away of Aarons priest-hood CHAP. 5. BVt this was more plainely spoken vnto Heli the priest by a man of God a whose name we read not but his ministery proued him a Prophet Thus it is written There came a man of GOD vnto Heli and said vnto him Thus saith the Lord did not I plainely appeare vnto the house of thy father when they were in Egiptin Pharaos house and I chose him out of all the tribes of Israel to bee my priest to offer at mine Altar to burne incense and to weare b an Ephod and I gaue thy fathers house al the burnt offrings of the house of Israel for to eate Why then haue you looked in scorne vpon my sacrifices and offrings and c honored thy children aboue me to d blesse the first of all the offrings of Israell in my sight wherefore thus saith the LORD GOD of Israell I said thy house and thy fathers house shall walke before mee for euer nay not so now for them that honour me saith the Lord will I honour and them that despise me will I despise Behold the daies come that I will cast out thy seed and thy fathers seed that there shall not bee an e old man in thine house I will destroy euery one of thine from mine Altar that thine eyes may faile and thine heart faint and all the remainder of thy house shall fall by the sword and this shal be a signe vnto thee that shall befall thy two sonnes Ophi and Phinees in one day shall they both die And I wil take my selfe vppe a faithfull Priest that shall doe according to mine heart I will build him a sure house and hee shall walke before mine Annointed for euer And the f remaines of thy house shall come and bow downe to him for an halfe-penny of siluer saying Put mee I pray the in some office about the priest-hood that I may eate a morsell of bread We cannot say that this prophecy plainely denouncing the change of their old priest-hood was fulfilled in Samuel g for though Samuel were of that tribe that serued the Altar yee was he not of the sons of Aaron to whose progeny God tied the priest-hood and therefore in this was that change shadowed that Christ was to perfome and belonged to the Old Testament properly but figuratiuely vnto the New beeing now fulfilled both in the euent of the prophecy and the historie that recordeth these words of the Prophet vnto Heli. For afterwardes there were Priests of Aarons race as Abiathar and Zador in 〈◊〉 reigne and many more for the time came wherein the change was to bee effected by Christ. But who seeth not now if hee obserue it with the eye of faith that all is fulfilled the Iewes haue no Tabernacle no Temple no Altar nor any Priest of Aarons pedegree as GOD commanded them to haue Lust as this Propâ—… said Thou and thy fathers house shall walke before mee for euer Nay not so now for them that honour mee will I honour c. By his fathers house hee meaneth not Eli his last fathers but Aarons from whom they all descended as these words Did I not appeare to thy fathers house in Egipt c. Doe plainely prooue Who was his Father in the Egiptian bondage and was chosen priest after their freedome but Aaron of his stocke then it was here said there should bee no more priests as wee see now come to passe Let faith bee but vigilant and it shall discerne and apprehend truth euen whether it will or no. Behold saith he the daies doe come that I will cast out thy seed c. T' is true the daies are come Aarons seede hath now no Priest and his whole off-spring behold the sacrifice of the christians goriously offered all the world through with fayling eyes and fainting hearts but that which followeth All the remainder of thine house 〈◊〉 fell by the sword c. belongs properly to the house of Heli. And the death of his sonnes was a signe of the change of the Priest-hood of Aarons house and signified the death of the Priest-hood rather then the men But the next place to the priest that Samuel Heli his successor prefigured I meane Christ the Priest of the New Testament I will take mee vp a faith-full Priest that shall do all according to mine heart I will build him a sure house c. This house is the heauenly Ierusalem and he shall walke before mine annoynted for euer that is hee shall conuerse with them as hee said before of the house of Aaron I sayd thou and thine house shall walke before mee for euer Behold mine annointed that is 〈◊〉 annointed flesh not mine annointed Priest for that is Christ himselfe the Sauiour So that his house and flocke it is that shall walke before him it may bee meant also of the passage of the faithfull from death vnto life at the end of their mortality and the last iudgement But whereas it is said He shall doe all according to mine heart wee may not thinke that GOD hath any heart beeâ—… 〈◊〉 hearts maker but it is figuratiuely spoaken of him as the scripture doth 〈◊〉 â—…er members the hand of the LORD the finger of GOD c. And least 〈◊〉 should thinke that in this respect man beareth the Image of GOD the â—…re giueth him wings which man doth want Hide mee vnder the shadow of 〈◊〉 â—…gs to teach men indeed thaâ—…â—…hose things are spoken with no true but a â—…ll reference vnto that ineffable essence On now and the remaines of 〈◊〉 â—…use shall come and bow downe vnto him c. This is not meant of the 〈◊〉 of Heli but of Aarons of which some were remayning vntill the comming 〈◊〉 â—…RIST yea and are vnto this day For that aboue the remaynder of thy 〈◊〉 shall fall by the sword was meant by Heli his linage How then can both 〈◊〉 places bee true that some should come to bow downe and yet the sword 〈◊〉 deuoure all vnlesse they bee meant of two the first of Aarons linage and 〈◊〉 â—…cond of Helies If then they bee of those predestinate remainders whereof 〈◊〉 â—…ophet saith The remnant shal be saued and the Apostle at this present time is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 remnant through the election of grace which may well bee vnder-stood 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 remnant that the man of GOD speakes off heere then doubtlesse they 〈◊〉 in Christ as many of their nations Iewes did in the Apostles time and 〈◊〉 though very few do now fulfilling that of the Prophet which followeth 〈◊〉 downe to him for an halfe penny of siluer to whom but vnto the great 〈◊〉 who is God eternall For in the time of Aarons Priest-hood the people 〈◊〉 â—…ot to the temple to adore or bow downe to the priest But what is that 〈◊〉 halfe pennie of siluer Onely the breuity of the Word of â—…aith as the Aâ—… saith The Lord will make a short accompt in the earth that siluer is put for â—…ord the Psalmist proueth saying
Alexander Paris his rape of Hellen wife vnto Menelaus b the Troians at what time and by whom Rome was built Dionisius Solinus Plutarch and diuers others discourse with great diuersity he that will know further let him looke in them c Aeneas his mother for Paris vsed Venus as his baud in the rape of Hellen and Ueâ—… in the contention of the goddesses for beauty corrupted the iudgement of Paris with promise of Hellen d Aeneas he was sonne to Anchises and Uenus Uirgil Tunc ille Aeneas quem Dà rdanio Anchisa Alma Venus Phryg as gâ—…nuit Syâ—…oeÌ„ntis od vnâ—…s Art thou that man whom beaâ—…teous Uenus bore got by 〈◊〉 on smooth Symois shore And Lucretius Aeneadum genitrix hominum diuumque volâ—…ptas Alma Venus Mother t' Aâ—…eas liue the gods delight Faire Uenus e Vulcan Husband vnto Venus f Romulus not be Dionysius Ilia a Vestal Virgin going to Mars his wood to fetch some water was rauished in the Church some say by some of her sutors some by her vncle Amulius being armed others by the Genius of the place But I thinke rather that Romulus was the son of some soldiar and Aeneas of some whore and because the soldiars are vnder Mars and the whores vnder Venus therefore were they fathered vpon them Who was Aeneas his true mother is one of the sound questions that the grammarians stand vpon in the foure thousand bookes of Dydimus as Seneca writeth g If the one bee so Illud and illud for hoc and illud a figure rather Poeticall then Rhetoricall h By Venus her law A close but a conceited quippe Mars committed adultery with Venus This was lawfull for Mars by Venus lawe that is by the law of lust which Venus gouerneth then why should not the same priuiledge in lust bee allowed to Venus her selfe beeing goddesse thereof that which is lawfull to others by the benefit of Venus why should it not bee permitted to Venus to vse her selfe freely in her owne dominion of lust seeing she her-selfe alloweth it such free vse in others i Caesar This man was of the Iulian family who was deriued from Iulus Aeneas his sonne and so by him to Venus This family was brought by King Tullus from Alba longa to Rome and made a Patrician family Wherefore Caesar beeing dictator built a temple to Venus which hee called the temple of mother Uenus my Aunt Iulia saith Caesar in Suetonius on the mothers side is descended from Kings and on the fathers from gods For from Anâ—…us Martius a King the Martii descended of which name her mother was and from Venus came the Iulii of which stocke our family is sprung k His grand-mother Set for any progenitrix as it is often vsed l Romulus of old And Caesar of latâ—… because of the times wherein they liued being at least sixe hundred yeares distant Of Varro's opinion that it is meete in policy that some men should faigne themselues to be begotten of the gods CHAP. 4. BVt doe you beleeue this will some say not I truly For Varro one of their most learned men doth though faintly yet almost plainely confesse that they all are false But that it is a profitable for the citties saith he to haue their greatest men their generalls and