vnder the 〈◊〉 of the b Apostles and m Prophets which were all afterward examined 〈◊〉 â—…ust from canonicall authority But according to the Hebrew canonicall â—…res there is no doubt but that there were Gyants vpon the earth before 〈◊〉 â—…ge and that they were the sonnes of the men of earth and Cittizens of â—…all Citty vnto which the sonnes of God being Seths in the flesh forsakâ—…â—…ice adioyned them-selues Nor is it strange if they begot Gyants They 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all Giants but there were farre more before the deluge then haue 〈◊〉 â—…ce whome it pleased the creator to make that wee might learne that a 〈◊〉 should neither respect hugenesse of body nor fairenesse of face but 〈◊〉 his beatitude out of the vndecaying spirituall and eternall goods that 〈◊〉 â—…iar to the good and not that he shareth with the bad which another 〈◊〉 â—…eth to vs saying There were the Gyants famous from the beginning that 〈◊〉 so great stature and so expert in war These did not the Lord choose neither 〈◊〉 the way of knowledge vnto them but they were destroyed because they 〈◊〉 wisdome and perished through there owne foolishnesse L. VIVES 〈◊〉 a is those That Augustine held that the Angells and Deuills had bodies he that 〈◊〉 â—…th this worke and his bookes de natura daemon de genesi ad literam shall see plainâ—…â—…eld it himselfe and spake it not as an other mans opinion as Peter Lumbard saith 〈◊〉 â—…ke It was his owne nor followed hee any meane authors herein hauing the 〈◊〉 and then Origen Lactantius Basil and almost all the writers of that time on his 〈◊〉 neede saith Michael Psellus de dâ—…monib that the spirits that are made messengers 〈◊〉 â—…ue bodies too as Saint Paul sayth whereby to mooue to stay and to appeare viâ—…â—…nd whereas the Scripture may in 〈◊〉 place call â—…hem incorporeall I answer that is 〈◊〉 of our grosser and more solid bodies in comparison of which the transparent inâ—… bodies are ordinarly called incorporeall Augustine giues the Angels most subtiliatâ—… 〈◊〉 â—…visible actiue and not paâ—…ue and such the Deuills had ere they fell but then 〈◊〉 were condensate and passiue as Psellus holds also b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is Nâ—…ius 〈◊〉 a messenger 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is Mitto to send and therefore the Angell saith Hierom is 〈◊〉 â—…f nature but of ministery And hereof comes Euangelium called the good message Homer and Tully vnto Atticus vse it often c Angels Turning 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into n and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into 〈◊〉 d And seeing Psellus affirmeth out of one Marke a great Daemonist that the deuills câ—…st forth sperme producing diuerse little creatures and that they haue genitories but not like mens from whence the excrement passeth but all deuills haue not such but onely the waâ—…y and the earthly who are also nourished like spunges with attraction of humor e Incubâ—… Oâ—… 〈◊〉 to lye vpon They are diuels that commix with women those that put them-selues vnder men as women are called succubi There are a people at this day that glory that their descent is from the deuills who accompanied with women in mens shapes and with men in womens This in my conceite is viler then to draw a mans pedegree from Pyrates theeues or famous hacksters as many doâ—… The Egiptians say that the Diuells can onely accompanie carnally with women and not with men Yet the Greekes talke of many men that the 〈◊〉 haue loued as Hiacinthus Phorbas and Hippolitus of Sicione by Apollo and Cyparissus by Sylâ—…nus f Yet doe I firmely Lactantius lib. 2. cap. 15. saith that the Angels whome God had appointed to preserue and garde man-kinde being commanded by God to beware of loosing their celestiall and substantiall dignity by earthly pollution not-with-standing were allured by their dayly conuersation with the women to haue carnall action with them and so sinning were kept out of heauen and cast downe to earth and those the deuill tooke vp to bee his agents and officers But those whom they begot being neither pure Angels nor pure men but in a meane betweene both were not cast downe to hell as their parents were not taken vp into heauen and thus became there two kindes of deuills one celestiall and another earthly And these are the authors of all mischiese whose chiefetaine the great Dragon is Thuâ—… saith Eusebius also lib. 5. And Plutarch confirmeth it saying That the fables of the Gods signified some-things that the deuills had done in the old times and that the fables of the Giants and Titans were all acts of the deuills This maketh mee some-times to doubt whether these were those that were done before the deluge of which the scripture saith And when the Angels of God saw the daughters of men c. For some may suspect that those Giants their spirits are they whome ancient Paganisme tooke for their Gods and that their warres were the subiect of those fables of the Gods g For the scriptures Because 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is both good and faire Terence Phorm Eâ—…ch h Aquila In Adrians time hee turned the Scriptures out of Hebrew into Greeke Hierom calles him a curious and diligent translator and he was the first â—…ter the seauentie that came out in Greeke Euseâ—…ius liketh him not but to our purpose hee râ—…deth it the sonnes of the Gods meaning the holy Gods or Angels for God standing in the congregation of the people and he will iudge the Gods in the midst of it And Symachus following this sence said And when the sonnes of the mighties beheld the daughters of men c. i Apochrypha Sâ—…reta of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to hide They were such bookes as the Church vsed not openly but had them in priuate to read at pleasure as the Reuelation of the Apostle Peter the booke of his Actes c. k Epistle Hierom vpon the first Chapter of Paul to â—…itus â—…aith that Iudâ—… citeth an Apocryphall booke of Henochs Iudes words are these But Michael the Arcâ—…gell when hee stroâ—…e against the deuill and disputed about the body of Moyses durst 〈◊〉 blâ—… him with cursed speaking but said onely The Lord rebuke thee Which Enochâ—…yd â—…yd these words is vncertaine for they doe not seeme to bee his that was the seuenth from Adam For he was long before Moses vnlesse hee spake prophetically of things to come And therefore Hiâ—…rome intimateth that the booke onely whence this was was entitled Enoch l Prophets As the Nâ—…rites counterfeited a worke vnder Hieremiâ—…s name Aug. in Matt. â—…ap 27. m Aâ—… As Thomas his Gospel Peters reuelation and Barnabas his Gospell which was brought 〈◊〉 Alexandria signed with his owne hand in the time of the Emperor Zeno. How the words that God spake of those that were to perish in the deluge and their dayes shall be an hundred and twenty yeares are to bee vnderstood CHAP. 24. BVt whereas God said Their dayes shall be a hundred
vnto the consummation So then as there are two regenerations one in faith by Baptisme and another in the flesh by incorruption so are there two resurrections the first That is now of the soule preuenting the second death The later Future of the bodie sending some into the second death and other some into the life that despiseth and excludeth all death whatsoeuer Of the two resurrections what may bee thought of the thousand years mentioned in Saint Iohns Reuelation CHAP. 7. SAint Iohn the Euangelist in his Reuelation speaketh of these two resurrections in such darke manner as some of our diuines exceeding their owne ignorance in the first doe wrest it vnto diuers ridiculous interpretations His words are these And I sawe an Angell come downe from Heauen hauing the keye of the bottomlesse pitte and a great chaine in his hand And hee tooke that Dragon that old Serpent which is the deuill and Sathan and bound him a thousand yeares â—…d hee cast him into the bottomlesse pitte and shut him vppe and sealed the dores vpon him that hee should deceiue the people no more till the thousand yeares were fulfilled For after hee must bee loosed for a little season And I saw seates and they set vpon them and iudgement was giuen vnto them and I saw the soules of them which were slaine for the testimonie of IESVS and for the worde of GOD and worshipped not the beast nor his Image neither had taken his marke vpon their fore-heads or on their handes and they liued and reigned with CHRIST a thousand yeares But the rest of the dead men shall not liue againe vntill the thousand yeares be finished this 〈◊〉 the first resurrection Blessed and Holy is hee that hath his part in the first resurrection for on such the second death hath no power but they shall be the Priests of GOD and of CHRIST and reigne with him a thousand yeares The chiefest reason that mooued many to thinke that this place implied a corporall resurrection was drawne from a the thousand yeares as if the Saints should haue a continuall Sabboth enduring so long to wit a thousand yeares vacation after the sixe thousand of trouble beginning at mans creation and expulsion out of Paradise into the sorrowes of mortalitie that â—…ce it is written One daie is with the LORD as a thousand yeares and a thousâ—…d yeares as one daie therefore sixe thousand yeares beeing finished as the sixe daies the seauenth should follow for the time of Sabbath and last a thousand yeares also all the Saints rising corporallie from the dead to â—…elebrate it This opinion were tolerable if it proposed onely spirituall deights vnâ—…o the Saints during this space wee were once of the same opinion our selues but seeing the auouchers heereof affirme that the Saints after this resurrection shall doe nothing but reuell in fleshly banquettes where b the cheere shall exceed both modesty and measure this is grosse and fitte for none but carnall men to beleeue But they that are really and truely spirituall doe call those Opinionists c Chiliasts the worde is greeke and many bee interpreted Millenaryes or Thousand-yere-ists To confute them heere is no place let vs rather take the texts true sence along with vs. Our LORD IESVS CHRIST saith No man can enter into 〈◊〉 strong mans house and take away his goods vnlesse hee first binde the strong man and then spoyle his house meaning by this strong man the deuill because hee alone was able to hold man-kinde in captiuity and meaning by the goods hee would take away his future faithfull whome the deuill held as his owne in diuers sinnes and impieties That this Stong-man therefore might bee bound the Apostle sawe the Angell comming downe from heauen hauing the keye of the bottomlesse pitte and a great chaine in his hand And hee tooke sayth hee the Dragon that olde serpent which is the deuill and Sathan and bound him a thousand yeares that is restrayned him from seducing or with-holding them that were to bee set free The thousand yeares I thinke may bee taken two waies either for that this shall fall out in the last thousand that is d on the sixth daie of the workes continuance and then the Sabboth of the Saints should follow which shall haue no night and bring them blessednesse which hath no end So that thus the Apostle may call the last part of the current thousand which make the sixth daie a thousand yeares vsing the part for the whole or else a thousand yeares is put for eternity noting the plenitude of time by a number most perfect For a thousand is the solid quadrate of tenne tenne times tenne is one hundered and this is a quadrate but it is but a plaine one But to produce the solide multiply ten by a hundered and there ariseth one thousand Now if an hundered bee some-times vsed for perfection as wee see it is in CHRISTS wordes concerning him that should leaue all and follow him saying Hee shall receiue an hundered-fold more which the Apostle seemeth to expound saying As hauing nothing and yet possessings althings for hee had sayd before vnto a faithfull man the whole worlde is his ritches why then may not one thousand bee put for consummation the rather in that it is the most solide square that can bee drawne from tenne And therefore wee interprete that place of the Psalme Hee hath alway remembered his couenant and promise that hee made to a thousand generations by taking a thousand for all in generall On. And â—…ee cast him into the bottomlesse pitte hee cast the deuills into that pitte that is the multitude of the wicked whose malice vnto GODS Church is bottomlesse and their hearts a depth of enuie against it hee cast him into this pitte not that hee was not there before but because the deuill beeing shut from amongst the Godly holds faster possession of the wicked for hee is a most sure hold of the deuills that is not onelie cast out from GODS seruants but pursues them also with a causelesse hate forward And shut him vppe and sealed the dore vpon him that hee should deceiue the people no more till the thousand yeares were expired he sealed that is his will was to keepe it vnknowne who belonged to the diuell and who did not For this is vnknowne vnto this world for we know not whether he that standeth shall fall or he that lieth along shall rise againe But how-so-euer this bond restraineth him from tempting the nations that are Gods selected as he did before For God chose them before the foundations of the world meaning to take them out of the power of darkenesse and set them in the kingdome of his sonnes glory as the Apostle saith For who knoweth not the deuils dayly seducing and drawing of others vnto eternall torment though they bee none of the predestinate Nor is it wonder iâ—… the diuell subuert some of those who are euen regenerate in Christ and walke in his wayes For
which beeing dissanulled the Psalmist sung that gods house was built vp through the earth Hermes presaged it with teares the Prophet with ioy and because that spirit that the Prophet spake by is euer victor Hermes himselfe that bewailed their future ruine and wisht their eternity is by a strange power compelled to confesse their original from error incredulity and contempt of GOD not from prudence faith and deuotion And though he call them gods that in saying yet men did make them and such men as wee should not imitate what doth he despite his heart but teach vs that they are not to be worshiped of such men as are not like theÌ„ that made them namely of those that be wise faithful and religious shewing also that those men that made them bound themselues to adore such gods as were no gods at al. So true is that of the Prophet If a man make gods behold they are no gods Now Hermes in calling those gods that are made by such meanes that is deuills bound in Idols by an arte or rather by their owne elections and affirming them the handy-workes of men giueth them not so much as Apuleius the Platonist doth but wee haue shewne already how grosely and absurdly who maketh them the messengers betweene the gods that God made and the men that hee made also to carry vp praiers and bring downe benefites for it were fondnesse to thinke that a god of mans making could doe more with the gods of Gods making then a man whom he made also could For because a deuill bound in a statue by this damned arte is made a god not to each man but to his binder g such as he is Is not this a sweete god now whome none but an erroneous incredulous irreligious man would goe about to make furthermore if the Temple-deuills beeing bound by arte forsooth in those Idols by them that made them gods at such time as they themselues were wanderers vnbeleeuers and contemners of gods true religion are no messengers betweene the gods and them and if by reason of their damnable conditions those men that do so wander beleeue so little and despise religion so much be neuerthelesse their betters as they must needs bee beeing their godheads makers then remaineth but this that which they doe they doe as deuills onely either doing good for the more mischiefe as most deceitfull or doing open mischiâ—…fe yet neither of these can they doe without the high inscrutable prouidence of God nothing is in their power as they are the gods friends and messenger to and from men for such they are not for the good diuine powers whom wee call the holy angells and the reasonable creature inhabiting heauen whether they be Thrones Dominations Principalities or Powers can hold no frindship at all with these spirits from whom they differ as much in affection as vertue differeth from vice or h malice from goodnesse L. VIVES THE wonder a There also hee calleth man a great miracle a venerable honorable creature b Concerning the Or against the deities c The title The greeke saith A pray â—…g song of Dauid that the house was built after the captiuity Hieromes translation from the Hebrew hath no title and therefore the Greekes call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vntitled d Declare 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and afterwards 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Annunciate declare tell e From day A Greeke phraise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 f An arte Porphyry saith the gods doe not only afford men their familiar company but shew them what allureth them what bindeth them what they loue which daies to auoide which to obserue and what formes to make them as Hecate shewes in the Oracle saying shee cannot neglect a statue of brasse gold or siluer and shewes further the vse of wormwood a Mouses bloud Mirrh Frankincense and stirax g Such as he An euill man for such an one Hermes describes h Malice Malice is here vsed for all euill as the Greekes vse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but Tully saith he had rather interprete 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by vice then by malice for malice is a Species of vice opposite to honest simplicity and mother to all fraude and deceite Of such things as may be common to Angells and Men. CHAP. 25. WHerefore the deuills are no means for man to receiue the gods benefits by or rather good Angells but it is our good wills imitating theirs making vs line in one community with them and in honor of that one God that they honor though we see not them with our earthly eyes that is the meanes to their society and whereas our miserable frailty of will and infirmity of spirit doth effect a difference betweene them and vs therein wee are farre short of them in merit of life not in habite of body It is not our earthly bodily habitation but our vncleane carnall affection that causeth separation between them and vs. But when we are purified we become as they drawing neare them neuerthelesse before by our faith if we beleeue that by their good fauours also he that blessed them will make vs also blessed That all Paganisme was fully contained in dead men CHAP. 26. BVt marke what Hermes in his bewayling of the expulsion of those Idols out of Egipt which had such an erroneous incredulity irreligious institutors faith amongst the restâ—… then saith he that holy seate of temples shall become a sepulcher of dead bodies As if men should not die vnlesse these things were demolished or being dead should be buried any where saue in the earth Truly the more time that passeth the more carcasses shal stil be buried more graues made But this it seemes is his griefe that the memories of our Martires should haue place in their Temples that the mis-vnderstanding reader hereof might imagine that the Pagans worshiped gods in the Temples and wee dead men in their tombes For mens blindnesse doth so carry them head-long against a Mountaines letting them not see till they bee struck that they doe not consider that in all paganisme there cannot bee a god found but hath bin a man but on will they and b honor them as eternally pure from all humanity Let Varro passe that said all that died were held gods infernall c proouing it by the sacrifices done at all burialls d there also he reckneth the e funerall plaies as the greatest token of their diuinity plaies beeing neuer presented but to the gods Hermes him-selfe now mentioned in his deploratiue presage saying Then that holy seate of Temples shall become a sepulcher of dead bodies doth plainly auerre that the Egiptian gods were all dead men for hauing said that his fathers in their exceeding errour incredulity and neglect of religion had found a meane to make gods her evnto saith he they added a vertue out of some part of the worlds nature and conioyning these two because they could make no soules they framed certaine Images into which they called
