in respect of the hidden deservings of the soules thou thinkest fit for him to heare To whom let not man say What is this or Why is that Let him not say so never let him ask such a questioÌ„ seeing he is but a man CHAP. 7. He is miserably tortured in his enquirie after the Root of Evill 1. ANd now O my helper hadst thou discharged me from those fetters and presently enquired I whence Evill should be but found no way out of my question But thou sufferedst me not to be carried away from the Faith by any waves of those thoughts by which Faith I beleeved both that thou wert and that thy substance was unchangeable and that thou hadst a care of and passedst thy judgement upon men and that in Christ thy Sonne our Lord and thy holy Scriptures which the Authority of thy Church should acknowledge thou hast laid out the way of mans salvation to passe to that life which is to come after death These grounds remaining safe and irremoveably settled in my minde I with much anxiety sought from what root the nature of Evill should proceed What torments did my teeming heart then endure and what throwes O my God! yet even to them were thine eares open and I knew it not and when in silence I so vehemently enquired after it those silent conditions of my soule were strong cryes unto thy mercy 2. Thou and not man knewest how much I suffered For how great was that which my tongue sent forth into the eares of my most familiar friends And yet did I disclose the whole tumule of my soule for which neither my time nor tongue had beene sufficient Yet did all of it ascend into thy hearing which I roared out from the grones of my heart yea my whole desires were said up before thee nor was I master of so much as of the light of mine owne eyes for that was all turn'd inward but I outward nor was that confined to any place but I bent my selfe to those things that are contained in places but there found I no place to rest in nor did those places so entertain mee that I could say It is enough and 't is well nor did they yet suffer me to turne back where I might finde well-being enough For to these things was I superiour but inferiour to thee and thou art that true joy of me thy Subject and thou hast subjected under mee those things which thou createdst below me 3. And this was the true temper and the middle Region of my safety where I might remaine conformable to thine Image and by serving thee get the dominion over mine owne body But when as I rose up proudly against thee and when I ran upon my Lord with my necke with the thick bosses of my buckler then were these inferiour things made my over-matches and kept me under nor could I get either releasement or space of breathing They ran on all sides by heapes and troopes upon mee broad-looking on them but having in my thoghts these corporeall Images they way-laid me as I turn'd backe 〈◊〉 they should say unto mee Whither goest thou O thou unworthy and base creature And these grew more in number even out of my wound for thou hast humbled the proud like as him that is wounded through my owne swelling was I set further off from thee yea my cheekes too big swolne even blinded up mine eyes CHAP. 8. How the mercy of God at length relieved him 1. THou Lord art the same for ever nor art thou angry with us for ever because thou hast pitie upon dust and ashes and it was pleasing in thy sight to reforme my deformities and by inward gallingsdidst thou startle me that I shouldst become unquiet till such time as it might bee assured unto my inward sight that it was thou thy selfe Thus by the secret hand of thy medicining was my swelling abated and that troubled and bedimmed eyesight of my soule by the smart eye-salve of mine owne wholsome dolours daily began more and more to be cleered CHAP. 9. What he found in some Bookes of the Platonists agreeable to the Christian Doctrine 1. AND thou being desirous first of all to shew unto me how thou resistest the proud but givest grace unto the humble and with what great mercy of thine the way of humility is traced out unto men in that thy WORD was made flesh and dwelt among men thou procuredst for mee by meanes of a certaine man puft up with a most unreasonable pride to see certaine Bookes of the Platonists translated out of Greeke into Latine And therein I read not indeed in the selfe same words but to the very same purpose perswaded by many reasons and of severall kinds That In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and that Word was God The same was in the beginning with God All things were made by him and without him was nothing made that was made In him was life and the life was the light of men And the light shined in the darknesse and the darknesse comprehended it not And for that the soule of man though it gives testimony of the light yet it selfe is not that light but the Word of God is for God is that true light that lighteth every man that commeth into the world And because he was in the world and the world was made by him the world knew him not and because hee came unto his owne and his owne received him not But as many as received him to them gave hee power to become the sons of God as many as beleeved in his name All this did I not read there 2. There again did I read that God the Word was not borne of flesh nor of blood nor of the will of man nor of the will of the flesh but of God But that the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us did I not there reade I found out in those Bookes that it was many and divers waies said that the Sonne being in the forme of the Father thought it no robbery to be equal with God for that naturally he was the same with him But that 〈◊〉 himselfe of no reputaâ—â—â— taking upon him the forme â—â— a servant and was made in 〈◊〉 likenesse of men and was sound in fashion as a man and humbled himselfe and became obedient unto death even the death of the Crosse Wherefore God hath highty exalted him from the dead and given him a name over every name that at the name of Iesus every knee should bow of things in heaven and things in earth and things under the earth And that every tongue should confesse that Iesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father those Bookes have not 3. But that thy onely begotten Sonne coeternall with thee war before all times and beyond all times remains unchangeable and that of his fulnesse all soules receive what makes theÌ„ blessed and that by participation
that I was yet unripe for instruction for that I was yet puft up with the new taken-in heresie and that I had already troubled divers unskilfull persons with spurring of questions to them as she had already told him but let him alone a while saith he onely pray to God for him he will of himselfe by reading find his owne mistake and how great his impiety is 2. The Bishop then up and told her how himselfe when hee was a little one had been by his seduced mother commited to the Manichees and how he had not onely read over almost all but also coppied out their books and that it appeared to him without the helpe of any man to dispute against or convince it how much that sect was to be avoyded and how of himselfe therefore he had forsaken it Which words when he had spoken and she would not yet be satisfied but pressed more upon him what with intreating and what with weeping that he would be pleased to see me and discourse with me he a little displeased at her tedious importunity Goe thy wayes saith he and God blesse thee for it is not possible that the sonne of these teares should miscarry Which answer shee then tooke as she often remembred in our familiar discourse afterwards as if an oracle had resounded from heaven SAINT AVGVSTINES Confessions THE FOVRTH BOOKE CHAP. 1. How long and what wayes hee seduced others FOr the space of nine yeeres then that is from the nineteenth yeere of mine ago to the eight and twentieth wee were seduced our selves and others we seduced deceived and deceiving in divers lusts and in publike we did it by those Arts which are called liberall but in private we still peretended the assumed name of Religion Here were we proud there superstitious every where vayne still hunting after the empty noyse of popular reputation even affecting those The atricall hummings and applauses and those contentious strifes of wit and to gaine the grassy garlands the vanity of shewing our selves upon the stage and the intemperancy of ambition But much desiring then to purge our selves from these our naturall corruptions by the helpe of those who were called elect and holy wee carried them certayne chosen meates out of which in the workehouse of their owne paunches they should forge certaine Angels and Gods by whom we were to bee cleansed These things did I then follow these things did I then practise with my friends who were deceived by me and with me 2. Let such deride me now who are arrogant and not yet savingly cast downe nor broken in heart by thee O my GOD but I for all this doe here confesse mine owne shame to thee in thy prayse Suffer me I beseech thee and give me grace to runne over in my present remembrance the errors of my forepassed time and to offer up unto thee the sacrifice of rejoycing For what am I without thee but a guide to mine owne downefall or what am I even at the best but an infant sucking thy milke and feeding upon thee the food incorruptible But what kind of thing is any man seeing at the best he is but a man Let now the strong and the mighty laugh at us but let us weake and needy soules ever confesse unto thee CHAP. 2. Hee teaches Rhetoricke and despiseth a wizard who promised him the victory 1. I Taught in those yeeres the Art of Rhetoricke and my selfe being overcome with a desire of gaine made sale of a loquâ—city to overcome others by Yet I desired rather Lord thou knowest to have honest schollers as they are now adayes accounted and those without all deceipt I taught how to deceive not that I would have them plead against the life of any innocent person though sometimes to save the life of the nocent And thou O God from afarre perceivedst me falling in that slippery course in much smoke sparkling out some small faith which I then made show of in that Schoole-mastership of mine to those that loved vanity and becomming the companion to those that sought a lye In those dayes I kept a Mistresse whom I knew carnally not in that lawfull way of marriage but the way found out by wandring lust utterly voyd of understanding yet had I but that one towards whom I truly kept the promise of the Bed in whom I might by mine owne example learne experience what difference there would be betwixt the knot of the marriage-covenant mutually consented unto for the desire of children and the bargaine of a lustfull love where though children be against our wils begotten yet being borne they even compell us to love them 2. I remember once that when I had a minde to put forth my selfe for the prize in a Theatricall Poeme I was demanded by I know not what wizard what I would give him to be assured to winne the garland but I detesting and abhorring such filthy compacts returnd him answer That though the garland were immortall and of gold yet would I not suffer a flye to lose it's life to gaine me the better of it For he was to kill certaine living creatures in those his sacrifices and by those honours to invite the Divels to favour me in the peoples acclamations But this ill meanes I refused not out of any chast reservation towards thee O God of my heart for then knew I not how to love thee who knew not how to thinke on any thing but certaine Corporeall Glories And did not my soule panting after such fond fictions commit fornication against thee trust in false hopes and feed upon the wind But I would not forsooth that hee should doe sacrifice to the Divells for me and yet did I my selfe offer unto them even by that my superstition For to feed upon the wind what is it else but to feed them that is by our owne errours to make our selves the subjects of their pleasure and derision CHAP. 3. Giving himselfe to Astrologie he is reclaimed by an ancient Physician 1. THose Star-gazers therefore whom they stile Mathematicians I verily did not forbeare to consult with and that because they used no sacrifice not directed their prayers to any Spirit to speed their Divinations and yet doth Christian and true piety consequently refuse and condemne that Art For it is a good thing to confesse unto thee and to say Have mercie upon me heale my soule for I have sinned against thee and not to abuse thy kindnesse for a liberty of sinning but to remember our Lords warning Behold thou art made whole sinne no more lest a worse thing come unto thee All which wholsome advice they endevour to overthrow that say The cause of thy sinne is inevitably determined in heaven and that Man flesh and blood and proud corruption be kept without sinne is of Venus doing forsooth or Saturne or Mars procur'd it meane while the Creator of Heaven and Starres beares the blame of it And who is
turne towards thee but went nuddling on and on towards those fancies which have no being neither in thee nor in mee nor in any body For they were not created for me by thy Truth but devised meerely by mine owne vaine conceipt fancying out a body And I demanded of thy faithfull little ones my fellow-Citizens from whom unbeknowing to my selfe I stood exiled I put the question to them I say prating and foolish man that I was Why therfore doth the soule erre which God hath created But I would endure upon no termes any one should demand of me Why therefore doth God erre And I stiffly maintained that thy vnchangeable substance rather did erre upon constraint than be brought to confesse mine owne changhable substance to have gone astray voluntarily or gone any thing neere it 4. I was at that time perchance sixe or seven and twenty yeere old when I composed those Volumnes canvassing up and downe with my selfe these corporeall fictions which were still buzzing in the eares of my heart which eares I intended rather O sweet Truth to hearken after thy inward melody plodding all this time upon my Faire and Fit and desiring to stay and to hearken to thee and to rejoyce exceedingly at the voice of thy Spouse but could not bring my selfe to it for by the cals of mine owne errours I was drawne out of my selfe and opprest with the weight of my owne proud conceipt I sunke into the lowest pit For thou didst not make me to heare 〈◊〉 and gladnesse that the 〈…〉 which thou hadst not yet enough broken might rejoyce CHAP. 16. The admirable aptnesse to Learning and the great understanding S. Augustine had 1. ANd what was I the better for it when scarce twenty yeeres old that Booke of Aristotles Praedicaments falling into my hands of which my Rhetoricke-master of Carthage and others esteemed very good Schollers would be cracking with full mouthes I earnestly and with much suspence gap't upon it at first as upon I know not what deepe and divine peece but read it over afterwards yea and attained the understanding of it by my selfe alone And comparing my Notes afterwards with theirs who protested how hardly they gate to understand the Booke from very able Tutors not dictating to them onely by word of mouth but taking paines also to delineate out in the dust the Schemes and demonstrations of it they could teach me no more of it than I had observed before upon mine owne reading And it seem'd plaine enough to my capacity when they discourst of Substances such as Man is and of the