acquire And therefore we must in this sincere Truth Our selues examine How we spend our Youth Manhood and Age and then by searching finde How fraile weare how'vnstedfast and how blinde And next when we our miseries haue skan'd Sifting all actions that we take in hand How vaine they are Necessitie will leaue That Consequent behinde That we must cleaue Onely to that great Pow'r nor from it shrinke Without which we nor moue nor speake nor thinke And because we haue falne from Him by Sin To intimate There is no way to win Our peace and reconcilement or dispence With our transgression but true Penitence I thus proceed Great hath the Decertation Bin 'mongst the Learned men 'bout the Creation Of blessed Angels Some of them haue said They many Worlds before this World were made To'attend th' Almighty Others haue againe So curious a scrutinie held vaine And almost irreligious aiming still To penetrate into his secret Will Without his Warrant and conclude That they Had with the Light subsistence the first day Were with it made of Nothing had no Being At all till then The Fathers disagreeing About this point some haue opinion held But by the later Writers since refel'd As Hierome Ambrose Gregory Nazianzen Cassianus Damascenus Origen Hilary Basil These with others were Resolv'd That because nothing doth appeare From Moses in his Booke of things created Concerning them That they were fabricated Long time before Againe Because Saint Paul Writing to Titus saith God first of all Before the World th' Hope of Eternall life Promis'd to vs c. Hence they maintaine this strife Interpreting the Text Er'e the Creation Which words include If Before God did fashion All things that Being haue in earth or heauen There must be some to whom this power is giuen And those the Angels But on this Assertion Learned Saint Austin layes a great aspersion Affirming them with th' Heav'ns Emperiall made And that before they no existence had Saint Paul interpreting Th' Almighty gaue This Promise and blest Hope Mankinde to saue From all Eternitie to elevate Mans Fall in that pure Lambe Immaculate His Sonne and our deare Sauiour And thus Opinion'd were graue Athanasius Gregory Theodoret Epiphanius With diuers others Which no sooner mov'd Was in the Lateran Councell but approv'd Of all the Bishops as of both the best Which in the sacred Scripture is exprest For thus 't is writ God ended the seventh day The Worke He made for so doth Moses say And in the day whch He his Sabbath nam'd Rested from All the Worke which he had fram'd Which vniuersall word perforce doth carry Spirituall things as well as Elementary Such as before the World thinke them created In many doubts themselues haue intricated I would besides haue them resolue me How Vnlesse his Worke imperfect they allow It can with reason stand that if they were In Time before Time was and with sincere Faith and Obedience had so long aboad They onely then revolted from their God Should this be granted it must needs inferre Strong argument a second way to erre Namely That no Coelestiall Hierarchy Subiects of that eternall Monarchy Who haue remain'd as by the World appeares In blest estate so many thousand yeares But notwithstanding the great grace th' are in May slide like Lucifer and fall by Sin Which the Church holds erronious Be it then Granted That God did make the Angels when Th' Imperiall Heav'ns were fashion'd at first pure And without sin for euer to endure Had they not falne through Proud Imagination By which they then incur'd his Indignation For nothing Euill can from Him proceed So much the Text implyes where we may reade God said when he his rare Worke vnderstood All things that I haue made be greatly good And lest the Church might that way be deluded 'T is in the Lateran Councell thus concluded All Spirits were created pure at first But by their selfe-will after made accurst To make things cleare Although we must confesse That Moses doth not in plaine termes expresse When how and in what order Angels were At first created yet it will appeare How that their Essences and Natures bright Were signified by names of Heav'n and Light And though they seeme forgotten in that Text Obserue how other Scriptures are connext To giue them Name and Being In that Oad In which the three blest Children prais'd their God In the hot flames to giue to vnderstand That Angels were the Worke of his great Hand O all ye Workes of God the Lord say they Blesse praise and magnifie his Name for aye Praise him ye Heav'ns ye Angels praise the Lord. Let vs to Daniels adde the Psalmists word Praise Him all ye his Angels Some haue said That Angels were the last worke that God made But most absurdly He in Iob thus sayes When the Stars of the Morning gaue me praise Then all the Angels of my Sonnes the choice Extold my Name with an exalted voice Now when the Great and most Diuinely Wise Did the rare Fabricke of the World deuise And by the vertue of his Word create The Heav'n and Earth in their so goodly state He made the Angels in the first of Time Of Substances most noble and sublime Amongst which Lucifer was chiefe and hee As he might challenge a prioritie In his Creation so aboue the rest A supereminence as first and best For he was chiefe of all the Principalities And had in him the three stupendious qualities Of the most holy Trinitie which include First Greatnesse Wisedome next then Pulchritude The Greatnesse of the Sonne and holy Spirit The Father is which they from him inherit Now of the Father and the Holy-Ghost The Wisedome is the Sonne so stiled most The Father and Sonnes Pulchritude is he That 's the third Person in the Trinitie And though of Angels the great pow'r be such As hath in Scripture been extolled much For their nobilitie and excellence As first of Michael whose pre-eminence Daniel relates as naming him for one Of the prime Angels that attend the Throne As Raphael who told Tobit Of the seuen That still before th' Almighty stand in Heav'n Himselfe was one Or as the Seraphim Who as the holy Prophet speakes of him With a cole toucht his lips from th' Altar tooke Or as of Gabriel whom the holy Booke Mentions who to the earth made proclamation Of our most blessed-Sauiors Incarnation Yet aboue these was Lucifer instated Honor'd exalted and much celebrated And therefore many of the Learned striue His greatnesse from Ezechiel to deriue For thus he saith and what he doth infer 'Gainst Tyrus they conuert to Lucifer Thou sealst the Sum vp art in Wisedome cleare Thy beauty perfect doth to all appeare Thou hast in Eden Gods faire Garden been Each pretious stone about thy garment's seene The Ruby Topaz and the Diamond The Chrysolite and Onyx there were found The Iasper and the Saphyr dearely sold The
By Gods blest Spirit an Epiniceon sing Ascribing Glory to th' Almighty King Miraculous thy Workes are worthy praise Lord God Almighty iust and true thy waies Thou God of Saints O Lord who shall not feare And glorifie thy Name who thy Workes heare Thou onely holy art henceforth adore Thee All Nations shall worship and fall before Thee Because thy Iudgements are made manifest This Song of Vict'rie is againe exprest Thus Now is Saluation now is Strength Gods Kingdome and the Power of Christ. At length The Sland'rer of our Brethren is refus'd Who day and night them before God accus'd By the Lambes bloud they ouercame him and Before Gods Testimonie he could not stand Because the Victors who the Conquest got Vnto the death their liues respected not Therefore reioyce you Heav'ns and those that dwell In these blest Mansions But shall I now tell The Weapons Engines and Artillerie Vsed in this great Angelomachy No Lances Swords nor Bombards they had then Or other Weapons now in vse with men None of the least materiall substance made Spirits by such giue no offence or aid Onely spirituall Armes to them were lent And these were call'd Affection and Consent Now both of these in Lucifer the Diuell And his Complyes immoderate were and euill Those that in Michael the Arch-Ange'll raign'd And his good Spirits meekely were maintain'd Squar'd and directed by th' Almighties will The Rule by which they fight and conquer still Lucifer charg'd with insolence and spleene When nothing but Humilitie was seene And Reuerence towards God in Michaels brest By which the mighty Dragon he supprest Therefore this dreadfull battell fought we finde By the two motions of the Will and Minde Which as in men so haue in Angels sway Mans motion in his body liues but they Haue need of no such Organ This to be Both Averroes and Aristotle agree It followes next that we enquire how long This Lucifer had residence among The blessed Angels for as some explore His time of Glory was six dayes no more The time of the Creation in which they I meane the Spirits seeing God display His glorious Works with stupor and amaâ—e Began at once to contemplate and gase Vpon the Heav'ns Earth Sea Stars Moone and Sunne Beasts Birds and Man with the whole Fabricke done In this their wonder at th'inscrutabilitie Of such great things new fram'd with such facilitie To them iust in the end of the Creation He did reueale his blest Sonnes Incarnation But with a strict commandement That they Should with all Creatures God and Man obey Hence grew the great dissention that befell 'Twixt Lucifer and the Prince Michael The time 'twixt his Creation and his Fall Ezechiel thus makes authenticall In midst of fierie stones thou walked hast Straight in thy wayes ev'n from the time thou wast First made as in that place I before noted To the same purpose Esay too is quoted How fell'st thou Lucifer from Heaven hye That in the morning rose so cherefully As should he say How happens it that thou O Lucifer who didst appeare but now In that short time of thy blest state to rise Each morning brighter than the morning skies Illumin'd by the Sunne so soone to slide Downe from Gods fauour lastingly t' abide In Hells insatiate torments Though he lost The presence of his Maker in which most He gloried once his naturall Pow'rs he keepes Though to bad vse still in th' infernall Deepes For his Diuine Gifts he doth not commend Vnto the seruice of his God the end To which they first were giuen but the ruin Of all Mankinde Vs night and day pursuing To make vs both in his Rebellion share And Tortures which for such prepared are Of this malignant Spirits force and might Iob in his fourtieth Chapter giues vs light And full description liuely expressing both In person of the Monster Behemoth The Fall of Adam by fraile Eve entic't Was his owne death ours and the death of Christ. In whose back-sliding may be apprehended Offendors three three ' Offences three Offended The three Offendors that Mankinde still grieue Were Sathan Adam and our Grandam Eve The three Offences that Sin first aduance Were Malice Weakenesse and blinde Ignorance The three Offended to whom this was done The Holy Spirit the Father and the Sonne Eve sinn'd of Ignorance and so is said Against the God of Wisedome to haue made Her forfeit that 's the Son Adam he fell Through Weakenesse and 'gainst him that doth excell In pow'r the Father sinn'd With his offence And that of hers Diuine Grace may dispence Malicious Hate to sinne did Sathan moue Against the Holy-Ghost the God of Loue And his shall not be pardon'd Note with me How God dealt in the censuring of these three He questions Adams Weakenesse and doth call Eve to account for th' Ignorance in her fall Because for them he mercy had in store Vpon their true repentance and before He gaue their doome told them he had decreed A blessed Sauiour from the Womans seed But Sathan he ne're question'd 't was because Maliciously he had transgrest his Lawes Which sinne against the Spirit he so abhor'd His Diuine Will no mercy for him stor'd Moreouer In the sacred Text 't is read The Womans Seed shall breake the Serpents head It is observ'd The Diuell had decreed To tempt our Sauiour the predicted Seed In the same sort though not the same successe As he did Eve our first Progenitresse All sinnes saith Iohn we may in three diuide Lust of the Flesh Lust of the Eye and Pride She sees the Tree and thought it good for meat The Fleshes lust persuaded her to eat She sees it faire and pleasant to the eye Then the Eyes lust inciteth her to try She apprehends that it will make her wise So through the Pride of heart she eats and dies And when he Christ into the Desart lead Bee'ng hungry Turne said he these Stones to Bread There 's Fleshly lusts temptation Thence he growes To the Eyes lust and from the Mountaine showes The World with all the pompe contain'd therein Say'ng All this great purchase thou shalt win But to fall downe and worship me And when He saw these faile to tempt him once agen Vsing the Pride of heart when from on hye He bad him leape downe and make proofe to flye And as the Woman yeelding to temptation Made thereby forfeit of all mans saluation And so the Diue'll who did the Serpent vse Was said by that the Womans head to bruse So Christ the Womans Seed making resist To these seducemeâ—ts of that Pannurgist Because by neither Pride nor Lust mis-led Was truly said to breake the Serpents head Angels bee'ng now made Diuels let vs finde What place of Torment is to them assign'd First of the Poets Hell The dreadfull Throne Where all Soules shall be sentenc'd stands saith one In a sad place with obscure darkenesse hid
said The Lord our God's one Lord In which word One the Vnitie is meant Of the three Persons solely Omnipotent In which by One 't is well observ'd That he The second Person in the Trinitie Meant in the second word who hath the name To be Our God 'T is because we may claime Iust int'rest in him And though all the Three May be call'd ours more in particular He. One reason is Because he Heav'n forsooke And on himselfe our humane nature tooke In all things like so did his Grace abound Saue only that in him no sinne was found Next That he bore our sinnes freed our transgression And last For vs in Heaven makes intercession Two natures in one person so ally'd Some hold in Mans creation tipify'd From Earth his body Adam had 't is said His Soule from Heauen both these but one Man made Christs humane nature had with man affinitie Being very Man and from God his Diuinitie Being very God In both so to subsist Godhood and Manhood make vp but one Christ. In Iacob's Ladder figur'd this we see Which Ladder Christ himselfe profest to be Of which the foot being fixt vpon the ground The top to heauen thus much to vs doth sonnd That in this Scale at such large distance set The Heauen and Earth at once together met So Christs Humanitie from Earth was giuen But his Diuinitie he tooke from Heauen As from Earth Earthy as from Heauen Diuine Two Natures in one Person thus combine The choicest things about the Arke were fram'd Of Gold and Wood Wood worthlesse to be nam'd If with Gold valu'd for the Cedar's base Compar'd with th' Ophir Mine yet had it grace With it's rich tincture to be ouerspred In this respect the Godhood may be sed To be the Gold the Manhood baser wood And yet both these as truly vnderstood Made but one Arke So the two Natures raise Betwixt them but one Christ. He forty daies Fasted i' th Desart and did after grow Hungry by which the Text would haue vs know Hee 's God because of his miraculous fast Hee 's Man because he hungry grew at last He slept at sea when the great tempest rose This shew'd him Man as needfull of repose When he rebuk'd the Windes and Surges tam'd He his great Godhood to the World proclaim'd He wept o're Lazarus as he was man But foure dayes buried when he rais'd him than He appear'd God He dy'de vpon the Crosse As he was Man to redeeme Mankindes losse But at his death when th' Earth with terror shooke And that the Sun affrighted durst not looke On that sad obiect but his light withdrew By strange Eclipse this shew'd him to be true And perfect God since to confirme this wonder The Temples Vaile was seene to rend asunder The Earth sent forth her Dead who had abode Long in the earth All these proclaim'd him God The tenth of the seuenth moneth the Hebrew Nation Did solemnise their Feast of Expiation So call'd because the High-Priest then confest How He with all the People had transgrest His and Their sinnes Obserue how thence ensu'th A faire agreement 'twixt the Type and Truth Aaron the High-Priest went into the place Call'd Holiest of Holies Christ by ' his grace Made our High-Priest into the Holiest went Namely the Heauen aboue the Firmament Aaron but once a yeare He once for all To make way for Mankinde in generall He by the bloud of Goats and Calues but Christ By his owne bloud the blessed Eucharist Aaron went single in and Christ alone Hath trod the Wine-presse and besides him none He with his Priestly robes pontifically Christ to his Office seal'd eternally From God the Father Aaron tooke two Goats Which ceremoniall Type to vs denotes That Christ assum'd two Natures that which fled The Scape-Goat call'd to vs deciphered His Godhoods imp'assibilitie And compris'd In th' other on the Altar sacrifis'd His Manhoods suffering since that Goat did beare The Peoples sinnes Which in the Text is cleare Saint Paul in his Epistle we reade thus That Christ without sinne was made Sinne for vs. Hence growes that most inscrutable Diuinitie Of the three sacred Persons the blest Trinitie Which holy Mysterie hath an extension Aboue Mans braine or shallow apprehension Nor can it further in our brests take place Than we' are inlightned by the Spirit of Grace How should we then Finite and Mortall grow By meditation or deepe search to know Or dare ambitiously to speake or write Of what Immortall is and Infinite And yet 'mongst many other deuout men Heare something from the learned Nazianzen The Monady or number One we see In this great Godhood doth arise to three And then this mysticall Trine sacred alone Retyres it selfe into the number One Nor can this Diuine Nature be dissect Or separated in the least respect Three Persons in this Trias we do name But yet the Godhood still One and the same Each of the Three by right a God we call Yet is there but one God amongst them all When Cicero with graue and learned Phrase Had labour'd long the Godhood to emblaze He doth conclude it of that absolute kinde No way to be decipher'd or defin'd Because ' boue all things Hee 's superior knowne And so immense to be contain'd in none A prime and simple Essence vncompounded And though that many labouring to haue sounded This Diuine Essence and to'haue giuen it name They were not able yet to expresse the same As 't were afar off Epithites deuis'd And words in such strange circumstance disguis'd Nothing but quarrels and contentions breeding As Natures strength and Reasons much exceeding The Martyr Attalus when he was brought Before a Tyrant who esteemed nought Of God or goodnesse being askt in scorne What name God had A space from him did turne And after some small pause made this reply As th' Author doth of him historifie Your many gods haue names by which th' are knowne But our God being but One hath need of none Wise Socrates forbad men to enquire Of what shape God was Let no man aspire Saith Plato what God is to apprehend Whose Maiesties immensenesse doth extend So far and is so'vnimitably Great Beyond all vtterance or the hearts conceit Why then is it so difficult and rare Him to define It is because we are Of such streight Intellect narrow and rude Vncapable of his great Magnitude Our infirme sight is so obtuse and dull And His bright fulgence is so beautifull Hence comes it by no other names we may Call this great God than such as best display His Excellence Infinitie and all Wherein He'appeares solely Majesticall According to his Essence Him to know Belongs vnto Himselfe the Angels go By meere Similitude Man by a Glasse And Shape of things and can no further passe For he by contemplation
