as we will now suppose , but not assert . yet i doubt not but the same humor may be cast off by divers emunctories , as is clear in urine and sweat which are for the main the same humor carried off several ways . fifthly , from the constancy that is observed in the number , figure , place , and make of all the principal parts ; and from the variety in the less . man is always mending and altering his works : but nature observes the same tenour , because her works are so perfect that there is no place for amendments ; nothing that can be reprehended . the sagacious men in so many ages have not been able to find any flaw in these divinely contrived and formed machins , no blot or errour in this great volume of the world , as if any thing had been an imperfect essay at the first , to use the bishop of chesters words : nothing that can be altered for the better ; nothing but if it were altered would be marred . this could not have been , had mans body been the work of chance and not counsel and providence . why should there be constantly the same parts ? why should they retain constantly the same places ? why should they be endued with the same shape and figure ? nothing so contrary as constancy and chance . should i see a man throw the same number a thousand times together upon but three dice , could you perswade me that this were accidental and that there was no necessary cause of it ? how much more incredible then is it that constancy in such a variety , such a multiplicity of parts should be the result of chance ? neither yet can these works be the effects of necessity or fate , for then there would be the same constancy observed in the smaller as well as the larger parts and vessels ; whereas there we see nature doth ludere , as it were , sport itself , the minute ramifications of all the vessels , veins , arteries , and nerves infinitely varying in individuals of the same species , so that they are not in any two alike . sixthly , the great wisdom of the divine creator appears in that there is pleasure annexed to those actions that are necessary for the support and preservation of the individuum , and the continuation and propagation of the species ; and not only so , but pain to the neglect or forbearance of them . for the support of the person it hath annexed pleasure to eating and drinking : which else out of laziness or multiplicity of business a man would be apt to neglect , or sometime forget . indeed to be obliged to chew and swallow meat daily for two hours space , and to find no relish nor pleasure in it , would be one of the most burthensome and ungrateful tasks of a mans whole life . but because this action is absolutely necessary , for abundant security nature hath inserted in us a painful sense of hunger to put us in mind of it , and to reward our performance hath adjoined pleasure to it . and as for the continuation of kind , i need not tell you that the enjoyments which attend those actions are the highest gratifications of sense . seventhly , the wonderful art and providence of the contriver and former of our bodies appears in the multitude of intentions he must have in the formation of the several parts , or the qualifications they require to fit them for their several uses . * galen in his book de formatione faetus , takes notice that there are in a humane body above 600. several muscles , and there are at least ten several intentions or due qualifications to be observed in each of these ; proper figure , just magnitude , right disposition of its several ends , upper and lower , position of the whole , the insertion of its proper nerves , veins , and arteries , which are each of them to be duly placed ; so that about the muscles alone no less than 6000 several ends or aims are to be attended to . the bones are reckoned to be 284. the distinct scopes or intentions in each of these are above 40 , in all about 100000. and thus is it in some proportion with all the other parts , the skin , ligaments , vessels , glandules , humors : but more especially with the several members of the body , which do in regard of the great variety and multitude of those several intentions required to them , very much exceed the homogeneous parts . and the failing in any one of these would cause irregularity in the body , and in many of them such as would be very notorious . now to imagine that such a machine composed of so many parts , to the right form , order and motion whereof such an infinite number of intentions are required , could be made without the contrivance of some wise agent , must needs be irrational in the highest degree . eighthly , some fetch an argument of providence from the variety of lineaments in the faces of men , which is such , that there are not two faces in the world absolutely alike ; which is somewhat strange , since all the parts are in specie the same . were nature a blind architect , i see not but the faces of some men might be as like as eggs laid by the same hen , or bullets cast in the same mould , or drops of water out of the same bucket . this particular i find taken notice of by pliny in his 7. book , cap. 1. in these words , jam in facie vultuque nostro , cum sint decem aut paulò plura membra , nullas duas in tot millibus hominum indiscretas effigies existere , quod ars nulla in paucis numero praestet affectando ; to which among other things he thus prefaces , naturae verò rerum vis atque majestas in omnibus momentis fide caret . though this at first may seem to be a matter of small moment , yet if duly considered , it will appear to be of mighty importance in all human affairs : for should there be an undiscernable similitude between divers men , what confusion and disturbance would necessarily follow ? what uncertainty in all sales and conveyances , in all bargains and contracts ? what frauds and cheats and suborning of witnesses ? what a subversion of all trade and commerce ? what hazard in all judicial proceedings ? in all assaults and batteries , in all murthers and assassinations , in thefts and robberies , what security would there be to malefactors ? who could swear that such and such were the persons that committed the facts , though they saw them never so clearly ? many other inconveniences might be instanced in : so that we see this is no contemptible argument of the wisdom and goodness of god. i have done with my general observations . i proceed now more accurately and minutely to consider some particular parts or members of the body ; and first the head , because it was to contain a large brain made of the most capacious figure , as near as could be to a spherical ; upon this grows the hair , which though it be esteemed an excrement , is of great use ( as i shewed before ) to cherish and keep warm the brain , and to quench the force of any stroke that might otherwise endanger the skull . it serves also to disburthen the brain of a great deal of superfluous moisture , wherewith it abounds ; and for a graceful ornament to the face . secondly , another member which i shall more particularly treat of , is the eye , a part so artificially composed , and commodiously situate , as nothing can be contrived better for use , ornament or security ; nothing to advantage added thereto or altered therein . of the beauty of the eye i shall say little , leaving that to poets and orators ; that it is a very pleasant and lovely object to behold , if we consider the figure , colors and splendor of it , is the least that i can say . the soul as it is more immediately and strongly moved and affected by this part than any other ; so doth it manifest all its passions and perturbations by this . as the eyes are the windows to let in the species of all exterior objects into the dark cels of the brain , for the information of the soul ; so are they flaming torches to reveal to those abroad how the soul within is moved or affected . these repre sentations made by the impressions of external objects upon the eye are the most clear , lively and distinct of any others . now to this use and purpose of informing us what is abroad round about us in this aspectable world , we shall find the structure and mechanism of the eye , and every part thereof so well fitted and adapted , as not the least curiosity can be added . for first of all , all the humors and tunicles are purely transparent , to let in the light and colors unfolded and unsophisticated by any inward tincture . it is usually said by the peripateticks , that the crystalline humor of the eye ( which they ineptly fansied to be the immediate organ of vision wherein all the species of external objects were terminated ) is without all color , because its office was to discern all colors , or at least to receive the species of several colors , and convey them to the common sense . now if itself had been coloured , it would have transmitted all visible objects tinctured with the same color ; as we see whatever is beheld through a coloured glass appears of the same color with the glass , and to those that have the jaundice or the like suffusion of eyes , objects appear of that same color wherewith their eyes are infected . this they say is in a great measure true , although they are much mistaken about the organ and manner of vision , and the uses of the humors and membranes of the eye . two reasons therefore may be assigned why all the membranes and humors of the eye are perfectly pellucid and void of color . first , for the clearness . secondly , for the distinctness of vision . i. the clearness . for had the tunicles and humors of the eye , all or any of them been colorate , many of the rays proceeding from the visible object would have been stopt and suffocated before they could come to the bottom of the eye , where the formal organ of vision is situate . for it is a most certain rule , how much any body hath of colour , so much hath it of opacity , and by so much the more unfit is it to transmit the species . 2. for the distinctness of vision . for , as i said before and the peripateticks observe well , were the humours of the eye tinctured with any colour , they would refund that colour upon the object , and so it would not be represented to the soul as in itself it is . so we see that through a coloured glass things appear as well more dim and obscure , as tinctured with the colour thereof . secondly , the parts of the eye are made convex , and especially the crystalline humour , which is of a lenticular figure , convex on both sides , that by the refractions there made there might be a direction of many rays coming from one point in the object , viz. as many as the pupil can receive , to one point answerable in the bottom of the eye ; without which the sense would be very obscure and also confused . there would be as much difference in the clearness and distinction of vision , where the outward surface of the tunica cornea plain , and the crystalline humor removed ; as between the picture received on a white paper in a dark room through an open or empty hole , and the same received through a hole furnished with an exactly polished lenticular crystal ; which how great it is any one that hath but seen this experiment made , knows well enough . indeed this experiment doth very much explain the manner of vision ; the hole answering to the pupil of the eye , the crystalline humour to the lenticular glass , the dark room to the cavity containing the vitreous humour , and the white paper to the tunica retina . thirdly , the uveous coat or iris of the eye hath a musculous power , and can dilate and contract that round hole in it , called the pupil or sight of the eye . it contracts it for the excluding superfluous light , and preserving the eye from being injured by too vehement and lucid an object , and again dilate it for the apprehending objects more remote , or placed in a fainter light ; tam miro artificio ( saith scheiner ) quàm munifica naturae largitate . if any one desires to make experiment of these particulars , he may , following scheiner and des cartes their directions , take a child , and setting a candle before him bid him look upon it : and he shall observe his pupil to contract itself very much , to exclude the light , with the brightness whereof it would otherwise be dazled and offended ; as we are when after we have been some time in the dark a bright light is suddenly brought in and set before us , till the pupils of our eyes have gradually contracted themselves : let the candle be withdrawn , or removed aside , he shall observe the childs pupil by degrees to dilate itself . or let him take a bead or the like object , and holding it near the eye , command the child to look at it , the pupil will contract much when the object is near ; but let it be withdrawn to a greater distance in the same light , and he shall observe the pupil to be much enlarged . fourthly , the uveous coat , and also the inside of the choroides are blackened like the walls of a tennis court , that the rays may be there suffocated and suppressed , and not reflected backwards to confound the sight : and if any be by the retiform coat reflected , they are soon choaked in the black inside of the uvea . whereas were they reflected to and fro , there could be no distinct vision ; as we see the light admited into the dark room we even now spake of , obliterates the species which before were seen upon the white cloth or paper . fifthly , because the rays from a nearer and from a more remote object do not meet just in the same distance behind the crystalline humour ( as may easily be observed in lenticular glasses , where the point of concourse of the rays from a nearer object is at a greater distance behind the glass , and from a further at a lesser ) therefore the ciliary processes , or rather the ligaments observed in the inside of the sclerotick tunicle of the eye , by a late ingenious anatomist , do serve instead of a muscle , by their contraction to alter the figure of the eye , and make it broader , and consequently draw the retine nearer to the crystalline humour , and by their relaxation suffer it to return to its natural distance according to the exigency of the object , in respect of distance or propinquity : and besides possibly the ciliary processes may by their constriction or relaxation , render the crystalline itself more gibbose or plain ; and with the help of the muscles a little alter the figure of the whole eye , for the same reason . to what i have said might be added , that the retiform tunicle is whitish , for the better and more true reception of the species of things . that there being a distance necessarily required for the collection of the rays received by the pupil , viz. those that proceed from one point of the object to one point again in the bottom of the eye , the retine must needs be set at a distance from the crystalline humour : and therefore nature hath provided a large room , and filled it with the pellucid vitreous humour most fit for that purpose . i must not omit a notable observation concerning the place of the insertion of the optick nerve into the bulb of the eye , and the reason of it ; which i owe to that learned mathematician peter herigon , nervus opticus ( saith he in his optica ) ad latus ponitur , ne pars imaginis in ejus foramen incidens picturâ careat . the optick nerve is not situate directly behind the eye , but on one side , lest that part of the image that falls upon the hole of the optick nerve , should want its picture . this i do not conceive to be the true reason of this situation ; for even now as it is situate , that part of the object whose rays fall upon the center or hole of the optick nerve , wants its picture , as we find by experience ; that part not being seen by us , though we heed it not . but the reason is , because if the optick axis should fall upon this center ( as it would do were the nerve seated just behind the eye ) this great inconvenience would follow , that the middle point of every object we viewed would be invisible , or there would a dark spot appear in the midst of it . thus we see the admirable wisdom of nature in thus placing the optick nerve in respect of the eye ; which he that did not consider or understand would be apt to think more inconveniently situate for vision , than if it had been right behind . another thing also concerning vision is most remarkable , that though there be a decussation of the rays in the pupil of the eye , and so the image of the object in the retina or bottom of the eye be inverted , yet doth not the object appear inverted , but in its right or natural posture : the reason whereof is because the visual rays coming in streight lines , by those points of the sensory or retina which they touch , affect the common sense or soul according to their direction ; that is , signifie to it that those several parts of the object from whence they proceed lie in streight lines ( point for point ) drawn through the pupil to the several points of the sensory where they terminate , and which they press upon . whereupon the soul must needs conceive the object , not in an inverted but a right posture . and that the nerves are naturally made not only to inform the soul of external objects which press upon them , but also of the situation of such objects , is clear , because if the eyes be distorted , the object , will we nill we , will appear double . so if the fore and middle fingers be cross'd , and a round body put between them and moved , it will seem to be two ; the reason is , because in that posture of the fingers the body touches the outsides of them , which in their natural site are distant one from another , and their nerves made to signifie to the soul bodies separate and distant in like manner , two fingers lying between them . and though our reason by the help of our sight corrects this errour , yet cannot we but fansie it to be so . neither is the aqueous humor , as some may supinely imagine , altogether useless or unprofitable as to vision , because by its help the uvea tunica is sustained , which else would fall flat upon the crystalline humor ; and fluid it must be , to give way to the contraction and dilatation of the uveous : and because the outermost coat of the eye might chance to be wounded or pricked , and this humor being fluid let out , therefore nature hath made provision speedily to repair it again in such a case . moreover it is remarkable that the cornea tunica , [ horny or pellucid coat of the eye ] doth not lie in the same superficies with the white of the eye , but riseth up as it were a hillock above its convexity , and is of an hyperbolical or parabolical figure : so that though the eye seems to be perfectly round , in reality it is not so , but the iris thereof is protuberant above the white ; and the reason is because that if the cornea tunica or crystalline humor had been concentrical to the sclerodes , the eye could not have admitted a whole hemisphere at one view , & sic animalis incolumitati in multis rebus minùs cautum esset , as scheiner well . in many things there had not been sufficient caution or care taken for the animals safety . and now ( that i may use the words of a late * author of our own ) the eye is already so perfect , that i believe the reason of a man would easily have rested here , and admired at his own contrivance . for he being able to move his whole body upward and downward and on every side , might have unawares thought himself sufficiently well provided for ; but nature hath added muscles also to the eyes , that no perfection might be wanting : for we have often occasson to move our eyes , our head being unmoved , as in reading and viewing more particularly any object set before us , by transferring the axes of our eyes all over it : and that this may be done with the more ease and accuracy , she hath furnished this organ with no less than six muscles , to move it upward , downward , to the right and left , obliquely and round about . i shall now consider what provision is made for the defence and security of this most excellent and useful part. first the eyes are sunk in a convenient valley , latent utiliter , and are encompassed round with eminent parts , as with a rampart , & excelsis undique partibus sepiuntur , * cic. so are defended from the strokes of any flat or broad bodies . above stand the eye-brows to keep off any thing from running down upon them , as drops of sweat from the forehead , or dust , or the like . superiora superciliis obducta sudorem à capite & fronte defluentem repellunt . cic. then follow the eye-lids , which fence them from any sudden and lesser stripes . these also round the edges are fortified with stiff bristles , as it were pallisadoes , against the incursions of importunate animals , serving partly as a fan to strike away flyes or gnats , or any other troublesome insect ; and partly to keep off superfluous light , munitaeque sunt palpebrae tanquam vallo pilorum , quibus & apertis oculis siquid incideret repelleretur . idem ibid. and because it was necessary that man and other animals should sleep , which could not be so well done if the light came in by the windows of the eyes , therefore hath nature provided these curtains to be then drawn to keep it out . and because the outward coat of the eye ought to be pellucid to transmit the light , which if the eyes should always stand open , would be apt to grow dry and shrink , and lose their diaphaneity , therefore are the eylids so contrived as often to wink , that so they may as it were glaze and varnish them over with the moisture they contain , and withal wipe off whatever dust or filth may stick to them : and this , lest they should hinder the sight , they do with the greatest celerity . cicero hath taken notice that they are made very soft , lest they should hurt the sight . mollissimae tactu nè laederent aciem , aptissimè factae & ad claudendas pupillas ne quid incideret , & ad aperiendas , idque providit ut identidem fieri posset maxima cum celeritate . secondly , if we consider the bulb or ball of the eye , the exteriour membrane or coat thereof is made thick , tough , and strong , that it is a very hard matter to make a rupture in it , and besides so slippery that it eludes the force of any stroke , to which also its globular figure gives it a very great advantage . lastly , because for the guidance and direction of the body in walking and any exercise , it is necessary the eye should be uncovered , and exposed to the air at all times and in all weathers , therefore the most wise author of nature hath provided for it a hot bed of fat which fills up the interstices of the muscles ; and besides made it more patient and less sensible of cold than our other parts ; and though i cannot say with cicero absolutely free from danger or harm by that enemy , yet least obnoxious to the injuries thereof of any part , and not at all , unless it be immoderate and extreme . to all this i might add the convenience of the situation of the eye in respect of its proximity to the brain , the seat of apprehension and common sense : whereas had they been further removed , the optic nerves had been liable to many more dangers and inconveniencies than now they are . seeing then the eye is composed of so great variety of parts all conspiring to the use of vision , whereof some are absolutely necessary , others very useful and convenient , none idle or superfluous , and which is remarkable , many of them of a different figure and consistency from any others in the body besides , as being transparent , which it was absolutely necessary they should be , to transmit the rays of light ; who can but believe that this organ was designed and made purposely for the use for which it serves ? neither is it to be esteemed any defect or imperfection in the eyes of man that they want the seventh muscle , or the nictating membrane , which the eyes of many other animals are furnished withal ; for though they be very useful , and in a manner necessary to them , considering their manner of living , yet are they not so to man. to such beasts as feed upon grass and other herbs , and therefore are forced to hold their eyes long in a hanging posture , and to look downwards for the chusing and gathering of their food , the seventh or suspensory muscle is very useful , to enable them to do so without much pain or weariness ; yet to man , who doth not , nor hath any occasion , indeed cannot hold his head or look long downwards , it would be useless and superfluous . as for the nictating membrane or periophthalmium , which all birds , and i think most quadrupeds are furnished with , i have been long in doubt what the use of it might be ; and have sometimes thought it was for the more abundant defence and security of the eye ; but then i was puzzled to give any tolerable account why nature should be more solicitous for the preservation of the eyes of brutes than men , and in this respect also be a stepmother to the most noble creature . but the hon ble author formerly mentioned , gives a probable account why frogs and birds are furnished with such a membrane . frogs , because being amphibious animals , designed to pass their lives in watery places , which for the most part abound with sedges , and other plants endowed with sharp edges or points ; and the progressive motion of this animal being to be made not by walking , but by leaping , if his eyes were not provided of such a sheath , he must either shut them , and so leap blindly and by consequence dangerously , or by leaving them open run a venture to have the cornea cut , prickt , or otherwise offended by the edges or points of the plants , or what may fall from them upon the animals eye : whereas this membrane ( being something transparent as well as strong ) is like a kind of spectacle that covers the eye without taking away the sight . birds are likewise furnished with it , because being destinated to fly among the branches of trees and bushes , their prickles , twigs , leaves or other parts would be apt otherwise to wound or offend their eyes . but yet still we are to seek why it is given to other quadrupeds , whose eyes are in no such danger . thirdly , the ear another organ of sence , how admirably is it contrived for the receiving and conveying of sounds ? first , there is the outward ear or auricula , made hollow and contracted by degrees to draw the sound inward , to take in as much as may be of it , as we use a funnel to pour liquor into any vessel . and therefore if the auricula be cut clear off , the hearing is much impaired , and almost quite marred , as hath been by experience found . from the auricula is extended a small long , round hole inward into the head , to intend the motion and so augment the force of the sound , as we see in a shooting trunk , the longer it is to a certain limit , the swifter and more forcibly the air passes in it , and drives the pellet . at the end of this hole is a membrane , fastned to a round bony limb , and stretched like the head of a drum , and therefore by anatomists called also tympanum , to receive the impulse of the sound , and to vibrate or quaver according to its reciprocal motions or vibrations ; the small ear-bones being at the end fastned to the tympanum , and furnished with a muscle serve for the tension of that membrane , or the relaxation of it according to the exigency of the animal , it being stretch'd to the utmost when it would hearken diligently to a lower or more distant sound . behind the drum are several vaults and anfractuose cavities in the ear-bone , filled only with what naturalists call the implanted air ; so to intend the least sound imaginable , that the sense might be affected with it ; as we see in subterraneous caves and vaults how the sound is redoubled , and what a great report it makes however moderate it be : and because it was for the behoof of the animal , that upon any sudden accident it might be awakened out of its sleep , therefore were there no shuts or stopples made for the ears , that so any loud or sharp noise might awaken it , as also a soft and gentle voice or murmur provoke it to sleep . now the ears for the benefit and conveniences of the animal , being always to stand open , because there was some danger that insects might creep in thereat , and eating their way through the tympanum harbour in the cavities behind it ; therefore hath nature loricated or plaistered over the sides of the forementioned hole with ear-wax , to stop and entangle any insects that should attempt to creep in there . but i must confess my self not sufficiently to understand the nature of sounds to give a full and satisfactory account of the structure and uses of all the parts of the ear. fourthly , the next part i shall take notice of shall be the teeth , concerning which i find seven observations in the honorable mr. boyls treatise of final causes , which i shall briefly recapitulate , and add one or two more . i. that the teeth alone among the bones continue to grow in length during a mans whole life , as appears by the unsightly length of one tooth when its opposite happens to fall or be pulled out ; which was most providently design'd to repair the wast that is daily made of them by the frequent attritions in mastication . here by the by i might advise men to be careful how they attempt to cure this blemish by filing or cutting off the head of such an overgrown tooth , lest that befal them which happened to a certain nun in padua , who upon cutting off a tooth in that manner was presently convulsed and fell into an epilepssie , as bartholine in his anatomy reports . ii. that that part of the teeth which is extant above the gums is naked and not invested with that sensible membrane called periosteum , wherewith the other bones are covered . iii. that the teeth are of a closer and harder substance than the rest of the bones , for the more easie breaking and comminution of the more solid aliments , and that they might be more durable and not so soon worn down by grinding the food . iv. that for the nourishing and cherishing these so necessary bones , the all wise author of things has admirably contrived an unseen cavity in each side of the jaw-bone , in which greater channel are lodged an artery , a vein and a nerve , which through lesser cavities , as it were through gutters , send their twigs to each particular tooth . v. because infants were for a considerable time to feed upon milk , which needs no chewing , and lest teeth should hurt the tender nipples of the nurse , nature hath deferred the production of them for many months in a humane foetus , whereas those of divers other animals , which are reduced to seek betimes food that needs mastication , are born with them . vi. the different figure and shape of the teeth is remarkable , that the foreteeth should be formed broad and with a thin and sharp edge like chizzels , to cut off and take away a morsel from any solid food , called therefore incisores . the next , one on each side stronger and deeper rooted , and more pointed , called therefore canini , in english eye-teeth , to tear the more tough and resisting sort of aliments . the rest called jaw teeth or grinders , in latin molares , are made flat and broad atop and withal somwhat uneven and rugged , that by their knobs and little cavities they may the better retain , grind and commix the aliments . vii . because the operations to be performed by the teeth oftentimes require a considerable firmness and strength , partly in the teeth themselves , partly in the instruments which move the lower jaw , which alone is moveable , nature hath provided this with strong muscles , to make it bear forcibly against the upper jaw . and thus not only placed each tooth in a distinct cavity of the jaw-bone , as it were in a close , strong and deep socket , but has furnished the several sorts of teeth with hold-fasts suitable to the stress that by reason of their different offices they are to be put to . and therefore whereas the cutters and eye-teeth have usually but one root ; ( which in these last named is wont to be very long ) the grinders that are employed to crack nuts , stones of fruit , bones , or other hard bodies , are furnished with three roots , and in the upper jaw often with four , because these are pendulous , and the substance of the jaw somewhat softer . viii . the situation of the teeth is most convenient , viz. the molares or grinders behind , nearest the center of motion , because there is a greater strength or force required to chew the meat , than to bite a piece ; and the cutters before , that they may be ready to cut off a morsel from any solid food , to be transmitted to the grinders . ix . it is remarkable that the jaw in men and such animals as are furnished with grinders , hath an oblique or transverse motion , which is necessary for chewing and comminution of the meat ; which it is observed not to have in those animals that want the molares . now if ( as gallen saith ) he that shall marshal a company but of 32 men in due order , is commended for a skilful and industrious person , shall we not admire nature which hath so skilfully ranked and disposed this quire of our teeth ? fifthly , the tongue is no less admirable for the contexture and manifold uses of it . first , it is the organ of tasting ; for being of a spungy substance the small particles of our meat and drink being mingled with the saliva , easily insinuate themselves into the pores of it , and so do either gratefully affect it , or harshly grate upon it , accordingly as they are figured and moved ; and hereby we discern what is convenient or inconvenient for our nourishment . it helps us likewise in the chewing and swallowing of our meat : and lastly , it is the main instrument of speaking , a quality so peculiar to man , that no beast could ever attain to it . and although birds have been taught to form some words , yet they have been but a few , and those learn'd with great difficulty ; but what is the chief , the birds understand not the meaning of them , nor use them as signs of things or their own conceptions of them ; though they may use them as expressions of their passions : as parrots having been used to be fed at the prolation of certain words , may afterwards when they are hungry pronounce the same . for this des cartes makes his main argument to prove that brutes have no cogitation , because the highest of them could never be brought to signifie their thoughts or conceptions by any artificial signs , either words , or gestures , ( which , if they had any , they would in all likelyhood be forward enough to do ) whereas all men , both fools and mutes , make use of words or other signs to express their thoughts , about any subjects that present themselves ; which signs also have no reference to any of their passions . whereas the signs that brute animals may be taught to use are no other than such as are the motions of some of their passions , fear , hope , joy , &c. hence some of the jewish rabbins did not so absurdly define a man animal loquens , a speaking creature . having had occasion just now to mention the saliva or spittle , i am put in mind of the eminent use of this humor , which is commonly taken for an excrement . because a great part of our food is dry ; therefore nature hath provided several glandules to separate this juice from the blood , and no less than four channels to convey it into the mouth , which are of late invention and called by anatomists ▪ ductus salivales , through which the saliva destilling continually , serves well to macerate and temper our meat , and make it fit to be chewed and swallowed . if a copious moisture did not by these conduit-pipes incessantly flow down into the mouths of horses and kine , how were it possible they should for a long time together grind and swallow such dry meat as hay and straw ? moreover it may be useful not only in the mouth but in the stomach too , to promote concoction . sixthly , to the mouth succeeds the wind-pipe , no less wonderful in its conformation . for because continual respiration is necessary for the support of our lives , it is made with annulary cartilages to keep it constantly open , and that the sides of it may not flag and fall together . and lest when we swallow , our meat or drink should fall in there and obstruct it , it hath a strong shut or valve called epiglottis , to cover it close , and stop it when we swallow : and for the more convenient bending of our necks , it is not made of one entire continued cartilage , but of many annular ones joined together by strong membranes , which membranes are muscular , compounded of streight and circular fibres for the more effectual contraction of the windpipe in any strong or violent expiration or coughing . and lest the asperity or hardness of these cartilages should hurt the oesophagus or gullet , which is tender and of a skinny substance , or hinder the swallowing of our meat , therefore these annulary gristles are not made round , or entire circles , but where the gullet touches the windpipe , there to fill up the circle is only a soft membrane , which may easily give way to the dilatation of the gullet . and to demonstrate that this was designedly done for this end and use , so soon as the windpipe enters the lungs , its cartilages are no longer deficient , but perfect circles or rings , because there was no necessity they should be so , but it was more convenient they should be entire . l●●●ly , for the various modulation of the voice , the upper end of the wind-pipe is endued with several cartilages and muscles , to contract or dilate it as we would have our voice flat or sharp ; and moreover the whole is continually moistened with a glutinous humor issuing out of the small glandules that are upon its inner coat , to fence it against the sharp air received in , or breath forced out ; yet is it of quick and tender sense , that it may be easily provoked to cast out by coughing , whatever may fall into it from without , or be discharged into it from within . seventhly , the heart which hath been always esteemed , and really is , one of the principal parts of the body , the primum vivens , & ultimum moriens , by its uncessant motion distributing the blood , the vehicle of life , and with it the vital heat and spirits , throughout the whole body , whereby it doth continually irrigate , nourish and keep hot and supple all the members . is it not admirable that from this fountain of life and heat there should be channels and conduit-pipes , to every , even the least and most remote part of the body ; just as if from one waterhouse there should be pipes conveying the water to every house in a town , and to every room in each house ; or from one fountain in a garden there should be little channels or dikes cut to every bed , and every plant growing therein , as we have seen more than once done beyond the seas . i confess the heart seems not to be designed to so noble an use as is generally believed , that is to be the fountain or conservatory of the vital flame , and to inspire the blood therewith ; ( for the lungs serve rather for the accension or maintaining that flame , the blood receiving there from the air those particles which are one part of the pabulum or fewel thereof , and so impregnated running back to the heart ) but to serve as a machine to receive the blood from the veins , and to force it out by the arteries through the whole body , as a syringe doth any liquor , though not by the same artifice : and yet this is no ignoble use , the continuance of the circulation of the blood being indispensibly necessary for the quickening and enlivening of all the members of the body , and supplying of matter to the brain , for the preparation of the animal spirits , the instruments of all sense and motion . now for this use of receiving and pumping out of the blood , the heart is admirably contrived . for first being a muscular part , the sides of it are composed of two orders of fibres running circularly or spirally from base to tip , contrarily one to the other , and so being drawn or contracted contrary ways do violently constringe and straiten the ventricles , and strongly force out the blood , as we have formerly intimated . then the vessels we call arteries , which carry from the heart to the several parts , have valves which open outwards like trap-doors , and give the blood a free passage out of the heart , but will not suffer it to return back again thither , and the veins , which bring it back from the several members to the heart , have valves or trap-doors which open inwards , so as to give way to the blood to run into the heart , but prevent it from running back again that way . besides the arteries consist of a quandruple coat , the third of which is made up of annular or orbicular carneous fibres to a good thickness and is of a muscular nature , after every pulse of the heart serving to contract the vessel successively with incredible celerity , so by a kind of peristaltick motion impelling the blood onwards to the capillary extremities , and through the muscles , with great force and swiftness . so the pulse of the arteries is not only caused by the pulsation of the heart , driving the blood through them in manner of a wave or flush , as des cartes and others would have it ; but by the coats of the arteries themselves , which the experiments of a certain * lovain physitian , ( the first whereof is galens , ) do in my opinion make good against him . first , saith he , if you slit the artery and thrust into it a pipe , so big as to fill the cavity of it , and cast a strait ligature upon that part of the artery containing the pipe , and so bind it fast to the pipe ; notwithstanding the blood hath free passage through the pipe , yet will not the artery beat below the ligature ; but do but take off the ligature , it will commence again to beat immediately . but because one might be ready to reply to this experiment , that the reason why when bound it did not beat , was because the current of the blood being straitned by the pipe , when beneath the pipe it came to have more liberty , was not sufficient to stretch the coats of the artery , and so cause a pulse , but when the ligature was taken off , it might flow between the enclosed tube and the coat of the artery ; therefore he adds another , which clearly evinces that this could not be the reason , but that it is something flowing down the coats of the artery that causes the pulse , that is , if you straiten the artery never so much , provided the sides of it do not quite meet , and stop all passage of the blood , the vessel will notwithstanding continue still to beat below or beyond the coarctation . so we see some physitians both ancient ( as galen , ) and modern were of opinion that the pulse of the arteries was owing to their coats ; though the first that i know of who observed the third coat of an artery to be a muscular body , composed of annulary fibres , was dr. willis . the mention of the peristaltick motion puts me in mind of an ocular demonstration of it in the gullet of kine when they chew the cud , which i have often beheld with pleasure . for after they have swallowed one morsel , if you look stedfastly upon their throat , you will soon see another ascend , and run pretty swiftly all along the throat up to the mouth , which it could not do unless it were impelled by the successive contraction or peristaltick motion of the gullet , continually following it . and it is remarkable that these ruminant creatures have a power by the imperium of their wills of directing this peristaltick motion upwards or downwards . i shall add no more concerning the heart , but that it and the brain do mutuas operas tradere , enable one another to work ; for first the brain cannot itself live , unless it receive continual supplies of blood from the heart , much less can it perform its functions of preparing and distributing the animal spirits ; nor the heart pulse , unless it receives spirits or something else that descends from the brain by the nerves . for do but cut asunder the nerves that go from the brain to the heart , the motion thereof in more perfect and hot creatures ceaseth immediately . which part began this round is the question . eighthly , the next part i shall treat of shall be the hand , this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or superlative instrument , which serves us for such a multitude of uses , as it is not easie to enumerate ; whereto if we consider the make and structure of it , we shall find it wonderfully adapted . first , it is divided into four fingers bending forward , and one opposite to them bending backwards , and of greater strength than any of them singly , which we call the thumb , to joyn with them severally or united ; whereby it is fitted to lay hold of objects of any size or quantity . the least things , as any small single seed , are taken up by the thumb and forefinger ; those a little greater , by the thumb and two fingers , which also we chiefly employ to manage the needle in sewing , and the pen in writing : when we would take up a greater quantity of any thing we make use of the thumb and all the fingers . sometimes we use one finger only , as in póinting at any thing , picking things out of holes or long and narrow vessels , sometimes all severally at one time , as in stopping the strings when we play upon any musical instrument . 2. the fingers are strengthened with several bones , jointed together for motion , and furnished with several muscles and tendons like so many pullies to bend them circularly forward ; which is most convenient for the firm holding and griping of any object : which of how great , constant , and necessary use it is in pulling or drawing , but especially in taking up and retaining any sort of tool or instrument to work withal in husbandry and all mechanick arts , is so obvious to every mans observation , that i need not spend time to instance in particulars : moreover the several fingers are furnished with several muscles to extend and open the hand , and to move them to the right and left : and so this division and motion of the fingers doth not hinder but that the whole hand may be employed , as if it were all of a piece , as we see it is , either expanded as in striking out , smoothing and folding up of cloths and some mechanick uses ; or contracted , as in fighting , kneading of dough and the like . it is also notable and indeed wonderful , that the tendons bending the middle joint of the fingers , should be perforated to give passage to the tendons of the muscles which draw the uppermost joynts , and all bound down close to the bone with strong fillets , lest they should start up and hinder the hand in its work , standing like so many bowstrings . 3. the fingers ends are strengthened with nails , as we fortifie the ends of our staves or forks with iron hoops or ferules , which nails serve not only for defence but for ornament , and many uses . the skin upon our fingers ends , is thin and of most exquisite sense , to help us to judg of any thing we handle . if now i should go about to reckon up the several uses of this instrument , time would sooner fail me then matter . by the help of this we do all our works , we build our selves houses to dwell in ; we make our selves garments to wear ; we plow and sow our grounds with corn , dress and cultivate our vineyards , gardens , and orchards , gather and lay up our grain , and fruits ; we prepare and make ready our victuals . spinning , weaving , painting , carving , engraving , and that divinely invented art of writing , whereby we transmit our own thoughts to posterity , and converse with and participate the observations and inventions of them that are long ago dead , all performed by this . this is the only instrument for all arts whatsoever ; no improvement to be made of any experimental knowledg without it . hence ( as aristotle saith well ) they do amiss that complain , that man is worse dealt with by nature than other creatures ; whereas they have some hair , some shels , some wool , some feathers , some scales , to defend themselves from the injuries of the weather , man alone is born naked and without all covering . whereas they have natural weapons to defend themselves and offend their enemies , some horns , some hoofs , some teeth , some talons , some claws , some spurs and beaks ; man hath none of all these , but is weak , and feeble , and unarmed sent into the world. why , a hand with reason to use it , supplies the uses of all these , that 's both a horn , and a hoof , and a talon and a tusk , &c. because it enables us to use weapons of these and other fashions , as swords and spears and guns . besides this advantage a man hath of them , that whereas they cannot at pleasure change their coverings , or lay aside their weapons , or make use of others as occasion serves , but must abide winter and summer , night and day with the same cloathing on their backs , and sleep with their weapons upon them ; a man can alter his cloathing according to the exigency of the weather , go warm in winter , and cool in summer , cover up himself hot in the night , and lay aside his cloaths in the day , and put on or off more or fewer according as his work and exercise is : and can as occasion requires , make use of divers sorts of weapons , and choice of such at all turns as are most proper and convenient ; whereby we are enabled to subdue and rule over all other creatures ; and use for our own behoof those qualities wherein they excel , as the strength of the ox , the valor and swiftness of the horse , the sagacity and vigilancy of the dog , and so make them as it were our own . had we wanted this member in our bodies , we must have lived the life of brutes , without house or shelter but what the woods and rocks would have afforded ; without cloths or covering ; without corn , or wine , or oil , or any other drink but water ; without the warmth and comfort , or other uses of fire , and so without any artificial bak'd , boil'd or roast meats ; but must have scrambled with the wild beasts for crabs , and nuts , and akhorns , and sallets , and such other things as the earth puts forth of her own accord . we had lain open and exposed to injuries , and had been unable to resist or defend our selves against almost the weakest creature . the remaining parts i shall but briefly run over . that the back-bone should be divided into so many vertebres for commodious bending , and not be one entire rigid bone , which being of that length would have been often in danger of snapping in sunder . that the several vertebres should be so elegantly and artificially compacted and joined together , that they are as strong and firm as if they were but one bone. that they should be all perforated in the middle with a large hole for the spinal marrow or pith to pass along ; and each particular have a hole on each side to transmit the nerves to the muscles of the body , to convey both sense and motion . that whereas the breast is encompassed with ribs , the belly is left free ; that it might give way to the motion of the midriff in respiration ; and to the necessary reception of meat and drink ; as also for the convenient bending of the body ; and in females for that extraordinary extension that is requisite in the time of their pregnancy . that the stomach should be membranous , and capable of dilatation and contraction , according to the quantity of meat conteined in it ; that it should be situate under the liver , which by its heat might cherish it , and contribute to concoction : that it should be endued with an acid ferment , or some corruptive quality for so speedy a dissolution of the meat , and preparation of chyle ; that after concoction it should have an ability of contracting itself and turning out the meat . that the bladder should be made of a membranous substance , and so extremely dilatable for receiving and containing the urine , till opportunity of emptying it ; that it should have shuts for the ends of the ureters so artificially contrived as to give the urine free entrance , but to stop all passage backward , so that they will not transmit the wind , though it be strongly blown and forced in . that the liver should continually separate the choler from the blood , and empty it into the intestines , where there is good use for it , not only to provoke dejection , but also to attenuate the chyle and render it so subtile and fluid as to enter in at the orifices of the lacteous veins . finally , that all the bones , and all the muscles , and all the vessels of the body should be so admirably contrived , and adapted , and compacted together for their several motions and uses , and that most geometrically , according to the strictest rules of mechanicks , that if in the whole body you change the figure , situation , and conjunction but of one part , if you diminish or encrease the bulk and magnitude , in fine if you endeavor any innovation or alteration , you marr and spoil instead of mending . how can all these things put together but beget wonder and astonishment ? that under one skin there should be such infinite variety of parts , variously mingled , hard with soft , fluid with fixt , solid with hollow , those in rest with those in motion , some with cavities as mortesses to receive , others with tenons to fit those cavities ; all these so pact and thrust so close together that there is no unnecessary vacuity in the whole body , and yet so far from clashing or interfering one with another , or hindring each others motions , that they do all friendly conspire , all help and assist mutually one the other , all concur in one general end and design , the good and preservation of the whole , are certainly arguments and effects of infinite wisdom and counsel ; so that he must needs be worse than mad that can find in his heart to imagine all these to be casual and fortuitous , or not provided and designed by a most wise and intelligent cause . i should now proceed to treat of the generation and formation of the foetus in the womb ; but that is a subject too difficult for me to handle ; the body of man and other animals being formed in the dark recesses of the matrix , or as the psalmist phrases it , psal. 139. 14. made in secret , and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth . this work is so admirable and unaccountable that neither the atheists nor mechanick philosophers have attempted to declare the manner and process of it ; but have ( as i noted before ) very cautiously and prudently broke off their systems of natural philosophy here , and left this point untoucht ; and those accounts which some of them have attempted to give of the formation of a few of the parts , are so excessively absurd and ridiculous , that they need no other consutation than ha ha he . and i have already further shewn , that it seems to me impossible , that matter divided into as minute and subtle parts as you will or can imagine , and those moved according to what catholick laws soever can be devised , should without the presidency and direction of some intelligent agent , by the mere agitation of a gentle heat , run itself into such a curious machine as the body of man is . yet must it be confest , that the seed of animals is admirably qualified to be fashioned and formed by the plastick nature into an organical body , conteining the principles or component particles of all the several homogeneous parts thereof ; for indeed every part of the body seems to club and contribute to the seed , else why should parents that are born blind or deaf , or that want a finger or any other part , or have one superfluous , sometimes generate children that have the same defects or imperfections ; and yet ( which is wonderful ) nothing of the body or grosser matter of the seed comes near the first principle of the foetus , or in some so much as enters the womb , but only some contagious vapor or subtle effluviums thereof . but to what shall we attribute the foetus its likeness to the parents , or omitting them to the precedent progenitors , as i have observed some parents that have been both black hair'd to have generated most red hair'd children , because their ancestors hair have been of that color , or why are twins so often extremely alike ; whether is this owing to the efficient , or to the matter ? these effluvia we spake of of the male seed , as subtile as they are , yet have they a great , if not the greatest stroke in generation , as is clearly demonstrable in a mule , which doth more resemble the male parent , that is the ass , than the female or horse . but now why such different species should not only mingle together , but also generate an animal , and yet that that hybridous production should not again generate , and so a new race be carried on ; but nature should stop here and proceed no further , is to me a mystery and unaccountable . one thing relating to generation i cannot omit , that is , the construction of a set of temporary parts , ( like scaffolds in a building ) to serve a present end , which are afterwards laid aside , afford a strong argument of counsel and design . now for the use of the young during its enclosure in the womb there are several parts formed , as the membranes inveloping it , called the secundines , the umbilical vessels , one vein and two arteries , the urachus , to convey the urine out of the bladder , and the placenta uterina ; part whereof fall away at the birth , as the secundines and placenta , others degenerate into ligaments , as the urachus , and part of the umbilical vein : besides which , because the foetus during its abode in the womb hath no use of respiration by the lungs , the blood doth not all , i may say not the greatest part of it , flow through them , but there are two passages or channels contrived , one called the foramen ovale , by which part of the blood brought by the vena cava passeth immediately into the left ventricle of the heart , without entring the right at all ; the other is a large arterial channel passing from the pulmonary artery immediately into the aorta , or great artery , which likewise derives part of the blood thither , without running at all into the lungs : these two are closed up soon after the child is born , when it breaths no more ( as i may so say ) by the placenta uterina , but respiration by the lungs is needful for it . it is here to be noted , that though the lungs be formed so soon as the other parts , yet during the abode of the foetus in the womb , they lie by as useless . in like manner i have observed that in ruminating creatures the three formost stomachs , not only during the continuance of the young in the womb , but so long as it is fed with milk are unemployed and useless , the milk passing immediately into the fourth . another observation i shall add concerning generation , which is of some moment , because it takes away some concessions of naturalists , that give countenance to the atheists fictitious and ridiculous account of the first production of mankind and other animals ; viz. that all sorts of insects , yea and some quadrupeds too , as frogs and mice , are produced spontaneously . my observation and affirmation is , that there is no such thing in nature , as aequivocal or spontaneous generation , but that all animals , as well small as great , not excluding the vilest and most contemptible insect , are generated by animal parents of the same species with themselves ; that noble italian vertuoso , francesco redi having experimented that no putrified flesh ( which one would think were the most likely of any thing ) will of itself , if all insects be carefully kept from it , produce any : the same experiment i remember doctor wilkins late bishop of chester told me had been made by some of the royal society . no instance against this opinion doth so much puzzle me , as worms bred in the intestines of man and other animals . but seeing the round worms do manifestly generate , and probably the other kinds too ; it 's likely they come originally from seed , which how it was brought into the guts , may afterwards possibly be discovered . moreover i am inclinable to believe that all plants too , that themselves produce seed , ( which are all but some very imperfect ones , which scarce deserve the name of plants ) come of seeds themselves . for that great naturalist malpighius , to make experiment whether earth would of its self put forth plants , took some purposely digged out of a deep place , and put it into a glass vessel , the top whereof he covered with silk many times doubled and strained over it , which would admit the water and air to pass through , but exclude the least seed that might be wafted by the wind ; the event was that no plant at all sprang up in it ; nor need we wonder how in a ditch , bank or grass-plat newly dig'd , or in the fenbanks in the isle of ely mustard should abundantly spring up , where in the memory of man none had been known to grow , for it might come of seed which had lain there more than a mans age. some of the ancients mentioning some seeds that retain their fecundity forty years : as for the mustard that sprung up in the isle of ely , though there never had been any in that country , yet might it have been brought down in the channels by the floods , and so being thrown up the banks together with the earth , might germinate and grow there . from this discourse concerning the body of man i shall make three practical inferences . first , let us give thanks to almighty god for the perfection and integrity of our bodies . it would not be amiss to put it into the eucharistical parr of our daily devotions : we praise thee o god for the due number , shape and use of our limbs and senses , and in general of all the parts of our bodies ; we bless thee for the sound and healthful constitution of them ; it is thou that hast made us and not we our selves ; in thy book were all our members written . the mother that bears the child in her womb is not conscious to any thing that is done there ; she understands no more how the infant is formed than itself doth . but if god hath bestowed upon us any peculiar gift or endowment , wherein we excel others , as strength , or beauty or activity , we ought to give him special thanks for it , but not to think the better of our selves therefore , or despise them that want it . now because these bodily perfections , being common blessings , we are apt not at all to consider them , or not to set a just value on them ; and because the worth of things is best discerned by their want ; it would be useful sometimes to imagine or suppose our selves by some accident to be depriv'd of one of our limbs or senses , as a hand , or a foot , or an eye , for then we cannot but be sensible , that we should be in worse condition than now we are , and that we should soon find a difference between two hands and one hand , two eyes and one eye , and that two excel one as much in worth as they do in number ; and yet if we could spare the use of the lost part , the deformity and unsightlyness of such a defect in the body , would alone be very grievous to us . again , which is less , suppose we only , that our bodies want of their just magnitude , or that they or any of our members are crooked or distorted , or disproportionate to the rest either in excess or defect ; nay , which is least of all , that the due motion of any one part be perverted , as but of the eyes in squinting , the eye-lids in twinkling , the tongue in stammering , these things are such blemishes and offences to us , by making us gazing-stocks to others , and objects of their scorn and derision , that we could be content to part with a good part of our estates to repair such defects , or heal such infirmities . these things considered and duly weighed , would surely be a great and effectual motive to excite in us gratitude for this integrity of our bodies , and to esteem it no small blessing , i say a blessing and favor of god to us ; for some there be that want it , and why might not we have been of that number ? god was no way obliged to bestow it upon us . and as we are to give thanks for the integrity of our body , so are we likewise for the health of it , and the sound temper and constitution of all its parts and humors ; health being the principal blessing of this life , without which we cannot enjoy or take comfort in any thing besides . neither are we to give thanks alone for the first collation of these benefits , but also for their preservation and continuance . god preserves our souls in life , and defends us from dangers and sad accidents , which do so beset us on every side , that the greatest circumspection in the world could not secure us , did not his good providence continually watch over us . we may be said to walk and converse in the midst of snares ; besides , did we but duly consider the make and frame of our bodies , what a multitude of minute parts and vessels there are in them , and how an obstruction in one redounds to the prejudice of the whole , we could not but wonder how so curious an engine as mans body , could be kept in tune one hour , as we use it , much less hold out so many years : how it were possible it should endure such hardship , such blows , so many shocks and concussions , nay such violences and outrages as are offered it by our frequent excesses , and not be disordered and rendred useless ; and acknowledg the transcendent art and skill of him who so put it together , as to render it thus firm and durable . secondly , did god make the body , let him have the service of it . rom. 12. 1. i beseech you , brethren , by the mercies of god , that you present your bodies a living sacrifice , holy , acceptable unto god , which is your reasonable service . 1 cor. 6. 20. glorifie god in your body , or with your body , and in your spirits , which are gods , and that not by redemption only , of which the apostle there speaks , but by creation also . rom. 6. 13. neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin , but as instruments of righteousness unto god. and again ver. 19. even so now yield your members servants of righteousness unto holiness . i shall instance in two members , which are especially to be guarded and restrained from evil , and employed in the service of god. first , the eye . we must turn away our eyes from beholding vanity , as david pray'd , god would his , psal. 119. 37. we must make a covenant with our eyes , as job did , job 31. 1. these are the windows that let in exteriour objects to the soul : by these the heart is affected : this way sin entred first into the world. our first parents saw that the tree and its fruit was pleasant to the eyes , and so was invited to take and eat it . there are four sins especially for which the eye is noted , as either discovering themselves in the eyes , or whose temptations enter in by , and so give denomination to the eye . 2. there is a proud eye . prov. 30. 13. there is a generation , o how lofty are their eyes , and their eye lids are lifted up . chap. 6. 17. a proud look is reckoned the first of those six things that god hates , psal. 18. 27. god ( the psalmist saith ) will bring down proud or high looks . psalm 101. 5. him that hath a high look and a proud heart ( saith david , ) i will not suffer . and in psal. 131. 1. he saith of himself , that his heart is not haughty nor his eyes lofty . by which places it appeareth that pride sheweth forth it self in the eyes especially , and that they are as it were the seat or throne of it . 2. there is a wanton eye , which the prophet isaiah speaks of in his third chapter , at the 16th verse , because the daughters of jerusalem walk with stretched out necks , and wanton eyes . the apostle peter in his second epistle , 2. 24. mentions eyes full of adultery . for by these casements enter in such objects as may provoke and stir up adulterous thoughts in the mind , as they did in david's , and likewise impure thoughts conceived in the heart may discover themselves by the motions of the eye . and therefore in this respect we should do well with holy job , to make a covenant with our eyes ; not to gaze upon any object which may tempt us to any inordinate appetite or desire . for our saviour tells us , it were better to pluck out our right eye , than that it should be an offence to us : which i suppose refers to this matter , because it immediately follows those words , he that looketh upon a woman to lust after her hath already committed adultery with her in his heart . 3. there is a covetous eye . by covetousness i understand not only a desiring what is another mans , which is forbidden in the tenth commandment , but also an inordinate desire of riches , which the apostle john seems to understand in his first epistle , 2. 16. by the lust of the eye . and covetousness may well be called the lust of the eye , because 1. the temptation or tempting object enters by the eye . so the seeing the wedg of gold and babylonish garment stirred up the covetous desire in achan . 2. because all the fruit a man reaps of riches more than will furnish his necessities and conveniencies , is the feeding of his eye , or the pleasure he takes in the beholding of them . eccles. 5. 11. when goods encrease , &c. what good is there to the owners thereof , saving the beholding them with their eyes ? fourthly , there is an envious eye , which by our saviour is called an evil eye . mat. 20. 15 : is thine eye evil because i am good . that is , enviest thou thy brother because i am kind to him . and 7. 22. one of those evil things which proceed out of the heart and defile a man is an evil eye . envy is a repining at the prosperity or good of another , or anger and displeasure at any good of another which we want , or any advantage another hath above us : as in the parable of the labourers in the vineyard , those that came in first envied the last , not because they received more than they , but because they received equal wages for less time . those that are subject to this vice cannot endure to see another man thrive ; and are apt to think his condition better than theirs when indeed it is not . let us then so govern our eyes , that we discover by them none of these vices . let the humility and purity of our minds appear even in our outward looks . let neither pride nor lust manifest themselves in the posture or motions of our eyes . let us have a care that these members be neither the inlets , nor outlets of any of the fore mentioned vices ; that they neither give admission to the temptation , nor be expressive of the conception of them . let us employ them in reading the word of god , and other good books , for the encrease of our knowledg , and direction of our practice : in diligently viewing and contemplating the works of the creation , that we may discern and admire the footsteps of the divine wisdom easily to be traced in the formation , disposition , and designations of them . let us take notice of any extraordinary events and effects of gods providence towards our selves or others , personal or national : that as they are the issues of his mercy or justice , they may stir up sutable affections in us , of thankfulness or fear . let those sad and miserable objects , that present themselves to our sight move us to pity and commiseration : and let our eyes sometimes be exercised in weeping for the miseries and calamities of others , but especially for our own and their sins . secondly , another member i shall mention is the tongue , which as it is the chief instrument of speech , so may it be well or ill employed in the exercise of that action , and therefore stands in need of direction and restraint . i remember i once heard from an ingenious anatomist of padua this observation , that there are but two members in the body that have a natural bridle , both which do very much need it ; the tongue , and another i shall not name . the signification whereof may be , that they are not to be let loose , but diligently curbed and held in . for the better government of the tongue , i shall note some vices of speech , which must carefully be avoided . first of all loquacity or garrulity . this the contrivance of our mouths suggests to us . our tongues are fenced and guarded with a double wall or mound of lips and teeth , that our words might not rashly and unadvisedly slip out . then nature hath furnished us with two ears , and but one tongue , to intimate that we must hear twice so much as we speak . why loquacity is to be avoided , the wise man gives us a sufficient reason , prov. 10. 19. in the multitude of words there wanteth not sin . and eccles. 5. 7. in many words there are divers vanities . to which we may add another , of great force with most men , viz. that it hath been always esteemed an effect and argument of folly. eccles , 5. 3. a fools voice is known by multitude of words . and on the contrary , to be of few words is a sign of wisdom : and he that is wise enough to be silent , though a fool , may pass undiscovered . besides all this , a talkative person must needs be impertinent , and speak many idle words , and so render himself burthensom and odious to company : and may perchance run himself upon great incoveniences , by blabbing out his own or others secrets ; for a word once uttered , fugit irrevocabile , whatever the consequence of it be . great need therefore have we to set a watch over our mouths , and to keep the door of our lips ; and not suffer our tongues * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; as isocrates phraseth it . secondly , lying or false speaking . there is difference between mentiri and mendacium dicere , that is lying , and speaking of an untruth , or thing that is false . mentiri is contra mentem ire , which though it be no good etymology of the word , is a good notion of the thing ; that is , to go again stones mind , or speak what one does not think . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , as homer expresseth it , to conceal one thing in the mind , and speak another with the tongue . hence a man may speak an untruth , and yet not lye , when , he thinks he speaks the truth ; and on the contrary , may speak what is materially true , and yet lye , when he speaks what he thinks not to be true . the tongue was made to be the index of the mind , speech the interpreter of thought ; therefore there ought to be a perfect harmony and agreement between these two . so that lying is a great abuse of speech , and a perverting the very end of it , which was to communicate our thoughts one to another . it hath also an ill principle for the most part , proceeding either from baseness of spirit or cowardise , as in them that have committed a fault , and deny it , for fear of punishment or rebuke : or from covetousness , as in tradesmen who falsly commend their commodities , that they may vend them for a greater price ; or from vanity and vain glory , in them who falsly boast of any quality or action of their own . it is odious both to god and man. to god , prov. 6. 17. a lying tongue is one of those six or seven things that are an abomination to him . to men , as homer witnesseth in the verse preceding the fore-quoted . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. he that tells lies is as hateful to me as the gates of hell or death . — the practice of lying is a diabolical exercise , and they that use it are the devils children , as our saviour tells us . john 8. 44. ye are of your father the devil , &c. for he is a lyar , and the father of it . and lastly , it is a sin that excludes out of heaven , and depresses the soul into hell. revel . 21 , 8. all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone , which is the second death . thirdly , another vice or abuse of speech , or vicious action to which the tongue is instrumental is slandering ; that is raising a false report of any man tending to his defamation . this might have been comprehended under the former head , being but a kind of lying proceeding from enmity or ill will. it is a very great injury to our neighbour , mens reputation being as dear to them as life itself ; so that it is grown to be a proverb among the vulgar , take away my good name and take away my life . and that which enhances this injury is that it is irreparable . we cannot by any contrary declaration so clear the innocency of our neighbour as wholly to extirpate the preconceived opinion , out of the minds of those to whom our confession comes ; and many will remain whom the calumny hath reacht , to whom the vindication probably will not extend ; the pravity of mans nature being more apt to spread and divulge an ill report than to stop and silence it . i might instance in flattering of others , and boasting of our selves for two abuses of speech , but they may both be referred to lying , the one to please others , and puff them up with self-conceit , and a false opinion that they have some excellent quality or endowment which they want , or have not in such a degree , or that they are better thought of by others than indeed they are , and more honored : the other to gain more honor than is due to them . fourthly , obscene and impure words are another vicious effect of the tongue . those are principally the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , rotten speeches the apostle speaks of eph. 5. 29. such as chast ears abhor , which tend only to the depraving and corrupting the hearers : and are to be studiously and carefully avoided by all that pretend to christianity . ephes. 5 , 3. but fornication and all uncleanness let it not be once named among you . fifthly , cursing , and railing or reviling words are also a great abuse of speech , and outragious effects and expressions of malice and wickedness . psalm . 10. 7. the psalmist makes it part of the character of a wicked man , that his mouth is full of cursing . which passage we have quoted by the apostle rom. 3. 14. whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness . sixthly , swearing and irreverent using the name of god in common discourse and converse , is another abuse of the tongue ; to which i might add vehement asseverations upon sleight and trivial occasions . i do not deny , but in a matter of weight and moment , which will bear out such attestation , and where belief will not be obtained without them , and yet it may much import the hearer or speaker that his words be believed , or where the hearer would not otherwise think the matter so momentous or important as indeed it is , protestations and asseverations , yea oaths may lawfully be used . but to call god to witness to an untruth or a lye perhaps , or to appeal to him on every trivial occasion , in common discourse , customarily , without any consideration of what we say , is one of the highest indignities and affronts that can be offered him , being a sin to which there is no temptation : for it is so far from gaining belief ( which is the only thing that can with any shew of reason be pleaded for it ) that it rather creates diffidence and distrust . for as mult a fidem promiss a levant , so mult a juramenta too , it being become a proverb he that will swear will lie. and good reason there is for it ; for he that scruples not the breach of one of gods commands , is not likely to make conscience of the violation of another . lastly , for i will name no more , scurrilous words , scoffing and jeering , flouting and taunting , are to be censured as vicious abuses of speech . this scoffing and derision proceeds from contempt , and that of all injuries men do most impatiently bear ; nothing offends more , or wounds deeper ; and therefore what greater violation of that general rule of christian practice , to do to others as we would they should do unto us ? this injury of being derided the psalmist himself complains of , psalm 69. 11 , 12. i became a proverb to them . they that sit in the gate speak against me , and i was the song of the drunkards . and psalm 35. 15 , according to the church translation , the very abjects came together against me unawares , making mows at me , and ceased not . and the prophet jeremy , jer. 20. 7. i am in derision daily , every one mocketh me . and though there may be some wit shewn in scoffing and jesting upon others , yet is it a practice inconsistent with true wisdom . the scorner and the wise man are frequently posed in scripture . prov. 9. 8. and chap. 13. 1 , &c. it is a proverbial saying , the greatest clerks are not always the wisest men . i think the saying might as often be verified of the greatest wits . scorning in that gradation in the first psalm is set down as the highest step of wickedness . and solomon tells us that judgments are prepared for the scorners . you will say to me , how then must our tongues be employed ? i answer , in praises and thanksgiving unto god. psalm 35. 28. and my tongue shall speak of thy righteousness and of thy praises all the day long . parallel whereto is vers. 24. of psalm 71. indeed the book of psalms is in a great measure but an exercise of , or exhortation to this duty . 2. we must exercise our tongues in talking of all his wondrous works . psalm 145. 5 , 6. i will speak of the glorious honour of thy majesty , and of thy wondrous works . 3. in prayer to god. 4. in confession of him and of his religion , and publickly owning it before men , whatever the hazard be . 5. in teaching , instructing and counselling of others . 6. in exhorting them . 7. in comforting them that need it . 8. in reproving them . all which particulars i might enlarge upon ; but because they come in here only as they refer to the tongue , it may suffice to have mention'd them summarily . thirdly , let us hence duly learn to prize and value our souls ; is the body such a rare piece , what then is the soul ? the body is but the husk or shell , the soul is the kernel ; the body is but the cask , the soul the precious liquor contained in it ; the body is but the cabinet , the soul the jewel ; the body is but the ship or vessel , the soul the pilot ; the body is but the tabernacle , and a poor clay tabernacle or cottage , the soul the inhabitant ; the body is but the machine or engine , the soul that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , that actuates and quickens it ; the body is but the dark lanthorn , the soul or spirit is the candle of the lord that burns in it : and seeing there is such difference between the soul and the body in respect of excellency , surely our better part challenges our greatest care and diligence to make provision for it . bodily provision is but half provision , it is but for one part of a man , and that the meaner and more ignoble too , if we consider only the time of this life ; but if we consider a future estate of endless duration after this life , then bodily provision will appear to be , i do not say quarter provision , but no provision at all in comparison , there being no proportion between so short a period of time , and the infinite ages of eternity . let us not then be so foolish as to employ all our thoughts and bestow all our time and pains about cherishing , accommodating and gratifying our bodies , in making provision for the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof , as the apostle phraseth it ; and suffer our souls to lie by neglected , in a miserable , and poor , and blind , and naked condition . some philosophers will not allow the body to be an essential part of man , but only the vessel or vehicle of the soul ; anima cujusque est quisque . though i would not be so unequal to it , yet i must needs acknowledg it to be but an inferior part : it is therefore so to be treated , so dieted and provided as to render it most calm and compliant with the soul , most tractable and obsequious to the dictates of reason ; not so pampered and indulged , as to encourage it to cast its rider , and to take the reins into its own hand , and usurp dominion over the better part , the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , to sink and depress it into a sordid compliance with its own lusts , atque affigere humi divinae particulam aurae . this is our duty , but alas what is our practice ? our great partiality towards our bodies , and neglect of our souls , shews clearly which part we prefer . we are careful enough of wounding or maiming our bodies , but we make bold to lash and wound our souls daily ; for every sin we commit , being contrary to its nature , is a real stripe yea a mortal wound to the soul , and we shall find it to be so , if our consciences be once awakened to feel the sting and smart of it . we are industrious enough to preserve our bodies from slavery and thraldom , but we make nothing of suffering our souls to be slaves and drudges to our lusts , and to live in the vilest bondage to the most degenerate of creatures , the devil : we are thrifty and provident enough not to part with any thing that may be serviceable to our bodies under a good consideration , and we so esteem them , as that we will part with all we have for the life of them ; but we make little account of what is most beneficial to our souls , the means of grace and salvation , the word of god and duties of his worship and service , nay we can be content to sell our souls themselves for a trifle , for a thing of nothing , yea for what is worse than nothing , the satisfying of an inordinate and unreasonable appetite or passion . we highly esteem and stand much upon our nobility , our birth and breeding , though we derive nothing from our ancestors but our bodies and corporeal qualities ; and it is useful so far to value and improve this advantage , as to provoke us to imitate the good examples of our progenitors , not to degenerate from them , nor to do any thing unworthy of our breeding ; and yet the divine original of our souls , which are beams from the father of lights , and the immediate offspring of god himself , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , hath little influence upon us to engage us to walk worthily of our extraction , and to do nothing that is base or ignoble , and unsutable to the dignity of our birth . you will say , how shall we manifest our care of our souls ? what shall we do for them ? i answer , the same we do for our bodies . 1. we feed our bodies , our souls are also to be fed : the food of the soul is knowledg , especially knowledg in the things of god , and the things that concern its eternal peace and happiness ; the doctrine of christianity , the word of god read and preached , 1. pet. 2. 2. as new born babes desire the sincere milk of the word that ye may grow thereby . heb. 5. 12. the apostle speaks both of milk and of strong meat . milk he there calls the principles of the doctrine of christ , and again , 1. cor. 2. 3. i have fed you with milk and not with meat , for hitherto ye were not able to bear it . so we see in the apostles phrase , feeding of the flock is teaching and instructing of them . knowledg is the foundation of practice ; it is impossible to do gods will before we know it ; the word must be received into an honest and good heart and understood , before any fruit can be brought forth . secondly , we heal and cure our bodies , when they are inwardly sick , or outwardly harmed ; sin is the sickness of the soul , matth. 9. 12. they that be whole need not a physitian , but they that be sick , saith our saviour , by way of similitude , which he explains in the next verse , i am not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance . for the cure of this disease an humble , serious , hearty repentance is the only physick ; not to expiate the guilt of it , but to qualifie us to partake of the benefit of that atonement which our saviour christ hath made , by the sacrifice of himself , and restore us to the favor of god , which we had forfeited , it being as much as in us lies an undoing again what we have done . thirdly , we cloth and adorn our bodies , our souls also are to be clothed with holy and vertuous habits , and adorned with good works . 1. pet. 5. 5. be ye clothed with humility ; and in the same epistle , chap. 2. 3. he exhorts women to adorn themselves , not with that outward adorning of plaiting the hair , and of wearing gold , &c. but with the ornament of a meek and a quiet spirit , which is in the sight of god of great price . and in revel . 19. 8. the righteousness of the saints is called fine linnen . and the saints are said to be clothed in white raiment . matt. 23. 11. works of righteousness , and a conversation becoming the gospel is called a wedding garment . coloss. 3. 10. put on the new man. and again , put on therefore as the elect of god bowels of mercy , meekness , &c. on the contrary vicious habits and sinful actions are compared to filthy garments . so zechar. 3. 3. joshua the high-priest is said to be clothed with filthy garments ; which in the next verse are interpreted his iniquities either personal or of the people , whom he represented , i have caused thy iniquity to pass from thee , and will cloth thee with change of raiment . fourthly , we arm and defend our bodies . and our souls have as much need of armour as they : for the life of a christian is a continual warfare ; and we have potent and vigilant enemies to encounter withal ; the devil , the world and this corrupt flesh we carry about with us . we had need therefore to take to us the christian panoply , to put on the whole armour of god , that we may withstand in the evil day , and having done all may stand ; having our loyns girt with truth , and having the breast plate of righteousness , and our feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace . above all taking the shield of faith , and for an helmet the hope of salvation , and the sword of the spirit , which is the word of god. ephes. 6. 13 , 14 , &c. he that with his christian armour manfully fights against and repels the temptations and assaults of his spiritual enemies . he that keeps his garments pure , and his conscience void of offence towards god and towards man , shall enjoy perfect peace here , and assurance for ever . tacitus saith of the finni , a northern people , that they were securi adversus homines , securi adversus deos. they need not fear what god or man could do to them , because they were in as bad a condition as could consist with living in the world : they could not be banished into a worse country , nor put into worse circumstances than they were in already . i might say of the man that keeps a good conscience , that he is secure against god and man ; not in that sense the finni were ; but secure of any evil befalling him , from either . god can do him no harm , not for want of power , but for want of will , which is regulated by his truth and justice . he is also secure in respect of men , because he is under the protection of the almighty : and if any there be that would do him harm , they shall either be restrained by the divine providence , or if they be permitted to injure him , it shall tend only to the exercise and improvement of his faith and patience , and enhancing his future reward at that great day , when the almighty shall dispense aureolae to those champions who have signalized their valour and fidelity by heroick actions , or patient sufferings of unworthy things for his sake . 3. a good conscience not only secures a man from god and men , but from himself too . there is no peace to the wicked , saith my god , no inward peace . such a man is at odds with himself . for the commandments of god being agreeable to the nature of man , and perfectly conformable to the dictates of right reason ; mans judgment gives sentence with the divine law , and condemns him when he violates any of them ; and so the sinner becomes an heautontimorumenos , a tormenter of himself . prima est haec ultio , quod se judice nemo nocens absolvitur . no guilty person is absolved at his own tribunal , himself being judge . neither let any profligate person , who hath bidden defiance to his conscience , and is at war with himself , think to take sanctuary in atheism , and because it imports him highly there should be no god , stoutly deny that there is any . for first , supposing that the existence of a deity were not demonstrably or infallibly proved , ( as it most certainly is ) yet he cannot be sure of the contrary , that there is none . for no man can be sure of a pure negative , namely that such a thing is not , unless he will either pretend to have a certain knowledg of all things that are or may be , than which nothing can be more monstrously and ridiculously arrogant ; or else unless he be sure that the being of what he denies doth imply a contradiction ; for which there is not the least colour in this case . the true notion of god consisting in this , that he is a being of all possible perfection . that i may borrow my lord bishop of chesters words in his discourse of natural religion , pag. 94. now if he be not sure there is no deity , he cannot be without some suspicion and fear that there may be one . secondly , if there should be a deity , so holy and just and powerful as is supposed , what vengeance and indignation may such vile miscreants and rebels expect , who have made it their business to banish him out of the world who is the great creatour and governour of it , to undermine his being , and eradicate all notions of him out of their own and other mens minds ; to provoke his creatures and vassals to a contempt of him , a sleighting of his fear and worship , as being but such imaginary chimaera's , as are fit only to keep fools in awe . certainly as this is the highest provocation that any man can be guilty of , so shall it be punished with the sorest vengeance . now a slender suspicion of the existence of a being , the denial whereof is of so sad consequence , must needs disturb the atheists thoughts , and fill him with fears , and qualifie and allay all his pleasures and enjoyments , and render him miserable even in this life . but on the other side , he that believes and owns a god ; if there should be none , is in no danger of any bad consequent . for all the inconvenience of this belief will be , that he may be hereby occasioned to tye himself up to some needless restraints during this short time of his life , wherein notwithstanding there is , as to the present , much peace , quiet , and safety ; and , as to the future , his errour shall die with him , there being none to call him to an account for his mistake . thus far the bishop . to which i shall add , that he not only suffers no damage , but reaps a considerable benefit from this mistake ; for during this life he enjoys a pleasant dream or fancy of a future blessed estate , with the thoughts and expectation whereof he solaces himself , and agreeably entertains his time ; and is in no danger of being ever awakened out of it , and convinced of his errour and folly , death making a full end of him . finis . books printed for and sold by samuel smith . jo. rais historia plantarum . 2 vol. fol. 1686. — synopsis methodica stirpium britannicarum , cum indice & virium epit. newton philosophia naturalis principia mathemat . 40. r. morton . exercitationes de phthisii . 8 o. 1689. g. harris de morbis acutis infantum . 8 o. 1689. pharmacopeia bateana , cum arcanis goddardianis , &c. 1691. shipton pharmacopeia-col . reg. londini remedia omnia . 12 o. 1690. plukenetii stripium illustr . & minus cognitarum icones . fol. 1691. haver's new observation of the bones , and marrow , of rheumatisms and gout , &c. 1691. practical christianity , or such holiness as the gospel enjoyns 8 o. an enquiry after happiness by the author of pract. christianity 8 o. human life ; being a 2. part of enquiry after happiness . 8 o. 1690. the duty of servants towards god , their masters , &c. by the same author . a sermon preached at mr. t. lamb's funeral , by the same author . a sermon about frequent communion , by dr. tho. smith . 4 o. a practical discourse of the causes , and remedies of the differences about religion ; which distract the peace of christendom . 4 o. the history of the persecutions of the protestants , by the french king , in the principality of orange . 4 o. the state of the church of rome , when the reformation began . 4 o. visions of pasquin , or a character of the roman court , religion and practices ; with a curious description of purgatory , and hell. 4 o. the school of the eucharist , or the miraculous acknowledgments which birds , beasts and insects have rendred to the holy sacrament of the altar . 8 o. art of divine converse , by d. abercromby . the life of st. mary magdalen of pazzi , a carmelite nun ; with the nature , causes and consequences of extasie and rapture , &c. 4 o. r. boyle's veneration man's intellect ows to god. 8 o. — hydrostaticks applyed to the materia medicam . 8 o. — effects of languid local motion ; and the causes of the insalubrity and salubrity of the air. 8 o. — natural and experimental history of mineral waters . 8 o. — vertues of specifick medicines , and the use of simple medicines 8 o. — of the porousness of animal and solid bodies . 8 o. — experimental history of cold. 4 o. — sceptical chymist . 8 o. notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a58185-e1880 * de nat. rerum . l. 2. treat . of nat. religion . lib. 1. c. 6. * seminal form or vertue . * antidote against athism l. 2. c. 5. * isag. ad rem herbariam . * antidote against atheism . l. 2. c. 6. * agric. l. 2. c. 6. * d. more antid . l. 2. c. 6. antid . atheism . l. 2. c. 9. * plin. l. 11. c. 30. * antidote against atheism l. 2. c. 10. object . use. * antid . atheism . l. 2. c. 11. * bishop of chesters nat. rel. lib. 1. c. 6. dr. more antidote against atheism . * de natur . rerum l. 2. * boyl of fin. causes p. 53 , 54. * cartes epist. vol. 1. ep. 77. & seq . infer . 1. psal. 100. infer . 2. * runs before the understanding or wit. the beauty and order of the creation together with natural and allegorical meditations on the six dayes works of the creation : with the addition of two compendious discourses : i. of the creation of man after the image of god, ii. of the creation of angels, with a description of their several properties / by ... mr. john maynard ... ; published by william gearing ... maynard, john, 1600-1665. 1668 approx. 309 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 113 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : 2004-05 (eebo-tcp phase 1). a50400 wing m1448 estc r14885 12596284 ocm 12596284 64054 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a50400) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 64054) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, 1641-1700 ; 324:14) the beauty and order of the creation together with natural and allegorical meditations on the six dayes works of the creation : with the addition of two compendious discourses : i. of the creation of man after the image of god, ii. of the creation of angels, with a description of their several properties / by ... mr. john maynard ... ; published by william gearing ... maynard, john, 1600-1665. gearing, william. [25], 213 p. printed by t.m. for henry eversden ..., london : 1668. reproduction of original in union theological seminary library, new york. created by converting tcp files to tei p5 using tcp2tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between 1473 and 1700 available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the 25,363 texts created during phase 1 of the project have been released into the public domain as of 1 january 2015. anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. 5% (or 5 pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of 100 instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level 4 of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p5, characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng creation -early works to 1800. 2003-12 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2004-02 spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images 2004-03 emma (leeson) huber sampled and proofread 2004-03 emma (leeson) huber text and markup reviewed and edited 2004-04 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the beauty and order of the creation . together with natural and allegorical meditations on the six dayes works of the creation . with the addition of two compendious discourses . i. of the creation of man after the image of god. ii. of the creation of angels , with a description of their several properties . by that eminent and learned divine mr. iohn maynard , late of mayfield in sussex . published by william gearing minister of the word . mundi creatio est dei scriptura , cujus ●●ia sunt folia ; coelum , terra , mare . clem. alexandr . cum nequeat cerni deus ab universa creatura , imaginis loco posuit hominem , ut omnes creaturae dum inserviunt homini , sic colant supremum numen , hujus universi scil . opific●m . procopius gazeus in gen. c. 1. london , printed by t. m. for henry eversden , under the crown tavern in vvest-smithfield , 1668. to the right worshipfull sir iohn stapley of patcham , in the county of sussex , baronet ; and to the vertuous ladies , the lady springet of the broyle in sussex , and to the lady stapley of patcham . all things in the world be the creatures of god : the efficient cause of creation is god ; essentially , not personally taken : as for the order of working , divines thus say ; the father is causa movens , the son operans , by whom all things were made : the holy ghost pe●ficiens ; it is sa●d , genes . 1. he moved upon the face of the waters . yet are we not to think , as if there were three efficient causes of creation , but only one ▪ the father , son , and holy ghost being one and the same essence , is but one and the same cause of creation . indeed creation is principally attributed to god the father , both in respect of order , and because he is principium operationum ; the son is of the father , so are all divine actions . god is the only creator of all things : not natur● ; not angels ; not chance and fortune , as many blasphemous hereticks , and some philosophers have conceited . that the world was created , and not eternal , as the same philosophers affirmed , faith principally assures us of it . hebr. 11.3 . by faith we understand the worlds were created . in genes . 1. moses sets down fully the history of the creation . but the creation may be proved . 1. from the originals of all nations ; we may plainly know the first beginning of all people inhabiting the whole world , as genes . 10. moreover 2. when arts were first invented , is clear and manifest ; as the invention of musick , of instruments of iron and brass , &c. and by whom : it is unlikely , if the world had been eternal , so many generations of men had lived without them . 3. it appeareth from the order of causes ▪ there must needs be a first cause , otherwise there should be processus in infinitum , which is impossible ; now if a first cause ▪ then that which is the efficient of all other is god ; therefore all things were created . i will let pass the curious questions of the schools , as what god did before the world was created , in what time of the year , upon what day it was created : why god did not create the world sooner , &c. 't is knowledge enough to know , that god did create the world. now god hath drawn and framed all things out of nothing ; for that is properly to create , viz. to make something of nothing . the school-men observe this difference , inter genita , facta , & creata , between things begotten , things made , and things created : things are begotten of their own matter ; they be made of another matter ; they be created of no matter . we and all things are said to have been created by god , because he made us of nothing , that is , of no pre-existent matter , but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , of things that were not before , giving beeing to that which had not beeing : now when i say , god made all things of nothing ; nothing is to be taken negative , nor privative , that is , god created all things out of pure nothing . the philosophers have a maxim indeed ▪ that ex nihilo nihil fit : but ( as one well distinguisheth ) that is to be understood , de generatione physica , non creatione divina ; of natural generation , not of divine creation . nature must have something wherewith to work , something whereon to work ; god had neither of both when he created the first matter , out of which afterwards he created other things , called by moses , tohu vabohu ; by philosophers , chaos : he had neither instrument to work with , nor matter to work upon ; he commanded only , as david saith , and all was made ; spake the word only , and all was created . god said , let there be light , &c. which supposeth no matter to work upon but god by the power of his word created it : omnipotency can effect things without matter , creation is an act of omnipotency . angels , and the souls of men were created of nothing , without matter , because immaterial ; god therefore can as well create , other things . if god created the world from some matter , then that matter had being from it self , or from another : if from another , then that was created of nothing ; if from it self , then should it be the same with god , because only god is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , a being from himself ; to affirm that , were blasphemy . now god only can , and did create , because god only is omnipotent , and omnipotency is an incommunicable attribute : there is an infinite distance between ens & non ens . besides , every thing that is created is good only by participation ; therefore it is necessary all things receive their goodness from that which is essentially good , which is god ▪ moreover , if god created some , and not all creatures , but left the creation of inferiour creatures to any else , then it was either because god was weary , or because god takes no care of smaller creatures ; but it is neither ; god being omnipotent , did by a word create ; what more easie ? and he takes care of all inferiour things . as for the form , it is double . 1. in respect of god who created the world. 2. in respect of the creatures themselves . the form , in respect of god in gene●al , is the manner of gods creation of all created things ; which manner appeareth in these following things . 1. that god made all things by his word ; let the earth bring forth , &c. by ( word ) we are not to understand , as if god did speak words and syllables ; but by it we are to understand gods powerfull willing of things to be . 2. he made all things without any wearisome toil or labour ; but with great facility and ease were all things made by him ; god willed things to be done , and they were done . 3. without any change : a workman may ( as occasion serveth ) change his plot intended by him , but god doth not so . 4. without succession ; his works were made in a moment , even in an instant . the form of the created things is twofold . general . particular . the generall form is gods wise and ordered disposition of all the parts of the world . although in themselves they are of diverse matter , diverse vertues and operations ; yet all sweetly conspire together , and make one exact harmony : as in an instrument , though the strings be of divers sounds , yet they make but one harmony together . 2. their particular form is the power , force or efficacy of nature , stampt upon all creatures after their kinds , according to their particular beings and their conditions , by which all creatures are enabled to their proper operations . from this ariseth the goodnesse of the creatures , 1. generall , of all creatures , which is the entire perfection of all naturall power according to their natures : 2. speciall , which is the reasonable creature endued with supernaturall gifts , heavenly wisdom , righteousnesse and true holinesse ; we may hence admire the wisdome of god in making things after such an excellent form ; and cry out with david , o lord , how wonderfull are thy works ! in wisdome hast thou made them all . god's ultimate end in the creation , is his own glory . ( 1. ) for the shewing forth his glory , god doth unfold himself in the creature . five things are revealed in the creation about god. 1. that there is a god , rom. 1.20 . the prophet isaiah bringeth many proofs from the creation , to shew that there is a god , and to difference the true god from idols and false gods. isai. 41.26 . and chap. 42.5 . 2. the eternity of god is revealed by the creation . he that made all things , and time it self , the measure of things , must needs be eternal . thy years are throughout all generations : of old hast thou laid the foundation of the earth , and the heavens are the work of thy hands , &c. psal. 102.24 , 25. 3. the wisdome of god in creating innumerable and divers things is revealed ; as also in the orderly disposing of innumerable things , and in giving to all their natural perfections . 4. the goodness of god is revealed : being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , yet would he communicate his goodness to the creature of whom he had no need at all . 5. the power of god , in making all things of nothing . rom. 1.20 . ( 2. ) that the creatures ( especially man and angels ) might give him the glory due to his name , by acknowledging him to be such a god ; the creatures in their kind do glorifie god their creator : and men , by taking notice what the creatures declare of him : and wh●re they make the creatures as spectacles to see god in them . the creatures are doctores theologici ; yea , they are like jacob's ladder , wherein we may ascend from earth to heaven . light was the first creature which god made : and agreeably , the adorning of the world began with the light , from whence other things which were to be created , should be seen : very probable it is , that the light first appea●ed there , where the sun being carryed about in his daily course , appeareth . god in the creation proceeded . 1. a negatione ad habitum , when he had created the world. 2. a totali privatione ad habitum , when he brought forth light out of darkness . 3. a partiali privatione ad habi●um , when he made the day to succeed the night . quest. 1. in the second days work it may be demanded , why god did not bless the work of that day in approving it , when to every other days work an approbation is added ; and god saw that it was good ? answ. there is no express mention made of an immediate approbation of this days work . 1. because this work of distinguishing and setling the waters in their place , was then imperfect , but was compleated on the third day . 2. because on this day ( as some think ) hell was created , which simply in it self is not pleasing to god ; or because the angels fell on this day , and became devils by their apostacy , as others imagine . it is also observable , that in the creation , the lights that were dispersed for three days , were on the fourth day all found in the sun. quest. 2. it may in the next place be demanded ▪ why god , between the creation of the plants , and of animals , did interpose the creation of the stars ? answ. i answer , that he might shew , although ordinarily the sun and other stars do concur to the generation of plants as well as of animals ; yet the generation of things is not simply to be referred to the sun and stars , but to god ; who before the stars were created , commanded the earth to bring forth herbs and plants yielding seed , and the fruit-tree to yield fruit after his kind . gen. 1.11 . before the creation of animals , he would create the light , because for the most part they have need of the light in a special manner . moreover , ye may take notice , that when god made the fishes of the sea , and the fowls of heaven , he blessed them , saying , be fruitfull and multiply , and fill the waters in the sea , and let fowl multiply in the earth , &c. vers. 22. but when he made the brute beasts of the earth , we do not read that he gave any such blessing at all to them ; intimating to us , that he that will get that blessing which god giveth unto good men , he mu●t not delight in ea●thly pleasu●es , like brute beasts , but minde heavenly things ; for unto those who wallow in temporal delights , god will not at all give his benediction , but his malediction . it is also remarkable , that when god made the light , the sun , moon , and stars , and the earth , and all other creatures , he saw that they were all good : but when he created man , he doth not so particularly pronounce this of him , as he doth of other creatures ; he doth not say , that he was good or bad ; yet are not these creatures better than man , but inferiour to man , being all made for the use of man : the reason is , because god would leave him to his choice to choose good or evil to him self , and accordingly he should have his denomination , as stella noteth . quest. 3. it may further be demanded , why earthly animals were created on the sixt day ? answ. i answer , because they were differing in kinde from the other creatures that were made before them , and because they were to dwell with man ▪ and were more like unto man both in their ●ody and genius , than either the ●irds or fishes ; and also because many of them were to be helpfull and serviceable unto man ; therefore were they brought forth on the same day wherein man was created ▪ man was the last work of god in the creation for divers reasons . 1. that god might shew unto us his own order , in proceeding from more imperfect things , to things more perfect . 2. that man might be a little world , in whom all things should be summarily contained ; called of the hebrews , olam hakaton , and of the greeks , microcosmos , a little world : for he hath in him the beauty of things inanimate , even the chiefest , as of the sun , moon , and stars , &c. gen. 37.8 , 9. ezek. 28.13 , 14. he hath growth as plants , genes . 38.11 . & 49.22 . sense and sensible properties with ●easts , 2 sam. 23.10 . reason and wisdome with angels , 1 sam. 14.20 . 3. that god might bring forth every creature for man's use and refreshment , before man himself should be created : it behoveth , that first there be an house , and all things necessary ; then that an inhabitant be brought into it . 4 . ●ecause god would communicate himself to man , and acquiesce in him . when god created heaven & earth , he rested not in heaven , nor in any heavenly thing ; neither in the earth , nor any earthly thing , but only in man ; because he is an heavenly thing for his soul ; earthly in regard of his body . 5. if god had first of all made man before any other of his creatures , then man might have had some colourable excuse to have spent his time in idleness : but god created man after he had made his other ●reatures , that man might forthwith be employed in the works of his creator . zanchy of late , and some of the antients are of opinion , that when god created adam , ●hrist did then assume an humane body , and made adam's body after the pattern of that . munster doth well observe on genes . 2.7 . that the word in the original , which signifieth [ formed ] is written with a double 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; when it is said , he formed the beasts , it is written with a single 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; noting out to us , that man was partly from the dust of the ground , in regard of his body , partly from heaven in regard of his soul , but the beasts were only created of the dust of the ground . the antients called the fabrick of man's body , librum dei , the book of god , because much knowledge is taught to man out of man. and man's being created after the image of god , is to put him in remembrance , that he should continually work after that original copy which god gave him from heaven . i shall discourse no farther upon these things , because this ensuing treatise of our reverend author will furnish you with variety of most excellent meditations upon the whole story of the creation . much honoured in the lord ! i do not here present you with any thing that is altogether new : i know , among men the newness of the matter doth chiefly commend the books ; being like the indian elephants , which at their first sight in asia , were so admired , that antiochus having but two , named the one ajax , the other patroclus ; but afterwards growing common in every consuls tryumph , they were called in contempt lucanian oxen : so it is with books ; they are now little regarded , because of the commonness of them . i confess , many books now adays are like mythridate's sword , whose scabbard was more costly than the blade , and so their swelling titles do make more shew than all the book affordeth sub●tance : and in prefixing great titles to babling books , men do but deceive the buyer ; like unto some vintners that hang out new ioy●bushes , when they have nothing within but old musly wine , as seneca speaketh . but the substance of this treatise doth correspond with the title ; and as it is stuffed with many choice notions , both natural and allegorical , together with many practical and usefull inferences , so it is also written in a pleasant style , and so the more delightfull to the pious and ingenious reader . good words are the garment of truth , and although truth is so glorious within , that it needeth no outward decking , yet if she doth appear in a rayment of needle-work , 't is but for a more excellent comeliness , not gaud● gayness . the worthy author in this treatise dealeth with you like nurses , who feed their babes with milk fir●t concocted within them . that voice that august . heard from heaven , is my humble advice to you , ●olle et lege , tolle et lege . take up and read , take up and read. so say i to you , take up this book , take up this book and read it , and do therein as an antient knight spake of his reading good books , viz. the first time to read ▪ both to see and like ; the second time , to note and observe the matter and method ; and the third time to carry away , and make use thereof . thus not doubting but this treatise will finde acceptance at your hands , and receive protection under your shadow , i humbly take my leave , and am yours in all gospel-services to be commanded , william gearing . cransden in sussex . august 10. 1667. books printed for henry eversden , and are to be sold at his shop under the crown-tavern in west-smithfield . 1. the sphere of gentry , deduced from the principles of nature , an historical and genealogical work of armes and blazon : by sylvanus morgan ▪ in folio . 2. the history of the late civil wars of england . in folio . 3. riverius his universal body of physick in five books , &c. in folio . 4. the language of arms by the colours and metals , in quarto , by sylvanus morgan . 5. scepsis scientifica , or confest ignorance the way to science , &c. by ioseph glanvil , fellow of the royal society . 6. the gospel-physitian , in quarto . 7. the mistery of rhetorique unveil'd , eminently delightfull , and profitable for young scholars , and others of all sorts , enabling them to discern and imitate the elegancy in any other author they read , &c. by iohn smith ; gent. 8. a crew of kinde london gossips , all met to be merry : to which is added ingenious poems , or wit and drollery , in octavo , at 1 s. bound . 9. the natural rarities of england , scotland , and wales , according as they are to be found in every shire , very usefull for all ingenious men of what profession or quality soever , by i. childrey , in octavo . 10. pearls of eloquence , or the school of complements , very usefull for all young ladies , gentlewomen , and scholars , who are desirous to adorn their speech with gentile ceremonies , complemental , amorous , and high expressions , of speaking or writing , at 1 s. bound . 11. hodges directions for true writing , in octavo . 12. theodulia , or a just defence of hearing the sermons and other teaching of the present ministers of england , &c. by iohn tombes , b. d. 13. speculum patrum , a looking-glass of the fathers , wherein you may see each of them drawn , characteriz'd , and displa●'d in their colours ; to which are added the characters of some of the chief phylosophers , historians , grammarians , orators , and poets , by edward larkyn fellow of kings colledge in cambridge , in octavo . 13. wisdome justified by her children , being the substance of two sermons preached by will. gearing , in octavo . 14. a cluster of sweetest grapes for saints , brought from the heavenly canaan , or the saints assurance gotten , and to be had in this life , by the several means specified in this tract , upon 1 pet. 1.9 . &c. by christopher ielinger , m. a. in octavo . in the press . 15. a cap of gray haires for a green head , being advice to a son an apprentice in london . 16. a serious examination of the independants catechisme , lately printed in large octavo , by benj. camfield , price 2 s. 6 d. the beauty and order of the creation . chap. i. genesis 1.1 . in the beginning god created the heaven and the earth . being about to speak of the works of creation , i have chosen the first words of holy scripture as a ground of my discourse , which in brief containeth in it the story of the creation . in the words we may take occasion to consider : 1. when all things were made ] in the beginning of time . 2. who made them ? ] god. 3. the matter whereof they were made ] nothing . 4. the forme or order of the creation ] a comely and orderly disposing of the creatures ; the heaven being placed above the earth in the highes● rank , the earth being seat●d under it . 5. the end for which god did create them . 6. the effect or thing● created . i. when ] viz. in the beginning of time ; god is eternal , before all 〈◊〉 , wi●hout all beginning , enjoying himself in infinite all-sufficiency of blessedness and perfection . now before the creation there could be no time , there being nothing but god himself , the eternal iehovah , who is not subject to the measure of time : but time began with the creation , it being the duration or continuance of the creature ; so that the beginning of the creation was the beginning of time. now as we may consider the creation conf●s●●ly , before there was a distinction of creatures so also may we consider time it s●lf . it is said verse 2. the ea●th was with●ut form , and ●●id , and darkness was upon the face of the deep , &c. so that ●i●st there was created one huge deep confused mass , as a common mat●er , out of which all things ( at least all b●dily substances ) were afterwards distinctly created : so also in the beginning of this confused lump of creatures , there was a beginning of time , but so that time was in a sort confused too , like th●t which was created , to which it was coexistent but as the distinction of creatures began , so did the distinction of time : so the light being the fi●st distinct creature , made the first distinct day , or measure of time. god said , let there be light , &c. verse 3 , 4. and presently it is said , verse 5. the evening and the morning were the first day : so that in both respects it may be said , that the creation was in the beginning of tim● — in the beginning of time confused , and not distinctly measured , was the creation of that confused mass , and lump of things not distinctly ordered : in the beginning of time distinctly measured , viz. on the first day of time , was the beginning of the distinct and orderly creation of things ; the light which was the first distinct creature , and the first day of time beginning together . so we have it , hebr. 1.10 . thou lord in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth . ii. who made all things ? ] the text saith , god. here two things are to be considered . 1 , the persons in the god-head which did create . 2. the manner of working . 1. for the fi●st , we must note that all the persons in the holy trinity did create : there is no doubt of the father , who as he is the first person in order of subsisting , so is he always the first in order of working . the second person is plainly mentioned . ioh. 1.1 . in the begi●ning was the word , &c. by him all things were made , and without him nothing was made that was made , verse 3. of the holy ghost moses speaketh in the second verse of this first chapter of genesis . and the spirit of god moved upon the waters ; or hovered and sate upon them ▪ as a bird upon her egges ; by his divine vertue , framing the several distinct creatures out of the common mass , as she by her natural warmth bringeth forth her young ones after her kind , with all the distinct parts of their bodies , out of the shapeless lump of matter in the egge ; according to this sense do the best expositors take that metaphor : so saith the psalmist , in psal. 104.30 . thou sendest forth thy spirit , they are created . so that the father createth by the son , through the vertue of the holy ghost . and therefore , albeit we use to call god the father the maker of heaven and earth , as is expressed in our creed ▪ yet must we not exclude the son and the holy ghost , although the father be first in order of working . thus you see that god made all things ▪ as solomon saith , proverbs 16.4 . 2. now we must consider in what manner all things were thus wrought by him . 1. voluntarily , of his own free will. 2. without the help or use of any instruments . the psalmist saith , whatsoever the lord pleased , that did he in heaven and in earth , in the seas , and all deep places . psal. 135.6 now we see , the more excellent any creature is , the more free in its works . the trees and plants grow up without all liberty , by a natural necessity , having no sense of that which they do , and without any freedome of choice or voluntary manner of doing . the sensible creatures , beasts , birds ▪ &c. as they are of a more excellent nature than the former ; so they have some shadow of liberty , doing that which is pleasing to them , and refusing things distastfull : yet this is no true and perfect liberty , because they have not the light of reason to guide them to liberty or freedome of will in choosing things , or refusing . but man at his creation , and the blessed angels that kep● their first estate , have a perfect liberty in their kinds , though subordinate to him that gave it , yet vo●untarily choosing or refusing , according to the light of their understandings ▪ now then it must needs f●llow , that god who is infinite perfection , is perfectly and absolutely free in all his works , and so in this work of creation : he cannot be imagined to have any to command him , he being the supream commander , and absolute soveraign over all : he cannot be conceived to have any need of any thing created , and by it to be compelled to make them , ( as some are constrained to work for need ▪ who otherwise would be idle ) sith he is infinitely and absolutely all-sufficient , to whose eternal happiness and perfection nothing can be added , no not by ten thousand worlds . and as he made all things voluntarily ; so likewise without the use or help of any instruments : only by his immediate word . so you see all ●long in this chapter ; he said , let there be light , and there was light , &c. so psalm . 148.5 , he commanded , and they mere created . so that by his spirit , the eternal word , he made the world , without the use or help of any instrumen●s . iii. of what matter they were made ] of nothing . in all the artificial works of men , we look to the stuff or matter , out of which they were made : but here was none ; god made all things meerly of nothing ; there was no matter preceding his work . it is true ! there was a common , rude , unwrought lump of things , before the distinct and orderly creation of things , out of which distinct and several creatures were framed : but this also was created by god ; so that originally all things were created of nothing . iob. 1.3 . all things were made by ●im . and therefore that thing , out of which all other things were made , was made of nothing by him : for it is impossible that any thing can be of it self , but god who is the beeing of beeings , and the fountain of all things else . iv the form or order of the creation is seen in the orderly placing of all things created ; the heaven in the highest place , as the roof of this glorious building , decked with the sun , moon , and stars : under these ( as some say ) an element of fire [ we are sure ] an element of ayr , being of a pure invisible substance , coming n●erer the nature of heaven , than th●se grosser bodies which are placed below : next that are the waters more gross than the ayr , yet more pure and light than the earth , being naturally above the earth , containing it on every side , and that is the proper place of the waters : but the almighty creator did shut it up in narrower limits , commanding the waters which covered the whole earth , to gather themselves together into one place of the earth , for this purpose , that the dry land might appear for the use of men and beasts , &c. which he had appointed to live upon the earth , genes . 1.9 . yet so , that he giveth it leave now to overlook the earth , ( as it were ) in lieu of that right which it hath to stand above by its creation ; as you may see , if you look on the sea where the shore is level , and not mountainous : yet hath the lord by his decree ( as it were ) barred and bolted it up , iob 38.10 , 11. saying , hitherto shall you come , but no farther ; and here shall thy proud waves be stayed . psal. 33.7 . he gathereth the waters of the sea together as an heap , he layeth up the depth in store ▪ hous●s ; kept as it were under lock and key : so the apostle saith , 2 pet. 3.5 . the earth was standing out of the water , and in the water . in the lowest place , is the earth by the mighty hand of god fixed unmoveably in the midst of the great creation , resting upon no foundation , but the almighty arm of its creator , having the heavens round about it . the more particular survey of the comeliness of several creatures , we may consider of afterwards : thus briefly of the main frame . v. the end why god created all , could not be his own encrease of happiness and contentment ; for he was all-sufficient of himself ; and sith the creatures were mee●ly nothing , having no beeing at all without him ; they could give nothing to him , which he had not without them in himself ; for all that they are , or have , is wholly of him and from him : and therefore the ends we conceive the lord to aim at , are two : viz. to communicate his goodness . to manifest his glory . 1. he did it to communicate his goodness ▪ he made all things , that he might give unto them beeing , and perfection of beeing , according to their kinds ; himself being the beeing of beeings , infinitely perfect ; not to receive from them who are nothing without him. 2. the second and main end , is the manifestation of his glory ; which doth not add any thing to him , but sheweth what is in ●im , though incomparably short of ●hat he is : so by the creation he sheweth forth the glory of his eternity , in that bringing fo●th the world , in the beginning of time he is manifested to be before all time : the glory of his infinite presence , in that he hath raised and supported this huge f●ame of heaven and earth : the glory of his infinite wisdome , in the most excellent composition of this goodly building : the glory of his all-mighty power , in bringing so great a work out of nothing : the glory of his infinite goodness , in communicating beeing unto that which was nothing : of his holiness , in making all things good , not one spot defacing any part of his work : of his infinite mercy , in delivering the creatures out of misery , which had not been manifested without a creation : of his infinite justice , in punishing the rebellion of his creatures , which had not been evidenced but by a creation : of his perfect tr●th in his dealings wi●h the creatures ; which , how had it been made known , had there not been creatures made ? of his glorious providence , in governing and disposing things created . vi. t●e effect is the last thing to be considered , which is the whole creation , the whole body and frame of the creatures ; which may be generally considered in the whole , as the lord looked upon all together , and saw every thing that he had made , and behold it was very good ; which you must understand is meant , 1. of a natural goodness or perfection in every creature , whereby every one was made perfect and compleat in its kinde , without all natural defects . 2. of a special goodness or holiness in the reasonable creatures , angels and men. thus of the creation in general ; of the several kinds of creatures in special , i shall speak more hereafter . chap. ii. use 1. this condemneth the atheism of all those , who deny , or doubt of this truth , and imagine that the world was not created of god ; but that it was without beginning : which senseless conceit , the world it self con●u●eth ; for , who but a fool cannot see , that no creature could make it self ? for then it should be before it self ; then it should be and no● be at the same time : neither can the m●st excellent creature make the least or vilest out of nothing , it being a work of him alone , who is the fountain of be●ing ; yea the change● and alterations of the world , and the things thereof ; the fadings , decays and imperf●ctions of it , do all prove it had a beginning , and that it enclineth to an end ; for that which is witho●t beginning is also without alteration . now sith the world must have a beginning , it must needs have it from one of infinite excellency and perfection , which is god alone ; none else could frame so great , so glorious a building . 2. if god made the world , and all things in it ; then let every part of the world , and every creature in the world , put thee in mind of god that made it : let every thing that hath beeing , serve as a stream to lead back thy thoughts to god , who is the spring and fountain of all beeing : when thou seest the sun to shine , the moon and stars to give some light , borrowed from the sun , look thou to the father of lights ; and let that created light and brightness which is in these creatures , enable thee to see him that is invisible , from whom the creature receiveth all its excellency . every creature which thou seest , is a part of his workmanship , and putteth thee in mind of its maker ; but these , viz. the sun , moon , and stars , heaven and earth , are the same immediate works , which the lord made at the fi●st : thou seest that sun , that moon , those stars , that earth , which god did immediately bring forth by his all-mighty word· the t●ees , the beasts , the bird● , a●e all his creatur●s ; all b●o●ght out of the mass and common 〈◊〉 wh●ch 〈◊〉 ●he first was without fo●m and 〈◊〉 : and all th●s● in pa●ticular , are brought ●●rth f●om time to ●●me by his mighty p●wer ▪ who 〈…〉 day worketh all ●●ings acc●●di●g ●o the c●●ns●l o● his own will ▪ 〈◊〉 yet th●●e are many in●tr●●●nt● used to bring f●rth these : the old to b●i●g ●o●th the young , &c. and t●ough ●he kinds of creatures rema●n ▪ which god him●●lf made ; yet the p●●ticular males and females ●●de ▪ 〈◊〉 beginning are l●ng since ex●ing 〈◊〉 an●●thers by many succ●ssions are 〈…〉 many ages in their st●ad . but th●se 〈◊〉 are the very same wit●ou● succ●ssi●n & t●●●efore the heav●ns in sp●cial man 〈◊〉 do s●t 〈◊〉 the glory of god : the sun and the moon which god hath ordained , are in a special manner to be h●●ded , that we may s●riously c●nsider of the lord , whose immediate workm●nship they are . if you c●n once learn to see god in his creatures , as ●he apostle direc●eth us , rom , 1.20 . ( where he saith , the invisible things of god , from the c●●ation of the world , are cleerly seen , &c. ) thou maist then see him dayly round about thee : thou canst not set thy foot upon the ground , but thou maist remember that thou treadest upon the lords workmanship , and that thou couldest not stir a foot , but that he hath made this ground to bear thee , and given thee leave to walk upon it . when thou seest the beautiful face of the earth , and the fruits and plants which it yieldeth ▪ thou seest abundant variety of the lords creatures , and art taught ( if thou wilt learn ) to remember him by whom all of them were created . thou must think thou hearest him in the noise of strong and mighty winds , in hideous claps of thunder ; that thou discernest him in the clouds , in the showers ●f rain , in the hail , snow ▪ ice ▪ and hoar-frost ; in the spring , summer , harvest , winter ; in all th● seasons of the yea● ; yea in t●e very day and night ; for day unto day , and night unto night , teach knowl●dge ; time it self , and the continuance of it , are his wo●k . look upon thy self ; every part , ●very memb●r of thee ; thy br●ath in thy nostrils ▪ the spiritual substance of thy soul , with all its excellent faculti●s ; thy reason when thou usest it ; thy memory which preserveth unto thee the knowledge of things gone and past ; thine eyes , thine eares &c. which let in things like windows , into ●hy mind : these and multitudes of o●her things which thou bea●est every day about thee , should make thee th●nk with much admiration of thy god that made thee , and all that is within thee . how canst thou look away from god ? how canst thou turn off the eyes of thy mind f●om b●holding him , if thou dost indeed discern him in his works ? canst thou see any thing that is , and not see ( as it we●e ) the pri●t of his h●nd upon it ? we should not be so fo●getfull of god , if we did make use of this point , that he is the creator of all things . ye look upon the creature , and no farth●r , as if it had m●de it self , and had no c●ea●or to frame it : nay so strange is our earthliness and s●ns●ality , that we fo●get god , by looking so much upon the creatures ; our plenty of the creatures maketh us to forget him : our dealings about the creatu●es , do put the creator out of our thoughts , whereas there is never a creature in the world , but it doth in its kind effectually call upon us , to remember it and our creator : yea the minding of our selves so much ; inordinate self-love , and too much carnal respect had to our selves , maketh us to forget our maker ; whereas our selves , ( as i have said ) should in special manner make us mindfull of him that made us : consider th●s ▪ ye that fo●get god , and either remember him ●ff●ctually by his works ; or else be sure , his creatures shall bear witness against thee , and condemn thee for thy forgetfulness . chap. iii. use 3. as the creatures should make us remember god , s● should they make us admire and glorify him. this wonderful work , viz. the whole world , and all the creatures in it , should move us to esteem him wonderfull ▪ even beyond astonishment . we cannot be sufficiently amazed at his excellent greatness , manifested in his wonderful works . 1 kings 10.4 , 5 6. when the q●een of s●●ha had seen all solomon's wisdome ▪ and th● house that he had built , and the meat of his table , and the sitting of his servants ▪ and the attendance of his min●sters , and their appar●l , and his cup-bearers ▪ and his ascent by wh●ch he went up into the house of the lord ; t●ere was no mo●e spirit in her. these things in this variety laid together did aston●sh her for a time , and she was as one amazed , as if she had been left without a soul. but alas ! what was all solomon's glory unto the excellency of god , his glory and greatness shining in t●e creation ? not so much as a glo●-worm is to the sun. our saviour hath p●●ferred ▪ he beauty of a lilly ( one of the least of gods creatures ) b fore the ri●h●st r●bes that ever solomon wore in his gr●atest glo●y . if solomon's wisdome were so admirable unto her , how wonderful should the infinite wisdome of god appear to be unto us ▪ as it shineth in the excellent composition of the whole creation ? if solomon's house did so dazle her eyes with its stateliness , greatness , and magnificence : how should we with much admiration look upon this goodly frame of heaven and earth , which the lord by his meer word brought out of nothing , to which the house of solomon was no more than a poor cottage ? if the consideration of divers things together , orderly disposed , and fitted , did thus overcome her spirit ; how should the exact order , and plasing of numberless creatures of divers kinds , their several natures , tempers , qualities , vertues , enclinations some of them great , some lesser , ra●ish us ▪ some of them giving support unto the ●est , some contained within the rest ; some moving about with restless motion , as the h●aven● , and in them the sun , moon and stars , tu●ning ab●out with ●hem the wheel of time c●rrying ab●u● with them days ▪ weeks moneths , yea●s , ages ; altering times and seasons ; raising the earth to life again in the spring , and renewing its face with you●h and beauty ; ripening the fruits of the ea●●h in summer , scorching our bodies wi●h heat , and even making us forget the cold breath of winter ; then stri●ping the world of thi● h●lf years clothing at the f●ll of the leaf or autumn , and soon af●er leaving it for dead in the benummed winter , until it obtain another r●surrection ( as it were ) at the spring . this is the course of the h●●vens , and these their eff●ct . 〈◊〉 ●g●in● look on the earth holding 〈…〉 , ●nd not st●●ri●g from its place , eve● 〈◊〉 it c●eation : see some 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 big●●ss yet neithe● sti●ring nor growing , as rocks 〈◊〉 m●untains : some g●owing , but not moving from their ●laces , as t●●es and other plants of ●he earth : some growing and stir●ing to and fro ; some creeping , others going and running , s●me swimming , othe●s ●l●ing ; some of wonderful strength and swiftness , some weaker , ●nd slow in their motions ▪ consider t●e unspeakab●e multitude of them even b●yond all im●gination no man on earth being able to number all the several kinds of creatu●es , mu●h l●ss the particulars of those kinds : and then , if there were not m●ch dulness in our spirits and want of appreh●nsi●n , there would be ( as it were ) no spirit in u● ; the powers of our souls would even b● swallowed up with admiration , and we should with feeling hearts express our astonished thoughts and cry out with the psalmist , o lord our god , how wonderfull is thy name in all the wo●ld ! psal. 8.1 . in some one of the least creatures the lord is to be seen in admirable workmanship , how much more in the whole ●reat●on , especially considering , how it is brought out of nothing ? in which respect the least worm is a witness of his omnipotency beyond exception ; and therefore we must take time for meditation on the creatures , that we may set forth the praise and glory of the creator , and ( as the psalmist saith ) may talk of all his wondrous works . that the heavens may move us to declare the glory of god , and the firmament may provoke us ▪ and prevail with us to set forth his handywo●k . chap. iv. use 4. as we should admire and bless the lord for the whole creation ▪ so in special for any creatu●es by which we receive any benefit . remember , whatsoever hath any beeing in the world , whereby thou receiv●st any comfort in any kind , it is part of his creation ; it is one of those things which he brought out of nothing . a due consideration of this would be an excellent means to lead our minds unto thankfulness and to make ●s both love and praise the lord , at whose hand we receive it ▪ if we could but deal seriously , there is not the least thing that s●rveth to cover our nak●dn●ss , or to keep off the cold in winter , not the least refr●shment to a drop of d●ink , or a cru● of bread ▪ which we take into our bo●ies , not one draught of the ayr which we suck in at any time ▪ not fire or wa●er ▪ which are so us●ful to us , but that every on● at any time , wh●n we partake of the benefit of them should be a motive unto thankfulness . once this and that was meerly nothing , but god gave it beeing , and these and these qualities , whereby it might do me good : yea , the lord , to whom his works are all known in all eternity , did shew his almighty power , in bringing these things out of nothing , for this ve●y pu●pose , that it might do me good , and supply my wants . in special● the light which is ●o common a blessing , how excellent is it in its nature , how needfull and useful unto us ? how should we glorify the lord for the use of this mercy every day , that when the earth was without form and void , and darkness was upon the face of the deep , the lord by his almighty word did bring forth this glorious creature , whereby we have the use of that most excellent sense of seeing , which otherwise could not be useful to us ; yea , whereby the lord in a notable manner sheweth forth his glory : so that he that is not blind , may from this creature especially , learn to see him that is invisible . yea , god himself hath pleased to c●ll himself by the name of this creature ; god is light : so brightly doth his glory shine in this work of wonder . what plentiful matter of thanksgiving doth all the world offer us , if we could take it ; yea we cannot look about us , but we see that which should enlarge our hearts and open our mouths for the praises of the almighty maker of heaven and earth , all our lives should be a course of thankfulness ; and as all the lords works do give us occasion of thankf●lness ; so all our actions should be works ▪ wherein our thankfulness should be expressed for the works of god. chap. v. use 5. this should keep us from abusing the least of the creatures , as we fear to become guilty ▪ of defacing the lords own workmanship ; and in this regard , we should not dare to shew our selves cruel to our very beasts , which we use in our service , either to carry our bodies , or to do our work . the righteous is merciful to his beast , but their mercies are cruel , who carry merciless hearts towar● the poor creatures . we must always remember , that the lord who made them , hath more right unto them than we can have ; our right being wholly derived from him ; and therefore we must usurp no farther upon them than he alloweth us ; which is moderately and mercifully to use them , not cruelly without mercy to abuse them . and therefore the withholding of due and necessary food from the beast , or over-burdening it beyond measure , is a dishonour offered to its creator . and as these beasts of service must not be abused , b●cause they are the creatures of god ; so neither may we in sport torment the poor creature that crawleth upon the earth . if i should name some practices among us of this nature , perhaps some would think them too mean to be mentioned here . but christians must walk exactly , and keep gods commandments diligently , or exceedingly , as the hebrew word , in ●sal . 119 ▪ 4. noteth unto us : and the poorest creature that is , is a part of g●ds workmanship , and god may be dishonoured in it : yea , to abuse in sport ( ●hough it be as mean a creature as a fl●● &c. ) is to take the name of god in vain ; sith these works of his , are such things , by which , as by a name , he hath made himself known unto us ; the least flie being an evidence of his almighty power . so for those creatures which we use for cloathing , nourishment , or other use , we must take heed of all excessive abuse , and so of taking the name of the lord in vain . still remember , that this is created of god , and i must use it as a creature of his. the apostle against the sin of fornication , useth this speech , s●all i take the members of christ , and make them the members of an harlot ? god forbid . 1 cor. 6.15 . so may i say of the creatures , shall i take meat and drink , the very creatures and workmanship of gods own hand , and make them instruments of satan and sin , of gluttony , of drunkenness , means whereby to dishonour god , and fight against him that made them ? shall i take money and cloaths ( gods creatures ) to shew forth my pride , and my heart lifted up against god , that made these , and made me a poor naked creature , allowing me a ●ob●r use of them to cover my shame , not an excessive or fantastical abuse of them to satisfy , and shew forth my pride and vanity ? god forbid . so for time , which god made at the first in the beginning of the creation , we should especially take ●eed of abusing it , and account it as a precious thing fl●wing o●t of gods eternity , too precious to be was●fully mispent and abused . if the ancient of days hath ou● of his eternity bro●ght forth time , and giv●n us time , continuing it to us out of his long-suffering and patience , even from the beginning of the world hitherto , let us not by idleness , immoderate eating and drinking , unprofitable or unseemly wanton exercises , immoderate sports , excessive ●ar●i●g , &c. ( taking up more of ou● t●me tha● re●igious duties ) let us not by these and the like exercises embezle away those 〈◊〉 hours , which when we have once lost , we shall never see them more . chap. vi. use 6. for as much as god made all things of nothing : this should make us to trust in god in all straits and necessities : great is the sin of distrust and infidelity , when we distrust god for want of means ; it is in effect to deny him to be god , and to make no difference between the creator and the creature . do we doubt of gods all-sufficiency , because we see no outward means ? what difference do we then put between him and man ? man can help and supply us , if he h●th means ; but god the creator is infinitely above the creature , and can help wi●hout all means . if thou hadst meat , drink , & money eno●gh , thou wouldest fear no want , but the l●ck ●f these maketh thee di●trustfull : alas ! whe●c● c●me all th●se ? did not the lord bring them all out ●f nothing ? and can he not now as ●asily help thee many ways u●known , and not thought of by thee , if thou trust in hi● ▪ as then he could bring the whole world out of nothing . it is atheism , and a denyal of the god-head , to doubt whether god could make the world of nothing ; and all infidelity in these cases s●v●u●eth of athiesm , and a ●●ni●l of the god-head ▪ when we doubt whether god can help us , when we see nothing but wants . i● it not easier to h●lp ●s than to make a world ? so in any dangers , when we are s●rai●ly be●●t , and 〈…〉 to , and s●e no means of deliverance and escape : let u● th●n lea●n to depend upon the lords all-suf●iciency ; if we had a strong gua●d of s●uld●ers at 〈…〉 ▪ we wo●ld ●ot 〈◊〉 b●t that we should break through our enemies . alas ! did not god m●ke those souldiers and all the world out of nothing ? and doth he need their help to deliver ●s ? i● he please to del●ver us , the want ●f ●h●ir aid shall not ●i●d●r it : if not twelve legions should not be able to pr●cure our safety . use 7. if god , that needeth no ●eans to do us good wi●hall , but could h●ve sup●lied all o●r wan●s c●n●inu●lly ●ut ●f no●hi●g ▪ were y●t pleased ●o 〈…〉 of creatures to be means of g●od unto us ; thi● sho●ld 〈◊〉 us not to 〈…〉 neglect of the 〈◊〉 w●ich 〈…〉 cre●●ed for our goo● , 〈…〉 not god can 〈…〉 , therefore i ca●e not 〈…〉 ●ay ▪ god by giving 〈…〉 pleasur●●o help 〈◊〉 ●y ●h●m , therefore i will take them as h●lps with thankfuln●ss f●om the h●nd of god. us● 8 this should make us fear the great god , who had made all things of nothing , and not ●●ar any crea●ure of his mo●e than the c●●ator . see our ●olly and vanity of mind he●ein ; we ●●ar man so much , t●●t for f●ar of him , we sin a●ainst he lo●d without fear ●r c●●e . vain man ! 