its pain In sweetest honey there is bane If men of meaner sort Make drunkennesse but a sport Yet let not men of place Their state so much disgrace Ulisses must have temperance Although his servants lose their sence Lord arm me with thy Word Which like Ulisses sword From Circe may defend me And then herb Moly send me Having this sword and herb O God I 'le shun the cup I 'le scape the rod CAELUS THis was the son of Aether and Dies who married with Terra and of her begot Gyants Monsters Cyclopes Harpe Steropes and Brontes he begot also of her the Titanes and Saturn mother earth being angry that Coelus had thrown down his sons to Hell caused the Titans to rebell against him who thrust him out of his Kingdom and Saturn cut off his testicles out of the drops of bloud which fell from them the Furies were ingendred THE MYSTERIES BY Caelus I understand the upper region of the air for the air is called heaven both by Poets and divine Scripture this may be sayd to be the son of Aether and Dies not only because it is alwayes cleer free from clouds and mists but because also it hath the nature of elementary fire to which it is next for it is hot and drie as that is and more properly may this fire be called Aether from its continuall burning then the heaven which hath no elementarie heat at all his mariage with the earth of which Titans Cyclopes c. are procreated do shew that those fierie Meteors in the upper region of the air are procreated by its heat and motion of these thin and drie smoaks which arise out of the earth the names of Steropes and Brontes shew that lightning and thunder are generated there in respect of their matter which being received within the clouds of the middle region cause the rumbling as if there were some rebellion and wars within the clouds Saturn his son that is time the measurer of heavens motion shal geld his father that is the heaven shall grow old and in time shall lose that power of generation for this shall cease when there shall bee a new heaven and upon this new change in the heaven the Furies shall be ingendred that is the torments of the wicked shall begin 2. They that geld ancient records fathers and scripture are like Saturn rebelling against heaven being incouraged thereto by those spirituall monsters enemies of truth who were thrust down from heaven and that light of glorie wherein they were created unto the lowest Hell and of this gelding proceed nothing but Furies that is heresies schismes dissentions 3. Saturninus Tatianus and his schollers the Encratites Originists Manichaeans and all other heriticks who have condemned matrimonie as an unclean thing and not injoyned by God they are all like Saturn being assisted by their brethren the Monsters of Hell and do what they can to geld their father Adam of his posteritie and to rebell against heaven and what ensueth upon this gelding or condemning of wedlocke but Furies and all kinde of disorder and impuritie 4. The children of heaven and of the light must not as Caelus did joyne themselves in their affections to the earth for of this union shall proceed nothing but Monsters to wit earthly and fleshly lusts thoughts and works which will rebell against our souls and geld us of all spirituall grace and of our interest in the kingdom of Heaven and then must needs be ingendred the Furies to wit the torments of conscience You sons of heaven and of the day Stoop not so low As to betroth your souls to clay For then I know That of this match will come no good But rather a pernicious brood A race of Monsters shall proceed Out of thy loins If thou in time tak'st not good heed To whom thou joyn'st Thy soul in wedlock earth 's not fit For thee to fix thy heart on it For she will bring thee such a brood That shall resist thee And when thy soul they have withstood They will devest thee Both of thy Kingdom and thy strength And bring thee under them at length And if earths Adamantine knife Emasculate Thy soul then shall thy barren life And gelded state Ingender in thee endlesse cares And Furies with their snaky hairs Lord joyn my heart so close to thee With fervent love That I may covet constantly The things above Where glory crowns that princely brow To which both men and Angels bow Lord let not earth effeminate My heart with toyes But let my soul participate Thy heavenly joyes Where Angels spend their endlesse dayes In singing of Elysian layes And if my mother be the light And heaven my fire Then let my soul dwell in that bright Aetheriall fire Where Gyants Furies and the race Of Titans dare not shew their face CUPIDO OF Cupids parents some say he had none at all others that he was ingendred of Chais without a father some say he was the son of Iupiter and Venus others of Mars and Venus others of Vulcan and Venus others of Mercurie and Venus c. He was the god of love painted like a childe with wings blinde naked crowned with Roses having a Rose in one hand and a Dolphin in the other with bow and arrows c. THE MYSTERIES THere is a two-fold love to wit in the creator and in the creature Godslove is two-fold inherent in himself and this is eternall as himself therefore hath no father nor mother or transient to the creature this love was first seen in creating the Chaos and all things out of it therefore they sayd that love was ingendred of Chaos without a father and when they write that Zephyrus begot Cupid of an egge what can it else mean but that the spirit of God did manifest his love in drawing out of the informed and confused egge of the Chaos all the creatures the love of the creature is two-fold according to the two-fold object therof to wit God and the creature that love by which we love God is begot of Iupiter and Venus that is God and that uncreated beautie in him is the cause of this love and because the main and proper object of love is beautie for we do not love goodnesse but as it is beautifull and it is the object that moveth and stirreth up the a passion therfore Venus goddess of beautie is still the mother of Cupid or love which notwithstanding hath many fathers because this generall beautie is joyned to many particular qualities which causeth love in men according to their inclinations and dispositions some are in love with wars and count militarie skill and courage a beautifull thing so this love is begot of Mars and Venus others are in love with eloquence and thinke nothing so beautifull as that and so Mercurie and Venus are parents of this love some love Musick and so Apollo begets this Cupid and so we may say of all things else which we love that there is some
'l woorry you before you feel their wounds Look to their teeth shun these Actaeons hounds ADONIS HE was a beautiful youth with whom Venus was in love but whilst he was hunting was killed by a boare or by Mars in the shape of a boare and by Venus was turned unto a red flower called Anemone hee was kept after death by Ceres or Proserpina six months under ground and other six months by Venus above THE MYSTERIES IF by Adonis we understand wheat that lodgeth with Proserpina that is lyeth buried in the ground six months in the winter the six summer months it is above in the aire with Venus by which the beautie of the yeare is signified by the boare may be meant the cold frosty and snowy season in which the wheat seemes to be killed 2. If with Macrobius by Adonis we understand the Sun he may be sayd to lodge six months with Proserpina in respect of his southerly declination the other six months with Venus for then the creatures give themselves to procreation he is killed by the boare and lamented by Venus for in winter his beames are of no force to dispell the cold which is the enemie of Adonis and Venus that is of beautie and procreation 3. Mars in the forme of a boare kils him because wars and hunting are maculine exercises and not fit for weak bodies and effeminate spirits 4. Adonis is from {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} to sing for beauty and musick are friends to Venus 5. Adonis may signifie the good government of a Common-wealth which is the beauty thereof which is killed by Mars in the form of a Boar for Mars and wantonnesse are enemies of all government 6. Beautifull Adonic is turned into a fading flower to shew that beauty quickly perisheth 7. Yong and fair Adonis is killed by a Boare so wantonnesse and leachery are the destroyers of youth and beauty 8. Our Resurrection in this may be typed out for although death kill us it shall not annihilate us but our beauty shall increase and wee shall spring out of the ground again like a beautifull flower in the Resurrection 9. Though our bodies dye yet our good name shall flourish and like a fair flower shall live and smell when wee are gone 10. Myrrha of her own Father begot this childe Adonis which Myrrha flying from her angry Father was turned into a tree and with the blow of her Fathers sword was delivered of this childe because the Sun the common Father begot the sweet Gum Myrrhe of that Arabian tree of the same name which Gum doth cause much delight and pleasure for so in Greek Adonis signifieth In this Gum Venus is much delighted as being a help to decayed beauty to a stinking breath to procreation and the vitiosity of the matrix 11. Let them remember who hunt too much after pleasure that the Devil is that great Boare who lyeth in wait to kill them You that hunt after pleasures eye that Boare Who would your health and wealth and souls devour Dote not on beauty beauty 's but a flower Whose pride and lustre fadeth in an hour Strive that your names may flourish after death Let them out-live Adonis flower yeeld a fragrant breath ADMETUS HE being a sutor to Alceste carryed her away by the assistance of Apollo and Hercules in a Chariot drawn by a Lyon and a Boare afterward being like to dye was recoverd by the voluntary death of his wife whom Hercules delivered out of hell and restored her to Admetus THE MYSTERIES HE that intends to marry had need take the aid of Apollo and Hercules that is of wisdom and strength of body 2. