THat the auncient Phi­losophers flourished in Witte, and profited in Studie, it is no common opinion, but vnto all men a sure and certaine perswasion: For by Studie and Exer­cise, they on euerie side made them­selues away vnto those thinges that are by Nature, almost incomprehensible: And by their benefite, there are many thinges publikely left vnto all posteri­ties, which we are glad of, and doe mar­ueile at their inuentions. They measu­red the World, subiected Heauen to their Rules, searched out the sundry causes of [Page 2]Nature; and in some sort, with their eyes contemplated the Worke-man of all the World. But of the state of mans Soule, and the Immortalitie thereof, sundrie sectes haue in their Writinges, left sun­drie opinions.

Some say, that Soules are Mortall, and die togeather with their bodyes. Some doe say, that they are Immortall, and al­waies remaine in a fixed stabilitie. Hera­ciuus affirmed, mans Soule to be a Va­pour; Thales, a Moysture; Empedocles, Blood; for hee taught, that the Soule is Blood infused in the Heart. Diogenes and Anaximenes, Ayre. The Storkes, whereof Zeno and Chrisippus are the chiefe, do say, it is a Fire. Democritus affirmed the Soule to be made by a certaine chauncing course of certaine light and round mat­ter. Aristoxenus, an Harmonie: Ari­stophanes, a due proportion of qualities. The Saduces (so called of Sadoc,) denying both Honours and Punishmentes; and vniuersally both Spirit and Angell, doc impudently say, that mens Soules are Mortall, and die togeather with their Bodyes. The Epicures also affirming the [Page 3]Soule to be Mortall, doe place the chie­fest Good, in Pleasures. For Epicurus, who, (as it pleaseth the greatest men) did moderately vse Hearbes and Apples, & such meane Meate, was afterward, by those that came after, being a beastly and filthy companie, reproched with infa­mie; for his sottish vnbridled Schollers, fell into voluptuousnesse, and counted themselues to be most happie, with the vse thereof. All these, and many other moe, in the reckoning vp of whom, it is not profitable for vs for to stay, thought mans Soule to be Mortall. Whom Plinie seemeth to fauour, when he sayeth in his second Booke of his Naturall Historie that God cannot giue men Eternitie, nor call againe the Dead. And also many Romaines, (renowned both for fame and learning,) for Ʋalerius in his seconde Booke of the Immortalitie of the Soule, seemeth to mocke the Frenchmen, when he saith, That old custome of the French­men commeth to my remembraunce, who, as it is written, doe lend Money that it might be payde them againe in Hell; be­cause they were certainely perswaded, [Page 4]that the Soules be immortall. Fooles are they to thinke, that they there, weare long Garments; as Pithago [...]as beleeued them to weare Cloakes. Moreouer Caesar, and Cato (as Salust witnesseth,) plainely said that mens Soules were Mortall: and many others also; of whom it is not ne­cessarie to speake particularly. Against whom it is sayd in the second Chapter of the Booke of Wisedome, The vngodly say, (as they falsely imagine with them­selues,) our life is short and tedious; and in the death of a man there is no recoue­rie; neither was any knowne that retur­ned from the Graue: For wee are borne at all aduenture, and we shall be hereaf­ter as though we had neuer been; for the Breath is a Smoake in our Nostrels, and the Wordes as a Sparke raised out of our Heartes: which being extinguished, the Body is turned into Ashes, and the Spirit vanisheth as the soft Ayre: Our life shall passe away as the trace of a Cloude, and come to naught as the Miste that is dri­uen away with the beames of the Sunne, and cast downe with the heate thereof: Our name also shalbe forgotten in time, [Page 5]and no man shall haue our workes in re­membrance: for our time is as a Shadow that passeth away; and after our ende, there is no returning: For it is fast sealed, so that no man commeth againe. Come therefore, and let vs enioy the pleasures that are present, and let vs chearefully vse the creatures as in youth, &c. Then it followeth at the. 21. verse. Such things doe they imagine, and goe astray; for their owne wickednesse hath blinded them. And they doe not vnderstaud the mysterie of God, neither hope for the re­ward of righteousnesse, nor can discerne the honour of the Soules that are fault­lesse. And in the third Chapter: The Soules of the righteous, are in the hand of God, & no torment shall touch them: In the sight of the vnwise, they appea­red to die, and their ende was thought grieuous; and their departing from vs. destruction: but they are in peace. And though they suffer paine before men, yet is their hope full of immortalitie &c.

There are also others, of euery sect and nation, as well Poets as Philosophers, in witte, learning, fame, and glorie, more ex­cellent [Page 6]then the former, who speaking more rightly of the state of the Soule, haue taught, that the Soules of men are not dissolued togeather with their bo­dyes; but are immortall, or rewarded with eternitie: For Hermes talking in his Dialogues with Asclepius, about the eternall Word, confesseth, that the Soules of men are immortall; and that the Euill are punished, and the Good eternally rewarded. Goe to, sayth he, Wee must now reason of the Mortall, and Immor­tall way or manner: The feare of death, vexe and trouble many, being ignorant of the true way. And a litle after; When the Soule shall depart from the Body, then shall the tryall of his merite passe into the power of the great Iudge: and hee, when he shall see it to be iust, shall permit it to abide in places fit for it: But if it be vnrighteous, it shall be throwne downe into the great deepe, and con­demned to the stormes & whyrlewinds of the Ayre, and the Water; and be snatched vp betwixt the Heauen and the Earth, and be heere and there tossed, haled, and turmoyled in eternall paines. [Page 7]But in this, is eternitie hurtfull vnto the Soule, that by the immortall sentence, it is tyed to eternall punishment. And thy Graunfather Esculapius, O Asclepius, saith hee, the first finder out of Phisicke, to whom is consecrated a Temple vpon a Mountaine of Lybea, about the shore of Cocodrilli, a man of a very godly life; is gone backe againe into Heauen.

The Pharesies also and the Essies doe say, that the Iudgement of God shall come, and that the Soules of men be im­mortall. Josephus in his second Booke of the Warres of the Jewes, sayth this: It is a confirmed opinion amongst vs, that our Bodies are corruptible, and that the mat­ter of them, is not perpetuall; but our Soules alwayes remaine immortall: And when they be losed from their carnall bondes, as though they were deliuered, or set free from a long seruitude; so doe they foorthwith reioyce, and are caryed vp on high. The Pharesies also beleeued the same: which two sectes, were best allowed of among the Jewes, as the same Iosephus affirmeth.

And of the Esseis being put to torments, [Page 8]the same Josephus sayeth: They smiling in the midst of punishings, and laughing those to scorne that eschewed torments, did constantly yeeld vp their Soules with a certaine hilaritie, as though they should at length receiue thē againe: And what is meant by that in the Sentences of the Greekes, that assure them that remaine content with good things, that they shall liue beyond the Occean, where is promi­sed vnto them a full fruition of the chie­fest Ioyes? For there verily, (say they,) is the Region which is aggrauated neither with Raine, Cold, Heate, nor any Mala­dies; but the Occean orient and gentle blowing Zephirus is there very pleasant. But for euill soules, they choose and ap­point stormy and wintery places, which are full of wailings, schrikings, and how­lings, of paines intollerable, whose con­tinuance is euerlasting, and world with out end. According to this same intelli­gence, the Greekes haue faigned, that for those whom they call Heros. 1. noble and halfe Gods, Semidij, are sequestrated the Ilands of the blessed, but for the Soules of the wicked, Hell is destinated, wherein [Page 9]also they faigne, that there is tormented certaine Sysiphos, Tantalusses, Ixions, and Licias: For the Greeke say, that Her [...]i, no­ble and well deseruing Soules, indued with immortalitie, dwell vp very high in the Ayre; whereof Jsiodore sayeth: Heroas dicuntur a Junone traxisse nomen. Grece enim luno a herba appellatur, &c. 1. Heroas are sayd to haue drawne their name from Juno; for in the Greeke tongue, Iuno is cal­led an Herbe, and therefore I know not what Sonne of hers according to the Fa­ble of the Greekes, was called Heros, which Fable hath a misticall signification, be­cause the Ayre is deputed to Juno; where in they will haue Heroas to dwell: for when the Poet Ʋirgill described the Eli­sean Fieldes, where they thinke the soules of the blessed Saintes doe dwell, hee did not onely set downe that those do dwell there, that haue been able to come thi­ther by their owne merites; but addeth also, & sayth: Those also that by deser­uing, haue made others mindful of them; that is to say, who haue so deserued, that by their deseruings, they haue made others mindfull of them. Moreouer, as [Page 10]concerning the Greekes, Histories doe make mention of two kindes of Philoso­phers: One, Italike of that part which in times past was called Magna Graecia: The other, Jonicke, of that part which is now called Graecia. The Prince & chiefe of the Jtalke kind, was Pythagoras; of whom they say, that Philosophie first tooke the name; who was of such autho­ritie among the Auncients, that by a pre­iudiciall opinion, he couered and ouer­came all others sentence, and was suffi­cient enough for the confirmation of euery sentence whatsoeuer, if so be any thing was taught, to be that that he said. For writinges doe testifie, that Ferecides the Sirian sayd, first, that the mindes of men are sempiternall; who was indeed an auncient man in the time that Oeneus raigned: which opinion, his Disciple Pythageras most greatly confirmed; who in the time that Tarquinus superbus raig­ned, came into that part of Italie which was called Magna Graecia; wherein the name of the Pythagoreans flourished with such authoritie, that a long time after, no others seemed learned,

