the Lord that I will heare the heavens and they shall heare the earth and the earth shall heare the corne and the wine and the oile and they shall heare Israell From that we may descend to the foure Elements which as a musicall instrument of foure strings is both tuned and touched by the hand of heaven And in the next place those bodies which are mixed and tempered of these Elements offer themselues to our consideration whether they bee without life as stones and mettalls or haue the life of vegetation only as Plants or both of vegetation and sense as beasts and birds and fishes and in the last place man presents himselfe vpon this Theater as being created last though first intended the master of the whole family chiefe Commaunder in this great house nay the master-peece the abridgment the mappe and modell of the Vniuerse And in him wee will examine this pretended decay first in regard of age and length of yeares secondly in regard of strength and stature thirdly in regard of wits and Arts and fourthly and lastly in regard of manners and conditions to which all that is in man is or should bee finally referred as all that is in the world is vnder God finally referred to man And because it is not sufficient to possesse our owne fort without the dismantling and demolishing of our enimies a principall care shall bee had throughout the whole worke to answere if not all at least the principall of those obiections which I haue found to weigh most with the adverse part And in the last place least I should any way bee suspected to shake or vndermine the ground of our Christian religion or to weaken the article of our beliefe touching the consummation of the world by teaching that it decayes not to wipe off that aspertion I will endeavour to prooue the certainety thereof not so much by Scripture which no Christian can be ignorant of as by force of Reason and the testimony of Heathen writers and finally I will conclude with an exhortation grounded therevpon for the stirring of men vp to a preparation of themselues against that day which shall not only end the world but iudge their actions and dispose of the everlasting estate of their persons CAP. 4. Touching the worlds decay in generall SECT 1. The three first generall reasons that it decayes not THe same Almighty hand which created the worlds massie frame and gaue it a being out of nothing doth still support and maintaine it in that being which at first it gaue and should it with draw himselfe but for a moment the whole frame would instantly returne into that nothing which before the Creation it was as Gregorie hath righly observed Deus suo presentiali esse dat omnibus rebus esse ita quod si se rebus subtraheret sicut de nihilo facta sunt omnia sic in nihilum diffluerent vniversa God by his presentiall Essence giues vnto all things an Essence so that if hee should withdraw himselfe from them as out of nothing they were first made so into nothing they would be againe resolved In the preservation then of the Creature wee are not so much to consider the impotencie and weakenesse thereof as the goodnesse wisedome and power of the Creator in whom and by whom and for whom they liue and moue and haue their being The spirit of the Lord filleth the world saith the Authour of the wisedome of Solomon and the secret working of the spirit which thus pierceth through all things hath the Poet excellently exprest Principio caelum ac terr as camposque liquentes Lucentemque globum Lunae Titaniaque astra Spiritus intus alit totamque infusa per artus Mens agitat molem magno se corpore miscet The heauen the earth and all the liquide maine The Moones bright globe and starres Titanian A spirit within maintaines and their whole masse A minde which through each part infus'd doth passe Fashions and workes and wholly doth transpierce All this great Body of the Vniverse This Spirit the Platonists call the Soule of the World by it it is in some sort quickned and formaliz'd as the body of man is by its reasonable Soule There is no question then but this Soule of the World if wee may so speake being in truth none other then the immortall Spirit of the Creator is able to make the body of the World immortall and to preserue it from disolution as he doth the Angels and the spirits of men and were it not that he had determined to dissolue it by the same supernaturall and extraordinary power which at first gaue it existence I see not but by the ordinary concurrence of this spirit it might euerlastingly endure and that consequently to driue it home to our present purpose there is no such vniversall and perpetuall decay in the course of Nature as is imagined and this I take to be the meaning of Philo in that booke which he hath composed De Mundi incorruptibilitate of the Worlds incorruptibility there being some who haue made the World eternall without any beginning or ending as Aristotle and the Peripateticks others giue it a beginning but without ending as Plato and the Academicks whom Philo seemes to follow and lastly others both beginning ending as Christians and other Sects of Philosophers whom Aristotle therefore flouts at saying that he formerly feared his house might fall downe about his eares but that now he had a greater matter to feare which was the dissolution of the world But had this pretended vniversall perpetuall decay of the World beene so apparant as some would make it his flout had easily beene returned vpon himselfe his opinion by dayly sensible experience as easily confuted which wee may well wonder none of those Philosophers who disputed against him if they acknowledged and beleeued the trueth thereof should any where presse in defence of their owne opinions it being indeed the most vnanswerable and binding argument that possibly could be enforced against him were there that evident certaintie in it as is commonly imagined whereas he in the sharpnesse of his wit seeing the weakenesse thereof would not so much as vouchsafe it a serious answere but puts it off with a jeast For mine owne part I constantly beleeue that it had a beginning and shall haue an ending and hold him not worthy the name of a Christian who holds not as much yet so as I beleeue both to bee matter of faith through faith we vnderstand that the Worlds were framed by the word of God and through the same faith we likewise vnderstand that they shall be againe vnframed by the same word Reason may grope at this truth in the darke howbeit it can neuer cleerely apprehend it but inlightned by the beame of faith I deny not but probable though not demonstratiue and convincing arguments may be drawn from discourse of reason to proue either the one or the other
