MINUCIUS FELIX His dialogue called OCTAVIUS.  
Containing a defence of Christian religion.  
Translated by RICHARD JAMES of C. C. C. OXON.  
OXFORD, Printed by LEONARD LICHFIELD, for Thomas Huggins. 1636.   

TO MY LADY COTTON, Wife unto Sr ROBERT COTTON of Conington.  
MADAM I have received many favours from you, and do in thankfulness present unto your Ladyship this my translation of Minutius Felix his dialogue which consists of three speakers, M. Minucius Felix, Cecilius Natalis, and Octavius januarius. The one is judge, the other produces in a flourishing oration all the arguments of the Gentiles against Christian religion, and the third makes unto them such clear answer as I believe it will rejoice a Christian reader to understand. Wherefore as the better sort of Greeks', Romans, Italian, French and others have taken a pleasure to render unto their own nation what they found worthy in other languages, I in this little piece have followed their example, annecting unto it something of my own, for nearness of subject, pray Madam let either have your acceptance, and know me  
Your faithful servant RICHARD JAMES.   

To the Reader.  
Whosoever peruseth this little book or any other of ancient times, it behoves him to use sobriety in his understanding, lest he miscarry either in doctrine or discipline. For example, Minutius saith, the primitive Christians had no Temples: you must not therefore collect, that we ought to worship God only in fields or private houses. They had not indeed, Delubra, Temples of Jdolatry: wherein the Gentiles used as Prudentius hath it deasciato supplicare stipiti to make their orisons to a piece of hewed timber, yet as it is apparent out of all antiquity, they had according to the sufferance of times, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 houses built to the honour of our Lord and Saviour, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Cathedral Churches: 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, houses of prayer, oratory's: 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 stately piles of building, in which they did meet to solemnize the duties of Christianity, and to hear the religious instructions of their prelate's: More for the present I have not to say. Let all things be done decently and in good order. This is a necessary remembrance from the Apostle, and so I wish the health of body and mind.   

M. MINUCIUS FELIX HIS OCTAVIUS.  
COnsidering and calling to mind the memory of my good & most faithful companion Octavius, I was possessed with so great a sweetness and affection of the man, that I even seemed to return unto times past, and not only to recollect our conversation by way of remembrance; the contemplation of him being not so much withdrawn from my eyes, as it is enfolded in my breast, and inmost senses. And certainly the worth of that excellent holy man was such, as it must of necessity leave with me an infinite desire of him. He had a flagrancie of love towards me, our wits bore consort as well for recreation as business, and we ever willed and 〈◊〉, the same things. You would have thought us one soul divided into two bodies. He was alone private of my loves, and companion of my errors; and when, the mist breaking out of profound darkness, I did rise unto the light of wisdom, and truth, so fare he was from forsaking my society, as to his greater glory, he did run before, to direct me the way. And when my thoughts had run over all the age of our familiar acquaintance, the intention of my mind did more especially abide upon that discourse of his, by which, in a most grave disputation, he did reform unto true religion Cecilius then adhering to superstitious vanities. For cause of business, and to see me, he had taken a journey to Rome, leaving his house, wife and children, and that which is in children most lovely, their yet innocent years, when they strive at half words, in a language more pleasing, by the pretty breach of their tripping tongues. I cannot with words express unto you, how this arrival of his did ravish me into an excess of gladness, especially the unexpected presence of a most dear friend: Then after a day or two, when frequent usance had taken off the impatience of our desire, when we had learned from mutual relation what we knew not of each other in time of absence, we did agree to view Ostia, a most pleasant City, because for drying up the humours of my body a fair and apposite cure it is, to walk by the waves of the Sea. It was vacation from all judicial cares, by reason of the Vintage; and the approaching of Autumn, did somewhat temper the air from estival heat. So then upon break of day, when we went forth to pace upon the shore, the air gently breathing vegetation to our members, and the soft sand with a fine pleasure somewhat yielded to the impression of our feet, Cecilius spying the image of Serapis, as superstitious people are wont to do, lifting his hands unto his mouth, made them kiss his lips. Then spoke Octavius. 'tis not the part of a good man, brother Mark, so to neglect him who is always both at home and abroad ever by your side; as that you should suffer him through vulgar blindness, in clear day to stumble at stones, howsoever they be shaped into image, smoothed with oil, and crowned with flowers; when you know that the infamy of such error, doth no less fall on you then him. And with such discourse of his, having passed over half the space of the City, we had now gotten upon the open shore, where the gentle wave, as if it took pleasure to strew us a fair walk, did level the outward sands: The Sea when the winds are all laid, is nevertheless restless in itself, and although it came not on, with white foaming billows, yet had they a curled wallowing course. There wandering up and down, we did much solace ourselves, and did endanger the overflowing of our feet, in the brinck of the Sea, which would play up her waves, and again ●lyding back, receive them into her own bosom. So in a stealing quiet pace making forward, we forgot our way with discourse, along the easy bending of the shore; and this discourse was, a narration of Octavius, opening the course of navigation. But when we had thus talked out a sufficient journey, turning our steps, we did again pace over the same way. And when we came unto the place where little boats drawn up from the water lay on rulers, to preserve them from occasion of rotting, we saw Children sportfully contending who should skeere shells farthest upon the top of the Sea. The sport is to gather up from the shore a round shell, smoothen. with the beating of the wanes, and taking of it flat in their fingers to make long circling ejaculations upon the water, the shell razing, gliding, or leaping there, so long as it hath force of motion; and that child bears the victory whose shell doth glide farthest, or leap more often. When therefore all of us were taken with the pleasure of this spectacle, Cecilius only intended nothing, neither would he laugh to see this contention of the children, but by silence anxiety and bywalking, also in his very visage he seemed afflicted with something which we knew not. Then quoth I, what is this matter? why do we not find in Cecilius his wont alacrity? why do we not see that cheerful countenance which he useth to preserve in times of greater residue? Then he replied, I have indeed been a good while bitterly vexed, and bitten with our Octavius his words, when invectively he reproved you of negligence, that he might more cunningly put on me the greater scorn of ignorance. Therefore I will go farther. I have to do with Octavius upon the whole subject, if he be willing to dispute it with me, who am a man of that sect which he so much under values. Surely he will quickly know how fare more easy it is to prate amongst Gossips, then to try his wisdom with a man of an opposite understanding. Then on this terrace of rocks, made to defend the incursion of the sea from the baths, let us sit down, that we may both rest from our journey, and the better intent our disputation. He had no sooner spoken the word, but we sat down. I in the midst, ambitiously protected with them on either side, not by way of obsequiousness, order, or honour, (since friendship doth find or make equality amongst men) but as an Umpire, the better to hear both, and to keep two earnest disputants asunder. Then Cecilius thus began. Although brother Marcus those things of which we shall make enquiry, seem not to you ambiguous, who having been diligently conversant in both kinds of life, have refused the one, and approved the other, nevertheless for the present, you are so to order your mind, that you like an equal judge, hold the scales, propensive unto neither side, lest the sentence you shall pass, rather proceed from your own apprehension then the force of our arguments. Wherefore if you sit here as a stranger, and ignorant of either party, it will be no business to show, that all things amongst men are doubtful, uncertain, pendulous, and rather probable then true, to the less wonder of many, who weary in the clear search of truth, rather quickly yield to any opinion, then persevere in a pertinacious diligence, to find it out. Wherefore with indignation or pity we ought to look on some; who unstudied, illiterate, uncunning in all arts but sordid, dare peremptorily decree maxims of Divine Majesty, wherein Philosophy itself, through so many ages and variety of sects can but yet deliberate: And not without cause; since humane mediocrity, is so fare from reaching Divine things, as those things which are above us in heaven suspended and sublimated, or hid in the profundity of the earth beneath us, no ability have we to know, 'tis not permitted to search, neither religious to question. And enough happy, and enough prudent, we may deservedly be accounted, if according to the old Oracle of wisdom, we be familiar in the knowledge of ourselves. But since over indulgent to a mad vain curiosity, we will needs wander beyond the limits of our mean condition, and transcend with a bold desire even heaven and the stars themselves, let us see whether we may a little stay this error with an earnest and undaunted disquisition. If the seeds of the elements do naturally come together, and condensate themselves, why must God be here an author? If by casual concursion, the members of the universe do join, are digested, and form, why must Divinity contrive the work? If fire kindle the stars, and the celestial matter sublime itself, if the earth have foundation in his own weight, and the sea flow out of moisture, why is this religion, this fear, this superstition? Man and every creature that is borne, hath his being from breath and nourishment; this is the voluntary concretion of the elements into which man and every creature else is divided, dissolved, and scattered. So all things return into the fountain of themselves, with a natural revolution, without artificer, judge, or author. So we every day see new Suns, from the elementary seeds of fire collected together, new clouds, growing from the exhaled vapours of the earth; these rise, thicken, and coagulate in the air, then with their own weight fall down into flux of rain, blast of wind, and storm of hail, or in collision make rolling claps of thunder, flashes of lightning; and if bolts fly out, they fall any where, rush on mountains, bear down trees, touch Temples no less than profane houses, strike impious men, and often the most religious. What shall I speak of tempests alike various and uncertain, without order, without examination, hurling impetuously where they light. In shipwreck alike destiny mixeth the good with the bad, and confounds their merits; fire discerns not the innocent from the guilty, and when any tract of heaven is infected with pestilent contagion, all die without difference. When the fury of war rageth, the best people fall soon, also in peace many time's wickedness is not only equalised but exalted above virtue, and in many wicked, a man knows not whether he should more hate their impiety, or bless their fortune. But if the world were governed by Divine providence and authority, never should Phalaris and Dionysius merit a kingdom, Rutilius and Camilius be rewarded with banishment, and Socrates with poison. Behold the trees laden with fruit, the fields white unto the harvest, these and the full-growne vintage are corrupted with showers, or beaten down with hail. So is truth either hidden and kept to us uncertain, or, that which is most credible from these diverse lubricities of chance, fortune free from all laws doth seignorize the world. When therefore either fortune is certain, or nature uncertain, how much better is it, and more venerable, to receive the discipline of our Ancestors for tradition of truth, observe the religions left us by them, to adore those Gods, which thy Parents have from thy youth familiarly taught thee to fear and know, then to sit in judgement upon the Gods. Let us believe our first Parents, who ye● in the simple infancy of the world, did deserve to have the Gods, or their Princes more favourable unto them. And by this means through all Empires, Provinces, Cities, we see them have their several national sacred rites, and to worship their municipal Gods the Eleusinians C●●es, the Phrygians, the great Mother, the Epidaurians Aesculapius, the Chaldeans Belus, the Syrians Astarte, the Tauricians Diana, the Gauls Mercury, the Romans all. So hath their power and authority subdued the circumference of the whole world, propagated their Empire beyond the course of the Sun, and