of victorie and such indeed was the euent of that War for of those three Captains two perished in the battell and the third grieuously wounded with the small remainder of his Army got with great difficultie into his Countrey Nicetas affirmeth That Euphrosine the wife of Alexius Angelus Emperor of Constantinople was much deuoted to this kind of Magicke The Count of Vestrauia by a Concubine of his whose companie before his lawfull Nuptials he had vsed was alike effascinated She by the aduise of an old Witch had cast an inchanted pot into a deepe Well which was in a backe yard belonging to the Pallace of the said Earle by which he was made incapable of all congresse and therefore out of all hope of any Issue to succeed him Which continued for the space of three whole yeares after which season meeting with this gentlewoman of his former acquaintance after a friendly salutation had past between them she asked him how he fared since his mariage how his wife and hee agreed together and how many children they had betweene them The Earle out of those words gathering some cause of suspition dissembling his discontent answered That he thanked Heauen all was well at home and that God had blest him with three sweet and hopefull children and that his wife at the present was as great as she could well goe with the fourth At which answer he perceiued a change of colour in her face when shee in a great rage said And may I beleeue this Then euill betide that cursed old Hag who persuaded me That she had so wrought with the Diuell that you should neuer haue child nor haue the abilitie to be the father of any The Count smiling at this desired to be satisfied from her what she intended by those words To whom she disclosed all the circumstances How being much grieued that he had so vnkindely forsaken her shee had dealt with a Witch who had promised vnto her c. telling him of the inchanted pot Which the Count vpon her words causing to be searcht found and after burnt his naturall vigor and vertue returned and he was after the father of a numerous Issue One neere to this but of greater malice Niderus reporteth to haue hapned in a towne called Boltingeu A famous Conjurer called Stradelin being conuicted of sundry malefactions among other confessed That for malice he bore to a man and his wife for seuen yeares together hee had strangled seuen children in her wombe insomuch that all hir births were abortiue In all which time all their Cattell in the same sort miscarried and not one of them brought forth a liuing and thriuing Issue And all this was done by burying a Lizard vnder the threshold of his doore which if it were remoued fruitfulnesse and fertilitie should come again both to her and to their herds of cattell Vpon this free confession the threshold was searched but no such Worme or Serpent found for it is probable that in that time it was rotten and turned to dust But they tooke the threshold and all the earth about it and caused them to be burned and then the Ligature ceased and they were all restored to their former increase of progenie The same Author speaketh of one Oeniponte a most notorious Witch who by making a picture of wax and pricking it with needles in diuers parts and then burying it vnder the threshold of her neighbours house whom she much hated she was tormented with such grieuous and insufferable prickings in her flesh as if so many needles had beene then sticking at once in her bodie But the Image being found and burned she was instantly restored to her former health and strength But to leaue these and come to other kindes of Sorceries and Witchcraft such as we finde recorded in Historie Grillandus is of opinion That euerie Magition and Witch after they haue done their homage to the Diuell haue a familiar Spirit giuen to attend them whom they call Magistellus Magister Martinettus or Martinellus and these are somtimes visible vnto them in the shape of a Dog a Rat an AEthiope c. So it is reported of one Magdalena Crucia That she had one of those Paredrij to attend her like a Blacke-More Glycas telleth vs That Simon Magus had a great blacke Dog tyed in a chaine who if any man came to speak with him whom he had no desire to see was ready to deuoure him His shadow likewise hee caused still to goe before him making the people beleeue that it was the soule of a dead man who stil attended him These kindes of familiar Spirits are such as they include or keepe in Rings hallowed in Viols Boxes and Caskets not that Spirits hauing no bodies can be imprisoned there against their wills but that they seeme to be so confined of their own free-wil and voluntarie motion Iohannes Leo writeth That such are frequent in Africke shut in caues and beare the figure of birds called Aves Hariolatrices by which the Magitions raise great summes of mony by predicting by them of things future For being demanded of any difficulty they bring an answer written in a small scroll of paper and deliuer it to the Magition in their bills Martinus Anthoniâ—s Delrius of the societie of Iesus a man of profound learning and iudgment writeth That in Burdegall there was an Aduocate who in a Viol kept one of these Paredrij inclosed Hee dying his heires knowing thereof were neither willing to keepe it neither durst they breake it and demanding counsell they were persuaded to go to the Iesuits Colledge and to be directed by them The Fathers commanded it to be brought before them and broken but the Executors humbly besought them that it might not be done in their presence being fearefull lest some great disaster might succeed thereof At which they smiling flung it against the walls and broke it in pieces at the breaking whereof there was nothing seene or heard saue a small noise as if the two elements of water and fire had newly met together and as soone parted Philostratus telleth vs That Apollonius Tyanâ—us was neuer without such Rings And Alexander Neapolitanus affirmeth That he receiued them of Iarcha the great Prince of the Gymnosophists which he tooke of him as a rich Present for by them he could be acquainted with any deepe secret whatsoeuer Such a Ring had Iohannes Iodocus Rosa a Citisen of Cortacensia who euery fift day had conference with the Spirit inclosed vsing it as a counsellor and director in all his affaires and enterprises whatsoeuer By it he was not onely acquainted with all newes as well forrein as domesticke but learned the cure and remedie for all griefs and diâ—eases insomuch that he had the reputation of a learned and expert Physition At length being accused of Sortelige or inchantment At Arnhem in Guelderland he was proscribed and in the
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
Alexander the Great Who sending to the Oracle of Delphos to know what should futurely betide him Answer was returned that his life should continue for a long season if it were not endangered by a Chariot Whereupon the King gaue strict and expresse commandement That all the Chariots within his kingdome should be pluckt in pieces and no further vse to be made of them and that no new ones should be after made neither would hee come neere vnto places that had any reference or relation to such a name Notwithstanding all his preuention hee was soone after slaine by Pausonias who wore at that time a sword which had a Chariot grauen vpon the pommell Dioclesian a man of a base and obscure parentage in Dalmatia serued as a common soldier in France and elsewhere vnder diuers and sundry Emperors Vpon a time reckoning with his Hostesse of the house wherein he was billited who was one of the sooth-saying Druides she told him that he was too penurious and did not beare the noble minde of a Souldier To whom he made answer That hee then reckoned with her according to his poore meanes and allowance and merrily added That if euer hee came to be made Emperor of Rome he would then shew himself much more bountifull To whom first looking stedfastly in his face she replied Souldier thou hast spoken truer than thou art aware of for after thou hast killed one Aper which signifieth a Boare thou shalt be made Caesar semper Augustus and weare the Imperiall Purple Dioclesian smiled and receiued it from her as a deliâ—ement or scoffe because hee had before bated her of her reckoning Yet after that time hee tooke great delight in the hunting and killing of Boares But diuers Emperors succeeding one another and he finding little alteration in his fortune hee was frequently wont to say I still kill the Boares but there be others that eat the flesh Yet in processe of time it happened that a potent man called Aper hauing married the sister of the Emperour Numerianus layd violent hands vpon his brother in law and most traiterously slew him For which facinerous act being apprehended by the souldiers and brought into that part of the Army where Dioclesian was who by reason of his long seruice was had in reputation with the prime Commanders the souldiers now demanding what should be done with the Traitor it was concluded amongst them that he should be at Dioclesians dispose who presently demanding of him his name and he answering Aper without further pause he drew his sword vttering these words And this Aper or Boare shall be added to the rest presently ranne him through the body and slew him Which done the soldiers commending it for an act of justice without further deliberation saluted him by the name of Emperor I haue read in the Chronicle of France concerning one of the French Henries That Gonvarus an Italian Astrologer hauing calculated his Natiuitie wrote vnto him about fiue yeares before the strange disaster of his death happened That the Starres and Planets threatned him in the one and fortieth yeare of his age with a dangerous wound in the head by which he should be strooke either blinde or dead and therefore aduised him to beware of tilts tourneys or any the like violent exercises for the space of that yeare Notwithstanding which in the predicted yeare at the solemne and pompous celebration of his Sisters mariage with the young King of Spaine after hee had three dayes together with great successe and generall applause demeaned himselfe in those Chiualrous exercises of Tilt and Barriers though hee was much persuaded by the Queene and entreated by the Lords after the breaking of many staues to giue ouer yet nothing could preuaile with him insomuch that in the very later end of the day when most of the Spectators were risen and departed out of the Tilt-yard he called to the Count Montgomerie Captain of his Guard earnestly importuning that he would runne one course more with him Which when hee sought by all meanes possible to excuse pretending many vnwilling delayes he tooke a speare and thrust it into his hand compelling him to another encounter in which he was most vnfortunately slaine by a splinter of the staffe that entring at the sight of his beauer pierced his braine and so concluded the great solemnitie with his owne lamentable Tragedie Before this accident happened in the beginning of the triumph one Nostrodanus told vnto diuers of the Kings seruants in secret that the King would be in great danger of death before the Tournament was fully finished And which is most remarkable a Merchants sonne of Paris a childe of about six yeares old not fully seuen being brought thither that day by his father and mother to see the Tilting at euery course the King ranne hee was heard to cry out aloud They will kill the King ô they will kill the King Plato was of opinion That children are no sooner born but they haue one of those Spirits to attend them which doth first copulate and conioyne the soule vnto the body and after being grown vnto some maturitie teach instruct and gouerne them The Academiques held That Spirits behold all mens actions and assist them that they know all our apprehensions and cogitations and when the Soule is deliuered from the Body they bring it before the high Iudge That they are questioned about our good or bad actions their testimonie being much preualent either to excuse or aggrauate That also they are vigilant ouer vs either sicke or in health waking or sleeping and especially in the very article and point of death oftentimes inspiring the parting Soule with a diuination surpassing all humane knowledge For instance Pheceredes Cyrus being vpon his death bed predicted victorie against the Magnesians which fell out accordingly And Possidonius telleth vs That a Rhodian dying nominated six men and told who should die first who second who third and so in order till he came to the last Neither did he any way faile in his prediction Porphirius was of opinion That not one onely but many Spirits or Genij had the charge of one and euery man one hauing care ouer his health another indulgent ouer his beauty and feature another to infuse into him courage and constancie c. But Iamblicus was of a contrarie assertion affirming That many needed not when one being of so pure and refined a nature was sufficient Some haue affirmed Spirits to be of diuers qualities therefore to worke in men according to their owne dispositions diuers effects Affirming That those AEthereall or Fierie stirre vp men to contemplation the Airy to the businesse and common affaires of this life the Waterie to pleasure the Earthy to base and gripple auarice So likewise the Martiall Spirits incite vs to fortitude the Ioviall to prudence the Venereall to lust the Mercuriall to policie and wisedome the Lunarie to fertilitie and plenty