〈…〉 that the creat●●e w●ich w●s n●●hing 〈◊〉 and which god made o● nothing c●n 〈◊〉 ●hee 〈◊〉 th●n the creator ▪ who by his almighty power made this crea●●●● of nothing ; and gave it all the power which it 〈◊〉 , eith●● to h●lp ●r hur● ? thi● 〈◊〉 ●f o●r f●olish minds is no be●●e● th●n 〈◊〉 , ●f it be ●●ghtly consider●d : th● lo●d g●ve ●s wi●e and unde●standing h●a●t● . fear him that c●n raise ●erro●s and troubles unto the●●ut o● nothing , th●t can set thine own ass●●gh●ed 〈◊〉 against thee , a●d make t●ee a●●ntoll●r●ble b●rd●n to thy s●lf , that c●n bri●g mo●e misery to thee out of thy own boso●e , than ●ll the wo●ld can wo●k ag●i●st th●e . it is more dangerous beyond c●●parison to 〈◊〉 god against th●e , th●n all the m●n and 〈◊〉 c●eatures in the world , which were ma●● of nothing by him , chap. vii . use 9. this should also move us highly to ●steem , and lo●e the lord , who is the maker of heaven and earth , above heaven and earth , and all things in the same . he●e is a c●se ●hich doth wonde●f●lly discover the naughti●ess and pervers●ess of our hearts , tha● m●ny of us esteem and a●●●ct s●●e one poo● silly creature above the creator of all ●hings . alas ! before the world was , he was as pe●f●ct , as b●●ss●d ●s excellent as now he is , sith hence the creat●on of all things , but the world was nothing before he made it . these things of the world , which now seem such pea●ls in thine eye , were nothing , had no excellency in them , but what he gave them : and therefore if there be any goodness in them , that should not withd●aw thy heart f●om god to th●m , but cause thee t●e mor● to admire and love the lord , who out of his infinite goodness gave them all , that which seemeth so good in them , unto thee , when of themselves they had neither goodness nor beeing . the pleasantness that is in meat and drink , did it not wholly come from gods infinite sweetness and goodness ? do not then l●ssen thine aff●ction to god out of a bru●●●sh appetite toward them , but rather use them in ch●istian sobriety , wi●h an heart lif●ed up unto god , and admire his infinite goodness and sweetn●ss , whereof thou ●astest some drop , in these creatures . are worldly riches things to be desir●d in thine opinion ? all the ●iches in the wo●ld came out of the infinite 〈◊〉 and sto ●●house of his all-●●fficie●cy or s●lf-s●fficiency . therefore if thou wilt be rich , covet him and long and labour to p●ss●ss and enjoy him for thy po●tion , and so thy riches shall be more than all the golden mines in the world can pu●chase . kn●w this , that as these riches are nothing without him , so they are as good as nothing if you have them without him ; and that how rich so ever you seem to be in these ●utwa●d things , yet you are poor and miserable , except you be rich in god : if thou hast not him , thou hast nothing , for all things are nothing without him ; learn to esteem of god above all riches , children , f●i●nds , and to account all things as nothing in comparison of him , as the psalmist did . whom have i in heaven but thee , and there is none upon earth that i desire in comparison of thee . psal. 73.25 . it is good for me to d●aw neer to god , he is my portion for ever . let thy love to other things be cold , in comparison of thine affection unto him ; let thy soul be carried with winged d●sires after him : oh that i might enjoy him more fully , who brought all things out of nothing ▪ who is the fulness of all sweetn●ss and happiness ! oh that i could enjoy him , and that he would be mine , and i might be his , that i might live in his bosome , and walk in the light of his count●nance . for as god did bring all things out of nothing immediately , & the things so brought forth were most pure and good , and excellent , according to their kinds ; but those that were brought forth since by the creatures , as his instruments , have degenerated , and lost much of their first excellency : so the swee●ness and comfort that is to be had immediately from god , in a spiritual communion with him , and in beholding by faith his loving countenance th●ough jesus christ ▪ is incomparably beyond all the sweetness , which is instrumentally conveyed to us by the creatures . therefore let our souls long and labour to drink immediatly out of the fountain , to tast and see rather how good the creator is , than to glut our selves with a sensual sweetness of the creature . oh the pure waters of the sanctuary , which flow immediately from the presence of god into the souls of the faithful ! the spouse in the canti●les saith , the name of christ is like a precious oyntment poured forth , full of fragrant swee●ness , and therefore she begins her song of love thus : let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth . she desireth immediate communion with him . a love-letter wi●l not satisfy her ▪ but his mouth to her mouth , himself by his blessed spirit imparted and communicated to her : so tell a faithfull soul longing after immediate communion with god , here is weal●h , honours , pleasures , &c. his answer will be ▪ what talk yee of this dross and dung , of these shadows ? away with these muddy trifles , give me god himself , and take from me all the world : it is the creator whom i love ; it is this all-sufficient god , with whom the whole world is not worthy once to be compared : give me him , and take from me what you will. chap. viii . use 10. seeing god made all things of nothing , when being nothing , they could deserve nothing at his hands ; and being made , they could not help or profit him in any kind , this should move us in imi●ation of his free goodness , to do for those that cannot deserve any thing from us , who are not likely to be able either to help or hurt us , or to make us any requital . the lo●d did this , when no law bound him to his creature : but we are bound to do for our fellow creatures , by the l●w and will of our soveraign creator . it is great shame for us to grudge at this , and hang back saying , it is but cast away , i shall have nothing for it . god gave beeing to that which was nothing , and which could add nothing unto him : but the most unable man may possibly do us some good in some case or other ; and though he should be unable yet god is able and ●eady abundantly to r●wa●d u● ; whereas none could ●ecompense his wo●k which he did , in giving beeing to the creatu●es which were nothing : yea all men a●e of one and the s●me blood with our selves ; our bone and flesh ; of our kinred , issuing out of o●e stock , as branches of one ro●t : all the blood that runneth in the v●ins of all fl●sh , it st●e●med down from one fountain ▪ even adam ●ur common father , and therefore there is 〈◊〉 reason that we should one do for ano●he● ▪ but what kin was the infinite iehovah unto meer nothing to emptiness it self ? what neerness was there between him and it , that he should bestow so much upon it , even the whole world ? none at all ; but rather an infinite distance between an infinite beeing and meer nothing : yet thus did the lord give beeing to nothing , and made that to be which was nothing . how then should we blush at our unnatural churlishness in this behalf ! and learn of god to do for them , that cannot do for us , ●or recompense that which we do for them , that we may be like our great creator , and our father which is in heaven . chap. i. colos. 1.16 . for by him were all things created , that are in heaven , and that are in earth , visible and invisible , &c. sect . 1. having spoken of the creation in general i come now to the creatures in special ; which are ( as learned zanch divideth them ) of three sorts . 1. visible . 2. invisible . 3. partly visible , partly invisible . of the two former sorts the text in hand speaketh , and under them both , includeth the third also , which partaketh of both the other kinds ; but i have chosen his text purposely for the first and second kinds , intending upon a more peculiar text to speak more largely of the third . by the creatures visible , i mean all substances meet bodily , though some of them cannot be seen ▪ as the ayr and spirits in sensible creatures : yet under [ visible ] these i comprehend by a synecdoche , because sensible , and such as may be discerned by some sense or other . by invisible , i understand all creatures meerly spiritual ▪ f●●e from all bodily substance , as the angels . by those partly visible , partly invisible , i understand man-kind consisting of his body , which is a gross material substance , and his soul which is of an intellectual and spiritual nature . of the first , moses writeth at large in the first chapter of genesis . and therefore in the first place , observing that god made all bodily creatures , i will fetch the explication of this point out of the holy story , the most ancient that ever was penned ; the original diary of the world , and chronicle of the universe ; where first , you have the creation of the whole in the first day , and therein two things : 1. passive . 2. a●●ve . the passive substance was the huge unwrought mass of things , without any distinct form or shape , not yet distinguished and dig●sted into several kinds of creatures , not qualified with those several perfections of natural goodness , which afterward the all 〈◊〉 creator b●stowed upon its se●eral parts . moses , tells us , it was without form ] without any special or distinct form or shape : and void ] like a ruinous , confused heap ; void of beauty , void of perfection , void of such qualifications , as should make it very good . again , it was dark . [ and darkness was . ] this confused lump lay wrapped up in the thickest mantle of utter darkness , without any the least glimpse of light , that can be imagined , most dreadfull and hideous , but that there was no creature then made to be aff●ighted by it . this darkness was upon the ●ace of it , or the superficies ; it was not only a dark mass within , but the very surface or out-side of it was void of all glimpse of light shining on it . again , it was deep . ] an ●●ge mass of wonderfull and extraordinary bigness , which yielded stuff and materials for the framing all bodily substances afterwards , except the heavens , ( if at least they are to be excepted , as for my part , i think they are ) and ( as i conceive ) the text makes it cleer . for in the beginning , it is said , that god made the heaven and the earth . and the next words are ; and the earth was without form , &c. so that by the earth before , i understand the rude mass of things , out of which was brought earth ▪ waters , and other creatures compounded of these ▪ and this earth was distinguished from heaven ▪ and as this earth was without fo●m , so the heaven was without light at the first : so that this ( i conceive ) at the first , was made that huge o●b or sphear of heaven , without sun , moon , or stars , and together with it , the common matter of all inferiour bodies : for first he saith , the heaven and earth were made ; but he doth not say that the heaven , but the earth only was without form and void ; and the spirit of god moved upon the waters . ] or hovered over this mixed mass of earth & waters , as the bird over her egge , by its divine vertue framing and sha●●ng distinct and several sorts of creatures , out of this common lump . on this first day was the light created , as an active instrument to distinguish time , and as i conceive , so also to be used in bringing forth distinct and special creatures , by vertue of a quickning operative heat accompanying this light. this light you see was before the sun , which was not created until the fourth day . and in probability , this light was f●xed and radicated in the heavens , and so shined here upon this confused heap of the earth and waters : for had it been without a subject scattered abroad throughout the vast and void empty spaces between heaven and earth on every side ; where had the distinction been between day and night ? and therefore i conceive , that this excellent creature being seated in heaven by the father of lights , did shine upon half the earth at once , as now the sun doth , and so was ca●ried about with the motion of the heavens , and made day where it shone , and left the night there whence it removed : so that whiles the earth continued without form , and had its face cove●ed with darkness , there was the first evening ; and when the light was made and shown upon the earth out of darkness , there was the first morning ; and this evening and morning were the first day . sect . 2. in the second place is to be considered the distinction and division between the greatest parts of the earth and waters . 1. the division of the upper parts of the waters from the lower parts of the same , which was by the firmament , or body of the ayr , which god made between the upper and lower parts of the water , which i apprehend thus : that although the earth and waters lay confused together in one heap , yet the thinner parts of this lump coming neerer the nature of water , was raised to the upper part ; and that these muddy waters lying in an huge heap above the gr●sser and more earthy part , the spirit of god did penetra●e into them , and b● his vertue rarily the middle part of this wate●y matter , turning it into an huge , spacious , but much purer and thinner body of the ayr , which is called an expansion , or out-spread covering , wher●by a separation was made between the w●terish matter , compassing and hiding under it the whole earth on every side , and the upper parts of the water , which in clo●ds and exh●lations were drawn and raised up ; some higher , some lower , above some parts of this ayr or covering . and this firmament is called heaven ; even the same spoken of elsewhere in scripture : the heavens sh●ll hear the earth , hos. 2 21. that is , the ayr shall showre down fatt●ning showres upon the earth , and so we ●ead of the fowles of heaven , that is , of the ayr : as s. paul also calleth the heaven of the bl●ssed saints and angels , the third heaven ; a●d ●o prop●rtionably , that which is the place of the sun and stars , is the second , and this of the ayr here mentioned is the first heaven ; and this evening and morning wherein this was do●e , was the second day , though yet without a sun. 2. as there was a distinction of the upper and lower parts of the waters ; so now of the waters from the earth ; the waters ●hat encompassed & wholly overwhelmed the earth before , being by the word of god g●●h●red toget●er , a●d shut up in one pl●ce , and called seas ; so that the d●y l●nd , wh●●h was al●ogether hidden before , did now appea● : the wisdome of god thus provid ng for those creatures , which he pu●po●ed to place upon the earth . next to this was ●he furnishing the earth with pl●nts , trees ▪ herbs , grass &c. which were the first creatures that had life , and that the first degree of life , v●z . vegetation , without sen●e or motion from place to place , yet end●ed with a seminal vertue , enabling them to propagate their kinde , and to bring forth an encrease . and this was the work of the third day , when as yet the sun was not created . sect . 3. now follow the ornaments of the chi●f part of this glorious building . 1. of the heaven on the fourth day . 2. of the ayr and waters on the fi●th day . 3 of the earth on the sixth day . now the lord having without sun , moon or stars , given light to the world three days together , doth by his all-mighty word create lights in the heaven , viz. the great light of the sun , which should now henceforth become a fountain of lig●t both to other stars , and to the rest of the wo●ld , by which the day should be ruled : and then a l●sser light , though in appeara●ce great to us at a neerer distance than other st●rs , even the moon to rule the night ; so that now there should be some light in the night , and not me●r da●kness , as in the three former nights : but either the moon should shine with greater b●ightness on the earth , or ( a● least ) the stars sh●uld give some lesser light in the absence of the moon , and even in the most cloudy night should give some little abatement of utter darkness . but this was not all ; these glorious bodies were to serve for s●gnes and for seasons , and for days and years ▪ wherein , i. i embrace the opinion of par●●s , who acknowledgeth the stars to have a th●●e-fold kind of signification ; natural . civil . divine . 1. natural : as they signify and fore-shew rain and drought , cold , heat , famine , plenty eclipses , &c by their rising , setting , opposi●ion conju●ction , &c. 2. civil : as they shew unto divers sorts of men , when is fit time for several employments viz. pilots , fishermen , husbandmen , physicians , &c. 3 divine : so they many times foreshew the judgments of god ●o come , as wars , pestilences , con●lag●a●ions , and fearfull alterations of states and kingdomes . ii. as they are for sig●es , so likewise for seasons . the s n by his va●iety ●f motion , making the ●pring , sum●er , aut●mn , and winter , and the mo●n making n●w mon●t●s by her changes and revolutions . iii. they are likewise for days and y●ars : the light carried about b●fore , made the day , but now the s●n should meas●re the day from this fourth day to the last day , the day of judgment , by enc●mpassing the earth in twenty and four hours , making a na●ural day compleat ; and by a full revolution to the same point where it begun , making a full year . iv. to give light to the earth : without which all the creatures would be in darkness , and with that light to impart a c●erishi●g heat and warmth , without which the natural hea , and living creatures would ●●on be extinguished . and this evening and morning was 〈◊〉 fourth day viz. with those ●hree that were before the sun ; but the first day wherein there was a sun to give light. th● n●x● day , the ayr and wa●ers were furnished ▪ where it seemeth that god brought both fowles and fishes out of the waters : so it seemeth the fowles were brought forth out of the waters above the fi●mament , and now are appointed ●o fly in the fi●mament or ayr ; and the fishes we●e brought forth out of t●e waters b●low , where yet they abide and swim ; this was on the fi●●● day . on the sixth day was the earth furnished with beasts , and creeping things of every kinde . and last of all was created a lord of the rest , even man upon the same day ; of which more hereafter . thus much for these bodily creatures , concerning which something may be profitab●y spoken by way of application , and some●hing also by way of allusion . chap. ii. use 1. in that god did choose to make the world in this space of time , who could as easily have made it , as well in one moment , as in six days ; this should teach us to take time for meditation on his works . he that could in one instant , at one word have brought forth heaven full of stars , the ayr full of fowls , the water full of fishes , the earth full of beasts , creeping things , trees , &c. was pleased to make several days works of this wonderful creation , and to proceed distinctly and orderly in his work : teaching us by the manner of his working only by his word without instruments , that he could have done all at once , which now he did at several times : it being as easie for him at one word to say let there be a perfect world ▪ as at one word to say , let there be light ; and on the other side , by this stay and pause in working teaching us to stay in our thoughts , and to cause our minds to dwell upon his glorious works ; our minds ( i say ) which are of narrow capaci●y , and can but take in things by peece-meale into their consideration . the eyes of our souls are but narrow , and it is not enough for them at one glance to view the whole frame of this glorious building : but rather by setled meditation to fix themselves up●n it , and leisurely to pass from one part and point thereof to another , and in every part to admire the infinite and all-sufficient perfection of the worker . it is that which may make us ashamed , and tremble also 〈◊〉 god should call our consciences to account , few of us could say ▪ that of ●ll the time we have spent , ever sith-hence we had the use of ou● understandings , in a serious meditation on gods works , to this end that we might glorify the maker , would not make up one week , not one six days , not so long as the lord was in bringing them forth . is not this a shame for man , who was made of purpose to glorify god in his works , that he should not in all his life spend so much time in meditating on the works of god , notwithstanding his dulness and sloth of apprehension , as the lord was pleased to take in making of them ▪ notwithstanding his omnipotency , which could have made them all in less than one minute , as easily as in a thousand years ! th●s therefore should cause us to humble our selves for ou● failing in this regard , whereof we are guilty in an high degree ; and move us to spend more hours in studying this great book of nature , which the lord hath spread open before us , therein describing unto us those invisible things of his eternal power and god-head in such plain and legible characters , that he which runneth m●y read them : every main part being ( as it were ) a several volume , the heaven , the aire the earth and waters , every creature in th●se being a several leaf or page : every part of each creature ; every natural property , quality or created vertue in each , being a several li●e , or ( at least ) word or syllable , deserving a studious and attentive reader ; that is , one that will seriously take into his thoughts the admirable incomprehensible excellency and perfection of the maker . and as our saviour speaking of daniel's prophesie , concerning the abomination of desolation standing in the holy place , saith , let him that readeth consider : so say i of these great works of gods creation , which we may call the books of nature , written with the finger of god , let him that readeth them consider : let him that looketh upon them , not do it with a careless eye , but with attentive thoughts , and most effectual meditations : yee may not herein be like idle readers , that only lo●k at the beginning of a book , to see the name , and then throw it away again . and what if i should say , it were expedient herein to follow the same order in considering of the lords works , as the lord himself did in their creation ; that is , to bind our selves to do the work of the day in its day , namely on the same day wherein each work was done , to meditate on the work of that day ? i will not say , that he sinneth , who doth not follow this order , i know no such warrant . but this i say , considering our weakness , who must have time to make a distinct consideration of things , considering how apt we are to be carried away with idle , impertinent and unprofitable musings , and so to look away f●om those things whereupon our thoughts should especially be fixed : considering the great and admirable variety of creatures , and of natural qualities and perfections in those creatures , all issuing from that one single , but all-sufficient perfection of an infinite god ; especially considering that the lord hath been pleased , not only to let us know , how many days he spent in the creation of all the whole , but also particularly and distinctly to acquaint us with his several days works ; telling us what he did the first day , what he did the second day , &c. ● dare boldly say , it is expedient even to tye our selves to set apart some time in those several days , for a more special view of those several works . the work it self is necessary , and a more natural and convenient order to be used in performing it , i cannot think of , than this which i now propose . chap. iii. meditations on the first days work. sect . 1. let us now consider what was the first days work , and that upon the first day , which now we call the lords day , and therein first consider what was done in the evening of that day , and then what was done in the morning . 1. what was done in the evening : it seemeth that in the evening or n●g●t , was ma●e the heaven without light , the earth wi●hout form , darkness c●vering the face of the de●p . and the spirit of god moving upon the surface of the waters . and here is plentiful ma●ter for thy thoughts to work upon , on this first day of the week . 1. then admire and magnify the wonderful power and wisdome of the lord , in stretching out the huge and far-spreading body of the heavens , encompassing all the rest of the creatures , after-mentioned . and let the wonderful circuit of this creature make thee with much holy admiration to look upon that infinite iehovah , by whom it was created : and if the heavens be so great , that they exceed thine imagination ; how great is he of whom it is truly said , that neither the heaven , nor the heaven of heavens can contain him ! if the heavens be so glorious , how unspeakable is his glory and majesty , who hath the whole heaven for his throne and treade●h upon the ear●h as his foot-stool ? yea consider , that if gods wisdome , power , greatness ▪ &c. be so notably manifested in these earthly creatures which we see , it is much more gloriously apparent in the wonderful frame of the heavens , which we can scarcely see by reason of their distance , not doubting , but that the heaven doth as far excell these lower creatures in the excellent perfections of its nature , as it is above them in height of scituation . 2. again , let this make thee wonder at the goodness of god with a thankfull heart , who hath not only given man a pleasant dwelling here on earth , plentifully furnished , and a lordship over other creatures , b●ought out of the same common mass with himself , but also offereth him a place in the highest heaven , that he may dwell for ever in his glorious presence ; yea , that he may sit down with him in his throne , as it is said in the revelations ▪ so that man who is but dust and ashes , even a very piece of this lower earth , shall be exalted above the rest of the creatures , and made to dwell for ever before the face of god : seeing then the lord hath made heaven for man to possess , let not the earth then so steal away thy heart , o christian , as if there were no better thing than the earth for thee to enjoy : let the heaven be of greater force to raise and lift up thy heart toward it , than the earth to sink it down-ward : see thine own folly , and bewail it , that thou hast spent more precious hours , employed more serious thoughts upon some few spans of the earth , or in gathering some few pieces of white and red earth , than in seeking an ass●●ed title of an inheritance in those glorious and spacious heavens . think with thy self , that no pains can be too much ; no service too hard , no endeavours too constant , no affection too eager in seeking gods kingdome , and its righteousness . when god would comfort abraham in hope of the promised inheritance , and so make it a motive to him , that he might be stirred unto obedience , and strengthened in the faith ; look ( saith the lord ) east-ward and west-ward , north-ward and south-ward , for all the land which thou se●●t , to thee will i give it , and to thy seed for ever , genes . 13.14 15. so wouldest thou have encouragements for obedience , wouldest thou know why thou shouldest do these and these duties , and shun these and these sins ; then look up to heaven , ha●e an eye to the glorious inheritance , which god hath provided for thee . wouldest thou fain be above the reach of malicious tongues , or other injuries , look up to heaven ; they shall not touch thee there . wouldst thou learn contentedness with thy portion , look up to heaven ! thou ar● apt to think thou hast not enough here , but when once thou shalt take hold of that heavenly kingdome , thou shalt say , i have enough . look up to heaven , and remember , that christ is there , in the same nature of man , wherein now thou walkest up and down , making intercession for thee , and that thou hast a sure friend , a sure●y and advocate , a spokesman , one that is thine head , and to whom thou art united as a member , now in the highest part of the whole c●eation . consider the dignity and priviledge of a christian , whose happiness is as far above that of the worldling , as the heaven is above the earth . 3. consider the restless motions of the heavens , never at a stop , never abating in any degree the swiftness of their motion ; and learn both the perfection of god , whose providence is in a continual course , by which as well the heavens , as the lowest creatures , are carried about , all in him moving and having their beeing : and on the other side take notice of thy duty , and learn to go on in a restless course of godliness , as one carryed about by the power of the spirit ; as the first mover in all the ways and works of god ; whereby the heart ( as the first wheel ) is stirred , and the whole outward man carried about by that motion , from which proceedeth both to will and to do , according to his good pleasure . in the second place , to the first nights work belongeth the creation of that first confused lump and mass of things , here called earth ; but having in it ( as it were ) the stuff and materials of all these lower bodies , 1. consider what a rude mishapen lump this was at the first , and in thy thoughts strip the earth of all its glory ; consider it bare and naked , without grass , trees , herbs , men , beasts , light , or any thing that belongeth to its comeliness ▪ furniture , or perfection : and then remember ▪ that as it had beeing , so all its excellency and beauty was from the lord ; and therefore suffer not any thing belonging to the earth ▪ not any thing that partaketh of it , or is of kin unto it to draw away thy heart from him ▪ who gave it all that it hath : let not that which is wholly god's , d●aw thee from god , but rather lead thee to him . take the earth as it was of it self , and it was nothing : take it as it was in the beginning of its beeing , and it was as good as nothing : it had not any excellency of beeing to draw thine heart after it , if then thou hadst been created : and then conclude it were a madness to conceive it thus to be decked and dressed up by the lord himself for this purpose , that it might draw thy heart from him , and move thee to prefer it above him . 2. learn here to see a picture of thy state of unregeneration : thy body of sin , what is it b●t a very chaos , a rude confused lump of disordered lusts , earthly affections , and muddy distempered passions ? is it not without its proper form ? doubtless the soul hath lost that beautiful shape and image of its maker , consisting in wisdome , righteousness and true holiness ; darkness is upon the face of it . what a misty night shadoweth the understanding of every natural man , so that h● can●ot di●cern the things of god ? alas ! he hath no light , the day is not dawned , neither is the day-star ris●n upon his soul : he speaketh , readeth , heareth of god of his love in christ , b●t hath no cleer sanctified a●●re●ension of any heavenly mystery : he looketh blindly upon his sins , upon his afflicti●ns , upon his crosses , upon his comfor●s , upon all or many of these , that which the faithful soul sees , whose eyes have been enlightened ●y the father of lights : learn hence ●o see what thy condition is ▪ and so loath thy 〈◊〉 in poverty of spirit . and as this senseless lump of things 〈◊〉 , until the spiri● of god moved upon 〈◊〉 ●aters : so c●nsid●r what a pi●ce of dead 〈…〉 w●st thy ●elf , and how ●hou didst 〈…〉 block , without all 〈…〉 , life , un●il the blessed quickning spiri● o● g●d began to 〈◊〉 thine heart ; and learn to 〈◊〉 all proud c●nceits of thine own from ●n hu●ble heart acknowledging , that by the grace of god , and through the work of his spi●it , thou art what thou art . 3 by this evening of utter darkness which was before the first day , learn to consider that dark and dismal night , wherein the church of god was , after the death , and before the resurrection of our saviour , who rose to life upon this first day of the week . what sad thoughts possessed the souls of those faithful wo●en , who this night were coming with their odours , to do honour to his dead body , whose life was so precious to them ? when the forme● hopes of his disciples were clouded with such dark distrustful conceits as this . we had hoped that it had been he , who should have saved israel . surely , heaviness endured with them this night , but joy came in the mo●ning : the sun of righteousness arose out of the grave , as here the light 〈◊〉 commanded to shine out of da●kness : and 〈◊〉 it was verified , which our saviour spake unto them : yee shall have sorrow , but the world shall rejoyce , and your sorrow shall be turned into joy . sect . 2. let us now consider what was done on the morning of the first day : here turn thy thoughts to consider of ●hat excellent creature [ the ligh● ] which the lord called for in the midst of da●kness , ●nd which immediately came at his call ; when darkness was upon the face of the deep ▪ god said , let there be light , and there was light : admire this wonderful change which the lord made upon this day , when suddenly the light brake forth there , where was nothing but da●kness : the glory of god is notably seen by this light , inasmuch as without the help of sun , moon , or other stars , he created a bright shining light to drive away that darknes● , whe●ewith those beginnings of the creation were enwrapped . we should think it strange to see at mid-night a perfect light suddenly breaking fo●th without any dawning , or such other degrees of preparation ; the ayr in one instant becoming as light at mid-night , as at noon in the cleer●st day : yet this was more , inasmuch as it was the first appearance of the light that ever was in the world , there being no beginnings , no glimpse or degrees of it before . and here consider : 1. as the light was created upon this day ▪ so christ ( the light of the world ) did this day arise out of the grave of death and darkness ; and by his resurrection the light of his god-head did shine abroad into the world , which before was over-shadowed with miserable blindness and darkness ; so the apostle saith , he was declared to be the son of god with power , according to the s●irit of holiness by the resurrection from the dead , rom. 1. ● . his time of suffering was the hour of darkness , and a kind of n●ght : his ignominious death , burial , and ab●de in the grave , was so da●k a night , that in it the quickest eyes , even the faith of his own disciples could hardly disce●n him to be the son of god , and saviour of the world. but being risen , he made it manifest that he was the son of god , as the sun doth shew it self by the brightness of his own beames ; and now he cast abroad the light of his heavenly truth in the ministery of his apostles by whom was preached christ jesus dead for our sins , and risen again to make us righteous . 2. consider , that as on this day the light was created , and this day christ the light of the world did arise , so the lord hath ordained , that on this day the light of the holy gospel should shine brigh●ly and plentifully in his church , through the preaching of the word ; and therefore consider seriously with thy self , that on this day thou must set thy self with an open and fixed eye of thy soul to receive the light ; that is , wi●h a willing teachable and a●tentive mind to recei●e the word of god , which is a beam of light issuing from him , who is the father and fountain of lights . sad is the practice of many , who like owles and bats , and such other night-bi●d , shun the light , and come not abroad in such times when the sun shineth ; namely such as purposely keep home on this day , and are off●nded at the light ▪ causelesly ab●●nting themselves from it , or wilfully refusing to entertain it ; such as would like the world better , if it were over-shadowed with a night of ignorance ; and like those churches best , that have but dark lanthorns ; or such candles , as after a little time of blazing , go out with an unsavoury snuff . oh think it a special mercy of god , that he holdeth forth the light unto thee on this day , and do thou with all readiness both look toward it , and walk by it . 3. again . consider , that as light was the first thing which was made , when the earth was without form and void ; so when any souls in the state of natural corruption , are without christ formed in them , void of grace , full of pollutions ; the first thing wrought in us is a light of sanctified knowledge , sound illumination , before we can bring forth any duty pleasing to god. and therefore be not deceived , like those , who think that ignorance is the mother of devotion : ignorance is as great an enemy to the soul , and its salvation , as utter darkness was to the world , and to the creatures in it : and that spiritual light is as needful for the former , as this other light was for the latter . they therefore that are in their natural blindness , are as far from the new creation , as the earth was from its natural perfection , while darkness was upon the face of the deep . 4. as god alone by his call did bring forth light ; so think you , that all the knowledge which thou hast ( especially in heavenly things ) is wholly from god , without which nothing was in thee but utter darkness ; and therefore thou hast no more cause to be proud of thy knowledge , than that muddy heap of earth in the beginning had to brag of the light which shined upon it by the command of god ; whereas of it self it was altogether dark and covered with darkness . 5. consider the benefits which thou receivest by this creature ; it giveth thee the use of thine eyes , it delighteth that sense : it freeth thee from many fears , which darkness doth naturally suggest unto thee : it sheweth thee things in their right colours ; it helpeth thee in avoiding many dangers , in ob●aining many comforts : it is a guide unto thee in thy travel : it is comfort in thy labours ; it is a means , whereby thou maist conve●se with others : it is not to be imagined how many wants and inconveniencies the loss of this creature would bring upon thee : for among other things , it hath a cherishing warmth and lively heat accompanying it , whereby it giveth life , and preserveth life , motion , and natural heat in men , and other creatures ; and therefore conclude , oh lord , our god! how wonderfull are thy works ; and especially this first-born creature , the light which upon this first day thou diddest cause to shine out of utter darkness ! and when thy heart is covered wi●h a dark night of sad uncomfortable thoughts , then look up to him who can cause the light to shine out of darkness , and joy and comfort to arise out of sorrow and heaviness . chap. iv. meditations on the second days work. from the fi●st , come we to the second day , which we ord●narily call monday . here you are to consider the wisdome and wonderfull power of god , in making a division between the huge heap of the waters , spreading the firmament of the ayr between its parts ; raising the clouds above , and there making treasuries for rain hail , snow , and other m●teors : oh consider the goodness of god in giving thee this admirable creature of the ayr , wh●ch feedeth thee with breath continually , whereof the poorest beggar hath as large a portion , as the greatest monarch . consider that the least draught of this ayr is more than thou canst deserve at the hands of god , who yet art apt to repine and murmur , when thou hast not fulness of bread ▪ and art abridged in some small degree of the plenty which thou hadst at other times . 1. consider , that as without this ayr the natural man cannot live , so neither can the spiritual man , without the blessed spirit , which giveth an heavenly breathing to the soul regenerated , as the ayr doth to the body . and as the ayr doth pass unseen into the body , but then is breathed out again in a visible manner , so the spirit of god worketh and conveyeth his heavenly influence in an hidden invisible manner into the minds of the faithfull ; but is visibly breathed forth again ( as it were ) in regard of its fruits , in holy speeches , and heavenly actions , that men may see the good works which he bringeth forth in the godly , and glorify their father who is in heaven . wonderfull are the effects of the ayr , and according to it our bodies are usually enclined and disposed ; yea , and our souls too in some respect , by reason of the neer neighbourhood between the soul and the body , and the special affinity between the ayr and the spirits in the body , which are the immediate instruments of the soul. we of this kingdome have special cause to bless god for one of the sweetest and most temperate ayres in the world , se●ving much for delight , for health , for our furtherance even in the best things , if we were car●full to make the best use of such a blessing ; a quick and kindly ayr being no small help to the spirits , even in the service of god. 2. we may further consider , that as such stoppings as hinder the ayr from passing too and fro , do endanger the natural life : so those sins that stop the lively working , moving and breathing of the sanctifying spirit , do endanger the spiritual life . the wind ( which is the ayr stirred and moved ) and is ( as it were ) the same in the ayr , which the waves are in the sea , is of wonderful force and strength : it beareth down trees , buildings , and things of wonderfull strength and bigness ; it tosseth the seas , and rouleth in the waves , and worketh wonders in the deep ; hereby magnifying the almighty power of its creator ; w●o ( as the psalmist saith ) rideth upon the wings of the wind. and yet you must remember , that the winds and seas obey him , who sent a calm , when ionas was cast out of the ship ; and at another time , when christ came into the ship : so when sin is cast out of the soul , and christ received and embraced , then the tempest of an accusing conscience is calmed , and a swe●● peace followeth upon it , which passeth all understanding . 3. as the ayr is sometimes more , sometimes less stir●ed by the winds ; so the blessed spirit of god , blowing when , where , and how he listeth , doth sometimes ( as it were ) breath more st●ongly , and sometimes impart a l●ss measure of h●s heavenly vertue . in the second chapter of the acts , at the feast of pentecost , he cam● down like a mighty rushing wind upon the apostles , who were gathered together , and so they were carried mightily in the power of the spirit , to spread the gospel of christ throughout the world. but ordinarily , the blasts of the spirit are not so strong , and to our pace is but ●low in the ways of god : and therefore should we pray with the spouse in that song of songs . arise o north-wind , and come o south , and blow upon my garden , that the s●ic●s thereof may fl●w forth . 4. but in this days work , we are especially to consider the clouds above , which are those waters above the firmament , and in these admire those store-houses of sweet refreshing showres , which water the earth with a fa●tening dew and fruitfull moisture , that it may yield encrease for the use of man and beast , which should make us to admire his goodness : and on the other side , to tremble at his displeasure , who once did open the flood-gates of heaven , so as to overwhelm the world of the ungodly destroying all that breathed , those only excepted which were contained within ●he compass of one ark : where also we are ●o admire his patience , who thus long forbeareth sinners , being continually provoked ; al●hough he hath not only flood-gates of rain and water but also store-houses of hail-shot , mortal thunder-bolts , treasuries of fire and ●●imstone ▪ &c. whereby he could in a moment many thousand ways avenge himself of his enemies . 5. consider , that as that ground is neer unto cursing , which drinketh of the dew of heaven , and receiveth the rain , and yet 〈◊〉 forth no encrease : so that case is dreadfull , when the heavenly dew of the word falleth continually upon the heart , and yet it remaineth altogether bar●en and fruitless to●a●d god. 6. consider also how the lord giveth snow like wool , c●ste●h forth his ice like morsels , ●●●●ereth the ●oar● first like ashes . in this ayr are to be admired the hideous claps of ●●under , the dreadfull flashes of lightening , whereby the lord sheweth his almighty power and majesty : and as he made shew of these terrible things in the delivery of his law ; so even common sense may teach us , that he will be much more dreadfull , when he calleth to account the impenitent transgressors of his law ; yea , we should consider , that the same reverence is to be yielded to him , when he speaketh in the soft still voice of the gospel , which was due unto his voice , when it was attended with thunder and lightning . 7. learn to acknowledge him in the different change of weather , be it seasonable or unseasonable , and to call upon him , and give him thanks , as the cause requireth . 8. let the ayr , filling all empty corners in the world , in a wonderfull manner , leaving no creek nor crany in any degree not filled , put thee in mind of the infinite presence of god , who filleth all in all , and through all : and thus m●ch for the second day . chap. v. meditations on the third days work . sect . i. i proceed to the third day , which with us is usually called tuesday , wherein the waters were gathered together in one place , and called seas , and the earth was dried and clothed . 1. on this day then , thou hast special occasion to admire and magni●y the wisdome of god , in foreseeing what was fit for the use of the creatures ; his goodness in ●ffecting it , and his power in crossing and controuling the first order of nature for this purpose . consider this day , how all was water ; no sign of earth , no mountain , no dry land appearing : and then on a sudden , by the word of god , the waters rouling together into one place , called seas , and there abiding . and here consider what wonders are in this deep , what numberless swarms of fishes swimming and floating up and down : of which af●erwards on the fif●h day . 2. consider , how admirable is the power of god seen in bridling the waves of the seas , and by his invisible , but most mighty hand , holding them , in that they shall pass no farther . and thus also doth the lord restrain the enemies of his church , both devils and wicked men , who otherwise would soon bring down a deluge of misery upon the people of god , and swallow up his little flock : and therefore , as when thou seest the waves beat furiously against the shore , as if they would return to their old place again ; thou dost not fear it , because the hand of god keeps them in : so when thou seest the rage of the enemies against the church at the highest , yet remember , that the covenant which god hath made with his own people , is as a strong bar against their might and malice . 3. wonderfull is the lords majesty set fo●th by the greatness of the seas , bordering upon so many nations , and compassing the e●rth about , yielding by means of navigation a speedy intercourse between those countries which are far distant from each other . 4. wonderfull it is in the secret passages wh●ch it hath , whereby it sendeth forth waters into the cranies of the earth , which in divers places break out again in sweet and fresh springs , losing the saltness which they brought from the sea ; and then by the conjunction of many springs , making rivers , and emptying themselves again in the sea , eccles. 1.7 . so also we , who receive all from god , should return all to him again . it were a monstrous thing in nature , for a stream to wheel about , and come home , and sink into its own spring again , not emptying it self into the sea from whence it came . no less monstrous is it , but much more common , for us to run thus in a circle , and to reflect wholly upon our selves , to aim at our selves , our ease , our credit , carnal contentment , and not seriously and effectually to bend our hearts and thoughts , to direct our aimes , to employ our gifts and talents of several kinds , for the honour and glory of the giver . a sin that will fall most heavy at the last day , if not repented of , and forsaken . how can we cross and oppose the lord more ( who made us for himself alone ) than when we make our selves only to aim at our selves ? these rivers run into the sea , yet is not the sea indebted to them , nor over-filled by them : when we have done all that we can for god , yet are we unprofitable servants ; we cannot give him a recompence answerable to that which we have received ; much less deserve any thing at his hands . 5. the pe●pe●ual course of these streams and rivers fed by a living spring , should put us in mind of that well of living waters , even the fountain of sanctifying grace , which christ by his spirit shall cause to arise in the hearts of the faithfull ▪ never to be dried up again : and such must our graces be , not like a little rain-water , filling the cistern , and soon dried up , or drawn out , but like a spring that giveth a continual supply . and as many waters , which now glide along , and shew themselves in the vallies , had their first rising in the hills ; as it is said , that the r●ine , the rhene , and the poe , three great rivers of germany , france , and italy , have their springs in those mountains called the alpes ; so those streams of grace , which are to be seen in the low vallies , even the conversations of humble christians , had their beginnings in that mountain of holiness , and came down from the father of lights . sect . 2. now then , the dry land , the huge massy body of the earth appeareth , the waters being put up in one place ; and here , 1. you may think of huge mountains , deep vallies ; in the bowels of it , veins of gold , silver , brass lead , iron ; and consider , that these things which the world esteemeth most precious , and for wh●ch m●ny thousands cast away their precious souls , are laid up by god in the lowest and basest part of the creation , buried under ground . and therefore , though in these we should admire the wisdome , goodness , riches of their maker , yet at the other side , we must take special care , that we do n●t let ●hem steal away our hea●●s from him , who made both them and us . that brazen serpent which moses made by the lords appointment , was a sacrament unto the is●aelites , who had f●lt the fiery venome of those serpents in the wilderness ; but the pe●ples sin in after-times made it a danger●us id●l , and so a neh●shtan or contemptible piece of brass , as hezekiah called it : so god hath created these mettals , &c. and hath given them their natures , beauty , qualities , for ou● use and his glory ; but if we give that affection to them which we owe to him , we make them idols , and are to remember , that they are but a brighter kind of de●d earth , and that the meanest soul in the world is of more worth , than a mountain of gold : and therefore it is a notorious indignity to the father of spirits , and maker of all things , if we prefer one of his meanest works above himself . again , it is reported , that those grounds which abound with gold and silver , are barren in bringing forth living plants ; as trees , herbs , grass , &c. so the heart that hath a golden mine , or a vein of silver running through it , is barren in bringing forth any lively fruits of holy obedience . 2. but the earth is without all ornament and clothing , now that the waters are removed ; neither did it bring forth one poor grass or herb , or any other thing , until the working and all-mighty word of god laid a new commandment upon it . let the earth , &c. and therefore do not think , that the earth hath this vertue to bring forth of it self a yearly encrease , but that it would have layen like a dead unprofitable lump , without any thing growing upon it in the most seasonable time of the year , had not the lord bidden it ; and in bidding it , enabled it to bring forth . consider then with thy self , that every years encrease , every crop of corn , every tree , every grain every seed , or fruit of any tree ; every grass and herb , which the earth beare●h at any time , i● came undoubtedly out of the earth , by vertue of this soveraign command of god : yea , as well the propagation and succession of these , as the first creation , cometh from his word : for so he said ; let the earth bring forth the tree bearing fruit after its kind , and the herb bearing seed after its kind , and it was so . and therefore give all the glory to him for these things , from whom all things are received : by whom the earth is made fruitfull , and yielde●h an encrease . let us lament the unthankfulness , the pride and blindness that is among us . do we not murmur ( many of u● ) if we have not as much as formerly we had , as if now we could plead custome with god , and challenge it as a due , because we have had it so long , as if we could accuse him of with-holding our right , when after many years of abundance , we are a little stinted , and have now somewhat less . is not this great blindness ? do we not know that by our fall in adam we forfeited all our ●ight to these things , and that the lord m●ght justly have fed us no otherwise than some condemned wretches , with a poor p●●tance only to prese●ve life , that our mise●y might be the greater . all our right to these things was but by his free grant , this grant was but conditional , the condition of this grant we brake , where then i● our plea ? are we better than iacob ? o lord , i am less than the least of all thy mercies , saith he . is not this great pride , that men should think themselves not well used ( as it were ) at the hands of god ; and that they deserve better dealing . if thou haddest thy desert ( whosoever thou art ) thou haddest felt more misery long agone , than any ever felt upon the earth : and this every one may seemingly acknowledge , whose heart god hath touched : is it not great unthankfulness thus to requite the lord ? because thou hast enjoyed so much plenty heretofore , thou shouldest now much the rather with patience endure some scarcity : because thou hast received good , thou shouldest with more s●bmission bear some evil , or want of that measure of good , as iob reasoned with his wife . nay , if many were put to it , i am perswaded , they could not say in their consciences , that ●ver they did pray for this blessing feelingly and effectually : and is it not a shame for thee to murmur against the lord , for not giving that which thou never didst effectually ask ? nay , if we should consider the ho●rible abuse of gods creatures by all sorts ; rich and poor , we may justly wonder that the heavens are not long since hardened into brass , and the earth into iron against us . 3. among these plants observe ▪ how weeds and other hurtfull things do grow of themselves : but the best and most usefull must be carefully planted : so sin and corruption springeth naturally out of the evil soyl of our hea●ts , but grace and holiness are of the holy ghost his plantation . again , barren trees are cut down by the provident husbandman , that they may not cumber the ground as you see in the gospel , which should move us by bearing fruits unto god , to work out our own salvation with fear and trembling . the leaves of an outward profession are not sufficient , but to them must be joyned the fruit of a sanctified conversation . the tree , and every branch and twig thereof , receiveth sap ▪ life , nourishment from the root . every true believer receiveth heavenly life and grace from christ jesus . so long as the branch is joyned to the tree , and so to the root , it receiveth benefit and refreshment from the dew and rain ; but if it be cut off from the tree , the sweetest showers cannot preserve it from being withered . he that is truly united to christ ▪ as a branch to the root , by the spirit and faith , he receiveth benefit , growth , and spiritual refreshment from the outward meanes of grace , the ministery of the word and sacraments . but if he be not truly united to him , the sweetest dew that ever fell from heaven , cannot keep spiritual life within him : on the other side , though the branch doth receive life and nourishment from the root , yet it wanteth refreshment from the showers of heaven : so those fanatical dreamers are to be condemned , who pretend an union with christ , and partaking of his spirit , and therefore brag they have no need of the word preached , or any outward means . again , let the renewing of the face of the earth by these creatures every spring , put thee in mind of the wonderfull efficacy of god his word , which from the beginning unto this present time hath made the earth thus fruitfull : and let it teach thee to rely upon his truth and promise in other things , as well as this . chap. vi. meditations on the fourth days work. sect . 1. from the third ▪ i come to the fourth day , which we usually call wednesday , which was the first day that had a sun to give it light , to which were added the moon to rule the n●gh● , and the stars to attend her ; which glorious work of a most glorious god should raise our thoughts to some holy meditation . 1. now consider on this day , how that as the waters , which were before dispersed all abroad upon and about the earth , were on the third day gathered into one store-house , called seas ; so the light , which was before diffused , through the huge spaces of the creation , was now ( as it were ) drawn together into one body of the sun , as a full and common treasury . consider here , that the lord , who is in himself infinitely more bright than the light it self , needed no light in respect of himself : and therefore it was for us , that he made the light : and we should bless him for it : so in regard of himself , he needed no word , nor revelations of heavenly mysteries , being infinite in all knowledge and wisdome ; and therefore it was for us , that he gave his word to be a light , and caused by his spirit the bright beams of holy truths to be cast abroad into the dark world : therefore we may conceive , how shamefull our sin and unthankfulness is , that we must be entreated to turn our eyes toward this light , and to come to church to hear the word , whereas ( if need were ) we should beg a place in the house of god upon our knees , rather than go without this light . 2. consider , that although the lord was pleased to give light to the world , yet there needed no sun whereby to do it : witness the light of the three first days , wherein no sun shined : so when it pleased the lord to give the light of heavenly knowledge to his church , yet he needed no books , no written word to do it by : witness those two thousand years , and more from the beginning of the world till moses wrote the holy text , by inspiration of the holy ghost : and then consider , that as after the third day , the sun was made to give light to the world , which before was illightened without a sun ; so after many hundred years , the lord placed the books of moses , and then other holy writings , as a sun in the firmament of his church , to give light unto the same : and , as after the sun was made , men had no want of that light , which was given without a sun in the former three days : so you may consider , that now the books of scripture are written , and the light of gods truth plentifully shining in them , there is no need of unwritten traditions to give light unto us in any way or work of god : and therefore conclude , that the dotage of the papists , in pleading for unwritten traditions ( now we have the written word ) is as gross , as if a m●n should complain for want of that wandering light of the three first days , now when ●he ligh● is fully seated , and firmly fixed in the body of the sun. 3. consider , that as one sun giveth light to the whole world : so one word to the whole church scattered throughout the world. and here see the absurdity of some unsound ones among us , who being more than half papists , are not ashamed to condemn the study of those worthy writings of many forreign divines , upon this poor pretence , because they lived in other kingdomes and common-wealths ; and so their doctrine doth not so well suit with our state and kingdome . as if the same sun could not serve all nations with light ; but that we must have one in england , and they another in france , &c. so if the sun of holy truth do shine in the writings of these holy men , why cannot we see and walk by this light , as well as out-landish men ? 4. consider , that the light is still like it self ; that light which was before the sun , is of the same nature with that which now is in the sun : so the truth and word of god is still the same , not contrary to it self . the light of holy truth , which was before the word ▪ written , and this which shineth in the holy scriptures , is the same : and therefore the papists , are yet more shameless , when under pretence of the unwritten word , they thrust upon the church such idle forgeries , as are contrary to the word written , as if light could be contrary to light ; or darkness might be called light . if the light of the written word doth shew us , that marriage is honourable among all men , and therefore not only among the laity ; then know it is no beam of this heavenly light , which makes men think they see much sin and shame in it , when it is used by the ministers of the word , but that it is even a dark vapour of the bottomless pit ; and so s. paul saith , it is a doctrine of devils . if the word written , by its light do shew the worship performed to images to be gross , and shamefull idolatry , then that doctrine which commendeth this as a special point of devotion , and condemneth to the fire those that refuse it , cannot be any beam of light issuing from the word of god unwritten , but rather a dark shadow , caused by the prince of darkness : so you may think of many other popish fopperies . the seas , the trees , grass , herbs , &c. which were on the third day , appeared to be of the same colour , by that light which then was , without a sun , as th●● did afterwards by the sun-light : so those thin●● which by the word written are now 〈◊〉 to be white or black , lawfull o●●●lawfull , did appear so also by the light o●●he word , before it was written . 5. consider also , that as the lord could have given light without a sun ▪ and yet being pleased to make a sun , doth also require , that we should see by this sun : so the lord , who could have given us knowledge without a word preached , and have taught us immediately by his spirit being pleased to set up the ministry of the word , and to teach us by it , doth req●ire that we should learn and profit by it . and therefore we must not think that we may neglect the word ▪ because god can teach us without it : we must be taught as god will teach us ; and not as he can , but will not . god spake immediately to saul from heaven , condemning his cruelty against the church ; but yet sent him to a man to learn what he should do . the lord striketh down a sinner with the apprehension of his wrath for sin , but sendeth him to men , even to the preachers of his word , to learn what he ought to do . and therefore they , who in regard of knowledge despise the preaching of the word , and think it needless , may as well despise the sun in regard of outward light for the eye of the body , and think it may well be spared . 6. again consider , that as the sun in his circuit , passeth from east to west ; so the light of the word issuing by the special providence of god from the east , hath come toward the west . it is probably thought that adam was created in the eastern parts of the world , to whom the word was at first delivered . however ! it is certain , that ierusalem is eastward , whence the law did issue , and the gospel proceed unto these western parts : and now toward the end of this great day of the world , this light is bending towards those poor western barbarians of america . 7. again ▪ as the rising sun is most looked at , being especially welcome after the dark night , and not so much regarded at noon , though then it shineth brighter : so the word preached is most affected ordinarily by a people at its first coming ; but afterward● through their great corruption and unthankfulness , it seemeth stale unto them , although there be an encrease of gifts in the preacher , and the truth shining brighter to them in his ministery than at the first . if you finde this in your selves , let your hearts smite you for it , and be earnest with god to renew your affections to his word , that you may gather an appeti●e by feeding upon this heavenly manna , and not like the carnal israelites , begin to loath it , and to lust for grosser food , because this hath been so common . consider , that as any man well in his wits , accounteth it a blessing to have the sun once in 24. hours , so should any one who is wise unto salvation , and taught of god , account it a blessing to have the word twice in a week , although it be the less regarded by earthly spirits , because it is ordinary . 8. moreover , think with thy self , that as he that is stark blind cannot see the light when the sun shineth most brightly : so he that is in natural blindness , cannot rightly see the divine vertue , and saving excellency of the word ; therefore call upon god with the psalmist . teach me o lord , open mine eyes , &c. and make no great account of the judgment of such in spi●i●u●l things ▪ who are worldly wise , or learned , but unsa●ctified : think rather , that as no spectacles can make that eye to see that is altog●ther blind ▪ so no help of humane lea●ning , natural sharpness of wit , &c. can make that man that is spiritually blind , rightly and savingly to discern spiritual things . if there be some light in the eye , tho●gh but dim , it may be helped and furthered by such outward means : so if there be some light of the enlightening sanctifying spirit ▪ and ●he mind , then th●se outward helps of secular lea●●ing , arts , tongues , natural quickness of wit , &c. may be of great and excellent use , and must not be despised . 9. again consider , that as there is great difference in the cleerness of the light , between such a day , when the sun-beams are intercepted by a thick mist or dark cloud , and then when it shineth brightly through a cleer ayr : so when the light of heavenly truths was dimmed by a thick mist of iewish ceremonies , when a cloud was in the most holy place , even before the oracle and ark of gods presence , when the vail was whole , and not rent asunder , the means of grace were not so cleer , the mysteries of grace not so plainly unfolded by many degrees , as now since our saviours coming , when there are no impediments ; and this should stir thee up to thankfulness ; every sun-shiny day should make thee lift up a thankfull heart with feeling affections to the father of lights for that cleer light of the gospel which now shineth unto thee in the church . and as there is a g●eat difference between the sun in an eclipse ▪ and the sun free from such eclipse in his full glory ; so shouldest thou think there is a great difference between the gospel now cleerly preached since the reformation , and the gospel much darkned by popish mists , by humane doctrines , yea doctrines of devils in the time of popery . and when-ever thou seest the sun eclipsed , lament the miseries of those times : and when thou seest i● freed from the eclipse again , bless god for the happiness o● these last hundred years . and as the sun is not in a moment freed from the eclipse , but by degrees ; so was it in the reformation , by the ministery of walaus , and his followers , of w●ckliff and his fol●owers , then of iohn huss , of hierom of pragu● , of luther , and calvin , &c. and therefore think how vain the popish objection is ; luther and calvin did not agree , therefore both were hereticks : the sun was not so folly freed from its eclipse , than in lut●e●'s beginnings , as afterwards ; and the difference was no more than between the sun in some degree freed from the eclipse , and the sun more cleered and fre●d . again consider , that the sun is eclipsed by the body of the moon , coming between it and our sight : so the light of gods word is eclpsed many times to many of us in particular , by reason of the world , and the things of the world , which are changeable like the moon coming between it and our affections : so that our hear●s embracing & cl●aving to earthly things , have the earth standing in their light , and eclipsing he light of the word . therefore if you will see cleerly by the light of the word , you must remove the world out of the way , put ●he earth out of your heart . and as zacheus f●und himself too low , when he stood upon the ground , and therefore went up into a tree , and stood above the earth , that he might take a view of christ : so that you may cleerly see christ jesus , you must not stand , much l●ss crawl and grovel upon the ground with an earthly heart , cleaving to the dust , and glewed to the earth , but must get up above the earth , in the height of an heavenly spirit , seeing the earth below thee , and accounting it but as an heap of dung which thou treadest under thy feet ; and refusest to lay in the bosome of thine affections , or to set it before the eye of thy soul. 10. consider , as the light of the sun is offensive and displeasing to sore eyes , which rather delight in a dim ayr , so consider that the reason , why the light of gods word preached , is so displeasing unto many , is because of the carnal distemper of their hearts , whereas to a sound heart it is most delightfull . and consider , though the light of the sun be pleasing to a g●od eye , yet the sharpest sight may be dazeled by its brightness : so the light of heavenly mysteries in the word : is of that surpassing excellency , as to overcome the cleerest apprehension of any sanctified christ a● . 11. consider , as the light of the sun is accompanied with a cherishing heat and warmth , whereby the creatures on earth are refreshed , and made to grow ; yea , whereby life is ingenerated and preserved : ●o the light of the word is attended with a divine operative warmth and vertue of the blessed spirit , whereby the new life is ingenerated and preserved in the hearts of the elect . again , as the sun by its coming in the spring , renueth the face of the earth , and maketh such a difference in the world , as if it were a new world : so when the gospel was preached abroad in in the world by the apostles , it made a wonderfull alteration in the world , even as if it had been a new world : insomuch , that the heathens themselves , and enemies observed it , as demetrius told his fellow smiths ( speaking of paul and his fellow apostles ) these be the men that have turned the world upside down . ah wonderful change ! when those idol gods should be hated as wicked devils , and lying spirits , which before were thought worthy of all reverence , when demetrius his diana shall be set at nought ▪ and his wa●● out of request , which before were so highly set by : when the name of one god shall be glorified throughout the world , whereas before many gods were worshipped even in all parts of the world . 12. when the sun is up men do both arise and perform the business and works of the day : so when the gospel is preached , as it hath been with us a long time , we must think it time to rouze up our selves from the beds of security , and awake by repentance out of the sleep of sin and impenitency , and to being forth fruits answerable to the gospel , and the means of grace . consider how unseemly it is in this day-time to go naked without putting on christ , to come abroad in the light with the loathsome rags of our natural pollutions , to be still in bed , to be busied in our night-works of darkness ; to behave our selves no otherwise than those who never saw the light . oh detest those courses of idleness , swearing , whoring and drunkeness , &c. as most unseemly in the day , most unfi● for the light ; put away the works of darkness , and put on the armour of light . 13. consider also , that as the sun at the same time and in the same place hardeneth one thing , and softeneth another : so the word is a means to soften some hearts , and an occasion ( though not a cause ) of greater hardeness to others : as the sun killed ▪ some things by its scorching heat , and quickneth other things ; so the word is to some the savour of life unto life , and to others the savour of death unto death . many other meditations may you gather by comparing this excellent creature of god with that more excellent word of god. sect . 2. now let us compare the sun with christ himself : he is called the sun of righteousness , of whom it was said , that he should arise with hea●ing in his wings , malach. 4 2. 1. the coming of the sun gladdeth the world : oh how joyfull was that news , when the sun of righteousness was reported to be risen upon the earth , when the angels said to the shepherds ; behold i bring you glad tidings of great joy , which shall be to all people , luk. 2.10 . oh how happy is the soul of a christian , when after a night of natural blindness , after a stormy night of errours in the conscience , this blessed sun riseth upon the soul , shineth upon the heart , dr●veth away clouds , darkeness , guilty fears , di●●rustfull th●ughts ! 2. as the sun is sometimes hidden , so sometimes christ doth withdraw the sence of his gracious presence from his beloved . the spouse in the song of songs sought long ere she could find him , when once he stepped aside . as the s●n returning maketh the earth which was benummed in winter , to spring and bring forth fruit again : so when christ is effectually present and united to the soul , he causeth a spring of grace and fruits of the spirit to arise in that soul. let the meditation hereof move thee to lament thy barrenness , and cry with that blessed martyr at the stake ; son of god shine upon me , shine upon my soul ; heal it , quicken it , make it fruitfull to thy glory . it is an argument that they are far from christ , who bring forth no fruits pleasing unto god , but yet remain in a carnal estate . 3. consider also that those fruits are most sweet and pleasant commonly which grow toward the sun-rising , and have the morning sun to ripen and bring them to perfection : so the zeal and obedience of the christians , who lived presently after our saviours resurrection in the primitive church , and in the times of the apostles , was most excellent : and so the graces and obedience of such as remember their creatour in the days of their youth , and consecrate the first f●uits of their time unto god , are exceeding pleasing and acceptable unto him . 4. when the sun setteth at night , and leaveth us in the dark , we doubt not but that he will return again : so when christ seemeth to withdraw himself from a faithful soul on which he hath cast the sweetest beams of comfort and refreshment : let such a one know for his comfort , that he will rise again : this night will not always last , though it be a long winters night , a tedious time of desertion , yet a dawning ; yea a perfect day will follow it , when the face of christ shall shine again upon it . again , as the sun never so setteth , as not to shine at all , but when it setteth to one part of the world , it ariseth to another : so christ never withdraweth his light from the whole world , but although he removeth from one nation , yet he shineth upon another ; he hath a church in all ages . 5. again , as among those fruits which grow in the earth , such as grow most toward the sun , are sweetest ; such as are most in the shade , are sowrest : so among those christians which are united unto christ , those who have more free and constant communion with him , partaking most of his spirit , keeping more close to him than others , they bring forth most sweet and savoury fruits of obedience , their services have a more pleasing and heavenly relish of the spirit in them , than theirs ; who though they partake of some life and warmth from christ , yet have it in aless degree , and are less careful to remove such things out of the sun as hide the face of christ from them . therefore this should move us to draw neer unto him , to dwell wi●h him , to walk i● the light of his countenance , then should we esteem his love to be better than life ; so should we delight more in him , and both we and our services would be more pleasing to him . ephesus was charged with the decay of first-love ; surely this decay of heat had never been , but that she had withdrawn her self from the sun ; she did not keep so close to christ as before : perha●s the world did get between christ and her heart , and kept off the heat , and thereupon she cooled . and as you shall see some ag●d person , whose blood is cold , to stand in the sun for warmth ; so let us close with christ iesus , come home to h●m , that we may receive heat from him ; and let us be more watchful that we step not aside from him in time to come . 6. as the sun is able more effectually to thaw and melt the frozen ice , than many thousand men with axes and bettles : so the presence of christ , and his love manifested to the soul , and shed into it , is more effectual in melting an hard frozen heart into sound godly sorrow , than a thousand threats or terrours of the law . therefore let not an afflicted soul put back the hand of god tendering unto it the offers of grace in christ-i●sus , because it is not yet sufficiently humbled ; but so long as its conscience beareth witness , that it seeketh not mercy for a cloak of sin , but for a motive to obedience , let it with confidence apply the promises , knowing that the apprehension of the love of christ shining upon the soul , is of all other the most ready and the most excellent means kindly and sweetly to melt and soft●n the heart , and to conform it to the will of god : this will make it yeeld , and fit it to receive any stamp of grace , that now it will be like wax before the fire , that will be moulded as it shall please the hand of god. therefore do not stand back from christ , because thou art sensible of too much hardeness in thy heart , but rather come to him ; that this hardeness may be removed , and thy heart may melt at his love . 7. let the glory and excellency of the sun make thee to admire the infinite glory and excellency of its maker : if the sun cannot long be look●d on with a steady-eye , oh then how doth god dwell in that light which cannot be approached unto , who can stand before him ? 〈◊〉 angels may well hide their faces at his presence ; where then shall man appear in the rags of his pollutions ? oh learn to contemn all the glory of the earth in comparison of his infinite excellency , who made the sun it self of nothing , which is more worth than the whole earth , and all its golden mines . learn to humble thy self before him , whose eyes are ten thousand times brighter than the sun , who knoweth many more faults in us than we can see in our selves , be we never so watchful , who is greater than our hearts , and knoweth all things . let it not seem incredible unto thee , that god should be every where present , and see all things in all places , seeing the sun , which is one of his creatures , and but apart of his fourth day's work , doth at once shine many hundred thousand miles , if you reckon how his light reacheth downward from heaven to earth , and that northward , southward , eastward , westward ; yea from heaven to heaven : for , when it is on the other side of the earth , it shineth on the moon on this side the earth , and causeth it to shine ; yea it shineth upon every tree , upon every little grass , and doth ( as it were ) in its kind , look upon the smallest thing . is it then to be doubted , that god , who can make a thousand suns as excellent as this , with a word , should be in all places at once , and see all things at one view ? even reason may teach us , that it is more strange , that the sun being a creature , should shine so far , and on so many creatures at once , than that the infinite god should be thus every where present , and see all things . yea , thou maist assure thy self , that as the sun is not polluted with the loathsome puddles and dunghils on which it shineth ; so neither is the lord by filling all places , even there where are the greatest pollutions . he is no farther from happiness in hell than in heaven ; for himself is hi● perfection and excellency , from whom no degree of happiness can be taken . 8. consider also the swiftness of the sun , which is beyond the thought of man : wonderful is the work of god in this regard , if we consider what an huge compass the earth hath , and then how the heavens are above the earth , so that the sun in twenty four houres doth not onely go round about the earth , but also round that huge compass between heaven and earth . i cannot conceive , but that it must needs go many hundred thousand miles in one hour . now , is it not easier for god to be every where at once , ●han for the sun to make such a speedy course ? yet notwithstanding , the time of thy life goeth as fast as the sun it self ; for it carrieth about , thy time , thy days , thy years , thine age with it . oh consider every time thou seest the sun in his race , my life runs along , and keepeth pace with this sun , a thousand times faster than any eagle can fly in the ayr ; i sit still , but my life runneth post ; i am idle , but my time is every moment in a speedy course ; nay , i go backward when my time runneth forward : woe is me , that i grow less careful in hastening on in my journey ; that i linger that i go out of the way , when my days are carried away upon the wings of the sun : oh call to god for quickening grace , that the spirit of god may lift thee up , and carry thee on in a farr more speedy course of holy obedience . when thou thy self lackest means to pass away the time , or hearest others complain in this regard , look up to the sun , and think with they self , doth not the sun go fast enough ? surely time goeth along with it , and never laggeth one inch behind it ; is it not a madness then to call for more help to drive it forward ? is there not much more cause to labour by all means to make hast after our time which we have already lost , which hath long since out-run us ? let us take time to bewail our loss of time , and be ashamed any more to complain of it , as if it were too slow-paced . 9. consider , that as the sun is not the authour , nor cause of darkness , when he taketh away his beams from us , but the darkness followeth upon his removal ; so god is not the authour of sin or blindness , when he most justly denieth his light and graces to the unworthy sons of adam , but that sin followeth thereupon : glorify his perfect purity , and do not conceive one thought against him , so as to enwrap him with thy self in guiltiness ; but say with the psalmist ; the lord is righteous in all his ways , and holy in all his works . thus much for the sun. sect . 3. now follow the moon and stars . the moon , which is appoin●ed to rule the night , is a creature where we may behold the glory of god , though more dimly shining than in the sun. 1. here see god's wisedome and goodness in mitigating the darkness of the night , that when the sun is out of sight , yet we should have a moon to give us some , though not so great a light ; and if both be sometimes absen● , yet then we have the stars to make some abatement of utter darkness . how wonderful was the lord in his works , who was pleased not onely to give us so great a light by day but also to set up candles for us in the heavens in the night time ? even so should we think also how the lord dealeth with his servants , if he take away the sun-shine of comforts from them , even fulness of joy , yet even then he leaveth some moon-light or star-light at the least ; some glimmerings whereby they conceive some hope , and are ( though not much cheered , yet ) supported . be thankful for the least degree ▪ and wait patiently for a greater measure ▪ seek to him , stand not in thine own light , let not thy soul refuse comfort : or if there be no moon or stars to be seen , by reason of the clouds , yet i am perswaded , that in the darkest night there is some little degree of light , though not scarcely to be discerned by us ; yet i do not think it is ever so dark as in those three nights before the sun was made : so in the greatest decay of grace , the greatest darkness of spiritual desertion , when there is scarce any degree of spiritual life , grace or comfort to be discerned ; yet in every true christian , who once was made a new creature , there is some degree ; and it is not with him , as it was before the sun of righteousness was risen upon him ; there is not that utter darkness that was upon his soul , while it was in that more confused chaos and heap of unregeneration . 2. the moon in respect of the sun , is as the church in respect of christ ; the moon borroweth her l●ght of the sun : so doth the church her graces , righteousness , and all her happiness of christ ▪ the sun of righteousness . what a poor creature is the moon ! how dark is it when the earth cometh between the sun and her ! how empty would the church be of all light , grace , comfort , if christ should be hidden from her ! when the moon is most enlightened by the sun , yet there are some dark spots to be disce●ned in her : so when the church is most replenished with the beams of this sun of righteousness , viz. the graces of christ-iesus , yet she hath her spots in this life , which shall never wholly be done away until the life to come , when she shall be presented by christ to the father ▪ not having spot or wrinckle , or any such thing : and therefore , to imagine a church on earth free from all blemishes , is , to fancy a moon without spots . 3. as the moon having received light from the sun , giveth light to others , so that they see by the light of the sun shining in the moon , and then reflecting from the moon upon the creatures here below : so the church , and every true member of it , having received the light of heavenly knowledge and sanctification from the sun , must cause this light to shine before men , that they may see his good works , and so be moved to glorify his father which is in heaven ; yea , to glorify christ-iesus , who is the sun from whom the light which shineth in their hearts , is derived and received . and to be wholly dark , and voyd of the fruits of holiness , is an argument that we have no communion with christ-iesus : you must therefore shine to others by an holy example , that they which will not see by the sun-shine of the word , may yet see by the moon-light of their lives derived from this sun. 4. again , as thou seest the moon to shine in a very dark night ; as it cannot chuse but shine having received light from the sun ; so in the midst of a most crooked generation in evil times , in places that abound with children of darkness , and works of darkness , a christian must not forbear to shine in holiness , having received light from iesus-christ . 5. the moon careth not , though thee vish persons hate her light , because it discovereth their works of darkness ; ●either doth she cease to shine because the dogs bark at her : so a christian having received light from christ , must not care though the wicked are offended at that light which shineth in his life , whereby their contrary practises are discovered the more clearly to be hateful works of darkness : neither must he cease to shew forth this light , because the doggish tongues of wicked railers and scoffers be moved against him : keep on in thy course , as the moon doth all this while , and let thy light shine before men , that even the night-walkers and children of darkness may be converted and convinced by it . 6. as the moon by being eclipsed , doth shew that the light it hath , is not its own , but is received from the sun , in as much as the body of the earth coming between the sun and it , is seen to take away her light ; which if she had of her self , she needed not to look toward another for it : so also the eclipses and intermissions of the acts of grace and motions of the spirit in a christian , do oftentimes make it manifest to himself , and sometimes to others too , that the light which he hath is not of himself , but received from christ , at whose pleasure it is either imparted or denied . therefore learn thou to work this good out of that evil , even by thy failings to see thy emptiness , and to give glory to him by whose free grace thou art what thou art . 7. again , as the moon is unconstant , and full of changes , and yet still receiveth some light ; so the church hath been in an unconstant unsetled condition , is full of changes , yet never without some light : she is sometime waxing , somtimes waning ; somtimes flourishing in grace , and in the purity and plenty of the word preached , like the full moon ; and then again declining , then again renewing ; so that though the moon be always visible , yet is she at somtimes but darkly visible ; so the church is always visible unto them who have eyes to see her , but at somtimes she maketh a dimmer appearance than at other . 8. moreover , as the moon when she is in conjunction with the sun , doth then shine less unto us , than when she is in opposition , one half space of heaven distant from it ; for when she is joined with the sun , she is at the change ; but when there is this diametrical opposition , she is at the full : so when christ was here in the flesh conversing with the church , it was then but in a mean condition , even in the change from judaism to christianism ; so that now presently it became a new moon , changed from a jewish synagogue to a christian church : but in short time after his ascension , through his spirit abundantly poured down upon it , when there was a diametrical opposition between him and it , then it was at the full ; and therefore he told them aforehand , that it was expedient he should go away from them , and then he would send the comforter , even his blessed spirit , whereby they should be made to shine more brightly in knowledg and graces than before whilst he was with them . sect . 4. the stars also , those glistering pearls of the orb of heaven , are notable and bright evidences of an infinite and most glorious creatour ; every one doth set forth his praise , even as if the heavens had as many tongues as stars to proclaim his excellency to the earth . 1. admire him therefore in the numberless multitude of the stars ; admire him in their constant and orderly motions : admire him that telleth the number of the stars , and calleth them all by their names . think of the star that guided the wise men unto christ , and pray that the day star may rise in thine heart . 2. consider how bright the stars shine in a cold night , and think how thy soul should shine in grace in time of adversity . 3. consider that neither moon nor stars do carry any special brightness in the presence of the sun ; and though the moon be seen . yet she shineth but dimmely , or not at all ; but the stars are not apparent : so the church in general hath no excellency in comparison of the excellency of christ : and as for the particular members , they are like stars after sun rising ; their beauty is scarce to be discerned . 4. remember our saviours comparison , who calleth the ministers of the church , stars which he holdeth in his right hand . rev. 1. and therefore think , that as the stars are the ornaments of the heaven , so are faithful ministers the ornaments of the church , and not esteemed by christ , as they are by the world , the off-scouring of all things . 5. consider those comets or blazing-stars ; though they make a greater blaze than the true stars of heaven , yet were they never fixed in the heavens , and therefore are soon extinguished : so those hypocrites , that make but a blaze for a time , they were but meteors wandring in the air of unstable affections , not fixed in the church , nor engraffed into christ. 6. as the stars are numblerless ; so are the heirs of glory , though far short of the reprobates : let the hope of a glorious condition like that of the stars , make thee heavenly-minded , and teach thee to comfort thy self in god , who hath provided such great things for thee . chap vii . meditations on the fifth days work. sect . 1. come we now to the fifth day , which with us is usually called thursday ; the story of which days work we have laid down in gen. 1.20 , 21 , 22 , 23. wherein the waters were furnished with fishes , and other creatures that live there ; and the air with fouls , and such creatures as live in it . 1. here consider , that after those four days , when the heavens were furnished with lights ▪ and the earth beautified with plants springing out of it by vertue of the word of god ; yet all this while there was not one creature throughout the whole creation , that had sense , or power to move from place to place ; not one fly , or the least thing moving in the air ; not one fish swimming throughout the seas , rivers , or other waters ; not one worm creeping on the earth ▪ here then admire the wonderful power and wisdom of god , who on the fifth day by his all-commanding word filled the air with multitudes of creatures flying there , the waters with abundant of fish●s swimming there : this was done even in a moment . consider what numberless swarms there were both of fouls and fishes brought forth on the fifth day ; whereas the very day before , there was not one of any kind to be found in any part of the creation . and as the wisdom of god joined these two sorts of creatures together , so he made in many respects a special affinity between them ; as the fouls are covered with feathers , so the fishes with scales : as the fouls move in the air , so do the fishes in that element which cometh nearest the nature of the air : as the fouls have wings to fly withall , so the fishes have ●innes whereby they swimme ; and that is a motion very like to that of flying : yea some of either kind do communicate with each other in their element for , as we have water-fouls , so there have been flying-fish in great abundance : so that here you may magnifie the wisdome of god , who in the day that these creatures were made , did imprint upon them such properties and qualities , as should be evidences to the end of the world in some sort , that they were but the work of one and the same day . 2. consider here , that as the lord hath appointed the fouls to fly in the air , and the fishes to swimme in the sea , confining each to his own element for the general , though some few particulars be suffered to live in both ; this should teach us to walk within the compass of our callings , and not to think we shall mend our selves in a different element , or another kind of course , without some special cause . some few may have some special warrant to change their callings , as amos to leave his flock , and teach the people ; and peter to leave his nets , and fish for men . these had an immediate call from god ; and so i dare not deny , but that in case of great necessity , when the church is destitute of able ministers , some well-studied in the scriptures , and experienced in the mysteries of grace , may take upon them the office of the ministry , being lawfully separated unto that function : yet this will prove no more that every one may at his pleasure run from the shop to the pulpit , than it will follow , that all the fishes in the sea may fly up into the air , because some few do so . and this should especially ●each christians , who are called unto holiness , to take heed how they leave their element . they are bidden to walk in the spirit , even as birds fly in the air , and in this element they must keep : for as the air giveth breath unto the fouls that fly in it , so the sanctifying spirit giveth the new life unto those that walk in him ; the waters would choak and drown the fouls if they should fall into them : so sin is that which endangereth the spiritual life , when a christian falleth into it . the air giveth a speedy flight and motion to the birds , whereas the waters would wet their wings , and cause them to move but slowly if they fall into it : so the spirit , when a christian walketh in it , carrieth him along with winged-affections , and setteth his heart in a speedy motion upon the things of god , making him ready unto every good work ; but if he fall into sin , which is like the waters of the dead sea , that lake of sodom , his heart is like a bird drenched in water , his affections are deaded , his heart moveth but slowly ; yea many times he lieth for dead , and there is scarce any motion of the spirit to be discerned in him . and as in such cases , a foul had need of more than ordinary means to help , as to be held over a warm fire , &c. so a christian , that he may recover his wings again , and have his heart spiritually affected , and enlarged toward god , had need of special humiliation , special meditation , p●aier , and other warming and quickening means to raise him up . 3. as the air giveth breath and motion , so also it giveth support to the birds , and it carrieth them even as the earth doth the beasts , which go up and down upon it : so doth the spirit also give support unto all that are born of the spirit . they are kept by the mighty power of god through faith unto salvation . if it were not ordinary , it might seem strange , that the air which none can see , being so thin a substance , should carry so many millions of souls as there are in it flying up and down ; wonderful is the power of the blessed invisible spirit , who supporteth so many thousand christians by his sanctifying vertue against all the powers of darkness . 4. as these birds do now live in the air , so were the fouls created in the air at the first : so whosoever walketh in the spirit , was also born of the spirit ; he had his begining in this element . 5. consider , that as the birds , although they live and move in the air , yet they come down to receive some refreshment from the earth : so the lord alloweth his children to receive some nourishment from the earth , and to partake of its refreshments ; yet so , as they must not delight in the earth as in their element , nor in the things of the earth as their chiefest contentment : but like the birds of heaven , having supplied their necessities , must be ready to soar aloft again , and not in their affections be still groveling here below . 6. you see how sparingly the birds take of the water ; a bird doth not drink like a beast , it rather sippeth : so should a christian sparingly use the pleasures of this life ; rather sipping like the bird , than swilling like the swine . as for those that give themselves to drink down iniquity like water , and to commit sin with greediness , they are none of those who have their conversation in heaven ; nay , those that glut themselves with earthly pleasures , knowing no better contentments than in such things as please the senses ; the appetite ▪ the eyes , ears , tast , &c. they are none of those that are born up by the spirit of god above the earth . consider how little contenteth one of these creatures , and then learn to be ashamed that thine appetite is so much beyond thy necessity , and practise mortification . as far as we can guess , the birds take more delight in flying and singing , than they do in feeding , and therefore they have soon done with this : so should a christian be more delighted in conversing with god , in walking in the spirit , in running the ways of his commandments , than in serving the necessities of nature : yea , it should be his meat and drink to do the will of god , as it is a delight to the bird to sing and soar aloft . again , as the bird useth not these things , so as to make her unfit to fly ; so a christian must not abuse meat and drink , so as to clogg and dull his spirits , and make him more dull and dead in the service of god ; but so to refresh himself , that he may be the more chearful and lively in his heavenly flight . 7. as the bird not sowing nor gathering into barnes ( as our saviour telleth us ) yet is fed by our heavenly father ; so should a child of god depend upon his providence without distrustful eares against the providence of god , though not without moderate and christian cares , which serve the providence of god. 8. as the bird having found somwhat to satisfie its hunger , by its chirping , calleth others to partake with it : so should christians chearfully invite others to partake with them of those things that god hath given them , and not like the hog , grunt and wrangle at any that feedeth near them . 9. as the bird doth not so much as light upon the ground without the all-guiding providence of god , mat. 10. so should a christian learn to depend upon the providence and protection of god , who is of far greater price in the esteem of his heavenly father , than many sparrows : know certainly , that thy hairs are numbred , and that none of them can fall to the ground without thy heavenly father . 10. consider , that as when the bird flyeth highest , it taketh least notice of earthly things , and is least moved with them , and affected toward them ; so when a christian is most raised in spiritual affections to the greatest height of heavenly-mindedness , keeping nearest heaven , then is the earth farthest out of sight , and he is least moved with the things here below , and best able to contemn earthly vanities : he is too far above these to be much affected toward them . therefore this should make us think of the exhortation of the apostle , mind the things which are above : and this should teach us to help our selves against earthly affections and fleshly lusts . think with thy self , what is the reason that i am so earthly-minded , that my affections are so engaged to this or that in the world , yet i cannot come off , nor free my self , that i can scarce perswade my own heart to be without these and these things ; it is this , because my heart is not carried aloft ; it draweth too near the ground , it withdraweth too much from god : if i should keep up my heart closer to god , these things would be out of sight ; the earth would seldome be in my thoughts , at least not so as to work much upon my affections . on the other side , you see that those birds which use so much upon the ground , they fly but softly , as may be seen by those that use about our houses : so also those christians , that are much taken up with the dealings and business of the world , they fly but softly , have but slow affections , and sluggish motions to the things of god ; they go but coldly about good duties : and therefore we should pray for a greater measure of the spirit to bear us upward . 11. consider also , that as the bird can mount up into the air , and yet light upon the earth too , and receive some refreshment there ; whereas the beast cannot mount up and live in the air : so a christian can , and may partake of the natural comforts and refreshments of this life , though in a moderate manner and measure , as well as the natural man. but the natural man cannot mount up to heaven , cannot live in the air , cannot live by the spirit , he hath no relish of spiritual things . the spiritual man judgeth all things ▪ he can discern what is in nature , but himself is judged of no man , his excellency cannot be discerned by the eye of nature . 12. again , as the birds live in a stormy element , and feel much alteration of weather , heat cold , winds , &c. as the air is the most unsetled of all other parts of the creation : so christians do live in a condition subject to manifold alterations , subject to many stormes of persecution , and temptation . and as the birds are then especially in danger by snares and ginnes , when they are upon the earth ; to which they are not subject , when they are aloft in the air ; so a christian is then in danger to be ensnared and entangled when he dealeth with earthly things , and is most affected to the things below : when he is most heavenly-minded , then is he most out of danger of these snares . 13. the birds in the air meet with birds of prey there also , which are ready to seize upon them , and destroy them : so the devil , who is called the prince that ruleth in the air , doth especially chuse to assault those that walk in the spirit , even then when they are most spiritual , endeavouring to pull down those that are highest in the favour of god , as david , &c. therefore special watchfulness must be used by such . 14. as the birds are of all other living creatures , the most chearful : as they are highest above the earth , and nearest heaven : so should a christian labour of all other men to be most chea●ful , & replenished with heavenly joys , as he is nearer heaven , and farther from the earth than others : god is infinite in all goodness and happiness ; and the nearer to god , the more happy , and the greater cause of chearfulness . as the birds are most chearful in a clear sun-shiny day : so is a christian , when the light of gods countenance shineth on him . as the birds sing most chearfully after a sweet refreshing showr ; so should a christian go away most cheared from the word of god , when it hath distilled upon him as the dew of heaven . as the birds are merry in the spring ; so a christian is , when there is a spring and encrease of grace in his soul , and a nearer approach of the sun of righteousness , and a special warmth of gods love is shed abroad into his heart . as the birds by chirping do set others on singing , and many join together in consort : so one christian should draw another by example to yeild up sweet songs of praise to god , and many should join together with one spirit to glorifie the lord. as the birds sing , although they know not where to have their next supply of food : so should a christian labour , out of the providence , love , and promise of god , to gather matter of chearfulness and contentedness , even then when he seeth no special means for supply in outward things . moreover , as the bird singeth although she be in the cage ; so a christian must rejoice in his afflictions , and like paul and silas , sing in fetters : as it is reported of the nightingale , that she setteth her breast against a thorn to keep her waking , that she may not through sleep cease to sing : so a christian must even enforce himself to spiritual watchfulness , and use special means to keep his heart awake , that he may shew forth , and sing out the praises of god , even in the night ; that is , at such times when others sleep in sin , and care not to honour the lord. finally , as a bird preferreth her liberty in the wood or hedge , before a dwelling in a princes pallace , where she hath her meat continually brought unto her : so a christian preferreth that spiritual liberty , whereby his heart is freed from the fetters of sinful lusts , above the greatest earthly estate in the world , with thraldome under sin , and want of an enlarged spirit . sect 2. we might also speak of many particulars among the birds . 1. the stork may teach children their duty toward their parents ; of which it is said , that as the old nourisheth her young , so the young nourish the old again ; a lesson which many children have not yet learned , though this unreasonable creature teach it . so the turtle may teach conjugal love between husband and wife , these ( as it is reported ) being so so constant and entire unto each other . the pellican may teach special love of parents toward their children , who is said to feed her young wi●h her own blood ; especially , it may make us with all thankfulness and holy admiration to bless christ jesus for his unspeakable love to us , who gave his body to be meat indeed , and shed his blood to be drink indeed , whereby we might be fed , and live for ever . the ostrich , in leaving her eggs in the sand , and not considering that the foot may crush them , is an image of careless unnatural parents , who use no christian providence in behalf of their children . 2. as those birds of prey , and ravenous fouls , make use of that advantage which they have in height and strength , to seize upon divers things here below ; so many oppressours , and greedy worldlings abuse that advantage which they have in wealth and power , to seize upon the estates of others that are below them , and not able to make resistance . and as those ravenous birds are of all other the most hateful ; so these greedy and over-bearing oppressours do carry the curse and de●estation of the country with them . again , as some birds hate the light ; so some men , in love to the works of darkness , cannot endure the light that shineth in the ministry of the word , or in the conversations of the godly . 3. consider also , that as the fouls do gather and cherish their young ones under their wings ; so the lord doth shrowd his children under the wings of his protection : and as the little ones are thereby safe against the ravenous birds ; so the godly are thus sheltered against cruel enemies and manifold dangers . as the young ones are cherished and refreshed by this means with a kindly warmth ; so the godly are wonderfully refreshed in the bosome of gods love , with a lively and most comfortable warmth from the presence and favour of god. and as the young ones , after a storm , are apt to stray abroad , and play about in the sun again , untill the kite be ready to seize upon them : so the children of god , in time of prosperity , are apt to withdraw themselves from that near communion with god , untill that prince of the air flying all about , and seeking his prey , do fall upon them with some dangerous temptation . 4. as the birds are affrighted and driven away from the corn when one of them is killed , and hanged up there for terror to the rest . so should men learn by others punishments to abstain from things forbidden . gods judgments upon many swearers , drunkards , oppressours , adulterers , scoffers at godliness , railers , persecuters , unnatural children , &c. should skare away others from those sins which have proved so deadly and dangerous to the former . when herods carkass was eaten up with worms , it was a fair warning to all the enemies of gods word and ministers , such as herod was . and he that not long since hanged himself in this parish , after he had continued long in a course of railing against the minister that then was , may justly be thought to be hanged up by the special providence of god , as a dreadful skare-crow to all other tongues set on fire of hell in the like kind . 5. again , we may here think of solomons comparison ; as a bird , when it is in hand , may soon make an escape , and never be seen again : so riches get themselves wings ; saith he , riches vanish away many times like a bird in the air , and the owner can never catch them nor come near them again : if the father hold fast , the son lets them fly ; or if the son be as sure of his hand as the father , yet the next heir letteth go his hold ; or the lord himself by some special judgment or other cutteth the string , and they are gone ; especially when men get wealth as ●oulers catch birds with snares , nets or ginns , by unlawful means , or too much niggardly sparing . this should teach us not to make much account of these things , much less to purchase them with the loss of everlasting life . 6. in a word ! we may here consider the wonderful wisdom and excellency of the lord , in the abundant variety of these winged creatures , in the beauty of many of them , in the swiftness of many and most of them ; the variety of kinds , of colours , of quantity , of quality . and to those we must refer those lesser sorts of creatures , viz. bees , flies , wasps , hornets , locusts , caterpillers ; yea , the least gnats , or whatsoever flieth in the air ; all which might yeild us much matter of meditation and admiration . gloriously doth the wisdom and goodness of god appear in the little bees , which are said to have their king whom they follow and obey , which out of many flowers suck that which they digest into honey , and set it into such a frame of the comb , as no wit of man can make the like . this honey , as sweet as it is ! yet every child of god must get such a spiritual relish , that like david , he may find the word of god more sweet than it . and as the honey is both pleasant and nourishing , 〈◊〉 is the word to that soul which hath a spiritual appetite . but in one respect the bee may put thee in mind of the nature of sin , which carrieth honey in the mouth , but a sting in the tail : therefore we should hereby learn not to be deceived with the seeming sweetness which sin bringeth at the first , but to beware and tremble at that venemous and smarting sting which it leaveth behind . again , as flies are most busie in the sun , so are temptations in prosperity : and as the flies are apt to light upon that part of the body where there is a fore ; so is satan wont to assault the soul where it is weakest , and to take advantage of those corruptions that do most prevail in in the heart . and as when flies are beaten away , they come again very speedily ; so when satans temptations are resisted , and put back , another swarm of flies is at hand , other temptations are ready to assault : and of this especially , christians have experience when they are pestered with blasphemous thoughts cast into their minds by satan : against which they must take comfort , in that by the power of the spirit they are enabled to renew their resistance , even as the assaults are renewed . sect . 3. the other sort of creatures made this day were the fishes , wherewith the sea and rivers were wonderfully stored : admirable were these works of the lord , and his wonders in the deep ; and it is thought , that of all sensible creatures in the world , there is the greatest numbers of fishes ; yea , and some kinds of them of the greatest bulk and bigness of any other creature that liveth and moveth ; their abundance appeareth in the story of the creation , gen. 1.20 . and god said , let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life ; and ver . 21. it is said , the waters brought forth abundantly . and again ▪ v. 22. be fruitful , and multiply , and fill the waters in the seas . he saith of the fouls , let them multiply ; but he doth not say , let them fill the air , as he biddeth the fishes to fill the waters . and as the lord gave this extraordinary power of multiplication to the fishes of the sea , so they enjoy this grant of his unto this day ; and as may be seen by the rowes of fishes , they bring forth thousands at once , insomuch that it hath been used as a phrase of speech , to encrease as the fish , imploying an extraordinary encrease . here admire the wonderfull goodness of god , in providing so abundantly for us ; not only by these creatures , which we daily see walking in the fields , or flying in the air , but also by an innumerable multititudes of fishes covered under water ▪ abounding in the seas and rivers . sect . 4. 1. the greatness of some fishes is as admirable as the multitude . pliny in his natural history reporteth , that about arabia have whales been found six hundred foot in length , and three hundred and sixty foot in breadth ; so , that if his report be true , the length should seem to be above the sixth part of a mile , six hundred foot making two hundred paces , and a thousand paces making a mile . howsoever ! the greatness of these fishes is admirable , as the experience sheweth of our merchants daily trafficking toward greenland to take them ; and they are far greater than any other living creature in the world , which should make us to magnifie the admirable power and infinite greatness of him that made them . oh lord our god , how wonderful are thy works in all the world ! and the holy text it self takes notice in special of this creatures greatness , gen. 1.21 . god created great whales . admirable it is in these fishes , that whereas the beasts and birds cannot live , if they be kept any long time under water : these on the other side , cannot live unless they be under water . so whereas a christian liveth by the spirit , and it is the life of his life , and the joy of his heart to partake of the spirit , and to be conversant in the ordinances of god : on the other side , it is even death to a carnal heart to be exercised this way , and he thinketh not himself a free man , untill he is let loose from these . the fish , though it live , yet it is not lively , but lieth almost for dead when it is in the open air out of the waters : and the natural man , though he be alive , not yet dead , yet is he not lively , but like one as good as dead when he is taken out of his element , and restrained by any means from his beloved sins , and tyed to holy duties in publick or in private : he hath no life in these things , his heart is dead toward them . 2. and as the fish living in the salt waters remaineth fresh , so a carnal man living in the church , and in the middest of the means of grace , remaineth in his unsavoury natural condition , not having the salt of mortification , whereby to eat out his corruptions and dead flesh , and make him an acceptable sacrifice unto god ( as it is said , every sacrifice must be salted with salt ) though he live under the word , yet he carrieth no relish of the word in his heart and life . therefore we must not onely look what means we have , but how these means do work upon us , whether we be transformed into the word : for a man to imagine ▪ that he is therefore a christian , because he heareth christ preached , is as idle as to say , the fish must needs be salt , because it liveth in the salt waters . 3. again , in that the lord feedeth such innumerable multitudes of fishes in the waters , by what means we cannot imagine : so should we be confident that he will provide for us , though the means as yet seem to be hidden from us : for , though some of the greater fishes do feed upon the lesser , yet it cannot be imagined , how such an admirable number of them should be continually supplied ; but the lord al-sufficient openeth his hand of bounty , and filleth them with good things . 4. wonderful is the work of god in the strange variety of kinds , in the strange shapes of these creatures : insomuch that it is thought there be few beasts on earth , but that there be fishes in the sea which resemble them : so they speak of sea-calves , sea-horses , &c. wonderful strange are the properties of some fishes , which the al-mighty creator hath given them . pliny speaketh of a little fish like a great snail , which by cleaving to a ship under sail , and driven with strong winds , will stay it , that it shall not be able to go forward ; and that even about his own time , the gally of the emperour caligula was held fast by one of these against the uttermost endeavour of four hundred mariners with their oars . it were strange , that a man of his dignity and place in the common-wealth , should expose himself as a laughing-stock to the common people in reporting so notorious a lie concerning a thing done in his own time , and his own countrey : therefore for my part , i conceive it to be true , and being supposed to be true , how wonderfully doth it set forth the admirable power and wisdom of god! and in this particular example it is to be thought , that the great god did purposely befool the madness of this arrogant emperour , who would take upon him to be god , and required ( among other people ) the jews also to yeild him divine honour : here now let this wretched man take notice of his own godhead , that cannot stir against a poor fish like a snail , with the help of the winds , and four hundred oars , when the true and living god shall appoint it to stop his course . wonderful also is that property given to the fish called torpedo , which , if it be taken with a net , so soon as the fisher takes hold of the net wherein this fish is , though he doth not touch the fish it self , yet presently , it is said , his hand will be benumed , and he shall lose the use of it for the present , as if it were taken with a dead palsey . this is not only reported by pliny in the place fore-cited , but zabarel ( as i remember ) also discourseth of that point in natural phylosophy , shewing how natural agents do agere per contactum , and bringeth in this by way of objection . the wisdome of the creator is notably seen in this , and we may consider of it , that those who with nets of fraud , and indirect means , do fish for things of this life , their wealth proveth to them like this fish ; it worketh a kind of dead palsie in their consciences , which in such men usually become seared and past feeling ; it worketh a kind of dead palsie also in their hands , which do not freely open to receive the necessities of others ; for , commonly they who are unjust getters , are also niggardly keepers ; this tropedo in the net , taketh away that charitable use to which their hands should be put ; they come hardly by that which they have , viz. with the loss and forfeiture of their own souls , and therefore are loath to part with it to supply others . 5. the unseemliness appearing in some fishes going backwards , should make us consider , how shameful and unseemly it is for a christian to go backward in the ways of god , cooling in zeal , slackning his pace begun : the lord saith , if any man draw back , my soul shall have no pleasure in him , heb. 10.38 . we must therefore stir up our selves with st. paul , to reach and press forward toward the mark , and prize of the high calling that i● in christ iesus , phil. 3.13 , 14. 6. you see the fish by catching at the bait , swalloweth down the hook , and so by the greediness in getting it , loseth it self : this should put us in mind of our carnal folly , who by catching at such things which satan offeret , h pleasing to our corrupt affections , are caught our selves , and take a ready course to lose our souls by satisfying our lusts : let us not then so much set our eyes upon the bait , but especially have our thoughts upon the hook which lyeth under it . chap. viii . meditations on the sixth days work. i proceed to the sixth and last day of the creation , with us usually called fryday , wherein the lord made those creatures that furnish the earth , namely the beasts and creeping things , and then man in the last place , as the lord of the rest . first of the former , those unreasonable creatures ; for of man i purpose to speak afterwards more at large ▪ and in these creatures brought forth out of the earth , the admirable power , wisdom and goodness of god is manifested . 1. consider with astonishment , how in a moment , at the word of the lord , out of the dead womb of the earth issued multitudes of beasts , great and small , and creeping things : lions , bears , tygers , unicornes , horses , all sorts of cattle , &c. and that of a just size , every way in their several kinds for strength , stature , and other properties . and here consider , that the least creature that crawleth upon the earth , is a part of gods own work ; even every creeping thing , as the text saith . and in these the lords omnipotency appeareth , the least worm being a work of an al-mighty power ; yea doubt not , but as the least are the works of his hands , so the least are within the compass of his al-guiding providence . and if the least creeping thing be within the lords care , and receive its maintenance from him , wherefore are ye doubtful o ye of little faith ? will god feed the worms , and let his children starve ? 2. wonderful is the strength , wonderfull is the swiftness of many beasts ; wonderful is their variety in kind , bigness ▪ quality , voice , &c. consider the wonderful strength and courage of the lion ; and then consider the excellency of that glorious lion of the tribe of iudah , christ jesus , who ( as the prophet saith ) travelleth in the greatness of his strengtb , and is mighty to save , isa. 63.1 . he is as a lion unto his enemies to destroy them ; therefore kiss the son , left he be angry ; submit to christ , lest he tear you in pieces as a lion , and there be none to deliver : he is as a lion to defend his people against their enemies ; this lion is too strong for that old red-dragon , and will crush his head , and tread him under his feet . and as sampson , having killed the lion , found sweet refreshment in the dead carkass of the same , which occasioned his riddle wherewith he posed the philistines : sweetness came out of the strong one , and meat out of the e●ter ▪ iudg. 14.14 . so our saviour , this lion of the tribe of iudah , being slain for the sins of the world , yeilded sweet nourishment and refreshment to those who feed on him by faith ; so that out of this strong one cometh sweetest meat for hungry souls : yea , as the lion yeilded pleasant nourishment to him that slew him ; so doth christ to the faithful , who slew him by their sins : yea , many of those , who in a more special manner did join in sheding his blood , did feed on him by faith , as appeareth by the fruit of st. peters sermon , act. 2. again , the lords voice in the ministry of the word , is compared to the roaring of a lion. when the lion roareth , who doth not tremble ? when the lord speaketh , who will not prophesie ? amos 3.8 . this voice of the lord should rouze up sleepy sinners from their pillows of deep security , and make them tremble at the word of the lord with an holy fear , and not trample it under foot , nor cast it behind their backs with an hellish scorn . miserable is their folly , who are more afraid of the barking of dogs , than of the roaring of this lion ; more afraid to do those duties , which the wicked scoffe and rail at , than to do those sins which the lord in his word forbiddeth and condemneth upon pain of everlasting destruction . read at large , how the lord in the book of iob , setteth forth the excellency of the elephant , or behemoth of the unicorn , of the warlike horse , and that of purpose to over-awe iob with an apprehension of his infinite majesty , by a due consideration of the excellency of these creatures . these things were not spoken to him alone , but to us also . 3. consider what multitudes there be of cruel savage beasts in the world , which the lord so restraineth , that they do not over-run man-kind ; which should make us admire his infinite power in curbing them , his infinite-goodness in preserving us . 4. consider of what use many of these creatures are to us ; especially those which are most common among us . what supply of milk do the kine afford us ? what fleeces of wool do the sheep yeild us ? what store of strong , wholesome , and pleasant nourishment do their bodies yeild us ? and what labour is bestowed about these ? when we have eaten of these and are full ; when we are cloathed by these and are warm , then should we take heed lest we forget god , of whom we have received all . 5. among other things , we should observe the lords goodness in giving us divers of these creatures to do our work , to carry our burthens , to bear our selves . what benefits do we daily receive by the labour of the oxe , plowing our ground , and doing us necessary services many ways ? how serviceable is the horse unto us , both for speed and ease ; carrying us from place to place ? wonderful is the goodness of god in making these creatures , far stronger than our selves , to yeild to us ; not using their strength to resist us , but to do us service . therefore we should not at any time use any of these creatures ▪ but that we should be moved to lift up thankful hearts to god for this mercy , which we would think worthy of much admiration , if they were not so common among us ; but on the other side , we should think , the more we have of them , the more thankfulness we owe to god for them . 6. consider , that as a man hath in him the senses of a beast , and somthing more excellent , as reason and understanding ; so a christian hath nature in him , and somthing above nature , even the spirit of regeneration . and as some beasts have some things in them wherein they excel man , as the lion in strength , the horse in swiftness , &c. yet the meanest man is naturally more excellent than the most excellent among the beasts : so , though the children of this world do in some thi●gs outstrip the children of light ; as many times in beauty , strength , wit , outward carriage , policy , civil deportment , &c. yet the meanest true christian is more excellent than his best carnal neighbour , in regard of the image of god restored to him . 7. again , seeing the beasts have those pleasures whereof the senses are capable , this should perswade us , that these are not the most excellent delights , but that there are purer , higher , more heavenly delights , which suit better with an intellectual immortal soul : and this should teach us to bewail our brutish affections , which carry us so strongly after sensual delights of the eye , the ear , the taste , &c. as if we had no better souls than the beasts . solomon saith , the spirit of a beast goeth downward , and the spirit of a man goeth ●pward , eccles. 3.21 . so it should be in our affections , our souls should go upward , reaching toward the things above , and not go down-ward , enthralling themselves to these sensual things here below , like the spirits of the beasts . 8. as the beasts do bear our burthens , so should we willingly bear those burthens , and do those services which god requireth . how wouldest thou rage , if thy beast should continually fling and cast thee , and those things which thou layest upon it ! and are not we herein worse than beasts that perish , when with froward spirits we fling and kick at the lords commandements , and do not willingly and obediently submit unto them ? of the creation of man. chap. i. gen. 1.27 . so god created man in his own image , in the image of god created he him , male and female created he them . sect 1. the rest of the creatures being made , the supream lord of heaven and earth was pleased to make man after his own image , to be his deputy here on earth , and under him a lord of the other creatures , which being a principal work requiring special attention , the holy ghost setteth down the consultation of the trinity about it , and sheweth us how it was accordingly performed in these words , where you may take notice of three things , which you may take as so many several points of doctrine : i. that god created man , ii. that god created both sexes , man and woman , male and female . iii. that god made man in his own image . for the first , that god created man : this is that kind of creature ( as we have said ) partly visible , partly invisible ; and so his creation is to be considered according to his several parts : first then , consider the creation of mans body , and then of his soul. the creation of mans body is but briefly laid down , gen. 2.7 . and the lord god formed man of the dust of the ground ; that is , his body : where , though the dust of the ground be mentioned , yet i conceive that the matter of mans body was tempered with the other elements , although the earth was that which bare the greatest bulk , and made up the greatest part of the substance in the body . now to set forth the excellency of the creatour , it may not be amiss briefly to consider of the notable workmanship of mans body , whereof the psalmist speaketh , psal. 139.14 ▪ 15 , &c. and in it may be considered , the general frame , the particular parts . 1. in the general frame , is to be observed a notable and excellent temper of body , consistin●●f divers humours admirably composed and mixed together , and fitted so , as to be a serviceable instrument of the soul ; this was in full perfection when god made it , for we mus● not judge of it according to those distempers , whereunto the body now is subject ; yet now in some tempers above others there is some degree of evenness , which giveth us a shadow of that exactness that was at the first . but in that state of ●reation , there was not the least defect nor disorder in the temper of the body , nothing which a man could have wished to have been otherwise than it was ; the constitution and complexion of the body , and so the colour and appearance of it was perfect and exact : for as every thing w●s good in its kind , so man especially had his due natural perfection every way . 2. as there was this perfect temper , and so an excellent constitution , so there was a just and due proportion : the whole body had its just stature , and every part its due measure : it was exactly shaped and framed ; nothing wanting ; nothing exceeding ; nothing beyond ; nothing short of the due size . and this exactness both of temper and proportion , made up the perfect beauty and comliness , which god gave to the body of man in his creation . 3. in the general frame also , we may consider the upright and erected posture of mans body , in which regard he was permitted to look up to heaven ; and an excellent majesty was given him , as a lord and ruler over the other creatures , who were made to bow down their back in subjection unto him ; and by the very stooping of their body to do him homage , and acknowledge his dominion over them : and thus much for the general frame . sect . 2. now come we to the particular parts , and therein let us consider , i. those that are contained in the rest , namely the blood and spirits . 1. for the blood , you know it is an excellent part of the body , and of absolute necessity , insomuch that the blood is said to be the life of the body , which must not be understood directly , as the words seem to imply , as if the life of a man were nothing but his blood , for that is not possible : if that were so , then nothing could live which hath no blood : but this is certain , that bees , and many other like creatures have no blood , and yet have life : it would also follow , that so many drops of a mans blood as he loseth , so much he loseth of his life ; whereas many times the evacuation of blood is the preservation of life . and ( that which is most absurd ) it would follow , that a mans life might be severed from him , and yet remain for a time after such separation : for so you see , that the blood of men , and of other creatures , may be kept a long time in vessels after it is severed from the body . and besides all this ; the angels , who have neither blood , nor other bodily parts , have life in greater perfection than a man. thus then we understand these places that speak of the the blood , that it is a special instrument of the soul , whereby life is convayed to the several parts of the body by reason of the spirits , which are a kind of airy invisible substance ( yet bodily ) arising like vapours ●rom the purest part of the blood : for although it be said , the life is in the blood , yet this is because the blood is a thing which is more obvious to the senses than the spirits ; and again , because it is the nursery , and as it were the fuel of the spirits , whereby ( as by a precious oyl ) the lamp and flame of life is cherished and maintained : so that life is more immediately in the spirits than in the blood . again , life is lost by the shedding of the blood , because the spirits ( the immediate instruments of the soul whereby it communicateth life to the body ) are extinguished by the shedding of the blood , even as the flame goeth out when the wood is qui●e taken away ; and so in this respect also the blood is said to be the life of the creature . moreover , consider the spirits , whereof somewhat hath already been spoken by the way . these are called spirits , not , but that they are bodily substances ▪ but , because they have the least grossness in them of all other parts of the body , and come nearest to a spiritual nature . and these are indeed the immediate instruments of the soul , and being as it were of a middle nature between the soul and body , they are a common tye or bond between them both , uniting both together . these are of most excellent use in the body throughout the parts , they convay life , sence , and motion to them all : they are in special manner employed in the more retired and spiritual actions of the soul , in the exercise of reason and understanding , in the serious thoughts and meditations of the heart : by it the pain or delight of one part of the body is convayed and imparted to the rest , and a sympathy or fellow feeling is derived from one to the other ; and in these the singular wisdome of the creator is notably manifested . sect . 3. the parts containing these , are in the next place to be considered ; where first , the head is that which is set in the highest place , and is full of most curious workmanship : it is the seat both of the outward and inward senses ; and as all the outward senses are placed there , so none of the five are to be found in any other part of the body , except that of the touch or feeling , which is the lowest and grossest of the rest . there is the eye , of a singular and most curious making , which is the instrument of seeing ; the very window of this house , that letteth in light to the soul , which otherwise would dwell in a dark dungeon . it is an admirable thing to consider , how by the wonderful power and wisdome of god , all colours have his property to caff sorth a resemblance and image of themselves , whic● by the air is convayed into the eye : if this were well considered and understood , it would be found one of the most wonderful works of the creation , setting forth the creators glory . but ye may conceive it thus : when a looking-glass is held before the face , instantly there is an image of the face in the glass : now the glass cannot frame such an image in it self , for then it should be there as well when the face is turned away : wherefore it must be of necessity , that the face doth at all times in the light cast forth an image of it self : and the glass doth only hold it by reason of the lead at the backside , whereby this image is stayed , and not suffered to pass through , and vanish . and so doth every thing that hath colour , cast forth an image of it self at all times , which being received into the eye , presently the thing is seen , and perceived by the eye : which is an admirable thing to consider , that all things that are ; trees , plants , men , beasts , &c. whatsoever can be seen , do every way cast forth images of themselves into the air , and that these are severally and distinctly conveyed to the eye , and discerned by it . there are the ears , whereby we hear , which take in sounds and noises in a wonderful manner : wherein also the admirable power and wisdome of god appeareth , in that one voice issuing out of one mouth should enter in at many hundred ears : for this must needs be granted , that we cannot hear any voice or noise , unless it truly enter into our ears ; for if the noise could be heard without such an entrance , then were those open passages needless , which are in the ears : but these open passages are as needful to let in sounds , as a door is to let a man into an house : now one man cannot enter in at many doors at once ; and so one voice remaining one , cannot enter in at many hundred ears at the same moment ; and therefore it must needs be multiplied in the air ; and so that which is but one in the mouth of the speaker , is manifold in the air , and is taken in by many ears . there is also the nose , which is the instrument of smelling , another part of the body , which serveth us both for necessity and delight : it is a means to prove the wholsomness or unwholsomness of many things which are good , and which are hurtful to us , and yeildeth delight and refreshment in presenting us with many pleasing and fragrant smells . there is also the tongue and palate , the instruments of tast , but especially the palate or upper part of the mouth , the tongue having another and more proper use . this is a sense of greatest use for the nourishment of the body , and so for the preservation of life ; and this also yeildeth abundant matter of delight and refreshment . iob saith , doth not the ear try words , and the mouth or palate tast his meat ? iob 12.11 . that is , doth it not by tasting , try it ? for god hath given this ability to the creatures , to try what is agreeable to their bodies , and what is displeasing . in the last place , the touch , or feeling , is may rise again an incorruptible , immortal , spiritual glorious body ; like the body of christ , at his comming , through his mighty working , whereby he is able to subdue all things to himself . sect . 4. iv. even this earthly frame of the body proveth it an hard thing to put off earthly affections , and therefore care and striving should be used in it . the body being made of dust , it will return to dust again , not onely in the final dissolution , but also in the present inclination ; it now leaneth to the earth , and resteth on the earth ; man is deeply in love with his own element , and strongly tyed to it in his affections . it is said of one , that being one of three , who demanded of the orracle which should be chief , and hearing that he should be the man that first should kiss his mother , he fell down and kissed the earth , as accounting it the common mother of all ; men are so in love with the earth , that they embrace it , and as it were , kiss it in their affections as a mother , out of whose womb they had their beginning , although the oracles of gods word condemn this folly , and teach them , that thus doing , they shall be least in the kingdom of god , and that this doting love of the world is enmity with god. therefore we should pray earnestly to god , that he would change this earthly temper of our souls into heavenly affections . how needful is it for us to practise that of our saviour , even to forsake our selves ; our selves being earth , we must renounce our earthly selves , and deny our selves ; for though we could restrain our selves somwhat from outward earthly courses , yet so long as we keep our earthly affections , our hearts will cleave to the earth . special cause we have to study that book of the wise man throughout , which teacheth us the vanity and vexation of spirit that is in earthly things , and to see and admire the treasures and riches of gods kingdome ; that apprehending better things , we may make better account of these . sect . 5. v. in as much as god made our bodies , we must yeild up our bodies to his service ; for god made all things for himself , saith the scripture . he made not the body for the devil , nor for the world , nor for lust , nor for drunkenness , but for himself ; let us well consider this , and learn to give god his due . the idolater will bow with his body to idols , and say , that he keepeth his heart to god ; but he must know , that god made the body as well as the soul ; and if he made all things for himself , then the body as well as any other thing . the prophane person , that abuseth his tongue to swearing , wanton , wicked discourses , to railing , scoffing , &c. the adulterer , which sinneth against the whole body , as the apostle sheweth the drunkard , who abuseth his body to excess of swilling and drinking ; the wanton that abuseth his eye to careless wandring , and openeth his ear to vanity ; he that pleaseth his palate ▪ and loveth his pleasures more than god ; he that thinketh his body given him for no other purpose , but either to drudge about earthly things , or to ●ast of earthly delights ; even such a one is apt to say , he hath a good heart toward god. but be not deceived ; god made this body for himself ; and therefore we must not abuse any part of the body to his dishonour , nor make any member of it an instrument of unrighteousness , but to give up the members of our bodies as instruments of righteousness unto holiness : let us not think a little pains of the body too much to bestow in the service of god , in hearing the word , in prayer , in humiliation , &c. but let us glorifie god ( as in our souls especially , so ) in our bodies also ▪ for they are gods as well as our souls . sect . 6. vi. in that god made the body , care must be used to preserve , and not to destroy thine own body , or thy brothers : we must not pull down this tabernacle which god himself hath pitched , but must leave it to his disposing , using all lawful means to keep it up , and to preserve it strong , untill he please to dissolve it : shun intemperancy and excess in things that please the appetite in meats and drinks , &c. use those means which god hath given thee to repair this house , which god himself hath builded for thy soul to dwell in . let the life and body of another be precious in thy sight , and do thy endeavour to preserve it . and let us know that in some case not to save life , is to destroy , viz. when there is special means , calling and opportunity to do it ; in times of necessity some means must be used to prevent the famishing of many , therefore at such times we should freely give without grudging , to the relief of others . remember that it is for the preservation of those bodies which god hath made . and let this keep thee from laying violent hands on thine own body : it is a loud crying sin to destroy anothers body , because god hath made it ; but most horrible to destroy thine own , sith god hath made it , and hath given thee a special charge to keep it . moreover , sith god hath made the body , let us rely upon him for the maintenance of the body : he hath made it , and he will keep it : he hath given a mouth , and he will give meat ; he hath given a back , and he will cloath it : thus may a christian , that hath recovered his forfeiture in christ , reason from the love and promise of god. and therefore in hard times our wants should be special motives to drive us home to god through christ , that being in him we might assure our selves of all needful supply for the body from his hand that made it : there is not the poorest among us , but if they would effectually turn to god , and depend upon him , they should find they have no cause to despair in regard of bodily helps ; they should find him supplying or supporting ▪ and one way or other providing for them . sect . 7. vii . hath god made thy body upright , and looking up toward heaven ? this should teach thee to mind the things that are above , to be heavenly-minded . it is a great shame that the body should look upward , and the soul and affections bend downward to the things of the earth . there is many times an upright body , and curva interras anima , a crook-backed soul leaning toward the earth : so that whereas the soul should raise the body , and make it the better because of its union with an immortal spirit , it rather pulleth it down , and makes it the worse , the more earthly and fleshly . an earthly mind maketh the very posture of the body raised toward heaven , to become hypocritical and counterfeit : sith god hath given thee the body of a man looking upward towards heaven , do not take to thy self the spirit of a beast , grovelling on the earth here below . viii . seeing god at the first gave man perfect beauty , in regard both of temper and proportion : then let all defects or deformities which thou seest in any , not move thee to contemn their persons ; but rather to lament the common misery of mans nature fallen into sin ; the fruits whereof do rather appear in some particular persons in this kind , than they do in some others . and think with thy self , that by the law of creation , he that is most deformed , was to be as beautiful as any that excelleth most ; and he that is most beautiful by the fall was as subject to deformity as any other . chap iii. sect . 1. moreover , from the particular parts divers meditations may be raised . i. as the head is to the body , so christ is to his church . ephes. 4.15.16 . 1. as the head is the guid to the whole body , so is christ to the church : every member followeth the direction of the head : christ is the wisdom of the father ; and he , as he is made unto us an head , so also is he our wisdome , our guide and directtour : he is the great prophet , he by his spirit revealeth the mysteries of grace , and sheweth the way of life unto his members , and all must 3. neither doth any member despise or scorn another , the eye doth not scorn the lowest member in the body ; neither should any one whom god hath raised highest in gifts , calling , place , dignity , wealth , or any other way , scorn the poorest and meanest in any respect ; but rather seek their good , as being members of the same body . 