cliffe Diodor. Sicul. i Because Saturne was sonne to Caelus and Terra a most vngratious flellow but quitted by his Sonne Ioue who expelled him as he had expelled his father and so made the prouerbe true Do as as you would be done vnto Hereafter he was called the god of time Hesiod Euhem Diod Cicero Saturne is he they say that diuides and distinguishes the times and therefore the Greekes call him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is spâ—…ce of time Hee was called Saturnus quasi Satur annis full of yeares and was faygned by the Poets to deuour his children because time deuoures all things He was imprisoned by Ioue that is limited by the starres from running too wild a course k their wisest Uarro de ling. lat lib. 3. calles Iuno both Terra and Tellus Plutarch interpreteth Iuno the earth and the nuptial coniunction of man and wife Euseb de prep Euang Seruius saith that Ioue is put for the sky and the ayre Iuno for earth and water l â—…Herein Terra Terra is the earth it selfe Tellus a diminutiue the goddesse of the earth though the Poets confound them yet they alwaies said Tellus her temple and not Terra's Pluto also and Proserp were called Tellumo and Tellus also Altor and Runsor were both his names and hee had charge of all earths businesse so that some say hee was Ceres Sonne Diodor. lib. 6. Porpheryus calles one part of the earth Uizy the fat and fertile Ceres and the craggy hilly and stony Ops or Rhea Euseb. de praep Euang where he saith much of these things lib. 3. m is also namely Rhea n Mother for as she was Iuno she was his wife and sister and as she was Ops his mother o Ceres the earth is called Ceres a Gerendo of bearing corne or of Cereo to create Varro Tully out of Chrisppus for the earth is mother to all Pluto in Cratyl She was daughter vnto Saturne and Ops Sister to Uesta and Iuno all these sisters and mothers they say is but onely earth Ouid. Fast. 6. Vesâ—… eadem est terra subest subit ignis vtrique Significat sedâ—… terra socusque suam Vaesta is earth and fire earth vndergoeth The name and so doth fire Vaesta's both And a little after Staâ—… vâ—… 〈◊〉 sud vi stando Vesta vocatur Earth stands alone and therefore Vesta hight To this doth Orpheus and Plato both assent p yet Vesta Cic. de nat deor for Uesta is deriued from the Greekes being called with them Hestia her power is ouer fires and altars de legib 2 Vesta is aâ—… the citties fire in Greeke which word we vse almost vnchanged Ouid East 6. Nec in 〈◊〉 Uestam quam viuam intellige flammam Nataque de flamma corpâ—…ra nulla vides Thinke Vesta is the fire that burneth still That nere brought creature forth nor euer will And being a fire and called a Virgin therefore did virgins attend it and all virginity was sacred vnto it first for the congruence of society and then of nature which was alike in both this custome arose in Aegipt and spred farre through the Greekes and the Barbarian countries Diodor. It was kept so at Athens and at Delphos Plutar. Strabo Uaestas sacrifices and rites came from Ilium to Latium and so to Rome by Romulus his meanes and therfore Virgill calles her often times the Phrigian vesta Sic ait et manibus vittas vestamque potenten Aeternumque adytis effert penetralibus ignem This said he bringeth forth eternall Fire Almighty Vaesta and her pure attire Speaking of Panthus the Troyan Priest There was then for euery Curia a Vaesta Dionis but Numa built the temple of the first publike Vesta In the yeare of the citty X L. as Ouid accompteth q Uesta Venus naturally for the naturalists call the vpper hemisphere of the earth Uenus and Vesta also the nether Proserpina Plotinus calleth the earths vertue arising from the influence of Venus Uesta Besides Vesta being the worlds fire and the fatnesse comming from Venns there is little difference in respect of the benefit of the vniuerse so that Vesta was euery where worshipped not as barren but as fruitfull and augmentatiue making the citties and nations happy in eternall and continuall increase r How should The punishment of an vnchast Uestall was great but after thirty yeares they might leaue the profession and marry s is there two so saith Plato In Conuiuio Heauenly procuring excellence of conditions earthly prouoking vnto lust the first daughter to Caelus the later to Ioue and Dione much younger then the first There was also a Uenus that stirred vp chast thoughts And therefore when the Romaine women ranne almost mad with lust they consecrated a statue of Uenus verticordia out of the Sibills bookes which might turne the hearts from that soule heate vnto honesty Ualer lib. 8. Ouid. Fast 4. t Phaenicians This Iustin reporteth of the Cipprians lib. 18. It was their custom saith he at certen set daies to bring their daughters to the sea shore ere they were married and there to prostitute them for getting of their dowries offring to Venus for the willing losse of their chastities I thinke this was Uenus her law left vnto the Ciprians whome shee taught first to play the mercenary whores Lactant. The Armenians had such anther custome Strabo