to one World but said withal that this was a small Particle only of the Universe But Democritus and Epicurus were of Opinion That there were Innumerable worlds whom Metrodorus their Disciple follows saying That there are Innumerable Worlds being that the Causes of them are Innumerable neither was it less absurd to think that there should be one World in the Universe than to imagine one Ear of Corn in a whole Field But as to the Continuance of the World Aristotle Averroes Cicero Xenophon make it Aeternal and void of all Corruption For when that they could not understand whether the Egg or the Bird were first Generated since no Bird could be without the Egg Hence they imagin'd that this World and the Beginning of every begotten thing together with the End thereof was by perpetual Revolution sempiternal Pythagoras and the Stoicks said That the World was of God yet as far as its Divine Nature could permit should be corrupted in time with whom Anaxagoras Thales Herocles Avicen Algasel Alcmeus and Philo the Jew concur in Opinion But Plato affirming that it was Created by God after his own likeness denies that it shall ever be destroy'd Democritus saith That the World was once Created shall once be Destroyed and never more be renewed Empedocles and Heraclitus the Ephesian were of Opinion That the World doth every day renew and every day perish or decay Let us discourse of any thing which they say proceeds from a Natural Cause as for Example let it be an Earthquake yet are they at no certainty therein but wander in Extravagancies while Anaxagoras makes the Cause thereof to be the Air Empedocles Fire Thales Milesius Water Aristotle Theophrastus and Albertus Subterraneal Wind or Vapour Asclepiades great Mischances or Devastations Possidonius Calisthenes and Metrodorus the Destinies Seneca and others variously dissenting seem to have labour'd in vain in the search thereof And therefore the Ancient Romans when they either felt or heard of shaking or trembling of the Earth commanded Holy-days but never did Enact to which of the Gods they should be Dedicated because it was uncertain what force or which of the Gods was the Cause thereof CHAP. LII Of the Soul IF you desire to know any thing from them concerning the Soul there is far less of certainty among them For Crates the Theban affirm'd that there was no Soul but that the Body was mov'd by Nature Those who grant that there is a Soul suppos'd it to be the most thin and subtile of all bodies infus'd into this thick and earthy body Others there be that affirm it to be of a fiery nature of which number were Hipparchus and Leucippus with whom the Stoicks for the most part agree who define the Soul to be a hot Spirit together with Democritus who calls it a moveable and fierce Spirit mix'd and infus'd into Atomes Others said it was the Air as Anaximines and Anaxagoras Diogenes the Cynick and Critias with whom Varro concurs where he says that The Soul is Air receiv'd into the Mouth heated in the Lungs temper'd in the Heart and diffus'd over the whole Body Others will have it of a watery substance as Hippias Others of an earthy substance as Heliodorus and Pronopides to whose opinion Anaximander and Thales willingly agree both fellow-Citizens with Thales Others will have it to be a Spirit compos'd partly of Fire and partly of Air as Boetes and Epicurus Others compos'd of Earth and water as Zenophantes Others of earth and fire as Parmenides Others affirm'd the Soul to be the blood as Empedocles and Circias Some would have it be a thin Spirit diffus'd through the body as Hippocrates the Physitian Others flesh exercis'd by the senses as Asclepiades But many others have been of opinion that the Soul is not that little body but a certain quality or complexion thereof infus'd through all the particles of the same as Zeno the Cithick and Dicearchus defining the Soul to be the complexion of the four Elements Cleanthes also Antipater and Possidonius affirming the same to be a certain heat or complexion of heat drew Calenus the Pergamenian into the same opinion Others there are that uphold that the Soul is not that quality or complexion but something residing in some part of the body as the heart or brain as it were in its proper point or center and from thence governing the whole body Amongst the number of these are Chrysippus Archelaus and Heraclitus Ponticus who thought the Soul to be Light There are others who have thought more freely believing the Soul to be a certain unfix'd Point ty'd to no part of the Body but separated from any determinated Situation being totally present in every part of the Body which whether it were begot by Complexion or Created by God yet was first hatch'd and form'd in the bosome of Matter Of this Opinion were Zenophanes Colophonius Aristoxenus and Asclepiades the Physitian who held the Soul to be the Exercise of the Sences and Cretolaus the Peripatetick who call'd it the Fifth Essence as also Thales who held That the Soul is an unquiet Nature moving it self and Zenocrates would have it to be a Number moving it self whom the Aegyptians follow asserting the Soul to be a certain Force or Vertue passing through all Bodies The Caldaeaus were of Opinion That it was a Force or Vertue without a determinate Form but receiving all Forms that are External So that they altogether agree That the Soul is a certain Vertue fit to cause Motion or that it is else a Sublime Harmony of all the Corporeal Parts depending however upon the Nature of the Body The Footsteps of these Men are followed by that Daemoniack Aristotle who by a new-invented Name of his own calls the Soul Entelechia that is to say the Perfection of a Corporal Organ Potentially having life from which the same Body receives the Principles of Understanding Perceiving and Moving And this is the most receiv'd though most impâ—rtinent Definition of a Soul found out by that great Philosopher which doth not however declare or make manifest the Nature or Original but only the Affections of the Soul There are others that soare somewhat higher than these men who affirm the Soul to be a certain Divine Substance whole and individual diffus'd through the whole and every part of the Body produc'd in such manner from the Incorporeal Author as that it depends upon the force of the Agent not on the Generative Faculty of the Matter Of this Opinion were Zoroastes Hermes Trismegistus Pythagoras Euminius Hammonius Plutarch Porphyrius Timaeus Locrus and Divine Plata himself who defin'd the Soul to be an Essence moving it self endu'd with Understanding Eunomius the Bishop consenting partly to Plato partly to Aristotle affirms the Soul to be an Incorporeal substance made in the Body upon which definition he lay'd the Foundation of all his Opinions Cicero Seneca and Lactantius affirm That it is impossible to define what the Soul should be Thus it is
Jovist this man to be born under Mars another under Sol some under Venus some under Mercury some under Luna and from the Habits of the Body collects their Horoscopes gliding by little and little from Affections to Astrological Causes upon which Foundations they Erect what idle Structures they themselves please CHAP. XXXIV Of Metoposcopie MEtoposcopie to know all things from the sole Observation of the Forehead prying even into the very beginnings progress and end of a Mans Life with a most Acute Judgment and Learned Experience making herself to be likewise a Foster-Child of Astrology CHAP. XXXV Of Chiromancy CHiromancy fancies Seven Mountains in the Palm of a Mans Hand according to the number of the Seven Planets and by the Lines which are there to be seen judges of the Complection Condition and Fortune of the Person imagining the harmonious disposition of the Lines to be as it were certain Coelestial Characters stampt upon us by God and Nature and which as Job saith God imprinted or put in the hands of men that so every one might know his works though it be plain that the Divine Author doth not there Treat of vain Chiromancy but of the Liberty of the Will These Fortune-tellers have this to say for themselves That though they judge not of the Events or Effects of things by the Causes of things yet they judge thereof by such Signs as are taken like Impressions from the same or like Causes which to the same things continue still the same and to things alike continue still alike They farther say That Pythagoras made use of this Art who made his Conjectures of the Nature Conditions and Ingenuity of Children by the lineaments and features of the Face and Body and received none into his School but such as he judged