THE FIRST LECTVRE, Of an Introduction to COSMOGRAPHIE, (VVhich is a deſcription of all the WORLD) read publickly at Sr. Balthazar Gerbier His ACADEMY, AT Bednall-Greene.
LONDON, Printed by Gartrude Dawſon, and are to be ſold by Hanna Allen at the Crown in Popes-head-Alley. 1649.
IN the Celeſtiall region, we learn to know Heaven; its matter, its qualitie, the Planets, their motions, their order, &c.
In the Elementary, we ſee that moſt admirable eſtabliſhment of the Elements, who by their unequall proportioned aſſemblage doe compoſe ſo many ſorts of mixtures as we ſee here below.
This will be held forth with their qualities, properties, and ſituations.
And we ſhall ſee in that which ſerves for a Center to the univerſall world, ſtore of ſatisfying remarkable and neceſſary things, viz.
Then wee ſhall make the deſcription of the Circles, which muſt be imagined to be in the Heaven; to the end, we may learn the courſe of the Aſters ▪ and the effects which we feel of them; as their riſing and their going down: The Summer and Winter, the long and the ſhort dayes.
The Solſtices and the Equinoxes, from whence proceeds the different Conſtitutions of the Earth; And thus many things, the curioſity whereof is extreamly commendable, prove to be altogether neceſſary to thoſe that doe deſire to paſſe for men of knowledge and underſtanding.
And to make an end in our Sphere; we ſhall achieve with a Lecture on the Meteors, wherein all the impreſſions which are made as well of Fire as of Aire, and of Water in the high, middlemoſt, and low region of the Aire ſhall be clearly brought and reported unto us.
That is to ſay, whence proceedeth, in the high region of the Ayre, the impreſſions of Fire viz. D•rds, Lances, Flying-ſtars and Commets which in the Heaven ſeem ſometimes to be all on fire; the lightning thunders, and thunderbolts in the midlemoſt and in the lowermoſt; the wilde-fires, glow-worms, &c.
Next to this, the impreſſions of the Ayre, as the Windes, Storms, and Whirle-windes; thoſe of the Waters, as the Clouds, the Rayns, Snow, and Haile, both made in the middlemoſt.
Then wee ſh•ll proceed to other impreſſions, concerning that Crown of ſplendor which is about the Sunne, the Rainbow; and then we ſhall deſcend to know, whence proceed Fogs, Dews, Froſt, and Ice.
We ſhall end with the three kindes, Minerall, Vegetall, and Animall; ſeeing in the Minerall, the generation of the Minerals in the bowels of the Earth, their qualities and allyances; and how they are ſeven, correſpondent to the ſeven Planets. Then the Stones of all kinde, and the Saps condenſing3 in the Mines, as Vitriol, Alum, &c.
In the Vegetall gender, wee ſhall conſider the nature of Plants, their faculties to put forth, and to multiply by their ſeed; then we ſhall conclude by the Animals, which beſides the Soul and Vegetating faculty and putting forth, have more and above the ſenſitive, which gives feeling and motion, and are much above the Plants; all their Organes and naturall parts being much the more perfect.
But there are of two ſorts of them, the Irrationall and rationall: Beaſt and Man.
Wee ſhall leave the Beaſt to ſpeak of reaſonable.
Let us then ſay, that Man more worthy then all things hath been created by God; for that by his word all things have been made, Fiat Lux, Gen. 2. the light hath appeared; Formavit Dominus Deus hominem de Limo Terrae, & inſpiravit in faciem ejus Spiraculum vitae, & factus eſt homo in animam viventem; and hath animated him and indoved, beſides the precedent ſaid qualities, with an intelectuall Soule, whereof depends the underſtanding and the will.
Now let us conſider I beſeech you, how the mercy of God hath always increaſed ſome perfection of degree in each body, to make in man a fulneſſe of the perfection of all his works; and ha•h ſet him as a King to command, and to make uſe of the aforeſaid things: Et praeſit piſcibus Maris & volatilibus Coeli, & Beſti•s, univerſaeque terrae, omnique reptili quod movetur in Terrae; which are onely made for his uſe and advantage, for God was no leſſe before the world, then he is; and had no need of them to be more glorious: We ought therefore to have a great and deep ſence of acknowledgement; and that our labour be not in vain, we muſt conſider that great Architecture, in his wiſdome, in his power, in his liberality, and in his bounty; Adore him, honour him, and admire him in all his attributes, and thank him inceſſantly, not onely for the preſent means (the viciſſitude whereof ſufficiently4 ſheweth its vanity) but for the hope of eternals. to which he hath deſigned us, provided we prove true, and that by Faith, made good by our works, that we doe acknowledge him.