gouernours beleeue that they are begotten of gods though it be neuer so false that their mindes being as illustrate with part of their parents deitie may bee the more daring to vndertake more seruent to act and so more fortunate to performe affaires of value Which opinion of Varro by me here laid downe you see how it opens a broad way to the falshood of this beleefe and teacheth vs to know that many such fictions may be inserted into religion whensoeuer it shall seeme vse-full vnto the state of the city to inuent such fables of the gods But whether Venus could beare Aeneas by Anchises or Mars beget Romulus of Syluta b Numitors daughter that we leaue as we find it vndiscussed For there is almost such a question ariseth in our Scriptures Whether the wicked angells did commit fornication with the daughters of men and whether that therevpon came Giants that is huge and powrefull men who increased and filled all the earth L. VIVES IT is a profitable It is generally more profitable vnto the great men themselues who hereby haue the peoples loue more happily obliged to them This made Scipio that he would neuer seeke to change that opinion of the people who held that hee was begot by some god and Alexander in Lucian saith it furthered him in many great designes to bee counted the sonne of Iupiter Hamon For hereby he was feared and none durst oppose him that they held a god 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Barbarians obserued mee with reuerence and amazement and none durst with-stand mee thinking they should warre against the gods whose confirmed sonne they held mee b Numitors daughter Numitor was sonne to Procas the Albian King and elder brother to Amulius But being thrust by his brother from his crowne he liued priuately Amulius enioying the crowne by force and fraude Numitor had Lausus to his sonne and Rhea or Ilia Syluia to his daughter the boy was killed the daughter made Abbesse of the Vestals by Amulius meaning by colour of religion to keepe her from children-bearing who not-with-standing had two sonnes Romulus and Remus by an vnknowne father as is afore-said That it is altogether vnlikely that the gods reuenged Paris his fornication since they permitted Rhea's to passe vnpunished CHAP. 5. WHerefore now let vs argue both the causes in one If it be certaine that wee read of Aeneas and Romulus their mothers how can it bee that the gods should disallow of the adulteries of mortall men tollerating it so fully and freely in these particulars If it be not certaine howsoeuer yet cannot they distaste the dishonesties of men that are truly acted seeing they take pleasure in their owne though they be but faigned Besides if that of Mars with Rhea be of no credit why then no more is this of Venus with Anchises Then let not Rhea's cause be couered with any pretence of the like in the gods She was a virgin Priest of Vesta and therefore with farre more iustice should the gods haue scourged the Romaines for her offence then the Troians for that of Paris for the a ancient Romaines them-selues did punish such vestalls as they tooke in this offence by burying them quick b neuer censuring others that were faultie in this kind with death but euer with some smaller penalty so great was their study to correct the offences of persons appertaining to religion with all seuerity aboue others L. VIVES THE a ancient If a virgin vestall offended but lightly the high Priest did beate her but being conuicted of neglect of chastitie or whoredome shee was caried in a coffin to the gate Collina as if shee went to buriall all her friends and
kinsfolkes bewailing her the Priests and other religious following the hearse with a sadde silence Neere to the gate was a caue to which they went downe by a ladder there they let downe the guilty person alone tooke away the ladder and shutte the caue close vp and least she should starue to death they set by her bread milke and oyle of each a quantitie together with a lighted lampe all this finished the Priests departed and on that day was no cause heard in law but it was as a vacation mixt with great sorrow and feare all men thinking that some great mischiefe was presaged to befall the weale publick by this punishment of the Vestall The vowes and duties of those Vestals Gellius amongst others relateth at large Noct. Atticarum lib. 1. b Neuer censuring others Before Augustus there was no law made against adulterers nor was euer cause heard that I know of concerning this offence Clodius indeed was accused for polluting the sacrifices of Bona Dea but not for adulterie which his foes would not haue omitted had it laine within the compasse of lawe Augustus first of all instituted the law Iulian against men adulterers it conteined some-what against vnchaste women also but with no capitall punishment though afterwards they were censured more sharpely as we read in the Caesars answers in Iustintans Code and the 47. of the Pandects Dionysius writeth that at Romes first originall Romulus made a lawe against adultery but I thinke hee speakes it Graecanicè as hee doth prettily well in many others matters Of Romulus his murther of his brother which the gods neuer reuenged CHAP. 6. NOw I will say more If those Deities tooke such grieuous and heinous displeasure at the enormities of men that for Paris his misdemeanour they would needes vtterly subuert the citty of Troy by fire and sword much more then ought the murder of Romulus his brother to incense their furies against the Romaines then the rape of Menelaus his wife against the Troians Parricide a in the first originall of a Citty is far more odious then adultery in the wealth and height of it Nor is it at all pertinent vnto our purpose b whether this murder were commanded or committed by Romulus which many impudently deny many doe doubt and many do dissemble Wee will not intangle our selues in the Laborinth of History vpon so laborious a quest Once sure it is Romulus his brother was murdered and that neither by open enemies nor by strangers If Romulus either willed it or wrought it so it is Romulus was rather the cheefe of Rome then Paris of Troy VVhy should the one then set all his goddes against his countrey for but rauishing another mans wife and the other obtaine the protection of c the same goddes for murdering of his owne brother If Romulus bee cleare of this imputation then is the whole citty guilty of the same crime howsoeuer in giuing so totall an assent vnto such a supposition and in steed of killing a brother hath done worse in killing a father For both the bretheren were fathers and founders to it alike though villany bard the one from dominion There is small reason to be showne in mine opinion why the Troians deserued so ill that their gods should leaue them to destruction and the Romaines so well that they would stay with them to their augmentation vnlesse it bee this that being so ouerthrowne and ruined in one place they were glad to flie away to practise their illusions in another nay they were cunninger then so they both stayed still at Troy to deceiue after their old custome such as afterwards were to inhabit there and likewise departed vnto Rome that hauing a greater scope to vse their impostures there they might haue more glorious honours assigned them to feede their vaine-glorious desires L. VIVES PArricide a in Parricide is not onely the murther of the parent but of any other equall some say ' Parricidium quasi patratio caedis committing of slaughter It is an old law of Num's He that willingly doth to death a free-man shall be counted a Parricide b Whether this murther There be that affirme that Remus being in contention for the Kingdome when both the factions had saluted the leaders with the name of King was slaine in the byâ—…kerng between them but whether by Romulus or some other none can certainely affirme Others and more in number saie that he was slaine by Fabius Tribune of the light horsemen of Romulus because he leaped in scorne ouer the newly founded walles of Rome and that Fabius did this by Romulus his charge Which fact Cicero tearmes wicked and inhumaine For thus in his fourth booke of Offices he discourseth of it But in that King that built the citty it was not so The glosse of commodity dazeled his spirits and since it seemed fitter for his profit to rule without a partner then with one he murdered his owne brother Here did he leape ouer piety nay and humanity also to reach the end hee aimed at profit though his pretence and coullour about the wall was neither probale nor sufficient wherfore be it spoken with reuerence to Quirinus or to Romulus Romulus in this did well c The same godds Which were first brought to Aeneas to I auiniun from thence to Alba by Ascanius and from Alba the Romaines had them by Romulus with the Assent of Numâ—…tor and so lastly were by Tullus transported all vnto Rome Of the subuersion of Ilium by Fimbria a Captaine of Marius his faction CHAP. 7. IN the first a heate of the b ciuill wars what hadde poore Ilium done that c Fimbria they veriest villaine of all d Marius his sette should raize it downe with more fury and e cruelty then euer the Grecians had shewed vpon it before For in their conquest many escaped captiuity by flight and many avoided death by captiuity But Fimbria charged in an expresse edicte that not a life should bee spared and made one fire of the Citty and all the creatures within it Thus was Ilium requited not by the Greekes whom her wronges had prouoked but by the Romaines whom her ruines had propagated their gods in this case a like adored of both sides doing iust nothing or rather beeing able to do iust nothing what were the gods gone from their shrines that protected this towne since the repayring of it after the Grecian victory If they were shew me why but still the better citizens I finde the worse gods They shut out Fimbria to keepe all for Sylla hee set the towne and them on fire and burned them both into dust and ashes And yet in meane-time f Sylla's side was stronger and euen now was hee working out his powre by force of armes his good beginnings as yet felt no crosses How then could the Ilians haue dealt more honestly or iustly or more worthy of the protection of Rome then to saue a citty of Romes for better endes and to keepe out a
