THE WONDERS Of the World OR Choise Observations and Passages concerning the beginning continuation and endings of Kingdomes and Commonwealths With an exact division of the several Ages of the World and the most remarkable passages and memorable accidents that have come to pass therein Also divers weighty grounds and reasons both from Scripture and natural experience why men lived longer in former Ages then at this present With the seven several ages of men The opinions of divers great Emperours and Kings touching the person of Christ and the life of mankinde with the strange events that have befaln several of them Also a discovery of divers creatures bred in the Sea and other obscure places of the World retaining the similitude and likeness of men and women Together with the miserable death that befel Pontius Pilate after that he had condemned our Lord and Saviour JESUS CHRIST The place of his birth and burial and how he appears once every year in the said place in the shape and likeness of a Judge A Work very profitable and necessary for all Written originally in Spanish translated into French and now made English by that pious and learned Gentleman JOSHUA BAILDON Imprimatur John Downam London Printed for John Andrews at the white Lion in the Old Baily 1656. The WONDERS Of the VVORLD Discovering Many secret Rarities that have been hidden since the Creation CHAP. I. Why men lived longer in former ages than now in these days ALL those that are studious in Divine Writ may read that in the time of the first age and before that for sin a generall Deluge came over the earth mans life then was longer than it is at this present It is certain that Adam lived nine hundred and thirty years Seth nine hundred and twelve Cain nine hundred and ten And descending from the one unto the other the shortest of their lives was seven hundred years and in these times we see few attain to fourscore or ninety years and if some one passe that it is rare and marvellous so that we come not to the tenth of the age of former men The learned either Divines or Philosophers who have discoursed thereupon seeing that nature that brings us forth now is the same that it was in times past and that those first men lived so long by nature and not miracle became astonied thereat and have curiously searched out the causes and reasons as Marcus Varro and an infinite number of others who have found these things so difficult in natures appearance that they have thought the years in ancient times not to be the same with ours in these modern times which opinion and belief is a great and vain errour as will be made appear in this following Chapter The truth is when I see the works of others and descend to that which agrees with my opinion that the principall reason why men live not so long now a days as formerly is that the Ancients had not in their times the causes that engender now in us those diseases whereby comes so soon old age and death Then we must consider that the first Parents of all humane linnage Adam and Eve were created by the immediate hand of God without any other means or help and therfore it is presumed that he created them of a most excellent complexion perfect Sympathie and proportion of humours which caused them to live in health so long and many years By means whereof the children that proceed from Parents so full of health must needs resemble their Progenitors in the same good and healthful complexion as men descended of excellent matter even till the change of ages the property whereof is to change and impair all things all humane kind began to grow weaker and the days of men to grow shorter Now in those times there was one thing that made much toward their long life which in these times is very hurtfull and contrary to us which was their great temperance in drink both in quality and quantitie and the small varietie of meats for they had not of so many sorts as now we have nor with so many inventions of cooking We do nor find that before the Deluge men knew what it was to eat flesh besides some hold it for certain that the fruits and hearbs were of far greater virtue and substance without comparison than now they are because then they proceeded out of new earth and not as it is at this day weak weary and as it were fallow for the Deluge was the cause of taking away its fat leaving it more infertile with a salt savour lesse perfect by the inundation of the Sea which floted for many weeks over it All these reasons are and every one of them sufficient however there are more if they were all put together to prove that this is no strange thing but naturall that men lived longer then than in these times Moreover it is to be noted and we hold it for certain that Adam knew all the virtues of Hearbs Plants and precious Stones and his children learned from him more than any man could learn since This was in part for health and the support of life and to cure diseases if peradventure any should happen by using such remedies as were simple and perfect and leaving out venemous compositions used in these present times the which instead of purging and cleansing weaken and kill those that take them and which is more in those former times the life and health of man was more supported and helped by the course of the heavens and influence of the Stars more benevolent in those times than they are now because they had not passed so many aspects conjunctions eclipses and other celestiall impressions from whence are proceeded these alterations variations and changes upon the earth and amongst the elements principall occasions of life and health in those former times and on the contrary infirmities and death in these But above all that that we have said and founded upon naturall reason I maintain that the cause of the long life of men in those days proceeded from the providence of God who would have their lives such and that the occasions aforesaid might help one the other to the end that onely of two might be bred many that the earth might be filled and human kind multiplied So we see that men not living so long after the Deluge as before God suffered them to go into the ark and so saved more men and women then he did create at the first to the end that the world might be replenished more easily St. Augustine speaking of these things sayeth That our fore-Fathers had the advantage of us not onely in health and long life but also in stature of body as it is evident in many Sepulchres and bones which have been found under great Mountains so that one may verily believe they were the bones of men living before the Deluge The same St. Augustine affirms that being in Vtica a Town in
of time even to the bottome of the water till the child made a sign to rise again In this solace and sport they spent many daies during which the Dolphin came every day to present himself to the brink of the Sea But at one time the child being naked swimming in the Sea and getting upon the Dolphin willing to hold fast one of the sharp pricks in the Fin of the Dolphin run into his belly which wounded him so that the child died immediately in the water which the Dolphin perceiving and seeing the bloud and the child dead upon his back he swam presently to the shore and as though he would punish himself for this fault swimming in great fury he leaped out of the water carrying with him as well as he could the dead child which he so much loved and died upon the shore with him This very thing is recited by Plinie and others with examples of Dolphins which have born love to men And particularly he saith that in the time of the Emperour Octavian another Dolphin in the same manner took love to a child upon the Sea-coast near to Pusoll and that every time this child called Simon they say this fish will run at that name it came presently to the Sea brink the child mounted upon the back of it and the Child was carried into the sea as little away as he would and brought back again safe He saith also that this child dying by accident of sicknesse and the Dolphin coming divers times to the accustomed place not finding the child there died also Plinie the second Nephew to the great Plinie recites marvellous things of the Dolphin in his ninth book of his Epistles in