But unhappy man, that the creature is more praiſed then the Creator, the gift preferred to the Giver; and that which we ſhould but take paſſing by (as Chriſtian prudence permits and wils) we doe abuſe, of it by a moſt horrid blindneſſe, preferring a thing which we all know to be created in the order of Nature, to the Author of it.
With horrid ſhame and confuſion therefore the inſenſible things tell unto thoſe their Leſſon, that dare ſo boldly and ſo impudently abuſe of that great authour, guider and preſerver of all things.
But he will not be abuſed, doe what thou canſt, O enraged Atheiſt! thou perverſt wit, of the perverſt time; and he will in the dayes of vengeance make thee confeſſe thy wilfull malice; for ignorant thou art not, thy ſenſes doe condemne thee, ſo doe the Elements; who dayly ſeek their elementary place, the fire being light it aſcends; the Ayre being leſſe light, remains lower: the Earth the heavier of the foure holds the Center; the Water which is leſſe ſwim's above it.
Now thoſe things that are mixt, as they have one of the elementary qualities in degrees eminent above the others; they likewiſe ſeek their Sphere, and do not reſt untill they are come where they ſhould be.
A Stone would deſcend to the center of the Earth if there were an overture; Wood ſwims above the Waters, and why?
Becauſe there is more ayre and fire in its compoſition, then in the Water, nor in the Stone: and let man do what he will, it ſhall ever be ſo, and why? Becauſe God hath created them, and hath given unto them the light and heavy qualities, who5 cauſe that motion, which makes the light things to aſcend, and the heavy ones to deſcend; and this is inviolable, and all obeyeth unto it.
Now let us come to Man, made by God as well as the other Elements, and all things; and wherefore? Is it not to be a beholder of his greatneſſe, and to adore him? That is the end: He hath made him to his reſemblance, given him a Soule, with a reaſonable taſte.
To what can it be more fitly applyed, then to follow in all things the deſign and intent of his Maker, from the beginning to the end: and its without doubt the true reaſon, and the true vocation of man; and thence it is, man ought no more to depart from it, then the Stones to deſcend, and the Fire to aſcend: God hath created thee O man to this effect; and it is his purpoſe; but if thou doeſt not follow him, to what ſerves thy intelligence, knowledge, and thy will, but to harden thy ſelf againſt the will of God? and more then all inanimate things, and to hinder the effect of his purpoſe in thee: O man, think on this, and hold it for certain, that if thou doſt imploy that Talent which thou haſt, to render more honour to vice, and to thy wilfull unruled ſences then to God, thou art unworthy to be put beneath the inſenſible things; and that inſtead thou was created for an eternall bliſſe, to the contrary, thou doeſt deſerve to endure eternall torments.
Whereof God in mercy preſerve us all, and grant unto us that true reaſon which may preſerve in us his true workmanſhip, and enable us to deſtroy our own: Dele quod feciſti ut Deus ſalvet quod fecit; ſaith the great Auguſtin.
Now let us enter into ſome particulars concerning this World, and for our preſent uſe, diſpoſing our ſelves to contemplate the ſame from above with more ſecurity.
We ſhall begin with the Spheare.
THe doctrine of the Spheare, is the knowledge of the World.
The World is the aſſembling and the order of all that God hath created; it is the compoſed of Heaven and Earth, or of the Celeſtiall region, and of the Elementall region: Therefore it is called Vniverſe; and for to have a more perfect intelligence of this ſcience, there hath been made an artificiall Spheare; this inſtrument is of a round form, compoſed of circles, by the which (though imaginary) the motion of the Heavens is ſhewed; the reaſon of the changing of ſeaſons, that of the difference of dayes and nights, according to the places of the earth, in effect, the order of the World to the reſemblance of which this inſtrument hath been made.
AS we have not a deſigne to make a building in the Ayre, but to prove all that which we ſhall ſay; it is neceſſary to prove, that there is a Heaven, before we come to its qualities: but it is a thing very eaſie, becauſe that nature ſuffering no emptineſſe, it muſt of neceſſity be that that ſpace, which is from the Firmament and imperiall, unto the lowermoſt of the Planets, (which is the Moone) be filled of ſome matter; now this matter is called Heaven, which is ſimple, ſolide, fixt, ſhining, tranſparent, incorruptible, and exempted from changing.