Of the Ionicke kind, Thales Milisius was the Prince: a man very notably well learned and wise, and therefore so much the more admirable to his Schollers, be­cause he was able by the knowledge of Astrologie, to foreshew the Eclipses of the Sunne and Moone. To whom suc­ceeded Anaximander, who left his Scho­lar Anaximenes, the Maister of Anaxa­goras and Dyogenes. After Anaxagoras, succeeded Arch [...]laus his Scholar: After Socrates arose, who by the Oracle of Apollo, was iudged the wisest of all men, and left very many followers of his Phi­losophie; whose studie was chiefly con­uersant in the disceptation & reasoning of Morall questions. After him, follo­wed Plato, who, as Apuleius testifieth, was first called Aristotle: but afterward, be­cause of the largenes of his breast, he was named Plato: who was endued with such an excellencie of Philosophie and finenesse of Manners, that as it were, sit­ting in the throne of Wised [...]me, seemed, by a certaine receiued authoritie to beare rule ouer all Philosophers, both those that were before him, and those that [Page 12]were after him. Afterwarde arose his Disciple Aristotle; a man verily of great Witte and Eloquence, who farre excel­ling many; succeeded Plate in the office of teaching: for this man shined vnto men as the Morning starre, and enlighte­ned the world with manifold preceptes, and sundry beames of Philosophie: and the mist as it were, being wiped away from the eyes, repayred the mindes of men, that the trueth for euer might be continued among them. After the death of Plato, there succeeded also in the Schoole, which is called Accademia, Pseu­sippus his sisters Sonne, and Zenocrates: and for this cause, both they themselues, and also their successours, were called Academickes, whom it pleased rather to follow Plato then Aristotle, who institu­ted the sect of the Peripatetickes, because that he was accustomed to dispute walk­ing: amongst whom was ennobled Plo­tinus, Porphyrius, and Apultius Afer, and also many other; of whom it is not deedfull for vs now to speake in singu­laritie.

All those therefore, whom with o­thers, [Page 13]we doe see not vnworthily renow­ned for their fame, learning, and glorie, haue sayd, that the Soules of men doe ob­taine the state of immortalitie: which sentence Varro, Seneca, Salustius, Tullius, Boetius, and Macrobus, doe approoue. Hereof Tullius in his Prologue Super som­num Scipionis, sayth; Omnibus qui patriam seru [...]uerunt a [...]xerunt (que), certum in calum de­fruitum esse locum, vbi beati cuo sempiterno fruuntur. First, that for all those that haue saued and enlarged their Country, there is a certaine place appoynted in Hea­uen, where the blessed enioy euerlasting life. Moreouer, the Poets Ʋirgil and Ouid, thought the very same: For, in the fifth Booke of Metamorphosis Ouid sayth:

That is to say:

All also, that thinke that Gods are made of men, or that men are translated to the fellowshippe of the Gods, haue thought the same. Did not Mercurius Trismegistus speaking of Esculapius, Her­mes, and Osiris, how they were deified and made Gods, say; The Idoles that you euery where worshippe, were first of Egyptians called, Holy liuing crea­tures, and their Soules worshipped throughout all Cities, to whom they were dedicated while they were aliue? so that they are gouerned by their lawes, and named by their names, and in a ma­ner al Sectes and Nations are Attlanticks, as Libians, Egyptians, Frenchmen, Romaines, Spaniards, Perseans, Chaldi [...]s. Did not the great King Cyrus (as Tully doth witnes) say vnto his Sonnes when he lay on his death-bed: Doe not thinke, ô my sonnes, that when I shall depart from you, I shall neuer be againe or be none at al? for al the while that I haue been with you, you neuer did see my Minde or Soule: you saw nothing but this Body that I beare: belieue therefore that I am, and shalbe, [Page 15]although you shall not see mee.

Moreouer, Galdisfa the Mahomet, and the auncient elders of the Mahomets, ac­cording to the traditions of their Law, doe beleeue and preach, that the dead shall rise againe, and shall eate & drinke delicate thinges, and shall haue many faire Women, which they shall embrace and vse at their pleasure: For Marcus declaring the conditions of the East Countries, sayth, that the Tartarians doe so impudently deceiue themselues, that if a Young man and a Mayde do die vn­maryed, they cause them to be espowsed and that very solemnly, before they be buried; that so in the life to come, they may more freely enioy their pleasures.

Touching Aristotle what he thought of the immortalitie of the soule many had rather doubt with the subtile Doctor, then rashly to define: seeing that a­mongst those things that are read of him, whether they be those thinges that hee wrote him selfe, or those thinges that o­thers say that he spake, his opinion can not easily be found out: for almost in all places of his doctrine, hee seemeth to [Page 16]fauour the immortalitie of the Soule: For in his second Booke of the Soule, af­ter the definition of the Soule, putting a difference betweene the partes of the Soule, he sayth, that there are certaine partes that are not separable from their Matters, or the thinges whereof they be made, or receiue the name: and some are separable; as, Nauta a Nauj, The Ma­riner from the Ship, Vt rationalis anima a ratione: and therefore hee concludeth, that it is separable from other thinges, as that which is perpetual, from that which is corruptible. And in the third Booke of the Soule, putting a difference betweene Sensus and Intellectus, the Sense, and the Vnderstanding, hee saith: Excellens sen­sibile corrumpit sensum, excellens autem intelligibile non corrumpit intellectum: 1 The excellent sensible thing, corrupteth the Sense; but the excellent intelligible, corrupteth not the Vnderstanding. Also, in the first Booke, where the translation that Auarroys expoundeth, the Vnder­standing doth seeme to bee a certaine substaunce, which is made indeed, and is not corrupted. And in his Booke, De [Page 17]Animalibus, the Philosopher enquireth, whether all Soules doe come foorth of their bodies? and hee answearing, saith: That it is not possible for corporall Soules to come foorth of the bodyes. It therefore remayneth (sayth hee) that it is the Vnderstanding that cōmeth foorth, and only is diuine. And he in his twelfth of Metaphysuks, ca. 8. sayth: The moue­ing causes as they were made before it, so doe they come foorth of it. And in the Booke of the death of Aristotle, it is writ­ten, that he, lying on his death-bed com­forting his schollars concerning the feare of death, said vnto them. Et vos, vt quid turbatis et de morte timetis? quae est via et incessus animae recedentis a corpore, et ad comprehendendum gradus diuinos, et coniungendum se animabus sapientibus et letis: 1. And you, why are you troubled, and are afraid of death: which is the gate & entring in of the soule departing from the body, to comprehend the heauenly wayes or degrees, & to ioyne it selfe to the soules that are wise and ioyfull. After whose death, his scholers praied for him, saying [Page 18] Deus qui recolligit animas Philosophorum, recolligat animam tuam, et reponat eam in the­sauris suis. 1. The God that gathereth to­geather the Soules of the Philosophers, gather thy Soule, and lay it vp in his treasures. And Libro secundo posteriorum, he reciteth Pythagoras saying, That God doth thunder and sounde as one that threatneth, that those that are in Tarta­rus, or in Hell, may be afraid. And in the 4. Booke of his Ethicks, hee sayth: Al­though they sinne, yet they suffer what­soeuer punishment is layd vpon them; because they say, that immortalitie is life euerlasting: for the passion of life see­meth immortalitie. &c.

