miserable the first pernitious the last pestilent Bernard in one of his Epistles saith Men are ignorant of many things needful to be known either by the injurie of Knowledge the sloathfulnesse in learning or the backwardnesse in acquiring yet are none of these excusable And the same Father sup Cant. The knowledge of God and thy selfe are both necessarie to saluation for as from the knowledge of thy selfe the feare of God ariseth in thee and by that knowledge thou art taught how to loue him So on the contrarie From not knowing thy selfe groweth Pride and from not knowing God Desperation And in another place Ignorantia sui initium omnis peccati ignorantia Dei consummato omnis peccati c. The blockishnesse of the minde is the stupiditie of acute reason bred from the grosse sences of carnall Intemperance Not euerie one that is ignorant is free from punishment for such may bee excused who gladly would learne if they knew what to learn but such cannot be pardoned who knowing from whom to learne apply not their will and industrie vnto it Seneca in one of his Proverbs saith It is a more tollerable punishment not to liue at all than not to liue a Knowing man And in another of them It is no lighter thing to be altogether ignorant what is lawfull than to do that which is vnlawfull Socrates saith Where there is no Capacitie there Counsell is vainly bestowed And Solon Ignorance hath euer the boldest face nor is it easie to be truely discouered till it be matched by Knowledge The Inscious man may be knowne by three things He cannot gouern himselfe because he wanteth Reason nor resist his carnal affections because he lacketh Wisedome nor hath he freedome to do what himselfe desireth because he is in bondage to Ignorance Idlenesse begetteth Ignorance and Ignorance ingendreth Error The three-shap'd Monster Sphinx is the emblem of Ignorance which is thus expressed Quid Monstrum id Sphinx est cur candida Virginis ora Et Volucrum pennas crura Leonis habet Hanc faciem assumpsit rerum Ignorantia tanto Scilicet est triplex causa origo mali What Monster 's that 'T is Sphinx Shew me the cause Why a Maids face Birds wings and Lions pawes Such shape beares Ignorance or want of skill And is the triple ground of so much ill Hauing somewhat discouered the defects of Ignorance let vs a little looke into the excellencie of Knowledge He that wanteth Knowledg Science and Nurture is but the shadow of a man though neuer so much beautified with the gifts of Nature It is a saying of Socrates That in war Iron is better than Gold And in the course of a mans life Knowledge is to be preferred before Riches Excellent was that Apothegme of Pythagoras He that knoweth not that which hee ought to know is a Beast amongst men He that knoweth no more than he hath need of is a Man amongst Beasts But he that knoweth all that he ought to know is a god amongst Men. The first thing we ought to study is truly how to know God For we reade in Ieremy Let not the Wise man glory in his Wisedome Let not the Strong man glory in his Strength Let not the Rich man glorie in his Riches But he that glorieth let him glory in this that he knoweth Me because I am the Lord who makes Mercy and Iugement and Iustice on the Earth He is knowne by the consideration of his Creatures Saith Iob Aske the Beasts and they will teach thee demand of the Fowles of Heauen and they will declare vnto thee Speake to the Earth and it will answer vnto thee the very Fishes in the Sea will tell thee For who is ignorant that the hand of the Lord hath made all these We may know him by the Scriptures Search the Scriptures saith Iohn because in them you thinke to haue life eternall and these are they that testifie of me Againe Cap. 17. For this is life eternall to know thee to be the onely true God and him whom thou hast sent Christ Iesus In the face of the Prudent Wisedome shineth saith Salomon And Ecclesiastes Cap. 8. The Wisedome of man shineth in his countenance and the most Mighty shall change his face Touching the Knowledge of our selues Be mindefull of thine owne nature saith Basil and thou shalt neuer be tumor'd with Pride so oft as thou obseruest thy selfe so oft shalt thou know thy selfe and the accurat knowledge of that is sufficient to leade thee as by the hand to the knowledge of God For man to acknowledge himselfe ignorant saith Didimus is a great point of Wisedome and of justice to know himselfe to be vnjust And Chrisostome saith That hee best knoweth himselfe who thinketh worst of himselfe Wise Socrates being demanded Why hee writ no Worke to leaue to future memorie with great modestie answered That whatsoeuer hee could write was not worthy the paper which hee should write in Stob. And Demonax being demanded When he first began to be a Philosopher replied At the very first houre when I began truly to know my selfe Stob. Serm. 21. Heraclitus being a yong man was therefore iudged to be most wise because being asked What he knew he made answer That he knew only this that he was able to know