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
potest res i. Nothing is sensible either to touch or to be touched but that which may be called a Body God created three liuing Spirits saith Gregor lib. Dialog The first such as are not couered with flesh the second that are couered with flesh but doth not die with the flesh the third both with flesh couered and with the flesh perisheth The first Angels the second Men the third Brutes The wise Socrates was accustomed to say That the whole Man was the Minde or Soule and the Body nothing else but the couer or rather the prison thereof from whence being once freed it attained to it 's proper jurisdiction and then onely began to liue blessedly Erasm. in Declamat de Morte and learned Seneca saith That as he which liueth in another mans house is troubled with many discommodities and still complaining of the inconuenience of this room or that euen so the Diuine part of Man which is the Soule is grieued now in the head now in the foot now in the stomacke or in one place or other Signifying thereby That he liueth not in a Mansion of his owne but rather as a Tenant who expecteth euerie houre to be remoued from thence The Soule of Man saith Saint Augustine aut regitur à Deo aut Diabolo It is either gouerned by God or by the Diuell The Eye of the Soule is the Minde it is a Substance created inuisible incorporeall immortall like vnto God and being the Image of the Creator Lib. de Definition Anim. Et sup Genes addit Omnis Anima est Christis Sponsa aut Diaboli Adultera Euery Soule is either the Spouse of Christ or the Strumpet of the Diuell Saint Bernard Serm. 107 vseth these words Haue you not obserued That of holy Soules there are three seuerall states the first in the corruptible Body the second without the Body the third in the Body glorified The first in War the second in Rest the third in Blessednesse And againe in his Meditat. O thou Soule stamped in the Image of God beautified with his Similitude contracted to him in Faith endowed in Spirit redeemed in Bloud deputed with the Angels made capable of his Blessednesse heire of Goodnesse participating Reason What hast thou to do with Flesh than which no dung-hill is more vile and contemptible Saint Chrisostome likewise De Reparat Laps If wee neglect the Soule neither can we saue the Body for the Soule was not made for the Body but the Body for the Soule He therefore that neglecteth the Superior and respecteth the Inferior destroyes both but hee that doth obserue order and giueth that preheminence which is in the first place though he neglect the second yet by the health of the first he shall saue the second also Isiod Etymol 11. The Soule whilest it abideth in the Body to giue it life and motion is called the Soule when it purposeth any thing it is the Will when it knoweth it is the Minde when it recollecteth it is the Memorie when it judgeth truly it is the Reason when it breatheth the Spirit when passionate it is the Sence And againe Lib. 1. de Summo Bono O thou Man Why dost thou admire the height of the Planets and wonder at the depth of the Seas and canst not search into the depth of thine owne Soule We haue heard the Fathers let vs now enquire what the Philosophers haue thought concerning the Soule There is nothing great in Humane actions saith Seneca in Prouerb but a Minde o◠Soule that disposeth great things Thus saith Plato in Timaeo To this purpose was the Soule ioyned to the Body that it should furnish it with Vertues and Sciences which if it doe it shall be gently welcommed of the Creator but if otherwise it shall bee confined to the inferior parts of the earth Aristotle lib. 2. de Animal saith The Soule is more noble than the Body the Animal than that which is Inanimate the Liuing than the Dead the Being than the Not being Three things saith Macrob. lib. 7. Saturnal there be which the Body receiueth from the prouidence of the Soule That it liueth That it liueth decently and That it is capable of Immortalitie Of Soules saith Cicero 1. Tuscul. Quast there can be found no originall vpon the earth for in them there is nothing mixt or concrete or that is bred from the earth or framed of it for there is nothing in them of substance humor or sollid or fiery For in such natures there is nothing that can comprehend the strength of Memorie the Minde or Thought which can record what is past or foresee things future which do altogether participate of a Diuine nature Neither can it euer be proued that these Gifts euer descended vnto Man but from God himselfe And in another place There is nothing admixt nothing concrete nothing co-augmented nothing doubled in these Minds or Soules Which being granted they can neither be discerned or diuided nor discerpted nor distracted And therefore they cannot perish for perishing is a departure or surcease or diuorce of those parts which before their consumption were ioyned together in a mutuall connexion Phocillides in his Precepts writeth thus Anima est immortalis vivitque perpetuò nec senescit vnquam i. The Soule is immortall liueth euer neither doth it grow old by Time And Philistrio The Soule of a wise man is ioyned with God neither is it death but an euill life that destroyeth it And Egiptius Minacus when one brought him word that his father was dead made the Messenger this answer Forbeare ô Man to blaspheme and speake so impiously for how can my father be dead who is immortall Nicephorus ex Evagrio Panorm lib. de Alphons Reg. gestis relates That the King Alphonsus was wont to say That he found no greater argument to confirme the immortalitie of the Soule than when he obserued the bodies of men hauing attained to their full strength begin to decrease and wax weake through infirmities For all the Members haue the limits and bounds of their perfection which they cannot exceed but arriuing to their height decline and decay But the Mindes and Intellects as they grow in time so they encrease in the abilitie of vnderstanding Vertue and Wisedome Elian. lib. 11. de Varia Historia reporteth of Cercitas Megala Politanus who falling into a most dangerous disease and being asked by such friends as were then about him whether hee were willing to dye O yes said he by any meanes for I desire to depart this world and trauell to the other where I shall be sure to meet with men famous in all kindes of Learning of the Philosophers with Pythagoras of the Historiographers with Hecataeus of the Poets Homerus of Musitions Olympius who by the Monuments of their judgments learning haue purchased to themselues perpetuitie AEneas Sylvius reporteth of the Emperour Fredericke That sojourning in Austria it hapned that one of his principall Noblemen expired who had liued ninety yeares in all
his next expedition gaine an assured and most remarkable victorie Satisfied with this their liberall promise hee tooke his leaue recollected his dispersed Troupes and tooke the field The night before the battell being vigilant to suruey his Enemies Tents and see what watch they kept he espied three Damosels carying vp three dishes of meaâ— into one of the Tents whom following apace for he might easily trace them by their steps in the dew and hauing a Citharon about him on which he played most curiously he receiued meat for his musick and returning the same way he came the next day he gaue them a strong battell in which the enemies were slaine almost to one manâ— Pertinax as Sabellicus witnesseth a little before his death saw one of these Spectars in a fish-poole threatning him with a naked sword Of the like nature was that Bore which Zonarus speaketh of who meeting with Isaaccius Comnenes who was hunting neere vnto Naples and being pursued from a promontorie cast himselfe headlong into the sea leauing the Emperor almost exanimate and without life In Finland which is vnder the dominion of the King of Sweden there is a castle which is called the New Rock moted about with a riuer of an vnsounded depth the water blacke and the fish therein very distastefull to the palat In this are Spectars often seene which fore-shew either the death of the Gouernor or some prime Officer belonging to the place and most commonly it appeareth in the shape of an Harper sweetly singing and dallying and playing vnder the water There is a Lake neere Cracovia in Poland which in the yeare 1378 was much troubled with these Spirits but at length by the prayers of some deuout Priests the place was freed from their impostures The Fishermen casting their nets there drew vp a Fish with a Goats head and hornes and the eyes flaming and sparkling like fire with whose aspect and filthy stench that it brought with it being terrified they fled and the Monster making a fearefull noise like the houling of a wolfe troubling the water vanished Alexander ab Alexandro maketh mention of one Thomas a Monke who in an euening seeking an horse and comming neere vnto the brinke of a Riueâ— he espied a countrey fellow who of his voluntarie free-will offered to traject him ouer on his shoulders The Monke is glad of the motion and mounts vpon his backe but when they were in the midst of the floud Thomas casting his eye downe hee perceiued his legs not to be humane but goatish and his feet clouen Therefore suspecting him to be one of these watry Diuels hee commended himselfe to God in his prayers The Spirit then forsakes him and leaues him well washed in the middle of the Riuer to get vnto the shore with no small difficultie Sabellicus hath left recorded That when Iulius Caesar with his army was to passe the riuer Rubicon to come into Italy and to meet with Pompey one of these Spirits in the shape of a man but greater than ordiâ—arie sate piping vpon the banke of the Riuer Which one of Caesars soldiers seeing snatched away his pipe and broke it when the Spirit presently swimming the Riuer beeing on the other side sounded a shrill and terrible blast from a trumpet which Caesar interpreted to be a good and happy omen of his succeeding victorie Of the Spirits of the earth there are diuers sorts and they haue diuers names as Genij Lares Dij domestici Spectra Alastores Daemonia meridiana as likewise Fauni Sylvani Satyri folletti Fatuelli Paredrij Spiritus Familiares c. Of some of these I haue spoken in the preceding Tractat. Servius Honoratus and Sabinus are of opinion That Man consisteth of three parts but most ignorantly and aduerse to truth of a Soule a Body and a Shadow and at his dissolution the Soule ascends to heanen the Bodie inclines to the earth and the Shadow descends ad Inferos to hell They hold the Shadow is not a true body but a corporeall Species which cannot be touched or taken hold of no more than the winde and that this aswell as the Soule doth oft times appeare vnto men liuing and the soule after it hath left the body is called Genius and the Shadow Larva or the Shadow infernall These Genij are malicious Spirits of the earth who when they most promise health and safety vnto mankinde do then most endeauour their vtter ruine and destruction Constantine the Emperor marching from Antiochia said That he often saw his own Genius and had conference with it and when he at any time saw it pale and troubled which he held to be the preseruer and protectour of health and liuelyhood hee himselfe would much grieue and sorrow By the Spirits called Lares or Houshold gods many men haue been driuen into strange melancholies Amongst others I will cite you one least common A young man had a strong imagination that he was dead and did not onely abstaine from meat and drinke but importuned his parents that he might be caried vnto his graue and buried before his flesh was quite putrified By the counsell of Physitions he was wrapped in a winding sheet laid vpon a Beere and so carried toward the Church vpon mens shoulders But by the way two or three pleasant fellowes suborned to that purpose meeting the Herse demanded aloud of them that followed it Whose body it was there coffined and carried to buriall They said it was such a yong mans and told them his name Surely replied one of them the world is very well rid of him for he was a man of a very bad and vitious life and his friends may reioyce he hath rather ended his dayes thus than at the gallowes Which the yong man hearing and vexed to be so injured rowsed himselfe vp vpon the Beere and told them That they were wicked men to do him that wrong which he had neuer deserued and told them That if hee were aliue as hee was not hee would teach them to speake better of the Dead But they proceeding to depraue him and giue him much more disgraceful and contemptible language he not able to endure it leapt from the Herse and fell about their eares with such rage and fury that hee ceased not buffetting with them till quite wearied and by his violent agitation the humors of his body altered hee awakened as out of a sleepe or trance and being brought home and comforted with wholesome dyet he within few dayes recouered both his pristine health strength and vnderstanding But to returne to our seuerall kindes of Terrestriall Spirits There are those that are called Spectra meridiana or Noon-diuels In the Easterne parts of Russia about haruest time a Spirit was seen to walke at mid-day like a sad mourning Widow and whosoeuer she met if they did not instantly fall on their knees to adore her they could not part from her without a leg or
