like a parcells of some poâ—…â—…hose â—…hose intent concerneth a theame far different Now to shew this testimoâ—… one in euery Psalme of the booke wee must expound the Psalme 〈◊〉 to do how great a worke it is both others and our volumes wherein wee 〈◊〉 done it do expressly declare let him that can and list read those and there â—…ll see how abundant the prophecies of Dauid concerning Christ and of his Church were namely concerning that celestiall King and the Citty which hee builded L. VIVES LIke e parcells Centones are peeces of cloath of diuerse colours vsed any way on the back or on the bedde Cic. Cato Maior Sisenna C. Caesar. Metaphorically it is a poeme patched out of other poems by ends of verses as Homero-centon and Uirgilio-centon diuerse made by Proba and by Ausonius b Retrograde poeme Sotadicall verses that is verses backward and forwards as Musa mihi causas memora quo numine laesa Laeso numine quo memora causas mihi Musa Sotadicall verses may bee turned backwards into others also as this Iambick Pio precare thure caelestum numina turne it Numina caelestum thure precare piâ—… it is a Pâ—…ntameter They are a kinde of wanton verse as Quintilian saith inuented saith Strabo or rather vsed saith Diomedes by Sotades whome Martiall calleth Gnidus some of Augustines copies read it a great poeme and it is the fitter as if one should pick verses out of some greater workes concerning another purpose and apply them vnto his owne as some Centonists did turning Uirgils and Homers words of the Greekes and Troyan warres vnto Christ and diuine matters And Ausonius turneth them vnto an Epithalamion Of the fortie fiue Psalme the tropes and truths therein concerning Christ and the Church CHAP. 16. FOr although there be some manifest prophecies yet are they mixed with figures putting the learned vnto a great deale of labour in making the ignorant vnderstand them yet some shew Christ and his Church at first sight though we must at leisure expound the difficulties that we finde therein as for example Psal. 45. Mine heart hath giuen out a good word I dedicate my workes to the King My tongue is the pen of a ready writer Thou fairer then the children of men grâ—… is powred in thy lippes for GOD hath blessed thee for euer Girde thy sworde vpon thy â—…high thou most mighty Proceede in thy beauty and glory and reigne prosperouly because of thy truth thy iustice and thy gentlenesse thy right hand shall guide thee wondrously Thine arrowes are sharpe most mighty against the hearts of the Kings enemies the people shall fall vnder thee Thy throne O GOD is euer-lasting and the scepter of thy kingdome a scepter of direction Thou louest iustice and hatest iniquitie therefore GOD euen thy GOD hath annoynted thee with oyle of gladnesse aboue thy fellowes All thy garments smell of Myrrhe Alloes and Cassia from the Iâ—…ry palaces wherein the Kings daughters had made thee glâ—…d in their honour Who is so dull that he discerneth not Christ our God in whome we beleeue by this place hearing him called GOD whose throne is for euer and annoynâ—…d by GOD not with visible but with spirituall Chrisme who is so barbarously ignorant in this immortall and vniuersall religion that hee heareth not that Christs name commeth of Chrisma vnction Heere wee know CHRIST let vs see then vnto the types How is hee father then vnto the sonnes of men in a beauty farre more amiable then that of the body What is his sword his shaftes c. all these are tropicall characters of his power and how they are all so let him that is the subiect to this true iust and gentle King looke to at his leasure And then behold his Church that spirituall spouse of his and that diuine wed-locke of theirs here it is The Queene stood on thy right hand her â—…lothing was of gold embrodered with diuers collours Heaâ—…e Oh daughter and 〈◊〉 attend and forget thy people and thy fathers house For the King taketh pleasure in thy beauty and hee is the Lord thy God The sonnes of Tyre shall adore him 〈◊〉 guifts the ritch men of the people shall â—…ooe him with presents The Kings daughter 〈◊〉 all glorious within her cloathing is of wrought gold The Virgins shal be brought after her vnto the King and her kinsfolkes and companions shal follow her with ioy and gladnesse shal they be brought and shall enter into the Kings chamber Instead of fathers 〈◊〉 shalt haue children to make them Princes through out the earth They shal remember thy name O Lord from a generation to generation therefore shall their people giue â—…ks vnto thee world without end I doe not think any one so besotted as to thinke this to be meant of any personal woman no no she is his spouse to whoÌ„ it is said Thy throne O God is euerlasting and the scepter of thy Kingdome a scepter of direction 〈◊〉 hast loued iustice and hated iniquity therefore the Lord thy God hath annointed 〈◊〉 â—…ith the oyle of gladnesse before thy fellowes Namely Christ before the christiâ—… For they are his fellowes of whose concord out of all nations commeth this Queene as an other psalme saith the Citty of the great King meaning the spirituall Syon Syon is speculation for so it speculateth the future good that it is to receiue and thither directeth it all the intentions This is the spirituall Ierusalem whereof wee haue all this while spoken this is the foe of that deuillish Babilon hight confusion and that the foe of this Yet is this City by regeneration freed from the Babilonian bondage and passeth ouer the worst King for the best that euer was turning from the deuill and comming home to Christ for which it is sayd forget thy people and thy fathers house c. The Israelites were a part of thiâ—… â—…tty in the flesh but not in that faith but became foes both to this great 〈◊〉 Queene Christ was killed by them and came from them to b those 〈◊〉 â—…euer saw in the flesh And therefore our King saith by the mouth of the 〈◊〉 in another place thou hast deliuered me from the contentions of the people 〈◊〉 me the head of the heathen a people whom I haue not knowne hath serued 〈◊〉 assoone as they heard me obeyed me This was the Gentiles who neuer 〈◊〉 â—…rist in the flesh nor hee them yet hearing him preached they beleeued 〈◊〉 â—…astly that he might well say as soone as they heard me they obeyed mee for 〈◊〉 â—…es by hearing This people conioyned with the true Israell both 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and spirit is that Citty of God which when it was onely in Israell brought 〈◊〉 â—…hrist in the flesh for thence was the Virgin Mary from whom Christ 〈◊〉 our man-hood vpon him Of this cittie thus saith another psalme c 〈◊〉 â—…ll call it our Mother Sion he became man therein the most high hath founded 〈◊〉 was this most high but
iustly L. VIVES THey that helped Marius Ater he returned out of Affrica hee called all the slaues to his standard and gaue them their freedome and with all cruelty spoyled the Collonies of Ostiae Antium Lavinium and Aritia Entring the Citty he gaue his soldiars charge that to whomsoeuer he returned not the salute they should immediatly dispatch him It is vnspeakeable to consider the innumerable multitude of all sortes Noble and ignoble that were slaughtered by this meanes His cruelty Lucan in few wordes doth excellently describe Vir ferus fatâ—…â—…vpienti perdere Romam Sufficiens Cruel fittest instrument for fate To wrack Rome by And yet this bloudy man as I said before in his seauenth Consulship died quietly in his bed as Lucan saith Folix â—…uersa Consull moritarus in vrbâ—… Happy dead Consull in his ruin'd towne Soone after his death came Sylla out of Asia and rooted out Marius his sonne and all the whole faction of them vtterly b Commodity Saint Augustine plaies with these Antitheses Compendio Superfluo Compendio Breifely or Compendio to their commodity whose contrary is Dispendium Excesse or Superfluity c Metellus Ualerius lib. 7. and Pliny lib. 7. Q. Metellis Macedonicus was iudged of all men the most happy as a man endowed with all good qualities of body and minde Hee was Consul he was Censor hee managed great warres with happy successe he attained the glory of a triumph hee left foure sonnes three of theÌ„ were Consuls two of which triumphed one of which was Censor his fourth was Praetor prickt for the Consulship and as Uelleius saith hee attained it Besides hee had three daughters all married to Noble and mighty houses whose children he him-selfe liued to see