nius, "Ungues Mercurio, barbam Jove, Cypride crines," and was one part of the wickedness that filled up the measure of Manasses, when 't is delivered that "he observed times." *

OF HAIR UPON MOLES.

A COMMON fashion it is to nourish hair upon the moles of the face; which is the perpetuation of a very ancient custom, and though innocently practised among us, may have a superstitious original, according to that of Pliny, "Nævos in facie tondere religiosum habent nunc multi." From the like might proceed the fears of polling elvelocks, or complicated hairs of the head, and also of locks longer than the other hair; they being votary at first, and dedicated upon occasion, preserved with great care, and accordingly esteemed by others, as appears by that of Apuleius, "Adjuro per dulcem capilli tui nodulum."

OF LIONS' HEADS UPON SPOUTS. A CUSTOM there is in most parts of Europe to adorn aqueducts, spouts, and cisterns with li

* 2 Chronicles, xxxiii. 6.

ons' heads; which though no illaudable ornament, is of an Egyptian genealogy, who practised the same under a symbolical illation. For because, the sun being in Leo, the flood of Nilus was at the full, and water became conveyed into every part, they made the spouts of their aqueducts through the head of a lion. And upon some celestial respects it is not improbable the great Mogul or Indian king doth bear for his arms a lion and the sun.

OF THE PICTURE OF GOD.

THE picture of the Creator, or God the Father, in the shape of an old man, is a dangerous piece, and in this fecundity of sects may revive the Anthropomorphites; which, although maintained from the expression of Daniel, "I beheld where the Ancient of days did sit, whose hair of his head was like the pure wool," yet may it be also derivative from the hieroglyphical description of the Egyptians, who, to express their Eneph, or Creator of the world, described an old man in a blue mantle, with an egg in his mouth, which was the emblem of the world. Surely those heathens, that, notwithstanding the exemplary advantage in heaven, would endure no pictures of sun or moon, as being visible unto all the world, and needing

no representation, do evidently accuse the practice of those pencils that will describe invisibles. And he that challenged the boldest hand unto the picture of an echo, must laugh at this attempt, not only in the description of invisibility, but circumscription of ubiquity, and fetching under lines incomprehensible circularity.

The pictures of the Egyptians were more tolerable, and in their sacred letters more veniably expressed the apprehension of Divinity. For though they implied the same by an eye upon a sceptre, by an eagle's head, a crocodile, and the like, yet did these manual descriptions pretend no corporal representations; nor could the people misconceive the same unto real correspondencies. So though the Cherub carried some apprehension of Divinity, yet was it not conceived to be the shape thereof; and so perhaps, because it is metaphorically predicated of God that he is a consuming fire, he may be harmlessly described by a flaming representation. Yet if, as some will have it, all mediocrity of folly is foolish, and because an unrequitable evil may ensue, an indifferent convenience must be omitted, we shall not urge such representments; we could spare the holy lamb for the picture of our Saviour, and the dove or fiery tongues to represent the Holy Ghost.

OF THE SUN, MOON, AND WINDS.

THE sun and moon are usually described

with human faces. Whether herein there be not a Pagan imitation, and those visages at first implied Apollo and Diana, we may make some doubt; and we find the statue of the sun was framed with rays about the head, which were the indeciduous and unshaven locks of Apollo. We should be too iconomachal * to question the pictures of the winds, as commonly drawn in human heads, and with their cheeks distended; which notwithstanding we find condemned by Minucius, as answering poetical fancies, and the gentile description of Æolus, Boreas, and the feigned deities of the winds.

OF THE SUN DANCING.

WE shall not, I hope, disparage the resurrection of our Redeemer, if we say the sun doth not dance on Easter day. And though we would willingly assent unto any sympathetical exultation, yet cannot conceive therein any more than a tropical expression. Whether any such motion there were in that day wherein Christ arose, Scripture hath not revealed, which

* Quarrelsome with pictures.

hath been punctual in other records concerning solary miracles; and the Areopagite that was amazed at the eclipse, took no notice of this. And if metaphorical expressions go so far, we may be bold to affirm, not only that one sun danced, but two arose that day; that light appeared at his nativity, and darkness at his death, and yet a light at both; for even that darkness was a light unto the Gentiles, illuminated by that obscurity; that 't was the first time the sun set above the horizon; that although there were darkness above the earth, there was light beneath it; nor dare we say that hell was dark if he were in it.

OF THE DEVIL.

A CONCEIT there is, that the devil commonly appeareth with a cloven hoof; wherein although it seem excessively ridiculous, there may be somewhat of truth; and the ground thereof at first might be his frequent appearing in the shape of a goat, which answers that description. This was the opinion of ancient Christians concerning the apparition of Panites, Fauns, and Satyrs; and in this form we read of one that appeared unto Antony in the wil