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} is one that cannot be tamed as many lusty yong men are therfore it is good for such to marry with a Alceste 3. Many foolish women like Alceste refuse many good matches and at last are carryed away by a Lyon and a Boare that is by one that is lasciviously given and who can put on the bold face of a Lyon 4. Fruitfull women are like Alceste who cast themselves unto the jaws of death by childe-bearing that their husbands may live in the fruit of their womb for parents live in their children But by the means of Hercules that is of the strength of Nature women are delivered from death 5. Alceste is our hope with which we shall marry if first we can subdue the Lyon of pride and the Boare of concupiscence 6. Admetus or the untamed spirit of Satan doth carry away the soul which is the daughter of God in the Chariot of vanity drawn with pride and fleshly pleasures and in hell the soul should have continued for ever if Christ our Alcides had not delivered it from thence Let not Man think on Hymen till he finde What is Apollo's and Alcides minde And you weak Maids and Widows too before You marry shun the Lyon and the Boare Think not to carry Hope and Confidence Till you subdue pride and concupiscence By Hope lay hold on Christ he will sustain Your souls in death and them restore again AEACUS MINOS RHAD AMANTHUS THese were Iupiters sons and Judges in hell at the request of Aeacus when the Iland Aegina was depopulated with sicknesse Iupiter turned the Ants unto men so was Graecia delivered also by the prayers of the same Aeacus THE MYSTERIES IUst Judges are the sons of God 2. The good laws of just Judges shal not be forgotten but when they are in Hell that is when they are dead their lawes shall be still in force 3. These three Judges are the three effects of a wicked mans conscience to wit to accuse condemne and torment the sinner and in this sense a man may be said to be in hell whilst he is on earth 4. Aeacus by his wisdome causing the barbarous inhabitants to forsake their caves and holes wherin they dwelt and to build houses to leave their diet of roots and fruits and to sow corne in teaching of them civilitie and military discipline whereby they overcame the Pirats which used to molest them for these respects he was said to turne them from Ants unto men 5. In relieving Graecia by his prayers from the plague doth shew us That the prayers of the just availeth much 6. Before Christ came the Gentiles were but Ants men of earthly conversation being fed with roots of superstition molested with spirituall pirates but by the preaching and intercession of Christ the wisdome of the Father and the Iudge of all the world they were made men taught to forsake the dark holes of Idolatry and to build them an house in heaven to feed upon the bread of Gods Word and to fight against their spirituall enemies Consider Judges though you be but dust Gods sons you are yea Gods if you be just Let no man sin securely though alone For each man hath three Judges in a Throne Within his brest these Judges will torment thee Here and in
Hell where no man shall lament thee Now we are men which heretofore were Ants Then let us live like men and not like Wants Still digging leave your holes and fix your eyes Upon your starry-house the spangled skies Where Christ your head and Lord and Judge doth dwell The onely Judge of Heaven Earth and Hell AEGAEON HE was begotten of the Heaven and Earth or of the Sea he assisted Iupiter when Iuno Pallas and Neptune made insurrection against him and would have bound him for whose good service he was made keeper of Hell gates but afterwards rebelling against Iupiter he was over-throwne with his thunder and laid under the hill Aetna which alwayes bursts out with smoake and flames when hee turnes himselfe about he had an hundred hands and fiftie heads he is also called Briareus and Enceladus THE MYSTERIES BY this many-handed and many-headed mōster is meant the Wind the power and vertues whereof are many and wonderfull it is begot of the vapors of the earth and sea by the heat and influence of heaven when Iupiter that is the heaven is obscured and as it were bound up from us with thicke mists extracted by Minerva that is the Sun out of Neptun or the Sea and received by Iuno or the Aire these three are said to conspire against Iupiter then comes the wind and blowes away these mists and so Iupiter is relieved and the Heavens cleered Aegaeon is said to keep Hell gates because the winds are often inclosed in the bowels of the Earth and Sea 2. Aegaeon fights against Iupiter when the South-wind obscures the Heaven with clouds then with his Sun beames or thunder the Aire is cleared and the wind setled and because Aetna never vomits out fire but when there is wind generated in the hollow holes and cavernosities thereof therefore Aegaeon is said to lye and move there 3. God hath made our stomack and belly to be the receptacle of naughtie vapors which notwithstanding sometimes rebell and obnubilate the heaven of our braine and fight against our Iupiter that is our judgement and reason but oftentimes are overcome and beate backe by the strength of nature and property of the braine 4. Iuno that is vapors Neptune that is too much moisture and Pallas that is too much study oftentimes molest the brain assault judgment and reason but the helpe of Aegaeon or the strength of the animal spirits doe releeve the braine and make peace 5. In 88. the Spanish Iuno that is their wealth Minerva their policie and Neptune their sea-god I mean their great Fleet which affrighted the Ocean conspired to invade our heaven that is our Church and State but Aegaeon the stormie wind sent by Thetis but by the power of the Almighty scattered their forces and releeved our Iupiter 6. Every piratical ship robbing honest men of their goods may be called Aegaeon for they fight against God himselfe and their end for the most part is fearfull 7. Arius and other hereticks opposing Christs divinity with Aegaeon fight against God and being struck with the thunder of Gods Word without repentance they are sent to hell 8. All seditious persons rebelling against the Church and State are Aegaeons fighting against God and they must look for this reward As he who did against great Jove rebell Was struck with Thunder and knockt down to Hell So God will all you Monsters over-turn Who gainst the King the Church the State dare spurn Your glory shall be shame black Hell your mansion Furies your fellows brimstone and fire your pension Your motion 's like Aegaeons when he turns Aetna doth shake and for a while it burns But when you move you shake the world asunder Whose bowels smoke and burn and roare till you be struck with Thunder AENAEAS HE was a Trojan Prince son of Venus by whose help he was delivered from being killed by the Graecians he carried his old father on his shoulders out of Troy with his houshold gods he was seven yeares by the malice of Iuno tost upon the seas and kept back from Italy who when he arrived thither was molested by a long warre caused by Iuno and Alecto having at last killed Turnus ended his dayes in peace and honour he went downe to Hell to visit his father in the Elisian fields who by the help of Sybilla and the golden Branch overcame all the dangers of Hell his acts are eternised by the Prince of Poets THE MYSTERIES HE was called the son of Venus because that planet was mistresse of his horoscop or because of his beauty and comely proportion and to shew that love is the chiefest guard of Princes and that which doth most subdue and keepe people in subjection 2. Iuno and Aeolus the aire and wind conspired against him to drowne him so sometimes Princes are oftentimes vexed and endangered by the stormes of civill dissention 3. Neptune was his friend both in the Trojan warre and to help him forward to Italy Vulcan made him armour Mercury was his counsellor and spokes-man Cupid made way with Queen Dido to entertain him to shew that a Prince cannot be fortunate and powerful without shipping armour eloquence and love 4. The golden Branch made way for him to Proserpina and brought him to hell and so doth the inordinate love of gold bring many unto hell again gold maketh way through the strongest gates and overcommeth the greatest difficulties besides gold is the symbole of wisdome without which no man can overcome difficulties Lastly he that will goe through the dangers of hell that is the pangs of death with cheerefulnesse must carry with him a golden branch that is a good conscience and perhaps this golden branch may be the symbole of a Kings Scepter the ensigne of government wherein a King is happy if his Scepter bee streight and of gold that is if wealth and justice and wisdome go together 5. Aenaeas had not found the branch without the Doves his mothers birds so without love innocencie and chastity we cannot attain to true wisdome 6. He that would attain unto the true Branch that is Christ the righteous Branch and wisdome of the Father must follow the guide of the two Doves the Old and the New Testament they will shew us where he is 7. Aenaeas by the help of Sibyl went safely thorow Hell so shal we by the assistance of Gods counsell for a Sibyl signifieth so much we shall overcome all difficulties 8. His companion was Achates for great Princes are never without much care and sollicitude as the b word signifieth 9. Aenaeas went thorow the dangers of hel sea and land before he could have quiet possession in Italy so we must thorow many dangers enter into the Kingdome of heaven 10. Aenaeas is the Idea of a perfect Prince and Governour in whom wee see piety towards his gods in carrying them with him having rescued them from the fire of Troy in worshipping the gods of the places still where he came in going to
