A Key Opening Mysterious Texts of Scripture, Collection of sermons 4 · Sermon 35
FOURE ROWES OF PRECIOUS STONES. A Rehearſall Sermon preached in Saint Maries Church at Oxford, Anno 1610. THE XXXV. SERMON.
EXOD. 28.15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21.
15. And thou ſhalt make the breaſt-plate of judgement with cunning worke.
16. Foure ſquare ſhall it be, being doubled.
17. And thou ſhalt ſet in it ſettings of ſtones, even foure rowes of ſtones: the order ſhall be this, a Rubie, a Topaze, and an Emrald, in the firſt rowe.
18. And in the ſecond row thou ſhalt ſet a Carbuncle, a Saphir, and a Diamond.
19. And in the third row a Turkeiſe, and an Agate, and an Amethiſt.
20. And in the fourth row a Beril, and an Onyx, and a Jaſper: and they ſhall be ſet in gold in their incloſings or imboſments, Hebrew, fillings.
21. And the ſtones ſhall bee with the names of the children of Iſrael, twelve, according to their names, like the engravings of a ſignet, every one with his name ſhall they be, according to the twelve Tribes.
Right Worſhipfull, &c.
QUintilian aInſtitut. orat. lib. 1. cap. 1.inſtructing parents how to lay the ground-colours of vertues in the ſoft mindes of tender infants, and acquaint them with the rudiments of learning, adviſeth, Eburneas literarum formas iis in luſum offerre, To give them the letters of the Alphabet fairely drawne, painted or carved in ivory, gold, or the like ſolid and delectable matter, to play withall, that by their ſports, as it were, unawares thoſe ſimple formes might be imprinted in their memories, whereby we expreſſe all the notions of our mind in writing: even ſo it pleaſed our heavenly Father, in the infancy and nonage of his Church, to winne her love with many glorious ſhewes of rites and ceremonies, as it were coſtly babies, repreſenting the body of her husband Chriſt Jeſus: and to the end ſhe might with greater delight, quaſi per luſum, get by heart the principles of ſaving knowledge, and eaſilier ſpell the letters of the Goſpel, he vouchſafed to worke them in embroidered ſilkes, and engrave them in gold, ſilver, and ſuch precious treaſure as fill the rowes in my text. Thus much concerning the legall Hieroglyphicks we learne by St. Paul, who in his Epiſtles to the Galathians, Corinthians, and Hebrewes, expounding divers types and ſtories of the old law ſpiritually, ſatis oſtendit caetera quo que ejuſdem eſſe intelligentiae, bHieron. ep. ad Fabiol.teacheth us plainly that the reſt are of the ſame nature, and admit of the like interpretation. And hereto S.cIn Cant. hom. 1. Origen fitteth the words ſpoken to the Spouſe in the Canticles, Faciemus tibi ſimilitudines auri, cum puncturis argenti, we will make thee golden reſemblances of true things, cum *With certain points, rayes, notes, or ſparkles of ſpirituall meaning.puncturis argenti, id eſt, ſcintillis quibuſdam ſpiritualis intelligentiae. According to which alluſive interpretation of that allegorizing Writer, the gold it ſelfe of the Altar was but a ſimilitude of the true gold,dApoc. 3.18. I counſell thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou maiſt be rich. profered by our Saviour to the Angell of Laodicea, and the precious ſtones named in my text are but ſimilitudes of that precious ſtone to which St.e1 Pet. 2.6. Peter pointeth, Behold, I lay in Sion a chiefe corner ſtone, elect, precious: whereupon St.fJer. in Ezek. de gemmis coro. Reg. Tyr. 28.13. Jerome ſweetly inferres, that all the Jewels mentioned in my text are to bee ſold by the wiſe Chriſtian Merchant, to buy that foreign, pearle of great price mentioned in the gMat. 13.46.Goſpel; Omnes iſtae gemmae Prophetarum & Apoſtolorum ſunt, quae comparatione Chriſti venduntur in Evangelio, ut ematur preciociſsima Margarita.
hMart. ep. l. 5.Sardonychas, Smaragd', Adamantas, Jaſpidas, uno
Portat in articulo ſtella, Severe, tuus.
