THEOLOGICALL, PHILO­sophicall, Morall, Poeticall, Historicall, Em­blematicall, Obseruations, to the further illu­stration of the former Tractate.

THat nothing in these short Tractates may appeare difficult to the Ignorant, I hold it necessarie vnto my present purpose, (as willing to be vnderstood by all) to illustrate whatsoeuer may seem obscure, as well by Precept as Historie. Which though the Learned may passe ouer, as things to them famili­ar and well knowne: yet vnto others, (neither frequent in reading, nor well trauelled in language;) no doubt, but some of our margi­nal Annotations, with other particular Obseruations, may in their carefull perusall, benefit such as reade not onely for fashion, but vse, and make it not their pastime, but their profit. For that was the end to which industrious Authors first aimed their Indea­uors, and spent so much Inke and Oile, in their daies labours, and nights watchings. Nor do I this without president, and therefore am the more willing to pattern my selfe by example.

Atheisme and Impietie (saith Cardanus Paschal.) is a meere contempt of Religion,Lib. de Virtu [...]. & Vitijs. and therefore by consequence, the Foun­taine of Impietie, and Breeder of all Calamitie. The contempt of Diuine Worship is injustice against God, our Parents, and Countrey; as aduerse to Reason, as Goodnesse: and all that are thereunto obnoxious, either beleeue not there is a God, or beleeue him to be what he is not; or knowing, despise him: by which they become as negligent in Humane actions, as carelesse of Diuine. From hence arise wicked cogitations, blasphemous speeches, and nefarious proiects; al which are abhominable in the sight of God and man, as in all their refractorie courses professing no reuerence or regard of the Creator: by which they can haue no commerce with any thing that is essentially good or honest.

In Athens a strict Edict was made,A law in A­thens against Atheisme. That all such as were pro­ued [Page 32] to be Divum Contemptores, (i.) Scorners or Despisers of the gods, should be conuented before the Areopagitae; and beeing conuicted, their goods were sold at a publique out-cry, and their irreligions grauen vpon pillars, to make their persons odible. Those also who aimed their iniuries and insolencies against their Parents, Countries, or any superiour Magistrates, were not onely branded with infamie, but their bodies punished with great seue­ritie. Of the former Iuvenal thus speakes:Iuv. Satyr. 3.

What may we thinke then of Cheopes King of Egypt, remem­bred by Herodotus;Herod. lib. 2. who caused all the Temples throughout his Prouinces to be fast shut and barred vp, left any of his people should offer diuine sacrifice vnto the gods.In Suidas. We reade likewise of Diagoras melius, (before spoken of) who flourished in the eightie eighth Olympiad: This Man, because he persuaded the People from the worship of their gods, was not onely banished Athens, (the city wherein he taught) but after his confinement, a Talent was proposed for a reward to him that would kill him. These and the like were (no doubt) altogether ignorant, That man was cre­ated for the seruice of God; and, That there can be no surer signe of the imminent ruine of a Kingdome and Commonweale, than Contempt of Religion: of which (saith Basil) no Creature is ca­pable, but Man onely. Where no Religion resteth, there can be no vertue abiding, saith Saint Augustine. Therefore, the first Law that ought to be imposed on man, is, The practise of Religion and Pietie: for if wee did truely apprehend the vertue thereof; from thence the Voluptuous man would suppresse his pleasures; the Couetous man acquire his wealth; the Proud man deriue his fe­licitie; and the Ambitious man, his glory: being the Bodies health, and the Soules happinesse, and indeed, the onely mean to fill the empty corners of the heart, and satisfie the vnlimited af­fects of the Desire.

Cap. de A­theism [...]. Iosephus Langius reporteth, That diuers learned and religious men supping together by appointment; a profest Philosopher (or [Page 33] rather a prophane Atheist) had intruded himselfe among them; who in all his arguing and discourse spake in the contempt of Re­ligion, and the Soules future felicitie: often vttering these words; Coelum Coeli Domino: Terram autem dedit filijs hominum; (i.) Leaue Heauen to the Lord of heauen: but the Earth he gaue to the sons of men. At length he was strooke with an extraordinarie iudge­ment, being tormented at once in all the parts and members of his body, so that he was forced to exclaime and cry, ô Deus, ô Deus; ô God, ô God. Which the rest obseruing, one of them vpbraided him in these words: Thinkest thou, ô Naturall man, to contemne so great a Deitie, and to vilifie his holy Ordinance, and escape vn­punished? Whom another thus seconded, Do'st thou now be­gin to distrust thy philosphy? and to call vpon, and complain vn­to him, whom til now thou either wouldst not, or didst not know? Why do'st thou not suffer that Lord of heauen to rest quietly in that heauen which he hath made, but that thou thus importunest him with thy clamours? Where is now thy Coelum Coeli Domino? &c.

Lucian (of whom I before gaue a short Character) was sirna­med Samosatensis, Volat. in An­tropol [...] because borne in Samosata, (a city scituate not far from Euphrates) he was called Blasphemus, Maledicus, and A­theos. He liued in the time of Traianus Caesar, and was at first an Aduocate or Lawyer, and practised at Antioch, a city in Sy­ria: but it seemes, not thriuing by his parsimonious and close-fisted Clients; he forsooke that profession, and retyred himselfe, though to a lesse profitable, yet a more pleasing study, namely, to be a follower of the Muses. Volaterranus reports of him, That hee was a Christian, but after prooued a Renegade from that Faith: and being demanded, Why he turned Apostata? his answer was, That he had gained nothing by that profession, more than one bare syllable added to his name; being christened Lucianus, where before his name was plaine Lucius. His death (as the best appro­ued Authors relate of him) was wretched and miserable:The death of Lucian a pro­fest Atheist. for wal­king late in the euening, hee was assaulted by band-dogs, and by them worried and torne in pieces. A most condigne punishment inflicted vpon him, because in his life time he spared not to snarle against the Sauiour of the world. And me-thinkes the Epitaph which hee composed vpon his owne Timon of Athens, syrnamed Misanthropos, i. Man-hater, might not vnproperly be conferred vpon himselfe:

Superfluous it were to make much forreine inquisition abroad, seeing so many domesticke iudgements at home. Far be it from me to iudge, but rather to feare, that many of them haue beene made remarkable among vs, by reason of Irreligion and Atheism. I forbeare to nominate any, both for the dignitie of their places, and greatnesse of their persons:The strange prodigious effects of Atheisme. yet hath it beene no more than a nine dayes wonder, to see the losse of heads, the breaking of necks from horses, some pistolled when they haue beene least prepared; some stab'd with their own poniards, others prouiding halters for their owne necks; a sonne thrusts his sword through the womb of the mother which conceiued him; one brother insidiates the life of another; the husband hath killed his wife, the wife slaine her husband, and both of them their children; the master his seruant, the seruant his master; the mistresse her maid, the maid her mi­stresse. And what can all these be, but the fruits of the neglecting of the Lord God, and the contempt of his Sabboth.

Much to be lamented it is, that these things should be so fre­quent amongst Christians, nay our owne kingdome; when euen the Ethnicke Poets in their writings haue exprest not only an ho­nour due to their gods, but euen vnto the daies dedicated vnto their memories. Plautus vseth these words;Plaut. in Mi­lite. Quod in diuinis rebus sumas sumptus sapienti lucro est, &c. i. That which a wise man be­stoweth vpon Diuine worship, is no losse but a gaine vnto him. And Ouid speaking of their holy-daies,

And Tibullus vpon the like occasion and argument;Tibul. Eleg. lib. 2. Eleg. 1.

How people ought to come prepared to their sacrifices and of­ferings, is thus liuely expressed in Ouid:

¶ Thus interpreted:

So carefull were the Poets to commend Vertue to posteritie, and to lay a blacke aspersion on Vice to all perpetuitie; that such as were pious and addicted to goodnesse, they striued to memorise, if not immortalise; and those of the contrary that were irreligi­ous, and despisers of the gods, they laboured in all their Records to expose their liues and actions to aspersion and obloquie. For example:

For their chastitie these were made remarkeable:Those famous for Chastitie. Penelope, the daughter of Icarius, and wife to Vlysses. Evadne, daughter to Phi­lax, and wife to Capanaeus. Laodamia, daughter to Acastus, wife to Protesilaus. Hecuba, daughter of Cissaeus, wife to King Priamus. The­one daughter of Thestor, wife to King Admetus. And amongst the Romans, Lucretia, daughter of Lucretius, wife to Collatyne. &c.

For their Pietie these:Those famous for Piety. Antigona the daughter of Oedipus, who gaue sepulture to her brother Polynices. Electra daughter of Aga­memnon, for her loue to her brother Orestes. Iliona, daughter of Priam, for her goodnesse extended toward her brother Polidore and her parents. Pelopaea, daughter of Thiestes, for reuenging the inju­ries done vnto her father. Hypsipilae, daughter of Thoas, for preser­uing the life of her Parent. Calciope, for not forsaking her father in his miserie, after the losse of his kingdome. Harpalice, daughter of Harpalicus, for interposing her selfe in battell, preseruing her Fa­ther, and chasing his enemies. Agave, the daughter of Cadmus, who in Illyria slew the King Lycotherses, by which she restored her Fa­ther [Page 36] to his kingdome. Xantippe, who when her father Myconus (or as it is read in Valerius, Lib. 5. cap. 4. Cimonus) was shut vp in close prison there to be famished, preserued his life with the milke from her brests. Tyro, the daughter of Salmoneus, who to saue her father, sacrificed the liues of her owne children. &c.

