before as Caine and Abel and who dare say whether he had more besides them for it is no consequent that they were all the sons he had because they were onely named for the fit distinction of the two generations for wee read that hee had sonnes and daughters all which are vnnamed who dare affirme how many they were without incursion of rashnesse Adam might by Gods instinct say at Seths birth God hath raised me vp another seed for Abell in that Seth was to fulfill Abells sanctity not that he was borne after him by course of time And where as it is written Seth liued 105. or 205. yeares begot Eâ—…s who but one brainelesse would gather from hence that Enos was Seths first sâ—…n to giue vs cause of admiration that Seth could liue so long continent without purpose of continency or without vse of the mariage bed vnto generation for it is writte of him He begat sons and daughters and the daies of Seth were 912. yeares 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 died And thus the rest also that are named are al recorded to haue had sons daughters But here is no proofe that he that is named to be son to any of them should be their first son nor is it credible that their fathers liued al this while either immature or vnmarried or vnchilded nor that they were their fathers first â—…ome But the scripture intending to descend by a genealogicall scale from Adâ—… vnto Noah to the deluge recounted not the first borne of euery father but only such as fell within the compasse of these two generations Take this example to cleare all further or future doubt Saint Mathew the Euangelist intending to record the generation of the Man CHRIST beginning at Abrahâ—… and descending downe to Dauid Abraham saith hee begot Isaac why not 〈◊〉 he was his first sonne Isaac begot Iacob why not Esau hee was his first 〈◊〉 too The reason is he could not descend by them vnto Dauid It followeth Iacob begat Iudas and his brethren Why was Iudas his first borne Iudas begat Phâ—…es and Zara. Why neither of these were Iudas his first sonnes he had three before either of them So the Euangelist kept onely the genealogy that tracted directly downe to Dauid and so to his purpose Hence may wee therefore see plaine that the mens first borne before the deluge were not respected in this account but those onely through whose loines the propagation passed from Adam to Noah the Patriarche And thus the fruitlesse and obscure question of their late maturity is opened as farre as needeth we will not tire our selues therein L. VIVES LOnger a immature Maturity in man is the time when he is fit to beget children when as haire groweth vpon the immodest parts of nature in man or woman b Gotten Or possesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 say the seauenty Caine saith Hieroâ—… is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 possession Of the lawes of marriage which the first women might haue different from the succeeding CHAP. 16. THerefore whereas mankinde after the forming of the first man out of clay and the first woman out of his side needed coniunction of male and female for propagation sake it beeing impossible for man to bee increased but by such meanes the brethren maried the sisters this was lawfull then through the compulsion of necessity but now it is as damnable through the prohibition of it in religion for there was a a iust care had of charity that them to whom concord was most vsefull might be combined togither in diuers bonds of kinred and affinity that one should haue many in one but that euery peculiar should bee bestowed abroade and so many byas many should bee conglutinate in honest coniugall society As father and father in law are two names of kinred So if one haue both of them there is a larger extent of charity Adam is compelled to be both vnto his sonnes and his daughters who were matched together beeing brothers and sisters So was Euah both mother and step-mother to them both But if there had bin two women for these two names the loue of charity had extended further The sister also here that was made a wife comprized two alliances in her selfe which had they beene diuided and she sister to one and wife to another the combination had taken in more persons then as now it could beeing no mankinde vpon earth but brothers and sisters the progeny of the first created But it was fit to be done as soone as it could and that then wiues and sisters should be no more one it being no neede but great abhomination to practise it any more For if the first mens nephewes that maried their cousin-germaines had married their sisters there had beene three alliances not two includâ—… in one which three ought for the extention of loue and charity to haue beene communicated vnto three seuerall persons for one man should be father stepfather and vncle vnto his owne children brother and sister should they two mary together and his wife should be mother stepmother and aunte vnto them and they themselues should bee not onely brother and sister but b brother and sisters children also Now those alliances that combine three men vnto one should conioyne nine persons together in kinred amity if they were seuereâ—… one may haue one his sister another his wife another his cousin another his father another his vncle another his step father another his mother another his aâ—…te and another his step-mother thus were the sociall amity dilated and not contracted all into two or three And this vpon the worlds increase wee may obserue euen in Paynims and Infidels that although c some of their bestiall lawes allowed the bretheren to marry their sister yet better custome abhorred this badde liberty and for all that in the worldes beginning it was lawfull yet they auoide it so now as if it had neuer beene lawfull for custome is a gâ—…at matter to make a man hate or affect any thing and custome herein suppressing the immoderate immodesty of coÌ„cupiscence hath iustly set a brand of ignominy vpon it as an irreligious and vnhumaine acte for if it be a vice to plow beyond your bounder for greedinesse of more ground how farre doth this exceed it for lust of carnality to transgresse all bound nay subuert all ground of good manners And wee haue obserued that the marriage of cousin-germaines because of the degree it holdeth next vnto brother and sister to haue beene wonderfull seldome in these later times of ours and this now because of good custome otherwise though the lawes allowed it for the lawe of GOD hath not forbidden it d nor as yet had the lawe of man But this although it were lawfull is avoided because it is so neare to that which is vnlawfull and that which one doth with his cousin hee almost thinketh that hee doth with his sister for these because of their neare consanguinity e are called brothers and sisters and
and in my selfe avowed Moreouer as they tell that haue tryed you are open-handed hearted to such kind of presents then which scarse any may be more welcome to you For who should offer you gold filuer or gems garments horses or armoâ—… should power water into the sea and bring trees to the wood And truely as in all other thinges so in this you do most wisely to thinke that glory beseeming your vertue and deserts is purchased with al posterity by bookes monumeÌ„ts of learned men if not by mine or those like me yet surely by shewing your selfe affable and gratious to learned men you shall light vpon some one by whose stile as a most conning pencill the picture of that excellent and al-surmounting minde purtraied and polished may be commended to eternity not to bee couered with the rust of obliuion nor corrupted by iniury of after ages but that posterity an vncorrupted witnesse of vertues should not be silent of what is worthy to bee spoken of both to the glory of your selfe when you are restored to heauen though that be the best and best to be regarded and also which is principall and most to be aspired to the example of them that shall then liue Besides all this this worke is most agreeable to your disposition and studies wherein Saint AVGVSTINE hath collected as in a treasury the best part of those readings which hee had selected in the ancient authors as ready to dispute with sharpest wits best furnished with choisest eloquence and learning Whereby it is fallne out that he intending another point hath preserued the reliques of some the best things whose natiue seate and dwelling where they vsed to be fet and found was fouly ouerturned And therfore some great men of this later age haue bin much holpen by these writings of AVGVSTINE for VARRO SALVST LIVY and TVLLIE de