But the Thunder of his power, (or his powerful Thunder) who can underſtand?
IN this Chapter holy Job gives in his Anſwer to a third Diſputation of his ſecond friend, Bildad; which Reſponſe of Job hath two hinges to move on;
1 An utter diſlike of Bildads dealing with him; as if what was urged by his Friend, were not onely ſhort, but wide of the Mark: And this he doth in the four firſt Verſes of the Chapter.
2 A Declaration of the Majeſty, Power, and matchleſs Excellencies of Jehovah, in himſelf and his wonderful works, which Bildad only glanced at; And this he performs in the remaining part of the Chapter.
2In this 14 verſe, holy Job concludes his Meditations; and after he had given an Enumeration or Induction of divers particulars, he preſents unto his friend the whole Fabrick at once, confeſſing it to be very defective. Behold theſe are part of his wayes, how little a portion is heard of him? But the Thunder of his Power who can underſtand?
Obſerve two things from the Text;
1 In generall; The Lords higheſt operations and moſt excellent Works cannot be reached by Mans underſtanding.
2 In ſpeciall; The terrible Meteor of Thunder is a loud Manifeſtation of the Lords Greatneſſe and power; And the Trumpet of his glorious Excellency, Majeſty, and Perfection.
Obſer. 1Firſt, The higheſt Operations, and moſt Excellent Works of our God cannot be reached or graſped by mans underſtanding. As the ebbing, flowing, ſaltneſſe, and roaring of the Sea: How Gold, Silver, Braſſe are produced in the Earth. The cauſes of Sympathy and Antipathy; The nature of Angels and Soules; What he hath wrought in the Earth, in the Seas; What under the Heavens, what in the3 Heavens, and what above them: What he did before the World was created, and what he will doe after its diſſolution. I grant that men have attained to much knowledge of Gods viſible works. 'Tis ſaid of Kingaa1 Reg. 4.33. Solomon (the wiſeſt of men Chriſt excepted) that he knew all Plants from the Cedar, to the Hyſop growing on the wall. And ofbbActs 7.22. Moſes, that he was learned in all the wiſdome of the Aegyptians: Of Daniel, Shadrach, Meſhach, and Abednego,ccDan. 1.17. that the Lord gave them knowledg, with all learning and wiſdom. Job alſo had great knowledge of Gods works, and ſo had David and Paul.
Pliny is called by Eraſmus Theſaurus, imo mundus, rerum cognitu digniſſimarū: A ſtore-houſe, Nay, a world of Things, moſt worthy to be known. Auſtin ſaith concerning Jerome, Quae Hieronimus neſcivit nullus hominum unquam ſcivit: No man ever knew that thing of which Jerom was ignorant. Ariſtotle is ſtiled by one, Ʋltimus conatus Naturae; The very Maſter-piece of Nature for knowledg and underſtanding in all things.
Yet notwithſtanding, that the higheſt Works of God cannot be graſped by mans4 underſtanding, will evidently appeare by theſe ſeven Mediums: As,
Medium. 1Firſt, Mans darkneſſe and ſloth ſince the Fall, joyned with the brevity of his Life, will demonſtrate this Truth. Darke we are ſince the cloud of ſin overſhadowed our minde; our brighteſt Notions are ſtained, our light ecclipſed, our Intellectuals darkned, I ſay all this ſince the unhappy Fall of Man: For who queſtions, but Adam in his ſtate of Perfection had vaſt knowledge of the Creatures; They were all brought to himddGen 2.19, 20. to ſee what he would call them: So, he gave names to all the Creatures, and whatſoever Adam called every living creature, that was the (ſtanding) name thereof. This plainly ſhews us Adams great knowledg, and wiſdom in Naturall things. For names were given at the firſt according to the ſeverall Natures and Properties of the creatures. Plato in Cratillo ſhews us that the Man who would give the right Name to a thing, muſt firſt know the Nature of it very well; And ſo queſtionleſſe Adam did, when he gave a Name to every creature.
But this knowledge of Gods works was much ſtained and darkned by the Fall and5 Apoſtacy of Man: As we now ſee but the Back-parts of God, Chriſt thoroweeCant. 2.9. the Latteſſe only; ſo ſaith Job, we ſee but part of his wayes. As well may an Hive of Bees fathom the Actions of Princes, as we the Works of Creation and Providence. Saint Paul ſaith,ff1 Cor. 13.9, 10. We know but in part. ggAuſtine.Maxima pars eorum quae ſcimus eſt minima eorum quae ignoramus. All that we know is little, if compared with that which we know not. He that hath read and conſidered the ſtory ofhhPlato de Re-publ. l. 7. Plato's Cave, will not wonder that ignorant folk, nurſt up in darkneſſe, ſhould pleaſe themſelves with poor ſhallow conceipts, as having never heard, or ſeen better: He will alſo collect, how abſurd their former conceptions will appeare to them, when afterwards they ſhall have imbib'd a little knowledge. iiCamerarius his Hiſtorical meditat. l. 3. &c. 3.By nature we are chained up in a Cave of Darkneſſe, taking meere ſhadows to be things ſubſtantiall, and ſubſtances to be ſhadows. Imperita Ruſticitas credit ſe omnia ſcire; Ignorant confidence hath the wings of an Eagle, the eyes of an Owle. One that hath little knowledge may be admired by the Ignorant, Inter ſaecos luſcus regnare poteſt: A6 purblinde man is King among the blinde. From the Darkneſſe and Pride of men came thoſe many odd opinions concerning the works of God; For Critias the Philoſopher held the ſoule to be Blood. Porphiry did attribute Reaſon to bruit creatures,kkSir Walt Ral. Hiſt. of the world, l. 2. cap. 13. and Melampus Language. Nay, Empedocles held, that not onely Beaſts but Plants had Intellectum. The Stoicks (on the other ſide) would not grant, Vitam ſtirpibus, that Plants have life. Olympiodorus Platonicus, held thellNieremberg. Nat. Hiſt l. 2. c. 3 P. 18. Elements were animated and diſtinguiſhed by Sexes. mmIdem. li. 2. c. 11.Seneca will needs have it that Comets are ingendred not in the Aire, but above the Moon. Thoſe two great Lights, Auſtin and Lactantius denied there were Antipodes; which Hackwell may have leave to wonder at; Many School-boys now being able to reſute that Errour. Ariſtotle (Natures Secretary) held the world to be Eeternall, that there are but 8 Spheares, and that thennAriſtot. Meteor l. 2 c 11. Torrid and Frigid Zones are inhabitable (which experience contradicts.) The Baſilidians held there were as many Heavens as days in the year. TheooNierem. Hiſt. Nat l. 2. c. 8. Chaldeans believe, that ſtrong luſty men help7 move the Heavenly Orbs. ppSir Walt. Ral. Hiſt. of the world, l. 1. Chap. 3.Euſebius (miſled by Joſephus) ſuppoſed that before the Floud, Angels, taken with the beauty of women, begat thoſe Gyants. Philip Melancthon ſaith, the Sun is nearer the Eearth, almoſt by ten thouſand Germane miles, then it was in Ptolomies dayes, yet this Melancthon a very learned man. Copernicus held that the Earth moves, and the Heavens ſtand ſtill: Which ſtrange opinion (ſo contradictory not onely to Reaſon, butqqPſal. 104.5. & 19.5. Joſh. 10.13. Ergo fol movet. Scripture) hath found too many favourers in our Schools of Learning. To all which let me add a witty conceipt in Ludovicus Vives, upon Auſtin; He tells of a Barbarous Nation, that condemned, executed, and ript up an Aſſe, to recover the Moon out of his belly, which they ſuppoſed he had ſwallowed, becauſe they ſaw him drink at the water, where the Moon appeared by reflexion; And immediately thereupon (ſhee being muffled up with Clouds) they miſſed her.
Thus you have abundant proof of that darkneſſe which hath been on the Intellectuals of Man ſince the Fall, in relation to Gods wonderfull Works: And as our8 Eyes are dim, and cannot ſee much, ſo our ſloth is great, and our inadvertency and heedleſneſſe inexcuſable, in that we ſeldome look into the volumn of Creation, or at beſt but with careleſſe and tranſient eyes.
Few there be that will give themſelves, or bend all the Faculties of their ſoules to ſtudy and conſider God in his Workes. TherrPierij Hieroglyph. lib. 24. cap. 22. Sybaritae would not ſuffer a Cock to crow in their City, nor any Smith to work till Noon, leſt their ſleep ſhould be diſturbed.
How many live without the ſweat of their Brow in labour, or of the Brain in ſtudy and meditation? The Cat would faine have water, but is loth to wet her foot. Idleneſſe is a Step-mother to the Muſes. The Cyclopes thought mans happineſſe did conſiſt in Nihil agendo, in doing nothing. But no excellent thing can be the child of Sloth. Who can expect if a multitude of leaden letters be caſt off the hand, to finde amongſt them an exact poem? GodssExod. 13.13. ordained the neck of the conſecrated Aſſe ſhould be broken, in ſtead of ſacrificing him; peradventure becauſe that Creature hath ever been the6 Heroglyphick of ſloth and lazineſſe.
