Mosaicall philosophy grounded upon the essentiall truth, or eternal sapience / written first in Latin and afterwards thus rendred into English by Robert Fludd, Esq.

The Second Book of this Treatise, touching Philosophy in generall. (Book 2)

The Argument of this Second Book of the First Section.

THis second Book importeth, That the Philosophy of the Ethnicks is false and erroneous,* 1.1 both in regard it is founded upon the wisdom of this world, which, as St. Paul teacheth us, is but meer foolishnesse in the eyes of God; and then because it contradicteth the truth, and consequently is not issuing from the Father of Light, which is in Heaven, but from the Prince of darknesse, who reigneth beneath. Wherefore this kind of wisdom, or 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, is termed by the Apo∣stle James,* 1.2 Terrence, animal, and diabolicall. And for this reason St. Paul, that most excellent and sacred Philosopher, or lover of wisdom, doth warn us, that we be not deceived by this kind of Philosophy, which he tearmeth, Vain∣fallacy, built and framed out according unto the traditions of men,* 1.3 and after the elements of this world; and not having its foundation upon the true corner stone, Jesus Christ, in whom dwelleth all the plenitude of Divinity corporally.

BEfore we dive into the bottomlesse abysse of the essentiall Phi∣losophy, whose main foundation is the true wisdom, (the which is a thing so difficil to be put in execution, that no∣thing but the swift and nimble-winged soul, or spirit of man, is able to bring to effect) it will but concur with reason, that we should in the first place consider and observe, the Ety∣mology of the name or word, whose naked essence we hunt after, that thereby we may in the second rank descend more securely, and with a better understanding, unto the definition or description thereof, and so proceed with a surer confidence, unto the division or differences of the main subject we have in hand, to the intent we may directly point at the truth, and distinguish it from falshood. Seeing therefore that Philosophia or Philoso∣phy,

is the main scope or businesse of this our Treatise, it is meant commonly, and understood in a generality, for Sapientia, or Wisdom; but by a more proper and pe∣culiar signification, it is interpreted Amor, or, Amicus sapientiae, The love, or friend, of wisdom: For the word is composed of 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, that is, Amicus, or a Friend; and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, that is, Sapientia, or Wisdome. And it is so termed of the Greeks, because that in the word at large is contained, the love of wisdom; or because that by teaching of wisdom, men are incited or stirred up to love it. In antique Ages it was called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, or Sapientia onely, and at last 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 was added unto it by the notable Philo∣sopher Pythagoras, who would rather be called Philosophus, that is, Sapientiae-ama∣tor, a lover of wisdom, then arrogantly to assume unto himself the name or title of 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, sapiens, or a wise man. From the Etymology of this word, Philosophia, or Philosophy, we may derive his definition, and describe it to be, An earnest study of wisdome, or, a fervent application of our minds unto it; being that the word im∣porteth, that it is the affectionate love of sapience. It appeareth therefore, that the main subject of Philosophy is Wisdom, the perfect knowledge whereof is that sum∣mum bonum, or highest goodnesse of this mortall life, which was the mark whereat the wise men of all ages did ever levell and aime. But as from all beginnings, there was a distinction, or opposite difference, between light and darknesse, good and evill, righteousnesse and unrighteousnesse; and, to conclude, between the reall things of God, and the prestigious and imaginary inventions of man: So also is there a main contrariety to be observed, between the true wisdom which is of God, and that false and onely-seeming one, which is of this world; and conse∣quently, there must be an endlesse jar and antipathy, betwixt the essentiall and true-bred Philosophy, and that which is bastard and spurious. All which we find to be sufficiently warranted, by the testimony of holy Writ, for the Apostle saith in one place,* 1.4 Non in sapientia carnali, sed in gratia Dei versati sumus in hoc mundo; We are conversant in this world, not in carnall wisdom, but in the grace of God. And again, Prudentia carnis mors est, quoniam sapientia carnis est inimica Dei: prudentia Spiritus,* 1.5 est vita & pax: The prudency of the flesh is death, because the wisdom of the flesh is destruction; but the prudency of the Spirit is life and peace. Again, in another place, thus more plainly, Praedicatio mea non est in persuasionibus et humanae sapientiae v••rbis, sed in ostensione spiritus et veritatis. Sapientiam loquimur inter perfectos, sapien∣tiam autem non hujus mundi,* 1.6 sed loquimur Dei sapientiam in mysterio, quae abscondita est, quam Deus revelavit electis per Spiritum suum. My preaching (saith he) is not in the perswasions and words of human wisdom, but in the shewing forth of the Spirit and verity. We speak and utter forth wisdom among the perfect, not the wisdom of this world, but the wisdom of God in a mystery, which is hidden and secret, the which God hath re∣vealed unto the Elect by his Spirit. In these words we are taught, first, that the smooth perswasions of the wise-appearing Oratours, or lip-learned Sophisters, and self∣conceited Philosophers of this world, are vain; being they bring along with them nothing else, but an empty wind, without any materiall or substantiall fruit, and are in effect but a meer shadow, in regard of a reall matter or subject, forasmuch as they prestigiously appear something, but are indeed nothing; when contrari∣wise, the words of the true and perfect Philosopher, are essentiall, and therefore ac∣companied with vertue and power.

Secondly, that what the true and powerfull Philosopher utters, is the flourish∣ing and fruitfull wisdom, even the eternall sapience of the Almighty, and not the sterill wisdom of this world, which when it is brought unto the touchstone, will be found counterfeit, as being unable to endure the tryall.

Thirdly, that this heavenly wisdom is onely mystically revealed unto mankind, as being reserved in the power of God, and solely discovered or opened unto the Saints, and elect, and therefore unknown unto the Pagans; or Ethnick wise-men who are the composers of our Christian Philosophers wisdome, and therefore it is a vaine fallacy or sophisticate philosophy; forasmuch as it is framed (as the Apostle saith),* 1.7 through the traditions of men; according unto the Elements of this world, and not after Christ, who is the true wisdome, for in him dwelleth all the plenitude of divinity, bo∣dily. And for this reason, the same Apostle saith in another place, Nos non spiritum hujus mundi accepimus sed spiritum qui ex Deo est, et quae à Deo donata sunt nobis loqui∣mur, non in doctis humanae Sapientiae verbis,* 1.8 sed in doctrina spiritus, spiritualibus spiri∣tualia comparantes. Animalis enim homo non percipit ea quae sunt spiritus Dei; stultitia enim est illi & non potest intelligere. We have not received the spirit of this world, but the spirit which is of God; and we speak those things which are given us from God, not

in the learned words of humane wisdome, but in the doctrine of the Spirit, com∣paring spirituall things with spirituall things. For the animal man doth not perceive the things which are of the spirit of God; unto him it is foolishness, and he cannot under∣stand it;* 1.9 Again he saith, Sap••entia hujus mund•• stuititia est apud Deum, Deus enim novit cogitationes sapienium quod stultae sunt. The wisdome of the world is foolishness with God, for God knoweth that the cogitations of the worldly wise are foolish. Whereby we may al∣so discerne that there is a wisdome falsely so called, which is cleane contrary in effect, unto the true sapience, and therefore it is termed of the Apostle foolishness, and consequently the conceipts of such wisemen as are the Ethnick philosophers and their adherents, (though they think passing well of themselves,) are indeed foolish and sottish before God.* 1.10 Of the which kind of philosophers, the prophet ut∣tereth these words, Wo unto them that speak good of evil and evil of good which put dark∣ness for light and light for darkness, wo unto them that are wise in their own eyes and pru∣dent in their own sight. Doth not St. James also, and that in open and plain terms, assigne a most palpable difference, betwixt these two kinds of wisdomes where he sayeth, Sapientia contradicens veritati non est de sursum descendens à patre luminum, sed terrena,* 1.11 animalis, diabolica: sapientia vero de sursum, est à Deo, That wisdome which con∣tradicteth the truth, is not from above, descending down from the father of lights, but is earthly, animal, diabolicall: contrariewise the wisdome which descendeth from above is of God. By this therefore it is made evident that as by the whole harmony of holy Writ, sapience or wisdome is taken after a two-fold manner, namely for a worldly and counterfeit one which is earthly, mundane, and humane, that is to say which is of mans invention being framed out after the rudiments or elements of this world, so also there is a true essentiall, and perfect wisdome which hath his root or begin∣ning in Christ,* 1.12 who is God according to that of the wiseman, Verbum dei altissimi est sapientiae sons, The word of God most high is the fountain of wisdome. Which being so, we ought not to imbrace with such fervency that false and bastard philosophy which hath her originall from pagan mens inventions, and neglect that which is true and es∣sentiall, even that (I say) which is from God the main foundation whereof, is the cor∣ner stone Jesus Christ, which, as St. Paul telleth us, doth fill and vivify all things; for in so doing we shall imitate the besotted Israelites, of whom the prophet Baruch saith,* 1.13 Sapientiae fontem Israel reliquit, Israel hath forsaken the fountain of wisdome. And this he said, because they forsook or neglected the true wisdom, and did search after Arts, sciences and understanding in forreine and gentile nations; as did the Agarens, and they that were in Theman▪ which never attained unto the knowledg or perfecti∣on of the true wisdome, because they did not acknowledg the fountaine or giver thereof, which is God only; Shall we not (I say) in so doing transgresse the precept of the wise prophet,* 1.14 who sayeth Vias gentium nolite discere, quia leges populo∣rum vanae sunt, Learne not after the manner of the heathen, for their wayes are vaine, The Apostle doth in another place sufficiently and that in these few words, signifie unto us the variety and dissonancy of these two severall sorts of wisdome, and withall seemeth to expresse a kind of by-forkedness or two fold difference,* 1.15 in that which is the worldly branch; Sapientiam Graeci quaerebant, Judaei signa, no•• Christum crucifixum praedicamus, The Greeks (saith he) seek wisdome, the Jewes desire signes, but we preach Christ crucified, whereby he argueth the humane contemplative philoso∣phy of the Graecians, such as that of the Peripateticks, Stoicks, and Epicures were, the practicall philosophy and the ocular demonstrations which the Jewes did affect: and lastly he seemeth to expresse the true and essentiall philosophy or study of wis∣dome which consisteth in Jesus Christ crucified, which philosophy is only there∣fore of God, because the essentiall wisdome thereof did issue from the mouth of the Almighty, being that the fountain thereof is the word of God, Ab ore Altissimi prodii (saith wisdome) I came out of the mouth of the most highest,* 1.16 and therefore the Apostle shewing a difference between the Greekish philosophy, which was spurious, and this which was truly essentiall, giveth this caveat unto the elect, Ut cons••lentur cor∣da ipsorum, instructi in charitate et in omnes divitias plenitudinis intellectus in a gnition•• mysterii dei patris Jesu Christi, in quo sunt omnes The sauri sapientiae et scientiae absconditi Hoc dico ut nemo vos decipiat in sublimitate sermonum:* 1.17 sicut ergo accepistis Jesum Chris∣tum dominum nostrum in ipso ambulate, radicati & abundantes in gratiarum actione. Videte ne quis vos decipiat per Philosophiam & inanem fallaciam secundum traditionem homi∣num, secundum elementa mundi, & non secundum Christum; quia in ipso inhabitat omnis plenitudo divinitatis corporaliter. Et estis in illo repleti, qui est caput omnis principatûs & potestatis. That their hearts might be comforted, being instructed or guided through

charity, into all the riches of fulnesse of understanding, in the acknowledgment of the my∣stery of God the Father, and of Jesus Christ, in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and science. This I speak unto you, that none may deceive you by subtlety, or perswasive speeches. As therefore you have received our Lord Jesus Christ, so walk in him radicated∣ly, abounding in thanksgiving. See that no man deceive you by Philosophy; and vain fal∣laci••s or sophistications, framed through the tradition of men, according unto the ele∣ments of this world, and not by Christ, forasmuch as in him dwells the plenitude or fulnesse of the Godhead corporally. And ye are full in him, who is the head of all principalities and potestates, &c. Out of which words, there are these notable things to be selected or gathered.

First, That all the plenitude of understanding, consisteth in the revelation and knowledge of the mystery of God,* 1.18 and his Son Jesus Christ; because in Christ one∣ly, is all the treasure of wisdom and science hid. And therefore it is but a folly to seek true and essentiall science, understanding, and wisdom, from them who had them not.

Secondly, That the smooth-tongu'd Oratours, deceitfull Sophisters, and vain Philosophers of this world, are to be eschewed, and no way for the most part to be believed; forasmuch as they are but onely superficiall, and scarce probable, being that, in essence and verity, they are nothing else, in regard of their ground-work, but fiction, or meer imagination.

Thirdly, That there is a Philosophy, and by consequence a Wisdom, which is derived from the invention and tradition of men, and according unto the ele∣ments of this world, and not according unto Christ: which spurious wisdom ought therefore to be forsaken, or at least-wise not so exactly to be observed, by such as are followers of Christ.

* 1.19Fourthly, That there is a true Philosophy, and therefore a wisdom, which is ac∣cording unto Christ, forasmuch as in him one••y consisteth all the treasures of perfect science, knowledge, understanding, and wisdom, which is framed out, not according un∣to the traditions of men, and the elements of this world, which is terrene, animal, diaboli∣call, and contradicteth the verity;* 1.20 but according to that which descendeth from God the Father of lights, as St. James telleth us. Upon the foundation therefore of this human or mundan wisdom, was the Philosophy of the Grecians erected; and it ap∣peareth, first, because that the Apostle denieth it to be the true Philosophy, being that it is not grounded on the corner-stone Jesus Christ, as it appeareth by his be∣haviour and speech, which he made unto the Philosophers of Athens; for when the sect of the Epicures and Stoicks did discourse with him, after that by the reasons of divine Philosophy, he had exhorted them from their idolatry, and worshipping of false and unknown gods, and had preached unto them the true wisdom, which was Jesus Christ, and the resurrection of the dead, and consequently instructed them in the foundation of the true and reall Philosophy; Some of them replyed, What will this verball babler say?* 1.21 and others exclaiming against him, did averre, that he was a proclaimer of new daemons or devills. The said divine Philosopher and holy Apostle, replyed thus, Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too super∣stitious: for I found an altar,* 1.22 wherein was written, Unto the unknown God; whom ye then ignorantly worship, him show I unto you, &c. Note by the way, that he argueth by this speech, that they knew not the true grounds of Philosophy, being ignorant of the true God, which is the fountain of the essentiall wisdom. Then he proceedeth thus, God that made the world,* 1.23 and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in Temples made with hands, neither is worshipped with mens hands▪ as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things, &c, I would have you to mark the excellency of the true wise man, namely, how he speaketh unto the mundan Philosophers of Athens, the divine wisdom, and there∣fore the solid and essentiall Philosophy; for he expresseth in the foresaid Text, that the Spirit of God or Christ, which is God, dwelleth not in artificiall Temples, but maketh every naturall thing his Sanctuary, and above all creatures, and by super-excellency, he pointeth at Man, (as you shall see hereafter). And therefore he affir∣meth, that the same divine spirit of wisdom giveth to every creature (for his words are, He giveth to all) life, breath, and all things; and therefore if to all things, then there is not any thing that is naturated by it, but liveth and breatheth, or hath his existence from, and in, this wisdom; the which is therefore rightly tearmed the Corner-stone, forasmuch as on him all creatures rely and exist. And therefore it is he onely,* 1.24 who is that light of the world, in whom is that life which doth vivifie all

things,* 1.25 as in another place the Apostle doth teach us; and who is all, and in all, as we have it in another place; where also it is said, that in him is all things, and he in every thing, as well visible as invisible. And in conclusion, He filleth all things, and worketh all, and in all. Doth not Solomon seem to assent unto all this, where he saith, that Gods Spirit is in all things.* 1.26 Then the said Apostle proceedeth thus, And he made of one blood all mankind, to dwell on the face of the earth, and hath assigned the sea∣sons which were ordained before, and the bounds of their habitations, that they should seek the Lord, if so be they might have groped after him, and found him, though doubtlesse he be not far from every one of us; for in him we live, we move, and have our being. For we are also his generation, &c.

Lo here the infinite and admirable vertue of this divine Corner-stone which is Jesus Christ, who is the essentiall subject and ground work of the true philosophy I meane, that sacred wisdome which is so extolled and magnified by the old and new Testament.* 1.27 And therefore the same Apostle said rightly in the foresaid place, In Christo sunt omnes The sauri scientiaeet sapientiae absconditi, In Christ are all the Trea∣sures of Knowledge and Sapience hidden, whereby in the first place it is made evident, that there is no true philosophy which hath not this spirituall foundation, namely Christ Jesus,* 1.28 in whom is the plenitude of all divinity corporally, and who is the head as well of the Angelicall nature, as of all inferiour things else of what soever condition, all which being so, we may see how farre the Greekish philosophy doth differ from the truth, and therefore me thinks it should not be so seriously followed, being that the Scriptures have delineated unto us a more compleat and perfect path way unto wisdome.

Againe it appeareth evidently that the Greekish philosophers and consequently that kind of humane or mundane wisdome whereon it is built or established is-ter∣rene,* 1.29 animal, and diabolical, because it contradicteth the true wisdome or philoso∣phy, and therefore it is proved to be false, as shall more at large be expressed unto you in the chapters following.

CHAP. II.

Wherein the originall, or beginning of the true wisdom, and consequently of the essentiall Philosophy, is opened; and then the nature and power of it, is really described.

WE purpose now in in the first place, to search out the originall fountain of the true wisdom, and therefore of the essentiall Philosophy. And then in the second rank, I will expresse the definition of it; after that, I will shew you, that it is the foundation, not onely of the true externall Philosophy, with the sciences which depend thereon, but also the discoverer of all mysteries, and hidden secrets, yea, and the onely revealer of things, as well past, as those which are to come.

Concerning the originall or beginning of this sacred wisdom, I will prove by the consent and harmony of the whole Bible,* 1.30 that it is in God, the Father of light; and therefore it must be clean contrary in nature unto the wisdom of this world, which is terrene and animal, as the Apostle hath it. Sapient••ae daetor & inventor, Deus est: The giver and inventor of wisdom is God, as the Prophets do intimate unto us. Sapientia & fortitudo Domini sint,* 1.31 saith Daniel; Sapience and fortitude be the Lord's. Sapientia in antiquis est & in multo tempore prudentia,* 1.32 saith Job; Wisdom is of antiquity, and pru∣dency of a long standing. Again, Sapientiam dat Dominus, ex ore ejus prudentia & scientia, saith Solomon; The Lord giveth wisdom, prudency and science issue from his mouth. And again, Sapientiam possidet Deus in principio viarum suarum, antequam quicquam faceret à principio,* 1.33 ab aeterno ordinata est; concepta erat cum nondum erant abyssi. God did possesse wisdom in the beginning of his waies, before he made any thing, from the be∣ginning, even from eternity was she ordained;* 1.34 she was conceived when there was no abysse. Sapientia à Deo profecta est & prior omnium creata, saith the son of Syrach, Wisdom came from God, and was the first created of all things. And again, Ex ore Altissimi prodi∣vi primogenita ante omnem creaturam,* 1.35 saith she in her own person; I came or issued out from the mouth of the most High,* 1.36 being born before any creature. Sapientia caelitus mit∣tatur de sanctis coelis, ut mecum sit & mecum laboret, saith Solomon in another place: Let wisdom be sent from thy holy heavens to assist me, and to labour with me.