Osyris Horus and diuers others of the gods raigned before him Our scriptures say that Nembroth was the first King and raigned at Babilon b Vntill peruerse Hesiod in his Opera Dies saigneth fiue ages of mortality which place he beginneth thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. The gods did first of all Make men in golden moldes celestiall Their habitations were In Saturnes raigne The vvorld afforded such This Uirgil Ouid and others did immitate The first age the Golden one they say was vnder Saturne without warres or will to warres humanity was lockt in vnity neither were men contentious nor clamorous These were called Saturnian daies The next age Siluer vnder Ioue then warre began to buffle so did her daughter care hate and deceit The third Brazen warre hurles all vpon heapes and quasseth liues and bloud The fourth of the Halfe-Gods Heroes who thought they loued iustice yet their bosomes harboured an eager thirst of warres The first Iron wherein mischiefe goeth beyond bound and limit and all miseries breaking their prisons assault mans fortunes open deceit open hate open warres slaughters vastations burnings rapes and rapines all open violent and common e vnlesse vnlesse the gods be so impudent that they will sell that vnto men as a benefit from them which hath the original from another mans wil and so require thankes of them as though it were there guift when it is rather the gift of another One interpreter vnderstanding not the figure rappeth out what came first on his tongues end and vpon that as vpon a marble foundation Lord what a goodly building he raiseth concerning selling and the powers of deuills mans affects and many good morrowes euen such like as this in foundation is much of our Philosophers and Schoole-diuines trattle for all the world what wounderfull maters do they wring out of such or such places of Aristotle or the scriptures as indeed they neuer could truly vnderstand O happy builders that vpon no foundation but onely a meere smoke can rayse such goodly buildings as are held absolutely sky-towring so elegant and so durable Of the statue of Apollo at Cumae that shed teares as men thought for the Grecians miseries though he could not helpe them CHAP. 11. NOtwithstanding that there are many of these warres and conquests that fall out quite against those gods likings the Romaine history it selfe to omit those fables that do not tel one truth for a thousand lies shall giue cleare profe for therein we read that the statue of Apollo a Cumane in the time of the Romans warres againe the Achaians and b King Aristonicus did persist foure daies together in contiunall weeping which prodigy amazing the South-sayers they held it fit to cast the statue into the sea but the auncients of Cumae disswaded it and shewed them that it had done so likewise in the warres both against c Antiochus and d Persâ—…us testifying also that both these wars succeeding fortunarly vnto Rome the senat sent ther guifts and oblations vnto the statue of Apollo And then the South-sayers hauing learned wit answered that the weeping of Apollo was lucky to the Romaines because that e Cuma was a Greeke collony and that the statues teares did but portend mishap vnto the country from whence it came namely vnto Greece And soone after they heard how Aristonicus was taken prisoner and this was the cause of Apollos woes shewen in his teares And as touching this point not vnfitly though fabulously are the diuells trickes plainely discouered in the fictions of the Poets Diana was sory for Camilla in Virgill And Hercules wept for the death of Pallas And it may be that vpon this ground Numa in his great peace giuen him hee neither knew nor sought to know by whome bethinking him-selfe in his idlenesse vnto what gods he should commit the preseruation of the Romaines fortunes neuer dreaming that it is onely the great and almighty God that hath regard of these inferior things and remembring himselfe that the gods that Aeneas brought from Troy could neither preserue the estate of the Troians nor that of the Lauinians erected by Aeneas into any good continuance he thought fit to seeke out some others to ioyne with the former were gone with Romulus to Rome and that were afterwards to go at the distruction of Alba either to keepe them from running away or to helpe them when they saw them too weake L. VIVES APollo a Cumane King Attalus at his death made the people of Rome heyres to his Kingdome of which Aristonicus his brothers bastard sonne got possession before them hence grew there warres in which Licinius Consull and Priest was sent as Generall whom Aristonicus ouer-came M. Perpenna the next yeares Consull hearing of Crassus his fortune came with speed into Asia and hauing ouer-throwne Aristonicus and forced him into Stratonica through famine he forced him to yeeld and so sent him to Rome In this warre Nicomedes Mithridates Ariarathes and Pylemanes Kings of Bythinia Pontus Cappadocia and Paphlagonia fauoured the Romaines Achaia onely assisted Aristonicus b King Aristonicus This weeping of Apollo happened in the Consulshippe of Appius Claudius and M. Perpenna as Iulius Obsequens Fragm lib. de prodigiis in these wordes affirmeth App. Claudius and M. Perpenna being Consulls P. Crassus was slaine in battaile against Aristonicus Apollo's statue wept foure daies The prophets presaged the destruction of Greece from whence it came The Romaines offered it sacrifice and brought giftes vnto the temple Thus farre Obsequens The weeping of a statue portended mis-fortune to those that it fauoured as vpon the weeping of Iuno Sospita at Lauinium Consulls L. Aemilius Paulus Cn. Bebius Pamphilus followed a great pestilence So saith Lucane of the prodigies in the ciuill warres Indigâ—…tes flâ—…uisse dâ—…os vâ—…bisque laborem Testatos sudore Lares The Patron gods did weepe the cities paines The sweaâ—…ng Lars recorded c Antiochus King of Syria conquered by L. Cornelius Scipio brother to Africanus Liuie at large Decad. 4. d Perseus Some write Xerxes but it is better Perseus sonne to Philip King of Macedon whom L Aemilius Paulus conquered in a few houres in the second Macedonian warre Plutarch in Aemilius his life and others e Cumae The Chalcidians and the Cumaeans Strabo lib. 5 being people of Greece sailed into Italy with a great nauy and landing in Campania there built a citty The Cumaeans captaine was Hippocles the Chalcidians Megasthenes these agreed amongst themselues that the one people should inhabite the towne and the others should name it and so they did It was called Cumae and the inhabitants were Chalcidians Of this Cumae Virgil hath this verse Aenead 6. Chalcidicaque leuis tandem superastitit arâ—… And light at last on the Chalcidian towre This City saith Strabo is the most ancient Citty both of all Italy and Sicily How fruitlesse their multitude of gods was vnto the Romaines who induced them beyond the institution of Numa CHAP. 12. NOr could Rome
this reason will we finde an easie way to perswade all such as haue not hardned their hearts to be of our opinion L. VIVES HOnour a for You see saith Tully Marcellus hath renewed the Temple of Honour the which Qu. Maximus built long before in the Ligurian warre De nat de lib. 2. There was one temple in Rome both to Vertue and Honour which C. Marius built but it was in diuers pertitions for one roome might not serue them both as the Colledge of Priests answered Marcellus in his eight Consulshippe The old Romaines sacrificed bare-headed vnto Honour but couered to all besides Plut. Prob. Of the worshippe of one God onely whose name although they knew not yet they tooke him for the giuer of felicity CHAP. 25. FOr if mans weakenesse obserued thus much that felicitie could not come but from some god and that this was perceiued by those that worshipped so many gods who therefore would call him that they thought could giue it by the name of the thing it selfe knowing no other name hee had this prooueth sufficientlie that Iupiter could not giue felicity whome they worshipped alreadie but onely hee whome they worshipped vnder the name of Felicity So then is it confirmed that they thought Felicity could not bee giuen but by a God that they knew not well seeke but him out then and giue him his due worshippe and it sufficeth Casheere this returne of innumerable and as vnnecessary gods nay deuills let not that god suffice the worshippe whose guift is not sufficient hold not I say that God for a sufficient giuer of felicity whose felicity is wholy insufficient But in whom is it sufficient in the true and onely GOD the giuer of all felicitie serue him It is not hee that they call Ioue For if it were hee they would neuer stand seeking this guift of another who goeth vnder the name of Felicity besides they would not doe Ioues honour that wrong as for to count him as Ioue is counted an adulterer a with other mens wiues and an vnchaste louer and rauisher