Body of Divinity, Book 3 · Chapter 3
CHAP. III. Of the Creation of the Heavens, the Angels, the Elements, Light, Day and Night.
I Shall now insist more largely on the particular Creatures, and draw someAll Philosophy is in the first Chapter of Genesis; Basil, Ambrose, Zanchy, Plotinus, have drawn Discourses of Philosophy hence. Du Bartas hath most excellently described the Creation of the world in his Week. Ronsard being asked, what he thought of that Book, answered wittily, Mounsieur Du Bartas à plus fait en une Sepmaine que je n'ay fait en toute ma vie: Bartas hath done more in one week, then I have done in all my life. Consectaries from them, saying little of the reasonable Creatures, Angels and Men; because I intend more fully to treat of them by themselves.
The Creation of the Heavens is a great and wonderful work of God; the Heavens were not alwayes, neither came they by chance, or any other way, but by the wonderful power of God creating them. So the Scripture telleth us often, Psal. 102. 15. Isa. 40. 12. & 22. & 42. 5. & 45. 2. & 48. 13. God frequently challengeth to himself the glory of this exceeding great work, alledging it as an effect of his wonderful power and greatness. The excellency and greatness of this work appears in divers things:
1. The Abstruseness of the matter.
2. The Perfection of the form.
3. The exceeding hugeness of its Quantity.
4. The height of it.
5. Its swift motion.
Lastly, The excellent Usefulness of it for the Creatures here below, and all other things contained in it.
First, The Matter of the Heavens is dark and hidden, and goes beyond the power of mortal Creatures, certainly to determine of it. Philosphers know not what to say here; some of them do think, that the upper Heavens are made of the same matter with these inferiour bodies; and some again do deny it, and think it consists of another, which they call the fifth Essence; because they perceive it to be of such different working and qualities from the things below.
Secondly, The Perfection of the Figure gAmong all Geometrical Figures, the Sphaerical, or the round is the most perfect, & amongst all natural bodies, the heaven is the most excellent. It was therefore good reason the most beautiful body should have the most perfect and exquisite shape. Mr Pemble.of the Heavens, and all the Starres of Heaven doth marvellously grace it: For it is of an Orbicular or round form, a circle encompassing the earth and waters round, which is of it self also for the main Orbicular; and this concerning the Stars our senses do declare, and concerning the whole Heavens the motions of the Stars, which our eye doth tell us: for the Sun riseth every Morning over against the place it did set the Evening before, and so evinceth that its course is round hThe Earth it round but not precisely: there are Hils like Warts, and Vallies like Wrinkles in a mans body. Exact roundnesse it not found in any body but the Heavens.: The round figure is the most beautiful, strong, perfect and capacious figure, and this may minde us of Gods Infinitenesse, Perfection, and Unchangeableness.
Thirdly, Consider the hugeness of its iHow else could it contain the Sun, Moon & Stars, in convenient distance from the Earth, one from another. Prov. 25. 3. The Philosophers think that the highest Heaven must be their Primum mobile, because they finde no motion beyond, it is not necessary that every heaven must move.Quantity: for who can measure the back-side of Heaven? or tell how many miles space that mighty Circle doth contain? The Globe of Earth and Water is very great, but all that is, as it were, an undiscernable point, compared to the whole Globe of Heaven: how incomprehensibly great is he which hath made a building so great? The whole circuit of the heavens, wherein are the fixed Stars, is reckoned by Astronomers to be a thousand and seventeen millions of miles at least.
Fourthly, It is a high and stately building, Iob 22. 12. an hundred and sixty millions kMr Greenhill on Ezek. pag. 104.of miles high from Earth to Heaven: It is so farre by the Astronomers rules. It is a wonder (saith lBishop Hall in his Contemplations on the Creation. Vide Vossium Orig. & Progress. Idol. lib. 2. cap. 35.one) that we can look up to so admirable a height, and that the eye is not tired in the way. If this ascending line could be drawn right forward, some that have calculated curiously, have found it five hundred years journy unto the starry Heaven. *Vide Fulleri Miscellanea, lib. 1. cap. 15. Insita à Deo vis quae in Scripturis saep… appellatur praeceptum Domini est causa motus.This putteth us in minde of the infinite mercy and goodness of God, Psal. 103. 3. and of his Majesty; The highest Heavens are a fit Palace for the most High, Psal. 104. 3.
Fifthly, Its admirable swift Motion and Revolution in four and twenty hours, which our conceits cannot follow; teacheth us, that God is farre more swift and ready to help us in our need. A Bullet out of a Musket flies swiftly, it will slie an hundred and eighty miles an hour according to its motion. The Sun moves swifter, mMr Greenhill ubi supra.1160000 miles in one hour; the fixed Stars some of them two and fourty millions of miles each hour.