And againe he expresseth the time of her election, the manner of her exaltation and way to seperate her truth from falsehood in these few words which are golden

ones,* 1.37 Sapientiam dei ab initio nativitatis investigabo & ponam in lucem, nec praeteribo veritatem, I will find out the wisdome of God even from the beginning of her nativity, and I will put her into light, neither will I passe over, or omit the truth. By all these places and many more which I could produce, it is made manifest that this excellent spirit of which we intend to treat in this place is the true wisdome, and withall it must needs follow that the philosophy which dependeth on it, is the essentiall, perfect and only reall one, forasmuch as it is from the father of lights, acccording unto the Tenent of the forementioned Apostle and divine philosopher. Now we proceed to shew you briefly what this wisdome is, and how it was produced, and that accor∣ding unto the mind of the wise Solomon,* 1.38 Sapientia (saith he) est vapor virtutis Dei & emana••io quaedam claritatis omnipotentis dei sincera, et candor lucis aeternae, et speculum sine macula Dei ma••estatis, et imago bonitatis illius. Wisdome is the vapor of the vertue of God, and a certaine sincere emanation of the brightness of the omnipotent God, and the beauty of the eternall light, and the immaculated or unspotted mirror of the majesty of God,* 1.39 and the image of his goodness. And the Apostle, Christ is the brightness of the glory and the ingraved forme of his person which beareth up all things by his mighty word. Whereby it is an easie thing for wisemen to discern, what a main difference there is between the false Ethnick and mundane wisdome which is terrene, and that true and essentiall one which is from above, and hath his originall from the Father of light, forasmuch as the fountain thereof is the Word, or voice of the Lord. Sapientiae fons (saith the Text) verbum Dei in excelsis, & ingressus illius mandata aeter∣na: The fountain or beginning of wisdom is the word of God from above, and her entrance the eternall Commandements.* 1.40 Having then expressed unto you, what this onely true wisdom is, I will endeavour to open and discover also her catholick vertues, in the which she acteth and operateth, as well in generall, as in particular, over all the world: Nay verily, what can she not do and effect, when she is all in all, and opera∣teth all in everything, as the Apostle teacheth us. For this reason also is Christ, the true wisdom,* 1.41 said, in the forementioned Text, to sustain and bear up all things by the word of his vertue. This omnipotent power of hers, in and over all things in this world,* 1.42 is most excellently explained and set down thus, by the divine Philosopher Paul: Christus est imago Dei invisibilis, pr••mogenitus omnis creaturae, quoniam in ipso con∣dita sunt universa in coelis & terra, visibilia & invisibilia, sive thront, sive dominationes, sive principatus,* 1.43 sive potestates, omnia per ipsum & in ipso creat a sunt, & ipse est ante om∣nes, & omnia in ipso constant. Christ is the image of the invisible God, the first begotten of every creature, because that in him, all things visible and invisible, in the heavens and in the earth, were made, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or potestates, all were created by him and in him; and he is before all creatures, and all things consist in him. This may seem very strange doctrine unto such Academick persons, as are too confident in the Ethnick Philosophy, forasmuch as it doth ac∣knowledge no such wisdom from above, no such a Christ, or sacred Word, which was the Creator of heaven and earth, and who made the Angelicall Intelligences, and in whom, and by whom, all things were, and do yet exist. But it telleth us of subalternat efficient natures, namely, of Intelligences, of Stars, of Elements, and such like things, which operate or effect, of themselves, all things above and beneath, and will have the world to be eternall, and without all beginning; when contrariwise this true Philosophy telleth us, that God created all things in and by his word and wisdom; that he operateth all in all, and, that he is all, and in all. For the plain words of the precedent Text is, Omnia in ipso constant, All consist in him. But to the purpose. The foresaid Text seemeth to confirm this of the wise Solomon: Sapientiam possidebat in principio viae suae: ante opera sua, ante ullum tempus, ante secu∣lum, cum nullae essent abyssi, edita erat ipsa, cum nulli essent fontes abundantes aquis, ante montes fundati essent,* 1.44 cum nondum fecerat terram, cum aptaret coelos ibi erat, cum slatueret ambitum in superficie abyssi, cum fortificaret superiores nubes superne, quando roborabat fontes abyssi, quando ponebat mari statutum suum, cum statueret fundamenta terrae, erat sapientia apud ipsum cuncta componens. Jehovah did possesse wisdom in the be∣ginning of his waies, before any of his works, and before there was any time, before the world was made; she was brought forth before there was any abysse, and before there was any fountains that did abound with water, before the mountains had their foundati∣ons, when as yet he had made no earth. When he did adapt and make fit the heavens, she was there; when he did ordain a compasse, or appoint margins for the surface of the abysse. When he did fortifie the highest clouds above, when he did corroborate the fountains of the deep, when he did set bounds unto the sea, when he did establish the foundations of

the earth, then was wisdom with him, composing or making all things. Whereby he ar∣gueth, first, the antiquity of the eternall wisdom; and then he proveth, that she was the composer and maker of Heaven and Earth, and consequently of every thing, as well invisible, as visible therein. And this agreeth in all things with that of our sa∣cred and essentiall Philosopher Moses, where he acknowledgeth first an abysse with∣out form; then that the informed matter of the abysse was by the presence of Gods emanating Spirit, universally informed and called waters. Then how by the acting of the divine or essential voice or word,* 1.45 Fiat, which was uttered by the mouth of the Omnipotent, the light or created form was produced in the waters, and afterwards by the will of the Creator, the word was pronounced the second time, and the wa∣ters above were divided from the waters beneath by the firmament, and so the hea∣vens were made by the second fiat; as by the third, the division of the lower waters into elements, was effected by the assistance of this one and the self-same word, or the Spagerick operation of this divine and catholick Spirit, Elohim, but in a various property.* 1.46 Doth not David in few words affirm so much, saying, Verbo Domini firma∣ti sunt coeli & Spiritu ab ore ejus omnis virtus eorum: By the word of the Lord the hea∣vens were made,* 1.47 and by the spirit of his mouth each vertue thereof. Again, In sapientia omnia secisti; Thou hast created all things in wisdom. And St. Peter, Coeli erant prius & terra de aqua,* 1.48 & per aquam existentes verbo Dei: The heavens were first, and the earth of water,* 1.49 and by water, consisting by the word of God. And doth not St. John say, By it all things were made, and without it nothing was made. The world was fashioned by this word or essentiall spirit,* 1.50 which was pure light, but the world did not know it. And So∣lomon, Sapientia Deus fundavit coelos, stabilivit terram in prudentia: By wisdom God made the heavens, and by his prudency he laid the foundations of the earth. In conclusion, the whole harmony of holy Writ, which is too long for me punctually in this place to rehearse, doth testifie thus much, that all things, of what nature or con∣dition soever, were made, disposed, and effected, in, by, and through this divine vertue or emanation, which is God himself, forasmuch as it is the divine act, whose root is the word. Ex ipso (saith St. Paul) per ipsum, & in ipso sunt omnia: Of him, by him, and in him, are all things. But because some of the learned of this world may reply, that though it is true, that God by his divine Spirit or Word, did create all things; yet it followeth not, that he doth act immediately, and exist essentially in every thing. But after that this eternall Spirit of wisdom, had bestowed on each creature a peculiar vertue in its creation, then the creature can act of it self by a free-will, which is absolutely; and distinguished, and divided from the immediate act of God. I answer, that by our founded rules in Divinity, the true essence of the Deitie is individuall, and therefore God doth impart no essentiall act or vertue unto any creature which can be discontinued or seperated from Him∣self. And for this reason, Christ who is the eternall spirit of wisdome is said to fill all, I marry (will our learned say) that is vertually, but not substantially or essenti∣ally. I would fain know (laying all such school distinctions apart,* 1.51 of which St. Paul biddeth Timothy to beware) if the vertue of God be not his essence, or whether the one can be divided from the other? If they reply and say, that this vertue of God is no essence but an accident: Verily they must needs erre in saying so, being that it is most certainly known unto the very Jewes and Gentiles themselves that God hath not any accidents in him, seeing that he is absolutely essentiall, and reall of himself, for where his divine act is, there is also his vertue, and, where his vertue is, there is he truly said to be essentiall: for else the word or divine act which doth vivifie and quicken every creature, should seem to be but an Accident, and that divided from the divine essence: which, how absurd it is, the immortality and root of it doth ar∣gue: For David in his forsaid text sayeth, spiritu ab ore ejus omnis virtus eorum, from the spirit of his mouth doth issue every vertue of the heavens.* 1.52 I imagine that there is no man of an upright sense that will esteem this vertue to be an Accident; which be∣ing so, then must it needs be essentiall, and consequently in God, and of God, and therefore not divisible from his spirit: But what needs more words when Scriptures do confirme this every where?* 1.53 St. Paul sayeth, in the text before mentioned, Quo∣niam in ipso cond••ta sunt universa in coelis et in terra tam visibilia quam invisibilia, omnia in ipso et per ipsum creata sunt; et omnia in ipso constant. Because all things in heaven and earth are made in him, as well visible as invisible, all things are created in him and by him all consist in him;* 1.54 Ergo, nothing without him. Again, St. John saith, In verbo erat vita; Life was in the Word. And therefore the creature is annexed unto him by a continuated tye of one and the self-same spirit of life which is in the creature, with∣out

the which it cannot exist one minute.* 1.55 And for this cause the Psalmist saith, O Lord, how manifold are thy works, in wisdom thou hast made them all. The earth is full of thy riches;* 1.56 so is the wide sea, and the innumerable creeping things therein both great and small. Thou givest unto them, and they gather it, thou openest thine hand and they are filled with good things, but if thou hide thy face, they are troubled, if thou takest away their breath they die, and return unto dust. Again, if thou sendest out thy Spirit, they are re-created and revive, and thou renewest the face of the earth. Whereby we see, that it is the immediate act of the Spirit of wisdom, that worketh these things, by which God is said to vivifie all things, and that by him we breathe, and live, and have our being. And not onely we, but also all other flesh whatsoever, as it appeareth by the foresaid Text;* 1.57 as also by this testimony of Job, Si Deus apponens ad hominem ani∣mum suum, spiritum seu flatum ejus ad se reciperet, deficeret & exspiraret omnis caro si∣mul, & homo in c••nerem reverteretur: If God setting his heart or mind upon man, should receive or draw unto himself his spirit or breath of life, all flesh would die toge∣ther, and man would return unto dust.* 1.58 And the Prophet, Deus dat flatum populo qui est super terram & spiritum calcantibus eam. God giveth breath unto the people which is on the earth, and a spirit unto the creatures which tread on it. Now I beseech you, How is it possible, that this spirit of life should be present with, and in, all things, and therefore essentially in every thing, and yet it should cease to act immediately, that is, in persona sua, when it is the most swift and mobil' in his active nature and agili∣ty, of all things, as the wise man telleth us. That he is present in all things, it is apparent, because all things do act and live in him, and by him; for St. Paul's Text before mentioned saith, Omnia in ipso constant, All consist in him. And again, Ipse operatur omnia in omnibus,* 1.59 He worketh all in all. And St. Peter, The heavens and the earth which were of water,* 1.60 exist by the word. And Solomon, Incorruptibilis Dei spiritus inest omni rei, The incorruptible Spirit of God is in all things. And again, Spiritus disci∣plinae sanctus implet orbem terrarum, The spirit of wisdom filleth the earth. And the Prophet David, Whither shall I go from thy Spirit, or whither shall I flee from thy pre∣sence? If I ascend into heaven, thou art there; if I lie down in hell, thou art there. Let me take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, yet thither shall thine hand lead me, and thy right hand hold me. If I say, yet the darknesse shall hide me, even the night shall be light about me, yea the darknesse hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day, the darknesse and night are both alike. Therefore it is his reall Spirit that filleth all things, and not any accidentall vertue, as is falsly imagined by some.* 1.61 And the Prophet Isaias, Coelum est sedes mea, & terra scabellum pedum me∣orum, saith the Lord, The heavens are my seat, and the earth my foot stool. And Jeremy, Coelum & terram nunquid impleo,* 1.62 Do not I fill the heaven and the earth? Now that you may know more particularly how this is done, hearken unto David, In sapientia (saith he) omnia fecisti,* 1.63 repleta est terra possessione tua; Thou madest all things in wis∣dom, and the earth is full of thy possession or riches; he meaneth with his Spirit, which replenisheth, inacteth, and informeth all things. And therefore saith the son of Syrach,* 1.64 Sapientiam effudit Deus super omnia opera sua, & super omnem carnem secun∣dum datum suum: God powred out his wisdom upon all his creatures, and upon all flesh, according unto the measure that he bestoweth it: That is to say, The Spirit of wisdom is more or lesse in all things, according as it pleased God to impart it unto this or that creature.* 1.65 And for this reason, Solomon in another place. Sapientia operatur om∣nia, Wisdom worketh or acteth all things. Which agreeth with this Text of the Apo∣stle, Deus operatur omnia in omnibus.* 1.66 Why should we not infer then, that this spirit is essentially, and presentially in every thing? To conclude therefore this general dis∣course of the true Philosophy, Moses teacheth us, that after the foundation of the Heavens and Elements, every creature that was framed or composed of them, and lived and moved in them, did exist and was preserved by the self-same spirit; name∣ly, the Sun, Moon, and other Starrs in heaven, the seeds, trees, herbs, and such like vegetables, and the creeping and four-footed beasts of the earth, and fishes of the seas. And lastly, Man was created, by one and the self-same spirit; but God imparted unto him a greater proportion of his Spirit▪ that thereby he might excell in perfection all other creatures. It were too infinite to expresse and set down the main scope of this businesse in writing, as Scriptures do at large recite it; for look into the works of Moses, the books of Joshua and Judges, the history of Kings or Chronicles, the reports of Job, the Psalms of David, the Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Cantiques, and Wisdom of Solomon, the monuments of the Prophets, the subject of Ecclesiasticus and Maccabees; and lastly, the relations or stories of Christ and his

Apostles, and we shall find, that this sacred wisdom, with her essentiall vertues and acts, in the vast cavity of this world, both above and beneath, is the ground and firm foundation of all their doctrine and science, as well concerning naturall, as supernaturall businesses; or rather touching the acts of God in his naturall Taber∣nacles, or watry and humid mantles, which he assumeth or putteth off at his plea∣sure, as Scriptures do testifie. And yet I would have no man so far to mistake me, as not to think, that as God is not excluded from the creatures, so he is not inclu∣ded by any of them. I will now descend unto particularities, and shew you how this eternall wisdom is the fountain or corner-stone, first, of the higher Arts, namely, of Theology, Physick, or the art of Curing, Astronomy, Musick, Arithme∣tick, Geometry, Rhetorick; and after that, how the Meteoro-logicall Science onely depen∣deth on his act; then how true Morall learning, and Politick government is derived from the instructions and directions of this onely wise Spirit. And lastly, how all mysticall and miraculous Arts and discoveries, are effected and brought to light by it, confirming that place in Scripture, where it is said, Caeterae sunt ancillae hujus, All sciences are but the handmaids unto this wisdom. Of each of these therefore, in order.

CHAP. III.

In this Chapter it is proved, that the true Sophia or wisdom, is the ground of all Arts: and therefore it being revealed or discovered unto man, he may be taught and instructed by it, as by the onely wise and essentiall School-mistress, in all science and knowledge.

IN Christo (saith the Apostle) sunt omnes the sauri sapientiae & scientiae absconditi,* 1.67 All the treasures of wisdom and science are hid in Christ. And Solomon, Sapientiam dat Dominus, ex ore ejus prudentia & scientia: The Lord giveth wisdom, and from his mouth is prudency and knowledge.* 1.68 And Ecclesiasticus, Thesaurabit super virum scientiam & intellectum justitiae: Wisdom will treasure up in man science, and the understanding of justice.* 1.69 And again, Ego doctrinam quasi prophetiam effundam & relinquam illam quae∣rentibus sapientiam: I will powre forth doctrine or learning as prophesie, and I will leav it upon such as seek wisdom. And the incarnated Word, or Christ Jesus, said, Spiritus sanctus vos docebit omnia;* 1.70 The holy Spirit will teach you all things. And again, Cum vene∣rit ille Spiritus veritatis docebit vos omnem veritatem: When that Spirit of truth shall come, it will teach you all truth. Esdras tasted of that materiall wisdom, in the form of a fiery drink;* 1.71 and he was so full of sapience, that he indited books of science and wisdom, for the space of forty daies together, which his Scribes did register, as he uttered it by word of mouth.* 1.72 And Solomon saith, Sapientiam optavi, & data est mi∣hi, invocavi & venit in me spiritus sapientis: I wished for wisdom, and understan∣ding was given me; I invocated, and the spirit of wisdom came into me. But lest the cap∣tious of this world should say, that these words of Solomon were meant in another sense, than in the conceiving of such sciences, as are comprehended under Philoso∣phy, called Naturall; I wish them for their better direction, to listen unto Solomon, who doth in this case sufficiently interpret himself, and that to the simplest mans capacity in this sense; Spiritus sapientis mihi datus est, ut cognoscerem constitutionem mundi & vim elementorum,* 1.73 principium, finem, mediumque temporum, solstitiorum muta∣tiones, & varietates temporum seu tempestaium, anni circuitus, & stellarum situs, natu∣ras animantium, & animos seu iras bestiarum, ventorum seu spirituum vim, & cogitati∣ones hominum, differentias plantarum & radicum facultates, etiam cognovi quaecunque sunt occulta & manifesta; omnium enim artifex me docuit Sapientia: By the spirit of wis∣dom I came to know certainly, how the world was made, and the power of the elements, and the beginning, end, and middle of times, the changing of the Solstices, the variety of times and tempests, the compasse or revolution of the year, the scituation of the Starrs, the natures of living creatures, the dispositions and angry conditions of beasts the strength of the winds or spirits, the cogitations of men, the differences of plants, and the faculties of roots. Also I knew both what was hid and manifest, for wisdom, the work-mistresse of all things, did teach me. Out of which words we gather, that by the revelation of this divine spirit, he attained to the knowledge of all things. For since wisdom is the center, root, or corner-stone of all things, how should the center be known, and not the circumference? being the circumference of all things is nothing else, but what it pleaseth the center to make it. And for this reason, this divine spirit is ter∣med

rightly of the wise Philosopher Hermes, The center of every thing, whose cir∣cumference is no where, but yet it comprehendeth all circumferences that are. We may therefore collect out of the foresaid speech of Solomon, that wisdom discovered unto him; First, all the abstruse mysteries, which do concern the making of the world, as she did unto Moses. Secondly, the nature and power of the Elements, with the hidden act, and miraculous generation of the Meteors, framed out of an elementary stuffe, and of their wondrous properties. Thirdly, the reason and man∣ner how the winds are produced, with the Astronomicall division of the year, the scituation of the starrs in heaven, and their Astrologicall natures. Fourthly, the necessaries belonging unto the art of Physick; for he saith, that wisdom taught him the nature of all living creatures, the conditions of beasts, the differences of plants, and the faculties of roots, &c. Fifthly, the secrets of all things occult, and therefore of the Angels, yea, and of God himself, by consequence; and in this is the mystery of Theology comprehended.* 1.74 But I wil prove this progression more particularly, begin∣ning with Theology.

