is naught 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Because saith he this fish Polypus is pleasant to the taste but it disturbeth sleep with troublesome and heterogenous or unnaturall phancies As also from Plautus Plautus in Mâ—â—â—t in Rud. Miris modis Di ludos faciunt hominibus Mirisque exemplis nam somnia in somnis danunt Ne dormientes quidem sinunt quiescere And elsewhere Miris modis c. as before then followes Velut ego hac nocte hac quae praeteriit proxima In somnis egi satis fui homo exercitus It is taken otherwise passively by Aristotle where he defines 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in men to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Molestiam turbulentam though there also it may bear an active construction See also if you please Oracul Chald. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. and there Psellus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Herodotus again lib. VII ca. 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By him saith he a great army may easily be overthrown by a small one when God envying them shall send upon them a sudden fright or thunder as upon the Marcomanni in Marcus Antoninus his time a famous story among Christian writers through which the most worthy have unworthily been defeated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without falling properly which puts me in mind and I must have remembred it however of Adam's fall Now as we have here an ancient tradition concerning the envy and malignity of certain evill spirits to mankind so was there among them another tradition of no lesse antiquity concerning the fall of man or men from their primitive estate of Angelicall happinesse both which traditions being put together will make it evident which is a great part of our task that the fal of Adam as it is recorded in holy Writ by the temptation of the Devill was not altogether unknown unto ancient Heathens Of this latter besides Plato and all Platonicks after him who speak of it often but more obscurely and allegorically Tully writes in this wise Ex quibus humanae vitae erroribus aerumnis fit ut interdum veteres illi sive vates sive in sacris initiisque tradendis divinae mentis interpretes qui nos ob aliqua scelera suscepta in vitâ superiore poenarum luendarum caussâ natos esse dixerunt aliquid vidisse videantur verumque sit illud qâ—od est apud Aristot simili nos affectos esse supplicio atque eos qui quondam quum in praedonum Etruscorum manus incidissent crudelitate excogitatâ necabantur quorum corpora viva cum mortuis adversa adversis accommodata quà aptissimè colligabantur eâ nostros animos cum corporibus copulatos ut vivos cum mortuis esse conjunctos that is From these many errors or wandrings and miseries of this mortall life I am ever and anon much inclined to beleeve that those ancient whether Prophets or Ministers and Interpreters of the divine will by whom sacred rites mysteries were instituted who taught that we were born and brought forth into this world to suffer for some crimes by us committed in our former life did speak the truth indeed as also for the same reason to subscribe unto that of Aristotles as most true who writes that our punishment is not unlike that which was used by some Etruscan robbers elsewhere by S. Augustine called Reges Etrusci and Thusci Tyranni Contra Cresconium Grammat l. 4. c. 49. contra Parmen l. 3. cap. ult who to shew their cruelty towards some who were faln into their hands devised this kind of death to fit their live bodies with other dead bodies and to bind them up very artificially the one opposite to the other face to face and so of other parts that even so our souls are coupled and joyned with our bodies as those live bodies were joyned with the dead We owe this excellent passage of Tully unto S. August by whom out of his Hortensius in his IV. book against Julianus the Pelagian it is cited and so preserved the whole book from which it was taken some few fragments excepted being since perished Orpheus is the man intended by Tully who was both vates and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 too a great contriver of sacred mysteries who first as we are told by Plato in his Cratylus called the body 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a tombe or sepulchre This Orpheus is very ancient according to Eusebius his computation he lived about twelve hundred years before Christ was born long before Homer There is very little of his some few verses collected from severall Authors now extant that is truly his but of old even in Platoes time as himselfe witnesseth there were divers counterfeit books that went under his name Diâ—g Laertius thinks him not worthy the name of a Philosopher Neither doe I if he did write indeed such things as he layeth to his charge Now whereas those ancients Orpheus and since him Plato and others who speak of mans happinesse before this life seem to make man in that state of happinesse meerly spirituall a pure soul I mean this will easily be reconciled with the truth if it be considered that the same Ancients Plato I am sure did attribute unto man that is unto the soul of man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an immortall bright resplendent and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a materiall mortall body of which tâ—ey thâ—â— desire to know more may reade Synesius in his De Insoâ—â—â—â—â— and the Greek Scholiast there as also Hierocles upon Pythageras his veâ—ses who treat of it at large So that according to them the soule even before it was joined unto this body was not without a body but so different in qualities from this that it seems it was mistaken for another quite different as well in substance as qualities And