forme manner of handling which S. Gregorie affirmeth of the holy Scripture that it is Qâ—asi Fluuius planus altus in quo Agnus ambuler Elephas natet That though there be some subiects so deepe and profound that the Elephant may swim in them yet be there 〈◊〉 againe so obuious and shallow that euen the Lambe may wade ouer them And therefore the worke as I hope will not be without his fruite neither towards the Infidels nor yet towards Christians neither towards the Learned nor towards the Vnlearned which was the doubt of some men themselues not vnlearned as concerning the Subiect and Argument of this Booke It therefore now remayneth that hauing giuen satisfaction vnto such as haue obiected against the matter of my writing I should now likewise indeauour to remoue those Exceptions which some haply may take against the Manner of it As first it may be that some Man will except that there is in this Booke so much Philosophie and so little Diuinitie Whereunto I breifely answer that with those Aduersaries against whom I am cheifly to deale in this Booke the Diuinity of Christians hath much lesse authoritie then the Philosophie of Heathens naturall Reason a much higher place then supernaturall Religion and the writings of Philosophers much greater credit then the holy Scriptures So that in respect of the nature of those Aduersaries there is more cause of exception that here is so much Diuinity then that there is so little And yet euen for this also there is a iust Apologie That this is done ex abundante rather to confirme those that beleeue then to informe those that beleeue not that so the Booke may not be without his profit whether it light into the hands of Christians or of Pagans Some againe it may be will except That such a multitude of Testimonies are congested to one purpose But that hath many vses to the profit of the Readers For first The Matter questioned is by multitude of Testimonies more substantially proued Secondly though those Testimonies alledged be by me often applyed but to mine owne present purpose yet may the learned Reader make manifold vse of them vnto diuers other purposes and so in their varietie haue choise and election to take or to leaue as will best serue his turne So that the writers store ought not to be accompted the Readers sore if but in this respect But thirdly though many be alledged to one and the same purpose yet may it be obserued by the indicious Reader that they doe not all proceed by one and the same tenor but that for the most part euery one bringeth some thing that the other had not which may serue the attentiue Reader either for the better confirmation or the clearer illustration of the point then in quaestion Finally if they will needs haue this to bee the writers error yet may I defend my selfe with that same excuse wherewith Quintilian defendeth Stesicorus that Id si est reprehendendum est tamen nisi Copiae vitium Which though it hath made the Booke some what bigger yet hath it also I hope made it better So that I am the lesse fearefull of Callimachus his censure that Magnus Liber est magno malo par A great Booke is little better then a great euill Yea and so much the rather because in those sentences I haue made choise of mine Authors not corrading out of all promiscue and sine delectu but taking only such as are both ancient and Classicall as well Seculars as Diuines In citing of whose Testimonies I haue not alledged them all pariter as they stand in their Author but leauing out all exorbitant and heterogeneall Clauses which â—itted not my purpose I haue taken onely so much as was properly incident vnto mine owne ends and hindered not the context and roundnesse of the speech yet alwayes with this care neither to wrest nor wrong the sense of the Author Some againe may except against the citing of mine Authors so particularly Booke Chapter and Page as carrying with it some touch or at least some shew of Vanitie But vnto that I answer that it was not to ostentate and make shew of mine owne reading which it greatly repenteth me to be so little but to helpe my Reader with it such as it is not envying his profit but seeking with all my best endeauour to promote it And indeed I haue alwayes esteemed it a great ouersight yea and a kinde of vnkindenesse in any writer in the citing of his Authors to send his Reader to seeke in an indefinite compasse when as he himselfe can direct him vnto the definite place by that meanes also defeating the very end and purpose of his owne paines in writing which is onely to increase his Reader in all knowledg and vnderstanding Besides Whereas in the citing of those Authors I doe oftentimes allude but in a word or two vnto many great Matters which in the Authors themselues are set downe more prolixly this directing of my Reader vnto the placâ— so particularly will oftentimes serue him in stead of a Commentarie storing him to euery purpose with a great deale of more matter then I haue extracted out of the Author And yet no man is hereby tyed vnto the same edition of the Authors that by my selfe is vsed I doe but only direct them which haue the same editions how to make more ready vse of them As for those that haue them not I haue noted not onely the Author but the Booke also and the Chapter and so come as neere them as I could possibly imagine Another Exception may perhaps be also taken That Verses bee sometimes cited and yet not as verses But this may be defended with that excuse of Laberius that Versorum non numerorum numero studuimus I therein followed rather the power of the sense then the number of the syllables And with another like of Seneca's that Animis ista scripsi non auribus Some againe may except that Greeke writers are not cited in their owne proper language Whereunto I answer First that the weight of those Testimonies which I haue taken out of them doth seldome or neuer rest vpon the proprietie of the Greeke word or phrase but mostly vpon the matter and the sense Secondly that if it did yet the credit of the Translator hath no lesse authoritie then any Nomenclator or Dictionarie maker but rather much greater Because hee is led vnto his translation by exactly perpending the true weight of euery word as it is in that place vsed rendring it most properly out of the congruitie of those circumstances that he hath before considered both in the anteceding and succeeding passages which are the best directions and cannot be considered by the bare reciter of the words in their seuerall significations But thirdly and lastly which stoppeth all reply I haue cited those Authors as I had them contenting my selfe with the vse of those Booke which
that the nature of all things is ruled by some God I verily saith he will grant it if you will but desire it 5. But here it may be obiected Why then should I take vpon me to proue it if it be in nature such as cannot be proued This must needs proue all my labour to be clearely lost especially the Aduersarie being so hard and refractarie and so vtterly obfirmed to denie it as it must needs be with the Atheist who cannot yeeld vnto this our position without betraying the very fortresse of his owne Irreligion But vnto this Obiection I answere out of the Philosopher That there be two kindes of Demonstrations or proofes The one is a demonstrating of Causes by their effects which is a proofe drawne a posteriori and is called by Aristotle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Only a declaring that such a thing is thus and thus without rendring any reason or alledging any cause The other is a demonstrating of the Effects by their Causes Which is a proofe A priori and is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is a declaring why such a thing is thus and thus and thus rendring for it a good reason and alledging a true cause By this latter kind of Demonstration which sheweth Propter quid sit the Principles cannot be proued they cannot be demonstrated A causa and A Priori because they haue no prior or superior cause being the prime causes themselues But by the former Demonstration which sheweth onely Quòd sit they may well enough be proued they may be proued Ab Effectu and Aposteriori which is better knowne to sense though the other be to Reason better knowne to vs though the other be to Nature To make this plaine by a familiar example for the better information of the simple That the Fire is hot is a Physical Principle Of which though no man can giue a true cause or good reason Why it should be so yet may euery man demonstrate and make it plaine that it is so Though no man can tell the cause Why the Fire is hot yet may euery man shew by the effects that surely it is hot because it warmeth heateth burneth And so it is likewise in this our present instance Though no man can proue A causâ— why there should be a God yet may euery man collect Ab Effectu That there is a God by that Wisedome which we see to haue beene in the Making that Order in the Gouerning and that Goodnes in the preseruing and maintayning of the World All which argue as effectually That there needs must be a God as either Warming or Burning That the Fire must needs be hot Now these posterior Arguments though they be not so strongly concludent as the former yet are they sufficient to carry the matter For as Aristotle himselfe noteth Mathematica certitudo non est in omnibus quaerenda Mathematical certitudes are not required in all matters And he practiseth according to his rule in his Ethicks holding it sufficent in matter of Moralitie to giue Rules which holde not alwayes vpon necessitie but for the most part or more commonly Then much lesse is it needfull in matter of Diuinitie to bring such inuincible demonstrations as reiect all haesitations Especially not in this case which hath layd his foundation neither in sense nor in science but meerely in beleef Which as Clemens Alexandrinus noteth being