Section I, Book 2, chapter 5: Of true and false wisdom and philosophy

CHAP. V. Here the erroneous doctrine of the Gentiles Philosophy is set down, being proved for certaine reasons herein expressed to be founded upon the wisdome of this world, and not upon that which descendeth from God.

NOw me thinks, I heare some sharp-witted Aristotelian reply and say, How can he prove that the peripatetick Philosophy is not descended from above? And why should not the foundation thereof be the true wisdome, which came from God?

But before I come to the answering of this objection, I beseech thee (gentle Reader) give me liberty, first to apologize a little for my self; Be thou therefore pleas'd in the first place to understand from my just and upright spirit, that I acknowledge and confess this Prince of the Peripatetick Philosophy to be a personage of a profound speculation; and that he had as deep an insight into the light of nature as any of the common ranck of Philosophers in his time: Yea verily, he had so sharp an ingeny, and so subtill and refined a spirit, that he not only allured by his worldly craft and humane invention, the Gentilish Greeks (whereupon he was termed by them, Cacodaemon, or a deceitfull spirit, or seducing from the truth,) but also Christians themselves of every sect, even unto this present: Insomuch that they are so wedded unto his worldly wisdome, that they admire each new proficient in Philosophy, of their Universities to maintaine his actions, and not to decline from his doctrine. As for my self, though I may be rancked in that number, yet now I have collected my spirits, and have by Gods grace attained unto that light of holy Scriptures, whereby I am made able to distinguish and discerne their essentiall collours, from this praestigious one of Pagans; I must say with Cicero, that Quaedam promissa sunt servanda nimirùm licita, and on the other side, Quaedam promissa non sunt servanda, nempe quae sunt illicita; Lawfull promises are to be observed, but such as are unconscionable are to be violated: Now God forbid, good Christians should imagine that any oath which is made to derogate from the verity of the holy Bible, should be perpetually confirmed; for that were to rebell against the truth. Wherefore my essentiall Motto, in this my old age (notwithstanding any alleageance which I have by a ceremoniall rite vowed unto Aristotle in my youth) shalbe, Amicus Plato, amicus Aristoteles, sed magis amica veritas; though Plato, and Aristotle, be my friends; yet truth is more my friend, and therefore ought most to prevaile with me.

And now to answer directly unto the foresaid objection, we must compare together, the two wisdomes propounded by the foresaid Apostles, First St. Paul saith, that God hath made the wisdome of this world fo[…]lishness: And again, Sapientia hujus mundi stuliitia est apud Deum, Deus en[…]m novit cogitationes sapientum quod stultae sunt. The wisdome of this world is foolishness before God, for God knoweth that the cogitations of the wisemen or Philosophers of this world are foolish: And for this cause, the same Apostle in another place, Nos non spiritum hujus mundi accepimus, sed spiritum qui ex Deo est, & quae à Deo donata sunt nobis loquimur, non in doctis humanae sapientiae verbis sed in doctrina Spiritus, spiritualia spiritualibus comparantes: Animalis enim homo non percipitea quae sunt spiritus Dei, stultitia enim est illi & non potest intelligere. We have not received the spirit of this world but the spirit which is from God, and we speak those things which are given unto us of God, not in the learned words of humane w[…]sdome, but in the doctrine of the spirit, comparing spirituall things with spirituall things: For the Animal man perceiveth not the things which are of the Spirit of God, for it is foolishness unto him, and he cannot understand i[…]. By which words we ought first to examine, whether A[…]istotle were an Animal man or no; if so, then what should we expect from him, but mundan wisdom and Philosophy, which St. James termeth animal and terrene, which indeed is nothing in it self but meet foolishnesse, as St. Paul telleth us, being that the animal man perceiveth not the things which are of God, because he esteemeth them foolishnesse. Of this kind of philosophy and wisdom, the same Apostle biddeth us to beware, being (saith he) it is grounded upon the traditions of men, and the elements of the world, and not upon Christ. But he pointeth at this Graecanicall wisdom more directly in these words, in which he distinguisheth both it and the Jewish wisdom, from that of God, whose foundation is Jesus Christ; Sapientiam Graeciquaerunt, Judaei signa, nos Christum crucifixum praedicamus: The Greeks seek wisdome, the Jewes signes, we preach Christ Crucified, arguing by these words that the Greeks search after the