Here may juſtly deſerve blame, the want of Reading, Travelling, and Meditation.
1 The want of reading and ſtudying ſuch Authors, as write of the Works of God. Vita hominis ſine literis mors eſt; The unlearned is a dying life.
The Scholer, like a Bee, gathers honey from every flower, knowledg from every Book he touches. Yet Lewis the 11. King of France, charged his Son to learn no more Latine but this, Qui neſcit diſſimulare, neſcit vivere; He that cannot diſſemble and flatter (ſaid he) knows not how to live. When the PeoplettAelian. of Mytilene became maſters of the Sea, they inflicted this puniſhment on thoſe that were revolted from them, that they ſhould not teach their children to read. He that is minded to apply himſelf to Reading, ſaith Seneca, may have private conference with Zeno, Pythagoras, Ariſtotle, Theophraſtus, and other Authors of good Arts; and he ſhall ever finde them at lieſure to commune with him. The want of reading, and learned education, makes people as a barren ſoile, unmanured, unplanted: No10 marvail ſuch are groſly ignorant of Gods works.
2 Next, The want of Travelling in ſuch as have Time and Meanes for it. Alexander ſpeaking of his Travels, would often ſay, that he had diſcovered more with his eye, then other Kings had comprehended in their thoughts. Men do but gueſſe at the works of God abroad, that go meerly by the relations of others. One journey to the Alpes will ſhew thee more then many Hiſtories do record. Let Claudian mention it as a point of happineſſe for ones Birth, Life, and Burial to be all in a Pariſh: But how great advantages have thoſe that Travell into divers Nations? How many Rarities of Nature do they ſee? What ſtrange creatures which be not in our Countrey? what craggy Rocks, Mountains aſpiring towards the Sky, magnificent Buildings, goodly Vine-yards, choice and delicate Fruits of the Earth, which our cold Climate affords not; Divers Antiquities and Monuments of great note; Rare men; the Courts of Princes; the cuſtomes of Nations, &c. Such as go voyages by Sea, muſt needs ſeeuuPſal. 107.24. many wonders of God in the Deep. He hath11 lived (ſaith one) but in a large cheſt, that hath ſeen but one Land. Italy,Feltham Reſolves. Cap. 10. France and Spain are the Court of the World: Germany, Denmark and China are as the Citie of the World; The reſt are moſt of them Country and Barbariſme. It were an excellent thing in a State to have a ſelect number of judicious Perſons,Note. thus employed into ſeveral parts of the world, and be bound once in ſeven years to give the Nation ſome account of their Travels in writing, for the benefit of ſuch as ſtay at home; and that Penſions might be allotted for that end. This would be a better employment for the youth of our Nobility and Gentry, then to ruſt at home; Bowl, Dice, and Drink away their golden Time.
Again, our ignorance of God and his Volumn of Creation, may be charged on the want of Meditation in all men. We ſee divers of Gods works in the pooreſt Village; but we doe not weigh and ponder them in the Ballance of Meditation. Chriſt thereforexxMat. 6.26.26. calls upon us to Behold the Fowls of the aire, and to conſider the Lillies of the field. Wee ſee theſe things, but doe not bend and buckle our12 minde to the Object, that we conſider the workmanſhip of God in them. The generality of menyyJob 37.14. Iſa. 5.12. regard not the works of the Lord, neither conſider the operations of his hands. They heare it Thunder, but it ſtrikes no awe upon their hearts, becauſe they never conſider it is the voice of God. They heare the whiſtling of the Winde, the ratling of the Hail; Behold the Snow (that feather'd raine) come down, reap benefit by the former and latter rain, but they never conſider of theſe works and wonders of God. When do they, with Iſaak, walk into the Fields for meditation, or with Daniel by the River ſide, or with Peter on the houſe top, to ſurvey & admire God and his works? The love of contemplation madezzHieron. Epiſt. 4. ad Ruſticum. Jerome ſay that Solitude was a Paradiſe, &aaCogitare eſt vivere M. T. Cicero Acad. Quaeſt. l. 1. Cicero that to think was to live. Baſil wept when he handled a Roſe, to conſider the prickles thereof were the fruit of mans Fall. The ſame did Perſius, when he ſaw a Toad, to think of his owne ingratitude, in that God had made him a Man, and not a filthy Toad. When Eſtius heard the little Birds ſing, O the Muſick, ſaid he, that is in Heaven! So when David (not onely ſaw, but) well13 conſidered the Sun, Moon, and Stars, he cryed out, Lord what is man that thou art mindefull of him? q. d. That thou ſetteſt up ſuch huge burning Tapors for him that doth ſo little work for thee? Surely, the want of conſidering the choice and admirable things which God hath made, is one main reaſon of our knowing them ſo little, and our being affected with them no more.
To all which conſiderations, let me add the brevity of our Life; Ars longa, vita brevis: It requires much time, obſervation, and experience to know the works of God, and our life is fraile and ſhort; as a Span, as a Vapour, as a Bubble: And many times ſaith Seneca,bbSeneca Epiſt. 23. we begin not to live till our life is ending. Sickneſſe alſo, and old Age ſteal upon us; Then we grow oblivious, unteachable, overcaſt with clouds, full of pain and infirmities.
Now our Life is very ſhort,
1 If compared with other creatures: Some ſay of the Eagle, Nec annis debilitatur, nec morbis obnoxia eſt. Pliny ſaith, It is neither Age nor Sickneſſe killeth the Eagle, but theccPſal. 103.5. upper Bill groweth over the under, ſo at laſt ſhee is ſtarved. 14Some Elephants live three hundred years, as Aelian, Solinus, and Strabo tell us.
2 Our life is ſhort, if compared with the long life of men in former times: Enochs years were of the ſame number with the dayes of the year. Adam lived 930 years, andddGen. 5.7.2•. Methuſelah a thouſand, wanting one and thirty. But in Davids time, old age and 70. ſhook hands. The climatericall yeare hath extinguiſhed many Lights; As Aristotle, Plato, Diogeges, and Zenocrates; ſo fatall hath beene the year 63. Parre aged about 160 was brought from Shropſhire to London, as the longeſt liver of this Age and Nation,eeAnn. Dom. 1634. Sep. 29. to be ſeen as a wonder. So then deduce from our ſhort life, the time of firſt and ſecond child-hood, (I meane of infancy & extreame old age) next all the time beſtowed on Sleep, Food, Apparel, Viſits, Recreations and Luſts, then ſcarce any man of 70 would be 12 years old. Hence (in part) comes our great ignorance of God and his works, viz. The brevity of our life.
Secondly, The moſt excellent works of God cannot be fathom'd by mans underſtanding, by reaſon of the variey of ſpecies,15 (mans weakneſſe conſidered) and the multitude of things which GOD hath made. The Rabbins are very curious in numbers, and divers of their obſervations are founded in Arithmetick. They glory in this conceipt, that a man hath ſo many bones as there be letters in the Decalogue, and juſt ſo many joynts and members as there be dayes in the yeare; To ſhew, that all our ſtrength and time ſhould be expended in Gods ſervice. 'Tis ſaid, that atffExod. 15.27. Elim there were 12 wells of Water, and 70 Palm-trees: in which 12 ſprings of water, Saint Jerome conceived he ſaw the faces of the 12 Apoſtles, and that the 70 Palm-trees did praefigure the 70 Diſciples.
But (to return to our buſineſſe) who can number all the works of God, from the Eagle to the Gnat, from the Elephant to the Piſmire, from the Whale to the Lamprey, from the Oake to the Violet, from the huge Sun to the leaſt Star in the milky way, from the largeſt Continent to the ſmalleſt Iſland, from the main Ocean to the leaſt Brook? And if the diſtinct ſpecies or kinds of things cannot be found out, who will undertake (be he man16 or Angell) to number the Individuals, which every Species contains? every one of thoſe Individuals having ſome private marke or note of diſtinction from his fellow.
'Tis a proverbial ſpeech, that no man can number ſtellas Caeli, ſtill as Roris, the drops of Dew, or Stars of Heaven. WellggPſal. 72.15. might David ſay of Gods wonders, I know not the number thereof. Andhh& 139.17, 18. how great is the ſum of them? If I ſhould count them, they are more in number then the ſand. 'Twas no Hyperbole in Eliphaz to ſay,iiJob 5.9. The Lord doth things great and unſearchable; marvellous things without number. Nor in PaulkkRom. 11.33. when he cryeth, his wayes are paſt finding out.