O Severus, thou ſetteſt out thy miſtreſſe moſt richly, with every joint in her fingers laden with Jewels, Rubies, Emralds, Jaſpers, and Diamonds: but pardon me if I beleeve there are more gemmes of art in thy verſes, than of nature on her fingers.
Multas in digitis, plures in carmine gemmas
Invenies: inde eſt haec puto culta manus.
Behold here in Aarons breaſt-plate all thoſe and many more precious ſtones, in all twelve, bearing the name of the twelve Patriarkes, ſet in ouches of gold, and tied to the golden rings of the Ephod, a ſacred veſtment which Aaron and his ſucceſſours were to put on before they gave judgement, when the people asked counſell of God. So much of the pectorall is cleerely ſet downe in this booke: but that Aarons breaſt-plate of judgement was a perfect aſtrolab is but Abenezra his fantaſie without judgement, refuted by Toſtatus. Likewiſe, that together with the names of the Patriarkes there was engraven in every ſtone the name of ſome Starre or Angel, ut confirmaretur memoria tribus apud Deum, is but a muddie talmuddie tradition, implying ridiculouſly and impiouſly, that God needeth or uſeth the helps of artificiall memorie.iAntiq. Judaic. l. 3. c. 9. Per duodecimas gemmas quas in pecto… …ontifex inſu… … in bello …toriam Deus pronunciare ſolebat. Nam priuſquam exercitus ſe moveret, tantus fulgor ex iis emicabat, ut toti populo facilè innoteſceret adeſle Deum, opem que iis eſſe allaturum. Joſephus telleth us a faire tale (and Baronius graceth his annals with it) of an unuſuall and marvellous lightning of ſome of theſe gemmes, which clearly foreſhewed victory to the people when they asked counſell of God by the Ephod, before they went into warre: a ſtrange kinde of propheticall illumination, not by the irradiation of the Spirit into their mindes, but by the ſcintillation and luſtre of ſtones to the eye. But the Scriptures ſilence in a matter of ſuch note, and Joſephus his owne confeſſion, that for the ſpace of two hundred yeares before his time there was no ſuch new kind of ſoothſaying (not by the aſpect of the heavens, but of the Prieſts breaſt, not by twinckling ſtarres, but by ſparkling ſtones) giveth us juſt cauſe to ſuſpect the truth of this narration; and much more of an appendix thereunto which we find in Suidas and Epiphanius, that the Diamond in the ſecond row of ſtones, as it cleerely foreſhewed victorie by the extraordinary glare of it; ſo it portended bloody ſlaughter by ſuddenly turning into a red colour, and finall deſolation by changing into blacke. For in the booke of Judges we have the manner of Gods revealing future events to the Prieſts when they had on the linnen Ephod, ſet downe not by mute ſignes, but by created voyce; and therefore St.lQu. 117. in Exod. Auſtine accounteth the former relation to be a meere fable: Fabulantur quidam lapidem fuiſſe, cujus color, ſive ad proſpera, ſive ad adverſa, mutaretur. Howbeit, ſith themCa. 18. v. 24. Author of the booke of wiſedome affirmeth, that the glorie, or, as others tranſlate, the memorable acts of the patriarches were engraven in the foure rowes of ſtones, whether in the choyce of theſe jewels, reſpect were not had to ſuch as fitteſt reſembled by their beautie or vertue ſomething memorable concerning the Patriarch, or his poſteritie whoſe name it bare, I determine not abſolutely on either ſide. Firſt, becauſe neither the Jewiſh nor the Chriſtian Interpreters agree in the reckoning of the ſtones, or the order of the Patriarches names engraven in them. The Thargum of Jeruſalem and the Chaldee Paraphraſe expreſſe them after this manner:
| Upon the | 1 Sardine, | was graven | 1 Reuben, | Sonnes of Leah. |
| 2 Topaze, | 2 Simeon, | |||
| 3 Smaragd, | 3 Levi, | |||
| 4 Chalcedonie, | 4 Judah, | |||
| 5 Saphir, | 5 Iſſachar, | |||
| 6 Sardonyx, | 6 Zabulon, | |||
| 7 Hyacinth, | 7 Dan, | Of Bilhah Rachels maid. | ||
| 8 Chryſopraſe, | 8 Napthali, | |||
| 9 Amethyſt, | 9 Gad, | Of Zilpha Leahs maid. | ||
| 10 Chryſolite, | 10 Aſher, | |||
| 11 Beryll, | 11 Joſeph, | Of Rachel. | ||
| 12 Jaſper, | 12 Benjamin. |
Others differ in tranſlation of the ſtones, and conceive the names of the Patriarches to have beene graven in them according to the order of nature; according to which after Judah they place Dan, and then Napthali after Gad, then Aſher after Iſſachar, then Zabulon, then Joſeph and Benjamin.