nothing Ex Aristom scriptis Theocritus demanded Why being of such ability in learning and iudgment he would write no famous Work to leaue vnto succession replied The reason is because to write as I would I cannot and to write as I can I will not Stob. ex Aristom Bias to induce men to the true knowledge of themselues counselled euery man to looke vpon his owne actions in a myrrhor that such things as appeared good and commendable he might cherish and maintain but whatsoeuer sauored of suspition or deformitie he might correct and amend As the eye which discerneth all other obiects yet cannot see it selfe so the corrupt heart of man can more accurately looke into the vices of other men than their owne We reade of Placilla the religious wife of the Emperour Theodosius Still to admonish her husband after hee came to weare the Imperiall Purple That hee would not forget that hee had beene once no better than a priuat man and that the title of Caesar should not make him thinke himselfe a god as others before him had done but rather calling still to minde his owne frailtie by acknowledging himself to be Gods Seruant he should proue the better Soueraigne Nicephorus Calistius lib. 12. cap. 42. Saith Terence in Heuton It anâ— comparatam c. Is the nature of men grown to that passe that they can looke better into other mens actions than they can iudge of their owne Or is the reason thereof That in our proper affaires wee are hindered by too much joy or too much griefe Horace giueth vs this counsell Lib. 1. Sat. 3. Teipsum Concute num
place to relate for they would require too large a circumstance Concerning the name of God it is generally obserued That none can properly be conferred vpon him because he is onely and alone And yet to distinguish the Creator from the Creature needfull it is that it should be done by some attribute or other which ineffable name in the Hebrew language consisteth of one word containing foure letters i. Iehovah which descendeth of the verbe Haiah fuit which is as much as to say He Was Is and Shall be Which declareth his true property for as he hath bin alwaies so hee shall be eternally for Eternitie is not Time nor any part of Time And almost all Nations and Languages write and pronounce the word by which the name of God is specified with foure letters onely foure being a number euen and perfect because hee hath no imperfection in him For besides the Hebrewes the Persians write the name of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Wisards and Soothsayers of that countrey 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Arabians Alla the Assyrians Adad the AEgyptians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Grecians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Latines Deus the French Dieu the Spaniards Dios the Italians Idio the Dutch and Germanes Gott the English and Scots Godd with a double d as hath been obserued in all Antiquities He is likewise called Alpha and Omega which are the first and last letters of the Greeke Alphabet His Epithites or Appellations in Scripture are Almighty Strong Great Incomprehensible Vncircumscribed Vnchangeable Truth Holy of Holies King of Kings Lord of Lords Most Powerfull Most Wonderfull with diuers other Attributes Some define him to be a Spirit Holy and True of whom and from whom proceeds the action and agitation of all things that are to whom and to the glory of whom the end conclusion of all things is referred Iustine Martyr in his Dialogue with Tryphon the Iew defineth God in these words I call him God that hath essence in Himself and is continually permanent in one and the same kinde without receiuing any change and hath giuen beginning to all the things that are created Cicero calleth God a certain Intelligence or Spirit free and ready separate from all mortall mixture or concretion knowing and mouing all things and hauing in himselfe an eternall motion So much many Ethnyck Authors haue acknowledged as in their Workes is to be frequently read Dionysius in his booke de Divin Nominib is of opinion that all things which denote perfection and excellence are in God most eminent and on Him deseruedly to be conferred On the contrarie all such things as are subiect vnto imperfection or defect because they do not fall within His nature are to be remoued and banished from his description Therfore in these words Ens Infinitum i. Infinite Being he includes the prime chief and soueraign Truth Soueraigne Goodnesse Soueraigne Mercy Soueraigne Iustice Wisedome Power Benignitie Beneficence Clemency Intelligence Immortalitie Immobilitie Invariabilitie Amabilitie Desiderabilitie Intelligibilitie Stabilitie Soliditie Act Actiue Mouer Cause Essence Substance Nature Spirit Simplicitie Reward Delectation Pulchritude Iucunditie Refreshing Rest Securitie Beatitude or whatsoeuer good laudable or perfect thing can fall within the conception or capacitie of Man But when all haue said what they can let vs conclude with Saint Augustine Solus Deus est