On the contrarie part, Aristotle doth sometime seeme to be against the immor­talitie of the Soule: for in his Praedica­ments he sayth: Corrupto animali, corrupti­tur scientia, non autem scibile, scientia autem non est anima, ex quo videtur sequi animam interire cum corpore: 1 The liuing crea­ture being corrupted, the science or know­ledge is also corrupted; not the thing that may be knowne, for the science is not the Soule, whereof it seemeth to follow, that [Page 19]the Soule doth die with the Body. And in his Booke De longitudine et breustate vitae, Of the length & shortnes of life, hee sayth; The liuing creatures being corrupted, the science is also corrupted, and likewise the healthfulnesse; and therefore who of these shall reason for the Soule? for if it be not of Nature, but as science in the Soule, so also shall the Soule be in the Body. And of the same another corrup­tion, besides the corruption wherewith the corruption is corrupted with the Body: therefore it must needes be, that it hath cōmunion with y^e body. And in the third, De anima: Non reminiscimur post mortem corum qui in vita sciuimus: We haue no re­membrance againe of thē after, whom we knew, while they were aliue. And in the third Booke of Ethickes: Terribilissimum autemmors, terminus enim, &c. Death is a most terrible and fearefull thing: for it is the tearme or end. And there seemeth thencefoorth to be vnto the dead, neither good nor euill. And Septimo Metaph, hee determineth of the Intention, that, Omnes partes quae possunt manere seperatae a toto, sunt elementa; hoc ect, partes matcriales: [Page 20]All partes that may remaine, being se­perated from the whole, are Elementes; that is to say, partes Materiall. And Primo de Caelo, he seemeth to hold it for vnpossi­ble, against Plato, Quod aliquid sit factum perpetuū et incorruptibile, et hoc de mundo. &c. That any thing can be made perpetuall and vncorruptible: And this is prooued of the world by two reasons; which I omit for breuities sake. And Quinto phi­sico, he sayth: Cuius est principtum, eius est finis: As is the beginning of a thing, so is the end of it. Out of which sayinges, it seemed to Scotus, and to many others al­so, that Aristotle was alwayes doubtfull of the immortalitie of the Soule, yea euen vnto the day of his death. And he see­meth sometimes to come nearer the one part then the other; and sometimes to a­gree to that, hee seemed before to con­demne; accordingly as the matter where­of hee entreated, was more consonant to the one part, rather then the other. Yet notwithstanding, by Scotus leaue, in the foresaid sentence, he seemeth to mee, not to differ frō his maister Plato in this mat­ter: and herein my witnesse is Bessario, [Page 21]the Cardinall of Nicea, in that which he wrote in the defence of Plato; and Cicero also, whose testimonie amongst all men, is most of authoritie, sayth in the first Tusculan question: Post multorum Phi­losopherum de animi quidditate recitatas opiniones, Aristoteles longe omnibus; Pla­tonem semper excipio, &c. After the reci­ted opinions of many Philosophers touch­ing questioninges of the Soule, Aristo­tle is farre aboue all: but I alwayes ex­cept Plato, a man very excellent both for witte and wisedome, and diligence, seeing hee embracing, receiuing, and allowing those foure knowne kindes, thought that there was also a fifth Nature: The minde is equall for to cogitate, and to prouide, to speake and to teach, and to inuent some­what, and to remember so many seuerall thinges; to loue, to hate, to couet, to feare: these thinges, and such as be like vnto them, are not to be found in any one of these foure kindes, and therefore he think­eth there is a fifth nature, that is without name, and so hee calleth the Minde it selfe, [...] Endelcia, quasi quandam [Page 22]contanuatam motionem et perennem: As it were a certaine continued and euer­lasting motion.

And speaking also of the sentences of the philosophers, which we haue put in the first place, hee sayth: His omnibus sententijs, nihil post mortem pertinere ad quenquam potest; By all these sentences, nothing can belong to any man after death. But of the sentence of Aristotle and Plato, he sayth afterward: Reliquorum senten­tiae spem afferunt, posse animos cum e [...]cor­poribus excess runt in caelum quasi in do­micilium suum peruenir [...]: The sentences of others doe bring hope, that soules after they be departed foorth of their bodyes, doe come vnto heauen, as to their owne proper dwelling place. Seeing then, that Aristotle supposeth that the Soule is not of the nature of the Elementes, as Cicero sayth; & also Saint. Augustine in the 22. Booke De ciuitate dej, but of that fifth na­ture, whereof he will haue heauen also to be made: It seemeth contrarily, that as it is thought that Heauen is incorruptible and eternall; so also our Soules are in­corruptible [Page 23]and immortall; for either of them may very well be prooued with the same arguments that the other is: for euen as Heauen hath the nature of no Element; and neither heauie neither light, neither hath any contrarie: it fol­loweth then; that the Minde and Soule it selfe, like as Heauen, can neither be ge­nerated and bred, neither corrupted and brought to naught.

Seeing then it is thus, that he thinketh an infinite multitude of thinges sepera­ted, a thing impossible, hee might haue confessed with Pithagoras and Plato, be­leeuing that the Soule doth flit foorth of one body into another: for so had I ra­ther haue him to thinke, then to beleeue with wicked Auarroys, who would haue but one onely Soule, and that to be common to and amongst all men. And that same fellow Auarroys, although hee concluded with his Maister, that the Soule is immortall and eternall; yet in his second Comentarie vpon the third Booke De anima, he playeth Ambidexter, and holdeth on hoth sides.

The vnderstanding which is called [Page 24]Naturall, as we haue sayd, doth not hap­pen, that sometime it vnderstandeth, and sometimes not, vnlesse in the respect of the forme of Imaginations, existing in euery Indiuiduum, or thing that can not be deuided: But in respect of the Species, kind, or sort, it alwayes vnderstandeth, vnlesse humane kind doe fayle; which is impossible. Yet notwithstanding, in this, he foulely erreth, not only against fayth, but also against Philosophie, in that hee put all mens Soules into one Soule, ma­king them all but one Soule, and would not that euery man should haue a seue­rall Soule: For he setteth downe three false and erroneous thinges, hauing no likelihood of trueth, but altogeather strange from the minde and meaning of euery one of the Philosophers. The first thing is, that the reasonable Soule, is not Actus primus hominis, &c. the first act of man, or mans substaunciall forme, giuing vnto him, to be, name, and reason, where­by man is, Hoc aliquid, This something; but a substaunce, seperated, and a thing outwardly like vnto this. For hee setteth downe the vnderstanding to be possible, [Page 25]separate; which he calleth, the pure ma­teriall power in the kind of thinges that are intelligible. Secondly, he concludeth, that such vnderstanding, doth not come vnto man, a principio sui esse, from the be­ginning of his beeing, but then onely, when he is of yeares of discretion; for then is it in some sort coupled vnto him, and continued, so that by it, he is able to vnderstand. Therefore when he saith in the Fifth, that it is contimed in a Boy in his childhoode, and afterward in the 36. Now we haue found the manner how this vnderstanding is continued in a Child, and seeke the cause in the begin­ning: But he setteth downe the manner of the continuance, when man by ima­gined intentions doth concurre with the agent vnderstanding, to cause the inten­tion in the materiall vnderstanding: so that to cause vnderstandinges in act, hee calleth Abstrahere, to draw away: but to receiue vnderstandinges possible, hee calleth, Intelligere hominis.