opinion of mans wit No certaine principle at all th' haue lent Grounded on firme and sollid argument Which Principles no sooner are deny'de But all their doctrine 's ruin'd in it's pride Therefore these Academicks did inact A Maxim held amongst themselues exact Let none dispute or into termes arise With any that the Principles denies Obserue but the Philosophers inuentions And amongst them the Fencer-like contentions Concerning the Creator of vs allâ— The Angels and the Worlds originall Some impiously and foolishly deny That there 's to gouerne vs â— Deity Others that say there is a God there are But he of humane actions takes no care And some remaine in doubt and will not know At least confesse there is a God or no. Who in his best conceptions doth not storme At their Idaea's Atoms Matter Forme Full Empty Infinite first Essence Beeing With thousands more and all these disagreeing Touching the Soule hath been more strange opinions Than now beneath the great Turke are dominions One That man hath no Soule at all will proue And that the Body of it selfe doth moue Some grant a Soule but curiously desire To haue th' essence thereof deriv'd from Fire Of Water some others of Aire compound it And some as brain-sicke as the rest would bound it In Earthly humor other Sectists dare Affirme the substance to be Fire and Aire One Heat or an hot constitution he Saith in 's great wisedome it of force must be Of the foure Elements the pure complexion Others will haue it Light or Lights reflexion One calls it restlesse Motion he a Number Mouing it selfe c. Thus one another cumber Warring with contradictions infinite As vainly too of the Soules seat they write To the braines ventricle some one confines it Come to anothers censure he assignes it Vnto the Epicranion 'Mongst the rest Epicurus makes her mansion in the brest In the Hearts arteries some say it dwells Another in the Heart and nowhere els Empedocles would haue it vnderstood The sole place she resides in is the Bloud In the whole Body others seeke to place it And with no seeming arguments out-face it Like diffrence hath amongst them been to know Whether the Soule immortall be or no. Democritus and Epicurus they Beleev'd the Soule was mortall Others say And it seemes better warranted incline To make the world beleeue it is Diuine The Stoicks held opinion with the breath All bad Soules are extinguisht ev'n in death But that the better are exalted hye To place sublime and neuer more to dye Some so ambiguous in their censures were Nothing saue doubt in all their Works appeare Then to conclude Studies that haue foundation Like these vpon mans meere imagination Than the Chamaelions are more variable Lighter than winde than the sea more vnstable Than th' Elements th' are at more deadly hate And than the Labyrinth more intricate Than th' Moon more changing Darknesse more obscure Than Women more inconstant and vnsure He then that in his best thoughts doth desire After the Truth ingeniously t' inquire And to the perfect path to be conducted May it please that man to be thus instructed Seeke not from Man but God that can dispose Who all things not from him that nothing knowes Of Truth the Scriptures plenally report Of which our weake and dull conceit comes short Note what our Sauior saith to end all strife I am the Way I am the Truth and Life Againe he saith Into the world I came To declare truth and testifie the same No wonder then if ev'n the Wisest dote Who from the Scriptures were so far remote And that the more they labour'd Truth to finde The more they were made stupid dull and blinde By muddy streames it is an easie thing To know a troubled and vnhealthfull Spring By bright and Chrystall rivelets we are sure By consequence the fountaines head is pure And in this water so refin'd and cleare Our blessed Sauior makes himselfe appeare When he thus saith as Iohn doth plainly tell To the Samaritan at Iacobs Well Who so shall of the Water drinke that I Will giue him shall no more thirst till he dye The water that I giue in him shall be A Well of water euerlastingly Springing to life eternall Now if any Of the great Doctors differ as th' are many Retire we to the Scriptures the true test To know of their opinions which sounds best Nor let their works further authoris'd bee Than punctually they with the Text agree Neither let any of his knowledge proud Dare further search than is by them allow'd From the wise men heav'ns secrets are conceal'd And vnto Infants and to Babes reveal'd Therefore let Arrogance no man delude Whilest humbly with Saint Austin I conclude Whoso shall reade this Worke where he shall finde Truth certaine let him ioyne with me in minde Where he shall doubt with me I next desire That he with me will labour to enquire If he haue err'd in iudgement and finde here To be resolv'd from hence his error cleare If he my error finde with some respect Of my good meaning let him mine correct Explicit Metrum Tractatus Noni Eatenus rationandum est donec veritas invenitur Cum inventa est Veritas ibi figendum est Iuditium in victoria Veritatis soli Veritatis inimici pereans S. Chrisost. Theologicall Philosophicall Poeticall Historicall Apothegmaticall Hierogâ—pâ—icall and Emblematicall Obseruations touching the further illustration of the former Tractat. THese Spirits of the earth or vnder the earth hauing charge of the Mines and Treasures below meethinkes should deterre men from the base sin of Auarice Aurelius calleth it the root of euill or a fountaine of euils whence as from an inundant streame flow injurie injustice Briberie Treason Murder depopulation strage ruine of Commonweales ouerthrowes of Armies Subuersion of estates wracke of Societies staine of conscience breach of amitie confusion of minde with a thousand other strange enormities The propertie of a couetous man saith Archimides is to liue all his life time like a Beggar that he may be said at his death to die rich who as he is good to no man so is hee the worst friend to himselfe and as hee passeth great trouble and trauell in gathering riches so hee purchaseth withall great danger in keeping them much law in defending but most torment in departing from them and in making his Will hee for the most part findeth more trouble to please all than hee tooke pleasure to possesse all In the purchasing of which as one ingeniously said he gets carefulnesse to himselfe enuy from his neighbour a prey for theeues perill for his person damnation to his soule curses for his children and Law for his heires Nay euen in his life time he wanteth as well what he hath as what hee hath not Moreouer all euil-gotten gaine bringeth with it contempt curses and infamy The Gluttons minde
ibid. The Golden World 275. The concordance betwixt the Dominations and Iupiter ibid. Of the Vertues with Mars 276. The maleuolent aspect of Mars 277. Of the Potestates with the Sunne 278. Of Starres that receiue names from the Sun ibid. The Trinitie in Vnitie figured in the Sunne 279. Concord betwixt the Principats and Venus ibid. The Arch Angels and Mercury 280 Betwixt the Angels and the Moone 281. The Premisses illustrated 282. Three Religions most profest 283. What the Iewes say for themselues 284. Wherein the Mahumetan opposeth the Christian ibid. Mahomets imposterous Miracles Saints and Reliques 285. The Creation of things according to Mahomet and of his Paradise 286. The first Sow according to Mahomet and why Sowes flesh is not eaten in Paradise 287. The first Mouse the first Caâ— and the joyes of Heauen according to Mahomeâ— 288. His palpable and absurd ignorance with his opinion of Angels 289. Aridiculous tale in Mahomets Alcaron 290. Of the Priscillians and Manichees exploded Heretiques 291. Wherein blessednesse consisteth according to the Manichees 292. Of Truth 293. The Philosophers and Fathers of Truth 294. The Poets of Truth 295. An exceâ—lent discourse of Cardinall Pascalis of Truth 296. Truth constant and subiect to no change 297. Religion grounded vpon Truth 298. Religion defined against those that make it a cloake for hipocrisie 299. Three opinions concerning Christ 300. Iosephus Pontius Pilat c witnesses of Christ 301. An Epistle of Pliny to Trajan the Emperor concerning Christians 302. Diuers Ethnieke Princes who fauored the Christians 303. Caesar Maximinus his oration concerning Christians And of Cublay Emperour of Tartaria 304. What a Miracle is 306. Wonders in Nature 307. Of Christs Miracles 308. Origen Greg. Chrisost. c. of the Virgin Mary 309. Christ miraculous in his birth life doctrine and death 310 c. Twelue grieuous sufferings of Christ 315. Of the great Eclipse at his death 316. The life and death of Mahomet 319 c. Beza his Epigram of Religion 322. Pope Greg. of Christs death 323. An Emblem 324. A Meditation 327. THE CONTENTS OF THE SIXTH TRACTAT A Discourse of the Heart of man 331. The inconstancie of Mans Heart 332. How many wayes the Heart of man is insidiated ibid. How it may be reconciled to the Creator 333. Sundry opinions concerning the creation of Angels 334. Angels created with the Light 335. Lucifers glory in his Creation 336. He is figured in Tyrus 337. The creation of Man the Soule the Body and what Man is 338. The Incarnation of Christ reuealed to the Angels 339. Lucifers Rebellion the cause thereof The Battell betwixt Michael and the Diuell 340. The Fall of Angels and the weapons vsed in the Battell 341. How long Lucifer remained in Glory 342. The power he hath since his Fall ibid. The Fall of Adam his offence and punishment 343. Of Hell according to the Poets Tibullus 344. Virgil Seneca Valer. Flacchus Lucretius c. 345. Of Hell according to the Scriptures and Fathers 346. The torments of Hell 347. The seuerall denominations of Hell ibid. Lucians Dialogue called Nycio Manteia i. an Answer from the Dead 348. The cause of Menippus trauell to Hell 350. The Ciuill Lawes compared with the doctrines of the Poets ibid. The vanitie of Philosophers and their wranglings discouered 351. Lucians meeting with the Magition Mithrobarzanes 352. His superstâ—tionsâ— and Incantations discouered and derided 353. A description of his passage to Hell 355. Of Minos the Iudge with his proceeding against the Prisoners 355. Diuers great men arraigned and sentenced 357. A description of the torments 358. Of the Heroes and demy-gods 359. The equalitie that is in Hell 360. A comparison of the life of man ibid. Great men on earth how vilified in Hell 361. The estate of Socrates Diogenes and the like in hell 362. A Decree made in Hell against rich men ibid. Tyresius his counsell What life is safest to leade on earth 363. Menippus his passage from hell 364. Further discourse of the Heart of man 365. Manlius of the ambition of Mans heart 366. The instabilitie and corruption thereof 367. Further of the Creation of the Angels when and where 368. The Angelicall nature how vnderstood 369. Diuers questions and difficulties concerning Angels reconciled 370. The order that God vsed in the Creation 371. Angels immutable and that no Soule but hath an Angell to attend it 372. What best pleaseth the Angels They gouerne Nations Angell a name of office not of nature 373. Nazianzen of the Angels 374. Of the forming and fashioning of Man ibid. The three dignities of the Soule and the end why Man was created 375. Three great gifts bestowed on Man in the Creation ibid. Three opposit euils 376 A iust measure of mans body ibid. Three sorts of liuing Spirits created by God 377 Of the Soule of man 378. The Philosophers concerning the Soule 379. Iohannes de Canis a Florentine Physition 380. The Poets of the Soule 381. Of Man in generall 382. Against such as deny the Resurrection 383. Difference betwixt the liues of Beasts Men and Angels ibid. Of the birth of Man 384 The Ethnicks of Man ibid. Homer with other Poets of Man 385. Adages and Emblems of Man 386. Hierogliphycks of Man 387. Ethnicks of Hell 388. The Rabbins of the locall place of Hell 389. The figure of Moloch 390 Lucians Dialogue intituled Nyciomanteia with Sir Thom. Mores Argument thereupon 390 c. The acts of Alexander Hannibal and Scipio 392 c A discourse of hell fire 397. Reasons prouing the perpetuity of the torments 398. An Emblem 399. A Meditation 401. THE CONTENTS OF THE VII TRACTAT VVIsedome contemplateth the wonderfull works of God 407. The Sun 408. The Moone Stars Rainbow Snow Lightning Haile Mountains Winds Thunder Raine Frost Ice c 409 c. The quality and condition of malignant Spirits 410. Diuels retaine their first naturall faculties 411. The degrees among Diuels of which Lucifer is prime 412. Lucifers figure and description 413. Prioritie obserued among the Diuels with necessarie obseruations 415. The Diuels striue to imitate God 410. An excellent historie expressing the instabilitie of Fortune ibid. The originall of Idolatry illustrated from the former historie 435. Nine Classes of Diuels with their seueral Orders 436. The sundry names of Diuels and what they signifie 437. Of the number of Angels that fell more Angels than men more men than Angels 438. Of the motion of Angels ibid. The distance betwixt the eighth heauen and the earth 439. All intelligent Substances are incorporeall 440 Sathan and the euill Daemons bounded in their malice ibid. The admirable knowledge f Spirits 441. How and wherein their knowledge is limited 442. Their equinocating answers in the Oracles ibid. Good Angels cannot erre 443. Of Contracts made betwixt man and Sathan ibid. The manner of the diuels temptations set down the better to aâ—oid them 444. Pasetis a great Magition ibid. Seueral Magicke books fathered vpon good and godly men ibid. Seuerall mettals ascribed