Macrobius saith by Hercules the driver a way of evils, is meant the Sun, whence Porphyry interprets those twelve labours of his so often celebrated by the Poets, to be the twelve Signs of the Zodiack yearly run thorow by the Sun. The Philosophers have ascribed certain intelligences to the Orbs to move them, but there is noPhilosophers say, the Heavens work up on Inferiour bodies by three instruments, viz. L…ht, Motion, …iluence. The Ancients speak of the musick of the S…heres, caused, as they conceived, by their circumvolution, audible as they affirmed, but not heard, or rather not discerned, because we heard it alwaies. Philo saith it is not audible to us men, and the reason why God would not have it audible, he faith is, left men ravished with the sweetnesse of it, should give over all care and thought of worldly affairs. Casaub. Treatise of Use and Custome, p. 53. 55. warrant for it in Scripture; they say the Orbs move regularly, which cannot be without some understanding mover: there is the same order in inferiour creatures, and that which worketh by nature worketh equally alwaies. Archimedes the great Mathematician did make Sphaeram automatam, a Sphere to move it self, which many yet imitate. Poterit ergo sine angelis movere sphaeram suam homo, non poterit Deus? saith Ludovicus Vives, Vossius also denies it.
Lastly, the use of it is admirable, the motion of the heavenly bodies is the cause of generation and corruption here below: if they should cease moving, the being of sublunary bodies would cease. The inferiour heavens are fitted for the generation of Meteors, Rain, Snow, Thunder, Lightning, by their fit distance as it were from the Earth and Stars. Here is room for the making and shewing of them all. The lower part of it also, by reason of its thinnesse and subtilty, is fit for the flying of Birds, and for the breathing and the living of man and beast; and it is fitted to be enlightned by the Sun-beams, and to receive that illumination and heat, without which the Creatures here below could not subsist, and the stars, chiefly the Sun, are placed at a convenient distance; and it is sitted for the swift motion of the heavenly bodies, in regard of its rarity and subtilnesse, which if it were thick and grosse, could not have so speedy a passage through, or about the same; especially the highest heavens are fitted for the in habitation of those immortal persons; some of which do, and others shall inhabit a being so spacious, bright, and every way glorious, that the multitude of those happy persons may have space enough to see the beauty of God.
The Philosophers divide the Region of the world into two Regions, the Celestial, and Elementary Region. The Celestial, they divide into divers Orbs, or Globes: for the Heaven of heavens, sedes Beatorum, the seat of the blessed Saints and Angels, they had little knowledge of, if any at all. The first moveable, as they termed it, the highest Orbe, by the unspeakable swift circumrotation of which, they thought all the other Orbes were carried from East to West, in the space of 24 hours. This is the tenth Globe or Orbe; the next they call the Chrystalline or watery Orb, because it is clear bright, and apt to shine through as water. aSome say the Orbs are contiguous each to other, and closely infold each other as the skins of an onyon contain one another; and others think there is no such variety or multitude of Orbes, but alone one first moveable, in which they conceive the fixed stars to be placed, and they think the planets move not in Orbes but of themselves, as birds flie in the aire.The next is the Starry heaven, which hath eight Spheares, one for the fixed Stars, and seven other for the Planets, each Planet having (as they say) his distinct Orbe. Saturne is the uppermost, next Iupiter, then Mars, in the middest the Sun, then Venus, next Mercury, the last and lowest of all is the Moon. So is the division of the heavenly Region; the Elementary they divide into the region of fire next to the Moon, and of aire next to that; and that they distinguish into three Regions, the highest, middle, and lowest; then that of the Water and Earth, compounded together; so they: But now the Scriptures divide the World into two parts, Heaven, and Earth, as you reade in the first words of the Bible, In the beginning God made Heaven and Earth. By Earth, it meaneth this Globe of Earth and Water, where Men, Beasts, and Fishes are. By Heaven, all the space from the Earth upward; and of this Heaven it maketh three parts:
1. The highest Heaven, the Heaven of Heavens, 1 Kings 8. 27. the habitation of God himself, and all his Saints and Angels, Iohn 14. where God reveals his glorious presence to them for ever. This is called by Paul the third Heaven, 2 Cor. 12. 4. for its scituation, above the Aire and Skie, both which have the name of Heaven, and Paradise bIt is called the Paradise of God, Rev. 2. 7., 2 Cor. 12. 4. because the earthly Paradise was a figure of it; and because it is a place of endlesse joy and pleasure.
2. The Starry cIt is called by the Greeks foreign quasi foreign, that is altogether shining, because of the great number of stars in it. The Sanctum Sanctorum was laid within with gold, a most glorious place, and the type of Heaven.Skie, where the Stars are; it is described ie Iob to be firm as a molten Looking-glasse.
3. The lower Heavens; all that place above our heads to the Starry Heaven. Hence the clouds are called the clouds of Heaven, and the Fowls of Heaven, and Birds are said to flie in the face of the Heavens.
