a man acquire neither more fructiferously can any thing be found than the holy Trinity Lib. 7. Conf. O Eterna Veritas Vera Charitas Chara Eternitaes Tues Deus meus c. O Eternall Veritie and True Charitie and High-prised Eternitie Thou art my God and to thee day and night do I suspire And Lib. 5. de Trinitat cap. 1. Wee so vnderstand God if we can conceiue him and as farre as we may apprehend him That hee is Good without Qualitie Great without Quantitie a Creator without need of his Creature present without place containing all things without habit without confinement to localitie all and euery where Euerlasting without Time making all things mutable without change in himselfe suffering nothing And whosoeuer doth thinke God to be such though by no inquisition he can finde out what hee is let him piously beware as farre as in him lieth to imagine any thing of him that he is not Iustinus Martyr saith Vnus reuera est Vniuersitatis Deus huius qui in Patre Filio Spiritu sancto cognoscitur i. There is in truth one God of this Vniuerse which in the Father the Son and the Holy-Ghost is apparantly knowne Another Father saith God is in Himselfe as Alpha and Omega in the World as a Creator and Protector in the Angels as a sweet Smell and Comelinesse in the Church as the Father of his Familie in the Iust men as an Helper and Guardian in the Reprobate as a Terror and Horror Tertullian saith Let the Sacrament of the Oeconomia be euer obserued which disposeth the Vnitie in Trinitie the Father the Sonne and the Holy-Ghost three not in State but Degree not in Substance but in Forme not in Power but in Species yet of one Substance one State and of one Power because one God of whom these Degrees these Formes these Species subsist which are in the name of the Father Son and the Holy-Ghost And as Clemens Alexandrinus saith Let vs praise the Father the Son with the Holy-Ghost who is One and All things in whom are All things by whom All things euery way Good euery way Beautifull euery way Wise euery way Iust to whom be Glory World without end Aug. saith further Whosoeuer of the Philosophers whose opinion was of God held that he was of all creatures the effectiue of all Knowledge the Light of all actions the Soueraigne Good That from him vnto vs are deriued the beginning of Nature the truth of Doctrine and the happinesse of Life those before the rest wee preferre and that they come neerest vnto vs wee confesse And in another place This onely God is all things vnto thee If thou beest hungry Bread If thirsty Water If thou beest naked in Immortalitie he is thy cloathing And elsewhere Whether we be in tribulation and sorrow or whether we be in prosperitie and joy He onely is to be praised who in our aduersitie instructeth vs in our ioy comforteth vs. Let the praise of God neuer depart from the heart and tongue of a Christian not to praise him onely in our ioy and speake euill of him in our sorrow but as the Psalmist himselfe writeth Let the praise of God be alwaies in my mouth Do'st thou reioyce acknowledge then the Father that smileth vpon thee Art thou in sorrow acknowledge the Father who is thy chastiser Whether hee cherisheth or correcteth thee it is done to him for whom he prepareth his heritage We reade Gregory speaking of this sole and onely God thus He remaineth between all things He is without all things aboue and below all things Superior by his Power Inferior by his Sustentation Exterior by his Magnitude and Greatnesse Interior by Subtiltie and Finenesse Aboue gouerning below containing without compassing within penetrating And elswhere Therefore God declareth his praises vnto vs that hearing him we may know him knowing loue him louing follow him following gaine and enioy him To which the Psalmist alludeth saying The strength of his Workes he will shew vnto his People that hee may giue them the inheritance of the Nations As should hee more plainely haue said Therefore he sheweth the power of his works that such as heare him might be enriched by him Ambrose thus writes The Assertion of our Faith is That wee beleeue one God not as the Gentiles doe separate the Son from the Father nor as the Iewes deny the Sonne begot of the Father within time and borne of the blessed Virgin Nor as Sabellius to confound the Father and the Word making thereby them to be one and the same person Nor as Photinus to dispute how the Son was borne of the Virgin Nor as Arrianus to make more and vnlike potestatâ—s and more gods according to the error of the Gentiles because it is written Heare ô Israel the Lord thy God is one God Againe if the Seraphims did stand how did they fly or if they did fly how did they stand as Esay 6. vers 2. If we cannot comprehend this how shall we conceiue what God is whom we haue not seen Again God is not seene in place but in a pure heart with corporeall eyes he is not sought not in sight circumscribed not by touch felt not by voice heard not by gate perceiued being absent seen being present inuisible And elswhere For our vnderstanding for our strength for our faith let vs striue to see what God is and whether any thing may be compared vnto him Certainely he is the same of whom to speake is to be silent whom to value he is not to be rated whom to define he still encreaseth in his definition He with his hand couereth the Heauen and in his fist graspeth the whole circumference of the Earth whom by our Boldnesse wee lose by our Feare wee finde c. Hier. contra Pelagium Deus semper largitur semper Donatur est c. God is euer giuing and alwayes a Donor it sufficeth me not that he giueth once vnlesse he giueth alwayes I aske that I may receiue and when I haue receiued I craue againe I am couetous of enioying Gods benefits neither is hee deficient in bestowing them nor am I satisfied in receiuing them for by how much the more I drinke by so much the more I am thirsty Saint Bernard in one of his Sermons saith Quid tam necessarium perditis quid tam aptabile Miseris quid tam vtile Desparatis c. What thing is so necessarie to the Lost what so to be desired of the Wretched what so profitable to the Desperate as Christ the Health the Forme exemplar the Life wholesome the Health of the Weake Flame to the Feruent Life to the Hoping Hee came a Physitian to the Sicke a Redeemer to the Sold a Way to the Erring a Life to the Dead He came with Health with Ointments with Glory not without Health Iesus not without Ointment Christ not without Glory the Sonne of God And
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
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
They haue found out a thousand wayes to die Then came the Brasen Age worse than the two former yet not altogether so wicked as the last of which Ovid Met. lib. 1. makes mention Tertia post illas successit ahaenea proles Saevior ingenijs c. The third succeeds the Brasen Issue stil'd More cruell in their natures and more vild More apt to horrid Armes than those forepast And yet not all so wicked as the last The Iron Age is the last of which the soâ—e Poâ—t in the selfe same booke makes this description de Duro est vltimâ— Ferro c. The fourth of Iron into whose veines are crept All those grand mischiefes that beforeâ— time slept Truth Modestie and Faith together fled As banisht from the earth into whose sted Came Craft Deceit Fraud Iniurre and Force And that than which there 's nothing can be worse Base Auarice for not the Earth could breed Out of her plenteous crop enough to feed Insatiate Mankinde but that they must dare To rip her reuerend bowels vp nor spare To teare her brest and in the Stigian shade What she had long hid boldly to inuade And dig vp wealth the root of all things bad By this means wounding Iron at first was had Made to destroy they then discouer'd Gold More hurtfull far though of a purer mold Then War strengthned by both doth armed stand Shaking a weapon in each bloudy hand All liue on spoile the guest is not secure In his Hosts house nor is the Father fure Protected by the Son ev'n Brothers â—arre True loue and friendship is amongst them rare The husband doth insidiate the wife And she againe seekes to supplant his life The rough brow'd Step-dame her yong Step-son hugs Temp'ring for him meane time mortiferous drugs The Sonne after his Fathers yeares enquires And long before the Day his death desires Goodnesse lies vanquisht Piety betray'd Vertue is trod on and the heav'nly Maid Astraea now a better place hath found And left the Earth in bloud and slaughter drown'd So much for the Ages of the World It will be no great deuiation to speake a word or two concerning the Age of Man Servius Tullius King of the Romans called those Pueri i. Laddes or Youths who were vnder seuenteene yeares and from thence to forty six Iuniâ—res as those that were fit to be exercised in warre and from the six and fortieth yeare they were called Seniores and then exempted from Armes Varro diuided Mans Age into Infancie Adolescencie the strength of Youth and Old-Age and them retracted into their parts the first Viridis i. Greene the second Adulta i. Growne the third Praecepti i. Stooping It was also diuided into fiue Sections and euerie one contained fifteene yeares the first were called Pueri ex Puritate Children by reason of their puritie and innocence of life the second to thirty Adolescentes from their growth and encrease the third Section gaue them the title of Iuviues ab adiumenta because they were able then to assist in the wars vntill the forty fifth yeare At threescore yeares they were stiled Seniores i. Elder men And in the fift and last Section all their life time after they were called Senes Hippocrates as Censorinus Lib. de Die Natal affirmeth maketh seuen degrees of the Age of man the first endeth in the seuenth yere the second in the fourteenth the third in the one and twentieth the fourth in the fiue and thirtieth the fift in the two and fortieth the sixth in sixty and the seuenth to the end of his life c. Galen in his booke De Deâ—â—nit Medic. will allow but foure Iuvenum Vigentium Mediorum Senum And these are not vnaptly compared with the seasons of the yeare as Ovid