before the time that is the iudgement wherein they and all men their sectaries are to bee cast into eternall torments as that l truth saith that neither deceiueth nor is deceiued not as hee saith that following the puffes of Philosophy flies here and there mixing truth and falshood greeuing at the ouerthrow of that religion which afterwards hee affirmes is all error L. VIVES HErmes a Of him by and by b His words We haue seene of his bookes greeke and latine This is out of his Asclepius translated by Apuleius c So doth humanity So humanity adapting it selfe to the nature and originall saith Hermes his booke d Trust So hath Hermes it Bruges copy hath Mistrust not your selfe e Beyond Apuleius and the Coleâ—…ne copy haue it both in this maner onely Mirth the Coleynists haue more then he f For Hermes I would haue cited some of his places but his bookes are common and so it is needelesse 〈◊〉 It being easier A diuersity of reading but of no moment nor alteration of sence h Of that which Reioycing that Christ is come whom the law and Prophets had promised So Iohn bad his disciples aske art thou he that should come or shall wee looke for an other i Peter This confession is the Churches corner stone neuer decaying to beleeue and affirme THAT IESVS IS CHRIST THE SONNE OF THE LIVING GOD. This is no Philosophicall reuelation no inuention no quirke no worldly wisdome but reuealed by GOD the father of all to such as hee doth loue and vouchsafe it k Because Hee sheweth why the deuills thought that Christ vndid them before the time l Truth Mat. 25. 41. Depart from meâ—… yee cursed into euerlasting fire which is prepared for the deuill and his angells How Hermes openly confessed his progenitors error and yet bewayled the destruction of it CHAP. 24. FOr after much discourse hee comes againe to speake of the gods men made but of these sufficient saith hee let vs returne againe to man to reason by which diuine guift man hath the name of reasonable For we haue yet spoken no wonderfull thing of man the a wonder of all wonders is that man could fiâ—…e out the diuine nature and giue it effect Wherefore our fathers erring exceedinly in incredulity b concerning the deities and neuer penetrating into the depth of diuine religioÌ„ they inueÌ„ted an art to make gods whervnto they ioyned a vertue out of some part of the worlds nature like to the other and conioyning these two because they could make no soules they framed certaine Images whereinto they called either Angells or deuills and so by these mysteries gaue these Idols power to hurt or helpe them I know not whether the deuills being admited would say asmuch as this man saith Our fathers exceedingly erring saith he in incredulity concerning the deities not penetrating into the depth of diuine religion inuented an arte to make gods Was hee content to say they but erred in this inuention no he addeth Exceedingly thus this exceeding error and incredulity of those that looked not into matters diuine gaue life to this inuention of making gods And yet though it were so though this was but an inuention of error incredulity and irreligiousnes yet this wise man lamenteth that future times should abolish it Marke now whether Gods power compell him to confesse his progenitors error the diuills to bee made the future wrack of the said error If it were their exceeding error incredulity negligence in matters diuine that giue first life to this god-making inuention what wonder if this arte bee detestable and all that it did against the truth cast out from the truth this truth correcting that errour this faith that incredulity this conuersion that neglect If he conceale the cause and yet confesse that rite to be their inuention we if we haue any wit cannot but gather that had they bin in the right way they would neuer haue fallen to that folly had they either thought worthily or meditated seriously of religion yet should wee a ffirme that their great incredulous contemptuous error in the cause of diuinity was the cause of this inuention wee should neuerthelesse stand in need to prepare our selues to endure the impudence of the truths obstinate opponeÌ„ts But since he that admires yâ— power of this art aboue all other things in man and greeues that the time should come wherein al those illusions should claspe with ruine through the power of legall authority since he confesseth the causes that gaue this art first original namely the exceeding error incredulity negligeÌ„ce of his ancestor in matters diuine what should wee doe but thinke GOD hath ouerthrowne these institutions by their iust contrary causes that which errors multitude ordained hath truths tract abolished faith hath subuerted the worke of incredulity and conuersion vnto Gods truth hath suppressed the effects of true Gods neglect not in Egipt only where onely the diabolicall spirit bewaileth but in all the world which heareth a new song sung vnto the Lord as the holy scripture saith Sing vnto the Lord a new song Sing vnto the Lord all the earth for the c title of this Psalme is when the house was built after the captiuity the City of God the Lords house is built that is the holy Church all the earth ouer after captiuity wherein the deuills held those men slaues who after by their faith in God became principall stones in the building for mans making of these gods did not acquit him from beeing slaue to these works of his but by his willing worship he was drawn into their society a society of suttle diuills not of stupid Idols for what are Idols but as the Scripture saith haue eyes and see not all the other properties that may be said of a dead sencelesse Image how well soeuer carued But the vncleane spirits therein by that truly black art bouÌ„d their soules that adored theÌ„ in their society most horrid captiuity therefore saith the Apostle We know that an Idol is nothing in the world But the Gentiles offer to deuilis not vnto God I wil not haue them to haue society with the deuils So then after this captiuity that bound men slaue to the deuils Gods house began to be built through the earth thence had the Psalme the beginning Sing vnto the Lord a new song sing vnto the Lord all the earth Sing vnto the Lord and praise his name d declare his saluation e from day to day Declare his glorie amongst all nations and his wonders amongst all people For the Lord is great and much to be praised hee is to be feared aboue all gods For all the gods of the people are Idols but the Lord made the heauens Hee then that bewailed the abolishment of these Idols in the time to come and of the slauery wherein the deuills held men captiue did it out of an euill spirits inspiration and from that did desire the continuance of that captiuity
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
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
thinke this place obscure let him looke for no plainenesse in the Scriptures L. VIVES THy a victory Some read contention but the originall is Victory and so doe Hierom and Ambrose reade it often Saint Paul hath the place out of Osee. chap. â—…3 ver 14. and vseth it 1. Cor. 16. ver 55. b When shall death The Cittie of GOD shall see death vntill the words that were sayd of Christ after his resurrection Oh hell where is thy victory may bee said of all our bodies that is at the resurrection when they shal be like his glorified bodie Saint Peters doctrine of the resurrection of the dead CHAP. 18. NOw let vs heare what Saint Peter sayth of this Iudgement There shall come saith hee in the last daies mockers which will walke after their lusts and say Where is the promise of his comming For since the fathers died all things continue alike from the beginning of the creation For this they willingly know not that the heauens were of old and the earth that was of the water and by the water by the word of GOD wherefore the world that then was perished ouer-flowed with the water But the heauens and earth that now are are kept by the same word in store and reserued vnto fire against the day of iudgement and of the destruction of vngodly men Dearcly beloued bee not ignorant of this that one daie with the LORD is as a thousand years and a thousand yeares as one daie The LORD is not flack concerning his promise as some men count slackenesse but is pacient toward vs and would haue no man to perish but would haue all men to come to repentance But the daie of the LORD will come as a thiefe in the night in the which the heauens shall passe awaie with a noyse and the elements shall melt with 〈◊〉 and the earth with the workes that are therein shal be burnt vppe Seeing therefore all these must bee dissolued what manner of persons ought you to bee in holy conuersation and Godlinesse longing for and hasting vnto the comming of the daie of GOD by the which the heauens beeing on fire shal be dissolued and the elements shall melt vvith heate But vve-looke for a nevv heauen and a nevv earth according to his promise vvherein dvvelleth righteousnesse Thus sarre Now here is no mention of the resurrection of the dead but enough concerning the destruction of the world where his mention of the worlds destruction already past giueth vs sufficient warning to beleeue the dissolution to come For the world that was then perished saith hee at that time not onely the earth but that part of the ayre also which the watter a possessed or got aboue and so consequently almost all those ayry regions which hee calleth the heauen or rather in the plurall the heauens but not the spheres wherein