the merchants to Babylon When hee was foure and twenty yeares old he went into Egypt about his trade of merchandise where he stayed a long time and had familiar acquaintance and friendship with Christians and Iews with whom he was much coÌ„oversant but especially with a monke of Antioch called Iohn that was an obstinate hereticke enticed thereto by the Divel through a desire of vaineglory Of this Monke he learned to falsifie the Scriptures both the old new TestameÌ„t that he might be the better armed against the Iewes Christians It is reported that hee was also scholler to a Monke called Sergius an Arrian heretick expulsed from CoÌ„stantinople by his brethren fled into Arabia where he fell acquainted with Mahomet and holpe him to 〈◊〉 the Scriptures after their own fancies to hatch a new law out of the new old Testament About this time there were strange things seene in the ayre and monsters brought forth in divers parts of the world as children with foure feet two heads and comets and fire falling from heaven and such wonderfull lights and thunder-claps that the earth seemed to shake open whereof ensued extreame pestilence that consumed a great part of the earth so as 〈◊〉 thought that the last day had bin come which did presage the wrath and threatnings of God for the sins of men In his youth he used the trade of Merchandise went often with his camels into Egypt and Palestina And as he came on a time into the land of Canaa the Princesse of that Countrey called Tagida marvelling at his strange kinds of wares merchandise fell into great liking of him which when Mahomet perceived he omitted not that opportunity but entring into familiar communication with her he uttered all his skill and eloquence to seduce her When hee perceived her to wonder at his skill in both laws and to bee as it were rapt with his stately stile and glorious words My deare Lady quoth he I will hide nothing from you but tell you the truth I am the Messias sent from God which the Iewes look for to this day which he laboured to prove by miracles wrought by the help of the Divell himselfe being a Necromancer whereby he not only deceived this Lady but also divers Iewes Saracens who thought him to be the very Messias they looked for By meane whereof in short time he had a great many followers This Lady seeing the Iewes and Saracens thus reverence depend upon Mahomet supposed that there lay hidde in him some divine majesty and being a widdow married him Thus was Mahomet suddenly advanced to great riches dominion according to his desire he went afterward into Spaine where he preached at Corduba such doctrine that the Bishop sent to apprehend him but he being warned by the divell â—…d into Affrica where hee seduced infinite numbers as also in Arabia When he understood that hee was esteemed for a high Prophet of all the countries round about him greater matters began to enter into his conceipt devising how hee might become a great Monarch And seeing himself wel followed of the common pâ—…ople that resorted to him dayly in great multitudes he perswaded the people to cast off the yoke of their obedience to the Roman Emperour making himselfe strong with a sufficient army invaded the territories of the Empire and overthrowing the Emperours Lieutenants he won froÌ„ him that which belonged to the Empire in Affrica Egypt likewise Syria Mesopotamia and other of the East countries belonging to the Persians And when the Saracens the rest of his followers saw that he had overcome the Emperors power set them at liberty from the Romans they resorted to him out of all parts to Damasco where by a generall consent they chose him to be their king let the crown on his head And thus without respect of right or wrong he joyned kingdome to kingdome countrey to country of a base fellow became a great monarch using all manner of rigour and cruelty confounding divine and humane things and like a torrent did beare all things downe before him to the admiration of all men and to the great effusion of innocent bloud This holy prophet was as wicked in life as divellish in doctrine among the rest of his vices much given to whoredome though he had 4 wives perswading the people that God had given that prerogativeto him alone But when he perceived men began to murmure at him for his vicious life hee licenced every man to have foure wives And as one of his wives found him in a chamber secretly with one of his minions Are these quoth she the manners of a prophet where with Mahomet was so ashamed that he sware solemnly never to doe the like againe And as on a time he fell downe with the falling sickenesse before the queene his wife to which through Gods plague hee was much subject and fomed at the mouth after the manner of that disease perceiving her to take it grievously that shee had matched her selfe to such an unwholsome creature he told her that the Angell Gabriel was sent to him from God to enforme him of his mind the bright shining of whose countenance he could in no wise endure which was the