The Author of the vulgar tranſlation, which the Councell of Trent defineth to be authenticall, thus ranketh the ſtones in the foure rowes:
In the firſt,
1 Sardius.
2 Topazius.
3 Smaragdus.
In the ſecond,
4 Carbunculus.
5 Saphirus.
6 Jaſpis.
In the third,
7 Ligyrius.
8 Achates.
9 Amethyſtus.
In the fourth,
10 Chryſolitus.
11 Onychinus.
12 Beryllus.
The Kings Tranſlatours thus:
In the firſt,
1 Sardius.
2 Topaze.
3 Carbuncle.
In the ſecond,
4 Emrald.
5 Saphire.
6 Diamond.
In the third,
7 Alygure.
8 Agate.
9 Amethyſt.
In the fourth,
10 Beryll.
11 Onyx.
12 Jaſper.
Secondly, becauſe Aben Ezra a great Rabbin ingenuouſly confeſſeth, that there is no certainty to be had of theſe ſtones and their diſtinction: becauſe Gehon interpreteth them Kirtſono at his pleaſure; neither is there extant any tradition in their Cabala concerning them: yet becauſe wee may have undoubted certainty of moſt of them, either from their names in the Hebrew or Chaldee, as of the Saphir, Turkeys, and Jaſper; or from their etymologies, or by comparing them with the twelve precious ſtones mentioned in the Apocalyps: and becauſe the rowes and ſtones in them may ſerve for places and Images in artificiall memory, to imprint more firmely in our mind ſome remarkable ſtory of the Patriarchs, whoſe names were engraven in them, I will obſerve ſome congruities between them.
1 The firſt precious ſtone is the Sardius, Sardonix, or Rubinus, in Hebrew Odem, ab Adam, ſignifying red earth, in Engliſh a Rubie; and the firſt ſonne of Jacob, whoſe name by the conſent of all was engraven in it, was Reuben. Behold Reuben in a Rubie. And as their names, ſo their qualities agree: a Rubie is an orient jewell, and Reuben is called thenGen. 49.3. excellency of dignity: yet the goodlieſt and moſt glorious Rubie, ſaithoComment. in Exod. Yſtella, nubeculâ quâdam offunditur, is over-ſhadowed with ſome cloud: ſo was Reubens glory, as it followeth ver. 4. Thou ſhalt not be excellent, becauſe thou wenteſt up to thy fathers bed. A Rubie in Latine is called Carneolus, in Greeke foreign, quaſi foreign, becauſe it is of the colour of fleſh: and did not Reuben deſerve the name of Carneolus, when hee had carnall ſociety with his fathers Concubine?
2 The ſecond ſtone is the Topaze; ſo the Seventy, Saint Jerome, Joſephus, Junius, and all the Tranſl…tours of note whom I have ſeen, render the Hebrew foreign: to whoſe authority I adde a conjecture out ofpGeogr. l. 6. Strabo, where he maketh mention of a precious ſtone found in the Iſland called Ophias, neere the Eaſterne Aethiopia, now called the countrey of the Abyſſens. This jewell he calleth foreign, from the great ſearch made for it, even by the Kings of Egypt, who, as he there ſaith, hired great multitudes to ſeeke for it in all places of the Iſland; and that after they found ſtore of them, the Iſland changed his name, and was called Topazium: which teſtimony of this Heathen Hiſtoriographer is ſomewhat confirmed by the words ofqJob 28.19. The Topaze of Aethiopia ſhall not equall it. Job, Non aequabitur ei Topazius Aethiopiae; Hebr. Phitdah cuſh. The Topaze is a Gemme (as the Naturaliſts deſcribe it) in the day time between a greene and yellow, but in the night of a fiery colour, which well reſembleth the fieryrGen. 49.6, 7. Jud. 9.2. rage of Simeon, the ſecond ſonne of Jacob, whoſe name was engraven in it.
