the Hiftorie of Nature, 



things whatfoevcr, for that they never thinke of gldtie, of riches, of feeking for dignities and 

 protnotionSjnor over and above,o£ death. Howbeit,thebeleefe that in ihefe matters the gods 

 have eare of mens cftatejis good^cxpedientjand profitable in the courfe of this life : as alfo that 

 the vengeance and punifhment of malefadours may well come late (whiles God is bu(ily occu- 

 pied otherwife in fo hijge a frame of the world) but ricver milleth in the end : and that man was 

 not-made next in degree unto God /or this. That he fhould bee welneercas vile and bafe as the 

 bruit beafts. Moreover, the cheefc comfort that man hath j for his imperfeitions in nature, is 

 this,That even God himfclfc is not omnipotent,and cannot do all things^ For neither is he able 

 to worke his owne death, would hee never fofaine, as man can doe wlien heeiswearieof his 

 lifcjthe beft gift which he hath beftowed upon him,amid fo greatmiferies of his life : nor ciidow 

 B mortall men with cvedafting life : ne yet recall,raife,and revive thofe that once are departed and 

 deadmor bring to pafle,that one wbo lived,did,dot live :,or hee that bare honourable offices^ 

 was not in place of rule and dignitieyNay,he hath no power over things done and paft, fave on- 

 ly oblivion ; no more than he is able to effed (to come with plealant reafons and arguments to 

 prove ourfellowlliipiherin with God)that twife tenne fhoiild not make twentie:and manyfuch 

 things of like fort.VVhereby(no doubt)is evidently proved, thepower of Nature,and how it is 

 fhee^and nothing els, which wee call (jod. I thought it not impertinent thus to divert and di- 

 grefietothefepointSj fo commonly divulged, by rcafonof the ufuall andordinariecjucftions 

 as EQUcbing tbsEifcncc of God. 



C Chap. VIII. 



^ of the nature of PUmts^And their circifiL 



lEt us rcturnc now to the reft of Natures workes.The Starres which wefaid were 

 ifixedin theheaven,are not(as thecommonfortthinketh)af[igned toeveryone 

 lof us5 and appointed to menrelpe6lively :namcly,thc bright andfaire for the 

 I rich jthc lefle for the poore : the dimme for the weak,the aged and feeble :nei- 

 i cher (hine they out more or lefle, according to the lot & fortune of every one, 

 Inorarife they each one together with that perfon unto whom they are ap- 

 propriate^ an d die likcwiie with the fame : ne yet asthey fet and taU,do they fignifie that any bo- 

 D die is dead. There is notjywis,fo great focietie betweene heaven and us, as that together with 

 the f stall neceffitie of our deatb,the thiniog light of the ftarres fhould in token of forrow go out 

 and become mortall. As for them, the truth is thVj when they are thought to fall,they doe buc 

 fhootfrom them a deale of fire,even of that abundance and overmuch nutriment which they 

 have gotten by the attraction of humiditie and moifture unto^them : like as we alfo obferve dai- 

 ly in the wikes and matches of lampes or candles buming,with the liquor of oile-Moteover^thc 

 coeleftialbodies,which make and frame the world,and in chat frame are compa6^ and knit toge- 

 ther^ have an immortall nature: and their power and influence extendeth much to the earth 

 which by their eifedls and operations,by their light and greatnefle might be knowne, notwith- 

 (landing they are fo high and fubiile withalljas we (liall in due place make demonftration* The 

 E manner likewife ofthe heavenly Circles and Zones lliall bee ftiewed more fitly in our Geogra- 

 phicall treatiie of the earth, for as much as the confideration thereof appertaineth wholly 

 thereunto : onely we will not put off,butprelently declare the devifers of the Zodiake, wherein 

 thefignes arc. • 



The obliquitie and crookednefle ^tizo^^ An a>cimander' the Milefian is reported to have ob« 

 fervedfifft, and thereby opened the gate and pa0age to A{konomie,and the knowledge of all 

 things .-and this happened in the 58 0]ympias.AfcerwardsC/e<?/?r^/-//^ marked thefignes there- 

 in, and namely thofe firfl: of Aries and Sagttarm, As for the Sphere it felfe. Atlas devifed long 

 before.Now for this time we will leave the very bodie ofthe ftarrie heaven,and Meat of aj the re^ 

 betweene it and theearth. 



f Gertaine it is, that the Planet which they call Saturne^xs the highefl ; and therefore feemeth satmnii 

 leaft : alfo that hee keepeth hiscourfe,3nd performeth his revolution in the greateft circle of all : 

 and in thirtic yeeres fpace at the fooneft,returneth againe to the point of his firft place, Morco* 

 ver,that the mooving of all the Planets, and withall of Sunne and Moone,go^^ contraric coutfc 

 unto the iiarrie heaven^ namely^to the left hand,(/.Ba£lward:) whereas the faid heaven alw^es 



Biij " ^ hi\jfcncth 