capable of Learning Which was also the practice of Pharaotes King of India as Philostratus relates But there is no need to bring any other reason to make manifest the Errors of this Arts Professors than only that one that they have no Reason in ' um Many grave and ancient Authors have Written concerning the same as Hermes Alchindus Pythagoras Pharaotes the Indian Zophirus Helenus Ptolomeus Aristoteles Alpharabius besides these Galen Avicen Rasis Julianus Maternus Loxius Philemon Palamon Constantine and Africanus among the Latines Lucius Sylla and Caesar were mightily addicted to this Art Of later years Peter of Appo Albert the Teutonick Michael Scotus Antiochus Bartholomeus Coclitis Michael Savonarola Antonius Cermisonus Petrus de arca Andreas Corvus Tricassus Mantuanus Johannes de Indagine and many other famous Physicians but none of them have been able to make any farther progress than Conjecture and observation of Experience Now that there is no certainty in these Conjectures and Observations is manifest from thence because they are Figments grounded upon the Will and about which the Masters thereof of equal Learning and Authority do very much differ Therefore are they most certainly mad and drowned in Error that will undertake to foretel by such Signes as these not only the Complexion of the Body and Disposition Natural but also the very Affections of the Mind and Chances of Fortune evident in the judgment of Zopyrus concerning Socrates Nor must we believe what Appion the Grammarian hath left behind him in writing that one Alexander did so discerningly paint or express the likenesses of resemblance that from thence he could tell the certain years of past or future death which that they can be known by those Arts is not so much incredible as it is impossible But it is given to these idle sort of people thus to dote and frame Chimaeras to themselves by the instinct of the Devil who by that means leads them from Error into Superstition and from Superstition into Infidelity CHAP. XXXVI Of Geomancy GEomancy of which we have spoken before in the Chapter of Arithmetick is an Art that by certain Points separated either by Chance or by Force out of which it composes certain Figures by Numbers Even and Odd likened to those in the Heavens makes a kind of Divination and therefore by all Writers call'd the Daughter of Astrology There is another sort of Geomancy which Almadal the Arabian introduc'd which by conjectuâ—es taken from sound or appearance as Noise in the Earth motion cleaving swelling of the same as also by the sounds of Thunder raises a kind of Divination or Fortune-telling leaning intirely upon the Prop of Astrology as very observant of hours of Lunations as also of the Rising Setting and Figures of the Stars CHAP. XXXVII Of Augurie AVgurie or marking the Entrails of Fowls of which there are many sorts is an Art which was held in great Veneration in Ancient times even so great was the esteem thereof that nothing of those things that belong'd either to publick or private Affairs was acted before the Entrails of Beasts were inspected This most ancient Art as Pomponius Laetus testifies was receiv'd by the Greeks from the Caldees the first among whom Amphiateus Tyresias Mopsus Aphilotes and Calchas were accompted the chief from the Graecians it passed to the Hetrurians and from them to the Latines Romulus himself was a Soothsayer who first Ordain'd that the choice of Magistrates should be confirm'd by Augury and Dionysius tells us That the Art of Soothsaying was most ancient even in the time of the Aborigines and Ascanius before he put his Battle in Array against Mezentius made an Inspection into the Fowl and seeing the Augury answered his expectation he Fought and overcame The Phrygians also Pisidians Cilicians Arabians Vmbrians Tuscans and many others observed the Ceremonies of Soothsaying The Lacedemonians always had an Augur to attend upon their Kings whom they appointed to be always attending in Publick Councils and among the Romans there was a Colledge of Augurs They who first brought this Art in request were those that taught how that there were certain Lights of discovery and Revelation that descended from the Heavenly Bodies upon the Inferiour as it were certain Signes constituted and setled in their Motion Lying Resting Gesture Walking Flying Voice and Feeding in their Colour and Working wherein by a certain occult Force and silent Harmony they do so far sympathize with the Celestial Bodies with whose qualities they are affected that thereby they are enabled to foretel whatever those Celestial Bodies intend to act From whence it is apparent that this sort of Divination depends only upon Conjecture grounded partly upon the Influences of the Stars partly taken from parabolical Similitudes than which there is nothing more deceitful Therefore Panaetius and Carneades Cicero Chrysippus Diogenes Antipater Josephus and Philo held it very â—idiculous besides the Law and the Church condemn it Of this sort are those Mysteries of the Caldaeans and Aegyptians which the Hetrurians of old then the Romans and now the vulgar sort of Superstitious Heathens adore CHAP. XXXVIII Of Speculatory Divination UPon the same Grounds the Art of Speculatory Divination is founded which
if good and just men be the possessors of Knowledge then Arts and Sciences may probably become useful to the publick Weal though they render their possessors nothing more happy For it is not as Porphyrius and Iamblicus report That Happiness consists in the multitude of Arts or heaps of Words For should that be true they that were most loaden with Sciences would be most happy and those that wanted them would on the other side be altogether unhappy and hence it would come to pass That Philosophers would be more happy than Divines For true Beatitude consists not in the knowledge of good Things but in good Life not in Understanding but in living Understandingly Neither is it great Learning but Good Will that joyns Men to God Nor do outward Arts avail to Happiness only as Conditional means not the Causes of compleating our Happiness unless assisted with a Life answerable to the nature of those good things we profess Therefore saith Cicero in his Oration for Archias Experience tells us That Nature without Learning is more diligent in the pursuit of Praise and Vertue than Learning without natural Inclination It shall not then be needful as the followers of Averroes contend so violently to labour to season our minds with the so long so tedious so difficult so unattainable learning of all sorts of Sciences which Aristâ—tle confesses to be a common felicity and easie to be attain'd to by labour and diligence but only to give our selves to what is more easie and common to all the Contemplation of the most noble Object of all things God which common Act of Contemplation so easie to All men is not obtain'd by Syllogism and Contemplation but by Belief and Adoration Where is then the great felicity of enjoying the Sciences where is the praise and beatitude of the wise Philosophers that make so much noise in the School founding with the Encomiums of those Men whose souls perhaps in the mean time are at that instant suffering the Torments of Hell This St. Austin saw and fear'd while he exclaims with St. Paul The unlearned rise and take heaven by force while we with all our Knowledg are cast down into Hell So that if we may be bold to confess the Truth That the Tradition of all Sciences are so dangerous and inconstant that it is far safer to be Ignorant than to know Adam had never been Ejected out of Paradise had not the Serpent been his Master to teach him Good and Evil. And St. Paul would have them thrown out of the Church that would know more than they ought Socrates when he had div'd into the Secrets of all sorts of Science was then by the Oracle adjudged to be the wisest among many when he had publickly professed That he knew nothing The knowledge of all Sciences is so difficult if I may not say impossible that the age of Man will not suffice to learn the perfection of one Art as it ought to be Which Ecclesiastes seems to intimate where he saith Then I beheld the whole Work of God that man cannot find out the work that is wrought under the Sun for the which man laboureth to seek it and cannot find it yea and though the wise man think to know it he cannot find it Nothing can happen more Pestilential to Man than Knowledge this is that true Plague that invades all Mankind with so much confusion that subverts all Innocence subjecting us to so many Clouds of Sin and Error and at length