The divine cosmographer; or, A brief survey of the whole world delineated in a tractate on the VIII Psalme: by W.H. sometimes of S. Peters Colledge in Cambridge. Hodson, William, fl. 1625-1640. This text is an enriched version of the TCP digital transcription A03429 of text S104119 in the English Short Title Catalog (STC 13554). Textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. The text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with MorphAdorner. The annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). Textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. This text has not been fully proofread Approx. 103 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 85 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. EarlyPrint Project Evanston,IL, Notre Dame, IN, St. Louis, MO 2017 A03429 STC 13554 ESTC S104119 99839858 99839858 4317 This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal . The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A03429) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 4317) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1475-1640 ; 1144:05) The divine cosmographer; or, A brief survey of the whole world delineated in a tractate on the VIII Psalme: by W.H. sometimes of S. Peters Colledge in Cambridge. Hodson, William, fl. 1625-1640. Marshall, William, fl. 1617-1650, engraver. [16], 154 p. Printed by Roger Daniel, printer to the Universitie of Cambridge, [Cambridge] : 1640. W.H. = William Hodson, whose name appears in full in the preliminary verses. With an additional title page, engraved and signed "W.M. sculpsit" (i.e. William Marshall), with imprint: Printed for Andrew Crooke [London]. 1640. The first five preliminary leaves include the engraved title page and a conjugate explanation, two leaves of verses, and an imprimatur leaf. Copies lacking some or all of these may represent early states. Reproduction of the original in the Henry E. Huntington Library and Art Gallery. eng Bible. -- O.T. -- Psalms VIII -- Commentaries. Creation -- Biblical teaching -- Early works to 1800. A03429 S104119 (STC 13554). civilwar no The divine cosmographer; or, A brief survey of the whole world, delineated in a tractate on the VIII Psalme: by W.H. sometime of S. Peters C Hodson, William 1640 17746 439 65 0 0 0 0 284 F The rate of 284 defects per 10,000 words puts this text in the F category of texts with 100 or more defects per 10,000 words. 2008-11 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2008-12 SPi Global Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2009-01 Scott Lepisto Sampled and proofread 2009-01 Scott Lepisto Text and markup reviewed and edited 2009-02 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion Octob. 3. 1639. Imprimatur Cantabrigiae per Rogerum Daniel . Ra. Brownrigg Procan . Samuel Ward . Tho. Bainbrigg . Jo. Cosin . The Mind of the Frontispice . depiction of angel How firmely hangs this Earths rich cabinet Twix't fleeting Air , on floting waters set ? By this one argument , fond Atheist see , The Earth thou tread'st on shew's a Deitie . On such a liquid basis could it stand , If not supported by a Pow'rfull hand ? But what 's the Earth , or Sea , or Heav'n to mee Without Thee Three-in-One , and one-in-Three ? Nec caelum sine T●terra . no● unda placet . depiction of man standing on a globe with a hand pointing down from a cloud THE DIVINE COSMOGRAPHER by 〈…〉 Quum te pendenti reputa●… insi●tere terrae nonne vel hinc clar● conspici●… 〈◊〉 ●●um ? Printed for Andrew Crooke . 1640. W●… sulp●it . To my much honoured friend , WILLIAM HODGSON Esquire , on his elegant and learned descant on the Eighth Psalme . WHen I peruse with a delighted eye Thy learned descant on a text so high , The choice of such a subject first I praise ; And then thy skill and Genius , that could raise A style in prose so high as to expresse This holy Panegyrick ; and no lesse The Use , to view through this varietie Of creatures the Creatours majestie : And must condemn those vain Cosmographers , Who whilest they strive to search and to rehearse All creatures frame and beauty , while they toyl To find the various nature of each soil , The Oceans depth , through whose vast bosome move 〈◊〉 many wonders , nay to skies above And higher spheres their contemplations raise , They loose the pith of all , the Makers praise . Thomas May . {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} . HOdsonus ille , Lector , ut vides , novâ Illustrat arte flammei poli plagas , Mundíque tractus ; ceu Syracosius Senex Ingentis olim Iuserat coeli vias , Suúmque magno reddidit mundum Jovi , Humana Divi dum stupent ars quid queat . Sic sic aperti tramitem aeris secans , Stagnantis olim transiit terrae vias Columba , justi missa de manu Senis , Miro volatu remigans liquidum aethera . Qualisve docti quae Tarentini manu Efficta veras arte lusit alites . Hodsonus ille , Lector , ut spatio brevi Se continere non queat ampliùs vides . En ! ille mensor aeris , & liquidi poli Percurrit orbem , tranat & quod aethera , Pinnisque quicquid turbidum findit mare . Accessus illi haud invius Diespiter Quà promit orbi syderis radios novi , Vesperéque sero condit ubi lumen suum ; Ali isque tentat coeli inaccessas domus . Humero efficaci sic priùs coelumtulit , Laturum erat quod se , vice Atlantis , pue● Tonantis olim , pondere haud pressus grav● Linguâque doctâ sic & Hodsonus potens Stylóque docto jam viam adfectat polo ; Terrásque notas linquit , & coelum petit , Radiavit ipse quod priùs lumine suo . Scrib . V. Optimo & ami● Guilielmus Burtonus . Kingstoniae ad Thamesin apud Regn● To my worthy & learned frien●W . H. Esquire , upon his divine meditation and elegant explanation of the Eighth Psalme . MOngst all the reverend rites the Church dains , None melts the mind so much , so mildly reign● O're mans affections , warming our desire And ycie frozen zeal with heavenly fire , As th' Hebrew Siren's musick , Jordans swan , Gods darling David , that Prophetick man : Whose manna-dewing layes with charming strains And anthemes chanted from inspiring veins Do mount our winged souls aloft , which flie Ravish't to Heaven in blessed theorie . This sacred Hymn , the subject of thy quill , Limn'd in such orient colours by thy skill , As a rich tablet shewes in lively features Gods love to man , & mans rule o're the creatures , Fowls of the air , and beasts on earth residing , The scaly frie in the vast Ocean gliding , With all the numerous host of heaven past counting , In spangled order and bright beauty mounting ; These all by thee are taught to speak the story Of the worlds fabrick , and their Founders glory . Nor hast thou marr'd the majestie of those Mysteries sublim'd , dress'd statelier in thy prose : But rather clear'd those rubs and doubts which did ●n obscure knottie arguments lie hid ; And in this * wine-p●esse trode the grapes whose jnvce ●hall to weak fainting souls such heat infuse , ●s will not only cheat their hearts , but be Thy glories Truchman to posteritie . Reuben Bourn . To his ever honoured friend , William Hodgson Esquire , on his contemplations on the Eighth Psalme . Sir , GOd hath blessed you with a lovely vine , And you have blessed your God in so divine Soul-ravishing fansies , wherewith you are fill'd From the pure * wine-presse of this Psalme distill'd I do conceive what pangs were in thee , when Thou formd'st and brought'st forth with thy ski●full penne This perfect feature , whose alluring face Smiles on the world with an attractive grace . When thou beholdest with a single eye The spangled heavens , the embroidered skie , That looks upon the earth with thousands , we Confesse and know that thy divinitie Doth much irradiate the celestiall tapers , Bright in themselves , but brighter by thy papers Curious contriver ! how dost thou enrobe The great and small ones of each massie globe In fine-weav'd ornaments ! Such is thy skill , The Persian needle comes not near thy quill . Richly hast thou adorn'd the Earth our mother , Sea the Earths sister , and the Air their brother : And , which is most praise-worthy ; each I see , And all that 's in them , laud the Deitie . William Moffet , Mr. of Arts Sydn . Coll. Camb. Vic. of Edmonton . The DIVINE COSMOGRAPHER ; or , A brief Survey of the whole world , delineated in a tractate on the VIII Psalme : By W. H. sometime of S. Peters Colledge in Cambridge . Printed by Roger Daniel , Printer to the Universitie of CAMBRIDGE . 1640. PSAL. VIII . To the chief musician upon Gittith , A psalme of David . O LORD our Lord , how excellent is thy name in all the earth ! who hast set thy glory above the heavens . 2 Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength , because of thine enemies that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger . 3 When I consider thy heavens , the work of thy fingers , the moon and the starres which thou hast ordained ; 4 What is man , that thou art mindfull of him and the sonne of man that thou visitest him ? 5 For thou hast made him a little lower then the angels , and hast crowned him with glory and honour . 6 Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands ; thou hast put all things under his feet . 7 All sheep and oxen , yea , and the beasts of the field : 8 The fowl of the aire , and the fish of the sea , and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas . 9 O LORD our Lord , how excellent is thy name in all the earth ! The Divine Cosmographer ; or , A brief survey of the whole world , delineated in a tractate on the eighth Psalme . SECT. 1. A preface on the book of Psalmes in generall . THe Holy Ghost describing the genealogie of our Saviour , from how many kings he was descended , vouchsafeth none of them the style and title of a King but David , and him twice in one verse , Matth. 