Select Observations Collected out of Several Authors, Century 1
The Firſt Century.
1. SApienti quiſquis abſtulerit divitias, tamen omnia ſua ſibi relinquet. Seneca.
Take from the Wiſe Man his Riches, yet you leave him all his own things, he accounting only Bona Animi, the good things of the Mind his own things.
2. A Deo fuit quod vixi, quod bene vixi a meipſo; Senec. That I live is from God, but that I have lived well, is from my ſelf. By which we may ſee out of what School proceeded the Pelagian Free-will.
3. The Orator ſaid to Veſpaſian, Nec quicquam in te mutaverit amplitudo Fortunae, niſi ut tantundem paſſi ut velis: The greatneſs of thy Fortune hath made no change upon thee, but to make thee able to do what good thou wilt; by equallizing his Fortune to his large Heart.
4. The Scythians were wont to weep at the Birth of their Children, and to Feaſt at the Death of their Parents.
5. It is reported of the Catinenſes, that they made a ſtately Monument, for the remembrance of two Sons, who when the Houſe was on fire, carried their aged Parents forth upon their backs. So they ſay, the Stork, (called in the Hebrew foreign,) from her natural kindneſs, will do to her aged Parents.
6. So they ſay alſo of her, That ſhe will leave one of her young ones in a way of gratitude to that Houſe where ſhe brought them forth. In quâ indulata eſt.
7. Chriſt came to deſtroy the Devil when he had taken greateſt poſſeſſion of the World. And the Jewiſh Sacrifices were at the loweſt when Chriſt came to aboliſh them.
8. Some Men will magna loqui, but not magna vivere; ſpeak high, but live low.
9. Luke the Evangeliſt calls Chriſt's ſuffering on the Croſs, foreign, Luk. 23.48. It being the greateſt ſight that ever was ſeen: And ſo it is ſtill to Faith.
10. Perpetuum eſt quod habet cauſam perpetuantem. Nothing is perpetual that has not a perpetuating cauſe. So that Earthly Comforts cannot be perpetual.
11. Exceptio non tollit ſed firmat regulam. An Exception from a Rule, confirms the Rule it ſelf.
12. Deus humanum dicit. God ſpeaking to Men in Scripture, he ſpeaks as a Man. And doth foreign. As Paul told the Corinthians he did, when he ſpake of their falſe Teachers, and in a Figure transferred what he ſaid to them, to Apollos, and Caephas, and himſelf, 1 Cor. 4.6.
13. Baſil calls an Hypocrite foreign, as a Sacrilegious Perſon, who profaneth holy things, and robs God of his Glory.
14. The Scripture calls a ſit Man, foreign, Homo opportunus, a Man fit to ſerve the preſent opportunity, Exod. 16.21.
15. Ideò ſcribuntur omnes libri ut emendetur unus. All Books are written to amend one Book, which is the Book of Conſcience.
16. Lucrum in arcâ facit damnum in Conſcientia. Gain put into the Cheſt, doth often bring Damage to the Conſcience.
17. The Grave is called Man's long home, foreign, The Houſe of Eternity, Eccleſ. 12.5. as then paſt into an eternal ſtate.
18. To alter one letter of the Law, is no leſs a ſin than to ſet the World on fire, ſay the Jewiſh Rabbins.
19. Quos neceſſitas cogit defendit. Any action is juſtified, that is done of neceſſity.
20. Vix queritur Jeſus propter Jeſum, was Auſtin's Complaint of old; i.e. Few ſeek Chriſt for himſelf.
21. Bellarmin affirmeth, That Grace may be loſt that is true veritate eſſentiae; which is Grace eſſentially true; but not veritate firmae ſoliditatis, that is, Confirmed Grace.
22. Prima monachi virtus eſt contemnere hominum judicia. The firſt virtue of a religious Man, is to diſregard the Judgments and Cenſures of Men. And if thou ſeekeſt Bleſſedneſs, Diſce contemnere & contemni; learn to deſpiſe, and to be deſpiſed. Hieron.
23. foreign, Idleneſs is the Mother of Poverty. Ignatius ad Smyrn.
24. If we ask a Catechumen what it is to cat the Fleſh and drink the Blood of Chriſt, Neſcit quid dicis, he knows not what we ſay, being not yet acquainted with the Myſteries of Chriſtianity. Aug.
25. Antaeus wreſtling with Hercules, got new ſtrength by falling on the Earth. So a Chriſtian may renew his ſtrength by falling at the Feet of God.
26. O foelix culpa quae talem meruit redemptorem; As one ſaid of Adam's ſin, which occaſion'd the coming of ſo great a Redeemer.
27. Chriſt ſaid of the Penny that was ſhewn him, Whoſe Image and Superſcription hath it? They ſaid Caeſars: Then render to Caeſar the things that are Caſar's. So we may ſay of the Soul of Man.
