mature in a true conformation And with a â—ollid industrie desire Things that are hidden and abstruse to enquire And as the Thrones each in his office knowes How of all sacred Wisedome to dispose As Dei formes call'd so Saturne he Ianus Bifrons from all antiquitie Is styl'd and Wisedomes Father held to be The Golden World beneath his Scepter was Before the Silver or the third of Brasse Or this Iron Age in which th'vnlabor'd ground Not forc'd by man with plenty did abound The Earth of her free-will gaue all encrease Springs flow'd with milke the Wolfe and Lambe had peace And therefore we by congruent reason finde That the seuenth day to Saturne was assign'd As the seuenth Planet and agreeing best With the Coelestiall Thrones which imply Rest. Besides in Saturne there is one thing rare As sole vnto him peculiar Which he may iustly aboue others claime For none of all the Planets we can name But are in mixture and conjunction Hee Ioyns nor is joyn'd with any but still free And as a Prince vnrival'd keepes his state In which none can with him participate So Moses Law since it was first recited Was with no other coupled or vnited But doth immediatly on God depend Yet many other Lawes from that descend As borrow'd thence And in like mysterie The Chorases of the whole Hierarchie Reflect with all the seruice on the Throne But He his Power communicates to none The Seraph's Loue to Iudgement doth adhere The Cherubs Wisedome placeth it selfe neere The Dominations which some haue defin'd To be Th'vnyoked libertie of minde Assist the Iudgement Seat They Vertues they Vpon the high Tribunall wait and stay And so the rest with all their seuerall Graces But them the Thrones assist not in their places The Dominations we must next confer And fashion to the Star of Iupiter And by comparing them together see How in their semblant Vertues they agree First at Coelestiall things they solely aime Them no tyrannicke seruitude can tame A free Lord they must serue and beare a minde Vncheckt to nothing base or vile enclin'd All difficulties ready to disclose That shall their faithfull seruice interpose On none saue their Creator they rely To his sole pleasure they themselues apply Others to their obedience they persuade Their contemplations being fixt and stayd On the Diuine Light which rare pulchritude To'enioy in a more ample plenitude They stil conforme themselues vnto the Throne If possibly to be with it all one All these if Astrologians we may trust Fall on Ioves Star in number ev'n and iust In Noble bloud this Planet takes delight To'illustrous thoughts it doth the minde accite Prudence to gouerne science how to know His libe'rall influence doth on man bestow Plac'd in his Horoscope he doth inspire Our eleuated soules with a desire To attaine to Fame to Empire and High things Th'vncurbed and irregular minde it brings Not onely to deuise but keepe good Lawes And Iupiter is for that onely cause In Hebrew Zedek call'd which imports Iust. In Goodnesse and in Iustice such as trust Them he spurres on to spend their houres and time To aime at things superior and sublime By the reflex of Iustice and true Piety It drawes to contemplation of a Diety It doth not onely Man himselfe impell To charitable acts and do things well But to stirre others to good workes And styl'd Iove for his Faith and Trust hauing exyl'd All Incredulitie Last by the hand He leadeth others with him till they stand In the like state of Goodnesse Knowledge Faith Pythagoras more of this Planet saith That he is the Mindes Vertue Temperament Health and Disposer of all Ornament That doth belong to Man Now let vs find How those call'd Vertues are to Mars inclin'd And that too may be done with much facilitie If we consider but what true Virilitie And Fortitude in this Star doth consist In one place we thus reade th' Evangelist The Vertues of the Heav'ns are mov'd or ar ' Arm'd on their side who in Gods cause shall war These their Coelestiall operations take Immediatly from Him and for His sake Disperse them to His Glory and great Praise Note what the Psalmist of the Planets sayes Praise Him you Sun and Moone praise Him the Light Praise him yee Stars c. The Vertues by foresight As Captaines ouer the Church Militant Know which amongst them is best Combattant Guide and direct him to the Place aboue To receiue there the Crowne for which he stroue Ev'n so this Mars by th' influence of his Star Styl'd by th' antient Poets God of War Makes men of generous Spirits elate and hye Ambitious after Palme and Victorie The Vertues in their Pow'r finde no defect Nor is this Planet any way deiect Weary'd or faint Those of authentique skill Write His Fires force is indeficient still The Diuine Vertues study to enlarge Their courage who are giv'n to them in charge To make them like spirituall Souldiers stand 'Gainst Lucifer and his reuolted Band Then bring them off to safety and securitie Making them like themselues in God-like puritie So this Stars Fire to shew their true proximitie Burnes vpward as still aiming at sublimitie And in his feruour catching at things neere To turne each Substance to a Nature cleere As it selfe is in lustre like to shine Yet to this Planet many learn'd assigne Malevolent aspects Wars prouocations Home-bred Seditions Discord amongst Nations Broiles Garboiles Tumults and combustious Rage Depopulation Murthers Slaughter Strage Call it The worst of Planets whose reflect Contaminates and poysons with th' aspect But Tresmegistus was not of that minde Saith he The seuerall Planets in their kinde Their vertues being truly vnderstood Are vnto men beneficent and good This great Philosopher would haue vs know Of bad Effects the Cause is here below Stars influences in themselues are pure No putrid stuffe their natures can endure And if from their aspects ought chance amisse They are not to be blam'd for the fault is In our fraile