statutes Doe they not publickely vse all other wayes whereby the life of man is held in and kept in compasse all according to the orders and customes of the countrey in their severall nations These things therefore being so and that no noveltie hath broken in to interrupt the perpetuall tenor of things by severing and discontinuing them What is it that they say Confusion is brought vpon the world since Christian religion entred into it and discovered the misteries of hidden verity But the Gods say they exasperated with your injuries and offences bring vpon vs pestilen◅es droughts scarcity of corne lo◅usts mice haile and other hurtfull things assaulting the affaires of men Were it not follie longer to insist vpon things evident and needing no defence I would soone by vnfolding former times demonstrate that the evills yee speake of are neither vnknown nor sudden nor that these confusions brake in nor that mortall businesses began to be infested with such varietie of dangers since our Societie obtained the happines of this name to be bestowed vpon them For if we be the cause and for our demerits these p◅gues were invented whence knew antiquity these names of miseries whence gaue it signification to wars With what knowledge could it name the Pestilence ◅nd Haile or assume them into the number of thosewords wherewith they vttered their speech For if these evills be new and drawe their causes from late offences how could it be that it should forme words to those things whereof it selfe neither had experience nor had learnt that they were in any time done Scarcitie of corne and extreame dearth distresseth vs. What were the ancient and eldest ages at any time free from the like necessity Doe not the v◅ry names by which th◅se evills are called testifie and crie that never any mortall man was priviledged frō it Which were it a matter so hard to beleeue I could produce the testimonies of Authours what n◅tions how great how often haue felt horrible famine and haue beene destroted with a great desolation But stormes of Haile fall very often and light on all things And doe wee not see it registred and recorded in ancient writings that countries haue osten beene battered with showers of stones Want of raine kils vp the corne and makes the earth vnfruitfull And was antiquitie free from these evills especially seeing wee know that huge rivers haue beene dried vp to the very bottome The contagion of Pestilence vexeth Mankind Runne over the Annals written in severall tongues and yee shall learne that whole countries haue oftentimes beene made desolate and emptied of inhabitants All kind of graines are destroied and devoured by locusts by mice Passe through forraine histories they will informe you how often former times haue bin troubled with these plagues and brought to the miseries of povertie Citties shaken with mighty earthquakes totter even vnto ruine What Haue not former times seen Citties together with the Inhabitants swallowed vp in huge gaping clefts of the earth Or haue they had their e◅ate free from these casualties when was mankind destroyed with deluges of waters not before vs when was the world burnt dissolued into embers ashes not before vs whē were mightie cities overwhelmed by the seas inundation not before vs when did they make war with wild beasts and encounter with Lyons not before vs when were people plagued with ven◅mous serpents not before vs For that yee vse to object vnto vs the causes os so often warres the laying wast of Citties the irruption of Germans and Scythians I will by your good leaue and patience be bold to say that yee are so transported with desire to slander that yee know not what it is yee say That vpward of tenthousand yeares agoe a huge swarme of men should breake out of that Iland of Neptune which is called Atlantick as Plato declares and vtterly destroy and consume innumerable nations were we the cause That the Assyrians and Bactrians sometimes vnder the leading of Ninus and Zoroastres should warre one against the other not only with sword and strength but also by the hidden artes of Magick and the Chaldeans was it our envie That Helena by the direction and impulsion of the Gods was ravished and became a fatall calamitie both to her owne and future times was it attributed to the crime of our religion That the great and mighty Xerxes brought in the sea vpon the land and past over the seas on foot was it done through the injury of our name That a yong man rising out of the borders of Macedon brought the kingdome and people of the East vnder the yoke of captivity and bondage did wee procure and cause it That now the Romans should like a violent streame drowne and overwhelme all nations did wee forsooth thrust the Gods into the fury Now if no man dare to impute to our times the things that were done long since how can we be the causes of the present miseries seing there is no new thing falne out but all are ancient and not vnheard of in any antiquitie