also the first naming of the seuen Planets The Science of Astronomie they say was much furthered by Enoch who saith Eupolemon was by the Greekes called Atlas to whom they attributed the inuention thereof Plinie was of opinion that Letters were eternall Howsoeuer it is more then apparant that the Booke bearing Enochs name is very fabulous which because the Tales therein professe antiquity although they were later dreames I thought it not vnfit to borrow out of Scaliger somewhat of that which he hath inserted in his Notes vpon Eusebius the Greeke Copie being as the Phrase testifieth translated out of Hebrew which had beene the worke of some Iew the Antiquity appeareth in that Tertullian citeth it The words are these And it came to passe when the sonnes of men were multiplyed there were borne to them faire Daughters and the Watch-men so he calleth the Angels out of Dan. 4. lusted and went astray after them and they said one to another Let vs choose vs Wiues of the Daughters of men of the Earth And Semixas their Prince said vnto them I feare me you will not doe this thing and I alone shall be debter of a great sinne And they all answered him and said We will all sweare with an Oath and will Anathematise or Curse our selues not to alter this our minde till we haue fulfilled it and they all sware together These came downe in the dayes of Iared to the top of the Hill Hermon And they called the Hill Hermon because they sware and Anathematised on it These were the names of their Rulers Semixas Atarcuph Arachiel Chababiel Orammante Ramiel Sapsich Zakiel Balkiel Azalzel Pharmaros Samiel c. These tooke them Wiues and three Generation were borne vnto them the first were great Gyants the Gyants begat the Naphelim to whom were borne Eliud and they taught them and their Wiues Sorceries and Inchantments Ezael taught first to make Swords and Weapons for Warre and how to worke in Metals He taught to make Womens Ornaments and how to looke faire and iewelling And they beguiled the Saints and much sinne was committed on the Earth Other of them taught the vertues of Roots Astrologie Diuinations c. After these things the Gyants beganne to eate the flesh of men and men were diminished and the remnant cryed to Heauen because of their wickednesse that they might come in remembrance before him And the foure great Archangels Michael Gabriel Raphael and Vriel hearing it looked downe on the Earth from the holy places of Heauen and beholding much bloud-shed on the Earth and all vngodlinesse and transgression committed therein said one to another That the Spirits and Soules of men complaine saying That yee should present our Prayer to the Highest and our destruction And the foure Archangels entring said to the Lord Thou art GOD of GODS and Lord of Lords c. Thou seest what Ezael hath done hee hath taught Mysteries and reuealed to the World the things in Heauen c. Then the Highest said The Holy one The Great one spake and sent Vriel to the sonne of Lamech saying Goe to Noe tell him of the end approching and a floud shall destroy the Earth c. To Raphael hee said Goe Raphael and binde Ezael hand and foot and cast him into darkenesse and open the Wildernesse in the Desart of Dodoel and there cast him and lay vpon him sharpe stones to the Day of Iudgement c. And to Gabriel he said Goe Gabriel to the Gyants and destroy the sonnes of the Watch-men from the sonnes of men set them one against another in warre and destruction To Michael he said Goe Michael binde Semixa and the others with him that haue mixed themselues with the daughters of men vntill seuentie Generations to the hils of the Earth vntill the day of their iudgement till the iudgement of the World bee finished and then they shall bee brought into the confusion of fire and vnto tryall and vnto the Prison of the ending of the World and whosoeuer shall be condemned and destroyed from hence-forth shall be cast together with them till the finishing of their Generation c. And the Gyants which were begotten of the Spirits and flesh they shall call them euill Spirits on the Earth because their dwelling is on the Earth The Spirits that depart out of their bodies shall bee euill Spirits because they were engendred of the Watch-men and men But it were tedious to recite further The antiquity of it and because it is not so common and especially because some of the Ancients and of the Papists haue beene misse-led by these Dreames refused iustly by Ierome and Augustine interpreting the sonnes of GOD in Moses to be spoken of Angels as their Translation did read it haue moued me to insert those Tales Notable is the diligence of the Purgatorie Scauengers who in Viues notes vpon Aug. de Ciuit. Dei Lib. 15. cap. 23. haue in their Index Expurgatorius set the Seale of their Office vpon a testimonie alleaged out of Eusebius de Praep. Euang. Lib. 5. cap. 4. as if they had beene Viues his owne words to be left out in the Impression The words because they sauour of the former errour haue Theere placed Non ergo Deos neque bonos damonas Gentiles sed perniciosos solummodo venerantur Quam rem magis Plutarchus confirmat dicens fabulosas de dijs rationes res quasdam significare à daemonibus antiquissimis gestas temporibus ea quae de gigantibus ac de Titanibus decantantur daemonum fuisse operationes Vnde mihi suspicio saith Eusebius but Viues is fined for it nonnunquam incidit ne ista illa sint quae ante diluuium a gigantibus facta diuina Scriptura tetigit de quibus dicitur Cùm autem vidissent Angeli Dei filias hominum quia essent speciosae elegerunt sibi ex illis vxores ex quibus procreati sunt famosissimi gigantes à saeculo Suspicabitur enim fortasse quispiam illos illorum spiritus esse qui ab hominibus postea dij putati sunt pugnasque illorum tumultus bella esse quae fabulosè de dijs conscribebantur Lactantius saith that when the World was multiplyed GOD sent Angels to keepe men from fraudes of the Deuill to whom he forbade all earth contagion These were by the Deuill insnared with women therefore depriued of Heauen and their Progeny of a middle nature betwixt Men and Angels became vncleane Spirits so that hence grew two kindes of Daemones or Deuillish Spirits the one heauenly the other earthly which would now seeme to be keepers and are destroyers of men The Angels are sometimes called the sonnes of God but that name is communicated to men who by nature children of wrath by faith in the naturall and onely begotten Sonne of GOD haue this prerogatiue to bee the sonnes of GOD and fellow-heires with CHRIST But some of the children of the Kingdome shall bee cast out because they
to all the antient Iewes which would seeme better then their fellowes and not only obserued of the Pharises Essees and Hemerobaptists if such a Sect may be added At this time in Palestina many doe it not once but often in the day The Mahumetans obserue it The Iewes as a Iew hath written were so zealous herein that they would not eate with him that did eate with vnwashed hands and one of their holy men being inuited by such an host rose vp and went his way alleaging to him when he would haue recalled him that he must not eate the bread of him which had an euill eye and besides his meate was vncleane The Priests when they kept their courses in the Temple abstained from Wine and ate not of the Tithes before they had washed their whole body The Pharises and Essees composed themselues to this sanctitie the greater part of the Pharises and all the Essees abstained from Wine and both vsed daily washings especially before they ate And as many Heretikes professing themselues Christians retained many things of Iudaisme so these Hemerobaptists learned them this daily washing It seemeth by him that these were Christian rather then Iewish Heretikes And so were the Nazaraeans also which some reckon among the Iewish Sects who embraced the Gospell of Christ but would not relinquish their Iudaisme vnlesse wee say with Hierome that whiles they would be both Iewes and Christians they were neither Iewes nor Christians These Nazaraeans or Nazoraeans Scaliger affirmeth were meere Karraim Scripture Iewes but because of their obstinacie in the Law the first Councell of the Apostles determined against them As for the Nazarites of the old Testament Moses describeth them and their obseruations not to cut their haire not to drinke wine strong drinke c. Such was Sampson But these could be no Sect holding in euery thing the same doctrine with the Iewes and onely for a time were bound by vow to these Rites But for those Nazaraeans Epiphanius maketh them a Iewish Sect not without cause if such were their opinions as he describeth them Their dwelling was beyond Iordan in Gilead and Bashan as the fame goeth saith he by Nation Iewes and by obseruing many things like to the Iewes Herein they differed They did not eate any thing which had life they offered not sacrifice for they counted it vnlawful to Sacrifice or to eate flesh They disallowed the fiue books of Moses they indeed confessed Moses and the Fathers by him mentioned and that he had receiued the Law not this yet which is written but another Philastrius saith they accepted the Law and Prophets but placed all righteousnesse in carnall obseruation and nourishing the haire of their heads placed therein all their vertue professing to imitate Sampson who was called a Nazarite from whom the Pagans afterwards named their valiant men Hercules Next to these doth Epiphanius place the Ossens dwelling in Ituraea Moab and beyond the Salt or Dead Sea to these one Elixai in the time of Traian ioyned himselfe hee had a brother named Iexai Scaliger here and euery where acute saith that the Essens and Ossens are the same name as being written with the selfe-same Hebrew Letters differing onely in pronunciation as the Abyssynes pronounce Osrael Chrostos for Israel Christus And the Arabian Elxai and his brother Iexai were not proper names but the appellation of the Sect it selfe as hee proueth But they agreed not so well in profession as in name with the Essens for they were but an issue of those ancient Essens holding some things of theirs others of their owne as concerning the Worship of Angels reproued by the Apostles Coloss 2.21 In which the Essens and Ossens agreed and other things there mentioned Touch not taste not handle not and in worshipping of the Sunne whereof they were called Sampsaeans or Sunners Sun-men as Epiphanius interpreteth that name Those things wherein they differed were brought in by that Innouator who of this his Sect was called Elxai He was saith Epiphanius a Iew he ordained Salt and Water and Earth and Bread and Heauen and the Skie and the Winde to be sworne by in Diuine worship And sometimes he prescribed other seuen witnesses Heauen and Water and Spirits and the holy Angels of Prayer and Oyle and Salt and Earth He hated continencie and enioyned marriage of necessitie Many imaginations he hath as receiued by reuelation He teacheth Hypocrisie as in time of persecution to worship Idols so as they keepe their Conscience free And if they confesse any thing with their mouth but not in their heart Thus ancient is that Changeling Aequiuocation He bringeth his Author one Phineas of the stock of the ancienter Phineas the sonne of Eleazar who had worshipped Diana in Babylon to saue his life His followers esteeme him a secret vertue or power Vntill the time of Constantine Marthus and Marthana two women of his stocke remained in succession of his honour and were worshipped in that Countrey for gods because they were of his seede Marthus died a while since but Marthana still liueth Their spittle and other excrements of their body those Heretikes esteemed and reserued for Reliques to the cure of diseases which yet preuayled nothing He mentioneth Christ but it is vncertaine whether he meaneth the Lord Iesus Hee forbids praying to the East-ward and bids turne towards Ierusalem from all parts He detesteth Sacrifices as neuer offered by the Fathers He denieth the eating of flesh among the Iewes and the Altar and Fire as contrarie to God but water is fitting He describeth Christ after his measure foure and twentie Schaem in length that is foure-score and sixteene miles and the fourth part thereof in breadth to wit six Schaeni or foure and twentie miles besides the thicknesse and other fables He acknowledgeth a holy Ghost but of the female sexe like to Christ standing like a statue aboue the Clouds and in the midst of two mountains He bids none should seeke the interpretation but only say these things in prayer words which he had taken out of the Hebrew tongue as in part we haue found His prayer is this Abar anid moib nochiel daasim ani daasim nochile moib anid abar selam Thus Epiphanius relates it and thus construes I cannot say expoundeth although they like our deuout Catholiques needed no exposition Let the humilitie passe from my Fathers of their condemnation and conculcation and labour the conculcation in condemnation by my Fathers from the humility passed in the Apostleship of perfection Thus was Elxai with his followers opinionate otherwise Iewish Epiphanius speakes of his Sect else where often as when he mentioneth the Ebonites and the Sampsaeans This booke both the Ossees and Nazoraeans and Ebionites vsed The Sampsaeans had another booke they said of his brothers They acknowledge one God and worship him vsing certaine washings Some of them abstaine from liuing creatures and they will die for Elxai his posteritie
Angels in grace that we may be like vnto them in glory than prie too curiously into their Nature to our vnderstandings in manner supernaturall and endeauour more in heeding the way which leadeth to that Heauen of the Blessed than busie our wits too busily in describing or describing it Onely thus much wee may obserue thereof that it is beyond all reach of our obseruation in regard of substance not subiect to corruption alteration passion motion in quantitie many dwelling places most spacious and ample in quality a Paradise faire shining delightsome wherein no euill can be present or imminent no good thing absent a meere transcendent which eye hath not seene nor eare heard nor the heart of man can conceiue Where the Tabernacle of GOD shall be with men and he dwell with them and shall be all in all vnto them where the pure in heart shall see him and euen our bodily eyes shall behold that most glorious of creatures the Sunne of righteousnesse and Sonne of GOD Christ Iesus Embracing these things with Hope let vs returne to Moses his description of the sensible World who sheweth that that Heauen and Earth which now wee see were in the beginning or first degree of their being an Earth without forme and void a darkned depth and waters a matter of no matter and a forme without forme a rude and indigested Chaos or confusion of matters rather to be beleeued than comprehended of vs This is the second naturall beginning For after the expressing of the matter followeth that which Philosophers call a second natural Principle Priuation the want of that forme of which this matter was capable which is accidentally a naturall principle required in regard of generation not of constitution heere described by that part next vs Earth which was without forme as is said and void This was the internall constitution the externall was darknesse vpon the face of the deepe Which Deepe compriseth both the Earth before mentioned and the visible Heauens also called a Depth as to our capacitie infinite and pliant to the Almightie hand of the Creator called also Waters not because 〈◊〉 was perfect waters which was yet confused but because of a certaine resemblance 〈◊〉 only in the vniformity thereof but also of that want of stability whereby it could not abide together but as the Spirit of GOD moued vpon these waters to sustaine them and as the Hen sitteth on her egges to cherish and quicken as Hierome interpreteth the word so to maintaine and by his mightie power to bring the same into this naturall order Heere therefore is the third beginning or Principle in Nature That forme which the Spirit of God the third person in Trinitie not ayre or wind as some conceiue being things which yet were not themselues formed by that action framed it vnto and after more particularly effected This interpretation of the Spirit mouing vpon the Waters agreeth with that opinion which some attribute to the Stoikes That all things are procreated and gouerned by one Spirit Which Democritus called the soule of the world Hermes and Zoroaster and Apollo Delphicus call Fire the maker quickner and preseruer of all things and Virgill most elegantly and diuinely singeth seeming to paraphrase on Moses words Principio Coelum ac Terras camposque liquentes Lucentemque globum Lunae Titaniaque astra Spiritus intus alit totamque infusa per artus Meâ—s agitan molem magno se corpore miscet That is Heauen first and Earth and Watrie plaines Bright Moone of Starres those twinckling traines The Spirit inly cherisheth Loues moues great body nourisheth Through all infus'd this All containes The first creature which receiued naturall forme was the light of which GOD said Let there be light a lightsome and delightsome subiect of our Discourse especially hauing lately passed such a confused and darke Chaos But here I know not how that which then lightned the deformed matter of the vnformed World hath hidden it selfe some interpreting this of the Sunne which they will haue then created some of an immateriall qualitie after receiued into the Sunne and Starres some of a cloud formed of the waters circularly moued and successiuely lightning either Hemisphere of which afterwards the Sunne was compact from which they differ not much which thinke it the matter of the Sunne then more diffused and imperfect as the waters also were earthie and the Earth fluible till GOD by a second worke perfected and parted them And to let passe them which apply it to Angels or men others vnderstand it of the fiery Element the essentiall property of which is to enlighten Yet are we not here passed all difficulties whiles some perhaps not vniustly would perswade the world that Fire as it is ordinarily in schooles vnderstood of a sublunary element is with worse then Promethean theft stolne out of Heauen where it is visible imprisoned in this their Elementarie World whereas Anaxagoras Thales Anaximenes Empedocles Heraclitus Plato Parmenides Orpheus Hermes Zoroaster Philo and others the fathers of the Chaldean Aegyptian Iewish and Graecian Learning account the Heauens and heauenly bodies to be Ethereall fire to which our sense also will easily subscribe And Patricius affirmeth that Ocellus Lucanus one of Pythagoras his Schollers was first Author of that former opinion from whom Aristotle borrowed it if it bee not stealth rather whiles hee concealeth his name Diuers late Philosophers also seeme to haue conspired to burne vp that fiery Element or rather to aduance it aboue this sublunary Region into the Aethereal Throne Let the Philosophers determine this when they doe other doubts in meane while let vs if you please vnderstand this Light of the Fire whether Aethereall or Elementarie or both or neither as in diuers respects it may bee For neither was this Light then as it seemeth locally separated from that confused masse and by expansion which was the second dayes Worke eleuated into her naturall place and after that it possessed the Sunne Moone and Starres saith our sense which thence receiueth Light and there in the Aethereall Region seeth new Starres and superlunarie Comets compact of Aetherall substance as the most diligent Obseruers haue recorded both procreated and perishing so that that which before was neither Aethereall nor Elementarie whiles there was neither Aether nor Element perfected after became Aethereall-Elementarie as beeing happily the matter of the Sunne and Starres of old and of these later appearances and also filling the Aethereall World in the higher and lower Regions thereof both aboue and beneath the Moone with the Light here mentioned and that vigorous heat which as an affect or an effect thereof procreateth recreateth and conserueth the creatures of this inferiour World No maruell if the Philosophers are still dazeled and darkened in this light not yet agreeing whether it bee a substance or qualitie corporeall or incorporeall when the