altissimus quo altius nihil est Onely God is most high than whom there is nothing higher And in another place Quid est Deus est id quod nulla attingit opinio id est What is God Hee is that thing which no Opinion can reach vnto There is no safetie to search further into the Infinitenesse of the Diuine Nature than becommeth the abilitie of finite Man lest we precipitate our selues into the imputation of insolence arrogance For God saith in Iob Comprehendaem sapientes in Astutia eorum Which is as much as had he said I will make it manifest that the wisedome of all those who seeme to touch Heauen with their fingers and with the line of their weake vnderstanding to take measure of my Nature is their meere ignorance let them beware lest their obstinacie without their repentance and my mercie hurry them into irreuocable destruction Augustus Caesar compared such as for light causes would expose themselues to threatning dangers to them that would angle for small Fish with a golden hooke who should receiue more dammage by the losse of the bait than there was hope of gain by the prey There is reported a fable of an Huntsman who with his Bow and Arrowes did vse to insidiate the Wilde-beasts of the Wildernesse and shoot them from the couerts and thickets insomuch that they were often wounded and knew not from whence The Tygre more bold than the rest bad them to secure themselues by flight for he onely would discouer the danger Whom the hunter espying from the place where he lay concealed with an arrow wounded him in the leg which made him to halt and lagge his flight But first looking about him and not knowing from whom or whence he receiued his hurt it was the more grieuous to him Him the Fox meeting saluted and said O thou the most valiant of the beasts of the Forrest who gaue thee this deepe and terrible wound To whom the Tygre sighing replied That I know not onely of this I am sensible to my dammage That it came from a strong and a daring hand All ouer-curious and too deepe Inquisitors into Diuine matters may make vse of this vnto themselues Sentences of the Fathers concerning the Trinitie in Vnitie and Vnitie in Trinitie AVgustine lib. de Trinitate we reade thus All those Authors which came within the compasse of my reading concerning the Trinitie who haue writ of that subiect What God is according to that which they haue collected out of the sacred Scriptures teach after this manner That the Father the Sonne and the Holy-Ghost of one and the same substance in an inseparable equalitie insinuate one and the same Vnitie and therefore there are not three gods but one God though the Father begot the Sonne therefore he is not the Sonne being the Father The Sonne is begot of the Father and therefore he is not the Father because the Sonne The Holy-Ghost is neither the Father nor the Sonne but onely the Spirit proceeding from the Father and the Sonne and to the Father and the Sonne coequall as concerning the Vnitie of the Trinitie Neither doth this infer that the same Trinitie was borne of the blessed Virgin Mary crucified vnder Pontius Pilat buried and rose againe the third day and after that ascended into heauen but it was onely the Sonne who died and suffered those things the Father the Sonne and the Holy-Ghost as they are inseparable so they haue their vnanimous and vnite operations And againe Lib. 1. de Trinitate Neither more dangerously can a man erre neither more laboriously can
Emerald the Carbuncle with Gold The Timbrel and the Pipe were celebrated For thee in the first day thou wert created Thou art th' anointed Cherub made to couer Thee I haue set in honour aboue other Vpon Gods holy Mountaine placed higher Thou walked hast amidst the stones of fire At first of thy wayes perfect was the ground Vntill iniquitie in thee was found Thy heart was lifted vp by thy great beauty Therein tow'rds God forgetfull of thy duty By reason of thy Brightnesse being plac't ' Boue them thy Wisedome thou corrupted hast But to the ground I 'le cast thee flat and cold Lay thee where Kings thy ruin may behold In thy selfe-wisedome thou hast been beguild And by thy multitude of sinnes defil'd Thy Holinesse A Spirit still peruerse Stain'd by th' iniquitie of thy commerse Therefore from midst of thee a fire I 'le bring Which shall deuour thee into ashes fling Thee from thy height that all the earth may see thee This I haue spoke and who is he can free thee Their terror who did know thee heretofore Most Wretched thou shalt be yet be no more In this the Prophet as these would allude Striues in this first-borne Angell to include All Wisedome Pow'r Gifts Ornaments and Graces Which all the rest had in their seuerall Places God this precelling Creature hauing made With all the Host of Angels some haue said He then began the Vniuersall Frame The Heav'ns Sun Moon and Stars and gaue them name Then Earth and Sea his Diuine Will ordain'd With all the Creatures in them both contain'd His last great Workemanship in high respect Of Reason capable and