the same Philosopher in Confirmation of the Divinity of the Vniverse THENCE to lin 30. of the same page Having done what he can to prove the World to be a God he may have the like Privilege further to infer the Figure of the same to be the Form of the Deity Therefore shews he it Here to be Worthy of the Godhead that is to say the most Beautifull of all Figures THENCE to lin 23. of pag. 101. Another Commendation of the Sphere is deriv'd from Necessity inasmuch as in any other Figure such an Equality of Motion and Constancy of Order were never to be preserv'd Ba bus in the mean time not abstaining from some Gentle Touches upon the Epicureans and particularly their Authour who had he but consider'd the Sky must needs from their very Conversion have concluded upon the Round Figure of the World and of the Stars THENCE to lin 10. of pag. 102. An Occasion Here offering he Digresses to Describe the Motion of the Planets beginning with the Sun THENCE to lin 28. of the same page Next to the Sun he sets forth the various Courses Forms or Phases Sites and Effects of the Moon THENCE to lin 17. of pag. 103. He considers Generally and admires the Motions of the Other Five Planets THENCE to lin 33. of the same page He descends particularly to the Courses of each of the remaining Planets of Saturn First Then of Jupiter THENCE to lin 20. of pag. 104. The Courses of Mars Mercury and Venus are Describ'd THENCE to lin 9. of pag. 105. From the Constant and Convenient Motion of the Planets he concludes them to be not only indu'd with Vnderstanding but to be Divinities also Upon the same Consideration ascribes he Prudence and Intelligence to the Fixt Stars likewise denies them to be mov'd together with the Sky or Heaven and will have them to be separate and apart from all Etherial Conjunction THENCE to lin 20. of the same page To the Fixt Stars in like manner as to the Wandring does he Arrogate a Divine Mind together with the Consequences of it and removes Objections THENCE to lin 12. of pag. 106. To strengthen his Assertion hitherto of a Divine Mind's being in the Whole World he produces Zeno's Definition of Nature who makes it to be indu'd not only with a Mind but with Art too THENCE to lin ult of the same page Over and above an Artificial Mind does he upon Zeno's Authority likewise attribute a Providence to the World with whatever he imagines to be an Appertenance thereof THENCE to l. 22 of p. 107. Here he makes a short Recapitulation of what he had hitherto deliver'd in this Second Branch of the Dispu ation Wherefrom may be in a sort collected what the Quality the Question in Proposition of the Divine Nature is Viz. such as acts something and That without any Labour too And why This he shews by a Reason out of the Porch at the same time Refelling Epicurus who thought Otherwise THENCE to lin 13. of pag. 108. He conveniently introduces as on the Opposition to Epicurus's Idle and Vnactive Deities a number of a sort of Profitable and Beneficent Gods Consecrated by the Judgment and Religion of the Wise men amongst the Greeks and Romans THENCE to lin 21. of pag. 109. He proceeds from Things to Persons and Rehearses Beneficent Men accounted for Gods THEâ—CE to lin 6. of pag. 110. Being about to set upon an Explanation of Natural Theology wrapt up in Fables he takes his Beginning from Coelum THENCE to lin 21. of the same page Who Saturn is Whence his Name according to both Greeks and Latins The Intent of the Fables of his Devouring his Children and being Bound by Jupiter THENCE to lin 17. of pag. 111. The Explication of the Name and Sirnames of Jupiter Illustrated by the Authority of Wise Men. THENCE to lin 22. of pag. 112. The Mythology of Coelum Heaven the Skie is follow'd by That of the Air Water Earth under the Appellations of Juno Neptune Dis Proserpina and Ceres He also by the way shewing the Etymology of these same Names They being expressive of the Vertue and Power of each respective Deity THENCE to lin 20. of pag. 113. The Mythology of Mars Minerva Janus Vesta and of the Dii Penates as also the Original of these Apellations noted THENCE to lin 27. of pag. 114. Whence proceeded the Name of Apollo and Sol Diana and Luna of Menses and of Venus Why Lucina or Luna the Moon was Phansi'd to be present at Nativities THENCE to lin 20. of p. 115. He lays open the Spring of the whole Superstition so Unworthy of the Gods in his Opinion which is the False Divinity ascrib'd to Natural things under a kind of Human Form Whence it came that in a manner all the Vices of Human Frailâ—y were imputed to the Deities in like sort as to Men. A Madness that Balbus utterly disapproves of THENCE to the End or to lin 18. of pag. 116. Having in the Former Section repudiated Vain Deities He in This Advances One and a True God worthy of all Worship and Adoration He shewing opportunely of what sort this same Worship