and the Babilonians being poore did so with their daughters for gaine The Phenicians honored Uenus much for Adonis his sake who was their countryman they kept her feasts with teares and presented her mourning for him Macrob. She had a Statue on Mount Libanus which leaned the head vpon the hand and was of a very sad aspect so that one would haue thought that true teares had fallen from hir eyes That the deuills brought man-kind to this wil be more apparant saith Eusebius if you consider but the adulteries of the Phaenicians at this day in Heliopolis and elsewhere they offer those filthy actes as first fruits vnto their gods Euseb. de praeparat Euang which I haue set downe that men might see what his opinion was hereof though my copy of this worke of his be exceeding falsly transcribed This custome of prostitution the Augilares of Africke did also vse that maried in the night Herodot Solin Mela. The Sicae also of the same country ' practised the same in the Temple of Uenus the matron Ualer The Locrians being to fight vowed if they conquered to prostitute all their daughters at Uenus feast v Iunos Sonne It may bee Mars that lay with Uenus and begot Harmonias for hee was Iunos sonne borne they faigned without a father because they knew not who was his father It may be Mars by that which followes cooperarius Mineruâ—… for both are gods of warre but It is rather ment of Vulcan sonne to Ioue and Iuno though vsually called Iunos sonne and Apator who was a Smith in Lemnos and husband vnto Venus that lay with Mars So it were Vulcans wrong to
extracted as Eusebius saith both out of Sanchoniato proueth also by argument De praeparat Euang. lib. 1. As Augustine doth also here b The mooâ—… also Mac. Sat. 1. alledging Philochorus in Atis that Uenus is the Moone and that men in womens apparell sacrificed to her and women in mens because she was held both Thou heauenly Venus saith Apuleius to the Moone that caused all copulation in the beginning propagating humane original thou art now adored in the sacred oratory of Paphos Transform lib. 11. c Golden apple The goddesses contention about the golden apple is plainer then that it needs my rehersall of Lucifer Pliny saith thus Vnder the Sun is the bright star Venus moouing diurnally and planetarily called both Uenus and Luna in the morning being Sols harbinger she is called Lucifer as the pety-sun and light-giuer of the day at night following the sun she is stiled Uesper as the light continuer and the moones vice-gerent lib. 2. Pithagoras first of all found her nature magnitude and motion Olympiad 4â—… about the yeare of Rome 142. shee is bigger then all the other starres and so cleare that some-times her beames make a shadowe That maketh her haue such variety of names as Iuno Isis Berecynthia c. d In his Kingdome Whence he was driuen by his son Ioue as also from the Capitol that before was called Saturnia vntill it was dedicated to Iupiter Capitolinus e Ioue Vsing Iouis the Latine nominatiue as Tully doth in 6. De republ that happy starre called Ioue f Highest The Zodiake in the 8. Sphere so called of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a creature euery signe whereof conteyneth diuers bright starres g Certaine motion Perpetually and diurnally once about from East to West in 24. houres making night and day and euer keeping place whereas the Planets are now ioyned now opposite now swift now retrograde which change gaue them the greeke name Planet of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 error though they keepe a certaine motion neuerthelesse yet seemingly they erre and wander through their alteration in motion which the Zodiake neuer alters as situate in the 8. Sphere called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Of Apollo Diana and other select gods called parts of the world CHAP. 16. ANd though they make a Apollo a b wizard a c phisitian yet to making him a part of the world they say he is the Sunne Diana his sister is the Moone and d goddesse of iourneyes So is shee e a Virgin also vntouched and they both beare shafts f because these 2. stars only do send to the earth Vulcan they say is the worlds fire Neptune the water father Dis the earths foundation and depth Bacchus and Ceres seed-gods he to the masculine shee of the feminine or hee of the moysture and shee of the dry part of the seede All this now hath reference to the world to Ioue who is called the full parent generall because hee both begets and brings forth all things seminall And Ceres the great mother her they make the earth and Iuno besides Thus the second cause of things are in her power though Ioue be called the full parent as they affirme him to bee all the world And Minerua because they had made her the artes goddesse and had neuer a starre for her they made her also the sky or g the Moone Vesta they accounted the chiefe of all the goddesses being taken for the earth and yet gaue her the protection of the h worlds fire more light and not so violent as that of Vulcans was And thus by all these select gods they intend but the world in