To the extent possible under law, the Text Creation Partnership has waived all copyright and related or neighboring rights to this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above, according to the terms of the CC0 1.0 Public Domain Dedication (http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/). This waiver does not extend to any page images or other supplementary files associated with this work, which may be protected by copyright or other license restrictions. Please go to http://www.textcreationpartnership.org/ for more information.
BEfore that the vertue of the Loadstone, (that sheweth the North) was revealed unto Mariners, it cannot be spoken, with what uncertaine wandrings men were driven about, following doubtfull con∣jectures; how they did indirectly floate here and there, rather then sayle the right way: indeed,
when the weather was faire, when either the Sunne or starres gave their light, they crept about the coasts of the earth, sometimes by the helpe of lights set in high pla∣ces, for their direction, sometimes by the helpe of Towers and Trees, not farre from the shoare, yet not without incredi∣ble anxiety of mind and great danger of shipwrack; but if the heavens were cloudy, if the starres and Sunne were withdrawne out of sight, and especial∣ly a tempest drawing on, they knew not whether to tune themselves, or whi∣ther to goe, with what joy then shall we thinke that
they were fil'd in every part, with what gladnesse may we suppose, that they did triumph, when first this Magneticke Neptune became the guide of their way, which shewing unto them the path they should trace, through quicke∣sands and rockes, they might discerne and di∣stinguish, even in the darkest night, and most cloudy skie, the severall angles of the North, and the South, the East and the West, and might most certainely judge in what coasts of the world, in what Latitude, yea, and wanting but a litt••e, in what Longitude of places they were, as also
into what parts of the earth, and into what Ports they directed the course of their shipping. Last∣ly by the Divine benefit of this Mercury or Guide, it came to passe, that they not staying for the plea∣sant gales of the Wes∣terne wind, did feareles∣ly hoyse up their sayles, and went beyond the Pi∣lars of Hercules, then those Hands, Continents, Nations and Merchants wares, which lay hid, as altogether unknowne, were discovered by us, and often found out, and at length the whole Cir∣cumference of this terre∣striall Globe, was in our memory severall times
sayled about by Francis Drake, Thomas Cavendish, and other noble spirits, which thing in former times, as it was thought impossible, so it was never heard of; Before that the light of the Gospell was revealed unto men, God suffered all people, in the Generations past,* 1.1 to wander in their owne wayes, having their cogi∣tations darkened and estranged from the life of God, by reason of the ignorance and vanity of mind that was in them, for Philosophy doth but de∣ceive the children and Schollers she brings up, and vouchsafeth to be their companion and
guide of their way in pro∣sperity onely, but vanish∣ing as a blazing starre or lightning, in the time of adversity and perplexity, she forsakes them in the shadow of death, and leaves them destitute of comfort; If it asswage their maladies at any time, it never cures them. If it draw a skinne perchance on their scarres, notwith∣standing it heales not with∣in, Christ alone, who is the Light of the world, (the Way, the Life, and the Truth,) delivers those that are his, from wan∣dring and wavering, hee leads them into all truth, reveales unto them, the mysteries of salvation,
laies open the secrets of the old Testament, he alone re∣plenisheth his servāts with joy and peace, that surpas∣seth all understānding, when they are in tribulations & imprisonmens, when they are tormented with fires & racks; he alone brings im∣mortality to light, where∣with he comforts his own people in the point of death, he alone by the light∣some Lanterne of his word, directeth their go∣ings, and their feet in all his wayes, to which they should have well done, if they had taken heed, as un∣to a light that shineth in a darke place, untill the day dawne,* 1.2 and the day∣starre should arise in their
hearts:* 1.3 but because they received not the love of the Truth, that they might be saved, therefore God sent them strong de∣lusions, that they should beleeve lyes, old wives tales, and foolish dreams of Monks. And lastly, that taking rooten Tradi∣tions, leaden Legends, for Oracles of faith, and the blind leading the blind, they should fall againe into the bottom∣lesse pit of errours, where∣in the whole world lay drowned, for some hun∣dred; of years, untill again it pleased the Father of mercies, almost in the same passage of time, wherein he shewed the
use of the Loadstone, to re∣store the light of his Gos∣pell, to dispell the mists of Popery, to discover the deceits of Antichrist, to reforme his Church upon earth, and in con∣clusion to kindle againe the light of his Word, which we doe with all humble reverence, beseech him againe, and againe, to conserve unextingui∣shed untill his glorious comming to Judgement.
Acts 14.16. Eph. 4.18.
2 Pet. 1.
2 Thes. 2.