Thirdly, hee concludeth, that all men haue but one vnderstanding. Against these thinges, it is first argued on this [Page 26]wise. Anima est actus primus corporis or­ganici physici, igitur anima est forma substan­tialis hominis: 1. The Soule is the first act of the naturall organicall body; there­fore the Soule is the substantiall forme of man. The antecedent is plaine: for the Philosopher in the second of the Soule, affirmeth, the Soule to be a Substaunce, and not an Accident. And afterwarde deuideth the substaunce into matter and forme, and compounde; and shewing that it is neither matter, nor compound; concludeth, that it is Forme, or the first Act of the bodie. &c. Neither is it auaile­able to say, that the Philosopher setteth downe a common definition of the Soule, but speaketh conditionally, say­ing. But if we must say that there is some common thing in euerie Soule; it shall verily be that first Act of a naturall in­strumentall body. And that it is so, it is very plaine: for in the third Chapter, he saith: But of the vnderstanding, nothing is yet manifest, but it seemeth to be an o­ther kind of Soule. And then straight after that clause, the Philosopher saith. Ʋniuersaliter dictum est, quid sit anima: Wee [Page 27]haue vniuersally declared what the Soule is. And an other Booke hath: Iam dixi­mus quid est anima vniuersaliter. And in the Chapter following, he saith. Sicut figurae est vna communis definitio, conueniens omni speciei figurae: sic et animae oportet esse vnam definitionem conuenientem cuiuslibet partium cius: As there is one common definition of a Figure, agreeing vnto euery seuerall Figure; so also should there be one defini­tion of y^e Soule, agreeing to all the partes thereof. Amongst which, he expressely nameth the Vnderstanding: And there­vnto he addeth, that such a definition is that which he hath giuen; to witte, that it is. Primus actus. &c.

Neither is the seconde Allegation of any force; because the Philosopher when he saith: De intellectu aurē nihil adhuc mani­festum est: As concerning the Vnderstan­ding, there is yet nothing manifest: refer­reth that Word, to a doubtfull premisse; to witte, whether euery one of the partes of the Soule be separable, as it seemeth to the man that doth consider it. Second­ly, it is euident, that the Soule is. Forma substantialis hominis: the substantiall forme [Page 28]of man. Out of the twelfth of the Meta. in the Chapter beginning, Mouentes au­tem causae superius allegatae: where the Phi­losopher putteth a difference betweene the formall causes, and the efficient cau­ses. Also, so it should follow, that a child, before that naturall vnderstanding were coupled vnto him by the spices of ima­gination, should not be a man neither endued with reason, and should in specie differ from an other man, and also from him selfe the elder he waxeth.

Neither is the solution of Auerroys any thing auaileable, that man is taken dupli­citer, in a double maner: one way, for the essence, by it selfe onely, compounded of the bodie, as it were the matter and the soule togeather, as it were of the specify­ing forme thereof; which is sometime called of the Doctors, Ratio particularis, the particular Reason: Sometime of the Philosopher, Intellectus.

After an other maner; Man is taken for a certaine Substaunce compounded of Man, Primo modo, after the first maner; and the Soule intellectiue, or the naturall Vnderstanding: and so man is, per se vnum, [Page 29] one by him selfe. After the first maner, a Child is not Homo, Man; of the same kind with himselfe when he is old, nor with other men. After the second maner, hee is not Man, neither endued with reason, Nisi potentia, but in power. Contrarily it should follow, that a Child should not be endued with Reason; neither Men in­wardly reasonable: which is absurde. Also, Man vnderstandeth not, seipso pri­mo, not by himselfe first: therfore by his substantial forme. The Antecedent is wel knowne, by experience: the Consequent is plaine, because the proper operation agreeing to any thing compounded, cannot be competent vnto it selfe per ma­te [...]am, by matter: therfore by the former, is the Soule the substantial forme of man. This is confirmed, because then by no operation of an Animall brute creature, it could be conuinced, that the sensitiue Soule should be the forme therof, giuing vnto it esse, to bee; but the Aduersarie might say, that it giueth it operari et non esse, to worke, and not to bee Adde here­vnto, that it is an expresse determination of the Church, in Clemen. Extra de sum­matri: [Page 30]et fide Catholica. Against the second, that the proper bodies, and all thinges shall returne againe vnto the same. But such a continuation is not intelligible, but faigned, vaine, and vnprofitable: Because that by such continuance, man neither after the first maner, nor yet after the second, could vnderstand. Otherwise the painted Wall, or the thing wrought on the Wall, & offred to the sight, should see; because the colour that is on the Wall doth cause the vision, and the sight receiueth it.

Against the third: It should follow, that contraries should be togeather in the same thing; for it is plaine, that in the vnderstanding of one man, is Assent and Insent: and in the vnderstanding of an­other, in the respect of the same, is Dis­sent & Intent. And of that thing whereof one man hath Science, another hath one­ly Opinion, and an other Ignorance. Also according to this, we should hardly vnderstand nothing, but that whereof the Phantasie should cause Intention: But this is false; as experience doth prooue, by the actes aswell of the Vnder­standing, [Page 31]as of the Will; and by many o­thers. For the notice or knowledge Intui­tiue, is knowne by beholding or intui­tiueely, & is cause of the Notice reflexed.

But of the immortall state of the soule after death, the foresaid Philosophers are seuered among themselues; for some set downe, that the soules when they doe depart foorth of the bodyes, do straight­way enter into the bodyes of Beastes, correspondent vnto their Merites: As for example; the Soules of Princes, into Lions; of Souldiers, into Bores; of others, into Swine; of some, into Wolues; of o­thers, into Birdes and Apes, &c. Neither in these, doth the paine and deiection cease, vntill they had put on formes a­greeable to those of the wild outragious Beastes: Whereof it came to passe, (as Ambrose saith, in his Booke do bono mor­tis,) that some said, that the chiefest good, or summum bonum, of the great Philoso­phers, doth consist in this, that their Soules, after their death, doe enter into Apes or Birdes. Others there haue been, that said and affirmed, that they doe change their sexe or kind, and doe turne [Page 32]vnto the infirmitie of Womans nature. Others will, that they goe into strange humaine bodyes: as that fabulous Hi­storie of the Greekes doth witnesse: for it sheweth, that Menelaus, after that Eu­phorbus was ouercome, laide vp his Buck­ler in the Temple of Iuno; which Panthoy­des tooke away: whereof they said, that the Soule of Euphorbus was entred into Panthoydes, and that he was Euphorbus himselfe; whereof Ouid. maketh mention in his fifth Booke of Metamorphosis.

That is to say:

And to speake nothing of the rest of the Philosophers, Plato had the best iudgement, what becommeth of Men, [Page 33]if notwithstanding (saith he,) they lead their liues righteously and holily, then so soone as the Soules are deliuered from their bodyes, they are receiued into the bosome of the Gods themselues: But they being vnmindfull of supernall thinges, doe refuse them as things connexed, and doe againe begin to be willing to enter into their bodyes againe. For speaking of which out of Plato his doctrine, Ʋirgill is very greatly commended: Therefore hee thought, that the Soules of mortall men, were alwayes able to abide in their bodyes; but through the necessitie of death, must needes be dissolued: And that they are not able neither to endure perpetually without their bodyes; but thought, that by enterchangeable cour­ses, the liuing became dead, and the dead become liuing indefinitely and for euer­more. But in this, doe Wise-men differ from others; that straight-way after death, they are carried vnto the Stars; & that euery one resteth very long in that Starre that is agreeable or meete for him: and at length, forgetfull of his old mise­ries, and ouercommed with desire of ha­uing [Page 34]his body, returneth againe to the labours and sorrowes of mortall men. Therfore by a most hard condition doth Plato make the Soules of men, yea euen of the wisest, to be happie and blessed. Vnto whom are not such bodies distri­buted, as with which they may liue al­wayes and immortally; neither without them can endure in eternall puritie, but doe sometime, though not immediatly, yet at the length, desire to returne vnto the bodies: And so indefinitely doe by course, returne againe into diuers bodies, vntill the great yeare, in the which they shall haue againe their owne bodies, and all thinges shall come againe vnto their first estate. And those that haue ledde a foolish life, hee thought, should come vnto bodies due to their desertes, whe­ther of Men or of Beastes: and so long to liue miserably in them, vntill they be scoured from their filthinesse, and their errours moderated, be redacted vnto the rule of reason and temperance; and so at length, deserue to come vnto the ho­nour of their first estate. But Porphirius doth not onely remooue from mens [Page 35]Soules the bodies of Beastes, but also will haue the Soules of Wise-men so to be de­liuered from the bonds of the bodie, that fleeing vtterly from euerie bodie, are kept blessed with the Father for euer­more.