Thirdly,3 Medium. Gods wiſdome is great, and every thing he doth hath ſome impreſſions and characters of that wiſdome ſtamped on it. ThellPſal. 104.24. Lords wiſdome is infinite. No man knows all that God hath done: God hath ſome rare pieces in the Sea and Earth, which he doth not ſhew unto men, but keeps lockt as in a ſecret Cabinet. mmAs Drake, Candiſh, & Sebaſtran Deleano, who are ſaid to put a girdle about the world.Such as have travel'd round the world (as the people ſuppoſe) yet may not have ſeene the fifth part of it. 17nnSir Walt. Ral. Hiſt. of the world. l. 1. cap. 3.Metrodorus thought that to deny infinite worlds is all one as to affirme that in ſo large a field as the Univerſal, there ſhould grow but one Thiſtle. Alſo Anaxagoras and Democritus held a plurality of worlds. Some are of opinion that every Starre hath a world ready peopled in it. Nay, they offerHeb. 1.2. but compared with Mat. 12.32. Scripture to maintaine a multitude of worlds: But let the Reader excuſe me, if I divert him with a ſtory of two Fryers; who diſcourſing how many worlds were created, one of them affirmed there were ten worlds, quoting that Text in Luke; Annon decem facti ſunt mundi? The other looking into the Text replyed, Sed ubi ſunt novem? Yet this is certain, though there be but one world, that much of it is yet unknown to us, and 'tis not long ſince a conſiderable part of the world hath been found out; Witneſſe thoſe New Diſcoveries by Chriſtopher Colono of the Weſt Indies by Hernando Magellano of the Meluccaes, & by Sir Hugh Willoughby of thoſe Northern Diſcoveries; And yet ſtill great part of the Map and Globe is filled up with18 Terra Incognita, The unknown Earth, lying either under the Artick, or Antartick Circle; The formerppDr. Heilins Geogr. is rather ſuppoſed then known. The latter is ſomething knowne, and hath the Names of Terra del Fuega, Nova Guinea, Pſittacorum Regio, and ſuch like.
Next, to come unto the known World; how many Rarities in it, that have been imperfectly deſcribed? Travellers differing much in their relations, which may be imputed either to a prond heart, a careleſſe eye, a credulous pen, or aqqPoets and Travellers abound with Fictions. wide mouth. Scaliger ſaith of Baronius, He did not write Annals, but frame them. Palaephatus was wont to write incredible, if not impoſſible things. Bellonius, (a modern eye-witneſſe) reports that the doors of that famous Church in Conſtantinople, Sancta Sophia, are in number equall to the dayes of the year, yet Mr. Sands ſearched narrowly,rrMr. Sands in Travels. and could find but 4 only. (ſ) Nicephorus writes of a new Star ſeen, to which a nultitude of other Stars did flock, as Bees about their King. (t) Aelian19 ſaith, hee ſaw an Elephant writing plainly in the Roman Character with his Trunk. Pompeius Mela writes of Chronicles which went over thirteen thouſand yeares. uuPlin. Hiſt. l. 7. c 2.Pliny writes of ſome Indians that have no mouths, but live by the ſmell of Herbs and Flowers. 'Tis feared the beſt of Hiſtorians (Canonical Scripture excepted) are ſprinkled with untruchs, elſe Tertullian would not have called Tacitus, Mendaciorum loquaciſſimum, the greateſt Lyar; who is commonly voted, the trueſt Hiſtorian. This may be one cauſe why ſo many of Gods works are not rightly known to us, being miſrepreſented by Travellers and Hiſtorians.
To proceed. Such as havewwAriſtotle. Pliny. Pierius. Aelian. Nieremberg. Bacon. Dubartas. Sir Walt. Ral. cum multis aliis. written of Gods wonderful works, and treated of the Elements, Meteors, and Stars; of Beaſts, Birds, and Fiſhes; of Plants, and Minerals; of People & their ſhape and manners, have yet touched onely the border of Gods works: For if all thoſe Perſons who have made it their ſtudy and buſineſſe to know and deſcribe theſe things, were now alive and aſſembled into one grand Committee,20 they would not be able to give us a ſufficient reaſon of Gods wonderfull works: As for Example; why a man that hath the Jaundis, looking on the Bird Ictarus or Galgulus, the man is cured, ſaith Pliny, the poore Bird inſtantly dyeth? Why Fowl that flye over the River Aurina in Italy, fall dead into itxxPietii Hieregl. l. 2. cap. 17. ſaith Pierius? Why Goats breath at the eare, as Alomaeon is confident they do? Why honey in Heraclea is poyſonous, which is ſo reſtorative in other places of the world? Why the Crocadile (only) moves the upper jaw; and why heyyNieremb. Nat. Hiſt. lib. 32 cap. 1. lives all night in the water, all day on the Land, and not rather the contrary, or ſtill in one Element? Why the Remora, (a Fiſh but halfe a foot long) ſhould be able to ſtay a ſhip under ſaile,**Pliny Nat. Hiſt. lib. 32. cap. 1. ſaith Pliny? Why the members of an Hen, being put into a pan of melted Gold, the Gold ſhould be all waſted & conſumed on her fleſh,zzPierii Hierogl. l. 24. cap. 12. ſaith Pierius? Why the heate of the ſand ſhould hatch the Eggs of the Oſtrich, and not of other Birds? What moves the Adder to ſtop his ears againſt theaaPſal. 58.45. Charmers voice? 21In ſum, whence that furious antipathy between the Eagle and the Swan, the Panther and the Hinde, Dolphin and Whale; The Siskin and Muskin, who (ſaith Plutarch) fight eagerly alive, and being dead their blood will not mingle, but diſſociate? On the other ſide, why ſo firme a league and ſympathy between the Peacock & the Dove, the Thruſh and Crane, Sparrow and Crocadile?
So again among Plants; why the Herb, Molio, ſhould carry a Flower white as ſnow, the root being black as Inke? Why the Trees of Silon in India never looſe their leaves? Why the famousbbSee Henry Moors Antidote againſt Atheiſm, l. 2. cap. 7. p. 110, 111. Indian Nut-tree ſhould yield ſo many things of a different nature, as Bread, Drinke, Cups, Houſes, and Boats, with ſailes and cables, not wanting even Bodkins to fit thoſe ſailes being made.
Yet theſe things are generally agreed on by the beſt writers of Natural Hiſtory; and are not wont to be thruſt into the Catalogue of Fables.
In all which reſpects you ſee the Wiſdome of God in his Works is ſo22 great and myſterious, that no marvaile it is paſt finding out by the wiſeſt of the Sons of Men. But in particular,
Medium. 4Fourthly, His power and wiſdome are unſearchable in great and ſmall creatures.
1 In ſuch creatures as carry with them an extraordinary bulk, incredible to ſuch as never ſaw any creature exceeding an overgrown Oxe driving to the Shambles. ccAelian, l. 15. cap. 21.Aelian writes that Alexander found in a cave (in India) a Dragon ſuppoſed to be 70 cubits long; They conceived his eyes to be about the bigneſſe of a Macedonian Shield: Alexander with his valiant Hoſt durſt not approach too near this horrible creature. ddPlin. lib. 9. cap. 30.Pliny writes of Eeles in the River Ganges that were 300 feet in length. Moſt wonderfull things are written of the Whale;eeAmbroſe Hexemer l. 5. cap 10. Ambroſe ſaith, Aequalia montibus corpora habere praedicātur; that whales are held to have bodies equal with mountains. Muſculus ſaith that ſome have appeared in the water of the bigneſſe of Iſlands. Pliny mentioneth Juba, K. of Mauritania, writing unto Cajus Caeſar (Sonne of Auguſtus) of great23 Whales in the coaſts of Arabia, that were ſix hundred foot long, and three hundred foote broad. The truth of which Reports I wholly leave to the credit of the Authors, and judgement of them that read what I have written; contenting my ſelf with that which the Scriptures have ſaid of this huge creature. In generall, that he is the greateſt of all living creatures;ffJob 41.24. for in the earth there is none like him. And then in**Iob 41.5, 6.22. Ionah 1. and 2 Chap. particular, that his jawes are like unto doores, his ſcales to ſhields; That he makes the ſea to boyl like a pot: So big was the Whale, that he ſwallowed downe Jonas whole, without bruiſing or hurting him, and ſo caſt him up again.
I read in our Chronicles of a monſtrous huge Fiſh, taken in the Iſle of Thanet, 1573. July 6. the length of this Fiſh was 22 yards, 12 foot between the eyes, ſome of his Ribs were 16 foot long: Alſo his Tongue was in length 15 foot, ſaith Mr. Stow. ggStowes Chronicle, pag. 14. in the 16 yeare of Queen Eliz.
The ſame AuthorhhIdem p. 347. writes of another great Fiſh, taken within two miles of Yarmouth, in Norfolke, 1583. 24Octob. 10. having Teeth 3 quarters of a yard in compaſſe; Great eyes and holes over them to ſpout out water; The taile of it was 14 foote in thickneſſe.
