that end which the order of the vniuerse requireth so that that corruption which bringeth all natures mortall vnto dissolution cannot so dissolue that which was but it may become that afterwards which it was before or that which it should be which being so then God the highest being who made all things that are not him-selfe no creature being fitte for that equalitie being made of â—…othing and consequently being not able to haue beene but by him is not to be discommended through the taking offence at some faults but to bee honored vpon the due consideration of the perfection of all natures L. VIVES A a certaine Euery thing keeping harmonious agreement both with it selfe and others without corrupting discorde which made some ancient writers affirme that the world 〈◊〉 vpon loue The cause of the good Angells blisse and the euills misery CHAP. 6. THE true cause therefore of the good Angells blisse is their adherence to that most high essence and the iust cause of the bad Angels misery is their departure from that high essence to reside vpon them-selues that were not such which vice what is it else but a pride For pride is the roote of all sinne These would not therefore stick vnto him their strength and hauing power to bee more b perfect by adherence to this highest good they preferred them-selues that were his inferiours before him This was the first fall misery and vice of this nature which all were it not created to haue the highest being yet might it haue beatitude by fruition of the highest being but falling from him not bee â—…de nothing but yet lesse then it was and consequently miserable Seeke the câ—…e of this euill will and you shall finde iust none For what can cause the wills 〈◊〉 the will being sole cause of all euill The euill will therefore causeth euill workes but nothing causeth the euill will If there be then either it hath a will or â—…one If it haue it is either a good one or a bad if good what foole will say a good will is cause of an euill will It should if it caused sinne but this were extreame absurditie to affirme But if that it haue an euill will then I aâ—…ke what caused this euill will in it and to limite my questions I aske the cause of the first euill will For not that which an other euill will hath caused is the first euill will but that which none hath caused for still that which causeth is before the other caused If I bee answered that nothing caused it but it was from the beginning I aske then wheâ—…er it were in any nature If it were in none it had no being if it were in any it corrupted it hurt it and depriued it of all good and therefore this Vice could not be in an euill nature but in a good where it might doe hurt for if it could not hurt it was no vice and therefore no bad will and if it did hurt it was by priuation of good or diminishing of it Therfore a bad will could be from eternity in that wherein a good nature had beene before which the euill will destroied by hurt Well if it were not eternall who made it It must be answered something that had no euill will what was this inferior superior or equall vnto it If it were the superior it was better and why then had it not a will nay a better will This may also bee said of the equall for two good wills neuer make the one the other bad It remaines then that some inferior thing that had no will was cause of that vicious will in the Angels I but all things below them euen to the lowest earth being naturall is also good and hath the goodnesse of forme and kinde in all order how then can a good thing produce an euill will how can good be cause of euill for the will turning from the superior to the inferior becomes bad not because the thing where-vnto it turneth is bad but because the diuision is bad and peruerse No inferior thing then doth depraue the will but the will depraues it selfe by following inferior things inordinately For if two of like affect in body and minde should beholde one beautious personage and the one of them be stirred with a lustfull desire towards it and the others thoughts stand chaste what shall wee thinke was cause of the euill will in the one and not in the other Not the seene beauty for it transformed not the will in both and yet both saw it alike not the flesh of the beholders face why not both nor the minde we presupposed them both alike before in body and minde Shall we say the deuill secretly suggested it into one of them as though hee consented not to it in his owne proper will This consent therefore the cause of this assent of the will to vicious desire is that wee seeke For to take away one let more in the question if both were tempted and the one yeelded and the other did not why was this but because the one would continue chaste and the other would not whence then was this secret fall but from the proper will where there was such parity in body and minde a like sight and a like temptation So then hee that desires to know the cause of the vicious will in the one of them if hee maâ—…ke iâ—… well shall finde nothing For if wee say that hee caused it what was hee ere his vicious will but a creature of a good nature the worke of GOD that vnchangeable good Wherefore hee that saith that hee that consented to this lustfull desire which the other with-stood both beeing before alike affected and beholding the beautifull obiect alike was cause of his owne euill will whereas he was good before this vice of will Let him aske why he caused this whether from his nature or for that hee was made of nothing and he shall finde that his euill will arose not from his naâ—…ure but from his nothing for if wee shall make his nature the effecter of his vicious will what shall wee doe but affirme that good is the efficient cause of euill But how can it bee that nature though it bee mutable before it haue a vicious will should doe viciously namely in making the will vicious L. VIVES BVt a pride Scotus holds that the Angels offence was not pride I thinke onely because hee will oppose Saint Thomas who held with the Fathers the contrary b Perfect in essence and exellence That we ought not to seeke out the cause of the vicious will CHAP. 7. LEt none therefore seeke the efficient cause of an euill will for it is not efficient but deficient nor is there effect but defect namely falling from that highest essence vnto a lower this is to haue an euill will The causes whereof beeing not efficient but deficient if one endeuour to seeke it is as if hee should seeke to see the darknesse or to heare
much latine spoken in their Prouinces in so much that Spaine and France did wholy forget their owne languages and spake all latine Nor might any Embassage bee preferred to the Senate but in latine Their endeauour was most glorious and vsefull herein whatsoeuer their end was c Yea but Here hee disputeth against the Gentiles out of their owne positions That true friendship cannot bee secure amongst the incessant perills of this present life CHAP. 8. BVt admit that a man bee not so grossely deceiued as many in this wretched life are as to take his foe for his friend nor contrariwise his friend for his foe what comfort haue wee then remayning in this vale of mortall miseries but the vnfained faith and affection of sure friends whom the a more they are or the further of vs the more we feare least they bee endamaged by some of these infinite casualties attending on all mens fortunes We stand not onely in feare to see them afflicted by famine warre sicknesse imprisonment or so but our farre greater feare is least they should fal away through treachery malice or deprauation And when this commeth to passe and wee heare of it as they more friends wee haue and the farther off withal the likelier are such newes to be brought vs then who can decypher our sorrowes but he that hath felt the like we had rather heare of their death though that wee could not heare of neither but vnto our griefe For seeing wee enioyed the comfort of their friendships in their life how can wee but bee touched with sorrowes affects at their death hee that forbiddeth vs that may as well forbid all conference of friend and friend all sociall curtesie nay euen all humane affect and thrust them all out of mans conuersation or else prescribe their vses no pleasurable ends But as that is impossible so is it likewise for vs not to bewaile him dead whom wee loued being aliue For the b sorrow thereof is as a wound or vlcer in our heart vnto which bewaylements doe serue in the stead of fomentations and plaisters For though that the sounder ones vnderstanding be the sooner this cure is effected yet it proues not but that there is a malady that requireth one application or other Therefore in al our bewayling more or lesse of the deaths of our dearest friēds or companions wee doe yet reserue this loue to them that wee had rather haue them dead in body then in soule and had rather haue them fall in essence then in manners for the last is the most dangerous infection vpon earth and therfore it was written Is not mans life a b temptation vpon earth Wherevpon our Sauiour said Woe bee to the world because of offences and againe Because iniquity shal be increased the loue of many shal be cold This maketh vs giue thankes for the death of our good friends and though it make vs sad a while yet it giueth vs more assurance of comfort euer after because they haue now escaped all those mischieues which oftentimes seize vpon the best either oppressing or peruerting them endangering them how-soeuer L. VIVES THe a more they are Aristotles argument against the multitude of friends b Temptation The vulgar readeth it Is there not an appointed time to man vpō earth Hierom hath it a warfare for we are in continuall warre with a suttle foxe whom wee must set a continuall watch against least he inuade vs vnprouided The friendship of holy Angells with men vndiscernable in this life by reason of the deuills whom all the Infidells tooke to be good powers and gaue them diuine honours CHAP. 9. NOw the society of Angells with men those whom the Philosophers called the gods guardians Lars and a number more names they set in the fourth place comming as it were from earth to the whole vniuerse and here including heauen Now for those friends the Angels we need not feare to be affected with sorrow for any death or deprauation of theirs they are impassible But this friendship betweene them and vs is not visibly apparant as that of mans is which addes vnto our terrestriall misery and againe the deuill as wee reade often transformes himselfe into an Angell of light to tempt men some for their instruction and some for their ruine and here is need of the great mercy of God least when wee thinke wee haue the loue and fellowship of good Angells they prooue at length pernicious deuills fained friends and suttle foes as great in power as in deceipt And where needeth this great mercy of GOD but in this worldly misery which is so enveloped in ignorance and subiect to be deluded As for the Philosophers of the reprobate citty who sayd they had gods to their friends most sure it was they had deuills indeed whom they tooke for deities all the whole state wherein they liued is the deuills monarchy and shall haue the like reward with his vnto all eternity For their sacrifices or rather sacriledges where-with they were honored and the obscaene plaies which they themselues exacted were manifest testimonies of their diabolicall natures Thereward that the Saints are to receiue after the passing of this worlds afflictions CHAP. 10. YEa the holy and faithfull seruants of the true GOD are in danger of the deuills manifold ambushes for as long as they liue in this fraile and foule browed world they must be so and it is for their good making them more attentiue in the quest of that security where their peace is without end and without want There shall the Creator bestowe all the guifts of nature vpon them and giue them not onely as goods but as eternall goods not onely to the soule by reforming it with wisdome but also to the body by restoring it in the resurrection There the vertues shall not haue any more conflicts with the vices but shall rest with the victory of eternall peace which none shall euer disturbe For it is the finall beatitude hauing now attained a consummation to all eternity Wee are sayd to bee happy here on earth when wee haue that little peace that goodnesse can afford vs but compare this happinesse with that other and this shall be held but plaine misery Therefore if wee liue well vpon earth our vertue vseth the benefits of the transitory peace vnto good ends if we haue it if not yet still our vertue vseth the euills that the want thereof produceth vnto a good end also But then is our vertue in full power and perfection when it referreth it selfe and all the good effects that it can giue being vnto either vpon good or euill causes vnto that onely end wherein our peace shall haue no end nor any thing superior vnto it in goodnesse or perfection The beatitude of eternall peace and that true perfection wherein the Saints are installed CHAP. 11. WEE may therefore say that peace is our finall good as we sayd of life eternall because the psalme saith vnto that citty whereof we write this
vnlesse it be shored vppe by the worship of many gods whom the blinded Pagans haue beene accustomed to worship and adore auerring but their truth is meere false-hood that neglect and contempt of their vnworthy adoration hath beene the fountaine from whence these bitter waters of aduerse occurrences haue streamed abundantly and ouerflowed them But the other fiue following are not meale-mouthed but speake boldly against them which confesse that the spring of worldly euills is not exhausted nor shal euer be dried vp but the current flowing some-time more some-times lesse some-times swiftly some times slowly changing their state according to the circumstance of places times and persons yet fondly are they opinionated for verity hath not made them a warrant that the deuout adoration of many gods in which sacrifices are offered vnto their imaginary Deity is profitable for the life which wee hope for after death Therefore in these ten bookes the absurdity of these two vaine opinions both deadly foes vnto Christian religion is discouered and confuted But least some man may vpbraid mee that I am too forward to disproue the assertions of others and slow enough to proue mine owne the other part of this worke which is confined within the bounds of twelue bookes is directed to that purpose Although in the first ten where it is needfull wee are not behinde hand to confirme the truth of our owne opinions and also to infringe the authority of contrary oppositions in the twelue bookes ensewing Therefore the first foure of the twelue following containe the originall of two Citties of which one belongeth to GOD the other to this World The second foure containe their progresse The third foure which are the last conteine their due bounds Now though all the two and twenty bookes are compiled together of both Citties yet they haue taken their title from the better part and haue the name of the Citty of God printed on their fore-head In the tenth booke it ought not to bee set downe for a miracle that the fire falling from heauen ranne betweene the deuided sacrifices when ABRAHAM sacrificed because this was shewed vnto him in a vision In the seauenteenth booke where it is sayd of SAMVEL He was not of the sonnes of ARON it should rather haue beene sayd He was not the sonne of the Priest For it was a more lawfull custome that the sonnes of the Priests should succeed in the roome of the deceassed Priests For the Father of SAMVEL is found in the sonnes of ARON but hee was not a Priest yet not so in his sonnes as if ARON had begot him but in such sort as all of that people are said to bee the sonnes of ISRAEL This worke beginneth thus That most glorious society and celestiall Cittie of GOD c. THE CONTENTS OF THE first booke of the City of God 1. Of the aduersaries of the name of Christ spared by the Barbarians in the sacking of Rome onely for Christs sake 2. There neuer was warre wherein the Conquerors would spare them whome they conquered for the gods they worshipped 3. Of the Romaines fondnesse in thinking that those gods could helpe them which could not helpe Troy in her distresse 4. Of the Sanctuary of Iuno in Troy which freed not any that fled into it from the Greeks at the Citties sack whereas the Churches of the Apostles saued all commers from the Barbarians at the sack of Rome Caesars opinion touching the enemies custome in the sack of Citties 5. That the Romaines themselues neuer spared the Temples of those Citties which they conquered 6. That the cruell effects following the losses of warre did but follow the custome of war wherein they were moderated it was through the power of the name of Iesus Christ. 7. Of the commodities and discommodities commonly communicated both to good and ill 8. Of the causes of such corrections as fall both vpon the good and bad together 9. That the Saints in their losse of things temporall loose not any thing at all 10. Of the end of this transitory life whether it be long or short 11. Of buriall of the dead that it is not preiudiciall to the state of a Christian soule to be forbidden it 12. The reasons why wee should bury the bodies of the Saints 13. Of the captiuity of the Saints and that 〈◊〉 they neuer wanted spirituall comfort 14. Of Marcus Regulus who was a famous example to animate all men to the enduring of voluntary â—…tiuity for their religion which notwithstanding was vnprofitable vnto him by reason of his Paganisme 15. Whether the taxes that the holy Uirgins suffered against their wills in their captiuities could pollute the vertues of their minde 16. Of such as chose a voluntary death to avoide the feare of paine and dishonor 17. Of the violent lust of the souldiers executed vpon the bodies of the captiues against their consents 18. Of Lucrecia that stab'd her selfe because Tarquins sonne had rauished her 19. That their is no authority which allowes christians to bee their owne deaths in what cause so euer 20. Of some sort of killing men which notwithstanding are no murthers 21. That voluntary death can neuer bee any signe of magnanimity or greatnesse of spirit 22. Of Cato who killed himselfe being not able to endure Caesars victory 23. That the Christians excell Regulus in that vertue wherein he excelled most 24. That sinne is not to bee avoided by sinne 25. Of some vnlawfull acts done by the Saints and by what occasion they were done 26. Whether wee ought to flie sinne with voluntary death 27. How it was a Iudgement of GOD that the enemy was permitted to excercise his lust vpon the Christians bodies 28. What the seruants of Christ may answer the Infidells when they vpbraide them with Christs not deliuering them in their afliction from the fury of the enemies fury 29. That such as complaine of the Christian times desire nothing but to liue in filthy pleasures 30. By what degrees of corruption the Romans ambition grew to such a height 31. Of the first inducing of stage-plaies 32. Of some vices in the Romaines which their Citties ruine did neuer reforme 33. Of the clemency of GOD in moderating this calamity of Rome 34. Of such of GODS elect as liue secretly as yet amongst the Infidells and of such as are false Christians 35. What subiects are to be handled in the following discourse FINIS THE FIRST BOOKE OF SAINT AVGVSTINE Bishop of Hippo his Cittie of God vnto MARCELLINVS Of the aduersaries of the name of Christ spared by the Barbarians in the sacking of Rome onely for Christs sake CHAP. 1. THAT most glorious society and celestiall Citty of Gods faithfull which is partly seated in the course of these declining times wherein he that liueth a by faith is a Pilgrim amongst the wicked and partly in that solid estate of eternitie which as yet the other part doth paciently expect vntill b righteousnesse be turned into iudgment being then by the
not onely those of the weaker sort that liue in marriage hauing or seeking to haue children and keeping houses and families whome the Apostle in the Church doth instruct how to liue the wiues with their husbands and the husbands with their wiues children with their parents and the parents with their children the seruants with their maisters and the maisters with their seruants it is not these alone that get together these worldly goods with industry and loose them with sorrow and because of which they dare not offend such men as in their filthy and contaminate liues do extreamely displease them but it is also those of the highter sort such as are no way chayned in mariage such as are content with poore fare and meane attire Many of these through too much loue of their good name and safety through their feare of the deceits and violence of the wicked through frailtie and weaknesse forbeare to reprooue the wicked when they haue offended And although they doe not feare them so farre as to be drawne to actuall imitation of these their vicious demeanours yet this which they will not act with them they will not reprehend in them though herein they might reforme some of them by this reprehension by reason that in case they did not reforme them their owne fame and their safetie might come in danger of destruction Now herein they doe at no hand consider how they are bound to see that their fame and safety bee necessarily employed in the instruction of others but they do nothing but poyse it in their owne infirmitie which loues to be stroaked with a smooth tongue and delighteth in the e day of man fearing the censure of the vulgar and the torture and destruction of body that is they forbeare this dutie not through any effect of charitie but meerely through the power of auarice and greedy affection Wherefore I hold this a great cause why the good liuers do pertake with the bad in their afflictions when it is Gods pleasure to correct the corruption of manners with the punishment of temporall calamities For they both endure one scourge not because they are both guiltie of one disordered life but because they both doe too much affect this transitorie life not in like measure but yet both together which the good man should contemne that the other by them being corrected and amended might attaine the life eternall who if they would not ioyne with them in this endeauour of attaining beatitude they should be f borne with all and loued as our enemies are to be loued in Christianitie we being vncertaine whilest they liue here whether euer their heart shall bee turned vnto better or no which to doe the good men haue not the like but farre greater reason because vnto them g the Prophet saith Hee is taken away for his iniquity but his bloud will I require at the watch-mans hand h for vnto this end were watch-men that is rulers ouer the people placed in the churches that they should i not spare to reprehend enormities Nor yet is any other man altogether free from this guilt whatsoeuer he bee ruler or not ruler who in that dayly commerce and conuersation wherein humane necessity confines him obserueth any thing blame worthy and to reprehend it seeking to auoyde the others displeasure being drawne here-vnto by these vanities which he doth not vse as he should but affecteth much more then hee should Againe there 's another reason why the righteous should endure these temporall inflictions and was cause of holy k Iobs sufferance namely that hereby the soule may bee prooued and fully knowne whether it hath so much godlie vertue as to loue God freely and for himselfe alone These reasons being well considered tell me whether any thing be casuall vnto the good that tendeth not to their good vnlesse we shall hold that the Apostle talked idely when he said l Wee know all things worke together for the best vnto them that loue God L. VIVES IN something a yeelds The lust of the flesh is so inwardly inherent in our bodies and that affect is so inborne in vs by nature that great workeman of all thinges liuing who hath so subtilly infused it into our breasts that euen when our minde is quiet vppon another obiect we do propagate our ofspring in the like affection so that we can by no meanes haue a thought of the performing of this desire without beeing stung within with a certaine secret delight which many do make a sinne but too too veniall b by his Prophets and that very often as is plaine in Esay and Ieremy c But this is the fault Cicero in his offices saith There be some that although that which they thinke bee very good yet for feare of enuy dare not speak it d The hope As the guide of their pilgrimage e the day of man 1. Cor. 4. I passe little to bee iudged of you or of the day of man that is the iudgement of man wherein each man is condemned or approued of men whose contrary is the daie of the Lord which searcheth and censureth the secrets of all heartes f borne with and loued The wicked are not onely to bee indured but euen to bee loued also God commaunding vs to loue euen our enemies Mat. 5. g The Prophet Ezechiel Chap. 33. But if the watchman see the sword come and blow not the trumpet and the people bee not warned and the sword come take away any person from among them he is taken away for his iniquitie but his bloud will I require at the watch-mans hands h For vnto this end were watch-men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Greeke is Speculator in latin a watchman a discryer an obseruer and a Gouernor Cicero in his seauenth booke of his Epistles to Atticus saith thus Pompey would haue me to be the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Sentinell of Campania and all the sea-coastes and one to whome the whole summe of the busines should haue speciall relation Andromache in Homer cals Hector Troiae 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the watchman or guardian of Troy The Athenians called their Intelligencers and such as they sent out to obserue the practises of their tributary citties Episcopos Ouerseers and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 watchmen the Lacedemonians called them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Moderatores Gouernors Archadius the Lawyer cals them Episcopos that had charge of the prouision for vittailes Some thinke the preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to bee heere a Pleonasme whereof Eustathius one of Homers interpreters is one and that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is all one 1. Not spare to reprehend So saith saint Paul vnto Titus And so doe our Bishops euen in these times whome with teares we behold haled vnto martyrdome because they tell the truth in too bitter tearmes and persecute vice through all not respecting a whit their reuenues nor dignities Christ Iesus glorifie them k Iobs The history all men
Sarpedon from death the fates constrayning him to die and Neptune greeues that hee coulâ—… not hinder Vlisses his returne home and reuenge the blindnesse of his sonne Ciclops Fate hauing decreede the contrary and Iupiter in Ouid saith Tu sola insuperabile satum Nate mouere putas Daughter'tis onely thou Canst mooue relentlesse fate Saith he And a little after Quae â—…que conâ—…ursum caeli nec fulminiâ—… iram Nec â—…tuunt vllas tuta atque aeterna ruinas Which feare nor thunders gods nor powers infernall But stand vnaw'd vnmooued and eternall There were some that held nothing casuall but all fixed certaine and immutable Democritus Empedocles and Heraclitus were all of this opinion which many others maintained after them as others did the positions of Epicurus Lucane Phars lib. 2. declareth both the opinions in these words Siue parens rerum primùm informia regna Materiamque rudem flammâ cedente recepit Fiâ—…xit in aeternum causas quà cuncta coâ—… cet Se quoque lege tenens secula iussa â—…rentem Fatorum immoto diuisit limite mundum Siue nihil positum est sed sors incerta vagatur Fértque refertque vices habent mortalia casum c. Or natures God when first he bound the fire And wrought this maâ—…e into one forme intire Forged eternall causes all effecting Himâ—…elfe and all the worlds estate subiecting To destenies inchangeable directing Oâ—… bene our states in fortunes gouernance To rise or fall and all by onely chance Fortune is often vsed for destenie and the euents of things which when they fall out as wee desire that we call Felicitie if contrary Infelicitie Thus much here more else-where b The will of God Of this by and by c A power of the starrrs wherein the Stoickes Plato and almost all the other Philosophers do place Fate following the Chaldees and Aegiptians to whom all the Mathematitians also doe giue their voyces d Some do seperate Some say the operation of the starres is a distinct power from the will of God and in attributing this vniuersall power to them exclude Gods prouidence from humaine affaires Besides there are that affirme that although God doe looke to the state of the world yet the starres haue their peculiar dominion in vs neuerthelesse So hold Manilius and Firmicus and the Poets most commonly Others subiect them all vnto the will of GOD omnipotent as Plato and the Stoikes doe affirming all their operations to bee but the praescript lawes of him e But if the starres Origen vpon that place of Genesis Let them be for signes Chapt. 1. vers 14. Saith that the starres doe signifie but effect nothing They are saith he as a booke opened wherein may bee read all things to come which may bee prooued by this that they haue often signified things past But this booke cannot bee read by any witte of man Plotine was of Origens opinion also denying the starres any acte in those things but onely signification Seneca speaking of the Starres saith they either cause or signifie the effects of all things but if they doe cause them what auaileth it vs to know that we cannot alter and if they but signifie them what good doth it thee to fore-see that thou canst not auoide f Mars in such Mars is a starre bloudie fiery and violent Being in the seuenth house saith Firmicus lib. 3. in a partise aspect with the Horoscope that is in the West hee portendeth huge mischieues stayning the natiuities with murthers and many other villanies g To grant them Hee alludeth vnto Tullies Chrysippus de Fato that would teach the Mathematicians how to speake in their art Of the mutuall simpathie and dissimilitude of health of body and many other accidents in twins of one birth CHAP. 2. CIcero a saith that Hippocrates that excellent Phisitian wrote that two children that were brethren falling sicke and the sicknesse waxing and waning in both alike were here-vpon suspected to be twinnes b And Posidonius a Stoike and one much affected to Astrologie laboureth to prooue them to haue bin borne both vnder one constellation and c conceiued both vnder one So that which the Phisitian ascribeth to the similitude of their temperatures of body the Astrologian attributes to the power and position of the starrs in their natiuities But truly in this question the Phisitians coniecture standeth vpon more probabilitie because their parents temperature might bee easily transfused into them both alike at their conception and their first growth might participate equally of their mothers disposition of body then being nourished both in one house with one nourishment in one ayre countrie and other things correspondent this now might haue much power in the proportionating of both their natures alike as Physicke will testifie Besides vse of one exercise equally in both might forme their bodies into a similitude which might very well admit all alterations of health alike and equally in both But to drawe the figure of heauen and the starres vnto this purity of passions it being likely that a great companie of the greatest diuersitie of affects that could bee might haue originall in diuerse parts of the world at one and the same time were a presumption vnpardonable For d we haue knowne two twinnes that haue had both diuerse fortunes and different sicknesses both in time and nature whereof mee thinkes Hipocrates giueth a very good reason from the e diuersitie of nourishment and exercise which might bee cause of different health in them yet that diuersitie was effected by their wills and elections at first and not by their temperature of body But neither Posidonius nor any patron of this fate in the starres can tell what to say in this case and doe not illude the single and ignorant with a discourse of that they know not for that they talke of the space of time between that point which they call the f Horoscope in both the twinnes natiuities it is either not so significant as the diuersitie of will acte manners and fortune of the twinnes borne doth require or else it is more significant then their difference of honors state nobilitie or meannesse will permit both which diuersities they place onely in the figure of the natiuitie But if they should be both borne ere the Horoscope were fully varied then would I require an vnitie in each particular of their fortunes which g cannot be found in any two twinnes that euer yet were borne But if the Horoscope be changed ere both bee borne then for this diuersitie I will require a h difference of parents which twins cannot possibly haue L. VIVES CIcero a saith I cannot remember where I beleeue in his booke De fato which is wonderfully mutilate and defectiue as we haue it now and so shall any one finde that will obserue it b Whom Posidonius A Rhodian and a teacher of Rhodes Hee was also at Rome a follower of Panaetius Cicero c conceiued both for the conception is of as