ought to be that is to say Remote from Superstition And Thus he puts an End to the Second Branch of the Dispute pag. 98. Amendments Illustrations c. of the Second Branch of the Stoical Disputation What kind of Nature they are of who are Gods and What they are c. p. 98. lin 32. from the Appearances of things to our Eyes from the Custom of the Eyes which continually behold the Deities represented under Human Form c. lin ult of it scil of the Opinion of the Divinity of the World c. pag. 99. pag. 99. lin 24. Proves as much Proves it c. lin 25. forbear making a shew bewraying the there is a great c. p. 100. pag. 100. l. 6. respective Parts Semi-diameters Equal c. lin 27. the Extreme the Circumference c. lin 28. That the Middle c. lin 29. In Solids there is Length Solids and Planes what Bredth and Depth in Planes only Length and Bredth what is Best by the Palate but while he is studying what is most Gratefull to the Taste he c. the Palate of Heaven c. pag. 101. pag. 101. lin 11 c. by Immutable Spaces by Wayes which they never change c. lin 15. their Motion any other way i. e. either Ascending Higher or Descending Lower c. lin 16. from the Conversion of both c. lin 19. same Earth c. i. e. when it has sent forth c. it leaves the same Earth Darken'd sometimes in One â—art of the Hemisphere sometimes in Another Night how occasion'd c. lin 26 c. of it of the Earth interposing obstructing and Interposing between the Sun andVs c. lin 30. equal to those of Day i. e. because they recover in Winter what they lose in Summer c.
Words but takes him away in very deed And Then if the Circumstances of the God-head be Truly such as that he is void of †If favour and bountifulness be marks of frailty there need be no worshipping of the Gods Favour and Affection toward Mankind I have nothing to say to him What will it boot me to supplicate his Indulgence For he cannot be Propitious to any body Since All kindness and Benevolence you say proceeds from Imbecillity The End of the First Book M. T. CICERO Touching the NATURE OF THE GODS c. The Second Book WHEN Cotta had thus made an End said Velleius The Introduction by way of Dialogue It was not considerately done of me I must confess to engage against an Academique and an Orator both under One for I should not much have shrunk at an Academique without Eloquence any more then at a very fluent Rhetorician unqualify'd with * The Sceptical or Academical sort that by a kind of Sleight of Witt ran All into Doubt and Vncertainty Your Philosophy As being neither moved by a Torrent of Empty Words nor by Queint Sentences if the Stile be Dry and Heavy You indeed Sir have done passing well have exceeded in both these respects only an †This Dispute being menag'd privately amongst two or three Friends that custom of the Romans of appointing Judges over the Publique Exercises of Profâ—ssors of Sciences to determine who got the better and of confeâ—ring some or other small Marque of Honour upon the Victor and of Disgrace upon the Vanquisht could not take place here Auditory and the Judges were not in place But This by the By Now if he be dispos'd let Lucilius speak I had rather reply'd Balbus that Cotta would please to go on still and with the same Eloquence that he has confounded False Gods shew which are the True For it is but Fit that a Philosopher that a * Cotta was High Priest at the time of this Disputation Priest that Cotta should have a Certain and Steady Notion of a Deity with Us â—toiques and not a fluctuating and unconstant one as That of the Academiques uses to be Against Epicurus 't is True Enough in all reason has been said but Cotta you have not yet oblig'd us with your Own Thoughts upon the matter I beseech you Sir Return'd he call to mind what I hinted at the beginning that I found it easier to discern especially as to things of this quality what should not then what should be entertain'd Nay and thô I were able to advance somewhat that might be Clear yet having been so Large already You ought Now to take Your Turn before me I submit to you Answer'd Balbus and will be as Brief as possibly I can For Epicurus's Errours being Confuted to my hand my Work will fall within so much the narrower compass This whole Question touching the Nature of the Gods usually divided into Four Parts by the Stoiques Our people do generally divide this Whole Question concerning the Nature of the Immortal Gods into Four Parts First they shew that Gods there are Secondly What they are Thirdly That the World is administer'd by them and Lastly that they consult and interest themselves in Man's Affairs Now I think it will not be amiss to speak only to the Two First of These and to let the Other as being harder to make out alone till a time of better convenience I cannot agree to That Rejoyn'd Cotta for we are absolutely at * It was a Holy day they met upon He may seem also