to Death This is that that hath extinguish'd the Light of Faith casting our Souls into profound darkness which condemning the Truth has mounted Error to a Throne Therefore in my Opinion neither is Valentinian the Emperor to be disprais'd who is reported to be such an open Enemy of Learning nor is Licinius to be accompted blame-worthy who affirm'd Learning to be the Poyson and bane of the Commonwealth But such is the large freeness and free largeness of Truth as can be apprehended by no contemplations of Science by no judgment of Sence how quick soever by no evident proof no Syllogistical Demonstration no humane Discourse of Reason but only by Faith which he that is indued with Aristotle in his Book of First Resolves accompts to be in a better Condition than he that is indued with Knowledge which Words Philoponus Expounding saith is to be better disposed as more knowing by Faith than by Demonstration which is done by the cause Therefore saith Theophrastus in his Book of Supernaturals As to so far we may discern by the Cause taking our beginnings from the Sences but after we have passed the Extreams and first Principles we can go no farther either because we know not the Cause or through the defect of our weak understanding Plato in his Timaeus saith That our Abilities will not reach to the Explanation of those things but commands to believe those that deliver'd them before though they speak without any necessity of Demonstration For the Academick Philosophers were in high esteem for affirming That nothing could be Affirmed There were also the Pyronicks and many others who were of the same Opinion That nothing could be affirmed So that Knowledge hath nothing super-excellent above Belief especially where the Integrity of the Author directs the freewill of Believing Hence that Pythagorical Answer of He hath said it And that vulgar Proverb of the Peripateticks We are to believe every man expert in his Art Thus we believe the Grammarian as to the signification of Words The Logician believes the Parts of Speech delivered by the Grammarian The Rhetorician takes for granted his Forms of Argument from the Logician The Poet borrows his Measures from the Musician The Geometrician takes his Proportions from the Arithmetician And upon both these the Astrologer pins his sleeve Supernaturalists use the Conjectures of Naturalists and every Artist rightly trusts to the Method and Rules of another For every Science hath certain Principles that must be believed and can be by no means Demonstrated which if any one deny those Philosophers will streight cry out He is not â—o be Disputed withal as a denyer of Principles or else they will deliver him over to the rack of his own experience as if one should deny Fire to be hot let him be thrown into the Fire and then resolve the Question So that of Philosophers they are forc'd to become Executioners compelling men to believe that by force that they cannot teach by Reason To a Commonwealth there can be nothing more pernitious than Learning and Science wherein if some happen to excel the rest all things are carried by their Determination as taking upon them to be most Knowing who thereupon laying hold upon the simplicity and unskilfulness of the Multitude usurp all Authority to themselves which is oft the occasion of the changing Popular States into Oligarchie which dividing into Factions is at length easily oppress'd by single Tyranny which never any man in the World was ever known to
Demonstrations not so much as in Naturals but deduce them all out of the Precepts of Aristotle or some other that went before him whose Authority they preserve and make use of for all their Principles of Demonstration Now Aristotle affirms that for true Demonstration which Creates a Science which is made by Quiddities as the Logicians call them and by the proper differences of things to us unknown and hidden He saith farther that Demonstration is made by the Causes which Causes proceed either De per or secundum quod ipsum Which parts of Speech being convertible and relating back one to another yet saith he no circular Demonstration can be granted out of the Causes for all that If therefore the Principles of Demonstration are unknown and that Circulation be not admitted certainly little or no knowledg can be thence concluded For we believe things demonstrated through certain very weak Principles to which we assent either through the preceding authority of the wise or else approve by experience of our Sences And indeed all Knowledge hath its original from the Sences And it is a certain experiment of the Truth of Speech as Averroes saith when the words agree with the things thought And that is most truly known to the Knowledge of which most Sences concur Out of sensibles we are by the knowledge thereof led to all those things that fall within the compass of our Knowledge But now when all the Sences are subject to be deceived they can surely produce to us no real experience Wherefore seeing that the Sences cannot attain to an Intellectual Nature and that the causes of inferior things out of which the Natures Properties Effects and Passions of those things ought to be discovered and demonstrated are by the consent of all Men altogether unknown to our Sences doth it not hence appear that the way of Truth is wholly shut up and obscured from our Sences So that all those deductions and seeming Sciences deeply rooted in the Sences themselves must of necessity be altohgther erronious uncertain and fallacious Where is then the benefit of Logick where is the fruit of this Scientifical Demonstration from Principles and Experiments which when we must be forced to consent to as to known Terms will not those Principles and Experiments be rather things perfectly known than demonstrated But let us consider this Art a little more remotely Logicians reckon up ten Predicaments which they call most general Genus's Those are Substance Quantity Quality Relation When Where Scituation Habit Action Passion By which they hope to comprehend and understand all things whatever are contain'd within the round circumference of the World They add moreover five Predicables so call'd because they are predicated of themselves and of their parts that is to say Genus Species Difference Proper Accident Then they assigne four Causes of every thing the Material Formal Efficient and Final by which they believe themselves able to discover the Truth or Falshood of all things by a certain infallible Demonstration Now they compound every Syllogism oâ— Demonstration of three Terms the first is the Subject of the Question and is called the Major the next the Predicate of the Question the third is the Middle participating between both with these terms they form two Propositions which they call the Prâ—mises out of which at length springs the Conclusion This is that egregious Engine and these the Terms and Parts thereof whereby they undertake to joyn divide and conclude all things by the help of certain Axiomes which they dream impossible to be refuted These are the deep and profound Mysteries of Artificial Logick invented with so much care by these fallacious Doctors which being such great and secret Mysteries are not to be exposed or learnt by any other than they who are able to give great rewards for the same and to be at large expences to purchase Authority among the Schoolmen These are the Nets and these are the Hounds with which they hunt the Truth of all things whether natural as in Physicks or supernatural as in Metaphysicks but according to the Proverb of Clodius and Varro can never overtake by reason of their bawling and brawling one with another CHAP. VIII Of Sophistry BUt the late Schools of Sophistry have made an addition of far greater and more Monstrous Prodigies such a Scroll of Infinituâ—s Comparatives Superlatives Incipits and Desinits Formalities Haecceities Instances Ampliatioâ—s Restrictions Districtions Intentions Suppositions Appellations Obligations Consequences Indissolubles Exponibils Replications Exclusives Instances Cases Particularizations Supposits Mediates Immediates Completes Incompletes Complexes Incomplexes with many more vain and intolerable Barbarisms which are thick sown in their Logical Systemes whereby they endeavour to make all those things to appear Truths which are in themselves absolutely false and impossible and those things which are really true like furies breaking out of the Trojan Horse they seek to ruine and destroy with the Flames of their barbarous words Others there are who will admit of no more than three Predicaments not but