Next, for the Elephant (called Behemoth) and at large deſcribed in theiiJob 40.15.18, 19, 23. 40 Chapter of Job: His bones are ſtrong as braſſe; he drinks up a River; He is the chiefe of the wayes of God, ſaith the Creator to Job: That is, The Lords Maſter piece among the Beaſts of the Earth. Some of their Teeth have been 8 foot long; Aelian ſpeaks of ſome Elephants nine cubits high; with his Trunk orkkAriſtot. De N•t. Animal. l. 2. cap. 5. 6. Snout he overthrows trees and feedeth thereon. The Elephant is of that bulk and ſtrength, that 'tisl Trap, on Job 40. reported he can beare a wooden tower upon his back, and on that 32 men to fight there from.
Next for Trees; In Braſile there be ſome ſo big thatmmAbbots Geography p. 271. ('tis ſaid) ſeveral Families have lived in ſeveral Arms of one Tree to ſuch a number as are in a Village amongſt us. Thus Abbot relates it.
How much is the power of God25 ſeen in Creatures of ſuch a bulk as I have mentioned.
2 It is ſo alſo in ſmall and little creatures, as the Bee, the Fly, the Ant, the ſweet Violet: Any work of God narrowly eyed will beget Admiration. But how do we ſlight the wiſdome of God in theſe things. Yet we admire him that conveyed Homers Iliads into a Nut; and the Rhodes who did carve out a ſhip in every point compleat, yet ſo little that the expanded wings of a Fly might cover it. InnCauſſins Diary in Epiſt. read alſo of a great Prince, who had a ſtriking clock in the knob of a Ring: And I have ſeen a Lady that hath a Watch made to hang at her ear. But ſuch is our blindneſs, that although God ſhew a world of wiſdome drawn in a very ſmall map, and preſents to us divers excellent Epitomes of his power in your Inſecta, or very ſmall creatures, (that cannot be anatomiſed) yet we heed, we regard them not. Ariſtotle was otherwiſe minded; for he held the meaneſt creature having life, exceeded the beſt void of life; In which Axiome he prefers a Fly before an Oak, and a Worm before26 the Sun: Such an admirer was he of life in generall, and eſpecially in little creatures; That in purſuance thereof, he ran into this abſurdity, which peradventure he was not aware of.
Pliny wonders, how the Gnat being ſo ſmall a creature, ſhould be able to make ſo great a buzzing. Gallen much extolls the wiſdome of God in making a Gnat,ooGallen de uſu partium, c 7. yea the thigh of that poor creature, confeſſeth the hand of God, and magnifies that Name, which many Chriſtians blaſpheme. ppMat. 10.29, 30.Providence reaches little Sparrows, nay the ſmalleſt and meaneſt things, even one hair of our head. Which Doctrine 'tis ſaid that Pompey could by no meanes digeſt.
I might here add what Pliny, Ariſtotle, Ambroſe, and Baſil have written of the Bee, Ant, & ſuch like poor little Animals; and how they magnifie the wiſdome of God in the ſtructure and properties of theſe creatures.
But to ſpeak ſomething of Pearls, Diamonds, and other precious Stones, which are not ſmaller in quantity, then great in worth and eſtimation. Charls27 Duke of BurgundyqqAlſted chronol. loſt a Diamond in Battle, which is ſaid to be of ſo much worth, that therewith a man might buy an whole Countrey: And much is written of Cleopatra's Pearl. Yet,rrDr Reynolds. behold, that which is ſuch an ornament to the Lady that wears it, is ſaid to be a diſeaſe in the Fiſh that breeds it. Strange things are written of the rare vertues of Precious ſtones, containing in worth what they have not in bulk; The little Pearl being more admirable then a Rock. Borrheus ſaith the Emrauid preſerves chaſtity. Rueus, that the Chryſolite helps breathing: Toſtatus of the Saphir, that it frees from wrath and envy; alſo of the Jaſper that is full of veines, Quot venae tot virtutes. The Diamond ſaith Pliny, is an admirable remedy againſt poyſon. Dioſcorides ſaith, the Agat will keep him moiſt that wears it. The Beril, ſaith Abulenſis, cureth watriſh, and running eyes, nay, ſharpneth the wit, ſaith Yſtella: And Albertus affirms, that theſſDr Featlies. Sermons, p. 498, &c. Onix ſtrengthens the whole Body. There is not any Precious ſtone, or Herb of the Field,28 but hath rarer properties and more virtues in it, then men can diſcover or obſerve.
Medium. 5Fifthly, we admire ſuch men as have (any thing) wel imitated Gods works, yet we have more reaſon to marke and admire the works themſelves: We are apt to wonder at Appelles, who drew the picture of an Horſe ſo like inttEraſmi Apoph. lib. 8. Epheſus, that horſes ſeeing it, neighed, as ſurprized by the fortunate imitation: ſo the Birds came and pecked the Grapes which were painted by Zeuxis. Albertus Magnus made the Statue of a Man, which could walke and pronounce certain words; it was 30 year about. Phidias is much praiſed by Julian, for a Graſhopper and Bee, which he made in braſſe. The wooden Dove of Architas could flye by curioſity of Art. Wonderfull was that Globe of Silver, ſent by Ferdinand, King of Romans, to Solyman the Turk; for it expreſſed the time of the day, the motions of the Planets, change of the Moon, and the wonderful revolutions of the Heavens.
If we ſee a glaſſe Eye, an ivory29 Tooth, we praiſe the skill of the Artiſt, but we do not obſerve a ſpecial power and providence in the frame and compoſure of the members themſelves; All the united power and wiſdome of men and Angels, are not able to make a Primroſe or Fly, if they might have more worlds for their paines, then the aire hath flies, or the Sea-ſhore pibbles: They muſt let that alone for ever.
Medium. 6Sixthly, A multitude of wonders attend the viſible Heavens. The Moon is the Queen of Planets, a very great and goodly Creature to look upon, when ſhe is in the full of her glory; Yet the Sun is ſaid to be ſix thouſand, ſixe hundred, forty and five times bigger. Heidfeldius tells us that the Sun moves two hundred & ſeven thouſand Dutch miles an hour. He moves ſo faſtuuDay on Cor. p. 260. ſaith another, as if a Bird ſhould flye fifty times the ſpace of the world in halfe a quarter of an hour, (You have my Author in the margent.) Jupiter is as many yeares in going his circuit as the SUN is moneths. The ninth, or Chriſtallin Sphear is ſaidwwPlato. to accompliſh30 his Revolution in thirty ſixe thouſand years. Who can number the Stars? none but GodxxPſal. 147.4. who calleth them all by their names. Some have pretended to tell them diſtinctly, and could make but a thouſand three hundred and odd; Yet they had not names for all theſe, and they were faine to reckon them by Conſtellations, as we number Grapes by the cluſter; ſo they give one name to an huge Family of Stars. yyDay on 1•Cor. 15. p. 271.Some Mathematicians have adventured to ſay, That there are no more but a thouſand thouſand and two and twenty Stars; according to the 48 Images, which they chalke out in the Firmament, and thoſe they ſort into ſixe Magnitudes (the ſixth Magnitude being the leaſt) and yet the leaſt Star is ſaid to exceed the Earth in bigneſſe 18 times. AndzzAriſtot. De Caelo, lib. 2. c. 15. ſuch as pretend to know the bigneſs of the Earth, ſay it is four hundred thouſand miles about. 'Tis generally heldaaOrigen. Auſtin. Euſebius. and Clem. Alexandrinus. by Learned men, that the Earth after the Flood, was divided into 70 Languages. Cant. 4.8. How much is thy love better then wine? The Chaldee paraphraſe reads31 it, Thy loves are better then the ſeventy Nations. If the Earth be ſo big as to hold 70 Nations, and that the girdle of the Earth is four hundred thouſand miles long; judg then how big and ſpacious the circumference of the heavens is, to which the whole Earth is by all acknowledged a Punctum in the midſt of that Circle. Who can underſtand or ſpeak exactly of the Heavenly bodies? who can fully declare the Names, Motions, Magnitude, and ſeveral Influences of the Stars? Not a Star riſeth to morrow in the ſame manner as he doth to day.
Thus hath God adorned the goodly Canopie of Heaven with a multitude of golden ſpangles, and ſhining Diamonds, for the uſe and comfort of man. bbPſal. 19.1.The Heavens declare his glory, and the Firmament, ſo embroidered, his handy-worke. Unſearchable is the wiſdome of God in theſe glorious works, which he hath created.
Medium. 7Laſtly, Providence is a kind of continuall creation: By this the blinde Whelp ſeeks for the Nipple till he find it; The Swallow ſo curiouſly builds32 his clay houſe, or neſt, and every Bee of the Hive goeth readily to his owne little Cell, and waxen Cloſet. By this all men are given diſtinct faces, voices, and geſtures, to prevent confuſion, and that one Relation may perfecty know another. By this the wiſe little Ant nibbles each end of her corne, that it may not grow in the Earth: TheccNieremb. Hiſt. Nat. lib. cap. 11. Caſſian Birds are never ſeen of the Inhabitants, but when they need them to eate up their Locuſts; And the youngddPſal. 104.24. Ravens are fed, when the old ones forſake them. By this all States and Kingdoms riſe to their vertical points, and then decline. By this the whole Creation in generall, and the Church in ſpeciall is wiſely and excellently governed. If, ſaitheeRutherford. one, a creature, yea the moſt excellent of created Angeſs ſhould ſit at the helm of this great World, to rule and govern all things 48 hours, the Sun would not riſe in due time, the walls and covering of this great building would fall, the Globe of the World would reele too andddPſal. 104.24. fro, and ſtagger like a drunken man: All would ravell into meet confuſion.