Death The Heresies of the Priscillians and Manicheâ—â— Fiue Elements according to the Manichees Wherein Blessednes consists according to the Manichees Of Truth Li. 44 pag. 430. Titus Pomp. Idor-Abies Lib. 9. Cap. 19. Epaminondas Papias King Aglesiaus Thales AEschines Demosthenes Democratus Ambrose Bernard Lib. de Virtut vitijs ca. 8. Religion and the Truth thereof Three opinions concerning Christ. The first Holy beginners The second Wicked Contemners The third Fearful Time-seruers Iosephus de Antiq. lib 2. Which was 40 yeres after his Passion Pilat a witnes of Christ. Plin. lib. 1. De Antiq. li. 2. Of Cublay Emperour of Tartarie The Oratian of Cubley to the Christians Psal. 8. ver 8. Valer. Maxim Lib de Civit. Dei 21. Lib. 11. de Civ Dei Ca. 11. Hom. 29. Wonders in Nature Of Miracles Ser. 143. of the Blessed Virgin Mary Serm. 148. Cap. 1. Hom. 1. Lib. 18. Moral In Iob Cap. 35. Homil. de Ioan. Bapt. Aug. de incarnat Domin Serm. 3. in Vigil Natiuit Three Wonders The first The second The third Sup. Mat. 2. Sup. Ioane Ser. Sup. Epiph. Homil. Sup. Mat. 10. Ser. de Appar Sup. Cant. Serm. 15. Twelue grieuous sufferings of Christ. Cap. 27. ver 41. Of the great Eclipse at the death of our Sauiour The first Difficulty The second Difficulty The third Difficulty Dionysius Areopag Phlegon Lucianus Martyr Leo. serm 10. Isay. 60. ver 2. The life of Mahomet Psal. 58. Catsius lib. 3. Embl. 2. Psal. 33.2.3 Praise the Lord with Harpe sing vnto him with Viol and Instrument of ten strings Sing cheerfully with a loud voice c. Prope est Dominus omnibus inuocantibus cum in veritat Psal. 144. Seneca in Hippol Percontatorem fuge nam garrulus Idem est A discourse of the Heart of Man The Inconstancy of mans thoughts A Simile How many wayes the Heart is Insidiated How the heart may be reconciled to the Creator Sundry opinions concerning the Creation of Angels Gen. 2.2 Gen. 1. S. Aug. Sup. Gen. Daniel 3. ver 57.58.59 Psal. 48.2 Iob 58.7 Daniel 10. Tobit 12. Dr. Strozza lib. de Spirit Incant Ezechiel 28. vâ—r 12. Ver. 17. The Creation of Man The Soule of Man The Bodie of Man What Man is The Incarnation of Christ reuealed vnto the Angels Epist. 1. to Tim. Lucifers first Rebellion Isay. 14.13 The Battel betwixt Michael and the Diuel Reuel 12.7 The Fall of Angels Epinic a Song of praise and thanksgiuing Reuel 15.3 Reuel 12.10 The weapons vsed in this Battell of the Angels Aver Met. 12 7.4â— Arist. de Anim. 3.48 How long Lucifer remain'd in glory Note A necessary obseruation The Fall of Adam Mark 3.23 A necessary obseruation Iohn 1.2 15. Pannurg a deceiuer or subtil person Tibull lib. 2. Eleg. 3. At scelerata iacet sedes in nocte profunda c. Virg. AEneid 6 Ergo exercentur poeniâ— veterumque malorum supplicia expeâ—dunt c Senec. in Herc. Fur. Quod quisque facit patitur Authorem scalus repetit c. Val. Flaâ— Argoâ—ant 3. Quippe nec inulioâ— nec in vltima soluimur ossa Ira manet c. Lucret. li. 3. de nat deor Post mortem denique nostraÌ„ numquid ibi horribile apparet Senec. in Here. Turent verane est tam inferis c. Of Hell according to the Scriptures and Fathers S. Aug. How Hell is called Iob 10.21.22 Gehenna The torments of Hell The torments of the Sences Tartarus Of the particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. not to see Avernus Infernus Abiss Tophet Poena sensus Poena Damni This dialogue is called Necyomantia viz. a answer from the Dead Menippus Philonides Men. Phil. Men. Phil. Men. Phil. Men. Phil. Men. Phil. Men. Phil. Men. Phil. Men. Phil. Men. Phâ—l Men. Phil. Men. Phil. Men. * The Historiographer Phil. Men. Phil. Men. Phil. Men. The Decree Of the Heart of Man The Ambition of the Heart Gen. 1.3 Psal. 33.6 Aug. sup Gen. lib. 7. cap. 21. Rupert de operib sacr spir cap. 2. Eccles. 18.1 Pet. Lumb li. 2. distinc 2. Aug. sup Gen. Eccles. 1.4 Dionys. Rihell lib. de Great Mundi ca. 2. Philo lib. de Operib Dei Wisdom 11.17 Eccles. 1.2 Heb. 12. Mat. 3. Angels immutable Euery Soule hath his Angell to attend it What best pleaseth the Angels Angâ—ls gouerneth Nations Angella name of Office not of Nature Of the forming fashioning of man The three dignities of the Soule The end why Man was created Why God made man vpright Three gifts bestowed vpon Man in his Creation Ecerp lib. â— cap. 2 3 4â— Three opposite Evils Necessity absolute conditionall Theoricke Practicke Mechanicke The iust measure of mans Body Three sorts of liuing Spirits created by God Of the Soule of Man The Philosophers concerning the soule Note The Poets concerning the Soule Of Man in generall An excellent Argument against such as deny the Resurrection The Liues of Beasts Men and Angels Of the Birth of Man The Ethnicks concerning Man Silenus Phavorinus Alphonsus Aristotle Hom. of Man with other Poets Adages Emblem Hierogliphick Of Hell The Ethnicks concerning Hell The Locall place of Hell The Rabbius of Hell Prov. 9. Prov. 15.24 The Figure of a Moloch The Argument of Sir Thomas Moore vpon this Dialogue The Battell of Cannas Greenwood vpon Tophet Quest. Mat. 25.41 Lukes 16.24 Hugo In fiue properties the Fire of Hell differeth from our Fire Elementary Mat. 3. Three reasons to proue the perpetuite of the Torments of the damned Dodonia quercus The Deuâ—lls two maine Enginâ— Comfort against Desperation Against the sinne of Presumption Presumption bred from Pride Eccles. cap. 3. vers 29.30 Eccles. 42.15 Iob 4.4 Isay. 29.15 Ecclesiast Cap. 43.1 The Sun Genes 1.16 The Moone Exod 12.2 The Stars Gen. 9 13 14. The Rainbow Esay 40.12 The Snow The Lightning The Haile The Mountaines The Wind. The Thunders The Rayne The Frost The Ice The Seas The Whales Psal. 96.4 Iohn 1.15 Psal. 106.2 The quality and condition of the malignant Spirits The Diuels still retaine their first Natural Faculties Dionys. Areopag de Coelest Hierar The degrees among Divels Lucifer prince of Diuels Lucifer quasi lucem ferens Lucif Figure Priority among the Diuels A necessary obseruation A second obseruation The Diuell striues to imitate God in his workes to the perdition of Mankind An excellent History wherin to the life is exprest the instability of Fortune LustruÌ„ according to Livy the space of fiue yeares She was call'd Dea Spannigena because orta salo i. borne of the Sea The youngest Sister stoln by Pyrats The Fatherâ— feare for the losse of his Daughter His trauell to finde her His answer from the Oracle A passage of the elder sister Her answer from the Oracle The younger sister offred to sale The Effects of her beauty Passions cannot truly be said to be in the Deities The entrance into her Fortune The King inamored So cal'd from King Aâ—talas tht first who was known to vse rich Arras hangings and brought them to
of issue the Saturnine to dissuade from all things that be euill Such was that Socraticum Daemonium or Genius of Socrates which still continued and encouraged him in the studie an practise of Vertue whose condition was to dissuade him from many things but to persuade him to nothing Of this Daemonium strange things are reported in Historie as that it was euer at his elbow to diuert him from doing euill and to aduise him to shun and auoid danger to remember him of things past to explaine vnto him things present and reueale vnto him things future Socrates himselfe confessed that hee saw it sometimes but seldome yet heard it often He dissuaded Charmiades the sonne of Glaucus from going to the Groues of Nemaea and to excuse himselfe from that journey who despising his counsell perished in the aduenture Vpon a time sitting at the table of Timarchus where a great banquet was serued in Timarchus offered twice to rise from the boord but was held by Socrates Yet watching his opportunitie while the other was in serious discourse hee stole away priuately and met with Nyceus whom he slew For which fact being condemned and led to death he confessed vnto his brother Clitimachus That if he had been swayed by the double aduertisement of Socrates hee had not vndergone so sad a disaster The same Socrates in a great defeate which the Athenians had flying from the victorious Enemie with Lachetes the Praetor and comming to a place where three wayes met he chose one path to himselfe contrarie to the aduice and counsell of all the rest And being demanded the reason wherefore he did so he made answer That his Genius so persuaded him Which they deriding tooke a contrarie course and left him abandoned to himselfe Now when the Horsemen of the Enemie made hot pursuit after them they tooke that path which Lachetes and all his people had taken who were all put to the sword and onely those few which followed Socrates escaped He presaged the great strage and messacre which after hapned in Sicilia As also of the deaths of Neon and Thrasillus in their Expedition against those of Ionia and Ephesus Saint Augustine in his booke De Cognitione verae vitae is persuaded That Spirits by Gods permission can raise stormes and tempests and command raine haile snow thunder and lightning at their pleasures As also That by the instigation of Spirits wild Beasts become either rebellious or seruiceable to mans vse In another place hee ascribeth the operation of all things seasonable or vnseasonable vnto them but not as Authors and Makers but Ministers and Seruants to the Diuine Will and command According with that in Ecclesiasticus Cap. 39. vers 28. There be Spirits that are created for vengeance which in their rigour lay on sure strokes in the time of destruction they shew forth their power and accomplish the wrath of him that made them Fire Haile Famine and Death all these are created for vengeance the teeth of the wilde Beasts and the Scorpions and the Serpents and the Sword execute vengeance for the destruction of the Wicked They shall be glad to do his commandements and when need is they shall be ready vpon earth and when their houre is come they shall not ouerpasse the commandements c. To this strict rule of Gods commandement both the good and bad Spirits are limited and beyond that they haue power or abilitie to do nothing Otherwise those that are malignant euill would in their rabies and fury destroy all Gods creatures in a moment Moreouer as the same Author affirmeth the Diuell hath power to tempt and entice man to sinne and wickednesse but he cannot compell him These be his words Serm. de Temp. Potest Diabolus ad malum invitare non potest trahere Delectationem infert non potestatem c. Rabbi Avot Nathan a learned Iew affirmeth That Spirits haue three things common with men namely Procreation Food and Death Porphirius as Proclus witnesseth of him held all Spirits to be mortall and that he amongst them who was the longest liued did not exceed the number of a thousand yeares Plutarch in his booke De Oraculorum defectu reciteth a story That about the Islands called Echinades newes was brought to one Thamus being then a ship boord that god Pan was dead and this happened iust at the birth of our Sauiour Christ. But because I haue made vse of this Historie heretofore in a booke commonly entituled The History of Women to insert the same here likewise might be tasted as Cibus bis coctus But to answer that learned Rabbi and Porphyrius like him opinionated Not possible it is That Spirits created by God immortall and incorporeall should be any way obnoxious to extinction or death More credible it is that these were meere phantasies and illusions of the Diuell by such prestigious sorceries persuading vs that Spirits are mortall to make man distrust the immorralitie of the Soule and so possesse him with an heresie grosse impious and damnable Here likewise a most necessarie consideration may be inserted to giue answer to the Sadduces and others who obstinately affirme That Moses in his Booke of the Creation made no mention at all of Spirits or Angels When as Saint Augustine contrarie to them in beleefe saith That vnder the words of Heauen aud Light though not by their proper and peculiar names they were specified and intended And that Moses writing to a People whose obstinacie and stupidity was such that they were not capable of their incorporeall Essence he was the more chary to giue them plaine and manifest expression Moreouer it may be supposed That if the discreet Law-giuer had told them of their Diuine nature it might haue opened a wide gap to their idolatry to which he knew they were too prone of themselues For if they were so easily induced to worship a golden Calfe and a brasen Serpent both of them molten and made with hands how could so excellent and diuine a Nature haue escaped their adoration Yet doe the words of Moses allow of Spirits though couertly where it is said Genes 3.1 Now the Serpent was more subtill than any Beast of the field which the Lord God had made c. By whom was meant the Diuell as appears Wisd. 2.24 As Satan can change himselfe into an Angell of light so did he vse the wisedome of the Serpent to abuse Man c. I had occasion to speake in my discourse of Dreames of the one brother Sleepe something shall not be amisse to be discoursed of the other Death and to amplifie that in the Prose which in the Verse was onely mentioned Cicero calleth Death the yonger brother of Sleepe which being a thing that cannot be auoided it ought therefore the lesse to be feated One demanding of a noble Sea Captaine Why hauing meanes sufficient to liue on land hee would endanger his person to the perills and frequent casualties of the Ocean
