Book III, chapters 14–17: The gods of the gentiles, celestial souls, intelligences and spirits

CHAP. XIIII. Of the Gods of the gentiles, and souls of the Celestiall bodies, and what places were consecrated in times past, and to what Dieties:

THe Philosophers have maintained, as we have shewed before, that the Heavens and Stars are Divine Animals, and their souls intellectuall, participating of the Divine mind; and they averre, that some separated substances are superior, others inferior to them, as it were governing and serving, which they call intelligences and Angels; moreover Plato himself affirmed, that Celestiall souls are not confined to their bodies, as our souls to our bodies, but to be, where they will, and also that they rejoyce in the vision of God, and without any labor or pains do rule and move their bodies, and together in moving them do easily govern these inferior things; therefore they often called the souls of this kind, Gods, and appointed Divine honors for them, and dedicated prayers and sacrifices to them, and did worship them with Divine worship, and these are the gods to the which all people are attributed, concerning which Moses commanded in Deuteronomy, saying, least perchance your eyes being lifted up to Heaven, thou shouldest see the Sun, the Moon, and all the Stars of Heaven, and being turned back shouldest adore and worship them, to which all the Nations are subjected, which are under the Heaven; but the Lord Jehovah hath taken and brought you forth from the furnace of Egypt, that thou shouldest be an Hereditary people to himself; and in the same book chap. 17. he calleth the Sun, Moon, & Stars Gods; and the Doctors of the Hebrews upon that place of Genesis where it is said, that Abraham gave gifts to the sons of the concubines, viz. Shemoth, Steltoma, that is strange names, but left Isaac heir of all that he possessed, say, that the sons of the concubines werenot in the blessing of Abraham, given to Jehovah the most high-creator, but to strange gods and dieties, but that Isaac and his seed were given to the omnipotent Jehovah, and in no part to any strange Dieties; therefore they are upbraided in Deutornomy, because they served strange gods, and worshipped them they knew not, and to whom they were not given; and also Joshua Nave, after that the people were brought into the land of promise, their enemies overcome, and the lots of the possessions of Israel distributed, gave the people leave to choose that God whom they would worship, saying, leave is given you this day to choose whom you will especially serve, whether the gods which your fathers served in Mesopotamia; or the gods of the Amorites, whose land you inhabite; but the people answered, we will serve the Lord Jehovah, and he shall be our God; Joshua said to them, ye cannot do it, for the Lord Jehovah is holy, strong, and jealous; but the people persevering to serve Jehovah; he saith to them, ye are witnesses your selves, that ye have chosen for your selves the Lord, to serve him; take away therefore strange gods out of the midst of you, and incline your hearts to the Lord God of Israel; and he erected a great stone saying, this stone shalbe for a witness, least perhaps afterwards ye will deny and lye to the Lord your God; therefore the other gods, to which the other Nations were given, were the Sun, Moon, twelve Signs, and other Celestiall bodies, and Divine fabricks, yet not as they were bodies, but as the soul adhereth to them, and the whole Militia of Heaven, which Jeremy cals the queen of Heaven, that is the power by which the Heaven is governed, viz. the soul of the world, of which Jeremy saith, The sons gather sticks, and part thereof maketh a fire, and the women mingle oyl, that they might make a cake for the Queen of heaven, neither was the worship of Doulia, to this Queen and other Celestiall souls prohibited them, but of Latria only, which they that gave, are reproved of the Lord; but the name of these souls or Gods, we have before declared; but to what Regions, People, and Cities they were ascribed is proper and tutelar gods; Origen, Tertullian, Apuleius, Diodorus, and very many other historians, partly relate to us: Therefore all people worshipped their gods with their proper ceremonies; The Beotians, Amphiarus; The Africans, Mopsus; the Egyptians, Osiris, and Isis; the Ethiopians, who inhabite Mero; Jupiter and Bacchus; The Arabians; Bacchus and Vinus; the Scythians, Minerva; the Naucratians, Serapis; the Syrians, Atargates; the Arabians, Diaphares; the Africans, Celestus; the Nornians, Tibelenus: In Italy also by the free Cities consecration, Delventius, was the God of the Crustumensians, Viridianus of the Narvensians, Aucharia of the Aesculans, Nursia of the Volsians, Valentia of the Otriculant, Nortia of the Sutrinians, Curis of the Phaliscians; these especially were famous. The Latians did adore with the highest worship, Mars; The Egyptians, Isis; the Moors, Iuba; the Macadonians, Cabrius; the Carthaginians, Uranus; the Latines, Faunus; the Romans, Quirinus; the Sabines, Sangus; the Athenians, Minerva; Samos, Juno; Paphos, Venus; Lemnos, Vulcan; Naxos, Bacchus; Delphos, Apollo; and as Ovid singeth in his Fasti.