and by this illustrious company all sprung from his owne loines beeing of exceeding age he was borne forth to his funerall d Fiue Consuls to his sonnes This history is depraued by some smattering fellow For I do not thinke that Saint Augustine left it so Vnlesse you will take Quinque filios Consulares for Fiue sonnes worthy to be Consuls as my fine Commentator obserued most acutely which hee had not done vnlesse his skill in Logike had beene so excellent as it was so hee findes it to be Consulares quasi Consulabiles or Consulificabiles that is in the magisteriall phrase in potentia to become Consuls e And Cateline The life and conditions of L. Sergius Cateline are well knowne because Salust him-selfe the author that reporteth them is so well knowne It is said that amongst other reasons pouerty was one of the cheefe that set him into the conspiracy against his countrey for he was one whose excessiue spending exceeded all sufficient meanes for a man of his ranke In Syllas time he got much by rapine and gaue Sylla many guifts who vsed his help in the murder of M. Marius many others f I omit to relate that Marius C. Marius hauing escaped alone out of the first battell of the ciuill wars fled to Minturnae a town of Campania The Minturnians to do Sylla a pleasure sent a fellow to cut his throat but the fellow being terrified by the words and maiesty of the man and running away as one-wholy affrighted the Minturnians turned their mallice to reuerence and began to thinke now that Marius was one whome the goddes had a meseriall care of so that they brought him into the holy Wood which was consecrated to Marica a little without the towne and then they sette him free to go whether hee would Plutarch in the life of Marius Velleius saith they brought him to the marish of Marica She that was first called Circe saith Lactantius after her deifying was enstiled Marica Seruius in Aenaeid lib. 8. saith Marica was the wife of Faunus and that she was goddesse of the Minturnians shores neare the riuer Lyâ—… Hâ—…race 〈◊〉 Maricae litterribus tenuisse Lyrim Held Lyris swimming neare Maricas shores But if we make her the wife of Faunus it cannot be so for the Topicall Gods that is the local gods of such and such places do neuer change their habitations nor go they into other countries But Poeticall licence might call her Marica of Laurentum when indeed she was Marica of Minturnum Some saie that by Marica should be vnderstood Uenus who had a Chappel neere vnto Marica wherin was written 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Temple of Venus Hesiod saith that Latinus was the sonne of Ulisses and Cyrce which Virgill toucheth when hee calles him His gransires forme the sonnes Solis aui specimen But because the times do not agree therefore we must take the opinion of Iginius touching this point who affirmes that there were many that were called by the names of Latinus and that therefore the Poet wresteth the concordance of the name to his owne purpose Thus much saith Seruius Of the Actes of Sylla wherein the Deuils shewed them-selues his maine helpers and furtherers CHAP. 24. NOw as for a Sylla him-selfe who brought all to such a passe as that the times before whereof he professed him-selfe a reformer in respect of those that hee brought forth were wished for againe and againe when he first of all set forward against Marius towardes Rome Liuie writes that the entrailes in the sacrifices were so fortunate that b Posthumius the Sooth-sayer would needes haue him-selfe to bee kept vnder guard with an vrgent and willing proffer to loose his head if all Syllas intents sorted not by the assistance of the goddes vnto his head if all Syllas intents sorted not by the assistants of the gods vnto most wished and happy effect Behold now the gods were not yet gone they had not as yet forsaken their altars when they did so plainly fore-shew the euent of Syllas purposes and yet they neuer endeuoured to mend Sylla's manners They stucke not to promise him wished happinesse but neuer proffered to suppresse his wicked affections Againe when he had vnder-taken the Asian warre against Mithridates L. Titius was sent to him on a message euen from Iupiter himselfe who sent him word that he should not faile to c ouer-come Mithridates no more he did indeed And afterwards when hee endeuoured to re-enter the citie and to reuenge himselfe and his iniured friends vpon the liues of the Citizens hee was certified that a certaine souldiour of the sixt legion brought him another message from Ioue how that he had fore-told him of his victorie against Mithridates before and how he promised him now the second time that hee would giue him power to recouer the rule of the weale-publike from all his enemies but not with out much bloud-shed Then Sylla asking of what fauour the souldior was when they had shewed him he remembred that it was hee that brought him the other message in the warre of Mithridates and that hee was the same man that now brought him this What can be said to this now that the gods should haue such care to acquaint Sylla
making them as infamous as they knew them dishonest this pacification I say so beastlie and so directlie opposite vnto all truth of Religion and modestie these fabulous inuentions of their gods filthinesse these ignominious facts of the gods themselues either fouly fained or fowlier effected the whole citty learned both by seeing and hearing obseruing plainly that their gods were well pleased with such presentations and therefore they did both exhibite them vnto their Idols and did imitate them themselues But as for that I know not indeed well what honest instruction and good counsell which was taught in such secret and vnto so few that I am sure was not followed if it be true that it were taught belike it was rather feared that too many would know it then suspected that any few would follow it L. VIVES TErtullius a a graue man it should surely be Tullius for this that Saint Augustine quoteth is out of his orations Wherefore it must either be Tullius that graue man and that smatterer in Philosophie Saint Augustine so deriding his speculation that could not free him from such grosse errors or Tullius that graue man and thrise worthy Philosopher to shew that the greatest Princes were infected with this superstition and not the vulgar onely nor the Princes onely but the grauest princes and those that were Philosophers not meane ones but of chiefe note adding this to amplifie the equitie of his Philosophie as Ter maximus the thrise mighty Now saith Tully in verrem Actio 6. that I am made Aedile let mee reckon vp the charge that the citie hath imposed vpon mee I must first present the most sacred Playes and ceremoniall solemnities vnto Ceres Liber and Proserpina then I must reconcile mother Flora vnto the Citie and people of Rome with the celebration of her enterludes c. b Which playes They were such that the actors would not play them as long as Cato the elder was present Seneca Valerius Plutarch and Martiall doe all report this c In another place In Catilinam Actio 3 d Men for whose he meaneth Cateline and his conspiratours e Freedome of Citie some copies read Tributa amouit but the ancient ones do read it Tribu mouit with more reason Of the saluation attained by the Christian religion CHAP. 28. WHy then doe these men complaine thinke you because that by the name of Christ they see so many discharged of these hellish bands that such vncleane spirits held them in and of the participation of the same punishment with them Their ingratefull iniquitie hath bound them so strongly in these deuilish enormities that they murmure and eate their galls when they see the people flock vnto the Church to these pure solemnities of Christ where both sexes are so honestly distinguished by their seuerall places where they may learne how well to lead their temporall liues here to become worthy of the eternall here-after where the holy doctrine of Gods word is read from an eminent place that all may heare it assure a reward to those that follow it and a iudgment to those that neglect it Into which place if there chance to come any such as scoffe at such precepts they are presently either conuerted by a sudden power or cured by a sacred feare for there is no filthy sights set forth there nor any obscaenities to be seene or to be followed but there either the commandements of the true God