although it be not hard to proue that the warres which yee say are raised through the envie of our religion are not only not increased since Christ was heard off in the world but also for the greater part by repressing mans furiousnesse lessened For seing wee so great a multitude of men haue learned by his instructions lawes that we are not to requite evill fo◅ evill that it is farre better to suffer then to do wrong rather to shed a mans owne then to pollute his hands and conscience with the bloud of another the vngratesull world hath ere while receiued this benefit from Christ by whome the fiercenesse and wildnesse of nature is tamed and they haue begun to refra◅ne their hostile hands from the bloud of the creature Kinne vnto thē Certainely if all who know that to be men stands not in the shape of bodies but in the power of reason would listen a while vnto his wholesome and peaceable decrees and not puffed vp with arrogance and selfeconceit rather beleeue their owne opinions then his admonitions the whole world long agoe turning the vse of iron vnto milder workes should haue liued in most qu◅et tranquillity and haue met together in a firme and indissoluble league of most safe cōcord But if say they through you the state of man suffereth no disadvantage whence are t◅ese evils wherewith now a long time miserable mortality is afflicted and oppressed You aske my opinion in a matter not necessary to this businesse For the present disputation now in hand was not vndertaken by mee to this end to shew or proue vpon what causes or reasons each thing was done but to manifest that the reproch of so great a crime as wee are charged with is farre from vs which if I performe and by deeds and evident remonstrances vnfold the truth of the matter whence these evils are or out of what fountaines or principles
with one water with th' other arme As countrie-maidens in the moneth of May Merrily sporting on a holy-day And lusty dancing of a liuely round About the May-pole by the Bag-pipes sound Hold hand in hand so that the first is fast By meanes of those betweene vnto the last But all the linkes of th' holy chaine which tethers The many members of the world togethers Are such as none but onely hee can breake them Who at the first did of meere nothing make them SECT 2. That the Elements still hold the same proportions each to other and by mutuall exchange the same dimensions in themselues THese foure then as they were from the beginning so still they remaine the radicall and fundamentall principles of all subcoelestiall bodies distinguished by their severall and ancient Situations properties actions and effects and howsoeuer after their old wont they fight and combate together beeing single yet in composition they still accord marueilous well Tu numeris elementa ligas vt frigora flammis Arida conveniant liquidis ne purior ignis Euolet aut mersas deducant pondera terras To numbers thou the elements doest tie That cold with heat may symbolize and drie With moist least purer fire should sore too high And earth through too much weight too low should lie The Creator of them hath bound them as it were to their good behaviour and made them in euery mixt body to stoope and obey one pre-dominant whose sway and conduct they willingly follow The aire being predominant in some as in oyle which alwaies swimmes on the toppe of all other liquors and the earth in others which alwaies gather as neere the Center as possiblely they can And as in these they vary not a jot from their natiue and wonted properties so neither doe they in their other conditions It is still true of them that nec gravitant nec levitant in suis locis there is no sense of their weight or lightnes in their proper places as appeares by this that a man lying in the bottome of the deepest Ocean he feeles no burden from the weight thereof The fire still serues to warme vs as it did the aire to maintaine our breathing the water to clense and refresh vs the earth to feede and support vs and which of them is most necessary for our vse is hard to determine Likewise they still hold the same proportion one toward another as formerly they haue done For howbeit the Peripatetikes pretending heerein the Authority of their Mr Aristotle tell vs that as they rise one aboue another in situation so they exceede one another proportione decupla by a tenne-fold proportion yet is this doubtles a foule errour or at least-wise a grosse mistake whether wee regard their entire bodies or their parts If their entire bodies it is certaine that the earth exceedes both the water and the aire by many degrees The depth of the waters not exceeding two or three miles for the most part not aboue halfe a mile as Marriners finde by their line and plummet whereas the diameter of the earth as Mathematicians demonstrate exceedes seven thousand miles And for the aire taking the height of it from the place of the ordinary Comets it containes by estimation about fiftie two miles as Nonius Vitellio and Allhazen shew by Geometricall proofes Whence it plainly appeares that there cannot be that proportion betwixt the intire Bodies of the Elements which is ptetended nor at any time was since their Creation And for their parts 't is as cleare by experience that out of a few drops of water may be made so much aire as shall exceed them fiuehundred or a thousand times atleast But whatsoeuer their proportion be it is certain that notwithstanding their continuall transmutation or transelementation as I may so call it of one into another yet by a mutuall retribution it still remaines the same that in former ages it hath beene as I haue already shewed more at large in a former Chapter Philo most elegantly expresseth Egregia quidem est in elementis quaternarum virium compensatio aequalibus justisque regulis ac terminis vices suas