Man within moderate bounds and keepe in awe Th' Irregular that would transgresse the Law Else to our dull capacities conuey By naming such things that our weakenesse may The better vnderstand Therefore they blame Plato who Spirits doth so often name And Socrates with all the Stoicke Crew Who to foole men and make them thinke they knew Things hid from others in ambitious pride Deuis'd such â—oyes neuer exemplify'de Besides if there be Spirits it implies They must be either Friends or Enemies If Friends they would continue vs in health Bestow vpon vs Wisedome Empire Wealth But these we see are otherwise obtain'd Knowledge and Arts by Industry are gain'd Empire by Vertue Riches purchac'd are By Labour Health by keeping temperate Fâ—â—e If Enemies they hourely would extend Their Powers malevolent Mankinde to'offend Especially those that themselues assure There are none such and that 's the Epicure And Sadduce yet these they hate in vaine None are from Rocks precipitate few slaine But they with others in like safety stand As well secur'd by water as by land But in opinion contrary to these Plato Plotinus Proclus Socrates Iamblicus Porphirius Biton were The first of whom thinke you thus speaking heare The Nature that 's Intelligible growes To nine distinct degrees which he thus showes The first is God Idea's haue next place Soules of Coelestiall Bodies haue the grace To be third nam'd Intelligences they Are styl'd Arch-Angels in the fourth beare sway The fift the Angels the sixt Daemons claime Heroes the seuenth the Principates haue name In the eighth forme to Princes doth belong The ninth and lastâ— Mens Soules are not among This Catalogue for these as they incline To Vertue or to Vice he doth confine Either vnto those Angels that be good Or the bad Daemons so hee 's vnderstood Being accordingly in that regard Subiect to sence of torment or reward I'insist on these too long and now proceed To proofes more pregnant such as we shall need As God's eternall void of all dimension Not subiect vnto humane apprehension And as of all things th' Vniuersall Cause Them gouerning not gouern'd by the Lawes Of ought which is aboue him And we finde Men Beasts and Plants each Creature in his kinde Is gouern'd but it selfe doth beare no sway Reason to Truth thus points vs out the way That in so distant and remote a state Needs must be Creatures intermediate And as we see in Nature bodies be As Mettals Stones and of like qualitie Which haue no life others againe there are As Men and Brutes that haue in either share So betwixt these must be by consequence Vnbodied things that haue both life and sence And these the Spirits Dreames will teach vs plaine By their euents that such about vs raine To warne vs of the future Thus we read Simonides finding a body dead Gaue it due rights of buriall with intent Next day to take leaue of the Continent And to be shipt to sea But the same night This body without terror or affright Appear'd to him and warn'd him to refraine His purpos'd voyage for if he the Maine Prov'd the next day in that Barke he did hire He should by Shipwracke perish and expire Forewarn'd he left his passage and 't was found The Ship was that day sunke the people drown'd Now whence can any guesse this Vision came Vnlesse't were from a Spirit for what name Can they else giue it Sylla in a dreame Was told his death was neere in feare extreame He wakes he rises calls his friends his state In order sets yet all this while no Fate Did seeme to threat him neither sence of paine Had he that time either in breast or braine Which his Friends seeing did his dreame deride Yet he that day was apoplext and dy'de Brutus and Cassius in a battell set With great Augustus at Philippi met The night before the conflict Caesar cras'd Kept both his tent and bed which much amas'd The generall Host. Marcus Aâ—torius then His chiefe Physition of all other men Most chary of his person in his sleepe Was by Minerva warn'd The Prince should keepe His bed no longer but in any case Be in the battels front the Foe t' outface For of this done or not done was ensuing His future safety or his present ruin Augustus was persuaded left his tent And mounted on his steed Obserue th' euent The toile and labour that he tooke that day Did not alone his Feuer driue away Restoring him to health but as it hap'd Was cause that he a greater danger scap'd For Brutus souldiers thinking him still weake Did with maine force into the Battell breake Seising his Tent his Bed away they beare Presuming still they had Augustus there 'T is noted how Calphurnia did complaine The very night before her Lord was slaine Beseeching him with sighs and many a teare That he the next dayes Senat would forbeare Because of her sad dreame which told his fate But he in his ambition obstinate Holding such vaine predictions of no force With poniards stab'd was made a liuelesse Corse Nay he himselfe not many dayes before Dream'd He was snatcht away from earth and bore Aboue the Clouds where with Majesticke looke To welcome him Iove by the hand him tooke Amilcar who the Carthaginians led Besieging Syracusa in his bed Him thought That in his depth of sleepe he saw A souldier arm'd inuiting him to draw His Army neerer for his fame to crowne He the next night should sup within the Towne Encourag'd thus he early rose next day His Carthaginian Ensignes to display And gaue a braue assault and yet he found But a false Omen being tooke and bound Was to the City led Fate to fulfill Where he both supp'd and lodg'd against his will Wise Socrates the night which did precode The day that Plato came to heare him reade Dream'd That he saw into his bosome fly A milke-white Swan that sung sweet melody This at the instant though he did neglect Yet on the morrow pleas'd with his aspect He tooke him in his armes and with extreame Rapture of ioy he call'd to minde his dreame And though the childe was then of tender age Th' euent did aptly fiâ— with his presage Nor do I these from prophane Authors cull As if the sacred Scriptures were not full Of like examples Stories manifold Are in the Testaments both New and Old Ioseph from his owne Visions did diuine And so from Pharaoh's of the Eares and Kine The Baker and the Butler dreamd it fell To both of them as Ioseph did foretell Nabuchadnezzars Image and his Tree Were of such things predictions as should bee God call'd to Samuel in his sleepe and told What should betide to Ely being old Like Visions too haue been conferr'd vpon Good David and his sonne King Salomon And in the Gospell Ioseph in his rest Was bid to take to wife the euer-blest and holy Virgin
Seas doth moue I am his Citisen in his place aboue He giueth to all Creatures a generatiue vertue in their kinde saith Seneca the Tragicke Poet. Providet ille maximus mundi pareus c. When He that did the World create Perceiv'd the rauenous threats of Fate The prouident Parent had a care That losse by Issue to repaire It is He who sees and heares all things saith Plautus Est profecto Deus qui quae nos gerimus Audit videt c. There is a God intentiue to All things we either speake or do It is He that both will and can do all things saith Ovid Immensa est finemque potentia Coeli Non habet quicquid superi voluere peractum est The Power of Heauen 's immense and hath no end Against their wills in vaine is to contend He onely knowes the true courses of the Signes and Planets ordering and disposing them According to the excellent Poet Virgil in his AEtna Scire vices etiam signorum tradita jura c. The Lawes and Courses of the Signes to finde And why the Clouds are to the earth inclin'd Or why the Sunnes fire lookes more pale and bright Than doth his blushing Sisters Queene of night Why the Yeares seasons vary whereupon The youthfull Spring the Summer vshers on And why the Summer growes soone old and spent Why Autumne her succeeds incontinent And Winter Autumne Or to haue true notion How these proceed in an orbicular motion To vnderstand the Poles and how th' are sway'd Or wherefore the sad Comets are display'd Why Hesperus the night-stars doth fore-run Or Lucifer to warne vs of the Sun Is last that shines and brings vp all the traine Or for what cause Boetes driues his Waine Or tell the reason wherefore Saturnes star Is stedfast That of Mars still threatning war c. These and the like to order and dispose It must be a Diuinitie that knowes If He should keepe backe his hand which is as much as to say to take away Loue and Vnitie from the Workes which hee hath made all things would be ready to run into disorder and to return into the former Chaos To which purpose reade Boethius Hic si frena remiserit Quicquid nunc amat invicem Bellum continuo geret c If He the bridle should let flacke Then euery thing would run to wracke And all his Works that now agree In mutuall Loue at war would be And in this new conceiued Wrath What now with sociable Faith In friendly motions they employ They then would labour to destroy c. The gods know better what is conuenient and profitable for vs than we our selues can apprehend