with great elegancie doth thus set it downe Quod non in species secedere quatuor Annum Aspicis AEtatis per agentem imit amina nostrae The Yeare thou seest into foure seasons castâ— Suting our Age which is to come or past Infancie and Childehood is represented in the Spring Youth in Sommer the middle or intermediate betwixt Strength and Weaknesse to Autumne and Old-Age to cold and feeble Winter Concerning which we thus reade the before-named Author Nam tener lacteus Puerique similimus aevâ— c. The new Spring comes to which we may compare Children that feed on milke and tender are The yong and springing grasse the season tells For weake and without strength it growes and swells Sweetning the Farmers hopes all things are greene The fields looke pleasant floures are each where seene And decke the Meads in a discoloured suit The branches only bud but beare no fruit Spring into Sommer passeth now the yeare More strong and potent doth like Youth appeare No Season of more vigor and abilitie More ardent or abounding with fertilitie Youths feruor being somewhat now allay'de Ripe Autumne in his course begins to'inuade And mildely doth 'twixt Youth and Age beare sway His head part blacke but somewhat mixt with gray Then comes old Winter with a palsied pace His haire or white or none his head to grace You may also trace him thus Met. lib. 2. Verque novum stabat cinctum florente corona c. Now Spring stood there a fresh wreath girt his braine And Sommer naked in a crowne of graine Autumne from treading grapes in torne attyre And rugged Winter new come from the fire I will conclude this with Pliny lib. 10. cap. 23. As no man saith he knoweth when the Storkes come till they be come and no man can tell when they remoue and depart till they be vtterly gone because they come and goe priuately in the dead of night when no man can take notice or be aware of either so no man can perceiue his age to come till it be vpon him nor his youth going till it be quite gone And as hee that hath sung much is not to be approued but he that hath sung skilfully so he is not to be commended that hath liued long but he onely that liued well I conclude the premisses with Plato's Yeare The yeare is called Annus which Festus would deriue from the Greeke word Enos But others would haue it a meere Latine word as Atteius Capito so Macrobius lib. 1. Saturn witnesseth of him who thinkes it so called of the circle or compasse of Time of An which is Circum and Nonus which signifieth the Nones Which word may for the vnderstanding of some need a little explanation They are called Nones of Novenus as Denus quasi decimus of the number nine Rutilius writeth That thereupon the Romanes called their Faires Nondinae because that for eight dayes together the Husbandmen were employed in ploughing tilling sowing or reaping but euery ninth day was a day of intermission either for conuerse in the City or hearing of their Lawes read and expounded They are called the Nones of euery month because from
mature in a true conformation And with a â—ollid industrie desire Things that are hidden and abstruse to enquire And as the Thrones each in his office knowes How of all sacred Wisedome to dispose As Dei formes call'd so Saturne he Ianus Bifrons from all antiquitie Is styl'd and Wisedomes Father held to be The Golden World beneath his Scepter was Before the Silver or the third of Brasse Or this Iron Age in which th'vnlabor'd ground Not forc'd by man with plenty did abound The Earth of her free-will gaue all encrease Springs flow'd with milke the Wolfe and Lambe had peace And therefore we by congruent reason finde That the seuenth day to Saturne was assign'd As the seuenth Planet and agreeing best With the Coelestiall Thrones which imply Rest. Besides in Saturne there is one thing rare As sole vnto him peculiar Which he may iustly aboue others claime For none of all the Planets we can name But are in mixture and conjunction Hee Ioyns nor is joyn'd with any but still free And as a Prince vnrival'd keepes his state In which none can with him participate So Moses Law since it was first recited Was with no other coupled or vnited But doth immediatly on God depend Yet many other Lawes from that descend As borrow'd thence And in like mysterie The Chorases of the whole Hierarchie Reflect with all the seruice on the Throne But He his Power communicates to none The Seraph's Loue to Iudgement doth adhere The Cherubs Wisedome placeth it selfe neere The Dominations which some haue defin'd To be Th'vnyoked libertie of minde Assist the Iudgement Seat They Vertues they Vpon the high Tribunall wait and stay And so the rest with all their seuerall Graces But them the Thrones assist not in their places The Dominations we must next confer And fashion to the Star of Iupiter And by comparing them together see How in their semblant Vertues they agree First at Coelestiall things they solely aime Them no tyrannicke seruitude can tame A free Lord they must serue and beare a minde Vncheckt to nothing base or vile enclin'd All difficulties ready to disclose That shall their faithfull seruice interpose On none saue their Creator they rely To his sole pleasure they themselues apply Others to their obedience they persuade Their contemplations being fixt and stayd On the Diuine Light which rare pulchritude To'enioy in a more ample plenitude They stil conforme themselues vnto the Throne If possibly to be with it all one All these if Astrologians we may trust Fall on Ioves Star in number ev'n and iust In Noble bloud this Planet takes delight To'illustrous thoughts it doth the minde accite Prudence to gouerne science how to know His libe'rall influence doth on man bestow Plac'd in his Horoscope he doth inspire Our eleuated soules with a desire To attaine to Fame to Empire and High things Th'vncurbed and irregular minde it brings Not onely to deuise but keepe good Lawes And Iupiter is for that onely cause In Hebrew Zedek call'd which imports Iust. In Goodnesse and in Iustice such as trust Them he spurres on to spend their houres and time To aime at things superior and sublime By the reflex of Iustice and true Piety It drawes to contemplation of a Diety It doth not onely Man himselfe impell To charitable acts and do things well But to stirre others to good workes And styl'd Iove for his Faith and Trust hauing exyl'd All Incredulitie Last by the hand He leadeth others with him till they stand In the like state of Goodnesse Knowledge Faith Pythagoras more of this Planet saith That he is the Mindes Vertue Temperament Health and Disposer of all Ornament That doth belong to Man Now let vs find How those call'd Vertues are to Mars inclin'd And that too may be done with much facilitie If we consider but what true Virilitie And Fortitude in this Star doth consist In one place we thus reade th' Evangelist The Vertues of the Heav'ns are mov'd or ar ' Arm'd on their side who in Gods cause shall war These their Coelestiall operations take Immediatly from Him and for His sake Disperse them to His Glory and great Praise Note what the Psalmist of the Planets sayes Praise Him you Sun and Moone praise Him the Light Praise him yee Stars c. The Vertues by foresight As Captaines ouer the Church Militant Know which amongst them is best Combattant Guide and direct him to the Place aboue To receiue there the Crowne for which he stroue Ev'n so this Mars by th' influence of his Star Styl'd by th' antient Poets God of War Makes men of generous Spirits elate and hye Ambitious after Palme and Victorie The Vertues in their Pow'r finde no defect Nor is this Planet any way deiect Weary'd or faint Those of authentique skill Write His Fires force is indeficient still The Diuine Vertues study to enlarge Their courage who are giv'n to them in charge To make them like spirituall Souldiers stand 'Gainst Lucifer and his reuolted Band Then bring them off to safety and securitie Making them like themselues in God-like puritie So this Stars Fire to shew their true proximitie Burnes vpward as still aiming at sublimitie And in his feruour catching at things neere To turne each Substance to a Nature cleere As it selfe is in lustre like to shine Yet to this Planet many learn'd assigne Malevolent aspects Wars prouocations Home-bred Seditions Discord amongst Nations Broiles Garboiles Tumults and combustious Rage Depopulation Murthers Slaughter Strage Call it The worst of Planets whose reflect Contaminates and poysons with th' aspect But Tresmegistus was not of that minde Saith he The seuerall Planets in their kinde Their vertues being truly vnderstood Are vnto men beneficent and good This great Philosopher would haue vs know Of bad Effects the Cause is here below Stars influences in themselues are pure No putrid stuffe their natures can endure And if from their aspects ought chance amisse They are not to be blam'd for the fault is In our fraile weakenesse for who but hath read That nothing bad aboue the Moon is bred Now as the Potestates to worke are said Both by the Vertues strength and the co-aid of the Dominions Iustice so the Sunne When he his beames transfusiuely shall run Through Mars his Sphere or Ioves benigner Star All his effects Power Strength and Honour ar ' Legions of Fiends the Potestates expell And with them all blinde errors driue to hell So when the Sunne doth his bright beames display The tenebrous Night flies and giues place to day And as those Mindes and Essences Diuine By nature with miraculous fulgor shine So the bright Sunne instated all alone Amidst the Planets in his Regall Throne Casts an incredible lustre and to all Doth honour in his seat Majesticall Distributing abroad in large extent Vnto the Stars both Light and Ornament By whom th' are gouern'd and their motions sway'd Their splendor at his will dark't or
