Treatise of Religion and Learning, Book 2 · Chapter 5
CHAP. V. Of the Civil and Canon-Law.
THere are three main things in the Civil-Law, The Pandects, the Code, and the Novellae Constitutiones.Jurisconsultorum Commentarios non passim sed parce admodum, & cum delectu admittebat, veluti Alciarum, Budaeum, Cuiacium, Duarenum, Goveanum, Augustinum, & cae…eros qui jus civile in pristinam dignitatem restituerunt: alios ab his longum. Valere jusserat. Vita Joannes Vincentii Pinelli, auctore Paulo Gualdo. In Jure Canonico Conciliorum Decreta, Patrium dicta Pontificum descrip…a continentur, ex quo utpote à Pontifice confirmato, i… judiciis Ecclesiasticis firma argumenta & cortas decisiones peri Pontisicum est opinio. Gerh. Confess. Cath. lib. 1. Gen. part. 2. cap. 14. Gratianus patria Clusinus, professione Monachus Benedictus, qui claruit tempore Eugenii tertii Pontificis & Conradi tertii Imperatoris Anno Domini 1145. scripsit. Decretum sine Concordiam disc…rdantium Canonum, cui progressu temporis Decretales Gregorii, Bonifacii & aliorum. Pontificum …unt additae hoc Decretorum & Decretalium volumen vocatur. Jus Pontificium, quia autoritate Pontificis confirmatum de rebus Pontificiis, more Pontificio sive Papali & autoritativo disserit, & ad stabilendam Pontificis majestatem & autoritatem vel m…xime est directum. Gerh. ibid. Compilarae sunt Decretales, perquendam Barchinonensem de penna forti Rayman…um, Natione Catalanum, Generalem Praedicatorum Magistrum, Capellanum & Poenitentiarium. Gregorii noni circa annun 1230.
1. The Pandects or Digests, containing Responsa prudentum, or the sayings of Lawyers, to which the Decree of Gratian in the Canon-Law composed out of the sentences of the Councels and Fathers answers.
2. Codex, the Code, consisting only of the Decrees of the Emperours, to which the five Books of the Decretals answer in the Canon-Law, consisting of the Constitutions onelyonly of the Pope of Rome. Malè actum est cum rebus humanis, cum ad Decreta accesserunt alae.
3. Novellae Constitutiones, viz. Imperatoriae, put out after the Code, to which in the Canon-Law the sixth of the Decretals, the Clementines and Extravagants answer. See D. Duck of the Authority of the Civil-Law, l. 1. c. 4.
First, One should diligently reade the elements of the Civil-Law, comprehended in the four Books of Justinians Institutions, Calvins Lexicon of the Law should be perused. Then we may go on to the Pandects and Code, on which there are many Commentaries. Cuiacius is an excellent Author.
It is called the Canon-Law by reason of the matter, because it contains Ecclesiastical Constitutions which they call Rules or Canons; and by reason of the end, because it was collected and confirmed to that end, that it may prescribe a Rule of Ecclesiastical Government.
The Canon-Law contains
The Decree of Gratian for the most part collected out of the sentences of Fathers, and Decrees of Councels.
The Decretals of Gregory the ninth.
The sixth of the Decretals of Boniface the eighth.
The Clementines and Extravagants collected out of the Epistles and replies of the Popes.
Corpus Canonum à Gratiano Monacho consarcinatum ab Eugenio 111. Pontifice Rom. comprobatum & authoritate firmatum fuisse constat: qui ut in Academiis doceretur propéque Tribunali in Judiciis reciperetur (ut & postea factitatum est) praecepit. Gentil. Apol. c. 1.
Lancelots Institutions are commended for the Canon-Law, as Minsinger on Justinians Institutions for the Civil-Law.
In the Body of the Canon-Law the Canons are sometimes diametrially opposite one to the other.
Archidaconus, Panormitan, Innocentius, Rebuffus, were famous Canonists.
Of Philosophy.
It is either Natural or Moral, called Ethicks. Natural Philosophy De mundo, aut de iis quae sunt in mundo, quaerit. Pier Valer. Hierog. l. 38. c. 10.
Tully cals Philosophy in his Offices, Studium sapientiae; in his Tusculanes, virtutis indagatricem, expultricemque vitiorum.
Socrates, Plato. Aristoteles tres viri constituendae Philosophiae sine dubio divinitùs excitati. Casaub. Praefat. ad Theophrast. Charact.How many several sorts of Philosophers are mentioned? who were severed by their distinct Schools, of Academicks, Peripatetiques, Stoicks, Epicures, Pythagoreans, too numerous to be rehearsed. Of all which, see Desiderii Jacotii De Philosophorum doctrina libellum ex Cicerone.Philosophiae probè locatis fundamentis, sine quibus de Galeni sententia, nemo medicus bonus dici potest, sedulam medicis operam dedit. Melch. Adam. in vita Opsopaei.
Aristotle was the Prince of the Peripateticks, Zeno the chief of the Stoicks, Epicurus of the Epicureans, and Pythagoras of the Pythagoreans. Philosophiam optimè docebit Plato & Aristoteles, atque hujus Discipulus Theophrastus, tum utrinque mixtus Plotinus. Erasm. De Ratione Studii.
As the Grecians for the title of wise men, called themselves lovers of wisdome, that is, Philosophos, so also the Doctors of the Jews often were not called wise men, but Scholars of wise men, that is, studious of wisdome.
Vbi desinit Philosophus ibi incipit Medicus, ubi desinit Medicus ibi incipit Theologus.
Ethicks or Moral Philosophy.
It is so called because it is conversant about the manners of men.Nominatur Ethica à Graeca voce foreign, id est, mos seu cōsuetudo, quia versatur circa hominum mores, quapropter & latine scientia moralis appellatur. Definiri potest, Scientia practica humanarum actionum quatenus in illis honestas locum habere potest. Walaei compendium Ethicae Aristotel.