3 The third ſtone is an Emrald, in the Chaldee is Smaragden, in the Arabick Zamrad, in Greeke foreign, in Latine Smaragdus, in Hebrew foreign derived from Baraq, Barqueth.ſignifying to lighten, becauſe this ſtone reſembleth lightning out of a thicke cloud; or, as Buxtorfius affirmeth, à fulgore, from the luſtre of it, which more delighteth the eye than the ſplendour of any other precious ſtones, becauſe it is a perfect greene ſtone, and doth not dazle the eye as others, but comforteth it rather.ſComment. in Exod. Borrhaeus writeth of it, that it is a great cooler and preſerver of chaſtity: hee reporteth alſo (I know not how truly) that being worne upon the finger of an uncleane perſon, in flagrante crimine fractus legitur, it brake ſuddenly, as a Venice glaſſe with poyſon. Which may put us in mind, as of the ſpeciall act oftGen. 34.27. Levi (whoſe name was engraven in this ſtone) mentioned in revenging his ſiſters rape upon the Sechemites, ſo in generall of chaſtity, of all men beſt becomming the Levites. Moreover, in that an Emrald glaſſe-like repreſenteth the ſhape of all things before it, and therefore Nero, asuNat. hiſt. l. 36. c. 5. Gladiatorum pugnas ſpect…bat Smaragdo. Pliny writeth, beheld all Pageants and Fencers prizes through his Emrald, we may take occaſion to remember St. Peters exhortation to Paſtors, who are the Levites of the Goſpel, to be*1. Pet. 5.3. foreign, ſamplars to their flocke, and in their lives to repreſent the perfect ſhapes of all vertues.
4 The fourth ſtone, according to Junius, is a Chryſopraſus or Chryſolite, in Hebrew Nophek, from foreign to blow or breathe, becauſe, asxDe Gem. Rueus writeth, this Gemme hath a ſingular vertue in helping the breathing parts, and curing thoſe that are ſhort breathed; but the Radicals in foreign are not the ſame with thoſe in Naphach; in the one the laſt Radicall is Cheth foreign, in the other it is Caph foreign, and therefore I rather render the word with the Geneva Tranſlatours, and Joſephus, andyDiction Heb. ex rad. David. …imhi. Munſter, the Carbuncle; becauſe the Seventy render it foreign, and St.zEzek 28.13. Jerome, excellently learned in the Hebrew, Carbunculus. This Gemme is of a red colour, glowing like a coale, with a ſtreake of milke drawne circle-wiſe about it, (as the expert Naturaliſts deſcribe it) which well agreeth with that we reade of Judah, aGen. 49.11, 12.whoſe name was engraven in this ſtone; Hee waſheth his garments in the bloud of the grape, his eyes ſhall be red with wine, and his teeth white with milke. Moreover, it is propheſied of Judah, that hee ſhould give the law to his brethren, and make them take up and beare his yoake: and Rueus obſerveth out of Ariſtotle, concerning the Carbuncle, quod ſolus poſsit figuram ſuam aliis Gemmis imprimere, that the Carbuncle alone, if he be put by other precious ſtones, imprints his colour and forme in them.
5. The fifth ſtone is a Saphir, which retaines his name for ought appeareth in all languages, in Latine Saphirus, in Greeke foreign, in Hebrew foreign from foreign, to number or write, becauſe this gemme is the apteſt of any to be engraven on; and it is a tradition amongſt the Jewes, that the ſtones in which God wrote the Commandements were Saphirs. The Saphirs of the richeſt kinde are of an azure colour, like that Serpent to whichbGen. 49.17. Dan is compared (whoſe name was ingraven in this ſtone) Dan ſhall be a Serpent by the way, a Snake by the path. Dioſcorides ſaith, the Saphir is a ſpeciall cordiall, which may have ſome reference to the haughty courage ofcDeut. 33.22. Dan is as a Lions whelp. Dan: of whom it is alſo propheſied, Dan ſhall dGen. 49.16.judge his people. And in the viſion ofeCap. 1. V. 26. Ezekiel, The likeneſſe of the Throne of judgement is ſaid to bee as the appearance of a Saphir ſtone.