an Epistle which begins thus Incidi in materiam veram c CHAP. XXX Why Snow being covered with straw it preserves it in its coldnesse and hot water in its heat seeing they are two contrary effects by one and the same thing with some other secrets TO men of wit and lovers of the contemplation of the works of nature there shall not any thing present it self though never so slight or of little worth but they will find something of note in it which may yield them content when they have found it out We may find many men that if we should ask them the reason and what is the cause that Snow being covered with straw is preserved a long time in its cold nature of Snow without melting they could not tell what to say To this Alexander Aphrodise an excellent Parepatetick answers That straw hath no manifest or known quality it is neither hot nor cold so that some have named it without any quality for this cause because it is so singularly temperate and delicate even to such a degree as we cannot say whether it be hot or cold and so easily converts it self unto the qualitie of the thing whereunto it is adjoined so that putting it upon snow which is cold the straw pertakes of the cold quality of it and by the means thereof aids and maintains the coldnesse of the Snow as a thing of one quality helped by another without heating it at all because it hath none so the Snow being accompanied with cold and defended from heat which the straw keeps from it preserves it self in the same being a long time and longer than if it were not covered with straw By the same reason it works a contrary effect in warm-water because being covered with straw the straw receiveth immediately the quality of heat from the water and being so heat it aids and keeps the water in its heat and defends and keeps away the air that would cool it By this reason we may understand and find out other dificulties and doubts which curious persons may put unto us like unto this We know well that besides our naturall and inward heat that which causeth heat in us in Summer is the air which in that season is much more hot then at any other times in the year so the hotter the air is the more we feel the heat If then it be so now cometh it that we find more coldnesse and freshnesse and lesse heat in giving our selves air in summer by fanning and moving it when Aristotle saith motion causeth greater heat so that the air by this agitation ought to be hot it self and heat us more than if it were left quiet and unmoved The cause proceeds from this that we have more heat in our bodies then there is in the air as well naturally as what the air worketh in us For the air coming freshly I say freshly because it is more temperate then our selves it something tempers us but being at rest about us it heats it self by our heat as we have said before of the straw it preserves nay augments this heat howbeit if it be agitated and often renewed in coming upon us more temperate than we are our selves this temperature and difference which we find of lesse heat moderates that which we have from our selves This is the answer that Alexander and Aristotle gives to this question We must notwithstanding observe and note That if the air be more hot than the heat which we have from our selves the agitation and fanning of that air will not be so good because we shall find greater heat by so doing So let us see now to come again to hot water If we put our hands into it we shall have much ado to keep them in yet if we hold our hands still we may endure it better than if we stir them up and down because the water which surrounds the cold hand tempers a little that which is about it but in stirring it in the water the water renews its heat and begets every time new force We may ask again Why is it hotter in June and althrough July the Sun being then farther from us than at the beginning of June when we are in the Solstice and longest daies in the year beats more right upon us with his rays To which Aristotle answers in the second of his Meteors that the heat of the Sun is not the cause nor do we feel it the more by being near to us but when it hath the longer time to be over us because in June July it hath had a longer time to draw near unto us so in declining it causes a greater heat for it heats again in its descent the part and track of the air which it had before heat by its rising CHAP. XXXI In what part of the Zodiack the Sun the Moon and the rest of the Planets were placed when they were made And which was the beginning of years and times AS the Philosopher saith men are naturally curious to know and again in this case such is their covetousness greedy desire of human understanding that they content not themselves alone with the things that they comprehend with ease But beyond that they search and strive with great presumption to know and understand
of their God to signifie the hope of the hour which was to come and as it were to prognosticate the everlasting salvation which thereby succeeds unto us so says Ruffinus in his Ecclesiasticall history Marcellus and others Here you see how the crosse was in esteem amongst that Nation But on the contrary amongst the Jews Romans and other people the death upon the Crosse was reputed ignominious And the Emperour Constantine was the first that forbad any person condemned to death should be crucified for the honour he bare to the holy Crosse But ordeined the contrary that it should be honoured and reverenced of all because God had shewed him a Crosse in the air with promise of victory so that under this sign and hope of the promise he fought with his enemie Maxentius a Persecutor of the Christians and overcame him as is recited by Eusebius So the Emperour Theodosius though it be not observed to this day ordeined that the sign of the Crosse should not be engraven in stone or in metal to be placed afterwards in any place where it might be broken or defaced because such substances are apt to break and he would perpetuate them unto us CHAP. IIII. Of the excellency of keeping Counsell and how it ought to be kept with some good examples to that purpose ONe of the principall things which makes a man known to be wise is that he can keep counsel be secret in that which hath been declared unto him by another and to keep his own proper affairs silent Those that shall read ancient Histories will find infinite good enterprises to have failed of their desired end either in peace or in war for want of keeping counsel and thereupon have followed an infinite number of mischiefs But among all examples we wil consider one notable above all the rest as proceeding from God who so well keeps his own counsell that he lets not any one know whatsoever he be what shall happen to morrow Nor those of times past could ever know what should happen at this hour So in truth we may see that God himself hath loved secresie For albeit he should declare or hath declared some things yet is it not possible for any to make him alter his will For this cause understanding men have always loved to do their business secretly We read that Cato Censor would often say to his friends that he always repented of three things if at any time he should happen to do any of them The first if he should declare asecret to any one especially to a woman The second to have travelled by Sea when he might have gone by Land And the third if he should spend one day idly without performing some vertuous act The two last deserves to be noted but the first serves to our purpose Alexander had received from his mother a letter of some importance and after he had read it in the presence of Hephestion he closed up his mouth with his Seal-Ring wherewith he was wont to seal his most secret letters whereby he shewed that he to whom one reveals his secrets should have his mouth sealed up When King Lisymachus bid the Poet Philipides ask what he would and it should be granted the Poet answered him the greatest good you can do me is that you communicate not to me any of your secrets Antonius Sebellicus writes a notable example to this purpose In the time of Pope Eugenius saith he The Senate of Venice had a Captain named Cremignol by whose treason means the whole army wasdiscomfited By means whereof