some totall and in others partiall to all as Ioue is partiall as Genius the great mother Soll and Luna or rather Apollo and Diana sometimes one god stands for many things and sometimes one thing presents many gods the first is true in Iupiter hee is all the world hee but onely i Heauen and hee is onely a starre in Heauen So is Iuno goddesse of all second causes yet onely the ayre and yet the earth though shee might k get the starre from Venus So is Minerua the highest sky and the Moone in the lowest sky as they hold The second is true in the world which is both Ioue and Ianus and in the earth which is both Iuno the Great mother and Ceres L. VIVES APollo a Tully de dat deor lib. 3. makes 4. Apollos and 3. Dianas The 3. Apollo and the 2. Diana were the children of Ioue and Latona b Wizard Commonly affirmed in all authors of this subiect Greeke and Latine Plato saith the Thessalonians called him not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 simple because of his diuination wherein was required 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 truth and simplicity which are all one In Cratilo Glaucus taught him his diuination he that was afterward made a Sea-god and called Melicerta Nicand in Aâ—…tolicis c Phisitian Macrob. Satur. They counted the vestalls thus Apollo phisitiâ—…n Apollo Paean c. He proues him to bee Aesculapius that is a strength of health a rising soly from the substance of animated creatures Much of Apollo yea may read in the said place d Goddesse of Her statues were cut all youthfull because that age beareth trauell lest Festus lib. 9. for Diana was held a goddesse of waies and iournies shee ruled also mountaines and groues and vsed the â—…hes often in her hunting as shal bee shewed hereafter e Virgin So it is reported that it was not lawfull for men to come in her temple at Rome because one rauished a woman there once that came to salute the goddesse and the dogs tare him in peeces immediatly Plato calleth her 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. because of the integrity and modesty that she professed in her loue of virginity or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. because she hath the copulation of man and woman Though the fables go that shee lay with Endymyon and that Pan Mercuries sonne gaue her a white sheepe for 〈◊〉 Uirg 3. Georg. Munere sic niueo lanae si credere digum est Pandeus Archadiae captam te Luna fefellit In Nemora alta vocans nec tu aspernata vocaâ—…tem es c. Arcadian Pans white fleece t is said so blinded Thine eyes faire Phaebe he being breefely minded Call'd the thou yeeldest and to the thicke you went c. f Shaftes Apollo beareth those that hee killed the serpent Python withall and therefore Homer calleth him oftentimes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is far-darting 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is shooting high and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 eternall archer Now Diana vowed a perpetuall virgine haunteth the woods and hills hunting as Virgill describeth Uenus when Aeneas saw her buskind and tucked round and a quiuer at her backe as ready for the pursute These shaftes are nothing all say but the beames of those starres as Lactantius saith of the Sonne Armatus radiis elementa liquentia lustrans Armed with raies he vewes
that they would prouide that you should not bee ruled by any more gods but by many more deuills that delighted in such vanities But why hath Salacia that you call the inmost sea being there vnder her husband lost her place for you bring her vp aboue when shee is the ebbing tide Hath shee thrust her husband downe into the bottome for entertaining Venilia to his harlot L. VIVES LUst a flowes Alluding to the sea b Goeth and neuer returneth Spoken of the damned that neither haue ease nor hope at all He alludeth to Iob. 10. vers 21. Before I goe and shall not returne to the land of darkenesse and shadow of death euen the land of misery and darknesse which both the words them-selues shew and the learned comments affirme is meant of hell Of the earth held by Varro to be a goddesse because the worlds soule his god doth penetrate his lowest part and communicateth his essence there-with CHAP. 23. WE see one earth filled with creatures yet being a masse of elemental bodies and the worlds lowest part why call they it a goddesse because it is fruitfull why are not men gods then that make it so with labour not with worship No the part of the worlds soule say they conteined in her maâ—…eth hir diuine good as though that soule were not more apparant in man without all question yet men are no gods and yet which is most lamentable are subiected so that they adore the inferiors as gods such is their miserable error Varro in his booke of the select gods putteth a three degrees of the soule in all nature One liuing in all bodies vnsensitiue onely hauing life this he saith we haue in our bones nailes and haire and so haue trees liuing without sence Secondly the power of sence diffused through our eyes eares nose mouth and touch