to glance at Julius Câ—esar's discharging them from Publique Cares by usurping and ingrossing the Sole Menâ—gement of the Common-wealâ—h iâ— a manner to â—iâ—seâ—f Leisure and thô we were not yet the Subject in debate is to be prefer'd even to Business it self § 1. SAID Lucilius Hereupon the First Point methinks requires not to have Much spoken to 't For can any thing be more plain and perspicuous when we look up to the †The first Argument in proof of the Existence of a Deity take from a Contemplation of the Heaâ—â—ns 〈◊〉 Heavens and contemplate what 's over our Heads then the Existence of some Power of a Transcendent Wisdom ‖ Thâ—â—â—â—lds Self Evidence as it were of his governing all tâ—ings in Heaven and Earth by which All These are Govern'd Which were it not so how could Ennius have cry'd out Behold yon Deity glittering on high Whom All term Jupiter with an Universal Approbation But indeed This is * They hâ—ld their Jupiter Optimus Maximus to be the Only True â—od and â—ll the rest in the Nature of Officers and Ministers of State to him Jupiter the Lord the Disposer and Ruler of All things as seems good to himself Father both of the Gods and Men. As the same Ennius has it a Divinity that is All-powerful and still ready to help us And if any body questions This for ought I see he may as well doubt whether there be a Sun or no For wherein is the One more Evident then the Other The Second drawn from Universal Assent Nay and had we not also impress'd in our minds an Inward knowledge and Assurance of This there could never have remain'd so Stable a Belief of it nor would it have been confirm'd by diuturnity of Time nor grown up and born Date with the Ages and Original of Men For such Opinions as were vain and faulty at bottom are worn away by length of time we see and vanish'd As who at This day thinks there is any such Creature as a Chimaera or an Hippocentaur Or what Old Wife so weak as to be afraid of those Goblins below which once held a place in most peoples Faith and Phansies Time eats out and consumes Fictions but establishes the Dictates of Nature And indeed there were always in use in Ours and Other Countries certain holy Institutions of Divine Worship The Third from thâ— P esence anâ— Appeariâ—g f the Gods upâ—â— sundry occasiâ—ns Nor again is This the Result of Chance or Ignorance Or any more then what the Gods themselves have often declar'd by their Presence As at * A Lake in Italy Regillus in the War with the Latins Where Castor and Pollux were seen fighting on Horseback in Our Army when A. Posthumius the Dictator vanquish'd Octavius Mamilius in the Battel of * A Town about 12 Miles from Rome where Cicero had a Countrey house and from whence his Tusculan Questions deriv'd their Title Tusculum And it is of fresher Date that the same Off-spring of Tyndarus gave information of the Defeat of †King of Macedon Perses For as P. Vatienus Grandfather to the present Youth of That Name was on his way to Rome from his Government of ‖ A Town of the Sabines Reate Two Young men on white Horses appear'd to him toward the shutting up of the Evening and told him King Perses was That day taken Prisoner This he
the sake of their Country the Father in the Latin War the Son in the Tuscan and the Grandfather in That against Pyrrhus Decii's Devoting themselves How highly Vnjust were They if nothing could expiate for the People of Rome but the Fall of those Brave men But This was a Device a Stratagem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Greeks term it of Council of such thô as for the Good of their Country made nothing of throwing away a Life who computed that the Commander of the Army Riding full Speed and throwing himself amongst the Enemy would be follow'd And it fell out accordingly Now for the * The Pretence of the Voice of the Fauns made Merry wiâ—h Voice of Faunus truly I never heard it If you say you have I 'll believe you thô I conceive not what Faunus should be †These Argumen s of the Stoiques deni'd to be suffiâ—ient to prove the Matter they wâ—re produc'd fâ—r So that by all you have said hitherto Balbus I cannot see that Gods there are Whose Existence yet I am fully perswaded of thô the Stoiques are not able to prove it Two of Cleanthos's four Causes whereby we are led to a knowledge of the Deity shewn to be of no force Cleanthes you told us gave Four Causes of Forming the Notion of a Deity in our Minds One was deriv'd from what I spoke to a little before the Fore-knowledge of things to come Another from the Perturbations of Tempests and the rest of the †i. e. Of the Earth and Sea Motions Another from the Plenty and Vsefulness of the Benefits we receive And the Fourth from the Order of the Stars and the Constancy of the Heavens The Topique of Presension has been handled already As to the ‖ i. e. Tempests Perturbations of the Skie Sea Earth I deny not