republica as HERMOLAVS POLITIANVS BLONDVS BEROALDVS all which you shal so read not as they were new or vnheard-of but recognize them as of old Adde herevnto that you and Saint AVGVSTINES point and purpose in writing seeme almost to intend attaine the same end For as you wrote for that better Rome against Babylon so Saint AVGVSTINE against Babylon defended that ancient christian and holier Rome This worke not mine but Saint AVGVSTINES by whom I am protected is also sutable vnto your greatnesse whether the author bee respected or the matter of the worke The author is AVGVSTINE good GOD how holy how learned a man what a light what a leane to the christian common-wealth on whom onely it rested for many rites many statutes customes holy and venerable ceremonies and not without cause For in that man was most plentifull study most exact knowledge of holy writ a sharpe and cleare iudgement a wit admirably quick and piercing He was a most diligent defender of vndefiled piety of most sweet behauior composed and conformed to the charity of the Gospell renowned and honored for his integrity and holinesse of life all which a man might hardly prosecute in a full volume much lesse in an Epistle It is well I speake of a writer knowne of all and familiar to you Now the worke is not concerning the children of Niobe or the gates of Thebes or mending cloathes or preparing pleasures or manuring grounds which yet haue beene arguments presented euen to Kings but concerning both Citties of the World and GOD wherein Angells deuills and all men are contained how they were borne how bred how growne whether they tend and what they shall doe when they come to their worke which to vnfold hee hath omitted no prophane nor sacred learning which hee doth not both touch and explane as the exploites of the Romanes their gods and ceremonies the Philosophers opinions the originall of heauen and earth of Angells deuills and men from what grounds Gods people grew and how thence brought along to our LORD CHRIST Then are the Two Citties compared of GOD and the World and the Assyrian Sicyonian Argiue Attick Latine and Persian gouernments induced Next what the Prophets both Heathenish and Iewish did foretell of CHRIST Then speaking of true felicity he refuteth and refelleth the opinions of the ancient Philosophers concerning it Afterwards how CHRIST shall come the iudge of quick and dead to sentence good and euill Moreouer of the torments of the damned Lastly of the ioyes and eternally felicity of Godly men And all this with a wonderfull wit exceeding sharpenesse most neate learning a cleare and polisht stile such as became an author trauersed and exercised in all kinde of learning and writings and as beseemed those great and excellent matters and fitted those with whom hee disputed Him therefore shall you read most famous and best minded King at such houres as you with-draw from the mighty affaires and turmoiles of your kingdome to employ on learning and ornaments of the minde and withall take a taste of our Commentaries whereof let mee say as Ouid sayd of his bookes de Faestis when he presented them to GERMANICVS CaeSAR A learned Princes iudgement t' vnder goe As sent to reade to Phaebus our leaues goe Which if I shall finde they dislike not you I shall not feare the allowance of others for who will be so impudent as not to bee ashamed to dissent from so exact a iudgement which if any dare doe your euen silent authority shall yet protect me Farewell worthiest King and recon VIVES most deuoted to you in any place so he be reconed one of yours From Louaine the seauenth of Iuly M. D. XXII AN ADVERTISMENT OF IOANNES LODOVICVS VIVES Of Ualentia DECLARING VVHAT Manner of people the Gothes were and how they toooke Rome WHERE AS AVGVSTINE TOOKE OCcasion by the captiuity of the Romaines to write of the Cittie of GOD to answer them which iniuriouslie slaundered the Christian Religion as the cause of those enormities and miseries which befell them It shall not be lost labour for vs sounding the depth of the matter to relate from the Originall what kinde of people the Gothes were how they came into Italie and surprized the Cittie of Rome ¶ First it is cleare and euident that the former age named those Getes whome the succeeding age named Gothes because this age adulterated and corrupted many of the ancient wordes For those two Poets to wit RVTILVS and CLAVDIAN when-soeuer they speake of the Gothes doe alwaies name Getes OROSIVS also in his Historie sayth the Getes who now are named Goths departing out of their Countrie with bagge and baggage leauing their houses emptie entred safely into the Romaine Prouinces with all their forces being such a people as ALEXANDER said were to be auoided PYRRHVS abhorred and CaeSAR shunned HIEROME vpon Genesis testifieth that the Gothes were named Getes of the learned in former time Also they were Getes which inhabited about the Riuer Ister as STRABO MELA PLINIE and others auerre possessing the Region adiacent a great part of it lying waste and vnmanured being
the vnbridled out-rage of dissolute souldiers at the sacking of Cities For when HALARICVS was ready to enter into the Citty he caused two Edicts to bee proclamed to his souldiers The one was that euery man should abstaine from slaughter and laying violent handes vpon any person because such cruell deedes did highly displease him The other was that whosoeuer had taken Sanctuarie in the temples of the chiefe Apostles should haue no harme done vnto them nor those holie temples bee prophaned by any and that the offendor should suffer death The City of Rome was taken by the Gothes after it was founded Anno. M. C. L. XIIII Cal. April PLAVIVS and VARRO being Consulls But after what manner is was taken the Historiographers make small relation PAPT STA EGNATIVS saith that he had the manner of the taking of it out of the workes of PROCOPIVS a Greeke author and that hee did not a little maruell why the Interpreter did wittingly and willingly ouer-skippe that place or if it were so that hee lighted vpon an vnperfect booke that hee tooke no better heed to marke what was wanting I my selfe haue not seene PROCOPIVS the Greeke author therefore the truth of the cause shall relie vpon the credit of EGNATIVS a man verie industrious and learned as farre as I canne iudge by his workes These are his words ensuing HALARICVS had now besieged Rome the space of two yeares when HONORIVS remayning carelesse at Rauenna was neither able nor durst come to succor and releeue the Citty For hee regarded nothing lesse then the wel-fare and safety of the City after the death of STILICO hauing no care to place another Generall in his roome which might haue managed the warres against the Gothes These things were motiues to stirre vp the Gothes to besiege the Cittie perceiuing that either the Romane souldiers daylie decaied or that they went about their affaires without any corage But when they found that they could not winne it by force hauing besieged it a long time in vaine then their barbarous enemies turne their thoughts to attempt what they may doe by policy And now they beginne to make a false shew of their departing home into their owne country wherefore they call three hundered young men out of their whole army excelling in actiuity of body and corage of minde which they giue as a present to the Noble-men of Rome hauing instructed them before hand that by their lowly carriage and obsequious seruice they should bend themselues to win the fauor and good liking of their maisters that on a certaine day concluded betwen them about noone-time when the Romane princes were either a sleepe or idly disposed they should come speedily to the gate which is named Asinaria Porta there suddenly rushing vpon the keepers murder them speedely and then set open the gate for their country-men to enter beeing ready at hand In the meane while the Gothes prolonged their returne dissembling cunningly that some-time they wanted this thing and some-time that At last these three hundered young men wakeâ—…il to take the tide of oportunity dispatched their taske coragiously which they had vndertaken at the appointed day set the gate wide open to their countri-men and friends Now the Goths hauing gotten entrance rifle ransack spoile and wast the whole City procuring far greater dishonor shame vnto the Roman Nation then they did losse by the taking of it There are some which thinke the gate was set open by the meanes of PROBA a most famous wealthy woman pittying the lamentable and distressed case of the common people who died euery where like brute beasts