Creator But the causes voluntary God Angels Men and diuers other creatures haue often in their wil and power i If we may call that power a will by which the brute beastes flye their owne hurt and desire their good by Natures instinct That there is a will in Angels I doe absolutely affirme be they good whom we call Gods Angells or euill whome we call the diuels Angels fiends or diuels them-selues So men good and bad haue all their wills and hereby it is apparant that the efficient causes of all effects are nothing but the decrees of that nature which is The spirit of life Aire or wind is called a Spirit But because it is a body it is not the spirit of life But the spirit of life that quickneth all things is the Creator of all bodies and all created spirits this is God a spirit from eternity vncreated in his wil there is that height of power which assisteth the wills of the good spirits iudgeth the bad disposeth of al giuing power to whom he pleaseth and holding it from whome he list For as he is a Creator of all natures so is hee of all powers but not the giuer of all wills for wicked wills are not of him beeing against that nature which is of him So the bodyes are all subiect vnto diuers wills some to our owne wills that is the wills rather of men then of beasts som to the Angels but all to the will of God vnto whom al wills are subiect because they haue no power but what hee giueth them The cause then that maketh all and is not made it selfe is God The other causes do both effect and are effected such are all created spirits chiefly the reasonable ones The corporal causes which are rather effects then otherwise are not to be counted as efficient causes because they came but to do that which the will of the spirit within them doth inioine thē how then can that set order of causes in Gods foreknowledge depriue our wils of power seeing they bear such a sway amongst the very causes them-selues But k let Cicero rangle his fellowes that say this order is fatall or rather fate it selfe which we abhor because of the word chieflly being vsed in a false beliefe but wheras he denieth that God knoweth assuredly the set order of those causes we detest his assertion worse then the Stoiks do for he either denieth God which he indeuoreth vnder a false person in his bookes De n◅t de Or if he do acknowledge him yet in denying him this fore-knowledge he saith but as the foole said in his heart There is no God for if God want the praescience of all future euents hee is not God And therefore l our wills are of as much power as God would haue them and knew before that they should be and the power that they haue is theirs free to do what they shall do truly and freely because he fore-knew that they should haue this power and do these acts whose fore-knowledge cannot be deceiued wherefore if I list to vse the m word fate in any thing I would rather say that it belonged to the weaker and that will belonged to the higher who hath the other in his power rather then grant that our liberty of will were taken away by that sette order which the Stoikes after a peculiar phraze of their owne call fate L. VIVES EIther a in God De diuinat lib 2. where in a disputation with his brother Quintus he indeauoureth to ouerthrow diuination for which Q. had stood in the booke before For he saith that There is nothing so contrary to reason and constancy as fortune is so that mee thinkes God him-selfe should haue no fore-knowledge of those casuall euents For if he haue it must come so to passe as he knoweth and then it is not casuall but casuall euents there are and therefore there is no fore-knowledge of them This in the said place and much more pertaining to the explaining of this chapter which it sufficeth vs to haue pointed out b A fate to the Stars They all doe so but some giue fate the originall from them excluding God c Lucilius Balbus In the end of the book thus he concludeth This said we departed Velleius holding Cotta's disputation for the truer and I being rather inclined to Balbus suit d Of him-selfe For in his 2. booke hee speaketh him-selfe and confuteth his brothers assertions for diuination e Stoikes Of this in the next chapter f Vnlesse fate Var. de Ling. lat l. 8. The destinies giue a fortune to the childe at the birth and this is called fate of fari to speake Lucan lib. 9. Non vocibus vllis Numen eget dixitquesem◅l nascentibus auctor Quicquid scire licet The Deities neuer need Much language fate but once no more doth read The fortune of each birth It seemes hee borrowed this out of the Psalme heere cited or out of Iob. chap. 33. v. 14. Hee hath spoke once and hath not repeated it againe Both which places demonstrat the constancy of Gods reuealed knowledge by that his once speaking as the common interpretation is the which followeth in the Psalme these two things c. some refer to them which followeth That power belongeth c. Others to the two testaments The Thargum of the Chaldees commeth neere this later opinion saying God hath spoken one law and wee haue heard it twise out of the mouth of Moyses the great scribe vertue is before our God and thou Lord that thou wouldst be bountifull vnto the iust g For Tullies In his booke de fato following Carneades he setteth down three kinds of causes naturall arising from nature as for a stone to fal downward for the fire to burne Voluntary consisting in the free wills of men wherein it is necessary there be no precedent causes but that they be left free and Casuall which are hidden and vnknown in diuers euents Herein he is of the N◅turalists opinion that will haue nothing come to passe without a cause h Naturall Fire hath no other cause of heate a stone of heauynesse a man of reason procreation of like c. then the will of natures Creator who had hee pleased might haue made the fire coole the stone mount vpwards the man a brute beast or dead or vnable to beget his like i If we may cal Arist de anima l. 3. Putteth will only in reasonable creatures and appetite being that instinct wherby they desire or refuse any thing in beastes Will in creatures of reason is led by reason and accompanied by election or rather is election it selfe k But Cicero With the Stoikes l Our wills are God created our wils free and that because it was his will so they may make choyce of contraries yet cannot go against Gods predestination not questionlesse euer would although they could for sure it is that much might bee done which neuer shal so
that it was good CHAP. 20. 〈◊〉 may we ouerslip yâ— these words of God Let there be light there was light 〈◊〉 immediatly seconded by these And God saw the light that it was good not 〈◊〉 â—…ad seperated the light and darknes and named them day and night least â—…d haue seemed to haue shewne his liking of the darknes as wel as yâ— light â—…ras the darknes which the conspicuous lights of heauen diuide from the 〈◊〉 inculpable therfore it was said after it was not before And God saw that 〈◊〉 And God saith he Set them in the firmament of heauen to shine vpon the â—…d to rule in the day and night and to seperate the light from the darknes and 〈◊〉 that it was good Both those he liked for both were sin-les but hauing sayd 〈◊〉 be light and there was so hee adioines immediatly And God saw the light 〈◊〉 good And then followeth God seperated the light from the darknes and 〈◊〉 the light day and the darknesse night but heere he addeth not And God 〈◊〉 it was good least hee should seeme to allow well of both the one beeing â—…turally but voluntary euill Therfore the light onely pleased the Creator the Angelicall darknesses though they were to bee ordained were not to bee approued L. VIVES IMmediately a seconded The Scripture speaking of the spirituall light the Angels before yâ— part of this light that is part of the Angels became dark God approued the light that is all the Angels whom he had made good light but speaking of our visible light made the fourth day God approueth both light and darknes for that darknes God created and it was not euil as yâ— Angels that became dark were therfore were not approued as the fourth daies darknesse was Of Gods eternal vnchanging will and knowledge wherein he pleased to create al things in forme as they were created CHAP. 21. VVHat meanes that saying that goeth through all and God saw that it was good but the approbation of the worke made according to the work-mans art Gods wisedome God doth not see it is good beeing made as if he saw it not so ere it was made But in seeing that it is good being made which could not haue beene made so but that hee fore-saw it hee teacheth but learneth not that it is good Plato a durst go further and say That God had great ioy in the beauty of the Vniuerse He was not so fond to thinke the newnesse of the worke increased Gods ioy but hee shewed that that pleased him beeing effected which had pleased his wisedome to fore-know should be so effected not that Gods knowledge varyeth or apprehends diuersly of thinges past present and future He doth not foresee thinges to come as we do nor beholds things present or remembers thinges past as wee doe But in a maner farre different from our imagination Hee seeth them not by change in thought but immutably bee they past or not past to come or not to come all these hath he eternall present nor thus in his eye and thus in his minde he consisteth not of body and soule nor thus now and otherwise hereafter or heretofore his knowledge is not as our is admitting alteration by circumstance of time but b exempted from all change and all variation of moments For his intention runnes not from thought to thought all thinges hee knowes are in his vnbodily presence Hee hath no temporall notions of the time nor moued he the time by any temporall motions in him-selfe Therfore hee saw that which hee had made was good because he fore-saw that he should make it good Nor doubted his knowledge in seeing it made or augmented it as if it had beene lesse ere he made it he could not do his works in such absolute perfection but out of his most perfect knowledge VVherfore if one vrge vs with who made this light It sufficeth to answer God if wee be asked by what meanes sufficeth this God said let there be light and there was light God making it by his very word But because there are three necessary questions of euery creature who made it how hee made it and wherefore hee made it God sayd quoth Moyses let there bee light and there was light and God saw the light that it was good Who made it God How God sayd but let it be and it was wherfore It was good No better author can there bee then God no better art then his Word no better cause why then that a good God should make a good creature And this c Plato praysed as the iustest cause of the worlds creation whether he had read it or heard it or got it by speculation of the creatures or learned it of those that had this speculation L. VIVES PLato a durst not In his Timaeus The father of the vniuerse seeing the beauty of it and the formes of the eternall goddes approued it and reioyced b Expelled from all Iames 1. 17. in whom is no variablenes nor shadowing by turning Hierome contra Iouin reades it in whome is no difference or shadowing by moment Augustine vseth moment also whether referring it to time or quality I know not For neyther retyres at all from his light to a shadow nor is any the least shadow intermixt with his light Momentum is also a turning a conuersion or a changeable motion comming of moueo to moue it is also an inclination as in balances This place may meane that God entertaines no vicissitude or passe from contrary to contrary as we doe c Plato Let vs see saith hee What made the Worldes Creator go about so huge a worke Truly hee excelled in honesty and honesty enuyeth not any mâ—…an and therefore hee made all things like him-selfe beeing the iustest cause of their originall Concerning those that disliked some of the good Creators creatures and thought some things naturaly euil CHAP. 22. YEt this good cause of the creation Gods goodnesse this iust fit cause which being well considered would giue end to all further inuestigation in this kind some heretikes could not discerne because many thinges by not agreeing with this poore fray le mortall flesh beeing now our iust punishment doe offend and hurt it as fire cold wilde beastes c. These do not obserue in what place of nature they liue and are placed nor how much they grace the vniuerse like a fayre state with their stations nor what commodity redounds to vs froÌ„ them if we can know how to vse them in so much that poyson a thing one way pernicious being conueniently ministred procureth health and contrary wise our meat drinke nay the very light immoderately vsed is hurtfull Hence doth Gods prouidence advize vs not to dispraise any thing rashly but to seeke out the vse of it warily and where our wittte and weakenesse failes there to beleeue the rest that is hidden as wee doe in other thinges past our reach for the obscurity of the vse
eyther excerciseth the humility or beates downe the pride nothing a at all in nature being euill euill being but a priuation of good but euery thing from earth to heauen ascending in a degree of goodnesse and so from the visible vnto the inuisible vnto which all are vnequall And in the greatest is God the great workeman yet b no lesser in the lesse which little thinges are not to be measured to their owne greatnesse beeing neare to nothing but by their makers wisedome as in a mans shape shane his eye-brow a very nothing to the body yet how much doth it deforme him his beauty consisting more of proportion and parilyty of parts then magnitude Nor is it a wonder that c those that hold some nature bad and produced from a bad beginning do not receiue GODS goodnesse for the cause of the creation but rather thinke that hee was compelled by this rebellious euill of meere necessity to fall a creating and mixing of his owne good nature with euill in the suppression and reforming thereof by which it was so foyled and so toyled that he had much adoe to re-create and mundifie it nor can yet cleanse it all but that which hee could cleanse serues as the future prison of the captiued enemy This was not the Maniches foolishnes but their madnesse which they should abandon would they like Christians beleeue that Gods nature is vnchangeable incorruptible impassible and that the soule which may be changed by the will vnto worse and by the corruption of sinne be depriued of that vnchangeable light is no part of God nor Gods nature but by him created of a farre inferiour mould L. VIVES NOthing a at all This Augustine repeats often and herein do al writers of our religion besides Plato Aristotle Tully and many other Philosophers agree with him Plato in his Timaeus holds it wicked to imagine any thing that God made euill he being so good a God him-selfe for his honesty enuied nothing but made all like him-selfe And in his 2. de rep he saith The good was author of no euill but only of things good blaming Hesiod and Homer for making Ioue the author of mischiefe confessing God to be the Creator of this vniuerse therby shewing nothing to be euill in nature I will say briefly what I thinke That is good as Aristotle saith iâ—…â—…s â—…etorik which we desire either for it selfe or for another vse And the iust contrary is euil wâ—…efore in the world some things are vsefull and good some auoideble bad Some 〈◊〉 and indifferent and to some men one thing is good and to others bad yea vnto one man at seuerall times seuerall good bad or neuter vpon seueral causes This opinioÌ„ the weaknesse of our iudgements respects of profit do produce But only that is the diuine iudgement which so disposeth all things that each one is of vse in the worlds gouernment And hee knoweth all without error that seeth all things to bee good and vsefull in their due seasons which the wise man intimates when hee saith That God made all things good each in the due time Therefore did hee blesse all with increase and multiplication If any thing were alwayes vnprofitable it should bee rooted out of the creation b No lesse Nature is in the least creatures pismires gnats bees spiders as potent as in horses oxâ—…n whales or elephants and as admirable Pliny lib. 11. c Those This heresie of the Manichees Augustine declareth De heres ad Quod vult deum Contra Faust. Manich. De Genes ad liter Of the error that Origen incurreth CHAP. 23. Bvt the great wonder is that some hold one beginning with vs of all thinges and that God created all thinges that are not of his essence otherwise they could neuer haue had beeing And yet wil not hold that plaine good beleefe of the Worlds simple and good course of creation that the good God made all thinges good They hold that all that is not GOD after him and yet that all is not good which none but God could make But the a soules they say not part but creatures of God sinned in falling from the maker being cast according to their deserts into diuers degrees down from heauen got certaine bodies for their prisons And ther-upon the world was made say they not for increase of good but restrrint of bad and this is the World Herein is Origen iustly culpable for in his Periarchion or booke of beginnings he affirmes this wherein I haue much maruaile that a man so read indiuine scriptures should not obserue first how contrary this was to the testimony of scripture that confirmeth all Gods workes with this And God saw that it was good And at the conclusion God saw all that hee made and loe it was very good Auerring no cause for this creation but onely that the good God should produce good things where if no man had sinned the world should haue beene adorned and filled b onely with good natures But sin being commited it did not follow that all should be filled with badnes the far greater part remaining still good keeping the course of their nature in heauen nor could the euil willers in breaking the lawes of nature auoyd the iust lawes of the al-disposed God For as a picture sheweth well though it haue black colors in diuers places so the Vniuerse is most faire for all these staines of sins which notwithstaÌ„ding being waighed by themselues do disgrace the lustre of it Besides Origen should haue seene and all wise men with him that if the world were made onely for a penall prison for the transgressing powers to bee imbodyed in each one according to the guilt the lesse offenders the higher and lighter and the greater ones the baser and heauier that then the Diuels the worst preuaricators should rather haue bin thurst into the basest that is earthly bodies then the worst men But that we might know that the spirits merits are not repaid by the bodies qualitie the worst diuell hath an c ayry body and man though he be bad yet of farre lesse malice and guilt hath an earthly body yea had ere his fall And what can be more fond then to thinke that the Sunne was rather made for a soule to be punished in as a prison rather then by the prouidence of God to bee one in one world as a light to the beauty and a comfort to the creatures Otherwise two ten or en hundred soules sinning all a like the world should haue so many Sunnes To auoyd which we must rather beleeue that there was but one soule sinned in that kind deseruing such a body rather then that the Makers miraculous prouidence did so dispose of the Sunne for the light comfort of things created It is not the soules whereof speake they know not what but it is their owne soules that are so farre from truth that they must needes be attanted and restraned Therefore these three I
silence wee know them both this by a the eare and that by the eye but not by any formes of theirs but priuation of formes Let none then seeke to know that of mee which I know not my selfe vnlesse hee will learne not to know what hee must know that hee cannot know for the things that we know by priuation and not by forme are rather if you can conceit mee knowne by not knowing and in knowing them are still vnknowne For the bodyes eye coursing ouer bodyly obiects sees no darkenesse but when it ceaseth to see And so it belongs to the eare and to no other sence to know silence which notwithstanding is not knowne but by not hearing So our intellect doth speculate the intelligible formes but where they faile it learneth by not learning for who can vnderstand his faults This I know that Gods nature can neuer faile in time nor in part but all things that are made of nothing may decay which doe not-with-standing more good as they are more essentiall for then doe they some-thing when they haue efficient causes but in that they faile and fall off and doe euill they haue deficient causes and what doe they then but vanity L. VIVES BY the a eare Contraries are knowne both by one methode say the Philosophers and the primatiue is knowne onely by seperation of the knowledge of the Positiue Of the peruerse loue whereby the soule goeth from the vnchangeable to the changeable good CHAP. 8. I Know besides that wherein the vicious will is resident therein is that done which if the will would not should not bee done and therefore the punishment falls iustly vpon those acts which are wills and not necesâ—…ities It is not the a thing to which wee fall but our fall that is euill that is wee fall to no euill natures but against natures order from the highest to the lower and therefore euill Couetise is no vice in the gold but in him that peruersly leaueth iustice to loue gold whereas iustice ought alwayes to bee preferred before ritches Nor is lust the fault of sweete bautious bodies but the soules that runnes peruersly to bodily delights neglecting temperance which scornes all company with those prepares vs vnto far more excellent and spirituall pleasures Vaine-glory is not a vice proper to humaine praise but the soules that peruersely affecteth praise of men not respecting the consciences testimonie Nor is pride his vice that giueth the power but the soules peruersly louing that power contemning the iustice of the most mighty By this then he that peruersly affected a good of nature though he attaine it is euill himselfe in this good and wretched being depriued of a better L. VIVES THE a thing It is not the action but the quality and manner thereof that is vicious said Plato Whether he that made the Angels natures made their wills good also by the infusion of his loue into them through his holy spirit CHAP. 9. SEeing therefore there is no naturall nor a essentiall cause effecting the euill of will but that euill of mutability of spirit which depraueth the good of nature ariseth from it selfe being effected no way but by falling from God which falling also hath no cause If we say also that good wills haue no efficient cause we must beware least they bee not held vncreated and coeternall with God But seeing that the Angels them-selues were created how can their wills but bee so also Besides being created whether were they created with them or without them first if with them then doubtlesse hee that made one made both and b as soone as they were created they were ioyned to him in that loue wherein they were created And therein were they seuered from the other because they kept their good-wills still and the other were changed by falling in their euill will from that which was good whence they needed not haue fallen vnlesse they had listed But if the good Angels were at first with-out good wills and made those wills in them-selues without Gods working were they therefore made better of them-selues then by his creation God forbid For what were they without good wills but euill Or if they were not euill because they had no euill wills neither nor fell from that which they had not how-so-euer they were not as yet so good as when they had gotten good wills But now if they could not make them-selues better then God the best workeman of the world had made them then verily could they neuer haue had good wills but by the operation of the creator in them And these good wills effecting their conuersion not to them-selues who were inferiours but to the supreme God to adhere vnto him and bee blessed by fruition of him what doe they else but shew that the best will should haue remained poore in desire onely but that he who made a good nature of nothing capable of himselfe e made it better by perfecting it of himselfe first hauing made it more desirous of perfection for this must bee examined whether the good Angels created good will in them-selues by a good will or a badde or none if by none then none they created If by a badde how can a badde will produce a good if by a good then had they good wills already And who gaue them those but he that created them by a good will that is in that chast loue of their adherence to him both forming them nature and giuing them grace Beleeue it therefore the Angelles were neuer without good will that is Gods loue But those that were created good and yet became euill by their proper will which no good nature can do but in a voluntary defect from good that and not the good being the cause of euill either d receiued lesse grace from the diuine loue then they that persisted therein or if the had equall good at their creation the one fell by the euill wills and the other hauing further helpe attained that blisse from which they were sure neuer to fal as we shewed in our last booke Therefore to gods due praise wee must confesse that the diffusion of Gods loue is beâ—…owed as well vpon the Angells as the Saints by his holy spirit bestowed vpon them and that that Scripture It is good for me to adhere vnto God was peculiar at first to the holy Angells before man was made This good they all participate with him to whome they adhere and are a holy citty a liuing sacrifice and a liuing temple vnto that God Part whereof namely that which the Angells shall gather and take vp from this earthly pilgrimage vnto that society being now in the flesh vpon earth or dead and resting in the e secret receptacles of soules how it had first original must I now explaine as I did before of the Angels For of Gods worke The first man came all man kind as the scripture saith whose authority is iustly admired throughout the earth and those
Yet in the distributing of these temporall blessings God sheweth his prouident operation For if all sinne were presently punished there should bee nothing to do at the last iudgement and againe if no sinne were here openly punished the diuine prouidence would not bee beleeued And so in prosperity if God should not giue competency of worldly and apparant blessings to some that aske them we would say he hath nothing to do with them and should he giue them to all that aske them we should thinke he were not to bee serued but for them and so his seruice should not make vs godly but rather greedy This being thus what euer affliction good men and badde doe suffer together in this life it doth not proue the persons vndistinct because so they both do ioyntly indure like pains for as in one fire gold shineth and chaffe smoaketh and as vnder one f fâ—…yle the straw is bruised and the eare cleansed nor is the lees and the oyle confused because they are both pressed in one presse so likewise one and the same violence of affliction prooueth purifieth and g melteth the good and condeâ—…eth wasteth and casteth out the badde And thus in one and the same distresse do the wicked offend God by detestation and blasphemy and the good do glorifie him by praise and praier So great is the difference wherein we ponder not what but how a man suffers his affects For one and the same motion maketh the mud smell filthily and the vnguent swell most fragrantly L. VIVES SOme a say because the aforesaid wordes were spoken of the sonnes of Dauid that is the godly How should the mercy of God be extended vnto the wicked b Do lay vp or heap together For Thesaurus is a laying together of euill things as well as good and it is ordinary with the Greekes to say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the treasure of Ills and Plautus hath Thesaurus stupri the treasure of whoredome c Willreward * commonly it is read Doth reward Augustin hath it in better formeâ—… for the Apostle speakes of the world to come and the greeke is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Reddet will reward d Vse both of that Terence in his Heautontimoreumenos saith such things as are called humane goods namely our parents country linage friendes and wealth all these are but as his mind is that possesseth them to him that can vse them well they are good to him that vseth them otherwise then well they are euil This Terence hath out of Plato in diuers places 〈◊〉 Is called aduerse Nâ—…mely of the vulgar and such as are ignorant of the true natures of things f Flaile Virgill in the first of his Georgikes reckons the Flaile amongst the instruments of husbandry Plinye in his eighteenth booke saith The haruest corne is thrashed forth vpon the floore sometime with flayles sometime with the feete of horses and sometime with staues So that this same Tribulum is an instrument where-with the corne being ripe is thrashed forth on the floore our fittest english is a flaile How this is done Varro teacheth in his first book De re rustica g Melteth the good Maketh them liquid it is a simily taken from gold to exclude further disputation hereof the scripture saith the good are melted with charity My soule melted as my beloued spoke saith the Canticles but if a man will follow this theame he shall neuer finde an end The fittest teacher in this kind is the holy scripture Of the causes of such corrections as fall both vpon the good and bad together CHAP. 8. BVt tell me now in all this desolation what one thing did the Christians endure which due and faithfull consideration might not turne vnto their edificaÌ„tion For first they might with feare obserue to what a masse iniquity was increased at which the iust God being displeased had sent these afflictions vpoÌ„ the world that though they them-selues were far froÌ„ the society of the wicked yet should they not hold them-selues so purely seperate from all faults that they should thinke them-selues too good to suffer a temporall correction for diuers faults that might be found in their conuersations for to omitte this that ther is no man how euer laudable in his conuersation that in some things a yeelds not vnto the concupiscence of the flesh and that though hee decline not vnto the gulfe of reprobate offence and habitation of all brutish filthinesse yet slips now and then into some enormities and those either seldome or so much more ordinary as then they are lesse momentary To omitte all this how hard a thing is it to find one that makes a true vse of their fellowship for whose horrible pride luxury auarice bestiall iniquity and irreligiousnesse the Lord as his b Prophets haue threatned doth lay his heauy hand vppon the whole world How few do wee finde that liue with them as good men ought to liue with them For either we keepe aloofe and forbeare to giue them due instructions admonitions or reprehensions or else wee holde their reformation too great a labour either we are affraid to offend them or else wee eschew their hate for our owne greater temporall preferment and feare their opposition either in those things which our greedinesse longeth to inioy or in those which our weakenesse is affraid to forgoe so that though the liues of the wicked be still disliked of the good and that thereby the one do auoid that damnation which in the world to come is the assured inheritance of the other yet because they winke at their damnable exorbitances by reason they feare by them to loose their owne vaine temporalities iustly do they partake with them in the punishments temporall though they shall not do so in the eternall Iustly do they in these diuine corrections tast the bitternesse of these transitory afflictions with them to whome when they deserued those afflictions they through the loue of this life forbare to shew them-selues better indeed he that forbeares to reprehend ill courses in some that follow them because he will take a more fit time or because he doubts his reprehention may rather tend to their ruine then their reformation or because he thinkes that others that are weake may by this correction be offended in their Godly endeauours or diuerted from the true faith In this case forbearance arises not from occasion of greedinesse but from the counsell of charity c But their's is the fault indeed who liue a life quite contrary wholy abhorring the courses of the wicked yet will ouerpasse to taxe the others sins wherof they ought to be most seuere reprehenders and correctors because they feare to offend them and so be hurt in their possession of those things whose vse is lawfull both vnto good and bad affecting temporalities in this kinde farre more greedily then is fit for such as are but pilgrimes in this world and such as expect d the hope of a celestiall inheritance for it is