Every one is to fall out with himself, and blame himself for slighting and neglecting the consideration of this work, that offers it self so constantly to our eyes,Psal. 104. 2. There he alludes to Gen. 1. 6. Let there be a Firmament or stretching forth. God made the heavens with as great ease as one can stretch out a curtain when it is folded up. Anaxagoras, …um ab …o quaerer…tur, …ujus rei causa natus esset, respondit, Coeli ac Solis v…i Hanc vo…m …irantur omnes, ac Philosopho dignam jud…cant. At ego hunc puto non invenientem quid responderet, esfudisse hoc passim, ne taccret quod quidem secum, si sapi…us suisset, commentatum, & meditatum habere debuit: quia si quis rationem sui neseiat, non homo sit quidem. Sed putemus non …o tempore dictum illud effusum. Vid…amus in tribus verbis quot & quanta peccaverit: Primum, quod omne hominis officium in solis oculi… posuit, nihil ad mentem reserens, sed ad corpus omnia, &c. Lactant. Divin. Instit. l. 3. de falsa Sapientia. even this so curiously wrought Curtain, which God hath spread forth, especially let us blame our selves for not seeing God in the workmanship of heaven; that we take not notice of him, as the Author of it, and raise our hearts higher then the heavens, to him that measures them forth as with a Span: we should beleeve that he is so Great, Good, and Wise, as this Heaven proclaimeth him the Maker thereof to be. Let us see and bewaile this blindnesse; there is no place in the earth, which hath not the Heavens spread over it. Oh that we could put our selves in minde of him that did spread out the Heavens, and remember, that be sees us every where; for where any work of his is to be seen, surely there is himself to be seen; and there he sees all things that are there; especially, let us learn to presle this knowledge upon our will and affections, that it may be get in us obedience, love, fear, joy, considence, and other holy vertues; without which, all talking, yea and thinking of God, is idle and fruitlesse. Let us presse our selves to become subject to him, who hath the heavens at command, because he made them, to love him that hath formed, for our use, so excellent an house, so richly vaulted above; see the invisible things of him that made all in these things which you behold, thy conversation should be there where Christ is, Col. 3. There is thy Fathers house, thine own Country, thy inheritance. It is a great deale of comfort to Gods people, that have such a Father, who can so easily stretch out Heaven, trust in him for house-room, that can build a world with so much ease.
For the Angels (because I intend to speak more largely of them afterwards) IConsectaries f…om the Angels. Angel… non sunt praetermissi in illa prima rerunt creatione, sed significantur nomine coeli, aut etiam lucis. Ideo autem vel praetermissi sunt, vel nominibus rerum corporalium significati. Quia Moses rudi populo loquebatur, qui nondum capere poterat incorpoream naturam. Et si els fuiss… expressum aliquas res esse super omnem naturam corporcam, fuisset eis occasio idololatriae, ad quam proni erant, & à qua Moses …os praecipuè revocare intendebat. Aquin. prima parte Quaest. 61. Artic. 1. shall here only answer one question about them.
Why are they not spoken of in the Creation, where man and beasts are mentioned, and why is not the special day named wherein they were made?
Answ. Not so much, for fear the Jews, a people prone to Idolatry, should have worshipped them: for then by the same reason Moses should have forborn to have mentioned them in the whole story of Genesis, which was publisht at the same time, and to the same people, that the first part of it: but it may be to give us to understand, that God did not use any of their help in the Creation, and had no need of them at all, but made the whole world without them, or because he relates the making of sensible things *Quia Moses ruditati se nostrae accommodare voluit, ideo quae altiora nostro captu erant praetermissis, …a tantùm commemoravit quae sub oculis sunt. Zanchius de Symb. Apost. Ego Mosen puto voluisse populo creationem rerum aspect abilium proponere, & nihil de invisibilibus dicer…, unde in toto sex dicrum opere ne unius quidem invisibilis Creaturae mentionem fecit. Mercerus in Gen. 1. 1. ide… habet in caput secundum versum primum; & idem habet Par…us. Vide Menass. Ben. Isr. Probl. 25. & 26. de Creatione.only, but that they were created, appears, Col. 1. 16.
The Scripture hath not so clearly expressed the precise time and day of their Creation,Vide Aquia. Partem primam Quaest. 6…. Artic. 4. Gen. …. 1. Job 38. 7. therefore Ambrose and Danaeus confesse that they know not when they were created. But it is probable they were made with the highest Heaven, the first day of the week.
As man was then first made, after his habitation the earth was made and adorned; so it is probable that the Angels were made together in a great multitude, after the Heavens their habitation was finished. Chemnit in loc▪ commun.
Gen. 2. 1. The heavens and all the host of them. It is plain from Iob 38. 7. that they were made before the Earth. When God laid the foundations of the earth, and laid the Corner▪ stone thereof: then the Sons of God (that is, the Angels, Iob 17.) shouted for joy.
An Element is that whereof any thing is compounded, and it self uncompounded.See Sir Kenelm Digbies Treatise of Bodies, ch. 4. The German Erde and the English Earth as the Greek foreign from the Hebrew foreign. Each element is superiour to other, not more in place then dignity.
The dry land is called earth, which is a firm, cold, and dry Element, round and heavie, hanging unmoveably in the midst of the world, fit for habitation.