4. as the principal parts of the body have need of the meanest , so the greatest in the church have need of meaner christians in many respects : if the whole body were eye , where were hearing ? thus much for the first part of the first point , viz. the creation of mans body . chap. 4. of the creation of mans soul. i now come to speak of the creation of mans soul ; the story whereof is briefly laid down in gen. 2.7 . and breathed into his nostrills the breath of life , and man became a living soul. where you must not conceive , that the lord did breath like a man ; but the intent of the holy ghost ( i conceive ) is to shew , that man had another kind of soul than the beasts or birds : they were brought forth out of the material elements , but man , though his body were drawn out of the dust , yet his soul was in a peculier manner given him of god , and not composed of any earthly , waterish ▪ or aiery substance , but that it was a spiritual substance immediately created of god : and further , this breathing in of the soul implieth ( as may seem ) that the soul was not first created without the body , and then put into the body , but that at once it was both created and infused into the body . sect . 1. now let us here speak a little of the nature of the soul , and then of its powers and faculties . 1. for the nature of the soul , it is a spirit , and herein most like unto the angels of any other creature ; and though the wise man doth communicate this name to the life of a beast , yet he sheweth a great difference between these two sorts of spirits , saying , the spirit of a man , that goeth upward ; and the spirit of a beast , that goeth downward . the spirit of a beast ( or that which giveth it life ) vanisheth , and dyeth with the body , being a principle that riseth out of material or bodily substances tempered and composed together : but the spirit of a man being of an higher nature than any of these gross material bodies , and not rising out of them , but being created immediately of god the father of spirits , it goeth upward : it is presented before the lord in judgment after its departure from the body . 2. it is such a spirit as can subsist alone of it self out of the body : so the apostle maketh mention of the spirits of just men made perfect , heb. 12. the spirits of the saints now in heaven , whose bodies rest in the dust ; and this sheweth the excellent matter of mans spirit , far above the life of the beast , or any unreasonable creature , that it can subsist , when it is severed from the body . this sheweth that it doth not depend upon the body , nor was extracted out of it , but rather that the perfection of the body dependeth on it : it can live without the body , but the body without it , rotteth , putrifieth and mouldereth away into dust . dust returneth to dust as it was , saith the wise man ; and the spirit returneth to him that gave it , eccles. 12. 3. it is an immortal spirit : so this very place sheweth , that when dust returneth to dust ; when the body dissolveth , then the spirit liveth , and yieldeth up it self into the hands of god. and so the scripture sheweth both in the case of the godly , and of the wicked ; the one shall go into life eternal , and the other into everlasting punishment . sect . 2. in the next place let us speak of the powers and faculties of the soul ; here i shall speak first of those which are common to it with other creatures , viz. those which they call vegetative and sensitive , which are found in the beasts and birds . these i call faculties of the soul , although for mine own part i concieve them not to be properly inherent in the reasonable soul , but rather in the temper of the body : for the intellectual soul being a spirit , i cannot see how these brutish affections ( such as many of these are ) can be inherent in it ; especially because many of them , as the faculties of attraction , retention , expulsion , augmentation , &c. are ordinarily exercised , not only without the command , but also without the knowledg of the reasonable soul , which i know not how it could be , if they were inherent in it immediately , it being a single , spiritual and intellectual being . now these faculties are many which the lord hath given , and shewed his admirable wisdom in them 1. of the vegetative part . there is a nutritive or nourishing property ; to which diverse others are serviceable , as that of hunger and thirst , ( which is properly a branch of the sensitive ) yet insensible creatures , are a servant to the vegetative : for by these the appetite is provoked to seek for nourishment . there is a digesting faculty to concoct that nourishment that is received first in the stomach , then in the liver turning it into blood , then in each several part turning it into substance in particular . to these also belongeth these three inferiour faculties . attractive , retentive , expulsive . 1. attractive : whereby every part hath a power to draw nourishment unto it self ▪ so the head and upper parts of the body have a power to draw blood from the liver , which is far below them , as well as the lower parts ▪ and in this the wonderful wisdom of god is clearly manifested . 2. there is a retentive faculty , or a power of keeping that nourishment a convenient time till it may be so wrought upon , and perfected , as to turn into one substance with the body , and to refresh its parts . but l●st nature should suck poison insteed of nourishment , or digest that into its substance , which is hurtfull , 3. the lord hath added for its farther security and benefit , an expulsive faculty , or a power of casting out such matter as is superfluous and burdensome , and not fit for nourishment ; whence come many fluxes from the head , and sweats over the whole body ; besides those gross excrements whereof nature is daily ●ased . in these also the admirable wisdome of god is manifested , and when we enjoy the use of any faculty of the soul , we should glorifie him that made them . moreover , there is also a generative faculty or power of propagation , which god gave to trees , plants , beasts , birds , fishes , men ; blessing them , and bidding them to encrease and multiply . sect 3. 2. of the sensitive part . there are both the senses and the affections : the senses outward and inward : of the outward senses somewhat was briefly spoken , when we spake of those parts of the body that are instruments of those senses . the inward senses are conceived to be three : the common sense , the fancy , the memory . 1. the common sense , which is said to receive the objects of all the outward senses , and to be seated in the former part of the brain . 2. the fancy or imagination , which worketh upon those things that are received into the former , and is thought to be placed in the middle part of the brain . 3. the memory , which keepeth those things that are received in by the other , and layeth them up as in a treasury , and the seat of this is in the hindermost part of the brain . and in this , most admirable is the wisdom and power of god , that certain images of things long sithens seen or heard , should be laid up in a corner of the brain , and there preserved many years , and called to mind , though they be the resemblances of many thousand several things . some memories are far worse than other , yet even the meanest ordinary memory is wonderful , if we did rightly consider , that in so narrow a compass , the shapes and likenesses of so many several things should be preserved : yea , even this is notable , that the images of so many mens faces as one man can remember , should be there ingraven in so small a table , as is the memory . sect . 4. of the affections . as for the affections , they are seated in the heart , and these are many , as 1. love , which is an affection of the soul , uniting it self to some thing apprehended as good : for so whatsoever is beloved , either is good , or seemeth to have some good in it to him that loveth it ; contrary to which is a second affection , sc. hatred : and that is an affection of the heart shuning and separating it self from that which is so hated , as supposed hurtful : for though good things are often hated , yet there is an apprehension of evil in them ; and if we speak of the affections as created of god , then nothing was beloved but that which was truly good ; nor hated , but that which was truly evil . but of the integrity of the affections we may speak , when we come to speak of the image of god in man. desire , is an affection of the heart reaching after some good thing which is absent : contrary to which is detestation , or abhorring of that which may hereafter happen , being conceived to be evil . these two may be expressed by hunger and thirst on the one side , and on the other , a loathing of meat in the stomach , when the heart riseth with dislike at some thing which as yet is absent , but is tendered to it , or may hereafter be presented to it . when our saviour told peter that he would fall into that fearful sin of denying his lord and master , his heart rose against it , and he detested it : this was not only a simple and meer hatred of it as a thing evil , which is directly contrary to love : but also a detestation of it , as an evil that might happen , or was foretold should happen to him , though now he were free from it , which is an affection contrary to desire . in the next place is ioy , which is an affection of the heart , pleasing and resting it self in some good thing enjoyed . in this affection there must be some good , [ true , or seeming ] in possession , which doth so affect the heart , as to rest it self with some contentment in it : opposite to this , is sorrow , which is an affection of the heart , distasting some evil already felt . now i cannot see , how this affection should be exercised in the state of innocense , because man had no cause of sorrow , unless it may be supposed , that he knew of the angels fall and rebellion against the lord , which is not likely . howsoever ! the faculty no doubt was then given unto man by the lord , who foresaw a world of woe and sorrow which man would fall into ; who knew that of all affections , this of sorrow could not want work , nor be idle for want of matter to work upon . there is also hope , which is an affection of the heart , looking for some good , or the avoiding some evil that is to come : for that which a man hath already , why doth he yet hope for ? contrary to which is fear , which is an affection of the heart , trembling at some evil to come , or at the loss or missing of some good . then there is courage , which is as it were a degree beyond hope , and is a more assured expectation of some good , or of the overcoming of some evil : contrary whereunto is desperation , a sinking of the heart under the expectation of some evil to come . anger seemeth to be an affection mixed of sorrow and hatred , which by tragedians is somtime called dolor . these i call faculties of the soul , because of their near union with the spirit of a man , and because the soul hath some government over them . chap. v. sect . 1. but the most proper and peculiar qualities and faculties of the soul , are the understanding and the will , and such as are seated in these , or compounded of these . the understanding is the prime faculty of the soul , that guideth the whole man , and giveth light to all hi● actions , 1. in it there is an act of discerning , whereby it seeth into the nature and qualities of things , knowing both those things more perfectly than the senses , which the senses discern ; and other things also which they cannot reach . and this is that faculty whereby man is become acq●ainted with god his maker , whom no unreasonable creature can discern . god is a spirit , and cannot be discerned by any bodily senses , but by this spiritual faculty of the soul. by this the lord hath made man able to search into the hidden causes of things , and to see him in his works . by this he hath enabled him to get the knowledg of arts and sciences , of trades and dealings , &c. 2. there is an act of i●vention , by the working of the understanding , finding out many particulars belonging to some general , and finding out , one by another like unto it . so in matter of trades , god hath given this power of invention to the understanding , whereby trades are perfected , and new additions of skil and art are added to them ; and so in the learned sciences . 3. there is iudgment , whereby the understanding passeth its sentence , and giveth its determination upon things concerning their nature , truth and goodness . 4 , there is a power of discourse , proving one thing by another ; this is so ; therefore it is so : the sun is up , therefore it is day : the days are lengthened , therefore the sun is past the winter solstice , &c. none of these are to be found in any unreasonable creatures . sect . 2. the will is another principal faculty of the soul , chusing or refusing freely good or evil . and as the understanding is ( as it were ) the eye ; so the will is ( as it were ) the heart of the soul. for although the understanding see never so clearly what is good , yet unless the will agree , and give its consent , it is not followed . the understanding is like one that giveth good counsel , but if the will be obstinate , it is not followed ▪ he that knoweth his masters will , and doth it not , to him it is sin ; so that you see , a man may know , and not do . now in such a case , a mans understanding agreeth with gods will ; for he both knoweth what god will have done , and knoweth it to be good. but his will crosseth both the will of god and his own understanding ; which is the aggravation of sin , and encreaseth the stripes . now the acts of the will are in general two : to will , or to chuse . to nill , or to refuse . now in these two faculties , there are two others seated , as free-will and conscience . free-will is a faculty of the mind , whereby the will without constraint doth willingly chuse or refuse what the understanding discovereth to be good or evil ; for all the power of man cannot compell the will to embrace or refuse what it will not refuse or imbrace . the outward man may be forced against the will , the tongue may be forced , the hand may be forced , but no tyrant in the world can force the will. and hence cometh that unmoveable resolution of gods children in the profession of the gospel , even from the invincible freedome of the will , sanctified by the spirit of god ; it is true ! it is the spirit of god is the cause , but the spirit is pleased to make this use of mans will , and of that liberty which he himself gave man at his creation : again , on the other side , the will of man may be brought to cover its own inclination , and outwardly be brought to conform to the constraining powers of others ; but the inward bent of it none can force a contrary way . again , the will , by perswasions , by reasons discovered unto it , by better informations may be inclined to alter ▪ but never violently turned by compulsion : when it is altered , though the preparatives and motives of its alterations come from others , yet the alteration it self must come from it self . i speak not now of god's act in renewing it by his spirit , who being the maker of the will , hath that power over it , which no creature can possibly have : yet the lord will not compell the will ( for that were to destroy it and make it no will ) but by sanctifying and new-making it , he makes it willingly embrace that which it shunned before , and resolutely to reject what it embraced before . now although the fall of adam did actually take away mans spiritual life consisting in the image of god , and the holiness of his nature ; yet it did but forfeit for the present , and not actually bereave him of his natural life , nor the natural powers of his soul , by which he lived ; so then there is no question but man in the state of sin hath free will. but the question is , wherein ? i answer , in things natural and moral , not in things supernatural and spiritual . in natural things a man in his natural estate hath free-will to chuse or to refuse ; in eating , and drinking ; in eating or not eating ; in walking or not walking , &c. so in moral actions , a man in his natural estate may do many good moral acts , and hath liberty of will to do them ; as to use abstinence , to exercise temperance , to shun drunkenness , &c. yet with exception , that many particulars through custome and company ▪ &c , may be so enthralled to some lusts , that the exercise of this freedom of will is even wholly smothered in them , and cannot shew it self , but is strongly clogged and kept down : but yet that which their will chuseth , it freely chuseth still . but now on the other side , it hath not liberty unto spiritual and supernatural things . it may freely entertain the use of outward means and ordinances , but it hath not free power to believe aright , to change it self , to purge it self from the stains of nature ; to repent , &c. all these must come from above : none but god can make his image in man , when man and satan hath defaced it . but if the son shall make you free , then are you free indeed . if the son of god shall by his spirit of liberty infused into us , deliver us from the thraldome of sin and satan , and renew the image of god in us , then are we free indeed . this which is , spoken of free-will , doth not cross the soveraignty of gods will , nor the certainty of his decrees , sith mans will is brought about freely and willingly to embrace what god hath certainly purposed ; whose purpose being eternal , he did not in the beginning of time make such a creature as should disappoint him of his eternal purpose . sect . 3. of conscience . in the next place followeth conscience , about which it seemeth , that both the understanding and the will are exercised . this is an application of general rules unto particular cases , and points of practice ; and this it performeth both by the understanding and the will ; and that both concerning things not yet done , and concerning things already done . conscience by vertue of the understanding judgeth such and such particular actions to be good , and such as it ought to practise , because it seeth them agreeable to those general rules of duty and of goodness , which it hath already conceived . our saviour knew that he must fulfill all righteousness ; therefore when iohn was unwilling to baptize him , he applieth that general to this particular , he must fulfill all , therefore this part of righteousness . st. peter had laid up this general direction that our saviour gave him ; feed my sheep ; and so his sanctified conscience made application of it on all particular occasions . therefore when a multitude were gathered together wondring at the miraculous gifts of tongues bestowed on the disciples ; his conscience tells him , now thou must practise what thy master hath commanded ; and so at that time he gathered some three thousand lost sheep into the fold of christ. in the second place , conscience by vertue of the will , stirreth up the faculties of the soul to practise this particular duty , which is thus found agreeable to the general rules of duty and goodness . now in that these things are not practised , this commeth from that disorder which sin hath made in the soul , and that preposterous confusion of the affections leading conscience in a slavish captivity under the power of lust : so on the other side , it is for evils not yet done : the world promiseth a fair reward many times , if men will use foul means to obtain it : if riches begin to trade with the world about the matter , covetousness ( like iudas ) saith to the world , what wilt thou give me , and i will betray my masters honour , profane his day , defraud my neighbour , oppress my poor brother , & c ? but now conscience cometh in , and laboureth to ma● the bargain ; and having laid up this general rule , that it shall not profit a man to gain the whole world and lose his own soul , it applieth this to the case in hand ; therefore it will be a most miserable bargain for me to gain this which is now proposed with the hazard of my soul. this doth conscience by vertue of the understanding , and then calleth up the powers of the will to help , which withdraweth from the thing as unlawful and dangerous , and riseth against it , and disliketh it with reluctancy . so ioseph had laid up this in his heart , that adultery must not be committed , no not in secret , because it is a sin against the all-seeing eye of god ; therefore , when his mistriss tempteth him , he applieth this general to the particular occasion , and by the force of a sanctified conscience biddeth defiance to her temptations . how shall i do this great wickedness , and so sin against god ? so david having laid up in his heart that precept in general , honour thy father and thy mother , and knowing that under this title of father , was comprehended the king , and other magistrates : and then again , thou shalt do no murther : now he happeneth to come into a cave , and there meeteth with saul , and hath him at advantage : saul sought to murther him , pursuing him without cause against his own conscience , who was to succeed him in his kingdome , and one that was annointed by the special appointment of the king of kings ; yet david will not touch him , nor suffer abishai to fall upon him , who was ready to have slain him , had david given way to it ; for against all these provocations , conscience cries out , god forbid that i should lay my hand upon the lords annointed ; and so prevaileth notably against all these motives . so david stayed his servants with these words , not suffering them to rise against saul . 1 sam. 24.7 . it is in the original , he clave his men asunder ; it seemeth his followers began to run together , desiring every one to lend his helping-hand to dispatch the mortal enemy of their master david , but david by the force of an upright conscience , brake through them all , and put them aside , not suffering them to accomplish their bloody intendment but another time ye shall see when nabal had dealt currishly with davids messengers , the news of this base abuse came ( it seemeth ) somwhat unseasonably to david , and found his conscience not well awakened ; and so while conscience slumbereth , and mindeth not what is in hand , passion condemneth nabal , and all his family to present death . and whiles anger maketh an hasty march for blood , and whetteth it self , as it goeth , abigail meeteth it upon the way , and with a well-tempered voice , not so loud and violent as to enrage fury more than already it was , yet loud enough to awake conscience ; she sheweth him his errour , and presently conscience being awakened , soundeth a retreat ; maketh all lay down arms , thanketh the instrument by whom it was shaken out of slumber , and kept from wallowing in innocent blood , or encroaching on gods office by self-revenge . but with wicked men conscience many times prevaileth not in such cases , she cannot be heard ; or being heard , is not regarded ; satan , the flesh , the world stop her mouth . now besides all this , conscience hath its employment also about the things already past : if good , it excuseth and acquitteth the party , cheareth , comforteth , and is peaceable , unless mis-informed : so in performing good actions , and so in overcomming sinfull temptations ; so abigail telleth david , that when he should be king , he should have no trouble of conscience for not shedding blood , if according to her petition he would spare nabals family , conscience should never accuse him for it , but should hold him guiltless . so you see psal. 7. when he was falsly accused by a benjamite for an evil he never committed , how boldly conscience pleadeth his cause before the lord , and proclaimeth him innocent . again , for evils done , or good duties omitted , conscience accuseth , yea somtimes wonderfully rageth and terrifieth : it accused david , psal. 51. i have sinned , &c. yea it breaketh his bones ( as it were ) and grievously afflicteth his soul. but when it meeteth wi●h iudas , a son of perdition ; oh , how it tormenteth him , it driveth him out of his meditations , wherein he might please himself in the price of blood lately gained ; it chaseth him cut of the company of his fellows , who had been his assistants in apprehending our saviour ; i● driveth him into the presence of the priests , it forceth him to accuse himself , to throw down his money and to hang himself ; never ceasing to pursue him till it had driven him quite out of the world ! now besides this , it recordeth and keepeth a register and day-book of mens actions and omissions ; which , though now adays men will not read over by self examination , yet at the last day god shall open it be-before the eyes of men and angels . thus much for the faculties of the soul. chap vi. sect . 1. use 1. here by way of application , we may in the first place take notice of the soul of man in a special manner , as of one of the principal works of god ▪ wherein his glory is no●ably manifested . he is the father of spirits , who of himself immediately did bring forth the spirit and soul of man , an excellent creature which no sence can discern ; the eye cannot see it , nor the ear hear it , &c. and as it is said , no man hath seen god at any time ; yet god , whom none in the world can see ; gave being to the whole world , and now governeth it : so the soul , whom no sense of the body can discern , giveth life to the whole body , and governeth the body . an excellent creature it is ; endowed with notable faculties , and we should learn to bless god for every faculty of our souls : we are too unthankful for all sorts of mercies , but yet more apt to give thanks ( at least outwardly ) for things without us , than for those more excellent things within us ▪ thus many a one saith ▪ i thank god for health , for meat and drink , &c. that never ( not so much as in words ) doth give him thanks for his soul , and the several faculties of it . how seldome hath god any praise for our understandings , our judgments , our memories , our reason , wills and affections ? how lame would our souls be without the will and affections ? how blind without reason , memory or understanding ? yet how unthankful are we to him that made them ? we should r●ckon these among the chiefest of gods blessings , next to the sanctifying graces of gods spirit , and accordingly shew our thankfulness for them to his glory . sect . 2. ii. in as much as the soul is more excellent by its creation than the body ; this sheweth that our care should be greater for the soul than for the body . nature it self might teach even a natural man to be more careful of the natural good of the soul , than of the body , which yet is contrary to the practice of man. you will say the natural man perceiveth not the things of the spirit , neither can he discern them , because they are spiritually discerned . but i speak now of such natural good things , as tend to the enriching and perfecting of the soul and mind of man ; namely , such knowledg in arts and sciences , as concerneth the things of this life . how many do preferre the things of the body above these ? but the principal thing is that which concerneth the spiritual happiness & heavenly perfection of the soul. these things which are the most excellent endowments of the most excellent part of man , are less regarded and sought for , than those that are the meanest appurtenances of the body , which is the meanest part . the least saving grace , being a thing belonging to the perfection of the soul , is worth more than the whole body ; which without the soul , is but a dead lump of earth . can a maid forget her ornament , o● a bride her attire ; yet my people have forgotten me days without number , saith the lord ? ier. 2.32 . what a shameful indignity is this to the majesty of god , when ornaments of the body , toyes , head-tyres , or the like , serving to dress up an earthly carkass , shal● be better remembred than god himself ; yea , shall be remembred when he is forgotten . thus every thing belonging to the body is thought of , but the soul is forgotten : the eye must be pleased , the ear must be tickled , the palate must be delighted ; great ado must be made for back and belly , but where is the care for the soul ? we can starve that , yet never feel any hunger ; we can let it pine away , yet never complain of weakness ; we can suffer mortal diseases , most dangerous corruptions to grow upon our souls and never see our need of spiritual physick . how many a soul is swollen with pride , and over-grown with vile affections , and yet no care is taken of it , but it is let alone , as if all were well : yea what deadly wounds do men daily give to their consciences , by swearing , lying ▪ drunkenness by unjust and indirect dealings with others ; yet all this is esteemed as nothing , no care is used to have it cured : nay , he that shall desire to cure it , or perswade them from these desperate courses tending to the destruction of their souls , shall be hated as an enemy . our very creation should make us ashamed of this folly , that all the care is taken for the body framed out of the dust , and the soul is utterly neglected , which the lord himself breathed into the body . f●ar not them ( saith our saviour , mat. 10.28 . ) which after they have killed the body , can do no more ; but fear bim , which can cast the body and soul into hell-fire . yet he that shall follow our saviours counsel in this , shall be thought to be a fool by many men ; he that will rather suffer harm in his body , or loss in his goods , and such things as concern the body , than hazard his soul upon any sin which is death to the soul , is thought to do it in simplicity for want of wit ▪ whereas even reason might teach us , that the soul is a thousand times better than the body , and the misery of the soul incomparably beyond the punishments that can befall the body in this life . let us then labour to prevent the everlasting destruction of the soul , and fear it more than a thousand deaths of the body , if it could possibly endure so many . think that a precious thing that weigheth more than the whole earth in the ballance of the sanctuary , and the judgment of christ. what shall it profit a man to gain the whole world ; and lose his own soul ? oh learn to prize thy soul , a precious creature , and immortal spirit ; and make it appear thou makest more reckoning of it than of thy body ? thy body is but a small piece of earth , but the whole earth is not able to bring forth , or yeild matter for one soul which is of an higher nature . sect . 3. iii. this should teach us also that the greatest good which one man can do for another , is that which is done for his soul. the feeding , cloathing and refreshing of anothers body , is a good work if rightly performed ; but the good which is done to the soul is a better work , as the soul is better than the body . this therefore should reform a gross folly among us , whereby it is conceived , that there is no good work in a manner besides that which is done to the body . it is true ! that he who hath this worlds good , and yet doth no good in this kind , doth not truly perform any other good work ; but yet this on the otherside is a gross errour to conceive , that the best thing that a man can do , is to help the outward man ; and that the doing of this is enough to excuse him from doing good to the souls of others . this is a gross carnal conceit ; it is as much as to affirm , that the body is better than the soul ; earth than heaven ; mortality more excellent than immortality ; and a lump of flesh more worth than a spiritual being . now men are so far from esteeming that best which is done for the good of the soul , that they account those admonitions and reproofs , which are tendered to them for this purpose , the greatest signs of ill-will , that any man can shew to others : no man is accounted a worse neighbour than he that will seek to pluck mens souls as brands out of the fire of gods wrath by shewing them the danger of their sins . if men want for the body ▪ what outcrys are there made against the hardness of others hearts ? men are so hard-hearted now a days , that they will not give a poor man a bit of bread , they will see him starve first ; and somtimes that is true which is said , though often false . but on the other side ; one is ignorant , he hath a blind soul ; another hath a graceless , profane , and unsanctified soul , laden with many sins , in great danger to perish for ever : but when shall ye hear such a one complain of his neighbours for hard-heartedness toward his soul , in not pittying his spiritual misery , in not instructing him in his ignorance . when shall ye hear one of these complain , oh , i have a neighbour that hath knowledg , he knoweth that i am ignorant of god ; but alas he is hard-hearted , he doth not pitty my soul ! he will sooner see me damned in my ignorance , than once open his mouth to instruct me in any matter of salvation . or when shall we hear one that goeth on in sin , cry out of another in this respect ! i have a neighbour seeth my soul in a fearful case , he perceiveth me to go on in the stubbornness of my heart , and he knoweth that the wrath of god will one day smoak against me for it , and yet his heart is hard , he hath no pitty upon me ; he did never once open his lips to bring me into the right way , to reprove me for my sin . nay , if any in zeal to gods glory , and love to the souls of such , shall labour to do them good , what is their answer ? meddle with your own business , i shall answer for my self , you shall not answer for my sin . i pray mark what sensles speeches these be : it is as if a man should see another fallen into a dangerous pit , where he could not live without help ▪ and should go to help him out ; or to direct one that is going in some dangerous place in in the dark , where he is like to break his neck ; or to succour one that is in need , and like to starve , and should have such an answer from him as this ? why do ye trouble me ? look to your self , if i perish , i perish , you shall not perish with me : why do ye feed my body , if i starve , it is nothing to you , you shall not be famished by it : no verily , this help is for the body , and therefore it is welcome at all times ; but the other that is for the soul , that is distasted as unseasonable and troublesome . sect . 4. iv. this sheweth us also the greatest harm which a man can do to another , is that which is done to the soul : men may receive wrong many ways ; but the greatest injury and mischief that one man can do another , is that which falleth upon the soul , the best part . is not a blow in the eye worse than one upon the arm ? he that woundeth thy soul , doth he not worse than if he smote thy body ? and yet what deadly malice doth one bear to another for a box of the ear , or some such wrong done to the body , whereas they account them their best friends that work the greatest mischief to their souls . he that will drink to them when they have drunk too much already ; he that will flatter and humour them in their sins ; he that will entice them unto sin , he is the only friend and good fellow : whereas indeed such a one is a most dangerous enemy . he that threatneth to be revenged of thee , that saith he wil have thy blood , that raileth at thee & slandereth thee , doth not hurt thee so much as such a one who seeketh to draw thee into that , or by joyning with thee to encourage thee in that which tendeth to the destruction of thy soul ; such a one endangereth thine everlasting life , and taketh a course to wound thee , so that thou mayst die for ever . therefore when thou hearest , that no drunkard shall inherit the kingdome of god , and one pu●leth thee by the sleeve , and another enticeth thee , &c. answer him thus ; i perceive you are none of my friends ; what ! are ye loth to have me go to heaven ? would ye have my soul perish ? would ye seek my destruction ? you seek to draw me into such a sin as will shut me out of heaven . if thou wouldest answer them so now and then , thou wouldest be well rid of such companions , and not be so much pestered with these troublesome flies . but most lamentable is the sin of such in this case , whose care is onely for the bodies of their children , but care not how they betray their souls ; how they leave them in their sins which they see to grow upon them , and use no means to cure them of these deadly evils . oh do not deal with thy child as with thy beast , as if it had onely a body to be fed and clothed , and not a soul to be saved . sect 5. v. sith god did create our souls , let us conceive that he made them for himself ; therefore let every faculty be given up to his service . 1. as for thine imagination , let it be dedicated to the service of god ; let thy thoughts and meditations be directed unto god and his word and kingdome . the fancy of a man is a working , stirring thing , always medling with something or other ; now let it be turned toward god and his word ; and when thou findest it busie with other things , call it home and think with thy self , i must go about my fathers business : this faculty of my soul must mind him that made it . so for thy memory ; it is god's treasury , he made it , and therefore you must lay up the riches and treasures of his kingdome in it , and not the trash of the world : you must store it with holy instructions and meditations , promises , precepts , &c. out of his word , and not stuff it with idle tales , wa●ton songs , or meer earthly vanities , and nothings else : this cabinet of the soul was not made for such base uses . when thou comest to hear the word , thou must not think it enough to take it in with thine ear , that is not the onely part which god made ; but labour to lay it up in thy memory , that thou maist be rich in all saving knowledge of the word . a man may have a great deal of money come through his hands , yet be never the richer , if he spend it idlely as fast as it cometh , and lay up none . a man may have many a sermon entring in at his outward ears , and yet never prove rich in knowledge , if he suffer all to be lost again , and treasure up none in his memory . 2 thy understanding , that most excellent faculty of the soul , how carefully should it be improved , that the lord may be honoured by it ; let him have the best that made the whole . it is strange to think that men should be excused by ignorance : what is that but to rob god of the principal endowment of thy soul , even thine understanding ? it is a miserable folly , when men labour for skill in earthly things , and would be wise every way except in heavenly things , and in the mean time least of all regard to know the lord ; as if the top of the soul , the head of the inward man , were made to be a vassall to the earth , and not a servant to the lord. learn thou to know him that made thee , and never think thine understanding so well employed about any other things as when it is busied in studying the word of god : frequent those exercises wherein the word of god is taught , and thine understanding is to be pre●ected . the eye loveth the light , and is delighted with the sun-shine ; let thine understanding , the eye of thy soul , love the light that shineth from heaven in the ministery of the word , and do not turn from it , or neglect it ; let thy delight be in the law of the lord , and meditate therein day and night : magnifie god who hath given thee this faculty of thy soul , whereby thou mightest come to be acquainted with him thy maker , and think there is none so worthy of thy knowledge , as he that made thee ; this knowledg shall be everlasting : the knowledg of earthly things , worldly policy , skill in dealings , laws of men , &c. shall perish , but the knowledg of god is everlasting and immortal , as the soul it self is ; yea it shall be perfected , when other knowledg shall perish . 3. thy w●ll , wherein the strength of thy soul lyeth , must be wholly for god ; it must be firmly bent to obey god , and strongly resolved against all disobedience , flashes , motions , and good moods and fits , now and then arising in the heart toward god ; either in affliction , or when we see some spectacles 〈◊〉 mortality , or hear the word pressed upon us , are but slight and weak of themselves , and soon vanish , if there be nothing else but these . but the strength of the soul lies in the will when it is sanctified , and firmely resolved to obey its maker in all things . when barnabas saw the good affections of the new converts at antioch , be exhorted them all , that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the lord , act. 11.23 . so david , i have sworn , and i will perform it , that i will keep thy righteous judgments , psal. 119.106 . there was a resolute spirit , and such should be the bent of every sanctified will. the affections may be stirred , and yet may be no more but as a few loose sticks , which satan will soon break again , and bring to nothing ; but the will , when it is throughly bent and confirmed indeed , it is as a common bond to tye up all the affections , and to strengthen all : let us therefore pray to the lord , that he would give us both the will and the deed. 4. the will being thus for god ▪ then labour to stir up the affections , which are as it were the wings of the soul. 1. love is strong as death , jealousie is hot as fire ; thou shouldest love god with passionate and strong affections . oh how i love thy law ! it is my meditation all the day , saith david , psal. 119.97 . tell him that i am sick of love , saith the church of christ. cant. 5.8 . that is an happy soul , that is sick of this heavenly love . it is not enough to wish well to god and his glory , and coldly to desire that things might be amended ; but the heart must be carried after him in strong and stirring passions of love ; that as the heart of a fond lover is passionately carried , and overcome with the love of the person beloved ; so should a christian soul not content it self with an ordinary cold temper of love , but should labour to have it self possessed with fervent affections , yea to be overcome . the love of god is shed abroad in our hearts , saith the apostle ; now that ( i hope ) will work an affectionate love to god , when his love is poured abundantly into the heart ; this will make a man love out of a pure heart fervently . 2. this will draw desire after it , which is another affection ; oh how the soul will pant , long , hunger and thrist for god , if once it fall in love with him , and be truly joyned unto him , having , tasted of his excellency , and found how good the lord is : i have lifted up mine eyes to the hills , saith the psalmist . travellers , at the foot of the hill look up to the top ; and now oh that i were there with a wish ! so a christian , in the valley of humiliation , and in the sence of his own wants , locketh up to god , and his holy mount : and now , oh that i were with the lord ! oh that i were neer to him , and could more fully enjoy him ! oh that i had more of his spirit , more of his fulness , more of his graces ; my soul thirsteth for the lord , even for the living god. and when once thou comest to this ▪ how canst thou chuse but from thy heart loath all sin tendered or suggested to thee by satan , the world , or the flesh ; if once thou thus lovest god , thou wilt not make league with any enemy of his. 3. then thou wilt rejoice in the lord with joy unspeakable and full of glory : then the worlds joys will seem poor , heartless , unsavoury flashes ; and now a world for my part in that blessed feast of fat things , of wine upon the lees , of wine upon the lees well refined . no delicates so sweet as the paschal lamb , christ jesus ; no feast so excellent , as that which the soul maketh on him by faith. now i can relish christs sweetness in the word , in the sacraments , in private meditations . 4. and now also must thy sorrow be sanctified , and nothing be so grievous to thee as that which is displeasing to thy god : thy heart should ake when his spirit is grieved ; all should be godly sorrow , that bringeth repentance : give not way to that sorrow for which thou must sorrow again , but to those tears after which thou shalt reap in joy . 5. as for hope , where shouldest thou cast anchor , but upon the rock ? there is the only sure hold that will abide a storm ; fasten there , lean not upon the arm of flesh , cast not anchor in the sand. 6. and whom shouldest thou fear , but him that hath all power in his hand , all creatures that can help or hurt at his command , e●ther to let them loose , or to tye them up ? fear him for his goodness and mercy , as well as for his justice ; that it is too good to be abused , and to be made a patronage to thy sins . 7. labour to be couragiously confident in the lords goodness toward thee , and bear up thy soul upon the multitude of his mercies , and his truth that never faileth , above the gulf of desperation . 8. and for thine anger , let it not be a strange fire of inordinate and distempered passion , but an holy fire of zeal for the glory of god : oh let it burn inwardly to consume the dross and corruptions of thy own soul , and to burn up the stubble vanity of thy corrupt affections , and then let it flame out in the eyes of the world ; that those that hate it , may yet see its light : and then whatsoever the world speaks or thinks of thee , thou maist with a glad heart say in the presence o● god ; praise the lord o my soul , and all that is within me praise his holy name ; bless the lord o my soul , and forget not all his benefits , as david doth , psal. 103.1 , 2. chap. 7. of the creation of both sexes . i come now to the second point , and that is , that god made both sexes ; male and female , man and woman ; which is here laid down in general , but more particularly set forth afterwards in the second chapter from the eighteenth verse to the end . so that first you see , as was shewed before , that the mans body was framed out of the dust , and the breath of life was breathed into him , as hath been shewed . now in the next place we may observe , 1. the necessity of the creation of woman after that man was made . 2. the manner of it . 3. the conjunction of both together . 4. a special consequent of the image of god in both ; and that was , that their nakedness was without shame , being without sin . the first of these is laid down , chap. 2. verse 18. & 20. and therein two things are to be noted . 1. that man was alone . 2. that it was not good for him to be alone , and therefore the lord would make him an help meet for him . 1. he was alone ; therfore it was noted , that when all the other living creatures were brought before him , there was not among them all , when they were in that best estate of their creation , any one that was an help meet for him ; or fit to be joined in neerest society with him : there was not any among all the creatures to which he gave names , that did bear the image of god , and so no fit match for him . 2. it was not good for him to be thus alone . object . but it may be objected , that then all that was made was not very good . resp. it was very good when it was perfected , but not whilest it was in hand , before it was finished : an house is not very good for habitation before the roof is laid , &c. when it is but an imperfect frame : so mans estate was not yet perfected , till the lord had made him an help meet for him ; and that was all done upon the sixth day , and then the lord said of all that he had made , that it was very good . but to the point ; it was not good that man should be alone . 1. because it was needful that mankind should be encreased for the glory of god ; that as the other creatures did encrease ▪ so men should multiply also , and bear rule over them . therefore gen. 1.28 . god said to them in the state of holiness and innocency , be fruitful and multiply , and replenish the earth , and subdue it . many other reasons there are now sithens the fall , for which it is needful that the woman should be made , which had no force in the state of innocency . but yet , 2. a second may be , that as god needing no creatures , yet did make creatures to which he might communicate his goodness ; so he might be pleased to make such a creature , as should be sutable unto adam , to whom he might communicate his love , and with whom he might take such an holy , undefiled , mutual contentmen● , as did become the estate of innocency . 2. in the second place followeth the manner of the creation of the woman ; and therein , 1. the preparative , which was a deep sleep falling upon the man to take away the present u●e of his sences , that he might not feel any pain in taking away the rib out of his side ; which shewed the lords tender care over man when he continued upright , that he would not put him to any pain , no not in such a case as tended to his special good , that he might have an help meet for him . 2. he took a rib out of his body , and left no breach nor wound in the body , but closed up the flesh again , and left it whole . and of this bone he made a woman , which should be joined unto him as an help meet for him . 3. the third thing is the institution of marriage ; wherein we have the lords act in joining them together , and his enacting that holy law of matrimony , gen. 2.24 . 1. the lord bringeth the woman to the man , where ye see , that god is the great match-maker , and he is the author of marriage . god brought all the creatures before adam , but among them all he found none that was an help meet for him , and therefore he brought the woman to another end ; and in bringing her , did join her to him in marriage : and adam on the other side , with a glad and thankful heart ▪ accepteth her at the hands of god ; giveth her a name answerable to her beginning , which he alleadgeth as a reason of the name , and of the near affinity between him and her . this is now bone of my bone , and flesh of my flesh ; she shall be called woman , because she was taken out of man. 2. the law of marriage was enacted , vers . 24 ▪ where is shewed : 1. that the conjunction between man and wife should be most near . 2. that it should not be dissolved . 3. that it should be between one man and one woman . 1. it should be most near : for it should be nearer than that between the child and his father and mother , which is nearer than any other besides this of marriage . therefore in marriage , the father is said to give his child ; so that now the husband is the wifes , and the wife is the husbands . they must be near in cohabitation , or in dwelling together ; most near in affection , near in a mutual communion of bodies and goods ; so near , that they must be one : even as the woman was a part of the man being taken out of him , so it must be conceived , that each man must judge himself one with his wife , and not esteem her as a person divided from himself ; not take her for another , but account her a part of himself . 2. it must not be dissolved , because they are become one : for a man to fo●sake his wife , is as if he should pluck an arm from his body , or pull a rib out of his side ; they being by the ordinance of god made one , even as all the members of a mans body make up one body . therefore our saviour giveth not way to any divorce , except it be for adultery , for then the party that committeth adultery doth rent it self from that union wherein they were knit together ; every adulterous act being a division of the marriage-bond . 3. it must be between one man and one woman ; and not between one , and more than on● . so it is plain ; 1. by the creation it self when the lord made but one woman for one man , which is the argument used by the prophet , malach. 2.15 . and if ever it had been expedient to have had many wives , it had been then fittest that the earth might have been more speedily replenished . 2. you see it is said , that a man shall cleave to his wife , and not unto his wives ; and that they two , and not more than two ▪ should be one flesh . 4. the last thing is a consequent of gods image in both ; which was , that their nakedness was without shame ; the cause whereof , was , because they were free from sin . thus much for the opening of these things ▪ i now proceed to application . chap viii . use 1. this condemneth the folly of those that use to say , that women have no souls ; which though it be a most sottish speech , yet no opinion is so sottish , which hath not some to embrace it . howsoever ! though men think not so , but speak it many times in an idle jesting humour , yet is it worthy of reproof in publique ; both because it is to be reckoned among those idle words for which the speaker must give account at the day of judgment , and also because it is a notorious lie and falshood , which no christian tongue should utter in jest or earnest . and that which the apostle speaks in another case , may be applied to this , that evil words corrupt good manners . but if it were worthy of a confutation , it were easily shewed , that the blessed virgin began her song of praise thus ; my soul doth magnifie the lord , &c. it is said , that lydia ( another woman ) had her heart or soul opened to attend to the word of god. it is said , that the woman whose daughter had a devil , had a great faith , which is always seated in the soul. it is said , that the woman who washed our saviours feet with tears , had many sins forgiven her ; but without a soul she could not have sinned , nor have received forgiveness of sins . but some that will take upon them to carp at sermons or catechisms , though themselves have need to be catechized , will say , it is an idle thing to speak of this : let their wisedomes know then , that in mine own experience i have found such as could not tell whether christ were god or man , or an angel &c. therefore there is need that the plainest things should be taught , and that they which know them should also know some arguments whereby to stop profane cavilling mouths ; but moses tells us , that both male and female were made after the image of god , and therefore both the one and the other had an immortal soul ; both were made rulers over the creatures . 2. this sheweth god's tender care over man , he would not suffer him to want that which was good for him : thus tender is his love when sin maketh no breach . this should therefore teach thee , o man , to lament thy sins , and the sins of the land , when any evil befalleth thee or the land . hadst not thou wronged him by thy sins , as adam then had not , he would have been as tender over thee as over him. had it not been for sin , the lord would have said , it is not good for man to be punished with famine and scarcity , i will provide him food convenient for him . it is not good for man to be sick , i will continue health unto him . it is not good for him to be made a slave , or a prisoner , whom i have made lord of the other creatures , i will give him liberty . it is not good to bring him under any affliction , i will keep him free from sorrow . it is not good that he should die , i will give him immortality . thus would the lord have dealt with man ▪ had not sin confounded that happy peace between god and man complain not then so much of thy affliction as it is a cross to thee , as of thy sin which is a cross to god , and which hath moved him to bring the cross of affliction upon thee . 3. in that woman was made to be an help meet for man at her creation , and at the first appointment of marriage , this sheweth , that , so far as she is an hinderance to him , or neglecteth to help him , so far she erreth from the right end of marriage . as she is an hinderance to him in spiritual things , and a means either to draw him from god , or to cool his zeal for gods glory ▪ to lessen his care for his service , or to make him more backward in good du●ies , or to discourage him from a sincere constant course of obedience ; so far doth she grievously cross the very rules , the true end and original institution of marriage . again , so far as she helpeth him forward in these things , as she provoke●h him to grow in grace , and to be more and more fruitful in good works , so far she sheweth her self to be a wife , even a wife of gods making , an help meet for man ; for indeed she is no farther a wife then she is an helper . again ▪ so far as by her wilfulness , negligence , or wastful riot she impaireth his estate , so far she faileth of those accomplishments that should go to the making up of a wife ▪ and , so far as by moderate care , diligence and discretion she furthereth him this way , so far she approveth her self to be a true wife , that is , an help meet for him ; so it is in regard of his true comfort and contentment every way , sc. of his credit &c. therefore wives should labour to be wives , that is , helps in every respect : for although infirmities sithence the fall wil not permit them to be perfectly helpful in the highest degree , yet should they labour to do their best in every several kind , wherein they ought to be helpful . 4. the neerness of the marriage-bond which is shewed by the original of the woman taken out of man , and the law of marriage enacted by god , whereby they are become one flesh , should move them both to knit their hearts in most intire and mutual love , accounting each other , and affecting each other , as a part of him or her self . 5. this condemneth the pride of the whore of babylon ▪ which accounteth the state of marriage polluted and thinketh her shavelings too good and holy to enter into that order , which yet the lord thought a fit and helpful estate for adam in his first estate , when the image of god shined b●ightly and perfectly in his soul without all spot of lust , or stain of corruption . 6. in that nakedness it self was not shameful , until naked man and woman became sinfull ; this should make us not so much ashamed of any thing as of sin ; no meanness of condition , no defects or deformities , no reproaches , of lving and idle tongues should make us so ashamed as any sin against god ; for shame is as proper unto sin as the shadow to the body , and we may call shame the shadow of sin . for as there is no shadow without some light , yet the shadow cometh not from the light but from the body ; so shame doth not follow sin without some light to discover it , yet the shame cometh not from the light but from sin ; there must be either the light of the word , or of conscience , or nature &c : to discover sin before the shame of it ( which is its shadow ) will appear : and therefore men that are wholly in darkness and blindness , and come not to the light , they go on without sense of the shame of sin . and that is the reason why men hate the light and those that hold it forth , because it maketh their sin cast shadow , it maketh the shame of their sin to appear , which was hidden before in the dark . chap. 8. of the creation of man after the image of god. sect . 1. thus much of the second point . sc. gods creation of both sexes : i now proceed to the third , viz. that god made man in his own image , which cleerly appeareth , both in the story of the consultation between the glorious persons of the blessed trinity , and also in the relation of the execution of his consultation here in my text. now for the opening this point , two things are to be considered . 1. what is an image in general . 2. wherein this image of god in man consisteth . an image is such a likeness of a thing , as doth bear a special relation to the thing resembled by it , either as flowing from its beeing , or framed according to it : so that every image of a thing is like unto the thing whose image it is ; but every thing that is like another , is not an image of it . any thing that is of the same colour wi●h another thing may be said to be like unto it , but not an image of it . but in an image , besides likeness , there is required one of these two things ; either that it be expressed by the essence of that whose image it is , or els that it be purposely fashioned according to it . in the former sense , none but the eternal son of god is the true image of god the father , as he is called the brightness of his glory , and the express image of his person . and so a son may be said to be the image of his father , as adam is said , after his fall to have begotten a son in his own likeness , after his image . in the other sense , an image is that which is made like to another , framed of purpose to resemble it : so is a picture or a statue made by art to represent some person : and such was the image of god in man , for the lord did purposely , as you see by the consultation , make man like himself , to resemble him , and to bear his image sect . 2. in the second place i come to shew , wherein this image of god in man consisteth , and what it is . this was in general , that perfection which god gave unto man in his first creation , for god is a most perfect beeing , infinite in all divine perfection : therefore that perfection which man had above all other creatures here below , was the image of god in man. now this perfection was two-fold . principal . less principal . principal in the soul : this is fully laid down unto us in these two places . colos. 3 10. yee have put off the old man , and have put on the new man , which is renewed in knowledge , after the image of him that created him : and that ephes. 4.24 . that yee put on the new man , which after god is created in righteousness and true holiness : where we see the several powers of the soul had their several perfections ; and there is no faculty of the soul which may not be made perfect by these , so that in these did the image of god consist . object . but it may be said , that in those two places . st paul speaks of regeneration , or the new birth , and not of that old and first creation in the beginning . sol. it is true ! and this maketh for our purpose ; for the apostle sheweth here , that the image of god consisteth in these perfections ; now the image of god restored by regeneration , is the same which was given by creation at the first , and that building which adam pulled down by his sin , our saviour built up again by his obedience and mediation . as in adam all die , even so by christ shall all be made alive . 1 cor. 15.22 . that is , christ shall make up that which was undone by adam : there cannot be any thing named for matter of substance that adam lost , but christ restored it , and therefore he is called the second adam , and in the comparison between them and the first adam , it is said , the first man adam was made a living soul , and the second adam was made a quickning spirit , ver . 45. that is , the first adam was made a living soul , by creation , living the life of nature , by the substance and faculties of his soul united to his body , and a supernatural life too , by the image of god in his soul : and , had he continued in that estate , he should have conveyed the same life , both natural and supernatural to his posterity : but losing that supernatural life , consisting in the image of god , he remained a meer living soul , and no better , one that had but only the life of nature left him , arising out of the essence and natural powers of the soul and so could only convey this natural life to his posterity , whose souls were dead in sin , to whom he could not impart any quickening vertue , to raise them unto that supernatural life in holiness and righteousness . but christ was a quickening spirit , not only having this supernatural life in himself , but also quickening those with a new principle of supernatural life , to whom he is joyned by the spirit : and so he is called a second adam , as being the founder of a new generation of men ; for as all men by nature do spring of the first adam , so all christians by grace do come of the second adam , and receive that spiritual life from him again , which the first adam received , but lost . now if the first adam had continued in his first estate , and kept the image of god , there had been no need of the second adam ; for all men by their natural birth should have received from him that supernatural life , together with the natural . but this first adam having lost the image of god , was now but the author of an imperfect generation of men , naturally alive , but spiritually dead ; and therefore there was need of a second adam , who should be the author of a new birth , and should give a new , a second , a spiritual life and beeing to those who were naturally dead in trespasses and sins : so that by this it is plain , that that new beeing and spiritual life , which christ by his spirit restoreth to his members , is that very image of god , which god made in man at the first ; and this you see , doth principally consist in knowledge holiness , and righteousness ; which are the perfections of the understanding judgment , conscience , will and affections . chap. 8. sect . 1. 1. for his understanding : he had all knowledge needfull for a perfect man , both concerning the creator and the creatures : his creator he knew perfectly ; perfectly i say , not in regard of the object , or person known , who is infinite , but in regard of the subject , or person knowing : mans understanding was not infinite , and therefore could not have such a knowledge of god , as was a full declaration , and apprehension of an infinite god ; but it was perfect in its kind , and therefore he had so much knowledge of his excellency , as was sufficient to make him admire him , love him , magnify him above all things ▪ and so much as was sufficient cleerly to direct him in any duty , which by the first covenant and law of his creation he owed unto him : so that as god knew himself , so man had a cleer knowledge of god , and therein did bear his image . then had he also a perfect knowledge of the creatures , sc. of himself and others . himself he knew both soul and body , and well understood the nature and vertue of each faculty in the one , and the temper and use of each member , or parts in the other . and this appeareth by the knowledge which he had of the woman at the first sight ; this is bone of my bone , and flesh of my flesh ; she shall be called woman , because she was taken out of man. he had a perfect knowledge of all the other creatures here below , he knew the trees of the gardens , the herbs , grass , and all sorts of plants , and the natural vertues and properties that were in them : he knew the beasts of the field , the fowls of the ayr , and fishes of the sea ; and so adam gave fit and proper names to all birds and beasts : so i doubt not , but he knew the nature , and several kinds of all minerals , mettals , precious stones , &c. together with the course and motions of the heavens , sun , moon , and s●ars . thus did the understanding which is the eye of mans soul , represent the infinite knowledg of god , and bear its image . and those things which we call now hidden qualities in the creatures , were not hidden from him , and are now covered from us , not in regard of their own natures , but in respect of our blindness , contrary to that light which was natural to us in the creation . but all this while , man had no knowledge of evil ; he knew not what ignorance or error meant ; he knew not what a stubborn will , an hard heart , a polluted conscience was : he had no knowledge of the nature of diseases nor of their remedies ; no nor of the cure of sin , nor of the washing away of its guilt and pollution : therefore the promise of this new kind of knowledge , made by sathan , caused the womans ear to itch , and her heart to long , as imagining her self capable of some higher perfection , which god had not given her ; for this knowledge concerned not that estate of man , or did it make for his happiness . sect . 2. ii. his will was perfectly bent to obey , and cleave unto his creator , whom he knew to be infinitely more excellent than all the creatures , and from whom he saw he had received all the good and happiness which he enjoyed ; he was fully resolved never to forsake him , knowing there was none in heaven , or earth to be regarded in comparison of him : in every affection of his heart and soul , he did carry a lively image of his maker . he loved god most intirely , whom he saw to be the greatest good beyond comparison ; and he loved whatsoever was agreeable unto god ; and herein he did resemble god , who loveth himself with a most perfect love ▪ and loveth whatsoever is agreeable to himself : he perfectly hated whatsoever was contrary to god , all manner of sin and transgression , as the lord also hateth it . if he had any actual desire , it was most holy : but i see not what he could actually desire in that estate , unless it were the continuance of that happiness which he had , and that neer communion with his god ; for he was full already , and had as much joy , holiness , and happiness , as he was capable of : so that his desire of good , was not , to have it increased , but only to have it continued to him : but he had not the least desire of any evil ; his ioy was wholly in god , who was his happiness , and in whom he found most sweet and full contentment . he had no matter of grief within , or without him , nothing that should lessen his joy , or imbitter his comfort : sin , which is the fountain of sorrow , was not then found in the world. as for sorrow , he had none actually stirring in him , though an ability he had , which afterward he had much cause to employ . his trust and confidence was in god , and he believed that which he revealed to him . so long as he stood firm ▪ he believed that threatning ; in the day that thou eatest thereof , thou shalt die the death . and when sathan by his lying suggestion brought him from his stedfast belief of this truth , then his feet were more than almost gone , his steps had more than well-nigh slipped . but while he remained in his state of creation , he believed without doubting ; yet had he not actually faith in christ , as a redeemer , which is that grace whereby the elect in this new covenant of the gospel are saved ; for being free from sin , he needed not a redeemer to satisfy for his guilt by his death : yet i doubt not , but that he had an ability to believe whatsoever god should reveal unto him , and so to have believed this truth , if it had been revealed . a● for fear ! he was free from all slavish fears of vengeance or misery , perfect love casting out all such kind of fear . yet i am perswaded , that he could not want an holy humble reverence and submissive respect unto his maker . courage he had in perfection , not fearing all the world , whiles he knew that god was with him . as for desperation , it was far from the height of his happiness , who was not subject to the least distrust . an holy anger , a divine flame of zeal for his beloved creators glory , i cannot think was wanting in him , inasmuch as the very angels are called seraphims , or fiery spirits . thus brightly did the image of god shine in the face of mans soul at his first creation , and though he were infinitely unequal to him , he had not any spot of sin or impurity in him , to make him u●like or contrary to him that made him . god made man upright , saith the wise man , eccles. 7.29 . and so he made him like himself ▪ sect . 3. 3. but besides these excellencies , he did also otherwise resemble his creator ; and that is the second thing , the inferiour part of gods image in man , and that in two sorts of things . 1. in things belonging to the body it self . 2. in things without his body . 1. of the things belonging to the body , you have heard before , when i spake of the creation of the body , sc. the beauty and excellent temper of the body : for though the lord hath no body , being an infinite , and most glorious beeing ; yet these things , as they were excellencies , and things that made somewhat for the happiness of man , they were in some sort resemblances of the divine glory and excellency of god : to these i may add also immortality ; for the body also was by the goodness of its maker free from death , had not sin made a forfeiture of his life and breath : and that upright posture of his body was a fit resemblance of the majesty of god that made it . 2. now , without the body there were these two things . 1. the sweet and happy habitation , which adam had in the garden of eden , such as now no place with the greatest cost and art in the world can possibly afford ; hereby resembling god , who hath the glorious heavens for his dwelling place , wherein he doth especially manifest his divine and glorious presence . 2. his dominion over the earth , ayr , and waters , with all the creatures in them , whereby as an under-officer , or deputy , he did represent the person of god , who is the supream lord of all . chap. ix . use 1. learn here then to admire this wonderfull work of god , and to magnify him for that admirable perfection which he gave to man , within him and without him ; in soul , body , habitation and dignity , having made him a little lower than the angels , and crowned him with glory and honour . what an excellent creature was man , when he came newly out of the hands of god , until sathan ●●rred him with his foul hands . a body without any blemish , a soul without the least defect , without all impurity ; an understanding and wit without all dimness , or dulness ; a judgment without error , a memo●y free from leaks o● failing , an heart without the least distemper , always carryed even , not swayed or stirred out of place on the one side o● the other . 2. learn here not to think god the author of any sinfull disposition in thee : remember how he made thee ; and condemn thy self , justifying his purity and holiness , by whom thou wast made upright ▪ 3. learn to lament thine own misery , who art so far from that perfection which god gave to man at the first ; look upon thy defects every way , within and without , and see the fruits of sin in thy self , and give no rest to thy self , till thou seest thy self new-made again , until thou art become a new creature , and hast the image of god restored unto thee : so far as we come short of adam's perfection , so far we come short of that which we should be , of that which we must continually seek for . but you will say , all in the world come short of adam's perfection : true and therefore all must strive to grow in grace more and more , and none must condemn another that goeth beyond himself : but yet there is a great difference in this case , for some are not sensible of their failings ; at least , not so , as to be carefull to reform them , but rather dislike those that give them the best examples , and keep themselves most close to the rule of the word . these have not the image of god at all restored to them , they have no part of that spiritual life which adam had . but others there be whom the lord hath new-molded , and once again by his spirit hath breathed into them the breath of spiritual life , who see themselves to come short of that perfection which adam had ; and mourn , and strive , and pray , and use all holy means and helps to this purpose , who are willing to be shewed , wherein they come short of this image of god in adam , wherein they are unlike unto it , willing to be reproved by the word ; these have some degrees of his image renewed in them , and these strive after farther perfection . but now compare thy self with this image of god in adam before his fall , and see what thou hast to do , how much is amiss in thee , and must be amended . when a man hath lost a great estate , and by some means beginneth to recover again , he will scarce think he hath enough , until he hath gotten as much as he had before ; he would fain be as rich as ever he was : men are too greedy of these things ; but as the apostle saith , so say i , covet yee the best things . thou wast rich in adam , our first parent had abundance of riches to leave us ; but he committed treason , and so all was forfeited into the hands of the lord. now we should never think our selves well , until we have recovered the same degree of excellency which we lost . thou that thinkest thou knowest enough , consider how far thou comest short of adam , who knew the lord perfectly ; but thou art ignorant of many things in the word of god , and those things which thou dost know , thou knowest it very imperfectly . how far art thou from that full purpose of heart in obeying god , and cleaving to him that was in adam ? how far from that uprightness , that perfection of holiness , those heavenly affections , that strong love to god , that ravishing constant joy in him , which adam had ? how unsetled are thy affections ? how dead is thy heart ? how little art thou affected toward heavenly things ? how far in love with the earth , and earthly things ? therefore think with thy self , in these and these things i am unlike to god , i bear not his image , i am contrary to his purity , and so resolve upon present reformation : and beware thou art not of the number of those , who instead of the image of god , do bear the very visage of sathan : oh let all the children of god labour to be more and more conformed to the image of their heavenly father ; and to become holy , as he is holy , that they may for ever be happy as he is happy . chap. 1. of the creation of angels , and of their properties . colos. 1.16 . for by him were all things created that are in heaven , and that are in earth , visible and invisible , &c. thus much of visible or corporeal creatures : now let us speak something of the invisible or spiritual ; where observe , from the text , that god created all invisible substances . these are called spirits , or angels , and all of them ( i conceive ) have the same natural essence or beeing , though in regard of their present moral enclinations to good or evil , there be a wonderfull difference between them . 1. for their nature , they are called spirits : so the good angels are called , he hath made his angels spirits , psal. 104. so the evil angels are often called unclean spirits in the holy story of the evangelists ; and in that story of ahab , 1 king. ult . there is mention made of a lying spirit . now in that they have appeared in a bodily shape , this is no proof that their nature is not spiritual : but this they might do , sometimes by the lords command , sometime by his sufferance for special ends ; for if some excellent artificers can amaze the minds of others with strange inventions , and artificial performances , how easie is it for these excellent creatures , even of any matter , ayr , or water , &c. to frame shapes for any purpose ? 2. for their original , here you see they were created , as the text maketh it manifest , but not as many other creatures , so as to propagate others of their own kind ; but all those that now are , we suppose were at first created , and their number shall not be encreased to the end of the world : for the day when they were created , it is uncertain : some think it was the first day with the light , and that is not unlikely ; but we must not speak peremptorily where the scripture is silent : howsoever , both scripture and reason do prove that they were made , though the time of their creation , as well as many other things concerning them be hidden from us , because not necessary for us to know . chap. 2. their knowledge is either natural , given them at the first creation , or supernatural by revelation from god , or acquired , and gotten by experience : that they had excellent knowledge at their creation , there is no question , being made more excellent than man , who yet at the first had an admirable measure of knowledge given unto him . the knowledge which they have of god , and of his works , is admirable from their very creation , though yet it is not infinite : it doth not reach to things to come , unless it be indirectly by a consideration of some things present , thereby collecting what will follow , or by seeing things in their causes : otherwise they have no certain natural knowledge of things meerly future ; for that is the prerogative of god denyed to the creatures . but besides this , they have a supernatural knowledge revealed of god unto them , and thus they come acquainted with many things to come , when the lord is pleased to give them knowledge of them : so the angel gabriel knew that christ should be conceived in the womb of the virgin mary , because the lord had revealed this to him , and sent him to acquaint her with it : so on the contrary , the lying spirit knew that ahab should fall at ramoth-gilead , because the lord had revealed so much to him . besides this , there is no doubt , but that they have wonderfully encreased their knowledge these many years , which have passed since their first creation . consider this , that being spirits , and not having their understandings dimmed by any gross vapours arising from the body , nor interrupted in their speculations by any bodily pains or sickness , nor being subject to weariness , nor in any sort hindered or disabled by old age , nor distracted by seeking necessary supplies for the body ( all which are impediments incident to bodily substances ; ) and besides all these , have had many thousand yeares , wherein to increase their knowledge ; it is beyond our imagination to think to what an height they are grown by this means . the apostle sheweth that the holy angels did encrease their knowledge in the gospel , by the preaching of the apostles . eph. 3.8 . unto me who am less than the least of all saints is this grace given , that i should preach among the gentiles , the unsearchable riches of christ ; that men might learn , as he saith , vers. 9. but this was not all ; there were scholars also of an higher forme in the school of christ , sc. the angels themselves . to the intent that now unto principalities and powers in heavenly places , might be known by the church the manifold wisdome of god. vers. 10. this may seem strange , that angels should learn of men ; but this we must know , that it was not paul , nor any mortal man , that of himself could teach these immortal spirits any knowledge which they had not : but it was the holy ghost himself ▪ who is infinitely above men and angels , that spake by the apostles to the angels , and out of the mouths of men , did teach these glorious spirits . but there is a great difference in the end of this knowledge , in angels and men : for men must learn the mysteries of grace , both that they may believe and be saved , and also that they may admire , and magnify the riches of gods grace in the work of redemption . but the angels do not learn this , for their own redemption , who never fell into sin , and therefore need no pardon , but that they may glorify god , and rejoyce in the salvation of the elect. and as god the son did choose to unite to himself , not the nature of angels , but of man : so god the holy ghost did choose rather to speak by men to the angels in this mystery , concerning god the son , ( being god and man ) than by the angels to men. now there is no doubt , but the evil angels also do learn the gospel-mysteries , which they also believe , and tremble : they are constant hearers ; and it may well be thought , that there is never a sermon which is likely to bring any danger to their kingdome , but that some of them are present , though for no good intent : yea , when they hinder others from learning , yet they learn themselves , though they never mean to practise . and as the angels , good and evil , have increased their knowledge in the mystery of christ ; so ( i doubt not , but ) they have done the like in other things by their long experience . now yee must not think there is an essential or natural difference between the good and evil angels , though they differ exceedingly in regard of moral good or evil , no more than there is between good and evil men. peter and iudas were both men , though the difference were great in their ends , and in their dispositions . chap. 3. now i come to speak briefly of both these sorts apart : and first of the good angels ( such as all were at the first ; ) for , as for the evil angels , they are not so by their creation ; and therefore as they are evil , they are not to be reckoned among the creatures : we may safely say , that god made no devils ; for though he made those creatures which now are wicked devils , yet he made them not devils , but holy angels , excellent and glorious spirits ; but i shall not speak of them here . now for the good angels . 1. consider their perfection , which is both of nature , and of grace . the lord at the first gave them an excellent perfection of nature , whereby he made them good , perfect , and compleat according to their kind , so that they wanted no excellency , which belonged to created spirits , and perfect intellectual natures : so doubtless they had naturally admirable power and strength given them , as appeareth , psal. 103.20 . bless the lord yee his angels , mighty in strength . one angel invadeth a whole camp of souldiers , and in one night slayeth 185000 men : their agility , speed and quickness is extraordinary ; how swiftly doth the wind fly through the ayr , but these spirits are far more quick and active ; and therefore the cherubins are described with wings , and so the seraphims also ; yea , they are called a flame of fire , in regard of their inflamed love to god. no doubt , they had a fulness of all perfection answerable to their natures , power , knowledge , quickness , perfect holiness , love to god , joy in him unspeakable and glorious ; and especially a most happy habitation in the glorious presence of god , and kingdome of heaven . to this natural perfection which all angels had at first , and which the good angels still have , we suppose must be added a perfection of free grace , whereby the lord was pleased to confirm some of them in their first estate , leaving some to themselves , as he might justly have done all : for although the lord did give natural perfection unto all , yet he was not bound in justice to add his grace of confirmation unto all or any ; for that which is of grace , cannot be a due . this i doubt not ▪ was done in and through the son , though not through his incarnation ; not through him as made man : for as god the father made all things through his son ; so he doth all his works through him , and especially this work of confirming the blessed angels in their happiness ; and therefore in this respect he is the head of the angels also . ii. the number of the angels is exceeding great : the scriptures makes mention of many thousands , and there are multitudes employed for the good of the church in all parts of the world. howsoever ! the number of these stars of the third heaven ( the blessed angels ) is as uncertain to us , as the number of those stars which are in the second heaven : we must therefore leave it to god , as one of his concealed secrets , who telleth as well the number of the angels , as of the stars , and calleth them all by their proper names . iii. as for the office and employment of angels , it is : 1. to attend on the lord , and give him praise : i am gabriel that stand in the presence of the lord , said the angel , luke 1. so in the vision of isaiah , the angels stood with their wings , covering their faces , and singing before the lord , holy , holy , holy , lord god of hosts , all the earth is full of his glory . isai. 6. so in luke 2. the angels joyn together in praising the lord , and in many places of the revelations . 2. to go at the command of god : and so they are called angels , that is , messengers : and the angels both in the hebrew and greek are called messengers : so angels were sent to abraham , to lot , to the blessed virgin , to zachary , to our saviour : they are ready at a b●ck ; as soon as the lords pleasure is known unto them , they flie at a word . 3. to defend the church : he shall give his angels charge over thee to keep thee in all thy ways . psal. 91.11 , 12. they shall bear thee up in their hands , lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone : so the angels defended elisha , against the host of the syrians ; and there were more with him than against him . doubtless , the church of god , and particular members of it , do receive great assistance , and protection from the holy angels : and that ( as i conceive ) not only in regard of outward ▪ but also in respect of spiritual enemies . for i cannot conceive , but that the good angels should as well suggest good thoughts , as the evil angels do evil thoughts : and as a man hath his own corruption , and the temptations of the evil spirits on the one side to draw him into sin , so i am verily perswaded , that he hath the graces of the holy ghost , and the assistance of the holy angels , to help him against sin , and to stir him up to obedience . and as sathan prevaileth not in tempting us to sin , unless our corruptions joyn with him : so i conceive , these holy angels prevail not usually in provoking us to good , unless the grace of the spirit shall make their perswasions effectual ; these things we may conceive by analogy , considering the practices of evil angels . and it may be thought , that those restraining thoughts , which many times do bridle the rage of the wicked , so that it breaketh not out against the godly , even then when they have intended , and begun to attempt mischief against them , are cast into their minds by the angels . — as for the godly , i am perswaded , they are many times directed strongly , by the secret suggestions of the angels , for the avoiding of dangers , and the obtaining of good : but whether every particular christian hath one particular angel , i cannot so well resolve you , though i know some there are , that understand that place of our saviour , mat. 18.10 . to imply so much ; where christ speaking of young children , saith ; i say unto you , that in heaven there angels do always behold the face of my father which is in heaven . and here , by the way , you may observe a special charge which the angels have of children , helping those which are most helpless : and for my part , i am resolved , that the angels do especially guard young children against a multitude of dangers , that they are apt to fall into ; yea , that they stand about our beds , and keep us sleeping ; then especially defending us when we are most subject to danger . 4. their office also is to execute god's judgments : so did an holy angel on senacherib's army : so did two holy angels on sodom and gomorrah . chap. 4. use 1. here meditate upon this excellent work of the all-sufficient creator , who being an eternal infinite beeing , made these immortal , but finite spirits , most like to himself of all the creatures that he made ; therefore he rather chooseth to call himself by the name of these creatures [ a spirit ] than by any other ; although indeed he is more properly called iehovah , a beeing in general , than by the name of any creature in special . 2. admire him who hath so many glorious angels to attend him , whereof the least is far more excellent than the greatest earthly monarch : admire his majesty , ●ho hath so many thousand glorious ministring spirits . admire his goodness , who notwithstanding the multitude of these , is yet pleased to take poor men into his service ; yea into the number of his children , to partake of his inheritance for ever . think then , if god call me to his service , it is for my good , he needeth me not . he that hath thousands of angels ready to do his meanest service , needeth not a worm of the earth to do his work . 3. in that these angels are spirits , and without bodies , you may be assured , that the spiritual delights and contentments are of all other the most excellent : for the angels have sweeter delights than all the earth can afford ; and yet no delights of eyes , of ears , of tast , feeling , smelling , &c. nothing whereof the flesh is sensible ; yet these have most abundant fulness of joy . labour therefore to get above these dull , earthly , sensual delights , and to feast thy soul with those sweetest , purest , highest contentments of the holy angels , in enjoying god , and walking with him , so shalt thou have thy conversation in heaven . 4. moreover , let the perfections of the angels teach thee humility of spirit : let their knowledge keep thee from being proud of thine ; let their holiness make thee bewail thy pollutions ; their speed and readiness make thee to lament thy backwardness : and as thou prayest , so endeavour to do the will of god on earth , as these holy angels do it in heaven : do it readily and willingly , as they do with winged affections : do it heartily and sincerely , as they : do it universally in all things , and do it spiritually in the power of the spirit , as these blessed spirits , who have no flesh at all to dull them in the work of the lord. 5. let the hope of their society in that glorious kingdome stir thee up to seek this kingdome ; oh that blessed day , when i shall for ever keep company with so many glorious spirits : let me despise all fleshly companions in comparison of them . 6. again , being creatures , they are not to be worshipped ; see thou do it not , saith the angel to st. iohn : yet must they be reverenced , as the most excellent servants of god , full of admirable graces ; and especially we must reverence them in carrying our selves at all times publickly and secretly , as becometh such as will keep company with the holy angels : so saith st. paul ; the woman must not carry her self in unseemly manner , contrary to modesty , not come with her head uncovered into the congregation , because of the angels , for they are present in the church-assemblies . 7. we must take heed ( as not to grieve the blessed spirit of god ) so not to grieve these his ministring spirits , who as they rejoyce at the conversion of a sinner , so they abhor the obstinacy of a sinner going on in his sins . doest thou not do those things among thy sinfull companions which thou wouldest be ashamed to do in the sight of some grave and sober persons ? how darest thou then do them before the angels ? nay , why art thou not ashamed to do them before the very face , and in the presence of god ? 8. be thankfull for that protection which the lord giveth thee by these ; and with a thankfull heart , bless him for this guard in thy journeys , upon the way , in thy bed when thou sleepest , in many sudden dangers ; and believe assuredly , that thou receivest much good by their means , which thou dost not take particular notice of , that thou escapest many dangers by their help , which thou never fearedst . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a50400-e230 aristotle affirmed the wo●ld was from eternity : plato said , it wa● c●eated out of a co-e●e●nal matter : the angels did create , us the iews falsely affirm : the epicureans blasphemously ascribe it to chance . jussit & gessit . august . stella de contempt . mundi . ainswor . annot. in gen. 1. zinch . de operib . dei. vocabulum homo , est duarum substantiarum sibula . yertul . senec. ad lucil . epist. 33. god never made 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , as some phylosophers would have it , but every thing for a double use ; one natu●al , the other spi●itual . notes for div a50400-e2580 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 zanch. de operibus dei. gen●s . 1.2 . parai comm●nt in genes . cant. 4.16 . 2 kings 18.4 . the beasts find no support in the air , but sink to the earth . plin. nat. hist. lib. 32. cap. 1. plin. nat. histor. zabarel . notes for div a50400-e8630 love. hatred . desire . detestation . ioy. sorrow . hope fear . courage , desperation . anger . the understanding . invention . iudgment . discourse . the will. conscience . an image what it is . hebr. 1.3 . of the image of god in general . n. b. considerations on a book, entituled the theory of the earth, publisht some years since by the dr. burnet beaumont, john, d. 1731. 1693 approx. 418 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 98 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : 2007-10 (eebo-tcp phase 1). a27207 wing b1620 estc r170484 12571666 ocm 12571666 63473 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a27207) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 63473) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, 1641-1700 ; 953:43) considerations on a book, entituled the theory of the earth, publisht some years since by the dr. burnet beaumont, john, d. 1731. [8], 187 p. printed for the author, and are to be sold by randal taylor ..., london : 1693. reproduction of original in bodleian library. attributed to john beaumont. cf. nuc pre-1956. errata, advertisement: p. [8] created by converting tcp files to tei p5 using tcp2tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between 1473 and 1700 available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the 25,363 texts created during phase 1 of the project have been released into the public domain as of 1 january 2015. anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. 5% (or 5 pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of 100 instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level 4 of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p5, characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng burnet, thomas, 1635?-1715. -telluris theoria sacra. creation -early works to 1800. deluge. earth -early works to 1800. 2006-04 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2006-08 spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images 2006-10 john latta sampled and proofread 2006-10 john latta text and markup reviewed and edited 2007-02 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion considerations on a book , entituled the theory of the earth . publisht some years since by the learned dr. burnet . dedit omnibus deus , pro virili portione sapientiam , ut & inaudita investigare possent , & audita perpendere . lactan. de orig. error . c. 8. london , printed for the author , and are to be sold by randal taylor near stationers-hall . 1693. imprimatur , edmund bohun . decemb. 1. 1692. to his honour'd friend , dr. robert hooke , fellow of the royal society , &c. sir , well knowing that among that variety of learning , in which your genius has always exercised itself , you have been particularly delighted in considering this terrestrial globe we inhabit ; i have been free to inscribe these few considerations , thereunto relating , to your name ; being lately written by me on a book , entituled , the theory of the earth , offer'd to the publick by a learned person . this undertaking was very casual to me ; for you know , a few years since i was upon another design , first recommended to me by your self , which would have taken up my thoughts for some years ; but i had no sooner printed a draught of it , when an ill juncture of times hapning , it caus'd me to lay it by . to such providencial disappointments all men must submit , nor has it been any way uneasie to me to have been baulkt in writing the natural history of a county , the considerations here in hand being as far more noble than that other , as they are of a more general extent ; and i would i had been as able to perform well in them , as i am conscious to my self , how incompetent the narrowness of my thoughts may be for solving the great aenigma of the world , as to the rise , tendency , and periods of it , points consider'd in this work. indeed , when first initiated in religion , we have a doctrine deliver'd us concerning them , which by faith we receive , and in which ( as in duty bound ) we acquiesce . and nevertheless , as we grow in years , the mind of man , urg'd on by strong and luxuriant instincts , falls naturally a considering how far they may be resolvable by humane reason . and though , perhaps , how great soever a mans instincts may be , we may not arrive at a full satisfaction in these matters , but by an enlighten'd and prophetick spirit , which god vouchsafes not to all men ; yet , at least , as far as reason will bear , men may be aiding to each other by an intercommunication of thoughts , while we stand waiting at the gates of truth , till god is pleas'd to open to us ; and , as for what i have offer'd in this kind , i freely submit it to your censure , being , sir , your most obliged and humble servant , john beaumont , jun. to the learned dr. burnet , author of the theory of the earth . sir , your theory of the earth , tho extant long since , fell not under my perusal till of later years ; when conversing with a person of eminent learning , who gave your work its due applause , it hast'ned me in the reading of it , which i had often design'd before , tho still diverted by some concerns i had in hand . and i must own that the worthiness of the matters there treated , and the learned handling of them , were not a little charming with me : and nevertheless ( as it commonly falls out with men in philosophical subjects ) many objections occur'd to me as i read it , and some of them seemingly so strong , that they have hitherto withheld me from yielding assent to your hypothesis propos'd . such as they are , i here lay them before , having gathered them together to no other end , but that either being solv'd by you , your hypothesis may stand confirm'd , or if haply , they will not bear a solution , that men may be put upon new thoughts for finding such an hypothesis , as will stand all trials , being sir , your very humble servant , john beaumont , jun. to the reader . that the author of the book , entituled , the theory of the earth , has shewn much learning , ingenuity , and the command of a style more than common in his work , i conceive to be the sense of most persons that have perus'd it . what i pretend to consider in it , is , whether the hypothesis he there proposes can hold good , and am of opinion there is a failure and inconsistency in it . the method i use in my considerations on the said theory is thus : i proceed generally upon each chapter , as the author has writ them in his english copy ; first stating the contents with as much clearness and conciseness as i may , and then offering what i have to say upon them . i well know , that the late right reverend father in god , herbert lord bishop of hereford , has already publish'd some animadversions on this theory ; as likewise some other persons : but whereas his lordship in his animadversions has pleas'd , for the most part , to keep himself to his province of divinity , by expounding some scripture passages relating to it , i proceed generally in a philosophical way , arguing from the nature of the thing ; though no man can treat of these matters , without a scripture ground . and since the other animadverters , beside what they have urg'd from the scriptures , argue generally in a way differing from me , i thought this small mite of mine , toward the elucidation of these abstruse matters , might not be unacceptable among the learned . and whereas the author of the theory wishes , that whoever shall offer any thing against it , keep himself to the substance of it ; so i have done as to the main : tho since collateral matters are for illustrating and strengthning the hypothesis , or some way inducing to a reception of it , i have thought it proper for me now and then , as occasion presented , to take notice of them , at least in a transient way , and to shew their insufficiency for such ends . errata . besides literal faults , the reader is desir'd to correct the following mistakes of the press . pag. 11. line 1. blot out , chiefly . ib. l. 37. and 38. read , it little concerned , p. 15. l. 23. r. for a metaphysical , p. 19. l. 7. r. ad captum , p. 31. l. 2. r. sediment , p. 42. l. 21. after this , make a full point . p. 49. l. 31. veil , r. vale , p. 71. l. 15. r. harmonical , p. 127. l. 25. r. intimate , p. 137. l. 36. r. religions , p. 142. l. 30. blot out in , p. 174. l. 14. r. concerning it , p. 184. l. 16. vtque r. atque . advertisement . there is now again published weekly , by randal taylor near stationers hall , the collection for improvement of husbandry and trade , with prices of corn , &c. by john houghton f. r. s. at the same place may be had the three former volumes , and six-penny sheet of acres , houses , proportional tax , &c. of each county in england and wales , by the same author . considerations on the theory of the earth . the first book . concerning the deluge and the dissolution of the earth . chap. i. the author here gives an account of the whole work , of the extent and general order of it ; so that this chapter being only introductory , i note only the following passage . page 3. he says thus : there is no sect of philosophers , that i know of , that ever gave an account of the universal deluge , or discovered from the contemplation of the earth , that there had been such a thing already in nature . 't is true , they often talk of an alternation , of deluges and conflagrations in this earth , but they speak of them as things to come ; at least they give no proof or argument of any that have already destroy'd the world. and beneath . as to the conflagration in particular , this has always been reckon'd among the opinions or dogmata of the stoicks , that the world was to be destroyed by fire , and their books are full of this notion : but yet they do not tell us the causes of the conflagration , nor what preparations there are in nature , or will be , toward that great change. and we may generally observe this of the ancients , that their learning or philosophy consisted more in conclusions than in demonstrations ; they had many truths among them whereof they did not know themselves the premises or proofs ; which is an argument with me , that the knowledg they had was not a thing of their own invention , or which they came to by fair reasoning and observation upon nature , but was deliver'd to them from others by tradition and ancient fame , sometimes more publick , sometimes more secret : these conclusions they kept in mind , and communicated to those of their school , or sect , or posterity , without knowing , for the most part , the just grounds and reasons of them . on this passage i have the following particulars to offer . 1. we have no reason to expect that the greeks or latins should have given any account of the deluge in noah's time , unless we will allow the deluge of the ancient ogyges ( which is said to have lasted nine months ) to have been the same with that of noah . for they pretend not to have any records farther than that ogyges : wherefore all things among the greeks , which antiquity had worn out of date , were call'd ogygia . and if , haply , they had any thing of times before , it came very obscurely to them , whence they call'd the ante-ogygian age 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and was only what they had by hearsay of the egyptians ; or other nations . those who have made any mention of the universal deluge under noah , are , the sibyl in lactantius , de ira dei , c. 23. xenophon , de equivocis . fabius pictor , de aureo seculo . cato , de originibus . archilochus the greek , who introduces also the testimony of moses , in his book , de temporibus . josephus in his jewish antiquities , from mnaseas . hierom of egypt , and berosus the chaldean . alexander polyhistor , and abydenus in cyril's first book against julian . plato in his timaeus . ovid and others of the poets confound the deluge of noah with that of deucalion , describing this as general ; which , in regard they must have known to have been particular , i judg the scope of their discourse chiefly tended to a moral or divine institution , the historical narratson in itself being not true . and servius tells us , that by a deluge and emphytheosis the ancients understood a change , and a melioration of times , and we know deluges were still introduc'd in the iron age , after a total corruption of manners . 2. as to alterations by deluges and conflagrations which the author intimates the ancients to have held only by tradition , without finding by the earth that any such things had been , and without considering any causes and preparations in nature for them : i find it to be otherwise . first , i think it plain enough among the ancient philosophers ( tho unobserv'd by the author ) that they discover'd from the contemplation of the earth there had been already such a thing as a general deluge , at least successively ; so as the waters of the sea had some time or other cover'd the whole face of the earth . thus ovid introduces pythagoras , saying , vidi ego quod fuerat quondam solidissima tellus esse fretum , vidi factas ex aequore terras . et procul à pelago conchae jacuere marinae , et vetus inventa est in montibus anchora summis : quodque fuit campus , vallum decursus aquarum fecit : & eluvie mons est deductus in aequor , &c. i 've seen what was most solid earth before become a sea , the sea become a shore ; far from the sea sea-cocles often lie , and anchors old are found on mountains high : land-floods have made a valley of a plain , and brought a mountain with them to the main . and there you may read much more to the same purpose : and all ancient histories , as well as modern , tell us of such marine bodies found on mountains ; some urging them as arguments for such changes : as there are learned men now living , who think they can demonstrate from such bodies , found on mountains at all distances from the sea , that there is no part of the land now appearing , but has sometime been cover'd by the sea. i could produce much matter on this argument , were it not that i am unwilling to anticipate here what i have thoughts of setting forth in a particular tract . again , as for causes of those changes , we find that seneca , a master among the stoicks , describing an universal deluge , assigns causes for them . the sum of his reasoning is thus : he examines whether an universal deluge will be caus'd by the overflowing of the sea , or by continual rains , or by the eruption of new fountains , and concludes it will be by all three joyn'd together , and that nothing is difficult to nature when she hastens to her end : in the rise of things she uses a gentle effort , and carries them on towards their perfection by unperceivable degrees ; but when the time of their dissolution comes , it 's done all on a sudden ; as he exemplifies in animals : and so he says cities are long building , and woods long growing , but reduc'd to ashes in a few hours . therefore when that fatal day shall come , many causes will act together : there will be a general concussion of the earth , opening new sources of waters ; continued and violent rains , whence , at length , the snows heap'd up on mountains for many ages will be dissolv'd ; whereby the rivers greatly swelling , and forc'd by tempests , will overflow their channels , and by their rapid course , carry all before them , and many times their courses to the sea being damn'd up , they will return back and drown whole countries : mean while the immoderate rains continuing , the winter season encroaching on the summer , and the seas being mightily increas'd by the vast discharges of the overflowing rivers , and being infested with violent tempests , they will find their channel too narrow for them , and overflow the land , forcing the rivers back , in a tempestuous manner towards their sources , and so at length bury the whole earth in waters : unless , happily for a time , some of the mountains may here and there stand as scatter'd islands , but at last there being a general effort in the waters , as at spring-tides , the whole will be overflown . he farther tells us , that as fires and waters bear sway o'er earthly things , their rise and ruine being from and by them , it was the opinion of berosus , that deluges and conflagrations will happen , thro the courses of the planets : and that a conflagration shall happen when all the planets , which now keep different courses , shall meet in cancer , being so plac'd , that it shall pass in a direct line through them all ; and that a deluge shall happen , when the said planets shall so meet in capricorn ; the one making the summer solstice , and the other the winter ; signs of great power , being the points for the changes of the year . and seneca receives these causes also ; one cause being too little for so great a ruin. he adds , whether the world be an animal , or a body , nature governing it , as trees and standing corn : from its beginning there was included in it , whatsoever it ought to act , and to undergo to its end ; as in the seed is comprehended the whole state of the future man ; so that the child , yet unborn , has the law of a beard and grey hairs , the lineaments of the whole body , and of the succeding age being there , in little , and conceal'd . so he says the origine of the world contain'd as well the sun and moon , and courses of the planets , and the rise of animals , as those things with which earthly things are chang'd . in these was an inundation , which happens by the law of the world , no otherwise than summer and winter . and he says all things will help nature for the performance of her constitutions ; but the earth it self will afford it the greatest cause to drown it ; which will be resolv'd into moisture , and flow by a continued consumption , the tainted parts , as in bodies ulcerated , by degrees , bringing the rest to a general colliquation . here we plainly see what the grounds of the stoicks and others were , for admitting deluges and conflagrations . they having observed , that particular bodies on the earth had a beginning and decay , and were again renewed by their seeds , thence by analogy concluded , that the same order must pass , as to the whole world : and again , having consider'd that fires and waters bore the sway o'er earthly things , and that the one prevail'd in the summer , the other in the winter : they thence imagin'd , that besides ordinary summers and winters , whereby the ordinary changes are wrought on the earth , there would happen some great periodical revolutions in the heavens , causing so great a predominancy of fires and waters here below , that they would cause general changes over the whole face of the earth at once . bede , speaking of these changes , says , it was the opinion of all the philosophers , that earthly things received their periods sometimes by a deluge , and sometimes by a conflagration ; because the waters being plac'd under the fountain of heat , it happens , that the moisture encreases by degrees , and overpowers the heat , till being detain'd by no bounds , it diffuses it self over the earth , and drowns it ; which moisture , at length , being dry'd by the heat of the sun , and drought of the earth , the heat encreases in its turn , and over-powers the moisture , till being diffus'd over the earth , it burns it . he adds , there are some that say these things happen through the general elevation and depression of the planets ; for if all the planets are elevated together , being remov'd from the earth more than they ought , they consume less of the moisture ; whence the moisture encreasing , it diffuses it self o'er the earth , and causes a deluge . if but one , two , or three of them are elevated , without the others , the moisture thereby does not abound ; for what increases by their remoteness , is dry'd by the nearness of the others : but if all are depress'd together , they burn the earth , and cause a conflagration , doing too much by their nearness , as by their remoteness they did too little . many others who write of these mundane changes , word themselves much after the same manner : whence we find the antients did not barely rely on tradition for these changes , but had such grounds as they conceiv'd rational for admitting them . now if it shall be said , that the causes they have assign'd , are not competent for such changes ; possibly it may be , because they sought for causes which were not in nature to be found : for those antients , either supposing the deluge of the antient ogyges , to have been general , or having heard that some other deluge had been affirmed so to have been , and finding by marine bodies dug in mountains , that the waters of the sea had been there , they attempted to assign causes for an universal change at one effort ; whereas those causes , upon examination , were found , either to have been assign'd gratis , without any solid ground , or to answer only partial changes . hence aristotle , and the soundest reasoners , well seeing the slight presumptions on which this opinion was grounded , derided the stoicks , epicureans , and others , who maintain'd it . for first , aristotle knew they had no sound records for making out that any such change had happen'd in nature : and , secondly , he having well weighed the rotation of the elements , and what past in particular bodies , found that what flow'd from the later , receded from them , which must cause a decay ; but whatever flowing there were in the elements , it still return'd into them , so that nothing was lost or decay'd , as to the whole , nor so much to any chief part , as to cause a total dissolution . and since no man , that i know of , has hitherto assign'd a cause able to work a general change in the earth at once , i should be inclin'd , according to natural principles , to follow his opinion , a general change being to be ascribed to miracle , for ought i know , till some prophet shall come to help us out . as for what has been said by the sibylls and antient magi among the gentiles , concerning these changes ( i speak not of what has been prophetically deliver'd of them in sacred writ , which i judg refers to a miraculous hand ) we know they were persons chiefly concern'd in the politick government of their times ; and being greatly skill'd in adept philosophy ( as some of our prophets also transcendently were ) they knew how to adapt the great phaenomena of the earth to the microcosm , and moral world , and there is a mystery in what they intimate , as to these changes , which i think not fit here to explain ; but may note , that those who are seen in the promethean arcanum astrologicum , and have heard the seven-reed pipe of pan , know on what grounds the above-mention'd astrological causes for deluges and conflagrations were originally introduc'd , and whither they tend . the antient druids of our nation , who were the most famous for adept philosophy of any men of these parts of the world ( nay , and as pliny says , the persian magi may seem to have had their rise from them ) and who govern'd all here ; in their sacrifices , which they thought most acceptable to their gods , were wont to make a wicker image in the form of a man of a vast proportion ; whose inward cavities they filled with live men , who were commonly murtherers , thieves , robbers , and other criminals , but for want of these , often innocents , and then to set fire to it , and consume them to ashes . now , i think mr. sammes , in his britannia , comes short in his guess , concerning the grounds of this festival solemnity : he conceives the britains and gauls , by this solemn act , in burning these vast images , with men in them , express'd their detestation of the phoenicians ; who , he says , were men of a vast stature , and who for a long time had subdu'd them , and kept them in slavery , from which they were now got free . this interpretation , i say , seems not to me to answer the grandeur of the act ; it being much more probable , that by it , they would present a solemn type of the general conflagration ( it being a point of their doctrine that such a thing was to be ) especially , as it related to mankind , and the moral world : tho as boemus tells us , they were wont also to make such great images of rowls of hay , and therein to inclose beasts as well as men , and to set all on fire in like manner : which , nevertheless , may also refer to mankind ; for that in man there are certain fomites and affects of brutes , which , after they have been a long time habituated in him , man seems to have pass'd into their nature , the pythagorean transmigration , according to the sense of all the learned platonicks , except plotinus , importing no more : which transmigration was a doctrine so antiently taught by the druids , that lipsius says , he knows not whether they learnt it of pythagoras , or he of them . 3. concerning the learning of the ancients , whether it were in conclusions , and traditional only , as the author has intimated , or from a contemplation of causes , we may consider what plutarch says in the case , which is as follows : all generation proceeding from two causes , the first and most antient divines and poets kept themselves , in a manner , wholly to the first and most excellent cause ; but as for necessary and natural causes , they meddle not with them : whereas , on the contrary , the modern philosophers leaving that excellent and divine principle , ascribe all to bodies and affects of bodies , and i know not what juttings against each other , changes and temperatures : so that both are in a fault ; the latter because they either ignore , or omit to tell us by whom ; the former after what manner , and by what means each thing is effected . again , as to the antient philosophy , we know , that not long before the times of plato and aristotle , and the other philosophers , all the dogmata of philosophy were not deliver'd openly , but after an obscure and aenigmatical manner , under certain veils : which occult way of philosophizing , being learnt by the greeks from the egyptians , they brought it into their country , and continu'd the same for a time ; being unwilling openly to publish , among the vulgar , that admirable learning , which being ill understood by them , might make them fall from religion and uprightness of life ; till at length , in succeeding ages , the whole came to be unravell'd , and men came to open reasoning . hence it may be said , that as our corpuscularians or other philosophers at present , will not own themselves ignorant of the first cause , tho they mention him not in explaining natural effects : so the antients knew well enough particular causes , it being wholly inconsistent with a philosopher to rely barely on tradition , antient fame , or a general cause , as may be imagin'd , tho they thought not fit generally to insist on any but the first cause in their writings , more than what was done in a fabulous and aenigmatical way , according to the stately humour of those most antient times . a prophet indeed may say , lingua mea tanquam calamus scribae ; but for a philosopher , who pretends to know things , not by divine instinct , or traditional say-so's , but by their adaequate causes , it 's nonsense so to do . men of sense , as those antients must be allow'd to have been , have naturally an enquiring and restless genius , which will not permit them to sit still , till they have either found that a point is inscrutable in its nature , or have given themselves some tolerable account from reason of it . and any man that considers how many things in the books of the old testament , or only in the books of job and moses ( the two most antient authentick writings , perhaps , of any extant ) are said , according to a deep knowledge in physiology ; and that moses had his learning from the egyptians , cannot think the antients so ignorant in that kind , as some may otherwise imagin them to have been . indeed , it does not appear that the greeks receiv'd that philosophy which is demonstrated by reasons from the egyptians ; what they chiefly receiv'd from them being chiefly what belongs to ceremonies and the mathematicks , the grand theorem amongst them , which they most valu'd , relating thereunto ; and hence when it 's treated of the mathematicks and mysteries , we find the chaldean and egyptian opinions quoted ; but for reasoning in philosophy , they are not mention'd by aristotle and plato : and nevertheless we may conclude , that from what the egyptians set forth under veils in their aenigmatical way , us'd chiefly by them for the sake of their grand mystery , which never was nor will be made common ; the greeks , by solving it , compos'd their philosophy : the egyptians not caring that any man should be made acquainted in the knowledg of natural causes , who was not initiated in the foresaid mystery , the knowledg of nature being subservient thereunto . and tho it does not fully appear by any thing we have remaining , that the antient chaldeans and egyptians were so well seen in physical things , that they well understood what an universal cause differ'd from particular causes , or what was the office of that and these ; or what might be the sign of a thing whereof it was not the cause ; yet when we consider the great insight they had in the properties of natural things , it may be a rational inducement for us to believe , that they had likewise well consider'd the particular causes whence they flow'd ; and if they did not make them publick , nor the properties themselves ; it was only on that ground mention'd by aristotle to alexander , saying , he is a transgressor of the divine law , who discovers the hidden secrets of nature , and the properties of things : because some men desire , as much as in them lies , to overthrow the divine law by those properties that god has plac'd in animals , plants , and stones : whence to keep the divine law in its full vigour , the antients made it their business , alway to keep the people minding the prime cause , and no others , which , indeed , it concerned them to mind . and it 's observ'd , even to this day , in some countries , that youth piously educated , with a strong sense and zeal of religion ; when they come to pass a course of philosophy , and consider second causes , often remit of that earnest devotion which they us'd before . that saying of the lord bacon , in reference to this , being true , viz. that a narrow and slight inspection into nature , inclines men of weak heads to atheism ; tho a more thorow insight into the causes of things , makes them more evidently see the necessary dependance of things on the great and wise creator of them . chap. ii. and iii. in the second chapter the author gives a general account of noah's flood : proposing also an estimate of what quantity of waters would be necessary for making it ; and endeavours to shew , that the common opinion and explication of that flood is not intelligible . in the third chapter he endeavours to answer any evasions , and to shew that there was no new creation of waters at the deluge : also , that it was not particular and national , but extended throughout the whole earth ; and concludes with a short prelude to the account and explication he intends to give of it . now , as the first chapter was only introductory to the work , so we find these two chapters are only preparatory to his hypothesis , by setting forth the inconsistency of other opinions concerning the deluge : and in regard it does not concern my undertaking , to consider how validly he has refuted the opinions of others , but how firmly he has establish'd his own ; i shall pass by these two chapters , to proceed to the theory he proposes ; tho i may have occasion now and then , in what will ensue , to bring some part of their contents under consideration . chap. iv. and v. the author coming now to establish his hypothesis , undertakes to make out two things ; first , how the earth , from the beginning , rose from a chaos , and in what form it continu'd , till the time of the deluge ; and secondly , how a deluge , at length , happen'd ; his fourth and fifth chapters , which are now to be consider'd , are for making out the composition of his earth , or how it rose at first from a chaos , and what its antediluvian state was : as for the dissolution of it , at the time of the deluge , he treats of that afterwards . in the beginning therefore of his fourth chapter , before he lays down his theory , he thinks fit , in the first place , to remove an opinion concerning the eternity of the world ; which , he says , takes away a chaos , and any beginning to the earth , and consequently the subject of his discourse , whereupon he writes thus . it has been the general opinion and consent of the learned of all nations , that the earth arose from a chaos . this is attested by history both sacred and profane ; only aristotle , whom so great a part of the christian world have made their oracle or idol , both maintain'd the eternity of the earth and the eternity of mankind , that the earth and the world were from everlasting , and in that very form they are in now , with men and women , and all living creatures , trees and fruits , metals and minerals , and whatsoever is of natural production : we say all these things arose , and had their first existence and production not six thousand years ago ; he says , they have subsisted thus for ever , through an infinite series of past generations , and shall continue as long without first or last ; and if so , there was neither chaos , nor any other beginning to the earth , &c. having thus stated this opinion , he urges first the scriptures against it , and then many arguments from natural reason , which would be too tedious here to set down : but however , this point of beginnings being very nice , and variously disputed amongst the ancients , and the foundation on which the author proposes to build his theory , i must say a little of what i have consider'd on it . i find then that aristotle was not the first introducer of this opinion of the worlds eternity , as the author intimates him to have been ; and that those who in their accounts of beginnings describe a chaos , are not thence forc'd to deny the same eternity . aristotle is so far from being the first that held this opinion , that ev'n his master plato , according to the sense of most of his expositors , as crantor , plotinus , porphyrius , jamblicus , proclus , macrobius , censorinus , that excellent christian philosopher boethius , and many others , who generally maintain'd the same , is concluded to have held that the world was always , and always was from god , and flowed from him ; for they say , god always is , but that the world is always a making and flows ; and if it be consider'd as to a beginning of time , the world may be said not to have had any birth ; but if as flowing perpetually from god , it s continually brought forth . nor may the world be said less to depend of god , if it always has depended , and ever shall depend of him , than if at some instant of time it began to depend , and may cease from it : as the light would no less draw its origine from the sun , and depend of it , if it had always flow'd from it , and should always so do , than if it began at some instant of time to slow thence . those therefore , who maintain this opinion , will say that god did not at any time bring forth the matter new , but from eternity , and that likewise with its ornament ; altho it be conceiv'd without its ornament before than with it : for nature wants its order , which it expects from another ; and since each thing is conceiv'd first according to what it is , than according to what it receives ; it may properly be conceiv'd first without order , being void of it in itself . so that when these men talk of a chaos and changes it underwent before it came to be an habitable world , they understand it only as to the natural order of things , according to our way of conceiving . amongst the schoolmen , the thomists , who generally take upon them to defend aristotle , say , it cannot be convinc'd by any natural efficacious reason , that the world was not made from eternity , but in time , because the thing not implying contradiction , it depended meerly on the will of god : and that when aristotle said the world was from eternity , he said it only , as opining , because nothing certain can be had in this matter , but by the sole light of revelation and faith , according to what the apostle says , by faith we understand that the worlds were fram'd by the word of god. tho others say , aristotle affirm'd that god , as being a necessary agent , made the world from eternity . others , that where he endeavours to prove the eternity of the world , he keeps himself within the principles of the science he was treating of , viz. physiology , and thought himself not there accountable for metaphysical birth . however this may be , i think it manifest that the opinion was much more ancient than aristotle . xenophanes , before him asserted the word to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . philolaus likewise , that famous pythagorean , whose books plato is said to have bought for a great price , of his relations , and to have compos'd his timaeus out of them , maintain'd the same . slobaeus recording out of him , that this world was from eternity and will remain to eternity . and again , that the world may truly be call'd , the eternal energy or effect of god , and of successive generation . epicharmus also , a disciple of pythagoras , held it , and o●ellus lucanus , according to philo. neither need i to mention any that have maintain'd it since aristotle ( the author being free to own that he has had followers ) as pliny , dicaearchus , simplicius , averrhoes , salustius , apuleius , taurus , alcinous , and indeed most of the platonicks and peripateticks after christianity : i say , i may pass by these , the opinion being much more ancient than any of those persons i have nam'd , and indeed so ancient , that its hard to retrieve the original : for boemus tells us , collecting i conceive from diodorus ; it was a constant tradition amongst the chaldean priests that the world had never any beginning , nor should ●ever have an end : which tradition possibly , with other corrupt doctrines , might have been deriv'd to them from times before the deluge . and how indeed could they hold any other opinion ? when , as philo tells us , they held the world itself , or the universal soul within it to be god , which they consecrated under the name of fate and necessity ; persuading themselves that there was no other cause of things , but what is seen ; and that both goods and evils were dispenc'd by the courses of the sun , moon , and stars ; conformably to which lucan introduces cato , saying , aestque dei sedes nisi terra , & pontus , & aer , et coelum , & virtus , superos quid quaerimus ultra ? jupiter est quodcunque vides , quocunque moveris . what seat has god , but th' earth , the air , the seas , the heavens , and vertue ? seek no gods but these , it s jove whate'er you see , move where you please . so again psellus , in his exposition of the dogmata of the assyrians and chaldeans , says , that both of them held the world eternal . i may add that the ancient druids held this opinion of the worlds eternity , their philosophy being that of pythagoras and plato , which is concluded to have been generally the same ( i say not in this particular ) with that of moses ; and pythagoras himself is said to have held it by censorinus . natalis comes also tells us , that all the ancient sages were divided into two parties , one of them held the world eternal , the others that it had sometime a beginning ; on the one hand were the most excellent wits of the most famous men , on the other were divine persons , and men divinely instructed . and even the ancient cabalists among the jews , who think themselves the only persons deep seen in scripture-knowledge , and to whom origen seem'd inclin'd , held an eternity of worlds , tho indeed they suppos'd renovations of them from chaos's at certain periods ; concerning which i shall say more in the next book . i have deliver'd this account of the opinions of men concerning the worlds eternity , not but i wholly acquiesce in the opinion commonly receiv'd among christians , of the worlds late beginning , but only to give the point its due latitude , which i judg'd too much limited by the author of the theory . and upon the whole , when we consider what is urg'd on both sides ; as the author has brought arguments of strength , to prove the world's late beginning ; so i conceive there are as weighty reasons to be brought on the other part , and that many will still say with scaliger , solâ religione mihi persuadetur mundum coepisse , & finem incendio habiturum ; and with melancthon , necessaria est diligentia in omnibus doctrinis videre , quae certò adseverari possint , quae non possint , & de quibus rebus humana ratio certam & immobilem doctrinam habeat , de quibus verò arcanis , positis extra conspectum hominum , erudiat nos vox coelestis . neutrum humana ratio invenire per sese potèst , videlicet , fuisse mundum inde , usque ab infinita eternitate , aut conditum esse recens , ante annos 5507. and beneath . brevitas temporum mundi à mose tradita physicis ridicula zidetur . not a man among the gentiles having dreamt of so late a beginning of the world , as moses seems to intimate . and hence the learned father simon judges it probable , that the greek doctors in the septuagint translation , believing that the world was more ancient than appears from the hebrew text , have took the liberty of etching out the time ; especially upon the belief they had , that when the body of the canonick scripture , which we have , was publisht , the people had only given them what was thought necessary for them . so those , who will not allow plato to have held the world eternal , must at least grant , he suppos'd it to have existed for a vast and unaccountable succession of ages . and so we find what simplicius reply'd to grammaticus , who urg'd against him a first generation and a beginning of time according to moses , viz. that moses's relation was but a fabulous tradition , wholly drawn from egyptian fables . aquinas also seems to me to give an home hint to those who from humane reason will pretend to assign a time for the worlds beginning , saying , mundum incepisse est credibile , non autem demonstrabile , aut scibile ; & hoc utile est ut consideretur , ne fortè aliquis quod fieri est , demonstrare praesumens , rationes non necessarias inducat quae praebeant materiam irridendi infidelibus , existimantibus nos propter hujusmodi rationes credere quae fidei sunt . so again , picolomini . quoniam principium originis mundi , longè abest à nobis ; & ejus creatio superat naturae vires , per cujus opera elevantur philosophi ad inventionem causarum , ideo mirum non est , si philosophi , humanâ ducti ratione , facilè in hanc sententiam labuntur , quòd mundus omni ex parte sit aeternus : reverâ enim per naturam , nec principio , nec fine valet esse praeditus . moreover , as to all those learned amongst the gentils , whose opinions concerning the worlds beginning , the author applauds before aristotle's ; it s manifest they were more absurd than him in what they held ; for generally grounding themselves on this principle , ex nihilo nihil fit , they either suppos'd corpuscles from eternity , rowling without order in an immense space ; or that the said bodies lay lurking in a confus'd chaos from eternity . now wherein do these men excel aristotle ? is it , in that they have made a deform'd world from eternity , which came in time to be adorn'd ? is there less absurdity and repugnancy in an infinite multitude of disorderly motions , than of such as succeed in order ? and in the eternity of a deform'd body , than of a beautiful ? certainly it was better aristotle's way ; who not having foreseen any impossibility of eternal motions and bodies , had rather have the face of the world beautiful from eternity , than at some time to have emerg'd from an eternal deformity . again , whereas the author , in his second book , where he treats of the cosmogonia mosaica , will have it , that the creation , according to the six days works , set forth , gen. 1. is deliver'd only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , ad capum usumque populi ; and judges that some of the antients have deliver'd the generation of the world more philosophically . i must confess , if any tergiversation were to be allow'd from the text of moses , i should be more enclin'd to think , that either the world being eternal , as the fore-mention'd-philosophers held ; or , at least , that the time of its rise or creation , being indefinite , and wholly inscrutable by man ( as all the gentiles , who held it not eternal , must have suppos'd it , not a man of them , as far as i know , having assign'd or substituted any determinate time for its beginning ) , moses , as a divine legislator , substituted a time for its creation or rise , and the modus of it ( whereas the gentiles substituted only the modus according to their corrupt divinity ) thereby to carry on a doctrine for the good and salvation of man ; and that his chronology , according to the lives of the patriarchs , may possibly be resolvable by arithmantical divinity , according to certain symbolical mysteries contain'd in numbers : or i should more readily follow the opinion of austin , than any of those philosophers ; he holding that god created all things in an instant , without any succession of time ; which opinion might as well have been consider'd by the author , as that of the world's eternity , this equally taking away those gradual changes , which he represents in the chaos ; setting the world immediately in the state it is . and truly it seems much more rational to me , that all things were set in their perfect state at first , whether it be taken as the text of moses literally imports , by a properated maturation ; or instantaneously , after the opinion of austin ; than to suppose an earth gradually qualifi'd ( as those philosophers do ) for the production of plants , and animals , &c. so that their earth , as it rose from a chaos , must have been a long time in a quagmire condition , and not affording a tolerable habitation for an irish bog-trotter ; till the sun , i know not after what revolution of ages , had made it tenantable ; which appears but a meagre and unsatisfactory story , of which i may say more elsewhere . of austin's opinion also were the most rational amongst the jewish doctors , rabbi moses aegyptius , philo judaeus , abraham judaeus , and the schools of hillel , and schammai , as manasseh ben israel writes . procopius gazaeus also , and cajetan held the same . i may add , that hermodorus the platonick , says that linus writ the generation of the world , the courses of the sun and moon , and the generation of fruits and animals ; and that in the first verse of his work , he affirms all things to have rose together . and so much for this point , which some , perhaps , may think more than need to have been . i shall now proceed to state the author's theory , for the composition of his earth , or how it rose from a chaos ; which runs thus : first , he supposes that all those that allow the earth an origine , agree that it rose from a chaos ( tho i have shewn before , that austin , and those that are for instantaneous creation , could not agree to it , farther than to help out our way of conceiving ; because no real successive changes could then have pass'd in the suppos'd chaos , in order to the earth's formation , ) and then he lays down two propositions to be made out by him . the first is , that the form of the antediluvian earth , or of the earth that rose from a chaos , was different from the form of the present earth . the second is , that the face of the earth before the deluge , was smooth , regular , and uniform , without mountains , and without a sea. he proves his first proposition ; first , because , he says , he has shewn in his second chapter , that if the earth had been always of the present form , it would not have been capable of a deluge . secondly , he proves it from a passage in the second epistle of s. peter , chapter the third . thirdly , he proves it from reason , and the contemplation of the chaos , from whence the earth first arose . to the first proof , i answer , that as i have intimated before , it does not concern me here to shew how a deluge was possible , according to the present form of the earth , which may still rely on miracle , till more valid , natural reasons are assign'd for it , than any , perhaps , have hitherto been ; and all i undertake , is , to shew that the deluge could not have happen'd according to the hypothesis laid down by the author , which i conceive i shall make out in its due place . as to his second proof from s. peter , first i have intimated in my advertisement to the reader , prefixt to this book , that a right reverend divine has already given some explanation of the passages of scripture , contain'd in the theory ; and in this regard i shall not intermeddle with them , farther than necessity of argument shall enforce me thereunto . secondly , as to scripture passages , i have this to offer in general , that since the end of the scriptures is of an higher nature , than to instruct us in natural history , and in sciences grounded on second causes , to which god has left them , as useless to the salvation of men ; i think they ought not to be apply'd but in those holy things , of faith , and morals , for which they were dictated : and possibly it was on these accounts , that those of the antients , who are suppos'd to have read the books of moses , did not quote them in their writings . again , since the author is pleas'd to set by the first chapter of genesis , as not philosophically written , ( tho certainly this , if any part of the scriptures is design'd for our instruction , as to the original state of the world , and the beginnings of things ) i know not why he should much insist on any part else , unless it be so self-evident , that it is not liable to various expositions , as those passages he quotes , are by him allow'd to be . neither to me do they seem cogent ; tho i may allow some of them to bear a fair exposition enough his way , as others seem more natural in another sense : but this i observe generally of quotations ; that , farther than they carry a fair stress of reasoning with them ; what by various explications , and comparing of passages , they breed endless cavillations , which rather nauseate , than satisfie a judicious reader . and even that passage of s. peter , so much insisted on by the author , tho it seems to intimate to us some other state of the heavens and earth before the flood , than they have since ; we find the thing is not so clearly hinted , that any man since could thence divine what that state should have been : and i shall shew in the sequel , by arguments drawn from the nature of the thing , that the attempt the author has made for explaining it , has been unsuccessful : and so for his tehom rabba , or the great abysse of moses , which he has also much urg'd ; and for any other passages he has quoted . to come to the author's third proof , which is from reason and the contemplation of the chaos , whence the earth rose : this proof , in effect , is not only for making out , that the earth , as it rose from a chaos , in its first state , was of a different form from the present earth , according to the authors first proposition ; but , withall , is partly for shewing that the face of the first earth was smooth , regular , and uniform , without mountains and a sea , as he has set forth in his second proposition ; wherefore the scope of it being connected with the motions , progress , and separations , which he supposes to have pass'd in the chaos , for forming the first earth , i shall briefly state them both together , as he has represented them . he supposes then the chaos as a fluid masse , or a masse of all sorts of little parts or particles of the matter of which the world was made , mixt together , and floating in confusion , one with another : hence he says , there follows an impossibility that this masse should be of such a form and figure , as the surface of our present earth is : or that any concretion , or consistent state , which this mass could flow into immediately , or first settle in , could be of the said figure . he proves the first of these assertions , because a fluid mass always casts it self into a smooth and spherical surface : he proves the second assertion ; because , when any fluid body comes to settle in a consistent and firm state , that concretion , in its first state of consistence , must be of the same form , that the surface was when it was liquid ; as when water congeals , the surface of the ice is smooth , and level , as the water was before : and hence , when he has consider'd the broken condition of the present earth , both as to its surface and inward parts , he concludes , that the form of it now cannot be the same , with that it had originally ; which must have been smooth , regular , and uniform , according to his second proposition . and to make this clear , he sets forth the motions and progress which he supposes must have pass'd in the chaos , and how it settled it self in the said form , when it became an habitable world. 1. first therefore , he presents us with a scheme , which represents the chaos , as is before express'd , viz. as a spherical and fluid masse , containing the particles of all the matter of which the world is compos'd , mixt together , and floating in confusion in it . 