but when they happen many are affrighted at them and phansie they were occasion'd by the Immortal Powers But here the Question is not whether any Think there are Gods but whether really there be Gods yea or no. The Other Two referr'd to be examin'd in another place As for the Other Causes assign'd by Cleanthes That drawn from the Plenty of Blessings conferr'd upon us and That also from the Order of the Seasons and the stability of Heaven they shall be taken notice of when I discourse touching the Providence of the Gods a Point that you Balbus have been very Large upon So are Chrytippus's Arguments too Thither will I likewise remit what you nam'd Chrysippus as Author of That in regard many things were not to be effected by Man there could not but be somewhat or other Better than he And the Simile too of a Fair Edifice and the Pulchritude of the World as also the Harmony and Agreeableness of the Whole Vniverse And to the same place And Zeno's loc I refer Zeno's Brief and Queint Conclusions THUS too shall what you have deliver'd Physically Aâ— also Balbus'â— Physical Arguments concerning the Power of Fire and touching that Heat whereby all things you said were Generated be examin'd in its due Place As also that which And his pretending the World c. to be indu'd with Reason Cotta's Demands of Balbus as if he had brought no Arguments at aâ—l to assert a Deity And Balbus's Exception to the Conduct of his Argument and Averment that he has given the Reasons Cotta required in Proving the Existence of a Deity you alledg'd to make out the Vniversal World the Sun Moon and Stars to be indu'd with Sense and Vnderstanding But I will again and again ask it of you How you satisfie your self that there are Gods Methinks Return'd Balbus I have given * i. e. To Prâ—ve a Deity Reasons for it Only such is your way of opposing them that when I believe you are Interrogating me and am preparing to Resolve you presently you divert the Discourse and allow no time for an Answer Thus come weighty Matters touching Divination and Fate to be silently pass'd over Upon which Topiques You indeed have been Brief thô our Party use to say a great Deal But I must confess they are * The Questions of Divination and Fate Different from this in hand of the Existence of a Deity And Tully his hardled them apart indeed Separate from the Question in hand Wherefore pray'e don't proceed Confusedly that so the Point in Debate may be Clear'd § 2. WELL said Cotta Then A Transitiâ—n to the second Branch of the Dispute the Quality of the Gods Where the Stoiques are Charg'd with shewing that there are no Gods at all while they endeavour to prove What they are since you divided the Whole Question into Four Parts and that I have spoken to the First of them I will e'en to the Second Which methought was such that in endeavouring to shew What the Gods were you effectually concluded there are none at all For thô it was hard you said to carry the * i. e. Keep it from judging along with the Eye Cotta's Exception to the Stoiques way of using the word Melius Better in their Syllogistical Sophistries touching the D vinity of the World c. Mind beyond what we are us'd to see yet nothing being more Excellent than the Deity you thought there could little question be made but that the World was a God in as much as we know not ought in Nature to be Better than It So that we might Imagine it to be Animated or rather take such a knowledge of This with our Minds as we do of things with our Eyes But when you deny any thing to be Better than the World pray'e what mean you by Better If Fairer I Grant it If more apt for our Convenience I allow That too But if you understand by it that nought is more Wise I do by no means agree to This Not because it is so hard to take off the Mind from the Appearances of things to the Eye but the further I withdraw it the less able am I to comprehend what you conclude upon Nothing in Nature is Better than the World No nor in the Earth truly than Our City But is this City therefore indu'd with Reason Cogitation Prudence Or in that it is not is a Pismire think ye to be preferr'd to it since in It there is no Sense at all in This not only Sense but Foresight too Reason Memory You must see Balbus what may be allow'd you and not take †As for Undoubted and Certain Zeno's Sophistries to prove the Universe to be a God made merry with and Repell'd matters as you please your self But 't is the so well known brief and as you thought subtle * i. e. Syllogism Argument Conclusion of Zeno's that gave you occasion to amplifie This Topique For Thus argu'd he That which has the Vse of Reason is more Valuable than what has not But nothing is Better than the World Consequently it is indu'd with Reason