Touching Theology, which is derived of 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Deus, or God; and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, that is, sermo, or speech; quasi sermo de Deo, the speech or teaching of God: Solomon saith, that Spiritus sapientiae transsert se ipsum in animas sanctas,* 1.75 & amicos Dei, & prophetas con∣stituit. Neminem enim diligit Deus nisi eum qui cum sapientia habitat: The spirit of wis∣dom doth transfer it self into holy mens spirits, and maketh them friends of God, and pro∣phets. For God loveth no man that dwel••eth not with wisdom. And again, Sapientiam suis emittit Deus è sanctis coe••is,* 1.76 à throno (inquam) gloriae suae mittit illam homini, ut praesens versetur secum in labore ut cognoscat quid gratum sit apud ipsum; illa enim novit omnia. G••d sendeth wisdom out of his holy heavens, from the throne (I say) of his glory doth he send her unto man, that it may be conversant and present with him in his labour, that he may know what is acceptable unto him; for she understandeth all things. And in another place,* 1.77 Except God had given wisdom, and had sent his holy Spirit from the highest places, what man could have known the counsell of God? After this manner were the waies of such as lived on the earth corrected, and men were taught the things which were pleasing unto God. For this reason therefore Wisdom saith, Ego illuminabo omnes sperantes in Domino,* 1.78 I will illuminate all that trust in the Lord. Ego sum liber vitae, testamentum al∣t••ssimi, & agnitio veritatis: I am the book of life, the testament of the most high, and the acknowledgment of the truth.* 1.79 And Solomon, Sapientiae concupiscentia conducit ad reg∣num perpetuum: The desire of wisdom doth conduct unto the eternall Kingdom. And again, Sapientia doctrix est disciplinae Dei, & electrix operum illius: Wisdom is the mi∣siress of the discipline of God, and she that maketh choice of his works. And in another place he saith,* 1.80 Per sapientiam habebo immortalitatem, I shall obtain immortality by wis∣dom. It would be tedious to reckon up the confirmation of the Theologicall do∣ctrine, which is declared and made manifest by this Spirit; for verily, it was this very Spirit in the fleshly Christ and his Apostles, which made their corporall or bodily organs, I mean their tongues, to speak, and their hands and pens to indite, all that Theologicall wisdom and doctrine which the new Testment hath registred. And it was this Spirit that spake in the old Testament, by the mouths of the Patri∣arks and Prophets, the essentiall marrow of Divinity; and therefore let us look back upon them, as being the literall fountain of Theology, under whose typicall or graphicall instruction, the hidden spirit doth lurk, and may by the mysticall Theo∣logy easily be extracted. I will proceed unto the next, which belongeth unto the Aeviall world.

* 1.81In ipso (saith the forementioned place of St. Paul) condita sunt universa in coelis, sive Throni, sive Dominationes, sive principatus, sive potestates: In him are all things in heaven made, whether they be Thrones, Dominations, or Principalities, or Potestates. And again elsewhere,* 1.82 In Christo inhabitat omnis plenitudo divinitatis corporaliter, qui est caput omnis Principatus & Potestatis: In Christ doth inhabit all the plenitude of the divinity co••porally, who is the head of all Principalities and Potestates, and in another place, Ch••istus constituitur ad dextram Dei in coelestibus & supra omnem Principatum & Potestatem & Virtutem & Dominationem,* 1.83 &c. Christ is placed at the right hand of God, in heaven; above all Principality, Potestates, Virtues, and Dominations, &c. By which places, and many other authorities out of holy Writ, (which for brevity sake we omit at this time,) it is proved that there is no secret mystery compre∣hended among the Society of Angels, either touching their creation, essence, pro∣perties or denominations, but will be lively expressed by this superexcellent Spi∣rit, which only is able to disclose all in all, because he is all in all, and that in

every thing, I descend unto the next Step, which is Astronomy.

Touching the essential nature of Astronomy,* 1.84 it seemeth to consist on the Basis or Foundation of this eternal Spirit, and therefore the wise son of Syrach said: Sapi∣entia in coelis fecit ut oriretur lumen indeficiens;* 1.85 Wisdome made a never-failing light to arise in the heavens: And it should appear, according unto this Kingly Prophet's phrase, that this Spirit did put his Tabernacle in the Sun: howsoever some men are pleased by the corruption of the Text, to interpret that place in another sense, and that little to the purpose; for the said Spirit speaking in her own person saith: Ego sapientia gyrum coeli circuivi sola:* 1.86 I wisdome did compass about the heavens alone, that is, in her sunny-Tabernacle; and again David saith, God in his wisdome doth number and count the stars, and calleth them by their names, whose wisdome is innu∣merable. Whereby it is apparent, that if in his wisdome or by this Spirit, the stars were numbred and had their proper names: it followeth that their vertues, courses and properties, must be best known unto him, who hath created, ordain∣ed and doth maintain them in the estate they are in: For David affirmeth, that every vertue of heaven doth proceed from the Spirit of the Lord:* 1.87 and Esdras, Stellae fun∣datae sunt in Verbo Dei,* 1.88 qui & novit numerum stellarum: The stars have their foun∣dation in the Word of God, who knoweth the number of them: In this respect also, the Prophet Baruch hath it, Stellae dederunt lumen in custodiis suis, & laetatae sunt ad jus∣sum Dei: The stars gave light in their watches, and d••d rejoice at the Commandement of God:* 1.89 Hereupon it came to pass, that when this Spirit did fight for Josuah, he made the Sun stand still at his pleasure: He turned the Sun from light unto darkness at the passion of Christ: By it the stars in troops were stirred up to fight in their order by the••r influences against Sisera: So that it is easy to discern, that as the heavens and stars were first framed, and animated by this Spirit to serve as Organs, to admini∣ster unto the natural Fabrick of this world, so also beyond the common course of the macrocosmicall nature, they may by the self-same Spirit that commandeth them, and acteth in them as the soul doth within the body, operate, what, when, and how it lists; and be diverted from the usual order to effect his will, as well by altering the motion of his body, as action of his light and influentiall Spirit. Again touching the fixt stars,* 1.90 Job speaketh thus in the person of this Spirit, Canst thou restrain the sweet influences of the Pleiades, or loose the bands of Orion? Canst thou bring forth Mazaroth in their time? Canst thou guide Arcturus with his Sons? Knowest thou the course of the heavens, or canst thou set the rule thereof upon the Earth? &c. As who should say, that no man is able to know the courses of the stars, or to discern the powers or vertue of their influences, save only this divine Spirit, and that man unto whom it shall reveal the true Art and rules of Astronomy or Astrolo∣gy: And therefore Salomon doth glory, in that he knew the course of the year, and dispositions of the stars,* 1.91 and the change of the Solstices by wisdome. Per Sapien∣tiam, (saith he) novi Solstitiorum mutationes, & anni cursum, & dispositiones stella∣rum, &c. If therefore the Astronomer wanteth this true Astrologicall foundati∣on, all will be faulty and fabulous, as by the vulgar Astronomy, which is for the most part erronious and uncertain it appeareth: I proceed now downwards unto the Meteorologicall region, to see how this Omnipotent Spirit worketh in the ca∣tholick sublunary Element, for the producing of Meteors in divers shapes and natures.

As for the Act of this Eternal Actor or Operator in the ayre,* 1.92 water, and earth, for the production of Meteors, it is most evidently expressed in plain terms by ho∣ly Writ. Saith Job: Deus sapientia sua aptat pondus aëri & appendit aquas in mensura, facit pluviae statuta,* 1.93 & viam fulgetro tonitruum: God by his Wisdome doth adapt a waight or pondero sity unto the ayre, and hangeth up the waters in measure, and giveth bounds or maketh a Law for the rain, and prepareth a way for the lightings of the Thun∣ders: In which words, he sheweth that this one Spirit of Wisdome, in whom is the power as well of contraction or condensation, as of dilatation or ratifaction, can, at his pleasure, make the aire more thick and ponderous, by condensation, and so reduce it into a cloud; or by rarifying it into a more thin and subtile consi∣stence, render it in the form of lightning; and evermore the aire so altered, recei∣veth his shape or figure from the Alterer, according to the will of him who ordain∣eth all things. And thus the clouds, the lightenings, the thunder, the comets, the frost, hayl, snow, and ice are created daily by this operating Spirit: But we have all this confirmed and acknowledged by many places of Scriptures:* 1.94 Sapientiâ Dei eruperunt abyssi & nubes rore concrescunt, saith Salomon: By the Wisdome of

God, the Abysse was broke open, and the clouds were turned into dew or raine: Again, Ego sapientia sicut nebula texi omnem terram:* 1.95 I Wisdome like a mist did cover the whose earth, saith the son of Syrach, in the person of this Spirit, And again: Ego in al∣tissimis habitavi & Thronus meus est columna nubis:* 1.96 I (saith Wisdome) did dwell in the highest places, and my throne was a pillar of clouds. Deus nubes effecit sapien∣tia, saith Job:* 1.97 God made the clouds by his Wisdome. This Spirit maketh the clouds to as∣scend, it causeth the lightnings with the ra••n, and it bringeth forth the wind out of his Treasury,* 1.98 saith David: And again: Verbo suo quam celerrimè excurrente, & sermone suo in terra emisso, edit Deus nivem sicut lanam, & pruinam sicut cineres dispergit: co∣ram frigore ejus quis consistat?* 1.99 God by his Word passing most swiftly, and by his Voice, being sent out upon the Earth, doth bring forth snow like wool, and spreadeth abroad the frost like ashes: Who is able to consist before his cold? There are many thousands of other places, which I can produce out of the book of Verity, to prove that all Meteorology is founded on this Spirit. But because I will speak of this point more at large in my last Book of this present Treatise, where I do express the true Hi∣story of the Meteors, and open the errors and falsities of the Aristotelian Meteoro∣logy, I will only conclude with this confession, of the wisest Philosopher Salo∣mon: Novi (saith he) virtutes elementorum, & varietates temporum sive tempesta∣tum, & ventorum, seu spirituum vires, nam omnium artifex me docuit sapientia. I know the power of the Elements,* 1.100 and the varieties of times and tempests, and strength of the winds, for Wisdome the work-mistress, of all things taught them me. Whereby it is evident, that shee who was the maker of the Meteors, and was by Consequence the most skilfull and best acquainted with their natures, did instruct him in them. I will now speak a word or two of Physick.

* 1.101Concerning the excellent Art of Phy••••ck, or Medecine, the Wiseman saith: A Deo est omnis medela, From God cometh every kind of healing or curing, which being so,* 1.102 it is certaine that the only Actor in healing and curing, is immediatly from this all-working Spirit,* 1.103 and therefore the Kingly Prophet hath it, He sendeth his Word and healeth them, and delivereth them from their graves. And Salomon: But the teeth of the venemous dragons could not overcome thy children,* 1.104 for thy Word came to help them, and healed them, even thy Word, O Lord, which healeth all things: for thou hast the power of life and death, &c. Mark well, Even thy Word (saith the Text) which healeth all things: Now this divine Word, is the root and fountain of this eternal Spirit of Wisdome: and therefore the Basis or foundation of healing is in him, and consequently from him all the mystery of healing doth proceed, which also agreeth with this of the Apostle,* 1.105 There are divers gifts, but one and the same Spirit; there are divers operations, but God is the same, which worketh all in all: but unto one is given by the Spirit the word of Wisdome, and unto an other the gift of healing: Now that this Omnipotent and all-operating Spirit is that Wisdom which giveth life and health to every creature, it is made manifest by many places of the book of Verity,* 1.106 saith the Wiseman: Sapientia custodiet salutem: Wisdome will pre∣serve health: In Sapientiae dextra est longitudo dierum: In the right-hand of wisdome is the length of daies:* 1.107 Est lignum vitae omnibus qui apprehenderunt eam: Shee is the tree of Life, unto all them which can possess•• her: where it is meant as well of body as of soul, as it did appear, by those cures which Christ and the Apostles did effect, by the means of this Spirit, upon the earth: Sapientiam qui invenerit, inveniet vitam & hauriet salutem à D••mino:* 1.108 He that hath found wisdome, shall find life, and shall draw or attract health from the Lord.* 1.109 And in another place, Ipsa hos qui se observant a dolo∣ribus liberavit: wisdome preserved such from dolours as observed her. And again, Sa∣pientia sanati sunt quicunque placuerint tibi, ô Domine, à principio: They were healed, O Lord whosoever have pleased thee, from the beginning: Yea verily, each prudent Reader ought seriously to understand that there is not an animal, vegetable, or minerall, but hath and receiveth immediatly his curative act from this Spirit. And therefore the foresaid Son Syrach saith:* 1.110 Altissimus de terra creavit medecinam, & vir prudens non abhorrebit illam: The most high hath created medicine of the earth, and the W••se man will not despise it; whereby we may discern, first that the trees, herbs, roots and mineralls, being of springs of the earth, were ordained by God to be the means of curing and healing of men, and then that the gift or act which is imparted unto them, is from this Spirit of wisdome, forasmuch as it is said, to be in all things, and to operate all in all in them, though after a divers manner, as the Apostle doth affirme, confirming in this the Wisemans saying, before recited: Verbum tuum sanans omnia:* 1.111 Thy word which healeth all things: And therefore he

inferred, Non herba nec ma••egma••e, sed verbo tuo sanante omnia: not by herb or plai∣ster, but by thy word which healeth all things: If the Word therefore heal all things then nothing can cure but the Word or the spirit of wisdome, whose Fountain is the Word,* 1.112 as is proved before: But seeing this incorruptible Spirit of God is in all things, and since it is the most active and movable thing in this world, and since by his purity he penetrateth through all, and acteth in all, What should hinder me or any good Christian else to say, that he acteth all in all, in and by this word of himself, and by himself, and that immediatly; and therefore not any Creature of it self, or by it self, as the Peripatetick doctrine doth most erroniously, and, to the se∣ducing of true Christian hearts from their Creatour, publish unto the World, al∣luring them thereby to derogate from God who is all in all, by arrogating ab••olute authority unto the Creature, in making and ordaining so many essentiall distinct subalternate agents, which must (forsooth) operate per se: as the Sun, the Stars, the winds, the Elements, and the compounded creatures, as well imperfectly as perfectly mixed? Verily in so doing, they make the world believe, that the Or∣gan doth act per se, essentially, and not this hidden and centrall word, or incor∣ruptible Spirit, existing in every thing, which is the fountaine or foundation of the true 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 or wisdome, and the main mark or Summum bonum, which the true Philosopher or Lover of wisdome doth ayme at: Therefore doth Salomon, the Pro∣phets and Christ, with his sanctified followers, exhort all men to be Amatores verae Sapientiae, Lovers of this wisedome; in whom is all Act, as well intellectuall con∣descending unto the sublimation of mans knowledg, as more materiall, namely operating to vivification, vegetation, and multiplication. But of this more at large in another place. I will return unto my purpose, and conclude this brief dis∣course upon the true Physick, with Salomons confession, who sayeth: Per sapien∣tiam novi na turas animalium,* 1.113 & was bestiarum, & differentias virgultorum, & vir∣tutesradicum; imò quae sunt occulta et manifesta, mihi patefecit omnium artifex Sapientia: By wisdome I knew the natures of living creatures, the raging conditions of Beasts, the d••fferences of plants, and the vertues of roots; yea, all the mysteries of creatures, as well occult as manifest, were revealed unto me by wisdome, which is the worker of all things: Whereby he argueth that wisdome, even that heavenly Spirit, which did bestow on herbs, animals, and minerals, their virtues as well hidden and secret, as apparent and evident, even that eternall Word which is all in all, and opera∣teth or acteth all in all, and therefore can only teach and instruct by an externall revelation, what he internally doth, and by what vertue he operateth in each creature; and although Ethnick Philosophers and Physitians, have by practicall effects, or sensuall observations, and demonstrations à posteriori, found out the occult properties in plants, as for example, of the Piony to cure the falling-sickness, of Herniaria to respect the rupture, of Tussilago to be proper for the Lungs, of Eu∣phragia to be good for the eie-sight, of Thecilea and Viscus quercinus to prevaile against the falling-sickness, &c. In animals, of the Toad to stanch blood; of the Alsaeus hoof, and also the Frog, to cure the falling-sickness; of the Scorpion, chiefly to cure the bitings of the Scorpion, &c. yet because they are ignorant of the centrall grounds of Sympathy and Antipathy, which consisteth in the Volunty or Nolunty of one and the same Spirit, they can give no other reason for such hid∣den things, but only that they are ab occulta proprietate, of a hidden property. And in fine, can say no more but that they are talia, quia talia: and so we receive from these learned Doctours, nothing else but Ignotum per ignotius, A thing unknown by a more unknown: To conclude, it is certain that Salomon learn'd so much of the nature of Planets and other creatures, by the discovery of this Spirit, that it was said of him, that he was instructed by this his Schoolmistriss, in the ver∣tues of all vegetables▪ beginning even from the lowly Hysop, and so mounting unto the lofty Cedars of Libanus. Having then in few words expressed unto you the power of this Spirit, in her documents of Physick or Medicine, and proved that shee is the Basis or ground of every sanative property in the world, I will shew you in the next rank, her act and vertue in the essentiall Musick.

