foure Fountaines the first is the fountaine of Mercy to wash away our sinnes by the waters of Remission the second is the fountaine of Wisedome to quench our thirst with the waters of Discretion the third is the fountaine of Grace to water the plants of good Works with the springs of Deuotion c. Twelue most grieuous and intolerable sufferings of Christ are obserued from the Euangelicall historie his Agonie sad and bloudy than which spectacle nothing since the Creation of the World hath beene more admirable Secondly That for so vile a price hee should be sold and deliuered vp to his wicked and bloud-thirsty enemies by one of his owne Disciples 3. That with his hands bound hee should be led like a captiue through the publique street 4. That like a slaue hee should be so inhumanely scourged 5. That his browes should be pierced with Thornes 6. That hee should be affronted with so many contumelies and injuries as his face spit vpon his cheekes buffetted his head strooke with a rod his party-coloured Vesture and hee brought to be arraigned at the Bar for a Malefactor 7. That he was held more vile and vnworthy than the murtherer Barabas 8. That vpon his wearie and bruised shoulders he should be forced to beare that Crosse on which he was to suffer 9. That hee was adiudged to suffer so long and lingering a death 10. That when he was nothing but sorrow and anguish and paine all ouer yet he should be so scornefully derided of his enemies 11. That he beheld his most innocent Mother present in all his torments 12. That when his most holy body hung in the Aire and Sunnes meridian heate bloudy all ouer the fountaines of his veines being emptied and his bowels dried vp demanding but a little water they offered him gall and Vineger Who euer heard such things Who euer suffered the like things Bonaventure in his sixtieth Sermon De Tempore obserueth his sufferings to be vnspeakeable from ten circumstances First the Nobilitie of the Sufferer 2. The sensibilitie of the patient Members 3. The atrocitie of the punishment 4. The crudelitie of the Afflicters 5. The iniquitie of the Iudges 6. The multiplicitie of the torments 7. The vilitie of the place 8. His societie forsaking him 9. The diuturnitie of the paine 10. The varietie of his contumelies The multiplicitie and vniuersality of his torments may appeare by that which is spoken He was afflicted in his whole body he was bound vnto a pillar and scourged all ouer he suffered in euerie member by it selfe in his head by being strook with a Reed and wearing a crowne of Thornes in his eyes by being blinded and bâ— his often weeping in his cares by the peoples acclamations and loud blasphemies in his face by buffets and spitting in his tast by drinking vineger and gall in his hands and feet by the nailes strook thorow them by which he was fastned to the Crosse. The meditation wherof ought to begin in compassion of his grief and sufferings to make vs the more inflamed with the loue of Him so mercifull a Redeemer At whose death wee reade in the Euangelist Saint Matthew That from the sixth houre there was darkenesse ouer all the land vnto the ninth houre And Verse 21. The Vaile of the Temple was rent in twaine from the top to the bottome and the earth did quake and the stones were clouen and the graues did open themselues and many bodies of the Saints which slept arose and came out of the graues after his resurrection and went into the holy City and appeared vnto many c. Now concerning this great Eclipse and Earthquake there be diuers testimonies out of Ethnyck writers Phleganius a Greek Author of whom Suidas maketh oft mention hath these words In the fourth yere of the two hundred and fourth Olympiad which was in the eighteenth yeare of the reigne of Tiberius Caesar in which our Sauiour suffered there was an eclipse of the Sun the greatest that had euer before been seene or found to be recorded in writing which continued from the sixt vnto the ninth houre and during this Eclipse the trembling of the earth was so great in Asia and Bithynia that infinite structures of great magnificence and strength were vtterly demolished Concerning this Eclipse you may reade Bellarmine lib. 2. De Septem verbis thus Saint Mathew saith there was darknesse ouer the face of the earth from the sixth houre to the ninth And Saint Luke cap. 23. And the Sunne was darkned Three difficulties saith he are here to be explained First that the Sun vseth to be deficient in his light by reason of the interposition of the new moon when she