weakenesse for who but hath read That nothing bad aboue the Moon is bred Now as the Potestates to worke are said Both by the Vertues strength and the co-aid of the Dominions Iustice so the Sunne When he his beames transfusiuely shall run Through Mars his Sphere or Ioves benigner Star All his effects Power Strength and Honour ar ' Legions of Fiends the Potestates expell And with them all blinde errors driue to hell So when the Sunne doth his bright beames display The tenebrous Night flies and giues place to day And as those Mindes and Essences Diuine By nature with miraculous fulgor shine So the bright Sunne instated all alone Amidst the Planets in his Regall Throne Casts an incredible lustre and to all Doth honour in his seat Majesticall Distributing abroad in large extent Vnto the Stars both Light and Ornament By whom th' are gouern'd and their motions sway'd Their splendor at his will dark't or
holy Tria's they would leaue Nor yeeld The Blest-Maid did by him conceiue But herein failing with a visage sterne That roaring Lion Those which did concerne The Churches Faith aim'd at still raising such As building on their owne conceit too much The other Maximes of our knowne Beleefe Mainly withstood Nay after to his griefe Finding that in no one he could be said To haue preuail'd he after 'gins t' inuade All and at once to that great God retyring Who cast him downe from Heav'n for his aspiring And to cut off Mans hoped for felicitie Where he before persuades a multiplicitie of gods to be ador'd He now from Many Blinds the dull Atheist not to confesse Any Striuing if possible it were to make Him a worse Monster than himselfe To take No notice of his God nor vnderstand That both his life and breath are in his hand Insensible That he who from his Treasure Leant them at first can take them backe at pleasure That Hee created Sorrow who made Ioy Who reare's can ruine and who builds destroy Which they might gather from bare Natures light Obseruing That t' each day belong's a night That as in th' one there is a gladsome cheare So to the other doth belong a feare One figuring the Glory of the Iust Th' other that Hell where Atheists shall be thrust Next Let a man be mounted ne're so high Were 't on a spire that 's mid-way to the sky Whilest he look's vp with comfort he doth gaze Vpon the clouds and the Sun 's fulgent raies Nor is he troubled whilest his eies are bent Vpon the splendor of the Firmament But let him thence suruey the Earth below His heart will pant with many an irksome throw His body tremble sinewes and nerues all Contract themselues with feare from thence to fall The Emblem is That there 's aboue a place Long since prepar'd for all the Sonnes of Grace Who by a blest and heav'nly contemplation Looke vpward even from whence comes their saluation But vnto them who seeke not God to know And only fix their thoughts on things below Although no such place visibly appeare Yet there 's an Hell that 's full of dread and feare Which how can These escape who beleeue lesse Than do the Diuels for they both confesse And know there is a God a Heav'n where plac't They once had been and for their pride thence cast Likewise an Hell not threatned them in vaine Where they both now and euer shall remaine Shall He who giues vs life and length of daies Passe vs without due thanksgiuing and praise And shall not God be truly vnderstood Who in his bounty giues vs all that 's good Or Shall he nothing from our hands deserue Who what he makes is carefull to preserue We reade of some Beasts who opprest with thirst And hastning to the riuers margent first Bow downe their bodies at the waters brinke And fall vpon their knees still when they drinke Birds as we daily may obserue being dry At euery drop they taste looke vp on high As vnto Him who sends it them which speakes That without thanks they neuer wet their beakes If Beasts and Birds so gratefull be What then Shall we imagine of these thanklesse Men But That there 's a Gehinnon to contrude All guilty of such base ingratitude That this God is to Atheists may appeare Because by Him so frequently they sweare For Who 's so senselesse and obtuse a Sot To call to witnesse that thing which is not For By what Power soeuer they protest Th' Essence thereof is euen in that confest Ev'n Reasons selfe maugre this grosse impietie Illustrates vnto vs th' eternall Dietie If we behold a Barke in th' Ocean swimming We say Some Ship-wright gaue it shape and trimming Or if a Picture in a costly Frame It from the Pensill of some Painter came Or where we see an House or Temple stand We presuppose some skilfull Workmans hand Then If Below we marke the Earth and Ocean Aboue the Planets in their hourely motion So many Winters Autumnes Sommers Springs And in them the vicissitude of things When we shall all his glorious Creatures view Shall we deny him a bare Artists due Or Can we this high potent Vndertaker Who made both Them and Vs esteeme no Maker Philosophy will tell vs by her Lawes That no Effect can be without a Cause That euery action doth an Agent claime And euery motiue That which moues the same Though many causes Agents Motions be They are subordinate and onely He Prime Cause Agent and Mouer who t' our notion Is First of all effect action or motion Concerning whom the Psalmist doth thus treat O Lord my God thou art exceeding great In honour and in Glory shining bright Who couers thy great Maiestie with light As with a garment that Almighty God Who like a curtaine spreds the Heav'ns abroad And in th' vnsounded bosome of the streames Of thy great chambers hast dispos'd the beames Who for thy Chariot hast the Clouds assign'd And walk'st vpon the swiftwings of the wind When Man committeth euill he shall find A God euen in the terror of his mind For Adam tasting of the Fruit forbid Asham'd himselfe within a Thicket hid When Herod Iohn the Baptist had