Miscellanea philo-theologica, or, God, & man A treatise compendiously describing the nature of God in his attributes, with a lively pourtraiture of his wisedome in ordering, and disposing of the celestiall, and terrestriall bodies. Containing much variety of matter ... and apt applications singular for brevity, and perspicuity. By Henry Church.

Of the Aire.

1. Of the clearenesse of the Aire.

2. Of the softnesse and pliablenesse of it.

3. Of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 largenes and unive sallity of it.

4. Of the usefulnesse and commodity of it.

5. Of the continuance of the aire.

6. Questions resolved.

[Sect. 1] First, Of the clearenesse of it.

THe Aire of it selfe is cleare and pure; of a thinne and invisible nature: when we say the aire is clari∣fied and purged, it is not from any malignity that is in it selfe, or any pollution; but it is from the addition of fogges and vapours, which by exhalations arise from the earth into the pure aire. The lower reigion of the Aire is not so cleare as that above, yet the aire is all one, simply, and singly, pure, and cleare as the Cristall.

Conclusions.

1. Pure is hee that made the Aire. 1 Iohn 3 3. God is pure: yea, so pure, that in comparison of ••od, Coeli non sunt mundi, the heavens are uncleane in his sight.

2. I am impure, although the aire be pure: impure in my nature, Iob. 14 4. impure in my life, therefore am commanded to cleanse my selfe. 2. Cor. 7.1.

3. I sucke in the pure aire; why should I not labour

for purity, and so answer the pasture I feede in.

2. The Religion we professe is, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, a pure Religion. Iames 1.27.

3. The Catholicke Church: we in our Creed beleeve to be holy.

4. The ordinances are for this end; the Word and Sa∣craments, the whole Church liturgy; all reading, medi∣tations, godly conference, tends to this end: none will deny this, unlesse some unclean spirit, or unclean person.

5. No impure person shall attaine to happines. Revel. 21.27.

[Sect. 2] Secondly, of the softnesse and pliablenesse of the Aire.

EVery winde moves it, and every substance causes it to give place: it yeelds to every thing, and seldome resists any thing.

Conclusions.

1. It is excellent when purity and pliablenesse do meete together; to be soft tender-hearted, and pliable to that which is good, and of a yeelding disposition.

1. It is commanded. Tit. 3.2. Ephes. 4.32.

2. It is commended. Ier. 35.14.

3. It is rewarded. Gen. 13.14, 15. After Abraham had yeelded to Lot, God came to him, and gave him all the land of Canaan.

We must yeeld

1. To the commands of God. Psal. 27.8.

* 1.12. To the commands of men which crosse not God.

3. To taxes imposed, though we might argue against them. Matth. 17.27.

4. To the weake. 1. Thes. 5.14.

5. To Gods disposing providence. 2, Sam. 15 26.

We must not yeeld.

1. To Idolatry, though secretly tempted, or strongly urged. Deu. 13.6.7.8.

2. To mens commands which crosse God. Act. 4.19.

3. To the examples of the wicked. Ephesians 5.7. ver.

4. To Sathans tentations. 1. Peter 5.9. verse.

Againe we must yeeld.

• 1. To God for his owne sake.
• 2. To men for the Lords sake.
• 3. To the passionate for peace sake.
• 4. To the weake for Conscience sake.
• 5. To the poore for their needs sake.
• 6. To them that offend us for mercies sake.

To yeeld.

• 1. To the good that we may incurage them.
• 2. To the bad, that we may silence them.
• 3. To friends, that we may rejoyce them.
• 4. To enemies, that we may win them.
• 5. To all, that we may edifie them.

Againe, not to yeeld but withstand.

• 1. The Apostates, that we may shame them.
• 2. The Hereticks, that we may convince them.
• 3. The Schismaticks, that we may regaine them.
• 4. The Innovators, that we may escape them.
• 5. The beastly prophane, that we be not corrupted by them.

[Sect. 3] Thirdly, of the largenesse of the Ayre.

IT hath a large Circuite, a spacious being, yet limited; if we go up to the Clouds tis there: if we descend to the vaults and Caves of the earth, tis there: if you goe beyond the Seas, tis there; it hath a kind of vbiquity: God, our Consciences, and the Ayre are every where present, shut the Windows, barre the doores never so close draw the Curtaines together, yet these three cannot be kept out.

Conclusions.

1. If the Ayre be present every where, much more is

God, the Ayre is limitted his place; but God his center is every where, and his circumference no where: the Hea∣ven of Heavens cannot contayne him: he is in Heaven in his Majesty,* 1.2 in Earth by his providence, in Hell by his judgments: his omnipresence should teach me reverence and sincerity.