the Sunne and the Starres haue their places they were not touched the rest was altered by humidity and so the earth perished and lost the first forme by the deluge But the heauens and earth saith hee that now are are kept by the same word in store and reserued vnto fire against the daie of iudgement and of the destruction of vngodly men Therefore the same heauen and earth that remained after the deluge are they that are reserued vnto the fire afore-said vnto the daie of iudgement and perdition of the wicked For because of this great change hee sticketh not to say there shal be a destruction of men also whereas indeed their essences shall neuer bee anniâ—…e although they liue in torment Yea but may some say if this old heauen and earth shall at the worlds end bee burned before the new ones be made where shal the Saints be in the time of this conflagration since they haue bodies and therefore must be in some bodily place We may answere in the vpper parts whither the fire as then shall no more ascend then the water did in the deluge For at this daie the Saints bodies shal be mooueable whither their wills doe please nor need they feare the fire beeing now both immortall and incorruptible b for the three children though their bodies were corruptible were notwithstanding preserued from loosing an haire by the fire and might not the Saints bodies be preserued by the same power L. VIVES THe a water possessed For the two vpper regions of the ayre doe come iust so low that they are bounded with a circle drawne round about the earthlie highest mountaines tops Now the water in the deluge beeing fifteene cubites higher then the highest mountaine it both drowned that part of the ayre wherein wee liue as also that part of the middle region wherein the birds do vsually flie both which in Holy writ and in Poetry also are called Heauens b The three Sidrach Misach and Abdenago at Babilon who were cast into a â—…nace for scorning of Nabuchadnezzars golden statue Dan. 3. Saint Pauls words to the Thessalonians Of the manifestations of Antichrist whose times shall immediately fore-runne the day of the Lord. CHAP. 19. I See I must ouer-passe many worthy sayings of the Saints concerning this day least my worke should grow to too great a volume but yet Saint Pauls I may by no meanes omit Thus sayth he Now I beseech you bretheren by the comming of our LORD IESVS CHRIST and by our assembling vnto him that you bee not suddenly mooued from your minde nor troubled neither by spirit nor by word nor by letter as if it were from vs as though the day of CHRIST were at hand Let no man deceiue you by any meanes for that day shall not come except there come a a fugitiue first and that that man of sinne bee disclosed euen the sonne of perdition which is an aduersary and exalteth himselfe against all is called god or that is worshipped so that he sitteth as God in the Temple of God shewing himselfe that he is God Remember yee not that when I was yet with you I told you these things And now yee know what withholdeth that he might be reuealed in his due time For the mistery of iniquity doth already worke onely he which now withholdeth shall let till he be taken out of the way and the wicked man shal be reuealed whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth and shall abolish with the brightnesse of his comming euen him whose comming is by the working of Sathan with all power and signes and lying wonders and in all deceiuablenesse of vnrighteousnesse amongst them that perish because they receiued not the loue of the truth that they might be saued And therefore God shall send them strong delusion that they should beleeue lyes that all they might bee damned which beleeue not in the truth but had pleasure in vnrighteousnesse This is doubtlesse meant of Antichrist and the day of iudgement For this day hee saith shall not come vntill that Antichrist be come before it he that is called here a fugitiue
not the for bidden meates rehearsing the gratiousnesse of the New Testament from CHRISTS first comming euen vnto this Iudgement we haue now in hand For first he tells how GOD saith that hee commeth to gather the nations and how they shall come to see his glorie For all haue sinned saith the Apostle and are depriued of the glorie of GOD. Hee sayth also that hee will leaue signes amongst them to induce them to beleeue in him and that hee will send his elect into many nations and farre Islands that neuer heard of his name to preach his glory to the Gentiles and to bring their bretheren that is the bretheren of the elect Israell of whome hee spake into his presence to bring them for an offering vnto GOD in chariots and vpon horses that is by the ministerie of men or angells vnto holie Ierusalem that is now spread through-out the earth in her faithfull Cittizens For these when GOD assisteth them beleeue and when they beleeue they come vnto him Now GOD in a simily compares them to the children of Israel that offered vnto him his sacrifices with psalmes in the Temple as the church doth now in all places and hee promiseth to take of them for priests and for leuites which now wee see hee doth For hee hath not obserued fleshly kindred in his choise now as hee did in the time of Aurons priest-hood but according to the New Testament where CHRIST is priest after the order of Melchisedech hee selecteth each of his priests according to the merit which GODS grace hath stored his soule with as wee now behold and these b Priests are not to bee reckned of for their places for those the vnworthie doe often hold but for their sanctities which are not common both to good and bad Now the prophet hauing thus opened Gods mercies to the church addeth the seueral ends that shall befall both the good and bad in the last iudgement in these w◅ds As the new heauens and the new earth which I shall make shall remaine before mee saith the LORD euen so shall your seede and your name And from month to moneth and from Sabbath to Sabbath shall all flesh come to worshippe before mee saith the LORD And they shall goe forth and looke vpon the members of the men that haue transgressed against mee for their women shall not die neither shall their fire bee quenshed and they shal be an abhorring vnto all flesh Thus endeth the Prophet his booke with the end of the world Some in this place for members read c carkasse hereby intimating the bodies euident punishment though indeed a carkasse is properly nothing but dead flesh but those bodies shal be lyuing otherwise how should they bee sensible of paine vnlesse wee say they are dead bodies that is their soules are fallen into the second death and so wee may fitly call them carkasses And thus is the Prophets former words also to bee taken The land of the wicked shall fall Cadauer a carkasse all knowes commeth of Cado to fall Now the translators by saying the carkasses of the men doe not exclude women from this damnation but they speake as by the better sexe beeing that woman was taken out of man But note especially that where the Prophet speaking of the blessed sayth all flesh shall come to worshippe Hee meaneth not all men for the greater number shal be in torments but some shall come out of all nations to adore him in the Heauenly Ierusalem But as I was a saying since here is mention of the good by flesh and of the bad by carkasses Verelie after the resurrection of the flesh our faith whereof these words doe confirme that which shall confine both the good and bad vnto their last limits shal be the iudgement to come L. VIVES AGainst a the vnfaithfull Hierome out of the hebrew and the seauenty readeth it Against his enemies b Priests are not to be It is not priest-hood nor orders that maketh a man any whit respected of GOD for these dignities both the Godly and vngodly doe share in but it is purity of conscience good life and honest cariage which haue resemblance of that immense that incorruptible nature of GOD those winne vs fauour with him c Carkasses So doth Hierome reade it But marke Saint Augustines vprightnesse rather to giue a fauorable exposition of a translation to which hee stood not affected then any way to cauill at it How the Saints shall goe forth to see the paines of the wicked CHAP. 22. BVt how shall the good goe forth to see the bad plagued Shall they leaue their blessed habitations and goe corporally to hell to see them face to face God forbid no they shall goe in knowledge For this implieth that the damned shal be without and for this cause the Lord calleth their place vtter darkenesse opposite vnto that ingresse allowed the good seruāt in these words Enter into thy Maisters ioye and least the wicked should be thought to goe in to bee seene rather then the good should goe out by knowledge to see them being to know that which is without for the tormented shall neuer know what is done in the Lords Ioye but they that are in that Ioye shall know what is done in the vtter darkenesse Therefore saith the Prophet they shall goe forth in that they shall know what is without for if the Prophets through that small part of diuine inspiration could know these things before they came to passe how then shall not these immortalls know them being passed seeing that in them the Lord is al in all Thus shall the Saints bee blessed both in seed and name In seed as Saint Iohn saith And his seed remaineth in him In name as Isaias saith So shall your name continue from moneth to moneth and from Sabbath to Sabbath shall they haue rest vpon rest passing thus from old and temporall types to new and euerlasting truthes But the paines of the wicked that eternall worme and that neuer dying fire is diuersly expounded either in reference to the bodie onelie or to the soule onely or the fire to belong to the bodie reallie and the worme to the soule figuratiuely and this last is the likeliest of the three But heere is no place to discusse peculiars Wee must end this volume as wee promised with the iudgement the seperation of good from badde and the rewards and punishments accordingly distributed Daniels prophecy of Antichrist of the iudgement and of the Kingdome of the Saints CHAP. 23. OF this Iudgement Daniel prophecieth saying that Antichrist shall fore-run it and so hee proceedeth to the eternall Kingdome of the Saints for hauing in a vision beheld the foure beasts types of the foure Monarchies and the fourth ouer-throwne by a King which all confesse to bee Antichrist and then seeing the eternall Empire of the Sonne of man CHRIST to follow Daniell saith hee Was troubled in spirit in the middest of my body and the visions of mine head made mee