6. The ſixth ſtone, according to the author of the vulgar Latine, which all Papiſts hold for authenticall, is Jaſpis, the Jaſper ſtone; but this is an apparent errour: for it is confeſſed on all ſides, that in all the foure rankes the ſtones were ſeverall, as likewiſe were the twelve Patriarchs, whoſe names were engraven in them: but the Jaſper is the laſt ſtone in the fourth row, in the Hebrew Jaſphe: Therefore the third ſtone in the ſecond row cannot be the Jaſper. What ſtone then was it? in all probability the Diamond, as the Seventy and Joſephus render it, and Aben Ezra andfJahalom Adamas lapis pretioſus ſic dictus, quòd pertundit ac confringit omnes alios lapides, ut notat Aben Ezra. Exod. 28.18. Buxtorfius prove it from the Hebrew etymology, foreign from foreign, the word in the Hebrew ſignifieth a ſtone that is ſtronger than all other, and will break them in pieces. In this ſtone was the name of Naphthali written, who was ſo named bygGen. 30.8. Rachel, becauſe ſhee got the upper hand of her ſiſter: With great wraſtlings have I wraſtled with my ſiſter, and I have prevailed, and ſhee called his name Naphthali. Moreover, wee reade a propheſie in the land ofhEſay 9.1. Naphthali, that the people which ſate in darkneſſe ſhould ſee a great light, which wasiMatth. 4.15, 16. fulfilled in our Saviours preaching there: now what fitter jewell in the world to prefigure and ſhew forth this wonderfull great light than the Diamond, which is incomparably the brighteſt of all precious ſtones?
Thus I might parallel the twelve ſtones, and the twelve Patriarchs; but to avoid ſaciety, and meet with your expectation, I leave that taske, and obſerve onelyonly for the preſent, that the names of the twelve Patriarchs, which were engraven at large in theſe jewells ſhining on the breaſt-plate of Aaron, were engraven againe in a leſſer character in the two Onyx ſtones on his ſhoulder; which is both a warrant for, and an embleme of my preſent work, which muſt be a repetition and contraction of thoſe precious doctrines, which before you ſaw expreſſed by the foure Preachers in divers methods and ſtiles, as it were in divers rowes, with the point of divers Diamonds. It is very probable alſo, that the ſelfe ſame ſtones, as SaintkEp. 28. Ezek. 28.13. Jerome obſerveth, deck'd the crowne of the King of Tyre, and are laid in the foundation of the heavenly Jeruſalem: which may teach us, that precious doctrines and obſervations, like ſo many jewells, may be againe and againe preſented to your ſpirituall view. Were I to vindicate this exerciſe from the often repeated cavells againſt repetitions, I would anſwer them as Martial doth thoſe who carped at him for handling the ſame ſubject twice, and falling upon like conceits:
lMart. epigr. lib. 1.Laſcivos leporum curſus, luſuſque leonum,
Quod major nobis charta minorque gerit:
Et bis idem facimus: nimium ſi, Stella, videtur
Hoc tibi; bis leporem tu quoque pone mihi.
