chariot of time drawn by the winged serpents that is used guided and imployed by his diligence and prudence hee sendeth his corn abroad to those that want 6. Ceres may be the type of a earthly minded man who is not content with onâ— câ—lling but is still trying new wayes to grow rich sometimes he is in love with Jupiter or the air and of him begets Proserpina that is he will be a husband-man then finding that life too Laborious and not gainfull enough falls in love with Jason and playes the Physitian and of him begets blind Plutus that is mony and yet not being content he courts Neptune and will play the Merchant venturer and so being in love with the sea begets a horse that is a ship but losing this way what he had got before hides himselfe and dares not shew his head till Pan that is mony for mony is every thing get him abroad again in the mean while he is run so far in the usurers boâ—â—es that his Proserpina his land to which he would fain returne is carryed away by Pluto the usurer 7. In this fiction is reproved curiositie by the example of Celeus it is a dangerous thing to pry into the secrets of God 8. Here also we see the reward of hospitâ—y 9. Triptolemus is a spend-thrift who scatters abroad his goods as he did his corn in travelling being carried by winged serpents cunning flatterers who suddenly exhaust him 19. Let us take heed that whilstâ—we are gathering flowers with Proserpina that is delighâ—ing our selves in these earthly vanities Pluto the Devill do not take away our soules and so shall we be forced to leave the company of Minerva Juno and Venus that is be taken from all our wordly wisdom wealth and pleasures 11. Ceres that is parents should be very watchfull over their daughters for a Virgin that hath Minerva Juno and Venus with her that is wit wealth and beautie is in danger to be carried away by Pluto by some debauched and untoward ruffian 12 As Triptolemus could not be immortalized without Ceres milk and fire neither can we atain Heaven without the sincere milke of Gods word and the fire of affliction and as in the day of prosperiâ—ie we are content to drinke the milk of his good things so in the night of adversitie we must not refuse to suffer the fiery triall of persecution 13 Ceres was both a good Law-giver and feeder of men therefore her sacrifices were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thesmophoria so Princes should be both 14. Beware of eating Pomegranats in Pluto's orchard for that hindred Proserpina's delivery from thence so it is an hard thing to reclaim those from the power of Satan who do relish and delight in sin 15. Ceres is a type of Gods Church which is a grave matron in rustick apparell as being of little esteem in the world having the spade of discipline in her right hand and from her arm hangs a basket full of the seeds of Gods word by this hand stands two husband-men the one turning up the ground with a spade the other sowing the seed on her left hand which holdeth the book and â—â—ail of correction and excommunication stands two other husband-men the one reaping and the other threshing these are her ministers whose office is to root out and pull down to build and plant she sits upon the oxe of patience and labour with a crown of wheat ears upon her head as having power to distribute the bread of life her breasts are open and stretched forth with the sincere milk of Gods word over her right side Juno is dropping down rain and over her left Apollo shineth to shew that by the heat of the Sun of righteousnesse and influence of graces from Gods Spirit she doth flourish and fructifie 16. Christ is truly Ceres which having left mankind being carried away by the divel he came and with the torches of his words found him out and being drawn with the flying Serpents of Zeal and Prudence dispersed his seed through the world went down to hell and rescued us from thence CHARYBDIS See SCYLLA CHARON HE was the sonne of Erebus and Night the â—â—at man of Hell who admitted none â—o his boat without money and till they were dead and buried yet Aenaeas by his piety Hercules and Theseus by their strength Orpheus by his musick were admitted there before their death The INTERPRETER 1. BY Charon Time may be meant who was the son of Erybus and Night because Gods secret decree which was hid from man in an eternall night gave being to time before which was night or darknesse his aboad is said to be in hell or here below for this sublunary world may be called hell in respect of heaven because above in heaven there is no use of time for there is eternity 2. Charon was said to ferry souls over the river Styx to the other bank to shew that Time brought us in and time will bring us out of this world which is like a troublesome river the two banks whereof are our coming in and going out or our estate before our birth and after our death whilest wee live here we are sailing in the rotten feeble and brittle boat of our bodies over the river Acheron by which is expressed the