Father another of the Mother yet hee is not one person of the Father another of the Virgin but hee is eternall of the Father and temporarie of the Virgin the same who created and was made He the beautifullest amongst men according to his Diuinitie and He of whom it is written He is despised and reiected of Men He is a Man full of sorrowes and hath experience of infirmities we hid as it were our faces from him He was despised and wee esteemed him not according to his Humanitie He that was before all worlds of a father without a mother Hee came towards the end of the world of a Mother without a Father He was the Temple of the Builder and the Builder of the Temple Hee was the Author of the Worke and the Worke of the Author remaining one Substance yet consisting of two Natures but neither confused in the commixtion of Natures nor doubled in the destruction of Natures Chrisostome speaketh thus The holy and blessed Mary a mother and a Virgin a Virgin before shee was deliuered a Virgin after Wilt thou saith he know how hee was borne of a Virgin and how after his birth she remained a Virgin I answer thee thus The dores were shut and Iesus entred Christ was miraculous in his Incarnation for as S. Augustine writing against the Iewes saith O you Iewes looke vpon the Harpe and obserue what a sweet musicall sound it yeelds to make vp which there be three necessarie instruments or helps Art the Hand and the String Art dictates the Hand toucheth the String soundeth all three worke together but amongst them the String is onely heard for neither the Art nor the Hand make any audible harmonie So neither the Father nor the Holy-Ghost tooke humane Flesh vpon them and yet they haue an equall coooperation with the Sonne the sound of the String is only heard and the Sonne is onely seene in the Flesh yet the effect and melodie consisteth of them all and as it solely belongeth to the String to make a sound so it belongeth to Christ onely to take humane Nature vpon him Further I demand of the incredulous Iew How Aarons dry Rod sprouted with leaues and bare Fruit And when he resolueth me that I will tell him how a Virgin conceiued and brought forth a Sonne But indeed neither can the Iew make manifest the one nor I giue warrantable reason of the other Saint Bernard writeth to this purpose Three Workes three Mixtures hath the Omnipotent Maiestie made in the assumption of our Flesh all miraculously singular and singularly miraculous Three such things as neuer the like before were nor shal the like hereafter happen vpon the face of the earth They are interchangeably God and Man a Mother and a Virgin Faith and the Heart of Man for the Word the Spirit and the Flesh met in one person and these Three are One and that One is Three not in the confusion of Substance but vnitie of Person and this is the first and super-excellent Commixtion The second is a Virgin and a Mother alike admirable and singular for it was not heard from the beginning of the world that a Virgin conceiued and that a Mother remained a Virgin The third is the co-Vnion of Faith with the Heart of Man and this though it seeme inferiour yet may it appeare euery way as powerfull if wee truly consider it For wonderfull it is that the Heart of Man should giue beleefe to the former For how can humane Vnderstanding conceiue That perfect God should be perfect Man Or that she should remaine an vntouched Virgin who had brought forth a Sonne As Iron and a Tyle-sheard cannot be moulded and made into one body so the other cannot be commixed vnlesse the glew and soder of the Spirit of God incorporat them He was miraculous in his Natiuitie for as Ambrose saith Contra Heretic It is impossible for me to search into the secret of his generation at the consideration of which my fences faile my tongue is silent and not mine only but euen those of the Angels It transcendeth the capacities of the Potestates the Cherubims and the Seraphims it is aboue conception for it is written The Peace of Christ passeth all vnderstanding Thou therefore lay thine hand vpon thy mouth since it is not lawfull for thee to enquire into these supernall Mysteries It is granted thee to know that hee is borne but how he is borne it is not granted thee to be inquisitiue for to doe so is fearefull since vnspeakeable is his generation according to the words of the Prophet Esayas Who can tell his Generation Concerning the place of his birth saith Ioan. Chrisostome vpon these words Intrantes Domum invenerunt puerum c. Did they finde a Pallace raised on pillars of Marble Found they a princely Court furnished with Officers and Attendants Found they guards of armed and well accommodated souldiers or Horses in rich and shining trappings or Chariots adorned with gold and ivorie Or did they finde the Mother crowned with an Imperiall Diadem or the Childe swathed in Bisse and Purple Surely no but rather a poore and base Cottage a vile and contemptible Stable more fit for beasts than men a Childe wrapped in sordid swathings and the Mother in an ordinarie garment prepared not so much for ornament as to couer nakednesse Yet the Nobility of Christs birth saith Saint Augustine appeared in the Virginitie of the Mother and the Nobilitie of the Mother was manifest in the Diuinitie of the Sonne And in another place Gold was offered him as to a potent King Frankincense as to a great God and Myrrhe as to a mercifull Redeemer who came to offer vp his life for the saluation of all Mankinde The Heauens were his Heralds Angels his Proclaimers Wise-men his Worshippers Saith Gregory vpon these words Cum natus esset Iesus in Bethlehem c. To this King borne we offer Gold when we shine in his sight by the claritie of Diuine wisedome Wee offer Frankincense when by holy and deuout prayers we burne the cogitations of the Flesh vpon the altar of our hearts which ascend a sweet sauour by our heauenly desires We offer Myrrhe when we mortifie all carnall affections through abstinence And Leo Pap. The Wise-men and Kings of the East adored the Word in the Flesh Wisedome in Infancie Strength in Infirmitie the Lord of Majestie in humane Veritie And to giue infalled testimonie of their faith what they beleeued with their hearts they professed by three guifts Myrrhe to a Man Gold to a King Frankincense to a God Hee was miraculous in his Life as being without sinne miraculous in his Doctrine for neuer man spake as hee did And of his Miracles we thus reade Claudian Angelus alloquitur Mariam quo praescia verbo c. Th'Angell to Mary speakes and saith that she Shall beare a Sonne and yet a Virgin be Three Chald'ae an Kings to him
confidently beleeued his wife soon after died leauing him her vniuersall heire of great possessions and mighty summes of money which both emboldened and strengthened him in his diabolicall proceedings so that by the assistance of Sergius the Monke hee now openly proclaimed himselfe a Prophet and sent of God to prescribe new lawes vnto the Nations And hauing before made himselfe skilfull in all their Lawes the better to countenance and corroborate this his Innouation he thought to accord with the Iewes in some points to continue them his friends and in some things with the Christians lest he should make them his enemies He likewise complied with diuers Heretiques with the Macedonians he denied the Holy-Ghost to be God with the Nicolaitans he approued the multiplicitie of Wiues c. On the other side he confessed our Sauiour Christ to be an holy man and a Prophet and that the Virgin Mary was an holy and blessed woman whom in his Alcaron he much extolled With the Iews he held circumcision with many other of their ceremonies Besides his Religion gaue all the abhominable vices of the flesh free scope and libertie which drew vnto his new Sect much confluence of people from many Nations and Languages to be his abettors and followers His booke he called the Alchoran and lest his diuellish impieties and absurd impostures should be examined and by that meanes discouered hee made it a penaltie of death for any man To argue or make difficultie of any Tenent contained therein making protestation That they ought to be supported maintained by Armes and not by Arguments His first attempt was To set vpon the confines of Arabia Heraclius being then Emperor who held his seat at Constantinople at the same time Boniface the first was Pope and Honorius his successor The newes of this great insurrection comming to the Emperors eare he prepared to suppresse it with all speed possible and to that end he entertained into his Pay the Scenites a warre-like people of Arabia who before had in their hearts much fauoured Mahomet by whose aid in the first bloudy Conflict he was victorious and dispersed this new Sect and had hee followed his present fortune he had quite abandoned it from the face of the earth But supposing them by this first defeat sufficiently disabled and himselfe secured hee failed to keepe promise with the Scenites and detained their pay who in meere despight that they had bin deluded and so injuriously dealt with ioyned themselues with Mahomets dis-banded Forces and by reason of his former râ—putation elected him their Captaine and Generall growing in time to that strength and boldnesse that they attempted diuers places in the Roman Empire entring Syria and surprising the great city Damas inuading Egypt Iudaea with the bordering prouinces persuading the Saracins and people of Arabia That the Land of Promise solely appertained vnto them as the legitimate successors vnto their father Abraham and Sarah from whom they deriued their Name Thus animated by the successe in these wars he was suddenly puft vp with a vain glorious ambition to conquer and subdue the whole world His next expedition therefore he aimed against the Persians a Nation at that time very potent and held to be inuincible His first aduenture succeeded ill for his army was defeated but after hauing re-allyed his forces in his second attempt fortune so fauoured him that hee compelled them to embrace his Religion Briefly and to auoid circumstance after he had run through many hazards and prosperously ouercome them he was poysoned and dyed according to Sabellicus in the fourtieth yere of his age And because he had told his complices and adherents That his body after his death should ascend into heauen they kept it for some dayes vnburied expecting the wonderment so long till by reason of the infectious stench thereof none was