limits of the Ocean; Whilst with their arms they exercise a religious virtue; whilst they fortitifie the city with sacred religions, chaste Virgins, many honours and titles of Priesthood: whilst besieged, and all taken but the Capitol, they still worship those Gods, which some would in anger have despised, & through the troops of the Gauls, wondering at their bold superstition, they pass naked of weapons, but armed with a worship of religion: whilst now captive in their own hostile walls, and victory pursuing execution on them, they still reverence their conquered Deities; whilst from every quarter they seek foreign Gods, and make them their own: whilst they set up altars to unknown Gods, and spirits, and do entertain the sacred ceremonies of all nations, they deserved their Empire. This perpetual course of religion hath hitherto remained, not broken with antiquity but increased. For age useth to give to ceremonies and temples so much more sanctity, as they have augmentation of years. Neither yet, (for I dare here yield to make the search, and so err with more authority) did our ancestors in searching entralls, ordaining rites, or dedicating temples, rashly spend their labour. View the memory of books, and you shall quickly find, that they did initiate themselves into the rites of all religions, either to gratify divine favour, to divert imminent anger of the Gods, or to assuage it being in full rage, and fury. Witness the Jdean mother, which at her arrival approved the chastity of a Matron, and did free the city from hostile fear. Witness the consecrate statues of Castor, and Pollux, as they shown themselves in the lake, their horses all in a heat panting and foaming, when they reported our victory over Perses, the same day he was overcome. Witness the iteration of the great plays in the Circus, to reconcile the offence of jupiter, according to the dream of a vulgar Citizen. Witness the ratified devotion of the Docians; and witness Curtius, who with leaping himself down on horseback, into the swallow of a prodigious deep gulf, made it again fill up. And more often than we would, our contempts of augury, have made manifest the presence of the Gods. Thence is the name of Allia dismal, thence did Claudius, and junins, in their sea-fight with the Carthaginians, suffer a cruel shipwreck. And to make the river Thrasymene ●un high and discoloured with our blood, Flaminius' contemned the prediction of the ●irdes: and to make us new work for the recovering our Ensigns from the Parthians, Crassus did scorn, and deserve the Priests holy impreca●ions. I omit many antique memories, of the births, gifts, and munificence of the Gods, I neglect the Poet's songs, I pass over many destinies foretold by Oracles, lest antiquity may seem unto you over-fabulous. Behold the Temples, ●nd statuary houses of the Gods, with which the City of Rome is protected, and beautified: they are more glorious and rich in dressing and gifts, then venerable with thei● Deities, dwelling, abiding, and ever ready for present help in them. From thence Prophets full of God, and participating the divine nature, gather predictions of things to come, forewarn evile, give cures for diseases, hope to the afflicted, solace in calamities case in labours: also in our steep there, we see the Gods, we hear them, we acknowledge their presence: how soon o● in the day we deny, violate thee honours, and forswear b● them. Therefore when in all nations there remains a firm confession of the immortals Gods, although their cause and original be uncertain, I can brook no man, who puffed up with I know not what bold irreligious wisdom, dare attempt to dissolve and elevate this religion of ours so old, so useful, so preserving humane society. Away with Theodore of Cyrene, and with Diagoras Melius before him, upon whom antiquity puts the name of Atheist, both which in their doctrine of no Gods, took away all the reverend fear and awfulness, ●y which mankind is governed. These men in their discipline of impiety, although ●hey dissemble Philosophy, ●hall never be reputed with ●e. When the Athenians did banish out of their territories, Protagoras of Abdera, who disputed rather indiscreetly then profanely of Divinity, & did in their assembly burn his writings; (you will suffer me to prosecute my undertaken action with a free zeal) must not we mourn to behold men, men I say of an incurable, illegal, and desperate faction, so to forage upon the Gods? who with a collection of people drawn from utter baseness, and with credulous women easily falling in the imbecility of their sex, institute a rout and profane conspiracy, which in their nocturnal congregations, by solemn fasts, and inhuman feasts, things not of Sacrament but expiation do league together, a lurking and light avoiding nation, full of prate in Corners, and dumb in fair assemblies. They despise our Temples as graves, they spit upon the Gods, and deride our sacred Ceremonies. If a man may speak it, these miserable creatures with pity behold the honours of our Priests, and half naked scorn our Purple. O their wonderful and incredible bold foolery. In fear of uncertain future torments they despise all present, and here they fear not to die, for fear of dying after death. So doth fear and false hope flatter them into a comfort of living again. And now as evil things grow in greatest abundance, pernicious manners creeping in, these men have gained every where in the world terrible assemblies of their impious combination, a combination accursed and to be plucked up by the very roots. They know themselves by secret marks and tokens, they are in love almost before they know one another, and promiscuous lust is with them a kind of religion, for they are all brothers and sisters, so that by intercession of so holy a name, common fornication must of necessity be with them incest. So doth this vain mad superstition glory in being criminal. Neither would wise discerning common fame, (if there were no subsistency of truth) report these horrid things of them, things not to be uttered without a preface of honour to the hearers. I hear that amongst all filthy beasts, from what persuasion I know not, they worship an Ass' head, like worship like manners. Others report that they worship their Prelates and Priests privy members, adoring the nature of their spiritual Parents. Peradventure this suspicion may be false, yet it well agrees with a secret nocturnal solemnity. But those which say their worship to be a man put to death for criminal demerit, and that they worship the horrid similitudes of his cross, these fit those wicked lost people with altars in a good congruity, making them adore that which they deserve. Now of receiving new comers into their sect, the report is not so detestable as notorious. An Infant is covered over in meal to deceive the Novice, and set before him, then is he provoked as it were with harmless strokes to stab into the meal, and so by concealed wounds the Infant is killed. O horridness! this Infant's blood they lick up, and divide his members amongst them; with this sacrifice they are imbrued into a league, and by the guilt of murder give pledge unto mutual secrecy. If this be sacred, what is sacrilegious? And the manner of their feasting is well known, all men every where report it, and it is famous in the Oration of our Certensian Fronto, upon a solemn day they come together to feast, with all their children, sisters, mothers, people of all sexes, and all ages. There after much gluttony, when the banquet is warm, and the fervency of incestuous lust is set on fire with wine, a dog tied to the candlestick, is by scraps cast beyond the length of the line wherewith he is bound, provoked to leap impetuously forth, & then the discovering light being overturned and extinguished, each takes his fortune in the impudent darkness, wherewith to satiate their abominable appetite, and so are they all if not in deed, yet inconscience alike incestuous, all desiring that which is by any acted. Advisedly I pass by many things, since what already is related is more than should be, true in all, or the greatest part, as a man will easily believe from the obscurity of this impious religion. For why should they otherwise strive with all diligence, to hide and keep secret that whatsoever it be which they worship. Sins reserve themselves, and things honest rejoice in the public view of men. Why have they no altars, no temples, no known images of their worship? Why dare they not speak openly, and make their Congregations freely, except that which they worship and conceal so narrowly were either a matter of punishment or shame. Or from whence, who, or where is he, their only solitary and destitute Deity, whom no free nation, no Empires, no Roman superstition ever heard of? The miserable tribes of the jews, they indeed, and they alone worship one God, but they do it openly with temples, altars, sacrifices, ceremonies; whose vigour notwithstanding and power is so nothing, that the Roman Gods have taken him captive with all his nation. And what monsters, what prodigies do the Christians fain? That God whom they can neither show nor see, they make inquisitive into all the manners of men, all the deeds, yea even into the very words and secret thoughts of all, posting every where, and every where present. They will have him troublesome, unquiet and impudently curious, standing by at all acts, intererrant in all places, when no sufficiency strained with a universal care can intent the service of every particular, nor distracted with particulars can suffice for an universal preservation. Why, and to the whole earth, even to the Heavens also and the Stars they threaten a combustion, and prepare a ruin, as if the eternal order of nature appointed by Divine laws might ever be troubled, or the league of all the Elements broken, and the heavenly frame divided, all this all in whose continent and embracing circle we have our being, should be subverted. Nor contented with this furious opinion they hang and knit unto it other old wife's fables; how they shall be borne anew after death, when they are ashes and cinders; and I know not with what belief they assure themselves in their lies; to hear all, you would think they were all ready in a resurrection. A pernicious evil fancy, and a double madness! they denounce utter confusion to the Heavens and Stars, which we leave as we find, and to themselves dead and extinct, for as we are borne we die, they again promise eternity. And for this reason they hold funeral fires in sepulture a damnable execration; as if our bodies although saved from flames, should not with years and ages be dissolved into earth; as if it were a thing material, whether the beasts of the Forests did tear, or the fishes of the sea consume, or the earth cover, or the fire subdue our dead carcases; when any sepulture, if we did feel, were still a punishment, and if we feel nothing, then must a flaming burial be in her celerity the best cure of rottenness. So deceived with this error, to themselves good men when they are dead they promise perpetuity of life, and to others as impious, sempiternal torments. Much here might be added; but I will hasten my discourse, having already sufficiently declared that even they themselves are the most unrighteous people. Nay if we should also grant them the title of righteousness, you or the greatest part of you agree in sentence, that innocence of life or guiltiness ought to be imposed upon a kind of destiny. For whatsoever we do, as some addict the cause to destiny, you lay it upon God, and use to say, that your sect receives not voluntary but the elect? Wherefor● you must needs have an unjust judge, which doth punish in men not their will, bu● fortune. Yet I would fain● learn of you, whether we● must come to this your resurrection without our body or with our bodies, and wit● what bodies, the same, o● with some innovation o● them? If without the bodies, for all that I know, out of a body, there is neither mind, nor soul, nor life: if with the body, is not that already moultered away? With another body? Then is there a new man borne, and the former not repaired: and yet in the flux and course of so many hundred years and ages, what one with the earnest fortune of Protesilaus hath returned from any infernal treasuries of death, with permission of some few hours new livelihood, that we might believe resurrection by example. All these figments of brainsick opinion, and these foolish comforts, sported out by deceitful Poets in a sweetness of verse, you in an over-credulity have taken up a new, and skervily imposed them upon your own God. Neither will you learn experience from your own present sufferings: In them you might see with what vain hope these promises feed their believers, and you might deem by the misery of your life what were more probable after death. Behold the greatest part of you and the better as you say are cold and hungry, you have no wealth, you pine with want and famine; and doth God suffer this, doth he dissemble, or will he not, or can he not help his good people? He is then disable, or unjust. Thou which dost dream of an immortality after thou art laid in the grave, when with danger thou art shaken into a cold fear, when thou dost burn in a fever, when thou art tormented with pain, dost thou not then feel thine own condition, dost thou not acknowledge thy fragility? Alas poor miserable man, infirmity thus convincing thee against thy will, yet no confession! But these are common miseries. See terrors upon you, executions, tortures, and now you must undergo the Cross, not worship it, you must also be burnt up in fire, which you foretell and fear. Where is the God, who will help you to live again, can he not save you alive? Do not the Romans without your God sway their Empire, command and enjoy the whole world, and domineer over you? You in the mean while pensive and sorrowful, abstain from honest pleasures, you come not to any spectacles, are not present at our pomps and triumphs, our public feasts are without your company, our meats and drinks offered at the Altars you abhor, and all our sacred sports, and so seem to fear those Gods you deny. You wove no wreathes of flowers for your heads, you honour not your body with sweet perfumes, but reserve their unction for funerals, which nevertheless you refuse to adorn with garlands; pale chevy people, and deserving pity, but the pity of our Gods. Miserable men, you do not yet rise again to life, and in the mean while you live not. Wherefore if you have in you any wisdom or shame, leave of searching the regions of Heavens with their fatalities and secrets. 