Accidents inhering to these Substances as for example the figure of a man how qualified he was and of what shape and stature how many foot high and his relation to his kindred whose brother he is or where placed or when borne or whether he stands or sits or bee shod or armed or does or suffers any thing and whatsoever to bee learned besides in these nine Praedicaments of which I have given these former examples or these other innumerable observations in that chiefe Praedicament of Substance 2. What now did all this further me seeing withal it as much hindred mee when as I tooke paines to understand thee O my God whose Essence is most wonderfully simple and unchangeable imagining whatsoever had being to bee comprehended under those tenne Praedicaments as if thy selfe had beene subject to thine owne Greatnesse or Beauty and that these two had an inherence in thee like Accidents in their Subject or as in a Body whereas thy greatnesse and beauty is thy Essence but a body is not great or faire in that regard as it is a body seeing that though it were lesse great or faire yet should it be a body notwithstanding But it was a meere falsehood which of thee I had conceived and no truth a very fiction of mine owne foolery and no solid ground of thy happinesse For thou hadst given forth the command and so it came to passe in me that my earth should bring forth bryars and thornes in me and that in the sweat of my browes I should eate my bread 3. And what was I the better that I the vile Slave to wicked affections read over by my selfe and understood all the bookes of those Sciences which they call liberall as many as I could cast mine eye upon And that I tooke great delight in them but knew not all this while whence all that came whatsoever was true or certaine in them For I stood with my backe to the light and with my face toward these things which received that light and therfore my face with which I discern'd these things that were illuminated was not it selfe illuminated What-ever was written either of the Art of Rhetoricke or Logicke what-ever of Geometry Musicke and Arithmeticke I attain'd the understanding of by my selfe without any great difficulty or any instructor at all as thou knowest O Lord my God even because the quicknes of conceiving and the sharpnesse of disputing is thy gift and yet did I not sacrifice any part of it to thy acknowledgement All this therefore served not mee to any good imployment but to my destruction rather since I went about to get so good a part of my portion into mine owne custody and I preserved not mine own abilities entire for thy service but wandring into a far Country to spend it there upon my Harlotries For what good did it me to have good abilities and not employ them to good uses For I understood not that those Arts were attained with great difficulty even by those that were very studious and ingenuous Schollers untill that my selfe going about to interpret them in others hearing hee was held the most excellent at them who was able to follow me with least slownesse 4. But what at last did all this benefit mee thinking all this while that thou O Lord my God of truth wert nothing but a vast and bright Body and my selfe some peece of that Body O extreme perversenesse but in that case was I then nor doe I blush O my God to confesse thy mercies towards mee to call upon thee who blushed not then openly to professe before men mine owne blasphemies and to barke against thee What good did then my nimble wit able to runne over all those Sciences and all those most knotty Volumes made easie to me without helpe or light from any Tutor seeing I err'd so fouly and with so much sacrilegious shamefulnesse in the Doctrine of Piety Or what hinderance was a farre slower wit to thy little ones seeing they straggled not so farre from thee but that in the Nest of thy Church they might securely plume themselves and nourish the wings of charity by the food of a solid faith 5. O Lord our God under the shadow of thy wings let us hope defend thou hold us up Thou shalt beare us up both while we are little and when we are gray-headed for our weaknesse
of whome are all things which are very good for as we affirme that to be a greater good which is created and formed so we confesse likewise that to be a lesser good which is made with no more then an aptnesse in it to receiue Creation and forme and yet euen that is good too But b yet hath not the Scripture set downe That God made this vnshapely Chaos no more then it hath set downe those many other things that Hee made as the Cherubins and Seraphins and the rest which the Apostle distinctly speaks of Thrones Dominions Principalities Powers all which that God made it is most apparant 3. Or if in that text where t is sayd He made heauen and earth all things bee comprehended what shall wee then say of the waters vpon which the Spirit of God mooued For if all things bee vnderstood to bee named at once in this word Earth how then can this formelesse matter bee meant in that name of Earth when wee see the waters so beautifull Or if it bee so taken why then is it written That out of the same vnshapely matter the Firmament was made and called Heauen and That the waters were created is not written For the waters remaine not formlesse inuisible vnto this day seeing wee behold them flowing in so comely a manner But if they at that time receiued the beauty they now haue whenas God sayd Let the waters vnder the Firmament bee gathered together vnto one place that so the gathering together of the waters may bee taken for the forming of them what will they answer for those waters which be aboue the Firmament seeing if they had not any forme at all neuer should they haue beene worthy of so honorable a seate nor is it written by what Word they were formed 4. So that if Genesis hath said nothing of Gods making of some one thing which yet no sound fayth nor well-grounded vnderstanding once doubteth but that he did make let no sober knowledge once dare to affirme these waters to bee coeternall with God for that we finding them to be barely mentioned in the booke of Genesis doe not finde withall where they were created Why seeing truth teaches vs may wee not as well vnderstand that formelesse matter which this Scripture calls the inuisible and vnshap't Earth and darksome deepe to haue beene created by God out of nothing and therefore not to be coeternall to him notwithstanding that this story hath omitted to shew where it was created CHAP. 23. In interpreting of holy Scripture truth is to be sought with a charitable construction 1. THese things therefore being heard and perceyued according to the weakenesse of my capacity which I cōfesse vnto thee O Lord that very well knowest it two sorts of differences doe I perceiue likely to arise whensoeuer any thing is by words related though euen by the truest reporters One when the difference riseth cōcerning the truth of the things the other when it is concerning the meaning of the Relater For we enquire one way about the making of the thing created what may be true another way what it is that Moses that notable dispencer of thy fayth would haue his reader and hearer to vnderstand in those words For the first sort away with all those which once imagine themselues to know that as a truth which is in it selfe false and for this other sort away with all them too which once imagine Moses to haue written things that bee false But let mee euer in thee O Lord take part with them and in thee delight my selfe in them that edifie themselues with thy truth in the largenesse of a charitable construction yea let vs haue recourse together vnto the words of thy booke and make search for thy meaning in them by the meaning of thy Seruant by whose pen thou hast dispensed them CHAP. 24. The Scripture is true though we vnderstand not the vttermost scope or depth of it 1. BVt which of vs all shall bee so able as to finde out this full meaning among those so many words which the seekers shall euery where meete withall sometimes vnderstood this way and sometimes that way as that hee can confidently affirme This Moses thought and This would be haue vnderstood in that story as hee may boldly say This is true whether he thought this or that For behold O my God I thy seruant who haue in this book vowed a Sacrifice of Confession vnto thee doe now beseech thee that by thy mercy I may haue leaue to pay my vowes vnto thee 2. See here how confidently I affirme That in thy Incommutable Word thou hast created all things visible and inuisible but dare I so confidently affirme That Moses had no further meaning when hee wrote In the beginning God made Heauen and earth No. Because though I perceiue this to be certaine in thy truth yet can I not so easily looke into his minde That he thought iust so in the writing of it For hee might haue his thoughts vpon Gods very entrance into the act of creating whenas hee sayd In the beginning hee might entend to haue it vnderstood by Heauen and Earth in this place no one nature eyther spirituall or corporeall as already formed and perfected but both of them newly begun and as yet vnshapen 3. For I perceiue that whichsoeuer of the two had beene sayd it might haue beene truely sayd but which of the two hee thought of in these words I doe not perceiue so truely Although whether it were eyther of these or any sence beside that I haue not here mentioned which so great a man saw in his minde at the vttering of these words I nothing doubt but that hee saw it truely and exprest it aptly Let no man vexe me now by saying Moses thought not as you say but as I say For if hee should aske mee How know you that Moses thought that which you inter out of his words I ought to take it in good part and would answer him perchance as I haue done heretofore or something more at large if I were minded to put him hard to it CHAP. 25. We are not to breake charity about a different Exposition of Scripture 1. BVt when he sayth Moses ment not what you say but what I say yet denyeth not what eyther of vs say these may both bee true O my God thou life of the poore whose brest harbours no contradiction rayne thou some thoughts of mitigation into my heart that I may patiently beare with such who differ not thus with me because they fauour of diuine things or be able to discouer in the heart of thy seruant what they speake but because they bee proud not knowing Moses opinion so well as louing their owne not for that t is truth but because t is theirs Otherwise they would as well loue another true opinion as I loue what they say when t is true 〈…〉 they say not because t is theirs but because t
our soules and that therefore it was perhaps that I feared to dye lest so he might wholy dye whom I extremely loued this seemeth rather alight kinde of Declamation then a serious Confession Though yet howsoeuer that impertinency besomewhat moderated by the addition of this word perhaps which then I vsed And that also which I sayd in the thirteenth book The firâ—â—ament was made betweene those superiour spirituall waters and these inferiour corporeall waters was not consider attuely enough expressed But the truth heereof is extremely hard to be discouered This worke beginneth thus Great art thou O Lord and highly worthy to be praysed SAINT AVGVSTINES Confessions THE FIRST BOOKE CHAP. 1. 〈◊〉 admires Gods Majesty and is inflamed with a deepe desire of praising him GREAT art Thou O Lord and greatly to be praised great is thy power â—â— and thy wisedome is infinite And man who being a part of what thou hast created is desirous to praise thee this man bearing about his owne mortality with him carrying about him a testimony of his owne sinne even this testimony That God resisteth the proud yet this Man this part of what thou hasâ— created is desirous to praise thee thou so sweetly provokest him that he even delighteth to praiâ— thee For thou hast created uâ— for thy selfe and our heart can not be quieted till it may find repose in thee Grant me Lord to know and understand what ought first to doe whether caâ— upon thee or praise thee anâ— which ought to be first to know thee or to call upon thee 2. But who can rightly cal up thee that is yet ignorant of thee for such an one may in stead â— thee call upon another Or aâ— thou rather first called upon that thou mayest so come to bâ— knowne but how then shall they call on him in whom they have not beleeved and how â—hall they beleeve without a Preacher And againe They â—hall praise the Lord that seeke â—fter him For They that â—eeke shall finde and finding â—hey shall praise him Thee will seeke O Lord calling upon â—ee and I will call upon thee â—eleeving in thee for thou hast â—eene declared unto us My faith O Lord cals upon thee which â—ou hast given me which thou â—st inspired into me even by the â—â—â—anity of thy Sonne and by â—e ministery of thy Preacher CHAP. 2. Man hath his being from God â—and that God is in Man and Man in God ANd how shall I call upon my God my Lord and God because that when invoke him I call him into mâ— selfe and what place is there â—â— me fit for my God to come in to mee by whither God maâ— come into me even that Goâ— which made Heaven and Earth Is it so my Lord God is the any thing in me capable of theâ— Nay can both Heaven and eaâ— which thou hast made and which thou hast made me any wise containe thee 2. Or else because whatsoeâ—â—â— Is could not subsist withaâ—â— thee must it follow thereup that what soever hath being indued with a capability of thâ— since therefore I also am sonâ— what how doe I intreat theâ— come into me who could not unlesse thou wert first in â—â— For I am not now in Hell â— yet thou art there For if I â— downe into Hell thou art tâ— also I should therefore not O God yea I should have being at all unlesse thou wert in â—e or rather I could not one unlesse I had my being in 〈◊〉 â—f whom and through whom and to whom are all things Eâ—en so it is Lord even so Wherfore then doo I invoke thee â—eeing I am already in thee or whence canst thou come into â—e For whither shall I goe â—eyond heaven and earth that 〈◊〉 thence my God may come â—â— to me who hath said The heaâ—en and earth doe I fill CHAP. 3. â—od is wholly every where and is 〈◊〉 by parts contained by the Creature DOe therefore the Heaven and earth containe thee â—eing thou fillest them or doest â—ou fill them and there yet reâ—aines an overplus of thee beâ—ause they are not able to comprehend thee If so into what doest thou powre whatsoever remaineth of thee after heaven and earth are filled Hast thou need to be contained by something thou who containest all things seeing that what thou fillest by containing them thou fillest for those vessels which are full oâ— thee adde no stability to thee for were they broken thou aâ— not shed out and when thou aâ— shed out upon us thou art no spilt but thou raisest us up no art thou scattered but thou gatherest up us but thou who filâ— lest all with thy whole sell doest thou fill them all 2. Or because all things cannot containe all of thee doe the receive a part of thee and doe aâ— at once receive the same part oâ— thee or severall capacities severall parts and greater things greater parts and lesse lesser Is therfore one part of thee greater or another lesser or art thoâ— All every where and nothing containes thee wholly CHAP. 4. An admirable description of Gods Attributes 1. WHat art thou therefore O my GOD What but the Lord God For who is God but the Lord or who hath any strength besides our God Oh thou supreme most excellent most mighty most omnipotent most mercifull and most just most secret and most present most beautifull and most strong constant and incomprehensible immutable yet changing all things never new and never old renuing all things insensibly bringing proud men into decay ever active and ever quiet gathering together yet never wanting upholding filling and protecting creating nourishing and perfecting all things still seeking although thou standest in need â— nothing 2. Thoulovest yet art no transported art jealous but without feare thou doest repent but not grieve art angry but coole still Thy works thoâ— changest but not thy counsaile takest what thou findest never losest ought Thou art never needy yet glad of gaine never covetous yet exactest advantage Thou hast superabundance oâ— all things yet art still owing and who hath any thing which is noâ— thine Thou payest debts yeâ— owest nothing forgivest debts yet losest nothing And whaâ— shall we say my God my life my holy delight or what caâ— any man say when he speakes of â—â—e And woe to them that take nothing in thy praise seeing those that speake most are â—â— dumbe in it CHAP. 5. He prayes for forgivenesse of sinnes and the love of God VVHo shall so mediate for mee that I may repose in thee Who shall â—â—cure thee to enter into my â—â—rt and so to inebriate it that â—â—ay forget my own evils and â—â—brace thee my onely good â—hat art thou to me let mee â—de grace to speake to thee VVhat am I to Thee that â—ou shouldest command mee â—oue thee and be angry with â—â— yea and threaten mee with 〈◊〉 mischiefes unlesse I do love â—e Is it to be thought a small â—sery
