Batman vppon Bartholome his booke De proprietatibus rerum, newly corrected, enlarged and amended: with such additions as are requisite, vnto euery seuerall booke: taken foorth of the most approued authors, the like heretofore not translated in English. Profitable for all estates, as well for the benefite of the mind as the bodie. 1582.

¶INCIPIT LIBER PRIMVS DE TRINITATE. (Book 1)

THe Father, the Sonne, the holy Ghost, be thrée persons by personal pro∣perties, but the absolute properties be common to all thrée persons, but some of these properties be more appro∣pried to one then to another: As thus, power is appropried to the Father, to the Sonne, wisdome is attributed, & to the holy Ghost is attributed grace. The Father is God, y^e Sonne is God, the ho∣ly Ghost is God: And these thrée per∣sons be not thrée Gods, but one verye God euerlasting, one essence, or one bée∣ing, euer perdurable, or during without measure, not chaungeable, almightie, one substaunce, and in one nature simple. The Father is of nothing precedent, the sonne is of the Father, the holy Ghost is of the Father & of the some proc••eding; without beginning of time; & without end. The thrée persons be one substance together, with one perdurabilitie toge∣ther, and one is equall to the other in all manner of perfection, and each one is Omnipotent or Almightie, and one be∣ginning of all things, created of nothing: or made of nothing: creatour of all cre∣atures, vise••••es or inuisibles, spiritualls or corporalls. The which creatour by a mightie vertue, from the beginning of time; created together the creature ange∣like, and the worldly nature, of nothing, or of no matter precedent. This creatour then made man, & nature humane com∣mon to the first two natures: for man is of body corporal, & of soule he is made spiritual••. From this holy trinitie, at con∣fusion vial mittion of pershifs is voided, For the Father is another, the Sonne is another, the holy Ghost is another: nor the father may not be the sonne, nor the holye Ghost: nor the sonne may not bee the Father, nor the holy Ghost: nor the holy Ghost may not be the Father nor the sonne: but to these thrée persons is one essence or being, and one nature common, the which is the beginning of all things, and out of this beginning ther is no beginning: These thrée persons be one God, one essence indiuisible or vna∣ble to be diuided, one substaunce and one nature. The Father •••••• no greater, nor of greater power then is the sonne: nor then the holy Ghost is, for the vnitie of the diuine essence or béeing, is equall or like in power to the Father, to the sonne, and to the holy Ghost, and this holy tri∣nitie is one God, the first beginning, without beginning, not created nor be∣gotten, not passible, nor mortall: mightie of power to make all things without number, and without end, fountaine of all goodnesse, and of all vertue, which by his incomprehensible knowledge know∣eth all things present, and to bée, & may we euery thing that he will, but he will not doe euery thing that he may, for hée might destroys all the world, and yet he will not doe it•• howbeit that his diuine essence, or béeing, may not be pertia lye knowne or compreh••rtoe•• by any reaso∣nable and mortall creature, yet there is not any imortall person; hauing the ••vre of discreation, but that he will confesse there is a God, which is the cause and beginning of all things, howbeit there is no man of 〈…〉〈…〉, and ••••••one vn∣derstanding, that can sufficiently seadeth

or finde what thing God is properlye, after the greatnesse of his most excel∣lent maiestye, but onely the Father, the Sonne, the holye Ghost, bee one trini∣tie in one vnitie, one vnitye in nature & in essence, one trinity in thrée persons, so named trinitie, as one vnitie of thrée persons, which be vnited together in one nature. Under this forme rehearsed, it sufficeth to euerye christian creature to knowe the trinitie, and in especiallye to them which bée of the common sorte or state. The knowledge of the names of GOD is not required as necessarye to euerye man to knowe, for they bée many in number, and eue∣rye name that is of God, it sheweth or signifieth the godly essence or being, or it signifieth the godly or diuine per∣fection, or it sheweth the diuine or godlye persons. The names signifi∣eng or betokening the diuine essence or béeing,* 1.1 bée called names Essentialls.

The names which betoken or sig∣nifie diuine or godlye perfection, bee called names Perfectionals.* 1.2 The names shewing, betokening, or specifieng the godlye or diuine persons, are na∣iued Personalls,* 1.3 or Uocalls. These three manners of names bée diuided in∣to manye other manners of names which of necessitie bée to bée learned of these greate and cunning Doctours of Theologie or Diuinitie, which bée to vs, or of right ought to bée, tea∣chers and Preachers of the worde of God incornate, and to shewe vs en∣sample of good lyfe by theyr vertuous liuing, and euer to be stronge and mightie, and readye defendours of our Christen faith, and on the holy Church or Congregation by theyr excellent perfect science and ••unning. It is right necessarye to vs that liue in this but Christian faith, to excesse truelye, and sl••d••a••••lye to beléeue, that the Sonne of the Father of Heauen, which is without beginning coeternall to his Father and to the holye Ghost: by the whole consent: of this, blessed Trini∣tie, and ••ore unitie, and bye the coope∣ration of the holye Ghost, hée entered into the wombe al the most pure, most immaculate, most cleane, most vertuous, most humble, and most méeke Uirgin Marie, in whome was neither spot nor riuell of sinne, after the salutation of Gabriel the Archangel when shée had answered these words of méeknesse: Behold the hand maide of the Lord, bée it done to me after thy word.