are propounded his miracles related his guifts commended or his graces implored An exhortation to the Romaines to renounce their Paganisme CHAP. 29. LEt these rather bee the obiects of thy desires thou couragious nation of the Romaines thou progenie of the Reguli Scaeuolae Scipioes and a Fabricii long after these discerne but the difference betweene these and that luxurious filthy shamelesse maleuolence of the diuills b If nature haue giuen thee any lawdable eminence it must be true piety that must purge and perfect it impiety contaminates and consumes it Now then choose which of these to follow that thy praises may arise not from thy selfe that may bee misled but from the true God who is without all error Long agoe wast thou great in popular glory but as then as it pleased the prouidence of the high God was the true Religion wanting for thee to choose and embrace But now awake and rowse thy selfe c it is now day thou art already awake in some of thy children of whose full vertue and constant sufferings for the truth we doe iustly glory they euen these who fighting at all hands against the powers of iniquity and conquering them all by dying vndaunted haue purchased this possession for vs with the price of their bloud To pertake of which possession wee do now inuite and exhorte thee that thou wouldest become a Citizen with the rest in that citty wherein true remission of sinnes standeth as a glorious sanctuary Giue no eare vnto that degenerate brood of thine which barketh at the goodnesse of Christ and Christianity accusing these times of badnesse and yet desiring such as should bee worse by denying tranquillity to vertue giuing security vnto al iniquity these times didst thou neuer approue nor euer desiredst to secure they temporall estate by them Now then reatch vp at the heauenly ones for which take but a little paines and thou shalt reape the possession of them vnto all eternity There shalt thou finde no vestall fire nor e stone of the capitoll but one true God f who will neither limmit thee blessednesse in quality nor time but giue thee an Empire both vniuersal perfect eternall Be no longer led in blindnesse by these thy illuding and erroneous gods reiect them from the and taking vp thy true liberty shake of their damnable subiection They are no gods but wicked fiends and all the Empire they can giue them is but possession of euerlasting paine g Iuno did neuer greeue so much that the Troyans of whom thou descendest should arise againe to the state of Rome as these damned deuills whom as yet thou holdest for gods doe enuie and repine that mortall men should euer enioy the glories of eternity And thou thy selfe hast censured them with no obscure note in affording them such plaies whose actors thou hast branded with expresse infamy Suffer vs then to plead thy freedome against all those Impure deuills that imposed the dedication and celebration of their owne shame filthinesse vpon thy neck and honor Thou couldst remoue and dis-inable the plaiers of those vncleanesses from all honors pray likewise vnto the true God to quit thee from those vile spirits that delight in beholding their owne spots whither they bee true which is most ignominious or faigned which is most malicious Thou didst well in clearing the state of thy Citty from all such scurrilous off-scummes as stage-plaiers looke a little further into it Gods Maiesty can neuer delight in that which polluteth mans dignity How then canst thou hold these powers that loued such
this and feare to doe well before men and so become lesse profitable by striuing to keepe their vertuous acts in secret then other-wise he saith againe Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good workes and glorifie your father which is in heauen Doe not well with an intent that men should see you doe so and so turne to behold you who are not what you are by them but doe so that they may glorifie your father in heauen vnto whom if they turne they may bee such as you are Thus did the Martirs that excelled the Scaeuola's Câ—…rtij and Decij not by punishing them-selues but by learning the inflictions of others in true vertue piety and innumerable multitude But the others liuing in an earthly citty wherein the end of all their endeuours was by them-selues propounded to themselues the fame namely and domination of this world and not the eternitie of heauen not in the euerlasting life but in their owne ends and the mouthes of their posteritie what should they Ioue but glory whereby they desired to suruiue after death in the e memories and mouthes of such as commended them L. VIVES THen yeeld a to it So must the sence be wee must resist the desire of glorie and not yeeld to it b Not onely not wee haue giuen it the best reading of all I thinke and the nearest to likelyhood c Before my father Matt. 10. 33. d Before the Angels of God Luc. 12. 9. e Memories and mouthes I flie as liuing through the mouthes of men â—…aith Ennius Of the temporall rewards that God bestowed vpon the Romaines vertues and good conditions CHAP. 15. SVch therefore as we haue spoken of if God did neither meane to blesse them with eternitie in his heauenly cittie amongst his Angels to which societie that true pietie brings men which affordeth that true diuine worship which the Greekes call a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to none but onely the true God nor to vouchsafe them an earthly glory or excellence of Emperiall dignity then should their vertues the good actes whereby they endeuoured to ascend to this glory passe vnrewarded But the Lord saith euen of such as doe good for humaine glory Verely I say vnto you they haue their reward These therefore that neglected their priuate estates for the common-wealth and publike treasurie opposing couetise hauing a full care of their countries freedome and liuing according to their lawes without touch of lust or guilt these seemed to goe the right way to get them-selues honour and did so honored they are almost all the world ouer all nations very neare receiued their lawes honored were they then in all mens mouths and now in most mens writings through the world Thus haue they no reason to complaine of Gods iustice they haue their reward L. VIVES Call a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to worship or to serue Of the reward of the eternall cittizens of heauen to whom the examples of the Romaines vertues were of good vse CHAP. 16. BVt as for their rewarde that endure reproches here on earth for the cittie of GOD which the louers of the world doe hate and deride that is of another nature That City is eternall No man a is borne in it because no man dieth in it Felicity is there fully yet no goddesse but a Gods guift of this habitation haue wee a promise by faith as long as wee are here in pilgrimage on earth and longe for that rest aboue The Sunne ariseth not there both vpon good and bad but the Sonne of righteousnesse shineth onely ouer the good There shal be no neede to respect the common treasury more then the priuate truth is all the treasure that lieth there And therefore the Romaine Empire had that glorious increase not onely to bee a fit guerdon to the vertues of such worthies as wee fore-named but also that the cittizens of heauen in their pilgrimages vpon earth might obserue those examples with a sober diligence and thence gather how great care loue and respect ought to bee carried to the heauenly country for life eternall if those men had such a deare affect to their earthly country for glory so temporall L. VIVES NO man a is borne That is their is no increase of them no more then there is decease theâ—… iust number being predestinate and fore-knowne by the eternall GOD himselfe The fruites of the Romaines warres both to themselues and to those with whom they warred CHAP. 17. FOr what skilleth it in respect of this short and transitory life vnder whose dominion a mortall man doth liue so hee bee not compelled to actes of impiety or iniustice But did the Romaines euer hurt any of the nations whom they conquered and gaue lawes vnto but in the very fury and warre of the conquest If they could haue giuen those lawes by agreement it had beene better but then had beene no place for triumph for the Romaines liued vnder the same lawes themselues that they gaue to others This a had beene sufficient for the state but that Mars Bellona and Victory should then haue beene