28. Ʋxor fulget radiis mariti, is a Saying in the Civil Law; The Wife ſhines with the beams of her Husband. Much more is it true of Chriſt and the Church.
29. Suetonius reports of Nero, That he ran up and down in horror of Conſcience, ſaying, Have I neither Friend nor Enemy that will ſlay me? A juſt Judgment upon him for his perſecuting and killing the Chriſtians.
30. Quis placere poteſt populo cui placet virtus; He that is pleas'd with Vertue, will hardly pleaſe the People.
31. Maxima peccantium poena eſt peccatum; Sin is its own greateſt puniſhment.
32. Ʋbi Deus, ibi Coelum; Where God is, there is Heaven.
33. O quot amores habent qui unum non habent! How many Loves have they who want the Love of God! Aug.
34. We ought to love God not only merito ſuo, but commodo noſtro; For our own good, as well as God's deſerving it.
35. Schola Crucis Schola Lucis, was a Saying of Luther; The School of the Croſs is a School of Light and Inſtruction.
36. Where Gold grows, no good Plant will proſper. Grace will not thrive in a covetous Heart.
37. Mors aurem vellens, Vivite ait, venio; Death twitcheth Men by the Ear, ſaying, I come, Live.
38. Chriſtus hominem portavit in coelum, & Deum miſit in terras: Chriſt carried up Humane Nature to Heaven, and ſent down God, that is, the Holy Ghoſt upon Earth.
39. Si debeo totum me pro me facto quid pro me refecto, ſaid Auguſt. If I owe my whole ſelf to God for making me, how much more for making me again?
40. When the Grecians were once delivered by Flaminius in a great ſtraight, the Army ſhouted, foreign, A Saviour, A Saviour! with ſo loud a cry, that the Birds in the Air fell down aſtoniſht. How much more ſhould we cry, foreign, with higheſt Joy and Exaltation to Jeſus Chriſt? As when Tully found an Altar at Siracuſe, with this Inſcription upon it, foreign, he ſaid he had not a Latin word to expreſs the meaning of the word foreign. Tam magnum est quod uno verbo Latino exprimi non poteſt. How much leſs can we with words expreſs the greatneſs of the Salvation it ſelf!
41. The Angels ſung at the World's Creation, and when Chriſt came into the World to reſtore it.
42. The Romans having built the Temple of Peace, they conſulted the Oracle of Apollo how long it ſhould ſtand: It was anſwered, Till a Virgin ſhall bring forth a Son: which they judging impoſſible, thought it ſhould ſtand for ever.
43. The Scorpion hath that Oyl, in his Body, which will heal the Wound he giveth by his Sting. So the Word of God will both wound and heal.
44. The Egyptians worſhip'd the Crocodile out of fear, becauſe he did them hurt; and they worſhip'd a certain Water-Rat, call'd Ichneumon, becauſe it devour'd the young breed of the Crocodile.
45. It's ſaid of the Dutch, Peterent Coelum Belgae, ſi navibus peti poſſit; They are ſuch Sailers, that they would get to Heaven if they could come thither by Ships.
46. Argoland, King of Sargoſſa, in Arragon, ſeeing many poor People waiting for Alms at Charlemain's Table, asked who they were? They anſwered, They were poor Chriſtians: And thereupon refuſed to be baptized, ſaying, He would not ſerve ſuch a Maſter, who maintained his Servants no better.
47. De minutis non curat lex, is a Rule in Law; but not in God's Law, which condemneth the leaſt ſin.
48. It was an arrogant Saying of Zabarel, about a Problem in Philoſophy, Hoc ego primus vidi; I am the firſt that found this out. Knowledge puffeth up.
49. Naturaliſts ſay of the Cypreſs-Tree, Pulchra eſt & ſublimis, ſed fructu caret; It looks fair, and grows high, but wants Fruit. A fit Emblem of an Hypocrite.
50. The King of Morocco, reading St. Paul's Epiſtles, ſaid he liked them well, but did not like Paul for changing his Religion. To change from worſe to better is no diſhonour.
51. Philoſophers divide the Soul of Man into two parts, the Senſitive part, and the Rational part; the one they call foreign, and the other foreign; the Rational and Irrational part of Man.
52. The Turks write upon the Cover of their Alchoran in Arabick words, Nemo tangat cum niſi mundus; Let no unclean Perſon touch it. How much more reſpect ſhould we have to the Bible, the true Word of God?
53. Benedictio ut ab homine eſt ſolum optativa, à Deo operativa; Men bleſs by wiſhing a Bleſſing, but God by beſtowing it.