of b faire boies L. VIVES AN adulterer a which Ioues foule adultery are the Poets common songs as which Alcmena Leda c. b Faire boies As of Ganymede of whome here-after Of the stage-plaies which the gods exacted of their seruants CHAP. 26. BVt these were fictions a of Homer quoth Tully transferring humaine affects vnto the gods I had rather they had transferred diuine affects vnto vs. This graue man indeed was much displeased with the vnseasonable fictions of those times I but why then did the wisest and most learned men of all the Romaines present stage-plaies writing them and acting them to the honour of their gods and as partes and pointes of their religion Here Tully exclaimeth not against poetike fictions but against the old ordinances And would not the ordainers exclaime too and say why what doe wee our gods intreated vs nay forced vs vpon paine of destruction to exhibite them such things as honours punishing the neglect thereof with seuerity and shewing themselues pleased in the amendement of that neglect That which I will now relate is reckoned as one of their most vertuous and memorable deedes b Titus Latinus a rustike house-keeper was warned in a dreame to bidde the Romaine Senate restore the stage-plaies because vpon their first day of presentation an offender caried out and whipped to death before all the people had sore displeased the gods that doe not loue such sadde spectacles but are all for mirth and iollity Well hee neglected to tell the Senate this but was warned againe the next night Neglecting it againe suddenly his sonne died And the third night he was warned againe vpon paine of a greater mischiefe He not daring as yet to reueale it fel into a sore and horrible disease And then hauing imparted it to his friends they counselled him to open it to the senate so he was caried to them in his coach and hauing told his dreame grew wel◅◅an instant and went home on his feet The senate being amazed with his miracle renewed the plaies with treble charges who seeth not now that seeth at al how villenously these deuills abuse those men that are their slaues in forcing these things from them as honors which an vpright iudgement would easily discerne to be obscaenities c From this slauery can nothing deliuer man but the grace of God through Iesus Christ our Lord In those plaies the gods crimes that the Poets faigne are presented yet by the gods expresse charge were they by the Senat renewed And there did the stage-plaiers act produce and present Ioue for the veriest whore-maister in the world had this beene false hee should haue beene offended at it but taking deligh as he did to haue villaines invented vpon him who would serue him that would not serue the deuill Is this the founder enlarger and establisher of the Roman Empire and is he not more base and abiect then any Romaine that beheld him thus presented can hee giue happinesse that loued this vnhappy worship and would bee more vnhappily angry if it were not afforded him L. VIVES FIctions a of Homer saith Tully I approue not Homer for saying that Ioue did take vp Ganymed for his forme and person this was not a iust cause to anger Laomedon But Homer fained transferring humane affects vnto the gods I had rather he had trāsfered theirs to vs which of theirs to florish to be wise witty and memoratiue A most graue Sentence taxing their impious superstition that proportion gods attributes vnto our frailty supposing him as testy crabed cruell enuious proud contentious arrogant inconstant finally as wicked as our selues were it not better to eleuate our selues vnto the height of his diuine vertue Cic. Tusc. quest b Titus Latinus This history is mentioned by Cicero De diuinat out of Fabius Gellius Caelius It is also in Liuy lib. 2. Val. Max. lib. 4. Aul. Gell. Macrob. Lactantius It fell out in the yeare of the citty CCLII Consulls M. Minutius and A Sempronius Some call the man Larinus Lactantus calls him Tiberius Arinus c from this slauery Alluding vnto that exclamation of Paul Rom. 7. Wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from the body of this death the grace of GOD through Iesus Christ. Of the three Kinds of Gods whereof Scaeuola disputed CHAP. 27. IT is leaft in memory that Scaeuola a their learned high Priest disputed of three kinds of gods that were taught by authors one by the Poets one by the Phylosophers one by the Princes of the City b The first sort hee saith were but fooleries much of their doctrine being fictious the second disagreeing from a politicke state hauing much superfluity and diuers inconueniences for the superfluity it is no great mater for it is a saying amongst men superfluity hurteth not but what are the inconueniences to deny openly that Hercules Aesculapius Castor and Pollux are gods for the Philosophers teach
and Phoronis the first they picture with Erected priuities for hauing beheld Proserpina the later the Laebadians worshippe in a caue and cal him Trophonius n Trismegistus As the French say trespuissant and we thrice mighty But the latter wrot not Trismegistus but his grand-father did yet both were called Hermes Trismegistus The first Theut was a great king a great Priest a Philosopher Thus it pleaseth some to describe his greatnesse o Isis. Isis Osiris do much good saith Hermes his booke p In both their natures Hermes had it without nature extra naturam q Adored The Egyptians had innumerable things to their gods Garlike and Onions by which they swore as Pliny saith and many creatures after whome they named their citties Crocodilopolâ—…s Lycopolis Leontopolls and Lâ—…polis vpon the crocodyle the wolfe the lion and the place-fish So Apis first instituting the adoration of the Oxe was adored himselfe in an oxes shape Mercury in a dogs Isis in a cowes Diodorus writeâ—…h that their leaders wore such crests on their helmets Anubis a dog Alexander the great a wolfe c. whence the reuerence of those creatures first arose and therevpon those Princes being dead they ordained them diuine worships in those shapes This is that which Mercury saith their soules were adored that in their liues had ordayned honor to those creatures as indeed the Princes wearing them on their helmes and sheelds made them venerable and respected and the simple people thought that much of their victories came from them and so set them vp as deities Of the Honor that Christians giue to the Martires CHAP. 27. YEt we erect no temples alters nor sacrifices to the martirs because not they but their god is our God wee honor their memories as Gods Saints standing till death for the truth that the true religion might be propagated and all Idolatry demolished whereas if any others had beleeued right before them yet feare forbad them confesse it And who hath euer heard the Priest at the altar that was built vp in gods honor and the martires memories say ouer the body I offer vnto thee Peter or vnto thee Paul or a Cyprian hee offers to God in the places of their memorialls whome God had made men and martirs and aduanced them into the society of his Angells in heauen that wee at that sollemnity may both giue thanks to God for their victories and bee incouraged to endeuor the attainement of such crownes and glories as they haue already attained still inuocating him at their memorialls wherefore all the religious performances done there at the martires sollemnities are ornaments of their memories but no sacrifices to the dead as vnto gods and b those that bring banquets thether which notwithstanding the better Christians do not not is this custome obserued in most places yet such as do so setting them downe praying ouer them and so taking them away to eate or bestow on those that neede all this they do onely with a desire that these meates might be sanctified by the martirs in the god of martirs name But hee that knoweth the onely sacrifices that the Christians offer to God c knoweth also that these are no sacrifices to the Martires wherefore we neither worshippe our Martires with Gods honors nor mens crimes neither offer them sacrifices nor turne their d disgraces into any religion of theirs As for Isis Osiris his wife and the Aegyptian goddesse and her parents that haue beene recorded to haue beene all mortall to whome she sacrificing e found three graines of barley and shewed it vnto her husband and Hermes her counsellour and so they will haue her to be Ceres also what grosse absurdities are hereof recorded not by Potes but their own Priests as Leon shewed to Alexander and he to his mother Olimpia let them read that list and remember that haue read and then but consider vnto what dead persones and dead persons workes their diuinest honors were exhibited God forbid they should in the least respect compare them with our Martirs whome neuerthelesse wee account no gods wee make no priests to sacrifice vnto them it is vnlawfull vndecent and Gods proper due neither do wee please them with their owne crimes or obscaene spectacles whereas they celebrate both the guilt that there gods incurred who were men and the fayned pleasures of such of them as were flat deuills If Socrates had had a god he should not haue bin of this sort But such perhaps as loued to excell in this damnable art of making gods thrust such an one vpon him being an inocent honest man and vnskilfull in this their pernicious practise What need wee more none that hath his wits about him will now hold that these spirits are to be adored for the attainement of eternall blisse in the life to come Perhaps they will say that all the gods are good but of these spirits some are good and some badde and