display'd From whom they receiue names as Day-Stars some Nocturnal others but the most part come Styl'd by his course Orientall those we call That moue from his Vp-rise they from his Fall Are Occidental Other Stars put on Names from the South and the Septentrion The Potestates their pow'r or'e things Inferior To mannage and dispose from the Superior Of all aboue 's immediately receiue Ev'n so the Sun shines only by his leaue The light it giues is but a shadow meere Of His that is so ' vnspeakeably cleere In Glory that all Glory doth transcend Which Humane Eye can no way comprehend And so his borrow'd lustre doth disperse To Men to Beasts and the whole Vniuerse The Potestates with things below dispense Without all tyrannie or violence The Sunne doth shine with amitie and loue On all alike and with the Starre of Iove Bee'ng in conjunction Mans minde it inflames With honour and to purchase glorious names Inspires with magnitude and claritie And these without all force or tyrannie By speculation in the Sun we see The glorious Trinity in Vnitie We from the Body or the Substance gather The Diuine Essence of th' Almighty Father In his bright Splendor we the Sonne include Who is the sole and onely Pulchritude The third proceeding persons God as great We see it plainly figured in his Heat Our Sauiour when he would exemplifie To vs his Fathers Power and Majestie Did it by this bright Planet Perfect be As is your Father that 's in Heav'n saith he Who causeth that his Sonne alike doth rise Vpon the Good and Bad. We must deuise In the next place how we may mak 't appeare The Principates with Venus Star cohere As she from all antiquitie hath been Styl'd by th' imagin'd name of Beauties Queene Because by obseruation euerie creature Borne vnder her she doth endow with feature Faire shape Good-grace and Amabilitie All which to her disposures best agree Ev'n so the Principates striue to bring neare To God himselfe whose Image they do beare All Soules beneath their charge make them to be Partakers of his Diuine Claritie For than Gods Image nothing is more bright Or more to ougly darkenesse opposite As the Platonicks vnder Venus name Including Loue make him the cause this Frame Was first by God built which from Chaos rude Was brought by him to this rare pulchritude Than which nothing more louely can be thought Whose gouernment 's as rare as comely wrought And that there 's nothing can more ougly be Than is Confusion and Deformitie So by the Principates as many hold Empires and States are gouern'd and controll'd Kingdomes well mannag'd They are like a border To guard without and what 's within to order Lest Fire or Sword or any mutinous storme Where they preserue should study to deforme 'T is to their office pertinent by right To keepe all things in Beauty and good plight These Principates are Dukes and Captaines styl'dâ— Yet are they not alone listed and fyl'd Vnder these Titles The Dominion claimes And Potestates the honour of these names The Principate for his rare Pulchritude The Domination for his Magnitude And for his Claritie the Potestate Antesignani writers nominate And vnto them these great names hauing shar'd Iupiter Sol and Venus are compar'd Iove because his infusion doth assure The most compleat and perfect temperature Venus because from her coelestiall place She doth dispose of beauty and good grace The Sun set 'gainst the Potestates so bright Because he is the Lord that gouernes Light The concordance that the Arch-Angels haue With Mercury doth now by order craue The place succeeding Intermediate Th' are 'twixt the Angell and the Principate From the superior Classes these receiue Their Diuine Mandates which beeng done they leaue The execution of his sacred will Vnto the Angels their Attendants still Moreouer as th' Arch-Angels eminent In place are seldome in Embassage sent Vnlesse some weighty matter to declare But by their ordination th' Angels are More frequently employ'd 'twixt God and Man Ev'n so who Mercury shall truly skan Will finde That Them he in that kinde comes neere For to what Star or Planet whatsoe're He doth apply himselfe their strength their state Their force he doth so liuely imitate As if he alter'd nature to the end That his owne influence might on theirs depend Therefore the Poets did on him confer The name of Hermes or Interpreter Vnto the gods Of him one Author writes Bee'ng in conjunction with the Sun he'accites To heate and drowth he in the Moone breeds cold With Saturne he makes wise with Mars Men bold And when he doth to Venus rise or set They 'twixt them two Hermophrodites beget Besides this Star as wisely one relates Seldome to Man himselfe communicates As by the eyes of Mortals rarely seene The Poets tell vs That he oft hath been Sent to the gods on embassy as when To Somnus in his darke Cimerian den To call thence Morpheus and to Maia ' his mother And often betwixt one god and another But to Man seldome Now we must deuise To know what apt coherences may rise 'Twixt Angels and the Moone Th' are lowe'st and least And in their later ranke conclude the rest Next they the true proprietie retaine Belonging to all Spirits And againe That sacred name is fitly to them giuen Because they are more often sent from heauen Than others of more eminent degree Hauing conuerst with men familiarly Besides all mundane businesse and affaires Committed are vnto their charge and cares All these conditions plainly't doth appeare Miraculously vnto the Moone adhere For she of all the Planets is the last In a degree below the others plac't As bringing vp the Number She is then An errant Star next Planet to vs Men. Thirdly the neerer that she hath her station The more her influence and operation Hath power on earth and the more various she Is in her change the more effects there be Proceeding from her Nauigators steere Their course by her as she or fills her Spheere Or empties it Astrologers enqueere From her in their conjectures sicke and craz'd Are as she works either cast downe or rais'd By her the spacious Ocean ebbs and flowes By her the skilfull Gard'ner plants and fowes So of the rest and in this sympathee The Moone thus with the Angels doth agree That when from the superior Stars she'hath ta'ne Her influ'ence she deliuers it againe Into Mans seuerall parts there reignes as Queene Such a faire correspondence haue the prime And chiefe of Angels with the Heav'ns sublime Or those which we call highest Like condition The middle Ternion hath and disposition With the mid Heav'ns for so at first 't was cast And the third Chorus with the third and last For as the first and supreme Heav'ns are sway'd By one sole motion so it may be sayd The supreme Angels of the highest Throne Haue their
there is a God or beleeue him to be what he is not or knowing despise him by which they become as negligent in Humane actions as carelesse of Diuine From hence arise wicked cogitations blasphemous speeches and nefarious proiects al which are abhominable in the sight of God and man as in all their refractorie courses professing no reuerence or regard of the Creator by which they can haue no commerce with any thing that is essentially good or honest In Athens a strict Edict was made That all such as were proued to be Divum Contemptores i. Scorners or Despisers of the gods should be conuented before the Areopagitae and beeing conuicted their goods were sold at a publique out-cry and their irreligions grauen vpon pillars to make their persons odible Those also who aimed their iniuries and insolencies against their Parents Countries or any superiour Magistrates were not onely branded with infamie but their bodies punished with great seueritie Of the former Iuvenal thus speakes Sunt qui infortunae iam casibus omnia ponunt Et nullo credunt mundum rectore moveri Natura volvente vices lucis anni Atque ideo intrepid◠quaecunque altaria tangunt Some all the Power to Chance and Fortune giue And no Creator of the world beleeue Say Nature guide's the Sun's course and the yeare These touch the holy Altars without feare What may we thinke then of Cheopes King of Egypt remembred by Herodotus who caused all the Temples throughout his Prouinces to be fast shut and barred vp left any of his people should offer diuine sacrifice vnto the gods We reade likewise of Diagoras melius before spoken of who flourished in the eightie eighth Olympiad This Man because he persuaded the People from the worship of their gods was not onely banished Athens the city wherein he taught but after his confinement a Talent was proposed for a reward to him that would kill him These and the like were no doubt altogether ignorant That man was created for the seruice of God and That there can be no surer signe of the imminent ruine of a Kingdome and Commonweale than Contempt of Religion of which saith Basil no Creature is capable but Man onely Where no Religion resteth there can be no vertue abiding saith Saint Augustine Therefore the first Law that ought to be imposed on man is The practise of Religion and Pietie for if wee did truely apprehend the vertue thereof from thence the Voluptuous man would suppresse his pleasures the Couetous man acquire his wealth the Proud man deriue his felicitie and the Ambitious man his glory being the Bodies health and the Soules happinesse and indeed the onely mean to fill the empty corners of the heart and satisfie the vnlimited affects of the Desire Iosephus Langius reporteth That diuers learned and religious men supping together by appointment a profest Philosopher or rather a prophane Atheist had intruded himselfe among them who in all his arguing and discourse spake in the contempt of Religion and the Soules future felicitie often vttering these words Coelum Coeli Domino Terram autem dedit filijs hominum i. Leaue Heauen to the Lord of heauen but the Earth he gaue to the sons of men At length he was strooke with an extraordinarie iudgement being tormented at once in all the parts and members of his body so that he was forced to exclaime and cry ô Deus ô Deus ô God ô God Which the rest obseruing one of them vpbraided him in these words Thinkest thou ô Naturall man to contemne so great a Deitie and to vilifie his holy Ordinance and escape vnpunished Whom another thus seconded Do'st thou now begin to distrust thy philosphy and to call vpon and complain vnto him whom til now thou either wouldst not or didst not know Why do'st thou not suffer that Lord of heauen to rest quietly in that heauen which he hath made but that thou thus importunest him with thy clamours Where is now thy Coelum Coeli Domino c. Lucian of whom I before gaue a short Character was sirnamed Samosatensis because borne in Samosata a city scituate not far from Euphrates he was called Blasphemus Maledicus and Atheos He liued in the time of Traianus Caesar and was at first an Aduocate or Lawyer and practised at Antioch a city in Syria but it seemes not thriuing by his parsimonious and close-fisted Clients he forsooke that profession and retyred himselfe though to a lesse profitable yet a more pleasing study namely to be a follower of the Muses Volaterranus reports of him That hee was a Christian but after prooued a Renegade from that Faith and being demanded Why he turned Apostata his answer was That he had gained nothing by that profession more than one bare syllable added to his name being christened Lucianus where before his name was plaine Lucius His death as the best approued Authors relate of him was wretched and miserable for walking late in the euening hee was assaulted by band-dogs and by them worried and torne in pieces A most condigne punishment inflicted vpon him because in his life time he spared not to snarle against the Sauiour of the world And me-thinkes the Epitaph which hee composed vpon his owne Timon of Athens syrnamed Misanthropos i. Man-hater might not vnproperly be conferred vpon himselfe Hic iaceo vita miseraque Inopique solutus Nomen ne quaeras sed male tale peri. Here do I lie depriv'd of life Most miserable and poore Do not demand my name I dy'de Remember me no more Superfluous it were to make much forreine inquisition abroad seeing so many domesticke iudgements at home Far be it from me to iudge but rather to feare that many of them haue beene made remarkable among vs by reason of Irreligion and Atheism I forbeare to nominate any both for the dignitie of their places and greatnesse of their persons yet hath it beene no more than a nine dayes wonder to see the losse of heads the breaking of necks from horses some pistolled when they haue beene least prepared some stab'd with their own poniards others prouiding halters for their owne necks a sonne thrusts his sword through the womb of the mother which conceiued him one brother insidiates the life of another the husband hath killed his wife the wife slaine her husband and both of them their children the master his seruant the seruant his master the mistresse her maid the maid her mistresse And what can all these be but the fruits of the neglecting of the Lord God and the contempt of his Sabboth Much to be lamented it is that these things should be so frequent amongst Christians nay our owne kingdome when euen the Ethnicke Poets in their writings haue exprest not only an honour due to their gods but euen vnto the daies dedicated vnto their memories Plautus vseth these words Quod in diuinis rebus sumas sumptus sapienti lucro est c. i. That which a
loth is to communicate He by the mouthes of our forefathers and The holy Prophets who did vnderstand His sacred will The Scriptures hath so fram'd To haue his Singularitie oft nam'd As thus Because the Lord is God alone Peculiar and besides him there is none Againe O Israel attend and heare The Lord thy God is One him thou shalt feare The God of gods I heare the Psalmist say Doth only worke great wonders Him obey For 'mongst the gods none 's like him Go and tell Saith he vnto my people Israel I am the Lord thy God and none but I Who brought thee from th' AEgyptian slauerie And from the house of Bondage set thee free Therefore thou shalt adore no God saue me Lycurgus in the Proëm of his Lawes To the Locrenses not without great cause These following words prefixt Needfull it were That all the people which inhabit here Should be persuaded There 's one God aboue By whom all liuing Creatures breathe and moue Who as in all his Works he is exprest So is he not the least made manifest In our inspection to the Worlds great frame The Heauen and goodly order of the same Be no man of that stupid ignorance To thinke that such things are dispos'd by chance The gluttons Belly is his god the cause In that his Appetite prescribes him Lawes The griping Auaritious man hath sold His Soule so dearely bought to purchase Gold Voluptuous men solely deuote to Lust Their Idol's Venus for in her they trust Th' Ambitious his All-Honour'd makes his Fame As before Gods preferring his owne Name And is not he vaine Studies doth prefer Before his Christ a meere Idolater And do not all those that ought higher prise Than Him to Idols offer sacrifise But he that shall beleeue in him aright Shall haue accesse to his Eternall Light When those that haue Religion in disdaine And Pietie in contempt and so remaine They striue to haue no being to their shame And to returne to nothing whence they came All such as are not numbred 'mongst the Saints Whom euill thoughts possesse and Sinne supplants Haue lost themselues as hid behinde a Skreene How then can the least part of them be seene But those that through their Sauiour proue victorious They in Heauens kingdome shall be great and glorious Two Principles as some Philosophers write There are Eternall both and Infinite Makers of things yet in their Natures vary As being in themselues meere contrary Their error note If two such in their prime Of power should haue existence at one time Since two so great must greater be than one Euen in that clause the Infinite is gone Being distinct in number and diuided Needs must they be by seuerall motions guided One borrowes not of the other for majoritie Being equall two there can be no prioritie And contrary as I before haue said In opposition they must needs inuade Th' agreeing Fabricke and so without cease Disturbe old Natures long-continued peace Neither from these two Equalls can arise A third this their great strife to compromise Againe If two one needlesse is and vaine Or as we call it Empty Now 't is plaine That Nothing cannot haue in Nature place For she hath Vacuum in continuall chase And is at war with 't Therefore I hope none But will confesse a Godhood and that one One Monarch of the world the great Effector Of all therein sole Parent and Protector All such as of their multiplicitie speake Disable them as wanting power and weake As if nought gouer'nd were that hath been made Which One can do without anothers aid Him only a true Monarch we may call That hath no parted kingdome but swayes all But where a Principalitie misguided Is amongst seuerall Optimates diuided It needs must follow In no One can be An absolute and exact soueraignty For none of these but by vsurping dare Challenge the whole where each haue but a share There is a certaine Bound which circumscribes His Iurisdiction Each hath seuerall Tribes To gouerne and dispose Should we agree In many gods it then perforce must be concluded There can be no Soueraigne Minde Since euery one hath but his Lot assign'd When as of Power it is the true condition Not to be ty'de to stint or exhibition But as the sole Supreme and Principall Guiding disposing comprehending all If God be perfect he can be but one As hauing all things in himselfe alone The more you make the more you shall depraue Their Might and Potencie as those that haue Their vertue scanted so allow not any Since all things cannot be contain'd in Many By which 't is manifest Those that maintaine More gods than one be people vile and vaine In the like blasphemy ready to fall With the dam'nd Atheist who knowes none at all The Manichees they hold a strange opinion That two betwixt them share the high Dominion Who as they did create so guide it still One Good disposeth and the other Ill. The first is Lord of Light and gouernes Day The last of Night and Darknesse beares chiefe sway One Heate in charge hath and the other Cold Yet who by daily proofe doth not behold That by the sole and Diuine Prouidence Man with all Creatures of them both hath sence And from them comfort That the Night for rest Was made to cheare Man wearied and opprest As well as Day whose cheerefull light prepares Vs to our needfull and best knowne affaires Do we not see from what we counted bad Much good to vs great solace hath been had Againe That seeming Good forg'd by the Deuill Hath been to vs th' occasion of much euill Heauens blessings let vs taste in their communitie Ascribing all praise to the God of Vnitie This sempiternall Minde this Consummate And absolute Vertue that did all create This Power who in himselfe hath his Stabilitie Maiestie Wisedome Strength and true Soliditie From whose Sublimitie no man 's so mad To thinke he can detract To whom none adde This of himselfe all Fulnesse all Satietie Is then the sole Incomprehensible Deitie Sometimes what 's proper vnto Man alone Is giuen to this Trias three in One As when we attribute vnto him Wings It straight vnto our aphrehension brings How he protects and shadowes vs. If Eares With what facilitie and grace he heares Our deuout Prayers And when his Arme stretcht out That of his Power and Strength we should not doubt His Finger nam'd doth to the world auer His Vertue and that no Artificer Can worke like him His Skill The glorious frame Of this great Machine doth to all proclaime His Face sometimes his presence doth imply Sometimes his fauour and benignitie If we reade Wrath we must consider then Those Iudgements that impend o're sinfull men And with what terror when they come they fall His Hand doth vnto our remembrance call His
tooke Hermes on her knee Danc't him sung to him and vpon him smil'd And vow'd she neuer saw so sweet a child To take him as her owne she then decreed And call'd for milke the pretty Babe to feed But when him to be Maia's Son she knew By Iupiter the Lad from her she threw And call'd him Bastard and began to frowne And in her rising cast the Pitcher downe Spilt was the Milke and wheresoe're it lyte The place appeares than all the rest more white The golden Ramme styl'd Prince of all the Signes Rising his Crest he tow'ards the East inclines In th' AEquinoctiall Circle with his head Reacheth Deltoton with his feet doth tread Vpon the Pistrix Thus his story was Phrixus and Helles bred from Athamas And Nebula were at domesticke strife With their proud Step-dame and pursu'd her life But thence cast out into the Woods they came Where wandring long their Mother brought a Ramme Who mounting on his backe she bids them fly They take the sea but soone the winde growes high And the waues troubled Helles is afraid Le ts go her hold and then downe slides the Maid The angry billowes her of life bereaue She forc't her name vnto that Sea to leaue But Phrixus to the Isle of Colchos steeres And when arriv'd before the King appeares Who for he had so past and scap'd the Brine There offered vp the Beast at Mars his Shrine But the rich Fleece whose euery haire was gold Which did amase King Octa to behold He left to him which with such care he kept That to a monstrous Dragon that ne're slept He gaue the charge thereof till Iafon landed Who the swift Argo at that time commanded But by Medea's aid as most auer He bore from Colchos both the Fleece and her Some thinke the Ramme therefore immortalis'd By reason that when Bacchus enterpris'd An expedition into Africa And was distrest for water by the way A Ram was seene out of the Sands to make Whom they pursu'd but could not ouertake Till he had brought them vnto Fountaines cleare Which hauing done he did no more appeare Bacchus who thought him as Diuinely sent Because his Army was nigh tyr'd and spent With heate and thirst and by that means preserv'd Who else in that wilde Desart had been starv'd To Iupiter call'd Ammon there erected A stately Temple and withall directed His Statue rear'd that for the Beasts more grace They on his forehead two Rams hornes should place For so we finde him figur'd Why the Bull Hath place aboue Some thinke because Ioves Trull Europa he from Sidon into Creet Transwafted whilest the waue ne're toucht her feet Some hold him rather for that Beast of note On whom Pasiphae did so madly dote Others for Iö in an Heifers shape By Iove transform'd Queene Iuno's rage to scape The reason is because the head 's sole seene The hinder parts as hid behinde a Skreene He lookes vpon the East and in his face The Hyades fiue Sisters haue their place They Nurses vnto Bacchus haue been thought Call'd the Dodonean Nymphs and thither brought By his great Power Nor are they seen in vain Who neuer rise but they portend some raine They were call'd Atlas Daughters and tooke name From their sole brother Hyas who to tame A Lion striuing was depriv'd of breath For whom the Sisters wept themselues to death The Pleiades they be in number seuen Deare Sisters and together shine in heauen Six only seen at once The reason why Six with the gods congrest but one did ly With Sisiphus a Mortall for which reason She hides her face as had she done some treason The Gemini who louingly embrace Take on the right hand of Auriga place Aboue Orion who his rise begins In the mid place betwixt the Bull and Twinnes Such as deepe knowledge in the Stars professe Castor and Pollux call them Others ghesse Them to be Zeâ—us and Amphion who Were most kinde Brothers To which some say no But that Triptolimus and Iasion claime Scite in that Orbe and in the Heauens the name But of the first th' opinion best doth please And that they are the two Tindarides Brothers to Hellen two the most entire That e're could yet boast of Coelestiall Fire They in their life the Seas from Pyrats freed And after death it was by Iove decreed To set them so that from their glorious Sphere They may behold what euer is done there To curle or calme the Ocean they haue power To cleare the Aire or dampe it with a shower To tosse the Robbers ships on shelues and sands And steere the Merchants safe to forrein lands In Wracks they can preserue in stormes appease No stars haue more dominion on the Seas O're which th' are knowne to beare such watchfull eies That when one sets the other 's seene to rise The AEstiue Circle Cancer doth diuide Iust in the middle but a little wide From Hydra yet aboue his eyes reflect Directly on the Lions sterne aspect But why the Crab should be allow'd his Sphere It may be askt I 'le tell you what I heare When mighty Hercules did vndertake To combat Hydra neere the Lernian Lake As with his club he made the Monster reele This crept behinde and pincht him by the heele At which the Prince more angry for bee'ng stayd In his hot sight lookt backe to see what aid Hydra had got and when the Câ—ab he spy'd A Worme so base his fury was supply'd Then with a looke of anger mixt with scorne He stamp'd vpon 't vntill he saw it torne And shatter'd all to pieces with one spurne Halfe burying it in th' earth Then did he turne Againe vpon the Monster nor withdrew Till Hydra with her numerous heads he slew This seene by Iuno who the Crab had sent To vex the Heroë she incontinent The limbes disperst did suddenly combine And plac'd it one amongst the Twelue to shine Who beares vpon him Stars that shine but dull Call'd Asini yet make his number full The cause of their translation thus we read When all the gods assembled and made head Against the Gyants in that glorious war Where hills and rockes were tost and throwne from far It is remembred how amongst the rest To take the gods part Liber Pater prest Satyres and Sylvâ—nes Shepheards he from Pan And Neatheards tooke not sparing god nor man That neere to him were knowne to haue abode Not his owne Priests and they on Asses rode Now when the battell was to ioyne the cry On both sides 'gan to mount vp to the Sky At which the poore beasts much affrighted they Aboue the rest were loudly heard to bray The Gyants hearing it not knowing whence That noise should come began to hatch suspence How Iove had made of such strange Monsters choice Whose strengths perhaps might match that horrid voice Which made
firmament Hee is called for his loue to Musicke the Musical Signe and is beautified with nine bright stars according to the number of the Muses Andromedae vero radiat quae stella sub ipsa Albo fulget AEquus tres Hormo sed latera AEquus Distingunt spatijs The Horse is called Equus dimidius because his fore-parts are onely seene and the rest concealed Aratus saith that he was made a Star Because that in the top of the Heliconian mountaine striking a rocke with his right hoofe he brought forth water which after grew to a Well dedicated to the Muses and the liquor thereof called Hypocrene But Euripides would confer this honour vpon Menalippe the daughter of Chiron who according to the Centaure her fathers shape was halfe Mare halfe Maid She being stuprated and growing great as ready to be deliuered fled into the Mount Pelion to secure her selfe from the displeasure of her father and being pittied by the gods was lifted vp amongst the Signes bearing an Equinall shape but her hinder parts for modesties sake are altogether obscured and concealed Est etiam propriore deum cognoscere signo Deltoton si quis donum hoc spectabile Nili Divitibus veneratum vndis in sede notarit Aboue the head of the Ram not far from the feet of Andromeda bordereth that Signe which the Greekes for the resemblance that it hath to the letter Delta call Deltoton but the Latines in regard of the propernesse of the forme name it Triangulum a Triangle Some say it is the figure of AEgypt proportioned out in Stars in Trigono or three angles The channell also of Nilus as some say disposeth it selfe after the same forme It was placed where it now shines by Mercury at the command of Iupiter Diverso posita Boreae vicina legenti Auster Pistrix agit Vnder Aries and Pisces and aboue the Floud Padus or Eridanus is Pistrix or the Whale placed in the region of the starry Heauen This is said to be the Sea Monster sent to Cepheus by the enuy of the Nereides because Cassiopeia and Andromeda preferred their owne beauties before theirs who was slaine by Perseus Planxere ignotes Asiae Phaetondides vndis Eridanus medius liquidis interjacet Astris The Floud placed beneath the Whale in the region of the heauen to which the right foot of Orion is extended of Aratus and Pherecides is called Eridanus Padus and therefore there seated because it directeth his channell and course towards the parts Meridionall But Hesiod giueth his reason and saith It was so honoured for Phaeton the sonne of Phoebus and Climene who ascending the Chariot of his father and being lifted so exceeding high from the earth through feare fell from his seat being also strook with a bolt by Iupiter into the floud Padus or Eridanus when by that meanes all things were set on fire and began to burne all the springs and riuers of the earth were let loose to extinguish the same Which made such a deluge that it ouerflowed the whole face of the earth by which means all mankind was said to perish sauing Deucalion and Pyrrha The sisters of Phaeton after extreme weeping and lamenting for their brother were changed into Poplar trees and their teares hardned into Amber They were called Heliades and their names Merope Helie AEgle AEgiale Petre Phoebe Cherie Diosippe Cignus also K. of Liguria a neere kinsman of theirs in his depth of lamentation for Phaeton was metamorphised into a Swan from whom al Swans borrow their sad mournfull notes Some thinke this floud to be Nilus which is also Gyon and therefore stellified because it directeth his course from the Meridian It consisteth of many stars and lieth iust beneath the star called Canopus or Ptolomaea and toucheth some part of the Argoe or Ship It appeareth very low insomuch that it seemeth almost to touch the earth for which cause it is stiled Stella terrestris c. Sic vtrumque oritur sic occidit in freta sidus Tu parvum Leporem perpende sub Orione Lepus the Hare hath place beneath the feet of Orion and his Dog for those that feigned him to be an Huntsman so fashioned it that the Hare lieth beneath his feet Some deny that so great and noble a Hunter as Orion should spend his time in the chase of so fearefull and wretched a beast as the Hare Callimachus in speaking of the praise of Diana accuseth him for taking too much delight in killing Hares Some affirme she was translated into the Heauens by Mercury as Aratus in his Phenom for her extraordinarie velocitie and swiftnesse or else for her fruitfulnesse bringing forth some young and hauing others still immature in her belly for so Aristotle reporteth of her It is said also That in the antient times in the Island called Hiera there were no Hares at all but that a yong man of that City got a yong Liueret from a forreine countrey and brought it vp being a female till it was deliuered of young ones By whose example others making him their president fell into the like care of breeding them who in short time increased into a great multitude but the city being distressed by a narrow streight siege they were inforced to deuoure them all whom before they had so indulgently cherished Yet was the figure of the Hare after placed in the Firmament to put men in minde That no man ought to take too much pleasure in any thing least the losse of it after might breed their greater sorrow Tela caput magnisque humeris sic baltheus ardet Sic vagina ensis pernici sic pede fulget Orion who is also called Incola shineth before the Bull and deriueth his name ab Vrina or the inundation of waters He riseth in the Winter season disturbing both earth and sea with shoures and tempests The Romans call him Iugula because he is armed with a sword and sheweth bright and terrible in the splendor of his stars who if he appeare portendeth faire weather if hee be obscured stormes and tempest Hesiod maketh him the sonne of Neptune and Euriale to whom his father gaue that vertue to walk as stedfastly vpon the sea as the land Who comming to Chios comprest Merope the daughter of Oenopion for which iniurie Oenopion surprised him and put out his eyes banishing him from his confines Hee after comming to Lemnos by Apollo was restored to his sight and returning to Chios to auenge himselfe vpon his enemie the father of Merope who by the people of his Citie was hid in the earth him Orion not finding trauelled ouer into Creet where hunting and making hauocke of the Game was reprehended by Diana To whom he made answer That ere he departed from that Island he would not leaue one beast liuing vpon the mountains For which arrogant language Tellus or the Earth being much displeased sent a Scorpion of an vnmeasurable greatnesse which
much happier were that man On whom the prouidence of Heav'n would daine A gracious looke These words were spoke so plaine The Prince o're-heard them and commanded both To come to Court The silly men were loth Fearing they 'had spoke some treason Brought they were Into a stately roome and placed there In two rich chaires and iust before them spread A table with two bak'd meats furnished Both without difference seeming alike faire One cram'd with Gold other nought saue Aire For these they two cast lots To him that said He that trusts Heav'n that man is only made Hapned the Gold To the other that said Well Shall he thriue that trusts man th' empty fell The Emperor made this vse on 't Lords you see What a great Traine hourely depends on me I looke on all but cannot all preferre That in my seruice merit Nor do I erre 'T is their fate not my fault such onely rise By me on whom Heav'n bids me cast mine eyes How comes it that a Poet shall contriue A most elaborate Worke to make suruiue Forgotten Dust when no King shall expire But he brings fuell to his funerall fire No Optimate falls from the Noble throng But he records his Elegeicke Song In mourning papers and when all decayes Herse Shewes and Pompe yet That resounds his praise Of euery Match and Royall Combination His Pen is ready to make publication When all proue ag'd forgotten and blowne o're His Verse is still as youthfull as before And sounds as sweetly though it now seeme dead To after-Times it shall be euer read What 's Gentry then Or Noblesse Greatnesse what The Ciuill Purple or the Clergy Hat The Coronet or Mitre Nay the Crowne Imperiall What 's Potencie Renowne Ovations Triumphs with victorious Bayes Wisedome or Wealth Can these adde to thy dayes Inquire of Roman Brutus syrnam'd Iust Or Salomon the Wise they both are Dust. Learn'd Aristotle Plato the Diuine From Earth they came and Earth they now are thine Where are the Worthies where the Rich or Faire All in one common bed involved are Mans Life 's a Goale and Death end of the race And thousand sundry wayes point to the place From East the West the North the South all come Some slow some swift-pac'd to this generall Doome Some by the Wars fall some the Seas deuoure Certaine is Death vncertaine though the Houre Some die of Loue others through Griefe expire Beneath cold Arctos these they by the Fire The Torrid Zone casts forth forc'd to endure The scorching and contagious Calenture Some the Spring takes away and some the Fall Winter and Sommer others and Death All. Consider well the miserie of Man And weigh it truly since there 's none but can Take from his owne and others thousand wayes But yet not adde one minute to their dayes For now the Conqueror with the Captiue's spread On one bare Earth as on the common Bed The all-commanding Generall hath no span Of ground allow'd more than the Priuat man Folly with Wisedome hath an equall share The Foule and Faire to like Dust changed are This is of all Mortalitie the end Thersites now with Nereus dares contend And with Achilles He hath equall place Who liuing durst not looke him in the face The Seruant with the Master and the Maid Stretcht by her Mistresse both their heads are laid Vpon an equall pillow Subiects keepe Courts with Kings equall and as soft they sleepe Lodging their heads vpon a turfe of grasse As they on Marble or on figur'd Brasse Blinde Homer in the graue lies doubly darke Against him now base Zoylus dares not barke To him what attributes may we then giue And other Poets by whom all these liue Who as their putrid flesh is long since rotten So in their Sepulchres had lay'n forgotten Like common men had not their Muse high-flying Kept both these Worthies and themselues from dying How in these dayes is such a man regarded No not so much as Oile or Inke rewarded Yet shall a Sycophant or ballading Knaue If he but impudence and gay cloathes haue Can harpe vpon some scurrilous Iest or Tale Though fifteene times told and i th' City stale Command a Great mans eare perhaps be able To prefer Sutes and elbow at his table Weare speaking pockets boast Whom he doth serue When meriting men may either beg or starue Past Ages did the antient Poets grace And to their swelling stiles the very place Where they were borne denomination leant Publius Ovidius Naso had th' ostent Of Sulmonensis added and did giue The Dorpe a name by which it still doth liue Publius Virgilius likewise had th' addition Of Maro to expresse his full condition Marcus Annaeus Lucanus Seneca Bore title from his city Corduba Caius Pedo was styl'd Albinovanus Aurelius Olympius Nemesianus Some from the nature of their Poëms Thus Caius Lucilius was call'd Satyrus So Livius Andronicus Epicus And Lucius Accius syrnamed Tragicus c. Some from their seuerall Countries because they Were forrein borne Terens from Africa Is Publius Terentius Afer read Titus Calphurnius Siculus as bred In Sicily So many others had And that for sundry causes meanes to add Vnto their first for with their worth encreast Their stiles the most grac'd with three names at least◠Our moderne Poets to that passe are driuen Those names are curtal'd which they first had giuen And as we wisht to haue their memories drown'd We scarcely can afford them halfe their sound Greene who had in both Academies ta'ne Degree of Master yet could neuer gaine To be call'd more than Robin who had he Profest ought saue the Muse Serv'd and been Free After a seuen yeares Prentiseship might haue With credit too gone Robert to his graue Marlo renown'd for his rare art and wit Could ne're attaine beyond the name of Kit Although his Hero and Leander did Merit addition rather Famous Kid Was call'd but Tom. Tom. Watson though he wrote Able to make Apollo's selfe to dote Vpon his Muse for all that he could striue Yet neuer could to his full name arriue Tom. Nash in his time of no small esteeme Could not a second syllable redeeme Excellent Bewmont in the formost ranke Of the rar'st Wits was neuer more than Franck. Mellifluous Shake-speare whose inchanting Quill Commanded Mirth or Passion was but Will. And famous Iohnson though his learned Pen Be dipt in Castaly is still but Ben. Fletcher and Webster of that learned packe None of the mean'st yet neither was but Iacke Deckers but Tom nor May nor Middleton And hee 's now but Iacke Foord that once were Iohn Nor speake I this that any here exprest Should thinke themselues lesse worthy than the rest Whose names haue their full syllable and sound Or that Franck Kit or Iacke are the least wound Vnto their fame and merit I for my part Thinke others what they please accept that heart Which courts my loue