found him writing accents therein that GOD euery day maketh deuout prayers that GOD hath a place a-part wherein hee afflicteth himselfe with weeping for bringing so much euill on the Iewes that euery day hee putteth on their Tephilin and Zizis and so falleth downe and prayeth that as oft as hee remembreth their miseries hee lets fall two teares into the Ocean and knocks his brest with both his hands that the last three houres of the day hee recreateth himselfe in playing with the Fish Leuiathan which once in his anger he slew and powdred for the feast whereof you shall after heare that hee created the Element of fire on the Sabbath day that the RR. one day reasoning against R. Eliezar because GOD with a voyce from a heauen interposed his sentence for for Eliezer the other RR. anathematized GOD who thereat smiling said My children haue ouer-come me But I am weary to adde the rest of their restlesse impieties against the Almightie Neither haue the Creatures escaped them Thus the Talmud telleth That GOD once whipped Gabriel for a great fault with a whip of fire that as Adam before Eue was made had carnally vsed both Males and Females of other Creatures So the Rauen which Noe sent out of the Arke was iealous of Noah lest hee should lye with his Mate that Iobs storie was fayned that Dauid sinned not in his murther and adulterie and they which thinke hee did sinne are Heretikes that vnnaturall copulation with a mans wife is lawfull that he is vnworthy the name of a Rabbine which hateth not his enemie to death that GOD commanded them by any manner of meanes to spoyle the Christians of their goods and to vse them as beasts yea they may kill them and burne their Gospels which they entitle Iniquitie reuealed Iniquitie reuealed indeed is the declaration of these things as of their opinion of the soule if it sinne in one body it passeth into a second if there also into third if it continue sinning it is cast into Hell the soule of Abel passed into Seth and the same after into Moses the soules of the vnlearned shall neuer recouer their bodies Two RR. euery weeke on Friday created two Calues and then did eate them Nothing ought to be eaten by euen numbers but by vneuen wherewith GOD is pleased Perhaps they had read in Virgil Numero Deus impare gaudet but this is common to all Magicians And what doe I weary you and my selfe anticipating the following discourse wherein wee shall haue further occasion to relate the like absurdities which yet if any deny they say hee denyeth GOD. §. II. Of the ancient Iewish Authors and their Kabalists AFter the Times of Christ Philo and Iosephus are famous and after the Resurrection of Christ the Iewes were of three sorts some true beleeuers others absolute denyers the third would haue the Christian Religion and the Iewish Ceremonies to bee conioyned in equall obseruation against which third sort the first Councell Act. 15. was summoned The moderne Iewes insist principally on the litterall sense of Scripture the Elder sought out a spirituall and mysticall sense accounting this a great matter the literall but small like to a candle of small value with the light whereof the other as a pearle hidden in a darke roome is found The Talmudists followed the allegoricall sense the Cabalists the Anagogicall As concerning this Cabala in olde times they communicated not that skill to any but to such as were aged and learned and therefore nothing thereof or very little is found written of the Ancient except of Rabbi Simeon Ben Iohai But the Doctors of the later Iewes lest that learning should perish haue left somewhat thereof in writing but so obscurely that few know it and they which doe account it a great secret and hold it in great regard So saith Elias in the bookes of the Kabala are contained the secrets of the Law and the Prophets which man receiued from the mouth of man vnto our Master Moses on him be peace and therefore it is so called and is diuided into two parts Speculatiue and Practike But I am not worthy to explaine this businesse and by reason of my sinnes haue not learned this wisedome nor knowne this knowledge of those Saints The word Cabala signifieth a receiuing and in that respect may bee supplyed to all their Traditionall receipts but in vse which is the Law of speech it is appropriated to that facultie which as Ricius describeth it by the type of the Mosaicall law insinuateth the secrets of diuine and humane things and because it is not grounded on reason nor deliuered by writing but by the faith of the hearer receiued it is called Cabala Or if you had rather haue it in Reuchlines words it is a Symbolicall receiuing of diuine Reuelation deliuered to the wholesome contemplation of GOD and of the seperated formes and they which receiue it are called Cabalici their Disciples Cabalaei and they which any way imitate them Cabalistae The Talmudists therefore and the Cabalists are of two faculties both agreeing in this that they grow from Tradition whereunto they giue credite without rendring any reason herein differing that the Cabalist as a super-subtill transcendent mounteth with all his industrie and intention from this sensible World vnto that other intellectuall but the grosser Talmudist abideth in this and if at any time hee considereth of GOD or the blessed Spirits yet it is with relation to his workes and their functions not in any abstract contemplation bending his whole study to the explaination of the Law according to the intent of the Law-giuer considering what is to bee done what eschewed whereas the Cabalists most indeauour themselues to contemplation leauing the care of publike and priuate affaires to the Talmudists and reseruing onely to themselues those things which pertaine to the tranquillitie of the minde As therefore the minde is more excellent then the body so you must thinke the Cabalist superiour to the Talmudist For example In the beginning God created Heauen and Earth saith Moses Heauen here after the Talmudist is all that part of the World which is aboue the Moone and all beneath it Earth also by Heauen hee vnderstandeth forme and by Earth matter the composition whereof hee effected not by labour of the hand but by that nine-fold Oracle of his word for so often is it mentioned and God said likewise hee findeth the foure Elements in those words Darkenesse Spirit Waters drie Land But the Cabalist frameth to himselfe two Worlds the Visible and Inuisible Sensible and Mentall Materiall and Ideall Superiour and Inferiour and accordingly gathereth out of the former words God created Heauen and Earth That hee made the highest and lowest things meaning by the highest the immateriall by the lowest this materiall and this is gathered out of the first letter Beth which in numbring signifieth two and insinuateth there these two Worlds Yea they also
of those which haue since succeeded them in habitation in sinne in iudgement And where might wee better stay or what part of the world can yeeld such varietie and multiplicitie of obiects to both the eyes of the minde Curiositie and Deuotion No where such manifold alterations and diuisions of state so diuersified a Map of Nature so multiplied rites of Religion in such differing sects of Heathens Hebrewes Mahumetans Christians No where Antiquitie shewing a grauer countenance no where the Monuments of such mercies the spectacles of such iudgements such consolations such desolations such ambition of Potentates and forraine sutors from the East the West the North the South such Miracles such Oracles such confluence of Pilgrims looking as farre opposite as Sampsons Foxes with as fierie diuisions whether in differing heresies of one or differing names of diuers Deuotions both Catholike and Hereticall Iewes Saracens and Christians concurring in visiting adorning adoring these places with Titles and Rites of Holinesse How often hath this country emtied our Westerne world with Armes and Armies to recouer it and the Easterne in like manner to retaine it How often hath it brought Armies of Angelicall spirits out of the highest Heauens to couer these Hilles with Chariots and Horses of fire round about the holy men of GOD How oft But what speake I of Men or Angels GOD himselfe loued the gates of Sion more then all the dwellings of the world and IESVS CHRIST the Angell of the Couenant true GOD and perfect MAM here was borne here liued practised died ascended and hence he sent his Apostles to bee Fathers of men that the sonnes of men might bee made the heires of GOD co-heires with himselfe After the Iewes for reiecting him were reiected out of both the heauenly and earthly Canaan this countrey was inhabited partly by Roman Colonies there planted for securitie of the countrey by the Roman Emperours partly by such Syrians as submitted themselues peaceably to the Roman Empire both that Ethnike before Constantine and after in farre more flourishing estate vnder the Christian Emperours till the daies of vn-christian Phocas This was the murtherer of Mauritius his Lord the vsurper of the Empire the exalter of the Roman See vnto the Ecclesiasticall Supremacie with as good right as himselfe had to the state a monster of mankinde vnder whom the Empire was neere an vtter ouerthrow as by the Hunnes Auares and other Nations in the West so especially by the Persians in the East whose Emperour Chosroes ouerthrew that Armie which had conspired against Mauricius and in the fourth yeere of Phocas ouer-ranne Mesopotamia and Syria in the next yeere after carried much prey and many captiues out of all Syria Palestina and Phoenicia in the seuenth yeere of his raigne possessed Armenia Galatia Paphlagonia and spoiled all as farre as Chalcedon Yet saith Cedrenus Phocas did more harme at home then the enemy in the field At the same time the Iewes made a commotion at Antioch and slew besides many other Citizens Anastasius the Patriarch in despight also putting his priuitiues in his mouth But the Iewes paid much bloud for this butcherie and Phocas also himselfe the chiefe Butcher was most mercilesly butchered presently after by Heraclius his successour They tell of a Reuelation to a certaine Holy man that GOD had made Phocas Emperour because hee could not finde a worse man by whom to punish that people which I mention that the world might see what a good Mid-wife Rome then in trauel had to helpe her babe Antichrist into the world But to returne to the Storie Heraclius could not withstand the Persian insolence but lost in his first yeere Apamea and Edessa and in the next Caesarea from whence they carried many thousands into captiuitie in the fourth Damascus was taken and in the fifth Ierusalem where by reason of the Iewish crueltie who bought all the Christians they could to slaughter them there were slaine ninetie thousand Zacharias the Patriarch together with the holy Crosse and exceeding store of captiues and spoile were carried into captiuitie The next yeere they ouercame Egypt Africa and Ethiopia Chosroes neglects all ouertures of peace made to him by Heraclius except they would deny their crucified God and worship the Sunne He also caused the Christians in his dominion to become Nestorians the cause perhaps why almost all the farre Easterne Christians to this day are or at least are called Nestorians Against him Heraclius continued a six yeeres expedition in which hee ouerranne his countries ouerthrew his Armies sacked his Cities Castles and Palaces and at last assisted his eldest sonne Siroes whom Chosroes sought to dis-herit against him who tooke him and hauing before exposed him to all contumelious insultations and almost starued him in a darke prison and slaine all his other children in his sight with abominable tyrannie shot his tyrannicall father to death So died Chosroes a successour of Sennacherib in the dominion of many the same countries subiection to the like blasphemous impietie and reward by like parricide Heraclius in the ninteenth yeere of his raigne visiteth Ierusalem restoring the captiued crosse and Patriarch by restitution of Siroes He banished thence all the Iewes prohibiting by Edict that none should come neere it by three miles §. II. Of the Saracens and Turkes in Palestina THe Saracens had done good seruice in rhese wars against the Persians which in the time of Heraclius began a new Religion and Empire vnder Mahomet the founder of both the second after whom Omar ouerthrew Theodorus the brother of Heraclius in battell and after him another Theodorus and Boanes his Generals forced the Emperour to abandon Syria carrying the holy crosse from Ierusalem to Constantinople In the 26. of Heraclius hee entred Ierusalem hypocritically and pseudoprophetically clothed in a homely garment of Camels haire and sought out the place of Salomons Temple there to erect another subduing soone after the whole Persian State and a great part of the Roman Anno Dom. 641. did Homar build his Temple at Ierusalem with incredible costs in matter and workmanship enriching the same with many and large possessions and reuenues in the Musaike worke of the inner and outward part thereof expressing in Arabike letters the Author time and charges of the building The forme whereof is thus described by William Archbishop of Tyrus The Church-yard was square about a bow-shot in length and bredth compassed with a high wall hauing on the West square two gates one on the North and another on the East on the South was the Palace On euery of these gates and on the corners were high steeples on which at certaine houres the Priests after the Saracenicall manner called them to prayers In this compasse none were suffered to dwell nor to enter but with bare and washed feet Porters being assigned to that purpose In the midst of this square was another somewhat higher whereto they ascended by staires in two places on the West