two Figures of Syllogisms and of them but eight Moods laughing to scorn all Modal Compositions together with concrete and abstract Terms Others are not wanting who have found out the eleventh Predicament and a fourth Figure of Syllogisms Increasing the number likewise of Predicables and Causes and have moreover invented so many invincible Stoical subtleties that the Niceties of Cleanthes and Chrysippus together with the little conceits of Daphita Euthydemus and Dionysiodorus seem dull and meer rustical when compared with the new devices of our Modern Sophisters in the Study whereof the whole fray of our Sophisters are so stupidly employ'd that their whole business seems to be to learn to erre and with perpetual Skirmishes to render more obscure if not quite to obliterate the Truth which they pretend to explain so that the great Art which they profess is but a Gallimaufry of depraved and barbarous words by nice and froward Cavilling perverting the use of Speech offering violence to the poor Tongue that is scarce able to manage them the glory whereof consists only in noise and reproach the professors themselves coveting Combate rather than Victory and seeking all occasions rather of Contest than to find out the Truth So that he is the best Man among them who is most impudent and fullest of Clamour of whom Petrarch writeth that whether it be the modesty of their Stile or a confession of their Ignorance they are implacable in their Language yet dare not abide a true Challenge and are unwilling to appear in publick knowing what frivolous Ornaments they are attir'd withal and therefore like the Parthians they exercise a flying Fight and darting their volatile words up into the Air may be said to commit their Sails to the Wind. These are they who as Quintilian says are extraordinary subtile in Disputing but take them from their impertinent Cavilling and they are no more able to endure the blows of right Reason like little Buggs that
secure in Chinks and Crevises are easily trod upon in the plain field Sophisters are unwilling to Fight under the Banners of sound and approved Authors but like Stratagematists fly for Refuge to the strength of Memory and the whifling clamor and noise of a nimble Tongue Neither do they think it of any consequence to consider what reason to use so they can but give any high instance or example nor matters it what they think or say so that they talk loud and bold enough For he that among them is fullest of words seems to be the wisest and the most learned Person Arm'd with these Sorceries they visit the Schools haunt the Streets frequent great and full Tables provoke Antagonists if the Fight begin and they find themselves worsted then they fly to their old lurking holes and their accustomed Labyrinths If they find any person unwilling to grapple then they endeavour to entrap him at unawares with some unusual Question to which if they have not a ready and pertinent Answer or that the Party seem any thing puzl'd then they raise to themselves mighty Pyramids and Triumphs But what good fruit this Logick with her Sophists hath brought forth or is likely to bring forth in the Church let us consider Surely we shall quickly find that they not assenting to Divine Tradition confound the holy sence with Reasons deduced from their own fallacious suppositions to which while they give too much credit they banish the Light of Truth and embrace darkness and being thus wrapt and infolded in those shades of Error blind leaders of the blind they draw many with their false Argumentations and shadows of Reason into the Ditch together with themselves and always blundering in the deep Ocean of Ignorance and Error seduce the more Ignorant to adore their Fictions in honour of which they dare presume to aver That sacred Theologie is not able to subsist without Logick that is to say without Brangling and Jangling without Contention and Sophistry I deny not but that Logick may be useful in Scholastick Exercises but how it may assist or uphold Theological Contemplation I cannot apprehend whose chiefest Logick consists in Prayer For truly that promise of Christ was not made in vain Pray and ye shall receive Through which means the Faithful of Christ shall obtain from the Master of Truth all necessary Knowledg of the Truth long before they shall be able to compass the height of their Logical skill Furthermore Sophistry with all her quirks and devices could never soar higher than Philosophy but through the path of Prayer lies the certain and streight way to the highest Knowledge of Divine and Humane things Therefore they are in the wrong who affirm this Sophistry to be the only Engine and most Potent for the subversion of Heresie when it is indeed the chief Strength and Pillar of Heresie For Arrius and Nestorius relying upon this Art the one affirm'd divers Substances in the Trinity the other deny'd the Virgin Mary to be the Mother of God giving greater credit to the Sophisms of Aristotle than to the Word of God For as St. Jerom observes all the Opinions of the Hereticks have made their Nests and founded their Sanctuaries among the Briars of Aristotle and Chrysippus Hence Eunomius argues That which is born could not be before it was born Hence the Manichaean because he would free God from being the Cause of Evil makes a bad or evil Deity Hence Novatus that he may take away Repentance denyes Pardon From such Fountains as these do spring all the larger Rivolets of Heresie for seeing there is no sentence which may not be contradicted nor no Argument which may not be assail'd by another hence it is that it is so impossible to attain to any end of Knowledge or to come to the Knowledge of Truth by the means of Sophistical Argumentation and hence it is that so many deviate from Truth to Heresie thinking that they have found some appearance of more powerful Truth by the help of Logical Disputes or else condemn one Heresie to be themselves the Establishers of a new one And thus far of Logick and Sophistry CHAP. IX Of the Art of Lullius RAymund Lullie in these latter times hath Invented a Prodigious Art not unlike Logick by means whereof like another Gorgias Leontinus who was the first that in a Publick Assembly durst put the Question what they would have him to Discourse of to enable any person to discourse extempore upon any Subject But to insist farther upon this it will not be needful now seeing we have Commented sufficiently upon this Art already and the thing it self is so obvious that it will not be necessary to use many words about it This I am to admonish ye of in general That this Art is of no other use than only to shew the Pomp and Magnificence of Wit and Learning and is no way prevalent for the attaining of sound Learning having in it far more of confidence than efficacy CHAP. X. Of the Art of Memory AMong these Arts is to be reckon'd the Art of Memory which as Cicero saith is nothing else but a certain method of Teaching and Precept like a thin Membrane consisting of Characters Places and Representations first invented by Simonides Melito and perfected by Metrodorus Sceptius But let it be what it will more certain it is that it can never come to good where there is not a very god Natural Memory before which sometimes it perplexes with such monstrous Apparitions that instead of a new Memory it is the cause of Madness and Phrenzies and over-burdening the Natural Memory with the Characters and Images of innumerable things and words it occasions those that are not contented with the bounds of Nature to run Mad with Art This Art when Simonides or some body else did offer to Themistocles he refus'd it saying He had more need of Forgetfulness than Memory said he I remember what I would not but I cannot forget what I would As for Metrodorus Quintilian thus writes concerning him It was a great piece of vain Ostentation saith he to glory rather in his Memory by Art than in that by Nature Of this Art Cicero makes mention in his Book of Rhetoricks Quintilian in his Institutions and Seneca Among Modern Authors Francis Petrarch hath writ something concerning it together with Mareol Veronensis Petrus Ravennas Hermannus Buschius and others though unworthy of a Catalogue as being obscure Persons Many there be that at this day Profess the same though they get more Infamy and dis-repute than gain thereby being a sort of rascally Fellows that do many times impose upon silly Youth only to draw some small piece of money from them for present Subsistance Lastly 't is a childish Triumph to boast of a great Memory besides that it is a thing of shame and disgrace to make a shew of great Reading exposing a great Fair of words without doors when the House within is altogether unfurnish'd CHAP. XI Of the