and Phoronis the first they picture with Erected priuities for hauing beheld Proserpina the later the Laebadians worshippe in a caue and cal him Trophonius n Trismegistus As the French say trespuissant and we thrice mighty But the latter wrot not Trismegistus but his grand-father did yet both were called Hermes Trismegistus The first Theut was a great king a great Priest a Philosopher Thus it pleaseth some to describe his greatnesse o Isis. Isis Osiris do much good saith Hermes his booke p In both their natures Hermes had it without nature extra naturam q Adored The Egyptians had innumerable things to their gods Garlike and Onions by which they swore as Pliny saith and many creatures after whome they named their citties Crocodilopolâ—…s Lycopolis Leontopolls and Lâ—…polis vpon the crocodyle the wolfe the lion and the place-fish So Apis first instituting the adoration of the Oxe was adored himselfe in an oxes shape Mercury in a dogs Isis in a cowes Diodorus writeâ—…h that their leaders wore such crests on their helmets Anubis a dog Alexander the great a wolfe c. whence the reuerence of those creatures first arose and therevpon those Princes being dead they ordained them diuine worships in those shapes This is that which Mercury saith their soules were adored that in their liues had ordayned honor to those creatures as indeed the Princes wearing them on their helmes and sheelds made them venerable and respected and the simple people thought that much of their victories came from them and so set them vp as deities Of the Honor that Christians giue to the Martires CHAP. 27. YEt we erect no temples alters nor sacrifices to the martirs because not they but their god is our God wee honor their memories as Gods Saints standing till death for the truth that the true religion might be propagated and all Idolatry demolished whereas if any others had beleeued right before them yet feare forbad them confesse it And who hath euer heard the Priest at the altar that was built vp in gods honor and the martires memories say ouer the body I offer vnto thee Peter or vnto thee Paul or a Cyprian hee offers to God in the places of their memorialls whome God had made men and martirs and aduanced them into the society of his Angells in heauen that wee at that sollemnity may both giue thanks to God for their victories and bee incouraged to endeuor the attainement of such crownes and glories as they haue already attained still inuocating him at their memorialls wherefore all the religious performances done there at the martires sollemnities are ornaments of their memories but no sacrifices to the dead as vnto gods and b those that bring banquets thether which notwithstanding the better Christians do not not is this custome obserued in most places yet such as do so setting them downe praying ouer them and so taking them away to eate or bestow on those that neede all this they do onely with a desire that these meates might be sanctified by the martirs in the god of martirs name But hee that knoweth the onely sacrifices that the Christians offer to God c knoweth also that these are no sacrifices to the Martires wherefore we neither worshippe our Martires with Gods honors nor mens crimes neither offer them sacrifices nor turne their d disgraces into any religion of theirs As for Isis Osiris his wife and the Aegyptian goddesse and her parents that haue beene recorded to haue beene all mortall to whome she sacrificing e found three graines of barley and shewed it vnto her husband and Hermes her counsellour and so they will haue her to be Ceres also what grosse absurdities are hereof recorded not by Potes but their own Priests as Leon shewed to Alexander and he to his mother Olimpia let them read that list and remember that haue read and then but consider vnto what dead persones and dead persons workes their diuinest honors were exhibited God forbid they should in the least respect compare them with our Martirs whome neuerthelesse wee account no gods wee make no priests to sacrifice vnto them it is vnlawfull vndecent and Gods proper due neither do wee please them with their owne crimes or obscaene spectacles whereas they celebrate both the guilt that there gods incurred who were men and the fayned pleasures of such of them as were flat deuills If Socrates had had a god he should not haue bin of this sort But such perhaps as loued to excell in this damnable art of making gods thrust such an one vpon him being an inocent honest man and vnskilfull in this their pernicious practise What need wee more none that hath his wits about him will now hold that these spirits are to be adored for the attainement of eternall blisse in the life to come Perhaps they will say that all the gods are good but of these spirits some are good and some badde and that by those that are good wee may come to eternity and therefore ought to adore them well to rip vp this question the next booke shall serue the turne L. VIVES OR a Cyprian Bishoppe of Carthage most learned as wittnesse his holy works Heâ—… receiued the crowne of Martirdome vnder Ualerian so Pontius his Deacon writeth b Thâ—…se A great custome in Afrike Aug. confess lib. 6. where he saith that his mother at Millaine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…otage and bread and wine to the Martirs shrines and gaue them to the porter Bâ—… Ambrose forbad her both for that it might bee an occasion of gluttony and for the resemblance it had with paganisme c Knoweth also Many Christians offend in not distinguishing betweene their worship of God and the Saints nor doth their opinion of the Saints want much of that the Pagans beleeued of their gods yet impious was Uigilantius to bar the Martirs all honor and fond was Eunomius to forbeare the Churches least hee should bee compelled to adore the dead The Martyres are to be reuerenced but not adored as god is Hieron câ—…tra vigilant d Disgraces But now euen at the celebration of Christs passion and our redemption it is a custome to present plaies almost as vile as the old stage-games should I be â—…lent the very absurdity of such shewes in so reuerend a matter would condemne it sufficiently There Iudas plaieth the most ridiculous Mimike euen then when he betraies Christ. There the Apostles run away and the soldiors follow and all resounds with laughter Then comes Peter and cuttes off Malchus care and then all rings with applause as if Christs betraying were now reuenged And by and by this great fighter comes and for feare of a girle denies his Maister all the people laughing at her question and hissing at his deniall and in all these reuells and ridiculous stirres Christ onely is serious and seuere but seeking to mooue passion and 〈◊〉 in the audience hee is so farre from that that hee is cold euen in the diuinest matters to the
beeing in his hand it is most certaine That is nothing can fall out but he willeth it because he willeth nothing but must fall so out And therefore they that obserue his will obserue the sure cause of all effectes because all effects haue production from his will so that rightly doth Augustine call his will most certaine and most powerfull his power being the cause of his wils certainty This will the Angels and Saints beholding know as much as the proportion of their beatitude permitteth For al of them haue noâ—… the same knowledge but gradually as they haue beatitude as hee saith e Continually Continual is their speculation of God least the least intermission should make them wretched yet doth not the feare of that cause them continue the other but that beatitude doth wholly transport them from the cogitation and desire of all other thinges they inioying all goodnesse in him that is the fountaine of them all That the Pagan Idols are falsely called goddes yet the scripture allowes it to Saints and Angels CHAP. 23. NOw if the Platonists had rather cal these gods theÌ„ Daemones and roâ—…on them amongst those whome the father created as their Maister Platâ—… writâ—…ch let theÌ„ do so we wil haue no verball controuersie with them If they call them immortall and yet Gods creatures made immortall by adherence with him not by themselues they hold with vs call them what they will And the best Platonists if not all haue left records that thus they beleeued for whereas they call such an immortall creature a god wee b contend not with them our scriptures saying The God of gods euen the Lord hath spoken againe Praise yea the God of Gods Againe A great King aboue all gods And in that it is written He is to be feared aboue al gods The sequell explaines it For all the gods of the people are Idols but the Lord made the beaâ—…ens He calleth him ouer al gods to wit the peoples those that the Nations called their gods being Idols therfore is he to be feared aboue them all and in this feare they cryed Art thou come to destroy vs before our time But whereas it is written The God of gods this is not to be vnderstood the God of Idols or diuels and God forbid we should say A great King aboue all Gods in reference to his kingdome ouer diuels but the scripture calleth the men of Gods familie gods I haue said you are gods and al children of the most High of these must the God of gods be vnderstood and ouer these gods is King The great King aboue al gods But now one question If men being of Gods family whom he speaketh vnto by men or Angels be called gods how much more are they to be so called that are immortall inioy that beatitude which men by Gods seruice do aime at We answer that the scripture rather calleth men by the name of gods then those immortall blessed creatures whose likenesse was promised after death because our vnfaithfull infirmity should not be seduced by reason of their super eminence to make vs gods of them which inconuenience in man is soon auoyded And yâ— men of Gods family are the rather called gods to assure them that he is their God that is the God of gods for though the blessed Angels bee called goddes yet they are not called the Gods of Gods yâ— is of those seruants of God of whom it is said You are gods al children of the most High Here-vpon the Apostle saith though ther be that are called gods whether in heauen or in earth as there be many gods and many Lords yet vnto vs there is but one God which is the father of whome are all things and we in him and one Lord Iesus Christ by whome are al things and we by him No matter for the name theÌ„ the matter being thus past all scruple But whereas we say from those immortall quires Angels are sent with Gods command vnto men this they dislike as beleeuing that this businesse belongs not to those blessed creatures whom they cal goddes but vnto the Daemones whome they dare not affirme blessed but only immortall or so immortall and blessed as good Daemones are but not as those high gods whom they place so high and so farre from mans infection But though this seeme a verball controuersie the name of a Daemon is so detestable that we may by no meanes attribute it vnto our blessed Angels Thus then let vs end this book Know al that those blessed immortals how euer called yâ— are creatures are no meanes to bring miserable man to beatitude being from them c doubly different Secondly those that pertake immortality with them and miserable for reward of their mallice with vs can rather enuy vs this happines then obtaine it vs therfore the fautors of those Daemones can bring no proofe why wee should honour them as God but rather that we must auoyd them as deceiuers As for those whome they say are good immmortall and blessed calling them goddes and allotâ—…ing them sacrifices for the attainment of beatitude eternall In the next booke by Gods helpe wee will proue that their desire was to giue this honour not to them but vnto that one God through whose power they were created and in whose participation they are blessed LVIVES And a recken Plato saith that that great God the father created all the rest In Timaeo b VVe contend not No man denieth saith Cypryan that there are many gods by participations Boethius calles euery happy man a god but one onely so by nature 〈◊〉 the rest by participation And to vs hath Christ giuen power to be made the sons of God 〈◊〉 Doubtly By from our misery and mortality which two wordes some copies adde vnto the tâ—…xt The sence is all one implied in the one and expressed in the other Finis lib. 9. THE CONTENTS OF THE tenth booke of the City of God 1 That the Platonists themselues held that One oâ—…ly God was the giuer of all beatitude â—…to Men and Angels but the controuersie is whether they that they hold are to be worshipped for this end would haue sacrifices offered to them-selues or resigne all vnto God 2. The opinion of Plotine the Platonist concerâ—…ing the supernaturall illumination 3. Of the true worship of God wherein the Platoâ—…ts failed in worshipping good or euill Angels though they knew the worlds Creator 4. That sacrifice is due onely to the true God 5. Of the sacrifices which God requireth â—…ot and what be requireth in their signification 6. Of the true and perfect sacrifice 7. That the good Angels doe so loue vs that thy desire wee should worship God onely and â—…ot them 8. Of the miracles whereby God hath confirâ—…d his promises in the mindes of the faithfull by the ministry of his holy Angels 9. Of vnlawfull Arts concerning the Deuils worship whereof Porphery approoueth some and dâ—…eth others 10. Of Theurgy that falsely
â—…ledge of God which none can attaine but through the mediator betweene God and man the Man Christ Iesus CHAP. 2. IT is a grâ—… and admirable thing for one to transcend all creatures corporal or incorporall fraile and mutable by speculation and to attaine to the Deity it selfe and learne of that that it made all things that are not of the diuine essence For so doth God teach a man speaking not by any corporall creature vnâ—… 〈◊〉 â—…erberating the ayre betweene the eare and the speaker nor by any 〈◊〉 â—…ature or apparition as in dreames or otherwise For so hee doth 〈◊〉 â—…nto bodily eares and as by a body and by breach of ayre and distance 〈◊〉 are very like bodies But he speaketh by the truth if the eares of the 〈◊〉 ready and not the body For hee speaketh vnto the best part of the 〈◊〉 and that wherein God onely doth excell him and vnderstand a man 〈◊〉 fashion you cannot then but say he is made after Gods Image beeing 〈◊〉 God onely by that part wherein hee excelleth his others which hee â—…ed with him by beasts But yet the minde a it selfe wherein reason and 〈◊〉 â—…ding are naturall inherents is weakned and darkened by the mist of inâ—…â—…ror and diss-enabled to inioy by inherence b nay euen to endure that 〈◊〉 light vntill it bee gradually purified cured and made fit for such an 〈◊〉 therefore it must first bee purged and instructed by faith to set it the 〈◊〉 â—…in truth it selfe Gods Sonne and God taking on our man without 〈◊〉 god-head ordained that faith to bee a passe c for man to God by 〈◊〉 â—…at was both God and man d for by his man-hood is he mediator 〈◊〉 is hee our way For if the way lie betweene him that goeth and the 〈◊〉 â—…ch he goeth there is hope to attaine it But if e one haue no way nor 〈◊〉 way to goe what booteth it to know whether to goe And the oneâ—… infallible high way is this mediator God and Man God our iourâ—… Man our way vnto it L. VIVES 〈◊〉 a it selfe We call the minde mans purest and most excellent part by which 〈◊〉 â—…stand argue collect discourseâ—… apprehending things simply or comparing 〈◊〉 â—…g all artes and disciplines managing the whole course of life and inuenting 〈◊〉 the minde b Nay euen to endure So is the best reading c For by his This 〈◊〉 but all added by some other vnto the chapters end Of the authority of the canonicall Scriptures made by the spirit of God CHAP. 3. 