'tis enough for you to look before your feet, especially being unlearned, unpolisht, rude and rustic. They to whom is not given power of understanding civil things, must of necessity be farther disable for disquiry of things Divine. Also if any of you lust after Philosophy, the best of you may if he can, imitate Socrates the very Prince of wisdom, whose known answer it is when he was at any time demanded of celestial matters, that which is above us is to us nothing, and therefore worthily did he from the Oracle receive the testimony of singular wisdom, which he befor● aprehended of himself, tha● he was therefore preferred before all others, not because he had comprehended al● things, but because he had learned that he knew nothing. So is chief wisdom the confession of our own unskilfullnesse. And from this fountain did flow the secure ambiguity of Arcesilas, Carneades much after him, and of the greatest sort of the Academics in questions of high nature, and in this kind the unlearned may safely, and the learned gloriously play the Philosophers. The slowness also of the Melian Simonides is it not admirable and worthy to be followed? Who when he was asked by the Tyrant Hieron of what essence ●nd quality he supposed the Gods to be, required first a ●ay of deliberation, the next ●ay following got a prorogation of two days more, and again a like addition to that, ●nd then when at last the Tyrant enquired the causes of so great delay, made answer, ●he more time he spent in the inquisition, the more obscure did this truth appear unto him. And in my opinion things doubtful are to be left as we find them; neither in a deliberation of so many, and so great persons, may we without impeachment of temerity and boldness bring in our judgement on either side, for fear lest we either destroy all religion, or induce for worship old wives superstitions. Thus spoke Cecilius, & then smiling, (for the flux of a long oration had allayed the tumour of his disdain) to these things said he, what reply dares Octavius, a man of Plautus like progeny, of bakers the first, and the last of Philosophers? I said, forbear to sport on him, for you do not worthily to triumph in concinnity of speech, before he hath fully ended his declaration on the other side, especially when your enquiry aims not at praise but truth. And although your oration hath wonderfully delighted me with the subtle variety of it, yet I consider deeply not only for this action, but for the whole kind and manner of disputation, that many times, by the ability and power of the disputants eloquence, even things of clear truth seem to change their condition. This is well known to happen by the easiness of the hearers, who seduced with a delicacy of words are taken off from an intention of the things, assenting without examination to all that is spoken; not discerning false things from right, and unwitting, that truth may be in that which seems incredible, and falsehood in the greatest appearance of truth. Therefore the more often they believe earnest assertions, more frequently are they again convinced by skilful men, and daily beguiled through their own rashness, transfer the fault of judgement into a complaint of uncertainty, and at last condemning all things, had rather suspect any thing, then put themselves to the difficulty of judging, whether things be false or no. Wherefore we must have a provident care lest with such we run into a hatred of all inquiries, and at last break forth as do many of the more simple sort, into an execration and hate of men also. For these unheedful credulous people when they are circumvented by those whom they esteemed good men, for fear of a like error now suspecting all things, distrust those as wicked also, whom otherwise they could approve for persons of excellent goodness. Since then in every matter there be who dispute on both sides, and truth is most often obscure on the best, on the other lurks wonderful subtlety, which often with a copiousness of eloquence doth imitate the certainty of plain evidence, it behoves us to ponder all with diligence, so as we may give subtle argumentation her due praise, yet make choice of those things which are right, them only approve and entertain. You depart saith Cecilius, from the office of a fair judge. For it is very injurious for you to infringe the force of my action with interposing so grave a disputation, when Octavius is yet entire and unblemished in what he shall reply. If that, say I, which you have in your declamation made so foul can be refuted, then is this remembrance of mine brought in briefly for the common good of us all, that we may deliver our judgement from an exact examination, not swayed with blasts of eloquence, but with the solidity of the things themselves. Neither will I any longer stay our intention as you complain, since if you please to give a fair silence, you may soon hear the answer of our januarius, who seems with joy to prepare himself. And then Octavius: I will, saith he, speak according to my ability, and use all my strength, yet must you endeavour with me to wash of with a flood of true words his most bitter aspersion of contumelious reproaches. And without dissimulation first of all I must say, that my Natalis hath not delivered his opinion with constancy, it hath erred, it hath flown out, been ready many times to slip from itself. For he varies sometimes in a belief of the Gods, sometimes in a deliberation, peradventure to the end that by the uncertainty of his proposition, the intention of our reply might with the less certainty come home unto him. But I will have no craft in my Natalis, I do not believe it, cunning trade wit is fare from his simplicity. How then? As he that knows not the right way, when he comes where the way parts into diverse turnings, he stands doubtful, dares not choose any, nor approve all; so he who hath no stable judgement of truth, dissipates and scatters his doubtful mind with infidelity of suspicions. No miracle therefore if Cecilius be also tossed, tided, and waved up and down, in so many repugnant contrarieties. From which to set him safe I will convince and reprove all his diversenesse with a discourse that shall accept no proof or confirmation but from truth only, he shall no more doubt, no more wander. And because my brother broke forth to say, how ill he took it, how he did stomach, disdain and grieve, that illiterate poor ignaroes should dispute of celestial things, let him know that all men of what age soever, sex or dignity, are begotten capable, and able of reason and sense, and have not by fortune, but nature an endowment of wisdom: and that Philosophers themselves or whosoever by invention of arts hate attained famous memory, before by the solertiousnesse of their mind they got this glory, were in appearance illiterate, halfe-naked Plebeians; that wealthy men even staked unto their riches, do rather consider gold then Heaven: and that these our poor men have found out wisdom, & delivered all discipline to posterity. Whence it appeareth, that wit is not an escheat of wealth, not compassed by study, but proceeding from the very information of the mind. Nor are we therefore to chafe or grieve, if any man whosoever he be, do search after divine things, conceive, and open his sentence: when not the authority of him that argues, but still the truth of the disputation is to be required: and by how much the speech is the more unskilful, so much more illustrious is the reason, not varnished with a pomp and grace of eloquence, but sustained as it ought to be, by the rule of right. Neither do I refuse that which Cecilius labours to obtain, that a man ought to know himself, and roundly consider, what he is, whence he is, why he is, whether concrete of elements, compact of atoms, or rather made, fashioned and animated by God; which we cannot try and make evident without an inquisition of the whole universe; when things here are so coherent, knit and chained together, as if you do not diligently examine the reasons of of divinity, we cannot kindly learn the condition of humane nature, neither may a man fairly handle civil affairs, except he know the common city of the world in which all have fellowship: especially, because from wild and tame beasts we only differ in this, that they grovelling and turning to the earth, are borne to look after nothing but their food; we to whom an erect countenance, and an aspect for the view of heaven is given, besides speech and reason, by which we acknowledge God, we feel & resemble him, must not here have leave of ignorance? when also a celestial brightness is every where obvious to our eyes and senses, and it seems to me a crime no less than the greatest sacrilege, to seek on earth that which we ought to find in heaven. What mind, sense, eyes can we suppose in them, who will have the beauty of this world not perfected by divine providence, but transformed into a globe by an infinity of pieces casually tumbling together. For what can be so open, so credible, so clear, when thou liftest thy eyes to heaven, and dost consider the glories of that high circumference, as that there must needs be some Deity of most excellent spirit, by which all nature hath her inspiration, motion, nutrition, and government? See heaven itself, how fare it is extended, how swiftly 'tis rolled about, see the night diaperd with stars, see the day made illustrious with the Sun. Is not here a miraculous divine libration of the great Master? Look upon the year how it is made by the Sun's circling progress, look on the Moon how it wheels about the month in an increase, wain, and last quarter: what shall we say to the interchanging vicissitude of darkness and light, to make us an eternal reparation of work and rest? And to Astrologers we must leave a more ample contemplation of the stars, how they govern the course of navigation, or direct the seasons of ploughing and harvest. All which things do not only require a perfect wisdom and great artificer, for their creation, being, order, but also a mighty power of wit and industry, to conceive, discover, and understand them. The order of times distinguished with a constant variety of fruits, doth not this testify the author and parent of it? The spring with his flowers, the summer with his harvest, the welcome maturity of autumn, and the olive shaking winter are all of equal necessity. Which order would easily be confounded, if it did not consist in great wisdom. And it is also great providence, that winter alone doth not burn with her frost, or summer alone doth not scorch with heat, to insert a middle temperament of autumn and spring; that the changes of the year returning in her own trace, may slide about in a secret inoffensive revolution. Go to the sea, the law of the shore bounds it. View all the trees that be, they have their vegetation from the bowels of the earth, behold the Ocean, there is reciprocal estuation of her floods, see the fountains, they spring from everlasting veins, look unto the rivers, they glide along their wont banks. What shall I say of the steep mountains, the windeing hills, and the broad fields, how aptly they are disposed. What shall I tell you the diverse sorts of defence which creatures have one against another? some armed with horns, other with teeth, underlaid with hooves, and eared with sharp bristles: or free in the swiftness of feet, and flight of wings. But most of all doth the beauty of our shape show God to be the artificer, a strait standing, an erect countenance, eyes placed above, as in a watch tower, and all the other senses ranged as it were for the guard of a castle. 