Touching the harmony of this world,* 1.114 and how every sublunary element, and superlunary sphear, are disposed by an essentiall kind of symphoniacall accord, the whole file of Scripture doth confirm, that it is effected by this wisdom. Again, the wise-man expresseth the wondrous effects of this Spirit, in these words, In se ele∣menta dum convertuntur,* 1.115 sicut in organo qualitatis sonus immutatur & omnia suum so∣num custodiunt, &c. Whilst the elements are converted in themselves, as the sonnd is con∣verted

in an Organ of quality, and all do keep and observe their proper sound, &c. But the Apostle doth more excellently expresse this,* 1.116 in these words, In Christo condita sunt universa in coelis & in terra, & omnia visibilia & invisibilia per ipsum & in ipso creata sunt. Ipse est ante omnes & omnia in ipso constant. In ipso complacuit omnem ple∣nitudinem divinitatis inhabitare, & per eum reconciliare omnia in ipso, pacificans per san guinem crucis ejus sive quae in coelis sive quae in terris sunt: All things are made in Christ, in heaven and in earth, and all are created by him, and in him, as well visible as invisible, he is before all, and all ••o consist in him, and it pleased all the plenitude of di∣vinity to dwell in him, and to reconcile by him in himself, pacifying by the blood of his cross, all things both in heaven and earth. Lo here the perfect and catholick fountain of all harmony, the taker away of discord both from heaven and earth, and the pure essentiall, and formall love and sympathy of this world; and therefore by the wisest and most mysticall Philosophers he is said to be, Vinculum seu ligamentum elemento∣rum, the band or tie, whereby the discording elements are compelled unto an harmo∣nious accord: After the imitation of whose melodious tunes and concords, all the accords of our externall musick, as well vocall, as instrumentall, are typically fra∣med, which are in respect of the true and essentiall symphony of this spirit, even as a shadow is unto a true subject, or an image unto a reality. I come now unto A∣rithmetick and Geometry.

As for these two Arts, the wise-man doth include them in these few words, Om∣nia mensura numeroque & pondere disposuisti seu temperasti;* 1.117 Thou hast disposed or pro∣portioned all things in measure, number, and weight. In which words, by measure is meant, the progresse into longitude, latitude, and profundity, which this Spirit made in his emanation, from the point unto the line, and from the line or root un∣to the square, and from the square unto the cube. By number is meant, those A∣rithmeticall dimensions in progression, whereby this Spirit issued out of unity in∣to multitude, as from 1 unto 10, and from 10 unto a 100, and from a hundred un∣to a 1000; namely, from God, who is the eternall point or unity, unto the first articulated number, which is 10, and it represents the aeviall or angelicall world, which is the first degree of composition▪ and from 10 unto a 100, which argueth the composition of the temporall world; and from a 100 to a 1000, which point∣eth at the compound creature of the Elements. So that hereby each Christian may see, how God is all, and in all, and yet without all; and, as the Text hath it, in heaven, in the seas, in the abysse, and in hell. And for this reason, the Pythagoreans did include all things under these three principles, 1, 2, 3. whereby they attributed 1 unto God, in his abstruse being; 2 unto matter; and 3 unto form, under which, all are contained.

But of this I will declare my minde more copiously, when I speak of the essen∣tiall principles, of Sympathy and Antipathy; namely, in the first Book of the se∣cond Section of this present Treatise. And therefore the patient man, in the person of JEHOVAH,* 1.118 saith thus, Ubinam eras quando fundebam terram? A••nuntia, si nosti intelli∣gentiam. Quis disposuit mensuras ejus, aut quis extendit super eam lineam? super quo bases ejus defixae sunt? aut quis jecit lapidem ejus angularem: Where wast thou when I did lay the foundat••ons of the earth? tell me, if thou hast understanding, Who disposed of the measures thereof? or who did stretch forth upon it a line? upon what were her founda∣tions fastned? or who laid her corner-stone? Whereby he argueth, that by this Spirit, which is the corner-stone, or foundation of everything, (for without it, nothing is made, or can exist, as St. John doth testifie) not onely the earth had his Geome∣tricall dimension,* 1.119 scituation, and position; but also the Sun, the Moon, the Stars, and each thing else, both in heaven and in earth, have assigned them their weight, proportion, magnitude, and limited seat in the world: Yea verily, by it, the aire, by proportion and weight, is carried and framed out into the shapes of Meteors; for the sacred Text hath it, Deus sapientia aptat pondus aeri & appendit aquas in men∣sura: God by his wisdom doth adapt a weight unto the air, and imparts a mensurable pro∣portion unto the waters or clouds.* 1.120 I will shew now her power in the science of Rheto∣rick and Oratory, and prove in few words, how she is also the exactest Mistris in those Arts, as also the onely essentiall mover in the spirits of men, to make them truly eloquent and perswasive; and withall, she is the essentiall Magnet in the O∣ratours voice, which can draw and attract the auditors minds to listen and affect the organ, by whom she is intended to plead by.

* 1.121Saith Moses in his conference with this divine Spirit, Non sum vir facundus, ne{que} unquam anteafui, ne quidem ex quo locutus es cum servo tuo; sed impedito ore, & im∣peditâ

linguâ sum. Tunc dixit Jehovah ad illum, Quis statuit os hominum, aut qui•• sta∣tuere potest surdum aut mutum? Nonne Ego qui sum Jehovah? Nunc itaque ito & ego adero ori ••uo & docebo te quae te loqui convenit. I am not an eloquent man, neither have ever been so, no verily, not from the time that thou hast spoke with thy servant: But I have an impediment in my mouth, and am defective in my tongue. Then said Jehovah un∣to him, Who hath made the mouth of man? or who can make deaf or dumb? Is it not I who am Jehovah? Now therefore go thy way, and I will be with thy mouth, and I will teach thee what is fit for thee to say, &c. In which file of speech, God teacheth us, that elo∣quence, and apt disposition of words, sentences, and speech, both in the Rhetorician and Orator are from God; who can give it or take it away at his pleasure. And therefore the Evangelist sayeth in another place,* 1.122 Erunt omnes docibiles Dei; or docti à Deo;* 1.123 All shall be taught of God. And the Prophet hath it Universi filii tui sunt docti à Jehovah; All thy sons are instructed by Jehovah. But Christ expresseth this in fuller terms thus;* 1.124 Spiritus sanctus quem mittet Pater, ille vos docebit omnia & suggeret vobis omnia quaecun{que} dixero vobis: The holy Spirit which my Father sen∣deth, even he shall teach you all things, whatsoever I shall say unto you. Now that this spirit is that eternall wisdome which effecteth and exciteth this Rhetoricall and Oratoricall function,* 1.125 the scriptures testifie in other places, Sapientia (saith So∣lomon) aperuit os mutorum, & linguas infantum fecit diserias; Wisdome hath open∣ed the mouth of the dumb, and hath made the tongues of children eloquent: And the Sonne of Syrach,* 1.126 Sapiens aperiet os suum in oratione, The wiseman will open his mouth in an oration, And again, Tanquam imbres mittet eloquia Sapientia Sapientis, et in orati∣one confitebitur Domino. The wisdome of the wiseman will send forth her eloquence like a showre, and in his oration or speech will confesse to the Lord. I could expresse many other examples out of holy Writ, to confirme this more amply; namely that all Rhetori∣call eloquence is from this good spirit of wisdome: but for brevities cause I will passe them over that I may proceed unto the Mechanick Arts, and prove unto you that their inventions did originally proceed from the doctrine of this good Spirit, though fouly commaculated by the succession of time through the scarrs of Envy and Ignorance.

As concerning Mechanick arts,* 1.127 we find that the invention and shaping forth or making of Garments was derived from the instruction of this spirit. Loquêris cun∣ctis Sapientibus corde (saith Jehovah to Moses) quos replevi spiritu Sapientiae:* 1.128 ut faciant vestes Aaron, in quibus Sanctificatus ministret mihi, Thou shalt speak unto all the wise in heart, whom I have filled with the spirit of wisdome, to make habilements for Aaron, in the which he being sanctified may minister unto me: Also all the inventions of Gold∣smiths works, and of the Jewellers artifice, and Carpenters with the Sculpters of wood, did proceed from this fountaine of knowledge; and therefore Jehova saith unto Moses, Ecce vocavi Beseleel & implevi eum cum spiritu Dei, sapientia, intelligen∣tia et Scientia in omni opere,* 1.129 ad excogitandum quicquid fabrefieri potest ex auro & ar∣gento & aere, marmore et Gemmis & diversitate Lignorum: Dedique e•• socium Ooliab & in corde omnis eruditi posui Sapientiam ut faciant cuncta quae praecepi tibi. Behold I have called Beseleel, and I have filled him with the spirit of God, with wisdome understanding and Science in every work, to invent and find out every thing that may be fashioned out of Gold, Silver, and Brasse, of Marble, pretious stones, and variety of woods, and I have gi∣ven him for a companion Ooliab: and in the heart of every wiseman, I have infused wis∣dome, that they may effect, what I have commanded them. By which words it is evi∣dent that the beginning of every true Mechanick Art, is this spirit of God, in whose only power it is to teach a man all things: but this is confirmed else where more plainly. Moses said unto the children of Israel, Ecce vocaverit dominus Beseleel, im∣plevitque eum spiritu Dei, Sapientia, et intelligentia, et Scientia, et omni Doctrina, ad excogitandum & faciendum opus in auro & argento,* 1.130 & aere, & ferro, sculpendisque la∣pidibus & opere carpentario: Quicquid fabrè adinveniri potest, dedit in corde ejus; Ooliab quo{que} Ambos erudivit sapientia ut facian opera Abietarii Polymitarii, ac Plumarii de hy∣acintho & purpura, coccoque bis tincto & bysso & texant omnia, &c. Behold the Lord hath called Beseleel, and hath filled him with the Spirit of God, with wisdom, with under∣standing, and with science or knowledge, and with all manner of doctrine or skill, to in∣vent and make work in gold, in silver, in brasse, and iron, and in graving of stones, and in the carpenters work of carving. Whatsoever can be invented in workmanship, hath he put into his heart, and into that of Ooliab his companion. He hath instructed both of them by wisdom, to do the works belonging unto the Carpent••••s art, and unto embroidery, and wea∣ving, and needle-work in blew silk and in purple, and in scarlet, and in fine linnex, even

to do all manner of works, and subtle inventions, &c. Moreover by wisdom Noa fuit in Arcae structura instructus: Noah was instructed in the building of the Arke: And therefore the text hath it:* 1.131 Sanavit Sapientia terram, per contemptibile lignum justum gubernans: Wisdom restored the earth, guiding the just man by a contemptible peece of word. By it the Art of Musick was revealed unto Juball: For the words are, Jubal fuit Pater Canentium Citharâ & Organo.* 1.132 He was the Father or beginner of playing on the Harpe, and Organ: And Jubal-Cain was the Inventor of iron and brass works: For it is said, Ipse fuit malleator & faber, in cuncta opera aeris & ferri: He was a Smith or hammerman, being cunning in all works of brass and Iron. Again, Ada Ju∣bal was Father of them who dwelled in Tents, and Prince of Shepheards. To conclude, there is no true Mechanick work, but had its originall from this Spirit, in whom only, and in nothing else, is the gift of teaching all things. I come now to the morall and politick Arts, which do arise from this radicall Spirit.

* 1.133All Morall Discipline also, hath her root and beginning from this holy Spirit of Discipline, as by the whole file of Scriptures we are taught. And it was the essentiall voice of this Spirit, which did teach the Christian world, by the mouth of Christ Jesus, to embrace and follow goodnesse, and to eschew evill. I will not say much therefore touching this point, but will only in few words speak un∣to our purpose,* 1.134 with the Wisemans mouth: Sapientiâ servat semitas justitiae, vias sanctorum custodiens: Wisdome doth observe the paths of Justice; keeping the ways of the Saints.* 1.135 Per eam intelliges justitiam, & judicium, aequitatem, & omnem semitam bo∣nam; si intraverit cor tuum, consilium custodiet te, Prudentia servabit te. Per eam eruêris à viamala: Te custodiet à muliere ex tranea. By wisdome (Saith Salomon,) thou shalt understand justice and judgement,* 1.136 equity, and every good and straight way. If she shall enter into thy heart, she will save and preserve thee with prudency: By her thou shalt be drawn from the evill way, she will preserve thee from the strange woman. Also, Sapientiae docet temperantiam, prudentiam, justitiam, & fortitudinem, quibus utilius nihil in vita hominibus:* 1.137 Wisdome teacheth temperance, prudence, justice, forti∣tude, than the which nothing is more profitable unto the life of man. In another place, Sapientiae est,* 1.138 consilium, aequitas, prudentia, & fortitudo: Counsell, justice, prudence, and fortidtue, is of wisdome. Where is expressed the four Cardinall-vertues, which are the pillars of Morall Phylosophy; For in Counsell, Temperance is consider∣ed, and then there is Justice, Wisdome, and Fortitude. Again, the Son of Syrach: In Sapientiâ,* 1.139 est Decor vitae, & qui operantur in ea non peccabunt: In wisdome is the comliness of life, and who so operateth in her, will not sin. Now you know that sin is the breach of the Law, and the Mosaicall Law is grounded as well upon the Mo∣rall rules of behaviour, between man and man, as in mans duty unto God. And Salomon,* 1.140 in another place, Cum Sapientia venerunt mihi omnia bona, & innumera∣bilis honestas per manus illius: With wisdome came unto me all good things, and innu∣merab••e honesty from her hands. To conclude, this is expressed unto us more really and to the quick, in the Text above mentioned, Sapientiae labores magnas habent virtutes;* 1.141 sobrietatem enim & sapientiam, justitiam & virtutem docet, quibus in vita hominibus nihil est utilius: The labours or works of wisdome have great vertues: For she teacheth sobriety and wisdome, justice and vertue, than the which there is nothing more profitable or commodious in this life. By which places, and many more, which I could produce, it is plain, that the Instructrix and foundation of all Morall or Ethicall doctrine, is the Spirit of true wisdome, which descendeth from the Fa∣ther of Light.

* 1.142As for the true and sincere Politick Government, which belongeth unto Kings, Princes, and Magistrates of this earth, we finde it warranted by Scriptures, that wisdome is the root from whence it springeth, if it be good: For we find in one place,* 1.143 that Sapientia facit Regem, ut digne regnet in populum: Wisdome maketh a King to govern or raigne over his people worthily. And Salomon, Sapienti•• Reges reg∣nant & Legum-conditores justa decernunt:* 1.144 By wisdome Kings do raigne, and the Law∣makers do discerne just things. Again, Sapienti•• Principes imperant, & Potentes de∣cernunt justitiam: By wisdome Princes do govern or command, and powerfull men do de∣cern justice.* 1.145 And elsewhere, Sapientia melior est quam arma bellica: Wisdome is better then armor of war. And Ecclesiasticus: Sapientiam qui audit, judicabit Gentes: He which beareth wisdome hall judge Nations. Sapientia ministrabit in medio magnato∣rum & in conspectu Praesudis apparebit: Wisdome shall administer in the middle of the Nobility,* 1.146 and shall appear in the sight of the President or Judge. And Salomon, after the manner of a confession, saith: Ob Sapientiam habebam claritatem apud turbas, & ho∣norem

apud seniores: juvenis acutus inveniar judicio, in conspectu potentium admirabilis ero. For my wisdom I did shine among the people, and was honoured among the Elders, being but a young man I shall be found sharp in judgment, and in the eyes of the potent I shall appear admirable.* 1.147 Again, Per sapientiam disponam populus, & nationes mihi erunt subditae: By wisdom I will order the people, and nations will be subject unto me. Sapien∣tem timebunt audientes reges horrendi. Ob sapientiam multitudini videbitur bonus, & in bello fortis: sapientia deducit me ut disponam populum tuum justè. Fearfull and dreadfull potentates hearing a wise man, will be afraid. He will appear, by reason of his wisdom, good in the eyes of the multitude, and valiant in war. Wisdom directeth me to dispose of the people justly, &c. By which, and many other places, it appeareth, that the divine wisdom is the onely guide of true government in every Common-wealth; and where her rules are not respected or followed, that government must needs pro∣ceed of wordly wisdom, which is terrene, animal, and diabolicall.

Lastly,* 1.148 I will conclude and finish this Chapter, with the miraculous and super∣naturall effects it produceth, and the admirable acts which it bringeth to passe, be∣yond the capacity of mans imagination; so that the man which is partaker of this divine Agent, and can firmly unite it unto his own spirit, may do wonders: Sapi∣entia intravit in animam servi Dei Mosis;* 1.149 & stetit coram reges horrendos in portentis & signis: Transtulit Israelem per mare rubrum & inimicos dimersit. Wisdom entred into the soul of Moses, the servant of God; and he stood before mighty Kings in prodigies and signes. He carried Israel through the red sea, and drowned their enemies. Sapientia mu••tiplicem experientiam docet,* 1.150 nam scit illa praeterita, de futuris aestimat, scit versutias sermonum, & solutiones aenigmatum, signa & monstra antequam fiant praesagit, evenius quoque temporum & seculorum. Wisdom teacheth manifold experience, she is acquainted with things that are past, and judgeth of things that are to come. She understandeth the wilinesse of speech, the solutions of aenigma's or riddles, and knoweth signes and prodigies before they appea••e,* 1.151 she is also familiar with the Events of times and ages; And the Apo∣stle, Spiritus omnia scrutatur, etiam profunda Dei: The spirit searcheth out all things, even the profund & inscrutable things of God;* 1.152 It was that by the power of which, wine was made of water, five thousand persons were sustained by five ••oaves of bread, by it Chr••st did wa••k safely upon the waters, did cure one that was blind from his nativity: did raise Lazarus from the dead, did enter into the Chamber where his disciples were (etiam clausis januis,) he doores being shut; did cause an infinity of fishes to be taken; compelled the wind and storme at sea to cease, and be obedient unto his command, did cast out divells from such as we••e possessed, So also it was sayed, signa & prodigia in virtute spiritus sancti effecit Christus per Paulum, Christ did effect signes and prodigies by the vertue of the holy spirit by Paul. By this Spirit, Adam had virtutem continendi omnia, the vertue to com∣prehend all things: And Solomon did by it understand the thoughts of men, and knew all things which were occult and hidden. To conclude, Moses, Joshuah, Gideon, Samuel, Daniel, Elias, Eli••ha, with the other Prophets; Judas Maccabaeus, Chri••t and his Apostles, which were all the observant disciples unto the true wisdom, did by her secret art and operation, bring to passe all those miracles, which are mentioned in the holy Testament, both New and Old, as each man may find to be true, if he will be pleased to make a due enquiry into that holy story.* 1.153 But all this is most apt∣ly expressed by the Prophet Daniel, in these words; Ipse revelat profun••a & abscon∣dita, & novit in tenebris constituta, & lux cum eo est: He is the revealer of things that are profound and hidden, an understandeth the things which lurk in darknesse, for light dwelleth with him. All which being so, it is most apparent, that there is no art or science, whether it be abstruse and mysticall, or manifestly known, be it specula∣tive or practicall, but had his root and beginning from this true wisdom, without the act and vertue whereof, no true and essentiall learning and knowledge can be gotten in this world, but all will prove bastardly or spuriously begotten, having their foundation not upon Christ, the true ground, firm rock, and stable corner∣stone, on which all verity is erected, forasmuch as onely in him is the plenitude of divinity; but placing the basis or foundation of their knowledge, upon the pre∣stigious sands of imagination; namely, after the inventions or traditions of men, and according unto the elements of this world, from whence they gather the fruits of their worldly or human wisdom, that is quite opposite in effect unto the true wisdom; namely, the eternall one, which hath his root and originall from God, and not from man. And therefore touching this kind of worldly wise men, or Eth∣nick Philosophers,* 1.154 we may say with the Apostle, Evanuerunt in imaginationibus suis, They vanished and came to nought in their imaginations.