delight to jeere at and to put tricks upon others CHAP. 4. How Tullies Hortensuis provokt him to study Philosophie 1. AMongst these mad companions in that tender age of mine learnd I the Bookes of Eloquence wherein my ambition was to be eminent all out of a damnable and vaine-glorious end puse up with a delight of humane glory By the ordinary course of study I fell upon a certaine booke of one Cicerâ— whose tongue almost every man admires though not his heart This booke of his contaynes an exhortation to Philosophie and 't is called Hort ensius This very Book quite altered my affection turned my prayers to thy selfe O Lord and made me have cleane other purposes and desires All my vayne hopes I thenceforth slighted and with an incredible heat of spirit I thirsted after the immortality of wisdome and began now to rowse up my selfe that I might turne again to thee ward For I made not use of that booke to file my tongue with which I seemed to buy with that â—â—â—â—bition my another allowed me in that mine tenth yeere of my age my father being dead two yeeres before I made not use therefore of that book I say to sharpen my tongue withall nor had it perswaded me to affect the find language in it but the matter of in 2. How did I burne then my God how was I inflamed to fly from earthly delights towards thee and yet I knew not what thou meanedst to doe with me For with thee is wisdome That love of wisedome is in Greeke called Philosophie with which that booke inflam'd mee Some there bee that seduce others through Philosophie under a great a faire promising and an honest name colouring over and palliating their owne errors and almost all those who in the same and former ages had beene of that stamp are in that booke censured and set forth there also is that most wholesome advice of thy Spirit given by thy good and devout servant made plaine Beware left any man spoyle you through Philosophie and vaine deceipt after the tradition of men after the rudiments of the world and not after Christ For in him dwelleth all the fulnesse of the Godhead bodily 3. For my part thou light of my heart knowest that the Apostolicall Scriptures were scarce knowne to me at that time but this was it that so delighted mee in that exhortation that it did not ingage mee to this or that sect but left me free to love and seeke and obtaine and hold and embrace wisdome it selfe what ever it were Perchance 't was that booke I was stirred up and inkindled and inflamed by This thing only in such a heat of zeale tooke me off that the name of Christ was not in it For this Name according to thy mercy O Lord this Name of my Saviour thy Sonne had my tender heart even together with my mothers milke devoutly drunken in and charily treasured up so that what booke soever was without that Name though never so learned politely and truely penned did not altogether take my approbation CHAP. 5. Hee sets lightly by the Holy Scriptures because of the simplicity of the stile 1. I Resolved thereupon to bend my studies towards the holy Scriptures that I might see what they were But behold I espie something in them not revealed to the proud not discovered unto children humble in stile sublime in operation and wholly veyled over in mysteries and I was not so fitted at that time as to pierce into the sense or stoope my high neck to track the stile of it For when I attentively read these Scriptures I thought not then so highly of them as I now speake but they seemed to me farre unworthy to be compared to the statelinesse of the Ciceronian eloquence For my swelling pride soar'd above the temper of their stile nor was my sharpe wit able to pierce into their sense And yet such are thy Scriptures as grew up together with thy little Ones But I much disdained to be held a little One and big-swoln with pride I tooke my selfe to be some great man CHAP. 6. How hee was insnared by the Manichees 1. ANd even therefore I fell upon a sect of men proudly doting too carnall and prating in whose mouths were the very snares of the divell and a very Birdlime compounded by the mixture of the syllables of thy Name and of our Lord Iesus Christ and of the Holy Ghost the Comforter All these names came not out of their mouth but so farre forth as the sound only and the noyse of the tongue for their heart was voyd of true meaning Yet they cryed out Truth and Truth and divers sounded the word to mee yet was the Truth it selfe no where to be found amongst them But they spake falsehood not of thee onely who truely art the Truth it selfe but also of the elements of this world thy creatures Concerning which it had beene my duty O my supreme good Father thou beauty of all things that are beautifull to have out-stripped all the Philosophers though they spake most truely O Truth Truth how inwardly did the very marrow of my soule pant after thee when as they often and divers wayes though but barely pronounced thy name to me with their voice onely and in many bookes and hugie volumes And these were the dishes wherein to hunger-starven me they instead of thee served in the Sun and Moone Beautifull works indeed of thine but thy creatures notwithstanding not thy selfe no nor thy first creatures neither For thy spirituall works are before these corporeall workes celestiall though they be and shining 2. But I hungered and thirsted not after those first workes of thine but after thee even thee the Truth with whom there is no variablenesse neither shadow of turning yet they still set before me in those dishes glorious phantasies than which much better it were to love this Sunne which is true to our sights at least than those phantasies which by our eyes serve to deceive our minde Yet because I thought Them to be Thee I fell to and fed not greedily though for thou wert not savoury in my mouth nor like thy selfe for thou wast not those empty fictions nor was I soundly nourisht by them but drawne dry rather That food we dreame of shewes very like the food which we eat awake yet are not those asleepe nourisht by it for they are asleep But neither were those phantasies any way like to thee as thou hast since spoken to me for that those were corporeall phantasies only false bodies than which these true bodies both celestiall and terrestriall which with our fleshly sight we behold are far more certaine These things the very beasts and birds discerne as well as wee and they are much more certayne than any we can fancy of our selves And againe we doe with more certaintie conceive the images of these than by them entertaine the least suspition of any vaster or infinite bodies which have
soule wilt thou be still following thine owne flesh Let that rather turne and follow thee What ever by her thou hast sense of is but in part and the whole whereof these are parts thou knowest not and yet this little contents thee But had the sense of thy flesh beene capable of comprehending the whole and not for thy punishment beene stinted to a part of the whole thou wouldst have then desired that whatsoever hath existence at this present should passe away that so the whole might better have pleased thee altogether For what wee speake by the same sense of the flesh thou hearest and yet wouldst not thou have the same syllables sound ever but flye away that others may come on and thou mayst heare up the whole sentence Thus are all these things in ever Being which have still any one part of theirs in being and yet all those parts which goe to the making up of that whole Being are never all together in present Being All together surely must needs delight morefully than parts single if the pleasure of all could be felt all at once But farre better than these all is he that made all and he is our God nor does he depart away for that he hath no successor If bodies then please thee praise God for them and turne thy love upon him that made them lest otherwise in those things which please thee thou displease him CHAP. 12. Love of the creatures is not forbidden provided that in those which please us God bee loved 1. IF then soules please thee let them be loved in God for they are mutable but in him are they firmly established or else would they passe and perish In him therefore let them be beloved and draw unto him along with thee as many soules as thou canst and say to them Him let us love let us love him he made all these nor is hee farre from them For he did not once make them and then get him gone But of him and in him they are See where he is even where-ever truth is savoury Hee is within the very heart but yet hath the heart strayed from him 〈◊〉 againe to your owne heart Oâ—â— transgressors and cleave fast â—â— to him that made you 〈◊〉 with him and you shall 〈◊〉 surely Repose your 〈…〉 him and yee shall rest 〈◊〉 Whither goe you iâ— these 〈◊〉 gy passages O whither goe you The good that you love is 〈◊〉 him and in respect of him 〈◊〉 both good and pleasant But it shall justly be turned to bitternesse because whatsoever is from him is unjustly loved if hee be forsaken for it 2. Whither now wander 〈◊〉 further and further over these difficult and troublesome passages There is no rest to be found where you seeke it Seeke what you doe seeke but yet 't is not there where you are seeking for it You seeke a blessed life in the land of death 't is not there for how should there be a happy life where there is at all no life But our Life descended downe hither and tooke away our death and kild him out of the abundance of his owne life and he thundered calling unto us to returne from hence to him into that secret place from whence he came forth to us comming first into the Virgins wombe where the Humanity was marryed unto him even our mortall flesh though not ever to be mortall and thence came he like a Bridegroome out of his chamber rejoycing as a Giant to run his course For hee foreslow'd not but he ranne crying both in words deedes death descent and ascension still crying to us to returne unto him And hee withdrew himselfe from our eyes that we might returne to our owne heart and there finde him 3. He withdrew himselfe and behold he is still here He would not tarry long with us yet hath he not utterly left us for thither is he gone from whence he never parted because the world was made by him And in this world hee was and into this world hee came to save sinners unto whom my soule now confesseth that he may heale it for it hath sinned against him O ye sonnes of men how long will ye be slow of heart will ye not now after that Life is descended downe to you will not you ascend up to it and live But whither ascended you when you were high-conceipted and lifted up your head into heaven Descend againe that you may ascend and ascend to God For descended you are by ascending against him Tell the soules whom thou lovest thus that they may weepe in this valley of teares and so carry them up with thee unto God because by his Spirit thou speakest thus unto them if speak thou doest burning with the fire of charity CHAP. 13. Love whence it comes 1. THese things I as then knew not and I fell in love with these inferior beauties and I was sinking even to the very bottome and unto my friends I said doe wee love any thing that is not beautifull For what is faire and what is beauty what is it that inveigles us thus and that drawes our affections to the things we love for unlesse there were a gracefulnesse and a beauty in them they could by no meanes draw us unto them And I markt narrowly and perceived that in the bodies themselves there was one thing as it were the whole feature which in that respect was beautifull and another thing that did therefore become because it was aptly fitted to some thing as some part of the body in respect of the whole body or a shooe in respect of the foot and the like And this consideration sprang up in my minde even out of the innermost of my very heart and I composed certaine bookes De Pulchro Apto two or three as I thinke Thou knowest it O Lord for 't is out of my memory For I have them not now by me but lost they are and I know not how CHAP. 14. Of his booke of Faire and Fit 1. WHat was the cause O Lord my GOD that moved me to dedicate unto Icherius an Orator of Rome these bookes of mine whom as then I so much as knew not by face but upon love to the man meerely for the fame of his learning which was eminent in him and some words of his that I had heard which very well pleased me But rather did he please me for that they pleased others who highly extold him admiting much that a Syrian borne brought up first in the Greeke Eloquence should afterwards prove so wonderfull a master in the Latine also being above all this a most knowing man in all the studies that pertaine unto Wisdome A man is commended and loved even when hee is absent Doth then this love enter the heart of the hearer immedidiately from the mouth of the prayser Nothing so But by one lover is another inflamed Hence comes it that hee is oft loved who is heard commended when namely his worth