And of men, Damon, who snatcht his mother from the fire. AE­neas, for bearing his father on his shoulders through swords and flames. Cleops and Bitias (or according to Herodotus, Cleobis and Bi­ton) the sonnes of Cidippe, Priest vnto Iuno Argiua, for drawing their mother in her Chariot vnto the Temple, when her Oxen were ab­sent, and the penaltie of her not being there was no lesse than the losse of her life. &c.

Those that haue built Temples.Some they haue eternised for erecting of Temples; as Pelasgus the sonne of Triopa, who was the first that built a Church con­secrate to Iupiter Olympius, in Arcadia. Thessalus reared ano­ther to Iupiter Dodonaeus, in Macedonia, scituate in Molossus. Eleu­ther was the first that erected an image vnto Liber pater, and taught how it should be honored. Phronaeus, the sonne of Inacus, was the first that built a Temple to Argiue Iuno. Otrira the Amazon, and wife of Mars, laid the foundation of that in Ephesus, and dedica­ted it vnto Diana. Lycaon, the son of Pelasgus, erected another to Mercury Cillenius, in Arcadia. &c.

Such as of mortall men haue bin immorta­lised.Some for diuers vettues knowne to be in them, they haue im­mortalised, and of men, made gods: to encourage others by their example. As Hercules, the sonne of Iupiter and Alcmena, for his ju­stice in supplanting Tyrants and Vsurpers. Liber Pater, or Bacchus, the sonne of Iupiter and Semele, for being supposed to be the first that planted the Vine. Castor and Pollux, the sonnes of Iupiter and Laeda, and brothers to Helena, for their valour and vertue. Perseus the sonne of Iupiter and Danaë, was for the like, translated into a star. So was Arcas, the sonne of Iupiter and Calisto (who first gaue that prouince the denomination of Arcadia) related into one of the Septentriones: and Cynosura the Nurse of Iuno into another. The like we reade of Asclepius the sonne of Apollo; Erodine, and A­riadne, the daughter of Minos and Pasiphae; who being forsaken by Theseus in the Isle Naxos, and found by Liber Pater, was placed a­mongst the stars, by the name of Libera. Pan, the son of Mercury and Penelope, was for his care ouer the herds and flocks, made one of those gods called Semones, Halfe gods, halfe men. i. Semi homines. So Croton, the son of Pan & Euphemes, (who was said, in his infancie to haue suckt with the Muses) was transferred into the star called Sagittary. So were Icarus, with his daughter Erigone: he, changed into Arcturus; and she, into the coelestial Signe Virgo. As Ganimed the son of Assa­racus, into Aquarius. &c.

[Page 37]Others for other causes haue had free ingresse and regresse in and from Hell.Those that re­turned from Hell. As Ceres, when in her maternall piety she sought her daughter Proserpina, and found her in the armes of Pluto. Liber Pater, when in his filiall duty he made descent to visit his mother Semele. Hercules, when he brought thence Cerberus. Protesilaus, to re-visit his wife Laodamia. Alceste, for her husband Admetus. The­seus, in search of his deare and entired friend Perithous. Orpheus the sonne of Oeagrus, to fetch thence his best beloued wife Euri­dice. Castor and Pollux: Vlysses and AEneas, (the one the son of La­ertes, the other of Anchises) to visit their fathers. Hippolitus the son of Theseus, who was after called Virbius. Adonis the sonne of Cy­mizes and Smirna, by the intercession of the goddesse Venus, whose Paramour he was. Glaucus the sonne of Minos, restored to life by Polyidus the sonne of Caranus. &c.

Now of the contrary;Of those bran­ded for their Impietie. such whose barbarous cruelties and strange impieties were related vnto vs, were, Sylla the daughter of Nysus, who by cutting off his purple locke, betrayed vnto the Ene­mie his life and kingdome. Ariadne the daughter of Minos, who slew her brother and sonnes. Progne the daughter of Pandion, who murdered her sonne Itis, begot by her husband Tereus. The Dai­edes or Danaes, daughters of Danaus, for cutting the throats of their husbands and kinsmen, the sonnes of AEgiptus. The Lem­niades, or women of Lemnos, who in the same Island most cruel­ly slew their sonnes and fathers. Harpalice the daughter of Clime­nus, who killed the childe which her incestuous father begot on her owne body. Tullia the daughter of Servius King of the Ro­mans, who caused her chariot to be drawne ouer the body of her dead father: for the horridnesse of which fact, the street in the ci­tie Rome where this was done, was called Vicus sceleratus.

Of those abhorred for Incestuous congresse,Of the Ince­stuous. the most remar­kable were, Iocasta, who had issue by her sonne Oëdipus: and Pelo­paea, by her father Thiestes. Harpalice, with her Sire Climenus. &c.

Some are to this day made infamous for killing their hus­bands:Wiues that slew their hus­bands. As Clitemnestra the daughter of Thestius, for conspiring with Egistus in the murder of her Lord Agamemnon, the son of A­treus. Iliona the daughter of Priam, for killing her husband Polym­nestor K. of Thrace. Semyramis Queen of Babylon, for the death of Ninus King of Assyria. Helena, (after the death of Paris) Deiphebus the sonne of Priam. Agave, her husband Lycothersis in Illyria: and Deianeira, for sending the poysonous Shirt to her Lord Hercules of Lybia. &c.

Others for killing their wiues:Men that slew their wiues. As the same Hercules his wife Megara, the daughter of Creon King of Thebes. Theseus Antio­pa the Amazon, and daughter of Mars. Cephalus the son of Deionis [Page 38] or of Mercury, Procris, the daughter of Pandion, by his vaine jelou­sie, &c.

Fathers that slew their daughters.Fathers for killing their daughters: As Agamemnon the great General of the Grecian Army, in their famous expedition against Troy; who sacrificed his daughter Iphigenia to the goddesse Dia­na. Climenus the sonne of Oeneus, slew his daughter Harpalice, be­cause she killed her child, and serued it in vnto him at a banquet. Hyacinthus, his daughter Spariantides, vpon an answer returned from the Athenians. Erichthaeus the sonne of Pandion, his daugh­ter Colophonia vpon the like occasion. Cercyon the sonne of Vulcan, his daughter Alopes, for committing incest with Neptune. AEolus, his daughter Canace, for the like done with her brother Malla­raeus. &c.

Mothers that slew their children.Of mothers that most cruelly and vnnaturally haue murthered their owne children; we reade, That Medea the daughter of O [...]tes King of Colchos, slew her two sonnes, Machareus & Pherelus, begot by Iason. Progne the daughter of Pandion, killed her son It is which she had by Tereus. Ino the daughter of Cadmus, yong Melicertes, be­gat by Athamas the sonne of AEolus. Althaea the daughter of Thesti­us, Meleager, by Oeneus the sonne of Partha [...]n. Themisto the daugh­ter of Hypseus, Plinthius and Orchomenes, her two sonnes by Atha­mas. Tyros the daughter of Salmoneus, two sonnes begot by Sisiphus the sonne of Eolus. Agave the daughter of Cadmus, Penthaus the sonne of Echion, at the imposition of Liber Pater. &c.

Of men Selfe-murtherers.So likewise of Selfe-murtherers; Egeus the sonne of Neptune, and father of Theseus, cast himselfe headlong into the sea; from whose death it still retaines the name of Mare Egeum, i. the Egean sea. Euhemus the sonne of Hercules precipitated himselfe into the riuer Lycorma, which is now called Chrysorroas. Aiax the sonne of Telamon, slew himselfe for the losse of Achilles his armor. Ly­curgus the sonne of Briantus being strooke with madnesse by Liber Pater, laid violent hands vpon himselfe. Agrius the son of Parthaon being expulsed from his kingdome by Diomedes King of AEtolia, slew himselfe. So Ceneus the sonne of Elatus. Menicus the father of Iocasta, (or as some call him, Menaetis) precipitated himselfe from the walls of Athens. Nisus the son of Mars, hauing lost his purple locke, cast himselfe vpon his sword and so died. As like­wise Climenus, the sonne of Coeneus King of Arcadia, after he had committed incest with his daughter. Cyniras the sonne of Paphus King of Assyria, after hee had committed the like with his owne naturall childe. Hercules cast himselfe into the fire, and so peri­shed. Adrastus with his sonne Hipponous did the like. Pyramus the Babylonian slew himselfe for the loue of Thisbe. And Oedipus the sonne of Laius destroyed his owne life, for hauing incestuous [Page 39] Issue by his mother, whose name was Iocasta. &c.

Of Women that so dispairingly died,Women that slew them­selues. these: Hecuba the wife of Priam cast her selfe into the sea: as Ino the daughter of Cadmus did the like, with her sonne Melicertus. Anticlia the mother of Vlysses, and daughter of Antolychus, strangled her selfe, because she heard a false rumour of her sonnes death. The like did Stoenobaea the daughter of Iobates, and wife of King Praetus, for the loue of Bellerephon. Evadne the daughter of Philacus, because her husband Capaneus was slaine at Thebes, cast her selfe into the same funeral fire in which his body was burned. AEthra the daughter of Py­thaus, for the death of her children: Iliona, for the death of her pa­rents: Themisto, for her children: Erigone, for her father. Phedra, for the incestuous loue borne to her step-sonne Hyppolitus: Phyllis, for Demophoon: Calypso daughter to Atlas, for the loue of Vlysses: Dido the daughter of Belus, for AEneas. &c. Time would sooner faile me than Historie: yet these I haue introduced to this pur­pose, to shew, That Atheisme, and want of the true knowledge of God, hath bin the cause of so many Murthers and Incests; & hath made so many Parracides and Fratricides, and indeed hath beene the ground of all prodigious acts and inhumanities whatsoeuer.