〈◊〉 hauing spoken what he held conuenient first by his Prophets then 〈◊〉 â—…fe and afterwards by his Apostle made that scripture also which 〈◊〉 â—…icall of most eminent authority on which wee relie in things that 〈◊〉 â—…nderstanding and yet cannot bee attained by our selues For if things 〈◊〉 either to our exterior or interior sence wee call them things present 〈◊〉 owne in our owne iudgements b wee see them before our eyes and 〈◊〉 as infallible obiects of our sence then truely in things that fall not in 〈◊〉 of sence because our owne iudgements doe faile vs we must seeke out 〈◊〉 â—…rities to whom such things wee thinke haue beene more apparant 〈◊〉 we are to trust Wherefore as in things visible hauing not seene them 〈◊〉 we trust those that haue and so in all other obiects of the sences eâ—…â—…ngs mentall and intelligible which procure a notice or sence in man 〈◊〉 â—…omes the word sentence that is c in things inuisible to our exteriâ—…e must needs trust them d who haue learned then of that incorpoâ—… or e behold them continually before him L. VIVES 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sensible That power in man or other creature whatsoeuer that discerneth any 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 called sence Fiue exterior sences there are and one within the minde or soule feeliâ—… 〈◊〉 of sorrow or of ought that the exteriors present ioy praise glory vertue vice hope 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the exteriors as thus wee say what doe you thinke of this wine this musicke this â—…ure of such a mans iudgement or wisdome Philosophy diuinity or policy Thus much because our Philosophers will not endure the minde should bee called sence directly against Augustine But what hath a Philosopher of our time to do with the knowledge of speach 〈◊〉 is as they interpret it with grammar b Wee see them So it must be prae sensibus before oâ—… sences not prâ—…sentibus c In things inuisible Visible commeth of Videre to see that that is common to all the sences Saw you not what a vile speech hee made saw you euer worse wine and so the Greekes vse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So doth Augustine vse inuisible here for that which is no obiect to any exterior sence d Who haue learned The Saints of God their Maister e Behold The holy Angells Thâ—… 〈◊〉 state of the world is neither eternall nor ordained by any new thought of gods as if he meant that after which he meant not before CHAP. 4. OF things visible the world is the greatest of inuisible God But the first wee see the second wee but beleeue That God made the world whom shall wee beleeue with more safety them himselfe Where haue we heard him neuer better then in the holy scriptures where the Prophet saith In the beginning God created heauen and earth Was the Prophet there when he made it no. But Gods wisdome whereby hee made it was there and that doth infuse it selfe into holy soules making Prophets and Saints declaring his workes vnto them inwardly without any noise And the holy Angells that eternally behold the face of the Father they come downe when they are appointed and declare his will vnto them of whom he was one that wrote In the beginning God created heauen and earth and who was so fit a witnesse to beleeue God by that by the same spirit that reuealed this vnto him did hee prophecy the comming of our faith But a what made God create heauen and earth then not sooner b they that say this to import an eternity of the world being not by God created are damnably and impiously deceiued and infected For to except all prophecy the very c order disposition beauty and change of the worlde and all therein proclaimeth it selfe to haue beene mâ—…de and not possible to haue beene made but by God that ineffable inuisible great one ineffably inuisible beaâ—…teous But they that say God made the world and yet allow it no temporall but onely a formall originall being made after a manner almost incomprehensible they seeme to say some-what in Gods defence from that chancefull rashnesse to take a thing into his head that was not therein before viz to make the world and to be subiect to change of will he beâ—…g wholy vnchangeable and for euer But I see not how their reason can stand in â—…er respects chiefly d in that of the soule which if they doe coeternize with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 can neuer shew how that misery befalleth it
one world in that so infinite a space as to say that but one care of corne growes in a huge field This error Aristotle the Stoâ—…kes beat quite downe putting but that one for the world which Plato and the wisest Philosophers called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the vniuerse b Casuall Great adoe the Philosophers keepe about natures principles Democritas makes all things of little bodies that flie about in the voide places hauing forme and magnitude yet indiuisible and therefore called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Atomes Epicurus gaue them weight also more then Democritus did and made those indiuisible diuersly-formed things to 〈◊〉 about of diuers quantities and weights vp and down casually in the voyd and shuffling together in diuers formes thus produce infinite worlds and thus infinite worlds do arise continue and end without any certaine cause at all and seeking of a place without the world we may not take it as we do our places circumscribing a body but as a certaine continuance before the world was made wherein many things may possibly be produced and liue So though their bee nothing without this world yet the minde conceiueth a space wherein God may boâ—… place this and infinite worlds more c For wee With the Platâ—…nists he means d Out 〈◊〉 The ancients held the Platonists and Stoickes in great respect and reuerence Cicero That the world and time had both one beginning nor was the one before the other CHAP. 6. FOr if eternity and time be wel considered time a neuer to be extant without motion and b eternity to admit no change who would not see that time could not haue being before some mouable thing were created whose motion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 alteration necessarily following one part another the time might run 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 therefore that God whose eternity alters not created the world and 〈◊〉 can he bee said to haue created the world in time vnlesse you will say 〈◊〉 some-thing created before the world whose course time did follow 〈◊〉 holy and most true scriptures say that In the beginning God created heaâ—…â—…h to wit that there was nothing before then because this was the Beâ—… which the other should haue beene if ought had beene made before 〈◊〉 the world was made with Time not in Time for that which is made 〈◊〉 â—…s made both before some Time after some Before iâ—… is Time past afâ—…â—…me to come But no Time passed before the world because no creature 〈◊〉 by whose course it might passe But it was made with the Time if moâ—… Times condition as that order of the first sixe or seauen daies went 〈◊〉 were counted morning euening vntill the Lord fulfilled all the worke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sixth day and commended the seauenth to vs in the mistery of sanctifiâ—… Of what fashion those daies were it is either exceeding hard or altogeâ—…â—…possible to thinke much more to speake L. VIVES Iâ—… 〈◊〉 â—…euer Aristotle defined time the measure of motion makeing them vtterly inseâ—… Some Philosophers define it motion so doe the Stoikes b Eternity So saith Auâ—…â—…en â—…en Boetius also Nazianzene and others all out of Plato these are his wordes When 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this great mooueable and eternall vniuerse beheld his worke he was very well pleased 〈◊〉 â—…ake it yet a little liker to the Archetype And so euen as this creature is immortall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to make the world eternall as neare as the nature thereof would permit but his naâ—…â—…ll and squared not with this made worke But hee conceiued a moueable forme of eâ—… together with ornament of the heauenly structure gaue it this progressiue eternall Iâ—…â—…ity which he named Time diuiding it into daies nights monthes and yeares all which 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 heauen and none of them were before heauen Thus Plato in his Timaeus Time saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Image of eternity but time mooueth and eternity moueth not being naturally fixed â—…able towards it doth time passe and endeth in the perfection therof and may be dissolued 〈◊〉 â—…orlds creator will In dogm Platon Of the first sixe daies that had morning and euening â—…re the Sunne was made CHAP. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ordinary a daies wee see they haue neither morning nor euening but 〈◊〉 â—…e Sunne rises and sets But the first three daies of all had no Sunne for 〈◊〉 made the fourth day And first God made the light and seuered it from 〈◊〉 â—…nesse calling it day and darkenesse night but what that light was and 〈◊〉 â—…nne a course to make morning and night is out of our sence to iudge 〈◊〉 we vnderstand it which neuerthelesse we must make no question but beâ—… b for the light was either a bodily thing placed in the worlds highest paâ—… farre from our eye or there where the Sunne was afterwards made c or 〈◊〉 the name of light signified that holy citty with the Angells and spirits whereof the Apostle saith Ierusalem which is aboue is our eternall mother in heauen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 another place hee saith yee are all the children of light and the sonnes of the 〈◊〉 â—…re not sonnes of night and darkenesse d Yet hath this day the morne and eâ—… because e the knowledge of the creature compared to the Creators is 〈◊〉 â—…ery twilight And day breaketh with man when he draweth neare the loue and praise of the Creator Nor is the creature euer be nighted but when the loue of the Creator forsakes him The scripture orderly reciting those daies neuer mentions the night nor saith night was but the euening and the morning were the first day so of the second and soon For the creatures knowledge of it selfe is as it were farre more discoloured then when it ioynes with the Creators as in the arte that framed it Therefore euen is more congruently spoken then night yet when all is referred to the loue praise of the Creator night becomes morning and when it comes to the knowledge of it selfe it is one full day When it comes to the Firmament that seperateth the waters aboue and below it is the second day When vnto the knowledge of the earth and all things that haue roote thereon it is the third day When vnto the knowledge of the two lights the greater and the lesse the fourth when it knowes all water-creatures foules and fishes it is the fifth and when it knowes all earthly creatures and man himselfe it is the sixth day L. VIVES ORdinary a daies Coleynes coppy reades not this place so well b For the The schoole men Sent. 2. dist 24. dispute much of this But Augustine calleth not the light a body here but saith God made it either some bright body as the Sunne or eâ—…s the contraction of the incorporeall light made night and the extension day as Basil saith moouing like the Sun in the egresse making morning in the regresse euening Hug. de S. Victore de Sacram. lib. 1. c Or els Aug. de genes ad lit lib. 1. d Yet hath A diuers reading both to one purpose e
The knowledge De genes ad lit lib. 4. Where hee calleth it morning when the Angells by contemplating of the creation in themselues where is deepe darkenesse lift vp themselues to the knowledge of God and if that in him they learne all things which is more certaine then all habituall knowledge then is it day It growes towards euening when the Angels turne from God to contemplate of the creatures in themselues but this euening neuer becommeth night for the Angells neuer preferre the worke before the worke man that were most deepe darke night Thus much out of Augustine the first mentioner of mornings euenings knowledges What wee must thinke of Gods resting the seauenth day after his sixe daies worke CHAP. 8. BVt whereas God rested the seauenth day froÌ„ al his workes sanctified it this is not to be childishly vnderstood as if God had taken paines he but spake the word and a by that iâ—…telligible and eternal one not vocall nor temporal were all things created But Gods rest signifieth theirs that rest in God as the gladnesse of the house signifies those yâ— are glad in the house though some-thing else and not the house bee the cause thereof How much more then if the beauty of the house make the inhabitants glad so that wee may not onely call it glad vsing the continent for the contained as the whole Theaâ—…er applauded when it was the men the whole medowes bellowed for the Oxen but also vsing the efficient for the effect as a merry epistle that is making the readers merry Theâ—…fore the scripture affirming that God rested meaneth the rest of all things in God whom he by himself maketh to rest for this the Prophet hath promised to all such as he speaketh vnto and for whom he wrote that after their good workes which God doth in them or by them if they first haue apprehended him in this life by faith they shal in him haue rest eternal This was prefigured in the sanctification of the Saboath by Gods command in the old law whereof more at large in due season L. VIVES BY a that intelligible Basil saith that this word is a moment of the will by which wee conceiue better of things What is to be thought of the qualities of Angels according to scripture CHAP. 9. NOw hauing resolued to relate this holy Cities originall first of the angels who make a great part thereof so much the happier in that they neuer a were pilgrims let vs see what testimonies of holy wriâ—…t concerne this point The scriptures speaking of the worlds creation speake not plainly of the Angels when or in what order they were created but that they were created the word heauen includeth In the beginning God created heauen and earth or rather in the world Light whereof I speake now are there signified that they were omitted I cannot thinke holy writ saying that God rested in the seauenth day from all his workes the same booke beginning with In the beginning God created heauen and earth to shew that nothing was made ere then Beginning therefore with heauen earth and earth the first thing created being as the scripture plainely saith with-out forme and voide light being yet vn made and darknesse being vpon the deepe that is vpon a certaine confusion of earth and waters for where light is not darknesse must needes be then the creation proceeding and all being accomplished in sixe dayes how should the angels bee omitted as though they were none of Gods workes from which hee rested the seuenth day This though it be not omitted yet here is it not plaine but else-where it is most euident The three chilâ—… sung in their himne O all yee workes of the Lord blesse yee the Lord amongst which they recken the angels And the Psalmist saith O praise God in the heauens 〈◊〉 him in the heights praise him all yee his angells praise him all his hoasts praise 〈◊〉 sâ—…e and Moone praise him staâ—…res and light Praise him yee heauens of heauens 〈◊〉 the waters that be aboue the heauens praise the name of the Lord for hee spake the 〈◊〉 and they were made he commanded they were created here diuinity calls the â—…ls Gods creatures most plainly inserting them with the rest saying of all He spâ—…ke the word and they were made who dares thinke that the Angels were made after the sixe daies If any one bee so fond hearken this place of scripture confounds him vtterly e When the starres were made all mine angels praised mee with a loude voice Therefore they were made before the starres and the stars were made the fourth day what they were made the third day may wee say so God forbid That dayes worke is fully knowne the earth was parted from the waters and two â—…nts tooke formes distinct and earth produced all her plants In the second day then neither Then was the firmament made betweene the waters aboue and below and was called Heauen in which firmament the starres were created the fourth day c Wherefore if the angels belong vnto Gods sixe dayes worke they are that light called day to commend whose vnity it was called one day not the first day nor differs the second or third from this all are but this one doubled vâ—…to 6. or 7. sixe of Gods workes the 7. of his rest For when God said Let there be light there was light if we vnderstand the angels creation aright herein they are made partakers of that eternall light the vnchangeable wisdome of God all-creating namely the onely be gotten sonne of God with whose light they in their creation were illuminate and made light called day in the participation of the vnchangeable light day that Word of God by which they all things else were created For the true light that lightneth euery man that coÌ„meth into this world this also lightneth euery pure angell making it light not in it selfe but in God from whom if an Angell fall it becommeth impure as all the vncleane spirits are being no more a light in God but a darknesse in it selfe depriued of all perticipation of the eternall light for Euill hath no nature but the losse of good that is euill L. VIVES NEuer were a pilgrims But alwayes in their country seeing alwayes the face of the father b When the starres Iob. 38 7. So the Septuagints doe translate it as it is in the teâ—…t c Wherefore if The Greeke diuine put the creation of spirituals before that of things corporall making God vse them as ministers in the corporall worke and so held Plato Hierome following Gregorie and his other Greeke Maisters held so also But of the Greekes Basil and Dionysius and almost all the Latines Ambrose Bede Cassiodorus and Augustine in this place holds that God made althings together which agreeth with that place of Ecclesiasticus chap. 18. vers 1. He that liueth for euer made althings together Of the vncompounded vnchangeable Trinity the Father the Sonne