or imagine therefore their wills and pleasures ought alwaies to be petitioned Witnesse Iuvenal Nil ergo optabunt homines si consilium vis Permittas ipsis c. Must therefore Man wish nothing Shall I shew My counsell Fit 't is that the gods should know Of what we stand in need let vs then tell Our wants to them who can supply vs well For they haue store of all things and know best How euery man to fit to his request And if we be deuout to them in prayer We soone shall finde they haue a greater care Of vs than we our selues haue we with'a blinde And inconsiderat motion of the minde As led by lust desire first to be sped Of a faire Bride Next being maried We long till we haue Issue ignorant still Whether to vs they may proue good or ill The gods alone in their fore-knowledge see What kinde of wife what children these will be Ouid by the way of a comparison hath made Him a gratefull and liberall Rewarder of all goodnesse that can be in man whatsoeuer Dij pia facta vident Astris Dolphina recepit Iupiter Stellas iussit habere novem The gods take note of pious acts The Dolphin's made Diuine And plac't in Heauen by Ioue himselfe With stars in number nine And Plautus alluding to the same purpose speakes thus Bene merenti bene profuerit Male merenti par erit To him that merits well hee 's good againe But vengeance he stores vp for the prophane Seneca speaking how fearefull a thing it is to incurre the wrath of God and withall how vaine and effectlesse the anger of Man is compared with it saith thus Coelestis ira quos premit miseros facit Humana nullos c. Mans anger is in vaine and no man thralls Heav'ns wrath is terrible on whom it falls That God is the most equall and Iust God of all men and all things the Auenger of the Wicked and Protector of the Innocent heare Plautus thus speaking Quotidiè Ille scit quid Hîc quaerat malum Qui Hîc litem adipisci postulet perjurio He knowes what euill daily man acquires And who that to accomplish his desires Would compound strife by periurie But when the Bad Of their false Causes from the Iudge haue had A sentence of their sides all is but vaine For He the matter judg'd will judge againe And then the Cause vprightly hauing try'de How shall the before perjur'd man abide His doome and mulct All such as shall abet Bad Suits to them his punishment is great But the Iust man that neither fawn'd nor brib'd His name he in his Tables hath inscrib'd Another holdeth that the actions or cogitations of men are so far inferior to the hidden wayes of the gods that they can no way either dammage or profit them in the least degree whatsoeuer as Lucan si Coelicolus furor arma dedisset Aut si terriginae tentarunt Astra gigantes c. If either rage should moue the gods to war Or if the earth-bred Gyants should now dare To menace Heauen Mans pietie and loue By armes or vowes could no way profit Ioue The reason is no Humane apprehension Can once conceiue th' immortall gods intention And that all praise and thanks are to be rendred vnto him euen for the least of his innumerable benefits daily and hourely conferred vpon vs reade Virgil of Tytirus and howsoeuer he intended his words I take them as they lie Oh Milibaee Deus nobis haec otia fecit Namque erit ille mihi semper Deus c. O Melibaeus God this leisure gaue And I but Him no other god will haue From this my fold a tender Lambe of mine Hath oftentimes been offered at his Shrine Thou seest by his leaue how my Oxen stray And on my rude Pipe what I please I play And so much for the Poets Diuers Nations but especially the AEgyptians made certaine Hierogliphyckes to expresse this sole and supreme Deitie First by the Storke who is a Bird that hath no tongue and God created all things in a temperate and quiet silence Inferring vpon this That Man ought not to speak of him too freely or rashly nor to search too narrowly into his hidden Attributes for so
mature in a true conformation And with a â—ollid industrie desire Things that are hidden and abstruse to enquire And as the Thrones each in his office knowes How of all sacred Wisedome to dispose As Dei formes call'd so Saturne he Ianus Bifrons from all antiquitie Is styl'd and Wisedomes Father held to be The Golden World beneath his Scepter was Before the Silver or the third of Brasse Or this Iron Age in which th'vnlabor'd ground Not forc'd by man with plenty did abound The Earth of her free-will gaue all encrease Springs flow'd with milke the Wolfe and Lambe had peace And therefore we by congruent reason finde That the seuenth day to Saturne was assign'd As the seuenth Planet and agreeing best With the Coelestiall Thrones which imply Rest. Besides in Saturne there is one thing rare As sole vnto him peculiar Which he may iustly aboue others claime For none of all the Planets we can name But are in mixture and conjunction Hee Ioyns nor is joyn'd with any but still free And as a Prince vnrival'd keepes his state In which none can with him participate So Moses Law since it was first recited Was with no other coupled or vnited But doth immediatly on God depend Yet many other Lawes from that descend As borrow'd thence And in like mysterie The Chorases of the whole Hierarchie Reflect with all the seruice on the Throne But He his Power communicates to none The Seraph's Loue to Iudgement doth adhere The Cherubs Wisedome placeth it selfe neere The Dominations which some haue defin'd To be Th'vnyoked libertie of minde Assist the Iudgement Seat They Vertues they Vpon the high Tribunall wait and stay And so the rest with all their seuerall Graces But them the Thrones assist not in their places The Dominations we must next confer And fashion to the Star of Iupiter And by comparing them together see How in their semblant Vertues they agree First at Coelestiall things they solely aime Them no tyrannicke seruitude can tame A free Lord they must serue and beare a minde Vncheckt to nothing base or vile enclin'd All difficulties ready to disclose That shall their faithfull seruice interpose On none saue their Creator they rely To his sole pleasure they themselues apply Others to their obedience they persuade Their contemplations being fixt and stayd On the Diuine Light which rare pulchritude To'enioy in a more ample plenitude They stil conforme themselues vnto the Throne If possibly to be with it all one All these if Astrologians we may trust Fall on Ioves Star in number ev'n and iust In Noble bloud this Planet takes delight To'illustrous thoughts it doth the minde accite Prudence to gouerne science how to know His libe'rall influence doth on man bestow Plac'd in his Horoscope he doth inspire Our eleuated soules with a desire To attaine to Fame to Empire and High things Th'vncurbed and irregular minde it brings Not onely to deuise but keepe good Lawes And Iupiter is for that onely cause In Hebrew Zedek call'd which imports Iust. In Goodnesse and in Iustice such as trust Them he spurres on to spend their houres and time To aime at things superior and sublime By the reflex of Iustice and true Piety It drawes to contemplation of a Diety It doth not onely Man himselfe impell To charitable acts and do things well But to stirre others to good workes And styl'd Iove for his Faith and Trust hauing exyl'd All Incredulitie Last by the hand He leadeth others with him till they stand In the like state of Goodnesse Knowledge Faith Pythagoras more of this Planet saith That he is the Mindes Vertue Temperament Health and Disposer of all Ornament That doth belong to Man Now let vs find How those call'd Vertues are to Mars inclin'd And that too may be done with much facilitie If we consider but what true Virilitie And Fortitude in this Star doth consist In one place we thus reade th' Evangelist The Vertues of the Heav'ns are mov'd or ar ' Arm'd on their side who in Gods cause shall war These their Coelestiall operations take Immediatly from Him and for His sake Disperse them to His Glory and great Praise Note what the Psalmist of the Planets sayes Praise Him you Sun and Moone praise Him the Light Praise him yee Stars c. The Vertues by foresight As Captaines ouer the Church Militant Know which amongst them is best Combattant Guide and direct him to the Place aboue To receiue there the Crowne for which he stroue Ev'n so this Mars by th' influence of his Star Styl'd by th' antient Poets God of War Makes men of generous Spirits elate and hye Ambitious after Palme and Victorie The Vertues in their Pow'r finde no defect Nor is this Planet any way deiect Weary'd or faint Those of authentique skill Write His Fires force is indeficient still The Diuine Vertues study to enlarge Their courage who are giv'n to them in charge To make them like spirituall Souldiers stand 'Gainst Lucifer and his reuolted Band Then bring them off to safety and securitie Making them like themselues in God-like puritie So this Stars Fire to shew their true proximitie Burnes vpward as still aiming at sublimitie And in his feruour catching at things neere To turne each Substance to a Nature cleere As it selfe is in lustre like to shine Yet to this Planet