comfortlesse condition and joylesse state of this life 3. Charon was old but not weak his age diminished nothing his strength or vigour sed â—â—uda suit viridisque senectus so time suffers no diminution of vigour by continuance or diuturnity 4. Charons garments were ragged and fordid so is the condition of this life being compared to that of heaven 5. By Charon doubtlesse death was understood from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to dig or make hollow for death is still hollow eyed or from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 joy for good men in death have true joy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 also is a benefit and death is such and an advantage to good men but so it is made by Christ for in it self death is the child of Hell and Night and as Charon is described by the King of Poets Aeâ—aead 6. to be old but yet vigorous ugly furious terrible sad covetous so is death that which they fable of Aenaeas Hercules c. was true in our Saviour who overcame Charon or death by his piety strength power of his word c. He that would be admitted into Charons boat that is have a joyfull death must carry monâ—y in his mouth that is make him friends of his unjust Mammon for what wee bestow on the poor that wee carry with us to wit the benefit and comfort of it and wee cannot have a joyfull death or be admitted into Charons boat till our body of sin be buried by repentance 6. Charon is a good conscience which is a continuall feast this carrieth us over the infernall rivers that is over all the waters of afflictâ—on in this life 7. Charon is the sin of drunkennesse
were fained to be turned into birds the emblemes of celerity and expedition 3. There are two violent affections which make men shake off all humanity the one is impotent lust the other inordinate desire of revenge We see what lust did in Tereus and how desire of revenge prevailed in Progne what was more baâ—barous horrid and cruel then for Tereus to cut out his sisters tongue whom he had ravished and for Progne to kill and boâ—le her owne and onely child for her husband to eat 4. By thâ—se two sisters Philomela and Progne may be meant Poetry and Oratory Philomela delights in woods and deserts so doth Poetry Carmina seâ—essum sâ—ibenâ—is oâ—ia quaeâ—unt Progne loves to be in Townes and Cities for the Swallow builds her nests in houses so doth Oratory but as far as the Nightingale exceeds the Swallow in melodious notes so far doth Poetry excel Oratory for the Poet doth all that the Orator can do and much more by adding delight to perswasion Et prodesse volunt delectare Poetae 6. Tereus was the son of Mars we see what the sons of Mars use to do and what be the fruits of war to wit the Muses are ravished Scholars are robbed and plundred their tongues are cut out that they may not complain that is lawes learning and truth are silenced barbarous murthers and cruelties are committed and how many children are by souldiers devoured when their Parents are either banished or murthered and their estates robbed and consumed THESEUS HE was the son of Aegâ—us and Aethra his step-mâ—ther would have poysoned him in his youth he subdued the Amâ—zones and of Hippolite their queen begot Hippolitus he killed Creon king of the Thebans the unâ—â—â—ned bull in Africa the Minolaure in the Labyrinth and carried away the two daughters of king Minos to wit Ariadne and Phaedrâ— he killed also Procustus Sciron and Schinis great â—obbers in Attica he overcame the Centaures and the Thebes he went down to hell with his friend Perithous to ravish Proserpina where Perithous wâ—s slaine and he put in chains but was delivered by Hercules at last in his old age was killed by king Lycomedes The INTERPRETER 1. IN Theseus killing of infestuous theeves and subdoing of Monsters is set down a fit example of valâ—ur and justice for Princes to imitate 2. Theseus was guided by Ariadnes thread to get out of the Labyrinth the word of God is the thread that will direct us through the winding and intricate labyrinths of this life 3. Theseus proved himself to be Neptunes son by leaping into the seâ— and fetcâ—ing up from thence the ring which king Minâ—sâ—ad â—ad slung into it and for this fact he received a crown from Theâ—iâ— which he bestowed upon Ariadne and afterward it was placed among the stars the way to prove our selves to be the sons of God is by patient enduring of our afflictions which though they be deep and bitter like the Sea yet shall not drowne us but in that Sea we shall find the ring even eternity which hath no more end then a ring and withall we shall obâ—ain the Crowne of righteousnesse which is laid up for us in heaven 4. Theseus and Perithous loved one the other so dearly that they went down to hâ—ll together by which we see that neither death nor danger can separate true friends or dissolve that friendship which is grounded on vertue 5. Theseus is commanded not to come to his father at Athens until he was able to remove the great stonâ— under