did wrestle still as he was flung on the gâ—ound his strength increased which Hercules perceiving lifted him from the ground and squeezing him to his brest stifled him THE MYSTERIES THe bignesse of his body shewed that earth and water were extraordinarily predominaÌ„t in him therefore he was called the son of Neptune and the earth 2. A covetous man is like Antaeus the more that his affections touch earthly things the stronger is his covetousnesse till he be lifted up from the earth with heavenly thoughts and then covetous thoughts dye 3. Satan is like Antaeus for the more he is beat down by the Herculean strength of Gods Word the more violent and fierce he groweth but being squeezed by the Brest-plate of justice he loseth his force 4. Satan deals with good men as Hercules with Antaeus he flings them down by oppression and persecution but when he perceiveth that by this means they grow stronger and more resolute he lifteth them up by pride and prosperity by which many are overthrown which grew strong by adversity 5. The Sun like Antaeus when he is come to his perigaeum or that point neerest the earth he begins to gather strength which increaseth till hee come to his apogaeum or that point in heaven farthest from the earth and then his force begins to weaken 6. He that will cure a Feaver with hot things or an Hydropsie with cold and moist things he doth as Hercules to Antaeus increase the disease by applying things of the same nature whereas diseases should be cured by contraries 7. Every thing in its own element with Antaeus doth gather strength and prospereth but being put unto another element dieth as fishes in the air and beasts in the sea Take heed all you that would o'rethrow Your greedy mindes and them subdue You fling them not â—n things below For so their force they 'l still renew But lift them up with all your strength That they may see the wealth and joy Which is above and so at length You shall your Avarice destroy At any time if Satan shall With crosses fling you on the ground Lose not your vertue with your fall But let your courage then abound Take heed he lift you not too high With pride in this your spirituall strife For then hee 'l get the victory And spoil thee of eternall life Lord lift my minde out of the dust And make it mount above the skies Be thou my treasure where no rust Can come which Moaths and Theeves defies And when with crosles I 'm cast down Let not my strength and courage fail Let constancie Lord be my Crown Then in my fall I shall prevail APOLLO HE was the son of Iupiter and Latona born in Delos he kill'd the Serpent Python the Gyant Tytion Marsyas the Musitian and the Cyclops that made Iupiters thunder with which his son Aesculapius was slain for which fact Iupiter banished him and drove him to feed Admetus his sheep and to help Neptune in building of the walls of Troy he was the god of Wisdom of Physick of Musick and Arching THE MYSTERIES BY Apollo is ordinarily understood the Sun which as his a name sheweth is both the destroyer preserver of things he is the son of Iupiter because he is a part of heaven or because he was created by God he was born of Latona because God brought light out of darknesse and the Sun out of the Chaos born in Delos which signifieth manifestation for the Sun discovereth all things he kill'd Python the Serpent because the Sun by his heat disperseth all putrified vapours and cleareth the air from mists for of putrifaction venemous beasts are procreated so he kill'd Iupiters Thunder-makers because the Sun cleers the air and consumes those exhalations and moystures of which Thunder is ingendred When Apollo was born Diana his sister who was first born was the Midwife to bring forth Apollo that may signifie that the Sun is freed from his eclipse and darknesse when the Moon departeth from him he is still Beardlesse to shew his perpetuall youth his long hair shews his beams he feedeth sheep because his heat produceth grasse he is carried in a Chariot drawn with four horses to shew his motion and the four seasons of the year or the four parts of the Artificiall day as his horses names do shew b Erythraeus Actaeon Lampos Philogeus for he is red in the morning cleer about nine of the clock in his full splendour at noon and draws to the earth in the evening he is the god of Wisdom not by infusing the habit or essence thereof but by preparing and fitting the Organs for the use and exercise thereof therefore Southern people are more subtile wise and ingenious then the Northern And because from the Sun divers predictions are gathered of the alteration of weather and other a sublunary mutations he was called the great Prophet and God of Divination he was also called the god of physick both because physicall hearbs have their strength from the Sun and oftentimes the spring cureth the winter diseases and the summer the infirmities of the spring he was called the god of musick because he cleers up the spirits of al things therefore the birds do welcome his approach with their melodious harminonie therefore the Swan was dedicated to him and the grashoppers also and as in musick so in his motion and operations there is a harmony and because he fits the air which is the medium of musick and of all sounds the muses for this cause are in his custodie which were inlarged from three to 9 according as the number of strings increased in musicall instruments he was called an Archer because his beames like arrows fly every where His Tripos which some will have to be a table called also b Cortina from Pythons skin with which it was covered others a three footed vessell others a threefoot chair wherein they sate that prophesied I say this Tripos may signifie the three circles in the zodiack which every yeare he toucheth to wit the ecliptick and the two tropicks They that died suddenly or of any violent disease were said to be killed by Apollo because the Sun with extreme heat doth cause famine and infectious Feavers Thus hee was said to shoot with his arrows Amphions children to him were dedicated the strong Bull the white Swan the quick-sighted Raven to a signifie the power and beauty and piercing light of the Sun which because it detecteth obscure things he was called a Prophet the Olive Palm and Bay-tree also were dedicated to him both because the Olive and Palm grow not but in hot countries and because they are as the Bay tree usefull in physick and of a hot quality like the Sun therefore he was said to be in love with b Daphne the daughter of the river Peneus because on the banks of that River are good store of Bay-trees his shooes and garments were of gold to shew his colour he with
Neptune built the wals of Troy to shew that without Gods assistance no City or State can stād or be built His love which he bare to the flower Hyacinthus is to shew that flowers do bud and prosper by the Sun and die with cold winds therefore Zephirus was the cause of his death and perhaps Apollo and Neptune were said to build Troys walls because morter and brick are made by the helpe of heat and water or because Laomedon either stole or borrowed some treasure out of the Temples of Apollo and Neptune 2. Our Saviour Christ is the true Apollo both a destroyer of Satans kingdom and a saver of his people for {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} is as much as to lose by paying the price of redemption hee is the Sunne of Righteousnesse by whose beams and arrows that is his word Python the devil is subdued he is the Son of God and the God of Wisdome the great Prophet the Son of Latona that is of an obseure maid the true God of physick who cureth all our infirmities and the God of Musick too for that harmony of affections and communion of Saints in the Church is from him he hath subdued our Giants that is our spirituall foes by whose malice the thunder of Gods wrath was kindled against us He is immortal and the good Shepherd who hath laid down his life for his sheep having for his sheeps sake forsaken his Fathers glory and he it is who hath built the wals of Jerusalem Apollo was never so much in love with Hyacinthus as Christ was with the sons of men 3. As the Sunne amongst the Planets so is a King amongst his subjects a King is Apollo the destroyer of the wicked and a preserver of good men the light and life and beauty of his people a God of wisdome amongst them to guide them with good Lawes a God of physick to cut off rotten and hurtfull members to purge out all grosse humors that is bad maners with the pills of justice and to cheere up with cordialls our rewards the sound and solid parts of the politick body he is a God of musick also for where there is no King or head there can be no harmony nor concord he is a Prophet to fore-see and prevent those dangers which the people cannot he is a subduer of Pythons and Giants that is of all pestiferous disturbers and oppressors of the State his arrows are his Lawes and power which reacheth thorow all the parts of his dominiō he is a good shepherd Kings are a so called and a King thus qualified shall be like the Sun still glorious immortall youthfull and green like the Palm Olive Bay-tree but if he doth degenerat unto a tyrant then he is the cause of mortality as the Sun is when he inflames the aire with excessive heat When God out of rude Chaos drew the light Which chas'd away the long confused night O're all this All it did display Its golden beams and made the day So when mankinde did in the Chaos lye Of ignorance and grosse idolatry There did arise a light a Star Brighter then Sun or Moon by far Who with his fulgent beams did soon disperse The vapours of this little universe Till then no morning did arise Nor sparkling Stars to paint the skies This is that Sun this is the womans seed Who with her arrows wounded Pythons head It s he who kill'd the Gyants all Which were the causes of our fall He is that shepherd which in flowry Meads Doth feed his wandring