2. The Ayre is like to God, in this: tis present every where, but seene no where.

3. The Ayre in some places is darke and terrible: in some places light and comfortable: So is God, to some terrible in his judgements, to some comfortable in his presence and promises, mercies, and favours.

4. If a man doe but open his mouth, the ayre fils it: so if we open our mouth to God, and pray in faith, God hath promised to fill it.* 1.3

5. If a man be buried in the earth, the ayre leaves him, and he putrifies and rots: so those men are wholy earthly minded, suncke under earthly cares, buried in earthly desires, and in worldly hopes, God leaves them and they rot, decay, and perish.

6. A man that hath good ayre, is in possibility of health and chearefulnes: but hee that enioyes communi∣on with God, hath certainty of soules health, and shall have so much comfort first or last, as shal exceed world∣lings.

[Sect. 4] Fourthly, of the usefulnesse of the Ayre.

IT is so usefull, that we live in it, and cannot live with∣out it: tis more usefull then fire and water, friends or mony: with the ayre we do eate and drinke and sleepe, worke, walke, play, and refresh our selves: ayre is use∣full in prison, in sicknesse, at all times, in all places: the ayre is with us in contempt, in disgrace, in all miseries, the ayre will visite us, abide with us, offer it selfe to goe downe to our Lungs and refresh us.

Conclusions.

1. How good is God that makes the Aire so com∣mon; the poore Plough-man hath a better portion in it, than the rich Citizen: The Aire is Gods doale to the world, all share in it; the dogge, the horse, the swine are not deprived of it: yet it is more pretious than the gold of Ophir: the Rubies and Pearles are not to be compared with it: were it not to bee had without price, a man would part with all his substance for it, and purchase it with his chiefest treasure; yet God in bounty makes it common, and more plentifull than the stones of the street: O blesse his name for ever.

2. The Sunne is the cause of the usefulnesse of the aire, for of it selfe it is both cold and darke: so 〈◊〉〈◊〉 my soule without grace, both darke and cold, till God doe shine on me with light and heate.

3. Let me learne of the aire to be usefull, that others may have benefit by me: endeavouring to behave my selfe so toward my governours, my family, my kindred, my neighbours; toward the poore; the weake, the strong, that I may be usefull to all; so shall I not live without being desired, nor dye without being bewailed; my e∣nemies will wish to be like to me, and my friends will rejoyce to speake of me, and my conscience will speake for me.

[Sect. 5] Fifthly, of the continuance of the Aire.

THe aire and all things are continued by an uphol∣ding providence of God, Psal. 119.90.91. Good things in their want doe breede desire, in their enjoy∣ment they bring delight, comfort, and contentment.

Conclusions.

1. As the Aire is constantly continued, so is the love of God to his people; our sinnes, if we repent, deprive us not of it. Psal. 89.33. nor our afflictions, Psal. 91.15.

nor yet death it selfe, Rom. 8. ver. 38. The loue of God compasses us, and continues with us, as surely and as sweetly as the ayre we do breath in.

2. God takes not away this useful Creature, but con∣tinues it, I must learne of him not to take away from men that which is most usefull, that which they cannot well bee without: To take a poore mans tooles to pawne, or his bed-cloathes or garments, and keep them, is somwhat harsh: To with-draw maintenance from my teacher, to take away the good name of my brethren, to be a meanes to keepe bread from the Market, or prea∣ching from the people, is not the Divine, but the diaboli∣call nature.

3. The aire is continued (amongst others) to them that are evill, and sinne against God, and blaspheme his name: To teach me, not to doe the worst I can to those which are evill, and doe me wrong, but to be patient to∣ward them, and to strive to overcome them by supply∣ing their wants and necessities.

4. At night the aire hath his being▪ though it wants the well-being to me, that is, it doth want light and heate: so grace may give me a being, though I want the comfort and exercise for my well-being: but the sunne∣shine of favour brings feeling, comfort, and joy.

[Sect. 6] Sixthly, Questions resolved about the Aire.

[Quest. 1] WHere doe you prove the Aire was created?

[Answ.] The aiery region is called heaven: There are three heavens; the Imperiall heauens, where the Angels are; and Elementary heavens, where the Sunne, Moone, and Starres are; and the Region of the Aire, where the Fowles doe flye, called the Fowles of heaven: Mat. 13.3••. which heaven is the aiery region. When God made the Firmament, he made the aiery region.

[Quest. 2] How is Sathan said to be from beneath: Iohn 8. Yee

are from beneath: ye are of the Divell, saith Christ. Yet in Ephes. 2.2. he is the Prince that hath his power in the aire.

[Answ.] There is beneath in place, & beneath in dignity: a Lord may be beneath a slave in place, the slave may be in the chamber above him: there is beneath in respect of digni∣ty, so the people are beneath the Prince: Sathan is from beneath, in respect of cursednesse, basenes, and indignity.

