Page:A Discourse of Constancy in Two Books Chiefly containing Consolations Against Publick Evils.pdf/130

Chap. 18. same manner, he adds; it matters not, if I had called it, either Providence or Nature. And Chrysippus from the same Principle, doth elsewhere call Fate, the Eternal purpose of Providence. Now Panetius the Stoick, affirm'd that God himself was Fate; and the same thing is clearly the Opinion of Seneca: You may (saith he) as you please, vary the Title of this Author of things, and Natures: You may lawfully call him, either the best and greatest Jove; or the Thunderer, or the Stayer: Nor for that Reason which Historians assigne; because after a Vow made to him; He stayed the flying Army of the Romans, ''but he is therefore the Stayer and Establisher, because all things do stand, and consist by his goodness, neither shall you erre, if you call him Fate. For since Fate is nothing else but an implexed series of causes, he is the Principall cause of all things, on which the rest do depend.'' Rh