many learn'd assigne Malevolent aspects Wars prouocations Home-bred Seditions Discord amongst Nations Broiles Garboiles Tumults and combustious Rage Depopulation Murthers Slaughter Strage Call it The worst of Planets whose reflect Contaminates and poysons with th' aspect But Tresmegistus was not of that minde Saith he The seuerall Planets in their kinde Their vertues being truly vnderstood Are vnto men beneficent and good This great Philosopher would haue vs know Of bad Effects the Cause is here below Stars influences in themselues are pure No putrid stuffe their natures can endure And if from their aspects ought chance amisse They are not to be blam'd for the fault is In our fraile weakenesse for who but hath read That nothing bad aboue the Moon is bred Now as the Potestates to worke are said Both by the Vertues strength and the co-aid of the Dominions Iustice so the Sunne When he his beames transfusiuely shall run Through Mars his Sphere or Ioves benigner Star All his effects Power Strength and Honour ar ' Legions of Fiends the Potestates expell And with them all blinde errors driue to hell So when the Sunne doth his bright beames display The tenebrous Night flies and giues place to day And as those Mindes and Essences Diuine By nature with miraculous fulgor shine So the bright Sunne instated all alone Amidst the Planets in his Regall Throne Casts an incredible lustre and to all Doth honour in his seat Majesticall Distributing abroad in large extent Vnto the Stars both Light and Ornament By whom th' are gouern'd and their motions sway'd Their splendor at his will dark't or
Che Giganti nouo fan conte sue â—raccia Vedi Hoggimai quant ' esser Dee quel tutto Ch' a Cosi fatta parte si consaccia Se fu si bellâ— come e Hora brutto E contra al suo fattore alzo le Ciglia Ben de â—a lui procedor ogni lutto G quanto parve a me gran meraviglia Quando vide tre faccie a lâ—suatesta L' una danaâ—zia quella era vermiglia De l'altre due ches ' agginuge ano a questa Sour esso almeza Di Ciascuna spalla Es ' agginuge ano al somno de la Cresta La destra mi parea trabianca gialla La sinistra al vedere era tal quali Vegnon di la onde ' l nilo s' aunalla Sotto Ciascuna vsciuan Due grand Ali Quanto si Convenina a tanto ocello Vele di Mar non vidi Mai Cotuli Non Havean penna Ma di vespertello Era lor modo quelle ni su Alzana Si che tre venti si movean de ello Quindi Cocito tutto s' Aggellava Con sei sei occhi piangena con tre menti Gocciava il pianto sanguinosa Baua In which Description he first notes the place Where this great Prince of Darkenesse shut from Grace Is now tormented namely 'a congeal'd Lake His mighty stature next which he doth make Two thousand cubits By his Crest is meant His Enuy Arrogance and proud ofâ—ent Three Faces with three sev'rall colours stain'd Import in him three Vices still maintain'd One fiery red Wrath and Exorbitation Denotes to vs with the Spleenes inflammation The pale and meagre Auarice implies From the third blacke and swarthy doth arise Vnprofitable Sloath. From the two eyes Which to each face belongs we may deuise All Appetites immod'rat In the growth Of these three Ills Ire Avarice and Sloath Two Wings two great accitements to those Sinnes Propose to vs The first of them beginnes In Turbulence and Fury from hence grow The windes of Crueltie that hourely blow Rapacitie and Gripplenesse are they That to the Misers Avarice obey The horrid blasts that hence proceed include The most vnnat'urall sin Ingratitude Sorrow with Negligence on Sloath attend Th' immoderat gusts of Hatred hence ascend Those windes of Wrath Ingratitude and Hate With fearefull stormes trouble and agitate Cocitus streames withall suppressing quite Those good and godly motions which accite Either to Faith or vnto Hope and Charity Lest any should in them claime singularity The greatnesse of his Wings improue th' elation Of his swel'd heart and proud imagination That ev'ry face hath a wide mouth and throat So much the Morall doth to vs denote That all whom such blacke sinnes contaminate His jawes and rav'nous throat ingurgitate His Teares which he did neuer yet imploy But as the Crocodile vseth to destroy Imports to vs that wretched Sinners state Whose slacke Repentance euer comes too late And so far Dante 's I must now enquire To what sphere these Refractories retyre Or in what place more seruile they remaine Who as they Knowledge more or lesse retaine Accordingly their faculties are squar'd One euill Angell takes into his gard A Kingdome he a Prouince and no more One lesser gifted hath predom'nance o're A City and some other but a Tower Some ouer one particular man hath power Some of one only Vice and limited there Nor striue they in lesse eminence t o'appeare Either subuerting Man Forts to demolish Cities subuert good Statutes to abolish T' encourage forreine or domesticke strife Than are the Angels the blest Sonnes of Life Each of them in their seuerall Place and Calling Either industrious to keepe men from Falling Preseruing Cit'adels instituting Lawes Wholsome and good or bee'ng th'immediat cause To secure Cities Countries and encrease Home and abroad happy and prosp'rous Peace Nor do the lower of bad Spirits obey Those of superior office because they Or loue them or esteeme them The cause why They yeeld themselues to such priority Is for that th' other haue more pow'r and can With greater subtiltie insidiate Man For in their Fall th' are stain'd with all impuritie From whose temptations there is no securitie Crafty they are and prone to all iniquity No place debar'd bee'ng pow'rfull in vbiquity With man they are at deadly opposition And into all his wayes make inquisition First tempt and then accuse hourely prepare By day them to intrap by night ensnare His sences they peruert his thoughts estrange From better vnto worse a fearefull change They bring Diseases Tempests Troubles Feares Not one of them but at his will appeares By transformation a blest Spirit of Light They challenge also as their proper right A Diuine pow'r And though these Daemons bee Amongst themselues at hostile enmitee Yet by conspiracie striue all they can How with vnanimous force to destroy Man Yet this worth obseruation we may reade In holy Scripture That such as mis-leade Our humane frailty haue not might a like With the good Spirits nor such force to strike As the blest Angels who the pow'r retaines To take and binde old Sathan fast in chaines One story I haue chosen out of many To shew the Diuell doth th' Almighty zany For in those great works which all wonder aske He is still present with his Anti-maske A man of Greece was with three children blest To him so deare all it could scarce be ghest Which he was most indulgent o're The first A sweet and hopefull Boy and therefore nurst Not with a common care for his estate Was great his birth did him nobilitate Two Daughters he had more the elder faire And well accomplisht but the yongest rare Not to be paralel'd for she was one Whom none was euer knowne to looke vpon But with such admiration that he said Nature surpast her selfe when she was made For all ingredients of her choice perfection Appear'd both in her feature and complexion So faire she was Three Lustres being spent And not a day but adding ornament Both to her growth and beauty now fifteene An age we cannot properly call greene Nor fully ripe not mellow scarce mature Not yet resolv'd a Virgin to endure Nor fancy Man but staggering betwixt Both agitations and her minde not fixt But sensible as being much commended How far she others of her Sex transcended Though quite sequestred from the common road Yet much delighted to be seene abroad And 'cause emergent Venus from the Seas Was said to rise her humor best to please It was her dayly custome to rise early To greet the goddesse whom she lov'd so dearly And hearing what of her the Poets sung To view the â—ome from which 't is said the sprung Stirring betimes one morning with the Cocke Pyrats had hid their ship behinde a rocke And as she tooke her pleasure on the shore Snacht her away and then with faile and oare Made speed from thence and proud of such a Peece Hurry'd her