Verses out of her Ancient Professors to serve as Flowers History statelily sets forth certain special Events that can never enough be wonder'd at Divination produces Celestial Impulses of the Divinity and Predictions of Future and most Secret Events Physiques that most diligent Searcher into All Nature intimates whatever is abstruse and hidden in the very Bowels of Matter First the salutary Heat which the Stoiques deem'd to be in the Whole World and every Part thereof Then fetching a Compass it brings forth what the Porch so highly accounted of that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or as Cicero renders it Principality of the Universe Mythology draws out its Fables full of Mystery Geometry gives a Taste of its Figures by the By while Astrology freely and at leisure ransacks every Quarter of the Heavens and fetches Thence what contributes unspeakably to the Lustre of the Stoical Theology gives in the Innumerable Multitudes of the Stars their eternal Conversions Constant Orders and Certain Risings and Settings by Turns the Infinite Power of Light and a Pulchritude that can never sate us In short Here it is that Universal Nature uncovers her Bosom as with Hands and submits her whole Proportion to Open View And as the Eloquence of the Greatest of Oratours reigns every were throughout the Book so more particularly in the last Part thereof it grows above it self almost Equal to the Infiniteness of the Argument and triumphs even to Splendour and Admiration For being got out of the Narrownesses of the Porch and come into a Field the spaciousest that can be it courses over the whole Parible world in a Clear and Streaming Oration First the Stars the Various Courses of the same the Vicissitudes of Days and Nights and the Seasons of the Year effected by the Sky Next the Elements And Afterward Those usually term'd Mixt Bodies the whole Generation of Vegetibles and Animals the Innate Vertues imparted to each Kind by the Provident Deity as well as the Arms enabling them to defend and preserve themselves are most admirably describ'd in so pure and Rapid a Current of Elocution that one would almost say the Stars of the Night the Moon nay even the Sun it self receiv'd an Accession of Light from the Lustre of the Expression that the Countenance of Nature was render'd more Chearfull by such an Elegance of Language that the World it self than which not any thing can so much as be imagin'd to be more adorn'd deriv'd no small Embellishment from the Splendour and Brightness of so Noble a Style Last of all he comes to Man the Masterpiece of God the Architect and when a body would expect all the Power of Rhetorique that ever Tully was Master of had been quite spent by so long a Course of Speaking Then it is that he sets upon Pourtraying this Admirable Piece of the Greatest Artificer And yet Entire Man I say from Head to Heel Within and Without stupendiously contriv'd with all Faculties and Abilities of Body and Mind does he Represent with so unspeakable a Variety of Colours such a Store of Matter and so great a Plenty even abundance of Words that one would think he had gather'd Strength and Vigour by the very Exercise But further Preface and Exhortation apart for his Pulse must needs beat very cool toward Letters whom what has been already said excites not to a perusal of this more Human Theology whereunto so many Famous Arts are Subservient I will subjoyn a Compendiary Synopsis that will at one Glance as it were summarily and distinctly shew the Contents of the respective Branches of the whole Book It may then be divided into Three Parts The Division of the Second Book the First is a kind of Passage to the Argument by a commendable Contest of the Well-bred Disputants mutually Lessening themselves by turns The Second is the Disputation it self of Balbus setting forth the Theology of the Stoiques at large even to the very last Section of the Book which is the only one Left for the Other Part The Third is a Brief sort of Peroration wherein the Stoique exhorts Cotta in the Academical Liberty of Disputing rather to Defend than to Oppugn the Deity The Contents of the First Part of the Second Book PURSUANT to This Division then BOOK II. PART I. from page 71. to lin 17. of pag. 72. Cicero passes from the Disputation of Cotta wherein in the Foregoing Book he had Exploded the Theology of the Epicureans to That of Balbus But before Balbus is Velleius here brought in who a◠If overcome by Cotta with a Gentile Courtesie commends both the Learning and Eloquence of his Antagonist and Invites Balbus to speak He again out of Modesty refers the Province to Cotta exhorting him with the same power that he took away False Gods to Introduce the True THENCE to lin 11. of pag. 73. Cotta Thus call'd upon Excuses himself And Balbus being desir'd a second time gently enters upon the Disputation which he Divides into Four Parts and making a Motion to let two of them alone till another time Cotta requires to have them all spoken