2. the first change which he conceives must happen in this masse , must be , that the heaviest and grossest parts would subside towards the middle of it , and there harden by degrees , and constitute the interior parts of the earth ; while the rest of the masse , swimming above , would be also divided by the same principles of gravity , into two orders of bodies , the one like water , the other volatile like air ; and that the watery part would settle in a masse together under the air , upon the body of the earth , composing not only a water , strictly so call'd , but the whole masse of liquors , or liquid bodies , belonging to the earth , and these separations in the body of the chaos are represented to us in a second scheme . 3. the liquid masse , he says , incircling the earth being not the mere element of water , but a collection of all liquors belonging to the earth ; some of them must be fat , oily , and light ; others lean and more earthy , like common water . now these two kinds mixt together , and left to themselves , and the general action of nature , separate one from another , when they come to settle ( which these must be concluded to have done ) the more oily and thin parts of the masse getting above the other , and swimming there , as he represents in a third figure . 4. next , he considers , that the masses of the air and waters were both , at first , very muddy and impure , so that they must both have their sediments ; and there being abundance of little terrestrial particles in the air , after the grossest were sunk down ; these lesser also , and lighter remaining , would sink too , tho more slowly , and in a longer time ; so as in their descent , they would meet with that oily liquor on the watery masse , which would entangle and stop them from passing farther , whence mixing there with the unctious substance , they compos'd a certain slime , or fat , soft and light earth , spread on the face of the waters , as he shews in a fourth figure . 5. he says that when the air was fully purg'd of its little earthy particles ; upon their general descent , they became wholly incorporate with the oily liquor , making both one substance , which was the first concretion , or firm , and consistent substance , which rose upon the face of the chaos ; and fit to be made , and really constituted an habitable earth ; which he sets before us in a fifth figure , and which i have also subjoyn'd ; where a is the first sediment of the chaos ; b the orb of water , or the orb of the abysse ; c the orb which made the first habitable earth . 6. having thus represented the rise of the earth from the chaos , he adds , that whereas the antients generally resemble the earth to an egg , he thinks the analogy holds as to those inward envolvings represented in the figure of the earth , and that the outward figure of the first earth was likewise oval , it being a little extended toward the poles , which he represents to us in a sixth figure , and which i also here insert ; where , as the two inmost regions a b represent the yolk , and the membrane that lies next above it ; so the exterior region of the earth ( d ) is as the shell of the egg , and the abysse c under it , as the white that lies under the shell . this is the author's theory of the earth , in reference to the composition of it , as it settled from the chaos , in its first state ; which he says he has all along set forth according to the laws of gravity : and this must now be consider'd by me . first then , if i should allow that the first earth was form'd from a chaos , according to those separations the author has represented , it would no way answer his chief end , for which he gave it this construction , viz. the capacity of causing a deluge , as i shall make appear in my considerations on the next chapter . but tho i might be free to allow it , as for any deluge to be thence caus'd ; yet in other respects , i must not do it , because i take upon me to maintain , that the world , from its first existence , had mountains , a sea , and the like , as it has now . and both in reference to the author's argument from reason , viz. that all fluid bodies , and any first concretion on them , must keep to a sperical figure ; whence he concludes , the earth , on its first concretion from the chaos , to have taken it ; and so as to the separations he supposes to have pass'd in the chaos , i have many things to say . not to stand therefore with the author for allowing a chaos , and that it was a fluid masse , and of a circular figure ( tho i know no reason why a man should admit a postulatum , which if the authority of moses may be set by , as the author does , i see no ground for , unless it be to serve a turn , for trying whether a natural explication may be given of a deluge , which i judg miraculous ) and to reason with those , who seem to have held gradual successive changes to have pass'd in the chaos , in order to the forming of the world ; the main error , as i conceive , on which the author has grounded his whole theory for the composition of his earth , as it rose from a chaos , is , that he has here consider'd the chaos , not as a strongly fermented masse , which it must necessarily have been from the infinite variety of seminal principles of a contrary nature therein contained ( as all antiquity has represented it ) and from this fundamental error has concluded , that in the separations and settlements of the chaos , all things pass'd according to the common laws of gravity , observ'd in the subsiding of unfermented bodies ; no respect being had to those effects , which must necessarily have been produc'd by the said ferments . can any man cast his eye on the contrariety of natures which appears betwixt superiors and inferiors , and what we find in the animal , vegitable , and mineral kingdoms , which every where occur to us , and not presently thence conclude from the consideration of a chaos , where all these are suppos'd to have been confusedly mixt , that the same contrariety must have been there , and that turbulent and violent commotions were thence rais'd in it ? to go no further than ovid , who has represented the nature of a chaos , as well as any of the antients : where he speaks of it , he says , — congestáque eodem non bene junctarum discordia semina rerum . — and mingled there the jarring seeds of ill-joyn'd beings were . and beneath , — quia corpore in uno frigida pugnabant calidis , humentia siccis mollia cum duris , sine pondere habentia pondus . — ' cause in one masse the cold things fought with hot , the moist with dry , the soft with hard , the light with contrary . indeed as he affirms , the world to have risen from the chaos , he immediately subjoyns , hane deus , & melior litem natura diremit . god and prevailing good broke off this strife . but how far this jarring discord was taken away , according to what we may reason from second causes , and what effects must have been produc'd by them upon the framing of a world , must be consider'd by us . it must not then be thought , that when the chaos came to be separated in order to the framing of a world , all the homogenious bodies , or pure elements , were rang'd by themselves ; a pure element being a pure chimaera , no such thing in nature . indeed if such a separation had been made ; whereas there was a mutiny before in the chaos , this would have establish'd a peace , but such a peace , that no habitable world , nor any animal , vegitable , or mineral productions could then have been . the elements then , upon the separation of the chaos , must have been mixt and blended together , according to such proportions as to be able to produce such effects , as the prime author design'd them for ; therefore when we consider his design was a world should be produc'd , qualifi'd for the production , support , and propagation of those varieties of species we find in nature , and withal reflect what the quantities and qualities of those elements were , and are , which chiefly concern us in this discourse , viz. the earth and waters , we shall soon find how this habitable earth and the sea thence arose . all the water which the author does account for in nature ( as i shall have occasion to set forth in the sequel ) does not amount to enough to make an orb of water , to cover the earth , as it lies in an even convexity with the sea , a quarter of a mile deep ; and what is this to the vast body of the other element the earth ? not comparably so much as a sheet of the thinnest paper laid on a globe of three foot diameter , adds in thickness to that globe . indeed , notwithstanding this disproportion , if the earth , when it first settled from the chaos , had been an homogenious body , without any principle of motion in it , arising from ferments , through the contrariety of natures therein contein'd , the waters must have cover'd it , as moses seems to intimate it did ; gen. 1. but when those ferments , quickned by the ordinary concourse of the first cause ( not to insist here on a miraculous fiat ) came to exert their force , can we think that less effects could be wrought , than the production of mountains , and a sea channel , such inconsiderable nothings to the body which produces them ? the greatest mountains on the earth being no more in proportion to the earth , than the slightest dust on a globe of three foot diameter , is in proportion to that globe ; as the ingenious french author of a late book entituled , de l'origine des fountaines , has well made appear ; where he has likewise shewn , that the little protuberances on an orange , which are usually compar'd to the mountains of the earth , are each of them a thousand times greater in proportion to that fruit , than any mountain on the earth is in proportion to that globe . we find that many very small vegetable seeds contain a protrusive principle in them , able to raise bodies by degrees , containing many tuns weight , and can we doubt but the primigenial earth , fermented with the seeds of all things in it , had a force able to produce the effects mention'd ? and tho the author seems to smile at those , who have held that mountains have been cast up as mole-hills , or produc'd as wens on the body of man ; i know not whether it may be so easie to shew a disparity , and why the one is not as possible , and as probable as the other ; for if the vastness of the body will afford it , and there be a proportional mover , neither of which , i think , any man has reason to question in the earth , i know not why the earth may not be judg'd better able to produce the one , than the mole , or man's body the others . i well know , that all antiquity ( i mean it of those who held the world had a gradual beginning from a chaos ) abets this theory , as i have stated it ; and the feign'd story of the gyant typhoëus ( if it contains any natural deduction ) relates here : typhoëus being that enormontick spirit ( if i may so call it ) or that protrusive impetus , still reigning in the chaos , through ferments , winds and inflamations , and causing the present unevenesses in the earth , and the retiring of the waters into a sea-channel , till at length all things being set in their apt state ; jupiter , or a meet temperies of the world , compos'd these turbulent commotions , and put a stop to their exorbitant efforts . and this seems to me a more apt explication of the original formation of the world , than that the author would introduce . i may farther here note , that tho i think the original formation of the world may be accounted for this way ; yet i am of opinion there is no mountain on the earth now , that is an original mountain , or that existed when the world first rose , and conclude with aristotle , that the sea and land have chang'd places , and continue so to do ; and i think it not possible for any man fairly to solve the phaenomenon of marine bodies , found in mountains , by any other principle ; especially by a deluge caus'd as the author has propos'd . but it being not my business here to set for t a theory of the earth , but only to shew the inconsistency of the author's hypothesis , i shall not enlarge at present in making out these things ; but refer them to a particular tract , i design to publish with what convenient speed i may ; the demonstrations whereof will refer to certain cuts , taken from a collection of fossil's , i have by me ; where i hope to satisfie the author in some tolerable way concerning the rise of mountains , islands , &c. and to solve all the objections he has made against their rise any other way , but what he has propos'd . chap. vi. we are now come to the main drift of the author 's undertaking , viz. how the deluge was caus'd : and in this chapter he proposes to shew , that it happen'd upon the dissolution of the first earth , and that the form of the present earth , then rose from the ruins of the first . first then , he here presents us with a figure of the earth all smooth on the convex part ( as he conceivs it must necessarily have been as it rose from a chaos ) the great abysse suppos'd to be spread under it . and next he supposes , that at a time appointed by providence , this great abysse was open'd ; or that the frame of the earth broke , and it fell down into it : and this , he says , would first cause an universal deluge , by the great commotion and agitation of the abysse , on the violent fall of the earth into it : then after the agitation of the abysse was asswag'd , and the waters , by degrees , were retir'd into their channels , and the dry land appear'd , we should see the true image of the present earth in the ruins of the first . the surface of the globe , he says , would be thence divided into sea and land ; the land would consist of plains , valleys , mountains , with caverns containing subterraneous waters , &c. the sea would have islands in it , and banks , and shelfy rocks on its shoar , &c. and these things , in the following parts of his work , he examins piece-meal : but first here he considers the general deluge , and how aptly this supposition represents it . supposing therefore it will be easily allow'd , that such a dissolution of the earth would make an universal deluge , he enquires in what order , and from what causes the frame of this exterior earth was dissolv'd . the great cause he assigns for producing this great effect , is , the continued heat of the sun , which he supposes in the antidiluvian world , to have always mov'd in the equinox , there being then no colds nor rains , nor change of seasons ; so that what by its ▪ parching heat , sucking out the moisture of the earth , which was the cement of its parts ; and so drying it immoderately , and causing it to cleave in sundry places ; and what by rarifying the waters under the earth into vapours , which would thence force a way for their dilatation and eruption , he concludes the dissolution followed . he exemplifies his doctrine first , by an aeolipile , or an hollow sphere with water in it ; which , if the mouth of it be stopt , which gives the vent , the water when rarified by the heat of the fire , will burst the vessel with its force . secondly in an egg , which being heated before the fire , the moisture and air within being rarified , will burst the shell : and he is the more free to instance this comparison , because he says , when the ancients speak of the doctrine of the mundane egg ; they say that after a certain period of time , it was broken . thirdly , in earthquakes , which generally he says arise from the like causes , and often end in a like effect : viz. a partial deluge , or innundation of the place or country , where they happen , which may naturally lead us to conceive that a general one has so come to pass . lastly , he says the main difficulty propos'd , was , to find waters sufficient to make an universal deluge , and that after sometime it should so return into its channels , that the earth should become again habitable : for according to the common opinion , he says , it was impossible , that such a quantity of waters should be any where found or be brought upon the earth ; and then if it were brought , that it should be again removed : whereas this explication performs the same effect , with a far less quantity of water ; which is easie to be found , and easily remov'd when the work is done ; for he says , when the earth broke and fell into the abyss , a good part of it was cover'd by the meer depth of it : and those parts of it that were higher than the abyss was deep , and consequently would stand above it in a calm water , were reacht and overtopt by the waves , during the agitation and violent commotions of the abyss ; and to represent this commotion to us , he supposes a stone of ten thousand weight , taken up into the air a mile or two , and then let fall into the middle of the ocean ; and believes that the dashing of the water upon that impression , would rise as high as a mountain . but if a mighty rock , or heap of rocks , a great island , or a continent fall from that height , the dashing must rise even to the highest clouds ; and he thinks it is not to be wondred that the great tumult of the waters , and the extremity of the deluge lasted for some months : because , besides that the first shock and commotion of the abyss was extremely violent , here were ever and anon some secondary ruins , which made new commotions lasting the time suppos'd , till the waters by degrees were retreated ; the greatest part of them constituting our present ocean , and the rest filling the lower cavities of the earth . and from things thus explain'd , he concludes , that this third and last proposition is made out , viz. that the disruption of the abyss or dissolution of the primeval earth , and its fall into the abyss , was the cause of the universal deluge , and of the destruction of the old world. i have been the more particular in stating this part of the theory , because the main point under debate is here contain'd ; which i must now examine . the causes assign'd by the author for such a dissolution of the earth as is mention'd , do not seem to me so competent as would be expected for such a work. the sun doubtless , supposing ( as the author does ) that in the antedilunian world , it always kept in the aequinox , there being no rains , cold , nor changes of seasons ; would heat , dry and cleave the earth in some parts , especially in the torrid zone considerably : but withal it must be consider'd how far the action of the sun could penetrate for producing the effect propos'd : it s known that if a wall be heated red hot on one side , it still continues cold on the other : it s also a known experiment , that a good thermometer , plac'd in a subterraneous grotto of an ordinary depth , scarce varies perceivably in the hottest day of summer and the coldest day of winter : how then shall the sun penetrate three miles and three quarters deep into the earth ( for so deep the author seems to suppose his orb of earth to have been , as i shall by and by shew ) and heat an abyss of waters lying under it , so as to rarifie it into vapours , qui queat hic subter tam crasso corpore terram percoquere , humorem & calido sociare vapori ? praesertim cùm vix possit per septa domorum insinnare suum radiis ardentibus aestum . and indeed , heat being not essentially in the sun , but an effect of the light by whose beams its imparted to us ; where light is excluded , heat also must of course . the grotto , where no operation of the suns heat is found , has an open passage into it , for the suns operation , if it could there exert it ; whereas the author supposes the antediluvian earth to have been one continued substance without so much as a cavern in it . again , we must consider of what nature the torrid zone must have been : and the author , in his second book , concludes it a sandy desart : if so , sand is not inclinable to cleave , but soon fills up any cleft made in it ; as i believe may be observ'd in all the sandy desarts now extant : and if rocks are suppos'd under the sands ; certainly horizondal beds of rocks , as all must have then have been , are not liable to the suns penetration , at least by any perceivable heat : and indeed let the nature of it be what it might , it comes much to the same thing , and every man who has us'd himself underground knows how little the sun has to do with its heat there . now tho the continued equinox heat , then suppos'd , may seem to aggravate the matter , there must have been , at least , a vicissitude of days and nights , and those still of equal length , so that the earth would be always cool'd in the night , as well as heated in the day . moreover , tho the author supposes his antediluvian rivers to terminate as they came to the parts , on each side the torrid zone , being partly exhal'd by the sun , and partly absorpt in the sands ; yet their waters must necessarily have pass'd in the sands under ground , through the parts of the torrid zone , which would soon fill up any clefts there made by the sun. i say the waters must have pass'd so , because his antediluvian earth must have been porous , to percolate waters to all parts , otherwise its impossible the inhabitants in the temperate zones should have been supply'd with waters to serve their necessary uses , by wells ; for no man can indulge fancy so far as to think the antediluvian rivers could have been so thick , and near enough each other , to afford a convenient supply for the inhabitants of all the parts of the habitable earth . men think it now very burthensom to fetch water a mile or two , as in some places they are forc'd to do by their situation remote from waters , and i hope it will not be said that the rivers were then within a mile , or two , or ten , or hundreds sometimes of each other . as to the comparisons brought in by the author of the aeolipile , and the egg , which are broken , when the moisture within them is rarified , and turn'd into vapours by the heat of the fire . i answer , that when it shall appear to us , that the sun could cause an heat in the waters of the abyss , proportional to what the others have when broken , we may consider more of it ; mean while , such an effect is so far from falling within my conception , that i look upon it in nature impossible . and as to the doctrine of the ancients concerning the mundane egg 's breaking , i shall consider it in the second book ; tho i may so far take notice of it here , that whereas the author here intimates as tho the ancients by mentioning the mundane egg 's breaking , referr'd to a deluge , its being caus'd that way ; the contrary is manifest to us ; for we know it was a general opinion amongst the ancients , that the world had been renewed by many deluges and conflagrations , whereas if one deluge had been caus'd by such a disruption of the earth , any second , or third deluge had been impossible . but , what is most urg'd , is , that the generality of earthquakes arise from like causes , and often end in a like effect ; viz. a partial deluge or inundation of the place or country where they happen . to this i answer , that tho some philosophers assign the causes of earthquakes after this manner , viz. that the strugling of vapours rais'd and rarify'd by the sun , in the earth , sometimes cause a disruption , the earth thereupon subsiding into caverns , whence waters flow forth , &c. yet it would be hard to expect that men should generally so far acquiesce in this cause , as to allow it a fair ground to build an hypothesis of this weighl upon : when as a great , if not the greatest , part of philosophers , assign other causes for earthquakes , and those , perhaps , more probable . some will have earthquakes to be caus'd only by certain conjunctions of the planets , some by the motion of comets near the earth , others by subterraneous fires or ferments ; which truly produce heats and vapors within the earth ; the sun having nothing to do in it , more than by a remote and general causality ; others will have them produc'd by the motion of subterraneous waters , others again by certain moulderings or founderings in certain caverns of the earth , and other causes are assign'd for them . lastly , when the author comes to the main difficulty , ( as he calls it ) viz. the finding of waters sufficient to make an universal deluge , which after some time should so return into its channels , that the earth should become again habitable ; both which , he says , are as easily effected , according to his explication ( set down before by me ) as they are impossible any other way : i confess , i greatly admire at this his assertion , and the explanation he gives for those effects . the first thing we should have expected from the author in reference to this point , is , that he should have signified to us , of what depth he supposes his abysse to have been , and what thickness he allows to his orb of earth ; for unless we will reason by rote , it must be upon a due consideration of these things , that we must conclude of what effects could follow , upon the suppos'd disruption , in reference to a deluge , and the forming of the present earth ( as he will have it ) thence : and indeed , if any person proposes a theory , or an hypothesis , and the propositions he advances to build his doctrine upon , be not either self-evident , or demonstrated by him ; the first thing he ought to do , is to lay down his postulata , that a man may clearly see how he adjusts his reasonings upon them . but to talk of a body to be drown'd , and not to give us the dimensions of the body , and of the water to effect it , seems to me to have neither top nor bottom in it ; and no more than to say , such a thing must be done , but god almighty knows how . we find the author has been diligent enough , in shewing what quantities of waters would be required to make a deluge , where he writes against the opinions of others : and it seems but justice , that he should have been as careful in setting down what quantities would be requisit , according to his own : he saw there was no proper way to refute their opinion , but by a particular examination of what quantities of waters would be requisite to make a deluge , according as they fancy'd it ; and then to shew , that if such a quantity of waters were once brought on the earth , it would be impossible for the earth to get rid of them again , so as to make an habitable world : and if he would help us to conceive how a deluge should happen , and the present phoenomena of the earth be solv'd consequentially to it , i see not why he should be backward to assign us some possible proportions of his orbs of earth and waters in order to it ; unless ( which i cannot think ) he had rather involve men in erroneous thoughts , by offering only unlimited generals , and make them fancy a possibility where there is none . it 's the business of philosophy to possess us with clear and explicit notions of things ; and not to imbroil us in such as are confus'd and obscure . i may allow what the author says in his answer to mr. warren , that when the nature of a thing admits a latitude , the original quantity is left to be determin'd by the effects ; and the hypothesis stands good , if neither any thing antecedent , nor any present phoenomena can be alledg'd against it : but i cannot see that the nature of this thing admits of a latitude , so that the present phoenomena of the earth may not be alledg'd against it : and i believe , if cartes had suppos'd a deluge to have been caus'd ( as the author does ) on the disruption of his earth ( whereas he supposes only the rise of mountains , a sea , and the like by it , the conceptions of which may admit of a latitude in some more tolerable way ) but all men would have justly expected he should have assign'd proportions to his orbs ; and i am so far from thinking that any latitude assignable to proportions of such orbs can be here admitted , that i am of opinion , when any man shall assign any proportion whatsoever to an abysse orb for causing a deluge ( as the author proposes ) i shall always be ready to shew him , either his abysse orb to be so shallow , that the hypothesis cannot swim in it , or so deep , that it must drown in it . now tho the author has not assign'd particular proportions to his orbs , as it might have been wisht , yet he has offer'd some suggestions , by which we may guess what he would be at concerning them . what therefore i have gather'd from him , in disperst notions , in his work , in reference to those proportions , is as follows . first , he tells us in his first book , p. 77. and p. 84. and again , p. 127. that all the waters , which were contained in the great abysse , are now contained in the sea channel , and the caverns of the earth . secondly , in this same book , p. 10. he computes the sea to cover half the globe of the earth , and that taking one part of the sea with another , it makes a quarter of a mile depth throughout . thirdly , in this same book , p. 15. he says , that if the earth should disgorge all the waters it has in its bowels , it would not amount to above half an ocean . from these three assertions we find , that the great abysse , which he supposes for causing a deluge , must have contain'd only an orb of waters , not a quarter of a mile depth , as it was couch'd on the face of the first ediment of the chaos ; which is suppos'd by him to be of a ponderous compact substance , and not containing waters within it . and so much for the proportion of his abysse . as to the thickness he allows to his orb of earth , i gather it from him as follows . first , in his second book , p. 273. he says , that the whole primaeval earth , in which the seat of paradise was , was really seated much higher than the present earth , and may be reasonably suppos'd to have been as much elevated as the tops of our mountains are now . secondly , he has suppos'd in this first book , p. 11. that some of the mediterranean mountains , taken with the general acclivity of the earth , from the level of the sea , make two miles in height above the said level : or , at least he does not there except against this computation , as he has occasion to mention it ( tho for his satisfaction , i shall state also other proportions to his earth beneath , to see what will follow upon it ) , and i believe all learned men will allow this proportion . to this i must add , that tho he has not nam'd what depth he allows to the sea , i must conclude that he allows it two miles deep , as learned men generally judg it to be ; where he supposes his abysse to end ; part of the first sediment of the chaos , receiving the waters of the sea upon it . and thus we find from the top of the highest mountains , to the bottom of the suppos'd abysse , in the deepest parts of the sea , we have four miles ( as we may say ) in view ; or , at least , agreed to by our author , and all learned men , and that whereas he allows near a quarter of a mile to the depth of his abysse ( as i have shewn before ) so his orb of earth must have been at least three miles and three quarters in thickness . all these things being thus establish'd , let us now consider how a deluge could be hence made , according to the description of moses . if i should but present a scheme here , according to those proportions , allowing a quarter of a mile to the abysse orb , and three miles and three quarters to the orb of earth ; i believe any man , at first looking on it ( as to any deluge to be thence caus'd ) must cry out , impossibility ! the abysse orb being but the twelfth part of the other , without counting what must additionally accrue to the orb of earth from its much larger circumference , as being the upper orb. the author ascribes the cause of the deluge to the violence of the commotion of the abysse , upon the fall of the earth into it ; and to represent to us what this commotion must be , he supposes a stone of a vast weight , carried up a mile or two in the air , and let fall ; and tells us to what a vast height waters must then be conceiv'd to fly . but i cannot allow this instance to be fairly brought in : if a painter be to draw a ceiling-piece in a room of an high roof , we may allow him to draw the picture ( of a man there , suppose ) much bigger than the natural , that it might deceive our eye , to its advantage , when viewing it at that distance , it takes it in a proportion to the life . but to suppose a rock , an island , or a continent ( as he says ) two miles high , in the air , and to conceive how high waters would be thrown , upon their fall into the sea ; why shall this be done , to deceive our reason ? when the antediluvian earth is suppos'd before , not to have been suspended in the air , but couch'd close on the face of the abysse , as is represented by him in his scheme of the disruption of the earth , fig. i. p. 135. it being quite a different thing for a body , couch'd on the face of waters , to subside in them , and for it to fall into them from an height . again , when part of the orb of earth subsided into the abysse , there was no room for the waters of the abysse to diverge ; whereas when any weight is thrown into a river , or the open sea , the waters may fly off every way . and , indeed , i think it manifest enough , that upon the subsiding of any part , of such an orb of earth , in a manner all the waters , that could rise thereupon , upon , must have been contain'd either in the chasms , or hollow places of its broken parts ; and that never any could come to make a deluge on the higher parts of the earth . besides , it 's absolutely contrary to moses's narration , to make a deluge by such flights of water in the air ; moses telling us how the waters rose and fell gradually , and that they exceeded the highest mountains fifteen cubits ; the author's explication of it being so forc'd and unnatural , that , perhaps , in so plain a text , it was not fit to be put upon so great a prophet . but to put the matter beyond dispute , supposing the proportions before laid down , to the orbs of the abysse , and the earth ; we find a mile and three quarters of the orb of earth missing ; for if the sea be allow'd but two miles in depth , as learned men generally judg it to be ; and that the abysse there ends on the first sediment of the chaos ( as the author supposes ) we have then in nature but as much earth as will make an orb of two miles in thickness , as i shall shew beneath : and what then is become of the other mile and three quarters earth ? the next thing we have to consider , is this notwithstanding all the suppositions of the author , before set down ; when we come to view the schemes he has given in his book ; we find that contrary to his said suppositions , in all of them , he has represented his abysse-orb , thicker than his orb of earth , so that counting the more large extent of the orb of earth , as being the upper orb , and the thickness of the abysse orb , which lies under it , we may judg them to be of equal contents in their dimensions , as you may see in the scheme before given you . and i believe , a reader , who should peruse his book cursorily , not finding the proportions of his two orbs clearly stated ; and perhaps , not minding the suppositions , before set down ; which the author was forct , by the necessity of the argument ; to make on several occasions ; when he came to view this scheme of his or the others ; would have concluded that the author really suppos'd his two orbs of the proportions he here represents ; as indeed it is but a blind put upon our eye , as well as our reason , if he did not . now , tho i must declare , i cannot comprehend how this can stand with the author's suppositions ( as i conceive they are ) before set down , i am content to suppose , as all his schemes seem to import ; that the orbs of the earth , and of the abysse , were , in their contents of equal dimensions ; and we shall examin what thereupon could follow , in order to a deluge . i suppose then , that the antediluvian earth contain'd an orb of two miles deep , or as much as would make two miles deep if it were coucht on the bottom of the abysse , as it then was on the surface of it : and that the orb of the abysse , contain'd two miles in depth likewise ; for i suppose here , with the author , as before , that the two orbs together made four miles in height . this being suppos'd ; when the earth broke , and made a deluge , i ask what became of the two miles water ? the author tells us that the sea contains a quarter of a mile depth in water , over half the globe of the earth : and says , that if the earth should disgorge all the waters it has besides in its bowels , it would not make half an ocean : and he tells us again and again , that all the waters of the abysse are contain'd in the sea , and in the caverns of the earth : what then is become of the other mile and three quaters water ? having thus demonstratively refuted ( as i conceive ) the author's whole hypothesis , both according to the proportions he seems to have given to his orbs , in his schemes ; or to have otherwise intimated them to have been in his work ; i shall urge the matter a little farther , and plainly shew it impossible , either for the author , or any man else to assign any proportions whatsoever to such orbs ; that a deluge , and the form of the present earth should be thence caus'd ; supposing only ( as the learned generally do ) that the sea is two miles deep in its deepest part ; where the author will have his abysse to end , on the first sediment of the chaos . for then , i say ; first , i conceive , men will generally agree with what the author has before laid down , viz. that there is in nature but water enough to make an orb of a quarter of a mile depth , on the first sediment of the chaos . and secondly , as to the proportion , which must be allow'd to the orb of earth , it 's manifest to us , that since it 's two miles from the level of the sea to the deepest part of it , and since it 's all earth , in all parts of the globe to that depth , except what the waters in the sea , and in the caverns of the earth do amount to ; which is but enough to make an orb but of a quarter of a mile depth , round the earth ; a good part of which orb will also be countervail'd by that part of the earth , which is above the level of the sea ; it must follow , that no proportion can be assign'd to an orb of earth , but about two miles in depth . now , we find , according to these proportions ; which are the only proportions assignable to the two orbs ; that the abysse-orb is but a ninth part of the other ; a proportion no way answering such an effect , as a deluge , and the forming of the present earth , which could not possibly thence ensue . thus i have been forc't to apply arguments several ways , and to make a large discourse on a point ; which , if the hypothesis had been clearly stated , i might have answered in a few lines . and now i think , no more need be said , the whole contents of the book falling of course ; only as the author has said in some part of his work , that he conceives what he has advanc'd may , at least , serve to open the inventions of some other men ; so , possibly , some part of what i shall deliver in the sequel , may conduce to the same end . if the author does suppose , that at the time of the disruption of his orb of earth , there was an orb of air , or vapours betwixt it , and his abysse-orb ; rais'd there by the constant action of the sun on the abysse in the later ages of the antediluvian world , as in some places of his works he seems to intimate : i think he ought to have represented such an air-orb , in his scheme of the disruption of his orb of earth , p. 135. which he has not done : and therefore my preceding arguments have not related to any such air-orb . but if he pleases to be plain in the matter , and fairly tells us ( if he supposes any such air-orb ) how thick he supposes it , and what thickness he allows to his other orbs ; i do here assure him i shall always be ready , either to shew him the impossibility of a deluge its being caus'd that way , so that the earth should be afterwards habitable ; or freely to own that he has represented the possibility of a thing to me , which upon long thinking hitherto , i cannot conceive so to have been . chap. vii . and viii . in the seventh chapter the author endeavours to make out by argument , and from history , and particularly by some passages in the scriptures , that the explication he has given of an universal deluge , is not an idea only : but an account of what really came to pass in this earth , and the true explication of noah's flood . and in the 8th chapter , he endeavours particularly to explain noah's flood , in the material parts and circumstances of it , according to his preceding theory : and concludes this chapter with a discourse , how far the deluge may be look'd upon as an effect of an ordinary providence , and how far of an extraordinary . i think it plain enough , by what i have set forth in the foregoing chapter , that nothing contain'd in these chapters , can be of any force ; wherefore i shall pass them by ; only taking notice of what the author says concerning an ordinary or extraordinary providence in reference to the deluge ; for performing which , he will not have the waters to have been created , or otherwise miraculously brought on the earth : but allows , as there was an extraordinary providence in the formation , or composition of the first earth , so there was also in the dissolution of it : and thinks it had been impossible for the ark to have subsisted on the raging abyss , for the preservation of noah and his family , without a miraculous hand of providence to take care of them . and concludes , that writing a theory of the deluge , as he does ; he is to exhibit a series of causes , whereby it may be made intelligible , or to shew the proxim natural causes of it . now as for any natural causes to be found for the deluge , the learned johannes picus , falling foul with astrologers , says thus : astrologers ascribe noah's flood , as well as all other miracles , mention'd in the scriptures , to their constellations ; in which thing doubtless they are madder than those , who deny any such things to have been ; because they believe them , as they are related , and nevertheless effected by natural causes ; when no greater madness can be imagin'd , than to think that any thing is done by natures power , above nature it self ; this being demonstrably so ; because nothing is more repugnant to nature , than that it should attempt its own destruction : wherefore it would never bring that injury on its self , that it could not free it self from by its power . and if it could not be according to the course of nature , that the waters exceeding the mountains tops fifteen cubits , noah with his cargo in the ark should be free from shipwrack twelve months ; so it was not natures purpose to drown the whole earth with an inundation of waters , to the destruction of all living creatures . he adds also particularly against astrologers ( who will have the stars to be signs , at least , if not the causes of such effects ) as follows . the course of natural things is so limited by god , according to the order he has establisht ; and so disjoyn'd from those things which are preternaturally done , by the divine power and will ; that if all these were taken away , there would be nothing wanting nor nothing abounding in nature . wherefore as by the order establisht by god , natural things are signified by natural signs , and miraculous things by antecedent miracles ; so noah , being divinely inspir'd , and to be preserv'd by the divine power , signified to the world that an universal deluge was to come by a miracle of the divine justice , and he exemplifies the usual proceedings of providence in other instances of the same kind . and indeed , we have reason to think , that if there had been any natural causes for the deluge , some of the learned persons then in being , at least upon noah's warning , would have perceiv'd some growing dispositions in the heavens and earth toward such an effect , and not have suffer'd themselves to have been all surpriz'd when it came , as the scriptures represent to us they were . again , since the ten plagues of egypt were miraculous ; which were to teach only one obdurate king that there was a god , who commanded all things : certainly when that god pleas'd to execute his vengeance on a world consummate in sin ; he would do it in an extraordinary and supernatural manner ; that posterity should have no tergiversation , but be forc'd to own that divine controling power , being certified of this act , surpassing all natural causes whatsoever . and whereas the author says , that he writing a theory of the deluge , is to shew the proxim natural causes of it : it will be answered , that when an effect is thus miraculously wrought , by an arbitrary determination of the most remote cause , we must not look after proxim causes in nature for it ; effects being only accountable from any second or proxim natural causes , when things are left to gods ordinary concourse . not but god often uses second causes in working miracles , but then he raises that natural power , otherwise belonging to them to an height far transcending nature ; so that the common laws of motion and gravity , by which the author pretends to establish his hypothesis , have no place here . i may add , that it 's the general opinion of divines , that nothing of those things which god has made by himself , and without the concurrence of any other cause , will ever have an end , or total dissolution ( as the author intimates this dissolution of the earth to be ) for want of principles in them sufficient for their eternal support ; tho god , by his meer will may put an end to them , or dissolve them as he pleases ; and therefore as the earth and other elements were made by god in the beginning ; so according to their natures they will remain for ever without any destruction or dissolution , as to the whole , tho they may undergo some partial changes . and in reference to this , the learned vallesius , on that passage of esdras , considera ergo & tu , quoniam minori staturâ estis , prae his , qui ante vos , & qui post vos minori quam vos , quasi jam senescentes creaturae , & fortitudinem juventutis praetereuntes . says , but neither is that fourth book of esdras receiv'd by divines , nor could that opinion ever down with me : for the world has ages according to divine ordinations , and the account of times which god has with himself , but not according to nature ; since neither its rise was from nature , nor will its destruction so happen . indeed , it may be that this or that little part of the earth , drain'd by long culture and sowing may decay , but not the whole earth ; neither does any little part of it ever so decay , as things which really grow old ; so that it can never after resume its strength , and , as it were , wax young again ; but all things pass away and return in a certain circle , according to all and each of their parts , according to all , by vicissitudes , some being decay'd , others render'd more fertile ; according to each , each of them being alternately decay'd and restor'd . and indeed , the learned dr. hakewill , in his apology , has so well clear'd the point against a general decay in the world , that i think it past time of day now to have it brought in question : so that such a dissolution in the earth , tending to its general decay , as the author intimates , may not be admitted . i shall conclude this chapter by observing , that besides the miraculous providence , which the author allows in the saving of the ark , his hypothesis forces him to introduce two or three miracles more ; as i shall shew in the second book : whence we shall find , that what he has endeavour'd to save in one great miracle , he has been forc't to make out in little ones . chap. ix . now the author comes to prove his theory from the effects , and present form of the earth ; and in this ninth chapter , after having observ'd that the most considerable and remarkable things , that occur in the fabrick of this present earth , are ; first , subterraneous cavities , and subterraneous waters : secondly , the channel of the great ocean : thirdly , mountains and rocks . he proceeds to give an account of these according to his hypothesis : beginning with subterraneous cavities and waters : saying that those cavities were made , upon the general dissolution of the earth , according as the broken fragments variously fell into hollow and broken postures : and that the subterraneous waters are parts of the abysse , the pillars and foundations of the present earth standing immerst in it . now , i have shewn before , that such an orb of earth , and dissolution of it on the face of the abysse , for causing noah's deluge ( as the author has suppos'd ) was impossible , and consequently his explanation here of subterraneous cavities and waters cannot hold . i might add some things here for shewing the necessity of subterraneous caverns in the antediluvian earth , which the author denies to have been : but because in the following chapters , i shall shew the necessity of a sea and mountains , in those times ; the uses of which may be more conspicuous ; i shall pass by the cavities at present . chap. x. here the author treats concerning the sea-channel , and the original of it , the causes of its irregular form and unequal depths : as also of the original of islands , their situation and properties . he exaggerates much in the description of the sea-chanel ; where amongst other things he says thus , p. 128. when i present this great gulph to my imagination , emptied of all its waters , naked , and gaping at the sun , stretching its jaws from one end of the earth to another , it appears to me the most ghastly thing in nature . and again , p. 131. if we should suppose the ocean dry , and if we look't down from the top of some high cloud , upon the empty shell ; how horridly and barbarously would it look ? and with what amazement should we see it under us , like an open hell , or a wide bottomless pit : so deep and hollow and vast ; so broken and confus'd , so every way deform'd and monstrous , &c. to this i must say , as far as i can conceive of the sea-channel , if it were empty , and had a sword upon it , and trees , as the land has ; i can fancy no other prospect could be there , than what the earth now affords us : we have mountains now that appear as high to us , as perhaps any would , if we then stood in any part of the sea-channel ; and so for any other suppos'd unevennesses . indeed to look upon many places of it naked , without a sword on them , might not seem so well ; so draw off the skin from the most beautious creature on the earth , and see how it will look : as for other ghastliness , i fancy none ; for when all is said , it is but a veil spread over half the earth , allow'd to afford a quarter of a mile depth to the sea , taking one place with another thorowout , and not being above two miles deep at the deepest part ; and what is this in a philosophical consideration , when compar'd with the vast body it lies upon ? it 's a place fit to receive such a poor lake as the sea , otherwise not worth naming , being not comparably so much to the body of the earth , as the thickness of a leaf of the thinnest paper , drawn from one half part of a globe of three feet diameter , takes from the bulk of that globe . next the author tells us , there are three things particularly to be consider'd concerning the sea-channel , viz. it s general irregularity , the vast hollowness of its cavity , and the declivity of its sides , which lie shelving , tho with some unevenness , from top to bottom . and these he thinks may be aptly explain'd according to his hypothesis , by the fall of the earth , and are not explainable any other way ; and he gives us two figures , for representing the fall of the earth to effect these things : the like he says for the rise of original islands ; which he counter-distinguishes from such as are factitious ; these being made either by the aggestion of sands , or the sea 's leaving the tops of some shallow places that lie high , or by a divulsion from some continent , or a protrusion from the bottom of the sea. and he gives us also one figure to represent the rise of those original islands , according to his said hypothesis . to this i answer , that the causes he has given for these phaenomena relating to the sea channel , are well assign'd consequentially to his hypothesis : but , as i have already shewn a failure in his hypothesis , those causes cannot be true , neither shall i be more particular on them . but as the author has excluded a sea from his antediluvian earth . i shall set down a few reasons , to shew the necessity of a sea from the beginning of the world. first then , we find a necessity of admitting a sea , from the beginning , for the support of sea-animals and vegetables ; which we cannot judg but to have been from the beginning : for , supposing that the authority of moses , who tells us of a sea , and great whales , &c. from the beginning should be evaded : i would ask whether all sea-animals and vegetables were created de novo after the deluge , or whether they were kept in the antediluvian rivers , or in the abysse ? first to say they were then created de novo , or that their seeds had been preserv'd in the antediluvian world , till they exerted their powers at the deluge , it would no way be admitted : for this were in effect to exclude , in a manner , half the creation , in reference to plants and animals from the antediluvian earth ; the sea being the most fertile of all the parts of the world , the generative faculty being no where so luxuriant , as there . secondly , they could not live in the suppos'd antediluvian rivers , which in all probability must have been all fresh , and without any saltness in them , as i shall shew in the next chapter : and again , when we consider the various genius's of fishes , we find it inconsistent for them to have liv'd in those rivers : for , as philo says , all marine animals receive not their being in all places ; some love a moorish and shallow sea , some ditches and ports , neither passing up into the land , nor swimming far from the sea shoar ; some living in the deep seas , shun islands , rocks , and promontories , running out into the sea ; and others are delighted in calm and quiet seas , others in tempestuous , so that being exercis'd with continual tossings , and striving against the surges , they become stronger and fatter , &c. now how all these dispositions and a multitude of others could be answer'd in the antediluvian rivers , or the abysse , i see not . the like may be said of all birds living always on the sea coasts , and feeding on sea animals ; and the like of vegetables , which grow no where , but in , or by the sea. thirdly , as to the abysse , certainly the birds could not be preserv'd there ; if it be said that the fishes or sea-plants could , i desire one instance in natural history , where any animal or vegetable , has been found living twenty fathoms deep in the earth , where there has not been a communication to the day : i well know there are some fishes ( i cannot say vegetables ) living in some subterraneous rivers and lakes , which have such a communication , a i speak of , but none otherwise . to conclude , the author , in his answer to mr. warren , finding himself urg'd , against the living of fishes in the abysse , through its closeness ; instances that a child can live many months , shut up in the mothers belly , where , he says , there is closeness and darkness in the highest degree ; and thinks it likely that the fishes were less active and agile in the abysse than they are now ; and that their life was more sluggish then , and their motions more slow , as being still in the womb of nature , that was broke up at the deluge ; and that they had air enough for their imperfect way of breathing in that state ; and that possibly they might have some passages in their bodies open'd , at the disruption of the abysse , when they were born into the free air , which were not open'd before , &c. to this i reply , that it 's one thing what a man is forc't to say consequentially to an hypothesis , which he proposes to introduce ; and another , what reason dictates to him , upon free thought : and i believe , if the author's hypothesis would permit him to be open and candid , he must own that such an abysse could be no probable , nor possible habitation for fishes . as for the instance of the child in the mothers belly ; where the author says there is closeness and darkness in the highest degree ; we know it to be otherwise ; the mother being a living and breathing animal , and having a body freely perspirable ; the envelopings also with which the infant is encompast , being very thin ; nor can the child subsist if the mother dies . now what analogy with this has an orb of dead earth a mile or two thick , with which the abysse is suppos'd to be invested , where the fishes are said to live ? again , how unnatural is it for the author to make the fishes , in the antediluvian paradisiacal times , to be in an embrionate imperfect state ; so that the whale could not sport himself , by spouting up waters , nor the nautili sayl before the wind , nor any fishes divert themselves , according to their genius , and what they enjoy in this pitiful degenerate world : so that at a time , when all things on the earth are suppos'd to have flourisht in a degree far transcending the present ; the poor fishes ( which least deserv'd it ) lay under a double curse ; being wholly pent up in a dark dungeon , impervious to the light and air , as great blessings , as the world affords ; and having no food , but by preying on each other ; whereas now , besides vegetables , growing in the seas , they have good supplies by what the rivers bring them , besides other good contingencies from the shoars . i must confess that i know nothing forct and unnatural in an hypothesis , if this be not so . next , we must consider the necessity of a sea in reference to its use , as to the earth ; and to pass by its use for navigation , which is generally suppos'd not to have been practis'd in the antediluvian times ; we find that the antients unanimously plac'd the sea all along the torrid zone ; many of them saying that the body of the sun , and other planets and stars were refresht and nourisht by the moisture thence drawn : but however we may look upon this opinion , we must still say with the poet , sed rapidus titan ponto sua lumina pascens . and that one of the chiefest actions of the sun's rayes on this inferior globe , is , to raise waters from the seas , to be pass'd thence by the winds on all the parts of the earth , to qualifie the air , for the promotion , refreshment , and support of vegetable and animal productions : and hence as plutarch says , homer , in the battle , opposes neptune to apollo ; and hence juno is said to have been born and brought up in the island samos , and to have been educated by oceanus and tethys , or by the oceanine nymphs ; the air being chiefly fed by the sea-waters rarify'd . and indeed it seems much more natural to me , that the great magazine of waters , for supplying all the parts of the earth , should , in good measure , be plac't on that part of it , where the strongest action of the sun is ; than to make it near the poles , where its rays have little or no effect ; or in places remote from the said part . it 's true , the author may say , the waters are brought round again , from the poles to the parts near the torrid zone , by the rivers ; and that the rivers terminating there , these parts were all plashy and moorish ; whence the sun might as well raise waters to supply the earth , as from the sea. but still i say it 's unnatural not to place waters where the strongest action of the sun is ; and again , i cannot think those other waters would serve the turn , they being all fresh , whereby ( notwithstanding their flowing ) a general corruption must have follow'd in them , as also in regard they were not refresht by rains , and frequent , fountains passing into them , at certain distances , as now : neither do i conceive they could have aptly maintain'd a vegetation and propagation of species in plants and animals . and i make no doubt , but if the uses of the sea were duly inspected and stated , its waters , as now qualifi'd with an highly fermented brackishness , would be found of as necessary use in carrying on the oeconomy of the macrocosm ; as the bilous , pancreatick , splenetick , and other juyces are for performing the like office in the body of man ; or indeed , as the learned palaeopolitanus says , to take the sea from the earth , were the same as to drein an animal of his heart blood. to this we may add , that if the concurrent vote of all the men of sense of antiquity signifies any thing , they are unanimous in the assertion of a sea from the beginning ; so as a commentator on aristotle has truly observ'd , that all those who have held the world eternal , held the sea so too ; and all those that held the world to have had a beginning , held the sea to have existed together with it . and we know that neptune was always held an antediluvian god ; and so we know the famous division of the world betwixt the three brothers : jupiter commanding the air , neptune the sea , and dis or pluto the inward regions of the earth . and indeed , we find the ancients so fond of a sea , that scarce any of them describe a terrestrial paradise , but mention the sea with it . chap. xi . this chapter treats concerning the mountains of the earth , their greatness and irregular form ; their situation , causes and origine . first then , the author here gives us an eloge on mountains , expressing himself thus : the greatest objects of nature are , methinks , the most pleasing to behold ; and next to the great concave of the heav'ns , and those boundless regions where the stars inhabit , there is nothing that i look upon with more pleasure than the wide sea , and the mountains of the earth . there is something august and stately in the air of these things , that inspires the mind with great thoughts and passions . we do naturally upon such occasions , think of god and his greatness , and whatsoever has but the shadow and appearance of infinite , as all things have , that are too big for our comprehension , they fill and overbear the mind with their excess , and cast it into a pleasing kind of stupor and admiration . but at last he concludes , that these mountains , so specious as they seem , are nought but great ruins ; and then expatiates much in setting forth their greatness , irregular form and situation , and lastly , assigns their causes and origine . now , as to the causes and origine of mountains , and the accidents belonging to them ; since i have already shewn that the account which the author has rendred of them , upon the breaking of the earth at the deluge , is erroneous ; i shall not here say more to them : especially having intimated already in the fifth chapter , how i conceive mountains , a sea , &c. may be accounted for more rationally another way ; but shall offer some things concerning the necessity , and use of mountains from the beginning of the world , as i have already shewn the necessity of a sea. when a man considers the fair encomium the author has made on mountains , tho at last , concluding them to be but a ruin , and excluding them his antediluvian earth ; he would be apt to say , it 's pity that earth suppos'd far to exceed the present , should be without such noble ruins , and ev'n paradise it self : and indeed as the ancients ( according to what i have intimated before ) scarce ever describ'd a paradise without mentioning a sea , so they seldom did it without naming mountains . i know not how all mankind may stand affected ; but i know a great part will agree with me , that a level country can never be so pleasant , as a country diversified in site and ornament , with mountains , valleys , chases , plains , woods , cataractical falls , and serpentine courses of rivers , with a prospect of the sea , &c. what is a dull level to this ? where the sight is terminated at the next hedge ; and if you raise towers to overlook it , it can never equal , or come near the charming variety of the other . nor does the authors instance , in his answer to mr. warren , c. 7. seem to me to clear the point , where he says , we are pleas'd with the looking upon the ruins of a roman amphitheater , or a triumphal arch , tho time has defac'd its beauty . for the question will still lie , whether a roman amphitheater , or triumphal arch , in its glory , were not more beautiful and pleasing to behold , than the ruins of them : and i shall still be of opinion , that the present earth , on the accounts before exprest , has a more delightful and charming prospect , than its antediluvian state , as by the author represented , could have afforded , but let us consider the use of mountains . we find the ancients call'd the earth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our mother earth ; for as plato says , the earth does not imitate a woman , but a woman the earth : and they compar'd the mountains on the earth , to the breasts of a woman : and indeed if the thing be duly consider'd , we shall find that the mountains are no less ornamental , and of necessary use to the earth , for affording continual streams of fresh waters to suckle all her productions ; than the protuberant breasts of a woman are , both for beautifying her person , and yielding sweet streams of milk for the nourishment of her children . hence also they call'd nature 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , multimamma , and ador'd it by that name , under the figure of an hermaphrodite ; this hermaphroditical figure of nature was to denote its double power ; because the ancients , and among others of them , orpheus , trismegistus and soranus said , nature was both male and female , and hence with the greeks it 's said , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . and orpheus stil'd nature 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , deum naturam ; and the ancient latins us'd naturus as well as natura , they gave it therefore an hermaphroditical figure , but still with many breasts , the types of mountains . secondly , the very learned joannes reuchlin tells us , that the whole ornament of nature , is from the admirable variety of things found in it . and d. hakewill tells us , he ever conceiv'd that variety and disparity in that variety , serving for ornament , use and delight , might thereby serve to set forth the wisdom , power and goodness of the creator , no less than his greatest and most glorious works . we shall therefore consider of what use mountains are for promoting that variety : of which we are sufficiently put in mind by the learned d. brown , in his judicious account of his travels , p. 89. where he says thus : tho austria be more northern than stiria , or carinthia , the heats are there much greater ; for there may be as much difference , as to the temperature of air , and as to heat and cold , in one mile , as in ten degrees of latititude ; and he that would cool and refresh himself in the summer , had better go up to the top of the next hill , than remove into a far more northern country . and beneath . in the hot country of arabia travellers complain much of the cold they suffer in passing the hills . the mountains of italy and spain are cover'd with snow and ice all the summer , so is mount atlas ; when in great britain there is no such thing . hence it 's easie to find of what importance the elevations of mountains are for diversifying effects on the earth : for it 's manifest that the sun , that father of generation , joining with the central or seminal mover in the earth ; does not only diversifie effects here , by his gradual approaches , according to the rectitude of his rayes , on either side the aequator : but does it rather in a greater measure , according to the various reflexions of his rayes , through the various sites and elevations of the earth ; whence the atmosphere must be greatly varied in deep valleys , on the tops of mountains , and in their various acctivities , according as they regard several faces of the heavens , earth , and seas . and since in respect of elevations ( as i have quoted from dr. brown ) there may be as much difference , as to the temperature of the air , in one mile of height , as in ten degrees of latitude ; i wonder the antediluvian earth is suppos'd without this advantage : the beauty of nature consisting in diversify'd effects , and it being evident , that nothing can diversifie so much , as such varieties of elevations . is it that the suppos'd richness of the antediluvian soil could have supply'd all this ? we answer , that such a rich and fertile soil is no way proper for many of nature's productions , which delight rather in such soils as are generally most barren . the learned poet knew this when he said , nec verò terrae serre omnes omnia possunt , fluminibus salices , crassisque paludibus alni nascuntur , steriles saxosis montibus orni , littora myrthetis laetissima , denique apertos bacchus amat colles , aquilonem & frigora taxi , &c. all soils produce not all things here below , willows delight in rivers , alders grow in muddy marshes , and the wild ash stands on rocky mountains , myrtles on the sands , beside the sea , the vine loves open hills , the yew , the cold north-wind , and winter chills . we know that many herbs , set in a fat and moist soil , lose their nature and vertue ; because they love drought . and hippocrates tells us , that mountain plants are of a more smart and vehement operation than others : and here a learned botanist has a large field to expatiate , in setting forth the variety of plants , according to the various sites and elevations of the earth . the like may be said of animals ; how many species of them are there , which seem to be made for mountains , and mountains for them ? of which a man might say , as virgil does of his goats , pascuntur verò sylvas , & summa lycaei , horrentes rubos , & amantes ardua dumos . goats , and such other animals delighting in such course food , which unless eaten by them , would fall to nothing . and as dr. hakewill tells us , it 's observ'd that the inhabitants of mountains , by reason of the clearness of the air , the dryness of the soil , and a more temperate dyet thereby occasion'd , are , for the most part , stronger of limb , healthier of body , quicker of sense , longer of life , stouter of courage , and of wit sharper than the inhabitants of the valley : and mountains seem appointed by providence to guard the lower countries from the violence of blasting and fierce winds , to bridle the fury of the enrag'd sea , to mark out the bounds and borders of nations , to stop the sudden invasions of enemies , and to preserve hay , corn , cattel , houses , and men from the danger of land floods , which overflow the plains by the rising of rivers . and hence , as alexander ab alexandro acquaints us , many of the antients paid a veneration to mountains , extended on the sea-coast , as to a deity , the sea being thereby kept from over-flowing the land. again , the author having excluded mountains from his antediluvian earth , he excludes metals and minerals of course ; for no mountains , no mines nor minerals : and it will be hard to give an instance in natural history , of any mines in level countries , unless some fragments of metalline ores are carry'd thither by a torrent from some adjacent mountain . for metalline-ores lie not in horizontal beds , as they are all in level countries ; but in beds either standing perpendicular to , or some degree rais'd above , the horizon ; the reasons of which i may set forth in some other tract . the author speaking of these mineral productions , in the sixth chapter of his second book , says thus , as for subterraneous things , metals and minerals , i believe the antediluvians had none , and the happier they ; no gold , nor silver , nor courser mettals ; the use of these is either imaginary , or in such works , as by the constitution of their world , they had little occasion for : and minerals are either for medicine , which they had no need of farther than herbs , or for materials to certain arts , which were not then in use , or were supply'd by other ways . these subterraneous things , metals , and metalick minerals are factitious , not original bodies , coaeval with the earth , but are made in process of time , after long operations and concoctions by the action of the sun within the bowels of the earth . and if the stamina or principles of them rose from the lower regions that lye under the abysse , as i am apt to think they do , it does not seem probable , that they could be drawn through such a masse of waters , or that the heat of the sun could on a sudden , penetrate so deep , and be able to loosen , and raise them into the exterior earth . i have intimated before , that the author , upon his exclusion of mountains , was forc't to exclude minerals from his antediluvian earth ; tho it be with this hard circumstance , that there is a plain text of the scriptures against him , gen. 4. where tubalcain is said to have wrought in brass and iron , long before the flood , which seems to me unanswerable . so again , gen. 2. it 's said that the river pison encompass'd the land of havilah , where there was gold. and if we give credit to the book of henoch , quoted by tertullian l. de idololat . tubalcain wrought also in the other metals , as gold , silver , &c. of which afterwards idols were made . moreover the author allowing the hebrew chronology , that supposes but 292 years from the flood to abraham : now as ralegh says , in abraham's time aegypt had many magnificent cities , and so had palestine , and all the bordering countries ; yea all that part of the world besides as far as india ; and those not built with sticks , but with hewn stones , and defended with walls and rampires ; and how all these cities should be built with hewn stones without iron , is not so easily imaginable : and to say that the invention of it was after the flood , and all these things done with it in so short a time , will not pass easily with me , whatever it may with others . and that gold and silver were plenty in the time of abraham , it 's evident , gen. 13. where abraham is said to have been very rich in gold and silver ; and again , ch. 20. abimelech says to sarah , behold , i have given thy brother a thousand pieces of silver : and ch. 33. abraham says to ephron , i will give thee money for thy field : ephron answers , the field is worth four hundred sheckles of silver : which when abraham had heard , he weighed to him the sum he had nam'd , in current money . again , it 's recorded in history , that the first man that stamp't money in italy , was janus ; whom berosus will have to be the patriarch noah : which opinion also the author abets , both in his theory , and in his answer to mr. warren . i could add many other instances relating hereunto , but i think these sufficient . now , it 's true the author , in his answer to mr. warren , chap. 10 , as to the passage of tubalcain , replies , that he does not believe iron or brass to be once mention'd in all his theory : neither do i observe that they are there particularly nam'd ; but , i believe , if any man please to read that paragraph of the authors , before set down , and duly weighs it , he will soon find ( the whole context of it consider'd ) what it naturally imports ; and that there is a difference betwixt an evasion , and a satisfactory answer . however i think it reason , that every man should be allow'd to be his own expositor . and if the author does take upon him to maintain , that brass and iron were before the flood , but no other metals ; i conceive what i have urg'd for the others coexistence with them , carries some weight ; and if this will not be allow'd : i would ask what should hinder the generation of the other metals , if those were then generated : for the main difficulty still returns , no mountains , no mines ; and i would gladly see an instance or two , in natural history ( if there are any ) where metals are generated without mountains ; and have some colourable reasons assign'd , why , if any of the metals were generated before the flood , others should not ; since it 's generally observ'd , that in the same tracts of lands , where one sort of metal is generated , several others accompany it . the author in the later part of the said paragraph , intimates himself of cartes's opinion , viz. that the stamina , or principles of metals rose from the lower regions , that lye under the abysse ; and thinks it probable , that they could not be drawn through such a masse of waters : now , tho this be a good argument against him , ad hominem , to shew that he excludes all metals before the flood ; yet i shall not insist upon it ; because i could never acquiesce in cartes's hypothesis ; and were he still living , i should be free to shew him the ground of my dislike . cartes consequentially to his hypothesis , supposes metals to be altogether generated at the feet of mountains ; whereas , by experience , we find them as often , if not oftner , in plains and valleys on the tops of mountains ; and those of a very considerable height , as in the sides and at the feet of them . but this is no place to refute cartes's hypothesis . to conclude , whoever goes about to exclude metals from the antediluvian earth , i believe that the passage of tubatcain will never admit of a fair solution ; for if any passages , in the scriptures , are so self-evident , that they will not bear various interpretations , i look upon that to be one ; and it not seeming to contain mystery , which may require to be allegorically resolv'd : and again , as for the nature of the thing , i believe no man will be able thence to draw any argument to convince us of their non-existence before the flood : nor have we reason to admit of any precarious hypothesis tending thereunto . moreover , when the author excludes minerals from his antediluvian earth , we should know how far the word extends ; for among other minerals , salt is one ; and indeed the sea and mountains being excluded , which are the two magazines for salt , i know not how the world could have been well supply'd : it 's true , men being generally suppos'd then to have eaten no flesh , it would be the less wanted : but whatever they eat , salt is still a good seasoner ; besides the uses it has in the world for maintaining vegetation , and other ways , especially in marine plants ; which cannot be supported by the ordinary saltness , drawn from the earth . whereas the author says that metals and metalick minerals are factitious , not original bodies , coaeval with the earth , &c. i cannot allow this to be so , at least as to their non-existence before the flood ; for if he supposes those rocks , which are found on mountains , with metalline ores betwixt them , to have been primaeval , and to have fallen at the deluge , those ores must have been so too ; for it 's evident to him that views rocks containing ores betwixt them , that the rocks and ores were form'd together , as i may demonstrate in some other work. and the author allows the rocks in mountains to have been antediluvian , and to have fallen at the flood ; being free to own , that the great naked rocks he saw in the alpes , were some of the chief motives , which prompted him to this hypothesis . chap. xii . in this chapter the author gives a review of what has been already treated ; he sets forth the several faces and schemes , under which the earth would appear to a stranger that should view it ; first at a distance , and then more closely : he examines and endeavours to refute all methods offer'd by others for the explanation of the earth's form : and lastly adds a conjecture concerning the other planets , their natural form and state compared with ours . there being little new in this chapter , i have the less to consider in it ; neither will it concern me here to mind whether others have duly explain'd the form of the earth , or not . i shall therefore only take notice of one passage here , because it relates to what i have elsewhere urg'd , where the author argues against some divines ; who say that god almighty made the mountains and sea-channel immediately when he made the world ; which point he states as follows . let us consider the earth in that transient in complete form , which it had when the abysse encompass'd the whole body of it : we both agree that the earth was once in this state ; and they say it came immediately out of this state into its present form ; there being made by a supernatural power , a great channel or ditch in one part of it , which drew off the waters from the rest , and the soil which was squeez'd and forc'd out of this ditch , made the mountains : against this he urges as follows . if the mountains were taken out of the channel of the sea , then they are equal to it , and would fill it up , if they were thrown in again : but these proportions , upon examination will not agree : for tho the mountains of the earth are very great , yet they do not equal by much the great ocean : the ocean extends to half the surface of the earth ; and if you suppose the greatest depth of the ocean to answer the height of the greatest mountains , and the middle depth to the middle sort of mountains , the mountains ought to cover all the dry land , to make them answer to all the capacity of the ocean : whereas we suppos'd them upon a reasonable computation , to cover but the tenth part of the dry land ; and consequently , neither they nor the sea-channel could have been produc'd in this manner , because of their great disproportion to one another : and the same thing appears if we compare the mountains with the abysse , which cover'd the earth before this channel was made ; for this channel being made great enough to contain all the abysse , the mountains taken out of it , must also be equal to all the abysse ; but the aggregate of the mountains will not answer this by many degrees ; for suppose the abysse was but half as deep as the ocean , to make this calculus answer , all the dry land ought to be cover'd with mountains , and with mountains as high as the ocean is deep , or doubly high to the depth of the abysse , because they are but upon one half of the globe . now , whatever may be said of that opinion of the divines ; which i do not take upon me here to maintain : the reasoning which the author here urges against them is no way conclusive , but contrary to his own assertions and suppositions ; if he will be just to the divines in allowing the whole acclivity of the earth , with the mountains to have been then taken out of the sea channel , and plac'd where they are . for then , i say , he has suppos'd that the sea covers half the globe of the earth , and allows it , as i conceive , two miles deep in the deepest part ( as it is esteem'd in the computation of the most judicious ) and that there is a general declivity from all shoars to the bottom of the sea , in all its parts , tho that declivity be not every where even , but sometimes interrupted , and the depth of the bottom of it be various . so again , he has suppos'd in the second chapter , that the whole earth being , as it were a mountain above the sea ; there is a general acclivity in it , from the sea-shores to its mediterranean mountains , and that this general acclivity makes a mile in height to the foot of the said mountains , and that some of those mountains are raised a mile or more from the foot of them to their summit : which makes an height proportional to the deepest parts of the sea. hence , i say , according to the authors own suppositions ; if all the rise of the earth above the level of the sea , taking both the general acclivity of it with the mountains were par'd off , and turn'd upside down into the sea-channel , they must of necessity fill it : the highest mountains answering to the deepest parts of the sea , and the general acclivity of the earth with the other mountains , to the general declivity , and other deeper parts of it . or it may be represented briefly thus : the author supposes the sea to cover half the globe , and that taking one part with another of it , it makes a quarter of a mile depth throughout : now i believe the author and all men will agree , that if all the mountains , taken with the general acclivity of the earth , were cast into a level , they would make an area over the other half part of the globe , a quarter of a mile in height above the level of the sea ; and consequently according to his own hypothesis , it must be able to fill the channel of the sea , if empty . for a conclusion to this book the author considers the other planets , which he conceives to be of the same fabrick , and to have undergone the like fate and forms with our earth . particularly as to venus , he says , 't is a remarkable passage that st. austin has preserv'd out of varro , which is as follows : that about the time of the great deluge , there was a wonderful alteration or catastrophe happen'd to the planet venus , and that she chang'd her colour , form , figure and magnitude . this the author says is a great presumption , that she suffer'd her dissolution about the same time that our earth did . now , first , the author seems not to have quoted austin's passage right , saying that the planet venus chang'd her colour , form , figure and magnitude ; austin's words being , ut mutaret colorem , magnitudinem , figuram & cursum . secondly , this passage , i conceive has been answer'd aptly enough long since by ralegh , tho no great philosopher ; where he says , it is not improbable that the flood of ogyges , being so great as histories have reported it , was accompany'd with much alteration of the air , sensibly discover'd in those parts , and some unusual face of the skies . varro , in his book de gente populi romani ( as cited by st. austin ) reports out of castor , that so great a miracle happen'd in the star of venus , as never was seen before , nor in after times : for the colour , the greatness , the figure , and the course of it , were chang'd : this fell out as adrastus cyzicenus , and dion neapolites , famous mathematicians , affirm'd , in the time of ogyges . now , concerning the course of that , or any other planet , i do not remember that i have any where read of so good astrologers flourishing among the greeks , or elsewhere in those days , as were likely to make any calculation of the revolutions of the planets so exact , that it should need no reformation . of the colour and magnitude i see no reason why the difference found in the star of venus , should be held miraculous ; considering that lesser mists and fogs , than those which cover'd greece with so long darkness , do familiarly present our senses with as great alterations in the sun and moon . that the figure should vary , questionless was very strange ; yet i cannot hold it any prodigy ; for it stands well with good reason , that the side of venus which the sun beholds , being enlightn'd by him , the opposite half should remain shadowed ; whereby that planet would unto our eyes , descrying only that part whereon the light falls , appear to be horn'd , as the moon seems , if distance ( as in other things ) did not hinder the apprehension of our senses . a worthy astrologer , now living , who by the help of perspectives has found in the stars many things unknown to the ancients , affirms so much to have been discover'd in venus , by his late observations ; whether some watery disposition of the air might present as much to them that liv'd with ogyges , as galilaeus has seen with his instrument , i cannot tell : sure i am that the discovery of a truth formerly unknown , rather convinces men of ignorance than nature of errour . so far ralegh . neither shall i add more here concerning the other planets , being willing first to see whether we can establish any thing certain concerning this planet we inhabit ; concerning which we have much more hopes to arrive at some solid knowledge , than of bodies so remote from us ; and i little pleasing my self in opining concerning things undeterminable by man. i shall conclude this book by considering one thing , which the author greatly insists on in several parts of it : viz. that the first order of things is regular and simple ; and that the deformity of this present earth , as it appears all broken , and its incommodiousness shew , that the present state of it was not original , nor dispos'd according to the laws and order of gravity ; and he intimates , that in the primigenious mass , the earth must have held the lower place , and the other elements their proper seats , according to the said order , and as he represents in his hypothesis . now , the true doctrine ( as i conceive ) of the site and figure of the earth , and other elements runs thus . altho the earth be a terminated body , and seems to have a certain figure ; yet the elements have no proper and natural figure , as aristotle has truly said ; because if they had a natural form they would be corrupted if they lost it . but beside this reason of aristotle , there is another : viz. that to each similar body any figure agrees , it having none proper to it ; nor does this hold only in the four elements , but in all similar bodies ; and it therefore agrees to the elements , because they are similar ; and the reason why similar bodies have no proper figure , is , because a figure was not necessary to them ; a figure being constituted by nature for actions ; as an arm has such a figure , because by the benefit of that figure the arm exercises its actions : and by this figure the arm is an arm , and such a figure being lost , it is no longer an arm : so in artificial things , an hatchet is therefore an hatchet , because it has such a figure , which being lost , the hatchet is no longer an hatchet , but only iron and matter ; because the action of the hatchet flows from the figure , which is to cut . a figure is therefore necessary in compounded things , but not in similar ; because the use of similars is not any operation , but only this , that they be the matter of others . now tho the elements have not a proper figure , yet of necessity their place must be circular , and of a spherical figure , as aristotle says , by reason of the extreme evenness of all their parts ; so that an element , being all ev'n , it has not whereby angles should be made . and this must be understood of pure elements , or such as continue fluid : but our earth , of which mountains are made , is not pure elementary earth , or a simple body , but is a certain compound and aggregate of many bodies : and when a man considers the infinite variety of soils and fossils , of which it consists , and their differing degrees of gravity , he cannot imagine that an even surface could be thence made , ev'n in that respect , without considering any protrusive force of an inward mover . and whatsoever even rotundity the earth were to have , according to its natural constitution ; since it agrees most to the advantage of things , that certain parts of the earth should be high rais'd , others lying lower ; it was fit they should have such a site , that so through the differing complexion of divers parts of the earth , the diversities of minerals , plants and animals might arise . and since things were first instituted by god , not only for having a being in themselves , but that they might be the principles of others , therefore they were produc'd in a perfect state , in which they might be the principles of others : and therefore , as philo says , the world was created in its perfection , and not left crude , and all plants in their first rise were laden with their fruits , otherwise than now ; for now all things are generated in their seasons , and not all together . so macrobius says , if we grant particular things to have had a beginning , nature first form'd all animals perfect , and then gave them a perpetual law , that they should continue a sucession by propagation . and so plutarch says , it s probable that the first generation was entire , and accomplisht from the earth by the vertue and perfection of the maker , without having need of those instruments and vessels , which nature has since invented and made in females , which bear and ingender , by reason of its impotence and imbecility . if we consider animals , in which nature is much more polite than in forming this compost of the earth ; we see how little the common laws of gravity and even'ness in figure are observ'd in them . what mountain seems so enormous in the body of the earth , as the bunch on a camels back in that quadrupede , or the bill of a bill bird , in that bird , or the head of a rana piscatrioc in that fish ? if it be said that these are organical bodies , and that those parts are form'd so for certain uses : i think it as easie to shew analagous uses in the various site and parts of the earth . and so , as to gravity in animals , why is the upper jaw plac'd above the lower ? or , why in man are the heart , liver and spleen plac'd above the pancreas , reins and bladder ? is it that they are lighter ? and why is the soul it self in the body ? the globe of the earth therefore , as well as the particular bodies in it , have been set in order by an understanding principle , and have every where a rational distribution of parts for their proper uses : for otherwise , as plutarch says , if each thing were left to itself , all would return into a chaodical confusion . and i think gassendus , as he reflects on d. flud , has aptly enough exprest himself to his friend mersennus , in reference to those , who take upon them to correct the order observ'd in nature , saying ; why , think you , are there men that fancy plants in mountains , and the stars in heav'n might have been set in a far better order than they are , but because they judge no order apt , but that which the mind of man so discerns ? these are men , who , if humane sagacity has excogitated certain artificial contextures , which seem pleasing , presently , by a narrowness of mind , strive to transfer them to the nature of things , and think natures works must then aptly consist , when they are according to an imitation of art ; as tho besides the mind of man , there were not another mind , to whom other harmoniacal laws may be more pleasing . and beneath he adds , if hypotheses are propos'd as learned inventions , which may exercise the wit of man by their subtlety , and by a certain shadowy analogy to things themselves seem not ungrateful , i freely allow them as so : but for men to urge them , as tho the nature of things must consist as they have fancy'd , i see no reason we have so to receive them . considerations on the theory of the earth . the second book . concerning the primaeval earth , and concerning paradise . chap. i. and ii. the first chapter is an introduction , setting forth the contents of the second book . the general state of the primaeval earth , and of paradise . and it s thus : in the first book , he says , he shew'd the primaeval earth to have been without a sea , mountains , rocks , or broken caves ; and that it was one continued and regular masse , smooth , simple , and complete , as the first works of nature use to be ; but here he must shew the other properties of it ; how the heavens were , how the elements , what accommodation for humane life , why more proper to be the seat of paradise than the present earth . concerning paradise , he notes first two opinions to be avoided , as two extreams : one placing paradise in the extra-mundane regions , as in the air , or in the moon ; the other confining it to a little spot of ground in mesopotamia , or some other country of asia , the earth being now as it was then . for , he says , it is not any single region of the earth , that can be paradisiacal , unless all nature conspire , and a certain order of things proper and peculiar to that state ; so that both must be found out , viz. the peculiar order of things , and the particular seat of paradise . as to the peculiar order of things ; he says , it 's certain there were some qualities and conditions of paradise , that were not meerly topical , but common to all the rest of the earth at that time ; and that the things that have been taken notice of as extraordinary and peculiar to the first ages of the world , and to paradise ; and which neither do , nor can obtain on the present earth , were first a perpetual spring and equinox . secondly , the longaevity of animals . thirdly , their production out of the earth , and the great fertility of the soil in all other things . the ancients , he says , have taken notice of all these in the first ages of the world ; or in their golden age ; and what they have ascrib'd to to this age , was more remarkably true of paradise : tho not so peculiar to it , but that it did , in a good measure , extend to other parts of the earth at that time . and he says , 't is manifest , their golden age was contemporary with our paradise , they making it to begin immediately after the production and inhabitation of the earth ( which they , as well as moses , raise from the chaos ) and to degenerate by degrees till the deluge . and as the author avers the whole earth to have been in some sense paradisiacal in the first ages of the world , and that there was besides some portion of it that was peculiarly so , and bore the denomination of paradise ; so the ancients besides their golden age , which was common to all the earth , noted some parts of it , which did more particularly answer to paradise ; as the elysian fields , fortunate islands , gardens of hesperides , alcinous , &c , the first character then of antiquity , concerning the first and paradisiacal state of things , was a perpetual spring , and constant serenity of the air : for this he quotes virgil , ovid , and other poets of the gentils , and christian authors for the same : and adds , that jewish authors have spoken of paradise in the same manner ; saying , that the days there were always of the same length thorowout the whole year , which made them fancy paradise to lie under the equinoxial . the second character was the longaevity of men ( and he thinks it probable of all other animals in proportion ) and this he says is well attested , and beyond all exception ; having the joynt consent of sacred and prophane history . the third character was the fertility of the soil , and the production of animals out of the new made earth : hence also he says , all antiquity speaks of the plenty of the golden age , and of their paradises , whether christian or heathen ; and so of the spontaneous origine of living creatures out of the first earth . now , as to the time of duration : he says , it is to be noted , that these three phoenomena of the first world did not last alike . the longaevrity of men and the temper of the heav'ns lasted to the deluge : but that fertility of the soil , and the simple and inoffensive way of living fail'd by degrees from the first ages . in the second chapter , the author , upon a more distinct consideration of the three characters before mention'd , represents the great change ( as he supposes ) of the world since the flood ; intimating it as well in the civil world , as the natural ; and endeavours to shew that the earth , under its present form , could not be paradisiacal , nor any part of it . i thought it necessary to state the contents of these two chapters here ; that the reader might clearly possess himself of the authors doctrine introductory to this book ; tho i shall offer nothing against them at present , but refer what i have to say thereon to my considerations on the next , and some following chapters , where the contents of these two will come more properly under examination . chap. iii. here the author sets forth th' original differences of the first earth from the present , or post-diluvian . he proposes to find the characters of paradise , and the golden age in the primitive earth , and gives a particular explication of each character . the differences of the primaeval earth from the present , he says , were chiefly three , viz. the regularity of its surface , it being smooth and even : the situation or posture of its body to the sun , which he affirms to have been direct , and not as it is at present , inclin'd , and oblique ; and the figure of it , which was more apparently and regularly oval than it is now . from these differences , he says , flow'd a great many more inferiour and subordinate , and which had a considerable influence on the moral world at that time , as well as the natural ; but he takes upon him to observe only here their more immediate effects ; and that in reference to those three general characters , or properties of the golden age , and of paradise , before exprest . the most fundamental of the three differences mention'd , he says , was that of the right situation and posture of the earth to the sun ; for from this immediately followed a perpetual equinox , all the earth over , or , if you will , a perpetual spring ; and that was the great thing that made it paradisiacal , or capable of being so : the other two properties , of longaevity , and of spontaneous and vital fertility , being thence also easily explain'd . now the right situation of the first earth to the sun , he says , needs no proof besides its own evidence ; it being th' immediate result , and common effect of gravity or libration , that a body freely left to itself in a fluid medium , should settle in such a posture as best answers to its gravitation ; and this earth whereof we speak , being uniform , and every way equally ballanc'd , there was no reason why it should incline at one end more than at the other toward the sun. wherefore , he says , the earth at the deluge was so broken and disorder'd , that it lost its equal poise , and thereupon the center of its gravity changing , one pole became more inclin'd toward the sun , and the other more remov'd from it , and so its right and parallel situation , which it had before to the axis of the ecliptick was chang'd into an oblique , in which skue posture it has stood ever since , and is likely so to do for some ages . and from this change and obliquity of the earth's posture , he intimates the change of the form of the year to have happened , it bringing in the inequality of seasons . the right situation of the first earth to the sun being therefore suppos'd by the author , making a perpetual equinox , or spring to all the world , answering to the first and fundamental character of the golden age and paradise ; which character , he says , had hitherto been accounted fabulous , as it was given them by the ancient gentils , and hyperbolical as by the ancient christians ; he comes to explain the other two characters , viz. the spontaneous fertility of the earth , and its production of animals at that time ; which he will have to proceed partly from the richness of the primigenial soil , as he has set it forth in his first book , and partly from this constant spring , and the benignity of the heav'ns ; and concludes , that what makes husbandry and humane arts so necessary now for the fruits and productions of the earth , is , partly the decay of the soil , but chiefly the diversity of the seasons , whereby they perish if care be not taken of them . and for animals , he supposes their eggs , as well as the seeds of plants ( there being a great analogy between them ) to have been in the first earth , and made fruitful equally with them , by the heav'ns or aether , supplying the influence of the male , and imbibing nourishable juices from the well temper'd earth , for carrying on their growth to perfection . the third character , viz. longaevity , he says , sprung from the same root with the other , because taking a perpetual equinox and fixing the heavens , we fix also the life of man ; the course of nature being then more steady and uniform , whence followed a stability in all things here below . the change and the contrariety of qualities we have now , being the fountain of corruption , suffering nothing to be much in quiet , either by intestine motions and fermentations excited within , or outward impressions . this is the substance of what the author has deliver'd in this third chapter , against which i shall now proceed in order ; considering first the three differences he assigns to his primaeval earth from the present ; and then the three characters or properties he ascribes to it , as rising from them . the first difference of the primaeval earth from the present , assign'd by the author , is , the regularity of its surface , it being all smooth and even , without mountains , a sea , &c. now , as for this difference , i have refuted it in my first book , there shewing his hypothesis , as to the rise of mountains , a sea , &c. to be erroneous and null ; and having propos'd a way more probable , ( as i conceive ) for their production from the beginning of the world. the second difference he has assign'd , is , the situation or posture of the earth's body to the sun ; which , he affirms to have been direct , and not , as it is at present , inclin'd and oblique ; and subjoyns the reason which i have before set down for it , viz. that the first earth being uniform and every way equally ballanc'd , there was no reason why it should incline at one end , more than at the other toward the sun , till at the deluge , being broken , it lost its equal poise . to this i answer first , as is intimated just before , i have shewn in my first book , that the author has fail'd in making out by his hypothesis the antediluvian earth to have been more uniform , or otherwise equally ballanc'd , than it is now ; and consequently his reason here has no place . i have also shewn in the said book , that common gravitation rules not all in the distribution of the parts of the world ( as he supposes it does ) but rather , that there is a rational distribution of them in order to certain uses : and when a man considers the present posture of the earth to the sun , where one body so successively enlight'ns the whole , that in an annual revolution , one time consider'd with another , it ballances light and darkness in every part of it ; and whereby the earth in all its parts is rendred as habitable as it may be , can this be lookt upon as a forc'd , unnatural , contingent , or unprovidential situation of it , as the author intimates it to be , happening only upon a ruin. and if the world in its present posture carries the face of eternity : and there has been no decay in it from the beginning , nor will ever be , according to the ordinary course of nature , as i think dr. hakewill has learnedly made out , it looks odd to me that this posture should be call'd forc't and vnnatural ; since nothing is more contrary to reason , than that bodies should be held in an eternal violent state ; nothing being more certain with philosophers than that nothing violent can be eternal . and indeed dr. hakewill's apology of the power and providence of god in the government of the world , is one continued argument against th' author's hypothesis ; which had he perus'd with attention , i believe it might have caus'd him to have sav'd his pains in composing it . again , the author seems to have greatly fail'd here , in not considering the vastness of the earth's globe , and that no conceivable , or possible change , happening upon any dissolution of such a pitiful epidermical covering of it , as he intimates his orb of earth to have been , could have made it change from a direct to an oblique or inclin'd posture , through a fancy'd loss of its equal poise ; and this , whether the frame of the earth be suppos'd ( as vulgarly ) to consist by an equilibration of parts to the center of gravity ; or ( according to the soundest philosophy ) by a magnetick vigour strongly binding its parts together . for suppose his orb of earth , a mile or two thick , as he says it was in his book of the conflagration ; this can be no more to the whole globe of the earth , than the thickness of a sheet or two of paper is to a globe of three foot dameter , as i have set forth in my first book : now suppose a globe of three foot diameter , suspended as the earth is by libration , or magnetism ; what conceivable alteration , in as much on the surface of it as comes to about the thickness of a sheet or two of paper , could cause any change in its libration ? or what alteration in such a proportion of a magnetick terrella three foot diameter , could make it decline from its wonted points of bearing ? when the author pleases to explain these things to me , i may think more of it ; mean while , i must conclude the bare proproposal of this matter to be a plain refutation of his hypothesis . nay , let him suppose his orb of earth , ten miles thick if he pleases , or more , i desire him to shew us some possible way , how upon its disruption , such a proportion of either hemisphere should be brought on the other , as to be able to make it change the position it had before . besides , if any such disruption of an orb of earth , as the author supposes , caus'd the earth to change its posture ; it must have inclin'd to the north , and not to the south , as he says it did ; because from what appears to us on the globe of the earth , it 's manifest that we have much more earth in the northern hemisphere , than there is in south ; and consequently its inclination must have been this way . but because the author lays a great force on this site of the first earth to the sun , insisting on it , as the most fundamental of the three differences in the first earth from the present , and establishing it as the ground for making out the three great characters , properties , or phaenomena of the golden age of the ancients , and of paradise ; i shall be a little mone full in this point , and set down a few reasons against this doctrine , leaving it to philosophical heads to consider how far it can bear . neither has it been unconsider'd by many learned men already , what the consequences must be , if the sun should constantly hold this equinox root , or the earth had always a right posture to the sun ; which makes me somewhat the more admire how this doctrine should now be offer'd at . we read of a king of arragon , who was wont to say , that if he had been with th' almighty when he made the world : he would have given him councels , as to heats , colds , and other particulars , as to the frame of it , that it should have been in a better state than it now is : and this may pass among the extravagant fancies of an inconsiderate man. but when we come philosophically to assert a thing , it would require a more than ordinary consideration , before we go about to unhinge a frame of providence , as thinking to put it in a better state , than an infinite wisdom has done . and so distinct is the relation , and so artificial the habitude of this inferiour globe to the superiour , and ev'n of one thing in each unto the other , that the more we consider them , the more we may admire them , and i think , the more despair of ever contriving them in a better , or more advantageous site than they are in . and tho all the advantages of the suns present course , or of the earths situation to it , may not be known by man ; yet i believe whoever shall go about to alter it , let him frame his hypothesis as finely as he please , he shall never be able to involve humane reason so far , but it may ever be made appear to him from what is known , that he has been guilty of no less a mistake than that of phaëton , in not carrying an ev'n hand as to heats , colds , light and darkness , &c. and that it cannot consist with the general benefit of the earth . and hence theodoret , in his first sermon concerning providence , sharply taxes those who would be finding fault with the seasons : sed exurget fortasse ingratus quispiam , qui ea quoque quae bene & pulchre facta sunt , simulque sapienter & commodè administrantur , reprehendere vel culpare volens , dicat : cur sodes istae anni conversiones fiunt ? & quaenam ex hisce anni partium successionibus ad nos utilitas redit ? &c. and tho according to the scantling of our reason , we might fansie some posture of the heav'ns more commodious to the earth than the present , yet thence presently to conclude that such a thing must really have been ; we having no solid historical ground for it ; i cannot see but it renders us liable to that reprehension of austin ; tam stulti sunt homines ut apud artificem hominem non audeant vituperare quae ignorant , sed cum ea viderint credunt esse necessaria , ut propter usus aliquos instituta ; in hoc autem mundo , cujus conditor & administrator praedicatur deus , audent multa reprehendere , quorum causas non vident , & in operibus atque instrumentis omnipotentis artificis volunt se videri scire quod nesciunt , l. 1. de gen. contra manich. c. 16. but to proceed in reasoning . first then , the author making the sun in the antediluvian times to hold constantly the equinox root , or giving the earth a right posture to it , burns the middle zone , making it wholly uninhabitable , and unpassible ( as he owns himself ) so that in the antediluvian earth there was no possible communication , betwixt the men , or other animals inhabiting the two temperate zones ; which is followed with these absurdities ( especally with the author , who seems very thrifty of miracles ) that , first , when god turn'd adam out of paradise ( which he supposes to have been in the south temperate zone , and the torrid zone to be the flaming sword ) he must have wrought a miracle to have thence convey'd him and eve into this temperate zone . secondly , after adam had got children here , the author owning the other temperate zone to have been inhabited before the flood , god must have wrought another miracle , to have convey'd some of adam's children thither to people it . thirdly , at the time of the deluge , he must have wrought a third miracle , to have brought of every species of animals in the other temperate zone , into this , to have been receiv'd into the ark ; unless the author will say , that the earth here produc'd all the same species of animals , that were in the other zone ; which a philosopher , considering that diffus'd variety nature delights in , may be content to smile at , but will never allow ; or unless he can make out some other way the conservation of those species besides the ark , which will be consider'd by us in the sequel . secondly , by this doctrine the author drowns the two polar zones , supposing it to have then rain'd continually there ; and that all the rivers that supply'd the earth , thence arose ; no rains falling in the torrid , or either of the temperate zones . but in reference to the state of the two polar zones , in case the sun always kept the aequinox root , we must consider what the learned dr. browne says in his vulgar errors , where he has a digression concerning the wisdom of god in the site and motion of the sun : it is as follows ; if the sun mov'd in the aequator , unto a parallel sphere , or to such as have the pole for their zenith , it would have made neither perfect day , nor perfect night : for being in the aequator , it would intersect their horizon , and be half above , and half beneath : or rather , it would have made perpetual night to both ; for tho in regard of the rational horizon , which bissects the globe into equal parts , the sun in the aequator would intersect the horizon , yet in respect of the sensible horizon ( which is defin'd by the eye ) the sun would be visible unto neither : for if , as ocular witnesses report , and some also do write , by reason of the convexity of the earth , the eye of man , under the aequator , cannot discover both the poles , neither would the eye , under the poles , discover the sun in the aequator . hence we find , that contrary to what the author has urg'd in his answer to mr. warren , if the sun mov'd in the aequator , there would be a total absence , or in a manner as good , of the sun in the polar parts ; whence vehement and continual frosts must be there caus'd , which would render them impossible sources for his suppos'd rivers . thirdly , we may consider whether the sun , keeping always in the aequator , so as to make a continual spring , without a variety of seasons , would make better , for the rise , support , and propagation of the earth's productions , even in the temperate zones , than by its present course . bede , considering it , says , that if the sun kept it self always at an equal distance from us in the aequator , this great evil would thence ensue , that the earth would never conceive within , which it does in the winter , nor would fruits , if any then grew , come to a maturity , without which animals cannot live . and indeed , how the sun , always keeping in the aequator , and making still equal days and nights in all parts of the temperate zones , should carry on vegetation in the remote parts of them , is not to me intelligible : for now , when the sun is in the aequinox , we find its heats but faint to us , and were it not that we are holpen out , by its approach to us toward the tropick , and thereby rendring our days much longer than the nights , we have reason to doubt how our fruits would be brought to a maturity ; much more those who live in the more northerly parts , where the vegetation wholly depends , on their continued days , in the summer , with little or no intermission of night . and hence the diversity of seasons has been always lookt upon as necessary , of which cicero says , in autumn the earth is opened to conceive fruits ; in the winter it 's comprest to digest them ; in the spring it 's open'd to bring them forth ; in the summer , being brought to a maturity , they are either mellow'd or dry'd . in the summer the bodies and branches of vegetables are increast ; in winter the roots are strengthned , and what is rais'd in the summer is consolidated . we see generally in plants and animals how nature pleases it self in moving by interchangeable starts , they require a time of rest as well as a time of labour : one while , upon the sun's access , they bring forth their fruits , another while , upon its retreat they resume their strengths : some fruit-trees , indeed , in some parts , bear all the year , but to conclude thence that all may do so every where , is more than their natures will bear ; a vicissitude of seasons being necessary for them : which vicissitude seems to me plainly intimated in the scriptures to have been from the beginning : for when at the cessation of the deluge god says to noah , that he will no more curse the earth for the sake of man , and that thence forward all the days of the earth , seed-time and harvest , heat and cold , summer and winter , day and night shall not cease . this plainly denotes that such things had past before , which having been interrupted during the deluge , should now return in their common course ; for otherwise those words summer and winter , seed time and harvest , had not been intelligible to noah , as never having seen or heard of such seasons before . and pererius , on the foresaid passage , says , it plainly appears to be fabulous , and full of vanity and ignorance , what ovid had said , met. 1. that this inequality of seasons was not in the golden-age of saturn , but that then there was a constant spring , and that afterward the age degenerating , this alternate succession by changes was brought on the world. so again , when it 's said , gen. 1. let lights be made in the firmament of heaven , and let them divide day and night , and let them be for signs and seasons , and days and years : all expound those seasons for the four seasons of the year . and here i may add , that by this altering the sun's course , and making but one season , it subverts all antient astronomy , which , if any learning , is concluded to have been derived to us from times before the deluge . and this argument alone is convincing with me , i cannot say it will with all men , that since all agree , clavem magiae naturalis esse clavem astrologicam , and since the former science has certainly been convey'd down to us from antediluvian times , the clavis to it must of course ; now that clavis is known to be according to the present disposition of the heavens to the earth ; whence i absolutely conclude that the same has ever been . and we know , that among the priestly ornaments of aaron , which carried the types of the whole universe , the brest-plate was one of the chief , in which the twelve pretious stones , among other significations , typifi'd the twelve signs of the zodiack , and their being rang'd in four ternaries , denoted the four seasons of the year ; which i believe had never been , unless those seasons had been according to the most perfect state of the world. and that the antediluvian patriarchs , as well as the postdiluvian , were in their respective times , the most absolute masters of the foresaid science , of any men on the earth , and that from them , it has been convey'd down in its pureness to us , is what i know not how to disbelieve . fourthly , the diversity of nature's productions being consider'd , the diversity of seasons will be found absolutely necessary for them . for tho the sun , keeping always in the aequator , there would be a diversity of climates , according to the different latitudes from it : yet no man can think that this alone would so much diversifie effects , as withal the sun's access and recess , according to the latitude of the zodiack , in the ecliptick ; the sun being the chief universal cause in nature's productions ; and tho general causes do not specifie alone , yet particular , or proxim causes cannot exert their power , without these gradual approachments and retirements of the sun. aristotle is plain in this matter , viz. that the sun , by its oblique motion , and not by its direct , diversifies effects : because the sun being in an unequal distance , its motion must be unequal , when the variety of effects is caus'd . or we may say thus , if the sun causes things by its heat and motion , and gives a differing impulse by its motion , according to the rectitude of its rayes , it cannot but diversifie upon such gradual accesses and recesses . to conclude , the four seasons of the year seem so natural , as nothing more , if we consider their analogy with the four elements , the four humors in man's body , the four quarters of the world , the ages , the parts of the days and nights , &c. and every season is tempered or season'd by another , and all fruits receive their temperament in the seasons from heat , cold , rain , &c. so that they are call'd seasons from their seasoning , and have a mutual connexion and dependence on each other for the general benefit of the earth : and as the learned dr. more says , consulting with our own faculties , we observe that an orderly vicissitude of things is most pleasant to us , and much more gratifies the contemplative property in man ; so that on all accounts i must conclude the four seasons to have been from all ages . and hence the learned vives says , non semper est idem habitus coeli & soli , quum nihil ordinatius cogitari possit , aut descriptius , mutantur enim rerum perpetuarum & immutabilium actiones , prout expedit iis ad quae referuntur . and i believe that all men considering the state of nature as it is , will say with maximus tyrius , natura est perfectissima harmonia . now , if the reasons which i have given against the suppos'd site of the sun , or earth to it , before the flood , have any weight ; as some of them seem to me to carry a demonstrative force , in shewing the nullity of the author's hypothesis in this point ; then the three general characters or properties , which he ascribes to the golden age and to paradise , viz. the perpetual spring , ( against which i have also particularly urg'd some reasons ) the spontaneous fertility of the earth , and the longaevity of animals and vegetables ; all being chiefly grounded by him on the suppos'd site of the sun , or earth to it , must fall of course , unless other reasons are assign'd for them , than this he has urg'd . there still remains the third difference , which he assigns to the primaeval earth from the present , viz. that the figure of it was more apparently and regularly oval , than it is now ; which difference i shall refute in my considerations on the fifth chapter of this book , where he treats particularly of this oval figure of the earth . now , as to the longaevity before mention'd , besides what the author has said of it in this chapter , he has added another chapter particularly concerning it , the contents of which i shall first set down , and then offer what i have to say upon it . chap. iv. here the author , by way of digression , treats concerning the natural causes of longaevity : he sets forth that the machine of an animal consists of springs , and which are the two principal ; and endeavours to make out , that the age of the antediluvians is to be computed by solar , not lunar years . he says therefore that in our bodies , we may consider three several qualities or dispositions , according to each whereof they suffer decay . first their continuity : secondly , that disposition whereby they are capable of receiving nourishment , which we call nutribility : and thirdly the tone or tonical disposition of the organs , whereby they perform their several functions . in all these respects they would decay in any state of nature , but far sooner and faster in the present state , than in the primaeval . as for their continuity , he says all consistent bodies must be less durable now , than under the first order of the world , because of the unequal and contrary motions of the elements , or of the air , and aether that penetrate , and pervade them . but it is not the gross and visible continuity of the parts of our body that first decays , there are finer textures that are spoyl'd insensibly , and draw on the decay of the rest , such as are ; secondly that disposition and temper of the parts , whereby they are fit to receive their full nourishment ; and especially that construction , and texture of the organs , that are preparatory to this nutrition . these being also wrought upon by external nature , whose course , while it was even and steady , and the ambient air mild and balmy preserved the body much longer in a fresh and fit temper to receive its full nourishment , and consequently gave longer bounds both to our growth and life . but the third thing , he says is the most considerable ; the decay of the organick parts , and especially of the organs preparatory to nutrition . to explain this point , he says , that all the organs of the body are in the nature of springs , and that their action is tonical , for that no matter that is not fluid , has any motion or action in it , but in vertue of some tone : if matter be fluid , its parts are actually in motion , and consequently may impel , or give motion to other bodies : but if it be solid , or consistent , the parts are not separated , or separately mov'd from one another ; and therefore cannot impel , or give motion to any other , but in virtue of this tone , they having no other motion of themselves . this being observ'd , he considers upon which of the organs of the body life depends more immediately , and the prolongation of it : he says then , that in the body of man there being several setts of parts , the animal and genital system have no influence upon long life , being parts nourished , not nourishing : wherefore laying these aside , there remain two compages more , the natural and vital , which consist of the heart and stomach , with their appendances . these are the sources of life , and all that is necessary to the constitution of a living creature . wherefore we consider only these first principles and fountains of life , and the causes of their natural and necessary decay . now , he says , whatsoever weakens the tone or spring of these two organs , shortens the natural duration of life ; and therefore in the primitive earth , the course of nature being even , steady , and unchangeable , without different seasons , it must have permitted bodies to have continued longer in their strength and vigour , than they can possibly do , under these changes of the air. for a conclusion to this chapter , he argues against those who say , the age of the antediluvian patriarchs is to be computed by lunar years , or months , and not by solar or common years , and he refutes that opinion . now , it appears from what i have urg'd against the last chapter , that the sun could not be suppos'd with any ground , to have still mov'd in the aequinox in the antediluvian world : so that tho the reasons the author here gives for longaevity , may be plausible enough , if apply'd and consider'd according to the order of things we now find establisht in the world , and which we have reason to conclude , must have been so from the beginning ; we must not go about to alter the frame of the world to gratifie them . yet since he urges that the antediluvian long life ought to be ascrib'd to the aequinox course of the sun , making always one season ; we shall consider , first , whether one even and continu'd season , such as that course must cause , would make most for the prolongation of life , or such a change of seasons as we have now ; and secondly , what other plausible reasons may be assign'd for the antediluvian longaevity , besides this course of the sun , which the author urges for . the learned weindrichius , in his problems , treats this for one ; whether it were not better that nature had instituted only one constitution of the year , as that of the spring , or to change it into four different seasons , and why necessarily there have been four . and concludes , it was far better that nature has constituted these notable changes of the air , than otherwise it would be . the effect of his reasoning runs thus : if any man shall say , that an even season , which holds a mean , is more proper for those bodies which are duly tempered , as being apt to preserve them in that temper , which a change by exceeding qualities would be apt to corrupt : we also confess that those corpora quadrata , such as describ'd by galen , require such a conservation ; but because it 's extreamly rare that such compleatly sound bodies are to be found , as galen says ; therefore bodies could not be preserv'd in that temper , which they had not . for almost all bodies exceed in some quality , which must also have held in the antediluvians , tho we may allow them to have been generally of a sounder constitution than bodies are at present ) and if at any time there be a body of an exact temper , it 's so , only for an instant : and therefore since bodies could not be conserv'd by one season always alike , nature foresaw , that if there were one season , in which cold and moisture reign'd , as the winter , then old people , and all those who were of a cold and moist temperament would die , because the distemper would be more encreast : wherefore it made a notable change , in which an exceeding heat should sway , which season is call'd summer : during which that notable moisture remits , and is diminisht , and by this means such as are moist become temperate , th'errour committed in the winter and spring , by reason of their humidity being thereby corrected . again , young people , and those that have hot and dry bodies must necessarily die if it were alway summer , because they would be wholly dryed by its heat ; therefore nature to prevent this made a winter , cold and moist , to correct the errour committed in the summer . and in fine , since all bodies have some excess of quality , there ought to be different seasons , that some may live more commodiously in this season , others in another . for by this means , all bodies succeed in life , and so th' order of th' universe is conserv'd . weindrichius adds . but what shall we say to the authority of hippocrates , saying , the changes of seasons bring forth diseases . for instance an hot season , as the spring , stirs up store of matter which is gathered together in bodies in the winter , by its cold constitution , which being stirr'd and mov'd it brings forth diseases , whence many diseases in the spring are engendred . but hippocrates says , this is not done through the fault of the spring it self , that it generates diseases ; of it self , it being the healthiest part of the year ; but by reason of a multitude of ill humours gather'd together in the winter : whence we see that those who are free from ill humours , live very healthy in the spring . this season therefore is said to generate diseases , because the humours lurking in the body before , and which were not mov'd , are stirr'd now , and being thus agitated , stir up diseases : for hippocrates says , they bring forth , because they do not make , but stir up the humours which afterwards are the cause of diseases : nay , the changes of seasons are so far from ingendring diseases , that they solve them , as galen also says , and this we see very often done : for if a quartan , rising in autumn , be not solv'd in the winter , it 's solv'd as the spring comes on , as galen likewise says , and if it be not solv'd in the spring , it 's afterwards solv'd in the approaching summer . wherefore it 's better that nature has distinguisht the year by these four changes : because tho perhaps one individuum might enjoy its health more in one season than in another , because it would more agree with it : yet since nature has not made seasons in respect of this or that individuum , but of all together , or of a whole species and species's : therefore that the order of the universe might be preserv'd by a certain heavenly and divine distributive justice , whereby it has form'd different bodies as to their temperatures , it would also distinguish the seasons of the year , and make them different , and not of one kind , that these should live well in the summer , those in the winter ; and that the diseases engendred in preceding seasons should be solv'd in the following . and we conclude that those seasons then especially agree with living creatures , when they keep in their proper nature , as the summer hot , the winter cold , &c. so far weindrichius , concerning this point . as for causes assign'd by authors , or that may be assign'd for the antediluvian longaevity , beside that of the suns still moving in the equinox , urg'd by the author , i divide them into three kinds : they are either divine , coelestial , or sublunary . by divine , i mean such as are from a particular providence , as austin , rabbi , leui and others say , those antediluvian fathers had long life granted them by a particular providence , that the first world , by a few , might be peopled in a short time , it being not to last long ; and that they might more conveniently learn things by a long experience . so josephus tells us , that god gave long life to those fathers that they might teach vertue , and practise with conveniency those things which they had invented in astronomy and geometry : the demonstrations whereof they had never attain'd , unless they had liv'd at least six hundred years , the great year being accomplisht by that revolution . as for coelestial causes , the boldest assertor i find , is petrus apponensis , who says , we must by no means envy those of the first age for having liv'd a longer series of years than us ; the disposition of the heav'ns being by nature more benign and propitious to them : for then there were two animal circles together co-operating , one in the ninth sphere , and the other in the eighth , where the firmament is ; being so dispos'd that aries answered diametrically to aries , taurus to taurus , gemini to gemini , &c. they so fortifying the celestial influences , that herbs , roots , standing corn and fruits grew then much more wholesom than since , that society through a long motion being dissolv'd ; whence the whole inferiour world began to grow diseas'd and decay . for sublunary causes , first we may allow , as the author does , that the stamina , or principles of life of the antediluvians were much stronger than men have at present , by which they had a more vigorous natural constitution . secondly we may allow them to have been better circumstantiated and regulated , as to the six non-natural things : as first , that their atmosphere being throwly impregnated with balsamick particles , arising from that pure primigenial soil , the celestial influences had a more kindly co-operation with them , forming an air far transcending ours now in the healthiest part of the earth , for prolonging life ; and in this the author is free to expatiate as he pleases . secondly , as to their dyet , it 's conceiv'd that the antediluvian soil being excellently temper'd , brought forth better and more wholsome fruits than are since the deluge , that it has been tainted with the saltness of the sea ; and that the fountain waters were also then more wholsom , and that those fathers were endued with a greater knowledg to discern what was good and bad for them , and observ'd a greater temperance than is now us'd . thirdly , it 's conceiv'd , that if man had not so many extrinsical causes ; as pleasures : domestick and publick cares , and other troubles to discompose him , he might live a much longer age ; in which it 's thought the antients were not so much concern'd , leading a more sedate and calm life . and so , as to the other non-natural things , they may be conceiv'd to have govern'd themselves better in them than men do now . and upon the whole it may be said , that tho we may not ascribe the antediluvian longaevity to any one of these sublunary causes singly , yet taken altogether , they may be lookt upon as competent causes for it : but to go about to alter the sun's course , or the earth's posture to it to make it out , i believe it 's what will never pass among learned men. having assign'd such causes , as , perhaps , by some , may be thought tolerably plausible for the antediluvian longaevity : in the last place i shall give my opinion of the matter , which is , that i look upon the long lives of the patriarchs to have been from a particular providence . i cannot say it was for the reason assign'd by austin , that the first world , by a few , might be peopl'd in a short time ; for on that account long life seems as necessary to others , as to the patriarchs ; besides that , each of the patriarchs , as far as we find by scripture , spent many years , as adam above an hundred , others above an hundred and eighty before they got children , whereas before that time they might have got children enough to have peopled many countries : tho , as rabbi gedalia says , according to the opinion of many jewish doctors , the patriarchs did not live so long before they had children , as the scripture speaks of , but that it makes mention of those only from whom they receiv'd the tradition , not taking notice of many others , whom there was no necessity of medling withal . but i am of the opinion of that adept philosopher , who in his late answer to the learned dr. dickinson , affirms long life to have been granted the patriarchs from a particular providence , that they might the better learn and propagate arts and sciences , and convey down with more certainty the tradition of the creation , the fall of man , god's judgment upon him , and the hope of his redemption , &c. and i know not why we should make a difficulty of admitting a particular providence , when such particular designs of providence are to be carried on by it . i reject therefore lunar years with the author , tho as to the testimony he quotes from josephus , saying , that the historians of all nations , both greeks and barbarians , ascribe longaevity to the first inhabitants of the earth ; many of the authors , whom he names , averring them to have liv'd a thousand years : i value it not ; and much doubt whether the author himself gives credit to those histories : for either they relate to antediluvian or postdiluvian times ; if to the former , i know no colour of reason we have for relying on any thing as authentick , deliver'd by greeks or barbarians concerning those times : if to the latter , i cannot think the author believes any man to have liv'd a thousand years since the deluge . so we find that pliny considering what many of the greeks and others had writ concerning the length of some mens lives , plainly says , they have writ fables instead of true histories , through their ignorance of the various acceptation of years and ages ; an age signifying with some , thirty years , with others only one year , and with others an hundred years . and the space of a year being determin'd by some , by one revolution of the moon , by others it 's made trimestrial , and by others to consist of six months . and father simon tells us , it 's certain that even the antient jews , not finding in their histories genealogies enough to fill up the time , made one single person to live many ages , whence there is nothing more common in their histories than these long liv'd men : so that we ought not over easily to give belief to jewish histories , which make their doctors survive , till such a time as they can find another to joyn him . nay , a great many of the jewish doctors , who have so great a veneration for the scriptures , are so far from acquiescing in what josephus urges from the greek and barbarian tradition , that they have affirm'd , as father simon tells us , the patriarchs to have liv'd no longer than other men , and that the holy scripture makes only mention of the head of a family , to whom it immediately joyns the last of the same family , without taking notice of those who have been betwixt both ; those doctors believing that when any head of a family had ordain'd certain laws , and methods of living to the family , he was made to live till the last of the family , who had observ'd those laws were dead ; so that he is suppos'd to have liv'd all this while in his family . and i doubt that all men who are not content to have recourse to a particular providence , for upholding the ante and postdiluvian longaevity , will be forc'd to relapse here , for any thing that can be made out from authentick history or reason in the case : not but we have several instances of late date , of persons , who have liv'd two or three hundred years and upwards : but this has not been successively , as in the patriarchs ; and there is odds betwixt three or four hundred years , and near a thousand . and whereas the author urges for a general longaevity among the antediluvians , as well as for some time after the flood , we do not find it authoriz'd by scripture . and that it was granted only to the patriarchs and some few others by a particular providence , and this through the means of a certain panacaea , well known to the mystae , i am satisfi'd , according to what is written of it , by the foremention'd adept philosopher : but leest instead of open reasoning , i seem to obtrude mystery on the world , which by some may be interpreted vain ostentation : i refer the reader to the book it self , where he may read , at least , what is written , and if hapily he does not fully apprehend what is said , he may believe or reject what he thinks good . chap. v. in this chapter the author treats concerning the waters of the primitive earth : what the state of the regions of the air was then , and how all waters proceeded from them . how the rivers arose , what was their course , and how they ended : he applies also several places in sacred writ to confirm this hydrography of the earth , especially the origin of the rainbow . he says then , that the air being always calm and equal before the flood , there could be no violent meteors there , nor any that proceeded from extremity of cold , as ice , snow and hail ; nor thunder neither : nor could the winds be either impetuous or irregular in that smooth earth , there being one ev'n season , and no unequal action of the sun : but as for watery meteors , or those that rise from watery vapours more immediately , as dews and rains ; there could not but be plenty of those in some parts or other of the earth ; the action of the sun being strong and constant in raising them , and the earth being at first moist and soft ; and according as it grew more dry the rays of the sun would pierce more deep into it , and reach at length the great abysse , which lay under the earth , and was an unexhausted storehouse of new vapours . he adds , but the same heat which extracted these vapours so copiously would also hinder them from condensing into clouds or rains in the warmer parts of the earth ; and there being no mountains at that time , nor contrary winds , nor any such causes to stay them , or compress them , we must consider how they would be dispos'd off . to this , he says , as the heat of the sun was chiefly towards the middle part of the earth , so the copious vapours rais'd there , being once in the open air , their course would be that way where they found least resistance to their motion , which would be towards the poles and the colder regions of the earth : for east and west they would meet with as warm an air , and vapours as much agitated as themselves , which therefore would not yield to their progress that way . so that the regular and constant course of the vapours of the earth would be towards the extreme parts of it ; which when arriv'd in those cooler climates , would be there condenst into dews or rains continually . this difficulty , he says , for finding a source for the waters in the primaeval earth , was the greatest he met with in the theory ; which being thus clear'd , he finds a second difficulty , viz. how those waters should flow upon the even surface of the earth , or form themselves into rivers ; there being no descent or declivity for their course . and he has no way to explain this , but by giving an oval figure to that earth , in which the polar parts , he says , must have been higher than the aequinoctial , that is more remote from the center ; by which means , the waters that fell about the extreme parts of the earth would have a continual descent toward the middle parts of it : and by vertue of this descent , would by degrees form channels , for rivers to pass in through the temperate climates , as far as the torrid zone . and here he meets a third difficulty , viz. what issue the rivers could have , when they were come thither ? to this , says he , when they were come towards those parts of the earth , they would be divided into many branches , or a multitude of rivulets : and those would be partly exhal'd by the heat of the sun , and partly drunk up by the dry sandy earth . for he concludes , as those rivers drew nearer to the equinoctal parts , they would find a less declivity or descent of ground than in the beginning or former part of their course : for that in his suppos'd oval figure of the earth , near the middle part of it , the semidiameters , he says , are much shorter one than another ; and for this reason the rivers when they came thither , would begin to flow more slowly , and by that weakness of their current suffer themselves easily to be divided and distracted into several lesser streams and rivulets ; or else having no force to wear a channel , would lie shallow on the ground , like a plash of water . as for the polar parts of the earth , he says , they would make a particular scene by themselves : the sun would be perpetually in their horizon ; which makes him think the rains would not fall so much there , as in other parts of the frigid zones , where he makes their chief seat and receptacle : whence sometimes as they flowed , they would swell into lakes , and toward the end of their course , parting into several streams and branches , they would water those parts of the earth like a garden . having examin'd and determin'd of the state of the air and waters in the primitive earth , he considers some passages in holy writ , which he conceives represent them of a different form from the present order of nature , and agreeing with what he has set forth . first he tells us , that the rainbow , mention'd by moses to have been set in the clouds after the deluge , makes out that those heavens were of a different constitution from ours : and secondly , that st. peter says , the antediluvian heav'ns had a different constitution from ours , and that they were compos'd or constituted of waters , &c. he urges concerning the rainbow , that it was set in the clouds after the deluge as a confirmation of the promise or covenant , which god made with noah , that he would drown the world no more : that it could not be a sign of this , or given as a pledge or confirmation of such a promise , if it were in the clouds before , and with no relation to this promise : he adds much more concerning the nature of signs , giv'n by god , mention'd in the scriptures , which i think too tedious and needless here to insert . now concerning the first difficulty , which the author has endeavoured here to explain , in reference to the source and origine of the antediluvian waters , i have this to offer . he supposes that copious vapours were continually rais'd from the torrid zone , and the parts of the temperate zones next it , and that they were hindred by the heat of the sun from condensing into clouds or rains , there being then no mountains or other cause to stay and compress them , till having past through the temperate zones , they came towards the extreme parts of the earth , or the poles , where they were continually condenst into clouds , rains , and dews . now this , i conceive , is what no meteorologist can allow : for first , though i should grant there were no mountains before the deluge ( for the existence of which from the beginning , i have already argued ) at