It is a foolish thing to speake of that life which cannot be most blessed, vn­lesse there may be a most sure certaintie of the felicitie of it: and for the blessed Soules to desire the blot of corruptible Bodies, and to returne backe againe vn­to them; as though there needed a great Purgation, and an iniquination and de­filing to be required.

Truely the sentence of Porphirius is to be preferred before theirs, that will euer­more haue a changing of blessednesse & miserie: Yet notwithstanding, he will haue the soules of wicked men, to go into other humaine bodies, that they might be purged in them: And then when they be purged, without any returning to their old miseries, hee placeth them in eternall felicitie: For it shamed Porphirius to say, that the Soules of men are posted backe againe into beastiall bodies.

If Plato and Porphirius had agreed be­tweene themselues, I beleeue that they also should haue seene that it is a conse­quent, that Soules doe returne to their Bodies, and should receiue such thinges, as whereby they might liue blessedly and immortally: Because according to Plato, the holy Soules also, shall returne to humaine bodies: According to Por­phirius, they shall returne to the euils of this world. Porphirius therefore may say with Plato, they shall returne vnto bo­dies: and Plato with Porphirius, they shall not returne to euill ones. Therefore that the Soules may be blessed, euerie body must not be eschewed; but a body pro­per and incorruptible, must be receiued; wherein they may more conueniently reioyce, then waile and lament in any that is corruptible: So shall there be in them no direfull wretchednesse and ca­lamitie; which Ʋirgill concludeth out of Plato, when he saith:

That is to say:

So, I say, they shall not haue a desire to returne to other bodies, seeing they shall haue bodies eternally with them, into the which they shall couet to returne. It is therefore a more honest thing to be­leeue that which the Saintes and holy Angels haue shewed, which the Pro­phets haue spoken by the instinct of the holy Ghost, which the Messengers of Christ our sauiour haue preached, which the blessed Apostles haue taught and written; to witte; That there shall be a Resurrection of our mortall Bodies: or, that mens Soules shall once returne vnto their owne proper Bodies, and those im­mortalls There now remaineth for vs, so far-foorth as the Lord shall vouchsafe to helpe vs, godlily and humbly, accor­ding to our small Talent, to shew, or to perswade the Immortalitie of mans Soule, or the reasonable Soule, whereby we haue sense, moue, and vnderstande. And this will we doe so much the more humbly, as we doe suppose it the harder to be done: for there is scarcely any trueth more obscure, & out of humaine strength, or the principles of naturall [Page 38]Philosophie more difficile to be perswa­ded; which certainely ought to be coun­ted a worke hard and wonderfull. See­ing that it is the greatest thing that may be for the minde it selfe, to see and know the minde it selfe: For as the corporall eye doth easily see other thinges, but can not see it selfe; so our Minde doth not so easily, contemplate, or looke vpon it selfe, as it doth other thinges: For verily this force (as Cicero saith in the first Tus­culan question) hath that Precept of A­pollo, in qu [...] mouet se quis (que) noscat: 1. Where­in euery one mooueth, let him know him­selfe. For I doe not beleeue, that he gaue that Precept, to the end to haue vs to know our members, or stature, figure, or shape, but that wee should beholde the puritie and dignitie of our minde. To know this therfore, cannot be any other­wise, but diuine and strait. This Precept giuen of the GOD, could not belong to any sharpe and cruell minde. Euerie one therefore, that is not content with the perswasions, and probable and demon­stratiue reasons, in this obscure, difficile and hard matter, which exceedeth, pas­seth, [Page 39]or goeth beyonde all mans witte; hee (I say) is worthy to be despised, and to be left vnto him selfe in the vaine in­quisition of such like reasons: For the hard thinges of our Fayth, ought rather to be considered by the Oracles of the Fathers, then discussed by the vnder­standing. For often times humaine sense, while it seeketh the reasons of certaine thinges, & can not finde it, doth drowne it selfe in the gulfe of Desperation: And when it seeketh to finde out by reason, the force of the Immortalitie of the Soule, it falleth (for the most part) into the bottomlesse pitte of Desperation. Therefore least through rashnesse and temeritie, wee should deserue to be re­buked about the foresayd doubt, we will (God willing) assay to reason and dis­pute in three Conclusions, according to the sentence and iudgement of the aun­cient Fathers.

THe Sentence of the Soules immorta­litie is twofold.

• 1. Philosophicall.
• 2. Theologicall.

What is the opinion of Philosophers touch­ing the Immortalitie of the Soule?

Some affirme, that the Soule doth die with the Body. Others do hold, that af­ter the separation of the Body, it remay­neth aliue, and immortall.

The Answere.

The Maior is to be distinguished: for some thinges are bred, or haue their be­ginning of the Elementes, and doe die againe. But others haue a Celestiall and Diuine originall; as the Soule, which doth not die. Thinges that are borne, [Page 116]bred, or haue beginning, are of two sortes. Some are Elementarie, some Cele­stiall. The Elementarie doe die or perish: But the Celestiall, doe not die or perish. But on the contrarie part, Cicero, Plato, and Xenophon, haue iudged, the Soule to be Immortall, and they prooue it thus. 1. Because the originall and nature there­of is Diuine; or, as the Pythagoreans said, the Soule is drawen from the vniuersall Heauenly minde. Cicero in 1 Tuscul.

2 Because vnto the Soule there is no­thing mixt, nothing concrete. i. the Minde and Soule is not compounded of the Elementes: therefore it can not die with the thinges that are compounded of the Elementes.

Whatsoeuer is compounded, the same is conflated or compounded of the Ele­mentes.

3 Because the workes or effectes of the Minde are Diuine and Celestiall, as [Page 117]to perceiue and know thinges past, and to come: therefore the Minde it selfe al­so, is Celestiall and Incorruptible.

4 Because the order of Diuine iustice doth require, that rewardes be giuen to Iust, and punishments to the Vniust. But in this life, there often chance no re­wardes to the Iust, nor punishmentes to the Wicked: therefore after this life, there remayneth another life, wherein it shall goe well with the Godly, and ill with the wicked.

5 Plato in Exiocho saith; Discessus ex hac vita est mutatio mali in bonum; that is to say: The departing out of this life, is a changing of euill into good. Therefore after death, the Soule also liueth, and somewhere remayneth aliue; that it may enioy that so great a good.

REasons touching thinges belong­ing to Mankind, are some drawne from Naturall order, some from the order of Gods Prouidence; such as are the reasons concerning the Resurrection of the Dead. If then wee can prooue, that God is able to know this, and to will it, we shall then euen in a manner, prooue the thing itselfe.