33But now; who is able throughly to diſcerne and underſtand this government of the world by Chriſt and Angels? Many things do ſeemingly come by chance; As the cure of an Ulcer on the Lungs, an enemies ſword, Opening a wound in that place by which the corruption did evacuate to the ſaving of life. 'Twas not by chance the Ram, ready for ſacrifice, was intangled in the briars;ffGen. 22.8, 3•. For there was a Deus providebit. Nor was it byggExod 2.5. chance that King Pharaoh's Daughter found Moſes in the Flags. She went out to waſh,hhJun. & Tremel. Alio quidem conſilio, ſed Deo impulſore; ut expoſitum infantulum reciperet. But Gods deſigne was, that ſhe ſhould take up the little Infant. When we cannot underſtand, we muſt learn to admire the wiſe providence of God, and ſay, How ever it be, yet God is juſt. Nihil inter Deum hominemque diſtaret, ſi conſtlia, & diſpoſitiones illius Majeſtatis Aeternae cogitatio aſſequeretur humana, ſaithiiLactantius in praefat. Lactantius. There would, ſaith he, be no diſtance between God and man, if our Reaſon and Muſing could fathom all his Counſels and Works.
34Thus you ſee our firſt Obſervation illuſtrated and confirmed, that the Lords higheſt and moſt excellent works cannot be reached by mans underſtanſtanding: For theſe are part of his ways, but how little a portion is heard of him?
The Inferences follow.
Inference 1Firſt, See the pride, folly, preſumption and madneſſe of ſuch as affirm the contrary. Alphonſus thought himſelf able (not onely to know, but) to correct the Heavenly Orbs. When Eunomius boaſted that he knew God, his Divinity and Works;kkBaſil Epiſt. 1.68. quae eſt ad Eunomium. Baſil, to tame the Heretick, propounded 21 Queries concerning the little Ant; As whether it hath Bones, Liver, Kidney, Heart, &c. O Lord our governour, how ſuper-excellent is thy glory above the Heavens, if thy name be thus excellent in one of thy meaneſt creatures?
Auſtin ſaith,llNieremb. Nat. Hiſt. l. 4. cap. 33. p. 69. The Manichees uſe to aske, what need there was that God ſhould make ſuch a multitude of Creatures; ſome no way neceſſary for Man, and others exceeding hurtful unto him? But they did not conſider, Omnia pulchra eſſe conditori, & artifici35 ſuo; qui omnibus utitur ad Gubernationem Ʋniverſitatis; That all things are beautiful in the eye of our Creator, who alſo uſeth them all for the good of the Univerſe. Note. If an ignorant perſon judge many Tooles in the Artificers ſhop to be needleſſe or dangerous, yet the skilfull Artiſt hath a deſigned and appointed uſe for them all at one time or other; No Tool is ſuperfluous. mmGen 1.10, 12, 18, 21, 25, 31.God pronounced concerning ALL the works of his hands, that they were exceeding good. Do not pick quarrels with ſuch works of God as you doe not underſtand: For Nature and the God of Nature do nothing in vain. Multo facilius inveniet Syderum conditorem humilis pietas, quam ſyderum ordinem ſuperba curioſitas, ſaith the moſt learnednnAuguſtin, de Eclypſ. ſol•s Serm. Father. A proud curioſity cannot ſo eaſily finde out the order and motion of the Starres and heavenly Orbs, as an humble Piety their Wiſe Creator.
Inference 2Secondly, ſee the neceſſity of Univerſities and Learning; in that with the beſt helps men doe but ſtammer when they talke of Gods wonderfull36 works, Zeno thanked God for that ſhipwrack which drove him to the ſtudy of Philoſophy; and Crates caſt his goods into the Sea, that he might the more quietly attend it. Much Time and Induſtry are required for any competent knowledge of Gods works. Demoſthenes travelled in Learning and good Studies 107 years; Plato 80. and Socrates 98. Philoſophia eſt rerum humanarum & Divinarum ſcientia; non ab hominibus inventa, ſed ſplendidiſſimum Dei Immortalis Donum. Philoſophy is the knowledge of Divine and Humane things, not invented by men, but imparted from God. Diligence in the ſtudy of ſacred Scriptures and Naturall Philoſophy, may bring us to know much of God in his works. Peter Ramus from his Youth to his dying day, never uſed, by his good will, any other Bedding then of ſtraw; blaming himſelfe if the Artizans were at work before he was at his book.
Julius Caeſar having ſpent the whole day in the Field about his Military concernments, divided the night alſo after this manner; One part for his37 ſleep, a ſecond for the Commōwealth, and a third for his Studies.
It is ſaid of Demoſthenes, that he ſpent more Oyle then Wine, becauſe he ſtudied ſo hard not onely by Sun, but Lamp-light.
The ſtudy of Philoſophy is very uſefull for our better underſtanding many parts of holy Writ, which treat of Gods works: Julian the better to deſtroyooSozomen, 1.5. cap. 17. Chriſtianity, pulled downe all Schools and Nurſeries of good Learning; Nam propriis pennis configimur, ſaid he: They wound and overcome us with our own weapons. As the ſame earth is ſweet in the Grape, and bitter in the Wormwood: and the ſame odour a refreſhment to the Dove, and poyſon to the Scarabaeus: So Philoſophy and other humane Learning, being qualified with Humility, Piety, and Charity may be very uſefull to edifie the Church, which through pride and contempt, may alſo be employed to harmful purpoſes.
Inference. 3Thirdly, Read what you can of God in the Volumn of Creation and Providence. ppSee Divine Opticks, p. 74. ad 79.For though you cannot38 not comprehend all his works, yet ſo much of God is legible by all men in his creatures, as will ſerve to ſilence and confound the reprobate Indian, who hath not the Goſpel. 'Tis a certain Truth that the Light of Nature without the light of Scripture ſhall ſuffice to leave men without excuſe: For, The inviſible things of God, ſaith the Apoſtle, are clearly ſeene from the creation ef the world, being underſtood by the things that are made, even his eternall power and God-head, ſo that they are unexcuſable, who neglect God in his creatures. For the works of God,qqCalvin in Rom. 1.20. Artificem ſuum perſpicue declarant, ſaith Calvin: Thay plainly in large golden Letters declare their wiſe and all-powerful Creator. An Apelles need not put his Name to his Pictures; Every judicious eye may read the Author in the worke: Protogines well knew Apelles had been at his houſe, when he found a certain line drawn on his Table, which he knew no other hand could perform. Every ſpire of Graſſe ſtands up to proclaim a Deity.