beheaded He for that act some fearefull vengeance dreaded For hearing of Christs Miracles he sed Surely that Iohn is risen from the dead Fearing his ghost did haunt him So when Cain Had in his wrath his brother Abel slain His count'nance was deiected and cast downe For were there no Accuser but mans owne Conscience it selfe he Feare could not eschew Because The Wicked fly when none pursue And what are Feares vnto that height extended But a meere dread of a iust God offended Euen by Idolaters a God's confest Who rather will adore a Bird a Beast A Fish a Serpent Planet or a Stone Nay euen the basest things rather than none Mans appetite that neuer can be sated Approues a God for let him be instated In a small means a greater he desires Giue him a Prouince and he then aspires Vnto a Realme a Kingdome let him haue Not yet content he then a World will craue Nor rests he there for were 't in his possession Yet bring him in the end to his confession He will acknowledge There is somewhat more To be acquir'd ev'n God whom we adore That men of knowledge should be so ambitious And in the quest thereof so auaritious Yet in that amplitude finding such scant That still the more they haue the more they want For in that progresse as they further go The more they learne the more they search to know Besides that in this search each one pursu'th With labour to inuestigate the Truth That simple and pure Truth th' Atheists deny Can be no other thing than the Most-High Ev'n these to whom himselfe he had not showne Saue in his Works
loth is to communicate He by the mouthes of our forefathers and The holy Prophets who did vnderstand His sacred will The Scriptures hath so fram'd To haue his Singularitie oft nam'd As thus Because the Lord is God alone Peculiar and besides him there is none Againe O Israel attend and heare The Lord thy God is One him thou shalt feare The God of gods I heare the Psalmist say Doth only worke great wonders Him obey For 'mongst the gods none 's like him Go and tell Saith he vnto my people Israel I am the Lord thy God and none but I Who brought thee from th' AEgyptian slauerie And from the house of Bondage set thee free Therefore thou shalt adore no God saue me Lycurgus in the Proëm of his Lawes To the Locrenses not without great cause These following words prefixt Needfull it were That all the people which inhabit here Should be persuaded There 's one God aboue By whom all liuing Creatures breathe and moue Who as in all his Works he is exprest So is he not the least made manifest In our inspection to the Worlds great frame The Heauen and goodly order of the same Be no man of that stupid ignorance To thinke that such things are dispos'd by chance The gluttons Belly is his god the cause In that his Appetite prescribes him Lawes The griping Auaritious man hath sold His Soule so dearely bought to purchase Gold Voluptuous men solely deuote to Lust Their Idol's Venus for in her they trust Th' Ambitious his All-Honour'd makes his Fame As before Gods preferring his owne Name And is not he vaine Studies doth prefer Before his Christ a meere Idolater And do not all those that ought higher prise Than Him to Idols offer sacrifise But he that shall beleeue in him aright Shall haue accesse to his Eternall Light When those that haue Religion in disdaine And Pietie in contempt and so remaine They striue to haue no being to their shame And to returne to nothing whence they came All such as are not numbred 'mongst the Saints Whom euill thoughts possesse and Sinne supplants Haue lost themselues as hid behinde a Skreene How then can the least part of them be seene But those that through their Sauiour proue victorious They in Heauens kingdome shall be great and glorious Two Principles as some Philosophers write There are Eternall both and Infinite Makers of things yet in their Natures vary As being in themselues meere contrary Their error note If two such in their prime Of power should haue existence at one time Since two so great must greater be than one Euen in that clause the Infinite is gone Being distinct in number and diuided Needs must they be by seuerall motions guided One borrowes not of the other for majoritie Being equall two there can be no prioritie And contrary as I before haue said In opposition they must needs inuade Th' agreeing Fabricke and so without cease Disturbe old Natures long-continued peace Neither from these two Equalls can arise A third this their great strife to compromise Againe If two one needlesse is and vaine Or as we call it Empty Now 't is plaine That Nothing cannot haue in Nature place For she hath Vacuum in continuall chase And is at war with 't Therefore I hope none But will confesse a Godhood and that one One Monarch of the world the great Effector Of all therein sole Parent and Protector All such as of their multiplicitie speake Disable them as wanting power and weake As if nought gouer'nd were that hath been made Which One can do without anothers aid Him only a true Monarch we may call That hath no parted kingdome but swayes all But where a Principalitie misguided Is amongst seuerall Optimates diuided It needs must follow In no One can be An absolute and exact soueraignty For none of these but by vsurping dare Challenge the whole where each haue but a share There is a certaine Bound which circumscribes His Iurisdiction Each hath seuerall Tribes To gouerne and dispose Should we agree In many gods it then perforce must be concluded There can be no Soueraigne Minde Since euery one hath but his Lot assign'd When as of Power it is the true condition Not to be ty'de to stint or exhibition But as the sole Supreme and Principall Guiding disposing comprehending all If God be perfect he can be but one As hauing all things in himselfe alone The more you make the more you shall depraue Their Might and Potencie as those that haue Their vertue scanted so