able to come neere it At length they put it into a chest of iron and carried it to Mecha a City of Persia where it is stil adored not onely of the people of the East but the greatest part of the world euen to this day And so much concerning the Impostor Mahomet With which relation the most approued Authors agree as Platina in the liues of the Popes Blondâ—â— in his booke of the declining of the Roman Empire Baptista Ignatius in the Abridgement of the Emperours the Annals of Constantinople Nauclerus Antoninus and others And now when I truly consider the stubborne Atheist the misbeleeuing Mahumetan and stiffe-necked Iew it putteth mee in minde of that of the Psalmist Is it true ô Congregation Speake ye iustly ô sonnes of men iudge ye vprightly yea rather ye imagin mischiefe in your hearts your hands execute crueltie vpon the earth The Wicked are strangers from the wombe euen from the belly haue they erred and speak lies Their poyson is euen like the poyson of a Serpent like the deafe Adder that stoppeth his eares which heareth not the voice of the Inchanter though he be most expert in charming Breake their teeth ô God in their mouthes breake the jawes of the yong Lions ô Lord let them melt like the waters let them passe away when he shooteth his arrows let them be broken let them consume like a Snaile that melteth and like the vntimelâ— fruit of a woman that hath not seene the Sunne c. Amongst Theodore Beza's Epigrams those which by a more peculiar name he inscribeth Icona's I reade one of Religion in the manner of a Dialogue Quae nam age tam lacero vestita incedis amictu Religio summiver a patris sorholes c. What art thou in that poore and base attyre Religion The chiefe Father is my Sire Why in a robe so thread-bare course and thin Fraile Riches I despise which tempt to sin Vpon what Booke do'st thou so fix thine eyes My Fathers reue'rend Law which I much prise Why do'st thou go thus with thy breasts all bare It fits those best that Truths professors are Why leaning on a Crosse Because indeed It is my welcome rest none else I need But wherefore wing'd Because I looke on high And would teach men aboue the starres to fly And wherefore shining It becomes me well Who all grosse darknesse from the minde expell What doth that Bridle teach vs To restraine All the wilde fancies of the brest and braine But wherefore Death do'st thou beneath thee tread Because by me ev'n Death it selfe lies dead This shewes the qualitie and estate of true Religion and the Professors thereof which is builded on the Messiâ—â— whom the peruerse and obstinate Iewes will not euen to this day acknowledge Concerning which I obserue an excellent saying from Gregorie Pap. The Iewes saith hee would neither acknowledge Iesus Christ to be the Sonne of God by the words and testimonie of his Heralds and fore-runners the Prophets not by his infinite Miracles and yet the Heauens knew him who leant him a bright star to light him into the world The Sea knew him who against
themselues contend To which of them preeedence shall be given The strife sad Minos vndertakes to end So the great odds betwixt them is made even The Speakers be Alexander Minos Hanibal and Scipio The Dialogue Alex. THou Lybian I before thee am in fame And therefore iustly a precedence claime Hanib To which I 'le neuer yeeld Alex. Minos the Wise And most iust Iudge this Quarrell comprimise Minos What are you speake Alex. This Hanibal I son To mightie Philip King of Macedon Call'd Alexander Minos Glorious by my life Both of you are now tell me what 's your strife Alex. 'T is for prioritie for he auerres Himselfe the better Captaine but he erres For I as all report not him alone In prowesse haue exceeded but Times gone And scarce remembred cannot speake that name Able to equall my vnlimited fame Minos Speake interchangeably your best and worst And freely too but thou ô Lybian first Hanib Yet one thing I am proud of To haue got The Greeke tongue here and my Antagonist not In that before me Next I am of minde The worthier place should be to him assign'd Who bee'ng at first but low and meanly stated Hath ev'n from thence great glories propagated Making himselfe most potent in state hye And capable of Principalitie I with an hand-full Spaine did first inuade A bare sub-Consull to assist and aid My Brothers in those Puny dayes yet fir'd T' attaine the height to which I since aspir'd Ere long I tooke the Celtiberians and Subdu'd the Gaules with this all-conquering hand Huge mountaines and vnpassable before I cut and those I led my Armies o're The Floud Eridanus swift aboue measure I did command and crost it at my pleasure Vpon which many Cities I ore'threw And did in time all Italy subdue Through which I made my Sommers Progresse still And visited Romes suburbs at my will Nay more in one pitcht battell I fought there So many warlike Romans slaughter'd were And these too of the valiantest and most stout Their very rings in bushels were mete out Made of their bodies bridges to passe flouds And lakes on land grew from their reaking blouds All these did I yet neuer had the pride To be call'd Ammons sonne or deify'de I feign'd my selfe no god nor had th' impietie To make my mother strumpet though to'a Dietie I still profest my selfe a man and fought 'Gainst Princes of ripe iudgement such as thought Themselues no more than mortall Souldiers too Both bold and valiant I had not to doo With Medes and cold Armenians a base Crew Such as still fled before he could pursue And if a man but set a face and dare Poore wretches they his easie conquest are This Alexander was a Prince borne hye And his dead fathers kingdome did supply Fortune his large demaines encreasing still With force impetuous almost 'gainst his will Who when the Wretch Darius was o'rethrowne At Issa and Arbela as his owne He'appropriated all was not content To keepe within his fathers competent And moderat bounds but must be needs ador'd The Medes lost loosenesse he againe restor'd Nay more profest it in his lauish boules Of his best subiects rending out the Soules From their torne bodies paying Natures debt He after such as slew them did abet I was my Countries Father and when aid They claim'd of me I instantly obey'd Encountring an huge Nauy all prepar'd To inuade Carthage hauing all this dat'd Most willingly the word they had but sed And I my selfe soone gaue both lost and dead This did I a Barbarian and thought rude Vnexpert of your Greekish plenitude I neuer read his Homer nor was sutor The Sophist Aristotle should become Tutor To Hannibal such helps I counted vaine What came from me was mine owne brest and braine And these are they by which I still prefer My selfe before the Greeke King Alexander But if you thinke this yong man ought take place Before me cause a Diadem doth grace His temples This I'am sure It might shew well In Macedonia but not here in Hell Nor therefore now should be before me chus'd Who haue my selfe and mine owne fortunes vs'd Minos He neither hath like one ingenerous sayd Nor hath a Lybian barbarisme betrayd His smoother stile his eloquence flies hye Now Macedonian what canst thou reply Alex. Silence ô Minos would become me best Rather than I at this time should contest 'Gainst one so impudent and rash my griefe Is That this Hanibal so great a Theefe Against so great a Conqueror should hold This difference But grow he ne're so bold O thou most just of Iudges note me well And thou shalt know how much I antecell Who being but a yong man tooke on mee The mannage of a mighty soueraigntie As my first justice ' reaving those of breath Who had been actors in my fathers death Hauing subuerted Thebes I then became To whole Greece such a terror and my name 'Mongst them so famous that the Princes all Chose me with vnite voice their Generall Nor did I hold it fit to be confin'd Within one kingdomes bounds my'vnlimited mind Aspir'd vnto more amplitude the rather Because in all things to exceed my father A World was my ambition not content Till I had made my knowne name eminent In ev'ry part Asia by force I entred And by the riuer Granicus aduent'red A mighty battell vanquisht and pursu'd In that one fight whole Lydia I subdu'd Iönia and Phrygia then I tooke And passing thence by Iove I could not looke On any durst oppose me conquering euer Where e're my Army mov'd ev'n to the riuer Of Issa where the King Darius then Attended me with infinites of men What there I did thou Minos canst tell best How many in one day I lent to rest Charon well knowes his Barge that time vnable And Styx scarce for such numbers nauigable Forc'd was he then strange Ferry boats to hire And all too little This out of the fire Of mine owne spirit I did my dauntlesse breath Still daring wounds and boldly out during death I passe great acts by me in person done What I at Tyrus and Arebela woon India till then vnknowne I did inuade And of my Empire the vast Ocean made Th' vnbounded limits The Elephants most rude I tam'd King Porus hauing first subdu'd The Scythians souldiers not to be despis'd A Mars-starr'd people no way ill advis'd Hauing past Tanais I did soone subdue And with my troupes of horsemen ouerthrew And as my rage vnto my foes extends So still my loue and bounty grac'd my friends That me a Man those gaue what was diuine And call'd a god none justly can repine For by the greatnesse of my deeds amaz'd In others neuer knowne their wonders rais'd Me to that glory yet no helpe it can For I a god and King dy'de like a man This Hannibal was left a Wretch confin'd To Lybia and Bithynia of a mind Barb'rous and meerely inhumane puft with pride Who as he basely liv'd he poorely
