Plato Aristotle and other Philosophers confirming God onely to be the Creator of all things 234 Sect. 4. Opinions of Plato Aristotle and some Hebrewes concerning the worlds eternity the consonancie of opinions betwixt some ancient Philosophers and Moses about the worlds creation 236 Sect. 5. Ancient Philosophers attributed the framing and continuance of all sublunary Creatures as we Christians doe unto God with a recapitulation of severall consonancies betwixt us and them 238 Sect. 6. Severall other opinions wherein the ancient Heathnicks agreed with us Christians confirmed by the testimonies of their Poets 240 Sect. 7. Of good and bad spirits and wherein the opinions of the Heathnicks agree with ours concerning good spirits 242 Sect. 8. How neere the Ancients agree with us concerning bad spirits and in what orders they were divided of old 243 OF SLEEPE AND DREAMES Sect. 1. THat nothing can subsist without sleepe or rest exemplified in the death of Perseus King of Macedon The primary and secondary causes of sleepe that a sound coâ—science is a great motive to sound sleepe proved in the example of Thirois and his two Sonnes 245 Sect. 2. Examples of Kings and great Commanders that upon the thoughtfulnesse of some great exploit or encounter have beene extraordinarily surprized with unusuall sleepe and the reasons thereof agitated 248 Sect. 3. Alexander the great his sound sleeping when he should have encountred Darius in battell here excused Cato's sleeping before his death whereupon is inferred a discourse against selfe-murther 249 Sect. 4. Of Dreames both Naturall Accidentall Divine and Diabolicall Apollodorus dreame Abrahams Iosephs Pharaohs Nebuchadnezzars c. 251 Sect. 5. The Emperour Severus his dreame of Pertinax which he caused to be molded in Brasse An admirable dreame of the Emperour Henry the fifth Cicero's of Octavianus That beasts dreame but hard labouring men seldome and the reason thereof c. 254 A Table of the fifth Booke Wherein the READER must conceive that the Page begins anew and doth not follow the former computation OF THE NVMBERS THREE and SEVEN Sect. 1. Treating briefly of Numbers in generall 1 Sect. 2. Conteining variety of memorable things comprehended within the Number of Three as of Heaven and Hell and of Poeticall fictions and some observations amongst the Romans 2 Sect. 3. Conteining some Theologicall and Morall precepts and observations redacted under the number of three 5 Sect. 4. Of Politicke Government Of living Creatures and of duties belonging to men of severall professions as Physicians Iudges and Lawyers c. with some Physicall observations all Tripartite 7 Sect. 5. Memorable observations comprehended within the Number of Seven as of the age of the World and mans generation 9 Sect. 6. How the seven Planets are sayd to rule severally over the seven ages in the life of man 11 Sect. 7. The opinions of some Fathers of the Church and some Philosophers concerning the number of Seven what attributes they gave with some of Hypocrates observations thereon 13 Sect. 8. Of the Seven Wonders of the world 14 Sect. 9. A continuation of observations on the number of seven taken out of holy Scripture 15 Sect. 10. Of the seven great Potentates of the world of criticall dayes and climacterick yeeres with other observations 16 Sect. 11. Of the Worlds Continuance and Ending 19 A TREATISE OF Prodigies and Miracles Sect. 1. The definition of Miracles with their distinction In what time they were requisite in what not c. 21 Sect. 2. Of Prodigies and in what veneration they were amongst the ancient Romans 23 Sect. 3. A continuation of prodigies which happened in the time of the second Punick Warre with many others that were seene under the times of severall Consuls of Rome 26 Sect. 4. Of Prodigies that happened during the civill warres betwixt Marius and Sylla of some in Iulius Caesars time as at his passing the River of Rubicone the Pharsalian warres and at his death c. 28 Sect. 5. Of Prodigies before the death of Galba before the destruction of Ierusalem and at the end of the Valeriâ—n persecution 29 Sect. 6. A continuation of other Prodigies with a conclusion of this Treatise 31 SALAMANDRA OR The Philosophers Stone Sect. 1. THe History of the life and death of Antonio Bragadino 33 Sect. 2. The reason that moved the Author to handle this matter the different blessings betwixt the Indians and Christians the definition of the Philosophicall Stone the generall way and matter whereof it is made 35 Sect. 3. The Authors proposition the reason of its denomination opinion of most approved Authors touching it and of the possibility and factibility of it 37 Sect. 4. That the making of the Philosophers Stone is lesse expensive and laborious than many things we both use and weare why the makers of it enrich not themselves and others 39 Sect. 5. A generall relation of the matters and materials requisite to this Worke and in what time it may bee perfected 41 Sect. 6. Of the five degrees whereby the Worke is perfectioned and first how to bring it to Solution 43 Sect. 7. How from Solution to make Coagulation 44 Sect. 8. How from Coagulation to produce Fermentation 45 Sect. 9. The way to bring the Worke to Fixation 46 Sect. 10. From all the former how to perfectionate Multiplication 47 Sect. 11. A short recitall of some other wayes of perfecting it used by some Filii artis and why it is called Salamandra 47 OF THE WORLD Sect. 1. OF the various distractions of Philosophers in their opinions concerning their Gods and upon how ill grounds they were setled 94 Sect. 2. Of the severall sorts of Gods amongst the Heathen that they imagined them to bee authors of evils that they were but mortall men And some opinions of Philosophers concerning the nature beeing and power of their Gods 51 Sect. 3. Pythagoras opinion concerning the transmigration of soules rejected of the coupling of the soule and body together with severall opinions of the ancient learned men concerning the substance of the soule 54 Sect. 4. The former Heathnick opinions confuted by our Christian Beliefe that they differed concerning the time of the soules continuance and place of its abode how they thought soules after the separation from the body to bee rewarded for good or ill c. 56 Sect. 5. Philosophicall tenents of plurality of Words confuted of Gods Creation of male and femall of all living Creatures 58 Sect. 6. Severall opinions of severall Philosophers concerning the Worlds Eternity their naturall reasons for approving of it and what the Egyptians thought concerning the antiquity of the World 60 Sect. 8. The most approved opinion of all Philosophers concerning the Worlds beginning and matter the infallible truth of it and a checke of Augustines against over-curious inquisitors after those and the like mysteries 64 Sect. 9. How Philosophers differ from Christians in the wayes whereby God is knowne the parts whereof the world is composed the division of the celestiall Spheares wherein severall varieties may be