The adequate object of it are humane actions, not considered any way, but as honesty hath place in them, and as they are capable of vertue.
Dr Ames hath a Theological Disputation against it, and shews, that all Aristotles practical vertues are to be found in the Scripture.
Physick. The subject of it is mans body, the end health.
It is lawfull, it was before the promulgation of the Law, Gen. 50.2.
The Poets brought in Apollo, as the chief god of Medicine, to whom they have assigned Aesculapius for his sonne. Christ was a Physician both of soul and body.
Omnibus est aliis Medicus praestantior unus. Is Homers verse.
Physical Institutions are a mellificium compounded out of the choisest flowers.
A long series of times hath brought forth many famous Grecians, Physicians, some Latines, and some Arabians.
Among the Grecians, Hippocrates and Galen excelled.
Dioscordes also was a good Physician.
Amongst the Latine Physicians Cornelius Celsus was the first.
Of late Fernelius and Sennertus.
Amongst the Arabians, Avicenna *Qui delectantur fusa & polydaedala varietate remediorum, Avicennam amplectantur: Cuncta enim hujus aevi remedia ex eo manant. Heurnii De studio medicinae bene Instituendo medit. Vide plura ibid. In plantis Hebraeis multùm debemus LXX interpretibus. Nam absque illis foret, & paucis Aquilae, Theodotionis, aliorumque fragmentis; non video, quid certi statuere possimus de multis plantarum vocabulis, quae in veteri instrumento se offerunt. Vossius De vitiis Sermonis, lib. 1. cap. 28., Rhazes, Averrhoes, Avenzoar, Mesue, Serapio, and Alsaharavius were chief. In Plants there is much difficulty. Vide Voss. De vitiis Sermonis l. 1. c. 28. Rondeletius, Matthiolus, Bellonius, Camerarius, Bauhinus, Spigelius, have done well about Herbs.
Alexandria of old, and Padua of late,Amianus l. 22. pro omni experimento dictitat sufficere medico, fi Alexandria se dixerit eruditum. Alexandrinam autem Academiam excepit nostras Patavina in hoc genere laudis, cum abundè conster, medicum apud nos docturam consecutum majoris fieri, quam alterum qui asibi. Pignor. Symb. Epist. Epist. 9. is famous for the Profession of Physick.
Metaphysicks.This is called by some Theolo. gia naturalis. Si quid tamen laudis Metaphysicae sit tribuendum, illud erit, quod inanes quosdam portentosarum distinctionum fumos invexerit, ad obscurandam simplicem veritatem. Ames. Disputat. Theol. adversus Ethicam.
It is the highest part of all Philosophy from the subject of it, because it treats De causa altissima.
Dr Ames hath a Theological Disputation against Metaphysicks, and saith, it is but an imaginary science.
Mr Baxter in his Reply to Mr Kendall, saith he hath above thirty Tracts of Metaphysicks by him, and seems to value Suarez, Schibler and Burgersdicius before all the rest.
History.
Historia est testis temporum, nuncia vetustatis, lux veritatis, vita memoriae, Magistra vitae, Cic. 2do de Oratore.See of the Etymology of History and the difference between History and Annals in Vossius his Ars Historica, cap. 1. Annales tantummodo referunt, quid quoque anno gestum sit, Historia etiam …ddit, quo consilio ac ratione, Strad. l. 2. prolus. 2. Hist. exercit. 10. parte 1a Sect. 7. Vide Spanhem. censuram Dub. Evangel. parte 2da Dub. 2. p. 63.
Historia est rerum, publicè gestarum, diffusa & continuata narratio. Muretus.
The end of it is double, profit and pleasure.
Omne tulit punctum qui miscuit utile dulci.
Ferdinand King of Sicily, and Alphonsus King of Spain, recovered their health by reading of History, the first by reading Livy, the second by reading Q. Curtius.
Some have observed, that the being versed in Books of History makes men wiser then in those of Policy, for that those furnish us with instances as well as rules, and as it were personate the rule, and draw it out more into the full lineaments. Mr Herles Morall prudence ch. 19.
History is either 1. Ecclesiasticall, which handleth Church matters, and is for its Antiquity and Dignity to have the precedence. Vide Sixt. Senens. in Praefat. ad Lectorem in Bibliotheca Sancta.
Or 2. Politicall, which handleth civil matters, in Kingdoms, States or Commonweals.
Just or perfect History is of three kindes, according to the nature of the object which it propounds to represent; for it either represents a portion of time, or some memorable Person, or some famous Act. The first we call Chronicles or Annals; the second Lives; the third Relations. Of these Chronicles seem to excell, for celebrity and name: Lives for profit and examples: Relations for sincerity and verity. Sr Francis Bac. Advancem. of Learn. l. 2. c. 7.
The History of Times is either universall or particular: This comprehends the affairs of some Kingdom,Semper laudata fuit historia: quae singularia facta a…que res gestas nobis ostendens, cujuscunque temporis ac secu…i exempla suppeditat: Nec unius regionis cancellis constringitur; sed quam latè terrarum termìni extenduntur, expatiatur. Verum enimverò cum varia sint historiarum genera nullum huic praeferendum videtur, quo quis ea pretexit, quae multis, longeque ac late dissitis regionibus perlustratis, maximè notatu digna scripto consignans, lectores ne latum quidem unguem progressos per longinquas regiones deducit. Hujusmodi historiae itineraria audiunt: quae bona fide contexta hac prae reliquis praerogativa gaudent, quod majorem fidem mereantur, adeoque lectorem certiorem reddant, utpote quae ex foreign res gestas, casus ac eventa enarrent. Constantini L' Empereur Epist. Dedicat. Ad Itinnerarium D. Benjaminis. or State, or Nation: That the affairs of the world.
Amongst Histories Itineraries have the preheminence, when one shall faithfully relate the most memorable things he hath observed by travelling into many and strange Countries: And amongst Itineraries, that of R. Benjamin a Jew hath been very much esteemed by many, (saith Constantine L' Empereur) because he did not only travell over Europe and Africa, but professeth that he entred into the most inward and extream regions of Asia, where he witnesseth that he saw rare things and yet unknown to our world: and therefore his little book abundantly affords examples of very many things, so that it cannot but be read with delight.