on And with her answer he no sooner gon But straight in comes another and presents A Casket full of rich habiliments As Carquenets stucke full of shining gems Fit to haue grac'd most glorious Diadems A jewell for her fore-head bright and faire With other stones t' entangle in her haire A pendant Vnion to adorne her eare Rarer no Queene was euer seene to weare Some for her necke and others for her brest And being in all these compleatly drest Wonder in them no change in her doth breed But mildely she attends what would succeed When through a priuat doore in comes the King A youthfull Prince apparel'd like the Spring When he would court bright May his yeares twice ten And somewhat more you shall not see 'mongst men A goodlier presence And when to her view He giues himselfe th' Attendants straight withdrew She riseth from her chaire and with so low Obeisance made as if she meant to throw Her selfe beneath his feet spreading the place By which he knew her breeding was not base He takes her by the hand and bids her rife Which by his helpe she did whilst from her eyes Some few pearles drop which pitty seem'd to craue Or else no change at all her visage gaueâ— The Prince is pleas'd those jewels he had sent Should to her beauty adde such ornament If but praise-worthy it appear'd before These adjuncts had encreast it ten times more Appearing to him of such speciall note If then he lov'd he now of force must doat He studieth next some grace from her to haue For he hath quite forgot she is his Slaue Rather a goddesse dropt downe from some Sphere To depose him and she to gouerne there He grasps her fingers soft and white as Bisse And then presents her with a modest kisse One he bestowes a second then doth seeke Both she receiues and neuer turnes her cheeke But with such modesty she gaue them still As if part with and part against her will The Prince hath now to her a further sute But still as he would moue it he growes mute Yet in his face such Rhet'oricke she doth spye As if his tongue were speaking in his eye At length he 'gan entreat her to accept A Traitor to betray the Fort she kept The maiden Tow'r which though some had assail'd Yet neuer any in th' attempt preuail'd Which was a motion she so ill could brooke That such a blush into her face it strooke As none could truly iudge from whence it came Whether from sudden Anger or from Shame But when he saw her with deâ—ected eye Fixt on the ground to yeeld him no reply Yet he so far pursu'd it to persuade An answer to the motion he had made Shee 's so far distant from all putrid sin That though she knew the bondage she was in Hereditarie Vertue in her bred Courage infus'd and thus to him she sed From that sad Fate Great Sir which hath made mee Thus wretched the great'st Princes are not free Ev'n I not many months since did deride That Fortune which so far doth now diuide Me from my Countrey Yet in some part since She makes amends t' expose me to a Prince So royall to whose vnexampled feature If his minde sute the earth affords no creature That can out do his goodnesse But if â—a case Of such a golden out-side enclose base And sordid mettall I must tell you then These Presents I thus throw you backe agen They are not myne receiue them all in grosse And addâ— not these vnto your former losse Which said like one now almost in despaire She tore those gems from necke brest brow and haire But with a modest anger as 't was meet And humbly lay them at his Highnesse feet Then spake I haue one jewell I more prise Than all the wealth that in your Treas'ry lies Which spight of all disaster I will keepe Vnblemisht and with that began to weepe Put me to any test and you shall finde My body you may kill e're slaue my minde But why should I in such vaine doubts proceed When of the least suspition there 's no need Since from your sweet aspect there growes such cheare Chastitie need not start nor Innocence feare And this reply she vtter'd with such grace His constant eye bee'ng fixt still in her face And listniâ—g to her soft and musicall tongue Which nothing else saue Truth and Goodnesse sung He grasp'd her tender waste his armes betweene And vow'd thenceforth t' acknowledge her his Queene Where we instated leaue her and she rather Because we now must haste to seeke her Father Whom no surge frights how rough soeuer curl'd His purpose is to wander 'bout the world To crosse all seas throug ev'ry land to stray For if not home he cannot misse his way Who now after a long peregrination As hauing sought in many'a forrein nation Some so remoat scarce heard of him before At length he came within the sight of shore Where his faire Daughter buâ— a Captiue late Was now aduanc'd vnto a Regall state Indulgent Father this had 〈◊〉 but knowne Into the Sea himselfe he would haue throwneâ— With desp'rat haste hiâ— choice Delight to finde Thinking the Tyde too slow too slacke the Winde O but obserueâ— Wheâ— Faâ—e intends to crosse Our joy to sorrow 〈◊〉 our gaine to losse And when we to our wishes come most â—â—ere It often falls we haue most cause to â—eare For suddenly a mighty tempest rose With many a stubborn 〈…〉 winde blowes His Barke the hillo◠〈…〉 shâ—lues The poore men forc'd to swim and saue themselues On planks and 〈◊〉 to the shore they make And them the I standeâ—â— for Pyrate â—â—ke Haplesse Misprision â— For they troubled long With such sea-Rouen who oft 〈◊〉 strong Had many outrages committed 〈◊〉 And these they thought to suffer such hard fate By Diuine Iustice for such 〈◊〉 and spoile As had been late committed on their soile In this suspition 〈…〉 Weary'd and faint and now â—earce able more To helpe themseluesâ— th' Inhabitants surprise Them one by one as on the Beach he lies But Him because both by his graue aspect And habit he the rest seem'd to direct They held for Captaine hearing him most hard For ouer him they for 〈◊〉 strongest gard Hail'd him to th' Dungeon and so hatefull made him That they with heauy gyue and fetters lade him His hands they manacle and harshly speake As fearing he the prison walls would breake Which had it but arriv'd his Daughters eare She soone had rid him both from paine and feare Here we haue lost him wretched and vnknowne Till robes proue rags his head and beard o're-growne Where haue we left the elder all this while I now remember me In Delphos Isle Clad like Endymion vpon Latmos hill On whom the Moone could neuer gaze her fill Or like Amintas in Arcadian greene The very next day he had Phillis
well and carefully conferred strengthen and establish a Kingdome but seruice vnrewarded and gifts vnworthily bestowed weaken and dishonour it Old kindnesses saith Pindarus the excellent Greek Poet are apoplexed and cast asleepe as void of all sence and all men as stupified are turned ingratefull For according to the Cynicke Diogenes Nothing so soone waxeth old and out of date as a courtesie receiued Quintilian is of opinion That all such as receiue gifts courtesies or good turnes from others should not onely frequently remember them but liberally requite them thereby imitating our Mother Earth which still returneth more fruit than it receiueth seed Socrates affirmed all such as were vnthankfull to haue in them neither nobilitie nor justice According to that saying of Stobaeus Gratitude consisteth in Truth and Iustice Truth in acknowledging what was receiued and Iustice in repaying it The Lawes of Persia Macedonia Athens c. punished Ingratitude with death And Plato can teach vs That all humane things quickely grow old and hasten to their period onely that sin excepted and he giueth this reason Because that the greater increase there is of men the more Ingratitude abounds The Ingratefull is held to be of worse condition than the Serpent who reserueth venom and poyson to hurt others but keepeth none to harme himselfe I conclude with Seneca the Philosopher If we be naturally inclined to obserue and to offer all our seruice to such from whom we but expect a benefit how much more then are we obliged to such from whom wee haue already receiued it I come now vnto the Poets Seneca in Aiace Flagell we reade thus Qui autem obliviscitur beneficijs affectus Nunquam vtique esset hic generosus vir Amongst the Generous he can claime no place That good turnes done out of his thoughts doth rase Plautus in Persa speaketh thus Nam improbus est homo Qui beneficium scit sumere reddere nescit Nil amas si ingratum amas Bad is that man and worthy blame That can good turnes from others claime But nought returneth backe He than Nought loues that loues a thank lesse Man Cornarius writeth thus Pertusum vas est ingratus Homnucio semper Omne quod infundis perfluis in nihilum In vaine th' Ingratefull man with gifts thou fill'st In broken Tuns what thou pour'st in thou spill'st And much to the same purpose almost the same sence the Poet Luscinius expresseth himself in this Distich following speaking of the vnthankfull man Rimarum plenus perdit tua dona scoelestus Si sapis integro vina reconde cado A leaking Vessell and consumes what 's thine But thou for a sound Tunne reserue thy Wine Ausonius in one of his Epigrams saith Ingrato homine terra pejus nil creat There 's nothing worse that the earth can Breed than an Ingratefull man And Iuvenal Satyr 11. Ingratus ante omnia pone sodales Aboue all others see thou hate Thy fellowes such as proue ingrate One Michael Traulus slew his master the Emperor Leo who had raised him to many eminent honours and dignities Phraates slew his father Orodes King of the Parthians Romanus junior reiected his naturall mother at which shee conceiued such hearts griefe that she soone after expired Alphonsus Primus King of Lusitania cast his mother into Prison The like Henry the Emperor fift of that name to his father Henry Darius tooke counsell to kill his father Artaxerxes by whom he was before made King And Lucius Ostius in the time of the Ciuill wars when his father Armalius was proscribed and the Triumvirat prosecuted his life he his son betrayed him to the Lictors brought them to the place where he then lay concealed for no other cause but that hee might enioy his possessions Marcus Cicero at the command of M. Anthonius one of the Triumvirat was slain by Pompilius Lemates whose life he had before defended and acquitted from the strict penalty of the Law Alexander the Great forgetfull of his Nurse Hellonice from whom he had receiued his first milk caused her brother Clitus afterward to be slaine Anthonius Caracalla being aduanced to the Roman Empire amongst many others whom he caused innocently to be butchered he spared not Cilones his tutor by whom he