wisdom of the world, which consisteth chiefly in speculation or contemplation, as the wisdome of the Jewes is more conversant in signes and ocular demonstrations; for without it they will not believe. Lastly, the third wisdome which is that true sapience, which both the Greeks and Jewes did reiect and scoffe at, was Jesus Ch[…]ist, in whom was the plenitude of divinity Corporally: and this is that reall and essentiall wisdom whi[…]h Christians ought to search after, and whereon they ought to ground their Philosophy which is divine and not humane. But if they reply that perchance Aristotle had an insight into the Christian doctrine, or did apprehend Christ in some manner, or at least had an eye into the wisdome of Moses and the Prophets. First, I answer, That as Aristotle was before the incarnated Word, so also is it evident, that he knew little of the Mosaick learning, which consisteth upon the Creation, effected by the spagerick act of the divine Word, when he would have the world to be eternall. I confesse, that his Master Plato was more essentially grounded on the true wisdom; but Aristotle being puffed up with self-conceit, would, in derogation from the Stoicall doctrine of his Master, arrogate all wisdom unto himself, by framing out or fashioning a new worldly wisdom or philosophy, which was afterward tearmed Peripateticall; and so by his vain glory, he added unto some truths many of his own inventions, making as it were a Gallimofry of good and bad, of true and false, of wisdom and folly together, which is far from the nature of the perfect Christian wisdom, which must needs be therefore wholly truth it self, because it is described by the Spirit of God, in the which there is nothing but truth. Again, if the Peripatetick, Stoick, or Epicureall doctrine, had been perfect, and according unto the true wisdom Jesus Christ, why should the Athenian Philosophers so persecute the right and exact Philosopher Paul, for reaching the true wisdom Jesus Christ, in whom onely is the plenitude of divinity, as the same Apostle teacheth in divers places? By this therefore we may perceive most plainly, what the wisdom is, on which Aristotle hath built his Philosophy. But I will come a little neerer unto the point, or main mark, and compare the double wisdom expressed by St. James, an other true Christian Philosopher, or Apostle of Christ, who telleth us in the place above mentioned, that the wisdom which contrad[…]cteth the truth is not f[…]om above, that is to say, from the father of light, neither is it pacifica[…]l and modest, but terrene, animal, and diabolicall. Now that this philosophy or wisdom of the Peripateticks is such, it appeareth, first, because it is litigious, full of disputes, fallacies, brables, and controversies, which is contrary unto the rules of the true Wisdome, and therefore the Apostle Paul adviseth Timothy, to separate himself from such as teach other doctrine, than that of the true Wisdome, saying, that they which do so are puffed up and know nothing, but dote about questions and strife of words, that is to say, about verball distinctions, wresting each word unto a multiplicity of senses, whereof commeth envy, strife, and rayling, evill surmizes, from disputations of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth. And again, Stu[…]tas & sine disciplina quaestiones devi[…]a (saith he); sciens quia generant lites: Eschew questions that are foolish and without discipline, for as much as they beget strife, And such is the Philosophy of our Christian Aristotelians; Forasmuch as their order and fashion is, to be ever conversant about questions and cavilling disputations in their Schools, and that is the occasion of equivocations, and of the infinity of distinctions, which give way unto the maintenance of falshood as well as of truth, and is the foundation of so many opposit Sects as well in the common Philosophy as religion, whereupon ariseth disputations, strife, contention, and malice, not only in the Schools, between contrary factions, but also among the common sort of people, that are of sundry religions; whereas if their Philosophy or wisdome were founded on the true Sophia, which is Christ Jesus (which as he is all in all, so is he but one simple essence) they would all agree in the unity of him, who is but one and the same in us all; for in him and by him, we are all made brethren, and coheirs with him, of eternity. And again, seeing that in him we live, move, and have our being, (as Paul saith) we should by consequence, (and that without all question, dispute, or brabling-quarrels,) know, and understand in our selves, that summum bonum, which truly-wise men seek after, and, with Tantalus his appetite, do so fervently affect. Doth not the Philosophy of Christ teach us, that Regnum Dei sit intra nos: The Kingdome of God is within