the Senators assemble to determin what should be done in this case Some advised that he should be sent for apprehended and receive justice others were of the contrary opinion At the last it was concluded that there should be no notice taken of his fault waiting for a better opportunity all agreeing neverthelesse that he should suffer death for his fault This conclusion and occasion was deferred for eight moneths with such secrecy that there was no speech of it during all that time which was a marvellous thing seeing there were so many Senators whereof there was many of them great friends to Cremignol and many of them poor which had received from him many gifts and much riches yet gave him no advertisement Nevertheless this thing was kept secret among them till those eight moneths were past Then it was ordeined that he should come for Venice where the Senate received him with great welcomming and loving embracings And the next morning he was apprehended and condemned to be beheaded which was done accordingly This may serve for an example to all our Modern Senators Judges and Counsellours that it may not happen to them as it hath done to some which have by and by discovered those secrets which they ought to have concealed to the shame of whom I will tell you a pleasant discourse of Aulus Gaelius in his Attique nights and by Macrobius in his Saturnals which is thus The Senators of Rome when they entred into the Senate-house had a custome to bring every one of them along with them one of their children so soon as he could go and the children of the noblemen had this priviledge even to the age of seventeen years that being accustomed to see the good orders that their fathers kept there afterward coming at age to govern they might be the better instructed in publick affairs these children neverthelesse were so well instructed and taught that they kept precisely the secrets that were there treated of It happened one day amongst the Senate was put a matter to treat on of great consequence so that they stayed longer in the house that day than they were accustomed and yet were forced to defer the determination of this matter till the next day forbidding to speak any thig of it in the mean time in any sort Now amongst the children that were brought thither that day there was one young child son to the Senatour Papyrius who was of one of the most illustrious and famousest family in Rome At the childs return home the Mother would know of him what businesse that was that was treated of there that day that kept them there so late to whom the child answered It was a thing that he might not declare and that he was forbidden to speak any thing of it The Mother hearing this answer as it is the custome of women was much more desirous to know it than before so that at first by fair means and promises she assayed to draw it from him and at last by threatnings and beating would constrain him which to avoid the child devised a pretty shift and told her that which was in debate and would be determined the next day was that it seemed good to divers of the Senators as well for the publick good as for the increase of people that every man should have two wives and that there were some that were of the contrary opinion maintaining that every
woman ought rather to have two husbands and that the next day it would be resolved on Which when the mother heard she believed and was mightily moved thereat which caused her to advertise the rest of the Roman Dames that they might provide to hinder that men should not have two wives but rather women might have two husbands Hereupon the day following a great number of the Matrons of Rome came to the door of the Senate praying and requesting the Senators effectually not to make so unjust a law as that one man might marry two wives and that it would be better to make the contrary The Senators which knew nothing were abashed in such sort that entring one after another into the Senate house enquired of one another from whence proceeded that dishonest incivillity of their wives but no one of them could give a reason At the last little Papyrius put them out of their pain declaring in full councel what had hapned to him with his mother and for fear that she put him into he was constrained to use this deceipt towards her This being heard by the Senators they greatly commended the constancy of this little child Neverthelesse they ordered that they should bring their children no more to the Senate onely this Papyrius who was admitted to enter Certainly the old men in these times may take example by this discreet youth and consider that if a private secret ought to be kept much more a publick and especially among people of age and judgement Brutus Caessius and all those that conspired the death of Caesar because they saw it expedient for the profit and the liberty of their Country fully determined it but would not let Cicero know of it one of their great friends and one that desired more than any in Rome the abolition of that Tyrannie not for any distrust they had in him but because he was not reputed a good counsel keeper a secret worthy admiration seeing there were so many conspirators and neverthelesse they concealed it so long from him their singular friend Fulvius declares a great secret to his wife which had been communicated to him by the Emperour Octavian which being discovered by the wife and came to the ears of the Prince the Senator was sharply reprehended for his lightnesse by his Lord whereby growing in dispair determined to kill himself wherefore upbraiding his wife of the wrong which she had done him she answered him he had no reason to be angry with her seeing that during so long time as they had lived together he could not take notice of her light temper or having known it would abuse it in trusting her with such a secret Wherefore though her husband was the cause of her fault yet she determined to suffer first and indeed presently killed her self and so did her husband after her We read in the life of Nero that when his death was plotted in Rome a thing very necessary to the Romans because of his strange cruelties he which had the charge to give him the blow meeting by chance one who was led prisoner by the Ordinance of the Tyrant and considering with himself that the perverse nature of the Emperour was such that whosoever he caused to be apprehended never scaped death and therefore this poor prisoner which shed tears in abundance could not escape it came to him and not considering of what importance it was to him to keep counsel said unto him I pray God keep thee till to morrow for if thou scape this day I assnre thee Nero cannot put thee to death Which the prisoner understanding suspected the cause to be as indeed it was and so found out the means to save his life by declaring it to Nero bidding him have a care of himself Who sent presently to apprehend him that comforted the prisoner and by extream torments made him to confess the Plot and so he lost his life and their design was lost Plinie reports the quite contrary of Anaxarchus for being taken for such a like thing he bit off his tongue with his teeth because he would not declare a secret and spit it in the Tyrants face The Athenians caused the Statue of a Lyon made in brasse to be set up in the honour of a woman whose name was Lion in memory of her constancy in keeping secret a conspiracy and this Statue had no tongue to denote secresie The servants and slaves of Planeus are also much commended in that there was not torments sufficient to make them confesse to the enemies of their Master who sought to kill him in what place he was hid The servant of Cato having seen his Master commit some fault was put to great torment to make him speak and yet they could never make him bear such testimony against his Master Quintus Curtius recounts that the Persians held it inviolable to punish grievously and more than for any other offence he that revealed any secret for confirmation whereof he says that King Darius being overcome by Alexander and not knowing whither to flie hid himself but there was no torture that could be inflicted upon them that knew it nor any hope of recompence could make them reveal it to any