is directly interposed betwixt it and the earth which could not happen at the death and passion of our Sauior because it was not then conioyned with the Sunne which hapneth in the new Moone onely but was opposed to the Sunne as being in her plenitude or fulnesse for then was the feast of Easter among the Iewes which according to their Law beginneth the fourteenth day of the first moneth Againe If in the Passion of Christ the Moone were conioyned with the Sun yet the darkenesse could not continue the space of three houres that is from the sixt houre to the ninth for the totall Eclipse of the Sunne cannot endure long especially if it be obscured all ouer so that it shadoweth the whole body of the Sun and that his dimnesse cannot properly be called Darkenesse for the Moone is moued with more swiftnesse than the Sunne in it's owne proper motion and for â—hat cause cannot obumbrate the Sunne but for a short season for it quickely giueth place leauing the Sunne free to his owne proper lustre Lastly It can neuer happen that by reason of the conjunction with the Moone the Sunne can leaue the world in vniuersal darkenesse for the Moone is much lesse than the Sun nay not so great in compasse and quantitie as the earth and therefore by the interposition of it's body the Moone cannot so shadow the Sun to leaue the whole earth in darknesse Now if any shall obiect and say That the Euangelist spake onely of the vniuersal land of Palestine that likewise may be very easily refuted First By the testimonie of Dionisius Areopagita who in his Epistle to holy Polycarpus affirmeth That he himselfe beheld that defection of the Sun and the horrible darkenesse then spred ouer the earth being at the same time in the city of Heliopolis which is scituate in AEgypt Moreouer Phlegon a Greeke Historiographer and a Gentile saith That in the fourth yeare of the two hundred and fourth Olympiad a great and remarkable defect of the Sun was obserued the like neuer before seene for the day at the sixth houre was turned into tenebrous night insomuch as the Starres were visibly seene in the Firmament And this Historian liued in Greece and far remote from Iudaea Origines against Celsus
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
time this Being not to be at all Nay thus he will not leaue it but proceeds For Ignorance an Insolence still breeds If to this God saith he no body's lent He then can haue no soule by consequent Hauing no soule all action hee 's depriv'd Or if he haue a body that 's deriv'd From substance therefore subiect vnto change Appeares not this as friuolous as strange To any Vnderstander Who but knowes That euery action of the body growes From the Intelligent Soule whose facultie Allowes it motion and dexteritie Therefore ô miserable Worme I can In this afford thee scarce the name of Man Ope but the eyes of Nature and looke out Meerely with them none else and thou no doubt Wilt find thy selfe's obfuscate and obscur'd So void of sens'ble light and so immur'd With palped darknesse to be blind at least And nothing diffring from th' irrational Beast And therefore that of Zenophantes may Be well confer'd on thee Heare him thus say Had Brutes the art of Painting they of force Must draw themselues a Horse figure a Horse An Asse or Mule their Like the reason why They 're capable of no sublimitie Beyond themselues nor haue further extension Than meerely their owne brutish apprehension Such childish and vnmomentary grounds These Atheists build vpon which whoso sounds But with the line of Reason shall descry Their irreligious fond impiety He that shall with himselfe exactly way Those grosse and absurd lies may soone display That they are arrogant full of vain-glory Irregular from truth and refractorie Vnlearn'd replenisht with all lust and vice Seducers Mockers full of Riotise Time-soothers Flat'rers perfidious all In word deed thought meere diabolicall Now these because themselues haue left the best And against Nature heinously transgrest Of the Creator hauing no respect And casting on their owne soules a neglect By ill example others would persuade That Diuine Lawes for policie were made That Hell 's a Bug-beare to keepe men in feare That Scriptures to that end deuised were Persuading others to eat drinke and play Since after death there is no further day To be Accountant in Their lusts to cherish Since that the Soule must with the body perish That Man was made vnto no other end Than please his appetite be his owne friend And That all euills euen with