in the Historia Anthologia from the two last of these arise those Latine Phrases so frequent amongst vs Bonis Avibus or Boâ—is Auspicijs which are interpreted With god lucke or fortune and Malis Avibus With euill speed or bad successe and because they would enterprise nothing Inauspicatè that is without the counsell of the Augures from thence Rem Auspicari hath been translated To initiat or begin a thing Romulus the first founder both of their Order and Colledge in Rome appointed only three vnto the ministerie of these ceremonies But Servius Tullius after hee had distinguished Rome into foure seuerall Tribes or quarters he added to the number of the Augures a fourth and made an Edict That they should all be selected and chosen from the Patricians who were the Patriots and noble Fathers of the City such as we call Senators But in proces of time Quintus and Cneius Ogulinus being made Tribunes of the people as much as to say Protectors of the Plebe or Commons obtained That to ioin with these foure fiue other should be made choice of out of the Comminaltie At which time the Senate made an Edict That they should neuer exceed the number of nine Notwithstanding which when Sylla was Dictator he added six more which made vp the number fifteene of which the eldest was called Magister Collegij i. Rector of the Colledge These Wisards had a prerogatiue aboue all the other Priests and Flamines in Rome for if one of them were conuicted of any heinous crime he was not put out of his place nor excluded from executing his office neither could hee be disabled nor any other substituted in his roome Although the Roman custom was that if any other Priest of what place or qualitie soeuer had been a notorious delinquent he was ipso facto confined and some other deputed vnto his office The absurditie and meere imposture of this Diuination or Soothsaying Marc. Cicero ingeniously obserueth in Pompey the Great Crassus and Iulius Caesar to whom all the Chaldees Wisards not onely promised prosperous and long liues but assured them of timely and peaceable ends Yet of their tumultuous imployments in the passage of their time vpon earth and of their wretched and miserable deaths Histories make ample and frequent mention Fulgosius telleth vs of one Misonianus who being imployed in a certaine expedition amongst the horsemen of the Roman Army perceiuing them in their march to be at a sudden stand and wondering why they aduanced not as before he perceiued presently that the cause of their sudden stay was by reason that the Augur had espied a Bird sitting vpon a tree and awaited whilest she proued her wing in voluntary flight by which hee might coniecture of the successe of their businesse In derision of which folly hee addressed his bow and with his first arrow strooke her dead to the earth when smiling to himself he turned to his companions and thus said Most certaine it is that little counsell and small aid is to be expected from these poore irrationall creatures to enquire from them what can either help or hinder vs when you see it apparant before your eies they are not able to preuent the disaster impending ouer their owne heads Whether this Southsaying take it's originall from the Chaldees who were great searchers into curiosities or no I am not willing to make any further inquisition as not being much materiall to my present purpose But of this I am most certaine That it was in continuall vse and practise amongst the Canaanites and from thence conueyed vnto the children of Israel which how abhominable it was in the sight of God Almighty and that such diabolicall superstitions should haue any place amongst his chosen people you may read in Leuiticus these words Yee shall not regard them that worke with Spirits neither Soothsayers yee shall not seeke to them to be defiled by them I am the Lord your God Againe in Deutronomie Let no man be found amongst you that maketh his sonne or his daughter to go thorow the fire or that vseth Witchcraft or a regarder of the Times or a marker of the flying Fowles or a Sorcerer or a Charmer or that counselleth with Spirits or a Soothsayer or that asketh counsell at the dead for all that do such things are an abhomination to the Lord and because of these abhominations the Lord thy God doth cast them out before thee c. Let vs then beleeue that it is God onely and not Fate which gouerns all things To confirme which I will conclude with that of the Poet Statius Heu ducas Fati tenor est ne quod illi Non liceat quantae poterunt mortalibus annis c O the strict Lawes of Fate Can that haue being That is not with thy constant will agreeing Or is it in thy brasse-leav'd booke decreed We to our graues in such Post-haste should speed Not so Would the Creator take in hand To command Time the swift houres still would stand In Hells blinde dungeon Death his head should hide And th' idle Sisters lay their worke aside Of all Idolatry in generall we thus reade the Prophet Esay All they that make an Image are Vanitie their delectable things shal nothing profit and they are their owne witnesses that they see not nor know therefore they shall be confounded Who hath made a god or molten an Image that is profitable for nothing Behold all that are of the fellowship thereof shall be confounded for the Workemen themselues are men let them all be gathered together and stand vp yet they shall feare and be confounded together The Smith taketh an instrument and worketh it in the coles and fashioneth it with hammers and worketh it with the strength of his armes yea he is an hungred and his strength faileth he drinketh no water and is faint The Carpenter stretcheth out a line he fashioneth it with a red thread he plaineth it and pourtraieth it with the compasse and maketh it after the figure of a man and according to the beautie of a man that it may remaine in an house Hee will hew him downe Cedars and take the Pine tree and the Oke and taketh courage amongst the Trees of the Forrest he planteth a Firre tree and the raine doth nourish it and Man burneth thereof for he will take thereof and warme himselfe he also kindleth it and baketh bread yet he maketh a god and worshippeth it he maketh an Idol and boweth vnto it he burneth the halfe thereof euen in the fire and vpon the halfe thereof he eateth flesh hee rosteth the rost and is satisfied also he warmeth himselfe and saith Aha I am warme I haue beene at the fire and the residue thereof he maketh a god euen his Idol he boweth vnto it and worshippeth and prayeth vnto it and saith Deliuer me for thou art my god They haue not knowne nor vnderstood for God hath shut their eies that they
Mankinde Pouder the Gun and Bombard his great'st fame Is That to future Times he left no Name Nay haue there not new Worlds been found of late 'Gainst their opinions who did intimate There could be no Antipodes All concur After much factious arguing and huge stur By antient Sophists and Philosophers broacht That such who either on more Worlds incroacht Or would th'Eternitie of this maintaine Are meere erronious fabulous and vaine Yet note how cunningly some dare dispute Presuming on a knowledge absolute Of the Intelligences in their kinde The perfectest and best dispos'd we finde Is their Coelestial Orbs and Circles still To keepe in motion causing them fulfill Their naturall office To which purpos'd end Their perfectnesse and goodnesse they extend For 't is the nature and the propertie Of truly Good and Perfect still to be Indulgent to th' Inferior and their State To them in some sort to communicate And from this Spring or Fountaine mannag'd so All finall Causes and Efficients flow Now if the World with all contain'd therein Eternally before Time hath not bin Then these Intelligences for a space Beyond all computation though in place Had idle been by which 't is vnderstood In that they neither perfect are nor good Proceeding further God and Nature striue In all the works they fashion or deriue To make things for the best Now who but knowes 'T was better for the World in their dispose And the more noble worke To haue been euer And so vnto Eternitie perseuer Than once not to haue been as many say And so in time to perish and decay Besides what was made new might haue been don In space precedent before Time begun And so from all Eternitie and God Who hath from Euerlasting his aboad Whose Potencie and Wisedome we adore Vnchanged is nor can be lesse or more And therefore since To be is better held Than Not to be which cannot be refell'd So better 't is with reason best agreeing The World to haue eâ—er bin than not to ' had being And so by consequence alwaies remaine Much better than to be dissolv'd againe To conclude which this graue Philosopher By most approued Testates doth infer Common consent because none can deny But Heav'n to be the Seat of the Most High Then if He be eternall needs must be The Mansion which receiues him old as He. This onely I haue drawne from Infinites Now heare of him what learn'd Procopius writes He that all Natures secrets seem'd to know And of vnsounded Learning made great show Standing vpon the Nigroponticke shore And there obseruing then with diuers more Of his owne Sect how seuen times in one day It eb'd and flow'd to their great wonder they Demanding from him to be satisfy'de Of this Afflux and Reflux Ebbe and Tyde The naturall reason he after long pause Not able to resolue them of the cause Vtter'd these words Nay then since that I see I cannot take the Sea the Sea take me And from the promontorie where he stood Without more stay he leapt into the Floud Now how could he vncapable to pry Into a Naturall cause himselfe comply To search into that darke and hidden Treasure Which is vnbounded vast and without measure Retyre to Reason on which they erect The weake frame of their falling Architect What consonance with Reason can there be But in so long a perpetuitie So many Miriads of yeares but needs They must haue knowne what later time new