Intellect But to the Angels natures much inferior Who with th' Almighty dwell in th' Heav'ns superior To all Eternity sounding his praise Man whom from Dust he did so lately raise Subsists of Soule and Body That which still Doth comprehend the Vnderstanding Will And Memorie namely the Soule Partaker Of those great Gifts is th' Image of the Maker The nature of the Body though it be Common with Beasts yet doth it disagree In shape and figure for with Eyes erected It beholds Heav'n whilest Brutes haue Looks deiected This compos'd Man is as a ligament And folding vp in a small continent Some part of all things which before were made For in this Microcosme are stor'd and layd Connexiuely as things made vp and bound Corporeall things with incorporeall Found There likewise are in his admired quality Things fraile and mortall mixt with Immortality Betweene those Creatures that haue Reason and Th' Irrationall who cannot vnderstand There is a Nature intermediate That 'twixt them doth of both participate For with the blessed Angels in a kinde Man doth partake of an intelligent Minde A Body with the Beasts with Appetite It to preserue feed cherish and delight And procreate it 's like in shapes and features Besides Man hath aboue all other Creatures That whereas they their Appetites pursue As solely sencible of what 's in view And gouern'd by instinct Mans eminence Hath pow'r to sway his Will from common Sence And besides Earthly things himselfe apply To contemplate things mysticall and hye And though his Excellence doth not extend To those miraculous Gifts which did commend Great Lucifer at first in his Majoritie Yet in one honour he hath iust prioritie Before all Angels to aduance his Seed Since God from all eternitie decreed That his owne Sonne the euerlasting Word Who to all Creatures Being doth afford By which they first were made should Heav'n forsake And in his Mercy humane Nature take Not that he by so doing should depresse The Diuine Majestie and make it lesse But Humane frailtie to exalt and raise From corrupt earth his glorious Name to praise Therefore he did insep'rably vnite His Goodhood to our Nature vs t' excite To magnifie his Goodnesse This Grace showne Vnto Mankinde was to the Angels knowne That such a thing should be they all expected Not knowing how or when 't would be effected Thus Paul th' Apostle testates 'Mongst the rest Without all opposition be 't confest Of Godlinesse the mysterie is high Namely That God himselfe apparantly Is manifest in Flesh is iustify'd In Spirit by the Angels clearely ' espy'd Preacht to the Gentiles by the World beleev'd Into eternall Glory last receiv'd With Pride and Enuy Lucifer now swelling Against Mankinde whom from his heav'nly Dwelling He seemes in supernaturall Gifts t' out-shine Man being but Terrene and himselfe Diuine Ambitiously his Hate encreasing still Dares to oppose the great Creators Will As holding it against his Iustice done That th' Almighties sole begotten Sonne Mans nature to assume purpos'd and meant And not the Angels much more excellent Therefore he to that height of madnesse came A stratagem within himselfe to frame To hinder this irrevocable Deed Which God from all eternitie decreed And that which most seem'd to inflame his spleene And arrogance was That he had foreseene That many Men by God should be created And in an higher eminence instated Of place and Glory than himselfe or those His Angels that this great Worke ' gant t' oppose Disdaining and repining that of Men One should be God Omnipotent and then That others his Inferiors in degree Should out-shine him in his sublimitie In this puft Insolence and timp'anous Pride He many Angels drew vnto his side Swell'd with the like thoughts Ioyntly these prepare To raise in Heav'n a most seditious Warre He will be the Trines Equall and maintaine Ouer the Hierarchies at least to raigne 'T is thus in Esay read I will ascend Into the Heav'ns and there my Pow'r extend Exalt my Throne aboue and my aboad Shall be made equall with the Stars of God Aboue the Clouds I will my selfe apply Because I will be like to the Most-Hye To this great Pride doth the Arch-Angell rise In boldest opposition and replies Whose name is Michael Why what is he That like the Lord our God aspires to be In vaine ô Lucifer thou striv'st t' assay That we thine innovations should obey Who know As God doth purpose be it must He cannot will but what is good and iust Therefore with vs That God and Man adore Or in this place thou shalt be found no more This strooke the Prince of Pride into an heate In which a Conflict terrible and great Began in Heav'n the Rebell Spirits giue way And the victorious Michael winnes the day Thus Iohn writes of the Battell Michael Fought and his Angels with the Dragon fel The Dragon and his Angels likewise fought But in the Conflict they preuailed nought Nor was their Place in Heav'n thence-forward found But the great Dragon that old Serpent bound They Diuell call'd and Sathan was cast out He that deceiueth the whole World about Ev'n to the lowest earth being tumbled downe And with him all his Angels headlong throwne This victorie thus got and he subverted Th' Arch-Angell with his holy Troupes directed