us. Et quod sit in nobis omnium mirab[…]lium operator: And that the worker of all marvails is within us. Et quod sumus Temp[…]a Dei, & Spiritùs Sancti: And that we are the Temples of God and the Holy Ghost, and that we are the members of Christ, &c. Which being so, why should we be at strife, disputes, and brables, about difficulties, or ambiguities of questions? or, why should our riper senses be battered in peeces by foolish distinctions in which are the inventions of humane or diabolicall wisdome, on set purpose to immerge and drown us deeper in the abysse of multitude, or profundity of ignorance, when the only indeavour of truth is, to conduct us through those clouds of errors, (in which the foolish wisdome of this world, hath involved our understandings) unto the fountain of Unity and Concord, which is the eternall Wisdome, the spirituall, Christ Jesus? Thus we see how contrary the Greekish wisdome is, unto that of the Apostle's; for as much as the Greekish Philosophy is contentious, litigious, full of disputes, brables, and emulations; for which reason it is pronounced by St. James, to be terrene, animall, diabolicall, and not from above; whereas contrarywise, that Philosophy which is grounded on the true wisdome, which is from above, must be first pure, then peaceable, gentle, easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without judging, envy or hypocrisy. For this cause therefore, our Christian Philosopher Paul, admonisheth his Schollar Timothy to eschew all profane, and vaine babling, and opposition of Sciences, falsly so called, which whilst some profess, they have erred concerning the Faith. All such Christians, as have their Anchor-hold too firmly fastned on Aristotles Philosophy, should seriously ponder this, that our eminent Master St. Paul seemeth to advertise them with such fervency, that the observation of this Ethnick Philosophy, which consisteth in contentions, questions, vaine bablings, and opposition of Sciences, which seeme such, but are not so indeed, though they are called so falsely, is the occasion, that well-intending Christians have been deceived, and have erred concerning the Faith in the true Wisdome, and only verity Jesus Christ. Again, saith the Apostle James, The wisdome which contradicteth the Truth, is not from above, but terrene, animal, diabolicall. Now I am assured, that all good Christians will maintain, that the fountain of Truth, and Verity, is the holy Bible. What will our Christian followers of Aristotle say, if I will prove evidently, that Aristotle's doctrine doth erre from the maine grounds of holy Writ, which is the treasure of Verity, and consequently from that wisdome which is the Father of Light? It is a common phrase among our lip-learned Sophisters, to say, when any contradiction is found between some axioms of Greekish Philosophy, and the sacred Assertion, Oh, this is true in Philosophy, but in Scripture it is found otherwise: I say, to these, that if there be found any contradiction between the points of the one, and that of the other, there is a foul error, and falshood, or contradiction in the one or other, and therefore the one of the two, must needs issue from a terrene, and diabolicall, or mundan and human wisdome. Now judge, each good Christian, whether we should rather stick unto Gods Word, which is the only Truth, or the affirmation of Aristotle, which deriveth his wisdome, from the father of lyes, I mean the mundan wisdom, which is for that reason termed of the Apostle diabolicall or devilish. Others say, that men are so deeply conversant in the secrets of nature, or naturall Philolosophy, that they are become Athiests, and will acknowledg no God: They must needs understand of the Ethnick Philosophy, and not point at that of Jesus Christ; for that leadeth and directeth the understanding spirit of man, even unto the Throne and Majesty of the true God: and perswades him to forsake the multitude of this naughty world, to betake and contract it self unto that blessed union, from whence his bright Spirit was originally derived. A third sort of men seem to repine and storm, that any man should presume to mingle naturall Philosophy with Divinity, or should dare or attempt to draw any axioms or Authorities out of Scriptures, to prove or maintain the Principles or causes of Philosophy: averring boldly but erroniously, that the Bible doth onely teach unto man, what belongeth unto Salvation, that is to say, how we should feare God, and behave our selves unto our neighbours: As who should say, that the holy Scriptures had indited any thing in vain. And yet it is plainly found in them, that all the treasure of wisdome and science doth lie hid in Christ. And it is said in another place, A me discetis omnia: Ye shall learn all things of me. And again, Spiritus Sanctus vos docebit omnia: The holy