But to you, my beloved and much reverenced brethren, I alledge for my apology the example not onelyonly of the Gentiles atmAct. 13.42. Antiochia, who beſought the Apoſtles to preach unto them the ſame words the next Sabbath: and of SaintnPhilip. 3.1. Paul, whom it grieved not to write to the Philippians the ſame things: but alſo of our Saviour Chriſt, who in his prayeroMat. 26.44. repeated the third time the ſame words; and John 17. often quavereth upon that ſweete cloſe, I in them, and they in mee; and, that they may be one, as thou and I are one. It ispCic. de orat. l. 1. Subacto opus eſt ſolo nec novato duntaxat, ſed & iterato. not once plowing, but the often breaking up of the earth which maketh it fruitfull; nor is it the incident, but the reflected beame of the Sunne that giveth the greateſt heate: in which conſideration, they who have performed this great taske before mee, might receive great warmth of comfort, becauſe the light of heavenly doctrine incident upon their memories, like the beames of the Sunne upon glaſſe or other polite bodies, were reverberated from them per radium reflexum, and thereby received greater vertue: but now the ſame caſt backe from my fluid and wateriſh memory per radium refractum, cannot but loſe much of their light and grace. The brighter the colour is, the more duskie the ſhadow muſt needs be; the perfecter the diſcourſe, the more imperfect and difficult the epitomie: for in all ſuch the thronging the parts is the wronging the whole, and contraction can be no better than detraction. Had theſe learned Sermons been like Vines, that runne into many ſuperfluous ſtemmes, I might conceive ſome hope by pruning them, to effect that for which Saint Jerome commendeth the Athenian Oratours,qEp. ad Ruſtic. Ut eloquentiae torcularia, non verborum pampinis, ſed ſenſuum quaſi uvarum expreſsionibus redundarent: but theſe were rather like the rowes of precious ſtones in my Text. Now concerning ſuch, the rule of the Jewellers is, If there be any graine, cloud, or ſpecke in a gemme, which cannot bee ground out without ſenſible abating the ſtone, not to meddle with it, becauſe the loſſe in the matter being ſo precious, cannot be recompenced with any beauty that art can give.
The firſt of them, for the faire bloſſomes of eloquence in it, and the Authors flouriſhing ſtile, deſerveth the name of terra florida in America.
The ſecond, for the happy plenty of all things in it, the name of the fortunatae Inſulae.
Reddit ubi cererem tellus inarata quotannis,
& imputata floret uſque vinea:
Germinat, & nunquam fallentis termes olivae,
ſuamque pulla ficus ornat arborem.
Or rather ofrNat. hiſt. l. 18. Ubi palmae praegrandi ſubditur olea, huic ficus, fico punica, illi vitis, ſub vite ſeritur frumentum, mox legumen, deinde olus, omnia eodem anno. Tocape in Pliny, wherein under a faire palme tree you may ſee an olive, under an olive a figge-tree, under a figge-tree a vine, under a vine corne, under corne all maner of wholſome herbes, all growing in one yeer; ſo that if as it was demanded of Porus, how he would be dealt withall, it were of me how I would have an argument handled in a Sermon; my anſwer ſhould be the ſame with that Indian king Porus, Regio more; in eo enim inſunt omnia.Alluſ. ad Nomen ſec concionat. Angl. King.
The third I know no better country to compare unto, than terra de Labradorâ in the weſt Indies, in regard of the accurate and elaborate compoſition.
The fourth may be fitly termed Promontorium bonae ſpei, Cape of good hope.not ſo much in reſpect of the hopefull parts of the ſpeaker, as the ſubject of his diſcourſe, which was the promiſe of our Saviour, I will eaſe you. This indeed is Caput bonae ſpei, the only Cape of good hope.
If theſe alluſions ſeem defective, and not ſo appoſite; as before I ſearched the land, ſo now I will the ſea for fitter, and the fitteſt of all ſeem to mee to be theſe foure ſeas:
1. Rubrum,
2. Orientale.
3. Mediterraneum.
4. Pacificum.
The firſt, becauſe it ran all upon the bloudy paſſion of our Saviour, I liken to the read ſea.
The ſecond I compare to the orientall Ocean, not onelyonly in reſpect of the immenſity of matter in it, depth of the authors judgment, and rare pearles of wit and art; but eſpecially, becauſe Extulit Oceano caput aureus igniferum ſol. becauſe out of this Eaſterne Ocean we ſaw the Sun of righteouſnes, Chriſt Jeſus ariſing.
The third, becauſe it interveyned between the former & the latter ſea, and paſſed through the whole continent in a manner of Divinity, I call the Mediterranean or mid-land ſea.