than the greatest punishment that can be inflicted in this world Indicis in lite brevis est vox Ite Venite Dicetur Reprobis Ite Venite Probis Aspera vox Ite vox est benedicta Venite Quod sibi quisque sâ—rit praesentis tempore vitae Hoc sibi messio crit cum dicitur Ite Venite There were some comfort to the damned Souls if their torment might haue end but that shall neuer be and no torment greater than that of perpetuitie The reason of this perpetuity is threefold the first drawn from the state and condition of the Majesty offended The second from the state and condition of the Reprobates for as long as they remaine sinnefull so long shall they remaine tormented for sinne But in Hell they euer remaine sinnefull and sinne is like oile and the wrath of God like fire as long as the oile lasteth the fire burneth and so long as sinfull so long tormented and therefore damned for euer For most sure it is That in Hell there is neither grace nor deuotion The Wicked shall be cast in exteriores tenebras extra limitem Divinae misericordiae i. Into vtter darknesse without the limits of Gods mercie For though their weeping in Hell may seeme penitentiall yet they do but Lugere poenas non peccata lament their punishment but not their sinne The third reason is drawne from Gods justice for when life was offered them they refused it and therefore justly when in Hell they beg it they go without it I shut vp the premisses in the succeeding Emblem The Emblem IT is reported by the Poets and some antient Historiographers That in Dodonia a Forrest in Greece famous for the Okes there growing and therefore dedicate to Iupiter there is a Fountaine or Well into which whoso putteth a Torch lighted or flaming it is presently extinguished but take one vnlighted which neuer came neere the fire and it is instantly kindled The Motto which the Author of this Emblem groundeth hereon is Sie rerum inverâ—â—tur ordo Hauing some consimilitude with that of Gregory 14 Moral Hostis noster quanto magis nos sibi rebellare conspicit quanto amplius expugnare contendit Eos autem pulsare negligit quos quieto iure se possidere sentit i. Our spirituall Enemy the Diuell the more he perceiueth we rebell against him the greater his opposition is against vs but spareth to trouble or molest such as he knoweth to be already in his quiet possession The two maine Engins by which the Diuell seeketh to vndermine Mankinde are Desperation and Presumption Concerning the first S. Bernard saith Let no man despaire of grace though he begin to repent in his later age for God iudgeth of a mans end not of his past life for there is nothing so desperate which Time cannot cure nor any offence so great which Mercy cannot pardon Livy telleth vs That of all the perturbations of the minde Despaire is the most pernicious And Lactantius informes vs That if he be a wicked and wilfull homicide that killeth any man wittingly needs must he be the same or worse who layeth violent hands vpon himselfe dispairingly For what is Dispaire but the feare of punishment and distrust in Gods mercy by reason of which man making himselfe his owne judge becomes his owne Executioner For as Stobaeus saith The dread and terror of inevitable punishment is the sole cause of desperation Against which irremittable sin Seneca in Medaea thus counsels vs Qui nihil potest sperare nihil desperet He that hath nothing to hope for let him nothing feare And Ovid lib. 2. de Ponto Confugit interdum Templi violator ad Aram Nec petera offensi numinis horret opem Sometimes Church-robbers to the Altars fly And to the injur'd gods for mercy cry Concerning Presumption Saint Augustine saith Nulla praesumptio est perniciostor quam de propria justitia scientia superbire ô superba praesumptio ô praesumptuosa superbia i. No presumption is more dangerous than to be proud of our owne righteousnesse or knowledge ô proud presumption ô most presumptuous pride Philo telleth vs That one prime occasion why leuen was forbidden the Iewes at the solemne Feast of Easter was to teach them to haue a great care to keepe themselues from pride and presumption into which they were apt to fall who held any extraordinarie conceit or opinion of themselues their hearts being suddenly swelled therewith as the dough is puft vp with the leuen Claud. de 4 Honor. Cons. saith Inquinat Egregios adiuncta superbia mores i. Where Pride sets in it's foot it corrupteth the best manners It is said to deuour gold and to drink bloud and to climbe so high by other mens heads til at length it fall and breake it 's own neck Plutarch calls it a vapour which striuing to ascend high presently turneth into smoke and vanisheth Therefore commendable was that modestie in the sonne of King Agesilaus who hearing that Philip the father of Alexander the Great much gloried in a victorie not