allow not any Since all things cannot be contain'd in Many By which 't is manifest Those that maintaine More gods than one be people vile and vaine In the like blasphemy ready to fall With the dam'nd Atheist who knowes none at all The Manichees they hold a strange opinion That two betwixt them share the high Dominion Who as they did create so guide it still One Good disposeth and the other Ill. The first is Lord of Light and gouernes Day The last of Night and Darknesse beares chiefe sway One Heate in charge hath and the other Cold Yet who by daily proofe doth not behold That by the sole and Diuine Prouidence Man with all Creatures of them both hath sence And from them comfort That the Night for rest Was made to cheare Man wearied and opprest As well as Day whose cheerefull light prepares Vs to our needfull and best knowne affaires Do we not see from what we counted bad Much good to vs great solace hath been had Againe That seeming Good forg'd by the Deuill Hath been to vs th' occasion of much euill Heauens blessings let vs taste in their communitie Ascribing all praise to the God of Vnitie This sempiternall Minde this Consummate And absolute Vertue that did all create This Power who in himselfe hath his Stabilitie Maiestie Wisedome Strength and true Soliditie From whose Sublimitie no man 's so mad To thinke he can detract To whom none adde This of himselfe all Fulnesse all Satietie Is then the sole Incomprehensible Deitie Sometimes what 's proper vnto Man alone Is giuen to this Trias three in One As when we attribute vnto him Wings It straight vnto our aphrehension brings How he protects and shadowes vs. If Eares With what facilitie and grace he heares Our deuout Prayers And when his Arme stretcht out That of his Power and Strength we should not doubt His Finger nam'd doth to the world auer His Vertue and that no Artificer Can worke like him His Skill The glorious frame Of this great Machine doth to all proclaime His Face sometimes his presence doth imply Sometimes his fauour and benignitie If we reade Wrath we must consider then Those Iudgements that impend o're sinfull men And with what terror when they come they fall His Hand doth vnto our remembrance call His
Fire next aboue the Heate to Liuely'hood turnes Fire super-eminent which to reueale No Frailtie can kindleth with Loue and Zeale The antient Cabalists and Rabbins say Who knew the old Law well for those were they Who tooke vpon them to explain't That He Whose high incomprehended Maiestie Is beyond all dimention when he gaue Moses direction In what forme hee 'd haue His Tabernacle fashion'd that the same Was a meere modell of the whole Worlds frame For instance 'T was into three parts diuided So the large Vniuerse Diuinely guided On three parts doth subsist answering to those God in the former Fabricke did dispose Now as that part which is sublunary Being lowest of the three doth alwaies vary As subiect to corruption and mutation By reason of the Elements alteration As seene in Life begun then Death pursuing Th' originall of things and then their ruin And these in a vicissitude Euen so The Arkes first part as suting this below Was without couerings open to the aire And subiect to all weathers foule as faire For in that Court there was no difference had The Iust and Vniust met the Good and Bad Prophane and Holy Creatures of all fashion Were to this place brought in whose Immolation And Sacrifice was then exprest the qualitie Of Life and Death the Type of our Mortalitie Now of the contrary two Regions be Or Temples which comparatiuely we As in the former references call Coelestiall and Super-coelestiall And these are plac'd in eminent degree Beyond the rage of force or iniury Of Alteration or the staine of Sinne Since the proud Lucifer first fell therein And was precipitate thence So that the two Parts of this earthly Tabernacle do Answer the former as alike extended 'Gainst shoures storms haile snow cold heat defended By a faire Roofe so that all sordid base And vncleane things in them can find no place Againe as both are Holy yet the one Is ' boue the other Sacred being the Throne Or place of the blest Angels seated higher In which they in a most harmonious Quire Sing Halleluia's so in this below There be two holy roomes as all men know The first of them we onely Holy call The other Holy Holiest of all Againe as this Terrestriall world doth yeeld As well to Men as brute Beasts of the field Both house and harbor and the next aboue In which the seuen bright errant Planets moue Shines with coelestiall splendor but the third Beyond these two blest Mansions doth afford Vnto the Angels Hierarchy The same Was visible in Moses curious Frame In the first Court thereof were frequent Men And Beasts together in the second then The Candlestickes with seuen Lights did shine cleare But in the third most Holy did appeare The Cherubims with wings far stretcht Againe As Moses so the Scripture tells vs plaine Ten Curtaines to his sacred Machine made So in the three parts of the world are said To be no lesse than ten distinct Degrees And first of the Super-Coelestiall these Th' Angels Arch-Angels and the Principates Thrones Dominations Vertues Potestates The Cherubims and Seraphims Then He Aboue all these the supreme Deity In the Coelestiall ten and thus they run Luna Mercury Venus and the Sun Mars Ioue and Saturne Then the Starry Heauen Crystalline and Empyriall make them euen In this below the Moone where we now liue Are likewise ten Degrees to whom we giue These Characters first the foure Elements Mystae Impressions Herbs Fruits Trees and Plants Beasts Reptile Creatures and the tenth and last Materia prima so their number 's cast Againe as in this Tabernacle were Iust fifty strings or taches which did beare So many Rings by which the Curtaines hung All vniformly and in order strung So this Worlds Fabricke subiect to