'tis long to go through every part: there is no one member of a man which is not as well for cause of fairness, as necessity. And that which is more wonderful, though we have all the same figure, yet is there in singular persons such a deflexion of the lineaments, that we appear all alike, and all disalike compared one with another. The condition of our birth, the desire of procreation, is not this from the will of God, Who makes breasts in the maturation of the infant to fill with milk, with whose plenty the tender youngling may be fostered up? Neither doth God only take care for the whole world, but also for every part. Britain something defective in the Sun, is refreshed with the warmth of the sea, flowing round about it. Nilus' tempers the drought of Egypt, Euphrates husbands Mesopotamia, Indus is reported to sow & water the East. If you come into a house, and see the excellent culture, order, and ornaments of it; you cannot but think some Master rules there much better than all the furniture. So in this house of the world, when you see the heavens and the earth, their providence, order, and law; believe there is a Lord of this universe, and a Father more excellent than the Stars, and all the parts of it. Except peradventure, because there is no question of providence, you will think it a matter of enquiry, whether the celestial kingdom be governed by the Empire of one, or the will and pleasure of many; which thing 'tis not much labour to open unto a man, who will conceive the nature of Empires on earth, which likely have their example from heaven. When did society of Empire here either begin with faith, or end without blood? I omit the Persians inaugurating principality by the neighing of horses, and I pass over the almost forgotten fable of the Theban brothers. The story and contention of Romulus and Remus for a kingdom of shepherds, and a cottage, is well known. The wars of the Father and Son in law, are spoken of through the whole world, and the fortune of so great an Empire, could not satisfy these two. See the rest. There is one King of the Bees, one leader among the flocks, one chief in the herds: and can you think the great principality of heaven to be divided, and the whole power of the true divine Empire, to be cut in sunder? when 'tis apparent that God the parent of all things hath neither beginning nor ending: which gives nativity to all, perpetuity to himself: which was before the world a world of contemplation to himself, who by his word commands a being to all things that are, by an infinite reason, and virtue disposes and perfects the universe. He cannot be seen, for our eyes cannot endure his brightness; he cannot be comprehended, he is too pure for our feeling; he cannot be brought into estimation, he is greater than our senses; infinite, immense, and only to himself so great, as he only knows. our breast is too narrow to understand him: and therefore we can only deem worthily of him when we say he is inestimable. I will speak what I think. Who weenes to know the greatness of God, doth diminish it, he that will not diminish it, must confess himself ignorant of it. Neither ask you the name of God, God is the name. There words of appellation are useful, where a multitude is to be severally known one from another, by their proper Heraldry. To God who is alone, the whole title is God: whom if I shall call Father, you may think him earthly: if King, you may suspect him carnal: if Lord, you may also apprehend him mortal. Take away these accidents of names, and you shall better see his glory. All men's consent is of him. I hear the people when they lift up their hands to Heaven, say nothing but, God: and God is great, and God is true, and if God permit; is this the speech of an ordinary Plebeian, or the prayer of a Christian confessing his belief? And they who wil● have jupiter Prince of heaven they are deceived in the name but they agree upon the unity of power. Also I hear th● Poets preaching one Father of Gods and men: and making the minds of all mortal men such only, as it pleaseth God the Father of all things to infuse. Whence the Mantuan Maro plainly, nearly and truly, where he saith,— First Heaven and earth and every part beside— Are with an inward spirit fed— and an infused mind— doth stir them up, with every kind of creatures. The same in another place doth call this mind and spirit God.— For the Godhead is— diffused through ●arth through seas and lofty kyes,— From hence all beasts and men, all showers ●nd fires. And what other thing do we preach God to be, but a mind, a reason, a spirit? Let us rehearse if you please the learning of the Philosophers. You shall find them although in a divers way, conspiring to deliver the same doctrine. I omit those of antique ruder times, who for their sayings were reputed wise men. Let Thales Milesius be the first who disputed of things celestial. He said that water was the beginning of things, and God that mind which form all things out of water, a mind too high and sublime for humane apprehension, proceeding from God. See the principal Philosopher's opinion altogether consonant with ours. A naximenes afterwards, and then the Apollonian Diogenes make the air God, infinite and without measure, here is also their consent of divinity. In Anaxagoras his description, a kind of infinite mind is called God. To Pythagoras God is a spirit passing and intentive through the whole nature of things, from which the life of all creatures is taken. Xenophanes will have God to be a mind, and all besides that is infinite. Antisthenes' hath many popular Gods, but for a natural chief God he knows one only. Spousippus will have God to be a natural, animating vigour, by which all things are governed. And Democritus although he be the first inventor of atoms, yet usually he calls God, that nature and intelligence which doth power forth so many images of itself. Straton also deifies nature. And that Epicurus who feigns the Gods either idle or none, yet gives he a supremacy to nature. Aristotle is various, yet he designs one power; sometimes he says the mind is God, on while the world, and again he makes God overseer of the world. Also the Pontic Heraclides ascribes unto God a divine mind though diversely. Theophrastus, Zenon, Crysippus and Cleanthes, they be also diverse, yet they all agree upon a unity of providence. In Cleanthes disputation, sometimes the mind, sometimes the spirit, sometimes the ethereal part is God. Zenon his master will have a natural divine law, or that ethereal part, and sometimes reason, to be the beginning of all things. The same man interpreting juno to be the air, jupiter the heavens, Neptune the sea, Vulcan the fire, & likewise showing the other Gods of the people, to be the Elements, doth shrewdly convince & reprove the public error. Chrysippus' almost after the same manner believes a divine virtue, a rational nature, the world sometimes, and sometimes a fatal necessity, to be God: and he follows Zenon, in a natural interpretation upon the Poems of Hesiod, Homer, and Orpheus. The Babylonian Diogenes also hath a way of expounding and showing that the birth of jupiter, the rising of Minerva, import things and not Deities. For the Socratical Xenophon denies that the form of the true God can be seen, and therefore ought not to be sought after. Aristo of Chios says, he cannot be comprehended. Both these conceived a divine Majesty by their despair of understanding it. Plato's discourse of God is more clear, both for things and names, and it were indeed all heavenly, but that he doth sometimes debase it with mixture of a civil politic persuasion. Wherefore in his dialogue of Timaeus, God is to him under that name the parent of the world, the maker of the soul, the builder of all things both in Heaven and in earth; and he tells us in his preface, that it is hard to find him, by reason of his infinite incredible power, and when he is found, no less impossible to make a public declaration of him. These are almost the same things with ours: For we acknowledge a God, call him the parent of all things, and except we be demanded, we use not to make any vulgar speech of him. I have opened the opinions of the most famous Philosophers, all agreeing for one God, although under diverse names: so as many would deem, either the Christians to be now Philosophers, or the Philosophers to have been than Christians. Wherefore if the world be so ruled by providence, and governed by the pleasure of one God, the antiquity of ignorant people delighted and taken with their own fables, ought not draw us to a public consent of error, refuted by the judgement of their own Philosophers, who have on their side both reason and the authority of more ancient times. For our Ancestors did so easily give credence unto lies, as they did without examination take up into their belief many other prodigious miracles, the diverse shaped monsters of Scylla and Chimaera, a Hydra happy to renew his heads by cutting off, Centaurs, that is, Horses bearing upward the shapes of men: and whatsoever fame pleased to fancy, they delighted to hear. What shall I speak of those Grandam tales, men turned into birds, wild beasts into men, men into trees and flowers? which things if they were done, those things were done which are impossible and therefore were they never acted. And in like manner our Ancestors with an improvident credulity, and rude simplicity did take Gods into their belief, whilst religiously they worship their Kings, when after their death they desire to see them in image, when they rejoice to detain their memories in statue, these solaces did in time grow to a holy solemnity. And every where before the world was open to commerce, when nations had not yet mingled their customs, every province, did worship their founder, or renowned Captain, or chaste Queen valiant above her sex, or any others, who had found out benefit, or art, as citizens worthy of remembrance. So the dead had a reward and the living an example. Read the writings of Historians, you will then confess with me Gods created for merit of virtue or invention. Euhemerus pursues and numbers their births countries and sepulchres, and he shows all of them through several provinces, the Dictean jupiter, Apollo of Delphos, the Pharian Isis, and Eleusinian Ceres: he tells how they were assumed into a reputation of Deity, who wand'ring through the earth did find out new fruits for the better maintaining the life and livelihood of men. Perseus plays the Philosopher to the same purpose, rehearses the fruits which were found and by whom under the same names; whence the Comedian sportefully says, that Venus without Bacchus and Ceres will take cold. Alexander the great Macedonian writes in a famous letter to his Mother, that a Priest did for fear betray unto him the secret of the Gods being men only: he makes Vulcan the chief of them all, and after him the race of jupiter. Look well upon the history of Isis, her transmutation into a swallow, her rattle, the scattered members of thy Serapis or Osiris, and his empty tomb, observe those sacred rites and mysteries, you shall find tragical end, deaths and funerals, mourning and lamentation of miserable Gods. Isis with her dogge-headed Anubis, and her bald Priests, doth with mournful lamentation make enquiry for her lost Son, and her wretched Priests beat their breasts and imitate the grief of the unhappy Mother. By and by they seem to find the little infant, the Priests leap for joy, her dogge-headed retriver glories in his invention: neither do they omit every year, either to lose that which they find, or find that which they lose. Is it not ridiculous to mourn that which you worship or to worship that for which you have cause of mourning? Nevertheless such anciently were the sacred ceremonies of the Egyptians, and the Romans now use them. Ceres with burning torches, and girt about with Serpents, in much anxiety and sorrow hunts after her daughter deflowered and ravished as she was wand'ring in the fields. These are the Eleusinian rites. And what be Jupiter's? A goat is the nurse, and the infant is stolen away from his greedy Father, lest he devour him, and the Coribant Priests make a great tinkling with bells, that the Father may not hear the squealing of the little child. I am ashamed to speak of the Dindimene Cybele, who being difformed and very old, as the Mother of many Gods, because she could not entice the unhappily beautiful Atis unto adultery, did cut out his stones, and make him an Eunuch God. For memory of this fable the Galli her capon Priests unman themselves and worship her with the torment of their body. Why, this is not sanctimony but torture. And what are the forms and habits of your Gods, is there not ridiculous scorn and disgrace in them? Vulcan is a lame maimed God. Apollo through so many ages is still a smooth chinned God. Aesculapius hath beard enough, although he be the Son of the ever youthful Apollo. 