cause of his falling to the ground And to confirme her the rather in this opinion he wrought some miracle by the Divels helpe which gave the more credit to his words His wicked sect began about the latter end of the reigne of Heraclius the Emperour from whose obedience taking opportunitie by a sedition amongst his souldiers by whom Mahomet was made their chiefe captaine had disswaded his subjects making them beleeve that Gods will was that all men shold be at liberty subject to no man By meane whereof the Saracens Arabians depended wholly upon him as hath bin sayd and made him their king When he had determined to publish his law which Sergius he together had seemed out of the Old New Testament he appointed a great assembly of people to repaire to a certaine place to heare him preach where by miracles they shold see that God had sent him his holy prophet for the soules health of his people to moderate the law of the Iews of the Christians which were too hard to be kept and to give them another which should be a meane betweene them both And as he was preaching of his law in the place appointed there commeth a Dove flying towards him and alighteth upon his shoulder and pidleth in his care looking for meate having used her before to feede in his care for the same purpose The simple people not mistrusting his subtill device thought it had beene the holy Ghost sent from God to inspite him what to say He had also used a bull to feede in his lap and made him know his voyce And as in his Sermon he spake aloud of his law the
of error being sent by God the Father from the highest Heavens willingly tooke on him the servile garment of a mortall body and hiding his majesty lived under the visage of povertie and finally not of his enemies immediately but much more against reason of his owne chosen people the Iewes unto whom he had extended benefits innumerable and after his temporall nativity were his naturall people and subjects hee quarrelling with them by declaring to them their abuses and pricking them with condigne rebukes at last hee was not slaine with so easie a death as Codrus was but in most cruell fashion was scourged untill no place in his body was without wounds and then had long and sharpe thornes set and pressed upon his head and after long torments and despites hee was constrained to beare a heavie crosse whereon afterward both his hands and feete were nailed with long and great nailes of iron and the crosse with his naâ—…ed and bloudy body being lift up on high was let fal with violence into a 〈◊〉 that his joynes were dissolved And notwithstanding all this torment and ingratitude hee never grudged but lifting up his eyes to heaven hee prayed with a low de voyce saying Father forgive them for they know not what they doe This was the charitie most incomparable of the Sonne of God employed for the redemption of mankind who by the transgression of Adam the first man that ever was created was taken prisoner by the Divell that is to say kept in the bondage of error and finne from actuall vision of Gods majesty untill he were in this wise redeemed according as it was ordained at the beginning At these words of Origen they that were present were wonderfully astonied and therewith the Emperour with a sturdy countenance sayd to Origen You have wonderfully set forth a lamentable history but yet notwithstanding therein bee things darke and ambiguous which require a more plaine declaration for what maketh you bold to affirme that Iesus which in this wise was crucified was the Sonne of God and God as you have called him Sir sayd Origen sufficient testimony which of all creatures reasonable ought to bee beleeved and for most certaine proofe to be allowed What testimony is that sayd the Emperour Truely sayd Origen it is in divers things First the promise of God by whom this world was made also by his holy Scripture speaking by the mouthes of his Prophets as well Hebrewes as Greekes and other whom ye call Vates and Sybillas Thirdly by the nativity of Iesus of a pure virgin without carnall company of a man the most pure clean forme of his living without sinne his doctrine divine and celestiall his miracles most wonderfull and innumerable all grounded on charitie onely without ostentation his undoubtfull perfect resurrection the third day after he was put to death his glorious ascension up into heaven in the presence and sight of five hundred persons which were vertuous and of credence also the gift of the holy Ghost in speaking all manner of languages and interpreting the Scripture not only by himselfe but also afterwards by his Apostles and Disciples and given to other by imposition of their hands And all these ordinarily followed according to the said promises and prophecies I omit to speake of the confession of Divels which by Iesus and his Apostles in his Apostles were cast out of people which were 〈◊〉 The Oracles and answeres of them whom ye untruely call gods doe remaine in confirming this testimony And when Origen had sayd all this