54. Sabina, a Roman Matron, being condemned to die for her Religion, fell in travel, and cried out: And one ſaid to her, If you cry out thus now, what will you do when you come to the Stake? She anſwered, Now I cry out, becauſe I feel the fruit of Sin; but then I ſhall be in comfort, as ſuffering and dying for my Saviour.
55. Paulus Aemilius being to fight with Perſes, King of Macedonia, would not give over ſacrificing to Hercules, till he ſaw ſome Tokens of Victory. This may teach Chriſtians to perſevere in Prayer.
56. It's reported of Domitius Calderinus, that he would uſually ſay, when he went to Maſs, Eamus ad communem errorem: Let's go to the Common Cheat. So Religion is upheld in many by Cuſtom, not by Principle.
57. Valerius, ſpeaking of the City of Rome, ſaith of it, Omnia poſt religionem ponenda civitas noſtra duxit; Our City accounts all things to be ſubordinate to Religion. And Numa is ſaid to begin all he did with Religion. And Cicero ſaith of Rome, Non calliditate aut robore, ſed pietate ac religione gentes ſuperaverat; That their Religion made them victorious more than Policy or Power. Let Chriſtians learn by it to be religious in Truth. Ariſtotle could ſay, foreign; The Gods were moſt propitious to them which did moſt honour them. Let this teach us to honour the True God.
58. The Prieſts of Jupiter held the People of Ethiopia in ſuch ſuperſtitions fear of them, that they could at their pleaſure command them to ſlay their Kings.
59. Quicquid corrumpitur à ſuo contrario corrumpitur; What is corrupted, is corrupted by its contrary, is a Rule in Philoſophy.
60. Generatio eſt quando virtutes activae dominantur in paſſivas, corruptio, quando paſſivae dominantur in activas: When the Active Power hath dominion over the Paſſive, it produceth Generation; when the Paſſive over the Active, it begets Corruption, is another Rule.
61. Quis beneficia invenit compedes invenit; Benefits received, bring a Man into Bonds.
62. Suâve eſt homini quod conſuevit vita ſua; Cuſtom makes things ſweet and eaſie.
63. De neceſſariis & impoſſibilibus non conſultamus: We do not deliberate about things neceſſary, and things impoſſible.
64. Laus eſt ſermo elucidans magnitudinem virtutum; Praiſe is the illuſtration of Virtue. It is ſo in the Praiſe of Men; and to illuſtrate the Perfections of God, is the Praiſe of God.
65. Mundus ſeneſcens patitur phantaſias. The World dotes as it grows old.
66. Origen ſpeaks of a foreign, through which all Creatures are to paſs, and be purified, and the Devils themſelves, which is reckon'd among his Errors.
67. Foelix neceſſitas quae ad meliora nos cogit. Aug. Which he ſpeaks for Compulſion in Religion. It's an happy neceſſity that Compells Men to better things.
68. One of the Ancients brings in the Creatures made for Man's Uſe, ſpeaking to him in theſe three Words, Accipe, Redde, Cave: Receive us as given you from God, Return us back again to him, And beware how you make uſe of us.
69. We ſhould conceal our own worth, as Moſes drew a Vail over the glory of his Face.
70. Luges Corpus à quo receſſit anima, luge animam à quâ receſſit Deus. Doſt thou lament the Body out of which the Soul is departed? Lament the Soul from which God is departed: Which is a ſaying of Auſtin to ſuch as immoderately mourned for the dead.
71. Matthew the Publican after his Converſion, invited Chriſt to Dinner, and invited many Publicans and Sinners alſo, that they might be acquainted with Chriſt, and enjoy the ſame Mercy with himſelf, Mat. 9.
72. Some Jews were of Opinion, that thoſe were only born and conceiv'd in ſin, that Nature had marked with ſome bad defect or deformity in their Body. And therefore they asked concerning the blind Man in the 9th. of John, from whoſe ſin it was that he was born blind: And tell him, that he was altogether born in ſin, v. 34.
73. Avenarius wittily obſerves, that foreign ſignifies Men in Hebrew, but foreign Women, where the Capital Letter foreign is cut off, to ſhew the Man is the head of the Wife.
74. The Devils in the Goſpel prayed our Saviour that they might not be ſent into the Deep, and fear'd to be tormented, but none of them pray'd him to ſave them, becauſe they knew their State was deſperate.
75. By Order, Plurality comes to ſubſiſt in variety, which elſe would be a confuſed heap.
76. The Hebrew word for Doctrine and Rain comes from the ſame root, for Divine Doctrine like the Rain will ſoften the Heart, and make it fruitful, My Doctrine ſhall drop like the rain, ſaith Moſes, Deut. 32.2.
77. Non ſic me lacerant Papiſtae ut illi amici noſtri: As Luther ſpeaks of Carolaſtadius and Zuinglius. The Papiſts don't diſtract me ſo much as thoſe two Friends of mine.