another timerous and fearefull another proud and haughty Therefore that hee may the more secretly and cunningly intrap them he frameth his deceptions suitable with their conditions and because pleasure hath proximitie with mirth to him that is giuen to mirth hee proposeth ryot and luxurie and because sadnesse is prone to anger to such he offereth the cup of dissention and discord and because the Timerous are fearefull of paine and punishment to them he suggesteth terrors and horrors and because the haughty and ambitious loue to be magnified and extolled to them hee offers popular suffrage and vaine applause c. We also reade Saint Paul thus 2 Corinth 11.3 But I feare lest as the Serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty so your mindes should be corrupt from the simplicitie which is in Christ. And 1 Pet. 5.8 Be sober and watch for the Diuell as a roaring Lion walketh about seeking whom he may deuoure The illustration of the Emblem followeth Pelliculam veterem retines fronte politus Abstraso rapidam gestas sub pectore vulpem Pers. Satyr 5. Fit globas insidias Muri dum tendit Echinus Et jacet immoto corpore fusus humi O◠late◠in media quod dum patet esse cavernam Musculus ad socios non rediturus init Cum vitium quod quisque colit Rex caelliat orci Illius objectis pectora nostra trahit Larco sibi capitur vinosus imagine Bacchi Virginis aspectu nota libido furit ¶ Thus paraphrased To'entrap the Mouse the Hedge-hog in a round Is cast and lies as senselesse on the ground His face drawne in the hole she thinkes a caue Where being frighted she her selfe may saue When Sathan knowes vnto what vice we' are bent To each mans sence that obiect hee 'l present Meat to the Glutton to the Drunkard Wine And to such beauty as to lust incline Livy saith Fraus in parvis fidem sibi praestruit vt cum opere praetium est cum mercede magna fallat Id est Deceit layes the snare in small things and of no moment that in greater things it may deceiue with profit Noble in his minde was Alexander the Great who when Parmenio counselled him to seeke the subuersion of his enemies by fraud and subtiltie made this answer That being Alexander his Majestie and Royaltie would not suffer him to doe so but if hee were a priuate man as Parmenio hee might perhaps be thereunto persuaded But contrarie vnto him the Emperour Pertinax was syrnamed Christologus which is as much to say as Well speaking and Euill doing It was the saying of Demosthenes the excellent Orator Wonder not that thou art deceiued by a wicked man but rather wonder that thou art not deceiued The fraudulent and deceitful are likened to a Chameleon apt to take all obiects capable of all colours cloaking Hate with Holinesse ambitious Gain with shew of good Gouernment Flatterie with Eloquence but whatsoeuer is pretended is meerely deceit and dishonestie Sic iterum sic caepe cadunt vbi vincere aperte Non datur insidias armaque tecta parant Fraude perit virtus Ovid. Fast. lib. 2. The Serpent hid in the grasse stingeth the foot and the deceitfull man vnder pretence of honestie beguileth the Simple Parva patitur vt Magnis potiatur From whence Catsius deriues this conceit Fit globus nique globi medio caput abdit echinus Et vafer ni parvum contrabit or aspecum Tegmina mas spinosa peti se nescius ambit Et vagus impunem fertque refertque gradum At coecas ineat latebras non sua lustra Tum demum in praedam promptus echinus erit Vt fallat tunc cum praetium putat esse laboris Praestruit in parvis fraus sibi magna fidem ¶ Thus paraphrased Like a round ball he lies of head or face Nought seene saue onely a streight entring place The Mouse doth neere his thorny couering graze And fearelesse of deceit about it playes But is no sooner entred the blinde caue Than catcht he hauing what he sought to haue Small traines at first are by the Crafty layd That the full Prize they better may invade A Meditation vpon the former Tractate I. TO Thee the Saints that in thee trust To Thee the Soules of all the Iust And wretched I To Thee new cry That am indeed no more than Earth and Dust. II. The Heav'nly Hierarchies aboue That are to Thee conjoyn'd in Loue In Hymnes and Layes To Thee giue praise And to the innocent Lambe and spotlesse Doue III. The Angels and Archangels all Vertues and Powers Coelestiall Who stand before Thee And still adore Thee As Messengers still ready at thy Call IV. All magnifie Thee without cease Not fainting rather with encrease Of Will and Voice Laud and reioyce In Thee that art the God of Power and Peace V. And I fraile Man that am not least Of thy Creation would thy Heast Far as I may Serue and obey And beg in thy great Mercies Interest VI. Light therefore in my Heart infuse Instruct my Tongue Thy Name to vse That I may finde Both Heart and Minde Hourely on Thee and onely Thee to muse VII Clense to that end and make me cleane That am polluted and obsceane My sinnefull Soule Spotted and foule Dares not for that cause on thy Mercies leane VIII From Outward things to what 's Interior To what 's Aboue from Things Inferior My Thoughts transcend To apprehend Thee solely that or'e all things art Superior IX O blessed Spirits bright and pure You that the Sacred Throne immure That Place Sublime In first of Time Was made for you alwayes therein to'endure X. Your Makers Face you there behold In numerous Bands and Hosts vntold You to Him solely Sing Holy Holy Holy Whose Brightnesse no Tongue can vnfold XI You in your sweet and musicall Quire See what to Loue and to Admire That Ioy and Blisse Which endlesse is And to attaine vnto we all desire XII For from that Place Coelestiall From henceforth there can be no Fall In that Congruity Is Perpetuity Which as Before it hath bin Euer shall XIII No refractorie Spirits there Since Lucifer dar'd to appeare In Battell fell By Michael All these rebellious Angels captiv'd were XIV He the old Dragon gyv'd and bound Who Mankinde labors to confound Still day by day Vs to betray And to that end the World doth compasse round XV. With Him the Sp'rites of Aire and Fire The Water and the Earth conspire Early and late To'insidiate All such as after Heav'nly things acquire XVI But Thou the blest Angels of Light Against them hast made opposite Both to direct vs And to protect vs From their knowne Malice both by day and night XVII Therefore to Thee ô God alone In Persons Three in Substance One The Trinity In Vnity To search in whose Identity there 's None XVIII So bold as dare so wise as can The Father God Sonne God and Man The Spirit Diuine Third in the Trine All Three
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
voluptuousnesse and pleasure yet was neuer knowne to be either diseased in body or disquieted in minde by any temporall affliction whatsoeuer Which being related vnto the Emperour he made this answer Euen hence we may ground that the Soules of men be immortal for if there be a God who first created and since gouerneth the World as both the Philosophers and Theologists confesse and that there is none so stupid as to deny him to be iust in all his proceedings there must then of necessitie be other places prouided to which the Soules of men must remoue after death since in this life we neither see rewards conferred vpon those that be good and honest nor punishments condigne inflicted vpon the impious and wicked Cicero in Caton Maior reporteth That Cyrus lying vpon his death bed said vnto his sonnes I neuer persuaded my selfe ô my Children that the Soule did liue whilest it was comprehended within this mortall body neither that it shall die when it is deliuered from this fleshly prison Anaxarchus being surprised by Nicocreon the Tirant of Cyprus he commanded him to be contruded into a stone made hollow of purpose and there to be beaten to death with iron hammers In which torments he called vnto the Tyrant and said Beat batter and bruise the flesh and bones of Anaxarchus but Anaxarchus himselfe thou canst not harme or damnifie at all The excellent Philosopher intimating thereby That though the Tyrant had power to exercise his barbarous and inhumane crueltie vpon his body yet his Soule was immortal and that no tyrannie had power ouer either to suppresse or destroy it Brusonius Lib. 2. Cap. 3. ex Plutarc Of lesse constancie was Iohannes de Canis a Florentine Physition of great fame for his practise who when out of the Principles of Mataesophia he had grounded the Soule to be mortal with the Body and in his frequent discourses affirmed as much yet when his last houre drew on he began to doubt within himselfe and his last words were these So now I shall suddenly be resolued whether it be so or no. Iohan. Bapt. Gell. Dialog de Chimaerico As ill if not worse Bubracius lib. 28. reporteth of Barbara wife to the Emperour Sigismund who with Epicurus placed her Summum Bonum in voluptuousnesse and pleasure and with the Sadduces beleeued no resurrection or immortalitie of the Soule but God and the Diuell heauen and hell equally diuided From the Philosophers I come now to the Poets Ovid lib. Metam 15. saith Morte carent Animae semperque priore relicta Sede novis domibus vivunt c. The Soules can neuer dye when they forsake These houses then they other Mansions take Phocilides the Greeke Poet Anima autem immortalis insenesibilis vivit per omne tempus i. For the Soule is immortall not subject vnto age but surviveth beyond the date of Time And Menander Melius est corpus quam Animam aegrotare i. Better it is for thee to be sicke in body than in Soule and howsoeuer thy Body fare be sure to physicke thy Soule with all diligence Propert. 4.7 Sunt aliquid manes let hum non omnia fiunt Luridaque evictos effugit vmbra rogas Sp'rites something are Death doth not all expire And the thin Shadow scapes the conquer'd fire The ingenious Poet Tibullus either inclining to the opinion of Pythagoras or else playing with it who taught That the soule after death did transmigrate and shift into the bodies of other persons and creatures we reade thus Quin etiam meatunc tumulus cui texerit ossa Seu matura dies fato proper at mihi mortem Longa manet seu vita c. When these my bones a Sepulchre shall hide Whether ripe Fate a speedy day prouide Or that my time be lengthned when I change This figure and hereafter shall proue strange Vnto my selfe in some shape yet vnknowne Whether a Horse of seruice I be growne Taught how to tread the earth or Beast more dull Of speed the glory of the herd a Bull Whether a Fowle the liquid aire to cut Or into what Mans shape this Spirit be put These Papers that haue now begun thy praise I will continue in those after-dayes Manl. lib. 4. de Astronom is thus quoted An dubium est habitare Deum sub pectore nostr◠In coelumque redire Animas coeloque venire Who doubts but God dwells in this earthly Frame And Soules returne to Haev'n from whence they came And Lucretius we reade thus Cedit enim retro de terra quid fuit ante In terra sed quod missum est ex Etheris oris Id rursum Coeli fulgentia templa receptus c. That which before was made of earth the same Returnes backe vnto earth from whence it came But that which from th' aethereall parts was lent Is vp vnto those shining Temples sent I haue hitherto spoke of the two distinct parts of Man the Soule and the Body A word or two of Man in generall Homo Man is Anima Rationalis or Mortalis A Creature reasonable and mortall Not so denominated ab Humo as Varro would haue it for that is common with all other Creatures but rather of the Greeke word Omonoia that is Concordia or Consensus Concord or Con-societie because that Man is of all other the most sociable The Nobilitie of Man in regard of the sublimitie of his Soule is expressed in Genes 1. Let vs make Man after our owne Image and similitude c. The humility which ought to be in him concerning the substance whereof he was made Genes 2. The Lord made Man of the slime of the earth The shortnesse of his life Psal. 102. My dayes are declined like a shadow and I am as the Grasse of the field The multiplicitie of his miseries Gen. 3. In the sweat of thy browes shalt thou eat thy bread c. Gregory Nazianzen in Oration 10. vseth these words What is Man that thou art so mindefull of him What new miserie is this I am little and great humble and high mortall and immortal earthly and heauenly the first from this world the later from God the one from the Flesh the other from the Spirit Tertullian Apollogetic advers Gentil cap. 48. hath this Meditation Dost thou aske me how this dissolued Matter shall be again supplied Consider with thy selfe ô Man and bethinke thy selfe what thou wast before thou hadst Being Certainely nothing at all for if any thing thou shouldst remember what thou hadst beene Thou therefore that wast nothing before thou wert shalt againe be made nothing when thou shalt cease to be And why canst thou not againe from Nothing haue Being by the wil of the same Workeman whose will was That at the first thou shouldst haue existence from nothing What new thing shall betide thee Thou which wast not wert made when thou againe art not thou shalt be made Giue me if thou canst a reason how thou wert created at first and then thou
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