he forthwith began there and disclosed the answers of Apollo made at Delphos affirming Iesus to be God And alterward hee recited and declared the prophecies as well of the Hebrewes as of the Sybilles and other Last the promise of God to the Patriarkes by the which it manifestly appeared that Iesus was Christ and God and that by his temporall nativitie he was king of Israel and that the Iewes were his naturall subjects Which declaration of Origen was so evident and plaine and set forth with such wonderfull eloquence devotion learning that it perswaded the Emperour and divers other that were present to embrace the profession of Christs faith and doctrine And for that time the Emperour licenced Origen to returne to Alexandria And when this Emperour on a time perceived some to wonder at the learning of Origen whereby they were induced to embrace the Christian profession Truely quoth he the humilitie and charitie of the Christian people which I have heard of and doe dayly behold doth much more stirre me to beleeve that Christ is God than the residue of his perswasion And another time when two Christians contended proudly together and accused each other for speaking reprochfull words against the Emperour hee called them before him and prohibited them to name themselves Christians saying Your pride malice do declare that ye be not the followers of him whom ye professe wherefore though ye sinde lacke in mee which I will gladly amend yet will I not let you against justice reprove him by your acts whose life and doctrine you all doe affirme to be uncorrupted and without any lacke Thus was this noble Emperor his mother with divers others by the learned speech of this man agreeing with the simplicitie and singlenesse of his life voyde of all pride and pompe and the humility and charity used in those dayes among Christians induced to embrace Christian profession But the pompe and pride that riches hath sithence that time engendred in the corrupt minds and manners of men hath rather diverted than converted men to Christianitie For when reverence and majestie failed that was bred in mens hearts by the holinesse of their life that went before it was not to be hoped for that such concratictie of maners examples of them that followed should bring forth the same effects The Christians of those dayes seemed to preferre vertue before riches with Solon that said At nos virtutem non perâ—…t abiâ—…s borum Pulchrâ—…que virtut is munera divitâ—…s Virtut is quoniaâ—… somper posseâ—…io perâ—…at Inceâ—…ta varia sorte ferâ—…ur â—…pes Their vertue and rare gifts by them displayed Wee will not change for riches that may fade Vertues possession ever shall remaine When most uncertaine is the hope of gaine CHAP. III. The contempt of Riches amongst the Heathen of Democritus Diogenes and Byas of Agathocles King of Sicilia Philip King of Macedon Semiramis Queene of Babylon Of a coverous Cardinall called Angelot A Priest buried quicke by Iohn Maria Duke of Millaine Of an Advocate of Venice Calipha King of Persia The Emperours Mauritius and Phocas Of Phocion of Athens c. The resolute Answer of Diomedes the Pyrate to King Alexander c. EXamples of contempt of worldly pompe riches are not so rare to be found among the Heathens as among the Christians Democritus a Senator of Abderita entring into the due consideration of the vanitie of worldly goods
himselfe for the chiefe Bishop Be it knowne to your extreame foolishnesse that in temporall things we are not subject to any that the gift of certaine Churches and prebends being voyde belongeth to us by our Regall right and to receive their fruits and to defend them against all the possessours and them that beleeve otherwise wee account fooles and mad men Given c. This Pope sent out his Buls of excommunication against this king pronouncing him an hereticke and gave away his kingdome But the king after he had long suffered a great many intolerable injuries and indignities being unwilling any longer to endure his pride and ambition sent two hundred horsemen toward the Pope who handled the matter so that they tooke the Pope in a towne in Italy and brought him prisoner to Rome from whence hee had withdrawne himselfe for feare and put him in prison in his owne Castle of Saint Angelo where he fell into a frenzie and knawing and eating his owne hands dyed a miserable death This disdainefull answere to this proud Priest putteth me in minde of a short answere aptly made in our time by the French king Henry the second to the Pope theâ—… being who after the custome of his predecessors prâ—…suming to offer injuries to the king and seeing himseâ—… unable his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to â—…ch the king who made warreâ—…with with him sent embâ—…dours to him to treat of peace who told him from their masters mouth that he had done the Pope many wrongs for the which he did appeale him before the tribunall seare of Iesus Christ in heaven Yet 〈◊〉 being desirous of peace hee craved his consent to the articles which