Thus this blessed sonne of God, not leauing or forsaking the Godhead, tooke mankinde vnto the Godhead, and is perfect God, one with his Father in godhead, he is also perfect man, & in his māhead he is lesse thē his father is, & in his manhead hée is in Hebrewe named Iesus, in the Gréeke tongue hée is cal∣led Sother,* 1.4 & in the Latine, he is called Saluator: and euery name of these thrée, in our language, is to say, our Sauiour.

He is also named Emanuel, which name by interpretation of our lan∣guage, is to saye, God is with vs. After his most blessed Natiuitye, hée proued in his humanitye, that hée was perfect God, for hée coulde all Science without anye teacher. He al∣so chaunged pure Water into Wine, hée gaue: sight to the man that was borne blinde, hée sayde openlye to the Iewes and to the Pharesies, I, which speake to you am the beginning.

Hée sedde manye thousandes of peo∣ple with fewe Loues of bread, and with fewe Fishes, the Winde and the Sea obeyed to his commaunde∣ment, hée raised Lazarus from death to lyfe, which was foure dayes dead, and stinking in his graue, in these, and in manye moe excellent myracles, he shewed that hée is perfect God.

Hée also shewed that hée is perfect man, for hée eate and dranke, and slepte, and so tooke increase in nature as man doth, hée wepte, hée fasted, he suffered all the miseryes and wret∣chednesse of man, excepte sinne.

It lyked him also to fulfill, to per∣fourme and to accomplishs all the wordes that the holye Patriar••es and Prophets hadde vttered and spo∣ken of him longe before: Also hée tooked our humanitie, and sol••to ful∣fill the prop••esies, bee suffered,

that his humane nature should be taken by the kissing of his vnkinde disciple, and most horrible traitour Iudas. And by the cruell persecution of the Iewes, af∣ter many punishments, they blasphemed God, before Pilate, cried wickedly: Cru∣cifie, crucifie him: and so vnder Ponci∣us Pilate he suffered to be crucified, and vpon the Crosse he died in his humani∣tie, and was interred and buried. And notwithstanding that his Sepulcher or graue was sealed and signed, and kepte with Knights, yet the third day by his Godhead or diuinitie, he rose in his hu∣manitie, and the. xl. day ensewing, he as∣cended into heuen, and sitteth ther at the right hande of his father: and he from thence perfect God and perfect man, is to come, and to iudge the liuing & dead. In the dead is vnderstoode the bodye, which hath bene mortall, and in the ly∣uing is vnderstood the soule which is spi∣rituall and immortall.

Before this Iudge Christ Iesus, which is God and man sitting in his throne of iudgement, all reasonable creatures shal stand. And he shall set all the godlye on his right side, and all the wicked on his left side, and all shalbe iudged after their ••tes and déeds, and after their thoughts, as they haue ben guided in their bodies, well or euill: then the good shall haue blisse eternall, and the euil and accursed, shall haue and suffer euerlasting paine. Wherfore euery christen man & woman haue this blessed Trinitie, the Father, the Sonne and the holy Ghost, stedfast∣ly grounded in their faith, as one perfect vnitie. To this Unitie in Trinitie, and to this Trinitie in one Unitie, mankind be neuer vnkinde, for this blessed Iesus our Sauiour, the seconde person of the Trinitie, which with his father & with the Holy ghost is one God, one essence, & one vnitie: which Iesus also of his infinit goodnes, of his excellent pitie, & of his most plentuous mercie, suffered pa∣tiently most horrible paine and passion, and death in his humanitie, for to re∣déeme all mankinde. And for this his vnsearchable good, not able to be spoken, and inenarrable or not able to be talked or told great excellent and mightie kind∣nesse, he desireth of man but this gift, sai∣eng thus: Giue me thy heart, & it suf∣ficeth me. Man if thou loue almightie God, thou beléeuest & trustest in God: & thy true and stedfast beléefe is but a thing dead without good works, Because good workes proceede of faith, as by good works each faith is expressed.* 1.5 Therfore euery man & woman do euer good déeds, & haue good thoughts, & let thy language be good: and whereas that by humane fragilitie or frailtie, thou trespassest a∣gainst the commaundement of almightie God, yet sée that thou dispaire not: for the good Lord of his aboundaunt grace, hath giuen a law for trespassors in this present lyfe, that is to say, Contrition,* 1.6 Confession, and Satisfaction. And euery reasonable creature taking this waye, maye be sure that almightie Christ Ie∣sus very God and man, is Mediatour in his perfect humanitie to the highest and most blessed and inestimable diuinitie or deitie, for all mankinde.