Thirdly the highest degree of the soule called the minde or intellect confined b onely vnto mans fruition wherein because men are like gods that part in the world he calleth a god and in vse a Genius So diuideth hee the worlds soule into three degrees First stones and wood and this earth insensible which we tread on Secondly the worlds sence the heauens or Aether thirdly her soule set in the starres his beleeued gods and by them descending through the earth goddesie Tellus and when it comes in the sea it is Neptune stay now back a little from this morall theologie whether hee went to refresh him-selfe after his toile in these straites back againe I say to the ciuill let vs plead in this court a little I say not yet that if the earth and stones bee like our nailes and bones they haue no more intellect then sence Or if our bones and nailes be said to haue intellect because wee haue it hee is as very a foole that calleth them gods in the world as hee that should â—…me them men in vs. But this perhaps is for Philosophers let vs to our ciuill theame For it may bee though hee lift vp his head a little to the freedome of 〈◊〉 naturall theologie yet comming to this booke and knowing what he had to â—…oe hee lookes now and then back and saith this least his ancestors and others should be held to haue adored Tellus and Neptune to no end But this I say seeing â—…th onely is that part of the worlds soule that penetrateth earth why is it not 〈◊〉 intirely one goddesse and so called Tellus which done where is Orcus 〈◊〉 and Neptunes brother father Dis and where is Proserpina his wife that some opinions there recorded hold to be the earths depth not her fertility If they say the soule of the world that passeth in the vpper part is Dis and that in the loâ—…er Proserpina what shall then become of Tellus for thus is she intirely diuided into halfes that where she should be third there is no place vnlesse some will say that Orcus and Proserpina together are Tellus and so make not three but one or two of them yet 3. they are held worshiped by 3. seuerall sorts of rites by their altars priests statues and are indeed three deuills that do draw the deceiued soule to damnable whoredome But one other question what part of the worlds soule is Tellumo No saith he the earth hath two powers a masculine to produce and a feminine to receiue this is Tellus and that Tellumo But why then doe the Priests as he sheweth adde other two and make them foure Tellumo Tellus c Altor Rusor for the two first you are answered why Altor of Alo to nourish earth nourisheth all things Why Rusor of Rursus againe all things turne againe to earth L. VIVES PUtteth three a degrees Pythagoras and Plato say the soule is of three kindes vegetable sensitiue reasonable Mans soule say they is two-fold rationall and irrationall the later two-fold affectionate to ire and to desire all these they doe locally seperate Plat. de Rep. l. 4. Aristotle to the first three addeth a fourth locally motiue But he distinguisheth those parts of the reasonable soule in vse onely not in place nor essence calling them but powers referred vnto actions Ethic. Alez Aphrodiseus sheweth how powers are in the soule But this is not a fit theame for this place But this is all it is but one soule that augmenteth the hayre and bones profiteth the sences and replenisheth the heart and braine b Onely vnto This place hath diuersities of reading some leaue out part and some do alter but the sence being vnaltered a note were further friuolous c Altor Father Dis and Proserpina had many names in the ancient ceremonies Hee Dis Tellumo Altor Rusor Cocytus shee Uerra Orca and Nâ—…se Tellus Thus haue the priests bookes them Romulus was also called Altellus of nourishing his subiects so admirably against their enuious borderers Iupiter Plutonius saith Trismegistus rules sea and land and is the nourisher of all fruitfull and mortall foules In Asclepio Of earths surnames and significations which though they arose of diuerse originals yet should they not be accompted diuerse Gods CHAP. 24. THerefore earth for her foure qualities ought to haue foure names yet not to make foure gods One Ioue serues to many surnames and so doth one Iuno in all which the multitude of their powers constitute but one God and one goddesse not producing multitude of gods But as the vilest women are some-times ashamed of the company that their lust calleth them into so the polluted soule prostitute vnto all hell though it loued multitude of false gods yet it som-times lothed them For Varro as shaming at this crew would haue Tellus to be but one goddesse They a call her saith hee the Great mother and her Tymbrell is a signe of the earths roundnesse the turrets on her head of the townes the seates about her of her eternall stability when all things else are mooued her 〈◊〉 Priests signifie that such as want seede must follow the earth