Athens do Pallas; Crete, Dian' implore.
The Iland Lemons Vulcan doth adore.
The Spartans, Juno—

The Carthaginians and Leucadians did worship Saturn; Crete, Pyreus, Homole, Ida, Elis and Lybia, Jupiter, where was his Oracle: Epirus, Latium, Gnidus, Lycia, Pisa, Macedonia, Mars; The Thermodonians, Scythians, and Thracia, the Sun; the Scythians did worship onely one God, sacrificing an horse to him; the same also the Heliopolitans, and Assyrians did worship; and under the name of Apollo, the Rhodians, Hyperboreans and Milesians; and the mountains Parnassus, Phaselus, Cynthus, Soracte, were holy to him, and the Islands Delos, Claros, Tenedos and Mallois, a place in the Isle Lesbos, and the Grynean Grove or Town, besides the Cities, Patara, Chrysa, Tarapnas, Cyrrha, Delphos, Arrephina, Entrosi, Tegyra; Also Thebes, the Island, Naxos, Nise a City of Arabia, Callichoros a river of Paphlagonia, were consecrated to him under the name of Bacchus and Dionysius; also Parnassus, and Cytheros mountains of Boetia, in which every second yeer by course, the feasts Bacchanalia were kept; also the Thamaritans a people neighbors to the Hircanians did worship Bacchus with their own Ceremonies. The Assyrians first of all introduced the worship of Venus; then the Paphians in Cyprus, and Phenicians, and Cythereans, whom (as Ageus reports) the Athe[…]ians followed: amongst the Lacedomonians, Venus Armatha was worshipped; at Delphos, Venus Epitybia; she was also adored of the Coans; and in Amathus an Island of the Aegean Sea, and in Memphi a City of Egypt, and in Gnido and Sicilia, and the Idalian Grove, and the City Hypepa and Erice a mountain of Sicilia, and in Calidonia, Cyrene and Samos; and no Diety of the old Gods (Aristotle being witness) is reported to have been worshipped with greater ceremonies, and in more places; the French did especially worship Mercury, calling him Tentates; so also the Arcadians, Hormopolites, Egyptians and Memphites. The Scythians about mount Taurus, did worship the Moon under the name of Diana; and in Ephesus, she had a most stately Temple; and in Mycena after the death of Thoantes King of Taurica, her Image being stollen away by Iphigenia and Orestes, she was worshipped nigh A[…]icia. The Rite of Ceremonies being changed, she was worshipped likewise by the Magnesians, a people of Thessalia, and in Pisa, a City of Achaia, and in Tybur, and the Aventinum a Roman hill, and in Perga a City of Pamphilia, and in Agras in the Kingdom of Attica; and the Catenian people are reported to have worshipped the Moon under the Masculine sexe; there were also other places consecrated to other Dieties, as to Pallas, who is called Minerva, were consecrated Athens, the mountains Pyreus, Aracynthus, the River Tritones, and Alcomeneum a City of Boetia, and Neo one of the Islands of the Cyclades; The holy places of Ceres are, Eleusis Attica, Enna, and Catana, Cities of Sicilia and mount Aetna; The chief worship to Vulcan was in the Island of Lemnos, and in Imbres, an Island of Thracia and Therasia, an Island consecrated to Vulcan, and also Sicilia: Vesta was the goddess of the Trojans, whom runaway Aeneas carryed into Italy, and to her are given the Phrygians, Idea and Dindymus, mountain of Phrygia, and Reatum a City of Umbria; also the mountain Berecynthus, and Pessinuntium, a City of Phrygia; The Cities Carthage, Prosenna, Arhos, and Mycena, worshipped June; also the Island Samos and the people of Phaliscia, Orchestus a City of Boetia, and Tenatus a Promontory of Laconia, were consecrated to Neptune, and the Trezenian Nation and City were under the protection of Neptune: of this sort therefore were the gods of the Nations, which did rule and govern them, which Moses himself in Deuteronomy calleth Gods of the earth, to the which all Nations were attributed, not signifying others then the heavenly Stars, and their souls.