founded but vpon the bare authoritie of Gods word yet begetteth in this point a farre more cleare vnderstanâ—ing then can be wrought in vs by any demonstration Neque scientia accipitur demonstratiua ea enim ex prioribus constat et ex notioribus Nihil autem est ante ingenitum Restat itaque vt diuina gratia et solo quod ab eo proficiscitur verbo id quod est ignotum intelligamus There is here no demonstratiue knowledge to be had for that ariseth from those things which are both before and better knowne then that which we demonstrate But before that which is it selfe without all generation there cannot possibly be any thing It therefore remayneth that by the virtue of Gods heauenly grace and of his diuine word we come to know euery thing which before was vnknowne So that Demonstrations are here vnproper and vnprofitable And therefore I desire that aequanimitie of my Readers which Tullie out of Plato doth of his euen in this very case that Si forâ—è de Deorum natura ortúque mundi disserentes minùs id quod hâ—beâ—â—us animo consâ—quâ—mur vt tota dilucidè planè exâ—rnata oratio sibi constet et ex â—mniparâ—e secum consentiat haud sanè erit mirum contentique esse dâ—bebitis si probabilia dicentur Aequum est enim meminisse et me qui disseram hominem esse eâ— vâ—s qui iudicetis vt si probablilta diceniur â—e quid vltra requiratis If haply in speaking of the nature of God and of the original of the world I cannot attaine that which I propounded and desired that my whole discourse be both familiar and eloquent and cohaerent it is no great meruaile and you ought to be content if I write but what is probable For it is fit you should remember that I which write am but a man and that you who reade are but men yourselues And therefore if I bring you but probable reasons you ought not to exacte any more at my hands For in this case it is sufficient to obtaine the cause if those Arguments which we bring to proue There is a God be of greater certaintie strength and consequence then those which the Atheist bringeth to proue There is no God Which I hope shall be made euident in the eight and last Booke CHAP. 2. 1. What manner of Authorities be the weightiest in this case 2. That they may not here be vsed 3. How yet they be here vsed 4. What be the most proper in respect of the Aduersaries 5. Why they be more proper then any other IT is good in all causes for euery man to vnderstand not only his aduantages but also his disuantages lest expecting greater matters then the cause will affoord he be needlesly offended when his expectation is destituted The Cause here in quaestion betweene Atheists and Christians hath two great disuantages The first of them is this that by the clearenes of the Position now called into quaestion Whether there be a God we are cut off from the strongest kinde of our Arguments which containe the causes of their owne Conclusions as I haue already shewed in the former Chapter The second that by the infidelitie of the Aduersarie we are likewise cut off from our weightiest Testimonies as I purpose to shew in this The weightiest Testimonie that can be brought in this cause to proue There is a God is to produce for the proofe of it the Testimonie of God speaking in his owne word This is proper this is naturall
percipitur We heare certaine short voices which of diuers things admonish vs Yea and sometimes certaine Spirits though not corpulent nor palpable doe compasse round about vs which though they be not visibly discerned yet may they by another kinde of sense be perceiued The like appeareth in Lucretius who numbreth these fearefull visions among the first causes which begate in mens mindes an opinion of the Gods Egregias animo facies vigilante videbant Et magis in somnis mirando corporis auctu Their waking minde in hideous dreames doth see a wondrous shape Of Bodies strange and huge in growth and of stupendous make By which appearance of God so immediately vnto the minde the best men are oftentimes much perturbed and troubled though there be none other cause but onely the Maiestie of the Creator striking a naturall feare and awe into his Creature As we may euidently see in that example of Eliphaz who confesseth his owne vision to haue bin with feare and trembling though it contayned nothing but a most gracious and milde instruction Then must it needs appeare both with terror horror vnto the Atheists when it giueth them signification of Gods wrath and iudgements Their visions must needs be such as the Orator describeth that Visa somniantium sunt perturbatiora quà m insanorum That the visions of such men in their dreames are oftentimes more perturbed then the ragings of mad-men in their fits As we may euidently see in Nebuchadnezzares dreame when hee saw the watchman comming downe vnto him and crying Hew downe that great Tree He confesseth that his dreame made him sore afrayd and troubled his thoughts vpon his bed And of this kinde are all those dreames and visions which appeare vnto Atheists They be alwayes the Messengers of Gods wrath and iudgements And therefore they are alwayes tormented with them and as it were set vpon the very rack by them As the Poet Iuuenal hath notably described them comprizing both the two fore-named causes of their feare together in one sentence namely both the guiltines of their owne corrupt conscience and the fearefull apparitions of strange sights and visions Nocte breuem si fortè indulsit cura soporem Et toto versata toro iam membra quiescunt Continuò Templum violati Numinis aras There is the torment of his terrifying conscience Now followeth the torment of his visions Et quod praecipuis mentem sudoribus vrget Te videt in somnis tua sacra maior imago Humanâ turbat pauidum cogitque fateri Here is the torment of his terrifying visions The summe of which verses is in effect thus much If once his nightly cares spare him a little sleepe If once his restles limmes their rest on bed do seeke Then straight appear's a sight of his impiety Temples and Altars of the wronged Deity And that which most affright's his soule in sweating Agony Thee God he see 's in fearefull dream 's thy sacred Maiesty A farre more glorious forme of thine then any mortall face The which such terror forceth him confesse to be thy Grace Yea and Plutarch hath likewise well expressed the same Argument instancing in the very same two causes of feare in the superstitious that I haue expressed before of the impious So that Atheisme and Superstition the two extremes of Religion are made equall in their fearing Obliuiscuntur herilium minarum serui dormientes qui in compedibus sunt ijs vincula somnus alleuat inflammationes vulnera saeuacarnis serpentia vlcera doloresque acerrimi somno mitigantur Soli huic nullae sunt per somnum induciae neque vnquà m quiescere animum patitur neque se colligere acerbis molestis de Numine opinionibus dimotis sed veluti in impiorum regione simulachra terribilia visa monstrosa feruntur All seruants in their sleeping forget their Maisters threatening Prisoners forget their shackles Diseases wounds and cancers by sleepe are greatly eased Onely vnto these men their sleepe can bring no quiet nor freedome from those feares which they conceiue of the gods But as if they inhabited in the Region of impiety fearefull visions and apparitions do infest them continually Yea and this feare which these men haue of God begetteth a feare in them of euery thing in the world as Plutarch in the same place hath truly obserued Qui Deos metuit omnia metuit terram mare aërem coelum tenebras lucem rumorem silentium somnium He that seruilely feareth God he seruilely feareth all things the earth the sea the ayre the heauens darkenesse and light noyses and silence but especially his owne dreames then which nothing is more troublesome nothing more grieuous to him partly out of the consciousnes of his owne impiety and wickednesse and partly by those fearefull apparitious and visions which God purposely sendeth him to reuoke and deterre him from that his vngodlinesse 4 Neither feareth he onely in the time of his sleeping when hee may seeme to be destitute of his reason to comfort him but also oftentimes euen whilest he is waking when he hath all his senses and reason about him especially when it happeneth to thunder and lighten Iuuenal hauing before described those notable terrors which afflict the Atheists partly out of the conscience of their owne impiety against God and partly out of their fearefull apparitions in the night he proceedeth to shew his minde to be no lesse perturbed in theâ— day especially if it beginne to thunder and lighten Hi sunt qui trepidant ad omnia fulgura pallent Cùm tonat exanimes primo quoque murmure coeli These be the men that trembling quake appall'd at euery lightning Euery flash them lifeles strikes and crack of euery thundring Yea and in the same place hee directly telleth vs that all this their feare of lightning and thunder proceedeth from none other cause but onely from their inward feare of Gods vengeance though they outwardly dissemble it and seeme to contemne it Hi sunt qui trepidant ad omnia fulgura pallent Non quasi fortuitò nec ventorum rabie sed Iratus cadat in terras vindicet ignis Lo these be those that with each Thunder-clap do shake Not so as if blinde Chance such fearefull noyse should make Nor â—s if ragefull windes should bring this ratling sound But lest to take reuenge Gods fire should fall to ground Neither is â—his the foolish feare of the simple and base people who not able to reduce things vnto their true causes are easily terrified with euery vncouth accident but it is a feare that seazeth vpon the greatest and mightiest Kings and affrighteth them as well as their meanest Subiects if they be impious Atheists As euen Lucretius himselfe confesseth For he sayth that when the Heauens do begin once to lighten Et magnum percurrunt murmura coelum Non populi gentésque tremunt Regesque superbi Corripiunt Diâ—ûm perculsi membra timore Nè