hee had sent The king answered the embassadours that he would accept of the conditions and would also answer the matter in heaven but I doubt quoth the king I shall not finde the Pope there A dangerous heresie that doubt should be made of the Vicar of Christs going to heaven And it is worthy the noting that Valdemarking of Denmarke wrote to a Pope that went about to trouble his estate by arrogating to himselfe a power over him as their manner is We would have it knowne to you sayth the king that we have our life of God nobilitie of our parents our kingdome of our subjects our faith of the Church of Rome which if you envy in us wee returne the same to you againe by these presents And it is reported that Rodolph now Emperour so soone as he was elected promised by his â—…bafladours reverence to Pope Gregory the xiij and obedience to the Church but to the Pope himselfe he denied that obedience hee challenged to be due to him But to returne to shew further of the events of pride and vaine-glory The Emperour Henry the fourth being at Goâ—…ar at Church upon Whitsonday to heare masse there fell a great contention betweene the Abbot of Fulda the Bishop of Hildeseme which of them should sit 〈◊〉 to the Archbishop of 〈◊〉 insomuch that there 〈◊〉 parts taken on both sides and the quarrell so 〈◊〉 â—…sued that 〈◊〉 words they 〈◊〉 to blowes and many 〈◊〉 on both 〈◊〉 When the matter was appeased the Priest proceeded in his masse and as he sang his last verse appertaining to the masse of the holy Ghost 〈◊〉 diem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is This day thou hast made glorious the divel being under the vault of the Church sung with a great base voyce Hunc diem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is This day I have made warlike By these ambitious manners they thinke to climbe up to heaven for which 〈◊〉 was from thence thrown down into hell But why should they aspire to possesse that high dignity with such pride as peculiar to men of excellencie when a simple woman became Pope through her owne industrie and governed the Church two yeares more with as much credit as some others untill she had committed a little fault the like whereof hath beene done by other masculine Popes This woman was of our nation as some say and others say of Germany being in love with a learned yongman in her youth shee apparelled her selfe like a man and calling her selfe Iohn she went with him to Athens which then flourished in all kinds of learning And giving her selfe there to 〈◊〉 she profited so in learning that after a certaine time desirous to visite Rome she read openly in the schooles in the habit of a Doctor and behaved her selfe so 〈◊〉 in publike disputations that shee was accounted equall in fame with the best learned men of her time By which she had gotten such credit and authoritie the See being voyde by the death of Leo the fourth in the yeare of our Lord God eight hundred fifty two 〈◊〉 she being taken for a man was made Pope and 〈◊〉 the Church two yeare and more But by chance 〈◊〉 grew into such familiarity with one of her servants that she became with childe Fortunanon 〈◊〉 genus And as according to a certaine usuall solemnity she went to visite Saint Iohn of Lateran her time being come shee was delivered of a child in a place betweene Saint Clements Church and a Theater called Coliseo with great paine In detestation of which act the Popes use to avoyd that place to turn aside another way when they have occasion to passe through the streete And when any Pope was after to be chosen hee was set in a chaire with a hole through the seat that they might feele whether he were a man All which argueth the credit of the report made by their owne writers who also affirme that in the same street where this happened there hath beene an image of stone standing upon his feet representing her deliverance and death How greatly pride and desire of glory is hated of God Herod king of the Iewes giveth a notable example This man going up into the pulpit appointed for orations and rejoycing to heare the people cry out to his praise That it was the voyce of God and not of man hee was suddenly stricken from heaven and when hee perceived himself to consume away with lyce he cryed out to the people Behold how he dyeth now with intolerable pain whom not long sithence you called God But Menecrates received a more gentle punishment for his vainglory of Philip king of Macedon yet worth the noting This man because he knew himselfe to be anexcellent physitian would needs be called Iupiter the saviour The King meaning to reforme his arrogancie invited him to a feast caused a table to be set for him alone whereof at the first he was very glad but when he saw that in steed of meats the ministers gave him nothing but frankincense he was much ashamed departed from the feast in great anger And as they which desire honour and glory seeke after it often by ungodly and prohibited meanes so they also that are possessed of it many times use the like meanes to understand the continuance of their