place to relate for they would require too large a circumstance Concerning the name of God it is generally obserued That none can properly be conferred vpon him because he is onely and alone And yet to distinguish the Creator from the Creature needfull it is that it should be done by some attribute or other which ineffable name in the Hebrew language consisteth of one word containing foure letters i. Iehovah which descendeth of the verbe Haiah fuit which is as much as to say He Was Is and Shall be Which declareth his true property for as he hath bin alwaies so hee shall be eternally for Eternitie is not Time nor any part of Time And almost all Nations and Languages write and pronounce the word by which the name of God is specified with foure letters onely foure being a number euen and perfect because hee hath no imperfection in him For besides the Hebrewes the Persians write the name of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Wisards and Soothsayers of that countrey 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Arabians Alla the Assyrians Adad the AEgyptians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Grecians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Latines Deus the French Dieu the Spaniards Dios the Italians Idio the Dutch and Germanes Gott the English and Scots Godd with a double d as hath been obserued in all Antiquities He is likewise called Alpha and Omega which are the first and last letters of the Greeke Alphabet His Epithites or Appellations in Scripture are Almighty Strong Great Incomprehensible Vncircumscribed Vnchangeable Truth Holy of Holies King of Kings Lord of Lords Most Powerfull Most Wonderfull with diuers other Attributes Some define him to be a Spirit Holy and True of whom and from whom proceeds the action and agitation of all things that are to whom and to the glory of whom the end conclusion of all things is referred Iustine Martyr in his Dialogue with Tryphon the Iew defineth God in these words I call him God that hath essence in Himself and is continually permanent in one and the same kinde without receiuing any change and hath giuen beginning to all the things that are created Cicero calleth God a certain Intelligence or Spirit free and ready separate from all mortall mixture or concretion knowing and mouing all things and hauing in himselfe an eternall motion So much many Ethnyck Authors haue acknowledged as in their Workes is to be frequently read Dionysius in his booke de Divin Nominib is of opinion that all things which denote perfection and excellence are in God most eminent and on Him deseruedly to be conferred On the contrarie all such things as are subiect vnto imperfection or defect because they do not fall within His nature are to be remoued and banished from his description Therfore in these words Ens Infinitum i. Infinite Being he includes the prime chief and soueraign Truth Soueraigne Goodnesse Soueraigne Mercy Soueraigne Iustice Wisedome Power Benignitie Beneficence Clemency Intelligence Immortalitie Immobilitie Invariabilitie Amabilitie Desiderabilitie Intelligibilitie Stabilitie Soliditie Act Actiue Mouer Cause Essence Substance Nature Spirit Simplicitie Reward Delectation Pulchritude Iucunditie Refreshing Rest Securitie Beatitude or whatsoeuer good laudable or perfect thing can fall within the conception or capacitie of Man But when all haue said what they can let vs conclude with Saint Augustine Solus Deus est altissimus quo altius nihil est Onely God is most high than whom there is nothing higher And in another place Quid est Deus est id quod nulla attingit opinio id est What is God Hee is that thing which no Opinion can reach vnto There is no safetie to search further into the Infinitenesse of the Diuine Nature than becommeth the abilitie of finite Man lest we precipitate our selues into the imputation of insolence arrogance For God saith in Iob Comprehendaem sapientes in Astutia eorum Which is as much as had he said I will make it manifest that the wisedome of all those who seeme to touch Heauen with their fingers and with the line of their weake vnderstanding to take measure of my Nature is their meere ignorance let them beware lest their obstinacie without their repentance and my mercie hurry them into irreuocable destruction Augustus Caesar compared such as for light causes would expose themselues to threatning dangers to them that would angle for small Fish with a golden hooke who should receiue more dammage by the losse of the bait than there was hope of gain by the prey There is reported a fable of an Huntsman who with his Bow and Arrowes did vse to insidiate the Wilde-beasts of the Wildernesse and shoot them from the couerts and thickets insomuch that they were often wounded and knew not from whence The Tygre more bold than the rest bad them to secure themselues by flight for he onely would discouer the danger Whom the hunter espying from the place where he lay concealed with an arrow wounded him in the leg which made him to halt and lagge his flight But first looking about him and not knowing from whom or whence he receiued his hurt it was the more grieuous to him Him the Fox meeting saluted and said O thou the most valiant of the beasts of the Forrest who gaue thee this deepe and terrible wound To whom the Tygre sighing replied That I know not onely of this I am sensible to my dammage That it came from a strong and a daring hand All ouer-curious and too deepe Inquisitors into Diuine matters may make vse of this vnto themselues Sentences of the Fathers concerning the Trinitie in Vnitie and Vnitie in Trinitie AVgustine lib. de Trinitate we reade thus All those Authors which came within the compasse of my reading concerning the Trinitie who haue writ of that subiect What God is according to that which they haue collected out of the sacred Scriptures teach after this manner That the Father the Sonne and the Holy-Ghost of one and the same substance in an inseparable equalitie insinuate one and the same Vnitie and therefore there are not three gods but one God though the Father begot the Sonne therefore he is not the Sonne being the Father The Sonne is begot of the Father and therefore he is not the Father because the Sonne The Holy-Ghost is neither the Father nor the Sonne but onely the Spirit proceeding from the Father and the Sonne and to the Father and the Sonne coequall as concerning the Vnitie of the Trinitie Neither doth this infer that the same Trinitie was borne of the blessed Virgin Mary crucified vnder Pontius Pilat buried and rose againe the third day and after that ascended into heauen but it was onely the Sonne who died and suffered those things the Father the Sonne and the Holy-Ghost as they are inseparable so they haue their vnanimous and vnite operations And againe Lib. 1. de Trinitate Neither more dangerously can a man erre neither more laboriously can
that man in It might see The former glorious Structure fram'd by Thee The Sunne the Moone the Stars the Planets seauen Pleiades Arcturus all the Host of Heauen Thy mighty hand created Times and Seasons Thou hast for vs appointed of which Reasons Cannot by man be giuen who hath presum'd Of Worlds before and after this consum'd More to succeed Thy Wisdome all things knowing Finds these to be but fancies meerely growing From Curiositie and can affourd No shape of truth from thy most sacred Word From which let no vaine boaster be so madde As the least jot to take or ought to adde Make it to vs the onely Rule and Square By which to guide our actions and prepare Our meditations solely to incline But from that Centre to deriue no Line So shall those Soules thou hast so dearely bought Be perfect and we praise thee as we ought As far as th' East is distant from the West Remoue our sinnes from vs In euery brest Plant in their stead all Goodnesse God Immense Whose smallest Attr'ibute passeth humane sence From whom In whom By whom All things subsist Visible and vnseene who as thou list Thy Worke About dost compasse Within fill Couer Aboue Below supportest still Keepe vs the worke of Thine owne hands and free Whil'st wee put Hope and Confidence in Thee Vs from all euill guard vs we Thee pray Here Euery where at this Time and for Aye Behind Before Within dores and Without Aboue Below and guirt vs Round about So wee with lips and hearts vnfeign'd ô King To Thee for all thy benefits will sing This Hymne O Holy Holy Holy Thee Wee do Inuoke ô Bessed Trinitie To enter Vs thy Temple mak 't a Place Worthy thy Iuning there by Diuine Grace This By the Father Of the Sonne we craue This By the Sonne good Father let vs haue O Holy Spirit that this may be done Wee Intreat Thee By the Father and the Sonne Quid noscis si teipsum nescis Bucer in Psalm The Dominations Eâ—◠〈◊〉 Ioannis 〈◊〉 Gener THE ARGVMENT of the fourth Tractate WHat Ternions and Classes be In the Coelestiall Hierarchee In what degrees they are instated How 'mongst themselues concatinated Angels and Daemons made apparant By Ethnicks and the Scriptures warrant Of Visions and strange Dreames that proue Spirits each where at all times moâ—e Against their infidelitie That will allow none such to be Discourse of Fauour Loue and Hate Of Poetry of Deaths estate Th' Essence of Spirits how far they know Their power in Heauen and Earth below The second Argument THere is no Power 〈◊〉 Domination But from the Lord of our Saluation The Dominations A Little further let my Muse aspire To take myne eyes from Earth to looke vp higher Vnto the glorious Hierarchy aboue The blest degrees in which the Angels moue In this the best Theologists assent That they are Substances Intelligent Immortall Incorporeall Mouing still Assisting Man obseruant to Gods will In three most blessed Hierarchies th' are guided And each into three Companies diuided The first is that in which the Seraphims bee Cherubims Thrones distinct in their degree The Seraphim doth in the word imply A Feruent Loue and Zeale to the Most-High And these are they incessantly each houre In contemplation are of Gods great Power The Cherubim denotes to vs the Fulnesse Of absolute Knowledge free from Humane dulnesse Or else Wisedomes infusion These desire Nothing but Gods great Goodnesse to admire The name of Thrones his glorious Seat displaies His Equitie and Iustice these still praise The second Ternion as the Schoole relates Are Dominations Vertues Potestates Dominions th' Angels Offices dispose The Vertues in the second place are those That execute his high and holy Will The Potestates they are assistant still The malice of the Diuell to withstand For God hath giuen it to their powerfull hand In the third order Principates are plac't Next them Arch-Angels Angels are the last The Principates of Princes take the charge Their power on earth to curbe or to enlarge And these worke Miracles Th' Arch-Angels are Embassadors great matters to declare Th' Angels Commission hath not that extent They only haue vs Men in gouernment God 's in the first of these a Prince of Might He in the second doth reueale as Light Is in the last his Graces still inspiring To know what 's to their Offices requiring The formost Ternion hath a reference To contemplate Gods Diuine Prouidence Prescribing what by others should be don The office of the second Ternion Doth his concurring Influence disperse Vnto the guidance of the Vniuerse And sometimes hath a working Now we know The third descends to'haue care of things below Assisting good men and withstanding those That shall the rules of Diuine Lawes oppose These seuerall Companies before related May with good sence be thus concatinated First because Loue of all things that haue being With Diuine Nature is the best agreeing As hauing influence and birth from Him Therefore the first place hath the Seraphim Because from Loue all Knowledge doth arise For who that loues not God can be held wise And therefore in it's proper Mansion sits The second place the Cherubim best sits Because from Loue and Wisedome nothing must Or can proceed but what is Good and Iust. Therefore the Thrones haue the third place assign'd So that to Loue the Seraphim's inclin'd Euen loue vnto the Great and Holy-One Cherubim to Wisedome Iudgement to the Throne Now because Empire for so oft it falls Must needs submit to Iudgement when it calls And that to Empire there of force must be A Vertue to maintaine that Empiree And that this vertue cannot exsist long Without a Power that is sufficient strong Able their molestation to redouble That shall this Empire or this Vertue trouble The second Ternion in these heauenly Bowers Are the Dominions Vertues and the Powers Further since Power or Might nothing preuailes Whereas a Light illuminating failes And this Instruction but two wayes can grow By Word or Action therefore they bestow The next place on the Principates as those Who the most eminent actions still dispose Then to th' Arch-Angels who from the blest Trinity The chiefest Principles of our Diuinity Vnto our deare saluation necessary 'Twixt heauen and earth immediatly carry To th' Angels last whose industry extends To Creatures Men and so their Power ends In things inferior this is the Oeconomy Of the most blest and sacred Hierarchy Yet notwithstanding some there are and those Pretending no small iudgement that oppose Not onely this faire Order and Degree But hold No Spirits at all or Angels be The Sadduces thus argue If such were We doubtlesse should of their Creation heare From Moses who his first Booke doth begin Both with the World and all things made therein But makes of them no mention And againe If they be nam'd in Text 't is to restraine
Platonists call gods All those sublunary they Daemons styl'd As Apuleius in his booke compyl'd De deo Socratis makes ample mention According to his humane apprehension We know their Places and their Offices But of their Natures and their Substances Onely so far no farther we dare skan Than that they are more excellent than man Thus by the Psalmist warranted who sayes When our Nobilitie he semees to praise And what Man was before he did transgresse Thou mad'st him than the Angels little lesse Some would allow them Bodies and of them Tertullian one another Origen From Genesis The Sonnes of God 't is there Seeing Mens Daughters and how faire they were Tooke them to be their Wiues Now both agree That these no other could than Angels be Who if they married must haue Bodies those Compos'd of Forme and Matter to dispose Else how should they haue Issue And againe How are bad Sprites sensible of paine In Hells eternall torments if there faile That Substance on the which Fire may preuaile So diuers of the Fathers were of minde For in Saint Austines Comment you may finde The subtile essence of the Angels pure At first that they more fully might endure The sence of Fire was grossed in their Fall Of courser temper than th' Originall Moreouer Damascenus is thus heard Each thing created if with God compar'd Who onely incorruptible is shall finde Them Grosse and all materiall in their kinde For He alone 't is we may truly call Vnbodied and Immateriall Ambrose Lactantius and Basilius Rupertus Atlas Athanasius With Firmianus did beleeue no lesse As more at large their publique Workes expresse To these oppos'd in censure others are Who in their best of judgements not once dare Allow them Bodies but meere Spirits to bee Void of all matter and in this agree Nazianzen Gregorie Thomas Aquine Saint Chrisostome and Thomas Argentine Alexander Alexandri and Marselius Bonaventura Augustinus Niphus Hugo de S. Victore Scotus men Gen'erally approv'd and with these Damascen Who saith That in respect of God on hye His Pewer and most inserutable Qualitie They may be said to haue Bodies yet he wou'd Not haue it be so simply vnderstood But that they are not all so exquisite As mutable confin'd to place finite When as his Nature more Diuine by farre Is subiect to no Change as Angels ar ' An Infinite a Majestie so Immence No place can circumscribe his Eminence To leaue Authorities yet make this plaine Let 's see what grounds from Reason we can gaine If they haue bodies they must needs be linkt Of members as Mans is Organs distinct And like composure else they must be fram'd Confus'd and without those which we haue nam'd If Limbs and Organs consequently then They must haue Sence if Sence Passions as men And therefore capable of Perturbation So of Corruption and of Alteration As bee'ng compos'd of Contraries If we say Th' are from Corruption free t' infer that they Their bodies neuer can put off and so Into a grosse absurditie they grow To make them in worse state than Man for he Puts off all Cares with his Mortalitie But on their perpetuitie doth depend Trouble and Toiles sence which can neuer end Againe if Bodies