Something is requisit to be spoken of Idolatry.Of Idolatry. The word is deriued from [...] and [...], i. Cultus, and Colo: The definition thereof is, Cultus Deo debitus, & Creaturae exhibitus: i. The wor­ship that is due onely to God, conferre vpon the Creature. An Idol is, when any Statue or Image (in which either some Deitie or any other thing shall stand for a Power, a Patron, Protector, or Sauiour) is represented and worshipped: Of which kind was the golden Calfe.Exod. 37.4. Basil saith,Acts. 7 41. vpon the third of Esay; What thing can appeare more vain and ridiculous, than for a man to professe himselfe to be the workeman of his God and Maker.

To shew how abhominable Idolatry was in the eyes of the Al­mighty, I will only quote you one place out of many, in the holy Text:Deut. 4 [...]5. Take therefore good heed vnto your selues; for you saw no Image in the day that the Lord spake to you in Horeb, out of the midst of the fire: that you corrupt not your selues, nor make you a grauen Image, or represen­tation of any figure, whether it be likenesse of male or female, the likenesse of any beast that is on the earth, or of any feathered fowle that flieth in the aire, or of any thing that creepeth on the earth, or of any fish that is in the waters beneath the earth. And lest thou lift vp thine eyes to heauen, and when thou seest the Sunne, the Moone [...] and the Stars, with all the Host of heauen, shouldst be driuen to worship them and to serue them, which the Lord thy God hath distributed vnto all people vnder the whole Heauen. Vers. 25. And againe: If you corrupt your selues, and make any grauen Image, or likenesse of any thing, and worke euill in the sight of the Lord thy God, to [Page 40] Prouoke him to anger [...] I call Heauen and Earth to record against you this day, that you shall shortly perish from the land whereunto you go ouer Ior­dan to possesse it; you shall not prolong your daies therein, but shall vtterly be destroyed, and the Lord shall scatter you among the people, and you shall be left few in number amongst the Nations whither the Lord shall bring you; and there you shall serue gods, euen the worke of mens hands, which neither see nor heare, nor eate, nor smell. &c.

Lib. 2. cap. 1. Deuin. Instit.Men (saith Lactantius) both forgetfull of their Name and Rea­son, deiect their eyes from heauen, to fix them vpon the earth, fea­ring the workes of their owne fingers; as if it were possible the thing made, could be more noble and worthy than the Artificer that made it. The Poet Sedulius writes thus:

Saint Augustine, de Bono Conjugali & Habit. hath these words; Sa­tius est fame mori quam Idolothytis vesci. And Hieron. ad Damas. Ap­tandus est omnis sermo ad destructionem Idololatriae: (i.) All speech ought to be fitted and applied to the subuersion and destruction of Idolatry.

Idolls named in the Scrip.The names of the Idols mentioned in the sacred Scripture be these; Adonis, Adramelech the Idoll of the Sepharuaims, it bore the figure of a Peacock or a Mule: Asdod of the Philistines, which is likewise called Dagon: Anamelech, which bore the semblance of a Horse or Pheasant Cocke, belonging to the inhabitants of Se­pharuaim: Arza, an Idoll worshipped by King Ela in his owne house. Afima adored by the Hemathaeans, like a wild Goat. Aste­roth the goddesse of the Sydonians, in the figure of a Sheepe: Baal a common Idol among the Gentiles: Baal Berothe the god of the Sichemites: Baal peior or Baal phegor, of the Moabites, which some haue said to be Priapus: Baal zebub, of the Accarronites and the Ecronites: Baal zephon of the Egyptians: Bel of the Babylonians: Chamos (vel Chemosch) of the Ammoreans and Ammonites, which was otherwise called Baal peior: Canopus of the Egyptians: Chium an Idol of the Israelites; which some interpret, Sidus, a Starre or [Page 41] planet: others, Saturninus, like a Fish, but from the waste vpward like a beautifull woman. Namaea, which some thinke to be Diana, because worshipped in her Temple at Ephesus: Draco, a Babylo­nian Idoll [...] Esch, an Idoll in the Temple of Fire, which was wor­shipped by the Persians: Gad, a militarie Idoll, which some cal­led Mars; others, [...]upiter; others, Fortune; others interpreted it, The Host or Army of Heauen. Hercules, who was sacrificed vnto by the Tyrians: Iupiter Olympius, Iupiter Xenius, gods of the Gen­tiles: Malcholme, (which was also called Molech and Milcholme) an Idoll amongst the Ammonites: Meni, an Idoll worshipped most by Merchants; which some interpret to be Mercury; others, the Fates, the Planets, and number of the Stars. Niphlezeth, some in­terpret it Priapus; others, an horrid Effigies; and it was adored by Maacha the mother of Asa. Nabaam is the same with Nibchaz the Idoll of the Hevites: Neabo, a Babylonian Idoll: Nechustan is supposed to be that which the Iewes worshipped in the form of a brasen Serpent. Nergal the Idoll of the Cuthaeans, and was fi­gured like a Wood-Hen or shee-Pheasant. Orimasda is the same with Vrchasdim, that is, Holy-fire. Rimmon, an Idol of Syria: Rem­phan, the Idoll of a Planet, of which Stephen maketh mention in the Acts. Sucot Benoth a Babylonian Idol: Sychuth, one belonging to the Israelites: Thartak the Idol of the Hevaeans: Thamnaz, one that was worshipped by the Israelites; which some interpret Ado­nides; others, Bacchus. The golden Calfe in the Desart, made by Aaron: the golden Calfe in Dan, set vp by Ierobos: the golden Calfe in Bethel, instituted by Ieroboam the sonne of Nebat: and Vr­chasd [...]m, which was called Ignis Damonum, and Ignis sacer, which the Chaldaeans worshipped: and for all these, we haue them ca­talogued in the holy Text.

The confutation of Atheisme being debated much, and deter­mined by many, I haue therefore beene the more briefe therein; though I must confesse, in regard of the great irreligion and im­pietie practised by prophane persons and licentious liuers of this Age, it is a Theame that would aske longer circumstance: but it is my purpose, rather to present you with satietie, than surfet. Yet when I consider, how carefull and obseruant the very Heathen were in the seruice and reuerence done to their Idols, and see what a neglect is now vsed in the adoration of the Creator and onely true God; it is to be feared, that euen AEneas amongst others will be called to attest against vs in the later day; who in that terrible night of the sack and firing of Troy, hauing made his passage tho­row sword and flame, yet in that extreme exigent not for getting to take his houshold gods along, thus spake to his aged and de­crepit father:

Which I thus paraphrase:

The subtilty of the Diuell.Such and so great hath been the subtiltie of the Diuell, the old aduersary of Mankind, that all his labour and study hath bin from the beginning, to alienate and intercept Man from doing the ser­uice which belongs to his Redeemer; and to assume and appro­priat vnto himselfe, that which is only due to the euer-liuing and eternall God, namely diuine Adoration. Neither hath he traded with the Ignorant and vnletter'd onely; but to giue his juglings and impostures the greater countenance, hee hath practised vpon great Artists, graue Philosophers, politique Statesmen, nay euen excellent Princes, and vpon such who by his owne Oracles haue beene pronounced the wise men of the world. Concerning which, the Authors are many, the histories frequent: amongst which I will giue a taste of some few.

De Civit. Dei, lib. 10 cap. 6.S. Augustine speakes of many seeming miracles wrought by the Image of Isis, or rather by the Diuel, to delude man and draw him from the worship of the true God.

Miracles wrought by the Image of AEscul.The Image of AEsculapius, honored among the Epidaurians, and after brought to Rome (as one of the twelue tables testifieth) was with a Greeke Inscription long kept in the Family of the Maffae­ans, and wrought diuers strange wonders. I will for breuities sake expresse but one or two of them, and those verbatim, by transcrip­tion from Hieronimus Mercurialis a learned Physitian.

Illusions of the Diuell.In those daies (saith he) one Cato a Roman brought this word to a blind man from the Oracle, That he should present himselfe be­fore the altar of that Image, and there kneeling, should remooue himselfe from the left side to the right, and putting his fiue fin­gers first vpon the eyes of the Idoll, and then vpon his owne, hee should receiue his sight; which was accordingly done amidst a great confluence of people, who highly applauded the miracle.

Again, one Iulian vomiting bloud continually, and despairing of all humane helpe, had answer from the Oracle, That he should present himself before the altar of AEsculapius, and to take thence [Page 43] the nuts of a Pine apple, and eat them with honey for three daies together: which doing, he recouered his pristine health.

Diodorus Siculus makes mention of an oblation made to Gerion and Iolaus, Lib. 1 [...]. By Gerion and Iolaus. by the children of the Leontinians; which whoso neg­lected, was either strook with blindnesse, deafnes, numnesse, lame­nesse, or the like: but hauing performed all the ceremonies requi­red at the Altar, they instantly recouered their health againe.

In Castabula (if we will beleeue Strabo) there was a temple de­dicated to Diana Persica, By Diana Per­sica. to which all such virgins as vowed perpe­tuall chastity, might familiarly walke vpon hot irons, or tread vp­on burning coles, and neuer feele heate or fire.

