(d) Caracciolus. The following aje the title-pages of the translations referred to in foot-note, page 184 : —
1. ' Newes from Italy of a second Moses, or the Life of Galeacius Caracciolus tho noble Marquesse of Vico.' 4to. London. 1608.
2. ' A President to the Nobilitie of Court and Countrey, in the Life of Galeacius Caracciolus, the noble Marquesse of Vico in the Kingdome of Naples.' 4to. 1612.
The incident noted by Sibbes is thus narrated : —
' At that time Peter Marylr Vermilius, a Florentine, was a publik preacher and reader at Naples. This man was a canon regular (as they call them), a man since then of great name for his singular knowledge in Christian religion, his godly manners and behaviours, and for his sweet and copious teaching ; for he afterwards, casting away his monkes coule, and renouncing the superstitions of Poperie, he shone so brightly in God's church, that he dispersed and strangely drove away the darknesse and mists of popery. Galeacius was once content at Cceserta his motion to be drawen to heare Peter Marytfs sermon, yet not so much for any desire ho had to learue, as moved and tickled with a curious humour to heai;e so famous a man as then Martyr was accounted at that time. Peter Marytr was in hand with Paul's first
VOL. I. ^
290 THE soul's conflict.
Epistle to the Corinthians ; and as he was shewing the weakness and deceitfulnea of the iudgement of man's reason in spirituall things, as likewise the power and efficasy of the word of God in those men in whom the Lord worketh by his Spirit, amongst other things, he vsed this similie or comparison — If a man walking in a large place see a farro olf men and women dancing together, and heare no sound of instrument, he will iudge them mad, or at least foolish ; but if he come neerer them, and perseive their order, and heare their musicke, and marke their measures and their courses, he will tlren be of another minde, and not onely take delight in see- ing them, but feele a desire in himself to heare them company, and dance with them. Even the same (said Martyr) betides many men, who, when they behold in others a suddain and great change of their looks, apparell, behaviour, and whole course of life, at the first sight they impute it to melancholy, or some other foolish humour ; but if they looke more narrowly into the matter, and begin to heare and perceive the harmony and sweet concent of God's Spirit and his word in them (by the ioint power of which two this change was made and wrought, which afore they counted folly), then they change their opinion of them, and, first of all, begin to like them, and that change in them, and afterwards feele in themselves a motion and desire to imitate them, and to be of the number of such men, who, forsaking the world and his vanities, doe thinke that they oiight to reforme their lives by the rule of the gospell, that so they may come to true and sound holinesse. This comparison, by the grace of God's Spirit, wrought so wonderfully with Galeacius (as himselfe hath often tolde his friends), tliat from that houre he resolved with himselfe more care- fully to restraine his affections from following the world and his pleasures, as before they did, and to set his mind about seeking out the truth of religion, and the way to true happinesse. To this purpose he began to reade the Scriptures every day, being perswaded that truth of religion and soundnesse of wisdom was to be drawen out of that fountaine, and that the highway to heaven was thence to be sought. And further, all his acquaintance and familiarity did he turne into such company as out of whose life and conferences he was perswaded he might reape the fruit of godli- nesse and pure religion ; and thus farre in this short time had the Lord wrought with him by that sermon, as, first, to consider with himselfe seriously whether he was right or no ; secondly, to take up an exercise continuall of reading Scripture ; thirdly, to change his former company, and make choice of better. And this was done in the year one thousand five hundred fortie and one, and in the foure and twentieth yeare of his age.'
There is a marginal note, having relation to the chapter, and not to any particular sentence in it — ' See how the first step of a man's conversion from popery is true and sound mortification of carnal lusts, and a change of life. See, also, how the fii'st means to bring a man out of error to the truth is study of holy Scriptures.'
(e) P. 186. — ' Idiot.' The original word here (1 Cor. xiv. 24), 'idiurrjg, which Sibbes renders literally, and which Wickliffe had so done long before, meant, at the period, simply a private person, as opposed to officials, and not at all, as now, a fatuous person.
(f) P. 192. — ' Pity a beast over-Ioaden, and yet take no pity of a brother.' Sterne, weeping and moralising over a ' dead ass,' and at the very time neglecting his nearest relatives, has long ' pointed this moral.'