was first instructed notwithstanding he had been a Counsellor to his father and a man notable for his wisdome and temperance No lesse was the ingratitude of the Senat of Rome vnto Scipio Africanus who notwithstanding that he had subdued Carthage the onely City that durst affront or contest with Rome through the whole world yet being accused by Petilius they arraigned him in open Court and proscribed him because that all the treasure which he had woon in Asia he had not brought into the Treasurie of Rome But of all the rest that to me is most remarkable recorded by Zonarus Cedrenus of the emperor Basil. Macedo who being hunting as he much delighted in that exercise a great stag incountring him fastned one of the brouches of his hornes into the Emperors girdle and lifting him from his horse bare him a distance off to the great indangering of his life Which a Gentleman in the traine espying drew out his sword and cut the Emperors girdle by which meanes he was preserued and had no hurt at all But note his reward The Gentleman for this act was questioned and adiudged to haue his head strooke off because he dared to expose his sword so neere the Emperours person and suffered according to his sentence Infinite are the histories to this purpose which for breuities fake I omit shutting vp this argument with that out of Petrus Crinitus Lib. 2. Poemat de Fugiendis ingratis Ingratus est vitandus vt dirum scoelus Nil cogitari pestilentius potest Nec esse portentiosius quicquam puto c. Ingratitude I wish thee shunne As the worst deed that can be done Nothing more pestilentiall can Enter into the thoughts of man Th' Ingratefull man 's prodigious who If his bad acts he cannot show Yet studies ill himselfe he spares But against others all things dares He hateth all but those men most Who iustly may their good deeds boast The reason may be vnderstood As bee'ng sequestred from the Good Hee 's bold and wicked drawne with ease To what is bad which best doth please What of it selfe is good he still Doth labor how to turne to ill As hee 's couetous so hee 's prowd And with no honest gift endow'd There 's only one good thing he can Well pleasing both to God and Man And which though he be sure to pay Yet whilest he can he will delay And 't is against his will too then That 's when he leaues the world and men No Monster from the earth created That is of God or Man more hated But amongst all the ingratefull people of the world the stiffe-necked nation of the Iewes appeareth vnto me to be most remarkable concerning whom you may reade Esdras lib. 1. c. 5.23
Augures 47. The vanitie of Augurie 48. Of Idolatry in generall 49. An Emblem 50. A Meditation vpon the precedent Tractat 53. THE CONTENTS OF THE SECOND TRACTAT VVHence the multiplicity of gods came 59. The Vnitie of the God-head 60. Arguments to confirme it 61 62. The power and operation of the Planets 63. The Sybils of God 64. The Oracle of God 65. The God-hoods Vnitie not to be diuided 66. The same illustrated 67. The Manichees 68. Mans attributes giuen to God how far they extend ibid. Gods appellations in Scripture 70. Of the Trinitie 71. Reasons why Christ is called Our God 72. Christ typically figured in Aaron 73. Obseruations of the Trin. in Vnitie c. 74. Orators and Philosophers of God 75. Of Gods Vbiquitie 76. Hiero and Simonides 78. Proper names belonging to God 79. Idolatry brought from Asia into Italy 80. Reasons why Atheists doubt of God 82. Pregnant reasons to proue a Deity 83. From the Poets and Philosophers 84 85. Apothegmes concerning God 86. Further of the Poets 90 91 c. Hierogliphyckes of God 93 The Vadiani of God 94 Attributes belonging to God 95. God in all Tongues stiled by foure letters 96. The Fathers of the Trinitie 98. Philosophers Sentences of God 101. Comparison for the further illustration of the Godhood 104. An Emblem 106. A Meditation 108. THE CONTENTS OF THE THIRD TRACTAT THe three diuisions of the World Elements Terrest Coelest Super-Coelest 111. Cabalists and Rabbins of Moses Ark. 112. A Consimilitude betwixt the Arke and the World ibid. A second Consimilitude 114. A third consimilitude 115. The best Philosophers of the premisses ibid. Creatures participating diuers Elements 116. Manâ— wisedome the wisedome of the world The birth of Wisedome 117. Her beauty honour sweetnesse and effects 118. Her fruitfulnesse and power 119. At what time Time began 120. The creation of the Sun and Moone 121. Their seuerall offices 122. Of the Stars and Planets according to the Poets Arctos major minor the Serpent Bootes Corona Hercules 123. Lyra Olor Cepheus Cassiopeia Andromeda Perseus Auriga Serpentarius Sagitta 124. Aquila Delphinus Equus Deltoton Pistrix Lepus Orion 125. Lelaps Procion Argo Centaurus Ara Hydra 126. Notius Galaxia 127. Of the twelue Coelestiall Signes and first of Aries ibid. Of Taurus and the Hyades 128. Of Gemini and Cancer 129. Stars called Asini and of the Lion 130. Of Virgo or the Coelestiall Maid 131. The seuen Deadly Sinnes 132. The storie of Icarius and Erigone 133. Fruits of Drunkennesse 134. A remarkable story of a Dog 135. Arctuâ—â—us Canicula Libra Scorpio 137. Sagittarius 138. Capricornus Aquarius 139. Pisces 140. The birth of Venus 141. Of the Worlds originall ibid. The inuention of Letters Writing c. 142. Of Cities The Ages 143. Grammar Rhethoricke Logicke Memorie Geometry Musicke c. 144. Against those who maintaine more Worlds or the eternitie of this 145. The death of Aristole 146. The nobilitie of Mans conceit 147. Annus Magnus Vertens Mundanus ibid. The ridiculousnesse thereof 148. The definition of the World 149. The Fathers concerning the World 150. The Poets of the World and ruin thereof 151. The Philosophers of the World 153. The World defined 154. Philssophers of the beginning of the world 156. Creation from Atomes Number Infinites c. 157. Against Curiositie and vaine Questions 158. Of the foure Elements 160. The Poets of the Ages 161. The Golden Age 162. The Siluer and Brasen Age 163. The Iron Age 164. A diuision of mans Age 165. Of the Yeare called Climatericall 167. Illustrations of the Signes Coelestiall 168. The order of the Starres and the Austral Circle 169. Draco Artophilax 170. Corona Lyra the death of Orpheus c. 171. The Pleiades Virgiliae c. 181. Cometa the motion of the Sun the Bisext or Leap-yeare 182. The Eclipse rules to know faire or foule weather by the Sun 183. Philosophers and Poets of the Moone 184. Coniecture of weather by the Moone 185. An Emblem 186. A Meditation 189. THE CONTENTS OF THE FOVRTH TRACTAT THe three Ternions of Angels with their seuerall offices 194. How they are concatinated among themselues 195. Of such as hold there be no Angels nor Spirits 196. Their opinions confuted 197 Angels and Spirits proued from Dreams ibid. The Dreames of Simonides Sylla M. Artorius Calphurnia Iulius Caesar Amilcar c. 198. The Old and New Testament of Dreams 199. Angels visible and of euill Spirits 200. Rabbi Achiba concerning Spirits 201. Abram Avenzara and Rabbi Azariel of Loue and Hate 202. A story of an Emperor and two Beggars 203. Of Poets and Poetry ibid. A Meditation of Death 204. Honour due to Poets and done vnto them of old 205. A nomination of some of our moderne Poets 206. Buchanans complaint that the Muse is so neglected 207. Buchanans Epigram 208. Spirits Saturnine Iovial and Mercurial 209. The Essence of Angels 210. Sundry opinions of the Fathers concerning Angels 211 To proue them incorporat 212. The Lateran Councell of Angels 213. The difference of their Knowledge 214. Foure Angels over the foure windes ibid. Ouer euery heauen or Sphere 215. Angels of the Zodiacke their offices and names ibid. Foure Angels ouer the foure Elements 216. The obiect of Gods will in the Creation 219 Angels the first creatures made with the light pure the charge they haue ouer Man ibid. Seuerall imployments of Angels in the Scriptures 220. Dreames defined 221. Eudemus Galen Q. Catulus Sophocles Alexand Philosoph Sfortia M. Antonius Torellus Alcibiades Croesus Atterius Ruffus Cambyses Aspatia Tit. Attinius their dreames 223â— c. Histories concerning predictions of Nero Philip of Macedon c. 226. Dioclesian Henry King of France 227. Plato's opinion of Spirits 228. Spirits of diuers qualities and of the Socraticum Daemonium 229. Histories of the same ibid. S. Augustine of the power of Spirits 230. Strange opinions of Spirits and that none can be mortall 231. A discourse of Death from the Poets 232. From the Philosophers 233. From the Fathers 234. A Dialogue concerning death interpreted from Lucian 235. Of Constancie in death 240. A contented life 241. Further of Poetry and Poets 242. A nomination of many famous Greeke Poets 243. The miserie that attends the Muse illustrated by the sad fate of many antient Poees 245. Ioh. Campanius to that purpose 248. M. Edm. Spencers complaint 249. Faustus Andrelinus the like 250. A Spanish Prouerbe interpreted 251. That Spirits can transport men or beasts 252. Histories of strange transportations 253. A story of a Centurion 254. Of a Captiue 255. A Nobleman of Insubria 256. Transportation of Witches 257. Antonius Leo 258. Paulus Grillandus of Witches 259. Medea 260. The velocitie of Spirits 261. Histories to proue the same 262. An Emblem 263. A Meditation 266. THE CONTENTS OF THE FIFTH TRACTAT GOds Power Wisedome and Goodnesse in the Creation 271. The concordance betweene the Seraph and the Primum Mobile 272. Betwixt the Cherubin and the Starry heauen 274. Betwixt the Thrones and Saturne