The like he reporteth to be in the city of Feronia, scituat at the foot of the mountaine Saractes; where all the Votaresses belong­ing to that Shrine may do the like: which shewes the malice and ambition of these malevolent Spirits, which would vsurpe the power of the Almighty. Besides, their Oracles haue a great appa­rance of truth, and for most part, such as put any confidence in them, they would take vnto their protection; but the contemners of their superstitious rites they would seuerely punish.

Aristides a potent gouernor in Smyrna,Aristides. when a mighty and pro­digious earthquake was neere at hand, was fore-warned by the Image of Esculapius, to go vp vnto the mountain Atis, and there to offer sacrifice. Which he accordingly did, and was no sooner got vp to the middle part of the ascent, but in the region below hap­ned such a terrible shake of the earth, that villages and cities were demolished; only the mountain Atis, in which by that prediction he was secured, felt at that time no such calamitie.

Plutarch and Liuy both write, That Camillus hauing distrest the Veians, made a solemne sacrifice to Iuno Veientana, Iuno Veienta­na. and besought her to be still propitious vnto the Romans: saying further, that if she so pleased, they would transport her statue to Rome. At which request the image opened her armes, and embracing Camillus, told him, That with much willingnesse she accepted his deuotion.

The Athenians gaue diuine honour to Pan the god of sheep­heards,Pan. because meeting their Embassador Philippides in the Par­thenian groues, hee promised them his assistance in the great bat­tell of Marathon fought against the Persians.

Cleomenes King of Sparta sacrificing to Iuno, Iuno. demanded what successe he should haue against the Argiues, with whom he was at that time in opposition. Whereupon, a flame of fire suddenly issu­ed from betwixt the breasts of the goddesse: which omen was by the Haruspices or Soothsayers thus interpreted, That hee should not wholly conquer; the city he should surprise and consume with fire, but the prime citadel he should not enter: And so it hapned.

[Page 44] Annibal and Amilcar great Captains of the Carthaginian army, besieging Agrigentum, the souldiers ruined and demolished all the antient sepulchres that stood without the city, to make their rampiers & fortifications, the better to secure themselues against the enemy within the city. But comming neere vnto that famous monument in which Theron was interred, and to leuel that as they had done the other; the antient structure seemed to be touched with fire from heauen, and many Daemons and spirits were seene, not only to stand as champions in defence of the place, but with vnresistable fury to set vpon, and assault the whole army, till the one halfe at least perished in the conflict: among the rest, Annibal himselfe expired. To appease whose implacable fury, Amilcar sa­crificed an Infant to Saturne; and cast certain priests from an high rocke, precipitating them into the sea, to qualifie the wrath of Neptune.

Lib. 5. Cap. 13. Natalis Comes tels vs, That one Pegasus transporting the image of Dionysius (otherwise called Bacchus) from Eleutheria a city in Bo­etia, into the Prouince of Attica; the Athaenians suffered it to passe by them negligently, without doing vnto it any reuerence or ceremony. For which contempt they were plagued with a disease in their secret parts: to be released of which, Pegasus consulted with the Oracle; which inioyned them to erect a sumptuous tem­ple to that Idoll in the city of Athens: which was held in great adoration for many yeares after.

Lib. 12. Cap [...] 7. Athenaeus remembers vnto vs, That when the Iapitae took down the Images from the Temples of their gods, with this scoffe and taunt added, That their places should be preserued for some other that were more potent and powerfull: in the execution of this, a sudden fire fell from aboue, which so terrified & astonished them, that they not onely instated them in their former places, but from that time forward held them in much more feare and reuerence.

Lib. 8. Herodotus speakes of one Artabanus a great Persian General, who because he had the statue of Neptune in contempt, was by the rea­son of a sudden inundation, himselfe with the greatest part of his Army drowned. The same Author witnesseth, what a seuere Re­uenger Apollo was of any affront or iniurie offered vnto him, who when Carthage was oppressed by the Romanes, and his image there erected being despoyled of that golden garment which was then vpon it; the very hand which snatched it from his shoulders was after found amongst the spoiles of the citie.

In Hallicarnassus, at all such Solemnities when any Sacrifice was to be offered vnto Iupiter Ascraeus, an whole heard of Goats made a voluntary presentment of themselues before the Altar, and when the rest of the superstitious ceremonies were finisht, they all [Page 45] departed of themselues, saue onely one, which voluntarily staied behinde to be offered by the Priest.

Caelius reporteth, that in Daulia there was a Temple dedicate to Minerua, to which there belong certaine Dogs (or rather Di­uels) who when any of the Argiue nation came to present their Deuotions, would fawne vpon them, in signe of a free and louing welcome. But if any Barbarian or stranger entred the place, they would fly in their faces, as ready to plucke them to pieces. We reade likewise of the Temple of Hercules in Rome, scituate in Fo­ro Boario, which will endure neither Dogs nor flies. As also that dedicate vnto Achilles amongst the Boristines, to which no man­ner of Birds or Fowle dare to approch.

Herodotus deliuereth vnto vs,Lib. 8. That when those Persians which Xerxes brought into Greece, came but to approch Diana's Altar, which stood iust before the Temple of Apollo in Delphos; some of them were destroyed by lightning and tempestuous showers of Haile; others, by the ruine of two great parts of the mountaine Pernassus were crushed and shattered. Moreouer, such hissings and dismall howles were heard to issue from the Temple, that the rest extremely terrified, fled the place: who being pursued & op­prest by the Inhabitants, suffered an infinite slaughter. Insomuch that their small remainder, with much difficulty recouered the in­terior parts of Boetia for their safetie. To these distressed & di­spairing men appear'd two warlike Hero's, mounted on two migh­ty steeds, the one Philacon, the other Antonous; these stayed them flying, and gaue them incouragement: which was after, the ground of an incredible superstition.

These are the malignant Spirits, refractorie and rebellious, and in continual opposition with the Maker of all things, by such pre­stigious jugling; thinking to rob him of his honour, and as far as lies in them, to confer it vpon themselues. And this they do not, either because they are ignorant that all seruice and reuerence is due from the creature to the Creator; or that either good or pro­fit may arise vnto them by any possible reconcilement, or the least mitigation of that irrevocable sentence denounced against them: but it proceedeth from a malitious enuy and cursed despight, be­cause they themselues as Traitors and Rebels are excluded the presence of the Almighty for euer; they seeke likewise to draw fraile and weake man into the same condemnation and iudgment. For well they know, there is no sin more odious and abhominable in the eyes of the Almighty, than Idolatry, or by him punished with more seueritie and bitternesse.

Looke no further than vpon Salomon the sonne of Dauid, whom God had blessed with honour, riches, and wisedome aboue all [Page 46] others before him, or that were to succeed him in the future: yet when hee betooke himselfe to the seruice and worship of other gods (to Astarton the goddesse of the Sidonians, to Chunos the Idol of the Moabites, and to Moloch the Abhomination of the Ammo­nites) euen for that only cause was the kingdome cut off from his succession, and onely one of the twelue Tribes (namely the Tribe of Iuda) and that for his seruant Dauids sake, left to his sonne Ro­boam; all the rest giuen to Ieroboam the sonne of Nebat. So much concerning false gods, and the prerogatiue they striue to assume to themselues: how they would cheate the Euer-liuing God of that diuine Adoration due vnto Him, and to Him onely; and not to their owne benefit, but to the vtter ruine and perdition of Man­kinde.

Lib de sacerd. Romanis.As touching Augures and Augurie, Pomponius Laetus telleth vs, That the practise and profession thereof hath been antient: it be­gan amongst the Chaldaeans,Of Famous Augures a­mongst the Grecians and from thence descended vnto the Grecians; amongst whom, Amphiarus, Mopsus, and Calchas were held to be chiefe: as likewise Amicus the sonne of Elatus, Amphia­raus the sonne of Oeclius, (or as some will haue it, of Ayello) Tyresias the sonne of Eurinus, Manto the daughter of Tyresius, Polyidus the sonne of Coeranus, Hellenus and Cassandra the sonne and daughter of Priam and Hecuba, Theone the daughter of Proteus, as likewise Theo­clemenus; Telemus the sonne of Proteus; Telemus the sonne of Euri­mus; and Sibilla Samia, whom some call Cumaea. &c.

The Hetruscians borrowed the Art from them; and the La­tines from the Hetruscians. Nay euen Romulus, Romulus the first great Pa­tron of Au­guries. the father of the Roman Nation, was a prime professor thereof; insomuch that he instituted Magistrats and Officers for the execution of those Ce­remonies. Neither was there any enterprise of any weight or con­sequence attempted among them, without consultation first had from the Augures and Wizards. For whom there was a stately Temple erected: The Augure or Sooth-sayer sate with his head couered, his face toward the East; hauing in his right hand a croo­ked staffe, with which in diuers strange postures he diuided the re­gion of the aire, to obserue from which the Birds did appeare: his right side being towards the South; his left, the North. The robe he wore was called Laeua, from the warmth thereof, as being lined with furre throughout, and garded with crimson and purple.