which his father Aegeus his sword lay and till he was of sufficient strength to manage that sword and with it to cleer the high-wayes of theeves and robbers even so we â—â—all not be fit to come into the presence of our heavenly father in the Citie of God the new Jerusalem untill we have removed the stony hardnesse of our hearts and with our fathers sword that is the sword of the Spirit wee have destroyed our spiritual enemies that lie in our way and binder our passage 6. His going down to hell to ravish Proseâ—pina where he was bound â—nd from whence he could not be delivered but by Heâ—cules teacheth us that lust and venery have brought many a man to sicknesse and deaths door as we say and intemperance that way hath bound many by the hands and feet with the Gout worse then fetters of yron where men lie in pain as it were in hell from whence there is no delivery but by the help of Hercules the Physitian beâ—â—des fornication and adultery bring many souls to hell from whence there is no redemption but by Christ the true Hercules 7. As Hercules in honour of Jupiâ—er his father appointed the Olympick games so did Theseus in honour of his supposed father Neptune instiâ—ute the Isthmian games to be celebrated every fist yeer also thus we see how great spirits affect immortality and to be honoured after death 8. Theseus after all his victories and brave atchievements yet is murthered in his old age by which we see there is no permanent happinesse in sublunary things Caesar who as the Oratour said domuit genâ—es immaâ—itate barbaâ—os mulâ—iâ—udine innumerabiles locis infinitas omni copiarum genere abundantes c. He overcame innumerablâ— fierce nations and had throughly as he thought setled himself and the Empire yet at last was stabbed in his old age with 23 wounds hence let no man be secure nescis quid seâ—us vesper vehat 9. Our blessed Saviour is the true Theseus who was persecuâ—ed in his infancy and in his life time overcame many monsters but far more in his death be went down to hell and from thence delivered mankinde which had been there detained in everlasting chaines of darknesse if he had not ascended who by his owne and not by any other power delivered man from endlesse captivity THETIS see OCEANUS TITANES see JUPITER SATURNE TITHONUS HEe was the son of Laomedon who for his beauty was beloved of Aurora and by her carried away to Aethioâ—iâ— in her charioâ— where shee bore Memnon of him By her means hee was made immortall but living so long till hee was turned into a grashopper hee grew weary of his life and desired to die The INTERPRETER 1. TIthonus is taken sometimes for the Sun as in that of Virgil Georg. 3. Tithoni prima quot abest ab origine Caesar. And indeed the Sun is the beauty of the world no wonder if Aurora fell in love with him from whom shee bath all her beauty And as the Sun is beautifull so hee is immortall onely in the evening he is turned into a grashopper to shew the weaknesse of his light and heat then Or by Aurora may be meant that all creatures in the morning fall in love with the Sun as delighting to see his light of which they were dâ—prived a while as the birds by their cheeâ—full chanting then shew hence it is that more do worship the Sun rising then falling 2. By Aurora's falling
day thank them for feeding him when hee was hungry otherwise the Ethiopians that feasted Jupiter Neptune and the other gods will rise in judgement against us 15. As Juno had the charge of the citie gates and Minerva of the castles and towers so had Neptune of the foundation and walls by which I think they meant that riches wisdome and strength for in Homer Neptune is called the strongest of the gods are required for the preservation of Cities and States 16. Our Saviour Christ is the true Neptune the God of the sea whom both winds and seas obey the true Sonne of God in respect of his divinitie and of Ops or of the earth in regard of his humanitie who hath the true Trident or full power of heaven and earth given to him and likewise the keyes of death and of hell hee is the true 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or shaker of the earth as hee made it appear both at at his death and resurrection and the true Consus or God of counsell for his name was in Isaiah the Counsellour hee hath married the virgin of the Church the fairest of women who may be called Theophanes because it was to her and for her that God appeared in the flesh therefore the day of Christs nativity was called by the ancient Christians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the day of Gods apparition for then did hee lay aside his majestie and took upon him the form of a servant that hee might build the walls of the new Jerusalem And lastly as the Greeks called Neptune Pâ—sidona that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 making the image because of all the elements water onely represents or makes images by reason of its smoothnesse and cleernesse so it was Christ that made us at first