The first Law given to an Historian (saith Tully de Oratore) is Nequid falsi dicere audeat: deinde nequid veri non audeat; ne qua suspicio gratiae sit in scribendo, ne qua simultatis.
The composing of a History consists in things and words: for things he must have respect to the order of time and the description of places, the manners, lives, counsels, sayings, deeds and events of men; for words, the kinde of speech must not be large, yet adorned with a pure and famous brevity.
T. Livius in the opinion of all Learned men is the Prince of Latine History, there are only two books of Salusts. A Catalogue of some of the chiefest Historians. In Historia apud Graeco… floruit Thucydides. Herodotus, Theopompus. Apud nos T. Livius, …rispus Salustius, & plerique alii, Polyd Verg. De Invent. Rerum, lib. 1. cap. 12. Vossius hath written an excellent book, De Historicio Graecis & Latinis. There are severall Writers joyned together in two Volumes who have written de Historia. Bodius Methodus Historica. Patritii de Historia Dialogi. Pontani de Historia Dialogus. Balduinus de Institutione Historiae universae, & ejus cum Juris prudentia conjunctione. Viperanus & Robertellus de Scribenda Historia. Dionisii Halicarnassei de Thucydidis Historia Judicium. Ubertas Folieta de Ratione Scribendae Historiae & de Similitudine Normae Polibianae. David Chytraeus de Lectione Historiarum recte Instituenda. Lucianus de Scribenda Historia. Simon Grinaeus de Utilitate Legendae Historiae. Christophorus Milaeus de Scribenda Universitatis rerum Historia. Caelius Secundus Curio de Historia Legenda. Christ. Pezel. de Argumento Historiarum. Theodorus Zuingerus & Joan. Sambutus de Historia. Joannis Thoma Freigii Historiae Synopsis.Caesars Commentaries contain famous things but done in a few years. Trogus Pompeius who composed the Greek Histories and those of the whole world in Latine, and in fourty four Volumes hath written the affairs of all ages, Kings, Nations and people, is wholly lost, but that we have in Justin a short little body as it were of the flowers of it. Suetonius, Tacitus, Q. Curtius, are good Historians, and many later then them, Orosius, Paulus Diaconus, Eutropius, and others of later time, yet Blondus, Antoninus, Sabellicus, Collenutius, Machiavell, Aretinus, Platina, Carius, Simoneta, Capreolus, Merula, and those yet later, Paulus Jovius, Sleiden, Guicchardine, the last being the best Historian.
The best Greek Historians (although some of them be imperfect) are Herodotus, Thucydides, Xenophon, Polybius, Dionysius Halicarnasseus, Dion, Eusebius, and others.
Chronology and Topography are the two eyes of History.
In Chronology.Epocha est certum atque illustre principium temporis, à quo reliqui anni numerantur. Epocha autem dicitur à Graeco verbo foreign, i. e. retinere, & inhibere: quia est temporis quaedam retentio & inhibitio, quâ tanquam certo sixoque signo Historiae continentur. Apellantur etiam Aera quae vox ab Hispania primum inventa & usurpata est, qui temporum computationes ab anno 16 Augusti Caesaris ordiri solebant. Incerti Auctoris epitome Praecognitorum Historicorum.
The Epochae are to be observed.
The Epochae are two fold.
1. Ecclesiasticall, which are noted in the Scriptures and Ecclesiasticall Histories; of which eleven as more famous are mentioned, from the beginning of the world, the Flood, the building of the Tower of Babel, Abrahams peregrination, the departure of the Israelites out of Egypt, the year of Sabbath, the year of Jubilee, Solomons Temple, the Babylonish Captivity, Daniels Seventies, the birth of Christ. The Christian Aera, that is, the way of numbering times from Christ being born, although it be most laudable, yet began lately, and hath not been long used in designing publick or private affairs. Helvic. in System. Chron.
2. Politicall, which are observed in prophane Histories, and are used in civil affairs.
Of these some most famous are,
1. Of the Olympiads: which is of the Grecians. Olympias est spacium quinque annorum à Latinis Lustrum dictum, in the beginning of the fifth year the Olympian games were wont to be celebrated, with great concourse of all Greece, so called from Olympia a City in Thessaly, in which those sports were exercised.
This is the noblest computation of time among the Heathens.
2. Epocha urbis conditae, id est, Romae.
3. Est C. Julii Caesaris, from whence the Roman Emperours are numbred.
Aera, pro quo & Era, dicitur pro Epocha, sive supputationis initio. In Gothicarum, ac Hispanicarum rerum scriptoribus, plurimisque conciliis, est crebrum, atque ab eo tempore inchoat, quo Hispani, jussu Augusti recepore formam anni Iuliani; quod factum XXXVIII. annis ante natum Iesum Christum ex vulgari ara Christi. Cosmographiam brevissimè cradit Pomponius mela, doctissime Ptolimaeus, diligentissime, Plinius Eras. de Ratione Studii. Strabo Eruditissimè ac fusè orbis situm, cuju… magnam partem peragraverat, descripsit. Bl…ncani Chronol. Mathem.Vossius de vitiis Sermonis, l. 3. c. 1.
2. Topography, the description of some certain place.
Of Poetry.
Vide Fulleri Miscel. Sac. l. 1. c. 20. & Spec. Arab. Johan. Fabric. p. 170. ad 178. Eras. Epist. l. 9. Epist. 120.It is referred to the imagination, and is a kinde of Learning in words restrained; in matter loose.
It is an art of deceit, which measureth expressions, not by the truth of the subject, but by the strength of imagination working upon it.
It principally serves for venting extraordinary affections.
Poetry is the quintessence or rather the luxury of Learning.