together in a nine-fold Chaine 'Mongst whom there 's difference in Intelligence As there is in degrees of Excellence For the more Noble to the Lesser still Infuseth Knowledge by th' Almighties will The Second to the Third is like industrous And as degreed 't is more and more illustrous This Knowledge more perspicuous is and cleare In the first Chorus than it doth appeare i th' Second Third or Fourth so to the Last Of those that are o're things Terrestriall plac't This in the Prophet Zacharie's made plaine When God his People would redeeme againe From their Captiuitie in Babylon He in his Vision saw the Holy-One Reueale it vnto one of the Superiors Which he communicates to his Inferiors They to the Prophet Vnto this coheres What in Saint Austines Booke as plaine appeares As we perceiue the Moone the Stars t'out-shine And the Sunnes light more splendrous and Diuine Than the Moone 's shewes so'tis in the degrees Of those forenam'd Coelestiall Hierarchees Foure Angels as foure Vice-royes are exprest To sway the foure Windes plac'd aboue the rest All Princes and with mighty power endu'd Remarkable for that their Celsitude The East whence Eurus blowes swayes Michael The West whence Zephyre breathes guides Raphael The North whence Boreas blusters Gabriel The South whence Auster comes rules Vriel Which from th' Evangelist some Doctors ground Because 't is in th' Apocalips thus found On the foure Angles of the Earth I saw Standing foure Angels those that kept in awe The foure great Windes restraining them from blowing On Earth on Sea or any Tree then growing Some write That ouer euery Heauen or Sphere A seuerall Angell's plac'd and gouernes there The Sophists those Intelligences call The Hebrewes Cherubims whose lots thus fall Metraon doth the Primam Mobile guide Ophaniel in the Starry Heav'n reside The Sunnes Sphere Varcan the Moones lower rayes Arcan disposeth Mars his Lamach swayes Mercuries Madan Ioves Guth Venus Star Iurabatres and Saturne's seene from far Maion And all these in the height they'enioy Haue power Inferior Spirits to employ Seuen Angels as the Scriptures witnesse stand Before th' Almighty prest at his command And these by his Diuine infusion know How to dispose of all things here below As those Coelestiall who doth institute Those Seuen his Diuine Will to execute Yeares Dayes and Houres amongst them they diuide The Planets and the Stars they likewise guide The President of Sol is Raphael The Guardian of the Moone call'd Gabriel Chamuel the third Mars his bright Star protects Michael the Sphere of Mercury directs Adahiel o're Iove hath domination And Haniel of Venus gubernation Zaphiel is Saturnes Prince And of Spirits seuen Saint Iohn makes mention with their place in Heauen I saw seuen Angels stand before the Throne Of the Almighty and to euery one A seuerall Trumpet giuen c. The Rabbins they And Cabalists further proceed and say How warranted I know not That there be Twelue Potents of this Diuine Facultie Three Orientall and three Occidentall Three Septentrionall and three Meridionall Chaoz the first great Easterne Power they call Whose Prince Malthidielis and he swayes all That doth belong to Aries the next place Corona hath and Varchiel hath the grace Of that to be chiefe Regent Leo hee Hath subiect in his second Empyree Hermaus the third Adnachiel doth carry That potencie and rules the Sagittary The first Power Austral they Panthaeon stile Asmodes Prince in that doth reconcile The Signe call'd Taurus and the second Tim Hamabiel is the Prince that gouernes him In the Signe Virgo Haim is the third borne Hannuel the Prince and gouerns Capricorne The first Septentrionall Bethzan Manuel Prince And he the Signe of Cancer doth conuince The next Zonocharel by name they know Barchiel the chiefe and rules o're Scorpio Ouer the third Elisan Varchiel reignes He Pisces in his Principate containes The first of th' Occidentall Gelphor and Ambriel the Prince the Gemini they stand Beneath his sway Bleor the next his Lord Zaniel who guides the Scepter and the Sword Caphet the last Cabriel the President And o're Aquarius hath the gouernment Others there be that do not doubt to say That the foure Elements are forc'd t' obey Foure seuerall Angels Seraph reignes o're Fire Cherub the Aire and Tharsis doth aspire Ouer the Water and the Earths great Lord Ariel The Hebrew Rabbins thus accord But since of these the Scriptures make no mention Far be it that the least of mine intention Should be ro create Angels Hence it came That at a Roman Councell in the name Of Zachary then Pope one Aldebert Another Clement seeking to subuert The Church by Schismes were to the Consistorie Summon'd and there conuict of Heresie For thus they pray'd O Angell Vriel Angell Adimus Angell Raguel Angell Sabaothe Angell Michael Angell Tubuas Angell Semibel c. This in the Synod was no sooner read But they thus instantly were censured The very words of that Decree these are Of all those names most of them new and rare Of whom they invocate Michael alone An Angell we acknowledge the rest none By that and elsewhere it is manifest That other names than are to vs exprest In sacred Scriptures none ought to deuise Since from such Curiosities arise Schismes Heresies Opinions execrable Erring from Truth diuellish and damnable Nor are these darke words by these Rabbins vs'd Other than Phancies not to be excus'd Wherein some things signifi'cant are exprest Borrow'd from Naturall causes at the best For instance Seraph if we but retyre To the words force importeth nought saue Fire Cherub Aire Tharsus Water Ariel Earth And these at first had from those Doctors birth Ev'n by their owne confession If you please Thinke of the rest as hath been said of these Creaturae quaedam aeterna sunt à posteriore à priore solus Deus est aeternus Explicit Metrum Tractatus quarti Theologicall Philosphicall Poeticall Historicall Apothegmaticall Hierogriphicall and Emblematicall Obseruationsâ— touching the further illustration of the former Tractat. AS Fire cannot be long smothered but it will finde vent nor the Sunne be so eclipsed and cloudedâ— but it will soone worke it selfe into it's owne natiue glory and splendor so the Omnipotencie of the great Creator cannot be so darkened either by the stupidity of the Ignorant or the malicious obstinacie of the seeming-Wise but euen out of their voluntarie Blindnesse it will extract it 's owne Brightnesse Prophane Lucian who so generally taxed all the gods as that he was held scarcely to beleeue that there were any and therefore purchased to himselfe the Character of Blasphemus Maledicus c. yet he in one of his Coelestial Dialogues so stiled because they meerely consist of conference held amongst the vpper Deities in a discourse betwixt Maâ—s and Mercury introduceth Mars speaking of Iupiter to this purpose I will saith he If my inherent Power I'assume to me Ev'n when
my Maker's sight Yet chuse the wrong path and forsake the right And willingly vnto my ruin go VI. I commit blushing sinnes and without shame Sinnes grievous yet lament them not at all Wrath I deserue yet for no Mercy call How then that which I seeke not can I claime VII And therefore haue deserv'd torments perdurable For I am a dead Limbe sencelesse of paine And where's no feeling Surgeons art 's in vaine For all that are so gangren'd are incurable VIII I am a dissolute wretch yet do not I Seeke to correct that which I finde amisse The aime I haue is to attaine to Blisse And yet the meanes by which 't is gain'd I fly IX Vnto those sinnes of which I late repented And quite abiur'd with greedinesse I turne And when for them I was about to mourne My waiward Will to sport and mirth consented X. The pit I late fell in I cannot shun To which my Neighbour I together drew I follow onely that I ought to'eschew And meerely into things forbidden run XI When I should weepe and pray with great deuotion For pardon of Ills done and Good neglected I finde my cogitations interjected Ready to banish thence each godâ—y motion XII Gods Wisedome Goodnesse and his Pow'r I see The World to Make to Order and Protect But I that great and glorious Worke neglect Yet knowing it created was for me XIII A Concordance most permanent and stable 'Twixt the blest Angels and the Heav'ns I find In what an Vnion they are all combin'd Yet I to make mine owne peace am not able XIV I 'twixt the stubborne Iew and stupid Turke A profest Christian in the middlerest I know their Errors and their Ills detest Yet cannot I my selfe do one good Worke. XV. And though I am not like the other bold By Arguments or Armes Thee to oppose As one of thy profest and open Foes Yet in thy Seruice I am weake and cold XVI Though I like them do not with might and maine Make me of thy contempt the common Theme And wilfully thy Dietie blaspheme O yet how oft take I Thy Name in vaine XVII Which of vs then deserues the harder lot They who through ignorance Thy mercy fly Or else perchance would honour Thee or I That know my Masters will and do it not XVIII Strengthen my weakenesse then my shrinking stay Support me falling with Thy powerfull hand So onely shall I able be to stand To serue Thee truly and Thy Will obey XIX So shall no Schisme no Heresie no Error Thy chosen Temple this my brest inuade So I Thy constant Champion shall be made Free from all present Feares and future Terror Agnoscit Reus Ignoscit Deus Ey sumptib CHRISTOPH BEESTON Generos THE ARGVMENT of the sixth Tractate THe Heart of Man bee'ng so adverse To Goodnesse and so apt to pierce Things most Retruse a course exprest On what it chiefely ought to rest A Scruteny made where and when The Spirits were created Thâ—n Of Lucifer the chiefe and prime Of Angels in the first of Time His Splendor Pride and how he fell In battell by Prince Michael Their Fight their Armes the Triumph great Made in the Heav'ns for his defeat Their Number that revolted and How long they in their Grace did stand Some other Doubts may plaine appeare Which to this Argument cohere The second Argument THe mighty Pow'r of God was showne When the great Dragon was o'rethrowne The Powers THan th' Heart of man since made by sinne impure There 's nothing more inconstant and vnsure Through all incertainties trauelling still For nothing can it's empty corners fill Wandring in Deviations crook'd and blinde Enquiring after things it cannot finde As oft as any vaine thoughts thence arise One growing to a second multiplies Till they at length to infinites extend And then not one but doth our God offend They hourely toile and labour in vnrest And yet when all are sum'd vp Bad 's the Best The Hearts vaine thoughts are in continuall warre Dissonant 'mongst themselues and hourely jarre They thinke of past things cast what 's to ensue Old projects they destroy and build vp new What 's ruin'd to erect and then the same This way and that way diuersly to frame They will not now and then againe they will Altring the purpose changing counsels still First this then that now early and then late And neuer remaine constant in one state And as the Mill that circumgyreth fast Refuseth nothing that therein is cast But whatsoeuer is to it assign'd Gladly receiues and willing is to grynd But if the violence be with nothing fed It wasts it selfe ev'n so the Heart mis-led Still turning round vnstable as the Ocean Neuer at rest but in continuall motion Sleepe or awake is still in agitation Of some presentment in th' imagination If to the Mill-stones you shall cast in sand It troubles them and makes them at a stand If Pitch it chokes them or if Chaffe let fall They are employ'd but to no vse at all So better thoughts molest vncleane thoughts staine And spot the Heart when those idle and vaine Weare it and to no purpose For when 't is Drowsie and carelesse of the future blisse And to implore Heav'ns aid it doth imply How far is it remote from the most-High For whilest our Hearts on Terâ—hen things we place There cannot be least hope of Diuine grace Now in this wretched state of our Humanity We are besieg'd first by this Mundane Vanitie Then Curiositie one way persuades Pleasure vpon the other side inuades Here Lusts assault there Enuy makes his battery On this part Pride's intrenchtâ— and on that Flattery Then Sloth corrupts it or Ambition swells it Wrath burnes it else base Auarice compells it To dote on Drosse Deceit seekes to disguise it And all the deadly Sinnes at once surprise it And why To retaine God it hath no will Of it's sole power it 's empty Round to fill And that 's the cause it deviates and strayes By curious searching into vnknowne wayes To finde what best might sate it but in vaine For till it shall returne to Him againe By whom it was created the Sole-Blest It well may seeke but neuer shall finde rest Now God as He commands so doth persuade To make that onely His which he hath made But we are whilest we from his Precepts vary Rebellious to our selues and contrary Neither can we our stubborne hearts subdue Till we submit vs to the onely true And liuing God And that 's the reason why About our wandring Cogitations fly Fashioning more Chimaera's in one hower Than we to compasse in an Age haue power For whilest not vnto Him vnited we Must in our selues of force diuided be To Whom we cannot come tow'rds Whom not moue But by the steps of Charitie and Loue. In Whom no int'rest we can haue vnlesse In all things we Humilitie professe Nor can we humble be so to aspire Vnlesse by Industry the Truth t'
acquire And therefore we must in this sincere Truth Our selues examine How we spend our Youth Manhood and Age and then by searching finde How fraile weare how'vnstedfast and how blinde And next when we our miseries haue skan'd Sifting all actions that we take in hand How vaine they are Necessitie will leaue That Consequent behinde That we must cleaue Onely to that great Pow'r nor from it shrinke Without which we nor moue nor speake nor thinke And because we haue falne from Him by Sin To intimate There is no way to win Our peace and reconcilement or dispence With our transgression but true Penitence I thus proceed Great hath the Decertation Bin 'mongst the Learned men 'bout the Creation Of blessed Angels Some of them haue said They many Worlds before this World were made To'attend th' Almighty Others haue againe So curious a scrutinie held vaine And almost irreligious aiming still To penetrate into his secret Will Without his Warrant and conclude That they Had with the Light subsistence the first day Were with it made of Nothing had no Being At all till then The Fathers disagreeing About this point some haue opinion held But by the later Writers since refel'd As Hierome Ambrose Gregory Nazianzen Cassianus Damascenus Origen Hilary Basil These with others were Resolv'd That because nothing doth appeare From Moses in his Booke of things created Concerning them That they were fabricated Long time before Againe Because Saint Paul Writing to Titus saith God first of all Before the World th' Hope of Eternall life Promis'd to vs c. Hence they maintaine this strife Interpreting the Text Er'e the Creation Which words include If Before God did fashion All things that Being haue in earth or heauen There must be some to whom this power is giuen And those the Angels But on this Assertion Learned Saint Austin layes a great aspersion Affirming them with th' Heav'ns Emperiall made And that before they no existence had Saint Paul interpreting Th' Almighty gaue This Promise and blest Hope Mankinde to saue From all Eternitie to elevate Mans Fall in that pure Lambe Immaculate His Sonne and our deare Sauiour And thus Opinion'd were graue Athanasius Gregory Theodoret Epiphanius With diuers others Which no sooner mov'd Was in the Lateran Councell but approv'd Of all the Bishops as of both the best Which in the sacred Scripture is exprest For thus 't is writ God ended the seventh day The Worke He made for so doth Moses say And in the day whch He his Sabbath nam'd Rested from All the Worke which he had fram'd Which vniuersall word perforce doth carry Spirituall things as well as Elementary Such as before the World thinke them created In many doubts themselues haue intricated I would besides haue them resolue me How Vnlesse his Worke imperfect they allow It can with reason stand that if they were In Time before Time was and with sincere Faith and Obedience had so long aboad They onely then revolted from their God Should this be granted it must needs inferre Strong argument a second way to erre Namely That no Coelestiall Hierarchy Subiects of that eternall Monarchy Who haue remain'd as by the World appeares In blest estate so many thousand yeares But notwithstanding the great grace th' are in May slide like Lucifer and fall by Sin Which the Church holds erronious Be it then Granted That God did make the Angels when Th' Imperiall Heav'ns were fashion'd at first pure And without sin for euer to endure Had they not falne through Proud Imagination By which they then incur'd his Indignation For nothing Euill can from Him proceed So much the Text implyes where we may reade God said when he his rare Worke vnderstood All things that I haue made be greatly good And lest the Church might that way be deluded 'T is in the Lateran Councell thus concluded All Spirits were created pure at first But by their selfe-will after made accurst To make things cleare Although we must confesse That Moses doth not in plaine termes expresse When how and in what order Angels were At first created yet it will appeare How that their Essences and Natures bright Were signified by names of Heav'n and Light And though they seeme forgotten in that Text Obserue how other Scriptures are connext To giue them Name and Being In that Oad In which the three blest Children prais'd their God In the hot flames to giue to vnderstand That Angels were the Worke of his great Hand O all ye Workes of God the Lord say they Blesse praise and magnifie his Name for aye Praise him ye Heav'ns ye Angels praise the Lord. Let vs to Daniels adde the Psalmists word Praise Him all ye his Angels Some haue said That Angels were the last worke that God made But most absurdly He in Iob thus sayes When the Stars of the Morning gaue me praise Then all the Angels of my Sonnes the choice Extold my Name with an exalted voice Now when the Great and most Diuinely Wise Did the rare Fabricke of the World deuise And by the vertue of his Word create The Heav'n and Earth in their so goodly state He made the Angels in the first of Time Of Substances most noble and sublime Amongst which Lucifer was chiefe and hee As he might challenge a prioritie In his Creation so aboue the rest A supereminence as first and best For he was chiefe of all the Principalities And had in him the three stupendious qualities Of the most holy Trinitie which include First Greatnesse Wisedome next then Pulchritude The Greatnesse of the Sonne and holy Spirit The Father is which they from him inherit Now of the Father and the Holy-Ghost The Wisedome is the Sonne so stiled most The Father and Sonnes Pulchritude is he That 's the third Person in the Trinitie And though of Angels the great pow'r be such As hath in Scripture been extolled much For their nobilitie and excellence As first of Michael whose pre-eminence Daniel relates as naming him for one Of the prime Angels that attend the Throne As Raphael who told Tobit Of the seuen That still before th' Almighty stand in Heav'n Himselfe was one Or as the Seraphim Who as the holy Prophet speakes of him With a cole toucht his lips from th' Altar tooke Or as of Gabriel whom the holy Booke Mentions who to the earth made proclamation Of our most blessed-Sauiors Incarnation Yet aboue these was Lucifer instated Honor'd exalted and much celebrated And therefore many of the Learned striue His greatnesse from Ezechiel to deriue For thus he saith and what he doth infer 'Gainst Tyrus they conuert to Lucifer Thou sealst the Sum vp art in Wisedome cleare Thy beauty perfect doth to all appeare Thou hast in Eden Gods faire Garden been Each pretious stone about thy garment's seene The Ruby Topaz and the Diamond The Chrysolite and Onyx there were found The Iasper and the Saphyr dearely sold The
Moone He likewise made in substance cleare According to the Season to appeare That it should be a future declaration Of Time and the Worlds Signe to ev'ry Nation Feasts are by it appointed the Moneths claime Proper denomination from her Name Waining or growing be she bright or dull In her continual Change shee 's wonderfull Shee 's a lampe plac'd aboue our heads and thence Sends downe her shining beames in excellence The beauty of the Heav'ns perceiv'd from far Is ev'ry great or lesse refulgent Star These lustre to the Firmament afford And shine in the high places of the Lord. From whose command they no way dare rebell But all night long keepe watch and sentinell Looke on the Rain-bow in it's mixed hew Obserue how beautifull it is in view What sev'rall colours with what cunning layd And praise Him who so great a Worke hath made He into such a spacious arch extends it It is the hand of the Most-High that bends it At his command the Snow makes haste from hye The Lightnings of his judgements swiftly flye When He vnlocks his Treasure Clouds repaire And like so many Fowles soare in the aire His Pow'r doth giue them strength When he but speaks The mighty Hail-stones into small he breaks At his dread sight the mountaines skip like Roes 'T is at his pleasure that the South winde blowes His Thunders sound the trembling Earth doth beat As doth the stormy North the fields entreat The Whirle windes like so many feather'd Fowle Scatter the Snow the white flakes downeward rowle As if so many Grashoppers together Should light-on th' earth brought in by stormy weather The Eye admires the whitenesse and the Braine Cannot conceiue the beauty of the Raine The Frost like Salt vpon the ground he powres Which hardned stickes vpon the Herbs and Floures When the bleake North winde from his Quarter blowes A congeal'd Ice vpon the Water growes Vpon the gath'ring of the waues it rests And with a chrystall couering armes their brests The Mountaines it deuours the Desaâ—ts burnes And like the Fire what 's greene to nothing turnes Yet by a melting Cloud and timely Raine These seeming dead are soone refresht againe He by his Word the blustring Windes doth still The Seas rough Surges All obey his Will He in the vnknowne Deepes foundations layes And in the midst thereof doth Islands raise They that the Ocean saile which hath no bound Tell of the wonders that are therein found Which so miraculous to vs appeare When they are told we stand amas'd to heare For there be his rare Works of Beasts and Whales Begetting terror from their sinnes and scales Through Him all things are aim'd as blessed ends And his establisht Word his Worke commends When we haue spoken most yet all ' â— but raine We neuer to their knowledge shall attaine This is the sum of all That He alone Must be the sole All and besides Him none Of his true Praise how can we giue account Since He we know doth all his Works surmount The Lord our God is terrible and great Who shall his Pow'r and marv'lous Acts repeat Praise laud and magnifie him all we can Yet doth He far exceed the thoughts of Man Exalt Him in our strength and be not tyr'd Yet shall not his â—east fully be admir'd Who is 't hath seene Him that his shape can tell Or who can praise him as He doth excell For greater things haue yet escapt our view And of his rare Works we haue seene but few The Lord hath made all things in Earth and Heav'n And vnto such as feare Him Wisdome's giv'n The Orders Names the Qualities and Charge Of the blest Angels we haue spoke at large It followes next to touch the true condition Of those malignant Sp'rits whose proud Ambition Cast themselues head-long both from the blest Place First made for them and from th' Almighties Grace Nor is it to be doubted but that those Who in their peruerse malice durst oppose Their glorious Maker and against Him war But that they likewise still intentiue ar ' And their peruersenesse totally enclin'd To Gods contempt and ruine of Mankind Now since those disobedient Sp'rites that fell With their grand Captaine downe from heav'n to hell Were out of all the Hierarchies extruded It therefore as a Maxime is concluded Not to be question'd That as th' Angels blest Who still inhabit their faire place of rest So likewise those by Lucifer mis-guided Are into sev'rall Ternions diuided And haue amongst them Orders and Degrees And though the benefit of Grace they leese Yet still that naturall pow'r and force retaine At first bequeath'd them bee'ng reduc'd againe To Order and their Offices still keepe As once in Heav'n so in th' infernall Deepe To this the Fathers with one voice agree For one writes thus In the great Hierarchie Of the blest Sp'rits some are employ'd to tell Things futurely to come others excell In working Miracles for no portent Is done on earth but by some Angell sent Some ouer others haue predominance Employing them Gods honor to aduance By executing Mysteries Diuine Others in greater pow'r and eminence shine Hauing vnnumber'd Armies in their sway Vnto whose Hests the lesse degreed obay Some are so plenteously endu'd with grace That God himselfe in them hath chus'd a place In which t' enhabit and these haue profest His secret judgements to make manifest Others are with so sacred links entir'd Vnto their Maker and withall inspir'd With such re-pur'd zeale there appeares not much Place intermediat betwixt Him and Such By what degrees they do precell the rest In ardent loue so much more interest They challenge with acutenesse to behold His Wisedome Iustice and Grace manifold Now as these sev'rall Functions are aboue With Those that still persever in their Loue So 'mongst the Disobedient is remaining Like order still their naturall pow'rs retaining For till the World be quite consum'd and gon It is a Maxim to be built vpon Angell o're Angell which none alter can Diuell o're Diuell Man shall rule o're Man Of the Rebellious Lucifer is prime Captaine and King who in the first of Time From out the seuerall Classes had selected Legions of Angels with like pride infected Against Iehovah and with expedition Hurld them with himselfe headlong to perdition And as in his Creation he was fram'd More glorious far than others before nam'd More goodly featur'd beautifull and bright And therefore had his name deriv'd from Light So since his Fall there 's nothing we can stile So ougly foule abominably vile The putred Fountaine and bitumenous Well From whence all Vice and malefactures swell Whose horrid shape and qualities infest Are by the Poet Dante 's thus exprest L' Imperador del Doloroso Regno Da mezo l petto vsciva Della Gliaccia Et pin eli ch'un Gigante iâ— ti conuegno
these that Truth transcendeth all The King 's inthron'd his Peeres about him stated To heare this strife betwixt them three debated The first begins O men who can define Vnto the full the pow'r and strength of Wine For needs must that be said to tyrannise Which tames the Strong and doth deceiue the Wise. The minde it alters and 't is that alone That makes the Scepter and the Sheep-hooke one For you in Wine no difference can see Betwixt the Poore and Rich the Bond and Free It glads the heart and makes the thoughts forget Trouble and sorrow seruitude and debt It doth inrich the minde in ev'ry thing That it remembers Gouernor nor King And causeth those who are in state most weake Not thinking of their wants of Talents speake It puts a daring in the cowards brest To loue those Armes he did before detest To draw his sword in fury and to strike Opposing his best friends and foes alike But from the Wine and when the tempest 's o're He soone forgets all that had past before Then ô you men for I 'le not hold you long Thinke Wine that can do these things is most strong He ceast the next began and thus O men Are not you strongest first by land and then By sea Are not all things in them contain'd Yours as at first vnto your vse ordain'd But yet the King is greater he rules all And is the Lord of these in generall Such as negotiate by sea or land Are but meere Vassals and at his command If he shall bid them war with least facilitie They take vp armes and run into hostilitie And if he send them against forrein Powers They breake downe Citadels demolish Towers Mountaines they with the vallies shall make ev'n Or in the dales raise structures to braue heav'n They kill or they are slaine in ev'ry thing They do not passe the precept of the King And if they ouercome by right or wtong The spoile and honour doth to him belong Nay those which do not to the battell go But stay at home to plow to till to sow The fruits of all their labours and increase They bring vnto the King to keepe their peace Yet he is but one man If he bid kill There is no sauing then much bloud they spill But if the word passe from him they shall spare To shed least bloud who 's he so bold that dare If he bid smite the smite or if he frowne And bid demolish all things are torne downe If he say Build they build or if destroy All goes to hauocke and yet he in ioy Meane time sits downe doth eat doth drinke doth sleep And all the rest a watch about him keepe Neither can any tend his owne affaires But the Kings only ev'ry man prepares To do him seruice reason too for they Dare not but his great potencie obey Then aboue others is not he most strong This hauing said the second held his tongue The third reply'd O men neither confine Strength to the potent Monarch nor to Wine Nor to the Multitude 'gainst their opinion Hath not the Woman ouer these dominion Woman into the World the King hath brought And all such people as haue Empire sought By land or sea from them had Being first Bred from their wombes and on their soft knees nurst Those that did plant the Vine and presse the juice Before that they could taste it to their vse Had from them their conception they spin they weaue Garments for men and they from them receiue Worship and honour needfull th' are no doubt As being such men cannot liue without If he hath gath'red siluer or got gold Or found out ought that 's pretious to behold Doth he not bring it to his choice Delight Her that is faire and pretious in his sight Leaues he not all his bus'nesse and affaire To gaze vpon her eyes play with her haire Is he not wholly hers doth he not bring Gold to her siluer and each pretious thing Man leaues his Father Mother Countrey all What he esteemes most deare to become thrall In voluntary bondage with his Wife To leade a priuat and contented life Which life for her he hasardeth and her 'Fore Father Mother Countrey doth prefer Therefore by these you may perceiue and know Woman to whom Man doth such seruice owe Beares rule o're you Do you not trauell sweat And toile that of your labors they may eat Man takes his sword regardlesse of his weale And Madman-like goes forth to rob and steale He sailes the seas sounds Riuers nothing feares He meets a Lion and his way he steares Through darknesse and what purchase spoile or boot Is got he prostrats at his mistresse foot This shewes his Woman is to him more deare Than he that got or she that did him beare Some haue run mad some Slaues to them haue bin Others haue err'd and perisht in their sin Do I not grant the King in pow'r is great And that all Nations homage to his seat Yet I haue seene Apame her armes twine About his necke the Kings lov'd Concubine And daughter to the famous Bartacus I haue beheld her oft times vse him thus From the Kings head to snatch the Royall Crowne And smiling on him place it on her owne Then with her left hand on the cheeke him smite Yet he hath gap'd and laught and tooke delight To see himselfe so vs'd If she but smil'd As if all pow'r from him were quite exil'd He laught on her If angry he was faine To flatter her till she was pleas'd againe 'T is you ô men whom I appeale vnto Are they not strongest then who this can do At this the King and Princes in amase Began each one on others face to gase When he proceeded thus Say ô you men Resolue me Are not Women strongest then The Earth is spatious and the Heav'n is hye And the Sun swiftly in his course doth flye For in one day the Globe he wheeleth round And the next morning in his place is found Him that made these things must we not then call Great and Truth therefore great'st and strong'st of all All the Earth calls for Truth Heav'n doth proclaime Her blessed all things tremble at her name For Truth no vniust thing at all can doo The Wine is wicked so the King is too Women are wicked all the sonnes of men Most wicked are and such must needs be then Their wicked works there is no Truth therein And wanting Truth they perish in their sin But Truth shall abide strong and still perseuer For it shall liue and reigne euer and euer With her of persons there is no respect She doth to this way nor to that reflect She knowes no diffrence what is just she loues But what 's impure and sinfull she reproues And all men fauor her good works because Her judgements are vpright and iust her lawes Shee 's the Strength Kingdome Power Dignitie And of all Ages Sov'raigne Majestie Blest be the