long before gained sent him word That if hee pleased to measure his shadow he should finde it no greater after his Conquest than it was before I conclude with Seneca in Hercul fuerent Sequitnr superbos victor à tergo Deus And now come to the Author vpon the former Emblem most pertinent to this purpose Fax limphis Dodona tuis immersa necatur Quae micat igne nitet quae sine luce fuit Fons sacer iste deo sic pristina credidit aetas At Deus hic stigij rex Acheontis erat Patrat idem cum fonte suo regnator Averni Ordinis inversi gaudet ille dolis Nempe pios rigidae percellit Acumine legis Blanditurque malis sanguine Christe tuo ¶ Thus paraphrased A Taper without fire in Dodon drencht Is kindled But if lighted as soone quencht Which Well the men of Old in their blinde piety Made sacred to a god but no true Diety The Diuell keepes this Fountaine nor doth leaue By inverst order Mankinde to deceiue Good men with the Lawes rigor still pursuing Flattring the Bad with Mercy to their ruin A Meditation vpon the former Tractate I. THou Great God now and euer blessed Thy Seruants wretched and distressed Assist with thy Diuinest aid Lest We like Those that did rebell And head-long were throwne downe to Hell Be Reprobates and Out-casts made II. O Thou who Heav'n and Earth dost guide And aboue all sinnes hatest Pride Because soone after the Creation The first bright Angell led the way And then our two first Parents They Trod the same path to our Damnation III. There is no Sinne that can be nam'd But with a strange selfe-loue inflam'd Originall'tis and In-nate And since that time it is wee finde Dispersed into all Mankinde To ouerthrow our blest estate IV. He that is with this Sinne infected Hath both Thy Loue and Feare reiected Although Thou bee'st the onely Holy And that
griefe cherish And in his minde growes witty how to perish But Wretch remoue the Visard and that terror Before so horrid thou shalt finde vaine error A Meditation vpon the former Tractate I. TO rip vp Gods great Counsels who shall striue Or search how far his hidden works extend Into the treasure of his wonders diue Or thinke his Maiestie to comprehend These things are granted vnto none aliue For how can such as know not their owne end Nor can of their beginning reason show Presume his Pow'r aud Might vnspeakable to know II. If He should say Weigh me the weight of Fire Or striue to call backe Yesterday that 's past To measure out the Windes I thee desire Or search the dwellings of the Ocean Vast How the Seas flow or how their Ebbes retyre Or in what moulds the Sun and Moone were cast Whence thou hadst life and fashion in the wombe Or wherfore born thence now to seek a second tomb III. Sure thou wouldst answer Fire cannot be weigh'd Or if What ballance can the heat sustaine And of the Windes what measure can be made For I shall striue t' imprison them in vaine And how the chambers of the Depth are layd Which none hath seene that hath return'd againe Or who the Houres already past can summe Or by his art preuent those seasons are to come IV. How should I frame a Modell so capatious In which to cast the body of the Sunne Or of the Moone so infinitely spatious Or truly tell the courses that they run Neither can humane wit proue so audatious To question of his end e're he begun Neither with our weake sence doth it agree To find how meere from nothing we first came to bee V. If of the Fire which thou dost hourely try If of the Winde which blowes vpon thy face If of the Day which dayly passeth by And what is now to morrow hath no place Or those bright Planets mouing in the sky Which haue Times Daughters in perpetuall chase Or if the Seas abisse thou canst not sound To search whose chanels yet there neuer line was found VI. If of thy selfe thou canst no reason show By all the vnderstanding thou canst claime How in the wombe thou first beganst to grow Or how thy life into thy body came Yet all these things to be we see and know They lie before vs and we giue them name But if we cannot show the reason why How can we search the mysteries of the most Hye VII Number we may as well the things to come Gather the scatter'd drops of the last raine The sands that are vpon the shore to summe Or make the wither'd Floures grow fresh againe Giue the Mole eyes or speech vnto the Dumbe Or with small Vessels th' Ocean striue to dâ—aine Tell all the glorious stars that shine by night Or make a Sound or Voice apparant to the sight VIII The Forrest of it's lofty Cedars prowd Whose spatious boughes extended neere and far And from the earth the Sun aid seeme to cloud Much glorying in it's strength thinks none should bar His circumscribed limits therefore vow'd Against the mighty Ocean to make war Calling a Councell of each aged Tree Who with vnanimous consent thereto agree IX Like counsell did the curled Ocean take And said Let vs rise vp against the Land Let 's these our spatious borders larger make Nor suffer one tree in his place to stand The Earths foundations we haue pow'r to shake And