[Quest. 3] How are the clouds supported by the aire; seeing the aire is more thinne and pure: doth the weaker uphold the stronger?

[Answ.] The Lord upholds all things by his power; the earth he hangs upon nothing; he is not tied to meanes, nor to give a reason of his doings: the Clouds are upheld (it is so) but by what meanes, our ignorance of it is no vice in us.

[Quest. 4] Have fishes aire in the seas and rivers?

[Answ.] As the wind blows where it listeth, and we know not whence it comes, nor whither it goes: so it may be said of the aire, how it penetrates or commixes it selfe with a contrary element, what path it hath under wa∣ter, what aire fishes have, or whether they breath by the Gills, we may question, but should avoyd curiosity, and never looke for full satisfaction.

[Quest. 5] Are not some Masters of families to be blamed (that being able in state) they are so grosly worldly minded, that they deprive themselves of the fresh aire, and also their wives, and children, and servants, and let them have no time, or too little time to refresh them∣selves.

[Answ.] They deprive themselves of a sweet blessing and de∣monstrate to the world what a hard master their Lord Mammon is, that taskes them so hard, and makes such drudges of them? for the fresh aire cheeres their spirits, farthers their health, encreases their appetites; a∣broad, neare the City, or farre off, as they goe, they

eate of the fruites of their labours, rejoyce their chil∣dren, encourage their servants: if they have grace, glorifie God in his workes; doe good by conference and exam∣ple amongst the countrey people; returne to their home, and with a fresh Career, with cheerefulnesse, and activenesse they fall againe to their trades and callings, their whet proves no let, they blesse God for the good aire, and the good creatures, which with good consci∣ence they have used, having taken their libertie, and not abused it.

[Quest. 7] Doe some erre on the other side, in going too often a∣broad (as they say) to take the aire?

[Answ.] As the Foxe goes to take a prey, may himselfe bee taken of the dogges; so some are taken captives of plea∣sure; a man is in hold, though he be tyed with a golden chaine. These men erre,

1. That finde time to goe out of the City for aire, but finde not time in the City to goe to Church.

2. That being poore, and their families want.

3. That being abroad fall to gameing, or drunkennesse, or excesse.

4. That minde not, nor speake of God and his works in their refreshings.

5. That suffer not their wives & children to be refresht, but are all for themselves with their companions.

6. That are too lavish in expences by vaine-glory, or li∣quorish appetites: sweet mouthes, as we call them.

7. That take the aire for pleasures sake, not for healthes sake; men doe not whet a knife but for use.

8. That working hard on the weeke daies, do take the Sundaies to be daies of sensuall pleasure, feastings, drin∣kings, and excesse.

9. That over worke and over watch their servants to maintaine their pleasures and expences going abroad.

10. That so accustome themselves to take the aire, & take their pleasures, that their hearts are stolen away, and their

trades and callings be as bonds and cords, burthens, and as prisons: in stead of being refreshed, these men are spoyled. So much of the Aire.

A Postscript concerning the Aire.

1. I see there is no vacuity in nature; every vessell is full of aire, or of other materials.

2. My head is in the aire, which is the first heaven; my eyes looke up often to the element, the second heaven: O that my heart were more often with the Lord in the 3 heaven, that I might set my affections on things above Col. 3.1. and have my conversation in heaven. Phil. 3.

3. The aire is the meeting place of the Lord Christ,* 1.4 and the Saints, (as St. Paul saith) we shall meet the Lord in the aire: (id est) the last living Saints: if the aire doth so much refresh us now; what shall then the refreshing bee? then is the time of refreshing. Act. 3.19. Tempora refrigerationis.

4. I cannot live a naturall life without the Aire, but the life in heaven needes it not; there needes no Temple for worship, Sunne for light, or aire for breath; then God will be musicke without instruments, sweetnesse without sugar, wealth without money, health without food, and life without the aire.

[Quest. 8] How dark was the aire 3 daies amongst the Egyptians?

[Answ.] So darke, that the thicknes and fogs were felt sencibly. Exod. 10.21.

[Quest. 9] What were the consequences thereof?

[Answ.] 1. It is probable the Candles could not pierce it,* 1.5 for it was tenebrae caliginosae.

2. They remained in their places, as in chaines.

3. They were horribly affrighted.

4. Their terrors, it is probable,

1. Kept them from sleeping. 2. Caused fainting and sowning. 3. Brought famine and death to some. 4. They

were more terrible to themselves than the darknesse. 5. This was an earnest of darknesse to come.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Titus 3.1.
• * 1.2

  1. King. 8.
• * 1.3

  Psal. 81.10.
• * 1.4

  1. Thes. 4.17.
• * 1.5

  Ful of obscu∣rity. Read Wisdom 17.