The fourth, for the equall current of it, but eſpecially for the ſubject and matter, reſembleth mare del zur, commonly called Pacificum: for his whole diſcourſe tended to this, that though the life of a Chriſtian be a ſea, yet that it is ſo calmed by Chriſts promiſe, I will eaſe you, that to every childe of God in the end it proves mare pacificum. My peace I give unto you, The ſtill ſea.be not troubled, nor feare; Et ſi vultis accipere, theſe judicious and methodicall Sermons, foure in number, are the foure rowes in Aarons breaſt-plate of judgement, the jewels are their precious doctrines, the imboſſments of gold, in which theſe jewels were ſet, were their texts of Scripture: Sed ubi ſpiritualis tabernaculi ſVincent. Lerin. adverſ. haer.Bezaliel, qui pretioſas divini dogmatis gemmas exculperet fideliter, adornaret ſapienter, adjiceret gratiam, ſplendorem, venuſtatem? I know not how it comes to paſſe, that as ſometimes in Iſrael, though there were much metall, yet no Smith; ſo at this time in this famous Univerſity, though we have ſtore of jewels, yet there is none who will profeſſe himſelf in this kind a Jeweller. If the true reaſon hereof be the difficulty & danger of this work, wherein we fiſh as it were with a golden hook, Cujus jactura nullâ piſcium capturâ compenſari poteſt: then have all ſorts of auditors great reaſon favourably to interpret their beſt endeavours, who for their ſake not only undertake ſo great a taske, but hazzard ſo great a loſſe. If the Rehearſer acquit himſelf never ſo well, what can he expect for all his pains but the bare commendation of a good memory? but if he faile, not only his memory, but his judgement and diſcretion alſo are called in queſtion. In which conſideration, when authority firſt laid hands on mee, I drew backe with all my might, till the command for repeating being repeated againe and againe, in the end the power of authority more prevailed with mee, than the ſenſe of mine owne infirmity; Adamas ferrum à magnete tractum ad ſe rapit vehementiùs, though the iron, as Agricola obſerveth, is drawn powerfully by the load-ſtone; yet if a diamond be in place, the load-ſtone loſeth his force.
Artificiall memory, astLib. 3. Rhet. ad Heren. Conſtat artificioſa memoria ex locis & imaginibus. Cornificius ſaith, conſiſteth of images and places. We need not goe farre for them, we have them both in my Text, places, Ver. 17. Thou ſhalt ſet it full of places for ſtones; & images moſt reſplendent in the Verſes following: and very happy were I, if as here I have the names, ſo I had the naturall effects attributed to ſome of theſe jewels: for,
1. The Agat keepeth a man moiſt, ſaith Dioſcorides.
2. The Beril ſharpeneth the wit, ſaith Yſtella.
3. The Carbuncle infuſeth ſpirits, ſaith Barraeus.
4. The Chryſolite helpeth the breathing parts, ſaith Rueus.
5. The Emrald is good for the ſight and memory, ſaith Vincentius.
6. The Onyx ſtrengtheneth the whole body, ſaith Albertus.
7. The Saphir freeth a man from wrath and envie, ſaith Toſtatus.
but I perſwade my ſelf, that many of theſe authors, when they wrote theſe things, had an Amethyſt on their fingers, the laſt jewell in the third row, in Hebrew called המלחא, from מלח.uBuxtorf. epit. radic. heb. From a word ſignifying to dreame, becauſe they that weare it are much ſubject to dreaming. Amethyſtus lapis pretioſus, ſic dictus, quòd geſtantibus eum ſomnia inducit, and therefore leaving ſuch incredulous relations to*Aben Ezra in Exod. 28.19. Rabbinicall and Philoſophicall legends, in a warrantable Scripture phraſe I will pray to Almighty God, to touch my tongue with a coale mentioned by thexEſay 6.6, 7. Then flew one of the Seraphims unto me, having a coale in his hand, and he laid it upon my tongue. Prophet Eſay, which S. Jerome interpreteth a Carbuncle, that I may enflame the hearts of this great aſſembly with a zeale of his glory, and both now, & whenſoever I am to ſpeak to the edification of his people; ſo to furniſh mee with materialls, and aſſiſt mee in laying them, that upon the true foundation Chriſt Jeſus, I may build not hay and ſtubble, but gold, ſilver, and precious ſtones, ſuch as ſhine in my Text; which I divide according to the foure rowes into foure parts.