'tis the blu-eyed Neptune, the gray-eyed Minerva, & the goodly cow eyes of juno. Mercury hath wings on his feet, Pan hooves and Saturn fetters, janus hath two faces as if he went contrary ways. The huntress Diana is high girt, and armed with javelins, Diana at Ephesus hath many breasts, and Diana of the high ways hath three heads, and makes a horrible show with a multitude of hands. And for your Jupiter, sometimes his statue is beardless, sometimes he is set up with a huge beard: when he is called Hammon, than he wears horns, when Capitolinus, his right arm bears a thunderbolt, when Latiall, he is all embrued in blood, and when Feretrius, come not near him. And not to dwell longer upon these many sorts of jupiters', there be so many monsters of him, as names. Erigone is hung up in a halter, to make the burning constellation of the Virgin amongst the Stars. Castor and Pollux have made a bargain to live and dye by turns every second day. Aesculapius that he may rise unto divinity, is struck with thunder. Hercules that he may put of his mortality, is burnt into ashes upon mount Oeta. These fables and errors we learn of our undiscerning parents, (and which is more grievous) they are our laborious study and discipline in the songs of the Poets; and it is a great wonder to see how much they have blemish truth with their authority. Wherefore Plato in his institution of a commonwealth hath even banished Homer that renowned praised and ever laureal Poet, from the number of his citizens. For this chief of Poets, in his Trojan war, makes a mock of the Gods, and brings them every where into the actions and affairs of men. He sets them together by the ears, wounds Venus, binds Mars, hurts and drives him out of the battle. He tells how jupiter is rescued by Briareus, when the other Gods conspired to bind him, and how he wept showers of blood, because he could not deliver his Son Sarpedon from death: and makes him bed his wife juno, through the help of Venus' girdle, more luxuriously, then ever he had lain with any of his wenches. Otherwhere Hercules hath the employment to rid a stable of dung, and Apollo is herdsman to Admetus; Neptune builds the walls of Troy for Laomedon, and unhappy workman he cannot get his hire. There Vulcan upon his anvil beats out thunder for jupiter and armour for Aeneas: when heaven and thunder and lightning were long before ever jupiter was borne in Crete; such as that one-eyed Vulcan could never imitate, and jupiter himself must ever fear. What shall I speak of Mars and Venus taken in adultery? and the rape of Jupiter upon Ganimed● consecrated in heaven. All which things seem to be produced, that men may have authority for their vices. With such like inventions and sweeter lies the dispositions of youth are corrupted, on these fables they stay, and grow up to a perfect age, and in these opinions they miserably dye; when truth is more easily found, but of those who seek it. For all the writers of ancient times both Greek and Latin have delivered that this Saturn Prince of all the fabulous genealogy was a man. Nepos and Cassius in their history know this, and Thallus and Diodorus speak it. He for fear of his Son's rage fled from Crete, and came into Italy, and being hospitally entertained by janus, taught many things to those ignorant country people, as being a pretty polished Greek, to write by Alphabet, to coin money, to make many sorts of instruments. And because he had here safely lurked, he pleased to call this hiding place Latium. He gave them a city called Saturnia, by his own name, and janus left them his janiculum, for which they are both remembered with posterity. Therefore, when he so fled and lurked out of the way, surely he was both the father of a man and a man's son: and amongst the Jtalians called a son of heaven and of earth, because he was to them of unknown parents; as at this day when we see people suddenly come, and we know not from whence, we say they come from heaven, or obscure ignoble comers we do term sons of the earth. This Saturn's son having droven his father out of Crete, reigned there, died there, and had children there: jupiters' cave is there yet to be seen, and they show his sepulchre, and many of their holy rites convince his mortality. 'tis idle to go through all the singularity and rabblement of these Deities in a like narration; when mortality proved upon their first parents must of necessity fall on the rest by order of succession, except perchance you will feign them to be Gods after their death, as Romulus is a God by the perjury of Proculus, and 'tis the kind pleasure of the Moors to have juba be a God: and other Kings are Gods, which are consecrated into Deity, not because the people believed so, but to dismiss them with honour from their office of king's craft. And many times these are made Gods against their will, they would rather stay in a mortality, they are afeard to be made Gods, and although they be never so old they would never willingly be such Gods, therefore of those that die none be Gods, because God cannot dye, and no Gods are borne, because every thing must die that is borne, and that only is divine, which hath neither birth nor death, And if there were gods borne, why are not some borne in out days, except jupiter be now waxed old, and juno hath left off teeming. And can Minerva grow grey headed before she hath had children? Or is all this generation of Gods passed and gone, because people no longer assent unto their fables? But if Gods could be borne and not die, we should have more Gods than men, the heavens would not now be large enough to contain them, the air could not receive, nor the earth bear their multitudes. Whence it is manifest, that they were men, whose births we read, and whose deaths we know. When therefore the common people do pray unto their consecrate images, and worship them, who doubts but that ignorant opinion is here deceived with the beauty of the work, dazzled with the bright glittering lustre of gold and silver, and besotted on the fair whiteness of the Iron; But if a man conceive in his mind with what torments and engines every image is formed, he will shame to fear that matter, which is so misusd by the artificer, before he can make it a God. For the wooden God, a piece perchance of some unhappy post or fireblocke, is hung up, cut, squared, and hewed; the brazen or silver God, (as it was often done by the Egyptian king) is made out of some unclean vessel, knocked with hammers, brought into figure upon the anvil: and the God of stone, is again hewed, scrapd and made smooth by some impure vicious man. These feel not the injury of their nativity, nor the honour of your worship. Or perchance this stone, this wood, this silver, is not yet a God. When then shall they be? They are now cemented, set together, set up; is there yet no God? They have their ornament, their consecration, they are prayed too. So at last a God is made when any man pleases to give these statues a dedication. Dumb creatures, how much more truly do they by nature esteem of your Gods? Mice, Swallows, Kites, they know these Gods have no feeling, they nibble them, get on top, & set on them: & if you drive them not away, they make nests in the very mouth of your God. Spiders wove cobwebs about their face, they hang this work on their heads: you wipe, cleanse, and rubbe all of. And these Gods which you make, you protect and fear; whilst none of you will consider that you ought to know God before you worship him, whilst men rejoice to obey their parents unreasonably, whilst they had rather follow a common error then believe themselves, whilst they know nothing of that they fear. So hath covetousness a consecration in gold and silver, so come idle statues to find their form with you, so grows the Roman superstition, whose rights if you run through, how many things are there of laughter, and more of pity? In the cold shriveling winter some course up and down naked, some go capt after a strange manner, carrying about on their shoulders targets, on some slash their skins, and from street to street lead their Gods a begging. You may not see some temples but once in the year, some not at all, some are not permitted to men, & some are sacred from women. Some holy ceremonies must be solemnised and crowned by a woman that knows but one man, some by a common woman, & she is with great religious enquiry sought for, which can number the most adulteries. Why, he who makes libation with his own blood, and supplicates with wounds, might he not be better profane then religious in such manner? And he that cuts off his virilities with a shared, were he not better violate the Gods then so please them? When if God would have Eunuches, he should not need your making, but might find out a way of procreation for them. Who doth not by this understand, that if men were well in their wits, if they were sound and entire of their senses, they would not thus delude themselves. But common error gives herein mutual patronage. The multitude of madding people is a Topick place of defence. Yet this superstition gave Empire to the Romans, it increased them, it laid them a foundation of future greatness, raised not so much by virtue as by this religion and piety? See if you please what kind of noble famous righteousness the Romans had in the beginning and cradle of their empire. In their first rising were they not a select band of wicked men, fortifiing and increasing themselves with terror of their immanity? Their first company was collected by erecting a place of sanctuary for rogues; whither resorted the desperate, the criminal, the incestuous, brothers of the blade, and traitors. And Romulus their general and commander, that he might also be chief in villainy, murdered his own brother. These are the first sacraments of a religious city, and then to get them wives against all civil custom, they ravish, violate, delude neighbour virgins, already betrothed or promised, and take many women from their bed of matrimony, with the parents and kindred of these they join battle, and make effusion of their blood. What is more irreligious, more bold, more presuming of safety than a confidence of wickedness? Now they begin to drive out neighbours from their possessions, to overturn bordering cities, with their Temples and Altars: force the inhabitants to join with them; by other men's harms and their own villainies they get up. And this discipline of Romulus, hath been to their succeeding Kings and Captains a common pattern of example. All that the Romans hold, that they possess, and all their colonies they own to their shameless rapine. All their Temples are built from the spoils of war, the ruins of cities, the destruction of the Gods, and the slaughters of Priests. Is it not illusion, and insulting upon the Gods, to observe those religions which they have beaten, and to have them in adoration after they have been lead captive in victory? For to worship that which you would subdue, is to consecrate sacrilege not Deities. Therefore have the Romans been as often impious as victorious, and they have made so many spoils of the Gods as they have erected trophies over nations. Neither are the Romans grown to greatness with religion, but by being safely sacrilegious. For how should they obtain from the Gods help in their wars, against whom they took arms, whom they driven out of their habitations, howsoever after they had lead them in triumph, they began to worship them. Or what could these Gods do for the Romans, who had not power to preserve against their armies the people amongst whom they were anciently worshipped? And we are not ignorant what manner of national Gods the Romans had. There was Romulus, Picus, Tiberinus, and Consus, and Pilumnus, and Picumnus. Tatius both found out and did worship the privy Lady Cloacina. Hostilius found out fear and paleness: then I know not by whom, the fever had his dedication: such was the superstition which was nourished in that city as they did worship diseases and indispositions of health. And indeed Acca Laurentia, and Flora, prostitute shameless queans must also be computed into the number both of their diseases and Deities. And is it likely that such Gods as these should in despite of other Gods amongst the nations dilate the Roman empire? (For indeed they, the Thracian Mars, jupiter of Crete, juno of Argos, of Samos, of Carthage, or Diana of Tauris, or the Idean Mother, or those Egyptian rather prodigies than Deities could not defend their own people against the Roman forces.) Except peradventure amongst the Romans, the chastity of their Virgins was greater, and the religion of their Priests more holy, when frequently, many of their Virgins having easily made a fault with men without Vesta's notice, have had a civil revenge executed upon their incest, and the rest were more happy in wantonness then safe in chastity. And where do your Priests more often hire fornications, treat Veneries, contrive adulteries, then at the altars, and images of the Gods. And no common resorts of whoererie do so frequently supply the business of lust, as the cells of those, who are officers and guardians of the Temples. And yet, before these your Priests and Virgins were heard of in the world, at God's pleasure the Assyrians had the Empire, the Medes, the Persians, the Greeks', the Egyptians, when as yet they had none of your pontifical rites, no brotherhood of Priests to sanctify the fields, no dancing Priests in honour of Mars, no Virgins to attend the Goddess Vesta and her fire, no Priests of angurie, to keep birds in coops, to divine the success of things by their feeding or refusal of meat. For now I am come to their examination which you say have been collected with great labour, not omitted without repentance, and ever observed with happy success. Will you say that Clodius, Flaminius and Jurius therefore lost their armies, because they would not stay to know whether the barley falling on the ground did make an ominous leaping: yet Regulus observed this ceremony, and was taken by the enemies. Mancinus kept this religion, and yet was forced to yield to a base submission and captivity. The chicken did eat for Paulus, and yet at the battle of Cannae, both he and the greatest part of his army was cut down. Caius Caesar in spite of this divination forbidding him to sail into Africa with his fleet before winter, put forth, and had a fair passage with victory. As for your oracles, how shall I pursue their history? Amphiaraus after his death makes answers concerning things to come, and yet was he ignorantly betrayed to death by his wife for the love of a gold chain. Blind Tiresias must see things future, who could not discern any thing before him. Old Ennius feigns answers of the Pythian Apollo for King Pyrrhus, when Apollo had long before left of to be a poetical Prophet. Whose wary doubtful oracle quickly ceased, when men began to be more civil and less credulous. And Demosthenes knowing the imposture of such answers, did complain that the Pythian Virgin Prophetess, was corrupted by King Philip. But you will say that these