dispensantium sicut enim anni circulus quaternis vicibus distinguitur alijs partibus post alias succedentibus per ambitus eosdem vsque recurrente tempore pari modo elementa mundi vicissim sibi succedentia mutantur quod diceres incridibile dum mori videntur redduntur immortalia iterum atque iterum metiendo idem stadium sursum atque deorsum per eandem viam cursitando continuè à terra enim acclivis via incipit quae liquescens in aquam mutatur aquaporrò evaperat in aerem aer in ignem extenuatur ac declivis altera deorsum tendit à Capite igne per extinctionem subsidente in aerem aere verò in aquam se densante aquae verò liquore in terram crassescente There is in the Elements a notable compensation of their fourefold qualities dispencing themselues by euen turnes and just measures For as the circle of the yeare is distinguished by foure quarters one succeeding another the time running about by equall distances in like manner the foure Elements of the World by a reciprocall vicissitude succeed one another which a man would thinke incredible while they seeme to dye they become immortall running the same race and incessantly travailing vp and downe by the same path From the Earth the way riseth vpward it dissolving into water the water vapors forth into aire the aire is rarified into fire again they descēd down ward the same way the fire by quēching being turnedinto aire the aire thickned into water the water into earth Hitherto Philo wherein after his vsuall wont he Platonizes the same being in effect to be found in Platoes Timaeus as also in Aristotles booke de Mundo if it be his in Damascene and Gregory Nyssen And most elegantly the wittiest of Poets resolutaque tellus In liquidas rarescit aquas tenuatur in auras Aeraque humor habet dempto quoque pondere rursus In superos aer tenuissimus emicat ignes Inde retrò redeunt idemque retexitur ordo Ignis enim densum spissatus in aera transit Hinc in aquas tellus glomeratâ cogitur vndâ The Earth resolu'd is turned into streames Water to aire the purer aire to flames From thence they back returne the fiery flakes Are turn'd to aire the aire thickned takes The liquid forme of water that earth makes The foure Elements herein resembling an instrument of Musicke with foure strings which may bee tuned diverse wayes and yet the harmony still remaines sweet and so are they compared in the booke of Wisdome The Elements agreed among themselues in this change as when one tune is changed vpon an instrument of Musick and the melody still remaineth Sith then the knot of sacred marriage Which joynes the Elements from age to age Brings forth
that some old houses heretofore fairely built be now almost buried vnder ground and their windowes heretofore set at a reasonable height now growen euen with the pauement So some write of the triumphall Arch of Septimius at the foote of the Capitol mountaine in Rome now almost couered with earth in somuch as they are inforced to descend downe into it by as many staires as formerly they were vsed to ascend whereas contrariwise the Romane Capitoll it selfe seated on the mountaine which hanges ouer it as witnesseth George Agricola discouers its foundation plainely aboue ground which without question were at the first laying thereof deepe rooted in the earth whereby it apppeares that what the mountaine looseth the valley gaines and consequently that in the whole globe of the earth nothing is lost but onely remoued from one place to another so that in processe of time the highest mountaines may be humbled into valleyes and againe the lowest valleyes exalted into mountaines If ought to nought did fall All that is felt or seene within this all Still loosing somewhat of it selfe at length Would come to nothing if death's fatall strength Could altogether substances destroy Things then should vanish euen as soone as die In time the mighty mountaines tops be bated But with their fall the neighbour vales are fatted And what when Trent or Avon overflow They reaue one field they on the next bestow And whereas another Poet tels vs that Eluviemons est diductus in aequor The mountaine by washings oft into the sea is brought It is most certaine and by experience found to be true that as the rivers daily carrie much earth with them into the sea so the sea sends backe againe much slime and sand to the earth which in some places and namely in the North part of Deuonshire is found to bee a marveilous great commoditie for the inriching of the soyle Now as the Earth is nothing diminished in regard of the dimensions the measure thereof from the Surface to the Center being the same as it was at the first Creation So neither is the fatnes fruitfulnes thereof at least-wise since the flood or in regard of duration alone any whit impaired though it haue yeelded such store of increase by the space of so many reuolutions of ages yet hee that made it continually reneweth the face thereof as the Psalmist speakes by turning all things which spring from it into it againe Saith one Cuncta suos ortus repetunt matremque requirunt And another E terris orta terra rursus accipit And a third joynes both together Quapropter merito maternum nomen adepta est Cedit enim retro de terra quod fuit ante In terras And altogether they may thus not vnfitly be rendred All things returne to their originall And seeke their mother what from earth doth spring The same againe into the earth doth fall Neither doe they heerein dissent from Syracides with all manner of liuing things hath hee couered the face of the earth and they shall returne into it againe And that doome which passed vpon the first man after the fall is as it were ingraven on the foreheads not onely of his posterity but of all earthly Creatures made for their sakes Dust thou art and vnto dust shalt thou returne As the Ocean is mainetained