For the first of chance, as [6658]Sallust likewise informeth us, those old Romans generally received; “They supposed fortune alone gave kingdoms and empires, wealth, honours, offices:  and that for two causes; first, because every wicked base unworthy wretch was preferred, rich, potent, &c.; secondly, because of their uncertainty, though never so good, scarce any one enjoyed them long:  but after, they began upon better advice to think otherwise, that every man made his own fortune.”  The last of Necessity was Seneca’s tenet, that God was alligatus causis secundis, so tied to second causes, to that inexorable Necessity, that he could alter nothing of that which was once decreed; sic erat in fatis, it cannot be altered, semel jussit, semper paret Deus, nulla vis rumpit, nullae preces, nec ipsum fulmen, God hath once said it, and it must for ever stand good, no prayers, no threats, nor power, nor thunder itself can alter it.  Zeno, Chrysippus, and those other Stoics, as you may read in Tully 2. de divinatione, Gellius, lib. 6. cap. 2. &c., maintained as much.  In all ages, there have been such, that either deny God in all, or in part; some deride him, they could have made a better world, and ruled it more orderly themselves, blaspheme him, derogate at their pleasure from him.  ’Twas so in [6659]Plato’s time, “Some say there be no gods, others that they care not for men, a middle sort grant both.” Si non sit Deus, unde mala? si sit Deus, unde mala?  So Cotta argues in Tully, why made he not all good, or at least tenders not the welfare of such as are good?  As the woman told Alexander, if he be not at leisure to hear causes, and redress them, why doth he reign? [6660]Sextus Empericus hath many such arguments.  Thus perverse men cavil.  So it will ever be, some of all sorts, good, bad, indifferent, true, false, zealous, ambidexters, neutralists, lukewarm, libertines, atheists, &c.  They will see these religious sectaries agree amongst themselves, be reconciled all, before they will participate with, or believe any:  they think in the meantime (which [6661]Celsus objects, and whom Origen confutes), “We Christians adore a person put to [6662]death with no more reason than the barbarous Getes worshipped Zamolxis, the Cilicians Mopsus, the Thebans Amphiaraus, and the Lebadians Trophonius; one religion is as true as another, new fangled devices, all for human respects;” great-witted Aristotle’s works are as much authentical to them as Scriptures, subtle Seneca’s Epistles as canonical as St. Paul’s, Pindarus’ Odes as good as the Prophet David’s Psalms, Epictetus’ Enchiridion equivalent to wise Solomon’s Proverbs.  They do openly and boldly speak this and more, some of them, in all places and companies. [6663]"Claudius the emperor was angry with Heaven, because it thundered, and challenged Jupiter into the field; with what madness! saith Seneca; he thought Jupiter could not hurt him, but he could hurt Jupiter.”  Diagoras, Demonax,