Of Thunder Tempest Meteors Lightning Snow Chasemates Trajections of Haile Raine And so With piercing eyes he hath a deepe inspection Into the Sunne Moone Stars the true direction Of all Stars fixt or wandring Zodiacke Lines Articke and the Antarticke Poles and Signes The courses of the Heav'ns the qualities Their influence their effects and properties And as they haue a vertuall pow'r to know All our inferior bodies here below So of the Sp'rits of Glory or Perdition The Orders Offices and the Condition Briefely There is no Creature God hath made From the first Chaos but it may be said Whether it be abortiue or full growne That to the Angels nature it is knowne Since then so great and so profound 's their skill Infus'd into them by the Makers Will No wonder 't is that they such strange things can Beyond the weake capacitie of Man We onely by things sensible attaine To a small knowledge and with mighty paine And into error we may quickly fall For in it is no certaintie at all Sp'rits cannot erre and be deceiv'd as we Seeing and knowing all things perfectly In their true reall Essence which is meant Onely of Naturall things and hath extent No further For as Angels Creatures bee Th' are limited in their capacitie In all such things as on Gods Pow'r depend Or Mans Free-will their skill is at an end And vnderstand no further than reueal'd By the Creator else 't is shut and seal'd Hence comes it that the euill Angels are So oft deceiv'd when as they proudly dare To pry into Gods Counsels and make show By strange predictions future things to know This makes their words so full of craft and guile Either in doubts they cannot reconcile Or else for cettainties false things obtruding So in their Oracles the World deluding Whose answers either were so doubtfull and So intricate that none could vnderstand Or meerely toyes and lies for their words were By interpointing so dispos'd to beare A double sence and seeming truth to tell Whether or this or that way the chance fell But the good Angels they can no way erre The reason is That they themselues referre Wholly to Gods good pleasure from which Square And perfect Rule they neuer wandring are They iudge not rashly hid things they desire not And after future chances they enquire not Nor further of ought else to vnderstand Than they are limited by his command How many thousand traines hath Sathan layd By which he dayly doth fraile man inuade By entring Contract as a seeming friend Thereby to draw him to more fearefull end Of which the Fathers witnesse for one saith The Diuell with Magitions compact hath Another That all Magicke cov'nants bee Meere superstition and Idolatrie Which growes from a societie combin'd Betwixt the euill Daemons and Mankind If these were not Why should the Ciuill Law Firm'd by th' Imperiall sanction keepe in awe Such damn'd Impostors For the words thus run Many we know abstruse Arts haue begun To put in practise to disturbe the Aire Vpon the innocent Soules these likewise dare Vomit their malice and from the graues call Spirits from rest by Diabolicall And cursed Spells All such as shall rely On things preposterous and contrary To Natures course Gods people to annoy The Churches Curse them and their Arts destroy The like against these selfe-opinion'd fooles Is Articled in the Parisian Schooles Of such like Miscreants 't is in Esay said We haue strooke hands to league with Death and made Cov'nant with Hell How can Man be exempt From this Seducer he that dar'd to tempt The Sonne of God All these will I giue thee If thou wilt prostrat fall and worship mee Of these Compacts and Couenants we finde Two sorts and both blasphemous in their kinde The first When willingly we seeke inspection Into that Art and labour our direction From Magicke bookes or vse their Circles Lines Their superstitious Characters and Signes The second when without maleuolence We search into that art with no pretence Of Curiositie onely we vse it Knowledge to gaine and got not to abuse it And that is dangerous too all Such compact League with the Diuell as in word or act Breathe words vnknowne obscure inserted vainly Or such things as are holy vse prophanely As by obseruing certaine Characters Signes Figures Angles Squares Diameters c. Certaine Dayes Houres Stars Planets Constellations Graines Numbers Instruments of antique fashions And these beyond their naturall operations When Sacraments or any thing that 's holy Shall be abus'd by their ridiculous folly When Images of Wax or such like matter Are cast into a pot and boyl'd in water When certaine Numbers vnknowne Markes or Notes Writ in strange coloured paper he deuotes To superstitious vse When as to Coine Of gold or siluer or of brasse they ioyne Stamps of new Characters and this to bee When such a Planet is in such degree Such Pieces did Pasetis vse to weare What e're he bought he neuer payd too deare Who parting from the Merchant did but name The sum he payd and backe to him it came When holy Ceremonies through the Malicious Are made idolatrous and superstitious When Linnen neuer washt is vs'd and hee Must hold a Wand that 's cut from such a Tree With which he strikes the East and then the West The North or South as to his purpose best That all his Haire shaues off by night or day Thinking thereby to driue the Div'll away That takes dust from a Sepulchre to vse Or from the Graue the Deads bones to abuse Or ought besides that shall seeme retrograde To Reasons course or what 's by Nature made Further Vnto this Cov'nant doth belongâ— All such as stand in their opinions strong To meditate those fond Bookes bearing name From Ada Abelus Enoch Abraham Cyprian Albertus Magnus or Honorius Paulus with those in Magicke still held glorious Who boast ambitiously with great ostent This Art had both it's birth and ornament Either from Adams Custos Razael Or else from Tobits Keeper Raphael Another strange Booke they produce and say 'T was Salomons call'd his Clavicula These Magi by old Sathan thus misguided Another Volume in sev'n parts diuided Stuft with Spels Charmes Oblations all Confusions Of Non-sence and the Diuels meere obtrusions As a Worke learn'd and sacred still prefer To ev'ry curious yong Practitioner All these are but his subtill traines to draw Men from Gods Feare and honour of his Law For in this Art whoeuer striues t' excell He strikes a lasting Couenant with Hell And as in these so likewise in past Ages He wanted not his Astrologomages For most of this prognosticating Tribe Mettals vnto each Planet can ascribe Siluer vnto the Moone to the Sunne was Gold sacred vnto Iove Copper and Brasse To Venus white Lead vnto Saturne Blacke Iron and Steele to Mars nor doth there lacke Amber to Mercury To each of them They
shafts to murther our soules And yet such is our madnesse that though we behold this Dragon dayly with open mouth ready to deuoure vs yet we notwithstanding wanton in our sloath are secure before him who desireth nothing so much as to destroy vs. He alwayes waketh without sleepe to pursue vs and we will not awake from sleep to preserue our selues Behold he layeth infinite snares before our feet and spreadeth ginnes in all our wayes to intrap our Soules and who can auoid them He hath layd snares in our Riches snares in our Pouertie in our meat our drinke our pleasure our sleepe our watching in our words our actions and in all our wayes But thou ô Lord free vs from the snares of the Hunter that wee may confesse vnto thee and say Blessed is the Lord who hath not deliuered vs into his jawes to be deuoured My Soule hath escaped as the Sparrow from the snare of the Hunter the snare is destroyed and I am now set free Amen Now of those Spirits which attributed vnto themselues Diuine worship and adoration Such an one was he who spake in the Oracle of Apollo at Delphos called the Diuiner he made choice of a Virgin called Pythia who sate on a Trypos or three-footed stoole and held a rod in her hand and when shee deliuered any answer was crowned with a Chaplet of fresh greene Lawrell There were Oracles in many other places Liber or Bacchus was the Oracle of the Sicilians Ceres to the Rhodians Diana to the Ephesians Berecinthia to the Romans Belus to the Assyrians Iuno to the Numidians Venus to the Thebans and Cypriots c. In whom poore abused Idolaters reposed all their confidence tendring their vowes and sacrifices in vaine their ridiculous answers being meere imaginary and fabulous as proceeding from the Diuell who is the Father of Lies c. It is worthy obseruation to see in what absurd and more than brutish manner he abused the Gentiles The Sarronides were a kinde of Philosophers who vsed Diuination and Sacrifice among the antient Gaules These in their solemne meetings would cut the throat of a man and by the manner of his fall the flux of his bloud or the separation of limbes and members predict of future things They had Idols of immeasurable height made of twiggs and osiers which they stuffed and filled with liuing men and then setting them on fire with straw reeds and other things combustible there the poore creatures died most miserably Commonly they made vse of malefactors and such as were apprehended for robberies but for want of such offendors they would not spare honest and innocent persons The like we reade amongst the Samothracians obserued in the honour of Ceres and Proserpina in an Island where Hebrus falls into the AEgean sea Strabo saith They builded Colossi of wood many parts whereof were interlaced with straw in these they in their sacrifices were accustomed to burne beasts and men among them And Diodorus writeth That they vsed an impiety answerable to their brutish nature for they would reserue men such as were conuinced of notorious crimes for the space of some yeares then spit them on sharpe stakes from the fundament to the mouth then place them vpon the piles of wood and put fire vnto them and this was their maner of inuocation to their false gods Pomponius Nela thus speaketh of them The Gaules are a proud Nation superstitious and cruell for they vndoubtedly beleeue that men are the best and most acceptable sacrifice to their gods The greatnesse of their Idols and Statues is not to be wondred at because it should seeme they were frequent in those times for we reade in Pliny We beheld saith he huge massie statues of new inuention which they called Colossi and were no lower than Towers but of equall height with them Amongst which hee nameth Apollo Capitelinus of thirty cubits height Iupiter Tarentinus of forty cubits height the Sunne at Rhodes seuenty Apollo of Tuskany which was in the Librarie of the Temple of Augustus contained fifty foot in height that which Nero caused to be made was an hundred foot high but of the greatest Zenodorus speakes which was the statue of Mercury erected in Auergne a prouince belonging to the Gâ—â—les which surpassed all others in height bignesse and value being foure hundred 〈◊〉 from the Basse to the crown This sheweth that the statues of Idols belonging to the Gaules were of extraordinarie and wonderfull greatnesse which as Caesar saith they filled with liuing men making them their Sacrifices and Offerings Nor were the Gaules thus seduced by the Diuel only but euen the Romans also for the Historiographer Livy telleth vs That after the great ouerthrow at Cannas a towne in Apulia by Hannibal certaine extraordinarie Sacrifices were performed by consultation had with diuers fatall bookes wherein a man and woman of Gaule and a man and woman of Greece were brought to the Oxe market in Rome and layd along vpon the ground aliue in a place round beguâ—t with stones which neuer had been sullied with humane Offering and there sacrificed according to the Romane Rites and ceremonies The like hath beene amongst the Arabians Thracians Scytheans AEgyptians and Grecians of which I will onely deliuer you what I haue read in one or two Authors Dionysius Halicarnaffeus to Hethus That Iupiter and Apollo vnder whose names the Diuell him selfe was shadowed because the tenth borne of euerie male childe was not sacrificed vnto them sent great and grieuous calamities and plagues throughout Italy And Diâ—dorus declareth That in his time there was at Carthage an Idoll of Saturne and it was supposed saith he that Saturne was much offended with the people because in former times they had been wont to sacrifice vnto him the most worthy and best born of their children but by the successe of times in stead of their own children they bought and entertained others secretly nourishing them in their houses and after sacrificed them to their gods The which being discouered and they easily persuaded That by this dissimulation and impostemus dealing Saturne was insenced against them because that some of their Allyes were despoiled and part of their Countrey layd waste by the publique Enemie therefore the better to appeaâ—â— him they sacrificed publiquely at one time two 〈◊〉 young 〈◊〉 such as were the choicest and best borne of all their Nobilitie and after that picked out three hundred 〈◊〉 which with their owne good liking because they perceiued themselues to be suspected gaue their liues freely to be sacrificed He that of these things desires to be further satisfied let him reade Eusebius in his Ecclesiastical History who hath many examples and discourses to this purpose extracted out of sundry Nations affirming That in the time of Adrian and when the Euangelicall doctrine began somwhat earnestly to be embraced these abhominable cruelties by degrees ceased and were in short time abolished