good things runne If politiquely and in priuat done Such are their actions and their liues but when They 're brought vnto the Test behold them then At the last gaspe most ready to catch hold Vpon the least hope durst they make so bold Looke on your father Aristotle the best And Ipse that Philosophy profest When vnto him who all strange Nouels sought 'Mongst others Moses his first booke was brought Cal'd Genesis Those few words hauing read God in the first beginning created The Heav'ns and Earth c. Away with this saith he 'T is full of fables and new fantasy That speakes of many things but nothing proues And that a true Philosopher not loues But drawing neere his end when he began More truly to consider What was man He into strange anxieties doth grow Whether the Soule immortall were or no His body trembles euery ioynt doth shake And these 't is said were the last words he spake Pollutedly into the world I came Sad and perplext I liv'd and from the same Much troubled I depart O pitty me Thou of all Beings onely knowne to Be. If from the wisest of you all this came Learne to know Him who onely writes I am He is Heav'ns King and Lord of Earth alone In Person three but yet in Godhead one Truly Omnipotent All-knowing and In Heav'n and Earth of soueraigne sole command His Nature simple bodilesse vnseene Vncirconscribed t' whom nothing hath beene Is or shall be superior vnderstood Great without quantitie without quality good Most perfect without blemish without Time Eternall in his potencie sublime Strength without Weaknesse Life without Decay Present each where and yet doth no where stay All things at once without aduice directing All things at once without least paine protecting He is without beginning and yet giues A First to each thing that subsists and liues Who hath made all things changeable yet He Stable and free from mutabilitie Himselfe without place all things else instating Without materials all his works creating In greatnesse infinite goodnesse incomparable In vertue strong wisedome inestimable So secret no man can deceiue his trust In Counsels terrible in Iudgements iust Copious in Mercy glorious in his Name Holy in all his Works alwaies The same Eternall Sempiternall Liuing-God Inchangeable in Essence or Aboad Whom Space cannot enlarge nor Place confine Constant in Purpose and in Act Diuine Him Need compells not nor can Chances sad Disturbe neither can Ioyfull things make glad Obliuion takes not nor can Memory add To him Vnborne to whom old Time can lend No ' ncrease at all nor casuall Chance giue end He before Worlds Those are and These must be Was Is and shall liue to Eternity Aboue all Apprehension Thought Opinion Therefore to Him be all Praise Power Dominion All singular Honour Glory with Congruity Of Saints Angels and Men to perpetuity Be ascrib'd with all the Attributes extending Through all vnwearied Worlds and without ending QVod Deus est scimus sed quid si scire velimus Vltra nos imus sed quod sit sumus imus Vltimus primus scimus plus scire nequimus ¶ The English That there 's a God we know But what he is to show Beyond our selues we go His Height and Depth below Him First and Last we know But more we cannot show THEOLOGICALL PHILOsophicall Morall Poeticall Historicall Emblematicall Obseruations to the further illustration of the former Tractate THat nothing in these short Tractates may appeare difficult to the Ignorant I hold it necessarie vnto my present purpose as willing to be vnderstood by all to illustrate whatsoeuer may seem obscure as well by Precept as Historie Which though the Learned may passe ouer as things to them familiar and well knowne yet vnto others neither frequent in reading nor well trauelled in language no doubt but some of our marginal Annotations with other particular Obseruations may in their carefull perusall benefit such as reade not onely for fashion but vse and make it not their pastime but their profit For that was the end to which industrious Authors first aimed their Indeauors and spent so much Inke and Oile in their daies labours and nights watchings Nor do I this without president and therefore am the more willing to pattern my selfe by example Atheisme and Impietie saith Cardanus Paschal is a meere contempt of Religion and therefore by consequence the Fountaine of Impietie and Breeder of all Calamitie The contempt of Diuine Worship is injustice against God our Parents and Countrey as aduerse to Reason as Goodnesse and all that are thereunto obnoxious either beleeue not