Novemb. 7. 1634. PErlegi hunc Librum cui titulus A Diuine Poëm intituled The Hierarchie of Angels Qui quidem Liber continet folia 287 aut circitèr In quibus nihil reperio quò minus cum publica utilitate imprimi possit ita tamen vt si non intra annum proximè sequentem typis mandetur haec Licentia sit omninò irrita GVILIELMVS HAYWOOD Capell domest Archiep. Cantuar. THE HIERARCHIE of the blessed ANGELLS Their Names orders and Offices The fall of Lucifer with his Angells Written by Tho Heywood Vita scelesta vale coelica vita vent LONDON Printed by Adam Islip 1635 TO THE MOST EXCELLENT AND INCOMPARABLE LADY AS FAMOVS FOR HER ILLVSTRIOVS VERTVES AS FORTVNAT IN HER REGALL ISSVE HENRETTA MARIA Queene THE ROYALL CONSORT AND SPOVSE OF THE PVISSANT AND INVINCIBLE MONARCH OVR DREAD SOVERAIGNE King CHARLES Her Highnesse most lowly and loyall Subiect THOMAS HEYWOOD In all humilitie consecrateth these his well-wishing though vnworthy Labours To the Reader Generous Reader I Shall not need to apollogise before-hand either for the height of the subiect or the manner of handling this Worke when the Argument of euery Tractat can speake for the one and a direct proceeding in the course proposed for the other Remembring the French Prouerbe Qui edefie en publick place Faict maison trop haut on trop basse Who builds i th' way where all passe by Shall make his house too low or hye I haue exposed my selfe a subiect to all censures and entreat the Reader not to vndertake me with any sinister prejudice For my hope is if he shall fairely trace me in that modest and carefull course which I haue trauelled he may say in the conclusion Facilius currentibus quam repentibus lapsus For I professe my selfe to be so free from all arrogance and ostent that Vt caveam timenda tuta pertimesco My Iuvenilia I must confesse were sutable to my age then for being a childe I spake as a childe but Maruritie hath since better instructed me remembring that excellent Sentence of Sophocles Si Iuvenis luxuriat peccat si senex insanit Nor forgetting that of Seneca the Philosopher Ante senectutem curandum benè vivere in senectute benè mori I haue proposed vnto you Good Angels and Bad the excellencie of the one still continuing in their created Puritie the refractorie rebellion of the other damning themselues to all eternity In the reading of which I entreat you to take into your consideration that wholesome obseruation of Saint Chrisostome Natura rerum sic est vt quoties bonus malo conjungitur non ex bono malus melioretur sed ex malo bonus contaminetur sic vnum pomum malum facilè centum bonos corrumpti at centum mala nunquam vnum corruptum efficiunt bonum Further to expect any new conceits from old heads is as if a man should looke for greene fruit from withered branches But as Time the producter of all things though he be aged himselfe is euery houre begetting somthing new sowe on whose heads he hath cast such a snow as no radicall or naturall heate can melt in imitation of him who as sure as he knowes vs borne will as certainly prouide vs buriall will neuer suffer our braines to leaue working till our pulses cease beating But howsoeuer the manner of our working be so the matter which is wrought vpon be worthy the value of the subiect dignifieth the invaliditie of the Vndertaker And thus I take my leaue of thee with this gentle admonition Heu heu dij mortalibus nectunt malum Quando bonum videt quispiam non vtitur Thin◠THO. HEYWOOD The Argument of the first Booke VRIEL A Iove Principium the Creator Of all that liue sole Animator Atheisme and Saducisme disputed Their Tenents argued and refuted A Deitie approv'd by all Gods Creatures in generall Into the world how false gods came And first begun t' vsurpe that name A Quaere made the world throughout To finde this GOD of whom some doubt The Argument of the second Booke IOPHIEL A GOD bee'ng found deny'd by none It followes there can be but One By the Philosophers confest And such as were of Poets best Him not the Oracle denies Nor those the antient World held wise Sage Sybill Mage Gymnosophist All in this Vnitie persist Next That this Pow'r so far extended Can by no Sence be comprehended Neither his Essence most Diuine Be sounded by weake Reasons line And last what names most properly Belong to this great Deity The Argument of the third Booke ZAPHKIEL OF th' Vniuerse the Regions three And how their parts disposed bee How gouerned and in what order In which no one exceeds it's border That Moses Arke in all respects Vpon this worlds rare Frame reflects Both how and when by Pow'r Diuine The Sun and Moone began to shine The day of our blest Sauiors Passion Compar'd with that of the Creation How ev'ry Star shines in it's Spheare What place they in the Zodiacke beare And of the twelue Signes a narration Their influence aspect and station To proue no former worlds haue bin And this must perish we liue in The vainnesse lastly doth appeare Of Plato's Great and Vertent Yeare The Argument of the fourth Booke ZADCHIEL WHat Ternions and Classes bee In the Coelestiall Hierarchee In what degrees they are instated How 'mongst themselues concatinated Angels and Doemons made apparant By Ethnicks and the Scriptures warrant Of Visions and strange Dreames that proue Spirits each where at all times moue Against their infidelitie That will allow none such to bee Discourse of Fauor Loue and Hate Of Poetry of Deaths estate Th' Essence of Spirits how far they know Their pow'r in heav'n and earth below The Argument of the fifth Booke HANIEL THe consonance and simpathie Betwixt the Angels Hierarchie The Planets and Coelestiall Spheares And what similitude appeares 'Twixt one and other Of the three Religions that most frequent bee Iew Christian and Mahumetist Vpon what grounds they most insist Ridiculous Tenents stood vpon In Mahomets blinde Alcaron Where he discourseth the creation Of Heav'n and Angels A relation What strange notorius Heresies By th' Priscillians and Manichees Were held The truth made most apparant By Text and holy Scriptures warrant The Argument of the sixt Booke RAPHAEL THe Heart of Man bee'ng so adverse To Goodnesse and so apt to pierce Things most retruse a course exprest On what it chiefely ought to rest A scrutinie made where and when The Spirits were created Then Of Lucifer the chiefe and prime Of Angels in the first of time His Splendor Pride and how he fell In battell by Prince Michael Their Fight their Armes the triumph great Made in the heav'ns for his defeat The number that reuolted and How long they in their grace did stand Some other doubts may plaine appeare Which to this Argument cohere The Argument of the seuenth Booke CAMAEL OF Gods great Works a serious view For which
Euen that doth him and only him obey If he please from the dull or fertile Earth Or Floures or Weeds spring Fruitfulnesse or Dearth If he please into Rocks hee 'l water poure Which like the thirsty Earth they shall deuoure Or from the dry stones he can water spout The wildernesse of Seas the world throughout Submits to him At his Imperious will The rough and blustring Winds are calme and still The Flouds obey him Dragons he can slaue And make th' Hyrcanian Tygres cease to raue He is in the most soueraigne place instated He sees and knowes all things he hath created Nor wonder if he know our births and ends Who measures Arctos how far it extends And what the Winters Boreas limits are What to this Deity may we compare Who doth dispose as well the Spade as Crowne Teaching the counsels both of Sword and Gowne For with inuisible Ministers he traces The world and spies therein all hidden places Of Alexander Aristotle thus writes It is not numb'red 'mongst his chiefe delights That he o're many Kings hath domination But That he holds the gods in adoration Who iustly on their proud contemners lower But vnto such as praise them they giue power The Times of old AEneas did admire Because he brought his gods through sword and fire When Troy was sackt and burnt for that one pietie They held him after death worthy a Dietie Pompilius for his reuerence to them done An honor from his people likewise wone He raign'd in peace and as some writers say Had conference with the Nymph Egeria For him who knew the gods how to intreat And truly serue no honor was too great But the gods Hater impious and prophane Mezentius was in battell rudely slaine And Capaneus after that he had Assaulted Thebes wall which the gods forbad Euen in the midst of all his glory fell And by a bolt from Heauen was strooke to Hell The great Epirus Arcades King we find For spoiling Neptunes Temple was strook blind And the Duke Brennus after many an act Of strange remarke as proud Rome hauing sackt And conquering Delphos yet because he dar'd To rob that Church Apollo would haue spar'd The god strooke him with madnesse who straight drew His warlike sword with which himselfe he slew The Temple of Tolossa in their pride Great Scipio's souldiers spoil'd and after dy'de All miserably And Alexander's when They Ceres Church would haue surpriz'd euen then Fell lightning from the skies which soon destroy'd All in that sacrilegious Act imployd Religion from the first of Time hath bin Howeuer blended with idolatrous sin Temples Synagogues Altars and Oblations Lustrations Sacrifices Expiations Howe're their zeale with many errors mixt None but vpon some god his mind hath fixt The Lybians Cretans and Idaeans they Had Ioue in adoration None bare sway Amongst the Argiues in Miceane but she That shares with Ioue imperiall soueraignty Iuno The Thebans honor'd Hercules They of Boetia the three Charites Th' AEgyptians Isis figured like a Cow The Thebans and the Arabes all bow To Bacchus Bimater the god of Wine Iönia Rhodes and Delphos held diuine Apollo solely Cyprus and Paphos boast Their Venus as amongst them honor'd most Th' Athenians and AEtolians celebrate Minerua Vnto Vulcan dedicate The Imbrians and the Lemnians all their vowes Fertile Sicilia no goddesse knowes Saue Proserpine Th' Elaeans Pluto make Their Soueraigne And the Boëtians take The Muses for their Guardiens All that dwell Neere to the Hellespont thinke none t' excell Saue Priapus In Rhodes Saturn hath praise Osyris aboue all th' AEgyptians raise The Latians and the warlike Thraciaus run To Mars his Shrine the Scythians to the Sun All the inhabitants of Delphos Isle Pray That Latona on their coasts will smile 'Mongst the Lacones Neptune sacred is And through all Asia powerfull Nemesis The Attici haue in high estimation Fortune Th' Eleusians haue in adoration Ceres The Phrygians Cybel Cupid Those That dwell at Colchos Th' Arcades haue chose Aristaeus Diana those of Ephesus The Epidaurians AEsculapius c. So many gods and goddesses did comber The Nations of the earth as that their number In iust account if Hesiod speake true Vnto no lesse than thirty thousand grew As touching Auguries and their abuse In the precedent Times in frequent vse To proue that study to be meerly vain Homer hath made great Hector thus complain The winged Birds thou bid'st me to obey But how they take their course or to which way I nor regard nor care whether their flight Be made vpon the left hand or the right Most requisit it is that I be swaide By the great thundring Ioues high will and wade No farther He hath empire ouer all And whom he list supporteth or makes thrall That 's the best Bird to me and flies most true Bids For my Countrey fight my Foes subdue E're further I proceed 't were not amisse If I resolue you what an Idol is And where they had beginning I haue read Of one Syrophanes in AEgypt bred Who as he nobly could himselfe deriue So was he rich and by all means did striue Like an indulgent Father with great care To make his sonne of all his Fortunes heire And when he had accumulated more Than all his Neighbours in his height of store And fulnesse of aboundance as his pride Was to leaue one t' inherit his Son dy'de And with him all his comfort because then He gone he thought himselfe the poor'st of men In this great sorrow which as oft we see Doth seeke for solace from necessitie He caus'd his statue to be carv'd in stone S'exactly made vnto the life that none But would haue took it for the childe agreeing So neere to him it was when he had being But the sad Father thinking to restraine That flux of teares which hourely pour'd amaine Downe his moist cheeks the course he tooke to cease it Presented him fresh matter to increase it Ignorant That to helpe the woe begon There is no cure like to Obliuion So far it was his moist eyes to keepe dry As that of teares it gaue him new supply And this we may from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 borrow The word to vs implying Cause of sorrow Whilest there this new made Image had abode The Seruants made of it their houshold god Some would bring fresh floures and before it strow Others left they in duty might seem slow Crowne it with wreathes and garlands others burne Incense to soothe their Lord who still did mourne And such as had offended him would fly Vnto that place as to a Sanctuary And after pardon seuerall gifts present As if that had been the sole Instrument Of their deliuery By which 't may appeare 'T was not Loues effect but th' effect of Feare To which Petronius seemes t'allude when he Obliquely taxing all Idolatry saith That throughout the
they Should so agree being 'mongst themselues at strife To giue to others what they haue not Life Haue they then from the Sun their generation Resolue me then what Countrey or what Nation Can shew his issue Haue they power innate As in themselues themselues to procreate If any of them tell me mongst them all Of what extension are they great or small In new discov'ries if after somewhile We touch vpon an vnfrequented Isle If there we sheds or cottages espy Though thatcht with Reed or Straw we by and by Say Sure men here inhabit 't doth appeare The props and rafters plac'd not themselues there Nor of their owne accord the reed or straw Themselues into that close integument draw Nor could the sauage beasts themselues inure Vnto a worke so formal and secure And you ô Fooles or rather Mad-men when You view these glorious Works which Beasts and Men So far from framing are that their dull sence Can neuer apprehend their eminence And do not with bent knees hearts strook with terror And eyes bedew'd with teares lament their error Submissiuely acknowledge their impiety And blasphemies 'gainst that inuisible Diety If but to what you see you would be loth To giue faith to In Plants a daily growth You all confesse but of you I would know When any of your eyes perceiv'd them grow In Animals we may obserue increase And euery member waxing without cease But when did euer your acutest eye Distinguish this augmenting qualitie Force vegetiue and sensatiue in Man There is with Intellect by which he can Discerne himselfe and others to this houre Tell me Who euer hath beheld that Power We with our outward sences cannot measure The depth of Truth nor rifle her rich treasure Let that Truths spirit then be our Director To bow vnto the worlds great Architector Or will you better with your selues aduise And beleeue those the antient Times held wise And not the least 'mongst these Th' AEgyptian Mages The Indian Brachmans and the Grecian Sages Ev'n these approv'd a God before Time liuing Maker Preseruer and all good things giuing The Poets and Philosophers no lesse In all their works ingeniously professe Theoginis Homer Hesiod Orpheus All Vpon this great Power inuocate and call To their Assistants In the selfe same line Rank't Plato and Pythagoras both Diuine Held for their reuerence done it Let these passe To speake of your great man Diagoras The Prince of Fooles of Atheisme the chiefe Master As was of Magicke the learn'd Zoroaster Peruse his Booke you in the Front shall reade These very words From a sole soueraigne Head All things receiue their Being and Dispose What more could he confesse Which the most knowes He on whose shrinking columes you erect The whole frame of your irreligious sect Holding the statue of Alcides then Numb'red amongst the deified men It being of wood To take away the glory From Idols in a frequent auditorie Of his owne Scholers cast it in the fire Thus speaking Now god Hercules expire In this thy thirteenth Labour 't is one more Than by thy stepdame was enioyn'd before To her being man thou all thy seruice gaue Thou now being god I make thee thus my slaue The Atheist Lucian held Gods Sonne in scorne And walking late by dogs was piece-meale torne Yet for the loue I to his learning owe This funerall Farewell I on him bestow Vnhappy Lucian what sad passionate Verse Shall I bestow vpon the marble stone That couers thee How shall I deck thy Herse With Bayes or Cypresse I do not bemone Thy death but that thou dy'dst thus Had thy Creed As firme been as thy wit fluent and high All that haue read thy Works would haue agreed To haue transfer'd thy Soule aboue the sky And Sainted thee But ô 't is to be doubted The God thou didst despise will thee expell From his blest place since thou Heav'n hast flouted Confine thy Soule into thine owne made Hell But if thou euer knew'st so great a Dietie A Sauiour who created Heauen and thee And against him durst barke thy rude impietie He iudge thy cause for it concernes not me But for thy Body 't is most iust say I If all that so dare barke by Dogs should dy Thus saith the Atheist Lo our time is short Therefore our few dayes let vs spend in sport From Death which threatneth vs no Power can saue And there is no returning from the graue Borne are we by meere chance a small time seen And we shall be as we had neuer been Our breath is short our words a sparke of fire Rais'd from the heart which quickly doth expire And then our bodies must to dust repaire Whilest life and spirit vanish into aire We shall be like the moving Cloud that 's past And we must come to nothing at the last Like Dew exhal'd our names to ruine runne And none shall call to mind what we haue done Our Time is as a shadow which doth fade And after death which no man can euade The graue is seal'd so fast that we in vaine Shall hope thence euer to returne againe Come then the present pleasures let vs tast And vse the Creatures as in time forepast Now let vs glut our selues with costly wine And let sweet ointments in our faces shine Let not the floure of life passe stealing by But crowne our selues with Roses e're they dy Our wantonnesse be counted as a treasure And in each place leaue tokens of our pleasure For that 's our portion we desire no more Let vs next study to oppresse the Poore If they be righteous nor the Widow spare Deride the Ag'd and mocke his reuerend haire Our strength make Law to do what is iniust For in things feeble't is in vaine to trust Therefore the good man let 's defraud for he We know can neuer for our profit be Our actions in his eies gets no applause He checks vs for offending 'gainst the Lawes Blames vs and saith We Discipline oppose Further he makes his boasts That God he knowes And calls himselfe his Sonne Hee 's one that 's made To contradict our thoughts quite retrograde From all our courses and withall so crosse We cannot looke vpon him without losse He reckons vs as Bastards and withdrawes Himselfe from vs nor will he like our Lawes But counts of them as filthinesse The ends Of the iust men he mightily commends And boasts God is his father Let 's then see If any truth in these his words can be And what end he shall haue For if th' Vpright Be Sonnes of God hee 'l aid them by his might With harsh rebukes and torments let vs then Sift and examine this strange kinde of Men To know what meeknesse we in them can spy And by this means their vtmost patience try Put them to shamefull death bee 't any way For they shall be preserv'd as themselues say Thus do they go
holy Tria's they would leaue Nor yeeld The Blest-Maid did by him conceiue But herein failing with a visage sterne That roaring Lion Those which did concerne The Churches Faith aim'd at still raising such As building on their owne conceit too much The other Maximes of our knowne Beleefe Mainly withstood Nay after to his griefe Finding that in no one he could be said To haue preuail'd he after 'gins t' inuade All and at once to that great God retyring Who cast him downe from Heav'n for his aspiring And to cut off Mans hoped for felicitie Where he before persuades a multiplicitie of gods to be ador'd He now from Many Blinds the dull Atheist not to confesse Any Striuing if possible it were to make Him a worse Monster than himselfe To take No notice of his God nor vnderstand That both his life and breath are in his hand Insensible That he who from his Treasure Leant them at first can take them backe at pleasure That Hee created Sorrow who made Ioy Who reare's can ruine and who builds destroy Which they might gather from bare Natures light Obseruing That t' each day belong's a night That as in th' one there is a gladsome cheare So to the other doth belong a feare One figuring the Glory of the Iust Th' other that Hell where Atheists shall be thrust Next Let a man be mounted ne're so high Were 't on a spire that 's mid-way to the sky Whilest he look's vp with comfort he doth gaze Vpon the clouds and the Sun 's fulgent raies Nor is he troubled whilest his eies are bent Vpon the splendor of the Firmament But let him thence suruey the Earth below His heart will pant with many an irksome throw His body tremble sinewes and nerues all Contract themselues with feare from thence to fall The Emblem is That there 's aboue a place Long since prepar'd for all the Sonnes of Grace Who by a blest and heav'nly contemplation Looke vpward even from whence comes their saluation But vnto them who seeke not God to know And only fix their thoughts on things below Although no such place visibly appeare Yet there 's an Hell that 's full of dread and feare Which how can These escape who beleeue lesse Than do the Diuels for they both confesse And know there is a God a Heav'n where plac't They once had been and for their pride thence cast Likewise an Hell not threatned them in vaine Where they both now and euer shall remaine Shall He who giues vs life and length of daies Passe vs without due thanksgiuing and praise And shall not God be truly vnderstood Who in his bounty giues vs all that 's good Or Shall he nothing from our hands deserue Who what he makes is carefull to preserue We reade of some Beasts who opprest with thirst And hastning to the riuers margent first Bow downe their bodies at the waters brinke And fall vpon their knees still when they drinke Birds as we daily may obserue being dry At euery drop they taste looke vp on high As vnto Him who sends it them which speakes That without thanks they neuer wet their beakes If Beasts and Birds so gratefull be What then Shall we imagine of these thanklesse Men But That there 's a Gehinnon to contrude All guilty of such base ingratitude That this God is to Atheists may appeare Because by Him so frequently they sweare For Who 's so senselesse and obtuse a Sot To call to witnesse that thing which is not For By what Power soeuer they protest Th' Essence thereof is euen in that confest Ev'n Reasons selfe maugre this grosse impietie Illustrates vnto vs th' eternall Dietie If we behold a Barke in th' Ocean swimming We say Some Ship-wright gaue it shape and trimming Or if a Picture in a costly Frame It from the Pensill of some Painter came Or where we see an House or Temple stand We presuppose some skilfull Workmans hand Then If Below we marke the Earth and Ocean Aboue the Planets in their hourely motion So many Winters Autumnes Sommers Springs And in them the vicissitude of things When we shall all his glorious Creatures view Shall we deny him a bare Artists due Or Can we this high potent Vndertaker Who made both Them and Vs esteeme no Maker Philosophy will tell vs by her Lawes That no Effect can be without a Cause That euery action doth an Agent claime And euery motiue That which moues the same Though many causes Agents Motions be They are subordinate and onely He Prime Cause Agent and Mouer who t' our notion Is First of all effect action or motion Concerning whom the Psalmist doth thus treat O Lord my God thou art exceeding great In honour and in Glory shining bright Who couers thy great Maiestie with light As with a garment that Almighty God Who like a curtaine spreds the Heav'ns abroad And in th' vnsounded bosome of the streames Of thy great chambers hast dispos'd the beames Who for thy Chariot hast the Clouds assign'd And walk'st vpon the swiftwings of the wind When Man committeth euill he shall find A God euen in the terror of his mind For Adam tasting of the Fruit forbid Asham'd himselfe within a Thicket hid When Herod Iohn the Baptist had beheaded He for that act some fearefull vengeance dreaded For hearing of Christs Miracles he sed Surely that Iohn is risen from the dead Fearing his ghost did haunt him So when Cain Had in his wrath his brother Abel slain His count'nance was deiected and cast downe For were there no Accuser but mans owne Conscience it selfe he Feare could not eschew Because The Wicked fly when none pursue And what are Feares vnto that height extended But a meere dread of a iust God offended Euen by Idolaters a God's confest Who rather will adore a Bird a Beast A Fish a Serpent Planet or a Stone Nay euen the basest things rather than none Mans appetite that neuer can be sated Approues a God for let him be instated In a small means a greater he desires Giue him a Prouince and he then aspires Vnto a Realme a Kingdome let him haue Not yet content he then a World will craue Nor rests he there for were 't in his possession Yet bring him in the end to his confession He will acknowledge There is somewhat more To be acquir'd ev'n God whom we adore That men of knowledge should be so ambitious And in the quest thereof so auaritious Yet in that amplitude finding such scant That still the more they haue the more they want For in that progresse as they further go The more they learne the more they search to know Besides that in this search each one pursu'th With labour to inuestigate the Truth That simple and pure Truth th' Atheists deny Can be no other thing than the Most-High Ev'n these to whom himselfe he had not showne Saue in his Works
elsewhere further striues t' extend Thus speaking The first Mouer's One and He Euer Eternall we conclude to be Of Diuine Plato 't is recorded thus Who writing to King Dionysius Onely saith he by this note shall you know Whether my purpose serious be or no You shall obserue how I my Letter frame If one sole God I inuocate and name What 's weighty I intend but if the rest I nominate thinke then I sport and jest Orpheus of Poets the most antient And in that noble Title eminent He that is said to giue each god his name And to deriue the off-spring whence he came Yet in his best and deepest Theory Left to the world as his last Legacie That there was one sole God Omnipotent Immortall and for euer Permanent Invisible common Parent vnto all Mankinde and other Creatures great and small Author of War or Peace whose Prouidence Gouerns the World and whose high Eminence Hath in th' Emperiall Heauens a golden Throne Whose Foot-stoole is the Earth to tread vpon Who stretcheth his right hand beyond the vast Vnlimited Oceans bounds The First and Last Before whom each high Mountaine and low Vale Mov'd at his presence tremble and looke pale The Worlds sixt Columes at his anger shake And the Seas bottomlesse Abysses quake And elsewhere thus We may from Reason gather Ioue is sole King the vniuersall Father And Parent of all things alwaies the same One Power one God o're all that we can name And ouer them great Lord hauing besides One Regall Bulke or Body which abides To all Eternitie In which what 's being Hath revolution no way disagreeing Yet maintaines Contraries In Him you may Finde Fire and Water Earth Aire Night and Day As much as this Phocilides confest There is one potent God sole Wise sole Blest Th' AEgyptians in their curious inquisition A Nation the most giuen to superstition And to Idolatrous worship and yet they In all their Hierogliphycks did pourtray But one sole Iupiter whose picture was Plac't o're their ports and gates in stone or brasse So likewise in their Temples in his hand A trisulâ— thunderbolt or fulminous brand And as the Writer of their story tels Him they as God acknowledge and none els Saith one The God of Nature I will sing Infus'd in Heauen Sea Earth and euery thing Who this great Masse by'impartial cov'nant swayes Whom in alternate peace the World obeyes By which it liues and moues since but one Spirit Dwells in each part and doth the whole inherit O'reflying all things with inuisible speed And giuing shape to all that therein breed Vnlesse this Frame of Members neere ally'de And well context were made and had one Guide And Lord thereof the Vast to mannage still But were to be dispos'd by humane skill The Stars could haue no motion th' Earth no ease Time would stand still and a cold stiffenesse seise On agitation Planets would retaine No influence but slothfully remaine In their tyr'd Spheres Night would not fly the Day Nor Light giue place to Darknesse at a stay All things should stand the soft shoures should not dare To cheare the Earth nor the coole Windes the Aire Racke should not chase the clouds flouds should not feed The Sea nor the Sea Riuers at their need Nor should the soueraigne Part o're all parts stand Order'd and sway'd by ' an equall Parents hand For now neither the Waters nor the Stars Be vnto vs deficient nothing bar's The Heav'ns in their dispose whereby to ghesse They alter in their Gyring more or lesse Motion doth cherish but not change for all We see the world containes in generall Are mannag'd and dispos'd by faire accord And still obedient to their Prince and Lord. He therefore is the God that all things guides Who in his Diuine wisedome so prouides That Creatures here below meerely terrestriall Haue pour'd into them by the Signes Coelestiall A strength infus'd to honour or disgrace Not hindred by the distance of the place Stars haue a power in Nature ministring Fate To Nations priuat persons and each State Which operation we do hold as sure As the Heav'ns giue the Fieldes a temperature By which they in their seasons spring and grow Or are the cause that the Seas ebbe and flow Hee 's only God that is vnchang'd by Time Nor yong nor old but euer in his prime Who suffers not the Sun backward t' inuade The transuerse Arctos or runne retrograde And steere a new course neither from the West Returne the same way to his last nights rest Nor shewes the same Aurora to stronds new Nor lets the Moone an erring course pursue Beyond her certaine Orbe but to retaine A constant change in her encrease and waine Nor lets the Stars aboue impending fall To circumvolve the Earth the Sea and all Thinke now you heare this God long silence breakâ— And to a meerly Ethnicke man thus speake Thou slighting me hast to thy selfe deuis'd A thousand gods and equally vs pris'd Thinking to minch me into parts and fleece Me of my right But know no part or peece Can be from me extracted no forme ta'ne That am a simple Substance Then in vaine Thou think'st to parcell me by thy decision Of compound things 't is eath to make diuision But I was made by none nor therefore can I piece-meal'd or dissected be by Man All things from nothing were first made by me Then part of mine owne worke how can I be Therefore to me alone thy Temples reare And worship me in honour and in feare As those of Marble so the Minde I praise Where stedfast Faith a rich Foundation layes On golden piles and when the Buildings rise In snowy Pietie to daze mens eyes With vnsway'd Iustice rooft to keepe o utraine And where the walls within chast Blushes staine In stead of Vermil and the whitenesse cleare Proceeds from palenesse bred by holy Feare The Oracles that from the Sybels came Who in the former world were of great fame Though 'mongst the Learn'd it be a question still Whence they inspir'd were with Prophetique skill The good or the bad Sprite er'd not to say There is but one sole God Him we obey These be their words In this we all agree There 's one true God aboue all Maiestie Omnipotent Inuisible alone Vnborne All-seeing and yet seene of none Apollo askt by one Theophilus How many gods there were made answer thus His Vnitie not daring to deny There 's only one true God Potent and High Begotten by Himselfe Sufficient Able Vntaught and without Mother solely Stable To speake whose Name no Language can aspire Or reach into whose dwelling is in Fire And such is God of whom I and the Rest Am a small portion as being profest His Ministers and Angels By which Name The Diuell exprest himselfe to haue an aime To Diuine worship which ' He that did create All things so
Potencie Protection Power to guide With all such things as are to these ally'de His Nosthrils by which he is said to smell Doth vnto vs his Acceptation tell Of Sacrifice and Prayer His Incenst Ire Againe it notes when thence fly sparks of fire His Eyes emblem to vs that choice Respect And Fauor which he beares to his Elect. Sometimes they'import his Prouidence Diuine Sometimes they wrathfully are said to shine Against the Wicked By his Feet are meant Stabilitie and Power Omnipotent By th' Apple of his Eye he would haue knowne Th'Indulgence that he beares vnto his Owne The Diuine Wisedome knowing how dull and weake Mans heart and braine is taught the Text to speake To our capacities The Prophets they Did not of this great Deity display The absolute perfection but so leaue it That by a glimpse we far off might conceiue it His Eyes being nam'd it must impresse in me That God doth euery thing at all times see Or if his Eare then must I presuppose That hearing all that 's spoke he all things knowes That hauing wings to mount himselfe on high In vaine can Man his incenst vengeance fly O whither from thy Sprite shall I depart Thou that in euery place at all times art Fly thee none can but vnto thee repaire All may in their humilitie and prayer Appealing to thy Goodnsse For What place Can shadow me when I shall fly thy face If soare to Heauen thy Presence doth appeare Or if to Hell diue Thou art likewise there There is no way an angry God to shun But to a God well pleas'd for refuge run Now to proceed The Scripture Phrase doth reach No farther than our stupid sence to teach That by corporeall things we may prepare Our hearts to know what things spirituall are And by Inuisible make demonstration Of what 's vnseene beyond mans weake narration And for this cause our passions and affects Are in the Scriptures for some knowne respects Confer'd on the Almighty when 't is said God did repent him that he man had made Or when hee 's wrathfull herein is not meant That He is angry or He can repent But 't is a Figure from th' effect arose And that the Greeks call Metanumikos The Names the Scriptures attribute to Him Sometimes Iehouah sometimes Elohim And when the glorious Trinitie's proclaim'd The Father Sonne and Holy-Ghost are nam'd More appellations the Text affords As The Great God of Heauen The Lord of Lords The Lord of Armies and of Hosts the God That in the Highest Heauen hath his aboad The God of Abraham Isaac Iacob and He that brought Israel from th' Egyptians land God of the Spirits of all Flesh and he Lord God of Israel is knowne to be Him by the name of th' Hebrewes God we praise God of our Fathers Th' Antient of all dayes And Dauids God Yet further denomination The God of gods of Iustice Ioy Saluation These titles it ascribes to Him alone Israels Redeemer Israels Holy one Protector Father Shepheard then we sing To Israels God to Iacobs the great King So to the Euerlasting King and than King of all Worlds before the World began Whose Power whose Goodnesse shewn to euery Nation c. Extracts from me this serious Contemplation Soueraigne and holy God Fountaine and Spring Of all true Vertue the Omnipotent King Of whom by subtill search in things to'acquire Is not in Mans conception a thing higher Than his weake faculties can comprehend Yet not to know this God he should offend For how can it with reason consonant be One Godhood should remaine in persons three And they in such a firme connexure linkt To be although in separat yet distinct Thou art without beginning and againe Thou shalt to all Eternitie remaine Knowing no end The Onely and the Same Whom Time cannot impaire nor Age reclaime The space of things Thou do'st in space exceed And art contain'd in none How shouldst thou need That which thy Selfe hast made Or how should Sence Allot thee place who only art Immense Nor is it in Mans frailtie to deuise How Thee in the least kinde to ' annatomise Or tell what thou art like thy Image being A thing excluded from all mortall seeing Vnlesse thou of thy most especiall Grace Wilt shew some shadow of thy glorious Face No part of thee thou hast presented here Saue what doth in thy maruellous Works appeare No Strength can moue Thee of the Land or Ocean By whom we are and in whom haue our motion Thou art the Mind and Substance of all pure And holy minds Thou art the Reason sure And stedfast whence all other Reasons flow That are from perfect Wisedome said to grow Thou art that Vertue of all Vertues head Thou art the Life it selfe and thou art read Father of Life as being knowne to giue Breath with their Being to all things that liue The Light it selfe and yeelding Light to all The Cause and Strength of things in generall Beginning it 's beginning had from thee And whatsoeuer first began to be Vpon the sudden out of Nothing shin'd Which fil'd with thy great Power were so refin'd That either strength of knowledge they retaine Or excellent shape such as doth still remaine The sacred Scriptures are sufficient warrant By many Texts to make the Trine apparant As from the first Creation we may proue God did Create God Said the Spirit did Moue Create imports the Father Said the Sonne The Spirit that Mov'd the Holy-Ghost This done Come to the Gospell to Saint Paul repaire Of him Through him and For him all things are To whom be euerlasting praise Amen In which it is observ'd by Origen Throughâ— and For three Persons to imply And the word Him the Godheads Vnitie Let Vs in Our owne Image Man create Saith God which Salomon doth thus explicate Remember the Creators in the dayes c. Which word those well verst in the Hebrew Phrase Reade in the plurall So when God did frowne On Babels Tower he said Let Vs go downe When Sodom was consum'd 't is said againe The Lord that fire did from the Lord downe raine So when Christs Glory Isay would declare To'expresse Three Persons in on Godhead are He Holy Holy Holy nam'd To show We might a Ternion in an Vnion know Come to Christs Baptisme you againe shall see In the same Trine the perfect Vnitie The Father the first Person is compris'd By sending downe a Voice The Son 's baptis'd By Iohn in Iorden and then from aboue The Third descends in figure of a Doue So likewise when Duke Moses went about To comment on the Law lest they should doubt Of this great Mysterie Hearke to my word O Israel