So Orpheus asswag'd the Tempest of the Argonauts with a Song and Homer relates how the course of Vlysses blood was stopt by the power of words Moreover in the Law of the Twelve Tables there is a Law against those that did inchant the standing Corn whereby it is apparent that Witches have a power by the force of words to produce strange Effects not onely upon themselves but also upon outward things All which things that is to say to separate the hidden force of things and either draw them to themselves and repel them from themselves they credibly believe themselves to effect no other way than as the Loadstone draws Iron or Amber or Jet draws Chaff and as Onions again destroys the Magnetick Power So that by this Gradual and Concatenated Sympathy not only Natural and Celestial Gifts but also Intellectual and Divine may be receiv'd into humane Souls as Iamblicus Proculus and Sinesius gather from the Opinions of Great Men and that by this Consent and Harmony of things Magicians do call up the very Spirits For some of them are arriv'd at such a height of Madness that they believe that upon the right Observation of such and such Constellations at such intervals of time and by such reason of Proportions an Image being made would receive Life and Motion which upon counsel desired should be able to give Answers and Reveal the hidden Secrets of Truth Hence it is manifest That this Natural Magick inclining toward Conjuring and Necromancy is often entangled in the Snares and Delusions of Evil Spirits CHAP. XLV Of Conjuring and Necromancy THE Ceremonial Parts of Magick Conjuring and Necromancy Geocie or Conjuring curs'd for being familiar with unclean Spirits ceremonies of wicked curiosity compos'd of Prayers and Inchantments is held Abominable and wholly Condemn'd by the Decrees of all Lawgivers Men hateful to the Gods that stain the Skie And blot the Stars though Natures Progenie The setled course of things they can confound Can fix the Poles send Lightnings on the ground Pull down the Heavens and Hills eradicate These are those that Invoke the Souls of dead Bodies who Inchant Children and cause them to give the Answer of the Oracle and as we read of Socrates carry about with them certain Pocket Daemons and who as they say nourish little Spirits in Glasses by which they pretend to Foretel and Prophesie All these proceed in a twofold manner For some of them make it their business to adjure and compel Evil Spirits to appearance by the Efficacy and Power of sacred Names because seeing that every Creature doth fear and reverence the Name of its Creator no wonder if Conjurors and other Infidels Pagans Jews Saracens or prophane Persons do think to force the Devils Obedience by the Terrour of his Creators Name Others more to be detested than they and worthy the utmost punishment of Fire submitting themselves to the Devils sacrifice to them and Worship them become guilty of the vilest subjection and Idolatry that may be to which Crimes though the former are not quite so obnoxious yet they expose themselves to manifest dangers For the Devils are always watchful to intrap Men in the Errors they heedlesly run into From this insipid crowd of Conjurors have flow'd all those Books of Darkness which Vlpian the Civilian calls by the name of forbidden Writings Of which one of the first Authors is said to be Zabulus a man wholly inclin'd to unlawful Arts. Then Barnabas 〈◊〉 Cyprian and now frequently other Books are Published up and down under the feigned Titles and Names of Adam Abel Enoch Abraham and Solomon others under the Names of Paulus Honorius Cyprian Albertus Thomas Hierome and one Eboracensis to whose silly trifles Alphonsus King of Castile Robert the Englishman Bacon Apponus and many other of deprav'd Fancies have adher'd But besides this they have not only made the holy Patriarchs and Angels Authors and Upholders of their detestable Studies but also shew several Books which they pretend were written and delivered by Razial and Raphael tutelar Angels of Adam and Tobias Which Books notwithstanding to any one that narrowly considers the Rules of the Masters the Customes and Ordinances of their Ceremonies the Nature and Choice of their Words and Characters their insipid and barbarous Pharases sufficiently betray themselves to contain nothing but meer Toys and Geugaws and that they were in far later Ages contriv'd by such as were utterly ignorant of that Magick Profess'd by the Ancients being â—ounded only upon certain prophane Observations mixt with the Ceremonies of our Religion with an addition of many unknown Names and Characters to terrifie ignorant and silly people and to amuse those that are void of sence and understanding Neither doth it therefore follow that these Delusions are Fables for unless there were something of reality in them and that many mischievous and wicked things were accomplish'd thereby both Divine and Humane Laws had not so strictly provided for the punishment thereof and Ordain'd them to be quite extirpated from the Earth Now why these Conjurers make use only of evil Spirits the reason is because the Good Angels seldome appear being only attendant on the Commands of God and not vouchsafing to be known but only to upright and holy Men. But evil Spirits submit themselves more willingly to their Invocations falsely assuming to themselves and counterfeiting Divinity always ready to deceive and delighting to be ador'd and worship'd and because Women are more covetous of the Knowledge of Secrets and not less cautious and prone to Superstition and more easily Deluded therefore to them the Devils show themselves more familiar and make them the performers of many Miracles as are related of Circe and Medaea of many others the Stories of the Poets are full and Cicero Pliny Seneca St. Austin and many others both Philosophers Doctors and Historians as also Sacred Writ bring many Testimonies For in the Book of Samuel we read of a certain Woman-Witch that liv'd in Endor that rais'd the Soul of Samuel though most Interpreters agree that it was not the soul of Samuel but an Evil spirit that took upon him the shape of the Prophet Yet some of the Hebrew Doctors aver neither doth St. Austin to Simplician deny the possibility thereof that it was the true Soul of Samuel which before a compleat Year after its departure from the Body might be easily call'd up according to the rule of Necromancy The Necromantick Magicians believe that the same may be performed by certain Natural tyes and Obligations which was the reason that the Ancient Fathers well-read in Spirituals not without good cause ordain'd that the Bodies of the Dead might be buried in Holy-ground should be assisted with Lights and sprinkled with Holy-water be perfumed with Incense and pray'd for by the Living so long as they were above Ground For say the Hebrew Doctors All our Carnal Body remains as Food for the Serpent which they call Arazel which is Lord of the Flesh and the Blood
than good Neither is the determination of Affairs led by Judgment but guided and turn'd to and fro according to the favour number and affection of the Multitude Which Pliny the younger affirms for the decrees and choices of the people are number'd not consider'd For in popular Consultation that always carries the day which not the wisest but the greatest number think most convenient among whom while they all accompt themselves equal there is nothing more unequal than that Equality it self Nothing therefore can be rightly order'd by the promiscuous heat and headlong fury of the Multitude nor can any thing be rightly amended that shall be found amiss and disadvantageous to the Commonwealth rather those Statutes and Decrees which are made and confirm'd and found to be most wholesome for the publick good by the rage of the inconsiderate Multitude are overturn'd and abrogated Now among all these so various forms of Rule and administrations of Government most Authors have another compounded of two particular kinds Such an one did Solon compose partly of the Nobles partly of the People so making his publick Honours communicable to all Others thought fit to frame their Political Rules by making a mixture of all three together Such was the government of the Lacedaemonians for they had a King who was perpetual but he had little or no Command only in time of War then had they a Senate chosen out of the richest and wisest part of the Nobility moreover out of the Common People they