Hauing slaine the Sacrifice, he offered vp certaine prayers cal­led Effata;The Ceremo­nies vsed. and so from those signes which followed, and accor­ding to the prosperous or aduerse omen, he framed his predictions. Of some he made his coniectures according to their appearance; and those because they were besought in his Orisons, were called Impetratiua. Others were not desired, and such were termed Obli­tiva. [Page 47] There was a third, of accidents which vnexpectedly offered themselues in the time of the ceremonie, of which there were fiue distinct kindes; one from thunder and lightning; a second from the chirping or chattering of Birds; a third from crums cast vnto Hens or Chickens; a [...]ourth from foure footed beasts, either their meeting, or crossing the way, or else by appearing in some vnaccu­stomed and vnfrequented place: the fifth and last arose from di­uers casualties happening on the sudden, as the hearing of some strange prodigious voice or sound, the falling of salt, the spilling of wine;Ov. Met. lib. 3. Fab. 1. and these chances were called Dira, from Dei ira contra­cted, i. the wrath of the gods.

Such signes as hapned in the time of their Diuination, on the left hand, were held to be tokens of good luck; because the right hand in giuing a gift, or bestowing a reward, is opposit to the left hand of the receiuer; and so of the contrary: for Sinistrum, though in all other things it implyeth as much as Disaster;Serv. An. li. 2. yet in these diuining Ceremonies it is still taken in the contrary sence: as Auis sinistra portendeth good fortune, and Intonuit Laevum signifieth as much as God speed, or Go on and prosper. And therefote Lipsius saith, That the Grecians haue called the left hand Aristeron, from Ariston, which in their Language signifieth, Best.

We read of three sorts of these Sortiligers or Fortune-tellers; Aruspices, Auspices, and Augures: Aruspices. Auspices. Augures. The first did diuine and predict of things future, from the intrals of beasts, in the Sacrifice ab A­ras inspiciendo, i. from inspection into the Altars. The Auspices, quasi Avispices, ab Aves inspiciendo, i. from looking vpon birds, had their denomination. The Augures tooke theirs, ab Avium garritu, i. from the crowing or chattering of Birds. Vnto all wich, Ovid seemeth to allude, in this Distich:

And as it is very well obserued in the Historia Anthologia, from the two last of these arise those Latine Phrases so frequent amongst vs, Bonis Avibus, or Bo [...]is Auspicijs, which are interpreted, With god lucke or fortune; and Malis Avibus, With euill speed or bad successe: and because they would enterprise nothing Inauspicatè, (that is, without the counsell of the Augures) from thence Rem Auspicari hath been translated, To initiat or begin a thing.

Romulus the first founder both of their Order and Colledge in Rome, appointed only three vnto the ministerie of these ceremo­nies. [Page 48] But Servius Tullius after hee had distinguished Rome into foure seuerall Tribes or quarters, he added to the number of the Augures a fourth; and made an Edict, That they should all be se­lected and chosen from the Patricians, who were the Patriots and noble Fathers of the City, such as we call Senators. But in proces of time, Quintus and Cneius Ogulinus being made Tribunes of the people (as much as to say, Protectors of the Plebe or Commons) obtained,Their number encreased. That to ioin with these foure, fiue other should be made choice of out of the Comminaltie. At which time the Senate made an Edict, That they should neuer exceed the number of nine. Notwithstanding which, when Sylla was Dictator he added six more, which made vp the number fifteene: of which the eldest was called Magister Collegij, i. Rector of the Colledge.

Their prero­gatiue.These Wisards had a prerogatiue aboue all the other Priests and Flamines in Rome: for if one of them were conuicted of any heinous crime, he was not put out of his place, nor excluded from executing his office, neither could hee be disabled, nor any other substituted in his roome. Although the Roman custom was, that if any other Priest, of what place or qualitie soeuer, had been a no­torious delinquent, he was ipso facto confined, and some other de­puted vnto his office.

The absurdity of Augury.The absurditie and meere imposture of this Diuination or Soothsaying, Marc. Cicero ingeniously obserueth in Pompey the Great, Crassus, and Iulius Caesar, to whom all the Chaldees & Wi­sards not onely promised prosperous and long liues, but assured them of timely and peaceable ends. Yet of their tumultuous im­ployments in the passage of their time vpon earth, and of their wretched and miserable deaths, Histories make ample and fre­quent mention.

Lib. 7. cap. 2. A notable sto­ry concerning the vainnesse of Augury. Fulgosius telleth vs of one Misonianus, who being imployed in a certaine expedition amongst the horsemen of the Roman Army, perceiuing them in their march to be at a sudden stand, and won­dering why they aduanced not as before; he perceiued presently, that the cause of their sudden stay was, by reason that the Augur had espied a Bird sitting vpon a tree, and awaited whilest she pro­ued her wing in voluntary flight, by which hee might coniecture of the successe of their businesse. In derision of which folly, hee addressed his bow, and with his first arrow strooke her dead to the earth: when smiling to himself, he turned to his companions and thus said; Most certaine it is, that little counsell and small aid is to be expected from these poore irrationall creatures, to enquire from them what can either help or hinder vs: when you see it ap­parant before your eies, they are not able to preuent the disaster impending ouer their owne heads.

[Page 49]Whether this Southsaying take it's originall from the Chal­dees, (who were great searchers into curiosities) or no, I am not willing to make any further inquisition, as not being much mate­riall to my present purpose. But of this I am most certaine, That it was in continuall vse and practise amongst the Canaanites,Augury much vsed amongst the Gentiles. and from thence conueyed vnto the children of Israel; which how ab­hominable it was in the sight of God Almighty, and that such di­abolicall superstitions should haue any place amongst his chosen people,Cap. 9. vers. 32. you may read in Leuiticus these words; Yee shall not regard them that worke with Spirits, neither Soothsayers, yee shall not seeke to them to be defiled by them: Cap. 18. vers. 10. I am the Lord your God. Againe in Deu­tronomie; Let no man be found amongst you that maketh his sonne or his daughter to go thorow the fire, or that vseth Witchcraft, or a regarder of the Times, or a marker of the flying Fowles, or a Sorcerer, or a Charmer, or that counselleth with Spirits, or a Soothsayer, or that asketh counsell at the dead: for all that do such things are an abhomination to the Lord, and because of these abhominations, the Lord thy God doth cast them out be­fore thee, &c.

Let vs then beleeue, that it is God onely, and not Fate, which gouerns all things: To confirme which, I will conclude with that of the Poet Statius:

Of all Idolatry in generall,Cap. 44. vers. 9. we thus reade the Prophet Esay; All they that make an Image, are Vanitie, their delectable things shal no­thing profit, and they are their owne witnesses, that they see not nor know; therefore they shall be confounded. Who hath made a god, or molten an Image, that is profitable for nothing? Behold, all that are of the fellowship thereof shall be confounded: for the Workemen themselues are men, let them all be gathered together and stand vp, yet they shall feare, and be con­founded together. The Smith taketh an instrument, and worketh it in the coles, and fashioneth it with hammers, and worketh it with the strength of his armes: yea, he is an hungred, and his strength faileth; he drinketh no water, and is faint. The Carpenter stretcheth out a line, he fashioneth [Page 50] it with a red thread, he plaineth it, and pourtraieth it with the compasse, and maketh it after the figure of a man, and according to the beautie of a man, that it may remaine in an house. Hee will hew him downe Cedars, and take the Pine tree and the Oke, and taketh courage amongst the Trees of the Forrest: he planteth a Firre tree, and the raine doth nourish it, and Man burneth thereof, for he will take thereof and warme himselfe; he al­so kindleth it and baketh bread: yet he maketh a god and worshippeth it; he maketh an Idol and boweth vnto it: he burneth the halfe thereof euen in the fire, and vpon the halfe thereof he eateth flesh: hee rosteth the rost and is satisfied; also he warmeth himselfe and saith, Aha, I am warme, I haue beene at the fire: and the residue thereof he maketh a god, euen his Idol, he boweth vnto it and worshippeth, and prayeth vnto it, and saith, Deliuer me, for thou art my god. They haue not knowne nor vnder­stood; for God hath shut their eies that they cannot see, and their hearts that they cannot vnderstand; and none considereth in his heart, neither is their knowledge nor vnderstanding to say, I haue burnt halfe in the fire, haue baked bread with the coles thereof, haue rosted flesh and eaten it; and shall I make the residue thereof an abhomination? shall I bow to the stocke of a tree? He feedeth on ashes, a seduced heart hath deceiued him, that hee cannot deliuer his soule and say, Is there not a lie in my right hand? &c.

Theologicall, Philosphicall, Poeticall, Histori­call, Apothegmaticall, Hierogriphicall and Emblema­ticall Obseruations, touching the further illustra­tion of the former Tractate.

HOw Idolatrous Worship first crept into the world by the instigation of the Diuell, many Histories giue ample testimonie. Amongst others,Idolatry brought by AEneas to Rome. That AEneas caried his Penates or hou­shold gods into Italy, after the surprise and combustion of Troy; which thence were de­riued vnto the Latines, and to the People of Rome. We reade likewise, That diuers of their Kings and Princes, as Romulus, Numa Pompilius, Carmenta, or Carmentis, Iulius Caesar, and others, being related amongst the In­digites, had Diuine honours decreed vnto them. But of this and the like Idolatry,Cap. 14. Salomon in his Booke of Wisedome thus speakes: That is cursed which is made with hands, both it and he that made it: he, because he made it; and it, because being a corruptible thing, it was called god. For the Vngodly and their vngodlinesse are both hated alike of God: so truly the worke, and he that made it, shall be punished together. There­fore there shall be a Visitation for the Idols of the Nations, for of the Crea­tures of God, they are become abhomination, and stumbling blockes vnto the soules of men, and a snare for the feet of the Vnwise. For the inuen­ting of Idols was the beginning of whoredome; and the finding of them is the corruption of life: for they were not from the beginning, neither shall they continue for euer; the vain-glory of men brought them into the world, therefore they shall come shortly to an end. When a Father mour­ned grieuously for his Sonne that was taken away suddenly, hee made an Image for him, that was once dead, whom now hee worshippeth as a god, and ordained to his seruants ceremonies and sacrifices. Thus by processe of time this wicked custome preuailed, and was kept as a Law, and Idols were worshipped by the commandement of Tyrants. &c.