to But This by the By. Explanations c. of the First Part of the Second Book pag. 72. I will come to at another Time i. e. I will speak of your Learning and Eloquence at another Time Cotta c. pag. 72. lin 1. as to things of this Quality what should not be thought than what should c. lin 21 22. This same Academical Profession of Inscience of Cotta's upon all Occasions and in Divine Matters more especially seems to have some Affinity with that sort of Negative Theology profess'd by Plato Himself in his Timaeus Negative Theology what where he declares he knows not What God is but only what he is not no Colour nor any thing of That Kind And indeed how Great soever the things attributed by Divines to the Godhead Wisedom Goodness c. may be yet being so Inferiour to such a Majesty they agree with the Divine Nature only Negatively That is to say God is Deny'd to be Wise the manner we usually speak of Men. Agreeable whereunto is a passage of Dionysius that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bird of Heaven as St. Chrysostome in regard of his soaring Contemplation of Divine Matters styles him in C. 1. of his Mystical Theology Viz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. It is meet in It the Divine Nature as the Cause of every thing to place and affirm all the Positions vulgarly Attributes of whatever is and more proper to Deny all those with relation to the same as being above each one of them And we are not to imagine that Affirmations are Here Opposite to Negations but much rather to conceive it the Divine Nature to be above Privation as what is beyond all Ablation and Position Here observe that which comes nearer to the Mind of our Academique that it is more proper to Deny than to Assert the Attributes so common in every Bodie 's Mouth
lin 35. Naturally by Nature carry'd toward Heaven pag. 150. The Stoique's Twofold Division of Heaven c. pag. 150. lin 2 c. The Stoiques Divided Heaven into Two Parts calling the Lower the Air the Higher the Sky by their own Power i. e. being gather'd into a Round by the very endeavour whereby they are carried toward the Centre do preserve themselves c. lin 14. forth back scil in Rain Snow c. to the same Place the Earth from whence they had them and again draw them up from the same place so that c. lin 25 c. From Hence i. e. in that both the Skie and the Fiery Stars are nourisht with the rest of the Elements c. lin 28. at the Last at Length the c. lin 32. return arise again c. lin 35. Thus i. e. upon the Consumption of the Other Elements pag. 151. The Stoique's Renovation of the World after their General Conflagration no Christian Opinion c. p. 151. lin 1. Reanimating Power and so a God the World would be Renew'd c. lin 3 c. Christians are not of This Opinion a Consonancy from a Concord thô their Motions be c. lin 8. the Top of the Highest Star or Planet Saturn c. Mars the Middle Heats c. lin 9 10. Tempers them scil the same Sublunary Bodies that Saturn would Chill Mars Inflame c. lin 12. Venus and Mercury are Assistant to Subject to under Sol c. lin 13. conduces to c. is the Cause of Conceptions and of Births in as much as she brings the Young to such Maturity that in convenient time it comes to be Born c. lin 16 17. affected mov'd to acknowledge a Providence with by this c. lin 18. of Nature toward the Conservation of the World I take c. lin 20. Intelligent Nature scil a Providence the Matter in Question c. lin 25. Trunks Roots do c. lin 28. to food plac'd upon the Ground the more c. pag. 153. pag. 153. lin 10. The Nacre is a Shell-fish the Sprawn a Fish by Kind Stir Creep c. pag. 154. pag. 154. lin 4. shells c. lin 22 c. Shell-fishes and when he has made them Gape by the Warmth of his Stomach he casts them up again and so chuses pecks out what is fit to be Eaten scil the Fish Now c. with many other c. These now are Wonderfull things And are not Those so too that were not long c. pag. 155. pag. 155. lin 23 c. The Dog eases his Stomach by Vomit provokt by eating Grass the Aegyptian Ibis by Clyster that Bird using her Long Bill to cast Salt Water in at her Fundament Whence the Original of Clysters Whence the Clyster It is c. from lin 27. to lin 29. run Mad by Eating in Barbarous Countries they have eaten Poyson'd Flesh the Barbarians Hunting them with such they have a certain Remedy scil Human Ordure that c. lin 28 29. with Teeth by Biting c. pag. 156. pag. 156. lin 10. Trunks Stalks c. lin 23. Berries any sort of Fruits c. lin 27. Berries Seeds are c. lin 28. Nature scil God himself the Authour of Nature c. lin ult to shew that we might understand there is c. pag. 157. pag. 157. lin 15. such Beasts have c. lin 20. Moreover i. e. Beside this Love of their Issue is also to some Animals c. Human Industry and Diligence superadded c. pa. 158. pag. 158. lin 9 c. great Opportunities c. Conveniencies toward our Food and