as for the place where this former life was not mentioned here by Tully but expressed by Plato and others to have been Heaven we know that Paradise the place of our first Parents abode during their innocency is even in the Scriptures taken for Heaven sometimes or at least for a place of blisse different from the earth and even S. Chrysostome who sharply censureth those that turned the situation of Paradise as it is described in the Scripture into allegories yet himselfe spareth not to say that our first Parents in Paradise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inhabited the earth as a kind of Heaven styling man in the same place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Terrestiall Angel S. Basil is yet more free in his expressions and so are other Ancients whom I shall not need to name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pherecydes his words in Origen against Celsus are these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Of that portion is the Tartarean portion or company kept by the daughters of Boreas Harpyes and Thuella or Tempest and thither doth Jupiter cast whoever of the Gods or Angels which word of Angels was not unknown to
THE ORIGINALL CAVSE OF Temporall Evils The opinions of the most Ancient Heathens concerning it examined by the sacred Scriptures and referred unto them as to the Sourse and Fountaine from whence they sprang By MERIC CASAUBON D.D. Orig. contra Cels lib. IV. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If any Argument fit for humane disquisition be of difficult investigation to humane industry among such may this which is concerning the Originall of Evils well be reckoned LONDON Printed by M. F. and are to be sold by Richard Minne at the signe of S. Paul in Little Britain 1645. The Preface ARistotle in his Rhetoricks where he treats of the properties of men according to their severall either ages or conditions of life hath a notable observation concerning those he properly calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or fortunate men That among a greater number of bad qualities they have one that is commendable and makes some amends which is that they are commonly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lovers of God or piously affected towards God It may well seeme strange if not altogether false it being more generally received and apparantly more probable that Bonae mentis soror paupertas Vertue and Poverty poverty piety the vertue of vertues especialy are of a kind It were no hard thing with such distinctions and limitations of circumstances as in cases of this nature must alwayes be presupposed to reconcile these two Neither indeed doth Aristotle simply say that they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 religious in point of life which may prove quite another thing but this onely that such are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is that They love God whether really or in their opinion onely is the question See S. John Chap. XIV ver 15.21 23 24. and the same S. John I. Epist Chap. V. ver 1 2 3. and have a kinde of confidence in him or trust in him after a sort because of those goods Fortune hath cast upon them And this is further confirmed by S. Basil also for herein the common saying that Contrariorum eadem est ratio will hold well where he discourseth of the originall of Atheisme When men saith he at first are crossed in their worldly affaires then begin they for want of patience to doubt in themselves whether God in very deed regardeth the things of this world whether he take care of particular men and whether he reward every man according to his deeds But afterwards when they see no end of their troubles and miseries but one evill continually attended with another evill they settle in themselves that wicked opinion and absolutely resolve in their hearts that there is no God So Basile in his Homilie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That God is not the cause of evils The words therefore of the Psalmist are very emphaticall Psal 44. ver 9 10 c. Thou hast cast off and put us to shame c. All this is come upon us yet have we not forgotten thee neither have we dealt falsly in thy covenant Our heart is not turned back neither have our steps declined from thy wayes At such times then especially hath that question been most rife and pertinent indeed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Whence are evills and what brought them forth into the world of which so much hath been written by ancient Philosophers The Scriptures indeed not in positive assertions onely which in divers places are to be found but even by the whole streame and series of Ecclesiasticall stories and events of all kinds afford so bright and resplendent a light in this point that he sees not the Sun in the firmanent at noon day who makes not this conclusion from them That as all evill of sin is from man by the instigation of the Devill so all evill of punishment is from God for the amendment of sinners These two malum culpae and malum poenae as they are commonly discerned the evill of sin and the evill of punishment though this latter be not evill absolutely but rather good in regard of the end and consequents of it as heathens themselves have well acknowledged being the two springs from whence not Illae as it is in the Comick but omnes lachrymae whatsoever Adams wretched posterity groaneth under and through which the very frame of this lower and sublunary world laboureth doth flow So that were all that professe Christianity and consequently to embrace the Scriptures as divine Oracles truely and really what they professe as the resolution of this point would be easie and obvious so the arguing of it among Christians