at this time is Idolatrous and Pagan wherin the common people are somewhat superstitious but the King himselfe the Mandarines or Magistrates as seeing the vanitie thereof and not able to see the truth are in manner irreligious and profane the first worship that which is Nothing in the World and these find nothing in the World but the World and these momentany things to worship Ricius reports that the ancient Chinois worshipped one only great GOD which they called the King of Heauen or otherwise Heauen and Earth wherby he gathers that they thought Heauen and Earth to be endued with life and the Soule thereof to be the greatest GOD. Beneath which they worshipped also diuers Spirits Tutelares preseruers of the Mountaines of Riuers and of the foure parts of the World They held that Reason was to be followed in all actions which light they confessed to receiue from Heauen They neuer conceiued yet such monstrous absurdities of this god and these spirits as the Egyptians Grecians and Romanes haue done whence the Iesuite would haue you thinke euen in this Idolatry many of them to be saued by I know not what congruitie which merits not the mention In succeeding ages this Idolatry became more manifold in some whiles other became Atheists of which their King and Magistrates are blamed And yet this King when some few yeeres since his Palace was fired with lightning being guiltie of his owne vnworthinesse he commanded his sonne to pray to Heauen for reconciliation Fryer Gasper de la Crux being in Canton entred a certaine Religious house where he saw a Chappell hauing therein besides many other things of great curiositie the Image of a woman with a child hanging about her necke and a Lampe burning before her The mysterie hereof so like the Popish mysterie of iniquitie none of the Chinois could declare The Sunne the Moone Starres and especially Heauen it selfe are gods of the first forme in their Idol-schoole They acknowledge Laocon Tzantey the Gouernour of the great god so it signifieth to be eternall and a spirit Of like nature they esteeme Causay vnto whom they ascribe the lower Heauen and power of Life and Death They subiect vnto him three other spirits Tauquam Teyquam Tzuiquam The first supposed to bee Author of Raine the second of humane Natiuitie Husbandrie and Warres the third is their Sea Neptune To these they offer Victualls Odors and Alter-clothes presenting them also with Playes and Comoedies They haue Images of the Deuil with Serpentine lockes and as deformed lookes as here he is painted whom they worship not to obtaine any good at his hand but to detaine and hold his hand from doing them euill They haue many Hee and Shee-Saints in great veneration with long Legends of their liues Amongst the chiefe of them are Sichia the first inuenter of their religious Votaries of both Sects Quannia an Anchoresse and Neoma a great Sorceresse Frier Martin in one Temple in Vcheo told a hundred and twelue Idols They tell of one Huiunsin in the Prouince of Cechian which did much good to the people both by Alchimy making true Siluer of Quick-siluer and by freeing the Metropolitan Citie from a huge Dragon which hee fastened to an yron pillar still shewed and then flew into Heauen with all his House Mice and all lye and all and there they haue built him a Temple the ministers whereof are of the Sect Thausu Trigautius writes of certaine Gods called Foe which they say goe a visiting Cities and Prouinces and the Iesuites in one Citie were taken for these Idols Foe At Sciauchin they in time of drought proclaimed a Fast euery Idoll was sollicited with Tapers and Odours for Raine A peculiar Officer with the Elders of the people obserued peculitr Rites to these purpose the Priests went on Procession all in vaine When the Citie-Gods could doe nothing they fetched a Country-Idoll called Locu which they carrie about worship offer to But LOCV is now growne old thus they said of his deafenesse At last they goe to a Witch who told them Quonin a Goddesse was angry that her backe was burned meaning the Conuerts which burnt their Idols which insensed them against the Christians Hoaquam is the name of an Idoll which hath rule ouer the eyes which they carry about in Procession and beg in his name In time of trouble they haue familiaritie with the Deuill Pedro de Alfaro obserued being in a Ship with the Chinois in this sort They cause a man to lye on the ground groueling and then one readeth on a Booke the rest answering and some make a sound with Bells and Tabors The man in short space beginneth to make visages and gestures whereby they know the Deuill is entred and then doe they propound their requests to which he answereth by word or Letters And when they cannot extort an answere by word they spread a red Mantle on the ground equally dispersing all ouer the same a certaine quantitie of Rice Then do they cause a man that cannot write to stand there themselues renuing their former inuocation and the Deuill entring into this man causeth him to write vpon the Rice But his answeres are often full of lyes In the entries of their houses they haue an Idoll-roome where they incense their Deities morning and euening They offer to them the sweetest odours Hennes Geese Duckes Rice Wine a Hogs-head boyled is a chiefe offering But little hereof falleth to Gods share which is set in a dish apart as the tippes of the Hogs-eares the bylls and feet of the Hennes a few cornes of Rice three or foure drops of Wine Their Bookes tell much of Hell their deuotions little Their Temples are homely and filthy no Oracle is in any of them They haue fables of men turned into Dogs or Snakes and againe metamorphosed into men And they which beleeue the paines of Hell yet beleeue after a certaine space that those damned soules shall passe thence into the bodies of some beasts But their Idolatries and religious Rites will better appeare if we take view of their different Religions and Sects §. III. Of their three Sects and first of that of CONFVTIVS THey reckon in the World and obserue amongst themselues three Sects the first of the Learned the second Sciequia the third Laucu One of these three euery Chinois professeth as doe their Neighbours also which vse their Characters the Iapanders Corians Lequians and Cochin-Chinois The Sect of the Learned is peculiar to the Chinois very ancient and famous which they drinke in together with the Studies of Learning all their Students and Magistrates professing the same obseruing Confutius the Author thereof These worship not Idols nor haue any One God they worship as preseruer of all things certaine Spirits also in an inferiour honour The chiefe of them neither acknowledge Author Time or Manner of the worlds creation Somewhat they discourse of Rewards of Good and Euill but such as are bestowed in this life vpon the
Doer or his Posteritie The Ancients made no question of the Soules immortalitie speaking often of the Dead as liuing in Heauen But of the punishments of wicked men in Hel not a word The later Professors teach that the Soule dies with or soone after the Bodie and therfore beleeue neither Heauen nor Hel. Some of them hold that good mens soules by the strength of vertue hold out some longer time but of bad men to die with the bodie But the most common opinion taken from the Sect of Idolaters and brought in fiue hundred yeeres since holdeth that the World consisteth of one substance and that the Maker thereof together with Heauen and Earth Men Beasts Plants and the Elements doe make vp one bodie of which euery Creature is a distinct member thence obseruing what loue ought to be amongst all things and that Men may come to become one with GOD. Although the learned men acknowledge one supreame Deitie yet doe they build him no Temple nor depute any place to his worship no Priests or Ministers of Religion no solemne Rites no Precepts or Rules none that hath power to ordaine or explaine their Holies or to punish the Transgressors They doe Him no priuate or publike deuotions or seruice yea they affirme that it belongs to the King only to do sacrifice and worship to the King of Heauen and that it is treason for others to vsurpe it For this cause the King hath two Temples very magnificent in both the Royall Cities the one consecrate to Heauen the other to Earth in the which hee was wont himselfe to sacrifice but it is now performed by some principall Magistrates which slay there many Sheepe and Oxen and performe other Rites many to Heauen and Earth in his stead To the other spirits of Hills Riuers and the foure Regions of the World onely the chiefe Magistrates doe sacrifice nor is it lawfull to priuate men The Precepts of this Law are in their nine Bookes before mentioned Nothing in this Sect is moee generall from the King to the meanest then their yeerely Obits to their Parents and grand-fathers which they account obedience to Parents though dead of which afterwards The Temple they haue is that which in euery Citie is by the Law built to Confutius in that place where there Schoole or Commencement house is This is sumptuous and hath adioyning the Palace of that Magistracie which is ouer the Bachellors or Graduates of the first degree In the chiefe place of this Temple or Chappell is placed his Image or else his name in golden Cupitall Letters on a faire Table besides which stand other Images of his disciples as inferiour Saints Into this Temple euery new and full Moone all the Magistrates of the Citie assemble with the Bachellors and adore him with kneelings wax-lights and incense They do also yeerely on his birth-day and other appointed times offer vnto him meat-offerings or dishes with great prouision yeelding him thanks for the learning they haue found in his Bookes as the cause of their Degrees and Magistracies But they pray not to him for any thing no more then to the dead in their Obits There are other Chappels of the same Sect vnto the Tutelare spirits of each Citie and proper to euery Magistrate of the Court Therein they binde themselues by solemne oath to obserue the Lawes in their function and that at their first entrance heere they offer meates and burne odours acknowledging diuine Iustice in punishing periurie The scope of this Sect of the learned is the publike peace and well ordering of the priuate and publike state and framing themselues to Morall vertues wherein they doe not much disagree from the Christian veritie They haue fiue concords in their Moralitie in which as Cardinall vertues they comprise all Humanitie the duties namely of Father and Child Husband and Wife Master or Superiour and those vnder them Brethren amongst themselues and lastly Equals and Companions They condemne single life and permit polygamie This precept of Charitie to doe to others as one would bee done to is well handled in their Bookes and especially the pietie and obseruance of Children to their Parents and Inferiours to their Superiours Longobardus saith that euery new and full Moon-day a little before Sun-rising in all the Cities of this Kingdome and in all the streets at one and the same houre they make publication of these sixe Precepts First Obey thy Father and Mother Secondly Reuerence thy Elders and Superiours Thirdly Keepe peace with thy Neighbours Fourthly Teach thy Children Fiftly Fulfill thy Calling and Office The last prohibiteth crimes Murther Adulterie Theft c. Many mixe this first with other Sects yea some hold not this a Sect but an Academie Schoole or Profession of Policie and gouerning the priuate and publike State §. IIII. Of the Sect Sciequia THe second Sect is called Sciequia or Omitose in Iapon pronounced Sciaccu and Amidabu the characters to both are the same the Iaponites call it also the Totoqui Law This was brought into China from the West out of a Kingdome called Thiencio or Scinto now Indostan betweene Indus and Ganges Anno Dom. 65. I haue read That the King of China mooued by a dreame sent Legates thither which brought thence Bookes and Interpreters which translated those Bookes from hence it passed into Iapon and therefore the Iaponders are deceiued which thinke that Sciaccu and Amidabu were Siamites and came into Iapon themselues Perhaps they then heard of the Apostles preaching in India and sending for that had this false doctrine obtruded on them These hold that there are foure Elements whereas the Chinois foolishly affirme fiue Fire Water Earth Metals and Wood not mentioning the Aire of which they compound this Elementary World with the creatures therein They multiplie Worlds with Democritus and with Pythagoras hold a Metampsychosis or passage of Soules out of one body into another They tell of a Trinitie of Gods which grew into one Deitie This Sect promiseth rewards to the good in Heauen to the euill threatens punishments in Hell extolleth Single life seemes to condemne Marriage bids fare-well to house and houshold and begs in Pilgrimages to diuers places Their Rites doe much agree it is the Iesuites assertion with the Popish their Hymnes and Prayers with the Gregorian fashion Images in their Temples Priestly Vestments like to their Pluutalia In their Mumsimus they often repeate a name which themselues vnderstand not Tolome which some thinke may be deriued from that of Saint Thomas Neither in Heauen or Hell doe they ascribe eternitie but after certaine spaces of yeeres they allow them another birth in some other Earth there allowing them penance for their passed sinnes The seuerer sort eate not flesh or any thing that had life but if any delinquish their penance is not heard the gift of some money or the mumbling ouer their Orisons being they promise of power to free from Hell These things made a faire shew but their corruptions
feare loue beleeue and serue him and then GOD will teach the humble his way and They which will doe his will shall know of his doctrine This is our way to eternall life thus to know him and whom he hath sent Iesus Christ if namely we so learne Christ as the Truth is in Iesus if we become fooles that we may be wise and putting off the old man be renued in the spirit of our minds and put on the new man which after GOD is shapen in righteousnesse and true holinesse Otherwise we know nothing as we ought to know otherwise we know nothing more nor so much as the Deuils know The feare of the Lord is the beginning of this wisedome And for this cause hath he called himselfe and proclaimed those his Names IEHOVA Iehoua strong mercifull and gracious slow to anger and abundant in goodnesse and truth c. and the like in other places not that we may know to know a foolish curiositie but that hauing such light we may beleeue and walke in the light that we may be children of the light Iehoua if we may so name it the most essentiall and after the Iewish tradition ineffable name of GOD is not therefore onely reuealed vnto vs that we may know him in himselfe and of himselfe to bee Yesterday to day and the same for euer which is which was which is to come but also as the Creator of whom in whom and for whom are all things and as the Redeemer which is knowne by his Name Iehoua as himselfe interpreteth it by giuing a reall being and accomplishment to his promises In which one name as in others of like signification is expressed the Simplicitie Immutabilitie Infinitenesse Blessednesse Eternitie Life Perfection and other Attributes of GOD. When he calleth himselfe Strong therein is declared his almighty power whether we vnderstand it actually in producing and preseruing all things in Heauen and earth or absolutely whereby he is able to doe euen those things which in his wisedome he doth not whereby he is able to doe all things which either in themselues as implying contradiction or with him as imperfections are not impossible both those kinds not excluding but concluding the power of GOD which because he is Almightie cannot lie or denie himselfe What should I speake of his Wisedome whereby all things are open in his sight both himselfe and his creatures past present or to come and that not as past or future but in one eternall perfect certaine immediate act of knowledge which in regard of second causes are necessary or contingent or in effect but meerely possible and neuer actually subsisting Truth is in him as a roote from whence it is first in the being next in the vnderstanding thirdly in the writing or saying of the creature True he is in himselfe in his workes ordinary and extraordinary and in his Word reuealed by the Prophets and Apostles What should I adde of his goodnesse grace loue Mercie Iustice and other his Attributes and names not yet mentioned as Adonai which signifieth the dominion of GOD due to him by Creation by purchase by mutuall couenant Saddai which signifieth his All-sufficiencie and others Yea in one Chapter Petrus Galatinus rehearseth threescore and twelue names of GOD out of the Rabbines workes multiplyed and diuersified in tenne sorts which make in all seuen hundred and twenty names To dilate of these at large would aske so many large Commentaries and yet euen then should we still find this GOD incomprehensible of whom we may in respect of our capacitie rather say what he is not then what he is whose goodnesse is not to bee distinguished by qualitie or his greatnesse discerned by quantitie or his eternitie measured by time or his presence bounded by place of whom all things are to bee conceiued beyond whatsoeuer we can conceiue The Persons which communicate in this Diuine Nature are three This is their owne witnesse of themselues There are three which beare record in Heauen the Father the Word and the Spirit and these three are one This mystery was manifested in the baptisme of Christ and in our Baptisme in the name of the Father Sonne and Holy Ghost The Angels vnto this glorious Trinitie sing their Holy Holy Holy the Scripture it selfe applying that which there may be interpreted of the Father both to the Sonne Ioh. 12.41 and to the Spirit Act. 28.25 These with other places doe also signifie their personall distinction The Creation was not onely the Fathers worke but also of the other Persons as appeareth by that Nowne plurall ioyned to a Verbe singular in the first word of Moses and other like plurall appellations Es 44.24 and Es 54.5 2. Sam. 7.23 and many such places The Apostles apply the couenant worship and workes of GOD mentioned in the Old Testament To the Sonne and Holy Ghost in the New neither can the one be the Sonne or the other the Spirit of GOD naturally and in proper manner of speech but they must also subsist in the same Nature with the Father which being infinite spirituall immutable can be but one which must wholly or not at all be communicated In a word the equalitie the names the properties the works the worship peculiar to GOD are applyed to the Sonne and Holy Ghost equally with the Father Which they that list may learne in such as especially treat of this subiect where this mysterie of the Trinitie is auerred against all Heretikes Iewes and Infidels Yea by some also out of their owne authentike Authors whether they receiue Scriptures Rabbins Philosophers or any other I intend onely to anoint the doore-posts of this house with this Discourse that I may make a fitter entry thereinto leauing the fuller handling of this mysterie to such as purposely frame their whole Edifice with large Common-places hereof which yet alway must be more certainely receiued by Faith then conceiued by reason according to that of IVSTIN MARTYR Vnitas in Trinitate intelligitur Trinitas in Vnitate noscitur id vero quomodo fiat nec alios scrutari velim nec ipse mihi possum satisfacere Thinke of one a threefold light will dazell thee distinguish into three and an infinite Vnitie will swallow thee Vnus si dici debet Vnissimus saith Bernard Hauing thus with trembling hand written of that dreadfull Mysterie of the Trinitie of which we may say Cum dicitur Non dicitur It is not told with telling nor can be described by description The next to be considered are the Works of GOD which are either inward and immanent or outward and transient The inward are eternall and vnchangeable indeed no other but himselfe although accounted and called workes in regard of their effects in the World and of our conceiuing For all the proprieties of GOD are infinite as they are immanent in himselfe yet in