this is truly inhaering in the very marrow of the cause None other in the world can haue aequal authoritie And though the Pharises obiected against our Sauiour Christ that his Testimonie was not trne because he testified of himselfe yet he answered them truly againe vnto that that it was no good consequent but that though he testified of himselfe yet his testimonie was true For what can possibly be true if the Testimonie of Truth be not Christ is the truth it selfe and so likewise is God yea and so likewise is his word Sanctifie them with thy Truth Thy word is Truth It is not true in Concreto but Truth it selfe in Abstracto without mixture of any thing but onely pure and simple Truth And therefore as Saluianus very truly collecteth Necesse est quicquid incorrupta veritas loquitur incorruptum sit Testimonium veritatis It must needs be a Testimonie of vncorrupted Truth that commeth out of the mouth of Truth So that as Clemens Alexandrinus affirmes Fide dignus est Deus qui sua annunciet God is a credible witnesse though he testifie for himselfe Nay as Philo Iudaeus addeth Deus solus est idoneus qui de seipso pronunciet God is the onely fit witnesse to testifie of himselfe For Cui potius quisquam credat quà m Deo saith euen the heathen man Xenophon Is there any man in the world whom a man ought rather to credit then God That were vtterly absurd And therefore as Clemens Alexandrinus addeth in the fore alledged place Est ergo hoc credendum ex Platonis quoque sententia etiamsi absque probabilibus aut necessarijs demonstraionibâ—s per vetus et per nouum Testamentum praedicetur We ought to giue credit vnto this euen by the opinion of Plato himselfe not expecting either necessarie or probable demonstrations though it be but only testified by the old and new Testaments Nay these two be indeed the onely fit testimonies that can be brought in this case Non enim relictum est hominum eloquijs de rebus Dej praeterquà m sermo Dej saith S. Hilarie There is left vnto men none other fit Testimonie for the things of God but only the holy word of God Reliqua omnia saith he arcta sunt et conclusa et impedita et obscurâ— All things else whatsoeuer sauing only the holy Scripture are both straight and scant and intricate and obscure And therefore it is a very good course whereunto Orosius directeth vs Ab ipso audias ipsique Deo credas quod verum velis scire de Deo We must heare beleeue God if we will know that truth which belongeth vnto God 2. And yet these weighty and important Testimonies of God and of his word so proper and natural vnto this cause we may here in no case vse because they be not allowed by the Atheists our Aduersariâ—s For they as they denie that There is a God so doe they denie likewise that The Scripture is his word Nay they must doe this by consequence For if they doe grant that The Scripture is Gods word they doe contradict themselues if they say There is a God And therefore they doe cast God and his holy word both together out of doores as meere fables and deuises affirming directly of the holy Scriptures that they be not Diuinae sed Hâ—manae voces as is affirmed by Lactantius They be not say they the Oracles of God but the inventions of men Yea and they haue no better opinion euen of those Treatises of the Heathen which are written of God and of his religion as Macrobius likewise reporteth of them Epicureorum tota factio aequo semper errore a vero deuia et illa aestimans ridenda quae nesciunt Sacrum volumen et augustissima irrisit Naturae seria The whole faction of prophane and vnholy Epicures erring aequally from all truth and commonly scorning those things which they know not doe vsaully deride both all the holy Scripture and also the most serious and important works of Nature Which peruersenes of theirs so greatly offended the learned father Saluianus that he will not vouchsafe to dispute the matter with them chusing rather to leaue them in their owne infidelitie then to cast away his paynes vpon them vnprofitably Si cum Christianis ago probaturum me quod ago non dubito Si autem cum Paganis probare contemno Non quia de ficiam in probatione sed quia profuturum quod loquor esse despero Infructuosus est quippe et inanis labor vbi non recipit probationem prauus audâ—tor If I haue to doe with Christians I shall quickly proue the cause But if with infidels and Pagans I scorne to lose my paynes Not that I am in doubt to be defectiue in my proofe but that I am out of doubt not to speake vnto their profit For it needs must be an idle and vnprofitable labour when the proofe is not receiued by the euill disposed Auditor This was the resolution of that learned Father But it is not mine I purpose not in this cause to be so peremptory with them but to win them as I can both by disputing perswading And therefore the best way of preuailing with them will be onely to vrge such Arguments vnto them as haue passage amongst them and such Authorities as haue some credit with them Now that hath not the Scripture as you heard before And therefore in this case we must not proue by Scripture that That is a God For that would be but a foolish kinde of proofe It would be meerely idle to call vpon our Aduersaries to heare an Argument from Authoritie and then to cite such Testimonies as with them haue none authoritie This would make the cause ridiculous But if we wil preuaile either with them or against them we must bring only such authorities as with them haue credit and reputation that is not the testimonie of the holy Scriptures but rather the testimonie of prophane and Heathen Writers whom they wholy accepting in all other matters cannot wholy reiect in this And therefore Lactantius reproueth S. Cyprian as being greatly ouerseene that in his disputation with Demetrian an Heathen he would seeke to confute him by the Authority of Scriptures whom he should haue confuted by Philosophers and Histories and by naturall Reasons Qua materia non est vsus vt debuit saith he Non enim Scripturae testimonijs quam ille vtique vanam fictam commentitiam putabat sed argumentis et ratione fuerat refellendus Cyprian handled not his matter as he ought to haue done For he should not haue confuted him by the testimonie of Scriptures which he held for vaine and idle and meerely commentitious but rather by the strength of Arguments and Reasons And againe a little after Huic oportebat quia nondùm potuâ—t capere diuinae priùs humana offerre testimonia id est Philosophorum et
Historicorum vt suis potissimùm refutaretur Authoribus He ought not vnto him to haue alledged any Diuine authorities but onely humaine because he was as then vncapable of them that so he might conuince his errors by the credit and authoritie of his owne proper authors that is Philosophers and Historians Yea and this his castigation of the blessed Martyr Cyprian is approued by S. Hierome as a iust and deserued one Where he prooueth by the practice of a cloude of Witnesses both of Greeke and Latin Fathers that it is more proper and naturall to confute all kinde of Heathens by the testimonie of their owne writers then by the authoritie of the Scriptures because with those men these haue small authoritie or none And therefore saith Iustin Martyr euen in this very case Non ex diuinis historijs nostris haec probare aggrediar quibus vos nondum propter inveteratum in animis vestris Maiorum vestrorum errorem fidem adhibere vultis sed ex vestrarum nihil ad nostram Religionem pertinâ—ntium literarum monumentis I will not proue these things vnto you out of our owne writers which you doe but smally credite through an errour implanted in you by your Ancestors but I will proue it vnto you out of your owne Authors which are no way partiall vnto the faith of Christians And Lactantius likewise vnto the same purpose Omittamus Testimonia Prophetarum nè minùs idonea probatâ—o videatur ab hijs quibus omninò non creditâ—r Veniâ—mus ad Authores eos ipsos ad veri probationem testes citemus quibus contra nâ—s vti solent Poëtas dico ac Philosophos Let vs leaue the Testimonies of the holy Prophets because they will carrie no fit probation especially vnto such as distrust and discredite them Let vs therefore come vnto their owne Authors and vse those men as witnesses for the Truth whom they commonly doe cite and produce against the truth I meane their Poets and their Philosophers And againe in an other place Neque nunc Prophetas in testimonium vocabo sed eos potiùs quibus istos qui respuunt veritatem credere sit necesse I will not as now cite the testimonie of the Prophets but rather of such Authors as those men which refuse the truth yet haue no power to refuse So that neither the testimonie of God nor of his word though they haue in themselues the greatest strength of probation yea and be most incomparably beyond all exception yet may be vsed by vs in this our disputation vnlesse we would propine both our selues and our cause vnto open and iust derision And therefore whosoeuer will either conuert or confute the Atheists he must vse such Authorities as haue some authoritie with them not such as be derided or reiected by them such as be both the Prophets and Apostles and all other holy Writers all Christian Diuines and generally all Christiâ—ns For all these in this cause are suspected by the Atheists as parciall and inclining witnesses So that by the weakenesse of our Aduersaries wee are forced to forbeare the strongest of our Authorities and after the Apostles practice to feede them with their owne milke rather then with our strong meate because as yet they bee not able to beare it Not with the strong meate of the Scriptures though that were better for them but with the milke of their owne writers because this is fitter for them Ista quidem meliùs Divinis edita libris Cognoscenda forent vbi Legis in