needlesse But by bookes that of late have been written as well by Protestants as by Papists it may easily appeare that many among Christians are to be found who in their inward are nothing lesse then what outwardly they professe themselves yea and not a few it should seeme that dare freely enough professe what they beleeve Libertins as I take it is their name in some countries And besides this it may further appeare by holy David or whoever was the composer of the 73. Psal that in time of either publick extraordinary confusion or private distresse and extremity it may be the case of a man religious otherwise and godly to be at a stand for a while and to entertaine some doubts Of all opinions in this kind contrary to the truth and destuctive of all godlinesse I find two chiefely to have prevailed in the world That of Epicurus so I call it because from him chiefely propagated to afterages though long in part at least in the world before him as more knowne I shall first name which was as he openly professed it for some ancients make him to have been an arrant atheist That there is a God an excellent Nature whose happinesse and perfection is to injoy himself free from all troubles and cares not regarding or heeding any thing at all but himself That it is a folly to beleeve that God had created the World as either Sun or Moon or any other part of this Vniverse and not folly alone but impiety to beleeve that God either regarded what is done by men or was the cause of any whether good or evill that hapneth unto them This opinion though it might and did in the later ages of the world when God ceased by strange apparitions and otherwise so familiarly to reveale himself unto men as before yet in the first ages of it impious enough otherwise when the memory of the Creation other great and miraculous works of God was so fresh and his presence by Angels and the like so frequent among men it could not possibly take place The Devill then in those dayes when God did so manifestly interesse himself in the affaires of men because the time for Epicurisme was not yet come in stead of it hee poysoned men with an opinion That God was of an envious nature which was as is shewed in the ensuing Treatise the very argument he used to our
in his Noctes Atticae which in the latter Editions of Aulus Gell. is set out as imperfect or defective in the beginning it was not so in the old Editions and why it should be so in the new I know no reason but that as I conceive those that first so set him out did not understand him and chose rather as many in that ease to the great prejudice of good Authors to place the defect upon the Copies then to acknowledge it in themselves I shall be very willing to bestow some paines to do that good Author some right who hath taken so many paines to benefit posterity and we shall finde it to our purpose too Neverthelesse because all men are not for that kinde of learning it shall make no further interruption here but shall be added at the end The place of Gellius that we mean is lib. VI. cap. 1. Homines fecisse dicitur c. Lastly besides these we have spoken of there were yet others who upon grounds of naturall reason stood for the goodnesse both and omnipotency of God as perempâ—orily as any yet durst not upon the same grounds of naturall reason take upon themselves to answer all objections against their opinion which their naturall reason they modestly acknowledged weak and desective and incapable of such high mysteries and speculations Plotinus the Philosopher as I remember I might say Aristotle too but that what he saith of the defect of humane reason which he compares to the eyes of Bats is upon another occasion hath an excellent passage or two to that purpose Antoninus a great and glorious Monarch in his dayes by many as deservedly as ever Heathen was both for his learning and goodnesse surnamed The Philosopher hath I am sure which may be read in his Meditations concerning himselfe lib. II. n. 8. but especially lib. XII n. 4. How so many came to pitch upon this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or materiam and partly to joyn partly to oppose it unto God in the creation might easily be conceived if we compare what divers of them write of it with the words of Moses Gen. 1. v. 2. of the Chaos which very Chaos some of them called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Necessity Though they say not altogether what Moses saith and added to it much yet a man may in Moses's words see some ground for their errours In so obscure a subject darknesse is in the Text and caligo is the word used by some of them also for the Chaos they might easily mistake him they especially that had him but by tradition But I will say no more of it here because it is but upon the by And so much concerning the originall of the opinion that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Daemon or The Daemon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is God and the Deity in the language and more clear expression of divers others as by divers examples hath appeared is of an envious nature There be other places of Scripture I know besides that of Genesis which upon this occasion and not impertinently perchance might have been considered of As for example those Ironicall words though possibly not Ironically taken by all that might light upon them of Almighty God Gen. III. 22 23. And the Lord God said Behold the man is become as one of us to know good or evill And now lest he put forth his hand and take also of the tree of life and eat and live for ever Therefore the Lord God sent him forth from the Garden of Eden c. And againe those Gen. XI 6. And the Lord said Behold the people is one and they have all one language and this they begin to