CHAP. XV. What our Theologians think concerning the Celestiall souls.

THat the heavens and the heavenly bodies are animated with certain Divine souls, is not only the opinion of Poets, and Philosophers, but also the assertion of the sacred Scriptures, and of the Catholicks; for Ecclesiastes also describeth the soul of heaven, and Jerom upon the same expresly confesseth it: In like manner Origen in his book of Principles, seemeth to think that Celestiall bodies are animated, because they are said to receive commands from God, which is only agreeable to a reasonable nature; for it is written, I have enjoyned a command on all the Stars; Moreover Job seemeth to have fully granted, that the Stars are not free from the stain of sin; for there we read, the Stars also are not clean in his sight; which cannot verily be referred to the brightness of their bodies; moreover that the Celestiall bodies are animated, even Eusebius the Pamphilian thought, and also Austin in his Enchiridion; but of the latter writers Albertus Magnus in his book of four co-equals, and Thomas Aquinas in his book of Spiritual Creatures, and John Scot upon the second of the sentences; to these the most learned Cardinall Nich: Cusāus may be added; Moreover Aureolus himself in a strong disputation doth convince these things; who moreover thinketh it not strange, that the Heavenly bodies are worshipped with the worship of Doulia, and that their suffrages and helps are implored; to whom also Thomas himself consenteth, unless the occasion of idolatry should hinder this rite; moreover Plotinus maintaineth that they know our wishes, and hear them; but if any one would contradict these, and account them sacrilegious tenents, let him hear Austin in his Enchiridion, and in his book of Retractations, and Thomas in the second book against the Gentiles, and in his Quodlibets, and Scotus upon the sentences, and Gulielmus Parisiensis in his sum of the universe, who unanimously answer, that to say the heavenly bodies are animated or inanimated, nothing belongeth to the Catholick faith. Therefore although it seemeth to many ridiculous, that the souls themselves be placed in the spheres and Stars, and as it were the Gods of the Nations, every one doth govern his Regions, Cities, Tribes, People, Nations and Tongues, yet it will not seem strange to those who rightly understand it.

CHAP. XVI. Of Intelligences and spirits, and of the threefold kind of them, and of their diverse names, and of Infernall and subterraneal spirits.