pined with famine and afflicted with grieuous diseases There are two things worthy of serious marking first that HALARICVS made an Edict that no violence or harme should be offered vnto them which fled into the Temples of the Saints especially of Saint PETER and PAVL which thing was carefully kept Next when it was told HONORIVS being at Rauenna that Rome was lost hee thought it had beene meant of a certaine French-man a quarrellous and fighting fellow whose name was ROME maruelling that hee was so soone gone with whom hee had so little before beene most pleasant And thus much writeth EGNATâ—…VS Now the most blasphemous and wicked people faâ—…sly imputed the cause of all their miseries and enormities vnto the Christian Religion denying that euer it would haue come to passe that Rome should haue beene taken if they had kept still the Religions deuoutly obserued by their Ancestors and commended by tradition vnâ—…o their Posterity As though the French-men before time had not taken wasted and ransacked that Citty for the very same cause namely for the breach of their oth yea at that time when the prophane ceremonies of their Heathenish Religion as they say were in their chiefest prime and pride And as though few Christian Emperors had managed their affaires well or as though the decay of the Empire and ruine of it did not begin vnder the Emperors of the Gentiles And as if HONORIVS had not lost Rome by the same negligence and sloathfulnesse that GALIENVS lost Aegipt Aâ—…a 〈◊〉 passing the matter ouer with a pleasant test when newes came vnto him of thâ—… lâ—…se of them Wherefore against these slanderous persons who would haue beene enemies and aduersaries of the Christian Religion though no calamity had happened to them AVGVSTINE wrote two and twenty bookes defending the Citty of God that is to say the Christian Religion against the rage and fury of their frantick and impious calumniations FINIS The argument out of the second booke of the Retractations of Saint Augustine TRiumphant Rome ruinated and deiected from her throne of Maiesty into a gulphe of calamity by the violent irruption of the barbarous Gothes managing their bloudy wars vnder the standard of ALARICVS the worshippers of false and many gods whom wee brand in the fore-head with the common name of heathenâ—… Pagans began to breath out more damnable and virulent blasphemies against the true GOD then their bestiall mouthes had euer breathed out befâ—… labouring with might and maine to lay a heape of slanders vpon the neck of Christian relâ—…on as the wicked Mother of all this mischiefe and murderer of their worldly happinesse Wherefore the fire and zeale of Gods House burning within my bowells I resolued to compile these bookes of the Citty of God to batter down the strongest hold of their bitter blasphemies and dispel the thick clowds of their grosse errors Some yeares passed ouer my head before I could compile and finish the whole frame of this worke by reason of many intercedent affaires whose impatient hast of quick expedition would admit no delay But at last this great and laborious worke of the Citty of God was ended in two and twenty bookes of which the first fiue rebate the edge of their erronious opinions which build the prosperity of humane affaires vpon such a tottering foundation that they thinke it cannot stand long
Citie shew which precept of the gods b Marius or c Cinna or d Carbo violated in their giuing action vnto the ciuill warres which they began e vpon such vniust causes followed with such crueltie and iniuries and ended in more iniurious cruelties or what diuine authorities f Sylla himselfe broke whose life deeds and conditions to heare Salust describe and other true Historians whose haire would not stand vp right What is he now that will not confesse that g then the weale publike fell absolutely What is he now that will dare to produce that sentence of Virgill for this corruption of manners in the defence of their gods h Discéssere omnes adytis arisque relictis Dij quibus imperium hoc steterat Aen 2. The gods by whom this Empire stood left all The temples and the Altars bare But admit that this were true then haue they no reason to raile vpon Christianitie or to say that the gods being offended at that did forsake them because it was their predecessors manners that long agoe chaced all their great multitude of little gods from the cittie altars like so many flyes But where was all this nest of Deities when the i Galles sacked the cittie long before the ancient manners were contaminate were they present and yet fast a sleepe the whole cittie was all subdued at that time onely the Capitoll remained and that had beene surprized too if k the Geese had not shewen themselues better then the gods and waked when they were all a sleepe And here-vpon did Rome fall almost into the l superstition of the Aegiptians that worship birds and beasts for they henceforth kept a holy day which they called the m gooses feast But this is but by the way I come not yet to dispute of those accidental euils which are rather corporall then mentall and inflicted by foes or misfortunes I am now in discourse of the staines of the minde and manners and how they first decayed by degrees and afterward fell head-long into perdition so that thence ensued so great a destruction to the weale-publike though their cittie walles stood still vnbattered that their chiefest authors doubted not to proclaime it lost and gone Good reason was it that the gods should abandon their Temples and Altars and leaue the towne to iust destruction if it had contemned their aduices of reformation But what might one thinke I pray yee of those gods that would abide with the people that worshipped them and yet would they neuer teach them any meanes to leaue their vices and follow what was good L. VIVES THE a Gracchi These were sonnes vnto Titus Gracchus who was twise Consul triumphed twise and held the offices of Censor and Augur and Cornelia yonger daughter to African the elder they were yong men of great and admirable towardnesse both which defending the Agrarian lawe concerning the diuision of lands were murdered by the offended Senate in their Tribuneships Tiberius by Nasica a priuate man Caius by L. Opimius the Consul nine yeares after the first with clubs and stooles feete the latter with swords and this was the first ciuill dissension that euer came to weapons Anno P. R. C. DCXXVII b Marius Arpinas was his place of birth a man ignoble by descent but came to be seauen times Consull Hee first conquered Iugurth then the Cymbrians and Teutishmen and triumphed of all these at last enuying and hating Sylla who was his legate in the warre of Iugurthe he fell to ciuill warres with him wherein Marius was put to the worst and forced to flie into Africa c Cinna Marius being ouercome Sylla going to warre vpon Mithridates left C. Cornelius Cynna and Octauius Consuls in the cittie Cynna desirous of innouation seuered himselfe from his fellow and was chased out of the Citty by him and the good faction which iniurie Cynna endeuouring by all meanes possible to reuenge calleth back Marius out of Africa and so made warre vpon his countrie and entring it with mightie powers he butchered vp numbers and made himselfe the second time and Marius the seuenth time Consull without the voyces of the people in which Magistracie Marius dyed after many bloudy massacres and foule actes committed d Carbo There were many of the Carbo's as Tully writes to Papyrius Paetus of the Papyrian family but not of that of the Patriotts This of whom Saint Augustine speaketh was Cneus Papyrius Carbo one of Marius his faction who being ouer-come by Sylla fled into Sicily there at Lylibaeum was slaine by Pompey the great e Uniust cause L. Sylla and Q. Pompeyus being Consuls the Prouince of Asia and the warre of Mitrhidates fell vnto Sylla This Marius stomocked because of his olde grudge at P. Sulpitius Tribune a most seditious and wicked fellow to gette the people to make election of him for the warre against Mithridates The people though in a huge tumult yet tooke notice of what the Tribune propounded and commanded it should be so Sylla not brooking this disgrace demanded helpe of his armie and offered force to Marius his Ambassadors who went to take vp legions at Capua and so brought his angry powers to the Citty with intent to wreake this iniurie by fraude or force Hence arose the seedes of all the ciuill warres for Marius with his faction mette him in the Cittie at Port Esquiline and there fought a deadly sette battaile with him f Sylla This man was a