breeds Within few thousands They that wade so far Into these curiosities but mar What they would seeme to make What vndeuis'd Is left to vs or what vnenterpris'd Vnlesse their braines they yet would stretch more hye And practise how with Daedalus to flye To walke inuisible or by their breath To make fraile man vncapable of Death Great is the confidence I well might say Presumption that these Bodies Dust and Clay Ambitiously assume who dare aspire After things Supernaturall to `enquire Striuing if possible themselues to inuest Euen in the secrets of th' Almighties brest What madnesse is it for an heauy load Of putred Flesh that onely hath aboad Here in the lower world deny'd by Nature Or to adde to or take off from his stature Being debar'd all possible means to fly Or mount himselfe betwixt the Earth or Sky Either like bold aspiring Phaeton To aime at the bright Chariot of the Sun Or with his waxen wings as Icarus did Attempt what God and Nature haue forbid What is this lesse than when the Gyants stroue To mutiny and menace war 'gainst Iove This notwithstanding plainely doth demonstrate A great Nobilitie in Mans conceit Whose Apprehension howsoeuer rude Yet is still aiming at such Altitude Yet note how these who others would haue school'd In seeming most wise most themselues haue fool'd Euen Diuine Plato blusht not to attest Yet he for iudgement honour'd ' boue the rest That he in Athens and the selfe same place In which he then taught with much loue and grace Had read the selfe same Lectures yeares ago Full fifteen thousand adding some few mo And the like terme of yeares expir'd agen In the same Schoole he should appeare as then To the same Scollers reading the same things Obserue but what this ouer-weening brings Meere folly if not madnesse To the Wise 'Mongst many others let what 's spoke suffice But why should I end here and not discusse The ground how Plato came besotted thus There is a yeare that in Times large progresse Is ANNVS MAGNVS call'd Others no lesse Trauell'd that way it ANNVS VERYENS call And some ANNVS MVNDANVS These are all The knowne names giuen it and in this 't is sayd The Stars and Planets howsoeuer sway'd Be they or fixt or wandring in this yeare Returne to their first state and then appeare In their owne Orbs vnwearied and instated As fresh and new as when at first created Macrobius thus describes it Then saith he This Great and Vertent Yeare is when we see All Stars and Planets brought to their first station After their much and long peregrination By which they would infer That all such men As are now liuing were existent then In those past Ages and hereafter too Shall in that state subsist which they now doo Beare the same names and syrnames haue the same Fathers and Mothers from which we first came With the same countrey fortunes and appeare As long before and now so in that yeare When it shall come in Times long revolution And though of vs there be a dissolution It is but for a space Vicissitude Shall still from time to time see vs renew'd Like these Coelestial Bodies How absurd The Tenet is it scarcely doth affoord A Schoole-boyes answer For if this were true These Bookes which we write now before were new And by all such as now peruse them read And in the future hauing long been dead When this yeare
hornes shew lowring or cloudy towards the earth it portendeth tempest Aratus saith also If the Boreall horne of the Moone seeme any thing streightned it promiseth a North winde or if the Australl horne be any thing erected it signifieth a South winde forthwith to ensue But the quartile of the Moone is the most certain Index of wind and weather According to that of Virgil Sin ortu quarto namque is â—ertissimus author An Emblem IT presenteth an Ideot who hauing a straw sticking out of either shooe is persuaded by some waggish boyes That they are no other than gyues and fetters which hee conceiuing to be such casteth himselfe vpon the ground in great griefe and vexation as one by reason of these bonds not able to remoue out of the place The Motto Stultitia ligamur non compedibus which seemeth to be borrowed from Ecclesiastes 10.2 The heart of the Wiseman is in his right hand but the heart of the Foole is in his left hand And also When the Foole goeth by the way his heart faileth and he telleth to all that he is a Foole. Hâ—rac lib. 1. Epistol ad Mecen writeth thus Virtus est vitium fugere sapientia prima Stultitia carnisse It is a vertue to fly vice and we Count him most wise that is from folly free There are diuers sorts of folly Saint Augustine saith There is none greater in the world than to esteem the World which esteemeth no man and to make so little account of God who so greatly regardeth all men And Saint Gregory tells vs That there can be no greater folly than for a man by much trauell to increase riches and by vaine pleasure to lose his soule It is folly to attempt any wicked beginning in hope of a good and prosperous ending Or for a man to shorten his life by ryot and disorder which by temperance and abstinence might be better prolonged Folly is a meere pouerty of the minde The heart of a Foole saith Syrach is in his mouth but the mouth of a Wise man is in his heart Gregorie saith Sicut nec auris escas nec guttur verba cognoscit ita nec stultus sapientiam sapientis intelligit i. As the eare relisheth not meat nor the throat can distinguish the sound of words so neither can the Foole vnderstand the wisedome of the Wiâ—e And Seneca the Philosopher telleth vs Inter câ—tera mala hoc quaque habet stultitia quod semper incipit vivere i. Amongst many other euills this also hath Folly That it alwaies beginneth to liue But saith S. Augustine Amongst all Fooles he is the most Foole that knoweth little and would seeme to vnderstand much But I come now to the Emblemaâ—ist who thus declares himselfe Spiritus excelso se tollit in Astra volatu At Caro compedibus deprimor inquit humi Tu quid vincla voces age nunc videamus inepta Morio vel stramen compedis instar habet Vile Lucrum popularis Honos fugitiva voluptas Haeccine sint pedibus pondera iusta tuis Prô viles Animas devotaque Crura Catenis Vincîmur nervus nec tamen villus adest ¶ Thus paraphrased The Soule with swift wings to the Stars would fly The Flesh saith Fetter'd on the ground I lye What call'st thou bands looke on that Foole hee 'l say The straw that 's in my shooe hinders my way Base Gaine Vulgar Applause each fading Sweet Are those the Shackles that should gyue thy feet O wretched Soules ô Legs to Fetters deare We thinke our selues bound when no bonds are neare The morall Allusion gathered from hence beareth this Motto O demens ita servus homo est Grounded from that of Seneca Epistol 51. Non ego ambitiosus sum sed nemo aliter Romae potest vinere non ego sumptuosus sed vrbs ipsa magnas impensas exigit c. I am not ambitious but no man otherwise can liue in Rome I am not prodigall but without great expences in the city there is no liuing It is not my fault that I am angry or luxurious for I haue not yet setled the course of my life These things are to be attributed vnto my Youth not me But why doe wee so deceiue our selues Likewise the same Philosopher Epist. 58. in the conclusion thereof Inter causas malorum nostrorum est quod vivimus ad exempla nec ratione componimur sed consuetudine abducimur c. Amongst the causes of those euills which happen vnto vs one is That wee liue by Example not gouerned by Reason but carried away by Custome That which we see few doe wee will not imitate but that which many practise as if that were most honest which is most frequent According with that of the Poet Iuvenal Satyr 14. Dociles imitandis Turpibus pravis omnes sumus But to leaue further enforcing the Argument and come to the Author whom we reade thus Multa quidem totam putrantur inepta per vrbum Cumque petis causam Mos jubet ista ferunt Anne igitur stolidi nos string at opinio vulgi Regulanum vita factio plebis erit Stamine sic fragili vel stramine Morio vinctus Vah sibi compedibus crura sonare putat Serviles vilesque sumus prô vincômur immo Vincîmur miseri causaque nulla subest ¶ Thus paraphrased Follies through all the City frequent be If aske the cause Custome 't is layd on thee Shall the vaine humors of the vulgar Sect Prescribe vs rules our liues how to direct The Ideot with a straw or weake thread bound Thinkes weighty fetters at his heeles to sound Seruile we are so made by our owne Lawes To thinke our selues gyv'd when indeed 's no cause A Meditation vpon the former Tractate TRue God true Life From By In whom all things That truly liue haue Life from Thee it springs God Good and Fayre From By In whom what breeds Goodnesse or Beautie all from Thee proceeds From whom to Turne is to fall Miserably In whom to Trust is to stand Constantly By whom to Hold is to rise Instantly Whose Faith vnto good Actions vs accites Whose Hope to Prayer and Thanksgiuing inuites Whose Charity Vs vnto Him vnites Who to all wretched sinners hath thus spoken Aske haue Seeke finde but Knocke and I will open Whom none can Lose that to the Right doth leane None Seeke but Cal'd none Find but he that 's Cleane To Know whom is to Liue Serue whom to Raigne Praise whom the Soules eternall Blisse to gaine Thou art the God all potent Keeper alone Of all that hope in Thee without whom none Can safety find or be from danger free O! Thou art God and there is none saue Thee In Heauen aboue or in the Earth below Inscrutable things and wonders great wee know Thou work'st of which no number can be made Praise Honour Glorie More than can be said Belong to thee Thou in thy Counsels darke First mad'st the World and after Moses Arke To patterne it