that by those that are good wee may come to eternity and therefore ought to adore them well to rip vp this question the next booke shall serue the turne L. VIVES OR a Cyprian Bishoppe of Carthage most learned as wittnesse his holy works Heâ—… receiued the crowne of Martirdome vnder Ualerian so Pontius his Deacon writeth b Thâ—…se A great custome in Afrike Aug. confess lib. 6. where he saith that his mother at Millaine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…otage and bread and wine to the Martirs shrines and gaue them to the porter Bâ—… Ambrose forbad her both for that it might bee an occasion of gluttony and for the resemblance it had with paganisme c Knoweth also Many Christians offend in not distinguishing betweene their worship of God and the Saints nor doth their opinion of the Saints want much of that the Pagans beleeued of their gods yet impious was Uigilantius to bar the Martirs all honor and fond was Eunomius to forbeare the Churches least hee should bee compelled to adore the dead The Martyres are to be reuerenced but not adored as god is Hieron câ—…tra vigilant d Disgraces But now euen at the celebration of Christs passion and our redemption it is a custome to present plaies almost as vile as the old stage-games should I be â—…lent the very absurdity of such shewes in so reuerend a matter would condemne it sufficiently There Iudas plaieth the most ridiculous Mimike euen then when he betraies Christ. There the Apostles run away and the soldiors follow and all resounds with laughter Then comes Peter and cuttes off Malchus care and then all rings with applause as if Christs betraying were now reuenged And by and by this great fighter comes and for feare of a girle denies his Maister all the people laughing at her question and hissing at his deniall and in all these reuells and ridiculous stirres Christ onely is serious and seuere but seeking to mooue passion and 〈◊〉 in the audience hee is so farre from that that hee is cold euen in the diuinest matters to the
set vp vpon a pole herein beeing both a present helpe for the hurt and a type of the future destruction of death by death in the passion of Christ crucified The brazen serpent beeing for this memory reserued and afterward by the seduced people adored as an Idol Ezechias a religious King to his great praise brake in peeces L. VIVES IN a the same This Augustine Retract lib. 2. recanteth In the tenth booke saith he speaking of this worke the falling of the fire from heauen betweene Abrahams diuided sacrifices is to bee held no miracle For it was reuealed him in a vision Thus farre he Indeed it was 〈◊〉 miracle because Abraham woudered not at it because he knew it would come so to passe and so it was no nouelty to him Of vnlawfull artes concerning the deuils worship whereof Porphyry approoueth some and disalloweth others CHAP. 9. THese and multitudes more were done to commend the worship of one God vnto vs and to prohibite all other And they were done by pure faith and confident piety not by charmes and coniuration trickes of damned curiosity by Magike or which is in name worse by a Goetia or to call it more honorably b Theurgie which who so seekes to distinguish which none can they say that the damnable practises of all such as wee call witches belong to the Goetie mary the effects of Theurgy they hold lawdable But indeede they are both damnable and bound to the obseruations of false filthy deuills in stead of Angells Porphyry indeed promiseth a certaine purging of the soule to be done by Theurgy but he d fâ—…ers and is ashamed of his text hee denies vtterly that one may haue any recourse to God by this arte thus floteth he betweene the surges of sacrilegious curiosity and honest Philosophy For now he condemneth it as doubtfull perilous prohibited and giues vs warning of it and by and by giuing way to the praisers of it hee saith it is vsefull in purging the soule not in the intellectuall part that apprehendeth the truth of intelligibilities abstracted from all bodily formes but the e spirituall that apprehendeth all from corporall obiects This hee saith may be prepared by certaine Theurgike consecrations called f Teletae to receiue a spirit or Angell by which it may see the gods Yet confesseth hee that these Theurgike Teletae profit not the intellectuall part a iot to see the owne God and receiue apprehensions of truth Consequently we see what sweete apparitions of the gods these Teletae can cause when there can bee no truth discerned in these visions Finally he saith the reasonable soule or as he liketh better to say the intellectuall may mount aloft though the spirituall part haue no Thâ—…ke preparation and if the spirituall doe attaine such preparation yet it is thereby made capable of eternity For though he distinguish Angells and Daemones placing these in the ayre and those in the g skie and giue vs counsell to get the amity of a Daemon whereby to mount from the earth after death professing no other meanes for one to attaine the society of the Angells yet doth hee in manner openly professe that a Daemons company is dangerous saying that the soule beeing plagued for it after death abhorres to adore the Daemones that deceiued it Nor can he deny that this Theurgy which hee maketh as the league betweene the Gods and Angells dealeth with those deuillish powers which either enuy the soules purgation or els are seruile to them that enuy it A Chaldaean saith he a good man complained that all his endeuour to purge his soule was frustrate by reason a great Artyst enuying him this goodnesse a diured the powers hee was to deale with by holy inuocations and bound them from granting him any of his requests So hee bound them saith hee and this other could not loose them Here now is a plaine proofe that Theurgie is an arte effecting euill as well as good both with the gods and men and that the gods are wrought vpon by the same passions and perturbations that Apuleius laies vpon the deuills and men alike who notwithstanding following Plato in that acquits the gods from all such matters by their hight of place being celestiall L. VIVES BY a Goetia It is enchantment a kinde of witch-craft Goetia Magia and Pharmacia saith Suidas are diuers kindes inuented all in Persia. Magike is the inuocation of deuills but those to good endes as Apollonius Tyaneus vsed in his presages Goetie worketh vpon the dead by inuocation so called of the noyse that the practisers hereof make about graues Pharmacia worketh all by charmed potions thereby procuring death Magike and Astrology Magusis they say inuented And the Persian Mages had that name from their countrimen and so had they the name of Magusii Thus farre Suidas b Theurgy It calleth out the superior gods wherein when wee erre saith Iamblichus then doe not the good gods appeare but badde ones in their places So that a most diligent care must bee had in this operation to obserue the priests old tradition to a haires bredth c Witches Many hold that witches and charmes neuer can hurt a man but it is his owne conceite that doth it Bodies may hurt bodies naturally saith Plato de leg lib. 11. and those that goe about any such mischiefe with magicall enchantments or bondes as they call them thinke they can hurt others and that others by art Goetique may hurt them But how this may bee in nature is neither easie to know not make others know though men haue a great opinion of the power of Images and therefore let this stand for a lawe If any one doe hurt another by empoysoning though not deadly nor any of his house or family but his cattell or his bees if hee hurt them howsoeuer beeing a Phisition and conuict of the guilt let him die the death if hee did it ignorantly let the iudges fine or punish him at their pleasures If any one bee conuicted of doing such hurt by charmes or incantations if hee bee a priest or a sooth-saier let him die the death but if any one doe it that is ignorant of these artes let him bee punishable as the law pleaseth in equity Thus farre Plato de legib lib 11. Porphyry saith that the euill Daemones are euermore the effectors of witch-crafts and that they are chiefly to bee adored that ouerthrow them These deuills haue all shapes to take that they please and are most cunning and couzening in their prodigious shewes these also worke in these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those vnfortunate loues all intemperancy couetice and ambition doe these supplie men with and especially with deceipt for their propriety most especiall is lying De animal abst lib. 2. d Falters As seeing the deuills trickes in these workes selling themselues to vs by those illusiue operations But Iamblichus beeing initiate and as hee thought more religious held that the arte was not wholy reproueable beeing of that industrie