ibid. The Golden World 275. The concordance betwixt the Dominations and Iupiter ibid. Of the Vertues with Mars 276. The maleuolent aspect of Mars 277. Of the Potestates with the Sunne 278. Of Starres that receiue names from the Sun ibid. The Trinitie in Vnitie figured in the Sunne 279. Concord betwixt the Principats and Venus ibid. The Arch Angels and Mercury 280 Betwixt the Angels and the Moone 281. The Premisses illustrated 282. Three Religions most profest 283. What the Iewes say for themselues 284. Wherein the Mahumetan opposeth the Christian ibid. Mahomets imposterous Miracles Saints and Reliques 285. The Creation of things according to Mahomet and of his Paradise 286. The first Sow according to Mahomet and why Sowes flesh is not eaten in Paradise 287. The first Mouse the first Caâ— and the joyes of Heauen according to Mahomeâ— 288. His palpable and absurd ignorance with his opinion of Angels 289. Aridiculous tale in Mahomets Alcaron 290. Of the Priscillians and Manichees exploded Heretiques 291. Wherein blessednesse consisteth according to the Manichees 292. Of Truth 293. The Philosophers and Fathers of Truth 294. The Poets of Truth 295. An exceâ—lent discourse of Cardinall Pascalis of Truth 296. Truth constant and subiect to no change 297. Religion grounded vpon Truth 298. Religion defined against those that make it a cloake for hipocrisie 299. Three opinions concerning Christ 300. Iosephus Pontius Pilat c witnesses of Christ 301. An Epistle of Pliny to Trajan the Emperor concerning Christians 302. Diuers Ethnieke Princes who fauored the Christians 303. Caesar Maximinus his oration concerning Christians And of Cublay Emperour of Tartaria 304. What a Miracle is 306. Wonders in Nature 307. Of Christs Miracles 308. Origen Greg. Chrisost. c. of the Virgin Mary 309. Christ miraculous in his birth life doctrine and death 310 c. Twelue grieuous sufferings of Christ 315. Of the great Eclipse at his death 316. The life and death of Mahomet 319 c. Beza his Epigram of Religion 322. Pope Greg. of Christs death 323. An Emblem 324. A Meditation 327. THE CONTENTS OF THE SIXTH TRACTAT A Discourse of the Heart of man 331. The inconstancie of Mans Heart 332. How many wayes the Heart of man is insidiated ibid. How it may be reconciled to the Creator 333. Sundry opinions concerning the creation of Angels 334. Angels created with the Light 335. Lucifers glory in his Creation 336. He is figured in Tyrus 337. The creation of Man the Soule the Body and what Man is 338. The Incarnation of Christ reuealed to the Angels 339. Lucifers Rebellion the cause thereof The Battell betwixt Michael and the Diuell 340. The Fall of Angels and the weapons vsed in the Battell 341. How long Lucifer remained in Glory 342. The power he hath since his Fall ibid. The Fall of Adam his offence and punishment 343. Of Hell according to the Poets Tibullus 344. Virgil Seneca Valer. Flacchus Lucretius c. 345. Of Hell according to the Scriptures and Fathers 346. The torments of Hell 347. The seuerall denominations of Hell ibid. Lucians Dialogue called Nycio Manteia i. an Answer from the Dead 348. The cause of Menippus trauell to Hell 350. The Ciuill Lawes compared with the doctrines of the Poets ibid. The vanitie of Philosophers and their wranglings discouered 351. Lucians meeting with the Magition Mithrobarzanes 352. His superstâ—tionsâ— and Incantations discouered and derided 353. A description of his passage to Hell 355. Of Minos the Iudge with his proceeding against the Prisoners 355. Diuers great men arraigned and sentenced 357. A description of the torments 358. Of the Heroes and demy-gods 359. The equalitie that is in Hell 360. A comparison of the life of man ibid. Great men on earth how vilified in Hell 361. The estate of Socrates Diogenes and the like in hell 362. A Decree made in Hell against rich men ibid. Tyresius his counsell What life is safest to leade on earth 363. Menippus his passage from hell 364. Further discourse of the Heart of man 365. Manlius of the ambition of Mans heart 366. The instabilitie and corruption thereof 367. Further of the Creation of the Angels when and where 368. The Angelicall nature how vnderstood 369. Diuers questions and difficulties concerning Angels reconciled 370. The order that God vsed in the Creation 371. Angels immutable and that no Soule but hath an Angell to attend it 372. What best pleaseth the Angels They gouerne Nations Angell a name of office not of nature 373. Nazianzen of the Angels 374. Of the forming and fashioning of Man ibid. The three dignities of the Soule and the end why Man was created 375. Three great gifts bestowed on Man in the Creation ibid. Three opposit euils 376 A iust measure of mans body ibid. Three sorts of liuing Spirits created by God 377 Of the Soule of man 378. The Philosophers concerning the Soule 379. Iohannes de Canis a Florentine Physition 380. The Poets of the Soule 381. Of Man in generall 382. Against such as deny the Resurrection 383. Difference betwixt the liues of Beasts Men and Angels ibid. Of the birth of Man 384 The Ethnicks of Man ibid. Homer with other Poets of Man 385. Adages and Emblems of Man 386. Hierogliphycks of Man 387. Ethnicks of Hell 388. The Rabbins of the locall place of Hell 389. The figure of Moloch 390 Lucians Dialogue intituled Nyciomanteia with Sir Thom. Mores Argument thereupon 390 c. The acts of Alexander Hannibal and Scipio 392 c A discourse of hell fire 397. Reasons prouing the perpetuity of the torments 398. An Emblem 399. A Meditation 401. THE CONTENTS OF THE VII TRACTAT VVIsedome contemplateth the wonderfull works of God 407. The Sun 408. The Moone Stars Rainbow Snow Lightning Haile Mountains Winds Thunder Raine Frost Ice c 409 c. The quality and condition of malignant Spirits 410. Diuels retaine their first naturall faculties 411. The degrees among Diuels of which Lucifer is prime 412. Lucifers figure and description 413. Prioritie obserued among the Diuels with necessarie obseruations 415. The Diuels striue to imitate God 410. An excellent historie expressing the instabilitie of Fortune ibid. The originall of Idolatry illustrated from the former historie 435. Nine Classes of Diuels with their seueral Orders 436. The sundry names of Diuels and what they signifie 437. Of the number of Angels that fell more Angels than men more men than Angels 438. Of the motion of Angels ibid. The distance betwixt the eighth heauen and the earth 439. All intelligent Substances are incorporeall 440 Sathan and the euill Daemons bounded in their malice ibid. The admirable knowledge f Spirits 441. How and wherein their knowledge is limited 442. Their equinocating answers in the Oracles ibid. Good Angels cannot erre 443. Of Contracts made betwixt man and Sathan ibid. The manner of the diuels temptations set down the better to aâ—oid them 444. Pasetis a great Magition ibid. Seueral Magicke books fathered vpon good and godly men ibid. Seuerall mettals ascribed
the 11 or 12 day of Iune As Adam Bishop of Vienna in his Chronicle Exod. 12. The day of Christs Passion compared with the first day of the Creation According to the computation of the time of the yeare A second reason A probabilitie of the former reason Whether the Moon in her creation were in the full or waine The seuerall offices of the Sun Moon began at one instant Of the Starres and Planets as the Poets haue decipher'd theÌ„ Arcti * Calisto Arctus maior * Lycaon Archas of whom the kingdom of Arcadia took name Arctus minor Agliasthenes qui Naxica conscripsit Serpent Artophilaâ— Coronâ— Eugonasin Lyra. Olor Cepheus Cassiopeia Andromeda Perseus Heniochus Ophincus Anguiteneus Sagiâ—â—â— Aquila Dolphia Equusâ— Deltoton * δ. * For in these dais the fourth part called America was not knowne Cetus Pistrix Eridanus fluvius Lepusâ— Orion Lelaps or Canis maior Procion or Canus minor Argo Philiris vel Centaurus Ara. Hydra Piscis or Notius * A goddesse worshipped among the Egyptians Circulus lâ—cteus or the Galaxia * Mercury in his infancie Of the twelue Coelest Signes Aries Higin de Sign Coelest lib. 3. Hesiodus Pherecides The sea called Hellespont from Helles there drowned Nigidius Taurus Euripides Eratosthenes * As ashamed of the fact Pherecides Athinaeus Therefore called Pluviales These we call the seuen stars Gemini Higinus * The sons of Tindarus Father to Hellen. Cancer The Crab. Pamasis Stars called Asini from Asses Leo. Nigidius This is held by some to be the first of his 12 Labours Some hold Iuno made his skin invulnerable Periandrus Rhodius Virgo Higinus Aratus Pride The 7 Deadly Sinnes The story of Icarius and Erigone Who is also called Bacchus or Dionysius A common Prouerbe in our English tongue The fruits of Drunkennesse Icarius slaine * A prouerbe frequent among Drunkards A remarkable story of a dog InnoceÌ„t bloud spilt neuer goeth vnreuenged Arcturus Virgo Canicula Libra * Higinâ— Arat. Virg. li. Geor. 1. Scorpio Nigidius Sagittarius * The Galaxia which some hold to be the Path which leads to Olympus hall where the gods sit in Counsell Sosythaeus Traged Scriptor Nigidius de Crotone Capricornus * AEgipanes were Beasts like men hauing Goats feet Or wood-gods Epimenides in Ida. Aratus in Phaenom This Goat was called Amalthea Eratosthenes Ovid Met. * A Bird onely breeding in AEgypt Aquarius Aquarius and Hippocoön Quod eius ex oren plurimi Imbres fiunt Aratus Nigidius Hegesinax Aratus in Ihoenom * A mountain so called from her * Canicula into which Mera was translated These winds some call Ecâ—esiae Pisces Aratus Viz. one North the other South The birth of Venus according to most of the Greeke Poets before named Concerning the worlds originall These were the seuerall opinions of diuers Philosophers The World it selfe best Witnesse of the World Vbi motus est nulla Eternitas Time examined to proue a beginning of all things The inuention of letters Sim. Meliâ—us Of Writing Against Pride A needfull obseruation The first erectors of famous Cities Paris Al. Lutetia Carion Chronâ—l * As so first called All these builâ— by seueral men as their Chronicles yet record Of the Ages The first Age. II. III. IV. V. VI. In Hist. Eccl. Grammer The originall of Arts c. Rhetoricke Logâ—cke Art of Memorie Geometry Musicke Physicke Surgâ—rie The Ship The Lyre or Harpe Trumpet Horologie Astrologie Statues and Pictures Vertue of Heâ—bs Lawes Wine City walls Turrets Corne. War Minting Printing Ars tormentaria deuised by a Frier whose name is not knowne Arist. de Intell. Perf. Pbys 1.4.8 56 The argument followed Esse melius quaÌ„ non Esse De Coel 22. Coelâ—m Dei Sedes Procop. against Arist. Quoniam Aristot mare capere non potest Capiat mare Aristotelem Their Reasons confuted by Reason Against vaine Curiositie The Nobilitie of Mans Conceit August de Civ Dei li. 12. ca. 13. The opinion of the Platonists Annus magnus vertens auâ— Mundaâ—us Macr. in Somn. Scip. Ridiculous absurdities Catacl diluvium i. Delug The definition of the World Cap. 1. 