NOw consequently we must discourse of Intelligences, spirits and Angels. An Intelligence is an intelligible substance, free from all gross and putrifying mass of a body, immortall, insensible, assisting all, having Influence over all; and the nature of all intelligencies, spirits and Angels is the same. But I call Angels here, not those whom we usually call Devils, but spirits so called from the propriety of the word as it were, knowing, understanding and wise. But of these according to the tradition of the Magicians, there are three kinds, the first of which they call supercelestiall, and minds altogether separated from a body, and as it were intellectuall spheres, worshipping the one only God, as it were their mo[…] firm and stable unity or center; wherefore they even call them gods, by reason of a certain participation of the divinity; for they are always full of God, and overwhelmed with the Divine Nectar. These are only about God, and rule not the bodies of the world, neither are they fitted for the government of inferior things, but infuse the light received from God unto the inferior orders, and distribute every ones duty to all of them; The Celestiall intelligences do next follow these i[…] the second order, which they call worldly Angels viz. being appointed besides the Divine worship for the spheres of the world, and for the government of every heaven & Star, whence they are divided into so many orders, as there are heavens in the world, & as there are Stars in the Heavens, and they called those Saturnine, who rule the Heaven of Saturn & Saturn himself; others Joviall, who rule the heaven of Jupiter and Jupiter himself, and in like maner they name diverse Angels, as well for the name, as the vertue of the other Stars; and because the old Astrologers did maintain fifty five motions, therefore they invented so many Intelligences or Angels; they placed also in the Starry heaven, Angels, who might rule the signs, triplicities, decans, quinaries, degrees and Stars; for although the school of the Peripateticks assigne one onely intelligence to each of the Orbs of the Stars: yet sceing every Star and small part of the heaven hath its proper and different power and influence, it is necessary that it also have his ruling intelligence, which may confer power and operate; therefore they have established twelve Princes of the Angels, which rule the twelve signs of the Zodiack, and thirty six which may rule the so many De[…]ans, and seventy two, which may rule the so many Quinaries of heaven, and the tongues of men and the Nations, and four which may rule the triplicities and Elements, and seven governors of the whole world, according to the seven planets, and they have given to all of them names, and seals, which they call Characters, and used them in their invocations, in[…]antations, and carvings, describing them in the instruments of their operations, images, plates, glasses, rings, papers, wax […]ights and such like; and if at any time they did operate for the […]un, they did invocate by the name of the Sun, and by the names of Solare Angels, and so of the rest. Thirdly they established Angels as Ministers for the disposing of those things which are below, which Origen calleth certain invisible powers to the which those things which are on earth, are committed to be disposed of. For sometimes they being visible to none to direct our journies and all our businesses, are oft present at […]attels, and by secret helpes do give the desired successes to their friends, for they are said, that at their pleasures they can procure prosperity, and inflict adversity. In like manner they distribute these into more orders, so as some are fiery, some watery, some aerial, some terrestial; which four species of Angels are computed according to the four powers of the Celestiall souls, viz. the mind, reason, imagination, and the vivifying and moving nature; Hence the fiery follow the mind of the Celestiall souls, whence they concur to the contemplation of more sublime things, but the Aeriall follow the reason, and favor the rationall faculty, and after a certain manner separate it from the sensitive and vegetative; therefore it serveth for an active life, as the fiery for a contemplative, but the watery following the imagination, serve for a voluptuous life; The earthly following nature, favor vegetable nature; moreover they distinguish also this kind of Angels into Saturnine and Joviall, according to the names of the Stars, and the Heavens; further some are Orientall, some Occidentall, some Meridional, some Septentrionall; Moreover there is no part of the world destitute of the proper assistance of these