curiosities like as the fishes of the Sea in which they wander over the unknown paths of the bottomlesse pit and their owne luxuriousnesse like as the beasts of the field that thou Lord who art a consuming fire mayst burne up those dead cares of theirs and renew themselves immortally 4. But they knew not that way thy Word by which thou madest these things which themselves can calculate and the calculators themselves and the sense by which they see what they calculate and the understanding out of which they do number it or that of thy wisedome there is no number But the onely Begotten is made unto us Wisdome and Righteousnesse and Sanctification and was numbred as one of us and paid tribute unto Caesar This way have not these men knowne by which they should descend from themselves downe to him and by it ascend againe unto him They verily knew not this way and they conceit themselves to move in an high orbe and to shine amongst the Starres whereas behold they grovell upon the ground and their foolish heart is darkened They discourse truely of many things concerning the creature but the true Architect of the creature they doe not religiously seeke after and therefore doe they not finde him Or if they doe finde him acknowledging him to be God yet they glorifie him not as God neither were thankefull but became againe in their imaginations They give out themselves to bee wise attributing thy workes unto their skill and in this humor with a most perverse blindnesse study they on the other side to impute to thee their own follies entitling thee who art Truth it selfe unto their lyes changing thus the glory of the uncorruptible God into an Image made like corruptible man and to birds and foure footed beasts and creeping things changing thy truth into a lye and served the creature more than the Creator 5. But yet diverse observations concerning the creature truly delivered by these Philosophers did I retaine in memory yea and I conceived the Reason of them by mine owne calculations the order of times and the visible testimonies of the Staries and all this I compared with the sayings of Manichaeus who had written much of these subjects doting most abundantly nor did he give me any reason either of the Solstices or Aequinoxes or the Ecclipses of the greater Lights nor of any such point as I had learned in the Bookes of secular Philosophie But in his Writings was I commanded to beleeve all but no answer met I withal unto those reasons which had beene found true both by mine owne calculatings and eye-sight from all which his was quite contrary CHAP. 4. Onely the knowledge of GOD makes happy 1. TEll me O Lord God of Truth is whosoever is skilfull in these Philosophic all things thereby acceptable unto thee Surely most unhappy is the man that knowes all these things and is ignorant of thee but happy is hee that knowes thee though ignorant of these And he that knowes both thee and them is not the happier for them but for thee onely upon condition that as he knows thee so he glorifies thee as God and it thankfull and becomes not vaine in his owne imaginations 2. For even as he is in better case that knows how to possesse a Tree and to returne thanks unto thee for the commodities of it although he knowes not how many cubits high it rises or how broad it spreads than hee that hath the skill to measure it and keepes an account of all the boughes of it and is neither owner of it nor knowes nor loves him that created it Even so a faithfull man whose right all this world of wealth is and who having nothing yet doth as it were possesse all things even by eleaving unto thee to whom all things serve though he knowes not so much as the Circles of the North yet is it folly to doubt but he is in better estate than hee that can quarter out the heavens and number the starres and poises the Elements and yet is negligent of thy knowledge who hast made all things in number weight and measure CHAP. 5. The rashnesse of Faustus in teaching what he know not 1. BVt yet who requested I know not what Manichaean to write these things without the skill of which true piety might well bee learned For thou hast said unto man Behold piety is wisedome of which that Manichaean might be utterly ignorant though perfect at the knowledge of these things but these things because he knew not most impudently daring to 〈◊〉 them hee was not able plainely to attaine the knowledge of that piety A great vanity it is verily to professe the knowledge of these worldly things but it is a pious thing to confesse unto thee Wherefore this roving fellow prated indeed much of these things that so being confuted by those who had not learned the truth of these things he might bee evidently discovered what understanding he had in points that were abstruser For the man would not have himselfe meanely thought of but went about forsooth to perswade that the Holy Ghost the Comforter and Enricher of the faithfull ones was with full auhority personally resident within him 2. Whereas therefore he was found out to have taught falsely of the Heavens and Starres and of the courses of the Sunne and Moone although these things pertaine little to the Doctrine of Religion yet that his presumptions were sacrilegious is apparent enough seeing that he delivered those things not onely which he knew not but which himselfe had falsifyed and that with so mad a vanity of pride that he went about to attribute them to himselfe as to a divine person When-ever now I heare a Christian Brother either one or other that is ignorant enough of these Philosophicall Subtilties and that mistaketh one thing for another I can patiently behold such a man delivering his opinion nor doe I see how it can much hinder him when as he doth not beleeve any thing unworthy of thee O Lord the Creator of all if perchance hee be lesse skilled in the situation or condition of the corporeall creature But then it hurts him if so be he imagines this to pertaine to the forme of the doctrine of piety and will yet stand too stiffely in a thing he is utterly ignorant of 3. And yet is such an infirmity in the infancie of a mans faith borne withall by our Mother Charity till such time as this new Convert grow up unto a perfect man and not to be carried about with every wind of Doctrine whereas in that Faustus who was so presumptuous as to make himselfe the Doctor and Author the Ring-leader and chiefe man of all those whom he had inveigled to the opinion that who-ever became his follower did not imagine himselfe to follow a meere man but thy holy Spirit who would not judge but that so high a degree of madnesse when once hee had beene convicted
to have taught such falsities were not to be detested and utterly rejected But I had not cleerely as yet found out whether the interchanged alterations of the length and shortnesse of dayes and nights yea of the day and night it selfe with the Eclipses and wainings of the greater Lights and other things of the like kind which I had read of in other Bookes might be so expounded as to stand with his determination of them but though peradventure it might so bee yet should it remaine uncertaine to me whether it were so or not however for the great sanctity supposed to be in the man I was forsooth to propound to my selfe his authority which ought to be enough to make mee beleeve him CHAP. 6. Faustus was eloquent by nature rather than by Art 1. ANd by the space almost of those 9 yeeres wherein with an unsettled mind I had beene a Disciple of the Manichees with a desire set upon the Tenter-hookes had I expected the comming of this Faitstus For all the rest of that Sect whom by chance I had light upon and had put to a non plus with my Questions and objections about these things still promised me this Faustus upon whose comming and conference all these and greater difficulties if I had them would most easily and cleerely be satisfied So soone therefore as he was come I quickly tasted him to be a very pleasing-languag'd man and one that could prate a great deale more delightfully of those points that they were wont to talke of But how should a spruce Cup-bearer slake the thirst I had after those precious Cups Mine eares had beene cloyed already with such trash which did not now therefore seeme better to me because better said nor therefore true because eloquent nor seem'd the soule wise because the face had a good garbe and the language a sweet tone As for them who had made such promises of him to me they plainely were no good Iudges of things and therfore to them hee appeared prudent and wise for that he could please them in the speaking 2. Another sort of people I had also met withall who become presently suspicious of the Truth it selfe and refuse to acknowledge it so if delivered in a picked and flue it discourse But thou O my God hadst taught me by wonderfull and secret waies and therefore I beleeve even because thou hast taught me for that is the very truth nor is there besides thee any other teacher of Truth wheresoever or whensoever he may bee famous Of thy selfe therefore had I now learned nor ought any thing seeme to be truely spoken because eloquently set off nor false therefore because delivered with an untuneable pronuntiation Againe nor therefore true because roughly delivered nor therefore false because graced in the speaking but it fares with Wisedome and Folly as it doth with wholsome and unwholsome Dyet and with neate and undrest Phrases as with Courtly or Countrey Vessels either kinde of meats may bee serv'd up in either kinde of dishes That greedinesse therefore of mine with which I had so long expected that man was delighted verily with the carriage and action of his dispute fluently expressing himselfe and in such termes as were very apt to set out his sentences to the best 2. I was therfore much taken with him and with others many yea and more than those many did I both praise and extoll him this I tooke ill from him that in the assembly of his Auditors I might not be suffered to put in now and then and communicate those questions that troubled me by a familiar conferring and exchange of arguments with him Which when I gate opportunity to doe I with other of my friends both began to busie his eares and that at sâ—â—h times too as had not beene undecent for him to have exchanged an argument with me and I opened my selfe in such things as did sway much with mee but the man I found utterly unskilfull in the liberall Sciences five of Grammar onely and but ordinarily in that neither But because he had read some of Tullies Orations some few bookes of Seneca divers of the Poets and those Volumes of his owne Sect which had beene written in the Latine tongue and something hansomly and for that hee was daily practised in speaking upon a subject thence became hee furnished with eloquence which proved the more pleasing and inveigling being govern'd by a good wit and set off with a kind of gracefulnesse that was naturall unto him Is it not thus as I now remember O Lord my God thou Iudge of my conscience Before thee my heart still is and my remembrance too thou who didst at that time direct me by the hiddeÌ„ secret of thy providence didst turne those shamefull errours of mine before my face that I might see and hate-them CHAP. 7. He fals off from the Manichees 1. FOr after that he had sufficiently appeared to me to be thus ignorant of those Arts in which I thought hee had excelled I began to dispaire that he should ever open and untye these difficulties which so much perplexed me of which though a man were ignorant hee might yet hold fast the truth of Piety provided he were not a Maniches For their Bookes are fraught with farre-fetcht Fables of the Heaven and the Starres of the Sunne and of the Moone which I having compared with the calculations I had read of other where did not hereafter hold him any waies able subtilely to resolve me in which I much desired whether those things should bee rather so as in the Manichees books they were coÌ„tained or that some as sufficient reason might at least bee fetcht out of them Which Quaere's when I had offered to be considered upon and discussed hee modestly to say truth had not the boldnesse to undergoe the burthen being guilty of his owne ignorance in these Arts nor was at last ashamed to confesse as much For none of those prating fellowes he was many of which I had beene troubled withall that would undertake to instruct me in these Arts and at last say nothing to the purpose But this man bare an ingenuous mind though not right towards thee yet not too rash towards himselfe for hee was not altogether ignorant of his owne ignorance nor was hee willing rashly to ingage himselfe in a Dispute whence hee could neither get off nor retire fairely And even for this did I like the better of him for fairer appeares the modesty of a confessing minde than those things which I then desired to bee informed of And at this guard I found him lying in all those more difficult and subtiler questions 2. My edge being thus taken off which I had keenely intended towards the Manichees doctrine and despairing more of the performance of their other Doctors seeing in divers things which had stumbled me this so famous Faustus had appeared so shallow I began with him to take the same course of life according to that study which he
of the onely true and most true God seeing this fundamentall point was above all the rest to be beleeved and that because no wrangles of all those cavilling Questions whereof I had read so many controverted amongst the Philosophers could so farre enforce me as that I should at any time not beleeve Thee to bee whatsover thou wert though what I knew not or that the government of human businesses should not belong unto thee Thus much though I sometimes beleeved more strongly and more weakly other-whiles yet I ever beleeved both that thou wert God and hadst a care of us though I were utterly ignorant either what was to be thought of thy substance or what way led or brought backe againe towards thee 3. Seeing therefore mankind would prove too weake to find out the truth by the way of evident Reason and even for this cause was there need of the Authority of Holy Writ I began now to beleeve that thou wouldest by no meanes have estated such excellency of authority upon that Booke all the world over had it not beene thy expresse pleasure to have thine owne selfe both beleeved in by meanes of it and sought by it also For those absurdities which in those Scriptures were went heretofore to offend me after I had heard divers of them expounded probably I referred now to the depth of the mystery yea and the Authority of that Booke appeared so much the more venerable and so much the more worthy of our religious credit by how much the readier at hand it was for ALL to read upon preserving yet the Majesty of the Secret under the profoundnes of the meaning offering it selfe unto ALL in words most open and in a stile of speaking most humble and exercising the intention of such as are not light of heart that it might by that meanes receive ALL into its common bosome and through narrow passages waft over some few towards thee yet are these few a good many moe than they would have beene had it not obtained the eminency of such high authority nor alluâ—ed on those companies with a bosome of holy humility These things then I thought upon and thou wert with me I sighed thou heardst me I wavered up and down and thou didst guide me I wandred through the broad way of this world yet didst thou not forsake me CHAP. 6. The misery of the Ambitious shewne by the example of a Beggar 1. I Gaped after Honours gaines wedlocke and thou laughedst at me In these desires of mine I underwent most bitter hardships wherein thou wert so much the more gracious unto me as thou didst lesse suffer any thing to grow sweet unto mee which was not thou thy selfe Behold now my heart O Lord who wouldst I should remember all this that I might now confesse it unto thee Let now my soule cleave fast unto thee which thou hast freed from that fast-holding birdlime of death How wretched was it at that time it had utterly lost the sense of its owne wound but thâ—â— didst launce it that forsaking â—â— other things it might be converted unto thee who art above all and without whom all things would turne to nothing that it might I