neuer neede repent them of enioying it because that herein they are prepared for that which is eternall vsing the goods of this world but as in a pilgrimage being no way entrapped in them and so making vse of the euills of this world as they make them serue alwayes either to their approbation or their reformation Those that insult vpon this their vprightnesse and when they see them fallen into some of these temporall inconueniences say vnto them a where is thy God Let them tell vs where their Gods are when they are afflicted with the like oppressions their gods which either they worship or desire to worship onely for the auoyding of such inconueniences The family of Christ can answer my God is euery where present in all places whole and powerfull no space includes him he can be present vn-perceiued and depart away againe vnmooued And he when he afflicts vs with these aduersities doth it either for triall of our perfections or reforming of our imperfections still reseruing an eternall rewarde for our patient sufferance of temporall distresses But who are you that I should vouchsafe to speake vnto you especially of your gods but most especially of mine owne God b who is terrible and to bee feared aboue all Gods for all the gods of the Heathen are Diuills but the Lord made the heauens L. VIVES WHere a is thy God Psal. 42. My teares haue beene my bread day and night whilest they dayly said vnto me where is now thy God b Who is terrible and to bee feared Psal. 95. 4. 5. That such as complaine of the Christian times desire nothing but to liue in filthy pleasures CHAP. 29. IF that a your Scipio Nasica were now aliue hee that was once your high Priest who when in the fearefull terror of the Carthaginian warres the most perfect man of all the citie was sought for to vndertake the entertainment of the Phrigian goddesse was chosen by the whole Senate he whose face perhaps you now durst not looke on hee would shame you from this grose impud◅nce of yours For what cause is there for you to exclaime at the prosperitie of the Christian faith in these times but onely because you would follow your luxury vncontrolled and hauing remoued the impediments of al troublesome oppositions swim on in your dishonest and vnhallowed dissolution Your affections do not stand vp for peace nor for vniuersal plenty and prosperity to the end that you might vse them when you hauethē as honest men should do that is modestly soberly temperately and religiously No but that hence you might keepe vp your vnreasonable expence in seeking out such infinite variety of pleasures and so giue birth vnto those exorbitances in your prosperities which would heape more mischiefs vpon you then euer befel you by your enemies b But Scipio your high Priest he whom the whole Senate iudged the best man amongst you fearing that this calamitie would fall vppon you that I speak of would not haue Carthage in those dayes the sole paralell of the Romaine Empire vtterly subuerted but contradicted Cato that spoke for the destruction of it because hee feared the foe of all weake spirits Security and held that Carthage would bee vnto his fellow Cittizens c as if they were young punies both a conuenient tutor and a necessary terror Nor did his iudgement delude him the euent it selfe gaue sufficient proofe whether he spoke true or no for afterwards when Carthage was raized downe and the greatest curber and terror of the Romaine weale-publike vtterly extinguished and brought to nothing Presently such an innumerable swarm of inconueniences arose out of this prosperous estate that the bondes of concord beeing all rent asunder and broken first with barbarous and e bloudy seditions and next f by continuall giuing of worse and worse causes by ciuill warres such slaughters were effected so much bloud was shedde by ciuill warres and so much inhumanitie was practised in proscribings riots and rapines that those Romaines that in the good time of their liues feared no hurt but from their enemies now in the corrupt time of their liues indured far worse of their owne fellowes and that lust after soueraignty which among all other sinnes of the world was most appropriate vnto the Romaines and most immoderate in them all at length getting head and happie successe in a fewe of the more powerfull it ouerpressed all the rest wearing them out and crushing their neckes with the yoake of vilde and slauish bondage L. VIVES IF that your Scipio a Nasica This man was the sonne of Cnius Cornelius Scipio who was slayne together with his brother Publius by the Carthaginians in Spaine in the second war of Affrica In the 14. year of which war the Decemuiri found a verse amongst the rest of the Prophecies in the books of the Sybils which fore-told that the enemy should be chased out of Italy if that the mother of the gods were transported from Pessinuns a citty of Phrygia vnto Rome Here-vpon an ambassage was sent to Attalus who as then was King of that country to demand the mother of the gods of him in the name of the Senate and people of Rome The Ambassadours as they went tooke the Oracle of Delphos in their way to know what hope there was of attaining this mother of the goddes of the stranger King Attalus The Oracle badde them bee of good courage Attalus woulde not bee agaynst the fulfilling of their request for the Image but withal willed them to haue an especiall care that when shee came into Italy the best man of the whole Cittie of Rome should giue hir intertainment and receiue hir into his custodie So the shippe returning vnto Ostia with the Image of the goddesse Publius Cornelius Scipio Nasica was by the Senators which were sworne to giue their opinions of the best man of the Cittie adiudged as the best man he being then but a youth and not out of his questorship which was his first steppe vnto dignity and so hee by the decree of the Senate receiued the Phrigian goddesse Liuie in his 29. booke and many others b But Scipio In the 600. yeare after the building of Rome when the Romaine Ambassadors that had bin at Carthage reported that there they had found a huge deale of furniture for shipping and all thinges fitt for a Nauall warre the Senate held a consultation about the beginning of a warre with the Carthaginians Now Marcus Portius Cato beeing Censor to assure the Romains their estate at length gaue counsell not onely to beginne this warre but vtterly to extirpate and demolish this terror of theirs Carthage But Nasica Scipio of whom we spoke but now would not see the people of Rome exposed to the inconueniences of too much Idlenesse nor that they should swimme in too much security and therefore would haue something to remaine as a bridle to curb the head-strong appetite of a powerful multitude Where-vppon he gaue them the counsell not onely
and there are Mimikes which are called otherwise Plaine-feete plani-pedes wearing neither shooes nor buskins but comming bare-foote vpon the Stage The Satyres notwithstanding and the Miâ—…kes are both included vnder the Comedie And some say so is the Tragedie too But the Tragedie discourseth of lamentable fortunes extreame affects and horrible villanies but farre from turpitude The Comedie treates of the Knaueries and trickes of loue being brought into it by Menander to please the Macedonians that stood affected to such passages The Satyre containeth the looser Faunes and Siluanes whose rusticall iestes delighted much and sometimes they would lament But as they were vâ—…lceanely and slouenly goddes so were their speeches often times foule and dishonest to heare But the Mimikes forbore no beastlinesse but vsed extreeme licentiousnesse And yet these were more tollerable then other things which were acted in the sollemnities of Bacchus which for their incredible filthinesse were expelled out of Italie by a decree of the Senate Also in the Saturnalia and Floralia which twoo feastes were celebrated by common strumpets and the most raskally sort of all men The actors of the Floralia though they reuerenced not their owne goddesse yet when Cato came they reuerenced him and would not act them in his presence What the Komaines opinion was touching the restraint of the liberty of Poesie which the Greekes by the counsaile of their Goades would not haue restrained at all CHAP. 9. WHat the Romaines held concerning this point a Cicero recordeth in his bookes which he wrote of the Common wealth where Scipio is brought in saying thus If that the priutledge of an old custome had not allowed them Comedies could neuer haue giuen such proofes of their vâ—…esse vpon Theaters And some of the ancient Greekes pretended a conuenince in their vicious opinion and made it a law that c the Comedian might speake what he would of any man by his name Wherfore as Africanus saith well in the same booke Whom did not the Poet touch nay whom did he not vexe whom spared he perhaphs so saith one he quipt a sort of wicked seditious vulgar fellowes as d Cleo e Clytophon and f Hyperbolus to that we assent quoth hee againe though it were fitter for such falts to bee taxed by the g Censor then by a Poet but it was no more decent that h Pericles should bee snuffed at hauing so many yeares gouerned the Citty so well both in warre and peace then it were for i our Plautus or Naeuius to deride k Publius or Cneius Scipio or for l Caecilius to mocke m Marcus Cato And againe a little after Our twelue Tables quoth hee hauing decreed the obseruation but of a very few things n vpon paine of death yet thought it good to establish this for one of that few that none should o write or acte any verse derogatory from the good name of any man or preiudiciall vnto manners Excellently well for our liues ought not to bee the obiects for Poets to play vpon but for lawfull magistracy and throughly informed iustice to iudge vpon nor is it fit that men should here them-selues reproached but in such places as they may answere and defend their owne cause in Thus much out of Cicero in his fourth booke of The Common wealth which I thought good to rehearse word for word onely I was forced to leaue out some-what and some-what to transpose it for the easier vnderstanding For it giues great light vnto the proposition which I if so be I can must prooue and make apparant Hee proceedeth further in this discourse and in the end concludeth thus that the ancient Romanes vtterly disliked that any man should be either praised or dispraised vpon the stage But as I said before the Greekes in this though they vsed lesse modesty yet they followed more conuenience seeing they saw their gods so well to approue of the represented disgraces not onely of men but euen of themselues when they came vpon the stage whether the plaies were fictions of Poetry or true histories of their deeds and I wish their worshippers had held them onely worth the laughing at and not worth imitation for it were too much pride in a Prince to seeke to haue his owne fame preserued when hee sees his gods before him set theirs at six and seauen For where as it is said in their defence that these tales of their gods were not true but merely poeticall inuentions and false fictions why this doth make it more abhominable if you respect the purity of your religion and if you obserue the malice of the diuil what cuÌ„ninger or more deceitful fetch can there be For when an honest worthy ruler of a contry is slandered is not the slaÌ„der so much more wicked impardonable as this parties life that is slandered is clearer and sounder from touch of any such matter what punishment then can be sufficient for those that offer their gods such foule and impious iniury L. VIVES CIcero a recordeth in his If of all the ancient monuments of learning which are either wholy perished or yet vnpublished if I should desire any one extant it should bee Cicero his sixe bookes de Republica For I doubt not but the worke is admirable and gesse but by the fragments which are extant I doe heare that there are some that haue these bookes but they keepe them as charily as golde apples but vntill they come forth to light let vs make vse of the coniectures recorded in other places of Cicero his workes b where Scipio The Cornelian family amongst other sur-names got vp that of Scipio from one of their bloud that was as a staffe Scipionis Vicè to his kinde and sickly Father Of this family were many famous men of whom wee meane to speake some-what in their due places This whom Tully brings in speaking in his worke De Republica was sonne vnto L. Aemilius Paulus that conquered Perseus King of Macedon Scipio the sonne of the greater Scipio African adopted him for his sonne and so he was called Aemilianus of the stock of whence he was discended He razed Carthage and Numance c The Comedian this was the olde Comedy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and of this we said before that the citizens for feare of being brought vpon the stage would either begin to liue well if so they intended or at least forbeare to bee seene do euill Socrates said it was meete to expose ones selfe freely to the Comick Pen for if they write true of our vices they are a meane to reforme vs if they write false it concernes not vs. Yet euen Socrates himselfe that innocent hurtlesse man was mocked by Aristophanes in his Nebulae a knauish comedie set forth onely to that end And this was one of the greatest proofes that the Poets of this Old kinde of Comedy at that time had mercenarie Pens and followed peruerse and maleuolent affects c Cleon hee was a Lether-seller a seditious
man reade Liuy lib. 1. Dionysius and Plutarch of his whole life besides diuers others e all to insufficient This is plaine for they fetched lawes frō others f it is not reported Yes he fained that he conferred with Aegeria but she was rather a Nimph then a goddesse besides this is known to be a fable g the most learned Here I cannot choose but ad a very conceited saying out of Plautus his comedy called Persa Sagaristio the seruant askes a Virgin how strong dost thou think this towne is If the townsmen quoth shee againe bee well mannered I thinke it is very strong if treachery couetousnesse and extortion bee chased out and then enuie then ambition then detraction then periury then flattery then iniury then and lastly which is hardest of all to get out villanie if these be not all thrust forth an hundred walls are all too weake to keepe out ruine Of the rape of the Sabine women and diuers other wicked facts done in Romes most ancient and honorable times CHAP. 17. PErhaps the gods would not giue the Romaines any lawes because as Salust a saith Iustice and honestie preuailed as much with them by nature as by lawe very good b out of this iustice and honestie came it I thinke that the c Sabine virgins were rauished What iuster or honester part can be plaide then to force away other mens daughters with all violence possible rather then to receiue them at the hand of their parents But if it were vniustly done of the Sabines to deny the Romaines their daughters was it not farre more vniustly done of them to force them away after that deniall There were more equitie showne in making warres vpon those that would not giue their daughters to beget alliance with their neighbours and countrimen then with those that did but require back their owne which were iniuriously forced from them Therefore Mars should rather haue helped his warlike sonne in reuenging the iniury of this reiected proferre of marriage that so he might haue wonne the Virgin that he desired by force of armes For there might haue beene some pretence of warlike lawe for the conqueror iustly to beare away those whom the conquered had vniustly denied him before But he against all law of peace violently forced them from such as denied him them and then began an vniust warre with their parents to whom hee had giuen so iust a cause of anger d Herein indeed he had good and happy successe And albeit the e Circensian playes were continued to preserue the memory of this fraudulent acte yet neither the Cittie nor the Empire did approoue such a president and the Romaines were more willing to erre in making Romulus a deity after this deed of iniquitie then to allow by any law or practise this fact of his in forcing of women thus to stand as an example for others to follow Out of this iustice and honesty likewise proceeded this that g after Tarquin and his children were expulsed Rome because his sonne Sextus had rauished Lucresse Iunius Brutus being consull compelled h L. Tarquinius Collatine husband to that Lucresse his fellow officer a good man and wholy guiltlesse to giue ouer his place and abandon the Cittie which vile deed of his was done by the approbation or at least omission of the people who made Collatine Consul aswell as Brutus himself Out of this iustice and honesty came this also that h Marcus Camillus that most illustrious worthy of his time that with such ease sudued the warlike Veientes the greatest foes of the Romaines and tooke their cheefe citty from them after that they had held the Romains in ten yeares war and foiled their armies so often that Rome hir selfe began to tremble and suspected hir owne safety that this man by the mallice of his backe-biting enemies and the insupportable pride of the Tribunes being accused of guilt perceiuing the citty which he had preserued so vngrateful that he needs must be condemned was glad to betake him-selfe to willing banishment and yet i in his absence was fined at ten thousand Asses k Being soone after to be called home again to free his thankelesse country the second time from the Gaules It yrkes me to recapitulate the multitude of foule enormities which that citty hath giuen act vnto l The great ones seeking to bring the people vnder their subiection the people againe on the other side scorning to be subiect to them and the ring-leaders on both sides aiming wholy rather at superiority and conquest then euer giuing roome to a thought of iustice or honesty L. VIVES SAlust a saith In his warre of Catiline speaking of the ancient Romaines he saith thus The law is a ciuill equity either established in literall lawes or instilled into the manners by verball instructions Good is the fount moderatour and reformer of all lawe all which is done by the Iudges prudence adapting it selfe to the nature of the cause and laying the lawe to the cause not the cause to the lawe As Aristotle to this purpose speaketh of the Lesbian rule Ethic. 4. This is also termed right reason as Salust againe saith in his Iugurth Bomilchar is guilty rather by right and reason then any nationall lawe Crassus saith Tully in his Brutus spake much at that time against that writing and yet but in right and reason It is also called equitie ' That place saith Cicero for Caecinna you feare and flie and seeke as I may say to draw mee out of this plaine field of equitie into the straite of words and into all the literall corners in this notwithstanding saith Quintilian the iudges nature is to bee obserued whether it be rather opposed to the lawe then vnto equitie or no. Hereof wee haue spoken some-thing in our Temple of the lawes But the most copious and exact reading hereof is in Budaeus his notes vpon the Pandects explaining that place which the Lawyers did not so well vnderstand Ius est ars aequi boni This mans sharpenesse of witte quicknesse of iudgement fulnesse of diligence and greatnesse of learning no Frenchman euer paralleld nor in these times any Italian There is nothing extant in Greeke or Latine but he hath read it and read it ouer and discussed it throughly In both these toungs he is a like and that excellently perfect Hee speakes them both as familiarly as he doth French his naturall tongue nay I make doubt whether hee speake them no better hee will read out a Greeke booke in Latine words extempore and out of a Latine booke in Greeke And yet this which wee see so exactly and excellently written by him is nothing but his extemporall birthe Hee writes with lesse paines both Greeke and Latine then very good schollers in both these tongues can vnderstand them There is no cranke no secret in all these tongues but he hath searcht it out lookt into it and brought it forth like Cerberus from darknesse into
togither held they almost continuall warre with the Veientes Liuius lib. 5. Plutarche in Camillus his life This Camillus being said to haue dealt vniustly in sharing the Veientane spoils amongst the people L. Apuleius cited him to a day of hearing But hee to auoide their enuie though innocent of that he was charged with got him away to liue at Ardea in exile This fell out two years before the Galles tooke Rome i ten thousand Liuy saith he was fined in his absence at 15000. Assis grauis Plutarch at 15000. Assium Aes And Assis graue was al one as my Budeus proues k being soone after The Galles hauing taken Rome Camillus hauing gathered an army together of the remainder of the Allian ouerthrow was released of his exile in a counsell Curiaté made Dictator by them that were besieged in the Capitoll At first hee expelled the Galles out of the Cittie and afterwards in the roade way to Gabii eight miles from the Citty hee gaue them a sore ouer-throw Liu. lib. 5 Thus this worthy man choose rather to remember his countries affliction then his owne priuate wronge beeing therefore stiled another Romulus l the great ones These mischieues were still on foote for very neere fiue hundred yeares after the expelling of their kings the Patritians and the Plebeyans were in continuall seditions and hatreds one against another and both contending for soueraignty which ambition was kindeled in the people by a few turbulent Tribunes and in the nobles by a sort of ambitious Senatours and hereof doth Lucan sing that which followeth Et 〈◊〉 consulibuâ—… turbantes iura Tribuni Tribunes and Consulls troubling right at once What the history of Saluste reports of the Romains conditions both in their times of daunger and those of security CHAP. 18. THerefore I will keepe a meane and stand rather vnto the testimony of Salust himselfe who spoke this in the Romaines Praise whereof we but now discoursed that iustice and honesty preuailed as much with them by nature as by lawe extolling those times wherein the citty after the casting out of her kings grew vp to such a height in so small a space Notwithstanding al this this same author confesseth in a the very beginning of the first booke of his history that when the sway of the state was taken from the Kings and giuen to the Consuls b within a very little while after the citty grew to be greatly troubled with the oppressing power of the great ones and c the deuision of the people from the fathers vpon that cause and diuers other daungerous dissentions for hauing recorded how honestly and in what good concord the Romaines liued together d betwixt the second warre of Africa and the last and hauing showed that it was not the loue of goodnesse but the feare and distrust of the Carthaginians might and perâ—…ideousnesse that was cause of this good order and therfore that vpon this Nasica would haue Carthage stand stil vndemolished as a fit meane to debarre the entrance of iniquity into Rome and to keepe in integrity by feare he addeth presently vpon this these words e But discord auarice ambition and all such mischiefes as prosperity is midwife vnto grew vnto their full light after the destruction of Charthage intimating herein that they were sowne continued amongst the Romains before which he proues in his following reason For as for the violent offensiuenesse of the greater persons saith he and the diuision betwixt the Patricians and the Plebeians thence arising those were mischiefes amongst vs from the beginning nor was there any longer respect of equity or moderation amongst vs then whilest the kings were in expelling and the citty and state quit of Tarquin and the f great war of Hetruria Thus you see how that euen in that little space wherein after the expulsion of their Kings they embraced integrity it was onely feare that forced them to do so because they stood in dread of the warres which Tarquin vpon his expulsion being combined with the Hetrurians waged against them Now obserue what Salust addeth for after that quoth he the Senators bgan to make slaues of the people to iudge of heades g shoulders as bloudily imperiously h as the â—…ings did to chase men from their possessions only they of the whole crue of factions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…rial sway of al With which outrages chiefely with their extreame taxes and â—…tions the people being sore oppressed maintaining both soldiours in continuall armes and paying tribute also besides at length they stept out tooke vp armes and drew to 〈◊〉 head vpon Mount Auentine and Mount Sacer. And then they elected them 〈◊〉 and set downe other lawes but the second warre of Africa gaue end to these 〈◊〉 on both sides Thus you see in how little a while so soone after the expelling of their Kings the Romaines were become such as hee hath described them of whom notwithstanding he had affirmed that Iustice and honestie preuailed as much with them by nature as by lawe Now if those times were found to haue beene so depraued wherein the Romaine estate is reported to haue beene most vncorrupt and absolute what shall wee imagine may then bee spoken or thought of the succeeding ages which by a graduall alteration to vse the authors owne words of an honest and honorable citie became most dishonest and dishonorable namely after the dissolution of Carthage as hee himselfe relateth How he discourseth and describeth these times you may at full behold in his historie and what progresse this corruption of manners made through the midst of the Cities prosperitie euen k vntill the time of the ciuill warres But from that time forward as hee reporteth the manners of the better sort did no more fall to decay by little and little but ranne head-long to ruine like a swift torrent such excesse of luxurie and auarice entring vpon the manners of the youth that it was fitly said of Rome that she brought forth such l as would neither keepe goods them-selues nor suffer others to keepe theirs Then Salust proceeds in a discourse of Sylla's villanies and of other barbarous blemishes in the common-wealth and to his relation in this do all other writers agree in substance though m they bee all farre behinde him in phrase But here you see and so I hope doe all men that whosoeuer will obserue but this shall easilie discouer the large gulfe of damnable viciousnesse into which this Citty was fallen long before the comming of our heauenly King For these things came to passe not onely before that euer Christ our Sauiour taught in the flesh but euen before he was borne of the Virgin or tooke flesh at all Seeing therefore that they dare not impute vnto their owne gods those so many and so great mischiefes eyther the tolerable ones which they suffered before or the fouler ones which they incurred after the destruction of Carthage howsoeuer their gods are the engraffers of such maligne opinions in
his Inuectiues hee saith plainly It is our good-will and fame that hath made Romulus this Citties founder a God To shew that it was not so indeed but onely spred into a reporte by their good-will to him for his worthe and vertues But in his Dialogue called k Hortensius disputing of regular Eclipses hee saith more plainely To produce such a darkenesse as was made by the Eclipse of the Sunne at Romulus his death Here he feared not to say directly his death by reason hee susâ—…ained the person of a disputant rather then a Panegyricke But now for the other Kings of Rome excepting Numa and Ancus Martius that dyed of infirmities what horrible ends did they all come to Hostilius the subuerter of Alba as I sayd was consumed together with his whole house by lightning l Tarquinius Priscus was murthered by his predecessors sonnes And Seruius Tullius by the villanie of his sonne in lawe Tarquin the proude who succeeded him in his kingdome Nor yet were any of the gods gone from their shrines for all this so haynous a parricide committed vpon this so good a King though it bee affirmed that they serued wretched Troye in worse manner in leauing it to the licentious furie of the Greekes onely for Paris his adulterie Nay Tarquin hauing shedde his father in lawes bloud seazed on his estate himselfe This parricide gotte his crowne by his step fathers murder and after-wards glorying in monstrous warres and massacres and euen building the Capitoll vp with hence-got spoiles This wicked man the gods were so far from â—…or saking that they sat and looked on him nay and would haue Iupiter their principall to sit and sway all things in that stately temple namely in that blacke monument of parricide for Tarquin was not innocent when he built m the Capitoll and for his after-guilt incurred expulsion No foule and inhumaine murder was his very ladder to that state whereby he had his meanes to build the Capitol And n whereas the Romains expelled him the state and Citty afterwards the cause of that namely Lucresses rape grew from his sonne and not from him who was both ignorant and absent when that was done for then was he at the siege of Ardea and a fighting for the Romaines good nor know we what he woold haue done had he knowne of this fact of his sonne yet without all triall or iudgement the people expelled him from his Empire and hauing charged his army to abandon him tooke them in at the gates shut him out But he himselfe after he had plagued the Romaines by their borderers meanes with eztreame warres and yet at length being not able to recouer his estate by reason his friends fayled him retired himselfe as it is reported vnto o Tusculum a towne fourteene miles from Rome and there enioying a quiet and priuat estate liued peaceably with his wife and died farre more happily then his Father in law did who fell so bloudily by his meanes and p his owne daughters consent as it is credibly affirmed and yet this Taquin was neuer surnamed cruell nor wicked by the Romaines but the Proud it may be q because their owne pride would not let them beare with his As for the crime of killing that good King his Step-father they shewed how light they made of that in making him murder the King wherein I make a question whether the gods were not guilty in a deeper manner then he by rewarding so highly a guilt so horrid and not leauing their shrines all at that instant when it was done vnlesse some will say for them that they staid still at Rome to take a deeper reuenge vpon the Romaines rather then to assist them seducing them with vaine victories and tossing them in vnceasing turmoiles Thus liued the Romaines in those so happy times vnder their Kings euen vntil the expelling of Tarquine the proud which was about two hundred forty and three yeares together paying so much bloud and so many liues for euery victory they got and yet hardly enlarging their Empire the distance of r twenty miles compasse without the walles How farre then haue they to conquer and what store of stroks to share vntill they come to conquer a City of the s Getulians L. VIVES THeir owne a writers Dionisius lib. 2 saith that the senators tore him in peeces and euery one bore away a peece wrapped in his gowne keping it by this meanes from the notice of the vulgar b I know not whome this hee addeth either because the author is obscure or because the lye that Proculus told was vile periured c Ignorance Before that their Philosopers shewed men the causes of eclipses men when they saw them feared indeed either some great mischiefe or the death of the planets themselues nor was this feare only vulgar euen the learned shared in it as Stefichorus and Pindarus two lyrick Poets d They should not rather not is put into the reformed copies otherwise the sence is inuerted e that that eclipse the partly meeting of the Sun and Moone depriues vs of the Suns light and this is the Eclypse of the Sun but the shade of the earth falling from the suns place lineally vpon the moone makes the moones eclipse So that neither can the Sunne bee Eclipsed but in the Moones change and partile coniunction with him neither can the Moone be eclipsed but at her ful and in her farthest posture from the sunne then is she prostitute to obnubilation f The regular Regular and Canonicall is all one of Canon the Greeke word well was this waighed of the Augustine Monkes who holding the one insufficient would be called by them both g Adde vnto this Liuie A tempest suddainely arose with great thunder and lightning h Of Hostilius Some write that he and his whole house was burnt with lightning Some that it was fired by Martius Ancus his successor i Embase Vilefacere saith Saint Augustine but this is not well nor learnedly no if any of our fine Ciceronians correct it it must be Uilificare for this is their vsuall phrase Hominificare animalificare accidentificare asinificare k Hortensius Wee haue lost it that which some take to bee it is the fourth of the Tusculanes Marcellus l Tarquinius Priscus The fift Romaine King Demaratus his sonne of Corinth hee was slaine by shephards suborned by the sonnes of Martius Ancus After him came Seruius Tullus his step-sonne powrefull in peace and warre who adorned his Citty with many good institutions Hee was slaine by the meanes of Tarquin the proude This Tarquin was brutish and cruell to his people but exceeding valourous in warre and peace m The Capitol On the hill Saturnius afterwardes called Tarpeius did hee dedicate the Capitol to almighty Ioue n And whereas The seauenth and last King of the Romaines hee was expelled by Brutus Collatinus Lucretius Valerius Horatius c. Partly because of many old iniuries but chiefely for his sonne Sextus his Rape of Lucresse Hee was
