Observations, naturall and morall with a short treatise of the numbers, weights, and measures used by the Hebrews, with the valuation of them according to the measures of the Greeks and Romans : for the clearing of sundry places of Scripture in which these weights and measures are set downe by way of allusion / by Iohn Weemse ...

CHAP. IIII. Of the situation of the Elements.

Exod. 20.4. Or in the Water under the earth. De situ Elementorum.

ALthough the water be said to be under the earth, yet the water as the lightest element is above the earth.

The water is above the earth, therefore Ierusalem is called umbilicus terrae, Ezek. 38.12. The midst of the Land; and Tyrus is sayd to be placed in the heart of the Sea, Ezch. 28.8. The water is sayd to have a heart, and the earth a Navell; as the heart is above the Navell, so the water naturally is above the earth.

When God created the Waters and the earth, at the first they were mixed together as the Wine and the dregs, but the Lord separated them, and hee caused the earth to fall downe like the dregges of the wine, and the water to rise out of the earth to the circumference,

then he gathered the waters into one place, Gen. 1. cal∣led the deepe; whereby the earth and the water, made but one globe, and the earth, being setled as the Cen∣ter, the water goeth round about it, as the circumfe∣rence; therefore that position of the Philosophers holds not, that there is ten times more water than earth, for as Bodinus saith in his Theatrum naturale, that the high∣est hill being measured perpendicularly to the superfice of the water, is not a mile of height about the water, and the deepest place in the ocean is not a mile of deepth; therefore there is not so much water as there is earth, and if the earth were made in a plaine circumference it would fill up all the wastnesse of the deepes, and in Noahs deludge it was but fifteene cubites above the highest mountaine, therefore there would not bee so much water as earth.

The earth being the Center and the water the cir∣cumference, they make but one Globe which is pro∣ved by the eclipse of the Moone, for when she is eclip∣sed, there is but one shadow cast up both of the water and the earth upon the body of the Sunne.

By the Eclipse wee learne foure great secrets in na∣ture, first the distance of the earth from the Sunne; se∣condly the distance of the earth from the Moone; thirdly, the distance of the Sunne from the Moone; and fourthly, that the water and the earth make but one Globe.

First, the discance of the earth from the Sunne, for the Sunne is farther removed from us than the Moone, as we may perceive by the Eclipse; when the shadow is cast upward from the Sunne, it reacheth to the body of the Moone, and by measuring the shadow, we know the bignesse of the Sunne, the circumference of the earth, and the bignesse of the Moone, and that the Sunne is bigger than the earth, and the earth bigger than the Moone.

That the Sun is bigger than the earth, the forme of the shadow sheweth this, for it casteth up the shadow to the Moone Pyramidaliter instar coni, and if the Sunne were not bigger than the earth, then the shadow would rise up like a pillar in infinitum, and then all the planets should be Eclipsed as well as the Moone.

Secondly, by the shadow in the Eclipse wee gather the distance of the Moone from the earth, for the earth Eclipseth no other planet than the Moone, and measure the length of the shadow, and then it will shew what di∣stance the Moone is from us.

Thirdly, by the Eclipse of the Sunne wee may know the distance of the Sunne from the Moone, for the Sunne can never be totally eclipsed, because it is both higher and bigger than the Moone; and knowing the bignesse of the bodie of the Moone; wee may un∣derstand what distance there is betwixt the Sunne and the Moone by the parts of the earth that are obscured in the Eclipse, for the eclipse of the Sunne is never uni∣versall as that of the Moone, for there may bee an Ec∣lipse in Persia or Iudea which is not here, & here when it is not there. So measuring the parts of the earth eclipsed, and the bignesse of the shadow of it, wee may gather the height of the Sunne above the Moone.

The fourth thing is, that the water and the earth make but one Globe, because the shadow is but one shadow, as the shadow of the Moone cast downe in the Eclipse of the Sunne is but one shadow; but if the water and the earth were two distinct Globes, then they would cast two shadowes.

By measuring the length of these two sha∣dowes, we may know the bignesse of the Sun, [unspec 1] the Moone and the Earth.