flock and then he leads Them to the brook that softly glides And with his shepherds-crook them guides It s he that did Jerusalem immure And made it strong that it might stand secure Against all forrein enemies Against assaults and batteries He 's Wisdom he that Prophet which displaid What was before in darknesse bosome laid Whose Oracles did never fail Whose Miracles made all men quail He is the Sun that rides triumphantly On the blew Chariot of the spangled sky Whose Chariot's drawn with horses four Justice and Truth Mercie and Power He is the God of all sweet harmony Without whose word there is no melody He 's sweeter to a pensive minde Then any musick we can finde He is the God of physick he can ease The soule of sin thy body of disease He only helps the heavie heart He only cures the inward smart But sometime he his winged shafts le ts fly Amongst his foes and wounds them mortally Who can unbend his reaching Bow Who can avoid his piercing blow Then seeing Christ is this resplendant Sun Which Gyant-like about the world doth run Who shew'd to Jews his rosie face And to all Gentiles offers grace Let us at last with reverence admire This great Apollo heavens greatest fire Come let us Palms and Laurels bring And to him Io Paeans sing Apollo and a King parallel'd Like as Apollo's sparkling flame Doth cherish with his beams the frame Of this round Globe we see So Kings extend on us the light Of their just Laws and with their might Keep us from injury They let their Arrows flye at those Who dares their Rules and Laws oppose And vex the innocent A King the plaguey Python slayes And Gyants that will Thunder raise Within his firmament He is a good Physitian That bitter Pills and Cordialls can Prescribe when he thinks cause He makes a sweeter harmony Then Harp or Lute or Psaltery With his well tuned Laws He holds his bow with his left hand And at his right the graces stand As white as driven snow To let us see that by his raign More good we have and much more gain Then damage by his bow The Muses in a grove of Bayes About him dance and sing sweet layes Each hath her instrument To shew that under such a King All things do flourish Schoolers sing With comfort and content He hath the Ravens piercing eye He 's a white Swan in purity And hath the Bullocks strength He shall out-live the Palm and Bay His Name and Laws shall not decay But conquer all at length His head doth shine with golden locks He is a shepherd of great flocks Whom in the fragrant Meads He feeds and guides them with his crook And drives them to the silver Brook And to the shades them leads He wears a Tripos on his Crown A Triple Monster trampled down Before him prostrate lyes Now if this Sun shines anywhere He shines sure in our Northern sphaere And moves in British skies ARACHNE SHee was a Lydian Maid skilfull in weaving and spinning and by Minerva for her insolencie in provoking a goddesse was turned into a Spider THE MYSTERIES THis Arachne did learne of the Spider to spin and weave for the beasts are in many things our schoole-masters 2. It is not good to be proud and insolent of any art or knowledge 3. Subtill and trifling sophisters who with intricacies and querks intangle men are no better than Spiders whose
behinde them cast The love of earth whose innocence Keeps off the flood of wars from hence So that our hill stands fast Much of this happinesse we gain By him whose sacred brows sustain The three-fold Diadem Of these Sea-grasping Isles whose ground Joves brother doth not onely round But as his own doth claim Great God prime author of our peace Let not this happinesse decrease But let it flourish still Take not thy mercie from this land Nor from the man of thy right hand So shall we fear no ill DIANA SHee was the sister of Apollo and daughter of Iupiter and Latona the Goddesse of hunting dancing child-bearing virginitie who still dwelt in woods and on hills whose companions were the Dryades Hamadryades Orades Nymphs c. she was carried in a silver chariot drawn with white staggs she was painted with wings holding a Lyon with one hand and a Leopard with the other on her altar men were sacrificed THE MYSTERIES DIana is the moone called Apollos or the Suns sister because of their likenesse in light motion and operations the daughter of God brought out of Latona or the Chaos she came out before her brother Apollo and helped to play the midwife in his production by which I thinke was meant that the night wherof the Moon is ruler was before the day the evening went before the morning so that the Moon did as it were usher in the Sun therfore the Calends of the months were dedicated to Iuno or the Moon she hath divers a names for her divers operations as may be seen in Mythologists in Macrobius she is called {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} fortune from her variablenesse as both being subject to so many changes and causing so many alterations Scaliger observeth that she was called Lya or Lua from lues the plague because she is the cause of infection and diseases by which the soul is loosed from the body she was called Fascelis from the bundle of wood out of which her image was stolen by Iphigenia Agamemnons daughter but I should thinke that she was called Lya from loosing or untyjng of the girdle which yong women used to do in her temple called therefore {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} in which temple virgins that had a minde to marrie used first to pacifie Diana with sacrifices she was also called {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} that is earthly because they thought there was another earth in the Moon inhabited by men doubtlesse in that they called her Hecate or Proserpina the Queen of hell they meant the great power that she hath over sublunarie bodies for all under the Moon may be called Infernus or Hell as all above her is heaven this free from changes that subject to all changes and perhaps she may be called Hecate from the great changes that she maketh here below every hundreth yeere she may be called Diana from her divine power Iuno from helping Proserpina from her creeping for though she is swift in the lower part of her Epicycle yet in the upper part therof she is slow Luna quasi vna as being the only beautie of the night Dyctinnis from a net because fishers and hunters use nets and of these she is sayd to have the charge for the Moon light is a help to both they called her {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} quasi {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} from cutting the air Lucina from her light her hunting and dancing was to shew her divers motion for she hath more then any planet six at least as Clavius observes her virginitie sheweth that though she is neere the earth yet she is not tainted with earthly imperfections she is a help to childe-bearing for her influence and light when she is at full is very forcible in the production and augmentation of things her conversing on hills and in woods shews that her light and effects are most to be seen there for all herbs plants and trees feel her influence and because she hath dominion over the fiercest beasts in tempering their raging heat by her moysture she holds a Lyon and Leopard in her hands whose heat is excessive but tempered by the Moon her silver chariot shews her brightnesse the staggs and wings do shew her swiftnesse and because her light increasing and decreasing appeareth like horns therefore the Bull was sacrificed to her as Lactantius observes her arrows are her beames or influence by which she causeth death and corruption in respect of her corniculated demidiated and plenarie aspect she is called a triformis and trivia because she was worshipped in places where 3 ways met the dancing of all the Nymphs and Satyrs shews how all take delight in her light her hunting is to shew how in her motion she pursues and overtakes the Sun 2. A rich usurer is like Diana for he is {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} an earthly man a great hunter after wealth who hath his nets his bands and bills he wounds deeply with his arrows Proserpina and Lya for he creeps upon mens estates and he brings a plague upon them though he dwells in rich Cities yet his hunting and affections are set in hills and woods that is in farmes and mannors which by morgages and other tricks he catches he is caried in a silver chariot drawn with staggs because fearfulnesse doth still accompanie wealth with which he is supported he would fain fly up to heaven with the wings of devotion but the Lyons and Leopards in his hands with which he devoures mens estates keeps him back Diana was a virgin yet helped to bring out children so mony though barren in it self yet bringeth great increase he will not be appeased without bribes no more then Diana nay many a mans estate is sacrificed upon his altar who doth not unloose their girdles as in Diana's temple but quite bursts them 3. They that will live chast must with Diana live on hills and woods and use continuall exercise for idlenesse and great Cities are enemies to virginity 4 Every good man should be like Diana having the wings of divine meditation the courage of the Lyon and swiftnesse of the stagge his feet should be like Hinds feet to run in the way of Gods commandements 5. Gods Church is the true Diana the daughter of God the sister of the son of righteousnesse who is a virgin in puritie and yet a fruitfull mother of spirituall children whose conversation is sequestred from the world she is supported in the silver chariot of Gods word in which she is carried towards heaven being drawn with the white staggs of innocencie and feare she holdeth in her hands Lyons and Leopards the Kings of the Gentiles who have suffred themselves to be caught and tamed by her she flieth with the wings of faith devotiō and hunts after beasts that is wicked men to catch them in her nets that she may save their souls and with her arrows to