place to relate for they would require too large a circumstance Concerning the name of God it is generally obserued That none can properly be conferred vpon him because he is onely and alone And yet to distinguish the Creator from the Creature needfull it is that it should be done by some attribute or other which ineffable name in the Hebrew language consisteth of one word containing foure letters i. Iehovah which descendeth of the verbe Haiah fuit which is as much as to say He Was Is and Shall be Which declareth his true property for as he hath bin alwaies so hee shall be eternally for Eternitie is not Time nor any part of Time And almost all Nations and Languages write and pronounce the word by which the name of God is specified with foure letters onely foure being a number euen and perfect because hee hath no imperfection in him For besides the Hebrewes the Persians write the name of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Wisards and Soothsayers of that countrey 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Arabians Alla the Assyrians Adad the AEgyptians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Grecians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Latines Deus the French Dieu the Spaniards Dios the Italians Idio the Dutch and Germanes Gott the English and Scots Godd with a double d as hath been obserued in all Antiquities He is likewise called Alpha and Omega which are the first and last letters of the Greeke Alphabet His Epithites or Appellations in Scripture are Almighty Strong Great Incomprehensible Vncircumscribed Vnchangeable Truth Holy of Holies King of Kings Lord of Lords Most Powerfull Most Wonderfull with diuers other Attributes Some define him to be a Spirit Holy and True of whom and from whom proceeds the action and agitation of all things that are to whom and to the glory of whom the end conclusion of all things is referred Iustine Martyr in his Dialogue with Tryphon the Iew defineth God in these words I call him God that hath essence in Himself and is continually permanent in one and the same kinde without receiuing any change and hath giuen beginning to all the things that are created Cicero calleth God a certain Intelligence or Spirit free and ready separate from all mortall mixture or concretion knowing and mouing all things and hauing in himselfe an eternall motion So much many Ethnyck Authors haue acknowledged as in their Workes is to be frequently read Dionysius in his booke de Divin Nominib is of opinion that all things which denote perfection and excellence are in God most eminent and on Him deseruedly to be conferred On the contrarie all such things as are subiect vnto imperfection or defect because they do not fall within His nature are to be remoued and banished from his description Therfore in these words Ens Infinitum i. Infinite Being he includes the prime chief and soueraign Truth Soueraigne Goodnesse Soueraigne Mercy Soueraigne Iustice Wisedome Power Benignitie Beneficence Clemency Intelligence Immortalitie Immobilitie Invariabilitie Amabilitie Desiderabilitie Intelligibilitie Stabilitie Soliditie Act Actiue Mouer Cause Essence Substance Nature Spirit Simplicitie Reward Delectation Pulchritude Iucunditie Refreshing Rest Securitie Beatitude or whatsoeuer good laudable or perfect thing can fall within the conception or capacitie of Man But when all haue said what they can let vs conclude with Saint Augustine Solus Deus est altissimus quo altius nihil est Onely God is most high than whom there is nothing higher And in another place Quid est Deus est id quod nulla attingit opinio id est What is God Hee is that thing which no Opinion can reach vnto There is no safetie to search further into the Infinitenesse of the Diuine Nature than becommeth the abilitie of finite Man lest we precipitate our selues into the imputation of insolence arrogance For God saith in Iob Comprehendaem sapientes in Astutia eorum Which is as much as had he said I will make it manifest that the wisedome of all those who seeme to touch Heauen with their fingers and with the line of their weake vnderstanding to take measure of my Nature is their meere ignorance let them beware lest their obstinacie without their repentance and my mercie hurry them into irreuocable destruction Augustus Caesar compared such as for light causes would expose themselues to threatning dangers to them that would angle for small Fish with a golden hooke who should receiue more dammage by the losse of the bait than there was hope of gain by the prey There is reported a fable of an Huntsman who with his Bow and Arrowes did vse to insidiate the Wilde-beasts of the Wildernesse and shoot them from the couerts and thickets insomuch that they were often wounded and knew not from whence The Tygre more bold than the rest bad them to secure themselues by flight for he onely would discouer the danger Whom the hunter espying from the place where he lay concealed with an arrow wounded him in the leg which made him to halt and lagge his flight But first looking about him and not knowing from whom or whence he receiued his hurt it was the more grieuous to him Him the Fox meeting saluted and said O thou the most valiant of the beasts of the Forrest who gaue thee this deepe and terrible wound To whom the Tygre sighing replied That I know not onely of this I am sensible to my dammage That it came from a strong and a daring hand All ouer-curious and too deepe Inquisitors into Diuine matters may make vse of this vnto themselues Sentences of the Fathers concerning the Trinitie in Vnitie and Vnitie in Trinitie AVgustine lib. de Trinitate we reade thus All those Authors which came within the compasse of my reading concerning the Trinitie who haue writ of that subiect What God is according to that which they haue collected out of the sacred Scriptures teach after this manner That the Father the Sonne and the Holy-Ghost of one and the same substance in an inseparable equalitie insinuate one and the same Vnitie and therefore there are not three gods but one God though the Father begot the Sonne therefore he is not the Sonne being the Father The Sonne is begot of the Father and therefore he is not the Father because the Sonne The Holy-Ghost is neither the Father nor the Sonne but onely the Spirit proceeding from the Father and the Sonne and to the Father and the Sonne coequall as concerning the Vnitie of the Trinitie Neither doth this infer that the same Trinitie was borne of the blessed Virgin Mary crucified vnder Pontius Pilat buried and rose againe the third day and after that ascended into heauen but it was onely the Sonne who died and suffered those things the Father the Sonne and the Holy-Ghost as they are inseparable so they haue their vnanimous and vnite operations And againe Lib. 1. de Trinitate Neither more dangerously can a man erre neither more laboriously can
others were of a contrary opinion as shall be made plaine vnto you in the sequell Lucan lib 7. de Bell. Civil vseth these words Communis mundi superest rogus ossibus astra Mixturus Id est There is a common fire yet to come which with our bones shall mix the Stars As likewise Seneca in Hercule Octas Mundo conueniet dies Australis Polus corruet c. Vpon the World a Day shall call When as the Australl Pole must fall And whatsoe're by Lybia lyes What Spartan Garamas espyes The shrinking Northerne Pole shall flat And vtterly subuert Nay what Is at that season found to be Plac't beneath either Axle-tree What the North winde hath blowne vpon Shall all be in that ruine gone The Sun shall then cast off the day The Heav'n it selfe shall quite decay And haue a sure and certaine end The gods shall not themselues defend But either Death or Chaos shall To former Nothing turne them all No face shall be of Earth or Skye And Death must be the last shall dye Ovid agreeth with Seneca in this for you reade him thus in his Metamorphosis Esse quoque in fatis reminiscitur adfore tempus c. Amongst the Fates there 's registred a Time When Sea and Earth and all the Heav'ns sublime Shall burne at once and all this goodly Frame Must be consum'd and cease to haue a name Lucretius you may likewise heare to the same purpose Principio Maria Terras Coelumque tuere First looke ô Memmius on the Sea the Land And Heav'n whose triple nature vnderstand Three bodies three formes so vnlike yet such As cannot for their shape be admir'd too much Yet this great Mole and Machine of the world Shall in one day be into ruine hurl'd Seneca in his Tragedie of Octavia thus speakes Nunc adest Mundo Dies c. Now to the World a Day drawes neare And that the last that shall appeare Which by Heav'ns ruine shall make immolation Of this most wicked Generation That a new Stocke may thence arise Of better Natures much more wise With a condition like sincere As in the Worlds first Age they were Hither may that speech of Tindarus in Plautus morally and not altogether vnproperly be applied Hic ille est Dies cum nulla vitae salus Sperabilis est mecum Neque exilium exitio est c. This is the Day in which no hope Or health of life can be by me expected Exile can be to me no end All helpe all comfort I haue now reiected Vnto my crafty fraudulencies Which were vnlimited and kept no bound For all my cunning sycophancies No shelter no euasion can be found Neither for my perfidiousnesse Can intercession any way preuaile For my apparant wickednesse There is no purchase of reprieue or baile For all my craft fraud and deceit There is no way by which I can euade It now too late is fauour to entreat All that I kept conceal'd is open laid My juglings are made manifest Bootlesse it is my punishment to fly And since I haue so far transgrest Doubtlesse that I an euill death shall dye All these may serue to expresse the Worlds dissolution Now concerning the Creation heare Claudian in Laudem Stellicon speaking of the great power and strength of Clemencie Principio magni custos Clementia mundi c. She that Clemencie is styl'd Was first who on the great World smyl'd She is the Zone that Iove embrac't And still she dwells about his wast The middle Firmament she swayes And both the heate and cold allayes And she is to be vnderstood The eldest of the Heav'nly Brood For Clemencie did first vnty As pittying the deformity Of the rude Chaos all that Heape And caus'd the Light from thence to leape Dispersing Darknesse Shee 's the prime That with cleere lookes made Age and Time Hauing heard the Poets let vs now heare what the Philosophers say Aristotle vseth these words Non plures Mundi sunt c. There are no more Worlds nor more can be if this consist of the vniuersall Matter as of necessitie it must And again Lib. Phys. 4. All things that are vnder heauen in time grow old corruptible and vile As concerning the multiplicitie of Worlds diuers Philosophers held with Many and of these some to be greater some lesse of which certaine of them to be enlightned with Sunne Moone and the rest of the Planets others to haue no illumination from any Star or Coelestial body and others againe to haue the benefit and vse of far more of these heauenly Lights than we in this inferior world enioy Moreouer that some of these worlds daily encrease and grow greater others of the contrary are obnoxious to contraction and diminution of which sundry of them are quite destitute of Plants Creatures and Inhabitants c. But which appeares most childish and ridiculous to all that are apprehensiue of any humane reason they maintaine That these worlds by mutuall wearing and ruine according to our plaine English Phrase fall foule one vpon another and are interchangeably shattered and broken life so many glasses or earthen vessells Metrodorus was of such madnesse that hee blushed not to attest That it was as preposterous to all true Iudgements to thinke that in so infinite a Vacuum there should be but one world as in a large and spatious field there to be but one spike or blade of grasse But these delirements and imaginarie Chimaera's haue been opposed by the better experienced Sophists as Pythagoras Samius Thales Milesius Anaxagoras Anaximander Melissus Heraclitus Zeno Citicus c. as is more amply expressed by Aristotle the Prince of Philosophers Aboue the rest Plato with his Scholler Aristotle conclude vpon one World namely this in which we now liue and reside To make this plaine let ys go no farther than the definition of the World according to Aristotle The World saith hee is that in which all things are contained and without which there is nothing that is or can be found So by consequence if there were any thing without the world then the world could not containe all things and therefore no world But to omit as many arguments and those too vnanswerable as would swell this single leaued Pagin into a many-sheeted Volume in these few words this question may be fully determined There is but one world and that perfect as there is but one most perfect Creator the absolute Prince and Gouernor thereof without which world there is neither Place Vacuitie nor Time Place there is not because there can be no Place without a Body if there be no Body then no Motion if no Motion all Time is excluded Nam Tempus est mensura motus i. For Time is the measure of all motion Let vs leaue then these wrangling and selfe-opinioned Sophists to their errors and for our own satisfaction as an vnfailing refuge sanctuarie our selues in that which the Holy-Ghost speaketh by the
beginning Plato and Socrates sorted the prime procreation from Three God Idaea and Matter Zeno admitted but Two God and the Elements The Hebrewes held Matter Forme and Spirit Some of the Greeks and amongst them especially Hesiod and of the Latines Ovid they stood with a Chaos To reckon vp all their opinions and quarrelling arguments to confirme them would grow to as great an infinite as Democritus his Atomes which were an vpossible thing to number for as in the maine they differ one from another so they are at great distance and contrarietie among themselues S. Augustâ— contra Manich. vseth these words Compescat sâ— humanatemeritas id quod non est non quaerat â—e illud quod est non inveniat i. Let mans rashnesse bridle it selfe That which is noâ— let him by no means seeke lest that which is he can no way find And in another place Multo facilius inveniaâ— syderum conditorem Humilis pietâ—s quam siderum ordinem superba curiositas i. The Maker of the Stars is more easily found by humble pietie than the order of the Stars by proud curiositie Euclides the Philosopher being demanded by one What kinde of things the gods were and what manner of workes they most delighted themselues in made him this answere That he was not very familiar with their persons nor much acquainted with their purposes onely so much he vnderstood from them That aboue all things they hated such polupragmaticall Inquisitors Demonax when one solicited him to know Whether the World were animated And had Spirit and Life And againe Whether it were fashioned round after the maner of a Sphere or Globe cut him off with this short answere Why dost thou friend thus trouble thy selfe to enquire so much after the World who oughtst rather to apply thy diligence to liue vprightly in the World Seneca in his Epistles speakes to this purpose Why dost thou trouble thy selfe about questions which were better for thee to be ignorant of than to be resolued in What tends it to Vertue or good Life to studie perfectnesse in the enarration of Syllables to labour Words trauell in the strict lawes of a Verse or to keepe fabulous Histories in memory Which of all these can take away from thy feares or bridle thy irregular desires Musicke can shew vs which are the lacrymable notes but can it demonstrate vnto vs in our misery how not to vtter a lamenting voice Geometry teacheth how to measure spatious grounds and fields when it should rather instruct vs how to take measure of our graues and how much quantitie of earth would serue for our bodies how we ought not to spend or wast any part of our Inheritance and not how to measure much and purchase little No Artificer but can tell which things are triangle which round which square with the quantitie and dimention thereof but can he search into the depth or secrets of the heart or into the minde of a man to know how streight or capatious it is Thou knowest a line if it be right and direct but what doth that profit thee if in what should guide the perfect and vpright line of thy life thou beest ignorant In another place he saith Sophismata nec ignorantem nocent nec scientem iuvant i. These sophismes and impertinent riddles neither hurt the Ignorant nor benefit the Knowing c. Many of these vnnecessarie curiosities being deliuered to Spiridion and diuers other Bishops in the Nicene Councell to be resolued and amongst others That it was absurd to conceiue that God in his infinite eternitie before foure or fiue thousand yeares past should now at length make this world and to endure so short a season what did he then before it or what could he finde himselfe to doe after it To whom Spiridion as the mouth of the rest gaue this answer That lest hee should be said to doe nothing in that Vacuum he was then making a place of eternall torments for all such ouer-curious Inquisitors c. And therefore all Orthodoxall Doctors and Diuines with the whole Catholike Church against these former exploded opinions conclude out of Genesis That there is one world made by God in the beginning of Time and that all the generations of Mankind were propagated proceeded from the Protoplasti Adam and Eue our first great Grandfather and Grandmother and whoso shall presume to search further are not onely guilty of vnprofitable curiositie but worthily branded with irreligious impietie Moreouer Temporum quorundam cognitionem Deus sibi ipsi reservavit i. The knowledge of some times and seasons God reserues to himselfe for we know that the time in which the Messias was to come into the World was concealed from the Patriarchs and Prophets though with many prayers and teares they besought it Besides our Lord and Sauiour would not shew his Disciples of the last day when he was to come to iudge the world though they vehemently entreated it in these words Tell vs when these things shall be and what signe of thy comming and consummation of the world Moreouer to shew what a great secret it was Of that day saith he and that houre no man knowes no not the Angels of heauen but the Father onely So likewise after he was risen from the Dead being asked by his Apostles When the kingdome of Israel should be restored he told them That the eternall Father had reserued the knowledge of that time vnto himselfe For saith he It is not for you to know the times and the moments which the Father hath put in his owne power c. Pius pulsator plerumque invenit quod temerarius scrutator invenire non potest saith a learned Father The godly knocker doth oftentimes light vpon that which the curious inquisitor by much search can neuer finde Therefore as Socrates aduised all men most especially to beware of those viands and delicacies which persuade and prouoke them to eat when they haue no appetite or stomacke and to abstaine from all such wines as tempt them to drink when they are no whit athirst so ought we in all our discourse labour to auoid all such vaine and vnprofitable questions which resolued help not and vndecided hinder not But as the AEgles when they rest and the Lions when they walke the one pluckes in his tallons the other his clawes to keepe them sharpe as loath to dull them til they meet with their prey so it is not fit that we should trouble our heads or exercise our wits vpon things impertinent but rather reserue them for things onely behoofull and necessarie Plautus in Sticho saith Curiosus nemo est qui non sit malevolus There is none that is curious but is euilly disposed And againe in Haecyra Tua quid nihil refert percontari desinesâ— i. That which concerneth thee not enquire not after I conclude with that of S. Bernard in one of his Sermons Curiosus foras engreditur exterius omnia
Platonists call gods All those sublunary they Daemons styl'd As Apuleius in his booke compyl'd De deo Socratis makes ample mention According to his humane apprehension We know their Places and their Offices But of their Natures and their Substances Onely so far no farther we dare skan Than that they are more excellent than man Thus by the Psalmist warranted who sayes When our Nobilitie he semees to praise And what Man was before he did transgresse Thou mad'st him than the Angels little lesse Some would allow them Bodies and of them Tertullian one another Origen From Genesis The Sonnes of God 't is there Seeing Mens Daughters and how faire they were Tooke them to be their Wiues Now both agree That these no other could than Angels be Who if they married must haue Bodies those Compos'd of Forme and Matter to dispose Else how should they haue Issue And againe How are bad Sprites sensible of paine In Hells eternall torments if there faile That Substance on the which Fire may preuaile So diuers of the Fathers were of minde For in Saint Austines Comment you may finde The subtile essence of the Angels pure At first that they more fully might endure The sence of Fire was grossed in their Fall Of courser temper than th' Originall Moreouer Damascenus is thus heard Each thing created if with God compar'd Who onely incorruptible is shall finde Them Grosse and all materiall in their kinde For He alone 't is we may truly call Vnbodied and Immateriall Ambrose Lactantius and Basilius Rupertus Atlas Athanasius With Firmianus did beleeue no lesse As more at large their publique Workes expresse To these oppos'd in censure others are Who in their best of judgements not once dare Allow them Bodies but meere Spirits to bee Void of all matter and in this agree Nazianzen Gregorie Thomas Aquine Saint Chrisostome and Thomas Argentine Alexander Alexandri and Marselius Bonaventura Augustinus Niphus Hugo de S. Victore Scotus men Gen'erally approv'd and with these Damascen Who saith That in respect of God on hye His Pewer and most inserutable Qualitie They may be said to haue Bodies yet he wou'd Not haue it be so simply vnderstood But that they are not all so exquisite As mutable confin'd to place finite When as his Nature more Diuine by farre Is subiect to no Change as Angels ar ' An Infinite a Majestie so Immence No place can circumscribe his Eminence To leaue Authorities yet make this plaine Let 's see what grounds from Reason we can gaine If they haue bodies they must needs be linkt Of members as Mans is Organs distinct And like composure else they must be fram'd Confus'd and without those which we haue nam'd If Limbs and Organs consequently then They must haue Sence if Sence Passions as men And therefore capable of Perturbation So of Corruption and of Alteration As bee'ng compos'd of Contraries If we say Th' are from Corruption free t' infer that they Their bodies neuer can put off and so Into a grosse absurditie they grow To make them in worse state than Man for he Puts off all Cares with his Mortalitie But on their perpetuitie doth depend Trouble and Toiles sence which can neuer end Againe if Bodies they must either be Hard to be felt and of soliditie Or else Liquid and soft If stand vpon The last th' are signes of imperfection Subiect to be diuided and to take Strange shapes vpon them and the first forsake As to be chang'd to Water or to Aire Which doth not stand with sence for if we dare Allow them hard and sollid we' are deluded Since such from other Bodies are excluded As in dimention limited and space Because two Bodies cannot haue one place Nor can they with that quicke celeritie Moue in one Sphere then in another be 'T must likewise follow That such as are sent Downe to the Earth cannot incontinent But with much difficultie or'ecome the way First in one Heav'n then in another stay Haue time to penetrate as needs it is Now that Coelestiall Body and then this When as if Alphraganius we may trust Or Thebit Arabs both of force it must Be a great distance For these Authors write If that an Angell in his swiftest flight Should from the eighth Heauen to the Earth descend A thousand miles in threescore minutes to spend So far remote they are if truly told Six yeares six moneths his journey would him hold But now what difficult to some may'appeare To reconcile and all those doubts to cleare Ev'n as Mans wisdome being lustly way'd With Gods to be meere Foolishnesse is said Not that it is in its owne nature so And that than Brutes he doth no further know But in respect of God's so pure and holy It in that sence may be reputed Folly So th'vncorporeall Spirits Bodies claime Which if we with th' Almighties Essence name In that regard 't is palpable and grosse No better to be styl'd than Dung and Drosse Now by the Sonnes of God who beheld then The Daughters which were said to be of Men Is meant the Sonnes of Seth to make it plaine Seeing those Daughters which were come of Cain Of them tooke wiues each where he liked best Heare in a Lateran Councell what 's exprest Touching Spirituall and Corporeall Creatures Distinguisht thus The great God of all Features The sole Creator Visible and Vnseene Spirituall and those which Bodied beene Who from Times first beginning hath both fram'd Spirituall and those Corporeall nam'd By which we vnderstand Angelicall And Mundane here below He after all Did then create Man in his blest estate Both Soule and Body to participate The Phrase of Scripture doth confirme as much As oft as it doth on the Spirit touch A Substance without Body it approoues The Spirit is God saith Iohn and it behooues All such as will in worship fall before him Meerely in Spirit and in Truth t'addore him Besides Saint Luke doth witnesse One mans brest At once of a whole Legion was possest Of vncleane Spirits Which had they Bodies How Could it sufficient place to them allow To'inhabit when each Legion doth by List Of six thousand six hundred sixty six consist If there be any of Saint Gregories mind To thinke that Angels are to Place design'd All such must vnderstand it is not meant According to the limited extent Of their Angel-like Substances but rather Which from their great employments we may gather Of their owne vertues the determination In the determin'd place of operation Nor is 't of force That Angels by their Fall Should gaine a Substance more materiall On which th' infernall Fire it selfe might feed Of such a spissed Substance there 's no need Since of their lasting torments without pause The Fire is not the sole and principall cause But as an Instrument a power it hath From Gods owne hand and iust incensed wrath To the three Ternions I returne againe Linkt fast
I please drop from the Heav'ns a Chaine To which lay all your hands and you in vaine Shall striue to pull me thence and yet with ease And ioyne to you the vast Earth and the Seas With all their pondrous weight one minutes space Shall draw you vp to my sublimer place c. In which Power ascribed vnto Iupiter as acknowledging one superior Deitie what doth hee lesse than sleight and vilifie the weakenesse and deficiencie of all such Idols on whom Diuine honors are superstitiously conferred I began the former Tractate with the Hierarchie of Angells their three Classes or Ternions their order and concatination in which I haue proceeded with that plainenesse that I hope they need no further demonstration As also of the opinion of the Sadduces and others who will allow no Spirits or Angells at all their weake and vnmomentary Tenents being with much facility remoued I now proceed to this vnresistable conclusion That the obiect and end of Gods diuine Will in the creation of all things was no other than his Grace and Goodnesse in which he continued from all eternitie and so he might haue done without the helpe seruice or ministerie of any Angell or Creature whatsoeuer which neither to the ornament conseruation or augmentation of his Diuine Nature can adde or detract And that his Almightinesse was pleased to vndergo this great Worke of the Creation it was his free-Will and no Necessitie that obliged him vnto it And he that in his Diuine Wisdom and Goodnesse had Will to make things hath the same Power to dispose them by which he created them and as much do we owe vnto him for the Dangers from which he deliuereth vs as for the Health Wealth and Dignities with which hee blesseth vs. For as Saint Hierome saith The treasures of Vices in vs are the aboundance of Goodnesse in God c. Angels were the first Creatures God made created pure as the Light ordained with the Light to serue God who is the Lord of Light They haue charge to conduct vs wisedome to instruct vs and grace to preserue vs They are the Saints Tutors Heauens Heraulds and the Bodies and Soules Guardians Furthermore as Origen saith Euery ones Angell that hath guided him in this life shall at the last day produce and bring his Charge forth whom he hath gouerned They at all times and in all places behold the majestie of the Heauenly Father And according to Saint Augustine they were created Immortall Beautifull Innocent Good Free and Subtile resembling a far off the Essence of God himselfe Saint Basil saith The Angels suffer no mutation or change for amongst them there is neither Childe Youth nor Old man but in the same state they were created in the beginning they stil persist and so vnchangeably shall to all eternitie And Saint Augustine in his Booke De vera Religione vseth these words Let not the worship of men that be dead be any Religion vnto vs who if they liued piously and died good men desire no such honor to be conferred vpon them but they desire that Hee onely should be adored by vs by whose illumination they reioyce that wee shall become partakers of their blessednesse Therefore they are to be honored for imitation but not worshipped for Religion And after speaking of the Augels he addeth this We honour them in our Charitie but not in any Seruilitie neither do wee build any Temples vnto them For they would not be so honoured of vs knowing that we our selues if we be good men are the Temples of the euer liuing God For our instruction therefore it was written That the Angell forbad man to bow to him but to giue all worship and reuerence to that Great God to whom he with him was a fellow seruant God vseth their ministerie and seruice not only to the celebrating of his owne glory as Psal. 103. vers 20 21. Praise the Lord ye his Angels that excell in strength that do his commandement in obeying the voice of his Word Praise the Lord all yee his Hosts yee his Seruants that do his pleasure But also when he employeth them to deliuer any message vnto man as Numb 22. vers 32. And the Angel of the Lord said vnto him Why hast thou stricken thinâ— Asse now thrice c. As also Genes 19. 13. For wee will destroy this place because the Cry of them is great before the Lord and the Lord hath sent vs to destroy it He employeth them likewise in the gouernment of the world For by him were all things creâ—ted which are in heauen or which are in earth things visible and invisible whether they be Thrones or Dominions or Principalities or Powers all things were created by him and for him c. He vseth them in the deliuerance and protection of the Faithfull Acts 5.19 But the Angell of the Lord by night opened the prison doores and brought him forth c. By their care and employment some are instructed in the Law of the Lord and to haue the Gospell propagated Acts 16.9 Where a Vision appeared to Paul in the night There stood a man of Macedonia and prayed him saying Come into Macedonia and helpe vs c. They comfort the Saints in afflictions as well in things that belong to this bodily as spirituall life they strengthen them when they faint sometimes cherish and at other times chastice them Reg. 2.1.3 Then the Angell of the Lord said to Elijah the Tishbyte Arise and goe vp to meet the Messengers of the King of Samaria and say vnto them Is it not because there is no God in Israel that you go to enquire of Baalzebub the god of Eckron c. Acts 27.23 24. Paul saith For there stood by me this night the Angell of God whose I am and whom I serue saying Feare not Paul for thou must be brought before Caesar and Loe God hath giuen vnto thee freely all that saile with thee They are Gods Avengers of the reprobat and such as oppose his Church people Esay 37.36 Then the Angell of the Lord went out and smote in the Campe of Assur an hundred fourestore and fiue thousand So when they arose early in the morning behold they were all dead Corps Of their seuerall apparitions and sundry employments much more might be said but these few may serue to illustrate the rest Yet notwithstanding that great is their power and excellence and that God vseth their ministerie in preseruing and protecting vs and bestowing many benefits and blessings vpon vs yet as wel by their owne saying as the sentence of the Apostles it is manifest no Diuine Worship is to be conferred vpon them but vpon God onely Before I come by seuerall histories to enlarge that argument handled in the premisses namely That euen by Dreames it may be concluded that there be Spirits I will speake something of Dreams in general Aristotle defines them thus Somnium est phantasmain somno factum i. A