1.6 . and that for a literall and morall reason : partly , because he was the first king settling and establishing the kingdome of Israel ; but principally , for that he was endowed with al princely qualities , as justice , wisdome , clemencie , courage , and devotion : A king as mighty in religion as valour ; who wrote more like an Evangelist then a Prophet . And therefore the Fathers conclude him to be , Homo in Veteri , non de Veteri Testamento , a man that lived in the time , but not after the manner of the old law , more like a Christian then a Jew . As the fat was taken away from the peace-offering , so was David chosen out from among the children of Israel Ecclus 47.2 . That which was most excellent in every thing , the Hebrews called the fat : as , adeps frumenti , the fat of the corn ; medulla tritici , the marrow of the wheat . The witty imitatour of Solomon doth there make an allusion between the father of Solomon and the fat of the peace-offering : All the peace-offering was the Lords , yet all was not offered to him ; but part was given to the Priest , and a part to the people : but the fat was fully burnt up to the Lord : So the zeal of Gods house burnt up David as the fat of the sacrifice . In this fire of zeal did he oft ascend , like the Angel in the flame of Manoah's altar , to the throne of God : and his tongue being touched by a coal from that altar , many a dainty song did he tune upon his harp ; which harp was no● more sweet then his song was holy . Though Moses the man of God was the first that by a speciall direction from God began and brought up this order , to make musick the conveyer of mens duties into their minds ; yet David the darling of God hath sithence continued it , as having a speciall grace and felicitie in this kind . One touch of the sonne of Jesse , one murmure of this heavenly turtle , one Michtam of Davids jewel , his golden song , is farre above the buskind raptures , the garish phantasmes , the splendid vanities , the pageants and landskips of profaner wits . Et hîc rhetoricantur Patres : The Fathers both Greek and Latine have robed his Psalter with many rich encomiums . Athanasius , and Basil , and Augustine , and Hierome , and Chrysostome , and almost all the new writers , stand so deeply affected to this book , that they hold it to be the Souls Anatomie , the Lawes Epito me , the Gospels Index Omnis latitudo Scripturarum , The breadth of the whole Scripture ( as he sometimes spake of the Creed , and the Lord prayer ) may hither be reduced . And it is observeable out of Luke 24.24 . that it is put for all the books of the old Testament as they are differenced from the Law of Moses and the Prophets . Again , it appeareth in the Gospel that Christ and his Disciples were very conversant in this book , because in their sayings and writings not fewer then sixty authorities are produced from above fourty of these Psalmes . This book was and still is more usually both sung and read , not onely in the Jewish Synagogues but in Christian assemblies , as well by the people as the Minister , and that with more outward reverence , then any par● of holy Writ . The Jew● acknowledge the old Testament , abhorre the new ; the Turks disclam● both , yet swear as solemnly by the Psalmes o● David as by the Alcora● of Mahomet . In all ages this boo● hath ever been esteeme● of the best & most learned men . Yea , the greatest Potentates , who with Joseph have had manu● ad clavum & oculos ad calum , have without blushing stooped unto a verse it being the usuall recreation of King David , wh● was , as Euthymius speaks primi Regis & lingua , & cor , & calamus , the ●ongue , the pen , & heart of the King of Heaven . Thus , as we reade , our good king Alfred translated the Psalter himself into the Saxon tongue . And our late most learned King James of happie memorie ( who as it is said of Scevola , that he was Jurisperitorum eloquentissimus , of all lawyers the most eloquent man ; so was he {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , of our Nobles the most skilfull in Divinitie ; and as Sylverius said of Caesar , he honoured learning with his own labours : a Prince mighty both with his sceptre and his pen ; who besides his prose , it● ad carmen noverat , mad● such a verse when h● pleased , etiam sanissim● coloris , of a most daint and elaborate composit●on , as became Buchanan best Scholar ) among other things truly and exactly translated ou● Church-psalmes , no● long before he was translated hence . The Subject of thi● book is singular : Fo● whereas the other Prophesies were the Ambassies from God to the people , or at least the abstracts thereof , these are for the most part holy colloquies , holy whisperings , and secret conferences with God . What a spirituall Library of all manner of prayers , precepts , exhortations do I here find ! The Psalter of this Kingly Prophet operateth that in the Church which the Sun doth in heaven ; it illumi●ateth , heateth , and ma●eth fruitfull all the good desires of Christianitie . Our Prophet once desired to be a doorekeeper in the house of the Lord ; and ●e was heard in that he ●rayed for : for , as Hilarie ●aith , this whole book of ●salmes was but a bunch of eyes , opening severall ●oores to let the soul enter into all the treasures of devotion . This is the Spouses garden : here be lily 〈◊〉 and roses ; here be apple● and pomegranates , an● sweet fruits ; here be the myrrhe , aloes , & Cassi● and sweet spices ; here b● the fountains and well of living water ; hîc su●preces & vota , here a● prayers and consolation● and amulets of comfor● more pleasant then the pools of Heshbon , mo● glorious then the towe● of Libanon , more red● lent then the oyl of A●ron , more fructifyi● then the dew of Hermo● Prophets , Apostles , h● Martyrs , all the ancie● Fathers have made use of ●is book that begins ●th Blessednesse , and ●ntains nothing but ●essednesse ; Blessednesse ●ing times repeated twenty ●en times in the con●ete in this one book : ●hich like the tree that ●areth fruit every ●neth , the Church hath ●pointed shall bring ●th fruit every moneth 〈◊〉 due season . As the matter is ex●llent , so is it digested ●o an elegant form of ●ords : Which fall not ●th the vulgar libertie 〈◊〉 speech , but run in ●mbers upon ordered ●et of divine poesie , composed and set to M●sicall tunes : in observ●tion of which the Psa●mist is as criticall as the daintiest Lyrick or H●roick , yet with a vast d●paritie , both for subs●mitie of matter and admirable expression . S● rightly did Hierome pr●nounce of David to Pa●linus , that he is our Si●nides , Pindarus , Alce● Catullus , and in stead all others . Sundry reasons are ●ven why the Lord wou● have the chief points Religion included numbers by the sw● Singer of Israel . T● first is , That they mig● be transmitted pure and without depravation to ●osteritie : for they run ●o evenly and so harmo●ously upon feet , that if ●here want but a word or syllable the errour is de●rehended . Secondly ; it is done ●or the help of memorie : ●or concinnitie of numbers is sooner learned ●nd longer reteined then ●rose . Thirdly , it puts us in ●ind of the harmonie ●f our actions : In which holy and heavenly use of the harp the royall Pro●het by his tunes of Mu●ck teacheth men how to ●et themselves in tune , Psal. 15. and not one● how to tune themselv● but to tune their ho● hold , Psal. 101. Fourthly , to leap ov● a large field at once , a● to speak a little more that of which we can ●ver speak enough , it s●veth for the comfort the godly who are mo● often cheared by Psalmodie then by Praye● In this last respect S. A●gustine thus describeth Psalme , Psalmus tranqu●litas animarum est er sig● fer pacis , A Psalme is t● tranquillitie of the so● and standard-bearer peace . With which greeth that of S. A●●rose , Psalmus est vox ec●esiae , et clamor jucundita●s . And this hath truly been verified in the expe●ence of the Saints , that ●evout singing of ●salmes causeth teares of ●y to stand in the eyes ●f yet we may call them ●ares , or not rather the ●ew of heaven , with S. ●ernard ) which adde a ●rment to the torment● . O how often , saith ●ood S. Augustine , have ●wept for joy , when the ●weet hym●es of thy ●raise , O Lord , have ●unded in my eares . Et ●liquebatur cor meum , My heart melted , and ●rops of heavenly passions distilled into my sou●Suspirans tibi & respiran● Sighing and longing afte● thee , I was overjoyed i● spirit , and wholy overcome with the frago● of thy sweet ointment● I will end this prefa● with a note already mad● unto my hand : Athanasius in an epistle ad Ma● cellinam De optima inte● pretatione Psalmorum , reports , that coming to a● old man , and falling i● talk with him about the Psalmes , he receive● from him a good direct●on : whereupon , as himself saith , he listened diligently : The note wa● this , That there is grea● odds between the Psalms ●nd other Scriptures : for ●f you set aside the mysti●all part of them , the ●orall is so penned that ●very man may think it ●peaks de se , in re sua , it 〈◊〉 penned for him , and ●tted for his case : which ●f other parts of Scrip●ure cannot be so affirm●d . To this note of A●anasius I will adde ano●er of S. Augustines , ●et us so reade Psalmes ●ll our selves be turned ●to Psalmes , till the ●nging of Psalmes and ●ymns unto the Lord ●vite the very Angels of ●eaven to bear us com●any ; so shall we learn with a near approch t● joyn our souls as clo● to the eares of God 〈◊〉 Philip joyned himself t● the chariot of the E●nuch . Then sing ye me●rily unto the Lord , O 〈◊〉 Saints of his , for it well b●cometh you to be thankfull for you are the timbre of the Holy Ghost . But because concept●ons like hairs may mo● easily be filleted up the dissheveled , I will tie 〈◊〉 my loose thoughts certain knots : I w● single out one deer fro● the herd , and in particular fix my meditatio● on the eighth Psalme . SECT. 2. BEfore I enter upon the parts of this Psalme , must first clear the title , and shew what is imply●d in the very bark and find thereof . The In●cription , which S. Au●ustine calles the key of ●very Psalme , is , To him ●hat excelleth in Gittith . ●o are the eighty first & the eighty ninth inscri●ed . Some derive the word ●ittith from a Musicall ●strument so called , be●ause either invented or ●ost used in Gath : and ●us the Chaldee Para●hrast translateth it , To sing upon the harp tha● came from Gath. So by Gittith here may b● meant , either such instruments as were used by the posteritie of Obed 〈◊〉 Edom the Gittite ; or tha● these Psalmes were mad● upon occasion of transporting Gods Ark from the house of Obed-Edom , the historie whereof is in 2. Sam. 6. and 6 ▪ 10 , 11 , 12 verses . Others more probabl● think it respecteth the time when this and thos● songs used to be sung namely at the time Hag●gittith , at the vintage which feast was solemnly celebrated by the I●raelites ; in which they especially praised the name of God for the great and manifold blessings conferred upon man : Which ●s the whole bloud and ●uyce of this Psalme . According to this the Greek ●ranslateth it the wine-presses : & Gath in Hebrew signifies a winepresse ; Torcular calcav● solus , I have troden the winepresse a●one , Isaiah 63.3 . Where by the way I could take along with me this observation ; In those words the Prophet speaks not of himself ; for it is he that asketh the question , vers. ● . Who is he , &c. Proper indeed they are to Christ , and so proper to him onely that we shall not reade them any-where applyed to any other . It is he that was in torculari , in a presse , yea , in a double Winepresse ; In the former he was himself troden and pressed ; he was the grapes and clusters himself ; in the latter , he that was troden on gets up again , and doth tread upon , and tread down his enemies . The presse he was troden in was his Crosse and Passion ; never cluster lay so quiet and still to be bruised as did Christ in that presse : But that which he came out of , where calcatus became calcator , was his Descent , and glorious Resurrection . Upon this little piece of ground I could raise another fabrick , & inferre this collection from the title , To him that excelleth : As David entitleth these Psalmes , so doth God for the most part bestow his graces , to him that excelleth ; and with a liberall hand doth he deal his favours to him that improves his talent to the best advantage . Gods familie admitteth of no dwarfes , which are unthriving and stand at a stay ; but men of measure , who still labour to find somewhat added to the stature of their souls . The Eagles embleme is Sublimiùs , To flie higher , even to behold the Sun , as Plinie noteth ; the Suns embleme is Celeriùs , Swifter , like a giant refreshed to run his course , as David speaketh , Psal. 19. the Wheat in the Gospel hath its embleme , Perfectiùs , Riper ; First the blade , then the eare , then full corn , Mark 4.28 . Ezekiels embleme , Profundiùs , Deeper ; first to the ankle , then to the thigh , Ezek. 47.4 . Christs embleme was Superiùs ; Sit up higher , Luke 14.10 . Charles the fifth his embleme was Vlteriùs , Go on farther . The