The Originall of this Art is very ancient, and (as Euseb. l. 2. de praeparat. Evang.) first flourished with the most ancient Hebrews, who were long before the Poets of the Grecians. Moses made an exhameter Verse, wherein he gave thanks to God for their deliverance at the red Sea. David composed many Hymns. Quid Deutoronomii & Esaiae cantico palchrius? Quid Solomone gravius? Quid perfectius Job? quae omnia hexametris & pentametris versibus apud suos composita decurrunt, Polyd. Verg. de Invent. Rerum. l. 1. c. 8. Orpheus (saith Porphyrius) first illustrated this Art, then Homer and Hesiod.
It is taken in a double sense, as it respects words, and so it is a kinde of character of speech; for verse is a kinde of style and form of elocution, and pertains not to matter; for a true narration may be composed in verse; and a faigned in Prose.
Or as it respects matter, so it is imitation of History at pleasure.
Sir Frau. Bac. Advanc. of Learn. l. 2. c. 13. Poetica ars multis mehercle de causis, reliquas antecellit …seiplinas, vel quia homines nullam penè artem assequi possunt, nisi in illam diu incubuerint, ut quod scientias fere, ut …trabo in primo Geographiae adversus Eratosthenem pulchrè demonstrat, in se continet omnes: vel demum quod ex omnibus artibus, quae ab humani excellentia proficiscuntur, sola poetica divino furore peroipitur. Ná poetae furore afflari res omni admiratione & stupore dignas canunt, tuncque veri vates sunt, cum insaniunt. Polyd. Verg. de Rer. Inv. l. 1. c. 8.It is either Narrative, or Representative, or Allusive.
Narrative is a meer imitation of History, but that often it extols matters above belief.
Dramaticall or Representative, is, as it were, a visible History, it sets out the Image of things, as if they were present: History, as if they were past.
Parabolicall or Allusive is History with the Type, which brings down the Images of the understanding to the objects of sense.
Poets were the first Priests, Prophets, Legislators and Polititians, the first Philosophers, Astronomers, Historiographers, Orators and Musicians in the world.Because neither our senses are moved with extraordinary effects of Gods power, nor our mindes bent to observe the waies of his wisdom, so as we might be stricken with true admiration of them, we have fewer good sacred Poems, then of any other kinde. But as the Ancients chief learning did consist of Poetry, so the excellency of their Poetry was chiefly seen in the proper and native subject of this faculty, that is, in matters of sacred use or observation. Whence the title of Vates did descend to secular or prophane Poets, which retained the number and manner of speech used by the former. The Book of Psalms, Job, and the Songs of Moses, are the only pattern of true Poesie. Dr Jacksons Comment upon the Apost. Creed, Vol. 1. c. 14.
Metri origo à Deo optimo maximo est; qui hunc terrar…m orbem, & omnia ab eo contenta, certa ratione quasi metro disposuit: harmoniam enim, ut Pythagoras docuit, in Caelestibus terrenisque rebus nemo hercle esse dubitat. Nam quo pacto mundus consisterer, nisi certa ratione & numeris praesinitis ageretur? Omnia quoque instrument… quibus utimur, mensura quadam, id est, metro siunt. Quòd si hoc in caeteris rebus accidit, quanto magis in oratione, quae cunctas complectitur? Polyd. Verg. de Invent. Rerum, l. 1. c. 9. Mirus gentium consensus in poëscos rhythmicae, itan vocant, amore. Nam omnes ferè populi Europae, Asiae, Africae, ab aliquot retro seculis non alios praeter ittos versus norunt. Casaub. ad Pers. Sat. 1.The Greek and Latine Poesie was by verse numerous and metricall, running upon pleasant feet, sometimes swift, sometime slow, (their words very aptly serving for that purpose) but without any time or tunable concord in the end of their verses, as we and all other Nations now use. But the Hebrews and Chaldees, who were more ancient then the Greeks, did not only use a metricall Poesie, but also with the same a manner of time, as hath been of late observed by Learned men. Our manner of vulgar Poesie is more ancient then the artificiall of the Greeks and Latines, ours coming by instinct of nature, which was before Art and observation, and used by the wilde and savage people, who were before all Science or Civility.
In the time of Charlemaine and many years after him the Latine Poets wrote in time.
The School of Salerne dedicated their book of Medicinall rules unto our King of England, beginning thus,
Anglorum Regi scribit schola tota Salerni
Si vis incolumem, si vis te reddere sanum
Curas tolle graves, irasci crede prophanum
Nec retine ventrem, nec stringas fortiter anum.
All the rest go on in the same way, well to the purpose of their Art.
One wrote these verses against the whole rable of Monks,
O Monachi vestri stomachi sunt amphora Bacchi,
Vos estis Deus est testis turpissima pestis.
Hugobald the Monk made a large Poem to the honour of Carolus Calvus, every word beginning with C, which was the first letter of the Kings name thus, Carmina Clarisonae Caluis Cantate Camenae.
There were 1. Heroick Poets, such as wrote long Histories of the noble acts of Kings and great Princes, and the great matters of peace and warre,Metrorum plura sunt genera, quae auctore Servio, vel à rebus quae describuntur, nomina accepere, ut heroicum, quod hexametrum: licet Moses primus usurpaverit, tamen quia Homerus, & caeteri qui deinceps secuti sunt, heroum res gestas hoc carmine scriptitarunt, heroicum nominatum est. Polyd. Verg. de Invent. Rerum, l. 1. c 9. Vide plura ibid. whereof Homer was chief and most ancient among the Greeks, Virgil among the Latines
2. Lyrique Poets; quôd eorum ferè carmina ad sonum Cithara recitarentur. They delighted to write songs of pleasure, of which sort was Pindar, Anacreon and Callimachus, with others among the Greeks: Horace and Catullus among the Latines.
3. Elegiack, who wrote in a certain pitious verse called Elegy; such among the Latines were Ovid, Tibullus, and Propertius.