39Inference 4Fourthly, Let this revive and comfort the Saints that in Heaven they ſhall attain to more knowledg of God and his works. You that know ſomething of God here, it is nothing to that which you ſhall know in Heaven rightly. ssJohn 17.3.To know God is eternall life. Here Providence may write in very ſtrange and uncouth Characters; Though nowttWatſon in Chriſtian Charter, p. 150. our Candle be in a dark Lanthorn, and the Saints know not what GOD is a doing, yet in Heaven wee ſhall ſee the reaſon of all Tranſactions, and perceive their tendency to fulfill the Promiſe, thatuuRom. 8.28. All things ſhall worke together for good, to the Church and people of God. In Heaven we ſhall ſee divine Promiſes and Providences kiſſing each other. We Pilgrims ſee little in this valley of Tears; but our Proſpect wil be glorious on the mountain of Spices. Then you40 ſhall ſee the chiefe of Gods works, the moſt glorious perſon CHRIST JESUS, whom yet your Eyes cannot reach; and whom having not ſeene, you love. To whoſe beauty, the SUN is but a Globe of darkneſſe, or ſpot of dirt: And in compariſon of him, all the glory of Men and Angels is but obſcurity. The name of CHRIST is uſed by S. Paul five hundred times; and no wonder, for there be in it a thouſand treaſures, ſaith Chryſoſtome. Note. As many pieces of ſilver are contained in one piece of gold, ſo all thoſe petty excellencies diſperſed among the creatures, are more eminently united in CHRIST: Yea, all the whole volumn of Perfections which is ſpread through Heaven and Earth, is epitomized in CHRIST. There alſo ſhall you ſee that goodly City, which (with reverence ſpoken) God hath been**Mat. 25.34. John 14.2. 1 Cor. 2.9. adorning and preparing for his choſen from the foundation of the world. Now ſuppoſe there were a certain City, or Palace on earth, as all the men of the world (famous for Art) had beene rearing from the Creation to this day;Note. 41having all the Marble, Chryſtal, Agat, Pearl, Rubies, Diamonds and Emralds in the world to make & adorn it with, all the Silver and Gold which the creation affords to build it with, and all the united ſtrength and wiſdome of Men and Angels to erect and furniſh it; Yet no Believer dare queſtion but this Palace, would be a Shepheards Cottage, it compared with the New Jeruſalem: It would be in truth a meere Dungeon to Heaven. Nineveh (ſaith Diodorus Siculus) had ten thouſand Work-men at a time about it, yet was 8 yeares in building. Pliny ſaith, that three hundred thouſand Workmen were employed allong time about the building of Babylon; And that the Aegyptian Pyramides had three hundred and ſixty thouſand men about the raiſing of them, yet could not be finiſhed in 20 yeares. The Temple was a goodly ſtructure, and (ſaid the Jewes) wasxxIohn 2.20. 46 yeares in building. In a word, The famous Temple of Diana was two hundred & twenty years about. Now if the World which GOD made in ſix dayes be ſo beautifull, how glorious42 then is thatyyRevel. 21. Mat. 25.34. Iohn 14.2. New Jeruſalem, which God hath been preparing from the foundation of the world? And I goe, ſaid Chriſt, to prepare a place for you. If then you conſider this worke of God, you may well ſay with Job concerning ALL his works below here on Earth, Theſe are part of his wayes, but how little a portion is heard of him? Ad to this; we ſhall not only ſee, but enjoy Chriſt, and theſe glorious things in Heaven:Note. For enjoying God you poſſeſſe all. In him is all thine eye ever ſaw, thine heart ever deſired, thy tongue ever asked, thy minde ever conceived, that was good. Here is all Light in this Sun, all Water in this Fountain; Thou ſhalt drink down the refined ſweetneſs of all creatures in Heaven; Chriſt will keep for us the beſt Wine till laſt. There you ſhall ſee and enjoy that New Heaven, and new Earth, wherein dwelleth righteouſneſſe. So glorious and tranſcendently beautifull (even to aſtoniſhment) is that work of God; that (ſaith theaaIſa. 65.17. Prophet) in compariſon thereof the former work of God on earth ſhall not be remembred, nor come into minde. 43Europe is the Garden of the world, Italy of Europe, and Naples of Italy: You may over-praiſe that or Rome, or the Iſles where there be two Summers yearely: But you cannot over-praiſe, over-thinke; or in your ranging thoughts reach Heaven. Yet you can fancy Cities made of Gold, Rocks of Pearl, Mountaines of Diamond, and Rivers of Chriſtal;Note. but all this cometh ſhort of Heaven: Aſſuredly no ſuch traſh is found there; onely the Lord ſeeth we are taken with theſe toyes, and he would draw our Mind and Faces thitherward. This is certain, the viſible Heavens are but the ragged Suburbs of that City: And all theſe created things (though beautifull and goodly in themſelves) ſhall make one Bon-fire, when the day of our Coronation comes.
And ſo much of the firſt Point, that the Lords higheſt and moſt excellent Works cannot be reached by mans underſtanding.
Obſer. 2The ſecond and main thing (intended in the Text and Treatiſe) now comes to be handled, which is this; that,
44The terrible Meteor of THUNDER (accompanied with Lightning) is a manifeſtation of the LORDS Greatneſſe and Power; the loud Trumpet of his glorious Excellency, Majeſty, and matchleſſe perfection.
In the opening and unfolding of which Truth our Method ſhall be this, viz.
To make diligent Enquiry,
1 How this Expreſſion of holy Job's may be taken and underſtood; The Thunder of his Power who can underſtand?
2 What THUNDER is? What its Name, Nature, and effects are? ſtill keeping this of Job in our eye, that no man can fully underſtand, (much leſſe expreſſe) what it is.
3. Whether the Author be any other then God?
4 In what caſes eſpecially GOD hath manifeſted, or will diſcover to the Sons of men, his Power and Glory by ſupernatural THUNDER?
Enquiry. 1Firſt, Let us enquire, how this Expreſſion of Jobs may be rendred and expounded, The thunder of his power who can underſtand?
45To which I anſwer, from the beſtbbMr. Caryl on Iob 26.14. volumn 7. p. 823. Expoſitor of this Book.
1 Literally and ſtrictly for the Meteor of Thunder; which is indeed a thing Naturall, but wherein the glory of God much appears; his glory ſhines in the Lightning, The God of glory thundreth, Pſal. 29.3. Thunder is one of the moſt wonderfull and aſtoniſhing works of God: Though many Philoſophers write ſomething of it, yet no Mortall fully underſtands it.
2 It may be taken of any extraordinary & terrible work of Providence: So thoſe places may import;ccPſal. 68.33. God doth ſend out his voice, yea and that a mighty voice. Again,ddIſa. 30.30. The Lord ſhall cauſe his mighty voics to be heard, with the indignation of his anger, and with the flame of a devouring fire, with ſcattering, and tempeſts, and hailſtones. So again,eeRev. 10.4. Seale up the things which the ſeven thunders uttered, and write them not. So Job, expreſſing theffIob 39.19, 25. fury of the horſe in Battel (who pawes destruction in the valley) he ſaith, God hath cloathed the necke of that creature with thunder. q. d. God hath made46 him ſtrong, couragious, and terrible; The horſe is fearleſſe and furious in Battel: He rejoyceth, ſaith Job, at the ſound of the Trumpets, he ſmelleth the Battel afar off, the thunder of the Captains, and the ſhouting of the people.
3 It may alſo be taken for the higheſt and cleareſt publication of Gods power: As if holy Job ſhould ſay;I have whispered a few things to you of the power of God, but if God ſhould thunder out himſelfe; or if his workes were ſpoken out, (as they deſerve) in Thundercracks; Mortals would ſtand amazed, their ſoules would be inveloped with horror. And for this reaſon, (as you ſhall ſee) two of Chriſts Diſciples were called the ſons of Thunder: That is; They ſet out God and Jeſus Chriſt to the people. They delivered Meſſages from Heaven with a bold heart, and a powerful utterance: They ſet out God in his power, as if it thundred from Heaven, when they preached. ggQuintil. l. 2. cap. 16.Quintilian requires in a good Orator, Ʋt fulgurare & tonare videatur, that his eyes ſeem to lighten, and his tongue to thunder before the Hearers.
47Enquiry. 2Secondly, Enquire we what Thunder is? and how we may conceive of that wonderfull work of God? Still remembring this of humble Job, that wee cannot fully know, or underſtand it.
1 Look upon the Name,1 The name. which may help to know the thing. Iſidore derives Tonitru, a Terrendo, Thunder from Terrour: Becauſe all creatures almoſt, are ſo terrified and amazed with it.
Others derive Tonitru from its Tone, it being the voice of God: At the voyce of thy thunder they are afraid, Pſal. 104.
2 Nature2 Let us conſider its Nature. hhAriſtot. Meteor l. 2. cap. 2 & 9. & exam. van. Doct. Gent. l. 1. cap. 12. Conimb. de Meteor, Trac. 22. Zanchius Tom. 3. lib. 3. De meteor. cap. 4. Theſ. 5.Thunder is a fiery Meteor, in the uppermoſt Region of the aire, begotten of ſuch hot and dry exhalations as the SUN hath drawn up from the Earth; the which being gathered and ſhut up in the bowels of a thick cloud, conſiſting of cold and moiſt vapours, doe at length rent and break with huge violence, the ſaid cloud encloſing them; which occaſions that loud and fearfull crack: Then the Exhalations being come to maturity and perfection, and48 yet further incenſed in the ſtrife, become all on a flame, while they croud and ſtruggle to get through the rent of the cloud: and this makes the flaſh of Lightning. Tonitru in Nubibus eſt ſonitus propter illud quod extinguitur in ipſis.
Ariſtotle ſaith, that Thunder is a noiſe in the clouds, by reaſon of that which isiiAriſtot. in Poſt. li. 2 cap: 2. extinguiſhed in the ſame. So red hot iron thruſt into water, will make a very great noiſe. The craſhing and roaring noiſe of Thunder, to what ſhall I compare it? 'Tis like the noiſe of Cheſnuts flying out of the fire; like many Charets and Coaches rumbling and jumping in paved Cities; like many hunger-bitten Lions roaring for their prey; like many roaring Canons diſcharged one after another; or a mighty ſtone tumbling downe a Rock into the Sea. Yet I confeſſe all theſe are low ſimilitudes to deſcribe the Thunder cracks by. It makes our Glaſſewindows, nay, our houſes and hearts to ſhake.