vnto the consummation So then as there are two regenerations one in faith by Baptisme and another in the flesh by incorruption so are there two resurrections the first That is now of the soule preuenting the second death The later Future of the bodie sending some into the second death and other some into the life that despiseth and excludeth all death whatsoeuer Of the two resurrections what may bee thought of the thousand years mentioned in Saint Iohns Reuelation CHAP. 7. SAint Iohn the Euangelist in his Reuelation speaketh of these two resurrections in such darke manner as some of our diuines exceeding their owne ignorance in the first doe wrest it vnto diuers ridiculous interpretations His words are these And I sawe an Angell come downe from Heauen hauing the keye of the bottomlesse pitte and a great chaine in his hand And hee tooke that Dragon that old Serpent which is the deuill and Sathan and bound him a thousand yeares â—…d hee cast him into the bottomlesse pitte and shut him vppe and sealed the dores vpon him that hee should deceiue the people no more till the thousand yeares were fulfilled For after hee must bee loosed for a little season And I saw seates and they set vpon them and iudgement was giuen vnto them and I saw the soules of them which were slaine for the testimonie of IESVS and for the worde of GOD and worshipped not the beast nor his Image neither had taken his marke vpon their fore-heads or on their handes and they liued and reigned with CHRIST a thousand yeares But the rest of the dead men shall not liue againe vntill the thousand yeares be finished this 〈◊〉 the first resurrection Blessed and Holy is hee that hath his part in the first resurrection for on such the second death hath no power but they shall be the Priests of GOD and of CHRIST and reigne with him a thousand yeares The chiefest reason that mooued many to thinke that this place implied a corporall resurrection was drawne from a the thousand yeares as if the Saints should haue a continuall Sabboth enduring so long to wit a thousand yeares vacation after the sixe thousand of trouble beginning at mans creation and expulsion out of Paradise into the sorrowes of mortalitie that â—…ce it is written One daie is with the LORD as a thousand yeares and a thousâ—…d yeares as one daie therefore sixe thousand yeares beeing finished as the sixe daies the seauenth should follow for the time of Sabbath and last a thousand yeares also all the Saints rising corporallie from the dead to â—…elebrate it This opinion were tolerable if it proposed onely spirituall deights vnâ—…o the Saints during this space wee were once of the same opinion our selues but seeing the auouchers heereof affirme that the Saints after this resurrection shall doe nothing but reuell in fleshly banquettes where b the cheere shall exceed both modesty and measure this is grosse and fitte for none but carnall men to beleeue But they that are really and truely spirituall doe call those Opinionists c Chiliasts the worde is greeke and many bee interpreted Millenaryes or Thousand-yere-ists To confute them heere is no place let vs rather take the texts true sence along with vs. Our LORD IESVS CHRIST saith No man can enter into 〈◊〉 strong mans house and take away his goods vnlesse hee first binde the strong man and then spoyle his house meaning by this strong man the deuill because hee alone was able to hold man-kinde in captiuity and meaning by the goods hee would take away his future faithfull whome the deuill held as his owne in diuers sinnes and impieties That this Stong-man therefore might bee bound the Apostle sawe the Angell comming downe from heauen hauing the keye of the bottomlesse pitte and a great chaine in his hand And hee tooke sayth hee the Dragon that olde serpent which is the deuill and Sathan and bound him a thousand yeares that is restrayned him from seducing or with-holding them that were to bee set free The thousand yeares I thinke may bee taken two waies either for that this shall fall out in the last thousand that is d on the sixth daie of the workes continuance and then the Sabboth of the Saints should follow which shall haue no night and bring them blessednesse which hath no end So that thus the Apostle may call the last part of the current thousand which make the sixth daie a thousand yeares vsing the part for the whole or else a thousand yeares is put for eternity noting the plenitude of time by a number most perfect For a thousand is the solid quadrate of tenne tenne times tenne is one hundered and this is a quadrate but it is but a plaine one But to produce the solide multiply ten by a hundered and there ariseth one thousand Now if an hundered bee some-times vsed for perfection as wee see it is in CHRISTS wordes concerning him that should leaue all and follow him saying Hee shall receiue an hundered-fold more which the Apostle seemeth to expound saying As hauing nothing and yet possessings althings for hee had sayd before vnto a faithfull man the whole worlde is his ritches why then may not one thousand bee put for consummation the rather in that it is the most solide square that can bee drawne from tenne And therefore wee interprete that place of the Psalme Hee hath alway remembered his couenant and promise that hee made to a thousand generations by taking a thousand for all in generall On. And â—…ee cast him into the bottomlesse pitte hee cast the deuills into that pitte that is the multitude of the wicked whose malice vnto GODS Church is bottomlesse and their hearts a depth of enuie against it hee cast him into this pitte not that hee was not there before but because the deuill beeing shut from amongst the Godly holds faster possession of the wicked for hee is a most sure hold of the deuills that is not onelie cast out from GODS seruants but pursues them also with a causelesse hate forward And shut him vppe and sealed the dore vpon him that hee should deceiue the people no more till the thousand yeares were expired he sealed that is his will was to keepe it vnknowne who belonged to the diuell and who did not For this is vnknowne vnto this world for we know not whether he that standeth shall fall or he that lieth along shall rise againe But how-so-euer this bond restraineth him from tempting the nations that are Gods selected as he did before For God chose them before the foundations of the world meaning to take them out of the power of darkenesse and set them in the kingdome of his sonnes glory as the Apostle saith For who knoweth not the deuils dayly seducing and drawing of others vnto eternall torment though they bee none of the predestinate Nor is it wonder iâ—… the diuell subuert some of those who are euen regenerate in Christ and walke in his wayes For
all this whole time from the vnion vnto him to the end of the time implyed in the thousand yeares The rest saith Saint Iohn shall not liue for now is the houre when the dead shall heare the voyce of the sonne of God and they that he are it shall liue the rest shall not liue but the addition vntill the thousand yeares be finished implieth that they shall want life all the time that they should haue it in attayning it by passing through faith from death to life And therefore on the day of the generall resurrection they shall rise also not vnto life but vnto iudgement that is vnto condemnation which is truly called the second death for hee that liueth not before the thousand yeares be expired that is he that heareth not the Sauiours voyce and passeth not from death to life during the time of the first resurrection assuredly shall be throwne both body and soule into the second death at the day of the second resurrection For Saint Iohn proceedeth plainly This saith hee is the first resurrection Blessed and holy is hee that hath part in the first resurrection and part of it is his who doth not onely arise from death in sinne but continueth firme in his resurrection On such saith he the second death hath no power But it hath power ouer the rest of whome hee sayd before The rest shall not liue vntill the thousand yeares bee finished because that in all that whole time meant by the thousand yeares although that each of them had a bodily life at one time or other yet they spent it and ended it with-out arising out of the death of iniquitie wherein the deuill held them which resurrection should haue beene their onely meane to haue purchased them a part in the first resurrection ouer which the second death hath no power An answer to the obiection of some affirming that resurrection is proper to the body onely and not to the soule CHAP. 10. SOme obiect this that resurrection pertaineth onely to the body and therefore the first resurrection is a bodily one for that which falleth say they that may rise againe but the body falleth by death for so is the word Cadauer a carcasse deriued of Cado to fall Ergo rising againe belongeth soly to the body and not vnto the soule Well but what will you answer the Apostle that in as plaine terms as may be he calleth the soules bettring a resurrection they were not reuiued in the outward man but in the inward vnto whom he said If yee then be risen with Christ seeke the things which are aboue which he explaineth else-where saying Like as Christ was raised vp from the dead by the glory of the father so wee also should walke in newnesse of life Hence also is that place Awake thou that sleepest and stand vp from the dead and Christ shall giue thee light Now whereas they say none can rise but those that fall ergo the body onely can arise why can they not heare that shrill sound of the spirit Depart not from him least you fall and againe Hâ—… standeth or falleth to his owne maister and further Let him that thinketh hee sâ—…eth take heed least hee fall I thinke these places meane not of bodily falls but 〈◊〉 the soules If then resurrection concerne them that fall and that the soule â—…y also fall it must needs follow that the soule may rise againe Now Saint 〈◊〉 hauing said On such the second death shall haue no power proceedeth thus But 〈◊〉 shall bee the Priests of God and of Christ and shall reigne with him a thousand â—…es Now this is not meant onely of those whome the Church peculiarly calleth Bishops and Priests but as wee are all called Christians because of our mysticall Chrisme our vnction so are wee all Priests in being the members of â—…e Priest Where-vpon Saint