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
destenies of dogs and giue answeres breeding great admiration Nay men are now growne to that grosenesse of braine that they thinke when a man is borne creation is tyed to such an order that not so much as a fly is brought forth in that region at that time for if they giue vs but birth-rome for a fly we will draw them by gradation till we come to an elephant Nor haue they wit to consider this that in their selected day of sowing corne it springeth and groweth vp altogether and being growne to the height iâ—…ipens altogether and yet the canker spoyleth one peece and the birds another and men cut vp the third of al this corne that neuerthelesse grew vp altogether How will they doe with the constellation of this that hath partaken so many kindes of ending Or doth it not repent them of electing daies for these things denying them to belong to heauens disposing and putting onely men vnder the starres to whome onely of all the creatures vpon earth God hath giuing free and vnconstrained wills These being considered it is no euill beleefe to thinke that the Astrologers d do presage many things wonderfully and truly but that is by a e secret instinct of euill spirits whose care it is to infect nousle and confirme mens minds in this false and dangerous opinion of fate in the starres and not by any art of discerning of the Horoscope for such is there none L. VIVES WHo can a endure The Astrologers Haly Abenragel Messahalach and others write of these elections Haly Ptolomies interpretor as Picus Mirandula writeth saith this part of Astrology is friuolous and fruitlesse b Where then If your natiuities destinie be against your enterprise it shall neuer haue good end as Ptolomy holdeth Picus writeth much against Astrologers lib. 2. and of this matter also But Augustine hath the summe of all here c Choose daies Hesiod was the first that distinguished the daies of the moone and the yeare for country businesses and him did all the writers of husbandry follow Greekes Latines and others Democritus and Virgill Cato Senior Uarro Columella Palladius Plinie c. d Do presage He that often shooteth must needes hit some-times few of the Mathematicians false answeres are obserued but all their true ones are as miraculous e Secret instinct The presages from the starres saith Augustine else where are as by bargaine from the deuills and instincts of theirs which the minds of men feele but perceiue not and he presageth best that is in greatest credit with his diuel Of their opinion that giue not the name of Fate the position of the starres but vnto the dependance of causes vpon the will of God CHAP. 8. AS for those that do not giue the position of the starres in natiuities and conceptions the name of fate but reserue it onely to that connexion of a causes whereby all things come to passe wee neede not vse many words to them because they conforme this coherence of causes to the will of God who is well and iustly beleeued both to fore-know al things before the euent and to leaue no euent vndisposed of ere it be an euent from whome are all powers though from him arise not all wills for that it is the will of that great and all-disposing God which they call Fate these verses b of Anneus Senecas I thinke will proue Duâ—… mâ—…summe pater â—…ltique dominator poli 〈◊〉 placuerit nulla parenda mora est 〈◊〉 impiger 〈◊〉 â—…olle comitabâ—…r gemens Malusque patiar facere quod licuit bono 〈◊〉 volâ—…ntem fatâ—… uolentem trâ—…unt Leâ—…d me Great Lord King of eternity Euen where thou wilt I le not resist thees Chang thou my will yet still I vow subiection Being led to that thaâ—…'s in the good election Fate leads the willing hales the obstinate Thus in the last verse hee directly calleth that Fate which in the former hee called the will of the great Lord to whome hee promiseth obedience and to be leâ—… willingly least hee bee drawne on by force because Fate leads the willing hales the obstinâ—…te And c Homers verses translated into Latine by Tully are as these are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hominum 〈◊〉 qualis â—…ater ipsâ—… â—…upiter aâ—…fferas 〈◊〉 lumâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are the mindes of men as louâ—… the great Vouchsafe that fils the earth wiâ—…h light and 〈◊〉 Wee would not bring Poetique sentences for confirmation of this question but because that Tully saith that the Stoikes standing for this power of Fate vse to quote this place of Homer wee now alledge them not as his opinion but as theirs who by these verses of Fate shewed in their disputations what they thought of Fate because they call vppon Ioue whome they held to be that great God vppon whose directions these causes did depend L. VIVES COnnexion a of causes Cic. de diuin lib. 2. Reason therefore compels vs to confes that all things come to passe by fate by fate I mean the Greeks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is an order or course of things canses arising one from another that is the euerlasting truth flowing froÌ„ aâ—…eternity Chrysippus in Gellius saith that Fate is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. A natural composition of causes and things arising one from another from aeleternity being an immutable combination of them all b Anneas Senecas Epist. lib. 18. The verses were Cleanthes his Seneca but translated them they are all Senarian But the first of them is not perfectly read it were better to read it Duc me parens celsique dominator Poli Coleyne copy hath it Duc summe Pater altique dominator Poli. Indifferent well The said thing hath Seneca in his book de beneficijs speaking of God if you call him Fate saith he it is not amisse for he is the first cause whence all the rest haue originall and fate is nothing but a coherence of causes This is the common opinion of the Stoiâ—…s to hold one God calling him Fate and Mens and Iupiter and many other names These are the foure ancient opinions of Fate which Picus Contra Astrolog lib. 4. rehearseth The firstheld Fate to be nature so that the things which fell out by election or chance they excluded from Fate as Virgill saith of Dido that killed her-selfe and dyed not by Fate and Cicero If any thing had befalne me as many things hung ouer mans head besides nature and besides fate This opinion is Phsiologicall and imbraced by Alexander one of Aristotles interpreters The second held fate to be an eternall order and forme of causes as aforesaid Third put all in the stars The fourth held fate to be onely the execution of the will of God c Homers Odyss 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Such are the mindes of men c Vlisses speaketh them to Phemius affirming a mutablity of mens mindes and that they are not of power to keepe them-selues fixt but alter continually as it pleaseth the great Iupiter to
heart that yee may prooue what is the good-will of God and what is good acceptable and perfect Wherefore seeing the workes of mercy being referred vnto God bee they done to our selues or our neighbors are true sacrifices and that their end is nothing but to free vs from misery and make vs happy by that God and none other of whom it is said It is good for mee to adhere a vnto the Lord Truely it followeth that all the whole and holy society of the redeemed and sanctified Citty bee offered vnto God by that b great Priest who gaue vp his life for vs to become members of so great an head in c so meane a forme this forme he offered herein was he offered in this is he our priest or mediator and our sacrifice all in this Now therfore the Apostle hauing exhorted vs to giue vp our bodies a liuing sacrifice pure acceptable to God namely our reasonable seruing of God and not to fashion our selues like this â—…orld but bee changed in newnesse of heart that d wee might prooue what is the will of God and what is good acceptable and perfect all which sacrifice wee â—…re For Isay quoth hee through the grace that is giuen to mee to euery one among yoâ—… that no man presume to e vnderstand more then is meete to vnderstand but that hee vnderstand according to sobrietie as GOD hath dealt to euery man the measure of faith for as wee haue many members in one body and all members haue not onâ—… office So wee beeing many are one body in Christ and euery one one anothers members hauing diuers gifts according to the grace that is giuen vs c. This is the christians sacrifice wee 〈◊〉 one body with Christ as the church celebrateth in the sacrament of the altar so well knowne to the faithfull wherein is shewed that in that oblation the church is offered L. VIVES ADhere a It is the greatest good b Great priest Christ of Melchisedeochs order not of Aarons Hee went but once to sacrifice that with onely to wit his crucified body bought our peace of God c So meane Christs man-hood is the churches head his Godhead the life soule d We might proue So Augustine vseth this place wholy Epist. 