woman with childe hath here embleme , Pleniùs , Fuller , untill she bring forth . So ought every Christian to mount higher with the Eagle , to runne swifter with the Sunne , to sit up higher with the guest , to passe on further with the Emperour , to wax fuller with the Woman , till they may bring forth good fruits of saving faith , and so come to a full growth to be perfect men in Jesus Christ . But it is not my intent to angle about the shore : I will now let down my net , and lanch into the deep . SECT. 3. THe ground upon which the Psalmist sweetly runneth through the whole Psalme , is a twofold rapture expressed in a sacred rapsodie , in an exstaticall question of suddain wonder ; a wonder at God , and a wonder at Man . In his wonder at Man , the parts be Antitheta : first , of his Vilenesse & Debasement ; Secondly , of his Dignitie and Exaltation . In the first each word hath its energie , What is man ? and then , What is the sonne of man ? paraphrastically thus , according to the Chaldee , What is man ? Not man , that rare creature endowed with wisdome & understanding ; not man , as he is cura Divini ingenii , the Almighties master-piece , the Epitome of the greater world : But , What is Enosh , or Enosch , miserable , dolefull , wretched man ? or , What is the sonne of Adam ; whose originall is Adamah , earthie ? What is the sonne of calamitie or earth ? What is he ? Nay , what is he not ? what not of calamity and earth ? And because the life of opposites is in comparing them , the Prophet in a deep speculation looking over that great nightpiece , and turning over the vast volume of the world , seeth in that large Folio among those huge capitall letters what a little insensible dagesh-point Man is , and suddenly breaks forth into this amazed exclamation , Lord ! what is man ? Having considered in his thoughts the beauty of the celestiall host , the Moon and the Starres , he brings up man unto them ; not to rivall their perfection , but to question his ; and after some stand and pause , in stead of comparison makes this enquirie , What is man , or , the sonne of man ? Secondly , we are here to take notice of Mans dignitie . Though the Prophet abaseth himself with a What is man ? yet withall he addes , having an eye at Gods favour and mercie towards man , Thou takest knowledge of him ; Thou makest account of him ; making him onely lower then the Angels , but Lord over the rest of the creatures . And this knowledge , this account o● God , doth more exa● man then his own vilenesse can depresse him . In his wonder towards God , as if Gods glory were the circle of David● thoughts , he both begin● and ends the Psalme with an elegant Epanalepsis Priùs incipit Propheta mirari quàm loqui ; O Lord our Governour , how excellent is thy name in all the world ! vers. 1. And desinit loqui non mirari ; O● Lord our Governour , how excellent is thy name , &c. vers. 9. Sicut incipit it● terminat ; & geminatio re● ejusdem intentionem habe● & animi ardorem , saith Musculus on Psal. 117. To which agreeth that of S. Augustine upon this hymne , Incipiendum cum Deo , & desinendum cum ●o : To praise God is the first thing we must begin with , and the last we must conclude with . And it is easie to observe , how that the universall underlong of most of these Ditties is , Praised be the Lord . Davids gracious heart in a sweet sense of the great goodnesse of his God , every-where breathes out this doxologie or divine Epipho●ema , Praised be the Lord . This is the resolution and Logicall Analysis o● the whole Psalme . B● should I fold up so ri● a work in so small a compasse , I did but shew yo● the knotty outside of a Arras-hanging : I wi● now open and draw o● at length , and present t● your eyes the pleasan● mixture of colours i● each piece thereof . An● least I should lose my se● in this Zoan , in this fiel● of wonders , my meditations shall keep pace wit● the Princely Prophet● method , and among those magnalia Jehovae mirifica Domini , the wonderfull works of the Lord , I will first conside● how that out of the ●outhes of babes and suck●ngs he ordaineth strength , 〈◊〉 still the enemie and the ●venger . SECT. 4. SAint Hierome writeth of Paula that no●le matrone , that she joy●d in nothing more then ●uòd Paulam neptim audie●t in cunis balbutiente lin●uâ Halleluja cantare , that ●e heard her niece Paula ●ven in the cradle with a ●retty stammering tongue 〈◊〉 sing Haleluiah unto ●e Lord . O God , thou ●eedest no skilfull Rhetorician to set forth the praise : Ipsa tibi blandos fundent cunabula flores ; even new-born babe● and sucklings do sufficiently declare thy power wisdome , and goodnesse — Qui matrum ex uber● pendent , Elingues pueri ( dict● mirabile ! ) vires Immensas numénque tuu● muto ore fatentur . Thus did the blessed Innocents , those primiti● Martyrum , witnesse ou● Saviours glory , non l● quendo sed moriendo , no● by speaking but by su●fering for him , so the God out of their mout● made perfect his praise . Christ assuredly got praise ●n that hymn which the Angels sung , Glory be to God on high ; he got great praise by S. Stephen his Protomartyr , and by S. ●ohn whom he loved : but ●s praise was made per●ect by the mouth of those ●abes and Innocents . Marvel not that children ●ake up that train : for ●nto them and unto us ●en was born a Child , as ●e Prophet speaks , and ●ch an one as ever de●ghted in little ones , like ●s Father . To him was ●ver sacrifice more ac●ptable of beasts , then ●mbes ; of birds , then pigeons : and that Lamb● of God carried the sam● mind , Suffer little children to come unto me , and fo●bid them not , for unto such belongeth the kingdome ● heaven . And if the kingdome of heaven belong to them , good reaso● they should belong un● the king . As great Princes will have their se●vants to attend on hi● whom they honour , 〈◊〉 God commands the glorious Angels in heave● to take charge of his lit● ones here on earth ; a● they are ever rea● pitching their te● round about them , a● do ever attend either 〈◊〉 their safegard or revenge . Nay , they are no longer Angels as S. Gregorie well observes , then they are so employed : for ac●ording to S. Augustine , Angel is a name of office ●ot of nature . They are alwayes Spirits , but not alwayes Angels : For no ●onger messengers from God to man , no longer Angels ; since to be an Angel , implyes onely to be a messenger . It was a witty Essay of ●im , who styled Woman the second edition of the e●itome of the whole world , ●eing framed next unto ●an , who was the ab●ridgement of the whole creation ; and though a● Infant be but man in 〈◊〉 small letter , yet ( saith another Characterist ) he 〈◊〉 the best copie of Adam b●fore he tasted of Eve or the apple . — Felix sine fraudib● aetas ! Thrice happie Infancie , in which no guile 〈◊〉 gall is to be found ! C●jus innocentia & ignosce●tia , saith Culman , Whos● humblenesse and harmlesnesse abundantly co●founds the enemie and the avenger : For a littl● child being injured takes not any revenge but onely makes complaint to its parents . I● this respect we should ●mitate little children ; and when any wrong us , not suddenly break into Gods office , who saith , Vengeance is mine ; whose prerogative royall it is , to ●epay it : but onely make complaint to God our Father in heaven , or to the Church our Mother on earth . He that upon an ambi●uous word , to which he ●rames an interpretation against himself , upon ●ome Chimera of spirit , ●oth instantly fall into ●rags , rotomontadoes , ●untilioes , steps as it were ●to his Princes chair of state , yea Gods own seat , dethroning both and so disturbs heave● and earth . And he the shall communicate wit● another , still reteining t● impure passion of malic● in which is steeped the venome of all other v●ces , doth put Adonis i● the crib of Bethlehem , 〈◊〉 heretofore the heathe● did . But from our Saviou● crib I remove m● thoughts to Moses h● cradle . When tyrann● call Pharaoh sent out h● bloudie edict for the slaughter of all the mal● babes and sucklings 〈◊〉 Israel , when the exec●tioners hand should ha● succeeded the midwives , then was the mercifull daughter of that cruel father moved to compassion with the beauty ●nd tears of a little infant , Which with a smile seem'd to implore the aid And gentle pitie of that royall maid : Which young and live●y oratorie so prevailed with her , that from the ●rk of bulrushes , where●n she found it forlorn ●nd floting among the waves , she brought it to the palace , and bred it ; ●ot as a child of alms , ●or whom it might have ●een favour enough to live , but as it had bee● her own sonne , in all the delicates and in all the learning of Egypt . Thu● many times God write● such presages of honou● and majestie in the fac● of children as are able t●confound the enemie an● the avenger . Some have observed how aptly these words ex ore infantum , are her● inserted in the secon● verse of this Psalme , between the first and the third , wherein the Prophet magnifieth God● glory in consideration o● the heavens , & such lik● works of his and his ordaining ; as though the Heavens too , the Sun , the Moon , the Starres , and the rest , were to be rec●oned among those babes ●nd infants out of whose mouthes together with ●thers he hath appointed ●e predication and per●ct composition of his ●raises . And because parallel ●xts of Scripture , like ●sses set one against another , cast a mutuall ●ght , it will not be a●isse to illustrate this by ●nferring and medita●g on some passages of ●e former part of the ●eteenth Psalme , and the next place consider ●w the heavens declare the glory of God , and the firmament sheweth h● handy-work . SECT. 5. THough Men onely were made to be the speech-sounding letter in the alphabet of the Creation ; though the Heavens , the Day and the Night be mute , yet hav● they a language whic● is universally understood : The continua● succession of day & nigh● doth notably set forth the wonderfull power & providence of God ; On● day telleth another , & on● night certifieth another , vers. 2. If the world be , as Clemens Alexandri●us saith , Dei scriptura , the first Bible that God made for the institution of man ; then may we ●ake those words to be ●art of the book of the world , where Nights are as it were the black in●ie lines of learning , Dayes the white lightsome spaces between the ●ines , where God hath ●mprinted a legible deli●eation of his glory . Here with Chryso●tome we may observe the goodly Eutaxie of the Howers , how like maydens dancing in a round , very handsomely and curiously the● succeed one another , and by little and little , and without any stirre in the world , the inmost convey themselves utter most , the formost , hindermost , and middlemost do all shift places one with another , and yet for all this , they never stand still , but do still stand in their just distances , — & positae spatiis aequalibus horae . Where likewise I may assume that of the Apostle , Rom. 10.15 . How beautifull are the feet of those that bring glad tidings ? How beautifull 〈◊〉 {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , how howerlike ! and then they are fair and beautifull indeed . I will elevate this a point higher , and next consider the goodly and glorious vault of heaven , where are those worlds of light , much bigger then so many globes of earth , hanging and moving regularly in that bright and spacious contignation of the firmament . If there were no other , this were a sufficient errand