displeased and displaced also if they had had no wars nor no victories Would not then the states of Rome and other nations haue beene all one especially that beeing done which was most grauely and worthyly performed afterwardes b euery man that belonged to the Romaine Empire beeing made free of the citty as though they were now all cittizens of Rome whereas before there was but a very few so that such as had no landes should liue of the common this would haue beene granted vnto good gouernours by other nations sooner by intreaty then force For what doth conquering or beeing conquered hurt or profit mens liues manners or dignities either I see no good it doth but onely addeth vnto their intollerable vaine-glory who ayme at such matters and warre for them and lastly receiue them as their labours rewarde Doth not their land pay tribute to the state as well as others Yes May they learne any thing that others may not No. c And are there not many Senators that neuer saw Rome True Take away vaine-glory and what are men but men Anâ—… if the peruersenesse of the age would permit the verie best meanes for 〈◊〉 beare away the greatest honours then should not this humaine honour bâ—… so prize-worthy howsoeuer beeing but a breath and a light fume But yet 〈◊〉 vs vse these things to doe our selues good towardes GOD. Let vs coâ—…sider what obstacles these men haue scornâ—…d what paines they haue takâ—… what affects they haue suppressed and onely for this humaine glorie which afterward they receiued as the reward of their vertues and let this serue to suppresse our pride also that seeing the cittie wherein wee haue promised habitation and Kingdome is as farre diffrent from this in excellence as Heauen from earth life eternall from mirth temporall firme glory from fuming vaine-glory angells
effected without being fore-told that intimated not some-thing belonging vnto the Cittie of God and to bee referred vnto the holy pilgrims thereof vpon earth But if this be so we shall tie the Prophets words vnto two meanings onely and exclude the third and not onely 〈◊〉 Prophets but euen all the Old Testament For therein must be nothing peâ—… to the earthly Ierusalem if all that be spoken or fulfilled of that haue a farâ—… reference to the heauenly Ierusalem so that the Prophets must needes 〈◊〉 but in two sorts either in respect of the heauenly Ierusalem or els of both 〈◊〉 I thinke it a great error in some to hold no relation of things done in the â—…res more then meere historicall so doe I hoâ—…d it a c great boldnesse in 〈◊〉 that binde all the relations of Scripture vnto allegoricall reference and therefore I auouch the meanings in the Scriptures to be triple and not two-fold onely This I hold yet blame I not those that can piâ—…ke a good spirituall sense 〈◊〉 of any thing they reade so they doe not contradict the truth of the history But what faithfull man will not say that those are vaine sayings that can belong 〈◊〉 to diuinity nor humanity and who will not avow that these of which 〈◊〉 speake are to haue a spiritual interpretation also or leaue them vnto those 〈◊〉 interprete them in that manner L. VIVES 〈◊〉 Prophet a Nathan After Dauid had sent Vriah to be slaine in the front of the battell 〈◊〉 married his widow Bersabe b In so much Herevpon they say that so much is left out â—…g the acts of the Iewish Kings because they seemed not to concerne the Citty of 〈◊〉 that whatsoeuer the Old Testament conteineth or the New either hath all a sure 〈◊〉 vnto Christ and his Church at which they are both leuelled c Great boldnesse As 〈◊〉 â—…d with great rarity of spirit yet keepeth he the truth of the history vnuiolate for oâ—…â—…l these relations were vanities and each one would sâ—…rue an allegory out of the 〈◊〉 to liue and beleeue as he list and so our faith and discipline should bee vtterly conâ—…â—…herein I wonder at their mad folly that will fetch all our forme of life and religion 〈◊〉 â—…ories entangling them in ceremonious vanity and proclayming all that contraâ—… heretiques 〈◊〉 â—…ange of the Kingdome and priest-hood of Israell Anna Samuels mother a prophetesse and a type of the Church what she prophecied CHAP. 4. 〈◊〉 â—…ogresse therefore of the City of God in the Kings time when Saul was reâ—…ued and Dauid chosen in his place to possesse the Kingdome of Ierusaâ—…â—…im and his posterity successiuely signifieth and prefigureth that which 〈◊〉 not omit namely the future change concerning the two Testaments 〈◊〉 â—…d the New where the Old Kingdome and priest-hood was changed by 〈◊〉 and eternall King and Priest Christ Iesus for Heli being reiected Saâ—… made both the priest and the Iudge of God and Saul being reiected Daâ—… â—…hosen for the King and these two being thus seated signified the change 〈◊〉 of And Samuels mother Anna being first barren and afterwards by 〈◊〉 â—…odnes made fruitfull seemeth to prophecy nothing but this in her song 〈◊〉 â—…ing when hauing brought vp her son she dedicated him vnto God as she 〈◊〉 saying My heart reioyceth in the LORD my horne is exalted in the 〈◊〉 â—…y mouth is enlarged on mine enemies because I reioyced in thy saluation 〈◊〉 holy as the Lord there is no God like our God nor any holie besides thee 〈◊〉 â—…ore presumptiously let no arrogancie come out of your mouth for the Lord is 〈◊〉 â—…f knowledge and by him are enterprises established the bowe of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…ee broken and guirded the weake with strength they that were full are hired forth for hunger and the hungry haue passed the land for the barren hath 〈◊〉 seâ—…en and a shee that had many children is enfeobled the Lord killeth and 〈◊〉 bringeth downe to the graue and raiseth vp the Lord impouerisheth and enritchâ—… humbleth and exalteth he raiseth the poore out of the dust and lifteth the begger from the dunghil to set them amongst Princes make them inherite the seat of glory he giueth vowes vnto those that vow vnto him and blesseth the yeares of the iust for in his owne might shall no man bee stronge the Lord the holy Lord shall weaken his aduersaries let not the wise boast of his wisdome nor the ritch in his ritches nor the mighty in his might but let their glory bee to know the Lord and to execute his iudgement and iustice vpon the earth the Lord from heauen hath thundered he shall iudge the ends of the world and shall giue the power vnto our Kings and shall exalt the horne of his annointed Are these the words of a woman giuing thankes for her sonne are mens mindes so benighted that they cannot discerne a greater spirit herein then meerely humane and if any one bee mooued at the euents that now began to fall out in this earthly processe doth he not discerne and acknowledge the very true religion and Citty of God whose King and founder is Iesus Christ in the words of his Anna who is fitly interpreted His grace and that it was the spirit of grace from which the proud decline and fall and therewith the humble adhere and are aduanced as this hymne saith which spake those propheticall words If any one will say that the woman did not prophecy but onely commended and extolled Gods goodnesse for giuing her praiers a sonne why then what is the meaning of this The bow of the mighty hath hee broken and guirded the weake with strength they that were full are hired forth for hunger and the hungry haue passed 〈◊〉 the land for the barren hath borne seauen and shee that had many children is 〈◊〉 Had shee being barren borne seauen she had borne but one when she sayd thus b nor had shee seauen afterward or sixe either for Samuel to make vp seauen but only three sonnes and two daughters Againe there being no King in Israel at that time to what end did she conclude thus Hee shall giue the power vnto our Kings and exalt the horne of his anoynted did shee not prophecy in this Let the church of God therfore that fruitful Mother that gracious City of that great King bee bold to say that which this propheticall mother spoke in her person so long before My heart reioyceth in the Lord c and my horne is exalted in the Lord. True ioy and as true exaltation both beeing in the Lord and not in her selfe my mouth is enlarged ouer mine enemies because Gods word is not pent vppe in straites d nor in preachers that are taught what to speake I haue reioyced saith she in thy saluation That was in Christ Iesus whom old Simeon in the Gospell had in his armes and knew his greatnesse in his infancy saying Lord nâ—…w lâ—…ttest thou thy seruant depart in