The Psalmist describes the creation of the earth, Psal. 104 5. Who hath laid the foundation of the earth, or founded the earth upon his Basis, that it should not be iremoved for ever. The earth is the heaviest and lowest element. It is so made that it doth stand firm in its place, so that neither the whole earth is moved out of its place, nor yet the great parts of it. This is an exceeding wonderful work of God to settle the earth so upon certain foundations, that it is not shaken out of its place. Take a little piece of earth not bigger then ones fist, …ay then ones eye, or the apple of it: hold it up in the aire, let it fall, it will never cease moving till it come to lye upon some solid body, that it may hold up and stay the motion of it. Now howA Base is the lowest part of a pill…r. Nec circumfuso pendebat in acre tellus ponderibus librata suis. Ovid. met. Carpenter in his first book of Geog. ch. 4. saith, the earths circular motion is probable. Copernicus said, that the earth moved, and the heavens stood still. See more of this after about day and night. And in Fullers Miscel, Sac. l. 1. c. 15. At terram (quae immota in perpetuum manet) locum mutare incongruum puto & rationi rect…e contrarium: non moror ingeniosa Copernici commenta, quae nervosè convellit Libert. Fromondus in sua vesta; ubi Copernici, Galilei, Kepleri, Moestlivi, Lanbergii Hortensii sophismata ad examen revocat, & suam terrae quietem restituit. Barlow Exercit. 6. Aristotle would have Earth-quakes to proceed from a spirit or vapour included in the bowels of the earth (2d. of his meteors 7 ch.) which finding no way to passe out, is enforced to turn back, and barred any passage out, seeks every corner: and while it labours to break open some place for going forth, it makes a tumultuous motion which is the Earth-quake. It is 1. Universal, which shakes the whole earth in every part, at least in the upper face, the cause whereof is not natural, but the immediate and miraculous power of God; such a one happened at our Saviours passion. 2. Particular, that which is limited to some one or more particular places. What Thunder is in the clouds, the Earthquakeis in the Earth. is it, that this whole lump of earth, the whole body I say of the earth hangeth fast in the wide and open aire, and doth not sway and move now hither and now thither? what is it that holdeth it up so sted…ast in the very midst of the aire? It is Gods work who hath founded it on his Basis that it cannot be moved. This work is often mentioned in the Scripture, Iob 26. 7. There is nothing which might hold it up, and yet behold it hangeth still and qu…et, as if it had some pillar or base upon which to rest it self. The Lord doth in larger words commend it to the consideration of Iob, when himself comes to speak with him, Iob 38. 4. & 6. God there compareth himself to a builder that layes the foundation, and then sets up the building by line and measure, and convinceth Iob of his weaknesse, that knoweth not how this earth should be set up or founded, whereas the Lord himself effected this building long before Iob was. David telleth of it, Psal. 24. 2. as a ground of Gods right unto it, and to all things that are in it: for saith he, He hath founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the flouds. And Solomon mentions it, Prov. 8. 29. and 30. 4. Eccles. 1. 4. This is a great work, because it is both necessary and unsearchable. It is necessary, for it is the cause of the order of things in all the world, and of their not being jumbled and confounded together. If the lowest part of any building be not firm, all that is built upon it will totter and tumble, and come down quickly: so if the earth, this lowest part of the world should shake or reel, and be apt to move hither and thither, the things that be upon it by nature, or that are built upon it by the workmanship of man, could not possibly subsist or endure, Rivers and Channels would be daily altered, dry ground would ever and anon become Sea, and Sea dry ground: trees would often totter and fall, or else be chan ged from place to place: buildings and houses would still be falling and tumbling down off the earth, did it not keep its own room: nay heaven and earth would come together, utter confusion would overcome the face of the earth, and men, beasts, and all things below would come to nothing. So needful it was for this great Architect to set the Corner-stone of the earth fast, firm, and immoveable▪ But the cause of it is unsearchable, who can finde out to the full, the reason of this so necessary a work? Every heavie thing we see must have something to keep it up, something on which to rest it self, that it may go no further but abide where it is: but what doth this earth rest on? How is it held so even in the very midst, and sweyed neither one way nor another? who can tell me a full, just, satisfactory reason in nature? We must not think that God doth hold it up by an immediate, violent, supernatural, or miraculous working, but in a natural way, by ordering the principles of nature so, that they shall necessarily concur to effect this setlednesse. Philosophers give this reason of it, they say, the simple bodies were made, some of a light, subtil, thin, and spiritual nature: and their property is to ascend, to go upward still, so as the light still flies higher; and some of a more grosse, thick, and heavie nature, and the property of these is to move downward, and still the heavier to make it self a way through the lighter, and to presse toward the Center, that is the middle point of the whole round of the world; for it must be confessed that the world is round. Wherefore seeing every part and portion of the earth presseth toward the very middle point of all, it cannot be, but that all must stand fast in the midst, seeing each part thronging the other, and leaning upon the other toward the very middle: all will be quiet if the parts be even poised. But now how heavie things should be made so to move toward the Center, and how each part should so evenly move, and a number of other questions more, let them answer that are able, especially seeing the earth doth not carry in it self to sense, a perfect, even, and smooth roundnesse, it is hard then to answer to the question which God propounded to Iob, Upon what be the sockets of it fastned? It is a work of God exceeding our capacity, and must therefore quicken and call up our admiration.