Though the Lightning is firſt ſeene, yet all agree it is not before the Thunder;49 but FirekkAriſtot. Meteor. li. 2. c. 9. moving more ſwiftly then Aire, and the eye of man being ſo much quicker then the eare it therefore comes to paſſe, that the flaſh of Lightning is ſeen firſt, and ſome time afterwards we heare the Thunder. So the Axe of him that cleaveth wood, at ſome diſtance from us, is lifted up for a ſecond blow ere we hear the firſt: And the powder is firſt ſeen to flame at the touch-hole of a Gun, but the Report is heard a pretty while after, from the Caſtle ſomething diſtant from us. When the ſound of the Cannon diſcharged reacheth our care, we conclude the danger of the Bullet is paſt. llJob 37.3, 4, 5.He ſends out his lightning to the end of the earth, and after it a voyce roareth, ſaith Elibu: Great things doth he which we cannot comprehend: The thunder of his power who can fully underſtand? Therefore,
3 Let us conſider the effects:3 The effects. The firſt and moſt immediate effect of Thunder and Lightning is Brontia, or the Thunder bolt hurled to the Earth; whichmmPlinius in Nat. Hiſt. lib. 37. cap 10. Pliny ſaith is like the head of a Tortois,nnMagirus p. 265. Others ſay it is in50 ſhape like unto a Pyramide. 'Tis generally held that it never goes but five foot into the earth; That there are Thunder-ſtones you read in the Book of Pſalms: He gave up their cattel to the Haile, and their flocks to kotooPſal. 78.48. Thunder-bolts. Your Margent reads it. or great Hail-ſtones. But the wordppAinſworth in Locum, p. 120. ſignifies fiery coals, or hot Thunderſtones: But Hail-ſtones are Ice, or water that is bound up with extreamity of cold: So that marginal Note is ſuch as may be ſpared.
Certain ſteep Hills in the borders of Epirus are called Ceraunia, becauſe oft ſmitten with Thunder-bolts. As we read of Ombria, or Pluvialis lapis (a ſtone ſo called) which falls down in ſhowers of Rain; ſo alſo it is generally held, that (beſides theſe) there are Thunder-ſtones, caſt down in the time of violent Thunder, breaking and battering all that oppoſe them.
ThisqqZanch. Tom. 3. lib. 3 cap. 3. p. 357. Avicenna proveth at large, and imputeth the wonderfull noiſe or ratling in Thunder to theſe ſtones: often times, ſaith he, after Thunder ſuch ſtones have beene found, with51 whoſe violent blow ſome tree or houſe hath been rent or battered; and it is often ſeen that certain holes have been made in ſtrong Buildings in time of Thunder, which is done, ſaith he, by the ſtrength of Thunder-bolts, called by the Poets, Sagittae, & jacula Jovis.
The Thunderſtone, ſaithrrIdem ibid. p. 358. Zanchy, is thus begotten in the clouds; with the exhalation which is hot, and dry a more groſſe matter may be drawn up by the Sun from the Earth and Minerals; which with the encloſed Exhalations, and the violent heat of the Sun, is at lengh formed into a Thunder-ſtone. Some have held it is done after the manner that ſtones are produced in the Kidneys and Bladders of living Creatures.
AnaxagorasſſPlin Nat. Hiſt. li. 2. c. 58. foretold, that within certain days a ſtone ſhould fall from the Heavens, which alſo came to paſſe in Thraſia in the day time; the ſtone is reported to be as great as a Cart, or Wain-load; a Comet alſo appeared that night. Pliny tells us the ſtone was ſeen of many, and was ſhewed as a Wonder in his time: It was of a parched52 or burned colour. It puzledttAriſtot. Meteor l. 1. cap. de cometâ. Ariſtotle and the beſt Philoſophers to give a reaſon of this Stones production and growth to ſuch a bulky maſſe. Zanchy writing of it,uuZanchius Tom 3. lib. 3. cap. 3. p. 360. ſaith, we may ſee the great power of God, and his wonderfull works. Which is the beſt account he is able to give of this buſineſſe. Reaſon can produce little more for the Thunderbolt.
Again, Thunder is commonly attended with Raine and ſhowers that violently fall to the Earth; The moiſt Cloud being rent by the Thunder, diſſolves in Raine. Thunder blaſts Vines, and other Fruit; burns trees and houſes; deſtroys Men and Beaſts; beats down the lofty Turrets; turns up oaks and other mighty trees by the Roots. FirewwJob 1.16. fell from Heaven, (viz. terrible Lightning) and burnt Jobs ſheep, and his ſervants, ſo that one onely eſcaped. Beer, Wine, and other Liquors are ſpoiled with much Thunder and Lightning; which may proceed not onely from noiſe, and concuſſion of the Aire, but alſo impure and noxious ſpirits, or Influences mingle therewith,53 and draw them to corruption; whereby they do not onely become Dead themſelves, but alſo ſometimes deadly to others: As that, mentioned by Seneca, whereof all that drank loſt their life or wits. ThunderxxPſal. 29.9. makes the Hinds to calve, and other Cattell to caſt their young. Thunder is many times followed with violent ſtorms, and terrible Earth-quakes, eſpecially in other Countreys where Earth-quakes are uſuall. TheyyNahum 1.5, 6. mountains quake, the hills melt, the earth is burnt at his preſence: Who can ſtand before his indignation? who can abide the fierceneſſe of his anger? His fury is poured out like water, and the Rocks are thrown downe by him. The Prophet Nahum alludes to Thunder, Lightnings, and Earthquakes, crowding together.
But the Prophet Iſaiah doth more plainly expreſſe it;zzIſa. 29.6. Thou ſhalt be viſited of the Lord of Hoſts with thunder and with Eareh quakes, and a great noiſe, with ſtorm and tempeſt, and the flame of devouring fire. aaSeneca Qu. Nat. l. 2. c. 27.Seneca writes of one kinde of Thunder, which murmurs, but cracks not; and ſaith,54 Terrae metum antecedit, if fore-goeth an Earth-quake. Ariſtotle ſaith, anbbAriſtot. Meteor, li. 2. c. 7. Earth-quake proceeds from vapors impriſoned in the bowels of the Earth, which finding no paſſage to eſcape, are inforced to recoil, to ſearch every nook and corner: And while they thus ſtruggle and labour to get out, a trembling agitation, and tumultuous motion of the Earth is occaſioned (as of a woman in travail) which is called an Earthquake that So look what Thunder is in the hollow part of a cloud, the very ſame is an Earth-quake in the belly of the earth, which hath then a fit of the Wind collick.
Alſteed tells of a great Earth-quake at Plures in Rhetiae, Anno Dom: 1618. Aug. 17. where the whole Towne was on a ſudden covered with an huge mountain, that with it's ſwift and violent motion, ſlew 1500 people. The greateſt Earth-quake I have read of is deſcribed byccEvagrii hiſt. Ecc•eſ. lib. 1. cap. 17. Evagrius, to fall out in the time of Theodoſius; which is ſaid to move and ſhake well nigh the whole Earthly Globe. And for our owne Country, CambdenddCambden Britan. writes of a55 ſtrange Earth quake in Herefordſhire, Anno Dom: 1571. March 12. about ſix of the clock in the evening (being Saturday) a great Hill lifted up it ſelf with a huge noiſe, jumped into an higher place, carried along with it trees and Cattell, and continued walking about till Monday noon, over-turning a Chappel that ſtood in its way.
You have ſeen what the uſual effects of Thunder and Lightning are.
Now, for the benefit of my own Countrymen, it will not be amiſſe here diſtinctly to ſet downe the moſt remarkable Thunders which have happened in England, with their effects; As I finde them recorded in our Engliſh Chronicles, which will help to ſhew us the dreadful conſequents of Thunder and Lightning, that we may learn to feare before the great and terrible GOD: Knowing that whatſoever hath been, may be again (theeeGen. 9.11.15. univerſal deluge excepted) Yea, that our God is unlimited in his power and working, and can do more then yet he hath done: Nor is it known what he will do.
56In the ReignffMr. Stowes abridgement of Engliſh Chronicle•, printed 1618 p. 55. of Henery the firſt, Anno Chriſti, 1116. in the moneth of March, was exceeding Lightning, and in December Thunder and Haile. The Moon at both times ſeemed as if ſhee were turned into blood. Not long before there was a blazing Star.
In the 15 yeare ofggIdem p. 88. Henry the 3d. Anno Domini, 1230. on Pauls day, when Roger Niger, Biſhop of London, was at Maſſe in Pauls Church, ſuddenly it waxed darke, and an horrible Thunder-clap lighted on the Church, the ſame was ſhaken as though it would have fallen; All the Church ſeemed to be on fire with Lightnings: The people thought of preſent death: Thouſands of men and women ran out of the Church, & fell on the ground through aſtoniſhment: None tarried in the Church, ſave the Biſhop and a Deacon.
In QueenhhIdem p. 279. Maries Reign, Anno Domini, 1558. July 7. within a mile of Nottingham, a tempeſt of Thunder as it came through two Townes, beat down all the Houſes and Churches: The Bells were caſt to the outſide of57 the Church-yards, and ſome webs of Lead four hundred foot in the Field, writhen like a pair of Gloves: The River of Trent running between the two Townes, the water and mud were carried a quarter of a mile and caſt againſt Trees. Trees were pulled up by the Roots, and caſt 12 ſcore off. A child was taken forth of a mans hands, and carried an hundred foot, and then let fall, and ſo dyed: Five men were ſlain; there fell ſome Hailſtones that were fifteen inches about: After this came Quartan Agues, of which many died.