aequore aperto Promptum esset ventis dare libera vela secundis Sed quoniam rudibus metus est intrare profundum In tenui primùm discant procurrere rivo Saith Prosper This Subiect better seem's from sacred writ To spring and better thence t' haue learned it Where in the Lawes broad Sea with wind and tyde Ther 's happier saile then any where beside But cause to ruder Novices it is A province full of fearefulnes I wis Into the great vast deepe to venture out Some shallow Riuer let them coast about And by a small Boate learne they first and marck How they may come to manne a greater Bark 3. And yet haue I here vsed them both frequently and largely but not so much vpon hope to doe any great good vpon the Atheist with them by pressing directly their Authoritie vnto him as indirectly to grow somewhat vpon him by an Artificiall circumduction of him and that by these two reasons following First because of my often allegation of the holy Scriptures consenting so fully with other Heathen writers the Atheist may the better be able to discerne that there is an vniuersall agreement and a generall consent of the whole world against him both of Christians Iewes and Pagans and thereby see more plainely his owne nakednes and pouertie how bare and weake yea how desolate he is and vtterly forsaken both of God and men and by that meditation be more easily drawne to apprehend the singular follie of that his singular opinion which hath made him such a spectacle both to Angels God and Men as it were some vncouth monster And so indeed he is For Magnum est ipse prodigium qui mundo credente non credit saith S. Augustine He is surely some great Monster that will abide in Atheisme when he seeth the whole world to beleeue beside him So that in this respect the allegation of the Scriptures will not be meerely idle towards the very Atheists No nor yet in an other which is the second reason of my so frequent alledging them And that is because the holy Scriptures beside that diuine authoritie which is naturally inhaerent in them doe oft-times carry also great strength of reason with them which inforce many points more strongly and effectually against the Atheists then the acutest reasons brought by any of the Philosophers As that of the Psalmist for the proofe of Gods omniscience and that he needs must of congruitie both heare and see all things He that planted the Eare shall he not heare and he that formed the Eye shall he not see What Philosopher in the world could more necessarily conclude from the true and proper causes of the conclusion then the Scripture here hath done And diuers such places of the holy Scriptures the Reader shall meete with throughout this whole Treatise which presse yea and euen oppresse the Atheists with the weight of their Reason howsoeuer the weight of their Authoritie be eleuated by them For though those sacred Authors haue but small authoritie with Atheists speaking as meere Witnesses yet when their Testimonies carry with them also reasons those reasons must be answered if they will defend their cause And if they cannot answer them they must then yeeld vnto them which is the second reason of my so often citing them Now vnto these two reasons in respect of the Atheists I may also adde a third in respect of Christians And that is that by this
Poets then by the holy Scriptures And therefore saith Lactantius in another place that it is satis firmum testimonium ad probandam veritatem quod ab ipsis perhibetur inimicis It is a sound argument for the prouing of the truth which is fetcht from the enemies of the truth Yea though it were but a weake one in it selfe as the Orator obserâ—â—th in the very like case Tuum testimonium quod in altenare leve est id in tua quoniam contrate est grauissimum esse debet Thy testimony saith he which is but light and friuolous in another mans cause yet is weighty in thine owne when it is against thy selfe So that as Tertullian obserueth Ex aemulis nonnunquam testimonium sumere necessarium est si non aemulis prosit Sometimes to deriue a testimony from the mouth of the aduersary is an excellent help when it makes against the Aduersarie For to confute Atheists by their owne proper Authors is to cut off Goliah's head with his owne proper sword which is of all other the most grieuous kinde of wound Whereas to confute them by the authority of Scripture were in effect no better then to cast holy things vnto Dogs and precious pearles before Hogs which tread them vnder foote And therefore I haue chosen to fight against the Atheists the â—ighters against God not with a chosen company of Apostles and Prophets who are too worthy persons to stirre their least finger for such vnworthy Aduersaries which so contemne their holy writings but rather with a company of Infidels and Heathens By whom notwithstanding I hope God assisting to cut in sunder that band of prophane and wicked Atheists which band themselues against heauen and against God himselfe For as God himselfe once compelled the wicked Aegyptians by flyes and frogs and grashoppers and other such like contemptible wormes to confesse the power of his diuine Maiestie not vouchsafing to adact them by any other of his creatures more generous and worthy so will we likewise compell these vngodly Atheists to confesse There is a God by the arguments and testimonies of the Heathen Philosophers not vouchsafing them the writings of the most holy Authors Which weighty and important reasons of my so frequent alledging of prophane and Heathen Writers I request the Christian Reader to carry along with him throughout this whole Treatise for my perpetuall defence The cause you see requireth it the Aduersary exacteth it CHAP. 3. That there is an inbred perswasion in the hearts of al men That there is a God 2. That this hath beene obserued by many learned men among the Heathens 3. That it hath also beene obserued by diuers learned Christians 4. Two notable testimonies out of Tullie asserting this perswasion both vnto all Nations and vnto all Conditions and vnto all persons among men I Haue largely vnfoulded in the two former Chapters both what manner of Arguments and what manner of Authorities are most proper to this cause and most effectual with our Aduersaries either to bend them or to break them Let vs therfore now come on to the laying of them open Now they be of two sorts they bâ— either externall or internall Arguments For as it is true one way which is obserued by Seneca that Deus et extra et intra tenâ—t opus suum that God vpholdeth all his workes both without them and within them so is it also true another way that Deus et extra et intra tenetur ab opere suo that God is beheld of all his workes not onely without them but also within them Nature her selfe lending vs light to see the God of Nature euen in the most obscure and interior parts of vs. The first Argument then to proue There is a God is an internall Argument and that is taken from a naturall and inbred conclusion which is generally ingrafted into the hearts of all men that surely There is a God This is the most ancient and generall praenotion that Nature hath begotten in the mind of a man Which naturall perswasion though it be both bred and borne together with vs yet must it needs be a syence of Gods owne planting in vs. For if it be true which is affirmed by Seneca that Insita sunt nobis omnium artium semina sed Magister ex occulto Deus producit ingenia That it is God that hath implanted in the soule of a man the first seedes and principles of other humane Arts then must hee needes much more haue implanted in him this first seede and principle of all religion which is the proper Art of Gods holy worshipping an Art of which himselfe is the true and onely Obiect For Pietas is nothing else but onely scientia Diuini cultus an arte of worshipping God aright as Zeno rightly defineth it And therefore it is not probable that hee which hath replenished the soule of a man with those notions and conceptions that are the first seedes of all other Arts and Sciences should onely leaue out that which belongeth to himselfe But howsoeuer the Atheist be perswaded in this point that this inward perswasion is implanted by God or not yet can he not deny but that there is in mans heart such an inward perswasion because all the world confesseth it euery mans experience teacheth it and all learned men both of Christians and Heathens doe both know and acknowledge it 2 Let me giue you some instance for the demonstration of it Plato in his tenth Booke De Leg. taking vpon him to prooue by force of Argument that there needes must be A God hee bringeth this as one principall probation that there is et Graecorum et Barbarorum omnium consensus Deos esse fatentium that there is in this point a generall consent both of Greekes and Barbarians that surely There is a God And Xenophon euen in this respect preferres the soule of a man before all other creatures because none of them hath any sense of their Creator none of them vnderstandeth either that there is a God or that he is the maker and Creator of the world or of those great good things which therein are contained Cuius alterius animalis animus cognoscit maximarum optimarúmque rerum conditores esse Deos Doth the soule of any other thing know God to be the maker of euery good thing but only the soule of man No saith the Aegyptian Philosopher Spiritus de animalibus cunctis humanos tantùm sensus ad diuinae rationis intelligentiaÌ„ exornat erigit atque sustollit Among all other creatures the spirit of only man is adorned erected by the spirit of God to the knowledge vnderstanding of Gods diuine wisdome And so saith the Romane Orator Ex tot generibus nullum est animal praeter hominem quod habeat notitiâ—m aliquam Dei ipsisque in hominibus nâ—lla gens est neque tam immansueta neque tam fera quae non etiam