althings in number weight measure that if he should say too much of number hee should seeme both to neglect his owne grauity and measure and the wise-mans c Let this The Iewes in the religious keeping of their Sabboth shew that 7. was a number of much mistery Hierome in Esay Gellius lib. 3. and his emulator Macrobius in Somn. Scip. lib. 1. record the power of it in Heauen the Sea and in Men. The Pythagorists as Chalcidius writeth included all perfection nature sufficiency herein And wee Christians hold it sacred in many of our religious misteries d That 3. is An euen number sayth Euclid is that which is diuisible by two the odde is the contrary Three is not diuisible into two nor any for one is no number Foure is diuided into two and by vnites and this foure was the first number that gotte to halfes as Macrobius sayth who therefore commendeth 7. by the same reason that Aug. vseth here e For all Aug. in Epist. ad Galat. f By this number Serm. de verb dom in monte This appellation ariseth from the giftes shewne in Esay Chap. 32. Of their opinion that held Angels to be created before the world CHAP. 32. BVt if some oppose and say that that place Let there be light and there was light was not meant of the Angels creation but of some a other corporall light and teach that the Angels wer made not only before the firmament diuiding the waters and called heauen but euen before these words were spoken In the beginning God made heauen and earth Taking not this place as if nothing had bene made before but because God made all by his Wisedome and Worde whome the Scripture also calleth a a beginning as answered also to the Iewes when they inquired what he was I will not contend because I delight so in the intimation of the Trinity in the first chapter of Genesis For hauing said In the beginning God made heauen and earth that is the Father created it in the Son as the Psalme saith O Lord how manyfold are thy workes In thy wisedome madest thou them all presently after he mentioneth the Holy Spirit For hauing shewed the fashion of earth and what a huge masse of the future creation God called heauen and earth The earth was without forme void and darknesse was vpon the deepe to perfect his mention of the Trinity he added c And the spirit of the Lord moued vpon the waters Let each one take it as he liketh it is so profound that learning may produce diuers opinions herein all faithfull and true ones so that none doubt that the Angels are placed in the high heauens not as coeternals with God but as sure of eternall felicity To whose society Christ did not onely teach that his little ones belonged saying They shall be equal vvith the Angels of God but shewes further the very contemplation of the Angels saying Se that you despise not one of these little ones for I say vnto you that in heauen their Angels alway behold the face of my Father vvhich is in Heauen L. VIVES SOme a other corporeall Adhering to some body b Beginning I reproue not the diuines in calling Christ a beginning For he is the meane of the worlds creation and cheefe of all that the Father begotte But I hold it no fit collection from his answere to the Iewes It were better to say so because it was true then because Iohn wrote so who thought not so The heretikes make vs such arguments to scorne vs with at all occasion offered But what that wisely and freely religious Father Hierome held of the first verse of Genesis I will now relate Many as Iason in Papisc Tertull. contra Praxeam and Hillar in Psalm Hold that the Hebrew text hath In the Sonne God made Heauen and earth which is directly false For the 70. Symachus and Theodotion translate it In the beginning The Hebrew is Beresith which Aquila translates in Capitulo not Ba-ben in the Son So then the sence rather then the translation giueth it vnto Christ who is called the Creator of Heauen and earth as well in the front of Genesis the head of all bookes as in S. Iohns Ghospell So the Psalmist saith in his person In the head of the booke it is written of me viz. of Genesis and of Iohn Al things were made by it without it was made nothing c. But we must know that this book is called Beresith the Hebrewes vsing to put their books names in their beginnings Thus much word for word out of Hierome c And the spirit That which wee translate Ferebatur moued sayth Hierome the Hebrewes read Marahefet forwhich we may fitly interprete incubabat brooded or cherished as the hen doth heregges with heate Therfore was it not the spirit of the world as some thinke but the holy spirite that is called the quickner of all things from the beginning If the Quickner then the maker if the Maker then the God If thou send forth thy word saith he they are created Of the two different societies of Angels not vnfitly tearmed light and darkenesse CHAP. 33. THat some Angels offended and therfore were thrust into prisons in the worlds lowest parts vntill the day of their last iudiciall damnation S. Peter testifieth playnely saying That God spared not the Angels that had sinned but cast them downe into hell and deliuered them into a chaynes of darkenesse to be kept vnto damnation Now whether Gods prescience seperated these from the other who doubteth that he called the other light worthily who denyeth Are not we heare on earth by faith and hope of equality with them already ere wee haue it called light by the Apostle Ye were once darkenesse saith he but are now light in the Lord. And well doe these perceiue the other Apostaticall powers are called darkenesse who consider them rightly or beleeue them to bee worse then the worst vnbeleeuer Wherefore though that light which GOD sayd should bee and it was bee one thing and the darkenesse from which GOD seperated the light bee another yet the obscurity of this opinion of these two societies the one inioying GOD the other swelling in b pride the one to whome it sayd Praise GOD all â—…ee his Angels the other whose Prince said All these will I giue thee if thou wilt fall downe and worship mee the one inflamed with GOD'S loue the other blowne bigge with selfe-loue whereas it is sayd God resisteth the proud and giueth grace to the lowly the one in the highest heauens the other in the obscurest ayre the one piously quiet the other madly turbulent the one punishing or releeuing according to Gods c iustice and mercy the other raging with the ouer vnreasonable desire to hurt and subdue the one allowed GODS Minister to all good the other restrayned by GOD from doing d the desired hurt the one scorning the other for doing good against their wills
by temptations the other enuying this the recollection of the faithfull pilgrims the obscurity I say of the opinion of these two so contrary societies the one good in nature and wil the other good in nature also but bad by wil since it is not explaned by other places of scripture that this place in Genesiis of the light and darknes may bee applyed as Denominatiue vnto them both though the author hadde no such intent yet hath not beene vnprofitably handled because though wee could not knowe the authors will yet wee kept the rule of faith which many other places make manifest For though Gods corporall workes bee heere recited yet haue some similitude with the spiritual as the Apostle sayth you are all the children of the light and the children of the day wee are no sonnes of the night nor darknes But if this were the authors mind the other disputation hath attained perfection that so wise a man of God nay the spirit in him in reciting the workes of God all perfected in sixe dayes might by no meanes bee held to leaue out the Angels eyther in the beginning that is because hee had made them first or as wee may better vnderstand In the beginning because hee made them in his onely begotten Word in which beginning God made heauen and earth Which two names eyther include all the creation spirituall and temporall which is more credible Or the two great partes onely as continents of the lesser beeing first proposed in whole and then the parts performed orderly according to the mistery of the sixe dayes L. VIVES INto a cheynes This is playne in Saint Peters second Epistle and Saint Iudes also The Angels sayth the later which kept not their first estate but left their owne habitation hath hee reserued in euerlasting cheynes vnder Darkenesse vnto the iudgement of the great day Augustine vseth prisons for places whence they cannot passe as the horses were inclosed and could not passe out of the circuit vntill they had run b Pride Typhus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is Pride and the Greeks vse Typhon of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to bee proud and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to burne for the fiery diuell So sayth Plutarch of Typhon Osyris his brother that he was a diuell that troubled all the world with acts of malice and torment Augustine rather vseth it then the Latine for it is of more force and was of much vse in those dayes Philip the Priest vseth it in his Commentaries vppon Iob. c Iustice For God doth iustly reuenge by his good Ministers He maketh the spirits his messengers flaming fire his Ministers Ps. 103. d The desired There is no power on the earth like the diuels Iob. 40. Which might they practise as they desire they would burne drowne waste poyson torture and vtterly destroy man and beast And though we know not the diuells power directly where it is limited and how farr extended yet are wee sure they can do vs more hurt then we can euer repaire Of the power of Angels read Augustâ—… de Trinit lib. 3. Of the opinion that some held that the Angels weee meant by the seueral waters and of others that held the waters vncreated CHAP. 34. YEt some there a were that thought that the b company of Angels were meant by the waters and that these wordes Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters and let it seperate the waters from the waters meant by the vpperwaters the Angels and by the lower eyther the nations or the diuels But if this bee so there is no mention of the Angels creation but onely of their seperation c Though some most vainely and impiously deny that God made the waters because hee neuer said Let there be waters So they may say of earth for he neuer said Let there be earth I but say they it is written God created both heauen and earth Did he so Then is water included therein also for one name serues both for the Psalm sayth The sea is his and he made it and his hands prepared the dry land but the d elementary weights do moue these men to take the waters aboue for the Angels because so an element cannot remayne aboue the heauens No more would these men if they could make a man after their principles put fleame being e in stead of water in mans body in the head f but there is the seate of fleame most fitly appointed by God but so absurdly in these mens conceits that if wee know not though this booke told vs playne that God had placed this fluid cold and consequently heauy humor in the vppermost part of mans body these world-weighers would neuer beleeue it And if they were subiect to the scriptures authority they would yet haue some meaning to shift by But seeing that the consideration of all thinges that the Booke of God conteineth concerning the creation would draw vs farre from our resolued purpose lette vs now together with the conclusion of this booke giue end to this disputation of the two contrary societyes of Angells wherein are also some groundes of the two societies of mankinde vnto whome we intend now to proceed in a fitting discourse L. VIVES SOme a there were as Origen for one who held that the waters aboue the heauens were no waters but Angelicall powers and the waters vnder the heauens their contraries diuels Epiph. ad Ioan. Hierosol Episc. b Companies Apocal. The peaple are like many waters and here-vpon some thought the Psalme meant saying You waters that bee aboue the heauens praise the name of the Lord for that belongs only to reasonable creatures to do c Though some Augustine reckoneth this for an heresie to hold the waters coeternall with God but names no author I beleeue Hesiods Chaos and Homers all producing waters were his originals d Elementary I see all this growes into question whether there be waters aboue the heauens and whether they be elementary as ours are Of the first there is lesse doubt For if as some hold the firmament be the ayre then the seperation of waters from waters was but the parting of the cloudes from the sea But the holy men that affirme the waters of Genesis to be aboue the starry firmament preuaile I gesse now in this great question that a thicke clowd commixt with ayre was placed betwixt heauen and earth to darken the space betweene heauen and vs And that part of it beeing thickned into that sea we see was drawne by the Creator from the face of the earth to the place where it is that other part was borne vp by an vnknowne power to the vttermost parts of the world And hence it came that the vpper still including the lower heauen the fire fire the ayre ayre the water this water includeth not the earth because the whole element thereof is not vnder the Moone as fire and ayre is Now for the nature of those waters Origen to begin with the
the beginning and the immortall creature to haue had a temâ—… originall in this our time and not before wherein the Angells were created â—…her they bee ment by the name of light or heauen of whom it is sayd 〈◊〉 â—…inning God created heauen and earth and that they were not from the beâ—…g vntill the time that they were created for otherwise they should be coâ—…ll with God If I say they were not created in time but before it that God 〈◊〉 bee their Lord who hath beene a Lord for euer Then am I demaunded 〈◊〉 they were before all time of how could they that were created be from 〈◊〉 And here I might perhaps answere how that which hath beene for the 〈◊〉 of all time may not bee vnfitly sayd to haue beene alwaies and they have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in all time that they were before all time if Time began with heauens 〈◊〉 and they were before heauen But if time beganne not so but were beâ—…uen not in houres daies moneths or years for sure it is that these dimenâ—… properly called times beganne from the starres courses as God said when 〈◊〉 them Let them be for signes and seasons and daies and yeares but in some 〈◊〉 wondrous motion whose former part did passe by and whose later succeeâ—… it beeing impossible for them to goe both together If there were such a 〈◊〉 in the Angells motions and that as soone as they were made they began to 〈◊〉 thus euen in this respect haue they beene from the beginning of all 〈◊〉 Time and they hauing originall both at once And who will not say that â—…th beene for all Time hath beene alwaies But if I answere thus some 〈◊〉 â—…to me why are they not then coeternall with the Creator if both he and â—…ue beene alwaies What shall I say to this That they haue bin alwaies 〈◊〉 that time they had originall both together and yet they were created 〈◊〉 deny not that time was created though it hath beene for all times contiâ—… otherwise there should haue beene a time that had beene no time but â—…oole will say so wee may say there was a time when Rome was not when â—…lem was not Abraham or Man himselfe or so when they all were not Nâ—… the world it selfe being not made at times beginning but afterwardes wee 〈◊〉 say there was a time when the world was not But to say there was a time when time was not is as improper as to say there was a Man when there was no 〈◊〉 or a worlde when the world was not If wee meane of diuers pertiâ—… wee may say this Man was when that was not and so this Time was when 〈◊〉 not true But to say Time was when no Time was who is so sottish 〈◊〉 as we say Time was created and yet hath beene alwaies because it 〈◊〉 beene whilest Time hath beene so is it no consequent then that the Anâ—… that haue beene alwaies should yet bee vncreated seeing they haue beene â—…s onely in that they haue beene since Time hath beene and that because 〈◊〉 could not haue beene without them For whereno creature is whose moâ—…lay proportion Time forth there can bee no Time and therefore though 〈◊〉 â—…ue beene alwaies they are created and not coeternall with the Creator 〈◊〉 hee hath beene vnchangeable from all eternity but they were created and 〈◊〉 sayd to haue beene alwaies because they haue beene all Time that could 〈◊〉 without them But Time beeing transitory and mutable cannot be coâ—…ll with vnchanging eternity And therefore though Angells haue no bodiâ—…â—…tation nor is this part past in them and the other to come yet their 〈◊〉 measuring Time admitteth the differences of past and to come And therefore they can neuer be coeternal with their Creator whose motion admitteth neither past present nor future Wherefore GOD hauing beene alwaies a Lord hath alwaies had a creature to be Lord ouer not begotten by him but created out of nothing by him and not coeternall with him for hee was before it though in no time before it nor foregoing it in any space but in perpetuity But if I answere this to those that aske me how the Creator should be alwaies Lord and yet haue no creature to be Lord ouer or how hath hee a creature that is not coeternall with him if it hath beene alwaies I feare to bee thought rather to affirme what I know not then teach what I know So that I returne to the Creators reuealed will what hee allowes to wiser knowledges in this life or reserueth for all vnto the next I professe my selfe vnable to attaine to But this I thought to handle without affirming that my readers may see what questions to for beare as dangerous and not to hold them fit for farther inquirie rather following the Apostles wholesome counsell saying I say through the grace that is giuen me vnto euery one amongst you presume not to vnderstand more then is meete to vnderstand but vnderstand according to sobriety as God hath dealt vnto euery man c the measure of faith for d if an infant bee nourished according to his strength hee will grow vp but if he bee strained aboue his nature he will rather fade then increase in growth and strength L. VIVES DOmination a eternall He had no seruants to rule in respect of whom he might be called a Lord for Lord is a relatiue and it fitted not the Sonne and the Holy Ghost to call him Lord. b Hee hath beene His continuance is but wee abuse the words and say hee was and shal be not beeing able in out circumscribed thoughts to comprehend the eternity c 〈◊〉 measure 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Greekes vse the Accusatiue often of our ablatiue or rather for the seauenth case Paul meaneth the proportionating of wisdome to the measure of faith d If an infant Quintilian hath such another family poure water easily into a narrow mouthed glasse and it wil be filled but powre to fast and it will runne by and not go in Institut lib. 1. How wee must vnderstand that God promised Man life eternall before all eternity CHAP. 16. VVHat reuolution passed ere mans creation I confesse I know not but sure I am no creature is coeternall with the Creator The Apostle speaketh of eternall times not to come but which is more wondrous past For thus he saith vnder the hope of eternall life which God that cannot lie hath promised before all eternity a of time but his word he hath manifested in time Behold hee talketh of Times eternity past yet maketh it not coeternall with GOD. For he was not only himselfe before all eternity but promised eternall life before it which he manifested in his due Time that was his word for that is eternall life But how did he promise it vnto men that were not before eternity but that in his eternity and coeternall world he had predestinated what was in Time to be manifested L. VIVES BBfore a all eternity Tit. 1. 2.