Angels, no[…] because they are there alone, but because they reign there especially, for they are everywhere, although some especially operate, and have their influence in this place, some elswhere neither truly are these things to be understood, as though they were subject to the influences of the Stars, but as they him correspondence with the Heaven above the world, from whence especially all things are directed, and to the which all things ought to be conformable; whence as these Angels a[…] appointed for diverse Stars, so also for diverse places and times not that they are limited by time or place, neither by the bodies which they are appointed to govern, but because the order of wisdom hath so decreed, therefore they favor more and patronize those bodies, places, times, stars; so they have called some Diurnall, some Nocturnall, other Meridionall; i[…] like manner some are called Woodmen, some Mountianeers some Fieldmen, some Domesticks. Hence the gods of the Woods, Country gods, Satyrs, Familiars, Fairies of the fountains, Fairies of the Woods, Nymphs of the Sea, the Naiades, Neriádes, Dryades, Pierides, Hamadryades, Potumides, Hi[…] nides, Agapte, Pales, Pareades, Dodonae, Feniliae, Lavern[…] Pareae, Muses, Aonides, Castalides, Heliconides, Pegasides, Meonides, Phebiades, Camenae, the Graces, the Genii, Hobgoblins and such like; whence they call them vulgar superiors, some the demi-gods and goddesses; some of these are so familiar and acquainted with men, that they are even affected with humane perturbations, by whose instruction Plato thinketh that men do oftentimes wonderfull things, even as by the instruction of men, some beasts which are most nigh unto us, as Apes, Dogs, Elephants, do often strange things above their species; and they who have written the Chronicles of the Danes and Norwegians, do testifie, that spirits of diverse kinds in those regions are subject to mens commands; moreover some of these to be corporeall and mortall, whose bodies are begotten and dy, yet to be long lived is the opinion of the Egyptians, and Platonists, and especially approved by Proclus. Plutarch also and Demetrius the Philosopher, and Aemilianus the Rhetoritian affirm the same; Therefore of these spirits of the third kind, as the opinion of the Platonists is; they report that there are so many Legions, as there are Stars in the Heaven, and so many spirits in every Legion, as in heaven it self Stars, but there are (as Athanasius delivereth) who think, that the true number of the good spirits, is according to the number of men ninety nine parts, according to the parable of the hundred sheep; others think only nine parts, according to the parable of the ten groats; others suppose the number of the Angels equal with men, because it is written, He hath appointed the bounds of the people according to the number of the Angels of God; and concerning their number many have written many things, but the latter Theologians following the master of the sentences, Austin and Gregory easily resolve themselves, saying, that the number of the good Angels transcendeth humane capacity; to the which on the contrary, innumerable unclean spirits do correspond, there being so many in the inferior world, as pure spirits in the superior, and some Divines affirm that they have received this by revelations; under these they place a kind of spirits, subterrany or obscure, which the Platonists call Angels that failed, revengers of wickedness, and ungodliness, according to the decree of the Divine justice, and they call them evill Angels and wicked spirits, because they oft annoy and hurt even of their own accords; of these also they reckon more legions, and in like manner distinguishing them according to the names of the Stars and Elements, and parts of the world, they do place over them Kings, Princes and Rulers and the names of them; of these, four most mischeivous Kings do rule over the other, according to the four parts of the world; under these many more Princes of Legions govern, and also many of private offices. Hence the Gorgones, Statenocte, the furies. Hence Tisiphone, Alecto, Megara, Cerberus: They of this kind of spirits, Prophyry saith, inhabite a place nigh to the earth, yea within the earth it self; there is no mischief, which they dare not commit; they have altogether a violent and hurtfull custome, therefore they very much plot and endeavor violent and sudden mischiefs; and when they make incursions, sometimes they are wont to lie hide, but sometimes to offer open violence, and are very much delighted in all things done wickedly and contentiously.

CHAP. XVII. Of these according to the opinion of the Theologians.