fraile end Of fifty Rings or â—oinctures doth depend And of these twenty Vniuersall are Twenty and nine be styl'd Particular Generall the last The first twice ten amount Thus in their order and by iust account Vnitie in it selfe Parts with Parts knit Essence with Essence and the next to it Proprietie with Essence Forme not estrang'd From Subiect the Transforming with Transchang'd Art with the subiect Matter dealing sole Parts Separable annexed to the Whole Inseparable parts on th' Whole depending The Cause ioyn'd to th' Effect and that extending To the Intrinsicke then the Inward Cause Ioyn'd to the Effect but subiect to the Lawes Of a Beginning Cause Finall with respect Only vnto the Primarie Effect Then the Cause Finall which doth neuer vary From the Effect which is call'd Secondary The Primarie Effect with the Cause met The Secondary Effect in order set Euen with the Cause Forme likewise that 's ally'd To Forme the Middle with the Extremes comply'd The thing Corruptible on that to wait Which no Corruption can participate c. The rest particular Coniunctions be Still corresponding vnto each degree Of the Worlds triple Regions Ten Terrestriall Coelestiall Ten Supercoelestiall Nine onely That which thirty makes complete As the most Generall titled is the great Coniunction of the world with him that Made it Of the Foundation and the God that Laid it All these particular steps seeming perplext Thus you shall finde amongst themselues connext 'Twixt the first Matter and the Elements there A Chaos is twixt th' Elements appeare And what 's call'd Mixt Impressions Now betweene The stones and Earth a kinde of Chalke is seene 'Twixt Earth and Mettals that which th' Artist calls Margasites with other Mineralls 'Twixt Stones and Plants Male-Pimpernell hath place 'Twixt Plants and Anaimals Zophita's race Participating both being such as haue Both sence and growth and yet are forc't to craue Their nutriment with their encrease and chering From their owne roots but to the stones inhering Creatures that Water and of Earth partake Are Otters Beauers Tortoises who make Vse of two Elements 'Twixt Sea and Aire The Flying Fish that doth to both repaire Betwixt meere Animals and Man is set The Ape the Monkey and the Marmoset Betwixt the Bruits that onely haue quicke sence And those that haue a pure intelligence Man hath his place From the first propagation There is of things a tenfold generation The first composure hath a true descent From the first Matter and from Accident And Cinis call'd The next exsists of three Matter Forme Accident such th' Elements be From two sole Elements the third hath being Vapor and Exhalation one agreeing With Aire and Water th' other doth aspire To take his nature from the Aire and Fire The fourth his essence and existence shrouds Beneath three Elements such be the Clouds The fifth to their Creation haue accited The whole foure to their naturall formes vnited Such Mettalls be and Stones Plants they suruiue By vertue of a Body Vegetatiâ—e The seuenth hath Life and Sence and doth include Beasts of all kinde Irrationall and Rude The eighth Gods Image of far
that in all other things they shall keepe and obserue our Lawes and Ordinances Moreouer That in gratefull acknowledgement of this their free permssion they shall stand obliged to pray vnto their God Iesus for our life and safetie as likewise for the prosperity of the Roman Commonwealth and our Cities continuance in peace and flourishing estate To these I adde what I finde recorded in the Tartarian Historie of the great Emperour Cublay who was a meere Infidel honoring and acknowledging no other God than the Sun the Moone and the Starres This King was of incomparable greatnesse and wisedome not to be paralelled by any Prince of that Age in the which he liued Who hauing dispatched his puissant Captaine Baâ—aim to conquer the almost inuincible Prouince of Maugy which included the rich and inestimable Countrey and City of Cinquemay it hapned that in the absence of this mighty Captaine who had taken with him in that seruice the prime soldiers in all his Dominions two of his Nephews the one called Naim the other Cadue Princes of great power and command vnder him reuolted and grew into open rebellion and affronted him in battell But this magnanimous Emperour as politique in warre as prudent in peace commanding from the great Armenia vnto the borders of Calicut a kingdome in the East-India gaue them battell surprised the Rebells and put their Army to flight But that which I especially obserue in this historie is That the people reuolting after this manner were for the greater part Christians his Tributaries and seruants howsoeuer tainted with diuers heresies for some were Nestorians some Armenians some Abessines c. Hereupon the Iewes and Mahumetans being victorious vnder the pay of Cublay surprised of them to the number of fifteene thousand and hauing first disarmed and then with many bitter scoffes and taunts â—erided them they presenred them before the Emperour expecting when he would command them to be cut in pieces and they attending ready to play the Executioners But hee quite contrarie to their expectation being at that time mounted on a strong Elephant vpon whom he sate in his seat Royall their insolencies and mockeries being appeased and silence commanded he caused the Christian Prisoners to troupe about him to whom he deliuered an Oration to this purpose Though I confesse my great Victorie this day gotten was by the power and fauour of my gods the Sunne the Moone and the Starres abiding in the glorious Firmament of Heauen yet because the Prisoners being all or most of them Christians appeare before me not onely despoyled of their Armes but mocked and taunted of the Iewes Mahumetans and others vpbraiding them with their god Iesus who was sometimes fastned vnto a Crosse by the fore-fathers of these