auguries and these oracles did sometimes hit on the truth. Although indeed chance may sometimes seem in many lies to speak as it were to purpose, yet I will try to discover this fountain of error and wickedness, to show whence all this disguise hath risen, I will even open the very foundations, and lay them to a manifest view. There be false spirits wand'ring up and down since with terrestrial corruptions and desires they lost their celestial virtue. These spirits have foregone the purity of their substance with a burden and deluge of vices, and to comfort their calamity, being ruined themselves they never leave to attempt the destruction of others, to infuse a depravation of error, by inducing evil religions to alienate with themselves so many as they can from the true service of God. The Poets acknowledge these to be cunning spirits, Philosophers dispute of them, Socrates was not ignorant of them, who at the direction and will of one still present with him, did decline or undertake business. The Magicians also do not only know them, but act all the sport of miracles by their help. By their inspiration and infusion they work impostures, making those things appear which are not, and those things not appear which are. Of these Magicians Hostanes the chiefest both for speech and deed, doth attribute unto the true God his deserved majesty, and makes honourable mention of his angels, that is his messengers, who tremble at his word and countenance, he also makes mention of those other cunning wand'ring terrestrial spirits enemies to mankind. And Plato who thought it so great a business to find out God, doth easily discover both these unto us, and in his feasting dialogue strives to express their nature. He will have them to be a middle substance betwixt soul and body, half mortal, half immortal, compounded with a mixture of terrestrial heaviness, and celestial lightness. He will have them cause in us the first incentive sparks of love, to inform and slide into men's breasts, to move their senses, fashion their affections, and then pour in a fiery heat of lust. Wherefore these unclean spirits (as the Magicians, the Philosophers, and Plato show) lurk under consecrat statues and images, and by an inspiration do gain with people authority to be reputed Gods, whiles they sometimes seem to possess their prophets, to abide in temples, to animate the livers of the sacrifice, to govern the flights of birds, rule lotteries, and deliver oracles involved with much falsehood. For they are deceived and do deceive, as not knowing truth sincerely, nor confessing that which they know, to their own perdition. So do they draw us from heaven, and call us from the true God unto these material things: They disorder our life, trouble our dreams, creep secretly into our bodies, as being thin spirits, forge diseases, terrify minds, distort members, that they may force us to a worship of them, when after a sacrifice of beasts, and feasting at their altars, they seem to be appeased, and release, and cure those whom they had afflicted. These are also the causes of those mad men whom you see break forth into the streets. Their own Prophets also are sometimes possessed when they are forth the temple, they roll their heads and rage. These spirits incite both, although to a divers purpose. And from them proceed those things of which you have before spoken, when jupiter caused a new celebration of sports according to a dream, when the little ship did follow the matrons girdle, when the Castor's were seen with their ●orses. The most of you do know, that these spirits confess so much of themselves, as often, as by us with torments of words and fire of prayers they are driven out of bodies. Saturn himself and Serapis and jupiter, and all the the rest of your Gods whom you worship, are with grief commanded to speak what they are plainly. Neither would they lie to there own disgrace, especially when many of you are present. When they do thus confess truth of themselves, then believe from there own witness that they are evil spirits. when we conjure them by the only true God, they hardly stay in possessed bodies, and either presently leap forth 〈◊〉 vanish by degrees, as the fair● of the patiented helps, or th● grace of God's minister prevails, So do they shun the presence of Christians, whom a fare of they provoke in your rioting assemblies. And therefore insinuating themselves into the affections of undiscerning people, they dare but privily incite you to a hatred of us through fear. For 'tis natural to hate whom we fear, and to do all the mischief we can upon those, of whom we seem to stand in danger. So do they forestall your minds and shut up your breasts from right understanding, that men undertake to hate us before they know what we are, least knowing, they should either follow our example, or leave off to pursue our condemnation. But how great a crime it is to pass sentence upon men unknown, untried, which you do, believe our earnest repentance. For we were as you are, and in a blind stupidness we thought as you: that Christians did worship monsters, devour Infants, make incestuous banquets; neither would we understand, that these fables were still talked of, but never searched unto proof, when never any was found to give evidence herein, although he was sure to have pardon for the fact, and favour for the indictment. And surely this crime imputed to the Christians was so nothing, as any of them brought in question of his faith, did neither blush at it, nor fear, only repenting that he had not been a Christian sooner. Yet we who did undertake to defend and preserve in judgement, persons sacrilegious, incestuous, and even Parricides, were of mind that these Christians ought not to be heard speak for themselves. And many times as it were out of pity did use on them rageful cruelty, to force a denial of their belief, that they might not dye; using in these things a most perverse trial, not to clear truth but to extort falsehood, when if any did deny himself a Christian through infirmity, overpressed and vanquished with torment, we did favour him presently, as if such denial and abjuring had made sufficient expiation for all his faults. Do you not see your own thoughts and actions in us? When if reason had been judge, and not the instigation of those evil spirits, these men should rather have been urged to confess their incests, adulteries, impious ceremonies, and immolation of Infants, then to unsay their Christianity. For with those fables have your spirits filled the ears of ignorant people to raise in them a horrible execration of us: But no wonder if you do not here urge the question, since fame which is nourished by dispersion of lies perisheth at the declaration of truth. Such is the business of your spirits: they did sow, they did foment this most false rumour; and from thence it is that you hear, our divine secrecy should be an Ass' head. Who would be so foolish as to worship this? Or who is not more fool to have this imagination of us, but that you do all-over consecrate yourselves for Asses, by worshipping the Lady Epona in your stable, and sacrificing the same Asses religiously, to your Goddess Isis? Ox heads also and the heads of weathers you both sacrifice and worship. You dedicate Gods in shape half goats and half men, half Lions and half dogs; and do you not with the Egyptians both worship and feed the heifer Apis? Neither do you condemn their other religious rites appointed to serpent's crocodiles, beasts, birds, and fishes; and if any kill a God of these, he must by the law suffer death. The same Egyptians with many of yourselves, do not fear Is●s more, than you also fear the acrimony of Oignions', nor more tremble at Serapis, than a crack sent forth at our neither hole. Also he who tales it forth, that we worship the vir●lities of our Priest, doth but labour to put on us their own brutish behaviour. For these may well be their sacred ceremonies, with whom all filthiness is called urbanity: who envy the licentiousness of the stews, who lick men's privities, and with a libidinous mouth muzzle in shameful parts. Whose tongues are nought in silence, who are sooner weary than ashamed of their immodesty. O the horrible sin! they admit that voluntary filthiness in themselves, which younger age cannot brook, nor the basest slave be forced unto. These like ordurs, it is not lawful for us to hear, & many of us dare not be of counsel with such offenders. And you feign these unworshipfull things of our chaster modesty, which we could never believe possible amongst men, except you did prove them upon yourselves. Also whereas you ascribe unto our adoration a man criminal and his cross, in a nearness and bordering of truth you lose yourselves fare away to think, that with us a criminal person might deserve, or a mortal man might obtain to be esteemed a Deity. For certain, he is a man most miserable, whose hope leans upon mortality, and whose help must needs perish in a man's death. Indeed the Egyptians somewhere make choice of a man whom they may worship, him alone they make propitious, him they consult, to him they offer sacrifice; yet he who is thus a God to others, feels himself a man, whether he will or no: neither can he in deluding the conscience of others, deceive his own. Also unto Princes and Kings, not as to great and choice men (for this is lawful) but as unto Gods, your flattery doth shamefully give adoration; when to a right worthy man, honour more truly, and to an excellent good man, love more sweetly is due. So they call on their Deity, supplicate their statues, implore his Genius, that is, his spirit: and safer it is with you to foresweare by jupiter then the Genius of a King. Crosses we neither worship nor pray unto. But clearly, you who consecrate Gods of wood, do peradventure adore wooden crosses, as parts of your Gods. For your ensigns, and your Eagle●, and banners of the armies, what are they but guilded and adorned crosses? Your victorious trophies have not only the similitude of a simple cross, but they imitate the very person of a crucified man. Indeed naturally we see in a ship the sign of a cross, when she is carried under full sails, or when she glides along with an expansion of oars, and when the tongue of a wain or the sweape of a coach is erected, there is the sign of the cross; likewise, when a man spreading out his hands to heaven doth with pure mind beseech God's mercy so are your reasonable occasions, or your religions form with the crosses sign. Now I would willingly meet with that man, who either says or believes that we are initiated with the slaughter or blood of an infant. Do you think it possible, that our hearts should be so hard as to wound mortally such tender little members? Can any man be so savage as to strike, pour out, and exhauste the half blood of a young tender child, that is scarce yet mankind? No man can believe this but such a one as dares do it. For I see you expose unto beasts and birds, children begotten by yourselves, sometimes with a lamentable sort of death strangle the little children. There be Mothers amongst you who in their own bowels do with potions extinguish the hope of children, and make a Parricide before they have brought it forth, & these things are from the discipline of your Gods. For Saturn did not expose, but devour his Sons: wherefore in some parts of Africa, children are to him sacrificed by their parents, kissing and coling the Infants sportfully, that the sacrifice may not be with lamentation. It was a custom with the Pontic Taurians and the Egyptian Busiris to kill strangers in sacrifice, and with the Gauls to make humane or rather inhuman oblations. The Romans did inter in the earth a live sacrifice of a Grecian man and woman, with Gauls likewise, and at this day the latiall jupiter is worshipped with homicide: And that which well enough beseems the son of Saturn, a wicked and criminal man, he is glutted with blood. Peradventure he taught Catyline to league his conjuration in blood, to imbrue with man's blood the Goddess Bellona: and with the blood of a man to heal the falling sickness seems his prescription, a cure greater than the disease. Nor are they much less barbarous, who from the public sand taking beasts bedaubed and infected with the blood, garbage and members of men, have the stomach to devour them. 