do and now nothing will be restrained from them which they have imagined to do c. But especially that ambiguous signification of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which as it signifies to be jealous Exod. XX. 5. XXXIV 14. and elsewhere frequently so Genesis XXXI 1. and elsewhere to envie But since we have as I conceive sufficiently discovered and laid open the main spring of the errour I shall be lesse solicitous about the Riverets and smaller streams We will now suppose that Daemon was originally taken for a Devill or Evill-Spirit This supposition is not without some probability as hath been said But if that will not be granted we are sure however that since Christ it was so taken by many Heathens and that even before long before Christ there was an opinion among Heathens of certaine envious Spirits or Devils that did set themselves against men to doe them what mischiefe they could Now how consonant it is to the Scriptures to adscribe all temporall evils to the malice and envy of the Devill as the first and originall cause is so apparently obvious as little shall need to bee said about it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Through envy of the devill came death into the world saith the author of the booke of Wisdome Chap. 11. ver ult attributed unto Solomon In which words by death must be understood not bare death onely but all the consequences of it all the changes chances to which this our mortality is lyable which make our very life as divers ancient heathens have taught rather a daily death then life properly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith S. Chrysostome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. that is Behold the envy and manifold or deep subtiltie of the wicked daemon For when he saw man created to highest honour and little inferior to Angels c. The word he useth here and some lines after is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but afterwards both here and upon the seventh verse it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 S. Basil in his Homilie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That God is not the cause of evills hath both the words together 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Being the Devill the receptacle of all wickednesse he laboured of envy also Our honour became an eyesore unto him So Basil there but in his XXI Homilie Vpon divers so inscribed places of Scripture having occasion to speake of envy in generall he falls upon this particular of the devills envy and mans ruine through it and handles it very rhetorically So Gregor Nyssen as pathetically though not so largely in his De vita Mosis Divers more might be added Hardly shall we finde any Ancients that either speake of Adams fall or his posterities miseries in this life but have a touch of the Devils envie As for moderne authors in so obvious and so unquestionable a subject among all Christians I shall for beare their testimonies and proceed to other matter We have presumed that time out of mind such an opinion was among the heathens concerning this invidia daemonis the subject of our Discourse We think we have said enough to make it probable VVe will now see what can be said against it to wit whether his Name can be produced that first either said it or was observed
Aristotle in his Metaphysicks speaking obiter of this matter and in the very termes as Herodotus doth he quotes this Simonides and might be thought to make him the first author But he doth not he takes notice of the saying from Simonides the Poet indeed and because from none but him disapproving the saying he is content to say that Poets will lye That no body said it before him he doth not write neither will it follow Lastly how easily either Aristotle or any other in case they had spoken more peremptorily might be mistaken in this point since neither all bookes were extant in any age that have formerly been written be it the happiest age that ever was nor all that are extant likely to come to any one mans knowledge be he never so carefull and curious I leave it further to be considered Aristotles words in English those memorable words we mentioned before are these Therefore it may well be thought that the possession or purchase of this ingenuous noble science the Metaphysicks doth not belong unto men For the nature of man in many respects is slavish so that according to Simonides this blessednesse doth peculiarly belong unto God neither is it fit for man to seeke that science which is above him or which is not granted unto him Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is as I conceive such trajections being very usuall to Aristotle especially 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And if that of the Poet be true that God can envie I think it appliable to this especially Gr. It is probable that it so fals out in this especially whence it will follow that all men are unfortunate Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he alludes to those verses of Euripides as I take it cited by him in his Ethicks lib. VI. c. 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is divinely confuted by him in the said Ethicks the 7. 