yeare 1548 the Chancellor caused his Ring in the publique market place to be layd vpon an Anvil and with an iron hammer beaten to pieces Mengius reporteth from the relation of a deare friend of his a man of approued fame and honestie this historie In a certain towne vnder the jurisdiction of the Venetians one of these praestigious Artists whom some call Pythonickes hauing one of these Rings in which he had two familiar Spirits exorcised and bound came to a Predicant or preaching Frier a man of sincere life and conuersation and confessed vnto him that hee was possessed of such an inchanted Ring with such Spirits charmed with whom he had conference at his pleasure But since he considered with himselfe that it was a thing dangerous to his Soule and abhominable both to God and man he desired to be clearely acquit thereof and to that purpose hee came to receiue of him some godly counsell But by no persuasion would the Religious man be induced to haue any speech at all with those euill Spirits to which motion the other had before earnestly solicited him but admonished him to cause his Magicke Ring to be broken that to be done with all speed possible At which words the Familiars were heard as it were to mourne and lament in the Ring and to desire that no such violence might be offered vnto them but rather than so that it would please him to accept of the Ring and keepe it promising to do him all seruice and vassallage of which if he pleased to accept they would in short time make him to be the most famous and admired Predicant in all Italy But he perceiuing the Diuels cunning vnder this colour of courtesie made absolute refusall of their offer and withall conjured them to know the reason why they would so willingly submit themselues to his patronage After many euasiue lies and deceptious answers they plainly confessed vnto him That they had of purpose persuaded the Magition to heare him preach that by that sermon his conscience being pricked and galled he might be weary of the Ring and being refused of the one be accepted of the other by which they hoped in short time so to haue puft him vp with pride and heresie to haue precipitated his soule into certaine and neuer-ending destruction At which the Church-man being zealously inraged with a great hammer broke the Ring almost to dust and in the name of God sent them thence to their own habitations of darknesse or whither it pleased the higher Powers to dispose them Of this kinde doubtlesse was the Ring of Gyges of whom Herodotus maketh mention by vertue of which he had power to walke inuisible who by the murther of his Soueraigne Candaules maried his Queene and so became King of Lydia Such likewise had the Phocensian Tyrant who as Clemens Stromataeus speaketh by a sound which came of it selfe was warned of all times seasonable and vnseasonable in which to mannage his affaires who notwithstanding could not bee forewarned of his pretended death but his Familiar left him in the end suffering him to be slain by the Conspirators Such a Ring likewise had one Hieronimus Chancellor of Mediolanum which after proued to be his vntimely ruine Concerning the mutation or change of Sex which some haue attributed to the fallacies of the Diuell it is manifest that they haue been much deceiued therein since of it many naturall reasons may be giuen as is apparant by many approued histories Phlegon in his booke De Mirabil Longev telleth vs That a virgin of Smyrna called Philotis the same night that she was maried to a yong man those parts which were inuerted and concealed began to appeare and shee rose in the morning of a contrarie sex As likewise That in Laodicea a city of Syria one AEteta after the same manner rose from her husbands side a yong man and after altered her name to AEtetus at the same time when Macrinus was President of Athens and L. Lamia and AElianus Veter were Consuls in Rome In the time that Ferdinand the first was King of Naples one Ludovicus Guarna a citisen of Salern had fiue daughters of which the two eldest were called Francisca and Carola either of which at fifteene yeares of age found such alteration in themselues that they changed their foeminine habits and names also the one being called Franciscus the other Carolus In the reigne of the same King the daughter of one Eubulus being deliuered vnto an husband returned from him altered in her sex sued for her dowerie and recouered it Amatus Lucitanus testifieth that in the town of Erguira distant some nine leagues from Couimbrica there liued a Nobleman who had a daughter named Maria Pachecha who by the like accident prouing to be a yong man changed her habit and called her selfe Manuel Pachecha Who after made a voiage into the Indies and became a valiant souldier attaining to much wealth and honour and returning married a Lady of a noble Family but neuer attained to haue issue but had an effoeminat countenance to his dying day The like Livy remembreth of a woman of Spoleta in the time of the second Punicke war But a story somewhat stranger than these is related by Anthonius Torquinada That not far from the city Beneventum in Spain a Countrey-man of a meane fortune married a wife who because she was barren vsed her very roughly insomuch that shee lead with him a most discontented life Whereupon one day putting on one of her husbands suits to disguise her self from knowledge she stole out of the house to proue a more peaceable fortune elsewhere and hauing been in diuers seruices whether the conceit of her mans habit or whither Nature strangely wrought in her but she found a strange alteration in her selfe insomuch that she who had been a wife now had a great desire to do the office of an husband and married a woman in that place whither she had retyred her selfe Long she kept these things close to her selfe till in the end one of her familiar acquaintance trauelling by chance that way and seeing her to be so like vnto that woman whom hee before knew demanded of her If she were not brother to the wife of such a man who had forsaken his house so many yeares since To whom vpon promise of secrecy she reuealed all according to the circumstances before rehearsed Examples to this purpose are infinite let these suffice for many A strange Tale is that which Phlegon the freed-man of Hadrianus reporteth of which he protests himselfe to haue bin eye witnesse Philemium saith he the daughter of Philostratus and Charitus fell deepely inamoured of a yong man called Machates who at that time ghested in her fathers house Which her parents tooke so ill that they excluded Machates from their family At which she so much grieued that soone after she died and was buried Some six moneths after the yong man returning
shooes could water tred And neuer hasard drowning The like fame Another that Othimius had to name Behinde him left Hadingus King of Danes Mounted vpon a good Steed by the raines Th' Inchanter tooke and crosse the main sea brought him Safe whilest in vaine the hot pursuer sought him Oddo the Danish Pyrat by the aid Of the like Sp'rits whole Nauies durst inuade And with his Magicke Charmes could when he please Raise mighty stormes and drowne thâ—m in the seas At length by one of greater practise found Aiming at others Wracke himselfe was drown'd Some Authors vnto this accursed Tribe Of watry Daemons Deluges ascribe And flux of waters Such we reade were knowne Whilest Damasus was Pope when ouerthrowne Were many cities in Sicilia And By Historiographers we vnderstand The like chanc'd in Pope Alexanders dayes In Italy afflicting diuers wayes Both losse of beasts and great depopulation In Charles the fifts time by an Inundation Happend in Holland Zeeland Friseland these Had their maritime shores drown'd by the seas In Poland neere Cracovia chanc'd the same And in one yeare if we may credit Fame In Europ besides Townes and Cities then Perisht aboue fiue hundred thousand men To these belong what we call Hydromantia Gastromantia Lacomantia Pagomantia Touching the Spirits of the Earth there bee Of diuers sorts each knowne in his degree As Genij the Domesticke gods and those They Lares call Spectars Alastores Larvae Noone-Diuels Syluanes Satyrs Fawnes And they frequâ—nt the Forrests Groues and Lawnes Others th' Italians F'oletti call Paredrij there are too yet these not all Now what these Genij are Philostratus Eunapius Athenaeus Maximus With all the other Platonicks profest Them to be Sp'rits of men before deceast Who had they liv'd a good life and vnstain'd By licence of th' Infernall Pow'rs obtain'd In their owne houses to inhabit still And their posteritie to guard from ill Such they call'd Lares But all those that lead Liues wicked and debosht they being dead Wandred about the earth as Ghosts exil'd Doing all mischiefe such they Larvae stil'd And of this kinde that Spirit we may guesse Remembred in the booke of Socrates Who in the shape oâ— Moses did appeare The space togetheâ— of one compleat yeare I' th Isle of Creet persuading with the Iewes There liuing That he such a meanes would vse That if they met at a fixt day with ease He would traject them dry-foot through the seas To which they trusting by appointment meet All who that time were resident in Creet And follow their false Captaine lesse and more Ev'n to the very margent of the shore Then turning tow'rds them in a short oration Bespeakes them thus O you the chosen nation Behold as great a wonder from my hand As your fore-fathers did from Moses Wand Then with his finger points vnto a place 'Twixt them and which a Creeke ran no great space And seeming shallow All of you now fling Your selues saith he and follow me your King Into this sea swim but to yonder strand And you shall then arriue vpon a land From whence I will conduct you ev'ry man Dry-foot into a second Canaan He plungeth first they follow with one minde In hope a second Palestine to finde But hauing past their depths the rough windes blew When this Seducer straight himselfe withdrew Leaues them to ruin most of them bee'ng drown'd Some few by fish-boats sav'd he no wherâ— found With these the Spectars in some points assent Bee'ng tow'rds Mankinde alike maleuolent Whose in-nate malice nothing can asswage Authors of death depopulation strage By Origen they are Alastares nam'd By Zoroaster bloudy and vntam'd Concerning which the learned mens opinion Is That Abaddon hath of them dominion What time Iustinian did the Empire sway Many of these did shew themselues by day To sundry men both of good braine and sence After which follow'd a great Pestilence For to all such those Spectars did appeare It was a certaine signe their death drew neare King Alexander of that name the third That reign'd in Scotland if Boethius word May be beleev'd by match himselfe ally'de With England tooke Ioanna to his Bride Sister to the third Henry She bee'ng dead And issuelesse he after married Marg'ret his daughter Did on her beget Prince Alexander David Margaret These dying in their nonage and she too With sorrow as most thinke the King doth woo Iolanta the faire daughter as some say Vnto the great Earle of Campania Being as 't seemes most ardently inclin'd After his death to leaue some heire behind In the mid Reuels the first ominous night Of their espousals when the roome shone bright With lighted tapers the King and the Queene leading The curious Measures Lords and Ladies treading The selfe same straines the King looks backe by chance And spies a strange intruder fill the dance Namely a meere Anatomy quite bare His naked limbes both without flesh and haire As we decipher Death who stalks about Keeping true measure till the dance was out The King with all the rest afrighted stand The Spectar vanisht and then strict command Was giv'n to breake vp reuels each 'gan feare This Omen and presage disaster neere If any aske What did of this succeed The King soone â—fter falling from his Steed Vnhappily dy'de After whose death ensuing Was to the land sedition wracke and ruin The Syluanes Fawnes and Satyrs are the same The Greekes Paredrij call the Latines name Familiar Spirits who though in outward shew They threat no harme but seeme all good to owe Poore ambusht mankinde though their crafty Mines And snares do not appeare by ev'dent signes Yet with malicious hate they are infected And all their deeds and counsels are directed To make a faire and flatt'ring preparation Vnto the bodies death and soules damnation And of these Spirits as Macrobius saith The mount Pernassus in aboundance hath Neere to mount Hecta And Olaus writes The like appeare most frequently by nights And verbally deliuer kinde commends To men from their deceast and shipwrackt friends Vsing their helpe one Iohn Teutonicus By Acromaticke Magicke sported thus This Iohn was knowne a bastard and yet had Great fame for learning who in Halberstad Had for his worth admittance to a place Where none but the Nobilitie had grace To be in Commons yet it seemes so great Was his repute with them he sate and eat But yet with small content the yong men proud Of their high noble births much disallow'd His company and tooke it in great scorne To sit with one though learn'd yet basely borne And whether they were serv'd with flesh or fish His bastardy was sauce still in his dish But skil'd in hidden Arts I will thought he Some sudden means deuice henceforth to free My selfe from all their scoffes and taunts Hee then Inuites vnto his chamber those yong men Who most seem'd to oppose him feasts