least there must have been other causes no less powerful to stop and compress the vapours then arising , notwithstanding the author either has not taken notice of them , or has here forgot them . certainly there were woods before the flood , and those in a great plenty , which ( to use the common expression ) are known to attract vapours as freely as mountains ; and the author allows the trees then to have been of an imcomparably more vast and lofty growth than now ; the largest of our trees being but shrubs to the trees then : and would not these attract vapours in a plentiful measure , whence clouds and rains would be produc'd to serve all the parts of the earth ? it 's known that in several parts of the west-indies , wont to be much infested with rains and tempests , after the woods were there cut down , those effects ceast . georg. agricola tells us of a valley in a mountainous tract in germany , which in autumn and winter was wont to be continually invested with thick fogs , hindring the sight of the sun ; but at length , the woods being there cut down , and some adits driven in mines for the waters to pass , those fogs ceast . i know also some woods in england standing much on a level , which always cast forth a great smoak , and have a cloud over them against rain , the country people thence taking their prediction of it ; we know that in the isle of ferro , there being not fountains to supply the inhabitants with fresh water , there grows a tree , over which a cloud settles itself every morning , and resolves into water , which streams down from the branches , and is receiv'd in vessels underneath for use . and can we think but some of those stately antediluvian trees , in case there had been no rains , would have perform'd this good natur'd office to man ? as indeed they had been bound to do it to beasts : for men possibly might have then been supply'd with fresh water in all the parts of the earth by the means of wells , but how should the beasts be supply'd , remote from rivers . these instances from natural history , i think , are sufficient to shew that woods , as well as mountains attract vapours , and cause rains , and must have done it in the antediluvian earth . secondly , to pass by mountains and woods , and to consider the quality of the primaeval earth , which the author supposes to have been at first soft and boggy ; can it be imagin'd that vapours rais'd from it in the torrid zone , and in the parts of the temperate zones next it , should be convey'd to the polar zones for a series of ages , without being condens'd into clouds and rains by the way ; when at the same time the days and nights are suppos'd to have been constantly of an equal length ; and when the weakness of the sun's action , arising from the obliqueness of its rayes in a good part of the intermediate distance , is duly consider'd . now , this plainly shews , that the vapours rais'd by the sun in the torrid and temperate zones , could never reach near the poles , before they were condens'd into clouds and rains , even tho the earth were all smooth , and the sun always kept the aequinox root , as the author supposes the state of things then was . thirdly , how should vegetation have been maintain'd for sixteen hundred years , without rains to refresh the plants ? it 's true , there are some parts now which have little rain , but either they lye near the seas , where they are plentifully supply'd with vapours , or have some annual inundations , as aegypt , &c. which could not have held in the antediluvian earth . indeed the earth being suppos'd soft at first , it might possibly have supply'd moisture for some ages ; but after five hundred or a thousand years , what moisture could that earth have afforded ? and to talk of the sun 's pumping up waters from the abysse , lying two or three miles deep in the earth , to supply waters for the rivers to run , when the other moisture was spent , it seems to me too inconsistent to deserve naming . again , it 's known that rains are no less necessary now and then , for purging the air , than a dose of physick may be for the body of man : and tho it may be said that the air then could not have been infested with evil vapours , as now , the quality of that soil not affording them : yet , as purges are sometimes prescrib'd , not only to evacuate the body of evil humours , but in cases of mere plenitude , when the humours are not peccant : so the atmosphere then could not but be sometimes troubled with an hazyness and stagnation , through the great plenty of particles rais'd by the sun 's constant action : and unless it were now and then purg'd by rains , winds , and fiery meteors , which are all deny'd , it could not have been duly qualifi'd for the support of animals and vegetables : to which i may add , that were it not for rains many times , all the fruits of countries would be destroy'd by insects devouring them in their first tender growth . lastly , whereas the author says , that when the vapours were arriv'd in the frigid zones , they would continually be there condens'd into clouds , rains , and dews ; i reply , if that holds true , which i have suggested from dr. brown , that the sun keeping in the aequator , it would be always night or twilight in a more considerable part of the frigid zones , the sun never rising above the horizon : and since the author supposes those zones to have been continually invested with clouds , which at least , must have caus'd a cimmerian darkness there , whether we can conceive any thing but continu'd frosts and snows to have been there , which must have made them incapable of being sources for those waters he has suppos'd . as to the second difficulty the author meets with here , viz. for making the waters flow on the even surface of the antediluvian earth , to explain which he has suppos'd that earth to have been of an oval figure , in which the polar parts were higher than the aequinoctial , to afford a descent to the waters , to form channels to the extreme parts of the temperate zones , next the torrid ; there are many things here to oppose . first , the author 's main reason for the oval figure of the earth , seems not to me to hold good , where he says , in his latin copy , since the bulk of waters in the first formation of the earth , when it was yet an aqueous globe , was much more agitated under the aequator , than the water towards the poles , where it made less circles , those parts , so greatly agitated , endeavouring to recede from the centre of their motion , since they could not wholly spring up and fly away , by reason of the air every where pressing on them ; nor much flow back , without the resistance of the said air , they could not otherwise disingage themselves , than by flowing off to the sides , and so making the aqueous globe somewhat oval . this , i say , is contrary to experiment ; for the more rapid any course of waters is , the more it draws all neighbouring waters to joyn with them in their course , and forces them not to recede from them into calmer parts , where the rapidness of their course is check'd by a slower motion ; and if this should be done to some distance , can it be imagin'd but their native gravity , when rais'd considerably above their level , long ere they reacht the polar parts , would make them fall back again to the lower aequinoctial current : and the native nitency of the waters in both hemispheres , on each side the torrid zone , would much more strongly repel any waters there rais'd above their level , than the rapidness of the aequinoctial current could force them off . again , since the earth , consider'd as a spherical body , is allow'd to be above 7000 miles diameter ; and since to enlarge a circle into a moderate oval figure , its area must be made a quarter as big again at least , one way of its diameter , as it was before ( as mr. warren has demonstrated ) it follows that the antediluvian earth , at each pole , must have been near 900 miles extent in the suppos'd oval state , more than if it had been exactly round . and since this earth inclos'd an orb of waters within it ; i desire to know how many miles depth of the 900 miles the author allows to his orb of waters ; he must allow it miles enough to make an oval orb , for so his water was suppos'd to be , before the orb of earth was form'd upon it : and consequentially to what is said , he cannot allow his orb of waters to be less than 450 miles deep at each pole , to make any thing of an oval . now , to say that any detrusion of waters toward the poles , by the resistence of of the superambient air , could form a mountain of waters , at each of the said poles , about 450 miles in height , above their spherical convexity , seems to me a strange and unaccountable paradox in hydrography , especially the orb under the abysse being suppos'd spherical , as the author has represented it in all his schemes , so that there was nothing to bear on the detrusion of the waters . it 's true , as the author says in his answer to mr. warren , we see the waters flowing towards and upon the shoars by the pressure of the air under the moon , tho it be an ascent both upon the land and into the rivers ; but i answer , this flowing is only to the height of some few fathoms , and besides , it 's maintain'd by a bulk of waters then swoln in the sea , near as high , as any protruded on the land , and carrying a pondus able to support them : but what force shall be able to support a body of waters in a violent state , carried 450 miles in height , above their natural tendency , as they all are when past the spherical convexity . for the author owns the demonstration of archimedes , concerning the spherical figure of water to be true ; and says that a fluid body , be it water or any other liquor , always casts it self into a smooth and spherical surface , and if any parts by chance , or by some agitation become higher than the rest , they do not continue so long , but glide down every way into the lower places , till they all come to make a surface of the same height , and of the same distance every where from the center . by what agitation or resistence then of the superambient air can waters be driven on and held together for 450 miles ascent in the open air , so as not to diverge , and fall off by their natural tendency . besides , if according to what i have said before , the author allows his abyss orb to be 450 miles deep at the poles , he must allow it of a depth proportional to its oval figure in its other parts , and so for his orb of earth , and how this can stand with the proportion he seems to assign to his orbs , according to what i have set forth l. 1. c. 6. and how a deluge according to these proportions could be caus'd , and the waters go off , so as to make an habitable world , may require his consideration . again , since the sun , according to the authors hypothesis moving always in the aequinox , before the flood , would constantly have held as remote , if not more , from the suppos'd rainy region , than it is now from us in the depth of winter ; and since we find the mountains now , which are of any considerable height , even in the temperate zones , are so cold that they are generally cover'd with snows , notwithstanding the sun shines more on them than on the countries lying beneath them , and that , even in the summer , when the sun is nearest to them , and the days are much longer than the nights ; it follows that the two polar mountains , in all respects , must always have had colds in the greatest excess , both in regard of their great distance from the sun , and of their being mountains , and of their having little or no day ; nay if it were constant day at the poles themselves , and there were as much day as night in the suppos'd rainy regions , as the author can pretend to no more there ; this could not protect them against continual frosts and snows , as appears by what i have said of the mountains in the temperate zones . i may add that , ( as mr. warren has observ'd ) several navigators attempting to find out a nearer course to china , have been frozen to death , tho they sail'd not so far north , as the suppos'd rainy regions in the oval earth , and chose the most seasonable time for their enterprize , viz. when the sun was on this side the equator , and the days then in those regions were much longer than the nights , if they had any night at all : besides what experience all other saylers have had , of the great colds , and continued frosts and snows in those countries , notwithstanding the vapours of the sea , or any nearness of the sun , and length of days , which might help to remit them . lastly , whereas the author conceivs the present earth to be also of an oval figure , we know the general sense of men , according to all experience and observation to be contrary , and that whether the constitution of the earth be consider'd according to gravity or magnetism . aristotle , who consider'd it according to the former , says , that all the particles of the earth have a natural gravity , which carries them towards the midst or center , whence a spherical figure of it must be caus'd , as he explains at large , and concludes that the figure of the earth must therefore be spherical , or naturally spherical ; and that every thing must be said to be such as it uses to be , or is by nature , and not what it may be by force or preternaturally , and in a violent state . the same may be said of the earth's figure , if it be consider'd according to magnetism ; the experiment of the terrella , according to the various inclinations of the needle to it , shewing the earth to be spherical . and whereas the author says , that circumnavigation , the appearing and occultation of mountains and towers to saylors , as also the stars , and the like , prove indeed the earth not to be plain , but convex , but does not plainly prove what that convexity is , whether spherical or oval : we find that clavius was of a contrary opinion , he thinking to have well prov'd the spherical figure of the earth , if measur'd either from east to west , or from north to south , by shewing that if a man keeping the same meridian , passes from north to south , there is that proportion still observ'd in the decrease of the elevation of the pole , which can only agree to a spherical figure : and so if any man travels from east to west , betwixt two parallels , he may still observe that to a city fifteen degrees more easterly than another , the sun always rises and sets an hour sooner or later , than to the other ; which anticipation of the rising and setting of the sun could not keep the said proportion , unless we give the earth a spherical figure . as to the third difficulty that the author finds , and the explanation he endeavours to give of it , viz. what issue the rivers would have when they were come to the parts near the torrid zone , to which he says , that then they would be divided into many branches or a multitude of rivulets , and those would be partly exhal'd by the heat of the sun , and partly drank up by the dry sandy earth : this seems not to me fairly to account for the rivers issue . it 's true , we have now accounts of some rivers absorpt in the sands ; but the waters so absorpt , or which any where pass into the earth , have their issue again at some other place , either passing into the sea , or emerging again on the land : but what became of those antediluvian waters , ( which must have been in vast quantities ) absorpt in the sands ? did the circumgyration of the earth carry them back again , under ground , upon an ascent , toward the poles ? or did they sink into the abysse ? this must have been full before for many ages , till the sun had cloven the earth , and drawn out great quantities of the abysse waters ; and the other way of their issue seems not to me conceivable . but i shall insist no farther on this matter . the author , in the last place , urges that the rainbow set in the clouds after the deluge , makes out that the antediluvian heav'ns were of a different constitution from ours , the rainbow having not been seen in the clouds before . now , concerning the rainbow mention'd gen. 9. many have said many things , but the most natural interpretation of it seems to me to be thus . we find in the foregoing chapter when noah and his family , by gods command were come forth of the ark , and that noah had rais'd an altar , and sacrific'd to god ; god accepting his sacrifice , assur'd him that he would no more destroy every living soul as he had done , but that seed-time and harvest , cold and heat , summer and winter , night and day should not cease , or should continue . they having been interrupted for a years time before . and in the 9th chapter , after having bless'd noah , and his sons , he made a covenant with them against any future deluge , and to comfort them , gave them the rainbow , as a present sign of the air 's setling in its wonted way , the seasons which he had mention'd before to noah being to succeed in course . and the rainbow thus appearing after the deluge , carried somewhat new in it , as the author says a sign ought to have done , because it had not been seen for a year before ; and in its nature appearing after rains , it betokens fair weather , as appearing after fair weather , it betokens rains. whereas the author says , he does not look upon the rainbow as a voluntary sign , and by divine institution , but that it signified naturally and by connection with the effect , importing that the state of nature was chang'd from what it was before ; and so chang'd that the earth was no more in a condition to perish by water ; this seems to me without any ground . i agree with him so far , that the rainbow signified naturally , and by connection with the effect , because appearing after rains , it betokens a remission of the moisture , and consequently fair weather ; and this with gods promise to noah , and his seeing the waters retir'd from the earth , i think was sufficient for noahs satisfaction , he having had experience that god was master of his word before , when he had reveal'd to him that he would bring a deluge on the earth . but to say that the appearance of the rainbow imported the state of nature to be so chang'd , that the earth was no more in a condition to perish by water , this will not be allow'd ; for if the deluge was miraculously caus'd ( as i conceive it to have been ) what natural sign could foreshew its coming , or no return of it ? wherefore in this respect , i look upon it to be only a voluntary sign and by divine institution : and we know some have been so far from thinking the rainbow to denote a change of air towards a conflagration , that they plainly say it denotes a dominion of moisture in the air , and that on this account it will not appear forty years before the conflagration happens . neither do i believe that noah , or perhaps any man since him , besides the author , could find by any natural signality in the rainbow , that a deluge should ne'r return . indeed ( as the author says ) if noah had never seen a rainbow before , on its first appearance , it could not but have made a lively impression upon him , for his assurance : for its probable it would have rais'd a stupor in him , and he would have lookt upon it as a miracle wrought by god for his satisfaction : whereas the rules of providence are otherwise , god never giving a miraculous sign , but of a miraculous effect , which the preservation of the earth from a second deluge was not to be , but only the earth left to itself , with those second causes that attend it , for its own preservation . and those instances of signs which the author has quoted from the scriptures are miraculous signs of miraculous effects , and therefore of another nature from this here under consideration . again , it s well known , that many institutions in the law of moses were made directly in opposition to certain customs among the gentils : now whereas iris , among the gentils , was made generally the messenger of discord , whence it was call'd iris quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , why may it not be thought , that in opposition to this , which might have been deriv'd down from the corrupt antediluvian times , god would have the rainbow to be his sign of love and concord , it signifying in its nature indifferently rains and fair weather , as pliny says . as to the existence of the rainbow before the flood , certainly all the gentils were of that opinion ; juno must have been an antediluvian goddess , who was never without her nymph iris , she being the most diligent attendant she had , alway standing ready at her elbow , and more officiously serviceable to her than the other thirteen nymphs that belong'd to her : among other services , she is said to have made juno's bed , and was represented with wings , and a robe of divers colours , half tuckt up , to shew her readiness to obey the commands of her mistris on all occasions . the two predominant colours of her robes were blew and red , denoting the two great destructions of the world , the blew that which happen'd by the waters at the deluge , and the red the general conflagration to succeed by fire ; so that the rainbow carries a mixt signality . and indeed the antient philosophers might properly enough make her the messenger of discord , she carrying the types of those two contrary elements , fire and water ; and god might make her his messenger of peace , he controuling and directing all natural powers , and re-establishing a concord betwixt those two contrary elements , whereof she carries the types in those colours she bears . i may note in the last place , that father simon censures luther of ignorance in the style and symbolical sense of the scriptures , for saying , that there was no rainbow before the deluge , and that god created it for those very reasons set down gen. 9. but though there may be a known symbolical sense contain'd under the rainbow , which may far more require our attention than the symbol it self : yet i shall not here take upon me to determine how far luther may stand affected by that censure . as for what the author urges from the passage of st. peter , viz. that the antediluvian heav'ns had a different constitution from ours ; containing only watery meteors : i do not find he makes out that there were more of those watry meteors in the air then , than there are now , so that a deluge should be thence particularly caus'd ; on which account st. peter intimates that different disposition to have been : and when the author has said all he can of it , he plainly concludes in his latin copy , that he cannot find , or discover by reason , whence that glut of waters rose at that time , or wherefore after fifteen ages after the world was made , that immense glut of waters , gather'd together in the air , discharg'd itself on the earth , it might have been , he says , from supernatural causes . and in his answer to mr. warren , he says , the rains that made the flood , were extraordinary , and out of the course of nature . and what is this in effect , but to own that the deluge is not explicable by humane reason , and that miracles are to be allow'd in it ; but they must be the authors own way , and not as others have said ; which perhaps by many may be interpreted to carry more of humour than reason . chap. vi. this chapter contains only a review of what the author has said concerning the primitive earth , with a more full survey of the state of the first world natural and civil , and the comparison of it with the present world ; so that here is little new : wherefore i shall note only the following passage , where the author says , i cannot easily imagine , that the sandy desarts of the earth were made so at first immediately from the beginning of the world. to this we may reply , that if the sense of one man may be oppos'd against that of another , lucan seems of a contrary opinion , where he says , syrtes , vel primam mundo natura figuram quum daret , in medio pelagi terraeque reliquit . when nature fram'd the world , at its first birth , it left the quicksands 'twixt the sea and earth . chap. vii . here the author comes to the main point to be consider'd in this book , viz. the seat of paradise ; and says , that its place cannot be determin'd by the theory only , nor from scripture only ; and then gives us the sense of antiquity concerning it as to the jews , the heathens , and especially the christian fathers , shewing , that they generally place it out of this continent in the southern hemisphere . he declares that considering the two hemispheres according to his theory , he sees no natural reason or occasion to place it in one hemisphere more than in the other ; and that it must rather have depended on the will of god , and the series of providence that was to follow in this earth , than on any natural incapacity in one of those regions more than in another , for planting in it that garden . neither do the scriptures determine where the place was . as to antiquity , he says , the jews and hebrew doctors place it in neither hemisphere , but under the equinoctial ; because they suppos'd the days and nights to have been always equal in paradise . among the ancient heathens , poets and philosophers , he finds they had several paradises on the earth , which they generally , if not all of them , place without , or beyond this continent , in the ocean , or beyond it , or in another orb or hemisphere , as the gardens of the hesperides , the fortunate islands , the elysian fields , ogygia , toprabane , as it is describ'd by diodorus siculus , and the like . as to christian antiquity , or the judgment or tradition of the fathers in this argument ; he tells us , that the grand point disputed amongst them was , whether paradise were corporeal ; or intellectual only , and allegorical . then of those that thought it corporeal , some plac'd it high in the air , some inaccessible by desarts and mountains , and many beyond the ocean , or in another world , but nam'd no particular place , or country in the known parts of the earth for the seat of it : and upon the whole he brings it to this conclusion , that tho their opinions are differently exprest , they generally concenter in this , that the southern hemisphere , beyond the aequinoctial , was the seat of paradise . and this notion of another world or earth beyond the torrid zone , he says , he finds among heathen authors , as well as christian , and that those who say paradise was beyond the ocean , mean the same , for that they suppos'd the ocean to lie from east to west betwixt the tropicks : the sun and planets being there cool'd and nourisht by its moisture . and having quoted many of the fathers and others in reference to the seat of paradise in the other hemisphere , he concludes , that in this particular he is willing to refer himself wholly to the report and majority of votes among the ancients , whether christians or others , who seem generally to incline to the south , or south-east land. after so large an apparatus for making out the place of paradise , and a new world made for it , a man would have expected that some circumstances at least , should have been brought , for pointing it forth , and not barely to sit down , by saying , i wholly refer my self to the major vote of antiquity , especially having promis'd us in the first chapter of this book a just account of it . since then there is nothing brought from scripture or reason for proving the place of paradise ; i shall only consider the authority of antiquity for it , as the author has done ; but withal i must first declare , it is not without a sacred dread that i commit pen to paper on this subject , well knowing of what weight it is , and what dispositions could be requir'd in a person to treat of it according to its dignity : a man ought to have had a due institution amongst the mystae ( by such , i mean those excellent genii , whose better stars have so dispos'd their understandings , that they have penetrated the allegories and aenigma's of the ancient sages ; and are able readily to run through the whole systeme of nature , every where adapting superiours to inferiours according to those scales of numbers which a learned adeptist has set forth ) and to have us'd great diligence in study , undisturb'd by worldly circumstances ; both which i well know to have been wanting in me . a man ought to be thorowly seen in the analogies betwixt the intellectual , coelestial , and sublunary worlds , and of the microcosm to them all ; for otherwise he shall never be able to discern what is deliver'd literally , what figuratively by the ancients : and for want of persons being thus qualified , those infinite tautological volumes have been written by school-men and others , on this and other parts of the scriptures . we know how difficult it is sometimes to discern , even in heathen writers , whether they write literally or figuratively ; as in plato's timaeus , the relation of the war betwixt the athenians and the atlantiques , is said by crantor , plato's first interpreter , to be a plain historical relation ; others say it to be a meer allegory ; and others again will have it to be a true historical narration , but withal to carry on an allegory . certainly the sense of the scriptures in many places , and perhaps in this of paradise , is more difficult to be understood than any part of plato's works is : and therefore i should rather have been content to have kept my self within the bounds of natural history , in all my considerations on this theory . but since the occasion offers , that i say somewhat concerning the seat of paradise , i shall lay down what i conceive the sence of the ancients to have been in it , humbly standing the correction of meet judges . first then , ( to pass by what the author allows , viz. that the jews and hebrew doctors plac'd paradise under the aequinoctial , and not in the southern hemisphere ; where he , at last concludes it to have been . ) as for the several paradises of the antient heathen poets and philosophers , which he will have us particularly observe to have been generally plac'd by them without , or beyond this continent , as pointing at the other hemisphere , i have this to offer concerning them : that i truly look upon it as trifling in any man to think that any of those poets or philosophers judg'd any place on the earth really paradisiacal ; or meant any place so , describ'd by them . it seems to me plain enough from them that they alway meant paradise coelestial , or intellectual , as the allegorical fathers did . it 's true , many of them took some place on the earth , noted for salubrity and pleasantness , for a ground of their allegory : it being usual with the antient mystae , when they had any doctrine figuratively to set forth , to take some historical ground , whether natural or civil ; and those were lookt upon the most ingenious , who in the delivery of such figurative doctrine could make the historical truth quadrate without addition : but when any important doctrine was to be deliver'd , where the historical truth could not hold , then they either wholly feign'd some historical narration , by analogy to which that truth they design'd might be set forth , or to some true historical ground they took , they added what flourishes they thought fit , for making it serve to carry on their allegory , as in the case of paradise they have proceeded both ways . to consider particularly the paradisiacal places they describe , what have the fortunate islands , the gardens of the hesperides , alcinous , &c. ( being places known to us in this hemisphere , as literally understood ) to do with the other hemisphere ? some authors , as virgil and others , to shew themselves openly allegorical , plac'd the elysian fields in the subterraneous regions , where they thought no man in his wits would seek for them : and i think it plain enough to any thing but wilful blindness , that those who plac'd paradise beyond the ocean , in the air , &c. did it on the same account ; as we may judge by the pure aetherial earth describ'd by plato . the author intimates more than once , that the pensile gardens of alcinous must be expounded by the pensile structure of his paradisiacal earth , as it hung over the abysse , before the deluge : whereas it 's well known what these gardens were : they were that pensile vault hanging over our heads . alcinous solem , lunam , stellasque micantes , et coelum aeternum credidit esse patrem . where should his gardens of pleasure , or his paradise be , but where his gods were , in the society of whom he drank nectar and ambrosia ; or , to express it according to christian divinity , in the love , and contemplation of whom he was ravisht with delights ? mythology tells us , that the gardens of the hesperides , said to be seated in the west , were no others ; the golden fruits being those golden globous bodies , with which the heavens are adorn'd , and the watchful dragon being that dragon at the north pole ( or the zodiack circle , according to others ) said to be always watchful , because it never sets to this part of the world , which was the only part known to the antients . it was said to be seated in the west , because as the sun sets in the west the stars appear , the light of the sun hiding them in the day-time . the gardens of adonis are the same ; adonis being the sun , that glorious leader of the coelestial host . and these are the three paradisiacal gardens , which ( as pliny tells us ) were most celebrated by antiquity ; tho even these must refer higher , i mean to the intellectual and archetypal worlds , till which the mind of man can never rest . those delightful gardens of adonis are said , by some , to have been taken by the gentils , from the eden of moses , that word with the hebrews signifying pleasures and delights , as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 does with the greeks , and as the word pardeis does with the chaldeans and persians , whence the greeks took the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and the latins paradisus . these are the gardens where the never-ceasing nightingale sings . — — vbi suavis cantat aëdon . ( apollo being famous for his charms ) he foments his eggs in his brest , and solaces the waking labour of the tedious nights with the sweetness of his songs ; retiring in the winter-time from these parts of the earth to others then more pleasant . concerning the elysian fields , the author takes an occasion to intimate as tho they were in the other continent , as he reflects on those , who he conceives have misrepresented paradise , saying , these have corrupted and misrepresented the notion of our paradise , just as some modern poets have the notion of the elysian fields , which homer and the antients plac'd in the extremity of the earth , and these would make a little green meadow in campania foelix to be the fam'd elysium . considering homer and others of the antient gentils , i see not why they must be interpreted to have plac'd those fields in the other hemisphere ; as for that speech of proteus to menelaus in homer , sed te quà terrae postremus terminus extat elysium in in campum coelestia numina ducunt . strabo interprets this of the fortunate islands , or the canaries , famous for a salubrity of the air , and gentle zephires peculiar to that region lying in the west . plutarch tells us , that by those extreme parts of the earth is meant the moon ; where the shadow of the earth , and these sublunary regions terminate . macrobius tells us , that according to antiquity , those extreme parts of the earth , where the elysian fields are , is the sphaera 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , where the purest minds reside . but to pass by these interpretations , it 's well known to the mystae , what homer would be at by his extreme parts of the earth ; it implying only a passing from the flesh into the spirit , where the earth truly ends , and where st. paul found a real paradise : and there is a torrid zone to pass e're we come to it , and passable only by those qui solis meridiantis fulgidissimum jubar ferre possunt , it being hardcoming near those coestial fires without being melted by their heat . but i shall say more beneath concerning what some of the ancient gentils meant by seeming to place their paradises in the other hemisphere . virgil , ( as i have intimated before ) represents the elysian fields , as well as the place where the wicked are tormented , in the bowels of the earth . and servius tells that those fields are at the center , abounding with all delights , and that — solemque suum sua sydera norunt . hither it was the sibyl carried aenaeas , an enterprize she had not undertaken , but that she knew him of the heroes , and some way qualified to attend her in it : for it 's an incredible labour , and indeed in a manner insupportable , to wade through those subterraneous regions ; nor can the difficulty of it sink into the mind of man without trial . the poet calls it insanus labor , and it is so , a divine fury attends it ; during the transaction the soul is stimulated , to exert its noblest instincts , and the understanding is consummated , as far as it 's capable of so being . hence plato says , that humane wisdom , if compar'd with that which is had from oracles , and a divine fury , is as nothing : and hence virgil thought not aeneas duly qualified for being founder of the roman empire , till with his other endowments , he had this divine institution of the sibyl . and i make no doubt but there are sibyls still in the world , who on certain occasions can and do perform the like pious office to man , though the outward typical part of caves and tripods be left off ; the caves only denoting a deep mental recess ; the tripod the three successions of time , all known to apollo . virgil , not only in his sixth aenead , but elsewhere , sufficiently intimates the dreadful labour which attends this transaction , where he disswades augustus , though a great emperour , and a man of noble endowments of mind , from ever wishing himself a party concern'd in it , saying , quicquid eris ( nam te nec sperent tartara regem , nec tibi regnandi veniat tam dira cupido ; quamvis elysios miretur graecia campos , nec repetita sequi curet proserpina matrem ) da facilem cursum — whate'er you 'll be ( for hell ne'r hopes you king , nor so seek rule , to wish so direful thing , tho greece admires th' elysian fields , nor was proserpine fond with ceres thence to pass , ) vouchsafe the favour — and perhaps , it might be in view of this difficulty that christ said , regnum coelorum vim patitur , & violenti rapiunt illud , mat. 11. and 12. and again , that it was as hard for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of heaven , as for a camel to go through the eye of a needle . if we consider what the sibyl requir'd of aenaeas to perform before he could accompany her in this great undertaking , it may not be difficult for us to conceive what those regions are into which he pass'd : the golden branch must be gotten , and carried with him to gain his admittance into them , and a dead man , a friend of his , slain by triton , a sea god , whom he had provok'd , must be buried ; the old man , the animal man , must be slain and buried , without which sacred necromantick practise , christ cannot be form'd nor reign within us , nor can we enter the kingdom of bliss . the poet makes this man a trumpeter , the animal-man being nought but clamour and noise ; his funeral-pile must be made of that ancient over-grown forest , that den of wild beasts with which the golden bow is all invested . gold , for that its a pure and incorruptible metal , and the most ductile and extendible of all bodies , and in its colour resembles the glorious lights of heaven , it terminating also the desires of man , was made by the ancients the sacred type of the deity , or of that divine nature diffus'd thorow the world ; and hence by divines the whole intellectual world is call'd the cataena aurea ; and hence also are those famous stories of the golden fleece at colchos , and of the golden fruits in the gardens of the hesperides , and the golden age refers here , and this is that aurum ignitum which st. john says , will make a man rich. now the sibyl truly tells aenaeas there is no coming at this golden branch , that divine spirit , which must be his passeport to the elysian fields , till he has cut down the wild forest with which it is surrounded , and made a funeral-pile of it , to burn the dead body of his friend misenus , that animal man : the forest being nought but that confusion of vice , in which humane life is involv'd ; and till this be cut down and burnt , igne sacro , igne conscientiae , igne coelesti , absumente sacrificium domini , quo & totus mundus uno die periturus est , the divine nature cannot be manifested within us , nor can we enter those pure aetherial regions , undisturb'd by corporeal passions and affects . we need not therefore go far to find where that region lies ; all may be resolv'd by that inscription in the delphick temple , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; for though it was the great wisdom of the ancients , or rather , of god himself to bring men round in types by a circular fetch of external nature , they well knew where all must terminate ; i say not in us as men , but in that god within us , in whom we live , move , and are , and who sometimes is pleas'd to manifest himself to man. and this i aver , that whatsoever knowledge of god may accrue to man from a contemplation of external nature , he shall never have that sensible feeling of him that way , as when being rais'd in the spirit , baptismo flaminis , he comes to find him within himself . the poet tells us of two sorts of persons , both diis geniti , not born of flesh and blood , but of god , who may have a free intercourse to those aethereal regions ; they must be , either quos aequus amavit jupiter , such , as by a priviledge of nature , or a genethliacal favour of the heav'ns are gifted for it , that is according to christian divinity , such as god is pleas'd to save by his particular grace ; as it may be said of st. john , who in one slumber on the brest of christ drew far deeper mysteries than all the schools in the world could teach him ; and of st. paul , who by an over-ruling summons from god was rapt on a sudden to the third heavens , where a fulness of knowledge was communicated to him . or secondly , quos ardens evexit ad aethera virtus , such as having apply'd the powers of their soul to the knowledge of that divine nature which governs the world , are , at length initiated by a certain divine institution , disposing to the supernatural act , which god has been pleased to reveal to man , by which also a regeneration is truly wrought , and paradise is open'd to us ; though many times the effect of it may prove but transient , through the instability and frailty of man's nature , he soon relapsing into sin , without a particular providence to uphold him ; as ( if i am not mistaken in mythology ) it 's plainly set forth in the expedition for the golden fleece , where , according to some , medaea in favour of jason , by her enchantments , cast the dragon which guarded it , into a profound sleep only ; and did not kill him outright , whilst jason executed his enterprize , or she for him , the dragon haply afterward awaking again . and servius well observes , that proteus receiv'd divinity only for a time , otherwise he might have known aristaeus lying in wait for him . and thus solomon is known to have receiv'd the spirit ; and as well known it is how notoriously he fell from the rectitude of it . nor was david himself , so great a prophet as he was , without great lapses , the like may be held of gedeon and others . this is that institution , by which , as the areopagite says , socrates ▪ being stirr'd up , and rais'd in his understanding , sang forth divine mysteries , he owning himself before ignorant of coelestial and sublunary things . i know not how far i may have here incurr'd the censure of some criticks , for having seem'd to imitate , as though some mysteries of christianity had been known among the gentils : but to pass by the testimonies of many of the fathers , by which the knowledge of christ is allow'd to many of them before his appearing in the flesh ; we know that virgil , in what he applies to the son of pollio in his fourth eclogue , is judg'd to have prophesied of christ ; and i know not why it may not be thought with as much reason , that being mov'd with the same spirit in his sixth aenead , he has prophesied of the kingdom of christ in the soul of man. and indeed , i look upon it as a truth , that to sincere souls , living according to the light they had , at all times , and in all nations , god has pleas'd in some extraordinary way to communicate the knowledg of christ , and that the vertue and efficacy of his death and passion , has been apply'd to them , tho they knew nothing of the history thereof ; and that the doctors of the gentils have mysteriously deliver'd many things concerning christ , though not with that soundness of divinity which christianity teaches . that true prophets were not only given by god to his people , but likewise to the gentils to announce the coming of his son , and teach them many other things ; it appears from the sibyls , who were given to the greeks and romans ; and from balaam , who was given to the oriental people . he that desires to see more concerning what the ancients thought of a paradise being without our continent , or in another hemisphere , may read what bishop vsher has learnedly set forth concerning it in his tract of limbus patrum , where in the end he plainly makes out both by sacred and profane writers , that though some of the ancients would personate a scene of ades , for the reception of souls in the other hemisphere , beyond the ocean , ( which they suppos'd then uninhabited ) to gratifie vulgar fancy ; yet that the translation of souls thither , in reality signify'd only their translation from that which is visible , to that which is invisible , no topical paradise being ever there dreamt of : and if i should grant that some of the ancient gentils fancied the elysian fields , as some pleasant place of habitation in the other hemisphere , i see not how this could relate to adam's paradise , the seat of which was to be made out by the author , according to the opinions of the ancients : for these fields were for the reception of the soul separate from the body , and might answer to the coelestial paradise , and the state of the church triumphant , but not to any terrestrial habitation , and the state of the church militant , and i know nothing but the golden age of the ancients that could answer to adams paradise ; concerning which i shall say somewhat beneath : but so much at present concerning the paradises of the gentils . now , in the second place , when a man considers the fathers on this point of paradise , he may be apt to say what cicero said on a greater occasion . truly so great a dissention of the most learned men , in so weighty a matter , may make even those doubt , who think they have somewhat certain . for some of the greatest writers amongst them are so invectively opposite , in their assertions concerning paradise , that philo and origen , pursuers of the allegory , and follow'd by others , censure those as mad men or idiots , who go about to establish a corporeal paradise ; they concluding that the scriptures , in what is deliver'd in them concerning paradise , so manifestly present us an occasion to adhere to the allegory , that we cannot but embrace it : whereas on the contrary , hierom and others censure those as triflers and dreamers , who so addict themselves to the allegory , that they will not withal allow a plain historical sense in that narration ; they grounding themselves on this , that unless an historical truth be held in those things , which are deliver'd in the scriptures , by way of an historical narration , nothing would be certain in them . whereas the author says we may observe , that tho the fathers opinions be differently express'd , they generally concenter in this , that the southern hemisphere was the seat of paradise , and that this seems manifestly to be the sense of christian antiquity and tradition , so far as there is any thing definitive , in the remains we have upon that subject ; i find not that this is made out by him ; for doing which , he distributes the christian authors and fathers that have deliver'd their opinion concerning the place of paradise into three or four ranks or orders , and endeavours to shew , that tho they express'd themselves differently , yet duly examin'd , that all conspire and concur in the foremention'd conclusion , in the first place he reckons those who have set paradise in another world , or in another earth , which he concludes must have been beyond the torrid zone , in the other hemisphere . in this number he places ephrem syrus , moses barcephas , tatianus , and of later date , jacobus de valentia . to these he adds , such as say , that adam , when he was turn'd out of paradise , was brought into our earth , or into our region of the earth ; for this he says , is tantamount with the former , and this seems to be the sense of s. hierom , and of constantine in his oration in eusebius , and is positively asserted by sulpitius severus . and again , those authors that represent paradise , as remote from our world , and inaccessible , as s. austin , procopius gazaeus , beda , strabus fuldensis , historia scholastica ; for what is remote from our world , he says is to be understood to be that anticthon , or antihemisphere , which the antients oppos'd to ours . i must confess , i have not many of the authors here quoted by me , my poor country study not affording them : but on a consideration of what the author has quoted from them , and what i find quoted from them by others , we may discern how far they concur in that doctrine , which he here ascribes to them : and to proceed in order as the author has set them down , i find the opinion of ephrem quoted by ralegh from barcephus thus : ephrem dicit paradisum ambire terram , atque ultra oceanum ita positum esse , ut totum terrarum orbem ab omni circumdet regione , non aliter atque lunae orbis lunam cingit . now he that can make sense of this may ; unless he will expound it according to plato's fable of his aethereal earth . the author , in his latin copy , quotes also this passage , tho exprest in somewhat different terms , and explains it thus , that in the paradisiacal earth , the ocean compass'd about the body of the earth , and the paradisiacal earth compass'd about the whole ocean , as the orb of the moon does the moon ; so that he judges that form of the earth to be here intimated , which he has before given it ; where the abysse compass'd about the body of the earth , and the paradisiacal earth the abysse , or the ocean . now if this were so , it 's manifest that ephrem , in that passage , could not relate to one hemisphere more than to the other , which was the only thing the author had to make out . but , to be more plain in this matter , the book which barcephas ascribes to ephrem ( and that falsly , as i conceive ) and whence he quotes his opinion , is call'd parva genesis , or de ortu rerum ; the foregoing passage well suiting with others , quoted from a book of that title , which i guess to be the same ; and if so , i should have the worse opinion of barcephas , for quoting so frivolous , and i think i may say , so impious a pamphlet . ralegh derides that parva genesis , for the miserable stuff , thence often quoted by cedrenus ; and a man may be as well satisfi'd of it , by what we find thence quoted in glycas , who in the first part of his annals says , but that little book , de ortu rerum , tells us , that adam took of the tree of knowledg , and eat , without circumspection , no way urg'd thereto by the words of eve , but that he found a certain disquiet in his mind from tiredness and hunger . but it 's best to bury these things in silence , since they deserve an eternal silence : and there he cites several other ridiculous passages from him , and concludes , that every man that understands the scriptures , looks upon them as so . and again , he quotes this parva genesis in the third part of his annals , and rejects it in like manner , saying , that he knows not who was the author of it : whereas , when on occasion he quotes ephrem , he does it with much reverence . i have given a character of this book , because the author instances it in several places , lamenting its loss ; and seems chiefly to rely on it , in the point under debate . barcephas indeed , in one passage which the author quotes from him , intimates paradise to have been in the other hemisphere : but withal he says , that it was beyond the ocean , and intimates it to be still in being , so that unless the author will receive these traditions from him , i know not why he should urge the other . but i shall say more of barcephas beneath . as for tatianus , tho he distinguishes the earth of paradise from ours , saying that to be of a more excellent make , unless he had been more particular in pointing forth the place where it lay , i know not why it should be concluded that he thought it in the other hemisphere . when jacobus de valentia places paradise in the other hemisphere , he says , it 's because it lies under more noble stars than ours : now we know this ground to be notoriously false , for that all astronomers hold the stars of this hemisphere more noble than those in the other : and as mr. gregory observes in his learned notes on some scripture passages , our hemisphere is the principal , and far more excellent than the other : we have more earth , more men , more stars , more day , and which is more than all this , the north pole is more magnetical than the south , according to what the learned ridley says he observ'd , viz. that the pole of the magnet , which seats it self north , is always the most vigorous and strong pole to all intents and purposes . if hierom opposes paradise to our earth , i know not why it should imply more than some excellency of that soil more than of ours : neither do the passages of sulpitius severus , or constantine seem to me to have any force . as for austin , and others that held paradise remote from our world ; we know their opinion relates to a suppos'd high elevated situation of paradise , and not to any other hemisphere . austin , and hierom , and the antient fathers , generally holding that there was no other continent but this we inhabit . and tho the author refers the consideration of this opinion of the high elevated situation of paradise , to another chapter , i think fit to examin it here . we find then that several of the authors before-mention'd , as barcephas , strabus fuldenses , historia scholastica , beda , austin , besides many others not nam'd before , as damascene , rupertus , basil , alchimus avitus , tostate , and many more gave paradise a very highly elevated situation ; some saying it to have been seated as high as the sphere of the moon , or within the lunar circle . which opinion seems to me to have been taken from the theology of the gentils , their divines , as servius tells us , placing elysium about the lunar circle . but this opinion the author says , looks very strange and extravagant at first sight , but the wonder will cease if we understand this , not of paradise taken a part from the rest of the earth , but of the whole primaeval earth , wherein the seat of paradise was : that was really seated much higher than the present earth , and may be reasonably suppos'd to have been as much elevated as the tops of our mountains are now : and that phrase of reaching to the sphere of the moon , signifies no more than these other expressions , of reaching to heaven , or reaching above the clouds : and he believes the antients aim'd by this phrase to express an height above the middle region , or above our atmosphere , that paradise might be serene : and he tells us the tradition of reaching to the lunar circle is deriv'd by albertus magnus as high as from s. thomas the apostle , &c. i know some reply to this opinion , that if paradise had been as high elevated as those authors represent it , the basis or foundation of it must have taken up , in a manner , the whole earth , for it to have afforded an easie and gentle ascent to men , if the state of innocency had continued : whence they say , that when those fathers said that paradise reacht to the lunar circle , or near heaven , they said it hyperbolically , to shew the excellency of it by its hyperbolical height , or to set forth the continual even temper of the air there , it resembling in this the coelestial bodies , which are without contrariety . but to pass by this answer , the ground on which these authors went to give paradise this high elevated situation , which the author intimates to have been only for a sereneness of the air ; i find by a learned school-divine to have been three-fold : first , for affording a descent to the four rivers , which are said to have issu'd from paradise to water the whole earth : secondly , for a serene and wholsom air , whence they would place it above the winds and vapors of the earth : thirdly , that it might be preserv'd at the time of the deluge , as they all suppos'd it was , being much higher than all the mountains , said then to have been overflown . we find therefore on what ground barcephas gave paradise an high elevated situation , viz. for the course of the four rivers , which he plainly signifies thus , asserimus eam terrum , in quâ est paradisus , altiorem multò , sublimioremque existere hâc quam nos colimus : id enim ita se habere indicio sunt quatuor illa grandia flumina , quae orta in paradisi terrâ , per hanc nostram ab illâ diversam feruntur . ralegh also quotes the following passage from him to this effect . deinde hoc quoque responsum volumus , paradisum multò sublimiore positum esse regione , atque haec nostra extet terra , eóque fieri , ut illinc per praecipitium delabantur fluvii tantò cum impetu , quantum verbis exprimere non possis ; eóque impetu impulsi , pressique , sub oceani vado rapiantur , unde rursus prosiliant , ebulliantque in hoc à nostro culto orbe . so again , on the other ground , viz. the preservation of paradise at the flood , it was given an high situation : and as for its continuance since the flood , irenaeus says it was an apostolical tradition , that henoch and elias now remain in paradise , and tells us he learnt it from priests , who were disciples of the apostles . the same is taught by justin martyr , athanasius , austin , hierom , aquinas , theophilus bishop of antioch , malvenda , and many others . malvenda says that no divine till peter lombard , nor none after him till eugubinus , said that paradise was not still in being , or that it perisht by the deluge . hence we see , if christian tradition shall be stood to , and it be the general tradition of the fathers , that paradise is still in being , then must the author's hypothesis , concerning the fall of the earth at the flood be void . now , whereas the author says , that the high situation ascrib'd to paradise , must not be understood of paradise taken a part from the rest of the earth , but of the whole primaeval earth wherein the seat of paradise was ; which may reasonably be suppos'd to have been as high elevated as the tops of our mountains are now : we find that tho the suppos'd elevated situation which the author gives to the primaeval earth , and the course he gives to the sun in the antediluvian world , might possibly have afforded a paradisiacal sereneness of the air , as he intimates , yet his frame of the primaeval earth , would manifestly subvert the other two grounds the fathers went upon , viz. the course of the four rivers , and the preservation of paradise at the deluge ; and consequently he cannot pretend the least colour of strength given to his hypothesis , as being backt by the authority of those fathers and authors , who have given paradise an high situation . next , the author mentions another set of authors , that interpret the flaming sword that guarded paradise , to be the torrid zone ; whereby he says , they plainly intimate that paradise , in their opinion , lay beyond the torrid zone , or in the antihemisphere ; and for this opinion he quotes tertullian , cyprian , austin , isidore hispalensis and aquinas : and in his latin copy he much urges for the torrid zone's being signified by the flaming sword. to this i answer , that if any of those authors suppos'd paradise beyond the torrid zone , and not in it ( as tertullian at least held the later ) it's manifest that they never suppos'd any other hemisphere inhabitbited there , ( tho possibly they might suppose an island there ) for what then should have hindred all those inhabitants from entring into paradise , they being past the flaming sword. and it seems strange that the author should urge for the torrid zone's being signified by the flaming sword , he having suppos'd that the other hemisphere was inhabited before the flood ; whence consequently all the men there must have had free access to paradise . these are such inconsistencies that there is no man but must see them . another form of expression is instanc'd by the author , as us'd amongst the ancients concerning paradise , viz. that it was beyond the ocean , this being of the same import with the former head , pointing still at the other hemisphere . to which it may be answer'd as before , that tho they said paradise was beyond the ocean , it 's no consequence that they held another hemisphere inhabited there ; though possibly some may have fansied paradise an island there , or in the torrid zone itself . as to the passage of josephus quoted by the author concerning the esseens , a sect among the jews , relating to this opinion , josephus explains the meaning of it well enough , saying thus , the esseens say , as the greeks , that the souls of good men live beyond the ocean , in a place of pleasure , where they are never molested with rains , nor heat , but have always a sweet and pleasant air coming out of the ocean : but the wicked souls they say go into a place very tempestuous , where there is alway , as it were , winter weather , &c. whence it 's plain enough they took their opinion from the allegorical fictions of the greeks ; some of whom said , that tartarus was a place under the poles , by reason of the sharpness of the cold , and lasting darkness . after all , the author concludes that what account we have of the christian fathers concerning paradise , is but a short and broken account ; but their obscure expressions terminate all in this common conclusion , that paradise was without our continent , according to the general opinion and tradition of antiquity . as to its being a short and broken account , i think it must be so lookt upon by all men ; and as for their seeming to place it without our continent , i shall see forth beneath what seems to me most probable in the case : but at present upon the whole foregoing matter , i have only this to offer : ralegh , as a civil historian with reason says , that he toyld himself in making out the seat of the terrestrial paradise , and the place where the ark , rested , because the true understanding of those places do only and truly teach the worlds plantation , and the beginning of nations before and after the flood ; and all story , as well general , as particular thereby may be the better understood . and though his performance in that kind , nor no mans else has been such as to obtain a general reception ; yet since our guides in divine matters , in whose authority we ought to acquiesce , conclude that there was a corporeal paradise , we must be govern'd by them in it , and may well conceive that the qualities of the primigenial soil , air and waters far exceeding ours , there might have been some particular part in it , though not known , answering to moses's description . and for what flourishes , the fathers or any other christian or jewish authors have added to it ; since they have not particulary made out the place ; i think we are free to judge as we please of them . and as for heathen authors both greeks and latins , who had their learning of the aegyptians ; they are all known to have deriv'd their learning with the egyptians from moses , and the postdiluvian patriarchs before him , though their streams since have happen'd to have been miserably corrupted : but in their paradises they seem to me still to have kept to the intellectual , as the allegorical fathers did , their topical paradises being only feign'd . and as to the passages of the poets , as that of virgil concerning the perpetual spring ascrib'd to the golden age , and urg'd by the author : non alios primâ nascentis origine mundi illuxisse dies , aliúmve habuisse tenorem crediderim : ver illud erat , ver magnus agebat orbis , & hybernis parcebant flatibus euri , &c. servisn tells us that this is said only according to a poetical freedom , not that a real truth could be meant in it . the same must be said of ovid's verses of the golden age , urg'd also by the author . ver erat aeternum , placidíque tepentibus annis mulcaebant zephyri natos sine semine flores . whosoever takes this as a real truth , i think with as good reason may take the following verses , as so likewise , flumina jam lactis , jam flumina nectaris ibant , flaváque de viridi stillabant ilice mella . the streams with milk , the streams with nectar flow , and green oaks drop sweet hony as we go . for the one seems as philosophical to me as the other . and when the fathers , to whom we owe a greater reverence , expatiate themselves , as they often do , after the like manner , we give them no other interpretation : for when they go about to describe a paradise , which certainly was greatly adorn'd in itself , their business is to present us under one view , with all that is most specious and excellent in nature : so that they say it had in it whatsoever was best and most pleasant in every season of the year , the sweetness of the spring , the plenty of the summer , the chearfulness of autumn , the rest and ease of winter . and fancy is content to indulge all this , as it is set before it , without reflecting on those inconsistencies which strict reasoning would soon stumble at . and all those great wits , who have writ so floridly of the golden age , could not but know other things , as they consider'd what according to natural and civil history the world could afford in all ages from the beginning . from the view of which another face of things must be presented , and we must say with bodin , aetas illa quam auream vocant , si ad hanc nostram conferatur , ferrea videri possit : and we shall find , as boemus says , how politely and happily men live now , and how rudely and crudely the first mortals liv'd from the creation to the deluge , and many ages after thorowout the earth . how could men be conceiv'd to have liv'd in those times , but as they have lately been found to do in the west-indies ? vita cruda , sedes incerta , libido promiscua . so cicero tells us , fuit quoddam tempus cum in agris homines passim hostiarun more vagabantur , & sibi victu ferino vitam propagabant , nec ratione animi quicquam , sed pleraque viribus corporis administrabant . nondum divinae religionis , non humani officii ratio colebatur , nemo legitimas viderat nuptiaes , non certos quisquam inspexerat liberos , non jus aequabile quid utilitatis haberet , acceperant . ralegh says , the world would be a dull thing without navigation ; and plutarch aggravating the matter , says , that man would be the most vile , most necessitous , and least regarded animal in the world without it : and we have no account of any such thing us'd in the antediluvian times , nor in many succeeding ages to any purpose , whereas men have now so cultivated , and imbellish'd things both by land and sea , that the present earth compar'd to its ancient wild , and incult state , must be concluded another thing from what then it could have been . so tacitus tells us , that germany formerly was all woods and moors , barren of fruit-trees and unimprovable by any husbandry , that there were cattle in it , but dwarfish ; no gold nor silver in it , and therefore despis'd by all men ; whereas it 's now as pleasant a counrry almost in all respects as france , spain , or italy . indeed , in refetence to the civil or moral world , it might be said , that by the golden age is meant the ancient simplicity , which the poets or others would represent in our forefathers , as leading a quiet and calm life , free from all treachery , voluptuousness , and other burthensome circumstances to humane nature ; as we find some of the ancients formerly had so great a hatred and detestation of pleasures , superfluities and voluptuousness , that in the temple of the town of thebes , there was a famous square pillar erected , on which were engraven curses and execrations against king menis , who was the first that withdrew the egyptians from a simple and sober life without mony and riches . but it cannot be thought that ever this humour was general in the world , though it might happen sometimes in one place , and sometimes in another , according to the vicissitude of humane affairs . or we may say with natalis comes , what is the golden age but a common liberty of all men in a city well govern'd by laws , where wild beasts live freely with domestick animals , dogs with hares , lambs with wolves , and the like . for in a time of peace good men live safe under the protection of the laws among cut-throats and thieves . some by the golden age understand the time when men were govern'd by the law of nature written in their hearts , before the written law was in being . and others by the four ages , will have four sorts of men to be signified . but to pass from the moral world to the natural ; though as to the place which god appointed for paradise , it must be allow'd to have been adorn'd with all advantages and delights from the beginning ; yet as to the rest of the earth , i know not what warrant we have from the scriptures or other history . or what may be suggested from reason for any advantagious furniture it had for supplying men with necessaries or pleasures . indeed , the scriptures tell us of the longaevity of the antediluvian patriarchs , and we have suggested conjectures already of what it may be imputed too ; but as to the great fertility ascrib'd to the primigenial soil , that of necessity must have added to the inconvenience of habitation by an overgrowth , without persons to cultivate it ; and it seems likely to me that adam , as soon as he was turn'd out of paradise , was hardly put to his shifts : plutarch also sufficiently tells us what conveniencies for the support of humane life a recent world could afford ; so that a golden age in any such respect , seems to me to have been represented rather for gratifying the fancy than the judgment . and all i can bring it to , is this , that as the ancients by the golden age , in the moral world would represent an ideal state of pure nature and of innocency ; so by all their flourishes on the then course of external nature , they would personate an idaeal state of it correspondent to the other . having thus far shewn how little the author's hypothesis is backt by the sentiments of the ancients concerning paradise : i shall now briefly set forth , what , as far as my reading has gone , seems to me most probable in this matter . the learned mr. gregory , on that passage of zach. c. 6.12 . behold the man whose name is east ; whom he makes out to be christ , lays down this as a ground , that the special presence of god , as he superintends this world , ever was and is in that part of the heav'n , or heav'ns , which answers to the aequinoctial east of the holy land. to make this good , he says , the ancients always attributed to the gods the eastern parts , as porphyry says , and those parts are called by varro and festus , the seats of the gods , &c. he proves it also from reason , according to aristotle , thus , the first mover , viz. god must of necessity be present either to the center or circumference of his orb , and since motions are most rapid in the nearest distance to the impression , and since that part of the sphere is most rapidly mov'd , which is most remote from the poles , therefore the movers place is about the middle line : and this he thinks is the reason why the aequinoxes are believ'd to be of so sacred an import and signification in astrology ; for by them ( as ptolomy says ) it 's judg'd concerning things divine , and the service belonging to the house of god. now the philosophers meaning is not as if the mover presented himself alike unto the whole circumference , but assisting especially to that part from whence the motion does begin , viz. the east , whence averrhoes rightly says , some religious worship god that way . since therefore the aequinoctial east passes through the whole circle , of necessity 't is to be meant of some certain position , nor is it possible to mean it but of the horizontal segment of the then habitable world ; the uttermost bounds whereof from sun to sun , they absolutely term'd east and west . in the philosophers time the circle of this horizon past through the pillars of hercules in the west , calpe and abyla ; and the altars of alexander in the east . and at the pillars of hercules the arabians fixt their great meridian . now , this meridian passes through the tenth degree of longitude from that of ptolomy : and the river hyphasis , on the furthest banks of which alexanders altars were rais'd , as being the place where his journeys ended , is plac'd by ptolomy in 131.35 . the difference of longitude is about 120 degrees ; the second part of which is 60. and because the meridian of jerusalem is 70 degrees from that of ptolomy , that is 60 from the arabian , the holy city was , as it was anciently term'd , vmbilicus terrae , being precisely plac'd betwixt the east and west of the habitable world. therefore the aequinoctial east of jerusalem , is the aequinoctial east of the whole , and answering to the first movers receipt , which therefore was said to be in oriente aequinoctiali . now , the notion of paradise in the christian acceptation , was that part of the heaven where the throne of god and the lamb is , it being , as zoroaster terms it , in the chaldean oracles , the all enlightned recess of souls . and irenaeus says , as he heard from disciples of the apostles , the receipt of just and perfect men is a certain paradise in the eastern part of the third heaven ; and many others of the fathers agree with him herein . and pa● . 68.32.33 . david says , according to the arabick translation , sing unto god ye kingdoms of the earth , o sing praises to the lord , selah , to him that rides upon the heaven of heavens in the eastern part . gen. 2.8 . it 's said , and the lord planted a garden eastward , or toward the east . in the apostolical constitutions it 's said , and turning toward the east let them pray unto god , who sits upon the heaven of heavens in the eastern part . mr. gregory having thus establisht his ground , says , that this is the reason why god planted a garden in eden eastward ; and that though some say with mercerus , that nothing hinders but we may take it generally that paradise was planted in the eastern part of the world towards the rising sun , yet damascen , and barcephas say , that at the beginning of march the sun alway rises directly over paradise ; meaning that the garden of eden was planted toward the aequinoctial east of the holy land ; and the meaning of this is that , the sanctum sanctorum of this mother church pointed towards that part of heaven where the sun rises in the month nisan . for the sanctuary of paradise was the recess of the garden , which was distinguisht and made so by the presence of the tree of life : now this tree , according as we commonly translate it , was planted in the midst of the garden ; but in truth it stood in the eastern part of the place . and that not only adam , but the whole world also worshipt towards the east till abraham's time , maimoni in his more , and s. ephrem , and others in the arabick catena testifie . and it depends from this very same ground , that the most solemn piece of all the jewish service , i mean that great attonement , but once a year to be made , by the highest and most holy man , and in the most holy place , was perform'd towards the east , contrary to all other manner of addressments in their devotion . for lev 16.14 , 15. it 's commanded , that the high priest shall do with the blood of the goat , as with the blood of the bullock , and sprinkle it with his finger upon the mercy-seat eastward . now it s known that the sprinkling of blood , especially this , was the figure of him who by his own blood entred into the holy place , and obtain'd eternal redemption , heb. 9.12 . and hence isychius hierosolom , says , this was done to represent the man , cui oriens nomen ejus : and there are many passages in the scriptures which signifie to us , that christ came down to us from the east . and this is one reason why our saviour is said to be the man whose name is the east : in reference to whom the christians by some have been called orientales , and the blessed virgin is call'd orientalis porta . the other reason is according to what was intimated before , viz. that from adam till abraham's time the whole world worshipt towards the east . now this original , principal , and ( as it ought to have been everlasting ) ceremony , by an errour of the persian and chaldean worshippers degenerating into an idolatry of the sun ; abraham , ( says the learned maimoni ) by divine inspiration , appointed the west to his hebrews : therefore the tabernacle and temple were set towards that side of heaven . so that they did , and they did not worshipt towards the west . 't is true , all the sacrifices were offer'd up that way , but all this while they worshipt no more towards the west than towards the north. they worship towards the ark , or towards the place of that , and do so still , and are so to do , because the sun of righteousness was to set upon their horizon , and to them the man whose name is th' east , is not yet brought forth . it 's known also that christs star appear'd in the east , and the wise-men came thence , and christ ascended up into the eastern part of heaven , as the psalmist says , qui ascendit super coelum coeli ad orientem . and s. jo. damascen delivers as from the apostles that he shall come again in like manner , as he was seen to go hence , answerable to what he himself said ; for as the lightning comes out of the east , and shines even unto the west , so shall also the coming of the son of man be . we worship him therefore toward the east , as expecting him from thence . mr. gregory concludes with an ancient profession of the eastern church , who say , we pray toward the east , for that our lord christ when he ascended into heaven , went up that way , and there fits in the heaven of heavens above the east , according to david , praise the lord who sits in the heaven of heavens in the east : and in truth , we make no doubt but that our lord christ , as respecting his humane nature , has his seat in the eastern part of the heav'n of heav'ns , and sits with his face towards this world. to pray therefore , or to worship toward the east , is to pray and worship toward our saviour . and that all this is to be meant of the aequinoctial east ; it is made out by moses barcephas in his discourse of paradise : he says there , that the place toward which they prayed is that over which the sun rises in the month nisan , which is the vernal aequinox . this is what i have briefly collected from mr. gregory , from which i may draw what follows as a corollary . it appears from what is said that the ancient jews and christians plac'd their terrestrial and coelestial paradises ; with reference to the states of the churches militant and triumphant , the one under the sun on the earth , the other over it , in the third heavens , as the sun was plac'd in the aequinoctial east of hierusalem , and consequently of the whole habitable world ; and how possibly could the ancient mystae , who took upon them to bring all things to time and place , more aptly personate a particular presence of the divine logos in heav'n and earth than there ? since as he enlightens every man coming into this world , so the sun being in that aequinoctial east point , equally diffus'd its light over the whole habitable earth , and hence we direct our divine worship that way , and may conclude the seat of the terrestrial paradise there , though perhaps it was miraculously founded , or at least for many ages , has not been known to man. and as the foremention'd mr. gregory has observ'd , according to the sense of the most knowing . the year of the world began , the sun being in that vernal aequinox point , its revolutions beginning and ending there , nor can any other good reason be given why the astronomers should deduce all their calculations from the head of aries . if the pains i have bestow'd in composing this long chapter , may help somewhat to ease the mind of any man that peruses it concerning the seat of paradise , i shall think it well bestow'd : at least , beside my labour for my pains , it seems to give a little ease to my own . chap. viii . here the author sets forth the uses of his theory , for the illustration of antiquity , and endeavours to explain the ancients chaos , the uninhabitableness of the torrid zone , the changes of the poles of the world , the doctrine of the mundane egg , and endeavours to shew how america was first peopled , &c. first then concerning the ancients chaos ; he says , they have made a dark , confus'd and unintelligible story of it , telling us of moral principles in it instead of natural ; of strife , discord and division on the one hand , and love and friendship on the other : and that after a long contest , love got the better of discord , and united the disagreeing principles . then they make the forming of the world out of the chaos a kind of genealogy or pedigree ; chaos was the common parent of all , and from chaos sprung first night , and tartarus or oceanus ; of night were born aether and the earth , the earth conceiv'd by the influences of aether , and brought forth man and all animals . this , he says , seems a poetical fiction rather than philosophy , yet compar'd with his theory of the chaos , will appear a pretty regular account , how in the formation of the world the chaos divided it self successively into several regions rising from one another , as he has set forth in his first book , how the chaos from an uniform mass wrought in it self successively into several regions or elements . the grossest parts sank to the center , on this lay the mass of waters , and over the waters , was a dark , impure caliginous air , which the ancients call'd night , as they call'd the mass of waters oceanus or tartarus , which two terms he finds with them often of the like force . now this turbid air , he says , purifying itself by degrees , as the more subtle parts flew upwards , and compos'd th' aether , so the earthy parts dropt down on the surface of the water , and that mass , on the other hand sending up its lighter and more oily parts towards its surface , these two incorporate there , and compos'd this habitable earth , so being the daughter of nox and oceanus , and the mother of all other things . this doctrine of the chaos , he says , the ancients call'd the genealogy of the gods , and thus from eris and eros , love and discord , the world arose : for in the first commotion of the chaos , after an intestine struggle of all the parts , the elements separated from one another into so many different bodies or masses ; and in this state and posture things continued a good while , which the ancients after their poetical or moral way call'd the reign of eris or contention , hatred , flight , and disaffection , till love and good nature conquer'd , venus rose out of the sea , &c. i shall here adjoyn also what the author says of the doctrine of the mundane egg ; because it particularly relates to the rising of the world from the chaos . he says then , that the ancients had a doctrine partly symbolical concerning the mundane egg ; or their comparing the world to an egg , and especially in th' original composition of it . now he tells us , 't is certain that by the world in that similitude , they did not mean the great universe , for that has neither figure , nor any determinate form of composition ; and it would be a great vanity and rashness to compare this to an egg : but this comparison is to be understood of the sublunary world , or of the earth : and for a general key to antiquity upon this argument , he lays down this as a maxim or canon , that what the ancients have said concerning the form and figure of the world , or concerning th' original of it from a chaos , or about the periods or dissolution of it , is never to be understood of the great universe , but of our earth , and of this sublunary and terrestrial world. he intimated somewhat to this purpose in his first book , saying , that when we speak of a rising world , and the contemplation of it , we do not mean this of the great universe , for who can describe the original of that , but we speak of the sublunary world , this earth , and its dependancies , which rose out of a chaos about 6000 years ago . now , he says , he has shewn , that the figure of the earth when finisht , was oval , and th' inner form of it was a frame of four regions encompassing one another , where that of the fire lay like the yolk , and a shell of earth inclos'd them all : and thus the riddle of the mundane egg is expounded . i think fit for clearness-sake , to consider this part of the chapter , before i proceed to the rest . first then , as to strife , discord , or division , on one hand in the chaos , and love and friendship on the other : it 's known on what account these are brought in : for some of the ancient philosophers made two eternal and infinite principles on this ground ; that one natural thing might be derived from many causes ; and the ancient philosophers generally affirm the principles of nature to be contrary , and that one thing cannot be contrary to itself . and whereas the author calls these moral principles , it 's known to the mystae , that there is a microcosmical , as well as a macrocosmical chaos , and that the ancients often , under one tenour of discourse , carried on both moral and natural doctrines , and knew well how to open or unlock the microcosmical chaos , and to form thence a moral world. the doctrine of moses and the prophets are full of this mystery , and a consummation of them was in the person of our saviour christ : the doctrine also of the gentils , both philosophers and poets , who were the ancient divines , contain the same mysteries ; but their proceedings in several respects were in a very corrupt way , and are now expell'd the world upon the establishment of a greater light. those who are any way initiated in these mysteries , know how far they may be free to express themselves in them ; concerning which i have nothing more to offer , than to pray that love in the moral world , as well as in the natural , may still overpower the other perverse and refractory principle , and beseech god , in his mercy to enlighten every man in his appointed time . as to the chaos out of which the world rose , though the author thinks he has given a fair explanation of it according to the sence of the ancients , and of the changes it underwent , when it form'd a world , and all creatures rose from it ; yet i think i have shewn before the inconsistency of this explanation , beside what else may be said against it . and admitting th'application , he has made of his doctrine , as to what changes he supposes to have past in the chaos , when the world was form'd , might quadrate in some tolerable way with what seems to be deliver'd by the ancients concerning it : yet since we are here gotten into fabulous philosophy , and since those terms of the ancients , night , tartarus , oceamus , aether , &c. have various significations according as they are variously expounded by several authors , all that any man can urge in the case can amount to no more than his say-so , unless the determinate sense of those words , as us'd by the ancients , were better ascertain'd to us than perhaps any man has yet done : concerning which i should have expected somewhat in a book , if extant , which the learned joan. picus , in his oration , and other parts of his works , says he had written , entituled theologia poetica , our common mythologists not reaching it ; mean while to avoid cavillations in this kind , i shall only set down briefly what i conceive to have been the sense of the ancients concerning the chaos , and the mundane egg ; and let it bear as far as it may : though withal , to lessen that reverence which some may have for the cosmogonia of the ancient gentils , i shall first set down the sense of eusebius concerning it ; who says , that though plato , out of a seeming compliance with the laws of his city , pretends to give credit to the poetick theogonia , which is the same with their cosmogonia , as a tradition deliver'd down from the sons of the gods ; who must not be suppos'd to have been ignorant of their parents ; yet all the while he does but slily jeer it , plainly intimating the fabulosity thereof , when he affirms it to have been introduc'd , not only without necessary demonstrations , but also without so much as probabilities . this being premis'd , i may set down what my own thoughts may be concerning it , as follows . the ancient philosophers who made it their business to search into the reasons of humane and divine things , could not rest in the examination , and setting forth of the causes of particular effects they found here on the earth , but attempted the consideration of the whole world , and how all things issued at first from their divine or metaphysical principle . now the world being anterior to mankind , after they had contemplated the proceeding of it from god , when they came to set it forth , they could not more plausibly do it , than by similitude , or analogy to those common generations we have before us ( whence came the doctrine of the mundane egg ) and by the references , which they conceiv'd were betwixt the operations of the ideas in the divine mind , and those they observ'd in the mind of man. they observ'd that nature and art proceeded from certain obscure and rough dilineations to a more exact form ; and concluding that as art imitates nature , so nature does the deity from whence it flowed , they thought that by observing that order which nature holds , was the only method to find out the way of the divine operation . but as i have intimated in my considerations on the first book , i know not how far we may look upon any of the most learned amongst the gentils to have held any real successive changes to have pass'd in the chaos , toward the formation of the world : their design in setting forth a chaos , and changes it underwent , seeming to have been only to help our way of conceiving , by reducing all things mentally to number and order , as issuing at first from one principle , according to the pythagorean philosophy , deriving all things à monade , or as rising ab ovo analogically ; which amounts to no more than what jamblicus says of the egyptians , viz. that they made mud and water floating ( the chaos being suppos'd such ) their hieroglyphick of material and corporeal things . and as austin says , when the ancients talk of a beginning of the world , intellerunt non esse hoc temporis sed substitutionis initium . de civ . dei , l. 10. c. 31. whereas the author will not allow moses's cosmopaeia to be philosophical ; it not passing from one rank of beings to another in a physical order and connection , according to the motions and transformations of the chaos : moses making all things to spring from the all-powerful word of god one after the other , in that order which was fittest for furnishing an habitable world according to a popular decorum : to this i say , first , that many men already pretend to have shewn , and among others the learned vallesius , a due physical order and connexion in moses's cosmopoeia , and that all things past in it according to a due priority of nature : and concerning this cosmopoeia , i could wish to have read a book writ by don isaac abravanel , a spanish jew ( mention'd in father simon 's catalogue of jewish authors , annext to his critical history ) entituled miphaboth elohim ( works of god ) where the said rabbin has learnedly treated of the creation of the world , and withal examin'd whence moses had what is writ in the book of genesis . secondly , that when the author shall shew us in a more philosophical way than moses has done ( let him take it from whom of the gentils he pleases ) how the world at first proceeded from god , we may hearken to him : mean while there is this to observe ; first , that the creation was a metaphysical act , and the order of it is incomprehensible to man farther than it has pleas'd god to reveal it to him by his prophets . secondly , that i have already validly refuted ( as i conceive ) those separations which the author has suppos'd to have past in the chaos at the formation of the world. thirdly , that if the author , or any man else shall attempt to explain what the ancients have said of a chaos , and any successive changes it underwent , when it form'd an habitable world ; before they expect us to acquiesce in their explanation , or to believe that the ancients meant more in what they said in that kind , than to render our thoughts easie , as to an apprehension of a beginning of things , by their setting it forth by a similitude to common generations from eggs , they ought to bring that ancient debated point to a clear determination , viz. whether the egg or chick were first ; for those who maintain a chaos , and real successive changes to have past in it , must make out the egg to have been before the chick ; whereas plutarch , macrobius , and others who have debated the point , seem more inclin'd to the other opinion , holding all things at first to have been set in their perfect state , through the perfection of the first cause . aristotle also tells us , that pherecydes syrus , the magi , and others of the sages , affirm'd that the first principle , whence all other things were generated , was the best ; or of an absolute perfect being : so that in the scale of nature things did not ascend upwards , from the most imperfect to the more perfect beings , ( as the ancient poets represent ) but on the contrary , descend downwards from the most perfect to the less perfect , of which opinion he also declares himself . whereas the author sets down this as a maxim that what the antients have said concerning the original of the world from a chaos , or about its periods or dissolution , is never to be understood of the great universe , but of our earth , or of this sublunary world ; and thinks he can demonstrate that moses's cosmogonia is so to be under stood ; i know not whether it may be so easily done ; finding the greatest part of writers to be of a contrary opinion . and those that maintain that opinion may do well to tell us ( if the heavens were for i know not what series of ages before this earth , and sublunary region ) what this place was before the time of the creation , set forth by moses ; whether it were a vacuum , or a spacium imaginarium , for it would seem an odd hole left by providence , after the rest of beings were completed . but as what moses has said of the creation , by most christian writers is understood of the whole system of beings , as well coelestial as terrestrial , so we find when the antient gentils speak of the rise of things from a chaos , they mean the same : hesiod , and ovid , and others that write of the chaos , are plain that the heavens rose from it as well as the earth : and we know the hermetick philosophers , who are lookt upon by some to be much more antient than moses , but certainly of great antiquity , tell us of a cohabitation there was of superiors and inferiors in the chaos : and that upon the separation of it , the superiors retir'd to their coelestial abode . aristophanes also , whom the author admires above the rest , plainly says in his cosmogonia , that the chaos was before the earth , the air , and the heavens . moreover when the author says the theogonia of the antients was the same with their cosmogonia , and their cosmogonia the same with their geogonia , it would be absurd to understand those genealogies of the terrestrial bodies , exclusively to the coelestial : for those gentils being infected with polytheism , and making the chief parts and portions of the world gods ; it 's manifest that they did not only make the chief parts of the earth so ; they being known to have ador'd the whole host of heaven . so again , as to the dissolution of the world by fire , we find the antients generally understood it of the heavens as well as of the earth . hierom , in his comment on the 15th . of isaiah , says , quae quidem & philosophorum mundi opinio est , omnia quae cernimus igni peritura . seneca , delivering the opinion of the stoicks , says , sydera syderibus incurrent , & omni flagrante materiâ , uno igne , quicquid nunc ex disposito lucet , ardebit . lucan says , communis mundo superest rogus , ossibus astra misturus — and he expresses himself to the same purpose elsewhere . ovid , from the oracles of the sibyls , says , esse quoque in fatis reminiscitur affore tempus , quo mare , quo tellus , correptáque regia coeli ardeat , & mundi moles operosa laboret . the sybils verses are as follows , tunc ardens fluvius coelo manabit ab alto igneus , atque locos consumet funditus omnes , terrámque , oceanúmque ingentem , & caerula ponti , stagnáque , tum fluvios , fontes , ditémque severum , caelestémque polum ; caeli quoque lumina in unum fluxa ruent , formâ deletâ prorsus eorum . then from high heaven vast streams of fire shall flow , those flames consuming all things here below ; the earth , the mighty ocean , the blue main , lakes , rivers , fountains , and what dis does claim , and heaven it self , whose lights shall flow in one , and stars shall fall , their form destroy'd and gone . so again , it 's a common opinion amongst christian divines , that the heavens will be destroy'd by fire as well as the earth . dr. hakewill , in his apology , says , it seems to him the most likely opinion , and most agreeable to scripture and reason , that the whole world , with all the parts thereof ( only men , angels , and devils , and the third heavens , the mansion house of the saints and angels , and the place and instruments appointed for the tormenting of the damn'd excepted ) shall be totally and finally dissolv'd and annihilated ; which he proves by many forcible arguments , refuting the contrary opinion , and mentioning many learned men of his ; thinking he has so far evinc'd it , that it is not solidly answerable ; to whose book , for brevity sake , i must remit the reader . so salmeron on that passage of s. peter 2.3 . says . loquitur ergo hoc in loco de veris coelis , de quibus david dixit : initio tu domine terram fundasti , & opera manuum tuarum sunt coeli ipsi peribunt ; ( nimirum per ignem ) ubi ostendit veros coelos , & veram terram verè peritura . and beneath . quòd autem quidam ex patribus interpretabantur non de supremis & veris coelis , sed de aereis & aqueis esse intelligendum ; ratione ipsius textus revincuntur : nam imprimis ostendimus , nunquam coelorum nomine in plurali numero aereos & elementares coelos accipi ; deinde post coelos nominatos subdit ( elementa verò calore solventur ; & infra , elementa ignis ardore tabescent : ) quod aerem , & aquam , & sphaeram ignis spectare videtur . non possunt ergo per coelos accipi illa tria elementa , cum bis coelos ab elementis contra distinguat . again esay 34.4 . it 's said , all the host of heaven shall be dissolv'd , and the heavens shall be roul'd together as a scrole ; and all their host shall fall down , as the leaf falls from the vine , and as a falling fig from a fig-tree : which words s. john apoc. 6.13 . seems to have borrowed from the prophet . and so i look upon the following verses of juvencus to be writ according to a prophetick truth . immortale nihil mundi compage tenetur : non orbis , non regna hominum , non aurea roma , non mare , non tellus , non ignea sydera coeli . nam statuit genitor rerum irrevocabile tempus , quo cunctum torrens rapiet flamma ultima mundum . i shall only add , that those , who by their insight in symbolical learning , reach the mystical sense of the prophets , well know that what is symboliz'd by the heavens will pass away in the day of the mystical conflagration , as well as what is symboliz'd by the earth ; whence unless the whole shall be symbolically evacuated , so that the conflagration shall not concern external nature , i shall ever believe that the one will be concern'd in it , as well as the other : homo cum dormierit , non resurget , dum non erunt coeli . and not to rest , in mystery where i may be plain , the mystical conflagration is known to be the baptism by fire and the spirit : ( whence , i conceive , some sects of christians almost from the first times of christianity , as the jacobites , aethiopians , copts , isini , &c. instead of baptizing with water , were wont to have their children burnt by their priests in the cheeks or foreheads with an iron , according to that , matth. 3. he will baptize you with the holy ghost and fire : ) now , when god is pleas'd to send that baptism , not only sense , symboliz'd by the earth , but reason also , symboliz'd by the heavens , passes away and is absorp'd in the spirit , and carryed above itself ; the spirit being as much exalted above reason , as reason is above sense ; and this is a truth own'd by all divines ; though none , i conceive , can apprehend how the thing is transacted , but those to whom god has vouchsafed that baptism , they being brought into that state of mind , which made s. paul say , omnia mihi in aenigmate facta sunt : nothing being able to perceive the ways of the spirit , but the spirit ; and hence we find after the apostles receiv'd it , they were censur'd by the people of being intoxicated with wine ; their discourse then being besides the common apprehension of men ; and hence s. paul also , in the like circumstance , was taxt by festus , of being grown mad through too much learning . in reference to this assertion of the author , viz. that the rise of the world from a chaos , and its periods , must be understood only of our sublunary world ; there is one opinion , which deserves particularly to be noted , viz. that of the antient cabalists . these ancient jewish rabins , as eleasar , moses aegyptius , simon , ismael , jodan , nachinan , and others , with whom origen seems to agree , would never yield precedence in depth of learning to the philosophers of the gentils : and therefore derided their opinions , who by astrology and philosophy pretended to know the methods taken by providence , in the rise and periods of the world ; and affirm'd themselves the only men , knowing in the mysteries of that immense aeternity ; as having drawn a consummate knowledge in reference thereunto , from a divine tradition , first communicated to moses by god himself in mount sinai , god saying , esdr . 4. c. 14. v. 5. that he had shewn him the secrets and end of times . these doctors say , that by the benefit of this cabala or tradition , the marrow of the law of moses , and the deepest secrets of god are reveal'd to them ; and that they thence know , that god has created infinite worlds in a continued succession , and destroy'd and demolish'd them again , viz. this sublunary region , every seven thousand years ; and the superior region every forty nine thousand years . they add , that in six of the seven thousand years the chaos generates and produces all new things , and those being ended , it gathers all things into itself again , and rests the seventh thousand year , and in that millenary of rest , it fits and prepares it self for a new germination ; and so a certain continued succession of worlds has been hitherto , and will be for the future ; and at length this inferior world being thus renewed , and as it were reborn seven times , and the course of forty nine thousand years expir'd ; in the fifty thousandth year the heavens will also be dissolv'd , and all things will return into their ancient chaos and first matter ; and then god taking all the blessed minds and spirits to himself , will give rest to the bulk of this universe ; and afterwards , all things being renewed by his immense wisdom and power , he will frame a world much more beautiful and pleasant ; and for this reason , no mention is made of the creation of angels in the scriptures , where the creation of the world is set forth , because they remain'd immortal in the creation of the precedent worlds ; and hence solomon in the book of wisdom , supposes a confus'd matter before the creation of this world , and says elsewhere , that there is nothing new under the sun. they endeavour to confirm their opinion from several other testimonies taken from the scriptures , which i shall not stand here to relate . this opinion , indeed , if it would bear , might have been a good salvo for those men , who in the council of nice objected to spiridio , and the other bishops there , that it seem'd very absurd , god in his infinite eternity should have fram'd this world , so short a time to continue , but about four or five thousand years ago ; they asking what he did before , or what he should do after this world ceas'd . but the general stream of divines is against this opinion , they holding that god framed only one world from the beginning . and when all is said of that opinion , the cabalists being a sort of mystical writers , i look upon the scope of what they have said concerning infinite renovations of worlds , to be directed in a different way from what the letter seems to import ; but in such cases every man being apt to please himself best with his own thoughts , i shall not take upon me here to be their expositor . let us now particularly consider the doctrine of the ancients concerning the mundane egg ; whence some farther light may be given to their doctrine of the chaos , and of the worlds form or figure . now concerning that doctrine ( as i have intimated before ) the author says it was partly symbolical , they comparing the world to an egg , and especially in the original composition of it ; and he adds , it 's certain that by the world in that similitude , they did not mean the great universe , but the sublunary world only , or the earth , the figure of which , when finish'd , he has shewn to have been oval ; and that th' inward form of it was a frame of four regions encompassing one another , as in an egg. i know not why th' author should be so positive in setting this down as a general rule for us to prevent error in reading th' ancients , that what they have writ about the form and figure of the world , as well as of its origine and dissolution , must be understood only of the earth ; when himself tells in his first book , in the latin copy , that some of th' antients by the egg represented the world , others the earth , and others the chaos . but he will have those who represented the world and the chaos by it , to have talkt by rote ; or through an ill understanding , or being byass'd by their private opinions to have wrested the signification of it , from what the wisest among th' ancients thought . this indeed would be an easie way of refuting th' ancients if it would pass , but when we particularly consider what they have said in this point , we shall not find a man of them that favours th' authors particular opinion ; and in my first book , i think , i have shewn it a notorious error if they had . there are three ways then of considering the doctrine of the ancients concerning the mundane egg ; first , how the egg is compar'd , particularly to the earth or sublunary region . secondly , how to the whole universe consisting of the heavens and the earth . thirdly , how to the chaos . in reference to the first , alexander aphrodiseus says , that an egg comprehends all the qualities of th' elements , and plainly shews those four first principles of things within itself ; the crusty shell resembles the earth , it being cold and dry , the white carries the nature of water , being cold and moist ; the spirit contained in the white is for air , being hot and moist ; and the yolk represents the fire , having most of heat , and less of drought , nor is it without the colour of fire : briefly he says , that the likeness of the whole universe , which we call the world , is shewn in an egg ; for it consists of four elements , and has a kind of sphaerical figure , and carries within it a principle of life . thus we see he makes the sublunary region an egg inverted , resembling the yolk to the aether , and the shell to the earth , contrary to the authors opinion . secondly , the egg is resembled to the whole universe by varro , the most learned among the romans , as probus on virgil's sixth eclogue acquaints us saying , that varro compar'd the heavens to the shell of an egg , and the earth to the yolk . achilles tatius also , quoted by the author , when he tells us , that the followers of orpheus affirm the world to be oval , as an egg , he says it of the whole universe , as varro does , which no way advantages the authors opinion , applied particularly to the earth ; and the inward envelopings he supposes it had . ptolomy also , in his compost , says , that the elements and all things compos'd of them , are inclos'd within the first heaven , or the heaven of the moon , as the yolk of an egg is within the white . but the main doctrine of the ancients concerning the egg ( as the author himself owns ) was by comparing it to the world in its origin , or as it rose from a chaos ; they setting forth , that as particular generations are from eggs , so the whole world rose from it . thus plutarch tells us , it was the opinion of orpheus and pythagoras , that the egg was the principle and ordinary source of generation ; and that orpheus held the egg not only more ancient than the hen , but to have the seniority of all things in the world. now though we have no ground to think that the ancients were as good egg philosophers , as the world has now , by the help of late anatomical researches , assisted by our opticks ; yet plutarch to exemplifie generations , and the rise of things from eggs , says thus . the world containing many differing species of animals , there is not one species of them , but passes by the generation of the egg ; for the egg produces volatiles , which are birds ; swimming creatures , which are fishes , in an infinite number ; terrestial animals , as lizards ; amphibious animals , which live both in the waters , and on the earth , as crocodiles ; such as have but two feet , as poultry ; such as have no feet as the serpent ; and those that have many as grashoppers : whence plutarch concludes , it is not therefore without great reason , that the egg is consecrated to the sacred ceremonies of bacchus , as a representation of the author of nature , who produces and comprehends in itself all things . macrobius also , who seems in a manner a transcriber from plutarch , says , those that are initiated in the sacred ceremonies of liber pater , pay a veneration to the egg in this respect ; that from its smooth , even , and almost spherical figure , shut up in every part , and including life within it , it may be call'd a type of the world , and the world by the consent of all men is the principle of the universe ; he says further , as the elements existed at first and then the other bodies were made of the mixture of them ; so the seminal reasons which are in an egg , are to be lookt upon as certain elements of the hen. thus we find the great doctrine of the mundane egg referr'd to the generation of all things from the chaos , concerning which the doctrin of the ancients runs thus , as i find it stated by a certain author . they say the chaos was before all things , and that in a long series of duration , it settled in itself a center and a circumference , gathered together in the form of a vast egg ; upon the breaking of which , a certain kind of person of a double form arose , being both male and female , and call'd phaneta : out of this came heaven and earth , out of heaven came six males , which they call titans ; oceanus , caeus , crius , hyperion , japetus , cronos or saturn ; from the earth six women ; thya , rhea , themis , mnemosyne , thetis , hebe ; of all these , he that was first born of heaven , took the first daughter of the earth to wife ; the second , the second , &c. saturn therefore took rhea , &c. from this doctrin , we as plainly see how fairly the analogy holds betwixt the generation of the world , upon the disruption of the chaodical egg , and the particular generations and rise of animals from their respective specifical eggs ; as we may see how forc'd and unnatural it would be to apply this doctrin only to the earth , and its disruption at the deluge ; for at the disruption of the mundane egg , upon the appearance of phaneta , which orpheus makes the same with eros , or love , the heavens and earth , with all their beauteous ornament arose ; as upon the disruption of particular eggs , the chick with all that admirable mechanism in the structure of its parts , and the advantage of animal life comes forth ; whereas if this doctrine shall be apply'd particularly to the antedilunian earth ( as represented by the author ) and it shall be said , that that earth after sixteen hundred years incubation of the sun , upon its disruption produc'd this present world , where is the analogy with particular generations from their respective eggs ? since upon the disruption of that earth , the miserable chick within ( according to the authors own hypothesis ) was found no way comparable to the shell it had before ; the antediluvian earth far transcending the present ; so that if that earth must have been an egg , it was but an addled one . the author therefore has given the earth an oval figure , only to serve his hypothesis , for the course of his rivers ( as i have intimated before ) and if the sectators of orpheus , or possibly any others of the ancients gave the earth itself an oval figure ; not a man of them gives the least intimation of any inward envelopings it had answering to those in an egg , as the author does ; who by over-straining the matter seems to leave a substance by pursuing a shadow ; thereby wholly perverting the analogy betwixt the egg and the world , which those ancients endeavour'd to set forth . and whatever formerly has been variously said concerning the figure of the earth , whether as oval or else , we know the opinion of its spherical figure has generally obtain'd , as lookt upon to be demonstrated . and again , if eggs are commonly of somewhat an oval form , there are particular reasons for it , the directer of natures mechanism giving them that figure , either for the greater ease in exclusion , according to the structure of the parts , through which they are then to pass ; or for the more convenient site of the animal to be form'd within ; besides that when eggs are form'd , the fluid matter is not free to run into that figure it would , to the film encompassing them being in some part connected to the ovarium , and they are also prest upon by other eggs ; whereas neither of these reasons , nor any others , i conceive , are to be found in the earth ; and that the ancients could not nicely insist upon an analogy , betwixt the world and an egg for its oval figure , it appears from hence , that eggs generally are only oblong and not properly oval , they being much larger at one end than at the other . the second point consider'd by the author in this chapter , is the uninhabitableness of the torrid zone , concerning which he says thus . but nothing seems more remarkable than the uninhabitability of the torrid zone , if we consider what a general fame and belief it had among the ancients ; and yet in the present form of the earth , we find no such thing , nor any foundation for it : i cannot believe that this was so universally receiv'd upon a slight presumption , only because it lay under the course of the sun , if the sun had the same latitude from the equator in his course and motion that he has now , &c. he instances several of the ancient philosophers , astronomers , and geographers , who held that zone uninhabitable ; and adds , that some of the ancient philosophers whom he also names , held that the poles of the world did once change their situation , and were at first in another posture from what they are now , till that inclination happen'd , &c. and concludes that these opinions of the ancients , must refer to that state of things which he has represented in his antediluvian world. to this i answer , that it seems no wonder it should be the common receiv'd opinion among the ancients , that the torrid zone was uninhabitable ; for navigation being not come to its perfection , america undiscover'd , and no trading establish'd by land to those parts of africa , that lye under the torrid zone , and the great heats found in the neighbouring climates to it , might naturally induce such a belief in them , so that we may allow it to have past as a negative tradition among them , for that no man had attempted a discovery ; but to conclude that this was a positive tradition among them , deriv'd from antediluvian times , on a suppos'd differing position , which the heavens or earth then had ; it 's more than the thing will bear ; neither was that opinion of the uninhabitableness of the torrid zone so general in ancient times , but some patrons of the earth , merely upon a stress of reasoning , always said nay to it . thus plutarch tells us , that pythagoras ( as great a man as any among the greeks , and more ancient than any the author has nam'd for the contrary opinion ) held the torrid zone habitable , and a temperate region , as being in the midst betwixt that of the summer , and that of the winter ; and certainly pythagoras was as likely a man as any among the ancients to have known such a tradition , and to have faithfully convey'd it to posterity if there had been any ground for it , himself and orpheus being judg'd by many to have been knowing in the mosaick cabala , concerning the true system of the world. ptolomy also says , many contend , that the parts near the equinoctial are inhabited , as being the most temperate region ; because the sun neither stays in the vertical points , but makes swift recesses according to latitude from the equinoctial points ; whence the summer is rendred temperate ; neither in the solstices is it far from the vertex , wherefore the winters must be very mild . bede quotes this passage and adds , but what those habitations are , we cannot say with any likely ground ; for men have not pass'd thither even to this day ; wherefore what is said of it may be lookt upon rather as a conjecture , than a true history . tertullian also held the torrid zone a temperate region , and plac'd paradise in it , and so did nicephoras , according to the opinion of theophilus ; the like did bonaventure and durandus of later years ; and avicenna among the arabians held that region temperate . here also it may be noted that generally those that held the uninhabitableness of the torrid zone , held likewise the two polar zones uninhabitable through continual frosts there ; so that the tradition of the one ought to be held as well as that of the other , which would destroy the authors hypothesis , for the source of his waters , as i have intimated before . as to those philosophers , mention'd by the author to have held that the poles of the world once chang'd their situation , i know no reason we have to follow them in it , more than a multitude of other erroneous opinions , which we find amongst the ancient philosophers ; ignonorance in cosmography being an epidemical distemper amongst them ; so that plutarch tells us pythagoras was said to be the first who bethought him of the obliqueness of the zodiack , which invention some ascribe to oenopides of chius . the same tells us parmenides was the first , who limited the places inhabited on the earth ; to wit , those that are in the two habitable zones , to the tropick circles . what wonder then that the ancients should lie under great mistakes in things relating to that knowledge ? but the author urges in his answer to mr. warren , that diogenes , anaxagoras , empedocles , leucippus and democritus say , there was once a change of the poles , therefore it must be lookt upon as a tradition amongst the ancients , for which they are good testimonies : but i would ask the author whether either of those philosophers deliver their opinion as a tradition among the ancients ? plutarch , whence he quotes their opinions , entitles his book the opinions of the philosophers , and delivers this as their particular opinion , and not as a tradition , and assigns the several reasons they went upon , which are all found to be erroneous ; and to expect that we should receive their opinion as a tradition , and acquiesce in it without any farther ground , seems to me altogether as unreasonable as to say , that because diagoras , theodorus cyreneus , evemeras , euripides , mentioned also by plutarch , and others of the ancient philosophers , held there was no deity , therefore this must be lookt upon as a well-grounded tradition , and fit for us to receive , that there is no deity ; this is too hard putting upon our reason . well , but the author grants their reasons are false , but says , it would be as injudicious to exclude them from being witnesses , or fair testimonies of such a thing , because they do not philosophise well about that change ; as if we should deny that there was such a war as the peloponesian war , because the historian has not assign'd the true causes and reasons of it : or to deny that a comet appear'd in such a year , because a person that makes mention of it , has not given a good account of the generation of it , nor of the causes of its form and motion . i answer , that i do not exclude them from being witnesses meerly because of the false reasons they give for what they say ; but because that they neither own themselves as witnesses , neither does it any way appear that what they deliver , is as they are vvitnesses , but meerly from their own fancy ; as it may be said of diagoras and the rest that held a non-existence of a deity . and as to the instances of the peloponesian war and the comet , there is a vast disparity betwixt these and the other : for the peloponesian war and the comet are notorious facts convey'd down to us by every historian and astronomer nemine contradicente , as they receiv'd it from time to time from unquestionable hands . but what are those five philosophers to the whole body of the philosophers both before and after them , who mention no such thing . nor do those five affirm the change of the poles otherwise than their private opinion ; and the reasons they assign for it are so frivolous , that vallesius aptly calls them ineptiae infantilis illius philosophiae , and shews the erroneous ground they went upon . but because the author does not insist upon the validity of their reasons , i shall not examine them here , but refer the reader to vallesius . the author adds some other witnesses for this change of the posture of the earth and heavens , viz. plato , the poets , some christian fathers , and jewish doctors , who all justifie that in the first ages there was a constant spring , so that the heavens and earth must have chang'd their posture since . but i conceive i have sufficiently answer'd all this in my precedent and and some other chapters : and hope the author will not go about to put upon us allegorical fictions for historical truths . another thing the author endeavours to give an account of in this chapter is , how america came to be peopled , which he thinks is easily answered according to his hypothesis , viz. that the antediluvian earth being smooth , men could freely pass before the flood to all parts of this continent ; and if they could not then pass into the other hemisphere beyond the torrid zone ; he says , providence seems to have made provision for that , in transplanting adam into this hemisphere , after he had lain the foundation of a world in the other : and concludes , that god foreseeing how many continents the earth would be divided into after the ceasing of the flood , made provision to save a remnant in every continent , that the race of mankind might not be quite extinct in any of them . as to this assertion , i shall leave it to the judgment of divines how far we must be determin'd by the text of moses as to a destruction of all mankind , saving noah and his family in the deluge there describ'd , and shall only offer what follows from common reason . first , it will concern the author to consider how his assertion here can consist with what he has set forth concerning the universality of the deluge in the second chapter of his first book , where he reasons against those who have endeavoured to represent noah's flood , as a partial deluge , affecting only a particular countrey , and urges thus : i cannot but look upon the deluge as a much more considerable thing than these authors would represent it , and as a kind of dissolution of nature . moses calls it a destroying of the earth as well as of mankind . and beneath , he says , st. peter compares the conflagration with the deluge , as two general dissolutions of nature : and one may as well say , that the conflagration shall be only national , as to say that the deluge was so . and again , we see that after the flood the blessing for multiplication , and for replenishing the earth with inhabitants , was as solemnly pronounc'd by god almighty , as at the first creation of man , gen. 9.1 . and gen. 1.28 . these considerations , he says , he thinks might be sufficient to give us assurance from divine writ , of the universality of the deluge ; and yet that moses affords anonother argument as demonstrative as any , when in the history of the deluge he says , gen. 7.19 . the vvaters exceedingly prevailed upon the earth , and all the highest hills that were under the whole heavens were cover'd , all the high hills that were under the whole heavens , then quite round the earth . and in his latine copy , he says , moses's history adds particularly , the thing being as it were measur'd and accurately examin'd , that the waters overflowed the highest mountains fifteen cubits ; which mark , he judges to be added not without providence , that we might thence gather , by a testimony not to be gainsaid , that the deluge did not keep itself within the limits of any one region whatsoever . and much more the author urges both in his english and latin copies to the same purpose ; and how all this can consist with a preservation of some remnant of men in every continent , at the time of the deluge , i must leave it to him to consider . secondly , according to the authors own hypothesis , when he says , that the passages north and south being not free , men could not go out of one hemisphere into the other , but providence seems to have made a provision for that , in transporting adam into this hemisphere , after he had lain a foundation for a world in the other ; i hope he does not mean by this , that adam left any children in the other hemisphere to people it , and be a foundation of a world there . it being a common opinion that adam and eve were but a few hours in paradise before they were expulst , and that expulsion being suppos'd by the author to be into this hemisphere , there were no people to remain in the other . wherefore ( as i have intimated before ) if the author's hypothesis must stand , it must be with these absurdities : first , that upon the expulsion of adam and eve out of paradise , god must have miraculously convey'd them through the torrid zone ( which the author supposes as impassable as a burning furnace ) into this hemisphere . secondly , after adam had children god must have wrought another miracle , to have convey'd some of them into the other hemisphere to people it ; and it would have been a curiosity to know which of adam's children were convey'd thither , cain we find must have been one , because he is said , gen. 4.16 . to have dwelt on the east of eden , which could not be in this hemisphere , if paradise were in the other ; and it 's much that living so near paradise , and being past the flaming sword he should not get into it , as well as all descended from him to the flood , though his crime could hardly deserve that paradisiacal continent for his habitation . thirdly , god must have wrought a third miracle to have brought all animals there of differing species from those in this hemisphere , to the ark at the time of the deluge , unless another ark were built in the other hemisphere ; whereas the author says in his first book , that noah's ark was the the first ship , or vessel of bulk that ever was built in the world. and i would ask , whether the author thinks that a man may not give a rational account of the peopling of america , without being clog'd with so many absurdities ; i think it very easie and natural to imagine , supposing the first plantation in this hemisphere , and the vvorld always as it is , how without any miracle , some small vessels with people in them , might have been driven by some storm , on the continent of america from the more easterly coasts of the vvorld : such small vessels being a thing of common notion ; so that i think we may reasonably conclude them to have been almost as ancient as mankind . moreover , we know that many jewish customs were found among the americans , on their first discovery ; and ralegh tells us , that in mexico , when first discover'd , there were found written books after the manner of those hieroglyphicks , anciently us'd by the egyptians and ethiopians : but to require it to be particularly made out when , and by whom , america receiv'd its first inhabitants , would be an unreasonable expectation . chap. ix . here the author endeavours to obviate an objection against his theory , viz. that if there had been such a primitive earth as he pretends , the fame of of it would have sounded throughout all antiquity ; and he sets forth that the most considerable records of learning are lost , whence a confirmation of it might have been expected . this chapter containing little new , i shall have but little to say against it . the following particulars may be noted . 1. he here confesses , that it has been generally thought or presum'd that the world before the flood , was of the same form and constitution with the present vvorld . now this seems to make against him , but he will have this imputed to the loss of true records , which is but a gratis dictum . 