86. which Erasâ—…s wonders at the greeke referring good and acceptable and perfect all to the will of God Bâ—…t Augustine referreth them either to the sacrifice or vseth theÌ„ simply without respect And in the later sence Ambrose also vseth it e Understand Or thinke of himselfe his breâ—…hren or other matters f Sobriety 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A mediocrity of the whole life is Sobriety 〈◊〉 Tully Offic. 1. out of Plato Some-time 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Tully else-where is translated tempâ—…e moderation and sometimes modesty but hee doubts whether he may call it frugality Tâ—…sc 3. That the good Angells doe so loue vs that they desire we should worship God onely and not them CHAP. 7. WOrthily are those blessed immortals placed in those celestial habitations reioyeing in the perticipation of their Creator being firme certaine and holy by his eternity truth bounty because they loue vs mortall wretches with aâ—…alous pity and desire to haue vs immortally blessed also and will not haue vs sacrifice to them but to him to whom they know both vs and themselues to bee sacrifices For we both are inhabitants of that in the psalme Glorious things are spoken of thee thou City of GOD part whereof is pilgrime yet with vs and part assisâ—…th vs with them From that eternall citty where Gods vnchanging will is all their-law and from that a supernall court for their are wee cared for by the ministery of the holy Angells was that holy scripture brought downe vnto vs that sayth Hee that sacrificeth to any but God alone shal be rooted out This scripture this precept is confirmed vnto vs by so many miracles that it is plaine inough to whom the blessed immortalls so louing vs and wishing as themselues would haue vs to offer sacrifice L. VIVES THat supernall a Court Whence the Angels descend and minister vs safety protection Of the Miracles whereby God hath confirmed his promises in the mindes of the faithfull by the ministery of his holy Angells CHAP. 8. I Should seeme tedious in reuoluing the Miracles of too abstruse antiquity with what miraculous tokens God assured his promises to Abraham that in his seed should all the earth be blessed made many thousand years ago Is it not miraculous for Abrahams barren wife to beare a son she being of age both past child-birth conception that a in the same Abrahams sacrifices the fire came down from heauen betweene them as they lay diuided that the Angells fore-told him their destruction of Sodome whom he entertained in mens shapes from them had Gods promise for a sonne and by the same Angells was certefied of the miraculous deliuery of his brother Lot hard before the burning of Sodome whose wife being turned into a statue of salt for looking backe is a great mistery that none beeing in his way of freedome should cast his eyes behinde him And what stupendious miracles did Moyses effect in Egipt by Gods power for the freedome of Gods people Where Pharaos Magicians the Kings of Egipt that held Gods people in thrall were suffered to worke some wonder to haue the more admired foile for they wrought by charmes and enchantments the delights of the deuills but Moyses had the power of the God of heauen earth to whom the good Angells doe serue and therefore must needes bee victour And the Magicians fayling in the third plague strangely mistically did Moyses effect the other 7. following and then the hard hearted Egiptians Pharao yeelded Gods people their passage And by and by repenting and persuing them the people of God passed through the waters standing for them as rampires and the Egiptians left al their liues in their depth being then re-ioyned Why should I reherse the ordinary miracles that God shewed them in the desert the sweetning of the bitter waters by casting wood therein the Manna from heauen that rotted when one gathered more then a set measure yet gathering two measures the day before the Saboath on which they might gather none it neuer putrified at all how their desire to eate flesh was satisfied with fowles that fell in the tents sufficieÌ„t O miracle for al the people euen til they loath theÌ„ how the holding vp of Moyses hands in forme of a crosse and his praier caused that not an Hebrew fell in the fight how the seditious seperating them-selues from the society ordained by God were by the earth swallowed vp quicke to inuisible paines for a visible example How the rocke burst forth into streames being strucke with Moyses rodde and the serpents deadly bytings being sent amongst them fâ—…r a iust plague were cured by beholding a brazen serpent
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
and 〈◊〉 thing respectiuely for another the one valuing them by the light of 〈◊〉 the other by the pleasure or vse of the sense And indeede a certaine 〈◊〉 loue hath gotten such predominance in reasonable natures that alâ—… generally all Angells excell men in natures order yet by the lawe of â—…nesse good men haue gotten place of preferment before the euill 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the vice of malice is not naturall but against nature following the will not the creation in sinne CHAP. 17. 〈◊〉 in respect of the deuills nature not his will wee doe vnderstand 〈◊〉 place a right He was the beginning of Gods workes For where the vice of 〈◊〉 in the nature was not corrupted before a vice is so contrary to 〈◊〉 that it cannot but hurt it b therefore were it no vice for that nature that 〈◊〉 God to doe so but that it is more naturall to it to desire adherence with God c The â—…ill wil then is a great proofe that the nature was good But as God is the 〈◊〉 Creator of good natures so is hee the iust disposer of euill wills that when they vse good natures euill hee may vse the euill wills well Therevpon hee 〈◊〉 that the deuills good nature and euill will should bee cast downe and deâ—…d by his Angells that is that his temptations might confirme his Saints whom the other sought to iniurâ—… And because God in the creating of him foresaw both his euill will and what good God meant to effect thereby therefore the Psalmist saith this Dragon whom thou hast made for a scorne that in that very creation that it were good by Gods goodnesse yet had God foreknowledge how to make vse of it in the bad state L. VIVES THe a vice Socrates and the Stoickes held vertue naturall vice vnnaturall For follow the conduct of the true purity of our nature seperated froÌ„ depraued opinion we shall neuer sin b Therefore If it did the nature that offendeth more real good to offend then forbeare it were no offence nor error but rather a wise election and a iust performance c The euill will Thence arise all sinnes and because they oppose nature nature resisteth them whereby offending pleases their will but hurts the nature the will being voluntarily euill their nature forced to it which were it left free would follow the best for that it loues and goe the direct way to the maker whose sight at length it would attaine Of the beauty of this vniuerse augmented by Gods ordinance out of contraries CHAP. 18. FOr God would neuer haue fore-knowne vice in any worke of his Angell or Man but that hee knew in like manner what good vse to put it vnto so makeing the worldes course like a faire poeme more gratious by Antithetique figures Antitheta a called in Latine opposites are the most decent figures of all elocution some more expresly call them Contra-posites But wee haue no vse of this word though for the figure the latine and all the tongues of the world vse it b S. Paul vseth it rarely vpon that place to the Corynthes where he saith By the armâ—… of righteousnesse on the right hand and the left by honor and dishonor by euill report and good as deceiuers and yet true as vnknowne and yet knowne as dying and behold 〈◊〉 liâ—…e as chastned and yet not killed as sorrowing and yet euer glad as poore and yet make 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ritch as hauing nothing yet possessing althings Thus as these contraries opposed doe giue the saying an excellent grace so is the worlds beauty composed of contrarieties not in figure but in nature This is plaâ—…e in Ecclesiasticus in this verse Against euill is good and against death is life so is the Godly against the sinner 〈◊〉 looke for in all thy workes of the highest two and two one against one L. VIVES ANâ—…a a are Contraposites in word and sentence Cic. ad Heren lib. 4. calleth it 〈◊〉 Coâ—…position saith Quintilian conâ—…tion or 〈◊〉 is diuersly vsed First in opposition of 〈◊〉 â—…o one as feare yeelded to boldnesse shame to lust it is not out witte bâ—… your helpe Secondly of sentence to sentence as He may rule in orations but must yeeld in iudgements 〈◊〉 There also is more to this purpose so as I see no reason why Augustine should say the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with vs. b S. Paul Augustine makes Paul a Rhetorician Well it is tolerable 〈◊〉 saith iâ—…d one of vs said so our eares should ring