God before he made Man, knew the whole World, and all the partes thereof; and how to order, mixe, and compound the Elementes one with another, in the workemanshippe of euerie seuerall man. In like manner, when he dissolueth his worke, he vnderstandeth whither, and [Page 150]vnto what estate euery part and parcell thereof shall come, at the last. He there­fore knoweth from whence they are in like manner to be taken againe, and by what meanes they are to be brought a­gaine into the same forme they were be­fore, and how to compounde the same man againe. God his cunning & might is the same that was. And euen as he was also able to make that which hee knew from the beginning; so that which hee yet knoweth, is hee in like manner able to make new againe. God, seeing that he is Wisedome it selfe, did therefore make nothing in vaine. Hee did not in vaine make Man partaker of Wisedome: therefore to some certaine end: But not vnto this end, that thinges either aboue, or beneath vs, should vse Man to their owne behoofe: for those thinges stand no need of this vse, but rather were crea­ted themselues for our vse. God there­fore made Man for himselfe, and for the contemplation of Gods Goodnesse and Wisedome in his whole workemanship. God indeed made Man to the end hee might liue; but yet not to be vtterly ex­tinct [Page 151]like vnto Beastes: for vnto this li­uing creature, that heareth within it selfe, the similitude of God it author, by the Vnderstanding and Reason, hath God giuen Euerlasting life. For verily bruite Beastes were not created for themselues, but for the vse of others: which when it ceaseth, the preseruation or restitution of them is not any more necessarie. But Men were not so created, that they should serue for the vse of others; but that their life might so be continued, that they considering the Might and Wise­dome of their Author, and keeping his Lawes, might enioy Euerlasting life, to­geather with those with whom they lead their liues from the beginning. For God verily gaue vnto Man a nature that con­sisteth of a Soule immortall; and such a Body, as might vnite it selfe to such a Soule contemplating Heauenly thinges, and imitating God, by the keeping of his heauenly Lawes. This Acte therefore concerneth Eternitie. This end constitute in the inmost Act, declareth that Man shalbe euerlasting: to witte, in his na­ture, which conduceth vnto such like [Page 152]Act, by the coupling togeather of the Soule and of the Body. Which, if at any time it be dissolued, is to be restored by the Resurrection, hoped for of vs, not through a vaine Hope, but through Fayth, a most certaine sure commander; to wit, through Gods determinate pur­pose, creating such like nature of man to such like euerlasting end and office. God hath not appoynted to any other vse, but hath ordained him according to the inward act of his nature, to imitate God by the contemplation and obseruation of Heauenly thinges. Which end assu­redly, seeing it is the inmost in his na­ture, and diracted to euerlastingnes, doth declare, that Man shalbe euerlasting: Man I say, not the Soule onely; but the whole, compounded of Soule and Body: For God, to constitute this, brought to­geather the Soule and Body, as partes. The procreation of mans composition, is the nature and common life of the man compounded, gathered of the actions and passions as well of Body as Soule: The end therefore of the compound, is commune; that is to say, the imitating [Page 153]of God, and the enioying of him by the same. Gods Iustice also must draw vnto Iudgement both Soule & Body, to beare the reward or punishment, according to the action & passion, and common life. And the end can not be common and one, & iustly exhibited, vnlesse it should belong vnto one commonthing, and that to be men, who commonly had wrought it: And to this, is necessarie the Resur­rection of the dead.

God hath giuen to man, the iudgement of Vnderstanding and reason, that he may know those thinges that may be vnderstood concerning God; to witte, his Goodnesse, Wisedome, and Righte­ousnesse. Seeing then, that these are sem­piternall; it followeth, that man also is borne to thinges sempiternall, and shall be sempiternall: Man I say, compoun­ded; for vnto him is giuen the vse of Iudgement, the office of Virtues, and imitation of Heauenly thinges. And vn­lesse he should remaine compound, such­like vse & office, should not alway con­tinue. And it cannot be, that Man can be euerlasting, if he rise not againe from [Page 154]death. And vnlesse Man should be euer­lasting, rashly and in vaine should the Soule of the Body be ioyned to so many wantes and innumerable passions. In vaine should the Body be withdrawne by Reason, from following delightes & pleasures: vaine & rash should be the painefull vse of Virtues, and the Religi­ous obseruation of Iustice and Lawes. Those Creatures, that haue their perse­ueraunce euerlasting, doe differ therein, according to the diuersitie of their Na­tures: Angels haue it immoueably; the Heauenly bodyes moueably, but conti­nually: But Men, moueably & interrupt. The Soule truely hath a continuall per­seuerance; the Body a life left for a time: but so hath not a bruite Beast. For ac­cording to the Nature of the Body, wee dayly wayting, doe feare a dissolution: but according to the Nature of the Soule, vse of Virtues, and knowledge of the Creator, we looke for the Resurrection of the Body. Moreouer, we doe no lesse, for all this, call the life of the Body, Sem­piternall; for that, for a time, it lieth dead, through the separation of the Soule. As [Page 155]also, we call euery mans life, vntill his death, one and continuall; although it seeme by the course of times as it were, cut off; & through the changing of ages, to be in like manner changed.

The speakers are, Socrates, Clinias, and Axiochus.

VVHen I went vnto Cynosarges, and was now come to Ilissum, I heard ones voyce calling me by names; And turning my selfe, I saw Clinias, the sonne of Axiochus, running toward the Well Calliroe; and togeather with him, Damon the Musition, and Carmides the sonne of Glancus, of whom that same ex­cellent cunning Musition, was my very deare and especiall friend: Therefore I thought good to goe backe againe and meete them, that we might more leasure­ly and easily goe togeather: But Clinias weeping, said. O Socrates, the present time requireth, that wee should shew foorth that Wisedome which you haue alwayes spoken of to vs: for my Father is vexed with a sodaine and intollerable Disease; and seemeth to be euen at deaths [Page 161]doore, and to take it very vnpatiently: although in times past, hee was wont to mocke those that feared death, as though they were afraid at the countenaunce of an imagined Spirit: Come (I pray you) and blame him, as you were wont, that he may easily beare necessitie: Goe there­fore with vs, and togeather with others, doe a godly worke.

You haue made me very desirous, O Clinias! to do what I can, to fulfill your request, especially seeing the worke is holy, which you craue to be done; let vs therefore make hast: for if the matter be so, it is time to make hast.

So soone as he shall see you, O So­crates, he shall begin to recouer: for it hath often hapned, that he in some sort repented.

Then we went vnto him by the Walles, thorow the Peritoman Fieldes; for he dwelt night the Gates towardes the Amazones Pillar: And we found him sound of limme, and strong of body; but weake in minde, and greatly standing need of comfort, and often times staying to take breath, and fetching sighes and [Page 162]grones, with many teares, and clapping of his handes. Which when I saw; What now, Axiochus (said I) Where is now that your old & boasted Constancie? Where are the perpetuall prayses of Virtues? Where is your wonderfull magnitude and boldnesse of Minde? For euen as an ill or sluggish Wrastler may in the wrast­ling Scoole appeare couragious till he come to try all; so haue you fainted and yeelded in this conflict. Why, consider you not the order and course of Nature, seeing you are so worthy a man, and so well learned: and if no other thing, yet that you are an Athenian? Remember you not that vulgar and old worne Sentence, wherein it is sayd, That this life is a cer­taine Pilgrimage; & that we ought to be­haue our selues rightly, & with an equal minde, as wanderers in a strange Coun­trie, and so come to that thing which is due and necessarie; not with a weake and feeble, but with a ioyfull and merrie minde. But this tender softnesse, is more meete for Infancie, then for riper age.

These thinges, O Socrates, seeme rightly spoken: But I know not how [Page 163]thorow imminent dangers, these same most comfortable wordes of patient a­biding, doe sliely vanish away, and are neglected: yea, there ariseth a certaine repugnant extreame feare, which com­passeth my minde on euery side. Oh alas, I shalbe depriude of this light, & of these good thinges; I shall lie in darknesse: Hauing lost my taste and sight, I shall rot in the earth, and be turned to Wormes and Dust.

Thou (ô Axiochus) doest ioyne Sense with priuation of Sense, without the diligent examination of Reason, and art contrary to thy selfe both in sayings and doinges. Neither do you marke that you do both togeather complaine of the losse of your Senses, and doe sorrow for rottennesse and losse of good thinges; as though you being about to passe ouer into another life, should rather flit into the priuation of euery Sense: Priuation, I say, and that such a one, as went before the time that you were borne. For as in the Common-weale of Draco and Calist­henes, no euill hath touched you; for you were one that was not compassed with [Page 164]euill: so after death, nothing shall ouer­thwart you; for you shall not be he, that may be inuironed with euill. Driue away therefore from you, all such like triflings, and consider thus much, that that being dissolued which was compounded, and the Soule going vnto her owne place, this Body that remayneth, being earthly, and without reason, can by no meanes be Man: for we are a Soule, an Immortall liuing thing shut vp in a Mortall habita­cle, which Nature made vs as a shadow wherein to abide euill. Whereunto those thinges that are sweete, are Adulterous, filthy, naught, vaine, fading, and mixed, with many and sundry miseries, griefes, troubles, & vexations. But those things that are grieuous vnto it, are of their owne nature good, whole, sound, and voyd of sweetnesse: Vnto it doe happen hot Tumors and Swellings, superfluitie of Humours, decay of Senses, and cor­ruption of the Bowels: Wherewith the Soule must needes be very much grieued and payned, being diffused and spread abroad through all the pores and passa­ges, to bind and tie all thinges togeather. [Page 165]Whereby it commeth to passe, that it now desireth the life Celestiall, and niest to it of nature, and thirsteth thereafter, and after the Quire supernall. For the loosing or departing out of this life, is a passage from an euill thing, vnto a good.