of his Booke De Legibus It is Deus et nâ—n Homo qui legum condendarum est causa It is not Man but God that is the true cause of the making of good Lawes Which honour is ascribed to God himselfe euen in the holy Scripture By me Kings reigne and Princes decree Iustice that is make iust Lawes Iniustice they may decree of themselues and there is a woe pronounced against such wicked Law-makers but they cannot decree Iustice but onely by him So that it is truely sayd in Iob that Nullus ei similis in Legistatoribus There is none like vnto him amongst all the Lawgiuers Nay he is indeed the onely true Lawgiuer in the whole world there is not another as the Apostle S. Iames plainely testifieth vnto vs There is but one Lawgiuer who is able to saue and to destroy and that is he So that all other Nations as well as the Iewes may truly professe The Lord is our Iudge and the Lord is our Lawgiuer or as it is in the Hebrewes Statute-maker Howsoeuer the Heathen Lawgiuers haue robbed the true God of that honour and ascribed it falsely vnto others But thus you see that all Lawgiuers as it were by a compact haue agreed together in this common sense to ascribe all their lawes vnto the making of their Gods And therefore none of them could possibly be Atheists at least in outward profession no not euen by their profession in that they were Lawgiuers Neither could the people that were vnder them be of any other disposition both because of that inward naturall instinct which inforceth euery man to worship some God and because by nature also all Subiects are Imitators of their rulers and because againe all rulers praeserue their owne Religion by coerciue Lawes as Iosephus instanceth in Socrates Anaxagoras Diagoras and Protagoras all of them seuerally mulcted for the opinion of their impieties against the Gods So that if any man would not be religious for loue yet durst he not be irreligious for feare 3 Let vs now proceede vnto Plutarch's third instance that is vnto Philosophers and see whether any of them haue beene Atheists Wherein it cannot be denied but that those infamous persons who haue beene noted by their name to be Atheists haue all of them beene by their profession Philosophers But yet this againe may be truly affirmed of them that howsoeuer some perticular men of that profession may haply haue beene infected with Atheisme yet that there was neuer any Sect or Familie of them but that it was of a cleane contrary profession There was neuer any sect of Philosophers that were professed Atheists No nor yet neuer any but professed the cleane contrarie And yet it cannot be dissembled but that all the Philosophers haue had so infinite auiditie and appetite of glory that none of them could say any thing though with neuer so great reason but that some other would oppose it and hold the contrary vnto it were it neuer so absurd Yea and this fell out as well among their whole families as amongst priuate persons the Stoicks perpetually opposing the Epicures the Peripatetikes them both the Academikes them all Insomuch that their contentions and digladiatious grew to be so notorious as made them all ridiculous as that bitter scoffe of Seneca very notably declareth That Faciliùs inter Philosophos quà m inter horologia convenit That Philosophers agree together like Clocks But yet in this grand point of acknowledging a God there is amongst them all an incredible agreement Here the Clocks strike all together You may see a Catalogue of all their opinions in Tullies first Booke of the Nature of the Gods representing vnto vs so notable a discord in their particular conceits What this God should be that neuer Clocks iarred more but yet so great a concord in their generall opinions That a God there is as neuer Clocks agreed better There euery man venteth his owne priuate conceite what he thought to be his God No man denieth him No man adorneth disputation against him Nay no man so much as once doubteth of him No not euen Protagoras himselfe if he be rightly construed though his words were rackt vnto it and for that cause he exiled For he said not that he doubted whether there were gods or no but that he would not as then dispute whether there were any or no De Diuis neque vt sint neque vt non sint habeo dicere giuing onely a reason of his silent praetrition And therefore Caecilius doth secretly perstringe the Athenians iniustice excuseth Protagoras that he did consultè potius quà m prophanè disputare He spake more warily then wickedly So that all these recited doe affirme There is a God There is no man saith of God as some doe of the Soule Nihil esse omninò Deum et hoc esse totum inane nomen That God is a thing of nothing and that the name of God is but an empty name but they all doe acknowledge both the Name and the Thing Now looke into these foure seuerall sects of Philosophers which are the most noted and noble of them and you shall see that they doe all notably agree in this though in very few things else Plato the father of the Academikes not onely affirmeth that There is a God but he also confirmeth it by inuincible reasons Yea and euery where almost he speaketh so diuinely of Gods diuine Maiestie that as Eusebius reporteth he was called Moses Atticus that is the Athenian Moses as if he had seene God face to face as is reported of the Hebrew Moses as Iustin Martyr noteth Plato perindè atque coelitùs descenderit atque ea quae sursum sunt accuratè didicerit ac peruider it omnia Summum Deum in ignea essentia esse dicit Plato as if he were newly dropt downe out of heauen and had there learned exactly those things that are aboue he maketh his God to be of a firie substance Yea and euen therein also hee agreeth in some sorte with Moses The Lord thy God is a consuming fire Aristotle the Father of the Peripateticks affirmeth not only That there is a God but also that he is both the Maker and the Sauiour of the world Deus sine dubio Seruator omnium est et Parens eorum quae in mundo conficiuntur God without all doubt is both the Conseruer Creator of all things in the world A most diuine saying of an Heathen man And many other the like there be throughout that whole Booke Which hath occasioned some men to doubt of the credit and authoritie of it as not being truly his grounding vpon but sleight and very weake coniectures I may not stand to discusse vpon euery Authoritie whether the Booke then alledged be the Authors properly For then we should haue so many and so great digressions as would turne to be transgressions And therefore in
schoole of the Epicure We heare there no naming of Lygurgus Solon Miltiades Themistocles or Epamniondas which vse to rattle in the mouthes of all other Philosophers Atheists could neuer get any such men to be their Disciples no nor yet any other that had either worth or number S. Augustine saith of them that it is Rarum genus hominum qui dicunt Non est Deus It is rare to sinde any man that denieth There is a God And Beda likewise vnto the same purpose Exceptis paucis quibus natura nimiùm deprauata est vniversum genus hominum Deum mundi huius fatetur authorem Except only a few of a depraued nature all mankind doth acknowledge both a God and a Creator Yea and he addeth there this reason Haec est enim vis verae diuinitatis vt creaturae rationali iam ratione vtenti non omninâ— ac penitùs possit abscondi This is the power of the diuine nature that it wil not be hid from any reasonable creature By which testimonies of these Fathers it euidently appeareth that the number of Atheists hath beene but very few but Pauci saith Beda nay Perpauci saith Augustine in the place that before I cited out of him Lactaentius affirmeth that there were but two or three of them Exceptis duobus tribusvè calumniatoribus vanis constat Diuina prouidentia Mundum regi Except onely two or three vaineglorious Cauillers all the whole world beleeueth that the world is ruled by prouidence And that this is not an artificiall diminution of an extenuating Christian it is expresly confirmed by the testimony of an Heathen In vniverso aeuo saith Maximus Tyrius duo aut ad summum tres exortisunt c. There haue of those Monsters two or three and not aboue beene brought forth in all ages Nay Tullie saith There haue beene none Nemo omnium tam immanis cuius mentem non imbuerit Dcorum opinio So that now they are brought vnto a very low ebbe their number is so little that they are now nullo numero And indeed if we speake of Atheists strictly and properly for such as haue simply denied all diuinity and denied it constantly Tullies sentence is most true that there neuer was any such creature in the world nay neuer any such Monster as simply and constantly to deny God The name of an Atheist in this sense is but Nomen ociosum A name without a thing If we speake of Atheists in a larger sense for such as haue openly though not constantly denied the Diuinity Maximus his sentence is true that of such professed Atheists there haue not beene past two or three Nay if wee speake of Atheists in the largest and most extended sense for such as haue either not denied Gods essence but onely certaine of his properties as his prouidence his iustice his goodnesse and such like or if they haue denied it yet haue done it but weakely rather vpon some sudden passion then any setled resolution yet euen so their number hath scarcely amounted vnto a dozen or a score I meane of such open Atheists as haue made any publique profession of their Atheisme though but euen in these secondary points As wee may partly see in Aelian who hath made a lyst of them and named all he knew and yet God knowes they are but very few There be not aboue sixe of them who yet all of them did not deny God himselfe but some of them his prouidence and some other his praedictions as appeareth by those Dogmata which in that place he recounteth Now if we should search into the monuments of all Antiquity both of Greeks and Latins we should scarcely be able