Part IX*

C H A P. IV.
Of the Planet Venus.
(4> Lib. 2. Pliny) there is a great
cap. 8. ' Star, called Vem^^ alternately errant,
in Names emulating both the Sun and Moon. For, preventing and riling before morning, he takes the Name oiLucifer^ as another Sun bring¬ ing on day:; on the other fide, fhining at Siui-fet, it is called as proroguing light, and per¬
forming the Office of the Moon, which its Nature Pythagoras the Samian firft found out, about the aLII Olympiad^ which was of Rome the 147th year, ‘‘fn magnitude it exceeds all the other Stars, and is of^fov^great fplendor, that this Star only calls a fliadoWNi whence it hath diverlity of Names; fomc c^ it Juno \ others, ljis \ others. Mothers of the gods. By the Nature hereof, all things are generated upon Earth ^ tor, at either ri¬
ling, it fcattereth prolifick dew, fupplying not only the Conceptions of Earth, but likewife fti- mulating all living Creatures. It performs the Revolution of the Zodiac k in 348 days, never re¬ ceding from the Sun more than 46 parts, accor- /
ding to Timaus. Thus P/iny. That there is a millake in the time, hath been already Ihown ; but the thing it felf is confirmed by Laertius^ who affirms, Pythagoras firft faid, that Vefper and Lucifer are the lame liar ; yet elfewhere adds, thatfome afqribe this to Parmenides. But that it was a Doftrine of the Pythagoreans^ appears from this account given by Timaus ; the ftar Juno many call Venus and Lucifer. All perfons •
are not skilful in the Rules of ftcred Aftronomy, • and in the Sciences of rifing and fetting •, for the fame ftar is fometimes Uefper^ when it followeth the Sun infuch manner, that it is confpicuousto us when the Sun is fet ; and fometimes Eous, when it goeth before the Sun, and rifeth before ;
Sun-riling. ^
The Dodlrine of Pythagoras.
c H A p. 1.
.(.o
{n)AielU U^.{a)
f
Fhilofiphjy its Namey Definitimy (PartSy Method.
HE Pythagoreans being adorned with . monftrative, the definitive, the divilive,as is mani- thefe ftudies of Science, from thence I feft from the Commentaries of the Pythagoreans.
(h) Jamh. cap. 2p. pag. 144.
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afeended to perfect theWorks of the World,and the Principles ofNature. {b) Pythagoras firft gave the Name to Philofo- phy, denning it. An Appetition,and.Love toWif- dom. is the Science of Truth in things
that are. Things that are, he called Immaterials,
and Eternals, and Idle Agents, which are the In- corporeals-, .the reft are equivocally called fuch, by Participation with thefe, viz. Corporeals, Materials, and Corruptibles, which indeed are not. Now Wifdom is the Science of thofe things which are, but not of thofe which are equivocal¬ ly ; for Corporeals are not docible, nor' admit certain knowledge, being infinite, and not com- prehenfibleby fcience, and things which fas -it were) are not, according to the difference of ajl things, neither can be r^tly deferibed by any definition. Of thofe whofe '-'Nature is fuch, as that they cannot be known, it is impoflibte^'.fe frame a Science; wherefore neither is it likely, that there can be a love of a Science which is not. But rather of that which is converfant about thofe things which prpperlyare, and continue always the fame, and like themfelves, and co-exift always with a true appellation. . Upon the knowledge of thefe followeth'that which is of equivocal things, (tho’ ndt fought after j as the fcience ofParticu- iai s follows the fcience of Univerlals ; For, as' Ar chit as Caith^Theyiohoknow Vniverfals well, wilt plainly fee what Particulars are}^ her efore things^ that are, are not of one kind only and limply, biR' of many various kinds, Intelligibles and Incorp'ov: reals, whofe appellation is 7a' oiiiti things that' are. Corporeal things, fubjed to fcrtfe, afe-thoii; vvhich are by participation of thofe that are. Concerning all thelTc, he delivered moft proper Sciences, leaving nothing une.xculTed, and deli
Hereupon he defined Philofophy, (c) the know- (c) Pfell com- ledge of things that are, as things that are, and pend.de 5000. (d) the knowledge of things divine and humane ; W as alfo (e) the meditation of death, daily endea- S* a Jfteroiti vouring to free the foul from the prifph of the adv. Rufin, body, and (/) the refemblance of God as far (/jstob.fcrnu asispoffible tor man. .d
for (g) the fcope of Philofophy is to free the( mind, (the divine part of the foul}which is planted in us, and to fet it at liberty, without which liber¬ ty none can- learn or perceive any thing ffilid or erne, by the help or benefit of fenfe *, for the mind, according to him, feeth alj things, and hears all things 5 all things elfe are deaf and blind.
In order hereunto it is, that Philofophy being of two kindSjPradick andTheoretick ; the Pradick, according to the method of the Pythagoreans^ precedes the Theoretick. The Realbn receive thus, explain’d by (h) hi erodes.
Philofophy is the purifeation and perfe3ion ofaxau humane life \ purification, from material irratio' nality and the mortal body-, perfedion from the reco¬ very oj its own excellent life, reducing it to the Di‘ vine Refemblance. Virtue andTruth are chiefly able to effed thefe, that taking awey Excefs of pajjions^ this (rightly had) inducing the divine form.
Firfi are laid down the Injirudions of Pradick Virtue j for firji we muji compofe the Irrationality which is in tfs,and fhen(Jo prepard)apply our f elves to the knowledge of the more divine things. For as it isnotpbJJtblefortheBye, being full of dirt, and not cleanfed,tolook upon things very bright-, fo neither can the not p^ejfing Virtue, gaze upon the Beauty of Truth. For that which is not pure, is not capable of touching that which is pure. Pradick P hi lofophy produceth Virtue ; Theorick, Truth. As in thefe Golden Verfes (^Pythagoras) we find
0.1
(h) la tnr*
vered alfo to men the common Sciences, as the de+
f the