CHAP. IV.

Of the false wisdom, spurious Philosophy and Philisopher; with their marks or characters.

NOw that I have sufficiently expressed and discovered unto you, the nature and essence of the true wisdom, and consequently of the essentiall Philosophy, and Philosopher: it will be most convenient and necessary, that I describe unto you the false wisdom of this world, with the frail Philosophy which is grounded upon it; and withall I will delineate the characters and marks, not onely of this kind of wisdom, but also of the Philosopher, which is hatched and nourished from that spurious brood, or misbegotten offspring. The Apostle St. James saith That as the true wisdom which is from above, is first pu••e, then peacefull, gentle, swasible, full of mercy and good fruit,* 1.155 not judging, and without emulation or hypocrisy: So contrariwise, That wisdom which is not from above,* 1.156 is earthly, animal, or sensuall, diabolicall, and contrad••cteth the truth, and consequently is litigious, immodest, unswasible, void of fruit, full of emulation and dispute. Now as the foundation of the first is Jesus Christ, forasmuch as he is the true wisdom; so that of the other, the traditions or inventions of man, animated and introduced by the devill, which made the divine Philosopher say, in putting a difference between these two opposites, In Christo sunt omnes thesau••i sapientiae & scientiae absconditi.* 1.157 Hoc dico, ut nemo vos decipiat in subtiti∣tate seu suasibil••tate se••monum &c. Videte ne quis vos decipiat per Philosophiam & ina∣nem fallaciam secundum traditionem hominum secundum elementa mundi, & non secun∣dum Christum, q••ia in ipso habitat omnis plenitudo divinitatis c••rporaliter. All the trea∣sures of wisdom and science are hid in Christ. This I say unto you, that no man deceive you by philosophy, and vain sophistication or fallacy, after the traditions of men, accor∣ding unto the elements of this world, and not according unto Christ, because that in him dwelleth the plenitude of the Divinity corporally. In which speech, he seemeth to ju∣stifie, that all wisdom and knowledge, and consequently the true Philosophy, and all the sciences comprehended under it, do abide and are to be sought for in Christ, that eternall wisdom, and onely angular stone, which filleth, informeth, and animateth all things; and are no way to be found in the false Philosophy, which is full of sophistication, and beareth scarcely a face or shape of probability with it, seeing that it is masked over with worldly human inventions, framed out according unto the rules and orders, of this obscure and erroneous world, and not according unto the precepts of Christ, the eternall wisdom, who (as the Scriptures do tell us) is, omnium mirabilium operator, the worker of all marvellous conclusions, as well naturall as supernaturall. And for this cause, the Apostle condemneth Philosophy in generall tearms, not but that the love of the true wisdom is good, and conse∣quently the lover of it is no lesse to be honoured and esteemed; but he meaneth, the love of the worldly and human wisdom is vain: and he tearmeth it so, because that the Ethnick Philosophers added 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 unto their false 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉; so that the word Philosophy being a term after the Ethnicks invention, is, in regard of the errone∣ous and jarring rules thereof, to be rejected, being that it is onely framed and made after pagan mens traditions; forasmuch as it leadeth even Christians them∣selves, much more the Gentiles, rather to errours, and seduceth them more from the knowledge of God, than it doth induce or direct them, into the true path of finding him out; and for that reason, it became the occasion of a manifold idolatry in this world, in that it perswaded the ignorant worldling unto the worshipping of the creatures, instead of the Creator. For this cause therefore (I say) it was forbid∣den to be embraced of Christians, and hereupon the Apostle admonisheth us, to beware of philosophy, and vain fallacy, &c. Of such kind of Philosophers therefore, which do not build upon the truth, he speaketh else-where thus, Revelatur ir a Dei de coelo super omnem impietatem & injustitiam homin••m eorum qui veritatem Dei in injustitia detinent,* 1.158 quia quod notum est Dei manifestum est in illis; Deus enim illis re∣velavit. Invisibilia enim ipsius à creatura mundi per ea quae facta sunt, intellecta, conspi∣ciuntur. Sempiterna quoque ejus veritas & divinitas, ita ut sint inexcusabiles. Quia cum cognovissent Deum, non sicut Deum glorificaverunt aut gratias egerunt, sed eva∣nuerunt in cogitationibus suis, & obscuratum est insipiens cor eorum: dicentes enim se esse sapientes, stu••ti facti sunt; & mutaverunt glo••iam incorruptibilis Dei, in similitudinem corruptibilis hominis, & volucrum, & quadrupedum, & serpentum, &c. The anger of

God is revealed from heaven, upon all the impiety and unjustnesse of those men, which do detain the verity of God in unrighteousnesse, because that what is known of God, is made manifest unto them, for God hath revealed it unto them. For the invisible things of him, and also his everlasting vertue and divinity, being understood by such creatures as were made from the worlds creation, are beheld or made manifest. So that they are inexcusable, because that when they knew God, they did not glorifie him, or give him thanks, but did fade away, or vanish in their own imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkned. And therefore in saying that they were wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God, into the similitude of corruptible man, and of birds, and four-footed beasts, and of serpents, &c. Again, Salomon speaketh unto the self-same sense, in these words:* 1.159 Vani sunt homines omnes natura, in quibus inest ignorantia Dei, & qui ex i••s, quae spectantur, bonis, eum, qui est, intelligere non potuerunt, neque ex operi∣bus consideratis, ipsum opificem agnoverunt: All men are vaine by nature, who are ignorant of God, and cannot understand him, that truly is, by such good creatures of his which they behold, nor yet can acknowledge the workman by the consideration of his works. It well behoveth therefore each Christian, to be wary in his reading the Ethnick Philosophy, and to consider seriously before he wade too far in it, or give too much credit unto it, the sayings of the two foresaid Sacred Philosophers, which followed the rules of the true Wisdome. And again, let him call to minde the precepts, which the first of them (I mean St. Paul) did impart unto the worldy Philosophers of Athens, when he espied that they did adore and worship strange and unknown Gods, and how he taught them a new Philosophy, and new Wisdome, namely Jesus Christ, which was strange doctrine unto them. And therefore they said, Let us heare what this babler will say, that bringeth in this strange doctrine of Christ. Whereby it appeareth that the true Wisdome never sounded in∣to their eares, or dived into their hearts: Let him (I say) observe that it was at this kind of bastard Philosophers, with their Philosophy, that the Apostle pointeth, where he saith in the place above cited: Let no man deceive you in subtility and swasibility of speech: Beware of Philosophy and vaine F••llacy, which are according unto the tradi∣tions of men, and according unto the Elements or rudiments of this world, and not af∣ter Christ, &c. In which words he distinguisheth the false Philosophy or wis∣dome, from the true Sapience, and he seemeth to intimate that the false Philoso∣phy is but vaine Fallacy, framed after the manner of men of this world, namely as at Athens it was taught; that is to say, with vain Fallacie, subtilties and seem∣ing more in appearance and probability, then it was indeed. And for that reason it filled men fuller of doubts, by inquiries made through misty and foggy passages, then if they had gone the plain and simple way of teaching, to wit, after the true image of the reall and essentiall Philosophy or rather Sophia or Wisdome, which as the Wiseman telleth us, is, Spiritus intelligentiae Sanctus, unicus, simplex, mode∣stus, d••sertus, suavis, perspicuus, amans bonum, humanus, benignus, stabilis, cer∣tus, omnem habens virtutem, amicos Dei constituens, & in animas sanctas se trans∣ferens: The holy spirit of Wisdome, is unique and simple in his essence, modest, eloquent, sweet,* 1.160 plaine, and open without amb••guity: Loving that which is good, humane, be∣nigne, stable, sure, comprehending in it selfe all vertue, and an introductor of man unto the friendship of God, by transferring it self into the souls of pious and godly men. Lo here we see, that, in condition, this description of the good and true Wis∣dome, doth exactly agree with that Wisdome, whose character is described by St. James, as is said before: For he termeth it, modest, benigne, peacefull,* 1.161 suasible, without envy, or emulation. Again, (as St. James saith,) that it is from above,* 1.162 namely, from the Father of Light. So also doth Salomon ex∣press her pedigree thus, Sapientia (saith he) est vapor virtutis Dei & emanatio quaedam seu fluxus claritatis omnipotentis Dei sinceri, & candor seu splendor lu∣cis aeternae, & speculum sine macula Majestatis Dei, & imago bonitatis illius: Wisdome is the vapor of the vertue of God, and a certaine emanation, or flux of the sincere shi∣ning forth of the Omnipotent God, and the brightness of the eternall light, and a mirrour without spot of the Majesty of God, and the image of his goodness, By the which definition it is evidently discerned: First, that it is that Wisdome which is from above; next that it is not the vaine wisdome of this world, which is nothing else but a plaine fiction or empty shadow, in regard of this which is only truth: last∣ly, this wisdome bringeth good fruit with it; for it imparteth unto men, essen∣tiall vertue and power, to act as well naturally as miraculously: and therefore the Apostle saith, Signa Apostolatûs mei facta sunt super vos in omni potentia, in sig∣nis

prodigiis & virtutibus:* 1.163 The signes of mine Apostleship are upon you in all patience, in signes, prodigies, and virtues. And again, Qui tribuit vobis Spiritum & operatur virtutes,* 1.164 seu miracula, in vobis: Who bestoweth upon you the Spirit, who worketh also virtues, or miracles among you. Lo here our Christian Philosophers may see, how this Wisdome bringeth forth power and vertue, which St. James, in the before∣cited place doth call good fruits: for he saith, that Wisdome which is from above, is full of good fruits: But Paul seemeth to call the Ethnick Philosophy vaine falla∣cy, and therefore if it be vaine, then it is void of good fruit, and consequently there is no true fructifying Philosophy, nor truly fructifyed Philosopher, but that which is grounded on that true and eternal Wisdome, Jesus. Besides all this, the true Wisdom is peaceable, not ambiguous, nor apt to be cavilled with, or contentiously to be disputed of, neither needeth it an infinity of distinctions and quiddities, framed out of mans braine, which rather leadeth the disciple by the multiplicity thereof into ignorance, then it doth elucidate the brightness of na∣ked truth: But the false Philosophy, is so full of distinctions, subtil and so∣phisticall evasions, so subject to cavills and disputations, and so contentiously composed, and, in fine, so difficill, and in effect so fruitless, that, instead of the true and essentiall graine, we find but chaff; instead of truth, we gather but words; instead of essentiall reality, we collect scarce a type or shadow of Verity; in lieu of sincerity we find but vanity; and, in conclusion, is more in appearance overmasked over, for the most part, with a seeming probability, then indeed re∣ally to be discerned;* 1.165 and for this cause, the Apostle saith, Praedicatio mea non est in persuasivis humanae sapientiae verbis, sed in ostensione spiritus & virtutis: My preaching is not in the perswasive words of humane wisdome, but by the manifestation of the Spirit and of power. For this reason therefore we find, in the one of the two kinds of wisdome, the fruits of power, vertue, and miracles, such as the true and divine Philosophers did produce by the Omnipotent Corner-stone, (I mean the true Wisdome) in times past, and made them manifest unto the world: Whereas the other can do nothing indeed, but produce cavillings, dispute, con∣tentions, and fallacies, the fruits whereof, in the conclusion, is naught else but vanity: It is not I, but the Spirit of truth, that assureth you thus much. And yet now, even in this later age of the world, in which Satan, the prince of this world which is darkness, hath the upper hand; this terrene wisdome or vaine Phi∣losophy, which is dawbed over with dark ignorance, hath the dominion or upper hand, and so by that means Christ, which is the true Wisdome, is daily crucifi∣ed among some Christian Philosophers, and buried in darkness, through the my∣sty and ambiguous clouds of that cavilling, brabling, heathenish Philosophy, which they so adore and follow, with their Master Aristotle, as if he were another Jesus rained down from heaven, to open unto mankind the treasures of the true wisdome: But ma••k a while (I beseech you) how the Apostle doth describe these wrangling Philosophers, with their Sophisticall Philosophy, and with what chara∣cters and colours he doth justly describe them: Si quis aliter docet, & non acquiescit sanis sermonibus Domini nostri Jesu Christi (saith he) & ei quae secundum pietatem est Doctrinae, superbus est, nihil sciens, sed languens circa quaestiones, & pugnas verbo∣rum; ex quibus oriuntur iuvidiae, contentiones, blasphemiae, suspiciones mala, conflicta∣tiones hominum mente corruptorum,* 1.166 & qui veritate privati sunt, existimantium quae∣stum esse pietatem: If any man teach otherwise, and consenteth not unto the wholsome words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and unto the doctrine which is according unto Godli∣nesse, he is puffed up and knoweth nothing, but doteth about questions, and contention of words; whereof cometh envy, strife, rayling, evil surmises, froward disputations of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, which think that gaine is Godlinesse: From such, (saith St. Paul unto Timothy) Seperate thy self. I could hartily wish, that each Christian Peripatetick, who spendeth his time in disputes and cavills, after the Aristotelian manner, and attempteth to draw out the endless bottome of truth, or dive into the bowells or labyrinths of verity, by subtle evasions, I meane by an infinity of distinctions, which doe rather distract then attract man un∣to the true wisdome, (which is but plaine and simple unity); I could wish them (I say) to ponder this with patience, and seriously to call to mind, that in the Church of God, and habitations or kingdoms of the true Sophia, or, if they please,* 1.167 Philosophia, there is no such custome as the Apostle teacheth us: for this mixtion of multiform humane wisdome, with the wisdome of God, hath been the occasion of so many dissentions and discords, as have sprung up among

the Philosophers of this world, whereupon every kind of this false Philosophy, hath, by stiffe cavillations, and disputations, maintained her Sect. This also hath been the occasion of errours in the Church of God, as well among Christi∣ans, as Turkes, and Jewes: For amongst us Christians it hath been the root of many Schisms and Heresies, which have risen up in the re-search of one onely true God, which is the eternall Unity. And hereupon, Convenientibus vo∣bis in Ecclesia,* 1.168 (saith St. Paul) si quis videtur esse contentiosus, nos talem consuetudi∣nem in Ecclesia non habemus: If any man seem to be contentious, we have no such cu∣stome in the Church of God. To conclude, there are so many waies of deception in this our Christian world, by reason of these Aristotelicall evasions, and Protean Peripa∣teticall distinctions, and sophistications, that the self-same thing, may by them, like a nose of waxe, be turned, and changed, or altered, in outward appearance, which way a man list; and so plain simple truth is abused, and the silly man seduced. The Apostle doth notably decypher or paint forth, this kind of Aenigmaticall Phi∣losophers of our Age, (which, like glorious Thrasoes, are puffed up in their own conceipts, and think very well of themselves, though they approach not neare the mark or Summum bonum, which wise men do ayme at) in these colours, In novissinis diebus (saith he) instabunt tempora periculosa,* 1.169 &c. Erunt homines seipsos amantes, cupidi, elati, superb••, &c. Semper d••scentes & nunquam ad scientiam ve∣ritatis pervenientes, quemadmodum autem Jamnes, & Mambres restiterunt Moysi, ita & hi resistuunt veritati, homines corrupti mente, & reprobi circa fidem, & ultra non proficient; insipientia enim eorum erit manifesta omnibus, sicut & illorum fuit. Tu autem assequuntus es meam Doctrinam. In the last daies, shall come perilous times: for men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, high-minded, and proud, &c. alwaies learning, and never attaining unto the knowledge of the truth. And as Jamnes and Mambres did resist Moses, so do these withstand the truth, being men corrupt in minde, and reprobate concerning the faith. But these shall prevail no longer, for their foolishnesse shall be made manifest unto all men, as theirs also was. But thou hast fully known my doctrine, &c.

Now his doctrine was concerning the true Philosophy, whose foundation was Jesus Christ, or the true wisdom and corner-stone, which sustaineth all, and is all in all, and filleth all, and acteth or operateth all in all; which is contrary unto the tenour of the Ethnick doctrine, seeing that it maketh an infinity of essentiall Agents in this world, as Daemons, Stars, Elements, Meteors, Fire, Water, Cold, Heat, Man, Beast, Plant, Minerall, and such like; the which they will have as subalternate es∣sentiall Agents, to act and operate of themselves, not understanding, that there is but one catholick and indivisible Agent in many mansions, which doth operate by, and in, an infinity of organicall vehicles, all in all, and over all. And this doctrine of theirs hath so infected our Christian Philosophers, which are of their sect, that they distinguish of Gods Beeing, saying, That he is present vertualiter, and not substantialiter, or essentialiter. As who should say, that Gods vertue can be without his essence, or divided from his divinity, which is indivisible; and so they dream of some accidents to be in God, which are distinguished from his essence. Or else they distinguish and say, that he operateth all principaliter and mediate, as he is the first cause. But, say they, there are an infinity of secundary causes, which act and ope∣rate of themselves. But I wonder, if that were true, how God can be said to fill all things, and operate all in all; if he be onely the first efficient cause, and not the ge∣nerall cause of all action in this world, by his blessed Spirit, which he sent out into the world, to do the will of him that sent it, as well in heaven as in earth. What needs more words, when the Apostle in plain tearms decideth this controversie in the Text before mentioned? Etsi sunt (saith he) qui dicuntur Dij sive in coelo, sive in terra,* 1.170 (siquidem sunt dij multi & domini multi) nobis tamen est unus Deus Pater, ex quo omnia, & nos in ••llo; & unus Dominus Jesus Christus, per quem omnia, & nos per ipsum. Sed non in omnibus est haec scientia. Though there be that are called Gods, as well in heaven as on earth, (as there are many gods, and many lords) yet unto us there is but one God, which is the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him, and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him. But every man hath not that knowledge. By which words each Christian may discern, how adverse the divine Philosopher Paul is, unto the imaginary vertue, and immediate act, of either the Peripatetick's Daemons and Intelligences, or of the starry bodies and influences, or of the quali∣••ies of his four Elements, or of the Winds and other Meteors, mentioned by their Master Aristotle.