say be converted and be healed How miserable therfore was I at that time and how didst thou deale with mee to make me sensible of my misery that same day namely when I provided my selfe for an Oration in praise of the Emperour wherein I was to deliver many an untruth and to be applauded notwithstanding even by those that knew I did so Whilest my heart panted after these cares and boyled againe with the favourishnesse of these consuming thoughts walking along one of the streets of Millan I observed a poore beggar-man halfe drunke I beleeve very jocund and pleasant upon the matter but I looking mournfully at it fell to discourse with my friends then in company with me about the many sorrowes occasioned by our owne madnesse for that by all such endevours of ours under which I then laboured and galled by the spurres of desire dragd after me the burthen of mine owne infelicity increasing it by the dragging we had minde of nothing but how to attaine some kinde of Iocundnesse whither that beggar-man had arrived before us who should never perchance come at all thither For that which he had attained unto by meanes of a few pence and those beg'd too the same was I now plotting for by many a troublesome turning and winding namely to compasse the joy of a temporary felicity 2. For that beggar-man verily enjoy'd no true joy but yet 〈◊〉 those my ambitious designes hunted after a much uncertainer And certainely that fellow was jocund but I perplexed he void of care I full of feares But should any man demand of me whether I had rather be merry or fearefull I would answer merry Againe were I askt whether I had rather be in that beggar-mans case or in mine owne at that time I would make choice of my own though thus overgone with cares and feares yet was this upon a wilfulnesse for was it out of any true reason For I ought not to preferre my selfe before that beggar because I was more learned than he seeing my Learning was not it that made me joyfull but I sought rather to please men by it not so much to instruct them as meerely to delight them For this cause didst thou even breake my bones with the staffe of thy correction Away with those therefore from my soule who say unto it There is much difference betwixt the occasions of a mans rejoycing 3. That beggar-man rejoyced in his drunkennesse thou desiredst to rejoyce in a purchased glory What glory Lord That which is not in thee For even as his was no true joy no more was mine any true glory besides which it utterly overturned my soule He was that night to digest his drunkennesse but many a might had I slept with mine and had risen againe with it and was to sleepe againe and againe to rise with it I know not how often But is there indeed any difference in the grounds of a mans rejoycing I know there is and that the joy of a faithfull hope is incomparably beyond such a vanity Yea and at that very time was there much difference betwixt him and I for he verily was the happier man not onely for that he was throughly drencht in mirth when as my bowels were grip't with cares but also for that by his lusty bowsing hee had gotten good store of Wine whereas I by a slattering Oration sought after 〈◊〉 puffe of pride Much to this purpose said I at that time to my deare Companions and I markt by them how it fared with me and I found my selfe in an ill taking I griev'd for it by which I doubled my ill taking and when any prosperity smiled upon mee it irkt mee to catch at it for that almost before I could lay hand upon it away it flew from me
If ye have not beene faithfull in the unrighteous Mamman who will commit to your trust true riches And if ye have not beene faithfull in that which is another mans who shall give you that which is your owne Such a man as I have described did at that time adjoyne himselfe unto me and wavered in his purpose as I did what course of life was to be taken Nebridius also who having left his native Countrey neere Carthage yea and Carthage it selfe where for the most part he lived leaving his Fathers lands which were very rich leaving his owne house and a Mother behinde who meant not like mine to follow after him was by this time come to Millan and for no other reason neither but that he might bestow himselfe with me in a most ardent desire after Truth and Wisdome Together with mee hee sighed and with me he wavered still continuing a most ardent searcher after happinesse and a most acute examiner of the difficultest Questions Thus were there now gotten together the mouthes of three Beggars fighing out their wants one to another and waiting upon thee that thou mightest give them their meat in due season And in much anguish of spirit which by the disposing of thy mercie still followed our worldly affaires looking towards the end why wee should suffer all this darknesse beelouded us whereupon wee turned away mourning to our selves saying How long will things continue at this stay This wee often said but in saying so wee yet forsooke not our errours for that wee yet discovered no certainty which when wee had forsaken them we might betake our selves unto CHAP. 11. Hee deliberates what course of life he were best to take 1. ANd I admired extremely pondering earnestly with my selfe and examining of my memory what a deale of time I had consumed since that nine and twentieth yeere of mine age in which I began first to be inflamed with the study of wisdome resolving that when I had found that to let passe all those empty hopes and lying phrenzies of vaine desires And behold I was now going of my thirtieth yeere still sticking in the same clay still possest with a greedinesse of enjoying things present they as fast flitting and wasting my soule I still saying to my selfe To morrow I shall finde it out it will appeare very plainely and I shall understand it and behold Faustus the Manichee will come and cleere every thing O you great men of the Academikes opinion who affirme That no certaine course for the ordering of our lives can possibly be comprehended Nay let us rather search the more diligently and not despaire of finding for behold those things in the Ecclesiasticall Bookes are not absurd to us now which sometimes seemed so for they may be otherwise yea and that honestly understood I will hence-forth pitch my foot upon that step on which being yet a child my parents placed mee untill such time as the cleere Truth may be found out 2. But where-abouts shall it be sought for When shall it be sought for Ambrose is not at leasure nor have we our selves any spare time to reade But where shall we finde the Books to reade on Whence or when can we procure them or from whom borrow them Let set times be appointed and certaine houres distributed for the health of our soules We now begin to conceive great hopes The Catholike Faith teaches not what we thought it had whereof we vainely accused it The learned men of that Faith hold it for a detestable opinion to beleeve God to be comprehended under the figure of our humane body and do we doubt to knocke that the other mysteries may be also opened unto us All the forenoones our schollers take up what shall we doe the rest of the day Why goe wee not about this But when then shall we visite our greater friends of whose favours we stand in need What time shall wee have to compose some discourses to sell to Schollers When shall wee recreate our selves and unbend our mindes from those cares they are too earnest upon Let all these thoughts perish let us give over these vaine and empty fancies and betake our selves solely to search out the Truth Life is miserable Death uncertaine if it steales upon us on the sudden in what case shall wee goe out of the world where shall we then learne what wee have here neglected Or rather shall we not there suffer the due punishment of our negligence If it be objected That Death will quite cut off both care and sense of all these things and there 's an end of them Rather let that bee first inquired into But God forbid that we should be of that mind It is not for no purpose 't is no idle toy that so eminent a heighth of authority which the Christian Faith hath is diffused all the world over Should then such and so great blessings be by the divine providence wrought for us if so be that together with the death of the body the life of the soule should bee brought to nothing also Wherefore then delay we time any longer that giving over our hopes of this world we might give up our selves wholly to seek after God a happy life 3. But stay a while Even these worldly things are sweet and they have some and that no small pleasure We are not too lightly to divorce our purposes from them for that it were a foule shame to make love againe to them See 't is no such great matter to obtain some Office of honour and what should a man desire more in this world We have store of potent friends though we had nothing else let us put our selves forward some place of preferment or other may be bestowed upon us or a Wife at least may be had with a good portion to ease our charges and this shal be the full point of our desires Many great persons and those worthy of our imitation have addicted themselves to the study of wisdome in the state of mariage 4. Whilest these things wee discoursed of and these winds of uncontainties changed up and downe and drove my heart this way and that way the time still passed on but I was slow to bee converted to my Lord God and from one day to another I deferred to live in thee but deferred not daily to dye within my selfe Being thus in love with an happy life yet feared I to finde it in its proper place and fleeing from it I sought after it I thought I should be too miserable should I bee debarred of the imbracements of a Woman as for that medicine of thy mercie which should cure that infirmity I never thought of it and all because I had no experience of it As for continency I supposed it to bee in the liberty of our owne power of which I for my part was not guilty being so foolish withall that I knew it not to be written That no man can preserve his
how long will ye be dull of heart how long will yee love vanity and seeke after leasing For I my selfe had sometimes loved vanity and sought after leasing But thou O Lord hast magnified him that is godly raising him from the dead and placing him at thy Right hand whence from on high hee should send his promise the Comforter the Spirit of truth And he had sent him already but I knew it not 4. He had already sent him because he was now exalted by rising from the dead and ascending up into heaven For till then The Holy Ghost was not given because Iesus was not yet glorified And the Prophet cryes out How long O yee slow of heart Why will ye love vanity and seeke after leasing Know this that the Lord hath set apart his Holy one He cryes out How long he cryes out Know this whereas I so long ignorant have loved vanity and sought after leasing yea I both heard and trembled because it was spoken vnto such as I remeÌ„bred my selfe somtimes to haue beene For verily in those Phantasticall fictions which I once held for truths was there both vanity and leasing wherefore I roared out many things sorrow fully strangely whilst I grieued at what I now remembred All which I wish they had heard who yet loue vanity and seeke after leasing They would perchance haue beene troubled and haue vomitted vp their poyson and to Thou mightest haue heard them when they cryed vnto thee for Hee died a true death in the flesh for vs who now maketh intercession vnto thee for vs. I further reade 〈◊〉 angry and sinne not And how was I moued O my God I who had then learned to bee angry at my selfe for things passed that I might not sinne in time to come Yea to bee iustly angry for that it was not any other nature of a different kinde of darknesse without me which sinned as the Manichees affirme it to bee who are not angry at themselues and who treasure vp wrath against the day of wrath and of the renelation of the iust iudgement of God Nor indeede was my Good without me nor to be caught with the eyes of flesh vnder the Sunne seeing they that will take ioy in any thing without themselues doe easily become vayne and spill themselues vpon those things which are seene and are but temporally yea and with their hunger-starued thoughts like their very shadowes And oh that they were once wearied out with their hunger and come once to say Who will shew vs day good Let vs say so and let them heare The light of thy countenance is lifted vp vpon vs. For wee our selues are not that light which enlighteneth euery man that commeth into the world but wee are enlightened by thee as who hauing beene some times darknesse may now be light in thee 5. O that they might once 〈◊〉 that Eternall Eightâ—â— which for that my selfe had once tasted I guashed my â—â—th at them because I was not able to make them see it 〈◊〉 not though they should 〈◊〉 mee their heart in their 〈◊〉 eyes which are euer 〈◊〉 from thee that so 〈◊〉 might say Who will shew 〈◊〉 good 〈…〉 euen 〈◊〉 was 〈…〉 selfe in my chamber being inwardly pricked there offering my sacrifice there also my old man and the meditation of my newnesse of life now begunne in mee putting my trust in thee There begannest thou to grow sweete vnto me and to put gladnesse in my heart And I cryed out as I read this outwardly finding this gladnesse inwardly Nor would I bee any more encreased with worldly goods wasting away my time and being wasted by these temporall things whereas I had in thy eternall simplicity a store layd vp of Corne and Wine and Oyle 6. And with alowd cry of my heart called I out in the next verse O in peace O for that same peace O what sayd hee I will lay â—â—â— downe and sleeps 〈…〉 hinder vs when 〈…〉 saying shall be brought to passe which is written Death is swallowed vp in victory And thou surpassingly â—t that same Rest thou who art not changed and in thee is that Rest which forgets all 〈◊〉 labours nor is there any other besides thee no nor hast thou appointed mee to seeke after those many other things which art not the same that thou art but thou Lord after a speciall manner hast made mee dwell in hope These things I read and burnt againe nor could I tell what to do to those deafe and dead Manichees of whom my selfe was sometimes a pestilent member asnarling and a blind 〈◊〉 against thy Scriptures all behonyed ouer with the 〈◊〉 of heauen and all lightsome with thine owne light yea I consumed away with zeale at the enemies of these Scriptures when as I cald to minde euery thing that I had done in those dayes of my retirement 7. Nor haue I yet forgotten neyther will I passe in silence the smartnesse of thy scourge and the wonderfull swiftnesse of thy mercy Thou didst in those dayes torment me with the Tooth-ach which when it had growne so fierce vpon me that I was not able to speake it came into my heart to desire my friends present to pray for me vnto thee the God of all manner of health And this I wrote in waxe and gaue it to them to read Immediately so soone as with an humble deuotion wee had bowed our knees that payne went away But what payne or how went it away I was much affrayed O my Lord my God seeing from mine infancy I had neuer felt the like And thou gauest me a secret Item by this how powerfull thy Beck was for which I much reioycing in sayth gaue praise vnto thy name And that sayth suffered mee not to bee secure in the remembrance of my forepassed sinnes which hitherto were not for giuen mee by thy Baptisme CHAP. 5. Ambrose directs him what bookes to read 1. AT the end of the vintage I gaue the Citizens of Millane faire warning to prouide their schollers of another Master to sell words to them for that I had made choyce to serue thee and for that by reason of my difficulty of breathing and the paine in my brest I was not able to goe on in the Professorship And by letters I signified to that Prelate of thine the holy man Ambrose my former errors and presentresolution desiring him to aduise mee what part of thy Scriptures were best for my reading to make me readier and fitter for the receyuing of so great a grace He recommended Esaias the Prophet to mee for this reason I beleeue for that hee is a more cleare foreshewer of the Gospell and of the calling of the Gentiles then are the rest of the Prophets But I not vnderstanding the first part of him and imagining all the rest to bee like that layd it by intending to fall to it againe when I were better practized in our Lords