Patriot of the Cornelian familie and hauing done worthy seruice in armes hee was made Consull In which Magistracie hauing conquered Mithridates chased out the ciuill warres ouer-throwne Marius the yonger Carbo Norbanus Sertorius Domitius Scipio and the rest of the Marian faction hee tooke vpon him perpetuall Dictatorship by the lawe Valerian wherein hee proscribed many thousands of the Romaine Citizens with outragious crueltie He was a most bloudy fellow and giuen ouer vnto all kinde of lust and intemperance g Then the weale publike Lucane by the mouth of Cato Olim vera fidei Sylla Marioque receptis Libertatis obijt Whilom when Marius and feirce Sylla stroue True liberty fell dead h Discessere omnes adytis The verse is in the second booke of Uirgils Aeneads which Seruius and Macrobius doe thinke belongeth vnto the calling out of the gods for when as a citty was besieged the enemy had an intent to raze it to the ground least they should seeme to fight against the gods and force them from their habitations against their wils which they held as a wicked deed they vsed to call them out of the besieged citty by the generall that did besiege it that they would please to come and dwell amongst the conquerors So did Camillus at the Veii Scipio at Carthage and Numance Mummius at Corinth i The Galls sacked The Transalpine Galls burst often into Italy in huge multitudes The last of them were the Senones who first sacked Clusium afterwards Rome Anno P. R. C. CCCLX whether
Anthonies pretences and powers would re-erect the liberty of his country But m farre mistaken was hee and mole-eid in this matter for his young man whose power he hadde augmented first of all suffered Anthony to cut of Ciceroes head as if it hadde beene a bargaine betweene them and then brought that liberty which the other wrought so for vnto his owne sole commaund and vnder his owne particular subiection L. VIVES OF a Sertorius Q. Sertorius Mirsinius seeing the faction of Marius which he fauoured to go downe the winde by the leaders follies gotte away with the forces hee led through all the ragged and difficult passages into Spaine and there warred valiantly against the Syllans At last being put to the worst by Pompey hee was stabbed at supper by the treason of Perpenna Antonius and others his fellowes A worthy Captaine hee was hadde he hadde a worthier meane to haue shewed him-selfe in b Cateline Hee was for Sylla and cutte many throates at his command Afterward rebelling and taking armes against his country hee was ouerthrowne and slaine by Cicero and C. Antony Consuls c Lepidus In his and Q. Luctatius Catulus his Consulship Sylla dyed and was buried in Mars his field At his buriall the two Consuls were at great wordes about the reformation of the state Lepidus desiring to recall Sylla's proscripts and to restore them their goddes and Catulus contradicting him together with the Senate not that it was not iust but because it would bee the originall of a new tumult the most dangerous of all in that little breathing time of the state from wordes they fell to weapons G. Pompey and Q. Catulus ioined battell with Lepidus ouerthrew him with ease and despoyling him of his whole strength returned to Rome without any more stirre or other subsequence of war The victory was moderately vsed and armes presently laid aside d Pompey Cn. Pompey the great C. Pompey Strabo's sonne mette Sylla comming out of Asia with three legions which hee hadde taken vppe amongst the Pisenes hereby furthering Sylla greatly in his victory who vsed him as one of his chiefe friendes and surest Captaines in ending the ciuill warre in Cicilie Afrike Italy and Spaine Hee tryumphed twise beeing but agent of Rome no Senator Hee hadde great good fortune in subduing the Pyrats He conquered Mithridates and all the East getting greate and glorious triumph therby and wondrous wealth He was of mighty power and authority in the State all which I haue more at large recorded in my Pompeius fugiens Lastly warring against Caesar for the Common-wealth hee was foiled fledde away to Ptolomey the young King of Aegipt where to doe Caesar a pleasure hee was murdered e Caesar. This man was sonne to L. Caesar whose Aunt Iulia was wife vnto Marius beeing Consull by Pompeys meanes hee gotte the Prouince of France for fiue yeares and those expired for fiue more of the Consuls Pompey and Crassus In which tenne yeares hee conquered all France and fretting that Pompey could doe more in the state then hee pretending other causes hee brought his forces against his country Lucan Nec quenquam iam ferre potest Caesarue priorem Pompeiusue parem Caesar indureth no superiour Pompey no equall Suetonius in Caesars life writes a Chapter of the causes of these warres But Pompey beeing dead Caesar gotte to bee perpetuall Dictator and then gouerned all the state like a King Of this ciuill warre wrote hee him-selfe Plutarch Appian Florus Eutropius and Cicero who was present and pertaker in the whole businesse h Augustus C. Octauius Cneius his sonne a Praetorian and Actia's the daughter of Actius Balbus and Iulia Caesars sister Caesar made him heire of the nineth part of his estate and called him by his name Sueton. Many of the old soldiers after Caesars death came vnto him for his Vncles sake by whose meanes as Tully saith hee defended the causes of the Senate against Anthony when hee was but a youth ouer-threw him chased him into France vnto Lepidus at whose returne hee made a league trium-virate with them which was the direct ruine of the Common-wealth The Trium-viri were Anthony Lepidus and hee him-selfe The conditions were that Anthony should suffer his Vncle Sext. Iul. Caesar to be proscribed Lepidus his brother Lucius and Octauius Cicero whome hee held as a father This was Anthonies request because Cicero in his Orations hadde proclaimed him an enemy to the Common-weale Of these three Tully was killed by Anthonies men the other two escaped The Octauians warred with Brutus and Cassius and at Phillippi by Anthonies helpe ouerthrew them Then hee warred with L. Anthony the Tryumvirs brother and at Perusia made him yeelde the Towne him-selfe Afterward with Pompey the greats sonne and tooke the Nauy from him and then with Lepidus depriuing him of the Triumvirship Lastly with Marke Anthony the Tryumvir whome hee conquered and so remayned sole Emperour of Rome hauing ended all the ciuill wars and beeing saluted Augustus by Ualerius Messala in the name of the whole Senate and people of Rome In the foure and fortith yeare of his reigne ab V. C. DCCLI an happy peace breathing on the bosome of all the earth both by Sea and Land mankind beeing in absolute quiet from contention THE PRINCE OF NATVRE THE CREATOR THE KING OF KINGS AND THE LORD OF LORDS IESVS CHRIST was borne in Bethelem a cittie in Iuda g Many excellent The Triumviri proscribed farre more of euery sort then Sylla didde Those three Iunâ—…nal calls bitterly Sylla's Shollers and faith they excelled their men in the art of proscription h Cicero Hee was slaine being 63. yeares of age After the reckoning of Liuie and Aufidius Bassus The diuers opinions of his death are to be read in Seneca Suasor lib. 1. Augustine calles him an excellent Common-wealths-man because his tongue like a sterne did turne the Shippe of the State which way hee would which he knowing vsed this verse to the great vexation of his enemies Cedant arma togae concedat laurea lingua That armes should yeeld to arts t is fit Stoope then the wreath vnto the witte Pliny the elder meeting him Haile thou quoth hee that first deserued a tryumph by the gowne and a garland by thy tongue i C. Caesar Brutus Cassius and sixty Senators more conspired against Caesar and in Pompeies court killed him with daggers the Ides of March. k Anthony He and Dolabella were then Consuls Anthony hauing the command of the armies affected the Soueraignty of the state exceedingly which at first Tully by his Orations suppressed but then as I said he became Triumvir The story of his warre is as well recorded in Tullyes Philipques as can bee l Kept vp Tully by his eloquence armed him and Hircius and Pansa the Consuls against Anthony m Far mistaken Brutus hadde giuen Tully sufficient warning of Octauius not to make him too powerfull nor trust him too much that his witte was