for a mans being here below , to see and observe those goodly luminaries above our heads , their places , their quantities , their motions , to discern those glories that may answer to so rich a pavement . There is the Sunne , the Heart of the world , the Eyes of the universe , the Gemme of Natures ring , the Prince of life , Monarch of dayes and yeares , the Bridegroom , the Husband of the Earth which provides heat and sustenance for her and all the children that hang on her breasts . There is the Moon , a weaker light for a necessarie use , Mother of moneths , Lady of seas & moystures , a secret worker upon bodily humours , whose vertue is not greater in her light then in her influence . There be those twinkling Starres , as it were virgins with torches waiting on their Mistres the Queen of Night : Posuit etiam Deus stellas , Gen. 1.16 . Some reade , Dedit stellas , God gave the Starres in way of dowrie or a joynture ; but others , Posuit stellas , He set them in order : He hath not set them tanquā in centro , but tanquam in circulo , in excellent order . Surely if these dark and low rooms are so well fitted , it is not like those fair and upde● rooms are void . This Sidereall heaven ( i● contemplation of which in an holy trance I could gaze my self into wonder ) is not more richly decked with conspicuous candles perpetually burning , then the throne of God with celestiall Lights . There are innumerable regiments , bands and royall armies of Cherubims and Seraphims , Archangels and Angels , Saints and Martyrs . There is nothing which a religious soul can covet but she hath it ; and to borrow a strain of the Schools , for the closing up of this sweet note , Hîc Deum amamus amore desiderii ; at in coelo , amore amicitiae : Here we desire to have God , there we have our full desire . To cast mine eyes back from whence I have a little digressed , by a retrogradation , I contemplate again the excellencie of Man , together with the priviledges of his condition wherewith God hath ennobled him . In some creatures we have onely vestigium , the print of Gods foot ; but in others imaginem , his image . The Sunne , the Moon , and the Stars are glorious creatures , yet are they but the work of Gods fingers : whereas man is the work of his hands ; Thy hands have made me and fashioned me : I will praise thee , for I am fearfully and wonderfully made , &c. The word in the originall signifies such art and curiositie as is used in needlework or embroiderie . Man is as it were Gods Scutcheon , wherein he hath pourtrayed all the titles of the most excellent beauties of the world . God having framed the world ( saith Causinus in his Holy court ) as a large clock , hath proportionably given to Man the place . The first wheel of this great clock of the world , is the Primum Mobile : The continuall motion , the secret influences of Antipathies and Sympathies , which are , as it were , hidden in the bowels of nature : The hand thereof , is this goodly and beautifull embowed frettizing of the heavenly orbs which we behold with our eyes : The twelve Signes are , as it were , the distinctions of the twelve howers of the day : The Sunne exerciseth the office of the steel and Gnomon , to point out time ; and in his absence , the Moon : The Starres contribute thereto their lustrous brightnesse : The flowrie carpet of the earth beneath us , the spangled canopie of the heavens above us , the wavie curtains of the aire about us , are so many Emblemes to exercise the wisest in the knowledge of this great Workman : The living creatures are the small chimes ▪ and Man is the great clock , which is to strike the howers , and rende● thanks to the Creatou● S. Chrysostome saith that the Angels are the Morning-starres , whereo● mention is made in Job who incessantly praise God ; and Men are the Evening-Starres fashioned by the hand of God to do the same office . Briefly , God hath made man the Charge of Angels , the sole Surveyour of heaven , the Commander of the earth , the Lord of the Creatures . And thus am I led by the hand to consider his Regencie and Dominion over them . SECT. 6. WHen God had formed of the earth every beast of the field , and every fowl of the aire of their own fit matter , he brought them unto Man , who was their Lord , to acknowledge his sovereigntie , and to receive from him their names , Gen. 2.19 . Some have conceited Adam sitting in some high and eminent place , his face shining farre brighter then ever the face of Moses did , and every beast coming as he was called , and bowing the head as he passed by , being not able to behold his countenance . Most probable it is , that either by the help of Angels , or by that which the Greeks call {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , a naturall and secret instinct from God , by which every creature perceiveth what is good & bad for them , they were gathered to Adam . God brought them to man for diverse reasons : First , To let him see how much he did excell them , and how much the more he should be thankfull . God made other creatures in severall shapes , like to none but themselves ; Man , after his own image : others with qualities fit for service ; Man , for dominion . Secondly , That he should give them their names , in token of his power over them . Thirdly , That posteritie might see what admirable knowledge Adam had in giving names to the creatures according to their kinds . All the Arts were ingraven upon the Creatures , yet none but Man could see them : for he receives them both actively and passively ; and therefore by Logick he understood their natures , and by Grammar their names . If God had given their names , it had not been so great a praise of Adams memorie to recall them , as it was then of his judgement at first sight to impose them . By his knowledge he fitted their names to their disposition : and even in this he shewed his dominion over them , in that he knew how to govern them and order them also . To witnesse their subjection they present themselves before him as their awfull king , to do their first homage , and to acknowledge their tenure . Such was the wonderfull beautie of mans body , such a majestie resulting from his face , that it struck a reverence into them all . The image of God , as it were the Lords coat of Arms which he had put upon Man , made the creatures afraid of him . Though God made Man paulò inferiorem Angelis , little lower then the Angels , yet he made him multò superiorem reliquis , farre above all the creatures : He that made Man and all the rest , praeposuit , set Man above all the rest . Thus while man served his Creatour , he was feared of every creature . But did he not lose this patent of Dominion by his fall ? Are not the beasts now become his enemies ? May we not now take up the complaint of Job , chap. 39.7 . The wilde asse derideth the multitude of the citie , and heareth not the crie of the driver . The vnicorn will not serve , nor tarrie by the crib , 9. The hawk will not flie by our wisdome , neither doth the Eagle mount up at our command , v. 26 , 27. We cannot draw out Leviathan with an hook , neither pierce his jaws with an angle . Job . 41.1 , 2. How then is the fear of Man upon the creatures ? Though Adam in the state of innocencie had this rule over them in a more excellent manner , for then they were subject by nature , of their own accord , without compulsion ; yet by his transgression Man did not altogether lose this power and dominion : For it was one of the prerogatives which God gave to Noah and his sonnes , Gen. 9.2 . The fear of you shall be upon every beast of the earth , and upon every fowl of heaven , upon all that moveth on the earth , and upon all the fish of the sea : into your hands are they delivered : That is , saith the Paraphrast , The outward priviledges of your first creation I do now , though imperfectly , renew unto you ; Let the fear and dread of you be planted naturally in every beast of the earth , whether tame or wild , and in every fowl of the aire , and generally in all that treadeth on the earth , and in all the fishes of the sea : All these , my will is , shall be subject to your will and command , that as by you and for you they were preserved , so they accordingly serve to your use . When Christ was in the wildernesse with the beasts fourty dayes and fourty nights , they hurt him not , Mark 1.13 . So when the image of God is restored to man in holinesse , all the creatures begin willingly to serve him ; but they are enemies to the unregenerate . The dogs did eat the flesh of Jezebel , 2. Kings 9.36 . yet they licked the sores of Lazarus , Luke 16.21 . The ravens pick out the eyes of those that are disobedient to their parents , Prov. 30.17 . yet they fed Elias in the wildernesse . 1. Kings 17.6 . The serpents stung the people of Israel , Num. 21.6 . yet the viper that leaped on Pauls hand hurt him not , Acts 28.6 . The lions that devoured Daniels accusers , touched not him , Dan. 6.23 , 24. And still there are some reliques of God left in man which make the beasts to stand in aw of him : For first , they cannot do that harm to man which they would , because God restrains their power . Secondly , they do not offend man , but when he offends God . Thirdly , the nature of every wild beast hath been tamed by the nature of man , James 3.7 . Fourthly , the most salvage beasts stand in fear of him ; they flie his company ; they shunne his arts and snares ; they fear his voice and shadow . When man goeth to rest , the beasts come forth to hunt their prey , Psal. 104.20 . Fifthly , they serve man , and submit themselves to his will . The Lion will crouch to his keeper : the Elephant will be ruled and led about by a little dwarf : the Horse yeelds his mouth to the bridle ; the Ox his neck to the yoke ; the Cow her dugs to our hands ; the Sheep her wooll to the shearers . He can now stoop the Hawk to his lure , send the Dog on his errand , teach one fowl to fetch him another , one beast to purvey for his table in the spoil of others . I am fallen upon a subject not more large then pleasant ; & híc pinguescere potest oratio , my lines could here more easily swell into a volume then be contracted into a manual . For as Aeneas Sylvius noteth , That there is no book so weakly written but it conteines one thing or other which is profitable ; and as the elder Plinie said to his nephew when he saw him walk out some howers without studying , Poteras has horas non perdere , You might have chosen whether you would have lost this time : so if we would improve our most precious minutes to the best , and contemplate on this great school of the world , where men are the scholars , and the creatures the characters by which we spell , and put together that nomen majestativum , as S. Bernard calls it , that great and excellent name of God , we should find that there is no creature so contemptible but may justly challenge our observation , and teach a good soul one step towards the Creatour . There is not any so little a Spider which coming into the world bringeth not with it its rule , its book , its light : It is presently instructed in what it should do . The Swallow is busie in her masonrie : The Bee toyleth all day in her innocent theft : The Pismires , a people not strong , prepare their meat in summer , and labour like the Bees : sed illae faciunt cibos , hae condunt , but these make , the others hoard up meat . As Vulcan is commended in the