BUt our Theologians, together with Dionysius, maintain the three distinctions of Angels; every one of which they divide into three orders, they call these Hierarchies, those quires, whom Proclus also distinguisheth by the number nine. They place therefore in the superior Hierarchies, Seraphim, Cherubim, and Thrones, as it were supercelestiall Angels contemplating the order of the Divine providence; the first in the goodness of God; the second in the Essence of God, as the form; the third in the wisdom. In the middle Hierarchy they place the Dominations, Vertues, and Powers, as it were worldly Angels concurring to the government of the world; the first of these command that which the other execute; the second are Ministers to the Heavens and sometimes conspire to the working of miracles; the third drive away those things which seem to be able to disturbe the Divine Law; but in the inferiour Hierarchy they place the Principalities, Archangels, whom also Jamblicus reckoneth up, these as ministring spirits descend to take care of inferior things; the first of these take care of publike things, princes and magistrates, provinces and kingdoms, every one those that belong to themselves; when we read in Daniel, But the prince of the Kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty one dayes; and Jesus the son of Syrach testifieth, that for every Nation a ruling Angel is appointed; which also Moses by his song in Deuteronomy seemeth to shew forth, saying, when the most High divided the Nations, he appointed them bounds according to the number of the Angels of God. The second are present at sacred duties, and direct […]he Divine worship about every man, and offer up the prayers and sacrifices of men before the gods. The third dispose every smaller matter, and to each thing each one is a preserver. There are also of these, who afford vertue to the least plants and stones and to all inferior things; to whom many things are common with God, many with men, and they are mediating Ministers; but Athanasius, besides Thrones, Cherubins, and Seraphins, who are next to God, and magnifie him uncessantly with hymns and continuall praises, praying for our salvation, nameth the other orders, which by a common name he calleth the militia of heaven. The first of these is the Doctrinall order, of the which he was, who spake to Daniel, saying, Come, that I may teach thee what shall come to thy people in the last dayes; Then there is the tutelar order, of the which we read also in Daniel. Behold, Michael one of the Princes cometh to my help; and there, In that time shall rise up Michael a great Prince, who standeth for the sons of thy people; of this order was that Raphael also, who carryed forth and brought back Tobiah the younger; after this is the Procuratory Order, of the which mention is made in Job, where we read, if the Angel shall speak for him, he will intreat the Lord, and the Lord will be pleased with him; and of the same order is expounded also that which is written in the sixteenth Chapter of Ecclesiasticus, about the end. The works of the Lord have been made by his appointment from the beginning, and he hath distributed their portions from the time they have been made, he hath adorned their works for ever, they have not hungred, nor been wearied, and have not desisted from their works, none of them shall oppress his neighbor even for ever. The Ministeriall order followeth, of the which Paul to the Hebrews saith, Are they not all Ministring spirits, sent forth for them who shall be heirs of salvation. After these is the Auxiliary order, of the which we read in Esay, The Angels of the Lord went forth and slew in the tent of the Assyrians 185. thousands. The Receptory order of souls followeth this, of the which we read in Luke, the soul of Lazarus was carryed by Angels into the boso[…] of Abraham, and there we are taught, that we should make to our selves friends of the unrighteous Mammon, that we may be received into eternall Tabernacles. Moreover, there is th[…] order of the Assistants, of the which we reade in Zachary. These are the two sons of the Oyl of splendor, who assist the ruler of the whole earth, but the Theologians of the Hebrews do otherwise number and call these orders; for in the highest place are those which they call [non-Latin script] that is, creatures of sanctity, or by the which God [non-Latin script] giveth the gift of being. In the second place succeed Ophanim [non-Latin script] that is forms or wheels, by the which God [non-Latin script] distinguisheth the Chaos: In the third place are Aralim [non-Latin script] great, strong, and mighty Angels, by the which Jehova Elohim pronounced or Jehova joyned with He [non-Latin script] administreth form to the liquid matter: In the fourth place are Hasmalim [non-Latin script] by which El [non-Latin script] God frameth the effigies of bodies. The fifth order is Seraphim [non-Latin script] by the which God Elohim Gibor [non-Latin script] draweth forth the Elements. The sixt is Malachim [non-Latin script] that is of Angels, by the which God Eloha [non-Latin script], produceth metals. The seventh Elohim [non-Latin script] that is the gods by the which God Jehovah Saboath [non-Latin script] produceth vegetables; The eighth Beni Elohim [non-Latin script] that is the sons of God, by the which God Elohim Sabaoth [non-Latin script] procreateth Animals; The ninth & lowest Cberubim [non-Latin script] by the which God Sadai [non-Latin script] createth mankind; under these is the order Animasticus called Issim [non-Latin script] that is nobles, strong men, or blessed, by the which God Adonai [non-Latin script] bestoweth prophesie.