red Divinities without ears? it cannot escape some doubt.

The dead feem all alive in the bumane Hades of Homer, yet cannot well fpeak, prophefie, or know the living, except they drink bloud, wherein is the life of man. And therefore the fouls of Penelope's Paramours conducted by Mertury chirped like bats, and those which followed Hercules made a noise but like a flock of birds.

The departed spirits know things past and to come, yet are ignorant of things prefent, Agamemnon foretels what shoul happen unto Vlyffes, yet ignorantly enquires what is become of his own Son. The Ghofts are afraid of swords in Homer, yet Sybilla tels Æneas in Virgil, the thin habit of spirits was beyond the force of weapons. The fpirits put off their malice with their bodies, and Cafar and Pompey accord in Latine Hell, yet Ajax in Homer endures not a conference with Vlyffes: And Deiphobus appears all mangled in Virgils Ghofts, yet we meet with perfect fhadows among the wounded ghofts of Homer.

Since Charon in Lucian applauds his

condition among the dead, whether it be handsomely faid of Achilles, that li ving contemner of death, that he had rather be a Plowmans fervant then Emperour of the dead? How Hercules his foul is in hell, and yet in heaven, and Julius his foul in a Starre, yet feen by Eneas in hell, except the Ghosts were but Images and fhadows of the foul, received in higher mansions, according to the ancient division of body, foul, and image or fimulachrum of them both, The particulars of future beings must needs be dark unto ancient Theories, which Christian Philosophy yet determines but in a Cloud of opinions. A Dialogue between two Infants in the womb concerning the ftate of this world, might handfomely illuftrate our ignorance of the next, whereof methinks we yet discourse in Platoes denne, and are but Embryon Philofophers.

Pythagoras escapes in the fabulous hell

of Dante, among that swarm of Philo- Del inferfophers, wherein whileft we meet with no. cant.4, Plato and Socrates, Cato is to be found in no lower place then Purgatory. Among all the set, Epicurus is most confiderable,

whom

whom men make honeft without an Elyzium, who contemned life without encouragement of immortality,and making nothing after death, yet made nothing of the King of terrours.

Were the happineffe of the next world as closely apprehended as the felicities of this, it were a martyrdome to live; and unto fuch as confider none hereafter, it must be more then death to dye, which makes us amazed at thofe audacities, that durft be nothing, and return into their Chaos again. Certainly fuch fpirits as could conteinn death, when they expected no better being after, would have fcorned to live had they known any. And therefore we applaud not the judgment of Machiavel, that Chriftianity makes men cowards, or that with the confidence of but half dying, the despifed virtues of patience and humility, have abafed the fpirits of men, which Pagan principles exalted, but rather regulated the wildeneffe of audacities, in the attempts, grounds, and eternall sequels of death; wherein men of the boldest spirits are often prodigiously temerarious, Nor can we extenuate the

valour of ancient Martyrs, who contemned death in the uncomfortable scene of their lives, and in their decrepit Martyrdomes did probably lose not mány moneths of their dayes, or parted with life when it was scarce worth the living. For (befide that long time paft holds no confideration unto a flender time to come) they had no fmall difadvantage from the conftitution of old age, which naturally makes men fearfull; And complexionally fuperannuaated from the bold and couragious thoughts of youth and fervent years. But the contempt of death from corporall animofity, promoteth not our felicity. They may fet in the Orche ftra, and nobleft Seats of Heaven who have held up fhaking hands in the fire, and humanely contended for glory.

Mean while Epicuras lyes deep in Dante's hell, wherein we meet with Tombs enclofing fouls which denied their immortalities. But whether the virtuous heathen, who lived better then he fpake, or erring in the principles of

F

him

himself, yet lived above Philofophers of more fpecious Maximes, lye fo deep as he is placed; at least fo low as not to rife against Christians, who beleeving or knowing that truth, have lastingly denied it in their practife and conversation, were a query too fad to infift on,

But all or most apprehenfions refted in Opinions of fome future being, which ignorantly or coldly beleeved, begat thofe perverted conceptions, Ceremonies, Sayings, which Christians pity or laugh at. Happy are they, which live not in that difadvantage of time, when men could fay little for futurity, but from reafon. Whereby the nobleft mindes fell often upon doubtfull deaths and melancholly Diffolutions; With thefe hopes Socrates warmed his doubtfull spirits, against that cold potion, and Cato before he durft give the fatall ftroak spent part of the night in reading the immortality of Plato, thereby confirming his wavering hand unto the animofity of that attempt,

It