peace for mine eyes haue seene thy saluation Let the church then say I haue reioyced in thy saluation there is none holy as the Lord is no God like to our GOD for hee is holy and maketh holy iust himselfe and iustifyiâ—… others none is holy besides thee for none is holy but from thee Finally it followeâ—… speake no more presumptuously let not arragance come out of your mouth for the Lord is a God of knowledge and by him are all enterprises establisâ—…d 〈◊〉 none knoweth what he knoweth for he that thinketh himselfe to be some thing seduceth himselfe and is nothing at all This now is against the presumptuous Babilonian enemies vnto Gods Cittie glorying in themselues and not in God as also against the carnall Israelites who as the Apostle saith beeing ignorant of the righteâ—…sse of God that is that which he being onely righteous and iustifying giueth man and going about to establish their owne righteousnesse 〈◊〉 as if they had gotten such themselues and had none of his bestowing 〈◊〉 not themselues vnto the righteousnesse of God but thinking proudly to please 〈◊〉 â—…stice of their owne and none of his who is the God of knowledge and the 〈◊〉 of consciences and the discerner of all mans thoughts which beeing 〈◊〉 â—…eriue not from him So they fell into reprobation And by him saith the 〈◊〉 arè all enterprises established and what are they but the suppression of 〈◊〉 and the aduancement of the humble These are Gods intents as it folâ—… the bow of the mighty hath he broken and guirded the weake with strength 〈◊〉 that is their proud opinions that then could sanctifie themselues withâ—…â—…spirations and they are guirded with strength that say in their hearts 〈◊〉 on mee O Lord for I am weake They that were full are f hired out for 〈◊〉 that is they are made lesser then they were for in their very bread that 〈◊〉 â—…ne words which Israel as then had alone from all the world that saâ—…â—…thing but the tast of earth But the hungry nations that had not the 〈◊〉 â—…ing to those holy words by the New Testament they passed ouer the 〈◊〉 found because they relished an heauenly tast in those holy doctrines 〈◊〉 a sauour of earth And this followeth as the reason for the barren hath 〈◊〉 â—…rth seauen and she that had many children is enfeebled Here is the whole 〈◊〉 opened to such as knowe the number of the Iewes what it is to wit â—…ber of the churches perfection and therefore Iohn the Apostle writeth 〈◊〉 seauen churches implying in that the fulnesse of one onely and so it 〈◊〉 â—…uely spoken in Salomon Wisdome hath built her an house and hewen out 〈◊〉 pillers For the Citty of God was barren in all the nations vntill shee 〈◊〉 that fruite whereby now we see her a fruitfull mother and the earthly 〈◊〉 that had so many sonnes wee now behold to bee weake and enfeebled 〈◊〉 the free-womans sonnes were her vertues but now seeing shee hath 〈◊〉 â—…nely without the spirit shee hath lost her vertue and is become 〈◊〉 â—…e Lord killeth and the Lord quickneth hee killeth her that had so many 〈◊〉 quickneth her wombe was dead before and hath made her bring 〈◊〉 although properly his quickning be to be implied vpon those whom 〈◊〉 â—…d for she doth as it were repeate it saying hee bringeth downe to the 〈◊〉 raiseth vp for they vnâ—…o whom the Apostle saith If yee bee dead with 〈◊〉 the things that are aboue where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God 〈◊〉 â—…to saluation by the LORD vnto which purpose he addeth Set your 〈◊〉 vpon things aboue and not on things that are on the earth For you 〈◊〉 â—…oth hee behold here how healthfull the Lord killeth and then followâ—… â—…our life is hid with Christ in God Behold here how God quickneth I 〈◊〉 bring them to the graue and backe againe Yes without doubt all 〈◊〉 faithfull see that fulfilled in our head with whom our life is hidde in 〈◊〉 â—…e that spared not his owne sonne but gaue him for vs all hee killed 〈◊〉 manner and in raysing him from death hee quickned him againe 〈◊〉 we heare him say in the psalme thou shalt not leaue my soule in the 〈◊〉 â—…ore he brought him vnto the graue and backe againe By his pouerty 〈◊〉 â—…ched for the Lord maketh poore and enritcheth that is nothing else 〈◊〉 humbleth and exalteth humbling the proud and exalting the 〈◊〉 â—…or that same place God resisteth the proud and giueth grace vnto the 〈◊〉 the text wherevpon all this prophetesses words haue dependance 〈◊〉 â—…hich followeth He raiseth the poore out of the dust and lifteth the begâ—… dunghill is the fittliest vnderstood of him who became poore for vs whereas he was ritch by his pouerty as I said to enritch vs. For he raised him from the earth so soone that his flesh saw no corruption nor is this sequence And lifteth the begger from the dunghill meant of any but him g for the begger and the poore is all one the dunghill whence hee was lifted is the persecuting route of Iewes amongst whom the Apostle had beene one but afterwards as he saith that which was aduantage vnto mee I held losse for Christs sake nay not oneâ—… losse but I iudge them all dunge that I might winne Christ. Thus then was this poore man raised aboue all the ritch men of the earth and this begger was lifted vp from the dunghill to sit with the Princes of the people to whom hee saith You shall sit on twelue thrones c. and to make them inherite the seat of glory for those mighty ones had said Behold we haue left all and followed thee this vowe had those mighties vowed But whence had they this vow but from him that giueth vowes vnto those that vow otherwise they should bee of those mighties whose bow he hath broken That giueth vowes saith she vnto them that vow For none can vow any set thing vnto God but hee must haue it from God it followeth and blesseth the yeares of the iust that is that they shal be with him eternally vnto whom it is written thy yeares shall neuer faile for that they are fixed but here they either passe or perish for they are gone ere they come bringing still their end with them But of these two hee giueth vowes to those that vow and blesseth the yeares of the iust the one wee performe and the other wee receiue but this alwaies by Gods giuing wee receiue nor can wee doe the other without Gods helpe because in his owne might shall no man be stronge The Lord shall weaken his aduersaries namely such as resist and enuy his seruants in fulfilling their vowes h The greeke may also signifie his owne aduersaries for hee that is our aduersary when we are Gods children is his aduersarie also and is ouercome by vs but not by our strength for in his owne might shall no man bee stronge The LORD the holy
LORD shall weaken his aduersaries and make them be conquered by those whom Hee the most Holy hath made holy also i and therefore let not the wise glory in his wisdome the mighty in his might nor the ritch in his ritches but let their glory be to know God and to execute his iudgements and iustice vpon earth Hee is a good proficient in the knowledge of God that knoweth that God must giue him the meanes to know God For what hast thou saith the Apostle which thou hast not receiued that is what hast thou of thine owne to boast of Now hee that doth right executeth iudgement and iustice and hee that liueth in Gods obedience and the end of the command namely in a pure loue a good conscience and an vnfained faith But this loue as the Apostle Iohn saith is of God Then to do iudgement and iustice is of God but what is on the earth might it not haue beene left out and it haue only bin said to do iudgement and iustice the precept would bee more common both to men of land and sea but least any should thinke that after this life there were a time elsewhere to doe iustice and iudgement in and so to auoide the great iudgement for not doing them in the flesh therefore in the earth is added to confine those acts within this life for each man beareth his earth about with him in this world and when hee dieth bequeaths it to the great earth that must returne him it at the resurrection In this earth therefore in this fleshly body must we doe iustice and iudgement to doe our selues good hereafter by when euery one shall receiue according to his works done in the body good or bad in the body that is in the time that the body liued for if a man blaspheme in heart though he do no â—…urt with any bodily meÌ„ber yet shal not he be vnguilty because