of herefie presently 〈◊〉 are so ready 〈◊〉 some mens â—…ongue ends because indeed they are so full of it themselues The meaning of that place God seperated the light from darkenesse CHAP. 19. â—…erefore though the hardnesse of the Scriptures be of good vse in produâ—…ing many truths to the light of knowledge one taking it thus and another â—…et so as that which is obscure in one place bee explaned by some other 〈◊〉 by manifest proofes Whether it be that in their multitude of opiniâ—…e light on the authos meaning or that it bee too obscure to bee atâ—…nd yet other truths vpon this occasion be admitted yet verily I thinke â—…urdity in Gods workes to beleeue the creation of the Angels and the seâ—… of the cleane ones from the vncleane then when the first light Lux â—…de Vppon this ground And God separated the light from the darkenesse â—…od called the light day and the darkenkesse he called night For hee onely was 〈◊〉 discerne them who could fore-now their fall ere they fell their deâ—… of light and their eternall bondage in darkenesse of pride As for the 〈◊〉 wee see viz this our naturall light and darkenesse hee made the two 〈◊〉 lights the Sunne and the Moone to seperate them Let there be lights saith 〈◊〉 firmament of the Heauen to seperate the day from the night And by and 〈◊〉 God made two great lights the a greater light to rule the day and the 〈◊〉 rule the night Hee made both them and the starres And God sette 〈◊〉 the firmament of heauen b to shine vppon the earth and to rule in the 〈◊〉 night and to seperate the light from darkenesse but betweene that light 〈◊〉 the holy society of Angells shining in the lustre of intelligible truth 〈◊〉 opposite darkenesse the wicked Angels peruersly falne from that light 〈◊〉 â—…ee onely could make seperation who fore-knoweth and cannot but 〈◊〉 all the future euils of their wils not their natures L. VIVES 〈◊〉 The greater light to rule or to begin yâ— day 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So the Septuagints transâ—… 〈◊〉 both rule beginning principium is vsed somtimes for rule as in Ps. 110. v. 3. 〈◊〉 or that they might shine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Some of the Latines haue vsed the infinitiue 〈◊〉 the coniunction Pestis acerba boum pecorumque aspergere virus saith Virgil. Of that place of scripture spoken after the seperation of the light and darkenes And God saw the light
that it was good CHAP. 20. 〈◊〉 may we ouerslip yâ— these words of God Let there be light there was light 〈◊〉 immediatly seconded by these And God saw the light that it was good not 〈◊〉 â—…ad seperated the light and darknes and named them day and night least â—…d haue seemed to haue shewne his liking of the darknes as wel as yâ— light â—…ras the darknes which the conspicuous lights of heauen diuide from the 〈◊〉 inculpable therfore it was said after it was not before And God saw that 〈◊〉 And God saith he Set them in the firmament of heauen to shine vpon the â—…d to rule in the day and night and to seperate the light from the darknes and 〈◊〉 that it was good Both those he liked for both were sin-les but hauing sayd 〈◊〉 be light and there was so hee adioines immediatly And God saw the light 〈◊〉 good And then followeth God seperated the light from the darknes and 〈◊〉 the light day and the darknesse night but heere he addeth not And God 〈◊〉 it was good least hee should seeme to allow well of both the one beeing â—…turally but voluntary euill Therfore the light onely pleased the Creator the Angelicall darknesses though they were to bee ordained were not to bee approued L. VIVES IMmediately a seconded The Scripture speaking of the spirituall light the Angels before yâ— part of this light that is part of the Angels became dark God approued the light that is all the Angels whom he had made good light but speaking of our visible light made the fourth day God approueth both light and darknes for that darknes God created and it was not euil as yâ— Angels that became dark were therfore were not approued as the fourth daies darknesse was Of Gods eternal vnchanging will and knowledge wherein he pleased to create al things in forme as they were created CHAP. 21. VVHat meanes that saying that goeth through all and God saw that it was good but the approbation of the worke made according to the work-mans art Gods wisedome God doth not see it is good beeing made as if he saw it not so ere it was made But in seeing that it is good being made which could not haue beene made so but that hee fore-saw it hee teacheth but learneth not that it is good Plato a durst go further and say That God had great ioy in the beauty of the Vniuerse He was not so fond to thinke the newnesse of the worke increased Gods ioy but hee shewed that that pleased him beeing effected which had pleased his wisedome to fore-know should be so effected not that Gods knowledge varyeth or apprehends diuersly of thinges past present and future He doth not foresee thinges to come as we do nor beholds things present or remembers thinges past as wee doe But in a maner farre different from our imagination Hee seeth them not by change in thought but immutably bee they past or not past to come or not to come all these hath he eternall present nor thus in his eye and thus in his minde he consisteth not of body and soule nor thus now and otherwise hereafter or heretofore his knowledge is not as our is admitting alteration by circumstance of time but b exempted from all change and all variation of moments For his intention runnes not from thought to thought all thinges hee knowes are in his vnbodily presence Hee hath no temporall notions of the time nor moued he the time by any temporall motions in him-selfe Therfore hee saw that which hee had made was good because he fore-saw that he should make it good Nor doubted his knowledge in seeing it made or augmented it as if it had beene lesse ere he made it he could not do his works in such absolute perfection but out of his most perfect knowledge VVherfore if one vrge vs with who made this light It sufficeth to answer God if wee be asked by what meanes sufficeth this God said let there be light and there was light God making it by his very word But because there are three necessary questions of euery creature who made it how hee made it and wherefore hee made it God sayd quoth Moyses let there bee light and there was light and God saw the light that it was good Who made it God How God sayd but let it be and it was wherfore It was good No better author can there bee then God no better art then his Word no better cause why then that a good God should make a good creature And this c Plato praysed as the iustest cause of the worlds creation whether he had read it or heard it or got it by speculation of the creatures or learned it of those that had this speculation L. VIVES PLato a durst not In his Timaeus The father of the vniuerse seeing the beauty of it and the formes of the eternall goddes approued it and reioyced b Expelled from all Iames 1. 17. in whom is no variablenes nor shadowing by turning Hierome contra Iouin reades it in whome is no difference or shadowing by moment Augustine vseth moment also whether referring it to time or quality I know not For neyther retyres at all from his light to a shadow nor is any the least shadow intermixt with his light Momentum is also a turning a conuersion or a changeable motion comming of moueo to moue it is also an inclination as in balances This place may meane that God entertaines no vicissitude or passe from contrary to contrary as we doe c Plato Let vs see saith hee What made the Worldes Creator go about so huge a worke Truly hee excelled in honesty and honesty enuyeth not any mâ—…an and therefore hee made all things like him-selfe beeing the iustest cause of their originall Concerning those that disliked some of the good Creators creatures and thought some things naturaly euil CHAP. 22. YEt this good cause of the creation Gods goodnesse this iust fit cause which being well considered would giue end to all further inuestigation in this kind some heretikes could not discerne because many thinges by not agreeing with this poore fray le mortall flesh beeing now our iust punishment doe offend and hurt it as fire cold wilde beastes c. These do not obserue in what place of nature they liue and are placed nor how much they grace the vniuerse like a fayre state with their stations nor what commodity redounds to vs froÌ„ them if we can know how to vse them in so much that poyson a thing one way pernicious being conueniently ministred procureth health and contrary wise our meat drinke nay the very light immoderately vsed is hurtfull Hence doth Gods prouidence advize vs not to dispraise any thing rashly but to seeke out the vse of it warily and where our wittte and weakenesse failes there to beleeue the rest that is hidden as wee doe in other thinges past our reach for the obscurity of the vse
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