Peter calleth vs A royall Priest-hood an holy nation And marke how briefly Saint Iohn insinuateth the deity a of Christ in these words of God and of Christ that is of the Father and of the Sonne yet as hee was made the sonne of man because of his seruants shape so in the same respect was he made a Priest for euer according to the order of Melchisedech whereof wee haue spoken diuerse times in this worke L. VIVES DEity a of Christ For it were a damnable and blasphemous iniury to God to suffer any one to haue Priests but him alone the very Gentiles would by no meanes allowe it 〈◊〉 Philippic 2. Of Gog and Magog whom the Deuill at the worlds end shall stirre vp against the Church of God CHAP. 11. ANd when the thousand yeares saith hee are expired Sathan shall be loosed out of his prison and shall goe out to deceiue the people which are in the foure quarters of the earth euen God and Magog to gather them together into Battell whose number is as the sand of the sea So then the ayme of his decept shal be this warre for he vsed diuers waies to seduce before and all tended to euill He shall leaue the dennes of his hate and burst out into open persecution This shal be the last persecution hard before the last iudgement and the Church shall suffer it all the earth ouer the whole citty of the Diuell shall afflict the Citty of God at these times in all places This Gog and this Magog are not to bee taken for a any particular Barbarous nations nor for the Getes and Messagetes because of their litterall affinity nor for any other Countryes beyond the Romaines iurisdiction hee meaneth all the earth when hee saith The people which are in the foure quarters of the Earth and then addeth that they are Gog and Magog b Gog is an house and Magog of an house as if hee had sayd the house and hee that commeth of the house So that they are the nations wherein the Deuill was bound before and now that he is loosed cometh from thence they being as the house and hee as comming out of the house But wee referre both these names vnto the nations and neither vnto him they are both the house because the old enemy is hid and housed in them and they are of the house when out of secret hate they burst into open violence Now where as hee sayth They went vp into the plaine of the Earth and compassed the tents of the Saints about and the beloued City wee must not thinke they came to any one set place as if the Saints tents were in any one certaine nation or the beloued Citty either no this Citty is nothing but Gods Church dispersed throughout the whole earth and being resident in all places and amongst all nations as them words the plaine of the Earth do insinuate there shall the tents of the Saints stand there shall the beloued Ctty stand There shall the fury of the presecuting enemy guirt them in with multitudes of all nations vnited in one rage of
fol. 709. Hose his prophecy fol. 714. Herod the King fol 737. Heretickes profit the Church fol. 742. I IAnus who hee was fol. 116. Iulianus who he was fol. 191. Iouianus who he was fol. 191. Iouinians death fol. 231. Iohn the Anchorite fol. 233. Israell what it signifieth fol. 614. Iudah his blessing explained fol. 615. Infants vvhy so called fol. 618. Iustice to bee performed in his life onelie fol. 626. Inquisition made by the Lord hovv it is taken fol. 631. India vvhat is is fol. 656. Inachus who hee was fol. 659. Io who shee was fol. 660. Isis vvho she vvas ibid. Ixion who hee was fol. 680. Iphigenia vvho she vvas fol. 696. Ionas the prophet fol. 713. Ioell the prophet fol. 714. Israel vvho are so called fol. 714. Ioel his prophecy fol. 716. Idumaea vvhere it is fol. 718. Iob vvhence hee descended fol. 739. Iulian the Apostata fol. 745. Iudgement day vvhen it shal bee fol. 793. Iohn Bapt. life like vnto the life of Elias fol. 831. Incredible things fol. 879. Innocentius his miraculous câ—…re fol. 883. L LAbeos who they were fol. 70 Lawes of the twelue Tables fol. 78 Lycurgus his lawes ibid. Law what it is fol. 80 L. Furius Pylus a cunning latinist fol. 90 Lycurgus who he was fol. 379 Lawfull hate fol. 503 Lyberi how it is vsed by the latines fol. 615 Lupercalls what they are fol. 674 Liber why so called fol. 675 Labirinth what it was fol. 680 Linus who he was fol. 688 Laurentum why so called fol. 690 Latinus who he was fol. 692 Labdon who hee was fol. 698 M Manlius Torquatus fol. 37 Marius who he vvas fol. 93 Marius his happinesse fol. 94 Marius his crueltie fol. 95 Metellus his felicity fol 96 Marius his flight ibid. Marica a goddesse ibid. Mithridates vvho hee vvas fol. 98 Megalesian playes fol. 58 Mettellus who he was fol. 135 Man hovv he sinneth fol. 212 Mercurie who he vvas fol. 272 Moone drunke vp by an Asse fol. 384 Man formed fol. 492 Maspha what it signifieth fol. 633 Moyses his birth fol. 665 Minerua vvho she vvas fol. 668 Marathus vvho he vvas fol. 673 Minos vvho he vvas fol. 677 Minotaure vvhat it vvas fol. 679. Medusa vvho she vvas fol. 683 Musaeus vvho he vvas fol. 988. Mycenae vvhy so called fol. 690. Mnestheus vvho hee vvas fol. 697. Melanthus vvho hee vvas fol. 699. Micheas the prophet fol. 713. Micheas his prophecy fol. 776. Man desireth foure things by nature fol. 751. Man vvhat he is fol. 755. Miracles related by Augustine fol. 883. N NAsica prohibiteth sitting at plaies fol. 47. Neptunes prophesie fol. 108. Numitor and his children fol. 112. Nigidius Figulus who he was fol. 201. Nero Caesar who he was fol. 225. Niniuy the Citty fol. 576. Number of seauen signifieth the churches perfection fol. 625. Nabuchadonosors warres fol. 709. Naum vvhen hee liued fol. 718. Niniuy a figure of the church fol. 734. Natures primitiue gifts fol. 755. O OPtimates who they vvere fol. 91. Olympus vvhat Mount it is fol. 569. Osyris who hee was fol. 662. Ogyges vvho he was fol. 668. Oedipus who hee was fol. 686. Orpheus who he was fol. 688. Ozias the prophet fol. 713. Origens opinion of the restauration of the diuells to their former state fol. 657. P PAlladium image fol. 4. Phaenix who he was fol. 9. 〈◊〉 bishop of Nola. fol. 17. People how they are stiled fol. 35. Priests called Galli fol. 57. Pericles who he was fol. 67. Plato accompted a Demigod fol. 73. Priapus a god fol. 75. Pomona a goddesse fol. 77. Patriots and the people deuided fol. 83. Porsenna his warres fol. 84. Portian and Sempronian lawes ibid. Posthumus who he was fol. 98. Prodigious sounds of battells fol. 100. Plato expells some poets fol. 74. Pyrrhus who hee was fol. 133. Pâ—…s warre fol. 145. Piety what it is fol. 183. Pompey his death fol. 231. Plato his ridle fol. 286. Pluto why so called fol. 289. Plato who hee was fol. 303. Porphyry who hee was fol. 319. Plotine who he vvas ibid. Proteus vvho he vvas fol. 374. Pygmees vvhat they bee fol. 582. Prophecy spoken to Heli fulfilled in Christ. fol. 628. Psalmes vvho made them fol. 640. Psaltery vvhat it is fol. 641. Philo vvho hee vvas fol. 649. Pelasgus vvho hee vvas fol. 659. Phoroneus vvhy called a iudge fol. 660. Prometheus vvho hee vvas fol. 665. Pandora vvho she vvas fol. 666. Phorbus who he vvas fol. 667. 〈◊〉 and Helle who they vvere fol. 〈◊〉 â—… 〈◊〉 the vvinged-horse fol. 684. Perseus who hee was fol. 687. Portumnus vvhat he is fol. 689. Picus vvho he vvas fol. 690. Pitacus vvho hee vvas fol. 710. Periander vvho hee vvas fol. 711. Ptolomy vvho hee vvas fol. 731. Philadelpus why so called fol. 732. Pompey his warres in Affrica fol. 736. Proselite what hee is fol. 740. Peter accused of sorcery fol. 746. Purgatory not to bee found before the day of iudgement fol. 857. Pauls vvords of the measure of fulnesse expounded fol. 897. Propagation not abolished though diminished by sinne fol. 907. R ROmaines iudgement in a case of life and death fol. 31. Romaines greedy of praise fol. 32. Romane orders fol. 73. Romane priests called Flamines fol. 76. Romulus a god fol. 77. Rome taken by the Galles fol. 93. Romaine Theater first erected fol. fol. 47. Romes salutations fol. 86. Rome punishing offenders fol. 84. Romaine gouernment three-fold fol. 91. Remus his death fol. 113. Romulus his death fol. 127. Regulus his fidelity 223. Radagasius King of the Gothes fol. 229. Roinocorura vvhat it is fol. 600. Repentance of God what it is fol. 632. Rabbi Salomons opinion of the authors of the psalmes fol. 641. Rhadamanthus vvho he was fol. 700. Roboams folly ibid. Rome second Babilon fol. 702. Rome imperious Babilon fol. 763. S Syracusa a Citty fol 11. Sacking of a Citty fol. 12. Scipio Nasica who he was fol. 45. Sanctuaries what they were fol. 49. Scipio's who they vvere fol. 66. Scipio's which vvere bretheren fol. 68. Seditions betweene great men and people fol. 79. Sabine virgins forced fol. 80. Sardanapalus last King of the Assyrians fol. 86. Sardanapalus his Epitaph ibid. Sylla who he was fol. 93. Sylla and Marius his vvar ibid. Sylla his cruelty fol. 98. Sempronian law fol. 109. Saguntum vvhat it vvas fol. 138. Salues vvarre fol. 145. Sertorius his death fol. 149. Scaeuola his fortitude fol. 179. Siluer when first coyned fol. 181. Socrates who he was fol. 300. Schooles of Athens fol. 319. Scripture speaketh of God according to our vveake vnderstanding fol. 565. Sauls reiections a figure of Christs kingdom fol. 632. Salomon a figure of Christ. fol. 634. Syon vvhat it signifieth fol. 643. Sotadicall verses vvhat they are fol. 642. Sycionians first King fol. 657. Semiramis who she was ibid. Sarpedon who he was fol. 677. Sphynx her riddle fol. 686. Stercutius who he vvas fol. 691. Swinging games fol. 698. Sangus vvho he was ibid. Sybils vvho they vvere fol. 703. Sages or vvise men of Greece fol. 710.