by the returne of the rivers which are drayned deriued from it So is the earth by the dissolution and reuersion of those bodies which from it receiue their growth and nourishment The grasse to feede the beasts the corne to strengthen and the wine to cheere the heart of man either are or might bee both in regard of the Earth Heauens as good and plentifull as euer That decree of the Almighty is like the Law of the Medes Persians irreuocable They shall bee for signes and for seasons and for dayes and for yeares And againe Heereafter seed time and harvest and cold and heat and summer and winter and day and night shall not cease so long as the Earth remaineth And were there not a certainety in these reuolutions so that In se sua per vestigia voluitur annus The yeare in its owne steps into in selfe returnes It could not well be that the Storke and the Turtle the Crane and the Swallow and other fowles should obserue so precisely as they doe the appointed times of their comming and going And whereas it is commonly thought and beleeued that the times of the yeare are now more vnseasonable then heeretofore and thereby the fruites of the Earth neither so faire nor kindely as they haue beene To the first I answere that the same complaint hath beene euer since Salomons time Hee that observeth the winde shall not sow and he that regardeth the clowdes shall not reape By which it seemes the weather was euen then as vncertaine as now and so was likewise the vncertaine and vnkindely riping of fruites as may appeare by the words following in the same place In the morning sow thy seede and in the euening let not thy hand rest for thou knowest not whether shall prosper this or that or whether both shall bee alike good And if sometimes wee haue vnseasonable yeares by reason of excessiue wet and cold they are againe paid home by immoderate drought and heate if not with vs yet in our neighbour countries and with vs. I thinke no man will bee so vnwise or partiall as to affirme that there is a constant and perpetuall declination but that the vnseasonablenes of some yeares is recompensed by the seasonablenes of others It is true that the erroneous computation of the yeare wee now vse may cause some seeming alteration in the seasons thereof in processe of time must needes cause a greater if it bee not rectified but let that errour be reformed and I am perswaded that communibus annis we shall finde no difference from the seasons of former ages at leastwise in regard of the ordinary course of nature For of Gods extraordinary judgements we now dispute not who sometimes for our sinnes emptieth the botles of heaven incessantly vpon vs and againe at other times makes the heavens as brasse ouer our heads and the earth as yron vnder our feete SECT 2. Another obiectiòn to uching the decay of the fruitfulnes of the holy land fully answered WHen I consider the narrow bounds of the land of Canaan it being by S. Hieromes account who liued long there but 160 miles in length from Dan to Bersheba and in bredth but 40 from Ioppa to Bethleem and withall the multitude incredible were it not recorded in holy Scripture both of men cattell which it fedde there meeting in one battle betweene Iudah Israel twelue hundred thousand chosen men Nay the very sword-men beside the Levites and Benjamites were vpon strict inquirie found to be fifteene hundred and seuentie thousand whereof the youngest was twenty yeares old there being none
by the Law to bee mustered vnder that age and which is more strange the very guards of Iehosaphars person amounted to almost an eleuen hundred thousand And for the number of Cattell there were slaine in one sacrifice at the dedication of Salomons temple two and twenty thousand bullocks and an hundred twenty thousand sheepe When I say I compare these multitudes of men cattell with the narrow bounds of that countrey I am forced to beleeue that it was indeed a most fruitfull soile flowing with milke and hony richly abounding in all kinde of commodities Yet the reports of some who haue taken a survey of it in these latter ages beare vs in hand that the fruitfullnes thereof is now much decayed in regard of those times From whence they would inferre a generall decay in all soyles consequently in the whole course of nature But it may truely be said that this wonderfull fruitfullnes proceeded from a speciall favour of Almighty God toward this people as appeares in the 11 of Deuteronomy this land doth the Lord thy God care for the eyes of the Lord thy God are alwayes vpon it from the beginning of the yeare euen to the end of the yeare And more cleerely in the 26 of Leviticus If you walke in mine ordinances and keepe my commaundements I will send you raine in due season and the land shall yeeld her increase and the trees of the field shall giue their fruite and your threshing shall reach vnto the vintage and the vintage shall reach vnto the sowing time and you shall eate your bread in plenteousnes and dwell in your land safely But the miraculous prouidence of God shewed it selfe most euidently ouer this land in answering their doubt what they should eate the seuenth yeare if they suffered the land to rest as God had injoyned them the reply is I will send my blessing vpon you in the sixth yeare and it shall bring forth fruite for three yeares Now then as this extraordinary fruitfulnes proceeded from an extraordinary favour so this favour ceasing the fruitfulnes might likewise cease without any naturall decay of the soyle The countrey about Sodome Gomorrha was for fruitfulnes as the Paradice or garden of the Lord till the curse of God fell vpon it then it became a wast land and so remaines to this day Yet can it not be gainesaid but that beside this speciall blessing of God this soyle of Palestina was naturally very rich in it selfe in asmuch