Spirit will teach you all things. Are we not likewise taught, that all men are vain, that do not know the Creator by the creatures which he hath made: and the invisible God by the visible things, which he hath created. Besides all this, man shall find therein most lively described, the three principles whereby God made all things, namely the dark Abysse or Chaos, which they call first-matter, the second matter which they term water, and the first Act or light which they call their form: Also the true manner of generation of Meteors, of condensation and rarefaction, of generation and corruption, of action and passion, and of all things else, which can be imagined in that kind of learning, which the Aristotelians call naturall, is rightly, and not Sophistically, expressed in this true Philosophy: as also every other kind either Morall or Politick, with all other Sciences, both liberall and Mechanick, as is already prooved: What? was all this (I say) vainly set down, and expressed by the Saints of God, which were, in their inditings or writings, guided by the Holy Spirit of Truth? No verily, but rather we may excuse these zealous accusers without true understanding, and say, that they meant of intermingling the false Aristotelian wisdom, with that of the Spirit of God, which is onely truth; for, would these persons but rightly understand, that Philosophia, in his originall sense, importeth sophiam, or wisdom, they would acknowledge and confesse, that the true and essentiall philosophy, or sophia, is nothing else, but the sacred wisdom, or holy spirit of discipline, which is the ground of not onely that, which animal men of this world tearm Naturall Philosophy: but also of the whole subject of Theology. So that if we consider the case rightly, we shall plainly perceive, that sacred Philosophy is nothing else, but the ground-work of Divinity, or an expression of God and his acts in his creatures; or, if you will have it so, in things as well supernaturall, as naturall. Neither can any man finde, that God was ever mentioned or specified in Scriptures, but as he was considered in this world which he framed, and the creatures thereof: So is he said, to be endued with light as with a vestment. To be a consuming fire. To fill the heavens, and to make the earth his foot-stool. To put his tabernacle in the sun. To make the dark clouds his dwelling or tabernacle. To speak in thunder from heaven. To parley with Job out of the whirle-wind. To blow out of the north and south. To be everywhere. Also his Spirit is said to descend from heaven like a dove, and in the form of cloven tongues of fire, and to fill the earth, and to make man his temple, and to be in all things. To conclude, all Scriptures are full of nothing else, but of his essentiall operation in all created things, by his infinite organs. Wherefore I may justly say, that true Philosophy, (forasmuch as the foundation thereof is the Spirit of wisdom, which descendeth from the Father of light) is nothing else in effect but Theology; onely we may for fashions-sake make this distinction, that essentiall Philosophy passeth or maketh his enquiry after the summum bonum, moving from the creatures circumference or externall, unto his center or internall, for the finding out or describing of that eternall essence, who is onely good, and is the sole actour in all things, and so proceedeth (as it were) demonstra[…]ne a posteriori, that is, from the visible creature unto the invisible Creator, according unto St. Pauls rules, and Solomons precepts, in the places above cited. And the Theologian or Divine, seemeth to move another way, to wit, from the radicall center, or invisibility of God, and so proceedeth quasi demonstratione a priori, that is, moving from the divine internall act, or center unto the visible circumference, or externall creature: whereby we may perceive, in the conclusion, that both Sciences do attain unto one point in the end, that is to say, unto one and the self-same thing, or highest goodnesse in effect. And yet it so falleth out, that many an Academist in this world, is so extracted beyond the limits of the creature in their researches, that they, forsooth, seek him out beyond the Moon, nay, beyond the margins of the vaulted world, and so divide him absolutely from his creatures; in which proceedings, they do but attempt or presume to clamber up a ladder, without steps or degrees. They will (I say) soar up unto the highest pitch, without any consideration had unto the lower degrees, in that they attempt to find out God, without any respect had unto his creatures, when as the Scriptures warrant us, that he is not far off from any of us. And therefore it will be but needlesse to seek or expect him, beyond the sphear of the fire, or above the starry heavens, when he is neerer unto us, than we are aware of.

