§ . 1. GOD Almighty , the Great and Wise Creator , Blessed for ever , ( for no legitimate Astrology can exclude Him ) is not only in Himself , but even in his Works , Incomprehensible .

§ 2. Amongst His other infinitely various Operations , He is admirably discovered in the constitution of the Air , and its strange Vicissitudes ; which the Divine Word unquestionably produceth by a Second inferior Cause , or Generant .

§ 3. The Theatre , on which these Alterations are hourly acted , being the open Air , Mankind hath more easily arrived at some little Apprehension of this Second Cause , the Region in which they are presented being so neer and pervious .

§ 4. As reasonable as it is to believe , that the Sea comprehendeth all the Seminal Causes of Her Productions , and the Earth of what is bred in Her Bowels also ; so natural is it to imagine , that the Heavens are not Idle , but rather give Spirit and Influence to all things under their Convexity , viz. the Air , and its Regions , with the Globe of Water and Earth , These being but minor Orbs , all inclosed within the vast Embraces of the major ; even as the Foetus is embraced by the Womb , and the Membranes that are agnate to it .

§ 5. The World therefore in all Ages hath been convinced , that the Heavens have no small Power on the premises , and every Body within their respective Inclosures .

§ 6. On the Air especially , and its Phaenomena , the Meteors , ( as they are distinguished vulgarly into ) Real or Apparent .

§ 7. Of these latter , none go about to deny , that the Heavens are the due Efficient , whether Halo's , Rainbows , Parelia , Paraselenae , Chasms , Clarities Nocturnal , the Morning and Evening-Blushes of the Heavens ; to which may be added the rarer appearance of its seeming Conflagration , unless . That prove gather to be Real .

§ 8. But no less are they the due Effective of the former , the Real ones , ( though some Well-meaners would fain deny it ) : whether Clouds , Rain , Mist , Dews , Fiery Trajections , Ignes fatui , Lightning , Thunder , Blasting , Frost , Snow , Hail , Winds .

§ 9. And of All these , whensoever they happen , whether in Measure or Excess , Ordinary or Prodigious ; and they again whether Homogeneous , such as those Dire Tempests called of old Ecnephiae , Exhydriae Fistulae , Plin. hist. nat. II. 48 , 49. ( known amongst us by the names of Sponts , Huracans , Tornados , Travados , &c. ) or Heterogeneous , as the Rains of Dusts , Ashes , Milk , Blood , &c.

§ 10. No other is the Cause , after all that can be disputed , of that great phaenomenon the Comet , and That not only Sublunar , but Celestial .

§ 11. The same also is most justly acknowledged the Cause of the motion of the Sea , its Ebbs and Flowes , which some great Artists would pin on the motion of the Earth , others on the inward Principle of the Element .

§ 12. Yea the Heavens ( though it may seem to be no less than a Contradiction ) are to be admitted Causes of Earthquakes , Meteors ( as they are rightly called ) of the Subterranean Region .

§ 13. Powers Angelical , Good or Evil , are no Causes solitary , or such as do evacuate the proper Causality of the Heavens .

§ 14. Stormy Winds therefore , which are harmful to Countrey or Province , are no Arguments ( whatsoever the vulgar are perswaded ) of Sorcery or Conjuration .

§ 15. Hereby it is not intended to deny that Spirits can raise or bestow Winds or Tempests , and that , it may be , by Arbitrary means , though I see some are willing to excuse Lapland from such Inditement .

§ 16. Showers of Stone , Dust , Ashes , Blood , Corn , &c. which I call Prodigious , out of kind , § 9. are generated first in the Air , ( not elevated thither by any violent natural Spirit , as some think , ) so that if they may be fairly imputed to an Angelick Administration , yet neither can the Heavens be wholly excluded .

§ 17. Concerning prodigious Showres of Creatures Animate , as Frogs , &c. although the more probable Opinion saith they are generated in the Region from whence they fall , yet here I am not ingaged to undertake .

§ 18. Noises and Apparitions of Armies , with Military Equipage and Tumult , can at no hand exclude an Angelic , and that a Principal Cause .

§ 1. MEteors Real , whether Aerial or Subterrranean , as to their Cause Material , consist of Water , Earth , ( Simple or Compound ) Fire , and their Expirations ; these in the depth of the Earth , those in the heights of the Air , as far as the reach of the Atmosphere .