monuments of his workes shall find that not without reason hee hath beene so styled for all other sects of Philosophers have but like men in Cimmerian darkenesse gropingly stumbled now and then upon the nature of the true God-head and every nation in those dayes had their severall and those strangely imaginarie Gods distinguished in so many rankes imployed in so many businesses appointed to so many different and sometime base offices that their number in fine became almost innumerable In the meane time this man soaring above them al hath more neerly jumped with our beliefe touching the God-head In so farre that Amuleus that great Doctor in Porphyre his Schooles having read Saint Iohn the Evangelist his proeme was strooke with silence and admiration as ravished with his words but at length burst out in these termes by Iupiter saith he so thinketh a Barbarian meaning Plato that in the beginning the word was with God that it is this great God by whom all things were made and created Now that this is true This much I find in his Parmenides concerning the nature of the God-head That there are three things to bee established concerning the maker of all which three must be coeternal viz. That he is good that he hath a minde or understanding and that he is the life of the world Section 2. Of Gods Creating and conserving of all things in an orderly order Plato's Reasons that the world hath a life Aristotles opinion of God hee is praysed and at his dying preferred before many doubtfull Christians THis King or father of all which is above all nature immoveable yet moving all hath in him an exuberant and overflowing goodnesse From the Father and goodnesse the minde or understanding proceedeth as from the inbred light of the Sun commeth a certaine splendor which minde is the divine or Fathers Intelligence and the first borne Son of goodnesse From this minde the life of the world floweth a certaine brightnesse as from light which breatheth over all distributeth yeeldeth and conteyneth all things in life So that the world which consisteth of foure principles or elements comprehended within the compasse of the heavens is but a body whose partes as the members of a living creature cohering and linked together are moved and doe draw breath by benefit of this life or spirit as he thinks This Virgil in his sixth of the Aeneids aymed at when he saith Principio coelum terras camposque liquentes Lucentemque globum lunae Titaniaque astra Spiritus intus alit totamque infusa per artus Mens agitat molem magno se corpore miscet By his opinion here as all animalls and living creatures doe live every one by their owne life so the world as of greater dignity then any of the rest hath a more noble life whereby it moveth then they And in effect many pithy reasons he produceth both in his Epimenides in Timaeo and in the 10. Booke of his Lawes to prove the world to bee an animall both from the constant and perpetuall course of the heavens from that naturall heat of the Sun seeing the Sun and man ingender man to which as to all the Starres he attributeth a soule by which they live but so that as they are of a delicate and transparent body so live they a most blessed life yet not that they are moved with an other life then the whole world is For as in the body of man the soule whereby our sinewes bones flesh bloud and all are moved is one and the same notwithstanding all the members be not alike vivificated so is it there For what reason is there saith he that man who is called a little world and encompassed of the foure elements as well as the great world is should be said to live and in the meane time to deprive the greater one of life Seeing the motion of the heavens and of her lights the moving of the Seas the seasons of the yeare all keepe their equall and constant courses Alwayes as Plato here before setleth a Trinity in the God-head the Father the minde or mens which is the Son and the life of the world flowing from them as the Spirit and as brightnesse from light So in his Timaeo he avoucheth that there is in the heavens one certaine Ens which is ever alike unto it selfe without beginning or ending which neither needeth nor taketh helpe of any which can neither be seene by mortall eye nor yet perceived by any mortall sense but onely to be contemplated by our minde and understanding So Aristotle in his Metaphysicks and in his workes De mundo esteemeth this Ens sempiternall unmeasurable incorporeall and individuall not resting in this habitable world but above it in a sublime one unchangeable not subject unto any passion or affection who as hee hath of himselfe a most blessed and perfect life so without errour may it be said of him that he giveth life unto all other things below and it is to be observed that as in his writings hee acknowledged this God so in his dying-houre he made his writings and words jumpe together Which is so much the rather to be remarked because whereas many Christians did professe a sort of religion in their life-time which on their death-beds they did disclaime yet this man as he acknowledged God in his writings so dying he recommended his soule unto him in these words Ens entium miserere mei And particularly in his Booke of the Heavens the 9. cap. as is cleere there saith he without the outmost heavens there is no place vacuity or end because those that are there are not apt or meet to bee in place neither yet maketh time them any older nor are they subject to change or alteration being exexempted from all passion affection or change they leade a most blessed and eternall life And in the 12. of his Metaphysicks cap. 7. but more especially cap. 10. De unitate primi motoris In God saith he is age and life eternall and continuall which is God himselfe Section 3. Platos opinion concerning the Creation of the world seconded by Socrates and Antisthenes Opinions of Plato Aristotle and other Philosophers confirming God onely to be the Creator of all things AS the Philosophers doe agree with us herein and in sundry other places about the nature of God so doe they likewise that this God made the world and all that is in it governeth it and sustaineth it And first Plato in Timaeo if saith he this world be created and begotten it must necessarily be by some preceding cause which cause must be eternall and be gotten of none other Now what this cause is in his Epimenides thus he expresseth I saith he there maintaine God to be the cause of all things neither can it be other wayes And in that dispute which is betwixt Socrates and his friend Crito let us not be solicitous what the people esteeme of us but what hee thinketh who knoweth
