Chapter Three.

The preceding discussion of the elements and philosophical principles prompts me, particularly since lightning was briefly mentioned in the last chapter, to say something further about other phenomena called meteors by pagan philosophers and their imitators. This too may contribute considerably to understanding nature. First, then:

Comets.

At the appearance of that comet in 1664 and 1665, we had ample experience of the strange judgments philosophers customarily make about these stars, both concerning their origin and their significance.

In my first little treatise on rainwater, written in the year 1665 just mentioned, I briefly and approximately expressed my modest opinion as follows. Since, as repeatedly explained, no nature acts of itself, and since Holy Scripture does not say that the Lord God created stars to remain hidden until some particular time, but rather to shine upon the earth, such stars are created solely by the Lord God when he wishes them to shine upon the earth and signify something to us; afterwards they are removed again.

As for their significance, we have sufficiently experienced in actual events over recent years and in various places that they are wondrous signs and tokens of almighty God’s wrath. I shall leave the matter there for the present and pass to another discussion, namely:

Thunder, lightning and rain.

Although the learned acknowledge that, according to Holy Scripture, it is the Lord God who thunders and sends lightning, brings the clouds high into the air and causes rain upon the earth, they nevertheless associate too much with him by way of secondary causes and nature, attributing these things chiefly to nature. Yet, to speak briefly, they still neither know nor can explain what their secondary causes or their nature actually are. The same must be said of the following.

Earthquakes.

Here philosophers likewise produce many varied and strange causes from which earthquakes supposedly arise. Most assign their cause to dense, hot and dry exhalations. Yet the Psalmist, inspired by the Holy Spirit, indicates a quite different efficient cause when he says in Psalm 8: “The earth shook and moved, and the foundations of the mountains stirred and trembled because he was angry.” Again, in Psalm 104: “He looks upon the earth, and it trembles; he touches the mountains, and they smoke.” In this latter passage the same Psalmist also assigns the cause of exhalations to the Lord God.

This is not weakened by the philosophers’ distinction between natural and supernatural earthquakes. The Psalmist makes no such distinction, nor can a subordinate cause be found or demonstrated in this matter; the philosophers’ nature, as repeatedly stated, is nothing. It therefore does not help them in the least to attempt to strengthen their opinion by observing that earthquakes occur more frequently in some places than others, especially where sulphur is abundant.

For the Lord our God deals with nature according to its quality and properties and acts within it. Thus we see more storms arise in summer than in winter. Likewise, although God’s word and command to bring forth herbs and grass were given and spoken to the earth generally, little or nothing grows in very sandy and barren places, because they lack the passive capacity for germination. This prompts me to repeat something here as well.

Wind.

The strange and extraordinary causes ordinary philosophers assign to wind, particularly its origin and motion, are well known. But if we consider creation and God’s wondrous works as described by the Holy Spirit and the men of God, we must judge very differently. First, concerning its origin, the first part sufficiently demonstrated that wind and air are one, and that air came from water and was created from it. I again appeal to Nuysement’s saying: “Wind is nothing other than air in motion.”

Second, concerning its motion, its causes may also be known if we consider the Psalmist’s words: “You make your angels winds, and your servants flames of fire.” Likewise, in Chapter 7 of Revelation the evangelist John reports that four angels stood at the earth’s four corners and held the four winds, so that no wind could blow upon the earth.

Returning therefore to the preceding subject, and adding a little about earthquakes, Helmont’s opinion should not be rejected. Citing the example in Matthew 28:2, he assigns the cause of earthquakes to angels, as Bechmann also reports.

Above all, the all-wise God has reserved government over all such things to himself alone. These wondrous works proceed, as it were, immediately from his divine omnipotence. Moses testifies to this in Genesis 2: “The LORD had not yet caused rain upon the earth.” God himself further indicates and explains it in Job 38, saying among other things: “Have you been where the snow comes from, or seen where the hail comes from, which I have reserved until the time of trouble?” Again: “Who has allotted its course to the downpour, and a way to lightning and thunder?” And particularly: “Can you bring your thunder high among the clouds?”

David therefore rightly says in Psalm 18: “Vapour rose from his nostrils, and consuming fire from his mouth, from which lightning flashed,” and so forth. As stated, the Lord God has given nature no particular order or command in this matter, nor is any subordinate cause or creative word found in Holy Scripture. Rather, Psalm 148 likewise tells us that fire, hail, snow, vapour and storm winds fulfil his Word.