Iewes notwithstanding they haue opposed me in battell that so many of their Ensignes lye here prostrate at my feet yet that all the Nations and Languages that liue vnder our Principalitie and Dominion may know that Wee and our Grace can finde as soone Will to pardon as Power to punish from this day forward we forbid and strictly charge all Nations vnder vs of what Qualitie or Religion soeuer That they neither deride iniure or oppresse any of these captiue Christians vpon penaltie to be depriued of their Armes and disgracefully scourged with rods The maine reason inducing vs to see this exactly performed being no other but that their God Iesus is highly esteemed and honoured by Vs as being one of the greatest among the Coelestiall Deities full of all equitie and justice for he knowing those Christians injuriously to raise themselues against Vs as being our sworne Subiects and wee their Protector and Soueraigne hee therefore in his great justice hath permitted me to win the honour of this day which otherwise I had not power to do because I haue heard him stiled the God of Battels c. I giue you further to vnderstand That if any in this my victorious Army hath kept backe any Christian Prisoner not here presented before me he shall not dare to offer him the least affront or violence whatsoeuer but immediately set him at libertie deliuering him vp into their Quarter armed and with all equipages to him belonging and this to be performed vpon paine to passe through the danger of the Armies Now our Imperiall Charge imposed on these Christians for their delinquencie is That they pray vnto their God for our prosperitie and preseruation and doe vs nine moneths seruice in our intended war against the King of Nixiamora who denieth to pay vs Tribute and striueth to equall himselfe with our Greatnesse receiuing for the same equall wages with the rest of the Soldiers in our Army This great honor done vnto the name of Christ and vnto Christians for his sake by the Heathen and Infidels puâ—â—eth mee in minde of that which the Psalmist saith Out of the mouthes of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine Enemies that thou migtest confound the Enemie and the Auenger c. We shall enquire further of the Messias in whom we build our Faith and in whom the hope of our saluation consisteth and find him out by his Miracles The word Miraculum importeth a thing mouing stupor and admiration for those which behold a Miracle stand amased as confounded at the effects when they cannot apprehend the causes Or else it is a thing which from whence it comes or by what meanes passeth apprehension for whatsoeuer happeneth beyond the course of Nature begetteth admiration Saint Augustine saith As it was possible for God to appoint a certaine course for all Natures according to his Diuine will and pleasure so it is not impossible vnto him to alter that course and change those Natures as him best liketh And elsewhere We know that God is able to doe all things though we cannot conceiue the meanes by which he worketh them And in Miracles all the reason that can be giuen of the thing done is onely the power of the Doer And in his booke De Confess We wonder at the bredth and height of the Mountaines the ebbing and flowing of the Ocean the windings and turnings of Riuers the motions of the Spheres and Planets yet neuer wonder at our selfe when Man in himselfe is a greater miracle than all the miracles that can be wrought by Man Greg. in Homil. saith That all Diuine Miracles ought to be meditated on by Study not examined by Reason for to enquire into the secret purpose of the Almighty is to be too arrogant and saucy in his Counsels Lipsius ex Greg. M. vseth these words Diuine Miracles are to be considered not disputed And againe True Miracles witnesse one true God but false Impostures acknowledge many and those euill Chrisostome vpon Math. saith As the Morning precedeth the Sun and Darkenesse goeth before the Night so at the comming of Christ the Prophets before him and the Apostles with him and after him by the help of the Holy-Ghost
three Presents bring Myrrhe to a Man and Gold vnto a King Incense to'a God To proue himselfe Diuine In Cana he turn'd Water into Wine Fiue Loaues two Fishes haue fiue thousand fed When surplusage remain'd of meat and bread To the borne-Blinde he shew'd the Suns bright rayes Who on th' vnknowne light did with wonder gaze He caus'd the light on Lazarus to shine After he foure dayes in the graue had ly'ne With his right hand he fainting Peter stay'd But with his word his faith more constant made She that the bloudy Issue had endur'd For many Winters by her Faith was cur'd The palsied man who had been bedrid long Took vp his bed and walkt thence whole and strong He cast out Diuels by his Word sincere He made the Dumbe to speake and Deafe to heare He it was of whom some thinke Virgil prophecied Eclog 4. in these words Vltima Cumaei venit iam Carminis atas The last day 's come of the Cumaean Ryme A great One's now borne from the first of Time The Virgin is return'd with Saturnes Crowne And now a new Birth is from Heav'n let downe He was miraculous in his death Of whom elegant S. Bernard thus speakes How sweetly Lord Iesus didst thou conuerse with men how aboundantly didst thou bestow many blessings vpon man how valiantly didst thou suffer many bitter hard and intollerable things for man hard words hard strokes more hard afflictions O hard hardned and obdure Sonnes of Adam whom so great sufferings so great benignitie so immense an ardour of loue cannot mollifie Againe God loued vs sweetly wisely valiantly sweetly in assuming our Flesh wisely in auoyding sin valiantly in suffering death but aboue all in that Cup which he vouchsafed to taste which was the great worke of our Redemption for that more than all challenges our loue it gently insinuateth our deuotion more iustly