bull being placed not far off hearing his voyce came running to him through the presse of peoply overthrowing divers of them and layd his head in Mahomets lap having the book tyed between his horns wherein the law was written called Alcoran the people beleeving the rather by Sergius perswaâ—… that God had sent the bull with the booke of the law because about the pigeoÌ„s necke they had fastned a little schedule wherein was written in golden letters he that can put a yoke upon the buls neck let him be king Sergius fetched a yoke and delivered it to Mahomet who put it â—…fily upon the buls nocke and was of the foolish people called King and sergius a Prophet By these kind of devices hee seduced the people and after hee had reigned tenne yeare being about foure or fiâ—… and thirtie yeares old it happened that one of his 〈◊〉 proofe whether or not whether he would 〈◊〉 againe the third day after his death and 〈◊〉 up to heaven as he had ofâ—…old told them he would doe after he had reigned ten yeares he 〈◊〉 gave him poyson to 〈◊〉 which when Mahomet had drunke his colour began to change and the poyson went presently to his heart and dispatched him as hee had well deserved A just judgement of God to punish the wicked by the wicked His body was diligently watched by his disciples looking for his reâ—…rre the third day as he had said But when the third day was past and that they saw he would not rise againe that his body began to stinke they let him lye 〈◊〉 and departed And the eleventh day after his death 〈◊〉 that poysoned him came againe to see how he lay and as one Lucas reporteth hee found his body eaten with dogges And gathering his bones together he tooke them with him and buryed them in a towne called Madinaraziell When the Arabians and others perceived how he had deceived them and that he rose not againe according to his promise many of them fell from him and would no longer hold of his religion But in his life annexed to his Alcoran some of his disciples 〈◊〉 strange things of his death and resurrection and 〈◊〉 that his body of himselfe after a miraculous fort hangeth on high under a vault of the Church at 〈◊〉 where indeed it is done by art a Load-stone 〈◊〉 up the Iron Coffen wherein his body or bones 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 though it did hang in the ayre But the Turkes and â—…hough of his sect beleeving that he hangeth there by â—…vine power goe thither yearely in pilgrimage as Christians doe to Ierusalem to the Sepulcher This was 〈◊〉 beginning and end of this glorious Apostle of 〈◊〉 whose holinesse was in his youth such that the Citiâ—… of Mecha condemned him to death for these whom now they adore for a high Prophet of God Such fruits the desire of glory wherein he put his felicity brought forth to the perpetuall torments of his owne soule and of infinite thousands besides But such an Epitaph had bin more meete for him than to be so exalted as was engraven upon the tombe of a Vice-roy of Sicilia by the people of that countrey in revenge of his tyrrannous governement Qâ—…i propter nos homines Et propter nostram salutem Descendit adinferos That is Who for us men And for our salvation Is gone downe into hell Salmoxes device to perswade the Gothes that the soule was immortall was more tolerable being done with better meaning Hee taught those people that neither himselfe nor any that lived nor they which were to be borne should dye for ever if they lived vertuously but they should goe into such a place where they should alwayes live and enjoy all good things and leade for ever a most happy life And when he had thus perswaded his followers he conveyed him secretly out of their sight into a building under the ground which he had before prepared for the purpose where hee remained three yeares leaving his followers lamenting sorrowing as if he had bin dead the fourth yere he returned to them againe they being sufficiently satisfied of the eternitie of the soule and the perpetuall reward of vertue By which device hee wan to himselfe such reputation and glory that he was accounted equall with the king who made him his companion in the governement of his kingdome But the death of Mahomet was not the end of much troubles and mischiefe that arose through his false doctrine in divers parts of the world For thereof ensued sundry sects according to the severall inclinations of the fantasticall heads of his disciples and followers in whom the Divell stirred up such a desire of glory that imitating their masters example and treading in his path some of them became little inferiour to him in riches and dominion Among the rest in our age Affrica that according to the old proverbe is accustomed alwayes to bring forth some new and strange thing raised up one of Mahomets disciples from a poore Hermit to be a Monarch of many goodly kingdomes and countries This man was borne among the famous mountaines of Atlas of very base poore parentage and became an Hermit which the Affricans call Morabuth