Created Ten perpetual Ephori who had power of Life and Death and were Controulers both of the King and Senate being Elected out of the Vulgar people Among the Romans the Authority of the Senate plainly shew'd that there was an Aristocracy mix'd with their Democracy and we find that many things were commanded by the Senate many things by the People And at this day though in many places Kings and Princes do rule at their own pleasures yet do they make use of the chief Nobility and Gentry in the several Counties and Provinces of their Kingdoms to transact many Affairs and of great consequence from whence hath arose a question which it is most sate to live under a good Prince and bad Counsellours or bad Counsellours and a wicked Prince Marius Maximus Julius Capitolinus and others choose the latter notwithstanding that many grave Authors are no way willing to consent to them finding by experience that evil Counsellors may be corrected sooner by a good Prince than an evil Prince be amended by good Counsellers However for the good government of a Commonwealth or Kingdom it is not Philosophy nor Kingcraft nor any other Science that can avail but the integrity fidelity and ability of the Ruler for a single person may govern best so may a few so may the people provided that in each there be the same intention of Unity and Justice but if the designes of each be evil then can neither rule as they should But that which convinces the strange rashness of Men addicted to Rule is this that when Men in their several stations some plainly confess themselves ignorant how to Plough and Sow how to keep Sheep some how to guide a Ship or govern a Family yet there is no Man who does not think himself sufficiently gifted to bear Office in a City to act a King or Prince or to command great Nations and People which is the most difficult thing CHAP. LVI Of Religion in General TO the perfect Weal of a State or Kingdome Religion is of main concernment which is a certain Discipline and Canon of outward Rites and Ceremonies by means whereof as by certain signes we are admonished of our Internal and Spiritual Duties Cicero defines it to be a Discipline teaching us to exercise the Ceremonies of Divine Worship with a reverent Famulatu which that it is most useful and necessary for all Cities and Governments the same Cicero together with Aristotle firmly holds For thus saith he in his Politicks It behoves a Prince above all others to seem Religious For the People are of Opinion that such Rulers will do 'um no harm and they will be the more afraid to Plot against them by how much the more they think themselves defended by the Gods Now Religion is so deeply Rooted in Men by Nature that it makes the difference more plain betwixt them and Beasts than Reason Now that Religion is thus Naturally grafted in us Aristotle confesses besides that it is apparent from â—his very experiment That as often as we are oppressed with any suddain Dangers or put to any suddain Affright presently before we search into the Cause or seek for any other help we flye to Coelestial Invocation Nature it self teaching us without any other Instructor to Implore Divine Assistance From the Beginning of the World we find that Cain and Abel did Religiously Sacrifice to God though Enoch were the first that taught the Forms and Ceremonies of Divine Worship for which reason the Scripture saith That then the name of the Lord first began to be call'd upon After the Flood how many several Laws and Ordinances of Religion were Instituted by several persons in several Nations For Mercury and King Menna taught the Aegyptians their Forms of Worship Melissus the Foster-Father of Jove instructed the Cretans in their Ceremonies Faunus and Janus Instituted the Rites of the Latines Numa Pompilius those of the Romansâ—Moses those of the Hebrews Cadmus also the Son of Agenor is said to have brought out of Phoenicia all those Solemn Mysteries Consecrations of Images Hymns Festivals and other Sacred Rites and Customs performed in honour of the Gods which were afterwards in use among the Graecians Neither did they only give names to the Gods but also Ordaina what Rites and Ceremonies should be due to each They held that there were certain Numens the Protectors of Criminal Offences and ascrib'd a Deity to Diseases and evil Accidents Therefore did the Romans Worship Jove the Adulterer and Dedicated a publick Temple to the Goddess Feaver and in their Esquiliae plac'd an Altar to Misfortune In Hell they also found out Deities to adore and the Prince of Darkness Satan the most miserable and the lowest of all they made a shift to Worship under the Names of Pluto Dis and Neptune assigning to him for a Keeper the Three-headed Cerberus that greedy Monster that Compasses the Earth seeking whom he may Devour sparing none hurtful to all the Accuser of all Men. From Captive Souls the Lord of Stygian Lands For past Offences Punishment demands 'Gainst all the shades remorseless Rage he breaths With Furies compass'd and a thousand Deaths Here sundry sounds of sundry wayling Pains There Thousand Torments shake their dismal Chains Th' Aegyptians together with their Deities adore Brute Beasts and Monsters and there are at this day that Worship Idols and Images At this day likewise a great part of the World as the Turkes Saracens Arabians and Moors give Divine Honours to Mahomets
after he had overcome the Saxons and Lombards honour'd them as follows My fellow-Souldiers said he ye shall be call'd Heroes Companions of Kings and Judges of Crimes Live henceforward free from Labour consult and advise with Kings for the Publick good reprehend soul Actions be kinde to Women and be tender over Orphans encompass Princes with your counsels From them demand your Food Apparel and Wages whoever denies ye let him be dishonourable and infamous He that offers ye injury let him confess himself guilty of High Treason And for your parts take you heed that so great Honours so great Priviledges acquir'd by the labours of War that ye stain them not nor defile them with Drunkenness or any other Vice that what we give for your Glory may not redound to your Punishment the infliction whereof if ye exceed your bounds we reserve to our selves and our Successors Kings of the Romans And this is the magnificent Degree of Heraldry for which by ancient Custom they esteem themselves so great CHAP. LXXXII Of Physick in general FRom War and Nobility let us hasten to Physick which is it self a kinde of Art of Killing altogether Mechanick though she pretend to be shadow'd with the Title of Philosophy and sits above the Law next to Divinity in degree and place which hath caus'd great contention between the Civilian and the Physitians For thus the Physitians argue Seeing say they there are three sorts of Goods the Goods of the Soul the Goods of the Body the Goods of Fortune of the first the Divine takes care of the second the Physitian the third onely belongs to the Lawyer Hence it is that the Physitians claim the next pre-eminence to the Divines forasmuch as the strength and health of the Body is to be preferr'd far before the Riches of Fortune But this strife was once determin'd by a witty Question For some one of these Contenders desiring to know what order and method was observ'd in leading Criminals to Exâ—cution which follow'd and which should precede the Thief or the Haâ—gman and when one answer'd that the Thief went before and the Hangman follow'd the other presently gave judgment that the Lawyers should go before the Physitians follow denoting the remarkable Robbery of the one the rash Murther of the other But let us return to Physick of which there are many sorts of Heresies For there is one which they call Rational Sophistical and Dogmatical which was practised by Hippocrates Diocles Chrysippus Caristinus Paraxagoras and Herosistratus approved also a long while after by Galen who above all the rest following Hippocrates brought all the Art of Physick to be comprehended in the knowledge of the Causes judgments upon Signes and Symptoms qualities of things and the several habits and ages of Bodies But this Heresie contending more for substance than shadow I confess to be the meaner part of Philosophy but toward the cure of the Sick not at all necessary if not altogether destructive as that which rather sends us for Health and Cure to screw'd and forc'd Maximes than to any sincere and real Medicines and being employ'd in Scholastick Syllogisms unacquainted with Woods and Fields becomes altogether ignorant of Herbs and good Remedies And therefore Serapion was of opinion that this