kill their sins Diana was midwife to bring forth Apollo so the Church travells in her birth till Christ be formed in us and brought forth in our holy lives and as it fared with Diana's temple which was burned by Erostratus so it doth with the Church whose Temples have bin robbed defaced and ruinated by prophane men Who would a chaste and constant virgin be Must shun the worlds impure society And idlenesse for want of exercise Corrupts our limbs and kills our souls with vice On cloud-transcending meditations We must have still our conversations In Cities chaste Diana never dwels But in green woods and on the airy hils In woods she hunts wilde beasts on hils she dances And on her shoulder blades her bow advances Oreades about her in a ring In measures trace the ground and sweetly sing Oh that I had Diana's wings that I From tumults to these calm retreats might flye Where she amongst her Nymphs doth reign as queen Where Flora keeps her fragrant Magazin Where wood-Musitians with their warbling throats Chant forth untaught but yet melodious notes Neer Chrystall-brested rivers O that I Could still enjoy this harmlesse companie Which know not pride nor malice nor deceits Nor flattery the moth and bane of states O that I had Diana's silver bow To kill my beastly sins before they grow Too savage if I had the nimble feet Of her two Stags then would I be as fleet As they to run the way of Gods commands Then would I hold the Lyon in my hands And Leopard O if I could subdue My wilde unruly fins a savage crew O let my weary soul be carried Lord In that bright silver chariot of thy Word And let thy fear and milk-white innocence Be these two Stags to draw my soul from hence And whil'st my glasse runs in obscurity Let me not lose my virgin purity And let not fair Diana thy chaste love Thy spotlesse Church thy silver feather'd Dove Abuse her self with grosse idolatry And lose the honour of virginity Let that Ephesian perish with disgrace Who would her Temple and her state deface Let no Records eternize that foul name And let it not be mention'd but with shame CHAP. V. E ELYSIUM THe Elysian fields were places of pleasure in which the souls of good men after this life did converse enjoying all those delights which they affected in this life THE MYSTERIES ELysium is a place of libertie as the word sheweth for they only enjoy it who are loosed from their bodies not only Poets but scriptures also have described those heavenly joyes under earthly tearmes for our capacitie there is Paradise in which is the tree of life there shines another Sun then here to wit the sun of righteousnesse there are rivers of pleasure there are the flowers of all divine graces there is a perpetuall spring the Musick of Angels the supper and wedding feast of the Lamb the new Ierusalem all built of pretious stones the fountain of living waters all kinde of spirituall fruits the continuall breath of Gods spirit c. And as none could enter the Elysian fields till he was purged so no unclean thing can enter into the new Ierusalem the blood of Christ must purge us from all sin and as they must passe Acharon Phlegeton and other rivers of Hell before they can have accesse to those delightfull fields so we must passe through fire water troubles and persecutions before we can enter into heaven and thus we see the Gentiles were not ignorant of a reward for good men and of punnishment for the wicked You that delight in painted meads In silver brooks in cooling shades In dancing feasts harmonious layes In Chrystall springs and groves of bayes Draw neer and I will let you see A Tempe full of majesty Where neither white-hair'd Boreas snows Nor black-wing'd Auster ever blows But sweet-breath'd Zephyr still doth curl The meads and purest streams here purl From silver springs which glide upon Rich Pearl and Orientall stone Here on the banks of Rivers grows Each fruitfull tree here Laurell groves Ne're fade here 's a perpetuall spring With Nightingales the woods still ring Meads flourish here continually In their sweet smelling Tapestry The Pink the gilded Daffadilly The shame-fac'd Rose the white cheek'd Lilly The Violet the Columbine The Marigold the Eglantine Rosemary Time and Gilli-flowers Grow without help of Sun or showers Vines still bear purple clusters here New wine aboundeth all the yeer The ground exhales that pleasant smell Which doth all earthly sents excell And this place of it's own accord Doth all these benefits afford There needs no husbandmen to toil And labour in this happy soil Rage tyranny oppression Fraud malice and ambition And avarice here are not known And coals of discord are not blown But in this blessed mansion Dwels perfect love and union Here are no cares nor fears nor death Nor any pestilentiall breath Which may infect that wholsom air But here 's continuall dainty fare Ambrosia here on trees doth grow And cups with Nectar overflow Tables with flowry carpets spread Are still most richly furnished Drums Trumpets Canons roaring sounds Are never heard within these bounds But sacred Songs and Jubilees Timbrels Organs and Psalteries Sackbuts Violins and Flutes Harps silver Symbals solemn Lutes All these in one joyn'd harmony With Hallelujah's pierce the sky Here 's neither night nor gloomy cloud Which can that world in darknesse shroud But there 's an everlasting day Which knows no evening or decay There shines a Sun whose glorious fire Shall not with length of time expire And who shall never set or fall In Neptunes azure glassie hall Here are no birds or beasts of prey Here is no sicknesse nor decay Nor sorrow hunger infamy Nor want nor any misery Nor silver-headed age which bows The back and furrows up the brows But here 's the ever-smiling prime Of youth which shall not fade with time Mirth plenty glory beauty grace And holinesse dwell in this place Such joys as yet hath never been By mortals either heard or seen What tongue is able to rehearse What Muse can sing or paint in verse This place to which all earthly joys Compared are but fading toys Sure if I had a voice as shrill As thunder or had I a quill Pluck't from an Angels pinion And if all tongues were joyn'd in one Yet could they not sufficiently Expresse this places dignity Which golden feather'd Cherubims And fire-dispersing Seraphims Have circled with their radiant wings To keep away all hurtfull things O thou whose glory ne'r decayes When these my short and evil dayes Are vanish'd like a dream or shade Or like the grasse and flowers that fade Lord let my soul have then accesse Unto that endlesse happinesse Where thy blest saints with warbling tongues Are chanting still celestiall songs Where winged quiresters thy praise Still Caroll forth with heavenly layes When shall my bondage Lord expire That I may to that place retire When shall I end
thy honour will due Trophees raise ERYCHTHONIUS THis was a monster or a man with Dragons feeet begot of Vulcans seed shed on the ground whilst he was offering violence to Minerva the virgin which monster notwithstanding was cherished by Minerva and delivered to the daughter of Cecrops to be kept with a caution that they should not look into the basket to see what was there which advice they not obeying looked in and so grew mad and broke their own necks THE MYSTERIES VUlcan shedding his seed on the ground is the elementarie fire concurring with the earth in which are the other two elements and of these all monsters are procreated and by Minerva that is the influence of heaven or of the Sun cherished and fomented though not at first by God produced but since Adams fall and for the punishment of sin 2. Vulcan offering wrong to Minerva is that unregenerate part of man called by the Apostle the law of our members rebelling against the law of the minde of which ariseth that spirituall combate and strife in good men which is begun by the flesh but cherished and increased by the spirit till at last the spirit get the victorie 3. Minerva that is he that makes a vow to live still a virgin must look to have the fierie Vulcan of lust to offer him violence and so he shall never be free from inward molestation and trouble therefore better marrie then burne and if he intertains any unchast thoughts though his bodie be undefiled yet he is no pure virgin as Lactantius a sheweth that Minerva was not because she cherished Erychthonius therefore an unchast minde in a chast body is like Minerva fomenting Vulcans brat he is a pure virgin sayth a S. Hierom whose minde is chast as well as his body and this he ingeniously confesseth was wanting in himself 4. Minerva that is wisdom hath no such violent enemie as Vulcan that is firie anger which doth not only overthrow wisdom in the minde for a time for it is short fury but is also the cause of Erychthonius that is of all strife and contention in the world 5. War is a firie Vulcan an enemie to learning or Minerva the cause of Erychthonius of monstrous outrages and enormities and oftentimes fomented by seditious schollers and learning abused 6. Erychthonius is a covetous man as the world shews for {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} is contention and {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} is the earth and what else is covetousnes but a presumptious desire of earthly things and the cause of so much strife and contention in the world this monster came of Vulcan the god of fire that is of Satan the god of this world who reigns in the fire of contention and in the fire of Hell and is fomented by Minerva the soul which is the seat of wisdom 7. Tertullian b sayth that Erychthonius is the devil and indeed not unfitly for he is the father of all strife and of avarice he hath a mans wisdom or head to allure us to sin but a Dragons feet to torment us in the end for sin whosoever with delight shall look on him shall at last receive destruction 8. Let us take heed we pry