But it is no marvell; for some of them, being altogether addicted, for the first seven years, unto the Peripatetick philosophy, are so corrupted thereby, and understand by that doctrine so little newes of Gods being in his creatures, that when they come unto their higher function, they are flat enemies to such as shall tell them any such thing; and though they find Scriptures in plain tearms to verifie, that the Word and Spi[…]it is in all, and over all, yet by those sophisticall School-distinctions, which they have learned, or gathered out of their Ethnick-master's documents, or his obsequious Commentators, they do so involve and bewrap the plainly-meaning places of Scriptures, in the equivocating clouds of obscurity, that they make them ambiguous, or of little or no effect: As when it is said, and by the whole harmony of the sacred Text affirmed that God is in all, and over all, and that the holy Spirit is in all things, they streight-waies distinguish and say, It is true, that he is virtualiter, or vertually; but not substantialiter, or essentially over all; as who should say, his vertue can be divided or separated from his essence. And again, when the Text saith, that God operateth all in all: Verum est (say they) quatenus est causa principalis, as he is the prime or principall cause; but there are many secondary, or subalternate Agents, say they, which do act in Nature by themselves, as the Intelligences, the Starrs, the Elements, the Meteors, the compounded creatures, as well animal, as vegetable, and mineral; and so they would by these Aristotelicall sophistications, disgrace the truth of him, who saith in plain tearms, Deus operatur omnia in omnibus, God worketh all […]n all. For if we look rightly into the matter, we shall find, that as God filleth all by his essentiall Spirit of wisdom, so that Spirit worketh all in every thing which it filleth, and that without any helper: For how can the created organ, by any act of his own, help the Creator, which filleth it, to operate? when, what it hath, it receiveth from that eternall Act which bestoweth it: Ego (saith Jehovah) sum Dominus faciens omnia solus, & nullus mecum. I am the Lord who make and do all things alone, and not any one with me. Neither should it seem strange, being that the Scriptures do verifie, that he is all in all. And again, The incorruptible Spirit of God is in all things. And again, the Apostle, as is said before, In Christo omnia sunt condita, per Christum & in Christo omnia sunt creata, omnia in ipso constant, ipse est in omnibus primatum tenens. In Christ all things are made, by Christ and in Christ all things are created, all things consist in him, and he is in all things, bearing in them the principality. Which being so, it followeth, that the distinction must needs be false, which is, that Deus doth agere mediate, and not immediate; and consequently that the creature can act per se sine actu immediato De[…]. As who should say, that the divine essence or vertue is divisible, or that Gods essence must therefore be partible or separable, because it is in divers organs.

I may therefore boldly conclude and say, that if Christian Schollars would bestow that seven years, which they employ in their Aristotelian study, in the true, essentiall, and sacred Philosophy, they would not so erre after the manner of the Gentiles, but embrace without any rebellion or contradiction, the precepts of the true wisdom, so firmly, that they would at the end of the said time, be compleat in that essentiall doctrine, and made fit members to proceed in the streight way of enquiry into, and acquiry of, the mysticall wisdom, which God hath ordained to be revealed unto his Elect: and so after the example of the Apostles, they might as well become potent in vertue and power, as they appear now onely puissant in words, being hindred from the good fruit which accompanieth true wisdom, by the erroneous doctrine of their seducing Master. I know, that this good perswasion of mine, will make the followers of worldly wisdom to storm, and to say of me, as the Stoicall and Epicureall Philosophers did to Paul in Athens, What will this babler have, or what doth he tell us of a new way of learning? I answer, That it is not I, but the word which they follow, that teacheth them, if they will be pleased to mark it well, and sequester themselves, in the mean time, from the rules or documents of their Ethnick Master..

But I will come unto my nearer proofs, whereby I will most evidently shew, that the doctrine of Aristotle is a manifest enemy, and opposite or contradictory unto the truth; which being so, it is by the Apostle James condemned, for a branch of that wisdom or philosophy, which is terrene, animal, and diabolicall.

It appeareth, and shall be hereafter proved out of the Book of verity, that the vertue whereby God doth manifestly operate in this world, is expressed either by attraction, from the circumference unto the center; or expulsion, from the center unto the circumference; namely, Contraction, or Dilatation. For after this manner is produced Condensation and Ratification, whereby the heavens, and the earth, and elements, with compound creatures, as well Meteorologicall, or unperfectly mixed, as such as are compleat in their composition, were created and made. And again, by it he operateth in this world, either sympathetically, that is, by a concupiscible attraction, or antipathetically, that is, by an odible expulsion. Since therefore that all things are effected in this world, by attraction or expulsion, let us see what is Aristotle's opinion touching the cause of attraction, and then afterward examine, whether it accordeth with the tenour of truth.