Seeing (Socrates) that you doe iudge this life to be euill, why doe you tarry or abide in it; especially seeing you doe most of all meditate on these thinges, and are ateacher of others, and doest excell all the rest in minde & God­ly virtues?

Axiochus, you are no sufficient witnesse for me, but do thinke & esteeme as doe the people of Athens. But I would very gladly, and wish in my heart, to haue the knowledge of these common thinges, and not to know thinges super­fluous and vaine. Those workes which we spake of, are the declamations of Pro­dicus the Wise-man, some bought for sixe pence, some two groates, and some foure; for verily he teacheth nothing of free cost; and hath alwayes in his mouth that saying of Epicharmus, Manus manum lauat; dans aliquid aliquid accipe: i. The [Page 166]one hand washeth the other: giue some thing, and take some thing: Meaning, that one Good turne asketh another. On the former dayes, when in the house of Callias the sonne of Hippomous, he declaymed, he brought in so many thinges against life, that it wanted but a litle, but I euen then, ended my life: and from that time for­ward (ô Axiochus) my Minde doth die continually.

What then are those things that he there sayd? I will rehearse them all, so farre foorth as my memorie will serue mee: and thus he sayd.

What part of life is not full of euilles? Doth not the Infant yet scarcely borne, foorth-with waile and weepe; and be­ginneth it life with sorrow; neither is there any griefe wanting, but cryeth and weepeth either for Parentes, or want of necessaries, or for cold, or for heat, or for hurtes? He cannot yet in words tell what he ayleth: he weepeth, and cryeth with voyce; onely voyce hath he without wordes, as a signe of griefe which he en­dureth. Now when he hath fulfilled the seauenth yeare of his age, he is troubled [Page 167]and turmoylad with very many labours; for then come vp Schoolemaisters and Teachers, Alphabetaries and Gramari­ans, with such others, and doe beare rule ouer him none otherwise then a Tyrant. Then when he is some-what more gro­wen, Censores of Arithmeticke, Dis­tributors of Geometrie, and innumera­ble Maisters besides these, doe beare rule ouer him. And whē he is become a strip­ling, then doth Feare circumuent him: the Vniuersitie, Prentiship, Sceptres, and the immoderate flowing and rage of euils doe dispossesse him of the pleasures wherein his heart delighteth. All the time and course of his youth, he is kept in, & holden vnder by the Censorers of Manners, and abideth the sentence of most seuere and vncorrupted Iudges. And when he is freed or loosed from their sentence, then Care, Consultations, & aduisements, come creeping vpō him while he reasoneth & discourseth within himselfe, what path and course of life is best for him to follow: so that by the comparison of the laboures and troubles that are to come, those that are past, doe [Page 168]seeme both light, and onely to be feared of Infantes: For then arise expeditions of Warre, and Woundes, and often Skir­miges, Conflictes, and Battailes. At the length, old wrinckled crooking Age creepeth vpon him; vpon the which, there altogeather floweth euery foule, fil­thie, and vncureable euill of Nature; as a Banker looketh for aduantage, Nature requireth her Pledges, of this man, Sight; of that man, Hearing; of an other, them both: which if any doe restore, then doth he dissolue, waxe weake, lame, may med, and impotent. Many liue euen to the vt­most boundes of Old age; but then they are in minde, twise Children, fond, & de­crepite: Wherefore, God in prouiding for Mans matters, doth in a short time, call againe vnto himselfe, those whom he loueth. Therefore Agamedes and Tri­phonius, when they went vnto the Tem­ple of the God Apollo, and had prayed for that thing which is the best of all o­ther, they straight way fell so fast asleepe, that they neuer wakened after. The same also happened vnto the Priestes of luno in the Citie Argos, when their Mother [Page 170]had prayed for some good gift to be gi­uen to her Sonnes.

It should be prolixious and tedious to rehearse the sentences of Poets, who in diuine & heauenly Poesies, doe deplore the Calamities of humaine life. I will re­hearse one notable and famous Poet, that speaketh to this purpose, in these wordes. The Gods haue decreed, that miserable mortall men should liue in perpetuall sorrow: Neither is there any thing vpon the earth, more mise­rable, then man. Therefore (they say) that Amphirarus was chosen of Iupiter and Apollo, with a wonderfull great affect; and yet notwithstanding he at­tained not to the age of an Old man. And what dost thou thinke of him, who biddeth him that is new borne, to be­waile the miserie of his owne life? But I will now leaue off, least I should seeme to stray and wander wider and farther, then my purpose was. Who is there (I pray you) that doth not greatly com­plaine of that Studie, Art, Science, Trade, and Course of life, which himselfe hath chosen? Handicrafts-men, Hyrelinges, [Page 171]and such, let vs view and consider them a litle, that sit vp labouring and toyling night by night, and doe scarcely get thinges necessarie for their liuing. More­ouer, day and night doe they, their wiues and children, liue full of complaintes, and fill all the house with weeping & teares. What shall I say of Mariners, how many dangers are they hourely in? Rightly (in sooth) did Bias count Marriners in the number neither of those that are dead, nor of those that are aliue: For they being earthly men, are in a doubt­ful-wise partakers of either estate. But Husbandry is sweete: let it be so; but hath it not alwayes found occasion of Sorrow? For in trueth, the Husbandman sometime accuseth, findeth fault with, and bewayleth Drought, sometime showers and Raine, sometime Heate, ex­ustions and parching burning Sunne, sometimes extreamitie of Cold, and such vnseasonable weather: sometime Wormes, Caterpillers, Grashoppers, and such like deuowrers. What; Is not the Common-wealth in safetie and quiet? Truely it is honourable: But with how [Page 172]many euilles and sorrowes is it turmoy­led? Truely it hath a certaine moouing, soft pleasant swelling, deceiueable and troublous ioy, euen like to swelling and boyling Cholar: but a losse sorrowfull and worse then a thousand deathes. For who can be happy, when there is no re­medie, but he must needes liue at the peoples becke? And he is mocked and hissed at, as though he were a Play or a Fable of the people, berated, flouted, fi­ned miserable and wretched.

Where (ô ciuill Axiochus) dyed Melchindes? Where Thomistocles? Where Ephialtes? Where all the other Captaines? These thinges verily I neuer thirsted af­ter. Neither doth it seeme to be an hono­rable thing, to execute the Magistrates duetie amongst the madde multitude. But those waitelayers that about Thera­menes and Calixenus did the day after, bring vnder the Iudges or Rulers, con­demned the men vndiscreetly to death, whom you Axiouchus togeather with Triptolamus did repugne in three thou­sand speaches vnto the people.

You say true, ô Socrates; And [Page 173]therefore from that same time, euen vntill this day, I haue euer eschewed the Tri­bunalshippe. Neither doth any thing seeme more difficile and hard, then the gouernement of the Common-weale. This is very plaine and well knowne to them, who themselues haue to doe in ci­uill matters. But you doe so speake of these thinges, as one that a farre off, did see them out of a Glasse, or from the top of a Rocke, or the prospect of a faire Tower. But my selfe doe right well know them, seeing I was my selfe con­uersant in the matter. For verily the com­mon sort (O Socratus my friende,) is in­gratefull, full of mockes and scornes, vaine, soone angried, cruel, enuious, rude, heaped full of troubles and trifles: and whoseuer doth familiarly acquaint himselfe with them, & conuerse amongst them, doth at the length, become farre more miserable then they be themselues.

Seeing then (O Axiochus) you doe iudge, that this Discipline is aboue all other, most to be eschewed; What doe you thinke of others? Are not they also to be fledde from? I haue further­more [Page 174]more heard Prodicus, when once he said, that Death doth not belong neither to the dead, nor to those that are aliue.

Which way (O Socrates,) or in what manner?