they must either be Hard to be felt and of soliditie Or else Liquid and soft If stand vpon The last th' are signes of imperfection Subiect to be diuided and to take Strange shapes vpon them and the first forsake As to be chang'd to Water or to Aire Which doth not stand with sence for if we dare Allow them hard and sollid we' are deluded Since such from other Bodies are excluded As in dimention limited and space Because two Bodies cannot haue one place Nor can they with that quicke celeritie Moue in one Sphere then in another be 'T must likewise follow That such as are sent Downe to the Earth cannot incontinent But with much difficultie or'ecome the way First in one Heav'n then in another stay Haue time to penetrate as needs it is Now that Coelestiall Body and then this When as if Alphraganius we may trust Or Thebit Arabs both of force it must Be a great distance For these Authors write If that an Angell in his swiftest flight Should from the eighth Heauen to the Earth descend A thousand miles in threescore minutes to spend So far remote they are if truly told Six yeares six moneths his journey would him hold But now what difficult to some may'appeare To reconcile and all those doubts to cleare Ev'n as Mans wisdome being lustly way'd With Gods to be meere Foolishnesse is said Not that it is in its owne nature so And that than Brutes he doth no further know But in respect of God's so pure and holy It in that sence may be reputed Folly So th'vncorporeall Spirits Bodies claime Which if we with th' Almighties Essence name In that regard 't is palpable and grosse No better to be styl'd than Dung and Drosse Now by the Sonnes of God who beheld then The Daughters which were said to be of Men Is meant the Sonnes of Seth to make it plaine Seeing those Daughters which were come of Cain Of them tooke wiues each where he liked best Heare in a Lateran Councell what 's exprest Touching Spirituall and Corporeall Creatures Distinguisht thus The great God of all Features The sole Creator Visible and Vnseene Spirituall and those which Bodied beene Who from Times first beginning hath both fram'd Spirituall and those Corporeall nam'd By which we vnderstand Angelicall And Mundane here below He after all Did then create Man in his blest estate Both Soule and Body to participate The Phrase of Scripture doth confirme as much As oft as it doth on the Spirit touch A Substance without Body it approoues The Spirit is God saith Iohn and it behooues All such as will in worship fall before him Meerely in Spirit and in Truth t'addore him Besides Saint Luke doth witnesse One mans brest At once of a whole Legion was possest Of vncleane Spirits Which had they Bodies How Could it sufficient place to them allow To'inhabit when each Legion doth by List Of six thousand six hundred sixty six consist If there be any of Saint Gregories mind To thinke that Angels are to Place design'd All such must vnderstand it is not meant According to the limited extent Of their Angel-like Substances but rather Which from their great employments we may gather Of their owne vertues the determination In the determin'd place of operation Nor is 't of force That Angels by their Fall Should gaine a Substance more materiall On which th' infernall Fire it selfe might feed Of such a spissed Substance there 's no need Since of their lasting torments without pause The Fire is not the sole and principall cause But as an Instrument a power it hath From Gods owne hand and iust incensed wrath To the three Ternions I returne againe Linkt fast
out of that Desart they fixed their eyes vpon three strange humane shapes of a fearefull and vnmeasurable stature in long loose gownes and habited after the manner of Mourners with blacke and grisly haire hanging ouer their shoulders but of countenance most terrible to behold Who calling and beckoning to them both with voice and gesture and they not daring to approch them they vsed such vndecent skipping and leaping with such brutish and immodest gestures that halfe dead with feare they were inforced to take them to their heeles and runne till at length they light vpon a poore countrey-mans cottage in which they were relieued and comforted Sabellicus deliuereth this discourse The father of Ludovicus Adolisius Lord of Immola not long after his decease appeared to a Secretarie of his in his journey whom he had sent vpon earnest businesse to Ferrara The Spectar or Sylvan Spirit being on horse-backe attyred like an huntsman with an Hawke vpon his fist who saluted him by his name and desired him to entreat his sonne Lodowicke to meet him in that very place the next day at the same houre to whom hee would discouer certaine things of no meane consequence which much concerned him and his estate The Secretarie returning and reuealing this to his Lord at first he would scarse giue credit to his report and jealous withall that it might be some traine laid to intrap his life he sent another in his stead to whom the same Spirit appeared in the shape aforesaid and seemed much to lament his sonnes diffidence to whom if hee had appeared in person hee would haue related strange things which threatned his estate and the means how to preuent them Yet desired him to commend him to his sonne and tel him That after two and twenty yeares one moneth and one day prefixed he should lose the gouernment of that City which he then possessed And so he vanished It happened iust at the same time which the Spectar had predicted notwithstanding his great care and prouidence That Philip Duke of Mediolanum the same night besieged the City and by the helpe of Ice it being then a great frost past the Moat and with ladders scaled the wall surprised the city and tooke Lodowicke prisoner Fincelius remembreth vnto vs That in the yeare 1532 a Nobleman of his country had commanded a countreyman a Tenant of his with whom he was much offended either to bring home to his Mannor house a mighty huge Oke which was newly felld betwixt that and Sun-set or he should forfeit his time and the next day be turned out of his cottage The poore husbandman bringeth his cart to the place but looking vpon the massie timber and finding it a thing vnpossible to be done he sits down wrings his hands and falls into great lamentation When presently appeared before him one of these Spirits in the shape of a laboring man and demanding him the cause of his sorrow he was no sooner resolued but If that be all saith the Diuell follow me and I will saue thee the forfeiture of thy Leafe Which he no sooner said but he tooke the huge Oke boughes branches and all and threw it vpon his shoulder as lightly as if it had beene a burthen of Firres or Broome and bearing it to the house cast it crosse the gate which was the common entrance into the house and there left it The Gentleman returning towards night with his friends from hawking spying the doore barricadoed commanded his seruants to remoue the tree But forcing themselues first to stir it then to hew it with axes and lastly to set it on fire and finding all to be in vaine the master of the Mannor was inforced to haue another doore cut out in the side of his house to let his Ghests in for at the backe gate hee had vowed not to enter hauing before made a rash Oath to the contrarie By the aid of these Spirits as Caspinianus giueth testimonie the Bulgarians gaue the Romans a great ouerthrow in the time of the Emperour Anastasius The like the Huns did to the French King Sigebert defeating him notwithstanding the oddes of his great and puissant Armie Of this kinde those were said to be who when the Poet Simonides was set at a great feast came like two yong men and desired to speake with him at the gate Who rising in haste from the table to know their businesse was no sooner out of the roome but the roofe of the hall fell suddenly and crushed all the rest to pieces he onely by this meanes escaping the ruin Those Spirits which the Greekes cal Paredrij are such as haunt yong men maids and pretend to be greatly in loue with them yet many times to their hurts and dammage Mengius speaketh of a Youth about sixteene yeares of age who was admitted into the Order of Saint Francis whom one of these Spirits did so assiduately haunt that hee scarce could forbeare his company one instant but visibly he appeared to him sometimes like one of the Friers belonging to the house sometimes one of the seruants and sometimes againe he would personate the Gouernour Neither was he onely seene of the Youth himselfe whom he pretended so much to loue but of diuers of the Domesticks also One time the Youth sent this Spirit with a Present of two Fishes vnto a certaine Monke who deliuered them to his own hands and brought him backe a commendatorie answer The same Mengius in the selfe same booke speaketh likewise of a faire yong Virgin that dwelt in a Noblemans house of Bonnonia and this saith he happened in the yere 1579. haunted with the like Spirit who whithersoeuer she went or came stirred not from her but attended on her as her Page or Lackey And if at any time vpon any occasion her Lord or Lady had either chid or strooke her he would reuenge that iniury done to her vpon them with some knauish tricke or other Vpon a time hee pretending to be extremely angry with her catched her by the gowne and tore it from head to heele which shee seeming to take ill at his hands hee in an instant sowed it vp so workeman-like that it was not possible to discerne in what place hee had torne it Againe she being sent downe into the cellar to draw wine he snatcht the candle out of her hand and cast it a great distance from her by which occasion much of the wine was spilt this he confest he did only to be reuenged on them who the same day before threatened her Neither could he by any exorcismes be forced to leaue her company till at length shee was persuaded to eat so often as she was forced to do the necessities of nature and thereby she was deliuered from him Another of these Paredrij haunted a Virgin of the same City who was about the age of fifteene yeares who would doe many trickes in the house sometimes merrily and as often vnhappily
Novemb. 7. 1634. PErlegi hunc Librum cui titulus A Diuine Poëm intituled The Hierarchie of Angels Qui quidem Liber continet folia 287 aut circitèr In quibus nihil reperio quò minus cum publica utilitate imprimi possit ita tamen vt si non intra annum proximè sequentem typis mandetur haec Licentia sit omninò irrita GVILIELMVS HAYWOOD Capell domest Archiep. Cantuar. THE HIERARCHIE of the blessed ANGELLS Their Names orders and Offices The fall of Lucifer with his Angells Written by Tho Heywood Vita scelesta vale coelica vita vent LONDON Printed by Adam Islip 1635 TO THE MOST EXCELLENT AND INCOMPARABLE LADY AS FAMOVS FOR HER ILLVSTRIOVS VERTVES AS FORTVNAT IN HER REGALL ISSVE HENRETTA MARIA Queene THE ROYALL CONSORT AND SPOVSE OF THE PVISSANT AND INVINCIBLE MONARCH OVR DREAD SOVERAIGNE King CHARLES Her Highnesse most lowly and loyall Subiect THOMAS HEYWOOD In all humilitie consecrateth these his well-wishing though vnworthy Labours To the Reader Generous Reader I Shall not need to apollogise before-hand either for the height of the subiect or the manner of handling this Worke when the Argument of euery Tractat can speake for the one and a direct proceeding in the course proposed for the other Remembring the French Prouerbe Qui edefie en publick place Faict maison trop haut on trop basse Who builds i th' way where all passe by Shall make his house too low or hye I haue exposed my selfe a subiect to all censures and entreat the Reader not to vndertake me with any sinister prejudice For my hope is if he shall fairely trace me in that modest and carefull course which I haue trauelled he may say in the conclusion Facilius currentibus quam repentibus lapsus For I professe my selfe to be so free from all arrogance and ostent that Vt caveam timenda tuta pertimesco My Iuvenilia I must confesse were sutable to my age then for being a childe I spake as a childe but Maruritie hath since better instructed me remembring that excellent Sentence of Sophocles Si Iuvenis luxuriat peccat si senex insanit Nor forgetting that of Seneca the Philosopher Ante senectutem curandum benè vivere in senectute benè mori I haue proposed vnto you Good Angels and Bad the excellencie of the one still continuing in their created Puritie the refractorie rebellion of the other damning themselues to all eternity In the reading of which I entreat you to take into your consideration that wholesome obseruation of Saint Chrisostome Natura rerum sic est vt quoties bonus malo conjungitur non ex bono malus melioretur sed ex malo bonus contaminetur sic vnum pomum malum facilè centum bonos corrumpti at centum mala nunquam vnum corruptum efficiunt bonum Further to expect any new conceits from old heads is as if a man should looke for greene fruit from withered branches But as Time the producter of all things though he be aged himselfe is euery houre begetting somthing new sowe on whose heads he hath cast such a snow as no radicall or naturall heate can melt in imitation of him who as sure as he knowes vs borne will as certainly prouide vs buriall will neuer suffer our braines to leaue working till our pulses cease beating But howsoeuer the manner of our working be so the matter which is wrought vpon be worthy the value of the subiect dignifieth the invaliditie of the Vndertaker And thus I take my leaue of thee with this gentle admonition Heu heu dij mortalibus nectunt malum Quando bonum videt quispiam non vtitur Thin◠THO. HEYWOOD The Argument of the first Booke VRIEL A Iove Principium the Creator Of all that liue sole Animator Atheisme and Saducisme disputed Their Tenents argued and refuted A Deitie approv'd by all Gods Creatures in generall Into the world how false gods came And first begun t' vsurpe that name A Quaere made the world throughout To finde this GOD of whom some doubt The Argument of the second Booke IOPHIEL A GOD bee'ng found deny'd by none It followes there can be but One By the Philosophers confest And such as were of Poets best Him not the Oracle denies Nor those the antient World held wise Sage Sybill Mage Gymnosophist All in this Vnitie persist Next That this Pow'r so far extended Can by no Sence be comprehended Neither his Essence most Diuine Be sounded by weake Reasons line And last what names most properly Belong to this great Deity The Argument of the third Booke ZAPHKIEL OF th' Vniuerse the Regions three And how their parts disposed bee How gouerned and in what order In which no one exceeds it's border That Moses Arke in all respects Vpon this worlds rare Frame reflects Both how and when by Pow'r Diuine The Sun and Moone began to shine The day of our blest Sauiors Passion Compar'd with that of the Creation How ev'ry Star shines in it's Spheare What place they in the Zodiacke beare And of the twelue Signes a narration Their influence aspect and station To proue no former worlds haue bin And this must perish we liue in The vainnesse lastly doth appeare Of Plato's Great and Vertent Yeare The Argument of the fourth Booke ZADCHIEL WHat Ternions and Classes bee In the Coelestiall Hierarchee In what degrees they are instated How 'mongst themselues concatinated Angels and Doemons made apparant By Ethnicks and the Scriptures warrant Of Visions and strange Dreames that proue Spirits each where at all times moue Against their infidelitie That will allow none such to bee Discourse of Fauor Loue and Hate Of Poetry of Deaths estate Th' Essence of Spirits how far they know Their pow'r in heav'n and earth below The Argument of the fifth Booke HANIEL THe consonance and simpathie Betwixt the Angels Hierarchie The Planets and Coelestiall Spheares And what similitude appeares 'Twixt one and other Of the three Religions that most frequent bee Iew Christian and Mahumetist Vpon what grounds they most insist Ridiculous Tenents stood vpon In Mahomets blinde Alcaron Where he discourseth the creation Of Heav'n and Angels A relation What strange notorius Heresies By th' Priscillians and Manichees Were held The truth made most apparant By Text and holy Scriptures warrant The Argument of the sixt Booke RAPHAEL THe Heart of Man bee'ng so adverse To Goodnesse and so apt to pierce Things most retruse a course exprest On what it chiefely ought to rest A scrutinie made where and when The Spirits were created Then Of Lucifer the chiefe and prime Of Angels in the first of time His Splendor Pride and how he fell In battell by Prince Michael Their Fight their Armes the triumph great Made in the heav'ns for his defeat The number that reuolted and How long they in their grace did stand Some other doubts may plaine appeare Which to this Argument cohere The Argument of the seuenth Booke CAMAEL OF Gods great Works a serious view For which
