Commandments, and endeavoureth to keep himself in his Grace. But (saith calumny) Christian piety seemeth to be repugnant to this Divine disposition, seeing that in _Nostradamus_ time, there were thousands in the Church of God that were capable of this favour, and to prefer to them a Physitian, an Astrologer, and an Almanack-maker, is a thing that the Wits cannot apprehend so well, as to frame a good opinion for this Author. Hold there Reader, do not enter into the Sanctuary of Gods secret Judgements, you should loose you self, and never find the way out: how many such questions might I ask you? why did God in former times chuse the Family and person of David, and preferred it to so many others of the Children of _Israel_? why did Christ raise _Judas_ to the dignity of an Apostle, preferring him before _Nathaniel_, and so many others that lived Holily. Bring therefore no more such questions, but say with the Scripture, _As it pleased the Lord, so it was done_: I will nevertheless give you some satisfaction in that point. There was two things in the Author which might have procured that blessing from God. The first is, that having in his possession those writtings which promised the knowledge of future things, to which he was much inclined, he slighted and burnt them, being persuaded that God alone was the Author of this Grace; I do esteem that action very Heroical in its circumstance, because being inticed by a vehement curiosity to know future things, and having in his hand the means that opened the way to it, he did Sacrifice them to God, for which perhaps God was willing to gratifie him with this favour. The second thing that was in _Nostradamus_ is, that he had naturally a _Genius_ for the knowing of future things, as himself confesseth in two Epistles to King _Henry_ the II. and to _Cæsar_ his own Son, and besides that _Genius_, the knowledge of Astrology, did smooth him the way to discover many future events. Having those two things, he had a greater disposition then others to receive those Supernatural Lights; and as God is pleased to work sweetly in his Creatures, and to give some forerunning dispositions to those Graces he intendeth to bestow, it seemeth that to that purpose he did chuse our Author to reveal him so many wonderful secrets. We see every day that God in the distributing of his Graces carrieth himself towards us, according to our humours and natural inclinations, he employeth those that have a generous and Martial heart for the defence of his Church, and the destruction of Tyrants; he leadeth those of a melancholick humour into Colledges and Cloisters, and cherisheth tenderly, those that are of meek and mild disposition; even so, seeing _Nostradamus_ inclined to this kind of knowledge, he gave him in a great measure the grace of it. CHAP. VIII. _Answer to the second Objection, which would have him pass for a Doctor._