one for the tutelage of every Countrey But that they should have imagined their Gods so irreligious as to have beene fawtors or authors much lesse actors of evill I thinke farre beneath the beliefe of any ex faece of the lees and dregges of the people much more of a wise man and a Philosopher which moveth mee to thinke that those were wisest amongst them who medled least to speake of their Gods and vexed not themselves with their enquiry but with Socrates esteemed the best judgement that they could make of their Gods to be to judge nothing at all of them The most diligent inquirers in the end discovered them to have beene but mortall men who in their life-time had proved worthy either in Warre or peace were deified after their death And accordingly Augustus Caesar had more Temples and pompous solemnities instituted in his favour than Iupiter Olimpius almost had So that to obscure the basenesse of their Gods it would seeme that they were moulded or painted of old with their fist closed upon their mouthes or at least their fingers as willing thereby living men to speake either sparingly of their nature or nothing at all Thus Pythius Apollo said well and before him Timaeus to his Disciple Socrates speaking of the nature of the Gods Vt potero explicabo non ut certa fixa sunt quae dixero sed ut homunciolus probabilia conjectura adumbrans And in other places Sperantium sunt haec non probantium But to enter here into the diversity of their opinions concerning the Deity the nature and descent of their Gods I am loath lest wee should imagine those Philosophers in stead of wise men as they were called to have beene starke madde Thales esteeming Gods to bee spirits which had made all things of water for he was the first that â—ried in the cabin of their secrets Anaximenes on the contrary willeth them to be of the ayre because they as it should bee in continuall motion Others of no little note repute the Sunne and the Moone with the Starres to be Gods Labentem coelo qui ducitis annum Liber alma Ceres vestro si numine c. Some againe made that Law imprinted in our hearts by which we are inwardly as it were driven to doe good and to abstaine from evill Pythagoras reputed God to be a certaine Spirit spread and shed abroad on or in the nature of all things so that with him all were full of Gods Others finally flatly deny that there was any at all but that all things had beeing as they are and should continue in a perennell motion vicissitude and change But I should weary you if I should but relate every one of their severall opinions SECT 3. Pythagoras opinion concerning the transmigration of soules rejected of the coupling of the soule and body together with severall opinions of the ancient learned men concerning the substance of the soule O What perplexity and doubts were the ancient Philosophers plunged in concerning the transmigration of their soules their renowned Pythagoras avouched that strange opinion of Metempsychosis of the change or transplacing of the soule of a dying man to and in the body of a new borne creature whether beast or rationall body and then that body dying againe that selfe same soule to remove and regaine a new habitation and so to continue from body to body To which so fond an imagination I thinke no old womans fable comparable And yet I excuse some way the irresolution of the Philosophers in this point much more than in the mistaking of their Godhead because I finde that besides them even the best Professors have doubtings in this point that some of our Christian Fathers have beene touched with an admiration how the soule and body were coupled and yoaked together whence one of the most famous is brought in saying that Modus quo animae adherent corporibus omninò mirus est nec comprehendi aâ— homine potest as before him Plinius Omnia abdita in naturae majestatis gremio reclusa So that with the Poet no marvell though they should say likewise Ignoratur enim quae sit natura animai Nata est an contra nascentibus insinuetur Et simul intereat nobiscum morte perempta An tenebras orci visat vastasque lacunas An pecudes alias divinitus insinuet se. The alterations and disputes concerning the substance of the soule are so many and different as is a wonder some deny there is any soule in the body but that our bodies move of themselves by the instinct and power of nature Others againe confesse that there is a soule wherewith our bodies are vivified say it is a mixt thing composed of water and earth others of fire and earth Empedocles wills it to be of and in the blood thus Eurialus dying was said to render sanguineam animam Sanguineam vomit ille animam Zeno more judiciously in that kinde esteemeth it to bee the quintessence of the foure Elements Hypocrates a spirit diffused through the whole body and every part thereof Ita ut sit tota in toto tota in qualibet parte It was a generall and received opinion that in this world there was a generall Soule Anima mundi from which as all particular ones were extracted so being separated from their bodies thither they returned againe according to which Virgill saith Deum namque ire per omnes Terrasque tractusque maris c. And againe Scilicet hinc reddi deinde ac resoluta referrâ— Omnia nec morti esse locum SECT 4. The former Heathnick opinions confuted by our Christian Beliefe that they differed concerning the time of the soules continuance and place of its abode how they thought soules after the separation from the body to be rewarded for good or ill c. THe last most plausible opinion and which hath purchased to it selfe most Patrons was that the Father infused it into the Childe by generation from which opinion few have swarved but Christians who are taught to beleeve that the soule is given us from above The Iewish Church held as wee Coelitus demissa and not ex traduce Thus Salomon Eccles. 12. ver 7. The Philosophers generally held the contrary the Poets whom I account Rythmicall Philosophers as Philosophers unversified Poets are copious in this subject Fortes creantur fortibus bonis faith the Lyrick Nec imbelles faerocem progenerant aquilam columbae And againe another Dolus vulpibus ac fuga cervis A Patribus datur Now as they differed in opinion touching the substance and discent of their soules so no lesse varied they about the time how long and the place where the soules should continue after the dissolution of their bodies The Stoicks maintained that the soule shall remaine a certaine space after the dissolution from the body but not ever Pythagoras and his Sect of whom a little before that the soules of the departed did remove from that body to
they doe dry as we doe fishes the bodyes of their dead which thereafter they hang up round about the Walls of their inner roomes adorning their heads shoulders and upper lips with Gold and Pearle And Ortelius in his Cosmographie speaking of Find-land or Lapland which he calls Livonia where there is no Religion almost at all because after the manner of the Heathen they worship the Sunne Moone and Serpents c. I find I say that when any one of great esteeme dieth his friends sit round about his corps laid on the earth but not yet covered with any mould and make good cheere and drinke to his farewell and putting the Cuppes in his hand as if he could pledge them they quaffe about a long time in end they lay him in the grave with store of meate and drinke by him and put a peece of money in his mouth and a sharpe Pole-axe fast by him then they shout aloud in his eares and give him in Commission that when he shall come to the other world whither they had victualled him and given him mony to defray his charges that he faile not whensoever he meete with any Dutch man to correct him as well as they had thralled him and theirs in this world which custome but after a more solemne manner and sumptuous they of China Cathay and Tartarie keepe almost in