in the Historia Anthologia from the two last of these arise those Latine Phrases so frequent amongst vs Bonis Avibus or Boâ—is Auspicijs which are interpreted With god lucke or fortune and Malis Avibus With euill speed or bad successe and because they would enterprise nothing Inauspicatè that is without the counsell of the Augures from thence Rem Auspicari hath been translated To initiat or begin a thing Romulus the first founder both of their Order and Colledge in Rome appointed only three vnto the ministerie of these ceremonies But Servius Tullius after hee had distinguished Rome into foure seuerall Tribes or quarters he added to the number of the Augures a fourth and made an Edict That they should all be selected and chosen from the Patricians who were the Patriots and noble Fathers of the City such as we call Senators But in proces of time Quintus and Cneius Ogulinus being made Tribunes of the people as much as to say Protectors of the Plebe or Commons obtained That to ioin with these foure fiue other should be made choice of out of the Comminaltie At which time the Senate made an Edict That they should neuer exceed the number of nine Notwithstanding which when Sylla was Dictator he added six more which made vp the number fifteene of which the eldest was called Magister Collegij i. Rector of the Colledge These Wisards had a prerogatiue aboue all the other Priests and Flamines in Rome for if one of them were conuicted of any heinous crime he was not put out of his place nor excluded from executing his office neither could hee be disabled nor any other substituted in his roome Although the Roman custom was that if any other Priest of what place or qualitie soeuer had been a notorious delinquent he was ipso facto confined and some other deputed vnto his office The absurditie and meere imposture of this Diuination or Soothsaying Marc. Cicero ingeniously obserueth in Pompey the Great Crassus and Iulius Caesar to whom all the Chaldees Wisards not onely promised prosperous and long liues but assured them of timely and peaceable ends Yet of their tumultuous imployments in the passage of their time vpon earth and of their wretched and miserable deaths Histories make ample and frequent mention Fulgosius telleth vs of one Misonianus who being imployed in a certaine expedition amongst the horsemen of the Roman Army perceiuing them in their march to be at a sudden stand and wondering why they aduanced not as before he perceiued presently that the cause of their sudden stay was by reason that the Augur had espied a Bird sitting vpon a tree and awaited whilest she proued her wing in voluntary flight by which hee might coniecture of the successe of their businesse In derision of which folly hee addressed his bow and with his first arrow strooke her dead to the earth when smiling to himself he turned to his companions and thus said Most certaine it is that little counsell and small aid is to be expected from these poore irrationall creatures to enquire from them what can either help or hinder vs when you see it apparant before your eies they are not able to preuent the disaster impending ouer their owne heads Whether this Southsaying take it's originall from the Chaldees who were great searchers into curiosities or no I am not willing to make any further inquisition as not being much materiall to my present purpose But of this I am most certaine That it was in continuall vse and practise amongst the Canaanites and from thence conueyed vnto the children of Israel which how abhominable it was in the sight of God Almighty and that such diabolicall superstitions should haue any place amongst his chosen people you may read in Leuiticus these words Yee shall not regard them that worke with Spirits neither Soothsayers yee shall not seeke to them to be defiled by them I am the Lord your God Againe in Deutronomie Let no man be found amongst you that maketh his sonne or his daughter to go thorow the fire or that vseth Witchcraft or a regarder of the Times or a marker of the flying Fowles or a Sorcerer or a Charmer or that counselleth with Spirits or a Soothsayer or that asketh counsell at the dead for all that do such things are an abhomination to the Lord and because of these abhominations the Lord thy God doth cast them out before thee c. Let vs then beleeue that it is God onely and not Fate which gouerns all things To confirme which I will conclude with that of the Poet Statius Heu ducas Fati tenor est ne quod illi Non liceat quantae poterunt mortalibus annis c O the strict Lawes of Fate Can that haue being That is not with thy constant will agreeing Or is it in thy brasse-leav'd booke decreed We to our graues in such Post-haste should speed Not so Would the Creator take in hand To command Time the swift houres still would stand In Hells blinde dungeon Death his head should hide And th' idle Sisters lay their worke aside Of all Idolatry in generall we thus reade the Prophet Esay All they that make an Image are Vanitie their delectable things shal nothing profit and they are their owne witnesses that they see not nor know therefore they shall be confounded Who hath made a god or molten an Image that is profitable for nothing Behold all that are of the fellowship thereof shall be confounded for the Workemen themselues are men let them all be gathered together and stand vp yet they shall feare and be confounded together The Smith taketh an instrument and worketh it in the coles and fashioneth it with hammers and worketh it with the strength of his armes yea he is an hungred and his strength faileth he drinketh no water and is faint The Carpenter stretcheth out a line he fashioneth it with a red thread he plaineth it and pourtraieth it with the compasse and maketh it after the figure of a man and according to the beautie of a man that it may remaine in an house Hee will hew him downe Cedars and take the Pine tree and the Oke and taketh courage amongst the Trees of the Forrest he planteth a Firre tree and the raine doth nourish it and Man burneth thereof for he will take thereof and warme himselfe he also kindleth it and baketh bread yet he maketh a god and worshippeth it he maketh an Idol and boweth vnto it he burneth the halfe thereof euen in the fire and vpon the halfe thereof he eateth flesh hee rosteth the rost and is satisfied also he warmeth himselfe and saith Aha I am warme I haue beene at the fire and the residue thereof he maketh a god euen his Idol he boweth vnto it and worshippeth and prayeth vnto it and saith Deliuer me for thou art my god They haue not knowne nor vnderstood for God hath shut their eies that they
elsewhere further striues t' extend Thus speaking The first Mouer's One and He Euer Eternall we conclude to be Of Diuine Plato 't is recorded thus Who writing to King Dionysius Onely saith he by this note shall you know Whether my purpose serious be or no You shall obserue how I my Letter frame If one sole God I inuocate and name What 's weighty I intend but if the rest I nominate thinke then I sport and jest Orpheus of Poets the most antient And in that noble Title eminent He that is said to giue each god his name And to deriue the off-spring whence he came Yet in his best and deepest Theory Left to the world as his last Legacie That there was one sole God Omnipotent Immortall and for euer Permanent Invisible common Parent vnto all Mankinde and other Creatures great and small Author of War or Peace whose Prouidence Gouerns the World and whose high Eminence Hath in th' Emperiall Heauens a golden Throne Whose Foot-stoole is the Earth to tread vpon Who stretcheth his right hand beyond the vast Vnlimited Oceans bounds The First and Last Before whom each high Mountaine and low Vale Mov'd at his presence tremble and looke pale The Worlds sixt Columes at his anger shake And the Seas bottomlesse Abysses quake And elsewhere thus We may from Reason gather Ioue is sole King the vniuersall Father And Parent of all things alwaies the same One Power one God o're all that we can name And ouer them great Lord hauing besides One Regall Bulke or Body which abides To all Eternitie In which what 's being Hath revolution no way disagreeing Yet maintaines Contraries In Him you may Finde Fire and Water Earth Aire Night and Day As much as this Phocilides confest There is one potent God sole Wise sole Blest Th' AEgyptians in their curious inquisition A Nation the most giuen to superstition And to Idolatrous worship and yet they In all their Hierogliphycks did pourtray But one sole Iupiter whose picture was Plac't o're their ports and gates in stone or brasse So likewise in their Temples in his hand A trisulâ— thunderbolt or fulminous brand And as the Writer of their story tels Him they as God acknowledge and none els Saith one The God of Nature I will sing Infus'd in Heauen Sea Earth and euery thing Who this great Masse by'impartial cov'nant swayes Whom in alternate peace the World obeyes By which it liues and moues since but one Spirit Dwells in each part and doth the whole inherit O'reflying all things with inuisible speed And giuing shape to all that therein breed Vnlesse this Frame of Members neere ally'de And well context were made and had one Guide And Lord thereof the Vast to mannage still But were to be dispos'd by humane skill The Stars could haue no motion th' Earth no ease Time would stand still and a cold stiffenesse seise On agitation Planets would retaine No influence but slothfully remaine In their tyr'd Spheres Night would not fly the Day Nor Light giue place to Darknesse at a stay All things should stand the soft shoures should not dare To cheare the Earth nor the coole Windes the Aire Racke should not chase the clouds flouds should not feed The Sea nor the Sea Riuers at their need Nor should the soueraigne Part o're all parts stand Order'd and sway'd by ' an equall Parents hand For now neither the Waters nor the Stars Be vnto vs deficient nothing bar's The Heav'ns in their dispose whereby to ghesse They alter in their Gyring more or lesse Motion doth cherish but not change for all We see the world containes in generall Are mannag'd and dispos'd by faire accord And still obedient to their Prince and Lord. He therefore is the God that all things guides Who in his Diuine wisedome so prouides That Creatures here below meerely terrestriall Haue pour'd into them by the Signes Coelestiall A strength infus'd to honour or disgrace Not hindred by the distance of the place Stars haue a power in Nature ministring Fate To Nations priuat persons and each State Which operation we do hold as sure As the Heav'ns giue the Fieldes a temperature By which they in their seasons spring and grow Or are the cause that the Seas ebbe and flow Hee 's only God that is vnchang'd by Time Nor yong nor old but euer in his prime Who suffers not the Sun backward t' inuade The transuerse Arctos or runne retrograde And steere a new course neither from the West Returne the same way to his last nights rest Nor shewes the same Aurora to stronds new Nor lets the Moone an erring course pursue Beyond her certaine Orbe but to retaine A constant change in her encrease and waine Nor lets the Stars aboue impending fall To circumvolve the Earth the Sea and all Thinke now you heare this God long silence breakâ— And to a meerly Ethnicke man thus speake Thou slighting me hast to thy selfe deuis'd A thousand gods and equally vs pris'd Thinking to minch me into parts and fleece Me of my right But know no part or peece Can be from me extracted no forme ta'ne That am a simple Substance Then in vaine Thou think'st to parcell me by thy decision Of compound things 't is eath to make diuision But I was made by none nor therefore can I piece-meal'd or dissected be by Man All things from nothing were first made by me Then part of mine owne worke how can I be Therefore to me alone thy Temples reare And worship me in honour and in feare As those of Marble so the Minde I praise Where stedfast Faith a rich Foundation layes On golden piles and when the Buildings rise In snowy Pietie to daze mens eyes With vnsway'd Iustice rooft to keepe o utraine And where the walls within chast Blushes staine In stead of Vermil and the whitenesse cleare Proceeds from palenesse bred by holy Feare The Oracles that from the Sybels came Who in the former world were of great fame Though 'mongst the Learn'd it be a question still Whence they inspir'd were with Prophetique skill The good or the bad Sprite er'd not to say There is but one sole God Him we obey These be their words In this we all agree There 's one true God aboue all Maiestie Omnipotent Inuisible alone Vnborne All-seeing and yet seene of none Apollo askt by one Theophilus How many gods there were made answer thus His Vnitie not daring to deny There 's only one true God Potent and High Begotten by Himselfe Sufficient Able Vntaught and without Mother solely Stable To speake whose Name no Language can aspire Or reach into whose dwelling is in Fire And such is God of whom I and the Rest Am a small portion as being profest His Ministers and Angels By which Name The Diuell exprest himselfe to haue an aime To Diuine worship which ' He that did create All things so
Potencie Protection Power to guide With all such things as are to these ally'de His Nosthrils by which he is said to smell Doth vnto vs his Acceptation tell Of Sacrifice and Prayer His Incenst Ire Againe it notes when thence fly sparks of fire His Eyes emblem to vs that choice Respect And Fauor which he beares to his Elect. Sometimes they'import his Prouidence Diuine Sometimes they wrathfully are said to shine Against the Wicked By his Feet are meant Stabilitie and Power Omnipotent By th' Apple of his Eye he would haue knowne Th'Indulgence that he beares vnto his Owne The Diuine Wisedome knowing how dull and weake Mans heart and braine is taught the Text to speake To our capacities The Prophets they Did not of this great Deity display The absolute perfection but so leaue it That by a glimpse we far off might conceiue it His Eyes being nam'd it must impresse in me That God doth euery thing at all times see Or if his Eare then must I presuppose That hearing all that 's spoke he all things knowes That hauing wings to mount himselfe on high In vaine can Man his incenst vengeance fly O whither from thy Sprite shall I depart Thou that in euery place at all times art Fly thee none can but vnto thee repaire All may in their humilitie and prayer Appealing to thy Goodnsse For What place Can shadow me when I shall fly thy face If soare to Heauen thy Presence doth appeare Or if to Hell diue Thou art likewise there There is no way an angry God to shun But to a God well pleas'd for refuge run Now to proceed The Scripture Phrase doth reach No farther than our stupid sence to teach That by corporeall things we may prepare Our hearts to know what things spirituall are And by Inuisible make demonstration Of what 's vnseene beyond mans weake narration And for this cause our passions and affects Are in the Scriptures for some knowne respects Confer'd on the Almighty when 't is said God did repent him that he man had made Or when hee 's wrathfull herein is not meant That He is angry or He can repent But 't is a Figure from th' effect arose And that the Greeks call Metanumikos The Names the Scriptures attribute to Him Sometimes Iehouah sometimes Elohim And when the glorious Trinitie's proclaim'd The Father Sonne and Holy-Ghost are nam'd More appellations the Text affords As The Great God of Heauen The Lord of Lords The Lord of Armies and of Hosts the God That in the Highest Heauen hath his aboad The God of Abraham Isaac Iacob and He that brought Israel from th' Egyptians land God of the Spirits of all Flesh and he Lord God of Israel is knowne to be Him by the name of th' Hebrewes God we praise God of our Fathers Th' Antient of all dayes And Dauids God Yet further denomination The God of gods of Iustice Ioy Saluation These titles it ascribes to Him alone Israels Redeemer Israels Holy one Protector Father Shepheard then we sing To Israels God to Iacobs the great King So to the Euerlasting King and than King of all Worlds before the World began Whose Power whose Goodnesse shewn to euery Nation c. Extracts from me this serious Contemplation Soueraigne and holy God Fountaine and Spring Of all true Vertue the Omnipotent King Of whom by subtill search in things to'acquire Is not in Mans conception a thing higher Than his weake faculties can comprehend Yet not to know this God he should offend For how can it with reason consonant be One Godhood should remaine in persons three And they in such a firme connexure linkt To be although in separat yet distinct Thou art without beginning and againe Thou shalt to all Eternitie remaine Knowing no end The Onely and the Same Whom Time cannot impaire nor Age reclaime The space of things Thou do'st in space exceed And art contain'd in none How shouldst thou need That which thy Selfe hast made Or how should Sence Allot thee place who only art Immense Nor is it in Mans frailtie to deuise How Thee in the least kinde to ' annatomise Or tell what thou art like thy Image being A thing excluded from all mortall seeing Vnlesse thou of thy most especiall Grace Wilt shew some shadow of thy glorious Face No part of thee thou hast presented here Saue what doth in thy maruellous Works appeare No Strength can moue Thee of the Land or Ocean By whom we are and in whom haue our motion Thou art the Mind and Substance of all pure And holy minds Thou art the Reason sure And stedfast whence all other Reasons flow That are from perfect Wisedome said to grow Thou art that Vertue of all Vertues head Thou art the Life it selfe and thou art read Father of Life as being knowne to giue Breath with their Being to all things that liue The Light it selfe and yeelding Light to all The Cause and Strength of things in generall Beginning it 's beginning had from thee And whatsoeuer first began to be Vpon the sudden out of Nothing shin'd Which fil'd with thy great Power were so refin'd That either strength of knowledge they retaine Or excellent shape such as doth still remaine The sacred Scriptures are sufficient warrant By many Texts to make the Trine apparant As from the first Creation we may proue God did Create God Said the Spirit did Moue Create imports the Father Said the Sonne The Spirit that Mov'd the Holy-Ghost This done Come to the Gospell to Saint Paul repaire Of him Through him and For him all things are To whom be euerlasting praise Amen In which it is observ'd by Origen Throughâ— and For three Persons to imply And the word Him the Godheads Vnitie Let Vs in Our owne Image Man create Saith God which Salomon doth thus explicate Remember the Creators in the dayes c. Which word those well verst in the Hebrew Phrase Reade in the plurall So when God did frowne On Babels Tower he said Let Vs go downe When Sodom was consum'd 't is said againe The Lord that fire did from the Lord downe raine So when Christs Glory Isay would declare To'expresse Three Persons in on Godhead are He Holy Holy Holy nam'd To show We might a Ternion in an Vnion know Come to Christs Baptisme you againe shall see In the same Trine the perfect Vnitie The Father the first Person is compris'd By sending downe a Voice The Son 's baptis'd By Iohn in Iorden and then from aboue The Third descends in figure of a Doue So likewise when Duke Moses went about To comment on the Law lest they should doubt Of this great Mysterie Hearke to my word O Israel