§ 2. For that the Earth also is resolved into Exhalation , is evinced from the Thunderbolt , yea from the Nitrous and Sulphureous Ingredients into ( the wild-fires Celestial ) Lightnings . Add the forementioned Rains of Stones , Ashes , Corn , &c. nay every Fog is so fuliginous , as to bear witness , a Fog which sometimes casts it self into Threds or Ropes , and by the warmth of the Sun furls up into Gossamere .

§ 3. The Body of the Air seems not to be the Resolution of Terrestrial or Watry Exhalations , but is rather distinguished from Both as their Subject or medium , even as the Water is distinguishable from its Impurities , or from the saline Spirit that inhabits the Ocean .

§ . 1. THE State of the Air is not uniform in all places , no not of the same Kingdom , Province , County ; but is strangely different as to all manner of Weather . Kepler gives notable Instances in the useful Book of his Ephemerides , Anno Christi 1621 , &c. they of Germany seeming most pleased with these Contemplations .

§ 2. Storm prodigious with Rain at Vienna , at Ratisbon onely is a Fog . Fearful Tempest in Bavaria in Suevia , June 4 , 5. and Hail on the other side of the Rhine , where Spiers is situate , June 6. but at the Rhine it self a perfect Drought the whole three dayes . This was Anno 1621. In like manner , Anno 1629 , in May , dieb. 13 and 14. the Corn was lost by Flood in Silesia , contrary in Poland and Liefland all perished by Drought . More of this nature may be had from Kepler abovesaid , from Fromond's Etesian Table compar'd with Kepler's Ephemeris , from Eichstad , and others . But what need ? when common Attestation of wayfaring men daily witnesseth this Difformity . When upon conferring Notes , at time of year , we had no Snow here saith one , no Fog saith another at our Town , no Rain , no Thunder ; and as for Hail , you shall seldom hear of two , though little , Distances of place , that will agree in its Admission .

§ 3. We acknowledg this Variety is admirable , when God Himself hath pleas'd to give it as a remarque of his Power , that He causes it to rain on one City , and not on another , that which our Eyes in a beautiful prospect are sometimes witness of . But sober Philosophy is not confounded at the Contemplation of this wonder , as the Astrologer Himself was , who observing once at Tubing some Heat , and a little Rain onely , but elsewhere , lower in the Countrey , Tonitrua horrida , breaks out into this self-killing Conclusion , frustrà istas Meteororum formationes à positu Astrorum exigas . Kepler . Ephem . Anni 1625 , ad mens . Jun. Philosophy is rather excited to give some account of the Divine Power and Wisdom , which though invisible in themselves , are , and in all Ages of the world have been , discoverable by such contemplation and scrutiny .

§ 4. Wiser therefore was the Conclusion of the same good man , who upon the like collation of the various Constitution of the Heaven , at Lusatia first observing only black Clouds , and at Glogaw , scarce a days journey from thence , having had intelligence of terrible Thunder , spake like Himself , in Wonderment , but not Confusion , Ecce , quid Coelum , quid Terra , quid Loca possunt ! Kepl. ad mens . Sept. Anni 1629.

§ 5. For without all peradventure , this variety of the Airs Constitutions , whether permanent or transient , must be referr'd to the Heavens above , and their Difference , hereafter to be consider'd , joyn'd with the Situation of the Place , together with the Parts adjacent , and the manifold Differences there also to be alledged . By reason of which , Thebes differs from Athens , Rome from Tibur ; Athenis tenue Coelum , crassum Thebis . Thus the Mountains Acroceraunii in Epire , famous of old for frequent Thunders , as the Sierra Leona in Africk , witnessed to this day by the Portuguez Mariners , who hear as much at 50 Miles distance . Thus in Rome and Campania Winter-Thunders are heard sometimes , in other parts of Italy never , as Pliny hath noted , II. 50. The instance from Peru is notable , though far fetch'd , where Acosta tells us , that in the Plains , ten Leagues bredth from the Sea coast , it never Rains nor Thunders ; upon the Sierra's and Andes , two ridges of Hills , at 50 Leagues distance ; running parallel to each other , it rains sufficiently , on the first from September to April , on the latter almost continually . But nearer home , the Cities of Heidelberg in the Palatinate , and the Ancient Triers in Germany , from the Heavens disposition to Rain , have it seems a like slabby character ; so the German City is by some call'd , saith Dr Heylin , the common Sewer of the Planets , Cloaca Planetarum .