all their lofty mountaines countermand Much honour by this conflict may be had If we to these our bounds can a new Countrey add X. Yet was the purpose of the Forrest vaine For a Fire came and all the Woods destroy'd And 'gainst the raging practise of the Maine Sands interpos'd and it 's swift course annoy'd Some Pow'r there was which did their spleens restrain For neither of them their intents enioy'd 'Twixt these I make thee Vmpire vse thy skill Which canst thou say did well or which of theÌ„ did ill XI Both their intents were idle thou wilt say And against Nature that they did deuise The Woods were made within their bounds to stay And therefore to transgresse them were vnwise The Seas that quiet in their channels lay And would so proud an action enterprise Be thou the judge betweene each vndertaker Whether they both rebelled not 'gainst their Maker XII For as the Earth is for the Woods ordain'd Fixt there not to remoue their setled station And as the Flouds are in their shores restrain'd But neither to exceed their ordination So must all Flesh in frailty be contain'd For so it hath been from the first Creation And only the things heauenly vnderstand Who are in heav'n and prest at Gods almighty hand XIII If then things supernaturall we finde The depth whereof we cannot well conceiue So abdite and retruse from Mans weake minde Them we into our frailty cannot weave As what 's aboue Capacitie assign'd Those to the first Disposer let vs leaue What 's common amongst men is knowne to all But we may faile in those things metaphysicall XIV But be it euer our deuout intention To be so far remote from all ambition That whatsoeuer's aboue apprehension If it be true and of Diuine condition To quarrell with it in no vaine dissention But rather yeeld hereto with all submission Man made of earth to Earth God did confine Grace from aboue is the free gift of Pow'r Diuine XV. This Grace is the third Person in the Trinitie The second Wisedome and the first all Power To whom that we may haue more free affinitie Let vs submit vs henceforth from this hower And that we may attaine to true Diuinitie Pray That they will their mercies on vs shower Here in this life from Sathan vs defend And after bring vs to that joy which hath no end Crux pendentis est Cathedra docentis S. Augustine THE ANGELL Thom Hammon Armig Rich Gethinge M of the pen. THE ARGVMENT of the ninth Tractat. TO Spirits call'd Lucifugi From shunning Light I next apply My neere-tyr'd Pen of which be store In Mines where workmen dig for Oare Of Robin Good-fellow and of Fairies With many other strange Vagaries Done by Hob-goblins I next write Of a Noone-Diuell and a Buttry-Sprite Of graue Philosophers who treat Of the Soules essence and her seat The strange and horrid deaths related Of learn'd Magitians animated By Sathan the knowne truth t' abiure And study Arts blacke and impure Of Curious Science last the vanity Grounded on nothing but incertainty And that no Knowledge can abide the Test Like that in Sacred Scripture is exprest ¶ The second Argument THe Angell vnto Man knowne best As last of Nine concludes the rest The Angell THree Yong-men of Darius Court contend What thing should strongest be One doth commend Wine to haue chiefe dominion The other sayes The King hath prime place And the third doth praise The pow'r of Women to make others thrall But aboue
corpora sine vllo vitio sine vlla deformitate sine vlla corruptione in quibus quanta facilitas tanta foelicitas erit i. The bodies of the Saints shal rise againe without any defect without any deformitie without any corruption in which there shall be as much felicitie as there is facilitie And Schoonaeus ex D. Hieron Seu vigilo intentus studijs seu dormio semper Iudicis aeterni nostras tuba personat aures Whether I waking study or sleepe still The Iudges last trumpe in myne eares sounds shrill I conclude with Iacobus Catsius de Eternitate in these words Cum suprema dies rutilo grassabitur igni Perque solum sparget fulmina perque salum Protinus erumpet gelido pia turba sepulchro Et tolletur humo quod modo vermis erit Hic câ—i squallor iners cui pallor in ore sedebat Veste micans nivca conspiciendus erit Alma dies optanda bonis metuenda profanis Ades parvum suscipe Christe gregem ¶ Thus paraphrased When the last day with wasting fire shall shine Disperst through earth and sea beyond each line Straight from the cold graue shall arise the Iust And breathe againe who late were wormes and dust He in whom squallid palenesse latâ— hath beene Clad in white shining Vesture shall be seene O Day the good mans joy the bad mans feare That Christ his Small Flocke may receiue draw neare A Meditation vpon the former Tractate I. BEtimes awake thee And vnto sad and serious contemplation Dull Soule betake thee Thy selfe retyre And after the great GOD of thy Saluation With care enquire Withdraw thy selfe within thy hearts close center Whither saue him alone let nothing enter II. Then let thine Heart Thus say My GOD let me behold thy face Shew in what part Or in what ground Of the vast world what corner or what place Thou mayst be found How shall I finde thee if thou bee'st not here Or why not present being ev'rywhere III. 