Poet for beating out chains and nets — quae lumina fallere possunt , — non illud opus tenuissima vincunt Stamina , so thin that the eye could not see them , being smaller then the smallest thread : So the smaller the creature is , the more is the workmanship of God to be admired both in shaping & using thereof . Our God is as cunning and artificiall in the organicall body of the smallest creature of the world as of the greatest : And what application we may make thereof , I shall have fair occasion given me again to treat of , when I come to consider the Fowls of the aire , and the Fish of the sea . In the mean time having selected this Psalme for my meditations on Mans Lordship and Sovereigntie over the creatures , I proceed according to the Prophets method ; and from his Omnia subjecisti , from some generalls , come to handle some particulars : and , as he hath ranked them in order , I will next declare how the Lord hath put under his feet all Sheep and Oxen , and the beasts of the field . SECT. 7. THere be beasts ad esum . and ad usum . Some of them are profitable alive not dead ; as the Dog , & Horse , serviceable while they live , once dead they are thrown out for carrion . Some are profitable dead not alive ; as the Hog that doth mischief while he lives , but is wholesome food dead . Some are profitable both alive and dead ; as the Ox that draws the plough , the Cow that gives milk , while they live ; & when they are killed , nourish and feed us with their flesh : Yet none of them is so profitable as that quiet , innocent , harmlesse creature , the Sheep : Whose every part is good for something ; the wooll for raiment , the skin for parchment , the flesh for meat , the guts for musick . In Sacrifices no creature so frequently offered ; in the Sinne-offering , Peace-offering , Burnt-offering , Passeover , Sabbath-offering ; and especially in the daily-offering they offered a Lambe at morning , and a Lambe at evening , Num. 28. Lorinus observeth out of the Fathers , why a Lambe was so continually offered ; namely , as a type of the offering of Christ : who in eight and twenty severall places of the Revelation is called the Lambe of God . For the name of Sheep ; notatissima est dicendi forma , saith Bucer : in the 34. of Ezekiel , the Prophets are thirteen times called Shepherds , and the people one and twentie times called Sheep . In what honour the name , function and person of Shepherds hath been , is every-where apparent through the sacred Scriptures . A Shepherd was the first tradesman , though the second sonne of all the children of Adam . And after Abel , many Shepherds were in near attendance upon God . A Shepherds life , saith Philo , est praeludium ad regnum ; ideò reges olim dicti sunt {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} : Of which phrase Homer and other Grecians have made use . The old Testament hath none in more esteem then Shepherds . Moses , that kept Jethro's sheep ; Jacob , that kept Labans sheep ; Amos a Prophet , taken from the herd ; Moses a Priest and a Prophet , from the sheep ; Elisha the Lords Seer ( and you know whose spirit Elisha had ) yet taken from the cattel ; David the Lords Souldier , ( and who ever got such victories as David ? ) yet fetched from the fold , and by the choyce of God destined to the Throne . When he had lien long enough close among his flocks in the field of Bethlehem , God sees a time to send him to the pitched field of Israel , where at his first appearance in the list with that insolent uncircumcised Philistine , whose heart was as high as his head , he takes no other spear but his staff , no other brigandine but his shepherds scrip , no other sword but his sling , no other artillerie but what the brook affords , five smooth small peebles ; and yet by these guided by an invisible hand he overcame the Giant . Afterwards when the diademe empaled his temples , his thoughts still reflected on his hook and harp . All the state and magnificence of a Kingdome could not put his mouth out of taste of a retired simplicitie . As a Musician often toucheth upon the sweetest note in his song , pavin or galliard , so our Kingly Prophet in diverse Psalmes , but especially in his three and twentieth , ( which we may call his Bucolicon ) hath most daintily struck upon the same string , through the whole hymn : There have you Shepherd , sheep , green fields , still waters , wayes , pathes , valleyes , shadows , yea the rod , and the crook . But more then all this ; God the Father is called a Shepherd , Psal. 80.1 . God the Sonne doth name himself a Shepherd , John 10.11 . God the Holy Ghost is named a Shepherd and Bishop of our souls , 1. Pet. 2.25 . These very terms of Shepherd and Sheep have led me farther than I thought besides the waters of comfort . The night hath now furled up her sails , and a clear thin cloud laden onely with a light dew besprinkleth with drops the whole earth , like pearls , which sparkle as little eyes in the faces of the flowers and plants . The glorious Sun is now unlocking the doore of the morning to run his race . The winged Choristers of heaven do now begin to prune and pick themselves , and in their circling turns mount and soar aloft , and caroll out their praises to God , as rendring their dutifull devotions and thanks unto him who hath thus reflected the beams of the Sun upon them : Whose sweet Anthems and modulations invite mine eare to listen thereunto , and after some pause break off my thoughts from the beasts of the field , and direct my pen to write somewhat of the fowls of the aire . SECT. 8. MY meditations are now on wing : and I will make a short and speedy flight through the volarie of the open aire , to look on the numberlesse guests which it conteineth ; to see the severall fowls of all shapes , colours & notes , whom Nature doth so willingly and bountifully furnish for the benefit of man , even to a mirrour of delicacie , braverie , use . First , if we consider profit , they are for meat . When the Israelites in the desert murmured for meat , Moses asked whether he should kill all the beeves and sheep , or gather together all the fish of the sea : He forgot the fowls of the aire . But God sent them such a drift of Quails , in such abundance , that they were about two cubits above the earth . O the goodnesse and providence of that great House-keeper of this Universe ! They desired meat , and received Quails ; they desired bread , and had Manna . God gave them the meat of Kings , and the bread of Angels . Again , they are not onely food in their flesh , but in their egs also : And as their flesh is for our eating in the day , so are their feathers for our resting in the night . They are profitable both in warre and peace , in sagittis belli , & in calamis pacis : Their feathers are for arrows in time of warre to fight with , and for quills in time of peace to write with . Secondly , they are good if we consider pleasure . There is pleasure in the taking of them , by fowling to meaner persons , and by hawking to Princes and the better sort . There is pleasure in them to the Eye ; when the navie of Tharshish brought unto Solomon gold from Ophir , there ●ame also besides Apes , and Parrats and Popin-jayes , ( as some have probably conjectured ) and the starrie-trained Peacocks , which are onely birds of pleasure ; whose daintie-coloured feathers being spread against the Sunne , have a curious lustre , and look like gemms : The wings of the Peacock are pleasant , and the feathers of the Ostrich . So is the purpled Pheasant with the speckled side . Our Prophet David was much taken with the colour of the Dove ; Pennae columbae deargentatae , her feathers are silver-white , Psal. 68.13 . And three severall times in the Canticles doth Solomon set forth the beautie of the Spouse , alluding ad oculos columbarum , eyes single and direct as a dove , not learing as a fox , and looking diverse wayes ; oculos columbinos , non vulpinos . There is pleasure in them to the eare . The harmonie of instruments is but devised by art , but the singing and chirping of birds is naturalis musica mundi , The fowls of the aire do sing upon the branches , Psal. 104.12 . How doth it delight us to heare the pretty lyrick Lark , the Blackbird , the Linnet , the severall kinds of Finches , the mirthfull Mavis , the Wren , the Thrush , & Starling , & all the shrill-mouth'd quire , chant forth their dulcid polyphonian notes ! How doth the Nightingale ( which the Latines call Philomela , a bird that loveth to sing ) charm our senses , when she maketh an organ of her throat , sometimes breaking her notes into warbles , sometimes stretching them out at length ! Lastly , in these feathered creatures do I likewise find bonum honestum . Many rare and admirable documents of instruction may we learn from them . The Dove is an Hieroglyphick of unspotted chastitie , of white innocencie ; and harmlesse simplicitie . Nescit adulterii flammam intemerata columba . Never was Dove sick of a lustfull disease , but so loving and so true to her mate , that ( I will deliver it from a better pen ) she hath given life to a Proverb by her propertie ; True as the Turtle , is the highest language conjugall love can speak ●n . The nature of her is described in this distich , Est sine felle , gemit , rostro non laedit , & ungues Possidet innocuos , puráque grana leg it . She hath no malice to sowre her gall , to dissweeten her temper , she hurteth not with her bill , she hath harmlesse claws , and feedeth on pure grain . In the Gospel ( saith that ingenious Authour ) where our blessed Saviour vouchsafeth to make the Dove his own text , and our copie , he proposeth her in his Sermon as a patern worthy the imitation of all Christians ; Be ye innocent as Doves ; {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} : A word derived from the privative particle α and the verb {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} or {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , signifying simple , without mixture ; or from the same α and {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} an horn ; and then it implies as much as hurtlesse or harmlesse . Who ever saw the rough foot of the Dove armed with griping talons ? who ever saw the beak of the Dove bloudie ? who ever saw that innocent bird pluming of her spoil , and tiring upon bones ? This qualitie is so eminent in the Dove , that our Saviour there singled it out for an hieroglyphick of Simplicity . Whence it was questionlesse , that God of all fowls chose out this for his sacrifice , Sin ex aliqua volucri , &c. Levit. 