The Petipatericks being perswaded thereunto by their Master Aristotle, do accord in this, namely, That the Winds, the Thunder, the Comets, the Clouds, and other such like Meteors, are made and caused by the attractive heat of the Sun, and other Stars, which draw up vapours and exhalation out of the water and earth, and elevateth them into the regions of the aire. And therefore, Prout (saith Velcury, according unto the mind of Aristotle) magis minusve calidi sunt vapores, ita altius, aut humilius elevantur sursum à solis calore aliorumque astrorum: sicut videmus in sole b[…] bente & attrahente aquam. As vapours are more or lesse hot, so are they elevated higher or lower by the heat of the Sun, and other Starrs: as we see that the Sun doth drink up, and attract water unto it. Hence therefore hath that palpable errour been introduced into this world, namely, that fire and heat do suck and draw unto it vapours and fumes, when it may be made most palpable and evident unto the simplest, so that he have but human sense about him, that the heat of the Sun and fire doth rather discusse and expell from it, by dilatation, than allure unto it by the way of attraction: As for example, if the fire did draw vapours unto it, then would it not permit any smoak to go from it, but the contrary is seen, viz. that it discusseth by dissolution, and expelleth and seperateth by rarefaction the subtill from the grosse, not with a desire to draw or attract the vapours, made by rarefaction unto it; but to expell and disjoynt it from the whole grosse body it worketh upon, for which cause we see the fumes and smoaks to fly away, and to be inforced to avoid the action of the fire, without any inclination of the fire to retaine them; also if we apply a wet handkercher unto the fire, we shall see that the watry substance in it will be subtiliated by the heat into a reaking vapour: but as for the fire it is so farre from attracting of it, that the reaking smoak will be seen to rise up in the house at randome without any evident attraction of the fire. In like case it happeneth with the Sun's operative faculty, for it subtiliates or ratifieth the water or humid substances by his heat, and consequently it draweth nothing at all unto it: but discusseth rather that which was thick, into thinner portions. Now the reason that water or grosse humid substances, being rarified, do ascend upward, is not any attractive faculty in the Sun or Starrs, but a naturall inclination in the thing it selfe: for it is a common axiome that omne leve et sub[…]ile, doth by a naturall sympathy or appetite, tendere sursum; and therefore it is, of his own inclination, being so subtiliated, that it soareth upward toward his naturall and destinated region, or place, as we see in Fumes, Smokes, and such like: Contrariwise, omne grave, doth in like manner, tendere deorsum, all that is ponderous doth descend by a naturall desire towards the Centre. But that I may more exactly and assuredly display this errour of the peripateticall attraction, of exhalations and vapours by the Sun, Starrs, and fire; I pray you that you will but observe our Weather-glasse, or experimentall Machine, and we shall there finde by practice, that all attraction from the circumference unto the center, is caused of cold, and not of heat; for by cold, the water is drawn or attracted up into the neck of the Glasse, and that is effected by the inspissation of the aire, and reduction of it into a straiter room: when contrariwise we note, that if the Sun do heat the head or boul of the Mattras, or if the warmth of the hand do but touch it, the included aire dilateth it self, and forthwith flyeth away from the heat, and is so far from being attracted by it, that it precipitateth and depresseth the water downwards. Which being thus, as ocular experience, the mother of fools, hath taught us, let our Christian Peripateticks but duely observe, the subtle wisdom of their Master, whom they have hitherto followed, and let them see and consider how grosly he hath erred, in the main argument, pillar, or prop of his Meteorology; which being so, what can be more expected, then that the whole fabrick of the same