We should blame our selves for so seldome putting our selves in minde of this great work, to stir up our selves to magnifie the Author of it, and make it an argument of our blessing his Name, for which David speaketh of it, Psal. 104. or of humbling our selves before him in acknowledgement of his power and wisdome, and of our weaknesse and folly, to which end it is mentioned in other places, or indeed to any good purpose of informing our selves the better, either of his nature or our duty. Oh how brutish and blockish are we! So strange and so mighty a work is done and continued in our sight, here it was done before I was here, and here it will remain and be continually done after I am gone hence. I enjoy the benefit of it as well as any other, and with all others, and yet when did I take it into consideration? When did I once offer it to the serious meditation of my mind? When did I say to my self, How doth this great ball of earth remain unmoveable in the midst of this wide and spacious Heaven? Why doth it not reel or totter toward the North or South, the East or West, or now upward, now downward? What hand doth hold it up, and that so stedfastly, that for thousands of yeers it hath not moved? surely some potent and intelligent workman hath in such a wonderful manner reared up and founded this building. This is he whom we call God; why do I not fasten in my self a more sure and firm notion of his being, and a more lively, firm, and effectual acknowledgement of his excellency?
We are worthy of great blame that have scarce ever directed our minds to the contemplation and fruitful meditation of this great act of God among the rest, for any good, spiritual, and holy intent. Scholars sometimes in their Philosophical studies stumble upon these questions, and set their wits on work to finde out the natural reason of them, but alas in how unsanctified a manner, so as not at all to inforce the thing upon their souls, for making of them more thankful and obedient! But for the plain man that is no Scholar, though he have wit enough for all things else, yet he hath no wit to enter upon these cogitations: and when he findeth the matter so far above his reach, yet to tell himself that this is one of Gods works, and so to call on himself to fear, know, and obey him, this, this is that we must every man lament in himself, as a just and due cause why the Scripture should ascribe brutishnesse unto us, and we unto our selves, and why we should present our selves before the divine Majesty with bashful and lowly confessions of our wrong done to God, in robbing him of the honour due unto him for his works which our selves have the fruit of. Secondly, to our selves, in depriving our selves of the best and most excellent fruit of them, which is to be led by them above themselves vntounto him.
This may exhort every one of us to take this work of God from David, and to make it as it were our theame, or the object of our meditations. Whosoever applieth himself to raise up such thoughts, shall finde a great unaptnesse in himself, and a kinde of wearinesse to them with a vehement inclination to entertain other …ncies, and the Devil will take occasion hence to disswade him from doing the duty at all, as if it were as good omit it, as perform it so weakly: it is a fal…e tale which Satan tels, for God hath promised acceptance to the weakest endeavours, in calling himself a Father, but to accept of the non-performance he hath never promised, for even a Father cannot do that.
Lastly, we must learn to seek unto God, and trust in him for spiritual stability of grace in our souls, and must thus importune him. Lord, when there was never an earth, thou mad'st one, and didst lay the foundation of it so sure, that no force nor skill can move it. O, thou canst also create a frame of holinesse in my heart and soul, and so stablish, settle, and confirm it that it shall never be mov…d. I beseech thee do it, and trust that th…u wilt do this as thou hast done the former. One prime use to which we must improve these natural benefits, is to quicken our prayers, and confirm our faith in begging, and expecting such as are spiritual. When God will confirm the faith of his people, and win them to call upon him for good things, he puts them in minde of these wonders in nature, they must make use of them therefore for this purpose.Exod. 17. 6. Numb. 20. …. 1 King. 3. 16, …0.
The second Element is water *Aqua, quasi …qua, of the equal and plain face and superficies thereof, or as Lactantius, quasi à qua …ata sunt omnia, because hence all things are bred and nourished. Because waters are either without motion, as in Lakes, or of an uniform motion, as in Rivers; or divers, as in the Sea; the Heathen ascribed a Trident, or threefold Scepter to Neptune, their supposed Sea-God. Purchas. Pilgrimage, l. 5. c. 13. sect. 1. Lysimachu… (in Plutarchs Apothegmes) for great thirst yeelded up himself and his army, and being captive, when he drank, said he, O d…, quam brevis voluptatis gratia …e …x r…ge feci ser…um., so necessary a creature, as nothing can be more dangerously or uncomfortably wanting to the life of man. It is an Element moist in some degree, and cold in the highest, therefore it cools the body, and tempers the heat that it grow not excessive. It hath manifold uses constantly. Triplex maxime aquarum est usus, in irrigando, in abluendo, in navigando, Vossius.
1. We and our Cattel drink of it, and neither can continue without water or something made of it, our bread must be kneaded with it, and our meat boyled with it.
2. It serves to wash our bodies and the apparel we weare: if our hands and feet were never washt, what an evil smell should we carrie about?