1.14 . And before the law Abraham was appointed no other fowls but a Turtle-dove and a young Pigeon , Gen. 15.9 . Neither did the holy Virgin offer any other at her purifying then this embleme of her self and her blessed Babe . Shortly , the holy Ghost in Scripture is resembled to a Dove , and appeared in the shape thereof : the Devil on the contrary is compared to Serpent , and used it as his instrument . Illa à primordio Divinae pacis praeco ; The dove in the beginning brought an olive-branch , and preached peace unto the world : Ille à primordio Divinae imaginis praedo ; The Serpent in the beginning played the thief , and robbed mankind of the image of God . We have an example of Mercie in the Pelican , which is a bird of mercie , and hath in the Hebrew ( as the masters of that tongue observe ) the name of mercie , as a truly mercifull bird . She taketh her name Pelican , {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , from smiting or piercing , in regard that by piercing her breast she reviveth her young ones , after they have been killed by serpents , or by her own bill . The brave bird which the Grecians call Onocrotalus , is so well practiced to expect the Hawk for to grapple with her , that even when sleep shutteth her eyes , she sleepeth with her bea● exalted , as if she would contend with her adversarie . Hence may we have the quintessence of al● wisdome , To stand upon our guard , and daily expect death ; it being 〈◊〉 businesse we should learn all our life , to exercise i● once . When Moses went up unto God , the Lord called him out of the mountain , saying , Thus shalt thou say to the house of Jacob , and tell the children of Israel ; Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians , and bow I bare you on Eagles wings . By the Eagles some there understand Moses and Aaron , the two guides that led the children of Israel out of Egypt ; & will have them compared thereunto propter acumen intelligentiae & altitudinem vitae , by reason of their piercing judgement and holy life . They indeed were , as Chrysostome saith , mollissimae pennae misericordiae Divinae , as it were the down-feathers of Gods mercie , because they handled the people committed to their charge tenderly , in imitation of Eagles : Of whom some report , that whereas other birds carry their young ones in their talons or claws , which cannot be done without some griping , they lay them upon their wings , and so transport them without any grievance . Which is a good embleme for Magistrates , and teacheth them paternall affection towards their people . Gorran in his Exposition of Saint Lukes Gospel , cap. 17. v. 37. saith , that the Saints resemble the Eagles in these five properties . First , Calvitie peccatorum . For as the Eagles moult off their feathers , and so become bald , so the Saints pluck off their sick feathers from their soul ; they circumcise the old man with the lusts thereof , and weed out sinne by the roots . The Prophet Micah exhorting the people to repentance , bids them to inlarge their baldnesse like the Eagle , Micah 1.16 . Mary Magdalene did more then cast her feathers , when she converted her eyes , her hairs , her lips , feathers of wantonnesse , into pledges of repentance . She had been parched with sinne and the heat of concupiscence , as the wife of Othniel complained of an hot countrey when she begged of Caleb and Joshua the springs above and the springs beneath ; This holy Sinner at her conversion brought unto our Saviour irriguum superius , springs of tears in her eyes above ; & irriguum inferius , springs of bloud ( if I may so speak ) in her heart beneath , even a bleeding , contrite and a wounded spirit . As Plinie saith of the fleur de lis , or flower-de-luce , that it is begotten by its own tears ; in the same manner are the Saints produced to beatitude by their proper afflictions . The second resemblance is in renovatione novi hominis , in their new birth : Who reneweth thy youth like unto the Eagle , Psal. 103.5 . The Eagle by casting her beak , and breaking her bill upon a stone , receives a new youthfulnesse in her age . This rock is Christ , upon which the Saints break their hearts by repentance . Paul had cast his bill and his feathers when he said , Now I live not , but it is Christ that liveth in me , Gal. 2.20 . Extinctus fuit saevus persecutor , & vivere coepit pius praedicator , saith Gregorie . The third resemblance is in volatûs elevatione , in their loftie flight . Doth not the Eagle mount up , and make her nest on high ? Job 39.27 . So it is with the Saints : As their conversation , so their contemplation is as high as Heaven . Such elevations had our Prophet David , Psal. 25.1 . & Psal. 121.1 . Such an Eagle was Saint Paul , qui in terra positus , à terra extraneus : He lived here , yet a stranger while he lived here . Of all fowls , saith Munster , the Eagle onely moves herself straight upward and downward perpendicularly without any collaterall declination . By her playing with thunderbolts , and confronting that part of heaven where lightnings , and storms , and tempests most reigne , she teacheth great and couragious spirits how to encounter all disasters . And by beating her wings on high , we are taught Sursum corda , to ascend up in our thoughts where our Saviour is . What the Poets feign of the Eagles laying her egs in Jupiters lap fabulously , that doth the faithfull man by Davids counsel truly , and with Isaiahs Eagle flying up to Heaven casteth his whole burden upon the Lord . The fourth is in visionis claritate , in the clearnesse of vision . Saint Augustine writeth of the Eagle , that being aloft in the clouds she can discern sub frutice leporem , sub fluctibus piscem , under the shrub an hare , under the waves a fish : So the faithfull being Eagle-eyed , can with Moses in a bramble see the Majestie of God ; with the three children in the furnace see the presence of Christ ; with Elizeus in the straitest siege see an army of Angels to defend him ; with S. Paul in the heap of afflictions behold a weight of glory provided for him . The last is in viae occultatione , in the secrecy of their way . One of those things which the Wise man admired at , was the way of an Eagle in the aire , Prov. 30.19 . See them flie we may , but their wayes and subtle passages we cannot discern : So the Saints good works are seen of men , but their intentions with what mind they do them are not discoverable . I have the longer insisted on this princely bird , the Eagle , because among all other birds is ascribed to her maximus honos & maxima vis ; and in the Scriptures are grounded many proverbs and similes upon the strength and length of her wing , upon her lofty flight , and sharp sight . It were infinite to follow the Allegorists in moralizing her qualities : and to trace Plinie or Aelian for the varietie of Eagles , were a course easie , but a discourse tedious . It would likwise in my poor conceit , something savour of his spice of pride that numbred his people , to reckon and heap up all that I have read on this argument . I have already shewed what excellent lessons the Bee , the Swallow , and diverse other birds do read unto us , and I must not per eandem lineam serram reciprocare , draw my saw the same way back again . I discharge this point : The next that attendeth our consideration is the other part of Gods work , on the fifth day , which I may call his Water-work : And so I take into my thoughts the fish of the sea , and whatsoever walketh through the paths thereof . SECT. 9. WHen Argus in the Poet had the custodie of Io , Constiterat quocunque loco , spectabat ad Io ; Ante oculos Io , quamvìs aversus , habebat . Which way soere he stands he Io spies : Io behind him is , before his eyes : So may I say of them that go down into the sea in ships , On every side , which way soever they look , they see the works of the Lord , and his wonders in the deep , Psal. 107.23 . First , the Element in it self is wonderfull : First , in regard of the depth , situation and termination of it . Secondly , in regard of its motion , its afflux and reflux , its ebs and flowes , its fulls and wanes , its spring and neap-tides . Thirdly , in regard of Navigation , or the art of sayling , which now is so ordinarie and common , that we almost cease to bestow wonder on it . Again , it is wonderfull in the numberlesse number of Creatures which it containeth . This one word FIAT hath made such infinite numbers of fishes , that their names may make a Dictionarie , and yet we shall not know them all . First , for the profunditie of the sea , ( which is the distance between the bottom and superficies of the waters ) it is of that immensitie that in many places no line can touch it . The common received opinion that the depth of it being measured by a plummet seldome exceeds two or three miles , is not to be understood ( saith Breerwood a worthy writer ) of the sea in generall , but onely of the depth of the Straits or narrow seas , which were perhaps searched by the Ancients , who dwelt far from the main Ocean . For the site and bounds of it , it is excellent . The naturall place of the waters by the confession of all is above the earth : This at the first they enjoyed , and after repeated and recovered again in the overwhelming of the old world , when the Lord for a time delivered them as it were from their bands , and gave them their voluntarie and naturall passage . And at this day there is no doubt , but the sea , which is the collection of waters , is higher then the land , as sea-faring men gather by sensible experiments . Thou coverest it with the deep as with a garment , saith the Psalme . As a vesture in the proper use of it is above the body that is clothed therewith , so is the sea above the land . And such a garment , saith one , would it have been unto the earth , but for the providence of God towards us , as the shirt that was made for the murdering of Agamemnon , where he had no issue out . Therefore the Psalmist addeth immediatly , At thy rebuke they fled : at the voice of thy thunder they hasted away . They go up by the mountains , they go down by the valleys unto the place which thou hast founded for them . Thou hast set a bound that they may not passe over ; that they turn not again to cover the earth . Though that fluid Element is alwayes running and often roring as if it would swallow up the earth , though this untamed beast be unresistable by the power of man , yet is it ruled like a child by the power of God : The sea is his and he made it , Psal. 95.5 . He stilleth the raging of the sea and the noise of the waves , Psal. 65.7 . He hath shut up the sea with doores , Job 38.8 . He hath established his commandment upon the sea , and said , Hitherto shalt thou come and no further ; here will I stay thy proud waves , vers. 11. By many texts of Scripture the earth is said to have the sea for its foundation , Psal. 24.2 . and Psal. 116.16 . yea , to be made out of the matter and to consist in it , 2. Pet. 3.5 . God would have his servant Job admire hereat , when he asked him , Whereupon are the foundations set ? and who laid the corner-stone thereof ? Job 38.6 . Elsewhere it is said to have no foundation , Job 26.7 . onely to hang in the midst of the world by the power of God immoveable , Psal. 93.2 . Psal. 104.5 . Isaiah 40.12 . and 42.5 , &c And these which haply may seem most inept and weak pillars , are firm bases , Psal. 104.5 . and mighty foundations Mich. 6.2 . All which is an argument demonstrative of Gods power and providence , who as he brought light out of darknesse , so hath he set the solid earth upon the liquid waters , and that for the convenience of mans habitation . Secondly , it is wonderfull for its motion : Why it moveth forward , why it retireth , is to us above all reason wonderfull . That such a motion there is , experience sheweth ; but the searching out of the cause of it , is one of the greatest difficulties in all naturall Philosophie . Aristotle was so much admired for his Logicall wit , that by some he hath been charactered by three speciall Epithets : first , that he was {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , a lover of universalities ; secondly , that he was {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , a lover of method ; lastly