comming towards the bed with purpose as I thought to kill this my young Nephew pointing to a childe in the cradle but shee was hindred by finding mee here Who no sooner saw mee but shee began grieuously to threat me and came neere to strike me In which feare I began to call vpon God to helpe me whose name I had no sooner vttered but she vanished instantly and I am left here euen as you found me Whereupon her kinseman the Master of the house writ downe and keeping the Maid still with him sent to the Father Inquisitor of the place where the mother of the Guirle his Kinswoman liued in good reputation and no way suspected before whom shee was called and questioned and as the manner of that Countrey is vpon the like probabilitie and suspition put to the mercy of the Tormentor and at length shee confessed euerie particular before mentioned To which she added That she had no lesse than fifty sundry times been transported by the Diuel only with a malicious intent to kil that yong childe but she found him alwayes at her arriuall so protected by the blessings prayers of his deuout and religious Parents that she had no power at all ouer him c. To this story the Author addeth a second of one Antonius Leo a Collier by profession and dwelling in the city of Ferrara who greatly suspecting his wife to be a Witch by reason that diuers of his Neighbours informed him That she was reputed to be one of those who had nightly conuentions with the Diuel he therefore kept all to himselfe and one night aboue the rest snorting and counterfeiting a deepe and profound sleepe with which his wife being deluded rose softly from the bed and as in the former discourse daubing her selfe with an vnguent leapt out at the easement which was some three stories high and he could set no more sight of her At which he grew first strangely amased as fearing shee had desperately done it to breake her necke but hearing no cry nor apprehending any noise by her fall he then began to confirme his former suspition and in a foolish curiositie tooke the same box and did to himselfe in all respects as hee had seene her to practise before him and was immediately in the same manner hurried out at the window and in an instant found himselfe in a Noble Counts Wine-sellar where hee saw his wife with diuerse others of that Diuellish sister hood merrily gossipping and carousing deepe healths one to another who no sooner beheld so vnexpected a guest but they all suddenly vanished and the poore Collier was left alone with the cellar dore fast locked vpon him and early in the morning being found there by the Butler hee called other his fellow seruants who apprehended him as an House-breaker and Felon and brought him before their Lord. Who at length by great importunitie obtaining libertie to speak for himselfe he opened vnto the Count all the manner of the particular circumstances before related which though at first they appeared incredible yet vpon more mature consideration hee was dismissed but conditionally That he call his wife in publique question with the rest of her Associats Which he accordingly did and brought them before the Inquisitor to whom after examination they confessed not onely that but many other more notorious and diabolical acts the least of them sufficient to bring them to the stake and faggot Barthol Ronfaus telleth a strange story of a Witch in Osburch Antonius Torquinada deliuereth the like who was by Nation a Spaniard and Paulus Grillandus in his Book De Sortilegis remembreth diuers to the same purpose one of which I thought good to transferre from him and expose to your free view and censure In the yeare of Grace saith he 1524 when I was chiefe Inquisitor many of these Inchantresses and Witches were brought before me Amoâ—gst whom a certaine woman Dioecis Sabensis was a practiser of that diabolicall art of which her husband had been long suspitious and watched her so narrowly that he took her in the manner when she was busie about her infernall exercise Notwithstanding which she impudently denied it and out-faced him that she was no such woman But he as obstinat on the contrary and resolued withall not to be so deluded with a good sound cudgell fell vpon her and so be laboured her sides and shoulders till with incessant beating hee forced the truth from her and brought her vpon her knees most submissiuely to intreat his pardon which after some entreaty he seemed willingly to grant but vpon condition That she would bâ—ing him to be present and an eye-witnesse of their