person And sayth that the Persian held an opinion that none ought to be trusted with any thing of consequence that cannot keep a secret Secrecy then is necessary in all matters principally in War which the valiant Captains of old observed very well Philip son to Antigonus successour to Alexander asked his father in the presence of some when the army should move to whom the King replied in anger Art thou so deaf that thou fearest thou shalt not hear the Trumpets with the rest willing to make him understand thereby that he had made a fault in asking that question which must not be answered in the presence of witnesses There was one Mettellus a Tribune of Cicily in the army a Roman Captain came to him and asked him what he had determined concerning the war to whom Mettellus answered if I thought my shirt knew I would take it of and burn it presently Horace amongst the laws of festivals wils that every one keep secret the things that are there done and spoken To this purpose the Athenians had a custome when they met at a feast the ancientest in the company shewed all the rest the door at which they came in bidding them take heed that by any means not a word of any thing that should be there done or spoken should go out beyond that door The first thing that Pythagorus taught his Schollars was to be silent wherefore he kept them a certain time without speaking to the end that he might teach them to keep counsel and not to speak but in fit time which shewed that the virtue of secresie was the rarest When Aristotle was demanded what seemed to him the most difficult thing of all he answered to keep silence To this purpose St. Ambrose in his offices puts among the
and inclinations I alledge that this division was the invention of the Astrologers but let every one believe what he please Now we will come to the division of the Philosophers Physitians and Poets which are of divers opinions And because in this discourse there are some things of note I will treat of some of them to exercise ingenious wits The great Philosopher Pythagoras let a mans life be as long as may be makes but four divisions of it Comparing it to the four quarters of the year saying that infancy is the spring time in which all things are in their flower begins to grow and encrease Youth he compares to Summer for the heat and force which men have in that age The Viril or mans age is to Autumn because in this time men have experience are ripe apt for good Counsel and certain knowledge in all things And he represents old age to winter a time without fruit troublesome displeasing and hath not the happinesse of any fruit but what hath been gathered in former times Varro a learned man amongst the Romans divided the life of man into five parts attributing to every one of them the space of fifteen years The first fifteen he calls Puerility belonging to childishnesse The second he calleth Adolescentia youth that is to say growing because in that time men grow The other fifteen reaches to forty five years and calleth it Iuventus which comes of the Latine word Juvare To signifie a time of help because in this age men serve in actions of war and Common-wealth affairs And this Age is the stable and confirmed time of the life From forty five to sixty he calls that the ripe age of man because in Latine such men are called Seniores that is in respect of others behind them Because in this time men decline and grow into old age which accomplisheth the rest of the life after the sixty years Thus have you Varroes division of the life of man The Philosopher Hypochras divides it into seven Ages The first and second each of them seven years which makes fourteen The third of fourteen years reacheth to twenty eight The other two each of them seven years and reach to forty two The sixt of fourteen years and reach to fifty six And the rest of the life he attributes to the seventh Age. The Philosopher Solon puts these seven parts into ten dividing the third the sixt and the seventh in the middest so that every one of the ten parts lasts seven years There is the description made by the Philosophers But Isiodore hath distinguished them into six Ages The two first agreeing with Hypocras making every one of them seven and naming the first infancy the second puerility from fourteen to twenty eight he calls Adolescentia or the growing age from twenty eight to forty he calleth youth which is the fourth in order the fifth he calls the declining age and which begins old age he makes of twenty years and are in all sixty The rest of the life he attributes to old age calling it the sixth age Horace that excellent Poet divides also the age of man but it is in four parts onely so doth Pythagoras Namely puerilty youth and the viril age and old age the which is elegantly described in his Poetick-Art with the qualities and conditions of men in every age And neverthelesse according to the Rule of the naturall Philosophers The life of man ought to be divided but in to three ages The first the growing age The second that which a man continues all in one estate The third of the declining time Because according to Aristotle All things that are engendred have augmentation a reteining of the essence and a diminution so they give to man three ages The Arabian Physitians have been of the same opinion Yet nevertheless Avicen a learned man distinguisheth our life into four ages or principal parts The first which lasts thirty years he names Adolescenâ—ia youth because in this time all things goes forward in growing The second from thirty to forty five and he names it the time of standing at a stay or the time of beauty because in this time man is in perfection From thence forward and even to sixty he calls the time of secret declination and the way to old age and all the time that a man lives afterwards he calls cleer and open old age Yet we must note that although he make this his principall division he divides the first of these four which is the thirty years and makes them into three parts so that we may say he confirms those which divide them into six Now after al considering these variable opinions I do not know which to take to for the most true nor indeed can there be any certain rule given in respect of the divers complexions and dispositions of men as also the innabiting in divers Countries Provinces and feeding upon good or naughty meats by means whereof men arrive sooner or later at old age For this cause saith Gallen we ought not to give a limitted time to ages which being wel considered wil make that all these discordances of severall Authors not to seem so strange seeing that every one of them have a divers consideration thereupon As had Servius Tullius King of Rome who according to Aulus Gelius had regard to nothing but the common good when he divided the people of Rome into five estates And separated the life of man into three parts naming the first age to seventeen Puerity and then to forty six he declared them men able and fit for war and made them be listed in writing And after forty six he named them men ripe and fit for Counsel This division contraries not the others because it is universal and incloses in it self the lesser and more particular seems to conform it self to the common divisions which divide the ages into youth ripe age and old age The Viril from the time we are born to the end of youth which continues to 45 years a little more or lesse So saith Virgil Viredisque juventus which is to say green youth The ripe age even to sixty years which Servius names wise and fit for Councel and the rest decrepit old age The which three parts may be divided into lesse and by that means confirms the truth which seems to be amongst the Authors CHAP. XIIII What a dangerous thing it is to murmure against Princes with a Commendation of their clemency THere is a very ancient saying and prized amongst the old Proverbs That Kings have large hands and very long ears inferring thereby that Kings and mighty men can take vengeance a far off upon those that have offended against them and also that they understand all things that are said against them in secret For there are so many people insinuate themselves into the love of those that command that nothing can be hid from them For this cause wise men Counsel that no man speak any thing