and chiefly , that he was {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , a subtile searcher out of causes : Yet this Genius and Secretarie of Nature , this acute Philosopher , this prince of Philosophers , is reported to have stood amazed at the flowing and ebbing of Euripus , and despairing of finding out the cause thereof , cast himself into the river , and was comprised of that he could not comprehend . What Aristotles opinion was concerning this matter is an uncertain conjecture , for as much as little or nothing can be gathered touching this out of any boo● which is certainly known to be Aristotles ; for the tractate of the propriety of Elements is judged to be none of his , but of some later Authour . This is more at large most judiciously discussed by Mr Nathanael Carpenter in his Geographie , Lib. 2. cap. 6. Thirdly , it is wonderfull in the art of Navigation on it . Is it not strange that there should be a plough to delve a passage through the unwieldy Ocean ? that the Water should be of such fidelitie as firmly to bear up all vessels from the shallop to the ship , from the smallest carvel to the mightiest and greatest carack , and by the help of favourable and propitious winds convey them on their woven wings from climate to climate , to the benefit and commoditie of their farre-distant owners ? Concerning the originall of shipping , I find it to be Gods own invention . If God had not said to Noah , Fac tibi arcam ; and when he had said so , if he had not given him a designe , a module , a platform of the Ark , we may doubt whether ever man would have thought of a means to passe from nation to nation , of a ship or any such way of trade and commerce . This Ark resting afterwards on the mountain of Ararat , gave a precedent to other nations neare-bordering how ships were to be framed . Thus Navigation first taught by Almighty God , was afterwards seconded by the industrie of famous men in all ages . For the use and commodity of Navigation may be produced many arguments . The first and principall is the promotion of religion ; How should the Gospel have been divulged through the whole world , had not the Apostles dispersed themselves , and passed the sea in ships , to convey their Sacred message to divers nations and kingdomes ? Again , Sea-traffick and Merchandizing is of that excellent use , that the state of the world cannot subsist without it . Not the Lyon and the Unicorn , but the Plough and the Ship under God are the supporters of a Crown . Non omnis fert omnia tellus , No countrey yeeldeth all kind of commodities . There must be a path from Egypt to Asshur , and from Asshur to Egypt again , to make a supply of their mutuall wants . Mesha the king of Moab was a king of sheep ; Hiram king of Tyre had store of timber and workmen : Ophir was famous for gold , Chittim for ivorie , Basan for oaks , Lebanon for cedars , Saba for frankincense . We have our gold from India , our spices from Arabia , our silks from Spain , our wines from France . And thus by the goodnesse and wisdome of God is one Countrey the helper and mutuall supporter of anothers welfare . He maketh one the Granarie , to furnish her neighbours with corn ; another the Armourie , to furnish the rest with weapons ; another the Piscarie , to furnish the rest with fish ; another the Treasurie , to furnish the rest with gold . By this is the Merchant the key of the land , the treasurer of the kingdome , the venter of his soils surplussage , the combiner of nations , and the adamantine chain of Countreys . The sea and the earth , saith a learned Prelate , are the great coffers of God ; the discoveries of navigation are the keys , which whosoever hath received may know that he is freely allowed to unlock these chests of Nature without any need to pick the wards . Here could I spread my meditations , and train on my Reader with delight : but my principall aim is , to shew how wonderfull the Sea is in the great varietie and abundance of Creatures that live and move within this wombe of moisture . Almighty God hath so richly sown the great and boisterous element of waters with the spawn of all sorts of fish which so innumerably multiply , and hath crowned the deeps with such abundance , that the Sea contendeth with the Earth for plentie , variety , and delicacy . The Breed of it is yeelded to be full of wonder . As there is miraculum in nodo , a wonder in the knitting of those two elements of Water and Earth in one sphericall and round bodie ; so is there miraculum in modo , a miracle in the manner of the operation : For eodem modo producitur balaena quo rana ; totidémque syllabae ad creandum pisciculos quot ad creandum cete . Small fishes are not the superfluitie of Nature : There is as much admirablenesse in the little Shrimp as in the great Leviathan : both are miraculous . There are miracula magna & miracula parva ; & saepe parva sunt magnis majora , saith Saint Augustine : The basest fish , even that shelfish called Murex , giveth our Purples , the most sumptuous and delightfull colours : And Margarites , the most precious pearls that beautifie Princes robes , come from the sea . And this is first the Bonum jucundum , the pleasure good , which we find in them . The tast of many fishes , in all manner of magnificence , is more delicate and exquisite then that of flesh . And Fish hath ever had the priviledge which at this day it hath , That chief Gentlemen are pleased and have skill to dresse it . Nor is Fishing it self lesse delightfull to them that use it then Hunting and Hawking are to others . They are indeed Princely disports , & studium Nobilium , the study , the exercise , the ordinary businesse of many great Ones ; yet much riding , many dangers accompany them : hilares venandi labores , &c. whereas fishing , which is a kind of hunting by water , be it with nets , weels , bait , angling or otherwise , is still and quiet . And if so be the Angler catch no fish , yet hath he a wholesome walk Among the curled woods and painted meads Through which a silver-serpent river leads To some cool courteous shade . — He whiffes the dainties of the fragrant fields ; he sucketh in the breath of fine fresh meadow-flowers , which ( like the warbling of musick ) is sweetest in the open aire where it cometh and goeth ; he heareth the melodious harmony of birds , a quire whereof each tree enterteineth at Natures charge ; he sees the Swans , Herons , Ducks , Water-hens , Coots , and many other fowl , with their brood ; which he thinketh better then the noise of Hounds ▪ or blast of Horns , or all the sport that they can make . This is true of those that use fishing for recreation : But what shall we say of the poore stipendiarie fishermen , qui cruribus ocreati , who booted up to the very groins , toil and take much pains for a little pay ? Certainly God crowneth their labour with a sweet repose , and their diet is more wholesom & nourishing ; whereas surfets light frequently on the rich , and the gentle bloud groweth quickly foul : The bread of him that laboureth ( as Solomon saith of his sleep ) is sweet and relishable , whether he eat little or much . This hath he prettily expressed in his Sicelides ; Happie , happie fisher-swains , If that you knew your happines Your sports taste sweeter by your pains , Sure hope your labour relishes : Your net your living : whe● you eat , Labour finds appetite and meat . When the seas and tempests rore , You either sleep , or pipe , or play , And dance along the golden shore , Thus you spend the night & day : Shrill wind 's a pipe , hoarse sea 's a taber , To fit your sports or ease your labour . Moreover , by fishing and using themselves thereto men are enabled to do service for their countrey : When Reuben abode among the sheep-folds to heare the bleating of the flocks , when Gilead did stay beyond Jordan , and Issachar took his rest in his tents , then the people of Zebulun did jeopard their lives unto death in the field against Sisera . Zebulun is a tribe of account , as well as Judah , Benjamin , and Nepthali , Psal. 68.27 . Moses by a spirit of prophesie , ( as likewise remembring what old Israel had prophesied of this sonne and his posteritie , Zebulun shall dwell by the sea-side ; he shall be an haven for ships , Gen. 49.13 . ) breathed but this propheticall patheticall dying farewell , They shall suck of the abundance of the seas , and of the treasures hid in the sands , Deut. 33.19 . And here doth fall into our contemplation the Bonum utile , the great benefit , commoditie and profit that we reap from the Sea : Which according to our English proverb , is a good neighbour , in that it yeelds such store of fish whereby the inhabitants may be nourished , and other creatures the better preserved . For Abrahams servant to fetch a calf from the stalls , Jacob to bring a kid from the fold , Esau● to bring venison from the field , doth not so much expresse how God filleth us with plenteousnesse , as the unseen prey which the fisherman bringeth from the sea . Who can number the sand of the sea ? saith the sonne of Sirach , Ecclus 1.2 . nay , what man is able to number the fish of the sea ? which are so many that the Patriarch Jacob prayed that Josephs children might encrease like the fish , Gen. 48.16 . Beasts of the field and birds of the air bring forth but one or two young ones , if they be big ; or , if they be little , some three or foure , others five or six , few above ten , none usually above twenty : but fish , as experience teacheth , every day bring forth hundreds at one time : In the great and wide sea , saith our Prophet , are things creeping innumerable , both small and great , Psal. 104.25 . In the creation God said , Let the waters bring forth in abundance every creeping thing that hath the soul of life , Gen. 1.20 . Howbeit in all that abundance , as it is observed , there is nothing specified but the Whale , as being the Prince of the rest , and , to use the phrase of Job , king of all the children of pride . Wherein the workmanship of the Maker is most admirable : for it is said , Then God created the whales ; and not singly , the whales , but with an additament , the great whales . So doth the Poet term them immania cete , huge whales , as being the stateliest creatures that move in the waters . God made the whale , saith a Father , to be vectem maris , the barre of the sea : He , like the Serpent in the Revelation , casteth out of his mouth water like a floud , — this monstrous whirle-about into the sea another sea doth spout . In creating of them creavit Deus vastitates & stupores . For , as Plinie writeth of them , when they swim and shew themselves above water , annare insulas putes , you would think that Islands swam towards you , and that great hills did aspire to heaven it self with their tops . The greatnesse and strength of a whale in a most elegant narration is expressed by Job , which for acutenes , vigour and majestie of style doth farre exceed what ever we can fetch from the schools of Rhetoricians : He beginneth it at his first verse of his 40 chap. and so to the end , where he leaveth it ●s an Epilogue of Gods great work . This Emperour of the Ocean , this unequald wonder of the deep , this balaena , the great whale ( for so Tremellius translateth Leviathan in that passage of Job ) is very profitable to the Merchant , for its oyl , bones , and ribs . In Isleland , as Munster writeth , of the ribs and bones of the biggest whale many