'T is Thou excellest And in thy great incomprehensible Light For euer dwellest How can fraile Eyes A Glory that 's so luminous and bright By Sence comprise Yet of thy Grace so much to me impart That though it check my Sight 't may chere my heart IV. Who shall abide Thine anger if thou beest insenc't with vs Or if Thou hide From vs thy face Poore wretches then how darke and tenebrous Would be our place Without the lustre of thy louing kindenesse Grope should we euer in Egyptian blindenesse V. Great GOD imprint The Seraphs Loue into this Heart scarce mine Once Flesh now Flint Stirre vp an heate In this my frozen brest by Pow'r Diuine I thee entreat And neuer let thy Grace from me remoue Since Loue is God and thou my GOD art Loue. VI. It was th' ambition Of knowing Good and Euill that first brought Man to perdition The Cherub who Is Knowledge and can teach vs as we ought Our God to know Is He the first Transgressors did expell And chac't from the blest place in which they fell VII Iust is the Throne Iudgement is thine ô GOD and it pertaines To Thee alone In ballance ev'n Vnpartiall thou weigh'st all that doth remaine In Earth or Heav'n Yet though all Iustice be to Thee assign'd In thy good Grace let me thy Mercy find VIII As thou art Iust Beyond all apprehension all opinion Ev'n so we trust That since to Thee With Maiestie likewise belongs Dominion Of all that bee Thou which with mighty sway the World maintainst Wilt pitty haue of those o're whom thou raign'st IX The Vertues they In their high Classe vpon thy Will attend And it obey Ready they are In dangers those that feare thee to defend And still prepare In hostile opposition to withstand Sathan with all his proud infernall Band. X. The heav'nly Pow'rs As Ministers about thy Seruants wait And at all how'rs Assistant bee From such as would our Soules insidiate To set vs free And when these Champions in the List appeare The Tempter flies surpris'd with dastard feare XI Should the great Prince Of this vast World muster his hellish Legions Vs to convince From Water Aire The Earth or any of the other Regions To make repaire Where any of the Principats are nam'd They leaue the place confounded and asham'd XII Proud Lucifer The first of Angels bearing name of Light Who durst prefer Himselfe before His pow'rfull Maker the Great GOD of Might Whom we adore Was in an instant by Prince Michael Cast from high Heav'n into the lowest Hell XIII Gabriel imploy'd I' th' Virgin Mothers blest Annuntiation Mankinde o're-ioy'd He first proclaim'd Vnto the World the LORD of our Saluation EMANVEL nam'd Who though on earth revil'd and dis-esteem'd Yet by his Suffring Mankinde he redeem'd XIV O Holy Holy Holy Three Persons and but one almighty GOD Vnto Thee solely Our Pray'rs we tender And in thy Kingdome hoping for abode Freely surrender Our Soules and Bodies Whilest we liâ—e when die Protect vs with thy heav'nly Hierarchie Obsecro Domino ne desperem suspirando sed respirem sperando FINIS A generall Table THE CONTENTS OF THE FIRST TRACTAT TO proue there is a God from the Conscience the Stars Earth Beasts Riuers Sea Globe Man Pag. 3 4. Poets and Philosophers concerning the Deity 5. The same illustrated by Historie 6. Sacriledge punished 7. Religion from the beginning with the multiplicity of gods among the Gentiles ibid. The historie of Syrophanes 8. Of Idolatry and Superstition 9. The originall of Idolatry 10. Of the Atheist with arguments against Atheisme 11. Of Chance and Fortune 12. Illustrations to confute Atheisme 13. The death of Lucian Atheos 14. A Paraphrase vpon Chap. 2. of the Booke of Wisedome against Atheisme 15. What Atheisme is 18. Seuerall sorts of Atheists 19. Gratitude toward God taught vs by Beasts Birds c. 21. Atheists confuted by their owne Oathes by Reason c. ibid. By Philosophie by Scripture 22. A Deity confessed by Idolaters 23. Proued by acquiring after Knowledge ibid. By the Ethnicks by the Oracle by the Sybils c. 24. Miracles at the birth of Christ. 25. Herods Temple and that at Delphos burnt in one day 26. The sect of the Sadduces with ridiculous tenets of the Atheists proposed and answered 27. Atheisme defined 31. Lawes amongst the Gentiles against Atheisme ibid. Atheists how punished 32. Iudgements vpon Atheisme and of Lucian 33. Of Timon his life death c. ibid. Prodigious effects of Atheisme 34 Holy-dayes obserued amongst the Gentiles ibid. Women famous for Chastitie and Pietie 35. Mortall men immortallised 36. Of the Semones ibid. Of diuers branded with impietie 37. Bad Wiues naughty Husbands wicked mothers vnnaturall Daughters 38 Of selfe-Murthers and Idolatry 39 Idols named in the Scriptures 40 Strange subtilties of the Diuell 42. Prodegies wrought by the Diuell in Idols 43 The malice of the Diuell 45 Augures amongst the Greeks and Romans 46. Aruspices Auspices