to adde halfe a dozen more vnto those that are named by Aelian before Whereby it appeareth that for their number they be miserable God in his mercifull prouidence ordaiâ—â—iâ—g that there should not in all ages be found many Atheists as not many Basilisks and destroying Serpents 3 And as their number was but little so their learning was not great They were of no great value neither numero nor pondere The value of their wisedome they haue shewed in the choyce of their foolish opinion which hath made them no lesse scorned then abhorred of all men and iustly to incurre that note of derision which the Prophet Dauid hath imprinted vpon them that they iustly may be esteemed to be rather Fooles then wise men At the least-wise farre vnworthy of the name of Philosophers as Laertius for the like cause censureth the Poet Orpheus Equidem is qui de Dijs talia commentus est an Philosophus appellandus sit nescio Videant certè qui ita volunt quo sit censendus nomine Surely he that deuised such things of the Gods I know not whether he iustly may be called a Philosopher Let them looke vnto it that will haue them so called whether that name be fit and properly applied And for their learning though it cannot be denied but that diuers of them were learned yet was not their learning in any such excellency as was able to sustaine their impiety and arrogancy And beside if they be compared with those learned men of the contrary opinion which either liued with them or before them or after them their learning will come as short in proportion as the light of a candle doth of the brightnesse of the Suâ—ne For what comparison can Diagoras hold with Pythagoras or Protagoras with Anaxagoras or Euemerus with Empedocles or Theodorus with Theophrastus or Bion with Chilon or Epicurus with Epicharmus or Pherecides with Parmenides To be silent of Socrates and Plato Aristotle and Zeno Xenocrates and Demetrius Cleanthes and Democritus Diogenes and Melissus and very many others which can finde no parallels among all the Atheists beeing so eminent aboue them Quantùm lenta solent inter viburna Cupressi As much as loftiest Cedars show The lowest Shrubs doe ouergoe So that if this cause be esteemed by either Number or Learning the Atheists as you see can hold no comparison Non est enìm quisquam saith Lactantius qui Diagorae Theodorique sententiam praeferre audeat vel authoritati illorum septem priorum qui sunt appellati sapientes vel Pythagorae vel Socrati vel Platonis caeterorumque summorum Philosophorum qui esse Prouidentiâ—m iudicauerunt Ther is no man that dares prefer the foolish opinion of Diagoras Theodorus before the authority of those seuen that are called the Wise men no nor yet before either Pythagoras or Socrates or Plato or the rest of the Philosophers which haue all of them acknowledged and confest a diuine Prouidence So that whether we consider their Number or their Learning their cause reapeth both waies an infinite disreputation their Aduersaries do in both points so mightily ouersway them Lactantius censuring Diagoras and Theodorus which were the chiefest Patriarchs of the Atheists he saith that they liued but in an age of ignorance cùm
is a God yet hath fancied such a god as neede not to be feared making him to be one that neither giueth regard nor taketh accompt of the actions of men Nec quicquam alieni curans nec sui Neither regarding his owne nor any other mans businesses more negligent and supine then Aesops Incuriosus that cared for iust nothing So by denying God his Prouidence seeking vtterly to extirpe all his feare out of himselfe For he that regardeth no body needeth not himselfe to bee regarded of any But this is to be but a Semi-Atheist And therefore the perfect Atheist knowâ—â—g that if a God be granted his Prouidence cannot with any reason bee denied therefore to make all sure and to secure himselfe from feare he thinketh it the 〈◊〉 way to deny Gods essence as well as his Prouidence and simply to prâ—nounce that There is no God For then it will follow that he neâ—de not to be feared if at all he be not 2 Thus the Atheist to ridde himselfe from that inward feare which rideth on his conscience and which naturally accompanieth the opinion of God if that once be admitted he affirmeth There is none yea and striueth to beleeue it too But yet all this in vaine For as God hath ingrafted into the mindes of all men a notion of himselfe so hath he likewise a feare of himselfe as a sense of his being so a sensible feare of him As euen Lucretius himselfe confesseth He that will not confesse that There is a God yet confesseth that all men haue a feare of God in them Est mortalibus insitus horror Qui delubra Deûm nova toto suscitat orbi Terrarum â—estis cogit celebrare diebus There is an inbred feare in all mens hearts Which hath begotten this on all mens parts T' erect new Temples and new Holy-dayes Vnto their gods to celebrate their praise Making this inward feare to bee the first beginning of all piety and religion Yea and so likewise doth Saint Augustine Pietas timore inchoatur charitate perficitur True Piety is begunne by feare but perfected by charity Yea and the Psalmist in effect confesseth the same where he tells vs that The feare of God is the beginning wisdome And Lactantius confirmeth it when he sayth that Religio nulla esse potest vbi metus nullus est That there can be no Religion where there is no fearing And therefore Isidore deriueth the Greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth God from another Greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth Feare Quòd eum colentibus sit timor because they that worship him do also â—eare him And so likewise doth Festus In which signification of the name of God they may seeme to allude vnto that appellation of the Patriarch Iacob where he calleth the true God as it were by periphrasis The feare of Isaac his Father Because as God hath imprinted into the hearts of all men a naturall perswasion That there is a God so hath he likewise implanted in them a naturall reuerence and feare of that God So that Terfullians question hath an easie solution Vndè naturalis timor animae in Deum Whence commeth this naturall feare of a God which euery man feeleth within his owne minde Surely it commeth onely from that God who ought onely to bee feared as the Prophet Ieremy hath expressely testified And therefore Statius affirmeth that by this inward feare the Heathens first were moued to beleeue and worship God Primus in orbe Deos fecit timor Feare was the first that gods begot Till feare began the gods were not And so likewise doth Dares Phrygius who calleth Feare the father of the gods Dâ—o râ—m Genitorem Quippe Dâ—ûm Genitore Metu mens caca creavit Ditem Vmbris Coelo Superos Numina Ponto Through god-begetting Feare Mans blinded minde did reare A Hell-god to the Ghosts A Heau'n-God to those Hosts Yea gods vnto the Seas Feare did create all these Whereby it appeareth that the feare of God is as naturally ingrafted into the mindes of all men as is the opinion of his being this being a true consequent vnto that and following it as naturally as the shaddow doth the body And that generally in all men without exception But yet most specially in the Atheist aboue all other men They â—aue indeed the true feare of God which begetteth Religion a great deale lesse then any other men but that seruile feare which begetteth confusion a great deale more It is not all their Atheisme that can free them from his slauish feare but it begetteth it in them rather There is no man that feareth God so much as they that would seeme to feare him least no man so basely feareth him as those men that seeme the most to contâ—mne him For it is the worke of Gods iustice that they which refuse to feare him as his Sonnes shall bee compelled to feare him as his slaues And so indeed they doe For as Eliphas teacheth in the booke of Iob There is a continuall sound of feare in his eares and a continâ—â—â— sword before his eyes the feare of Gods wrath and the sword of his iusticâ— which like Damâ—cles his sword hangeth still ouer his head Yea and not onely so for these things they haue great and iust cause to feare but as the Psalmist further teacheth They are oftentimes afraid where no feaâ—e is So that as King Solomon obserueth The wicked flieth euen when no man pursueth Omnia tuta timens being chased by the terrors of his owne guilty minde as it were by hellish furies Thus bee there no such base cowards as those lusâ—y Gallants be which would seeme so couragious as not to feare euen God himselfe whereas indeed they feare the shaking of euery little leafe For God himselfe seemeth euen in scorne and derision to sport himselfe with the Atheists his enemies and with that panick feare which he hath cast vpon them and appointed continually to infest and to chase them Vsque adeò res humanas vis abdita quaedam Obterit pulchros fasces saevásque secures Proculcare ac ludibrio sibi habere videtur saith the Poet. There is a certaine secret power vnknowne Which humaine powers treads and tramples on It Princes Scepters Crownes all State of men But scornes and spurnes and makes a sport of them For as the Psalmist plainely teacheth When the Kings of the earth and Princes of the world doe band themselues together against God He that dwelleth in the Heauen doth laugh them to scorne and the Lord hee hath them in dâ—rision And this is also confessed by another Heathen Poet Ergo Deus quicunque aspexit ridet odit God which beholds it he doth it deride Not onely so but hateth it beside So that God is not feared by any of his creatures with greater terror horror then he is by Atheists For it may truely and