nations to the other What greater proofe need wee then this to confirme that the Israelites and all the world besides are contained in Abrahams seed the first in the flesh and the later in the spirit Of Moyses his times Iosuah the Iudges the Kings Saul the first Dauid the chiefe both in merite and in mysticall reference CHAP. 43. IAcob and Ioseph being dead the Israelites in the other hundred fortie foure yeares at the end of which they left Egypt increased wonderfully though the Egyptians oppressed them sore and once killed all their male children for feare of their wonderfull multiplication But Moses was saued from those butchers and brought vp in the court by Pharaohs daughter the a name of the Egiptian Kings God intending great things by him and he grew vp to that worth that he was held fit to lead the nation out of this extreame slauery or rather God did it by him according to his promise to Abraham First hee fled into Madian for killing an Egiptian in defence of an Israelite and afterwards returning full of Gods spirit hee foyled the enchanters h of Pharao in all their opposition and laide the ten sore plagues vpon the Egiptians because they would not let Israel depart namely the changing of the water into bloud Frogges c Lyce d Gnattes morren of Cattell botches and sores Haile Grashoppers darkenesse and death of all the first borne and lastly the Israelites being permitted after all the plagues that Egypt had groned vnder to depart and yet beeing pursued afterwards by them againe passed ouer the redde Sea dry-foote and left all the hoast of Egipt drowned in the middest the sea opened before the Israelites and shut after them returning vpon the pursuers and ouer-whelming them And then forty yeares after was Israell in the deserts with Moyses and there had they the tabernacle of the testimonie where God was serued with sacrifices that were all figures of future euents the law being now giuen with terror vpon mount Syna for the terrible voyces and thunders were full prooses that God was there And this was presently after their departure from Egipt in the wildernesse and there they celebrated their Passe-ouer fiftie dayes after by offring of a Lambe the true type of Christs passing vnto his father by his passion in this world For Pascha in Hebrew is a passing ouer and so the fiftith day after the opening of the new Testament and the offring of Christ our Passeâ—…ouer the holy spirit descended downe from heauen he whom the scriptures call the finger of God to renew the memory of the first miraculous prefiguration in our hearts because the law in the tables is said to be written by the finger of GOD. Moyses being dead Iosuah ruled the people and lead them into the land of promise diuiding it amongst them And by these two glorious captaines were strange battels wonne and they were ended with happy successe God himselfe auouching that the losers sinnes and not the winners merits were causes of those conquests After these two the land of promise was ruled by Iudges that Abrahams seede might see the first promise fulfilled concerning the land of Canaan though not as yet concerning the nations of all the earth for that was to be fulfilled by the comming of Christ in the flesh and the faith of the Gospell not the precepts of the law which was insinuated in this that it was not Moyses that receiued the law but Iosuab h whose name God also changed that lead the people into the promised land But in the Iudges times as the people offended or obeyed God so varied their fortunes in warre On vnto the Kings Saul was the first King of Israel who being a reprobate and dead in the field and all his race reiected from ability of succession Dauid was enthroned i whose sonne our Sauiour is especially called In him is as it were a point from whence the people of God doe flowe whose originall as then being in the youthfull time thereof is drawne from Abraham vnto this Dauid For it is not out of neglect that Mathew the Euangelist reckoneth the descents so that hee putteth foureteene generations betweene Abraham and Dauid For a man may be able to beget in his youth and therefore he begins his genealogies from Abraham who vpon the changing of his name was made the father of many nations So that before him the Church of God was in the infancie as it were from Noah I meane vnto him and therefore the first language the Hebrew as then was inuented for to speake by For from the terme of ones infancie hee begins to speake beeing called an infant k a non sancto of not speaking which age of himselfe euery man forgetteth as fully as the world was destroyed by the deluge For who can remember his infancie Wherefore in this progresse of the Cittie of God as the last booke conteined the first age thereof so let this containe the second and the third when the yoake of the law was laide on their necks the aboundance of sinne appeared and the earthly kingdome had beginning c. intimated by the Heifer the Goate â—…d the Ramme of three yeares old in which there wanted not some faithfull persons as the turtle-doue and the Pidgeon portended L. VIVES THe a name of To anoyde the supposition that Pharao that reigned in Iacob and Iosephs time was all one Pharao with this here named Pharao was a name of kingly dignity in Egipâ—… Hieron in Ezechiel lib. 9. So was Prolomy after Alexander Caesar and Augustus after the two braue Romaines and Abimelech in Palestina Herodotus speaketh of one Pharao that was blinde They were called Pharao of Pharos an I le ouer-against Alexandria called Carpathoâ—… of old Proteus reigned in it The daughter of this Pharao Iosephus calleth Thermuth b Of Pharao Which Pharao this was it is doubtfull Amasis saith Apion Polyhistor as Eusebius citeth him reigned in Egipt when the Iewes went thence But this cannot be for Amasis was long after viz. in Pythagoras his time vnto whom he was commended by Polycrates king of Samos But Iosephus saith out of Manethon that this was Techmosis and yet sheweth him to vary from him-selfe and to put Amenophis in another place also Eusebius saith that it was Pharao Cenchres In Chron. and that the Magicians names were Iannes and Iambres Prep euangel ex Numenio c Lyce So doth Iosephus say if Ruffinus haue well translated him that this third plague was the disease called Phthiriasis or the lousie euill naming no gnattes Peter denatalibus and Albertus Grotus saith that the Cyniphes are a kinde of flye So saith Origen Albertus saith that they had the body of a worme the wings and head of a flye with a sting in their mouth where-with they prick and draw-bloud and are commonly bred in fens and marishes troubling all creatures but man especially Origen calleth them Snipes They do flie faith he but are so
before-said but he that kept the heards of King o Admetus with Hercules yet was hee afterwards held a God and counted one and the same with the other And then did p father Liber make warre in India leading a crue of women about with him in his armie called Bacchae being more famous for their madnesse then their vertue Some write that this Liber q was conquered and imprisoned some that Perseus slew him in the field mentioning his place of buriall also and yet were those damned sacriligious sacrifices called the Bacchanalls appointed by the vncleane deuills vnto him as vnto a God But the Senate of Rome at length after long vse of them saw the barbarous filthinesse of these sacrifices and expelled them the citty And in this time r Perseus and his wife Andromeda being dead were verily beleeued to bee assumed into heauen and there vpon the world was neither ashamed s nor affraide to giue their names vnto two goodly constellations and to forme their Images therein L. VIVES THe fiction of a Triptolemus His originall is vncertaine ignoble saith Ouid his mother was a poore woman and he a sickly childe and Ceres lodging in his mothers house bestowed his health of him Lactantius making him sonne to Eleusius King of Eleusis and Hionâ—… that Ceres bestowed immortality vpon him for lodging a night in his fathers house on the day she fedde him in heauen with her milke and on the night she hidde him in fire Celeus was his father saith Seruius But Eusebius maketh him a stranger to Celeus and landeth him at Eleusis Celeâ—… his citty out of a long ship But the Athenians generally held him the sonne of Celeus so did not the Argiues but of Trochilus Hieropanta who falling out with Agenor flying from Argos came to Eleusis there married and there had Triptolemus and Euboles Some hold him and so Musaeus did some say the sonne of Oceanus and Terra that Eubolis and Triptolemus were Dysaulis sonnes saith Orpheus Chaerilus of Athens deriues him from Rharus and one of Aâ—…hyctions daughters Diodorus from Hercules and Thesprote King Phileus his daughter Now Ceres they say gaue him corne and sent him with a chariot with two wheeles onely for swiftnesse sake saith Higin drawne by a teame of Dragons through the ayre to goe and â—…each the sowing of corne to the world that he first sowed the field Rharius by Eleusis and reaped an haruest of it wherfore they gathered the Mushromes vsed in the sacred banquets froÌ„ that field Triptolemus had his altar also and his threshing place there The pretended truth of this history agreeth with Eusebius for it saith that Triptolemus was sonne to Elusus King of Eâ—…s who in a great dearth sustained the peoples liues out of his owne granary which Trâ—…mus vpon the like occasion beeing not able to doe fearing the peoples furie hee tooke along ship called the Dragon and sayling thence within a while returned againe with aboundance of corne and expelling Celeus who had vsurped in his abscence releeued the people with come and taught them tillage Hence was he termed Ceres his pupill Some place Lyncus for Câ—…s He saith Ouid was King of Scythia because he would haue slaine Ceresâ—…ed â—…ed him into the beast Lynx which we call an Ounce b The Minotaure Minos of Crete â—…ied Pasiphae the Suns daughter he being absent in a war against Attica about his