And although they appear in outward shew, that they act or work of themselves in this world; yet our true Philosopher Paul teacheth us, that by his Philosophy, (whose basis or ground is the true wisdom Jesus Christ) he can discern no other Agent but one primary, of whom are all things; and the other secundary, by whom are all things, both which he acknowledgeth to be but one in essence; for the one being an emanation out of the other, doth onely, and of himself operate all in all. This is the perfect tenent of the essentiall Philosophy: And therefore whatsoever the mundan and Ethnick Philosophy doth tell, and by insinuating subtlety per∣swade us unto, which is apparently contrary unto the true Philosophy, we ought not in any case to believe. And unto this, the said divine Philosopher seemeth to consent,* 1.171 in these words, Though an angel from heaven doth preach unto you otherwise then that wh••ch we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. If any man preach other∣wise then that ye have received, let him be accursed. And therefore seeing that the Aristotelian learning, is contradictory in diverse main points, unto the positions of the essentiall wisdom or philosophy, a true Christian ought not in the main points to believe it, seeing that as St. James hath it) the grounds and tenour of it are opposite unto the holy Bible, which is the onely cabinet of truth; and therefore is pronounced by him to be terrene, animal, and diabolicall. Hereupon St. Paul writeth unto his schollar Timothy, in this style, Timothy, keep that which is committed unto thee,* 1.172 and avoid profane and vain bablings, and oppositions of sciences falsly so called, which while some professe, they have erred concerning the faith. In which words, he see∣meth to forewarn his Disciples, that they be not entangled with the sophisticall allurements of the wo••ldly Philosophy, which contradicteth the truth, and is not pacifick, but troublesome, and full of vain disputes and opposition, pronouncing such kind of Philosophy, to be not truly but falsly called a science; as also all those sciences which depend on it: And moreover insinuates unto his disciples, that such Christians as profess it, with too too vehement a devotion and confidence have by the meanes of it been subtilly induced into errors concerning the faith, which is grounded upon the Anchor-hold of this invisible wisdome, which is the spirituall Christ Jesus; Again, in this sense he giveth this Caveat before specified unto his Colossian disciples. Beware that no man do deceive you by Philosophy and vaine fallacy according unto their adition of men,* 1.173 according unto the Elements of this world, and not ac∣cording to Christ, &c. Whereby he admonisheth us Christians, to eschew the false philosophy of the Ethnicks, and to stick firmly unto the rules and doctrine of the true wisdome, and therefore he saith in the same Text, In Christo ambulate radicati et aedificati in ipso &c. walk yee firmly rooted in Christ, &c. whereby he intendeth that Christ is the only corner-stone and ground work of the true Philosophy, being that all creatures, yea and the whole world is founded on it; and consequently that the foundation of Paganish philosophy is sandy and of no validity; whereupon the Apostle saith, Fundamentum aliud nemo potest ponere praeter id quod positum est, quod est Christus Jesus,* 1.174 No man can lay any other true foundation, but that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now that this is clean contrary unto the false grounds of the Eth∣nicks, the said Apostle seemeth to intimate in these words,* 1.175 Hoc dico ut non ambuletis, sicut et gentes ambulant in vanitate sensus sui, tenebris obscuratum habentes intellectum, alienati in vita Dei per ignorantiam quae est in illis propter caecitatem cordis eorum &c. I say this, that you should not walk as the gentiles do, in the vanity of their senses, having their understandings obscured with darkness, being alienated from the life of God by ig∣norance which is in them by reason of their blindnesse of heart. I must now come to par∣ticularize upon the erroneous and false doctrine of the Peripatetick or Aristotelian philosophy, that thereby I may the better lay it open unto the world, by comparing the vanity thereof with the goodnesse and perfection of the divine and sacred Sophia or wisdome.

CHAP. V.

Here the erroneous doctrine of the Gentiles Philosophy is set down, being proved for cer∣taine reasons herein expressed to be founded upon the wisdome of this world, and not upon that which descendeth from God.

NOw me thinks, I heare some sharp-witted Aristotelian reply and say, How can he prove that the peripatetick Philosophy is not descended from above? And

why should not the foundation thereof be the true wisdome, which came from God?

But before I come to the answering of this objection, I beseech thee (gentle Rea∣der) give me liberty, first to apologize a little for my self; Be thou therefore pleas'd in the first place to understand from my just and upright spirit, that I acknowledge and confess this Prince of the Peripatetick Philosophy to be a personage of a pro∣found speculation; and that he had as deep an insight into the light of nature as any of the common ranck of Philosophers in his time: Yea verily, he had so sharp an ingeny, and so subtill and refined a spirit, that he not only allured by his worldly craft and humane invention, the Gentilish Greeks (whereupon he was termed by them, Cacodaemon, or a deceitfull spirit, or seducing from the truth,) but also Christians themselves of every sect, even unto this present: Insomuch that they are so wedded unto his worldly wisdome, that they admire each new proficient in Philosophy, of their Universities to maintaine his actions, and not to decline from his doctrine. As for my self, though I may be rancked in that number, yet now I have collected my spirits, and have by Gods grace attained unto that light of holy Scriptures, whereby I am made able to distinguish and discerne their essentiall col∣lours, from this praestigious one of Pagans; I must say with Cicero, that Quaedam promissa sunt servanda nimirùm licita, and on the other side, Quaedam promissa non sunt servanda, nempe quae sunt illicita; Lawfull promises are to be observed, but such as are unconscionable are to be violated: Now God forbid, good Christians should imagine that any oath which is made to derogate from the verity of the holy Bible, should be perpetually confirmed; for that were to rebell against the truth. Wherefore my essentiall Motto, in this my old age (notwithstanding any alleageance which I have by a ceremoniall rite vowed unto Aristotle in my youth) shalbe, Amicus Plato, amicus Aristoteles, sed magis amica veritas; though Plato, and Aristotle, be my friends; yet truth is more my friend, and therefore ought most to prevaile with me.

And now to answer directly unto the foresaid objection, we must compare toge∣ther, the two wisdomes propounded by the foresaid Apostles,* 1.176 First St. Paul saith, that God hath made the wisdome of this world fo••lishness: And again, Sapientia hujus mundi stuliitia est apud Deum,* 1.177 Deus en••m novit cogitationes sapientum quod stultae sunt. The wisdome of this world is foolishness before God, for God knoweth that the cogitations of the wisemen or Philosophers of this world are foolish: And for this cause, the same Apostle in another place, Nos non spiritum hujus mundi accepimus, sed spiritum qui ex Deo est,* 1.178 & quae à Deo donata sunt nobis loquimur, non in doctis humanae sapientiae verbis sed in doctrina Spiritus, spiritualia spiritualibus comparantes: Animalis enim homo non percipitea quae sunt spiritus Dei, stultitia enim est illi & non potest intelligere. We have not received the spirit of this world but the spirit which is from God, and we speak those things which are given unto us of God, not in the learned words of humane w••sdome, but in the doctrine of the spirit, comparing spirituall things with spirituall things: For the Animal man perceiveth not the things which are of the Spirit of God, for it is foolishness unto him, and he cannot understand i••. By which words we ought first to examine, whether A••istotle were an Animal man or no; if so, then what should we expect from him, but mundan wisdom and Philosophy, which St. James termeth animal and terrene, which indeed is nothing in it self but meet foolishnesse, as St. Paul tel∣leth us, being that the animal man perceiveth not the things which are of God, be∣cause he esteemeth them foolishnesse. Of this kind of philosophy and wisdom, the same Apostle biddeth us to beware,* 1.179 being (saith he) it is grounded upon the traditions of men, and the elements of the world, and not upon Christ. But he pointeth at this Graecani∣call wisdom more directly in these words, in which he distinguisheth both it and the Jewish wisdom, from that of God, whose foundation is Jesus Christ; Sapientiam Graeciquaerunt, Judaei signa, nos Christum crucifixum praedicamus: The Greeks seek wisdome,* 1.180 the Jewes signes, we preach Christ Crucified, arguing by these words that the Greeks search after the wisdom of the world, which consisteth chiefly in speculation or contemplation, as the wisdome of the Jewes is more conversant in signes and ocular demonstrations; for without it they will not believe. Lastly, the third wis∣dome which is that true sapience, which both the Greeks and Jewes did reiect and scoffe at,* 1.181 was Jesus Ch••ist, in whom was the plenitude of divinity Corporally: and this is that reall and essentiall wisdom whi••h Christians ought to search after, and whereon they ought to ground their Philosophy which is divine and not humane. But if they reply that perchance Aristotle had an insight into the Christian doctrine, or did apprehend Christ in some manner, or at least had an eye into the wisdome of Moses

and the Prophets. First, I answer, That as Aristotle was before the incarnated Word, so also is it evident, that he knew little of the Mosaick learning, which con∣sisteth upon the Creation, effected by the spagerick act of the divine Word, when he would have the world to be eternall. I confesse, that his Master Plato was more essentially grounded on the true wisdom; but Aristotle being puffed up with self-conceit, would, in derogation from the Stoicall doctrine of his Master, arrogate all wisdom unto himself, by framing out or fashioning a new worldly wisdom or phi∣losophy, which was afterward tearmed Peripateticall; and so by his vain glory, he added unto some truths many of his own inventions, making as it were a Gallimo∣fry of good and bad, of true and false, of wisdom and folly together, which is far from the nature of the perfect Christian wisdom, which must needs be therefore wholly truth it self, because it is described by the Spirit of God, in the which there is nothing but truth. Again, if the Peripatetick, Stoick, or Epicureall doctrine, had been perfect, and according unto the true wisdom Jesus Christ, why should the Athenian Philosophers so persecute the right and exact Philosopher Paul, for rea∣ching the true wisdom Jesus Christ, in whom onely is the plenitude of divinity, as the same Apostle teacheth in divers places? By this therefore we may perceive most plainly, what the wisdom is, on which Aristotle hath built his Philosophy. But I will come a little neerer unto the point, or main mark, and compare the double wisdom expressed by St. James, an other true Christian Philosopher, or Apostle of Christ,* 1.182 who telleth us in the place above mentioned, that the wisdom which contra∣d••cteth the truth is not f••om above, that is to say, from the father of light, neither is it pa∣cifica••l and modest, but terrene, animal, and diabolicall. Now that this philosophy or wisdom of the Peripateticks is such, it appeareth, first, because it is litigious, full of disputes, fallacies, brables, and controversies, which is contrary unto the rules of the true Wisdome, and therefore the Apostle Paul adviseth Timothy, to separate himself from such as teach other doctrine,* 1.183 than that of the true Wisdome, saying, that they which do so are puffed up and know nothing, but dote about questions and strife of words, that is to say, about verball distinctions, wresting each word unto a multiplicity of senses, whereof commeth envy, strife, and rayling, evill surmizes, from disputations of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth. And again,* 1.184 Stu••tas & sine disciplina quaestiones devi••a (saith he); sciens quia gene∣rant lites: Eschew questions that are foolish and without discipline, for as much as they beget strife, And such is the Philosophy of our Christian Aristotelians; Foras∣much as their order and fashion is, to be ever conversant about questions and cavilling disputations in their Schools, and that is the occasion of equivocations, and of the infinity of distinctions, which give way unto the maintenance of fals∣hood as well as of truth, and is the foundation of so many opposit Sects as well in the common Philosophy as religion, whereupon ariseth disputations, strife, conten∣tion, and malice, not only in the Schools, between contrary factions, but al∣so among the common sort of people, that are of sundry religions; whereas if their Philosophy or wisdome were founded on the true Sophia, which is Christ Jesus (which as he is all in all, so is he but one simple essence) they would all agree in the unity of him, who is but one and the same in us all; for in him and by him, we are all made brethren, and coheirs with him, of eternity. And again,* 1.185 seeing that in him we live, move, and have our being, (as Paul saith) we should by consequence, (and that without all question, dispute, or brabling-quarrels,) know, and understand in our selves, that summum bonum, which truly-wise men seek after, and, with Tantalus his appetite, do so fervently affect. Doth not the Philosophy of Christ teach us, that Regnum Dei sit intra nos: The Kingdome of God is within us.* 1.186 Et quod sit in nobis omnium mirab••lium operator: And that the worker of all marvails is within us. Et quod sumus Temp••a Dei, & Spiritùs Sancti: And that we are the Temples of God and the Holy Ghost, and that we are the members of Christ, &c. Which being so, why should we be at strife, disputes, and brables, about difficulties, or ambiguities of questions? or, why should our riper senses be battered in peeces by foolish distinctions in which are the inventions of humane or diabolicall wisdome, on set purpose to immerge and drown us deeper in the abysse of mul∣titude, or profundity of ignorance, when the only indeavour of truth is, to conduct us through those clouds of errors, (in which the foolish wisdome of this world, hath involved our understandings) unto the fountain of Unity and Concord, which is the eternall Wisdome, the spirituall, Christ Jesus? Thus we see how contrary the Greekish wisdome is, unto that of the Apostle's; for as much as the

Greekish Philosophy is contentious, litigious, full of disputes, brables, and emulations; for which reason it is pronounced by St. James, to be terrene, ani∣mall, diabolicall,* 1.187 and not from above; whereas contrarywise, that Philosophy which is grounded on the true wisdome, which is from above, must be first pure, then peaceable, gentle, easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without judging, envy or hypocrisy. For this cause therefore, our Christian Philosopher Paul, ad∣monisheth his Schollar Timothy to eschew all profane,* 1.188 and vaine babling, and oppo∣sition of Sciences, falsly so called, which whilst some profess, they have erred concern∣ing the Faith. All such Christians, as have their Anchor-hold too firmly fastned on Aristotles Philosophy, should seriously ponder this, that our eminent Master St. Paul seemeth to advertise them with such fervency, that the observation of this Ethnick Philosophy, which consisteth in contentions, questions, vaine bablings, and opposition of Sciences, which seeme such, but are not so indeed, though they are called so falsely, is the occasion, that well-intending Christians have been de∣ceived, and have erred concerning the Faith in the true Wisdome, and only verity Jesus Christ. Again, saith the Apostle James, The wisdome which contradicteth the Truth,* 1.189 is not from above, but terrene, animal, diabolicall. Now I am assu∣red, that all good Christians will maintain, that the fountain of Truth, and Verity, is the holy Bible. What will our Christian followers of Aristotle say, if I will prove evidently, that Aristotle's doctrine doth erre from the maine grounds of holy Writ, which is the treasure of Verity, and consequently from that wis∣dome which is the Father of Light? It is a common phrase among our lip-learn∣ed Sophisters, to say, when any contradiction is found between some axioms of Greekish Philosophy, and the sacred Assertion, Oh, this is true in Philosophy, but in Scripture it is found otherwise: I say, to these, that if there be found any contradiction between the points of the one, and that of the other, there is a foul error, and falshood, or contradiction in the one or other, and therefore the one of the two, must needs issue from a terrene, and diabolicall, or mundan and human wisdome. Now judge, each good Christian, whether we should rather stick unto Gods Word, which is the only Truth, or the affirmation of Aristotle, which deriveth his wisdome, from the father of lyes, I mean the mundan wisdom, which is for that reason termed of the Apostle diabolicall or devilish. Others say, that men are so deeply conversant in the secrets of nature, or naturall Phi∣lolosophy, that they are become Athiests, and will acknowledg no God: They must needs understand of the Ethnick Philosophy, and not point at that of Jesus Christ; for that leadeth and directeth the understanding spirit of man, even unto the Throne and Majesty of the true God: and perswades him to forsake the mul∣titude of this naughty world, to betake and contract it self unto that blessed uni∣on, from whence his bright Spirit was originally derived. A third sort of men seem to repine and storm, that any man should presume to mingle naturall Phi∣losophy with Divinity, or should dare or attempt to draw any axioms or Autho∣rities out of Scriptures, to prove or maintain the Principles or causes of Philo∣sophy: averring boldly but erroniously, that the Bible doth onely teach unto man, what belongeth unto Salvation, that is to say, how we should feare God, and behave our selves unto our neighbours: As who should say, that the holy Scriptures had indited any thing in vain.* 1.190 And yet it is plainly found in them, that all the treasure of wisdome and science doth lie hid in Christ. And it is said in another place, A me discetis omnia: Ye shall learn all things of me. And again, Spiritus Sanctus vos docebit omnia:* 1.191 The holy Spirit will teach you all things. Are we not likewise taught,* 1.192 that all men are vain, that do not know the Creator by the creatures which he hath made: and the invisible God by the visible things, which he hath created. Besides all this, man shall find therein most lively described, the three principles whereby God made all things, namely the dark Abysse or Chaos, which they call first-matter, the second matter which they term water, and the first Act or light which they call their form: Also the true manner of generation of Meteors, of condensation and rarefaction, of generation and corruption, of action and passion, and of all things else, which can be imagined in that kind of learning, which the Aristotelians call naturall, is rightly, and not Sophistically, expressed in this true Philosophy: as also every other kind either Morall or Politick, with all other Sciences, both li∣berall and Mechanick, as is already prooved: What? was all this (I say) vainly set down, and expressed by the Saints of God, which were, in their inditings or writings, guided by the Holy Spirit of Truth? No verily, but rather we may

excuse these zealous accusers without true understanding, and say, that they meant of intermingling the false Aristotelian wisdom, with that of the Spi∣rit of God, which is onely truth; for, would these persons but rightly under∣stand, that Philosophia, in his originall sense, importeth sophiam, or wisdom, they would acknowledge and confesse, that the true and essentiall philosophy, or sophia, is nothing else, but the sacred wisdom, or holy spirit of discipline, which is the ground of not onely that, which animal men of this world tearm Naturall Philoso∣phy: but also of the whole subject of Theology. So that if we consider the case rightly, we shall plainly perceive, that sacred Philosophy is nothing else, but the ground-work of Divinity, or an expression of God and his acts in his creatures; or, if you will have it so, in things as well supernaturall, as naturall. Neither can any man finde, that God was ever mentioned or specified in Scriptures, but as he was considered in this world which he framed, and the creatures thereof: So is he said,* 1.193 to be endued with light as with a vestment. To be a consuming fire. To fill the hea∣vens, and to make the earth his foot-stool. To put his tabernacle in the sun. To make the dark clouds his dwelling or tabernacle. To speak in thunder from heaven. To parley with Job out of the whirle-wind. To blow out of the north and south. To be everywhere. Also his Spirit is said to descend from heaven like a dove, and in the form of cloven tongues of fire, and to fill the earth, and to make man his temple, and to be in all things. To con∣clude, all Scriptures are full of nothing else, but of his essentiall operation in all created things, by his infinite organs. Wherefore I may justly say, that true Philo∣sophy, (forasmuch as the foundation thereof is the Spirit of wisdom, which de∣scendeth from the Father of light) is nothing else in effect but Theology; onely we may for fashions-sake make this distinction, that essentiall Philosophy passeth or maketh his enquiry after the summum bonum, moving from the creatures circumfe∣rence or externall, unto his center or internall, for the finding out or describing of that eternall essence, who is onely good, and is the sole actour in all things, and so proceedeth (as it were) demonstra••••••ne a posteriori, that is, from the visible creature unto the invisible Creator, according unto St. Pauls rules, and Solomons precepts, in the places above cited.* 1.194 And the Theologian or Divine, seemeth to move another way, to wit, from the radicall center, or invisibility of God, and so proceedeth quasi demonstratione a priori, that is, moving from the divine internall act, or center unto the visible circumference, or externall creature: whereby we may perceive, in the conclusion, that both Sciences do attain unto one point in the end, that is to say, unto one and the self-same thing, or highest goodnesse in effect. And yet it so falleth out, that many an Academist in this world, is so extracted beyond the li∣mits of the creature in their researches, that they, forsooth, seek him out be∣yond the Moon, nay, beyond the margins of the vaulted world, and so divide him absolutely from his creatures; in which proceedings, they do but at∣tempt or presume to clamber up a ladder, without steps or degrees. They will (I say) soar up unto the highest pitch, without any consideration had unto the lower degrees, in that they attempt to find out God, without any respect had unto his creatures, when as the Scriptures warrant us, that he is not far off from any of us. And therefore it will be but needlesse to seek or expect him,* 1.195 beyond the sphear of the fire, or above the starry heavens, when he is neerer unto us, than we are aware of.

