_Mars, Mars, the plague and ruine of men, contaminated with murders, overthrower of wals._
Which he could not do, at the least very uneasily without the means and aid of fire. Also they give it the name of _Mars_. But let us here a little consider a pleasant allegory covered under the fiction of _Venus_, _Vulcan_, and _Mars_. _Venus_ without doubt is mankind, which is continued by venereall propagation of linage. Its lawfull spouse is _Vulcan_, which by conjugall love, brings him all or the greatest part of his necessary commodities, by reason of _Mars_, which is iron. But for that he is his adulterer, he also destroyes the greatest part of what shee procreates; and the husband maintains iron for a double use, good, and bad; for we must not measure the works of the Creator by their apparent incommodities or commodities. For God saw all that he had made, and they were very good; for this goes according as the Creatures apply it. Is there any thing more fair, more pleasant or more delectable to the sight, then a cleare shining flame? any thing that doth more rejoice then light? And on the other side, there is nothing more hurtfull, fuller of damage, nor more dangerous then fire, which burneth and consumeth all that comes neare it. A Satyre the first time he saw it, he rejoiced strangely to see it so fair, so clear, but thinking to approach nearer, to embrace, and to caresse it, when he perceived it so offended, with extreame griefe, hee was never after able to come near it. We may also say the same of iron, as _Plinie_ cals it the best and the worst instrument of life; for therewith (saith he) we til the earth, graffe trees, prune vines, with other infinite commodities and usages, as chiefly to build houses for our covert and safety. But on the other side, we imploy it no lesse, if not more, in our mutuall assassinates and massacres to shorten our life; as if it were troublesome to continue so long. Yet it is so short without the inconveniencies that shorten it and make of iron the most pernicious minister and instrument of all others. To which purpose _Istodorus_ said very well,
_From whence a long while agone earth was drawn from thence now bloud shed,_
Which proceeds rather from our malice and depravation, then from the fault of this inanimate insensible substance, which neither moves to good or to bad, but by our selves.