should fall before the eyes of each wise contemplator. To be brief, these & such like errours of his, have forced divers of his discreetest disciples & naturalists, to dissent and start from his doctrine, as well touching his opinion of the Winds and the Thunder, as of the originall of Fountains, being perswaded and allured unto this their relinquency by a t[…]uer spirit: For Johannes Fregi[…]s, a very learned Naturalist, and a man who hath taken great pains in searching out the truth of naturall mysteries, according unto the documents of Aristotle, (as it well appeareth by that his large volume, entituled, Quaest ones Physicae) hath this, Qua[…]quam tota d[…]sputatio de Ventis sicut de aliis me coris, plena est admi ab[…]m operum Dei, quorum mille firmae & sufficientes in natura causae proferri p[…]ssi[…]t, tamen prodest videre quousque humanaratio progredi p[…]ssit. Sacrae quidem literae dicut Deum ventos producere de thesauris suis, un[…] ipsorum […]latus and […], sed unde ven[…]um aut quo vadunt nescimus: Although the whole disputation concerning the Winds, as also touching the other […], be full of the marvells of God, of the cause whereof there can be rend[…]ed no sufficient reason in nature; yet it will be necessary to enquire into the cause of them, so far as […] reason wil[…] perm[…]t. The holy Scriptures say, that God doth produce the winds out of his treasury, from whence we hear the noise of their breath, but a[…]e ignorant of the place from whence they come, and whither they will. Again, on the other side, Margarita Philosophia, (a work, I say, that hath been highly esteemed of the Peripateticks themselves, by reason of the Aristotelicall suck or sap that it containeth, besides an epitomy of many other Arts) after a strict search made into the nature of Thunder, in the Physicks of her Master Aristotle, and being put as it were to a nonplus, through the want of skill which it observed in her Master, to reveal such a secret, which none is able really to effect but by the true wisdom, (for by it Solomon confessed, That he knew the force or power of the winds, and mutations of the elements. And Job, That it is the divine wisdom which giveth weight unto the aire, and ordaine[…]h statutes unto the rain, and maketh way unto the lightnings of the thunders. That Philosophy (I say) so much respected of the Peripateticks, is found in conclusion to utter these words, Quidam philosophorum (saith it) considerantes mirabilem fulminis operationem, ipsum non opus naturae, sed summ, Dei effectum immediatum arbitrati sunt: Some of the philosophers consider[…]ng the marvellous operation of the lightning and thunder, did imagine it to be no work of nature, but the immediate effect of the highest God. Again, touching the beginning and originall of Fountains, Johannes Velcurius, who hath spent much time and labour in the Peripatetick doctrine, and writ a Commentary upon Aristotles physicks, groweth somewhat cold in his confidence, which he had in his Master's doctrine, concerning the true cause of fountaines which issue out of the earth, Non consentiunt plane (saith he) Sacrae literae cum Physicis de ortu fontium et fluminum quae ex mari per varios alveos meatusque fluere, ac ad suos fontes restuere, Ecclesiastes, 1. testatu[…], dicens, Omnia flumina intrant in mare & mare non redundat, ad locum unde exeunt flumina revertuntur, ut iterum fluant. Coeterum Aristoteles et Physici Peripatetici dicunt materiam istorum esse pariter vaporem resolutum in aquam & liquefactum à frigore & calore simul, intra terram: The holy scriptures do not consent with the Naturalists, concerning the originall of fountains and rivers which do come out of the Sea, through divers Channells or passages, and flow or runne againe into their fountaines as Ecclesiastes, 1. d[…]th testifie, saying, all Rivers do go into the Sea, and the Sea is not the fuller: And they return again unto the place from whence they came, that they might flow from thence again. But Aristotle and his Peripatetick Schollars affirm, that the matter or substance of them is a vapour, resolved into water, and melted or liquified by cold and heat together, w[…]thin the earth.