Not much dissonant from this is that which wee reade in Cice­ro an Ethnycke Author.Cic. of Ido­latry. The life and common custome of Man (saith hee) hath taken vpon him, that for some benefits receiued by excellent Men on earth, they haue therefore transferred them [Page 82] into the Heauens. Hence, Hercules, Castor, Pollux, AEsculapius, and others, had Deities ascribed vnto them. It likewise came to passe that Poets, by Verses and Numbers composed according to their affections or fancies, for flatterie or reward, Deified many Prin­ces and Patrons. Which euill and mischiefe had originall from the Graecians; by whose lightnesse, it is incredible, how many mists of falsities and errors they haue been the Authors of.

Fiue Reasons why the A­theists doubt of a God.There be diuers coniectures made by the Theologists, Why men should doubt or make question whether there be a God or no? I will reduce them into the number of fiue.

1 Reason.The first ariseth from the despoiling of the Image of God in Man by Originall sinne: The horrible deprauation and malice of the Heart, in the which the illustrious apparances of the God­hood ought naturally to haue residence.

II.The second is, Because with these bodily eyes we do not looke vpon Him in this World, as when wee are in the presence of an earthly King, a Prince, or a Iudge.

III.The third groweth by reason of the miraculous euents, into whose causes we are not able to search, and which might be conje­ctured to fall out otherwise, if there were a Iust God, seeing and guiding all things with equitie and justice: As, the prosperity of the Wicked, and aduersitie of the Godly: as also, That grieuous and crying sinnes are not punished in this world with all celeritie and seueritie.

IV.The fourth springs from the tyranny of Death, which snatch­eth away the Good with the Bad: which some men, destitute of the light of the Diuine Word, mis-interpret to their own destru­ction.

V.The fifth and last they ground from the power of the Diuell, who doth delude and seduce them with diuers prestigious gulle­ries; and dulls their sences, and obdures their hearts, not only to doubt whether there be a God? but altogether to forget Him. By which means, they enter vnaduisedly and rashly vpon sinnes heinous and horrible. Notwithstanding the former, there be other inducements, which meerly drawne from naturall reason, without the strength of the vnresistable Word, might be sufficient to with­draw men from such impious infidelitie.

Pregnant rea­sons to proue a Deity, drawn from humane vnderstandingFirst, all the works of God contained within the vniuersal Ma­chine, are euident demonstrations of a wise, powerfull, and all-suf­ficient Maker and Protector; of whom the wisest of the Gentiles were sensible, and that such an one must of necessity be, gaue these reasons:I. First, The admirable and inimitable feature of Man, sup­plied and adorned with the innumerable testimonies of a Deitie: insomuch, that not without great cause hee is stiled a little and [Page 83] succinct world within himselfe; in whom there is a perspicuous knowledge to distinguish good from euill, which is the rule by which to direct all the necessarie actions of humane life: neither is there any thing in him (though in outward appearance of small value or validitie) which is not a liuely and plentifull representa­tion of a Deitie; which is the more visible, in the exact considera­tion of euery particular limbe and member of his body.

The second is of the Conscience;II. for in all detestable and fa­cinorous actions, as Murther, Incest, Parricidie, and the like, the Conscience is by a secret instinct sensible of a God, who hath in­spection into the act, as seeing it when it was committed, and ready to reuenge it being done; howsoeuer it be concealed from the knowledge of the Ciuill Magistrate.

A third is,III. The pulchritude, order, effect, propagation, conser­uation, and duration of the things in the world.

A fourth,IV. The distinction of euery Species, which we see daily and yearely to propagate and multiply vpon the earth.

A fifth,V. The Societies, Kingdomes, and Empires, which are not planted and setled rashly; or by chaunce, confirmed, sustai­ned, and changed.

A sixt,VI. The great and remarkable punishments of impious and wicked malefactors, who though they escape the hand of the tem­porall Iudge here below, yet cannot escape the rod of the Auen­ger aboue; for it is a generall rule, obserued as well in Moralitie as Diuinitie, That for the most part, heinous sinnes haue horrible punishments impending, which neuer could be executed if God were not the Executioner of his owne Iustice.

The seuenth,VII. The blessing and benefits conferred vpon good and godly men; nay euen amongst meere Naturalists, we see ho­nour and offices bestowed vpon such as are meriting and wel mea­ning.

The eighth is,VIII. The Order of Causes, which in the nature of things doth not proceed into Infinites, but of necessity they com­ply and returne to some prime Mouer, by which they are gouer­ned, and in which they insist.

Lastly,IX. Prodigies and Signes, which forewarne great & strange accidents, as Eclipses, Comets, Earthquakes, Gapings and ope­nings of the earth, in which whole Cities and Islands haue beene swallowed vp in an instant; monstrous and prodigious births, &c. But I now proceed to speake something concerning the Vnitie of the Godhead.

This is hee of whom Petrarch speaketh,Lib. 1. de Vita Solitar. in these words; Who sees and heares vs before we speake: He who said vnto Moses be­ing silent, Why do'st thou call vnto me? He preuents our words, [Page 84] and anticipates our actions. Hee who knowes our very thoughts afar off, long before they be conceiued: He who heares our pray­ers before they yeeld any sound: Hee who spieth our necessities before they appeare vnto our selues: He who knows our ends be­fore wee finde our beginnings: and though Hee prooues vs to be wretched and vnworthy, yet is alwaies ready to shew vs his grace and mercie. And this is the sole God of Loue and Vnitie [...] of whom Boethius thus speakes:Lib. 2. Metr. 8.

¶ So the Poet Claudian: 4 Hon. Consul.

Pythagoras Samius, Philosophers, Of one God. in his Metempsuchosis, or transmigration of Bodies (as Cicero witnesseth of him) was wont to say often [...] There is one God, and not as many thinke, without the administration of the world; but Totus in Toto, All in All. His Scholer Philolaus affirmed no lesse, thus speaking; There is one God, Prince of the Vniuerse, who is euer Singular, Immouable, and like onely vnto Himselfe.

Lactantius, Diuinar. Institut. lib. 1. cap. 4. saith, That Seneca the Philosopher, though in his Writings hee inuocated many gods; yet to shew that he beleeued but One, you shall reade him thus: Do'st thou not vnderstand the Maiestie and Authoritie of thy Iudge, the Rector and Gouernor of Heauen and Earth, the God of gods? of whom all inferiour Deities adored amongst vs haue their dependance. Againe in his Exhortations: He when he first layd the foundation of this beautifull Machine, and began that, than which, Nature neuer knew a Worke greater, or better; yet, that all things might be gouerned by Captaines and Comman­ders, (though his sole Prouidence, as He created, so still guideth all) he begot other gods, as his Ministers and Superintendents.

Damascenus a Greeke Author writeth thus:Obser. One hath produ­ced all things, who is adored in silence; and is as the Sun, which directly looked vpon is scarce seen: the neerer, the more obscure­ly; but next it, taketh away the very apprehension of the Opticke senses.

Iamblicus, de Secta Pythagorica, saith, That there is of all things, one Cause, one God, the Lord of all, of whom euery good thing ought to be petitioned. According to that of Horrace, Epistol. ad Lollium: Lib. 1.

And Ovid, Lib. 1. lib. de Art. Amand.

He is likewise the aime and end of all Contemplation: nor is He any other thing to be contemplated, than as an Abstract from a Multitude, to an Vnitie. This Vnitie therefore is God him­selfe, [Page 86] Prince of all Truth, Felicitie, Substance, and of all Begin­nings. To this, that of Lucan seemeth to allude:Lib. de Bell. Civil. 8.

Heare what Proclus saith: Who is the King? The sole God of all things: who notwithstanding he is separate from them, yet from Himselfe produceth all things; and to Himselfe conuerteth all Ends: The End of Ends; and first Cause of Agitation and Working; and Author of all Good. If thou dar'st beleeue Plato, He is neither to be expressed nor apprehended. Therefore this prime Simplicitie is sole King, Prince, and Ex-superance of all things that haue being: He is supereminent ouer all Causes, and hath created the substance of the gods, so far as there is in them any apparance of Good.

Porphyr [...]us, in his Booke wherein he discribeth the life of his Master Plotinus, saith, That God in his Vnitie hath generated and produced Many: but so, that this multitude cannot subsist, if this Vnitie doth not still remaine One. And, That they neither are of themselues, nor haue any power to make others blest and happy, Boethius hath these words:Lib. 3. Metr. 6.

Apuleius, Lib. de Mundo, Apothegmes concerning God. telleth vs, That one being asked, what God was? answered, Hee was the same that the Steeresman is in the Galley, The Rein-holder in the Chariot, The Leader of the Song in the quire of Voices; The Captain in the City, The Em­peror in the Army; such and the same is God in the World.

