I shall not insist upon any large discourse of the Rainbow, only take two or three things. This Meteor hath three Attributes above the rest; First, it is the most illustrious and beautiful; Secondly, the most desirable and comfortable; Thirdly, the m•st strange and wonderful of all the impressions visible in the air. This is properly expressed by a Bow, because the form of it usually is semicircular. Luther saith he saw a Rainbow in the form of a perfect Circle; and others report they have seen it in the form of a strait line: But in what-ever form it appea•s the natural cause of it is the reflection of the Sun or of the Moon (for there are Rainbows in the night as well as in the day) it is caused; I say, by the reflection of the light of the Sun or Moon) upon or from a ⟨p. 544⟩watery or dewy Cloud opposite to either.1 The Latin word Iris, is derived from a greek word, which signifieth to speak or to relate something: The Rainbow is elegantly so called, because it foreshows sometimes rain, sometimes fair weather. A Rainbow in the morning is a sign of showers, in the afternoon it betokens serenity, and always it proclaims to us the promise of God for the moderation of rain; or it speaks thus much to all the world, that God will so measure out the Rain from the Clouds, that it shall never swell to an universal Deluge, or to a drowning of the whole wo•ld again. Thus the Rainbow hath a speech, a language of mercy in it towards the present world. It speaks also the Justice of God upon the old world, minding us of that Deluge of water that drowned them for their sin; they had so defiled the Earth by their evil manners and profaneness, by their will-worship, Superstition and Idolatry, that God in wrath sent a Flood of water, not to wash, or refresh, but to destroy them: The Rainbow minds us of that dreadful Judgment of God upon a corrupt World. And although the Rainbow gives us assurance that the World shall not be drowned again, how sinful soever it is, yet some, from the various colours of the Rainbow, whereof one is red and fiery, tell us, it proclaims that the World shall at last be consumed by Fire. The Apostle Peter is plain that it shall be so, (2 Ep: 3.10.) The Elements shall melt with fervent heat; nor is it merely a fancy, to say, that the fiery colours in the Rainbow are set there by God, to mind us of it.
I shall not insist upon any large discourse of the Rainbow, only take two or three things. This Meteor hath three Att•ibutes above the rest; First, it is the most illustrious and beautifull; Secondly, the most desirable and comfortable; Thirdly, the m•st strange and wonderfull of all the impressions visible in the air. This is properly expressed by a Bow, because the forme of it usually is semicircular. Luther saith he saw a Rainbow in the forme of a perfect Circle; and others report they have seen it in the forme of a strait line: But in what-ever form it appea•s the natural cause of it is the reflection of the Sun or of the Moon (for there are Rainbows in the night as well as in the day) it is caused; I say, by the reflection of the light of the Sun or Moon) upon or from a ⟨p. 544⟩watery or dewey Cloud opposite to either.1 The Latine word Iris, is derived from a greek word, which signifieth to speak or to relate somthing: The Rainbow is elegan•ly so called, because it foreshews somtimes rain, somtimes faire weather. A Rainbow in the morning is a sign of showres, in the afternoon it betokens serenity, and alwayes it proclaims to us the p•omise of God for the moderation of rain; or it speaks thus much to all the world, that God will so measure out the Rain f•om the Clouds, that it shall never swell to an universal Deluge, or to a drowning of the whole wo•ld again. Thus the Rainbow hath a speech, a language of mercy in it towards the present world. It speaks also the Justice of God upon the old world, minding us of that Deluge of water that drowned them for their sin; they had so defiled the Earth by their evil manners and prophaness, by their will-worship, Superstition and Idolatry, that God in wrath sent a Flood of water, not to wash, or refresh, but to destroy them: The Rainbow minds us of that dreadfull Judgment of God upon a corrupt World. And although the Rainbow gives us assurance that the World shall not be drowned again, how sinfull soever it is, yet some, from the various colours of the Rainbow, whereof one is red and fiery, tell us, it proclaims that the World shall at last be consumed by Fire. The Apostle Peter is plain that it shall be so, (2 Ep: 3.10.) The Elements shall melt with fervent heat; nor is it meerly a phancy, to say, that the fiery colours in the Rainbow are set there by God, to mind us of it.
- 1Iris ab [Greek or Hebrew] quod est dicere sive loqui. Iris est arcus, qui ex reflexione luminis, •um solaris tum lu•• ris, in nubem ro•id•• oppositam gignitur. Garcae.Iris ab 〈non-Latin alphabet〉 quod est dicere sive loqui. Iris est arcus, qui ex reflexione luminis, •um solaris tum lu•• ris, in nubem ro•id•• oppositam gignitur. Garcae.