that is a holy man This fellow began to preach his vaine doctrine in the yeare of Grace one thousand five hundred fourteene and would admit no glosse or interpreter of the Alcoran but followed simply the text He playd the hypocrite so kindly that by a counterfeit shew of holinesse and simplicity and austerity of life he was greatly esteemed and honoured And when hee saw himselfe well followed of the people of Fez Maroque where he made himselfe strong and that the multitude depended upon his word hee told them whom he best favoured that he had a desire to visit the King of Taphilletta because hee lived not according to the sinceritie of their law The cause 〈◊〉 he desired this kingdome was that if his deviâ—… tooke not that effect hee looked for it might serve him for a place of retreyt As hee travelled towards Taphilletta there was no village that hee passed by but he preached his doctrine into the great townes they would not suffer him to enter because of his 〈◊〉 and for feare of some tumult His travell was alwayes by the sea coast because that countrey was well peopled insomuch that within short time his traine resembled a huge army of above threescore thousand men strong The simple king of Taphistetta would needs heare this Hermit and talke with him of matter touching his conscience who was not so intentive in his Sermon as he was circumspect in viewing the kings forces and the meanes he had to defend himself At length he told his followers God had revealed to him that he must expell this king out of his kingdome as unworthy to reigne For confirmation whereof hee shewed them certaine false miracles By meane whereof they slue the king and made the Hermit
enemies were all slaine saving the captaine and some thirty more which saved themselves for the time upon a little hil which they defended against the whole army But seeing that they were not able to prevaile the captaine chusing rather to die by his own hands than to suffer his enemies to have the honour of such a revenge tooke his two sons that were between fifteen eighteen yeare old slue first them in the sight of the army then himselfe The rest of the souldiours seeing the noble courage of their captaine charged their great peeces after they had 〈◊〉 the spoile rather than they would fall into their enemies hands suffer an ignominious death they staÌ„ding at the mouthes of the great peeces put fire to them and 〈◊〉 themselves the King all the army beholding the matter and highly commending the valour and noble minds of the Turkes By these examples it may appeare what estimation men ought to make of worldly honor and glory that is gotten by rule and principality when a poore Priest in a short time was able to dispossesse many kings of their kingdomes and to make himselfe a mighty Monarch of them all And when he was in the judgement of men in the highest degree of felicity a handfull of men of his owne guard could in his owne pavilion in the middest of his army and forces secure and free from all imagination of perill put him and his nobility with his principal Captaines to the sword and had escaped without any harme or let inriched with a great prey if they had passed on their journey all at their â—…ase and had notbin so carelesse to attend their enemies comming which they might easily have prevented Divers other Hermites of Mahomets sect about the same time both in Affrica and Asia excited with the like desire of glory attempted the like enterprises and attayned to great matters to their owne harme to others though not altogether with like successe This principality and rule made the Iewes the chosen people of God despise his helpe and favour that had done so many wonderfull things for them For a Iew having gathered together two hundred thousand men of that nation they trusted so much to their owne forces that every man did cut off one of his fingers and when they were to joyne in battell with their enemies their Generall pronounced these words Lord of the world helpe us not seeing thou hast rejected us And more than this there were divers of the same nation in the age wherein Christ was borne knowing by the 〈◊〉 Prophecies that the time was come in which the 〈◊〉 must shew himselfe to the world that 〈◊〉 themselves to be Christ but their lives and doctrine 〈◊〉 almost the memory of them vanished away like smoke notwithstanding they had many followers and were maintained by the authority of their principal doctors But these Infidels and Iewes are not so much to be â—…velled at that sought glory with so great hypocrisie if we behold the wicked mind of a Christian in our age that through an excessive desire of glory went about to perswade men that he was the very Messias This man was of Frizeland named George David he called himselfe a new prophet and the nephew of God he feined to have talke with wild beasts and birds in all manner of languages and that they brought him meat for his sustenaÌ„ce And among other his vanities and toyes he said that heaven was altogether empty