the Sun a hundred and eighty degrees in the other Hemisphere inferiour to the Town of Jerusalem to shew that it was true beyond that which Authors write The Text of holy Scripture proves it for it is certain that they never offered up the Lamb in sacrifice but upon the fourteenth day of the Moon Which Lamb was eaten by Jesus Christ and his disciples the day before his death As it was commanded in Exodus the twelfth Chapter and Leviticus the three and twentieth The next day was the feast of unlevened bread Christ the immaculate Lamb was crucified the Moon of necessity being at ful and opposite to the Sun which could not possibly make an Eclipse neither could any of the other Planets do it therefore it was miraculous and contrary to the order of nature and onely in the power of God who deprived the Sun of its light for that space of time By means whereof St. Denn is the Areopagite being that day in Athens and seeing the Sun so darkned and also knowing as a man learned in Astrologie and the course of the heavens that such an Eclipse must needs be contrary to the rule of nature spake with a loud voice saying Either the world would end or the God of nature suffer For this cause saith one that the Sages of Athens being astonied hereat caused an Alter incontinently to be built to the unknown God since which time St. Paul arriving there declared unto them who was the unknown God which was Christ our Redeemer God and Man which then had suffered by means whereof he converted many to the faith Some have been in doubt to know of this Eclipse and darknesse of the Sun were universal through all the world and grounded their argument upon that which the Evangelists saith over all the earth which is to say by a manner of speaking all the Country round about And Origen was of this opinion But what We see that in Greece even at Athens this tenebrosity was seen which makes me believe that this Eclipse was universal over all our Hemisphere and over all where the Sun might be seen I say so because over all the other Hemesphere where it was then night it could not be seen the sight of the Sun for that time being not there for it cannot illuminate at one instant but one half of the earth because of the shadow it makes Nevertheless we ought to know that the Moon being then at full and having no light but what she hath from the splendor of the Sun and again being in the Hemesphere which is under us she came to be violently eclipsed and darkenned by the onely cause and for default of the light of the Sun and so the darkness was universall over all the world because the Moon and the Stars can give no light unless they receive it first from the Sun CHAP. XXIII Of many passages quoted by divers Authors whâ—h have made mention of Christ. I Have divers times heard many learned and curious men which would ask a reason why and whence it proceeds that the Gentiles and Ethnicks have made so little mention in their writings of the life of Jesus Christ and of his miracles which were in so great a number and so publickly manifested even by his Disciples seeing that these Ethnicks have not failed to make mention in their books of other things particularly hapning in their times and yet not of so great importance To which I answer First that it is against truth to say that the prophane Historiographers have not spoken of them For there is an infinite whereof I will bring some examples for those that have no great knowledge in ancient histories My second reason is that we must consider upon this that saving faith and the law of grace given by Christ begun by him and his Apostles to be published through all the world was accepted by some which determined to live and die in it Others obstinate in their vices and sins did not onely refuse it but persecute it There was again others that kept the middle for although this seemed good unto them yet for fear of Tyrants and persecutors and other worldly considerations which made this holy profession disesteemed they would neither embrace it nor accept it The world being thus divided in three opinions those which confessed Christ did notable and marvellous things whereof many bear witnesse of their truth of which number are St. Dennis Tertullian Lactantius Firmian Eusebins and many others too long to recite The other wicked sort which persecuted it as a strange thing and utterly disagreeing to their law did eagerly pursue totally to ruine it and to hide the miracles life and doctrine of Christ For this cause they speak not of them or those among them which did speak any thing of them was but to make them contemned and to cloud them as did the wicked Porfice Iulian Vincent Celsus African Lucian and others such divellish men Against whom Ciprian Origen St. Augustine and others have written learnedly The other which either for fear or worldly considerations refused to be Christians or to love and to know the truth for the same reasons abandoned to speak of it and if some of them have touched any thing it hath been with jests and lies and that succinctly enough And neverthelesse even as when one would hide the truth under the vail of some colorable truth It often happens by a certain hidden propriety in the truth that he which would hide it disguiseth it and palliates it in such sort that by his own drift or discourse he discovereth his lies and the truth is discovered openly and manifestly So it hapned in this sort to these two kind of people For although they strove to put to an end and destroy the miracles and doctrine of Christ yet every time they spake of them they spake something by which they discovered their malice and the sincerity of that doctrine I could speak of many things that the Sibils have said and written but because that which they spake proceeded not from their own proper judgement but from the spirit of prophesie and as God had communicated it to them although they were Heathens I will leave them to come to other authorities The first and most evident testimony though it be the most common is that of our greatest enemies in the number of which is Iosephus by linage and nation a Jew and also by his life and profession He saith these words In these very times lived Jesus a very wise man if it be lawful to call him man because in truth he doth marvellous things and was master and Tutor to them that loved him and sought the truth The Jews and Gentiles assembled unto him and followed him in great troups And he was the Christ And although he were afterwards accused by the principals of our faith and crucified yet was he not cast off by them which had followed him before And three days after his death
by the labor of their hands and that they all worshipped one God which was also worshipped by the Jews We also read in the History of these times that this Emperour beginning to persecute the Christians by the perswasion of their chief Bishops there was one of his Embassadors called Serene Eramy an Ethnick like himself which writ a letter unto him in which he said in his opinion it was cruelty to oppress the Christians being accused for no other thing than observing their Religion seeing that he found them not charged with any other crime or trespasse By means of which letter The Emperour Adrian forbade Minus Fondan Proconful in Asia to condemn any Christian if he were not convicted of any other crime than that of Christian Religion CHAP. XXIIII What opinions the ancient Emperours have had of the person of Christ by the Testimony which Ethnick Historiagraphers give of them TO this Emperour Adrian of whom we have spoken in the last Chapter succeeded Antoninus Debonair who although he had that name was perverse and wicked he favoured ill the belief of Christ and persecuted the Christians But his Successour Marcus Aurelius was more moderate to them for instead of persecuting them he led them along with him in his army by whose prayers he was delivered from the danger wherein he was for want of water which his enemies had cut from him because he sent them water and to his enemies Thunder-bolts and Thunder Of these things are made mention in one of his leters and Julius Capitoline also speaks of it