that they were men and died as other men do To what end is this but that the citties should bee filled with statues of such as are no true gods the true god hauing neither sex age nor body But this Seâ—…uola would not haue the people to know because he did not thinke it was faulse himselfe So that he holds it fit citties should bee deluded in religion which indeed Varro stickes not plainely to affirme De. re vin A godly religion whereto when weake mindes going for refuge and seeking to bee freed by the truth must bee tolde that it is fitte that they bee illuded Nor doth the same booke conceale the cause why Scaeuola reiecteth the Poets gods It is because they doe so deforme them with their stories that they are not fitte to keepe good men company c one being described to steale and another to commit adulterie as also to doe and say so filthily and fondly as that the d three goddesses striuing for eminence of beauty the other two being cast by Venus destroyed Troy That Ioue was turned to e a Bull or a f Swanne to haue the company of some wench or other that g a goddesse married a man and that Saturne eate vp his sonnes No wonder No vice but there you haue it set downe quite against the natures of the deities O Scaeuola abolish those playes if it bee in thy power tell the people what absurd honors they offer the gods gazing on their guilt and remembring their prankes as a licence for their owne practise If they say you Priests brought them vs intreate the gods that commanded them to suffer their abolishment If they bee bad and therefore at no hand credible with reuerence to the Gods Maiesties then the greater is the iniurie that is offered vnto them of whome they are so freely inuented But they are Deuills Scaeuola teaching guiltinesse and ioying in filthinesse they will not heare thee They thinke it no iniurie to haue such blacke crimes imputed vnto them but rather holde them-selues wronged if they bee not imputed and exhibited Now if thou callest on Ioue against them were there no other cause for it but the most frequent presenting of his h enormities though you call him the God and King of the world would hee not thinke himselfe highly wronged by you in ranking him in worship with such filthy companions and making him gouernor of them L. VIVES SCaeuola a their There were many of this name but this man was priest in Marius his ciuill warre and killed by Marius the yonger Tully saith hee went often to heare him dispute after Scaeuola the Augur was dead b The first Dionysius writeth that the Romaines reiected all the factions of the gods fights wranglings adulteries c. which were neither to bee spoken of gods nor good men and that Romulus made his Quirites vse to speake well of the gods Antiqu. Rom. lib. 2. Euseb. de praep Euang. c One Mercurie that stole Tyresias Oxen Mars his sword Uulcans tonges Neptunes Mace Apollos bow and shafts Venus her girdle and Ioues Scepter d Three euery childe knowes this e A Bull for Europa f A Swanne for Laeda of these read Ouid. lib. 6. Metamorph. g A goddesse married Ceres to Iasius Harmonia to Cadmus Callirrhoe to Chrysaoras Aurora to Tython Thetis to Peleus Uenus to Anchises Circe and Callipso to Vlysses Read Hesiods Theognia h Enormities of letchery cruelty and such like Whether the Romaines diligence in this worship of those gods did their Empire any good at all CHAP. 28. BY no meanes then could these gods preserue the Romaine Empire being so criminous in their owne filthy desiring of such honors as these are which rather serue to condemne them then appease them For if they could haue done that the Greekes should haue had their helpes before who afforded them farre better store of such sacrifices as these with farre more stage-playes and showes For they seeing the Poets taxe their gods so freelye neuer thought shame to let them taxe them-selues but allowed them free leaue to traduce whom they pleased and held the Stage-players worthy of the best honors of their state But euen as Rome might haue had golden coynes yet neuer worshipped Aurinus for it so might they haue had siluer and brasse ones without Argentinus or his father Aesculanus and so of all other necessaries But so could they not possesse their kingdome against the will of the true God but in despite of all the other let them doe what they list that one vnkowne God being well and duly worshipped would haue kept their kingdome on earth in better estate then euer and afterward haue bestowed a kingdome on each of them in heauen had they a kingdome before or had they none that should endure for euer Of the falsenesse of that Augury that presaged courage and stabilitie to the state of Rome CHAP. 29. FOr what a goodly presage was that which I spake of but now of the obstinacie of Mars Terminus and Iuuentas that it should signifie that Mars a his nation the Romaines should yeeld the place to no man that no man should remooue the limittes of their Empire because of Terminus and that their youth should yeeld to none because of Iuuentas Now marke but how these gods misused their King daring to giue these Auguries as in his defiance and as glorying in the keeping of their places though if these antiquities were true they neede feare nothing For they confessed not that they must giue place to Christ that would not giue place to Ioue and they might giue Christ place without preiudice to the Empires limits both out of the temples and the hearts that they held But this we write was long before Christ came or that Augurie was recorded notwithstanding after that presage in Tarquins time the Romaines lost many a battel and prooued Iuuentas a lyer in hir Prophesie and Mars his nation was cut in peeces within the very walles by the conquering Galles and the limites of the Empire were brought to a narrow compasse in Hannibals time when most of the citties of Italy fell from Rome to him Thus was this fine Augurie fulfilled and the obstinacie of the presagers remained to prooue them rebellious deuils For it is one thing not to giue place and another to giue place and regaine it afterwards Though afterwards the bounds of the Empire were altered in the East by b Hadrianus meanes who lost Armenia Mesopotamia and Syria vnto the Persians to shew god Terminus that would not giue place to Ioue him-selfe but guarded the Romaine limites against all men to let him see that Hadrian a King of men could doe more then Ioue the King of gods c The sayd Prouinces being recouered afterward now almost in our times god Terminus hath giuen ground againe d Iulian that was giuen so to the Oracles desperately commanding all the ships to bee burned that brought the armie victuals so that the souldiours fainting and hee
rest should be intirely hers now let vs looke in to the reasons why that God that can giue those earthly goods aswel to the good as the euill and consequently to such as are not happy should vouchsafe the Romaine empire so large a dilatation and so long a contiunance for we haue already partly proued and hereafter in conuenient place will proue more fully that it was not their rable of false gods that kept it in the state it was in wherefore the cause of this was neither a Fortune nor Fate as they call them holding Fortune to be an euent of things beyond al reason and cause and Fate an euent from some necessity of order excluding the will of god and man But the god of Heauen by his onely prouidence disposeth of the kingdomes of Earth which if any man will say is swayd by fate and meane by that fate b the will of God he may hold his opinion still but yet he must amend his phrase of speach for why did hee not learne this of him that taught him what fate was The ordinary custome of this hath made men imagine fate to bee c a power of the starres so or so placed in natiuities or conceptions which d some do seperate from the determination of God and other some do affirme to depend wholy therevpon But those that hold that the starres do manage our actions or our passions good or ill without gods appointment are to be silenced and not to be heard be they of the true religion or bee they bondslaues to Idolatry of what sort soeuer for what doth this opinion but flattly exclude alll deity Against this error we professe not any disputation but onely against those that calumniat Christian religion in defence of their imaginary goddes As for those that make these operations of the starres in good or bad to depend vpon Gods will if they say that they haue this power giuen them from him to vse according to their owne wills they do Heauen much wronge in imagining that any wicked acts or iniuries are decreed in so glorious a senate and such as if any earthly city had but instituted the whole generation of man would haue conspired the subuersion of it And what part hath GOD left him in this disposing of humaine affaires if they be swayed by a necessity from the starres whereas he is Lord both of starres and men If they do not say that the starres are causes of these wicked arts through a power that god hath giuen them but that they effect them by his expresse commaund is this fit to be imagined for true of God that is vnworthy to be held true of the starres e But if the starres bee said to portend this onely And not to procure it and that their positions be but signes not causes of such effects for so hold many great schollers though the Astrologians vse not to say f Mars in such an house signifieth this or that no but maketh the child-borne an homicide to g grant them this error of speech which they must learâ—…e to reforme of the Philosophers in all their presages deriued from the starres positions how commeth it to passe that they could neuer shew the reason of that diuersity of life actions fortune profession arte honour and such humaine accidentes that hath befallne two twinnes nor of such a great difference both in those afore-said courses and in their death that in this case many strangers haue come nearer them in their courses of life then the one hath done the other beeing notwithstanding borne both within a little space of time the one of the other and conceiued both in one instant and from one acte of generation L. VIVES FOrtune a Nor fate Seeing Augustine disputeth at large in this place concerning fate will diue a littlle deeper into the diuersity of olde opinions herein to make the â—…est more plaine Plato affirmed there was one GOD the Prince and Father of all the rest at whose becke all the gods and the whole world were obedient that al the other gods celestial vertues were but ministers to this Creator of the vniuerse and that they gouerned the whole world in places and orders by his appointment that the lawes of this great God were vnalterable and ineuitable and called by the name of Necessities No force arte or reason can stoppe oâ—… hinder any of their effectes whereof the prouerbe ariseth The gods themselues must serue necessity But for the starres some of their effects may be auoided by wisdome labour or industry wherein fortune consisteth which if they followed certaine causes and were vnchangeable should bee called fate and yet inferre no necessity of election For it is in our powre to choose beginne or wish what wee will but hauing begunne fate manageth the rest that followeth It was free for Laius saith Euripides to haue begotten a sonne or not but hauing begotten him then Apollo's Oracle must haue the euents prooue true which it presaged Thâ—… and much more doth Plato dispute obscurely vpon in his last de repub For there hee puttes the three fatall sisters Necessities daughters in heauen and saith that Lachesis telleth the soules that are to come to liue on earth that the deuill shall not possesse them but they shal rather possesse the deuill But the blame lieth wholy vpon the choise if the choise bee naught GOD is acquit of all blame and then Lachesis casteth the lottes Epicurus derideth all this and affirmes all to bee casuall without any cause at all why it should bee thus or thus or if there bee any causes they are as easie to bee auoided as a mothe is to bee swept by The Platonists place Fortune in things ambiguous and such as may fall out diuersely also in obscure things whose true causes why they are so oâ—… otherwise are vnknowne so that Fortune dealeth not in things that follow their efficient cause but either such as may bee changed or are vndiscouered Now Aristotle Phys. 2. and all the Peripatetikes after him Alex. Aphrodisiensis beeing one is more plaine Those things saith hee are casuall whose acte is not premeditated by any agent as if any man digge his ground vppe to make it fatte finde a deale of treasure hidden this is Fortune for hee came not to digge for that treasure but to fatten his earth and in this the casuall euent followed the not casuáll intent So in things of fortune the agent intendeth not the end that they obtaine but it falleth out beyond expectation The vulgar call fortune blinde rash vncertaine madde and brutish as Pacuuius saith and ioyne Fate and Necessity together holding it to haue 〈◊〉 powre both ouer all the other gods and Ioue their King himselfe Which is verified by the Poet that said What must bee passeth Ioue to hold from beeing Quod fore paratum 〈◊〉 id summum exuperat Iouem For in Homer Ioue lamenteth that hee could not saue his sonne
it f Those that They are the true Philosopers and if they should rule or the rulers were like them happy should the states be saith Plato g Who gaue Iames. 1. 5 6. If any of you lacke wisdome let him aske of God which giueth to all men liberally and reprocheth no man and he shall giue it him But let him aske in faith and wauer not c. That vertue is as much disgraced in seruing humaine glory as in obeying the pleasures of the body CHAP. 20. THe Philosophers that a make vertue the scope of all humaine good do vse in disgrace of such as approued vertue and yet applied it all to bodily delight holding this to be desired for it selfe and vertue to be sought onely for respect to this pleasure to deliniate a Picture as it were with their tongues wherein pleasure sitteth on a throne like a delicate Queene and all the Vertues about her ready at a becke to do her command There she commands prudence to seeke out a way whereby pleasure may reigne in safety Iustice must go do good turnes to attaine friends for the vse of corporall delights and iniury none fortitudes taske is that if any hurt not mortall inuade the body she must hold pleasure so fast in the mind that the remembrance of delights past may dull the touch of the paine present Temperance must so temper the norishment that immoderation come not to trouble the health and so offend Lady pleasure whome the Epicures do say is chiefly resident in the bodies soundnesse Thus the virtues being in their owne dignities absolute commanders must put all their glories vnder the feete of pleasure and submit them-selues to an imperious and dishonest woman Then this picture there cannot be a sight more vild deformed and abhominable to a good man say the Phylosophers and it is true Nor thinke I that the picture would be so faire as it should be if humaine glory were painted in the throne of pleasure for though it be not a b nice peece as the other is yet it is turgid and full of empty ayre so that ill should it beseeme the substantiall vertues to be subiect to such a shadow that prudence should fore-see nothing iustice distribute nothing fortitude endure nâ—…thing temperance moderate nothing but that which aymeth at the pleasing of men seruing of windy glory Nor are they quite from this blot who contemning the iudgements of others as scorners of glory yet in their owne conceit hold their wisdome at a high prise for their vertue haue they any serueth humaine glory in another maner for he that pleaseth him-selfe is c but a man but he that builds and beleeues truly and piously vpon God whome he loueth applieth his thoughts more vpon that which hee displeaseth himselfe in then vpon those things which if they be in him do rather please the truth then him nor doth he ascribe the power he hath to please vnto other but vnto his mercy whom he feareth to displease giuing thankes for the cure of this and praying for the cure of that L. VIVES PHilosophers that a make The Stoikes as Cleanthes This picture Tully talketh of De finib l. 2. b Nice For glory is got by sweat and paines c But a man bends his affects no further then mans present being That the true God in whose hand and prouidence all the state of the world consisteth did order and dispose of the Monarchie of the Romaines CHAP. 21. THis being thus the true God a that giueth the heauenly kingdome onely to the godly but the earthly ones both to good and bad as himselfe liketh whose pleasure is all iustice he is to haue all power of giuing or taking away soueraignty ascribed vnto himselfe alone and no other for though we haue shewen somethings that he pleased to manifest vnto vs yet far far is it beyond our powers to penetrate into mens merits or scan the deserts of kingdoms aright This one God therefore that neither staieth from iudging nor fauouring of man-kinde when his pleasure was and whilest it was his pleasure let Rome haue soueraignty so did he with Assyria Persia b who as their bookes say worshipped onely two gods a good a bad to omit the Hebrews of whom I thinke sufficient is already spoken both of their worship of one God of their kingdome But he that gaue Persia corne without Sigetia's helpe and so many gifts of the earth without any of those many gods that had each one a share in them oâ—… rather were three or foure to a share he also gaue them their kingdom without their helpes by whose adoration they thought they kept their kingdome And so for the men he that gaue c Marius rule gaue Caesar rule he that gaue Augustus it gaue Nero it he that gaue Vespatian rule or Titus his sonne d both sweet natured men gaue it also to Domitian that cruell blood-sucker And to be briefe he that gaue it to Constantine the Christian gaue it also to Iulian e the Apostata whose worthy towardnesse was wholy blinded by sacriligious curiosity and all through the desire of rule whose heart wandered after the vanity of false oracles as hee found when vpon their promise of victory he burned all his ships that victualed his armie and then being slaine in one of his many rash aduentures hee left his poore armie in the â—…awes of their enemies without all meanes of escape but that God Terminus of whom we spake before was faine to yeeld and to remoue the bounds of the Empire Thus did he giue place to necessity that would not giue place to Iupiter All these did the True sacred and only God dispose and direct as hee pleased if the causes be vnkowne why he did thus or thus is he therefore vniust L. VIVES GOd that a giueth Here is a diuersity of reading in the text but all comes to one sence b Who as their The Persian Magi whose chiefe Zoroafter was held two beginnings a good and a bad that the God of heauenâ—… this the god of hell This they called Pluto and Ariâ—…anius the euill Daemon that Ioue and Horosmades the good Daemon Hermipp Eudox. Theoâ—…p apud Laert. Those Plato seemes to follow de leg l. 10. putting two sorts of soules in the world originalls of good and originall of bad vnlesse he do rather Pythagorize who held that the vnity was God the minde the nature and the good of euery thing the number of two infinite materiall multiplicable the Genius and euill The Manichees also Aug. de heres held two beginnings contrary and coeternall and two natures and substances of good and of euil wherein they followed the old heretikes c Marius He coupleth a good and a bad together Marius most cruell Caesar most courteous Augustus the best Emperor Nero the worst that could be d Both sweetly T. Vespatian had two sonnes Titus Domitian Their father was conceited and full of delicate mirth and Titus
the better place for the glory is in the conclusion of euery act and the beginnings are ful of doubt and feare till they bee brought to perfection which euery one at his beginning of an act doth desire intend and expect nor ioyeth hee in the beginning but in the consummation of his intents L. VIVES THe a world Macrob Saturn 1. b The rule of Xenon saith because he did first induce religion into Italy therefore he deserued to be ruler of the beginnings of sacrifices he that would know moreof this let him read Macrobius a known author c Months The Romaine yeâ—… before Numa had but 10. months with the Albanes Numa added the 2. last Ianuary February Varro Plutarch Ouid thinketh that Ianuary of old began the yeare Fast. 2. February ended it the last day wherof was Terminus his feast and that afterwards the Decemuirs in the 12. tables ioyned Ianuary and February together d Terminalia the last feast of February before the expulsion of Tarquin but after they kept the kings-flight feast after the other The Terminalia saith Bede were the 23. of February De nat rerum e The purgatory The Terminalia were no purgations but the Februa were which were kept that moneth also f Febrâ—… Ouid fastoruÌ„ 2. Februa Romani dixere pia mina Patres Our father 's said the Februa were purgations And a little after Denique quocumque est quo corpora nostra piantur Hoc apud intonsos nomen habebat auos What euer washt the bodies guilt away Vnkempt antiquity call'd Februa And hence carne our February g To call that double-faced Cicero seemes to make Ianus God both of beginnings ends De nat deor 2. Macrob. doth the like following the opinion of many Why the worshippers of Ianus made him two faces and yet would haue him set forth-with foure also CHAP. 8. BVt now to the meaning of Ianus a his two faces Two hee had say they one before another behind because when we gape our mouth is like the world therefore the Greeke called them b palate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 heauen And some Latine poets haue called the palate Coelum heauen also from whence is a way out-ward to the teeth inward to the throate See now to what a passe the world is come for your Greeke or poeticall name of the palate What is all this to life eternall or the soule here is gods worship all bestowed for a little spittle to spit out or swallow downe as the gates shall open or shut But who is so foolish that cannot finde in the world two contrary passages whereat one may enter in or out but of our mouth throte whose like is not in the world must frame the similitude of the world in Ianus onely for the palate c whose similitude is not in Ianus And whereas they make him 4. faces calling his statue double Ianus these they attribute to the 4. corners of the world as if the worlds foure corners looked all forward as his 4. faces do Againe if Ianus be the world the world consist of 4. parts then the picture of two faced d Ianus is false for though he be foure-faced somtimes yet he neuer hath foure gates Or if the two-faced picture be true because east west includeth vsually all the world will any man when we name the north and the south call the world double as they doe Ianus with his 4. faces nor haue they any similitude in the world correspondent to their foure gates of ingresse egresse as they haue found for the 2-faces in the mouth of a man e vnlesse Neptune come with a fish there indeed in his mouth is a passage in and a passage out and waies forth on either side his chaps But of all these wayes there is none leadeth any soule from vanity but such as heare the truth say I am the way L. VIVES IAnus a his Some say his wisdom prouidence procured him this double fronted statue as Homer saith of a valia nt fellow 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hee looked both before behinde at once Plutarch gaue two reasons for this statue First because he was first a Grecian called Perâ—…bus as is recorded and then comming into Italy changed both name language and conditions Secondly because he taught the Italians both husbandry and pollicy Problem Others as Ouid which reason Augustine here toucheth say hee signifieth the world one face being the east and another the west Some say he had reference to the rising and settâ—…ng of the sunne signified the sun Nigidius he also saith that the Greekes worshipped Apollo Thyanues and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Porter and the â—…ourney-guider But I thinke not in that shape that the Romaines worshipped Ianus for Ouid saith Quem tamen esse deum dic am te Iane biformis Naâ—… tibi par nullum Grâ—…cia numen habet In English thâ—… What god two-fronted Ianus shouldst thou be Of all the gods of 〈◊〉 is none like thee He was framed with foure faces also C. Bass de diis apud Macrob. Ianus hath two faces as the doore-keeper of heauen and hell foure faces because in his Maiestie hee compriseth all the earths climates This is that Ianus who in their ceremonies they called double Ianus the two faced one was called Ianus the simple the others Temple was open in war and shut in peace b Palate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist. de part Animal And Pliny imitating him vseth caelum for the palate l. 11. speaking of the brain this quoth he is the most excellent of the spermatiue parts nearest to the heauen of the head palate c Whose similitude or from whose similitude Ianus hath his name d Ianus is false Some hold the rest vnto Or if the two fac'd picture to bee â—…oisted in It is not very vnlikely by the subsequence e Vnlesse Neptune for in men it cannot bee found Of Ioues power and Ianus his compared together CHAP. 9. BVt let them tell vs now whom they meane by Ioue a or Iupiter He is a God quoth they that rules the causes of all effects in the world This is a great charge Aske b Virgils excellent verse else Foelix qui potuit rerum cognoscerâ—… causas O blessed he and excellent that kens the cause of each euent But why then is Ianus preferred before him let the great absolute scholler speake Because saith he Ianus rules the first things and Ioue the greatest Why then Ioue is still worthy of the superioritie the greatest things controule the first and excell them in dignity though they be short of them in time If the beginnings and the excellencies of all actes be compared together this is true To goe is the beginning of an acte but to finish the iourney is the perfection To begin to learne is another but the habite of learning is the excellence and so in all things the beginning is the first and the end the best But the cause of Ianus
Terminus is already heard But the causes that Ioue swayeth are not effects but efficients nor can the facts begun or ended be before them for the agent is alwayes before the acte Wherefore let Ianus haue sway in beginnings of acts Ioue yet hath dominion in things before his For nothing is either ended or begun without a precedent efficient cause Now as for this great natures maister and cause-disposing God if the vulgar call him Ioue and adore him with such horrible imputations of villanie as they doe they had better and with lesse sacriledge beleeue no God at all They had better call any one Ioue that were worthy of these horred and hatefull horrors or set a stocke before them and call it Ioue with intent to blaspheme him as Saturne had a stone laide him to deuoure in his sonnes stead then to call him both thunderer and letcher the worlds ruler and the womens rauisher the giuer of all good causes to nature and the receiuer of all bad in himselfe Againe if Iaâ—…s bee the world I aske where Ioues seate is is our author hath said that the true Gods are but parts of the worlds soule and the soule it selfe well then hee that is not such is no true God How then Is Ioue the worlds soule and Ianus the body this visible world If it be so Ianus is no god for the worlds body is none but the soule and his parts onely witnesse them-selues So Varro saith plainly hee holds that God is the worlds soule and this soule is god But as a wise man hath body and soule and yet his name of â—…ise is onely in respect of his soule So the world hath soule and body yet is called God onely in reference to the soule So then the worlds body alone is no god but the soule either seperate or combined with the body yet so that the god-head rest onely in it selfe if Iâ—… then be the world and a god how can Ioue be a part of Ianus onely and yet so great a god for they giue more to Ioue then Ianus Iouis omnia plena all is full of Ioâ—…e say they Therefore if Ioue be a god the king of gods they cannot make any but him to bee the world because hee must reigne ouer the rest as ouer his owne parts To this purpose Varro in his booke of the worship of the gods which he published seuerall from these other set downe a distich of Valerius c Sorâ—…nus his making it is this Iupiter omnipotens regum rex ipse deusque Progenitor genitrixque deum deus vâ—…us omnis High Ioue Kings King and Parent Generall To all the gods God onely and God all These verses Varro expâ—…undeth and calling the giuer of seed the male and the receiuer the female accounted Ioue the world that both giueth all seed it selfe and receiueth it into it selfe And therefore Soranus saith hee called Ioue Progenitor genitrixque father and mother Full Parent generall to all c. and by the same reason is it that he was called one and the same all for the f world is one and all things are in that one L. VIVES IOue a or Iupiter For they are both declinable nominatiues Genetiuo Iouis and Iupâ—…ris though wee vse the nominatiue onely of the later and the other cases of the first as the Greekes doe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 b Uirgils Georgic 2. calling the inuestigators of causes happy as the Philosophers did of the Peripatetiques and Academikes Arist. Ethic. 10. Cicero de finib 5. c Soranus Mentioned by Cicero de Oratore 1. Plin. lib. 3. Solin Polihist Plut. Probl. Macrob. Saturn Seru. in Georg. 1. Hee was a learned Latine counted the best scholler of the Gowned professors Cic. de orat 1. Varro was so held also but Soranus before him as Ennius the best Poet before Uirgill Hee had honors at Rome and the tribuneship for one and because hee spoake the secret name of Rome which no man might vtter hee lost his life Pliâ—… Solin Macrob. and Plutarch though in Pompeyes life Plutarch saith that Q. Valeriâ—… the Philosopher which most vnderstood to be Soranus was put to death by Pompey But this is but at the second hand saith he from Oppius let vs beware how wee trust a friend to Caesar in a storiâ—… of Pompey Some say hee died suddenly Others that hee was crucified Seru. d Iupiter The old copies read Iupiter omnipotens regum rerumque deumque for the first verse e Gâ—…uer of seede Orph. Hymn 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. God as a man begets as woman breedes f World is So held all the best Philosophers against Anaximander Anaximenes Aristarchus Xenophanâ—…s Diogenes Leucippus Democritus and Epicurus all which held many worlds Whether Ianus and Ioue be rightly distinguished or no. CHAP. 10. WHerefore Ianus being the world and Ioue the world also and yet the world but one why then are not Ianus and Ioue one Why haue the seuerall Temples seuerall altars rites and statues all seuerall Because the originall is one thing and the cause another and therefore their names and natures are distinct herein Why how can this bee If one man haue two authorities or two sciences because they are distinct is he therefore two officers or two tradesmen So then if one GOD haue two powers ouer causes and ouer originalls must hee needs therefore be two Gods because they are two things If this may bee faith then let Ioue be as many gods as he hath surnames for his seuerall authorities for all his powers whence they are deriued are truly distinct let vs looke in a few of them and see if this be not true Of Ioues surnames referred all vnto him as one god not as to many CHAP. 11. THey called him a Victor Inâ—…incible Helper Impulsor Stator b Hundred footeâ—… the Râ—…fter c the Nourisher Ruminus and inunmerable other names too long d to rehearse All the names they gaue one God for diuers respect and powers yet did they not make him a god for each peculiar because he conquered was vnconquered helped the needy had power to inforce to stay to establish to ouerturne because he bore vp the world like a e rafter because he nourished all and as it were gaue all the world suck Marke these powers conferred with the epithites Some are of worth some idle yet one gods worke they are f all as they say I thinke there is more neerenesse of nature betweene the causes and the beginnings of things for which they make one world two gods Ianus and Ioue who they say both contayneth all and yet giueth creatures sucke yet for these two works of such different qualities is not Ioue compelled to become two gods but playeth the one part as he is Tigillus The Rafter and the other as he in Ruminus the Dugg-bearer I will not say that it were fitter for Iuno to suckle the words creatures then Iupiter especially hauing power to make a