the watry playnes g The Moone Porph. Naturall deor interpretat That in the Sunne saith he is 〈◊〉 that in the Moone Miuerua signifiyng wisdome h Worlds fire Ours that we vse on earth belonging as I say to generation Though herein as in all fictions is great diuersity of opiâ—…ons Phurnutus saith Vulan is the grosser fire that wee vse and Iupiter the more pure fire and Prudentius saith Ipse ignis qui nostrum seruit ad usum Vulcanus ac perhibetur et in virtute supernâ Fingitur ac delubra deus ac nomine et ore Assimulatus habet nec non regnare caminis Fertur Aeoliae summus faber esse vel Aetna The fire that serues our vse Hight Vulcan and is held a thing diuine Grac't with a stile a statue and a shrine The chimeys god he is and keepes they say Great shops in Aetna and Aeolia i onely Heauen Ennius Aspice hoc sublime candens quem inuocant omnes Iouem behold yond flaming light which each call Ioue k Get the starre In the contention for Lucifier or the day starre That Varro him-selfe held his opinions of the Gods to be ambiguous CHAP. 17. BVt euen as these cited examples do so all the rest rather make the matteâ—… intricate then plaine and following the force of opiniatiue error sway this way and that way that Varro himselfe liketh better to doubt of them then to deliuer this or that positiuely for of his three last bookes hauing first ended that of the certaine gods then hee came into that of the a vncertaine ones and there hee saith If I set downe ambiguities of these gods I am not blame worthy Hee that thinketh I ought to iudge of them or might let him iudge when he readeth them I had rather call all my former assertions into question then propound all that I am to handle in this booke positiuely Thus doth hee make doubts of his doctrine of the certaine gods aswell as the rest Besides in his booke of the select ones hauing made his preface out of naturall theology entring into these politique fooleries and mad fictions where truth both opposed him antiquity oppressed him here qd he I wil write of the gods to whom the Romaines haue built temples diuersity of statues bâ—… I wil write so as xenophanes b Colophonus writeth what I thinke not what I wil defend for man may thinke but God is he that knoweth Thus timerously he promiseth to speake of things not knowne nor firmely beleeued but only opinatiue doubted of being to speake of mens institutions He knew that ther was the world heauen and earth stars al those together with the whole vniuerse subiect vnto one powerfull and inuisible king this he firmely beleeued but hee durst not say that Ianus was the world or that Saturne was Ioues father and yet his subiect nor of the rest of this nature durst he affirme any thing confidently L. VIVES THe a Vncertaine Of these I haue spoken before now a little of the vnknowne for it is an error to hold them both one The territories of Athens had altars to many vokowne gods Actes 17. and Pausanias in Attic. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the altars of the vnâ—… gods These Epimenides of Creete found for the pestilence being sore in that country 〈◊〉 â—…d them to expiate their fields yet not declaring what god they should invoâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 expiation Epimenides beeing then at Athens bad them turne the cattell that they would offâ—… into the fields and the priests to follow them and where they staied there kill them and â—…er them to the vnknowne propiciatory God Therevpon arose the erection of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which continued euen vnto Laertius his time This I haue beene the willinger to 〈◊〉 â—…cause of that in the Actes b Xenophanes Sonne to Orthomenes of Ionia where 〈◊〉 the Poet was borne Apolodorus out of Colophon Hee held all things incompreâ—… â—…nst the opinion of Laërtius Sotion Eusebius following Sotion saith hee did hold 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sences salfe and our reason for company he wrote of the gods against Homer and Heâ—… There was another Zenophanes a lesbian and a Poet. The likeliest cause of the propagation of paganisme CHAP. 18. OF all these the most credible reason is this that these gods were men that by the meanes of such as were their flatterers a had each of them rites and sacrifices ordained for them correspondent vnto some of their deedes manners wittes fortunes and so forth and that other men rather diuells sucking in these errors and delighting in their ceremonies nouelties so gaue them their propagation beeing furthered with poetiall fictions and diabolicall illusions For it were a likelier matter that an vngratious sonne did feare killing by as vngratious a father and so expelled him from his kingdome then that which hee saith that Ioue is aboue Saturne because the efficient cause which iâ—… â—…es is before the materiall which is Saturnes For were this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 should neuer haue beene before Ioue nor consequently his faâ—…â—…or the cause goeth alwaies before the seede but the seede neuer geâ—… the cause But in this endeauor to honour the vaine fables or impiâ—… of men with naturall interpretations their most learned men are 〈◊〉 into such quandaries that wee cannot choose but pitty their vanity asâ—… 〈◊〉 the others L. VIVES 〈◊〉 a each In this place the Copies differ but our reading is the most authenâ—… and most ancient Some Copies leaue out By the meanes of such as were their 〈◊〉 But it is not left out in the olde manuscripts wee reade it as antiquitie leauâ—… 〈◊〉 The interpretations of the worship of Saturne CHAP. 19. Sâ—… say they deuoured all his children that is all seedes returne to 〈◊〉 earth from whence they came and a clod of earth was laide in steed of 〈◊〉 for him to deuoure by which is meant that men did vse to bury their 〈◊〉 in the earth before that plowing was inuented So then should Saturne bâ—… called the earth it selfe and not the seedes for it is the earth that doth as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 deuoure the owne of-spring when as the seedes it produceth are all returned into it againe But what correspondence hath mens couering of corne with cloddes vnto the laying of Saturne a clod in steed of Ioue is not the corne which is couered with the clod returned into the earthes wombe as well as the rest For this is spoken as if hee that laid the clod tooke away the seede Thus say they by the laying of this clod was Ioue taken from Saturne when as the laying of the clod vpon a seede maketh the earth to deuoure it the sooner Againe beeing so Ioue is the seed not the seedes cause as was sayd but now But these mens braines runne so farre a stray with those fond interpretations that they know not well what to say A sickle hee beareth for his husbandry they say Now in a his raigne was not husbandry inuented and therefore as our author interpreteth the
first times were called his because as then men did liue vpon the earthes voluntary increase and fruites Whether b tooke he the sickle vpon the losse of his scepter as one that hauing beene an idle King in his owne raigne would become a painefull laborer in his sonnes Then hee proceedeth and saith that c some people as the Carthaginians offred infants in sacrifice to him and others as the d Galles offered men because mankinde is chiefe of all things produced of seede But needeth more of this bloudy vanity This is the obseruation of it all that none of these interpretations haue reference to the true liuing incorporeall changelesse nature whereof the eternall life is to bee craued but all their ends are in things corporall temporall mutable and mortall and whereas Saturne they say did e geld his Father Caelus that is quoth hee to bee vnderstood thus that the diuine seede is in Saturnes power and not in Heauens that is nothing in heauen hath originall from seed Behold here is Saturne made Heauens sonne that is Ioues For they affirme stedfastly that Ioue is heauen Thus doth falshood without any opposer ouerthrow it selfe Hee saith further that hee was called f 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is space of time without the which no seed can come to perfection This and much like is spoken of Saturne in reference to the seed Surely Saturne with all this power should haue beene sufficient alone to haue gouerned the seede why should they call any more gods to this charge as Liber and Libera or Ceres of whose power ouer seed hee speaketh as if he had not spoken at all of Saturne L. VIVES IN a his raigne Who first inuented husbandry it is vncertaine Some as the common sort hold take it to bee Ceres other Triptolemus at least for him that first put it in practise is Iustine and Ouid Some Dionysius as Tibullus Diodorus calleth him Osyris and therefore Virgil faith Ante Iouem nulli subigebant arua coloni Vntill Ioues time there were no husband-men Some thinke that Saturne taught