Paul as furious a persecuter in his small authoritie as euer the Church had any But yet Christ in his great mercie appearing vnto him and out of heauen reprouing him he likewise receiued instruction and reforming his former error became afterwards as zealous a Preacher as euer before he had beene a persecuter In so much that it passed of him as a Prouerbe that He which persecuted them in times past now preached the faith which before he destroyed This blessed Apostle holding a diuers course from that cursed Apostata who destroyed the same faith which before hee had preached And yet in the ende was inforced againe to confesse the same faith which he sought to haue destroyed as before I haue declared The like Confessions and recantations may be here accumulated of diuerse other of the Heathens who haue plainely renounced their impieties and prophanesse and in the end acknowledged a God whom at the beginning they denied It is reported of Diagoras the most renouned of all that are called Atheists that he began his Booke of Poems with this Exordium Quòd a Numine summo reguntur omnia That all things are ruled by the highest God Which may probably be thought to haue beene the recantation of his former opinion For his Atheisme and impietie if it were truely such he had from the common opinion of his countrie the Island of Melos which held a scornefull opinion of all the Greekish gods And therefore this so direct a contradiction of his former opinion cannot otherwise be construed then as his retractation And the like may be thought as concerning Theodorus who for the opinion of his impietie was likewise named Atheos And yet Laertius affirmeth that euen hee himselfe had seene a Booke of his intituled De Dijs and that it was Liber non contemnendus Which iudgement hee would neuer haue passed vpon it if hee had handled that Argument as an Atheist For then both the Writer and the writing had beene very worthy to be contemned which Laertius denieth And therefore that Booke being censured to be a worke not worthy to be contemned yea and that by the same man who before had taxed him for his Atheisme may also probably be thought to haue contayned a retractation of his former opinion And so likewise Euemerus whatsoeuer his opinion was which among all the Heathen was so condemned for Atheisme Whether it were a generall denying of all the gods or but a particular denying of the Heathen gods yet euidently appeareth out of Plutarch that when he grew old hee grew cold in defending it A manifest Argument that he repented of his broching it Which his coldnesse in asserting it bred also a like coldnesse in the peoples assent vnto it As it euidently appeareth in those verses of Callimachus wherein he perstringeth the impietie of Euemerus Venite frequentes ante muros in fanum Vbi qui vetustum ex aere tonantem formauit Senex loquax cum libris impijs friget Come hither thronging and approach this wall Enter this Temple Where now finde you shall Th' old pratling fellow which so scornefull was And call'd the Thund'rer but a peece of Brasse For all his former fire and stately Lookes Well cooled now with all his impious Bookes Meaning those Booke saith Plutarch which before he had composed to proue There was no God Hos dicit quos composuit Non esse Deos docens Which coldnesse from the heate of his former opinion may be interpreted as in some degree a recantation For I rather apply those verses vnto his owne coldnesse in pursuing his former opinion then vnto the coldnesse of the people in following it though this might also be intended But vnto him I apply it because Theophilus Antioch nus as I haue formerly obserued reporteth it for his opinion that hee defended Dei vnitatem not Nullitatem Which euidently proueth that hee not onely beleeued that There was a God but also The vnitie of the Godhead From whence it must needes follow that either the heathen were vtterly mistaken in their conceit of his opinion and that he neuer was indeed an Atheist or if sometimes hee were one yet that at last hee recanted it For Socrates though he died for Atheisme yet that he died not an Atheist it appeareth by this that at his death he appointed that a Cock should be offered to AEsculapius Which Tertullian obserueth in him as a renouncing of all his formeâ— irreligion And so likewise Aristotle though all his life long hee had ascribed all things but onely to their inferior and secondarie causes yet lifting vp his minde much higher at his death hee implored the mercie of the highest and first cause Prime causae misericordiam intentiùs implorabat as Caelius Rhodiginus writeth It is likewise reported of Numa Pompilius that Priest-like King of the Romanes who like another Moses was the first author and institutor of all their holy Ceremonies yet that in the end hee retracted all those false religions which himselfe before had instituted writing a Booke against them and commanding it to be buried in his Sepulcher with him Which Booke was not found vntill fiue hundred and fiue and thirty yeeres after Numa was dead written onely in paper and yet no where perished Which euen Pliny himselfe ascribeth to a miracle No doubt that the confutation of that false religion might not be decayed vntill it were published And though that Booke of his was by the Commandement of the Senate in publique burned Yet as Lactantantius well obserueth the cause of the burning of it being publiquely knowne to be his disclayming of their Religion who was the first founder of it it might greatly vncertaine the mindes of the people about it and breed in them a iust suspition that they were not rightly founded in the true Religion All these notable recantations of Atheists and Idolaters disclaiming and renouncing their irreligious false religions I find in the writings of classicall Authors Which are euident demonstrations that true Religion hath far stronger rooting in the minde of a man then either hath Atheisme or Superstition For otherwise men when they drâ—w neere vnto their 〈◊〉 would neuer with such feruencie seeke after the true religion and 〈◊〉 their false But then if euer it most of al importeth them to find out the trâ—th then when if they misse it they shall neuer after find it And that before they had not found it no not in their owne perswasions they manifestly shew by their forenamed recantations Which yet may be further seene by the recantation of Orpheus which aboue all the rest is most noble and ingenuous For he hauing before bin educated in the idolatrous religion of the Gentiles accordingly expressed the same in his Poems But after he had read the writings of Moses and from them receiued some light of the truth he renounced his former errors confessing them so humbly and retracting them so
preserueth it vnto vs whilst wee haue it and restoreth it vnto vs when as wee haue lost it And this point may also as clearely be demonstrated by the Testimonies both of Holy Scriptures and of Heathen writers as any of the former Of which Testimonies some bee such as doe onely expresse their opinion in words some such as declare the strength of it by deedes and some such as demonstrate the truth of it by effects For the first of which three heads the Prophet Moses assureth the Israelites that if they will obey Gods holy Lawes and Ordinances hee will not only take all infirmities from them but also will not put any euill disease vpon them Thereby plainely declaring that God hath a power in him both to preserue men in their health and to bring them vnto sicknesse and to deliuer them from sicknesse The Prophet Dauid likewise expresly confesseth that it is the Lord onely which both forgiueth all our iniquities and healeth all our infirmities Taking first away the Cause of our Sicknesse which is onely our sinne and then applying his owne healing grace as a soueraigne Medicine And so likewise Iehoram King of Israel confesseth by insinuation euen the very same thing For when the King of Aram writ vnto him that he should heale the Leprosie of Naaman hee asked in great passion Whether he were a God that he should doe this great thing Thereby manifestly insinuating that the power of healing is the worke of a God and not of a man Yea and euen Naaman himselfe when the worke was done acknowledged that God was the onely doer of it Now I know there is no God in all the world but in Israel And how came hee to know this He knew it by the miraculous healing of his sicknesse For as Ecclesiasticus directly testifieth The power of healing commeth onely from the most High Yea and euen the very Heathen do hold the same opinion Coelius Rhodiginus reporteth out of Plutarchs Symposiachs of a very notable and learned Phisition named Philon that hee hauing confected diuers excellent Medicines Regia quaedam auxiliaria medicamenta called those his Medicines 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the hands of God Which glorious appellation whether he doe irreligiously apply vnto his owne medicines as though they were able to procure a mans health as well as Gods owne hands or religiously as not being able to worke any health without the helpe of Gods hand yet both wayes he acknowledgeth the working of health to bee the power of Gods owne hand And so doth Tully likewise when he writeth thus vnto his wife Statim ita leuatus sum vt mihi Deus aliquis fecisse medicinam videatur I was sodainely so eased as if a medicine had bene sent vnto me from God Thereby plainely acknowledging that the hand of God is the most soueraigne Medicine And thus both Christians and Heathens haue deliuered their opinions in expresse and plaine words That it is onely God himselfe that is the Restorer of men vnto their health And that this is not in them onely a verball profession or a volant and fleeting imagination but a very strong perswasion both inwardly setled and deepely grounded in them as a sprout of naturall Religion they haue both of them declared as well by their deedes as they haue by their words which is the second sort of our Testimonies For euer when they haue beene afflicted with any kind of