abhominable ceremonies vsed in their nightly Conuentions which shee faithfully promised and so they were reconciled At the next night of their meeting hee hauing ingaged his word for secrecie she brought him to the place appointed where he freely beheld the manner of their adoration done to the Diuell their sports and their dances full of many beastly postures and figures with many other strange pastimes and merriments there practised All which being ended there was a long Table couered and furnished with sundry dishes and he seated amongst them and as he saw the rest do he began to fall heartily to his victuals which somwhat distasted him as not being wel seasoned therefore looking about him for salt but spying none vpon the table he called to one that attended to fetch him a little salt But he not seeming to regard him he began to grow importunate and somewhat loud at length he brought him a small quantitie vpon the corner of a trencher which hee seeing and seeming glad thereof Mary God be thanked said he for I haue now got some salt Which words were no sooner vttered but the Table Meat Dishes Diuels Witches and Lights all vanished and hee was left there naked and alone in a desolate place But in the morning spying certaine Shepheards and demanding of them what countrey hee was in they told him In the prouince of Beneventanus belonging to the kingdome of Naples which was more than an hundred miles distant from his owne house The man though he was of a faire reuenue yet was forced to beg all the way homeward But after his tedious and difficult journey arriuing at his owne village he summoned his wife before the Magistrate with others whom he had espied and knowne at the Feast Who vpon his testimonie were conuicted and suffered according to the extremitie of the Law prouided for offences of that execrable nature I haue read of another guilty of the like curiositie who was hurried so far in one night that it cost him three yeares tedious trauell before hee could come to see the smoke of his owne Chimney To shew that these Magicall sorceries haue beene from great antiquitie and not lately crept into the world by the proditious insinuation of the Diuel me thinks I heare Medaea thus speaking Ovid Metam lib. 7. Tuque triceps Hecate
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
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
finde The excellent Greeke Poet Hesiod giues Venus the Epithit Aurea Some questioning With what proprietie he could call her Golden Venus she being in her natiue disposition solely deuoted to pleasure and sporting dalliance but no way tainted with the least as persion of gripple vngenerous Auarice one among the rest vnwilling he should be taxed with the least ignorance or mistake thus answered in his behalfe Hesiodus pulchre quid sit Venus Aurea Iusit Et peream si quid rectius esse potest c. Hesiod said well And let me die But when He call'd her Golden Venus he did then With rich conceit because we now behold There is no Match that is not made with gold And Venus chang'd to Vsus Venerie Is now conuerted to plaine Vsurie This Saturnes sonne well knew when bee'ng surpris'd With Danaës loue he came to her disguis'd In a rich golden Raine and through the tiles Sent liquid drops which she with gracefull smiles Spred her lap wide to take not bee'ng content To fold it vp till the whole showre was spent He made the president since when we finde That whilest we giue out Sweet-hearts thinke vs kinde But if we nothing bring Away be gon Full pockets now are only lookt vpon He that trusteth in his Riches saith Solomon shall perish He troubleth his owne house that followeth Auarice but he that hateth Couetousnesse shall liue He that hateth Couetousnesse his dayes shall be long and he that hastneth to be rich shall not be innocent The Couetous man shall not be fill'd with money and he that loueth Riches shall not receiue the fruits thereof He that heapeth to himselfe vniustly gathereth for others and another shall ryot in his riches He that is wicked vnto himselfe to whom can he be good in his goods he shall take no pleasure We reade Ierem. cap. 6. From the lesse to the greater all doat on Avarice from the Prophet to the Priest all study deceit Therefore I wil deliuer vp their Women to strangers and make others heires of their fields because from the least to the greatest all follow Auarice and from the Prophet to the Priest all study Lies Couetousnesse is called the Seruice of Idols Ephes. 