it vnto Ianus and the Italians beeing driuen to inuent some-what of necessity after hee was chased from Crete So that still husbandry was not inuented in his raigne but after The poets will haue no husbandry in the golden age the daies of Saturne Uirgill saith the earth brought fruites Nullo poscente no man taking paines for them and Ouid fruges tellus inarata faerebat the earth bore corne vnplowed Hesiod 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. The earth brought fruite vnforced both good and in aboundance b Tooke 〈◊〉 His sickle was found at Zancle a city in Sicily thence the towne had that name Sil. Italâ—… 14. For 〈◊〉 in the Sicilian tongue was a sickle Thâ—…y did c Some people Oros. lib. 4. cap. 6. Trogus Lact. lib. 1. and Posceâ—…inus Festus Some say the Carthaginians offred children to Hercules Plin. li. 36. but others say it was to Saturne Plato in Minoâ—… Dionys. Halicarn The odoritus Câ—…s in Sacrific Euseb. and Tertullian who addeth that at the beginning of Tiberius his reigne he forbad it them and crucified their priests yet they did continue it secretly euen at the time he wrot this Some referre the cause of this cruelty vnto Iunos hate But Eusebiâ—… 〈◊〉 of Sanchoniato reciting the Phaenicians theology saith that Saturne King of Palestine dying â—…rned into the star we call Saturne and that soone after Nimph Anobreth hauing but â—…e 〈◊〉 sonne by Saturne who was therefore called Leud for that is one onely sonne in the 〈◊〉 tonge was compelled to sacrifice him for to deliuer her contry from a daungerous 〈◊〉 and that it was an ould custome in such perills to pacifie the wrath of the reuenging 〈◊〉 with the bloud of the Princes dearest sonne But the Carthagians being come of 〈◊〉 â—…cians sacrificed a man vnto Saturne whose sonne had beene so sacrificed either of their own first institution in Africa or else traducing it from their ancestry De prae Euan. How these children were sacrificed Diodorus telleth Biblioth lib. 20. They had saith he a brazen 〈◊〉 of Saturne of monstrous bignesse whose hand hung downe to the Earth so knit one within anâ—…r that the children that were put in them fell into a hole full of fire Thus far hee When wee â—…ed this booke first our sea-men discouered an Iland calling it after our Princes name 〈◊〉 wherein were many statues of deuills hollow within brazen all and their hands 〈◊〉 wherein the Idolaters vsed to lay their children they sacrificed and there were they 〈◊〉 â—…ned by the extreame heate of the brasse caused by the fire that they made within 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Gaules Not vnto Saturne but to Esus and Theutantes Plin. lib. 30. Solin Mela Câ—…ane and Lactantius To Mercury saith Tertullian but that is Theutantes Plin menâ—… â—…erius his prohibition of so damnable a superstition Claudius farbad them as Suetoâ—… 〈◊〉 Indeed Augustus first forbad it but that was but for the city onely A decree was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the yeare of Rome DCLVII consulls P. Licinius Crassus and Cn. Cornelius Lantuâ—… forbidding humane sacrifices all the Empire through and in Hadrians time it ceased alâ—… 〈◊〉 ouer the world Iupiter Latialis was worshipped with ablation of mans bloud in Terâ—…â—…y â—…y and Eusebius and Lactantius his time And before Hercâ—…es was Saturne so worâ—… Latium which sacrifice Faunus brought vp for his grandsire Saturne because of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was as Lactantius and Macrobius recite out of Varro this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. bring 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and lightes for Dis his father Dis his father was Saturne Lactantius readeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a word doubtfull 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 circumflexe is light and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 acute is a man Homer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Streight gainst the sutors went this heauenly man 〈◊〉 often elsewhere Plutarch in his booke intitled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 liue in priuate giueth the 〈◊〉 why 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 should bee both light and a man But Hercules comming into Italy and seeâ—… 〈◊〉 Aborigines that dwelt there continually take of the Greekes for sacrifice that were 〈◊〉 â—…her to inhabite and asking the cause they told him this oracle which hee did 〈◊〉 light not man and so they decreed that yearely each Ides of May the Priests and 〈◊〉 should cast thirty mens images made of osiers or wickers into Tyber from of the 〈◊〉 Miluius calling them Argaei for the old latines held all the Gretians Argiues and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 should haue lights offred to him Dionis Plutarch Uarro Festus Gel. Macrob. 〈◊〉 Lactant. Ouid. yet Ouid telleth this tale of another fashion Fastor 5. Manethon saith the Aâ—…tians vsed to sacrifice three men to Iuno in the city of the sunne but King Amasis changed the sacrifice into three lights e Geld his father Eusebius discoursing of the Phaniâ—…â—…ity â—…ity saith thus after Caelus had raigned 32. yeeres his Sonne Saturne lay
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
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
by feare of misery My mother Blanche a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 had wâ—…t to tell me whâ—…n I was a childe that the Syrens sung 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 in faire wether hhoping the later in the first and fearing the first in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Our hope Not of vnhappinesse but vnhappy of the happinesse to come 〈◊〉 Gâ—… from Hee toucheth the Platomists controuersie some holding the soules giuen of GOD 〈◊〉 others that they were cast downe for their guilt and for their punnishment 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 k sportes of soules A diuersity of reading but let vs make good 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Of the state of the first man and man-kinde in him CHAP. 21. â—…rd question of Gods power to create new things without change of 〈◊〉 because of his eternitie being I hope sufficiently handled wee may 〈◊〉 that he did farre better in producing man-kinde from one man onely 〈◊〉 had made many for whereas he created some creatures that loue to be 〈◊〉 in deserts as Eagles Kites Lyons Wolues and such like and others 〈◊〉 rather liue in flockes and companies as Doues Stares Stagges a 〈◊〉 and such like yet neither of those sorts did hee produce of one alone 〈◊〉 many together But man whose nature he made as meane betweene Anâ—…asts that if hee obeyed the Lord his true creator and kept his hests 〈◊〉 be transported to the Angels society but if hee became peruerse in 〈◊〉 offended his Lord God by pride of heart then that hee might bee cast â—…h like a beast and liuing the slaue of his lusts after death bee destinate â—…all paines him did hee create one alone but meant not to leaue him â—…th-out another humaine fellow thereby the more zealously commendâ—… concord vnto vs men being not onely of one kinde in nature but also â—…dred in affect creating not the woman hee meant to ioyne with man â—…did man of earth but of man and man whom hee ioyned with her not of 〈◊〉 of himselfe that all man-kinde might haue their propagation from one L. VIVES 〈◊〉 Daâ—… in the diminutiue because it is a timorous creature neither wilde noâ—… 〈◊〉 God fore-knew that the first Man should sinne and how many people hee was to translate out of his kinde into the Angels society CHAP. â—…22 〈◊〉 was not ignorant that Man would sinne and so incurre mortallitye 〈◊〉 for him-selfe and his progenie nor that mortalls should runne on in 〈◊〉 of iniquitie that brute a beasts should liue at more attonement 〈◊〉 betweene them-selues whose originall was out of water and earth 〈◊〉 whose kinde came all out of one in honor of concord for Lyons neâ—… among them-selues nor Dragons as men haue done But God fore-saw 〈◊〉 that his grace should adopt the godly iustifie them by the holy spirit â—…ir sinnes and ranke them in eternall peace with the Angels the last 〈◊〉 dangerous death being destroyed and those should make vse of Godsâ—…g â—…g all man-kinde from one in learning how well God respected vnity in 〈◊〉 L. VIVES 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Any place will holde bruite-beasts without contention sooner then 〈◊〉 mâ—…n is Woolâ—…e to man as the Greeke Prouerbe saith Pliâ—… lib. 7. and all other â—…gree among them-selues and oppose