both meane sixe and thâ—…e fingers Iuuenall to make them the more ridiculous saith they were not aboue a foote high d Sciopodae Or foote-shadowed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a shadow 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a foote e Checker-worke Mâ—…siuum opus Spartian vseth it and Pliny It is saith Hermolaus Barbarus vpon Plinies sixth booke and Baptista Egnatius vpon Spartian wrought with stones of diuers collours which beeing rightly laied together are the portraytures of images as is ordinary to bee seene in the pauementes at Rome and else-where in old workes for of late it is neglected Our in-laide workes in our chaires and tables in Spaine haue some resemblance thereof Perottus saith it is corrruptly called Musaicum but the true word is Musâ—…acum of 〈◊〉 and alledgeth this place of Pliny Barbarus seemes to bee of his minde also The â—…gar called it musaicum because it seemed to bee a worke of great wit and industry 〈◊〉 Cynocephali Worde for worde Dogges-heads Solinus maketh them a kinde of Apes â—…nd possible to bee turned from euer beeing wilde againe Diodorus accountes thâ—…m wilde beastes g At Hippon Some had added in the Margent Diaritum and Zarâ—…tum It should bee Diarrhytum Mela Strabo Pliny and Ptolomy speake of two 〈◊〉 in Affrica hauing their names from Knights or horse-men for so is the Greeke 〈◊〉 interpreted the one called Hippon Diarrhytus neare Carthage a little on this side and 〈◊〉 was Augustine Bishoppe the other called Hippon Regius beeing farther East and the 〈◊〉 ancient seate as Silius saith Tum vaga antiquis dilectus regibus Hippon Vaga and Hippon that old seate of Kings Touching at them both h Curious history Which he spake on before i Hermaphrodytes Verbally from the Greeke is the word Androgyuus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a woman But they are called Hermaphrotes because the sonne of Hermes and Aphrodite that is Mercury and Venus was held to bee the first halfe-male k The chiese The masculine so saith the Latine Semi-mas When those were borne they were counted prodigies in olde times Lâ—… Lucane c. l The East In the East part of Affrick lying towards Nilus and Cyrene 〈◊〉 â—…le parts Affricke on the East from Asia m Exorbitant out of orbita the right path of nature n Definable It is knowne that the Philosophers defined man to bee a reasonable creature and added mortall because they held the most of their Gods and the Demones to be reasonable creatures and yet immortall o Monkeyes Cercopitheri tayled Apes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a tayle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Ape Martiall Callidus admissas eludere Simius hastas Si mihi cauda foret Cercopithecus eram I mockt their darted staues withouten faile Iust like a Monkey had I had a taile Aristotle calles those tailed Apes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 De animal lib. 2. But some beasts there are with Lyons faces and Panthers bodies as bigge as an Hinde which hee calleth Cepi lib. 10. There are also a people neare the Fennes of Meotis called Cepi p Babiouns Sphynga a creature not much vnlike an Ape but bigger with a face like a woman and two dugges dangling before Solinus faith they liue in Ethiope and are easily taught and tamed The Poets giue the Sphinx a Virgins face a Lyons pawes and a Griffons wings Whether there bee any inhabitants of the earth called the Antipodes CHAP. 9. BVt whereas they fable of a a people that inhabite that land where the sunne riseth when it setteth with vs and goe with b their feete towards ours it is incredible They haue no authority for it but onely c coniecture that such a thing may bee because the earth hangeth within the orbes of heauen and each e part of the world is aboue and below alike and thence they gather that the other hemysphere cannot want inhabitants Now they consider not that although that it bee globous as ours is yet it may bee all couered with Sea and if it bee bare yet it followeth not that it is inhabited seeing that the Scripture that prooueth all that it saith to be true by the true euents that 〈◊〉 presageth neuer maketh mention of any such thing And it were too absurd to say that men might sayle ouer that huge Ocean and goe inhabite there that the progenie of the first man might people that part also But let vs goe and seeke amongst those seauentie two nations and their languages whether â—…ee can finde that Citty of GOD which remained a continuall pilgrim on 〈◊〉 vntill the deluge and is shewed to perseuere amongst the sonnes of 〈◊〉 after their blessing chiefly in Sem Noahs eldest sonne for Iaphets blessing 〈◊〉 to dwell in the tents of his brother L. VIVES PEople a that All Cosmographers diuide the heauen and consequently the earth into fiue Zones the vtmost whereof lying vnder the Poles and farre from the Heauens motion and the Sunnes heate are insufferably cold the mid-most being in the most violent motion of Heauen and heate of the Sunne is intolerably hot the two being interposed betweene both extreames are habitable one temperate Zone lying towards the North and the other towards the South the inhabitants of both are called Autichthones Now Cleomedes bids vs diuide those two