opinion for it is not lawfull to hold any creature be it neuer so small to haue any other Creator then God euen before it could be vnderstood But the Angells whome they had rather call Gods though c at his command they worke in things of the world yet wee no more call them creators of liuing things then we call husband-men the creators of fruites and trees L. VIVES WIth a therâ—… With the Epicurists that held althings from chance or from meere nature without GOD althings I meane in this sublâ—…ary world which opinion some say was Aâ—…les or with the heretikes some of whome held the diuills creators of al things corporal b Those that Plato in his Timaeus brings in God the Father commanding the lesser Gods to make the lesser liuing creatures for they are creatures also and so they tooke the immortall beginning of a creature the soule from the starres imitating the Father and Creator and borrowing parcells of earth water and ayre from the world knit them together in one not as they were knit but yet in an insensible connexion because of the combination of such small parts whereof the whole body was framed One Menander a Scholler of Symon Magus said the Angells made the world Saturninus said that 7. Angells made it beyond the Fathers knowledge c Though The Angells as Paul saith are Gods ministers and deputies and do â—…y things vpon earth at his command for as Augustine saith euery visible thing on earth is under an Angelicall power and Gregory saith that nothing in the visible would but is ordered by a visible creature I will except Miracles if any one contend But Plato as he followeth Mâ—…s in the worlds creation had this place also of the creation of liuing things from the Scripures for hauing read that God this great architect of so new a worke said â—…et vs make 〈◊〉 after our owne Image thought he had spoken to the Angells to whose ministery he supposed mans creation committed But it seemed vnworthy to him that God should vse them in â—…king of man the noblest creature and make all the rest with his own hands and therfore he thought the Angels made all whose words if one consider them in Tullies translation which I vse he shal find that Plato held none made the soule but God and that of the stars which â—…ully de 〈◊〉 1. confirmes out of Plato saying that the soule is created by God within the elementary body which he made also and the lesser Gods did nothing but as ministers câ—…e those which hee â—…ad first created and forme it into the essence of a liuing creature Seneca explanes Plaâ—… more plainely saying That when God had laid the first foundation of this rare and excellent frame of nature and begun it he ordayned that each peculiar should haue a peculiar gouernor and though himselfe â—…ad modelled and dilated the whole vniuerse yet created he the lesser gods to be his ministers 〈◊〉 vice-gerents in this his kingdome That no nature or forme of any thing liuing hath any other Creator but God CHAP. 25. WHereas there is one forme giuen externally to all corporall substances according to the which Potters Carpenters and other shape antiques and figures of creatures and another that containeth the efficient causes hereof in the secret power of the vniting and vnderstanding nature which maketh not onely the natural formes but euen the liuing soules when they are not extant The first each artificer hath in his brayne but the later belongs to none but God who formed the world and the Angells without either world or Angells for from that 〈◊〉 all diuiding and all effectiue diuine power which cannot be made but makes and which in the beginning gaue rotundity both to the Heauens Sunne from the same had the eye the apple and all other round figures that wee see in nature their rotundity not from any externall effectiue but from the depth of that creators power that said I fill heauen and earth and whose wisdome reacheth from end to end ordering all in a delicate Decorum wherefore what vse he made of the Angels in the creation making all himselfe I know not I dare neither ascribe them more then their power nor detract any thing from that But with their fauours I attribute the estate of althings as they are natures vnto God onely of whome they thankefully aknowledge their being we do not then call husbandmen the creators of trees or plants or any thing else fot we read Neither is he that planteth any thing neither he that watereth but God that giueth the increase No not the earth neither though it seemes the fruitful mother of al things that grow for wee read also God giueth bodies vnto what hee will euen to euery seed his owne body Nor call wee a woman the creatrixe of her child but him that said to a seruant of his Before I formed thee in the wombe I knew thee although the womans soule being thus or thus affected may put some quality vpon her burthen b as we read that Iacob coloured his sheepe diuersly by spotted stickes yet shee can no more make the nature that is produced then shee could make her selfe what seminall causes then soeuer that Angells or men do vse in producing of things liuing or dead or c proceed from the copulation of male and female d or what affections soeuer of the mother dispose thus or thus of the coullour or feature of her conception the natures thus or thus affected in each of their kindes are the workes of none but God whose secret power passeth through all giuing all being to all what soeuer in that it hath being e because without that hee made it it should not bee thus nor thus but haue no being at all wherefore if in those formes externall imposed vpon things corporall we say that not workemen but Kings Romulus was the builder of Rome and Alexander of f Alexandria because by their direction these citties were built how much the rather ought we to call God the builder of nature who neither makes any thing of any substance but what hee had made before nor by any other ministers but those hee had made before and if hee withdraw his g efficient power from things they shall haue no more being then they had ere they were created Ere they were I meane in eternity not in time for who created time but he that made them creatures whose motions time followeth L. VIVES THat a all-diuiding All diuiding may be some addition the sence is good without it b As we Pliny saith that looke in the Rammes mouth and the collour of the veines vnder his tongue shal be the colour of the lambe he getteth if diuers diuers and change of waters varieth it Their shepehards then may haue sheep of what collour they will which Iacob knew well inough for he liking the particolours cast white straked rods into the watring places at Ramming
shall rise againe incorruptible it is sowne in reproche but it is raised in glory it is sowâ—…n in weakenesse but raised in powre it is sowne an animated body but shall arise a spirituall body And then to prooue this hee proceedes for if there be a naturall or animated bodie there is also a spirituall body And to shew what a naturall body is hee saith The first man Adam was made a liuing soule Thus then shewed he what a naturall body is though the scripture doe noâ—… say of the first man Adam when God brâ—…athed in his face the breath of life that man became a liuing body but man became a liuing soule The first man was made a liuing soule saith the Apostle meaning a naturall body But how the spirituall body is to be taken hee sheâ—…eth also adding but the last man a quickning spirit meaning Christ assuredly who rose from death to dye no more Then hee proceedeth saying That was not first made which is spirituall but that which is naturall and that which is spirituall after-wards Here hee sheweth most plainly that he did meane by the liuing soule the naturall body and the spirituall by the quickning spirit For the naturall body that Adam had was first though it had not dyed but for that he sinned and such haue wee now one nature drawing corruption and necessity of death from him and from his sinne such also did Christ take vpon him for vs not needfully but in his power but the spirituall body is afterwards and such had Christ our head in his resurrection such also shall wee his members haue in ours Then doth the Apostle describe the difference of these two thus The first man is of the earth earthly the second is of heauen heauenly as the earthly one was so are all the earthly and as the heauenly one is such shall all the heauenly ones bee As wee haue borne the Image of the earthly so shall wee beare the image of the heauenly This the Apostle inferres vpon the sacrament of regeneration as hee saith else-where All yee that are baptized into Christ haue put on Christ which shall then be really performed when that which is naturall in our birth shall become spirituall in our resurrection that I may vse his owne wordes for wee are saued by hope Wee put on the image of the earthly man by the propagation of sinne and corruption adherent vnto our first birth but wee put on that of Heauenly man by grace pardon and promise of life eternall which regeneration assureth vs by the mercy onely of the mediator betweene God and man the man Christ Iesus whome the Angell calles the Heauenly man because hee came from Heauen to take vpon him the shape of earthly mortality and to shape it into heauenly immortality Hee calleth the rest heauenly also because they are made members of Christ by grace they and Christ being one as the members and the head is own body This he auerreth plainly in the chapter aforesaid by a man came dâ—…h and by a man came the resurrection from the dead for as in Adam all die euen so in Christ shall all bee made aliue and that into a quickning spirit that is a spirituall body not that all that die in Adam shall become members of Christ for many more of them shall fall into the eternall second death but it is said all and all because as none dy naturall but in Adam so none shall reuiue spirituall but in Christ wee may not then thinke that our bodies at the rusurrection shall be such as Adams was at the creation nor that this place As the earthly one was so are all the earthly is meant of that which was effected by the transgression for we may not thinke that Adam had a spiritual body ere he fell and in his fall was made a naturall one he that conceiueth it so giues but little regard to that great teacher that saith If ther be a natural body then is there also a spiritual as it is also written the first man Adam was made a liuing soule was this done after sinne being the first estate of man from whence the blessed Apostle tooke this testimony of the 〈◊〉 to shew what a naturall body was L. VIVES A Liuing a Or with a liuing soule but the first is more vsual in holy writ b A quickning â—…ssed and ioyned with God bâ—… which coniunction it imparteth integrity and immorâ—…â—…to the body c Forbidden Out of much diuersity of reading I hold this the best for 〈◊〉 â—…oule that liueth and the quickning spirit that giueth life d When soeuer Symmachus 〈◊〉 Hierome expounds this place better thou shalt be mortall But indâ—…ed we die as soone 〈◊〉 borne as Manilius saith Nascentes morimur finisque ab origine pendet Being borne we die our ends hangs at our birth How Gods breathing life into Adam and Christs breathing vpon his Apostles when be said receiue the holy spirit are to be vnderstood CHAP. 24. Sâ—…e therefore do vnaduisedly thinke that God when he breathed in his face the â—…th of life and man became a liuing soule did a not then giue him a soule but by the holy spirit onely quickned a soule that was in him before They ground 〈◊〉 Christs breathing vpon his Apostles after his resurrection and saying 〈◊〉 the Holy spirit thinking that this â—…was such another breathing so that 〈◊〉 â—…angelist might haue sayd they became liuing soules which if hee had 〈◊〉 it would haue caused vs to imagine all reasonable soules dead that are 〈◊〉 â—…kned by Gods spirit though their bodies seeme to bee a liue But it 〈◊〉 so when man was made as the Scripture sheweth plaine in these words 〈◊〉 â—…d GOD formed man being dust of the Earth which some thinking to 〈◊〉 translate c And GOD framed man of the Lome of the Earth because it was said before amist went vp from the earth and watred all the earth that lome should seeme to be produced by this mixture of earth and water for immediatly followeth And God framed man being dust of the earth as the Greeke translations d whence our latine is do read it but whether the Greeâ—…e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be formed or framed it maketh no matter e framed is the more proper word but they that vsed formed thought they avoyded ambiguity because that fingo in the latine is vsed f commonly for to feygne by lying or illuding This man therefore being framed of dust or lome for lome is moystned dust that this dust of the earth to speake with the scripture more expressly when it receiued a soule was made an animate body the Apostle affirmeth saying the man was made a liuing soule that is this dust being formed was made a liuing soule I say they but hee had a soule now already other-wise hee could not haue beene man being neither soule only nor body only but consisting of both T' is true the soule is not whole man
so shee was indeed both these and withall of such beauty that she was amiable euen at those years L. VIVES A Shower a of fire Of this combustion many prophane authors make mention Strabo saith that cities were consumed by that fire as the inhabitāts thereabout report the poole that remaineth where Sodome stood the chiefe city is sixty furlongs about Many of thē also mention the lake Asphalts where the bitumen groweth b Apiller Iosephus saith he did see it Of Isaac borne at the time prefixed and named so because of his parents laughter CHAP. 31. AFter this Abraham according to Gods promise had a son by Sarah and called him Isaac that is Laughter for his father laughed for ioy and admiration when he was first promised and his mother when the three men confirmed this promise againe laughed also betweene ioye and doubt the Angell shewing her that her laughter was not faithfull though it were ioyfull Hence had the child his name for this laughter belonged not to the recording of reproach but to the celebration of gladnesse as Sarah shewed when Isaac was borne and called by this name for she said God hath made me to laugh and all that heare me will reioyce with me and soone after the bond-woman and her son is cast out of the house in signification of the old Testament as Sarah was of the new as the Apostle saith and of that glorious City of God the Heauenly Ierusalem Abrahams faith and obedience proo◅ in his intent to offer his sonne Sarahs death CHAP. 32. TO omit many accidents for brenities sake Abraham for a triall was commanded to goe and sacrifice his dearest sonne Isaac that his true obedience might shew it selfe to all the world in that shape which GOD knew already that it bate This now was an inculpable temptation and some such there bee and was to bee taken thankfully as one of Gods trialls of man And generally mans minde can neuer know it selfe well but putting forth it selfe vpon trialls and experimentall hazards and by their euents it learneth the owne state wherein if it acknowledge Gods enabling it it is godly and confirmed in solidity of grace against all the bladder-like humors of vaine-glory Abraham would neuer beleeue that God could take delight in sacrifices of mans flesh though Gods thundring commands are to bee obeyed not questioned vpon yet is Abraham commended for hauing a firme faith and beleefe that his sonne Isaac should rise againe after hee were sacrificed For when he would not obey his wife in casting out the bond-woman and hir sonne God said vnto him In Isaac shall thy seede bee called and addeth Of the bond-womans sonne will I make a great nation also because hee is thy seede How then is Isaac onely called Abrahams seede when God calleth Ismael so likewise The Apostle expoundeth it in these words that is they which are the children of the flesh are not the children of God but the children of the promise are accounted for the seede And thus are the sonnes of promise called to be Abrahams seede in Isaac that is gathered into the Church by Christ his free grace and mercy This promise the father holding fast seeing that it must bee fulfilled in him whom God commanded to kill doubted not but that that God could restore him after sacrificing who had giuen him at first beyond all hope So the Scripture taketh his beleefe to haue beene and deliuereth it By faith a Abraham offered vp Isaac when hee was tryed and hee that had receiued the promises offered