Eusebius the Philosopher was wont to say, That no man ought to dispute whether there was a God or no; but constantly to be­leeue there was. For in a question propounded (saith he) whoso­euer shall hold the Impious Opinion, contendeth with all the [Page 87] art hee can to preuaile in the Argument.Ser. 78. Plut. in Apoth. Stobaeus.

Alexander the Great being in the Temple of Iupiter Ammon, when he was saluted of the Priest, by the name of the Son of Iu­piter: It is no wonder (replied he) that I am so, seeing he is gene­rally the Father of all Mankind; and out of these he selecteth the best and most excellent to be his Children in peculiar. Modest­ly interpreting the Oracle; because when the Priest in palpable flatterie called him Iupiters Sonne (as being naturally and lineal­ly descended from him, as Hercules and others) he onely acknow­ledged him to be his Father, as hee was the Parent of all things; and those peculiarly to be his Children, who by their vertues and eminent actions came nearest to the Diuine Nature.

Athenodorus was wont to say,Fulg. li. 7. ca. 10. Man ought so to liue with man, as if God, the Rewarder of Good, and Reuenger of Euill, at all times, and in all places, were a spectator of his actions with hu­mane eyes. Further he saith, Know thy selfe then to be free from Voluptuousnesse and sinnefull desires, when thou demandest no­thing of God, but what thou art not ashamed to aske him open­ly: for what a madnesse is it for any man to whisper that in Gods eare, which he would blush that any friend, much more a stranger, should know.Sen. Epist. 10. Therefore hee concludeth with this admonition: So liue amongst Men, as if God saw thee: so speake vnto God, as if Man heard thee.

Demonax being importuned by a deare friend of his, to trauell vnto the Temple of AEsculapius, and there to make intercession to the god for the health of his sonne, who had laboured of a long sicknesse; made him this answer: Do'st thou thinke the god to be so deafe, that he can heare vs in no place but his Temple? Thales also being asked,Apoth. ex Laer­ti [...]. What was the most antient of things? answe­red, God. And being demanded his reason? replied, Because he onely was without beginning.

Philo with other Iewes being accused to Caius Caligula, (by one Appion) That they had refused to giue Diuine honour vnto Cae­sar; and for that cause being commanded from the Court: he said to the rest of the Iewes his Companions in that aduersitie, Be of good comfort, ô my friends and countreymen, against whom Cae­sar is thus grieuously incensed;Euseb. lib. 2. de Eccl. Hist. because of necessitie, Diuine aid must be present where Humane helpe is absent.

Antelicedes comming into Samothrace, of purpose to be initia­ted into their Diuine Ceremonies; was demanded of the Priest, What one excellent thing he had done, and of speciall remarke, in the former passage of his life? Who answered with great mo­destie; If I haue euer done any act of that high nature to be any way pleasing vnto the gods, they themselues are not ignorant [Page 88] thereof. Intimating, What an arrogant folly it were, by the com­memoration of his owne worth, to commend that to the gods; which, whether hee spake or were silent, could not be concealed from them.

Plut. in Lavon. Dercillidas being sent of an Embassy to King Pyrrhus, who with a mighty and puissant army had entred into the countrey of the Spartanes; demanded of him the reason of that hostility and sudden inuasion. To whom Pyrrhus replied, That it was because they had deposed and expelled their King Cleominus; whom (saith hee) if you call not againe, and re-instate him your Prince, resto­ring him to his pristine dignitie, they should vnderstand, and shortly, to their great dammage, that they were no stronger, or of greater power, than other of their neighbours, whom hee had be­fore defeated and ouercome. To whom Dercillidas made this pre­sent answer; If Cleominus be a god, we feare him not, as those that haue not any way trespassed against his Deitie: and if hee be but man, we feare him the lesse, as being in his best, but equall to one of vs. In which he reproued the proud menaces of Pyrrhus: for the gods, who punish whom they please, and cannot be damnified againe, by whom they chastise, harme none but the Impious and Delinquent:Idem. and man, of man is alike to be feared.

Let vs next examin the antient Poets, to find what they thought of this one and onely God. Sylius Italicus giueth him a denomi­nation in these words:Lib. 6. de Bell. Punic.

Nothing is more great,Lib. 1. Od. 12. saith Horrace:

All things are to Him subiected,Lib. 4. de Trist. saith Ouid:

His Will and Disposition is immutable,Lib. 1. Achill. according to Statius:

He may be knowne by the effects of his Works;Lib. 3. de Bell. Civil. as Lucan:

Boethius calls him the Fairest and most Perfect,Lib. 3. Metr. 9. &c.

It is He which disposeth of the seasons,Lib. 2. Met. 6. saith Boethius.

Hee is himselfe Immouable, yet giueth motion to all things which he hath made:Plaut. in Rud. As Plautus, &c.

He giueth to all Creatures a generatiue vertue in their kinde, saith Seneca the Tragicke Poet.Sen. in Hyppol.

In Captiv.It is He who sees and heares all things, saith Plautus:

Lib. Met. 8.It is He that both will and can do all things, saith Ovid:

He onely knowes the true courses of the Signes and Planets, ordering and disposing them. According to the excellent Poet Virgil in his AEtna: Virg. in AEtna.

If He should keepe backe his hand, which is as much as to say, to take away Loue and Vnitie from the Workes which hee hath made; all things would be ready to run into disorder, and to return into the former Chaos.Lib. 2. Metr. 8. To which purpose reade Boethius:

The gods know better, what is conuenient and profitable for vs, than we our selues can apprehend or imagine: therefore their wills and pleasures ought alwaies to be petitioned.Satyr. 10. Witnesse Iu­venal:

Ouid by the way of a comparison hath made Him a gratefullLib. F [...]st. 2. [Page 92] and liberall Rewarder of all goodnesse that can be in man, what­soeuer:

In Capt [...]is.And Plautus alluding to the same purpose, speakes thus:

In Her [...]. O [...]t. Seneca speaking, how fearefull a thing it is to incurre the wrath of God; and withall, how vaine and effectlesse the anger of Man is, compared with it; saith thus:

That God is the most equall and Iust God, of all men and all things; the Auenger of the Wicked, and Protector of the Inno­cent; heare Plautus thus speaking:In Rudente.

[Page 93]Another holdeth, that the actions or cogitations of men are so far inferior to the hidden wayes of the gods, that they can no way either dammage or profit them in the least degree whatsoeuer: as Lucan;Lib. 3. de Bell. Civil.

And that all praise and thanks are to be rendred vnto him, euen for the least of his innumerable benefits daily and hourely confer­red vpon vs;Eclog. 1. reade Virgil of Tytirus: and howsoeuer he intended his words, I take them as they lie.

And so much for the Poets. Diuers Nations, but especially the AEgyptians,Hierogliphicks concerning God. made certaine Hierogliphyckes to expresse this sole and supreme Deitie: First, by the Storke, who is a Bird that hath no tongue; and God created all things in a temperate and quiet silence. Inferring vpon this, That Man ought not to speak of him too freely or rashly, nor to search too narrowly into his hidden Attributes:Pier. lib. 7. for so saith Pierius. By the same reason hee was Hierogliphically prefigured in the Crocodile, that frequents the riuer Nilus: as the selfe-same Author testifies.

The AEgyptians did interpret him by a Circle, which hath neither beginning nor end:Lib. 39. thereby figuring his Infinitie. Pier. Valer. So likewise by the Eye: for as in all other creatures, so e­specially in Man, the Eye is of his other members the most beau­tifull and excellent, as the moderator and guide of our affections and actions. So God is the bright Eye that directeth the world; who by the Apostle Iames is called the Father of men, vnto whose [Page 90] eyes all thoughts lie naked and open; who looketh vpon the good and bad, and searcheth into the reines of either, &c.

The opinion of the Vadiani concerning God. Epiphanius writeth, That the Vadiadni, who were after called An­tropomarphitae, were of opinion. That God had a body, and was therefore visible. Now the maine reason vpon which they groun­ded this error, was, because they trusted more to the outward sen­ses, than to the inward Intellect; bringing their authoritie from Genesis, wherein they had read, That the first man Adam did sub­sist of soule and body, according to Gods owne Image. As also from many other Texts of Scripture,Psal. 23. Esay 25. &c. in which the like members and attributes belonging to man, are ascribed vnto God. But this Heresie, as Saint Augustine witnesseth, was vtterly reiected and condemned: for if God were circumscribed or included in a na­turall body, He must then necessarily be finite, and therefore not present in all places at once, which takes away his Vbiquitie. Be­sides, he should be compounded of matter and forme, and there­fore subiect vnto accidents: all which being the Characters of Imperfection, are no way liable to the Sempiternall, Immortall, Omnipotent, Inuisible, and the most consummate and absolute Deitie.Ad Ephes. Therefore Saint Paul makes this acclamation: Blessed is the sole-Potent, King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, who hath Immortalitie, and whose dwelling is in inaccessible Light, whom no man euer saw, or can see, &c.

Now the reason why, as well members belonging to mans bo­die, as the affections and passions of the minde, are in diuers pla­ces of the holy Scripture conferred vpon God (as to reioyce, to be angry, &c.) is not because he is composed of outward linea­ments, and framed or fashioned as man; or that he is truly angred, or pleased, doth walke, ascend, descend, or the like; but that the Holy-Ghost doth accommodate him [...]elfe to the imbecilitie and weakenesse of our shallow capacities and vnderstandings, that we may be more capable of the power, wisedome, and incomprehen­sible workes of the Almightie. Therefore, saith Saint Ambrose, is God said to be angry, to denote vnto vs the filthinesse and ab­homination of our sinnes and offences; in his booke entituled, Of Noahs Arke. His words be these: God is not angry, as mutable; but he is said to be so, that the bitternesse of our transgressions, by which we iustly incur his Diuine incensement, might thereby be made more familiar and terrible: as if our sinnes (which are so grieuous and heinous in his sight) caused that He who in his own nature is neither moued to wrath or hate, or passion, might be pro­uoked to anger.