4. What the opinions of diuerse Fathers were concerning the World Gregory Chrysostome Sup. Mat. 24. Hom. 4. Hom. 5. Hom. 5. de Poen Lactantius De praem Div. lib. 6. cap. 4. An excellent saying of saint Chrysostome The Poets of the World and the ruin thereof Lib. 1. Lib. 5. de Nat. deor Lib. 2. Of the creatioÌ„ of the World The Philosophers concerning the world Lib. de Coelo The multiplicity of worlds The opinion of Metrodor Met. lib. 1.49 Metaph. 12.28 Aristotles definition of the World Gen. 1. Astron. lib. 1. Ibid. Lib. de Bel. Civ Philosophers concerning the beginning of the World Thal. Milesius The World to haue beginning from Water Anaximenes From Airâ—â— From Fire Opinions contrarie to the â—ormer Atomes Of Atomes some superior others inferior anterior posterior c. Creation from Number Câ—eation from Infinites Lib. 1. Concerning seueâ—all opinions Ser. de Eclips Solâ—â— Euclides Maxâ— ser. 21. Idem serm 22. Epist. 45. Cap. 1. Mat 24. Mark 14. Lib. 2. de par cap. 2. Procop of the Elements Metam lib. 15. The Ages The Golden Age. The Siluer Age. The Brazen Age. The Iron Age. * i. Iustice. Of the Age of Man Met. lib. 1â— Ver Pueritia AEstas Iuvent Virilis AEtas Aâ—tumâ—â—s Hiâ—â—â— senectus Annus or the yeares The Nones Of the number of Nine An. ab Annulo An. Lunaris Solaris An. Annus Magn. Annus Climat Levia Lemâ— cap. 32. lib de occuli naturae miracul Ovid. lib. Met. Lib. Eâ—eg 1. A further illustration concerning the Signes Coelestiall The diuision of the heauen called Culum By reason that the Sun is furthest froÌ„ them Antipodes Stellarum ordo * The Goat and the Kid. * Hercules Or Libra Corona Cignus Pistriâ— Boâ—tes Cignus * Hercules Aquila The Australl Circle Ara. Sagittarius Chyron Virgo Lepus Taurus Trinus Aries Coetus Draco Artophilax Corona Lyra. Atlantiades The death of Orpheus Oâ—r or Cignus Cepheus Cassiopeia Coetus Andromeda Higinus Perseus Aurigâ— * Otherwise câ—lled Amalthea * Hedae Serpentarius Phorâ—â—tus de nat de or spec Aquila Sagitta The sonnes of Tytan Delphinus Pegasus or Equus demidius Deltoton Trigonum Pistrix or the Whale The Floud Eridanus or Padus The Sisters of Phaeton Stella Terrestr Lepus siue Dasippus Higinus The Citie called after the Island Why the Hare was translated into a Staâ—re Orion What Orion portendeth The history of Orion Canis Laelapâ— or Procion Syrius stella Caniculaâ— Palephalus Ovid. in Meâ— Naâ—is Argâ— or the ship These are the fancies of the Poets Aratus Of Danaus AEgiptus So called by sailing or rouing in the Argo Ara the Altar which is also called Thuribulum the Censer Centaurus The death of Chiron the Centaure Hydrâ— How the Crow came to be stellifi'deâ— Pleiadesâ— The Vergiliae Cometa The motion of the Sunne The Bisext or Leape-yeare The Eclipse
Rules to know faire weather or foule by the Sunne Apollo Why a god The names of the Horses of the Sunne Luna The Philosophers concerning the Moone The Poets of the Moone The senerall denominations of the Moone Why shee is said to loue Endimion Conjecturâ— of weather by the Moone Of Folly Diuersities of Fooles The effects of Folly Excuse for sinnes Customes not commendable are not to be kept Angeli in quot Choros diuiduntur The first Chorus The Seraphim and his office The Cherubim The Thrones Dominions Vertues Potestates Principates Arch-Angels Angels The Offices of the three Ternions Quomod Angel Chori sunt Concatinati Of such as hold there are no Angels or Spirits The opinion of the Peripateticks Natura Intelligilis Their opinions confuted And these Creatures the Angels Angels and Spirits proued from dreames The Dreame of Simonides Sylla a noble man in Rome Sabellicus Calphurnia the wife of Iulius Caesar. Caesars dream Amilcars dreame Paâ—sanias of Socrates Examples from the Old Testament Examples from the New Testament * If the later Herod were called a Fox the former who slew the young Infants may carrie a worse title Angels Angels visible Evill Spirits Digression The opinion of Rhabbi Achiba concerning Spirits The opinion of two learned Rabbies concerning Amor Odium Their reason of this Antipathie The Effect of these exprest in King Ferdinand The Effect proued in Iudges This is alleadged by Doctor Strozza lib. de Natur. Mag. of some particular men whom he had obserued in Italy in his time The Effect proued in Princes A true story Of Poets and Poetry A Meditation of Death Thersites deformed and Nereus the faire Greeke whom Homer loued The honour due vnto Poets The honour done to Poets of old A Satyricall poet An Epick poet A Tragicke poet Rob. Greene. Christ. Marlo Thomas Kid. Thom. Watson Thomas Nash. Francis Bewmont William Shake-speare Beniam Iohnson Iohn Fletcher Iohn Webster c. In his Elegy intitled quam misera sit conditio docentiuÌ„ literas humaniores c. Poenia is Paupertas or of pouerty Read Aristophanes in his Lenady called Platus Apollo who kept Admetus his Cattell Epigram eiusdem inscrip ad amicos Nemomeos ciâ—eres violis fragralibus ornet c. A reason giuen of the premisses Spirits Saturnine Iovial Mercuriall Spiriâ—â— Of the essence of Angels Arist Ethiâ— cap 9. The Platonists difference betwixt gods and Demons Psal. 8. Minuisti eum paulo minus ab Angelis Tertullian lib. de carn Christ. Orig. periarc cap. 2.3 Gen. 6. Psellus Apul. Philoponus Meruâ—a Olimpiodor Gaudentius c. The Fathers who opposed the former in this point Reasons to proue Angels incorporeat Two Arabian writers The solution of the former doubts This Councel was held vnder Pope Innocent the third Iohn Cap 4. The number of a Legion S. Gregory expounded A returne to thâ— first position Zach. 1.2 S. Aug. de Cognitione veritatis cap. 8. Dr. Strozza Lib. de Natur. magia Apocal. 7. Arist. Intellig. planet Tobit 6.12 Apoc. 8. These they call the Anâ—â—â—â— of the Zodiacke The first Quaternion The second Quatern The third Quatern The fourth Quatern Foure Angels ouer the foure Elements The sentence of the Councel against the Schismaticks Atheisme confesseth a sole Deity The object of Gods will in the Creation Homil sup Psal. 44. The Imployment of the Angels Coloss. 1.16 Meaning Saint Peter Lib de Somn. Vigil The Definition of Dreams Laert. lib. 6. Lib. 19. de Animalibus Eudemus his Dreame Galen Quint. Catulus Sophocles Alexander the Philosopher Sfortia M Antonius Torellus Alcibiades Croesus Aterius Ruffus Cambyses his Dreame Aspasia Titus Atimius Histories concerning predictions Nero. Philip K. of Macedon The Emperor Dioclesian Henry King of France Plato's opinion concerning Spirits The Academiques Pherecid Cyrus A Rhodian Porphirius SocraticuÌ„ Demonium Charmiades Strange opinions concerning Spirits The Sadduces answered Of Death Charon Mercury Charon Merc. Menippus Merc. Charmeleus Merc. Lampichus Merc. Lamp Merc. Lamp Merc. Lamp Merc. Lamp Merc. Lamp Merc. Damasius Merc. Damas. Merc. Damas. Merc. Crato Merc. Crato Merc. Menip Merc. Philosopher Menip Merc. Philos. Merc. Menip Merc. Menip Merc. Menip Merc. Menip Philos. Merc. Rhetorician Merc. Philos. Menip Merc Menip Philos. Menip Mercâ— Menip Mere. Menip Max. serm 36. Of Constancy in death Alian de var. hist. Plutar. in Laconic Apo. Seneca Content of Life Of Poetry Honour conferred on Poets from Antiquity Of Poets Scipio The Greeke Poets Euripides Sophocles Aratus Archias Cherilus Samius Gorgius Manilius Lenaeus Menander Homerus Iunior Oppianus Poetr miseria Homer Virgil. Ovid. Horace Hesiod These were Antiphon and Chlimenus Lynus Apollo sagip Antipater Sydon Bassus Cesius Lysimachus Plautus Calisthenes Quintus Lactantius Catulus Ibichus AEscilus Anacreon Petronius Arbiter Sapho Cuddy the Sheepeheard speaketh That Spirits haue power to transport men or beasts The great power of Spirits Daniel 14. Histories of strange transportations Apoll. Tyan Iamblicus Iohannes Teutonicus Euchides Platensis A strange History A noble man of Insubria The transportation of Witches A strange History of a maid of Bergamus Antonius Leo Captaine Antonius Adrianus Patricius Calligraphus Prince Partharus The Emperor Constantine Apoll. Tianaeus Govarus Caueats againg Temptation Objects are main motiues Of Deceit * The Hedgehogge Gods Power Wisedome Goodnesse Diouys Areopag de Celest. Hierarch The Concordance betwixt the Seraph and the Primum Mobile 1 Primus Motor * i. Pri. Mobile The Concordance betwixt the Cherub the starry Heauen The Concordance betwixt The Thrones and Saturne The Goulden World The Concord betwixt the Dominations and Iupiter Pythagoras The Concordance of the Vertues with Mars S. Mathew Ptolomaeus Hermetes Firmicus Alcabilius The malevolent Aspects of Mars The Concord of the Potestates with the Sunne Stars receiue names from the Sunne So Ptolomaeus and Firmicus write The Trinity in Vnity figured in the Sonne The Concord betwixt the Principates and Venus Orpheus in Testamento Amâ—r creauiÌ„t Mundum Dionysius Hocretheus Iamblicus The Concord betwixt the Arch-Angels and Mercury Ptolomaeus Firmicus Ovid. Meâ— The Concordance betwixt the Angels the Moone The various Influences of the Moone Averroës The former illustrated by a familiar example The three Religions at this day profest How the Iewes approue their Religion Wherein the Mahumetan opposeth the Christian Religion Meaning the second Person in the Trinity Their Abstemiousnesse Imposturous miracles Mahomâ—it Saints This Relique is a paire of old stinâ—king shooes Schollers adâ—mitted to read controuersies The Creation of things according to Mahomet These are all Principles in Mahomets Alcaron That the Earth was inhabited by Diuells 7000 yeres by Angels 1000 yeares Mahomets Paradise Mahomets reason why Sows flesh is not eaten in Paradice The first Sow according to Mahomet The first Mouse The first Cat. The Ioyes in heauen according to Mahomet Alcoron lib. 3. cap. 19. Alcaron lib. 3. cap. 6.276.34 A necessarie obseruation Mahomets Lapable and absurd Ignorance Mahomet of the Angels One of Mahomets Ridiculous Fables Adriel Mahomet Angell of