After To forsake That Countrey and his Spouse and Infant take And with them into AEgypt make all speed Till the Kings death which shortly did succeed We likewise reade The Wise men of the East Were in a dreame forewarn'd to see that Beast Herod no more nor turne the way they came How many of this nature might I name As that of Shimeon and of Pilats wife Examples in the holy Text are riâ—e And each where frequent Then there is no doubt But there are such to leade vs in and out In visible forme they likewise haue appear'd Been seen to walke to eat to drinke and heard To speake more oft Two Abraham did receiue Into his Tent and hauing by their leaue First washt their feet they dranke with him and eat At least vnto his seeming tasted meat An Angell to yong Tâ—by was a friend And trauel'd with him to his journies end An Angell 't was of the Coelestiall Crew That in one night all AEgyptâ— First borne slew When Daniel was with hunger almost dead Him in the Lions den an Angell fed An Angell came to Lot An Angell 't was Met Balaam and put speech into his Asse Like stories from the Gospell we may gleane Both of good Angels and of Spirits vncleane The Angell Gabriel in full forme and fashion Brought to the Virgin her Annuntiation He that before our blessed Sauiour stood To bring him comfort when his sweat was blood He that from prison did Saint Peter free And made that night a Gaole-deliuerie He that tooke Philip vp and to the place Brought him where then Câ—ndaces Eunuchwas Those that vnto the women did appeare When Christ was rose from death in Vesture cleare All these were blessed Angels Of the Bad We likewise many presidents haue had As those with which mens bodies were possest Some dumbe and others speaking who confest Our Sauiour to be God Some deafe and when One did torment the wretched Gadaren With many other of that hellish Rout Whom Christ himselfe extermin'd and cast out But now with leaue a little to digresse To finde some Learned or esteem'd no lesse What they of Spirits thought It doth exist Vpon Record The Iewish Cabalist Rabbi Achiba was of constant minde And wrot We Spirits should in all things finde In Earth in euery Riuer Brooke and Fountaine In Floud in Well in Valley Hill and Mountaine In Plant Herbe Grasse in Shrubs in euery Tree And when these Spirits 'mongst themselues agree Earth yeelds aboundance and affords encrease Trees swell with fruits Fields flourish by this peace The Seas are calme the Riuers wholsome and Yeeld Fish in plenty floating on the sand The Aire is tempe'rate But when they contend The Earth growes barren fruitfulnesse hath end Mildewes and Rots destroy both Grasse and Graine And then the labouring ploughman toiles in vaine Fruits wither on the trees Riuers rebell Leaue bare their channels or in torrents swell The Fountaines grow vnhealthfull and distaste And in this mutinie all runnes to waste The mustring Clouds obscure from vs the Sun The Heav'ns themselues into disorder run By Shoures tempestuous and rough stormes of Haile Then Inundations on the earth preuaile The Lightnings flash and loud-voyc'd Thunders rore As if Time tyr'd his journey had giuen o're Now as th'agreeing Spirits cause our health Pleasure strength gladnesse with encrease of wealth So those that are dissentious breed disease Want sorrow dearth with all things that displease Learn'd Abram Avenzâ—â—a the Magition And Rabbi Azariel making inquisition By carefull study in their Works relate The cause to vs of extreme Loue or Hate Why that a man his Kindred and Allyance Ev'n his owne naturall Bloud sets at defiance And yet his strange loue should so far extend One that 's meere forreigne to select his friend Againe as we by proofe finde there should be 'Twixt man and man such an antipathee That though he can shew no iust reason why For any wrong or former injurie Can neither finde a blemish in his fame Nor ought in face or feature iustly blame Can challenge or accuse him of no euill Yet notwithstanding hates him as a Deuill They giue this reason The good Angels they So far to peace and vnitie obey That in the first they labour to attone And could it be to make ev'n Opposites one Bee'ng still at hand a friendship to persuade 'Twixt such as seeke each other to inuade When the malignant Spirits sole intention Is to set men at discord and dissention To kindle malice and the spleene inflame To hate yet shew no reason whence it came Ready to make him fly in that mans face Whose friendship others gladly would embrace King Ferdinand of Spaine their Annals say In his Procession on a solemne day Attended by his Traine in Barcelon Was by a Traiterous Spaniard set vpon With a short dagger and had then been slaine Had he not worne that time a golden chaine Which stayd the fatall blow The Traitor tooke And put to th' Racke with an vndaunted looke And constant suffering could no other reason Giue to the King of his vnnaturall treason But That the cause which to that act compeld him Was He ne're lov'd him since he first beheld him Nor could he brooke him then or reason why Shew of this deepe and strong Antipathy But in the midst of all his tortures vow'd If instantly he freedome were allow'd And that the King would him againe restore To his first state hee 'd kill him ten times o're Hence comes it that some Iudges are not cleare When Malefactors at the Bar appeare Of this they are made conscious when there 's brought Euidence 'gainst one bee 't for a thing of nought His Crime he aggrauates and in his fury If they Not guilty bring sends backe the Iury Stretches each quiddit of the Law to finde Him culpable onely to please his minde Againe If for some capitall offence Another's brought though Law hath no pretence Nor Conscience colour how to make his peace Yet he shall striue th' offendor to release Cite Statutes in his fauour what appeares Most grosse seeke to extenuate and with teares If so the Iuries Verdict 'gainst him run Pronounce the Sentence as against his Sonne Neither by him perhaps before-time seene Whence is the cause then of this Loue or Spleene Ev'n Princes are not from this passion free In some Kings Courts how many rais'd we see One ev'n as high as Hamon lifts his head And yâ—t for all that no desert can plead When as poore Mordechai envy'd out-brav'd Who notwithstanding the Kings life he sav'd Obscurely liues his seruice not regarded Nor with a single Sheckle once rewarded Nor doth the Prince in this his Power abuse Which by a story I can thus excuse Two Beggars as an Emperor once past by Saith one O would this Great man cast an eye Vpon our wants how happy were we than Saith the other How
did great things and in the comming of Antichrist the Pseudo-Christiani i. false-Christians before him with him and after him by the aid of the wicked Spirit did maruellous things And in another place commenting vpon the same Euangelist As when a man telleth thee a Tale which thou art not willing to heare the more he speaketh the lesse thou bearest away Or trauelling in haste when thy minde is otherwise occupied though in thy speed thou meetest many yet thou takest not notice of any that passe thee so the Iewes dealt with our Sauiour for though they saw many signes and maruellous things done by him yet notwithstanding they demanded a signe from him because they heard such things as they marked not and saw such things as they tooke no pleasure to behold Hugo De Operib 3. Dierum speaketh thus Res multis modis apparant mirabiles c. Many wayes things appeare maruellous somtimes for their greatnesse sometimes for their smalnesse some for their rarietie others for their beauty First according to their greatnesse as where any creature doth exceed the proportion of it's own Kinde so we admire a Gyant amongst Men a Leviathan or Whale amongst Fishes a Gryphon amongst Birds an Elephant amongst foure-footed Beasts a Dragon amongst Serpents c. The second for their smalnesse as when certaine creatures are scanted of that dimension proper vnto their Kinde as in Dwarfes small Beagles and the like or in Moths small Worms in the hand or finger c. which how little soeuer yet they participate life and motion with those of larger dimension and size neither are they any way disproportionate in their Kinds but the one as well declareth the power and wisedome of the Creator as the other Consider therefore whether thou shouldst more wonder at the tuskes of the Boare than the teeth of a Worme at the legs of a Gryphon or a