2. speaking of the jews and christians , he says , they had traditions among them , that there was no rain from the beginning of the vvorld to the deluge , and that there were no mountains till the flood , and such like . the ancient ordinary gloss upon genesis , which some make 800 years old , mentions both these opinions , so does historia scholastica , alcuinus , rabanus maurus , lyranus , and such collectors of antiquity , &c. to this i answer , that every trifling ungrounded opinion is not to be lookt upon as a tradition : neither have we reason to be govern'd by what those authors have said in this point , unless they had told us from what authors of credit they had it : or had urg'd it as a constant tradition to be relied on . perhaps they took their notion from the author , de mirabilibus scripturae ( by some suppos'd to be st. austin ) who says , that possibly the first age of the world was without rains and storms , and that the earth was fed with morning and evening dews : and let this go as far as it may . lastly , the author says , but to carry this objection as far as may be , let us suppose it to be urg'd still in the last place , that though these humane writings have perish'd , or are imperfect , yet in the divine writings at least , we might expect that the memory of the old world , and of the primitive earth , should have been preserv'd . now , i confess , i am of this opinion , notwithstanding any thing may be said by the author to the contrary ; for tho i agree with luther in his chronology , that the flood , as commonly understood , was the most horrible of all horrible things , excepting the crucifixion of the son of god , and what may be expected at the general conflagration : considering that not only a world of relations of all kinds , and friends of noah must have perish'd ; but that even the whole church of god , as well as that of cain and the serpent , were then utterly subverted , only eight souls being sav'd : yet with all this , if the earth upon the deluge had been altered from a general paradisiacal state , to a state so much inferior to it , as the author has represented ; i cannot believe but moses , who made it his business to set forth and exaggerate the judgments of god on sinners , would have plainly recorded this in his law ; for that it would have been a considerable aggravation to the judgment , and perhaps more affecting posterity than the other part of it had done ; and consequently ought to have been said , and inculcated to them , to deter them from a relapse into sin . th' author has two chapters more in this book , whereof the first treats concerning the author of nature ; which , besides , that the argument in its nature does not bear opposition , i must own to be well and foundly reason'd ; neither have i any thing to offer against it ; and so , as to the last chapter which treats concerning natural providence , i have nothing to say to it , unless it be to the latter part of it , where he summs up what he has said of the form of the primaeval earth , the disruption of it at the deluge , the seat of paradise , &c. of all which he says he professes his full belief , and against all which , i have already offer'd as much as at present i have thought fit . the conclusion . thus i have gathered together a few of those voluminous objections , which may be brought against this theory ; and i hope without any breach of decorum towards the learned author of it , to whom i heartily pay my share of thanks for the great pains he has taken in composing it ; it having given me an occasion to look into some things of antiquity with more attention , than perhaps otherwise i might have us'd . and indeed , when i first perus'd it , i could hardly think that this theory , how learnedly soever set off by the author could be his serious sense , in determining the truth of the points there consider'd ; but i conceiv'd that by this work carrying in it so much specious paradoxical novelty , he had a mind only to set men a thinking on those things , of which , perhaps , we are all too unmindful . but it would be uncivil now to question the authors full belief of his theory , since in his answer to mr. warren , he is pleased to repeat that he professes his full assent to the substance of it , and looks upon it as being more than a bare hypothesis , it being a reality , and carrying more than a moral certainty ; and consequently it must carry either a physical or metaphysical certainty . if the former it must be no less certain than that the sun will rise every day above our horizon , if the latter , it stands the test of omnipotence . we find that cartes dar'd not confide so much in the hypothesis he set up for solving the phaenomena of the earth ; tho , in my opinion , it be less lyable to objections than the authors is ; for he concludes only thus . nevertheless i would not infer from all these things , that this world was created after the manner that i have represented it ; for it 's much more likely that god made it such from the beginning as it was to continue . but the nature of things may be much more easily apprehended , when they are lookt upon so rising by degrees , than when they are consider'd only as compleated and perfect . but to proceed , the points which the author has here undertaken to determine by his hypothesis , seem to me of great weight and difficulty ; so that a man may here aptly say with maximus tyrius . it 's a thing of no small labour to arrive at truth and right reasoning ; for the greater vigour of understanding any man has , the greater streights he finds himself reduc'd to in judging . to bring things to a period , i shall be free to give my thoughts of these matters , as follows . i believe then ( with reverence be it said to those many learned persons who have attempted it ) it was beside the intent of the prophets that these magnalia dei , the creation , deluge and conflagration , the new heavens and new earth , &c. should ever be brought under a physiological consideration ; not that i any way doubt the reality of either ; but because i look upon them as works grounded on an extraordinary providence , and must own that as often as i have apply'd my understanding to the consideration of either , i have alway found my self absorpt in miracle . to be as plain as i may in this point , i must consider two sorts of writers among the ancients , whether jews , gentils , or christians ; either they were of the mystae , being acquainted in symbolical learning ; or they were literal men and mere physiologers : there is a vast difference in the procedure of these two sorts of men in what they write : and to consider it first among the gentils ; i think it too manifest to be brought in dispute , that many of them were initiated in prophetick mysteries ( the spirit of prophecy being inter dona gratis data ) as among the greek poets , orpheus , homer , hesiod , theocritus , and others ; and so among the latins , virgil , ovid , lucan , claudian , and many more ; to these we may add the sibyls , the ancient magi , and the druids , who were pythagoreans , and many of the platonists . now the main scope of these mens writings being a moral and divine institution , and quite differing from such as write merely as physiologers ; when they came to write of natural phaenomena , or to personate external nature , and to set forth civil facts , ( their writings being generally symbolical ) they matter'd not whether what they set forth did exactly quadrate with truth ; but the thing they chiefly attended to was so to set forth those phaenomena and civil facts , that they should carry a fair analogy with the thing they had a mind to symbolize . and , as hierom observes , the parabolical style has been much in esteem among the people of the levant ; and the learned father simon says thus of it : some have thought that ev'n the books of job , tobit , and judith were not so much histories , as works compos'd in this parabolical style , being holy fictions , which were profitable : this manner of parabolical writing he says , is ordinary enough with the authors of the new testament , who give so good circumstances sometimes to these parables , that one would be apt to imagine them to be true histories , if we were not advertiz'd that they are parables . this manner of instructing the people always pleas'd the pharisees , and their talmud , and most part of their ancient books are fill'd with these sorts of allegorical fictions , which ought not to be explain'd according to the letter , as though they were true histories . vallesius also observes , that in many places of the scriptures there occur moral fables or apologues , or parables , or whatever you please to call them , which say one thing in the letter , and allegorically intimate another ; and that there is no useful way of philosophizing , which has been excogitated by those who have endeavoured to compose manners , but may be found with more exactness in the scriptures . now whether the fact recorded in the scriptures , be an history , or a parable , or an history intermixt with a parable , it is not for all that less true or divine , or any way derogating from the dignity of sacred writ . but there are these great differences betwixt the scriptures , and the writings of the gentils ( tho both are in good part symbolical , and intending a moral and divine institution . ) first , the poets among the gentils often injudiciously and impiously ascribe to god things unbecoming him , as josephus rightly observes ; whereas in the scriptures , nothing is ascrib'd to him unbecoming his magnificence , but all things are set forth conformably to the universal nature ; from which ground it may be said , that as the rod of moses devour'd all the magicians rods , so the god of moses overpowered all the gods of the gentils . and secondly , that in the scriptures those great facts , the creation , deluge and conflagration , the new heavens and new earth , paradise , the raising of the dead , and many other strange things there mentioned , unaccountable from natural principles , were and will be realities beside their being symbols ; whereas , whatever is set forth by the gentils concerning any of those things , or any other strange facts , it 's merely symbolical , being excogitated and feigned by them only to carry on a divine law , and to set forth a certain doctrine analogically relating to the spirit . for as among all ancient nations , as , the chaldaeans , persians , egyptians , ethiopians , indians , celts , and indeed all nations , who were partakers of the grand theorem of the ancients , the same men were priests and philosophers , and those the only cultivators and keepers of all sciences , both in reference to natural and sacred knowledge : so their chief scope being a divine institution , they still so personated the great facts of external nature , as thereby covertly to carry on the other ; and so that the solemn outward story serv'd for training on the people , while the inward mystery was for the more solid institution of the learned . i may give an instance of this their proceeding in reference to the deluge set forth by them . a learned prelate in his origines sacrae , says , that one reason of the corruption of the ancient tradition concerning noah's flood , was , that the gentils attributed what was done by the great ancestors of mankind to some persons of their own nations . thus the thessalians make deucalion to be the person who escap'd the flood , and from whom the world was peopled after it : and whoever compares the relation of the flood of deucalion in apollodorus with that in the scripture , might easily render apollodorus his greek in the language of the scriptures , only changing greece into the whole earth , deucalion into noah , parnassus into ararat , and jupiter into jehova . on the same account the athenians attribute the flood to ogyges , not that the flood of ogyges and deucalion were particular and distinct deluges , which many have taken a great deal of needless pains to place in their several ages ; but as deucalion was of the eldest memory in thessaly , so was ogyges at athens ; and so the flood , as being a matter of remotest antiquity , was on the same account in both places attributed to both these ; because as mankind was suppos'd to begin again after the flood , so they had among them no memory extant of any elder than these two , from whom on that account they suppos'd mankind deriv'd . and on the same reason it may be suppos'd , that the assyrians attribute the flood to xisuthrus , whom they suppos'd to be a king of assyria ; but the circumstances of the story , as deliver'd by alexander polyhistor , and abydenus , are such as make it clear to be only a remainder of the universal flood , which hapn'd in the time of noah . so the thessalians make prometheus to be the protoplast ; the peloponesians phoroneus . so far this learned prelate concerning the corruption of the ancient tradition by the gentils , as they suppos'd all that was convey'd by it , to have been acted among themselves ; which he conceives may be imputed partly to their ignorance of the state of their ancient times , and partly to their pride , lest they should seem to come behind others in matters of antiquity . now to resolve this matter as far as my reason will bear , all that i can conceive of it is this . the ancient gentils , as they came acquainted with the ancient tradition of the jews , deriv'd from moses and the patriarchs , concerning a first man , from whom all mankind was descended ; and a reparation of mankind after a deluge ( tho whether they believ'd any such things really to have been , it does not appear to me ) and at length coming to be initiated and well instructed in the grand theorem of the egyptians , ( in the deep insight , and use of which , moses far transcended the egyptians themselves ) carrying in it the power of religion , and a consummation of wisdom , in order to the government and welfare of mankind ; they thereby knew that certain symbolical mysteries were contain'd under the foresaid doctrine ; and that it little imported man whether any such things really were , but greatly that they should be personated ; and therefore as they had a mind to propagate the same admirable learning among themselves , they introduc'd protoplasts , deluges , and reparations of mankind in their own country ; and from the same fountain proceeded the accounts their poets give of a chaos , the formation of the world , the elysian fields , &c. and this seems to me the most probable account , how the gentils came to celebrate in their writings those great facts , in their fabulous way . and withal it is to be observ'd , that some of the jews and christians have wholly allegoriz'd some of those great facts , as recorded in sacred writ : so we find that philo , being an helenist jew , and conversing with the greeks , contrary to the commonly receiv'd opinion among jews and christians , wholly allegoriz'd paradise , held the creation instantaneous , expounded the deluge in his allegorical way , &c. and he has had followers both amongst christians and jews . and this we may further note , that though those great facts , recorded in the scriptures ( according to the more generally receiv'd opinion of divines , to which we ought to submit ) are receiv'd as realities ; yet it seems it was not the design of providence , we should chiefly attend to those facts , but rather to the symbolical mysteries contain'd under them , which far more nearly concern us : wherefore we find god thought it not necessary for us that we should precisely know the time of the worlds beginning , there being that difference in the hebrew , samaritan , and septuagint texts concerning that in the opinion of learned persons , it 's impossible to come to a certainty in the point ; and the certainty of the time of the deluge depending on the certainty of the time of the creation , this being unknown the other cannot ; tho i shall not conceal , that i hear of a person now living skill'd in the cabbala sacra , who says he can plainly demonstrate from the hebrew letters of many words in the bible , numerically considered , that the time substituted by moses for the creation , is exactly agreeing with the hebrew chronology . so as to the seat of paradise , what have all those made of it , who have been in quest after it , but fallen into a babel confusion , as having attempted a thing too great , or rather impossible for them : i conclude nevertheless , that there was a terrestrial paradise , but miraculously founded , for had the jews ever known such a place , to be made out by typography , as they must have known it , if such a thing had been to be known ; i believe the tradition of it had been as impossible to be lost , as the tradition of the place where hierusalem is seated . again , as for the time appointed for the conflagration ; how many vain attempts have been made by men for pointing forth the year in which it shall happen ? whereas the time being elapst which they prefixt for it , it has shewn the vanity of their undertaking ; and we now hear of a foreigner , who has lately prefixt the time for it in the year 1696. and i doubt not but many prophets will now start up , upon the expectation of the determination of this millenary , who will assign some other shortly ensuing years for the same period ; whereas father simon tells us , that the 6000 years , which with the jews in their talmud contain 2000 years of inanity , that is to say before the law , 2000 years of the law , and 2000 years from the messiah , are only a simple allegory , which these doctors have recounted in their treatises sanhedrim and aveda , and which have no appearance of truth . and again , it 's known that the greek church counts already above 7000 years past since the creation ; and whether they are in the right , of we , or either of us , i believe all the chronology extant cannot convincingly determine . it 's enough for us therefore to believe that a conflagration will happen ; but for us to attempt to find out the precise time , or any natural causes for it ; i believe the search transcends the wit of man , the effect being besides the ordinary course of providence ; as aquinas has truly said , illa mundi deflagratio , quae paulò ante universale judicium futura est , non ad aliquam naturae vim , sed ad divinam potentiam referri debet . indeed dr. alabaster seems of another mind , where he says , that the supputation of the coming of christ , and the worlds passing away , does not exceed the reach and diligent search of our understanding , and this for two reasons ; first , because the end prefixt to the world is a thing which belongs to the knowledge of nature ; for that the beginnings , middles , and ends , and causes , and the administration of the acts of created things , have their foundation in nature itself . and the wise man testifies that he knew the beginnings and the ends of times . secondly , because whatsoever things are to happen concerning the day of judgment , are covertly written in the scriptures ; so that if the veil of the letter being remov'd , we look throughly into the scriptures , we may thence draw no obscure testimonies of the truth . now , i look upon dr. alabaster , tho he had been a long student in mystical divinity , to have lain under a mistake in all this reasoning ; for first , to say that the end prefixt to the world , is a thing which belongs to the knowledge of nature ; and that the beginnings , middles , and ends , and causes , and administration of acts of created things , have their foundation in nature itself ; i conclude all this to be false , as i have set forth from vallesius , in my considerations on the first book of the theory . again , as to the wise man's testifying , that he knew the beginnings and the ends of times ; and to what he says , that whatsoever things are to happen concerning the day of judgment , are covertly written in the scriptures , so that if the veil of the letter being remov'd , we look throughly into them , we may thence draw no obscure testimonies of the truth . i reply to this first , that the wise man was inspir'd ; and as to removing the veil of the letter , i must tell him that no man can do that , till he has seen the rending of the veil of the temple , and has been brought into the sanctum sanctorum ; and then , at the coming of the lord , he may see with s. peter , in the spirit , the heavens pass away with a noise , and the elements melt with fervent heat , the earth also and the works therein to be burnt up . but what is all this to the search of humane reason ? this is plain revelation . and we find after the dr. had made this specious offer , for prefixing a time for the worlds period , when he comes to make out any thing upon it , it all dwindles into a cabalistical cant ; and i believe whoever shall attempt the like , or to assign natural causes for the conflagration , shall hardly find a better success in it . thus we find lactantius having prefixt a time for the worlds period , which became elapst without effect ; r. azarias the jew aptly reflects upon him saying : that god had not made haste to do according to his say so . imbre binah . c. 43. fol. 142. and those that will be medling in prefixing a time for the worlds period , may reflect a little on that saying of s. austin . to compute times for knowing when the world will have an end , seems to me but for us to have a mind to know , what christ says no man can know . ep. 98. it appears , i think from the foregoing discourse , that god never thought it worth while for us to know the time of the creation , deluge , or conflagration , or the seat of paradise , &c. as not being any way material to our salvation ; and that it 's in vain for us to attempt to make them out from natural causes . and if we always stick here , perhaps it may be said to us , as the learned boskhierus , in his sacred philipicks , says of the jews , who were always gaping after their terrestrial paradise . et quia judaei terraena semper somniant , cogendi sunt vel tandem non de terraenâ suâ hierosolymâ semper cogitare , in quam nulla spes redeundi adfulgeat , sed de coelesti , ad quam utrique invitamur . arcendi ab ubere lactisugi illi senes , & ad cibi solidioris usum fame & necessitate adducendi . a sacred famine pursuing a thoughtful mind , which will never permit it to be at rest , but still keeps it on the wing , till it has lighted on some branch of peace , and brought it home with it to the ark ; and this must be done by searching into the sacred symbolical sense , contained under the foresaid mysteries , in which the mind calmly reposes itself ; for otherwise , either with ixion , we shall embrace a cloud instead of a beauty , by adhering to a false reason instead of a true one ; or be carried down the stream with the croud , and be wholly kept at gaze at the incomprehensible wonder . thus , methinks , concerning the passing away of this world , and a new heavens and new earth , men may rest satisfied with the sense of socinus . vita haec animalis ac terrestris in die judicii cessare debet , & ejus loco spiritualis & coelestis substitui . quid ergo vero coelo & verâ terrâ in illâ nobis opus erit ? nonne & coelum & terram ; ut huic animali ac terrestri vitae inservirent , deus creavit ? quâ cessante propter quam utrumque conditum fuit , an non & ipsa cessare debent ? and beneath . num fortassis aliquo sole & lunâ , aliquibúsve stellis ad diei & noctis distinctionem , ad tempestatum vicissitudines , ad annos notandos , propter quae sydera omnia creata fuerunt , opus erit nobis qui in perpetuâ luce futuri sumus experturi , qui sempiternam vitam vivemus ? num luce hac creatâ & ipso sole ac lunâ ad locum illustrandum ubi erimus opus erit nobis , qui ipsam increatam lucem perpetuo praesentem habituri simus ; quibúsque deus ipse & claritas ejus , & dominus jesus agnus ille purissimus in aeternum lucebunt , ac vice solis et lunae erunt , &c. so again chassonius tells us . promissionem de coelis novis et terrâ novâ summam et perfectam ecclesiae instaurationem in regno dei patris allegorice , significare ; prout spiritualia et aeterna rebus corporeis et aspectabilibus saepius in scripturâ figurantur , &c. methinks i find my mind to rest it self here in a wonderful calm ; and i doubt that those who will be searching farther , will search beyond themselves , and never come at any bottom . having so far treated of symbolical writers both sacred and profane , and of the genius of its authors ; i shall now say a little of literal writers , and mere physiologers . these men among the gentils being unacquainted in the learning of the mystae , and reading in their writings a beginning of the world , deluges , and conflagrations , a golden age , &c. majestically set forth by them , and being sway'd by their authority , who lay too deep for them , ( they drawing all physicks to morals , and personating external nature by analogy to what passes in the mind of man , in all its humors , passions , and most pure and clear instincts ) apply'd themselves closely with all the industry they had to the making out of these things from natural causes ; and some of them being men of great natural parts , have excogitated such plausible grounds in nature for them , that they have found a reception more or less among men of their rank ; but of what real validity they are , the long thinking man , or the symbolical phylosopher may determine . many men also among the jews and christians of the same rank , have apply'd themselves to the making out of those things more or less from causes in nature ; tho perhaps the greatest part ascribe them to miracle , in which certainly they do well ; but on the other hand they do not withal consider any symbolical sense couch'd under these great facts , in which the great mystery belonging to mankind lyes ; and indeed it is hard to be done without a particular providence , as virgil says of getting the golden branch . — namque ipse volens facilísque sequetur si te fata vocant ; aliter non viribus illis vincere , nec duro poteris convellere ferro . to give an instance of the several ways these different sorts of men take in considering things , i may here set down the performances of medaea , according to the account she gives her self in ovid. — cum volui , ripis mirantibus , amnes in fontes rediêre suos , concussáque sisto , stantia concutio cantu sreta , nubila pello nubiláque induco , ventos abigóque vocóque : vipereas fauces verbis et carmine frango . viváque saxa sua , convulsáque robora terrâ et sylvas moveo , jubeóque tremiscere montes , et mugire solum , manésque exire sepulchris , te quoque luna traho — at list ( the banks admiring what is done ) i make the streams back to their sources run , by charms i calm and raise tempestuous seas , the winds and clouds attend to what i please . by words and spells i tear the vipers jaws , the rocks and oaks obey those mighty laws . i woods remove , shake mountains , make th' earth groan , call ghosts from out their graves , and thee , o moon ! from heaven i draw — what shall we say to the poets sense in all this ; is there nothing in 't ? a person initiated in symbolical learning will tell you , that there is a real truth contain'd in it , and that he has seen all these things really transacted , in that symbolical sense the poet means it ; and though this be not literal , yet there is somewhat very surprizing and extraordinary , and beside the common course of nature in the transaction . when a mere physiologer reads this , being unacquainted in the other learning , and finding these things not solvable according to his principles , he shall tell you that this is only a fancy of the poet , writ to please the reader , by stirring admiration in him . and again , some literal tribunitial writers will tell you , that an old woman having the devil at command may do all these fine things as they are literally set down . now , there has been always a contention betwixt these two later atechnical writers , and the others , inter mystas et osores musarum , as erasmus calls them ; for these later being incomparably the greater number , and many of them men of great parts , and really exceeding many of the mystae in giving accounts of several phaenomena of nature , and in other parts of learning , think it derogating from their honour , that any men should pretend to understand some mystery in learning , which they do not , and therefore commonly brand them with ostentation , enthusiasm , or perhaps somewhat worse ; not considering that tho god gives great parts to some men , yet he commonly limits them to certain sciences , and does not extend them to all knowables ; and tho the others , in their defence sing with the poet , invidus annoso qui famam derogat aevo , qui vates ad vera vocat — yet they commonly sing to the deaf . some writers indeed keep a decorum in the matter , as it may be said of cartes ; who , though a man of unquestionable parts in an outward demonstrative way , yet finding himself at a loss in divine mysteries , says thus : i had a reverence for our divinity , and desir'd as much as no man more to be capacitated for eternal happiness ; but having certainly inform'd my self , that the way which leads to it lies open to the learned no more than to the unlearned ; and that the truths reveal'd from god exceed the reach of man's understanding , i fear'd i should incur the crime of rashness , if i brought them under the scrutiny of my weak reason ; and whoever have the hardiness to take knowledge of them and interpret them , seem'd to me to stand in need of a peculiar grace of god for this purpose , and ought to be plac'd in a rank above common man. i would not be so understood all this while , as though i pretended my self a master in symbolical learning ; for i think there is but one of a town and two of a tribe that so are ; yet i may pretend my self a scholar in such a classis of it , that i see a multitude of errours introduc'd into natural and civil history through the ignorance of it . how many relations , invented as meer symbols , have pliny , solinus and others ( polite writers indeed , but unacquainted in mystical learning ) recorded as plain historical truths ? they being collectors , and transcribing from the works of those they did not understand . and we find that pliny ridicul'd himself , by endeavouring to ridicule the magi for having the mole in great veneration , he little knowing what that subterraneous animal symboliz'd . to conclude concerning this mystical learning of the ancients , we find that pliny , though an opposer of it as vain , and of no effect , found himself oblig'd to own that the highest renown and glory of learning from all antiquity , and in all continued times was from that knowledge : and it 's certain that those of the ancients who were skill'd in it , could thereby perform things far transcending the ability and comprehension of others . they had an institution amongst them whereby they could bring the mind of man to its 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and make it exert it self beyond the elements of this world ; as those who were initiated among the jews , and had seen the rending of the veil , which carried the types of the four elements ( as all the prophets had ) saw those elements pass away , and thereby became partakers of divine mysteries . the ars amatoria and obstetricia of socrates , ( in which it appears that virgil , theocritus and others , were egregiously skill'd ) contains this institution ; it being for courting and impregnating the mind , and at length for helping it to bring forth , ( for as to that illiterate and idle imputation of their abusive love of boys , boys may talk of it ) and as the learned dr. henry more has intimated in several parts of his works , a certain dispensation of this kind is made use of , now and then , though sparingly , amongst us , and i doubt not but himself was initiated thereby . and if i might here use freedom of speech , i must say , that let a mans parts be never so great otherwise , whoever shall undertake to write of the points consider'd by the author in his theory , without being well seen in this grand theorem of the ancients , i must look upon him in a like circumstance with a pilot who should undertake a voyage round the globe without his compass . in fine , if the learned author of the theory , who has occasion'd me to write this postscript relating to it , as well as my other considerations on it , proposes it as meerly symbolical , i think it might aptly enough serve that way , and that by a full consideration of it , we may be carried round in a fetch upon external nature , till a time of revelation comes , for which we must wait gods pleasure , keeping us in the mean time to the institutions of our spiritual guides : and indeed , methinks the very ingenious emblem which he has prefixt to his book , seems to intimate some such meaning in him . he there sets forth seven states of the world , with the divine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the messiah , setting one foot on the chaodical , the other on the astral state of it : now these seven states of the world aptly symbolize the seven states of mans life . at first , the mind of man is a chaos , an inform being , a tabula rasa , as is represented by the chaos in the first figure . as he proceeds towards youth , things go on pretty smoothly with him , as is typified by the smooth face of the earth in the second figure ; till he comes to the third state , when the passions growing strong nature is overflown with vice , represented by the deluge in the third figure ; upon which the troubles of life coming on , it causes unevenness in it , and a sea subject to tempests , as typified in the fourth figure . at length a conflagration happens , a baptism by fire and the spirit , symboliz'd in the fifth figure ; after which things go on smoothly again for a time , as is denoted by the smooth face of the earth in the sixth figure , and which may aptly make the symbolical millennium . till at last the mind of man comes to its seventh , sabbatical , astral , and glorious state , as typified in the seventh figure , on on which the divine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sets his right foot , and fixes his banner of triumph for eternity , having this divine inscription over his head , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the intellectual world of intelligences on either hand to attend him . i know not how these guesses , or what else i have set forth in this work may be receiv'd . the author observes in his preface to the conflagration that there are few that apply themselves to a contemplative life , and i think there are fewer by many who succeed in it ; as perhaps these undigested thoughts i have here heapt together may be one testimony of it , a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 haply , or other defects , having incapacitated me for reaching the depths of the things here treated : but however they are receiv'd , contemplations on god and nature in this kind carry in them their own reward , as cicero has long since set forth , whose oraculous expression i shall not go about to alter : haec tractanti animo , & noctes & dies cogitanti existit illa à deo delphis praecepta cognitio , ut ipsa se mens vitiis exutam cognoscat , conjunctámque cum mente divina se sentiat , ex quo insatiabili gaudio compleatur ; ipsa enim cogitatio de vi & naturâ deorum studium incendit illius aeternitatis imitandae , neque se in brevitate vitae collocata putat , cum rerum causas , alias ex aliis aptas & necessitate nexas videt : quibus ab aeterno tempore fluentibus in aeternum , ratio tamen , ménsque moderatur . haec ille intuens utque suspiciens , vel potius omnes partes orásque circumspiciens , quantâ rursus animi tranquillitate humana & citeriora considerat , hinc illa cognitio virtutis existit , efflorescunt genera , partésque virtutum : invenitur quid sit quod natura spectat extremum in bonis , quid in malis ultimum , quo referenda sint officia , quae degendae aetatis ratio deligenda . before i make an end , i think it may be proper for me to consider the motive which induc'd the author to write his theory , and in his preface , and second chapter of his first book , he tells us , his intent was to justifie the doctrines of the universal deluge and of paradise ; and to confirm them by a new light of nature and philosophy , and free them from those misconceptions , or misrepresentations , which made them sit uneasie on the spirits even of the best men , that took time to think . and he conceives as men cannot do a greater injury or injustice to sacred history than to give such representations of things there , as to make them unintelligible and incredible ; so we cannot deserve better of religion and providence , than by giving such fair accounts of all things propos'd by them , or belonging to them , as may silence the cavils of atheists , satisfie the inquisitive , and recommend them to the belief , and acceptance of all persons . now , i confess this to be a good and plausible way of proceeding with what we find generally recorded in sacred writ : but the question will still lie , how far we may comply with an atheist , or any man else , by endeavouring to make things , recorded in the scriptures , easie to their apprehensions ; for when we come to a particular hand of providence there set forth , whether it be as a judgment upon , or an act in favour of mankind ( as i take the deluge to be a particular judgment , than which nothing in the scriptures seems to me to carry more the face of a miracle ) i am so far from thinking that we ought to endeavour to smooth things to their reasons who will not receive the miracle , that i look upon it as a breach of decorum towards our divine law to attempt it . and herein i cannot excuse josephus ; who ( as the learned mr. gregory observs , in his discourse of the seventy interpreters ) in compliance with the gentils in that kind , often in his history destroys the miracle by lessening it , and makes it cease to be a wonder , while he strives to make it fit to be believ'd , by representing it equal to that which no body doubts of : and i find many other writers guilty in the same kind . and we may consider the unreasonableness of any man that would expect it from us : for i would ask what pretended divine law there is , but has as strange things contain'd in it as our scriptures ? are there not as strange things in the mahometan alcoran , in the jewish talmud , and in the fabulous divinity of the gentils ? or can there be any divine law but must set forth god as a most free agent , no way tied to the creatures or second causes , but may act at pleasure contrary to their tendency or change what he lists in the order of them , as when he is said to have commanded the sun to stand still and go back , and to have rendred a superannuated woman fruitful . nay , and the author owns that those of the gentils , who held deluges and conflagrations , were not able to account for them by any natural causes , and therefore he looks upon them meerly as traditional truths , which they had receiv'd from others : why then shall any man expect it from us . again , the author by his attempt for making the deluge conceivable according to humane reason , seems to me to have rendred the conception of it more intricate than , perhaps , it might have been thought by many before : for if he has validly refuted what others have propos'd for that end , as i cannot say but he has . and if i have refuted what himself has propos'd ; as ( though i lay not an equal stress on all i have deliver'd ) i truly believe upon the whole i have , then those who will be leaning on the weak reed of reason for solving the deluge , are like ( for ought i can see ) to fall to the ground , for any support they can thence have in it . and so concerning the place of paradise , methinks the author hath left us in as forlorn a condition as he found us , after all his pains . and again , after his great attempt for solving the deluge according to natural principles ; i believe whoever peruses this book , will find that he has been forc'd to introduce the hand of omnipotence to help him out in it , much oftner than those , who have plainly said , that the great glut of waters for causing it , was then created by god , and annihilated when the thing was done ; so that we find our selves , at least , as much drown'd in wonder his way , as those men own'd themselves to be . to conclude , as for what i have oppos'd to the author's theory , i declare i did it on no other account , but from my inward sense , ( according to those few considerations i have had on nature ) of its being contrary to the course providence has held , and may hold in carrying on the oeconomy of this world ; and as i freely submit what i have philosophically asserted to the judgment of those who apply their studies that way ; so i hope , if i have any where toucht upon divine matters , i have no way interfer'd with what christian divinity maintains . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a27207-e850 in virg. eccl. 6. me● . l 13. qu. nat . l. 3. c. 27. & seq . de elem. philos . de omn. gent. rit . l. 3. c. 23. l. de defect . orac. heb. 11.3 . ecl. phys . 7.44 . de omn. gent. rit . l. 2. c. 3. l. de migrat . abrahami . myth . l. 2. c. 2. exerc. ad card. 61. § 6. l. de mundo . hist . crit. c. 4. simpl. in arist . phys . l. 8. p. 1. art. 2. q. 46. l. de mundo . c. 25. de creatione . probl. 1 : lucret. l. 6. cap. 3. l. 4. c. 5. lib. de mundi opif. cap. 11. div. dial. 2. l. 1. de verb. mirif . apol. l. 5. , geor. l. 2. geor. l. 3. apol. l. 5. gen. dier . l. 5. l. 4. de antiqu. biblioth . lib. 2. cap. 1. §. 7. de civ . dei. l. 21. c. 8. l. 1. c. 7. § 2. 3. de caelo . l. de mund . opif. saturn . l. 7. c. 16. flud . philos . examen . notes for div a27207-e9360 c. 6. l. 6. c. 5. c. 5. l. de elem . philos . de rep. l. 4. gen. 8.22 . l. 2. de gen. & cor. text. 56. antid . against atheism , l. 2. c. 2. de verit. fid. l. 1. c. 9. l. 2. de sanit-tuend . in 13. aph. 1. in 8. apr. p. 3. l. de dieb . decret . antiq. iud. l. 1. lib. de quint. essentiâ philos . circa finem . hist . crit. l. 2. c. 4. ibid. ep. 2. c. 3. in bermanno . l. 2. c. 8. c. 5. c. 5. l. 2. de coelo . c. ult . in 1 c. sphaerae de sacro . hosco . hist . crit. l. 3. c. 14. ep. 2. c. 3.5 . l. 2. c. 5. p. 202. phars . l. 9. in phaedone . l. 3. ae. 5. & 6. in phoedro . geor. 1. de nat. deor. l. 1. in phaedone . l. 2. c. 26. §. 5. cap. de desertore sive diabolo . c. 12. rid. of magnetick bodies and motions , c. 6. aen. 5. & 6. lib. de parad. c. 9. l. 1. c. 3. §. 4. l. 5. adv. heres . c. 5. de bell . jud. l. 2. c. 7. l. 1. c. 7. §. 10. meth. hist . c. 5. praef. in l. de omn. gent. rit . myth . l. 2. c. 1. l ▪ an vsus carn . sit licit . notes on scrip. pas . c 18. proph. l. de nymph . antr. phys . l. 8. text. 84. l. 2. text. 3. adv. haeres . l. 5. c. 5. l. 2. c. 61. barcep . de parad. l. 31. c. 13. in lev. c. 16. l. 1. c. 13. l. de aeris & epochis . c. 1. l : de praep . evang. l. de sacr . phil . c. 1. met. l. 14. c. 6. l. 2. orac . l. 4. c. 4. in hist . evangel . c. 5 problem . l. 2. § 84. c. 15. sympas . l. 2. c. 3. saturn . l. 7. c. 16. de placit . phil. l. 3. c. 14. in almag . l. 2. c. 6. l. de nat. rerum . de plut. phil. l. 2. c. 12. ib. l. 3. c. 11. c. 8. de sacr . phil. c. 50. c. 3. c. 6. l. de methodo . serm. 34. de sacr. phil. c. 3. antiq. jud. c. 1. l. 3. c. 5. apollod . bibl. l. 1. p. 19. cyril . contr . julian . l. 1. hist . c●it . l. 2. c. 4. tubae pul● . c. 1. c. 7. & 8. 1. pet. o. 3.10 . phil. 3. c. 1. in resp . ad def . fr. puceii c. 6. loc. com. l. 3. c. 22. aen. 6. met. l. 7. hist . nat . l. 30. c. 3. ib. c. 2. tusc . quest . l. 5. conjectura cabbalistica or, a conjectural essay of interpreting the minde of moses, according to a threefold cabbala: viz. literal, philosophical, mystical, or, divinely moral. by henry more fellow of christs college in cambridge. more, henry, 1614-1687. 1653 approx. 477 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 145 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : 2008-09 (eebo-tcp phase 1). a89280 wing m2647 thomason e1462_2 estc r202930 99863054 99863054 115236 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a89280) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 115236) images scanned from microfilm: (thomason tracts ; 187:e1462[2]) conjectura cabbalistica or, a conjectural essay of interpreting the minde of moses, according to a threefold cabbala: viz. literal, philosophical, mystical, or, divinely moral. by henry more fellow of christs college in cambridge. more, henry, 1614-1687. [20], 251, [17] p. printed by james flesher, and are to be sold by william morden bookseller in cambridge, london : 1653. the words "literal, .. moral." are bracketed together on title page. "the defence of the threefold cabbala" has separate dated title page; pagination and register are continuous. with eight final contents leaves. annotation on thomason copy: "nou. 29". reproduction of the original in the british library. created by converting tcp files to tei p5 using tcp2tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between 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huber sampled and proofread 2007-03 emma (leeson) huber text and markup reviewed and edited 2008-02 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion conjectura cabbalistica . or , a conjectural essay of interpreting the minde of moses , according to a threefold cabbala : viz. literal , philosophical , mystical , or , divinely moral . by henry more fellow of christs college in cambridge . exod. 34. and when aaron and all the people of israel saw moses , behold , the skin of his face shones and they were afraid to come nigh him . wherefore moses while he spake unto them , put a veil on his face . matth . 10. there is nothing covered , that shall not be revealed ; and hid , that shall not be known . what i tell you in darknesse , speak you in light ; and what you hear in the ear , that preach you on the house-tops . london , printed by james flesher , and are to be sold by william morden bookseller in cambridge . 1653. to his eminently learned , and truly religious friend , dr cudworth , master of clare hall , and hebrew professor in the university of cambridge . sir , concerning the choice of the subject matter of my present pains , i have , i think , spoke enough in the insuing preface . concerning the choice of my patron , i shall say no more , then that the sole inducement thereto , was his singular learning and piety . the former of which , is so conspicuous to the world , that it is universally acknowledged of all ; and for the latter , there is none that can be ignorant thereof , who has ever had the happiness , though but in a smaller measure , of his more free and intimate converse . as for my own part , i cannot but publickly profess , i never met with any yet so truly and becomingly religious , where the right knowledge of god and christ bears the inlightned minde so even , that it is as far removed from superstition as irreligion it self . and my present labours cannot finde better welcome or more judicious acceptance with any , then with such as these . for such free and unprejudiced spirits will neither antiquate truth for the oldnesse of the notion , nor slight her for looking young , or bearing the face of novelty . besides , there are none that can be better assured of the sincerity and efficacy of my present designe . for as many as are born of the spirit , and are not meer sons of the letter , know very well how much the more inward and mysterious meaning of the text makes for the reverence of the holy scripture , and advantage of godlinesse , when as the urging of the bare literal sense , has either made or confirmed many an atheist . and assuredly those men see very little in the affairs of religion , that do not plainly discover , that it is the atheists highest interest , to have it taken for granted , that there is no spiritual meaning , either in scripture or sacrament , that extends further then the meer grammatical sense in the one , or the sensible , grosse , external performance in the other . as for example , that to be regenerated , and become a true and real christian , is nothing else , but to receive the outward baptisme of visible water : and , that the mosaical philosophy concerning god , and the nature of things , is none other , then that which most obviously offers it self in the meer letter of moses . which if the atheist could have fully granted to him on all sides , and get but this in also to the bargain , that there is no knowledge of god , but what moses his text set on foot in the world , or what is traditional , he cannot but think , that religion in this dresse , is so empty , exceptionable , and contemptible , that it is but just with as many as are not meer fools , to look upon it as some melancholick conceit , or cunning fiction brought into the world , to awe the simpler sort , but behinde the hangings to be freely laughed at , and derided by those that are more wise ; and that it were an easie thing in a short time to raze the memory of it out of the mindes of men , it having so little root in the humane faculties . which for my own part i think as hopeful , as that posterity will be born without eyes and ears , and lose the use of speech . for i think the knowledge of god , and a sense of religion is as natural and essential to mankinde , as any other property in them whatsoever : and that the generations of men shall as soon become utterly irrational , as plainly irreligious . which , i think , my late treatise against atheisme wil make good to any one , that with care and judgement will peruse it . nor does it at all follow , because a truth is delivered by way of tradition , that it is unconcludable by reason . for i do not know any one theorem in all natural philosophy , that has more sufficient reasons for it , then the motion of the earth , which notwithstanding is part of the philosophick cabbala or tradition of moses , as i shall plainly shew in its due place . so likewise for the prae-existency of the soul , which seems to have been part of the same tradition , it is abundantly consentaneous to reason : and as we can give a genuine account of all those seeming irregularities of motion in the planets , supposing , they & the earth move round about the sun : so we may open the causes of all those astonishing paradoxes of providence , from this other hypothesis , and show that there is nothing here unsutable to the precious attributes of god , if we could place the eye of our understanding in that center of all free motions , that steady eternal good , & were not our selves carried aloof off from him , amongst other wandring planets , ( as s. jude calls them ) that at several distances play about him , & yet all of them in some measure or other , not onely pretending to him , but whether they pretend or not , really receiving something from him . for of this first , is all , both wisdome , pleasure , and power . but it is enough to have but hinted these things briefly and enigmatically , the wrath and ignorance of all ages receiving the most generous truths , with the greatest offence . but for my own part , i know no reason but that all wel-willers to truth & godliness , should heartily thank me for my present cabbalistical enterprise , i having so plainly therein vindicated the holy mystery of the trinity from being ( as a very bold sect would have it ) a meer pagan invention . for it is plainly shown here , that it is from moses originally , not from pythagoras , or plato . and seeing that christ is nothing but moses unveiled , i think it was a special act of providence that this hidden cabbala came so seasonably to the knowledge of the gentiles , that it might afore-hand fit them for the easier entertainment of the whole mystery of christianity , when in the fulness of time it should be more clearly revealed unto the world . besides this , we have also shown , that according to moses his philosophy , the soul is secure both from death , and from sleep after death , which those drowsie nodders over the letter of the scripture have very oscitantly collected , and yet as boldly afterwards maintained , pretending that the contrary , is more platonical , then christian , or scriptural . wherefore my designe being so pious as it proves , i could do nothing more fit then to make choice of so true a lover of piety as your self for a patron of my present labours . especially you being so well able to do the most proper office of a patron ; to defend the truth that is presented to you in them , & to make up out of your rich treasury of learning , what our penury could not reach to , or inadvertency may have omitted . and truly , if i may not hope this from you , i know not whence to expect it . for i do not know where to meet with any so universally and fully accomplished in all parts of learning as your self , as well in the oriental tongues and history , as in all the choicest kindes of philosophy ; any one of which acquisitions is enough to fill , if not swell , an ordinary man with great conceit and pride , when as it is your sole privilege , to have them all , and yet not to take upon you , nor to be any thing more imperious , or censorious of others , then they ought to be that know the least . these were the true considerations that directed me in the dedication of this book ; which if you accordingly please to take into your favourable patronage , and accept as a monument or remembrance of our mutual friendship , you shall much oblige your affectionate friend and servant h. more . the preface to the reader . what is meant by the tearm cabbala , and how warrantably the literal exposition of the text may be so called . that dispensable speculations are best propounded in a sceptical manner . a clear description of the nature and dignity of reason , and what the divine logos is . the general probabilities of the truth of this present cabbala . the design of the author in publishing of it . reader , i present thee here with a triple interpretation of the three first chapters of genesis , which in my title page i have tearmed a threefold cabbala ; concerning which , for thy better direction and satisfaction , i hold it not amisse to speak some few things by way of preface , such as thou thy self in all likelihood wouldst be forward to ask of me . as ; why , for example , i call this interpretation of mine a cabbala , and from whom i received it ; what may be the prohabilities of the truth of it ; and what my purpose is in publishing of it . to the first i answer ; that the jewish cabbala is conceived to be a traditional doctrine or exposition of the pentateuch which moses received from the mouth of god , while he was on the mount with him . and this sense or interpretation of the law or pentateuch , as it is a doctrine received by moses first , and then from him by joshua , and from joshua by the seventy elders , and so on , it was called cabbala from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 kibbel to receive : but as it was delivered as well as received , it was also called massora , which signifies a tradition ; though this latter more properly respects that critical and grammatical skill of the learned among the jews , and therefore was profitable for the explaining the literal sense as well as that more mysterious meaning of the text where it was intended . whence without any boldnesse or abuse of the word i may call the literal interpretation which i have light upon cabbala , as well as the philosophical or moral ; the literal sense it self being not so plain and determinate , but that it may seem to require some traditional doctrine or exposition to settle it , as well as those other senses that are more mystical . and therefore i thought fit to call this threefold interpretation that i have hit upon , cabbala's , as if i had indeed light upon the true cabbala of moses in all the three senses of the text , such as might have become his own mouth to have uttered for the instruction of a willing and well prepared disciple . and therefore for the greater comelinesse and solemnity of the matter , i bring in moses speaking his own minde in all the three several expositions . and yet i call the whole interpretation but a conjecture , having no desire to seem more definitively wise then others can bear or approve of . for though in such things as are necessary and essential to the happinesse of a man , as the belief that there is a god , and the like ; it is not sufficient for a man only to bring undeniable reasons for what he would prove , but also to professe plainly and dogmatically , that himself gives full assent to the conclusion he hath demonstrated : so that those that do not so well understand the power of reason , may notwithstanding thereby be encouraged to be of the same faith with them that do , it being of so great consequence to them to believe the thing propounded : yet i conceive that speculative and dispensable truths a man not onely may , but ought rather to propound them sceptically to the world , there being more prudence and modesty in offering the strongest arguments he can without dogmatizing at all , or seeming to dote upon the conclusion , or more earnestly to affect the winning of proselytes to his own opinion . for where the force of the arguments is perceived , assent will naturally follow according to the proportion of the discovery of the force of the arguments . and an assent to opinions meerly speculative , without the reasons of them , is neither any pleasure nor accomplishment of a rational creature . to your second demand , i answer ; that though i call this interpretation of mine cabbala , yet i must confesse i received it neither from man nor angel. nor came it to me by divine inspiration , unlesse you will be so wise as to call the seasonable suggestions of that divine life and sense that vigorously resides in the rational spirit of free and well meaning christians , by the name of inspiration . but such inspiration as this is no distracter from , but an accomplisher and an enlarger of humane faculties . and i may adde , that this is the great mystery of christianity , that we are called to partake of , viz. the perfecting of the humane nature by participation of the divine . which cannot be understood so properly of this grosse flesh and external senses , as of the inward humanity , viz. our intellect , reason , and fancie . but to exclude the use of reason in the search of divine truth , is no dictate of the spirit ▪ but of headstrong melancholy and blinde enthusiasme , that religious frensie men run into , by lying passive for the reception of such impresses as have no proportion with their faculties . which mistake and irregularity , if they can once away with , they put themselves in a posture of promiscuously admitting any thing , and so in due time of growing either moped or mad , and under pretence of being highly christians , ( the right mystery whereof they understand not ) of working themselves lower then the lowest of men . but for mine own part , reason seems to me to be so far from being any contemptible principle in man , that it must be acknowledged in some sort to be in god himself . for what is the divine wisdome , but that steady comprehension of the ideas of all things , with their mutual respects one to another , congruities and incongruities , dependences and independences ; which respects do necessarily arise from the natures of the ideas themselves , both which the divine intellect looks through at once , discerning thus the order and coherence of all things . and what is this but ratio stabilis , a kinde of steady and immovable reason discovering the connexion of all things at once ? but that in us is ratio mobilis , or reason in evolution , we being able to apprehend things onely in a successive manner one after another . but so many as we can comprehend at a time , while we plainly perceive and carefully view their ideas , we know how well they fit , or how much they disagree one with another , and so prove or disprove one thing by another ; which is really a participation of that divine reason in god , and is a true and faithful principle in man , when it is perfected and polished by the holy spirit . but before , very earthly and obscure , especially in spiritual things . but now seeing the logos or steady comprehensive wisdom of god , in which all ideas and their respects are contained , is but universal stable reason , how can there be any pretence of being so highly inspired as to be blown above reason it self , unlesse men will fancie themselves wiser then god , or their understandings above the natures and reasons of things themselves . wherefore to frame a brief answer to your second demand ; i say , this threefold cabbala you enquire after , is the dictate of the free reason of my minde ▪ heedfully considering the written text of moses , and carefully canvasing the expositions of such interpreters as are ordinarily to be had upon him . and i know nothing to the contrary , but that i have been so successeful as to have light upon the old true cabbala indeed . of which in the third place i will set down some general probabilities , referring you for the rest to the defence of the cabbala's themselves , and the introduction thereunto . and first that the literal cabbala is true , it is no contemptible argument , in that it is carried on so evenly and consistently one part with another , every thing also being represented so accommodately to the capacity of the people , and so advantageously for the keeping of their mindes in the fear of god , and obedience to his law , as shall be particularly shown in the defence of that cabbala . so that according to the sense of this literal cabbala , moses is discovered to be a man of the highest political accomplishments , and true and warrantable prudence that may be . nor is he to fall short in philosophy ; and therefore the philosophical cabbala contains the noblest truths , as well theological as natural , that the minde of man can entertain her self with ; insomuch that moses seems to have been aforehand , and prevented the subtilest and abstrusest inventions of the choicest philosophers that ever appeared after him to this very day . and further presumption of the truth of this philosophical cabbala is ; that the grand mysteries therein contained are most-what the same that those two eximious philosophers pythagoras and plato brought out of egypt , and the parts of asia into europe . and it is generally acknowledged by christians , that they both had their philosophy from moses . and numenius the platonist speaks out plainly concerning his master ; what is plato but moses atticus ? and for pythagoras it is a thing incredible that he and his followers should make such a deal of doe with the mystery of numbers , had he not been favoured with a sight of moses his creation of the world in six days , and had the philosophick cabbala thereof communicated to him , which mainly consists in numbers , as i shall in the defence of this cabbala more particularly declare . and the pythagoreans oath swearing by him that taught them the mystery of the tetractys , or the number four , what a ridiculous thing had it been if it had been in reference meerly to dry numbers ? but it is exceeding probable that under that mystery of four , pythagoras was first himself taught the meaning of the fourth days work in the creation , and after delivered it to his disciples . in which cabbala of the fourth day pythagoras was instructed , amongst other things , that the earth was a planet , and moved about the sun ; and it is notoriously well known , that this was ever the opinion of the pythagoreans , and so in all likelihood a part of the philosophick cabbala of moses . which you will more fully understand in my defence thereof . in brief , all those conclusions that are comprised in the philosophick cabbala , they being such as may best become that sublime and comprehensive understanding of moses , and being also so plainly answerable to the phaenomena of nature and attributes of god , as wel as continuedly agreeable without any force or distortion to the historical text ; this i conceive is no small probability that this cabbala is true : for what can be the properties of the true philosophick cabbala of moses , if these be not which i have named ? now for the moral cabbala it bears its own evidence with it all the way , representing moses as well experienced in all godlinesse and honesty , as he was skilful in politicks and philosophy . and the edifying usefulnesse of this mystical or moral cabbala , to answer to your last demand , was no small invitation amongst the rest to publish this present exposition . for moral and spiritual truth that so neerly concerns us being so strangely and unexpectedly , and yet so fitly and appositely represented in this history of moses , it will in all likelihood make the more forcible impresse upon the minde , and more powerfully carry away our affections toward what is good and warrantable , pre-instructing us with delight concerning the true way to virtue and godlinesse . nor are the philosophick nor literal cabbala's destitute of their honest uses . for in the former to the amazement of the meer naturalist ( who commonly conceits that pious men and patrons of religion have no ornaments of minde but scrupulosities about virtue , and melancholy fancies concerning a deity ) moses is found to have been master of the most sublime and generous speculations that are in all natural philosophy : besides that he places the soul of man many degrees out of the reach of fate and mortality . and by the latter there is a very charitable provision made for them that are so prone to expect rigid precepts of philosophy in moses his outward text. for this literal cabbala will steer them off from that toil of endevouring to make the bare letter speak consonantly to the true frame of nature : which while they attempt with more zeal then knowledge , they both disgrace themselves and wrong moses . for there are unalterable and indeleble idea's and notions in the minde of man , into which when we are awakened and apply to the known course and order of nature , we can no more forsake the use of them then we can the use of our own eyes , nor misbelieve their dictates no more , nor so much , as we may those of our outward senses . wherefore to men recovered into a due command of their reason , and well-skill'd in the contemplation and experience of the nature of things , to propound to them such kinde of mosaical philosophy , as the boldnesse and superstition of some has adventured to do for want of a right literal cabbala to guide them , is as much as in them lies , to hazard the making not only of moses , but of religion it self contemptible and ridiculous . whence it is apparent enough , i think , to what good purpose it is thus carefully to distinguish betwixt the literal and philosophick cabbala , and so plainly and fully to set out the sense of either , apart by themselves , that there may hereafter be no confusion or mistake . for beside that the discovering of these weighty truths , and high , but irrefutable paradoxes , in moses his text , does assert religion , and vindicate her from that vile imputation of ignorance in philosophy and the knowledge of things , so does it also justifie those more noble results of free reason and philosophy from that vulgar suspicion of impiety and irreligion . the literal cabbala . chap. i. 2 the earth at first a deep miry abysse , covered over with waters , over which was a fierce wind , and through all darknesse . 3 day made at first without a sun. 6 the earth a floor , the heavens a transparent canopy , or strong tent over it , to keep off the upper waters or blew conspicuous sea from drowning the world . 8 why this tent or canopy was not said to be good . 9 the lower waters commanded into one place . 11 herbs , flowers , and fruits of trees , before either sun or seasons of the year to ripen them . 14 the sun created and added to the day , as a peculiar ornament thereof , as the moon and stars to the night . 20 the creation of fish and fowl . 24 the creation of beasts & creeping things . 27 man created in the very shape and figure of god , but yet so , that there were made females as well as males . 28 how man came to be lord over the rest of living creatures . 30 how it came to passe that man feeds on the better sort of the fruits of the earth , and the beasts on the worse . 1 wee are to recount to you in this book the generations and genealogies of the patriarchs from adam to noah , from noah to abraham , from abraham to joseph , and to continue the history to our own times . but it will not be amisse first to inform you concerning the creation of the world , and the original and beginning of things ; how god made heaven and earth , and all the garnishings of them , before he made man. 2 but the earth at first was but a rude and desolate heap , devoid of herbs , flowers , and trees , and all living creatures , being nothing but a deep miry abysse , covered all over with waters , and there was a very fierce and strong wind that blew upon the waters ; and what made it still more horrid and comfortless , there was as yet no light , but all was inveloped with thick darknesse , and bore the face of a pitchy black and wet tempestuous night . 3 but god let not his work lie long in this sad condition , but commanded light to appear , and the morning brake out upon the face of the abyss , and wheel'd about from east to west , being clearest in the middle of its course about noon , and then abating of its brightnesse towards the west , at last quite dis-appear'd , after such sort as you may often observe the day-light to break forth in the east , and ripen to greater clearnesse , but at last to leave the skie in the west , no sun appearing all the while . 4. and god saw the light , ( for it is a thing very visible ) that it was good , and so separated the darknesse from the light , that they could not both of them be upon the face of the earth together , but had their vicissitudes , and took their turns one after another . 5 and he called the return of the light day , and the return of darkness he called night ; and the evening and the morning made up the first natural day . 6. now after god had made this basis or floor of this greater edifice of the world , the earth , he sets upon the higher parts of the fabrick . he commands therefore that there should be a hollow expansion , firm and transparent , which by its strength should bear up against the waters which are above , and keep them from falling upon the earth in excess . 7. and so it became a partition betwixt the upper & the lower waters ; so that by virtue of this hollow firmament , man might live safe from the violence of such destructive inundations , as one sheltred in a well-pitch'd tent from storm of rain : for the danger of these waters is apparent to the eye , this ceruleous or blew-coloured sea , that over-spreads the diaphanous firmament , being easily discern'd through the body thereof ; and there are very frequent and copious showers of rain descend from above , when as there is no water espyed ascending up thither ; wherefore it must all come from that upper sea , if we do but appeal to our outward sense . 8 now therefore this diaphanous canopy or firmly stretched tent over the whole pavement of the earth , though i cannot say properly that god saw it was good , it being indeed of a nature invisible , yet the use of it shows it to be exceeding good and necessary . and god called the whole capacity of this hollow firmament , heaven . and the evening and the morning made up the second natural day . 9 and now so sure a defence being made against the inundation of the upper waters , that they might not fall upon the earth , god betook himself the next day to order the lower waters , that as yet were spread over the whole face thereof ; at his command therefore the waters fled into one place , and the dry land did appear . 10 and god called the dry land earth ; and the gathering together of the waters he called sea : and i may now properly say , that god saw that it was good , for the sea and the land are things visible enough , and fit objects of our sight . 11 and forthwith before he made either sun , moon ▪ or stars , did god command the earth to bring forth grasse , herbs and flowers , in their full beauty , and fruit-trees , yeilding delicious fruit , though there had as yet been no vicissitude of spring , summer , or autumn , nor any approach of the sun to ripen and concoct the fruit of those trees . whence you may easily discern the foolishnesse of the idolatrous nations , that dote so much on second causes , as that they forget the first , ascribing that to the sun and moon , that was caus'd at first by the immediate command of god. 12 for at his command it was , before there was either sun or moon in the firmament , that the earth brought forth grasse , and herb yeilding seed after his kind , and the tree yeilding fruit , whose seed was in it self , after his kinde ; so that the several sorts of plants might by this means be conserv'd upon the earth . and god saw that it was good . 13 and the evening and the morning made up the third natural day . 14 there have three days past without a sun , as well as three nights without either moon or stars , as you your selves may happily have observ'd some number of moonless and starlesse nights , as well as of sunlesse days , to have succeeded one another : and so it might have been always , had not god said , let there be lights within the firmament of heaven , to make a difference betwixt day and night , and to be peculiar garnishings of either . let them be also for signes of weather ▪ for seasons of the year , and also for periods of days , months , and years . 15 moreover , let them be as lights hung up within the hollow roof or firmament of heaven , to give light to men walking upon the pavement of the earth : and it was so . 16 and god made two great lights ; the greater one , the most glorious & princely object we can see by day , to be as it were the governor and monarch of the day ; the lesser , the most resplendent and illustrious sight we can cast our eyes on by night , to be governesse and queen of the night . and he made , though for their smalnesse they be not so considerable , the stars also . 17 and he placed them all in the firmament of heaven , to give light upon the earth . 18 and to shew their preheminence for external lustre , above what ever else appears by either day or night , and to be peculiar garnishings or ornaments to make a notable difference betwixt the light and the darknesse , the superaddition of the sun to adorn the day , and to invigorate the light thereof , the moon and the stars to garnish the night , and to mitigate the dulnesse and darknesse thereof . and god saw that it was good . 19 and the evening and the morning was the fourth natural day . 20 after this , god commanded the waters to bring forth fish and fowl , which they did in abundance , and the fowl flew above the earth in the open firmament of heaven . 21 and god created great whales also as well as other fishes , that move in the waters ; and god saw that it was good . 22 and god blessed them , saying , be fruitful and multiply , and fill the waters in the seas , and let the fowl multiply on the earth . 23 and the evening and the morning made up the fifth natural day . 24 then god commanded the earth to bring forth all creeping things , and four footed beasts , as before he commanded the waters to send forth fish and fowl ; and it was so . 25 and when god had made the beast of the earth after his kinde , and cattel , and every creeping thing after his kinde , he saw that it was good . 26 and coming at last to his highest master-piece , man , he encouraged himself , saying , go to , let us now make man , and i will make him after the same image and shape that i bear my self ; and he shall have dominion over the fish of the sea , and over the fowls of the air , and over the cattel , and over all the earth , and over every creeping thing , that creepeth upon the earth . 27 so god created man in his own shape and figure , with an upright stature , with legs , hands , arms , with a face and mouth , to speak , and command , as god himself hath : i say , in the image of god did he thus create him . but mistake me not , whereas you conceive of god as masculine , and more perfect , yet you must not understand me , as if god made mankinde so exactly after his own image , that he made none but males ; for i tell you , he made females as well as males , as you shall hear more particularly hereafter . 28 and having made them thus male and female , he bad them make use of the distinction of sexes that he had given them ; and blessing them , god said unto them , be fruitful and multiply , and fill the earth with your off-spring , and be lords thereof , and have dominion also over the fish of the sea , and over the fowls of the air , as well as over beasts and cattel , and every creeping thing that moves upon the earth . 29 and god said , behold , i give you every frugiferous herb which is upon the face of the earth , such as the straw-berry , the several sorts of corn , as rye , wheat , and rice , as also the delicious fruits of trees , to you they shall be for meat . 30 but for the beasts of the earth , and the fowls of the air , and for every living thing that creepeth upon the earth , the worser kind of herbs , and ordinary grasse , i have assign'd for them : and so it came to passe that mankinde are made lords and possessors of the choicest fruits of the earth , and the beasts of the field are to be contented with baser herbage , and the common grasse . 31 and god viewed all the works that he had made , and behold , they were exceeding good ; and the evening and the morning was the sixt natural day . chap. ii. 3 the original of the jewish sabbaths , from gods resting himself from his six days labours . 5 herbs and plants before either rain , gardning or husbandry , and the reason why it was so . 7 adam made of the dust of the ground , and his soul breathed in at his nostrils . 8 the planting of paradise . 9 a wonderful tree there , that would continue youth , and make a man immortal upon earth : another strange tree , viz. the tree of knowledge of good and evil . 11 the rivers of paradise , phasis , gihon , tigris , euphrates . 18 the high commendation of matrimony . 19 adam gives names to all kinde of creatures , except fishes . 21 woman is made of a rib of adam , a deep sleep falling upon him , his minde then also being in a trance . 24 the first institution of marriage . 1 thus the heavens and the earth were finisht , and all the creatures , wherewith they were garnisht and replenisht . 2 and god having within six days perfected all his work , on the seventh day he rested himself . 3 and so made the seventh day an holy day , a festival of rest , because himself then first rested from his works . whence you plainly see the reason and original of your sabbaths . 4 these are the generations of the heavens and of the earth , which i have so compendiously recounted to you , as they were created in the days that the lord made heaven and earth , and the several garnishings of them . 5 but there are some things that i would a little more fully touch upon , and give you notice of , to the praise of god , and the manifesting of his power unto you . as that the herbs and plants of the field did not come up of their own accords out of the earth , before god made them , but that god created them before there were any seeds of any such thing in the earth , and before there was any rain , or men to use gardning or husbandry , for the procuring their growth : so that hereafter you may have the more firm faith in god , for the blessings and fruits of the earth , when the ordinary course of nature shall threaten dearth and scarcity for want of rain and seasonable showers . 6 for there had been no showers when god caused the plants , and herbs of the field to spring up out of the earth ; onely as i told you at the first of all , there was a mighty torrent of water , that rose every where above the earth , and cover'd the universal face of the ground , which yet , god afterward by his almighty power , commanded so into certain bounds , that the residue of the earth was meer dry land . 7 and that you farther may understand how the power of god is exalted above the course of natural causes , god taking of the the dust of his dry ground , wrought it with his hands into such a temper , that it was matter fit to make the body of a man : which when he first had fram'd , was as yet but like a senslesse statue , till coming near unto it with his mouth , he breath'd into the nostrils thereof the breath of life ; as you may observe to this day , that men breath through their nostrils , though their mouths be clos'd . and thus man became a living creature , and his name was called adam , because he was made of the earth . 8 but i should have told you first more at large , how the lord god planted a garden eastward of judea in the countrey of eden , about mesopotamia , where afterwards he put the man adam , whom he after this wise had form'd . 9 and the description of this garden is this : out of the ground made the lord god to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight , and good for food . but amongst these several sorts of trees , there were two of singular notice , that stood planted in the midst of the garden ; the one of which had fruit of that wonderful virtue , as to continue youth and strength , and to make a man immortal upon earth , wherefore it was call'd the tree of life . there was also another tree planted there , of whose fruit if a man ate , it had this strange effect , that it would make a man know the difference betwixt good and evil ; for the lord god had so ordain'd , that if adam touched the forbidden fruit thereof , he should by his disobedience feel the sense of evil as well as good ; wherefore by way of anticipation it was called the tree of knowledge of good and evil . 10 and there was a river went out of eden to water the garden , and from thence it was parted , and became into four heads . 11 the name of the first was phasis , or phasi-tigris , which compasses the whole land of the chaulateans , where there is gold. 12 and the gold of that land is excellent ; there is also found bdellium and the onyx-stone . 13 and the name of the second river is gihon , the same is it that compasseth the whole land of the arabian-aethiopia . 14 and the name of the third river is tigris , that is that which goeth towards the east of assyria , and the fourth river is euphrates . 15 and the lord god took the man adam by the hand , and led him into the garden of eden , and laid commands upon him to dresse it , and look to it , and to keep things handsome and in order in it , and that it should not be any wise spoil'd or misus'd by incursions or careless ramblings of the heedlesse beasts . 16 and the lord god recommended unto adam all the trees of the garden for very wholesome and delightful food , bidding him freely eat thereof . 17 only he excepted the tree of knowledge of good and evil , which he strictly charg'd him to forbear , for if he ever tasted thereof , he should assuredly die . 18 but to the high commendation of matrimony be it spoken , though god had placed adam in so delightful a paradise , yet his happinesse was but maimed and imperfect , till he had the society of a woman : for the lord god said , it is not good that man should be alone , i will make him an help meet for him . 19 now out of the ground the lord god had form'd every beast of the field , and every fowl of the air , and these brought he unto adam , to see what he would call them , and whatsoever adam called every living creature , that was the name thereof . 20 and adam gave names to all cattel , and to the fowls of the air , and to every beast of the field , but he could not so kindly take acquaintance with any of these , or so fully enjoy their society , but there was still some considerable matter wanting to make up adams full felicity , and there was a meet help to be found out for him . 21 wherefore the lord god caus'd a deep sleep to fall upon adam ; & lo , as he slept upon the ground , he fell into a dream , how god had put his hand into his side , and pulled out one of his ribs , closing up the flesh in stead thereof : 22 and how the rib , which the lord god had taken from him , was made into a woman , and how god when he had thus made her , took her by the hand , and brought her unto him . and he had no sooner awakened , but he found his dream to be true , for god stood by him with the woman in his hand which he had brought . 23 wherefore adam being pre-advertised by the vision , was presently able to pronounce , this is now bone of my bone , and flesh of my flesh : what are the rest of the creatures to this ? and he bestowed upon her also a fitting name , calling her woman , because she was taken out of man. 24 and the lord god said , thou hast spoken well , adam : and for this cause shall a man leave his father and mother , and shall cleave unto his wife , and they two shall be one flesh : so strict and sacred a tie is the band of wedlock . 25 and they were both naked , adam and his wife , and were not ashamed ; but how the shame of being seen naked came into the world , i shall declare unto you hereafter . chap. iii. 1 a subtile serpent in paradise , indued with both reason , and the power of speech , deceives the woman . 2 the dialogue betwixt the woman and the serpent . 7 how the shame of nakednesse came into the world . 8 god walks in the garden ; and calls to adam . 10 the dialogue betwixt adam and god. 14 the reasons why serpents want feet , and creep upon the ground . 15 the reason of the antipathy betwixt men and serpents . 16 as also of womens pangs in child-bearing , and of their being bound in subjection to their husbands . 18 also of the barrennesse of the earth , and of mans toil and drudgery . 21 god teacheth adam and eve the use of leathern clothing . 24 paradise haunted with apparitions : adam frighted from daring to taste of the tree of life , whence his posterity became mortal to this very day . 1 and truly it cannot but be very obvious for you to consider often with your selves , not onely how this shame of nakedness came into the world , but the toil and drudgery of tillage and husbandry ; the grievous pangs of childe-bearing ; and lastly , what is most terrible of all , death it self : of all which , as of some other things also , i shall give you such plain and intelligible reasons , that your own hearts could not wish more plain and more intelligible . to what an happy condition adam was created , you have already heard ; how he was placed by god in a garden of delight , where all his senses were gratified with the most pleasing objects imaginable ; his eyes with the beautie of trees and flowers , and various delightsome forms of living creatures , his ears with the sweet musical accents of the canorous birds , his smell with the fragrant odours of aromatick herbs , his taste with variety of delicious fruit , and his touch with the soft breathings of the air in the flowry alleys of this ever-springing paradise . adde unto all this , that pleasure of pleasures , the delectable conversation of his beautiful bride , the enjoyments of whose love neither created care to himself , nor pangs of childe-bearing to her : for all the functions of life were performed with ease and delight ; and there had been no need for man to sweat for the provision of his family , for in this garden of eden there was a perpetual spring , and the vigour of the soil prevented mans industry ; and youth and jollity had never left the bodies of adam and his posterity , because old age and death were perpetually to be kept off by that soveraign virtue of the tree of life . and i know , as you heartily could wish , this state might have ever continued to adam and his seed , so you eagerly expect to hear the reason why he was depriv'd of it ; and in short it is this , his disobedience to a commandement which god had given him ; the circumstances whereof i shall declare unto you , as followeth . amongst those several living creatures which were in paradise , there was the serpent also , whom you know to this very day to be full of subtilty , & therefore you will lesse wonder , if when he was in his perfection , he had not onely the use of reason , but the power of speech . it was therefore this serpent that was the first occasion of all this mischief to adam and his posterity ; for he cunningly came unto the woman , and said unto her , is it so indeed , that god has commanded you that you shall not eat of any of the trees of the garden ? 2 and the woman answered unto the serpent , you are mistaken , god hath not forbid us to eat of all the fruit of the trees of the garden . 3 but indeed of the fruit of the tree in the midst of the garden , god hath strictly charged us , ye shall not eat of it , neither shall ye touch it , lest ye die . 4 but the serpent said unto the woman , tush , i warrant you , this is only but to terrifie you , and abridge you of that liberty and happinesse you are capable of , you shall not so certainly die . 5 but god knows the virtue of that tree full well , that so soon as you eat thereof , your eyes shall be opened , and you shall become as gods , knowing good and evil . 6 and when the woman saw , that the tree was good for food , and that it was pleasant to the eye , and a tree to be desired to make one wise , she took of the fruit and did eat , and gave also to her husband with her , and he did eat . 7 and the eyes of them both were opened , and they knew they were naked , and were ashamed , and therefore they sewed fig-leaves together , and made themselves aprons to cover their parts of shame . 8 and the lord god came into the garden toward the cool of the evening , and walking in the garden , call'd for adam ; but adam had no sooner heard his voice , but he and his wife ran away into the thickest of the trees of the garden , to hide themselves from his presence . 9 but the lord god called unto adam the second time , and said unto him , adam where art thou ? 10 then adam was forc't to make answer , and said , i heard thy voice in the garden , and i was afraid , because i was naked , and so i hid my self . 11 then god said unto him , who hath made thee so wise , that thou shouldst know that thou art naked , or wantest any covering ? hast thou eaten of the forbidden fruit ? 12 and adam excus'd himself , saying , the woman whom thou recommendedst to me for a meet help , she gave me of the fruit , and i did eat . 13 and the lord god said unto the woman , what is this that thou hast done ? and the woman excus'd her self , saying , the serpent beguiled me , and i did eat . 14 then the lord god gave sentence upon all three ; and to the serpent he said , because thou hast done this , thou art cursed above all cattel , and above every beast of the field ; and whereas hitherto thou hast been able to bear thy body aloft , and go upright , thou shalt henceforth creep upon thy belly , like a worm , and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life . 15 and there shall be a perpetual antipathy betwixt not only the woman and thee , but betwixt her seed and thy seed : for universal mankind shall abhorre thee , and hate all the cursed generations that come of thee . they indeed shall busily lie in wait to sting mens feet , which their skill in herbs however shall be able to cure ; but they shall knock all serpents on the head , and kill them without pity or remorse , deservedly using thy seed as their deadly enemy . 16 and the doom of the woman was , her sorrow and pangs in childe-bearing , and her subjection to her husband . which law of subjection is generally observed in the nations of the world unto this very day . 17 and the doom of adam was , the toil of husbandry upon barren ground . 18 for the earth was cursed for his sake , which is the reason that it brings forth thorns , and thistles , and other weeds , that husbandmen could wish would not cumber the ground , upon which they bestow their toilsome labor . 19 thus in the sweat of his face was adam to eat his bread , till he return to the dust out of which he was taken . 20 and adam called his wife eve , because she was the mother of all men that ever were born into the world , and lived upon the face of the earth . 21 and the generations of men were clothed at first with the skins of wilde beasts , the use of which god taught adam and eve in paradise . 22 and when they were thus accoutred for their journey , and armed for greater hardship , god turns them both out : and the lord god said concerning adam , deriding him for his disobedience , behold , adam is become as one of us , to know good and evil : let us look to him now , lest he put his hand to the tree of life , and so make himself immortal . 23 therefore the lord god sent him forth from the garden of eden , to till the ground , from whence he was taken . 24 so he drove out adam , and his wife was forced to follow him : for there was no longer staying in paradise , because the place was terribly haunted with spirits , and fearful apparitions appeared at the entrance thereof , winged men with fiery flaming swords in their hands , brandished every way , so that adam durst never adventure to go back to taste of the fruit of the tree of life : whence it is that mankinde hath continued mortal to this very day . the philosophick cabbala . chap. i. 1 the world of life or forms , and the potentiality of the visible vniverse created by the tri-une god , and referr'd to a monad or unite . 6 the vniversal immense matter of the visible world created out of nothing , and referr'd to the number two. 7 why it was not said of this matter that it was good . 9 the ordering of an earth or planet for making it conveniently habitable , referr'd to the number three . 14 the immense aethereal matter , or heaven , contriv'd into suns or planets , as well primary as secondary , viz. as well earths as moons , and referr'd to the number four. 20 the replenishing of an earth with fish and fowl , referr'd to the number five . 24 the creation of beasts and cattel , but more chiefly of man himself , referr'd to the number six . 1 our designe being to set out the more conspicuous parts of the external creation , before we descend to the genealogies and successions of mankinde ; there are two notable objects present themselves to our understanding , which we must first take notice of , as having an universal influence upon all that follows : and these i do symbolically decypher , the one by the name of heaven and light ; for i mean the same thing by both these tearms ; the other by the name of earth . by heaven or light , you are to understand the whole comprehension of intellectual spirits , souls of men and beasts , and the seminal forms of all things which you may call , if you please , the world of life . by earth , you are to understand the potentiality , or capability of the existence of the outward creation : this possibility being exhibited to our mindes as the result of the omnipotence of god , without whom nothing would be , and is indeed the utmost shadow and darkest projection thereof . the tri-une god therefore by his eternall wisdome first created this symbolical heaven and earth . 2 and this earth was nothing but solitude and emptinesse , and it was a deep bottomless capacity of being what ever god thought good to make out of it , that implyed no contradiction to be made . and there being a possibility of creating things after sundry and manifold manners , nothing was yet determined , but this vast capability of things was unsettled , fluid , and of it self undeterminable as water : but the spirit of god , who was the vehicle of the eternal wisdome , and of the super-essential goodnesse , by a swift forecast of counsel and discourse of reason truly divine , such as at once strikes through all things , and discerns what is best to be done , having hover'd a while over all the capacities of this fluid possibilitie , forthwith settled upon what was the most perfect and exact . 3 wherefore the intire deity by an inward word , which is nothing but wisdome and power , edg'd with actual will , with more ease then we can present any notion or idea to our own mindes , exhibited really to their own view the whole creation of spiritual substances , such as angels are in their inward natures , the souls of men , and other animals , and the seminal forms of all things , so that all those , as many as ever were to be of them , did really and actually exist without any dependency on corporeall matter . 4 and god approved of , and pleased himself in all this as good ; but yet though in designe there was a settlement of the fluid darknesse or obscure possibility of the outward creation , yet it remained as yet but a dark possibility : and a notorious distinction indeed there was betwixt this actual spiritual creation , and the dimme possibility of the material or outward world . 5. insomuch that the one might very well be called day , and the other night : because the night does deface and obliterate all the distinct figures and colours of things ; but the day exhibits them all orderly and clearly to our sight . thus therefore was the immateriall creature perfectly finisht , being an inexhaustible treasury of light and form , for the garnishing and consummating the material world , to afford a morning or active principle to every passive one , in the future parts of the corporeal creation . but in this first days work , as we will call it , the morning and evening are purely metaphysical ; for the active and passive principles here are not two distinct substances , the one material , the other spiritual . but the passive principle is matter meerly metaphysical , and indeed no real or actual entity ; and , as hath been already said , is quite divided from the light or spiritual substance , not belonging to it , but to the outward world , whose shadowy possibility it is . but be they how they will , this passive and active principle are the first days work : a monad or unite being so fit a symbole of the immaterial nature . 6 and god thought again , and invigorating his thought with his will and power , created an immense deal of reall and corporeall matter , a substance which you must conceive to lie betwixt the foresaid fluid possibility of natural things , and the region of seminall forms ; not that these things are distinguisht locally , but according to a more intellectual order . 7 and the thought of god arm'd with his omnipotent will took effect , and this immensely diffused matter was made . but he was not very forward to say it was good , or to please himself much in it , because he foresaw what mischief straying souls , if they were not very cautious , might bring to themselves , by sinking themselves too deep therein . besides it was little worth , till greater polishings were bestowed upon it , and his wisdome had contrived it to fitting uses , being nothing as yet , but a boundlesse ocean of rude invisible matter . 8 wherefore this matter was actuated and agitated forthwith by some universal spirit , yet part of the world of life , whence it became very subtile and ethereal ; so that this matter was rightly called heaven , and the union of the passive and active principle in the creation of this material heaven , is the second days work , and the binarie denotes the nature thereof . 9 i shall also declare unto you , how god orders a reall materiall earth , when once it is made , to make it pleasant and delightful for both man and beast . but for the very making of the earth , it is to be referred to the following day . for the stars and planets belong to that number ; and as a primary planet in respect of its reflexion of light is rightly called a planet , so in respect of its habitablenesse , it is as rightly tearmed an earth . these earths therefore god orders in such sort , that they neither want water to lie upon them , nor be covered over with water , though they be invironed round with the fluid air . 10 but he makes it partly dry land , and partly sea , rivers , and springs , whose convenience is obvious for every one to conceive . 11 he adorns the ground also with grasse , herbs , and flowers , and hath made a wise provision of seed , that they bring forth , for the perpetuation of such useful commodities upon the face of the earth . 12 for indeed these things are very good and necessary both for man and beast . 13 therefore god prepared the matter of the earth so , as that there was a vital congruity of the parts thereof , with sundry sorts of seminall forms of trees , herbs , and choicest kinds of flowers ; and so the body of the earth drew in sundry principles of plantall life , from the world of life , that is at hand every where ; and the passive and active principle thus put together , made up the third days work , and the ternary denotes the nature thereof . 14 the ternary had allotted to it , the garnishing of an earth with trees , flowers , and herbs , after the distinction of land and sea : as the quinary hath allotted to it , the replenishing of an earth with fish and fowl ; the senary with man and beast . but this fourth day comprehends the garnishing of the body of the whole world , viz. that vast and immense ethereal matter , which is called the fluid heaven , with infinite numbers of sundry sorts of lights , which gods wisdome and power , by union of fit and active principles drawn from the world of life , made of this ethereal matter , whose usefulnesse is plain in nature , that they are for prognostick signes , and seasons , and days , and years . 15 as also for administring of light to all the inhabitants of the world ; that the planets may receive light from their fountains of light , and reflect light one to another . 16 and there are two sorts of these lights that all the inhabitants of the world must acknowledge great every where , consulting with the outward sight , from their proper stations . and the dominion of the greater of these kinde of lights is conspicuous by day ; the dominion of the lesser by night : the former we ordinarily call a sun , the other a moon ; which moon is truly a planet and opake , but reflecting light very plentifully to the beholders sight , and yet is but a secondary or lesser kind of planet ; but he made the primary and more eminent planets also , and such an one is this earth we live upon . 17 and god placed all these sorts of lights in the thin and liquid heaven , that they might reflect their rayes one upon another , and shine upon the inhabitants of the world . 18 and that their beauty and resplendency might be conspicuous to the beholders of them , whether by day or by night , which is mainly to be understood of the suns , that supply also the place of stars at a far distance , but whose chiefe office it is to make vicissitudes of day and night : and the universal dark aether being thus adorn'd with the goodly and glorious furniture of those several kindes of lights , god approved of it as good . 19 and the union of the passive and active principle was the fourth days work , and the number denotes the nature thereof . 20 and now you have heard of a verdant earth , and a bounded sea , and lights to shine through the air and water , and to gratifie the eyes of all living creatures , whereby they may see one another , and be able to seek their food , you may seasonably expect the mention of sundry animals proper to their elements . wherefore god by his inward word and power , prepared the matter in the waters , and near the waters with several vital congruities , so that it drew in sundry souls from the world of life , which actuating the parts of the matter , caus'd great plenty of fish to swim in the waters , and fowls to flye above the earth in the open air . 21 and after this manner he created great whales also , as well as the lesser kindes of fishes , and he approved of them all as good . 22 and the blessing of his inward word or wisdome was upon them for their multiplication ; for according to the preparation of the matter , the plastical power of the souls that descend from the world of life , did faithfully and effectually work those wise contrivances of male and female , they being once rightly united with the matter , so that by this means the fish filled the waters in the seas , and the fowls multiplyed upon the earth . 23 and the union of the passive and active principle was the fift days work , and the quinary denotes the nature thereof . 24 and god persisted farther in the creation of living creatures , and by espousing new souls from the world of life to the more mediterraneous parts of the matter , created land-serpents , cattel , and the beasts of the field . 25 and when he had thus made them , he approved of them for good . 26 then god reflecting upon his own nature , and viewing himself , consulting with the super-essential goodnesse , the eternal intellect , and unextinguishable love-flame of his omnipotent spirit , concluded to make a far higher kinde of living creature , then was as yet brought into the world ; he made therefore man in his own image , after his own likenesse . for after he had prepared the matter fit for so noble a guest as an humane soul , the world of life was forced to let go what the rightly prepared matter so justly called for . and man appeared upon the stage of the earth , lord of all living creatures . for it was just that he that bears the image of the invisible god , should be supreme monarch of this visible world . and what can be more like god then the soul of man , that is so free , so rational , and so intellectual as it is ? and he is not the lesse like him now he is united to the terrestrial body , his soul or spirit possessing and striking through a compendious collection of all kinde of corporeal matter , and managing it , with his understanding free to think of other things , even as god vivificates and actuates the whole world , being yet wholly free to contemplate himself . wherefore god gave man dominion over the fowls of the air , the fish of the sea , and the beasts of the earth : for it is reasonable the worser should be in subserviency to the better . 27 thus god created man in his own image , he consisting of an intellectual soul , & a terrestrial body actuated thereby . wherefore mankinde became male and female , as other terrestrial animals are . 28 and the benediction of the divine wisdome for the propagation of their kinde , was manifest in the contrivance of the parts that were framed for that purpose : and as they grew in multitudes , they lorded it over the earth , and over-mastered by their power and policy the beasts of the field ; and fed themselves with fish and fowl , and what else pleased them , and made for their content , for all was given to them by right of their creation . 29 and that nothing might be wanting to their delight , behold also divine providence hath prepared for their palate all precious and pleasant herbs for sallads , and made them banquets of the most delicate fruit of the fruit-bearing trees . 30 but for the courser grasse , and worser kinde of herbs , they are intended for the worser and baser kinde of creatures : wherefore it is free for man to seek out his own , and make use of it . 31 and god considering every thing that he had made , approved of it as very good ; and the union of the passive and active principle was the sixt days work : and the senary denotes the nature thereof . chap. ii. 2 gods full and absolute rest from creating any thing of anew , adumbrated by the number seven . 4 suns and planets not only the furniture , but effects of the ethereal matter or heaven . 6 the manner of man and other animals rising out of the earth by the power of god in nature . 8 how it was with adam before he descended into flesh , and became a terrestrial animal . 10 that the four cardinall virtues were in adam in his ethereal or paradisiacal condition . 17 adam in paradise forbidden to taste or relish his own will under pain of descending into the region of death . 18 the masculine and feminine faculties in adam . 20 the great pleasure and solace of the feminine faculties . 21 the masculine faculties laid asleep , the feminine appear and act , viz. the grateful sense of the life of the vehicle . 25 that this sense and joy of the life of the vehicle is in it self without either blame or shame . 1 thus the heavens and the earth were finisht , and all the garnishings of them , such as are trees , flowers , and herbs ; suns , moons , and stars ; fishes , fowls , and beasts of the field , and the chiefest of all , man himself . 2 wherfore god having thus compleated his work in the senary , comprehending the whole creation in six orders of things , he ceased from ever creating any thing more , either in this outward material world , or in the world of life : but his creative power retiring into himself , he enjoyed his own eternal rest , which is his immutable and indefatigable nature , that with ease oversees all the whole compasse of beings , and continues essence , life , and activity to them ; and the better rectifies the worse , and all are guided by his eternal word and spirit ; but no new substance hath been ever created since the six days production of things , nor shall ever be hereafter . 3 for this seventh day god hath made an eternal holy day , or festival of rest to himself , wherein he will only please himself , to behold the exquisite order , and motion , and right nature of things , his wisdome , justice , and mercy unavoidably insinuating themselves , according to the set frame of the world , into all the parts of the creation , he having ministers of his goodnesse and wrath prepared every where : so that himself need but to look on , and see the effects of that nemesis that is necessarily interwoven in the nature of the things themselves which he hath made . this therefore is that sabbath or festival of rest which god himself is said to celebrate in the seventh day , and indeed the number declares the nature thereof . 4 and now to open my minde more fully and plainly unto you , i must tell you that those things which before i tearm'd the garnishings of the heaven and of the earth , they are not only so , but the generations of them : i say , plants and animals were the generations , effects , and productions of the earth , the seminal forms and souls of animals insinuating themselves into the prepared matter thereof , and suns , planets , or earths were the generations or productions of the heavens , vigour and motion being imparted from the world of life to the immense body of the universe , so that what i before called meer garnishings , are indeed the productions or generations of the heavens and of the earth so soon as they were made ; though i do not take upon me to define the time wherein god made the heavens and the earth : for he might do it at once by his absolute omnipotency , or he might , when he had created all substance as well material as immaterial , let them act one upon the other , so , and in such periods of time , as the nature of the production of the things themselves requir'd . 5 but it was for pious purposes that i cast the creation into that order of six dayes , and for the more firmly rooting in the hearts of the people this grand and useful truth , that the omnipotency of god is such , that he can act above and contrary to natural causes , that i mention'd herbs and plants of the field , before i take notice of either rain or man to exercise gardning and husbandry : for indeed according to my former narration there had been no such kinde of rain , as ordinarily nowadays waters the labours of the husbandman . 6 but yet there went up a moist vapour from the earth , which being matur'd and concocted by the spirit of the world , which is very active in the heavens or air , became a precious balmy liquour , and fit vehicle of life , which descending down in some sort like dewy showers upon the face of the earth , moistned the ground , so that the warmth of the sun gently playing upon the surface thereof , prepared matter variously for sundry sorts , not only of seminal forms of plants , but souls of animals also . 7 and man himself rose out of the earth after this manner ; the dust thereof being rightly prepar'd and attemper'd by these unctuous showers and balmy droppings of heaven . for god had so contriv'd by his infinite wisdome , that matter thus or thus prepar'd , should by a vital congruity attract proportional forms from the world of life , which is every where nigh at hand , and does very throngly inequitate the moist and unctuous air . wherefore after this manner was the aereal or ethereal adam conveyed into an earthly body , having his most conspicuous residence in the head or brain : and thus adam became the soul of a terrestrial living creature . 8 but how it is with adam before he descends into this lower condition of life , i shall declare unto you in the aenigmatical narration that follows , which is this ; that the lord god planted a garden eastward in eden , where he had put the man , which afterward he formed into a terrestrial animal : for adam was first wholly ethereal , and placed in paradise , that is , in an happy and joyful condition of the spirit ; for he was placed under the invigorating beams of the divine intellect , and the sun of righteousnesse then shone fairly upon him . 9 and his soul was as the ground which god hath blest , & so brought forth every pleasant tree , and every goodly plant of her heavenly fathers own planting ; for the holy spirit of life had inriched the soil , that it brought forth all manner of pleasant and profitable fruits : and the tree of life was in the midst of this garden of mans soul , to wit , the essential will of god , which is the true root of regeneration ; but to so high a pitch adam as yet had not reacht unto , and the fruit of this tree in this ethereal state of the soul , had been immortality or life everlasting : and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil was there also , viz. his own will. 10 and there was a very pleasant river that water'd this garden , distinguishable into four streams , which are the four cardinal virtues , which are in several degrees in the soul , according to the several degrees of the purity of her vehicle . 11 and the name of the first is pison , which is prudence and experience in things that are comely to be done : for the soul of man is never idle , neither in this world , nor in any state else , but hath some province to make good , and is to promote his interest whose she is : for what greater gratification can there be of a good soul , then to be a dispenser of some portion of that universal good , that god lets out upon the world ? and there can be no external conversation nor society of persons , be they terrestrial , aereab , or ethereal , but forthwith it implies an use of prudence : wherefore prudence is an inseparable accomplishment of the soul : so that pison is rightly deemed one of the rivers even of that celestial paradise . and this is that wisdome which god himself doth shew to the soul by communication of the divine light ; for it is said to compasse the land of havilah . 12. where also idle and uselesse speculations are not regarded , as is plainly declared by the pure and approved gold , bdellium , and onyx , the commodities thereof . 13 and the name of the second river is gihon , which is justice , as is intimated from the fame of the aethiopians , whose land it is said to compasse , as also from the notation of the name thereof . 14 and the name of the third river is hiddekel , which is fortitude , that like a rapid stream bears all down before it , and stoutly resists all the powers of darknesse , running forcibly against assyria , which is situated westward of it . and the fourth river is perath , which is temperance , the nourisher and cherisher of all the plants of paradise ; whereas intemperance , or too much addicting the minde to the pleasure of the vehicle , or life of the matter , be it in what state soever , drowns and choaks those sacret vegetables . as the earth you know , was not at all fruitfull till the waters were removed into one place , and the dry land appeared , when as before it was drowned and slocken with overmuch moisture . 15 in this paradise thus described , had the lord god placed man to dresse it , and to keep it in such good order as he found it . 16 and the divine word or light in man charged him , saying , of every tree of paradise thou mayest freely eat . for all things here are wholesome as well as pleasant , if thou hast a right care of thy self , and beest obedient to my commands . 17 but of the luscious and poisonous fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil , that is , of thine own will , thou shalt not by any means eat : for at what time thou eatest thereof , thy soul shall contract that languor , debility , and unsettlednesse , that in processe of time thou shalt slide into the earth , and be buried in humane flesh , and become an inhabitant of the region of mortality and death . 18 hitherto i have not taken much notice in the ethereal adam of any other faculties , but such as carried him upwards towards virtue and the holy intellect ; and indeed this is the more perfect and masculine adam , which consists in pure subtile intellectual knowledge : but we will now inform you of another faculty of the soul of man , which though it seem inferiour , yet is far from being contemptible , it being both good for himself , and convenient for the terrestrial world ; for this makes him in a capacity of being the head of all the living creatures in the earth , as that faculty indeed is the mother of all mankinde . 19 those higher and more intellectual accomplishments i must confesse , made adam very wise , and of a quick perception . for he knew very well the natures of the beasts of the field , and fowls of the air : i mean not only of the visible and terrestrial creatures , but also of the fallen and unfallen angels , or good and bad genii , and was able to judge aright of them , according to the principles they consisted of , and the properties they had . 20 and his reason and understanding was not mistaken , but he pronounced aright in all . but however , he could take no such pleasure in the external creation of god , and his various works , without having some principle of life , congruously joyning with , and joyfully actuating the like matter themselves consisted of : wherefore god indued the soul of man with a faculty of being united with vital joy and complacency to the matter , as well as of aspiring to an union with god himself , whose divine essence is too highly disproportioned to our poor substances . but the divine life is communicable in some sort to both soul and body , whether it be ethereal , or of grosser consistence : and those wonderful grateful pleasures that we feel , are nothing but the kindely motions of the souls vehicle ; from whence divine joys themselves are by a kinde of reflexion strengthned and advanced . of so great consequence is that vital principle that joyns the soul to the matter of the universe . 21 wherefore god to gratifie adam , made him not indefatigable in his aspirings towards intellectual things , but lassitude of contemplation , & of affectation of immateriality , ( he being not able to receive those things as they are , but according to his poor capacity , which is very small in respect of the object it is exercis'd about ) brought upon himself remisnesse and drowsinesse to such like exercises , till by degrees he fell into a more profound sleep ; at what time divine providence having laid the plot aforehand , that lower vivificative principle of his soul did grow so strong , and did so vigorously and with such exultant sympathy and joy actuate his vehicle , that in virtue of his integrity which he yet retain'd , this became more dear to him , and of greater contentment , then any thing he yet had experience of . 22 i say , when divine providence had so lively and warmly stirr'd up this new sense of his vehicle in him , 23 he straightway acknowledg'd that all the sense and knowledge of any thing he had hitherto , was more lifelesse and evanid , and seemed lesse congruous and grateful unto him , and more estranged from his nature : but this was so agreeable & consentaneous to his soul , that he looked upon it as a necessary part of himself , and called it after his own name . 24 and he thought thus within himself , for this cause will any one leave his over-tedious aspires to unite with the eternal intellect , and universal soul of the world , the immensenesse of whose excellencies are too highly rais'd for us to continue long in their embracements , and will cleave to the joyous and chearful life of his vehicle , and account this living vehicle and his soul one person . 25 thus adam with his new-wedded joy stood naked before god , but was not as yet at all ashamed , by reason of his innocency and simplicity ; for adam neither in his reason nor affection as yet had transgressed in any thing . chap. iii. 1 satan tempts adam , taking advantage upon the invigoration of the life of his vehicle . 2 the dialogue betwixt adam and satan . 6 the masculine faculties in adam , swayed by the feminine ; assent to sin against god. 7 adam excuses the use of that wilde liberty he gave himself , discerning the plastick power somewhat awakened in him . 8 a dispute betwixt adam and the divine light , arraigning him at the tribunal of his own conscience . 14 satan strucken down into the lower regions of the air. 15 a prophecy of the incarnation of the soul of the messias , and of his triumph over the head and highest powers of the rebellious angels . 16 a decree of god to sowre and disturb all the pleasures and contentments of the terrestrial life . 20 adam again excuses his fall , from the usefulnesse of his presence and government upon earth . 21 adam is fully incorporated into flesh , and appears in the true shape of a terrestrial animal . 24 that immortality is incompetible to the earthly adam , nor can his soul reach it , till she return into her ethereal vehicle . 1 now the life of the vehicle being so highly invigorated in adam , by the remission of exercise in his more subtile and immaterial faculties , he was fit with all alacrity and chearfulnesse to pursue any game set before him ; and wanted nothing but fair external opportunity to call him out into action . which one of the evil genii or faln angels observing , which had no small skill in doing mischief , having in all likelihood practised the same villany upon some of his own orders , and was the very ring leader of rebellion against god , and the divine light ; for he was more perversely subtile then all the rest of the evil genii or beasts of the field , which god had mad● angels ; but their beastiality they contract●● by their own rebellion . for every thing 〈◊〉 hath sense and understanding , and wants the divine life in it , in the judgement of all wise and good men is truly a beast . this old serpent therefore the subtilest of all the beasts of the field , cunningly assaulted adam with such conference as would surely please his feminine part , which was now so invigorated with life , that the best news to her would be the tidings of a commission to do any thing : wherefore the serpent said to the feminized adam , why are you so demure , and what makes you so bound up in spirit ? is it so indeed that god has confined you , taken away your liberty , and forbidden you all things that you may take pleasure in ? 2 and adam answered him , saying , no ; we are not forbidden any thing that the divine life in us approves as good and pleasant . 3 we are only forbidden to feed on our own will , and to seek pleasures apart and without out the approbation of the will of god. for if our own will get head in us , we shall assuredly descend into the region of mortality , and be cast into a state of death . 4 but the serpent said unto adam , tush , this is but a panick fear in you , adam , you shall not so surely die as you conceit . 5 the only matter is this ; god indeed ●●ves to keep his creatures in awe , and to hold them in from ranging too farre , and reaching too high ; but he knows very well , that if you take but your liberty with us , and satiate your selves freely with your own will , your eyes will be wonderfully opened , and you will meet with a world of variety of experiments in things , so that you will grow abundantly wise , and like gods know all things whatsoever , whether good or evil . 6 now the feminine part in adam was so tickled with this doctrine of the old deceiver , that the concupiscible began to be so immoderate , as to resolve to do any thing that may promote pleasure and experience in things , & snatcht away with it adams will and reason by his heedlesnesse and inadvertency . so that adam was wholly set upon doing things at randome ; according as the various toyings and titillations of the lascivient life of the vehicle suggested to him , no longer consulting with the voice of god , or taking any farther aim by the inlet of the divine light. 7 and when he had tired himself with a rabble of toyes , and unfruitful or unsatisfactory devices , rising from the multifarious workings of the particles of his vehicle , at last the eyes of his faculties were opened , and they perceived how naked they were ; he having as yet neither the covering of the heavenly nature , nor the terrestrial body . only they sewed fig-leaves together , and made some pretences of excuse , from the vigour of the plantal life that now in a thinner maner might manifest it self in adam , and predispose him for a more perfect exercise of his plastick power , when the prepared matter of the earth shall drink him in . 8 in the mean time the voice of god , or the divine wisdome spake to them in the cool of the day , when the hurry of this mad carreer had well slaked . but adam now with his wife was grown so out of order , and so much estranged from the life of god , that they hid themselves at the sensible approach thereof , as wilde beasts run away into the wood at the sight of a man. 9 but the divine light in the conscience of adam pursued him , and upbraided unto him the case he was in . 10 and adam acknowledged within himself how naked he was , having no power , nor ornaments , nor abilities of his own , and yet that he had left his obedience and dependence upon god : wherefore he was ashamed , and hid himself at the approach of the divine light manifesting it self unto him to the reprehension and rebuke of him . 11 and the divine light charg'd all this misery and confusion that had thus overtaken him , upon the eating of the forbidden fruit , the luscious dictates of his own will. 12 but adam again excus'd himself within himself , that it was the vigour and impetuosity of that life in the vehicle which god himself implanted in it , whereby he miscarried : the woman that god had given him . 13 and the divine light spake in adam concerning the woman ; what work hath she made here ? but the woman in adam excused her self ; for she was beguiled by that grand deceiver the serpent . in this confusion of mind was adam by forsaking the divine light , and letting his own will get head against it . for it so changed the nature of his vehicle , that ( whereas he might have continued in an angelical and ethereal condition , and his feminine part been brought into perfect obedience to the divine light , and had joyes multiplyed upon the whole man beyond all expression and imagination for ever ) he now sunk more and more towards a mortal and terrestrial estate , himself not being unsensible thereof , as you shall hear , when i have told you the doom of the eternal god concerning the serpent and him . 14 things therefore having been carried on in this wise , the eternal lord god decreed thus with himself concerning the serpent and adam : that this old serpent , the prince of the rebellious angels , should be more accursed then all the rest ; and , ( whereas he lorded it aloft in the higher parts of the air , and could glide in the very ethereal region , amongst the innocent and unflan souls of men , and the good angels before ) that he should now sweep the dust with his belly , being cast lower towards the surface of the earth . 15 and that there should be a general enmity and abhorrency betwixt this old serpent , as also all of his fellow-rebels , and betwixt mankinde . and that in processe of time the ever faithful and obedient soul of the messias should take a body , and should trample over the power of the devil , very notoriously here upon earth , and after his death should be constituted prince of all the angelical orders whatever in heaven . 16 and concerning adam , the eternal lord god decreed that he should descend down to be an inhabitant of the earth , and that he should not there indulge to himself the pleasures of the body , without the concomitants of pain and sorrow , and that his feminine part , his affections should be under the chastisement and correction of his reason . 17 that he should have a wearisome and toilsome travail in this world , 18 the earth bringing forth thorns and thistles , though he must subsist by the corn of the field . 19 wherefore in the sweat of his browes he should eat his bread , till he returned unto the ground , of which his terrestrial body is made . this was the counsel of god concerning adam and the serpent . 20 now , as i was a telling you , adam though he was sinking apace into those lower functions of life , yet his minde was not as yet grown so fully stupid , but he had the knowledge of his own condition , and added to all his former apologies , that the feminine part in him , though it had seduced him , yet there was some use of this mis-carriage , for the earth would hence be inhabited by intellectual animals : wherefore he call'd the life of his vehicle , eve , because she is indeed the mother of all the generations of men that live upon the earth . 21 at last the plastick power being fully awakened , adams soul descended into the prepared matter of the earth , and in due processe of time adam appear'd cloth'd in the skin of beasts ; that is , he became a down-right terrestrial animal , and a mortal creature upon earth . 22 for the eternal god had so decreed , and his wisdome , mercy , and justice did but , if i may so speak , play and sport together in the businesse . and the rather , because adam had but precipitated himself into that condition , which in due time might have faln to his share by course ; for it is fitting there should be some such head among the living creatures of the earth , as a terrestrial adam , but to live always here were his disadvantage . 23 wherefore when god remov'd him from that higher condition , 24 he made sure he should not be immortal , nor is he in any capacity of reaching unto the tree of life , without passing through his fiery vehicle , and becoming a pure and defecate ethereal spirit : then he may be admitted to taste the fruit of the tree of life and immortality , and so live for ever . the moral cabbala . chap. i. 1 man a microcosme or little world , in whom there are two principles , spirit and flesh . 2 the earthly or fleshly nature appears first . 4 the light of conscience unlistned to . 6 the spirit of savory and affectionate discernment betwixt good and evil . 10 the inordinate desires of the flesh driven aside and limited . 11 hereupon the plants of righteousnesse bear fruit and flourish . 16 the hearty and sincere love of god , and a mans neighbour , is as the sun in the soul of man. notionality and opinions the weak and faint light of the dispersed stars . 18 those that walk in sincere love , walk in the day : they that are guided by notionality , travel in the night . 22 the natural concupiscible brings forth by the command of god , and is corrected by devotion . 24 the irascible also brings forth . 26 christ the image of god is created , being a perfect ruler over all the motions of the irascible and concupiscible . 29 the food of the divine life . 30 the food of the animal life . 31 the divine wisdome approves of whatsoever is simply natural , as good . 1 wee shall set before you in this history of genesis , several eminent examples of good and perfect men , such as abel , seth , enoch , abraham , and the like : wherefore we thought fit , though aenigmatically , and in a dark parable , to shadow out in general the manner of progresse to this divine perfection ; looking upon man as a microcosm or a little world , who if he hold out the whole progresse of the spiritual creation , the processe thereof will be figuratively understood as follows wherefore first of all , i say , that by the will of god every man living on the face of the earth hath these two principles in him , heaven and earth , divinity and animality , spirit and flesh . 2 but that which is animal or natural operates first , the spiritual or heavenly life lying for a while closed up at rest in its own principle . during which time , and indeed some while afterwards too , the animal or fleshly life domineers in darknesse and deformity ; the mighty tempestuous passions of the flesh contending and strugling over that abysse of unsatiable desire which has no bottome , and which in this case carries the minde to nothing but emptinesse and unprofitablenesse . 3 but by the will of god it is , that afterwards the day-light appears , though not in so vigorous measure , out of the heavenly or spiritual principle . 4 and conscience being thus enlightned , offers her self a guide to a better condition ; and god has fram'd the nature of man so , that he cannot but say , that this light is good , and distinguish betwixt the dark tumultuous motions of the flesh and it : 5 and say , that there is as true a difference , as betwixt the natural day and night . and thus ignorance and enquiry was the first days progresse . 6 but though there be this principle of light set up in the conscience of man , and he cannot say any thing against it , but that it is good and true , yet has he not presently so lively and savoury a relish in his distinction betwixt the evil and the good : for the evil as yet wholly holds his affections , though his fancy and reason be toucht a little with the theoretical apprehensions of what is good ; wherefore by the will of god the heavenly principle in due time becomes a spirit of savoury and affectionate discernment betwixt the evil and the good ; betwixt the pure waters that flow from the holy spirit , and the muddy and tumultuous suggestions of the flesh . 7 and thus is man enabled in a living manner to distinguish betwixt the earthly and heavenly life . 8 for the heavenly principle is now made to him a spirit of savoury discernment , and being taught by god after this manner , he will not fail to pronounce , that this principle , whereby he has so quick and lively a sense of what is good and evil , is heavenly indeed : and thus ignorance and enquiry is made the second days progresse . 9 now the sweetnesse of the upper waters being so well relisht by man , he has a great nauseating against the lower feculent waters of the unbounded desires of the flesh ; so that god adding power to his will , the inordinate desires of the flesh are driven within set limits , and he has a command over himself to become more stayed and steady . 10 and this steadinesse and command he gets over himself , he is taught by the divine principle in him to compare to the earth or dry land for safenesse and stability ; but the desires of the flesh , he looks upon as a dangerous and turbulent sea : wherefore the bounding of them thus , and arriving to a state of command over a mans self , and freedome from such colluctations and collisions as are found in the working seas , the divine nature in him could not but approve as good . 11 for so it comes to passe by the will of god , and according to the nature of things , that this state of sobriety in man , ( he being in so good a measure rid of the boisterousnesse of evil concupiscence ) gives him leisure so to cultivate his minde with principles of virtue and honesty , that he is as a fruitful field whom the lord hath blessed , 12 sending forth out of himself sundry sorts of fruit-bearing trees , herbs , and flowers ; that is , various kindes of good works , to the praise of god , and the help of his neighbour ; and god and his own conscience witnesse to him , that this is good . 13 and thus ignorance and inquiry is made the third days progresse . 14 now when god has proceeded so far in the spiritual creation , as to raise the heavenly principle in man to that power and efficacy that it takes hold on his affections , and brings forth laudable works of righteousnesse , he thereupon adds a very eminent accession of light and strength , setting before his eyes sundry sorts of luminaries in the heavenly or intellectual nature , whereby he may be able more notoriously to distinguish betwixt the day and the night ; that is , betwixt the condition of a truly illuminated soul , and one that is as yet much benighted in ignorance , and estranged from the true knowledge of god. for according to the difference of these lights , it is signified to a man in what condition himself or others are in , whether it be indeed day or night with them , summer or winter , spring time or harvest , or what period or progresse they have made in the divine life . 15 and though there be so great a difference betwixt these lights , yet the meanest are better then meer darknesse , and serve in some measure or other to give light to the earthly man. 16 but among these many lights which god makes to appear to man , there are two more eminent by far then the rest . the greater of which two has his dominion by day , and is a faithful guide to those which walk in the day ; that is , that work the works of righteousnesse . and this greater light is but one , but does being added , mightily invigorate the former day-light man walked by , and it is a more full appearance of the sun of righteousnesse , which is an hearty and sincere love of god , and a mans neighbour . the lesser of these two great lights has dominion by night , and is a rule to those whose inward mindes are held as yet too strongly in the works of darknesse : and it is a principle weak , and variable as the moon , and is called inconstancy of life and knowledge . there are alsoan abundance of other little lights thickly dispersed over the whole understanding of man , as the stars in the firmament , which you may call notionality or multiplicity of ineffectual opinions . 17 but the worst of all these are better then down-right sensuality and brutishnesse , and therefore god may well be said to set them up in the heavenly part of man , his understanding , to give what light they are able to his earthly parts , his corrupt and inordinate affections . 18 and as the sun of righteousnesse , that is , the hearty and sincere love of god , and a mans neighbour , by his single light and warmth with chearfulnesse and safety guides them that are in the day : so that more uneven and changeable principle , and the numerous light of notionality , may conduct them , as well as they are able , that are benighted in darknesse : and what is most of all considerable , a man by the wide difference of these latter lights from that of the day , may discern , when himself or another is benighted in the state of unrighteousnesse . for multifarious notionality and inconstancy of life and knowledge , are certain signs that a man is in the night : but the sticking to this one , single , but vigorous and effectual light , of the hearty and sincere love of god , and a mans neighbour , is a signe that a man walks in the day . and he that is arrived to this condition , plainly discerns in the light of god , that all this is very good . 19 and thus ignorance and inquiry is made the fourth days progresse . 20 and now so noble , so warm , and so vigorous a principle or light as the sun of righteousnesse , being set up in the heavenly part of the soul of man , the unskilful may unwarily expect that the next news will be , that even the seas themselves are dried up with the heat thereof , that is , that the concupiscible in man is quite destroyed : but god doth appoint far otherwise ; for the waters bring forth abundance of fish as well as fowl innumerable . 21 thoughts therefore of natural delights do swim to and fro in the concupiscible of man , and the fervent love he bears to god causes not a many faint ineffectual notions , but an abundance of holy affectionate meditations , and winged ejaculations that fly up heaven-ward , which returning back again , and falling upon the numerous fry of natural concupiscence , help to lessen their numbers , as those fowls that frequent the waters devour the fish thereof . and god and good men do see nothing but good in all this . 22 wherefore god multiplies the thoughts of natural delight in the lower concupiscible , as well as he does those heavenly thoughts and holy meditations , that the entire humanity might be filled with all the degrees of good it is capable of ; and that the divine life might have something to order and overcome . 23 and thus ignorance and inquiry made the fift days progresse . 24 nor does god only cause the waters to bring forth , but the dry land also , several living creatures after their kinde , and makes the irascible fruitful , as well as the concupiscible . 25 for god saw that they were both good , and that they were a fit subject for the heavenly man to exercise his rule and dominion over . 26 for god multiplies strength as well as occasions to employ it upon . and the divine life that hath been under the several degrees of the advancement thereof , so variously represented in the five fore-going progresses , god at last works up to the height , and being compleat in all things , styles it by the name of his own image ; the divine life arrived to this pitch being the right image of him indeed . thus it is therefore , that at last god in our nature fully manifests the true and perfect man , whereby we our selves become good and perfect , who does not only see and affect what is good , but has full power to effect it in all things : for he has full dominion over the fish of the sea , can rule and guide the fowls of the air , and with ease command the beasts of the field , and what ever moveth upon the earth . 27 thus god creates man in his own image , making him as powerful a commander in his little world , over all the thoughts and motions of the concupiscible and irascible , as himself is over the natural frame of the universe or greater world. and this image is male and female , consisting of a clear and free understanding , and divine affection , which are now arrived to that height , that no lower life is able to rebel against them , and to bring them under . 28 for god blesses them and makes them fruitful , and multiplies their noble off-spring in so great and wonderful a measure that they replenish the cultivated nature of man with such an abundance of real truth and equity , that there is no living figure , imagination , or motion of the irascible or concupiscible , no extravagant or ignorant irregularity in religious meditations and devotions , but they are presently moderated and rectified . for the whole territories of the humane nature is every where so well peopled with the several beautiful shapes or idea's of truth and goodnesse , the glorious off-spring of the heavenly adam , christ , that no animal figure can offer to move or wagge amisse , but it meets with a proper corrector and re-composer of its motions . 29 and the divine life in man being thus perfected , he is therewith instructed by god , what is his food , as divine , and what is the food of the animal life in him , viz. the most virtuous , most truly pious , and divine actions he has given to the heavenly adam to feed upon , fulfilling the will of god in all things , which is more pleasant then the choicest sallads , or most delicate fruit the taste can relish . 30 nor is the animal life quite to be starved and pin'd , but regulated and kept in subjection , and therefore they are to have their worser sort of herbs to feed on ; that is , natural actions consentaneous to the principle from whence they flow ; that that principle may also enjoy it self in the liberty of prosecuting what its nature prompts it unto . and thus the sundry modifications of the irascible and concupiscible , as also the various figurations of religious melancholy , and natural devotions , ( which are the fishes , beasts , and fowls in the animal nature of man ) are permitted to feed and refresh themselves in those lower kindes of operations they incline us to ; provided all be approved and rightly regulated by the heavenly adam . 31 for the divine wisdome in man sees and approves all things which god hath created in us , to be very good in their kinde . and thus ignorance and inquiry was the sixt days progresse . chap. ii. 3 the true sabbatisme of the sons of god. 5 a description of men taught by god. 7 the mysterie of that adam that comes by water and the spirit . 9 obedience the tree of life : disobedience the tree of the knowledg of good & evil . 10 the rivers of paradise ; the four cardinal virtues in the soul of man. 17 the life of righteousnesse lost by disobedience . 19 the meer contemplative and spiritual man sees the motions of the animal life , and rigidly enough censures them . 21 that it is incompetible to man perpetually to dwell in spiritual contemplations . 22 that upon the slaking of those , the kindly joy of the life of the body springs out , which is our eve. 23 that this kindly joy of the body is more grateful to man in innocency , then any thing else whatsoever . 25 nor is man mistaken in his judgement thereof . 1 thus the heavenly and earthly nature in man were finisht , and fully replenisht with all the garnishings belonging to them . 2 so the divine wisdome in the humane nature celebrated her sabbath , having now wrought through the toil of all the six days travel . 3 and the divine wisdome looked upon this seventh day as blessed and sacred ; a day of righteousnesse , rest and joy in the holy ghost . 4 these were the generations or pullulations of the heavenly and earthly nature , of the divine and animal life in man , when god created them . 5 i mean those fruitful plants , and pleasant and useful herbs which he himself planted : for i have describ'd unto you the condition of a man taught of god , and instructed and cherisht up by his inward light , where there is no external doctrine to distil as the rain , nor outward gardener to intermeddle in gods husbandry . 6 only there is a fountain of water , which is repentance from dead works , and bubbles up in the earthly adam , so as universally to wash all the ground . 7 and thus the nature of man being prepar'd for further accomplishments , god shapes him into his own image , which is righteousnesse and true holinesse , and breathes into him the spirit of life : and this is that adam which is born of water and the spirit . 8 hitherto i have shewed unto you how mankinde is raised up from one degree of spiritual light and righteousnesse unto another , till we come at last to that full command and perfection in the divine life , that a man may be said in some sort thus to have attain'd to the kingdome of heaven , or found a paradise upon earth . the narration that follows shall instruct you and forewarn you of those evil courses , whereby man loses that measure of paradisiacal happinesse god estates him in , even while he is in this world . i say therefore , that the lord god planted a garden eastward in eden , and there he put the man whom he had made ; that is , man living under the intellectual rayes of the spirit , and being guided by the morning light of the sun of righteousnesse , is led into a very pleasant and sweet contentment of minde , and the testimony of a good conscience is his great delight . 9 and that the sundry germinations and springings up of the works of righteousnesse in him is a delectable paradise to him , pleasing both the sight and taste of that measure of divine life that is manifested in him : but of all the plants that grow in him , there is none of so soveraign virtue , as that in the midst of this garden ; to wit , the tree of life , which is , a sincere obedience to the will of god : nor any that bears so lethiferous and poisonous fruit , as the tree of the knowledge of good and evil , which is , disobedience to the will of god , as it is manifested in man. for the pleasure of the soul consists in conforming her self faithfully to what she is perswaded in her own conscience is the will of god , what ever others would insinuate to the contrary . 10 and all the fruit-bearing trees of righteousnesse are watered by these four rivers , which winde along this garden of pleasure , which indeed are the four cardinal virtues . 11 the name of the first is pison , which is prudence , not the suggestions of fleshly craft and over-reaching subtilty , but the indications of the spirit or divine intellect , what is fit and profitable and decorous to be done . 12 here is well tryed and certain approved experience , healthful industry , and alacrity to honest labour . 13 and the name of the second river is gihon , which is justice . 14 and the name of the third river is hiddekel , which is fortitude ; and the fourth river is euphrates , which is temperance . 15 this is the paradise where the lord god had placed the man , that he might further cultivate it and improve it . 16 and the divine light manifested in the man , encourag'd the man to eat of the fruits of paradise freely , and to delight himself in all manner of holy understanding and righteousnesse . 17 but withall he bade him have a speciall care how he relisht his own will or power in any thing , but that he should be obedient to the manifest will of god in things great and small , or else assuredly he would lose the life he now lived , and become dead to all righteousnesse and truth . so the man had a special care , and his soul wrought wholly towards heavenly and divine things , and heeded nothing but these , his more noble and masculine faculties being after a manner solely set on work , but the natural life ( in which notwithstanding , if it were rightly guided , there is no sin ) being almost quite forgot and dis-regarded . 18 but the wisdome of god saw that it was not good for the soul of man , that the masculine powers thereof should thus operate alone , but that all the faculties of life should be set a float , that the whole humane nature might be accomplisht with the divine . 19 now the powers of the soul working so wholly upwards towards divine things , the several modifications or figurations of the animal life ( which god acting in the frame of the humane nature , represented to the man , whence he had occasion to view them and judge of them ) by the quick understanding of man was indeed easily discern'd what they were , and he had a determinate apprehension of every particular figuration of the animall life , 20 and did censure them , or pronounce of them , though truly , yet rigidly enough and severely ; but as yet was not in a capacity of taking any delight in them , there was not any of them fit for his turn to please himself in . 21 wherefore divine providence brought it so to passe , for the good of the man , and that he might more vigorously and fully be enrich'd with delight , that the operations of the masculine faculties of the soul were for a while well slaked and consopited ; during which time the faculties themselves were something lessened or weakned , yet in such a due measure and proportion , that considering the future advantage that was expected , that was not miss'd that was taken away , but all as handsome and compleat as before . 22 for what was thus abated in the masculine faculties , was compensated abundantly in exhibiting to the man the grateful sense of the feminine ; for there was no way but this to create the woman , which is to elicite that kindly flowring joy or harmlesse delight of the natural life , and health of the body ; which once exhibited and joyned with simplicity and innocency of spirit , it is the greatest part of that paradise a man is capable of upon earth . 23 and the actuating of the matter being the most proper and essential operation of a soul , man presently acknowledg'd this kindly flowring joy of the body , of nearer cognation and affinity with himself then any thing else he ever had yet experience of , and he loved it as his own life . 24 and the man was so mightily taken with his new spouse , which is , the kindly joy of the life of the body , that he concluded with himself , that any one may with a safe conscience forgoe those more earnest attempts towards the knowledge of the eternal god that created him , as also the performance of those more scrupulous injunctious of his mother the church , so far forth as they are incompetible with the health and ioy of the life of his natural body , and might in such a case rather cleave to his spouse , and become one with her ; provided he still lived in obedience to the indispensable precepts of that superiour light and power that begot him . 25 nor had adam's reason or affection transgressed at all in this ; concluding nothing but what the divine wisdome and equity would approve as true . wherefore adam and his wife as yet sought no corners , nor covering places to shelter them from the divine light ; but having done nothing amisse , appeared naked in the presence of it without any shame or blushing . chap. iii. 1 adam is tempted by inordinate pleasure from the springing up of the joy of the invigorated life of his body . 2 a dialogue or dispute in the minde of adam betwixt the inordinate desire of pleasure , and the natural joy of the body . 6 the will of adam is drawn away to assent to inordinate pleasure . 8 adam having transgressed , is impatient of the presence of the divine light. 10 a long conflict of conscience , or dispute betwixt adams earthly minde , and the divine light , examining him , and setting before him both his present and future condition , if he persisted in rebellion . 20 he adheres to the joy of his body , without reason or measure , notwithstanding all the castigations and monitions of the divine light. 21 the divine light takes leave of adam therefore for the present , with deserved scorn and reproach . 22 the doom of the eternal god concerning laps'd man , that will not suffer them to settle in wickednesse , according to their own depraved wills and desires . 1 but so it came to passe that the life of the body being thus invigorated in man , straightway the slyest and subtilest of all the animal figurations , the serpent , which is the inordinate desire of pleasure , craftily insinuated it self into the feminine part of adam , viz. the kindely joy of the body ; and thus assaulting man , whisper'd such suggestions as these unto him . what a rigid and severe thing is this businesse of religion , and the law of god , as they call it , that deprives a man of all manner of pleasure , and cuts him short of all the contentments of life ? 2 but the womanish part in adam ; to wit , the natural and kindly joy of the body , could witnesse against this , and answered , we may delight our selves with the operations of all the faculties both of soul and body , which god and nature hath bestow'd upon us . 3. only we are to take heed of disobedience , and of promiscuously following our own will ; but we are ever to consult with the will of god , and the divine light manifested in our understandings , and so doe all things orderly and measurably : for if we transgresse against this , we shall die the death , and lose the life of virtue and righteousness , which now is awake in us . 4 but the serpent , which is the inordinate desire of pleasure , befooled adam , through the frailty of his womanish faculties , and made him believe he should not die ; but with safety might serve the free dictates of pleasure or his own will and the will of god , that flesh and spirit might both rule in him , and be no such prejudice the one to the other : 5 but that his skill and experience in things will be more enlarg'd , and so come nearer to divine perfection indeed , and imitate that fulnesse of wisdome which is in god , who knows all things whatsoever , whether good or evil . 6 this crafty suggestion so insinuated it self into adams feminine faculties , that his fleshly concupiscence began to be so strong , that it carried the assent of his will away with it , and the whole man became a lawlesse and unruly creature : for it seem'd a very pleasant thing at first sight to put in execution what ever our own lusts suggest unto us without controll ; and very desirable to try all conclusions to gain experience and knowledge of things . but this brought in nothing but the wisdome of the flesh , and made adam earthly minded . 7 but he had not rambled very far in these dissolute courses , but his eyes were opened , and he saw the difference , how naked now he was , and bare of all strength and power to divine and holy things ; and began to meditate with himself some slight pretences for his notorious folly and disobedience . 8 for the voice of the divine light had come unto him in the cool of the day , when the fury and heat of his inordinate passions was something slaked : but adam could not endure the presence of it , but hid himself from it , meditating what he should answer by way of apology or excuse . 9 but the divine light persisted , and came up closer to him , and upbraided unto him , that he was grown so wilde and estranged from her self , demanding of him in what condition he was , and wherefore he fled . 10 then adam ingenuously confessed that he found himself in such a pitiful poor naked condition , that he was ashamed to appear in the presence of the divine light ; and that was the reason he hid himself from it , because it would so manifestly upbraid to him his nakednesse and deformity . 11 and the divine light farther examined him , how he fell into this sensible beggerly nakednesse he was in , charging the sad event upon his disobedience , that he had fed upon , and taken a surfeit of the fruit of his own will. 12 but adam excused his rational faculties , and said , they did but follow the natural dictate of the joy of the body , the woman that god himself bestowed upon him for an help and delight . 13 but the divine light again blamed adam , that he kept his feminine faculties in no better order nor subjection , that they should so boldly and overcomingly dictate to him such things as are not fit . to which he had nothing to say , but that the subtile serpent , the inordinate desire of pleasure , had beguiled both his faculties , as well masculine as feminine , his will and affection was quite carried away therewith . 14 then the divine light began to chastise the serpent , in the hearing of adam , pronouncing of it , that it was more accursed , then all the animal figurations beside ; and that it crept basely upon the belly , tempting to riot and venery , and relishing nothing but earth and dirt . this will always be the guise of it , so long as it lives in a man. 15 but might i once descend so far into the man , as to take possession of his feminine faculties , i would set the natural joy of the body at defiance with the serpent ; and though the subtilty of the serpent may a little wound and disorder the woman for a while , yet her warrantable and free operations , she being actuated by divine vigour , should afterward quite destroy and extinguish the seed of the serpent ; to wit , the operations of the inordinate desire of pleasure . 16 and she added farther in the hearing of adam concerning the woman , as she thus stood dis-joyn'd from the heavenly life , and was not obedient to right reason , that by a divine nemesis , she should conceive with sorrow , and bring forth vanity ; and that her husband , the earthly minded adam , should tyrannize over her , and weary her out , and foil her ; so that the kindly joy of the health and life of the body , should be much depraved , or made faint and languid , by the unbridled humours , and impetuous luxury and intemperance of the earthly minded adam . 17 and to adam he said , who had become so earthly minded , by listening to the voice of his deceived woman , and so acting disobediently to the will of god ; that his flesh or earth was accursed for his sake , with labour and toil should he reap the fruits thereof all the while he continued in this earthly mindednesse . 18 cares also and anxieties shall it bring forth unto him , and his thoughts shall be as base as those of the beasts in the field ; he shall ruminate of nothing but what is earthly and sensual . 19 with sweat and anguish should he labour to satisfie his hunger and insatiablenesse , till he returned to the principle out of which he was taken ; for the earthly mindednesse came from this animated earth , the body ; and is to shrinke up againe into its owne principle , and to perish . 20 after all these castigations and premonitions of the divine light , adam was not sufficiently awakened to the sense of what was good , but his minde was straightway taken up againe with the delights of the flesh , and dearly embracing the joy of his body , for all she was grown so inordinate , called her my life , professing she was the noursing mother and chiefe comfort of all men living , and none could subsist without her . 21 then the divine wisdome put hairy coates made of the skins of wilde beasts upon adam and his wife , and deservedly reproached them , saying , now get you gone for a couple of brutes . and adam would have very gladly escaped so , if he might , and set up his rest for ever in the beastiall nature . 22 but the eternall god of heaven , whose providence reaches to all things , and whose mercy is over all his workes , looking upon adam , perceived in what a pitifull ridiculous case he was ; who seeking to be like unto god for knowledge and freedome , made himselfe no better then a beast , and could willingly have lived for ever in that baser kinde of nature ; wherefore the eternall lord god , in compassion to adam , designed the contrary , and deriding his boldnesse and curiosity that made him transgresse , behold , sayes he , adam is become like one of us , knowing good and evill : and can of himselfe enlarge his pleasure , and create new paradises of his owne , which forsooth must have also their tree of life or immortality : and adam would for ever live in this foolish state he hath plac'd himselfe in . 23 but the eternall lord god would not suffer adam to take up his rest in the beastial delight , which he had chosen , but drove him out of this false paradise , which he would have made to himself , and set him to cultivate his fleshly members , out of which his earthly mindednesse was taken . 24 i say , he forcibly drove out adam from this paradise of luxury ; nor could he settle perpetually in the brutish life , because the cherubim with the flaming sword that turned every way , beat him off ; that is , the manly faculties of reason and conscience met him ever and anon in his brutish purposes , and convinced him so of his folly , that he could not set up his rest for ever in this bestial condition . the defence of the threefold cabbala . philo jud. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . that is , that the whole law of moses is like to a living creature , whose body is the literal sense ; but the soul the more inward and hidden meaning , covered under the sense of the letter . r. moses aegypt . non omnia secundum literam intelligenda & accipienda esse quae dicuntur in opere bereschith seu creationis , sicut vulgus hominum existimat . sensum enim illorum literales vel gignunt pravas opiniones de natura dei opt. max. vel certè fundamenta legis evertunt , heresínque aliquam introducunt . london , printed by james flesher . 