VIVES MErcury a There were fiue Mercuries Cicero The first sonne to Caelus and Dies the second to Valens and Pheronis this is he that is vnder the carth calleth otherwise Tryphonius third sonne to Ioue and Maia fourth father to Nilus him the Egiptian held it sacriledge to name 5. Hee that the Pheneates worshipped hee killed Argus they say and therefore gouerned Egipt and taught the Egiptians lawes and letters They call him Theut Thus farre Tully Theut is named by Plato in his Phaedon and Euseb. de praeparat Euang. lib. 1. who saith the Egiptians called him Thoyth the Alexandrians Thot the Greekes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and that he first taught letters and looked into the secrets of Theology Diodorus saith hee first inuented spelling of words and giuing of names to things as also rites and ceremonies Lib. 1. for the wordes Horace dâ—… testifie it out of Alcaeus and therefore the Egiptians thought him the inuentor and god of languages calling him the interpreter of God and men both because hee brought religion as it were from the gods to men and also because the speech and praier passeth from men to the gods with which is no commerce Thence comes Aristides his fable there was no commerce nor concord between man and man vntill Mercury had sprinkled them with language and the inuenting of letters missiue was a fit occasion to make them thinke that hee was a god hauing power by their secrecy to dispatch things with such celerity b The speech onely Mercury they say is the power of speech and is faigned to bee straight seeing the tongue runnes so smoothe but in a set speech some will haue a solar vertue which is Mercury others a Lunary that is Hecate other a power vniuersall called Herâ—…is Porph Physiologus One of the causes of his beeing named Cyllenius is saith Festus Pâ—…s because the tongue doth all without hands and them that want handes are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 though this is a name common to all lame persons Others hold that he had it from some place c Mercurius quasi Of Merx marchandise saith Festus and I thinke truely it comes of Mercor to buy or sell whence our word Merchant also commeth d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to interprete This it is to be the gods messenger not to interprete their sayings but faithfully to discharge their commaunds which the speech can doe transferring things from soule to soule which nought but speech can doe and since soules were taken for gods thence was hee counted the gods interpreter Plato in Cratylo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. They that doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith he that is speake wee iustly call Ironies But now hauing gotten as wee thinke a better word wee call it Hermes Iris also may bee deriued 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to speake for shee is a messenger also Hee that dealeth in any other mans affaire is called an interpreter a meane and an arbitrator Ser. in Aeneid 4. and Cicero in diuers places Urigil also In Dido's words to Iuno the meane of attonement betweene her and Aeneas saith thus Tu harum interpres curarum et conscia Iuno Thou Iuno art the meane and knowes my grieues e Lord of Merchants Without language farewell traffique Diodorus saith that some 〈◊〉 Mercury to haue found out weights and measures and the way to gaine by trading There is a Greeke prouerbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 common gaine f Winged His feete wings are called Zalaria in Homere 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he had head-wings also behind each of his eares Apuleius Apologus his wings were aboue his hat as he saith in Plautus his Amphitruo I weare these fethers in my hat Beroald Sueton in August g Messenger Diodor. Sicul. lib. 6. Acron in Horat. Car. lib. 1. Of certaine starres that the Pagans call their gods CHAP. 15. PErhaps these a starres are their gods that they call by their gods names For one they call Mercury another Mars nay and there is one Ioue also though all the world be but Ioue So is there a Saturne yet Saturne hath no small place besides beeing the ruler of all seede But then there is the brightest of all Venus though they will needes make her b the Moone also though she and Iuno contend as much for that glorious star in their opinion as they did for the c golden apple For some say that Lucifer is Venus others Iuno but Venus as she doth euer gets it from Iuno For many more cal it Venus then Iuno there are few or none of the later opinioÌ„ But who wil not laugh to haue Ioue named the King of gods and yet see Venus haue a farre brighter starre then his His fulgor should haue beene as super-eminent as his power but it seemes lesse they reply and hirs more because one is nearer the earth then another Why but if the highest place deserue the honour why hath not Saturne the grace from Iupiter Oâ—… could not the vanity that made Ioue King mount so high as the starres So thâ—… Saturne obtaineth that in heauen which hee could neither attaine d in his Kingdome nor in the Capitoll But why hath not Ianus a starre aswell as Ioâ—… beeing all the world and comprehending all as well as e Ioue Did hee fall to composition for feare of law and for one star in heauen was content to take many faces vpon earth And if two starres onely made them count Mars and Mercury for deities being notwithstanding nothing but speech and warre no parts of the world but acts of men why hath not Aries Taurus Cancer Scorpio c. thâ—… are in the f highest heauen and haue more g certaine motions why haâ—… not they Temples Altars and sacrifices nor any place either amongst the popular gods or the selected L. VIVES THese starres Plato saith that the Greekes and many Barbarians whilom vsed to adâ—… no gods but the Sunne Moone and Starres calling them naturall gods as Beritius wrot to Sanchaniates affirming that of the ancient men the Phaenicians and Egiptians first began to erect temples and sacrifices for their friends and benefactors naming them by the stars namâ—… one Heauen another Saturne a third the Sun and so forth Thus far Plato Doubtlesse the gods themselues being cunning Astrologians either gaue themselues those names or such as held those great powers of theirs to be in the stars gaue the Inuentors of star-skil those names For the star Mercury they say maketh men witty eloquent and fitting to the planet hee is ioyned with and Seneca liketh this cause of his name of the gods interpretor For with Iupiter and the Sun he is good with Mars and Mercury maleuolent Mars is violent a war-breeder as Porphyry saith the Lo of wrath because of firy ardor ariseth fury and warre Hence is the Stoikes Theology referring all the gods natures to the worlds and consequently so obscure that the truth is not possibly to be
far different manner then that composition of the bodies k The body Vâ—…gil Georg. 4. Aeneid 6. reciteth Pythagoras his opinion singing of God that is the worlds soule whence each one drawes a life at his originall and returnes it at his death But because it may be doubted how all soules haue one originall sence one vnderstandeth better then another and vseth reason more perfectly this difference he held did proceed from the body and not from the soules For these are his wordes Principâ—… Calum at Terras Camposque liquentes â—…temque Globune terrae Titaniaque astra Spâ—…s intus alit totamque infusa per artus Mens agiâ—…at moleâ—… magno se corpore miscet c. Heauen Earth and Sea each in his proper bound The Moones bright globe and all the spangled round A spirit within doth feed doth mooue and passe Through euery parcell of this spatious masse All â—…hich is explayned at full by Seruius the Gramarian Porphyry confesseth with Pythagoras 〈◊〉 the soule suffereth with the body whose affects good or bad redound in part vnto the 〈◊〉 yet denieth hee that they alter the soules nature De sacrificijs lib. 4. How the platonists conceiued of the naturall part of Phylosophy CHAP. 6. WHerefore ' these Phylosophers whom fame we see hath worthily preferred 〈◊〉 before the rest did wel perceiue that God was a no bodily thing therfore paâ—…â—…rther then al bodies in this inuestigatioÌ„ they saw that no b mutable thing 〈◊〉 and therfore went further then al mutable spirits and soules to seek for 〈◊〉 â—…gain they saw that c al formes of mutable things whereby they are what 〈◊〉 of what nature soeuer they be haue originall from none but him that is 〈◊〉 vnchangeable Consequently neither the body of this vniuerse the fiâ—…â—…alities motions and Elements nor the bodies in them all from heauen to 〈◊〉 â—…her vegetatiue as trees or sensitiue also as beasts or reasonable also as 〈◊〉 those that need no nutriment but subsist by them-selues as the Angels 〈◊〉 being but from him who hath only simple being For in him d to be and 〈◊〉 â—…ffer not as if he might haue being without life neither to liue and to 〈◊〉 â—…d as if he could haue life without intellect nor to vnderstand and to bee 〈◊〉 â—…s if he could haue the one and not the other But his life vnderstanâ—… beatitude are all but his being From this invariable and simple essence 〈◊〉 they gathered him to bee the vncreated Creator of all existence For they 〈◊〉 â—…ed that all thinges are eyther body or life that the e life excelleth the 〈◊〉 â—…hat sensibility is but a species of the body but vnderstanding of the life 〈◊〉 â—…fore they preferred intellect before sence Sensible things are those 〈◊〉 to be seen or touched Intelligible can only be vnderstood by the minde 〈◊〉 is no bodily sweetnesse be it in the body as beauty or in motion as 〈◊〉 â—…ll song but the minde doth iudge therof which it could not doe if this 〈◊〉 â—…ere not in it more excellent then eyther in that quantity of body or 〈◊〉 â—…se of voyces and keeping of tones and times Yet if it were not mutable 〈◊〉 â—…ld not iudge better then another of these sensible species nor one be wittiâ—…â—…inger or more exercised then another but he that began after should 〈◊〉 much as he that learned before and he that profited after should bee vnâ—… from his ignorance before but that which admitteth maiority or minoriâ—… angeable doubtlesse And therfore these learned men did well obserue 〈◊〉 first forme of things could not haue existence in a subiect mutable And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 beholding degrees of diuersity in the formes of soules and bodies and 〈◊〉 the seperation of al forme from theÌ„ directly destroied theÌ„ this infered aneâ—…ty of some vnchangeable and consequently an all-excelling forme this they 〈◊〉 the beginning of all thinges vncreated all creating exceeding right This 〈◊〉 they knew of God he did manifest vnto them by teaching them the graduâ—…â—…emplation of his parts invisible by his workes visible as also his eternity â—…inity who created all things both visible and temporary Thus much of 〈◊〉 Physiology or naturall Phylosophy L. VIVES GOD a was no body This Alcinous in Plato's doctrine argueth thus If God were a 〈◊〉 hee should haue substance and forme for so haue all bodies being like the Idea's wherein they haâ—…e a secret resemblance But to say God hath substance and forme is absurd for he should â—…thor be the beginning nor vncompounded Therefore hee hath no body Besides euery body is of some substance What then shall GOD bee of fire or ayre earth or water Nor of these are beginnings but rather haue a later being then the substance whereof they consist â—…ut these are blasphemies the truth is GOD is incorporeall If he were a body hee were generated and therefoâ—…e corruptible But farre are those thinges from GOD. Thus farre Alcinous b No mutable Plato in Timaeus calls God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c one the same and alwaies like him-selfe as Tully translates it Alcinous saith hee must needes bee an intelligible substance Of which kind the soule is better theâ—… what is not the soule but the power that is perpetually actual excelleth that which is potentiall such therefore is God c All formes In Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so Tully others interprete it d To bee and to liue Alcinous saith that God is supreme eternall ineffable selfe-perfect needing nothing eternally absolute Deity cause of all bâ—…ing truth harmony good and all these in one and one For I count them not as dis-ioyned but coessentiall And a little â—…ter he saith that God is incomprehensible onely apparant to the thought but conteyned vnder no kinde what-soeuer not definable nor specificall nor subiect to any accident to say hee is euill were wickednesse and to say hee is good is insufficient for then hee should participate of goodnesse but hee hath neyther difference nor accident This opinion did Dionisius the Diuine follow denying wisedome life or vnderstanding to be in god For these are the names of particular perfections which are not in God This seemes to bee grounded on Plato's wordes in Phadon that all good is such by participation of good but there hee excepteth true good that is doubtlesse God the Idea and essence of all beautifull goodnesse e Life excelleth He cals the soule life as Aristotle doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 perfection or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 any thing eternally actuall both may bee said of the soule But Plato speaking of soules meaneth it seemes onely the rationall The excellency of the Platonists aboue the rest in logicke CHAP. 7. NOw as concerning the other part of their a doctrine called logicke farre bee it from vs to ioyne them in comparison with those fellowes that fetched the iudgement of truth from the bodily sences and held all things to bee swayed by their false and
fourth the goods of the soule sciences artes and good opinions But in the first he putteth measure moderation and oportunity All which as hee writeth to Dionysius import that GOD is the proportion cause measure author and moderator of all goodnesse And in his 2. de Repub. hee calleth GOD the greatest good and the Idea of good And therefore Apuleius defineth GOD to bee the professor and bestower of Beatitude Dogm Plat. And Speusippus defineth him to be A liuing immortall and supernaturall essence sufficing to beatitude and cause of nature and all goodnesse The contemplation of this good didde Plato say made a man happy For in his Banquet Diotima a most wise woman biddeth Socrates to marke her speach well And then falling into a discourse that our loue concerned beauty at last shee drew to a deeper theame affirming a beauty that was eternall immutable and vndiminished nor increased nor fayre in one part and not in another nor beeing subiect to any vicissitude or alteration of times Nor beautyfull in one respect and not in all Whose beauty is neyther altered by place nor opinion nor is as a part or an accident of that essence wherein it is But it is euer existem in one and the same forme and from thence flowes all the Worldes beauty yet so as neyther the originall of any thing decreaseth it nor the decay augmenteth it or giueth any effect or change to it This holy and venerable beauty when a man beginneth to behold truly that is beeing dislinked from the loue of other beauties then is not hee farre from the toppe of his perfection For that is the way to thinges truly worth desiring Thus must wee bee truly ledde vnâ—… it when a man ascendeth by degrees from these inferior beauties vnto that supreme one transporting him-selfe from one fayre obiect vnto two and so vnto all the rest of all beautyfull desires where-vppon the like disciplines must needes follow of which the onely cheefe and cheefly to bee followed is the contemplation of that supreme beauty and from thence to draw this lesson thus must a man internally beauteous direct his life Saw you but this once cleare you would scorne ritches honours and exterior formes Tell me now saith shee how great a happynesse should hee giue thee that should shew thee this sincere this purest beauty not circumscript with a forme of mortality nor with coullors nor mettals or such like trash but in it selfe meerely diuine and one and the same to all eternity I pray thee wouldst thou not admire his life that should haue his wisnes so full as to behold and inioy this gloryous beauty O gloryous pertaker of vnchanged solid vertue Friend of the all powerfull God and aboue all other Diuine and immortall These are the wordes of wise Diotyma vnto Socrates to which hee replyeth that hee beleeued her and that hee laboureth to perswade man-kinde that there is no such meane to attaine the possession of this pulchritude as the loue of it and that no man should thinke it were ynough to dispute of it in wordes or to contemplate there-vppon with an vnpurged heart Which things is hard nay neere impossible saith Plato yet teacheth hee that beatitude is attained by imitation of GOD De leg 4. where speaking of GODS friendes and enemies hee saith That it must bee a wise mans continuall meditation how to follow God and make him the rule of his courses before all mortall men to whose likenesse his cheefe study must bee to â—…old him-selfe what it is to be like GOD hee sheweth in his Thaeatetus it is to bee iust wise and holy And in his Epistle to Hermeas and his fellowes hee saith That if any man bee a Phylosopher hee aymeth at the knowledge of God and his father as farre as happy men can attayne it And in his Epinomis speaking of GOD hee saith Him doth each man especially admire and consequently is inflamed with the power of humaine witte to labour for this beatitude in this life present and expecting a place after death with those that haue serued vertue This saith Plato who placed the greatest beatitude in the life to come For hee sayth in the same booke That none or very few can attayn happynesse in this life but great hope there is after this life to inioy the happynesse for which wee haue beene so carefull to keep and continue our courses in goodnesse and honesty And towards the end hee saith It is wickednes to neglect God the reason of all beeing so fully already discouered Hee that can make vse of all this I câ—…t him truly wise and firmely avow that when hee dyeth he shall not be any longer in the common fashion of this life but haue a certayne peculiar excellence alloted him to bee both most wise and most happie And liue a man so where he will in Iland or continent hee shall pertake this faelicity and so shall he that vseth these directions wheresoeuer in gouernment of others or in priuate estate referring all to God But as wee sayd before so say wee still very few attaine this perfection 〈◊〉 this life this life this is most true and no way rashly spoken Thus much out of his 〈◊〉 In the end of his De Repub. thus Behold now the rewards stable and glorious which 〈◊〉 shall receiue both of god and man besides the particular benefits that his iustice doth reâ—… 〈◊〉 But all these are nothing neither in number nor quantity in respect of those after death 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Phaedon wherefore saith Socrates while wee liue here on earth let vs haue as little 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…h the body as may be for so wee shall get to some knowledge and keeping a good watch 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that God set vs free from it wee shall passe away pure from contagion to conuerse with 〈◊〉 â—…ies and by our selues haue full vnderstanding of that sincere and pure truth which 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is a going my way hath a great hope to bee there crowned with the fruition of 〈◊〉 â—…ch in his life he suffered so many afflictions And after If he be a true Philosopher that 〈◊〉 Gods must needs beare a great stroke with him namely that he cannot attaine the pure 〈◊〉 â—…ill after this life Thus much out of Plato in diuers places partly the words and 〈◊〉 â—…te which being assumed to shew his opinion out of his owne workes maketh 〈◊〉 â—…s to ad any quotations out of other Platonists b Euen those that loue I wounder 〈◊〉 his logike saith that their is no loue but delight the world controules him I 〈◊〉 â—…ent friend yet my delight departed with him But this is not the least nor the last 〈◊〉 â—…hat booke To enioy is to take delight of in any thing as Augustine writeth in his 〈◊〉 Wee enioy that wee take pleasure in of the vse and the fruit hereafter in the 〈◊〉 â—…ke c Whether the Ionian Though Plato had much from Pythagoras yet was 〈◊〉 Philosopher for hee followed Socrates more
thereby their equall esteeme of them call them what they list If the daunger of these goods or commodities should draw either of them to mischiefes or els to bee lost they both ioyne in this rather to abiure the vse of bodily benefits then to transgresse the rules of iustice Thus is the minde still fixed holding stedfastly that no passion though it insult vpon the soules meaner parts can domineere oâ—… but reason ouer them excercising vertues soueraignty ouer them by opposition nor by consent For such an one doth Virgil say Eneas was Mens immota manet Lachrymae voluuntur inanes His minde stood fixt yet fruitlesse teares must out L. VIVES THâ—…se a Tully De finib lib. 3. Cato Minor is for the Stoikes in the question of the highest good all whose arguments Tully himselfe lib. 4 refuteth proouing their controuersie with the Plâ—…ists and Peripatetiques to bee onely verball whose principall founder Zeno was b Will not Cic. de finib calls them esteemables and Acad quest lib. 1. saith thus Zeno placed all the 〈◊〉 of beatitude in vertue onely nor reckned ought good but what was honest that being the â—…ple and onely good The rest though not bad yet some are naturall some against â—…re 〈◊〉 meane betweene both The naturall he holds are to bee held in some esteeme and contrary of the contrariety The meane hee leaues as neuters not to be held at any esteem make degrees of esteeme in the naturall also the more esteemable hee called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 preferred the lesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 reiected and these words Tully vseth de finib lib. 3. c Others Plato de lâ—…g lib. 4. maketh goods triplet corporall mentall externall the first and last being secluded from vertue he maketh vselesse hurtfull and dangerous the midlemost are diuine and happy adiuncts of the wise man onely making man happy of themselues alone the other properly 〈◊〉 not goods but respectiuely nor vnto all but the iust onely to whom that which the vulgar calleth euill is a truer good then these are to the wicked seruing them onely as instruments of more mischiefe This is common in Plato who gaue originall to almost al the Stoikes rare and admired paradoxes as that honest things are only good only a wise man is ritch free the good man it happy the bad miserable to beare a wrong is more felicity then to offer one Yet did Plato call those corporall and external benefits goods because as Apuleius saith Dog Pla. their vse is necessary in common life yet so are they goods as vertue must better them and aâ—…pt them to the fit prosecution of happinesse So good they are saith Plato when they are verâ—… 〈◊〉 and serue in her ministery when otherwise they are direct plagues destructiâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aristotle also held d Whether a wise Of affects Tully discourseth at lage Tusc. quaest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what they are that a wise man must not be exposed vnto in Stoicisme But the Plaâ—…â—…d â—…d their most generall followers the Peripatetiques say that they are naturally ingrafted 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…remoouable and onely to bee repressed e A. Gellius He liued in Adrians time and 〈◊〉 wrote his Noctes Atticae Hee was very familiar with Phauorinus and Taurus both 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with Apollinaris and Probus Grammarians of his learning and wit take 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whom the most nay rather all the Grammarians doe second perhaps because 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of their profession sufficeth it to say thus though by Augustines leâ—… I thinke him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But of this else-where The place here quoted is lib. 19. cap. 1. f Elâ—… Or of quick â—…tion g Of Asia Which word addeth to his luxury for from Asia it first arose h 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aristippus Who had the like chance in sayling to Corinth Laertâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…opolis seruant to Epaphâ—…s Nero's chamberlaine 〈◊〉 vnto the Antonines of him was made this disticke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Borne was I slaue and Epictete my name Belou'd of God as Irus poore and lame 〈◊〉 he was indeed Sustine abstine was much in his mouth which Gellius saith often 〈◊〉 not much nothing of his was extant in Suidas times His Manuell was his scholâ—… 〈◊〉 not his The booke that this Philosopher puld out of his sâ—…rip was the fift of his 〈◊〉 k Minds Phantasies of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to imagine Tully translates it a thing seene it is 〈◊〉 that the mind frames it selfe after any obiect arising of the external impulsioÌ„ which 〈◊〉 by consent or resistance so begetting opinion But the opinions condemned by 〈◊〉 seeme rather to bee the affections that wee doe procure our selues from our owne 〈◊〉 â—…dgements and opinion sorrow they called an opinion of a great euil present ioy 〈◊〉 good desire an opinion of a great future good feare of an euill Thence doe they 〈◊〉 opinion troubleth vs more then reall causes and we are oftener feared then hurt 〈◊〉 toucht already They held further that an vngrounded opinion or weake assent 〈◊〉 consideration doth not befall a wise man l Not so farre Arrianus in his Enâ—…â—…ddes a wise man as soone as any terrible obiect presents it selfe vnto him to conâ—…â—…s but a phantasme and not such as it appeareth m Befall Plato saith that afâ—… 〈◊〉 man as like nerues or little strings whereby nature drawes vs forwarde into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 themselues are contraries but hee that hath giuen his reason once dominion oâ—…â—…all finde their force of no effect worth esteeming â—…at the Christians passions are causes of the the practise of vertue not inducers vnto vice CHAP. 5. 〈◊〉 is no need to stand vpoÌ„ a large discouery what the christians scriptures 〈◊〉 in this point of affects It doth subiect the whole minde to Gods goâ—… 〈◊〉 and assistance and all the passions vnto it in that manner that they are 〈◊〉 seeme the increase of iustice finally our doctrine inquires not so much 〈◊〉 be angry but wherefore Why he is sad not whether he be sad and 〈◊〉 For anger with an offender to reforme him pitty vpon one afflicted 〈◊〉 him feare for one in daunger to deliuer him these no man not mad can 〈◊〉 The Stoikes a indeed vse to reprehend pitty But that Stoike might â—…estly haue pittied another mans daunger then haue feared his owne 〈◊〉 farre more humanity and piety sayd Tully b in Caesars praise Of all thy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 none more admired nor applauded then thy mercy What is mercy but a 〈◊〉 â—…on in our owne heart of anothers misfortunes vrging vs as farre as our 〈◊〉 â—…tcheth to releoue him This affect serues reason when our pitty offendâ—…â—…stice either in releeuing the poore or forgiuing the penitent This c 〈◊〉 â—…ent Cicero stuck not to call a vertue which the Stoikes recken with the 〈◊〉 doth Epictetus out of the doctrines of Zeno and Chrysippus the first paâ—… this sect allow these passions vnto a man whom nathelesse they must 〈◊〉 keepe from