4. There were Comicall Poets who wrote Enterludes to recreate the people with matters of disport, of whom among the Greeks, Menander and Aristophanes were most excellent; with the Latines, Terence and Plautus, and also Tragicall,Vide Polyd. Vergil. De Invent. Rerum l. 1. c. 10, & 11. In Tragaedia praecipue spectandi affectus, & quidem ferè acriores illi. In Comaedia cum primis observandum est decorum, & vitae communis imitatio, assectus sint mitiores, & jucundi magis quam acres. Eras. de Ratione Studii. In Epigrammatis arguta brevitas laudatur. Id. ibid. who set forth the dolefull fals of unfortunate and afflicted Princes, such were Aeschylus, Euripides and Sophocles with the Greeks; Seneca among the Latines. Satyricall, who taxed the vices of the people in bitter speeches, such were Lucilius, Juvenall and Persius among the Latines. Others were given wholly to scoffing at undecent things, and in short Poems uttered pretty merry conceits, and these were called Epigrammatists, as Martiall.
Poets are drawn with a desire of glory, and are greedy of praise.
Nec petitur sacris nisi tantum fama Poetis.
There are Deliciae Poetarum, where the famous Italian, French, German and Scotch Poets are mentioned.There are also Flores Poetarum, at the end of which is a defence of the Poets. Horace hath written de Arte Poetica, and Vossius de Poetis Graecis & Latinis, and Sir Philip Sidnie in English of Poetry.
Chytraeus hath this Epigram,
In tres Petros Poetas.
Carmine quid possint Itali, & cum Teutone Galli,
Scire cupis ternos aspice quaeso Petros
Italia Angelium, Ronsardum Gallia, suave
Lorichii ingenium Teutonis ora tulit.
Of Painting.
Painting is silent Poetry, and Poetry a speaking Picture.
Pictura muta poesis, poesis loquens pictut… Aristot. Rhet. l. 3. Scripturam picturam esse arguunt verba Graeca & Latina, quia foreign tam picturam significat quàm scripturam, & literae à lino, unde lineae. Bibliander de Ratione communi omnium Linguarum, c. 6. Pictura adeo magno in honore apud veteres homines suit, ut cum caeteros fermè omnes artifaces fabros nuncupatent, solum pictorem huic nuncupationi eximerent, ut innuit Leo Baptista Albertus l. 11. de Pictura. Qui etiam addit omnium atrium florem illam esse, nec sanè immerito mea sententia, quippè quae venustatem colorum, & lucis ignem una exprimat, affectus omnes representet, defunctorum memoriae consular, caeli conversiones, teriae vices, diel & noctis partes, Artes acumina apicesque, Divinitatem ipsam (quantum licet assequi cogitatione) subjiciat penicillo. Et hinc factum est, ut Graeci politissimi hominum caverent edicto ne servi pingerent, quod nobilissimam artem servili manu & ingenio pollui pertimescerent. Neque defuerunt viri accurati & eloquences, qui Historiam pictorum pertexerent, veluti Aristodemus Car, testè Philostrato in Iconibus, & Polemon apud Athenaeum lib. 11. Pignor. Symb. Epist. Ep. 42. Vide plura ibid.Of the first Inventer of it, See Polyd. Verg. de Invent. Rerum, l. 2. c. 24.
Zeuxis, Appelles, Lysippus, Parrhasius, Praxiteles, Phidias, were famous Painters.
Two Artificers contended for the mastery in their Art and faculty, the aZeuxis.first drawing Grapes so lively that he couzened the birds, the bParrhasius.other a Vail so exquisitely that he couzened the Artificer himself.
Ars nautica Johannes Gira Amalpheusis invenit miram illam magnetis proptietatem, quae ad polum semper convertitur: Unde maxima rei nauticae utilitas, & accessio facta est. Blancani Chronol. clarorum Mathem. Hoc certum est, omnibus hodie gentibus navigandi industria & peritia superiores esse Anglos, post Anglos, Belgas, & inter hos Flandros, Hollandos, Zelandos. Keckermanni Problemata Nautica.Of Navigation.
This Art is much perfected since Salomons time.
Prima dedit nautis usum magnetis Amalphis.
John Tapp hath written of the Art of Navigation: and Sr Thomas Rives hath written Historiam Navalem in two parts.
The vertue of the Loadstone is certainly wonderfull, unknown to Aristotle and Pliny, Usus magnetis & nauticae acus eo tactae, atque pixidis Magneti vim inesse ut acum ipso ractam, ad polum Articum dirigat, ignorum omninò priscis omnibus. Crak. log. l. 4. c. 9. Tanta est illius vis, ut non immerito â magnis viribus nomen habeat magnetis, quare etiam Herculeus à multis appellatur, etsi à Magnete quodam illius inventore sic appeliatum putet Plinim, à verò regione nomen ejus deducat Lucretius. A ferro autem quod domat, & sibi obsequens facit, sideritis meritò vocatur. Id. ib.and all the Ancients, which vertue thus now being known and understood, Navigation through and about the whole world was made easie and happy.
Sir Francis Bacon in his first book of the Advancement of Learning, lib. 1. cap. 4. saith, The Sciences which hold more of the Fancy and of Belief, then of Reason and Demonstration, are chiefly three, Astrology, naturall Magick and Alchimy.
I. For Astrology.
Nam veceres omnes, ut hoc obit…r moneam tyrones, Astronomia & Astrologia uruntur ut Synonimis. Plato ferè Astronomiae vocabolo utitur, Aristoteles Astrologiae, per archaismum prisco & obsoleto more, ut vult Simplicius ad libros de caelo. Savil. lect. 2d• in Euclid.Though the Ancients generally confounded Astronomy and Astrology, yet they are to be distinguished, as the very Greek words shew.