all points The like wherof that same Author observeth done in Ternessare a Citie of the East Indies but not to a like enemy In Greece yet as of old at least in such parts of it as are under the Turkish Empyre whensoever any remarkable person dieth all the women thereabouts after their old heathen custome meete together about the house of the deceased and there choosing the lowdest and shrillest voices to beginne betimes in the morning they make lamentable howlings and cryes weeping and tearing the haire from their heads beating their teats and breasts with their nailes defacing their cheekes and faces they conduct him to his grave singing by the way his praises and recounting what memorable things he had done in his life Which custome Aëtius an ancient Historian of our Country observeth to have beene used of Old amongst our British and yet in our Highlands is observed The Poets in their Luctus neniae make mention of this and the like as Ovid Horace Iuvenall Catuallus Tibullus Propertius amongst the Greekes Sophocles Musaeus Aristophanes Phocyllides and the rest whereof Ennius speaking of himselfe Nemo me lachrymis decoret nec funera flet◠Faxit Cur volito vivus per ora virum Sect. 4. Other severall Customes of interring the Dead amongst Aegyptians Romans and Indians that the manner of Christian Interrements are preferreable to all other NOw what hath beene the Curiosity of the Aegyptians for the keeping of their dead their Momies can testifie where the whole and intyre bodyes of some of their Princes and great men were to bee seene of late who died many thousand yeares agoe whereof who pleaseth to reade may consult Diodorus Siculus Ammianus Marcellinus Strabo Herodotus and others the Athenians and after their example the Salaminians saith Sabellicus lib. 5. Aeneid 2. used to interre their dead with their faces turned to the Sunne setting not to the rising with the Megarians and apparently Catullus was of their opinion when he said Nobis cùm semel occidit brevis lux nox perpetua una dormienda est But of the severall fashions of burying the dead I finde two most remarkable the one of some Greeks and Romans and not used but by those of the better sort which was in burning the Corps of the deceased after this manner There was either an Eagle or some other great fowle tyed unto the top of the Pyramide of Wood wherein the dead body lay This Pyramide being kindled by some of the most intire friends of the deceased amongst the cloud of smoke the Fowle being untyed which was tyed before was seene to flutter and flye away which by the Spectators was taken to be the soule of the deceased flying to Heaven the Ashes then of this burnt body they collected and kept in an Vrne and of this the Poets almost every where make mention The other was the Indians in eating the dead bodyes of their Parents and friends as they did in ire to those of their foes thinking that they could give them no more honorable Sepulchre abhorring the others burning into ashes as a thing unnaturall which might well be seene at the time that Alexander had conquered them for he willed both Greekes and Indians to doe alike but they upon no condition would condiscend to that the power of custome being so strong as it was impossible for any Novations though never so good to alter it Amongst al fashions above rehearsed I think that of our Christian interments to be most consonant to nature seeing of earth we are and that to it we must returne againe As for the Greekes howling weeping renting their cloathes haire and faces it seemeth that Saint Augustine in his worke De cura pro mortuis habenda aymed at them for in that whole worke I perceave nothing that maketh much for praying for them but chiefly he willeth all men to moderate extraordinary Griefes mournings and howlings for them seeing they rest from their labours and his conclusion is good that if prayers for the dead be not meritorious for them yet at least that they are some way comfortable for the living Si non subsidia mortuorum saith hee tamen solatia sunt viventium Indeede I will not deny but that Father and others also in their writings allow prayer for the dead as Peter Martyr Vermillius also in his loco 9. lib. 3. in the Title De Purgatorio denyeth it not but onely he refuseth such prayers to have beene subsidiary or helpfull to them but rather congratulatorie for that they were released from all their miseries which he instanceth by the funerall Oration of Saint Ambrose upon the deaths of the Emperors Theodosius and Valentinian where there is no mention of praying for their soules to ease or shorten their paines in Purgatory Section 5. That the Church of Rome reapeth great commodity by their funerall ceremonies as by their bells Cymballs Torches processions of order and the rest silent obscquies condemned a story of a woman whose Ghost haunted her Husband and family after her death and the cause thereof NOw for all this as there is nothing whereby the Church of Rome reapes more commodity then by their prayers for the dead for it is called the Friers kitchen So it is there is nothing wherein their pompous solemnities and their devotion appeareth more than in their accompanying their dead to the grave with the sound of Bells and Cymballs Tapers Torches prayers musicke Church Ornaments solemne processions of the fraternities and not without contention of precedence of orders all which ceremonyes as they bred a kinde of pious compassion in
coagulatum album and of menstruall Mercury foure parts of the weight of Sol. Amalgamaz them and put them in the viol on a lukewarme heat for 15. dayes till Sol. by the Mercury bee reduced into a subtile calx Then amalgamaz in a marble morter all the foresaid coagulatum album with the Calx Solis and menstruall Mercury then put altogether in the viol and set it for a month in a heat of the second degree then set it in a heat of the third degree and let it so continue a good space till it become an hard white heavy masse and from thence to an yellow colour and from this to an orenge colour and thereafter incline to be redish coloured SECT 9. The way to bring the worke to Fixation FIxation for projection and transmutation take the halfe of the said masse and bruise it put it in a luted glasse and set it on sand in a furnace and increase the fire unto the fourth degree that all may be made so fervent that if a drop of water do fall on the sand it make an hissing it must stand so for 40. dayes till the pulverished masse become a most subtile pouder And for projection of this pouder one part of it upon a 100. parts of Mercury vulgar but washed with vineger and salt will make the whole a perfect tincture and as some hold one part of this hundreth fold tincture projected on another hundreth parts of Mercury in whole will make and afford 1000. parts of tincture for gold whereof one part projected on 100. parts of warme Mercury will presently transmute it into perfect Sol. SECT 10. From all the former how to perfectionate Multiplication MVltiplication is that wonderfull part of this artifice whereby the stone being once made needeth not to be made over againe but may be multiplied to suffice continually