ALL Naturall things have two principles; God firſt, then Nature; to the which he hath given full power to work, by a certain univerſall ſpirit which he hath incloſed in her.
8The Naturall things are corporall eſſences, which ſubſiſt of themſelves, and iſſue of the union of the matter and of the forme: Now then nature conſiſts in theſe two points, in the matter of the which the naturall bodies are ingendred, and in the forme which cauſeth them to be th•t which they are; but the matter is ſuſceptible of divers formes, and hath not ſo ſoon loſt one, but it takes another; and for as much that it cannot receive any before it be deprived of the Precedent; The Phyloſophers have eſtabliſhed three Principles, the Matter, the Forme, and the Privation.
Now, there is two ſorts of naturall Bodies, ſome ſimple, and ſome mixt: The ſimple are the Heavens and the Elements, becauſe they are ſimple in their creation, and can never be changed in divers formes; the mixt to the contrary, are thoſe which draw their compoſition from the Elementall Qualities, and are ſuſceptible of divers formes.
The Matter of the Heaven is then ſimple, it is alſo ſolid and fixe, becauſe that the Starres which from the beginning of the world untill this preſent move and turne, have never changed, nor varied their figures, nor the diſtances which they have the one with the other, and this order could not have been conſerved without ſome ſolid thing which conſtrained them thereunto, which can be no other thing then the ſolid and fixt matter of the Heaven; Likewiſe it's the opinion of the moſt ſenſed, and the moſt approved which is authorized of the ancient Aſtronomers, Which have writen that the Starres are of the ſame matter that Heaven is, but more thicke becauſe they ſtop the light of the Sunne, and not the Heaven (as we ſhall ſhow hereafter) and ſaid that the Stars were in Heaven, as the knurre in boards; others will have the Sarres and Planets to be in a continued aire, like as Birds in the aire, but there ought to be many particular properties, to maintaine them all in an order ſo Permanent and unchangeable againſt the violent ſwiftneſſe of ſo many contrary9 motions: I doe alſo let paſſe that opinion with the Flight of their Birds.
The matter of Heaven is of an aboundant ſhining, ſince that the Sunne, the Moone, the Starres are ſo, which are of the ſame matter; but to ſay better, the matter of Heaven is Tranſparent, and the Sun and the Stars are not, that the Heaven is tranſparent, its eaſie to prove it, and the experience doth to much manifeſt it unto us; for if the Heaven of the Moon were duskie, it would hinder to ſee the Sun and the other Stars which are above it: For the Sun, the Moon and the Stars that they are dusky, their eclipſes do give it us to underſtand.
This matter is alſo incorruptible, and conſequently exempt of changing ſince it is ſimple, and in its quarters the generation findes no employment.
THE Celeſtiall Region is the aſſembling of all the Heavens, it wholy comprehends it; we ſhall ſee the order and the courſe in its place.
Their mater, as we have proved, is ſolid, of the which are the Stars and the Planets but more compacted together, that is to ſay, that the matter is more gathered and as Poliſhed bodies receive and cauſe the light which they borrow of the Sun to reverberate (as we ſhall prove hereafter) for the Heaven it is tranſparent.
There is two ſorts of Stars, Fixe and Errants; the Fixed are thoſe which never change their figures and have all one the ſame Motion, which is that of the Firmament; The Errants are the Planets which have all different motions with that of the Firmament, they are ſeven, to the which the ancient have given the names of their Deities, for the power of10 their influences, viz. Saturne, Jupiter, Mars, the Sun, Mercury, Venus and the Moon.
Duskie Matter, is that which gives no paſſage to the Light, as the Wood, the Stone.
Solid and Fixed Matter, is that which ſuffers not eaſily penetration, as the Glaſse, the Chryſtall.
Penetrable Matter is that which ſuffers with facility Penetration, as the Aire, the Water, and the Fire.
Tranſparent Matter, is that which gives paſſage to the Light, as the Glaſſe and the Chriſtall.
The Matter of Heaven, is then Solid, Fixe, Impenetrable and Tranſparent.
ITs proved that there are many Heavens by the diverſity of the motions in this manner.
Since the matter of Heaven is ſolid, two Planets having different motions cannot be in the ſame Heaven; by the ſame reaſon it ought to be noted that its not the Planet which moves, but its Heaven, otherwiſe they would penetrate the matter which is ſolid; But the Sun and the Moon have different motions: For the Sun atchieves its courſe in a year, and the Moon in a month, then the Sun and the Moon cannot be in the ſame Heaven; by this reaſon there being not two of all theſeven Planets which have the ſame motion, there ſhall require ſeven Heavens for the ſeven Planets, the matter of Heaven being fixe and impenetrable.