Commissions sign'd from God alone And as the middle Heav'ns are without doubt By the same agitation wheel'd about With that which Primum Mobile we call So by their owne Intelligences all Are by particular motion hurried round A way contrarie as by proofe is found Likewise the intermediate Ternion tho They be by God illumin'd and much know Yet in the executing of their places And do'ing His Will there are such diffrent spaces They from the Highest Chorus take their charge So 'twixt the last Diuision to enlarge This point more fully what is most Diuine And in it's Greatnesse neerest to the Trine In Number is much lesse as Doctors write But greater far in Potencie and Might Againe What farthest we from God diuide Of That the Number is most multiply'de But is of much lesse Vertue Thus saith one Alwayes the Best thing from it Selfe alone Hath his Perfection That which in degree Is next to It guided and sway'd must be By one sole Motiue What is far remov'd Is subiect vnto Many we finde prov'd To giue more lustre to this Argument The like 's in euery Kingdomes mannagement We see a King in power most absolute With whose prerogatiue none dare dispute Who with a Breath can mighty Armies raise Hath a huge Nauy prest at all essayes By Land to forrage and by Sea to'inuade And these too without forreine Princes aid Who can giue life and take it when he please In his owne Person doth not do all these But by his Ministers his Lords and Peers And they by their inferior Officers His awfull word as by transmission still Passing degrees ev'n from the first vntill It ceaseth in the last So 't may be guest 'T is in the Ternions of the Angels blest God is an absolute Monarch and next Him Daniel doth place the holy Cherubim As knowing best His Counsels and Intent And such are seldome on his message sent Th' inferior Angels with their Charge or'e-joy'd 'Twixt God and Man haue often been employ'd And as the intermediate Spirits be More oft commanded than the first Degree Yet not so frequently as those below This therefore I would haue you learne to know The Primum Mobile doth first begin To chime vnto the holy Seraphim The Cherubim doth make concordance euen With the eighth Sphere namely The Starry Heauen The Thrones with Saturne The like modulations Hath Iupiter with the high Dominations The Vertues haue with Mars a consonance sweet The Potestates with Sol in symptores meet The Principates with Venus best agree Th' Arch-Angels with the Planet Mercurie The Angels with the Moone which melody Hosanna sings to Him that sits on high Besides the Sects the Schismes and Heresies Vaine Adorations and Idolatries There haue been three Religions ' boue the rest More frequent in the World and most profest And those ev'n to these later Times exist The Iew the Christian and Mahumetist Now which of all these three should be inuested In highest honour hath been long contested As well by Armes as Arguments To assure Our selues of these which is the onely pure And without error 't will not be in vaine To separate the Cockle from the Graine Comparing them it may be easi'ly guest Whether Iew Turke or Christian beleeues best The Iewes thus quarrell with our Faith We draw Say they what we professe from Moses Law And ev'n the Christians our chiefe Tenents hold We likewise in this one thing may be bold Aboue all other Nations That by none God's truly worship'd but by Vs alone Let all th' authentique Chronicles be sought Neuer haue such great Miracles been wrought As amongst vs. What people can there be That dares in Noblesse or Antiquitie With our blest Hebrew Nation to contend For who 's so dull that knowes not we descend From Prophets Kings and Patriarchs who pretend That this our Off-spring lineally came From our great Predecessor Abraham And though our Monarchy be quite transverst And we as slaues through the wide world disperst 'T is not because we put to heauy doome The great Messias who is yet to come But that so many Prophets of our Nation Who preach'd to them Repentance and Saluation Were by them slaine and butcher'd Thus they can Plead for themselues Now the Mahumetan He cavills with the Christian and thus sayes None like to vs the great Creator praise We onely vnto One make adoration When as the Christian Sect build their saluation Vpon a Sonne this God should haue and He Equall to Him from all eternitie Proceeding further Should there be two gods They of necessitie should fall at odds Since supreme Pow'rs Equalitie abhor And are impatient of Competitor Nor can that Kingdome without discord be Where Two or more haue joint supremacie Besides God bee'ng omnipotent and thrice-great For vs to'aduance a Riuall to his Seat Were sacriledge one like Him to adjoine Were but his Diuine Honors to purloine They say We Christians more on Him conferre Than He would willing haue and therefore erre Inforcing too The Roman Church doth ill When they adore within their Churches still Saints Images and Pictures much vnfitting As thereby great idolatry committing They likewise boast of great atchieuements done And mighty conquests from vs Christians won In sundry conflicts Whereupon they'infer Because they are in Zeale so singular That for their just obedience and true Faith Their enterprising such successes hath Fast Prayers and Purenesse of Diuine ado'ration They wondrously extoll through all their Nation Their zeale vnto their Prophet and his Shrine Their Temperance and Abstinence from Wine And as for Miracles they further say That such are wrought amongst them euery day For some they haue that many weekes abstaine From meat some wound their flesh sencelesse of paine Handle hot coles some without scorching can And Maids beare Children without helpe of Man They haue their Saints too Sedichasis hee Is call'd vpon in War for Victorie Ascicus hath of Wedlocke free dispose Mirtscinus hath of Cattell charge And those That trauell vnto Mecha by the way To a new Saint call'd Chiderille pray They haue a Relique held amongst them deare Which in his life one of their Saints did weare Who as they feigne so cleare was without spot That throwne into a Furnace seuen times hot He walk'd vnscorch'd amidst the flames ev'n so As Sedrach Misack and Abednego But vnto all these brain-sicke superstitions As likewise to the Hebrewes vaine Traditions Th'infallid testimonie we oppose Of the most sacred Scriptures and ev'n those Howeuer craft'ly he his engines frame Afford not Mahomet so much as name Or giue him a knowne Character Againe It might be held most impiously prophane Christs Miracles should we compare i' th least With the most damn'd impostures of that Beast Of whose delirements further I proceed Not doubting but the Graue and Wise may reade And search through all Religions of what kind And nature how soe're thereby to finde Their
he joine the heate of Zeale with the light of Knowledge as in the Sacrifices Fire and Salt were euer coupled The fift dayes worke was of Fishes to play in the Seas and the Fowles to fly and soare towards Heauen So the fift step in a New Creature is To liue and reioyce in a sea of Troubles and fly by Prayer and Contemplation towards Heauen On the sixth day God made Man now all those things before named being performed by him Man is a new Creature They are thus like a golden Chaine concatinated into seuerall links by Saint Peter Adde to your light of Knowledge the firmament of Faith to your Faith seas of repentant Teares to your Teares the fruitfull Trees of good Workes to your good Workes the hot Sun-shine of Zeale to your Zeale the winged Fowles of Prayer and Contemplation And so Ecce omnia facta sunt nova Behold all things are made new c. Further concerning the Angels Basil Hom. sup Psal. 44. saith The Angels are subject to no change for amongst them there is neither Child Yong-man nor old but in the same state in which they were created in the beginning in that they euerlastingly remaine the substance of their proper nature being permanent in Simplicitie and Immutabilitie And againe vpon Psal. 33. There is an Angel of God assistant to euery one that beleeues in Christ vnlesse by our impious actions wee expell him from vs. For as Smoke driueth away Bees and an euill sauour expelleth Doues so our stinking and vnsauory sinnes remoue from vs the good Angell who is appointed to be the Keeper and Guardian of our life Hier. sup Mat. 13. Magna dignitas fidelium Animarum c. Great is the dignitie of faithfull Soules which euery one from his birth hath an Angell deputed for his Keeper Bernard in his Sermon super Psalm 12.19 vseth these words Woe be vnto vs if at any time the Angels by our sinnes and negligences be so prouoked that they hold vs vnworthy their presence and visitation by which they might protect vs from the old Aduersarie of Mankinde the Diuell If therefore wee hold their familiarities necessarie to our preseruations wee must beware how wee offend them but rather study to exercise our selues in such things in which they are most delighted as Sobrietie Chastitie Voluntarie Pouertie Charitie c. but aboue all things they expect from vs Peace and Veritie Againe hee saith How mercifull art thou ô Lord that thinkest vs not safe enough in our weake and slender walls but thou sendest thine Angels to be our Keepers and Guardians Isidor de Sum. Bon. It is supposed that all Nations haue Angels set ouer them to be their Rulers but it is approued That all men haue Angels to be their Directors He saith in another place By Nature they were created mutable but by Contemplation they are made immutable in Minde passible in Conception rationall in Stocke eternall in blessednesse perpetuall Greg. in Homil Novem esse Ordines Angelorum testante sacro eloquio scimus c. i. We know by the witnesse of the holy Word That there are nine degrees of Angels namely Angels Arch-Angels Vertues Potestates Principates Dominations Thrones Cherubim and Seraphim And proceedeth thus The name of Angell is a word of Office not of Nature For these holy Spirits of the Coelestiall Countrey are euer termed Spirits but cannot be alwayes called Angels for they are then onely to be stiled Angels when any message is deliuered them to be published abroad According to that of the Psalmist Qui fecit Angelos suos Spiritus Those therefore that deliuer the least things haue the title of Angels but those that are imployed in the greatest Arch-Angels for Angeli in the Greeke tongue signifieth Messengers and Arch-Angeli Chiefe Messengers And therefore they are character'd by particular names as Michael Gabriel Raphael c. We likewise reade Nazianzen thus Orat. 38. Atque ita secundi Splendores procreati sunt primi splendoris Administri c. i. So the second Splendors were procreated as the Ministers of the first Light whether of Fire quite void of matter and incorporeall or whether of some other nature comming neere vnto that matter yet my minde prompteth me to say thus much That these spirits are no way to be impelled vnto any euill but they are stil apt and ready to do any good thing whatsoeuer as alwaies shining in that first splendor wherein they were created c. The same Nazianzen Carmine de Laude Virginitatis writeth thus At talis Triadis naturae est vndique purae Ex illo puro certissima lucis origo Coetibus Angelicis mortali lumine cerni Qui nequeunt c. Such is the nature of the purest Trine In whom th' originall Light began to shine From whence the Host of Angels we deriue Such Lights as can be seene by none aliue The Seat of God and his most blessed Throne They alwayes compasse and on him alone Th' attend meere Spirits If from the Most Hy Sent through the pure aire they like Lightning fly And vndisturb'd be the winde rough or still They in a moment act their Makers Will They marry not in them 's no care exprest No griefe no troubled motions of the brest Neither are they compos'd of limbes as wee Nor dwell in houses but they all agree In a miraculous concord Euery one Is to himselfe the same for there are none Of diffrent nature of like soule like minde And equally to Gods great loue inclin'd In daughters sonnes or wiues they take no pleasure Nor are their hearts bent vpon Gold or Treasure All earthy Glories they hold vile and vaine Nor furrow they the spatious Seas for gaine Nor for the bellies sake plow they or sow Or study when to reape the fruits that grow The care of which hath vnto Mankinde brought All the mortiferous Ills that can be thought Their best and onely food is to behold God in his Light and Graces manifold Hauing discoursed sufficiently of the Creation of Angels it followeth in the next place to speake something of the forming and fashioning of Man The sixt day God created the four-footed Beasts male and female wilde and tame The same day also he made Man which day some are of opinion was the tenth day of the Calends of Aprill For it was necessarie saith Adam arch-Bishop of Vienna in his Chronicle That the second Adam sleeping in a vivifying death onely for the saluation of Mankinde should sanctifie his Spouse the Church by those Sacraments which were deriued out of his side euen vpon the selfe same day not onely of the weeke but of the moneth also wherein hee created Adam our first Father and out of his side brought forth Evah his wife that by her helpe the whole race of Mankinde might be propagated God made Man after his owne Image to the end that knowing the dignitie of his Creation he might be the rather incited to loue
Thy Maiestie and Might With Thy great Glory shining bright Are still to be adored solely V. The Heart that 's obstinate shall be With sorrowes laden heauily He that is wicked in his wayes What doth he but heape sinne on sin Which where it endeth doth begin Whom nothing being downe can raise VI. To the persuasion of the Prowd No remedie there is allow'd His steps shall faile that steddy seem'd Sinnes Root in him is planted deepe And there doth strong possession keepe He therefore shall not be esteem'd VII We know the Sinne from whence it grew We know the Torment thereto due And the sad place for it assign'd And yet the more we seeme to know The more we dull and stupid grow As if we sencelesse were and blind VIII Ope then our hearts our eyes vnmaske And grant vs what we humbly aske So much of Thy Diuinest Grace That we may neither erre nor stray But finding out the perfect way We may evade both Paine and Place IX Though Atheists seeme to jest at Hell There is a Tophet we know well O Atheismes pestilent infection There 's a Gehinnon a sad Graue Prepar'd at first for such as haue No hope in the blest resurrection X. Three times our Sauior wept we read When he heard Lazarus was dead Bewailing Humane frailty then When to Ierusalem he rid And a poore Asses Colt bestrid At the grosse folly blinding men XI He wept vpon the Crosse againe 'Gainst Humane Malice to complaine Seeing their insolence and pride When in such bitter grosse despight They crucify'd the Lord of Light Him who for Mans redemption dy'de XII How necessarie then are Teares To free vs from all future feares Of Death of Torment of Damnation Teares that can wash our Soules so white To bring vs to Eternall light Instating vs in our saluation XIII A contrite Spirit a broken Heart Moist eyes whence many dew drops start O grant vs then thou heav'nly King So we with Hearts and Tongues vnited May with the Psalmist be accited And Praise and Glory to Thee sing XIV Ye Sonnes of Men with one accord All Strength and Glory giue the Lord You that are Sonnes to men of Fame Giue them the Lord they are his due For know that it belongs to you To magnifie his holy Name XV. Within his glorious Temple Hee Deserueth Worship on the knee O kneele then at His sacred Shrine His Voice is on the Waters great His Glory thunders from his Seat His Pow'r doth on the Waters shine XVI His Voice is mighty glorious too For all things the Lords Voice can doo The strongest Cedars He doth breake When the Lords Voice from him is gon The Cedars ev'n of Lebanon Torne as they stand his Pow'r can speake XVII His Voice them of their leaues can strip He makes them like yong Calues to skip Nor doth the stedfast Mountaine scorne Or Hermon for his Dew so prais'd But when his voice aloft is rais'd To skip like a yong Vnicorne XVIII When the Lords Voice is lifted higher It doth diuide the flames of fire It makes the Wildernesse to quake Ev'n the great Wildernesse of all The Desart which we Kadesh call It doth compell to moue and shake XIX His Voice doth make the Hinde to beare And all those Forrests that cloath'd were Stand at his pleasure nak'd and bare And therefore in his Temple now All meet and to his Glory bow With Sacrifice of Praise and Prayer XX. The Lord the raging Seas doth sway The mighty Flouds to Him obay And neuer shall his Kingdome cease The Lord shall giue his People strength And will deliuer them at length And blesse them with his ioyfull Peace Non Delinquenti sed peccata relinquenti condonat Deus Ambros. THE PRINCIPAT Ex muner g glouer sculpt THE ARGVMENT of the seuenth Tractat. OF Gods great Works a serious view For which all praise to him is due The seuerall Classes that are held Amongst the Angels that rebel'd Of Lucifer the principall And his strange figure since his Fall Of Such as most in Power excell And of their Gouernment in Hell Their Orders Offices and Names And what Prioritie each claimes The List of Those that fell from Blisse The Knowledge that in Daemons is And how far stretcht Next of their Wrath Tow'rds Mankinde and what Bounds it hath Discouery of those Ginnes and Snares They lay t' entrap Men vnawares Of Compacts common in these Ages And of the Astrologomages The second Argument IN Heav'n in Earth in Hell some sway Others againe are taught t' obay The Principats GOds wondrous Works that haue before me beene I will record and speake what I haue seene Saith Wisedome No Worke present or decay'd But by his pow'rfull Word at first was made The Sun that shines and doth on all things looke What is it else but an illustrious booke In which th' Almighties Glory may be read Hath not the Lord who hath accomplished All things in season made each thing so rare That all his Saints his Glory shall declare These wondrous Workes surpassing humane sence T' expresse his Maiestie and Excellence The Heart he searcheth and the depth of man In his pre-Science knowing all he can Or thinke or act the wonders of the Skies And each obscure thing 's plaine before his eies Things past nor future can escape his brest All secret paths to Him are manifest No thought can Him escape of that be'assur'd Nor can the least word be from him obscur'd His Wisedomes exc'lent Works He doth extend From Euerlasting Neuer to haue end He needs no Counsellor his Will to act To Him can none adde no man can detract O how delectable Thou Lord of All Are thy stupendious Workes in generall By vs to be consider'd from things higher Ev'n to the very common sparks of Fire They liue by Thee created firme and sure And they to euerlasting shall endure And when he calls them to a reck'ning still As His they are obseruant to his Will Doubled they are one set against another And there is nothing his rare Works can smother The one the others workmanship commends How far then ô thou Mighty God extends Thy wondrous Pow'r or Who to Earth ally'd With thy great Glory can be satisfy'd Behold this high and sublime Ornament The beauty of the Heav'ns the Firmament So glorious to the eye in it the Sunne A maruellous Worke by the Creator done Which in it's dayly progresse through the Skie Points vnto vs the hand of the Most-Hye He burnes the Soile from his meridian seat And who is he that can abide his heat Three times more hot the mountaine tops he makes Than he that with his great care vndertakes To keepe a furnace in continuall â—lame His fiery vapors He casts out the same In their owne kinde so luminous and bright As that they dazle the beholders sight Great is the Lord that made the Sunne indeed And by his Word commands it run with speed The