claime to the â—…ingdom the killing of his son Androgeus she fell into a beastly desire of copulation with a Bull and Daedalus the Carpenter framed a Cow of wood wherein she beeing enclosed bad her lust satisfied and brought forth the Minotaure a monster that eate mans flesh This Uenus was cause of Seru. For the Sunne bewraying the adultery of Mars and Uenus Uulcan came and tooke them both in a Wyre nette and so shamefully presented them vnto the view of all the gods Here-vpon Uenus tooke a deadly malice against all the Sunnes progenie and thus came this Minotaure borne but Seruius saith he was no monster but that there was a man either Secretary to Minos or some gouernour of the Souldiours vnder him called Taurus and that in Daedalus his house Pasiphae and he made Minos Cuckold and shee bringing forth two sonnes one gotten by Minos and the other by Taurus was said to bring forth the Minotaure as Uirgill calleth it Mistumque genus prolemque biformem A mungrell breed and double formed-birth Euripides held him halfe man and halfe bull Plutarch saith he was Generall of Minos forces and either in a sea-fight or single combate slaine by Theseus to Minos his good liking for hee was a cruell fellow and the world reported him too inward with Pasiphae and therefore after that Minos restored all the tribute-children vnto Athens and freed them from that imposition for euer Palephratus writeth that Taurus was a goodly youth and fellow to Minos that Pasiphaë fell in loue with him and hee begot a child vpon her which Minos afterwards vnderstood yet would not kill it when it was borne because it was brother to his sonnes The boy grew vp and the King hearing that hee iniured the Sheapheards sent to apprehend him but he digged him a place in the ground and therein defended himselfe Then the King sent certaine condemned Malefactors to fetch him out but he hauing the aduantage of the place slew them all and so euer after that the King vsed to send condemned wrâ—…ches thether and hee would quâ—…ckly make them sure So Minos sent Theseus thether vnarmed hauing taken him in the warres but Ariadne watched as he entred the caue and gaue him a sword wherewith he slew this Minotaure c The Labyrinth A building so entangled in windings and cyrcles that it deceiueth all that come in it Foure such there were in the world but in Egipt at Heracleopolis neare to the Lake Maeris Herodotus saith that he sawe it no maruell for it was remaining in Plinyes and Diod. his time These two and Strabo and Mela do describe it Mela saith Psameticus made it Pliny reciteth many opinions of it that it was the worke of Petesucus or else of Tithois or else the palace of Motherudes or a dedication vnto the Sunne and that is the common beleefe Daedalus made one in Crete like this Diod. Plin. but it was not like Egypts by an hundred parts and yet most intricate Ouid. 8. Metamorph. Philothorus in Plutarch thinketh that it was but a prison out of which the enclosed theeues might not escape and so thinketh Palaephatus The third was in Lemnos made by Zmilus Rholus and Theodorus builders The ruines of it stood after those of Crete and Italy were vtterly decayed and gone Plyn The fourth was in Italy by Clusium made for Porsenna King of Hetruâ—…a Varro d The Centaures Ixion sonne to Phlegias the sonne of Mars louing Iuno and shee telling Ioue of it hee made a cloud like her on which cloud Ixion begot the Centaures Sure
Nor came his whole Nauy hether 〈◊〉 â—…e landed in Apulia and some in other places of Italy of whose arriuall there are monuâ—… vnto this day Some of them leauing Aeneas in Italy returned to Phrygia againe The 〈◊〉 place that Aeneas held in Latium they named Troy It was foure furlongs from the sea b 〈◊〉 Sonne to Ornius Erichtheus his sonne hee stirred the people against Theseus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 absence saying that hee had brought the free people of Attica into one citty as into a 〈◊〉 Now Theseus was held in most straite prison by Orchus the Molossian King and he had 〈◊〉 the rauished Hellen at Aphydna which Castor and Pollux tooke freed their sister and 〈◊〉 Mnestheus King of Athens for that hee left them souldiours So Theseus being freed by â—…es and making meanes for the recouery of his Kingdome went into Scyros where 〈◊〉 Lyconides slew him So ruled Mnestheus quietly at Athens for Theseus his children 〈◊〉 but young and in the hands of Elpenor in Euboea Mnestheus respected them not They 〈◊〉 come to yeares went with Elpenor to that vniuersall warre of Troy and Mnestheus 〈◊〉 also with his forces and returning died in Melos and Demophon Theseus sonne succeeded him Plut. Paus. Euseb. So that Mnestheus was dead a little before Aeneas came into Italy 〈◊〉 Polyhistor saith that Demophon reigned at Athens when as Troy was destroied c Poâ—… So saith Euseb. but Pausanias relateth it thus Sycion had a daughter called Echthoâ—… on hir did Mercury they say beget Polybus Phlias Dionysius his sonne married her afterwards and had begot Androdanas on her Polybis married his daughter Lysianassa to Taâ—… sonne to Bias King of Argos At this time Adrastus fled from Argos to Polybus in Sicyâ—… and Polybus dying was King there He returning to Argos Ianiscus one of Clytius Laomeâ—… posterity came from Attica thether got their Kingdome and dying left it to Phaestus a 〈◊〉 of Hercules Hee beeing called by Oracle into Crete Euxippus sonne to Apollo and 〈◊〉 Syllis reigned and hee being dead Agamemnon made warre vpon Sycionia and Hippoâ—…â—…ne â—…ne to Rhopalus the sonne of Phaestus fearing his power became his tributary vpon â—…ion This Hippolitus had issue Lacestades and Phalces Now Tamphalces sonne to 〈◊〉 came with his Dorikes in the night and tooke the citty yet did no harme as beeing â—…ed from Hercules also onely hee was ioyned fellow in this Kingdome with him From 〈◊〉 the Sycionians were called Dorians and made a part of the Argiue Empire d Tautaâ—… 〈◊〉 reigned in the time of the Troian wars Eus. Diod. saith that Priam who held his crown 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as from his soueraigne in the beginning of the siege sent to intreate some helpe of him who sent him 10000. Ethiopians 10000. Susians and twenty chariots oâ—… 〈◊〉 â—…gons vnder the conduct of Memnon sonne to Duke Tython his dearest associate Hoâ—… mentions this Memnon for he was slaine in this warre He was a youth of an hardy and â—…que spirit as his valourous performances did witnesse in abundance e Labdon So doth Euseb call him The Bible hath it Abdon Iud. 12. 13. Sonne he was to Hylo the Ephraite who had forty sons and they had fifty sons al good horsmen he left them al liuing at his death Ioâ—… 〈◊〉 f Pelasgus The old bookes read Pelagus My friend Hieronimo Buffaldo aâ—… vnwearâ—…ed student a true friend and an honest man saith that in one copy hee had read it Pelagus Pausanias putteth other names in this place quite different he giues vs no light here g Sampson Iud. 13. His deeds excelled all those of Hercules Hector or Milo They are knowne I will not stand to rehearse them h Being not to be Mezentius King of Hetruria warred against the Latines and Aeneas their King ioyning battell with him neere Lauinium they had a 〈◊〉 fought field and being parted by night next morning Aeneas was not to bee found some said he was indenized some that he was drowned in Numicus the riuer The Latines built him a Temple dedicated it TO OVR HOLY FATHER AND TERRESTRIALL GOD GOVERNOR OF THE WATERS OF NVMICVS Dionys. Some say be built it himselfe Festus saith Ascanius his sonne did He died three yeares after his step-father Latinus so long was he King and seauen years after the dissolution of Troy He hath toumbes in many nations but those are but for his honour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 empty monuments his true one is by the riuer Numicus Liu. They call him Iupiter indiges so Ascanius named him wheÌ„ he deified him Indiges is a mortall made a Deity Some say it is onely spoken of those whom it is sacriledge to name as the patron-gods of citties and such like But I thinke Indiges bee as much as in-borne or in-liuing that is meaning them that dwelt or were borne in the soile where they are deified Such did Lucane meane when he said Indigites fleuisse deos vrbisque laborem Testatos sudore lares The towne-gods wept the house-hold-gods with sweat Witnesâ—… the Citties labour should be great And therefore he was both Iupiter indiges and Iupiter Latialis But this I may not baâ—…e Aeneas had his swinging places in Italy as Erigone Icarus his daughter had in Greece for thus saith Festus Pompeius These swinging-games had originall from hence because Aeneas being lost no man knew how in his warres against Mezentius King of the 〈◊〉 was held deified and called Ioue Latiall So Ascanius sent out all his subiects bond and free sixe daies to seeke him in earth and ayre and so ordeined swinging to shew the forme of mans life how he might mount to heauen or fall from thence to earth and the perpetuall reuolution of fortune Thus Festus i By the Latines And the Sicilians also in Eâ—…yma a citty that hee built Ou. Met. 14. k Sangus Or Xanthus or Sanctus or Sancus but Sangus is the truth Porcius Cato saith Dionys. wrote that the Sabines had their name from Sabinus sonne to Sangus the god of the Sabines otherwise called Pistius Him saith Lactantius doe the Sabines adore as the Romanes doe Quirinus and the Athenians Minerua Hereof hee that list may read Aâ—…nius â—…equester Uibius in his description of Rome mentions this Genius Sangus l Codrus â—…on to Melanthus the Messenian in whose time the Kings of Peloponnesus descended from Hercules warred vpon Athens because they feared the aboundance of exiles there and Codrus reiging at Athens they feared both the Corinthians because of their bordering vpon them for Isthmus wherein Corynth stood ioyneth on Megara and the Messenians also because of Melanthus Codrus his father beeing King there So the bloud royall of Peloponnesus 〈◊〉 to the oracle and were answered that the victory and the Kings death should fall both 〈◊〉 one side herevpon they conceiled the Oracle and withall gaue a strict chaâ—…ge thâ—…t 〈◊〉 â—…hould touch Codrus But the Athenians hearing of this Oracle and Codrus beeing desirous of glorie and the