strangers The sterne Lion fights not with 〈◊〉 nor doth the Serpent sting the Serpent the beasts and fishes of the sea aâ—… with their owne kinde But man doth man the most mischiefe Dicâ—… saith Tully wrote a booke of the death of men He is a free and copious Peripatetique and herein hauing reckned vp inondations plagues burning exceeding aboundance of beaâ—… and other externall causes he compares then with the warres and seditions wherewith man hath destroyed man and finds the later farre exceeding the former This warre amongst men did Christ desire to haue abolished and for the fury of wrath to haue grafted the heate of zeale and charity This should bee preached and taught that Christians ought not to bee as wars but at loue one with another and to beare one with another mens minds are already to forward to shed bloud and do wickedly they neede not be set on Of the nature of mans soule being created according to the image of God CHAP. 23. THerefore God made man according to his a image and likenesse giuing him a soule whereby in reason and vnderstanding hee excelled all the other creatures that had no such soule And when hee had made man thus of earth and either b breathed the soule which he had made into him or rather made that breath one which he breathed into him for to breath is but to make a breth then c out of his side did hee take a bone whereof he made him a wife and an helpe as he was God for we are not to conceiue this carnally as wee see an artificer worke vp any thing into the shape of a man by art Gods hand is his power working visible things inuisibly Such as measure Gods vertue and power that can make seedes of seeds by those daily and vsuall workes hold this rather for a fable then a truth But they know not this creation and therefore thinke vnfaithfully thereof as though the workes of ordinary conception and production are not strange to those that know them not though they assigne them rather to naturall causes then account them the deities workes L. VIVES HIs a Image Origen thinkes that man is Christs image and therfore the scripture calls man Gods image for the Sonne is the fathers image some thinke the Holy Ghost is ment in the simyly But truely the simyly consists in nothing but man and the likenesse of God A man saith Paul is Gods image It may be referred to his nature and in that he is Gods likenesse may be referred to his guifts immortallity and such wherein he is like God b Breathed It is a doubt whether the soule were made before infused after or created with the body Aug de gens ad lit li. 7. saith that the soule was made with the other spiritual substances infused afterwards and so interpreteth this place Hee breathed into his face the breath of life Others take it as though the soule were but then made and so doth Augustine here c Out of his Why the woman was made after the man why of his ribbe when he was a sleepe and how of his rib read Magister sentent lib. 2. Dist. 18. Whether the Angels may be called creators of any the least creature CHAP. 24. BVt here wee haue nothing to doe with a them that hold the diuine essence not to medle with those things at all But b those that follow Plato in affirming that all mortall creatures of which man is the chiefe were made by the lesser created Gods through the permission or command of the creator and not by him-selfe that framed the world let them but absure the superstition wherein thy seeke to giue those inferiors iust honors and sacrifices and they shall quickly avoid the error of this
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
Obruit aduersas aciâ—…s reuolutáque tela Vertit in auctores turbine repulit hast as O nimium dilecte deo cui fundit ab antris Aeolus armatas hyemes cui miâ—…itat aether Et coniurati veniunt ad classica venti Swift victory needs not be sought Shee 's thine this fight thou and â—…hy father fought Their natiue strength nor did it boote the foe To man his fortes the trench and rockes fell flatte And left away for thee to enter at For thee the North-winde from the heights descended In whiâ—…le-windes raining all the darts they bended At thee on their owne brests in pointed showers O Gods belou'd to whom the stormy powers Raisd from the deepe in armes ethercall And windes are prest to helpe when thou doost call Tâ—… Claudiâ—…n hath it differing some-what from Augustines quotation It may be the versâ—…s were spred at first as Augustine hath them for he liued in Claudians time In the copie of Colâ—… it is râ—…d lust as it is in the text O nimium dilecte deo cui militet â—…ther c. And so in Orosius and 〈◊〉 e Footemen An office in court that was belonging to the speedy dispatch of the Princes message not much vnlike our Lackeys at this day Footmen they were called both of old by Tully and of late times by Martiall Suetonius mentioneth them in his Nero He neuer trauelled â—…r made a iourney saith he of Nero without a thousand Caroches their mules shodde all with silâ—…r his muletours all in silken raiments and all his coatch-men and foote-men in their bracâ—…lets and ritch coates And in his Titus Presently he sent his foote-men to the others mother who was a farre off to tell her very carefully that her sonne was well The Romaine Emperor remoouing into Greece gaue Greeke names to all the offices about them and amongst others these foot-men were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 runners Such they had of old also as Alexander the great had Philonides that ranne 1200. furlongs in one day Plinie f When they were They would not be quiet when the warres were finished but hauing no foes left to kill made them-selues some continually to practise murther vpon g Valens A chiefe Arrian hee did extreame harme to the Bishops and religious men in the Church and put many of them to death and sent Arian Bishops to the Gothes that desired to be instructed in the Christian faith h Humilitie The Thessalonicans cittizens of a towne of Macedonia so called hauing by a tumult begun in the Theater expelled the Magistrates out of the towne Theodosius being here-at greeuously offended intended to punish this iniurious act most seuerely yet by the Bishops intreaties pardoned them Not-with-standing the wronged parties hauing many friends in court that ceased not dayly to animate and vrge Theodosius to this reuenge at length being ouer-come by their intreaties hee sent an armie and put a many thousands of the citizens to death For which deed Ambrose Bishop of Millaine on good-Friday excommunicated him â—…arring him the Church vntill he had satisfied for his crime by a publick repentance He obeyed and prostrating himselfe humbly before the world as the old custome was professed himselfe repentant and sorry for his offence intreated pardon first of God and the whole hoast of heauen next of the Bishop and lastly of all the whole church and being thus purged was restored to the vse of Church and Sacraments Augustines inuectiue against such as wrote against the Bookes already published CHAP. 27. BVt now I see I must take those in hand that seeing they are conuicted by iust plaine arguments in this that these false gods haue no power in the distribution of temporall goods which fooles desire onely now goe to affirme that they are worshipped not for the helpes of this life present but of that which is to come For in these fiue bookes past wee haue sayd enough to such as like little babyes cry out that they would faine worship them for those earthly helpes but cannot be suffred The first three Bookes I had no sooner finished and let them passe abroade vnto some mens hands but I heard of some that prepared to make I know not what an answer to them or a reply vpon them Afterward I heard that they had written them and did but watch a a time when to publish it securely But I aduise them not to wish a thing so inexpedient b It is an easie thing for any man to seeme to haue made an answer that is not altogether silent but what is more talkatiue then vanitie which cannot haue the power of truth by reason it hath more tongue then truth But let these fellowes marke each thing well and if their impartiall iudgements tell them that their tongue-ripe Satyrisme may more easily disturbe the truth of this world then subuert it let them keepe in their trumperies and learne rather to bee reformed by the wise then applauded by the foolish For if they expect a time not for the freedome of truth but for the licensing of reproch God forbid that that should bee true of them which Tully spoake of a certaine man that was called happy in hauing free leaâ—…e to â—…ffend c O