8. Chapters of the X. Book who aspire to such excellency But neither is it a thing possible that God should envie but according to the Proverbe Poets will faine many things or often lye neither ought we though but men and not so capable of it as of other things that is to make more reckoning of any other science then of this These words of Aristotle may give light to an obscure passage of Clemens Alexandrinus who in his fifth Stromat having discoursed at large and to that end brought proofes out of the Scripture also That God had not revealed the truth unto men but in mysteries and allegories in dreams and symboles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. that is not out of envie since that to phansie God subject to passions so the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 must here be rendred not as it is translated patibilis in which sense it is taken Acts XXVI v. 23. is impious but c. I have done with my main subject the originall of that opinion of ancient Heathens De invidia Daemonis I must now remember an observation of the same Ancients spoken of at the beginning concerning unusuall overswelling prosperity for which there being sufficient ground in ordinary construction upon daily experience the opinion de invidia Daemonis especially by them of remoter times from the beginning who were lesse acquainted with ancient traditions may be thought as well to be grounded upon the same experience This tradition de invidia Daemonis being once up and generally received among men though originally grounded as we have said and derived from the particulars of Adams fall yet afterwards when the revolution of many Ages had partly adulterated and partly altogether obliterated the truth of things it was applyed by men diversly according to the severall opinions men had of the Deity and as they stood differently affected some placing happinesse in knowledge some in greatnesse in pleasure some and some in some other thing to the things of this world But the most generall application of it being as we have said and partly shewed to all eminent worldly prosperity it will be requisite therefore and consequent to our first intention to shew what further probable grounds besides experience either from certain words of Scripture seemingly importing some such thing or from relations of Scripture Histories from which as ancient Fathers prove most of their fables were derived ancient Heathens might have for this observation Passages of Scripture which by them might easily be drawne to that sense are many the effect of all which is by Christ comprised in these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Whosoever shall exalt himselfe shall be abased and he that shall humble himselfe shall be exalted Matth. XXIII v. 12. There was a saying among ancient Grecians attributed by them unto Aesope as Author of it but certainly whether by Aesope first or any other taken out of the Scriptures originally that it was the proper work of God and his chiefest occupation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To abase the things that are high and to exalt those that are low It is thus expressed by Euripides 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Euripid. in Troad I see the Gods or the wayes of the Gods those things which are low they exalt aloft Gr. they make to tower on high and those that are eminent or highly prised they cast down See if you please Iob V. 11. and XL. 10 11 12. Psal CXIII v. 6 7. I Sam. II. 3 4 5. c. all pregnant places to this purpose as I take it and many more may be found but of all I conceive that of Esay concerning Tyre to be most emphaticall Tyre that once renowned City whose Colonies pene toto orbe diffusae had spread themselves throughout the whole World almost as ancient Historians testifie Carthage the once Imperiall City of Africa that so long contested with Rome about the Monarchy of the World and divers other great Townes owing their originall unto it Of this Tyre the Prophet Esay Isay XXIII 8 9 among many others hath these words I must crave leave that I may set them down in their originall language because of the elegancy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 8 Who hath taken this counsell against Tyre the crowning City whose Merchants are Princes whose traffiquers are the honourable of the earth 9. The Lord of Hosts hath purposed it to staine the pride of all glory and to bring into contempt all the honourable of the earth Though Tyre were the occasion and principall object and well it might then be for the pride and statelinesse of it of the words yet the sentence I take to be generall extending to all as times so places equally I have no thought that ever Lucretius a notorious Epicurean had any knowledge of the holy Scriptures and his thoughts I dare say were farre enough from what the Prophet or the Holy Ghost by him aimed at in these words yet it cannot be denied that he is an excellent Poet and that his words come very near to
arguments of his goodnesse and providence For what was ever more generally received and admired among them then this divine so they beleeved praecept or admonition unto men written upon the doores of that famous Church in Delphus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Know thy selfe Of which words though many different interpretations have been devised by the ancients so many as would make a good large Tractat if they were all collected into one yet that the maine drift and purpose of the words was to perswade men to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Plato teacheth in his Charmides that is to humility or ad minuendam arrogantiam as Tully in his Epistles ad Q. Fratrem is generally acknowledged Humility not towards men onely in ordinary conversation but towards God also as in matter of action and religious worship so of thoughts and apprehensions concerning the Deity Of humility towards God the Latine Lyrick Poet speaketh well Diis te minorem quod geris imperas Hinc omne principium huc refer exitum and elsewhere againe Quantò quisque sibiplura negaverit contrary to the worlds wisdome which teacheth men to think highly of themselves that others may so think of them and indeed not without ground among worldly men A Diis plura foret I know that of old it hath