his onely sonne to whom it was said in Isaac shall thy seede bee called for hee considered that God was able to raise him from the dead and then followeth for when hee receiued him also in a sort in what sort but as hee receiued his sonne of whom it is said Who spared not his owne sonne but gaue him to dye for vs all And so did Isaac carry the wood of sacrifice to the place euen as Christ carried the crosse Lastly seeing Isaac was not to be slaine indeed and his father commanded to hold his hand who was that Ram that was offered as a full and typicall sacrifice Namely that which Abraham first of all espied entangled b in the bushes by the hornes What was this but a type of Iesus Christ crowned with thornes ere hee was crucified But marke the Angels words Abraham saith the Scriptures lift vp his hand and tooke the knife to kill his sonne But the Angell of the Lord called vnto him from heauen saying Abraham and he answered Here Lord then he said Lay not thy hand vpon thy sonne nor doe any thing vnto him for now I know thou fearest God seeing that for my sake thou hast not spared thine onely sonne Now I know that is now I haue made knowne for God knew it ere now And then Abraham hauing offered the Ram for his sonne Isaac called the place c the Lord hath seene as it is said vnto this day in the mount hath the Lord appeared the Angels of the Lord called vnto Abraham againe out of heauen saying By my selfe haue I sworne saith the Lord because thou hast done this thing lust not spared thine onely sonne for me surely I will blesse thee multiply thy seed as the starres of heauen or the sands of the sea and thy seed shal possesse the gate of his enemies and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed because thou hast a obayed my voyce This is that promise sworne vnto by God concerning the calling of the Gentiles after the offering of the Ram the type of Christ. God had often promised before but neuer sworne And what is Gods oth but a confirmation of his promise and a reprehension of the faithlesse after this died Sara being ahundred twenty seauen yeares old in the hundred thirty seauen yeare of her husbands age for hee was ten yeares elder then she as he shewed when Isaac was first promised saying shall I that am a hundred yeares old haue a child and shall Sarah that is foure score and tenne yeares old beare and then did Abraham buy a peece of ground and buried his wife in it and then as Stephen sayth was hee seated in that land for then began hee to be a possessor namely after the death of his father who was dead some two yeares before L. VIVES BY a faith A diuersity of reading in the text of Scripture therefore haue wee followed the vulgar b in the bushes This is after the seauenty and Theodotion whose translation Hierome approues before that of Aquila and Symachus c The Lord hath seene The Hebrew saith Hierome is shall see And it was a prouerbe vsed by the Hebrewes in all their extremities wishing Gods helpe to say In the mount the Lord shall see that is as hee pitied Abraham so will hee pitty vs. And in signe of that Ramme that God sent him they vse vnto this day to blow
Terra and Tartarus but the most say that Uulcan made her and Hercules killed her with a shaft so she was set vp in the skie betweene the tropike of Cancer and the Equinoctiall line But after that Prometheus had prophecyed vnto Ioue being to lye with Thetis that the sonne he begat should bee greater then the father He was loosed prouided he must euer weare an iron ring vpon his finger in memory of his bondage and hence came the vse of rings they say Lactantius saith he first made Idols of Clay He stole fire saith Pliny lib. 7. that is be taught the way how to strike it out of the flints and how to keepe it in a cane It is sure saith Diodorus lib. 5. that hee did finde out the fewell of fire at first The Pelasgiues as Pausanias testifieth ascribe the finding of fire vnto their Phoroneus not vnto Prometheus Theophrastus saith this is tropicall and ment of the inuentions of wisdome f He taught Old Iaphets sonne the worlds full wisest man doth Hesiod call him vnto Epimetheus his younger brother they say hee did willingly resigne the kingdome of Thessaly giuing him-selfe wholly vnto celestiall contemplation and for that end ascending the high mount Caucasus to behold the circumuolution of the starres their postures c. And then descending downe came taught the Caldees Astronomy and pollicy to the which I thinke the fable of the Eagle feeding vpon his liuer hath reference and to his doubtfull cares arising still one from another The interpreter of Apollonius Rhodius saith there is a riuer called Aquila that falling from Caucasus runnes through the heart of the country Promethea lying close to that mount Herodotus writeth that Prometheus the King of Scythia knowing not which way to bring the riuer Aquila to runne by his kingdome was much troubled vntill Hercules came and did it for him Thus of the riuer these two agree Diodorus saith that Prometheus was the King of Egypt and when Nilus had ouer flowed the country and drowned many of the inhabitants he was about to kill him-selfe but Hercules by his wisdome found a meane to reduce the riuer to his proper chanell and herevpon Nilus for his swiftnesse of course was called Aquila g Yet are Yes Atlas was wise and so was Epimetheus but to late for Prometheus is one of a forewit Epimetheus an after witted man for he being warned by his brother Prometheus to take no gift of Ioue neglected this warning and tooke Pandora and afterwards as Hesiod saith he knew he had receiued his hurt And therefore Augustines reason is â—…ong and acute How was he such a great doctor when wee can finde no wise men that hee left behind him who can iudge of his wisdome seeing there was no wise men of his time for â—…ome onely iudgeth of wisdome h His brother Atlas There were three of this name 〈◊〉 Seruius in Aeneid l. 8. A Moore the chiefe An Italian father to Electrae and an Arcadian 〈◊〉 to Maia the mother of Mercury These three the writers doe confound as their vse is For Diodorus lib 4. maketh Atlas the Moore sonne to Caelus and brother to Saturne father to the Hesperides and grand-father to Mercury a great astronomer one who by often ascending the mountaine of his name froÌ„ whence he might better behold the course of the heauens giue occasion of the fable of his sustayning heauen vpon his shoulders Pliny lib. 7. saith that 〈◊〉 the son of Lybia this Moore assuredly was the inuentor of Astrology lib. 2. inuented the â—…here Alex. Polyhistor thinketh that he was Henoch the inuentor of that star-skil that Aâ—…s taught the Phaenicians and Egiptians afterwards when hee trauelled these countries This knowledge in Astronomy might well giue life to that fable of Heauen-bearing Some â—…e it arose from the inaccessible hight of mount Atlas that seemeth to the eye to vnderâ—… the skies saith Herodotus and reacheth aboue the cloudes nor can the top be easily disâ—…d the cloudes beeing continually about it this was a great furtherance to the fiction The Italian Atlas was that ancient king of Fesulae as it is reported i Cecrops his Pausanias 〈◊〉 that Actaeus was the first King of Attica and Cecrops an Egiptian his step-son inheriâ—… kingdome after him and hee they say was a man from his vpper parts and a beast in 〈◊〉 â—…her because hee by good lawes reduced the people from barbrisme vnto humanity or 〈◊〉 â—…her parts were feminine say some because hee instituted marriage in that country and was as it were the first author in those parts of father and mother for before they begot children at randon and no man knew his owne father Affricanus saith that Ogyges was the first 〈◊〉 of Athens that from the deluge in his daies the land was vntilled and â—…ay desert 200. yâ—…ter vntill Cecrops his time But for Actaeus and others named as Kings thereof before 〈◊〉 â—…hey are but bare names Annal. lib. 4. k Phorbas Brother to Perasus saith Pausanias 〈◊〉 â—…rgus and father to Triopas The Rhodians saith Diodorus beeing sore vexed by serâ—…â—…nt to the Oracle and by the appointment thereof called Phorbas into their Island giâ—… 〈◊〉 part thereof to him his heires and so they were freed from that plague for which 〈◊〉 â—…eed that he should after his death be honored as a God but this as seemes by Dioâ—…â—…s â—…s not Phorbas the Argiue nor these of Perasus or Argus but a Thessalian the sonne of 〈◊〉 l Triopas Sonne to Phorbas Paus. Diodorus mentions one Triopas the sonne of vnâ—… parents some say of Neptune and Canace some of Apollo The people hated him saith 〈◊〉 â—…pouerishing the Temples and for killing his brother Higinius saith that some tooke 〈◊〉 bee that celestiall constellation in heauen called Ophinchus who is wound about with a 〈◊〉 for Triopas hauing taken off the roofe of Ceres temple to couer his own palace withal 〈◊〉 â—…enged her selfe vpon him with a bitter hunger and lastly in his end a dragon appeared 〈◊〉 afflicted him sore at last he died and being placed in heauen he was figured as if a 〈◊〉 â—…guirt him about m Iasus Father to Io of whom Argos was called Iasium and the Arâ—… â—…ians n Sthenelas After Iasus saith Paus. Crotopus Agenors son reigned hee beâ—… â—…las o Mercury Tully as I said before reckneth 4. Mercuries This is the third son 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Maia taught by his grand-father inuenting many excellent things of himselfe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Magician as Prudentius writes therefore feigned to be the carier and recarier of 〈◊〉 and from hell p Hercules There were 6. of this name as Tully saith The 1. and most 〈◊〉 son to the eldest Ioue and Liscitus he contended with Apollo for the Tripos 2. an Eâ—… son to Nilus reputed the author of the Phrygian letters 〈◊〉 one deâ—…fied amongst the Iâ—… vnto whom they offer sacrifices infernal 4. Son vnto Astery
at the consumation of all The Angells and the starres are witnesse of heauens moouing at Christs birth The miracle of a Virgins child-birth mooued the earth the preaching of Christ in the Iles and the continent mooued both sea and drie land The nations we see are mooued to the faith Now the comming of the desire of all nations that we doe expect at this day of iudgement for first hee must be loued of the beleeuers and then be desired of the expecters Now to Zachary Reioyce greatly O daughter of Syon saith hee of Christ and his church shoute for ioy O daughter of Ierusalem behold thy King commeth to thee hee is iust and thy Sauiour poore and riding vpon an asse and vpon d a colt the fole of an asse his dominion is from sea to sea from the riâ—…er to the lands end Of Christs riding in this manner the Gospell speaketh where this prophecy as much as needeth is recited In another place speaking prophetically of the remission of sinnes by Christ he saith thus to him Thou in the bloud of thy testament hast loosed thy prisoners out of the lake wherein is no water This lake may bee diuersly interpreted without iniuring our faith But I thinke hee meaneth that barren bondlesse depth of humaine myseries wherein there is no streame of righteousnesse but all is full of the mudde of iniquitie for of this is that of the psalme meant Hee hath brought mee out of the lake of misery and 〈◊〉 of the myâ—…y clay Now Malachi prophecying of the church which wee see so happily propagate by our Sauiour Christ hath these plaine word to the Iewes in the person of God I haue no pleasure in you neither will I accept an offring at your hand for frâ—… the rising of the Sunne vnto the setting my name is great amongst the Gentiles 〈◊〉 in euery place shal be e incence offered vnto mee and a pure offering vnto my 〈◊〉 for my name is great among the heathen saith the LORD This wee see offered in euery place by Christs priest-hood after the order of Melchisedech but the sacrifice of the Iewes wherein God tooke no pleasure but refused that they cannot deny is ceased Why do they expect an other Christ and yet see that this prophecy is fulfilled already which could not bee but by the true Christ for he 〈◊〉 by by after in the persoÌ„ of God My couenant was with him of life and peace I 〈◊〉 him feare and he feared me and was afraid before my name The law of truth was 〈◊〉 his mouth he walked with me in peace and equity and turned many away from iniâ—… for the priests lips should preserue knowledge and they should seeke the law at his 〈◊〉 for he is the messenger of the Lord of hostes No wonder if Christ be called 〈◊〉 as he is a seruant because of the seruants forme he tooke when he came to men so is hee a messenger because of the glad tydings which hee brought vnto men For Euangelium in greeke is in our tongue glad tydings and he saith againe of him Behold I will send my messenger and hee shall prepare the way before mee the Lord whom you seeke shall come suddenly into his Temple and the messenger of the couenant whom you desire behold he shall come saith the Lord of hostes but who maâ—… abide the daie of his comming who shall endure when he appeareth This place is a direct prophecy of both the commings of Christ of the first He shall come suddenly into his temple his flesh as hee sayd himselfe Destroy this temple and in three daies I will raise it againe Of the second Behold hee shall come saith the LORD of hostes but who may abide the day of his comming c. But those words the Lord whom you seeke and the messenger of the couenant whom you desire imply that the Iewes in that manner that they conceiue the scriptures desire and seeke the comming of CHRIST But many of them acknowledged him not being come for whose comming they so longed their euill desertes hauing blinded their hearts The couenant named both heere and there where hee sayd My couenant was with him is to bee vnderstood of the New Testament whose promises are eternall not of the Old full of temporall promises such as weake men esteeming too highly doe serue GOD wholy for and stumble when they see the sinne-full to enioy them Wherefore the Prophet to put a cleare difference betweene the blisse of the New Testament peculiar to the good and the abundance of the Old Testament shared with the badde also adioyneth this Your words haue beene stout against me saith the Lord and yet you said wherein haue we spoken against thee you haue sayd it is in vaine to serue GOD and what profit haue we in keeping his commandements and in walking humbly before the LORD GOD of hostes and now wee haue blessed others they that worke wickednesse are set vppe and they that oppose God they are deliuered Thus spake they that scared the Lord each to his neighbour the Lord hearkned and heard it and wrote a booke of remembrance in his sight for such as feare the Lord and reuerence his name That booke insinuateth the New Testament Heare the sequele They shal be to mee saith the Lord of hostes in that day wherein I doe this for a slocke and I will spare them as a man spareth his owne sonne that serueth him Then shall you returne and discerne betweene the righteous and the wicked and betweene him that serueth GOD and him that serueth him not For behold the day commeth that shall burne as an oven and all the proud and the wicked shal be as stubble and the day that commeth shall burne them vppe saith the LORD of Hostes and shall leaue them neither roote nor branch But vnto you that feare my name shall the sonne of righteousnesse arise and health shal be vnder his wings and you shall goe forth and growe vppe as fatte Calues You shall tread downe the wicked they shal be as dust vnder the soles of your feete in the day that I shall doe this saith the LORD of Hostes. This is that day that is called the day of iudgement whereof if it please God wee meane to say some-what in place conuenient L. VIVES AGgee a Zachary Esdras nameth them chap. 6. 1. where he calleth Zachary the sonne 〈◊〉 Addo whom Zachary himselfe saith was his grand-father and Barachiah his father Thâ—… saith Hierome was doubtlesse that Addo that was sent to Hieroboam the sonne of Nabaâ—… in whose time the Altar cleft and his hand withered and was restored by this Addes prayers Kings 1. 1â—… Chro. 2. 12. But hee is not called Addo in either of these 〈◊〉 the Kings omit his name the Chronicles call him Semeius But a prophet of that time must bee great great grand-father at least to a sonne of the captiuity This Zachary was not the sonne of 〈◊〉 whome Ioash the King