Rational Method of Physick did nothing at all avail to the Cure of diseases Therefore there is another Faction of Physicians altogether Mercenary and Mechanick which is therefore termed Operative and is divided into Empirick and Methodical of which we are now to treat They call it Empirical because of the Experiments which it makes whose chief Professors were Serapion Heraclides and both the Apollonii Among the Latines Marcus Cato C. Valgius Pomponius Leneus Cassius Felix Aruntius Cornelius Celsus Pliny and many others Out of this Hierophilus the Calcedonian constituted his Methodical Physick and by the help of long Experience the Mistress of all things fixed it to certain Rules which afterwards Asclepiades Themistion and Archigenes confirm'd by most strong arguments and afterwards Thesillus the Italian compleated who as Varro affirms set aside all the Opinions of his predecessors madly raging against all the Physicians of the former Age. After these many Barbarous Physicians of forraign Nations ventured abroad in Writing among which the Arabians became so famous that they seemed by many to have been the Inventors of this Art and might have easily made it good but for the Original Greek and Latine words which they used betraying another original of the Science This made the Volumes of Avicen Rhasis and Averroes to have equal Authority with the Books of Galen and Hippocrates so that if any one presume the Cure of a person without their Rules he seemed to throw away the life of the Patient Now these Factions among Physicians be not many yet is the Contention and Combate of Opinions not less among them than among the Philosophers For observe how idly they contend about the substance of the Seed Pythagoras will have it to be the spume or froth of the most useful part of the Bloud or the most useful part of the excrement of the meat Plato affirms it to be a deflux of the Back-bone-marrow seeing that the Back and Reins are pained by the over-much use of Copulation Alcmaeon asserts it to be part of the Brain for that Copulation weakens the Eyes which are nourished by the Brain Democritus will have it to be derived from all parts of the body and Epicurus to be as it were forcibly strain'd from body and soul together Aristotle affirms it to be the excrement of the Sanguineous nourishment which is last digested in the body Others believe it to be bloud ripened and made white by the heat of the Stones for this reason That they who copulate too often do eject drops of bloud Adde to all this that Aristotle and Democritus are of opinion that a Womans seed doth not at all contribute to Generation neither that she does emit any seed at all but onely a kinde of Sweat Galen affirms that they eject seed but more imperfect and that the seed of both sexes assists in generation Though Hippocrates is of a contrary judgement affirming that the bodies of all Animals are coagulated out of the four Humours Yet Aristotle maintains that the Bloud is the next cause of Generation and that the seed is generated out of the Blood Many of the Arabians are of opinion that perfect Animals might be generated without the mixture of Male and Female and be produced without the help of seed and therefore did aver that there was no necessity of the Matrix but by accident Now speaking of the Original Causes of Diseases Hippocrates places them in the Spirits Hierophilus in the Humours Erasistratus in the bloud of the Arteries Asclepiades makes them to be certain Atomes entring in thorow the invisible pores of the body Alcmaeon believes all diseases to proceed from the exuberance or scarcity of the Corporeal faculties Diocles from the inequality of the
same Authority the Emperour claims over Philosophy Physick and all the other Sciences giving no countenance to any Art till first all'owed by the skill of his Law to which all sorts of Arts and Sciences compar'd are of no use or value This makes Vlpian say The Law is King of all humane and divine things whose Office it is as Modestinus saith to command forbid punish permit than which there are no greater marks of Superiority Pomponius defines the Law to be the invention and gift of God and the Maximes of Wise-men Because all the ancient Law-givers that their Laws might gain the greater reverence among the Vulgar feigned that the Laws they wrote were clictated to them by the Gods Thus Osiris among the Aegyptians seigned to have received his from Mercury Zoroastes among the Persians from Oromazus Chariundas among the Carthaginians from Saturn Solon among the Athenians from Minerva Zamolxis among the Scythians from Vesta Lycurgus from Apollo Numa from the Nymph Egeria Thus you see how this knowledge of the Law arrogates to it self a Power and Soveraignty over all the Sciences and Arts exercising a Tyranny over them and advancing it self above all other Sciences as the First-born of Heaven despises and contemns all the rest being it self constituted out of the frail and infirm Positions and Opinions of men of all things the most slender and subject to alteration upon every change of State Time or Prince and which deduces its original from the sin of our First parents the cause of all our evils From whence also the corrupt Law of Nature which is called Jus Naturale first descended of which behold the chief Maximes Keep off force by force Break faith with him that breaks faith To deceive the deceiver is no deceit A deceiver is not bound to a deceiver in ought A fault may be recompensed by a fault Those that deserve ill ought to enjoy neither justice nor faith No injury can be done to the willing He that buys may deceive himself A thing is worth so much as it may be sold for A man may provide for his safety with the damage of another No man is oblig'd to impossibilities Thou or I are to be ruined it is better that thou be ruin'd than I. With many more of the same nature Moreover the Law of Nature is Not to hunger not to thirst to suffer cold or destroy ones self with Watching and Labour which overthrowing all works of Piety and Penance establishes Epicurean Pleasure for Supreme Happiness The first occasion of War Bloudshed Bondage Separation of Dominions was also the first occasion of the Law of Nations after that came the Civil or Popular Law which every Nation approâ—priates to it self From whence have arisen so many Contentions among men that there are not words enough to express the subjects and matter which they contain For seeing that men were so prone to quarrel it was necessary that there should be an observation of Justice according to Law that so the arrogancies of Impiety might be suppressed and that Innocence might be in safety amongst the Wicked and that the Good might live quietly among the Bad these are the grounds of Law of which there have been Legislators innumerable The first whereof was Moses who gave Laws to the Je'ws at which time Cecrops gave Laws to the Algyptians after whom Pheroneus gave Laws to the Greeks Mercury Trismegist gave Laws to the Aegyptians Draco and Solon to the Athenians Lycurgus to the Laâ—edemonians Palamedes first made Military Laws for the governing of Armies Romulus first of all gave Laws to the Romans which were called Curiatae After whom Numa invented the Ceremonies of their Religion and all the rest of the succeeding Kings added their particular Laws which being all vvritten afterwards in the Books of Papyrius were afterwards called the Papyrian Laws After that came the Laws of the Twelve Tables the Flavian Law the Helian Law the Hortensian Law the Honorarian Law the Praetors Law Decrees of the Senate Edicts of the People Law of the Magistrates and Custom and the power of Law-giving given to every Supreme Prince I pass over all those Lawyers good part whereof are repeated in the second Law of the original of Right Among those who endeavoured to reduce the Civil Law into a Volume the first was Cneus Pompey next Caesar but both were prevented by Civil War and untimely death At length Constantine renewed those old Laws and Theodosius the younger reduced them into one Volume which he called a Codex and after him Justinian set forth the Codex now in use But all the authority of the Civil Law rests in the People and Princes neither is there any other Civil Law but what the people establish by Common consent Hence Julian avers That the Laws binde us for no other reason but onely for that they are received by the Common Consent of the people who by universal consent transferred the power and whole authority upon the Prince so that whatsoever is ordained by the consent and approbation of the