and that he was sent to adopt men to be sonnes and inheritours of the kingdome of heaven That the Divell is the authour of these horrible and hainous offences committed by men to the dishonour of God and destruction of themselves by his instigation and stirring up their minds to the desire of vaineglorie may something appeare by this strange historie reported by Licosthenes in his Prodigâ—… By which men may be warned to beware of the subtill devices practices of that old Serpent that 〈◊〉 coÌ„tinually in weight whom he may devoure who if he can find no 〈◊〉 â—…ment among men to serve his purpose can by 〈◊〉 sufferance as it should seeme 〈◊〉 himselfe or possesse infants and doe wonderfull things by his false shews of counterfeit miracles and crafty illusions to 〈◊〉 the world In the kingdom of Babylon the vij day of March in the 〈◊〉 1532. a child was borne of a meaâ—… woman whose favour and forme was good and wel proportioned but his eyes and teeth shined contrary to nature At the houre of his birth not onely the elements but all the powers of the heavens were moved and shewod forth terrible and fearefull signes For at midnight the Sun was seene to shine bright as if it had bin day and after it was turned into darkenesse againe so as it was not seene in Babylon which is not noted for a miracle the space of a whole day the Sunne was seene againe with starres of strange figures and of divers kinds wandring up downe in the element Over the house where the child was born besides other signs fire was seene fall from the ayre that killed men The next day the Sunne was eclipsed the weather being very tempestuous it rained pearles The third day a firie Dragon was seene to flye about Babylon There appeared also a new hill exceeding in height other hills which was by and by divided into two parts in the middest whereof was found apillar wherein was written in Greeke The houre of the nativity is come the end of the world is at hand The xiij houre after his birth a voice was heard crying in the aire Prepare your hearts to receive and blessed are they that keepe his word After this child had lived two moneths hee brake out in speech like an old man and professed himselfe to be the son of God And being asked what these signes did preâ—… The pearles that fell from the element he said did 〈◊〉 the people that would beleeve his word the flying 〈◊〉 signified his adversaries He healed all 〈◊〉 he restored sight to the blind hee revived the 〈◊〉 with his word and professing himself to be a true interpreter of the holy Scripture secret mysteries he was through all Babylon contrary to the laws of their couâ—… adored and worshipped for a God Thus will Sathan never leave to use the helpe of men as instruments to oppose himselfe against God and to draw them from true obedience to the destruction both of their body soule For to beleeve that there be no Spirits as I heare there be such in these daies or that they shew not themselves to men in divers figures worke not things here in the earth among men and in the ayre above us contrary to the opinion of so many learned men of divers ages and to common experience of all times is meere ignorance and wilfull obstinacy and the next way to atheisme 〈◊〉 an excellent learned man was also
luxuriousnesse these mens temperance with their licentiousnesse the simplicitie of habits and finglenesse of their life that governed kingdomes and triumphed over nations with the pompe and pride of this age and with their lascivious maners and effiminate attyres that passe their time in courting and carowsing These things duly considered our gallants must needes let fall their peacocks tayles and wish that some of Argus eyes were restored into their heads whereby they might bee more provident and better able to discerne betweene the others vertues and their vanities that diverteth them from felicitie who then would exclaim upon the iniquity of this time that will yeeld them no examples to follow And those men that bee so carefull to beautifie their bodies with brave attires leaving their minds soyled with foule vices and they that aspire to honourable places without vertue seeme to mee to bee like them that wash their face with faire water and wipe it with a dish-clout There was a Persian called Teribarus who so greatly delighted in brave attire that on a time having apparelled himselfe in very costly garments more meete for a Prince than for him set out with pearle and precious stones and divers kindes of jewels and furniture such as women use to attire themselves withall thinking thereby to encrease his reputation above the rest the King Artaâ—…erxes had no sooner espyed him but he fell into a great laughter and turning to him said Wee give thee leave as an effeminate man to use womens delights and as a mad-man to weare Princes apparel as if he should have said that to hunt ambiciously after honor and reputation after the custome of many is rather worthy of laughter than of anger and that it is a kinde of madnesse to aspire to