Clothing The Nile c. l. 16 17. other different sorts c. lin 31. Nature Divine Providence in c. lin 33. Eastern Annual Winds c. pag. 159. pag. 159. lin 4. the Swift and Certain Courses of Navigations on the c. lin 7. Continually c. sometimes Ebbing other-whiles Flowing c. lin 12. Reason Apparent sorts of Arguments made out that c. l. 21. This for the Third Branch HAVING Thus from p. 116. to p. 159. An Introduction to a Synopsis of the Fourth Branch at Large Disputed touching that General Providence whereby the Deity Governs the Whole World and every Part thereof he Gradually descends to the Especial Providence of the same God toward Man even to Particular Men A Point that thô occasionally Toucht upon before yet he now Handles anew making a Discourse of 't by it self Of which the Synopsis following Viz. Tully's Reasons for the Deity 's more Immediate Care of Human Affairs in General by way of Synopsis of the Fourth and Last Branch of the Dispute I. God Consults Human Affairs in a more especiall manner 1. Because he Made All Things for Our sake upon which Topique he is Here Brief indeed but Afterward pag. 178 c. very Large 2. In that he has so admirably Fram'd Entire Man Which same Composure and the Conveniencies thereof are fully set forth 3. For as much as to Him alone of all Living Creatures has he vouchsaf'd the Privilege of Beholding and Knowing him in his Works his Heavenly ones more eminently This is as it were by the By but yet Conveniently interpos'd upon his coming p. 169. to describe Human Senses 4. In regard he has moreover Communicated a kind of Divine Power ofVnderstanding to Man alone Whence Arts and Sciences and the Dominion over all things Whence Moral Vertues chiefly arising from a Contemplation of Matters Celestial and Above and what is a necessary Consequence of them a Happy Life And 5. Because to Men he Reveals Things Future A Summary of His Arguments for a Providence toward Particular Men. II. The Deity has a Care not only of Mankind in the Universality but also of Particular Persons First for the Reasons before produc'd for a General Providence Then In regard of the special Benefits wherewith he has indu'd and the Help he has brought to Certain Men in the Menage of Weighty Affairs And Lastly for as much as the Misfortunes that sometimes Happen to Mighty Men to Exercise and Illustrate their Vertue are not of Force to Overthrow the Assertion As for the Contents of it PART II. SECT IV. FROM pag. 159. to lin 11. of pag. 160. First of all The Contents each Section of the Fourth and Last Branch of the Stoical Disputation he undertakes to prove the Special Care of the Deity for Men from Hence that the mighty things before treated of were originally made for Their sakes as well as upon account of the Gods THENCE to lin 1. of pag. 162. As Another Argument of a Divine Providence to Vs ward he sets upon a Description of the Body of Man and in This Section speaks of the Vsefulness and Convenience of the Mouth Nostrils Teeth and Tongue THENCE to lin 10. of pag. 163. The Site and Offices of the Stomach or Oesophagus Tonsils and Rough Artery
with the Two Higher in the space of four and twenty Months wanting six days as I take it Below This is the Star of Mercury call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the Greeks which commonly surrounds the Sign-bearing Orb in about a Years Compass and never departs further from the Sun then the Distance of One Sign going before it at some times and Otherwhiles following after The lowest of all the Five Wanderers and nearest to the Earth is the Star of Venus which is term'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Greek and in Latin Lucifer when it goes before the Sun and Hesperus when it follows it It finishes its Course in a Year views the Bredth and Length of the Sign-bearing Circle as do the other Above it and never goes further off from the Sun then the space of Two Signs some times preceding otherwhiles coming behind it Now how there should be this Constancy in the Stars so great a Concordance of Seasons throughout all Eternity amids such various Motions without a Mind Reason Advice I am not able to conceive Since therefore we see that the Stars are indu'd with These we cannot but reckon even Them too to be of the number of the Gods The Fixt stars of equal Divinity with the Planets The same Prudence and Vnderstanding is likewise discernible in those Stars which are call'd Fixt For their Conversion is Daily Uniform and Constant and they neither have their * The Stoiques would not allow them to be fixt in the Sky but suppos'd them to be Animated and mov'd Voluntarily Courses in the Firmament nor are fasten'd in the Heaven as most for lack of Natural knowledge do affirm Since the Sky is not of such a Nature as by its own power to force about the Stars that it environs For being Thin Transparent and