1653. the preface to the reader . reader . the cabbala's thou hast read being in all likelihood so strange and unexpected , especially the philosophical , that the defence it self , which should cure and cese thy amazement , may not occasion in any passage thereof , any further scruple or offence , i thought fit a while to interrupt thee , that whatever i conjecture may lesse satisfie , may afore-hand be strengthned by this short preface . and for my own part i cannot presage what may be in any shew of reason alledged by any man , unlesse it be , the unusual mysterie of numbers ; the using of the authority of the heathen in explication of scripture ; the adding also of miracles done by them for the further confirming their authority ; and lastly , the strangeness of the philosophical conclusions themselves . now for the mysterie of numbers , that this ancient philosophy of moses should be wrapped up in it , will not seem improbable , if we consider that the cabbala of the creation was conserved in the hands of abraham , and his family , who was famous for mathematicks , ( of which arithmetick is a necessary part ) first amongst the chaldeans , and that after he taught the aegyptians the same arts , as historians write . besides prophetical and aenigmatical writings , that it is usual with them to hide their secrets , as under the allusions of names and etymologies , so also under the adumbrations of numbers , it is so notoriously known , and that in the very scriptures themselves , that it needs no proof ; i will instance but in that one eminent example of the number of the beast 666. as for citing the heathen writers so frequently ; you are to consider that they are the wisest and the most virtuous of them , and either such as the fathers say , had their philosophy from moses and the prophets , as pythagoras and plato , or else the disciples or friends of these philosophers . and therefore i thought it very proper to use their testimony in a thing that they seem'd to be so fit witnesses of for the main , as having receiv'd the cabbala from the ancient prophets ; though i will not deny , but they have mingled their own fooleries with it , either out of the wantonnesse of their fancy , or mistake of judgement ; such as are the transmigration of humane souls into brutes ; an utter abstinence from flesh ; too severe reproaches against the pleasures of the body ; vilification of marriage , and the like ; which is no more argument against the main drift of the cabbala , then unwarrantable superstitious opinions , and practises of some deceived churches are against the solid grounds of christianity . again , i do not alledge philosophers alone , but as occasion requires , fathers , and which i conceive as valid in this case , the jewish rabbins , who in things where prejudice need not blinde them , i should think as fit as any , to confirm a cabbalistical sense , especially if there be a general consent of them , and that they do not write their private fancy , but the minde of their whole church . now if any shall take offence at pythagoras his scholars , swearing as is conceived by their master that taught them the mystery of the tetractys , ( as you shall understand more at large in the explication of the fourth days work ) i must profess that i my self am not a little offended with it . but that high reverence they bore to pythagoras , as it is a sign of vanity , and some kind of superstition in them ; so is it also no lesse an argument of a stupendious measure of knowledge and sanctity in pythagoras himself , that he should extort from them so great honour , and that his memory should be so sacred to them . which profound knowledge and sanctity he having got by conversing with the jewish prophets , it ultimately tends to the renown of that church , and consequently to the christian , which inherits those holy oracles which were first peculiar to the jews . but what the followers of pythagoras transgressed in , is no more to be imputed to him , then the superstitions exhibited to the virgin mary can be laid to her charge . besides it may be a question whether in that pythagorick oath , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. they did not swear by god the first author of the cabbala , and that mysterious explication of the tetrctys , that is indeed , of all knowledge divine and natural , who first gave it to adam , and then revived or confirmed it again to moses . or if it must be understood of pythagoras , why may it not be look'd upon as a civill oath , or asseveration , such as joseph's swearing by the life of pharaoh , and noblemen by their honours ? neither of which notwithstanding for my own part i can allow or assure my self that they are meerly civill , but touch upon religion , or rather idolatrous superstition . as for the miracles pythagoras did , though i do not believe all that are recorded of him are true , yet those that i have recited i hold probable enough , they being not unbecoming the worth of the person : but those that suppose the transmigration of humane souls into the bodies of beasts , i look upon as fables , and his whispering into the ear of an oxe to forbear to eat beans , as a loudly . but it seems very consonant unto divine providence , that pythagoras having got the knowledge of the holy cabbala , which god imparted to adam and moses , that he should countenance it before the nations by enabling him to do miracles . for so those noble and ancient truths were more firmly radicated amongst the philosophers of greece , and happily preserved to this very day . nor can his being carried in the air make him suspected to be a meer magician or conjurer , sith the holy prophets and apostles themselves have been transported after that manner , as habakkuk from jewry to babylon , and philip after he had baptiz'd the eunuch to azotus . but for my own part , i think working of miracles is one of the least perfections of a man , and is nothing at all to the happinesse of him that does them , or rather seems to do them : for if they be miracles , he does them not , but some other power or person distinct from him . and yet here magicians and witches are greatly delighted in that this power is in some sort attributed to themselves , and that they are admired of the people , as is manifest in simon magus . but thus to lord it and domineer in the attribute of power with the prince of the air , what is it but meer pride , the most irrational and provoking vice that is ? and with what grosse folly is it here conjoin'd , they priding and pleasing themselves in that they sometimes do that , or rather suffer that , which herns and wlde geese , and every ordinary fowl can do of it self ; that is , mount aloft and glide through the fleeting air ? but holy and good men know that the greatest sweet and perfection of a virtuous soul , is the kindly accomplishment of her own nature in true wisdom and divine love. and if any thing miraculous happen to them , or be done by them , it is , that that worth & knowledg that is in them may be taken notice of , and that god thereby may be glorified , whose witnesses they are . but no other accession of happinesse accrues to them from this , but that hereby they may be in a better capacity of making others happy , which i confesse i conceive here pythagoras his case . and that men may not indulge too much to their own melancholy and fancy , which they ordinarily call inspiration , if they be so great lights to the world as they pretend , and so high that they will not condescend to the examination of humane reason , it were desirable that such persons would keep in their heat to concoct the crudities of their own conceptions , till the warrant of a miracle call them out ; and so they might more rightfully challenge an attention from the people , as being authorised from above to tell us something we knew not before , nor can so well know , as believe , the main argument being not reason but miracle . lastly , for the strangeness of the philosophical conclusions themselves , it were the strangest thing of all , if at first sight they did not seem very paradoxical and strange ; else why should they be hid and conceal'd from the vulgar , but that they did transcend their capacity , and were overmuch disproportioned to their belief ? but in the behalf of these cabbalistical conclusions , i will only note thus much , that they are such that supposing them true ( which i shall no longer assert , then till such time as some able philosopher or theologer shall convince me of their falshood ) there is nothing of any grand consideration in theology or nature , that will not easily be extricated by this hypothesis , an eminent part whereof is the motion of the earth , and the prae-existency of souls . the evidence of the former of which truths is such , that it has wonne the assent of the most famous mathematicians of our later ages ; and the reasonablenesse of the latter is no lesse : there having never been any philosopher that held the soul of man immortal , but he held that it did also prae-exist . but religion not being curious to expose the full view of truth to the people , but only what was most necessary to keep them in the fear of a deity and obedience to the law , contented her self with what meerly concerned the state of the soul after the dissolution of the body , concealing what ever was conceivable concerning her condition before . now i say , it is a pretty priviledge of falshood , ( if this hypothesis be false ) and very remarkable , that it should better sute with the attributes of god , the visible events of providence , the phaenomena of nature , the reason of man , and the holy text it self , where men acknowledge a mysterious cabbala , then that which by all means must be accounted true , viz. that there is no such motion of the earth about the sun , nor any prae-existency of humane souls . reader , i have done what lies on my part , that thou maist peruse this defence of mine without any rub or stumbling ; let me now request but one thing which thou art bound to grant , which is , that thou read my defence without prejudice , and that all along as thou goest , thou make not thy recourse to the customary conceits of thy fancy , but consult with thy free reason , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , as aristotle somewhere speaks in his metaphysicks . for custome is another nature ; and therefore those conceits that are accustomary and familiar , we unawares appeal to , as if they were indeed the natural light of the minde , and her first common notions . and he gives an instance not altogether unsutable to our present purpose . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . the philosopher may be as bold as he pleases with the ritual laws and religious stories of the heathens , but i do not know that he ever was acquainted with the law of moses . but i think i may speak it not without due reverence , that there is something of aristotles saying analogically true in the very history of the creation , and that the first impressions of the literal text , which is so plainly accommodated to the capacity of meer children and idiots , by reason of custome have so strongly rooted themselves in the minds of some , that they take that sense to be more true , then the true meaning of the text indeed . which is plain in no meaner a person then one of the fathers ; namely , lactantius ; who looking upon the world as a tent according to the description in the literal cabbala , did very stoutly and confidently deny antipodes ; so much did a customary fancy prevail over the free use of his reason . thus much for better caution i thought fit to preface . the rest the introduction to the defence , and the very frame and nature of the defence it self , i hope will make good to the judicious and ingenuous reader . the introduction to the defence . diodorus his mistake concerning moses , and other law-givers that have professed themselves to have received their laws from either god or some good angel. reasons why moses began his history with the creation of the world . the sun and moon the same with the aegyptians osiris and isis , and how they came to be worshipped for gods. the apotheosis of mortal men , such as bacchus and ceres , how it first came into the world . that the letter of the scripture speaks ordinarily in philosophical things according to the sense and imagination of the vulgar . that there is a philosophical sense that lies hid in the letter of the three first chapters of genesis . that there is a moral or mystical sense not only in these three chapters , but in several other places of the scripture . not to stay you with too tedious a prologue to the matter in hand concerning the author of this book of genesis , to wit , moses ; i shall look upon him mainly in reference to that publick induement , in which at the very first sight he will appear admirable , viz. as a politician or a law-giver . in which his skill was so great , that even in the judgement of heathen writers he had the preheminence above all the rest . diodorus has placed him in the head of his catalogue of the most famous law-givers under the name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , if iustin martin be not mistaken , or if he be , at least he bears them company that are reputed the best , reserv'd for the last and most notable instance of those that entituled their laws divine , and made themselves spokesmen betwixt god and the people . this mneves is said to receive his laws from mercury , as minos from iupiter , lycurgus from apollo , zathraustes from his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , his good genius , zamolxis from vesta , and moses from iao ; that is , iehovah . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . but he speaks like a meer historian in the business . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the word which he boldly abuses to the diminution of all their authorities promiscuously . for he says they feigned they received laws from these deities ; and addes the reason of it too , but like an errant statesman , or an incredulous philosopher , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . whether it be , sayes he , that they judged it an admirable and plainly divine project that redounded unto the profit of a multitude , or whether they conceived that hereby the people looking upon the greatnesse , and supereminence of their law-givers , would be more obedient to their laws . that saying in the schools is not so trivial as true . quicquid recipitur , recipitur ad modum recipientis , every thing is as it is taken , or at least appears to be so . the tincture of our own natures stains the appearance of all objects . so that i wonder not that diodorus siculus , a man of a meer political spirit , ( as it is very plain how neer history and policy are akin ) should count the receiving of laws from some deity rather a piece of prudential fraud and political forgery , then reality and truth . but to leave diodorus to his ethnicisme and incredulity ; as for us that ought to believe scripture , if we will not gain-say the authority of the greek text , we shall not only be fully perswaded of moses his receiving of laws from gods own mouth , but have some hints to believe that something analogical to it may have come to passe in other law-givers , deut. 32. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. when the most high divided the nations , when he separated the sons of adam , he set the bounds of the nations according to the number of the angels of god , but jacob was the portion of iehovah , that is , iao , &c. so that it is not improbable but that as the great angel of the covenant , ( he whom philo calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , that is , the eldest of the angels , the archangel , the word , the beginning , the name of god , which is iehovah ) i say , that as he gave laws to his charge , so the tutelar angels of other nations might be the instructers of those that they rais'd up to be law-givers to their charge ; though in processe of time the nations that were at first under the government of good angels , by their lewdnesse and disobedience might make themselves obnoxious to the power and delusion of those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , as they are called , deceitful and tyrannical devils . but this is but a digression ; that which i would briefly have intimated is this , that moses the great law-giver of the jews , was a man instructed of god himself to prudence and true policy . and therefore i make account if we will but with diligence search , we may surely finde the foot-steps of unsophisticate policy in all the passages of the whole pentateuch . and here in the very entrance it will offer it self unto our view : where moses shews himself such as that noble spirit of plato desires all governors of commonwealths should be , who has in his epistle to dion and his friends foretold , that mankinde will never cease to be miserable , till such time as either true and right philosophers rule in the commonwealth , or those that do rule , apply themselves to true and sound philosophy . and what is moses his bereshith , but a fair invitation thereto , it comprehending at least the whole fabrick of nature and conspicuous furniture of the visible world ? as if he dare appeal unto the whole assembly of gods creation , to the voice of the great universe , if what he propounds to his people over whom god hath set him , be not righteous and true ; and that by acting according to his precepts , they would but approve themselves cosmopolitas , true citizens of the world , and loyal subjects to god and nature . it is philo's interpretation upon the place , which how true it is in moses vailed , i will not here dispute : that it is most true in moses unvailed , christ our lord , is true without all dispute and controversie . and whosoever followes him , follows a law justified by god and the whole creature , they speaking in several dialects the minde of their maker . it is a truth and life that is the safety of all nations , and the earnest expectation of the ends of the earth ; christ the same yesterday , to day , and for ever , whose dominion and law neither time nor place doth exclude . but to return to moses . another reason no lesse considerable , why that holy and wise law-giver moses , should begin with the creation of the world , is this : the laws and ordinances which he gave to the israelites , were given by him as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , as statutes received from god. and therefore the great argument and incitement to obedience should lie in this first and highest law-giver , god himself , the great jehovah , whose wisdome , power , and goodnesse could not better be set out then by ascribing the creation of the whole visible world unto him . so that for his power he might be feared , admired for his wisdome , and finally , for his goodnesse be loved , adored , and deified : that as he was truly in himself the most high god , so he should be acknowledged of the people to be so . for certainly there is nothing that doth so win away , nay , ravish or carry captive the mindes of poor mankinde , as bounty and munificence . all men loving themselves most affectionately , and most of all the meanest and basest spirits , whose souls are so far from being a little rais'd and releas'd from themselves , that they do impotently and impetuously cleave and cling to their dear carkases . hence have they out of the strong relish , and favour of the pleasures and conveniencies thereof made no scruple of honouring them for gods , who have by their industry , or by good luck produced any thing that might conduce for the improvement of the happinesse and comfort of the body . from hence it is that the sun and moon have been accounted for the two prime deities by idolatrous antiquity , viz. from that sensible good they conferred upon hungry mankinde . the one watering as it were the earth by her humid influence ; the other ripening the fruit of the ground by his warm rayes , and opening dayly all the hid treasures of the visible world by his glorious approach , pleasing the sight with the variety of natures objects , & chearing the whole body by his comfortable heat . to these as to the most conspicuous benefactors to mankinde , was the name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 given , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , because they observed that these conceived deities were in perpetual motion . these two are the aegyptians osiris and isis , and five more are added to them as very sensible benefactors , but subordinate to these two , and dependents of them . and in plain speech they are these . fire , spirit , humidity , siccity , and air , but in their divine titles vulcan , jupiter , oceanus , ceres , and minerva . these are the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , as diodorus speaks . but after these mortal men were canonized for immortal deities 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , for their prudence and benefaction ; as you may see at large in diodorus siculus . i will name but two for instance , bacchus and ceres , the one the inventor of corn , the other of wine and beer : so that all may be resolved into that brutish aphorisme , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . that which could please or pleasure degenerate mankinde in the body , ( they having lost the image of god in their souls , and become meer brutes after a manner ) that must be their god. wherefore it was necessary for moses having to deal with such terrestrial spirits , sons of sense and corporeity , to propose to them jehovah as maker of this sensible and corporeal world , that whatever sweet they suck out of the varieties thereof , they may attribute to him , as the first fountain and author , without whom neither they nor any thing else had been , that thereby they might be stirred up to praise his name , and accomplish his will revealed by his servant moses unto them . and this was true and sound prudence , aiming at nothing but the glory of god , and the good of the poor ignorant people . and from the same head springs the manner of his delivering of the creation ; that is , accommodately to the apprehension of the meanest : not speaking of things according to their very essence and real nature , but according to their appearances to us . not starting of high and intricate questions , and concluding them by subtile arguments , but familiarly and condescendingly setting out the creation , according to the most easie and obvious conceits they themselves had of those things they saw in the world ; omitting even those grosser things that lay hid in the bowels of the earth , as metals , and minerals , and the like , as well as those things that fall not at all under sense , as those immaterial substances , angels , or intelligences . thus fitly has the wisdome and goodnesse of god accommodated the outward cortex of the scripture , to the most narrow and slow apprehension of the vulgar . nor doth it therefore follow that the narration must not be true , because it is according to the appearance of things to sense and obvious fancie ; for there is also a truth of appearance , according to which scripture most what speaks in philosophical matters . and this position is the main key , as i conceive , and i hope shall hereafter plainly prove , whereby moses his bereshith may according to the outward and literal sense be understood without any difficulty or clashing one part against another . and my task at this time will be very easie , for it is but transcribing what i have already elsewhere occasionally published , and recovering of it into its proper place . first therefore i say , that it is a thing confessed by the learned hebrews , who make it a rule for the understanding of many places of scripture , loquitur lex juxta linguam humanam , that the law speaks according to the language of the sons of men . and secondly , which will come more home to the purpose , i shall instance in some places that of necessity are to be thus understood . gen. 19. 23. the sun was risen upon the earth when lot entred into zoar ; which implies that it was before under the earth , which is true onely according to sense and vulgar phancy . deuteronom . 30. v. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , implies that the earth is bounded at certain places , as if there were truly an hercules pillar , or non plus ultra : as it is manifest to them that understand but the natural signification of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; for those words plainly import the earth bounded by the blew heavens , and the heavens bounded by the horizon of the earth , they touching one another mutually ; which is true only to sense and in appearance , as any man that is not a meer idiot , will confesse . ecclesiastic . 27. v. 12. the discourse of a godly man is always with wisdome , but a fool changeth as the moon . that is to be understood according to sense and appearance : for if a fool changeth no more then the moon doth really , he is a wise and excellently accomplished man ; semper idem , though to the sight of the vulgar different . for at least an hemisphere of the moon is always enlightned , and even then most when she least appears unto us . hitherto may be referred also that , 2 chron. 4. 2. also he made a molten sea ten cubits from brim to brim , round in compasse , and five cubits the height thereof , and a line of thirty cubits did compasse it round about . a thing plainly impossible that the diameter should be ten cubits , and the circumference but thirty . but it pleaseth the spirit of god here to speak according to the common use and opinion of men , and not according to the subtilty of archimedes his demonstration . again psalm 19. in them hath he set a tabernacle for the sunne , which as a bridegroom cometh out of his chamber , and rejoyceth as a strong man to run his race . this , as mr. john calvin observes , is spoken according to the rude apprehension of the vulgar , whom david should in vain have endevoured to teach the mysteries of astronomy . and therefore he makes no mention of the course of the sunne in the nocturnal hemisphere . i 'le adde but one instance more , joshua 10. v. 12. sunn● stand thou still upon gibeon , and thou moon in the valley of ajalon ; where it is manifest that ioshua speaks not according to the astronomical truth of the thing , but according to sense and appearance . for suppose the sun placed , and the moon , at the best advantage you can , so that they leave not their natural course , they were so far from being one over ajalon , and the other over gibeon , that they were in very truth many hundreds of miles distant from them . and if the sun and moon were on the other side of the aequator , the distance might amount to thousands . i might adjoyn to these proofs the suffrages of many fathers , and modern divines , as chrysostome , ambrose , augustine , bernard , aquinas , and the rest . but it is already manifest enough that the scripture speaks not according to the exact curiosity of truth , describing things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , according to the very nature and essence of them ; but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , according to their appearance in sense and the vulgar opinion . the second rule that i would set down is ●his : that there is a various intertexture of theosophical and philosophical truths , many physical and metaphysical theorems hinted ●o us ever and anon , through those words that at first sight seem to bear but an ordinary grosse sense , i mean especially in these three first chapters of genesis . and a man will be the better assured of the truth of this position , if he do but consider , that the literal text of moses that sets out the creation of the world , and offers reasons of sundry notable phaenomena of nature , bears altogether a most palpable compliance with the meer rude and ignorant conceits of the vulgar . wherefore the argument of these three chapters being so philosophical as it is , it seems unworthy of that knowing spirit of moses , or of religion it self , that he should not contrive under the external contexture of this narration , some very singular and choice theorems of natural philosophy and metaphysicks ; which his pious and learned successors should be able by some secret traditionary doctrine or cabbala to apply to his outward text. for what an excellent provision is this ▪ for such of the people whose pregnancy of parts and wit might make them rest unsatisfied , as well in the moral allegory ( into which they are first to be initiated ) as in the outward letter it self ; and also their due obedience , humility , and integrity of life , make them fit to receive some more secret philosophick cabbala from the mouth of the knowing priest ; the strange unexpected richnesse of the sense whereof , and highnesse of notion suddenly shining forth , by removing aside of the vail , might strike the soul of the honest jew with unexpressible pleasure and amazement , and fill his heart with joy and thankfulnesse to god for the good tidings therein contained , and conciliate greater reverence then ever to moses and to religion . wherefore such a philosophick cabbala as this being so convenient and desirable , and men in all ages having professed their expectation of solid and severe philosophy in this story of the creation by their several attempts thereupon , it seems to me abundantly probable that moses and his successors were furnished with some such like cabbala ; which i am still the more easily induced to believe , from that credible fame that pythagoras and plato had their philosophy from moses his text , which it would not so easily have suggested unto them , had they had no assistance from either iewish or aegyptian prophet or priest to expound it . the third and last rule that i would lay down is this : that natural things , persons , motions , and actions , declared or spoken of in scripture , admit of also many times a mystical , moral , or allegorical sense . this is worth the proving it concerning our souls more nearly then the other . i know this spiritual sense is as great a fear to some faint and unbelieving hearts , as a spectre or night-spirit . but it is a thing acknowledged by the most wise , most pious , and most rational of the iewish doctors ; i will instance in one who is ad instar omnium , moses aegyptius , who compares the divine oracles to apples of gold in pictures of silver : for that the outward nitor is very comely as silver curiously cut thorough and wrought , but the inward spiritual or mystical sense is the gold more precious and more beautiful , that glisters through those cuttings and artificial carvings in the letter . i will endevour to prove this point by sundry passages in scripture , psalm 25. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . the easie and genuine sense of these words is , the secret of the lord is for them that fear him , and his covenant is to make them know it , viz. his secret , which implies that the mysterie of god lies not bare to false and adulterous eyes , but is hid and wrapped up in decent coverings from the sight of vulgar and carnal men . that his secrets are , as aristotle answered to alexander concerning his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or acroamatical writings , that they were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , published and not published . and our saviour himself , though all goodnesse , was not so prodigal of his pearls as to cast them to swine . to them that were without he spake parables . and upon the same principles certainly it is not a whit unreasonable , to conceive moses to write types and allegories . and we have sufficient ground to think so from that of the apostle 1 cor. ch . 10. where when he hath in short reckoned up some of the main passages that befell the israelites in their journey from egypt to canaan , ( which yet no man that hath any faith or the fear of god before his eyes , will deny to be a reall history ) he closes with this expression all these things being types befell them , but were written for our instruction , on whom the ends of the world are come . so galat. ch . 4. the history of abrahams having two sons ishmael and isaak , the one of the bond-woman , the other of the free , viz. agar and sara , the same apostle there speaks out , that they are an allegory , v. 24. i might adde many other passages to this purpose , but i will only raise one consideration concerning many histories of the old testament , and then conclude . if so be the spirit of god meant not something more by them then the meer history , i mean some useful and spiritual truth involved in them , they will be so far from stirring us up to piety , that they may prove ill precedents for falseness and injurious dealings . for what an easie thing is it for a man to fancy himself an israelite , and then to circumvent his honest neighbours under the notion of aegyptians ? but we will not confine our selves to this one solitary instance . what is jacob but a supplanter , a deceiver , and that of his own brother ? for taking advantage of his present necessity , he forced him to sell his birth-right for a m●sse of pottage . what a notorious piece of fraud is that of rebecca , that while industrious esau is ranging the woods and mountains to fulfill his fathers command , and please his aged appetite , she should substitute jacob with his both counterfeit hands and venison , to carry away the blessing intended by the good old man for his officious elder son esau ? jacobs rods of poplar , an ill example to servants to defraud their masters ; and rachels stealing labans t●●raphim ▪ and concealing them with a falshood , how warrantable an act it was , let her own husband give sentence ; with whomsoever thou findest thy gods , let him not live , gen. 31. 32. i might be infinite in this point ; i will only add one example of womans perfidious cruelty , as it will seem at first sight , and so conclude . sisera captain of jabins host being worsted by israel , fled on his feet to the tent of jael , the wife of heber the kenite , who was in league and confederacy with jabin : this jael was in shew so courteous as to meet sisera , and invite him into her tent , saying , turn in my lord , turn in to me , fear not . and when he had turned in unto her into the tent , she covered him with a mantle : and he said unto her , give me i pray thee a little water to drink ; and she opened a bottle of milk , and gave him drink , and covered him . in short , he trusted her with his life , and gave himself to her protection , and she suddenly so soon as he fell asleep drove a nail with an hammer into his temples , and betrayed his corps to the will of his enemies . an act certainly that the spirit of god would not have approved , much lesse applauded so much , but in reference to the mysterie that lies under it . my three rules for the interpreting of scripture , i have i hope by this time sufficiently established , by way of a more general preparation to the defence of my threefold cabbala . i shall now apply my self to a more particular clearing and confirming the several passages therein . the defence of the literal cabbala . chap. i. 1 the genuine sense of in the beginning . the difference of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 neglected by the seventy , who translate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . 2 the ground of their mistake discovered , who conceive moses to intimate that the matter is uncreated . that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is no more then ventus magnus . 4 that the first darkness was not properly night . 6 why the seventy translate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 firmamentum , and that it is in allusion to a firmly pitched tent. 11 that the sensible effects of the sun invited the heathen to idolatry , and that their oracles taught them to call him by the name of jao . 14 that the prophet jeremy divides the day from the sun , speaking according to the vulgar capacity . 15 the reason why the stars appear on this side the upper caeruleous sea. 27 the opinion of the anthropomorphites , and of what great consequence it is for the vulgar to imagine god in the shape of a man. aristophanes his story in plato of men and womens growing together at first , as if they made both but one animal . the first rule that i laid down in my introduction to the defence of my threefold cabbala , i need not here again repeat , but desire the reader only to carry it in minde , and it will warrant the easie and familiar sense that i shall settle upon moses his text in the literal meaning thereof . unto which , if i adde also reasons from the pious prudence of this holy law-giver , shewing how every passage makes for greater faith in god , and more affectionate obedience to his law , there will be nothing wanting i think ( though i shall sometimes cast in some notable advantages also from critical learning ) that may gain belief to the truth of the interpretation . vers . 1. in this first verse i put no other sense of in the beginning , then that it denotes to us the order of the history . which is also the opinion of maimonides , who deriving 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying the head , rightly observes the analogy ; that as the head is the forepart of a living creature , so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies that which is placed first in any thing else . and that thus the creation of the world is the head or forepart of the history that moses intends to set down . wherefore moses having in his minde ( as is plain from the title of this book , genesis , as well as the matter therein contained ) to write an history and genealogy from the beginning of the world to his own time , it is very easie and obvious to conceive , that in reference to what he should after add , he said , in the beginning : as if the whole frame of his thoughts lay thus . first of all , god made the heavens , and the earth , with all that they contain , the sun , moon , and stars , the day and night , the plants , and living creatures that were in the air , water , and on the earth , and after all these he made adam , and adam begot cain and abel , and so on in the full continuance of the history and genealogies . and this sense i conceive is more easie and natural then that of austin , ambrose , and besil , who will have in the beginning , to signifie in the beginning of time , or in the beginning of the world . and yet i thought it not amiss to name also these , that the reader may take his choice . god made heaven and earth . maimonides and manasseh ben israel observe these three words used in scripture , when creation of the world is attributed to god , viz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; and that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies the production of things out of nothing , which is the schools notion of creation ; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the making up a thing perfect and compleat , according to its own kinde and properties ; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 intimates the dominion and right possession that god has of all things thus created or made . but though 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the mind of the learned jews , signifies creation properly so called , yet the seventy observe no such criticisme , but translate it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which is no more then made . and vulgar men are not at leisure to distinguish so subtilly . wherefore this latter sense i receive as the vulgar literal sense , the other as philosophical . and where i use the word creation in this literal cabbala , i understand but that common and general notion of making a thing , be it with what circumstances it will. neither do i translate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the plural number , the trinity ; because , as vatablus observes out of the hebrew doctors , that when the inferiour speaks of his superiour , he speaks of him in the plural number . so esay 19. 4. tradam aegyptum in manum dominorum duri . and exod. 22. 10. et accipiet domini ejus , for dominus . the text therefore necessarily requiring no such sense , and the mysterie being so abstruse , it is rightly left out in this literal cabbala . vers . 2. in the first verse there was a summary proposal of the whole creation in those two main parts of it , heaven and earth . now he begins the particular prosecution of each days work . but it is not needful for him here again to inculcate the making of the earth : for it is the last word he spake in his general proposal , and therefore it had been harsh or needless to have repeated it presently again . and that 's the reason why before the making of the earth , there is not prefixed , and the lord said , let there be an earth . which i conceive has imposed upon the ignorance and inconsiderateness of some , so as to make them believe that this confused muddy heap which is called the earth , was an eternal first matter , independent of god , and never created by him : which if a man appeal to his own faculties , is impossible , as i shall again intimate when i come to the philosophick cabbala . the sense therefore is , that the earth was made first , which was covered with water , and on the water was the wind , and in all this a thick darkness . and god was in this dark , windy and wet night . so that this globe of earth , and water , and wind , was but one dark tempest and sea-storm , a night of confusion and tumultuous agitation . for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not in the letter any thing more then ventus ingens , a great and mighty wind . as the cedars of god , and mountains of god , are tall cedars , great mountains , and so in analogy , the wind of god , a great wind. vers . 3. but in the midst of this tempestuous darkness , god intending to fall to his work , doth as it were light his lamp , or set up himself a candle in this dark shop . and what ever hitherto hath been mentioned , are words that strike the fancy and sense strongly , and are of easie perception to the rude people , whom every dark and stormy night may well reminde of the sad face of things till god commanded the comfortable day to spring forth , the sole author of light , that so pleases the eyes , and chears the spirits of man. and that day-light is a thing independent of the sun , as well as the night of the stars , is a conceit wondrous sutable to the imaginations of the vulgar , as i have my self found out by conversing with them . they are also prone to think , unlesse there be a sensible wind stirring , that there is nothing betwixt the earth and the clouds , but that it is a meer vacuity . wherefore i have not translated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the air , as maimonides somewhere does , but a mighty wind ; for that the rude people are sensible of , and making the first deformed face of things so dismal and tempestuous , it will cause them to remember the first morning light with more thankfulness and devotion . vers . 4. for it is a thing very visible . see what is said upon the eighth verse . vers . 5. by evening and morning , is meant the artificial day , and the artificial night , by a synecdoche , as castellio in his notes tells us . therefore this artificial day and night put together , make one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or natural day . and the evening is put before the morning , night before day , because darkness is before light. but that primitive darkness was not properly night : for night is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as aristotle describes it , one great shaddow cast from the earth , which implies light of one side thereof . and therefore night properly so called could not be before light. but the illiterate people trouble themselves with no such curiosities , nor easily conceive any such difference betwixt that determinate conical shaddow of the earth , which is night , and that infinite primitive darkness , that had no bounds before there was any light. and therefore that same darkness prefixed to an artificial day makes up one natural day to them . which hesiod also swallows down without chewing , whether following his own fancy , or this text of moses , i know not . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . that is , but of the night both day and skie were born . vers . 6. this basis or floor . that the earth seems like a round floor , plain and running out so every way , as to join with the bottome of the heavens , i have in my introduction hinted to you already , and that it is look'd upon as such in the phrase of scripture , accommodating it self to our outward senses and vulgar conceit . upon this floor stands the hollow firmament , as a tent pitched upon the ground , which is the very expression of the prophet esay , describing the power of god ; that stretcheth out the heavens like a curtain , and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in . and the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is usually rendred firmament , signifies diduction , expansion , or spreading out . but how the seventy come to interpret it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 firmamentum , fuller in his miscellanies gives a very ingenious reason , and such as makes very much to our purpose . nam coelum seu 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith he , quandoquidem tentoxio saepissimè in sacris literis assimilatur , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dicitur , quatenus expanditur . sic enim expandi solent tent●ria , quum alligatis ad paxillos in terram depactos funibus distenduntur , atque hoc etiam pacto firmantur . itaque 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 immensum quoddam ut ita dicam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , ideóque & 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non ineptè appelletur . the sense of which in brief is nothing but this : that the seventy translate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , that is , firmamentum , because the heavens are spread out like a well-fastned and firmly pitched ten. and i add also , that they are so stiffely stretched , that they will strongly bear against the weight of the upper waters ; so that they are not able to break them down , and therewith to drown the world . which conceit as it is easie and agreeable with the fancy of the people , so it is so far from doing them any hurt , that it will make them more sensible of the divine power and providence , who thus by main force keeps off a sea of water that hangs over their heads , which they discern through the transparent firmament , ( for it looks blew as other seas do ) and would rush at once upon them and drown them , did not the power of god , and the strength of the firmament hold it off . vers . 7. see what hath been already said upon the sixt verse . i will only here add , that the nearness of these upper waters makes them still the more formidable , and so are greater spurs to devotion : for as they are brought so near as to touch the earth at the bottome , so outward sense still being judge , they are to be within a small distance of the clouds at the top . and that these upper waters are no higher then so , it is manifest from other passages in scripture , that place the habitation of god but amongst the clouds , who yet is called the most high. psalm 104. 3. deut. 33. 26. nahum 1. 3. psalm ●8 . 4. but of this i have treated so fully elsewhere , that i hold it needless to add any thing more . ver. 8. i cannot say properly that god saw it was good . in the whole story of the three first chapters , it is evident , that god is represented in the person of a man , speaking with a mouth , and seeing with eyes . hence it is that the firmament being of it self invisible , that moses omits the saying , that god saw it was good : for the nature of the eye is onely to see things visible . some say , god made hell the second day , and that that is the reason it was not recorded , that he saw it was good . but if he did not approve of it as good , why did he make it ? however that can be none of the literal sense , and so impertinent to this present cabbala . ver. 10. and i may now properly say , &c. see what hath been said already upon verse the eight . ver. 11. whence you may easily discern , &c. this observation is philo the jew 's , which you may read at large in his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . and it was very fit for moses who in his law , which he received from god , does so much insist upon temporal blessings , and eating of the good things of the land , as a reward of their obedience , to lay down such principles as should beget a firm belief of the absolute power of god over nature . that he could give them rain , and fruitful seasons , and a plentiful year when he pleased ; when as he could cause the earth to bring forth without rain , or any thing else to further her births , as he did at the first creation . the meditation whereof might well cause such an holy resolution as that in the prophet habakkuk , although the fig-tree shall not blossome , neither fruit be in the vines , the labour of the olive fail , and the fields yeeld no meat ; yet i will rejoyce in the lord , i will joy in the god of my salvation . but that prudent and pious caution of moses against idolatry , how requisite it was , is plain if we consider that the power of the sun is so manifest , and his operation so sensible upon the earth for the production of things below , especially of plants , that he hath generally drawn aside the rude and simple heathen to idolize him for a god : and their nimble oracles have snatched away the sacred name of the god of israel , the true god , to bestow upon him , calling him jao , which is jehovah , as is plain from that clarian oracle in macrobius : 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . which i have translated thus in my poems : that heavenly power which jao hight , the highest of all the gods thou maist declare in spring nam'd zeus , in summer helios bright , in autumne called jao , aides in brumal night . these names do plainly denotate the sunne in spring call'd zeus from life or kindly heat ; in winter ' cause the day 's so quickly done , he aides hight , he is not long in sight ; in summer ' cause he strongly doth us smite with his hot darts , then helios we him name from eloim or eloah so hight ; in autumn jao , jehovan is the same , so is the word deprav'd by an uncertain fame . this oracle cornelius labeo interprets of bacchus , which is the same with the sun , who is the god of the vintage , and is here described according to the four quarters of the year . and so virgil , heathen-like attributes to the sun and moon under the name of bacchus and ceres , that great blessing of corn and grain . — vestro si numine tellus chaoniam pingui glandem mutavit aristâ . if by your providence the earth has born for course chaonian acorns , full-ear'd corn. but of this i have said so much in my introduction , that i need add nothing more . ver. 12. see ver . 11. ver. 14. see ver . 3. i have there shown how easily the fancie of the rude people admit of days without a sun. to whose capacities the prophet jeremy accommodating his speech , her sun , sayes he , is gone down while it was yet day . how can it be day when the sun is down , unless the day be independent of the sun , according to the fancie of the rude and illiterate ? which is wonderfully consonant to the outward letter of moses , that speaks not of the sun as the cause of the day , but as a badge of distinction from the night , though he does admit that it does increase the light thereof . ver. 15. in the hollow roof &c. though the caeruleous upper sea seems so neer us , as i have already signified , yet the lights of heaven seem something on this side it , as white will stand off drawn upon a darker colour , as you may see in the describing solid figures on a blew slate ; they will more easily rise to your eye then black upon white : so that the people may very well , consulting with their sight , imagine the firmament to be betwixt the lights of heaven , and the upper waters , or that blew sea they look upon , not on this side , nor properly betwixt the lights or stars . ver. 16. two great lights , &c. this is in counter-distinction to the stars , which indeed seem much less to our sight then the sun or moon , when as notwithstanding many stars according to astronomers computation , are bigger then the sun , all far bigger then the moon : so that it is plain the scripture speaks sometimes according to the appearance of things to our sight , not according to their absolute affections and properties . and he that will not here yeeld this for a truth , is , i think , justly to be suspected of more ignorance then religion , and of more superstition then reason . for their smalnesse , &c. the stars indeed seem very small to our sight , and therefore moses seems to cast them in but by the by , complying therein with the ignorance of the unlearned . but astronomers who have made it their business to understand their magnitudes , they that make the most frugal computation concerning the bigger stars , pronounce them no less then sixty eight times bigger then the earth , others much more . ver. 18. to be peculiar garnishings . see verse 14. ver. 20. fish and fowl. i suppose the mention of the fowl is made here with the fish by reason that the greatest and more eminent sorts of that kinde of creature , most of all frequent the waters , as swannes , geese , ducks , herons , and the like . ver. 20. in his own shape . it was the opinion of the anthropomorphites , that god had all the parts of a man , and that we are in this sense made according to his image : which though it be an opinion in it self , if not rightly understood , vain and ridiculous ; yet theirs seem little better to me , that imagine god a finite beeing , and take care to place him out of the stink of this terrestrial globe , that he may sit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and so confine him to heaven , as aristotle seems to do , if he be the author of that book de mundo : for it is a contradiction to the very idea of god to be finite , and consequently to have figure or parts . but it is so difficult a thing for the rude multitude to venture at a notion of a beeing immatorial and infinite , that it seems their advantage to conceive of god as of some all-powerful person , that can do what ever he pleaseth , can make heavens and earths , and bestow his blessings in what measure and manner he lists , and what is chief of all , if need be , can personally appear to them , can chide them , and rebuke them , and , if they be obstinate , doe horrible vengeance upon them . this i say , will more strongly strike the inward sense and imagination of the vulgar , then omnipotency placed in a thin , subtile , invisible , immaterial beeing , of which they can have no perception at all , nor any tolerable conceit . wherefore it being requisite for the ignorant , to be permitted to have some finite and figurate apprehension of god , what can be more fit then the shape of a man in the highest excellencies that it is capable of , for beauty , strength , and bignesse . and the prophet esay seems to speak of god after this notion , god sits upon the circle of the earth , and the inhabitants thereof are as grashoppers ; intimating that men to god bear as little proportion , as grashoppers to a man when he sits on the grasse amongst them . and now there being this necessity of permitting the people some such like apprehensions as this , concerning god , ( and it is true prudence , and pious policy to comply with their weakness for their good ) there was the most strict injunctions laid upon them against idolatry and worshipping of images that might be . but if any one will say this was the next way to bring them into idolatry , to let them entertain a conceit of god as in humane shape ; i say it is not any more , then by acknowledging man to be god , as our religion does , in christ . nay , i add moreover , that christ is the true deus figuratus : and for his sake was it the more easily permitted unto the jews to think of god in the shape of a man. and that there ought to be such a thing as christ , that is , god in humane shape , i think it most reasonable , that he may apparently visit the earth , and to their very outward senses confound the atheist and mis-believer at the last day . as he witnesseth of himself , the father judges none , but he hath given all judgement unto the son. and , that no man can see the father , but as he is united unto the son. for the eternal god is immaterial and invisible to our outward senses : but he hath thought good to treat with us both in mercy and judgement , by a mediator and vicegerent , that partakes of our nature as well as his own . wherefore it is not at all absurd for moses to suffer the jews to conceive of god as in a corporeall and humane shape , since all men shall be judged by god in that shape at the last day . he made females as well as males . that story in plato his symposion , how men and women grew together at first till god cut them asunder , is a very probable argument that the philosopher had seen or heard something of this mosaical history . but that it was his opinion it was so , i see no probability at all : for the story is told by that ridiculous comedian aristophanes , with whom i conceive he is in some sort quit , for abusing his good old friend and tutor socrates , whom he brought in upon the stage 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , treading the air in a basket , to make him a laughing-stock to all athens . the text is indeed capable of such a sense , but there being no reason to put that sense upon it , neither being a thing so accommodate to the capacity and conceit of the vulgar , i thought it not fit to admit it , no not so much as into this literal cabbala . ver. 29. frugiferous . castellio translates it so , herbas frugiferas , which must be such like herbs as i have named , strawberries , wheat , rice , and the like . chap. ii. 7 the notation of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 answerable to the breathing of adams soul into his nostrils . 8 the exact situation of paradise . that gihon is part of euphrates ; pison , phasis , or phasi-tigris . that the madianites are called aethiopians . that paradise was seated about mesopotamia , argued by six reasons . that it was more particularly seated where now apamia stands in ptolemee's maps . 18 the prudence of moses in the commendation of matrimony . 19 why adam is not recorded to have given names to the fishes . 24 abraham ben ezra's conceit of the names of adam and eve as they are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . 25 moses his wise anthypophora concerning the naturall shame of nakednesse . in the four first verses all is so clear and plain , that there is no need of any further explication or defence , saving that you may take notice that in the second verse where i write within six days , the seventies translation will warrant it , who render it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , on the sixt day . ver. 5. see what hath been said on the eleventh verse of the first chapter . ver. 7. the dust . the hebrew word signifies so , and i make no mention of any moistning of it with water . for god is here set out acting according to his absolute power and omnipotency . and it is as easie to make men of dry dust , as hard stones . and yet god is able even of stones to raise up children unto abraham . blew into the nostrils . breathing is so palpable an effect of life , that the ancient rude greeks also gave the soul its name from that operation , calling it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to breathe or to blow . ver. 8. eastward of judea . for so interpreters expound eastward in scripture , in reference to judea . to prevent any further trouble in making good the sense i have put upon the following verses concerning paradise , i shall here at once set down what i finde most probable concerning the situation thereof , out of vatablus and cornelius à lapide , adding also somewhat out of dionysius the geographical poet. in general therefore we are led by the four rivers to the right situation of paradise . and gihon , saith vatablus ; is tractus inferior euphratis illabens in sinum persicum ; is a lower tract or stream of euphrates that slides into the persian gulph . pison is phasis or phasitigris , that runs through havilah , a region near persis ; so that pison is a branch of tigris , as gihon is of euphrates . thus vatablus . and that gihon may have his aethiopia , cornelius à lapide notes , that the madianites and others near the persian gulph , are called aethiopians ; and therefore he concludes first at large , that paradise was seated about mosopotamia and armenia , from these reasons following . first , because these regions are called eastern in scripture , ( which as i have said is to be understood always in reference to judea ) according to the rule of expositors . and the lord is said to have planted this garden of paradise eastward . secondly , because man being cast out of paradise these regions were inhabited first , both before the floud , ( for cain is said to inhabite eden , gen. 4. 16. ) and also after the floud , as being nearer paradise , and more fertile , gen. 8. 4. also 11. 2. thirdly , paradise was in eden , but eden was near haran ; ezek. 27. 23. haran , and caunuch , and eden : but haran was about mesopotamia , being a city of parthia where crassus was slain ; authors call it charra . fourthly , paradise is where euphrates and tigris are . and these are in mesopotamia and armenia . they denominate mesopotamia , it lying betwixt them . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . that is , the land 'twixt tigris and euphrates streame , all this mesopotamia they name . fiftly , because these regions are most fruitful and pleasant . and that adam was made not far from thence , is not improbable from the excellency of that place , as well for the goodliness of the men that it breeds , as the fertility of the soil . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . that is , so excellent is that soil for herbage green , for flowry meads , and such fair godly men , as if the off-spring of the gods th' had been . as the same geographer writes . sixtly , and lastly , there is yet a further probability alledged , that paradise was about mesopotamia , that countrey being not far distant from judea . for it is the tradition of the fathers , that adam when he was ejected out of paradise , having travelled over some parts of the world , that he came at last to judea , and there died , and was buried in a mount , which his posterity , because the head of the first man was laid there , called mount calvary , where christ was crucified for the expiation of the sin of adam , the first transgressor . if the story be not true , it is pity but it should be , it hath so venerable assertors , as cyprian , athanasius , basil , origen , and others of the fathers , as cornelius affirms . but now for the more exact situation of paradise , the same author ventures to place it at the very meeting of tigris and euphrates , where the city of apamia now stands in ptolemees maps , eighty degrees longitude , and some thirty four degrees and thirty scruples latitude . thus have we according to the letter found paradise which adam lost , but if we finde no better one in the philosophick and moral cabbala , we shall but have our labour for our travel . ver. 9. that stood planted in the midst of the garden . for in this verse the tree of life is planted in the midst of the garden , and in the third chapter the third verse , the tree of the knowledge of good and evil is placed there also . for the lord god bad so ordained . expositors seem not to suspect any hurt in the tree it self , but that the fruit thereof was naturally good , only god interdicted it to try the goodness of adam . so that this law that prohibited adam the eating of the fruit , was meerly thetical , or positive , not indispensable and natural . ver. 10. from thence it was parted . this is the cause that paradise is conceived to have been situated where apamia stands , as i have above intimated . ver. 11. phasis . see verse 8. chaulateans . the affinity of name is apparent betwixt havilah and chaulateans , whom strabo places in arabia near mesopotamia . ver. 13. arabian aethiopia . see verse 8. ver. 17. see verse 9. ver. 18. high commendations of matrimony . moses plainly recommends to the jews the use of matrimony , & does after a manner encourage them to that condition : which he does like a right law-giver and father of the people . for in the multitude of people is the kings honour , but in the want of people is the destruction of the prince , as solomon speaks , prov. 14. besides , there was no small policy in religiously commending that to them , that most would be carried fast enough too on their own accords . for those laws are best liked that sute with the pleasure of the people , and they will have a better conceit of the law-giver for it . ver. 19. these brought he unto adam . viz. the beasts and fowls ; but there is no mention of the fishes , they being not fitted to journey in the same element . it had been over harsh and affected to have either brought the fishes from the sea , or to have carried adam to the shore , to appoint names to all the fishes flocking thither to him . but after he might have opportunity to give them names , as they came occasionally to his view . ver. 20. see verse 18 , ver. 21. fell into a dream . for the seventy have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , god cast adam into an extasie ; and in that extasie he might very well see what god did all the while he slept . ver. 23. see verse 21. & 24. ver. 24. so strict and sacred a tye , &c. that 's the scope of the story . to beget a very fast and indissoluble affection betwixt man and wife , that they should look upon one another as one and the same person . and in this has moses wisely provided for the happiness of his people in instilling such a principle into them , as is the root of all oeconomical order , delight , and contentment : while the husband looks upon his wife as on himself in the feminine gender , and she on her husband as on her self in the masculine . for grammarians can discern no other difference then so , betwixt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vir and virissa . but r. abraham ben ezra has found a mysterie in these names more then grammatical . for in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sayes he , is the contracted name of jehovah contained , viz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , for there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . so long therefore as the married couple live in gods fear and mutual love , god is with them as well as in their names . but if they cast god off by disobedience , and make not good what they owe one to the other , then is their condition what their names denotate to them , the name of god being taken out , viz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . the fire of discord and contention here , and the eternal fire of hell hereafter . this is the conceit of that pious and witty rabbi . ver. 25. and were not ashamed . matrimony and the knowledge of women being so effectually recommended unto the jewes in the fore-going story , the wisdome of moses did foresee that it would be obvious for the people to think with themselves , how so good and commendable a thing should have so much shame and diffidency hovering about it . for there is a general bashfulness in men and women in these matters , and they ever desire to transact these affairs in secret out of the sight of others . wherefore moses to satisfie their curiosity , continues his history further , and gives the reason of this shame in the following chapter . chap. iii. 1 how much it saves the credit of our first parents , that the serpent was found the prime author of the transgression . that according to s. basil all the living creatures of paradise could speak : undeniable reasons that the serpent could , according to the literal cabbala . 9 the opinion of the anthropomorphites true , according to the literal cabbala . 14 that the serpent went upright before the fall , was the opinion of s. basil . 16 a story of the easie delivery of a certain poor woman of liguria . 19 that the general calamities that lie upon mankinde , came by the transgression of a positive law , how well accommodate it is to the scope of moses . 23 that paradise was not the whole earth . 24 the apparitions in paradise called by theodoret 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . in this third chapter , there are causes laid down , of some of the most notable , and most concerning accidents in nature . as of the hard travail and toil upon the sons of men , to get themselves a livelihood . of the antipathy betwixt men and serpents . of the incumbrance of the ground with troublesome weeds . of the shame of venery . of the pangs of childe-bearing ; and of death it self . of all these moses his wisdome held fit to give an account accommodately to the capacity of the people . for these fall into that grand question in philosophy , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; whence sprung up evil ? which has exercised the wits of all ages to this very day . and every fool is able to make the question , but few men so wise , as to be either able to give , or fit to receive a sufficient answer to it , according to the depth of the matter it self . but it was very necessary for moses to hold on in his history , and to communicate to them those plain and intelligible causes of the evils that ever lay before their eyes ; he having so fully asserted god the creator of heaven and earth , and contriver of all things that we see : adding also that the laws that he propounded to them were delivered to him from god , and that all prosperity and happiness would accompany them , if they observed the same . that they should eat the good things of the land , and live a long and healthful age . now it was easie for the people , though they were but rude , and newly taken from making bricks for pharaoh in aegypt , to think thus with themselves ; if god made all things , how is it that they are no better then they are ? why do our wives bring forth their children with pain ? why are we obnoxious to be stung with serpents ? why may not god give us an endlesse life , as well as a long life ? and the like . to which moses in general answers , ( to the great advantage of the people , and for the faster binding them to the laws he delivered them from god ) that it was disobedience to his will , that brought all this mischief into the world ; which is most certainly true . but by what particular circumstances it is set out , you may here read in this third chapter . ver. 1. the serpent also . it had been too harsh and boistrous , and too grossely redounding to the dishonour of our first parents adam and eve , if they had immediately done violence to so express a command of god , and shown themselves professed rebels against him . and their posterity would have been scarce able to have remembred them without cursings and bitterness , for being so bold and apert authors of so much misery to them . but so it came to pass , that it was not of themselves , but by the subtilty of the serpent that they were deceived into disobedience , being overshort by his false suggestions . so that their mistake may be looked upon with pardon and pity , and our selves are fairly admonished to take heed that we forfeit not the rest . but the power of speech . i cannot be so large in my belief , as s. basil , who affirms , that all living creatures in paradise could speak , and understand one another . but according to the literal cabbala , i think it is manifest that the serpent could ; and that it was not the devil in the serpent , as some interpreters would have it . for , why should the serpent be cursed for the devils sake ? and beside , the whole business is attributed to the cunning and subtilty of the serpent , as doing it by the power of his own nature . therefore this were to confound two cabbala's into one , to talk thus of the serpent and the devil at once . not eat of any of the trees . so chrysostome , rupertus , and s. augustine ; as if the cunning serpent had made use of that damnable maxime , calumniare fortiter , aliquid adhaerebit : so at first he layes his charge high against god , as if he would debarre them of necessary food , and starve them , that at last he might gain so much , at least that he did unnecessarily abridge them of what made mightily for their pleasure and perfection . ver. 4. see verse 1. ver. 7. and the eyes of them both were opened . some gather from hence , that adam and eve were blinde till they tasted of the forbidden fruit . which is so foolish a glosse , that none but a blinde man could ever have stumbled upon it . for the greatest pleasure of paradise had been lost , if they had wanted their sight . therefore as grosse as it is , that can be no part of any literal cabbala , it having nothing at all of probability in it . it is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . ver. 9. god's walking in the garden , his calling after adam , his pronouncing the doom upon him , his wife , and the serpent , and sundry passages before , do again and again inculcate the opinion of the anthropomorphites , that god has an humane shape ; which i have already acknowledged to be the meaning of the literal cabbala . ver. 13. here the first original of mischief is resolved into the serpent , whereby adam and eves credits are something saved , and the root of misery to mankinde is plainly discovered . ver. 14. creep upon thy belly . it is plain according to the letter , that the serpent went upright , which is the opinion also of s. basil , else his doom signifies nothing , if he crept upon his belly before . ver. 15. perpetual antipathy . see verse 1. ver. 16. her sorrows and pangs in childe-bearing . see verse 1. but these pains are much increased to women by their luxury and rotten delicateness , that weakens nature , and enfeebles the spirits , so that they can endure nothing , when as those that are used to hardship and labor scape better . there is a notorious instance of it in a woman of liguria , who , as diodorus siculus writes , being hard at work in the field , was overtaken with that other labour . but she went but aside a while , and disburthening her self , with a quick dispatch , laid her childe as gainly as she could in some fresh leaves and grasse , and came immediately again to her task , and would not have desisted from her work , but that he that hired her , in commiseration to the infant paid her the whole days wages to be shut of her . as if providence had absolved her from the curse of eve , she voluntarily undergoing so much of adams , which was sweating in the field . ver. 18. see verse 1. ver. 19. observe the great wisdome of moses ; the statutes and ordinances which he delivered unto the people , they being most of them not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , not natural and intrinsecally good , but positive and dispensable in themselves ; here according to this history , all those grand evils of toil and labour upon a barren ground , of pains in child-bed , and of death it self , are imputed to the transgression of a law that was but meerly positive ; whereby the law-giver does handsomely engage the people with all care and diligence to observe all the ceremonies and ordinances he gave them from god ; the whole posterity of adam finding the mischief of the breaking but that one positive law in paradise , the eating of the fruit of such a tree that was forbidden . when as otherwise positive laws of themselves would have been very subject to be slighted and neglected . ver. 20. called his wife eve. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies life . ver. 21. the use of which god taught . the two great comforts and necessaries of life , are food and clothing . wherefore it was fit to record this passage also to indear the peoples mindes to god , and increase their devotion and thankfulness to him , who was so particularly and circumstantially the author of those great supports of life . ver. 23. forth from the garden of eden . that shews plainly that paradise was not the whole earth , as some would have it . for he was brought into paradise by god , and now he is driven out again ; but he was not driven out of the world . ver. 24. haunted with spirits . this phrase is very significant of the nature of the thing it is to express , and fitly sets out the condition of paradise , when adam was driven out of it , and could no more return thither by reason of those spirits that had visibly taken possession of the way thereunto , and of the place . nor am i alone in this exposition , theodoret and precopius bearing me company , who call these apparitions at the entrance of paradise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and spectra terribili formâ . and i think that this may very well go for the literal sense of this verse , the existence of spirits and apparitions being acknowledged in all nations , be they never so rude or slow-witted . the defence of the philosophick cabbala . chap. i. 1 why heaven and light are both made symbols of the same thing , viz. the world of life . that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 intimate a trinity . that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a title of the eternal wisdome the son of god , who is called also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as well in philo as the new testament . that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the holy ghost . 2 the fit agreement of plato's triad with the trinity of the present cabbala . 5 the pythagorick names or nature of a monad or unite applyed to the first days work . 6 what are the upper waters : and that souls that descend 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , are the naides or water nymphes in porphyrius . 8 that matter of it self is unmoveable . r. bechai his notation of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 very happily explained out of des cartes his philosophy . that vniversal matter is the second days creation , fully made good by the names and property of the number two. 13 the nature of the third days work set off by the number three . 16 that the most learned do agree that the creation was perfected at once . the notation of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 strangely agreeing with the most notorious conclusions of the cartesian philosophy . 19 that the corporeal world was universally erected into form and motion on the fourth day , is most notably confirmed by the titles and propertie of the number four. the true meaning of the pythagorick oath , wherein they swore by him that taught them the mysterie of the tetractys . that the tetractys was a symbole of the whole philosophick cabbala , that lay couched under the text of moses . 20 why fish and fowl created in the same day . 23 why living creatures were said to be made in the fift and sixt days . 31 and why the whole creation was comprehended within the number six . i have plainly and faithfully set forth the meaning of moses his text , according to the literal cabbala , and made his incomparable policy , and pious prudence manifest to all the world . for whether he had this history of adam and eve , and of the creation immediately from god on the mount , or whether it was a very ancient tradition long before in the eastern parts , as some rabbines will have it , but approved of by god in the mount ; moses certainly could not have begun his pentateuch with any thing more proper and more material to his scope and purpose then this . and it is nothing but the ignorance of the atheist that can make him look upon it as contemptible , it being in it self as highly removed above contempt , as true prudence and staidness is above madness and folly. and yet i confess , i think there is still a greater depth and richness of wisdome in it , then has been hitherto opened in this literal cabbala , and such as shall represent moses as profoundly seen in philosophy , and divine morality , as he is in politicks . and against which the atheist shall have nothing at all to alledge , unless ignorance and confidence furnish his brain with impertinent arguments . for he shall not hear moses in this philosophick cabbala either tasking god to his six days labour , or bounding the world at the clouds , or making the moon bigger then the stars , or numbring days without suns , or bringing in a serpent talking with a woman , or any such like passages , which the atheists misunderstanding and perversenesse makes them take offence at ; but they shall finde him more large and more free then any , and laying down such conclusions as the wisest naturalists , and theosophers in all ages have looked upon as the choicest and most precious . such , i say , are those in the philosophick cabbala you have read , and i am now come to defend it , and make it good , that it is indeed the meaning of moses his text. and one great key for the understanding of it in this first chapter , will be those pythagorical mysteries of numbers , as i have intimated already in my preface . ver. 1. i mean the same thing by both . and there is good reason there should be meant the same thing by both . for , besides that those actuall conspicuous lights are in heaven , viz. the sun , and stars , heaven or the aetherial matter has in it all over the principles of light ; which are the round particles , and that very fine and subtile matter that lies in the intervals of the round particles . he that is but a little acquainted with the french philosophy , understands the business plainly . and in the expounding of moses , i think i may lay down this for a safe principle , that there is no considerable truth in nature or divinity , that moses was ignorant of , and so if it be found agreeable to his text , i may very well attribute it to him . at least the divine wisdom wherewith moses was inspired , prevents all the inventions of men. but now that i understand this heaven and earth in the first verse , as things distinct from heaven and earth afterwards mentioned , the very text of moses favours it , emphatically calling this heaven and earth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , when as the heaven and earth in the second and third days creation he calls but plain 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . i may adde also the authority of philo , who expounds not this heaven and earth of the visible and tangible heaven and earth which are mentioned in the second and third day , but of an heaven and earth quite different from them : as also the suffrage of s. augustine , who understands likewise by heaven and light , one and the same thing , to wit , the angels ; and by earth the first matter : which is something like the sense of this present cabbala , only for his physical matter , we set down a metaphysical one , that other belonging most properly to the second day ; and for angels we have the world of life , which comprehends not angels only , but all substantial forms and spirits whatever . and that heaven or light should be symboles of the world of life or form , it is no wonder : for you may finde a sufficient reason in the cabbala it self , at the fift verse of this present chapter , and plotinus assimilates form to light , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , for form is light. and lastly , in the second verse of this same chapter , there be plain reasons also laid down , why the meer possibility of the outward creation is called the earth , according to the description of the earth in the second verse of the first chapter of moses his text : unto which you may further adde , that as the earth is looked upon as the basis of the world , so the possibility of the outward creation is in some sense the basis thereof . the tri-une godhead . the hebrew words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 do handsomely intimate a plurality , and singularity , the noun being in the plural , the verb in the singular number . whence i conceive there may be very well here included the mysterie of the trinity and vnity of the godhead , or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . and vatablus himself , though he shuffles with his grammatical notions here , yet he does apertly acknowledge three persons in one god , at the twenty sixt verse of this chapter . and that this was the philosophick cabbala of moses and the learned and pious of the jews , it is no small argument , because the notion of the trinity is so much insisted upon by the platonists and pythagoreans , whom all acknowledge ( and i think i shall make it more plain then ever ) to have got their philosophy from moses . by his eternal wisdome . ambrose , basil , and origen interpret in principio , to be as much as in filio ; and colossians the first , there the apostle speaking of the son of god , he saith , that he is the first-born of every creature , and that by him were all things created that are in heaven , and that are in earth . and that he is before all things , and by him all things consist . this is the wisdome of god , or the idea according to which he framed all things . and therefore must be before all things the beginning of the creatures of god. and very answerable to this of the apostle are those two attributes philo gives to the same subject , calling him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the first-born word of god , or the first-born form of god ; and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the beginning . he calls him also simply 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which is , the word , form , reason , or wisdome . and one of the chaldee paraphrasts also interprets in principio , in sapientia . and this agrees exceedingly well with that of solomon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the lord possessed me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 principium viae suae , that is , operum suorum , as vatablus expounds it , and the text makes it good . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 oriens operum suorum ab antiquo , the sun-rise of his works of old . for there is no necessity of making of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 adverbs , they are substantives . and here wisdome is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the principle and morning of the works of god , not by way of diminution , but as supposing the east and the morning to be the womb of light , from whence springs all light and form , and form is light , as i told you before out of plotinus . and this notion of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sutes well with that passage in trismegist , where hermes speaks thus ; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is the same with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 must signifie the divine intellect , the bright morning star , the wisdome of god : to which wisdome called in the eight of the proverbs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the beginning and morning of his works , is ascribed the creation of the world by solomon , as you may there see at large . i will only adde , that what the hebrew text here in genesis calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the chaldee calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which is all one with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . wherefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the essential wisdome of god , not an habit or property , but a substance that is wisdome . for true wisdome is substance . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , it is the same that plotinus speaks . whence he is called in the apocalyps , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which is but a periphrasis of jehovah , essence , or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 contains the future , present , and time past in it , in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as zanchius observes : this is the second hypostasis in the holy trinity , the logos , which was in the beginning of the world with god. all things were made by him , and without him was nothing made that was made , john 1. first created this . i cannot impute it to any reason at all , but to the slownesse of fancie , and heavy unweildinesse of melancholy , or the load of bloud and flesh , that makes men imagine , that creation is incompetible even to god himselfe ; when as i think , i have no lesse then demonstrated in my antidote against atheism , that it is impossible but god should have the power of creation , or else he would not be god. but because our will and minde can create no substance distinct from our selves , we foolishly conceit , measuring the power of god by our own , that he cannot create any substance distinct from himself . which is but a weak conclusion fallen from our own dulnesse and inadvertency . ver. 2. solitude and emptinesse . the very word signifies so in the original , as vatablus will tell you . which being abstract tearms ( as the schools call them ) do very fittingly agree with the notion we have put upon this symbolical earth , affirming it no real actual subject , either spiritual or corporeal , that may be said to be void and empty ; but to be vacuity and emptiness it self , onely joined with a capacity of being something . it is , as i have often intimated , the ens potentiale of the whole outward creation . but the spirit of god. not a great wind , but the holy ghost . this is the interpretation general of the fathers . and it is a sign that it is according to the true mosaical cabbala , it being so consonant to plato's school , which school i suspect now has more of that cabbala , then the jews themselves have at this day . having hovered a while . the word in the original is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which signifies a hovering or brooding over a thing as a bird does over her nest , or on her young ones . hence it is not unlikely is aristophanes his egge . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . to this sense , vnder the wind below in dark some shade , there the black-winged night her first egge laid . and this manner of brooding thus is an embleme of dearest affection ; and who knows but that from this text the poets took occasion of feigning that ancient cupid the father of all the gods , the creator of all things , and maker of mankinde ? for so he is described by hesiod and orpheus , and here in this place of aristophanes , from whence i took the forecited verse . simmias rhodius describes this ancient love in verses which represent a pair of wings . i will not say according to this conceit of aristophanes his egge , which they should brood and hatch . but the longest quill of one of them writes thus : 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . to this sense : i am the king of the deep-bosom'd earth , my strength gave to the sea both bounds and birth . this spirit of god then , or the divine love which was from everlasting , will prove the third divine hypostasis . the first was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which signifies strength , and a word rather common to the whole trinity . but jehovah , as the rabbines observe , is a name of god as he is merciful and gracious , which may be answerable to plato his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , but that name is also communicated to christ , as we have already acknowledged . the second is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which is wisdome , as has been prov'd out of the proverbs and answers to the platonical 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . the third we have now light upon , which must be love , and it has a lucky coincidence also with the third hypostasis in the platonick triad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , whom plotinus calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the celestial venus . and to this after a more immediate manner is the creation of the world ascribed by that philosopher , as also by plato ; as here in moses the spirit of god is said to lie close brooding upon the humid matter for the actual production of this outward world . ver. 3. exist independently of corporeal matter . that which exists first it is plain is independent of what follows , and philo makes all immateriate beeings to be created in this first day : whence the souls of men are removed far from all fear of fate and mortality , which is the grand tenent of plato's school . ver. 5. matter meerly metaphysical . see hyle in my interpretation general at the end of my poems ; where you shall find that i have settled the same notion i make use of here , though i had no design then of expounding moses . monad or vnite . the fitnesse of the number to the nature of every days work , you shall observe to be wonderful . whence we may well conclude , that it was ordered so on purpose , and that in all probability pythagoras was acquainted with this cabbala ; and that that was the reason the pythagoreans made such a deal of doe with numbers , putting other conceits upon them , then any other arithmeticians do ; and that therefore if such theorems as the pythagoreans held , be found sutable and compliable with moses his text , it is a shrewd presumption that that is the right philosophick cabbala thereof . philo makes this first day spent in the creation of immateral and spiritual beeings , of the intellectual world , taking it in a large sense , or the mundus vitae , as ficinus calls it , the world of life and forms . and the pythagoreans call an unite 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , form , and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , life . they call it also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or the tower of jupiter , giving also the same name to a point or center , by which they understand the vital formative center of things , the rationes seminales : and they call an unite also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which is seminal form. but a very short and sufficient account of philo's pronouncing that spiritual substances are the first days work , is , that as an vnite is indivisible in numbers , so is the nature of spirits indivisible ; you cannot make two of one of them , as you may make of one piece of corporeal matter two , by actuall division or severing them one piece from another . wherefore what was truly and properly created the first day ; was immaterial , indivisible , and independent of the matter , from the highest angel , to the meanest seminal form. and for the potentiality of the outward creation , sith it is not so properly any real beeing , it can breed no difficulty , but whatever it is , it is referrable fitly enough to incorporeal things , it being no object of sense , but of intellect , and being also impassible and undiminishable , and so in a sort indivisible . for the power of god being undiminishable , the possibility of the creature must be also undiminishable , it being an adaequate consequence of his power . wherefore this potentiality being ever one , it is rightly referred to the first day . and in respect of this the pythagoreans call an vnite 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , as well as the binary , as also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which names plainly glance at the dark potentiality of things , set out by moses in the first days creation . ver. 6. created an immense deal , &c. he creates now corporeal matter , ( as before the world of life ) out of nothing . which universal matter may well be called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for extension is very proper to corporeal matter . castellio translates it liquidum , and this universal matter is most what fluid still , all over the world , but at first it was fluid universally . betwixt the aforesaid fluid possibility , &c. but here it may be you 'll enquire , how this corporeal matter shall be conceived to be betwixt the waters above , and these underneath . for what can be the waters above , maimonides requires no such continued analogy in the hidden sense of scripture , as you may see in his preface to his moreh nevochim . but i need not fly to that general refuge . for me thinks that the seminal forms that descend through the matter , and so reach the possibility of the parts of the outward creation , and make them spring up into act , are not unlike the drops of rain that descend through the heaven or air , and make the earth fruitful . besides , the seminal forms of things lie round , as i may so speak , and contracted at first , but spread when they bring any part of the possibility of the outward creation into act , as drops of rain spread when they are fallen to the ground . so that the analogy is palpable enough , though it may seem too elaborate and curious . we may adde to all this concerning the naides or water nymphs , that the ancients understood by them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , all manner of souls that descend into the matter and generation . wherefore the watry powers ( as porphyrius also calls these nymphs ) it is not at all harsh to conceive , that they may be here indigitated by the name of the vpper waters . see porphyrius in his de antro nympharum . ver. 7. what mischief straying souls . the frequent complaints that that noble spirit in pythagoreans and platonists makes against the incumbrances and disadvantages of the body , makes this cabbala very probable . and it is something like our divines fancying hell to be created this day . ver. 8. actuated and agitated . this is consonant to plato's school , who makes the matter unmovable of it self , which is most reasonable . for if it were of its own nature movable , nothing for a moment would hold together , but dissolve it self into infinitely little particles ; whence it is manifest , that there must be something besides the matter , either to binde it or to move it ; so that the creation of immaterial beeings , is in that respect also necessary . rightly called heaven . i mean 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . for this agitation of the matter brought it to des cartes his second principle , which is the true aether , or rather 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . for it is liquid as water , and yet has in it the fierce principle of fire , which is the first element and most subtile of all . the thing is at first sight understood by cartesians , who will easily admit of that notation of the rabbines in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , as being from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fire , and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 water . for so r. bechai , the heavens , sayes he , were created from the beginning , and are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , because they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fire and water ; which no philosophy makes good so well as the cartesian . for the round particles , like water , ( though they be not of the same figure ) flake the fierceness of the first principle , which is the purest fire . and yet this fire in some measure alway lies within the triangular intervals of the round particles , as that philosophy declares at large . and the binary . how fitly again doth the number agree with the nature of the work of this day , which is the creation of corporeal matter and the pythagoreans call the number two 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 matter . simplicius upon aristotles physicks , speaking of the pythagoreans 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . they might well , sayes he , call one , form , as defining and terminating to certain shape and property whatever it takes holds of . and two they might well call matter , it being undeterminate , and the cause of bigness and divisibility . and they have very copiously heaped upon the number two , such appellations as are most proper to corporeal matter . as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , vnfigured , vndeterminated , vnlimited . for such is matter of it self till form take hold of it . it is called also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the fluidity of the matter . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , because it affords substance to the heavens and starres . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , contention , fate , and death , for these are the consequencies of the souls being joined with corporeal matter , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , motion , generation , and division , which are properties plainly appertaining to bodies . they call this number also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , because it is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the subject that endures and undergoes all the changes and alterations , the active forms put upon it . wherefore it is plain that the pythagoreans understood corporeal matter by the number two ▪ which no man can deny but that it is a very fit symbole of division , that eminent property of matter . but we might cast in a further reason of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being created the second day : for the celestial matter does consist of two plainly distinguishable parts , to wit , the first element , and the second ; or the materia subtilissima , and the round particles , as i have already intimated out of des cartes his philosophy . ver. 9. it is referred to the following day . you are to understand that these six numbers , or days , do not signifié any order of time , but the nature of the things that were said to be made in them . but for any thing in moses his philosophick cabbala , all might be made at once , or in such periods of time , as is most sutable to the nature of the things themselves . what is said upon this ninth verse , will be better understood , and with more full satisfaction , when we come to the fourth days work . ver. 13. and the ternary denotes . in this third day was the waters commanded into one place , the earth adorned with all manner of plants , paradise , and all the pleasure and plenty of it created , wherein the serpent beguiled eve , and so forth . what can therefore be more likely , then that the pythagoreans use their numbers as certain remembrancers of the particular passages of this history of the creation ; when as they call the number three , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , i. e. triton and lord of the sea ; which is in reference to gods commanding the water into one place , and making thereof a sea. they call also the ternary 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 : the former intimates the plenty of paradise , the latter relates to the serpent there . but now besides this we shall find the ternary very significant of the nature of this days work . for first , the earth consists of the third element in the cartesian philosophy , ( for the truth of that philosophy will force it self in whether i will or no ) and then again there are three grand parts of this third element necessary to make an earth habitable , the dry land , the sea , ( whence are springs and rivers and the air ; and lastly , there are in vegetables , which is the main work of this day , three eminent properties , according to aristotle , viz. nutrition , accretion , generation ; and also , if you consider their duration , there be these three cardinal points of it , ortus , acme , interitus . you may cast in also that minerals which belong to this day as well as plants , that both plants and they , and in general , all terrestrial bodies have the three chymical principles in them , sal , sulphur , and mercury . ver. 16. such as is the earth we live upon . as the matter of the universe came out in the second day , so the contriving of this matter into sunnes and planets , is contained in this fourth day , the earth her self not excepted , though according to the letter she is made in the first day , and as she is the nurse of plants , said to be uncovered in the third , yet as she is a receptacle of light , and shines with borrowed raies like the moon and other plants , she may well be referred to this fourth days creation . nor will this at all seem bold or harsh , if we consider that the most learned have already agreed that all the whole creation was made at once . as for example , the most rational of all the jewish doctors , r. moses aegyptius , philo judeus , procopius gazeus , cardinal cajetan● , s. augustine , and the schools of hillel and samai , as manasseh ben israel writes . so that that leisurely order of days is thus quite taken away , and all the scruples that may rise from that hypothesis . wherefore i say , the earth as one of the primary planets was created this fourth day . and i translate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 primary planets . primary , because of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 emphatical , and planets , because the very notation of their name implies their nature ; for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is plainly from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vstio , or burning , and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 extinction , nouns made from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , according to unexceptionable analogy . and the earth , as also the rest of the planets , their nature is such , as if they had once been burning and shining suns , but their light and heat being extinguished , they afterwards became opake planets . this conclusion seems here plainly to be contained in moses , but is at large demonstrated in des cartes his philosophy . nor is this notation of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 enervated by alledging that the word is ordinarily used to signifie the fixed stars , as well as the planets . for i do not deny but that in a vulgar notion it may be competible to them also . for the fixed stars according to the imagination of the rude people , may be said to be lighted up , and extinguished , so often as they appear and disappear ; for they measure all by obvious sense and fancie , and may well look upon them as so many candles set up by divine providence in the night , but by day frugally put out , for wasting : and i remember theodoret in his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , has so glibly swallowed down the notion , that he uses it as a special argument of providence , that they can burn thus with their heads downwards , and not presently sweal out and be extinguished , as our ordinary candles are . wherefore the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , may very well be attributed to all the stars as well fixed , as planets , but to the fixed only upon vulgar seeming grounds , to the planets upon true and natural . and we may be sure that that is that which moses would aim at , and lay stresse upon in his philosophick cabbala . wherefore in brief , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 emphatical in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 contains a double emphasis , intimating those true 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or planets , and then the most eminent amongst those truly so tearmed . nor is it at all strange , that so abstruse conclusion of philosophy should be lodged in this mosaical text. for , as i have elsewhere intimated , moses has been aforehand with cartesius . the ancient patriarchs having had wit , and by reason of their long lives leisure enough to invent as curious and subtile theorems in philosophy , as ever any of their posterity could hit upon , besides what they might have had by tradition from adam . and if we finde the earth a planet , it must be acknowledged forthwith that it runs about the sun , which is pure pythagorisme again , and a shrewd presumption that he was taught that mysterie by this mosaical cabbala . but that the earth is a planet , besides the notation we have already insisted upon , the necessity of being created in this fourth day amongst the other planets , is a further argument . for there is no mention of its creation in any day else , according to this philosophick cabbala . ver. 17. inhabitants of the world . the hebrew is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . and i have made bold to interpret 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , not of this one individual earth , but of the whole species ; and therefore i render it the world at large . as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the twenty seventh of this chapter , is not an individual man , but mankinde in general . and so ver . 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 viz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , are interpreted after the same manner , rendring them the greater sort of lights , and the lesser sort of lights . so that no grammatical violence is done to the text of moses all this time . ver. 19. and the number denotes . this fourth days creation is the contrivance of matter into suns and planets , or into suns , moons , and earths . for the aethereal vortices were then set a going , and the corporeal world had got into an useful order and shape . and the ordering and framing of the corporeal world , may very well be said to be transacted in the number four ; four being the first body in numbers an aequilateral pyramid , which figure also is a right symbole of light , the raies entring the eye in a pyramidal form . and lights now are set up in all the vast region of the aethereal matter , which is heaven . the pythagoreans also call this number 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , & 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , body , and the world , intimating the creation of the corporeal world therein . and further , signifying in what excellent proportion and harmony the world was made , they call this number four : 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . harmony , vrania , and the stirrer up of divine fury and extasie ; insinuating that all things are so sweetly and fittingly ordered in the world , that the several motions thereof are as a comely dance , or ravishing musick , and are able to carry away a contemplative soul into rapture and extasie upon a clear view , and attentive animadversion of the order and oeconomy of the universe . and philo , who does much pythagorize in his exposition of moses , observes , that this number four contains the most perfect proportions in musical symphonies , viz. diatessaron , diapente , diapason , and disdiapason , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. for the proportion of diatessaron is as four to three , of diapente as three to two , of diapason as two to one , or four to two , of disdiapason as four to one. we might cast in also the consideration of that divine nemesis , which god has placed in the frame and nature of the universal creation , as he is a distributer to every one according to his works . from whence himself is also called nemesis , by aristotle , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , because he every where distributes what is due to every one . this is in ordinary language justice , and both philo and plotinus out of the pythagoreans , affirms , that the number four is a symbole of justice . all which , makes towards what i drive at , that the whole creation is concerned in this number four , which is called the fourth day . and for further eviction , we may yet adde , that as all numbers are contained in four virtually , ( by all numbers is meant ten , for when we come to ten , we go back again ) so the root and foundation of all the corporeal creation is laid in this fourth days work , wherein suns , earths , and moons are made , and the ever whirling vortices . for as philo observes , pythagorean-like , ten ( which they call also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the world , heaven , and all-perfectnesse ) is made by the scattering of the parts of four : thus , 1 , 2 , 3 , 4. put these together now and they are ten. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the vniverse . and this was such a secret amongst pythagoras his disciples , that it was a solemn oath with them to swear by him that delivered to them the mysterie of the tetractys , tetrad or number four. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . by him that did to us disclose the tetrads mysterie , where natures fount that ever flowes , and hidden root doth lie . thus they swore by pythagoras as is conceived , who taught them this mysterious tradition . and had it not been a right worshipful mysterie think you indeed , and worthy of the solemnity of religion and of an oath , to understand that 1 , 2 , 3 , 4. make ten. and that ten is all , which rude mankinde told first upon their fingers , and arithmeticians discover it by calling them digits at this very day . there is no likelihood that so wise a man as pythagoras was , should lay any stress upon such trifles , or that his scholars should be such fools as to be taken with them . but it is well known that the pythagoreans held the motion of the earth about the sun , which is plainly implied according to the philosophick cabbala of this fourth days work . so much of his secrets got out to common knowledge and fame . but it is very highly probable , that he had the whole philosophick cabbala of the creation opened to him by some knowing priest or philosopher ( as we now call them ) in the oriental parts , that under this mysterie of numbers set out to him the choicest and most precious conclusions in natural philosophy , interpreting as i conceive , the text of moses in some such way as i have light upon , and making all those generous and ample conclusions good by demonstration and reason . and so pythagoras being well furnished with the knowledge of things , was willing to impart them to those whose piety and capacity was fit to receive them ; not laying aside that outward form of numbers , which they were first conveied to himself in . but such arithmetical nugacities as are ordinarily recorded for his , in dry numbers , to have been the riches of the wisdome of so famous a philosopher , is a thing beyond all credit or probability . wherefore i conceive , that the choicest and most precious treasures of knowledge , being laid open in the cabbala of the fourth day ; from thence it was that so much solemnity and religion was put upon that number , which he called his tetractys , which seems to have been of two kindes , the one , the single number four , the other thirty six , made of the four first masculine numbers , and the four first feminine , viz. of 1 , 3 , 5 , 7. and of 2 , 4 , 6 , 8. wherein you see that the former and more simple tetractys is still included and made use of ; for four here takes place again in the assignment of the masculine and feminine numbers . whence i further conceive , that under the number of this more complex tetrad which contains also the other in it , he taught his disciples the mysterie of the whole creation , opening to them the nature of all things as well spiritual as corporeal . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , as a certain author writes ; for an even number carries along with it divisibility , and passibility . but an odde number , indivisibility , impassibility , and activity , wherefore that is called feminine , this masculine . wherefore the putting together of the four first masculine numbers to the four first feminine , is the joining of the active and passive principles together , matching the parts of the matter , with congruous forms from the world of life . so that i conceive the tetractys was a a symbole of the whole systeme of pythagoras his philosophy , which we may very justly suspect to be the same with the mosaical cabbala . and the root of this tetractys is six , which again hits upon moses ▪ and remindes us of the six days work of the creation . ver. 20. fish and fowl are made in the same day . and here moses does plainly play the philosopher in joining them together ; for there is more affinity betwixt them then is easily discerned by the heedlesse vulgar : for besides that fowls frequent the waters very much , many kindes of them i mean , these elements themselves of air and water , for their thinnesse and liquidity , are very like one another . besides , the sinnes of fishes and the wings of birds , the feathers of one and the scales of the other , are very analogical . they are both also destitute of vreters , dugges , and milk , and are oviparous . further , their motions are mainly alike , the fishes as it were flying in the water , and the fowls swimming in the air , according to that of the poet concerning daedalus , when he had made himself wings ; insuetum per iter gelidas enavit ad arctos . cast in this also , that as some fowls dive and swim under water , so some fishes fly above the water in the air , for a considerable space till their finnes begin to be something stiffe and dry . ver. 23. and the quinary denotes . philo does not here omit that obvious consideration of the five senses in animals . but it is a strange coincidence , if it was not intended that living creatures should be said to be made in the fift and sixt day , those numbers according to the pythagorical mysterie being so fitly significant of the nature of them . for five is acknowledged by them to be male and female , consisting of three and two , the two first masculine and feminine numbers . it is also an emblem of generation , for the number five drawn into five brings about five again , as you see in five times five , which is twenty five . so an eagle ingendring with an eagle , brings forth an eagle ; and a dolphin ingendring with a dolphin , a dolphin ; and so in the rest . whence the pythagoreans call this number five cytherea , that is , venus , and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , marriage ; and in birds it is evident that they choose their mates . concerning the number six , i shall speak in its proper place . ver. 26. that it is so free , so rational . that the image of god consists in this rather then in the dominion over the creature , i take to be the right sense , and more philosophical , the other more political ; and philo interprets it after that manner we have made choice of , which is also more sutable to platonisme and pythagorisme , the best cabbala that i know of moses his text. ver. 27. male and female . it is a wonder , sayes grotius , to see how the explications of the rabbines upon this place , and those passages in plato's symposion agree one with another , which notwithstanding from whatsoever they proceeded , i make no question , sayes he , but they are false and vain . and i must confesse i am fully of the same opinion . but this strange agreement betwixt aristophanes his narration , in the forenamed symposion , and the comments of the rabbines upon this text , is no small argument that plato had some knowledge of moses , which may well adde the greater authority and credit to this our cabbala . but it was the wisdome of plato to own the true cabbala himself , but such unwarrantable fancies as might rise from the text , to cast upon such a ridiculous shallow companion as aristophanes , it was good enough for him to utter in that clubbe of wits , that philosophick symposion of plato . ver. 28. they lorded it . the seventy have it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which is to domineer with an high hand , matth. 20. ver. 31. and the senary denotes . the senary or the number six has a double reference , the one to this particular days work , the other to the whole creation . for the particular days work , it is the creation of sundry sorts of land animals , divided into male and female . and the number six is made up of male and female . for two into three is six . the conceit is philo's ; and hence the pythagoreans called this number , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , matrimony , as clemens also observes , adding moreover that they did it in reference to the creation of the world , set down by moses . this number also in the same sort that the number five , is a fit embleme of procreation . for six drawn into six , makes thirty six . the conceit is plutarchs in his de ei apud delphos , though he speak it of an inferiour kinde of generation : but me thinks it is most proper to animals . here is something also that respects man , particularly the choicest result of this sixt days labour . the number of the brutish nature was five , according to philo ; but here is an unite superadded in man , reason reaching out to the knowledge of a god. and this unite added to the former five , makes six . but now for the reference that six bears to the whole creation , that the pythagoreans did conceive it was significant thereof , appears by the titles they have given it . for they call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . the articulate and compleat efformation of the vniverse , the anvill , and the world. i suppose they call it the anvill from that indefatigable shaping out of new forms and figures upon the matter of the universe , by virtue of the active principle that ever busies it self every where . but how the senary should emblematize the world , you shall understand thus : the world is self-compleat , filled and perfected by its own parts ; so is the senarius , which has no denominated part but a sixt , third , and second , viz. 1 , 2 , 3. which put together make six , and euclide defines a perfect number from this property , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . a perfect number is that which is equall to its parts . wherefore this number sets out the perfection of the world , and you know god in the close of all , saw that all that he made was very good . then again the world is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , mas & foemina , that is , it consists of an active and passive principle , the one brought down into the other from the world of life ; and the senary is made by the drawing of the first masculine number into the first feminine , for three into two is six . thus you see continuedly , that the property of the number sets off the nature of the work of every day , according to those mysteries that the pythagoreans have observed in them ; and besides this , that the numbers have ordinarily got names answerable to each days work ; which , as i have often intimated , is a very high probability , that the pythagoreans had a cabbala referring to moses his text , and the history of the creation . and philo , though not in so punctual a way , has offered at the opening of the minde of moses by this key . but i hope i have made it so plain , that it will not hereafter be scrupled , but that this is the genuine way of interpreting the philosophick meaning of the mosaical text in this first chapter of genesis . chap. ii. 3 the number seven a fit symbole of the sabbath , or rest of god. 7 of adams rising out of the ground , as other creatures did . 11 that pison is from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and denotes prudence . the mystical meaning of havilah . 13 that gihon is the same that nilus , sihor , or siris , and that pison is ganges . the justice of the aethiopians . that gihon is from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and denotes that virtue . 14 as hiddekel , fortitude . 17 that those expressions of the souls sleep , and death in the body , so frequent amongst the platonists , were borrowed from the mosaical cabbala . 19. fallen angels assimilated to the beasts of the field . the meaning of those platonical phrases 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and the like . that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in platonisme is the same that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in moses , that signifies angels as well as god. 22 that there are three principles in man , according to plato's schoole ; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and that this last is eve. in this second chapter moses having spoke of the sabbath , returns to a more particular declaration of the creation of adam , which is referrable to the sixt days work . then he falls upon that mysterious story of paradise , which runs out into the next chapter . ver. 3. and the number declares the nature . the hebdomad or septenary is a fit symbole of god , as he is considered having finished these six days creation . for then , as this cabbala intimates , he creates nothing further . and therefore his condition is then very fitly set out by the number seven . all numbers within the decad , are cast into three ranks , as philo observes . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . some beget , but are not begotten ; others are begotten , but do not beget ; the last both beget , and are begotten . the number seven is only excepted , that is neither begotten , nor begets any number , which is a perfect embleme of god celebrating this sabbath . for he now creates nothing of anew , as himself is uncreatable . so that the creating and infusing of souls as occasion should offer , is quite contrary to this mosaical cabbala . but the cabbala is very consonant to it self , which declares that all souls were created at once in the first day , and will in these following chapters declare also the manner of their falling into the body . ver. 4. productions of the heavens . the original hath it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . here the suns and planets are plainly said to be generated by the heavens , or aethereal matter , which is again wonderfully consonant to the cartesian philosophy , but after what manner planets and stars are thus generated , you may see there at large . it cannot but be acknowledged ; that there was a faddome-lesse depth of wisdome in moses , whose skill in philosophy thus plainly prevents the subtilest and most capacious reaches of all the wits of the world that ever wrote after him . take upon me to define . that no set time is understood by the six days creation , hath been witnessed already out of approved authors , and the present cabbala plainly confirms it , shewing that the mysterie of numbers is meant , not the order or succession of days . ver. 6. like dewy showers of rain . vatablus plainly interprets the place of rain . but i conceive it better interpreted of something analogical to the common rain , that now descends upon the earth , which is lesse oily a great deal , and not so full of vitall vigour and principles of life . ver. 7. and man himself rose out of the earth . that god should shape earth with his own hands like a statuary , into the figure of a man , and then blow breath into the nostrils of it , and so make it become alive , is not likely to be the philosophick cabbala , it being more palpably accommodated to vulgar concern . but mention of rain immediately before the making of man , may very well insinuate such preparations of the ground , to have some causal concourse for his production . and if it be at all credible , that other living creatures rose out of the earth in this manner , it is as likely that man did so likewise ; for the same words are used concerning them both : for the text of moses , ver . 19. sayes , that out of the ground god formed every beast of the field , and every fowl of the air , as it sayes in the seventh verse , that he formed man of the dust of the ground . whence euripides the tragedian ( one that socrates lov'd and respected much for his great knowledge and virtue , and would of his own accord be a spectator of his tragedies , when as they could scarce force him to see other playes , as aelian writes ) this euripides , i say , pronouncing of the first generation of men , and the rest of living creatures , affirmed that they were born all after the same manner , and that they rose out of the earth . and that euripides was tinctured with the same doctrines that were in pythagoras , and plato's school , both the friendship betwixt him and socrates , as also the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or moral and philosophick sentences in his tragedies are no inconsiderable arguments . and as i have already intimated , the best philosophick cabbala of moses that is , i suspect to be in their philosophy , i mean of plato and pythagoras . ver. 8. where he had put the man. for there is no praeterpluperfect tense in the hebrew , and therefore as vatablus observes , if the sense require , the praeterperfect tense stands for it . wholly aethereal . for that 's the pure heavenly and undefiled vehicle of the soul , according to platonisme . beams of the divine intellect . i have already more at large shewed how the son of god or the divine intellect is set out by the similitude of the sun-rising , or east , which i may again here further confirm out of philo ; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . in his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . so that the placing of paradise under the sun-rise , signifies the condition of a soul irrigated by the rayes of the divine intellect , which she is most capable of in her aethereal vehicle . but that the souls of men were from the beginning of the world , is the general opinion of the learned jewes , as well as of the pythagoreans and platonists , and therefore a very warrantable hypothesis in the philosophick cabbala . ver. 9. the essential will of god. by the essential will of god , is understood the will of god becoming life and essence to the soul of man ; whereby is signified a more thorough union betwixt the divine and humane nature , such as is in them that are firmly regenerated and radicated in what is good . philo makes the tree of life to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , that is , piety or religion , but the best religion and piety is to be of one will with god : see john 1. 12. ver. 10. the four cardinal virtues . it is philo's exposition upon the place ; and then the river it self to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , that general goodnesse distinguishable into these four heads of virtue . ver. 11. is pison . from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to spread and diffuse it self , to multiply and abound . this is wisdome or prudence , called pison , partly because it diffuses it self into all our actions , and regulates the exercise of the other three virtues , and partly because wisdome and truth , fills and encreases , and spreads out every day more then other . for truth is very fruitful , and there are ever new occasions that adde experience of things . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . according to our english proverb , the older the wiser . in the land of havilah . from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , deus indicavit , god hath shown it . ver. 12. pure gold , &c. an easie embleme of tried experience , the mother of true wisdome and prudence . and the virtue of bdellium is not unproper for diseases that arise from phlegmatick lazinesse ; and the very name and nature of the onyx stone also points out the signification of it , though there be no necessity , as i have told you already out of maimonides , to give an account in this manner of every particular passage in an allegory or parable . wherefore if any man think me too curious , they may omit these expositions , and let them go for nought . ver. 13. river is gihon . according to the history or letter we have made pison , phasis , and gihon a branch of euphrates . but the ancient fathers , epiphanius , augustine , ambrose , hieronymus , theodoret , damascen , and several others make pison , ganges , and gihon , nilus . and they have no contemptible arguments for it . for first , jerem. 2. 18. sihor , is a river of aegypt , which is not questioned to be any other then nilus , and its etymon seems to bewray the truth of it , from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 denigrari , from the muddy blacknesse of the river . and nilus is notorious for this quality , and therefore has its denomination thence in the greek , quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , acording to which is that of dionysius . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . that is , for there 's no river can compare with nile , for casting mud , and fattening the soile . but now to recite the very words of the prophet , what hast thou to do with the way of egypt , to drink the waters of sihor ? the latine has it , ut bibas aquam turbidam . this is nilu● , but the seventy translate it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , to drink the water of gihon ; which is the name of this very river of paradise : and the abyssines also even to this day call nilus by the name of guion . adde unto this , that gihon runs in aethiopia , so does nilus , and is siris , as it runs through aethiopia , which is from sihor it is likely , and then the greek termination makes it sioris , after by contraction siris . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is , the aethiopian him siris calls , syene , nilus , when by her he crawls . as the same author writes in his geographical poems . and that pison is ganges , has also its probabilities . ganges being in india a countrey famous for gold and precious stones . besides , the notation of the name agrees with the nature of the river . pison being from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 multiplicare . and there is no lesse a number then ten , and those great rivers that exonerate themselves into ganges : as there must be a conflux of multifarious experience to fill up and compleat that virtue of wisdome or prudence . so that we shall see that the four rivers of paradise have got such names , as are most advantageous and favourable to the mysterious sense of the story . wherefore regardlesse here of all geographical scrupulosities , we will say that gihon is nilus or siris , the river of the aethiopians , that is , of the just , and the virtue is here determinately set off from the subject wherein it doth reside : for by the fame of the justice and innocency of the aethiopians , we are assured which of the cardinal virtues is meant by gihon . and the ancient fame of their honesty and uprightnesse was such , that homer has made it their epithet , calling them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the blamelesse aethiopians ; adding further , that jupiter used to banquet with them , he being so much taken with the integrity of their conversation . and dionysius calls them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the divine , or deiforme aethiopians : and they were so styled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , by reason of their justice , as eustathius comments upon the place . herodotus also speaking of them says , they are very goodly men , and much civilized , and of a very long life , which is the reward of righteousnesse . so that by the place where gihon runs , it is plainly signified to us , what cardinal virtue is to be understood thereby . notation of the name thereof . the name gihon as you have seen , fairly incites us to acknowledge it a river of aethiopia . the notation thereof does very sutably agree with the nature of justice , for it is from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 erumpere . and justice is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , bonum alienum , as the philosopher notes , not confined within a mans self , but breaks out rather upon others , bestowing upon every one what is their due . ver. 14. is hiddekell . the word is compounded , says vatablus , from two words that signifie velox & rapidum , and this virtue like a swift and rapid stream , bears down all before it , as you have it in the cabbala . and stoutly resists . philo uses here the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , to resist , which he takes occasion from the seventies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which he interprets against the assyrians . the hebrew has it , eastward of assyria , and therefore assyria is situated westward of it . now the west is that quarter of the world where the sun bidding us adieu , leaves us to darkness , whence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the west wind , in eustathius , has its name from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the wind that blows from the dark quarter . assyria therefore is that false state of seeming happiness , and power of wickednesse , which is called the kingdome of darknesse . and this is the most noble object of fortitude , to destroy the power of this kingdome within our selves . perath . from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fructificavit . ver. 17. in processe of time , &c. this is according to the minde of the pythagoreans and origen . and that pythagoras had the favour of having the mosaical cabbala communicated to him by some knowing priest of the jewes , or some holy man or other , i think i have continuedly in the former chapter made it exceeding probable . the region of mortality and death . nothing is more frequent with the platonists , then the calling of the body a sepulchre , and this life we live here upon earth , either sleep or death . which expressions are so sutable with this cabbala , and the cabbala with the text of moses , that mentions the death and sleep of adam , that it is a shrewd presumption that these phrases and notions came first from thence . and philo acknowledges that heraclitus , that mysterious and abstruse philosopher , ( whom porphyrius also has cited to the same purpose , in his de antro nympharum ) has even hit upon the very meaning that moses intends in this death of adam , in that famous saying of his , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . we live their death , ( to wit , of the souls out of the body ) but we are dead to their life . and euripides that friend of socrates , and fellow-traveller of plato's , in his tragedies speaks much to the same purpose . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; who knows whether to live , be not to die , and to die , to live ? so that the philosophick sense concerning adams death , must be this , that he shall be dead to the aethereal life he lived before , while he is restrained to the terrestrial , and that when as he might have lived for ever in the aethereal life , he shall in a shorter time assuredly die to the terrestrial : that the sons of men cannot escape either the certainty or speed of death . ver. 18. both good for himself , &c. for the words of the text doe not confine it to adams conveniency alone , but speaks at large without any restraint , in this present verse . wherefore there being a double convenience , it was more explicite to mention both in the cabbala . ver. 19. fallen and unfallen angels . the fallen angels are here assimilated to the beasts of the field , the unfallen to the fowls of the air. how fitly the fallen spirits are reckoned amongst the beasts of the field , you shall understand more fully in the following chapter . in the mean time you may take notice that the platonists , indeed plato himself , in his phaedrus , makes the soul of man before it falls into this terrestrial region , a winged creature . and that such phrases as these , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and the like , are proper expressions of that school . and plato does very plainly define what he means by these wings of the soul , ( and there is the same reason of all other spirits whatsoever ) after this manner , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . that the nature of the wing of the soul is such , as to be able to carry upward , that which otherwise would slugge downwards , and to bear it aloft and place it there , where we may have more sensible communion with god , and his holy angels . for so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the plural number , is most sutably translated in such passages as these , and most congruously to the thing it self , and the truth of christianity . and it may well seem the lesse strange , that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 should signifie angels in the greek philosophers , especially such as have been acquainted with moses , when as with him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies so too , viz. angels as well as god. wherefore to conclude , the losse of that principle that keeps us in this divine condition , is the losing of our wings , which fallen angels have done , and therefore they may be very well assimilated to terrestrial beasts . ver. 20. a faculty of being united , &c. this vital aptitude in the soul of being united with corporeal matter , being so essential to her and proper , the invigorating the exercise of that faculty , cannot but be very grateful and acceptable to her , and a very considerable share of her happinesse . else what means the resurrection of the dead , or bodies in the other world ? which yet is an article of the christian faith. ver. 22. this new sense of his vehicle . there be three principles in man according to the platonists , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . the first is intellect , spirit , or divine light ; the second the soul her self , which is adam the man , animus cujusque is est quisque , the soul of every man that is the man ; the third is the image of the soul , which is her vital energie upon the body , wherewith she does enliven it , and if that life be in good tune , and due vigour , it is a very grateful sense to the soul , whether in this body , or in a more thin vehicle . this ficinus makes our eve. this is the feminine faculty in the soul of man , which awakes then easiliest into act , when the soul to intellectuals falls asleep . ver. 24. over-tedious aspires . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , is a solemn monition of aristotle somewhere in his ethicks . and it is a great point of wisdome indeed , and mainly necessary , to know the true laws and bounds of humane happinesse , that the heat of melancholy drive not men up beyond what is competible to humane nature , and the reach of all the faculties thereof : nor the too savoury relish of the pleasures of the flesh , or animal life , keep them down many thousand degrees below what they are capable of . but the man that truly fears god , will be delivered from them both . what i have spoken is directed more properly to the soul in the flesh , but may analogically be understood of a soul in any vehicle , for they are peccable in them all . ver. 25. stood naked before god. adam was as truly clothed in corporeity now as ever after ; for the aether is as true a body as the earth : but the meaning is , adam had a sense of the divine presence , very feelingly assured in his own minde , that his whole beeing lay naked and bare before god , and that nothing could be hid from his sight , which pierced also to the very thoughts , and inward frame of his spirit . but yet though adam stood thus naked before him , notwithstanding he found no want of any covering to hide himself from that presentifick sense of him , nor indeed felt himself as naked in that notion of nakednesse . for that sense of nakednesse , and want of further covering and sheltring from the divine presence , arose from his disobedience and rebellion against the commands of god , which as yet he had not faln into . not at all ashamed . shame is , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the fear of just reprehension ▪ as gellius out of the philosophers defines it . but adam having not acted any thing yet at randome , after the swing of his own will , he had done nothing that the divine light would reprehend him for . he had not yet become obnoxious to any sentence from his own condemning conscience ; for he kept himself hitherto within the bounds of that divine law written in his soul , and had attempted nothing against the will of god. so that there being no sin , there could not as yet be any shame in adam . chap. iii. 1 the serpent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in pherecydes syrus . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 names of spirits haunting fields and desolate places . the right notation of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . 13 that satan upon his tempting adam , was cast down lower towards the earth , with all his accomplices . 15 plato's prophecie of christ . the reasonablenesse of divine providence in exalting christ above the highest angels . 20 that adams descension into his terrestrial body , was a kind of death . 22 how incongruous it is to the divine goodnesse , sarcastically to insult over frait man fallen into tragical misery . 24 that it is a great mercy of god that we are not immortal upon earth . that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are all one . a summary representation of the strength of the whole philosophick cabbala . pythagoras deemed the son of apollo , that he was acquainted with the cabbala of moses : that he did miracles ; as also abaris , empedocles , and epimenides , being instructed by him . plato also deemed the son of apollo . socrates his dream concerning him . that he was learned in the mosaical cabbala . the miraculous power of plotinus his soul. cartesius compared with bezaliel and aholiab , and whether he was inspired or no. the cabbalists apology . the first verse . this old serpent therefore . in pherecydes syrus , pythagoras his master , there is mention of one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , princeps mali , as grotius cites him on this place , which is a further argument of pythagoras his being acquainted with this mosaical philosophy . and that according to the philosophick cabbala , it was an evil spirit , not a natural serpent , that supplanted adam , and brought such mischief upon mankind . the beasts of the field . but now that these evil spirits should be reckoned as beasts of the field , besides what reason is given in the cabbala it self , we may adde further , that the haunt of these unclean spirits is in solitudes , and waste fields , and desolate places , as is evident in the prophet esay his description of the desolation of babylon , where he saith it shall be a place for the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the fauni and sylvani , as castellis translates it , or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , as the seventy : and these onocentauri in hesychius are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . a kinde of spirit that frequents the woods , and is of a dark colour . there is mention made also by the prophet ( in the same description ) of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , all which expositors interpret of spirits . for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are interpreted by the seventy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , by castellio satyri , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 castellio renders fauni , the seventy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 clamores , strepitus , grotius suspects they wrote 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . out of both you may guesse , that they were such a kinde of spirit , as causes a noise and a stir in those desolate places , according to that of lucretius : haec loca capripedes satyros , nymphásque tenere finitimi fingunt , & faunos esse loquuntur ; quorum noctivago strepitu ludóque jocanti affirmant vulgo taciturna silentia rumpi . to this sense : these are the places where the nymphs do wonne , the fawns and satyres with their cloven feet , whose noise , and shouts , and laughters loud do runne through the still air , and wake the silent night . but the poet puts it off with this conceit , that it is only the shepheards that are merry with their lasses . but no man can glosse upon this text after that manner : for the prophet says , no shepheard shall pitch his fold there , nor shall any man passe through it for ever . the last strange creature in these direful solitudes , is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which interpreters ordinarily translate lamia , a witch ; and for mine own part , i give so much credit to sundry stories , that i have read and heard , that i should rather interpret those noises in the night , which luoretius speaks of , to be the conventicles of witches and devils ▪ then the merriment of shepheards and their shepheardesses . but the jewes understand by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a she devil , an enemy to women in childe-bed ; whence it is , that they write on the walls of the room where the woman lies in , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 adam , eve , out of doors lilith . and what i have alledged already , i conceive is authority enough to countenance the sense of the cabbala , that supposes evil spirits to be reckoned among , or to be analogical to the beasts of the field . but something may be added yet further , matth. 12. 43. there our saviour christ plainly allows of this doctrine , that evil spirits have their haunts in the wide fields and deserts , which grotius observes to be the opinion of the jewes , and that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , daemones , have their name for that reason , from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ager ▪ the field ; for if it were from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , it would be rather 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , shiddim , then shedhim , as grammatical analogy requires . ver. 2. and adam answered him . though the serpent here be look'd upon as a distant person from adam , and externally accosting him , yet it is not at all incongruous to make eve meerly an internal faculty of him . for as she is said to proceed fromhim , so she is said still to be one with him , which is wonderfully agreeable with the faculties of the soul ; for though they be from the soul , yet they are really one with her , as they that understand any thing in philosophy will easily admit . ver. 5. know all things . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . all men have a natural desire of knowledge . it is an aphorisme in aristotle ; and this desire is most strong in those , whose spirits are most thin and subtile . and therefore this bait could not but be much taking with adam in his thinner vehicle . but what ever is natural to the soul , unlesse it be regulated and bounded with the divine light , will prove her mischief and bane , whether in this lower state , or in what state soever the soul is placed in . ver. 7. neither the covering of the heavenly nature . for adam by the indulging to every carelesse suggestion , at last destroyed and spoiled the pure frame of his aethereal or heavenly vehicle , and wrought himself into a dislike of the sordid ruines and distempered reliques of it , and in some measure awakening that lower plantal life , which yet had not come near enough the terrestrial matter , and with which he was as yet unclothed , found himself naked of what he presaged would very fitly sute with him , and ease the trouble of his present condition : see 2 cor. ch . 