But it is no marvell; for some of them, being altogether addicted, for the first se∣ven years, unto the Peripatetick philosophy, are so corrupted thereby, and under∣stand by that doctrine so little newes of Gods being in his creatures, that when they come unto their higher function, they are flat enemies to such as shall tell them any such thing; and though they find Scriptures in plain tearms to verifie, that the Word and Spi••it is in all, and over all, yet by those sophisticall School-distinctions, which they have learned, or gathered out of their Ethnick-master's documents, or his obsequious Commentators, they do so involve and bewrap the plainly-meaning places of Scriptures, in the equivocating clouds of obscurity, that they make them ambiguous, or of little or no effect: As when it is said, and by the whole harmony of the sacred Text affirmed that God is in all, and over all, and that the holy Spirit is in all things, they streight-waies distinguish and say, It is true, that he is virtualiter, or vertually; but not substantialiter, or essentially over all; as who should say, his ver∣tue can be divided or separated from his essence. And again, when the Text saith, that God operateth all in all: Verum est (say they) quatenus est causa principalis, as he is the prime or principall cause; but there are many secondary, or subalternate A∣gents, say they, which do act in Nature by themselves, as the Intelligences, the

Starrs, the Elements, the Meteors, the compounded creatures, as well animal, as vegetable, and mineral; and so they would by these Aristotelicall sophistications, disgrace the truth of him, who saith in plain tearms, Deus operatur omnia in omnibus, God worketh all ••n all. For if we look rightly into the matter, we shall find, that as God filleth all by his essentiall Spirit of wisdom, so that Spirit worketh all in every thing which it filleth, and that without any helper: For how can the created organ, by any act of his own,* 1.196 help the Creator, which filleth it, to operate? when, what it hath, it receiveth from that eternall Act which bestoweth it: Ego (saith Jeho∣vah) sum Dominus faciens omnia solus, & nullus mecum. I am the Lord who make and do all things alone, and not any one with me. Neither should it seem strange, being that the Scriptures do verifie,* 1.197 that he is all in all. And again, The incorruptible Spirit of God is in all things. And again, the Apostle, as is said before, In Christo omnia sunt condita,* 1.198 per Christum & in Christo omnia sunt creata, omnia in ipso constant, ipse est in omnibus primatum tenens. In Christ all things are made, by Christ and in Christ all things are created, all things consist in him, and he is in all things, bearing in them the principality. Which being so, it followeth, that the distinction must needs be false, which is, that Deus doth agere mediate, and not immediate; and consequently that the creature can act per se sine actu immediato De••. As who should say, that the di∣vine essence or vertue is divisible, or that Gods essence must therefore be partible or separable, because it is in divers organs.

I may therefore boldly conclude and say, that if Christian Schollars would be∣stow that seven years, which they employ in their Aristotelian study, in the true, essentiall, and sacred Philosophy, they would not so erre after the manner of the Gentiles, but embrace without any rebellion or contradiction, the precepts of the true wisdom, so firmly, that they would at the end of the said time, be compleat in that essentiall doctrine, and made fit members to proceed in the streight way of enquiry into, and acquiry of, the mysticall wisdom, which God hath ordained to be revealed unto his Elect: and so after the example of the Apostles, they might as well become potent in vertue and power, as they appear now onely puissant in words, being hindred from the good fruit which accompanieth true wisdom, by the erroneous doctrine of their seducing Master. I know, that this good perswasion of mine, will make the followers of worldly wisdom to storm, and to say of me, as the Stoicall and Epicureall Philosophers did to Paul in Athens, What will this babler have, or what doth he tell us of a new way of learning? I answer, That it is not I, but the word which they follow, that teacheth them, if they will be pleased to mark it well, and sequester themselves, in the mean time, from the rules or documents of their Ethnick Master..

But I will come unto my nearer proofs, whereby I will most evidently shew, that the doctrine of Aristotle is a manifest enemy, and opposite or contradictory unto the truth; which being so, it is by the Apostle James condemned, for a branch of that wisdom or philosophy,* 1.199 which is terrene, animal, and diabolicall.

It appeareth, and shall be hereafter proved out of the Book of verity, that the vertue whereby God doth manifestly operate in this world, is expressed either by attraction, from the circumference unto the center; or expulsion, from the center unto the circumference; namely, Contraction, or Dilatation. For after this man∣ner is produced Condensation and Ratification, whereby the heavens, and the earth, and elements, with compound creatures, as well Meteorologicall, or un∣perfectly mixed, as such as are compleat in their composition, were created and made. And again, by it he operateth in this world, either sympathetically, that is, by a concupiscible attraction, or antipathetically, that is, by an odible expulsion. Since therefore that all things are effected in this world, by attraction or expulsion, let us see what is Aristotle's opinion touching the cause of attraction, and then af∣terward examine, whether it accordeth with the tenour of truth.

The Petipatericks being perswaded thereunto by their Master Aristotle, do ac∣cord in this, namely, That the Winds, the Thunder, the Comets, the Clouds, and other such like Meteors, are made and caused by the attractive heat of the Sun, and other Stars, which draw up vapours and exhalation out of the water and earth, and elevateth them into the regions of the aire. And therefore, Prout (saith Velcury, ac∣cording unto the mind of Aristotle) magis minusve calidi sunt vapores, ita altius, aut humilius elevantur sursum à solis calore aliorumque astrorum:* 1.200 sicut videmus in sole b••∣bente & attrahente aquam. As vapours are more or lesse hot, so are they elevated higher or lower by the heat of the Sun, and other Starrs: as we see that the Sun doth drink up,

and attract water unto it. Hence therefore hath that palpable errour been introduced into this world, namely, that fire and heat do suck and draw unto it vapours and fumes, when it may be made most palpable and evident unto the simplest, so that he have but human sense about him, that the heat of the Sun and fire doth rather discusse and expell from it, by dilatation, than allure unto it by the way of attracti∣on: As for example, if the fire did draw vapours unto it, then would it not per∣mit any smoak to go from it, but the contrary is seen, viz. that it discusseth by dissolution, and expelleth and seperateth by rarefaction the subtill from the grosse, not with a desire to draw or attract the vapours, made by rarefaction unto it; but to expell and disjoynt it from the whole grosse body it worketh upon, for which cause we see the fumes and smoaks to fly away, and to be inforced to avoid the action of the fire, without any inclination of the fire to retaine them; also if we apply a wet handkercher unto the fire, we shall see that the watry substance in it will be subtiliated by the heat into a reaking vapour: but as for the fire it is so farre from attracting of it, that the reaking smoak will be seen to rise up in the house at randome without any evident attraction of the fire. In like case it happeneth with the Sun's operative faculty, for it subtiliates or ratifieth the water or humid sub∣stances by his heat, and consequently it draweth nothing at all unto it: but dis∣cusseth rather that which was thick, into thinner portions. Now the reason that water or grosse humid substances, being rarified, do ascend upward, is not any at∣tractive faculty in the Sun or Starrs, but a naturall inclination in the thing it selfe: for it is a common axiome that omne leve et sub••ile, doth by a naturall sympa∣thy or appetite, tendere sursum; and therefore it is, of his own inclination, being so subtiliated, that it soareth upward toward his naturall and destinated region, or place, as we see in Fumes, Smokes, and such like: Contrariwise, omne grave, doth in like manner, tendere deorsum, all that is ponderous doth descend by a naturall desire to∣wards the Centre. But that I may more exactly and assuredly display this errour of the peripateticall attraction, of exhalations and vapours by the Sun, Starrs, and fire; I pray you that you will but observe our Weather-glasse, or experimentall Machine, and we shall there finde by practice, that all attraction from the circum∣ference unto the center, is caused of cold, and not of heat; for by cold, the water is drawn or attracted up into the neck of the Glasse, and that is effected by the in∣spissation of the aire, and reduction of it into a straiter room: when contrariwise we note, that if the Sun do heat the head or boul of the Mattras, or if the warmth of the hand do but touch it, the included aire dilateth it self, and forthwith flyeth away from the heat, and is so far from being attracted by it, that it precipitateth and depresseth the water downwards. Which being thus, as ocular experience, the mother of fools, hath taught us, let our Christian Peripateticks but duely observe, the subtle wisdom of their Master, whom they have hitherto followed, and let them see and consider how grosly he hath erred, in the main argument, pillar, or prop of his Meteorology; which being so, what can be more expected, then that the whole fa∣brick of the same should fall before the eyes of each wise contemplator. To be brief, these & such like errours of his, have forced divers of his discreetest disciples & naturalists, to dissent and start from his doctrine, as well touching his opinion of the Winds and the Thunder, as of the originall of Fountains, being perswaded and allured unto this their relinquency by a t••uer spirit: For Johannes Fregi••s, a very learned Naturalist, and a man who hath taken great pains in searching out the truth of naturall mysteries,* 1.201 according unto the documents of Aristotle, (as it well appea∣reth by that his large volume, entituled, Quaest ones Physicae) hath this, Qua••quam tota d••sputatio de Ventis sicut de aliis me coris, plena est admi ab••••••m operum Dei, quo∣rum mille firmae & sufficientes in natura causae proferri p••ssi••t, tamen prodest videre quo∣usque humanaratio progredi p••ssit. Sacrae quidem literae dicut Deum ventos producere de thesauris suis, un•••• ipsorum ••latus and 〈◊〉〈◊〉, sed unde ven••um aut quo vadunt nesci∣mus: Although the whole disputation concerning the Winds, as also touching the other 〈◊〉〈◊〉, be full of the marvells of God, of the cause whereof there can be rend••ed no sufficient reason in nature; yet it will be necessary to enquire into the cause of them, so far as 〈◊〉〈◊〉 reason wil•• perm••t. The holy Scriptures say, that God doth produce the winds out of his treasury, from whence we hear the noise of their breath, but a••e ignorant of the place from whence they come, and whither they will. Again, on the other side, Margarita Philosophia, (a work, I say, that hath been highly esteemed of the Peripateticks themselves,* 1.202 by reason of the Aristotelicall suck or sap that it containeth, besides an epitomy of many other Arts) after a strict search made into the nature of Thunder,

in the Physicks of her Master Aristotle, and being put as it were to a nonplus, through the want of skill which it observed in her Master, to reveal such a secret, which none is able really to effect but by the true wisdom,* 1.203 (for by it Solomon confessed, That he knew the force or power of the winds, and mutations of the elements. And Job, That it is the divine wisdom which giveth weight unto the aire, and ordaine••h statutes unto the rain, and maketh way unto the lightnings of the thunders. That Philosophy (I say) so much respected of the Peripateticks, is found in conclusion to utter these words,* 1.204 Quidam philosophorum (saith it) considerantes mirabilem fulminis operationem, ipsum non opus naturae, sed summ▪ Dei effectum immediatum arbitrati sunt: Some of the philosophers consider••ng the marvellous operation of the lightning and thunder, did imagine it to be no work of nature, but the immediate effect of the highest God. Again, touching the beginning and originall of Fountains, Johannes Velcurius, who hath spent much time and labour in the Peripatetick doctrine, and writ a Commentary upon Aristotles physicks, groweth somewhat cold in his confidence, which he had in his Master's doctrine, concerning the true cause of fountaines which issue out of the earth,* 1.205 Non consentiunt plane (saith he) Sacrae literae cum Physicis de ortu fontium et fluminum quae ex mari per varios alveos meatusque fluere, ac ad suos fontes restuere, Ecclesiastes, 1. testatu••, dicens, Omnia flumina intrant in mare & mare non redundat, ad locum unde exeunt flumina revertuntur, ut iterum fluant. Coeterum Aristoteles et Physici Peripatetici dicunt materiam istorum esse pariter vaporem resolutum in aquam & lique∣factum à frigore & calore simul, intra terram: The holy scriptures do not consent with the Naturalists, concerning the originall of fountains and rivers which do come out of the Sea, through divers Channells or passages, and flow or runne againe into their fountaines as Ecclesiastes, 1. d••th testifie, saying, all Rivers do go into the Sea, and the Sea is not the fuller: And they return again unto the place from whence they came, that they might flow from thence again. But Aristotle and his Peripatetick Schollars affirm, that the matter or substance of them is a vapour, resolved into water, and melted or liquified by cold and heat together, w••thin the earth.

Thus (judicious Reader) you may discern, out of the confession of Aristotle's own pupills, how contradictory and opposite is the mind of their Master, in his philosophy, unto the wisdom of holy Writ; and therefore mark the sentence that the Apostle pronounceth against it,* 1.206 The wisdom (saith he) which contrad••cteth the truth is not from above, name••y, from the Father of light, but terrene, animal, and dia∣bolicall. And the other Apostle speaketh thus, If any man preach otherwise then that ye have received, let him be accursed. Now that this Prince of Peripateticks is most erroneous and averse unto the opinion of the holy Scriptures, touching the gene∣ration, or primary cause of Meteors, I will most lively and at large demonstrate unto you, in the last Book of this present Treatise, where I will prove him a de∣ceiver of the Christian world, by such prestigious things as seem probable, but in verity, and by effect, will prove nothing else, in respect of the fruits which the true wisdom doth bring forth, but deceit, vain fallacy, and an apparent kind of jug∣ling, which being rightly pondered, it may seem very strange to such judicious persons as are unpartiall, that the Christian world should be deluded thus long, yea, and in these latter daies, with such Peripateticall figments and fables, and be so addicted unto Aristotle's idle shadowes, since that in conclusion they appear without true substance and reality. Nay, it may seem strange indeed, unto every wise or understanding man, that such as are devoted unto Christian zeal, should all this while forsake the main fountain of wisdom and verity, to seek of Pagans and Gentiles,* 1.207 arts, science, and understanding, as did the Agarens, (of whom the Pro∣phet maketh mention) and those which were in Theman, who for that errour of theirs, never attained unto the knowledge of true wisdom. Of this main folly of Christians in future ages, and of these our latter ages, me-thinks the Apostle doth seem to prophesy,* 1.208 in these words, Erit tempus cum sanam doctrinam non sustinebunt, sed ad sua desideria coacervaebunt sibi magistros, prurientes auribus, & à veritate qui∣dem auditum averient, ad fabulas autem convertentur. The time will come, that they will not endure wholsome doctrine, but having their ears itching after their own lusts, get them a company of teachers or masters, and shall turn their ears from the truth, and shall be given unto fables. Where he understandeth by a company of masters, all errone∣ous teachers, and especially the sputious Philosophers, namely, of the Epicureall, Stoicall, and Peripateticall doctrine, which as they are framed out after the ima∣ginations, traditions, and inventions of men, and according unto the elements of this world, and not after the true wisdom, which is Christ Jesus, are esteemed as

foolishnesse, vanity, and fabulous before God and his Saints: And therefore the Apostle in the foresaid speech, doth point at such Christians in future ages, as will leave the true wisdom or doctrine of Christ, the Prophets, and the Apostles, and betake themselves to false Masters, and such Philosophy which contradicteth the truth.

Again, the said excellent and sacred Philosopher foretelleth, that there will be many in future ages so puffed up in their own conceipts, that they will contemn and scorn all counsell, be it never so good, if it be any way dissonant from their grounded opinion. His words are these, In nov••ssimis diebus (saith he) instabunt tem∣pora periculosa, & erunt homines seipsos amantes, cupidi, elati, superbi, &c. semper dis∣centes & nunquam ad verita••em pervenientes. Quemadmodum autem Jamnes & Mambres restiterunt M••y••••,* 1.209 ita & hi resistunt veritati; homines corrupti mente & reprobi circa fidem, & ultrà non proficient. In the last daies shall come perilous times, for men will be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, &c. ever learning, and never at∣taining unto the truth. And as IJamnes and Mamb••es withsto••d Moses, so do these resist the verity, men of a corrupt mind, and reprobates concerning the faith. Out of which words we gather, first, That some men in these latter daies will be so wedded unto their own learning, and conceipted in the worldly philosophy or science which they have been brought up in, that whatsoeve•• tru••h it self shall proffer unto them, that is opposite unto their intentions, it will be scornfully rejected. Secondly, he seemeth to expresse the insufficiency of that learning or philosophy, which they embrace, in saying, that they are semper discente••, sed nunquam ad veritatem vel per∣fectionem pervenientes; Ever learning, but never attain••••g unto that high vertue and power, at which the truly wise have aimed, by Ethnick philosophy. Thirdly, it ap∣peareth, that he meaneth the mundane philosophists, by the example which he ma∣keth of Jamnes and Mambres, who being worldly Sages, or bred up in the human wisdom, did resist that truth which Moses, being instructed in the divine Philoso∣phy, did so stoutly maintain. And lastly, he seemeth to intimate, that such as ad∣here so much unto the spurious wisdom, are thereby corrupted in their imaginati∣ons, and allured to erre concerning the faith, and profit nothing. And therefore it will be no marvell, though I shall find this mine admonition rejected, and re∣pined at by many, though perchance more acceptable unto such as are vertuously inclined unto the truth, and are apt, yea, and sufficient in their purer discretions, to distinguish and separate the errours of Aristotle, from the infallible verity of sa∣cred Writ, and to carry their judgments so justly and sincerely, that the All-hal∣lowed honour of the one do not suffer any detriment or indignity, by the paganish and unsanctified axioms or assertions of the other.

CHAP. VI.