much latine spoken in their Prouinces in so much that Spaine and France did wholy forget their owne languages and spake all latine Nor might any Embassage bee preferred to the Senate but in latine Their endeauour was most glorious and vsefull herein whatsoeuer their end was c Yea but Here hee disputeth against the Gentiles out of their owne positions That true friendship cannot bee secure amongst the incessant perills of this present life CHAP. 8. BVt admit that a man bee not so grossely deceiued as many in this wretched life are as to take his foe for his friend nor contrariwise his friend for his foe what comfort haue wee then remayning in this vale of mortall miseries but the vnfained faith and affection of sure friends whom the a more they are or the further of vs the more we feare least they bee endamaged by some of these infinite casualties attending on all mens fortunes We stand not onely in feare to see them afflicted by famine warre sicknesse imprisonment or so but our farre greater feare is least they should fal away through treachery malice or deprauation And when this commeth to passe and wee heare of it as they more friends wee haue and the farther off withal the likelier are such newes to be brought vs then who can decypher our sorrowes but he that hath felt the like we had rather heare of their death though that wee could not heare of neither but vnto our griefe For seeing wee enioyed the comfort of their friendships in their life how can wee but bee touched with sorrowes affects at their death hee that forbiddeth vs that may as well forbid all conference of friend and friend all sociall curtesie nay euen all humane affect and thrust them all out of mans conuersation or else prescribe their vses no pleasurable ends But as that is impossible so is it likewise for vs not to bewaile him dead whom wee loued being aliue For the b sorrow thereof is as a wound or vlcer in our heart vnto which bewaylements doe serue in the stead of fomentations and plaisters For though that the sounder ones vnderstanding be the sooner this cure is effected yet it proues not but that there is a malady that requireth one application or other Therefore in al our bewayling more or lesse of the deaths of our dearest friēds or companions wee doe yet reserue this loue to them that wee had rather haue them dead in body then in soule and had rather haue them fall in essence then in manners for the last is the most dangerous infection vpon earth and therfore it was written Is not mans life a b temptation vpon earth Wherevpon our Sauiour said Woe bee to the world because of offences and againe Because iniquity shal be increased the loue of many shal be cold This maketh vs giue thankes for the death of our good friends and though it make vs sad a while yet it giueth vs more assurance of comfort euer after because they haue now escaped all those mischieues which oftentimes seize vpon the best either oppressing or peruerting them endangering them how-soeuer L. VIVES THe a more they are Aristotles argument against the multitude of friends b Temptation The vulgar readeth it Is there not an appointed time to man vpō earth Hierom hath it a warfare for we are in continuall warre with a suttle foxe whom wee must set a continuall watch against least he inuade vs vnprouided The friendship of holy Angells with men vndiscernable in this life by reason of the deuills whom all the Infidells tooke to be good powers and gaue them diuine honours CHAP. 9. NOw the society of Angells with men those whom the Philosophers called the gods guardians Lars and a number more names they set in the fourth place comming as it were from earth to the whole vniuerse and here including heauen Now for those friends the Angels we need not feare to be affected with sorrow for any death or deprauation of theirs they are impassible But this friendship betweene them and vs is not visibly apparant as that of mans is which addes vnto our terrestriall misery and againe the deuill as wee reade often transformes himselfe into an Angell of light to tempt men some for their instruction and some for their ruine and here is need of the great mercy of God least when wee thinke wee haue the loue and fellowship of good Angells they prooue at length pernicious deuills fained friends and suttle foes as great in power as in deceipt And where needeth this great mercy of GOD but in this worldly misery which is so enveloped in ignorance and subiect to be deluded As for the Philosophers of the reprobate citty who sayd they had gods to their friends most sure it was they had deuills indeed whom they tooke for deities all the whole state wherein they liued is the deuills monarchy and shall haue the like reward with his vnto all eternity For their sacrifices or rather sacriledges where-with they were honored and the obscaene plaies which they themselues exacted were manifest testimonies of their diabolicall natures Thereward that the Saints are to receiue after the passing of this worlds afflictions CHAP. 10. YEa the holy and faithfull seruants of the true GOD are in danger of the deuills manifold ambushes for as long as they liue in this fraile and foule browed world they must be so and it is for their good making them more attentiue in the quest of that security where their peace is without end and without want There shall the Creator bestowe all the guifts of nature vpon them and giue them not onely as goods but as eternall goods not onely to the soule by reforming it with wisdome but also to the body by restoring it in the resurrection There the vertues shall not haue any more conflicts with the vices but shall rest with the victory of eternall peace which none shall euer disturbe For it is the finall beatitude hauing now attained a consummation to all eternity Wee are sayd to bee happy here on earth when wee haue that little peace that goodnesse can afford vs but compare this happinesse with that other and this shall be held but plaine misery Therefore if wee liue well vpon earth our vertue vseth the benefits of the transitory peace vnto good ends if we haue it if not yet still our vertue vseth the euills that the want thereof produceth vnto a good end also But then is our vertue in full power and perfection when it referreth it selfe and all the good effects that it can giue being vnto either vpon good or euill causes vnto that onely end wherein our peace shall haue no end nor any thing superior vnto it in goodnesse or perfection The beatitude of eternall peace and that true perfection wherein the Saints are installed CHAP. 11. WEE may therefore say that peace is our finall good as we sayd of life eternall because the psalme saith vnto that citty whereof we write this
them as deceitfull deuills both in their good words and in their bad But seeing this God this goddesse cannot agree about Christ truly men haue no reason to beleeue or obey them in forbidding christianity Truly either Porphyry or Hecate in these commendations of Christ affirming that he destinied the christians to error yet goeth about to shew the causes of this error which before I relate I will aske him this one question If Christ did predestinate all christians vnto error whether did hee this wittingly or against his will If hee did it wittingly how then can hee bee iust if it were against his will how can hee then bee happy But now to the causes of this errour There are some spirits of the earth saith hee which are vnder the rule of the euill Daemones These the Hebrewes wise men whereof IESVS was one as the diuine Oracle declared before doth testifie forbad the religious persons to meddle with-all aduising them to attend the celestiall powers and especially God the Father with all the reuerence they possibly could And this saith hee the Gods also doe command vs as wee haue already shewen how they admonish vs to reuerence GOD in all places But the ignorant and wicked hauing no diuine guift nor any knowledge of that great and immortall Ioue nor following the precepts of the gods or good men haue cast all the deities at their heeles choosing not onely to respect but euen to reuerence those depraued Daemones And where-as they professe the seruice of GOD they doe nothing belonging to his seruice For GOD is the father of all things and stands not in neede of anything and it is well for vs to exhibite him his worship in chastitie iustice and the other vertues making our whole life a continuall prayer vnto him by our search and imitation of him c For our search of him quoth hee purifieth vs and our imitation of him deifieth the effects in our selues Thus well hath hee taught God the Father vnto vs and vs how to offer our seruice vnto him The Hebrew Prophets are full of such holy precepts concerning both the commendation and reformation of the Saints liues But as concerning Christianity there hee erreth and slandereth as farre as his deuills pleasure is whome hee holdeth deities as though it were so hard a matter out of the obscenities practised and published in their Temples and the true worship and doctrine presented be fore GOD in our Churches to discerne where manners were reformed and where they were ruined Who but the deuill him-selfe could inspire him with so shamelesse a falsification as to say that the Christians doe rather honour then detest the Deuills whose adoration was forbidden by the Hebrewes No that God whome the Hebrewes adored will not allow any sacrifice vnto his holiest Angels whome wee that are pilgrims on earth doe not-with-standing loue and reuerence as most sanctified members of the Citty of heauen but forbiddeth it directly in this thundring threate Hee that sacrificeth vnto Gods shall be rooted 〈◊〉 and least it should be thought hee meant onely of the earthly spirits whome this fellow calles the lesser powers d and whome the scripture also calleth gods not of the Hebrews but the Heathens as is euident in that one place Psal. 96. verse 5. For all the Gods of the Heathen are Diuels least any should imagine that the fore-said prohibition extended no further then these deuills or that it concerned not the offring to the celestiall spirits he addeth but vnto the Lord alone but vnto one God onely Some may take the words nisi domino soli to bee vnto the Lord the sunne and so vnderstand the place to bee meant of Apollo but the oriâ—…â—…nd the e Greeke translations doe subuert all such misprision So then the Hebrew God so highly commended by this Philosopher gaue the Hebrewes a â—…awe in their owne language not obscure or vncertaine but already dispersed through-out all the world wherein this clause was literally conteined Hee that sacrificeth vnto Gods shall bee rooted out but vnto the Lord alone What neede wee make any further search into the law and the Prophets concerning this nay what need wee search at all they are so plaine and so manifold that what neede I stand aggrauating my disputation with any multitudes of those places that exclude all powers of heauen and earth from perticipating of the honors due vnto God alone Behold this one place spoaken in briefe but in powerfull manner by the mouth of that GOD whome the wisest Ethnicks doe so highly extoll let vs marke it feare it and obserue it least our eradication ensue Hee that sacrificeth vnto more gods then that true and onely LORD shall bee rooted out yet God him-selfe is farre from needing any of our seruices but f all that wee doe herein is for the good of our owne soules Here-vpon the Hebrewes say in their holy Psalmes I haue sayd vnto the Lord thou art my GOD my well-dooing â—…th not vnto thee No wee our selues are the best and most excellent sacrifice that hee can haue offered him It is his Citty whose mystery wee celebrate 〈◊〉 â—…ch oblations as the faithfull doe full well vnderstand as I sayd once already For the ceasing of all the typicall offrings that were exhibited by the Iewes aâ—…d the ordeyning of one sacrifice to bee offered through the whole world from East to West as now wee see it is was prophecied long before from GOD by the mouthes of holy Hebrewes whome wee haue cited as much as needed in conuenient places of this our worke Therefore to conclude where there is not this iustice that GOD ruleth all alone ouer the society that obeyeth him by grace and yeeldeth to his proâ—…tion of sacrifice vnto all but him-selfe and where in euery member belongâ—… to this heauenly society the soule is lord ouer the body and all the bad afâ—… thereof in the obedience of GOD and an orderly forme so that all the 〈◊〉 as well as one liue according to faith g which worketh by loue in â—…ch a man loueth GOD as hee should and his neighbour as him-selfe 〈◊〉 this iustice is not is no societie of men combined in one vniformity of 〈◊〉 and profite consequently no true state popular if that definition holde â—…ch and finally no common-wealth for where the people haue no certaine 〈◊〉 the generall hath no exact forme L. VIVES 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is of Oraculous Phisosophy in which worke hee recites Apollos Orracles and others part whereof wee haue cited before b Photinus Hee was condemned by the counsell of Syrmium being confuted by Sabinus Bishoppe of Ancyra Cassiod Hist tripart He followed the positions of Samosatenus so that many accompted of both these heresies all as one c For our search Search is here a mentall inquisition whereby the mind is illustrate and purged from darke ignorance and after it hath found God studieth how to grow purâ—… and diuine like him d And whome the scripture
not the lesser and lower doe so too If Ioue doe not like this whose oracle as Porphyry saith hath condemned the Christians credulity why doth hee not condemne the Hebrewes also for leauing this doctrine especially recorded in their holyest writings But if this Iewish wisdome which he doth so commend affirme that the heauens shall perish how vaine a thing is it to detest the Christian faith for auouching that the world shall perish which if it perish not then cannot the heauens perish Now our owne scriptures with which the Iewes haue nothing to doe our Ghospels and Apostolike writings do all affirme this The fashion of this world goeth away The world passeth away Heauen and earth shall passe away But I thinke that passeth away doth not imply so much as perisheth But in Saint Peters Epistle where hee saith how the world perished being ouer-flowed with water is plainly set downe both what he meant by the world how farre it perished and what was reserued for fire and the perdition of the wicked And by and by after The day of the Lord will come as a thiefe in the night in the which the Heauens shall passe away with a noyse the elements shall melt vvith heate and the earth vvith the rockes that are therein shall bee burnt vp and so concludeth that seeing all these perish what manner persons ought yee to be Now we may vnderstand that those heauens shall perish which he said were reserued for fire and those elements shall melt which are here below in this mole of discordant natures wherein also he saith those heauens are reserued not meaning the vpper spheres that are the seats of the stars for whereas it is written that the starres shall fall from heauen it is a good proofe that the heauens shall remaine vntouched if these words bee not figuratiue but that the starres shall fall indeed or some such wonderous apparitions fill this lower ayre as Virgil speaketh of Stella a facem ducens multa cum luce cucurrit A tailed Starre flew on with glistring light And so hid it selfe in the woods of Ida. But this place of the Psalme seemes to exempt none of all the heauens from perishing The heauens are the workes of thine hands they shall perish thus as hee made all so all shall bee destroyed The Pagans scorne I am sure to call Saint Peter to defend that Hebrew doctrine which their gods doe so approoue by alledging the figuratiue speaking hereof pars pro toto all shall perrish meaning onely all the lower parts as the Apostle saith there that the world perished in the deluge when it was onely the earth and some part of the ayre This shift they will not make least they should eyther yeeld to Saint Peter or allow this position that the fire at the last iudgement may doe as much as wee say the deluge did before their assertion that all man-kinde can neuer perish will allow them neither of these euasions Then they must needes say that when their gods commended the Hebrews wisdom they had not read this Psalme but there is another Psalme as plaine as this Our God shall come and shall not keepe silence a fire shall deuoure before him and a mightie tempest shall bee mooued round about him Hee shall call the heauen aboue and the earth to iudge his people Gather my Saints together vnto mee those that make a couenant with mee with sacrifice This is spoken of Christ whome wee beleeue shall come from heauen to iudge