One God before the World began XIX Father Vnborne the Sonne Begot Spirit Proceeding let vs not Through their procurements And sly allurements Be stain'd with Sinne but keepe vs without spot XX. O Thou the glorious Trinitee Whose pow'rfull Works inscp'rable be Support and aid What Thou hast made And keepe our Soules from their Temptations free XXI Thou President of an vnequal'd Parity Thou Plurall Number in thy Singularity Those Diuellish Foes Still to oppose Grant vs firme Faith strong Hope and constant Charity XXII Whom Father thou hast Made do not forsake Of whom thou hast redeem'd Son pitty take Good Spirit guyde Those sanctify'd And keepe vs from the euer-burning Lake XXIII That We with Saints and Angels may Thy Honour Pow'r and Praise display Thy Glory bright Mercy and Might Within Thy New Ierusalem for ay Deus est indivise vnus in Trinitate inconfuse Trinus in Vnitate Leo Pap. THE VERTVES Ex Sumptib Gulielmi Beescom Generos THE ARGVMENT of the fifth Tractate THe Consonance and Sympathy Betwixt the Angels Hierarchy The Planets and Coelestiall Spheres And what similitude appeares 'Twixt One and Other Of the three Religions that most frequent be Iew Christian and Mahumetist Vpon what Grounds they most insist Ridiculous Tenents stood vpon In Mahomets blinde Alcaron Where he discourseth the creation Of Heav'ns and Angels A relation What strange notorious Heresies By â—the Prescillians and Manechies Were held The truth made most apparant By Text and holy Scriptures warrant The second Argument WE aime at the Coelestiall Glory Below the Moone all 's Transitorie The Vertues THree things hath God shew'd in this Worlds Creation Worthy mans wonder and great admiration In making it his Power most exquisit In ord'ring it his Wisedome infinit And in conseruing it his Goodnesse such As neuer can by man be'extold too much The Angels in the next place we confer Wi'th ' second part of this Worlds Theater Namely what reference the Seraphim Hath with the Primum Mobile Then what kin The Cherub from the Starry Heav'n doth claime Or Thrones with Saturne in what consonant frame With Iupiter the Dominations trade What 'twixt the Vertues can and Mars be made The neere similitudes that hourely run In league betwixt the Potestates and Sun With Venus how the Principates agree And with the great Arch-Angels Mercurie Last how the holy Angels are accited To be in friendship with the Moone vnited First as the Seraphims in Loues pure heate Next God himselfe in his supernall seate Still exercise their faculties and turne By that inflaming zeale by which they burne Towards His Essence so in a swift motion The Primum Mobile shewes his deuotion To the First Mouer from whence it doth take Those Vertues which the Heav'ns inferior make Go round with it the Seraph's feruor's great So That hath lasting and perpetuall heat By benefit of whose swift agitation The Heav'ns are wheel'd about it wondrous fashion Maugre of that huge Machine the great force And magnitude that still resists his course The Seraphims are sharpe so needs must be The needle-pointed Primum Mobile Which by transfusing influence we know Doth penetrate inferior Orbs below And as the Seraphims most feruent are To them in that we fitly may compare The Primum Mobile whose feruor's such And so incessant that where it doth tuch And is in hourely motion it no doubt The other Heav'ns doth whirle with it about Inflexible the Seraphims motion is So likewise is the turning round of This Which though it be as swift as thought can thinke Yet in it's course doth neither quaile nor shrinke As at a becke by power that God them gaue The Seraphims all other Angels haue So by the motion of that Primum all The motions of the Heav'n in generall Are gouern'd and vnited Seraphs be Actiue Exemplars call'd This Mobile Beares the same stile because it not alone Incites the Heav'ns to motion one by one But as a Guide least they should take the wrong Still goes before and hurries them along And as the Seraph's with Loues fire inflam'd A zeale so hot that neuer can be nam'd Ev'n so this fierie globe still without cease Gyring about doth grow to that encrease Of sultry heate the feruor by reuerses A warmth into all other things disperses But with this difference that as they their might Immediatly take from the God of Light From the twelue Revolutions it receiues What power and vertue to the rest it leaues And purg'd by labour winding in a frame Returnes still to the place from whence it came The Seraphs haue no creature that can vaunt To be aboue them as predominant Ev'n so this Orbe is next th' Imperiall Throne Gods proper Mansion and aboue it none The Seraphims for their vicinity To God are full of Diuine purity And such a fulgence through their Essence runnes That they are brighter than ten thousand Sunnes So this Orbe to the Imperiall Heauens so neere Shines by the light of that incredi'bly cleere And as these Spirits with flaming ardor burne And at no time from their Creator turne So this high Orbe by the celeritie And inextinguishable claritie Prodigall of it's Vertues doth bestow them To purge and to make perfect things below them So that all dregs and drosse consum'd and wasted They new refyn'd are in swift motion hasted Vnto their first beginning where in sweet And most mellodious harmonie they meet As Those from God immediately are Without the interpose of Minister Ev'n so from the first Moâ—er it doth take Immediate force which doth it's motion make Herein the Diuine Wisedome doth appeare That so the Angels with the Heav'ns cohere Heav'ns with the Elements conour and then These Spirits are in such a league with men And all so conjoyn'd and concatinate A Picture euery way immaculate Cherub doth in the Chaldaean tongue imply What picture fairer or more pure hath eye Beheld than the Coelestiall Firmament Imbelished and stucke with th' ornament Of so'many bright Stars luminous and cleare Incorruptibly decking euery Sphere All full of influent vertue in their places So the Cherubicke Spirits are stucke with Graces And Diuine gifts so many that indeed In countlesse number they the Stars exceed And as this Orbe is circumgyr'd and wheel'd As to the Primum Mobile forc'd to yeeld So doth the Cherubs second order moue From the first Seraph next to God in Loue. 'Twixt Saturnes Sphere and the Thrones eminence Is the like semblance and conuenience By Thrones the Seats of Monarchs are exprest On Saturnes seuenth day God himselfe did rest From his great Worke. Now Saturne is a word Which in th' Originall nothing doth afford If we together shall compare them both Saue Cease from Labor or a Sabaoth The Thrones on Loue and Veritie consist And so the Planet Saturne who so list Giue credit vnto Firmicus endues Man both with Loue and Truth prompts him to chuse Vertue good Manners Diuine Contemplation Iudgement
doth deuise Touching the Angels First saith he the Deuill Was made of Fire pestiferous and euill The glorious Spirits Attendants on the Throne And faithfull Ministers to God alone For euer seated in that blessed Bowre Haue Wings some two some three and others foure Making of this as confident relation As had he present been at the Creation And of these Two attending on the Throne Of the great God Almighty Maroth one Haroth another were from Heav'n downe sent With full Commission to haue gouernment Or'e all Mankinde not onely to conduct them In their affaires but tutor and instruct them With these prouiso's neuer to incline Either to Kill Iudge rashly or Drinke Wine All which of long time hauing strictly kept In the plainerode and to no by-path stept It chanc'd in processe an offending Wife Did with her peruerse husband fall at strife A day of hearing bee'ng appointed she Inuites vnto a banquet cunningly These two impartiall Iudges ' sore them plac'd Right costly Cates made both for shew and taste But sauc'd with wine which was vnknowne to them And by this close and crafty stratagem Spurring them on with courteous welcome still Their pallats being pleas'd they bad her fill In plenteous cups to them till both in fine Were much distemper'd and or'come with Wine And in this heate lust breaking into fire They then to'adulterate her bed desire To which she yeelds vpon condition they Will teach her Characters by which she may Be lifted to those heav'ns aboue the Sun And without let behold what 's therein done And after that she may haue free transmission Downe to the earth and that with expedition They grant to her and she to them applies The words no sooner spoke but vp she flies Where seene and question'd how she thither came She opens the whole matter just the same As was before related but for feare She should disclose on earth the Glories there Shee soone was chang'd into a fulgent Star In light excelling others ev'n as far As when in life below she did remaine Her lustre did inferior Beauties staine Now after this the Angels were conuented Who waking from their drowsinesse repented Of their vaine folly and with terror great Were brought to answer at the Iudgement Seat The fault confest the processe and the ground With euery circumstance this grace they found To haue after discussion in the close What punishment they would themselues impose Betwixt this World and th' other to endure Who made choice in iron chaines to be bound sure And haue both heads and bodies drown'd in mudâ— In a most putrid Lake call'd Bebel floud One grosse thing more to these I 'le adde and than To his perdition leaue this brain-sicke Man Further he saithâ— In the last dreadfull day Th'Angell of Death that 's Adriel call'd shall slay All Soules then liuing And that slaughter past Fall on his owne sword and so die the last And when all liuing creatures are destroy'd The world shall forty yearesâ— stand after void Infinite are his most blasphemous Fictions And eachwhere interlac't with contradictions As in feign'd Miracles the generall Doome The dissolution that is yet to come Concerning these a question may arise Whether these sottish and most fabulous Lies More fondly by this Iugler were conceated Or by Mad-folke beleev'd and thereby cheated Now something touching the arch-Heresies Of the Priscillians and the Manechies Of whom thus briefely They nor blush nor feare To write and teach That two Beginnings were Of vniuersall Nature Good and Bad The one of cherefull Light the other sad Darkenesse the Author Of which they retaine Th' essence within themselues and from these faâ—gne A God and Diuell And that all things made From these Materials their condition had Of Good and Euill Both the Sects agreeing That from the better Good the World had Being Yet they say further That the mixture knit Of Good and Bad insep'rable in it From these two opposit Natures doth arise And therefore in their fancies they deuise Fiue Elements to either There 's assign'd Smoke Darkenesse Fire the Water and the Winde To the Bad Nature out of Smoke they bring All two leg'd Creatures and thence Man to spring They further fable and from Darkenesse breed Dragons and Serpents with all Reptile seed Foure-footed Beasts from Fire they procreate From Water Fish Fowles from Winde generate The number of the Elements are fiue Which from the Better Nature they deriue Oppos'd to these Aire from the Smoke they draw Light out of Darknesse by the selfe same law Fire needfull from Fire hurtfull Water thus Vsefull from what 's Disaduantagious From Windes contagious Windes of healthfull vse And betwixt these there can be made no Truce They likewise trifle That all difficultie To'attaine vnto the true Felicitie Consists in separating th' Ills contagion From the Goods purer nature Which persuasion Yet leads them further That since these two first Pow'rfull Beginnings term'd the Best and Worst Are at perpetuall discord hence should breed Of War that natiue and intestine seed Betwixt the Flesh and Spirit in which Strife None 's capable of euerlasting life But such as the Good Nature can diuide From that contagion which the Bad doth guide They say That to the Light pur'd and refin'd Two shapes from Gods pure nature are assign'd Namely the Sun and Moone and these conuey That perfect splendor which enlights for aye The heav'nly Kingdome and most glorious Seat Of High Iehovah who 's the onely Great And Pow'rfull hauing the sole domination His Mansion being their blest habitation They feigne Our Grandfire and great-Grandame Eve Which none of common Reading can beleeue Of Sacla Prince of Smoke were form'd and made That by the Serpent he who first betrayd Those our first Parents Christ himselfe was meant Who bad them taste the Apple to th' intent That they the Good from what was Ill might know And that his body meerely was in show Phantasticall not Reall That the Trine Sent him to saue the Soule that was Diuine But not the Flesh and Body because they Were made of impure stuffe Dust Earth and Clay Of which Absurds I 'le make no more narration Vnworthy mention much more confutation ¶ Tribus modis in veritate peccatur 1. Veritatem prae timore tacendo 2. Veritatem in mendatium comutando 3. Veritatem non defendendo Chrisost. Explicit Metrum Tractatus quinti. Theologicall Philosphicall Poeticall Historicall Apothegmaticall Hierogliphicall and Emblematicall Obseruations touching the further illustration of the former Tractat. TThe Consimilitudes and Concordances betweene the seuerall degrees of Angels and the Heauens and Planets I doubt not but is sufficiently manifested Whosoeuer desireth to be further more fully instructed in the Motions and courses of the Spheres I refer him to peruse Iun. Higinus Libertus his Poëticon Astronomicon where hee discourseth learnedly of the World the Spheres the Centre the Axis the Zodiacke Circle Earth Sea c. of Arâ—tos Maior
that in all other things they shall keepe and obserue our Lawes and Ordinances Moreouer That in gratefull acknowledgement of this their free permssion they shall stand obliged to pray vnto their God Iesus for our life and safetie as likewise for the prosperity of the Roman Commonwealth and our Cities continuance in peace and flourishing estate To these I adde what I finde recorded in the Tartarian Historie of the great Emperour Cublay who was a meere Infidel honoring and acknowledging no other God than the Sun the Moone and the Starres This King was of incomparable greatnesse and wisedome not to be paralelled by any Prince of that Age in the which he liued Who hauing dispatched his puissant Captaine Baâ—aim to conquer the almost inuincible Prouince of Maugy which included the rich and inestimable Countrey and City of Cinquemay it hapned that in the absence of this mighty Captaine who had taken with him in that seruice the prime soldiers in all his Dominions two of his Nephews the one called Naim the other Cadue Princes of great power and command vnder him reuolted and grew into open rebellion and affronted him in battell But this magnanimous Emperour as politique in warre as prudent in peace commanding from the great Armenia vnto the borders of Calicut a kingdome in the East-India gaue them battell surprised the Rebells and put their Army to flight But that which I especially obserue in this historie is That the people reuolting after this manner were for the greater part Christians his Tributaries and seruants howsoeuer tainted with diuers heresies for some were Nestorians some Armenians some Abessines c. Hereupon the Iewes and Mahumetans being victorious vnder the pay of Cublay surprised of them to the number of fifteene thousand and hauing first disarmed and then with many bitter scoffes and taunts â—erided them they presenred them before the Emperour expecting when he would command them to be cut in pieces and they attending ready to play the Executioners But hee quite contrarie to their expectation being at that time mounted on a strong Elephant vpon whom he sate in his seat Royall their insolencies and mockeries being appeased and silence commanded he caused the Christian Prisoners to troupe about him to whom he deliuered an Oration to this purpose Though I confesse my great Victorie this day gotten was by the power and fauour of my gods the Sunne the Moone and the Starres abiding in the glorious Firmament of Heauen yet because the Prisoners being all or most of them Christians appeare before me not onely despoyled of their Armes but mocked and taunted of the Iewes Mahumetans and others vpbraiding them with their god Iesus who was sometimes fastned vnto a Crosse by the fore-fathers of these Iewes notwithstanding they haue opposed me in battell that so many of their Ensignes lye here prostrate at my feet yet that all the Nations and Languages that liue vnder our Principalitie and Dominion may know that Wee and our Grace can finde as soone Will to pardon as Power to punish from this day forward we forbid and strictly charge all Nations vnder vs of what Qualitie or Religion soeuer That they neither deride iniure or oppresse any of these captiue Christians vpon penaltie to be depriued of their Armes and disgracefully scourged with rods The maine reason inducing vs to see this exactly performed being no other but that their God Iesus is highly esteemed and honoured by Vs as being one of the greatest among the Coelestiall Deities full of all equitie and justice for he knowing those Christians injuriously to raise themselues against Vs as being our sworne Subiects and wee their Protector and Soueraigne hee therefore in his great justice hath permitted me to win the honour of this day which otherwise I had not power to do because I haue heard him stiled the God of Battels c. I giue you further to vnderstand That if any in this my victorious Army hath kept backe any Christian Prisoner not here presented before me he shall not dare to offer him the least affront or violence whatsoeuer but immediately set him at libertie deliuering him vp into their Quarter armed and with all equipages to him belonging and this to be performed vpon paine to passe through the danger of the Armies Now our Imperiall Charge imposed on these Christians for their delinquencie is That they pray vnto their God for our prosperitie and preseruation and doe vs nine moneths seruice in our intended war against the King of Nixiamora who denieth to pay vs Tribute and striueth to equall himselfe with our Greatnesse receiuing for the same equall wages with the rest of the Soldiers in our Army This great honor done vnto the name of Christ and vnto Christians for his sake by the Heathen and Infidels puâ—â—eth mee in minde of that which the Psalmist saith Out of the mouthes of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine Enemies that thou migtest confound the Enemie and the Auenger c. We shall enquire further of the Messias in whom we build our Faith and in whom the hope of our saluation consisteth and find him out by his Miracles The word Miraculum importeth a thing mouing stupor and admiration for those which behold a Miracle stand amased as confounded at the effects when they cannot apprehend the causes Or else it is a thing which from whence it comes or by what meanes passeth apprehension for whatsoeuer happeneth beyond the course of Nature begetteth admiration Saint Augustine saith As it was possible for God to appoint a certaine course for all Natures according to his Diuine will and pleasure so it is not impossible vnto him to alter that course and change those Natures as him best liketh And elsewhere We know that God is able to doe all things though we cannot conceiue the meanes by which he worketh them And in Miracles all the reason that can be giuen of the thing done is onely the power of the Doer And in his booke De Confess We wonder at the bredth and height of the Mountaines the ebbing and flowing of the Ocean the windings and turnings of Riuers the motions of the Spheres and Planets yet neuer wonder at our selfe when Man in himselfe is a greater miracle than all the miracles that can be wrought by Man Greg. in Homil. saith That all Diuine Miracles ought to be meditated on by Study not examined by Reason for to enquire into the secret purpose of the Almighty is to be too arrogant and saucy in his Counsels Lipsius ex Greg. M. vseth these words Diuine Miracles are to be considered not disputed And againe True Miracles witnesse one true God but false Impostures acknowledge many and those euill Chrisostome vpon Math. saith As the Morning precedeth the Sun and Darkenesse goeth before the Night so at the comming of Christ the Prophets before him and the Apostles with him and after him by the help of the Holy-Ghost
did great things and in the comming of Antichrist the Pseudo-Christiani i. false-Christians before him with him and after him by the aid of the wicked Spirit did maruellous things And in another place commenting vpon the same Euangelist As when a man telleth thee a Tale which thou art not willing to heare the more he speaketh the lesse thou bearest away Or trauelling in haste when thy minde is otherwise occupied though in thy speed thou meetest many yet thou takest not notice of any that passe thee so the Iewes dealt with our Sauiour for though they saw many signes and maruellous things done by him yet notwithstanding they demanded a signe from him because they heard such things as they marked not and saw such things as they tooke no pleasure to behold Hugo De Operib 3. Dierum speaketh thus Res multis modis apparant mirabiles c. Many wayes things appeare maruellous somtimes for their greatnesse sometimes for their smalnesse some for their rarietie others for their beauty First according to their greatnesse as where any creature doth exceed the proportion of it's own Kinde so we admire a Gyant amongst Men a Leviathan or Whale amongst Fishes a Gryphon amongst Birds an Elephant amongst foure-footed Beasts a Dragon amongst Serpents c. The second for their smalnesse as when certaine creatures are scanted of that dimension proper vnto their Kinde as in Dwarfes small Beagles and the like or in Moths small Worms in the hand or finger c. which how little soeuer yet they participate life and motion with those of larger dimension and size neither are they any way disproportionate in their Kinds but the one as well declareth the power and wisedome of the Creator as the other Consider therefore whether thou shouldst more wonder at the tuskes of the Boare than the teeth of a Worme at the legs of a Gryphon or a Gnat at the head of an Horse or a Locust at the thighes of an Estrich or a Fly If in the one thou admirest the greatnesse and strength in the other thou hast cause to wonder at the smalnesse and dexterity as in the one thou maist behold eyes so great that they are able to daunt thee in the other thou mayst see eyes so small than thine are searce able to discern them and euen in these little creatures thou shalt find such adiuments and helps of nature that there is nothing needfull or defectiue in the smallest which thou shalt finde superfluous in the greatest c. We wonder why the Crocodile when he feeds moueth not his lower chaw how the Salamander liueth vnscorched in the fire how the Hedgehog is taught with his sharpe quills to wallow and tumble beneath the Fruit trees and returne home laden with Apples to his resting place who instructed the Ant to be carefull in Summer to prouide her selfe of food for Winter or the Spider to draw small threds from it's owne bowels to insidiate and lay nets for the Flies All these are infallid testimonies of the wisedome and power of the Almighty These are only wonders in nature but no Miracles Chrisostom supr Math. saith thus Quatuor sunt mirabiles imitatores c. There be foure miraculous Imitators made by Christ A Fisherman to be the first Shepheard of his Flocke a Persecutor the first Master and Teacher of the Gentiles a Publican the first Euangelist a Theefe that first entred into Paradise And further That of three things the World hath great cause to wonder of Christs resurrection after death of his ascention to heauen in the Flesh and that by his Apostles being no better than Fishermen the whole world should be conuerted But if any thing strange or prodigious hath beene heretofore done by Mahomet or his associates they haue been rather imposterous than miraculous Or admit they were worthy to be so called yet do they not any way iustifie his blasphemous Religion For you may thus reade Iustine Martyr De Respons ad Quest. 5. fol. 162. As the Sun rising vpon the Good and Euill the Iust and Vniust is no argument to confirme the euil and injust man in his wickednesse and injustice so ought it not to confirme heretiques in their errors if at any time miraculous things be done by them For if the effect of a miracle be an absolute signe and demonstration of pietie God would not then reply vpon the Reprobate and Cursed at the last day when they shall say vnto him Lord haue we not in thy Name prophesied and cast out diuels and done many Miracles I neuer knew you depart from me ô ye Cursed c. Christ was miraculous in his Incarnation his Natiuitie his Life Doctrine Death and Resurrection as will easily appeare but first it shall not be amisse to speake a word or two of his blessed Mother Petrus Chrisologus writeth thus Vnexpressible is the sacrament of the Natiuitie of our Lord the God of Life which wee ought rather to beleeue than to examine A Virgin conceiued and brought forth which Nature affourded not Vse knew not Reason was ignorant of Vnderstanding conceiued not This at which Heauen wondred Earth admired the Creature was stupified what humane Language is able to deliuer Therefore the Euangelist as he opened the conception and birth in an human phrase so he shut it vp in a Diuine secret And this he did to shew That it is not lawfull for a man to dispute that which he is commanded to beleeue And againe How can there be the least dammage vnto modestie where there is interessed a Deitie Where an Angell is the Messenger Faith the Bride-maid Chastitie the Contract Vertue the Despouser Conscience the Priest God the Cause integritie the Conception Virginitie the Birth a Maid the Mother Let no man therefore iudge that thing after the manner of Man which is done by a diuine Sacrament let no man examine a coelestiall mysterie by earthly reason or a secret nouelty by that which is frequent and common Let no man measure that which is Singular by Example nor deriue contumely from Pietie nor run into danger by his rashnesse when God hath prouided saluation by his Goodnesse Origen vpon Mathew moues this Question What was the necessitie that Mary the blessed Virgin should be espoused vnto Ioseph but either because that mysterie should be concealed from the Diuell and so the false Accuser should finde no cauil against her chastitie being asfied vnto an husband or else that after the Infant was borne he should be the mothers Conduct into AEgypt and backe againe For Mary was the vntouched the vnblemished the immaculate Mother of the onely begotten Son of God Almighty Father and Creator of all things of that Sonne who in Heauen was without a Mother in Earth without a Father in Heauen according to his Deitie in the bosome of his Father in Earth according to his humanitie in the lap of his Mother Gregorie the Great saith Though Christ Iesus be one thing of the
Father another of the Mother yet hee is not one person of the Father another of the Virgin but hee is eternall of the Father and temporarie of the Virgin the same who created and was made He the beautifullest amongst men according to his Diuinitie and He of whom it is written He is despised and reiected of Men He is a Man full of sorrowes and hath experience of infirmities we hid as it were our faces from him He was despised and wee esteemed him not according to his Humanitie He that was before all worlds of a father without a mother Hee came towards the end of the world of a Mother without a Father He was the Temple of the Builder and the Builder of the Temple Hee was the Author of the Worke and the Worke of the Author remaining one Substance yet consisting of two Natures but neither confused in the commixtion of Natures nor doubled in the destruction of Natures Chrisostome speaketh thus The holy and blessed Mary a mother and a Virgin a Virgin before shee was deliuered a Virgin after Wilt thou saith he know how hee was borne of a Virgin and how after his birth she remained a Virgin I answer thee thus The dores were shut and Iesus entred Christ was miraculous in his Incarnation for as S. Augustine writing against the Iewes saith O you Iewes looke vpon the Harpe and obserue what a sweet musicall sound it yeelds to make vp which there be three necessarie instruments or helps Art the Hand and the String Art dictates the Hand toucheth the String soundeth all three worke together but amongst them the String is onely heard for neither the Art nor the Hand make any audible harmonie So neither the Father nor the Holy-Ghost tooke humane Flesh vpon them and yet they haue an equall coooperation with the Sonne the sound of the String is only heard and the Sonne is onely seene in the Flesh yet the effect and melodie consisteth of them all and as it solely belongeth to the String to make a sound so it belongeth to Christ onely to take humane Nature vpon him Further I demand of the incredulous Iew How Aarons dry Rod sprouted with leaues and bare Fruit And when he resolueth me that I will tell him how a Virgin conceiued and brought forth a Sonne But indeed neither can the Iew make manifest the one nor I giue warrantable reason of the other Saint Bernard writeth to this purpose Three Workes three Mixtures hath the Omnipotent Maiestie made in the assumption of our Flesh all miraculously singular and singularly miraculous Three such things as neuer the like before were nor shal the like hereafter happen vpon the face of the earth They are interchangeably God and Man a Mother and a Virgin Faith and the Heart of Man for the Word the Spirit and the Flesh met in one person and these Three are One and that One is Three not in the confusion of Substance but vnitie of Person and this is the first and super-excellent Commixtion The second is a Virgin and a Mother alike admirable and singular for it was not heard from the beginning of the world that a Virgin conceiued and that a Mother remained a Virgin The third is the co-Vnion of Faith with the Heart of Man and this though it seeme inferiour yet may it appeare euery way as powerfull if wee truly consider it For wonderfull it is that the Heart of Man should giue beleefe to the former For how can humane Vnderstanding conceiue That perfect God should be perfect Man Or that she should remaine an vntouched Virgin who had brought forth a Sonne As Iron and a Tyle-sheard cannot be moulded and made into one body so the other cannot be commixed vnlesse the glew and soder of the Spirit of God incorporat them He was miraculous in his Natiuitie for as Ambrose saith Contra Heretic It is impossible for me to search into the secret of his generation at the consideration of which my fences faile my tongue is silent and not mine only but euen those of the Angels It transcendeth the capacities of the Potestates the Cherubims and the Seraphims it is aboue conception for it is written The Peace of Christ passeth all vnderstanding Thou therefore lay thine hand vpon thy mouth since it is not lawfull for thee to enquire into these supernall Mysteries It is granted thee to know that hee is borne but how he is borne it is not granted thee to be inquisitiue for to doe so is fearefull since vnspeakeable is his generation according to the words of the Prophet Esayas Who can tell his Generation Concerning the place of his birth saith Ioan. Chrisostome vpon these words Intrantes Domum invenerunt puerum c. Did they finde a Pallace raised on pillars of Marble Found they a princely Court furnished with Officers and Attendants Found they guards of armed and well accommodated souldiers or Horses in rich and shining trappings or Chariots adorned with gold and ivorie Or did they finde the Mother crowned with an Imperiall Diadem or the Childe swathed in Bisse and Purple Surely no but rather a poore and base Cottage a vile and contemptible Stable more fit for beasts than men a Childe wrapped in sordid swathings and the Mother in an ordinarie garment prepared not so much for ornament as to couer nakednesse Yet the Nobility of Christs birth saith Saint Augustine appeared in the Virginitie of the Mother and the Nobilitie of the Mother was manifest in the Diuinitie of the Sonne And in another place Gold was offered him as to a potent King Frankincense as to a great God and Myrrhe as to a mercifull Redeemer who came to offer vp his life for the saluation of all Mankinde The Heauens were his Heralds Angels his Proclaimers Wise-men his Worshippers Saith Gregory vpon these words Cum natus esset Iesus in Bethlehem c. To this King borne we offer Gold when we shine in his sight by the claritie of Diuine wisedome Wee offer Frankincense when by holy and deuout prayers we burne the cogitations of the Flesh vpon the altar of our hearts which ascend a sweet sauour by our heauenly desires We offer Myrrhe when we mortifie all carnall affections through abstinence And Leo Pap. The Wise-men and Kings of the East adored the Word in the Flesh Wisedome in Infancie Strength in Infirmitie the Lord of Majestie in humane Veritie And to giue infalled testimonie of their faith what they beleeued with their hearts they professed by three guifts Myrrhe to a Man Gold to a King Frankincense to a God Hee was miraculous in his Life as being without sinne miraculous in his Doctrine for neuer man spake as hee did And of his Miracles we thus reade Claudian Angelus alloquitur Mariam quo praescia verbo c. Th'Angell to Mary speakes and saith that she Shall beare a Sonne and yet a Virgin be Three Chald'ae an Kings to him
three Presents bring Myrrhe to a Man and Gold vnto a King Incense to'a God To proue himselfe Diuine In Cana he turn'd Water into Wine Fiue Loaues two Fishes haue fiue thousand fed When surplusage remain'd of meat and bread To the borne-Blinde he shew'd the Suns bright rayes Who on th' vnknowne light did with wonder gaze He caus'd the light on Lazarus to shine After he foure dayes in the graue had ly'ne With his right hand he fainting Peter stay'd But with his word his faith more constant made She that the bloudy Issue had endur'd For many Winters by her Faith was cur'd The palsied man who had been bedrid long Took vp his bed and walkt thence whole and strong He cast out Diuels by his Word sincere He made the Dumbe to speake and Deafe to heare He it was of whom some thinke Virgil prophecied Eclog 4. in these words Vltima Cumaei venit iam Carminis atas The last day 's come of the Cumaean Ryme A great One's now borne from the first of Time The Virgin is return'd with Saturnes Crowne And now a new Birth is from Heav'n let downe He was miraculous in his death Of whom elegant S. Bernard thus speakes How sweetly Lord Iesus didst thou conuerse with men how aboundantly didst thou bestow many blessings vpon man how valiantly didst thou suffer many bitter hard and intollerable things for man hard words hard strokes more hard afflictions O hard hardned and obdure Sonnes of Adam whom so great sufferings so great benignitie so immense an ardour of loue cannot mollifie Againe God loued vs sweetly wisely valiantly sweetly in assuming our Flesh wisely in auoyding sin valiantly in suffering death but aboue all in that Cup which he vouchsafed to taste which was the great worke of our Redemption for that more than all challenges our loue it gently insinuateth our deuotion more iustly exacts it more strictly binds it more vehemently commands it And in another place In the Passion of our Sauiour it behoueth vs three things more especially to consider the Worke the Manner the Cause In the Worke his Patience in the Manner his Humilitie in the Cause his Charitie Patience singular Humilitie admirable and Charitie vnspeakeable And now me-thinks I heare the Redeemer and Sauiour of the World thus speake from the Crosse. Huc me sidereo discendere fecit Olympo His me crudeli vulnere fixit Amor c. Loue drew me hither from the starry Round And here hath pierc'd me with a cruell wound I mourne yet none hath of my griefe remorse Whom Deaths dire Lawes in vaine intend to force Loue brought me to insufferable scorne And platted on my head a crowne of Thorne It was meere loue thy wounded Soule to cure Made me these wounds vpon my flesh t' endure It was my Loue which triumphs ouer all That quencht my thirst with Vineger and Call The loue which I to Mankinde could not hide With a sharpe Speare launcht bloud out of my side Or'e me Loue onely me of Kings the King Doth now insult who hither did me bring For others gaine to suffer this great losse To haue my hands and feet nayl'd to the Crosse. Now what do I for all this loue implore Loue me againe and I desire no more Thinke saith Thomas de Kempis of the dignitie of the Person and greatly lament because God in the Flesh was so contumeliously handled Ecce Altissimus supra omnes infra omnes deprimitur Nobilissmus dehonestatur Speciocissimus sputo inquinatur c. Behold how the most-High aboue all is depressed below all The most Noble is vilified The most Faire spit vpon The most Wise derided The most Mighty bound The most Innocent scourged The most Holy crowned with Thornes The most Gentle buffetted The most Rich impouerished The most Bountifull despoyled The most Worthy blasphemed The most Good despised The most Louing hated The most Knowing reputed foolish The most True not beleeued The most Innocent condemned The most skilfull Physitian wounded The Sonne of God crucified The Immortall subiect to death and slaine The Lord of heauen and earth dying for the redemption of wretched and ingratefull seruants Sic de Cruce suo Christus loquitur Vide Homo qua pro te patior Vide Claâ—es quibus confâ—diâ—r Vide poenas quibus afficior Cum sit tantuâ— dolor exterior Interior planctus est gravior Dum ingratum te sic experior See what I for thee endure Nail'd to the Crosse by hands impure Behold the paines I suffer here Since outward griefe doth such appeare How great then is my griefe within Whilest thou ingrate abid'st in sin Briefely The whole Passion of Christ according to the sentence of Dionysius was for imitation compassion admiration contemplation inflammation and thanksgiuing According to that of Thomas à Kempis It is of diuine Loue the Incendiarie of Patience the Doctrine in tribulation the Comfort It is the solace of dissolution the substance of holy compunction the exercise of internall deuotion the exclusion of desperation the certaine hope of remission the support of sharpe reprehension the expulsion of peruerse cogitation the repression of carnall temptation the consolation of corporall imperfections the contempt of temporall aboundance the abdication of our proper affections the restraint of superfluous necessitie the exercise of honest conuersation the inflammation to amendment of life the induction to coelestial consolation the approbation of brotherly compassion the reparation of diuine contemplation the argumentation of future blessednesse the mitigation of paines present the purgation from the fire future and the great satisfaction for all our sinnes and offences whatsoeuer Briefely the Passion of Christ is of a godly and religious Soule the Mirrhor of our life the Director of the way to heauen the Load-starre of all tempests the shadow and protector and of all Soules in the houre of death the comfort and supporter The Passion of Christ saith Rabanus de laude Crucis sustaines heauen gouerneth the world pierceth hell in the first the Angels are confirmed in the second the people redeemed in the third the Enemie subdued Saint Augustine in his Sermon De Natali Domini saith That the Maker of man was made Man that he which gouerned the Stars should sucke the breast that the Bread should be hungry the Fountaine thirsty the Light should be darkned the Way should be weary the Truth should suffer by false witnesse the Iudge of the liuing and dead should by a mortall man be iudged that Iustice by injust men should be condemned that Discipline it selfe should be scourged the prime Branch crowned with thornes he that made the Tree be hanged on the Tree Strength weakned Health wounded and Life made subiect vnto death Saint Bernard in his first sermon De Nativit Christi vseth these words Vt in Paradiso terrestri quatuor fuere fontes c. As in the earthly Paradise there were foure Riuers which watered the whole earth so in Christ who is our Paradise wee may finde