Prince and People has thereupon partly by Constitution partly by Custom the force of a Law though it be an Errour or a Falshood for Vniversal Errour makes a Law and matter adjudged becomes Truth Which Vlpian teacheth us in these words He ought to be taken for a free-man born who is so adjudged by Sentence though he were onely manumitted because a matter once adjudged is to be taken for Truth The same person tells that one Barbarius Philippus who was a fugitive at Rome demanded the Praetorship and had it and when he came to be known who he was yet was it taken for granted that all whatsoever he had done by vertue of his Office should stand good though he were but a servant The same person confesses that no reason can be given for all the Decrees and Laws which were set forth by our Ancestors Whence we finde that all the Wisdom of the Civil Law depends upon onely Will and Opinions of men no other Reason urging than the Regulation of Manners conveniency of Converse power of the Prince or force of Arms. So that if the Law preserve the Good and punish the Bad 't is then a just Law if otherwise the worst of evils by reason of the evils ensuing either through the Toleration Approbation or Negligence of the Supreme magistrate And it was the Opinion of Demonax That all unprofitable Laws were superfluous as being intended neither for the Good nor the Bad since the former want them not the later are never the better for um Furthermore seeing that Cato confesses that there is no Law that can be adapted to all Emergencies but such where Equity and Rigor are at a continual variance and that Aristotle also calls Equity the Correction of a just Law wherein that part is defective which was generally agreed to doth it not hence plainly appear that all the force of Law and Justice depends not so much upon the Law
of his Life The Rhetorician will rather deny the manifest Truth than yield to his Opposer in the least Syllogistical Conclusion Arithmeticians and Geometricians number and measure all things but neglect the Measures and Numbers of their lives and souls The Musicians are all for Sounds and Songs not minding the Discords of corrupt Manners Therefore Diogenes the Sinopian was wont to reprove them that they would fitly make the Harmony and Strings agree but that there was neither measure nor harmony in their customs of living Astrologers behold the Heavens and the Stars and foretel others what shall happen in this world but they never minde the evil which every moment hangs over their own heads Cosmographers describe the situations of Countries the forms of Mountains the course of Rivers and limits of distinct Regions but they make a man never the wiser nor better Philosophers with great vaunting dive into the Causes and Beginnings of things while they neglect perhaps not so much as know God the Creator of all things There is no Peace among Princes and Magistrates being easily drawn for small advantages to seek the destruction one of another Physicians cure the bodies of the sick and neglect the health of their souls Lawyers diligent in observing the Laws of Men however transgress the Commands of God whence it is grown to be a Proverb Neither physicians live well nor Lawyers die well Physicians being the most disorderly sort of men and Lawyers the most dishonest Divines make a great noise while they preach to us the observation of the Commands of God and holy Doctrine but their words and conversations differ very much being such as had rather seem to know than love God Now then he which knows all things to speak and write well he who understands the nature of Verse the course of Times the ways of Reasoning the ornaments of Speech the colours of Rhetorick he that remembers all things the proportions and sums of Numbers the harmony of Sounds the measures of Dancing the measures of all Quantities the inflexions and reflexions of the Sun-beams the situation of the Earth and Sea the various ways of rearing all sorts of Edifices and Engines the ordering of Battels the tilling of Ground the taking feeding fatting of Beasts Birds and Fish every kinde of Country-trade every species of Mechanick Industry Painting Graving Founding Hammering Hewing Factoring Sayling the course of the Stars their Influences upon inferiour Bodies the forebodings of Destiny Divinations of all sorts the hidden monstrosities of Magick Art the secrets of the Cabalists the causes of all Natural things the reformation of Manners the Governments of Commonwealths Family-order Remedies for Diseases vertues of Medicines and skill in mixture the delicate Dressing of Meats Let him know both Laws all the Pleadings of the most learned Doctors and Council the wrangling of the Sorbonnists the hypocrisie of the Monks with all the Learning of the holy Fathers he I say who knoweth all this and more if there be any thing yet remaining yet he knoweth nothing unless he know the will of Gods Word and perform the same He that hath learned all things and hath not learned this hath learn'd in vain and all his Knowledge is in vain In the Word of God is the Way there is the Rule there is the Gole or Mark whither he ought to bend his Course that will not go astray but drives to reach the Truth All other Sciences are subject to Time and Forgetfulness and not onely these Sciences and Arts but also the Letters Characters and Languages which we use shall perish and others rise in their places and peradventure they have more than once been already lost and have as often come to light again Neither has there been one manner of Orthography in one Age nor alike with all men Nor is the true Pronunciation of the Latine Tongue at this day any where to be found The ancient Characters of the Hebrew are quite lost they which are now in use being found out by Esdras for the Hebrew Language was corrupted by the Caldeans a Misfortune that has happened well-near to all the Languages of the world so that there is hardly one at this day which understands its own Antiquity new words growing into use and the old ones decaying So that there is nothing fixt or durable Finally the opinion of Terence is That nothing is now spoken which has not been spoken before And many there are among whom Volaterrane is one that would have it that the Gun which is by most accounted a New Invention of the Germans was used in ancient time and this they endeavour to prove out of Virgil. There Salmon lay in cruel torments bound Curs'd Imitator of th' Olympick Sound He born by four fleet Steeds his Flambean shaking Through Greece and Elis Towns his journey taking Triumphing went and call'd himself a God Mad as he was still thundring as he rode Thunder and Tempests seem'd to fill the skie With so much noise his speedy Coursers flie Much to this purpose hath Ecclesiastes spoken when he saith There is nothing new under the sun nor can any man say Behold this is new for it hath been in times past before us There is no remembrance of things past neither they which shall be in the later days shall remember the things which shall be hereafter And in another place he saith The learned and the ignorant also shall die What then shall we here say but that all Sciences and Arts are subject to death and forgetfulness neither shall they for ever remain alive but together with death shall pass to death forasmuch as Christ himself saith That every plant which the heavenly Father hath not planted shall be rooted out and cast into everlasting fire So far are we to be from believing that Knowledge availeth to Immortality but that the Word of God alone endures for ever The knowledge whereof is so needful to us that he that despiseth it that esteems it not and is not a hearer thereof as the Word it self testifies in the holy Scripture God will send upon him a Curse Damnation and everlasting Judgement Ye are not therefore to think that it belongeth onely to Divines but to every one man and woman old and young so that every one according to the grace and capacity given to them is bound to have the knowledge thereof and not of dissent a hairs breadth from the true sence and meaning of it For this cause the Old Testament commands us in this manner These words shall be in thy heart all the days of thy life and thou shalt declare them to thy children and grandchildren and command them to keep and observe them Thou shalt ponder them sitting in thy house and going thorow the street sleeping and waking and shalt binde them as a token to thy hand they shall always be and move before thy eyes and thou shalt write them over the doors of thy house Thus Josiah read all the words and