Zones into foure equall parts those that dwell in the parts that lye in the same Zone are called Periaeci circumferentiall inhabitants those that dwell in diuers or in an vnequall distance from the Poles and equall from the equinoctiall are called Antoeci or opposites they that dwell in equall distances from both are called Antipodes The Periaeci differ in their day and night but not in seasons of the yeare the Antoeci iust contrary the Antipodes in both It was an old opinion which Tully Mela and other chiefe men followed that neuer man had any knowledge of the South Tully puts the great ocean betweene it and vs which no man euer passed Macrobius discourseth at large herevpon I do but glance at this for feare of clogging my reader This was a great perswasion to Augustine to follow Lactantius and deny the Antipodes for the learned men saw well that grant men no passage ouer that great sea vnto the temperate Southerne Clymate as Tully and other great authors vtterly denied them and then they that dwell there could not possibly be of Adams stocke so that he had rather deny them habitation there then contend in argument against so many learned opposits But it is most sure once that Antipodes there are and that we haue found away vnto them not onely in old times but euen by late sea maisters for of old diuers flying into the Persian gulfe for feare of Augustus sayled by the coast of Ethiopia and the Atlantike sea vnto Hercules pillers And in the prime of Carthages height some sayled from thence through Hercules his straytes into the red sea of Arabia and then were not the Bayes of Persia
is the New Testament but the opening of the Old one Now Abraham is sayd to laugh but this was the extreamity of his ioy not any signe of his deriding this promise vpon distrust and his thoughts beeing these Shall he that is an hundred yeares old c. Are not doubts of the euents but admirations caused by so strange an euent Now if some stop at that where God saith he will giue him all the Land of Canaan for an eternall possession how this may be fulfilled seeing that no mans progeny can inherite the earth euerlastingly he must know that eternall is here taken as the Greekes take 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is deriued of c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is seculum an age but the latine translation durst not say seculare here least it should haue beene taken in an other sence for seculare and transitorium are both alike vsed for things that last but for a little space but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is that which is either endlesse at all or endeth not vntill the worlds end and in this later sence is eternall vsed here L. VIVES I Wil be a his God Or to be his GOD. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a grecisme hardly expressed in your latine b The very The gentiles had also their eight day wherevpon the distinguished the childs name from the fathers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is Seculum aetas annâ—…m eternitas in latine Tully and other great authors translate it all those waies from the greeke Of the man-child that if it were not circumcised the eight day iâ—… perished for breaking of Gods couenant CHAP. 27. SOme also may sticke vpon the vnderstanding of these words The man child in whose flesh the fore-skinne is not circumcised that person shal be cut off from his people because he had broaken my couenant Here is no fault of the childes who is hereexposed to destruction he brake no couenant of Gods but his parents that looked not to his circumcision vnlesse you say that the yongest child hath broken Gods command and couenant as well as the rest in the first man in whom all man-kinde sinned For there are a many Testaments or Couenants of God besides the old and new those two so great ones that euery one may read and know The first couenant was this vnto Adam Whensoeuer thou eatest thereof thou shalt die the death wherevpon it is written in Ecclesiasticus All flesh waxeth 〈◊〉 as a garment and it is a couenant from the beginning that all sinners shall die the death for whereas the law was afterwards giuen and that brought the more light to mans iudgement in sinne as the Apostle saith Where no law is there is no transgression how is that true that the Psalmist said I accounted all the sinners of the earth transgressors b but that euery man is guilty in his owne conscience of some-what that hee hath done against some law and therefore seeing that little children as the true faith teacheth be guilty of originall sinne though not of actuall wherevpon wee confesse that they must necessarily haue the grace of the remission of their sinnes then verily in this they are breakers of Gods coueâ—… made with Adam in paradise so that both the Psalmists saying and the Apostles is true and consequently seeing that circumcision was a type of regeneration iustly shall the childs originall sinne breaking the first couenant that 〈◊〉 was made betweene God and man cut him off from his people vnlesse that regeneration