not too curiously in the basket of natures secrets lest we be served as Cecrops daughters or as Pliny and Empedocles were 9. A Magistrate or Governour must be like Erychthonius who was himself King of Athens he must be both a man and a Dragon if the face of humanitie and mercy will not prevail then the Dragons feet of vigour and justice must walk 10. If any firy or chollerick Vulcan shall offer us wrong we must wisely defend our selves with Minerva and conceal the injury our own grief as she did Erychthonius 11. Though the preserving and cherishing of Vulcans childe is no certain proof that Minerva lost her virginitie neither did shee lose it though Vuloffred her violence because there was no consent yet it becoms all chiefly virgins to aovid both the evil the occasion therof that there may be no supition 1. Why Vulcans fire With Vesta did conspire To make the monster Erychthonius It was because Man would not keep Gods Laws But run the course that was erroneous 2. There was no hell Nor death till Adam fell Nor monster or deformed Progeny Minerva's thigh Nor Sols resplendant eye Did neither cherish nor such monsters see 3. Now Vulcan sues Minerva to abuse And to pollute her pure virginity So doth the coal Of lust inflame my soul The flesh against the spirit strives in me 4. O if my minde Could peace and freedom finde From inward broils and Vulcans wanton eye O if the fire Of lust and all desire Of earthly things in me would fade and dye 5. My soul is vext And too too much perplext With angers fear and fiery violence Which breeds in me Much strife continually That darkneth both my judgement and my sence 6. And how shall I Resist the tyrannie Of Vulcan if I have not arms of strength Therefore O Lord Lend me thy conquering sword That I may be victorious at length EUMENIDES THese were the 3 furies the daughters of Pluto and Proserpina or of hell darknesse night and earth in heaven they were called Dirae in earth Harpiae in hell Furiae they had snakes in stead of hairs brasen feet torches in one hand and whips in the other and wings to fly with THE MYSTERIES COmmonly these 3 furies are taken for the tortures of an evill conscience proceeding from the guilt of sin they cause feare and furie as the word Erinnys signifieth hell is the place of their aboad and where they are there is hell the tortures wherof are begun in the conscience of wicked men 2. There are three unruly passions in men answering to these three furies covetousnesse is Alecto which â—ever giveth over seeking wealth and indeed this is the greatest of all the furies and will not suffer the 〈…〉 r to eat injoy the goods that he hath gotten a 〈…〉 riarum maxima juxta accubat et manibus p 〈…〉 contingere mensas this is a Harpie indeed 〈…〉 ly delighting in rapine but polluting every t 〈…〉 hath b contracting omnia faedat immund 〈…〉 may be called Iupiters dog or rather a dog 〈…〉 manger neither eating himself nor suffering others to eat the other furie is Megaera that is enâ—â—â— full of poyson and snakie hairs the third is Tisiphone which is inordinate anger or a revengefull dispositioÌ„ the burning torch and wings shew the nature of anger all these have their begining and being frâ—â— Hell from darknesse and night even from Satan and the two-fold darknesse that is in us to wit the ignorance of our understanding and the corruption of our will but as the Furies had no access unto Apollo's temple but were placed in the porch c ultricesque sedent in lumine Dirae although otherwayes they were had in great
Revives the fire and as in frost The stars shine most And as the palm lifts up his crest The higher that it is opprest So crosses and affliction Which fall upon The just makes not their faith to fail Nor courage quail Who shine burn sparkle fructifie As gold fire stars and the palm tree I 'le rather have a blustring gale And swelling sail Then lye becalmed in the main And ne're attain My wished port O let the blast Of troubles drive me home at last That tree is strong and firmly fixt Which is perplext With frequent storms which when they blow The roots below Take deeper hold O if I were Strong as this tree my storms to bear The idle sword breeds rust the cloth Begets the moth Not worm the standing water dyes And putrifies We first must tread the Camomell Or else it will afford no smell The Pilots skill how can we know Till Tempests blow How is that Souldiers valour seen Which ne're had been In fight they scarse stout Souldiers are That have no wound to shew nor scar Those Souldiers which the Generall Culls out of all His army to attempt some great And brave exploit Are those sure whom he means to grace With honour and some higher place Except we fight there is no crown And no renown Unlesse we sweat in the vineyard There 's no reward Unlesse we climb Mount Calvary Mount Olivet we shall not see God loves his sons and them corrects Whom he respects And whips them when they gad and roame And brings them home And fits them that he may advance Them to their due inheritance Sick men although against their wills Take bitter pills And in their Feaver think it good To part with blood The fire and lance they can indure And all for an uncertain cure All whom God means shall bear his blows He hardneth those He wrestleth with these sons of his Whom he will blesse With Jacob if he make thee lame He 'l blesse thee and inlarge thy name If in the Sea God makes our way We must obey And follow Moses leading wand To Jacobs land Through seas of blood we must all passe Unto the land of happinesse We must drink vineger and gall And tears withall With whips nails spears we must be torn And Crowns of thorn All this with Christ we must sustain Before that we with Christ can raign Lord if this be thy Providence Teach me from hence How I may patiently drink up That deadly cup Which thy Son drank help me to bear His crosse that I his Crown may weare When thou correct'st me quench the fire Of thy just ire With mercies water in thy hand And with thy wand Divide the Sea that I may go Where milk and honey still doth flow If in a flaming chariot I To heaven must hye Lord let that flame refine me but Consume me not Guide thou the coach through all the nine Still rowling arches chrystalline CHAP. VII G GANIMEDES HE was the King of Troys son who whilst he was hunting was caught up to heaven by an Eagle Iupiters bird and because of his extraordinary beautie Iupiter made him his Cup-bearer THE MYSTERIES GAnimedes is one that delights in a divine counsell or wisdom and wisdom is the true beautie of the minde wherin God takes pleasure 2. Every Eagle is not Iupiters bird as Aelian observeth but that onely which abstains from flesh and rapine and that was the bird that caught up Ganimedes so fleshly mindes and thoughts set upon rapine and carnall pleasures are not fit to serve God nor to carrie the soul up to heaven 3. The quick-sighted Eagle is divine contemplation or meditation by which Ganimedes the soul is caught up to heaven 4 When by holy raptures we are carried up to heaven the best Nectar that we can power out to God is the teares of repentance and of a broken heart 5. Ganimedes was caught up by one Eagle only but if we have the true inward beauty of the minde we shall be caught up in the air by Legions of Angels to meet the Lord and shall for ever serve him at his table in the Kingdom of heaven 6. I wish that the Roman Eagle would not delight so much in rapine and mans flesh as he doth but rather endeavour to be carried up to heaven that is o their ancient dignity the decayed and ruinated parts of the Empire 7. As the Eagle caught up Ganimedes so the wings of a great Eagle were given to the woman Revel. 12. to carry her from the Dragons persecution the great Eagle was the Roman Empire whereof Constantine was the head by whose power and help the Church was supported 8. Our Saviour Christ is the true Ganimedes the son of the great King the fairest among the sons of men the wisdom and counsell of the father in whom God delighted and was well pleased who by the power and on the wings of his Divinity was caught up to heaven where he is powring out his prayers and merits before God for us and like Aquarius to which Ganimedes was converted is powring down the plentifull showers of his grace upon us 9. Vespasian set up the image of Iupiter and Ganimedes caught by the Eagle in the Temple of peace so the image of God and heavenly raptures are found in that soul wherein is the peace of conscience 10. As the Eagle carried Ganimedes so Moses compareth God to an Eagle who carried the Israelites on his wings through the desert and S. Ambrose saith that a Christ is the Eagle who hath caught man from the jaws of Hell and hath carried him up to heaven God is a substance immateriall Whose love is not like ours we dote upon The peeling shell and outward fashion Of things but Gods love is spirituall The inward beauty he affects And outward vanity rejects A pleasing look a velvet skin Are toyes he takes no pleasure in Did Roses in our cheeks and Lillies dwell And were our dangling tresses gold our eyes Like twinkling Tapers in the rowling skies And did our breath like fragrant gardens smell Yet if we be not fair within But if our souls be stain'd with sin For all our outward form we are But like the painted Sepulchre Although our lips were like a Chrystall spring From which flow streams of sweetest Eloquence Which ravisheth the heart and charms the sence And though our tongues could like a Cymball ring Yea though the richest Magazine Of graces could in us be seen Yet if within we be but fair God will not for our outside care He is the fairest Ganymede whose minde Is pure and fair whose heart is white as snow Whose thoughts in whitenesse doth the Swans out-go Whose life is bright as gold that is refin'd He who hath these perfections Shall flye on Eagles pinions And shall be mounted far above All earthly things to serve great Jove But Christ is he whose beauty far excells The fading beauty of our humane race And from whose lips