their transitiue and forren effects are stinted and limitted to the modell and state of the Creature wherein the same effects are wrought Such an immanent worke we conceiue and name that Decree of GOD touching the Creation of the World with his prouident disposing all and euery part thereof according to the Counsel of his own will and especially touching the reasonable creatures Angels and Men in respect of their eternall state in Saluation or Damnation The outward works of GOD are in regard of Nature Creation and Prouidence in regard of Grace Redemption and Saluation in the fulnesse of time performed by our Emanuel GOD manifested in the flesh true GOD and perfect Man in the Vnitie of one Person without confusion conuersion or separation This is verie GOD and life eternall IESVS CHRIST the Sonne of GOD our Lord which was conceiued by the HOLY GHOST borne of the Virgin MARY suffered vnder Pontius Pilate who was crucified dead and buried descended into Hell rose againe the third day he ascended into Heauen where he sitteth at the right hand of GOD the Father Almightie from whence he shall come to iudge the quicke and dead And to such as are sonnes GOD doth also send the Spirit of his Sonne to renue and sanctifie them as children of the Father members of the Sonne Temples of the Spirit that they euen all the Elect may be one holy Catholike Church enioying the vnspeakeable priuiledges and heauenly prerogatiues of the Communion of Saints the Forgiuenesse of Sinnes the Resurrection of the Body and Euerlasting Life Euen so come LORD IESVS CHAP. II. Of the creation of the World THey which would without danger behold the Eclipse of the Sunne vse not to fixe their eyes directly vpon that bright eye of the World although by this case darkned but in water behold the same with more case and lesse perill How much fitter is it likewise for our tender eyes in beholding the light of that Light The Father of lights in whom is no darknesse to diuert our eyes from that brightnesse of glory and behold him as wee can in his workes The first of which in execution was the creation of the World plainly described by Moses in the booke of Genesis both for the Author matter manner and other circumstances Reason it selfe thus farre subscribing as appeareth in her Schollers the most of the Heathens and Philosophers in all ages That this World was made by a greater then the World In prouing this or illustrating the other a large field of discourse might be ministred neither doe I know any thing wherein a man may more improue the reuenewes of his learning or make greater shew with a little decking and pruning himselfe like Aesops Iay or Horace his Chough with borrowed feathers than in this matter of the Creation written of after their manner by so many Iewes Ethnickes Heretikes and Orthodoxe Christians For my part it shall be sufficient to write a little setting downe so much of the substance of this subiect as may make more plaine way and easier introduction into our ensuing History leauing such as are more studious of this knowledge to those which haue purposely handled this argument with Commentaries vpon Moses Text of which besides many moderne Writers some of which haue almost oppressed the Presse with their huge Volumes there are diuers of the Primitiue middle and decayed times of the Church a cloud indeed of Authors both for their number and the varietie of their opinions the most of them couering rather then discouering that Truth which can bee but one and more to beleeued in their confuting others then prouing their owne assertions Their store through this disagreeing is become a sore and burthen whiles we must consult with many and dare promise to our selues no surer footing yet cleauing as fast as we can to the letter imploring the assistance of the Creators Spirit let vs draw as neere as we may to the sense of Moses words the beginning whereof is In the beginning GOD created the Heauen and the Earth Wherein to omit the endlesse and diuers interpretations of others obtruding allegoricall anagogicall mysticall senses on the letter is expressed the Author of this worke to be GOD Elohim which word as is said is of the plurall number insinuating the holy Trinitie the Father as the Fountaine of all goodnesse the Sonne as the Wisdome of the Father the holy Ghost as the power of the Father and the Sonne concurring in this worke The action is creating or making of nothing to which is required a power supernaturall and infinite The Time was the beginning of time when as before there had neither been Time nor any other Creature The worke is called Heauen and Earth which some interpret all this bodily world heere propounded in the summe and after distinguished in parcells according to the sixe dayes seuerall workes Some vnderstand thereby the First matter which others apply only to the word Earth expounding Heauen to be that which is called Empyreum including also the spirituall and super-celestiall inhabitants Againe others whom I willingly follow extend the word Heauen to a larger signification therein comprehending those three Heauens which the Seriptures mention one whereof is this lower where the birds of the Heauen doe flye reaching from the Earth to the Sphere of the Moone the second the visible Planets and fixed Starres with the first Moueable the third called the Heauen of Heauens the third Heauen and Paradise of GOD together with all the Host of them By Earth they vnderstand this Globe consisting of Sea and Land with all the creatures therein The first Verse they hold to be a generall proposition of the Creation of all Creatures visible and inuisible perfected in sixe dayes as many places of Scripture testifie which as concerning the visible Moses handleth after particularly largely and plainly contenting himselfe with briefe mention of those inuisible creatures both good and bad as occasion is offered in the following parts of his Historie In the present he omitteth the particular description of their Creation lest some as Iewes and Heretikes haue done should take occasion to attribute the Creation to Angels as assistants or should by the excellencie of that Nature depainted in due colours be carryed to worshipping of Angels a superstition which men haue embraced towards the visible creatures farre in feriour both to Angels and themselues Moses proceedeth therefore to the description of the first matter and the creatures thereof framed and formed For touching those inuisible creatures both the Angels and their heauenly habitation howsoeuer they are circumscribed and haue their proper and most perfect substance yet according to the interpretation of Diuine their nature differeth from that of other creatures celestiall or terrestriall as not being made of that first matter whereof these consist Let vs therefore labour rather to be like the
So vaine a thing is man his soule of nothing lighter then vanitie in the infusion created and in the Creation infused to be the dweller in this house of clay and habitation of dust yea not a house but a Tabernacle continually in dissolution Such is the Maker and matter of Man The forme was his conformitie to GOD after whose Image he was made Christ only is in full resemblance The Image of the inuisible GOD the brightnesse of his glory the ingraued forme of his Person Man was not this Image but made adimaginem According to this Image resembling his Author but with imperfection in that perfection of human Nature This Image of GOD appeared in the soule properly secondly in the body not as the Anthropomorphite Heretikes and Popish Image-makers imagine but as the instrument of the soule and lastly in the whole Person The soule in regard of the spirituall and immortall substance resembleth him which is a Spirit and euerlasting which seeth all things remayning it selfe vnseene and hauing a nature in manner incomprehensible comprehendeth the natures of other things to which some adde the resemblance of the holy Trinitie in this that one soule hath those three essentiall faculties of Vnderstanding Will and Memory or as others of Vegetation Sense and Reason In regard of gifts and naturall endowments the soule in the vnderstanding part receiued a Diuine Impression and Character in that knowledge whereby shee measureth the Heauens bringeth them to the Earth lifteth vp the Earth to the Heauen mounteth aboue the Heauens to behold the Angels pierceth the Center of the Earth in darknesse to discerne the infernall Regions and Legions beneath and aboue them all searcheth into the Diuine Nature whereby Adam was without study the greatest Philosopher who at first sight knew the nature of the beasts the originall of the VVoman and the greatest Diuine except the second Adam that euer the Earth bare The will also in free choice of the best things in righteous disposition towards man and true holinesse towards GOD was conformed to his will for whose wils sake it is and was created The body cannot so liuely expresse the vertue of him that made it but as it could in that perfect constitution so fearefully and wonderfully made and as the Organ of the soule whose weapon it was to righteousnesse had some shadow therefo The whole Man in his naturall Nobility beyond and Princely Dominion ouer the other Creatures that we mention not the hope of future blessednesse sheweth after what Image Man was created and to what he should be renued The end whereunto GOD made Man is GOD himselfe who hath made all things for himselfe the subordinate end was Mans endlesse happinesse the way whereunto is religious obedience Moses addeth He created them Male and Female thereby to shew that the Woman in Oeconomicall respect is the Image and glory of the Man beeing created for the Man and of the Man but in relation to GOD or the World She as a Creature was also framed after the same Image As for that monstrous conceit of the Rabbins that the first man was an Hermaphrodite it deserueth not confutation or mention The order of the Womans Creation is plainly related GOD finding not a meete helpe for Adam in his sleepe tooke one of his ribs whereof he built the Woman This in a Mystery signified that deadly sleepe of the heauenly Adam on the Crosse whose stripes were our healing whose death was our life and out of whose bleeding side was by Diuine dispensation framed his Spouse the Church This may be part of the sense or an application thereof as some say to this Mystery or the signification rather of the thing it selfe here declared then of the words which properly and plainly set downe the Historie of a thing done after the litterall sense to bee expounded According to this sense Moses expresseth the Creation the making and marrying of the Woman The Maker was GOD the matter a Rib of Adam the forme a building the end to be a meete helpe The Man was made of Dust the Woman of the Man to bee one flesh with the Man and of a Rib to be a helpe and supporter of him in his calling which requireth strength neyther could any bone be more easily spared in the whole body which hath not such variety of any other kind nor could any place more designe the Woman her due place not of the head that she should not arrogate rule not of the feet that the husband should not reckon her as his slaue but in a meane betweene both and that neere the heart in which they should as in all Diuine and Humane Lawes else bee fast ioyned The building of this body of the Woman was in regard of the Progeny which was in that larger roome to haue the first dwelling The soule of the Woman is to be conceiued as the soule of the Man before mentioned immediately infused and created by GOD herein equall to Man Being thus made she is marryed by GOD himselfe vnto Adam who brought her vnto him to shew the sacred authority of Marriage and of Parents in Marriage A mutuall consent and gratulation followeth betweene the parties lest any should tyrannically abuse his fatherly power And thus are two made one flesh in regard of one originall equall right mutuall consent and bodily coniunction And thus were this goodly couple glorious in nakednesse not so much in the ornaments of beautie which made them to each other amiable as of Maiestie which made them to other creatures dreadfull the Image of GOD clothing that nakednesse which in vs appeareth filthy in the most costly clothing GOD further blessed them both with the power of multiplication in their owne kind and dominion ouer other kinds and gaue them for food euery herbe bearing seed which is vpon all the earth and euery tree wherein is the fruit of a tree bearing seed He doth as it were set them in possession of the Creatures which by a Charter of free gift he had conueyed to them to hold of him as Lord Paramount But lest any should thinke this but a niggardly and vnequall gift whereas since the Floud more hath beene added and that in a more vnworthinesse through mans sinne let him consider that since the Fall the Earth is accursed whereby many things are hurtfull to mans nature and in those which are wholsome there is not such variety of kinds such plentie in each variety such ease in getting our plenty or such quality in what is gotten in the degree of goodnesse and sweetnesse to the taste and nourishment which had they remayned in this sickly and elder Age of the World we should not need to enuie Cleopatra's vanitie or Heliogabilus his superfluitie and curiositie And had not Man sinned there should not haue needed the death of beasts to nourish his
the World all Nations honoring his memory except some Heathens as the Parthians on the left hand and Indians on the right which were remainders of the Chaldaeans and called Zabij These Zabij Scaliger also sayth were Chaldaeans so called a vento Apeliote as one might say Eastern-men or Easterlings and addeth that the Booke so often cited by Rambam concerning their Religion Rites and Customes is yet extant in the hands of the Arabian Muhamedans Out of this booke our Rabbie reciteth their opinions that Adam was borne of man and woman as other men and that hee was a Prophet of the Moone and by preaching perswaded men to worship the Moone and that hee composed bookes of husbandry that Noe also was a husband-man and beleeued not in Idols For which the Zabij put him in prison and because he worshipped the Creator Seth also contradicted Adam in his Lunarie worship They tell also that Adam went out of the Land of promise which is towards India and entred into Babylon whither hee carried with him a tree still growing with branches and leaues and a tree of stones and leaues of a tree which would not burne vnder the shadow of which tree he said ten thousand men might be couered the height whereof was as the stature of a man Adam also had affirmed in his booke of a tree in India the boughes whereof being cast on the ground would stir like Serpents and of another which had a root shaped like a man endued with a kind of sounding voyce differing from speech and of a certaine hearbe which being folded vp in a mans clothes would make him walke inuisible and the smoke of the same being fired would cause thunders another tree they worshipped which abode in Niniuie twelue yeeres and contended with the Mandrake for vsurping her roome whereby it came to passe that the Priest or Prophet which had vsed to prophesie with the spirit of that tree ceased a long time from prophesying and at last the tree spake to him and bade him write the sute betweene her and the Mandrake whether of them were the more honourable These fooleries saith he they attributed to Adam that so they might proue the eternitie of the world and Deitie of the Stars These Zabij made them for this cause Images of gold to the Sunne of siluer to the Moone and built them Temples saying that the power of the Planets was infused into those Images whence they spake vnto men and taught things profitable The same they affirmed of those trees which they apropriated to each of them with peculiar worships rites and hallowings whereby that tree receiued a power to speake with men in their sleepes From hence sprang magicall diuinations auguries necromancie and the like They offered to their chiefe god a Beetle and seuen Mice and seuen Fowles The greatest of their bookes is that of the Aegyptian seruice translated into Arabike by a Moore called Enennaxia which containeth in it many ridiculous things and yet these were the famous wise-men of Babylon in those daies In the said booke is reported of a certaine Idolatrous Prophet named Tamut who preaching to a certaine King this