Mr Burgesse his Treatise of Sin. Serm. 14.The Scripture, Psal. 19. commending the Sunne and the Starry Heavens for all its proper uses and ends that we should make of them, saith not the least word of Judiciall Astrology, or foretelling future events in the world by them: whereas if that were true which is said, that God by the Heavens as by a Book, hath revealed what he would do, it would have commended the study of the Heavens for this end to all;Insectatur hoc loco Propheta Iesaias ex ore Dei, omnes Divinos, Ariolos, Aru…pices, Astrologos, angures, Genethli…cos, Mathematicos, Planetarios, Pythones, denique omnes qui artem futura & abdita divinandi profitentur, sicut Orientales solebant. Omnibus enim iis atque aliis multis nominibus fuerunt hujusce divinatores, variis temporibus appellati: olim Chaldaei & Orientales, & Genetbliaci: Augustini temporibus, Mathematici & Planeturii: nunc passim Astrologi vocantur & Necromantici. Zanch. de Divinatione in 6. v. c. 2. Jes. Vide Dilher. Disputat. Acad. Tom. 1. p. 152. in Jer. 10.2. & Cl. Gatak. nostrum in eundem textum. & libellos ejus duos, in defensione ejusdem textus, contra Lillum. & Fulleri Miscel. Sac. l. 1. & Zanch. de Divinat. c. 16. Rogas quod de Astrologia judiciaria; sentiam, de qua jampridem magna est inter doctos & pios homines controversia, quibusdam nihil prorsus ei tribuentibus: quibusdam verò non secus illi tribuentibus omnis, quam si syderibus esset omnis in universum mundum attributa potestas: aliis denique mediam viam seqautis, ita viz. ut ei neque adimantur omnia, neque tribuantur: quorum sententiam amplecti me profiteor, sed ita ut in ipsius rei explicatione nonnihil à nonnullis dissentiam. Bez Epist. 29. for if God have manifested his will by it, then certainly he would have commanded us to search for it there, as he doth command us to finde out his will in the Scripture. But the Scripture is so farre from commending such a study, that it expresly forbids it as a grievous sinne, Deut. 18.10, 14. Isa. 2.6. & 41.23. & 44.25. & 47.12. Jer. 10.2. Eccles. 10.14. And that Judiciall Astrology is a vanity, appeareth by this reason; They undertake to foretell contingencies for the most part, from the position of the seven Planets: Now there being so vast a number of fixed Stars, which have influence in earthly things in some proportion as well as the Planets, how is it possible that they should foretell any certain truth?
One in Basill by his calculation noted a certain day which he mistrusted should be fatall unto him, by some thing which should at that time befall him, Whereupon he determined with himself all that day to keep him sure and safe within his chamber, where he reaching up his hand to take down a Book,Foxes Act. and Monum. the Book falling down upon his head gave him his deaths wound, and shortly after he died upon the same.
Tycho Brahe in his Oration de Disciplinis Mathematics, Praedictiones Astrologicae non solum à vulgo, quod omnes Artes aequali odio prosequitur: sed à quibusdam etiam eruditis hominibus in dubium vocantur: quamvis sola Artis ignorantia eos excusare possit. Pergunt enim Arti contradicere, cujus principia summis labris non degustarunt, & cum in aliqua cognitione excellunt, de omnibus aliis rebut quamvis ab ea cognitione longè dissitis, sibi judicium arrogant. Solus Picus Mirandula Astrologiae gnarus eam ex propriis Apotelesmatis convellere aggressus est. Sed hujus objectionibus Lucius Bellonius erudito scripto jamdudum respondit. Et ipse Picas mortuus anno aetatis 33, quem tres Astrologi illi fatalem ex directione ascendentia ad corpus martis praedixerant, Astrorum efficaciam, quam infringere voluit, nimis cerro eventu, proprio interitu comprobarit. Tych. Brah. Orat. de Discipl. Mathemdoth plead somewhat for Astrology.
But Gassendus de Doctrina Epicuri, hath a Diatribe against Judiciall Astrology, and cals it ridiculous.
Sixtus ab Hemminga wrote a Book against those which profess Astrology, which he entitled, Astrologiae ratione & experientia refutatae liber. He shews there, that all the promises which Astronomers make of future events are vain, and that evidently in the genitures of thirty famous persons, which Suffridus Petrus de Scriptoribus Frisiae reckons up.
Another kinde of Divination is Physiognomy.
If I say a sanguineous man is prone to lust, that is a true judgement,Ipsa nominis notatio significat Philosophis scientiam illam, quâ vel ex totius corporis, vel alterius partis corporis aspectu, de hominis natura & ingenio judicamus. Zanch. de Divinat. per sortes. this is properly Physiognomy, but if thou saiest, he is actually lustfull, that is a rash judgement, for by reason or the grace of God he may restrain that, as the story of Socrates is known.
A certain kind of Physiognomy is called Chiromancy or Palmestry, which is a divination by inspection of the lines in the hand,Chiromantia quid sit, ipsius nominis notatio indicat: Divinatio est, quae fit ex manuum inspectione. In S. literis, he verbum quidem ullum de Chiromantia habemus. Dico ex manuum inspectione verè & certè cognosci posse cùm corporis constitutionem, tu…t multorum affectuum propensionem. Quoniam signa quae sunt in manu, ut illa lineamenta, inter quae numeratur & linea vicalis ab Aristotele & medicis, connexionem quandam certam & necessariam habent cum corporis constitutione, & affectum propensione. Actuales verò mores, aut futuras contingentes actiones as dignitates, verè ac cerrò praesentir… …c praedici posse ex manuum inspectione, inficior. Quoniam lineaments manus seu vitae, nullam certam aut necessariam cum actualibus moribus, aut futuris actionibus connexionem habent. Zanch. de Divinat.
—Frontemque manémque praebebit vati.
Juv. Sat. 1.
Aristotle in his singular book of Physiognomy hath made no mention of Chiromancy, yet I beleeve the Egyptians, who were addicted to those abstruse and mysticall sciences had a knowledge therein, to which those vagabond and counterfeit Egyptians did after pretend, and perhaps retained a few corrupted principles, which sometimes might verifie their prognosticks. Dr Brown. Religio Medici.
See of them Camerar. Histor. Meditat. l. 1. c. 17.