though he did it not in his body yet hee did it in the time wherein hee was in the body And so many we vnderstand that of the Psalme The Lord our King hath wrought 〈◊〉 in the midest of the earth before the beginning of the world that is the Lord Iesus our God before the beginning for he made the beginning hath wrought saluation in the midst of the earth namely then when the word became flesh and 〈◊〉 corporally amongst vs. But on Annah hauing shewen how each man ought to glory viz. not in himselfe but in God for the reward that followeth the great iudgement proceedeth thus l The Lord went vp vnto heauen and hath thundred he shall iudge the ends of the worlds and shall giue the power vnto our Kings and exalt the horne of his annoynted This is the plaine faith of a Christian. Hee 〈◊〉 into heauen and thence hee shall come to iudge the quicke and dead for who is â—…ded saith the Apostle but he who first descended into the inferiour parts of the earth Hee thundred in the clouds which hee filled with his holy spirit in his â—…ntion from which clouds he threatned Hierusalem that vngratefull vine to 〈◊〉 no rayne vpon it Now it is said Hee shall iudge the ends of the world that is the ends of men for he shall iudge no reall part of earth but onely all the men thereof nor iudgeth hee them that are changed into good or bad in the meane 〈◊〉 but m as euery man endeth so shall he beiudged wherevpon the scripture 〈◊〉 He that commeth vnto the end shall be safe hee therefore that doth iâ—…ce in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the earth shall not be condemned when the ends of the earth are 〈◊〉 And shall giue power vnto our Kings that is in not condemning them by â—…gement hee giueth them power because they rule ouer the flesh like Kings 〈◊〉 â—…quer the world in him who shed his blood for them And shall exalt the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his anoynted How shall Christ the annoynted exalt the horne of his anâ—… It is of Christ that those sayings The Lord went vp to heauen c. are all 〈◊〉 so is this same last of exalting the horne of his annoynted Christ thereâ—… exalt the horne of his annoynted that is of euery faithfull seruant of his as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 first my horne is exalted in the Lord for all that haue receiued the vncâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 grace may wel be called his annoynted al which with their head make 〈◊〉 annoynted This Anna prophisied holy Samuels mother in whome the 〈◊〉 of ancient priesthood was prefigured and now fulfilled when as the woâ—… 〈◊〉 many sonnes was enfeebled that the barren which brougt forth seuen 〈◊〉 â—…eceiue the new priesthood in Christ. L. VIVES SHâ—… that a had Multa in filiis b Nor had she The first booke of Samuel agreeth with 〈◊〉 but Iosephus vnlesse the booke be falty saith she had sixe three sons and three 〈◊〉 after Samuel but the Hebrewes recken Samuels two sonnes for Annahs also being 〈◊〉 â—…dchildren and Phamuahs seauen children died seuerally as Annahs and her sonne 〈◊〉 â—…ere borne c And my horne Some read mine heart but falsely the greeke is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 preachers there are Or nor in such as are bound by calling to bee his preachers the 〈◊〉 â—…py readeth but in his called prechers e No man knoweth Both in his foreknowledge 〈◊〉 â—…owlege of the secrets of mans heart f Are hired out The seauenty read it are 〈◊〉 g For the begger It seemes to be a word of more indigence then poore the latine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…ops or helpelesse hauing no reference in many places to want of mony but of 〈◊〉 Gâ—…rg 1. Terent. Adelpe Act. 2. scena 1. Pauper saith Uarro is quasi paulus lar c. 〈◊〉 â—…gens h The Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is both his and his owne the Greekes do not distinâ—… two as we doe i Let not the. This is not the vulgar translation of the Kings but 〈◊〉 cha 9. the 70. put it in them both but with some alteration It is an vtter subuersion 〈◊〉 God respects not wit power or wealth those are the fuell of mans vaine glory but let 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…th as Paule saith glory in the Lord and by a modest and equall thought of himselfe continually For so shall he neuer be pride-swollen for the knowledge of God that charity seasoneth neuer puffeth vp if we consider his mercies and his iudgements his loue and his wrath togither with his maiesty k And to doe iudgement The seauenty read this one way in the booke of Samuel and another way in Hieremy attributing in the first vnto the man that glorieth and in the later vnto God l The Lord went vp This is not in the vulgar vntill you come vnto this and he shall iudge Augustine followed the LXX and so did all that age almost in all the churches m As euery man As I finde thee so will I iudge thee The Prophets words vnto Heli the priest signifying the taking
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—…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
end of this present booke L. VIVES A a Worke of mercy For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the properly mercy of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to haue mercie as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 come of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in diuers more examples Against those that exclude both men and deuills from paines eternall CHAP. 23. FIrst then wee must shew why ' the church hath condemned them that affirme that euen the very deuills after a time of torment shal be taken to mercy The reason is this those holy men so many and so learned in both the lawes of GOD the Old and the New did not enuy the mundification and beatitude of those spirits after their long and great extremity of torture but they saw well that the words of Our Sauiour could not bee vntrue which hee promised to pronounce in the last iudgement saying Depart from mee yee cursed into euerlasting fire which is prepared for the deuill and his Angells Hereby shewing that they should burne in euerlasting fire likewise in the Reuelation The deuill that deceiued them was cast into a lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet shal be tormented euen day and night for euermore There hee saith euerlasting and here for euermore in both places excluding all termination and end of the time Wherefore there is no reason either stronger or plainer to assure our beleefe that the deuill and his angells shall neuer more returne to the glory and righteousnesse of their Saints then because the scriptures that deceiue no man tell vs directly and plainely that GOD hath not spared them but 〈◊〉 them downe into hell and deliuered them vnto chaines of darkenesse there to bee 〈◊〉 vnto the damnation in the iust iudgement then to bee cast into eternall fire and there to burne for euermore If this bee true how can either all or any men bee â—…iuered out of this eternity of paines if our faith whereby we beleeue the deâ—… to bee euerlastingly tormented be not hereby infringed for if those either all or some part to whome it shal be sayd Depart from mee yee cursed into euerlasting fire which is prepared for the deuill and his angells shall not continue for eâ—… in the fire what reason haue wee to thinke that the deuill and his angells 〈◊〉 Shall the word of GOD spoken alike both to men and deuills be prooued 〈◊〉 vpon the deuills and not vpon the men So indeed should mans surmises â—…of more certainety then Gods promises But seeing that cannot bee they 〈◊〉 desire to escape this paine eternall must cease to argue against GOD and 〈◊〉 his yoake vpon them while they haue time For what a fondnesse were it to value the paines eternall by a fire only of a long contiâ—… but yet to beleeue assuredly that life eternall hath no end at all seeing 〈◊〉 the LORD in the same place including both these parts in one senâ—… 〈◊〉 â—…plainely These shall goe into euerlasting paines and the righteous into life 〈◊〉 Thus doth he make them parallells here is euerlasting paines and there 〈◊〉 eternall life Now to say this life shall neuer end but that paine shall were groâ—…sly absurd Wherefore seeing that the eternall life of the Saints shall bee without end so therefore is it a consequent that the euerlasting paine of the damned shal be as endlesse as the others beatitude Against those that