beeing in his hand it is most certaine That is nothing can fall out but he willeth it because he willeth nothing but must fall so out And therefore they that obserue his will obserue the sure cause of all effectes because all effects haue production from his will so that rightly doth Augustine call his will most certaine and most powerfull his power being the cause of his wils certainty This will the Angels and Saints beholding know as much as the proportion of their beatitude permitteth For al of them haue noâ—… the same knowledge but gradually as they haue beatitude as hee saith e Continually Continual is their speculation of God least the least intermission should make them wretched yet doth not the feare of that cause them continue the other but that beatitude doth wholly transport them from the cogitation and desire of all other thinges they inioying all goodnesse in him that is the fountaine of them all That the Pagan Idols are falsely called goddes yet the scripture allowes it to Saints and Angels CHAP. 23. NOw if the Platonists had rather cal these gods theÌ„ Daemones and roâ—…on them amongst those whome the father created as their Maister Platâ—… writâ—…ch let theÌ„ do so we wil haue no verball controuersie with them If they call them immortall and yet Gods creatures made immortall by adherence with him not by themselues they hold with vs call them what they will And the best Platonists if not all haue left records that thus they beleeued for whereas they call such an immortall creature a god wee b contend not with them our scriptures saying The God of gods euen the Lord hath spoken againe Praise yea the God of Gods Againe A great King aboue all gods And in that it is written He is to be feared aboue al gods The sequell explaines it For all the gods of the people are Idols but the Lord made the beaâ—…ens He calleth him ouer al gods to wit the peoples those that the Nations called their gods being Idols therfore is he to be feared aboue them all and in this feare they cryed Art thou come to destroy vs before our time But whereas it is written The God of gods this is not to be vnderstood the God of Idols or diuels and God forbid we should say A great King aboue all Gods in reference to his kingdome ouer diuels but the scripture calleth the men of Gods familie gods I haue said you are gods and al children of the most High of these must the God of gods be vnderstood and ouer these gods is King The great King aboue al gods But now one question If men being of Gods family whom he speaketh vnto by men or Angels be called gods how much more are they to be so called that are immortall inioy that beatitude which men by Gods seruice do aime at We answer that the scripture rather calleth men by the name of gods then those immortall blessed creatures whose likenesse was promised after death because our vnfaithfull infirmity should not be seduced by reason of their super eminence to make vs gods of them which inconuenience in man is soon auoyded And yâ— men of Gods family are the rather called gods to assure them that he is their God that is the God of gods for though the blessed Angels bee called goddes yet they are not called the Gods of Gods yâ— is of those seruants of God of whom it is said You are gods al children of the most High Here-vpon the Apostle saith though ther be that are called gods whether in heauen or in earth as there be many gods and many Lords yet vnto vs there is but one God which is the father of whome are all things and we in him and one Lord Iesus Christ by whome are al things and we by him No matter for the name theÌ„ the matter being thus past all scruple But whereas we say from those immortall quires Angels are sent with Gods command vnto men this they dislike as beleeuing that this businesse belongs not to those blessed creatures whom they cal goddes but vnto the Daemones whome they dare not affirme blessed but only immortall or so immortall and blessed as good Daemones are but not as those high gods whom they place so high and so farre from mans infection But though this seeme a verball controuersie the name of a Daemon is so detestable that we may by no meanes attribute it vnto our blessed Angels Thus then let vs end this book Know al that those blessed immortals how euer called yâ— are creatures are no meanes to bring miserable man to beatitude being from them c doubly different Secondly those that pertake immortality with them and miserable for reward of their mallice with vs can rather enuy vs this happines then obtaine it vs therfore the fautors of those Daemones can bring no proofe why wee should honour them as God but rather that we must auoyd them as deceiuers As for those whome they say are good immmortall and blessed calling them goddes and allotâ—…ing them sacrifices for the attainment of beatitude eternall In the next booke by Gods helpe wee will proue that their desire was to giue this honour not to them but vnto that one God through whose power they were created and in whose participation they are blessed LVIVES And a recken Plato saith that that great God the father created all the rest In Timaeo b VVe contend not No man denieth saith Cypryan that there are many gods by participations Boethius calles euery happy man a god but one onely so by nature 〈◊〉 the rest by participation And to vs hath Christ giuen power to be made the sons of God 〈◊〉 Doubtly By from our misery and mortality which two wordes some copies adde vnto the tâ—…xt The sence is all one implied in the one and expressed in the other Finis lib. 9. THE CONTENTS OF THE tenth booke of the City of God 1 That the Platonists themselues held that One oâ—…ly God was the giuer of all beatitude â—…to Men and Angels but the controuersie is whether they that they hold are to be worshipped for this end would haue sacrifices offered to them-selues or resigne all vnto God 2. The opinion of Plotine the Platonist concerâ—…ing the supernaturall illumination 3. Of the true worship of God wherein the Platoâ—…ts failed in worshipping good or euill Angels though they knew the worlds Creator 4. That sacrifice is due onely to the true God 5. Of the sacrifices which God requireth â—…ot and what be requireth in their signification 6. Of the true and perfect sacrifice 7. That the good Angels doe so loue vs that thy desire wee should worship God onely and â—…ot them 8. Of the miracles whereby God hath confirâ—…d his promises in the mindes of the faithfull by the ministry of his holy Angels 9. Of vnlawfull Arts concerning the Deuils worship whereof Porphery approoueth some and dâ—…eth others 10. Of Theurgy that falsely
saith he exceeding in power and goodnesse and the causes contayning all are wretched if they be drawne down by meale fond were their goodnesse if they had no other meanes to shew it and abiect their nature if it were bound from contemning of meale which if they can doe why come they not into a good minde sooner then into good meale d Doe hold Porphyry saith those euill Demones deceiue both the vulgar and the wise Philosophers and they by their eloquence haue giuen propagation to the error For the deuils are violent false counterfeits dissemblers seek to imbezell gods worship There is no harme but they loue it and put on their shapes of gods to lead vs into deuillish errors Such also are the soules of those that die wicked For their perturbations of Ire concupiscence and mallce leaue them not but are vsed by these soules being now become deuills to the hurt of mankind They change their shapes also now appearing to vs and by and by vanishing thus illuding both our eyes and thoughts and both these sorts possesse the world with couetice ambition pride and lust whence all warres and conflicts arise and which is worst of all they seeke to make the rude vulgar thinke that these things are acceptable to the gods And poesie with the sweetnesse of phrase hath helped them pâ—…tily forwardes Thus farre Porphyry de Abstin anim lib. 2. not in doubtfull or inquiring manner as hee doth in his writing to the priest but positiuely in a worke wherein he sheweth his owne doctrine e admirers The Philosophers whom hee saith erred themselues concerning the gods natures some in fauour of the gods and some in following of the multitude f Why the best Thus hee beginnes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Of those that are called gods but are 〈◊〉 wicked Dâ—…mones g The soothsaier Epoptes the proper word for him that lookes on thâ—…r sacrifice h The Sunne So saith Lucan his Thessalian witch that shee can force the gods 〈◊〉 what she list Lucans i Isis or These are the Sunne and Moone Their secret ceremonies being most beastly and obscene the deuills feare to haue them reuealed as Ceres did 〈◊〉 else delude their worshippe by counterfeite feare and so make vse of their fonde errour This of Isis and Osyris belongs to the infernalls also for Porphyry saith the greatest deuill is called Serapis and that is Osyris in Egipt and Pluto in Greece his character is a three headed dog signifying the deuills of the earth ayre and water His Isis is Hecate or Proserpina so it is plaine that this is meant of the secrettes of hell which haue mighty power in magicall practises These doth Erictho in Lucan threaten to the Moone the infernalls and Ceres sacrifices The Poet expresseth it thus Miratur Erichtho Has satis licuisse moras iratà que morti Uerberat immotum viuo serpente cadauer Perque cauas terrae quas egit carmine râ—…mas Manibus illatrat regnique silentia rumpit Tyâ—…iphone vocisque meae secura Megaera Non agitis sâ—…uis Erebi per inane flagellis Infelicen animam I am vos ego nomine verâ—… Eliciam stigiasque canes in luce superna Destituam per busta sequar per funera custos Expellam tumulis abigam vos omnibus vrnis Teque deis ad quos alio procedere vultu Ficta soles Hecate pallenti tabida formae Ostendam faciemque Erebi mutare vetabo Eloquar immenso terrae sub pondere quae te Contineant Ennaea dapes quo foedere moestum Regem noctis ames quae te contagia passam Noluerit reuocare Ceres tibi pessimé mundi Arbiter immittam ruptis I itana cauernis Et subito feriere die Erichtho wonders much At fates deâ—…ay and with a liuing snake She lasht the slaughtred corps making death quake Een-through the rifts of earth rent by her charmes She barkes in hells broad eare these blacke alarmes Stone-deaf Megaera and Tysiphone Why scourge yea not that wretched soule to me From hells huge depths or will you haue me call yee By your true names and leaue yee foule befall yee You stigian dogs I le leaue you in the light And see the graues and you disseuerd quite And Hecate thou that art neuer knowne But in false shapes I le shew thee in thine owne Whole heauen perforce shall see thy putred hew And from earths gutts will I rip forth to vew The feasts and meanes that make thee Pluto's whore And why thy mother fet thee thence no more And thou the worlds worst King al-be thou dead In darkenesse I will breake through all and send Strange light amid thy caues And Porphiry in Respons brings in Hecate compelled to answer the magician 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Why doâ—… thou blind vs so Theodamas what wouldst thou haue vs do Apollo also confesseth that he is compelled to tell truth against his will 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. I answer now perfore as bound by Fate Anâ—… by and by calleth to bee loosed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c loose the left ring Porphiry also saide as Iamblicus writeth in Mister that the Priests were wont to vse violent threats against the Goâ—…s as thus if you doe not this or if you doe that I will breake downe Heauen I will reueale Isis her secrets and diuulge the mistery hid in the depth I will stay the Baris a sacred shipin Egipt and cast Osiris members to Typhon Now Iamblichus saith those threates tend not to the gods but there is a kind of spirits in the world confused vndiscreet and inconsiderat that heareth from others but no way of it selfe and can neither discerne truthes nor possibilities from the contraries On these do those threatnings worke and force them to all duties Perhaps this is them that Porphiry giueth a foolish wil vnto Iamblichus proceedeth to the threats read them in him k Constellations Prophiry writeth out of Chaeremon that that astrology is of man incomprehensible but all these constellated workes and prophecies are tought him by the deuills But Iamblichus opposeth him in this and in the whole doctrine of deuills The man is all for this prodigious superstition and laboureth to answere Prophyry for Anebuns Of the miracles that God worketh by his Angels ministery CHAP. 12. BVt all miracles done by angells or what euer diuine power confirming the true adoration of one God vnto vs in whome only we are blessed we beleeue truely are done by Gods power working in them immortalls that loueâ—…s in true piety Heare not those that deny that the inuisible God worketh visible miracles is not the world a miracle Yet visible and of his making Nay all the miâ—…les done in this world are lesse then the world it selfe the heauen and earth and all therein yet God made them all and after a manner that man cannot conceiue nor comprehend For though these visible miracles of nature bee now no more admired yet ponder them wisely and they are more admirable then
CHAP. 25. By the fayth of this mistery might the ancient Saints of God also bee iustified together with godly life not only before the law was giuen the hebrewes for they wanted not Gods instructions nor the Angels but also in the very 〈◊〉 of the law though they seemed to haue carnall promises in the types of spyrâ—…al thinges it being therefore called the old Testament For there were Propâ—…s then that taught the promise as wel as the Angels and one of them was he â—…se sacred opinion of mans good I related before It is good for me to adhere vnâ—… In which Psalme the two Testaments are distinguished For first hee â—…ng those earthly promises abound so to the vngodly saith his b feete slippâ—… and that he was almost downe as if hee had serued God in vayne seeing that â—…ty that hee hoped of God was bestowed vppon the impious and that hee laboured sore to know the reason of this and was much troubled vntill hee entred into the sanctuary of God and there beheld their endes whome hee in errour thought happy But then c as hee saith hee saw them east downe in their exâ—…on and destroyed for their iniquity and that all their pompe of temporall 〈◊〉 was become as a dreame leauing a man when hee is awake frustrate of â—…ed ioyes hee dreamed off And because they shewed great here vpon 〈◊〉 saith hee In thy Citty thou shalt make their Image bee held as nothing 〈◊〉 good it was for him to seek those temporalties at none but Gods hands â—…weth â—…aying I was as a beast before thee yet was I alwaies with thee as a beast â—…erstanding For I should haue desired such goodes as the wicked could not 〈◊〉 with mee but seeing them abound with goods I thought I had serued thee 〈◊〉 end when as they that hated thee inioyed such felicity Yet was I alwaies with 〈◊〉 fought no other goddes to begge these thinges vppon And then it followâ—… Thou hast holden me by my right hand thou hast guided me by thy will and hast asâ—… into glory As if all that which he saw the wicked inioy were belonging 〈◊〉 left hand though seeing it he had almost falne What haue I in heauen but 〈◊〉 sayth he And would I haue vpon earth but thee Then hee doth checke himâ—… iustly for hauing so great a good in Heauen as afterwards hee vnderstood 〈◊〉 yet begging so transitory frayle and earthen a thing of God here below d 〈◊〉 heart faileth and my flesh but God is the God of mine heart A good fayling to 〈◊〉 the lower and elect the loftyer So that in another Psalme he sayth My soule â—…geth and fainteth for the Courtes of the Lord. And in another My heart fainteth 〈◊〉 thy sauing health But hauing sayd both heart and flesh fainteth hee reioyned not The God of mine heart and flesh but the God of my heart for it is by the heart that 〈◊〉 â—…sh is cleansed as the Lord sayth Cleanse that which is within and then that 〈◊〉 is without shall be cleane Then he calleth God his portion not any thing of 〈◊〉 but him-selfe God is the God of my heart and my portion for euer Because 〈◊〉 mens manifold choyces he chose him only For e behold saith he they 〈◊〉 â—…thdraw them-selues from them shall perish f thou destroyest al them that go 〈◊〉 from thee that is that make them-selues prostitute vnto many gods and then â—…owes that which is the cause I haue spoken al this of the Psalme As for me it is good for mee to adhere vnto GOD not to withdraw my selfe nor to goe a whoring And then is our adherence to God perfect when all is freed that should bee freed But as wee are now the hold is I put my trust in the Lord God for hope that is seene is no hope how can a man hope for that which he seeth savth the Apostle But when we see not our hope then we expect with patience wherein lette vs do that which followeth each one according to his talent becomming an Angell a messenger of God to declare his will and praise his gratious glory That I may declare all thy workes saith hee in the gates of the daughter of Sion This is that gloryous Citty of God knowing and honouring him alone This the Angells declared inuiting vs to inhabite it and become their fellow Cittizens in it They like not that wee should worship them as our elected Gods but with them him that is God to vs both Nor to sacrifice to them but with them be a sacrifice to him Doubtlesse then if malice giue men leaue to see the doubt cleared al the blessed immortalls that enuy vs not and if they did they were not blessed but rather loue vs to haue vs partners in their happinesse are farre more fauourable and beneficiall to vs when wee ioyne with them in sacrificing our selues to the adoration of the Father the Sonne and the holy Spirit L. VIVES WHich a Psal. 73. diuinely soluing of this question of the Phylosophers Why one God ruling all haue the good so often hurt and the bad so much good Or Epicurus his Dilemma If there be a God whence is euill If none whence is good Augustine recites some verses and we wil breefely interpose here and there a word b Feete slipped or moued by the vnworthy euent to take another way it seeming to him to haue done so little good in this c Them All things saith the wise man are secret vntil the end but then the good life helps and the bad hurts the one rewarded and the other plagued for then all appeareth in truth d My heart A sanctified man in all his troubles and faintings of strength and counsell still keepes heart-hold of God making him his portion for euer loose he all thinges God he will neuer loose Augustine me thinks applyeth this to the defect of spirit through the vehement desire of celestiall comfortes For the soule will languish into much loue and lose all the selfe in entyre speculation of that it affecteth Or he may meane that although all bodily meanes of strength or state do faile a good man yet his minde will stil sticke firmely vnto God and entertaine a contempt of all worldly wealth and all guifts of wit or fortune in respect of this God this onely ritches and heritage e Behold Therefore is it good to adhere to him from whom who-soeuer departeth perisheth f Thou destroyest Wee ought to keepe our soule chaste as the spouse of God which if it go a whoring after the desires and lusts of the world neglecting God hee casteth it off as a man doth his dishonest wife and diuorceth it from him And this is the death of the soule to leaue the true life thereof Of Porphyry his wauering betweene confessing of the true God and adoration of the diuels CHAP. 26. Me thinkes Porphrry I know not how is ashamed of his Thevrgicall acquaintance Hee had some knowledge of good
knowledge of it then the draught 〈◊〉 dust and iustice is one in the changelesse truth and another in the 〈◊〉 â—…oule And so of the rest as the firmament betweene the waters aboue 〈◊〉 called heauen the gathering of the waters the apparance of land 〈◊〉 â—…f plants creation of foules and fishes of the water and foure fooâ—…ed 〈◊〉 â—…he earth and last of man the most excelling creature of all All these the 〈◊〉 â—…scerned in the Word of God where they had their causes of their proâ—…â—…mmoueable and fixed otherwise then in them selues clearer in him 〈◊〉 in them-selues yet referring all those workes to the Creators praise 〈◊〉 â—…ke morning in the mindes of these contemplators L. VIVES 〈◊〉 a plainer They haue both sharper wittes then we and the light whereby they 〈◊〉 â—…he â—…rinity is farre brighter then that by which wee know our selues creaâ—…â—…owing â—…owing the effect better in the cause then in it selfe c The vnderstanding Matheâ—…â—…ciples giue better knowledge of times and figures then draughts which can neâ—…â—…ct as to present the thing to the eye truly as it is and better conceiue wee by 〈◊〉 a straight line is the shortest draught from point to point and that all lines drawne 〈◊〉 â—…ter to the cyrcle are equall by the precepts of Geometry rather then by all the 〈◊〉 â—…f dust nay of Parrhasius or Apelles d Dust The old Mathematicians drew â—…tions in dust wiâ—…h a compasse the better to put out or in what they would This 〈◊〉 was a dooing when Syracusa was taken Liu. Tully calleth it learned dust De nat 〈◊〉 secto in puluere metas saith Persius Lines in diuided dust Satyr 1. 〈◊〉 perfection of the number of sixe the first is complete in all the parts CHAP. 30. â—…ese were performed in sixe dayes because of the perfection of the a 〈◊〉 of six one being six times repeated not that God was tied vnto time 〈◊〉 not haue created all at once and afâ—…erwards haue bound the motions 〈◊〉 â—…ngruence but because that number signified the perfection of the 〈◊〉 six is b the first number that is filled by coniunction of the parts the 〈◊〉 â—…ird and the halfe which is one two and three all which conioyned 〈◊〉 â—…arts in numbers are those that may be described of how c many they 〈◊〉 â—…alfe a third a fourth and so forth But foure being in nine yet is no iust 〈◊〉 one is the ninth part aâ—…d three the third part But these two parts one 〈◊〉 are farre from making nine the whole So foure is a part of ten but no 〈◊〉 â—…one is the tenth part two the fifâ—… fiue the second yet these three parts 〈◊〉 5 make not vp full ten but eight onely As for the number of twelfe 〈◊〉 exceed it For there is one the twelfe part six the second foure the third 〈◊〉 fourth and two the sixt But one two three foure and sixe make aboue 〈◊〉 â—…mely sixteene This by the way now to prooue the perfection of the 〈◊〉 of fixe the first as I said that is made of the coniunction of the parts 〈◊〉 did God make perfect all his workes Wherefore this number is not to â—…d but hath the esteeme apparantly confirmed by many places of scripâ—…â—…r was it said in vaine of Gods workes Thou madest all things in number 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 measure L. VIVES THe a number Pythagoras and Plato after him held all things to be disposed by numbers teaching them so mysteriously that it seemed they sought to conceale them from the expresse professors not onely the prophane vulgar Our diuines both Greeke Latine put many mysteries in numbers But Hierome the most of all affirming that the Euangelist omitted some of Christs progenie to make the rest fall in a fit number b For six The perfection of a number is to consist of all the parts such are scarce in Arithmetique and such is sixe onely within ten and twenty seauen within a hundred for this latter consists of 1. 2. 4. 7. and 14. The mysterie of the creation is conteined in the number of sixe Hier. in Ezech. c Of how many as an halfe a fourth a fift sixth c. foure in nine is neither halfe three nor foure and so vp to the ninth as farre as nine goeth For the least quantitatiue part nameth the number as the twelfth of twelue the twentith in twentie and that is alwayes an vnite This kinde of part we call an aliquote Euclide calleth an aliquote onely a part the rest parts For his two definitions his third and his fourth are these A part is a lesse number diuiding a greater Parts are they that diuide not And so the old writers vsed these words Of the seauenth day the day of rest and complete perfection CHAP. 31. BVt in the seauenth day that is the a seuenth repetition of the first day which number hath perfection also in another kinde God rested and gaue the first rule of sanctification therein The day that had no euen God would not sanctifie in his workes but in rest For there is none of his workes but being considered first in God and then in it selfe will produce a day knowledge and an euens Of the perfection of seauen I could say much but this volume groweth bigge and I feare I shall be held rather to take occasion to shew my small skill then to respect others edification Therefore we must haue a care of grauitie and moderation least running all vpon number b wee bee thought neglecters of weight and measure c Let this bee a sufficient admonition d that three is the first number wholy odde and foure wholy euen and these two make seauen which is therefore often-times put for e all as here The iust shall fall seauen times a day and arise againe that is how oft soeuer hee fall hee shall rise againe This is not meant of iniquitie but of tribulation drawing him to humility Againe Seauen times a day will I praise thee the same hee had sayd before His praise shall bee alwayes in my mouth Many such places as these the Scripture hath to prooue the number of seauen to bee often vsed for all vniuersally Therefore is the holy spirit called often-times f by this number of whom Christ said Hee shall teach vs all truth There is Gods rest wherein wee rest in God In this whole in this perfection is rest in the part of it was labour Therefore wee labour because wee know as yet but in part but when perfection is come that which is in part shall be abolished This makes vs search the scriptures so labouriously But the holy Angels vnto whose glorious congregation our toylesome pilgrimage casts a long looke as they haue eternall permanence so haue they easie knowledge and happy rest in God helping vs without ttouble because their spirituall pure and free motions are without labour L. VIVES THe a seauenth Signifying all things created at once b Wee be thought alluding to the precedent saying God made
eldest holds them resolued into most pure ayre which S. Thomas dislikes for such bodies could neuer penetrate the fire nor the heauens But he is too Aristotelique thinking to binde incomprehensible effectes to the lawes of nature as if this were a worke of nature strictly taken and not at the liberty of GODS omnipotent power or that they had forced through fire and heauen by their condensed violence Some disliked the placing of an element aboue heauen and therefore held the Christalline heauens composed of waters of the same shew but of a farre other nature then the Elementary Both of them are transparent both cold but that is light and ours heauy Basill sayth those waters doe coole the heate of the heauens Our Astronomicall diuines say that Saturnes frigidity proceedeth from those waters ridiculous as though all the starres of the eighth spere are not cooler then Saturne These waters sayth Rede are lower then the spirituall heauens but higher then all corporeall creatures kept as some say to threaten a second deluge But as others hold better to coole the heate of the starres De nat◅rer But this is a weake coniecture Let vs conclude as Augustine doth vpon Genesis How or what they are we know not there they are we are sure for the scriptures authority weigheth downe mans witte c In stead of Another question tossed like the first How the elements are in our bodies In parcels and Atomes peculiar to each of the foure saith Anaxagoras Democritus Empedocles Plato Cicero and most of the Peripatetiques Arabians Auerroes and Auicen parcels enter not the bodies composition sayth another but natures only This is the schoole opinion with the leaders Scotus and Occam Aristole is doubtfull as hee is generally yet holdes the ingresse of elements into compoundes Of the Atomists some confound all making bodies of coherent remaynders Others destroy all substances Howsoeuer it is wee feele the Elementary powers heate and drought in our gall or choller of the fire heate and moysture ayry in the blood colde and moyst watery in the fleame Colde and dry earthly in the melancholly and in our bones solydity is earth in our brayne and marrow water in our blood ayre in our spirits cheefely of the heart fire And though wee haue lesse of one then another yet haue some of each f But there And thence is all our troublesome fleame deriued Fitly it is seated in the brayne whether all the heate aspyreth For were it belowe whither heate descendeth not so it would quickly growe dull and congeale Whereas now the heate keepes it in continuall acte vigor and vegetation Finis lib. II. THE CONTENTS OF THE twelfth booke of the Citty of God 1. Of the nature of good and euil Angells 2. That no essence is contrary to God though al the worlds frailty seeme to bee opposite vnto this immutable eternity 3. Of gods enemies not by nature but will which hurting them hurteth their good nature because there is no vice but hurteth nature 4. Of vselesse and reason-lesse natures whose order differeth not from the Decorum held in the whole vniuerse 5. That the Creator hath deserued praise in euery forme and kind of Nature 6. The cause of the good Angels blisse and the euills misery 7. That wee ought not to seeke out the cause of the vicious will 8. Of the peruerse loue wherby the soule goeth from the vnchangeable to the changeable good 9. Whether he that made the Angels natures made their wils good also by the infusion of his loue into them through his holy Spirit 10. Of the falsenes of that History that saith the world hath continued many thousand years 11. Of those that hold not the Eternity of the world but either a dissolution and generation of innumerable worlds or of this one at the expiration of certaine yeares 12. Of such as held Mans Creation too lately effected 13. Of the reuolution of Tymes at whose expiration some Phylosophers held that the Vniuerse should returne to the state it was in at first 14. Of Mans temporall estate made by God out of no newnesse or change of will 15. Whether to preserue Gods eternall domination we must suppose that he hath alwaies had creatures to rule ouer and how it may bee held alwaies created which is not coeternall with God 16. How wee must vnderstand that God promised Man life eternall before all eternity 17. The defence of Gods vnchanging will against those that fetch Gods works about frō eternity in circles from state to state 18. Against such as say thinges infinite are aboue Gods knowledge 19. Of the worlds without end or Ages of Ages 20. Of that impious assertion that soules truly blessed shall haue diuer s reuolutions into misery againe 21. Of the state of the first Man and Man-kinde in him 22. That God fore-knew that the first Man should sin and how many people he was to translate out of his kind into the Angels society 23. Of the nature of Mans soule being created according to the Image of God 24. Whether the Angels may bee called Creators of any the least creature 25. That no nature or forme of any thing liuing hath any other Creator but God 26. The Platonists opinion that held the Angels Gods creatures Man the Angels 27. That the fulnesse of Man-kind was created in the first Man in whome God fore-saw both who should bee saued and who should bee damned FINIS THE TVVELFTH BOOKE OF THE CITTIE OF GOD Written by Saint Augustine Bishop of Hippo vnto Marcellinus Of the nature of good and euill Angels CHAP. 1. BEfore I speake of the creation of man wherein in respect of mortall reasonable creatures the two Citties had their originall as we shewed in the last booke of the Angels to shew as well as wee can the congruity and conuenience of the society of Men with Angels and that there are not foure but rather two societies of Men and Angels qualitied alike and combined in eyther the one consisting both of good Angels and Men and the other of euill that the contrariety of desires betweene the Angels good and euill arose from their diuers natures and beginnings wee may at no hand beleeue God hauing beene alike good in both their creations and in all things beside them But this diuersity ariseth from their wils some of them persisting in God their common good and in his truth loue and eternity and other some delighting more in their owne power as though it were from them-selues fell from that common al-blessing good to dote vppon their owne and taking pride for eternity vayne deceit for firme truth and factious enuy for perfect loue became proud deceiptfull and enuious The cause of their beatitude was their adherence with GOD their must their miseries cause bee the direct contrary namely their not adherence with GOD. Wherefore if when wee are asked why they are blessed and wee answere well because they stucke fast vnto GOD and beeing asked why they