II. Of Natural Magick.
Magicarum artium usum inde coepisse inter homines existimo, quod Diabolus secutus exemplum consuetudinis & colloquiorum Dei, cum sanctis Patribus, eodem modo alias alia specie sese exhibuit hominibus, ut hujus imitationis & colloquiorum occasione se facilius insinuaret, & à verbo Dei aversos animos, ad petendas à se, & expectandas declarationes, admonitiones, patefactiones, & alia hujus generis assuefaceret. Gasp. Peuc. De Divinat-generibus, p. 309. Magi, vox, ut multis videtur Persica, quae licet jam infamis, primo tamen honori fuit, & vel Philosophum, vel ut vult Appuleius sacerdotem significabat. Ouzel. animadvers. ad Minut. Felic octav. Vide Dilher. Disp. Acad. Tom. 2. p. 184.Some distinguish between Natural, Artificial and Diabolical, though others dislike them all.
Zoroaster is said first to invent this Art of Magick. Vide Aug. De Civ. Dei. l. 21. c. 14. & Polyd. Verg. De Invent. Rerum. l. 1. c. 22.
Magick flourished especially among the Persians.
One saith, Magia est ars impetrandi à Diabolo quicquid ipsi praescripseris. Magick is an Art of obtaining of the Devil whatsoever thou shalt command him. As Christianity is an Art of obtaining from God what is profitable, so Magick is an Art of obtaining from the Devil what thou shalt command him. For the Devil is the Author and worker of those things which the Magicians work; though one saith, The Art is but Naturalis Philosophiae absoluta consummatio, the absolute perfection of natural Philosophy.
Plinie speaketh of Moses his Myracles, though he do ill in calling him a Magician, for, 1. what likenesse is there between the illusions of a Magician, which vanish away in the twinkling of an eye, and the leading of a mighty great Nation through the Sea,Jannes and Jambres Magicians resisted Moses, 2 Tim. 3.8. and which is more, the maintaining of them from hunger and thirst so long a time. There is no Law in the world doth so expresly forbid Magick as doth the Law of Moses, as if the Law would thereby purposely prevent this slander.
Benno the Cardinal in the life of Hildebrand relates, that five Popes Sylvester the 3d,Diabolicis artibus Sylvester tertius Pontifex evasit. De quo Stellu devitis Pont. in Sylv. III. Platina aliique. Romanus Pontifex, Diabolo adjuvante, constitutus, bac tamen lege; ut post obitum, totus illius, & in anima, & in corpore, esset. Gomarus Disp. 21. De Antichrist…. Benedictus the 9th, John the 20. and 21, Gregory the 7th, did wholly give themselves to the Devil that they might be Popes.
He hath a notable story there of Hildebrand, about his carring a book of Necromancy still with him.
Libels, or Libri famosi are to be forbidden, blasphemous books to be abolisht, but Magical books are to be burnt, Act. 19.19.
Chymistae vocantur, qui vi ignis corpora heterogenea solvere, homogenia coagulare norunt. Quia Aegyptum sacra lingua à sacerdotibus Chemiam vocatam scribit Plutarchus: Videri potest, artem istam jam inde ab Hermete Trismegisto, sacerdotibus familiarem, ad perpetuam ortus sui memoriam, Chemiae, quasi Aegyptiae nomen traxisse, quam postea Arabes, ab Aegyptiis susceptam, excoluerunt, & unà cum Philosophia Graecanica sensim Europoeo orbi communicarunt, articulo linguae suae familiari auctiorem Alchimiam appellantes. Hanc Theophrastus Paracelsus, vir in hoc genere admiraculum usque excellens, Spagiricam n…ncopavit: non inepra, ut videtur originatione: quando quidem foreign, in extrahendo sive separando & congregando five coagulando tota occupatur. Melch. Adam. in vita Paracelsi,Alchimy an Art full of errours and vanity *Sir Francis Bac. Advanc of Learning, lib. 1. cap. 4. Arc Chymica a…s falsissima & fallacissima. Habent ejus artis multa opuscula à doctis viris conscripta, inter quos priorem locum haber Geber. Habent & alium quendam antorem, qui de hac arte ingent edidit volumen, inscriptum Attogrehi: Hic Bagadedae principi à secretis fuit, Meand. Geog. partes.yet this right is due to it, that it may truly be compared to the Husbandman, whereof Aesop makes the Fable, That when he died, told his sonnes he had left unto them a great masse of gold buried under ground in his vineyard, but did not remember the particular place where it was hidden; Who when they had with spades turn'd up all the vineyard, they found no gold; but by reason of their stirring and digging the mold about the roots of their Vines, they had a great vintage the year following: so the painfull search and stirre of Alchymists to make gold, hath brought to light a great number of good and fruitfull experiments, as well for the disclosing of nature, as the use of mans life.
The Alchymists or Chymicks too much extoll their spirits.
The chiefest Chymicks among the Ancients,Prudentissimè cuidam de suit spiritibus glorianti, respondisse fettur Angliae Regina Elizabetha; si spiritus puri essemus, solis quoque spiritibus curari & nutriri possemus. Scunert. lib. de Chymic. cap. 10. Tycho Brahe (who was given to the study also himself) reckons up to be these, Hermes Tresmegistus, Geber, Rupescissa, Arnoldus de Villa-nova, Raymundus Lullius, Thomas Aquinas, Roger Bacon, Albertus Magnus. To which he addes, Isaack Holland, and Theophrastus Paracelsus.