wretched hee that hath free libertie to offend And therefore what euer hee be that thinketh himselfe happy in his freedome of reproâ—…hing others I giue him to vnderstand that farre happyer should he be in the lacke of that licence seeing that as now hee may in forme of consultation contradict or oppose what hee will setting aside the affecting of vaine applause and heare what hee will and what is fit in honest graue free and friendly disputation L. VIVES WAtch a a time Many write against others and watch a time for the publication to the hurt of the aduersary and their owne profit Such men writing onely to doe mischiefe are to be hated as the execrable enemies of all good iudgments For who cannot doe iniurie And what a minde hath hee that thinketh his guifts and learning must serue him to vse vnto others ruine If they seeke to doe good by writing let them publish them then when they may doâ—… others the most good and their opponents the least hurt Let them set them forth whilâ—… 〈◊〉 aduersary liues is lusty and can reply vpon them and defend his owne cause Plâ—…â—…tes that Asinius Pollio had Orations against Plancus which hee meant to publish 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 death least hee should come vpon him with a reply Plancus hearing of it tush saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is none but ghosts will contend with the dead which answer so cutte the combes of the â—…ions that all Schollers made ieasts and mockes of them b It is easye The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the voluntary censurer of the contentions betweene the greatest Schollers if 〈◊〉 silent presently condemne him and giue him for conquered without any other tryall and holding him the sufficient answerer that doth not hold his peace If both write
〈◊〉 O â—…en say they it is a hard controuersie and so leaue it neuer looking nor if they woâ—…ld could they discerne whose cause is better defended because they doe not vnderstand it 〈◊〉 euen as Augustine saith here Uanity hauing more words then veritie those fooles ofteâ—…â—…on that side that kept the most coyle c O wretched Tusc. l. 5. speaking of Cinâ—… Is 〈◊〉 â—…appy that slew those men no I rather thinke him wretched not onely for dooing it but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…ied himselfe so to gette the licence to doe it Though to offend is vnlawfull and liâ—…â—…o man wee abuse the world for that is lawfull which each mans good hath left 〈◊〉 â—…o performe or follow Finis lib. 5. THE CONTENTS OF THE sixt booke of the City of God 1. Of those that affirme they do worship these Gods for eternall life and not for temporall respects 2. What may be thought of Varroes opinion of the gods who dealeth so with them in his discouery of them and their ceremonies that with more reuerence vnto them he might haue held his peace 3. The diuision of Varroes bookes which 〈◊〉 stileth The Antiquities of Diuine Humaine affaires 4. That by Varroes disputations the affaires of those men that worshipped the gods are of far more antiquitie then those of the Gods themselues 5. Of Varroes three kinds of Diuinity Fabulous Naturall and Politique 6. Of the Fabulous and Politique Diuinity against Varro 7. The coherence and similitude between the fabulous Diuinitie and the ciuill 8. Of the naturall interpretations which the Paynim Doctors pretend for their Gods 9. Of the offices of each peculiar God 10. Of Senecaes freer reprehension of the ciuill Theology then Varroes was of the Fabulous 11. Senecaes opinion of the Iewes 12. That it is plaine by this discouery of the Pagan Gods vanity that they cannot giue eternall life hauing no power to helpe in the temporall FINIS THE SIXTH BOOKE OF THE CITTIE OF GOD Written by Saint Augustine Bishop of Hippo vnto Marcellinus Of those that affirme they do worship these gods for eternall life and not for temporall respects CHAP. 1. IN the fiue precedent bookes I thinke they be sufficiently confounded that hold that worship iustly giuen vnto these false gods which is peculiar onely to one true GOD and in greeke is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and that this worshippe ought to bee offered vnto them for temporall commodities all which Gods Christianity conuinceth either to bee friuilous and vnprofitable Images and damned spirits or at least and at best no Creators but Creatures But who knoweth not that neither those fiue bookes nor all that a man could make would stay and satisfie excesse of obstinacy for it is some mens glory vaine indeed neuer to yeeld to the truth but oppose it to their owne perdition in whose bosomes sinne hath so large an Empire for their disease exceedth all cure not through the Phisitians want of skill but the patients impatient frowardnesse But as for such as read the sayd bookes without any obstinate intent or with little and ponder the things they reade in an vnpartiall discretion those shall approue that our labour in their satisfaction hath rather performed more then the question required then otherwise and that all the malice wherein they â—…ke Christianity the cause of all the afflictions falling vpon this transitory world the best learned of them dissembling their knowledge against their oâ—…â—…sciences is not onely voide of all reason and honesty but frought 〈◊〉 rashnesse and pernicious impudence Now therefore as our method 〈◊〉 are they to bee dealt withall that make eternity the end of this erroniâ—… worship which Christian religion so reiecteth let vs take our beginning from the holy and oraculous Psalmist that saith a Blessed is the man that maketh the â—…rd his trust and regardeth not the proude nor such as turne aside to lies But of al such as doe goe astray in those errors the Philosophers are least falty that could neuer abide the fond opinions of the vulgar who made their gods images fabled diuers things of them most false and vnworthy the Deities or els beleeued them from the reports of others and from that beleefe intruded them into the ceremonies and made them parts of their worships Wherefore with such as b though they durst not openly yet secretly disliked those things this question may beâ—…lty disputed of Whether it bee fit to worship one God the maker of al bodies and spirits for the life to come or many gods c beeing all by their best Philosophers confessions both created and aduanced But who can endure to heare it said that the gods which I reckned vp in part in the 4. booke and haue peculiar charges can giue one life eternall And those sharpe witted men that 〈◊〉 of the good they doe by writing of these things in instructing the people what to intreate at each of their hands would they commit such a grosse absurdity as that which the Mimickes doe in ieast asking water of Bacchus and 〈◊〉 of the Nymphes As thus would they teach a man that praied unâ—… the Nymphes for wine if they answered him wee haue no wine goe to â—…hus for that Then to replie if you haue no wine I praie you then giue mee life eternall what grosser foolery could there bee then this would not the Nymphes fall a laughing for they are d prone to laughter when they do not affect deceite as the deuills vse to do and say to him why fond man dost thou thinke we haue life eternall at command that haue not a cuppe of wine at command as thou hearest Such fruitlesse absurdity should it bee to aske eternall life or hope for it of such Gods as are so bound to peculiar charges in things respecting this fraile and transitory life that it were like mymicall scurrility to demaund any thing of any one of them which resteth vnder the disposing of another Which when the Mimikes doe men doe very worthily laugh at them in the Theater and when ignorant fooles doe it they are farre more worthyly derided in the world Wherefore the peculiar positions that wee ought to make vnto euery god by the gouernours of cities their learned men haue compiled and left vnto memory which must bee made to Bacchus which to the Nymphes Vulcan c. part whereof I recited in the fourth booke and part I willingly omitted Now then if it bee an error to aske wine of Ceres bread of Bacchus water of Vulcan and sire of the Nymphes how much more were it an error to aske life eternall of any one of them wherefore if that in our disputation about the earthly Kingdomes and in whose powre they should bee wee shewed that it was directly false to beleeue that they consisted in the powre of any one of those imaginary gods were it not outragious madnesse then to beleeue that the life eternall with which the Kingdomes of the earth are no way worthy to be