exacts it more strictly binds it more vehemently commands it And in another place In the Passion of our Sauiour it behoueth vs three things more especially to consider the Worke the Manner the Cause In the Worke his Patience in the Manner his Humilitie in the Cause his Charitie Patience singular Humilitie admirable and Charitie vnspeakeable And now me-thinks I heare the Redeemer and Sauiour of the World thus speake from the Crosse. Huc me sidereo discendere fecit Olympo His me crudeli vulnere fixit Amor c. Loue drew me hither from the starry Round And here hath pierc'd me with a cruell wound I mourne yet none hath of my griefe remorse Whom Deaths dire Lawes in vaine intend to force Loue brought me to insufferable scorne And platted on my head a crowne of Thorne It was meere loue thy wounded Soule to cure Made me these wounds vpon my flesh t' endure It was my Loue which triumphs ouer all That quencht my thirst with Vineger and Call The loue which I to Mankinde could not hide With a sharpe Speare launcht bloud out of my side Or'e me Loue onely me of Kings the King Doth now insult who hither did me bring For others gaine to suffer this great losse To haue my hands and feet nayl'd to the Crosse. Now what do I for all this loue implore Loue me againe and I desire no more Thinke saith Thomas de Kempis of the dignitie of the Person and greatly lament because God in the Flesh was so contumeliously handled Ecce Altissimus supra omnes infra omnes deprimitur Nobilissmus dehonestatur Speciocissimus sputo inquinatur c. Behold how the most-High aboue all is depressed below all The most Noble is vilified The most Faire spit vpon The most Wise derided The most Mighty bound The most Innocent scourged The most Holy crowned with Thornes The most Gentle buffetted The most Rich impouerished The most Bountifull despoyled The most Worthy blasphemed The most Good despised The most Louing hated The most Knowing reputed foolish The most True not beleeued The most Innocent condemned The most skilfull Physitian wounded The Sonne of God crucified The Immortall subiect to death and slaine The Lord of heauen and earth dying for the redemption of wretched and ingratefull seruants Sic de Cruce suo Christus loquitur Vide Homo qua pro te patior Vide Claâ—es quibus confâ—diâ—r Vide poenas quibus afficior Cum sit tantuâ— dolor exterior Interior planctus est gravior Dum ingratum te sic experior See what I for thee endure Nail'd to the Crosse by hands impure Behold the paines I suffer here Since outward griefe doth such appeare How great then is my griefe within Whilest thou ingrate abid'st in sin Briefely The whole Passion of Christ according to the sentence of Dionysius was for imitation compassion admiration contemplation inflammation and thanksgiuing According to that of Thomas à Kempis It is of diuine Loue the Incendiarie of Patience the Doctrine in tribulation the Comfort It is the solace of dissolution the substance of holy compunction the exercise of internall deuotion the exclusion of desperation the certaine hope of remission the support of sharpe reprehension the expulsion of peruerse cogitation the repression of carnall temptation the consolation of corporall imperfections the contempt of temporall aboundance the abdication of our proper affections the restraint of superfluous necessitie the exercise of honest conuersation the inflammation to amendment of life the induction to coelestial consolation the approbation of brotherly compassion the reparation of diuine contemplation the argumentation of future blessednesse the mitigation of paines present the purgation from the fire future and the great satisfaction for all our sinnes and offences whatsoeuer Briefely the Passion of Christ is of a godly and religious Soule the Mirrhor of our life the Director of the way to heauen the Load-starre of all tempests the shadow and protector and of all Soules in the houre of death the comfort and supporter The Passion of Christ saith Rabanus de laude Crucis sustaines heauen gouerneth the world pierceth hell in the first the Angels are confirmed in the second the people redeemed in the third the Enemie subdued Saint Augustine in his Sermon De Natali Domini saith That the Maker of man was made Man that he which gouerned the Stars should sucke the breast that the Bread should be hungry the Fountaine thirsty the Light should be darkned the Way should be weary the Truth should suffer by false witnesse the Iudge of the liuing and dead should by a mortall man be iudged that Iustice by injust men should be condemned that Discipline it selfe should be scourged the prime Branch crowned with thornes he that made the Tree be hanged on the Tree Strength weakned Health wounded and Life made subiect vnto death Saint Bernard in his first sermon De Nativit Christi vseth these words Vt in Paradiso terrestri quatuor fuere fontes c. As in the earthly Paradise there were foure Riuers which watered the whole earth so in Christ who is our Paradise wee may finde