and it is thus done Take the other halfe of the masse left in Fixation or what quantity you please of it before Fixation and put to it of Lac virgineum or aqua vitae prepared and provided for the purpose and made after the manner aforesaid a third part and handle it after the same manner as is set downe in the worke of Fermentation and it will become as fit both for Fixation to Projection and Multiplication as before and will ever be so oft as it is reiterate SECT 11. A short recitall of some other wayes of perfecting it used by some Filij artis and why it is called Salamandra IF any please to make the Philosophers stone onely ad album that is for transmutation of Mercury into Luna he may observe this forefaid methode which is onely ad rubrum and so proceede in all things after that same manner except onely two things 1. for Sol take Luna fined and battered out in small and thinne plates 2. when it commeth to the worke of Fermentation give it onely a heat and fire in the third degree so long till the Fermented masse become somewhat hard and then proceede with it to Fixation and Multiplication as is said in the operation ad rubrum Some joyne together both Sol and Luna in the progresse of the worke till it come to Fermentation and then to obtaine tinctura alba for transmutation into Luna they put to Luna for the Ferment and to obtaine tinctura rubra for transmutation into Sol they put to Sol for the Ferment so they proceed as is said There are diverse otherwayes in the making of the Philosophers stone some more compendious some of a longer processe but this that is here set downe is the best The Philosophers stone is rightly called Salamandra because it s bred and nourished in the fire It is a treasure both for turning other mettals into gold or silver and for any universall medicine to cure and prevent almost all diseases Which so admirably being once by art found out doth shew its power and force that with Augurollus Ipsius ut tenui projecta parte per undas Aequoris Argentum vivum tum si foret aequor Omne velimmensum Verti mare posset in aurum OF THE WORLD Its Beginning Frame and Ending At least the conjecturall Ending SECT 1. Of the various distractions of Philosophers in their opinions concerning their Gods and upon how ill grounds they were setled IN perusing the Monuments and Writings of the old Philosophers as I finde them abstruse and intricate in divers points of their professions so particularly I remarke their irresolutions and likewise the differences amongst themselves Of these speciall heads following to passe by divers others which I have observed in their Poets First of the true nature and essence of the Godhead which they worshipped Next of the discent of their soules into their bodies and of the event of these soules when they should leave them And lastly of the beginning and ending of this World of every one of which a little here Alwayes in handling these points and the first principally I exempt Plato and Aristotle for what their opinion is herein I have touched in that Title which sheweth how neere in all these three they jumpe with our Christian Religion which otherwise distracted the rest of the Sects To be briefe then à love principium this is admirable that some Gods they admitted as not perfect ones whence Ovid saith or at least bringeth in Iupiter to this purpose Quos quoniam nondum coeli dignamur honore Quas dedimus certè terras habitare sinamus as if in any Deity there should be imperfection But why not so to them seeing Chrysippus admitteth some mortall as well as immortall which at the last conflagration of the world shall all be consumed by fire so that of their Dii minorum gentium none shall goe safe except Iupiter alone To passe by that Srato exempts the Gods from all charge and office ascribing all things to be done by Nature presupposing as many restoratives ordained for the upholding of it as there are destructives appointed for its undoing Was there not Gods appointed by them as the Patrons to all vices and authorizers of it yea they set them at oddes one against the other Mulciber in Troiam pro Troia stabat Apollo And againe Neptunus muros nagnoque immota tridenti fundamenta quatit c. And through all Homer Minerva aideth Achilles Iupiter lamed Vulcan he againe enchained Mars and Venus and the like fopperies SECT 2. Of the severall sorts of Gods amongst the Heathen that they imagined them to bee authors of evils that they were but mortall men And some opinions of Philosophers concerning the nature beeing and power of their Gods IT was some way dispensable yet at least quoad eos to have fained Gods almost for all naturall productions as Flora for the flowers of the Gardens Bacchus for the Wines Ceres for the Corne Iuno for Childe-births and so forth yea and to have prescribed one for every Craft or Trade yea and
another of which sort yet some were of opinion that of these same soules some removed to heaven againe and within a space thereafter reddescended to the lower parts which Virgill intimateth when hee saith O Pater Anne aliquas ad caelum hinc ire putandum est Sublimes animas rursumque ad tarda reverti Corpora est And againe Lathos culices longa oblivia potant Plato and that he hath out of Pindarus esteemeth that as a man hath lived well or ill in this world accordingly his soule shall bee requited hereafter if well that then it shall be rejoyned to the Starre to which it was first assigned if ill that then it shall be coupled to one of some malignant influence Finally Apuleius Madaurensis in his tractate of the Moone bringeth in Plutarch maintaining that the soules of well doers here during their abode in bodies to be converted into Demi-gods or Saints On the contrary the ill ones or at the least the worst are turned into Demons As for the absolute eternity of them they medled with that opinion rather more Sperantium quà m probantium By this preceding discourse wee may see how farre we are obliged to the infinite mercies of our great God who as he hath revealed himselfe truly unto us at whom these ancient wise men but in a glimpse obscurely aymed so hath hee ridde our mindes of that perplexity wherein they were wrapt and infolded touching both the discent and event of our Soules SECT 5. Philosophicall tenents of plurality of Words confuted of Gods Creation of male and femall of all living Creatures BEcause the discourse of the World and the Philosophers opinions touching the beginning continuance and ending of it is the Theame which directly here I intend to handle I haste me to it That there were more worlds than one Democritus Epicurus and others mantained as an undoubted verity whence the Poet Terramque Solem Lunam Mare caetera quae sunt Non esse unica sed numero magis innumerali The reason whereupon they grounded the probability of their opinion was this because that in all the Vniverse there was nothing created alone without a mate or fellow as in all birds fishes beasts Yea in plants and hearbs and in man their under Monarch may be seene but as Aristotle himselfe hath confounded that opinion of his prior Philosophers concerning their plurality of worlds so naturall reason may leade