there can in like manner any thing chance vnto thee that art vnchangeably Eternall that is the Eternall Creator of Soules Like as therefore thou in the beginning knewest the heauen and the earth without any variety of thy knowledge euen so didst thou in the beginning create heauen and earth without any distinction of thy action Let him that vnderstandeth it confesse vnto thee and let him that vnderstandeth it not confesse vnto thee also Oh how high art thou and yet the humble in heart are the house that thou dwellest in For thou vayself vvthose that are bowed down and neuer can they fall whose strength thou art Saint Augustines Confessions The twelfth Booke CHAP. 1. T is very difficult to finde out the truth MY heart O Lord toucht with the words of holy Scripture is busily imployed in this pouerty of my life And euen therefore in our discourse oftentimes appeares there a most plentifull pouerty of humane vnderstanding because that our enquiring spends vs more words then our finding out does and wee are longer about demanding then about obtayning and our hand that knocks hath more worke to doe then our other hand that receiues A promise haue wee layd holde of who shall defeate vs of it If God bee on our side who can bee against vs Aske and yee shall haue seeke and you shall finde knocke and it shall bee opened vnto you For euery one that askes receiues and he that seekes finds and to him that knocketh shall it be opened These be thine owne promises and who needes feare to bee deceiued whenas the Truth promiseth CHAP. 2. That the heauen we see is but earth in respect of the heauen of heauens which wee see not 1. VNto thy Highnesse the lowlynesse of my tongue now confesseth because thou hast made heauen and earth this heauen I meane which I see and this earth that I treade vpon whence is this earth that I beare about me Thou madest it But where is that Heauen of Heauens made for the Lord which wee heare of in the words of the Psalmist The heauen euen the heauens are the Lords but the earth hath he giuen to the children of men Where is that Heauen which we see not that in comparison whereof all this heauen which wee see is but meere earth For this heauen is wholy corporeall For all this which is wholy corporeall is not euery where beautifull alike in these lower parts the bottome wherof is this earth of ours but in comparison of that Heauen of heauens euen the heauen to this our earth is but earth yea both these great bodies may not absurdly bee called earth in comparison of that I know not what manner of heauen which is the Lords and not giuen to the Sonnes of men CHAP. 3. Of the darknesse vpon the face of the Deepe 1. AND now was this Earth without shape and voyde and there was I know not what profoundnesse of the Deepe vpon which there was no light because as yet it had no shape Therefore didst thou command it to bee written that darknesse was vpon the face of the deepe which what other thing was it then the Absence of light For if there had been light where should â—â— haue beene bestowed but in being ouer all by shewing it selfe and enlightening others Where therefore as light was not yet what was it that darkenesse was present but that light was absent Darknesse therefore was ouer all hitherto because light was absent like as where there is no found there is silence And what is it to haue silence there but to haue no sound there Hast not thou O Lord taught these things vnto the soule which thus confesses vnto thee Hast not thou taught mee Lord that before thou createdst diuersifyedst this vnshapen matter there was nothing neyther colour nor figure nor body nor Spirit and yet was there not altogether an absolute nothing for there was a certaine vnshapednes without any forme in it CHAP. 4. Of the Chaos and what Moses called it 1. ANd how should that be called and by what sence could it bee insinuated to people of slow apprehensions but by some ordinary word And what among all the parts of the world can be found to come neerer to an absolute vnshapednesse then the Earth and the deepe For surely they bee lesse beautifull in respect of their low situation then those other higher parts are which are all transparent and shining Wherefore then may I not conceiue the vnshapelynesse of the first matter which thou createdst without form of which thou wert to make this goodly world to bee significantly intimated vnto men by the name of Earth without shape and voyd CHAP. 5. That this Chaos is hard to conceiue 1. VVHen herein the thoughts of man are seeking for somewhat which the Sence may fasten vpon and returnes answere to it selfe It is no intelligible forme as life is or as Iustice is because it is the matter of bodies Nor is it any thing sensible for that in this earth inuisible as yet and without forme there was nothing to bee perceiued Whilest mans thoughts thus discourse vnto himselfe let him endeauour eyther to know it by being ignorant of it or to bee ignorant by knowing it CHAP. 6. What himselfe sometimes thought of it 1. FOr mine owne part O Lord if I may confesse all vnto thee both by tongue and pen what-euer thy selfe hast taught me of that matter the name whereof hauing heard before but not vnderstanding because they told me of it who themselues vnderstood it not I conceiued of it as hauing innumerable formes and diuerse and therefore indeede did I not at all conceiue it in my minde I tossed vp and downe certaine vgly and hideous formes all out of order but yet formes they were notwithstanding and this I cald without forme Not that it wanted all for me but because it had such a mis-shapen one insomuch as if any vnexpected thought or absurdity presented it selfe vnto mee my sence would straight wayes turne from it and the fraylenesse of my humane discourse would bee distracted And as for that which my conceite ranne vpon it was me thought without forme not for that it was depriued of all forme but it comparison of more beautifull formes but true reason did perswade me that I must vtterly vncase it of all remnants of formes whatsoeuer if so bee I meant to conceiue a matter absolute without forme but I could not For sooner would I haue imagined that not to bee at all which should be depriued of all forme then once conceiue there was likely to bee any thing betwixt forme and nothing a matter neyther formed nor nothing without forme almost nothing 2. My minde gaue ouer thereupon to question any more about it with my spirit which was wholy taken vp already with the images of formed bodies which I changed and varied as mee listed and I bent my enquiry vpon the bodies themselues and more deeply lookt into
Heauen giues vs to note of which Heauen hee before spake without mention of any dayes CHAP. 14. The depth of holy Scripture 1. VVOnderfull is the depth of thy Scriptures which at first sight little ones please themselues withall and yet are they a wonderfull deepnesse O my God a most admirable profundity A depth striking horror to looke into euen a horror of honor and a trembling of loue The enemies of it doe I hate vehemently oh that thou wouldst slay them with thy two-edged sword that they might no longer bee enemies vnto it for thus do I loue to haue them slayne vnto themselues that they may liue vnto thee But now behold others not fault-finders but extollers of thy booke of Genesis The Spirit of God say they which by his seruant Moses wrote these things would not haue those words thus vnderstood hee would not haue it vnderstood as thou faiest but so as we say Vnto whome making thy selfe Iudge O thou God of vs all do I thus answer CHAP. 15. The difference betwixt the Creator and the creatures Some discourses about the Heauen of Heauens 1. DAre you affirme it to bee false which with a strong voyce Truth told me in my inner care concerning the eternity of the Creator namely that his substance is no wayes changed by time nor his Will separated from his Substance Where vpon hee willeth not onething now and another thing anon but that once and at once and alwayes he willeth all things that he willeth not againe and againe nor now this now that nor willeth afterwards what before hee would not nor bee vnwilling with that now which hee was willing with before because such a will is mutable and no mutable thing is eternall but our God is eternall Agayn this is told me also in my inner eares That the Expectation of things to come is turned to Sight whenas they are once come and the same Sight again is turned to memory so soone as they be once past Now euery Intention which is thus varied is mutable and no mutable is eternall but our God is eternall These collections I make and put together and finde that God euen my eternall God hath not vpon any such new Will made any creature nor that his knowledge suffereth any transitory passion 2. What will you then reply O yee gainesayers are these things false No they say What is this Is this false 〈◊〉 That euery nature that is formed euery matter capable of forme hath no other being but from Him who is supremely good because supremly he hath his being neither say they doe we deny this What then doe you deny this that there is a certain sublime creature with so chast aloue cleauing vnto the true and true eternall God as that notwithstanding it bee not Coeternall to him yet that vpon occasion of no variety and turne of times does it let goe its hold or parteth with Him but rests it selfe contented in the most true contemptation of him onely Because thou O God vnto him that loueth thee so much as thou commandest doest shew thy selfe and giue him satisfaction and euen therefore doth hee neyther decline from thee nor toward himselfe This is the house of God not of earthly mould no nor of any celestiall bulke corporeall but a spirituall house and partaker of thy eternity because it remaines without blemish for euer For thou hast made it fast for euer and euer thou hast giuen it a law which shall not be broken And yet is it not coeternall vnto thee because it is not without beginning for it is created For notwithstanding wee find no time before it yet hath Wisdome beene created before all things not that Wisedome I meane which is altogether equall and coeternall vnto thee his Father by which all things were created and in whom being the beginning thou createdst heauen and earth but that Wisedome verily which is created that is to say the Intellectuall nature which by contempiating of the light is become light For this though created is also called Wisedome 3. But looke what difference there is betwixt that light which enlighteneth and the light that is enlightened somuch is there betwixt that Wisedome that createth and this Wisedome which is created like as there is betwixt that Righteousnesse which iustifyeth and that righteousnesse which is made by iustification For wee also are called thy Righteousnesse for so sayth a certaine seruant of thine That we might be made the righteousnesse of God in him Therefore Wisedome hath beene created before all things which was created a rationall mind and an intellectuall of that chast City of thine our mother which is aboue and is free and eternall in the heauens In what heauen if not in those that praise thee euen the Heauen of heauens because this is also the heauen of heauens made for the Lord. And though wee finde no time before it because that which hath beene created before all things hath precedency of the creature of time yet is the eternity of the Creator himselfe euen before it from whom that being created tooke beginning not beginning of its time for time was not yet in being but of its creation Hence comes it so to be of thee our God as that it is altogether another frō thee not thou thyselfe because though wee neyther finde time before it nor in it it being most meete euer to behold thy face nor is euer drawne away from it for which cause it is not changed by any alteration yet is there a mutable condition in it for all this which would cause it to waxe darke and cold but for that by so strong an affection it cleaueth vnto thee that it receiues both light and heate from thee as from a perpetuall noone 4. O house most lightsome and delightsome I haue loued thy beauty and the place of the habitation of the glory of my Lord thy builder and owner Let my way faring here sigh after thee and to him I speake that made thee that he would take possession of me also in thee seeing he hath likewise made me I haue gon astray like a lost sheepe yet haue I a good hope vpon the shoulders of my Shepheard thy builder to bee brought backe into thee What say you now vnto mee O ye Gaynsayers that I was speaking vnto you that beleeue Moses to haue beene the faythfull seruant of God and his bookes to bee the Oracle of the Holy Ghost Is not this house of God though not coeternall indeed with God yet after its manner eternall in the heauens where you seeke for the changes of times all in vaine because there you shall neuer finde them For it farre ouergoes all extention and all running space of Age the happinesse of it being Euer to cleaue vnto God It is so say they What part then of all that which my heart hath so lowdly vttered vnto God whenas inwardly it heard the voyce of his prayse what