[illustration]

The Eclipse of the Sunne

The Eclipse of the Moone.

[unspec 2] [unspec 3] [unspec 4]

Although the water bee higher than the earth, yet it is not miraculously kept within the bounds, but onely by the Law of nature it runneth to the Cen∣ter.

There is another cause why the earth is drie and the water overfloweth it not, which is the Sunne, who by his light and motion doth heat the moyst parts of the earth and engendereth vapors, which lift up the hils and make many hollow places in the earth; and then the water finding passages, runneth into the deepes of the earth. [Simile.] When wee knead dough, the heat worketh upon the mixed body the meale, it elevateth and lifteth up some parts of it, and maketh sundrie pores and pas∣sages in the leaven fermenting it; so when the Sunne maketh the vapors, they elevate some parts of the earth; and this wayes there is a passage made for the water to runne into the hollow places of the earth, and so to drie the earth.

Secondly, the distance of the heaven from the earth is the cause of the drynesse of the earth, for the ele∣ments of themselves being without forme, and recei∣ving their formes from the heavens because the earth is farthest from the heavens, it most imperfectly taketh the round forme, because it is verie drie, and is hardly drawne to the round forme, and the inequalitie of the parts of the earth, maketh that the water overfloweth not the whole earth.

Whether is the drynesse of the earth, [Quest.] naturall to it, or against the nature of it? [Answ.]

It is according to the nature of the universe, because it serveth for a good end, the preservation of many living creatures: for although it seeme that it is naturall for the lighter element to be above, yet in respect of the universe it is naturall for the earth in many parts to be above the water, it is naturall for the water to runne

downe, yet lest vacuum bee granted it runneth up, and this course is naturall to it in respect of the Vniverse; and if the drinesse of the Vniverse were altogether vio∣lent and not naturall, then it could not continue long, for no violent thing can continue: and moreover if wee shall respect the particular parts of the earth, it is na∣turall, for the parts of the earth that are high to bee drie, and these which are lowest and nearest the Cen∣ter, to be covered with water.

He made the water as the lighter element to goe above; and the earth as the heavier element to bee low∣est. It was an old opinion of some that the earth did swim in the water, as a ship doth in the Sea, which opi∣nion Thales Milesius held, as Aristot. sheweth: hence they gathered that there were no antipodes, and that men lived not in another hemisphere, and when one held that there were Antipodes, Bonifacius who was the Popes Legat in Germanie, [Object.] would have him excommuni∣cated for that. Iohannes Aventinus, lib. 3.

Psal. 136.6. Who stretched out the earth above the waters.

But Iob saith, cap. 26.7. [Answ.] He hangeth the earth upon no∣thing, and David Psal 104.5. Who hath founded the earth upon her pillars, Symmachus, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 super sedes suas. The earth is said to be founded in the water, not that the water is under the earth, but in respect of some parts of it, hee hath founded it upon the waters, gnal is put pro 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 here, as Mat. 27.19. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in tri∣bunali, gnal pro in; so Esay 38.20. [gnal beth Iehova,] in domo domini: so gnal pro 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 juxta, as Pharao stood [gnal bajeor] juxta flumen. So Psal. 1. as a tree planted [gnal] juxta rivos: thirdly gnal notat supereminentiam, and so the earth is higher than the water for the commoditie of man, and beast, but naturally the water should bee a∣bove the earth. Lastly gnal is put for cum as both the men and the women came, gnal, Exod, 35.22. so 2 Pet. 3.5.

the earth is sayd to be of the water, and by the water, but Peter meaneth not that the earth is sustained by the water: so Noah is sayd to bee saved 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , not by the water, but in the water.

But David seemeth to make the sea lower than the earth, [Object.] Psal. 107. They that goe downe into the Sea.

If we will compare the coasts and the neerest sea, [Answ.] then the Land is higher than the sea; but if we will compare the Land and the maine sea, then the sea is higher than the Land, and therefore the sea is called altum.

The Lord hath set bounds to the sea, and with a com∣passe hath drawne a line how farre the sea should come. Circinavit. Iob. 38.11. Ier. 5.22. Will ye not tremble at my presence, who hath placed the sand for the bounds of the sea? Wee are to feare him as well in his worke of nature here [for wee see both his power and his wisedome] as we are to feare him when hee repres∣seth it onely by miracles.