Of the same opinion is Eutherius: In what place soeuer (saith he) the sacred Scriptures either ascribe the passions of the minde, [Page 95] or any distinct part of the body, to the Almighty, as Head, Hand, Foot, Eare, Eye, or the like; or other motions of the soule, as An­ger, Fauour, Forgetfulnesse, Remembrance, Repentance, &c. they are not to be vnderstood carnally, according to the bare letter of the Text: but all things concerning him are spiritually to be re­ceiued; and therefore we are not to beleeue, that God hath at any time been visible to our fore-fathers, as he is to the blessed Saints and Angels, though in many places of the sacred Scriptures hee is said to appeare vnto them (as, to our first father Adam in Para­dise, when he spake to him these words, Encrease and multtply: Or when he reproued him for eating of the forbidden Tree, &c. Nor when he spake vnto Noah, and commanded him to build the Ark. Nor when he promised vnto Abraham the Patriarch, That in his Seed all the Nations of the earth should be blessed. Nor when he often spake to the great Prophet Moses, in the Bush, in mount Si­nai, and elsewhere) but it is receiued for a truth, that those forms by which God either appeared, or was heard to speake, was by the seruice and ministerie of his holy Angels; as S. Augustine most learnedly disputeth in his third and fourth booke De Trinitate.

Therefore Hieronimus Cardanus, a man of most excellent lear­ning and judgement, in his booke entituled, De Deo & Vniuerso, i. Of God and the World; after he hath by many probable reasons and approued testimonies proued, That God by no humane vn­derstanding was to be comprehended; onely that he was a singu­lar Cause, one onely God,Attributes be­longing to God. the Originall, Fountaine, and Begin­ning of all things, the sole Immensenesse and soueraigne Perfe­ction; contemplating nothing but Himselfe; of such Light, that hee is onely himselfe capable, of such claritie and brightnesse, that he beholdeth either Hemisphere at once, as well the remote as the neerest regions of heauen and earth; Immouable, no way obnoxious to varietie or change; of such splendor, that mortali­tie cannot abide or endure his sight or presence; of a most subtile essence, alwaies resting. When this and much more he had dela­ted, of His Inscrutabilitie and incomprehensible Deitie, he con­cludeth his disputation in these words Quaeris ergo quid Deus sit? si scirem, Deus essem: nam Deum nemo; novit, nec quid sit quisquam scit, nisi solus Deus. i. Do'st thou therefore demand what God is? If I did know, or were able to resolue thee, I should be a god too; for no man knoweth God, or what he is can any man tel, but God onely. &c.

The same Cardanus, Lib. De Vniuerso, touching the late Propo­sition handled in the precedent Tractate; viz. What Name be­longeth to this Incomprehensibilitie; thus argues: Since what God is cannot be knowne, how much lesse can any proper or pe­culiar [Page 96] name be giuen vnto him, because names are for the most part deriued either from the nature or propertie of that thing or party which is to be named. If then by no possibilitie we can con­ceiue what the Diuine Essence is, how can wee confine it to any proper or competent denomination.

One Scotus, of a most fluent wit and an acute vnderstanding, hath searcht, endeauoured, and excust euen almost all things, to finde out some name or Character, in which might be compre­hended or contained what God was, as, Wisedome, Goodnesse, Iustice, Mercy, Truth, and the like, at length hee contrudes all those seuerall attributes within the narrow limit of two bare words, namely Ens Infinitum: as if it were the most absolute con­traction that Imagination could beget. And this he laboureth to flourish ouer with many witty and pregnant arguments, too long in this place to relate, for they would require too large a circum­stance.

Concerning the name of God, it is generally obserued, That none can properly be conferred vpon him, because he is onely and alone. And yet to distinguish the Creator from the Creature, needfull it is that it should be done by some attribute or other:Greg. in Theol. de Nat. Christi. which ineffable name in the Hebrew language consisteth of one word containing foure letters, i. Iehovah, which descendeth of the verbe Haiah, fuit, which is as much as to say, He Was, Is, and Shall be. Which declareth his true property; for as he hath bin alwaies, so hee shall be eternally: for Eternitie is not Time, nor any part of Time. And almost all Nations and Languages write and pronounce the word by which the name of God is specified, with foure letters onely, foure being a number euen and perfect, because hee hath no imperfection in him.The Esclauo­nians, Boeg. Chaldaes, Eloi. Mahumetans, Abdi. Indians, Zimi. Ettusei­ans, Lsar. &c. For besides the He­brewes, the Persians write the name of God, [...]; and the Wisards and Soothsayers of that countrey, [...]: the Arabians, Alla: the Assyrians, Adad: the AEgyptians, [...]: The Grecians, [...] The Latines, Deus: the French, Dieu: the Spaniards, Dios: the Italians, Idio: the Dutch and Germanes, Gott: the English and Scots, Godd, with a double d, as hath been obserued in all Anti­quities. He is likewise called Alpha and Omega, which are the first and last letters of the Greeke Alphabet. His Epithites or Appellations in Scripture, are, Almighty, Strong, Great, Incom­prehensible, Vncircumscribed, Vnchangeable, Truth, Holy of Holies, King of Kings, Lord of Lords, Most Powerfull, Most Wonderfull, with diuers other Attributes. Some define him to be a Spirit, Holy, and True, of whom and from whom proceeds the action and agitation of all things that are; to whom, and to the glory of whom, the end & conclusion of all things is referred.

[Page 97] Iustine Martyr, in his Dialogue with Tryphon the Iew, defineth God in these words: I call him God, that hath essence in Himself, and is continually permanent in one and the same kinde, without receiuing any change, and hath giuen beginning to all the things that are created. Cicero calleth God a certain Intelligence or Spi­rit, free and ready, separate from all mortall mixture or concreti­on, knowing and mouing all things, and hauing in himselfe an eternall motion. So much many Ethnyck Authors haue acknow­ledged, as in their Workes is to be frequently read.

Dionysius in his booke de Divin. Nominib. is of opinion, that all things which denote perfection and excellence, are in God most eminent, and on Him deseruedly to be conferred. On the contra­rie, all such things as are subiect vnto imperfection or defect, be­cause they do not fall within His nature, are to be remoued and banished from his description. Therfore in these words, Ens Infini­tum, i. Infinite Being, he includes the prime, chief, and soueraign Truth, Soueraigne Goodnesse, Soueraigne Mercy, Soueraigne Iustice, Wisedome, Power, Benignitie, Beneficence, Clemency, Intelligence, Immortalitie, Immobilitie, Invariabilitie, Amabi­litie, Desiderabilitie, Intelligibilitie, Stabilitie, Soliditie, Act, Actiue, Mouer, Cause, Essence, Substance, Nature, Spirit, Sim­plicitie, Reward, Delectation, Pulchritude, Iucunditie, Refresh­ing, Rest, Securitie, Beatitude, or whatsoeuer good, laudable, or perfect thing can fall within the conception or capacitie of Man. But when all haue said what they can, let vs conclude with Saint Augustine, Solus Deus est altissimus quo altius nihil est: Lib. 1. de Mor. Eccles. Onely God is most high, than whom there is nothing higher. And in another place,Lib, 1. de quaest. novi & ve [...]us Testament. Quid est Deus? est id quod nulla attingit opinio: id est, What is God? Hee is that thing which no Opinion can reach vnto.

There is no safetie to search further into the Infinitenesse of the Diuine Nature, than becommeth the abilitie of finite Man, lest we precipitate our selues into the imputation of insolence & arrogance. For God saith in Iob, Comprehendaem sapientes in Astutia eorum: Which is as much as had he said, I will make it manifest, that the wisedome of all those who seeme to touch Heauen with their fingers, and with the line of their weake vnderstanding to take measure of my Nature, is their meere ignorance; & let them beware lest their obstinacie (without their repentance, and my mercie) hurry them into irreuocable destruction. Augustus Caesar compared such as for light causes would expose themselues to threatning dangers, to them that would angle for small Fish with a golden hooke; who should receiue more dammage by the losse of the bait, than there was hope of gain by the prey.

[Page 98]There is reported a fable of an Huntsman, who with his Bow and Arrowes did vse to insidiate the Wilde-beasts of the Wil­dernesse, and shoot them from the couerts and thickets; insomuch that they were often wounded, and knew not from whence. The Tygre more bold than the rest, bad them to secure themselues by flight, for he onely would discouer the danger. Whom the hun­ter espying from the place where he lay concealed, with an arrow wounded him in the leg, which made him to halt and lagge his flight. But first looking about him, and not knowing from whom or whence he receiued his hurt, it was the more grieuous to him. Him the Fox meeting, saluted and said, O thou the most valiant of the beasts of the Forrest, who gaue thee this deepe and terrible wound? To whom the Tygre sighing replied, That, I know not; onely of this I am sensible to my dammage, That it came from a strong and a daring hand. All ouer-curious and too deepe In­quisitors into Diuine matters, may make vse of this vnto them­selues.