5. v. 1 , 2 , 3 , 4. ver. 8. that they hid themselves . they hate the light , because their deeds are evil . this is true of all rebellious spirits , be they in what vehicle they will. ver. 9. pursued him . praestantiorem animae facultatem esse ducem hominis atque daemonem . it is ficinus his out of timaeus , viz. that the best faculty that the soul is any thing awaked to , is her guide and good genius . but if we be rebellious to it , it is our daemon in the worse sense , and we are afraid of it , and cannot endure the sight of it . ver. 10. no power nor ornaments . for he found that though he could spoil and disorder his vehicle , it was not in his power so easily to bring it in order again . ver. 12. it was the vigour and impetuosity . there is some kinde of offer towards a reall excuse in adam , but it is manifest that he cannot clear himself from sin , because it was in his power to have regulated the motions of the life of his vehicle , according to the rule of the divine light in him . ver. 13. what work has she made here . adam touched in some sort with the conviction of the divine light , bemoans that sad catastrophe , which the vigorous life of the vehicle had occasioned ; but then he again excuses himself from the deceivablenesse of that facultie , especially it being wrought upon , by so cunning and powerful an assailant as the old serpent the devil . imagination for ever . that is , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . the eternal god. it being a thing acknowledged , that god both speaks in a man , as in other intellectual creatures , by his divine light residing there , and that he also speaks in himself , concerning things or persons ; which speeches are nothing else but his decrees : it is not at all harsh , in the reading of moses , to understand the speakings of god , according as the circumstances of the matter naturally imply , nor to bring god in as a third person , in corporeal and visible shape , unlesse there were an exigency that did extort it from us . for his inward word , whereby he either creates or decrees any thing that shall come to passe , as also that divine light whereby he does instruct those souls that receive him , philosophy will easilier admit of these for the speakings of god , then any audible articulate voice pronounced by him in humane shape , unlesse it were by christ himself , for otherwise in all likelihood it is but a message by some angel. ver. 14. the prince of the rebellious angels . for the mighty shall be mightily tormented ; and the nature of the thing also implies it , because disgrace , adversity , and being trampled on , is far more painful and vexatious to those that have been in great place , then to those of a more inferiour rank . from whence naturally this chieftain of the devils , as mr. mede calls him , will be struck more deeply with the curse , then any of the rest of his accomplices . in the higher parts of the air , &c. this is very consonant to the opinion of the ancient fathers , whether you understand it of satan himself , or of the whole kingdome of those rebellious spirits . and it is no more absurd , that for a time the bad went amongst the good in the aethereal region , then it is now that there are good spirits amongst the bad in this lower air. but after that villany satan committed upon adam , he was commanded down lower , and the fear of the lord of hosts so changed his vehicle , and slaked his fire , that he sunk towards the earth , and at last was fain to lick the dust of the ground , see mr. mede in his discourse upon 2 pet. 2. 4. ver. 15. messias should take a body . that the soul of the messias ▪ and all souls else did pre-exist , is the opinion of the jewes , and that admitted , there is no difficulty in the cabbala . plato , whether from this passage alone , or whether it was that he was instructed out of other places also of the holy writ , ( if what ficinus writes is true ) seems to have had some knowledge and presage of the coming of christ , in that being asked , how long men should attend to his writings ; he answered , till some more holy and divine person appear in the world , whom all should follow . notoriously here upon earth . as it came to passe in his casting out devils , and silencing oracles , or making them cry out . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 — christ bruises the head of satan by destroying his kingdome and soveraignty , and by being so highly exalted above all powers whatsoever . and it is a very great and precious mysterie ; that dear compassion of our fellow-creatures , and faithful and fast obedience to the will of god , ( which were so eminently and transcendently in christ ) should be lifted above all power and knowledge whatsoever , in those higher orders of angels . for none of them that were , as they should be , would take offence at it , but be glad of it . but those that were proud , or valued power and knowledge before goodnesse and obedience , it was but a just affront to them , and a fit rebuke of their pride . but now how does satan bruise the heel of christ ? thus : he falls upon the rear , the lowest part of those that professe christianity , hypocrites , and ignorant souls , such as he often makes witches of ; but the church triumphant is secure , and the sincere part of the church militant . so mr. mede upon the place . ver. 16. the concomitance of pain and sorrow . and it is the common complaint of all mortals , that they that speed the best , have the experience of a vicissitude of sorrow as well as joy . and the very frame of our bodies as well as the accidents of fortune , are such , that to indulge to pleasure , is but to lay the seed of sorrow or sadnesse by diseases , satiety , or melancholy ▪ besides many spinosities and cutting passages that often happen unawares in the conversation of those from whom we expect the greatest solace and contents . to say nothing of the assaults of a mans own minde , and pricking of conscience , which ordinarily disturb those that follow after the pleasures of the body . lucretius , though an atheist , will fully witnesse to the truth of all this in his fourth book , de rerum naturâ , where you may read upon this subject at large . ver. 18. thorns and thistles . moses instances in one kinde of life , husbandry , but there is the same reason in all . — nil sine magno vita laebore dedit mortalibus — life nothing gratis unto men doth give ; but with great labour and sad toil we live . ver ▪ 20. euripides the friend of socrates , and a favourer of the pythagorean philosophy , writes somewhere in his tragedies , as i have already told you , to this sense ; who knows , says he , whether to live , be to die ; and whether again , to die , be not to live ? which question is very agreeable to this present cabbala : for adam is here as it were dying to that better world and condition of life he was in , and like as one here upon earth on his death-bed , prophec●es many times , and professes what he presages concerning his own state to come , that he shall be with god , that he shall be in heaven amongst the holy angels , and the saints departed , and the like : so adam here utters his apologetical prophecie , that this change of his , and departure from this present state , though it may prove ill enough for himself , yet it has its use and convenience , and that it is better for the vniverse ; for he shall live upon earth , and be a ruler there amongst the terrestrial creatures , and help to order and govern that part of the world . the life of his vehicle eve. for eve signifies life , that life which the soul derives to what vehicle or body soever she actuates and possesses . ver. 21. skin of beasts . this origen understands of adams being incorporated and clothed with humane flesh and skin . ridiculum enim est dicere , saith he , quòd deus fuerit adami coriarius & pellium sutor . and no man will much wonder at the confidence of this pious and learned father , if he do but consider , that the pre-existency of souls before they come into the body , is generally held by all the learned of the jews , and so in all likelihood was a part of this philosophick cabbala . and how fitly things fall in together , and agree with the very text of moses , let any man judge . ver. 22. but play and sport . this i conceive a far better decorum , then to make god sarcastically to jeer at adam , and triumph over him in so great and universal a mischief , as some make it ; and destitute of any concomitant convenience ; especially there being a principle in adam , that was so easily deceivable , which surely has something of the nature of an excuse in it . but to jeer at a man that through his own weakness , & the over-reaching subtilty of his adversary , has fallen into some dreadful and tragical evil and misery , is a thing so far from becoming god , that it utterly misbeseems any good man. ver. 24. he made sure he should not be immortal . for it is our advantage , as rupertus upon the place hath observed out of plotinus . misericordiae dei fuisse , quòd hominem ficerit mortalem , nè perpetuis cruciaretur hujus vitae aerumnis . that it is the mercy of god that he made man mortal , that he might not always be tormented with the miseries and sorrows of this present life . passing through his fiery vehicle . the following words explain the meaning of the cabbala ; it is according to the sense of that plato amongst the poets , ( as severus called him ) virgil , in the sixt book of his aeneids : donec longa diês perfecto temporis orbe concretam exemit labem , purúmque reliquit aethereum sensum , atque aurai simplicis ignem . to this sense : till that long day at last be come about , that wasted has all filth and foul desire ; and leaves the soul aethereal throughout , bathing her senses in pure liquid fire . which we shall yet back very fittingly with the two last golden verses , as they are called of the pythagoreans , who adde immortality to this aethereal condition : 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . rid of this body , if the aether free you reach , henceforth immortal you shall bee . the greek has it , you shall be an immortal god which hierocles interprets , you shall imitate the deity in this , in becoming immortal . and plutarch in his defect of oracles , drives on this apotheosis , according to the order of the elements , earth refined to water , water to air , air to fire : so man to become of a terrestrial animal one of the heroes , of an heros a daemon , or good genius , of a genius a god , which he calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , to partake of divinity , which is no more then to become one of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or immortal angels , who are instar flammae , as maimonides writes , they are according to their vehicles , a versatile fire , turning themselves proteus-like into any shape . they are the very words of the forenamed rabbi upon the place . and philo judaeus , pag. 234. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . for there is , saith he , in the air , a most holy company of unbodied souls ; and presently he adjoins , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and these souls the holy writ uses to call angels . and in another place pag. 398. he speaking of the more pure souls , calls them , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , i. e. the officers of the generalissimo of the world , that are as the eyes and ears of the great king , seeing and hearing all things ; and then he addes , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . these , other philosophers call the genii , but the scripture angels . and in another place he says , that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , that a soul , genius , and angel , are three words that signifie both one and the same thing . as xenocrates also made 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all one , adding that he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , happy , that had 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , a virtuous soul. wherefore not to weary my reader , nor my self with overmuch philogy , we conclude , that the meaning of moses in this last verse , is this : that adam is here condemned to a mortal , flitting , and impermanent state , till he reach his aethereal or pure fiery vehicle , and become , as our saviour christ speaks , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , as one of the angels . this , i say , is the condition of mankinde , according to the philosophick cabbala of moses . let us now take a general view of this whole cabbala , and more summarily consider the strength thereof ; which we may refer to these two heads , viz. the nature of the truths herein contained , and the dignity of those persons that have owned them in foregoing ages . and as for the truths themselves , first , they are such as may well become so holy and worthy a person as moses , if he would philosophize ; they being very precious and choice truths , and very highly removed above the conceit of the vulgar , and so the more likely to have been delivered to him , or to adam first by god for a special mysterie . secondly , they are such , that the more they are examined , the more irrefutable they will be found , no hypothesis that was ever yet propounded to men , so exquisitely well agreeing with the phaenomena of nature , the attributes of god , the passages of providence , and the rational faculties of our own minds . thirdly , there is a continued sutablenesse and applicability to the text of moses all along , without any force or violence done to grammar or criticisme . fourthly and lastly , there is a great usefulnesse , if not necessity , at least of some of them , they being such substantial props of religion , and so great encouragements , to a sedulous purification of our mindes , and study of true piety . now for the dignity of the persons , such as were pythagoras , plato , and plotinus , it will be argued from the constant fame of that high degree of virtue and righteousnesse , and devout love of the deity that is every where acknowledged in them , besides whatsoever miraculous has happened to them , or been performed by them . and as for pythagoras , if you consult his life in iamblichus , he was held in so great admiration by those in his time , that he was thought by some to be the son of apollo , whom he begot of parthenis his known mother ; and of this opinion was epimenides , eudoxus , and xenocrates , which conceit iamblichus does soberly and earnestly reject , but afterwards acknowledges , that his looks and speeches did so wonderfully carry away the minds of all that conversed with him , that they could not withhold from affirming , that he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the off-spring of god. which is not to be taken in our strict theological sense , but according to the mode of the ancient greeks , who looked upon men heroically , and eminently good and virtuous , to be divine souls , and of a celestial extract . and aristotle takes notice particularly of the lacedemonians , that they tearmed such as were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , very good , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , divine men . according to which sense , he interprets that verse in homer concerning hector . — 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . but to return to him of whom we were speaking before . this eminency of his acknowledged amongst the heathen , will seem more credible , if we but consider the advantage of his conversation with the wisest men then upon earth ; to wit , the jewish priests and prophets , who had their knowledge from god , as pythagoras had from them . from whence i conceive that of iamblichus to be true , which he writes concerning pythagoras his philosophy : that it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . that it is a philosophy that at first was delivered by god , or his holy angels . but that pythagoras was acquainted with the mosaical or jewish philosophy , there is ample testimony of it in writers ; as of aristobulus an aegyptian jew , in clemens alexandrinus , and josephus against appion . s. ambrose addes , that he was a jew himself . clemens calls him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the hebrew philosopher . i might cast hither the suffrages of justine , johannes philoponus , theodoret , hermippus in origen against celsus , porphyrius , and clemens again , who writes , that it was a common fame that pythagoras was a disciple of the prophet ezekiel . and though he gives no belief to the report , yet that learned antiquary mr. selden seems inclinable enough to think it true , in his first book de jure naturali juxta hebraos , where you may peruse more fully the citations of the forenamed authors . besides all these , iamblichus also affirms , that he lived at sidon , his native countrey , where he fell acquainted with the prophets , and successors of one mochus , the physiologer , or natural philosopher . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . which , as mr. selden judiciously conjectures , is to be read , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , with the prophets that succeeded moses the philosopher . wherefore it is very plain , that pythagoras had his philosophy from moses . and that philosophy which to this very day is acknowledged to be his , we seeing that it is so fitly applicable to the text all the way , what greater argument can there be desired to prove that it is the true philosophick cabbala thereof ? but there is yet another argument to prove further the likelihood of his conversing with the prophets , which will also further set out the dignity of his person ; and that is the miracles that are recorded of him . for it should seem pythagoras was not only initiated into the mosaical theory , but had arrived also to the power of working miracles , as moses and the succeeding prophets did , and very strange facts are recorded both in porphyrius and iamblichus : as that pythagoras when he was going over a river with several of his companions , ( iamblichus calls the river nessus , porphyrius caucasus ) that he speaking to the river , the river answered him again with an audible and clear voice , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , salve pythagora . that he shewed his thigh to abaris the priest , and that he affirmed that it glistered like gold , and thence pronounced that he was apollo . that he was known to converse with his friends at metapontium , and tauromenium ( the one a town in italy , the other in sicily , and many days journey distant ) in one and the same day . to these and many others which i willingly omit , i shall only adde his predictions of earthquakes , or rather , because that may seem more natural , his present slaking of plagues in cities , his silencing of violent winds , and tempests ; his calming the rage of seas , and rivers , and the like . which skill empedocles , epimenides , and abaris having got from him , they grew so famous , that empedocles was surnamed alexanemus , epimenides , cathartes , and abaris , aethrobates , from the power they had in suppressing of storms and winds , in freeing of cities from the plague , and in walking aloft in the air : which skill enabled pythagoras to visit his friends after that manner at metapontium , and tauromenium in one and the same day . and now i have said thus much of pythagoras , ( and might say a great deal more ) there will be lesse need to insist upon plato and plotinus , their philosophy being the same that pythagoras his was , and so alike applicable to moses his text. plato's exemplarity of life and virtue , together with his high knowledge in the more sacred mysteries of god , and the state of the soul of man in this world , and that other , deservedly got to himself the title of divine , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . but as for miracles , i know none he did , though something highly miraculous happened , if that fame at athens was true , that speusippus , clearchus , and anaxilides report to have been , concerning his birth , which is , that aristo his reputed father , when he would forcibly have had to do with perictione , she being indeed exceeding fair and beautiful , fell short of his purpose , and surceasing from his attempt , that he saw apollo in a vision , and so abstained from medling with his wife till she brought forth her son aristocles , who after was called plato but that is far more credible which is reported , concerning the commending of him to his tutor socrates , who the day before he came , dreamed that he had a young swan in his lap , which putting forth feathers a pace , of a sudden flew up into the air , and sung very sweetly . wherefore the next day when plato was brought to him by his father , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , he presently said , this is the bird , and so willingly received him for his pupil . but for his acquaintance with the mosaical learning , as it is more credible in it self , so i have also better proof ; as aristobulus the jew in clemens alexandrinus ▪ s. ambrose , hermippus in josephus against appion ; and lastly , numenius the platonist , who ingenuously confesses , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; what is plato , but moses in greek ? as i have else where alledged . as for plotinus , that which porphyrius records of him , falls little short of a miracle , as being able by the majesty of his own minde , as his enemy olympius confessed , to retort that magick upon him which he practised against plotinus , and that sedately sitting amongst his friends , he would tell them ; now olympius his body it gathered like a purse , and his limbs beat one against another . and though he was not instructed by the jewish priests and prophets , yet he was a familiar friend of that hearty and devout christian and learned father of the church , origen ; whose authority i would also cast in , together with the whole consent of the learned amongst the jewes . for there is nothing strange in the metaphysical part of this cabbala , but what they have constantly affirmed to be true . but the unmannerly superstition of many is such that they will give more to an accustomed opinion , which they have either taken up of themselves ▪ or has been conveyed unto them by the confidence of some private theologer , then to the authority of either fathers , churches , workers of miracles , or what is best of all , the most solid reasons that can be propounded ; which if they were capable of , they could not take any offence at my admittance of the cartesian philosophy into this present cabbala . the principles , and the more notorious conclusions thereof , offering themselves so freely , and unaffectedly , and so aptly , and sittingly taking their place in the text , that i knew not how with judgement and conscience to keep them out . for i cannot but surmise , that he has happily and unexpectedly light upon that , which will prove a true restauration of that part of the mosaical philosophy , which is ordinarily called natural , and in which pythagoras may be justly deemed to have had no small insight . and that des cartes may bear up in some likely equipage with the forenamed noble and divine spirits though the unskilfulnesse in men commonly acknowledge more of supernatural assistance in hot unsettled fancies , and perplexed melancholy , then in the calm and distinct use of reason ; yet for mine own part , ( but not without submission to better judgements ) i should look upon des cartes as a man more truly inspired in the knowledge of nature , then any that have professed themselves so this six●een hundred years ; and being even ravished with admiration of his transcendent mechanical inventions , for the salving the phaenomena in the world , i should not stick to compare him with bezaliel and aholiab , those skilful and cunning workers of the tabernacle , who , as moses testifies , were filled with the spirit of god , and they were of an excellent understanding to finde out all manner of curious works . nor is it any more argument , that des cartes was not inspired , because he did not say he was , then that others are inspired , because they say they are ; which to me is no argument at all . but the suppression of what so happened , would argue much more sobriety and modesty , when as the profession of it with sober men would be suspected of some spice of melancholy and distraction , especially in natural philosophy , where the grand pleasure is the evidence and exercise of reason , not a bare belief , or an ineffable sense of life , in respect whereof there is no true christian but he is inspired . thus much in defence of my philosophick cabbala . it will not be unseasonable to subjoin something by way of apology for the cabbalist : for i finde my self liable to no lesse then three several imputations , viz. of trifling curiositie , of rashnesse , and of inconstancy of judgement . and as for the first , i know that men that are more severely philosophical and rational , will condemn me of too much curious pains in applying natural and metaphysical truths to an uncertain and lubricous text or letter , when as they are better known , and more fitly conveied by their proper proof and arguments , then by fancying they are aimed at in such obscure and aenigmatical writings . but i answer , ther is that fit and full congruity of the cabbala with the text , besides the backing of it with advantages from the history of the first rise of the pythagorical or platonical philosophy , that it ought not to be deemed a fancie , but a very high probability , that there is such a cabbala as this belonging to the mosaical letter , especially if you call but to minde how luckily the nature of numbers sets off the work of every day , according to the sense of the cabbala . and then again , for mine own part , i account no pains either curious or tedious , that tend to a common good : and i conceive no smaller a part of mankinde , concerned in my labours , then the whole nation of the jewes , and christendome ; to say nothing of the ingenious persian , nor to despair of the turk though he be for the present no friend to allegories . wherefore we have not placed our pains inconsiderately , having recommended so weighty and useful truths in so religious a manner to so great a part of the world . but for the imputation of rashnesse , in making it my businesse to divulge those secrets or mysteries that moses had so sedulously covered in his obscure text : i say , it is the privilege of christianity , the times now more then ever requiring it to pull off the vail from moses his face : and that though they be grand truths that i have discovered , yet they are as useful as sublime , and cannot but highly gratifie every good and holy man that can competently judge of them . lastly , for inconstancy of judgement , which men may suspect me of , having heretofore declared the scripture does not teach men philosophy : i say , the change of a mans judgement for the better , is no part of inconstancy , but a virtue , when as to persist in what we finde false , is nothing but perversenesse and pride . and it will prove no small argument for the truth of this present cabbala , in that the evidence thereof has fetch'd me out of my former opinion wherein i seemed engaged . but to say the truth , i am not at all inconsistent with my self , for i am still of opinion , that the letter of the scripture teaches not any precept of philosophy , concerning which there can be any controversie amongst men . and when you venture beyond the literal sense , you are not taught by the scripture , but what you have learned some other way , you apply thereto . and they ought to be no trash , nor trivial notions , nor confutable by reason , or more solid principles of philosophy , that a man should dare to cast upon so sacred a text , but such as one is well assured , will bear the strictest examination , and that lead to the more full knowledge of god , and do more clearly fit the phaenomena of nature , & external providence to his most precious attributes , and tend to the furthering of the holy life , which i do again professe is the sole end of the scripture . and he that ventures beyond the letter without that guide , will soon be bewilder'd , and lose himself in his own fancies . wherefore if this philosophick cabbala of mine , amongst those many other advantages i have recited , had not this also added unto it , the aim of advancing the divine life in the world , i should look upon it as both false and unprofitable , and should have rested satisfied with the moral cabbala . for the divine life is above all natural and metaphysical knowledge whatsoever . and that man is a perfect man that is truly righteous and prudent , whom i know i cannot but gratifie with my moral cabbala that follows . but if any more zealous pretender to prudence and righteousnesse , wanting either leisure or ability to examine my philosophick cabbala to the bottome , shall notwithstanding either condemn it or admire it , he has unbecomingly and indiscreetly ventured out of his own sphere , and i cannot acquit him of injustice , or folly. nor did i place my cabbala's in this order , out of more affection and esteem of philosophy , then of true holinesse , but have ranked them thus according to the order of nature : the holy and divine life being not at all , or else being easily lost in man , if it be not produc'd and conserv'd by a radicated acknowledgement of those grand truths in the philosophick cabbala , viz. the existence of the eternal god , and a certain expectation of more consummate happinesse upon the dissolution of this mortal body : for to pretend to virtue and holinesse , without reference to god , and a life to come , is but to fall into a more dull and flat kinde of stoicisme , or to be content to feed our cattel on this side of jordan in a more discreet and religious way of epicurisme , or at least of degenerate familisme . the defence of the moral cabbala . chap. i. what is meant by moral , explained out of philo. 3 that the light in the first day improv'd to the height , is adam , in the sixt , christ , according to the spirit . 4 in what sense we our selves may be said to doe what god does in us . 5 why 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , are rendred ignorance and inquiry . 18. plato's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . the pythagoreans 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , applied to the fourth days progresse . 22 that virtue is not an extirpation , but regulation of the passions , according to the minde of the pythagoreans . 24 plotinus his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , applyed to the sixt days progresse . 26 what the image of god is , plainly set down out of s. paul and plato . the divine principle in us , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , out of plotinus 28 the distinction of the heavenly and earthly man , out of philo. 31 the imposture of still and fixed melancholy , and that it is not the true divine rest , and precious sabbath of the soul. a compendious rehearsal of the whole allegory of the six days creation . wee are now come to the moral cabbala , which i do not call moral in that low sense the generality of men understand morality . for the processe and growth , as likewise the failing and decay of the divine life , is very intelligibly set forth in this present cabbala . but i call it moral , in counter-distinction to philosophical or physical ; as philo also uses this tearm moral , in divine matters . as when he speaks of gods breathing into adam the breath of life , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , saith he , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , god breathes into adams face physically and morally . physically , by placing there the senses , viz. in the head . morally , by inspiring his intellect with divine knowledge , which is the highest faculty of the soul , as the head is the chief part of the body . wherefore by morality . i understand here divine morality , such as is ingendred in the soul by the operations of the holy spirit , that inward living principle of all godliness and honesty . i shall be the more brief in the defence of this cabbala , it being of it self so plain and sensible to any that has the experience of the life i describe ; but to them that have it not , nothing will make it plain , or any thing at all probable . ver. 1. a microcosme or little world. nothing is more ordinary or trivial , then to compare man to the universe , and make him a little compendious world of himself . wherefore it was not hard to premise that , which may be so easily understood . and the apostle supposes it , when he applies the creation of light here in this chapter , to the illumination of the soul as you shall hear hereafter . ver. 2. but that which is animal or natural operates first . according to that of the apostle , that which is spiritual is not first , but that which is animal or natural ; afterward that which is spiritual . the first man is of the earth , earthy ; the second man is the lord from heaven . but what this earthy condition is , is very lively set out by moses in this first days work . for here we have earth , water , and wind , or one tumultuous dark chaos , and confusion of dirt and water , blown on heaps and waves ; and unquiet night-storm , an unruly black tempest . and it is observable , that it is not here said of this deformed globe , let there be earth ; let there be water ; let there be wind ; but all this is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the subject matter ; a thing ' made already , viz. the rude soul of man in this disorder that is described ; sad melancholy like the drown'd earth lies at the bottome , whence care , and grief , and discontent , torturous suspicion , and horrid fear , are washed up by the unquiet watry desire , or irregular suggestions of the concupiscible , wherein most eminently is seated base lust and sensuality ; and above these is boisterous wrath , and storming revengefulnesse , fool-hardy confidence , and indefatigable contention about vain objects . in short , whatever passion and distemper is in fallen man , it may be referred to these elements . but god leaves not his creature in this evil condition ; but that all this disorder may be discovered , and so quelled in us , and avoided by us , he saith , let there be light , as you read in the following verse . ver. 3. the day-light appears . to this alludes s. paul , when he says , god who commanded the light to shine out of darknesse , shine in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of god in the face of jesus christ . where the apostle seems to me to have struck through the whole six days of this spiritual creation at once . the highest manifestation of that light created in the first day , being the face of jesus christ , the heavenly adam , fully compleated in the sixt day . wherefore when it is said , let there be light , that light is understood that enlightens every man that comes into the world , which is the divine intellect as it is communicable to humane souls . and the first day is the first appearance thereof , as yet weaker and too much disjoin'd from our affections , but at last it amounts to the true and plain image and character of the lord from heaven , christ according to the spirit . ver. 4. and god hath framed the nature of man so , that he cannot but say , &c. god working in second causes , there is nothing more ordinary then to ascribe that to him that is done by men , even then when the actions seem lesse competible to the nature of god. wherefore it cannot seem harsh , if in this moral cabbala we admit that man does that by the power of god working in the soul , that the text says god does ; as the approving of the light as good , and the distinguishing betwixt light and darknesse , and the like ; which things in the mystical sense are competible both to god and man. and we speaking in a moral or mystical sense , of god acting in us , the nature of the thing requires that what he is said to do there , we should be understood also to do the same through his assistance . for the soul of man is not meerly passive as a piece of wood or stone , but is forthwith made active by being acted upon ; and therefore if god in us rules , we rule with him ; if he contend against sin in us , we also contend together with him against the same ; if he see in us what is good or evil , we , ipso facto , see by him ; in his light we see light : and so in the rest . wherefore the supposition is very easie in this moral cablala , to take the liberty , where either the sense or more compendious expression requires it , to attribute that to man , though not to man alone , which god alone does , when we recur to the literal meaning of the text. and this is but consonant to the apostle , i live , and yet not i. for if the life of god or christ was in him ; surely he did live , or else what did that life there ? only he did not proudly attribute that life to himself , as his own , but acknowledged it to be from god. ver. 5. as betwixt the natural day and night . it is very frequent with the apostles to set out by day and night , the spiritual and natural condition of man. as in such phrases as these ; the night is far spent , the day is at hand . walk as children of the light. and elsewhere , let us who are of the day ; and in the same place , you are all the sons of light , and sons of the day . we are not of the night , nor of darknesse . but this is too obvious to insist upon . and thus ignorance and inquiry . the soul of man is never quiet , but in perpetual search till she has found out her own happinesse , which is the heavenly adam , christ , the image of god , into which image and likenesse when we are throughly awakened , we are fully satisfied therewith ; till then we are in ignorance and confusion , as the hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 does fitly signifie . this ignorance , confusion , and dissatisfaction ; puts us upon seeking , according to that measure of the morning light that hath already visited us . and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to seek , to consider , and inquire . this is the generation of those that seek thy face , o jacob , that is , the face of jesus christ , the result of the sixt days work , as i have intimated before . ver. 6. of savoury and affectionate discernment . wherefore he will not assent to solomons whore , who says , stoln water is sweet ; but will rather use the words of the samaritane woman to christ , when he had told her of those waters of the spirit , though she did not so perfectly reach his meaning ; sir , give me this water , that i thirst not , neither come hither to draw . for who would seek to satisfie himself with the toilsome pleasures of the world , when he may quench his desires with the delicious draughts of that true , and yet easie-flowing nectar of the spirit of god ? ver. 10. to compare to the earth . origen compares this condition to the earth for fruitfulnesse ; but i thought it not impertinent to take notice of the steadinesse of the earth also . but the condition of the ungodly is like the raging waves of the sea ; or as the prophet speaks , the wicked are as the troubled sea that cannot rest , whose waters cast up mire and dirt , esay 57. ver. 11. he is a fruitful field . this interpretation is origens , as i intimated before . ver. 14. according to the difference of these lights . what this difference is , you will understand out of the sixteenth and eighteenth verses . ver. 18. to this one single , but vigorous and effectual light. for indeed , a true and sincere sense of this one , comprehends all . for all the law is fulfilled in one word ; to wit , in this , thou shalt love the lord thy god with all thy heart , and all thy soul , and thy neighbour as thy self ; and , to do so to others , as we our selves would be done to . wherefore for men to make nothing of this royal law of christ , and yet to pretend to be more accurate indagators into matters of religion , and more affectionate lovers of piety then ordinary , is either to be abominably hypocritical , or grossely ignorant in the most precious and necessary parts of christianity ; and they walk by star-light , and moon-light , not under the clear and warm enlivening raies of the sunne of righteousnesse . it is an excellent saying of plato's , in an epistle of his to dionysius , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , that truth lies in a little room : and assuredly that which is best and most precious does ; when as the folly of every man notwithstanding so mis-guides him , that his toil and study is but to adorn himself after the mode of the most ridiculous fellow in all the graecian army , thersites , of whom the poet gives this testimony , that he was — 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , that he had a rabble of disordered notions , and fruitlesse observations ; but that neither he , nor any body else could make either head or foot of them , nor himself became either more wise or more honest by having them . that precept of the pythagoreans , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , simplifie your self , reduce your self to one , how wise , how holy , how true is it ? what a sure foundation is it of life , liberty , and easie sagacity in things belonging to virtue , religion , and justice ? i think no man is born naturally so stupid , but that if he will keep close to this single light of divine love , in due time , nay , in a short time , he will be no more to seek what is to be done in the carriage of his life to god or man , then an unblemished eye will be at a losse to distinguish colours . but if he forsake this one light , he will necessarily be benighted , and his minde distracted with a multitude of needlesse and uncomfortable scrupulosities , and faint and ineffectual notions ; and every body will be ready to take him up for a night-wanderer , and to chastise him for being out of his way ; and after , it may be , as friendly offer himself a guide to another path , that will prove as little to the purpose , unlesse he bring him into this via regia , or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , as saint james calls it , this royal law of the sincere love of god , and a mans neighbour . ver. 20. that is , that the concupiscible in man. that the waters are an emblem of this concupiscible , venus her being born of the sea does intimate ; which were not so much to the purpose , did not natural philosophy and experience certifie , that concupiscence is lodg'd in moisture . whence is that of heraclitus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ( in porphyrius his de antro nympharum ) i. e. anima sicca sapientissima . and without all question the inordinate use of the concupiscible , does mightily befor the soul , and makes her very uncapable of divine sense and knowledge . and yet to endevour after an utter insensibility of the pleasures of the body , is as groundlesse and unwarrantable . but concerning this i shall speak more fully on the 22. and 31. verses of this chapter . ver. 21. winged ejaculations . whether mental or vocal , they are not unfitly resembled to fowls , according to that of homer , — 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . and if vocal words have wings , the inward desires of the soul may well be said to have wings also , they being the words of the minde , as the other are of the mouth , and fly further for the most part , and get sooner to heaven then the other . note also , that origen likewise makes a difference here betwixt the fish and the fowl , and makes the fowl to be good cogitations , the fish evil . but i account them rather both indifferent , and to be regulated , not extirpated by the mystical adam christ , the image of god in man. and these strong heats and ejaculations are the effects of melancholy , wherein the divine principle in man , when it actuates it , works very fiercely and sharply , and is a great waster of the delightful moisture of the concupiscible , and weakens much the pleasures of the body , to the great advantage of the minde , if it be done with discretion and due moderation , otherways if this passion be over-much indulged to , it may lead to hecticks , phrenzies and distractions . the contrivance of the text mentioning only such fowls as frequent the waters , naturally points to this sense we have given it ; but if our imagination strike out further to other winged creatures , as the fowls of the mountains , and sundry sorts of birds , they may also have their proper meanings , and are a part of those animal figurations , that are to be subdued and regulated by the mystical adam , the spirit of christ in us . ver. 22. might have something to order . but if you take away all the passions from the soul , the minde of man will be as a general without an army , or an army without an enemy . the pythagoreans define righteousnesse , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the peace of the whole soul , the parts thereof being in good tune or harmony ; according to that other definition of theirs , describing righteousnesse to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , that it is the harmony or agreement of the irrational parts of the soul with the rational . but quite to take away all the passions of the minde in stead of composing them to the right rule of reason and the divine light , is as if a man should cut away all the strings of an instrument , in stead of tuning it . ver. 24. and makes the irascible fruitful . religious devotions help'd on by melancholy , dry the body very much , and heat it , and make it very subject to wrath ; which if it be placed upon holy matters , men call zeal ; but if it be inordinate and hypocritical , the apostle will teach us to call it bitter zeal . this more fierce and fiery affection in man is plotinus his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the lion-like nature in us , which if adam keep in subjection , there is no hurt in it , but good . and it is evident in the gospel , that our saviour christ was one while deeply impassionated with sorrow , another while very strongly carried away with zeal and anger , as you may observe in the stories of his raising up lazarus , and whipping the money-changers out of the temple . and this is no imperfection , but rather a perfection ; the divine life , when it has reached the passions and body of a man , becoming thereby more palpable , full and sensible . but all the danger is of being impotently passionate , and when as the body is carried away by its own distemper , or by the hypocrisie of the minde , notwithstanding to imagine or pretend , that it is the impulse of the divine spirit . this is too frequent a mistake god knows , but such as was impossible to happen in our saviour ; and therefore the passions of his minde were rather perfections then imperfections , as they are to all them that are close and sincere followers of him , especially when they have reach'd the sixt days progresse . ver. 26. by the name of his own image . what this image of god is , plato who was acquainted with these mosaical writings , as the holy fathers of the church so generally have told us , plainly expresses in these words , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . to be like unto god , is to be just , holy , and wise . like that of the apostle to the colossians , and have put on the new man , which is renewed in knowledge , after the image of him that created him : and that more full passage in the fourth of the ephesians ; and that you put on the new man , which after god is created in righteousnesse and true holinesse . there are all the three members of that divine image , knowledge , righteousnesse , and holinesse , which are mentioned in that foregoing description of plato's , as if plato had been pre-instructed by men of the same spirit with the apostle . the true and perfect man. plotinus calls that divine principle in us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the true man. the rest is the brutish nature , the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , as i said before . but has full power . wherefore if this definition of the image or likenesse of god which plato has made , does not involve this power in it in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , according to the description of justice by the pythagoreans , above recited , ( which implies that the rational and divine part of the soul has the passions at its command ) i should adde to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , this one word more , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , that the description may un thus ; to be like unto god , is to be holy and just , together with wisdome and power . but i rather think that this power is comprehended in holinesse and justice : for unlesse we have arrived to that power as to be able constantly to act according to these virtues , we are rather well-willers to holinesse and righteousnesse , then properly and formally righteous and holy . ver. 27. in his little world. they are the words of philo , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , that man is a little world , and that the world is one great man ; which analogy is supposed , as i said at first , in the moral cabbala of this present chapter , and origen upon this chapter calls man minorem mundum , a microcosme . ver. 28. the heavenly adam , christ . philo makes mention of the heavenly and earthly man , in these words ; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . man is of two sorts , the one heavenly , the other earthly . and s. paul calls christ the heavenly adam , and philo's heavenly adam is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , created after the image of god , as saint paul in the forecited places to the colossians and ephesians also speaks concerning christ . ver. 29. the heavenly adam to feed upon , fulfilling the will of god. as christ professes of himself , it is my meat and drink to do the will of him that sent me . ver. 30. nor is the animal life quite to be starved . for a good man is merciful to his beast . see origen upon the place . ver. 31. approves all things which god hath created in us to be very good . not only the divine principle , but also the fishes , beasts , and birds ▪ vult enim deus ut insignis ista dei factura , homo , non solùm immaculatus sit ab his sed & dominetur eis : for it is the will of god , saith origen , not only that we should be free from any soil of these , ( which would be more certainly effected , if we were utterly rid of them , and they quite extirpated out of our nature ) but that we should rule over them without being any thing at all blemished , or discomposed by them . and for mine own part , i do not understand , how that the kingdome of heaven which is to be within us , can be any kingdome at all , if there be no subjects at all there to be ruled over , and to obey . wherefore the passions of the body are not to be quite extinguished , but regulated , that there may be the greater plenitude of life in the whole man. and those that endevour after so still , so silent , and demure condition of minde , that they would have the sense of nothing there but peace and rest , striving to make their whole nature desolate of all animal figurations whatsoever , what do they effect but a clear day , shining upon a barren heath , that feeds neither cow nor horse , neither sheep nor shepheard is to be seen there , but only a waste silent solitude , and one uniform parchednesse and vacuity . and yet while a man fancies himself thus wholly divine , he is not aware how he is even then held down by his animal nature ; and that it is nothing but the stilnesse and fixednesse of melancholy , that thus abuses him , and in stead of the true divine principle , would take the government to it self , and in this usurped tyranny cruelly destroy all the rest of the animal figurations ; but the true divine life would destroy nothing that is in nature , but only regulate things , and order them for the more full and sincere enjoyments of man , reproaching nothing but sinfulnesse and enormity , entituling sanguine and choler to as much virtue and religion as either phlegme or melancholy ▪ for the divine life as it is to take into it self the humane nature in general , so it is not abhorrent from any of the complexions thereof . but the squabbles in the world are ordinarily not about true piety and virtue , but which of the complexions , or what humour shall ascend the throne , and fit there in stead of christ himself . but i will not expatiate too much upon one theme ; i shall rather take a short view of the whole allegory of the chapter . in the first day there is earth , water and wind , over wh●ch , and through which , there is nothing but disconsolate darknesse , and tumultuous agitation ; the winds ruffling up the waters into mighty waves , the waves washing up the mire and dirt into the water ; all becoming but a rude heap of confusion and desolation . this is the state of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or earthly adam , as philo calls him , till god command the light to shine out of darknesse , offering him a guide to a better condition . in the second day , is the firmament created , dividing the upper and the lower waters , that it may feel the strong impulses , or taste the different relishes of either . thus is the will of man touch'd from above and beneath , and this is the day wherein is set before him life and death , good and evil , and he may put out his hand and take his choice . in the third day , is the earth uncovered of the waters , for the planting of fruit-bearing trees ; by their fruits you shall know them , saith our saviour , that is , by their works . in the fourth day , there appears a more full accession of divine light , and the sun of righteousnesse warms the soul with a sincere love both of god and man. in the fift day , that this light of righteousnesse , and bright eye of divine reason may not brandish its rayes in the empty field , where there is nothing either to subdue , or guide and order ; god sends out whole sholes of fishes in the waters , and numerous flights of fowls in the air , besides part of the sixt days work , wherein all kinde of beasts are created . in these are decyphered the sundry suggestions and cogitations of the minde , sprung from these lower elements of the humane nature , viz. earth and water , flesh and blood ; all these man beholds in the light of the sun of righteousnesse , discovers what they are , knows what to call them , can rule over them , and is not wrought to be over-ruled by them . this is adam , the master-piece of gods creation , and lord of all the creatures , framed after the image of god , christ according to the spirit , under whose feet is subdued the whole animal life , with its sundry motions , forms and shapes . he will call every thing by its proper name , and set every creature in its proper place ; the vile person shall be no longer called liberal , nor the churl bountiful . wo be unto them that call evil good , and good evil , that call the light darknesse , and the darknesse light . he will not call bitter passion , holy zeal ; nor plausible meretricious courtesie , friendship ; nor a false soft abhorrency from punishing the ill-deserving , pity ; nor cruelty , justice ; nor revenge , magnanimity ; nor unfaithfulnesse , policy ; nor verbosity , either wisdome or piety . but i have run my self into the second chapter before i am aware . in this first adam is said only to have dominion over all the living creatures , and to feed upon the fruit of the plants . and what is pride , but a mighty mountainous whale ; lust , a goat ; the lion , and bear , wilful dominion ; craft , a fox ; and worldly toil , an oxe ? over these and a thousand more is the rule of man ; i mean of adam , the image of god. but his meat and drink is to do the will of his maker ; this is the fruit he feeds upon . behold therefore , o man , what thou art , and whereunto thou art called , even to bee a mighty prince amongst the creatures of god , and to bear rule in that province he has assigned thee , to discern the motions of thine own heart , and to be lord over the suggestions of thine own natural spirit , not to listen to the counsel of the flesh , nor conspire with the serpent against thy creator . but to keep thy heart free and faithful to thy god ; so maist thou with innocency and unblameablenesse see all the motions of life , and bear rule with god over the whole creation committed to thee . this shall be thy paradise and harmlesse sport on earth , till god shall transplant thee to an higher condition of happinesse in heaven . chap. ii. the full sense of that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , that keeps men from entring into the true sabbath . 4 the great necessity of distinguishing the innocent motions of nature from the suggestions of sin. 5 that the growth of a true christian indeed doth not adaequately depend upon the lips of the priest . 7 the meaning of this is he that comes by water and blood. 8 the meaning of repent , for the kingdome of heaven is at hand . the seventh thousand years , the great sabbatism of the church of god. that there will be then frequent converse betwixt men and angels . 9 the tree of life , how fitly in the mystical sense , said to be in the midst of the garden . 17 a twofold death contracted by adams disobedience . the masculine and feminine faculties in man what they are . actuating a body , an essential operation of the soul ; and the reason of that so joyful appearance of eve to the humane nature . to the fift verse there is nothing but a recapitulation of what went before in the first chapter ; and therefore wants no further proof then what has already been alledged out of s ▪ paul and origen , and other writers . only there is mention of a sabbath in the second verse of this chapter , of which there was no words before . and this is that sabbatisme or rest , that the author to the hebrews exhorts them to strive to enter into , through faith and obedience . for those that were faint-hearted , and unbelieving , and pretended that the children of anak , the off-spring of the giants , would be too hard for them ; they could not enter into the promised land wherein they were to set up their rest , under the conduct of j●shua , a type of jesus . and the same author in the same place makes mention of this very sabbath that ensued the accomplishment of the creation , concluding thus : there remaineth therefore a sabbatisme or rest to the people of god : for he that has entred into his rest , he also has ceased from his own works , as god did from his . let us labour therefore to enter into that rest , lest any man fall after that example , of disobedience and unbelief . for the greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , may well include both senses , viz , disobedience , or the not doing the will of god , according to that measure of power and knowledge he has already given us ; and vnbelief , that the divine life and spirit in us , is not able to subdue the whole creation of the little world under us , that is , all the animal motions and figurations , be they lions , bears , goats , whales , be they what they will be , as well as to cast out the children of anak before the israelites , as it is in that other type of christ , and of his kingdome in the souls of men. ver. 4. the generations of the animal life when god created them . for these are as truly the works of god , as the divine life it self , though they are nothing comparable unto it . nay , indeed they are but an heap of confusion without it . wherefore the great accomplishment is to have these in due order and subjection unto the spirit or heavenly life in us , which is christ ; and that you may have a more particular apprehension of these generations of the animal life , i shall give you a catalogue of some of them , though confusedly , so as they come first to my memory . such therefore are anger , zeal , indignation , sorrow , derision , mirth , gravity , open-heartednesse , reservednesse , stoutnesse , flexibility , boldness , fearfulness , mildeness , tartness , candour , suspicion , peremptoriness , despondency , triumph or gloriation . all the propensions to the exercise of strength , or activity of body ; as running , leaping , swimming , wrestling , justing , coursing , or the like : besides all the courtly preambles , necessary concomitants , and delightful consequences of marriage , which spring up from the love of women , and the pleasure of children . to say nothing of those enjoyments that arise from correspondent affections and meer natural friendship betwixt man and man , or fuller companies of acquaintance ; their friendly feastings , sportings , musick and dancings . all these and many more that i am not at leisure to reckon up , be but the genuine pullulations of the animal life , and in themselves they have neither good nor hurt in them . nay , indeed to speak more truly and impartially , they are good , according to the approbation of him that made them ; but they become bad only to them that are bad , and act either without measure , or for unwarrantable ends , or with undue circumstances ; otherwise they are very good in their kind , they being regulated and moderated by the divine principle in us . and i think it is of great moment for men to take notice of this truth for these three reasons : first , because the bounds of sin , and of the innocent motions of nature , being not plainly and apertly set out and defined , men counting the several animal figurations and natural motions for sins , they heap to themselves such a task , to wit , the quite extirpating that , which it were neither good , nor it may be possible utterly to extirpate , that they seem in truth hereby to insinuate that it is impossible to enter into that rest or sabbath of the people of god. wherefore promiscuously sheltring themselves under this confused cloud of sins , and infirmities , where they aggravate all , so as if every thing were in the same measure sinful ; if they be but zealous and punctual in some , they account it passing well , and an high testimony of their sanctimony . and their hypocrisie will be sure to pitch upon that which is least of all to the purpose ; that is , a man will spend his zeal in the behalf of some natural temper he himself is of , and against the opposite complexion . but for the indispensable dictates of the divine light , he will be sure to neglect them , as being more hard to perform , though of more concernment both for himself and the common good . but if it were more plainly defined what is sin , and what is not sin , a man might with more heart and courage fight against his enemy , he appearing not so numerous and formidable , and he would have the lesse opportunity for perverse excuses , and hypocritical tergiversations . the second reason is , that men may not think better of themselves then they are , for their abhorrency from those things that have no hurt in them , nor think worser of others then they deserve , when they do but such things as are approvable by god , and the divine light. and this is of very great moment for the maintaining of christian love , and union amongst men . the third and last is ; that they may observe the madness and hypocrisie of the world , whose religious contestations or secret censures are commonly but the conflict and antipathy of the opposite figurations of the animal life , who like the wilde beasts , without a master to keep good quarter amongst them , are very eagerly set to devour one another . but by this shall every man know , whether it be complexion or religion that reigns in him , if he love god with all his heart , and all his soul , and his neighbour as himself : and can give a sufficient reason for all his actions and opinions from that aeternal light , the love of god shed abroad in his heart ; if not , it is but a faction of the animal life , sed up and fostered by either natural temper or custome ; and he is far from being arrived to the kingdome of christ , and entring into that true rest of the people of god. ver. 5. where there is no external doctrine . pulpits , and preachings , and external ordinances , there is no such noise of them amongst the holy patriarchs , whose lives moses describes ; and therefore i conceive this sense i have here given the text more genuine and warrantable . but besides moses unvailed , being christianity it self , the manner of the growth of the true christian is here prefigured . that he is rather taught of god , then of men , he having the spirit of life in him , and needs no man to teach him : for he has the unction in himself , which will teach him all things necessary to life and godliness . ver. 6. which is repentance from dead works . in this verse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the philosophick cabbala , signified a vapour , but here i translate it a fountain of water , which i am warranted to do by the seventy , who render it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; but that water is an embleme of repentance , it is so obvious that i need say nothing of it : john's baptizing with water to repentance , is frequently repeated in the gospels . ver. 7. and breathes into him the spirit of life . in allusion to this passage of moses in all likelihood is that of the psalmist ; thy hands have made me , and fashioned me , o give me understanding and i shall live ; as if like adam , he were but a statue of earth till god breathed into him the spirit of life and holiness . of the water and of the spirit . the water and the spirit are the two extremes ; the first and the last that makes up the creation of the spiritual adam , or christ , compleated in us , and includes the middle which is blood. first therefore is repentance from what we delighted in before . then the killing of that evil and corrupt life in us , which is resisting to blood , as the apostle speaks . and the 1 epistle of john ch . 5. v. 4. what ever is born of god , overcomes the world ; who is he that overcomes the world , but he that believes that jesus christ ( the divine light and life in us ) is the son of god ? and therefore indued with power from on high to overcome all sin and wickednesse in us . this is he that comes by water and blood , by repentance and perseverance till the death of the body of sin , not by repentance only , and dislike of our former life , but by the mortification also of it . then the spirit of truth is awakened in us , and will bear witnesse of whatever is right and true . and according to this manner of testimony is it to be understood especially , that no man can say that jesus christ is the son of god , but by the spirit of god , as the apostle elsewhere affirms . this is the heavenly adam , which is true light and glory to all them that have attain'd to the resurrection of the dead , and into whom god hath breathed the breath of life , without which , we have no right knowledge nor sense of god at all , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; they are th● words of philo upon the place . for how should the soul of man , says he , know god , if he did not inspire her , and take hold of her by his power ? ver. 8. to the kingdome of heaven . and the end of the doctrine of john , which was repentance , was for this purpose , that men might arrive to that comfortable condition here described ; and therefore it was a motive for them to repent . for though sorrow endure for a night , yet joy will come in the morning . for the new jerusalem is to be built , and god is to pitch his tabernacle amongst men , and to rule by his spirit here upon earth ; which , if i would venture upon an historical cabbala of moses , i should presage would happen in the seventh thousand years , according to the chronology of scripture ; when the world shall be so spiritualized , that the work of salvation shall be finished , and the great sabbath and festival shall be then celebrated in the height : a thousand years are but as one day , saith the apostle peter , and therefore the seventh thousand years may well be the seventh day : wherefore in the end of the sixth thousand years , the kingdomes of the earth will be the second adams , the lord christs , as adam in the sixt day was created the lord of the world , and all the creatures therein ; and this conquest of his will bring in the seventh day of rest , and peace , and joy , upon the face of the whole earth . which presage will seem more credible , when i shall have unfolded unto you out of philo judaeus the mysterie of the number seven ; but before i fall upon that , let me a little prepare your belief , by shewing the truth of the same thing in another figure . adam , seth , enos , cainan , mahalaleel , jared , they died , not enjoying the richness of gods goodness in their bodies . but enoch who was the seventh from adam , he was taken up alive into heaven , and seems to enjoy that great blisse in the body . the world then in the seventh chiliad , will be assumed up into god , snatch'd up by his spirit , inacted by his power . the jerusalem that comes down from heaven , will then in a most glorious and eminent manner flourish upon earth . god will , as i said , pitch his tabernacle amongst men . and for god to be in us , and with us , is as much as for us to be lifted up into god. but to come now to the mysterie of the septenary , or number seven , it is of two kindes , the one is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . the other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . the septenary within the decade is meerly seven unites ; the other is a seventh number , beginning at an vnite , and holding on in a continued geometrical proportion , till you have gone through seven proportional terms . for the seventh term there is this septenary of the second kinde , whose nature philo fully expresses in these words : 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . to this sense : for always beginning from an vnite , and holding on in double , or triple , or what proportion you will , the seventh number of this rank is both square and cube , comprehending both kindes as well the corporeal as incorporeal substanc●e ; the incorporeal , according to the superficies which the squares exhibite ; but the corporeal , according to the solid dimensions which are set out by the cubes . as for example ; 64. or 729. these are numbers that arise after this manner ; each of them are a seventh from an unite , the one arising from double proportion , the other from triple ; and if the proportion were quadruple , quintuple , or any else , there is the same reason , some other seventh number would arise , which would prove of the same nature with these , they would prove both cubes and squares , that is , corporeal and incorporeal : for such is sixty four , either made by multiplying eight into eight , and so it is a square , or else by multiplying four cubically . for four times four times four is again sixty four , but then it is a cube . and so seven hundred twenty nine , is made either by squaring of twenty seven , or cubically multiplying of nine , for either way will seven hundred twenty nine be made ; and so is both cube and square , corporeal and incorporeal . whereby is intimated , that the world shall not be reduced in the seventh day to a meer spiritual consistency , to an incorporeal condition , but that there shall be a co-habitation of the spirit with flesh , in a mystical or moral sense , and that god will pitch his tent amongst us . then shall be settled everlasting righteousnesse , and rooted in the earth , so long as mankind shall inhabite upon the face thereof . and this truth of the reign of righteousness in this seventh thousand years , is still more clearly set out to us in the septenary within ten. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , as philo calls it , the naked number seven : for the parts it consists of are 3 and 4 , which put together make 7. and these parts be the sides of the first orthogonion in numbers , the very sides that include the right angle thereof . and the orthogonion what a foundation it is of trigonometry , and of measuring the altitudes , latitudes , and longitudes of things every body knows that knows any thing at all in mathematicks . and this prefigures the uprightness of that holy generation , who will stand and walk 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , inclining neither this way , nor that way , but they will approve themselves of an upright and sincere heart . and by this spirit of righteousness will these saints be enabled to finde out the depth , and breadth , and height of the wisdom and goodness of god , as somewhere the apostle himself phras●th it . but then again in the second place , this three and four comprehend also the conjunction of the corporeal and incorporeal nature ; three being the first superficies , and four the first body : and in the seventh thousand years i do verily conceive , that there will be so great union betwixt god and man , that they shall not only partake of his spirit , but that the inhabitants of the aethereal region will openly converse with these of the terrestrial ; and such frequent conversation and ordinary visits of our cordial friends of that other world , will take away all the toil of life , and the fear of death amongst men , they being very chearful and pleasant here in the body , and being well assured they shall be better when they are out of it : for heaven and earth shall then shake hands together , or become as one house , and to die , shall be accounted but to ascend into an higher room . and though this dispensation for the present be but very sparingly set a foot , yet i suppose there may some few have a glimpse of it , concerning whom accomplish'd posterity may happily utter something answerable to that of our saviours concerning abraham , who tasted of christianity before christ himself was come in the flesh ; abraham saw my day , and rejoyced at it . and without all question , that plenitude of happiness that has been reserved for future times , the presage and presensation of it , has in all ages been a very great joy and triumph to all holy men and prophets . the morning light of the sun of righteousnesse . this is very sutable to the text , paradise being said to be placed eastward in eden , and our saviour christ to be the bright morning starre , and the light that lightens every one that comes into the world , though too many are disobedient to the dictates of this light , that so early visits them in their mindes and consciences , but they that follow it , it is their peace and happiness in the conclusion . ver. 9. which is a sincere obedience to the will of god. the tree of life is very rightly said to be in the midst of the garden , that is , in the midst of the soul of man , and this is the will or desire of man , which is the most inward of all the faculties of his soul , and is as it were the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or vital center of the rest , from whence they stream or grow . that therefore is the tree of life if it be touch'd truly with the divine life , and a man be heartily obedient to the will of god. for the whole image of divine perfection will grow from hence , and receives nourishment , strength , and continuance from it . but if this will and desire be broke off from god , and become actuated by the creature , or be a self-will , and a spirit of disobedience , it breeds most deadly fruit , which kills the divine life in us , and puts man into a necessity of dying to that disorder and corruption he has thus contracted . what ever others would insinuate to the contrary . for there is nothing so safe , if a man be heartily sincere , as not to be led by the nose by others ; for we see the sad event of it , in eves listening to the outward suggestions of the serpent . ver. 10. the four cardinal virtues . it is the exposition of philo. till verse 17. there is no need of adding any thing more then what has already been said in the defence of the philsophick cabbala . ver. 17. dead to all righteousnesse and truth . the mortality that adam contracted by his disobedience in the mortal or mystical sense is twofold ; the one a death to righteousness , and it is the sense of philo upon the place , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . the death of the soul is the extinction of virtue in her , and the resuscitation of vice ; and he adds , that this must be the death here meant , it being a real punishment indeed to forfeit the life of virtue . the other mortality is a necessity of dying to unrighteousness , if he ever would be happy . both those notions of death , are more frequent in s. pauls epistles , then that i need to give any instance . his more noble and masculine faculties . what the masculine part in man is ▪ philo plainly declares in these words , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . in us , saith he , the man is the intellect , the woman the sense of the body . whence you will easily understand , that the masculine faculties are those that are more spiritual and intellectual . ver. 18. that the whole humane nature may be accomplished with the divine . which is agreeable to that pious ejaculation of the apostle , 1 thess . 5. and the god of peace sanctifie you wholly , or throughly ; and i pray god your whole spirit , soul and body , may be kept blamelesse , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , by the presence or abode of jesus christ , the divine life or heavenly adam in you . this is the most easie and natural sense of that place of scripture , as it will appear to any man , whose minde is as much set on holiness , as hard theories . and it is very agreeable to the mystical sense of the second psalm , where the kingdome of christ reaches to the utmost ends of the earth ; that is , as far as soul and life can animate , so that our very flesh and body is brought under the scepter of christs kingdome . ver. 19. the figurations of the animal life . that the motions of the minde as they are suggested from the animal life of the body , are set forth by fishes , beasts and birds , i have already made good from the authority of origen . ver. 20. in a capacity of taking delight in them . for melancholy had so depraved the complexion of his body , that there was no grateful sense of any thing that belong'd to nature and the life of the vehicle . ver. 22. the greatest part of that paradise a man is capable of upon earth . this is a truth of sense and experience , and is no more to be proved by reason , then that white is white , or black is black. ver. 23. essential operation of the soul. the very nature of the soul , as it is a soul , is an aptitude of informing or actuating a body ; but that it should be always an organized body , it is but aristotles saying of it , he does not prove it . but for mine own part , i am very prone to think , that the soul is never destitute of some vehicle or other , though plotinus be of another minde , and conceives that the soul at the height is joined with god and nothing else , nakedly lodged in his arms . and i am the more bold to dissent from him in this exaltation of the soul , i being so secure in my own conceit of that other suspected extravagancy of his , in the debasement of them , that at last they become so drowsie and sensless , that they grow up out of the ground in that dull function of life , the efformation of trees and plants . and i am not alone in this liberty of dissenting from plotinus : for besides my own conceit this way , ( for i must confess i have no demonstrative reasons against his opinion ) i am emboldened by the example of ficinus , who is no small admirer of the forenamed author . that which i was about to say , is this ; the informing or actuating of a body being so indispensable and essential an act of the soul , the temper and condition of the body that it thus actuates , cannot but be of mighty consequence unto the soul that is conscious of the plight thereof , and reaps the joy of it or sorrow , by an universal touch and inward sense , springing up into her cognoscence and animadversion . and we may easily imagine of what moment the health and good plight of the body is to the minde that lodges there , if we do but consider the condition of plants , whose bodies we cannot but conceive in a more grateful temper , while they flourish and are sweet and pleasing to the eye , then when they are withered by age or drought , or born down to the earth by immoderate storms of rain . and so it is with the body of man , ( where there is a soul to take notice of its condition ) far better when it is in health by discretion and moderation in diet , and exercise , then when it is either parched up by superstitious melancholy , or slocken and drowned in sensuality and intemperance ; for they are both abaters of the joyes of life , and lessen that plenitude of happiness that man is capable of by his mystical eve , the woman that god has given every one to delight himself with . ver. 24. so far forth as they are incompetible with the health of the body . this is an undeniable truth , else how could that hold good that the apostle speaks , that godliness is profitable for all things , having the promise of this world , and that which is to come ; when as without the health of the body , there is nothing at all to be enjoyed in this present world ? and certainly god doth not tie us to the law of angels , or superiour creatures , but to precepts sutable to the nature of man. obedience to the precepts of that superiour light ▪ for if the life of the body grow upon us so , as to extinguish or hinder the sense of divine things , our dependence of god , and joyful hope of the life to come ; it is then become disorderly , and is to be castigated and kept down , that it pull not us down into an aversation from all piety , and sink us into an utter oblivion of god and the divine life . ver. 25. without any shame or blushing . see what has been said upon the philosophick cabbala . chap. iii. a story of a dispute betwixt a prelate and a black-smith , concerning adams eating of the apple . 1 what is meant by the subtilty or deceit of the serpent . that religion wrought to its due height is a very chearful state ; and it is only the halting and hypocrisie of men that generally have put so soure and sad a vizard upon it . 5 , 6 that worldly wisdome , not philosophy , is perstringed in the mysterie of the tree of knowledge of good and evil . 10 the meaning of adams flying after he had found himself naked . 20 adam , the earthly-minded man , according to philo. 21 what is meant by gods clothing adam and eve with hairy coats in the mystical sense . 23 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or the paradise of luxury . that history in scripture is wrote very concisely , and therefore admits of modest and judicious supplements for clearing the sense . 24 what is meant by the cherubim and flaming sword. plato's definition of philosophy , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . a more large description of dying to sinne , and of the life of righteousness . that christian religion even as it referres to the external person of christ , is upon no pretence to be annull'd till the conflagration of the world . in this third chapter is the said catastrophe of the story , the fall of adam , and the original of all that misery and calamity that hath befallen mankind since the beginning of the world. of so horrid consequence was it , that our mother eve could no better suppress her longing , but upon the easie perswasion of the serpent , ate the forbidden fruit ; as a famous prelate in france , once very tragically insisted upon the point to his attentive auditory . but it should seem , a certain smith in the church , as bodinus relates , when he had heard from this venerable preacher , that universal mankinde , saving a small handful of christians , were irrevocably laps'd into eternal damnation by adams eating of an apple ; and he having the boldness to argue the matter with the prelate , and receiving no satisfaction from him in his managing the literal sense of the text , ( and his skill it should seem went no further ) the smith at last broke out into these words , tam multas rixas pro re tantilla ineptè excitari ; as if he should have said in plain english , what a deal of doe has there here been about the eating of an apple ? which blasphemous saying , as bodinus writes , had no sooner come to the ears of the court of france , but it became a proverb amongst the courtiers . so dangerous a thing is an ignorant and indiscreet preacher , and a bold , immodest auditour . bodinus in the same place does profess it is his judgement , that the unskilful insisting of our divines upon the literal sense of moses , has bred many hundred thousands of atheists . for which reason , i hope that men that are not very ignorant and humorous , but sincere lovers of god and the divine truth , will receive these my cabbala's with more favour and acceptance , especially this moral one , it being not of too big a sense to stop the mouth of any honest , free , inquisitive christian . but whatever it is , we shall further endevour to make it good in the several passages thereof . ver. 1. inordinate desire of pleasure . it is philo's , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , that the serpent is a symbole or representation of pleasure ; which he compares to that creature for three reasons ; first , because a serpent is an animal without feet , and crawls along on the earth upon his belly . secondly , because it is said to feed upon the dust of the earth . thirdly , because it has poisonous teeth that kill those that it bites . and so he assimilates pleasure to it , being a base affection , and bearing it self upon the belly , the seat of lust and intemperance , feeding on earthly things , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , but never nourishing her self with that heavenly food , which wisdome offers to the contemplative , by her precepts and discourses . it is much that philo should take no notice of that which is so particularly set down in the text , the subtilty of the serpent , which me thinks is notorious in pleasure , it looking so smoothly and innocently on 't , and insinuating it self very easily into the mindes of men upon that consideration , and so deceiving them ; when as other passions cannot so slily surprise us , they bidding more open warre to the quiet and happiness of mans life , as that judicious poet spencer has well observed in his legend of sir guyon or temperance , cant. 6. a harder lesson to learn continence in joyous pleasure , then in grievous pain : for sweetness doth allure the weaker sense , so strongly that uneathes it can refrain from that which feeble nature covets fain ; but grief and wrath that be our enemies , and foes of life , she better can restrain : yet virtue vaunts in both her victories , and guyon in them all shews goodly masteries . what a rigid and severe thing , &c. this is the conceit of such , as are either utter strangers to religion , or have not yet arrived to that comfortable result of it , that may be expected . for god takes no delight in the perpetual rack of those souls he came to redeem , but came to redeem us from that pain and torture which the love of our selves , and our untamed lusts , and pride of spirit , makes us obnoxious to ; which men being loth to part with , and not having the heart to let them be struck to the very quick , and pulled up by the roots , the work not accomplished according to the full minde and purpose of god , there are still the seeds of perpetual anxiety , sadness , and inevitable pain . for to be dead , is easement , but to be still dying , is pain ; and it is most ordinarily but the due punishment of halting and hypocrisie . and mens spirits being long sowred thus , and made sad , their profession and behaviour is such , that they fright all inexperienced young men from any tolerable compliance in matters of religion , thinking that when they are once engaged there , they are condemned ad fodinas for ever , and that they can never emerge out of this work and drudgery in those dark caverns , till they die there like the poor americans , inslaved and over-wrought by the merciless spaniard . but verily if we have but the patience to be laid low enough , the same hand that depressed us , will exalt us above all hope and expectation . for if we be sufficiently baptized into the death of christ , we shall assuredly be made partakers of his resurrection to life , and that glorious liberty of the sons of god , according as it is written , if the son make you free , then are you free indeed ; free from sin , and secure from the power of any temptation . but if mortification has not had its perfect work , too mature a return of the sweetness of the animal life , may prove like the countreymans cherishing the snake by the fire side , which he had as he thought taken up dead in the snow , it will move and hisse , and bite , and sting . the strong presages of the manifold corporeal delights , and satisfactions of the flesh , may grow so big and boisterous in the minde , that the soul may deem her self too straitly girt up , and begin to listen to such whispers of the serpent as this ; what a rigid and severe thing is this business of religion ? &c. and account her self if she be not free to every thing , that she is as good as free to nothing . ver. 2 , 3. but the womanish part in adam . 't is but one and the same soul in man entertaining a dialogue with her self that is set out by these three parts : the serpent , adam , and the woman . and here the soul recollecting her self , cannot but confess , that religion denies her no honest , nor fitting pleasure that is not hazardous to her greater happiness , and bethinks her self in what peril she is of losing the divine life , and due sense of god , if she venture thus promiscuously to follow her own will , and not measure all her actions and purposes by the divine light that for the present is at hand to direct her . ver. 4. but the serpent , &c. the sense of this verse is , that the eager desire of pleasure had wrought it self so far into the sweetness of the animal life , that it clouded the mans judgement , and made him fondly hope that the being so freely alive to his own will was no prejudice to the will of the spirit , and the life of god which was in him , when as yet notwithstanding the apostle expresly writes , what fellowship is there betwixt righteousness & unrighteousness ? what communion betwixt light and darkness ? what agreement betwixt christ and belial ? and he elsewhere tells us , that christ gave himself for his church , that he might so throughly purge it and sanctifie it , that it should have neither spot nor wrinkle : but that it should be holy and unblameable , a true virgin bride clothed with his divine life and glory . and those men that are so willing to halt betwixt two , the flesh and the spirit , and have house-room enough to entertain them both , ( as if there could be any friendship and communion betwixt them ) let them seriously consider whether this opinion be not the same that deceived adam was of , and let them suspect the same sad event , and acknowledge it to arise from the self-same principle , the inordinate desire of pleasing their own wills , without the allowance of the divine light , and consulting with the will of god. ver. 5. skill and experience in things . and some men make it no sin , but warrantable knowledge to know the world , and account others fools that are ignorant of that wicked mysterie . for man would be no slave or idiot , but know his own liberty , and gain experience , as he pretends , by the making use of it . but that the accurate exercise of reason in the knowledge of gods marvellous works in nature , or those innocent delightful conclusions in geometry , and arithmetick , and the like ; that these parts of knowledge should be perstringed by moses in this history , it seems to me not to have the least probability in it : for there are so very few in the world , whose mindes are carried any thing seriously to such objects , that it had not been worth the taking notice of . and then again it is plain that the miscarriage is from the affectation of such kinde of knowledge , as the woman , the flowring life of the body , occasioned adam to transgresse in . wherefore it is the fulfilling of the various desires of the flesh , not an high aspire after intellectual contemplations ; for they respect the masculine faculties , not the feminine , that made way to the transgression . wherefore i say , the wisdome that the serpent here promised , was not natural philosophy , or mathematicks , or any of those innocuous and noble accomplishments of the understanding of man , but it was the knowledge of the world , and the wisdome of the flesh . for the life of the body is full of desires , and presages of satisfaction in the obtaining of this or the other external thing , whether it be in honour , riches , or pleasure ; and if they shake off the divine guide within them , they will have it by hook or by crook . and this worldly wisdome is so plausible in the world , and so sweetly relished by the meer natural man , that it were temptation enough for a novice , if it were but to be esteemed wise , to adventure upon such things as would initiate him therein . ver. 6. but the wisdome of the flesh . the apostle calls it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . which wisdome of the flesh , he saith , is enmity with god. but the free and cautious use of reason , the knowledge of the fabrick of the world , and the course of natural causes , to understand the rudiments of geometry , and the principles of mechanicks , and the like ; what man that is not a fool , or a fanatick , will ever assert that god bears any enmity to these things ? for again , these kind of contemplations are not so properly the knowledg of good and evil , as of truth and falshood , the knowledge of good and evil referring to that experience we gather up in moral or political encounters . but those men that from this text of scripture would perstringe philosophy , and an honest and gerous enquiry into the true knowledge of god in nature , i suspect them partly of ignorance , and partly of a sly and partial kinde of countenancing of those pleasures that beasts have as well as men , and i think in as high a degree , especially baboons and satyres , and such like letcherous animals . and i fear there are no men so subject to such mis-interpretations of scripture , as the boldest religionists , and mock-prophets , who are very full of heat and spirits , and have their imagination too often infected with the fumes of those lower parts , the full sense and pleasure whereof they prefer before all the subtile delights of reason and generous contemplation . but leaving these sanguine-inspired seers , to the sweet deception and gullery of their own corrupted fancy , let us listen and keep close to him that can neither deceive nor be deceived , i mean christ , and his holy apostles ; and now in particular , let us consider that grave and pious monition of s. peter , beloved , i beseech you , as strangers and pilgrims , abstain from fleshly lusts that warre against the soul . wherein , this holy man instructed of god , plainly intimates that the soul in this world is as a traveller in a strange countrey , and that she is journeying on to a condition more sutable to her , then this in the body . whence it follows , that the tender patronizing of those pleasures that are mortal and die with the body , is a badg of a poor , base , degenerate minde , and unacquainted with her own nature and dignity . ver. 7. how naked now he was , and bare of all strength and power to divine and holy things . this was adams mistake , that he thought he could serve two masters , the will of god , and the dictates of the flesh . but thus he became estranged to the divine life and power , which will not dwell in a body that is subject unto sin ; for the holy spirit of discipline will fly deceit , and remove from thoughts that are without understanding , ( viz. such as are suggested and pursued at randome ) and will not abide when unrighteousnesse cometh in . ver. 8. could not endure the presence of it . for the divine light now was only a convincer of his miscarriages , but administred nothing of the divine love and power , as it does to them that are obedient and sincere followers of its precepts , and therefore adam could no more endure the presence of it , then sore eyes the sun or candle-light . ver. 9. persisted and came up closer to him . this divine light is god , as he is manifested in the conscience of man , but his love and power are not fit to be communicated to adam in this dissolute and disobedient condition he is in , but meerly conviction , to bring him to repentance . and after the hurry of his inordinate pleasures and passions , when he was for a time left in the suds , as they call it , this light of conscience did more strictly , and particularly sift and examine him , and he might well wonder with himself that he found himself so much afraid to commune with his own heart . ver. 10. ingenuously confessed . for he presently found out the reason why he was thus estranged from the divine light , because he found himself naked of that power and good affection he had in divine things before , having lost those by promiscuously following the wilde suggestions of his own inordinate will , as you see in the following verse . wherefore he had no minde to be convinced of any obligation to such things as he felt in himself no power left to perform , nor any inclination unto . ver. 11. the sad event upon his disobedience . adams conscience resolved all this confusion of minde into his disobedience and following his own will , without any rule or guidance from the will of god. ver. 12. his rational faculties , and said . like that in the comedian . homo sum , humani nihil à me alienum puto . and so commonly men reason themselves into an allowance of sin , by pretending humane infirmities or natural frailties . ver. 13. that he kept his feminine faculties in no better order . that 's the foolish and mischievous sophistry amongst men , whereby they impose upon themselves , that because such and such things may be done , and that they are but the suggestions of nature , which is the work of god in the world , that therefore they may do them , how , and in what measure they please ; but here the divine light does not chastise adam for the exercise of his feminine faculties , but that in the exercise of them they were not regulated by an higher and more holy rule , and that he kept them in no more subjection unto the masculine . to which he had nothing to say , but , &c. the meaning is , that adams temptations were very strong , and so accommodate to the vigorous life of the body , that , as he thought , he could not resist . but the will of man assisted by god , as adam's was , if it be sincere , what can it not doe ? ver. 14. then the divine light began to chastise the serpent . from this 14 verse to the 20. there seems to be a description of the conscience of a man plainly convincing him of all the ugliness and inconveniencies of those sinful courses he is engaged in , with some hints also of the advantages of the better life , if he converted to it , which is like a present flame kindled in his minde for a time , but the true love of the divine life , and the power of grace being not also communicated unto his soul , and his body being unpurg'd of the filth it has contracted by former evil courses , this flame is presently extinct , and all those monitions and representations of what so nearly concerned him are drowned in oblivion , and he presently settles to his old ill ways again . that it crept basely upon the belly . see what has been said out of philo upon ver . 1. ver. 15. but might i once descend so far . this the divine light might be very well said to speak in adam . for his conscience might well re-minde him , how grateful a sense of the harmless joyes of the body he had in his state of obedience and sincerity ; and if the divine light had wrought it self into a more full and universal possession of all his faculties , the regulated joyes of the body , which had been the off-spring of the woman , had so far exceeded the tumultuous pleasures of inordinate desires , that they would like the sun-beams playing upon a fire , extinguish the heat thereof , as is already said in this fifteenth verse . ver. 16. so that the kindly joy of the health of the body shall be much depraved . the divine light in the conscience of adam might very well say all this , he having had already a good taste of it in all likelihood , having found himself after inordinate satiating his furious desires of pleasure in a dull , languid , nauseating condition , though new recruits spurred him up to new follies . for the moral cabbala does not suppose it was one single mistaken act that brought adam to this confusion of minde , but disobedience at large , and leading a life unguided by the light and law of god. earthly minded adam . philo calls him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the earthly minde , pag. 332. ver. 17 , 18 , 19. adams conscience was so awakened by the divine light and reason , and experience so instructed him for the present , that he could easily read his own doom , if he persisted in these courses of disobedience , that he should be prick'd and vex'd in his wilde rangings after inordinate pleasure all the while the earthly mind was his light & guide . but after all this conviction , what way adam would settle in , did not god visit him with an higher pitch of superadvenient grace that would conveigh faith , power , and affection unto him , you see in the verse immediately following . ver. 20. adam was not sufficiently . for meer conviction of light disjoin'd from faith , power , and affection , may indeed disturb the minde and confound it , but is not able of it self to compose it and settle it to good , in men that have contracted a custome of evil . called her , my life . so soon as this reproof and castigation of the divine light manifested in adams conscience was over , he forthwith falls into the same sense of things , and pursues the same resolutions that he had in designe before , and very feelingly concludes with himself , that be that as true as it will , that his conscience dictated unto him , yet nothing can be more true then this ; that the joy of his body was a necessary solace of life , and therefore he would set up his happiness in the improvement thereof . and so adhering in his affection to it , counted it his very life , and that there was no living at all without it . they are almost the words of philo , speaking of the sense of the body , in which was this corporeal joy , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , i. e. which corporeal sense the earthly minde in man , properly therefore called adam , when he saw efformed , though it was really the death of the man , yet he called it his life . this is philo's exposition of this present verse . ver. 21. put hairy coats . the philosophick cabbala , and the text have a marvellous fit and easie congruency in this place . and this moral sense will not seem hard , if you consider such phrases as these in scripture ; but as for his enemies let them be clothed with shame ; and elsewhere , let them be clothed with rebuke and dishonour ; besides other places to that purpose . and to clothe men according to their conditions and quality , what is more ordinary , or more fit and natural ? as those that are fools they ordinarily clothe them in a fools coat . and so adams will and affection being carried so resolvedly to the brutish life , it is not incongruous to conceive that the divine light judging them very brutes , the reproach she gives them is set out in this passage of clothing them with the skins of beasts . the meaning therefore of this verse is , that the divine light in the conscience of adam had another bout with him , and that adam was convinced that he should grow a kinde of a brute , by the courses he meant to follow . and indeed he was content so to be , as a man may well conceive , the pleasure of sin having so weakned all the powers of that higher life in him , that there was little or nothing , especially for the present , able to carry him at all upwards towards heaven and holiness . and of a truth , vile epicurisme , and sensuality will make the soul of man so degenerate and blinde , that he will not only be content to slide into brutish immorality , but please himself in this very opinion that he is a real brute already , an ape , satyre , or baboon , and that the best of men are no better , saving that civilizing of them and industrious education has made them appear in a more refined shape , and long inculcate precepts have been mistaken for connate principles of honesty and natural knowledge , otherwise there be no indispensable grounds of religion and virtue , but what has hapned to be taken up by over-ruling custome . which things , i dare say , are as easily confutable , as any conclusion in mathematicks is demonstrable . but as many as are thus sottish , let them enjoy their own wildeness and ignorance , it is sufficient for a good man that he is conscious unto himself that he is more nobly descended , better bred and born , and more skilfully taught , by the purged faculties of his own minde . ver. 22. design'd the contrary . the mercy of the almighty is such to poor man , that his weak and dark spirit cannot be always so resolvedly wicked as he is contented to be ; wherefore it is a fond surmise of desperate men , that do all the violence they can to the remainders of that light and principle of religion , and honesty left in them , hoping thereby to come to rest and tranquillity of minde , by laying dead , or quite obliterating all the rules of godliness & morality out of their souls . for it is not in their power so to do , nor have they any reason to promise themselves they are hereby secure from the pangs of conscience . for some passages of providence or other may so awaken them , that they shall be forced to acknowledg their errour and rebellion with unexpressible bitterness and confusion of spirit . and the longer they have run wrong , the more tedious journey they have to return back . wherefore it is more safe to close with that life betime , that when it is attained to , neither deserves nor is obnoxious to any change or death ; i mean when we have arrived to the due measure of it . for this is the natural accomplishment of the soul , all else but rust and dirt that lies upon it . ver. 23. out of this paradise of luxury . the english translation takes no notice of any more paradises then one , calling it always the garden of eden . but the seventy more favourable to our moral cabbala , that which they call a garden in eden at first , they after name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which may signifie the garden of luxury . but whether there be any force at all in this or no , that supplement i have made in the foregoing verse will make good the sense of our cabbala . and in the very letter and history of the scripture , if a man take notice , he must of necessity make a supply of something or another to pass to what follows with due cohaesion and clearness of sense . so in the very next chapter , where god dooms cain to be a vagabond , and he cryes out that every man that meets him will kill him , according to the concise story of the text ; there was none but adam and eve in the world to meet him , and yet there is a mark set upon him by god as if there had been then several people in the world , into whose hands he might fall , and lose his life by them . and then again at ver . 17. cain had no sooner got into the land of nod , but he has a wife and a childe by her , and he is forthwith said to build a city , when as there is no mention of any but himself , his wife , and his childe to be the artificers ; but any ingenious reader will easily make to himself fitting supplements , ever supposing due distances of time and right preparations to all that is said to be acted . and so in the story of samson , where he is said to take three hundred foxes , it may be rationally supposed , that countrey was full of such creatures , that he had a competency of time , a sufficient number to help him , and the like . that the history of scripture is very concise , no body can deny ; and therefore where easie , natural , and agreeable supplements will clear the sense , i conceive it is very warrantable to suppose some such supplies , and for a paraphrast , judiciously to interweave them . but now that paradise at first should signifie a state of divine pleasure , and afterward of sensual voluptuousness , it is no more harsh then that adam one while is the spiritual or intellectual man , another while the earthly and carnal . for one and the same natural thing may be a symbole of contrary spiritual mysteries . so a lion and a serpent are figures of christ , as well as of the devil ; and therefore it is not so hard to admit that this garden of eden may emblematize , while adam is discours'd of as innocent and obedient to god , the delights of the spirit ; but after his forsaking god , the pleasures of the flesh ; and consequently , that the fruit of the tree of life in the one , may be perseverance and establishment in the divine life ; in the other , a settlement and fixedness in the brutish and sensual . ver. 24. the manly faculties of reason and conscience . these i conceive may be understood by the cherubim and flaming sword. for the cherubim bear the image of a man , and reason is a cutting , dividing thing like a sword , the stoicks call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , dividing and distinguishing reason . for reason is nothing but a distinct discernment of the idea's of things , whereby the minde is able to sever what will not sute , and lay together what will. but if any body will like better of philo's interpretation here , of the cherubim and flaming sword , who makes the cherubim to signifie the goodness and power of god ; the flaming sword , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the effectual and operative wisdome or word of god ; it does not at all clash with what we have already set down . for my self also suppose , that god by his son the eternal word works upon the reason and conscience of man : for that word is living and powerful , sharper then any two-edged sword , piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit , and of the joints and marrow , and is the discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart , neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight , but all things are naked and open unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do , heb. 4. that he could not set up his rest for ever . assuredly a mans heart is not so in his own hand , that he can do himself all the mischief he is contented to do . for we are more gods then our own , and his goodness and power has dominion over us . and therefore let not a man vainly fancy , that by violently running into all enormity of life , and extinguishing all the principles of piety and virtue in him , that he shall be able thus to hide himself from god , and never be re-minded of him again for ever . for though a man may happen thus to forget god for a time , yet he can never forget us , sith all things lie open to his sight . and the power of his ever-living word will easily cut through all that thickness and darkness , which we shrowd our selves in , and wound us so , as to make us look back with shame and sorrow at a time that we least thought of . but that our pain may be the lesse , and our happiness commence the sooner , it will be our wisdome to comply with the divine light betimes ; for the sooner we begin , the work is the easier , and will be the more timely dispatch'd through the power of god working in us . but this i must confess ( and i think my self bound , to bear witness to so true and useful a mysterie wrapt up in this mosaical covering ) that there is no other passage nor return into happiness then by death . whence plato also that had been acquainted with these holy writings , has defined philosophy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the meditation of death , viz. the dying to the lust of the flesh and inordinate desires of the body ; which purgatory if we had once passed through , there would soon spring up that morning joy , the resurrection from the dead , and our arrival to everlasting life and glory . and there is no other way then this that is manifestable either by scripture , reason , or experience . but those that through the grace of god and a vehement thirst after the divine righteousness , have born the crosse till the perfect death of the body of sin , and make it their business to have no more sense nor relish of themselves , or their own particular persons , then if they were not at all , they being thus demolished as to themselves , and turned into a chaos or dark nothingness , as i may so speak , they become thereby fitted for the new creation . and this personal life being thus destroyed , god calls unto them in the dead of the night , when all things are silent about them , awakes them and raises them up , and breathes into them the breath of everlasting life , and ever after actuates them by his own spirit , and takes all the humane faculties unto himself , guiding or allowing all their operations , always holding up the spirit of man so , that he will never sink into sin ; and from henceforth death and sorrow is swallowed up for ever , for the sting of death is sin. but whatever liberty and joy men take to themselves that is not founded in this new life , is false and frivolous , and will end but in sadness , bitterness , and intolerable thraldome . for the corporeal life and sense will so deeply have sunk into the soul , that it will be beyond all measure hard and painfull to dis-intangle her . but as many as have passed the death , have arrived to that life that abides for ever and ever . and this life is pure and immaculate love , and this love is god , as he is communicable unto man , and is the sole life and essence of virtue truly so called ; or rather , as all colours are but the reflexion of the rayes of the sun so all virtue is but this one variously coloured and figured from the diversity of objects and circumstances . but when she playes with ease within her own pure and undisturbed light , she is most lovely and amiable ; and if she step out into zeal , satyrical rebuke , and contestation , it is a condescent and debasement for the present , but the design is , a more enlarged exaltation of her own nature , and the getting more universal foot-hold in other persons , by dislodging her deformed enemy . for the divine love is the love of the divine beauty , and that beauty is the divine life which would gladly insinuate it self , and become one with that particular principle of natural life , the soul of man. and whatever man she has taken hold upon , and won him to her self , she does so actuate and guide , as that whatever he has , she gets the use of , and improves it to her own interest , that is , the advancement of her self . but she observing that her progress and speed is not so fast as she could wish , ( that is , that mankind is not made so fully and so generally happy by her , as she could desire , and as they are capable of ) she raises in a man his anger & indignation against those things that are obstacles and impediments in her way , beating down by solid reason such things as pretend to reason , and such things as are neither the genuine off-spring of the humane faculties , nor the effects of her own union with them , discountenancing them , and deriding them as monsters and mongrel things , they being no accomplishment of the humane nature , nor any gift of the divine . she observing also that mankind is very giddily busie to improve their natural faculties without her , and promise themselves very rare effects of their art and industry , which if they could bring to passe , would be in the end but a scourge and plague to them , and make them more desperately bold , sensual , atheistical , and wicked , ( for no fire but that of gods spirit in a man can clear up the true knowledge of himself unto us ) she therefore taketh courage ( though she see her self slighted , or unknown ) and deservedly magnifies her self above all the effects of art and humane industry , and boldly tells the world , what petty and poor things they are if compared unto her . nor doth she at all stick to pour out her scorn and derision unto the full upon those garish effects of fanatical fancy , where melancholy dictates strange and uncouth dreams , out of a dark hole , like the whispers of the heathen oracles . for it is not only an injury to her self , that such antick phantasmes are preferred before the pure simplicity of her own beauty , but a great mischief to her darling the soul of man , that he should forsake those faculties she has a minde to sanctifie and take into her self , and should give himself up to meer inconsiderate imaginations , and casual impresses , chusing them for his guide , because they are strongest , not truest , and he will not so much as examine them . such like as these and several other occasions there are , that oftentimes figure the divine life in good men , and sharpen it into an high degree of zeal and anger . but whom in wrath she then wounds , she pities , as being an affectionate lover of universal mankind , though an unreconcileable disliker of their vices . i have now gone through my threefold cabbala , which i hope all sincere and judicious christians will entertain with unprejudic'd candour and kinde acceptance . for as i have lively set out the mysteries of the holy and precious life of a christian , even in the mosaical letter , so i have carefully and on purpose cleared and asserted the grand essential principles of christianity it self , as it is a particular religion , avoiding that rock of scandal , that some who are taken for no small lights in the christian world have cast before men , who attenuate all so into allegories , that they leave the very fundamentals of religion suspected , especially themselves not vouchsafing to take notice , that there is any such thing as the person of christ now existent , much lesse that he is a mediatour with god for us , or that he was a sacrifice for sin , when he hung at jerusalem upon the crosse , or that there shall be again any appearance of him in the heavens , as it was promised by the two angels to his apostles that saw him ascend ; or that there is any life to come , after the dissolution of the natural body , though our saviour christ says expresly , that after the resurrection they neither marry , nor are given in marriage , but are like the angels of god. but to be so spiritual as to interpret this of a mysterious resurrection of a man in this life , is in effect to be so truly carnal , as to insinuate there is no such thing at all as the life to come , and to adde to sadducisme , epicurisme also or worse , that is , a religious liberty of silling one anothers houses with brats of the adulterous bed , under pretence that they are now risen to that state that they may without blame commit that , which in other mortals is down-right adultery . such unlawful sporting with the letter as this , is to me no sign of a spiritual man , but of one at least indiscreet and light minded , more grosse in my conceit then hymeneus and philetas , who yet affirmed that the resurrection was past , and so allegorized away the faith of the people . for mine own part i cannot admire any mans fancies , but only his reason , modesty , discretion and miracles , the main thing being presupposed ( which yet is the birth-right of the meanest christian ) to be truly and sincerely pious . but if his imagination grow rampant , and he aspire to appear some strange thing in the world , such as was never yet heard of , that man seems to me thereby plainly to bewray his own carnality and ignorance . for there is no better truths then what are plainly set down in the scripture already , and the best , the plainest of all . so that if any one will step out to be so venerable an instructer of the world , that no man may appear to have said any thing like unto him either in his own age , or foregoing generations ; verily i am so blunt a fool as to make bold to pronounce , that i suspect the party not a little season'd with spiritual pride and melancholy : for god be thanked , the gospel is so plain a rule of life and belief to the sincere and obedient soul , that no man can adde any thing to it . but then for comparison of persons , what dotage is it for any man , because he can read the common alphabet of honesty and a pious life , in the history of the old and new testament , finely allegorizing , as is conceiv'd , those external transactions to a mysterious application of what concerns the inward man , to either place himself , or for others to place him in the same level with jesus christ the son of god , the saviour of men , and prince of the highest angelical orders , who rose out of the grave by the omnipotent hand of his father , and was seen to ascend into heaven , by his apostles that gazed upon him as he passed through the clouds , and whom all true christians expect visibly to appear there again and re-visit the world according to the promise . now it seems to me a very unreasonable and rash thing , if not impious and blasphemous , to acknowledge any man whatsoever comparable to so sacred a person as our saviour christ every way approved himself , and was approved by a voice from heaven , saying , this is my beloved son , hear him . if any man therefore having none of these testimonies from above , nor being able to do any thing more then other men , shall be so unmannerly as to place himself in the same order and rank with christ the son of god , because he has got some fine fancies and phrases , and special and peculiar interpretations of scripture , which he will have immediately suggested from the spirit ; i cannot forbear again to pronounce , that this man is overtaken with an high degree of either pride or madness , and if he can perswade any others to look upon him as so sacred a prophet , that it must be in them at least inadvertency or ignorance ; nay , i think i shall not say amisse if i attribute their mistake to a kinde of pride also . for pride affects nothing more then singularity ; and therefore undervaluing the plain simplicity of ordinary christianity , such as at first sight is held forth in the gospel of christ , they think it no small privilege to have a prophet of their own ; especially they getting this advantage thereby , that they can very presently , as they fancy , censure and discern the truth or falshood of all that venture to speak out of the rode of their own sect ; as if every body were bound to conne their lessons according to their book . and it is a fine thing to become so accurately wise at so cheap a rate , and discover who is spiritual , or who is the carnal , or meer moral man. this is indeed the folly of all sects , and there is no way better that i know , to be freed from such inveiglements , then by earnestly endevouring after that which they all pretend to , and to become truly more holy and sincere then other men ; for the throughly purified man is certainly delivered from all these follies . these things i could not forbear to speak in zeal to the honour of my saviour , and the good and safety of his church . for if men once get a trick to call the world christian , where the death of christ on the crosse at jerusalem is not acknowledged a sacrifice for sin , nor himself now in his humane person a mediatour with god the father , and the head of his church militant and triumphant ; nor that there is any eternal life nor resurrection , but that in the moral or mystical sense : assuredly this will prove the most dangerous way imaginable , quite to take away that in time , which is most properly called christian religion , out of the world , and to leave meerly the name thereof behinde . but a religion so manifestly established by god in a most miraculous manner , and being so perfect , that the wit of man cannot imagine any thing more compleat , and better fitted for winning souls to god : it can be nothing but giddiness or light-mindedness , to think that this religion can be ever superannuated in the world , but that it shall last till christs corporeal appearance in the clouds . for there is no reason at all that the holy ghost should be thought to come in the flesh of some particular man , no more then god the father did under the law. for what can he tell us more or better , then christ already has told us ; or what himself may tell us without any personal shape ? and there is no prophecie of any such thing , but onely of that which is better , that christ will procure for all those that are his faithful and obedient followers , the spirit of truth and righteousnesse , and indue them with the divine life , and that it shall so at length come to pass , that justice , peace , and equity shall more universally and fully flourish in the world , then ever yet they have done . and that faith in god , and of the life to come shall be more vigorously sealed upon the hearts of men ; and that there shall be a neerer union and conjunction betwixt the humane and divine nature in us , then ever , and more frequent and sensible commerce betwixt the inhabitants of the aethereal and terrestrial region , according as i have already declared concerning the seventh day in this defence of the moral cabbala . but in the mean time though that full sabbatisme be so far off , yet i doubt not but there have been and are very sweet and joyful praelibations of it , in sundry persons , which quickens their hopes and desires of the compleatment thereof , and divine providence is not idle , all things working towards this last catastraphe ; and the heads of sects themselves , though i never saw any yet that my light and judgement could pronounce infallible and perfect , ( as i think there never will be any till christ himself come again , who will appear in no sectarian way , for himself hath given us an intimation , that if any one say , loe here is christ , or there is christ , believe it not ) yet such is the grosse ignorance or hypocrisie of ordinary carnal churches ( as they call them ) that some heads of sects , i say , have spoken very true and weighty things against them , very lively setting them out & depainting them in their own colors , insomuch that they will be able , not only to turn from them the affections of all plain hearted men , that are fast friends to the eternal righteousness of god , and prefer that before the most specious devices of arbitrarious superstition , but also to raise their anger and indignation against them . but it does not presently follow , that because a man can truly discover the gross faults & falsities that are in another , that therefore he is utterly blameless himself , and not at all imposed upon by his natural complexion , nor speaks any thing that is false , nor omits any thing that is both true and necessary . but be these sects what they will be , the grand churches themselves are so naked and obnoxious , that unlesse they cast away from them their hypocrisie , pride , and covetousnesse , they will in all likelihood raise such storms in all christendome , that in processe of time , not onely ecclesiastical but civil power it self will be involved in those ruines , and christ alone will be exalted in that day . for before he deliver up the kingdome to his father , he is to put down all rule , and all authority and power ; for he must reign till he have put all his enemies under his feet ; the last enemy that shall be destroyed is death : which as i have already signified unto you , though he be now the king of terrours , will in that great festival and sabbatisme , by reason of so sensible and palpable union betwixt the heavenly and earthly nature , be but a pleasant passage into an higher room , or to use that more mysterious expression of the rabbins concerning moses , in whose writings this sabbatisme is adumbrated , god will draw up a mans soul to himself by an amorous kisse ; for such was the death of that holy man moses , who is said to have died in moab 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , in the kisses and embracements of god. this shall be the condition of the church of christ for many hundred years ; till the wheel of providence driving on further , and the stage of things drawing on to their last period , men shall not onely be freed from the fear and pain of death , but there shall be no capacity of dying at all . for then shall the day of the lord come , wherein the heavens shall passe away with a noise , and the elements melt with fervent heat , and the earth with all the things in it shall be burnt up . thus christ having done vengeance upon the obstinately wicked and disobedient , and fully triumphed over all his enemies , he will give up his kingdome to his father , whose vicegerent hitherto he hath been in the affairs of both men and angels . but till then whosoever by pretending to be more spiritual and mystical then other men , would smother those essential principles of the christian religion , that have reference to the external person of christ , let him phrase it as well as he will , or speak as magnificently of himself as he can , we are never to let go the plain and warrantable faith of the word , for ungrounded fancies and fine sayings . wherefore let every man seek god apart , and search out the truth in the holy scripture , preparing himself for a right understanding thereof , by stedfastly and sincerely practising such things as are plainly and uncontrovertedly contained therein , and expect illumination according to the best communication thereof , that is , answerably to our own faculties , otherwise if we bid all reason , and history , and humane helps , and acquisitions quite adiew , the world will never be rid of religious lunacies and fancies . finis . an account of what is contained in the prefaces and chapters of this book . in the preface to the reader . what is meant by the tearm cabbala , and how warrantably the literal exposition of the text may be so called . that dispensable speculations are best propounded in a sceptical manner . a clear description of the nature and digniety of reason , and what the divine logos is . the general probabilities of the truth of this present cabbala . the designe of the author in publishing of it . the literal cabbala . chap. i. 2 the earth at first a deep miry abysse , covered over with waters , over which was a fierce wind , and through all darknesse . 3 day made at first without a sun. 6 the earth a floor , the heavens a transparent canopy , or strong tent over it , to keep off the upper waters or blew conspicuous sea from drowning the world . 8 why this tent or canopy was not said to be good . 9 the lower waters commanded into one place . 11 herbs , flowers , and fruits of trees , before either sun or seasons of the year to ripen them . 14 the sun created to and added the day , as a peculiar ornament thereof , as the moon and stars to the night . 20 the creation of fish and fowl. 24 the creation of beasts and creeping things . 27 man created in the very shape and figure of god , but yet so , that there were made females as well as males . 28 how man came to be lord over the rest of living creatures . 30 how it came to pass that man feeds on the better sort of the fruits of the earth , and the beasts on the worse . p. 1 chap. ii. 3 the original of the jewish sabbaths , from gods resting himself from his six days labours . 5 herbs and plants before either rain , gardning , or husbandry , and the reason why it was so . 7 adam made of the dust of the ground , and his soul breathed in at his nosthrils . 8 the planting of paradise . 9 a wonderful tree there , that would continue youth , and make a man immortal upon earth : another strange tree , viz. the tree of knowledge of good and evil . 11 the rivers of paradise , phasis , gihon , tigris , euphrates . 18 the high commendation of matrimony . 19 adam gives names to all kinde of creatures , except fishes . 21 woman is made of a rib of adam , a deep sleep falling upon him , his minde then also being in a trance . 24 the first institution of marriage . 9 chap. iii. 1 a subtile serpent in paradise , indued with both reason , and the power of speech , deceives the woman . 2 the dialogue betwixt the woman and the serpent . 7 how the shame of nakednesse came into the world . 8 god walks in the garden , and calls to adam . 10 the dialogue betwixt adam and god. 14 the reasons why serpents want feet , and creep upon the ground . 15 the reason of the antipathy betwixt men and serpents . 16 as also of womens pangs in childe-bearing , and of their being bound in subjection to their husbands . 18 also of the barrennesse of the earth , and of mans toil and drudgery . 21 god teacheth adam and eve the use of leathern clothing . 24 paradise haunted with apparitions : adam frighted from daring to taste of the tree of life , whence his posterity became mortal to this very day . 15 the philosophick cabbala . chap. i. 1 the world of life or forms , and the potentiality of the visible vniverse created by the tri-une god , and referr'd to a monad or unite . 6 the vniversal immense matter of the visible world created out of nothing , and referr'd to the number two. 7 why it was not said of this matter that it was good . 9 the ordering of an earth or planet for making it conveniently habitable , referr'd to the number three . 14 the immense aethereal matter , or heaven , contriv'd into suns or planets , as well primary as secondary , viz. as well earths as moons , and referr'd to the number four. 20 the replenishing of an earth with fish and fowl , referr'd to the number five . 24 the creation of beasts and cattel , but more chiefly of man himself , referr'd to the number six . 22 chap. ii. 2 gods full and absolute rest from creating any thing of anew , adumbrated by the number seven . 4 suns and planets not only the furniture , but effects of the ethereal matter or heaven . 6 the manner of man and other animals rising out of the earth by the power of god in nature . 8 how it was with adam before he descended into flesh , and became a terrestrial animal . 10 that the four cardinal virtues were in adam in his ethereal or paradisiacal condition . 17 adam in paradise forbidden to taste or relish his own will , under pain of descending into the region of death . 18 the masculine and feminine faculties in adam . 20 the great pleasure and solace of the feminine faculties . 21 the masculine faculties laid asleep , the feminine appear and act , viz. the grateful sense of the life of the vehicle . 25 that this sense and joy of the life of the vehicle is in it self without either blame or shame . pag. 33 chap. iii. 1 satan tempts adam , taking advantage upon the invigoration of the life of his vehicle . 2 the dialogue betwixt adam and satan . 6 the masculine faculties in adam swayed by the feminine ; assent to sin against god. 7 adam excuses the use of that wilde liberty he gave himself , discerning the plastick power somewhat awakened in him . 8 a dispute betwixt adam and the divine light , arraigning him at the tribunal of his own conscience . 14 satan strucken down into the lower regions of the air. 15 a prophecy of the incarnation of the soul of the messias , and of his triumph over the head and highest powers of the rebellious angels . 16 a decree of god to sowre and disturb all the pleasures and contentments of the terrestrial life . 20 adam again excuses his fall , from the usefulnesse of his presence and government upon earth . 21 adam is fully incorporated into flesh , and appears in the true shape of a terrestrial animal . 24 that immortality is incompetible to the earthly adam , nor can his soul reach it , till she return into her ethereal vehicle . 44 the moral cabbala . chap. i. 1 man a microcosme or little world , in whom there are two principles , spirit and flesh . 2 the earthly or fleshly nature appears first . 4 the light of conscience unlistned to . 6 the spirit of savory and affectionate discernment betwixt good and evil . 10 the inordinate desires of the flesh driven aside and limited . 11 hereupon the plants of righteousnesse bear fruit and flourish . 16 the hearty and sincere love of god , and a mans neighbor , is as the sun in the soul of man. notionality and opinions the weak and faint light of the dispersed stars . 18 those that walk in sincere love , walk in the day : they that are guided by notionality , travel in the night . 22 the natural concupiscible brings forth by the command of god , and is corrected by devotion . 24 the irascible also brings forth . 26 christ the image of god is created , being a perfect ruler over all the motions of the irascible and concupiscible . 29 the food of the divine life . 30 the food of the animal life . 31 the divine wisdome approves of whatsoever is simply natural , as good . 52 chap. ii. 3 the true sabbatisme of the sons of god. 5 a description of men taught by god. 7 the mysterie of that adam that comes by water and the spirit . 9 obedience the tree of life : disobedience the tree of the knowledge of good and evil . 10 the rivers of paradise ; the four cardinal virtues in the soul of man. 17 the life of righteousnesse lost by disobedience . 19 the meer contemplative and spiritual man sees the motions of the animal life , and rigidly enough censures them . 21 that it is incompetible to man perpetually to dwell in spiritual contemplations . 22 that upon the slaking of those , the kindly joy of the life of the body springs out , which is our eve. 23 that this kindly joy of the body is more grateful to man in innocency , then any thing else whatsoever . 25 nor is man mistaken in his judgement thereof . 63 chap. iii. 1 adam is tempted by inordinate pleasure from the springing up of the joy of the invigorated life of his body . 2 a dialogue or dispute in the mind of adam betwixt the inordinate desire of pleasure , and the natural joy of the body . 6 the will of adam is drawn away to assent to inordinate pleasure . 8 adam having transgressed , is impatient of the presence of the divine light. 10 a long conflict of conscience , or dispute betwixt adams earthly minde , and the divine light , examining him , and setting before him both his present and future condition , if he persisted in rebellion . 20 he adheres to the joy of his body , without reason or measure , notwithstanding all the castigations and monitions of the divine light. 21 the divine light takes leave of adam therefore for the present , with deserved scorn and reproach . 22 the doom of the eternal god concerning laps'd man , that will not suffer them to settle in wickednesse , according to their own depraved wills and desires . the contents of the defence of the threefold cabbala . in the introduction to the defence . diodorus his mistake concerning moses , and other law-givers , that have professed themselves to have received their laws from either god or some good angel . reasons why moses began his history with the creation of the world . the sun and moon the same with the aegyptians osiris and isis , and how they came to be worshipped for gods. the apotheosis of mortal men , such as bacchus and ceres , how it first came into the world . that the letter of the scripture speaks ordinarily in philosophical things according to the sense and imagination of the vulgar . that there is a philosophical sense that lies hid in the letter of the three first chapters of genesis . that there is a moral or mystical sense , not only in these three chapters , but in several other places of the scripture . 93 the contents of the defence of the literal cabbala . chap. i. 1 the genuine sense of in the beginning . the difference of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 neglected by the seventy , who translate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . 2 the ground of their mistake discovered , who conceive moses to intimate that the matter is uncreated . that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is no more then ventus magnus . 4 that the first darknesse was not properly night . 6 why the seventy translate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 firmamentum , and that it is in allusion to a firmly pitched tent. 11 that the sensible effects of the sun invited the heathen to idolatry , and that their oracles taught them to call him by the name of jao . 14 that the prophet jeremy divides the day from the sun , speaking according to the vulgar capacity . 15 the reason why the stars appear on this side the upper caeruleous sea. 27 the opinion of the anthropomorphites , and of what great consequence it is for the vulgar to imagine god in the shape of a man. aristophanes his story in plato of men and womens growing together at first , as if they made both but one animal . 111 chap. ii. 7 the notation of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 answerable to the breathing of adams soul into his nosthrils . 8 the exact situation of paradise . that gihon is part of euphrates ; pison , phasis , or phasi-tigris . that the madianites are called aethiopians . that paradise was seated about mesopotamia , argued by six reasons . that it was more particularly seated where now apamia stands in ptolemee's maps . 18 the prudence of moses in the commendation of matrimony . 19 why adam is not recorded to have given names to the fishes . 24 abraham ben ezra's conceit of the names of adam and eve , as they are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . 25 moses his wise anthypophora concerning the natural shame of nakednesse . 124 chap. iii. 1 how much it saves the credit of our first parents , that the serpent was found the prime author of the transgression . that according to s. basil all the living creatures of paradise could speak : undeniable reasons that the serpent could , according to the literal cabbala . 9 the opinion of the anthropomorphites true , according to the literal cabbala . 14 that the serpent went upright before the fall , was the opinion of s. basil . 16 a story of the easie delivery of a certain poor woman of liguria . 19 that the general calamities that lie upon mankinde , came by the transgression of a positive law , how well accommodate it is to the scope of moses . 23 that paradise was not the whole earth . 24 the apparitions in paradise called by theodoret 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . 130 the defence of the philosophick cabbala . chap. i. 1 why heaven and light are both made symbols of the same thing , viz. the world of life . that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 intimate a trinity . that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a title of the eternal wisdome the son of god , who is called also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as well in philo as the new testament . that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the holy ghost . 2 the fit agreement of plato's triad with the trinity of the present cabbala . 5 the pythagorick names or nature of a monad or unite applyed to the first days work . 6 what are the upper waters : and that souls that descend 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , are the naides or water nymphes in porphyrius . 8 that matter of it self is unmoveable . r. bechai his notation of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 very happily explained out of des cartes his philosophy . that vniversal matter is the second days creation , fully made good by the names and property of the number two. 13 the nature of the third days work set off by the number three . 16 that the most learned do agree that the creation was perfected at once . the notation of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 strangely agreeing with the most notorious conclusions of the cartesian philosophy . 19 that the corporeal world was universally erected into form and motion on the fourth day , is most notably confirmed by the titles and propertie of the number four. the true meanning of the pythagorick oath , wherein they swore by him that taught them the mysterie of the tetractys . that the tetractys was a symbole of the whole philosophick cabbala , that lay couched under the text of moses . 20 why fish and fowl created in the same day . 23 why living creatures were said to be made in the fift and sixt days . 31 and why the whole creation was comprehended within the number six . 135 , 136 chap. ii. 3 the number seven a fit symbole of the sabbath , or rest of god. 7 of adams rising out of the ground , as other creatures did . 11 that pison is from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and denotes prudence . the mystical meaning of havilah . 13 that gihon is the same that nilus , sihor , or siris , and that pison is ganges . the justice of the aethiopians . that gihon is from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and denotes that virtue . 14 as hiddekel , fortitude . 17 that those expressions of the souls sleep , and death in the body , so frequent amongst the platonists , were borrowed from the mosaical cabbala . 19 fallen angels assimilated to the beasts of the field . the meaning of those platonical phrases 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and the like . that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in platonisme is the same that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in moses , that signifies angels as well as god. 22 that there are three principles in man , according to plato's school ; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and that this last is eve. chap. iii. 1 the serpent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in pherecydes syrus . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 names of spirits haunting fields and and desolate places . the right notation of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . 13 that satan upon his tempting adam , was cast down lower towards the earth , with all his accomplices . 15 plato's prophecie of christ . the reasonablenesse of divine providence in exalting christ above the highest angels . 20 that adams descension into his terrestrial body , was a kind of death . 22 how incongruous it is to the divine goodnesse , sarcastically to insult over frail man fallen into tragical misery . 24 that it is a great mercy of god that we are not immortal upon earth . that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are all one . a summary representation of the strength of the whole philosophick cabbala . pythagoras deemed the son of apollo , that he was acquainted with the cabbala of moses : that he did miracles ; as also abaris , empedocles , and epimenides , being instructed by him . plato also deemed the son of apollo . socrates his dream concerning him . that he was learned in the mosaical cabbala . the miraculous power of plotinus his soul. cartesius compared with bezaliel and aholiab , and whether he was inspired or no. the cabbalists apology . 172 the defence of the moral cabbala . chap. i. what is meant by moral , explained out of philo. 3 that the light in the first day improv'd to the height , is adam , in the sixt , christ , according to the spirit . 4 in what sense we our selves may be said to do what god does in us . 5 why 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , are rendred ignorance and inquiry . 18 plato's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . the pythagoreans 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , applyed to the fourth days progresse . 22 that virtue is not an extirpation , but regulation of the passions , according to the minde of the pythagoreans . 24 plotinus his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , applyed to the sixt days progresse . 26 what the image of god is , plainly set down out of s. paul and plato . the divine principle in us , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , out of plotinus . 28 the distinction of the heavenly and earthly man , out of philo. 31 the imposture of still and fixed melancholy , and that it is not the true divine rest , and precious sabbath of the soul. a compendious rehearsal of the whole allegory of the six days creation . p. 194 chap. ii. the full sense of that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , that keeps men from entring into the true sabbath . 4 the great necessity of distinguishing the innocent motions of nature from the suggestions of sin. 5 that the growth of a true christian indeed doth not adaequately depend upon the lips of the priest . 7 the meaning of this is he that comes by water and blood. 8 the meaning of repent , for the kingdome of heaven is at hand . the seventh thousand years , the great sabbatism of the church of god. that there will be then frequent converse betwixt men and angels . 9 the tree of life , how fitly in the mystical sense , said to be in the midst of the garden . 17 a twofold death contracted by adams disobedience . the masculine and feminine faculties in man what they are . actuating a body , an essential operation of the soul ; and the reason of that so joyful appearance of eve to the humane nature . 209 , 210 chap. iii. a story of a dispute betwixt a prelate and a black-smith , concerning adams eating of the apple . 1 what is meant by the subtilty or deceit of the serpent . that religion wrought to its due height is a very chearful state ; and it is only the halting and hypocrisie of men that generally have put so soure and sad a vizard upon it . 5 , 6 that worldly wisdome , not philosophy , is perstringed in the mysterie of the tree of knowledge of good and evil . 10 the meaning of adams flying after he had found himself naked . 20 adam , the earthly-minded man , according to philo. 21 what is meant by gods clothing adam and eve with hairy coats in the mystical sense . 23 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or the paradise of luxury . that history in scripture is wrote very concisely , and therefore admits of modest and judicious supplements for clearing the sense . 24 what is meant by the cherubim and flaming sword. plato's definition of philosophy , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . a more large description of dying to sinne , and of the life of righteousness . that christian religion even as it referres to the external person of christ , is upon no pretence to be annull'd till the conflagration of the world . 224 errata . pag. 39. lin . 24. read sacred . p. 79 ▪ l. 19. r. sensus . p. 87. l. 14. r. wilde . p. 126. l. 26. r. goodly . p. 204. l. 35. r. run . p. 230. l. 34. r. generous . finis .