should be saued and who should be damned CHAP. 27. BVt now because we must end this booke let this bee our position that in the first man the fore-said two societies or cities had originall yet not euidentlie but vnto Gods prescience for from him were the rest of men to come some to be made fellow cittizens with the Angels in ioy and some with the Deuils in torment by the secret but iust iudgment of God For seeing that it is written All the wayes of the Lord bee mercy and truth his grace can neither bee vniust nor his iustice cruell Finis lib. 12. THE CONTENTS OF THE thirteenth booke of the City of God 1. Of the first Mans fall and the procurement of mortality 2. Of the death that may befall the immortal soule and of the bodies death 3. Whether death propagated vnto all men from the first bee punishment of sinne to the Saints 4. Why the first death is not with-held from the regenerate from sinne by grace 5. As the wicked vse the good law euill so the good vse death which is euill well 6. The generall euill of that death that seuereth soule and body 7. Of the death that such as are not regenerate doe suffer for Christ. 8. That the Saints in suffering the first death for the truth are quit from the second 9. Whether a man at the houre of his death may be said to be among the dead or the dying 10. Whether this mortall life be rather to bee called death then life 11. Whether one may bee liuing and dead both together 12. Of the death that God threatned to punish the first man withall if he transgressed 13. What punishment was first laid on mans preuarication 14. In what state God made Man and into what state he fell by his voluntary choyce 15. That Adam forsooke God ere God forsooke him and that the soules first death was the departure from God 16. Of the Philosophers that held corporall death not to bee penall whereas Plato brings in the Creator promising the lesser Gods that they should neuer leaue their bodies 17. Against the opinion that earthly bodies cannot be corruptible nor eternall 18. Of the terrene bodies which the Philosophers hold cannot bee in heauen but must fall to earth by their naturall weight 19 Against those that hold that Man should not haue beene immortall if hee had not sinned 20. That the bodies of the Saints now resting in hope shall become better then our first fathers was 21. Of the Paradice when our first parents were placed and that it may be taken spiritually also with-out any wrong to the truth of the historie as touching the reall place 22. That the Saints bodies after resurrection shall bee spirituall and yet not changed into spirits 23. Of bodies animate and spirituall these dying in Adam and those beeing quickned in Christ. 24. How Gods breathing a life into Adam and Christs breathing vpon his Apostles when hee said Receiue the holy spirit are to bee vnderstood FINIS THE THIRTEENTH BOOKE OF THE CITTIE OF GOD Written by Saint Augustine Bishop of Hippo vnto Marcellinus Of the first Mans fall and the procurement of mortalitie CHAP. 1. HAuing gotten through the intricate questions of the worlds originall and man-kindes our methode now calleth vs to discourse of the first mans fall nay the first fall of both in that kind and consequently of the originall and propagation of our mortality for God made not man as he did Angels that though they sinned yet could not dye but so as hauing a performed their course in obedience death could not preuent them from partaking for euer of blessed and Angelicall immortality but hauing left this course death should take them into iust damnation as we said in the last booke L. VIVES HAuing a performed Euery man should haue liued a set time vpon earth and then being confirmed in nature by tasting of the tree of life haue beene immortally translated into heauen Here are many questions made first by Augustine and then by Lombard dist 2. What mans estate should haue beene had he not sinned but these are modest and timerous inquirers professing they cannot finde what they seeke But our later coments vpon Lumbard flie directly to affirmatiue positions vpon very coniectures or grounds of nature I heare them reason but I see them grauelled and in darknesse where yet they will not feele before them ere they goe but rush on despight of all break-neck play What man hath now wee all know to our cost what he should haue had it is a question whether Adam knew and what shall we then seeke why should we vse coniectures in a things so transcendent that it seemes miraculous to the heauens as if this must follow natures lawes which would haue amazed nature had it had existence then What light Augustine giues I will take and as my power and duty is explaine the rest I will not meddle with Of the death that may befall the immortall soule and of the bodyes death CHAP. 2. BVt I see I must open this kinde of death a little plainer For mans soule though it be immortall dyeth a kinde of death a It is called immortall because it can neuer leaue to bee liuing and sensitiue and the body is mortall because it may be destitute of life and left quite dead in it selfe But the death of the soule is when God leaueth it the death of the body is when the soule leaueth it so that the death of both is when the soule being left of God leaueth the body And this death is seconded by that which the Scripture calles the b second death This our Sauiour signified when hee said feare him which is able to destroy both body and soule in hell which comming not to passe before the body is ioyned to the soule neuer to be seperated it is strange that the body can be sayd to die by that death which seuereth not the soule from it but torments them both together For that â—…all paine of which wee will speake here-after is fitly called the soules deaâ—… because it liueth not with God but how is it the bodies which liueth with the soule for otherwise it could not feele the corporall paines that expect it after the resurrection is it because all life how-so-euer is good and all paine euill that the body is said to dye wherein the soule is cause of sorrow rather then life Therefore the soule liueth by God when it liueth well for it cannot liue without God working good in it and the body liueth by the soule when the soule liueth in the body whether it liue by God or no. For the wicked haue liâ—…â—…body but none of soule their soules being dead that is forsaken of God lâ—…g power as long as their immortall proper life failes not to afforde them 〈◊〉 but in the last damnation though man bee not insensitiue yet this sence of 〈◊〉 â—…ing neither pleasing nor peacefull but sore and
saying that it reioyceth not in iniquitie but that enuy reioyceth therein For the Pagan authors doe vse these differences g I desire saith Tully Fathers conscript I desire to bee mercifull Heere hee vseth Cupio in a good sence and who is so peruerse to say hee should haue vsed Volo rather And Tâ—…rence his lasciuious youth h I would haue none but Philumena saith hee That this will was lust his i ancient seruantes answeare declareth saying to his Maister How much better were it for you to cast this loue out of your heart rather then seeke to inflame it more therein That they vsed ioy in an euill sence Virgills verse of the foure perturbations doth record Hinc metuunt cupiuntque dolent gaudentque Heere-hence they feare disire displeas'd content And the same author in another place saith Mala mentis gaudia The mindes badde ioyes So then both good and euill doe will beware and take ioye and to reherse them in other tearmes the good and badde doe desire feare and reioyce mary those doe it well and these badly according as their wills are And that sadnesse for which the Stoickes can afforde a wise man iust nothing is apparent in good men especiall of our profession For the Apostle praiseth the Corinthians for that they were Godly sorrowfull I but may some say the Apostle congratulateth their sorrowe in repentance and that is proper to none but sinners for his words run thus I perceiue well that the same Epistle made you sorrie though it vvere but for a season but I now reioyce not that you were sorrie but that you sorrowed vnto repentance for you sorrovved Godlie so that in nothing you vvere hurt by vs. For Godlie sorrovv causeth k repentance vnto saluation not to bee repented of but the vvorldly sorrovv causeth death for behold this Godlie sorrovv vvhat great care it hath vvrought in you Verelie the Stoickes may answere for themselues that this sorrowe seemed vsefull vnto their repentance but it cannot bee in a wise man because hee cannot doe an act sinne-full or worthie of repentance nor can admit any thing that should procure sadnesse in him For they say that l Alcibiades if I haue not forgetten the mans name thinking himselfe happie and m Socrates disputing against it and proouing him miserable because he was not wise fell a weeping So here was his want of wisdome cause of this good sorrow whereby hee greeued that hee was as hee should not bee but a wise man say the Stoickes can neuer haue this sorrow L. VIVES Eâ—… a and Tusc. lib. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a good affect and may be vnderstood two waie either arising of pleasure whose contrary is sorrow or it may deriue from that purified will which the Stoickes held for I said before that the Stoickes held that wills were onely good as Tully plainely relateth b Ioy for euxltation It is need to ioye but not to exult warinesse also is a iudicious avoidance of euill feare an amazed and reason-lesse deiection c Seeking the I see not vnto what so long a discourse of words onely out of the translation can 〈◊〉 if hee produced them out of their originall there were some reason for it d Ioy Peace saith the vulgar but the 70. Ioy. e Good is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. It were too idle to vse many wordes in perswading all men in what doubts soeuer to haue recourse to the scriptures This Hierome vrgeth and Augustine heere warneth confirming it by his example Wee haue opposers that say it is farre more sure in the latine then in the originiall but I will neuer trouble my selfe to answere them they are few and those are fooles and time will either stop their mouthes seeing their breth is vainely spent or the consent of the learned will silence their â—…sh clamours f Peace in earth The greeke is and good will vnto men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but all is to one purpose g I desire In Calilni 1. and Tully vseth Cupio sixe hundred times in this sence And this Argument of Augustines out of the latine writers is fitter to his purpose then all those out of the scriptures and that not so much against the Greekes Stoickes as Tully the Latinist h I â—…ld Charinus his wordes in Terences Andria Philumena quasi beloued of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 she was supposed the daughter of Chremes My commentator hath held his peace a great many bookes through but here hee hath got his tongue againe Philumena saith hee was a Whore Troth this is no honest mans part to make a chaste Virgin an Whore oh but hee â—…keth as many of our times doe also that there is no man speakes in the Poets but Theeues and Pandars nor any woman but Whores and Bawdes And Philumena beeing found in a â—…-house what could this doue-eyd innocent Preaching Friar do lesse then take her for Whore i Ancient Or miser For Charinus was not wise inough in his loue This was 〈◊〉 â—…n Birrhia k Repentance vnto So wee reade commonly The olde copies and Bruges bookes reade vnto the impenitent for saluation falsly the Coleyne readeth it the best as wee haue translated it For the greeke is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c l Alcibyades Kinsman to Pericles Prince of Athens to whose tuition hee was left Hee was the most beautifull personage of the world of wondrous witte and most industrious in art military hee was the Athenians generall in their warres against Lacedaemon and Sicylie No man had euer a more flexible wit to the two greatest diuersities hight of vertue and hight of vice of his life Plutarch Emilius Prâ—…s and Iustine knowne authors doe write m Socrates Who taught him and made shewe of loue to him to keepe him from the vnchast loue of others Plato mentions him often Socrates would some-times cherish him when hee obeied him and some-times chide him sharpely when he brake out into exorbitances As yee may reade in Plato's Alcibiades of the nature of man Socrates saith Tully hauing perswaded him that hee had nothing that was man in him and that high borne Alcibiades diffred nothing from a common porter hee grew into great griefe and beseeched Socrates to teach him vertue and abolish this his basenesse Tusc. 4. Of the perturbations of minde which the iust doe moderate and rule aright CHAP. 9. BVt concerning these questions of perturbations the Philosophers are already answered in the 9. booke in which we shew that theircontention is rather verbâ—… then reall But according to our religion and scriptures the cittizens of GOD as long as they are pilgrimes and in the way of GOD doe feare desire reioyce and sorrow But their loue beeing right streighteth all those affects They feete eternall paine and desire eternall ioy They sorrow for the present because as yet they sigh in themselues wayting for their adoption euen the redemption of their bodâ—…s they reioyce in hope because that
victories For any part of it that warreth against another desires to bee the worlds conqueror whereas indeed it is vices slaue And if it conquer it extolls it selfe and so becomes the owne destruction but if wee consider the condition of worldly affaires and greeue at mans opennesse to aduersity rather then delight in the euents of prosperitie thus is the victory deadly for it cannot keepe a soueraigntie for euer where it got a victory for once Nor can wee call the obiects of this citties desires good it being in the owne humaine nature farre surmounting them It desires an earthly peace for most base respects and seeketh it by warre where if it subdue all resistance it attaineth peace which notwithstanding the aduerse part that fought so vnfortunately for those respects do want This peace they seeke by laborious warre and obteine they thinke by a glorious victory And when they conquer that had the right cause who will not gratulate their victory and be glad of their peace Doubtlesse those are good and Gods good guifts But if the things appertaining to that celestiall and supernall cittie where the victory shall be euerlasting be neglected for those goods and those goods desired as the onely goods or loued as if they were better then the other misery must needs follow and increase that which is inherent before Of that murderer of his brother that was the first founder of the earthly citie whose act the builder of Rome paralleld in murdering his brother also CHAP. 5. THerefore this earthly Citties foundation was laide by a murderer of his owne brother whom he slew through enuie being a pilgrim vpon earth of the heauenly cittie Wherevpon it is no wonder if the founder of that Cittie which was to become the worlds chiefe and the Queene of the nation followed this his first example or a archetype in the same fashion One of their Poets records the fact in these words b Fraterno primi madâ—…erunt sanguine muri The first walles steamed with a brothers bloud Such was Romes foundation and such was Romulus his murder of his brother 〈◊〉 as their histories relate onely this difference there is these bretheren were both cittizens of the earthly cittie and propagators of the glory of Rome for whose institution they contended But they both could not haue that glory that if they had beene but one they might haue had For he that glories in dominion must needs see his glory diminished when hee hath a fellow to share with him Therefore the one to haue all killed his fellow and by villanie grew vnto bad greatnesse whereas innocencie would haue installed him in honest meannesse But those two brethren Caine and Abel stood not both alike affected to earthly matters nor did this procure enuie in them that if they both should reigne hee that could kill the other should arise to a greater pitch of glory for Abel sought no dominion in that citty which his brother built but that diuell enuy did all the â—…chiefe which the bad beare vnto the good onely because they are good for the possession of goodnesse is not lessned by being shared nay it is increased 〈◊〉 it hath many possessing it in one linke and league of charity Nor shall hee 〈◊〉 haue it that will not haue it common and he that loues a fellow in it shall hâ—… it the more aboundant The strife therfore of Romulus Remus sheweth the â—…on of the earthly city in it selfe and that of Caine Abel shew the opposition 〈◊〉 â—…he city of men the city of God The wicked opose the good But the good 〈◊〉 â—…e perfect cannot contend amongst them-selues but whilst they are vnperâ—…â—…ey may contend one against another in that manner that each contends aâ—… him-selfe for in euery man the flesh is against the spirit the spirit against 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So then the spirituall desire in one may fight against the carnall in anoâ—… or contrary wise the carnall against the spirituall as the euill do against the gâ—… or the two carnal desires of two good men that are inperfect may contend 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bad do against the bad vntil their diseases be cured themselues brought to â—…lasting health of victory L. VIVES Aâ—…type a It is the first pattent or copy of any worke the booke written by the authors â—…e hand is called the Archetype Iuuenall Et iubet archetypos iterum seruare Cleanthas And bids him keepe Cleanthes archetypes b 〈◊〉 Lucan lib. 8. The historie is knowne c His brother built Did Caine build a citty 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 meanes hee the earthly citty which vice and seperation from God built the latter I 〈◊〉 d The wicked This is that I say vice neither agrees with vertue nor it selfe for amity 〈◊〉 â—…ongst the good the bad can neither bee friends with the good nor with themselues Of the langours of Gods Cittizens endure in earth as the punishments of sinne during their pilgrimage and of the grace of God curing them CHAP. 6. BVt the langour or disobedience spoken of in the last booke is the first puâ—…ment of disobedience and therefore it is no nature but a corruption for 〈◊〉 it is said vnto those earthly prilgrimes and God proficients Beare a yee 〈◊〉 â—…hers burdens and so yee shall fulfill the Law of Christ and againe admonish the 〈◊〉 â—…fort the feble be patient towards all ouer-come euill with goodnesse see that 〈◊〉 hurt for hurt and againe If a man be fallen by occasion into any sinne you that 〈◊〉 â—…all restore such an one with the spirit of meekenesse considering thy selfe least 〈◊〉 be tempted and besides let not the sunne go downe vpon your wrath and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gospell If thy brother trespasse against thee take him and tell him his falt beâ—… 〈◊〉 and him alone 〈◊〉 â—…cerning the scandalous offenders the Apostle saith Them that sin rebuke 〈◊〉 the rest may feare and in this respect many things are taught concerning â—…g And a great charge is laid vpon vs to keep that peace there where that 〈◊〉 of the c seruants being commanded to pay the ten thousand talents hee ought because hee forcibly exacted his fellowes debt of an hundred pence Vnto which simily the Lord Iesus addeth this cloze So shall mine heauenly father doe vnto you except you forgiue each one his brothers trespasses from your hearts Thus are Gods cittizens vpon earth cured of their diseases whilest they are longing for the celestiall habitation But the Holy spirit worketh within to make the salue worke that is outwardly applied otherwise though God should speake to mankinde out of any creature either sensibly or in dreames and not dispose of our hearts with his inward grace the preaching of the truth would not further mans conuersion a whitte But this doth God in his secret and iust prouidence diuiding the vessells of wrath and mercy And it is his admirable and secret worke that sinne e being in vs rather the punishment of sinne as the Apostle
saith and dwelling in our members when it doth not reigne in our mortall body obeying the desires of it and when wee doe not giue vp our members as instruments of iniquity to serue it it is conuerted into a minde consenting not vnto it in any euill by Gods gouernment and man that hath it some-what quietly here shall haue it afterwards most perfectly setled sinlesse and in eternall peace L. VIVES BEare a yee The Greeke is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 b The spirit of meekenesse Because of that which followeth Considering thy selfe least thou also bee tempted It is fitte that one that corrects sinne should consider that hee might sinne him-selfe least if hee growe proud because hee is more perfect then his brother reuenge bee at hand and make him fall worse c The seruants Our Sauiour treating of brotherly remission reciteth this Parable Math. 18. d Not disposing Ecclesiastes the 7. 15. Behold the worke of God who can make streight that which hee hath made crooked And hence it is that a few rules serue to guide some in honestie and none other-some If the minde bee not inwardly mooued to good the outward words doe but little good e Being in vs for the pronenesse to badnesse that is in vs all is the punishment of the first mans sinne by which without great resistance wee are harried into all enormity Besides there is no sinne but vexeth him in whome it is The first reuenge saith Iuuenall is that no guilty man is quitte by his owne conscience But this place is diuersly read But the true sence is If that originall promise to sinne which wee haue all from Adam bee not predominant ouer the whole man nor reigne not as the Apostle saith in our members but bee subiected â—…o the minde and the minde vnto God the gouernour not consenting to that wicked procliuitie but rather peaceably restraining it and comming vnto the curing of GOD that good Phisitian then that crazed affect becommeth sound perfection and with the whole man attaineth immortality For this aptnesse or inclination to sinne which the schoole-diuines call fomes is sinne in vs. Of the cause and obstinacie of Cains wickednesse which was not repressed by Gods owne words CHAP. 7. BVt that same speaking of God vnto Caine in the forme of some of his creatures as wee haue shewed that hee vsed to doe with the first men what good did it doe him did hee not fulfill his wicked intent to murther his brother after GOD had warned him who hauing distinguished both their sacrifices reiecting the one and receiuing the other no b doubt by some visible signe and that because the one wrought euill and the other good Caine grew exceeding wroth and his looke was deiected And God said vnto him Why is thy looke deiected c â—…f thou offer well and diuidest not well d hast thou not sinned be quiet e vnto thee shall his desire be subiect and thou shalt rule ouer him In this admonition of God vnto Caine because the first words If thou offer well and diuidest noâ—… 〈◊〉 hast thou not sinned are of doubtfull vnderstanding the translators haue â—…ne it vnto diuers sences each one seeking to lay it downe by the line 〈◊〉 â—…h A sacrifice that is offred to the true God to whome onely such are 〈◊〉 well offered But the diuision may be euill made vpon a bad distinction of 〈◊〉 â—…es place offring offrers or of him to whome it is offred or of them to 〈◊〉 the offring is distributed meaning here by diuision a discerning beâ—… offring at due times in due places due offrings due distributions and the 〈◊〉 of all these As if we offer where when and what wee should not or 〈◊〉 better to our selues then we offer to God or distribute the offring to the â—…ctified herein prophaning the sacrifice In which of these Caine offended 〈◊〉 we cannot easily finde But as the Apostle Iohn said of these two bretheren 〈◊〉 Caine who was of the wicked and slew his brother and wherefore slew he him 〈◊〉 his owne workes were euill and his brothers good This proueth that God resâ—…d not his guifts for that hee diuided euill f giuing God onely some of â—…ll and giuing him-selfe to him-selfe as all do that leaue Gods will to 〈◊〉 their owne and liuing in peruersnesse of heart offer guifts vnto God as 〈◊〉 to buy him not to cure their vicious affects but to fulfill them This is the â—…ty of the earthly Citty to worshippe one or many Gods for victory and â—…striall peace neuer for charitable instruction but all for lust of soueraigneâ—… The good vse this world to the enioying of God but the wicked iust conâ—… wise would vse God to enioy the world g such I meane as hold God to 〈◊〉 to haue to doe in humanity for there are that are farre worse and beleeue 〈◊〉 So then Caine knowing that God respected his brothers sacrifice and 〈◊〉 ought to haue changed him-selfe and fallen to imitation of his good broâ—… not to haue swollen vp in enuy against him But because hee was sad and 〈◊〉 cast downe this greefe at anothers good chiefely his brothers God 〈◊〉 â—…nde great falt with for there-vpon hee asked him saying Why art thou sad 〈◊〉 is thy countenance cast downe His enuy to his brother God saw and reâ—…ded Man that knoweth not the heart might well haue doubted wheâ—…â—…ee was sad for his owne badnesse that displeased God or for his brothers 〈◊〉 for which God accepted his sacrifice But God giuing a reason why 〈◊〉 â—…ould not accept his that hee might haue iuster cause to dislike him-selfe 〈◊〉 his brother hauing not diuided that is not liued well and being not worâ—… to haue his sacrifice accepted doth shew that hee was farre more vniust 〈◊〉 that he hated his iust brother for no cause yet hee sendeth him not away 〈◊〉 a good and holy command Bee quiet quoth hee for vnto thee shall his 〈◊〉 â—…ee subiect and thou shalt rule ouer him What ouer his brother God forâ—… no but ouer sinne for hee had said before hast thou not sinned and now â—…ddeth bee quiet for vnto thee c. Some may take it thus that sinne shall â—…ned vpon man so that hee that sinneth shall haue none to blame for it 〈◊〉 him-selfe for this is the wholesome medicine of repentance and the fit plea â—…rdon that these words of God be vnsterstood as a percept and not as a proâ—… for then shall euery man rule ouer sin when he doth not support it by â—…ce but subdue it by repentance otherwise hee that becomes the protecâ—… it shall sure become prisoner to it But if wee vnderstand this sinne to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 carnall concupiscense whereof the Apostle saith The flesh coueteth aâ—… the spirit amongst whose workes enuy is reckened for one which inâ—… Cayne to his brothers murder then wee may well take these words 〈◊〉 It shal bee turned vnto thee and thou shalt rule ouer it for the carnall part being moued which
The two Maspha's Maspha the Old stood betweene the tribes of Gad 〈◊〉 Hier. de loc Hebraic There is another in the tribe of Iuda as you goe North-ward 〈◊〉 â—…lia in the confines of Eleutheropolis Maspha is contemplation or speculation The 〈◊〉 write it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Promises made vnto Dauid concerning his sonne not fulfilled in Salomon but in Christ. CHAP. 8. NOw must I relate Gods promises vnto Dauid Saâ—…ls successor which change â—…gured the spirituall great one which all the Scriptures haue relation 〈◊〉 â—…â—…cause it concerneth our purpose Dauid hauing had continuall good forâ—…â—…ed to build GOD an house namely that famous and memorable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Salomon built after him While this was in his thought Nathan came 〈◊〉 from God to tell him what was his pleasurâ—… wherein when as GOD had 〈◊〉 Dauid should not build him an house and that he had not commanâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 time to build him any house of Cedar then hee proceedeth thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dauid that thus saith the Lord I tooke thee froâ—… the sheep-â—…e to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 my people Israell and I was with thee where-so-euer thou walked aâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all thine enimies out of thy sight and giuen thee the glory of a mighty mâ—…n 〈◊〉 I will appoint a place for my people Israell and will plant it it shall dwell 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mooue no more nor shall wicked people trouble them any more as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…ne since I a appointed Iudges ouer Israell And I will giue thee rest from all thine enemies and the Lord telleth thee also that thou shalt make him an house It shall be when thy dayes bee fulfilled and thou sleepest with thy fathers then will I set vp thy seede after thee euen hee that shall proceed from thy body and will prepare his kingdome He shall build an house for my name and I will direct his throne for euer I will be his father and hee shall be my sonne if hee sinne I will chasten him with the rod of men and with the plagues of the children of men But my mercy will I not remooue from him as I remooued it from Saul whom I haue reiected His house shall be faithfull and his kingdome eternall before mee his throne shall bee established for euer Hee that holdeth his mighty promise fulfilled in Salomon is far-wide For marke how it lyeth He shall build me an house Salomon did so and this he marketh but His house shall bee faithfull and his kingdome eternall before mee What is this this hee marketh not Well let him goe to Salomons house and see the flocks of strange Idolatrous women drawing this so wise a King into the same depth of damnation with them doth he see it theÌ„ let him neither think Gods promises false nor his prescience ignorant of Salomons future peruersion by Idolatry We neede neuer doubt here nor runne with the giddy brained Iewes to seeke had I wist and to finde one in whom these may bee fulfilled wee should neuer haue seene them fulfilled but in our Christ the sonne of Dauid in the flesh For they know well inough that this sonne of whom these promises spake was not Salomon but oh wondrous blindnesse of heart stand still expecting of another to come who is already come in most broad and manifest apparance There was some shadow of the thing to come in Salomon 't is true in his erection of the temple and that laudable peace which he had in the beginning of his reigne and in his name for Salomon is a peace-maker but he was b onely in his person a shadow but no presentation of Christ our Sauiour therfore some things are written of him that concerne our Sauiour the scripture including the prophecie of the one in the historie of the other For besides the bookes of the Kings Chronicles yâ— speake of his reigne the 72. Psalme is entitled with his name Wherein there are so many things impossible to bee true in him and most apparant in Christ that it is euident that he was but the figure not the truth it selfe The bounds of Salomons kingdome were knowne yet to omit the rest that Psalme saith hee shall reigne from sea to sea and from the riuer to the lands end This is most true of Christ. For hee began his reigne at the riuer when Iohn baptized and declared him and his disciples acknowledged him calling him Lord and Maister Nor did Salomon begin his reigne in his fathers time as no other of their Kings did but onely to shew that hee was not the ayme of the prophecie that said It shall bee when thy dayes are fulfilled and that thou sleepest with thy fathers then will I set vp thy seede after thee and prepare his kingdome Why then shall wee lay all this vpon Salomon because it is sayd Hee shall build mee an house and not thâ—… rather vnderstand that it is the other peace-maker that is spoaken of who is not promised to be set vp before Dauids death as Salomon was but after according to the precedent text And though Christ were neuer so long ere hee came yet comming after Dauids death all is one hee came at length as he was promised and built God the Father an house not of timber and stones but of liuing soules wherein wee all reioyce For to this house of God that is his faithfull people Saint Paul saith The temple of God is holy which you are L. VIVES I Appointed a Iudges Israell had thirteene Iudges in three hundred and seauentie yeares from Othoniel to Samuel who annointed Saul and during that time they had variable forâ—… in their warres b Onely in Hee was a figure of Christ in his peaceable reigne and â—…ding of the temple but hee was not Christ him-selfe A Prophecie of Christ in the eighty eight Psalme like vnto this of Nathan in the Booke of Kings CHAP. 9. THe eighty eight Psalme also intitled An a instruction to Ethan the Israelite reckoneth vp the promises of God vnto Dauid and there is some like those of Nâ—…n as this I haue sworne to Dauid my seruant thy seede will I establish for euer â—…s Then spakest thou b in a vision vnto thy sonnes and said I haue laid helpe 〈◊〉 â—…e mighty one I haue exalted one chosen out of my people I haue found Dauid 〈◊〉 â—…ant with my holy oyle haue I annoynted him For mine hand shall helpe him and 〈◊〉 â—…me shall strengthen him The enemy shall not oppresse him nor shall the wicked 〈◊〉 But I will destroy his foe before his face and plague them that hate him My 〈◊〉 â—…d mercy shall bee with him and in my name shall his horne bee exalted I will 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hand in the sea and his right hand in the flouds hee shall call vpon mee thou â—…t 〈◊〉 father my GOD and the rocke of my saluation I will make him my first borne 〈◊〉 then the Kings of the earth My mercy will I keepe vnto him for euer and my