There can be ſaid againſt this, that there may be one onely Heaven of an impenetrable matter, in the which many ſpaces are imagined, by the which the Planets having different motions can make their courſes: but this comes alwayes to the point, viz. That there muſt alwayes be ſeven ſpaces for the ſeven Planets, which muſt be filled with ſeven bodyes,11 which are called Heavens, which are joyned the one to the other.
WEE have proved that there are ſeven Heavens for the ſeven Planets: we will ſhew yet that there muſt be another Heaven for all the fixed Stars, different from the ſeven others. For the antient Aſtronomers having obſerved, that the motion of the Stars was very ſlow, and did not advance; but from a hundred, to a hundred years a degree: It hath then been neceſſary to admit an eigth Heaven; In the which are all the fixed Stars, which doe not vary their ſituation, diſtance, nor figure; and this Heaven is called Firmament.
FOr the fixed Stars, we hold them to be infinite; as the holy Scripture teſtifies it; its to ſay, that beſides the great infinite number which are ſeen; there is yet an infinite of others little, which are not ſeen, as hath been known by certain Proſpective glaſſes which have been made in Italy. That though the Antients have not marked more then 1022. its not that they would ſay, that there were no more; but that they have onely obſerved the very chiefeſt, for to ſerve to their obſervations. Thoſe 1022. Stars are divided into 48 conſtellations or Figures of animals, which the antients have imagined for to diſcern the one from the others; and have ſeperated them in three rancks, Septentrionals, Zodiacks, and Meridionals.
ALL the Stars have no proper light of themſelves, but in this manner; all the Stars and Planets are of the ſame nature; but the Moon hath no other light then that which ſhee borrows of the Sun, nor then any other Starre. That if its ſaid, that the Moon looſeth not its light quite, when ſhe eclipſes in the ſhadow of the Earth, becauſe there appeareth a redneſſe in the eclipſed party; and that ſuch redneſſe can be her naturall light? I doe anſwer, that it cannot be naturall, becauſe that if it were ſo, ſhee would never quit it: But when ſhee increaſeth, or that ſhee is in the firſt quarter. The part of the Moon which is not illuminated of the Sun, ought to be provided of that rednes; which is not ſo, as the experience giveth us to underſtand: Then all redneſſe is not naturall to the Moon. That if it bee asked from whence it proceeded, its from the reflection of the light which is incountred in the ſhadow of the Earth: for as the Moon is a poliſhed body, and that the ſhaddow of the Earth is never deſtituted of ſome little light which cauſes that redneſſe in her.
Of all before ſaid, its clear ſeen, that the Sun is the principle of light. God having adorned her with ſuch an eminent quality.
Furthermore we ſay, that the Stars are not tranſparent as the Heaven; as can be ſeen in the Moon and Mercuri, when they are interpoſed between our eyes and the Sun; and that they Eclipſe her, but that they are thick.
VVEE have proved that there are eight Heavens; Now we muſt prove that they are round, and that they turn the one in the other from the Orient to the Occident; the which manifeſtly appears: For we ſee that the Sun, the other Planets, and all the Stars doe riſe firſt in the Orient on the Horiſon; then by little and little advance to the South; ſet to the Occident and next day riſe again in the Orient (let us faſten our ſelves but to the Suns) it muſt be the ſame Sun or another, it cannot be another; for there would require every day a new one. If it is the ſame, it muſt have paſſed over it, within it, or underneath the earth: It cannot have paſſed over it, foraſmuch that there would be no night: the preſence of the Sun cauſing the day. It cannot have paſſed within, ſince it is greater (as we ſhall ſhew hereafter) it remains then, that it is paſsed underneath; and conſequently its Heaven turns alſo about the Earth; and ſo likewiſe all the other Heavens are round ſince they turn the one in the other about the Earth, and that from Orient to Occident.
It is alſo proved that the Heaven is round, becauſe being the part moſt Noble of the world and which containes all the reſt, it is neceſſary that it ſhould have the round form, ſince its the moſt capable, and the moſt perfect, If the Heavens had another figure or forme, thoſe which are inferiour to the others could not carry their Planets from Occident to Orient, becauſe of their angles; or elſe the one muſt penetrate the others, and then there would bee penetration in the matter of the Heaven, which hath been proved ſolid and fixe.
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