Thus (judicious Reader) you may discern, out of the confession of Aristotle's own pupills, how contradictory and opposite is the mind of their Master, in his philosophy, unto the wisdom of holy Writ; and therefore mark the sentence that the Apostle pronounceth against it, The wisdom (saith he) which contrad[…]cteth the truth is not from above, name[…]y, from the Father of light, but terrene, animal, and diabolicall. And the other Apostle speaketh thus, If any man preach otherwise then that ye have received, let him be accursed. Now that this Prince of Peripateticks is most erroneous and averse unto the opinion of the holy Scriptures, touching the generation, or primary cause of Meteors, I will most lively and at large demonstrate unto you, in the last Book of this present Treatise, where I will prove him a deceiver of the Christian world, by such prestigious things as seem probable, but in verity, and by effect, will prove nothing else, in respect of the fruits which the true wisdom doth bring forth, but deceit, vain fallacy, and an apparent kind of jugling, which being rightly pondered, it may seem very strange to such judicious persons as are unpartiall, that the Christian world should be deluded thus long, yea, and in these latter daies, with such Peripateticall figments and fables, and be so addicted unto Aristotle's idle shadowes, since that in conclusion they appear without true substance and reality. Nay, it may seem strange indeed, unto every wise or understanding man, that such as are devoted unto Christian zeal, should all this while forsake the main fountain of wisdom and verity, to seek of Pagans and Gentiles, arts, science, and understanding, as did the Agarens, (of whom the Prophet maketh mention) and those which were in Theman, who for that errour of theirs, never attained unto the knowledge of true wisdom. Of this main folly of Christians in future ages, and of these our latter ages, me-thinks the Apostle doth seem to prophesy, in these words, Erit tempus cum sanam doctrinam non sustinebunt, sed ad sua desideria coacervaebunt sibi magistros, prurientes auribus, & à veritate quidem auditum averient, ad fabulas autem convertentur. The time will come, that they will not endure wholsome doctrine, but having their ears itching after their own lusts, get them a company of teachers or masters, and shall turn their ears from the truth, and shall be given unto fables. Where he understandeth by a company of masters, all erroneous teachers, and especially the sputious Philosophers, namely, of the Epicureall, Stoicall, and Peripateticall doctrine, which as they are framed out after the imaginations, traditions, and inventions of men, and according unto the elements of this world, and not after the true wisdom, which is Christ Jesus, are esteemed as foolishnesse, vanity, and fabulous before God and his Saints: And therefore the Apostle in the foresaid speech, doth point at such Christians in future ages, as will leave the true wisdom or doctrine of Christ, the Prophets, and the Apostles, and betake themselves to false Masters, and such Philosophy which contradicteth the truth.

Again, the said excellent and sacred Philosopher foretelleth, that there will be many in future ages so puffed up in their own conceipts, that they will contemn and scorn all counsell, be it never so good, if it be any way dissonant from their grounded opinion. His words are these, In nov[…]ssimis diebus (saith he) instabunt tempora periculosa, & erunt homines seipsos amantes, cupidi, elati, superbi, &c. semper discentes & nunquam ad verita[…]em pervenientes. Quemadmodum autem Jamnes & Mambres restiterunt M[…]y[…], ita & hi resistunt veritati; homines corrupti mente & reprobi circa fidem, & ultrà non proficient. In the last daies shall come perilous times, for men will be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, &c. ever learning, and never attaining unto the truth. And as IJamnes and Mamb[…]es withsto[…]d Moses, so do these resist the verity, men of a corrupt mind, and reprobates concerning the faith. Out of which words we gather, first, That some men in these latter daies will be so wedded unto their own learning, and conceipted in the worldly philosophy or science which they have been brought up in, that whatsoeve[…] tru[…]h it self shall proffer unto them, that is opposite unto their intentions, it will be scornfully rejected. Secondly, he seemeth to expresse the insufficiency of that learning or philosophy, which they embrace, in saying, that they are semper discente[…], sed nunquam ad veritatem vel perfectionem pervenientes; Ever learning, but never attain[…]g unto that high vertue and power, at which the truly wise have aimed, by Ethnick philosophy. Thirdly, it appeareth, that he meaneth the mundane philosophists, by the example which he maketh of Jamnes and Mambres, who being worldly Sages, or bred up in the human wisdom, did resist that truth which Moses, being instructed in the divine Philosophy, did so stoutly maintain. And lastly, he seemeth to intimate, that such as adhere so much unto the spurious wisdom, are thereby corrupted in their imaginations, and allured to erre concerning the faith, and profit nothing. And therefore it will be no marvell, though I shall find this mine admonition rejected, and repined at by many, though perchance more acceptable unto such as are vertuously inclined unto the truth, and are apt, yea, and sufficient in their purer discretions, to distinguish and separate the errours of Aristotle, from the infallible verity of sacred Writ, and to carry their judgments so justly and sincerely, that the All-hallowed honour of the one do not suffer any detriment or indignity, by the paganish and unsanctified axioms or assertions of the other.