Emerald the Carbuncle with Gold The Timbrel and the Pipe were celebrated For thee in the first day thou wert created Thou art th' anointed Cherub made to couer Thee I haue set in honour aboue other Vpon Gods holy Mountaine placed higher Thou walked hast amidst the stones of fire At first of thy wayes perfect was the ground Vntill iniquitie in thee was found Thy heart was lifted vp by thy great beauty Therein tow'rds God forgetfull of thy duty By reason of thy Brightnesse being plac't ' Boue them thy Wisedome thou corrupted hast But to the ground I 'le cast thee flat and cold Lay thee where Kings thy ruin may behold In thy selfe-wisedome thou hast been beguild And by thy multitude of sinnes defil'd Thy Holinesse A Spirit still peruerse Stain'd by th' iniquitie of thy commerse Therefore from midst of thee a fire I 'le bring Which shall deuour thee into ashes fling Thee from thy height that all the earth may see thee This I haue spoke and who is he can free thee Their terror who did know thee heretofore Most Wretched thou shalt be yet be no more In this the Prophet as these would allude Striues in this first-borne Angell to include All Wisedome Pow'r Gifts Ornaments and Graces Which all the rest had in their seuerall Places God this precelling Creature hauing made With all the Host of Angels some haue said He then began the Vniuersall Frame The Heav'ns Sun Moon and Stars and gaue them name Then Earth and Sea his Diuine Will ordain'd With all the Creatures in them both contain'd His last great Workemanship in high respect Of Reason capable and Intellect But to the Angels natures much inferior Who with th' Almighty dwell in th' Heav'ns superior To all Eternity sounding his praise Man whom from Dust he did so lately raise Subsists of Soule and Body That which still Doth comprehend the Vnderstanding Will And Memorie namely the Soule Partaker Of those great Gifts is th' Image of the Maker The nature of the Body though it be Common with Beasts yet doth it disagree In shape and figure for with Eyes erected It beholds Heav'n whilest Brutes haue Looks deiected This compos'd Man is as a ligament And folding vp in a small continent Some part of all things which before were made For in this Microcosme are stor'd and layd Connexiuely as things made vp and bound Corporeall things with incorporeall Found There likewise are in his admired quality Things fraile and mortall mixt with Immortality Betweene those Creatures that haue Reason and Th' Irrationall who cannot vnderstand There is a Nature intermediate That 'twixt them doth of both participate For with the blessed Angels in a kinde Man doth partake of an intelligent Minde A Body with the Beasts with Appetite It to preserue feed cherish and delight And procreate it 's like in shapes and features Besides Man hath aboue all other Creatures That whereas they their Appetites pursue As solely sencible of what 's in view And gouern'd by instinct Mans eminence Hath pow'r to sway his Will from common Sence And besides Earthly things himselfe apply To contemplate things mysticall and hye And though his Excellence doth not extend To those miraculous Gifts which did commend Great Lucifer at first in his Majoritie Yet in one honour he hath iust prioritie Before all Angels to aduance his Seed Since God from all eternitie decreed That his owne Sonne the euerlasting Word Who to all Creatures Being doth afford By which they first were made should Heav'n forsake And in his Mercy humane Nature take Not that he by so doing should depresse The Diuine Majestie and make it lesse But Humane frailtie to exalt and raise From corrupt earth his glorious Name to praise Therefore he did insep'rably vnite His Goodhood to our Nature vs t' excite To magnifie his Goodnesse This Grace showne Vnto Mankinde was to the Angels knowne That such a thing should be they all expected Not knowing how or when 't would be effected Thus Paul th' Apostle testates 'Mongst the rest Without all opposition be 't confest Of Godlinesse the mysterie is high Namely That God himselfe apparantly Is manifest in Flesh is iustify'd In Spirit by the Angels clearely ' espy'd Preacht to the Gentiles by the World beleev'd Into eternall Glory last receiv'd With Pride and Enuy Lucifer now swelling Against Mankinde whom from his heav'nly Dwelling He seemes in supernaturall Gifts t' out-shine Man being but Terrene and himselfe Diuine Ambitiously his Hate encreasing still Dares to oppose the great Creators Will As holding it against his Iustice done That th' Almighties sole begotten Sonne Mans nature to assume purpos'd and meant And not the Angels much more excellent Therefore he to that height of madnesse came A stratagem within himselfe to frame To hinder this irrevocable Deed Which God from all eternitie decreed And that which most seem'd to inflame his spleene And arrogance was That he had foreseene That many Men by God should be created And in an higher eminence instated Of place and Glory than himselfe or those His Angels that this great Worke ' gant t' oppose Disdaining and repining that of Men One should be God Omnipotent and then That others his Inferiors in degree Should out-shine him in his sublimitie In this puft Insolence and timp'anous Pride He many Angels drew vnto his side Swell'd with the like thoughts Ioyntly these prepare To raise in Heav'n a most seditious Warre He will be the Trines Equall and maintaine Ouer the Hierarchies at least to raigne 'T is thus in Esay read I will ascend Into the Heav'ns and there my Pow'r extend Exalt my Throne aboue and my aboad Shall be made equall with the Stars of God Aboue the Clouds I will my selfe apply Because I will be like to the Most-Hye To this great Pride doth the Arch-Angell rise In boldest opposition and replies Whose name is Michael Why what is he That like the Lord our God aspires to be In vaine ô Lucifer thou striv'st t' assay That we thine innovations should obey Who know As God doth purpose be it must He cannot will but what is good and iust Therefore with vs That God and Man adore Or in this place thou shalt be found no more This strooke the Prince of Pride into an heate In which a Conflict terrible and great Began in Heav'n the Rebell Spirits giue way And the victorious Michael winnes the day Thus Iohn writes of the Battell Michael Fought and his Angels with the Dragon fel The Dragon and his Angels likewise fought But in the Conflict they preuailed nought Nor was their Place in Heav'n thence-forward found But the great Dragon that old Serpent bound They Diuell call'd and Sathan was cast out He that deceiueth the whole World about Ev'n to the lowest earth being tumbled downe And with him all his Angels headlong throwne This victorie thus got and he subverted Th' Arch-Angell with his holy Troupes directed
By Gods blest Spirit an Epiniceon sing Ascribing Glory to th' Almighty King Miraculous thy Workes are worthy praise Lord God Almighty iust and true thy waies Thou God of Saints O Lord who shall not feare And glorifie thy Name who thy Workes heare Thou onely holy art henceforth adore Thee All Nations shall worship and fall before Thee Because thy Iudgements are made manifest This Song of Vict'rie is againe exprest Thus Now is Saluation now is Strength Gods Kingdome and the Power of Christ. At length The Sland'rer of our Brethren is refus'd Who day and night them before God accus'd By the Lambes bloud they ouercame him and Before Gods Testimonie he could not stand Because the Victors who the Conquest got Vnto the death their liues respected not Therefore reioyce you Heav'ns and those that dwell In these blest Mansions But shall I now tell The Weapons Engines and Artillerie Vsed in this great Angelomachy No Lances Swords nor Bombards they had then Or other Weapons now in vse with men None of the least materiall substance made Spirits by such giue no offence or aid Onely spirituall Armes to them were lent And these were call'd Affection and Consent Now both of these in Lucifer the Diuell And his Complyes immoderate were and euill Those that in Michael the Arch-Ange'll raign'd And his good Spirits meekely were maintain'd Squar'd and directed by th' Almighties will The Rule by which they fight and conquer still Lucifer charg'd with insolence and spleene When nothing but Humilitie was seene And Reuerence towards God in Michaels brest By which the mighty Dragon he supprest Therefore this dreadfull battell fought we finde By the two motions of the Will and Minde Which as in men so haue in Angels sway Mans motion in his body liues but they Haue need of no such Organ This to be Both Averroes and Aristotle agree It followes next that we enquire how long This Lucifer had residence among The blessed Angels for as some explore His time of Glory was six dayes no more The time of the Creation in which they I meane the Spirits seeing God display His glorious Works with stupor and amaâ—e Began at once to contemplate and gase Vpon the Heav'ns Earth Sea Stars Moone and Sunne Beasts Birds and Man with the whole Fabricke done In this their wonder at th'inscrutabilitie Of such great things new fram'd with such facilitie To them iust in the end of the Creation He did reueale his blest Sonnes Incarnation But with a strict commandement That they Should with all Creatures God and Man obey Hence grew the great dissention that befell 'Twixt Lucifer and the Prince Michael The time 'twixt his Creation and his Fall Ezechiel thus makes authenticall In midst of fierie stones thou walked hast Straight in thy wayes ev'n from the time thou wast First made as in that place I before noted To the same purpose Esay too is quoted How fell'st thou Lucifer from Heaven hye That in the morning rose so cherefully As should he say How happens it that thou O Lucifer who didst appeare but now In that short time of thy blest state to rise Each morning brighter than the morning skies Illumin'd by the Sunne so soone to slide Downe from Gods fauour lastingly t' abide In Hells insatiate torments Though he lost The presence of his Maker in which most He gloried once his naturall Pow'rs he keepes Though to bad vse still in th' infernall Deepes For his Diuine Gifts he doth not commend Vnto the seruice of his God the end To which they first were giuen but the ruin Of all Mankinde Vs night and day pursuing To make vs both in his Rebellion share And Tortures which for such prepared are Of this malignant Spirits force and might Iob in his fourtieth Chapter giues vs light And full description liuely expressing both In person of the Monster Behemoth The Fall of Adam by fraile Eve entic't Was his owne death ours and the death of Christ. In whose back-sliding may be apprehended Offendors three three ' Offences three Offended The three Offendors that Mankinde still grieue Were Sathan Adam and our Grandam Eve The three Offences that Sin first aduance Were Malice Weakenesse and blinde Ignorance The three Offended to whom this was done The Holy Spirit the Father and the Sonne Eve sinn'd of Ignorance and so is said Against the God of Wisedome to haue made Her forfeit that 's the Son Adam he fell Through Weakenesse and 'gainst him that doth excell In pow'r the Father sinn'd With his offence And that of hers Diuine Grace may dispence Malicious Hate to sinne did Sathan moue Against the Holy-Ghost the God of Loue And his shall not be pardon'd Note with me How God dealt in the censuring of these three He questions Adams Weakenesse and doth call Eve to account for th' Ignorance in her fall Because for them he mercy had in store Vpon their true repentance and before He gaue their doome told them he had decreed A blessed Sauiour from the Womans seed But Sathan he ne're question'd 't was because Maliciously he had transgrest his Lawes Which sinne against the Spirit he so abhor'd His Diuine Will no mercy for him stor'd Moreouer In the sacred Text 't is read The Womans Seed shall breake the Serpents head It is observ'd The Diuell had decreed To tempt our Sauiour the predicted Seed In the same sort though not the same successe As he did Eve our first Progenitresse All sinnes saith Iohn we may in three diuide Lust of the Flesh Lust of the Eye and Pride She sees the Tree and thought it good for meat The Fleshes lust persuaded her to eat She sees it faire and pleasant to the eye Then the Eyes lust inciteth her to try She apprehends that it will make her wise So through the Pride of heart she eats and dies And when he Christ into the Desart lead Bee'ng hungry Turne said he these Stones to Bread There 's Fleshly lusts temptation Thence he growes To the Eyes lust and from the Mountaine showes The World with all the pompe contain'd therein Say'ng All this great purchase thou shalt win But to fall downe and worship me And when He saw these faile to tempt him once agen Vsing the Pride of heart when from on hye He bad him leape downe and make proofe to flye And as the Woman yeelding to temptation Made thereby forfeit of all mans saluation And so the Diue'll who did the Serpent vse Was said by that the Womans head to bruse So Christ the Womans Seed making resist To these seducemeâ—ts of that Pannurgist Because by neither Pride nor Lust mis-led Was truly said to breake the Serpents head Angels bee'ng now made Diuels let vs finde What place of Torment is to them assign'd First of the Poets Hell The dreadfull Throne Where all Soules shall be sentenc'd stands saith one In a sad place with obscure darkenesse hid
a sufficient answer namely That the Substances of things were created together but not formed and fashioned together in their seuerall distinct kindes They were disgested together by substance of matter but appeared not together in substantiall forme for that was the worke of six dayes Moreouer when Moses in his first Chapter of Genesis saith That things were created in euery one of the six dayes seuerally in the second chapter of the same Booke he speaketh but of one day only by way of Catastrophe or Epilogue All which hee had before distinctly described saying These are the generations of the Heauen and the Earth when they were created in the day that the Lord God made the Earth and the Heauens Neither is this any contradiction for we must not take the dayes according to the distinction of Times for God had no need of Time as being first made by him but by reason of the works of Perfection which is signified and compleated by the number of Six which is a most perfect number Moreouer as the Psalmist saith A thousand yeares are vnto him but as one day Avenzor the Babylonian saith That he which knoweth to number well knoweth directly all things Neither was it spoken in vaine but to the great praise of Almighty God Omnia in mensura Numero Pondere disposuisti i. Thou hast disposed all things in Number in Measure and in Weight It is moreouer said in Eccles. 1 2. Who can number the sands of the Sea and the drops of the raine and the dayes of the world Who can measure the height of the Heauen the bredth of the Earth and the depth Who can finde the Wisedome of God which hath beene before all things c. It is worthy remarke which one ingeniously obserues Two wayes saith he we come to the apprehension and knowledge of God by his Workes and by his Word by his Works we know that there is a God and by his Word we come to know what that God is his Workes teach vs to spell his Word to reade The first are his backe-parts by which we behold him afarre off the later represent him vnto vs more visibly and as it were face to face For the Word is as a booke consisting of three leaues and euery leafe printed with many letters and euery letter containeth in it selfe a Lecture The Leaues are Heauen the Aire and the Earth with the Water the Letters ingrauen are euery Angell Starre and Planet the Letters in the Aire euery Meteor and Fowle those in the Earth and Waters euery Man Beast Plant Floure Minerall and Fish c. All these set together spell vnto vs That there is a God Moses in the very first verse of Genesis refuteth three Ethnycke opinions first Those that were of opinion the World was from eternitie and should continue for euer in these words when hee saith In the Beginning Secondly he stoppeth the mouth of stupid and prophane Atheists in this phrase Elohim created Thirdly and lastly hee opposeth all Idolaters such as held with many gods for the saith in the conclusion of the same Verse Elohim He created Heauen and Earth vsing the singular number It is the opinion of some antient Diuines That the Creation of the Angels was concealed by Moses lest any man should apprehend like those Heretiques spoken of by Epiphanius that they aided and assisted God in the Creation For if the day of their Creation which as the best approued Theologists confesse was the first day had beene named by Moses wicked and vngodly men might haue taken them to haue been Agents in that great and inscrutable Worke which indeed were no other than Spectators Therefore as God hid and concealed the Body of Moses after his death lest the Israelites so much addicted to Idolatry should adore and worship it so Moses hid and concealed the Creation of the Angels in the beginning lest by them they should be deified and the honour due to the Creator be by that meanes attributed and conferred on the Creature Rabbi Salom affirmeth them to be created the first day and some of our later Diuines the fourth day but their opinions are not held altogether authenticall It is likewise obserued That God in the creation of the world beginneth aboue and worketh downwards For in the first three dayes he layd the foundation of the world and in the other three dayes he furnished and adorned those parts The first day he made all the Heauens the matter of the earth and commeth downe so low as the Light The second day he descendeth lower and maketh the Firmament or Aire The third lowest of all making a distinction betwixt the Earth and Water Thus in three dayes the three parts or body of the World is laid and in three dayes more and in the same order they were furnished For on the fourth day the Heauens which were made the first day were decked and stucke with starres and lights The fift day the Firmament which was made the second day was filled with Birds and Fowles The sixt day the Earth which was before made fit and ready the third day was replenished with Beasts and lastly with Man And thus God Almighty in his great Power and Wisedome accomplished and finished the miraculous worke of the Creation Rabbi Iarchi vpon the second of Genesis obserueth That God made superior things one day and inferiour another His words being to this purpose In the first day God created Heauen aboue and Earth beneath on the second day the Firmament aboue on the third Let the dry land appeare beneath on the fourth Lights aboue and the fift Let the waters bring forth beneath c. On the sixt day he made things both superior and inferior lest there should be confusion without order in his Work Therefore he made Man consisting of both a Soule from aboue and a Body from beneath c. An Allegorie drawne from these is That God hath taught vs by the course he took in the framing and fashioning of the world how we must proceed to become a new Creation or a new Heauen and Earth renewed both in soule and body In the first day he made the Light therefore the first thing of the new man ought to be light of Knowledge for Saint Paul saith He that commeth to God must know that He Is. On the second day he made the Firmament so called because of it's stedfastnesse so the second step in Mans new Creation must be Firmamentum Fidei i. the sure foundation of Faith On the third day the Seas and Trees bearing Fruit so the third step in the New man is That he become Waters of relenting teares and that he bring forth fruit worthy of Repentance On the fourth day God created the Sunne that whereas on the first day there was light without heate now on the fourth day there is Light and Heate ioyned together So the fourth step in the new creation of the New man is That
than the greatest punishment that can be inflicted in this world Indicis in lite brevis est vox Ite Venite Dicetur Reprobis Ite Venite Probis Aspera vox Ite vox est benedicta Venite Quod sibi quisque sâ—rit praesentis tempore vitae Hoc sibi messio crit cum dicitur Ite Venite There were some comfort to the damned Souls if their torment might haue end but that shall neuer be and no torment greater than that of perpetuitie The reason of this perpetuity is threefold the first drawn from the state and condition of the Majesty offended The second from the state and condition of the Reprobates for as long as they remaine sinnefull so long shall they remaine tormented for sinne But in Hell they euer remaine sinnefull and sinne is like oile and the wrath of God like fire as long as the oile lasteth the fire burneth and so long as sinfull so long tormented and therefore damned for euer For most sure it is That in Hell there is neither grace nor deuotion The Wicked shall be cast in exteriores tenebras extra limitem Divinae misericordiae i. Into vtter darknesse without the limits of Gods mercie For though their weeping in Hell may seeme penitentiall yet they do but Lugere poenas non peccata lament their punishment but not their sinne The third reason is drawne from Gods justice for when life was offered them they refused it and therefore justly when in Hell they beg it they go without it I shut vp the premisses in the succeeding Emblem The Emblem IT is reported by the Poets and some antient Historiographers That in Dodonia a Forrest in Greece famous for the Okes there growing and therefore dedicate to Iupiter there is a Fountaine or Well into which whoso putteth a Torch lighted or flaming it is presently extinguished but take one vnlighted which neuer came neere the fire and it is instantly kindled The Motto which the Author of this Emblem groundeth hereon is Sie rerum inverâ—â—tur ordo Hauing some consimilitude with that of Gregory 14 Moral Hostis noster quanto magis nos sibi rebellare conspicit quanto amplius expugnare contendit Eos autem pulsare negligit quos quieto iure se possidere sentit i. Our spirituall Enemy the Diuell the more he perceiueth we rebell against him the greater his opposition is against vs but spareth to trouble or molest such as he knoweth to be already in his quiet possession The two maine Engins by which the Diuell seeketh to vndermine Mankinde are Desperation and Presumption Concerning the first S. Bernard saith Let no man despaire of grace though he begin to repent in his later age for God iudgeth of a mans end not of his past life for there is nothing so desperate which Time cannot cure nor any offence so great which Mercy cannot pardon Livy telleth vs That of all the perturbations of the minde Despaire is the most pernicious And Lactantius informes vs That if he be a wicked and wilfull homicide that killeth any man wittingly needs must he be the same or worse who layeth violent hands vpon himselfe dispairingly For what is Dispaire but the feare of punishment and distrust in Gods mercy by reason of which man making himselfe his owne judge becomes his owne Executioner For as Stobaeus saith The dread and terror of inevitable punishment is the sole cause of desperation Against which irremittable sin Seneca in Medaea thus counsels vs Qui nihil potest sperare nihil desperet He that hath nothing to hope for let him nothing feare And Ovid lib. 2. de Ponto Confugit interdum Templi violator ad Aram Nec petera offensi numinis horret opem Sometimes Church-robbers to the Altars fly And to the injur'd gods for mercy cry Concerning Presumption Saint Augustine saith Nulla praesumptio est perniciostor quam de propria justitia scientia superbire ô superba praesumptio ô praesumptuosa superbia i. No presumption is more dangerous than to be proud of our owne righteousnesse or knowledge ô proud presumption ô most presumptuous pride Philo telleth vs That one prime occasion why leuen was forbidden the Iewes at the solemne Feast of Easter was to teach them to haue a great care to keepe themselues from pride and presumption into which they were apt to fall who held any extraordinarie conceit or opinion of themselues their hearts being suddenly swelled therewith as the dough is puft vp with the leuen Claud. de 4 Honor. Cons. saith Inquinat Egregios adiuncta superbia mores i. Where Pride sets in it's foot it corrupteth the best manners It is said to deuour gold and to drink bloud and to climbe so high by other mens heads til at length it fall and breake it 's own neck Plutarch calls it a vapour which striuing to ascend high presently turneth into smoke and vanisheth Therefore commendable was that modestie in the sonne of King Agesilaus who hearing that Philip the father of Alexander the Great much gloried in a victorie not long before gained sent him word That if hee pleased to measure his shadow he should finde it no greater after his Conquest than it was before I conclude with Seneca in Hercul fuerent Sequitnr superbos victor à tergo Deus And now come to the Author vpon the former Emblem most pertinent to this purpose Fax limphis Dodona tuis immersa necatur Quae micat igne nitet quae sine luce fuit Fons sacer iste deo sic pristina credidit aetas At Deus hic stigij rex Acheontis erat Patrat idem cum fonte suo regnator Averni Ordinis inversi gaudet ille dolis Nempe pios rigidae percellit Acumine legis Blanditurque malis sanguine Christe tuo ¶ Thus paraphrased A Taper without fire in Dodon drencht Is kindled But if lighted as soone quencht Which Well the men of Old in their blinde piety Made sacred to a god but no true Diety The Diuell keepes this Fountaine nor doth leaue By inverst order Mankinde to deceiue Good men with the Lawes rigor still pursuing Flattring the Bad with Mercy to their ruin A Meditation vpon the former Tractate I. THou Great God now and euer blessed Thy Seruants wretched and distressed Assist with thy Diuinest aid Lest We like Those that did rebell And head-long were throwne downe to Hell Be Reprobates and Out-casts made II. O Thou who Heav'n and Earth dost guide And aboue all sinnes hatest Pride Because soone after the Creation The first bright Angell led the way And then our two first Parents They Trod the same path to our Damnation III. There is no Sinne that can be nam'd But with a strange selfe-loue inflam'd Originall'tis and In-nate And since that time it is wee finde Dispersed into all Mankinde To ouerthrow our blest estate IV. He that is with this Sinne infected Hath both Thy Loue and Feare reiected Although Thou bee'st the onely Holy And that
Thy Maiestie and Might With Thy great Glory shining bright Are still to be adored solely V. The Heart that 's obstinate shall be With sorrowes laden heauily He that is wicked in his wayes What doth he but heape sinne on sin Which where it endeth doth begin Whom nothing being downe can raise VI. To the persuasion of the Prowd No remedie there is allow'd His steps shall faile that steddy seem'd Sinnes Root in him is planted deepe And there doth strong possession keepe He therefore shall not be esteem'd VII We know the Sinne from whence it grew We know the Torment thereto due And the sad place for it assign'd And yet the more we seeme to know The more we dull and stupid grow As if we sencelesse were and blind VIII Ope then our hearts our eyes vnmaske And grant vs what we humbly aske So much of Thy Diuinest Grace That we may neither erre nor stray But finding out the perfect way We may evade both Paine and Place IX Though Atheists seeme to jest at Hell There is a Tophet we know well O Atheismes pestilent infection There 's a Gehinnon a sad Graue Prepar'd at first for such as haue No hope in the blest resurrection X. Three times our Sauior wept we read When he heard Lazarus was dead Bewailing Humane frailty then When to Ierusalem he rid And a poore Asses Colt bestrid At the grosse folly blinding men XI He wept vpon the Crosse againe 'Gainst Humane Malice to complaine Seeing their insolence and pride When in such bitter grosse despight They crucify'd the Lord of Light Him who for Mans redemption dy'de XII How necessarie then are Teares To free vs from all future feares Of Death of Torment of Damnation Teares that can wash our Soules so white To bring vs to Eternall light Instating vs in our saluation XIII A contrite Spirit a broken Heart Moist eyes whence many dew drops start O grant vs then thou heav'nly King So we with Hearts and Tongues vnited May with the Psalmist be accited And Praise and Glory to Thee sing XIV Ye Sonnes of Men with one accord All Strength and Glory giue the Lord You that are Sonnes to men of Fame Giue them the Lord they are his due For know that it belongs to you To magnifie his holy Name XV. Within his glorious Temple Hee Deserueth Worship on the knee O kneele then at His sacred Shrine His Voice is on the Waters great His Glory thunders from his Seat His Pow'r doth on the Waters shine XVI His Voice is mighty glorious too For all things the Lords Voice can doo The strongest Cedars He doth breake When the Lords Voice from him is gon The Cedars ev'n of Lebanon Torne as they stand his Pow'r can speake XVII His Voice them of their leaues can strip He makes them like yong Calues to skip Nor doth the stedfast Mountaine scorne Or Hermon for his Dew so prais'd But when his voice aloft is rais'd To skip like a yong Vnicorne XVIII When the Lords Voice is lifted higher It doth diuide the flames of fire It makes the Wildernesse to quake Ev'n the great Wildernesse of all The Desart which we Kadesh call It doth compell to moue and shake XIX His Voice doth make the Hinde to beare And all those Forrests that cloath'd were Stand at his pleasure nak'd and bare And therefore in his Temple now All meet and to his Glory bow With Sacrifice of Praise and Prayer XX. The Lord the raging Seas doth sway The mighty Flouds to Him obay And neuer shall his Kingdome cease The Lord shall giue his People strength And will deliuer them at length And blesse them with his ioyfull Peace Non Delinquenti sed peccata relinquenti condonat Deus Ambros. THE PRINCIPAT Ex muner g glouer sculpt THE ARGVMENT of the seuenth Tractat. OF Gods great Works a serious view For which all praise to him is due The seuerall Classes that are held Amongst the Angels that rebel'd Of Lucifer the principall And his strange figure since his Fall Of Such as most in Power excell And of their Gouernment in Hell Their Orders Offices and Names And what Prioritie each claimes The List of Those that fell from Blisse The Knowledge that in Daemons is And how far stretcht Next of their Wrath Tow'rds Mankinde and what Bounds it hath Discouery of those Ginnes and Snares They lay t' entrap Men vnawares Of Compacts common in these Ages And of the Astrologomages The second Argument IN Heav'n in Earth in Hell some sway Others againe are taught t' obay The Principats GOds wondrous Works that haue before me beene I will record and speake what I haue seene Saith Wisedome No Worke present or decay'd But by his pow'rfull Word at first was made The Sun that shines and doth on all things looke What is it else but an illustrious booke In which th' Almighties Glory may be read Hath not the Lord who hath accomplished All things in season made each thing so rare That all his Saints his Glory shall declare These wondrous Workes surpassing humane sence T' expresse his Maiestie and Excellence The Heart he searcheth and the depth of man In his pre-Science knowing all he can Or thinke or act the wonders of the Skies And each obscure thing 's plaine before his eies Things past nor future can escape his brest All secret paths to Him are manifest No thought can Him escape of that be'assur'd Nor can the least word be from him obscur'd His Wisedomes exc'lent Works He doth extend From Euerlasting Neuer to haue end He needs no Counsellor his Will to act To Him can none adde no man can detract O how delectable Thou Lord of All Are thy stupendious Workes in generall By vs to be consider'd from things higher Ev'n to the very common sparks of Fire They liue by Thee created firme and sure And they to euerlasting shall endure And when he calls them to a reck'ning still As His they are obseruant to his Will Doubled they are one set against another And there is nothing his rare Works can smother The one the others workmanship commends How far then ô thou Mighty God extends Thy wondrous Pow'r or Who to Earth ally'd With thy great Glory can be satisfy'd Behold this high and sublime Ornament The beauty of the Heav'ns the Firmament So glorious to the eye in it the Sunne A maruellous Worke by the Creator done Which in it's dayly progresse through the Skie Points vnto vs the hand of the Most-Hye He burnes the Soile from his meridian seat And who is he that can abide his heat Three times more hot the mountaine tops he makes Than he that with his great care vndertakes To keepe a furnace in continuall â—lame His fiery vapors He casts out the same In their owne kinde so luminous and bright As that they dazle the beholders sight Great is the Lord that made the Sunne indeed And by his Word commands it run with speed The
