INDEX

IIII That the ancient Philosophers wonderfully agreed with the Holy Scriptures regarding the one and singular God.

V That in the ancient Theology, the Divine Nature was called the first and most excellent Unity: and that they said all things were born from it, according to Empedocles, Parmenides, Zeno, Aristotle, Melissus, and Damascius: and that they called this Unity the immovable Principle. The "immovable Principle" refers to the Unmoved Mover or the First Cause.

VI The same proof from the opinions held by Parmenides, Melissus, Empedocles, and Plato.

VII That Ancient Philosophy called God "Being Itself" original: "ipsum Esse": and its agreement with true Theology.

VIII That God, in ancient Theology, was called the Universe itself.

IX That God, in ancient Theology, was called Infinity itself.

X A confirmation of those things previously demonstrated concerning the opinion of the ancients, and the names by which they called the supreme Divinity, from Simplicius, who read their books, as was also reported by the most learned Bessarion. Basilios Bessarion (1403–1472) was a key scholar who brought Greek Neoplatonism to the Latin West.

XI That for the same reason, the ancients called the World the image of God.

XII That among the ancients, God is the creator of the Gods.

XIII That there is only one greatest God, and therefore He alone is eternal.

XIIII The Oracle of Apollo concerning God, and concerning the creation of the Gods.

XV Another testimony from the same source, concerning God and divine matters.

XVI Another oracle concerning God and the celestial places: that God is the source, the principle, the creator of all, and inscrutable: that no one who sins is hidden from Him: and that He perceives all things.

XVII That Jupiter is that true and great God, according to the oracle of a Spirit original: "Dæmonis": that His power is to be venerated by all: that He alone is wise and the giver of wisdom: and that these oracles were truly uttered by a Spirit, according to the testimony of the Philosophers.

IN THE FOURTH BOOK, THE THEOLOGY OF PLATO AND

Aristotle is discussed.

CHAPTER I That Aristotle confessed there is a singular God: That he placed Him in charge not only of the celestial motions, but likewise of the entire world: That the philosophy of the Academics was the same: and that of Seneca was the same: That he recognizes not only the intelligences which move the heavens.

II That Aristotle perceived a different kind of Intelligences than those moving the celestial spheres: that he located the blessed Gods above the celestial motions: That he described their true happiness: and praised the ancients who had taught these things.

III A compendium of Aristotle’s Philosophy, confessing one singular and sole moderator of the celestial orders and of all life. A comparison of certain other passages from ancient Philosophy which preach a singular God: That God invisibly moves and rules all things.

IIII Certain proofs concerning this compendium of Philosophy, that Aristotle wrote it in his more advanced age and to Alexander; that great men have often changed their opinions: That Aristotle reported many things from the ancients to the contrary: That Aristotle wrote many things which do not survive.

V The Philosophy contained in the Compendium is examined: Wherein Aristotle seems to recognize only one mover of heaven and lord of all life. That he confessed certain lesser Gods beneath that supreme one: That he says all things work invisibly by His power.