Xerxes was most impudent who tooke upon him to make a bridge over Hellespont, and charged the sea un∣der paine of disobedience not to cast it downe; and threatned that he would scourge and whippe the sea if it did so. These princes who assayed only to cut the pas∣sages of Peloponesus where Corinth stood, as Claudius, Casar, Demetrius and Nero, could never effectuate this bu∣sinesse. So Sesostratus and Darius went to cut the Land betwixt the Mediterran sea, and the red Sea, but they were glad to leave off this worke, lest the Sea should have overflowed the Land; so Trajan thought to have cut a passage betwixt Nilus and the red Sea, but could never effectuate it: all which teach us, that it is the Lord onely who setteth bounds to the sea, and it is hee that stoppeth it by his mightie power. The example of Canu∣tus King of England is memorable for this purpose, for

when his flatterers flattered him too much (as Polydore Virgil testifieth] he caused to bring his chaire of estate to the Sea shore; when it was ebbing, and he sitting in it caused his heraulds to proclaime and to charge the Sea under paine of disobedience that it should not approach to his chaire of estate, but the Sea keeping it ordinarie course, made the King and all his Courtiers to remove; then the King tooke occasion to speake unto these flat∣terers, after this manner, Ye see that I am but a mortall man, whom neither sea nor winde will obey, therefore learne to feare him who hath power to set bounds to the sea, and to whom both the winde and the sea doth obey, Mark. 4.39.

The Conclusion of this is, although the water bee a∣bove the earth, and should overflow it naturally, yet the Lord saith, this farre thou shalt come and no farther, Iob. 38.11. so the Lord hath set bounds to the pride of the enemies of the Church. David when he speaketh of the waters, Psal. 124. hee called them aqua superbiae, [maijm hazedonim] and this word Ieremie useth to ex∣presse the proud heart of man, Iere. 49.6. and the Law useth it when it speaketh of a man, who killeth one in the pride of his heart: the Lord can represse this proud sea, Mark. 4.39. The wind ceased, and there was a great calme, in the Greeke it is more emphaticall 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , hee put a bridle in the mouth of the sea, that it could rage no more: as the Lord can put a bridle in the mouth of the sea, so hee hath a hooke in the nose of the tyrants on the earth, and as he limitateth the waters, so he limi∣tateth the pride of tyrants. In the winter when there are greatest stormes the Lord maketh some Halcyon or calme dayes, that this bird may hatch her young ones: so the Lord in the greatest rage and furie of his ene∣mies can calme the storme; that the Church of God may bring forth children to him, and reserveth some dry place for them.

Notes

• There is not so much water as earth.
• The earth and the water make but one globe.
• Foure great secrets to be learned from the eclipse.
• The Sunne is bigger than the earth.
• How to know the di∣stance of the Moone from the earth.
• How to know the di∣stance of the Moone from the Sunne.
• The water and the earth make but one globe
• This shadow shadow∣eth the distance of the Sunne from the Moone.
• This shadow sheweth the distance of the earth from the moone.
• This shadow sheweth the distance of the earth from the sunne.
• This shadow sheweth that the earth and the water make but one globe.
• The water although higher than the earth, is not miraculously kept in.
• Why the water over∣floweth not the earth.
• Another cause of the drynesse of the earth.
• Whether the drynesse of the earth be natural to it or not.
• The opinion of some who held that the earth did swim in the water. Arist. lib. 3. de calo cap. 13. Augustine de ciVit. dei. lib. 16. cap. 19. Lactanti∣us lib; 3. instit. cap. 24.
• 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 pro

  • ...〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
  • ...〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
  • ...super
  • ...juxta
  • ...cum.
• How the earth is said to be of the water.
• How the sea is said to be lower than the earth.
• God hath set bounds to the sea.
• The foolishnesse of some who have thought to command the sea.
• Conclusion.
• 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 superbire.
• 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 frae∣num vel capistrum.
• God that bridled the sea, can asswage the fu∣rie of the enemies of his Church.