flow silver streams of grace In whom all goodnesse and perfection dwels He was a harmlesse spotlesse Dove The Center of his Fathers love The object of my chief desires And he in whom my soul respires Who on the wing of his Divinity Was elevated far above our sight And now inhabits that eternall light Which with our mortall eyes we cannot see He Nectar of his merit pow'rs Before his Father and down show'rs On us his graces from above Out of the bottles of his love O if some cloud-dividing Eagle would Under my feet spread forth his airy wings And lift my minde from these inferiour things That I my God in glory might behold Lord let my prayer pierce the skies And from the bottles of mine eyes Receive the Nectar of my tears And drink them with thy gracious ears O if I could with Eagles pinions cleave The highest clouds and with their piercing eye Could my Redeemer in his glory see Triumphing over death and o're the grave And as the Eagles do repair To places where dead bodies are So where thy flesh is Lord let me Resort that I may feed on thee And when my soul shall leave this house of clay Command thy winged Messengers who still Are ready to obey thy blessed will To be my soul-supporters in that day And in the Resurrection When soul and body meets in one Let them uphold me then and there Where I shall meet thee in the air GENII THese were the sons of Iupiter and Terra in shape like men but of an uncertain sex every man had two from his nativitie waiting on him till his death the one whereof was a good Genius the other a bad the good ones by some are called Lares the bad Lemures and by Tertullian and his Commentator Pamelius they are all one with the Daemones they were worshipped in the forme of Serpents THE MYSTERIES GEnius a gignendo for by them we are ingenerated and so whatsoever is the cause or help of our generation may be called Genius thus the elements the heavens the stars nature yea the God of nature in whom we live move and have our being may be called Genii in a large sence and Genii quasi Geruli a gerendo vel ingerendo from supporting us or from suggesting good bad thoughts into the mind therfore gerulofiguli in Plautus is a a suggestor of lyes and so by these Genii may be understood the good and bad Angels which still accompanie us and by inward suggestion stir us up to good or evill actions The form of Serpents in which the b Geni were worshipped doth shew the wise and vigilant care which the Angels have over us when after this life they punish us for sins they are called c Manes Therefore the Genii were painted with a platter full of flowers and garlands in one hand and a whip in the other to shew that they have power both to reward punish us They have oftentimes appeared in the forme of men therefore they are painted like men but they have no sex nor do they procreate for which cause perhaps the fruitfull Palm tree was dedicated to them with which also they were crowned because they were held of a middle kind between Gods and men they were called the sons of Iupiter and earth or rather in reference to Plato's opinion which held Angels to be corporeall our souls also are Genii which from our birth to our death do accompanie our bodies every mans desire and inclination may be called his Genius to which it seemes the Poet alluded saying an sua cuique deus fit dira cupido and perhaps Aristotles intellectus agens is all one with Plato's Genius for without this we have no knowledge because the passive intellect depends in knowledge from the active in receiving the species from it which by the active intellect is abstracted from time place and other conditions of singularitie and this is all one as if we should say we receive no information of good or evill but from our Genius and as the Gentiles beleeved the stars to be Genii so the Jews thought them to be Angels and that they were living creatures therefore they worshipded them called them the hoast of heaven but indeed Christ is our true Genius the great Angel who hath preserved and guarded us from our youth by whom we are both generated regenerated the brasen Serpent from whom we have all knowledge who alone hath power to reward and punish us who appeared in the forme of man and in respect of his 2 natures was the son of Iupiter and Terra of God and earth and who will never forsake us as Socrates his Genius did him at last who came not to affright us or to bring us the message of death as Brutus his Genius did to him but to comfort us and to assure of eternall life let us then offer to him the sacrifice not of blood crueltie or oppression which the Gentiles would not offer to their Genius thinking it unfit to take away the life of any creature that day in which they had received life themselves but let us offer the wine of a good life and the sweet fumes of our prayer a and let us not offend this our Genius or deprive him of his due but make much of him by a holy life and though the Gentiles assigned unto every man his Genius and Iuno to the women yea we know that Christ is the Saviour and keeper both of men and women that with him there is no difference of sex To what high dignity and place Hath God advanc'd our humane race To whose beak and command He did subdue all things that creep And flye within the air and deep And move upon dry land Besides heavens blessed Harbingers Gods nimble-winged Meslengers Are with a watchfull eye By his appointment to defend Us from all hurt and to attend On us continually Lord send to me these winged Posts And guard me with these heavenly hoasts From Satans pollicies And let them with their shady wings Protect me from all hurtfull things And from mine enemies And let this hoste in squadrons flye Before me Lord unclose mine eye That I may see my guard How with their Tents they me inclose And how they fight against my foes And keep their watch and ward And let these be my Tutors to Instruct my minde what it must do And how it must obey O by these sacred Pursuvants Shew me thy just commandements And guide me in my way And let these comforters asswage The pains of this my pilgrimage In my last agony Let these swift-winged Legions Through all the starry regions My soul accompany And when the trump Angelicall Shall sound which must awake us all And raise us from our dust Let these intelligences bring Me to the presence of my King And place me with the just O thou great Angel who hath still Been my protector from all ill
Even from mine infancie Whom winged Heralds all adore With covered face be evermore A God and guide to me Thy help I did depend upon When I was but an Embryon Thou took'st the charge of me And when I suck't my mothers brest And ever since thou hast profest That thou my God wilt be O let me not go then astray Or with my sins drive thee away Or misbehaviour But as thou hast been still to me A Guardian so cease not to be My God and Saviour Inspire me with thy good motions That with my best devotions I may thee feed and feast I have prepar'd the sweet incense Of prayers and wine of innocence Come then and be my guest GIGANTES GIants were hairie and snakie footed men of a huge stature begot of the blood of Caelus and had earth for their mother they made war against Iupiter but were overcome at last by the helpe of Pallas Hercules Bacchus and Pan and were shot through by Apollo's and Diana's arrows THE MYSTERIES IF by Gyants we understand winds and vapors they have the Earth for their mother and Heaven for their father they are bred in the belly of the earth are begot of the raine which may be called the blood of heaven they may be sayd to war against Iupiter when they trouble the air and they were shot with Apollo's and Diana's arrows when the beames and influence of the Sun and Moon do appease and exhaust them 2. Notorious prophane men are Gyants and are begot of blood to shew their cruell dispositions and of earth because they are earthly minded their hairie bodyes and snakie feet do shew their rough savage and cunning disposition they war against Iupiter when they rebell against God with their wicked lives but Hercules and Pallas strength and wisdom overcome and subdue such monsters and oftentimes they are overthrown by Bacchus and Pan that is by wine and musick drunkennesse and pleasure at last prove the bane of these Gyants 3. Rebellious Catelins who oppose authoritie are harie snakie footed Gyants of a sanguinarie and cunning disposition warring against Magistrates which are Gods but at last come to a fearfull end 4. Arius and all such as appose the divinitie of Christ are like these Gyants warring against God but are overthrown with the thunder and arrows of Gods word 5. Let us take heed as S. Ambrose a exhorts us that we be not like these Gyants earthly minded pampering our flesh and neglecting the welfare of our soules and b so fall into contempt of God and his ordinances if we doat too much on earth wee shew that she is our mother and that she is too much predominant in us if we think to attain heaven and yet continue in sin and pleasure we mount our selves upon ambitious thoughts and do with the Gyants imponere Pelion Ossae climbe up on those high conceipts to pull God out of His Throne O how the serpent-footed Giants are Increased every where Opposing God and all his Ordinances And on high pitch'd fancies Scale heaven and fain would pull the holy one Down from his Chrystall throne They study to intrap and circumvent The just and innocent Their chief delight is in rebellion Rapine oppression They hunt and vex and persecute the good They shed and drink their blood They rent the Church of Chtist with Heresies They belch out blasphemies Against the son of that fair mother-maid By whom the world was made Who lodg'd within that maiden-cherubin Nine moneths to purge our sin From whose mouth issues out the two-edg'd sword Of