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CHAP. CII.
A Digression in praise of the Ass.
BUt lest any one should falsly accuse me, that I have call'd the Apostles Asses, it will not be from the purpose to discourse the Mysteries of the Ass. For this creature the Hebrew Doctors expound to be the Hiero∣glyphick of Fortitude and Strength, Patience and Cle∣mency; and that his influence dependeth on Sephiroth, that is, Hochma, which signifies wisdom. For his con∣ditions are most necessary for a Scholar of wisdom; for he lives by little food, and is contented whatsoever it be. Patiently he endures Penury, Hunger, Labour, Stripes, and all manner of Persecution; yet of so low and poor an Understanding, that he cannot discern be∣tween Lettice and Thistles. Of a clean and innocent heart, void of Choler, being at peace with all living creatures; patiently carrying all burthens laid up∣on his back: as a reward whereof, he is never troubled with Lice, or any diseases, and liveth longer than any other Beast. An Ass, saith Columella, performs many and very necessary labours beyond his share: for he is many times used in Plowing, and drawing heavie Carts: He is also used in Mills, for the grinding of Corn. There is no Country but wants so necessary a creature
Page 361
as the Ass is. How much the Ass is regarded and e∣steemed in Augury, Valerius witnesses of C. Marius, who having conquered both North and South, being at length declared an enemy of his Country, and pur∣sued by Sylla, by the advice and guidance of an Ass e∣scaped all his threatnings; an Ass being the cause of his flight and safety. Also in the Old Law God so far honour'd the Ass, that when he commanded every first begotten to be slain for Sacrifice, he onely exempted Men and Asses; granting, that Man should be redeem∣ed for a price, and that a Sheep should be exchanged for the Ass. Christ would that this Beast should be a witness of his Nativity, as is generally affirm'd: And by him he would be saved from the hands of Herod. The Ass was consecrated by the touch of the body of Christ: for Christ ascending to Jerusalem in triumph for the Redemption of mankinde, as it is recorded in the Gospel, rode upon an As; which was mysteriously foretold by the Oracle of Zachary. And we read that Abraham the Father of the Elect rode onely upon Asses. So that the Proverb commonly repeated among the Vulgar, is not spoken in vain, That the Ass carries My∣steries. Wherefore I would hereby advertise the fa∣mous Professors of Sciences, that if the unprofitable burthen of Humane Knowledge be not laid aside, and that Lions borrowed skin put off, (not that of the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, but of the Lion that goes about roaring, and seeking whom he may devour) whereby ye shall be turned into meer and bare Asses, that ye will be utterly and altogether unfit to carry the Mysteries of Divine wisdom. Neither had Apuleius of Megara's Ass been admitted to the holy Mysteries of Isis, if he had not been turn'd out of a Philosopher into an Ass. We read Miraculous actions of divers Beasts; as, that an Elephant writ the Greek letters: and Plutarch re∣lateth a Story of one, that being a Rival with Aristo∣phanes
Page 362
the Grammarian, lov'd a young Maid named Stephanopolides. And in the same Author we read of a Dragon that lov'd a Virgin of Etholis. The same also preserv'd his Nourisher, running to her assistance, as knowing her voice. In Pliny we finde that a Serpent call'd Aspis was accustomed to come daily to a certain mans Table, who perceiving the son of her Host to be stain by one of her young ones, she flew her young one in revenge of the broken law of Hospitality; nor would ever after for shame come to that house again. The same Gratitude is recorded of a Panther to a man, for helping her young ones out of a ditch; for which she conducted him out of the desart, till she brought him safe into the open Road. Histories also report that Cyrus was suckled by a Bitch, and the founder of the Roman Citie by a She-wolf. I pass over the Wonders related of Dolphins, and the Gratitude of Lions for benefits receiv'd. Nor will I speak of the Bear of Dau∣nia, nor of the Bull of Tarentum, both tam'd by Py∣thagoras. But that which surpasseth all admiration is this, That Ammonius of Alexandria, Master of Origen and Porphyrie, is said to have had an Ass one of the hearers of his Wisdom, a Fellow-scholar with the rest. We finde also in sacred Story, that an Ass was endued with the spirit of Prophecie: for when Balaam a wise man and a Prophet went to curse the people of Israel, he saw not the Angel of the Lord; but the Ass saw him, and with the voice of a man spake to Balaam that rode him. Thus, I say, sometimes the simple and rude Idiot sees those things oft-times, which a School-Do∣ctor, blinded with the Traditions of men, cannot per∣ceive. Did not Sampson with the jaw-bone of an Ass kill and slay the Philistims? and being thirsty, when he prayed to the Lord, the Lord loosned a tooth in the same jaw-bone, and clean water sprang out immedi∣ately; which when he had drank, his spirits were re∣freshed,