although he doth not attribute it all to the Christians These hapned about the forty and five years after the Passion of our Saviour The fifteenth or twentieth year following Severus being chosen Emperor Elius Spartine an Ethnick like himself writ that he should make a law by which he should forbid upon pain of great punishment that none should turn Christian nor Jew After which Severus Antoninus Heliogabolus was Emperor who as Lampridius recites that writ his life caused a Temple to be built in Rome dedicated to his God onely to which he would have the Christians resort to perform their sacrifices which the Christians would not do After this Heliogabolus succeeded the Emperour Alexander Severus in the year of our Saviour one hundred ninety two and was in great doubt whether or no he should become a Christian Also we find by the history that is written of him that he had a good opinion of that belief and that he much esteemed of the Christians and gave them places and plots for buildings in Rome to make their Temples and places for prayer He kept the picture of our Saviour in his closset This is written by Elius Lampridius besides what the Christians write And he saith further that divers Victuallers and Pastry-Cooks went to the Emperour with a complaint against the Christians that they had taken away their harbours and their houses to make places for their superstitious hypocrisie and that they observed a Religion contrary to that of the Romans To which complaint the Emperour made answer that he had rather God should be worshipped in those places than to imploy them in the affairs of their vocations This Severus being dead Maximinian succeeded him an enemy and persecutor of the Christians but he lived not long and died an ill death Since whom and two others more which lived but a short while the Empire fell into the hands of Philip who was baptized as some say and was the first that received the Christians Eusebius affirmeth it yet the Heathen Historiographers write nothing of it Every day God enlightned more and more the hearts of men and a great number were converted to the Christian faith in spight of Decius and Dioclesian and others such like and even till they being weary of persecuting them they connived at them and suffered them for a time as appears clearly by a letter of Maximinian the Emperour a companion to Dioclesian which was two hundred years after our Redemption Which letter saith as followeth Caesar Maximinian invincible great Bishop of Germany Egypt Thebes Sarmacia Persia Armenia and victorious over the Medes and for his victories named nineteen times Emperour and eight times Consul and father of his Country At the beginning of our Empire Amongst other things which we determined to do for the publick good we do ordain that the order which was kept in all things strengthened by our ancient Laws be conserved and kept And for the same reason we command that those men which call themselves Christians and have forsaken our ancient Religion be pressed constrained and forced to forsake the new Religion which they have taken up and that they observe our ancient Religion established by our predecessors But being it is come to our knowledge notwithstanding this commandment and rigour used against them to make them observe it they have not left to follow their own wils and are so firm and constant to their purposes that there is neither force nor punishment so grievous which can make them draw back from their Religion or make them observe ours but will rather expose themselves to grievous torments and death it self and that they are still at this day in the same constancie and will not reverence or worship any of the gods in Rome our often remembring of our accustomed clemencie and pity determined to be used towards the Christians for that cause we do from hence-forward permit and suffer that all persons may make and call themselves Christians have places for their meetings and build themselves Temples where they may pray and sacrifice Which licence and leave we grant unto them upon condition they shall not do any thing contrary to our Common-wealth and Religion and that in other things they shall observe our Laws and Constitutions and that in acknowledgement of this permission they shall be bound to pray to their God for our life and health and also for the estate of the Common-wealth of Rome that the Town being prosperous and entire they themselves may live of their labour in rest and safety O truly unfortunate Emperour if thou shouldest force the Christians to leave and renounce their Faith as wicked how wouldest thou have them pray for thee and force them to have remembrance of thee in their prayers At the least this Letter will serve us in that thou thy self doest testifie of the Constancy Virtue and Spirit that the Martyrs and holy Christians had in suffering patiently for a long space of time the torment and punishments that were inflicted upon them for the love of Christ Now sometime after Maximinian there came to succeed in the Empire Constantine which was surnamed The great son of that good Dame Hellen which found the true crosse which was about two hundred and ninety years after the Redemption of Mankind He was a good Christian and did so many good deeds for the honour of God and the holy Church and the Ministers thereof that
impossible or very hard things So it is neverthelesse that this toilsome desire hath not been totally in vain because contemplation and continuall study hath found out things which have seemed impossible and supernatuall to come to the knowledge of men as are the motions of the Heavens the course of the Planets and the Stars with their power and influence and such like things Amongst which is comprehended that which I intend now to treat of which is to know At what time of the year and upon what day the world began Or to speak better When and at what season God created the world when began the time and the year or where was the Sun or where did God first place it when it began its course and likewise the Moon and other Planets Aristotle troubles himself little with these questions no more doth a number of other Philosophers who for want of the light of faith believe that the world was eternal and without beginning yet those that have not been ignorant of these things but have believed this beginning of time are almost divided in two opinions Some amongst them say that at the instant when the world was created the Sun was found in the first point of the sign of the Ram which is in the summer Equinoxial about the eleventh day of the moneth of March. Others say that the world began the Sun being in the first point of Libra which is the winter Equinoxial commonly beginning the thirteenth or fourteenth of September Of this opinion were some Egyptians and Arabians and likewise some Greeks Those that follow that opinion alledge one reason but at the last I will shew how feeble and weak it is For say they then the principal fruits of the earth were ripe and in season And also that it was reason that the earth should present it self at the beginning perfect and to this purpose alledge the authority in Deuteronomie Deut. 12. where it is said God made all things perfect and furnished There have been others which have said that the begining of time and years was the longest day of all the rest which is then when the Sun enters in the sign of Cancer which is the eleventh or twelfth of June Iulius Fermicus an ancient Author and of great authority in Astrologie saith that at the beginning of the world the Sun was at fifteen degrees of the Lion which is the sign in which it hath most Lordship because it is called the house of the Sun and so he saith in discoursing upon other of the Planets But the most reasonable of all these opinions And the most agreeing to truth is That when time and the Heavens began to move the Sun was in the first point of Aries the Ram which is to us in March which is almost the beginning of Summer which is affirmed besides those reasons which we will give by the greatest part of Historiographers as well Christians as Ethnicks amongst which are St. Jerome St. Ambrose St. Basil and others all which place the beginning of the world