us by the hand to its convincing for if there was another world it behoveth to be as this is spherite and round because that of all figures the orbicular is as most perfect so most spacious then if they were round howbeit in their sides they might touch and kisse one another yet sure betwixt the superior convexes and lower concaves there behoved to bee vacuities which their owne Maximes admit not for Natura say they abhorret à vacuo As for that conjugality if abusively I might say so of all living Creatures in paires it was ordained by the great maker for the propagation and multiplication of their kindes which otherwise had decayed for with Apulcias Cunctatim sumus perpetui sigillatim mortales SECT 6. Severall opinions of severall Phylosophers concerning the Worlds Eternitie their naturall reasons for approving of it and what the Egyptians thought concerning the antiquitie of the World THeir other opinion of the Eternitie of the World hath had more Patrons than this and that so much the rather because that seeing the Godhead their supreame Ens was from all Eternitie that therefore I say hee could not then even from all beginning if Eternitie could admit a beginning be a Creator without a creature for otherwise he should have nothing to do as they say So that those of this opinion doe not infringe that of the most famous in all the Greeke schooles favoring the Eternitie of the World saying that the World was a god created by a greater One this World being a body composed of soule and bodie which Soule had its seate and residence in the Center from whence it diffused by musicall numbers her force and power to the remotest extremities of the circumference having within it other lesser gods as the Seas Aire Starres which doe corresponde to other in a mutuall harmonie in perpetuall agitation and motion The Earth sending up vapors to the Aire the Aire rayning downe upon the Seas againe the Seas by secret conduits and channells transmitting them into the earth like veines ramifying themselves and bubbling up in fountaines rivers and brookes c. The Sunne and starres infusing their force upon all Creatures and vegetables The Moone hers upon the Sea Apuleius as in his tractat de Mundo Luna Deo Socrates aimes at this above spoken So Herodotus when he enquired at the Aethiopian and Aegyptian Gymnosophists what they thought of the Eternitie of the Word had for answere That since their first king of whom they shew him the picture exquisitely done There had runne out a leven thousand and so many hundred yeares and that by their observations the Sunne had changed foure times his ordinary course and the heavens theirs also And Diodorus setteth downe that in his dayes the Chaldeans kept Register of foure hundreth thousand yeares since the first beginning which admit were but Lunarie which is problematicke neverthelesse it is above all measure farre beyond the reckoning of their neighbours the Iewes To this opinion of the Egyptian and Indian Gymnosophists favouring the Eternitie of the World may be added the opinion of the Materiarie philosophers who howbeit they admit the beautie of the World to have come unto it with time yet they hold confidently that the Chaos and matter it selfe whence I call them Materiarcy was coetanean and contemporary from all beginning with the Maker Of this opinion was Hesiod in his Theogoma saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Now to speake of the divers opinions of the other old Philosophers who admitted a beginning to this world and what principalls they supposed for it Heraclitus was of opinion that the world was begunne with fire and that by the fatall order of the Destinies it should bee destroyed by it againe and dissolved in flames yet in such sort that after some ages thus being purified it should be renewed againe which Leo Hebraeus some way admits Thales againe would have the beginning of it to have beene of water having fished that out of Homer as it seemeth and Virgill from him againe At nos interram lympham vertaminor omnes And we often reade in Homer and Virgil pater oceanus But what more foolish or idle conceit than that of Democritus and Leucippus who imagined the beginning of the world and of all contained therein to have beene by the casuall encounter of Atoms which are little infectile bodies not unlike the Moates which wee see to tumble and rowle about in the Sunne beames when they pierce any glasse-window or cranice whose encounter like unto these
Secondly seeing man in respect of the constitution of his nature is participant both of things bodily and materiall as also of things immateriall and spirituall for which cause by Philo Iudeus in his Booke de opâ—ficio mundi he is called nexus Dei mundi and rerum materialium immaterialium horâ—zon were great sottishnesse or stupidity in man to labour for the knowledge of materiall and bodily things with which he symbolizeth in respect of his baser part that is his body and not to care for knowledge of spirituall and immateriall things to which he is like and as it were of kinne in respect of his better part to wit his soule Thirdly seeing the happinesse of man I meane his contemplative or speculative happinesse standeth in the knowledge and contemplation of these things which are most excellent and most sublime he would come very farre short of that happinesse if he were ignorant of these things which are handled in the Metaphysicks for they are spirituall and immateriall and consequently are most excellent and also most sublime and difficult in respect they doe farre exceede the reach of all sense and sensitive knowledge SECT 4. The excellencie and dignity of the knowledge of Metaphysick that onely free and sublime mindes not distracted with worldly cares are fit for this studâ—e and the Reasons wherefore I Have spoken already of the divers names and titles of this Science of the reasons wherefore it was invented as also of the necessity of it Now in the last roome I will speake something of the excellencie and dignity of it Aristotle in the 1. Booke of his Metaphysicks 2 chapt saith two things which serve very much for manifesting or declaring the excellencie of this Science first hee saith that it is a Science more fit and suitable for God than for men or to give you it in his owne words that ejus possessio non existimari debet humana that is that man is not sufficiently worthy to possesse or enjoy this Science and that because this Science of all Sciences is most free yea it onely is free from all subjection to other Sciences and from all reference to any higher or more eminent knowledge for all naturall knowledge can equall and much lesse exceede the sublimity of Metaphysicall speculation and therefore this Science requireth a minde free and sublime that is a minde not depressed with base cogitations nor distracted with worldly cares as ordinarily the mindes of men are in respect of the manifold wants and necessities into which they are subject in this life Seeing then God only is free from such distracting and depressing cares therefore in Aristotles judgement this Science is more suitable for him than for men Secondly hee saith that