worship of the seuen Planets and twelue Signes was by him done to a grieuous death And in the night of his death all the Images from the ends of the world came and assembled together at the great golden Image in the Temple at Babylon which was sacred to the Sunne and hanged betweene the heauen and the earth which then prostrated it selfe in the midst of the Temple with all the Images round about shewing to them all which had befallen Tamut All the Images therefore wept all night and in the morning fled away each to his owne Temple And hence grew that custome yearely in the beginning of the monerh Tamut to renew that mourning for Tamut Other bookes of theirs are mentioned by him one called Deizamechameche a booke of Images a booke of Candles of the degrees of Heauen and others falsly ascribed to Aristotle and one to Alformor and one to Isaac and one of their Feasts Offrings Prayers and other things pertaining to their Law and some written against their opinions all done into Arabike In these are set downe the Rites of their Temples and Images of stone or mettall and applying of Spirits to them and their Sacrifices and kinds of meates They name their holy places sumptuously built the Temples of Intelligible formes and set Images on high mountaines and honour trees and attribute the increase of men and fruites to the Starres Their Priests preached that the Earth could not bee Tilled according to the will of the gods except they serued the Sunne and Starres which being offended would diminish their fruites and make their Countries desolate They haue written also in the former bookes that the Planet Iupiter is angrie with the Deserts and drie places whence it commeth that they want water and trees and that Deuils haunt them They honoured Husband-men and fulfilling the will of the Starres in tilling the ground they honoured Kine and Oxen for their labours therein saying that they ought not to be slaine In their festiuals they vsed Songs and all Musicall instruments affirming that their Idols were pleased with these things promising to the doers long life health plentie of fruits raines trees freedome from losses and the like Hence it is saith R. Moses that the Law of Moses forbiddeth these rites and threatneth the contrarie plagues to such as shall obserue them Tehy had certaine hallowed beasts in their Temples wherein their Images were before which they bowed themselues and burned incense These opinions of the Zabij were holden also by the Aramites Chanaanites and Aegyptians They had their magicall obseruations in gathering certaine hearbs or in the vse of certaine metals or liuing creatures and that in a set certaine time with their set rites as of leaping clapping the hands hopping crying laughing c. in the most of which women were actors as when they would haue raine ten Virgins clothed in hallowed garments of red colour danced a procession turning about their faces and shoulders and stretching their fingers towards the Sunne and to preuent harme by haile foure Women lay on their backes naked lifting vp their feete speaking certaine words And all Magicall practices they made to depend of the Starres saying that such a Starre was pleased with such an incense such a Plant such a metall such words or workes and thereby would be as it were hired to such or such effects as to driue away Serpents and Scorpions to slay wormes in nuts to make the leaues fall and the like Their Priests vsed shauings of the head and beard and linsey wolsey garments and made a signe in their hand with some kind of metals The Booke of Centir prescribeth a woman to stand armed before the starre of Mars and a man clothed in womans attire painted before the starre of Venus to prouoke lust The worshippers of
very learned and somewhat was added as wee may well coniecture to their learning by him who by Nabuchodonosor was set ouer them For besides the gifts wherewith hee was enriched and the ciuill authoritie wherewith he was dignified he was exalted also to this Ecclesiasticall iurisdiction ouer the Schooles of the Wise-men as after Iunius and Osiander D. Willet hath obserued as it were their Superintendent which though Caluin thinketh hee refused yet it appeareth by the title which the King after gaue him that hee accepted it In which his Superintendentship sayth our Author such laudable sciences as might safely be learned he promoted and furthered such corruption and superstitions as were practised among them he corrected and reformed but such abuses as could not be taken away hee forbare and kept himselfe free from them And here haue we a testimonie of their Hierarchie which Nature taught these and all people contrarie to the Noueltie of Paritie In the dayes of Hezechiah when the Sunne went backwards it appeareth how studious the Chaldaean Nation was in that their Princes sent their Ambassadours into Iudaea to enquire thereof Yea the Delphian Oracle as Theodoret citeth it out of Porphyrie ascribing the finding out of that learning which leadeth to the gods not to the Greekes but to the Aegyptians Phoenicians Chaldaeans and Hebrewes in which the Chaldaeans as that Father out of Daniel obserueth were furthered by the Hebrewes Some doe call the Babylonian Priests Magi but because they were by this name best knowne and most esteemed among the Persians which in that vicinitie of Regions had as neere Neighbourhood in Religions wee will speake of these Magi in our Persian Relations And it is thought that the Persian Magi came from these Chaldaeans Mornaeus reckoneth among the Chaldaean opinions that of Oromases Mitris and Ariminis that is to say GOD Mind and Soule which hee applieth to the Christian doctrine of the holy Trinitie The Oracle of Apollo pronounced the Chaldaeans and Hebrewes to bee onely wise The Chaldaean opinion concerning iudiciall Astrologie was not receiued of all the Chaldaeans as Strabo reporteth And Bardesanes Syrus the best learned of the Chaldaeans it is Eusebius testimonie doth at large confute that opinion which yet many Wisards carkasses of Christians still follow He affirmeth that in those things which a man hath common with a beast eating sleepe nourishment age c. a man is ordered by Nature as the beasts are But man hauing also a reasonable soule and freedome of will is not subiect to that naturall seruitude which at large hee prooueth by the diuers customes of men both in diuers and in the same countries in diet gouernment and Religion as the Reader willing to reade so worthie a discourse may find related at large in Eusebius Alexander Polyhist out of Eupolemus telleth that in the tenth generation after the floud in Camyrine a Citie of Babylonia which other call Vr Abram was borne which excelled all in knowledge and was the inuentor of Astrologie among the Chaldaeans Hee by diuine precept went into Phoenicia and taught the Phoenicians the course of the Sunne and Moone and when the Armenians warring vpon the Phoenicians had taken his brothers sonne prisoner hee by a band of his seruants recouered him and freely dismissed the captiues which he had taken Hee after liued with the Priests at Heliopolis in Egypt and taught them Astrologie confessing that he had receiued that Art by succession from Enoch Hee added that Belus raigned the second in Babylon and was called Saturne the father of a second Belus and Canaan which Canaan was the father of the Phoenicians and the Aethiopians brother of Mizraim the Author of the Egyptians with many other things not much differing from the Diuine Historie Astronomie in all likelihood was knowne to Abraham to whom the heauenly starres might be Remembrancers of that promise so shall thy seed bee his countrie also where it was practised might therein further him and the excellencie of the science in it selfe But this star-gazing destinie Iudiciall Coniecturall Genethliacall Astrologie Reason and experience GOD and Man haue condemned Vr signifieth light which agreeth to the Fire the Chaldaeans deitie which the Persians and Chaldaeans fained to haue receiued from heauen and kept euer burning as the Vestals in Rome They held Water and Fire to be the beginning of all things They made a chalenge of their fiery god to contend with any other gods of the godlesse Heathen an Egyptian encountred and ouercame them thus he caused his Canopus to be made full of holes stopped with waxe and hollow in the middle which hee filled with water and the Chaldaeans putting their fire vnder the waxe melting opened a quiuer of watrie arrowes that cooled the heat of their deuouring god and deuoured him They had yet a more foolish god euen an Onyon which they worshipped They obserued diuers wicked Sciences of diuining by Fire Aire Water Earth consulting with the dead and with wicked spirits Chaldaea vocatis Imperat arte dijs sayth Claudian Euery day the King offered a Horse furnished vnto the Sunne as did also the Persians Philostrat. sayth that it was a white Horse of the Nisaean race sumptuously trapped lib. 1. cap. 20. They obserued a feast in Babylon Athenaeus citeth it out of Berosus on the sixteenth Calends of September which continued fiue dayes in which the Masters were subiect to their seruants and one of them royally attired was caried out of the house whom they called Zoganes Baruch cap. 6. in the Epistle of Ieremie Apocrypha rippeth vp their idolatrous Rites Idols Processions bearing Idols on mens shoulders the people before and behind worshipping their Priests collusions to make gaines of the Idoll-offerings together with their Priests shauen heads and beards their rent cloaths their roaring before the Idoll their Temples wherein they stood with scepters axes or other weapons in their hands hauing candles lighted before them with other such rites that in the reading one would thinke hee were telling the discourse of the mysteries of mysticall Babylon in the West so euenly they accord The Chaldaeans inuocate their Belus to doe miracles also sayth hee inuocating a dumbe Idoll to giue speech vnto another which himselfe wanteth But aboue all one Beastly rite was in vse among them The women sayth hee sit in the wayes girded with k cords of rushes and burne straw and if one of them be drawne away and lie with any such as come by shee casteth her neighbour in the teeth because shee was not so worthily reputed nor her cord broken Thus was their glorie their shame Herodotus will yeeld vs a Commentarie on this place The Babylonians haue an abominable law sayth he that all their women once in their life doe sit at the Temple of Venus to haue familiaritie with strangers the richer sort comming in chariots richly furnished and attended to this vngodly purpose Their
Passeouer Pentecost or Whitsuntide the Feast of Tabernacles These were chiefe to which were added the Feast of Trumpets of Expiation and of the Great Congregation To these we may reckon the seuenth yeeres Sabbath and the yeere of Iubilee These Feasts GOD had prescribed to them commanding that in those three principall Feasts euery male as the Iewes interpreted it that were cleane and sound and from twenty yeeres of their age to fiftie should appeare there where the Tabernacle or Temple was with their offerings as one great Parish Deut. 16. hereby to retaine an vnitie in diuine worship and a greater solemnitie with increase of ioy and charitie being better confirmed in that Truth which they here saw to be the same which at home they had learned and also better strengthened against the errors of the Heathen and Idolatrous feasts of Diuels To these were after added vpon occasions by the Church of the Iewes their foure Feasts in memory of their calamities receiued from the Chaldeans their Feast of Lots of Dedication and others as shall follow in their order They began to celebrate their Feasts at Euen so Moses is commanded From Euen to Euen shall yee celebrate your Sabbath imitated in the Christian Euen-songs on holy Euens yet the Christian Sabbath is by some supposed to begin in the morning because Christ did rise at that time As for the causes of Feasts many they are and great That the time it selfe should in the reuolution thereof be a place of Argument to our dulnesse This is the day which the Lord hath made let vs reioyce and be glad in it And what else is a festiuall day but a witnesse of times light of truth life of memory mistresse of life A token of publike thankfulnesse for greatest benefits passed a spurre to the imitation of our Noble Ancestrie the Christian Worthies a visible word to the Ethnicke and ignorant which thus by what we doe may learne what we beleeue a visible heauen to the spirituall man that in festiuall ioyes doth as it were open the vayle and here fides is turned into a vides whiles in the best exercises of Grace he tasteth the first fruits of Glory and with his Te Deums and Halleluiahs begins that blessed Song of the Lamb whiles time it selfe puts on her festiuall attire and acting the passed admonish the present ages teacheth by example quickneth our Faith strengthneth hope inciteth charitie and in this glimpse and dawning is the day-starre to that Sunne of Eternitie when time shall be no longer but the Feast shall last for euerlasting These the true causes of festiuall Times CHAP. V. Of the Festiuall dayes instituted by God in the Law AS they were enioyned to offer a Lambe in the morning and another in the Euening euery day with other Prayers Prayses and Rites so had the SABBATH a double honour in that kinde and was wholly sequestred and sanctified to religious duties Which howsoeuer it was ceremoniall in regard of that seuenth day designed of the Rites therein prescribed of that rigid and strait obseruation exacted of the particular workes prohibited and of the deadly penaltie annexed yet are we to thinke that the Eternall Lord who hath all times in his hand had before this selected some time proper to his seruice which in the abrogation of Ceremonies Legall is in Morall and Christian duety to be obserued to the end of the World euen as from the beginning of the World he had sanctified the seuenth day to himselfe and in the Morall Law giuen not by Moses to the Iewes but by GOD himselfe as to all creotures is the remembrance of that sanctification vrged Friuolous are their reasons who would renue the Iewish Sabbath amongst Christians tying and tyring vs in a more then Iewish seruitude to obserue both the last and first dayes of the weeke as some haue preached and of the Aethiopian Churches is practised Neither can I subscribe to those who are so farre from paying two that they acknowledge not the debt of one vpon diuine right but onely in Ecclesiasticall courtesie and in regard of the Churches meere constitution and haue thereupon obtruded on many other dayes as Religious respects or more then on this which yet the Apostles entituled in name and practice The Lords day with the same spirit whereby they haue equalled traditions to the holy Scriptures Thus Cardinal Tolet alowes on the Lords day iourneying hunting working buying selling Fayres Fencing and other priuate and publike workes by him mentioned and saith a man is tyed to sanctifie the Sabbath but not to sanctifie it well a new kinde of distinction the one is in hearing Masse and ceasing from seruile workes the well-doing it in spirituall contemplations c. Another Cardinall is as fast as he is loose affirming That other holy daies also binde the Conscience euen in cases voide of contempt and scandall as being truely more holy then other daies and a part of diuine worship and not onely in respect of order and politie But to returne to our Iewish Sabbath Plutarch thought that the Sabbath was deriued of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth to keepe Reuell-rout as was vsed in their Bacchanals of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is interpreted Bacchus or the sonne of Bacchus as Coelius Rhodiginus sheweth out of Amphithaeus and Mnaseas who is therefore of opinion That Plutarch thought the Iewes on their Sabbaths worshipped Bacchus because they did vse on that day to drinke somewhat more largely a Sabbatizing too much by too many Christians imitated which celebrate the same rather as a day of Bacchus then the Lords day Bacchus his Priests were called Sabbi of this their reuelling and misse-rule Such wide coniectures we finde in others whereas the Hebrewes call it Sabbath of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth To rest because of their vacation to Diuine Offices and not for idlenesse or worse imployments And for this cause all the festiuall solemnities in the Scripture are stiled with this generall title and appellation as times of rest from their wonted bodily seruices Likewise their seuenth yeere was Sabbathicall because of the rest from the labors of Tyllage In those feasts also which consisted of many daies solemnitie the first and last were Sabbaths in regard of the strictnesse of those daies rest Luke hath an obscure place which hath much troubled Interpreters with the difficulty thereof 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our English reades it The second Sabbath after the first Isidore saith it was so called of the Pascha and Azyma comming together Chrysostome thinkes as Sigonius cytes him it was when the New-Moone fell on the Sabbath and made a double Festiuall Sigonius when they kept their Passeouer in the second Moneth Stella takes it for Manipulus frugum alledging Iosephus his Author Ambrose for the Sabbath next after the first day of the Easter Solemnitie Hospinian for the Octaues or last
