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1. AT length, Noe and his family be∣ing gone out of the Ark, God made a Covenant with them, that he would overwhelm the Earth no more with waters: and plac'd for a sign of the Cove∣nant, His Bow in the Clouds. And that the Rainbow is, indeed, a sign there shall be no Deluge at that time, is evident from hence, that, unlesse the Sun shine otherwhere,
there appears no Rainbow; 'tis clear, therefore, that there is not enough Rain in the Clouds, to o'rewhelm the Earth.
2. But, since, these words were said to Noe, who had already liv'd six hundred years; if he had beheld the Rainbow so many years, and afterwards experienc'd the Floud; he could not but have wondred it should import such a signification: We must say, therefore, that, without doubt, the Rainbow was never us'd to be seen be∣fore the Floud; nor is it hard to render a reason on't, out of what has been said.
3. For, since Naturalists tell us, a Rain∣bow is made out of a double or triple re∣flection or refraction of light in every drop of a light show'ry cloud; whence pro∣ceeds this variety of colours: and light, so weak and scattered, or, the foresaid co∣lours, cannot reach our Eyes at such a di∣stance, unlesse the Aire be very clear and pure: and, through the humidity of the Earth joyn'd with heat, a thick Aire inve∣loped the Earth all that time: 'Twas abso∣lutely impossible a Rainbow should be seen.
4. Besides, it seems, that, for all the la∣ter years, a great masse of Clouds must needs have so cover'd the face of the Hea∣vens,
that the Sun was rather felt then seen; as we find 'tis, for whole weeks, some∣times, together, in Winter in those Nor∣thern Countries which, yet, are not exces∣sively cold. No wonder, therefore, the Rain∣bow had not shew'd it self before the Floud.
5. Next, 'tis to be observ'd how God contracted the Age of men, and with what he requited it. Now, 'tis evident, that the Earth, by means of the Deluge, became far colder and dryer: That 'twas colder, after such a Masse of waters, so long, not only covering and compressing it, but penetra∣ting into its very bowells, any one will believe.
6. But, that water should dry, will per∣haps hardlyer rellish: but, if we consider, that sodden things are rendred dry, through the extraction of their naturall moisture, when they are too much boil'd: if we re∣flect that Trees are thrown by Timber-men into water, least their native moisture should exuberate into rottennesse and worms; and after a convenient time they are taken out again dryer then at first: if we observe that Distillers, to extract the moisture of Herbs, besprinkle the plants they are about with water or some other proportionate liquour: if lastly, we re∣member
that Gold-smiths, to separate the Silver, mixt, in a little quantity, with other metalls, mix more Silver withall: 'Twill be evident, that, when the Earth redoun∣ded with well-digested moisture, there was no better way of drying it, then, by ad∣ding another moisture, to render that was in it more separable, and presse out both together; as Nature it self operates in rot∣tennesse.
7. Supposing, therefore, the Earth be∣came both colder and dryer, the Plants and Animals must of necessity have drawn a more malignant juyce & food out of it. For, since Vegetation consists in heat & moi∣sture; Death, and Old Age must be in their opposites, and out of them, be deriv'd to living Creatures: wherefore, since, after the Deluge, men sometimes liv'd 150 & 200 years, the long life of the Patriarchs before the Floud, mention'd in the Scriptures, is not incredible. Hence 'tis that Animals were now assign'd to man for food: and, 'tis not said, that he shall rule over them, as at the beginning; but the terrour of him shall be upon the other Animals: For, at first, they serv'd him as Instruments; but now they were to become fierce and wild, whence man would contrive to kill them,
and they, consequently, like perverse ser∣vants, fly and be affraid of him, as their chastizer.
8. And, these indeed God gave to man; but another thing far greater. For, be∣cause the Earth was become dryer, the Aire too round about man was made pu∣rer and thinner; and, both by his Food and by the Aire, his Body was rendred, as, not so vast and durable, so, more subtile-spirited and more apt to be subjected to his Soul, and fitter for the operations pro∣per to it.
9. Men, therefore, grew sharper wit∣ted and more addicted to Sciences and Arts; and, by consequence, computing all things, the World became better and perfe∣cter: since, there would, necessarily, be many more men, by reason of the little∣nesse of their Bodies, and such frequent changes, through the shortnesse of their lives; and yet, nay much the rather, more forward and riper for the eternall life of the future world.