In the fifth year ofiiIdem page 286. Queen Eliz. Anno Dom: 1563. July 8. there happened a great tempeſt of Lightning and Thunder, which ſlew a woman and three children neer Charing croſſe in London. Alſo in Eſſex a man was torn in pieces, his Barn was born down and Hay burnt. Within few moneths there was an Earth-quake.
In the yearekkIdem p. 288. 1565. July 16. about nine at night, began a tempeſt of Thunder and Lightning, with ſhowers of Hail, which held on till three of the clock the next morning ſo terrible, that58 at Chelsford in Eſſex, 500 Acres of Corn were deſtroyed; the Glaſſe-windows on the Eaſt ſide of the Towne, and on the Weſt and South-ſides of the Church were beaten down, with all the tyles off their houſes; beſide divers Barns, Chimneys, and the Battlements of the Church, which were overthrown. Much harm alſo was done at Dover, and other places. A violent ſtorm of Wind hapned the 24th of December following.
Anno DominillIem. page 318. 1575. July 30. in the Afternoon, aroſe a great tempeſt of Lightning and Thunder, which ſlew Men and Beaſts in divers places, alſo at that time fell Hailſtones ſeven inches about.
In the yearemmIdem p. 324. 1577. August 4. between nine and ten in the forenoon, while the Miniſter was reading the ſecond Leſſon in the Church of Bliborough in Suffolke, a ſtrange and fearfull tempeſt of Thunder and Lightning ſtrook through the wall of the Church into the ground almoſt a yard deep; drave down all the people on that ſide, cleft the door, went to the Steeple, rent59 the Timber, brake the Chaines, and fled towards Bongey ſixe miles off. The people were found groveling on the ground halfe an hour after; whereof a man and boy lay dead, the reſt were ſcorched. At Bongey there was the like, for it wrung in ſunder the Wyres & wheels of the Clock, ſlew two men which ſate in the Belfrey, and ſcorched another, who hardly eſcaped with his life.
In the yearnnIdem p. 332. 1580. April 6. was a generall Earth-quake in England; and on June 13. about 6 in the morning at Shipwaſh in Northumberland, there hapned a ſtorm of Lightning and Thunder; After which (on a ſudden) there fell ſtones of divers ſhapes: On the 8 of October following, there was a blazing Star.
Anno Dom. 1598. ooIdem p. 413.Septemb. the firſt, in the Afternoon, it lightned and thundred at London two great cracks, as it had been the ſhooting of great Ordnance: Some men were ſmitten by it at the Tower of London: and one man ſlain in Southwark, over againſt the Tower.
60ppIdem p. 433.In the yeare of our Lord, 1601. June the laſt, there fell great Thunder and Lightning, with Hailſtones in many places, nine inches compaſſe, which at Sandwich in Kent lay a foot deep on the ground.
Well may we ſay with holy David, Lord how terrible art thou in thy works? All the earth ſhall worſhip thee! Who would not feare thee, O thou King of Saints?
Note. Thus you have ſeene ſome-what of the Name, Nature, and effects of Thunder: Yet take heed of aſcribing too much unto it; the Americans at this day worſhip and adore the Thunder. Let it rather draw up our hearts to worſhip the Thunderer, that the feare of God may continually poſſeſſeour hearts.
Enquiry. 3Thirdly, we come next to enquire if any other then God be the Author or Inſtrument of Thunder?
I Anſwer,
1 God is the efficient Cauſe, Author, and Orderer of Thunder and Lightning: Theſe expreſſions are uſual in the Scripture. TheqqExod. 9.23. LORD ſent61 Thunder and Haile. rr2 Sam. 2•.14.The LORD thundred from heaven. Theſſ1 Sam. 7.10. LORD thundred with a great thunder. And ſuch like places there be many, which declare GOD to be the Thunderer. Thunder is nine or ten times in Scripture called thettPſal. 29.3, 4, 7, 8, 9. Pſalm 77.18. Pſalm 104.7. Iob 37.4, 5. VOICE of God; and no leſſe then ſeven times in one Pſalm is Thunder ſtiled his VOICE. The voice of the Lord is upon the waters, the God of glory thundreth; The voice of the Lord is powerfull, the voice of the Lord is full of majeſtie; The voice of the Lord breaketh the Cedars, ſhaketh the wilderneſſe; The voice of the Lord divideth the flames of Fire, &c. So David goeth on to magnifie this VOICE of GOD.
Thunder then is Gods voice or ſpeech. Imago animi ſermo eſt,Thunder, Gods Voice. ſaith Seneca: ſpeech is the lively Image and Repreſentation of the Minde. Loquere ut te videam, ſaith the Proverb; ſpeak that I may ſee and know you. This excellent Faculty the Lord hath communicated to rationall creatures; And diversuuOf the nature & cauſes of ſpeech, ſee Caſaubon of Enthuſiaſm, cap. 4. myſteries are wrapped up in this great Mercy, called by thewwPſal. 57.8.62 Pſalmiſt, the GLORY of Mankinde; and therefore he bids it awake unto the praiſes of God that beſtowed it. Euripides calls the Tongue the meſſenger of Reaſon. The Voice is the Minds Ambaſſadour, the Soules interpreter, the Thoughts Image, and the Hearts Scribe. Note. Trhee Sciences are employed about our ſpeech: Grammar relates to the congruity, Rhetorick to the Elegancy, and Logick to the Verity or Probability of ſpeech. Without ſpeech our Life would be a burden to us: Any imperfection in ſpeech is no ſmall impediment to our Affairs: Let us bleſſe God for any perfection therein; Moſes though ſo dear to the Lord had it not. I read that Demoſthenes having a great impediment in his ſpeech, attained a moſt handſome form of ſpeaking by putting ſmall ſtones into his mouth: And Jerome living at Bethlem, to learn Hebrew, was fain to have his teeth filed, ere he could pronounce it, as he ſhould.
Now concerning the Voice of God, (That we return to our Theame) Let us ſee how many wayes God may be63 ſaid to ſpeak to us; becauſe Thunder is called his voice?
I Anſwer,
1 Immediately by himſelfe, So no doubt, thexxGen. 3.9, 10. Voice which Adam heard in the Garden was the Voice of God himſelf, and not the voice of an Angell, as Gregory would have it. And I heard thy voice in the Garden. So it is ſaid, that God anſwered Moſes by ayyExod. 19.19. Voice, and thatzzDeut. 4.12. The people heard the voice of his words. Thus (a) alſo God the Father ſpake articulately unto Chriſt,bbJohn 12.28. 2 Pet. 1.17. I have glorified my Name and will glorifie it again.
2 God ſpeaks to us by his SON, who by his incomparable Sermons spake as never man spake: In theſe laſt dayes he hath ſpoken unto us by his Son. ccHeb. 1.2.His ſheep heard his voice.
3 God ſpeaks to us by his ſpirit: who ſaidddActs 8.29. to Philip, Goe neare and joyne thy ſelfe to this Charet. So ſtill by his Spirit he ſpeakes unto our hearts.
4 By his elect Angels: So an Angel ſpake to Cornelius, ſaying,eeActs 10.4. Thy Prayers and Almes are come up64 for a memoriall before God.
5 By his Miniſters and Prophets:ffLuke 1.70. He ſpake by the mouth of his holy Prophets which have been ſince the world began. ggLuke 10.16.He that heareth them heareth Chriſt. I have ſent my ſervants thehhIer. 7.26, 27 Prophets, but they hearkned not to me, ſaith the Lord. We ſhould receive their doctrine,ii1 Theſ. 2.13 Not as the word of men, but as it in truth the word of God, ſaith St. Paul.
6 God ſpeaks to us by his Works: We are bid, To hear the Rod, and him that hath appointed it. kkMie•6.9.The Lords voice cryeth to the City thereby. All the creatures of God are as ſo many Organ pipes to convey his voice & minde to us. He ſpeaks to us by all operations, but eſpecially by Thunder. That is more immediately and eminently his VOICE. Efficacior lingua quam litera, ſaith Bernard. The voice, ſaith Auſtin, hath an occult and hidden influence on the Hearers. IfllSir Walter Raleigh Hiſt. of the world, l. 2. cap. 13. MelampusmmNieremb. Hiſt fl. 3. c. 12. and Thales are ſaid to underſtand the voices of Birds and Beaſts; which the Hebrew Doctors thought Solomon could do: Then much more65 may we in Thunder (Gods voice) hear him chiding & threatning all obſtinate ſinners, and proclaiming his owne Greatneſſe, Majeſty, and Power: How ſhould this Voice of God warn and alarm us out of our ſins? Loud, Terrible, and Perſwading hath beene the voice of men.
Loud; ſo was the voice