and of the year in the Equinoxiall of our summer and although there seemeth to be some difference amongst them Because one will have this beginning to be in March and the other will have it in April that may be born with for they both agree that it was in the Equinoxial which now is in March Neverthelesse as we have said heretofore the Equinoxiall is not constant for our Saviour Christ suffered the five and twentieth of March which was then the Equinoxiall and now it is the eleventh And therefore it may be supposed that heretofore it was in April for this cause some have put April for the first moneth and others March and yet they would all say that when the Sun enters into the first point of Aries that is the Equinoxiall and this opinion is founded upon the holy Scripture namely out of the twelfth Chapter of Exodus where it is said that the Moneth Nisan which is our March is the beginning of their year Also Vincent saith that the Hebrews began their year in March. because in that moneth is the Equinoxiall where the world began This opinion is likewise held of divers Heathens as Elpaco in his Treatise of Astrologie where he saith that the Caldeans who were very great Astrologers believed also that the first day in which the world was created the Sun entred into the first point of the sign of Aries which is also maintained by the greatest part of Astrologers as well Ancient as Modern When therefore the Sun joins himself there that is the beginning of the year and from thence comes the beginning or first day For it is very clear that the first day of the world was made the first day of the year seeing that before there was neither time nor year for this cause the sign of Aries is of all accounted the first in the order of the twelve signs And as to judge of the revolution of years and of things to come it is necessary to even the figures by the beginning of the world so is it easie to prove that God placed the Sun in the first point of this sign at the beginning of the world and the creation thereof which may be more easily imagined by that which we have proved in a former Chapter That the Sun was in the same point at the Creation then when the great Sun framed the re-generation of the world suffering death in humane flesh which came to passe as we have said in this Equinoxial of Summer which is an Argument and presupposal that he placed it so then when he created it Again it seems credible that it hath been so placed because those that know any thing in Astrologie and the Sphears will see very well that the Sun entring the degree of this Sign and performing his revolution in the space of one whole day there is no part of the world but seeth it and is illuminated by his light which is not performed in any other part of the Zodiack because in what other part soever it be there is some part of the earth where it is not seen But being in this first point as we have said there is not any place which is not enlightened in making his days course Now it was convenient and fit that the first day that the Sun should run his compasse he should begin in such a place that with his beams he might visit all the parts of the world that this should be rather in the Sign of Aries than Libra appears by that which I have said That the day of the Passion of our Saviour the Sun was in the same place and hath also in that Sign a perticular force Holding then this opinion for the most certain I say the reason alledged by those that say The beginning of the world was in the September Equinoxial is weak Nor doth it help them to say that all fruits were then ripe and in season
because that is not an universal rule for when fruit is ripe towards the latitude of the North it is not so in the South but quite contrary And for this cause I will not help my self with their reasons that say the Epuinoxial in March which I approve of is the beginning of the Spring time and growth of flowers over all the earth and that all things then increase for if to us it be the beginning of Spring time it is Winter to them in the Southern parts Let our reasons then suffice and the authority of such great persons and let none be longer in doubt seeing that the Romane year which is in use begins likewise the first day of January for this came to passe by the superstitious devotion which the Gentiles had to their God Ianus and would have their year begin with his name as the Christians begin theirs at the birth of Jesus Christ although there the year begins not So the Romans began the yeer in March as Varro and Macrobius writes and divers others So God shewed his large bounty and infinite goodnesse in placing our first Parents Adam and Eve in the Northern parts of the earth when he banished them out of the Earthly Paradice for the first season that they saw in the world was the Spring time when they found the Earth green and flourishing and the Air sweet and temperate and this was for a consolation to their misery and nakednesse which they would not have found had it not been Spring time Now this being sufficiently proved let us know that there are other Planets and first the Moon as one of the principals which some say the first day that it was created God placed it in conjunction with the Sun Others say that it was in opposition and that it was at full Saint Augustiue recites both these two opinions upon Genesis the fifth Chapter And faith That those that maintain that it was in opposition and at full give for their reason That it was not convenient that at it's beginning God should create it defective in any thing Others say the contrary That it is rather to be believed that it was created in the first day of the Moon than otherwise But to make short I say according to my opinion That God when he created it made it entirely full and in opposition to the Sun and so it seems that this opinion is most received Saint Augustine in the place alledged and Raban upon the eleventh chapter of Exodus say the same and they agree with the holy Scripture where it is said God made two Lights one great to govern the day the other lesse to govern the night Now at the same instant that the Sun begins to shew his light he enlightens half the world so that in half the world it is day but the other half cannot have the light of the Sun because of the shadow of the Earth Neverthelesse it seems reasonable that in the other half of the Earth where it is night the Moon do her office of giving light because as they were both created at one and the same instant so do they both their office at one and the same instant and one rules the day and the other the night as the Text saith for then was verified the words of the holy Scripture And the world was enlightened throughout And on the contrary If the Moon had been in conjunction that could not be but fifteen days after and there would have been three or four days past before she could have given light to the Earth although this had been but little as we see when she is four or five days old Wherefore it is convenient that these two lights enlighten the Earth at one and the same time I say further That if the Moon had been in opposition of the Sun of necessity she must be found one the other side in the sign of Libra which being so she works that day the same effect of the Sun enlightening all the world in the measure that she makes her course that day which she could not do if she were in any other place by means whereof this opinion seems to be most likely Although Tulius Firmicus would say That the Moon when it was created had her first seat in the fifteenth Degree of the sign of Cancer where she loves best to be Of which opinion is Macrobius in his first book of Scipio's Dream As for other Planets It would be more difficult to avouch and lesse profitable to know therefore I mean not to employ much time about them Howsoever Iulius Firmicus in the second book before alledged hath the boldnesse to name the places where every one of them were seated saying Saturn was in Capricorn Iupiter in the sign of Sagittarius Mars in Scorpio Venus in Libra Mercury in Virgo which are the signs in which they have most force and so are they the signs denoted of these Planets Macrobius in the alledged book of Scipio's