Gnat at the head of an Horse or a Locust at the thighes of an Estrich or a Fly If in the one thou admirest the greatnesse and strength in the other thou hast cause to wonder at the smalnesse and dexterity as in the one thou maist behold eyes so great that they are able to daunt thee in the other thou mayst see eyes so small than thine are searce able to discern them and euen in these little creatures thou shalt find such adiuments and helps of nature that there is nothing needfull or defectiue in the smallest which thou shalt finde superfluous in the greatest c. We wonder why the Crocodile when he feeds moueth not his lower chaw how the Salamander liueth vnscorched in the fire how the Hedgehog is taught with his sharpe quills to wallow and tumble beneath the Fruit trees and returne home laden with Apples to his resting place who instructed the Ant to be carefull in Summer to prouide her selfe of food for Winter or the Spider to draw small threds from it's owne bowels to insidiate and lay nets for the Flies All these are infallid testimonies of the wisedome and power of the Almighty These are only wonders in nature but no Miracles Chrisostom supr Math. saith thus Quatuor sunt mirabiles imitatores c. There be foure miraculous Imitators made by Christ A Fisherman to be the first Shepheard of his Flocke a Persecutor the first Master and Teacher of the Gentiles a Publican the first Euangelist a Theefe that first entred into Paradise And further That of three things the World hath great cause to wonder of Christs resurrection after death of his ascention to heauen in the Flesh and that by his Apostles being no better than Fishermen the whole world should be conuerted But if any thing strange or prodigious hath beene heretofore done by Mahomet or his associates they haue been rather imposterous than miraculous Or admit they were worthy to be so called yet do they not any way iustifie his blasphemous Religion For you may thus reade Iustine Martyr De Respons ad Quest. 5. fol. 162. As the Sun rising vpon the Good and Euill the Iust and Vniust is no argument to confirme the euil and injust man in his wickednesse and injustice so ought it not to confirme heretiques in their errors if at any time miraculous things be done by them For if the effect of a miracle be an absolute signe and demonstration of pietie God would not then reply vpon the Reprobate and Cursed at the last day when they shall say vnto him Lord haue we not in thy Name prophesied and cast out diuels and done many Miracles I neuer knew you depart from me ô ye Cursed c. Christ was miraculous in his Incarnation his Natiuitie his Life Doctrine Death and Resurrection as will easily appeare but first it shall not be amisse to speake a word or two of his blessed Mother Petrus Chrisologus writeth thus Vnexpressible is the sacrament of the Natiuitie of our Lord the God of Life which wee ought rather to beleeue than to examine A Virgin conceiued and brought forth which Nature affourded not Vse knew not Reason was ignorant of Vnderstanding conceiued not This at which Heauen wondred Earth admired the Creature was stupified what humane Language is able to deliuer Therefore the Euangelist as he opened the conception and birth in an human phrase so he shut it vp in a Diuine secret And this he did to shew That it is not lawfull for a man to dispute that which he is commanded to beleeue And againe How can there be the least dammage vnto modestie where there is interessed a Deitie Where an Angell is the Messenger Faith the Bride-maid Chastitie the Contract Vertue the Despouser Conscience the Priest God the Cause integritie the Conception Virginitie the Birth a Maid the Mother Let no man therefore iudge that thing after the manner of Man which is done by a diuine Sacrament let no man examine a coelestiall mysterie by earthly reason or a secret nouelty by that which is frequent and common Let no man measure that which is Singular by Example nor deriue contumely from Pietie nor run into danger by his rashnesse when God hath prouided saluation by his Goodnesse Origen vpon Mathew moues this Question What was the necessitie that Mary the blessed Virgin should be espoused vnto Ioseph but either because that mysterie should be concealed from the Diuell and so the false Accuser should finde no cauil against her chastitie being asfied vnto an husband or else that after the Infant was borne he should be the mothers Conduct into AEgypt and backe againe For Mary was the vntouched the vnblemished the immaculate Mother of the onely begotten Son of God Almighty Father and Creator of all things of that Sonne who in Heauen was without a Mother in Earth without a Father in Heauen according to his Deitie in the bosome of his Father in Earth according to his humanitie in the lap of his Mother Gregorie the Great saith Though Christ Iesus be one thing of the
foure Fountaines the first is the fountaine of Mercy to wash away our sinnes by the waters of Remission the second is the fountaine of Wisedome to quench our thirst with the waters of Discretion the third is the fountaine of Grace to water the plants of good Works with the springs of Deuotion c. Twelue most grieuous and intolerable sufferings of Christ are obserued from the Euangelicall historie his Agonie sad and bloudy than which spectacle nothing since the Creation of the World hath beene more admirable Secondly That for so vile a price hee should be sold and deliuered vp to his wicked and bloud-thirsty enemies by one of his owne Disciples 3. That with his hands bound hee should be led like a captiue through the publique street 4. That like a slaue hee should be so inhumanely scourged 5. That his browes should be pierced with Thornes 6. That hee should be affronted with so many contumelies and injuries as his face spit vpon his cheekes buffetted his head strooke with a rod his party-coloured Vesture and hee brought to be arraigned at the Bar for a Malefactor 7. That he was held more vile and vnworthy than the murtherer Barabas 8. That vpon his wearie and bruised shoulders he should be forced to beare that Crosse on which he was to suffer 9. That hee was adiudged to suffer so long and lingering a death 10. That when he was nothing but sorrow and anguish and paine all ouer yet he should be so scornefully derided of his enemies 11. That he beheld his most innocent Mother present in all his torments 12. That when his most holy body hung in the Aire and Sunnes meridian heate bloudy all ouer the fountaines of his veines being emptied and his bowels dried vp demanding but a little water they offered him gall and Vineger Who euer heard such things Who euer suffered the like things Bonaventure in his sixtieth Sermon De Tempore obserueth his sufferings to be vnspeakeable from ten circumstances First the Nobilitie of the Sufferer 2. The sensibilitie of the patient Members 3. The atrocitie of the punishment 4. The crudelitie of the Afflicters 5. The iniquitie of the Iudges 6. The multiplicitie of the torments 7. The vilitie of the place 8. His societie forsaking him 9. The diuturnitie of the paine 10. The varietie of his contumelies The multiplicitie and vniuersality of his torments may appeare by that which is spoken He was afflicted in his whole body he was bound vnto a pillar and scourged all ouer he suffered in euerie member by it selfe in his head by being strook with a Reed and wearing a crowne of Thornes in his eyes by being blinded and bâ— his often weeping in his cares by the peoples acclamations and loud blasphemies in his face by buffets and spitting in his tast by drinking vineger and gall in his hands and feet by the nailes strook thorow them by which he was fastned to the Crosse. The meditation wherof ought to begin in compassion of his grief and sufferings to make vs the more inflamed with the loue of Him so mercifull a Redeemer At whose death wee reade in the Euangelist Saint Matthew That from the sixth houre there was darkenesse ouer all the land vnto the ninth houre And Verse 21. The Vaile of the Temple was rent in twaine from the top to the bottome and the earth did quake and the stones were clouen and the graues did open themselues and many bodies of the Saints which slept arose and came out of the graues after his resurrection and went into the holy City and appeared vnto many c. Now concerning this great Eclipse and Earthquake there be diuers testimonies out of Ethnyck writers Phleganius a Greek Author of whom Suidas maketh oft mention hath these words In the fourth yere of the two hundred and fourth Olympiad which was in the eighteenth yeare of the reigne of Tiberius Caesar in which our Sauiour suffered there was an eclipse of the Sun the greatest that had euer before been seene or found to be recorded in writing which continued from the sixt vnto the ninth houre and during this Eclipse the trembling of the earth was so great in Asia and Bithynia that infinite structures of great magnificence and strength were vtterly demolished Concerning this Eclipse you may reade Bellarmine lib. 2. De Septem