Page 363
and his strength recovered. Did not Christ by the mouth of his silly Asses and rude Idiots, the A∣postles, vanquish and put to silence all the Learned Phi∣losophers of the Gentiles, and great Lawyers among the Jews; trampling under-foot all manner of world∣ly wisdom; drinking to us out of the Cheek-bone of his Asses the water of wisdom and everlasting life? By what has been already said, it is now as clear as the Sun, that there is no Beast so fit and proper to retain Divinity as the Ass; into which creature if ye be not transform'd, ye shall not be able to carry the Divine Mysteries. It was a name common to the Christians among the Romans, to be call'd Asinarii; and they were wont to paint the Image of Christ with the ears of an Ass, as Tertullian witnesses. Wherefore let nei∣ther Popes repute it to their shame, if among those Gi∣ant like Elephants of Sciences, there may be some Asses. Neither let Christians wonder, if among those Pre∣lates and expert Doctors, the better learned one is, the less he be esteemed: for the songs of Nightingales are not proper for the ears of Asses; and it is a Proverb, That the untuneable braying of Asses is not agreeable to the Harp. And yet the best Pipes are made of the bones of Asses, the marrow being taken out; which as they far exceed the harmony of the Harp, so these Religious Asses far surpass the Brangling and Braying of idle So∣phisters. Thus several Philosophers coming to visit Antony, and to discourse with him, being by him an∣swer'd in a few words, return'd with shame. We read also of a certain Idiot that convinc'd a most lear∣ned and subtil Heretick, and forc'd him to turn to the Faith, whom the best and most learned Bishops at the Council of Nice with a long and difficult Disputation could not convince. Who being afterwards demand∣ed by his friends, how it came to pass that he yielded to the Fool, who had resisted and withstood so many and
Page 364
so great Learned Bishops, replied, That he had easily given the Bishops words for words, but that he could not resist this Idiot, who spake not according to humane wis∣dom, but according to the Spirit.
A Digression in praise of the Ass.
BUt lest any one should falsly accuse me, that I have call'd the Apostles Asses, it will not be from the purpose to discourse the Mysteries of the Ass. For this creature the Hebrew Doctors expound to be the Hiero∣glyphick of Fortitude and Strength, Patience and Cle∣mency; and that his influence dependeth on Sephiroth, that is, Hochma, which signifies wisdom. For his con∣ditions are most necessary for a Scholar of wisdom; for he lives by little food, and is contented whatsoever it be. Patiently he endures Penury, Hunger, Labour, Stripes, and all manner of Persecution; yet of so low and poor an Understanding, that he cannot discern be∣tween Lettice and Thistles. Of a clean and innocent heart, void of Choler, being at peace with all living creatures; patiently carrying all burthens laid up∣on his back: as a reward whereof, he is never troubled with Lice, or any diseases, and liveth longer than any other Beast. An Ass, saith Columella, performs many and very necessary labours beyond his share: for he is many times used in Plowing, and drawing heavie Carts: He is also used in Mills, for the grinding of Corn. There is no Country but wants so necessary a creature
Page 361
as the Ass is. How much the Ass is regarded and e∣steemed in Augury, Valerius witnesses of C. Marius, who having conquered both North and South, being at length declared an enemy of his Country, and pur∣sued by Sylla, by the advice and guidance of an Ass e∣scaped all his threatnings; an Ass being the cause of his flight and safety. Also in the Old Law God so far honour'd the Ass, that when he commanded every first begotten to be slain for Sacrifice, he onely exempted Men and Asses; granting, that Man should be redeem∣ed for a price, and that a Sheep should be exchanged for the Ass. Christ would that this Beast should be a witness of his Nativity, as is generally affirm'd: And by him he would be saved from the hands of Herod. The Ass was consecrated by the touch of the body of Christ: for Christ ascending to Jerusalem in triumph for the Redemption of mankinde, as it is recorded in the Gospel, rode upon an As; which was mysteriously foretold by the Oracle of Zachary. And we read that Abraham the Father of the Elect rode onely upon Asses. So that the Proverb commonly repeated among the Vulgar, is not spoken in vain, That the Ass carries