his unconquered word With which he will cut off and quite subdue That proud and barbarous crue Great master-Gunner of heavens Ordinance Which makes thy lightnings glance And shakes earths pillars with loud roaring thunders Great Architect of wonders Fling down thy thunder-bolts and with thy darts Pierce all the Giants hearts Which would subvert our Church and State and King And all to ruine bring Which sorrow at the peace and union Of happy Albion Support me that I may not fall from grace With that Aetnean race And that I may not set my heart upon Earth and corruption And so neglect my soul the better part Lord humble so my heart That I may not so in my thoughts aspire As to incense thine ire And keep me from ambitious fantasies Proud words and lofty eyes And hold me back lest I should clamber on Cloud-neighbouring mountains of Presumption GORGONES These were the 3 daughters of Phoreus whose chief was Medusa she preferring her fine hairs to Minervas and profaning her Temple in playing the whore there with Neptune had her hair turned into snakes and her head cut off by Persius being armed with Minerva's shield Mercuri's helmet and wings and Vulcans sword this head Minerva still wore in her shield and whosoever looked on it was turned into a stone these Gorgones had fearful lookes but one eye and one tooth amongst them which continually they used as they had occasion they never used their eye at home but still abroad when Persius had got this eye he quickly overcame them they had also brasen hands and golden wings THE MYSTERIES Many men are like the Gorgons they are quick-sighted abroad but blind at home they spye moats in other mens eyes but not beames in their own 2. Satan deals with us as Persius did with Medusa he first steales away our knowledge then with the more ease he destroyes our soules 3. Wee see here in Medusa that pride sacriledge and whordome shall not go unpunished 4. From whence let us learne not to be proud of our beauty for all beauty like the Gorgons shall end in deformitie and as Abolous hair and Medusas here brought destruction on them so it may bring upon others and shall if they doat too much on it 5. The sight of these Gorgones turned men into stones and so many men are bereft of their sences and reason by doating too much on womens beauty 6. They that would get the mastery of Satan that terrible Gorgon must be armed as Persius was to wit with the helmet of Salvation the shield of faith and the sword of the word 7. Minerva by means of her shield on which was fastned Medusas head turned men to stones so the nature of wisdom is to make men solid constant unmovable 8. I wish that among Christians there were but one eye of faith and religion and one tooth one common defence that so they might be Gorgons indeed and terrible to the Turks their enemies that with a brasen hand they might crush the Mahumetans and with the golden wings of victorie they might fly again over those territories which they have lost 9. Medusa by seeing her own face in Persius his bright shield as in a glasse she fell into a deep sleepe and so became a prey to Persius so many falling in love with themselves grow insolent and carelesse and falling into the sleepe of securitie become a prey to their
spirituall enemie 10. If a woman once loose her modestie and honor be she never so fair she will seeme to wisemen but an ill-favored Gorgon he accounts her hair as snakes her beauty as deformitie 11. A Captain or whosoever will encounter with a snakiehaired Gorgon that is a subtile headed enemie stands in need of Minerva for wisdom of Mercurie for eloquence and expedition and of Vulcan for courage 12. Persius got the victorie over Gorgon by covering his face with the helmet that he might not be seen of her the best way to overcome the temptations of lewd women is to keep out of their sight and to make a covenant with our eyes 13. The Gorgons are like those that live at home a private life and so make no use of their eye of prudence till they be called abroad to some eminent place and publick office 14. They that have fascinating and bewitching eyes by which many are hurt and infected especially yong children may be called Gorgons and that such are both ancient records experience and reason doth teach us for from a malignant eye issues out infections vapors or spirits which make easie impressions on infants and tender natures therefore the Gentiles had the goddesse of cradles called Cunina to guard infants from fascination and we read that in Scythia and Pontus were women whose eyes were double balled killing and bewitching with their sight these were called Bithiae and Thibiae and they used the word praefiscine as a charme against fascination and in Africa whole familes of these fascinating haggs were wont to be and Thy eyes do shine And with divine Nectar thy lips doth flow If thy teeth orient Pearls were And were thy neck white ivory If Musk Perfume or rosed air Or Balm could vaporate from thee If heav'ns best peece thou wert Whose sweet aspect Could all subject And maze each mortall heart Yet shall these rare endowments all Prove in the end but vanity Sweet honey shall conclude in gall And beauty in deformity See then you be not proud Of that which must Be laid in dust Which Deaths black rail will shroud Take heed likewise you dote not on Medusa's face and golden locks For beauty hath kill'd many a one And metamorphos'd men to Rocks Then lest it should intice Thee guard thy self From this strange elf And hide thy wandring eyes Lend me the shield of faith O Lord And helmet of salvation And with thy Word that two-edg'd sword Cut off all foul infection Support me with thy grace And hide mine eyes Lest sin surprise Me with her Gorgons face O if there were but one fair eye Of faith truth and religion Amongst us O if we could flye With conquests golden pinion And if we could subdue With brasen hands Our captiv'd lands And circumcised crue Lord with thy watchfull eye so keep Thy servant from security That he may not be found asleep By his night-watching enemy So with thy grace prevent me Lest vanities My soul intice Then in the end torment me Great Captain of heavens winged troops Redoubted and victorious Knight To whose beck man and Angel stoops Who puts thy enemies to flight Who lets thine arrows flye And dies their wings In blood of Kings Who will not bow to thee Unsheath thy two-edg'd thundring sword Cut off the dreadfull Gorgons head Which hath bewitch'd my soul O Lord And with grim looks hath struck me dead Then will I sound thy praise And magnifie Thy Majesty And to thee Trophees raise GRATIAE THe graces were three sisters daughters of Iupiter and Euronyme they were fair naked holding each other by the hand having winged feet two of them are painted looking to wards us and one from us they waite upon Venus and accompanie the Muses THE MYSTERIES a SEneca and the Mythologists by the 3 graces understand 3 sorts of benefits some given some received and some returnd back upon the benefactor two look towards us and one hath her face from us because a good turne is oftentimes double requited They hold each other by the hand because in good turnes there should be no interruption they are naked or as others write their garment is thin and transparent because bountie should stil be joyned with sinceritie their smiling face shew that gifts should be given freely they are still yong because the remembrance of a good turne should never grow old they have winged feete to shew that good turnes should be done quickly bis dat qui cito dat 2. They that will be bountifull must take heed they exceed not least they make themselves as naked as the graces are painted there is a meane in all things and no man should go beyond his strength he may be bountifull that hath Euronyme for his wife that is large possessions and patrimonies as the word signifieth 3. There be many unthankfull people who are content still to receive benefits but never returne any these are they that strip the Graces of their garments and have reduced free-harted men to povertie 4. The Graces are called in Greek Charites a from joy or from health and safety and they still accompanie the Muses Mercurie and Venus to shew that where learning eloquence and love are conjoyned there will never be wanting true joy health and contentment 5. I thinke by the three Graces may be meant three sorts of freindship to wit honest pleasant and profitable honest and pleasant freindships which are gtounded on vertue and delight looke toward us because they both aime at our good but profitable freindship lookes from us as aiming more at her own gaine then our weale which as Seneca sayth is rather traffick then friendshipp but all friendshipp should be naked and without guile and hypocrisie like the Graces still yong and cheerefull and still nimble and quick to helpe 6. By the three graces I suppose also may be meant the three companious of true love of which b Arist. speaks to wit 1 good wil or benevolence 2 concord or consent of minds idem velle et idem nolle 3 bountie or beneficence these three like three graces looke on upon another and hold each other by the hand these ought to be naked pure still yong and where these three are sound to wit good will concord and bountie there shall not be wanting the three Graces that is c Thalia a flourishing estate 2. Agliae honour or glorie 3. Euphrosyne true joy and comfort for these are the hand-maids of love 7. Faith hope and charitie are the three divine graces pure and unspotted Virgins daughters of the great God sincere and naked without guile looking upon on another and so linked together that here in this life they cannot be separated one from the other but there positure is somewhat different from the other Graces for of the other two look on us the third hath her back to us but in these three divine sisters one only looketh to us to wit charitie the other two