is true and is therefore their 's no lonâ—â—â— euen because it is true But would they therefore loue it because it is true then becomes it both theirs and driue for that all the louers of Truth haue a common interest in it 2. But whereas they are so earnest that Moses did not meane what I say but what they say this I neyther like nor loue for suppose so it 〈◊〉 yet is this rashnesse of theirs no signe of knowledge but of ouer-boldnesse 〈…〉 hath seeing further but 〈◊〉 bigger begotten it 〈◊〉 therefore O Lord are â—y iudgements to bee trembled at seeing that thy truth is neither mine nor his nor a thirds but belonging to vs all whom thou callest to partake of it warning vs in terrible manner not to account it priuate to our selues for feare wee bee depriued of it For whosoeuer challenges that as proper to himselfe which thou propoundest to all in generall and would make that his owne which belongs to all that man shall be driuen from what is common to all to what is properly his owne that is from truth to a lye For hee that speaketh a lye speaketh it of his owne 3. Hearken O God thou best Iudge hearken O thou Truth what answer shall I returne vnto my Gaynsayer listen for befere thee doe I speake it and before my brethren who employ thy lawfully that is to the end of charity hearken and beâ—â—â—â— if it please thee what I 〈…〉 say to him For thiâ— brotherly and peacefull word will I returne vnto him suppose both of vs see that to bee true that thou 〈◊〉 â— and both againe see that to bee true that I say where I prethee doe wee siâ— it I verily see it not in 〈◊〉 nor thou in mee but â—â—th of vs in the selfe-same vnchangeable Truth which iâ— aboue both our soules Seeing therefore we vary not about the very light of the Lord our God why striue we 〈◊〉 the thoughts of our â—â—â—ghbour which it is â—â—â—â—ssible for vs so clearely 〈…〉 into as wee may 〈◊〉 the vnchangeable truth 〈◊〉 that if Moses himselfe 〈…〉 appeared to vs and sayd 〈…〉 yet nor so should wee haueseene it but beleeued it 4. Let vs not therefore be puft vp in fauour of one against another aboue that which is written Let vs loue the Lord our God with all our heart with all our soule and withall our minde and our neyghbour as our selfe For which two precepts of charity did Moses meane whatsoeuer in those bookes hee meant which vnlesse wee beleeue wee shall make God a lyer whenas wee imagine otherwise of our fellow seruants minde then hee hath taught vs. Behold now how foolish a conceite it is in such plenty of most true opinions as may be fetcht out of those same words rashly to affirme which of them Moses principally meant and thereby with pernition contentions to offend charity it selfe for whose sake 〈…〉 spake euerything whose 〈◊〉 wee goe about to expound CHAP. 26. 〈…〉 was fit to write the Scriptures in 1. FOr mine owne part O my God thou height of my humility thou rest of my 〈…〉 thou which hearest 〈◊〉 Confessions and which 〈◊〉 giuest my sinnes seeing 〈◊〉 commandest me To loue 〈◊〉 neighbour as my selfe I can 〈◊〉 beleeue that thou gauest 〈◊〉 gift vnto Moses thy 〈…〉 seruant then I 〈◊〉 haue wished or 〈◊〉 thee to haue giuen my 〈◊〉 had I beene borne in the 〈◊〉 he was and that thou 〈◊〉 set mee in the same 〈◊〉 whereby the seruice 〈◊〉 heart and tongue those bookes might bee dispensed which â—or so long time after were to profit all nations and throughout the whole world from such a height of authority were to surmount all false and proude opinions 2. I should haue desired verily had I then beene Moses for wee are of the same lump and what is man sauing that thou art mindfull of him I would therefore I say had I beene in his case at the same time and that the booke of Genesis had beene put vpon mee to write haue desired the same facultie of expression to haue beene giuen mee and the selfe-same maner of enditing too that so neyther they who cannot as yet vnderstand how God creator might not reiect the stile as beyond their capacitie and yet they who are already able to do it vpon what true opinion soeuer their meditations had pitcht might find it not to haue beene omitted in those few words of that thy Servant and if another man had by the light of trueth discoâ—â—â—d another neither should that haue failed to be pickt out of the selfe-same words CHAP. 27. T is best drawing at the Fountaine 1. FOr as a fountaine pent within a narrow compasse is the more plentifull in his waters and with his streames serues more riuers and larger spaâ—â—â— of ground then any one of those riuers doe which after along tract of land be 〈◊〉 is deryued out of the same fountayn euen so this Text of that dispenser of thine that it might benefit the more people who were to preach vpon it does out of a narrow scantling of language ouer flow into such streames of clearest truths as out of it euery man may to his owne sence as well as hee can vpon these subiects he one obseruation and hee another draw out the truth by larger circumlocutions of discourse 2. For some whenas they reade or heare these words presently conceiue God to bee like some man or like some hugie bulke endued with vnlimitted powers which by some new and sudden resolution had of it selfe as it were with some places betweene created heauen and earth euen two great bodies aboue and below wherein all things were to be contained And when they heare God say Let that thing it made and it was made they thinke the words to haue had beginning and ending to 〈◊〉 sounded in time and so 〈…〉 passed away immediately whervpon the thing became in Being which was commanded so to doe and such other like conceites which their familiarity with flesh blood causes them to imagine In little ones as yet whilest their weakenesse is 〈◊〉 along in this humble manner of speech as it it were 〈◊〉 bosome of a mother their sayth is wholesomely â—ursed vp and they by it assured and confirmed in the 〈◊〉 that God made all these Natures which in admirable variety their eye beholdeth round about them Which words who euer shall despise as if too simple and with a proud weakenesse but once offer to crawle out of his cradle hee shall a also catch a most miserable fall But take thou O Lord God some pittie vpon them that such as goe by the way tread not vpon this vnfeathered yong bird and send thine Angell to put it into the nest againe that it may bee bred vp there till it bee able to flie CHAP. 28. How diuersly this Scripture is vnderstood by others 1. BVt others vnto whom these words are now no longer a Nest but like
disquieted within me Trust in the Lord his word is a lanthorne vnto thy feete trust and abide on him vntill the night the mother of the wicked vntill the wrath of the Lord bee ouerpast the children of which wrath our selues who were sometimes darknesse haue beene the reliques of which darkenesse wee still beare about vs in our body dead because of sinne vntill the day breake and the shadowes flee away 2. Hope thou in the Lord in the morning I shall stand in thy presence and contemplate thee yea I shall for euer confesse vnto thee In the morning I shall stand in thy presence and shall see the health of my countenance euen my God who also shall quicken our mortall bodies by the Spirit that dwelleth in vs who in mercie sometimes moued vpon our inner darkesome and floating deepe from whome in this our pilgrimage wee haue receiued such a pledge as that euen now wee are light euen alreadie in this life whilest wee are saued by hope made the Children of light and the Children of the day not the Children of the night nor of the darknes which yet somtimes we haue beene Betwixt which Children of darknesse and vs in this vncertainety of humane knowledge thou onely canst deuide thou who prouest the hearts and callest the light day and the darkenesse night For who can discerne vs but thou And what haue we that wee haue not receiued of thee Out of the same lump are some made for vessels of honour and others for dishonour CHAP. 15. By the word Firmament is the Scripture meant 1 BVt who except thou O our God made that Firmament of the Authority of thy diuine Scripture to bee ouer vs as t is said The heauen shall be folded vp like a booke and is euen now stretcht ouer vs like a skin For thy holy Scripture is of more eminent authority since those mortals departed this life by whom thou dispensest it vnto vs. And thou knowest O Lord thou knowest how thou with skins didst once apparell men so soone as they by sin were become mortall Wherevpon hast thou like a skinne stretched out the Firmament of thy booke that is to say those words of thine so well agreeing together which by the ministry of mortall men thou spreadest ouer vs. For by the death of those men is that solid strength of authority appearing in the bookes set by them more eminently stretched ouer all that bee now vnder it which strength whil'st they liued on earth was not then so eminently stretched out ouer vs. Thou hadst not as yet spredde abroad that heauen like a skin thou hadst as yet euery where noysed abroad the report of their deaths 2 Let vs looke O Lord vpon the heauens the worke of thy fingers cleare our eyes of that mist with which thou hast ouer cast them there is that testimony of thine which giueth wisdome vnto the little ones perfect O my God thine owne prayse cut of the mouth of babes and sucklings Nor haue wee knowne any other bookes which so destroy pride which so beate downe the aduersary and him that stands vpon his own guard that standeth out vpon termes of reconciliation with thee in defence of his owne sinnes I know not Lord I knowe not of any other such chaste words that are so powerfull in perswading me to Confession and in making thy yoake easie vnto my neck and in inuiting mee to serue thee for very loues sake Graunt mee to vnderstand them good Father grant me thus much that am placed vnder them because that for them who are placed vnder them thou hast settled them so surely 3. Other Waters also there bee aboue this firmamenent immortall they bee as I beleeue and separated from all earthly corruption Let those supercelestiall people thine Angels prayse thee yea let them prayse thy name they who haue no neede to receiue this Firmament or by reading to attaine the knowledge of thy Word For they alwayes behold thy face and there doe they reade without any syllables measurable by times what the meaning is of thy eternall will They reade they chuse they loue They are euer reading yet that neuer passes ouer which they reade because by choosing and by louing doe they reade the vnchangeablenesse of thy counsayle Their booke is neuer closed nor shall it bee euer clasped seeing thy selfe is that volume vnto them yea thou art so eternally For thou hast ordayned them to bee aboue this Firmament which thou hast settled ouer the infirmenesse of the lower people where-out they might receiue and take notice of thy mercy which sets thee forth after a temporall manner euen thee that madest times For thy mercy O Lord is in the Heauens and thy truth reacheth vnto the clouds The clouds pass away but the heauen abides the Preachers of thy Word passe out of this life into another but thy Scripture is spred abroad ouer the people euen vnto the end of the world 4. Yea both heauen and earth shall passe but thy words shall not passe away because the parchment shall bee folded vp and the grasse ouer which it was spred out shall with the goodlynesse of it also passe away but thy Word remaineth for euer Which word now appeareth vnto vs vnder the darkenesse of the cloudes and vnder the glasse of the heauens and not as in it selfe it is because that euen we though the well-beloued of thy Sonne yet is it not hitherto manifest what we shall be He standeth looking thorow the lattis of our flesh and he spake vs faire yea hee set vs on fire and wee ranne after the sent of his odors But when he shall appeare then shall we be like him for we shall see him as he is Graunt vs Lord to see him that is our owne though the time bee not yet come CHAP. 16. God is vnchangeable 1. FOr fully as in thy selfe thou art thou onely knowest thou who ART vnchangeably and know est vnchangeably and willest vnchangeably And thy essence both knoweth and willeth vnchangeably And thy knowledge Is wills vnchangeably and thy will Is knows vnchangeably Nor seemes it right in thine eyes that in the same manner as an vnchangeable light knoweth it selfe so it should be known of a thing changeable that receiues light from another My soule is therefore like a land where no water is because that as it cannot of it selfe enlighten it selfe so can it not of it selfe satisfie it selfe For so is the fountaine of life with thee like as in thy light we shall see light CHAP. 17. What is meant by dry land and by the Sea 1. VVHo gathered bitter spirited people together into one society Because that all of them propound to themselues the same end of a temporall and earthly felicity for attayning whereof they doe whateuer they do though in the doing they wauer vp and downe with innumerable variety
to 〈◊〉 evill for soule and body 〈…〉 Appetites be in the Motive faculty of the 〈◊〉 Soule by these â—â—e soule moves herselfe to or 〈◊〉 sesued or abhorred object Here the old 〈◊〉 much mistakes for want of Philosophie Psal 18. 28 Ioh 1. 16 9 Iam. 1. 16. 1 Pet. 5. 5. Psal 51. 8. * Multa in pulvere depingentibus Which the Other Translator turnes writing them in the dust noting in his margent that it was a manner of â—â—iting then used Boldly affirmed I dare say there was never such a manner of writing But thus it was The Mathematicians had their pulverem Mathematicum dust in linnen bagges which scirced or pownc'd upon a board they drew their Schemes and Diagrams upon to make ocular demonstration withall either for their owne use or their Schollers This they could easily and the aply put in and out againe Arch medes was taken in his Study drawing his Mathematicall Lines in such dust He alludes to the Prodigall Luk. â—5 O wonderful naturall wit of S. Augustine The Papists brag of being in the true Church but plainely their Chickens seldome prove more than spoone-feathered not hardpenn'd For they want the food here spoken of Sound Faith Traditions Legends seined Miracles carnall Vowes and out side Sanctity may puffe up not edifie * He meanes that the goodly order and workmanship of the creatures causes those that well consider them to open their mouthes in praises to God for theÌ„ The Old Translator is much puzled here confounding both the sense and Sentences Psal 139. 7 Psal 138. 6 Deut. 4. 21. 1 Cor. 1. 30 Rom. 1. 21. Rom. 1. 21. Rom. 1. 23 25. Rom. 1. 21. Wis 11. 20 Iob 28. 28. Manichaeus his pride and blasphemy All Heretikes doe thus brag of the Spirit Eph. 4. 13 14. * Iust the Purilane humour of our tiâ—es with whom our incomparable Court Sermons are flatteries and our neatest Preachers are Ladypreachers for so they call them * This was the old fashion of the East where 〈◊〉 Schollers had liberty to aske questions of their Masters and to move doubts as the Professors were reading or so soone as the Lecture was done Thus did our Saviour with the Doctors 〈◊〉 2. 46. So 〈◊〉 still in some European Vniversities Pro. 21. 29 * The insolent fashion of the Students in Carthage Psal 142. 5. * He means the waters of baptisme * Memoria beati Cypriani This the former Translator turnes The Shrine of Saint Cyprian and notes in his margent The place where S. Cyprians Reliques were kept See our Preface * Because he was not yet baptised Eph. 2. 16. * Another errour of the Manichees who beleeved not Christ to have assumed a true body but a phantasticall appearance and shape onely * He alludes to his owne Manichaean humour and contempt of Baptisme that Physike of the soule which suffers it not to dye the second death thogh the body through sicknesse dyes the first Here the former Translator mistakes and misses talking of I know not what journey * NusquaÌ„nisi or nusquam non as Suetonius hath it no place omitted or in every place In the Latine the Interrogative point should not be after intermissione but after ad te * See 1 Tim. 5. 10. * Oblations were those offerings of bread meale or wine for making of the Eucharist or of Almes besides for the poore which the Primitive Christians every time they communicated brought to the Church where it was received by the Deacons who presented them to the Priest or Bishop Here note 1. They communicated daily 2. They had Service morning and evening and two Sermons a 〈◊〉 many times 3. Note that Saint Monica never heard Masse as the Popish Translater would have it in his margeat for Masse is not sound in Saint Augustine 4. Observe that here bee Sermons too which because the Papists have not with their Masses he cunningly but falâ—ily translates Sermonibus Inspirations * These glorious titles did the Manichees assume So doe our own schismaticall Pure ones This spirituall pride still accompanies Hereticks yea 't is a sare marke of heresie Marke how Saint Augustine describes them We have those now a dayes that say God sees no sinne in them and 't is not they that sinne but corruption in them Psal 141. 