5.5 The Root of euils 1. Tim. 6.10 And such as bee therewith infected are called Despisers of Gods Word Mat. 6.24 c. Cruel Prov. 12.10 Idolaters Coloss. 3.5 Miserable and vaine Iob 5.5 They are to be auoided 1 Cor. 5.11 They shall not inherit the kingdom of Heauen Ibid. 6.10 Infinit are the Texts in Scripture not only bitterly reprouing but vtterly condemning this base sinne of Auarice for breuities sake I will shut them vp with that godly admonition of the holy Euangelist Saint Mathew cap. 6. ver 19. Lay not vp treasures for your selues vpon the earth where the Moth and Canker do corrupt and where Theeues breake through and steale but lay vp treasures for your selfe in Heauen where neither the Moth nor Canker corrupteth and where Theeues neither digge through nor steale for where your treasure is there will your hearts be also Saint Augustine De Verb. Domini saith What is this aviditie of Concupiscence in man when euen the beasts themselues retaine a mediocritie They are rauenous when they be hungry but when their appetites are sated they spare to prey The auarice of Rich men is onely insatiate who alwaies raueth and is neuer satisfied He neither feareth God nor reuerenceth man◠hee neither spareth father nor acknowledgeth mother his brother hee forgetteh falsifieth faith vnto his friend he oppresseth the widow inuadeth the Orphan those that are free hee bringeth into bonds nor maketh he conscience to beare false witnesse c. O what a madnesse is this in men to despise life and desire death to couet Gold and to lose Heauen Obserue what Saint Ambrose saith in one of his Sermons It is no lesse fault in thee to take away from him that hath than when thou thy selfe art able to deny thy charitie to such as want It is the bread of the Hungry which thou detainest and the garment of the Naked which thou keepest backe the money which thou hoordest and hidest in the earth is the price and redemption of the Captiue and Miserable Know that thou takest away the goods of so many as thou deniest to do good vnto when thou canst and wilt not Those are not a mans riches which he cannot carry with him to the graue Mercy onely and Charitie are the inseparable companions of the Dead Hierome saith That when all other sinnes grow old in man Auarice onely continueth as youthfull to the end as at the beginning And in another of his Sermons he saith A Couetous man is the Purse of Princes a store house of Theeues the discord of Parents and the hisse of men Gregorie Moral lib. 14. saith That the sinne of Auarice so burdeneth and weigheth downe the mind which it hath once possessed that it can neuer be raised to haue a desire to behold things sublime and high Hugo lib. de Clav. writeth In the goods and riches which wee possesse there are foure things to be obserued namely That things lawfull to be sought we seek not vnjustly and things vniustly sought we inioy not vnlawfully that wee possesse not too much though lawfully nor things lawfully possessed we vnlawfully defend for either euilly to acquire or things euilly obtained what was lawfull maketh to be vnlawfull For a man to possesse much to himselfe hee commeth neere to couetousnesse and oftentimes it so falleth out that what is too much loued is euilly defended S. Bernard Serm. 39. saith Auarice is drawne in a Chariot with foure wheeles these are called Pusillanimitie Inhumanitie Contempt of God and Forgetfulnesse of Death The beasts that draw it be two Tenacitie and Rapacitie and these are guided and gouerned by one Chariotier called a Greedy Desire of Hauing For Couetousnesse alone because it will not be at the charges of hiring more is content with one seruant The Emperor Nero was neuer knowne to giue gift or to bestow office vpon any man but hee said vnto him Thou knowest what I haue need of This we do left any man what he hath should cal his owne Words saith Suetonius and Bion who report this of him better becomming the mouth of a Theefe and Robber than of an Emperour The Emperor Vespasian when by certaine Embassies he vnderstood that a rich Statue was to be erected vnto his honour by the publique Senat which would cost an infinit masse of money he desired them to forbeare and shewing the palme of his hand open he said vnto the Embassadors Behold here is a Base ready to receiue it Thereby intimating he had a hand to receiue that money liuing with which they purposed to honour him being dead Suet. in Vespas Marcus Crassus being on his journey to vndertake the Parthian war when in his way he found Deiotarus King of the Galathians