78. A true Saint with reſpect to ſin, 1. Deſires Juſtification, that it might not condemn. 2. Sanctification, that it might not reign. 3. And then Glorification, that it might not be.
79. Noſtra & Chriſti Conjunctio non miſcet Perſonas, nec confundit Subſtantias, ſed affectus conſociat, & confederat voluntates. Our Union with Chriſt doth not mingle Perſons, nor confound Subſtances, but uniteth affections, and conjoyneth Wills.
80. The Promiſes of God are like the ſtaff upon which Jacob leaned, and worſhipt God: And they have vim plasticam, to conform us to God, and make us partake of the Divine Nature, 2 Pet. 1.3. One calls them, Mulctralia Evangelica, utres coeleſtes, Spirituales auriſodi nos.
81. The Chriſtian Religion hath a threefold excellency above any other. The certainty of its Principles, ſanctity of Precepts, and Tranſcendency of Reward.
82. Heaven is Regio Beatitudinis, A Region of Bleſſedneſs. Proſper.
83. Foreſtus in his Treatiſe de Venenis, of Poyſons, reports of a Woman that had accuſtomed her Body to Poyſon as her food, and yet had ſo much Beauty as to allure Princes to her Embraces, and by that means poyſon'd and kill'd them. Such a thing is this World to many that do embrace it.
84. In the faireſt Pomegranates they ſay are ſome corrupt and unſavoury Kernels, ſo are all Earthly things.
85. The good that ſatisfies the Soul, it muſt be bonum optimum ſiſtere appetitum, to ſtay the deſires, and bonum maximum, to fill and ſatisfie it.
86. All Excellencies in the Creature are as the gilding of the Cup, but in God they are as Maſſy Gold. He is not ſo much wiſe as Wiſdom it ſelf, &c.
87. Chriſtus ne perderet obedientiam perdidit vitam: Chriſt loſt his Life, that he might retain his Obedience.
88. Divina voluntas licèt libera ſit ad extra, ex ſuppoſitione tamen unius actus liberi poteſt neceſſitari ad alterum, ſay the School Men. By one Act of Gods Free Will, he may be neceſſitated to another.
89. I have read of a certain Prince, who would have this to be written upon his Tomb, foreign, I was able to do all things. Monſtrons Ambition.
90. In nullo gloriamur, quia nihil eſt nostrum. Cypr. ad Quirin. We glory in nothing, becauſe nothing is abſolutely our own.
91. The Body is ſo to be maintained, that it may not be ſuprà negotium, nor infrà negotium, ſed par negotio; neither to be above it's work, nor below it, but equal to it.
91. Efficaciſſimum genus rogandi, eſt gratias agere. To give thanks for what we have received, is the moſt effectual Prayer to obtain more.
92. It's ſaid of Trajan the Emperour, Quam piger ad poenas princeps, ad praemia velox. A Prince ſlow to puniſh, and ſwift to reward. Much more true of God.
93. Jerom ſaith, That the ancient Hebrew Letters were at firſt like thoſe of the Samaritan, but alter'd by Ezra after the Captivity unto the Chaldee Character.
94. The Altar is call'd by Ezek. 43.15. Harel, which ſignifies the Mountain of God, becauſe it was raiſed above the Earth: Which Calvin thinks is the ſame that is called Ariel, Iſa. 29.1.
95. Philo tells us, that there was a Solemn Feſtival kept every year in Egypt, in remembrance of that great work of the Tranflation of the Old Teſtament into Greek by the Seventy.
96. Jerom ſaith, That in his time, Quaſi coeleſte Tonitru audiri populum reboantem AMEN. The People pronounced the word Amen with ſuch a loud voice, that it was like an heavenly thunder in the Congregation.
97. Diodorus tells us of a City in Sicilia that was called Triocala, becauſe of the excellent Springs, excellent Vines, and excellent Rocks that were in it. But Heaven may be called foreign; where there are all excellent things. Ʋbitotum eſt quod velis, nihil eſt quod nolis. All that the Saints would have, and nothing that they would not have.
98. In the ſame place where Chriſt ſtood, when he look't upon Jeruſalem, and wept over it, did the Romans ſet up their Standard, when they beſieged Jeruſalem, as Joſephus writes.
99. Auguſtin ſaith of the rich Man in the Goſpel, who ſaid he would pull down his Barus, and build greater, and then ſay to his Soul, Eat, drink, and be merry, that he had Animam Triticeain, a Wheaten Soul: The Soul is aſſimilatated to the Objects it moſt converſeth with.
100. Seneca ſaith of earthly things, Oſtendatus iſta res, non poſſidentur. They are rather ſhew'd to us then poſſeſs'd by us.