Here, One great God IEHOVAH seemeth to call the false wisdome, or Wise∣men and Philosophers of this world unto an Account for their erroneous Doctrine, touching the causes and manner of the Creation of the world, and the Generation of the Meteors thereof.

I Have expressed unto you in the precedent Chapter, that the great Master of the Peripatetick doctrine, is not for nought termed by the Greeks themselves Caco∣daemon, or an evill spirit, being that by his inventions he hath deceived the world, and seduced it from the right path of Wisdome, and directed it unto that way which leadeth and guideth unto assured error and ignorance, and that by the pain∣ted mask of sophisticated reasons, besmeared over with a false and outward shew of probability only, faining those things to be accidentall, and caused at hap-haz∣zard, which in verity are from above, that is to say, essentially produced by the increated Spirit's power, which operateth all in all: For according unto his doctrine, the Earth, the Stats, the Elements were eternall and not created: and he covereth this his false assertion, with appearing naturall inventions, framed out of his own brain, saying, ex 〈◊〉〈◊〉, nihil fit: Of nothing, nothing is made. He giveth also a humane reason of life, motion, and limits or borders the Seas; and faineth causes after his fancie of the generation and corruption of things: And speaketh of a first matter, and a form, after his manner; though he knoweth not essentially what they are: He telleth us unreasonably the reason of the snow, frost, and ice, hail, rain,

clouds, and mists saying that they are adventitiously caused of vapours which are drawn up by the heat of the Sun and Stars, out of the earth and waters, into the middle region of the Aire, and are there condensed into those substances, by the accidentall coldness of the place. He inventeth and bringeth forth some sleight proofs to maintain his imaginations, averring, that the wind is made or caused by chance, namely through the exalting or subliming of hot and dry exhalations out of the earth, by vertue of the forementioned Agents; the which exhalations, after they approach the middle region of the Aire, are repercussed and beaten down again. And then in their motions downward, they meeting with other exhala∣tions which ascend, are forced to move collaterally. He presumeth to know the hidden causes of the Lightnings and Thunders, making them to proceed also acci∣dentally, namely from a concourse of vapours mixed with exhalations; and an in∣finite of such like frivolous inventions he hath erected. All which he hath vailed over with his smooth words and subtill shews, of externall or superficiall pro∣babilities only, instead of the reall and centrall visage of Truth. But the God of Heaven and Earth, which is the Author of all these things, and doth mystically fashion them by his eternall power, and calleth them out of his Treasury, when and where he list, seemeth to deride this inventor of lies, with his obsequious followers in these very words,* 1.210 which he spake unto Job. Who is this (saith JEHO∣VA out of the whirl-wind, unto this bold abuser of his Works) that darkneth the counsell of my Words without knowledg, Gird up now thy loines like a man, I will de∣mand of thee,* 1.211 and declare thou unto me: Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the Earth? declare if thou hast understanding: Who hath laid the measures thereof, or who hath stretched the line over it, whereupon are the foundations of them set, or who layed the corner-stone thereof? (What? were they eternall and without all beginning as thou vainly surmisest?* 1.212) Who shut up the Sea with doores, when it issued and came foorth as out of a wombe? Have the gates of death been opened unto thee? And hast thou seen the gates of the shadow of death? (that thou assignest a reason so confident∣ly of corruption and generation, according unto thine imagination:) Hast thou entred into the Treasury of the Snow?* 1.213 or hast thou seen the Treasuries of the Hail which I have hid against the time of trouble? (that thou after thy fancy darest to forge, fain, or assigne unto them such accidentall principles?) By what way is the Light parted,* 1.214 which scattereth the East wind upon the Earth? (what? is it by a hot and dry exhalation attracted on high by the Son and Stars, and afterward repelled down∣ward laterally,* 1.215 as thou hast published?) Who hath divided the spouts of the raine? or the way for the lightnings of the Thunders? And who is the father of the raine? or who hath begotten the drops of dew? (must the created Sun and Stars be the Actors and Authors in this business, as thou dost erroniously imagine?) Out of whose wombe came the Ice?* 1.216 who hath engendred the frost of the heaven? (Is it the coldness of the middle region of the Aire, as thou seemest to averre?) Canst thou restrain the sweet influences of the Pleiades,* 1.217 or loose the bands of Orion? Canst thou bring forth Mazzaroth in his time, canst thou also guide Arcturus with his sons? Knowest thou the course of heaven? or canst thou set the rule thereof upon the earth? (And why not,? For thou professest by thy Peripatetick Philosophy to understand the cau∣ses of everything: and he that truly knoweth the mysteries of things can do won∣ders: For by that means my servant Josuah made the Sun to stand still.* 1.218 And for the religious Hezekias his sake, my Spirit did cause the Sun to move backward. Canst thou lift up thy voice to the clouds, that the abundance of water may cover thee? Canst thou send the Lightnings, that they may walk and say unto thee, Lo here we are? If the grounds and principles which thou hast invented be essentiall and substantiall, all this and more maist thou effect: For such of the Elect, into whom my Spirit of Wisdome (who hath assigned true principles unto the essentially wise) hath inspi∣red this knowledg,* 1.219 are able to effect all these things: as my servant Elias, after a long drought, caused the clouds to moisten the dry earth: and my Prophets, Moses and Samuel, d••d, by the power which I did assigne them, produce Thunder and Lightnings, unto the terror of their enemies.* 1.220 Dost thou know who hath put w••sdome in the reins? or who hath given the heart understanding? And darest thou, being led by the frivo∣lous effects of thy inventions, which are grounded on the Elements of this world, and not upon my Spirit, which is the true Wisdome, ascribe my works, who am the sole Creator of all things,* 1.221 unto the creatures? Is this to learn? to strive with the Almighty: he that reproveth God, let him answer unto it. Thus seemeth our great God to speak unto Aristotle, and such like Philosophers of this world, who

being too much elated in their own conceits, presume thus over-boldly on their terrene and animal wisdom, and would check and contradict the vertuous actions of God by their phantasticall surmises. I could wish therefore, that these mundane Philosophers would turn from this their worldly wisdom, and humiliate them∣selves before the onely Creator of heaven and earth,* 1.222 and answer with the patient Job in this manner, Behold, I am vile, what shall I answer thee? I will lay my hand up∣on my mouth.* 1.223 I know that thou canst do all things. I have spoken the things I understood not, even things too wonderfull for me. I have heard of thee by report, but now mine eyes behold thee in thy creatures. And for this cause I abhor my self, and repent in dust and ashes, acknowledging that there is no true wisdom, but that which is from thee, who art the Father of light,* 1.224 by the vertue whereof, thou workest all these wonders. And therefore we confesse, that the wis••om of this world is meer foolishnesse, and such as wholly addict themselves unto it are deceived, forasmuch as they do neglect the divine wisdom Christ Jesus,* 1.225 in whom all the treasures of science and sapience are hid. Thus have you briefly understood the duplicity of wisdom, and by consequence, the bi-forked, or contrary nature of philosophy, that is in this world; and how all good Christians (contrary unto the custom of this our age) ought to leave and for∣sake the one, and with fervency and zeal, to love and embrace the other. And now in this Book following, I purpose to set down those Mosaicall principles, on which our sacred Philosophy hath erected the whole bulk or substance of her fabrick.

Notes

• * 1.1

  1 Cor. 3.19.
• * 1.2

  James 3.15.
• * 1.3

  Colos. 2.8.9.
• * 1.4

  2 Cor. 1.12.
• * 1.5

  Rom. 8.6.
• * 1.6

  1 Cor. 2.4.
• * 1.7

  Colos. 2.8.
• * 1.8

  1 Cor. 2.12.
• * 1.9

  1 Cor. 3.19.
• * 1.10

  Isay. 5.20.
• * 1.11

  James 3.15.
• * 1.12

  Eccl. 1.5.
• * 1.13

  Baruch. 3.12
• * 1.14

  Jer. 10.2.
• * 1.15

  1 Cor. 1.22.
• * 1.16

  Eccles. 24.5:
• * 1.17

  Coloss. 2.92.
• * 1.18

  Coloss. 2.3.
• * 1.19

  Closs. 2.8.9.
• * 1.20

  James 3.15.
• * 1.21

  Acts. 17.18.
• * 1.22

  Acts. 17.22.
• * 1.23

  Acts. 1••. ver. 24.
• * 1.24

  John. 1.2.9.
• * 1.25

  1 Tim. 6.13. 1 Cor. 15.28. Coloss. 1.18. 1 Cor. 12.6.
• * 1.26

  Sap. 12.1. Act. 17. ver. 26.
• * 1.27

  Coloss. 2.3.
• * 1.28

  Coloss. 2.9.
• * 1.29

  James. 3.15.
• * 1.30

  Baruck 1. Dan. 2.21.
• * 1.31

  Dan. 2.20.
• * 1.32

  Job. 12. & 12. Pro. 2.6.
• * 1.33

  Prov. 8.22.
• * 1.34

  Eccl. 1.4.
• * 1.35

  Ecclus 24.5.
• * 1.36

  Wisd. 9.10.
• * 1.37

  Sap. 6.24.
• * 1.38

  Wisd. 7.25.26.
• * 1.39

  Hebr. 1.3.
• * 1.40

  Eccl. 1.5.
• * 1.41

  1 Cor. 12.6.
• * 1.42

  Heb. 1.3.
• * 1.43

  Coloss. 1.15.
• * 1.44

  Prov. 8.22.
• * 1.45

  Gen. 1.
• * 1.46

  Psal. 32.6.
• * 1.47

  Psal. 103.24.
• * 1.48

  2 Pet. 3.5.
• * 1.49

  John. 1.
• * 1.50

  Prov. 3.19.
• * 1.51

  1 Tim. 6.4.
• * 1.52

  Psal. 32.6.
• * 1.53

  Colos. 1.16.
• * 1.54

  John. 1.4.
• * 1.55

  Psal. 104.24.
• * 1.56

  & 29.30.31.
• * 1.57

  Job. 34.14.
• * 1.58

  Isay. 42.5.
• * 1.59

  2 Peter. 3.5.
• * 1.60

  Wisd. 12.1. Wisd. 1.7. Psal. 139.7.8.9.10.11.12.
• * 1.61

  Isay. 66.1.
• * 1.62

  Jerem. 23.24.
• * 1.63

  Psal. 104.24.
• * 1.64

  Eccl. 1.10.
• * 1.65

  Wisd. 8.5.
• * 1.66

  •• Corinth. 12.6.
• * 1.67

  Colos. 2.3. Prov. 2.6.
• * 1.68

  Ecclus. 4.21.
• * 1.69

  Ecclus. 24.46.
• * 1.70

  Jo. 14.26 John. 16.13.
• * 1.71

  4 Esdr. 14.39.
• * 1.72

  Wisd. 7.7.
• * 1.73

  Wisd. 7.17.
• * 1.74

  Touching the deity or eternall world. or Theology.
• * 1.75

  Wisd. 7.27.
• * 1.76

  Wisd. 9.10.
• * 1.77

  Wisd. 9.17.
• * 1.78

  Eccl. 24.45.
• * 1.79

  Eccles. 24.32. Wisd. 6.21. Wisd. 8.4.
• * 1.80

  Wisd. 8.13.
• * 1.81

  The Angelicall or Eviall world
• * 1.82

  Colos. 1.16. Coll. 2.9.
• * 1.83

  Eph. 1.20.
• * 1.84

  In the temporall starry world.

  Astronomy.
• * 1.85

  Eccles. 24.6.
• * 1.86

  Eccles. 24.8. Psal. 147.4.
• * 1.87

  Psal. 32.6.
• * 1.88

  4 Esd. 16.57. Baruch 3.34.
• * 1.89

  Jos. 10.13. Matth. 27.45. Jud. 5.20.
• * 1.90

  Job 38.31.
• * 1.91

  Wisd. 7.19.
• * 1.92

  In the temporall Elementary world.

  Meteorology.
• * 1.93

  Job. 28.25.
• * 1.94

  Prov. 3.20.
• * 1.95

  Eccles. 24.6.
• * 1.96

  Eccles. 24.7.
• * 1.97

  Job 28.25.
• * 1.98

  Psal. 135.7.
• * 1.99

  Psal. 147.15.
• * 1.100

  Wisd. 7.17. & 20.
• * 1.101

  Physick
• * 1.102

  Eccles. 38.2.
• * 1.103

  Psal. 107.20.
• * 1.104

  Wisd. 16.10.
• * 1.105

  1 Cor. 12.4.9.
• * 1.106

  Prov. 2.7.
• * 1.107

  Prov. 3.16.18. Prov. 9.35.
• * 1.108

  Wisd. 10.9.
• * 1.109

  Wisd. 9.19.
• * 1.110

  Eccles. 38.4.
• * 1.111

  Wisd. 16.12.
• * 1.112

  Wisd. 12.1. Wisd. 7.24.
• * 1.113

  Wisd. 7.20.
• * 1.114

  Musick.
• * 1.115

  Wisd. 19.17.
• * 1.116

  Colos. 1.17.18.19.20.
• * 1.117

  Arithmetick. Geometry.
• * 1.118

  Job. 38.4.
• * 1.119

  Joh. 1.2.
• * 1.120

  Job. 28.25.
• * 1.121

  Exod. 4.10. 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• * 1.122

  John 6.45.
• * 1.123

  Isai. 54.13.
• * 1.124

  John. 14.26.
• * 1.125

  Wisd. 10.21.
• * 1.126

  Eccl. 39.7.
• * 1.127

  Mechanick Arts.
• * 1.128

  Exod. 28.3.
• * 1.129

  Exod. 31.1.
• * 1.130

  Exod. 35.
• * 1.131

  Wisd. 10.4.
• * 1.132

  Gen. 21.
• * 1.133

  Morall Philoso∣phy.
• * 1.134

  Prov. 2.7.
• * 1.135

  Prov. 2.9.
• * 1.136

  Prov. 7.5.
• * 1.137

  Wisd. 8.7.
• * 1.138

  Prov. 8.14.
• * 1.139

  Ecclus. 6.31.
• * 1.140

  Wisd. 7.11.
• * 1.141

  Wisd. 8.7.
• * 1.142

  Policy.
• * 1.143

  2 Chron. 1.10.
• * 1.144

  Prov. 8.15.
• * 1.145

  Ecclus. 9.18. Ecclus. 4.16.
• * 1.146

  Wisd. 8.10.
• * 1.147

  Wisd. 8.14. Wisd. 8.15. Wisd. 9.12.
• * 1.148

  Miraculous or supernaturall effects.
• * 1.149

  Wisd. 10.16.
• * 1.150

  Wisd. 8.8.
• * 1.151

  1 Cor. 2.10.
• * 1.152

  John. 2.8.9. Jo. 6.10. Math. 14.25. John. 9.1. John. 11.43. John. 20.19. Joh. 21.9. Luc. 8.24. Luc. 8.27. Rom. 15.18.19. Wisd. 10.2. Wisd. 7.20.
• * 1.153

  Dan. 2.22.
• * 1.154

  Rom. 1.21.
• * 1.155

  James. 3.17.
• * 1.156

  Jam. 3.14.15.
• * 1.157

  Colos. 2.7.8.
• * 1.158

  Rom. 1.18.
• * 1.159

  Wisd. 13.1.
• * 1.160

  Wisd. 7.22.
• * 1.161

  James 3.
• * 1.162

  Wisd. 7.25.
• * 1.163

  2 Cor. 12.12.
• * 1.164

  Galat. 3.5.
• * 1.165

  1 Cor. 2.4.
• * 1.166

  1 Tim. 6.3.
• * 1.167

  1 Cor. 2.
• * 1.168

  1 Cor. 11.16.
• * 1.169

  2 Tim. 3.1.
• * 1.170

  1 Cor. 8.5.
• * 1.171

  Gala. 1.8.
• * 1.172

  1 Tim. 6.20.
• * 1.173

  Colos. 2.8.
• * 1.174

  1 Corin. 3.10.
• * 1.175

  Ephes. 4.17.18.
• * 1.176

  1 Cor. 1.20.
• * 1.177

  1 Cor. 3.19.
• * 1.178

  1 Cor. 2.12.
• * 1.179

  Colos. 2.8 9.
• * 1.180

  1 Cor. 1.22.
• * 1.181

  Colos. 2 9.
• * 1.182

  James 3.15.
• * 1.183

  1 Tim. 6.4.
• * 1.184

  2 Tim. 2.23.
• * 1.185

  Acts 17.
• * 1.186

  Luc. 17.21. 1 Cor. 6.19. 1 Cor. 6.15.
• * 1.187

  James 5.
• * 1.188

  1 Tim. 6.20.
• * 1.189

  James 3.
• * 1.190

  Colos. 2. John 14.26.
• * 1.191

  Wisd. 13.1.
• * 1.192

  Rom. 1.
• * 1.193

  Psal. 103.2. Deut. 9.3. Heb. 12.22. Isay. 66.1. Eph. 4.8. Psal. 18.5. Job. 22.15. Psal. 103.7. 2 Reg. 22.8. Job. 28. Job. 38.1. Psal. 147.16. Psal. 139.7. Act. 2.3. Sap. 1.7. 1 Cor. 3.16. Sap. 12.1. Rom. 1.
• * 1.194

  Wisd. 13.1.
• * 1.195

  Act. 17.
• * 1.196

  Isay. 44.24. 1 Cor. 15.25.
• * 1.197

  Wisd. 12.1.
• * 1.198

  Colos. 1.16.
• * 1.199

  James. 3.
• * 1.200

  Velcur. com. Phys. 3. lib. C. 5.
• * 1.201

  Freg. Lib. 25. In causa vento∣rum.
• * 1.202

  〈1 paragraph〉〈1 paragraph〉
• * 1.203

  Wisd. 7. Job. 28.
• * 1.204

  Marg. Phil. Lib. 9. cap. 20. de Fulmine.
• * 1.205

  Com. Phys. Lib. 3. cap. 6.
• * 1.206

  Jam. 3. Gal. 1.9.
• * 1.207

  Baruch. 3.
• * 1.208

  2 Tim. 4.3.
• * 1.209

  2 Tim. 3.1.
• * 1.210

  Job 38.2.3.
• * 1.211

  4.5.6.
• * 1.212

  8.17.
• * 1.213

  22.
• * 1.214

  24.
• * 1.215

  25.28.
• * 1.216

  29.
• * 1.217

  31.32.33.
• * 1.218

  Josua 10.12. Isai. 38.8 Joh. 38.34.35.
• * 1.219

  Exod. 9.2t. 2 King. 18.45.
• * 1.220

  Job 38.36.
• * 1.221

  Job 39.35.
• * 1.222

  Job. 39.37. & 42.
• * 1.223

  2.3.5.6.
• * 1.224

  2 Cor. 3.19.
• * 1.225

  Colos. 2.3.