this Science is amongst all Sciences the most honourable because it is most divine And that it is most divine hee proveth by two very forcible reasons first because this Science versatur in rebus divinis it contemplateth divine and heavenly things and this hee proveth because it considereth God himselfe as he is the first principium and the supreame cause of all things Secondly because Haee Scientia maximè à Deo habetur the perfect and exact knowledge of this Science most truely and properly is attributed to God for this Science in a manner vieweth and considereth all things it hath an especially eye to spirituall and invisible substances and amongst these it especially and chiefly contemplateth God himselfe as the highest degree of entity and the supreame cause of all things Now to take a full view of all the rankes orders and degrees of things to have a positive and distinct knowledge of that invisible world the world of Angels and above all to have a perfect and comprehensive knowledge of that boundlesse Ocean of beeing and goodnesse which is in God it requireth not a finite ingine or understanding but an infinite capacity and an unspeakable sharpenesse of wit SECT 5. For three respects the Metaphysick is called the most excellent Science and the most necessary to be understood by Christians BY these things which are said by Aristotle in that chapter and in other parts of his workes for the commendation of this Science wee may see this Science to be most excellent in three respects First because of the universality and amplitude of the object or subject of it for in the Spheare or circuite of it all rankes orders and degrees of things are comprehended so that looke how farre the knowledge of the whole celestiall Globe exceedeth the knowledge of one constellation and the knowledge of the universall Mappe or table of the whole Earth exceedeth in dignity the knowledge of the Mappe of one Province or Countrey as farre doth Metaphysick which is as it were one universall Carde or Mappe presenting to our view all rankes orders and degrees of beeing exceede in dignity these particular delineations and descriptions of things which are set downe in inferiour Sciences SECT 6. The first respect for the universality SEcondly because of the dignity of the subject of it for not onely is this Science exercised about the speculation of the highest and most generall causes principles and attributes of things but also it descendeth into a speciall consideration of the most noble and excellent things of the world that is of God and of his Angels for not onely doe Christian Philosophers now in the Metaphysicks dispute of them but also Aristotle himselfe in his Metaphysicks especially in his 12 Booke doth most excellently discourse of them And truely it is more than marvellous that an Heathnick or Pagan-philosopher should by the light of Nature have penetrated so farre into the knowledge of God For to passe by that which he writeth in the 10. chapter of that Booke De unitate Dei proving and demonstrating unum esse principium gubernatorem universi and concluding his discourse with that saying of the Poet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To omit I say this discourse of his De unitate primi motoris or as he calleth God in that Booke primi moventis immobilis in the 7 chapter of that Booke he sheweth that God is primum intelligibile primum appetibile that is he is ens omnium aptissimum dignissimum quod intelligatur appetatur as Fonseca commenting upon that place doth expound it that he necessariò existit caetera omnia ab co pendent that perfectissimam beatissimam vitam degit that ejus beatitudo est perpetua sine intermissione aut alteratione that Dei beatitudo ex sui contemplatione nascitur that ejus contemplatio est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 jucundâ—ssimum quid optimum that not onely vivit vitam beatissimam but hee is ipsa vâ—ta beata or as he speakes himselfe vita sempiterna optima Truely this Pagan Philosopher hath found a wonderfull joy and delight in this his speculation of the essence and happinesse of God
terminate with a subject If there be multiplicity of formes in one selfe same matter If formes of matters be extracted out of the potentialitie of the matter If Angels be species or individualls Curiosity in Logick to know what sort of relation betweene the creature and the Creator What Heaven the Prophet Enoch was wrapt unto What and where Abrahams bosome If beasts herbs plants will bee renewed with man after the resurrection If there be degrees of glory in heaven What language in heaven Curiosity in Physicke to know whether there be more worlds then one If there was one before this The Starres and heavenly lights force not our inclinations The inclination of Parentâ— more mooveth children naturally then the Starres doe The number and greatnesse of certain Stars in the via lactea Diversities of opinions Via Lactea differently given up The enquiry of the secrets of nature convenient food for a curious Spirit Eudoxus craved to be neere the Sunne although it should be with the hazard of his life as that hee might knowe it Because curiosity to know is a plague therefore our faith is settled upon things incredible to human reason The Gods of the Ancients were pourtraited with their fingers upon their mouthes and why As in Divine mysteries we should not be too curious So should we not in any worldly businesse As we should not bâ— over-curious â—o should we not be lâ—sse curious with the Stoicks referring all to destiny As the most curious craftsman is not ever either the wisest or the Wealthiest So the most curious heads are not they to whom God manifests his seâ—rets God as hee is above Nature so worketh he beyond Nature some times Great and sublime spirits stumble more vilely then the meaneâ— sort Dion Areopagita's observation of the Ecclipse at our Saviours suffering Opinions of the needle in the compasse Of Nilus her sourse and inundation Mens dispositions Burning hills and Mountaines Columbus first intention and motive to his voyage Columbus his reason His voyage His policy The cause of dearth since Columbus voyage Columbus's worth depraved His vindication Columbus denomination of Americus conferred on Vespucius Here againe vindicated Another aspersion on him Livias curiosity The understanding and reason in man is as the Sunne in the firmament Will as the Moone which should have no light cut from her Sun reason What happines is according to Aristotle By our understanding we know God by our will we love him What and wherein consisteth the old Philosophicall felicity so much spoken of being that whereof we now treate That our feliciâ—â— cannot consist in the actions of our will It would seem that our happinesse did not coâ—sist in the actions of our reason and understanding but in these of our will Reasons in favours of Will The actions of the will the object of it seemes to bee more noble then these of the intellect Will and understanding how coincident This question of felicity consisting in will and understanding is coincident with that Theologicall question of Faith good workes The end of all Sciences is