verbis thus Saint Mathew saith there was darknesse ouer the face of the earth from the sixth houre to the ninth And Saint Luke cap. 23. And the Sunne was darkned Three difficulties saith he are here to be explained First that the Sun vseth to be deficient in his light by reason of the interposition of the new moon when she is directly interposed betwixt it and the earth which could not happen at the death and passion of our Sauior because it was not then conioyned with the Sunne which hapneth in the new Moone onely but was opposed to the Sunne as being in her plenitude or fulnesse for then was the feast of Easter among the Iewes which according to their Law beginneth the fourteenth day of the first moneth Againe If in the Passion of Christ the Moone were conioyned with the Sun yet the darkenesse could not continue the space of three houres that is from the sixt houre to the ninth for the totall Eclipse of the Sunne cannot endure long especially if it be obscured all ouer so that it shadoweth the whole body of the Sun and that his dimnesse cannot properly be called Darkenesse for the Moone is moued with more swiftnesse than the Sunne in it's owne proper motion and for â—hat cause cannot obumbrate the Sunne but for a short season for it quickely giueth place leauing the Sunne free to his owne proper lustre Lastly It can neuer happen that by reason of the conjunction with the Moone the Sunne can leaue the world in vniuersal darkenesse for the Moone is much lesse than the Sun nay not so great in compasse and quantitie as the earth and therefore by the interposition of it's body the Moone cannot so shadow the Sun to leaue the whole earth in darknesse Now if any shall obiect and say That the Euangelist spake onely of the vniuersal land of Palestine that likewise may be very easily refuted First By the testimonie of Dionisius Areopagita who in his Epistle to holy Polycarpus affirmeth That he himselfe beheld that defection of the Sun and the horrible darkenesse then spred ouer the earth being at the same time in the city of Heliopolis which is scituate in AEgypt Moreouer Phlegon a Greeke Historiographer and a Gentile saith That in the fourth yeare of the two hundred and fourth Olympiad a great and remarkable defect of the Sun was obserued the like neuer before seene for the day at the sixth houre was turned into tenebrous night insomuch as the Starres were visibly seene in the Firmament And this Historian liued in Greece and far remote from Iudaea Origines against Celsus
mee And now and at all times await me euill I cannot free me from this Body nor It part from me but still beare it I must Thou gav'st it to destroy it I abhor To mar what thou hast made I were vniust Yet when I pamper what I dare not perish What is it lesse than mine owne Foe to cherish II. The World inguirts me and fiue seuerall wayes At once inuades me by th' Taste Touch and Smel Hearing and Sight not one Sence but betrayes The Fort and 'gainst the Lord of it rebell Beauty assaults and then the Eye giues place The Syrens sing by which the Eare is taken Sweet Vanities haue still the Smell in chace The Touch by Lust the Taste by Surfet shaken Thus the vain world doth with temptations round me Making those Gifts that should preserue confound me III. The Diuell whom our weake Eyes cannot view Is therefore to be more bewar'd and fear'd As one that Man doth night and day pursue His wounds when made not felt his voice not heard He baits his hooks with pride with gold with treasure A thousand ginnes are for our foot-steps layd Bird-lime he hath and that 's when aboue measure We dote on things by which we are betrayd Self-loue Vain-glory fleshly Lusts Ambition All his meere traines to bring vs to perdition IV. If I be ignorant he prompts me then To dote on Folly Wisedome to despise To prefer Ideots before Learned men And striue to be sequestred from the Wise. Or if that I in reading take delight At sorted leisure my spare houres to spend The Legend of some strange aduenturous Knight Or fabulous Toy hee 'l to my view commend But from mine eye the sacred Scriptures keepe Persuading th' are too plaine or else to deepe V. Or if I after Learning shall enquire And to the least perfection can attaine Either he makes me mine owne Gifts admire Or others of lesse knowledge to disdaine Or if my Talent to my selfe conceale Then to search out things mysticall and hid Such as God had no purpose to reueale But in his secret Counsels hath forbid Assur'd That 'mongst his other traines and baites None more than Curiositie God hates VI. If I be held a famous Rhetorician Able to equall Herod in his phrase Then am I puft vp with that proud ambition Preferring 'fore Gods honor mine owne praise If a good Disputant then in the stead Of finding out the Truth with Truth I wrangle And trouble with darke Sillogismes my head What else might seeme apparant to entangle Or if into Arithmeticke incline In studying Number I ferget the Trine VII Or if Theologie although the best And choice of Studies yet is that not free Nor can claime priuiledge aboue the rest Therein he rather most insnareth me As when I more than Matter seeke to please With curious language or affected straine Sow to mens elbowes pillowes for their ease More than Gods honor couet Place or Gaine When I for feare or fauor their sinnes smother Or be i' th Pulpit one abroad another VIII Or when Gods mercies to that height I stretch That Men thereby the more presumptuous are Or on the contrary his judgement preach So far as that it puts them in despaire Or when I shall exceed my strict Commission By adding or detracting from the Letter Or when I make too narrow inquisition And than mine owne opinion thinke none better Or in the Church pretending reformation I make my Zeale a cloake to Innouation IX Or if Philosophie the more I striue Of things the naturall causes to finde out I bring the sweeter hony to his Hive For of my God he makes me stand in doubt And then a thousand arguments he hath And ev'ry of them pow'rfull to persuade Hoping by Reason to confound my Faith And proue that all things were by Nature made And bids my weakenesse no beleefe to lend To any thing that Reason shall transcend X. He tells me The Philosophers were wise And that by search they all things needfull knew Their morall vertues sets before mine eyes Saith They in act and word were iust and true With their vprightnesse bids me then compare Our liues that Christianitie professe Consider but how different they are And how we more beleeue and practise lesse Then whither hath to heav'n neerer affinitie Moralitie in them or our Diuinitie XI Or if he proue this stratagem too weake He wills vs after secret things enquire Into the cabinet of Nature breake And there to finde what 's worthy to admire For there is two-fold Magicke Blacke and White Studies at first ordain'd to beget wonder Such as at once both profit and delight Amase the gods and keepe the Furies vnder Thus lulls mans Sences in a pleasing dreame Till he be made his Maker to blaspheme XII His darts and arrowes are Lust Enuy Wrath Whose poysonous heads are dipt in Stygian fire And more of that corrupted Nature hath T' enflame the Spleene and poyson the Desire Mortiferous all Then what shall me betide Poore wretched Man or which way shall I turne Thus hedg'd thus guirt thus ambusht on each side Immur'd with hooks with lime-twigs darts that burne When Sorrow Ioy Soure Sweet alike appeare To be but the iust causes of my feare XIII I am iealous both of Hunger and Repast Of Sleepe of Watch of Labour and of Ease Nor know in which I more secure am plac't Because I am hourely tempted in all these My Iesting as my Anger I suspect Lest in my mirth I might some one abuse Or speake what might to his disgrace reflect And that 's a sin I know not how t' excuse Thought ' offend in Wrath be greater far Yet from the first it doth not take the skar XIV Prosperitie I feare as things aduerse For as the one by sweetning oft deceiues So when the other hath with vs conuerse Despaire or Murmuring it behinde it leaues Of sinnes in secret I am more afraid Than those in publique because that 's vnseene Being vnknowne doth all reproofe evade Secure we thinke them hid behinde a skreene And when Securitie lulls fast asleepe The Tempter shoots his arrowes and strikes deepe XV. The Flesh in Delicacie doth suggest The World in Vanitie the Diuell he In better things for when I am possest With carnall thoughts the Flesh then speakes to me Either importuning to lust or sleepe To idlenesse to pleasure or to play T' excesse by feeding high and drinking deepe When as the World assaults another way By Arrogance Ambition and Vain-glory Tumor of heart and things like-transitorie XVI When Ire and Wrath and bitternesse of Spleene Prouokes vs vnto mischiefe bloud and strage The Diuell then hath made his arrowes keene And in such passions he doth rore and rage When I shall feele such in my breast arise Let me assure my selfe the Tempter's there Therefore at that time ought I to be wise And valiant to oppose him