hundred yeres and more before he came to the Crown looking vpon that place where it is said I will that Cyrus whom I haue made King ouer many and great Nations shall send my People into their owne Countrey there to rebuild my Temple he I say as ouerjoyed with this Propheticall prediction witnessed by his Edict That he would send them freely into Iudaea there to erect a Temple vnto the Great God by whose mighty prouidence he was appointed to be a King so many Ages before he was borne The like is recorded of Alexander Macedo who being at Ierusalem there instructed by the Prophecie of Daniel That it should come to passe that a King of Greece should vtterly subvert the Persians and after enioy their soueraigntie and estate building from thence a certaine confidence of his future victorie hee presented Iaddus and the rest of the Priests from whom hee receiued that light of the Prophecie with many and rich gifts and moreouer gaue them not only free libertie to vse their owne Lawes and Religion but released them from a seuen yeares tribute Panormitan lib. 1. de Dictis Factis Alphons reporteth That Alphonsus King of Arragon and Sicilie neuer suffered any man to exceed him in bounty and gratitude And Herodotus lib. 1. telleth vs That though Cyrus knew himselfe to be the son of Cambyses King of Persia and Mandanes daughter to Astiages King of the Medes yet his Nurse Spaco which the Greekes call Cino from whence grew the Fable That he was nursed by a Bitch who was wife to the Herdsman of King Mithridates he held in such great honour that no day passed him in which he had not the name of Cino in his mouth Hence commeth it according to Hect. Boeth lib. 2. That the nurse-children of the most noble Scots affect those of whose milke they haue sucked and title them by the name of Foster-brothers Plutarch speaketh of Pyrrhus King of the Epyrots That he was humane and gentle vnto his familiar friends and euer ready to requite any courtesie done vnto him And Caspinus reporteth of Henry the second Emperour That onely because he was instructed in learning and Arts in a towne of Saxony called Hildescheim he for that cause made it an Episcopall See and endowed it with many faire and rich Reuenues It is reported by Plutarch of Philip King of Macedon the Father of Alexander the Great That when his great friend Eparchus Embricus was dead he mourned and lamented exceedingly but when one came to comfort him and said There was no occasion of this his so great sorrow in regard hee died well and in a full and mature age he made answer Indeed hee died so to himselfe but to me most immaturely in regard death did anticipate him before I had requited his many courtesies to the full Per Cucupham avem saith Pierius Valerius which I vnderstand to be the Storke the AEgyptians hierogliphycally signifie paternall and filiall gratitude for as Philippus Phiropollines testates Aboue all other birds they repay vnto their parents being old those benefits which they reciued from them being yong For in the same place where they were first hatched being growne to ripenesse they prepare a new nest for their Dams where they cherish them in their age bring them meat plucke away the incommodious and vnprofitable feathers and if they be vnable to flye support them vpon their more able wings Wee reade his thirtieth Emblem ad Gratiam referendam thus Aërio insignis pietate Ciconia nido Implumis pullos pectore grata fovet c. Th' indulgent Storke who builds her nest on hye Observ'd for her alternat pietie Doth cherish her vnfeather'd Yong and feed them And looks from them the like when she should need them That 's when she growes decrepit old and weake Nor doth her pious Issue cov'nant breake For vnto her bee'ng hungry food she brings And being weake supports her on her wings Saint Bernard super Cantic saith Disce in ferendo gratias non esse tardus non segnis c. Learne in thy thankfulnesse not to be slack nor slow but for euery singular courtesie to be particularly gratefull And in his first Sermon vpon the same he vseth these words As often as Temptation is ouercome or Sinne subdued or imminent Perill escaped or the Snare of the Aduersary auoided or any old and inueterat disease of the Minde healed or any long-wished and oft-deferred Vertue obtained by the great grace and gift of God so often ought laud and praise with thankesgiuing be rendred vnto him For in euerie particular benefit bestowed vpon vs God ought to be particularly blessed otherwise that man shall be reputed Ingratefull who when hee shall be called to an account before God cannot say Cantabiles mihi erant iustificationes tuae Let vs now heare what the Poets say concerning Gratitude We reade Ovid 4. de Ponte thus Pro quibus vt meritis referentur gratia jurat Se fore mancipium tempus in omne tuum c. For which that due thanks may be giv'n he sweares Himselfe thy slaue to infinites of yeares First shall the mountaines of their trees be bare And on the Seas saile neither Ship nor Crare And flouds vnto their fountaines backward fly Than of thy loue shall faile my memory As also Virgill AEnead lib. 2. Dij si quaest Coelo pietas quae talia curet Persolvant grates dignas proemia reddant Debita The gods themselues if in the heav'ns there be Which shall of these take charge that pietie Returne thee merited thanks and such a meed As is behoofefull for thy gratefull deed Sophocles in Oedipo saith Gratiam adfert gratia beneficium semper beneficium parit Thanks begets thanks and one benefit plucks on another Saith Seneca En est gratum opus si vltro offeras Behold that is a gratefull worke which commeth freely and of thine owne accord And in another place Beneficium dare qui nescit injustè petit He that knoweth not how to doe a courtesie with no justice can expect any Againe Beneficium accipere est libertatem vendere To receiue a benefit is to sell thy libertie These with many others are Maximes of the Tragicke Poet Seneca Statius lib. 7. Thebaidum saith Nec laâ—dare satis dignasque reperdené grates Sufficiunt referant superi Praise thee enough or enough thanke thee I Cannot but where I want the gods supply Ovid 1. de Tristibus thus writeth vnto a friend of his whom he had found constant vnto him in all his troubles and aduerse fortunes Haec mihi semper erint imis infixa medullas Perpetuusque animae debitor hujus ero These courtesies haue pierc'd my marrow and My life and soule at all times shall command First shall this Sp'rit into the aire expire And these my bones be burnt in fun'rall fire Than that the least obliuion shall once staine This memorie which lasting shall remaine I conclude this Theme of Gratitude with
to make his entrance But hee continuing his godly meditations was no further troubled but slept quietly the remainder of the night The next day comming againe to visit his Patient whom the Diuell had possessed after he had prayed with her a while he began to vpbraid the Diuell of promise-breach and told him that he had neither visited nor terrified him no not so much as entred his chamber which he bragged and boasted he would do To whom he replied That he was at the doore and knockt moreouer That hee had vntiled a grear part of the house but had no power to enter the place being so munified and defended by his holy supplications Nay more if all the legions of hell should haue attempted it it had been in vaine since there is no inuasion or irruption to bee made by them into a place sanctified and made holy by prayers and blessings of holy and deuout men He then profered the Diuell to remoue his bed into any other open place where was no roofe nor couering but he refused to meddle with him vpon any termes So that by his pious and Christian endeauour he was exterminate and cast out neuer troubling the good woman after Most true and vndoubted it is That the inuocation of the holy Name of God is a most preseruatiue Amulet or sweet-smelling Confection to expell all the noysome and pestilentiall sauours by which hee seekes to poyson and infect the soule of man Or like the heart and liuer of the fish layd vpon the coles by Tobit in his marriage chamber the perfume whereof being smelt by the euill Spirit confines him into the vttermost parts of AEgypt I come now to the miserable and most remarkable ends of the most notorious and infamous Magitions Amongst whom Simon syrnamed Magus from his prestigious and diabolicall act may claime a kinde of priority and precedence wherefore I rank him in the first place He by the Diuels assistance hauing long deluded the people with many stupendious and prodigious nouelties grew to that height of opinion not onely amongst the vulgar and vnletter'd sort of people who are ready to admire euery Mountebanke and â—ugler but had purchased himselfe that credit and reputation with the Emperour and Senat of Rome that they were not willing onely to celebrate his name and reuerence his person but they concluded and agreed to conferre vpon him Diuine honors causing an Altar to be erected with this inscription Simoni sancto Deo To Simon the holy god Notwithstanding hee had thus blinded the eyes and deluded the sences of such an vnderstanding Nation yet he himselfe knew That whatsoeuer he did was but Deceptio visus meere jugling trickes and legerdemaines Therefore when he beheld the holy Apostles to worke true Miracles meerely and immediately by the powerfull hand of God and in the name of our Redeemer hee offered them a great summe of money to purchase from them the gift of the holy-Ghost as knowing that to be reall and essentiall and his spells and riddles to be nugatorie and vaine Nicenus commemorateth diuers of his seeming wonders He hath saith he made statues and Images to moue and walke he flung himselfe into the fire and wrapt himselfe in flames and not been burned he hath flowne in the aire and of stones made bread that hath been eaten he hath changed himself into a Serpent and could take vpon him the shape of any beast whatsoeuer he would many times appeare to haue two faces and harh turned himselfe into an heape of gold at feasts and banquets he would shew strange apparitions all those dishes and chargers appointed for the seruice brought vp the meat of themselues without any seene to support them and the bowles and glasses offered themselues of their owne accord into the hands of them who had an appetite to drinke But after all his cheating jugling and prestigion if I may so call it flying in the aire at the prayers of Saint Peter his spells failed and his incantations deceiued him so that falling precipitate from on high he brake all his bones to shiuers And this of his execrable Art was the miserable end Now of those Iuglers that make a trade and profession thereof and do sell their trickes for money there are diuers examples Of one Zito a Bohomian an expert and cunning Inchanter Iohannes Dubravius thus writeth Vincestaus Emperor and King of Bohemia hauing entred into league and affinitie with Iohn Duke of Bauaria by taking to wife his daughter Sophia the father in law hearing his sonne to be much delighted in sports and especially in jugling and prestigious conueyances hee caused a waggon to be furnished with such like implements and properties Fencers weapons and the like to furnish seuerall pastimes and carried them with him to the city of Prague where the Emperour then kept Court Now when the most excellent amongst the Bauarian Magitions had presented himselfe on the stage to shew the Princes and the rest of the spectators some rare nouell and wonderment presently appeares vnknowne and vnexpected of the other one Zito belonging to Vinceslaus with his mouth gaping and drawn to either eare and comming neere to the Bauarian he seemed to eat and deuoure him cloathes and all saue his shooes which were somewhat durty and those as if his stomack would not disgest them he cast vp againe Then as if his belly had bin troubled with this vnaccustomed dyet he retyred to a great Vessell full of water which was placed by and making shew as if hee would ease himselfe and exonerate his body charged with such a burthen he presently deliuered vnto them the Bauarian conjured out of the tunne wet from head to foot to the great admiration and laughter of the multitude Which strooke such a terror into the rest that came to shew themselues and their cunning that not one of them after that durst appeare in the sight of Zito Olaus Magnus writeth That one Gilbertus contending with his Master and Tutor Which was the best experimented in arr Magicke which they both professed the Archi-Mage or Teacher whose name was Catillus produced a small staffe inscribed with Gothicke or Ruthnicke characters and cast it vpon the ground which the scholler Gilbert taking vp he presently grew stiffe and hard and was instantly conueyed into an Island called Latus Veter which lies within the dominion of the Astro-Gothes and in a cauerne there was finally confined It is likewise reported That before a publique assembly of the Nobilitie and others in the Court of a great King two famous Magitions contended which of them should haue the precedencie for skill and in the triall it was concluded betwixt them that by turnes neither should refuse what the other commanded him to do to which couenant they had both past their oathes in the presence of all the Spectators The first who was to begin commands the other to put his head out of a casement Which was