Che Giganti nouo fan conte sue â—raccia Vedi Hoggimai quant ' esser Dee quel tutto Ch' a Cosi fatta parte si consaccia Se fu si bellâ— come e Hora brutto E contra al suo fattore alzo le Ciglia Ben de â—a lui procedor ogni lutto G quanto parve a me gran meraviglia Quando vide tre faccie a lâ—suatesta L' una danaâ—zia quella era vermiglia De l'altre due ches ' agginuge ano a questa Sour esso almeza Di Ciascuna spalla Es ' agginuge ano al somno de la Cresta La destra mi parea trabianca gialla La sinistra al vedere era tal quali Vegnon di la onde ' l nilo s' aunalla Sotto Ciascuna vsciuan Due grand Ali Quanto si Convenina a tanto ocello Vele di Mar non vidi Mai Cotuli Non Havean penna Ma di vespertello Era lor modo quelle ni su Alzana Si che tre venti si movean de ello Quindi Cocito tutto s' Aggellava Con sei sei occhi piangena con tre menti Gocciava il pianto sanguinosa Baua In which Description he first notes the place Where this great Prince of Darkenesse shut from Grace Is now tormented namely 'a congeal'd Lake His mighty stature next which he doth make Two thousand cubits By his Crest is meant His Enuy Arrogance and proud ofâ—ent Three Faces with three sev'rall colours stain'd Import in him three Vices still maintain'd One fiery red Wrath and Exorbitation Denotes to vs with the Spleenes inflammation The pale and meagre Auarice implies From the third blacke and swarthy doth arise Vnprofitable Sloath. From the two eyes Which to each face belongs we may deuise All Appetites immod'rat In the growth Of these three Ills Ire Avarice and Sloath Two Wings two great accitements to those Sinnes Propose to vs The first of them beginnes In Turbulence and Fury from hence grow The windes of Crueltie that hourely blow Rapacitie and Gripplenesse are they That to the Misers Avarice obey The horrid blasts that hence proceed include The most vnnat'urall sin Ingratitude Sorrow with Negligence on Sloath attend Th' immoderat gusts of Hatred hence ascend Those windes of Wrath Ingratitude and Hate With fearefull stormes trouble and agitate Cocitus streames withall suppressing quite Those good and godly motions which accite Either to Faith or vnto Hope and Charity Lest any should in them claime singularity The greatnesse of his Wings improue th' elation Of his swel'd heart and proud imagination That ev'ry face hath a wide mouth and throat So much the Morall doth to vs denote That all whom such blacke sinnes contaminate His jawes and rav'nous throat ingurgitate His Teares which he did neuer yet imploy But as the Crocodile vseth to destroy Imports to vs that wretched Sinners state Whose slacke Repentance euer comes too late And so far Dante 's I must now enquire To what sphere these Refractories retyre Or in what place more seruile they remaine Who as they Knowledge more or lesse retaine Accordingly their faculties are squar'd One euill Angell takes into his gard A Kingdome he a Prouince and no more One lesser gifted hath predom'nance o're A City and some other but a Tower Some ouer one particular man hath power Some of one only Vice and limited there Nor striue they in lesse eminence t o'appeare Either subuerting Man Forts to demolish Cities subuert good Statutes to abolish T' encourage forreine or domesticke strife Than are the Angels the blest Sonnes of Life Each of them in their seuerall Place and Calling Either industrious to keepe men from Falling Preseruing Cit'adels instituting Lawes Wholsome and good or bee'ng th'immediat cause To secure Cities Countries and encrease Home and abroad happy and prosp'rous Peace Nor do the lower of bad Spirits obey Those of superior office because they Or loue them or esteeme them The cause why They yeeld themselues to such priority Is for that th' other haue more pow'r and can With greater subtiltie insidiate Man For in their Fall th' are stain'd with all impuritie From whose temptations there is no securitie Crafty they are and prone to all iniquity No place debar'd bee'ng pow'rfull in vbiquity With man they are at deadly opposition And into all his wayes make inquisition First tempt and then accuse hourely prepare By day them to intrap by night ensnare His sences they peruert his thoughts estrange From better vnto worse a fearefull change They bring Diseases Tempests Troubles Feares Not one of them but at his will appeares By transformation a blest Spirit of Light They challenge also as their proper right A Diuine pow'r And though these Daemons bee Amongst themselues at hostile enmitee Yet by conspiracie striue all they can How with vnanimous force to destroy Man Yet this worth obseruation we may reade In holy Scripture That such as mis-leade Our humane frailty haue not might a like With the good Spirits nor such force to strike As the blest Angels who the pow'r retaines To take and binde old Sathan fast in chaines One story I haue chosen out of many To shew the Diuell doth th' Almighty zany For in those great works which all wonder aske He is still present with his Anti-maske A man of Greece was with three children blest To him so deare all it could scarce be ghest Which he was most indulgent o're The first A sweet and hopefull Boy and therefore nurst Not with a common care for his estate Was great his birth did him nobilitate Two Daughters he had more the elder faire And well accomplisht but the yongest rare Not to be paralel'd for she was one Whom none was euer knowne to looke vpon But with such admiration that he said Nature surpast her selfe when she was made For all ingredients of her choice perfection Appear'd both in her feature and complexion So faire she was Three Lustres being spent And not a day but adding ornament Both to her growth and beauty now fifteene An age we cannot properly call greene Nor fully ripe not mellow scarce mature Not yet resolv'd a Virgin to endure Nor fancy Man but staggering betwixt Both agitations and her minde not fixt But sensible as being much commended How far she others of her Sex transcended Though quite sequestred from the common road Yet much delighted to be seene abroad And 'cause emergent Venus from the Seas Was said to rise her humor best to please It was her dayly custome to rise early To greet the goddesse whom she lov'd so dearly And hearing what of her the Poets sung To view the â—ome from which 't is said the sprung Stirring betimes one morning with the Cocke Pyrats had hid their ship behinde a rocke And as she tooke her pleasure on the shore Snacht her away and then with faile and oare Made speed from thence and proud of such a Peece Hurry'd her
Of the prioritie and degrees that Diuels haue amongst themselues of their Fall number motion and excellencie of knowledge so much hath beene spoken as may with safetie and without prophanenesse be held sufficient And to proue that there is Daemoniacall Magicke needs not be questioned as may be gathered by the antient Philosophers Tresmegistus Pythagoras Plato Psellus Plotinus Iamblicus Proclus Chalcidius and Apuleius And of the Perepateticks Theophrastus Ammonius Philoponus Avicenna Algazel and others Saint Clement witnesseth That this Art was deuised before the Floud and first by Diuels deliuered vnto the Gyants and that by them Cham the sonne of Noah was instructed For thus he writeth They taught That the Diuels by Art Magicke might be obliged to obey men which was done by charmes and incantations and as out of a forge or furnace of mischiefe all light of pietie being substracted they filled the world with the smoke of that vngodly practise For this some other causes was the Deluge brought vpon the world in which all mankinde was destroyed sauing Noah and his family who with his three sonnes and their wiues were onely preserued Of which sonnes Cham to one of his sonnes called Nisraim taught this Diuellish Art from whom the AEgyptians Babylonians and Persians deriue their progenie The Nations called him Zoroaster in whose name diuers Magicall bookes were divulged c. It is said that hee comprehended the whole Art in an hundred thousand Verses and after in a great whirle-winde was hurried away aliue by the Diuell from the middest of his Schollers as Suidas reporteth Apuleius ascribeth to the Persians the inuention of two-fold Magick for they beleeued in two gods as the Authors Lords of all things one good whom they stiled Ormusda and thought him to be the Sunne Another euill whom they called Arimanes or Pluto From these they deriued a double Magicke one which consisted altogether in superstition and the adoration of false gods the other in the inuestigation and search of the obscurities of hidden Nature to acquire the secrets thereof Hence some diuide this abstruse Art into Theurgia White Magicke and Goetia Blacke Magicke or the Blacke Art otherwise called Necromantia The effects of the first they conferre vpon the good Angels and the effects of the other vpon euill affirming the one to be lawfull the other vnlawfull for so Scotus Parmensis with diuers other Platonickes haue affirmed But that they are both most blasphemous and impious heare what Cornelius Agrippa an Archimagi himselfe writeth these be his words This Theurgia vnder the names of God and his good Angels doth comprehend and include the fallacies of the euill Daemons and though the greatest part of the ceremonies professe puritie of minde and bodie with other externall complements yet the impure and vncleane Spirits are deceiuing powers and vndermine vs that they may be worshipped as gods To which he addeth The Art Almadel the Art Notarie the Art Paulina the Art of Reuelations and the like full of superstitions are so much the more pernitious and dangerous by how much they appeare to the Vnlearned Diuine and gratious Hence came that Decree in the Parisian Schoole That for God by Magicke Art to compell his Angels to be obedient to Incantations this to beleeue is an error That the good Angels can be included in gems or stones or shal consecrate or make holy any figures Images or garments or to doe any such things as are comprehended in their wicked Arts to beleeue is an errour For by what can these Spirits which they vse in their exorcismes be thought or called good when they desire to be adored as gods and to haue sacrifices made vnto them than which treason against the Diuine Majestie there is nothing in them more alien and forrein they as much abhorring and detesting it as the euill Angels pursue and seeke after it Goetia in the Greeke tongue signifieth Impostura or Imposture euen as Necromantia commeth of Nechros Mortuus which is dead and of Manteia which is Diuinatio as much to say as a diuination from the Dead But from definitions I will proceed to historie In the yeare 1558 in a Village belonging to Thuringia not far from the towne â—ena a certaine Magitian being apprehended and examined confessed publiquely that hee learned that hellish Art of an old woman of Hercyra and said that by her means he had often conference with the Diuell and from him had the skill to know the properties and vertues of diuers herbes and Simples which helped him in the cure of sundry diseases and infirmities Artesius a grand Magitian so speaketh of the Art as if there were no difference at all betwixt white and blacke Magicke first he proposeth the Characters of the Planets Rings and Seales how and vnder what constellation they ought to be made Next what belongs to the art of Prediction and telling things future especially by the flight of Birds Thirdly how the voices of brutish Animals may be interpreted and vnderstood adding the Diuination by Lots from Proclus Fourthly hee shewes the power and vertue of Herbs Fiftly what belongs vnto the attaining of the Philosophers stone Sixtly how things past future and present may be distinguished and knowne Seuenthly by what rites and ceremonies Art Magicke may be exercised Eightly by what means life may be prolonged where he tells a tale of one that liued one thousand twenty and fiue yeares c. The mention of these things are not that the least confidence or credit should be giuen vnto them but to shew by what cunning and subtill snares the Diuell workes to intrap and intangle poore Soules in his manifold deceptions and illusions In this Goeticke and Necromanticke Magicke it is obserued by D. Thom. Gulielmus Parisiensis Scotus Gerson Abulensis Victoria Valentia Spinaeus Sprangerus Navarra Grillandus Remigius and others That it is the foundation of a secret or expresse compact with the Diuell by the force of which miserable men pawne and oblige their soules vnto him He interchangeably submits himselfe to them as their Vassall he is present as soone as called being asked he answers being commanded hee obeyes not bound vpon any necessitie but that he may thereby intricate and indeare vnto him the soules of his Clients to destroy them more suddenly and vnsuspectedly For the Magitian hath onely a confidence that he hath empire ouer the Diuell who againe counterfeiteth himselfe to be his seruant and Vassal Eutichianus Patriarch of Constantinople recordeth this Historie In the time of the Emperour Iustinianus saith hee there liued in Adana a city of Cilicia one Theophilus who was by office the Steward of the Church hee was so beloued and gratious in the eyes of all men as that hee was held to be worthy of an Episcopall dignitie Which notwithstanding he most constantly refused and afterward being vnmeritedly accused by such as emulated his honest life sincere carriage
therefore the hundredth day following Caesar should die and be made a god which could not happen to any man whilest he was yet liuing Cardanus speaking of fiery Spectars amongst many others relateth this story A friend of mine saith hee of approued faith and honesty trauelling one night late from Mediola to Gallerata when the Sky was full of clouds and the weather inclining to raine being within some foure miles of his journies end he saw a light and heard rhe voice as he thought of certain Cow-herds vpon his left hand and presently a hedge onely being interposed he saw a fiery Chariot couered with flames and out of it he might heare a voice crying aloud Cave cave Beware beware Being much terrified with this strange prodegie he put spurres to his horse and whether he galloped or rid softly the Chariot was stil before him He then betooke him to his orisons and supplications vnto God at length after the space of a full houre hee came to a Temple dedicate to the memorie of Saint Lawrence standing iust without the gate and there the Chariot of fire herdsmen and all sunke into the earth and was seene no more Cardanus hauing disputed something of the nature of this fire addeth That the Gallaterans suffered the same yeare not only a great plague but diuers other afflictions and disasters To these Spirits of the fire is ascribed that diuination by Pyromancie which some call Puroscopan In which superstition old pitch was cast into the fire with the invocation of certain of these Spirits Sometimes a Tead or Torch dawbed ouer with pitch was lighted and marked with certaine characters If the flame of the Tead gathered it selfe into one it was prosperous if diuided disastrous if it arose tripartite it presaged some glorious euent if it were diuersly dispersed it diuined to a sicke man death to a sound man sicknesse if it made a sparkling noise it was infortunat if it was suddenly extinct it threatned great misfortune So likewise in their sacrificing fires if the flame went streight vpward like a Pyramis it was a signe of a good omen if it diuided and dispersed of a bad There were diuers coniectures also from the colour the brightnesse the dulnesse the ascent the sparkling c. and this kinde of Magicke was frequent amongst the Liâ—uanians c. From the fiery I proceed to the Spirits of the Aire We reade in the sacred Scriptures That Sathan caused fire to fall from heauen to deuour and consume Iobs seruants and his cattell As likewise hee raised a vehement Whirle-winde and tempest which oppressed his sonnes and daughters with the house where they were then feasting with a sudden ruin Remigius telleth a story which is likewise affirmed by Delrius That a countrey-man of the prouince of Triuere setting some Plants in his garden with a yong maid his daughter the father commended her for going so neatly and quickly about her businesse The Girle telleth him that she can do stranger things than these and more stupendious The father demands What Withdraw your selfe but a little saith she and name but in what place of the garden a showre of raine shall fall and water the earth and in what not The countrey-man curious of noueltie withdrew himselfe and bad her vse her skill Shee presently made an hole in the ground into which she poured her owne water and stirring it about with a sticke murmuring certaine magicke words to her selfe presently a showre fel watering only that part of the gronnd which he had named vnto her and in the other fell not one drop of raine Gasper Spitellus writeth That some