3 4. * Other of the Manichees errours * 〈◊〉 carni concerneretur Concerni autem non inquinari c. * See Booke 3. Chap. 3. Psal 139. 22. * Impertita etiam evectione publica Sending of Waggons or Horses and a man to defray his charges upon the Cities purse Thus had the Ancients their publike Horses or Waggons for the service of the State and defraying the charges of their ministers Thus did Constantine oppoint Coaches and Horses of Relay for the Bishops that were to come to the Councell of Nice This is supplyed by our Post-Horses and by the Secretary of State his allowance of money to those that ride with Packets upon the Kings Service The former Translator whom I finde no great Antiquary nor Critike in Grammar not standing to examine this turnes Impertita etiam evectione publica The Election being publike Wilfully changing eveâ—â—â—â—â— into electione But what then shall become of impertita In a marginall Note upon the end of the last Chapter but one he challenges us to shew where the Papists had corrupted the Fathers Sure here is Saint Augustine corrupted if not out of malice yet upon shrewd suspâ—tion of ignorance and a desire to be rid of his Taske of Translating The collapsed Ladios he knew had no skill to examine the Latine Your Implicite Faith is your onely Faith Why Because 't is Romane Catholike * Vt dictione proposita me probatum mitteret This was and still is the fashion to make an Oration or to read a Lecture for a void Professors place in our Vniversities The former Translator turnes it would send me as approved from thence upon publike provision to bee made I understand not the man * He alludes to Psal 4. 7. * He alludes to that in 2 Cor. 3. The letter killeth but the Spirit giveth life * Another of the Manichees errours * An Audiâ—â—r or a Disciple * Here Saint Augustine was too blame for he should have said A Romane Catholik and not a Christian Catholike And yet I quit him For sure that Bull of Romane Catholike was not heard of in his time Luk. 7. 14. * Fidelem Catholicum A faithfull Catholike See what we have noted in the first Booke upon this word Fidelis Marke here is Christianus Catholicus and Fidelis Catholicus but yet not Romanus Catholicâ—â— 't is strange that Saint Augustine should so soone have forgotten Rome from whence hee came sâ—lately * She meanes Baptisme * Here the former Translator incurres some suspicion of non sense or of not full understanding the place * See what wee have noted upon the eighth Chapter of the former Booke a Pultes There was the Romane Puls and
quo quasi sonaret cúm iam non sonaret The former Translateris lost makes a meere noyse onely Vestigium is that impression scale or marke that a thing leaues behinde it which in Songs Musicions call the Ayer The print of the hares foote is the vestigium to the dogs eye but the sent left in it is the vestigium to his nose The memory that is the bearing still in minde needs not this but t is the remembring or the recalling to memory that needs this vestigium to discourse and hunt vpon for recouery of the lost notion a The Species be the fore notes or notions of things Scaliger And these Species be indeed in the Soule not diffused throughout all but seated in the vnderstanding principally Aristotle l. 3. de Anima cap. 4. which vnderstanding is the Intellectiue memory b For Species Intentionales See the Philosophers See â—â—â— note vpon pag. 3. â—2 a He appeares to be of the Platonist mind and that to Know was nothing but to Remember b The brayne hath no Cell to put forgotten notions in c Hee meanes that to thinke or meditate vpon a note is to gather together the scattered notions of it a For the Dimensions were Thick and Broad but the lines neyther a I read it variae sunt and not valde sunt as the printed copyes haue it b Sicut sese habet vis memoriae This he turnes As that it descendeth onely vpon the force of the memory A second doubt A third doubt Nuntiata 1 2 3 2 a Here the other Translater negligently mis-read his copie a Adam b I reade Quod ipsum gaudium instead of Atque ipsum gaudium altering the confused interpunctions and poyntings a My MS. reades it Sane in stead of An without an interrogatiue else is the sense imperfect Gal. 5. 17. a Some compies reade it Na frangat roler antiam and others naufragat b Ait quidam The piâ—ce quo â—ed 〈…〉 which slight menâ—tâ—ning of the Author hee giues vs to note that he did not ranke this booke of Wisedome among the Canonicall Scriptures nor quoted it as Gods word but mans One sayth St Augustine honors these Apocryphall bookes oftentimes by quoting them but does not Canonize them This same One sayth hath the Popish Translater left out as seeming too slight a phrase for his vneanonicall Apocrypha 1 Ioh. 2. 16. a the popish Translater notes That chaslity is better then marriage But does that appeare by this passage perchance to those that haue the gift of contiâ—ency as St. Austen now had it is indeed nay it had been a sinne for him to haue marryed but for others it is better to marry then to burne b Imagines animales Eph. 3. 20. 1 Cor. 15. 54. Math. 6. 34 1 Cor. 6. 13 1 Cor. 15. 54. Luke 21. 34. Ezek. 18. 1 Cor 8. 8 Phil. 4. 11 12. b Hee meanes St. Paul who spake this Gen. 3. Luk. 15. 32 c The place is found in Ecclesiasticus 23. 5. 6. which being Apocryph all he quotes not the Author so reuerently as he did St. Paul euen now See our note vpon cap. 29. Titus 1. 15 Ro. 14. 20 1 Tim. 4. 4. 1 Cor. 8. 8. Rom. 14. 13 Gen. 9. 3. 1 King 17. 9 Math. 3. 4. Gen. 25. 34 2 Sam. 23. 15 c. Math. 4. 3. Num. 11. 14 Psa 139. 16 a Hence the Popish Translater obserues That no man can be sure of his soluation But is that to be proued from this place St. Austen meanes That he best man is not secured from falling in to sin that 's all But plainely hee hath translated ill a The excellent vse of Church musicke skilfully handled He meanes that as the moodes or time of the musicke be eyther sad or cheerful so is sadnesse or cheerfulnesse of Spirit Procured The other Translater hath made no Musick here b St. Austen had some Puritanicall thoughts now and then obiected to him by fleshly wisedome which reason and deuotion presently againe put out of him a His mother bred him vp in the true fayth then the Maniches corrupted him from whom hee was newly now reouered a Mihi quaestio factus sum Quaestio was the â—ortures vsed to the Christians by the persecutors so called for that they begun with this question Art thou a Christian So Saint Cyprian Epist 9. â—olerastis durissiâ—â—am quae stionem nec cessistis supplieijs And In dolore patientes in quaestione victores This the other Translater turnes In whose eyes I know not how I stand Take which you please Tob. 4. Gen 27. 1. Gen. 48. 14 c. a Duice diue condit vitam c. This hee translates It blocks vp this life of ours in blind affections Ignorantly deryuing Condit from Condo and not from Condio and negligently misreading Amoribuâ— as I guesse for Amatorious Had this discourse of blind men hurt his eye sight Psa 121. 4. a Exterminantes quod facti sant hauing before spoken of Images hee here alludes to Gods Image which men were made after This being something hard the former Translates hath left quite out wisely Here perchance St. Austen taxetil the vse of pictures of holy things vsed in blind deuotion by some priuate mâ—n of his times For the Church hitherto knew no â—â—â—ges 1 Ioh. 2. 16 a This zealous Obtesation is like that in cur Letany By thine Agony c. had this beene thought Coniuring St. Austen who here detests such compacts would not so soone haue added it or would haue Retracted it b In Circo Iames. 4. 6 Esay 14. 1â— a The lust of thes eyes the lust of the flesh of the pride of 〈…〉 Iohn c. 16. Psal 141. 5 a The Sences both outward inward a The lust of the flesh the lust of the eye and the pride of life 1 Ioh. 2. 16 b Here my Popish Translater thinkes himselfe subtill in vsing that distinction as common as a Cow-path of Mediators of Intercession which office hee affirmes the Angels may haue and of Redemption which he is content to allow Christ But St Austen here speakes of none but euill angels Though the Papists haue many Mediators yet I neuer thought they would haue had The diuell and all The deuill Rom 6. a This Title is flat against the new popish distinction aboue rehearsed this calls Christ the Intercessor that is Mediator of Intercession and not Angels And therfore hath the popish Translater changed Intercessor into Mediator a 1 Tim. 2. 5 Phil. 2. 6 8 Psal â—8 5. Iohn 10 18 Iohn 1. b Here the other Translater takes occasion to extoll the perfection of Eremits that liue in the Wildernesse But is this a place fit for that which shewes that St. Austen was forbidden it by God himselfe 2 Cor. 5. 15. Col 2. 3â— Psal 32. 26 Psal 96. 4. Mat. 6. 32. Math. 5. Psal 118. 2 a Hee alludes to the Howâ—â—-glasses of 〈◊〉 time which went by water as ours doe now by â—and Psal 8â— 1. Ro 10. 11.
Psal 74. 16 a Nec herbam tuam spernas sitilentem â—his he translates Nor despise thou this withering grasse of thine which thirsteth for the dew of thy Grace Whereas St. Austen still followes this conceie of the forrest and Harts with all alluding to Psa 42. 1 Mat. 6. 33 Col. 2. 3. * Though in Plautus time the Hebrew were the vulgar language of Affrica and that there bee 6. or 7. Hebrew words still to be found in St. AusteÌ„s works yet in those 600. yeeres betwixt Plautus S. Austen and by the Romanes enforcing the Prouinces to learne Latine we see the Hebrew so disused and corrupted in Affrica that at the most the 2 tongues did but agree in most words as Austen sayes l. 2. contra Petilliter c. 104. which agreemeÌ„nt yet was not so much that the natiues of Affrica could naturally vnderstand Hebrew The other Translater rather abuses St. Austen then credits him in affirming him to haue skill in Hebrew Mat. 3. 17. Iohn 8. 25. Iohn 3â— 29 Psal 30. Psal 102 Psal 103. 4 5. Rom. 8. 28 Psal 104 â—4 a See Chap 10. b I read it Creator not Creatorem and lay this sentence into the following putting a Colon in stead of a Period Psal 101. 27 Psala 7. a This hee translates There was therefore no time wherein thou madest not 〈◊〉 I reade it Prasentiantur as the margent of one printed copie directs me not prasententur We haue Prasensio a fewe lines after a Signes Causes or fore-conceptions as before hee sayd Math 7. 1. a This hee translates And my labor is apparent to thee Psal 73 16 psal 116. 10 a I reade it breues in stead of veteres for that is neerer the sence of Psal 39. 5. which the Latine copies referre vs to in their margents a Gen 1. 14 This hee translates There are also Starres and lights in signes in seasons and in yeeres c a The Sun though Sommalius copie reades it ligneolae as if he meant the Potters wheele Iosua 11. Psal 18. 28. * Metimur spacia carminumspa cijs versuum I suppose that Carnen here signifies the seuerall Stanzaes or Staues of a poem rather then the whole poem for a staffe consisting of so many verses of seuerall kinds was then by measure acknowledged a true staffe when it had the compleate number variety and order of verses as an Hexameter verse was by measure found true when his seete were of their due kind number and order a Distensionem and so in the next Chapter Tendebatur in spacium Psal 100. 3 a I reade it quâ in steade of quam b Quantum excercitato sensui creditur So I reade it and not Sensu * Hee meanes that a verse or speech repeated in silence takes vp as much time as if it were pronounced â—o that though silence be not measured by long and short syllables as words are yet it takes vp Time So that t is not motion onely that makes time The other Translater hath done it other-wise which I leaue to censure a Quod noâ—i That I haue by heart saies the other translater which quite matreth the sense seeing he speakes nâ—t â—iâ—l afterward of the taking â— into 〈…〉 Psal 63. 3. a St. Austen loues to play with the word which oft-times makes him hard to translate and most commonly loses the conceit Phil. 3. 13 a Consequentia which are not ill habits and customes of sinne as the other Translater notes Psal 146. 4 Here doeth the other Translater as his manner is helpe out a false translation with a marginal note In his Title hee makes the Scriptures difficult in stead of the Truth Mat. 7. 7. Psa 115 16 a Or inuisible Gen. 1. 2. A great part of this booke is discourse a the manner of the creation of the world * Here Sommalius edition reads it better then others Neque enim in locis Itaeque cu domine c. In stead of Ista tu without a period at locis a Because at the first creation it had no forme nor thing in it Psa 115. 16 a The other Translater cals this The Imperiall heauen The man would or should haue sayd The Empyreall b Of Mosâ—â— a This shewes that by this creature he ment the Heauen of heauens whereas the other Translater in 4 marginall notes thinkes he meant the Angels b This phrase being in the ninth chapter applyed to the Heauen of heauens she Angels creature * Chap. 9 he calls is An intellectuall And so Chap. 13. Psal 42. 3. Psal 27. 4. Psa 102. 27 a Domus This the other Translater twice or thrice turnes Family and all to countenance his fancy of the Angels The Angels as t is thoght were created together with his heaueÌ„ but yet they are not this heauen for St Austen calles them Citizens of it Mat. 7. 7. a The Heauen of heauens he meanes Gen 1. 2. a Out of which earth without shape and voyd which is the Materia prima b Hee meanes that though the Heauen of heauens and the first matter of the shapelesse earth were created without time that is in the beginning of time eyther the first day or before it yet euery thing else is mentioned to be created in time and vpon such dayes because they were to bee subiect to time and change from which hee exempts the former two 1 Cor. 13 12 a He confirmes his Iudgement by two arguments * Here fals my papist out with fawcy and simple women as he stiles them for daring to reade the Scriptures without licence because they be hard But does the Popes licence make them the easier If none should read but such as vnderstand the St Austen had beene barred I wish our women would read more and interpret lesse They must read more that they may vnderstand not all but something But if our women haue too much I am sure yours haue too little reading Psa S 48. 6 a Iesus Christ b Pet. Lombard lib. sent 2. dist 2. affirmes that by Wisedome Eccles 1. 4. the Angels be vnderstood and the whole spirituall intellectuall nature namely this highest heauen in which the Angels were created and it by them instantly filled 2 Cor. 5. 22 Psal 26. 8. Psal 119. 176. Luk. 15. 5. * This Top of Authority my papist notes to be The authority of the Church He should haue done well to haue made sence of it then for I alwayes looke not for Reason from him To place the Scriptures in the authority of the Church what can he make of that St. Austen giues the Scriptures the top of Authority and this Top is higher then the Church Such marginall notes haue too often creptin to the Text and corrupted the Fathers by it 2 Tim. 2. 14 1 Tim. 18. 5. Ma. 22. 40 a To God a The 2 last of the former Chapter That which followes is the Confirmation of the Argument a Creab le formabile He begins to answere their obiections Col. 1.