is King of the whole world hauing in the word Echad many superstitious subtilties that the letter Daleth in regard of his place in the Alphabet signifieth foure and the word Echad contayneth in numerall letters two hundred fortie and fiue whereunto adding three hael elohechem emes God our Lord is true they make vp the number of two hundred fortie and eight and so many members there are in mans bodie for euerie member a prayer secures them all And this verse thrice recited secureth against the ill spirit They esteeme it a holy prayer by which miracles may bee wrought and therefore vse it morning and euening They haue another prayer called Schone esre that is eighteene because it contayneth so many thankesgiuing which they say twice a day and the chiefe chanter of the Synagogue singeth it twice by himselfe They thinke by this prayer to obtaine remission of their sinnes They must pray it standing so that one foot must not stand more on the ground then the other like the Angels And their foote was a right foote When they come to those words in it Holy holy holy Lord God of hosts they leape vp three times aloft And hee say their Chachamim which speaketh a word during this prayer shall haue burning coales giuen him to eate after his death These eighteene thanksgiuings are for the eighteene bones in the chine or back-bone which must in saying hereof be bended After this followeth a prayer against the Iewes reuolted to Christianitie and against all Christians saying These which are blotted out that is reuolters shall haue no more hope and all vnbeleeuers shall perish in the twinkling of an eye and all thine enemies which hate thee O GOD shall be destroyed and the proud and presumptuous Kingdome shall quickly be rooted out broken layd euen with the ground and at last shall vtterly perish and thou shalt make them presently in our dayes obedient to vs Blessed art thou God which breakest and subduest them which are rebellious They call the Turkish Empire the Kingdome of Ismael the Roman Edomiticall proud c. They are themselues indeed exceeding proud impatient and desirous of reuenge The Talmud sayth That the lying spirit in the mouth of Achabs Prophets which perswaded him to goe and fall at Ramoth Gilead was none other but the spirit of Naboth whom hee had before flaine And Victor Carbensis a Christian Iew testifieth That there are not vnder heauen a more quarrelsome people themselues acknowledging the Christians farre meeker then themselues when they haue this Prouerb that the modestie of the Christians the wisedome and industrie of the Heathens and faith of the Iewes are the three pillers which sustaine the world But to returne to their deuotions After those other before mentioned followeth a prayer for the good sort for Proselytes reedifying of the Temple for sending the Messias and restauration of their Kingdome In the end they pray GOD to keepe them in peace and when they come to these words Hee that makes peace aboue shall make peace ouer all Israel Amen they goe backe three paces bow themselues downewards bend their head on the right hand then on the left if some Christian bee there with an Image they must not bow but lift vp their heart This they doe for honours sake not to turne their hinder parts on the Arke and thus they goe like Crabbes out of the Synagogue vsing certaine prayers not running but with a slow pace lest they should seeme glad that their Mattins were done Other their niceties in praying as laying the right hand on the left ouer the heart not spetting nor breaking winde vp or downe not interrupted by a King to cease prayer to shake his bodie this way and that way not to touch his naked bodie and to say Amen with all his heart for they that say Amen are worthie to say it in the world to come And therefore Dauid endeth a Psalme with Amen Amen signifying that one is to bee said heere and the other in the other world also in a plaine eminent place purged from all filth freed from the sight of women his face to the East standing his feet close together fixing his eyes on the ground eleuating the heart to heauen c. I hold it enough thus to mention Their praying to the East must be vnderstood from our Westerne parts because Ierusalem standeth that way for otherwise Rambam sheweth that Abraham prayed in Mount Moriah toward the West and the Sanctum Sanctorum was in the West which place also Abraham set forth and determined And because the Gentiles worshipped the Sunne toward the rising therefore Abraham worshipped Westward and appointed the Sanctuarie so to stand The Talmud saith Praying to the South bringeth wisdome toward the North riches I might heere also adde their Letanie and Commemoration of their Saints almost after the Popish fashion As thus for a taste Wee haue sinned before thee haue mercie on vs O Lord doe it for thy names sake and spare Israel thy people Lord doe it for Abraham thy perfect one and spare Israel thy people Lord doe it for him which was bound in thy porches to wit in Mount Moriah where the Temple was afterward builded and spare Israel thy people Lord doe it for him which was heard in the ladder Iacob from thy high place and spare Israel thy people Lord doe it for the merit of Ioseph thy holy one c. Lord doe it for him which was drawne out of the waters Moses and spare c. Lord doe it for Aaron the Priest with Vrim and Thummim Lord grant it for him that was zealous for thy name Phineas Lord doe it for the sweet Singer Dauid Lord doe it for him which built thine house They name not any but expresse him after this sort And then proceed in like manner with the titles attributes and workes of GOD. Doe it for thy Name Doe it for thy Goodnesse for thy Couenant thy Law thy Glorie c. in seuerall versicles And then to their Saints in a new passage Doe it for Abraham Isaac and Iacob Doe it for Moses and Aaron for Dauid and Salomon as if their combined forces should effect more then single Doe it for Ierusalem the holy Citie for Sion for the destruction of thy house for the poore Israelites for the bare Israelites for the miserable Israelites for the Widdowes and Orphans for the sucking and wained and if not for our sake yet for thine owne sake Then in another forme Thou which hearest the poore heare vs thou which hearest the oppressed heare vs Thou which heardest Abraham c. With renuing a commemoration of their Saints larger then before and after some repeating the diuine titles in another tune they oppose their Saint and wicked ones together as Remember not the lye of Achan but remember Iosua forgiuing him and remember Heli and Samuel and so on in a tedious length CHAP. XVI Of their Ceremonies at home after
which the Turkes were vnacquainted they quickly transported their men and as quickly endamnified their enemies When the Grand Signeur was made acquainted with the forwardnesse of these Polonians and vnderstood they were alreadie encamped and expected his comming hee was too young to apprehend any feare and not old enough to lay the blame of his retardance where it was therefore they made the more haste when he vnderstood the occasion and so according to former preparation the establishment of diuers Gouernments the ordering the Prouinces the settling the great Citie the mustring his Gallies the guarding of his Castles and the watching of the Blacke Sea the Tartars vnited themselues to his Armie and both together made a bodie of 200000. which with all magnificent preparation hee presented in the same Fields and within sight of the Polonians where hee pitched his Imperiall Tent. The Tartars thought to haue made but one battell and day of triall of the businesse but when they came to passe ouer Riuers and assaile Trenches they knew not what to say and lesse to doe though the Ianizaries came as a second vnto them whereupon they retreated and were altogether appauled to be so disappointed Both they the Ianizaries were glad to retire with losse the yong Emperor vnacquainted with the war was yet acquainted with Oathes and Curses to chide both himselfe and Fortune At the last the Bashawes seeing no remedie and finding so great obstacles of their attempt proiected the preseruation of the Emperours person but it may bee to secure their liues and so entrenched themselues being as they said the first time that euer so great an Armie of Turkes was enclosed within walles The Polonians also endured both hunger cold slacknesse of payment and their entertainment came many times short The Noble Generall died in the Campe the Prince lay sicke of a Feuer their horse miscarried and other lamentable effects taught them extraordinary patience which made them attend good conditions of peace and secret workings of more nimble spirits A Priest of Moldauia was set on worke to go among the Polonians and by way of generall complaint against the outragious effects of warre to enlarge the happinesse of peace and inferre what a blessing it were to procure the same whereupon hee was brought to the young Prince of Poland and Commanders of the Armie with whom hee at last preuailed so well and so farre that they sent a solemne Embassie to the great Turke as hee lay entrenched in the fields to entreate a peace and desire the renouation of the antiqua pacta which had beene euer betweene the two Nations The Turke had learned his lesson so well that he seemed to make the matter strange and of great humiliation if hee should consent thereunto and rather a courtesie granted then a necessitie imposed and so deferred them awhile till at last as if he had beene ouer-wrought by the intercession and mediation of his Bashawes he was contented to capitulate the matter and after many meetings and a great deale of conference Articles were drawne and confirmed with a kinde of solemnitie and proclaimed by sound of trumpet in both the Campes and so brake vp the Campe with a kinde of murmuring and repining The Great Turke tooke easie iourneys toward Adrinopolis where he discharged the Tartars and sent most of his Ianizaries before hand to Constantinople Sigismond King of Poland raised his Armie and rewarding the Cossacks dismissed them home againe into their Countrey he went in person to Leopolis from whence by this time Osman was come to the Great Citie hee sent a solemne Embassadour to be there a Leiger as it had beene in former times By Christmasse Osman comes home and had the accustomed acclamations of the people with all the Ceremonies of his returne whereupon he goes in great pompe to the Sophia and had the vsefull Guard of his Court Ianizaries to attend him but within short space many fearefull accidents appalled them all First they were astonished at a blazing Comet Secondly they were afrighted at a great fire hapning amongst the Iewes which they presaged ominous to the gouernment Thirdly a sore Earth quake made their hearts quake for feare but this is vsuall in those parts by reason of the ascending vp the Hills and many Cauerns vnder ground The Sea also swelled extraordinarily And a great dearth hapned These might bee concurring Symtomes the disease was Osmans great spirit emulous of his Ancestors glory and ambitious to adde the rest of Europe to their Conquests but hereto his owne auarice and the decrepit or at least that vndisciplined age of that Empire were agreed correspondent and this first disastrous Polonian attempt filled him with repining indignation He is said to vndertake that warre against the will of his Souldiers and without the aduice of his Viziers and his gaines to be the losse of 100000. horses for want of fodder and 80000. men for want of fighting to which hee could neuer incite his Ianizaries though he hazarded thereto somewhat farre his owne person Hereupon he complained hee was no King subiect thus to his owne slaues which would neither fight in war nor obey in peace without exacting new bounties and priuiledges Delauir Bassa a man of great courage lately called from the Easterne parts was suddenly made Vizier and wrought vpon the Kings discontent giuing him counsell to prouide a new Souldiourie about Damasco and from the Coords in stead of these degenerate Ianizaries and of them to entertaine 40000. for his Guard and that the Begh-lerbegh of euery Prouince should traine vp some of the inhabitants in Martiall discipline with which men of new spirits and hopes hee might be able to doe something Osman extreamely pleased with this deuice consented and left all to his discretion Hereupon it was concluded that the King should pretend to goe in person against the Emirde Zaida and after interceding against that a pilgrimage to Mecca was pretended May seuen 1622. he began to passe his Tents to Asia side with great store of treasure to the defacing of his Palace and of Churches The Ianizaries had secret intelligence and vpon a word giuen met at the Hippodrome and thence ranne to the Seraglio in tumult taking order to stop the passage by water There they cried out for the King who appearing they first demanded his continuance in the Citie Secondly the chiefe Officers to be deliuered to them Delauir the great Vizier the Hoia or Confessor the Treasurer the Gouernour of the Women the Cadileskar or Chiefe Iustice and others as enemies to the State and authors of that iourney Hee granted the first but stucke at the second and they returned discontent The next day they renewed the mutinie slew the Vizier and the Gouernour of the Women and not finding the King they called for Mustapha before deposed a man esteemed holy or frantike and fitter for a Cell then a Scepter Him they found almost starued in a Vault
Hunting and Hawking If one hath buried a Male-child and another a Female the Parents contract a marriage betwixt those two and painting in papers Seruants Horses Clothes and Houshold and making writings for the confirmation of the Dower burne these things in the fire by the smoake whereof they in their smokie conceits imagine all these things to be carried and confirmed to their children in the other world and the Parents of the two dead parties claime kindred each of other as if they indeed had married their children while they liued In Xamdu did Cublai Can build a stately Palace encompassing sixteene miles of plaine ground with a wall wherein are fertile Meddowes pleasant Springs delightfull Streames and all sorts of beasts of chase and game and in the middest thereof a sumptuous house of pleasure which may be remoued from place to place Here hee doth abide in the moneths of Iune Iuly and August on the eight and twentieth day whereof hee departeth thence to another place to doe sacrifice on this manner He hath a Heard or Droue of Horses and Mares about ten thousand as white as snow of the milke whereof none may taste except hee bee of the bloud of Cingis Can. Yea the Tartars doe these beasts great reuerence nor dare any crosse their way or goe before them According to the direction of his Astrologers or Magicians he on the eight and twentieth of August aforesaid spendeth and poureth forth with his owne hands the milke of these Mares in the ayre and on the earth to giue drinke to the Spirits and Idols which they worship that they may preserue the men women beasts birds corne and other things growing on the earth These Astrologers or Necromancers are in their Art maruellous When the skie is cloudy and threatneth raine they will ascend the roofe of the Palace of the Grand Can and cause the raine and tempests to fall round about without touching the said Palace These which thus doe are called Tebeth and Chesmir two sorts of Idolaters which delude the people with opinion of their sanctitie imputing these workes to their dissembled holinesse and for this cause they goe in filthy and beastly manner not caring who seeth them with dirt on their faces neuer washing nor combing themselues And if any bee condemned to death they take dresse and eate him which they doe not if any die naturally They are also called Bachsi that is of such a Religion or Order as if one should say a Frier-Preacher or Minor and are exceedingly expert in their diuellish Art They cause that the Bottles in the Hall of the Great Can doe fill the Bowles of their owne accord which also without mans helpe passe ten paces through the ayre into the hands of the said Can and when hee hath drunke in like sort returne to their place These Bachsi sometimes resort vnto the Officers and threaten plagues or other misfortune from their Idols which to preuent they desire so many Muttons with black heads and so many pounds of Incense and Lignum Aloei to performe their due sacrifices Which they accordingly receiue and offer on their Feast-day sprinkling Broth before their Idols There be of these great Monasteries which seeme like a small Citie in some whereof are two thousand Monkes which shaue their heads and beards and weare a religious habite and hallow their Idols Feasts with great solemnitie of Hymnes and Lights Some of these may bee married Other there are called Sensim an Order which obserueth great abstinence and strictnesse of life in all their life eating nothing but Bran which they put in hot water and let it stand till all the white of the meale bee taken away and then eate it being thus washed These worship the Fire and are condemned of the other for Heretikes because they worship not their Idols and will not marry in any case They are shauen and weare hempen-garments of black or bright yellow and although they were Silke yet would they not alter the colour They sleepe on great Mats and liue the austerest life in the world Of their Astrologers in Cambalu were not fewer then fiue thousand Christians Catayans and Saracens maintained with food and rayment at the Great Cans charge These by their Astrolabe foretell of the change of weather mortalitie warres diseases c. And if any enterprise any great worke he resorteth vnto them and telling the houre of his Natiuitie by their Art is informed of the successe They hold the soule to be immortall and according to euery mans merits in his life to passe into a more noble creature till it be deified or ignoble as to a Pesant and then to a Dogge and so by degrees to the vilest They shew much reuerence to their Parents to whom if any bee vngratefull in their necessitie there is an Office and Officers appointed to trie and punish the offence In the Emperours hall none dare spit but for that purpose carrieth a little vessell to spit in nor dare any there make any noyse or loud talking The Tartars were at first very vncharitable to the poore and would curse them saying That if God had loued them he would haue prouided for them but after the Idolatrous Bachsi had commended Almes for a good worke there was great prouision made for them and euery day at least twentie thousand dishes of Rice Mill and Panike by certaine Officers distributed amongst them And for this liberalitie they adore him as a God Cingis amongst his first Lawes enacted as saith Vincentius the punishment of death to bee inflicted vpon offenders in those three vices which before time had beene most rife amongst them namely lying adulterie and theft of which yet towards other men that were not Tartars they made no conscience They are great Vsurers taking ten in the hundreth for a moneth besides vse vpon vse insomuch that a Souldier in Georgia which had borrowed fiue hundred pieces of coyne called Yperpera retaining the same fiue yeeres was constrained to repay seuen thousand And a Tartarian Lady for seuen yeeres vse of fiftie sheepe demanded seuen thousand Yperpera They are so couetous that though they abound in cattell they will scarce allow any to their owne expence while it is sound and good but if it die or be sicke They are addicted to Sodomie or Buggerie They eate sometimes for necessitie mans flesh sometimes to delight themselues and sometimes to terrifie others reckoning it a great glorie to haue slaine many and that by varietie of crueltie Their heads they shaue from eare to eare in manner of a Horse-shooe wearing long lockes at their eares and neckes There bee some of the Tartars which when they see their fathers grow old and diseased they giue them fat meates which may choake them And when they are thus dead they burne their bodies reseruing the ashes as a precious jewell sprinkling their meates with that powder But if any thinke not this enough which I am