Indians haue much familiaritie with these Spirits For when they want rain one of their Magicke Priests with a shrill voice makes an acclamation That all the people shall assemble to such a mountain hauing first obserued a Fast which is to abstaine from the eating of salt pepper or any thing that is boiled That done he lowdly calls vpon the Stars and with deuout Orisons entreats of them that they would afford them seasonable showres Then they turne their eyes towards the lower grounds vpon their fields and houses taking in their hands a bowle full of charmed liquour which they receiue from the hands of a young man of their most noble families which they haue no sooner drunke but they lie intranced without sence or motion After being come to themselues they commix honey water and Maiz together and with them sprinkle the aire The next day they chuse out one of the most eminent men of their Nation both for nobilitie and age and lay him in a bed with a soft fire vnder it and when he beginnes to sweat they wipe off the moisture and put in a bason which they mingle with the bloud of a Goose and sprinkling it again into the aire as if they meant it should touch the clouds they then solicit the Starres againe That by the vertue of the old mans sweat the bloud of the goose and the water before mixed they may haue seasonable and temperat showres Which if they haue according to their desires they giue great thanks to the Starres and Planets and the Priest from the people is rewarded with rich gifts and presents Hieronimus Mengius writeth That a certaine Magition in a field adjacent to the tower or citadell of Bonnonia shewed two famous Generals Iohannes Bentivolus and Robertus Sanseverinus a spectacle in the aire in which was heard such a noise of drummes clangor of trumpets clamor of men neighing of horses and clashing of arms that the Spectators were afraid lest the heauen and the earth would haue met at the instant but in all the inuironing grounds saue onely in that place the aire was vntroubled Diodorus Siculus reporteth also That in the Syrtes of Lybia the Spirits of the aire are oftentimes visible in the shape of diuers birds and beasts some mouing some without motion some running some flying others in other strange postures But which is most miraculous sometimes they will come behinde men as they are trauelling leape vp and sit vpon their shoulders who may feele them to be much colder than eitheâ— snow or ice Olaus Magnus in his Historie remembreth That these airy Spirits haue such a predominance in the Circium sea they continually do so exasperat shake and trouble it that scarfe any ship can saile that way without wracke and foundring In the Isle called Island vnder the dominion of the King of Denmarke there is a port called Vestrabor not far from which men are vsually taken and wrapt vp in whirl-winds by the power of these Spirits are hurried many furlongs off Likewise in the Westerne parts of Norway these spirits with their noxious and blasting touch cause that neither grasse nor trees burgeon or beare fruit Likewise vpon the Bothnian continent the roofes are vsually blowne off from
you therefore to repent For know ill-gotten goods are lewdly spent Pray let me see your Buttry Turne your face Saith the Cooke that way you may view the place That casement shewes it Well done saith the Priest Now looke with me and tell me what thou seest When presently appeares to them a Ghost Swolne-cheekt gor-bellied plumper than myne Host His legs with dropsie swell'd gouty his thighes And able scarse to looke out with his eyes Feeding with greedinesse on ev'ry dish For nothing could escape him flesh or fish Then with the empty jugges he seemes to quarrell And sets his mouth to th' bung hole of a barrell Lesse compast than his belly at one draught He seemes to quaffe halfe off then smil'd and laught When jogging it he found it somewhat shallow So parted thence as full as he could wallow Mine Host amas'd desires him to vnfold What Monster 't was made with his house so bold To whom his Vncle Hast thou not heard tell Of Buttry-Sp'rits who in those places dwell Where cous'nage is profest Needs must you waine In your estate when such deuour your gaine All such as study fraud and practise euill Do only starue themselues to plumpe the Deuill The Cooke replies What course good Vncle than Had I best take that am you know a man Would prosper gladly and my fortunes raise Which I haue toil'd and labour'd diuers waies He mildely answers Be advis'd by mee Serue God thy neighbour loue vse charitie Frequent the Church be oft deuouâ— in pray'r Keepe a good conscience cast away all care Of this worlds pelfe cheat none be iust to all So shalt thou thriue although thy gaine be small For then no such bad Spirit shall haue pow'r Thy goods directly gotten to deuour This said he left him Who now better taught Begins to loue what 's good and hate what 's naught He onely now an honest course affects And all bad dealing in his trade corrects Some few yeares after the good man againe Forsakes his cloister and with no small paine Trauels to see his Kinsman in whom now He findes a change both in his shape and brow Hee 's growne a Bourger offices hath past And hopes by changing copy at the last To proue chiefe Alderman wealth vpon him flowes And day by day both gaine and credit growes Most grauely now he entertaines his Ghest And leads him in the former roome to feast Some conf'rence past betwixt them two at meat The Cooke spake much the Church-man little â—at But findes by many a thankfull protestation How he hath thriv'd since his last visitation The table drawne the Ghests retyr'd aside He bids him once more ope the casement wide That looks into the Larder where he spies The selfe-same Sp'rit with wan cheekes and sunke eies His aspect meagre his lips thin and pale As if his legs would at that instant faile Leaning vpon a staffe quite clung his belly And all his flesh as it were turn'd to gelly Full platters round about the dresser stood Vpon the shelues too and the meat all good At which he snatcht and catcht but nought preuail'd Still as he reacht his arme forth his strength fail'd And though his greedy appetite was much There was no dish that he had pow'r to touch He craules then to a barrell one would thinke That wanting meat he had a will to drinke The Vessels furnisht and full gag'd he saw But had not strength the spigot forth to draw He lifts at juggs and pots and cannes but they Had been so well fill'd that he vnneths may Aduance them though now empty halfe so hy As to his head to gaine one snuffe thereby Thus he that on ill gotten goods presum'd Parts hunger-starv'd and more than halfe consum'd In this discourse far be it we should meane Spirits by meat are fatted or made leane Yet certaine 't is by Gods permission they May ouer goods extorted beare like sway 'T were not amisse if we some counsell had How to discerne good Spirits from the bad Who since they can assume the shape of light In their discov'ry needfull is foresight In one respect th' agree for both can take Bodies on them and when they please forsake Their shapes and figures but if we compare By circumstance their change they diffrent are As in their true proportionâ— operation Language and purpose of their transmutation Good Angels though vndoubtedly they can Put on all formes still take the shape of Man But the bad Daemons not with that content When they on their curst embassies are sent In figures more contemptible appeare One like a Wolfe another like a Beare Others resembling Dogs Apes Monkies Cats And sometimes Birds as Crowes Pies Owles and Bats But neuer hath it yet been read or told That euer cursed Sp'rit should be so bold To shew his damned head amongst them all In th' innocent Lambes or Doues that haue no gall Some giue this reason God would not permit Since by the Lambe his deare Sonne thought it fit Himselfe to shadow and the Holy-Ghost As in that Bird whom he delighted most T'assume her figure in his apparition That Fiends should in these shapes shew any vision Whoso will sift their actions he shall finde By their successe if well or ill inclin'd The one from other for the blessed still Square all their actions to th' Almighties will And to mans profit neither more nor lesse The limit that 's prescrib'd them they transgresse The Cacadaemons labour all they can Against Gods honour and the good of man Therefore the end of all their apparitions Are meere idolatrous lies and superstitions They to our frailties all grosse sinnes impute That may the body staine or soule pollute And when they aime against vs their chiefe batteries They bait their deadly hookes in candy'd flatteries In golden bowles they poys'nous dregs present Make shew to cure but kill incontinent And therefore it behooues man to haue care Whom thousand wayes they labour to ensnare Take Saint Iohns counsell Be not you saith hee Deceiv'd by your too much credulitie Beleeue not ev'ry Spirit but first try Whether he doth proceed from God on hy Examine ev'ry good thing they pretend Whether they likewise doo 't to a good end To diuers maladies they can giue ease Comfort and helpe vprores sometimes appease Predict mischances teach men to eschew Mischiefes which they prepar'd as well as knew In all their speech Gods name they neuer vse Vnlesse it to dishhonour and abuse Another speciall signe they cannot scape Namely That when they put on humane shape To giue man iust occasion to misdoubt them Some strange prodigious marke they beare about them In one deficient member These be notes To finde them out either the feet of Goats Foreheads of Satyrs nailes deform'd and crooked Eyes broad and flaming noses long and hooked Hands growne with haire and nosthrils broad and wide Teeth gagg'd and larger than their lips can hide The Crosses signe saith Athanasius
trans-shape himself into the likenesse of a Mouse But when the Diuine Iustice thought fit to giue a period to his insolencies being watched by some of his enemies they espied him in the Sunne sitting in a window that belonged to a stoue or hot house sporting himselfe in that shape when comming behind him when he least suspected they thrust their swords through the window and so slew him In like manner that great Magition of Newburg who sould a bottle of hay in stead of an horse being twice apprehended and hauing twice by the Diuels help escaped out of prison the third time hee was forsaken of his great Patron and deliuered vp vnto death I will conclude with the great Archi-Mage of these our later times Cornelius Agrippa who when he had spent the greatest part of his houres and age in the search and acquisition of this blacke and mystical Science yet doubted not to write after this maner The Magitions by the instigation of the Diuell onely in hope of gaine and a little vain-glory haue set their mindes against God not performing any thing that is either good or profitable vnto men but leading them to destruction and errour In whom whosoeuer shall place any confidence they plucke Gods heauy judgments vpon themselues True it is that I being a yong man writ of the Magical Art three bookes in one volume sufficiently large which I entituled Of Hidden Philosophie in which wheresoeuer I haue erred through the vaine curiositie of youth now in my better and more ripe vnderstanding I recant in this Palinode I confesse I haue spent much time in these vanities in which I haue onely profited thus much that I am able to dehort other men from entring into the like danger For whosoeuer by the illusion of the Diuell or by the operation of euill Spirits shall presume to diuine or prophesie by Magicke vanities Exorcismes Incantations Amatories inchanted Ditches and other demoniacall actions exercising blasphemous charmes spels witchcrafts and sorceries or any thing belonging to superstition and Idolatrie all these are fore-doomed to be tormented in eternall fire with Iamnes Mambre and Simon Magus These things this wretched man writ who saw the best and followed the worst For he continued in that execrable studie to his end and hauing receiued a promise from the Diuell that so oft as age came vpon him so oft his youth should be renewed and so liue euer he commanded his owne head to be cut off in hope instantly to reuiue againe But miserable that he was he was cheated in his confidence by that great Deceiuer in whom hee most trusted by which he made both soule and body a sudden though long expected prey to the Diuell There can scarce a sin be imagined more hatefull to God than Magicke by which the Couenant made with him being violated the Sorcerer entreth a new with the Diuell in which open war is proclaimed against God and a treaty of Peace first debated and after concluded with Sathan God himselfe saith by the mouth of his seruant Moses If any turne after such as worke with euill Spirits and after Soothsayers to go a whoring after them I will set my face against that person and will cut him off from amongst his people And againe If a man or woman haue a Spirit of Diuination or Soothsaying in them they shall die the death they shall stone them to death their bloud shall be vpon them Reade Deutronomie cap. 18. vers 10. Let none be found amongst you that maketh his sonne or his daughter to goe through the fire or that vseth witchcraft or a regarder of times or a marker of the flying of Fowles or a Sorcerer or a Charmer or that counselleth with Spirits or a Sooth-sayer or that asketh counsell of the Dead for all that do such things are abhomination vnto the Lord and because of these abhominations the Lord thy God doth cast them out before thee Thus we see as well by the Scriptures themselues as by the Ciuill Lawes of Kingdomes all such as shall separate themselues from God and enter into conuerse and fellowship with Sathan are cursed in the act and ought to be extermined from all Christian Churches and Commonweales The Emblem A Moth or Silk-worme creeping from an old stocke or trunke of a tree and turned vnto a Butter-fly The Motto Ecce nova omnia Behold all things are made new Complying with that which wee reade in Saint Pauls second Epistle to the Corinthians cap. 5. vers 17. Therefore if any man be in Christ let him be a new Creature old things are passed away behold all things become new And Ephes. 4.22 That you cast off concerning the conuersation in times past that Old Man which is corrupt through the deceiuable lusts and be renewed in the spirit of your minde and put on the New Man which after God is created vnto righteousnesse and true holinesse The Emblem is thus exprest Truncus iners eruca fuit nunc alba voluctis Ambrosium Coeli corpore gaudet iter Antea vermis erat mutatio quanta videtis Corporis antiqui portio nulla manet Vestis opes habitus convivia foedera mores Lingua sodalitium gaudia luctus amor Omnia sunt mutanda viris quibus entheus ardor Terrhenae decet hos faecis habere nihil ¶ Thus Paraphrased A meere trunke was the Silke-worme now it flies A white Bird sporting in th' Ambrosiall Skies Before a Worme What a great change is here Of the first shape no semblance doth appeare Garments Wealth Banquets Contracts Mannors Ioy Loue Language Fellowship Change must destroy Such men whom Diuine ardor doth inspire Must of this terrhene drosse quench all desire After which change followeth eternity And of the Saints and Elect it may be said Parva patiuntur vt magna potiantur Smal are the things they suffer in this world compared with the great things they shall receiue in the world to come We reade Dan. cap. 12. vers 2. thus And many of them that sleepe in the dust of the earth shall awake to euerlasting life and some to shame and perpetual contempt and they that be wise shall shine as the brightnesse of the Firmament and they that turne many vnto righteousnesse shall shine as the Starres for euer and euer Moreouer Iob 19. For I am sure that my Redeemer liueth and he shall stand the last on the earth And though after my skinne wormes shall destroy this body yet shall I see God in my flesh whom I my selfe shall see with mine eyes and none other for mee c. AEternus non erit sopor Death shall be no euerlasting sleep Iohn 5.28 Maruell not at this for the houre shall come in which all that are in the graues shall heare his voice and they shall come forth that haue done good vnto the resurrection of life but they that haue done euill vnto the resurrection of condemnation Saint Augustine in one of his books saith Resurgent Sanctorum