¶Sith it is perillous to euery earth∣ly man, & in especially to him that hath a thin wit, and litle comming, as I know that I haue, to wade dépe in these mat∣ters of Diuinitie, I will treate no far∣ther thereof at this time. The holy tri∣nitie giue vs grace, that we may truelye and faithfullye beléeue, and stedfastlye stande in our beléefe, and that charitie may raigne among vs Christen people.

¶I haue thought good for the father expressing of God, to set before thee, the first Ladder of Henry Cor∣nelius Agrippa, taken forth of his booke, tituled, De occulta Philoso∣phia.

NOw let vs perticularlye determine of the numbers themselues, because number is nothing but a repetition of one or vnitie. Let vs first consider what one is, for one doeth most simply pearce euery number, and being the common measure, originall, and fountaine of all numbers, doth containe euerye number onely ioyned in him, voyd of all great∣nesse, alwaies the self same, & vnchange∣able,

wherefore being multiplied in it selfe, doth bring forth nothing but it self: it is indiuisible void of all parts, but if at any time it serne to be diuided, it is not cut a sunder, but multiplied, to wit, into vnities, yet none of these vnities is greater or lesse, then the whole vnitie, euen as part is lesse then the whole. Wherefore it is multiplied, not into parts, but into it selfe, and therfore some haue called this Concord, some Pietie, some friendship, because it is so knit, y^t it cannot be cut into parts, & Marcianus after Aristotle affirmeth, that Cupid is so named, because it is one alone, & wold euer haue himselfe to be sought, & hath nothing besides, but being voide of all elation or couple, doth wrest his owne heates to himselfe: wherefore one, is the beginning, and end of all things, hauing no beginning nor end, nothing is before one, one is the beginning of all things, & all things are euen vnto one, and beyond it there is nothing, and things that are, desire the very one, because all things procéed of one, & to the end, that al things may be one, it must néedes be, that they participate from that one, & as al things procéed from that one into many, so eue∣ry thing that indeauoureth to that one from whom they proceed, must of ne∣cessitie put of multitude, wherefore one is referred to almightie God, who foras∣much as he is one, and innumerable, doth create innumerable things of himselfe, and containeth them within himselfe: wherefore there is one God, one world of one God, one Sunne of one world, & one Phaenix in the worlde: one king a∣mong Bées: one Bel-weather among sheep: one leader in the herd: and Cranes follow one, & many other creatures wor∣ship the vnitie. Among the members of the body, there is one beginning, of whō the residue are ruled, whether it be the head, or as some would haue it, y^t hearte. There is one Element ouercomming & pearcing all things, which is fire. There is one thing created of God, y^e subiect of all wonderfulnes, which is in heauen & earth, it is in act Animall, Vigitable, & Minerall, found euery where, knowne of very few, expressed of none with his pro∣pet name, but couered with innumerable figures & ridles, without the which, nei∣ther Alcami, neither naturall magicke, are able to attaine to their perfect end: frō one man Adam all were brought forth, through him alone all died: Through Ie∣sus Christ alone they wer again born a new. And as the Apostle Paul saith,* 1.7 One Lord, one faith, one Baptisme, one God & father of all, one medi••tour of God & men, & one most high creatour, which is aboue all, through all things, & in vs al, for there is one God the father, frō whō all things are, and we in him, one God, Iesus Christ, by whom all things are, & we by hi••, one God the holy Gohst, in∣to whom all things, are, & we into him.

Scala vnitatis.

IOD.

IN the world bearing the plat∣forme of all.

Ther is one diuine essence, the fountain of all vertue, and power, & his name is expressed in one most simple letter.

The Intellectuall world.

Soule of the world by the which all things liueth.

One most high intelli∣gence the first creature, the fountaine of liues.

SOL.

In the Celestiall world. In the Elementall world.

The Sunne. The Philosophers stone.

One King of stars, fountaine of light. One substaunce of all ver∣tues naturall & superna∣turall.

COR.

In the lesser world. In the world Internall.

The heart. Lucifer.

One first liuing, & last dieng. One chiestaine of the rebel∣lion of Angels and darknesse.

The rest of the Ladders shalbe diuided into those places requisite, for the setting forth the names of God, and knowledge of hidden mysteries.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Essentials
• * 1.2

  Perfecti∣onalls.
• * 1.3

  Personals Vocalls.
• * 1.4

  Iesus. Sother. Saluator.
• * 1.5

  Addition
• * 1.6

  Contriti∣on, that is thine own con∣sciece iud¦ging thy sinne. Confessi∣on, thy de¦claration for thy consciēce to God. that thou hast sin∣ned. Satisfac∣tion, in that faith assu••eth from a penitent hart, that thou art forgiuē of thy sinne.
• * 1.7

  Ephe. 4.