to know which the Philosopher saith is good of it selfe The properties of our Soveraigne happinesse The greatest property of our feliâ—iâ—y is as to crave nothing more so not to feare the losse of that which wee have Wealth and honour cannot be our happinesse The different opinions of the Philosophers upon this purpose Happinesse wherein it did consist according to Socra The Epicureans and Stoicks their opinions The latter Philosophers have refuted al others establishing their owne Finally what our true felicity is and wherein it doth consist By this soveraine felicity a man liveth in tranquility and dieth in peace A Simile Difference betwixt Platonick and Christians Multiplicity of Gods amongst the heathen The Trinity shadowed by Plato Plato his reasons why the world liveth His opinion of God Some of the Hebrews of the same mind Platos opinion of propagation and continuance of all things Platos termes not far different from Moses words Comparison of the old Roman Philosophers with the Roman Church now The Hierarchie of blessed Spirits Sleepe mainteiner of all living creatures Perseus dyed for want of sleepe Causes of sleep Secondary Thirois murther Alexander the great his sleep Augustus his Alexanders great fortune Catoes sleepe His death A digression against selfe murder In his booke de Senectute Division of dreames Natural which Accidentall Divine Diabolicall Severus dream of Pertinax Severus causeth to be cast the manner of his dreame in brasse Henry the 5 th his admirable dreame Cicero's dream of Octavianus Antiquity superstitious in the observance of numbers The use of number Three Heavens Three Hells Heathnick superstitions Poeticall fictions Theologicall and Morall Vertues Of Sinne. How our appetites are bridled Christian duties How wee offend God an how to appease him Christs humiliation and exalation How to know God David Salomon Mans Enemies Love Of Feare Degrees of government About dyeâ—â— What Creatures God ordained for mans use Physicians Lawyers Iudges Division of Lawes Chirurgian Oratour Civilian Poets Physicall observations Customes amongst the Persians The seven ages of mans life attributed to the seven Planets Seven Wonders Two kindes of Miracles False Miracles which True Miracles Difference betwixt true and false Miracles Why God permitteth false miracles When miracles were most necessary The piety of the ancient Romans after any remakeble Prodigies Christians blamed A River raâ— blood The institution of the Novâ—ndiâ—lia sacra The heavens burned Three Moones A childe of a moneth old spake Men seene in the skie Two moones at once A greene Palme tree tooke fire of it selfe Rivers runne blood An Oxe spake It rained stones Ensignes sweat blood 〈…〉 The â—arth rend asunder A Statue wept The Capitoll destroyed by fire from heaven Images in Temples sweat blood Instruments heard to play where none were An Oxe spake A Comet like a sword hang over Ierusalem An Oxe calâ—ed Formidable Thunders Earth-quakes The deboarding of Tyber ominous to Rome A blazing starre The sea cast out monsters It rained blood three dayes A huge stone fell from heaven A great piece of Ice fell in Rome Conclusion 〈…〉 His meeting with an Herâ—â—te His proficiencie in the Art of Chimestrie His Present to the Senate Restored to favour He is suspected of Treachery Hee flyes to Bavaria He is hanged on a gilded Gybbetâ— The plenty of gold which the West Indians have The true matter of gold Ripleus c. 3. P. 74. Iodoc. Grenerus p. 36. â—los Flor. p. 35. 37. Thom. Aquin ad fratrem c. 1. Tauladan p. 28. Rosarum p. 18. Libaniuâ— Mullerus Aquinase 3. Daustricus p. 16. Monachus p. 16. Benedictus p. 5â— 57 58. c. Moâ—iennes two principless Solut. coagulat Moriennes Theob Arnaldus 〈◊〉 p. 61 62. Exercet 3. in tu bam Arnald in specie Scala philosoph p. 103 Mulletus de lap philosoph Rosarium p. 189. Libanius Arnaldus Iullius p. 116. Arnaldus Mullerus Miracula chymica Libanius Isaacus Lullius Calid c. 6. Rolinus p. 283. Dastinâ—s p. 30. Mullerus Libanius Scotus p. 61. â—â—1 Agurâ—lls Three speciall points wherewith the ancient Philosophers was most perplexed The opinions of the old Philosophers concerning the nature of the Gods The philosophers not only admitted their Gods aâ— inventers of good but fomenters of evill also The Philosophicall errour concerning the discent and progenie of their Gods The errours touching the descent of their soules Divers opinions of the philosophers concerning the substance of their soules The different opinion concerning the event of soules after their separation from their bodies Their reasons why there were moâ— worlds than one Opinions concerning the Eternitie of the World The Gymnosophists answere concerning the Eternitie The Philosophicall differences concerning the beginning of the World The fond conceites of those who imagined all things to be by the encounter of Atoms A theological observation upon the premisses Our Christian beleefe touching the Worlds beginning and ending Three wayes of knowing God A briefe description of the World The division of the heavens and Coelestiall Spheares The Plannets and their retrodations in their proper spheares Cause of the Moones change Different motions of the Starres What the great Platonick Starre was The Waters and Earth make but one Globe Why the Seas debarr'd from overflowing the Earth Division of the Earth Of America What maketh all things so deare now Of our old known world the third part is not Christian and that as yet different amongst it selfe Division of Asia The West and East parts Turkish professors divided amongst themselves A litle description of America and the New-found-lands What time of the yeare the world was created When probably it may be thought to take an end Copernick his opinion that the Earth did move rejected Why the change of Triplicities cannot be a ground for change of States The starrie firmament devided in so many Asterismes Bodin his triplicitâ—ie is not such The changing of triplicities notable to change the nature of things and Why Diversities of peoples natures conformeable to the positure of the heavenly Plannets The naturall disposition of the Plannets argueth the Inclination of people over which they are planted If people be changed from that which they were wont to be Why and How If some Countries be barren others plentifull Why and How Man compared to the World Qualities of the Northern and Easterne people The three faculties of the Soule Conclusion Metaphysick first called Sapientia 2 Phylosophia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 3 Prima Philosophia 4 Philosophia Theologica 5 Metaphysica and why Whereof it treateth Two causes why Metaphysick is added to the other Sciences The first The second cause Metaphysick excelleth other Sciences A supposition resolved First Reason Second Reason Third Reason That Metaphysick is free from all subjection to other Sciences Reason Why the Science of Metaphysick is most honourable Comparison Christian Philosophers Aristotle Fonseca Suarez That the consideration of mans soule and not himselfe belongeth to Metaphysick Ruvins his opinion The benefit of the knowleâ—ge of the Metaphysickâ— Controversies