honour and reputation by any other way than by vertue which rather flyeth away than followeth after them that seeke for it Divitum prapatentum feda mollities malorum â—…mnium fomes scaturigo Many 〈◊〉 advanced to estimation and honourable estate through their great riches and possessions and other by favour without merit that were but yesterday of no account and of base parentage but very few rise to honour by the worthinesse of their vertue And such men being so suddenly exalted doe many times as snailes do when winter is past who feeling the heate of the sunne thrust out their necke and hornes out of their shell in a stately sort and are fearefull to little children even so many of these new men that lurâ—…ed obscurely and lived without reputation and verâ—…e finding themselves advanced suddenly to high and unlooked for estate abusing the favour of the Prince carry up their heads aloft grow proud and look bigge as though they would be terrible to all the world Asperius nihil est humili cum surgit in altum None looke so bigge as beggars being rais'd One marvelleth that seeing men are called men and live by their mind and not by their outward forme that they are so carefull to decke their bodies and so negligent to adorne their mindes Where great care is had saith Cato to decke the body there is great carelesnesse and litle regard of vertue If Diogenes were now living he must have a torch to seeke for a man at noone dayes for he would hardly finde such a man as hee looked for with a candle But to returne from whence I digressed By the exercise of these and the like vertues the Heathen thought they might attaine to felicitie for to live according to nature they thought was sufficient to live happily because by nature wee have an inclination to vertue though not made perfect without exercise but they knew not how our nature was corrupted by the fall of our first parent by which wee can doe nothing that good is without Gods holy spirit neither can fortune give us any helpe to it avaine name among the Heathens given to those effects whereof they knew not the cause proceeding by the providence of God There was found engraven in a precious stone called Topaze these words in old Romane letters Natura deficit Nature fayles Fortuna mutatâ—… Fortune changes Deus omnia cernit God seeth all things Which words against the Philosophers that thought the way to felicity to bee to live according to nature whereto they would have the helpe of fortune may be thus applyed by the defect of nature by the muâ—…abilitie of fortune without the providence of God no man can attaine to felicitie For our nature being degenerate from his first perfection and estate to wickednesse and corruption and fortune as they call it being variable and uncertaine void of all constancy we have no means to come to felicitie without Gods providence grace and to thinke that a man may bee able to attaine to it by his wisedome is extreme arrogancie and meere folly Patrarke saith To beleeve that thou art wise is the first degree to foolishnesse the next is to professe it By this which hath beene said it appeareth that the felicitie of man consisteth not in the action of morall vertue as the Philosophers would for that is not his end but the end of man is the glory of God to know and worship him which is also his proper action for unstable and uncertaine are all humane matters not onely in the minds and actions of private men but in Monarchies also and kingdomes to day they flourish and seeme to be in great securitie to morrow they decline and fall into thraldome and miserie another time they returne againe to their former estate thus continually prosecuting their periods even as the heavens that goe round alwaies moving and in circular sort returning where they beganne so by vertue they are raised up on high and by vice following as it were by a necessary succession they are throwne downe againe Virtutum soboles pax est at copia pacis Vbertas luxum peperit luxuriabeâ—… Bello pauperies sata The off spring of vertues peace plenty and increase Which are the fertile issue of long peace Beget excesse excesse begets hostility And war the parent is of poverty And thus it fareth with the condition of men that adversitie springeth of poverty and prosperity of adversitie But though the Philosophers exalted so highly morall vertues and the actions and operations of a civill life as that wherein the felicitie of man consisteth yet they preferred a contemplative life before it as a thing wherein was a more perfect felicitie excelling all other operations and actions of man and bringing him to a most perfect and exact felicitie and beatitude for all operations or workes receive their perfection from the powers and faculties from whence they proceede and from the subject whereupon they worke so as the perfection of the power or faculty that worketh and of the subject upon which it worketh maketh the operation or worke more or lesse perfect as the power and subject hath in them more or lesse