these parts telleth of their Philosophers called Gymnosophists like things to that which is before mentioned of their beholding the Sunne from the rising to the setting with fixed eyes standing on the hot sands all day long on one foot by course Tooth-ache with other diseases of the head and eyes spitting and other sicknesses are either exiles or strangers to the Indians Tully saith That in this naked plight these Philosophers endure the cold of Winter and Snowes of Caucasus while they liue and the burning fire at their end without any playning The Indian women also striue which shall be marryed to her husbands corps in a fierie Chariot riding with him into another World Hystaspes the Father of Darius is reported to haue learned of the Indian Philosophers or Brachmanes both Astronomie and Rites of Religion with which hee after instructed the Persian Magi. None might sacrifice without one of these to direct him who onely among the Indians had skill of Diuination and authoritie to sacrifice and were free from other seruices §. III. Many doubtfull and fabulous reports of the Indians THe Indians are said to worship Iupiter Ganges and other Heroes of their Countrey Some of the Indian Nations accounted it dishonourable as they doe also at this day for the wiues not to be burned with their deceased husbands Thomas the Apostle preached the Gospell to the Indians and so did Bartholomew also and destroyed their Idols which wrought great wonders amongst them Astaroth Beirith and Waldath as Abdias reporteth who euen in this Historie may easily be conuinced to be counterfeit in ascribing the Names and Religions of the Grecians Iuno Neptune Berecinthia to the Indians besides those vnchristian reuenges in killing so many of their Aduersaries and old Heathenish new Popish Ceremonies fathered on those Apostles To let passe that Abdias a fit Bishop of that mysticall Babylon Alexander ab Alexandro reckoneth among their gods the greatest Trees to cut which was with them a capitall crime and a Dragon in honor of Liber Pater Hercules they honored in a Gyant-like statue whose daughter Pandaea the Pandeans say was their first Queene These affirme that in the Hill Meros which they account sacred to Iupiter is a Caue wherein Liber or Bacchus was nourished from whence the fable grew that hee was borne of Iupiters thigh for so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth Some of the Indians saith Solinus kill no beasts nor eate flesh some liue onely on fish Some kill their Parents and Kinsfolks before Age or sicknesse withereth them and deuoure their flesh an argument not of villany but pietie amongst them Their Gymnosophists from the Sun-rising to the setting fixe their eyes on the bright Orbe of the sun thence obseruing certaine secrets Hereunto he addeth the tales of Men with dogs-heads of others with one leg and yet very swift of foot of Pigmeis of such as liue onely by sent of hoarie Infants of some like Polyphemus with one eye in their fore-head of others with eares to the ground wherein many of the old Writers are Poets and the Moderne Painters as in many other Monsters of Men and Beasts We seeke credit with the wise and not admiration of fooles Ctesias in his Indica which Photius hath preserued rather as a Monument of Ctesias his lying then of Indian truth hath told the like incredible tales that it neuer rayneth in India that there is a Fountaine of liquid gold receiued into pitchers of Earth that the Sea in the top is boyling hot with the monstrous Martichora a man-like beast and other more horrible beast-like men with tailes and heads of dogs without speech the little truth in his little Pigmeis both beasts and men his great lyes of great Gryphons Lyon-Eagles Keepers of golden Mountaines with other like fables scarce in one thing agreeing with our Moderne and more certaine obseruations and such as if of purpose he had in challenge of the World cast downe the Gantlet for the Whetstone which for my part I thinke he best deserueth This hath the lyer gotten by lying that in his Persian storie which he had better meanes to know he is the more doubted and such relations haue made Indian reports accounted fabulous The Indians neuer sacrificed or saluted their Idols without dances They were neuer rewarded with militarie honor or spoile except they brought into the Campe an enemies head in their hand They punished periurie with the losse of fingers and toes and such as deceiued their Clients with perpetuall silence and besides they were disabled vnto any Office Their Lawes are not written their Contracts without seales or witnesses They vsed no pledges nor might borrow or lend vpon vsury Philostratus in his large Legend of the life of Apollonius Tyanaeus their Philosophicall Saint relateth his Pilgrimage into India to the Brachmanes in which he came to Nysa where was a Temple of Bacchus built by himselfe planted about with Bayes Vines and Iuy whose shadie roofe couered the same In the middest was an Image all Instruments belonging to the Vintage were there some of Gold others of Siluer hanged vp sacred to Dionysius Hee after came to Taxilla the Citie Royall where he found the Temple of the Sun and in it the yuorie Image of Aiax with golden statues of Alexander and ouer-against the same the brazen Images of Porus The walls of red Marble shined like fire interlaid with Gold resembling lightning The Mosaicall floore pouldred with Pearles The King here offered sacrifice to the Sun For the Pepper-trees which he saith are great and abound with Apes who gather the Pepper for the Indians gratis brought thereunto by a wyle of the Indians who first gather some and lay it on heapes and then go away at their returne finding many the like heapes made by the emulous Apes I leaue it to the Authors authoritie and Readers credulitie as that also which followeth of the Inhabitants of Paraca in these parts who by eating a Dragons heart and liuer attaine to vnderstand the Language if so I may terme it of Beasts And if you maruell at this that which followes will amaze you of Men which doe not as the former communicate with the nature of Beasts but of Spirits making themselues at their pleasure inuisible Here in a holy Hill was a pit whereof no man drinketh by which the Indians bind their faith as by the most solemne and inuiolable oath In this pit was a fierie receptacle where men were purged from their offences and two tubs of Whetstones I should say of raines and windes the one being opened yeelding raines and the other windes In this place were many Indian Grecian and Egyptian statues with their Rites obserued accordingly This Hill was reported the middle of India and euery noone-tide they sing Hymnes to the Sun for that fire borrowed they say from his beames The Brachmanes sleepe on the ground on hearbes strewed two cubits thick that by this
exceed the due and iust proportion of her owne Globositie and thereby no lesse to excell the highest eleuation as wee may tearme it of the Sea then the Cliffes and Shores doe those Waters which approach them And what needs a conceit of miracle in the very ordinary constitution and conseruation of Nature though all Nature if wee regard it as a Creation by supernall power bee nothing else but miracle Some indeed dreame of I know not what proportion of the Elements wherby they would haue the Water to exceed the Earth as before is said and it is true that the vpper face and vtter superficies of the Waters for ought that is knowne to the contrary is as great as that of the Earth But if wee compare the depth of the Waters with the Diameter of the Earth we shall find that in most places the one is not so many Fathoms as the other is Miles Yea whoeuer soundeth at such depth And whereas the Diameter of the Earth is by some reckoned 8 11. Miles and by some more who euer cast Line and Lead into the Sea to measure a thousand Fathom Yea in Scaligers opinion the Earth is so much greater then the Water that if the Mountaines were cast downe into these watry receptacles and the Earth brought into a perfect roundnesse there would no place in it be left for the Water Record recordeth not so much as he yet holds the Earth almost ten thousand times as great as the Sea and all other waters And if wee receiue the Iewish Tradition mentioned by our Apocrypha Esdras this may bee more probable for hee saith that euen in the vtter face of the Globe the Waters were gathered into a seuenth part and sixe parts of the Earth kept drie Some imagine a bottomlesse depth passing quite thorow the Earth through which the Moone being in the other Hemisphere causeth the heightning of the Tides no lesse then when she is present in ours Which gaue no small helpe also in their conceit in the generall Deluge which if it be true addes a greater proportion to the Sea then wee haue obserued But because little reason and no experience can be shewed for this Assertion I will not insist in refutation But that Deluge being caused by breaking vp the Fountaines below and violent Stormes from aboue confute that opinion that the Sea should be higher then the Earth which then might haue effected the Floud without either of those former causes But why doe I drowne my innocent Reader with my selfe in these Depths of the Sea which some measure by the height of Hills others resemble those extraordinarie Land-heights to extraordinarie Whirle-Pooles but seeing the Sea is Tenant to the Earth which hath as before we haue said remoued it selfe in some sort to make way and roome for it the more ordinarie height and eleuation of the one may seeme to answere the more ordinary depth and descending of the other These bottomes of the Sea haue also their diuersified shape and forme as it were of Hillockes Mountaynes Valleyes with the Accliuities and Decliuities of Places as in the Shelues Shallowes Rockes Ilands appeareth And as the Land is not onely higher then the Sea at the shore so is it apparant that in remote places from the Sea the Land doth besides the exorbitant swellings of Mountaynes in the ordinary leuell exceed the height of Maritine regions which thence receiue those Riuers which require descent all the way of their passage which in some is one thousand in some two thousand miles And therefore is it likely also that the Sea answers in like proportion it being obserued to grow shallower neere the shoare and differently deeper in the farther recesse of the Maine §. II. Of the Saltnesse and Motions of the Sea THe saltnesse of the Sea some ascribe to the first Creation some to the sweat of the Earth roasted with the Sunne some to the saltnesse of the Earth especially in Minerals of that nature some to adust vapours parly let fall on the Sea partly raysed from it to the brinks and face thereof some to the motion of the Sea some to vnder-earth or vnder-sea fires of bituminous nature causing both this saltnesse and the motion also of the Sea and some to the working of the Sunne which draweth out the purer and finer parts leauing the grosser and baser behind as in this little world of our bodies the purest parts of our nourishment being employed in and on the body the vrine and other excrements remaining doe detaine a saltnesse I will not determine this question as neither that of the Ebbing and Flowing of the Sea which some say is the breath of the world some the fires aforesaid boyling in and vnder the water some the waters in holes of the earth forced out by Spirits some the meeting of the East and West Ocean some ascribe it to the Moone naturally drawing water as the Load-stone Iron some to the variable light of the Moone a variable light they all giue vs They that send vs to God and his Decree in Nature haue said what is the true cause but not how it is by Naturall meanes effected Certaine it is that the Ocean and the Moone are companions in their motion vncertaine whether the Ocean hath a naturall power in it selfe or from the Moone so to moue which is made so much the more doubtfull by reason that they follow not the Moone in all places of the word alike Vertomanum writeth that in Cambaia the Tides are contrarie to the course they hold in these parts for they encrease not with the full but with the wane of the Moone and so the Sea-crabs doe likewise In the Iland of Socotora Don Iohn of Castro obserued many dayes and found contrary both to the Indian and our wont that when the Moone riseth it is high Sea and as the Moone ascends the Tide descends and ebbeth being dead-low water when the Moone is in the Meridian and this operation hee found continuall With vs also our highest Tides are two dayes after and not at the very Full and Change About Vaygats Stephen Borrough found it to flow by fits very vncertaine Scaliger saith that the full-Moones at Calicut cause the encrease of the water and at the mouth of Indus not farre thence in the same Sea the new-Moones But what exceeding difference of the Tides doe wee find in the Downes and other places on our owne Coasts both for time and quantitie that at once in the compasse of ones sight there should bee both floud ebbe and these differing in degrees and that on some places of our Coast it should rise one fathom in some two in the Thames three at or neere Bristoll ten and on some part of the French coast neere Saint Malos fifteene whereas our shoare ouer against it riseth but two The like differences may bee obserued betweene the Tyrrhene Sea and that on the opposite coast