oppressed and such like as these Oh who can stand to collect or recount them These now albeit they kept this seemingly absurd order continually that in 〈◊〉 whole life wherein as the Prophet saith in the Psalme Man is like to 〈◊〉 and his daies like a shadow that vanisheth the wicked alone should posâ—… those temporall goods and the good onelie suffer euills yet might this 〈◊〉 referred to GODS iust iudgements yea euen to his mercies that such 〈◊〉 â—…ught not for eternall felicitie might either for their malice bee iustly 〈◊〉 by this transitory happinesse or by GODS mercie bee a comfort vnto the good and that they beeing not to loose the blisse eternall might for 〈◊〉 while bee excercised by crosses temporall either for the correction of 〈◊〉 or a augmentation of their vertues 〈◊〉 now seeing that not onely the good are afflicted and the badde exâ—… which seemes iniustice but the good also often enioy good and the 〈◊〉 euill this prooues GODS iudgements more inscrutable and his 〈◊〉 more vnsearcheable Although then wee see no cause why GOD â—…ld doe thus or thus hee in whome is all wisdome and iustice and no â—…nesse nor rashnesse nor iniustice yet heere wee learne that wee may 〈◊〉 esteeme much of those goods or misfortunes which wee see the badde share with the righteous But to seeke the good peculiar to the one and to aâ—… the euill reserued for the other And when we come to that great iudgement properly called the day of doome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 consummation of time there we shall not onely see all things apparant but â—…ledge all the iudgements of GOD from the first to the last to bee firmeâ—…â—…ded vpon iustice And there wee shall learne and know this also why 〈◊〉 iudgements are generally incomprehensible vnto vs and how iust his â—…nts are in that point also although already indeede it is manifest vnto â—…full that wee are iustly as yet ignorant in them all or at least in the 〈◊〉 them L. VIVES 〈◊〉 augmentation That vertue might haue meanes to exercise her powers for shee 〈◊〉 â—…ction and leauing that shee languisheth nay euen perisheth as fire doth which 〈◊〉 â—…ell to worke vpon dieth But practise her vpon obiects of aduerse fortune and she 〈◊〉 out her owne perfection Salomons disputation in Ecclesiastes concerning those goods which both the iust and the vniust doe share in CHAP. 3. 〈◊〉 the wisest King that euer reigned ouer Israel beginneth his booke calâ—… a Ecclesiastes which the Iewes themselues hold for Canonicall in this 〈◊〉 b Vanity of Vanities all is vanity What remaineth vnto man of all â—…uells which hee suffereth vnder the Sunne Vnto which hee annexâ—… tormentes and tribulations of this declining worlde and the short â—…ift courses of time wherein nothing is firme nothing constant 〈◊〉 vanitie of althings vnder the Sunne hee bewayleth this also 〈◊〉 that seeing c There is more profitte in wisdome then in follie 〈◊〉 light is more excellent then darkenesse and seeing the wise-mans eyes are in his head when the foole wallketh in darkenesse yet that one condition one estate should befall them both as touching this vaine and transitory life meaning hereby that they were both a like exposed to those euills that good men and bad do some-times both a like endure Hee saith further that the good shall suffer as the bad do and the bad shall enioy goods as the good do in these words There is a vanity which is done vpon the earth that there bee righteous men to whome it commeth according to the worke of the wicked and there bee wicked men to whome it commeth according to the worke of the iust I thought also that this is vanity In discouery of this vanity the wise man wrote al this whole worke for no other cause but that wee might discerne that life which is not vanity vnder the sunne but truth vnder him that made the sunne But as d touching this worldly vanity is it not Gods iust iudgement that man being made like it should vanish also like it yet in these his daies of vanity there is much betweene the obeying and the opposing of truth and betweene partaking and neglecting of Godlinesse and goodnesse but this is not in respect of attayning or auoyding any terrestriall goods or euills but of the great future iudgment which shall distribute goods to the good and euils to the euil to remaine with them for euer Finally the said wise King concludeth his booke thus feare God and keepe his commandements for this is the whole duty of man for GOD will bring euery worke vnto iudgment e of euery dispisedman be it good or be it euill how can wee haue an instruction more briefe more true or more wholesome feare God saith he and keepe his commandements for this is the whole duty of man for he that doth this is full man and he that doth it not is in accompt nothing because he is not reformed according to the Image of truth but sticketh still in the shape of vanity for God will bring euery worke that is euery act of man in this life vnto iudgement be it good or euill yea the workes of euery dispised man of euery contemptible person that seemeth not tâ—… be noted at all God seeth him and despiseth him not neither ouer-passeth him in his iudgement L. VIVES ECclesiastes a Or the Preacher Many of the Hebrewes say that Salomon wrot this in the time of his repentance for the wicked course that he had runne Others say that he fore-saw the diuision of his kingdome vnder his sonne Rehoboam and therefore wrote it in contempt of the worlds vnstable vanity b Uanity of So the seauenty read it but other read it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 smoke of fumes Hierome c There is more Wisdome and folly are as much opposed as light and darkenesse d Touching this But that GOD instructeth our vnderstanding in this vanity it would vanish away and come to nought conceyuing falshood for truth and lying all consumed with putrifiing sinne at length like a fume it would exhale a way vnto che second death e Of euery despised man Our translations read it with euery secret thing Hierome hath it Pro omni errato The authors resolution in this discourse of the iudgement to produce the testimonies of the New-Testament first and then of the old CHAP. 4. THe testimonies of holy Scriptures by which I meane to proue this last iudgement of God must bee first of all taken out of the New-Testament and then out of the Old For though the later bee the more ancient yet the former are more worthie as beeing the true contents of the later The former then shall proceed first and they shal be backt by the later These that is the old ones the law and the prophets afford vs the former the new ones the Gospells and the writings of the Apostles Now the Apostle saith By the law commeth the knowledge of sinne But now
not the for bidden meates rehearsing the gratiousnesse of the New Testament from CHRISTS first comming euen vnto this Iudgement we haue now in hand For first he tells how GOD saith that hee commeth to gather the nations and how they shall come to see his glorie For all haue sinned saith the Apostle and are depriued of the glorie of GOD. Hee sayth also that hee will leaue signes amongst them to induce them to beleeue in him and that hee will send his elect into many nations and farre Islands that neuer heard of his name to preach his glory to the Gentiles and to bring their bretheren that is the bretheren of the elect Israell of whome hee spake into his presence to bring them for an offering vnto GOD in chariots and vpon horses that is by the ministerie of men or angells vnto holie Ierusalem that is now spread through-out the earth in her faithfull Cittizens For these when GOD assisteth them beleeue and when they beleeue they come vnto him Now GOD in a simily compares them to the children of Israel that offered vnto him his sacrifices with psalmes in the Temple as the church doth now in all places and hee promiseth to take of them for priests and for leuites which now wee see hee doth For hee hath not obserued fleshly kindred in his choise now as hee did in the time of Aurons priest-hood but according to the New Testament where CHRIST is priest after the order of Melchisedech hee selecteth each of his priests according to the merit which GODS grace hath stored his soule with as wee now behold and these b Priests are not to bee reckned of for their places for those the vnworthie doe often hold but for their sanctities which are not common both to good and bad Now the prophet hauing thus opened Gods mercies to the church addeth the seueral ends that shall befall both the good and bad in the last iudgement in these w◅ds As the new heauens and the new earth which I shall make shall remaine before mee saith the LORD euen so shall your seede and your name And from month to moneth and from Sabbath to Sabbath shall all flesh come to worshippe before mee saith the LORD And they shall goe forth and looke vpon the members of the men that haue transgressed against mee for their women shall not die neither shall their fire bee quenshed and they shal be an abhorring vnto all flesh Thus endeth the Prophet his booke with the end of the world Some in this place for members read c carkasse hereby intimating the bodies euident punishment though indeed a carkasse is properly nothing but dead flesh but those bodies shal be lyuing otherwise how should they bee sensible of paine vnlesse wee say they are dead bodies that is their soules are fallen into the second death and so wee may fitly call them carkasses And thus is the Prophets former words also to bee taken The land of the wicked shall fall Cadauer a carkasse all knowes commeth of Cado to fall Now the translators by saying the carkasses of the men doe not exclude women from this damnation but they speake as by the better sexe beeing that woman was taken out of man But note especially that where the Prophet speaking of the blessed sayth all flesh shall come to worshippe Hee meaneth not all men for the greater number shal be in torments but some shall come out of all nations to adore him in the Heauenly Ierusalem But as I was a saying since here is mention of the good by flesh and of the bad by carkasses Verelie after the resurrection of the flesh our faith whereof these words doe confirme that which shall confine both the good and bad vnto their last limits shal be the iudgement to come L. VIVES AGainst a the vnfaithfull Hierome out of the hebrew and the seauenty readeth it Against his enemies b Priests are not to be It is not priest-hood nor orders that maketh a man any whit respected of GOD for these dignities both the Godly and vngodly doe share in but it is purity of conscience good life and honest cariage which haue resemblance of that immense that incorruptible nature of GOD those winne vs fauour with him c Carkasses So doth Hierome reade it But marke Saint Augustines vprightnesse rather to giue a fauorable exposition of a translation to which hee stood not affected then any way to cauill at it How the Saints shall goe forth to see the paines of the wicked CHAP. 22. BVt how shall the good goe forth to see the bad plagued Shall they leaue their blessed habitations and goe corporally to hell to see them face to face God forbid no they shall goe in knowledge For this implieth that the damned shal be without and for this cause the Lord calleth their place vtter darkenesse opposite vnto that ingresse allowed the good seruāt in these words Enter into thy Maisters ioye and least the wicked should be thought to goe in to bee seene rather then the good should goe out by knowledge to see them being to know that which is without for the tormented shall neuer know what is done in the Lords Ioye but they that are in that Ioye shall know what is done in the vtter darkenesse Therefore saith the Prophet they shall goe forth in that they shall know what is without for if the Prophets through that small part of diuine inspiration could know these things before they came to passe how then shall not these immortalls know them being passed seeing that in them the Lord is al in all Thus shall the Saints bee blessed both in seed and name In seed as Saint Iohn saith And his seed remaineth in him In name as Isaias saith So shall your name continue from moneth to moneth and from Sabbath to Sabbath shall they haue rest vpon rest passing thus from old and temporall types to new and euerlasting truthes But the paines of the wicked that eternall worme and that neuer dying fire is diuersly expounded either in reference to the bodie onelie or to the soule onely or the fire to belong to the bodie reallie and the worme to the soule figuratiuely and this last is the likeliest of the three But heere is no place to discusse peculiars Wee must end this volume as wee promised with the iudgement the seperation of good from badde and the rewards and punishments accordingly distributed Daniels prophecy of Antichrist of the iudgement and of the Kingdome of the Saints CHAP. 23. OF this Iudgement Daniel prophecieth saying that Antichrist shall fore-run it and so hee proceedeth to the eternall Kingdome of the Saints for hauing in a vision beheld the foure beasts types of the foure Monarchies and the fourth ouer-throwne by a King which all confesse to bee Antichrist and then seeing the eternall Empire of the Sonne of man CHRIST to follow Daniell saith hee Was troubled in spirit in the middest of my body and the visions of mine head made mee
compared to mans bodie fol. 566 Antipodes who they are fol. 584 Aratus who hee was fol. 598 Actisanes his law against theeues fol. 600 Anna her prophecy of Christ. fol. 624 Arons priest-hood a shadow of the future priest-hood fol. 631 Annointing of Kings a type of Christ. fol. 636 Abrahams birth fol. 656 Apis who he was fol. 662 Apis the Oxe fol. 663 Argus King of Argos ibid. Attica what countrey it is fol. 669 Athens why so called fol. 670 Apollos plates fol. 676 Antaeus who he was fol. 677 Aconitum how it grew fol. 682 Amphion who hee was fol. 684 Admetus who hee was fol. 686 Andromeda who she was fol. 687 Agamemnon who he was fol. 690 Apuleius Lucian who he was fol. 695 Aeneas who he was fol. 696 Aeneas deified fol. 698 Archon what kinde of magistrate fol. 700 Auentine a mountaine why so called fol. 701 Amos the prophet fol. 703 Abdi who he was fol. 718 Abacuc who he was ibid. Anaxagoras his opinion of heauen fol. 731 Alexander the great his death ibid. Alexanders comming to Ierusalem 736 B BErecinthia mother of the gods fol. 56 Budaeus his praises fol. 80 Bretheren killing one another fol. 100 Belus who hee was fol. 577 Babilons confusion fol. 577 Bersheba what it is fol. 613 Begger differing from the word poore fol. 627 Babilon what it is fol. 657 Busyris who hee was fol. 677 Bellerephon who hee was fol. 684 Bona Dea who shee was fol. 691 Bias who hee was fol. 711 Baruch who he was fol. 722 Booke of life fol. 809 C COnquerors custome fol. 9 Claudian family fol. 10 Citty what it is fol. 25 Cleombrotus fol. 34. 35 Catoes who they were fol. 36 Catoes their integrity ibid. Cato his sonne fol. 37 Cauea what it was in the Theater fol. 47 Circensian playes fol. 48 Consus who he was ibid. Cibeles inuention fol. 56 Cleon who he was fol 67 Censor who he was ibid. Cleophon who hee was ibid. Caecilius who he was fol. 68 Curia what it was fol. 71 Censors view of the citty fol. 73 Cynocephalus who hee was fol. 75 Camillus exiled from his country fol. 79 Consus a god fol. 81 Consulls first elected ibid. Camillus who he was ibid. Christ the founder of a new City fol. 83 Common-wealth what it is fol. 88 Cinnas warres against his country fol. 93 Carbo who he was ibid. Capitoll preserued by geese ibid. Cateline his conditions fol. 96 Christians name hateful at Rome fol 55 Charthaginian warres begun fol. 46 Caesars family fol. 111 Caius Fimbria who he was fol. 114 Cyri who they were fol. 125 Concords temple fol. 143 Catulus his death fol. 146 Cateline his death fol. 149 Christs birth time fol. 150 Ciceroes death ibid. Caesars death fol. 151 Cyrus Persian Monarch fol. 162 Curtius who he was fol. 179 Causes three-fold fol. 210 Camillus his kindnesse to his country fol. 222 Curtius his voluntary death fol. 222 Constanstine the first christian Emperor fol. 23 Claudian who he was fol. 233 Ceres sacrifices fol. 280 Crocodile what it is fol. 335 Cyprian who he was fol. 336 Cynikes who they were fol. 523 Circumcision a tipe of regeneration fol. 602 Cyniphes what they are fol. 618 Canticles what they are fol. 648 Cecrops who he was fol. 667 Centaures why so named fol. 681 Cerberus band-dog of hel ibid. Chymaera the monster fol. 684 Castor and Pollux who they vvere fol. 689 Circe who she was fol. 693. Codrus who he was fol. 698. Creusa who she was fol. 698. Caesars whence so named fol. 700. Captiuity of Iuda fol. 710. Chilo who he was ibid. Cleobulus who he was fol. 711. Cyrus who he was ibid. Christs birth fol 738. Churches ten persecutors fol. 743. 744. Calculators cashered fol. 747. Christians vpbraided with killing of children fol. 747. Christians beleeue not in Peter-but in Christ. fol 748. Cacus who he was fol. 768. Cerinthus his heresie fol. 800. Cappadocia what it is fol. 891. Comeliensse of mans body fol. 908. D DAnae who she was fol. 63. Decimus Laberius who hee was fol. 72. Discord a goddesse fol. 143 Decius his valour fol. 180. Dictatorship vvhat it was fol. 224. Diogenes Laertius vvho he was fol. 300. Death of the soule fol. 470. Death remaineth after Baptisme fol. 470. Difference of the earthly and heauenly Citty 532. Dauid a type of Christ. fol. 635. Deucalion who he vvas fol. 670. Danaus vvho he was fol. 673. Dionysius hovv many so called fol. 675. Daedalus who he was fol. 685. Danae who she was fol. 686. Delborah who she vvas fol. 690. Diomedes vvho he was fol. 692. Diomedes fellowes become birds ibidem Deuill vvhat he may do fol. 694. Dauids and Solomons praises fol. 700. Daniell vvho he was fol. 722. Diogenes treading downe Platos pride 857. Diogenes taxed of vaine glory ibidem E EVpolis a Poet. fol. 64. Ennius who he vvas fol. 91. Eternall Citty fol. 220. Eternal â—…fe vvhat it is fol. 256. Epictetus vvho he was fol. 342. Enuy not ambition moued Caine to murder Abel fol. 536. Eudoxus who he was fol. 598. Ephod vvhat it is fol. 630. Eben Ezer what it signifieth fol. 633. Eusebius a Historiographer fol. 669. Europa who she vvas fol. 677. Erichthonius vvho he vvas fol. 677. Esaias the Prophet fol. 709. Esaias his prophesie fol. 715. Esaias his death fol. 716. Ephrata vvhat it is fol. 717. Epicurus opinion of the goddes fol. 731. Epiphanes vvho he vvas fol. 736. F FAbius a Romaine conqueror fol. 11. Famous men fol. 48. Fugalia vvhat they vvere fol. 60. Fugia a goddesse fol. 60. Floralia vvhat feasts they vvere fol. 65. Febris a goddesse fol. 76. Friendship and faction fol. 91 Flora vvhat she vvas fol. 10â—… Fabricius vvho he vvas fol. 105. Fate vvhat it is fol. 98. Fortunes casualties what they are fol. 198. Fate of no force fol. 208. Fabricius a scorner of ritches fol. 224. Faunus who he was fol. 691. Felicity not perfect in this life fol. 757. Father of a familie why so called fol. 774. Fier eternall how to bee vnderstood fol. 822. G GRacchi who they were fol. 93. Getulia what it is fol. 128. Gracchus Caius his death fol. 142. Gratidianus his death 148. Gold vvhen first coyned fol. 181. GODS prescience no cause of euents fol. 212. Gratians death fol. 231. Ganimede who he was fol. 287. Greeke Sages seauen fol. 299. Gellius who he was fol. 342. GODS creatures are all good fol. 560. Gorgons vvhat they vâ—…re fol. 683. Gog and Magog hâ—…v to bee vnderstood fol 806. GOD can doe all thingâ—… sauing to make a lie fol. 910. H HYperbolus who hee was fol. 67. Harmony of a common-vvealth fol. 88. Hadrianus who hee was fol. 191. Hydromancy vvhat it is fol. 294. Hebrevves vvhy so called fol. 577. Holy spirit why called the finger of God fol. 617. Ieâ—…alem why so called fol. 640. Haâ—…ocrates who he was fol. 66â—… Hercules six of that name fol. 667. Holy street in Rome fol. 675. Hercules manner of death fol. 677. Hieremy his prophecy
inspire and transforme them The later of the latine verses in the text dotâ—… not expresse Homers mind But I suspect it to be wronged in copying Of Gods fore-knowledge and mans freedome of election againâ—…t the opinion of Cicero CHAP. 9. AGainst those men Tully thinketh he cannot hold argument vnlesse hee ouerthrow diuination therefore he laboureth to proue that there is no praescience nor fore-knowledge of things to come a either in God or man there is directly no such matter Thus denieth he Gods fore-knowledge idely seeketh to subuert the radiant lustre of true prophecies by propounding a sort of ambiguous and fallible oracles whose truth not-withstanding he doth not confute But those coniectures of the Mathematiques he layeth flat for indeed they are the ordinance to batter them-selues But for al that their opinion is more tollerable yâ— ascribe a fate b vnto the stars then his that reiects al fore-knowledge of things to come For to acknowledge a God yet to deny that is monstrous madnes which he obseruing went about to proue euen that with the foole hath said in his heart there is no God Mary not in his own person he saw the danger of mallice too well and therfore making Cotta dispute hand-smooth against the Stoikes vpon this theame in his books De natura Deorum there he seemes more willing to hold with c Lucilius Balbus that stood for the Stoikes then with Cotta that argued against the diuine essence But in his bookes Of diuination hee directly opposeth the fore-knowledge of thinges d of him-selfe and in his owne person all which it seemeth hee didde least hee should yeelde vnto fate and so loose the freedome of election For hee supposed that in yeelding to this fore-know-ledge fate would follow necessarily there-vpon without all deniall But how-soeuer the Phylosophers winde them-selues in webbes of disputations wee as wee confesse the great and true GOD so do we acknowledge his high will power and fore-knowledge Nor lette vs feare that wee doe not performe all our actions by our owne will because he whose fore-knowledge cannot erre knew before that we should do thus or thus which Tully feared and therfore denied fore-knowledge and the Stoiks that held not al things to be done by necessity thought that they were done by fate What then did Tully fe re in this praescience that he framed such detestable arguments against it Verily this that if all euents were knowne ere they came to passe they should come to passe according to that fore-knowledge And if they come so to passe then God knoweth the certain order of things before hand and consequently the certaine order of the causes and if he know a certaine order of causes in all euents then aâ—…e all euents disposed by fate which if it be so wee haue nothing left in our power nothing in our will which granted saith he the whole course of humanity is ouerturned law correction praise disgrace exhortation prohibition al are to no end nor is ther any iustice in punishing the bad and rewarding the good For auoiding of which inconueniences so absurd and so pernitious he vtterly reiecteâ—…h this fore-knowledge of things and draweth the religious minde into this strait that either there must be som-what in the power of our will or else that there is a fore-knowledge of things to come but the granting of the one is the subuersioÌ„ of the other choosing of the fore-knowledge we must loose the freedome of election and choosing this we must deny the other Now this learned and prouident man of the two maketh choyse of freedome of election and to confirme it denieth the fore-knowledge vtterly And so instead of making men free maketh them blasphemous But the religious mind chooseth them both confesseth confirmeth them both How saith he For granting this fore-knowledge there followeth so many consequents that they quite subuert all power of our will and holding thus by the same degrees we ascend till we find there is no praescience of future things at all for thus we retire through them If there be any freedome of the will all things do not follow destiny If all thinges follow not destiny then is there no set order in the causes of things Now if there bee 〈◊〉 set order in the causes of all things then is there no set order of the things them-selues in Gods fore-knowledge since they come from their causes If there bee not a sette order of all thinges in GODS fore-knowledge then all things fall not out according to the sayd knowledge Now if all thinges fall not out as hee hadde his fore-knowledge of them then is there in God no fore-knowledge of thinges to come To these sacriligious and wicked opposers thus wee reply GOD doth both know all thinges ere they come to passe and wee doe all thinges willingly which wee doe not feele our selues and knowe our selues directly inforced to Wee hold not that all thinges but rather that nothing followeth fate and whereas Fate vseth to be taken for a position of the stars in natiuities and conceptions we hold this a vaine and friuolous assumption wee neither deny an order of causes wherein the will of God is all in all nether do we cal it by the name of Fate g vnles Fate be deriued of fari to speak for we cannot deny that the scripture saith God spake oncâ—… these two things I haue heard that power belongeth vnto God to thee O Lord mercy for thou wilt reward euery man according to his workes For whereas hee saith God spake once it is meant that hee spake vnmooueably and vnchangeably that all thinges should fall out as hee spake and meant to haue them In this respect wee may deriue fate from fari to speake but we must needes say withall that it is vsed in another sence then we would haue men to thinke vppon But it doth not follow that nothing should bee left free to our will because God knoweth the certaine and sette order of all euents For Our very wills are in that order of causes which God knoweth so surely and hath in his praescience humain wils beeing the cause of humaine actions So that hee that keepeth a knowledge of the causes of all thinges cannot leaue mens wills out of that knowledge knowing them to bee the causes of their actions g For Tullies owne wordes Nothing commeth to passe without an efficient cause is sufficient alone to sway downe this matter quite against him-selfe for what auailes the subsequence Nothing is without a cause but euery cause is not fatall because there are causes of chance nature and will It is sufficient that nothing is done but by precedent cause For those causes that are casuall giuing originall to the name of Fortune wee deny them not wee say they are secret and ascribe them either to the will of the true God or of any other spirit The h naturall causes wee doe neuer diuide from his will who is natures
otâ—… iâ—…â—…uffeth vp that is filleth one with vaine glory So then In the diuels is thâ—…â—…owledge without charity and thence they are puffed so big so proud that thâ—… 〈◊〉 honours which they well know to be Gods due they haue euer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…em-selues and as far as they can doe so still Now what power the 〈◊〉 oâ—… Câ—…â—…hat came in forme of a seruant hath against this diuels pride as men deserued â—…ered in their hearts mens wretched minds beeing diueleshly as yet puffed vppe can by no meanes because of their proud tumor compâ—…hend or conceiue L. VIVES GReeke a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the old greeke was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to know Thence came 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith the author of the great Etymology All knowing And 〈◊〉 of the same minde for their knowledge In Cratylo Capella followeth him and so â—…ers Lactantius also lib. 2. giues them this name for their vnderstanding And so doth â—…lcidius vpon Plato his Timaeus In what manner the Lord would make him-selfe knowne to the Diuells CHAP. 21. FOâ—… the diuels hadde this knowledge they could say to the Lord in the flesh 〈◊〉 haue we to do with thee O Iesus of Nazareth Art thou come to destroy vs 〈◊〉 time Here is a plaine knowledge without charity they feare to be plaâ—…y him but loued not the iustice in him Their knowledge was bounded â—…is will and his will with conuenience But they knew him not as the Angels 〈◊〉 him that participate of his Deity in all eternity but vnto their terror out of 〈◊〉 clutches he quit those yâ— he had predestinated to his Kingdom of true eterâ—…y and eternall glorious truth The diuels therefore knew him not as hee 〈◊〉 life eternall the vnchangeable light illuminating all the godly who reâ—…hat light to the purification of their hearts by faith but they knew him by â—…mporall effects of his presence and secret signes of his vertue which the diâ—… angelicall sences might easilier obserue then mans naturall infirmity â—…gnes when he suppressed the Prince of diuels made question of his Deiâ—…empted him for the b tryall of his Deity trying how farre hee would â—…m-selfe to bee tempted in c adapting his humanity vnto our imitatiâ—… d after his temptation when the good and glorious Angels whome â—…els extremely feared came and ministred vnto him then the diuels gotte â—…nd more knowledge of him and not one of them durst resist his command 〈◊〉 hee seemed infirme and e contemptible in the flesh L. VIVES ANgelicall a sences Christs miracles were more admired of the Angells and Diuels then of men because they knowing the causes of thinges saw natures power conâ—… and transcended Now men though they saw them strange yet wanted there not 〈◊〉 to say hee cast out diuels by Beelzebub their Prince not so much beleeuing this indeed â—…g that the simple multitude should beleeue it And others of later time haue falseâ—…ged him with art Magicke against whome by GODS helpe I will deale at large 〈◊〉 bookes De sapientia Christiana b For tryall The Diuell generally tempts man to 〈◊〉 but here he aymed not so much at sinne for he knew his sanctity at least neare inexâ—…ble but his fetch was to see whether the Deity were in this humaine forme c Aâ—…g Because he would not seeme exempted by passing vntempted from humaine conâ—… Nor should his seruants after him thinke much to be tempted seeing that old 〈◊〉 â—…nemy of man didde not spare CHRIST him-selfe d After temptation This â—…mplary also For as none shall passe vntempted so if none yeeld to the temptation 〈◊〉 shall all inioy the solace and ministery of Angels as Hierome saith e Contemptible 〈◊〉 needy of meane birth and place farre from ostentation and hauing his society of such like as hee was The difference of the holy Angels knowledge and the Diuels CHAP. 22. VNto the good Angels the knowledge of all temporall things that puffes vp the Diuels is vile not that they want it but in that they wholy respect the loue of that God that sanctifieth them in comparison of which ineffable and vnchangeable glory with the a loue of with they are inflamed they contemne al that is vnder it that is b not it yea and euen them-selues that al their good may be imployed in inioying that onely good And so came they to a more sure knowledge of the world viewing in God the principall causes of the worlds creation which causes do confirme this frustrate that and dispose of all now the c diuels are fat from beholding those eternall and fundamentall causes in the wisedome of God only they can extract a notion from certaine secret signes which man is ignorant in haue more experience and therefore may oftener presage euents But they are often deceiued mary the Angels neuer For it is one thing to presage changes euents from changeable and casuall grounds and to confound them by as changeable a will as the diuels are permitted to do another thing to fore-see the changes of times and the wil of God in his eternall vnalterable decrees most d certain most powerful by the participatioÌ„ of his diuine spirit as the Angels ar vouchsafed by due gradation to do So are they eternal and blessed He is their God that made them for his participation and contemplation they do e continually inioy L. VIVES THe a loue Loue alwayes worketh on beauteous obiects Socrates in Plato's Phado saith that if corporall eyes could behold the face of honesty and wisedome they would hold it most deer and amiable What then if we could see Gods face whose fayrenesse saith the booke of wisedom appeares euen in this that our fayrest obiects are of his making Diotina in Plato's Conui as wee said aboue holds but one pulchritude worthy the loue of an honest man that desires beatitude b Is not all that is not God being vile in respect of God the Angels contemne both all and them-selues in respect of him which cogitation fastneth them so firme in Vnion with God that his beatitude sufficeth without all other appendances to make them eternally blessed c The diuels For they cannot behold the pole or foundation where-vpon all causes are grounded and turned nor the fount whence they arise but only by their pregnancy and wit surmounting ours as also by experence more then ours beeing immortall they haue a quicke conceipt of things present and a surer presage in things to come then we haue Whereby coniecturing euents not from the proper cause but their owne coniectures they are oftentimes deceiued ly when they think they speak most true boasting that they know al things Nor do the vnpure diuels faile herein onely but euen the gods them-selues saith Porphyry d Most certaine Gods will hath this certainty it effecteth what it pleaseth else were it not certaine as not being in his power but all effects