For diuers Authors are in this agreeing Mans generation hath been multiply'de Aboue all other Animals beside Saith Daniel Thousand thousands Him before Stand and 'bout him ten thousand thousands more Which Thousand he thus duplicates to show Their countlesse number which our dull and slow Nature wants facultie to aphrehend As likewise when he further would extend Their Legions Miriads he to Miriads layes Noting to vs of those that sound his praise The infinite Armies like a Circle round The number ending where it first was found In Iohn 't is read A mighty voice I heard Of many Angels and their Troupes appear'd To be of thousand thousands Iob said well The number of his Souldiers who can tell 'Mongst others one much daring his bold Pen Seem'd to out-strip his Vnderstanding when He would confine each Chorus to containe The meere Chimaera of an idle braine Saying To each belongs in these blest Regions Six thousand six hundred sixty and six Legions Each Legion too doth bee'ng exactly told Six thousand six hundred sixty six Angels hold But of their number let no man discusse Further than sacred Scripture warrants vs. It followes that I next make inquisition Into the Angels motion a Position Needfull to be examin'd Know then He Is not contain'd in place as Brutes and we But Place it selfe he in Himself containes Bee'ng said to be still where his Pow'r remaines And though it passe our weake ingeniositie Yet He is knowne to be of strange velocitie And without passing places can with ease Or go or come at all times when he please From heav'n to earth He can descend and bee Aboue and here in space vnmomentarie Hence thence He vndisturb'd hath passage faire Through both the elements of Fire and Aire Without incumbrance or the least molest And though it sinke not into th' Ethnycks brest Hee 's without circumscription vnconfin'd For if these Spirits Places had assign'd And so from one into another shifted How could they then so suddenly be lifted Into the vpper Heav'ns or thence apply Themselues to th' earth in twinkling of an eye It is agreed vpon the Good and Euill The blessed Angell as the cursed Diuell Haue all those faculties and without aine Or passing intermediat things can gaine To what they purpose in one instant round The spatious world and where they please be found Those that the Mathematicke Art prosesse Tell vs That 'twixt th' eight Heav'n and earth's no lesse Than one hundred and sev'nty millions 100 and three Of spacious miles mete by Geometrie By which account the mighty space extending Is from the watry and tenth Heav'n descending Ten times so much at least for if a stone Should from the starry and eight Heav'n be throwne And ev'ry houre passe without intermission One thousand miles in it's swift expedition In motion still without stay or re-calling It must be sixty fiue yeares in it's falling To amplifie what hath before been said Some Sectifts haue their ignorance betray'd Affirming Angels are not If they were They with the Soule of force must likewise beare Bodies about them too and so to bee Subiect vnto our visibilitie How vaine this is it may be eas'ly ghest When none that hath Philosophy profest But hold That there are Substances Diuine Intelligence call'd which neuer did incline Into commixtion or knowne to require Substance from th' Earth the Water Aire or Fire A second thing th' object That if so great Their number be as that the Aire 's repleat With infinit Armies 't must be needs confest That they should hourely whole Mankinde molest But these consider not He that created All things out of meere Nothing hath instated Them in such order distance and consent One to another's no impediment Neither is any of his great Works found That hath the pow'r to passe beyond his Bound As in the Waters element though far It'exceeds the Earth yet keepes within it's baâ— And though the proud waues with curl'd billowes rore Threatning as if to swallow vp the shore Yet by th' Almighties hand their pow'r is stay'd No Inundation or great Deluge made Vnlesse his Wrath some sudden vengeance brings Opening Heav'ns spouts and letting loose the Springs No maruell then that Spirits be in number So many that the very Aire they comber And they to vs and we to them so odious They neither hurtfull are nor discommodious Their Malice not bee'ng able to withstand Those bounds prefixt by the Almighties hand For so much in Iobs Historie is found When Sathan saith he hath compast the earth round He doth not say In his large progresse hee Hath done to Man least discommoditie Or harme at all not that he wanted Will But in himselfe the Pow'r to hurt or kill Nor durst he touching Ioâ— make inquisition Till he from God himselfe had free permission Who gaue him limit and his fury sâ—aid Vpon his outward Fortunes when he said Lo all he hath now at thy â—â—â—cy stand Onely against his person 〈◊〉 hand Againe when He 〈◊〉 Body to him gaue Captiue his Life he did command him saue Whence we may ground Though this rebellious Prince Great Lucifer with his Adherents since Their Fall retaine th' abilitie and pow'r To measure th' Earth in least part of an houre Yet without leaue they neither dare nor can Vse the least violence on Gods creature Man Next touching the rare knowledge which insists In them by nature Some Theologists Affirme them pregnant in Theologie Philosophie Mathematicks Astrologie In Musicke they are skill'd expert in Physicke In Grammer Logicke and Arithmeticke Nay he that is among them the most low Contemn'd and vile more than weake Man doth know Nor are their reasons vaine for in respect A Spirit is but a meere Intellect Not burden'd with a body of agilitie Nimble and quicke therefore with much facilitie In all materials he acquainted is From the Earths superficies to th' Abisse He knowes such vertues as in Stones abide Gems Minerals creeping Wormes and Beasts for hide From him you nothing can for he doth vant Still in the Marble Porphyre Adamant The Corall Pumice and the Chrysolit The Smarage Topaz and the Margarit The Onyx Carbuncle Gold Siluer Lead Brasse Iron and Sulphur He is likewise read In the proprieties of Creeping things Ants Toads Snakes Serpents all that the earth brings Of all the sev'rall Fishes he hath notion Bred in fresh waters or the briny Ocean Of Beasts the sundry qualities he findes Lions Beares Tygres Camels Horses Hindes The Elephant the Fox Ape Asse Mule Cat Sheepe Wolfe Hare Hedge-hog with each other that The Earth produceth So in Herbs and Trees Plants Leaues Fruits Roots Seeds juices Liquors these No Artist hath like skill in He can tell The sev'rall qualities of Fowles and well Distinguish them as such and such belong To the Earth Aire or Water He is strong In further knowledge of the Elements As in their pow'r their natures and extents
tibi quid vitiorum Inseverit olim Natura aut etiam consuetudo mala c. Sift thy selfe throughly whether there be nurst Those wicked seeds of Vice which Nature first Did plant in thee Examining to know What other ills might from bad Custome grow Fearne in neglected fields we see aspire Though it be good for nothing but the fire Perseus in his first Satyr saith Nete quaesiveris extra And Iuv. Sat. 11. Illum ego iure Despicians qui scit quanto sublimior Atlas Omnibus in Libiae sit montibus Hic tamen idem Ignoret quantum ferrata distat ab Arca Sacculus è Coelo discendit Gnothi Seauton c. His iudgement I by good right may despise Who for no other cause thinks himselfe wise Than know the mountaine Atlas lifts his head Aboue all other hills in Lybia bred Yet I from him the difference cannot wrest Betwixt a small Bag and an iron-barr'd Chest. To Know thy Selfe did first from Heav'n descend Of all thine actions then make that the end Whether thou purpose Marriage to embrace Or in the sacred Senat seek'st a place Thersites aim'd not at Achilles Shield Which merit did to wise Vlysses yeeld If being Consull doubtfull causes come To be debated e're thou giue thy doome Or without good aduisement silence breake Examine first what 's in thee e're thou speake And what thou art Whether a Curtius or A Matho or some vehement Orator Nay thou must be so carefull as to know The measure of thy cheekes lest ought might grow Vnwares from thence and with like care entreat As well in euery small cause as the great Thomas Aquin. in his Epistle of the meanes to acquire Knowledge Let this saith he be my admonition and thy instruction Shun verbositie speake seldome and then to the purpose haue a pure conscience and pray often study much and be familiar with few shun superfluous discourse follow the steps of godly and deuout men Regard not from whom thou hearest what is good and hauing heard it forget it not What thou readest or hearest cease not till thou dost vnderstand Be resolued of doubts and search not too far into things which are not lawfull for thee to know Knowledge is one thing but Wisedome is a degree far aboue it for a man may know the World something vnderstand himselfe a little but be altogether forgetfull of God For Salomon saith Prov. 11. The feare of the Lord is the beginning of Wisedome Therefore it shall not be amisse to enquire What Wisedome is One calls it the knowledge of many and miraculous things Arist. lib. Rhetor. And in another place The knowledge of the first and most high causes Aristot. lib. 1. Metaph. Apharab lib. de Divis. Philosoph saith it is the knowledge of things euerlasting Wisedome differeth from Science in this respect because Wisdome is the knowledge of things Diuine and Science of things Human. Therefore we thus reade Saint Augustine Corinth 1. Cap. 11. Wisdome is the contemplation of things eternall Science is the occupation of things temporall And in his booke De Trinit wee reade him thus This is the true distinction betwixt Wisedome and Knowledge That the intellectuall knowledge of things eternall belongs to Wisedome the rationall knowledge of things temporall belongeth to Science The word Sapientia commeth of Sapio which is Truly to know and those which in antient times professed it were called Sophoi i. Wise men For so were those famous men of Greece called namely Thales Milesius Solon Salaminius Chilon Lacedaemonius Pittachus Mytilinaeus Bias Primaeas Cleobulus Lyndius Periander Corinthius After whom succeeded Pythagoras who in his modesty would not cal himselfe Sophus but Philosophus that is not a Wise man but a louer of Wisedome His reason was That no man can truly call himselfe wise because Wisedome solely appertaineth vnto the Creator of all things All true Wisedome is to be asked of God as we may reade Reg. 2. Cap. 3. And God said vnto Salomon Because thou hast asked this thing and hast not asked for thy selfe long life neither asked Riches for thy selfe nor hast asked the life of thine Enemies but hast asked for thy selfe Vnderstanding to heare iudgement Behold I haue done according to thy words Lo I haue giuen thee a wise and an vnderstanding heart so that there hath beene none like thee before thee neither after thee shall the like arise vnto thee c. Wisedom saith Salomon in his Booke of Wisedome cannot enter into a wicked heart nor dwell in the body that is subiect vnto sinne Bar. 3. vers 10. What is the cause ô Israel that thou art in thine Enemies land and art waxen old in a strange Countrey and art defiled with the Dead and counted with them that go downe to the Graues Thou hast forsaken the Fountaine of Wisdome for if thou hadst walked in the way of God thou hadst remained for euer And againe Vers. 26. There were the Gyants famous from the beginning that were of great stature and so expert in war these did not the Lord chuse neither gaue he the way of Knowledge vnto them but they were destroyed because they had no Wisedome and perished through their owne foolishnesse Who hath gone vp to Heaven to take her and brought her downe from the Clouds Who hath gone ouer the sea to finde her and hath brought her rather than fine Gold No man knoweth her wayes neither considereth her paths c. We reade also Iob 38.36 Who hath put Wisedome into the Reines and Who hath giuen the Heart Vnderstanding c. And Cap. 28. vers 12. But where is Wisedome found and Where is the place of Vnderstanding Man knoweth not the price thereof for it is not found in the land of the Liuing The Depth saith It is not in me The Sea also saith It is not in me Gold shall not be giuen for it neither shall Siluer be weighed for the price thereof It shall not be valued with the wedge of the Gold of Ophyr nor with the pretious Onyx nor the Saphyr the Gold nor the Chrystall shall be equall vnto it nor the exchange shall be for plate of fine Gold no mention shall be made of Corall or of the Gabish For Wisedome is more pretious than Pearles the Topaz of AEthiopia shall not be equall vnto it neither shall it be valued with the wedge of pure Gold c. The wisedome of the Iust saith one of the Fathers is to colour nothing by ostentation to hide no sence by equivocation to loue Truth because it is true to hate Falshood because it is false to distribute good things willingly to suffer bad things patiently to reuenge no injurie But this simplicitie of the Iust will be derided because that of the wise men of the world the puritie of Vertue is held to be foolishnes For what to the worlds eye can sauour of greater folly than to speake simply and truely
without feare His study is to compasse and inuade We ought to watch there be no entry made XVII As oft as we resist we do subdue The great Seducer Then the Angels sing And Saints reioyce those that are still in view Of the Creator Heav'ns almighty King That GOD who to this Battell doth persuade vs And looks vpon vs when we enter list Still as he spurres vs on doth likewise aid vs Against that old and crafty Pannurgist Supports the Weake the Willing doth defend And crownes such as continue to the end XVIII O giue me courage then make strong my hand Thou that dost teach my fingers how to fight And lend me pow'r their fury to withstand Who would depriue me of thy glorious Light That I who all my life time haue oppos'd My selfe 〈…〉 my selfe and against Thee May by thy tender mercies he inclos'd And so be 〈◊〉 they shall not ruin mee That 〈…〉 â—is Body is confin'd to Dust My 〈…〉 yet finde place among the Iust. Vt Pila concussus resurgeâ— S. MICHAEL ARCHANGEL Ex Sumptib Harbottel Grimstone Armig Ia droesheâ—t sculpt THE ARGVMENT of the eighth Tractat. OF Sathans Wiles and Feats praestigious Appearing wondrous and prodigious Confirm'd by Histories far sought Of Novels by bad Daemons wrought And first of such is made expression That still with Mankinde seeke congression To whose Fall they themselues apply Call'd Succubae and Incubi To finde those further we desire Of Water Earth the Aire and Fire And what their workings be to know As well aboue as here below How Authors 'mongst themselues agree What Genij and Spectars bee Faunes Syluanes and Alastores Satyres with others like to these With Stories mixt that grace may win From such as are not verst therein The second Argument MIchael whom Sathan durst oppose Can guard vs from inferior Foes The Arch-Angell THose Sp'rits call'd Daemons some haue apprehended Are with mens iniuries oft times offended And when againe they humbly shall submit They are soone pleas'd all quarrels to forget They after Diuine worship are ambitious And when fond Men grow vainly superstitious As thereto by their ignorance accited In their idolatrous Rites th' are much delighted To them belongs the Augurs Diuination And such coniectures as by th' immolation Of Beasts are made whateuer did proceed From Pythia's raptures or hath been agreed To issue from vaine Dreames all Calculation By such like signes came first by th' instigation Of Daemons Homer therefore gaue them stile Of gods nor doubted in the selfe same file To number Iupiter But we whose faith On Gods knowne workes more firme assurance hath By sacred Scriptures title Daemons those Who by him first created dar'd t' oppose His Diuine Will and being ill affected Were for their Pride headlong from heav'n dejected Some in their fall still hanging in the aire And there imprison'd till they make repaire To the last dreadfull doome and such await Mans frailties hourely to insidiate Prone to his hurt with tympanous pride inflam'd Burning with Enuy not to be reclaim'd Deceitfull from bad purpose neuer chang'd Impious and from all justice quite estrang'd And with th' inueterat malice in them bred Inuading Bodies both aliue and dead But whatsoeuer war they shall commence Against vs whether vnder faire pretence Or hostile menace do well and not feare He that the Soule created will appeare In it's defence and if we boldly fight Put their strong forces and themselues to flight Plato acknowledged one God alone The rest whom others in the heav'ns inthrone He Daemons calls and Angels Thermegist Doth likewise on one Deitie insist And him he names Great beyond all extension Ineffable not within comprehension The other Sp'rits lye vnder Statues hid And Images whose worship is forbid And these the breasts of liuing Priests inspire And from the Intrals e're they touch the fire Pronounce strange Omens These the Birds flights guide And mannage such things as by Lots are try'de The doubtfull Oracles they lend a tongue Prounouncing Truths with Lies Lies Truths among Confounding them all things obvolved leaue Deceiv'd themselues they others would deceiue They waking trouble vs molest our sleepe And if vpon our selues no watch we keepe Our bodies enter then distract our braine They crampe ouâ— members make vs to complaine Of sickenesse or disease and in strange fashion They cause vs to exceed in Ioy or Passion And making vs one vniuersall wound Pretend to loose what they before had bound When as the wonder-seeming remedie Is onely their surcease from injurie For all their study practise and delight Is but to moue vs to proue opposite To the Creator as themselues haue bin That guilty of the same rebellious sin By their accitements being made impure We with them might like punishment endure Let 's heare how Apulcius doth define them Saith he these proper adjuncts we assigne them Of a thin Airy body they exist And therefore can shift places as they list Of rational apprehensionâ— passiue minde Eternall and no end can therefore finde Another writes These Spirits are much joy'd At Bloud-shed when man is by man destroy'd At riotous Feasts they 'bout the tables stalke Prouoking to vaine words and obseene talke Persuading Man in his owne strength to trust Deuise Confections that stirre vp to lust And when their pow'r on any Wretch hath seis'd Persuade That with the sin God 's not displeas'd Th' assume the shape of such as are deceast And couet to be counted gods at least Surcharg'd with joy these are not to behold When troubles and afflictions manifold Pursue the Saints of God and his Elect As hauing in themselues a cleare inspect By persecution such and tribulation Are lab'ring in the path to their saluation But when they finde our hearts obdure and hard To Pietie and Goodnesse vnprepar'd Or when they see vs deviat and erre And before Vertue Vanitie preferre Then are they merry they clap hands and shout As hauing then their purpose brought about The Hunter hauing caught vs in the Toile Seiseth his prey and triumphs in the spoile We do not reade That Sathan did once boast When patient Iob had all his substance lost Nor seeing by th' aduantage he had ta'ne His Sonnes and Daughters by a Whirle-winde slaine When hauing lost all he could lose no more And now from head to heele was but one fore Not all this mov'd him Had he made reply To her that bad him to curse God and dye By vtt'ring any syllable prophane Then he and his would haue rejoc'd amaine Nor in Pauls thirst or hunger was he pleas'd Nor when he was by cruell Lictors seis'd And hurry'd to the Gaole there gyv'd and bound Or shipwrackt in great perill to be drown'd The Barke beneath him bee'ng in pieces torne Nor when the bloudy Iewes his death had sworne Scourg'd buffetted and bandied vp and downe They knew this was the way to gaine a Crowne To them 't was rather torment
in such great adoration Okumanteia call'd seemes to haue sprung As likewise those by th' antient Magi sung Onichomanteia Libonomantia Capnomantia Piromantia And Thurifumia But I cannot dwell On circumstance their sev'rall Rites to tell Spirits of th' Aire are bold proud and ambitious Envious tow'rd Mankinde Spleenfull and malicious And these by Gods permission not alone Haue the cleare subtill aire to worke vpon By causing thunders and tempestuous showr's With harmefull windes 't is also in their pow'rs T' affright the earth with strange prodigious things And what 's our hurt to them great pleasure brings Of their so rare effects Stories are full Amongst the Attribates it rained wooll In good Saint Ambrose time two armies â—ought In the aires Region and great terror brought Vnto all France Hugh Capet making claime Vnto the Crowne if we may credit Fame And Histories which are not writ in vaine There fell from heav'n great store of Fish and Graine Philostratus in whom was found no flaw Writes Apollonius 'mongst the Brachmans saw Two Tombes which opened windes disturb'd the aire But shut the sky was calme the season faire Eunapius and Suidas both record How Sepater could with one Magicke word Command the Windes and was adiudg'd to dye Because he kept them fast when as supplye Of corne vnto Byzantium should be brought But to spare these had we no further sought Than sacred Historie In Iob we finde How Sathan did stir vp a mighty winde Which where his sonnes and daughters feasting were Did the whole house demolish rend and teare The Finnes and Laplands are acquainted well With such like Sp'rits and Windes to Merchants fell Making their cov'nant When and how they please They may with prosp'rous weather crosse the feas As thus They in an hand-kerchiefe fast ty Three knots vnloose the first and by and by You finde a gentle gale blow from the shore Open the second it encreaseth more Fo fill your sailes When you the third vntye Th' intemperat gusts grow vehement and hye Of Ericus the King of Goths 't is said That as he turn'd his hat the winde he stayd Nor did there euer any neere him know The piercing aire vpon his face to blow It is reported of learn'd Zoroaster Who of art Magicke was the first Art-master That by such Spirits in a stormy day And mighte whirle-winde he was borne away And from this kinde that diuination springs Call'd AEromantia by which thousand things Haue been conjectur'd from the conjur'd Aire When mustring Armies in the clouds repaire Chariots and such to iudge what shall befall From them they Terotoscopeia call A third there is I almost had forgot Ornithomanteia when by Birds they wot Spirits that haue o're Water gouernment Are to Mankinde alike maleuolent They trouble Seas Flouds Riuers Brookes and Wels Meeres Lakes and loue t' enhabit watry Cels Thence noisome and pestiferous vapors raise Besides they Man encounter diuers wayes At wrackes some present are another sort Ready to crampe their joints that swim for sport One kinde of these th' Italians Fatae name Feé the French We Sibils and the same Others White Nymphs and those that haue them seen Night-Ladies some of which Habundia Queene And of this sort are those of which discusse Plutarch and out of him Sabellicus Numa Pompilius who did oft inuite The best of Rome to feast with him by night Neuer made vse of market to afford Rich choice of dainties to his sumptuous bord Each tastefull Delicat that could be thought Without all cat'ring or prouiding ought Did of their owne accord themselues present To giue th' invited ghests their full content To all their admiration Which is said Was onely by the Nymph Egeria's aid With whom he had conuerse and she we finde Of force must be a Spirit of this kinde Scotus Parmensis but few yeares ago As some report his Magicke Art to show Practis'd the like inuited mighty States And feasted them with princely Delicates And yet these seeming viands were of all That tasted them merely phantasticall Though they rose sated yet no sooner thence Departed but they had no feeling sence Of feeding Hunger or of quenching thirst But found themselues more empty than at first And with such banquets as Philostratus Writes was Apollonius Tyanaeus Receiued by the Brachmans With like cheare Petrus Albanus and Pasaetis were Custom'd to feast their Ghests And of this sort Namely White Nymphs Boëthius makes report In his Scotch Historie Two Noblemen Mackbeth and Banco-Stuart passing then Vnto the Pallace where King Duncan lay Riding alone encountred on the way In a darke Groue three Virgins wondrous faire As well in habit as in feature rare The first of them did curtsie low her vaile Vnpinn'd and with obeisance said All haile Mackbeth Thane Glâ—vius The next said All haile Caldarius Thane The third Maid Not the least honor vnto thee I bring Mackbeth all haile that shortly must be King These spake no more When Banco thus reply'de Ill haue ye done faire Ladies to diuide Me from all honors How comes he thus growne In your great grace to promise him a Crowne And I his sole companion as you see Yet you in nothing daigne to guerdon mee To whom the first made answer Yes we bring To thee much happier Fate for though a King Mackbeth shall be yet shall he reigne alone And leaue no issue to succeed his Throne But thou ô Banco though thou dost not sway Thy selfe a Scepter yet thine Issue may And so it shall thine Issue do not feare Shall gouerne Scotland many an happy yeare This spoke all vanisht They at first amas'd At the strange Nouell each on other gas'd Then on they road accounting all meere fictions And they vaine Spectars false in their predictions And sporting by the way one jeasted thus Haile King of Scotland that must gouerne vs. To whom the other Like salutes to thee Who must of many Kings the Grandsire bee Yet thus it happen'd after Duncan slaine By Mackbeth he vsurpt and 'gan to raigne Though the dead King had left two sonnes behinde More seriously then pondring in his minde The former apparition casts about How Banco of the Scotch Peeres the most stout Might be cut off doth solemnely inuite Him and his sonne Fleanchus one sad night Vnto a banquet where the Father dies But shadow'd by the darknesse the Sonne flies Now the small sand of Mackbeths glasse bee'ng run For he was slaine by Malcolme Duncans son In processe the Crowne lineally descended To Banco's Issue and is yet extended In ample genealogie remaining In most renowned CHARLES amongst vs reigning My promis'd brevitie be mine excuse Else many stories I could here produce Of the like nature purport and condition For we may reade Ollarus the Magition Commanded like Familiars who 't is sed With his inchanted
prodigalitie was such His exhibition he exceeded much And when his money was exhausted cleane His credit flaw'd and there remain'd no meane Either to score or pawne he walks alone And fetching many a deepe suspire and grone His melanch'ly grew almost to despaire Now as we finde the Diuels ready are And prest at such occasions ev'n so than One of these Sp'rits in semblance of a man Appeares and of his sadnesse doth demand The cause Which when he seem'd to vnderstand He makes free protestation That with ease He can supply him with what Coine he please Then from his bosome drawes a Booke and it Presents the Youth and saith If all that 's writ Within these leaues thou giv'st beleefe to I Will furnish all thy wants and instantly Vpon condition thou shalt neuer looke On any page or once vnclaspe the booke The yong man 's pleas'd the contract he allowes And punctually to keepe it sweates and vowes Now saith the Spectar note and vnderstand What thou seest done Then holds in his left hand The fast-shut booke his right he casts about Then with his thumbe and finger stretched out Meaning the middle of that hand holds fast The charmed Volume speaking thus at last Natat as saliat Aurum and instantly Six hundred Crownes into his pocket fly This shew'd and done he stands himselfe aloofe Giues him the Booke and bids the Youth make proofe As he before did The same order kept The selfe same summe into his bosome leapt They part the youthfull Schollar is surpris'd With ioyes incredible and well advis'd Within himselfe thinks he How should I curse To lose this more than Fortunatus Purse Which to preuent the surest way I 'le chuse Transcribiug it lest I perchance might loose Th'originalll copy Then downe close he sits Shuts fast his dore and summons all his wits From hand to hand the Booke he moues and heaues Weighing and poising the inchanted leaues Then layes it ope But in the stead of Histories Or Poëms he spies nought saue Magicke mysteries First page by page he turnes it ouer all Saue Characters most diabolicall He nothing sees then pausing a good space His eye by chance insists vpon a place At which he wonders namely'a circle that Is fill'd with confus'd lines he knowes not what Their meaning is and from the Center riseth A Crucifix which the Crosse much disguiseth Clov'n through th' midst and quite throughout dissect Aboue an head of horrible aspect Resembling the great Diuels ougly foule Which seemes on his rash enterprise to scoule On the right side two Crosses more appeare That after a strange guise conioyned were And these are interchangeably commixt And vpon each a Caca-Damon fixt Vpon the left that part exposed wide Which modest women most desire to hide Oppos'd as ev'n as iust proportion can Was plac'd th' erected virile part of man At these much wondring and asham'd withall He feeles a sudden feare vpon him fall Which Feuer shakes him his eye 's dull and dead And a strange megrim toxicates his head Imagining behinde him one to reach Ready t' arrest him for his promise-breach He calls aloud his Tutor is by chance At hand beats ope the dore and halfe in â—â—ance He findes his Pupill and before him spies This booke of most abhorrid blasphemies And questions how it came there He tells truth Then he in stead of chiding cheares the Youth And hauing caus'd a great fire to be made Now sacrifice this cursed Booke he said The Pupill yeelds the flame about it flashes Yet scarce in a full houre 't is burnt to ashes Though it were writ in paper Thus we see Though these Familiar Spirits seeming bee Mans profest friends their loue 's but an induction Both to the Bodies and the Soules destruction Explicit Metrum Tractatus octavi Theologicall Philosphicall Poeticall Historicall Apothegmaticall Hierogliphicall and Emblematicall Obseruations touching the further illustration of the former Tractat. PRide was the first sinne and therefore the greatest It was the Fall of Angels and is that folly in Man to bring him to perdition It striueth to haue a hand in euery noble Vertue as it hath an interest in euerie detestable Vice The Valiant it swells with vain-glory the Learned with selfe-conceit Nay further it hath beene knowne That men of most submissiue spirits haue gloried That they could so far humble themselues as being proud that they haue not been more proud It hath made zealous men presume of their merit wretched men to boast of their misery Come to the Deadly sins It is Pride in the Enuious man to maligne the prosperitie of his neighbor in the Wrathfull man to triumph in the slaughter of his enemy in the Luxurious man to trick himselfe vp and glory in the spoile of his Mistresse in the Sloathfull to scorne labour and delight in his ease in the Auaritious to despise the Poore and trust in his aboundance According to that of Ovid in the fift booke of his Metamorph. Sum foelix quis enim neg at hoc foelixque manebo Hoc quoque quis dubitat tutum me copia fecit Happy I am for who can that deny And happy will remaine perpetually For who shall doubt it Plenty makes me such Bee'ng made so great that Fortune dares not touch Pride saith Isiodor est amor propriae excellentiae It is a loue of our proper excellencie Saint Augustine telleth vs That all other vices are to be feared in euill deeds but Pride is not to be trusted euen in good actions lest those things which be laudibly done and praise-worthy bee smothered and lost in too much desire of Praise Humilitie maketh men like Angels but Pride hath made Angels Diuels It is the beginning the end and cause of all other euills for it is not onely a sinne in it selfe but so great an one that no other sinne can subsist without it All other iniquities are exercised in bad deeds that they may be done but Pride in good deeds that they may be left vndone Pride saith Hieron was borne in heauen still striuing to possesse and infect the sublimest mindes and as if it coueted still to soare vp to the place from whence it fell it striues to make irruption and breake into the glory and power of men which first broke out from the glory and power of Angels that whom it found Copartners in nature it might leaue Companions in ruin From heauen it fell saith Hugo but by the suddennesse of the fall hauing forgot the way by which it fell though thither it aime it can neuer attaine All other Vices seek only to hinder those Vertues by which they are restrained and brideled as Wantonnesse Chastitie Wrath Patience and Avarice Bounty c. Pride onely aduanceth it selfe against all the Vertues of the minde and as a generall and pestiferous disease laboureth vniuersally to corrupt them Now the signes by which Pride is discouered and knowne are Loquacâ—ty and clamor in speech bitternes in silence
to this purpose and by me thus paraphrased Now of the Forrest trees all which are thine Thou Lord hast chosen to thy selfe one Vine And out of all the spacious kingdomes knowne One Piece of earth which thou dost call thine owne Of all the Sommer floures th' earth doth yeeld Pickt out one Lilly ' midst of all thy Field From all the Seas that compasse in the vast And far-spread earth one Riuer tooke thou hast Of all built Cities in thy choise affection Thou of one Sion hast made free election Of all created Fowles swift or slow flighted Thou in one onely Doue hast been delighted Of all the Cattell that the pastures keepe Thou hast appointed to thy selfe one Sheepe Out of all Nations vnder this vast Frame Cull'd one alone to call vpon thy Name And to that People thou a Law hast giv'n Which from grosse earth transcendeth them to heav'n Notwithstanding these and the many glorious Miracles visible to the eyes of their fore-fathers which were not onely deliuered vnto their posteritie by tradition but by the mouth and pen of the Holy-Ghost in the person of Moses and many other Prophets yet of their refractorie condition stiffe-necked rebellion their idolatries and vtter falling off from their powerfull and mighty Preseruer numerous nay almost infinite are the testimonies in Holy-Writ Opposit vnto Pride is that most commendable Vertue of Humilitie which Pontanus calleth the Sister of true Nobility Blessed are the Poore in Spirit saith our Sauior for theirs is the kingdom of God And Prov. 16. It is better to be humble with the Meek than to diuide the spoile with the Proud Againe saith our blessed Sauiour Suffer these little Ones to haue accesse vnto me and forbid them not for to such belong the Kingdome of Heauen For whosoeuer shall humble himself as one of these little ones he shall be great in the kingdom of heauen Againe Iudg. The prayers of the Humble and Gentle haue beene euer pleasing vnto thee And Psal. 112. Who is like the Lord our God who dwelleth in the most high place and from thence regardeth the Humble both in heaven and earth lifting the Weake from the earth and raising the Poore from the Dung-hill that he may place him with Princes And 1. Pet. 5. Be ye humbled vnder the mighty hand of God that yee may be exalted in the time of Visitation Saint Augustine de Verb. Dom. saith Discite à me non Mundum fabricare c. Learne of me not how to build the world nor create things visible or inuisible not to work miracles and raise the Dead vnto life but seeke to imitate me in my humility and lowlinesse of heart If thou thinkst in thine heart to erect a building in great sublimitie consider first the foundation which is layd in humilitie And of the same Vertue he thus proceedeth O medicine vnto vs most profitable all tumors repressing all defects supplying all superfluities rejecting all depraued things correcting What Pride can be cured but by the Humility of the Son of God What Couetousnesse healed but by the Pouerty of the Sonne of God What Wrath be appeased but by the Wisdome of the Sonne of God Againe High is the countrey but low is the way and therefore let not him that desireth to trauell thither refuse the path which leadeth vnto it In Sermon de Superbia hee vseth these words O holy and venerable Humilitie Thou causedst the Sonne of God to descend into the womb of the blessed Virgin Mary thou didst wrap him in vile and contemptible garments that he might adorne vs with the Ornaments of Vertue Thou didst circumcise him in the flesh that hee might circumcise vs in the Spirit Thou madest him to be corporeally scourged that he might deliuer vs from those scourges due vnto vs for our sinnes Thou didst crowne him with Thornes that he might crowne vs with his eternall Roses Thou madest him to be feeble and weake who was the Physition of vs all c. Greg. in Explic. 3. Psal. Poeniten saith That he which gathereth Vertues without Humilitie is like one that carrieth dust in the winde And Saint Bernard Lib. de Consider Stable and permanent is the foundation of Vertue if layd vpon Humilitie otherwise the whole building is nothing but ruin Leo in Serm. de Nativ Christ. saith In vaine are we called Christians if wee be not Imitators of Christ who therefore named himselfe the Way That the conuersation of the Master might be a president vnto the Disciple that the Seruant might chuse that humility which the Master followed who is Christ. Hugo de Claus. Animae telleth vs That in the spirituall Building the foundation below is placed in Humilitie the bredth thereof is disposed in Charitie the height thereof is erected in Good-workes it is tiled and couered by Diuine protection and perfected in the length of Patience Bernard in Vita Laurent Iustiniani compareth Humilitie to a Torrent which as in the Summer it is temperat and shallow but in the Spring and Winter inundant and raging so Humilitie in prosperitie is milde and gentle but in aduersitie bold and magnanimious Chronatus Episcop de octo Beatitud saith That as it is not possible in any ascent to attaine vnto the second step or staire before thou hast passed the first so no man can attain vnto Humilitie and gentlenesse till he be first poore in spirit Thriverus in Apothegm 200. vseth these words As the deeper a Vessell is the more it receiueth so euery man is capable of so much grace as he is before possessed of Humilitie The Hierogliphycke of this Cardinall Vertue according to Pierius Valerius Lib. 35. is a Bended Knee borrowed it seemeth from that of Horrace Ius imperiaque Phraates Caesaris accepit genibus minor A Fable to this purpose I haue read and not altogether improper to be here inserted Amongst a many tall straight faire and well growne trees there was one low crooked and not a little deformed which was hourely derided by the rest insomuch that it grew wearie both of it's place and life But not long after the Lord of the soile hauing occasion to build he caused all those goodly Timbers to be felld and laid prostrat on the earth which being soone after remoued this despised and dejected shrub as a thing held meerely vnseruiceable was left standing alone neither obscured from the comfortable beams of the Sunne nor couered from the chearefull and tempestiue showres of the Heauens At which she began to acknowledge the happinesse of her humility since that which she apprehended to be her griefe and miserie returned in the end to be the sole meanes of her preseruation and safetie Not much forrein vnto this is that counsell which Ovid gaue his Friend Trist. lib. 3. Eleg. 4. Vsibus edocto si quicquid credis Amico Vive tibi longe nomina magna vita Vive tibi quantumque potes perlustria vita Saevum praelustri fulmen ab