as it fed one thirty Idolatrous Kings with their people before the entrance of Gods chosen nation into it one of which alone possessed as it should seeme threescore citties and the pomegranats the figs the grapes which the spies sent by Moses to discouer the land brought backe with them were marveilous goodly faire And as this soyle was thus rich before the entrance of this people so since the displanting of them from thence the Saracens possessing it it hath not altogether lost its ancient fruitfulnes whatsoeuer is pretended to the contrary if wee may credit Brocardus who about three hundred yeares since was himselfe an eyewitnesse thereof His words are these Non est credendum contrarium nunciantibus neque enim eam diligenter considerarunt his oculis vidi quanta fertilitate Terra benedicta fructificat frumentum enim vix terra exculta sine stercore simo mirabiliter crescit multiplicatur Agrisunt velut horti in quibus feniculum salvia ruta rosa passim crescunt There is no heed to be given to them who affirme the contrary For they haue not throughly coÌ„sidered of the matter with these eyes did I behold the exceeding fertilitie of that blessed land The Corne with a very little makeing of the earth prospers and multiplies beyond beliefe the fields are as it were gardens of delight in which fennell sage rue and roses every where grow And so having largly described the admirable fruitfulnesse thereof in all kinds at length he concludes Denique illic exstant omnia mundi bona verè terra fluit rivis lactis mellis Finally there are to be had all the good things the world can afford so that it may still be truly tearmed a land flowing with rivers of milke and honey And if it be degenerated from it's ancient fertility which vpon the report of Bredenbachius Adrichomius and others I rather beleeue I should rather impute it to the Curse of God vpon that accursed nation which possesseth it or to their ill manuring of the earth from which the proverbe seemes to haue growne that where the Grand Signiors horse once treads the grasse never growes afterward then to any Naturall decay in the goodnes of the soyle SECT 3. The testimonies of Columella and Pliny produced that the earth in it selfe is as fruitfull as in former ages if it be made and manured NOw that which by Brocardus hath beene delivered touching the holy land in particular is by Columella in his bookes of Husbandry with no lesse assurednesse averred touching the nature of the Earth in generall nay to shew his confidence herein he makes that assertion the entrance to his whole worke thus beginning the very first chapter of his first booke Saepenumero Civitatis nostrae principes audio culpantes mâ—…do agrorum infoecunditatem modo Coeli per multa jam tempora noxiam frugibus intemperiem quosdam etiam praedictas querimonias velut ratione certa mitigantes quod existiment vbertate nimiâ—… prioris aevi defatigatum effoetum solum â—…equire pristina benignitate prebere mortalibus alimenta quas ego causas Publi Sylvini procul à veritate abesse certum habeo quod neque fas est existimare rerum naturam quam primus ille mundi genitor perpetua foecunditate donavit quasi quodam morbo sterilitate affectam neque prudentis credere tellurem quae divinam aeternam juventam sortita communis omnium parens dicta sit quia cuncta peperit deinceps paritura sit velut hominem consenuisse ne posthaec reor violentia Coeli nobis ista sed nostro potius accidere vitio qui rem rusticam pessimo cuique servorum velut carnifici noxae dedimus quam majorum nostrorum optimus quisque optimè tractauerit I haue often heard the chiefe of our Citty complaining of the vnfruitfulnesse of the earth and sometimes againe of the vnkindlinesse of the weather now for a good space hurtfull to the fruites and some haue I heard with shew of reason qualifying these complaints in that they beleeue the earth being worne out and become barren by the excessiue fruitfulnesse of former ages not to be able to yeeld nourishment to mankind according to the proportion of her accustomed bounty but for mine owne part Publius Sylvinus I am well assured that these pretended causes are farre from truth it being a peece of impiety so much as once to imagine that nature
their minds being thoroughly drenched with the liquor of foolishnes They which haue sence adore things without sence which haue life things without life which are from heauen things earthly It were good then from some high tower that all might heare it to proclaime alowd that of Persius O cares of men O world all fraught With vanities O mindes inclined Towards earth all voide of heau'nly thought And Sedulius an ancient Christian Poet by Nation a Scot hath excellently described this palpable folly Heu miseri qui vana colunt qui corde sinistro Religiosa sibi sculpunt simulacra suumque Factorem fugiunt quae fecêre verentur Quis furor est quae tanta animos dementia ludit Vt volucrem turpemque bovem torvumque draconem Semihominemque canem supplex homo pronus adoret Ah wretched they that worship vanities And consecrate dumbe Idols in their hearts Who their owne Maker God on high despise And feare the worke of their owne hands and Art What fury what great madnesse doth beguile Mens mindes that man should vgly shâ—…pes adore Of birds or buls or dragons or the vile Halfe dog halfe man on knees for aide implore To these vgly shapes doth Seneca allude Nuâ—…ina vocant quae si accepto spiritu occurrerent monstra haberentur Divine powers they call those which if they should meete hauing life put into them would be held monsters And one of their owne Poets seemes to â—…est at their grossenesse herein Olim truncus eram ficulnus invtile lignum Quem Faber incertus scamnum facereâ—…ne Priapum Maluit esse deum Euen now I was the stocke of an old figge tree Thâ—… workeman doubting what I then