3. It makes the earth fruitful. The Husband-man looseth his labour, if after sowing there come no rain; it is
1. Of large and common use, no Country can want it, neither rich nor poore, man nor beast.
2. Of constant use, we must have it daily, or something made of it, and our beasts also.
3. Very profitable, we drink it, and wash with it, and our meat is prepared by it, and beasts drink it.
Because of so many good things in water, God himself in his word hath so often …ompared the grace of his Spirit with it, Isa. 55. 1. Iohn 4. 14. Rev. 22. 17. Divine grace purgeth the soul from sin, extinguisheth the heat of anger, lust, and other perturbations, satisfies the desires of the soul thirsting after God.
It reprehends us, that so ungratefully enjoy and devoure this benefit without lifting our hearts up to God, and praising him for it; A secret Atheisme prevails in our hearts, which is the cause of this great blockishnesse and ingratitude, and corrupts all things to us, and forfeits them, and provokes Gods justice against us, Say, Lord, thou mightest justly choak me for the time to come, for want of water, that have not been particularly thankful to thee for this mercy. We should bring in the parcels of Gods goodnesse for bread, water, fire; when thou washest thy hands, let thy heart be lifted up to God that made the Element; Stay, O that I could praise, love, and obey him, that hath done this for me.
The usefulnesse, abundance, and easinesse to come by; doth highly commend this benefit, and the giver of it, shewing water to be very good, and our selves much beholding to him that giveth it.
Anciently, in th…se warmer Countries especially, water was the usual drink of men; therefore in the description of the cost of families in house-keeping, when we reade of so many Oxen and Sheep slain, and so much meale and fine flower, we reade not of any wine; which would have been mentioned, if it had been usually drunk.
3. The Aire or all the void place between the clouds and the earth, giving breath of life to all things that breathe, this is the third Element, light and subtil, moving upward, not downward, because it hath no heavinesse in it.
It is divided into three regions or stages. The highest is said to be exceeding hot, and also dry, because it is neer the fiery Element and Stars, by the force of whose beams it receiveth the heat, which is much encreased by following the motions of the Heavens. The lowest region is (they say) hot and moist: hot by the reflection of the Sun-beams meeting with the earth, and moist from its own proper nature, and by reason of the vapours exhaled out of the earth and water: or rather it is variable; now hot, now cold, sometime temperate, differing according to times and seasons of the yeer, and places also, or several climates. The middle region of the aire, is cold in respect of the two other, because it cannot follow the motions of the Heavens (as the upper region doth) being hindered by the tops of mountains. 2. Being free from the reflex beams of the Sun, by which the lower region of the aire is made hot.
The aire is most thin, without light or colour, but apt to receive heat, lightThe qualities and use of the Aire. and cold, heavier then the fire, lighter then the earth or water, placed in the midst of them, fit for breathing, seeing, smelling and moving.
This Element also leads us to God. For 1. It truly and really subsisteth though it be not seen: So also the Lord, the Maker of it, hath a real, but invisible existence. 2. It is every where within and without us, so is God every where present. 3. It is the preserver of my life, and we may say of it truly, as the Apostle ofAct. 17. 28. God himself, in it (under God) we live, move, and have our being.
4. Fire, which is (some say) to be understood in light, an adjunct and qualityFire is a most subtil Element, most light, most hot, most simple, and immixt. Therefore the Persians worshipped fire as a god, The Chaldeans adored Ur, and the Romans worshipped holy fire. Vide Vossium de orig. & progres. Idol. l. 2. c. 64, 65, 66. of it, Scaliger would prove a fiery Element because fire tends thither. First, God made the Elements of the Earth and Water, which in Geography make one Globe. Others say light neither is that Element, nor proceeds from it, but the Sun: however I shall handle it here among the works of the first day.
Without light Gods other works could not have been discovered by men. Light is an excellent work of God, tending to manifest his excellency to men, it is a comfortable thing to behold the light, Psal. 104. 2. Who coverest thy self with light as with a garment, that is, createdst the light: thereby shewing his excellency as a man doth by making and wearing a rich and glorious suit of cloths: he made and doth maintain the light in its perfection.
God expresseth his greatnesse above Iob, in that he could not make light, norJob 38. 19. 24. Bonaventure hath seven opinions, de quidditate luminis, it is an old saying, Non constat ex lumine natur… quid sit natura luminis. knew not what it was, q. d. Iob, thou art a mean Creature, thou dost not create nor order the light, neither dost thou know the nature and working of it. The greatnesse of this work appears principally by two considerations.
1. The hidden, abstruse, and difficult nature of it. Philosophers cannot tellSee Sir Walter Ral…gh's history of the world, l. 1. c. 1. Sect. 7. If this light be not spiritual, it approacheth nearest unto spirituality: and if it have any corporality, then of all other the most subtil and pure; for as it is of all things seen the most beautiful and of swiftest motion: so it is most necessary and beneficial. Sir Walter Ralegh. It is a great paradox to think light to be a body, which yet is maintained by Sir Kenelme Digby in his Treatise of bodies. But that light should be a spiritual substance, is much more absurd, for how then should it be visible. Vide Aquin. partem primam Quaest. 66. Art. 1, 2, 3. what to say of it, whether it be a substance or accident: and if a substance, whether corporeal or incorporeal and spiritual, it is a quality (say they) which makes other things visible: that is the effect of it. This word, light, in English, signifieth both that which the Latines call lux. and that which they call lumen, which yet are two distinct things: The first being in the Sun or Moon properly, the second in the aire, and an effect of the other.