indu'd with a Suffusion of Heat in the Temper of it it seems not to be of a Composition proper for the containing holding of the Stars So that They have a Sphere of their own that is Free and Separate from Etherial Conjunctions And their Courses being Indeficient and Perpetual do speak out that there is in them a Divine Mind and Virtue In so much that whoever perceives not These very Stars also to be Divinely qualify'd seems to be without any Sense at all In Heaven then there is nothing of Chance Temerity Inconstancy or Falshood but Contrariwise perfect Order Verity Reason Stability And whatever things have none of These being Vain Counterfeit and full of Errour have their Course nearer the Earth beneath the Moon which is the Lowest of * Heavenly Bodies all and †Versatur borders upon the same Wherefore he that conceipts the admirable Order and Incredible Constancy of the Heavens from whence all Health and Conservation do arise to be without Vnderstanding is to be deem'd void of Vnderstanding himself So that I cannot I think do better then à Principe from the ‖ 〈…〉 Luckiest of Men at finding out the Truth to derive Principium the Beginning of this Dispute Zeno therefore Defines Nature af er such a manner as to make her to be 〈◊〉 kind 〈◊〉 * 〈…〉 Artificial Fire proceeding Mâ—th â—â—â—ually to Generation For he holds it to be highly Consonant to Art to †i. e. To act and perfect Generation Create and Beget And that such Operations as in the Exercise of Our Arts are wrought by the Hand are by Nature or as I have express'd it by Artificial Heat which holds the Mastery over all the rest of the Arts much more dextrously effected And indeed This way every Particular Nature is Artificial in that it advances in a kind of Path or Tract I may say peculiar to it As for the Nature of the Vniverse it self which binds up and comprizes all things it is by the same Zeno term'd not Artificial only but a Compleat Artist purveying for whatever may be Commodious and letting slip no Opportunity to That end And as each Single Nature respectively derives its Being Growth and Support from its proper Seed so the Nature of the World is Voluntary in all its Motions and has those Affections and Appetites which the Greeks call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 exerting Actions consonant to the same in such manner as do we our selves who are * i. e. Plac'd under the Rule of a Necessity mov'd by Mind and Sense Since the Mind of the Vniverse then is such as This and so may rightly be term'd Providence in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To these ends chiefly it is that her Care and Foresight are directed Viz. First that the World be in the †Of a Form most apt best condition possible to persevere Then that it stand not in ‖ Be not obnoxious to any Necessity whence Deformity is contracted need of any thing But most especially that it have all the Advantages of Beauty and Ornament in Perfection Thus much for the Vniversal World The World and the Stars insisted upon to the End that the Works and Actions of the Gods might be understood as also for the Stars Because now it is e'en clear enough that there is a great Number of Deities and not such neither as do nothing at all nor yet effect their Enterprizes with Toyl and Labour * The Quality of the Bodies of the Stars which he terms Gods Describ'd For they are not made up of Veins Nerves and Bones do not use a Diet that might occasion the Contraction of Humours either too Sharp or too Gross nor are they of That Temper of Body as to be afraid of Falls or Blows or in Danger of Diseases through a Defatigation of their Limbs all which Epicurus being mightily concern'd about feign'd the Gods to be only †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lineal and to be void of Action But being of great Brightness and Excellency of Form and plac'd in the purest Region of the Heaven their Courses are after such a fashion dispos'd and modify'd that they seem to move as by Consent for the Support and Conservation of all things IT was not without Ground neither Thus far of the Quality of the Heavenly Gods Now he treats of That of Men who for the great good they did in their Life-time were reckon'd upon as Deities that the Wise men of the Grecians and Our own Ancestors too have Canoniz'd and set up many ‖ Vpon This point see Godwyn's Ro. Ant. p. 35 36 c. other sorts of Deities in consideration of the greatness of their Benefits For they were of Belief that whatever happen'd to become eminently Advantageous to Human kind proceeded from the Goodness and Bounty of the Gods toward Men * Men and Things of any Extraordinary Virtue Canoniz'd for Deities And therefore they both apply'd the Name of the God to the Invention that he was the Authour of Thus Corn is term'd Ceres and Wine Liber whence That of Terence Without * Bread Ceres and