should bee A bench or god at last a god made mee It is indeed true that the Romanes for a time were altogether without images for any religious vse but afterward they receiued into their City those of all other Nations by them conquered so as they who were Lords of the whole world became slaues to the Idoles of all the World Which bables as witnesseth S. Augustine that learned Varro both bewailed vtterly condemned in expresse words Qui primi simulacra Deorum populis posuerunt ij civitatibus suis timorem ademerunt errorem addiderunt They who first erected Idols for the peoples vse thereby both abolished all feare of the Deitie and introduced errour But the wise Seneca thus derides them Simulacra Deorum venerantur illis supplicant genu posito illa adorant cum haec suspiciant fabros qui illa fecere contemnunt the Images of the Gods they worship those they pray vnto with bended knees those they adore and while they so greatly admire them they contemne the Artificer that made them SECT 3. Their grosse and ridiculous blockishnesse in the infinite multitude of their gods THeir strange infatuation will yet appeare farther vnto vs if wee rise a little higher from the Images to the Gods which they represented and surely whether their practice about their images or their opinion touching their Gods were more grosse and ridiculous it is hard to define Whether we regard their number or their condition or their manner of service For their number he that reades Boccace his books de Genealogia Deorum will easily finde them almost numberlesse so as the Apostle might well say There be Gods many and Lords many Crinitus out of Hesiodus makes them thirty thousand strong the Iuppiters alone out of Varro no lesse then three hundred There were Dij majorum gentium which were worshipped generally throughout the greatest part of the world Dij Tutelares gods of seuerall Nations Provinces chosen to be their patrons guardions which may be gathered by those high places which Solomon built for his Idolatrous wiues wherein they worshipped the seuerall Gods of their seuerall Nations Ashtoreth the Goddesse of the Sidonians and Milcom the God of the Ammorites Cbemosh the God of the Moabites Molech the God of the Ammonites so likewise for all the rest of his outlandish wiues which burnt incense offered vnto their Gods whereby it appeareth that euery Nation had a God of his owne yet farther may it be seene by the practice of those Nations which Salmanezer transplanted into the Samaritan Cities of whom it is recorded that though they feared the Lord yet they worshipped euery one his owne peculiar God of whom there is a Catalogue in the same place set downe The Babylonians Succoth Benoth the Cuthites Nergall the Hammathites Ashima the Avites Nibhaz Tartak the Sepharvites Adramelech Anamelek And as seuerall Nations Provinces chose to themselues their Gods so did likewise the Cities as we may partly see by that rabble of them mustered vp by Rabshaketh in his Oration to King Hezekiah where is the God of Hamah and Arpad where is the God of Sepher-vaim Hevah Iuah in imitation of the Gentiles did the men of Iudah multiply their gods according to the number of their Cities Neither did Nations Provinces Cities onely affect to haue euery one vnto themselues their owne peculiar and seuerall Gods as their Patrons and defenders but the same was likewise followed by all their seuerall families who still had their Lares Deos Penates that is their houshold Gods as the Protectours of their families whom because they adored in the secret inward parts of their houses the Poets vse to call Deos Penetrales Yea and as Pliny reporteth not only seuerall families had their seuerall Gods but also euery seuerall person would adopt a seuerall God of his owne insomuch that hee thought the number of Gods to bee multiplied aboue the number of men Major Coeliâ—…um populus etiam quâ—…m hominum intelligi potest cùm singuli quoque ex semetipsis singulos Deos faciant Iâ—…nones Geniosque adoptando sibi We may well conceiue greater multitudes of Gods then of men seeing euery man adopâ—…eth as he pleaseth both greater smallâ—…r gods to himselfe All which considered otiosum est per omnia Deorum nomina perâ—…urrere qui colerentur à veteribus saith Terâ—…ullian It were an idle thing to attempt to runne through the names of all the Gods which the Ancients worshipped they had so many old Gods new Gods hee Gods shee Gods citty Gods countrey God coâ—…mon Gods proper Gods land Gods sea Gods And with Tertullâ—…an heerein accords S. Augustine Quando autem possins vno loco libri hâ—…us â—…morari omnia nomina Deorum aut Dearum quae illi grandibus volumâ—…bus vix comprehendere potuerunt singulis rebus propria dispertieâ—…tes officia Numinum How can all the names of their Gods and Goddesses bee recounted in one chapter of this booke which themselues could not range within the compasse of many great volumes appointing a pâ—…rticular God to waite on euery particular thing nay for some thing saith he they had many Gods as namely for corne