passed very current among Christians that humility was altogether unknown unto ancient heathens either Philosophers or others under the notion of a vettue And well indeed may it be tearmed and deemed the proper vertue of Christians or to speake more properly of the Chirstian faith if it be taken in it's full latitude for religious or spirituall for intellectuall and morall or civill humility and againe if it be considered as the vertue of vertues as by Christ our Lawgiver and his Apostles it is proposed unto â—s and generally acknowledged by all Christians However it was not altogether unknowne to heathens as a vertue The words indeed humilis and humilitas in Latine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Greek are by them most commonly used by way of reproach but even by them as by Christians in the better sense sometimes Witnes this admirable passage of Plato 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is God according to old tradition having in himselfe the beginning and the end and the midst of all things in a streight and direct course according to his nature passes on from place to place And after Him followes alwaies Justice the punisher of all that forsake the Law of God Of which whosoever aspires unto happinesse holding fast followes with humility and modesty Gr. humble and modest But he that is puffed up with pride trusting either in riches or honours or comelinesse of body through youth and foolishnesse also boyling in himselfe with arrogancy as one that needed neither governour nor guide but able to be a guide unto others such an one is altogether voide of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 must here be understood spiritually not metaphysically for what we say commonly void of Gods grace For otherwise Aristotle so is this very place cited by Philoponus De mundo teacheth well that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there doth not nor can any thing subsist in the world altogether void of God The same Author of that exquisite Treatise De mundo who ever he be for Aristole's certainly for divers reasons though otherwise not unworthy his name it cannot be hath the same passage of Plato that we have before concerning humility the first part of it at the end of his book and concludes with it and though he name Plato yet he is mistaken by many who referre Plato's name not to these words that follow there but to them that go before which be not Plato's And whereas in Plato as we saw before it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which words I know not how to save from a direct tautologie though Budeus in his translation hath made a shift to avoide it How the old translator of that Treatise Apâ—letus found them because of the liberty he commonly takes is doubtfull But however his translation comes much nearer to Plato's sense then that of Budeus or then indeed that I may not be thought to lay the fault upon him the Greek words themselves as now printed in that Treatise would bear I can easily believe that the Author of it might alter somewhat in Plato's words the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it may be did not please him but that he should alter them into meer tautologie or indeed into non-sense I do not believe Bonau Vulcanius who hath written learned Commentaries upon this Author De Mundo passeth this place over in silence which made me the more willingly to take notice of it But now to return to our word againe there be others besides Plato who have used the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in a good sense Aemilius Paulus in Plut. having had a great King whom he had lately conqueted and taken at his feet his humble suppliant and observed it seems among some of the younger sort brave and gallant spirits otherwise whereof divers of his own kindred much exultation if not insultation presently retired to his Tent and having sent for them after a long and sad silence which was much wondred at he began very pithily and gravely to discourse of the changes of fortune and instability of all humane prosperity and concluded his discourse with these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Away therefore with your vaine boasting and bragging for this victory ô young men and rather with humility stand amazed and fixing your thoughts altogether upon the future consider with your selves with what kinde of unexpected accidents Fortune Gr. Daemon may requite every one of you hereafter for this present prosperity Antistthenes saith Theodoret 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 maintained that in humility modestia humilitate so the Latin there which may also be further confirmed by what Dio. Laertius writes of him mans chiefest happinesse consisted In Plato but a little before 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I have translated humility I know the word of it selfe admits of other divers interpretations but there I conceived that sense most proper And so Plutarch I am sure speaking of the same thing that Plato that famous Oracle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 useth the word in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Not to be proud but humble is the readiest way Gr. best provision to Philosophie So according to Philo of whom a man may almost as soon learn what Plato maintained as by Plato himselfe in his De vita contemplat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which excellent saying is thus expressed in Latin by S. August Ep. 56 ad Diosc Augustine Ad capescendam obtinendam veritatem via prima est humilitas secunda humilitas tertia humilitas All which tends to the illustration and confirmation of this second reason that if humility be the end of Gods judgements