make posts and sparres for the building of their houses . I will land this point with an observation of such fish as are for the food and sustentation of man . I never find that Christ enterteined any guests but twice , and that was onely with loaves and fishes . I find him sometimes feasted by others more liberally : but his domestick fare , for the most part , except a● the Passeover , was fish ▪ He that chose but twelve Apostles out of the whole world , took foure of those twelve that were by profession Fishermen ● as , Simon Peter , and Andrew his brother ; and the two sonnes of Zebedee , James and John . And the ancient Fathers observe , that our Saviour did expresse himself to the Sea-tribe more than to any of the rest : For he was conceived at Nazareth a citie in the portion of Zebulun , and in that citie was he brought up , and began to preach first there ; and mount Tabor , upon which he was transfigured , was in the tribe of Zebulun also . With the Hebrews the same word doth signifie a pond or a fish-pool which is used for a blessing . And surely it is a blessing to any countrey , among other commodities which enrich a kingdome , to have the benefits of fish-ponds and sluces ; in which commodious stews men may preserve the fishes which they take , and sell them for advantage and gain . The Prophet Isaiah foreseeing the destruction of Egypt saith , The waters shall fail from the sea , and the river shall be wasted and dried up : And they shall turn the rivers farre away , and the brooks of defense shall be emptied and dried up ; the reeds and flags shall wither . The fishes shall mourn , and all they that cast angle into the brooks shall lament , and they that spreade their net upon the waters shall b● weakned . And we find that among other plague● of Egypt this was one , That their fish , the chief part of their sustenance , died with infection : and their Nilus did not onely yeeld them a dead but a living annoyance ; it did never before so store them with fish , as it did then plague them with frogs . If it be such a curse to be deprived of so great a blessing , what a blessing it is not to know such a curse ! To descend to the particulars : Among this scaly footlesse nation , I likewise find Bonum honestum : For from them we may draw symbola virtutum quae imitemur , many exquisite emblemes for our instruction . As fishes when they are hurt , heal themselves again by touching the Tench , finding the slime of his body to be as a sovereigne salve : so must we when we are wounded with sinne , repair to our Saviour Christ , cujus sanat fimbria , saith Ambrose , whose garment is our plaister ; whom if we do but touch tactu fidei , by a true faith , we shall be whole . Thus the woman in the Gospel that twelve yeares long had laboured of an issue of bloud , to whom the art of the Physician could neither give cure nor hope , at length by a touch of the verge of his garment was revived from the verge of death : She came trembling to our blessed Saviour , and though her tongue were mute , yet her heart spake ; for she said within her self , If I may but touch the hemme of his garment , I shall be safe . That she supposed to find more sanctitie in the touch of the hemme then of the coat , I neither dispute , nor beleeve . But what said she ? If I may but touch , a weak action ; the hemme of his garment , the remotest part ; with a trembling hand , a feeble apprehension . Here was the praise of this womans faith , that she promised her self remedy by the touch of the outmost hemme . In the old law those fish were onely reputed clean which had fins and scales . The fins of the fish are for steering of their motion ; the scales , for smoothnesse of passage , for safeguard , for ornament : So are those onely clean in the sight of God , qui squamas & loricam habent patientiae , & pinnulas hilaritatis , who have the scales and coat-armour of patience , and the sins of joy and cheerfulnesse to spring up to God-ward ; Or as the Paraphrast there saith , Those men that have no knowledge and faith to guide them , no good dispositions to set them forward , no good works to set them forth , are not for your entire conversation . By the story of the Dolphines assembled in sholes upon the sea-shore to celebrate the obsequies of Ceraunus , who had before freed them from the snare of the fishermen , we learn , That good turns are golden nets which catch the swiftest gliding fish . The Dolphines moving from the upper brimme of the water to the bottom when she sleepeth , condemneth those that streak themselves upon their beds of down , and snort so long — — indo mitum quod despumare Falernum Sufficiat , quintâ dum linea tangitur umbrâ ; as would suffice to sleep out a surfet till high noon , &c. I cannot set forth this King of Fishes in more orient and better colours then he before hath done Brave Admiral of the broad briny regions , Lover of ships , of men , of melodie , Thou up and down through the moist world dost flie Swift as a shast , whose salt thou lovest so , That lacking that , thy life thou dost forgo . Seas of examples in this kind are infinite . Sallust du Bartas , a Poet above the ordinary level of the world , for the choice of his subject most rare and excellent , is admirably copious on this theme . I will therefore forbear to write Iliads after Homer . And although for the most part it be true , that wit distilled in one language cannot be transfused into another without losse of spirits , yet who so is able judiciously to compare the Translation with the Originall , will confesse , to the immortall glory of our Countrey-man , — that from the French more weak He Bartas taught his Six-dayes-work to speak In naturall English . and so — hath lighted from a flame devout As great a flame , that never shall go out . SECT. 10. THus have I made a brief circuit over the whole earth , and a short cut over the vast Sea : And now before I put my ship into the creek , before I conclude , I must draw these scattered branches home to their root again . The generall substance of them all together is this ; As it is a most pleasant kind of Geographie , in this large mappe of the World , in the celestiall and terrestriall Globe , to contemplate the Creatour ; so there is nothing that obteineth more of God , then a thankfull agnition of the favours and benefits we daily receive at his bountifull hands . If we be not behind with him in this tribute of our lips , he will see that all creatures in heaven and earth shall pay their severall tributes unto us ; the Sun his heat , the Moon her light , the Starres their influence , the Clouds their moisture , the Sea and Rivers their fish , the Land her fruits , the Mine their treasures , and al● things living their homage and service . O● the contrary ; If the familiaritie of Gods blessings draw them into neglect , he will have a● just quarrel against us for our unthankfulnesse ; and our ingratitude ( which is a monster in nature , a soloecisme in maners , a paradox in Divinitie ) will prove a parching wind to damme up the fountain of his favours toward us . I will seal up all with a pretty note that Hugo hath ; There is no book of nature unwritten on : and that which may not ●e a teacher to inform ●s , will be a witnesse to ●ondemn us . It is the ●oice of all the creatures ●nto Man , Accipe , Redde , ●ave . Accipe ; Take us to thy ●se and service . I Heaven ●m bid to give thee rain ; I Sunne , to give thee light ; ● Bread , to strengthen thy ●ody ; I Wine , to chear thy heart ; We Oxen leave our pastures , we Lambes our mothers , to do thee service . Redde ; Remember to be thankfull . He that giveth all , commandeth thee to return him somewhat . It is hard if thou canst not thank the great Housekeeper of the world for thy good chear : This is the easi● task and impositio● which the supreme Lord of all layeth upon all the goods thou possessest & on all the blessings of this life : — Minimo capitur thuri● honore Deus . Cave ; Beware of abusing us . The Beasts of the field do crie , Do not kill us for wantonnesse ; the Fowls of the aire , Do not riot with us ; the Wine , Devoure not me to disable thy self : The Howers , which ever had wings , will flie up to heaven to the Authour of Time , and carrie news of thy usage toward us . And now , Manum è ●abula : I have finished my meditations on this Psalme , wishing I could have had S. Ambrose his facultie , qui in Psalmis Davidis explicandis ejus lyram & plectrum mutuatus , who in the expression of Davids psalms is said to have borrowed Davids own harp : so rightly did he expresse his meaning . But my fear is , that I have muddled and made this Topaz but so much the darker by going about to polish it . To end as I began , with the commendation of the book of Psalmes ; Est certè non magnus , verùm aureolus , & ad verbum ediscendus libellus ; The Psalter is not a great but a golden book and throughly to be learned . This method our Prophet observeth in this excellent hymn ; The Proposition and Conclusion thereof are both the same ; carceres & meta , the head and the foot , as i● were the voice and the echo : The whole psalm being circular , annular ▪ serpentine , winding into i● self again , as it beginneth so it endeth , O LORD our Governour , how excellent is thy name in all the world ! FINIS . Notes, typically marginal, from the original text Notes for div A03429e-930 * Tit Psal. Pro Torcularibus . Notes for div A03429e-1290 * Titulus Psalmi , Pro Torcularibus . Notes for div A03429e-1970 Judg. 13.20 . Hier. B. King , Lect. 26. on Jonas . Dr Hakewell in his Davids Vow , pag. 2. K. James . Psal 84.11 . Cant. 4.12.13 . Revel. 21. Prolog : in Psalm . Lib. De scalâ claustrali . Aug. lib. confess . cap. 6● The title of the Eighth Psalme explained . Emblemes of Perseverance . Mans abasement . Mans dignitie . Virgil . Beza . Matth. 19.14 . The tender care of Pharaohs daughter to the infant Moses . The Howers compared to young maidens . The Sun . The Moon . The Starres . The Empyreall heaven . Psal. 139 14. The world compared to a large clock . Job 38. Adam the first Nomencl●tor ; and why he gave the creatures their names . Observ. Answ. Lib. De mundo universo . Plin. lib 3. cap. 5. Nascitur aranea cum lege , libro , & lucer●â . Prov. 30.25 . Mactabant agnum jugis nostri sacrificii typum , Lorin. in Act. Apost. c. 8. Shepherds in high esteem with God . B. Hall . Num. 11. Job 39.16 Cant. 1.14 Cant. 4 1. Cant. 5.12 The Dove . Matth. 10.16 . The Pelican . The Eagle Exod. 19.3 , 4. Homil. 46. in Matth. The Saints resembled to Eagles . Judg. 1.15 . Lilium lacrymâ suâ seritur . Ambr. in Job 39.30 . Exod. 3.2 . Dan. 3. 2. Kings 6.17 . Rom. 8.18 . Tertull. De corona militis , cap. 3. Ovid . Met. lib. 1. Thus elegantly translated by Mr George Sandys . The Sea wonderfull in many respects . Whether the Waters be higher then the Earth ? Psal. 104.16 . Reciprocatio & aestus maris : The ebbing and flowing of the sea . Aristotle . Navigation . The benefit thereof . Quò va●ts ? Nec laborat Deus in maximis , nec fastidit in minimis , Ambros. Aquarum est quod in regibu adoratur . Mountaign in his Essayes , Lib. 1. Cap. 49. Eccle● 5.12 . Judg. 5. Boi● . Apoc. 12.15 . Plin. lib. 9. cap. 2. The Tench the Physician of fishes . B. Hall . Levit. 11.9 . Deut. 14.9 . ●ern . Serm. 1. in die S. Andreae . The Dolphine . Aelian , lib. 8. c. 3. Optick glasse of humour cap. 4. p. 5 Sylvester . Mich. Drayton . Sam. Daniel . Hugo de S. Vict.