would prooue all damnation frustrate by the praters of the Saints CHAP. 24. THis is also against those who vnder collour of more pitty oppose the expresse word of GOD and say that GODS promises are true in that men are worthy of the plagues he threatens not that they shal be layd vpon them For he will giue them say they vnto the intreaties of his Saints who wil be the readier to pray for them then in that they are more purely holy and their praiers wil be the more powerfull in that they are vtterly exempt from all touch of sinne and corruption Well and why then in this their pure holinesse and powrefulâ—…se of praier will they not intreate for the Angells that are to be cast into euerlasting 〈◊〉 that it would please GOD to mitigate his sentence and set them free from that intollerable fire Some perhaps will pretend that the holy Angells 〈◊〉 ioyne with the Saints as then their followes in praier both the Angells and men also that are guilty of damnation that God in his mercy would be pleased to pardon their wicked merit But there is no sound christian that euer held his or euer will hold it for otherwise there were no reason why the Church should not pray for the deuill and his Angells seeing that her LORD GOD hath willed her to pray for her enemies But the same cause that stayeth the Church for praying for the damned spirits her knowne enemies at this day the â—…ame shall hinder her for praying for the reprobate soules at this day of iudgement notwithstanding her fulnesse of perfection As now shee prayeth 〈◊〉 her enemies in mankinde because this is the time of wholesome repentance and therefore her chiefe petition for them is that GOD would grant them peniâ—… and escape from the snares of the deuill who are taken of him at his will as the Apostle â—…aith But if the church had this light that shee could know any of those wâ—… though they liue yet vpon the earth yet are predestinated to goe with the deuill into that euerlasting fire shee would offer as few praiers for them as shee doth for him But seeing that shee hath not this knowledge therefore praieth 〈◊〉 for all her foes in the flesh and ye is not heard for them all but onely for those who are predestinated to become her sonnes though they bee as yet her 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If any shall die her impenitent foes and not returne into her boâ—… 〈◊〉 doth shee pray for them No because they that before death are not 〈◊〉 into CHRIST are afterward reputed as associates of the deuill And 〈◊〉 the same cause that forbids her to pray for the reprobate soules as then stoppâ—…â—…er for praying for the Apostaticall Angells as now and the â—…ame reason 〈◊〉 why wee pray for all men liuing and yet will not pray for the wicked nor 〈◊〉 being dead For the praier either of the Church or of some Godly persons is heard a for some departed this life but for them which being regenerat in Christ haue not spent their life so wickedly that they may be iudged vnworthy of such mercy or else so deuoutly that they may bee found to haue no neede of such mercy Euen as also after the resurrection there shal be some of the dead which shall obtaine mercy after the punishments which the spirits of the dead do suffer that they be not cast into euerlasting fire For otherwise that should not be truly spoken concerning some That they shall not be forgiuen neither in this world nor in the world to
ignes Vp to that round ithyes Where the darke ayre doth kisse the spangled skies For in that region 'twixt the Moone and vs The Demi-gods and spirits generous Of those whom vertuous ardor guided well On earth in euer-lasting glory dwell Homer saith that the Elysian fields are in the farthest parts of Spaine whence the Fauonian windes blowe Witnesse Strabo who saith also that the Riuer Limaea now called Liuia was whilom called Lethe So doth Silius and Mela call it when Decimus Brutus lead the Romaine souldiours that way they were afraide to passe it least they should haue forgotten their country wiues friends them-selues and all The translation of Strabo calleth it Essâ—… but it is an errour Silius saith it runnes amongst the Grauii Mela amongst the Celtici Indeede the Insulae fortunata a second Elysium are not farre from this part of Spaine Finis lib. 21. THE CONTENTS OF THE TWO and twentith booke of the City of God 1. Of the estate of Angels and of Men. 2. Of the eternall and vnchangeable will of God 3. The promise of the Saints eternall blisse and the wickeds perpetuall torment 4. Against the wise-men of the world that hold it impossible for mans body to bee transported vp to the dwellings of ioy in heauen 5. Of the resurrection of the body beleeued by the whole world excepting some few 6 That loue made the Romaines deifie their founder Romulus and faith made the Church to loue her Lord and maister Christ Iesus 7. That the beleefe of Christs deity was wrought by Gods power not mans perswasion 8. Of the miracles which haue beene and are as yet wrought to procure and confirme the worlds beleefe in Christ. 9. That all the miracles done by the Martyrs in the name of Christ were onely confirmations of that faith whereby the Mariyrs beleeued in Christ. 10. How much honour the Martyres deserue in obtaining miracles for the worship of the true God in respect of the Deuills whose workes tend all to make men thinke that they are Gods 11. Against the Platonists that oppose the eleuation of the body vp to Heauen by arguments of elementary ponderosity 12. Against the Infidels calumnies cast out in scorne of the Christians beleefe of the resurrection 13. Whether Abortiues belong not to the resurrection if they belong to the dead 14. Whether Infants shall rise againe in the stature that they dyed in 15. Whether all of the resurrection shall bee of the stature of Christ. 16. What is meant by the confirmation of the Saints vnto the Image of the Sonne of God 17. Whether that women shall retaine their proper sexe in the resurrection 18. Of Christ the perfect man and the Church his body and fulnesse 19. That our bodies in the resurrection shall haue no imperfection at all what-so-euer they haue had during this life but shall â—…e perfect both in quantity and quality 20. That euery mans body how euer dispersed heere shall bee restored him perfect at the resurrection 21. What new and spirituall bodies shall bee giuen vnto the Saints 22. Of mans miseries drawne vpon him by his first parents and taken away from him onely by Christs merits and gratious goodnesse 23. Of accidents seuered from the common estate of man and peculiar onely to the iust and righteous 24. Of the goods that God hath bestowed vpon this miserable life of ours 25. Of the obstinacie of some few in denying the resurrection which the whole world beleeueth as it was fore-told 26. That Porphiries opinion that the blessed soules should haue no bodies is confuted by Plato him-selfe who saith that the Creator promised the inferiour Deities that they should neuer loose their bodies 27. Contrarieties betweene Plato and Porphery wherein if either should yeeld vnto other both should finde out the truth 28. What either Plato Labeo or Varro might haue auailed to the true faith of the resurrection if they had had an harmony in their opinions 29. Of the quality of the vision with which the Saints shall see GOD in the world to come 30. Of the eternall felicity of the Citty of GOD and the perpetuall Sabboth FINIS THE TVVO AND TVVENTITH BOOKE OF THE CITTIE OF GOD Written by Saint Augustine Bishop of Hippo vnto Marcellinus Of the estate of Angels and of men CHAP. 1. THIS present volume being the last of this whole worke shall containe a discourse of the eternall beatitude of the Citty of God Which Cittie is not called eternall as if it should continue for the space of so many or so many thousand ages and then haue an end but as it is written in the Ghospell Of his kingdome there shall bee none end Nor shall this perpetuitie preserue the forme by succession as a Baye tree seemeth to keepe a continuall verdure though one leafe fall of and another spring vp but euery Cittizen therein shall bee immortall and man shall attaine to that which the Angells haue neuer forgone This God the founder of this Citty will effect for so hee hath promised who cannot lye and who to confirme the rest hath effected part of his promises already Hee it is that made the world with all things sensible