banquetted also them-selues Cicero in aruspic respons calleth theÌ„ Parasites because such euer feed at other mens tables as the greeke word intimateth Varro calleth them so by the nature of the word Parasites quasi Ioues guests 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to seek his meat abroad e Ridiculous Mimical f Awench Flora some say others Acca Laurentia whose feastes are called Larentinalia Therof read Macrob. Saturnall 〈◊〉 Lactantius glanceth at it Hir sur-name saith Verrius Flaccus was Flaua of this also read Plutarch Probl. g Larentina Laurentia Commonly Larentia for Acca Laurentia they say was nurse to Romulus and the Laurentalia are hiâ—… feasts but his curtizans are the Floralia b Samos An Ile in the Aegean sea so called for the height and cragginesse thereof Varro writeth that it was first called Parthenia Iuno being ther brought vp married to Ioue wherfore she hath a most worthy and ancieÌ„t Temple there erected a statue like a bride yearly feasts kept in honor of hir marriage This Lactant. lib. 1. Samos was deare to Iuno for there she was borne Virg. Aeneid i Where her sweet Cynara begotte Adonis vppon his daughter Myrrha by the deceipt of her Nurse Adonis reigned in Cyprus Ual. Probus vppon Virgils Eglogue called Gallus following Hesiod saith that hee was Phaenix his sonne and that Ioue begot him of Philostephanus without vse of woman Venus loued him dearely but he beeing giuen all to hunting was killed by a Boare They fable that Mars beeing iealous sent the Boare to doe it and that Venus bewailed him long and turned him into a flower called by his name Macrobius telles of Venus hir statue on mount Lâ—…banus with a sad shape of sorrow hir head vailed and hir face couered with her hand yet so as oâ—…e would thinke the teares trickled down from her eies The Phaenicians called Adoâ—… 〈◊〉 Pollux lib. 4. and so were the pipes called that were vsed at his yearly funerall feaâ—… though Festus say they were named so because the goose is said to gingrire when she creaketh Besâ—…es because Adonis was slaine in his prime therefore they dedicated such gardens to Uenus as made a faire shew of flowers and leaues without fruite Whence the prouerb came of Adoâ—… gardens which Erasmus with many other things explaineth in his Adagies or as Budaeus calleth the worke in his Mercuries seller or Minerua's ware-house k Thymelian A word the Greekes vse oâ—…ten and of the Latines Vitruuius Architect lib. 5. but obscurely in â—…ine opinion which I will set downe that others may set down better if such there be The Stage stood in the Theater betweene the two points farthest extended and there the Players acted comedy and tragedy The Senators had their seat between that and the common galleries wherin there was a place fiue foote high which the Greekes called Thymele and Logeus wheron the tragedian Chorus danced and the comedians too when they had one somtimes to the Players sometimes to the people when the Players were within there also stood the musique and all such as belonged to the Play and yet were no actors and the place got the name of Orchestra from the greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to dance and the Greeks call Thymele 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 belonging to the pipes and al the Musitians there playing were called Thymelicâ—… They thinke it tooke the name Thymele of the Altars therein erected to Bacchus and Apollo for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is taken for an Altar Donate applieth Terence his words in Andria take veruin from the Altar vnto this Apuleius vseth Thymelicum Choragium for the Players apparrel In Apolog. 1. Thymele was also the wife of Latinus a Mimike and fellow-actor with him in his momery Domitian delighted much in them both as Martiall sheweth in his Epigram to him Qua Thymelem spesâ—…s 〈◊〉 latinum Illa 〈◊〉 precor carmina 〈◊〉 Aâ—… Thymele and Latinus â—…ere in place Good reade our verâ—…es with the self-same face Of the naturall interpretations which the Paynim Doctors pretend for their goddes CHAP. 8. I But these things say they are all to be interpreted naturally Phisiologically Good as though we were in quest of Physiology and not of Theology as 〈◊〉 we sought nature and set God aside For though the true God be God in nature and not in opinion onely yet is not all nature God for men beasts birds trees stones haue each a nature that is no deity But if your interpretation of the mother of the gods be that she is the earth what need we seek further what do they say more that say al your gods were mortal men For as the earth is the mother so are they earths children but refer his sacrifices to what nature you can for men to suffer a womens affects is not according but contrary to nature Thus this crime this disease this shame is professed in hir sacrifices that the vildest wretch liuing would scarcely confesse by tortures Againe if these ceremonies so much fouler then all Stage-obscaenity haue their naturall interpretations for their defence why should not the like pretended excuse be sufficient for the fictions Poeticall They interpret much in the same manner so that in that it is counted so horrid a thing to say that Saturn deuoured his sons they haue expounded it thus that b length of time signified by Saturns name consumeth all thinges it produceth or as Varro interpreteth it that Saturne belongeth to the seeds which beeing produced by the earth are intombed in it again others giue other sences and so of the rest Yet is this called fabulous Theology and cast out scorned and excluded for all the expositions and because of the vnworthy fictions expelled both from cohaerence with the naturall and Phylosophycall kind as also with the ciuill and politique Because indeed the iudicious and learned compilers hereof saw both the fabulous and the politique worthy reprehension but they durst not reprooue this as they might doe the other That they made culpable and this they made comparable with that not to preferre eyther before other but to shew them both fit to bee reiected alike and so hauing turned them both out of credite without incurring the danger of openly condemning the later the third the naturall kinde might gette the lesse place in mens opinions For the ciuill and the fabulous are both fabulous and both ciuill both fabulous witnesse hee that obserues their obscaenities both ciuill witnesse hee that obserues their confusing them together in playes and sacrifices How then can the power of eternity ly in their handes whome their owne statues and sacrifices do prooue to bee like those fabulous reiected gods in forme age sexe habite discent ceremonies c. In all which they either are conuicted of mortallity and attaining those erroneous honours by the diuels assistance in or after their life or death or else that they were true diuels them-selues that could catch all occasions
of filling mens hearts with errors contagion L. VIVES WOmens a affects The Priestes of Cibele the Galli who not beeing able to doe like men suffered like women b Length of Time Cicero de nat Deo lib. 2. Saturne is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in greeke and time 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Of this hereafter Of the offices of each peculiar God CHAP. 9. VVHat say you to the obsurd Numitary diuision of the goddes charges-where each one must haue prayers made to him for that which hee com maundeth Of these we haue recited part but not all Is it not more like a scaene of scurrillity then a lecture of Diuinity If a man should set two Nurses to looke to his childe one for the meate and another for the drinke as they doe two goddesses Educa and Potica hee should bee taken for a Cumane asse or a Mimicall foole And then they haue a Liber that letteth loose the masculine sperme in men at carnall copulation and one Libera for the women whome they hold Venus for 〈◊〉 women they say doe lette forth sperme also and therefore they dedicate a mans priuie member to Liber and a womans to Libera Besides b wine and women they subiect vnto Liber as the prouokers of lust and in such mad manner keep they their Bacchanalian feasts where Varro confesseth that the Bacchae women could not possibly doe such such thinges vnlesse c they were madde d yet the Senate beeing growne wiser disliked and abolished these sacrifices It may be heere they discryed the power of the diuels in such mens mindes as held them to be gods Truly this could not haue bene vppon the Stage there the players are neuer madde though it bee a kinde of madnesse to honour the goddes that delight in such gracelessnesse But what a strange distinction hath hee of the religious and the superstitious that the later do stand in feare of the gods and the first doe but reuerence them as parents not fearing them as foes and to call al the gods so good that they wil far sooner spare the guilty then hurt the guiltles and yet for all this the woman in childe-bed must haue three gods to look to her after hir deliuerance least Syluanus come in the night and torment her in signification wherof three men must go about the house in the night first strike yâ— thresholds with an hatchet then with a pestle and then sweep theÌ„ with beesomes that by these signes of worship they may keep Syluanus out because the trees are not pruned without iron nor corn is not made into meal without pestles nor the fruits swept vp togither without beesoms froÌ„ these three acts three gods got names e Interâ—… of the hatchets cutting Intercisio f Pilumnus of PiluÌ„ the pestle or morter Deuerra of Verro to sweepe And these kept Syluanus from the woman in bed Thus were they fayne to haue three good against one bad or all hadde beene too little and these three must with their handsome neate culture oppose his rough sauage brutishnesse Is this your goddes innocence is this their concord Are these your sauing Cittie Deities farre more ridiulous then your Stage-goddes When man and woman are wedde together godde Iugatinus hath to doe Nay that 's tollerable When the bride must bee ledde home godde g Domiducus looke to your charge now who must keepe her at home godde Domitius I but who must make her stay with her husband why that can goddesse Manturna do Oh why proceed wee further spare spare mans chaster eares let carnall affect and shamefast secresie giue end to the rest What doth all that crew of goddes in the Bride-hall chamber vppon the departure of the h Paranymphs the feast maisters Oh sir not to make the woman more shamefast by their beeing present but because shee is weake and timerous to helpe her to loose her virginity with lesse difficulty For there is goddesse Virginensis Godde Subigus goddesse Prema goddesse Partunda and Venus and Priapus If the man stood in need of helpe in this businesse why were not one of them sufficient to helpe him Would not Venus her power serue who they said was so called because virginity could not be lost without her helpe If there bee any shame in man that is not in the gods when the marryed couple shall thinke that so many goddes of both sexes to stand by at their carnall coniunction and haue their handes in this businesse will not hee bee lesse forward and shee more froward If i Virginensis bee there to loose the Virgin girdle Subâ—…gus to subiect her vnder the man and Prema to presse her downe from moouing after the act what shall Partunda haue to doe but blush and gette her out of dores and leaue the husband to doe his businesse For it were very dishonest for any one to fulfill her name vppon the bride but hee But perhaps they allow her presence because shee is a female If shee were a male and called Partundus the husband would call more protectors of his wiues honesty against him then the childe-bearing woman doth against Syluanus But what talke I of this when k Priapus that vnreasonable male is there vppon whose l huge and beastly member the new bride was commanded after a most honest old and religious order obserued by the Matrons to gette vppe and sitte Now now lette them go and casheere their fabulous theology from the politicall the Theater from the Cittie the Stage from the Temple the Poets verses from the Priests Documents as turpitude from honesty falshood from truth lightnesse from grauity foolery from seriousnesse Now lette them vse all the suttle art they can in it Wee know what they doe that vnderstand the dependance of the fabulous theology vppon the ciuill and that from the Poets verses it redoundes to the Citty againe as an Image from a glasse and therefore they not daring to condemne the ciuill kind present the Image thereof and that they spare not to spit true disgrace vppon that as many as can conceiue them may lothe the thing that shape presenteth and resembleth Which the goddes notwithstanding behold with such pleasure that that very delight of theirs bewrayes their damned essences and therefore by terrible meanes haue they wrung these Stage-honours from their seruantes in the sacrifices Manifesting heereby that them-selues were most vncleane spirits and making that abiect reprobate and absurd Stage-diuinity a part of this ciuill kinde that was held selected and approued that all of it beeing nought but a lumpe of absurdity framed of such false goddes as neuer were one part of it might bee preserued in the Priestes writings and another in the Poets Now whether it haue more parts is another question As for Varro's diuision I thinke I haue made it playne inough that the diuinity of the Stage and the Citty belong both to that one politike kinde And seeing they are both markeable with the like brandes of foule false and vnworthy impiety farre bee