Some think that it is a substance, and one of the simple substances, which they call Elements; of which compounded substances are made, by mixing them together; and is nothing but the Element of fire, which Philosophers speak of▪ being more subtil theu the aire. And as the water compassed the earth, and the aire the water, so did light the aire, and was far greater then the aire, as that was then the water and earth, so as this is the highest of all the Elements. See Sir Kenelm… Digb. Treatise of Bod. c. 7.
2. It is very useful, needful, and beneficial; For first it carrieth heat in it, and conveigheth heat, and the coelestial influences unto all other things. 2. It distinguisheth day and night each from other: without it, what were the world but a dungeon?
3. It is exceeding necessary for the dispatch of all businesse.
4. To make the beautiful works of God visible, Heaven and Earth, and dissipate those sad thoughts and sorrows, which the darknesse both begetteth and maintaineth.
1. We cannot see light without light, nor know God without his teaching.Consectaries.
2. This serves to condemn our selves which cannot see God in this light, though we see it with content, we should lament this blindnesse. When the day begins to peep in at your windows, let God come into your thoughts, he comes cloathed and thus attired, tell your selves how beautiful and excellent he is.
3. It may exhort us to labour to raise up our hearts to God in hearty thankfulnesseThe eye cannot see any thing without a double light Lumine innato, an inward light in the Chrystalline humour of the eye. 2. Lumine illato, an outward light in the aire, and on the object for the light, How merciful and gracious art thou, who givest me light and the sight of it! take heed of abusing it to sin, and thy eyes, whereby thou discernest it, especially magnifie God that giveth you spiritual light, and sight. Christ is the light of the world; natural darknesse is terrible, light comfortable, what is spiritual?
Light is so pure, faire and cleare, that nothing can pollute it, a resemblance of Gods infinite purity.
The creation of day and night, and the distinction and vicissitude of both, is theGen. 1. 4, 5. last thing in the first daies work.
Day is the presence of light in one half of the world, and night the absence ofThe day is in Greek foreign of foreign gentle or tame; because it is appointed for tame creatures, or of foreign I desire, because it is to be desired. In Latine it is dies à Deo of God, as a divine thing. The night is called foreign of foreign to strike, as in latine nox à nocendo of hurting. it in the other. So that the dispute whether day or night were first, seems superfluous, seeing they must needs be both together: for at what time the light is in one half of the world, it must needs be absent from the other; and contrarily, for all darknesse is not night, nor all light day: but darknesse distinguished from light, that is night, and light distinguished from darknesse, that is day; unlesse we will take day for the natural, not the artificial day; that is, the space of 24 hours, in which the Sun accompl…sheth his diurnal motion about the earth. Darknesse is nothing but the absence of light. Night is the space of time in every place, when the light is absent from them. Day is the space of time in every place, when the light is present with them; it is not simply the presence of light, but presence of light in one half of the world, when the other is destitute of it; and night is not simply the absence of light, but the absence of it from one half of the world, when the other half enjoyeth it. God made the Sun the chief instrument of continuing the course of day and night for ever, by its diurnal and constant motion. This is a wonderful work of God, and to be admired.
The Scripture notes it, The day is thine, and the night also is thine, saith the Psalmist, and the ordinances of day and night cannot be changed.
The greatnesse of this work appeareth in the cause of it, and the beneficial effects.
First, for the cause, it is the incredibly swift motion of the Sun which goeth round about the world in thes ace of 24. hours, that is, the space of 60 miles every houre in the earth, but how many thousand 60 miles in its own circle or circumference, for the earth is a very small thing, compared to the Sun. The body of the Sun is 166 times (as it is thought) greater then the earth, therefore the circumference that it goes must needs be at least so much larger then the compasse of the Earth, therefore its course must needs be at least 160 times 60 miles every houre,This incredible swiftnesse gave occasion to C… pernicus and others to conceive the globe of the earth did rather move, and the Sun stand still. See Dr. Hackwels Apologie, and Carpen…ers Geography. Some think there is a greater probability the earth should move round once a day, then that the heavens should move with such an incredible swiftnesse, scarce compatible to any natural body. Others deny it, grounding their opinion upon Scripture, which affi…ms the earth to stand fast, so as it cannot be moved; and upon sense, because we perceive it not to move: and lastly upon reasons drawn from things hurled up, and let f…ll upon the earth. Mr. Pemble in his brief Introduction to Geography, p. 12. Vide Wi…helmi Langi de Annis Christi, l. 1. c. 2. that is, almost 16000 miles every houre, that is, 166 miles every minute.