another timerous and fearefull another proud and haughty Therefore that hee may the more secretly and cunningly intrap them he frameth his deceptions suitable with their conditions and because pleasure hath proximitie with mirth to him that is giuen to mirth hee proposeth ryot and luxurie and because sadnesse is prone to anger to such he offereth the cup of dissention and discord and because the Timerous are fearefull of paine and punishment to them he suggesteth terrors and horrors and because the haughty and ambitious loue to be magnified and extolled to them hee offers popular suffrage and vaine applause c. We also reade Saint Paul thus 2 Corinth 11.3 But I feare lest as the Serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty so your mindes should be corrupt from the simplicitie which is in Christ. And 1 Pet. 5.8 Be sober and watch for the Diuell as a roaring Lion walketh about seeking whom he may deuoure The illustration of the Emblem followeth Pelliculam veterem retines fronte politus Abstraso rapidam gestas sub pectore vulpem Pers. Satyr 5. Fit globas insidias Muri dum tendit Echinus Et jacet immoto corpore fusus humi O◠late◠in media quod dum patet esse cavernam Musculus ad socios non rediturus init Cum vitium quod quisque colit Rex caelliat orci Illius objectis pectora nostra trahit Larco sibi capitur vinosus imagine Bacchi Virginis aspectu nota libido furit ¶ Thus paraphrased To'entrap the Mouse the Hedge-hog in a round Is cast and lies as senselesse on the ground His face drawne in the hole she thinkes a caue Where being frighted she her selfe may saue When Sathan knowes vnto what vice we' are bent To each mans sence that obiect hee 'l present Meat to the Glutton to the Drunkard Wine And to such beauty as to lust incline Livy saith Fraus in parvis fidem sibi praestruit vt cum opere praetium est cum mercede magna fallat Id est Deceit layes the snare in small things and of no moment that in greater things it may deceiue with profit Noble in his minde was Alexander the Great who when Parmenio counselled him to seeke the subuersion of his enemies by fraud and subtiltie made this answer That being Alexander his Majestie and Royaltie would not suffer him to doe so but if hee were a priuate man as Parmenio hee might perhaps be thereunto persuaded But contrarie vnto him the Emperour Pertinax was syrnamed Christologus which is as much to say as Well speaking and Euill doing It was the saying of Demosthenes the excellent Orator Wonder not that thou art deceiued by a wicked man but rather wonder that thou art not deceiued The fraudulent and deceitful are likened to a Chameleon apt to take all obiects capable of all colours cloaking Hate with Holinesse ambitious Gain with shew of good Gouernment Flatterie with Eloquence but whatsoeuer is pretended is meerely deceit and dishonestie Sic iterum sic caepe cadunt vbi vincere aperte Non datur insidias armaque tecta parant Fraude perit virtus Ovid. Fast. lib. 2. The Serpent hid in the grasse stingeth the foot and the deceitfull man vnder pretence of honestie beguileth the Simple Parva patitur vt Magnis potiatur From whence Catsius deriues this conceit Fit globus nique globi medio caput abdit echinus Et vafer ni parvum contrabit or aspecum Tegmina mas spinosa peti se nescius ambit Et vagus impunem fertque refertque gradum At coecas ineat latebras non sua lustra Tum demum in praedam promptus echinus erit Vt fallat tunc cum praetium putat esse laboris Praestruit in parvis fraus sibi magna fidem ¶ Thus paraphrased Like a round ball he lies of head or face Nought seene saue onely a streight entring place The Mouse doth neere his thorny couering graze And fearelesse of deceit about it playes But is no sooner entred the blinde caue Than catcht he hauing what he sought to haue Small traines at first are by the Crafty layd That the full Prize they better may invade A Meditation vpon the former Tractate I. TO Thee the Saints that in thee trust To Thee the Soules of all the Iust And wretched I To Thee new cry That am indeed no more than Earth and Dust. II. The Heav'nly Hierarchies aboue That are to Thee conjoyn'd in Loue In Hymnes and Layes To Thee giue praise And to the innocent Lambe and spotlesse Doue III. The Angels and Archangels all Vertues and Powers Coelestiall Who stand before Thee And still adore Thee As Messengers still ready at thy Call IV. All magnifie Thee without cease Not fainting rather with encrease Of Will and Voice Laud and reioyce In Thee that art the God of Power and Peace V. And I fraile Man that am not least Of thy Creation would thy Heast Far as I may Serue and obey And beg in thy great Mercies Interest VI. Light therefore in my Heart infuse Instruct my Tongue Thy Name to vse That I may finde Both Heart and Minde Hourely on Thee and onely Thee to muse VII Clense to that end and make me cleane That am polluted and obsceane My sinnefull Soule Spotted and foule Dares not for that cause on thy Mercies leane VIII From Outward things to what 's Interior To what 's Aboue from Things Inferior My Thoughts transcend To apprehend Thee solely that or'e all things art Superior IX O blessed Spirits bright and pure You that the Sacred Throne immure That Place Sublime In first of Time Was made for you alwayes therein to'endure X. Your Makers Face you there behold In numerous Bands and Hosts vntold You to Him solely Sing Holy Holy Holy Whose Brightnesse no Tongue can vnfold XI You in your sweet and musicall Quire See what to Loue and to Admire That Ioy and Blisse Which endlesse is And to attaine vnto we all desire XII For from that Place Coelestiall From henceforth there can be no Fall In that Congruity Is Perpetuity Which as Before it hath bin Euer shall XIII No refractorie Spirits there Since Lucifer dar'd to appeare In Battell fell By Michael All these rebellious Angels captiv'd were XIV He the old Dragon gyv'd and bound Who Mankinde labors to confound Still day by day Vs to betray And to that end the World doth compasse round XV. With Him the Sp'rites of Aire and Fire The Water and the Earth conspire Early and late To'insidiate All such as after Heav'nly things acquire XVI But Thou the blest Angels of Light Against them hast made opposite Both to direct vs And to protect vs From their knowne Malice both by day and night XVII Therefore to Thee ô God alone In Persons Three in Substance One The Trinity In Vnity To search in whose Identity there 's None XVIII So bold as dare so wise as can The Father God Sonne God and Man The Spirit Diuine Third in the Trine All Three
One God before the World began XIX Father Vnborne the Sonne Begot Spirit Proceeding let vs not Through their procurements And sly allurements Be stain'd with Sinne but keepe vs without spot XX. O Thou the glorious Trinitee Whose pow'rfull Works inscp'rable be Support and aid What Thou hast made And keepe our Soules from their Temptations free XXI Thou President of an vnequal'd Parity Thou Plurall Number in thy Singularity Those Diuellish Foes Still to oppose Grant vs firme Faith strong Hope and constant Charity XXII Whom Father thou hast Made do not forsake Of whom thou hast redeem'd Son pitty take Good Spirit guyde Those sanctify'd And keepe vs from the euer-burning Lake XXIII That We with Saints and Angels may Thy Honour Pow'r and Praise display Thy Glory bright Mercy and Might Within Thy New Ierusalem for ay Deus est indivise vnus in Trinitate inconfuse Trinus in Vnitate Leo Pap. THE VERTVES Ex Sumptib Gulielmi Beescom Generos THE ARGVMENT of the fifth Tractate THe Consonance and Sympathy Betwixt the Angels Hierarchy The Planets and Coelestiall Spheres And what similitude appeares 'Twixt One and Other Of the three Religions that most frequent be Iew Christian and Mahumetist Vpon what Grounds they most insist Ridiculous Tenents stood vpon In Mahomets blinde Alcaron Where he discourseth the creation Of Heav'ns and Angels A relation What strange notorious Heresies By â—the Prescillians and Manechies Were held The truth made most apparant By Text and holy Scriptures warrant The second Argument WE aime at the Coelestiall Glory Below the Moone all 's Transitorie The Vertues THree things hath God shew'd in this Worlds Creation Worthy mans wonder and great admiration In making it his Power most exquisit In ord'ring it his Wisedome infinit And in conseruing it his Goodnesse such As neuer can by man be'extold too much The Angels in the next place we confer Wi'th ' second part of this Worlds Theater Namely what reference the Seraphim Hath with the Primum Mobile Then what kin The Cherub from the Starry Heav'n doth claime Or Thrones with Saturne in what consonant frame With Iupiter the Dominations trade What 'twixt the Vertues can and Mars be made The neere similitudes that hourely run In league betwixt the Potestates and Sun With Venus how the Principates agree And with the great Arch-Angels Mercurie Last how the holy Angels are accited To be in friendship with the Moone vnited First as the Seraphims in Loues pure heate Next God himselfe in his supernall seate Still exercise their faculties and turne By that inflaming zeale by which they burne Towards His Essence so in a swift motion The Primum Mobile shewes his deuotion To the First Mouer from whence it doth take Those Vertues which the Heav'ns inferior make Go round with it the Seraph's feruor's great So That hath lasting and perpetuall heat By benefit of whose swift agitation The Heav'ns are wheel'd about it wondrous fashion Maugre of that huge Machine the great force And magnitude that still resists his course The Seraphims are sharpe so needs must be The needle-pointed Primum Mobile Which by transfusing influence we know Doth penetrate inferior Orbs below And as the Seraphims most feruent are To them in that we fitly may compare The Primum Mobile whose feruor's such And so incessant that where it doth tuch And is in hourely motion it no doubt The other Heav'ns doth whirle with it about Inflexible the Seraphims motion is So likewise is the turning round of This Which though it be as swift as thought can thinke Yet in it's course doth neither quaile nor shrinke As at a becke by power that God them gaue The Seraphims all other Angels haue So by the motion of that Primum all The motions of the Heav'n in generall Are gouern'd and vnited Seraphs be Actiue Exemplars call'd This Mobile Beares the same stile because it not alone Incites the Heav'ns to motion one by one But as a Guide least they should take the wrong Still goes before and hurries them along And as the Seraph's with Loues fire inflam'd A zeale so hot that neuer can be nam'd Ev'n so this fierie globe still without cease Gyring about doth grow to that encrease Of sultry heate the feruor by reuerses A warmth into all other things disperses But with this difference that as they their might Immediatly take from the God of Light From the twelue Revolutions it receiues What power and vertue to the rest it leaues And purg'd by labour winding in a frame Returnes still to the place from whence it came The Seraphs haue no creature that can vaunt To be aboue them as predominant Ev'n so this Orbe is next th' Imperiall Throne Gods proper Mansion and aboue it none The Seraphims for their vicinity To God are full of Diuine purity And such a fulgence through their Essence runnes That they are brighter than ten thousand Sunnes So this Orbe to the Imperiall Heauens so neere Shines by the light of that incredi'bly cleere And as these Spirits with flaming ardor burne And at no time from their Creator turne So this high Orbe by the celeritie And inextinguishable claritie Prodigall of it's Vertues doth bestow them To purge and to make perfect things below them So that all dregs and drosse consum'd and wasted They new refyn'd are in swift motion hasted Vnto their first beginning where in sweet And most mellodious harmonie they meet As Those from God immediately are Without the interpose of Minister Ev'n so from the first Moâ—er it doth take Immediate force which doth it's motion make Herein the Diuine Wisedome doth appeare That so the Angels with the Heav'ns cohere Heav'ns with the Elements conour and then These Spirits are in such a league with men And all so conjoyn'd and concatinate A Picture euery way immaculate Cherub doth in the Chaldaean tongue imply What picture fairer or more pure hath eye Beheld than the Coelestiall Firmament Imbelished and stucke with th' ornament Of so'many bright Stars luminous and cleare Incorruptibly decking euery Sphere All full of influent vertue in their places So the Cherubicke Spirits are stucke with Graces And Diuine gifts so many that indeed In countlesse number they the Stars exceed And as this Orbe is circumgyr'd and wheel'd As to the Primum Mobile forc'd to yeeld So doth the Cherubs second order moue From the first Seraph next to God in Loue. 'Twixt Saturnes Sphere and the Thrones eminence Is the like semblance and conuenience By Thrones the Seats of Monarchs are exprest On Saturnes seuenth day God himselfe did rest From his great Worke. Now Saturne is a word Which in th' Originall nothing doth afford If we together shall compare them both Saue Cease from Labor or a Sabaoth The Thrones on Loue and Veritie consist And so the Planet Saturne who so list Giue credit vnto Firmicus endues Man both with Loue and Truth prompts him to chuse Vertue good Manners Diuine Contemplation Iudgement
Emerald the Carbuncle with Gold The Timbrel and the Pipe were celebrated For thee in the first day thou wert created Thou art th' anointed Cherub made to couer Thee I haue set in honour aboue other Vpon Gods holy Mountaine placed higher Thou walked hast amidst the stones of fire At first of thy wayes perfect was the ground Vntill iniquitie in thee was found Thy heart was lifted vp by thy great beauty Therein tow'rds God forgetfull of thy duty By reason of thy Brightnesse being plac't ' Boue them thy Wisedome thou corrupted hast But to the ground I 'le cast thee flat and cold Lay thee where Kings thy ruin may behold In thy selfe-wisedome thou hast been beguild And by thy multitude of sinnes defil'd Thy Holinesse A Spirit still peruerse Stain'd by th' iniquitie of thy commerse Therefore from midst of thee a fire I 'le bring Which shall deuour thee into ashes fling Thee from thy height that all the earth may see thee This I haue spoke and who is he can free thee Their terror who did know thee heretofore Most Wretched thou shalt be yet be no more In this the Prophet as these would allude Striues in this first-borne Angell to include All Wisedome Pow'r Gifts Ornaments and Graces Which all the rest had in their seuerall Places God this precelling Creature hauing made With all the Host of Angels some haue said He then began the Vniuersall Frame The Heav'ns Sun Moon and Stars and gaue them name Then Earth and Sea his Diuine Will ordain'd With all the Creatures in them both contain'd His last great Workemanship in high respect Of Reason capable and Intellect But to the Angels natures much inferior Who with th' Almighty dwell in th' Heav'ns superior To all Eternity sounding his praise Man whom from Dust he did so lately raise Subsists of Soule and Body That which still Doth comprehend the Vnderstanding Will And Memorie namely the Soule Partaker Of those great Gifts is th' Image of the Maker The nature of the Body though it be Common with Beasts yet doth it disagree In shape and figure for with Eyes erected It beholds Heav'n whilest Brutes haue Looks deiected This compos'd Man is as a ligament And folding vp in a small continent Some part of all things which before were made For in this Microcosme are stor'd and layd Connexiuely as things made vp and bound Corporeall things with incorporeall Found There likewise are in his admired quality Things fraile and mortall mixt with Immortality Betweene those Creatures that haue Reason and Th' Irrationall who cannot vnderstand There is a Nature intermediate That 'twixt them doth of both participate For with the blessed Angels in a kinde Man doth partake of an intelligent Minde A Body with the Beasts with Appetite It to preserue feed cherish and delight And procreate it 's like in shapes and features Besides Man hath aboue all other Creatures That whereas they their Appetites pursue As solely sencible of what 's in view And gouern'd by instinct Mans eminence Hath pow'r to sway his Will from common Sence And besides Earthly things himselfe apply To contemplate things mysticall and hye And though his Excellence doth not extend To those miraculous Gifts which did commend Great Lucifer at first in his Majoritie Yet in one honour he hath iust prioritie Before all Angels to aduance his Seed Since God from all eternitie decreed That his owne Sonne the euerlasting Word Who to all Creatures Being doth afford By which they first were made should Heav'n forsake And in his Mercy humane Nature take Not that he by so doing should depresse The Diuine Majestie and make it lesse But Humane frailtie to exalt and raise From corrupt earth his glorious Name to praise Therefore he did insep'rably vnite His Goodhood to our Nature vs t' excite To magnifie his Goodnesse This Grace showne Vnto Mankinde was to the Angels knowne That such a thing should be they all expected Not knowing how or when 't would be effected Thus Paul th' Apostle testates 'Mongst the rest Without all opposition be 't confest Of Godlinesse the mysterie is high Namely That God himselfe apparantly Is manifest in Flesh is iustify'd In Spirit by the Angels clearely ' espy'd Preacht to the Gentiles by the World beleev'd Into eternall Glory last receiv'd With Pride and Enuy Lucifer now swelling Against Mankinde whom from his heav'nly Dwelling He seemes in supernaturall Gifts t' out-shine Man being but Terrene and himselfe Diuine Ambitiously his Hate encreasing still Dares to oppose the great Creators Will As holding it against his Iustice done That th' Almighties sole begotten Sonne Mans nature to assume purpos'd and meant And not the Angels much more excellent Therefore he to that height of madnesse came A stratagem within himselfe to frame To hinder this irrevocable Deed Which God from all eternitie decreed And that which most seem'd to inflame his spleene And arrogance was That he had foreseene That many Men by God should be created And in an higher eminence instated Of place and Glory than himselfe or those His Angels that this great Worke ' gant t' oppose Disdaining and repining that of Men One should be God Omnipotent and then That others his Inferiors in degree Should out-shine him in his sublimitie In this puft Insolence and timp'anous Pride He many Angels drew vnto his side Swell'd with the like thoughts Ioyntly these prepare To raise in Heav'n a most seditious Warre He will be the Trines Equall and maintaine Ouer the Hierarchies at least to raigne 'T is thus in Esay read I will ascend Into the Heav'ns and there my Pow'r extend Exalt my Throne aboue and my aboad Shall be made equall with the Stars of God Aboue the Clouds I will my selfe apply Because I will be like to the Most-Hye To this great Pride doth the Arch-Angell rise In boldest opposition and replies Whose name is Michael Why what is he That like the Lord our God aspires to be In vaine ô Lucifer thou striv'st t' assay That we thine innovations should obey Who know As God doth purpose be it must He cannot will but what is good and iust Therefore with vs That God and Man adore Or in this place thou shalt be found no more This strooke the Prince of Pride into an heate In which a Conflict terrible and great Began in Heav'n the Rebell Spirits giue way And the victorious Michael winnes the day Thus Iohn writes of the Battell Michael Fought and his Angels with the Dragon fel The Dragon and his Angels likewise fought But in the Conflict they preuailed nought Nor was their Place in Heav'n thence-forward found But the great Dragon that old Serpent bound They Diuell call'd and Sathan was cast out He that deceiueth the whole World about Ev'n to the lowest earth being tumbled downe And with him all his Angels headlong throwne This victorie thus got and he subverted Th' Arch-Angell with his holy Troupes directed