vsed to hunt fish and take them by the helpe of another fish which they kept tyed in a cord by the Boats side and when they espied a fish loosed the cord this hunting fish presently layes hold on the prey and with a skinne like a Purse growing behind her head graspeth it so fast that by no meanes it can be taken from her till they draw her vp aboue the water and then not able to abide the Aire she resigneth her prey to the fishers which leape out into the water and take it in recompence whereof they giue her part of her purchase He found also in this Coast Waters for the space of fortie miles white and thicke like Milke and as though Meale had beene strewed through that Sea other waters he found spotted with white and blacke and others all blacke An old man of fourescore yeeres being a Gouernour in Iland came to Columbus and with great grauitie saluted him and counselled him to vse his victories well remembring that the soules of men haue two Iournies after they are departed from their bodies The one foule and darke prepared for iniurious and cruell persons the other pleasant and delectable for the peaceable and louers of quiet Many other Ilands might be heere mentioned and but mentioned little to our purpose I finde in them Of Acusamil neere Iucatan is alreadie spoken Of the Lucatae or Iucatae the greatest thing is their great number which some esteeme aboue foure hundred Lucaio is a generall or collectiue name as Zeland Lequio Malucco The Spaniards haue carried the Inhabitants as Martyr signifieth into seruitude to satisfie their insatiable desire of Gold The women of these Ilands were so faire that many of the bordering Countries forsooke their owne Countrie and chose this for their loue These women ware nothing till the time of their menstruous purgation at which time the Parents made a Feast as if shee were to be married and after that she weareth before those parts Nets of Cotton filled with leaues of Hearbs They obey their King so strictly that if he command them to leape downe from an high Rocke alledging no other reason then his will they performe the same But they are now and were long since desolate being wasted in the Mines of Hispaniola and Cuba or by Diseases and Famine to the number of twelue hundred thousand But I am loth to wilder my selfe further in this Wildernesse of Ilands for so haue the Spaniards made them Columbus in one Voyage gaue names to seuen hundred Ilands of which I can report little fitting this our Pilgrimage Hispaniola is the Lady and Queene of them all and as it were the common Store-house of all their excellencies and therefore we will there make some longer stay CHAP XIIII Of Hispaniola and a touch homewards at Bermuda §. I. The Names naturall Rarities and Creatures thereof HIspaniola or Spagniola is Eastward from Cuba it was of the first Inhabitants called Quisqueia afterwards Haiti and by Columbus Cipanga and Ophir The Spaniards call it as we first mentioned and also Saint Dominike or Domingo of the chiefe Citie an Archiepiscopall See It contayneth in compasse fiue hundred and fiftie leagues They called the Iland Quisqueia which signifieth Great and All thinking that the Sunne gaue light to no other World then this and the other Ilands adioyning Haiti signifieth Craggie and such is the Iland in many places with high Craggie Hils ouerlooking the deepe and darke Valleyes But in many places it is most beautifull and flourishing It seemeth to enioy a perpetuall Spring the trees alway flourishing and the Medowes clothed in greene The Ayre and the Waters are wholesome It is in manner equally diuided with foure great Riuers descending from high Mountaynes whereof Iunna runneth East Attibunicus West Nabiba to the South and Iache Northward Some diuide it into fiue Prouinces Caizcimu Hubaba Caibabo Bainoa Guaccaiarima In the first of these there is a great Caue in a hollow Rocke vnder the root of a high Mountayne about two furlongs from the Sea the entrie is like the doores of a great Temple Many Riuers stole their waters from the sight of the Sun the vse of men and the ordinary Officers of Neptunes Custome-house and by secret passages came and hid themselues in this Caue So the Ilanders imagined seeing diuers riuers swallowed vp of the earth after they had runne fourescore and ten miles and such a sinke or channell of waters in the Caue The Ilanders beleeued that the Iland had a vitall spirit and that there it doth breathe and a hole therein is the female nature thereof for of that sexe they deeme it euen as Antiquitie conceited the ebbing and flowing of the Sea to be the breath of Demogorgon Andreas Moralis entred in with his ship which was almost swallowed with the Whirle-pooles and boyling of the water Clouds engendred of those watery conflicts and darknesse layed hold on his eyes terrible noyse as of the fals of Nilus made deare his eares that when with labour he had gotten out he seemed to haue escaped the barkings of Cerberus the obscure Vaults of Hel. Vpon the tops of high Mountaynes the same Moralis saw a Lake three miles in compasse into which many little Riuers ran without any other apparant issue In Bainoa is a Lake of Salt water notwithstanding it receiueth foure great fresh Riuers from the East West North and South and twenty smaller and within a furlong of the Lake on the Northside are two hundred fresh-springs It is thought to haue a large entercourse with the Ocean because they are Sharkes great Sea-fishes which deuoure men in the same Here are stormes and tempests which seeme to bee the Caters and Purueyors for those fishes in drowning many Diuers other Lakes are mentioned in this Iland one whereof partly Salt partly fresh is fiue and twenty miles long and eight broad They are all in a large Plaine 120. miles in length bredth betweene 18. and 25. There is another Vale 200. miles long and broader then the former another as broad as that which is 180. miles long Bart. de las Casas telleth of a Kingdome in Hispaniola called Magua which signifieth a Plaine compassed about with Hils which watered the same with 30000. Riuers and Brookes twelue of them were very great and all which come from the West twenty thousand in number are enriched with Gold Cotobris a Plaine on the tops of Hils so high that it is subiect to the foure seasons of the yeere There is also another Region of the same name most barren and yet most rich full of Mynes otherwise vnfruitfull a thing common in Nature that great Mynes vndermine fertilitie and not strange amongst men that the greatest hoorders of Treasures are the most vnfruitfull and barren in good workes The Gold they say is as a liuing tree which rooting in the centre of the Earth sendeth forth branches vnto the vppermost face of the earth and there
Boare amongst them And heere I take leaue to repose hauing made this light discouery of the Countryes coasting this Bay of Bengali which I could not more exactly performe hauing taken my station in Musulipatnam Such as it is I submit it equally to all mens surueigh or censure and rest Pleased whosoeuer be otherwise Worthy Sir AS I haue begun and proceeded herein by your Instigation I present it to your acceptation if any thing be worth your account I dare iustifie the truth of it if nothing I shall neuer grieue at the suppression In briefe I wrote it for you and dedicate it to you and am only sorry it comes vnseasonably My Voyage into India remarkable in a Carracks losse and Captaine Iosephs death my Employment at Surat Cambaia and Amadera from thence at Callecut vpon the Coast of Malabarre at Priaman and Tecoo vpon Sumatra and then to Bantam and Iacatra vpon Iaua would afford more matter of discourse but I haue chosen Musulipatnam from which Centre I haue drawne these rude lines yet strait ones and parallel to the truth so that although none shall please to sayle by my Compasse yet am I sufficiently contented in hauing kept within compasse and so I rest a true louer of you and your elabourate Volumes W. Methwold FINIS THE SARACENICAL HISTORIE CONTAYNING THE ACTS OF THE MVSLIMS FROM MVHAMMED TO THE REIGNE OF ATABACEVS IN THE SVCCESSION OF NINE AND FORTIE EMPEROVRS Written in Arabike by GEORGE ELMACIN Sonne of ABVLIASER ELAMID the Sonne of ABVLMACAREM the Sonne of ABVLTIB AND Translated into Latine by Thomas Erpenius by his heires dedicated to the High and Mightie Prince FREDERIKE King of Bohemia Count Palatine of Rhene c. Out of whose Librarie at Heidelberge the Arabike Copy was borrowed Englished abridged and continued to the end of the Chalifa's by Samuel Purchas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 MOLLIA CVM DVRIS LONDON Printed by William Stansby for Henry Fetherstone and are to be sold at his shop in Pauls Church-yard at the signe of the Rose 1626. To the Reader THat which the Angell had foretold of Ishmael hee will bee a wild man his hand will be against euery man and euery mans hand against him and that his seed should not be numbred for multitude is in this History manifested to haue beene fulfilled to the vtmost Yea that which Saint Paul saith that Godlinesse hath the promises of this life and of that which is to come we see fulfilled in Abraham the Father of many Nations and in his two Sonnes Ishmael made a great Nation neuer did any Empire extend so farre But my Couenant will I establish with Isaac and in Isaac shall thy seed bee called Ishmael hath the greatest earthly Empire yet is in spirituall bondage withall Agars Children but Ierusalem which is aboue is free the mother of vs all which are the seed of the faith of Abraham which is the Father of vs all which as Isaac was are the Children of Promise But as then hee that was borne after the flesh persecuted him that was borne after the spirit euen so it is now in this Historie from the beginning of the Muslim Empire declared The bond woman and her sonne shall one day be cast out of the house for the Seruant abideth not in the house for euer but the Sonne abideth euer If the Sonne therefore shall make you free yee shall be free indeed The Earth is a small thing for God to giue he giueth it to Ishmaels seed his owne haue Himselfe their portion in the Sonne to redeeme them in the Spirit to sanctifie them in the Father to prouide for them the best things here and Heauen it selfe with God himselfe in Trinity and Vnity to be their portion for euer Enuy not their lot to those but pitty and pray for them that God may open their eyes which how they are misled with shewes of deuotion dazeled with lightnings of armes and blinded with night and Hell this History sheweth from Muhammed their first Seducer to the end of their Asian Chalifas Our Stories I confesse are full of Mahomet and Saracens but empty for the most part of things therein most remarkable whiles partly want of Arabike Books and Letters hath hindred vs from meanes of knowledge without that Key none can enter this Muhammedan Magazine and partly rash Zeale hath transported both Greeke and Latine Authours to say anything of these Locusts Mahomet and his Adherents without iudgement sometimes and very often without truth whereby we haue had passionate Inuectiues and crude Collections insteed of the Muhammedan or Islam History God needeth not mens lies nor piae fraudes to support his Truth and the way to ouercome euill is not with euill but with goodnesse The iustice of God scourging the world with the Saracenical Sword for their vniust contempt of the Gospel of Peace is seene in this Dragon-tooth seed of Muhammedans the Alphabet of whose Religion is written in bloudy Letters of forced faith The hypocrisie of Muhammed their Founder and other Propheticall Pretenders ambitious of Souereigntie with their vices are best gathered out of their owne Authors which though they stile their memory happy or glorious yet in relating their Arts and Acts doe sufficiently declare their impiety and impurity before God and Man Shewes of Religion in bodily exercises meere carkasses only Almes frequent Prayers if gestures and words be Prayers and Prayes were not the scope of their Prayers their externall iustice in many things their Learning in Philosophie Mathematicks and Poetry the length of an Empire in such space of time and place this inclusiuely from the East Indies to the Westerne Ocean without any interruption taking in also Spaine and part of France and Italy with Sicill and the Easterne Empire tributary that from Muhammeds time to the end of this Story yea still in the Mogoll Persian and Turke with the Tartars and many Princes of lesse note continuing in a larger extent the beginning growth height declining and fall of that Empire the aduancement hereof with the Sword which exposeth to slaughter or imposeth Tribute their diuisions into two Empires the Abasian Family ruling ouer Asia and Africa the Ommian in Europe and after into a third which held Africa and in time also possessed Egypt the rising of Lay Princes and degeneration of Chalifas to a kind of meere Ecclesiastickes and their fall by diuision of this triformed Cerberus into a multiforme Dragon in manifold States and Kingdomes These in a succinct narration by one which descended of Christian Progenitors was versed in Christian Stories aswell as his last professed Islamisme with more likelihood of truth and fulnesse of satisfaction to the Inquisitiue Reader then any then all yet published if I be able to iudge by any by all Latines or other Westerne Writers Erpennius hath her giuen and I abridged out of him conferred also and illustrated with Mirkond a Persian and Muhammedan his History set forth in Spanish
continentur Non pro defectu potentiae sed quia non possunt habere rationem patibilis vel possibilis Conuenientius dicitur quod ea non possunt fieri quam quòd Deus non possit facere Ap. 1. q. 25. art 3. d. n 2. Tim 2.12 o â—al l. 2 c. 〈…〉 p 〈…〉 q â—â—â—câ—uid emnino de illo retularis vim al quaÌ„ ipsius magis virtutem quà m ipsum explicaâ—eris Quid enim dignum de en aut dicas aut sentias qui omn bus sermonibus sensibus maior est Tertul. de Trin p 598. Quatuor à Deo remouenda corporeitas mutabilitas priuatio assimilatio ad Creaturas R. Mos Moreh l. 1. 54. 57. tanquam de Rege diceretur habente millies mille talâ—nt auri quòd haberet centum talenta argenti r Deus vnus in Trinitate trinus in vnitate Arnob in Psal. 145. Å¿ Mat. 3. t Esay 6. Zanch. de 3. Elohim haec fusè u Morn de ver C.R. F. Patric P. Gal. l. 12 alijqueâ—lâ—râ—mi x Iustin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 y 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nazian z Bern. ad Eugeni a D. Abbot par 2 Defen pag. 9. Zanch. de N.D. lib. 5. cap. 1. b Treleat Zanch. de Na. D. l. 5. c. 1. 2. c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 d 1. Ioh. 5.20 e Gal. 4.6 a Iam. 1.17 b 1. Joh. 1.5 Qui scrutatur Maiestatem opprimetur à gloria Ne si sorte suas repetitum venerit olim Grex auium plumas c. c Gen. 1.1 d Nothing but Nothing had the Lord Almighty Wherof wherewith whereby to build this Citie Du Bart. E nulla vel prima vel secunda materia quae omni factioni fabricationi generationi opificio artificio subijcitur Creatio fit etiam citra omne temporis momentum quippe à virtute infinita Iul. Scal Ex. 6. Hebraei statuunt discrimen inter Creare formare facere 1. ex nihilo facere 2. enti Cresto formam inducere 3. membra singula ordinare quae tamen indiscriminatim ponuntur Es 43.7 Oecolamp in G. e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Basil hom 1. in principio temporis id est simul cum tempore Eadem Ioan. Philoponus in Hexam ap Photium 240. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Tempus non tam mensura metus quam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 permanentia duratio corporum rerumque corporearam aliorum est â—on 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hermes sic suum instituit ordinem Deus aeon mundus tempus generatio Deus aeona facit aeon mundum mundus Tempus tempus generationem Thomas ait simul cum tempore Quatuor enim ponuntur simul creata s coelum Empyreum materea corporalis quae nomine terrae intelligitur Tempus Naturae Angelica Sum. p. 1. q. 47. art 1. Fagius vertit Quum Deus principiò coelum terram creauit erat terra inanis vacua Nam simpliciter ait hoc voluit Moses non statim ab initio expolitum fuisse mundum vt hodiè cernitur sed inane coeli terrae chaos fuisse creatum f Merula Pererius interpretationem hanc Chrysostomo tribuunt g Caluin in Gen. Muester Luther Artopaeus Fag ap Marlorat R. Nathmanni intelligit per coelum terrae materiam tenuissimani impalpabilem diuerse tamen naturae ita vt coelum coelestis terra terrestris fuerit Iunius interpretatùr extimum illum huius vniuersitatis ambitum cum super coelestibus incolis illius spiritualibus formis atque intelligentijs tùm materiam illam primam ex qua terra ac res omnes coelestes ac terrestres factae sunt De triplici Coelo vid. Ar. Montan Nature obseruat h Theodoret Beda Strabus Alcuinus Lyra plerique scholastici i Zanch. de oper Dei pers 1. l. 1. c. 2. Burgens Polanus Bucanus c. Paul Merula Cosmogr part 1. l. 1. Perer. in Gen. interprets by Heauen the heauenly bodies then made and after perfected with light and motion by Earth the element of the Earth k Col. 1.16 l Gen. 2.1 Exod. 20.11 Iob 38.7 m Gen. 32.1 n Gen. 3.1 o Pet. Martyr in Gen p Zach. de operib part 1. lib. 1. cap. 4. q As Dionys those which Tritemius mentioneth de Intelligent coelest which number 7. Orifiel Anael Zachariel Raphael Samael Gabriel Michael all which in course and succession gouerne the world Each 354. years and 4. months c. r Ioh. 14.2 Å¿ Apoc. 21.3 t 1. Cor. 15.28 u Hebr. 11.3 x Arist Phys l 1. Iun. praef in Gen. y By darknesse and deep Philoponus vnderstâ—ndeth the Aire and Water ap Phot. 240 z Gibbins on Genes * Hier. l. trad Hebr. Trem. Iun. Basil hom 2. ex Ephrem Syro * Merc. de Fab. mundi ante eum Tertul. ad Hermog Theod. q. 8. in Gen. Caietan de Angelis interpretatur R. Mos ben Maim Mor. Neb. l. 1. c. 39. is of that mind but l. 2. c. 31. he findeth the foure elements in these foure words heere mentioned Earth Spirit Deepe and Darknesse a Patricius numbreth the linkes of this chaine in this order Calor qui in t rra aqua mistis est ab aereo pendet hic à coelesti is à sole astris hic vero ab Empyreo Empyreus à luminis calore hic ab animario hic ab intellectuali hic à vitali primario hic quoque à primario essentiali hic itidem ab ideali qui in Deo habitat à Deo patre est deriuà tus Pancos l. 5. The interpretation of this mysticall Phylosophie yee may borrow of himselfe in his Panaug Panarc Pamsyc Pancos more agreeing with Zoroaster Hermes and some Platonikes then the Scriptures which shew that all things were immediatly created in the beginning by God b Virg. Aeneid l. 6. on which words Seruius commenteth Deus est quidam diuinus spiritus qui per 4. infusus elementa gignit vniuersal c Vatab. Marlorat in Gen. d Bas hex. hom 6. Greg. Naz. orat 43. Nicetas in eum e Zanch. Hugo Lumbard Tostatus c. f Merul. p. 1. l. 1 c. 4. g Damas. de f. orth l. 2 c. 7. Hugo Annot. in Gen. Gr. Nyssen Iunius c. h Vid. Plutar. de Plac. Philos l. 2. Patrit Panang l. 7. Pancos. l. 15. 22. i 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cuius partes condensatae stellae aether autem dictus ab 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to burne Stoicorum opinionem vid. Aug. de Ciu. Dei l. 8. c. 5. The Sunne saith Philo is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Zanch. Sol. heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 q. d. ibi ignis and another Coelum ig is influens 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 id est ignis aqua k Cardan de sub l. 1. Merula Cos l. 3. c. 2. Io. Pic. Mirand de element c. 3. Tycho Brahe de Cometa 1577.