they had Segetia for the sowing of it while it lay vnder the earth Tutelina when it sprang vp Proserpina Nodotus when it shut into a blade when it spired Volutiâ—…a when the eare opened Patilena when it brake forth Hostâ—…lina when it blosomed Flora when it kerned Lacturtia when it grew ripe Maâ—…uta when it was reaped 〈◊〉 His conclusion is which also shall be mine for this point Ne omnia commemoro quia me piget quod illos non 〈◊〉 neither doe I name all for that it grieueth me to wriâ—…e what they were not ashamed to act SECT 4. The most shamefull and base condition of their gods THe quality condition of their gods was doubtles much more shamefull thâ—…n their multitude The common opinion touching their great god Iupiter was that he was intombed in Creete and his monument was there to be seene Wherevpon Lactantius wit ily demaunds Quomodo potest Deus esse alibi vivus alibi mortuus alibi habere templum alibi sepulchrum Tell me I beseech you how can the same god be aliue in one place and dead in another haue a temple dedicated to him in one place and a tomb erected in another Nay Callimachus himselfe in his hymne on Iupiter calleth the Cretians lyars in this very respects 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. which part of his hymne is thus translated into Latine by Bonaventura Vulcanius At certe mendax est Creta sepulchrum Quae posuit tibi qui haud moreris nam semper es idem The Cretians alwayes lyars are who rais'd vnto thy name A sepulâ—…her that neuer diest but euer art the same Moreouer they gaue diuine honour to notorious common strumpets as vnto Goddesses to Venus to Faula to Lupa the nurse of Romulus so called among the sheepheards for the common prostitution of her body and to Flora who hauing gained much by her meretricious trade she made by her will the people of Rome her hâ—…ire and left a sum of money by the vse whereof her birth-day was yearely to be celebrated with the setting forth of games which in memorie of her they called Floralia Nay their great Goddesse Iuno they make both the wife and the sister of Iupiter and Iupiter himselfe with the other gods no better then Adulterers Sodomites murtherers theeues Neither were these things concealed or whispered in priuate but published to the world they were liuely described by their Painters in their tables by their Poets in their verses and acted by their Players vpon their stages Quanta maiestas putanda est Quae adoratur in templis illuditur in theatris what great maiestie call yee me that which is adored in the temples prophaned in the Theatres And so farre were the worshippers of these goodly gods from punishing or censuring them therein that they were highly applauded and approued by the people and rewarded by the state Neither were these things written or spoken by Lucian or such as scoffed at Religion but by those who professedly vndertooke the prayse of their Gods Non enim ista Lucilius narrat aut Lucianus qui Dijs hominibus non pepercit sed hi potissimum qui Deorum laudes canebant quibus credemus si fidem laudantibus non habemus These things are not reported by Lucilius or Lucianus who spared neither God nor man but specially by them who sung the prayses of the Gods and to whom I pray you in such cases should we giue credit if not to them who purposely seeke to commend Besides they worshipped ridiculous gods as Fortunam Fornacem Mutam the passions of the mind and the diseases of the body Timorem Pallorem Febrem nay Vices Priapum Cupidinem non nomina colendorum sed crimina colentium not names fit for Diuine powers to be worshipped being nothing else but the vices of the worshippers Heerevnto may be added their silthy gods Crepitus ventris Cloacina sterquilinium well deseruing that reproach which is cast vpon them by Aristophanes that they were Dij Merdiuori so Moses calleth theÌ„ in expresse tearmes dirty dung-hill gods as the originall is rendred by Iunius Tremelius Foure whole dayes saith Tacitus Cremona ministred matter to sacke to burne and all things beside both holy prophane being consumed into ashes the temple of Mephitis without the wals remained vntouched either because it stood out of the way or by reason of some diuine vertue of the goddesse Now would you know what this goodly Lady was surely none other then the Goddesse of ill sauours and these kinde of Gods and Goddesses Lactantius deseruedly wisheth to be euer present with their worshippers Yet not content with this they worshipped the Devills themselues they sacrificed vnto diuels not vnto God saith Moses And I say saith the Apostle that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice they sacrifice to Devills and not to God What should I speake of the Thebans worshipping a wezell the Trotans a mouse the Egyptians an onion or a leeke and such like contemptible things which notorious folly Iuvenall who liued a while amongst them thus wittily derides Porrum caepe nefas violare frangere morsu O sanctas Gentes quibus haec nascuntur in hortis Numina A leeke an onyon ô'tis wickednesse These once to violate to eate no lesse Sweete Saints they are holy ones I trow To whom their gods doe in their gardens grow And diuerse such absurd Gods they worshipped which would make a modest man euen blush to name as Sybilla hath truly noted Haec adoratis Et multa alia vana quae sane turpe fuerit praedicare Sunt enim Dij hominum deceptores stultorum These foolish Gods and many more Like vaine they worship and adore Which filthy were to name in Schooles Such filthy gods deceiue but fooles SEC 5. Their barbarous and most vnnaturall cruelty in sacrificing their children to their Gods NOw if from the multitude and quality of their Gods we proceede yet a little farther to search into the manner of their service wee shall easily finde that more frentike vnreasonable then either of the two former Which madnes of theirs is well set forth by Seneca Si intueri vacet quae faciunt quaeque patiuntur superstitiosi inveniet tam indecora honestis tam indigna liberis tam dissimilia sanis vt nemo fuerit dubitaturus furere eos si cum paucioribus furerent nunc sanitatis patrocinium est insanientium turba If a man had but the leasure to looke into those things which men led with superstition both doe suffer he shall find them so vnbefitting honest so vnworthy of ingenuous so vnlike sound sober mindes as no man would doubt but they were starke madde were but the number of them fewer that thus goe a madding whereas now the only plea for themselues that they are in their right wits is the number of mad men Alexander ab Alexandro hath of set purpose composed