Dream agrees with Firmicus and names the same signs And so there are others which think that at this instant all the Planets are in conjunction with the Sun As for me I am of opinion that God placed then the Planets in such distant places one from the other and especially from the Sun that at that day every one of them might enlighten the earth with their Beams which could not be if they were in conjunction with the Sun because his presence in a certain distance and proportion hinders that their Raies and light cannot be seen upon the earth Neverthelesse having been created by the wil of God it is sufficient as St Augustine saith that they were made in a perfect estate by the hand of God whose works of what sort soever are perfect CHAP. XXXII Wherefore Sleep was given to man and how too much Sleep is hurtful and naught SLeep was given naturally to man for his preservation because there is no work of nature which hath not need of rest Aristotle saith that every living thing that hath bloud sleeps and from thence he proves by reason and experience also that fishes do sleep Sleep is a repose and rest of all the sences and proceeds from vapours and fumes which by reason of meat rise from the stomack to the Brain by the coldnesse of which these hot vapours are tempered and set to sleep the motion and exteriour sences Then the vitall spirits retire to the heart and all the members sleep and rest from travell even untill the vitall spirits which is the instrument by which the soul works governs and commands the body recover new force and that these vapours diminishing or ceasing the man begins to awake and then the sences and the powers return anew with a greater force to perform the operation Of these occasions of Sleep Aristotle treateth largely in his book of sleep and watching And Plutarch recites divers opinions of Philosophers But although this be rest and health to the body yet
participating something of the temperate heat and a sufficient moisture to nourish the heat is the most proper of all the complexions to conduce to long life As for the Cholerick that continues lesse because the force and vivacity of its fire and heat cannot long endure with the drought The Phlegmatick and waterish cannot be digested by the heat because of it excessive moisture and so it easily corrupts which in the end causes death The Melancholy being earthy shortens the life by its cold disposition and drinesse which are contrary qualities to heat and moisture Wherefore it is not marvel if they shorten the life where they abound in any body Neverthelesse if choler be mingled with phlegme and that it do surmount proportionably the phlegme this complexion is abiding enough to yeeld long life Also when the bloud surpasses melancholy in a good proportion this complexion is good for the heat and moisture of the bloud tempers the cold and drinesse of the melancholy And so there are compounded complexions which are much better then the simple Sanguine to yeeld long life By that which is aforesaid we may see that the life of man is limited by the virtue and power of his complexion and by the proportion of the elementary qaalities in such fort that the diversity of proportions cause a diversity of termes or time to the life of man So it is said that a man may live as long as his naturall heat lasteth and Radicall moisture is maintained And whereas it is said that the life of man is limited beyond which it is unpossible to passe We must note that although the complexion and naturall perfection of a man may bring him and support him even to the last period yet neverthelesse of a thousand scarce one attains to that point For there are so many disasters which accidentally happen either by some disorder that the most part die before nature fails them be it by Famine Plague Poison Gluttony Whoredome ill diet or by diseases caused by infinite excess And so the true naturall term of the life of man is when nature fails so that it is unpossible to passe that point of time And so we must understand that passage in Iob where it is said Lord thou hast established the bounds which it is unposible for him to go beyond By this passage we may clearly see that man may shorten his life but not lengthen it So that we see many of good complexion that might live a great number of years which neverthelesse are short lived by some exteriour cause which hastens their days Yet this passage of Iob may be otherwise understood in regard of Gods foreknowledge who appoints to every one the term of hit life be it by his naturall complexion or by some other end that he hath assigned to the life of man And because there is nothing hidden from the wisedome of God who knows all the accidentall causes which may happen to man it is impossible for man to lengthen his life beyond what God hath ordeined although the causes be contingent And so one may say there are two terms of a mans life The one whereof depends upon the Harmony and proportion of the elementary qualities The other is according to the preordination and fore-knowledge of God Between which terms there is onely this difference that one may arrive even at the first though not go beyond it But all come to the second And although by course of nature one may passe the second yet nevertheless there is none that ever passeth it CHAP. XXXIIII How great the mischief is to desire a Revelation of things in the Life to come EVen as God who hath creatted us without us will not save us without us so hath he given us the ground of the means of our Salvation which is faith with hope of the riches which he hath promised us in the life to come by an ancient decree which is revealed unto us by his onely son which we cannot obtain without beleeving and hoping in him But mans weakness or to say rather the faith of man is so weak that when it is preached unto him the glory that God hath provided for him hereafter he will say he beleeveth it But nevertheless he will say it is a great matter of so many men that are dead there is not one returned to tell us the things of the other world The greatest sign of unbelief in the heart of man is in my judgement this great desire to have revelations from the other world For seeing that faith consisteth in believing and hoping for things that are not seen if they were revealed unto us there were no more faith and so this singular means of our Salvation were taken from us Again I say further That not onely by this Revelation Faith would be destroyed but also it would be an occasion to make us run into great errours against God as we may easily judge by this argument Put the case that our Father Mother or Brother after death should return into this world and were cloathed with the same flesh they had left behind them and that we should certainly beleeve they were the same and that they should be conversant drink and eat with us as our Saviour did with his Apostles that they might not be in doubt he was a Spirit or a Shadow and that this our Brother c. should reveal unto us the things of the other world there were no doubt but we should hearken to him and without all question beleeve that whidh he says to be true Now this must be a man because he hath Soul and Body and beleeving him we beleeve a man which by nature a Liar So by this it would follow that giving him credit we should rather beleeve a man by nature a liar than God who is soveraign and passing truth and cannot lie who hath told us and often repeated the reward which is prepared hereafter for the good and the punishment for the wicked There is none then but will confesse that this is a grievous sin if we should give credit to this Revelation so much desired by men beleeving rather the creature than the Creator Let not man then be any more desirous to know that which may turn to his Damnation And that he consider that all that God gives or all that God denies us is for our good which he seeks more than our selves And if all men ought to order themselves thus it belongs much more to Christians to whom our Saviour shews that we ought to believe that which is revealed to us by him in the Scriptures spoken by him in the parable of the Rich-man You have Moses and the Prophets hear them Imprimatur John Downam FINIS