Sponges Being banished the City in his way he looking backe lifted vp his hands toward heauen saying O Pallas thou Lady of this City why takest thou such delight in three the most vnluckie Monsters of the world the Owle the Dragon and the People Being reuiled by an injurious prating Companion and being forced to make reply in his owne behalfe by which scolding and loud language must needs arise I am now compelled said hee to vndertake such a combat in which he that hath the vpper hand getteth the worst and whoso ouercommeth shall be most sure to lose the Victorie c. It was a saying of the Emperour Sigismund That those Courts were onely happy where proud men were depressed and meeke men aduanced The same Prince being asked What man he held worthy of a Diadem Onely such an one saith hee whom prosperitie puffeth not vp neither can aduersitie dismay To one who praised him aboue measure so farre hyperbolising that hee would needs make him more than mortall the Emperour much displeased with such palpable flatterie strooke him two or three blowes vpon the cheeke Who saying to the Emperor Why do you strike me Mary quoth the Emperour because thou didst bite me c. Fredericke the Emperor being demanded Which of his Subiects and Seruants he loued best and that were dearest vnto him made answer Those that feare not me more than they feare God The same Emperor when one asked himâ— What hee thought to be the best thing that could happen to a man in this world Replied To haue a good going out of the World Rodulphus Caesar the first that traduced the Empire into the Austrian Familyâ— when one asked of him Why generally all men despised the exercise of such Arts as they had been taught but to rule and gouerne which was the Art of Arts no man refused That is no wonder said hee because they thinke all such to be Fooles that cannot rule and there is no man that thinks himself a Foole. But what are all these where the wisedome to seeke after God shall be in the least kinde neglected God saith Salomon loueth no man if he dwelleth not with Wisedome for shee is more beautifull than the Sunne and is aboue all the order of the Starres and the Light is not to be compared vnto her for Night commeth vpon that but Wickednesse cannot ouercome Wisedome I end this Argument with these few lines extracted Ex Antholog Sacr. Iacob Billij Pythagoras olim quid sensuerit c. Not what Pythagoras in times past thought Not sharpe Chrisippus by his study sought What Plato's or what Zeno's censure was Or what th' opinion of Protagoras What Anaxagoras brought forth to light Or Aristotle the learn'd Stagerite How many heathen gods there were to show Or goddesses shall we call this To Know He that for such cause shall himselfe aduance Can brag of nothing but blinde Ignorance He onely can of Wisedome truly bost Who knowes the Father Sonne and Holy-Ghost Many things are found to be monstrous prodigious in Nature the effects whereof diuers attribute to sundry causes some either to defect or super-aboundance in Nature others to the power and operations of Daemons good or bad We read That when Lucius Martius and Iulius Sextius were Consuls in Rome two mountaines remoued from their proper places and so impetuously met together that hauing vented a great quantitie of fire and smoke into the aire by the violence of their encounter they returned backe againe into their owne scituation first hauing destroyed many Villages which lay betwixt them killing much cattell where many Roman Knights too aduenturous perished by the same prodegie The same Author relateth That in the time that Nero Caesar wore the Imperiall Purple Vessus Marcellus whom the Emperour had sent into the Kingdome of Naples had two fields distant the one from the other certaine furlongs the one was a faire greene medow the other planted with Oliue trees which miraculously changed places for the Oliue field was transported where the medow was and the medow to the place where the Oliues grew And this was supposed to be done by an Earthquake This is approued for a truth by the Annals of sundry Learned men bur especially remembred in the booke of the Mountaines It hath been likewise obserued that in the sacrifice of Beasts no hearts haue beene found in the bodies For so it happened when Caesar the Dictator first sate in the golden Chaire Cicero and Pliny both report That Caius Marius offering sacrifice at Vtica no heart was found in the beast which the Priest coniectured proceeded from no naturall cause And therefore it may be thought to be the imposture of euill Spirits who to delude and abuse the people stole the heart away from the Altar inspiring the Priest to say something thereupon as partly foreseeing what was likely to succeed after It is recorded also That in the sacrifice which Marcus Marcellus made before he was slain in the battell fought against Hannibal That the first day the Priest could finde no heart in the beast and the second day opening another he found two Aulus Gellius telleth vs That vpon the same day when Pyrrhus died after the heads of the sacrificed beasts were cut off they licked vp their owne bloud which was spilt vpon the ground As also That the same yeare when Hannibal was vanquished by Scipio Publ. AElius and Cneius Cornelius being Consuls wheat was seene to grow vpon trees Many more I could alledge to the like purpose c. Ficin Epist. lib. 11. vseth these words Prodegies hapning before or at the death of Princes come not by fortune because they obserue order nor by Nature by reason they are diuers amongst themselues If therefore neither accidentally nor naturally it must needs inferre they arise by a more sublime Intelligence exuperant aboue the power or strength of Nature And they are referred vnto three chiefe causes For there is Person which is the Daemon Familiar which the Theologists call Angelus Custos Then there is a Power called the Keeper or Gardian of the Place the House the City or the Kingdome and this is tituled by the name of Principate Aboue these is the sublime Order or Chorus of Powers Daemons or Angels into which number or lot by the similitude of Office the excellent Minde or Soule is to shift as it were into it's owne Star there to remaine as a Collegue in the same office And as there are three Authors of prodegies so there are three kindes The sublime Classe kindleth the crested or bearded Comets prouoketh Thunder casteth out Lightning causeth Incendiaries and falling Starres The Power of the Prouince shaketh the Prefect ouerturneth buildings declareth Oracles and designeth violent Heats and Vapours The Familiar Custos or Daemon begetteth Dreames causeth or disturbeth sleepes and taketh charge of man as well in his priuat chamber as in the streets or fields The first