The Cabbalisticall Art is also vain, though magnified too much in these dayes.Impium Cabalistarum Commentum, qui decem Dei veri nominibus & Angelorum, quorum meminerunt sacrae literae, ea quae magnifica specie pollicentur, & Diabolo juvante Deo permittente, quandoque confirmant, peragere se affirmant. Gasp. Penc. De Divinat. generibus, p. 323. The Schoolmen were said to turn Divinity in utrum non in usū. D. Stought. The Schoolmen in their vast volumes were well said, magno conatu nihil agere, and their perplexed distinctions justly called operosae nugae, which they themselves rather coin'd then understood. M. Herles Moral Prudence, c. 13. Scholastici vel hoc nomine non tanti sunt a nobis faciendi, quia in Justificationis articulo vix quicquam tradiderunt solidi. D. Prideaux. Ego Ludovico Vivi subscribam, qui Theologiam Scholasticam non artes solummodo bonas, sed & ipsam Theologiam peremisse asserit. Calv. Comment. in 1 Tim. 1.1. Vide plura ibid.
The Jews hold, that Moses received a double Law from God in the Mount, one in writing, or delivered in writing, the other by mouth, or delivered by mouth. This last (say they) was successively delivered by Moses to posterity, first to Joshua, by him to the Elders, and by them to the first Prophets, and then to the last Prophets, amongst whom the last of all were Zachary, Haggai, Malachi, these delivered it to the men of the great Synagogue, which were Ezra with his company, who restored the Law to its ancient purity, from whom the wise men following received it in succeeding generations, and this double Exposition which the Jews glory in is yet found among their wise men, they name the Cabala.
Joannes Picus de Mirandula first amongst the Latines made mention of this Cabal of the Hebrews.
Because there are six Alephs in the first verse of the first Chapter of Genesis, and Aleph signifies a thousand, therefore they say the world shall last six thousand years.
Some learned men (as Chamier, and others) likewise tax School-Divinity.
Mihi quidem satis est, si quando succisivis horis huc diverto, ad Thomam, aut Petrum de Aquila, aut Majorem, aut Nicolaum de Orbellis, aut Cardinalem de Aliaco, & hujusmodi molestissimorum hominum turbam: non equidem ut delectationem capiam: sed eò tantum ut animum satiem: non aliter quàm si quis aliquando palatium visitans, post aularum, cubiculorum, coenaculorum magnificentiam, etiam latrinas non dedignetur aspicere, sed paucis, ob faetorem. Chamier. Epist. I…suit.
Gaudeo (saith Luther) me è Scholastica Theologia erutum & gratias ago Christo Deo m…o
And in his first Tom… de octavo praecepto. Vocantur Doctores Scholastici, & hoc proprissimo veroque nomine, Scholastici enim sunt, id est, ludicri, & lusores, imò & illuser…s, tam sui quam aliorum.
See Antonie du Verdier his learned Preface of Learning to his Bibliotheque.
Before I proceed to speak of the Languages,Vide Bibliand. De ratione Communi omnium linguarum & literarum. c. 6. Et Polyd. Verg. De Invent. rerum, l. 2. c 7. Ars Typographica inventa in Germania, anno aerae Christi 1411. Helv. Chron 1440 Calvis. Chron. Tres hae singulares artes, bombardica, Typographia, Nautica Germaniae inventa sunt. Joannes Guttenbergius Argentinensis artem impressoriam, seu excusoriam, novum scribendi genus, primus excogitavit anno 1440. in urbe Argentinensi inde veniens Moguntiam eam foeliciter perfecit. Gen…. Chronol. l. 4. Vide Pasquier, Recherich. de la France. lib 9. c. 29. I shall say something of that usefull Art of Printing.
Cardan, lib. 17. de artibus saith, It is an Art inferiour to none, neither in profit, dignity, nor subtilty.
How speedily doth it conveigh Learning from one Nation and Age to another?
Imprimis ille die, quantum vix scribitur axno.
Pasquier saith, One may see the world traversed in these two inventions, a Monk the Inventer of Artillery, and a Souldier of Printing, Recherch de la France, lib 9. cap. 29.
Cujus beneficio clarissimi scriptores ex bonarum literarum naufra. gio superstites, in mille transfunderentur exemplatia, & in multorum manus ad incomparabile totius Reipublicae Christianae praesidium, salubriter perveni…ent. Middendorp. De Academ. l. 3.By printing many Greek and Latine Authors have been preserved from destruction. Auctores plurimos, tam Gracos quàm Latinos, ab omni prorsus interitus periculo vindicavit. Polyd. Virg. De Invent. rerum l. 2. c. 7.
It is commonly said, That Tullies Offices was the first book that was printed.
Ciceronis officia prima omnium librorum typis aeneis impressa sunt. Exemplar officierum istorum habeo in membrana impressum. Schol. Mathem. Rami, l. 2.
There were some famous Printers.
Aldus Manutius *Of Aldus Manutius, See Antoine Du Verdier hic Preface to hic Bibliotheque. Crispinum amisimus, politum & tersum Typographum. Beza Epist. 6., and after him Paulus his Sonne in Venice; in France, Crispinus, Henry Stevens the Father to Charles, and Charles to Robert, Robert to Henry, and Henry to Paul, all Printers.
Christopher aVir typographia suâ praeclarè de studiis meritus. Voss. De Imitat. Poet.Plantine of Antwerp a most famous and learned Printer.
There is a Book intituled, Index Libroram Qui ex Typographia Plantiniana prodierunt. Oporinus Celebris parentum aevo Basileae Typographus fuit, cui nomen Ioanni Oporino. Voss. de vitiis Sermonis, c. 9.
Frobenius, he was Erasmus his faithfull Printer.
Daniel Bombergus who deserves special praise for his care and diligence in setting forth the Bible with the Chaldee Paraphrase, Rabins Commentaries, and the Masora, besides many other Hebrew books. R. Gedaliah in his Shalsheleth doth speak honourably of him in this respect.
Nec tamen dicere dubitamus magnam reprehensionem mereri Typographos qui quocunque tandem affectu ducantur, pessimis ejusdem scriptis orbem impleverunt, quos etiam si magistratus non castiger, Dominus tamen castigabit. Bezae Epist. 4.Some Printers are to be blamed, who for lucre sake are ready to print any book though never so corrupt and pernicious.
I have heard that George Bishop the Printer in London would not sell any Popish Books either to Papists or any that were like to be seduced by them.