engraffe him into the body of the true religion This then we must conceiue that GOD spake Hee that is not regenerate shall perish from â—…gst his people because he hath broke my couenant in offending me in Adam For if he had sayd he hath broke this my couenant it could haue beene meant of nothing but the circumcision onely but seeing hee saith not what couenant the child breaketh we must needes vnderstand him to meane of a couenant liable vnto the transgression of the child But if any one will tie it vnto circumcision and say that that is the couenant which the vncircumcised child hath broken let him beware of absurdity in saying that hee breaketh their couenant which is not broken by him but in him onely But howsoeuer we shall finde the childs condemnation to come onely from his originall sinne and not from any negligence of his owne iucurring this breach of the couenant L. VIVES THere a are many Hierome hath noted that wheresoeuer the Greekes read testament 〈◊〉 Hebrewes read couenant Berith is the Hebrew word b But that There is no man so barbarous but nature hath giuen him some formes of goodnesse in his heart whereby to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 honest life if he follow them and if he refuse them to turne wicked Of the changing of Abram and Sara's names who being the one too barren and both to old to haue children yet by Gods bounty were both made fruitfull CHAP. 28. THus this great and euident promise beeing made vnto Abraham in these words A father of many nations haue I made thee and I will make thee exceeding fruitfull and nations yea euen Kings shall proceed of thee which promise wee see most euidently fulfilled in Christ from that time the man and wife are called no more Abram and Sarai but as wee called them before and all the world calleth them Abraham and Sarah But why was Abrahams name changed the reason followeth immediately vpon the change for a father of many nations haue I made thee This is signified by Abraham now Abram his former a name is interpreted an high father But b for the change of Sara's name there is no reason giuen but as they say that haue interpreted those Hebrew names Sarai is my Princesse and Sarah strength wherevpon it is written in the Epistle to the Hebrewes By faith Sarah receiued strength to conceiue seed c. Now they were both old as the scripture saith but c shee was barren also and past the age d wherein the menstruall bloud floweth in women which wanting she could neuer haue conceiued although she had not beene barren And if a woman be well in years and yet haue that menstruall humour remayning she may conceiue with a yongman but neuer by an old as the old man may beget children but it must bee vpon a young woman as Abraham after Sarahs death did vpon Keturah because shee was of a youthfull age as yet This therefore is that which the Apostle so highly admireth and herevpon he saith that Abrahams body was dead because hee was not able to beget a child vpon any woman that was not wholy past her age of child-bearing but onely of those that were in the prime and flowre thereof For his bodie was not simply dead but respectiuely otherwise it should haue beene a carcasse fit for a graue not an ancient father vpon earth Besides the guift of begetting children that GOD gaue him lasted after Sarahs death and he
Apostle saith Wee know but in part Besides it beleeueth the sence in obiects of which the minde iudgeth by the sensitiue organs because hee is in a grosse error that taketh all trust from them It beleeueth also the holy canonicall scriptures both old and new from which the iust man hath his faith by which hee liueth and wherein a wee all walke with-out doubt as long as wee are in our pilgrimage and personally absent from God and this faith being kept firme wee may lawfully doubt of all such other things as are not manifested vnto vs eyther by sence reason scripture nor testimony of grounded authoritie L. VIVES WE all walke a without doubt We haue no knowledge of it but beleeue it as firmely as what wee see with our eyes Of the habite and manners belonging to a Christian. CHAP. 19. IT is nothing to the Citty of God what attyre the cittizens weare or what rules they obserue as long as they contradict not Gods holy precepts but each one keepe the faith the true path to saluation and therefore when a Philosopher becommeth a Christian they neuer make him alter his habite nor his manners which are no hindrance to his religion but his false opinions They respect not Varro's distinction of the Cynikes as long as they forbeare vncleane and intemperate actions But as concerning the three kindes of life actiue contemplatiue and the meanes betweene both although one may keepe the faith in any of those courses yet there is a difference betweene the loue of the truth and the duties of charitie One may not bee so giuen to contemplation that hee neglect the good of his neighbour nor so farre in loue with action that hee forget diuine speculation In contemplation one may not seeke for idlenesse but for truth to benefite