therefore the hundredth day following Caesar should die and be made a god which could not happen to any man whilest he was yet liuing Cardanus speaking of fiery Spectars amongst many others relateth this story A friend of mine saith hee of approued faith and honesty trauelling one night late from Mediola to Gallerata when the Sky was full of clouds and the weather inclining to raine being within some foure miles of his journies end he saw a light and heard rhe voice as he thought of certain Cow-herds vpon his left hand and presently a hedge onely being interposed he saw a fiery Chariot couered with flames and out of it he might heare a voice crying aloud Cave cave Beware beware Being much terrified with this strange prodegie he put spurres to his horse and whether he galloped or rid softly the Chariot was stil before him He then betooke him to his orisons and supplications vnto God at length after the space of a full houre hee came to a Temple dedicate to the memorie of Saint Lawrence standing iust without the gate and there the Chariot of fire herdsmen and all sunke into the earth and was seene no more Cardanus hauing disputed something of the nature of this fire addeth That the Gallaterans suffered the same yeare not only a great plague but diuers other afflictions and disasters To these Spirits of the fire is ascribed that diuination by Pyromancie which some call Puroscopan In which superstition old pitch was cast into the fire with the invocation of certain of these Spirits Sometimes a Tead or Torch dawbed ouer with pitch was lighted and marked with certaine characters If the flame of the Tead gathered it selfe into one it was prosperous if diuided disastrous if it arose tripartite it presaged some glorious euent if it were diuersly dispersed it diuined to a sicke man death to a sound man sicknesse if it made a sparkling noise it was infortunat if it was suddenly extinct it threatned great misfortune So likewise in their sacrificing fires if the flame went streight vpward like a Pyramis it was a signe of a good omen if it diuided and dispersed of a bad There were diuers coniectures also from the colour the brightnesse the dulnesse the ascent the sparkling c. and this kinde of Magicke was frequent amongst the Liâ—uanians c. From the fiery I proceed to the Spirits of the Aire We reade in the sacred Scriptures That Sathan caused fire to fall from heauen to deuour and consume Iobs seruants and his cattell As likewise hee raised a vehement Whirle-winde and tempest which oppressed his sonnes and daughters with the house where they were then feasting with a sudden ruin Remigius telleth a story which is likewise affirmed by Delrius That a countrey-man of the prouince of Triuere setting some Plants in his garden with a yong maid his daughter the father commended her for going so neatly and quickly about her businesse The Girle telleth him that she can do stranger things than these and more stupendious The father demands What Withdraw your selfe but a little saith she and name but in what place of the garden a showre of raine shall fall and water the earth and in what not The countrey-man curious of noueltie withdrew himselfe and bad her vse her skill Shee presently made an hole in the ground into which she poured her owne water and stirring it about with a sticke murmuring certaine magicke words to her selfe presently a showre fel watering only that part of the gronnd which he had named vnto her and in the other fell not one drop of raine Gasper Spitellus writeth That some Indians haue much familiaritie with these Spirits For when they want rain one of their Magicke Priests with a shrill voice makes an acclamation That all the people shall assemble to such a mountain hauing first obserued a Fast which is to abstaine from the eating of salt pepper or any thing that is boiled That done he lowdly calls vpon the Stars and with deuout Orisons entreats of them that they would afford them seasonable showres Then they turne their eyes towards the lower grounds vpon their fields and houses taking in their hands a bowle full of charmed liquour which they receiue from the hands of a young man of their most noble families which they haue no sooner drunke but they lie intranced without sence or motion After being come to themselues they commix honey water and Maiz together and with them sprinkle the aire The next day they chuse out one of the most eminent men of their Nation both for nobilitie and age and lay him in a bed with a soft fire vnder it and when he beginnes to sweat they wipe off the moisture and put in a bason which they mingle with the bloud of a Goose and sprinkling it again into the aire as if they meant it should touch the clouds they then solicit the Starres againe That by the vertue of the old mans sweat the bloud of the goose and the water before mixed they may haue seasonable and temperat showres Which if they haue according to their desires they giue great thanks to the Starres and Planets and the Priest from the people is rewarded with rich gifts and presents Hieronimus Mengius writeth That a certaine Magition in a field adjacent to the tower or citadell of Bonnonia shewed two famous Generals Iohannes Bentivolus and Robertus Sanseverinus a spectacle in the aire in which was heard such a noise of drummes clangor of trumpets clamor of men neighing of horses and clashing of arms that the Spectators were afraid lest the heauen and the earth would haue met at the instant but in all the inuironing grounds saue onely in that place the aire was vntroubled Diodorus Siculus reporteth also That in the Syrtes of Lybia the Spirits of the aire are oftentimes visible in the shape of diuers birds and beasts some mouing some without motion some running some flying others in other strange postures But which is most miraculous sometimes they will come behinde men as they are trauelling leape vp and sit vpon their shoulders who may feele them to be much colder than eitheâ— snow or ice Olaus Magnus in his Historie remembreth That these airy Spirits haue such a predominance in the Circium sea they continually do so exasperat shake and trouble it that scarfe any ship can saile that way without wracke and foundring In the Isle called Island vnder the dominion of the King of Denmarke there is a port called Vestrabor not far from which men are vsually taken and wrapt vp in whirl-winds by the power of these Spirits are hurried many furlongs off Likewise in the Westerne parts of Norway these spirits with their noxious and blasting touch cause that neither grasse nor trees burgeon or beare fruit Likewise vpon the Bothnian continent the roofes are vsually blowne off from
them Fairies In solitarie roomes These vprores keepe And beat at dores to wake men from their sleepeâ— Seeming to force locks be they ne're so strong And keeping Christmasse gambols all night long Pots glasses trenchers dishes pannes and kettles They will make dance about the shelues and settles As if about the Kitchen tost and cast Yet in the moruing nothing found misplac't Others such houses to their vse haue fitted In which base murthers haue been once committed Some haue their fearefull habitations taken In desolat houses ruin'd and forsaken Examples faile not to make these more plaine The house wherein Caligula was slaine To enter which none euer durst aspire After his death till 't was consum'd by fire The like in Athens of which Pliny writes In his Epistles As Facetius cites In Halberstad saith he there is a Dwelling Of great remarke the neighbour roofes excelling For architecture in which made aboad A mighty rich man and a belly-god After whose death his soule gon Heav'n knowes whither Not one night fail'd for many moneths together But all the roomes with lighted tapers shone As if the darknesse had beene chac't and gone And Day there onely for his pleasure stay'd In the great chamber where before were made His riotous feasts the casements standing wide Clearely through that transparance is espy'de This Glutton whom they by his habit knew At the boords end feasting a frolicke crew Of lusty stomacks that about him sate Serv'd in with many a costly delicate Course after Course and ev'ry Charger full Neat Seruitors attended not one dull But ready to shift trenchersâ— and fill wine In guilded bowles for all with plate doth shine And amongst them you could not spy a guest But seem'd some one he in his life did feast At this high rate they seem'd to spend the night But all were vanisht still before day light Of Bishop Datius a learn'd Clerke thus saith He for the true profession of his Faith Sent into exile in his difficult way Opprest with penurie was forc'd to stay In Corinth nor there lodging could he haue In any Inne or place conuenient saue A corner house suppos'd to be inchanted And at that time with sundry Diuels haunted There taking vp his lodging and alone He soundly slept till betwixt twelue and one When suddenly he knew not by what cranny The dores bee'ng fast shut to him came a many Of Diuels thronging deckt in sundry shapes Like Badgers Foxes Hedge-hogs Hares and Apes Others more terrible like Lions rore Some grunt like hogs the like ne're heard before Like Bulls these bellow those like Asses bray Some barke like ban-dogs some like horses ney Some howle like Wolues others like Furies yell Scarse that blacke Santus could be match'd in hell At which vp starts the noble Priest and saith O you accursed Fiends Vassals of wrath That first had in the East your habitation Till you by pride did forfeit your saluation With the blest Angels you had then your seat But by aspiring to be god-like great Behold your rashnesse punisht in your features Being transhap'd into base abject creatures This hauing spoke the Spirits disappeard The house of them for euer after clear'd One thing though out of course it may appeare Yet I thought fit to be inserted here The rather too the Reader I prepare Because it may seeme wonderfull and rare Receiue 't as you thinke good or if you please To beleeue Plutarch then his words are these One call'd Enapius a yong man well bred By the Physitions was giv'n out for dead And left to his last sheet After some howers He seem'd to recollect his vitall powers To liue againe and speake The reason why Demanded of his strange recouerie His answer was That he was dead 't was true And brought before th' infernall Bar. They view Him o're and o're then call to them who'haue charge The spirit from the body to inlarge Whom Pluto with the other Stygian Pow'rs Thus threat Base Vassals can we thinke you ours Or worthy our imployment to mistake In such a serious errand Do we make You Officers and Lictors to arrest Such as are call'd to their eternall rest And when we send for one whose dismall fate Proclaimes him dead you bring vs one whose date Is not yet summ'd but of a vertue stronger As limited by vs to liue much longer We sent that with Nicander you should meet A Currier that dwells in such a street And how haue you mistooke This Soule dismisse And fetch his hither to our darke Abisse With that saith he I waken'd His friends sent Vnto the Curriers house incontinent And found him at the very instant dead When he his former life recouered And though meere fabulous this seeme to be Yet is it no impossibilitie Fiends should delude the Ethnicks and on them Confer this as a cunning stratagem To make them thinke that he dispos'd mans breath And had the sole pow'r ouer life and death At nothing more these auerse Spirits aime Than what is Gods vnto themselues to claime Others there are as if destin'd by lot To haue no pow'r but ouer goods ill got For instance One long with the world at strife Who had profest a strict religious life And taken holy Orders at his booke Spending his spare houres to a crafty Cooke Was neere ally'de and at his best vacation Findes out a time to giue him visitation And greets him with a blessing The fat Host Is glad to see his Vncle Sod and Rost He sets before him there is nothing fit To bid him welcome wanting downe they sit The good old man after some small repast More apt to talke than eat demands at last Of his Lay Nephew since he toiles and striues In this vaine world to prosper how he thriues The Cooke first fetcheth a deepe sigh then sayes O Vncle I haue sought my state to raise By ev'ry indirect and law lesse meane Yet still my couetous aimes are frustrat cleane I buy stale meat and at the cheapest rate Then if my Guests complaine I cog and prate Out-facing it for good Sometimes I buy Beeues haue been told me of the murrain dye What course haue I not tooke to compasse riches Ventur'd on some haue been found dead in ditches Bak'd dogs for Venison put them in good paste And then with salt and pepper helpt their taste Meat rosted twice and twice boyl'd I oft sell Make pies of fly-blowne joints and vent them well I froth my cannes in ev'ry jug I cheat And nicke my Ghests in what they drinke or eat And yet with these and more sleights all I can Doth not declare me for a thriuing man I pinch myne owne guts and from others gleane And yet though I shew fat my stocke is leane The good old man though at his tale offended No interruption vs'd till he had ended First hauing shooke his head then crost his brest Cousin said he this lewd life I detest Let me aduise
they Cannot endure it puts them to dismay Lactantius tells vs When vpon a season An Emp'ror of his Idoll askt the reason Of some doubt that perplext him a long space He answer'd not the cause was that in place A Christian then was present at that time Who had new blest him with the Crosses signe Good Angels when to man they first appeare Although they strike him with amase and feare Their em affies bee'ng done before they part They leaue him with great joy and cheare of heart As he at whose dread presence Daniel shooke As th' Angell Gabriel whom the Holy-Booke Makes mention of who when he came to bring To the blest Maid a message from heav'ns King Frightfull at first appear'd his salutation But th' end thereof was full of consolation But the bad Spirits bringing seeming ioy The end thereof's disaster and annoy From circumstance might many more arise But these for this place at this time suffice Be it held no digression to looke backe From whence I came inquiring if I lacke No fit accoutrement that may be found Behoofull for the journey I am bound Something I had forgot in my great speed Of Musicke then e're further I proceed I must deriue it from the first of dayes The Spheres chime Musicke to their Makers praise In the worlds first Creation it begunne From the word Fiat spoke and it was done Was sound and sweetnesse voice and symphonie Concord Consent and heav'nly harmonie The three great Orders of the Hierarchie Seruants vnto th' eternall Majestie In their degrees of Ternions hourely sing Loud Haleluiahs to th' Almighty King The Seraphins the Cherubins and Thrones Potestates Vertues Dominations The Principats Arch-Angels Angels all Resound his praise in accents musicall So doe the Heav'ns and Planets much below them Touching the first those that seeme best to know them Thus of their quicke velocitie relate As the supreme and highest agitate Their wheeles with swiftest motion so conclude The lowest finish their vicissitude That is their naturall courses much more soone As first in nine and twenty dayes the Moone The Sun and Venus in one twelue-month theirs And Saturne his in thirty compleat yeares But many thousands must be fully done Before the starry heav'ns their course haue runne Such and so great is mans innate ambition Into all knowledge to make inquisition The depth of Natures hidden wayes to sound Mystries to search and diue in arts profound As if we looke into the first of Time When as the World was in it's youth and prime Ev'n to this latest Age those much commended For deepe conceptions greatly haue contended Almost aboue capacitie indeed Laboriously each other to exceed But as the Fable of Ixion proud Saith he in Iuno's stead embrac'd a Cloud So for the most part those of wits refin'd Building vpon their amplitude of mind And by their owne vaine apprehensions sway'd In their maine course erroneously haue stray'd Either in all mistaking or some part Error for Truth and Ignorance for Art The reason is That in things vndecided By selfe-conceit bee'ng obstinatly guided And not acquiring out the perfect ground What 's finite they with infinite confound What 's humane with diuine what 's wrong with right As out of darknesse striuing to draw light Hence comes so many Sects and Schooles t' arise Amongst the Sophists thinking themselues wise As Pyâ—hagorians Epicures Platonicks Pythonicks Scepticks and Academicks Eleaticks Perepateticks Stoicks too With others more And all these as they doo Differ in names so in opinions and Vpon diuersitie of judgements stand For instance First as touching the foundation Of things that since the Chaos had creation And cause efficient some hold Earth some Fire Some Water others Aire some Sects conspire Vpon the full foure Elements to impose it One names the Heav'ns another saith he knowes it The Stars were workersâ— Atoms this man names Another Number and the former blames Some Musicall consent drawne from the Spheres Some Full some Empty by all which appeares Those things are only quarrel'd with not prov'd For nothing's constant sollid or immov'd In all their doctrines each with other jar And are indeed still in seditious war And therefore God reproues Iob for aspiring And to his hidden wayes too deepe inquiring Thus saying Who is he that doth obscure Knowledge with words imperfect and impure Gird vp thy loines thee like a man prepare I will demand and thou to me declare Where wast thou when I layd the earths foundation If thou hast knowledge giue me true narration Who measur'd it now if thou canst divine Or ouer it what 's he hath stretcht the line Vpon what are the solid Bases made Or who the corner stone thereof first layd When all the Morning Starres as but one-voic't Prais'd me together when all Saints reioyc't Who shut the Sea with dores vp when the same As from the wombe it selfe issu'd and came When for it I the Clouds a cov'ring found And as in swathing â—ands in darkenesse bound And said Thou hitherto shalt haue free way No further thou shalt here thy proud waues stay And after this the secrets doth pursue Of Snow Haile Tempests with the Light and Dew Raine Ice Death Darknesse and so further runnes To th' Pleiades Arcturus and his sonnes Saith Paul In this world none himselfe deceiue To thinke hee 's wise but such vaine phaâ—sies leaue And let him be a foole so to be wise For this worlds wisedome is a meere disguise Of foolishnesse with God Scriptures thus treat The Wise he catcheth in his owne conceit In Esays Prophesie the words thus sound The wisedome of the Wise I will confound The prudence of the Prudent reprehend Where is the wise man Where 's the Scribe now or He of this world the great Inquisitor Hath not God made all the worlds Wisedome Folly Who then dares thinke himselfe or wise or holy What was it that to Socrates first gaue Wisedomes great attribute and honour saue That he confest In all he did pursue He only knew this That he nothing knew What saith the Preacher When I did apply My heart to search out Wisedome curiously And to behold on earth the secrets deepe That day nor night the eyes of man take sleepe Gods entire worke before myne eyes I brought That Man could not finde out the worke he sought Beneath the Sun for which mans busie minde Labors to search but it can neuer finde And though the Wise man thinke it to conceiue He cannot doo 't without th' Almighties leaue When as the Academicks of the rest Of all the Ethnycke Sophists were held best Yet in their then supreme authoritie None durst contest and say So this shall be The Pyrhonicks of no lesse approbation Would not of any thing make attestation But made a doubt in all and held for true Whoeuer humane Science shall pursue No other base he hath whereon to sit Sauing the fraile
corpora sine vllo vitio sine vlla deformitate sine vlla corruptione in quibus quanta facilitas tanta foelicitas erit i. The bodies of the Saints shal rise againe without any defect without any deformitie without any corruption in which there shall be as much felicitie as there is facilitie And Schoonaeus ex D. Hieron Seu vigilo intentus studijs seu dormio semper Iudicis aeterni nostras tuba personat aures Whether I waking study or sleepe still The Iudges last trumpe in myne eares sounds shrill I conclude with Iacobus Catsius de Eternitate in these words Cum suprema dies rutilo grassabitur igni Perque solum sparget fulmina perque salum Protinus erumpet gelido pia turba sepulchro Et tolletur humo quod modo vermis erit Hic câ—i squallor iners cui pallor in ore sedebat Veste micans nivca conspiciendus erit Alma dies optanda bonis metuenda profanis Ades parvum suscipe Christe gregem ¶ Thus paraphrased When the last day with wasting fire shall shine Disperst through earth and sea beyond each line Straight from the cold graue shall arise the Iust And breathe againe who late were wormes and dust He in whom squallid palenesse latâ— hath beene Clad in white shining Vesture shall be seene O Day the good mans joy the bad mans feare That Christ his Small Flocke may receiue draw neare A Meditation vpon the former Tractate I. BEtimes awake thee And vnto sad and serious contemplation Dull Soule betake thee Thy selfe retyre And after the great GOD of thy Saluation With care enquire Withdraw thy selfe within thy hearts close center Whither saue him alone let nothing enter II. Then let thine Heart Thus say My GOD let me behold thy face Shew in what part Or in what ground Of the vast world what corner or what place Thou mayst be found How shall I finde thee if thou bee'st not here Or why not present being ev'rywhere III. 'T is Thou excellest And in thy great incomprehensible Light For euer dwellest How can fraile Eyes A Glory that 's so luminous and bright By Sence comprise Yet of thy Grace so much to me impart That though it check my Sight 't may chere my heart IV. Who shall abide Thine anger if thou beest insenc't with vs Or if Thou hide From vs thy face Poore wretches then how darke and tenebrous Would be our place Without the lustre of thy louing kindenesse Grope should we euer in Egyptian blindenesse V. Great GOD imprint The Seraphs Loue into this Heart scarce mine Once Flesh now Flint Stirre vp an heate In this my frozen brest by Pow'r Diuine I thee entreat And neuer let thy Grace from me remoue Since Loue is God and thou my GOD art Loue. VI. It was th' ambition Of knowing Good and Euill that first brought Man to perdition The Cherub who Is Knowledge and can teach vs as we ought Our God to know Is He the first Transgressors did expell And chac't from the blest place in which they fell VII Iust is the Throne Iudgement is thine ô GOD and it pertaines To Thee alone In ballance ev'n Vnpartiall thou weigh'st all that doth remaine In Earth or Heav'n Yet though all Iustice be to Thee assign'd In thy good Grace let me thy Mercy find VIII As thou art Iust Beyond all apprehension all opinion Ev'n so we trust That since to Thee With Maiestie likewise belongs Dominion Of all that bee Thou which with mighty sway the World maintainst Wilt pitty haue of those o're whom thou raign'st IX The Vertues they In their high Classe vpon thy Will attend And it obey Ready they are In dangers those that feare thee to defend And still prepare In hostile opposition to withstand Sathan with all his proud infernall Band. X. The heav'nly Pow'rs As Ministers about thy Seruants wait And at all how'rs Assistant bee From such as would our Soules insidiate To set vs free And when these Champions in the List appeare The Tempter flies surpris'd with dastard feare XI Should the great Prince Of this vast World muster his hellish Legions Vs to convince From Water Aire The Earth or any of the other Regions To make repaire Where any of the Principats are nam'd They leaue the place confounded and asham'd XII Proud Lucifer The first of Angels bearing name of Light Who durst prefer Himselfe before His pow'rfull Maker the Great GOD of Might Whom we adore Was in an instant by Prince Michael Cast from high Heav'n into the lowest Hell XIII Gabriel imploy'd I' th' Virgin Mothers blest Annuntiation Mankinde o're-ioy'd He first proclaim'd Vnto the World the LORD of our Saluation EMANVEL nam'd Who though on earth revil'd and dis-esteem'd Yet by his Suffring Mankinde he redeem'd XIV O Holy Holy Holy Three Persons and but one almighty GOD Vnto Thee solely Our Pray'rs we tender And in thy Kingdome hoping for abode Freely surrender Our Soules and Bodies Whilest we liâ—e when die Protect vs with thy heav'nly Hierarchie Obsecro Domino ne desperem suspirando sed respirem sperando FINIS A generall Table THE CONTENTS OF THE FIRST TRACTAT TO proue there is a God from the Conscience the Stars Earth Beasts Riuers Sea Globe Man Pag. 3 4. Poets and Philosophers concerning the Deity 5. The same illustrated by Historie 6. Sacriledge punished 7. Religion from the beginning with the multiplicity of gods among the Gentiles ibid. The historie of Syrophanes 8. Of Idolatry and Superstition 9. The originall of Idolatry 10. Of the Atheist with arguments against Atheisme 11. Of Chance and Fortune 12. Illustrations to confute Atheisme 13. The death of Lucian Atheos 14. A Paraphrase vpon Chap. 2. of the Booke of Wisedome against Atheisme 15. What Atheisme is 18. Seuerall sorts of Atheists 19. Gratitude toward God taught vs by Beasts Birds c. 21. Atheists confuted by their owne Oathes by Reason c. ibid. By Philosophie by Scripture 22. A Deity confessed by Idolaters 23. Proued by acquiring after Knowledge ibid. By the Ethnicks by the Oracle by the Sybils c. 24. Miracles at the birth of Christ. 25. Herods Temple and that at Delphos burnt in one day 26. The sect of the Sadduces with ridiculous tenets of the Atheists proposed and answered 27. Atheisme defined 31. Lawes amongst the Gentiles against Atheisme ibid. Atheists how punished 32. Iudgements vpon Atheisme and of Lucian 33. Of Timon his life death c. ibid. Prodigious effects of Atheisme 34 Holy-dayes obserued amongst the Gentiles ibid. Women famous for Chastitie and Pietie 35. Mortall men immortallised 36. Of the Semones ibid. Of diuers branded with impietie 37. Bad Wiues naughty Husbands wicked mothers vnnaturall Daughters 38 Of selfe-Murthers and Idolatry 39 Idols named in the Scriptures 40 Strange subtilties of the Diuell 42. Prodegies wrought by the Diuell in Idols 43 The malice of the Diuell 45 Augures amongst the Greeks and Romans 46. Aruspices Auspices
After To forsake That Countrey and his Spouse and Infant take And with them into AEgypt make all speed Till the Kings death which shortly did succeed We likewise reade The Wise men of the East Were in a dreame forewarn'd to see that Beast Herod no more nor turne the way they came How many of this nature might I name As that of Shimeon and of Pilats wife Examples in the holy Text are riâ—e And each where frequent Then there is no doubt But there are such to leade vs in and out In visible forme they likewise haue appear'd Been seen to walke to eat to drinke and heard To speake more oft Two Abraham did receiue Into his Tent and hauing by their leaue First washt their feet they dranke with him and eat At least vnto his seeming tasted meat An Angell to yong Tâ—by was a friend And trauel'd with him to his journies end An Angell 't was of the Coelestiall Crew That in one night all AEgyptâ— First borne slew When Daniel was with hunger almost dead Him in the Lions den an Angell fed An Angell came to Lot An Angell 't was Met Balaam and put speech into his Asse Like stories from the Gospell we may gleane Both of good Angels and of Spirits vncleane The Angell Gabriel in full forme and fashion Brought to the Virgin her Annuntiation He that before our blessed Sauiour stood To bring him comfort when his sweat was blood He that from prison did Saint Peter free And made that night a Gaole-deliuerie He that tooke Philip vp and to the place Brought him where then Câ—ndaces Eunuchwas Those that vnto the women did appeare When Christ was rose from death in Vesture cleare All these were blessed Angels Of the Bad We likewise many presidents haue had As those with which mens bodies were possest Some dumbe and others speaking who confest Our Sauiour to be God Some deafe and when One did torment the wretched Gadaren With many other of that hellish Rout Whom Christ himselfe extermin'd and cast out But now with leaue a little to digresse To finde some Learned or esteem'd no lesse What they of Spirits thought It doth exist Vpon Record The Iewish Cabalist Rabbi Achiba was of constant minde And wrot We Spirits should in all things finde In Earth in euery Riuer Brooke and Fountaine In Floud in Well in Valley Hill and Mountaine In Plant Herbe Grasse in Shrubs in euery Tree And when these Spirits 'mongst themselues agree Earth yeelds aboundance and affords encrease Trees swell with fruits Fields flourish by this peace The Seas are calme the Riuers wholsome and Yeeld Fish in plenty floating on the sand The Aire is tempe'rate But when they contend The Earth growes barren fruitfulnesse hath end Mildewes and Rots destroy both Grasse and Graine And then the labouring ploughman toiles in vaine Fruits wither on the trees Riuers rebell Leaue bare their channels or in torrents swell The Fountaines grow vnhealthfull and distaste And in this mutinie all runnes to waste The mustring Clouds obscure from vs the Sun The Heav'ns themselues into disorder run By Shoures tempestuous and rough stormes of Haile Then Inundations on the earth preuaile The Lightnings flash and loud-voyc'd Thunders rore As if Time tyr'd his journey had giuen o're Now as th'agreeing Spirits cause our health Pleasure strength gladnesse with encrease of wealth So those that are dissentious breed disease Want sorrow dearth with all things that displease Learn'd Abram Avenzâ—â—a the Magition And Rabbi Azariel making inquisition By carefull study in their Works relate The cause to vs of extreme Loue or Hate Why that a man his Kindred and Allyance Ev'n his owne naturall Bloud sets at defiance And yet his strange loue should so far extend One that 's meere forreigne to select his friend Againe as we by proofe finde there should be 'Twixt man and man such an antipathee That though he can shew no iust reason why For any wrong or former injurie Can neither finde a blemish in his fame Nor ought in face or feature iustly blame Can challenge or accuse him of no euill Yet notwithstanding hates him as a Deuill They giue this reason The good Angels they So far to peace and vnitie obey That in the first they labour to attone And could it be to make ev'n Opposites one Bee'ng still at hand a friendship to persuade 'Twixt such as seeke each other to inuade When the malignant Spirits sole intention Is to set men at discord and dissention To kindle malice and the spleene inflame To hate yet shew no reason whence it came Ready to make him fly in that mans face Whose friendship others gladly would embrace King Ferdinand of Spaine their Annals say In his Procession on a solemne day Attended by his Traine in Barcelon Was by a Traiterous Spaniard set vpon With a short dagger and had then been slaine Had he not worne that time a golden chaine Which stayd the fatall blow The Traitor tooke And put to th' Racke with an vndaunted looke And constant suffering could no other reason Giue to the King of his vnnaturall treason But That the cause which to that act compeld him Was He ne're lov'd him since he first beheld him Nor could he brooke him then or reason why Shew of this deepe and strong Antipathy But in the midst of all his tortures vow'd If instantly he freedome were allow'd And that the King would him againe restore To his first state hee 'd kill him ten times o're Hence comes it that some Iudges are not cleare When Malefactors at the Bar appeare Of this they are made conscious when there 's brought Euidence 'gainst one bee 't for a thing of nought His Crime he aggrauates and in his fury If they Not guilty bring sends backe the Iury Stretches each quiddit of the Law to finde Him culpable onely to please his minde Againe If for some capitall offence Another's brought though Law hath no pretence Nor Conscience colour how to make his peace Yet he shall striue th' offendor to release Cite Statutes in his fauour what appeares Most grosse seeke to extenuate and with teares If so the Iuries Verdict 'gainst him run Pronounce the Sentence as against his Sonne Neither by him perhaps before-time seene Whence is the cause then of this Loue or Spleene Ev'n Princes are not from this passion free In some Kings Courts how many rais'd we see One ev'n as high as Hamon lifts his head And yâ—t for all that no desert can plead When as poore Mordechai envy'd out-brav'd Who notwithstanding the Kings life he sav'd Obscurely liues his seruice not regarded Nor with a single Sheckle once rewarded Nor doth the Prince in this his Power abuse Which by a story I can thus excuse Two Beggars as an Emperor once past by Saith one O would this Great man cast an eye Vpon our wants how happy were we than Saith the other How