to the image of God and afterward repaired this image being decâ—yed in us a fit work for him who is the expresse and essentiall image of his Father NEREUS See NEPTUNUS and OCEANUS NIOBE SHee was the daughter of Tantalus and wise of Amphion king of the Thebans who because of the multitude and beauty of her children preferred her self to Latona therefore Apollo and Diana being angered by her insolencie with their arrows killed all her children and she with grief was turned into a stone The INTERPRETER 1. TAntalus was covetous and Amphion rich when wealth and covetousnesse meet together they bring forth Niobe that is pride insolencie and contempt of God himself 2. By Apollo and Diana are meant the Sun and Moon they caused by their beat and multitude of vapours a great pestilence which killed all Niobe's children hence arose the fiction of Apollo's and Diana's arrows which killed Niope's children 3. The turning of Niobe into a stone iâ— to shew the nature and greatnesse of her grief and sorrow which made her stupid and benummed and in a manner senselesse for parvae cuâ—â— lâ—quumuâ— ingenâ—es sâ—upent or else it may signifie the stone monument that shee erected to her â—â—lfe and children or that rock in Phrygia which afaâ— of seems to be a woman weeping by reason of the springs of water flowing from thence 4. By this punishment of Niobe and her children wee may see the judgements of God against pride and insolencie and are taught not to be puâ—t up with conceit of our selves wife or children but to carrie an humble minde even in the highest fortune 5. The turning of Niobe into a stone may let us see how God hardeneth the hearts of wicked men as hee did the heart of Pharaoh and that profanâ— men are not mollified and bettered but hardened and more obstinate by afflictions 6. Niobe sinned but her children are killed by this we see that it is no injustice in God to visit the iniquitie of the parents upon the children seeing they are a part of their parents and in their punishment the parents suffer oftentimes more then in their own and God is absolute Lord over his creature 7. Here in Niobe we see the pride of women which bringeth destruction â—pon themselves husbands and family the beauty of Niobe made her proud and pride made her insolent and insolence caused her owâ— and her husbands ruine in their children therefore he that marries for beautie where there is not grace will finde in that match plus â—ellis quam mellis more gall then honey As it fared here with Niobe so it did with Cassiope shee in her pride preferred her self to the Nymphs therfore her daughter Andromache had inevitably been devoured by the sea-monster when she was tied to the rock had not Perseus rescâ—ed her 8. Niobe's husband was an excellent Musician he made the rude stones hop together and make up the walls of Thebes but hâ—e that put life into dead stones and civilized such rude and senselesse creatures could not for all his musick charm his wifes pride and insolencie Our Saviour Christ by the sweetnesse of his Evangelicall musick charmed the Gentiles and of such stones raised children to Abraham causing men to meet together towards the building of the new Jerusalem but yet hee could not prevail with the Jewes which hee had married to himself neither could hee cure their pride and obstinacie though he piped they would not dance NOX SHee was the antientest goddesse the daughter of Chaoâ— or of Hell the mother of Love Deceit â—eare Darknesse Old age Death Misery Complaint Sleep Dreams and many other such like children The INTERPRETER 1. NOx is so called a nocendo for the night is the occasion of much mischiefe Nox amor vinumque nihil moderabile suadâ—nt So is also any grief sicknesse or pain more hurtfull and viâ—lent by night then by day 2. Night is called by some the daughter of Chaos by others the daughter of Hell by which may be meant the night or darknesse which was before the Creation and so shee is the daughter of Chaos this darknesse is called negative in the Schools And also the darknesse which is caused nightly and is the shadow of the earth when the Sun is under our Hemisphere and so Nox is the daughter of Erebus or of Hell this is called privative 3. Night is painted like a woman because as the female sex is the weaker and more fearfull so is mans nature more fearfull by night then by day and weaker also as is seen in sick men Shee hath a black garment and long black wings of which Virgil Nox ruit fuscis tellurem amplectitur alis by these wings shee embraceth the earth Shee is also carried in a chariot and is accompanied with the starres and hath the Cock for her sacrifice to signifie the darknesse and quâ—lities of the night and that the starres are then most seen and that the Cock by reason of his vigilancie and noise that hee makes deserves to be sacrificed to the night which is the time of rest Her black hair her garland of popies with which she is crowned and her chariot drawn with four horses doe shew the darknesse and