him-selfe by the knowledge thereof and not to grudge to impart it vnto others In action one may not ayme at highnesse or honor because all vnder the sunne is meere vanitie but to performe the worke of a superiour vnto the true end that is vnto the benefite and saluation of the sub ect as wee sayd before And this made the Apostle say If any man desiâ—…e the office of a Bishop hee desireth a good worke what this office was hee explaineth not it is an office of labour and not of honour a The Greeke word signifieth that hee that is heerein installed is to watch ouer his people that are vnder him Episcopus a Bishop commeth of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is ouer and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is a watching or an attendance so that wee may very well translate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a superintendent to shew that hee is no true Bishop who desireth rather to be Lordly him-selfe then profitable vnto others No man therefore is forbidden to proceed in a lawdable forme of contemplation But to affect soueraignty though the people must bee gouerned though the place be well discharged yet notwithstanding is b taxable of indecencie Wherefore the loue of truth requireth a holy retirednesse and the necessity of charity a iust employment which if it bee not imposed vpon vs wee ought not to seeke it but be take our selues wholy to the holy inquest of truth but if wee bee called forth vnto a place the law and need of charity bindeth vs to vnder-take it c Yet may wee not for all this giue ouer our first resolution least wee loose the sweetnesse of that and bee surcharged with the weight of the other L. VIVES THe a Greeke word of this before lib. 1. cap. 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 comes either of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to consider or of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is to visit The Scripture where the seauenty translated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doe read it a watch-man as in Ezechiel Osee chap. 5. where the Lord complaineth that they had beene a snare in their watching and a net vpon mount Thabor As if hee had spoken of the Bishops of these times who set snares for benefices and spread large netts for money but not too wide wasted least the coyne should scatter forth b Taxable of indecencie O but some fine braines haue now brought it so about that bishoprickes may not onely bee sued for but euen bought and sold with-out any preiudice at all vnto this lawe c Yet may wee not Hee sheweth that a Bishop should conuerse with the holy scriptures often and drawe him-selfe home vnto God now and then from all his businesses liuing if he did well as a pilgrim of Gods in this life and one that had a charge of Gods and his owne soules in hand not any temporall trash and yet ought he not to forsake his ministery to which he should be preserred by an heauenly calling and not by an heauy pursse Hope the blisse of the heauenly Cittizens during this life CHAP. 20. THen therefore is the good of the Holy society perfect when their peace is established in eternity not running any more in successions as mortall men doe in life and death one to another but confirmed vnto them together with their immortalitie for euer with-out touch of the least imperfection What is hee that would not accompt such an estate most happy or comparing it with that which man hath heere vpon earth would not auouch this later to bee most miserable were it neuer so well fraught with temporall conueniences yet hee that hath the latter in possession and applyeth it all vnto the vse of his hopeâ—… firme and faithfull obiect the former may not vnfitly bee called happy already but that is rather in his expectation of the first then in his fruition of the later For this possession with-out the other hope is a false beatitude and a most true misery For herein is no vse of the mindes truest goods because there wanteth the true wisdome which in the prudent discretion resolute performance temperate restraint and iust distribution of these things should referre his intent in all these vnto that end where God shall bee all in all where eternity shall be firme and peace most perfect and absolute Whether the Citâ—…y of Rome had euer a true common-wealth according to Scipio's definition of a common-wealth in Tully CHAP. 21. NOw it is time to performe a promise which I passed in the second booke of this worke and that was to shew that Rome neuer had a true common-wealth as Scipio defineth one in Tullyes booke De Repub. his Definition was A common-wealth is the estate of the people Respub est res populi If this be true Rome neuer had any for it neuer had an estate of the people which hee defines the common-wealth by For he defineth the people to bee a multitude vnited in one consent of lawe and profite what hee meaneth by a consent of lawe hee sheweth him-selfe and sheweth there-by that a state cannot stand with-out iustice so that where true iustice wanteth there can bee no law