and intelligible therein whose chiefe worke the spirits were to whome hee gaue an vnderstanding making them capable of his contemplation and combining them in one holy and vnited society which wee call the Citty of God holy and heauenly wherein God is their life their nutriment and their beatitude Hee gaue a free election also vnto those intellectuall natures that if they would for sake him who was their blisse they should presently bee enthralled in misery And fore-knowing that certaine of the Angels proudly presuming that them-selues were sufficient beatitude to them-selues would forsake him and all good with him hee did not abridge them of his power knowing it a more powerfull thing to make good vse of such as were euill then to exclude euill for altogether Nor had there beene any euill at all but that those spirits though good yet mutable which were formed by the omnipotent and vnchangeable Deitie procured such euill vnto them-selues by sinne which very sinne prooued that their natures were good in them-selues For if they had not beene so although inferiour to the maker their apostacie had not fallen so heauie vpon them For as blindnesse beeing a defect prooueth plainely that the eye was made to see the excellencie of the eye beeing heereby made more apparent for other-wise blindnesse were no deffect so those natures enioying GOD prooued them-selues to bee created good in their very fall and that eternall misery that fell vpon them for forsaking GOD who hath giuen assurance of eternall perseuerance vnto those that stood firme in him as a fitte reward for their constancy He also made man vpright of a free election earthly yet worthy of Heauen if he stuck fast to his Creator otherwise to pertake of such misery as sorted with a nature of that kinde and fore-knowing likewise that he
there shall not bee that necessity but a full sure secure euer-lasting felicity shall be aduanced and go forward in the praises of God For then all the numbers of which I haue already spoken of the corporall Harmony shall not lye hid which now lye hid being disposed inwardly and out-wardly through all the members of the body and with other things which shall be seene there being great and wonderfull shall kindle the reasonable soules with delight of such a reasonable beauty to sound forth the praises of such a great and excellent workman What the motions of those bodies shall be there I dare not rashly define when I am not able to diue into the depth of that mistery Neuertheles both the motion state as the forme of them shal be comly decent whatsoeuer it shall be where there shall bee nothing which shall not bee comly Truly where the spirit wil there forth-with shall the body be neither will the spirit will any thing which may not beseeme the body nor the spirit There shall be true glory where no man shall be praised for error or flattery True honor which shall be denied vnto none which is worthy shall bee giuen vnto none vnworthy But neither shall any vnworthy person couet after it where none is permitted to bee but hee which is worthy There is true peace where no man suffereth any thing which may molest him either of him-selfe or of any other Hee himselfe shall bee the reward of vertue which hath giuen vertue and hath promised himselfe vnto him then whom nothing can be better and greater For what other thing is that which he hath sayd by the Prophet I wil be their GOD and they shal be my people but I wil be whereby they shal be satisfied I wil be what-soeuer is lawfully desired of men life health food abundance glory honor peace and all good things For so also is that rightly vnderstood which the Apostle sayth That GOD may bee all in all He shal bee the end of our desires who shal be seene without end who shal be loued without any saciety and praised without any tediousnesse This function this affection this action verily shal be vnto all as the eternall life shal be common to all But who is sufficient to thinke much more to vtter what degrees there shall also bee of the rewardes for merits of the honors and glories But wee must not doubt but that there shal be degrees And also that Blessed Citty shall see that in it selfe that no inferior shall enuy his superior euen as now the other Angells doe not enuie the Arch-angells as euery one would not be which he hath not receiued although hee be combined with a most peaceable bond of concord to him which hath receiued by which the finger will not bee the eye in the body when as a peaceable coniunction and knitting together of the whole flesh doth containe both members Therefore one shall so haue a gift lesse then another hath that hee also hath this gift that he will haue no more Neither therefore shall they not haue free will because sinnes shall not delight them For it shal be more free beeing freed from the delight of sinning to an vndeclinable and sted-fast delight of not sinning For the first free-will which was giuen to man when hee was created righteous had power not to sinne but it had also powre to sinne but this last free-will shal be more powerfull then that because it shall not be able to sinne But this also by the gift of GOD not by the possibily of his owne nature For it is one thing to be GOD another thing to bee partaker of GOD. GOD cannot sinne by nature but hee which is partaker of GOD receiueth from him that hee cannot sinne But there were degrees to be obserued of the diuine gift that the first free-will might be giuen whereby man might be able not to sinne the last whereby he might not be able to sinne and the first did pertaine to obtaine a merit the later to receiue a reward But because that nature sinned when it might sinne it is freed by a more bountifull grace that it may be brought to that liberty in which it cannot sinne For as the first immortallity which Adam lost by sinning was to bee able not to die For so the will of piety and equity shal be free from beeing lost as the will of felicity is free from being lost For as by sinning wee neither kept piety nor felicity neither truely haue we lost the will of felicity felicity being lost Truely is GOD himselfe therefore to be denied to â—…aue free-will because hee cannot sinne Therefore the free-will of that Citty shall both bee one in all and also inseperable in euery one freed from all euill and filled with all good enioying an euerlasting pleasure of eternall ioyes forgetfull of faults forgetfull of punishments neither therefore so forgetfull of her deliuerance that shee bee vngratefull to her deliuerer For so much as concerneth reasonable knowledge shee is mindefull also of her euills which are past but so much as concerneth the experience of the senses altogether vnmindefull For a most skilfull Phisition also knoweth almost all diseases of the bodie as they are knowne by art but as they are felt in the bodie hee knoweth not many which he hath not suffered As therefore there are two knowledges of euills one by which they are not hidden from the power of the vnderstanding the other by which they are infixed to the senses of him that feeleth them for all vices are otherwise knowne by the doctrine of wisdome and otherwise by the most wicked life of a foolish man so there are two forgetfulnesses of euills For a skilfull and learned man doth forget them one way and hee that hath had experience and suffered them forgetteth them another way The former if he neglect his skill the later if hee want misery According to this forgetfulnesse which I haue set downe in the later place the Saints shall not be mindefull of euils past For they shall want all euils so that they shall be abolished vtterly from their senses Neuerthelesse that powre of knowledge which shal be great in them shall not onely know their owne euils past but also the euerlasting misery of the damned Otherwise if they shall not know that they haue beene miserable how as the psalme sayth Shall they sing the mercies of the LORD for euer Then which song nothing verily shal be more delightfull to that Citty to the glory of the loue of CHRIST by whose bloud we are deliuered There shal be perfected Bee at rest and see because I am GOD. Because there shal be the most great Sabbath hauing no euening Which the LORD commended vnto vs in the first workes of the world where it is read And GOD rested the seauenth day from all his workes he made and sanctified it because in it hee rested from all