'tis not lawful for us to see homicide, nor hear it, and we are so afeard of humane blood, that even our tables know no service made with the blood of beasts. And that fable of an incestuous banquet is certainly a lie forged at a consultation of your spirits, to maculate the glory of our chaste life with an aversion of such difformed infamy; with the terror of it to keep men off from enquiring the truth. And your Fronto delivers not this as a witness but as an orator, to raise upon us a contumelious aspersion. These are things more properly belonging to your own superstition: it is amongst the Persians sufferable by law for children to mingle with their Mothers; with the Egyptians and Athenians, brothers and sisters marry legally. Your Annals and tragedies glory in incests, which you willingly read and hear: and so you worship incestuous Gods, who have lain with Mother, daughter, and sister. Incest is therefore often deprehended amongst you, and ever committed: also many times you may unwillingly rush upon these horrors, whilst you scatter your Venery promiscuously, whilst you every where sow children: whilst also those who are borne at home, you do frequently expose to the mercy of strangers, it is not possible but your lust must often light upon your own children. So having yourselves no conscience of incest, you do the more easily tie the fable of incest upon our backs. But we make our chastity good not only in show but in mind also. We willingly contain ourselves in the tie of one marriage. We have a desire of procreation only, or no desire at all, we keep our banquets not only modest but sober. For we give not ourselves over to feasting nor protract it with strong drink, we temper our mirth with gravity, with honest discourse, and greater chastity of our bodies: many do rather enjoy themselves in the perpetual virginity of an inviolate body, than glory in it. In conclusion we are so fare from incestuous lust, as many do even blush at a modest conjunction. Neither are we presently the raff of people, if we refuse your honours and purples: neither are we squeamish in all things, if we all be of one good mind, and and come together in our congregations with a quiet privacy: nor do we prate in corners, although you either shame or fear to hear us in a public assembly. And that our number doth every day increase, it is no criminal imputatiom of error, but a praiseworthy evidence of our truth. For a fair kind of living doth both retain us, and invite others. We discern not one another by marks of body as you think, but by appearance of innocent and modest life. And that which grieves you to see, we live in mutual love, because we know not how to hate: and so, to your envy, we call one another brothers, as being servants of one God our Father, consorts of faith, and coheirs of hope; when you proudly do disdain to acknowledge others, and rage with mutual hatred, neither own any for brothers but by Parricide. But do you imagine we hide our worship, because we have no Temples, no Altars? what image then would you have us frame for God, when if you rightly consider, man himself is God's image? what Temple shall I build unto him, when this whole world his work cannot contain him? and and when I that am but a man rejoice to live more freely, shall I include the power of so great majesty in a small shrine? Is he not much better in a dedication of our mind, in a consecration of our inmost breast? What great or less sacrifice of beasts shall I offer to God, which he hath created for my use? This cannot be a thing of grateful acceptance; but the more winning oblation must be a good intention, a pure mind and a sincere conscience. He who love's innocency, doth supplicate unto God, he that love's justice, doth him libation, he that abstaines from deceit, makes God propitious, and whoever rescues a man from danger, makes the most glorious sacrifice. These are our sacrifices, these are holy things with God: so he with us is most religious that is most just. But we do not show the God we worship, nor do we see him? Nay therefore we believe him to be a God, because we can perceive him, though we see him not. For in his works and in all the motions of the world we ever behold the presence of his power: when he thunders, when he sends forth lightning, when he strikes with thunder, when he clears the air. Neither ought you to wonder if you do not see God. All things are driven, hurled, and shaken with blasts of wind, yet the wind, the blasts, come not under our sight. Hardly can we endure to see the sun which is cause of sight to all, for his rays keep off our sight and dim the eyes of the beholder: and if you gaze on it any long while, it exstinguisheth the sight. How then may you sustain the creator of the sun, the very fountain of light; when from his lightning and thunder you hide your selves? you will see God with your carnal eyes, when you cannot see your own soul by which you live and speak. But God knows not men's actions and being seated in heaven, either he surveys not all, or he is ignorant in many particulars? O man thou dost err and art deceived. How can God be fare off, when all things in heaven and earth, and things beyond this province of the world are all full of God? he is every where not only near but infused into us. Look again upon the sun he is fixed to heaven, yet he sparkles himself through all the earth, he is alike present every where, and he is mingled with all things; for his clearness is never violated. How much more than must God the author of all things, and overseer of all things, from whom there can be nothing secret, be present in any darkness, even in the greater darkness of our thoughts. We do not only live under him, but as I had almost said, we live with him. Neither toy we an argument from the great multitude of ourselves: to ourselves we seem many, but to him we are but few. We distinguish kindreds and nations: all this world is but one house to God. Kings know the affairs of their state by the ministry of officers, God needs no intimation; we live not only in his eyes but in his bosom: if you say that it nothing profitted the Jews to worship this one God in the greatest height of superstition with Altars and Temples, you err out of ignorance, unwitting their ancient glory, and only minding their later calamities. For as long as they worshipped our God (who is the God of all) chastely, innocently, religiously, as long as they obeyed his wholesome precepts; of a few they were made innumerable, of poor rich, of slaves Kings; a few of them unarmed, did pursue great flying armies and bear them down, the very Elements at Gods command fight for them. Read over their stories, or if you are more pleased with the Romans relation, to pass by the more ancient, see Flavius josephus or Antonius julianus concerning the jews: you shall then find that they deserved their evil fortune by their wickedness: and that nothing happened unto them which was not foretold, if they should persevere in their rebellion. You shall perceive that they did first forsake God, before he forsook them; and that they were not as you impiously deliver, taken captive with their Gods but by him yielded up, as men forsaking his discipline. As for the conflagration of the world, that fire shall fall on a sudden; or to believe this thing possible, it is the common received opinion. And for the wiser sort of men, who of them doubts, who is ignorant, that all things which have a beginning must have an end, and all that is made must likewise perish, and that heaven with all things contained in it must end as it began. 'tis the constant opinion of the Stoics, that the heavens are nourished with the exhalation of fresh and salted waters, and must pass away with a violence of fire, when all this world in a consumption of the moisture shall burn with flames. And for the conflagration of the Elements and the ruin of the world, the Epicureans are of the same mind. Plato says the parts of the world are sometimes drowned with waters, sometimes burnt with fire, and when he says, that the world was made perpetual and never to be dissolved, yet he adds, that to God's power it is both mortal and perishing. So than it is no wonder, if this great heap of things be destroyed by him who pleased to make it; & Philosophers dispute the same things with us; not that we follow their steps; but that they from the divine predictions of the Prophets have intermingled a shadow of truth in their writings. So also the chief of your wise men, first Pythagoras and especially Plato delivered though in a corrupt scant manner the condition of our living again. For after a dissolution of our bodies, they will have our souls remain perpetually, and make a diverse transmigration into new bodies; and to distort the truth they add, that the souls of men must return into tame beasts, into wild beasts and birds. Certainly this their opinion is not worthy the serious study of a Phlosopher, but resembles the contumelious jesting of a stage. But for our purpose 'tis enough that wise men do in this also somewhat agree with us. And can any be so foolish or brutish, that he dare deny it as easy for God to reform men anew, as to frame them in the beginning? Are they nothing after their death? So were they nothing before their being; as they were borne out of nothing, why may not they out of nothing be repaired? Moreover it must needs seem more difficult to begin that which was not, then to reiterate that which was. Do you think that things perish to God, because they are withdrawn from the view of our eyes, every body whether he be dried into dust, or dissolved into water, or clodded into ashes, or extenuated into vapour, is taken indeed from us, but may still be reserved unto God the keeper of the Elements. Neither do we as you think fear any loss in a sepulture of fire, but we frequent rather the more ancient and better custom of interring, out of a civil consideration. See how nature every where doth as it were for our comfort point out a future resurrection. The Sun drowns itself in the waves, and rises again, the stars slide away, and return, the flowers dye and spring again. The bushes cast their leaves, and again grow green, and seeds if they do not rot cannot receive a new growth: so our bodies like trees in the winter they hide their greenness in a dry disguise. Why do you make such haste, will you have trees renew their greenness in the depth of winter? So must our bodies expect their spring. And I am not ignorant that many out of a conscience of their ill deservings, do rather wish to be nothing after death than believe it: for they had rather be utterly extinguished, then return to a reparation of torments. These men's error is increased by the licentiousness Of the world and the great patience of God, whose judgement the more slow it is, the more just it will be▪ yet are they put in remembrance by the books of the most learned men, and the poet's verses, of a fierce flood and the often circling heat of the Stygian lake prepared for eternal punishments, as the tradition is from their spirits own notice, and the oracles of the prophets. And therefore king jupiter himself he swears religiously by those fierce torrents and the black gulf, at which ordained for the punishment of him and his worshippers he trembles before hand, seeing these torments have neither measure nor ending. There the wise fire burns the body & restores it, it rends and repares: as the flames of lightning blast the body and not consume it, as the fires of Aetna and Veswius, and other burning earths, still flame and spend not: so that penal fire is not fed with the impairing of those that are burnt, but nourished with the everlasting torture of their bodies. And that they are thus worthily tormented for impious and unjust, who do not know God, none but a profane man can call in question; when it is no less sin not to know, then to offend the Father and Lord of all things. And although not knowing God be sufficient cause for punishment, as the knowing him may avail for pardon, yet if we Christians for point of life be compared with you, howsoever your discipline in many things is beyond ours, we shall be found assuredly the better men. For you forbidden adulteries and do them: we only in this kind are known men by our wives. You punish crimes committed, with us thoughts are guilty. You fear others that are conscious of your sins, we fear our own conscience, without whose peace we cannot enjoy ourselves. In brief the prisons are filled with your numbers; there is no Christian but whom you make guilty of his religion, or who hath departed from this. Nor let any man seek comfort or excuse for his sins in destiny. For if there were a God of destiny as you enshrine him, yet the mind is free, and the action not the person of a man must suffer judgement. And what is destiny but that which God hath forespoken of us? Who when he might foreknow our conditions, hath determined of every one of us, according to our merits & quality. So is not our nativity condemned, but punishment is appointed for the ill nature of our disposition. And thus in few words enough of destiny, of which I have more largely and truly disputed in another place. Then whereas you say the greatest part of us are poor, this is not our infamy but glory: for as the mind grows dissolute in abundance, so it is confirmed with frugality. Yet who can be accounted poor who doth not want, who gapes not after the goods of other men, who is rich towards God? He is the most poor, who when he hath much desires more. And I will speak as I think: no man can be so poor as he is borne. The birds live without a patrimony, the beasts look but for their daily food: yet these are made for us, and if we covet not at all these things, we possess them. Therefore as he that travails a journey, goes best that goes lightest, so in this waifaring life he is more happy that easily bears his poverty, than he which pants with the burden of riches. And yet if we deemed riches useful, we might ask them of God, and he may out of indulgency bestow something on us. But we had rather despise riches then be their jealous keepers. We rather desire innocency, and earnestly beg patience of him, we had rather be good then prodigal: and if we feel and suffer in our bodies the casualties of mankind, this is not a punishment, but an excercise. For valour is hardened with infirmities, and calamity is often the Mother of virtue. And in brief the strength both of body and mind doth languish without laborious excercise, and all your valiant men whom you praise for example, they have most flourished in memory for the famous bearing of their miseries. God therefore who is the ruler of all, and who dearly love's those that be his, doth not despise us, and he is able to