both the quick and the dead Hee shall come openly to iudge all most iustly who when hee came in secret was iudged himselfe most vniustly Hee shall come and shall not bee silent his voyce now shall confound the iudge before whome hee was silent when hee was lead like a sheepe to the slaughter and as a lambe before the shearer is dumbe as the Prophet saith of him and as it was fulfilled in the Ghospell Of this fire and tempest wee spake before in our discourse of Isaias prophecie touching this point But his calling the heauens aboue that is the Saints this is that which Saint Paul saith Then shall wee bee caught vp also in the clouds to meete the Lord in the â—…yre For if it meant not this how could the Heauens bee called aboue as though they could bee any where but aboue The words following And the earth if you adde not Aboue heere also may bee taken for those that are to bee iudged and the heauens for those that shall iudge with Christ. And then the calling of the heauens aboue implyeth the placing of the Saints in seates of iudgments not their raptures into the ayre Wee may further vnderstand it to bee his calling of the Angels from their high places to discend with him to iudgement and by the earth those that are to bee iudged But if wee doe vnderstand Aboue at both clauses it intimateth the Saints raptures directly putting the heauens for their soules and the earth for their bodyes to iudge or discerne his people that is to seperate the sheepe from the goates the good from the bad Then speaketh he to his Angels Gather my Saints together vnto mee this is done by the Angels ministery And whome gather they Those that make a couenant with mee with sacrifice and this is the duty of all iust men to doe For either they must offer their workes of mercy which is aboue sacrifice as the Lord saith I will haue mercy and not sacrifice or else their workes of mercy is the sacrifice it selfe that appeaseth Gods wrath as I prooued in the ninth booke of this present volume In such workes doe the iust make couenants with God in that they performe them for the promises made them in the New Testament So then Christ hauing gotten his righteous on his right hand will giue them this well-come Come yee blessed of my Father inherite yee the kingdome prepared for you from the foundations of the world for I was an hungred and you gaue me to eate and so forth of the good workes and their eternall rewards which shall be returned for them in the last iudgment L. VIVES SStella a facem ducens Virg. Aeneid 2. Anchises beeing vnwilling to leaue Troy and Aeneas being desperate and resoluing to dye Iupiter sent them a token for their flight namely this tailed starre all of which nature saith Aristotle are produced by vapours enflamed in the ayres mid region If their formes be only lineall they call them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is lampes or torches Such an one saith Plynie glided amongst the people at noone day when Germanicus Caesar presented his Sword-players prize others of them are called Bolidae and such an one was seene at Mutina The first sort of these flye burning onely at one end the latter burneth all ouer Thus Pliny lib. 2. Malachies Prophecy of the iudgement and of such as are to be purged by fire CHAP. 25. THe Prophet a Malachiel or Malachi
was a plaine figure of Christ and his Church Hee therefore that made both sexes will raise them both to life And IESVS himselfe beeing questioned by the Sadduces that deny the resurrection which of the seauen bretheren should haue her to wife at the resurrection whom they had all had before answered them saying Yee are deceiued not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of GOD. And whereas he might haue sayd if it had beene so shee whom you inquire of shal be a man at that day and not a woman he sayd no such matter but onely this In the resurrection they neither marry wiues nor wiues are bestowed in marriage but are as the Angells of GOD in Heauen That is they are like them in felicity not in flesh nor in their resurrection which the Angells need not because they cannot die So that CHRIST doth not deny that there shal be women at the resurrection but onely mariage whereas if there should haue beene none of the female sexe hee might haue answered the Sadduces more easily by sauing so but hee affirmed that there should bee both sexes in these wordes They neither marry wiues that is men doe not nor wiues are bestowed in marriage that is women are not So that there shal be there both such as vse to marry and such as vse to be married here in this world L. VIVES PRophecy a of Christ Ephes. 5. b For vnity sake That their concord might bee the more the one knowing that hee brought forth the other and the other that she came of him So should man and wife thinke themselues but one thing nothing should diuide them and this is the preseruation of peace in their family Of CHRIST the perfect man and the Church his body and fulnesse CHAP. 18. NOw touching Saint Pauls words Till wee all meete together c. vnto a perfect man were to obserue the circumstances of the whole speech which is this Hee that descended is euen the same that ascended farre aboue all heauens that hee might fill all things Hee therefore gaue some to bee Apostles and some Prophets and some Euangelists and some Pastors and teachers for the gathering together of the Saints and for the worke of their ministery and for the edification of the body of CHRIST till we all meete together in the vnity of faith and knowledge of the Sonne of GOD vnto a perfect man and vnto the measure of the age of the fulnesse of CHRIST that we may hence-forth bee no more childeren wauering and caried about with euery winde of doctrine by the deceipt of men and with craftinesse whereby they lie in waite to deceiue But let vs follow the truth in loue and in althings growe vppe into him which is the head that is CHRIST by whome all the bodie beeing coupled and knit together by euery ioynt for the furniture thereof according to the effectuall power which is in the measure of euery part receiueth increase of the body vnto the edifying of it selfe in loue Behold heere the perfect man head and bodie consisting of all members which shal be complete in due time But as yet the bodie increaseth daily in members as the church enlargeth to which it is sayd yee are the bodie of CHRIST and members for your part and againe for his bodies sake which is the Church and in another place For wee beeing many are one bread and one body Of the edification whereof you heare what Saint Paul saith heere for the gathering together of the Saints and for the worke of the ministery and for the edification of the bodie of CHRIST And then hee addeth that which all this concerneth Till wee all meete together c. vnto the measure of the age of the fulnesse of Christ. Which measure vnto what bodie it pertaineth hee sheweth saying Let vs in all things growe vppe into him which is the head that is CHRIST by whome all the bodie c. So that both the measure of the whole bodie and of each part therein is this measure of fulnesse whereof the Apostle speaketh here and also else-where saying of Christ Hee hath giuen him to bee the head ouer all the Church which is his bodie his fulnesse who filleth all in all But if this belong to the forme of the resurrection why may wee not imagine woman to be included by man as in that place Blessed is the man that feareth the LORD giueh the same blessing also to such women as feare him That our bodies in the resurrection shall haue no imperfection at all whatsoeuer they haue had during this life but shall be perfect both in quantity and quality CHAP. 19. NOw what shall I say concerning mans haire and nayles vnderstand but that then no part of body shall perish yet so as no deformity shall abide and it includeth that such parts as doe procure those deformities shal be resident only in the whole lumpe not vpon any part where they may offend the eye As for example make a pot of clay marre it and make it againe it is not necessary that the clay which was in the handle before should bee in the handle now againe and so of the bottome and the parts sufficeth that it is the same clay it was before Wherefore the cut haire and nayles shall not returne to deforme their places yet shall they not perrish if they returne but haue their congruent places in the same flesh from whence they had their beeing Although that our Sauiours words may rather bee vnderstood of the number of our haires then the length wherevpon hee saith else-where All the haires of your head are numbered I say not this to imply that any essentiall part of the body shall perish but that which ariseth out of deformity and sheweth the wretched estate of mortality shall so returne that the substance shall bee there and the deformity gone For if a statuary hauing for some purpose made a deformed statue can mold or cast it new and comely with the same substance of matter and yet without all the former miss-shapednesse neither cutting away any of the exorbitant parts that deformed the whole noâ—… vsing any other meanes but onely the new casting of his mettall or molding of his matter what shall wee thinke of the Almighty Molder of the whole world Cannot hee then take away mens deformities of body common or extraordinary beeing onely notes of our present misery and farre excluded from our future blisse as well as a common statuary can reforme a mis-shapen statue of stone wood clay or mettall Wherefore the fatte or the leane neede neuer feare to bee such hereafter as if they could choose they would not be now For all bodily beauty a is a good congruence in the members ioyned with a pleasing collour And where that is not there is euer-more dislike either by reason of superfluity or defect Wherefore there shal be no cause of dislike through incongruence of parts where the deformed ones are
hath related their opinion concealing their names haue said something which although it be false because the soules returning into the bodies which they haue before managed will neuer after forsake them not-withstanding it serueth to stoppe the mouth of those babblers and to ouerthrow the strong hold of many arguments of that impossibility For they doe not thinke it an impossible thing which haue thought these things that dead bodies resolued into aire dust ashes humors bodies of deuouring beastes or of men them selues should returne againe to that they haue beene Wherefore let Plato and Porphyry or such rather as doe affect them and are now liuing if they accord with vs that holy soules shall returne to their bodies as Plato saith but not to returne to any eiuls as Porphyrie saith that that sequele may follow which our Christian faith doth declare to wit that they shall receiue such bodies as they shall liue happily in them eternally without any euill Let them I say assume and take this also from Varro that they returne to the same bodies in which they had beene before time and then there shall bee a sweete harmony betweene them concerning the resurrection of the flesh eternally L. VIVES FOr a certaine Three things moued not only Greece but the whole world to applaud Plato to wit integritie of life sanctity of precepts and eloquence The b dead Euseb lib. 11. thinketh that Plato learned the alteration of the world the resurrection and the iudgement of the damned out of the bookes of Moyses 〈◊〉 Plato relateth that all earthly thinges shall perish a cercaine space of time being expired and that the frame of the worlde shall bee moued and shaken with wonderfull and strange â—…otions not without a great destruction and ouerthrow of all liuing creatures and then that a little time after it shall rest and bee at quiet by the assistance of the highest God who shall receiue the gouernment of it that it may not fall and perish endowing it with an euerlasting flourishing estate and with immortalitie c For he declareth Herus Pamphilius who dyed in battell Plato in fine in lib. de rep writeth that he was restored to life the tenth day after his death Cicero saith macrob lib. 1. may be grieued that this fable was scoffed at although of the vnlearned knowing it well ynough him-selfe neuerthelesse auoyding the scandall of a foolish reprehension hee had rather tell it that he was raized than that he reuiued d Labeo Plin lib. 7. setteth downe some examples of them which being carried forth to their graue reuiued againe and Plutarch in 〈◊〉 de anima relateth that one Enarchus returned to life againe after hee died who said that his soule did depart indeed out of his bodie but by the commandement of Pluto it was restored to his bodie againe those hellish spirits being grieuously punished by their Prince who commaunded to bring one Nicandas a tanner and a wrastler forgetting their errant and foulie mistaking the man went to Enarchus in stead of Nicandas who dyed within a little while after e Genethliaci They are mathematicall pettie sooth-sayers or fortune-tellers which by the day of Natiuitie presage what shall happen in the whole course of mans life Gellius hath the Chaldaeans and the Genethliaci both in one place lib. 14. Against them saith he who name them-selues Caldaeans or Genethliaci and professe to prognosticate future thinges by the motion and posture of the stars f 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Regeneration or a second birth Lactant. also lib. 7. rehearseth these wordes of Chrysippus the stoicke out of his booke de prouidentia by which he confirmeth a returne after death 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. And wee saith hee certaine reuolutions of time being complet and finished after our death shall be restored to the same figure and shape which we haue now Of the quality of the vision with which the Saintes shall see GOD in the world to come CHAP. 29. NOw lette vs see what the Saintes shall doe in their immortall and spirituall bodies their flesh liuing now no more carnally but spiritually so far forth as the Lord shal vouchsafe to enable vs. And truly what maner of action or a rather rest and quietnesse it shall be if I say the truth I know not For I haue neuer seene it by the sences of the bodie But if I shall say I haue seene it by the mind that is by the vnderstanding alasse how great or what is our vnderstanding in comparison of that exceeding excellencie For there is the peace of God which passeth all vnderstanding as the Apostle saith what vnderstanding but ours or peraduenture of all the holy Angels For it doth not passe the vnderstanding of God If therefore the Saintes shall liue in the peace of GOD without doubt they shall liue in that peace Which passeth all vnderstanding Now there is no doubt but that it passeth our vnderstanding But if it also passe the vnderstanding of Angels for hee seemeth not to except them when hee saith All vnderstanding then according to this saying wee ought to vnderstand that we are not able nor any Angels to know that peace where-with GOD him-selfe is pacified in such sort as GOD knoweth it But wee beeing made partakers of his peace according to the measure of our capacity shall obtaine a most excellent peace in vs and amongst vs and with him according to the quantity of our excellency In this manner the holy Angels according to their measure do know the same but men now doe know it in a farre lower degree although they excell in acuity of vnderstanding Wee must consider what a great man did say Wee know in part and we prophecie in part vntill that come which is perfect And wee see now in a glasse in a darke speaking but then wee shall see him face to face So doe the holy Angels now see which are called also our Angels because we beeing deliuered from the power of darkenesse and translated to the kingdome of God hauing receiued the pledge of the Spirite haue already begunne to pertaine to them with whome wee shall enioy that most holy and pleasant Cittie of God of which wee haue already written so many books So therefore the Angels are ours which are the Angels of God euen as the Christe of God is our Christe They are the Angels of GOD because they haue not forsaken God they are ours because they haue begunne to account vs their Cittizens For the Lord Iesus hath sayd Take heed you doe not despise one of these little ones For I say vnto you that their Angels doe alwayes beholde the face of my father which is in heauen As therefore they doe see so also we shall see but as yet wee doe not see so Wherefore the Apostle saith that which I haue spoken a little before We see now in a glasse in a dark speaking but then wee shal see him face to face