The celerity of this motion * is incredible, it goes beyond the thoughts of a man to conceive distinctly of the passage through every place; if a man should divide the circumference of the circle of the Sun into certain parts, he could not so soon have thought of them, as the Sun runs through them. God doth this great work, it is thought to be caused by the turning round of the highest Sphere or the Firmament, which pulling along with it self the inferiour Orbes, makes them to move according to its course: but who can give a reason why that Sphere it self should go so swiftly, even much more swiftly then the Sun, because it is far higher then the Sun, as much as that is higher then the earth: but the immediate power of God who doth move all in moving this one. But that God should make the Sunne fulfil such a daily race to make day and night, it highly commends the work.
Again, the usefulnesse of it is great: for if it should be in any place alwaies night, what could they do? how should they live? How would any thing grow, seeing the nights are cold, light and heat being companions, and cold and darknesse companions. If no light had been in the world, the world would not have been a place fit for living things. But if one half onelyonly of the world should have had light with it alwaies, it would have caused excessive heat, and so would have burnt up and consumed all things, and been no lesse harmful then the defect of heat: but now the succession of one of these to the other, viz. light and heat toThe night easeth the burthen of the day; and the day driveth away the terrour of the night. darknesse and cold, doth so temper them by a kinde of mixture, that it is in such proportion in every place, as is necessary to bring forth all sorts of living things, especially the fruits of the earth. So God hath assigned such a way and race to the Sun, which by his presence makes day, and by his absence night, as was fit, and onelyonly fit for the quickning, enlivening, and comfort of every kinde of living creature, so that upon this course the wel-being, yea the very being almost of all things doth depend.
We should lament and bewaile our exceeding great blindnesse, that live day afterConsectaries from day and night. day, and night after night, and yet busie not our selves about this work, nor se… God in it, though it be so constant as it was never stopped but twice s…nce the beginning of the Creation, viz. in Hezekiah's time by going back of the Sun, and in Ioshuah's time by stopping of the Sun for a certain time by the immediate power of God.
We have the profit of the day and of the night, but neither in one nor other do we mark the wisdome, goodnesse, and power of God. In the night men restNight is the time of rest. Sleep is the parenthesis of our troubles. Psal. 104. 20. 21, 22, 23. and refresh their bodier with sleep, wilde beasts then wake and hunt for their prey. In the day men and tame creatures make and dispatch their businesse, and eat and drink, and wilde beasts then rest in their dens. God is still working for us, our thoughts are still idle towards him: thir is a proof of our Atheisme and estrangement from him; this is the blindnesse of our minds, a not being able to discern of things by discourse of reason, and the power of understanding; for the conceiving of which, just and plain reasons are offered unto us. There is a natural blindnesse of the eye, when it is unable to discern things by the light of the Sun: thisSpiritual blindnesse. is felt and complained of, but spiritual blindnesse of minde is, when it is unable to discern supernatural truths which concern the soul, and another and better life, by the use of reason, and help of those principles which are as light unto it: this is not felt nor lamented, but it is therefore not felt, because it is so natural to us, and because we brought it into the world. The beginning of the cure of spirituall blindnesse, is to see it: let us see it therefore, and be troubled at it; why do not I see Gods great work in making night and day to succeed each other?
Let us look up to God in this work, and meditate on it at fit times, in the morning so soon as we are awake, and begin to see the darknesse vanquished, and the light conquering, and that the Sun is raised above our Horizon, and is come to visit our parts again, it were a fruitful thing to think thus. How great a journey hath the Sun gone in this little time wherein I have been asleep, and could observe nothing, and now returned again as it were to call me up? say, Lord, thou hastSol exprobrat dormientem. Erasm. made night, I have the benefit of it, and now light visits me. O that I could honour thee, and magnifie thy power and the greatnesse of thy hand and use the light of the day to do the services that are required at my hand in my place. Again in the evening a little before we sleep, we should think of the great work of makingEsay 40. 5. The glory of the Lord, that is, Christ in the doctrine of the Gospel: Shall be revealed, that is, made publick and openly known: And all flesh shall see it, that is, men generally and universaliy in the far greater number, and in a manner all the Nations, Together, at one and the self same time. day, for these many hours the Sun hath been within our sight, and shewed its beams and light unto us, and hath run a long race for our good, bringing with it lightsome cheerfulnesse, the companion of the day. Now it is gone to the other part of the world to visit them, that God might shew his goodnesse to one place as well as to another. Where a multitude of things concur to one effect, with which none of them in particular is acquainted, there we cannot but know that one common wisdome ruleth them all, and so it is in the working of the Sun, Moon, and Stars, to make the Seasons of the day and night, and of Summer and Winter, therefore some common wisdome must over-rule all of them. There is a spiritual light in our Horizon: whereas Judaisme and Tur…isme is darknesse, and Popery, a glimmering light. We should pray to God to give us spiritual light, and be thankful for it. He makes day and night also in respect of prosperity and adversity: weeping may continue for a night: this vicissitude keeps the soul in growth, in good temper, as the other is profitable for the body, pray to God to send. Christ to them which sit in darknesse and in the shadow of death, and vouchsafe to make it day with them as well as with us. He hath said in his word, that he will discover the glory of his Son, and all the earth shall see it together.