sicknesse either publike or priuate they haue still sought to obtaine their remedy from God by offering vp vnto him both Supplications and Sacrifices as vnto the onely Restorer of their health Thus did Moses when by the fire of God very many of the Israelites were deuoured and consumed he sought for the remedie only at his gracious hand vsing prayer for his water to extinguish that fire Thus likewise did Aaron when a grieuous plague was sent by God himselfe among them he sought onely for the remedie at that hand which had smitten them by offering vp incense for a sauour of rest and making an atonement for the people with God And thus likewise did King Dauid when at another time another like plague happened he sought for the remedie onely at the hand of God by appeasing of his wrath with Burnt-Offerings and Peace-Offerings Yea and euen the very Heathens themselues in all their like Calamities haue euer held this for the chiefest of their Medicines to obtaine release of God by their prayers and supplications Whereof euen their owne Histories affoord vs both great plenty and great variety of Examples In that great plague which hapned in the Campe of the Greekes at the siege of Troy they sought onely for their remedie at the hand of God by lenifying his anger with sacrifice and prayer precibus sacrificijs In that great plague which hapned vnto the Aeginets their King sought for remedie at the hand of God onely Ipse ego sacra Ioui pro me Patriáque c Euen I my selfe do for my selfe and for my Countries sake To Iupiter by sacrifice our whole atonement make In that great plague which happened among the Athenians they consulted with Apollo what should be their best remedie vnto whom when hee answered That they should purge and cleanse their Citie whenas they were deuising how to doe it by other meanes Epimenides aduised them to performe it by sacrifice which is indeed the best purgation and the most certaine expiation Yea and the Romane Storie affoords no lesse varietie as we may euidently see in many places of Liuie In that great plague which happened among the Romans in the time of Tullus Hostilius they all of them went into this opinion Vnam opem aegris corporibus relictam si pax veniaque ab Dijs impetrata esset That there was but one Remedie for those that were sicke and that was to obtaine peace and pardon of God And that their practise was sutable vnto their opinion he hath giuen vs in another place a very notable instance in that great plague which hapned in the time of Camillus Where their expiation was performed with so great a solemitie as equalled almost that of Iosias for ceremony Which in these words is described and set out by Liuie Tristem hiâ—mem siue ex intemperie Coeli raptìm mutatione in contrarium facta gravis pestilensque omnibus animalibus aestas excepit Cuius insanabilis perniciei quandò nec causa nec finis inveniebatur Libri Sibyllini ex Senatusconsulto aediti sunt duumviri sacris faciundis lectisternio tunc primùm in vrbe Romana facto per dies octo Apollinem Latonámque Dianam Herculem Mercurium atque Neptunum tribus quam amplissimè tunc apparari poterat stratis lectis placauêre Privatìm quoque id sacrum celebratum est tota vrbe patentibus ianuis promiscuóque vsu rerum omnium in propatulo posito notos ignotósque passìm
hee was angry would goe play vpon his Harpe and being demanded for what cause hee did it hee sayd that hee found that it allayed the raging fiercenesse of his minde And the like effect it had also with King Saul in whom the raging of his furious spirit was calmed and allayed by the inticing sounds of Musick And a contrary effect it had with Elizeus in whom the drouping of the propheticall spirit was excited and stirred vp by the melodious tunes of Musicke The contemplation of which strange effect so rapt the Poet Bartas into admiration of it that it made him to breake out into this passionate exclamation of the might power of Musicke O what is it that Musicke cannot do Sith th' all inspiring Spirit it conquer's too And mak's the same downe from th' Imperiall pole Descend to Earth into a Prophets soule With diuine accents tuning rarely right Vnto the rapting Spirit the rapted spright So that the sweetnesse of Musicke as Ouid noteth of it can trahere superis sedibus arte Iovem And so is it likewise in all other affections Musicke hath a dominion ouer euery one of them So that as Macrobius truely obserueth Omnis animi habitus cantibus gubernatur All the seuerall habits and dispositions of the minde are disposed and ouer-ruled by the Imperiall power of Musicke For Musicke as Aristotle affirmeth of it hath Naturalem quandam voluptatem per quam illius vsus cunctis aetatibus cunctisque moribus est acceptus It hath in it a naturall kind of pleasure whereby the vse of it is made acceptable vnto all sorts of persons of whatsoeuer either ages or manners As wee may see by plaine experience how Countrymen doe vse to lighten their toyling oldwiues their spinning Mariners their labours Soldiers their dangers by their seuerall musicall harmonies and all other sorts of men their griefes as Ovid truely noteth Hoc est cur cantet vinctus quoque compede fossor Indocili numero cùm grave mollit opus Cantat innitens limosae pronus arenae Adverso tardam qui trahit amne ratem QuÃque ferens pariter lentos ad pectora remos In numerum pulsa brachia versat aqua Fessus vt incubuit baculo saxoque resedit Pastor arundineo carmine mulcet oves Cantantis pariter pariter data pensa trahentis Fallitur ancillae decipitâ—rque labor c. Hence 't is the Delver bound and clogd in clowted buskin sings By vntaught tunes his heavier taske to easier passe he brings So he that groveling streynes and dragg's on muddy shore his boate That comes aslugg against the streame help't-on with singing note And he that bending slowly brings his tarrying Oare to breast His winding Armes keepe stroke with songs while he the water beates The wearied Shepheard as on staffe he leanes or sitt's on Stone Doth sweetely charme his flocke with pipe which doth himselfe bemone And thus the maid that sings and spinnes and plies her distaffe fast By songs deceiues the tediousnes of her praescribed taske Yea euen sucking Infants who haue not almost any sense of their life yet haue a sense of Musicke For when they are in their strongest passion and most fiercely crying yet are they presently stilled with their Nurses singing and so charmed with it as if they were inchanted with some Circes cup. Whence Maximus Tyrius collecteth Animum esse Musicae alumnum That the soule is as it were the very Nurse-Child of Musicke So that as Plato truely noteth Rithmus Harmonia animi interiora penetrant pulsant The Harmony of Musicke doth pierce and affect the very bowells of the minde VVhereby it doth Animum plurimùm allicere vt ea meritò gaudeant qui audiunt It delighteth the minde with so strong an allurement that all which come to heare it doe reioyce and cheere at it From whence Aristotle collecteth that there is Quaedam cognatio nobis cum Harmonijs There is a kinde of Affinity betweene the Soule and Harmony Insomuch that diuers of the ancient Philosophers held strongly this opinion Animam aut esse Harmoniam aut habere Harmoniam That either the Soule is nothing else but an Harmony it selfe or else at the least hath an Harmony in it From whence Ficinus collecteth that Harmonia qui non est delectatus non est harmonicè compositus That he which is not delighted with Harmony he surely is not made according to harmony Yea and Balthasar in his Courtier passeth an harder Censure For he saith that hee is either Insensatus or that hee hath Spiritus discordes invicem repugnantes Hee is either a senselesse and a simple Foole or a man compounded of repugnant Spirits Yea and Musicke hath not onely a kindred with the Soule but also a kind of affinitie with the Body For there be diuers diseases in it which are healed and cured by the pleasant sounds of Musick As Macrobius obserueth in the fore-alledged place Corporum quoque morbis medetur Beda instanceth in the paine of the Head and the Heart Athenaeus in the Sciatica and paine of the Hippes and Aulus Gellius in the biting of vipers So that Musicke hath in it a Sanatiue vertue not only against the perturbations of the Soule but also against the diseases of the Body And therefore no meruaile if euery liuing thing doe naturally take a delight and pleasure in it 3 And as God hath created all things in a naturall Harmonie and giuen vnto all of them a naturall propertie to bee delighted with Harmonie so haue all of them also a naturall instinct to praise the same God with their naturall Musick and to spend that his good gift in the honour of him that gaue it Proclus affirmeth of all Gods Creatures that Omnia precantur Hymnósque concinunt ad ordinis sui ducem alia intellectuali modo alia rationali alia sensitivo alia naturali All creatures make their prayers and sings prayses to their Ruler some of them in a manner which is meerely intellectual some of them in a reasonable some of them in a sensible and some only in a natural By Intellectuall Singers he vnderstanding Angels by Reasonable Men by Sensible Birds and Beasts and by Naturall Trees and Plants and such insensible Creatures As it euidently appeareth euen by his owne instances Where for Byrds hee giueth an example of the Cock whose crowing hee interpreteth to be his saluting of the rising Sun and his hymne vnto Apollo For plants he giueth instance in the Heliotropium whose turning continually towards the Sunne hee interprets to be his seruice vnto him setting downe in the same place a notable hymne wherein he imagineth it to invocate and praise him As our noble Poet Bartas doth the like of the Larke in a notable fiction whose singing so constantly in the morning and euening he construeth to be her Morning and Euening Song and her dayly sacrifice in her