Because Death is not about the liuing: and the dead are not or haue no beeing: Wherefore, neither is Death a­bout you Axiochus; because you are not yet dead: neither if you depart this life, shall Death be about you; because you shall not bee. Therefore griefe should be vaine, if Axiochus doe bewaile that, which is not about Axiochus, neither shalbe hereafter: For you doe in like manner, as if you were afraide of Scylla and Centaurus, when as these Monsters are neither now about you, neither shall be at any time hereafter. For that which is horrible and to be feared, happeneth to those which are: But to those which are not, nothing is to be feared.

You gather these thinges, out of that light & vaine babling, which is now common all abroad amongst the vulgar sort: For from amongst them, commeth this copie of vaine wordes, composed [Page 175]for young mens sakes. But I, who am de­priued of the good thinges of this life, doe still mourne; although you haue be­fore in your Discourse brought very strong reasons: For my sorrowing head, doth not vnderstand the finenesse of your wordes, neither discerne the co­lours of your speach. Although it heare the pompe and shining of speach, yet it neglecteth, and is farte away from the trueth: neither can it abide those rehear­sed captious Sophismes; it onely atten­deth on those thinges which can knocke vpon, and pearce the Minde and Soule.

Without reason (Axiochus,) doe you ioyne togeather the sense of euill thinges, and the priuation of good thinges: And this lyeth closely hidden, that he indeed is dead who is depriued of good thinges, the passion of euill thinges afflicteth the contraries. But hee that is not, can neither marke or regard the orbitie or priuation. By what meanes therefore where there is wanting the no­tice of the things afflicting, can there be affliction? For vnlesse in the beginning you should put a certaine senses by Iu­stice, [Page 176]you should be afray de of Death. But now you peruert and fore turmoyle your selfe, fearing least you should loose your Soule. But you doe condemne your Soule to amission, that it shalbe lost, and not had againe; you feare least Sense should be taken from you; and doest thinke that Sense existing, cannot be comprehended of that Sense, whereas there are many, and those notable Ser­mons of the Immortalitie of the Soule. For neither had Mortall nature risen to so great excellencie, that it should con­temne the violence of outragious Beasts, sayle and passe ouer the Sea, build Cities, prescribe order to Common-weales, looke vp into Heauen, measure the cir­cuit of the Starres, marke the progresse of the Sunne and Moone, and their rysings and settinges, defectes moreouer, and swift restitutions Meridian, and double conuersions; the seauen Starres, & Win­ter in like manner, and Sommer; the flawes of Winde, and the force of Raine and Stormie weather, the tempostions whurring Whorlewinde, and flashing of the Lightning; and to conclude, how [Page 177]the passions of the world should so won­derfully stande in eternitie, vnlesse there were in the Minde, some Diuine spirit, by which it should get the intelligence of so great thinges. Wherefore, ô my deare Axiochus, you doe not flit vnto Death, but vnto Immortalitie it selfe. Neither shall good thinges be taken a­way from: but you shall enioy the sound possession of good thinges. Neither shall you and more receiue and enioy Plea­sure mixt with a mortall Body: but shall quite be set free, and vtterly voyde of euery sorrow: Thither (I say) you shall goe free from this Prison; where you shall haue all thinges quiet, and remoo­ued from sorrowfull Old age: Where the exultation and reioycing of the inhabi­ters, is an holy ioy, and their life hath no conuersing with euilles; but is quiet, and nourished with Peace; viewing the na­ture of thinges, and contemplating the hidden secrets of Philosophie; not veri­ly vnto the grace of the multitude, or Theatre; but to the obiect of perspicu­ous trueth.

Your Oration hath drawne my [Page 178]Minde, and mooued mee to affect the contrarie to that it did before. I am now quite changed: for I now doe not feare Death, but doe wish it. But as it is the manner of Rethoricians, I also aboun­ding, will expresse some thing. For now (ô Socrates,) I am caried from hence vp on high, and doe run thorow the Diuine circuite and heauenly Throne. And be­ing deliuered out of this Weakenesse, I am renewed so, that I am become alto­geather new, nothing that I was before.

I will also shew and declare vnto you (if it please you,) what Gobrias the Magian did teach mee. For (sayd hee) at that time when as Xerxes passed into Greece with an Armie, his Grandfather (Gobrias by name,) was sent into Delos, to keepe the Ile; werein, there were ex­tant two Gods; where he sayd: That of certaine Brasen Tables, which Opis and Hecaergos brought out of the North partes, that he learned, that in the soluti­on of the Body, the Soule doth flit into a hidden place vnder the Earth, wherein is the Kingdome of Juno, not a straiter Haule of Iupiter; because the Earth must [Page 179]holde the middle of the World; & that must be the sphericall heauen, whose one Hemisphere, the Gods and Saintes doe enioy: The other, the Inferiours, partly Breathren of the heauenly Saintes, partly the children of the Brethren: But the pla­ces without, are the Prouinces of Pluto; which are bound and enuironed with Walles, Rayles, Barres, and Chaynes of Iron. First doth the Riuer Acheron part these places insunder; and then the Ri­uer Cocytus doth separate them: which when silly Soules haue passed ouer, they must needes be brought before the vp­right Iudges, Minos and Radamanthus; to wit, into that Region which is called, Ʋeritatis Campus [...]. The Field of Trueth: Where they sitte in Iudgement, exami­ning the life of euery one that commeth vnto them. Heere no man can boulster or defend himselfe with lyes. Whosoeuer then hath been ledde heere in this life by the good Spirit, doe passe ouer into the place of the Godly; where the Spring lasteth euer, and aboundeth with Fruites of euery kind, and floweth with Springs of most cleare and shining Waters, and [Page 180]Meadowes moreouer very pleasant, and bedecked with faire florishing Flowers of sundry colours, and sweete smelling sauours: Neither is there wanting the fellowship of Philosophers, nor Theatre of Poets. There are the companie of Singing-men and Quiristers: There is Musicke, Singinges, and sweete Con­centes, Pleasant Bankets, and Holy and often Meetinges, inuiolable ioy of Drin­kers, and sweete liuing togeather. There is no excesse of Heate or cold; but the nature of the Ayre is holesome, tempe­red with light beames of the Sunne. Here are the Seates of purged Soules, where they celebrate the Diuine mysteries. What then hindreth, but that there may be giuen vnto you, first honour and re­ward, seeing you deriue your originall from God? Contrarily, those that haue defyled their liues with wickednesse, are of the Hollish furies, sodainely snatched through Hell into Chaos and Herebus, the deepest Pit of all: where lyeth the Pro­uince of the Wicked, and the vaine la­bours of the Daughters of Danaeus; who in vaine doe labour to fill the Tunne [Page 182]with water, out of whose sides filled full of holes, the water runneth so fast, as they put it in; where is the thirst of Tantulus, the bowels of Titius, the perpetuall row­ling Stone of Sisyphus: Whereas raging wild Beastes, byting Wormes, and sting­ing Serpentrs doe inseparably fould a­bout the Bodyes: Where inextinguible Firebrandes that can neuer be put out, doe burne vp their flesh: Where wicked men are punished with all kind of tor­mentes, and are for euer-more vexed with perpetuall paine. These thinges, I heard of Gobrias. But you, O Axiochus, shall iudge of these thinges: for I being constrayned by reason, doe plainely and firmely know this onely, that euery Soule remayneth Immortall; and that that which goeth pure from these pla­ces, doe liue without sorrowfulnesse. Wherefore, O Axiochus, whether you goe vpward or downeward, it can none otherwise be, but you must needes be blessed, if so be you doe liue holily and godlily.

I am ashamed, ô my deare friend Socrates, and it abasheth mee to speake [Page 183]any further. The feare of Death is so farre from mee now, that I now doe most earnestly desire to die. Your former speach, as though it were a Celestiall and Heauenly Oracle, hath so perswaded mee. Now therefore, I doe despise this life, seeing that I am about to goe into a better, & more desired place: Wherefore these thinges that are thus spoken, I will quietly marke, ponder, and meditate by my selfe. And you, ô Socrates, I pray you come againe vnto me at afternoone.

I will doe as you say: But I will now returne againe vnto Cynosarges, to walke there fore my recreation, from whence I was brought hither vnto you.

Heere endeth Xenocrates Booke concerning Death.