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Show The Preface. : aclenenyeares leafure,to attaine the knowledge ofthat, or of any other tongue ; Fiow)oencr,1 know that it willbe [aid by wiany,That Imig ht hane been moreplea. fing to the ReaderifI had written the Story of mine ownetim es bauing beenpers mitted to draw water as neare'the Well-bead'as another. ‘To this lanfwer, that swhofoeuer in writing a moderne Hiftory,fhallfollow truth too neare the heelesit may haplyftrike out his teeth, Therets no Miftreffe or Guide, that hathled her followers andferuants into greater miferies, He thatgoes after her too faroff,lofethherfightand lofeth himfelf:and he that walkes after ber at amiddle diftance, Tknownot whether I fhould call that kinde ofcourfe, Temper or Bafeneffe. It is true, that Inewer tranailed after mens opinions, when Laight haue madethebet coe ofthem: and Thane now too few dayes remainingto imitate thofe,that either out ofextreame ambition,or extreame cowardife,orboth, doyet(whendeath hath them onhisfhoulders)latter the worldbetween the bed and thegrane.ltisenongh for me(beingimthat flate Iam)to Write ofthe eldeft times: wherein alfo why may it not be faid, that inpeakingofthepaft, Ipoint at the prefent,and taxthevices ofthofe that areet liningin theirperfons that are longfince dead.andhaue it laid to my charge ¢ But this I cannot helpe, though innocent, Ani certainly ifthere be anythat finding themfeluesfpotted like the Tigers ofold time,fhalfind fault with myfepainting themouer anew, they {hall therein accufe themfelues inftly, 7 me falfly. ForIproteft before the Maiefty ofGod, That Fmalice no man eonder the Stine. ImpofSible Iknowit is to pleafeall: feeing few or none aré‘fopleafed with them- (eluesorfo affured ofthemfeluesby reafon oftheir[ubie€tion to theirpritatepaf- fions but that theyfeem diners perfons in one @ thefame day.Seneca hath [aidit, andfo do I: Vnus mihipro populoerat: andtothe fame effect Epicurus,Hoc ego not multis fed tibi; or(as it hathfince lamentably fallen out)Imay borrow ltosetinakricanate PHria the oreateft ofthe ChriftianWorld ihpity, thefucce/Siue hope, and oneof to perufe fome part thereof and to sedi F ‘oi des Worke. It pLeifed him sbi oiboe' Mafter-fron f 7 . what was amiffe. it isnow left'to the aidan. Baden probitthis og hat ws prefented,hath receined bothblows nis iudicii,in quolis fecuridum l ie ae hic exitus'eftom- Kivi chide getbe charitable ill; - ures datur. But thefedifcourfes are idle. I udge charitably:fo againft thofe.qui oloriantut se ! malitia,my in prefent aduerfity bath difarmed me‘Lam on th G 4 Pi od dy. i a ‘Soy : rea J; ark cur . andfor tofall notfar héue therefore thereis no recefsionto habit. foit ésfeld Sieat ate the N aturallprination vidome Jeenein the pritiation politique. I do therefore forbeareto ftile my ty Readers Gent tobey their good opinions , intend) if the Fir) veceine done inay beshon le: C6 i biiodeee ee ae oracebopeedond and third volume (which Falfo sh eceime grace andgood acceptance. For'tbaisphich is already , , ? ReaLer Wibv j ney e thong enough; audtoo much: and it ws ceveaine let us claw the aer Hae Siefatifeee ciievmore be thotightfooles, yeild ): or Courteousphrafes,yethall Conc Lufton all the hope Thane we lies inthe That Ihave ylrea- el NS GON 2 4 te AN hy? ARE .3 oll) De CPW <P> wi y DEEN { Lys fis ZIM As Aae wg k&¥3 <a pe "Ny CDRLGBPEFNCAR ER "THE FIRST PART OFTHE HISTORY OF THE: WORLD: InTREATING Or THEBEGINNING,AND firft:Ages ofthe fame,from the Creation, vnto ABRAHAM. THE FIRST B00 KE. Cuav.l, Of the Creation, and Prefernation ofthe World. ois That the insifible God is feene in his Creatures. vex, OD, whom the wifeft men acknowledge to bee aPower vneffable, & Wertueinfinite, a Light by abundantclaritie Ave inuifible ; an Vaderftanding whichit felfe can only com) prehend, an Effenceeternall &{pirituall, of ab{olute pureneffe and fimplicity ; was, and is pleafed to make him/elfe ? known by the work of the World : inthe wonderful mag9 nitude whereof, (all which He imbraceth, filleth & fuftaineth) wee behold the Imageofthat glory, which cannot be meafured, and withall that one, and yet vniuerfall Nature, which cannot bee defined. In the glorious'Lights of Heauen, we perceiue a fhadow ofhis diuine Countenance; itt his mercifull prouifion for all that liue,his manifold goodnefle : & laftly,in creating and making exiftent the World yniuerfall; by the abfolute Art ofhis owne Word, his Power and Almightineffe ; which Power,Light, Vertue,Wifdome,and Goodneffe,be- ing all but attributes efone fimple Effence, & one God, wein all admire, & in part diicerne per /pecalum creaturar#m,thatis,in the dif{pofition,order,and variety ofCeleftiall and Terreftiall bodies: Terreftriall,in their ftrange and manifold diuerfities, Celeftiall, * Hugofiper in their beauty and magnitude.whichin their continual! and contrary motions, arenci- pi lye therrepugnant, intermixt, nor confounded; Bythefe potent effects, weapprochtothe jermad fi, knowledge of the Omnipotent caufe,and by thefe motions,their Almighty Mouer, T.!5-7 In thefe more than wonderfull vvorks,God (faith* Hugo) {peaketh vnto man,and ft is & non apparent true, that thefe be thofe difcourfes of God, whofeeffects,all that liue, witneffe in them- & immanifi- ) Found more yugentle and ynconrteous Readers of } Well defersiing of them: thar Fader s my LoneDecie towards them, 4 nd felues ; the fenfible, in their fenfible natures ; the reafonable,in their reafonablefoules: raina fhould hardNhat é hi Ibislife againe: For haid jt been otberwife, 1 4 us leifure;ons thanedoe made my Jelfe dFodle in Prone, illum qui fe condidit, Deum effe colligere deber , Every man, in" that' he is realonable, «emnious. peae ‘ : Appa« reafon mayknow, that he which madehim, is God. This Godall men atin foloee: chold(faith Job,) which is according to the Fathers, Dominatianem illus confpicere im gencratornm ‘eaturts, To difcerne hinsin bis promidenc 2 by hus Creatures. That Godhath beene other- pl ch,to wit,with corporall eyes,exccedeth the {mall proportion of myvaderftan- neratio. ~ print, for according to S.*GREGOR Y,Onemis home co ipfo quod rationalis conditus efexip[a 0a pans ver omria ding, |