My∣steries. Wherefore I would hereby advertise the fa∣mous Professors of Sciences, that if the unprofitable burthen of Humane Knowledge be not laid aside, and that Lions borrowed skin put off, (not that of the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, but of the Lion that goes about roaring, and seeking whom he may devour) whereby ye shall be turned into meer and bare Asses, that ye will be utterly and altogether unfit to carry the Mysteries of Divine wisdom. Neither had Apuleius of Megara's Ass been admitted to the holy Mysteries of Isis, if he had not been turn'd out of a Philosopher into an Ass. We read Miraculous actions of divers Beasts; as, that an Elephant writ the Greek letters: and Plutarch re∣lateth a Story of one, that being a Rival with Aristo∣phanes
Page 362
the Grammarian, lov'd a young Maid named Stephanopolides. And in the same Author we read of a Dragon that lov'd a Virgin of Etholis. The same also preserv'd his Nourisher, running to her assistance, as knowing her voice. In Pliny we finde that a Serpent call'd Aspis was accustomed to come daily to a certain mans Table, who perceiving the son of her Host to be stain by one of her young ones, she flew her young one in revenge of the broken law of Hospitality; nor would ever after for shame come to that house again. The same Gratitude is recorded of a Panther to a man, for helping her young ones out of a ditch; for which she conducted him out of the desart, till she brought him safe into the open Road. Histories also report that Cyrus was suckled by a Bitch, and the founder of the Roman Citie by a She-wolf. I pass over the Wonders related of Dolphins, and the Gratitude of Lions for benefits receiv'd. Nor will I speak of the Bear of Dau∣nia, nor of the Bull of Tarentum, both tam'd by Py∣thagoras. But that which surpasseth all admiration is this, That Ammonius of Alexandria, Master of Origen and Porphyrie, is said to have had an Ass one of the hearers of his Wisdom, a Fellow-scholar with the rest. We finde also in sacred Story, that an Ass was endued with the spirit of Prophecie: for when Balaam a wise man and a Prophet went to curse the people of Israel, he saw not the Angel of the Lord; but the Ass saw him, and with the voice of a man spake to Balaam that rode him. Thus, I say, sometimes the simple and rude Idiot sees those things oft-times, which a School-Do∣ctor, blinded with the Traditions of men, cannot per∣ceive. Did not Sampson with the jaw-bone of an Ass kill and slay the Philistims? and being thirsty, when he prayed to the Lord, the Lord loosned a tooth in the same jaw-bone, and clean water sprang out immedi∣ately; which when he had drank, his spirits were re∣freshed,
Page 363
and his strength recovered. Did not Christ by the mouth of his silly Asses and rude Idiots, the A∣postles, vanquish and put to silence all the Learned Phi∣losophers of the Gentiles, and great Lawyers among the Jews; trampling under-foot all manner of world∣ly wisdom; drinking to us out of the Cheek-bone of his Asses the water of wisdom and everlasting life? By what has been already said, it is now as clear as the Sun, that there is no Beast so fit and proper to retain Divinity as the Ass; into which creature if ye be not transform'd, ye shall not be able to carry the Divine Mysteries. It was a name common to the Christians among the Romans, to be call'd Asinarii; and they were wont to paint the Image of Christ with the ears of an Ass, as Tertullian witnesses. Wherefore let nei∣ther Popes repute it to their shame, if among those Gi∣ant like Elephants of Sciences, there may be some Asses. Neither let Christians wonder, if among those Pre∣lates and expert Doctors, the better learned one is, the less he be esteemed: for the songs of Nightingales are not proper for the ears of Asses; and it is a Proverb, That the untuneable braying of Asses is not agreeable to the Harp. And yet the best Pipes are made of the bones of Asses, the marrow being taken out; which as they far exceed the harmony of the Harp, so these Religious Asses far surpass the Brangling and Braying of idle So∣phisters. Thus several Philosophers coming to visit Antony, and to discourse with him, being by him an∣swer'd in a few words, return'd with shame. We read also of a certain Idiot that convinc'd a most lear∣ned and subtil Heretick, and forc'd him to turn to the Faith, whom the best and most learned Bishops at the Council of Nice with a long and difficult Disputation could not convince. Who being afterwards demand∣ed by his friends, how it came to pass that he yielded to the Fool, who had resisted and withstood so many and
Page 364
so great Learned Bishops, replied, That he had easily given the Bishops words for words, but that he could not resist this Idiot, who spake not according to humane wis∣dom, but according to the Spirit.