give present help, although he seem to forbear. For in adversities he searches and tries our resolution, in dangers he weighs our dispositions, even to the last hazard of death he questions the wills of men, being secure that nothing can perish from him, and as gold with fire, so are we approved by hard encounters. What a fair spectacle it is for God, when a Christian enters the lists with grief, composes an endurance against threats, punishments, and torments? When with laughter he insults upon the hurry of death and horror of execution, when he erects his liberty against Kings and Princes, yields only to God, to whom he belongs? When like a triumphant victor he glories over the judge that pronounces his sentence: and victory it is, when a man hath achieved that he sought for. What soldier will not more boldly provoke danger under the eyes of the General? For none can have rewards before he hath given experiment of himself: and yet a General cannot give that which he hath not; he cannot prolong life, though he can honour a soldier's worth. But the soldier of God, is neither forsaken in his pain, nor ends his life in death, and may be thought but never found miserable. You yourselves do praise calamitous men unto the heavens, amongst others, Mutius Scaevola who when he had mistaken his attempt upon the King, had died amongst his enemies if he had not shown unto them such an example of courage in the burning of his right hand. And how many of our men have endured without out-cries the burning unto ashes not of their right hand only but their whole body, when it was in their power by denial of their belief to be let go, and live freely? Do I compare the men of ours with Mucius, with Aquilius, with R●gulus? The very Children and women among us by an inspired patience of grief, do despise and laugh at your crosses, y●… torments, your wild beasts, and all your contemptible terrors of punishment. And you miserably will not understand that no man would, either without great reason undergo, or could without God's aid abide such torments. Except that deceive you, because men not knowing God do flow in riches, flourish in honours, and excel in power. Unhappy men, these are raised high, that their fall may be greater: like sacrifices they are fatted unto punishment, and like beasts are crowned for slaughter. Some of them are for this lifted up unto Empires and dominations that they may sell the dispositions of their wicked souls unto all licentiousness of free power. For without the knowledge of God what solid felicity can there be; which passes like a dream, and slides away almost before it is possessed. Art thou a King? Thou dost fear as thou art feared: and although thou be guarded with great retinue, yet art thou but one man obnoxious to infinite dangers. Art thou rich? But fortune is deceitful of trust, and with great provision the short journey of life is rather burdened then instructed. Dost thou glory in thy purples and ensigns of dignity? 'tis a vain error of men, and an empty pomp to shine in purple, and be sordid in the mind. Art thou descended from ancient nobility? Thou dost herein but praise thy parents: yet are we all borne of equal condition, and in truth only distinguished by virtue. We therefore who make our estimation only by manners and modest behaviour, abstain willingly from your evil pleasures, your evil pomps, and spectacles: the beginnings of which we know to be unholy, and the continuance full of damnable allurements. For in your racing sports with chariots, who would not detest the mad contestation of your people's part taking? In your fencers, who doth not abhor a discipline of murder? In your stage sports there is no less fury, and more obscenity, for now the actor doth either dilate adulteries or present them, now in a wanton manner feigning love he puts the spectators into earnest lust: and then dishonours your Gods by personating their adulteries, their lamentations, their hatreds, then with dissembled griefs, vain gestures and fears he provokes your tears. So in a lie you bewail the deaths of men and love to behold them in a true execution. And if we share not the relics of your sacrificing feasts, and the goblets which are first poured forth unto your idols, this is no confession of fear, but an assertion of true liberty. For although every thing that grows as being the inviolable gift of God cannot by your missusance be condemned: yet we abstain, lest any should think we did by this yield ourselves subject unto your spirits, or that we were something ashamed of our own religion. And who is he that doubts whether we do refresh ourselves with the flowers of the spring, when we take the rose and the lily, and whatsoever else in flowers hath fairness of smell and colour; with these lose and soft we strow our houses, and with some bound up we fill our bosoms. Indeed you must pardon us if we crown not our heads with them. For we use to draw the air of a sweet flower with our nostrils, not with our hair and hinder part of our head. Neither do we put garlands upon the dead. Rather in this we wonder at you, why you should give unto the dead who feel nothing, your torches and your coronets of flowers, when if he be happy he now wants them not, and misery cannot rejoice in flowers. But we prepare our burials in the same tranquillity with which we live. We put not on them a fading crown, but we expect for them a crown ever fresh with eternal flowers: we use the liberality of our God with moderation, and secure in the hope of future felicity, we are encouraged in confidence of his Majesty ever present with us. So we rise again to happiness, and we in a pleasing contemplation of what we shall be. Wherefore let Socrates your gibing Athenian look to it, who humoured himself in a confession of knowing nothing, howsoever he be glorious in the judgement of a most false spirit. Let Arcesilas, Carneades, and Pyrrho, and all the Academic multitude perpetually deliberate, let also Simonides still put off his resolution; we contemn the brows of the Philosophers, whom we know to have been corrupters of youth, and adulterous, and Tyrants, and ever eloquent against their own vices. We who pretend not wisdom by a strange habit, but an integrity of mind, do not speak but live in a great manner: we glory to have found that which they sought with great ambition & could not obtain. Why are we ingrateful? Why are we envious to ourselves, if the true knowledge of divinity hath come to be ripely apprehended in our age? Let us enjoy our blessing, & let us be temperate in a right understanding: Let superstition be restrained, impiety be expiated, true religion be preserved. When Octavius had ended his oration, for a while we in an amazed silence did fix our eyes upon him; and as for myself, I almost knew not where I was through an excess of admiration, whereas he had with arguments, examples, and authorities of reading beautifully delivered those things, which it is easier to think then express: & that he had beaten down our malevolent adversaries with their own armour of Philosophy and had showed truth to be not only easy but favourable. Whilst I did in silence run over these things with myself, Cecilius broke forth and spoke after this manner. I thank octavius for the tranquillity in which we are now like to live, and I repute myself happy not expecting the delivery of your sentence. We have all overcome, and I am forward to usurp the victory. For as he hath overcome me, so have I made a triumhpe of error, Therefore to the main part of the question I come in and say. That I acknowledge providence, believe in God, and consent to the sincerity of our sect. Something yet remains, not quarrelsome against truth but necessary for a perfect institution; of which (because the sun is now near his declination) I shall to morrow more conveniently and readily be informed by you. Then said ●, 'tis to me great joy in all respects; Octavius hath done me a pleasure in his victory, when he hath so taken from me, the envy of being a judge, neither can I recompense his desert with a verbal praise. The acclamation of one man is but a weak testimony. God reward his own gift; by him he was inspired to speak, and with his help he hath obtained this happy victory. After this we joyfully and merrily departed. Cecilius because he now believed, Octavius because he had overcome, and I because they both were so well pleased in their belief and victory.  
Deo soli gracia.   

A good Friday thought.  
I Think how Christ in his great pleasure took  
A humane likeness often in the book  
Of man's creation, learning as it were,  
How in times fullness Deity could bear  
The earnest of our flesh, in it be borne,  
Grow up to three and thirty, then be torn  
With scourges and the cross, be crowned with thorns,  
Surprised by treason and revild with scorns,  
Be buffeted, be spit on to restore  
Those cruel actors to his love and lore,  
From which both they and we by serpent's wile  
In our first parents fall until this while  
For eating some forbidden fatal fruit,  
Fig, Pear, or Apple, which, I not dispute,  
Astonished with the wonder of God's play,  
Amongst the sons of men, from whence well may  
We name our Gospel. He who framed all  
With one word, might without a funeral  
And passion of himself so all repair  
With one new pleasing breath and grateful air.  
But since for humane ransom he would die,  
I thus think on the sacred history,  
As from the holy Moor I learn. Behold  
the price of man's redemption, and be bold,  
To bless all nations, Christ his blood poured forth,  
What ransom may be equal to such worth?  
What but all tribes of men? Ingrateful they  
Or very proud, who dare or think, or say,  
Themselves so great, or this so small, that none,  
Should be by such price saved but they alone.   

A Christmas Caroll.  
Since now the jolly season's by  
That gives and takes in courtesy,  
I than have nought to give will sing  
A carol to our infant king,  
The Prince of peace, the mighty Lord,  
who all created with a word.  
And might so have mankind redeemed,  
Had not another way 〈◊〉 seemed,  
Which I adore not daring pry  
In secrets of Divinity.  
Hail blessed Virgin, mother mild,  
Which at this time didst bear a child,  
Who in the book of Genesis  
Doth bruise the head of serpent's hiss,  
And so as in allegory  
Would their emblem Grandsire worry.  
His cradle was a manger, fed  
Where be the serpents, and do bed  
In loathsome ordure near, else place  
Should by Mariamnes grace  
In Herod's softest down have been  
For a fairer Virgin Queen.  
Whose burden puzzling natures eye.  
Made a new brightness shine in sky,  
To guide three wise men rap't in sense,  
With gold, with myrrh, with frankomsense,  
From their Stargazing Eastern stage  
To Bethlem in holy pilgrimage.  
When round about poor 〈◊〉 swains  
Grazing their sheep on neighbour plains,  
God's glory first by night did show,  
And from an Angel let them know  
Tidings of joy to all mankind,  
Which they in David's town should find.  
A swaddling child amongst beasts stored,  
A Saviour which is Christ the Lord,  
Born King of jews and Gentiles all,  
Who in full time united shall  
Humbly unto him bend, and praise,  
His triumph with eternal lays.  
Of many proofs which make belief  
In Christ so borne, this one is chief.  
The jews who scorned his low●y birth,  
Are scattered over all the earth,  
In false Christ's oft by thousand lost,  
From on land to another tossed.  
Their Priest's, Scribes, all jerusalem,  
Which troubled were at birth of him,  
Have lost their Tribes, their Temple, state,  
A people, outcast, runagate.  
Now for one thousand thirty one  
And full six hundred years undone.  
Blessed infant, sacred Deity  
So shrouded in humanity,  
Preserve this new year to my friends  
From thoughts ill ravelld into ends.  
Vouchsafe me and my slender rhymes,  
Not fawning on these feigning times.  
Then shall I on thine Altarly  
In Anthem of Ascending day,  
As erst I have at Easter done,  
Thy Threnothriambeuticon.   

A Hymn on Christ's ascension.  

TO thy passion and thy birth  
Blessed Lord I have two anthems sung,  
Once more to sing in holy mirth  
Thy ascending glory lose my tongue,  
That I with wonder and with praise,  
May set forth all thy holy days   

Borne lowly, then on shameful Cross  
By jews and Romans judged to dye,  
In birth or death not any loss,  
Impeached thy immortality.  
Like Phoebus after clouds of rain,  
Thy Godhead lustred forth again.   

Ascending thou to men didst give,  
To meanest men such gifts of grace,  
As whether they did dye or live,  
They forced all hearts in highest place,  
To prostrate sceptre, sword and crown  
With worship to thy chief renown.   

Poor fishermen of lakes that were  
Unapt to sway with eloquence,  
That knew not how to menace spear,  
Or blandish words that ravish sense,  
Even these poor Herald's voice did tame  
And win all nations to thy name.   

When I am lifted up saith he  
In holy Gospel of saint John,  
Then all men will I draw to me  
That is to his confession.  
To heaven from cratch and cross he went,  
With men and Angels merriment.   

Triumphant lord no tongue, no thought,  
Can reach the wonder of thy ways,  
But we must say as Paul hath taught,  
Unto thy everlasting praise,  
The mystery of godliness  
Is such as no tongue can express.   

God in the flesh made manifest  
In the spirit justified.  
Seen of the angels ever blessed,  
To the Gentles verified.  
Believed on in the world his story,  
Was up received into glory.   
FINIS.