translation of the Seuenty is most authenticall next vnto the Hebrew CHAP. 43. THere were other translators out of the Hebrew into the Greeke as Aquila Symmachus Theodâ—…tion and that namelesse interpetor whose translation is called the fift Edition But the Church hath receiued that of the seauenty as if there were no other as many of the Greeke Christians vsing this wholy know not whether there be or no. Our Latine translation is from this also Although one Hierome a learned Priest and a great linguist hath translated the same scriptures from the Hebrew into Latine But a although the Iewes affirme his learned labour to be al truth and auouch the seauenty to haue oftentimes erred yet the Churches of Christ hold no one man to be preferred before so many especially being selected by the high Priest for this work for although their concord had not proceeded from their vnity of spirit but froÌ„ their collations yet were no one man to be held more sufficient then they all But seeing there was so diuine a demonstration of it truely whosoeuer translateth from the Hebrew or any other tongue either must agree with the seauenty or if hee dissent wee must hold by their propheticall depth For the same spirit that spake in the prophets translated in them And that spirit might say other-wise in the translation then in the Prophet and yet speake alike in both the sence being one vnâ—…o the true vnderstander though the words bee different vnto the reader The same spirit might adde also or diminish to shew that it was not mans labour that performed this worke but the working spirit that guyded the labours Some held it good to correct the seauenty by the Hebrew yet durst they not put out what was in them and not in the Hebrew but onely added what was in that and not in them b marking the places with c Asteriskes at the heads of the verses and noting what was in the seauenty and not in the Hebrew with 〈◊〉 as we marke d ounces of weight withall And many Greeke and Latine â—…pies are dispersed with these markes But as for the alterations whether the difference be great or small they are not to be discerned but by conferring of the bookes If therefore we go all to the spirit of God and nothing else as is fittest whatsoeuer is in the seauenty and not in the Hebrew it pleased God to speake it by those latter prophets and not by these first And so contrary-wise of that which is in the Hebrew and not in the seauenty herein shewing them both to be â—…phets for so did he speak this by Esay that by Hieremy and other things by othes as his pleasure was But what wee finde in both that the spirit spake by both by the first as Prophets by the later as propheticall translations for as there was one spirit of peace in the first who spake so many seuerall things with discordance so was there in these who translated so agreeably without conference L VIVES ALthough a the Iewes No man now a daies sheweth an error and leaueth it Mankind is not so wise Againe time gayneth credit vnto many and nothing but time vnto some But it is admirable to see how gently hee speaketh here of Hierome whose opinion he followed not in this high controuersie O that wee could immitate him b Marking of this Hierome speaketh Prolog in Paralip Origen was the first that tooke the paines to conâ—… the translation and he conferred the seauenty with Theodotion Hier. ep id August where he inueigheth at what hee had erst commended saying that the booke is not corrected but rather corrupted by those asteriskes and spits But this he said because Augustine would not meddle with his translation but held that of the seauenty so sacred this power oftentimes 〈◊〉 affection in the holiest men c Asteriskes Little stars d Ounces It seemes the oâ—…ce in old times was marked with a spits character Isidoâ—…e saith it was marked with the Greeke Gamma and our o thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the halfe scruple with a line thus they noted those places with a spit thus 〈◊〉 to signifie that the words so noâ—…ed were thrust through as adâ—… falsefiing the text It was Aristarchus his inuention vsed by the Grammarians in their 〈◊〉 of bookes and verses Quinti lib. 1. Which the old Grammarians vsed with such seuerity 〈◊〉 they did not onely taxe false places or bookes hereby but also thrust their authors either 〈◊〉 of their ranke or wholy from the name of Grammarians Thus Quintilian Seneca did eleâ—… call the rasing out of bastard verses Aristarchus his notes Of the destruction of Niniuy which the Hebrew perfixeth fourty daies vnto and the Septuagints but three CHAP. 44. 〈◊〉 will some say how shall I know whether Ionas said yet forty daies and Niâ—… shal be destroyed or yet three daies who seeth not that the Prophet presaging 〈◊〉 destruction could not say both if at three daies end they were to bee desâ—… then not at fourty if at fourty then not at three If I bee asked the question I answer for the Hebrew For the LXX being 〈◊〉 after might say otherwise and yet not against the sence but as pertinent to the matter as the other though in another signification aduising the reader not to leaue the signification of the historie for the circumstance of a word noâ—… to contemne either of the authorities for those things were truly done 〈◊〉 at Niâ—…ie and yet had a reference farther then Niniuie as it was true that the Prophet was three dayes in the Whales belly and yet intimated the being of the Lord of all the Prophets three dayes in the wombe of the graue Wherefore if the Church of the Gentiles were prophetically figured by Niniuie as being destâ—…oyed in repentance to become quite different from what it was Christ doiâ—…g this in the said Church it is hee that is signified both by the forty dayes and by the three by forty because hee was so long with his disciples after hiâ—… resurrection and then ascended into heauen by three for on the third day hee aroâ—…e againe as if the Septuagâ—…nts intended to stir the reader to looke further into the matter then the meere history and that the prophet had intended to intimate the depth of the mysterie as if hee had said Seeke him in forty dayes â—…hom thou shalt finde in three this in his resurrection and the other in his asceâ—…sion Wherefore both numbers haue their fitte signification both are spokâ—…n by one spirit the first in Ionas the latter in the translators Were it noâ—… for â—…diousnesse I could reconcile the LXX and the Hebrew in many places wherein they are held to differ But I study breuity and according to my talent haue followed the Apostles who assumed what made for their purposes out of both the copies knowing the holy spirit to be one in both But forward with our purpose L. VIVES YEt a forty
ceasing and destruction ensuing which was performed by the Romanes as I erst related But the house of the New Testament is of another lustre the workemanship being more glorious and the stones being more precious But it was figured in the repaire of the old Temple because the whole New Testament was figured in the old one Gods prophecy therefore that saith In that place will I giue peace is to be meant of the place signified not of the place significant that is as the restoring that house prefigured the church which Christ was to build so GOD said in this place that is in the place that this prefigureth will I giue peace for all things signifying seeme to support the persons of the things signified as Saint Peter said the Rock was Christ for it signifyed Christ. So then farre is the glory of the house of the New Testament aboue the glory of the Old as shall appeare in the finall dedication Then shall the desire of all nations appeare as it is in the hebrew for his first comming was not desired of all the nations for some knew not whom to desire nor in whom to beleeue And then also shall they that are Gods elect out of all nations come as the LXX read it for none shall come truely at that day but the elect of whoÌ„ the Apostle saith As he hath elected vs in him before the beginning of the world for the Architect himself that sayd Many are called but few are chosen he spoke not of those that were called to the feast and then cast out but meant to shew that hee had built an house of his elect which times worst spight could neuer ruine But being altogither in the church as yet to bee hereafter sifited the corne from the chaffe the glory of this house cannot be so great now as it shal be then where man shal be alwaies there where he is once The Churches increase vncertaine because of the commixtion of elect and reprobate in this world CHAP. 49. THerefore in these mischieuous daies wherein the church worketh for his fu ture glory in present humility in feares in sorrowes in labours and in temptations ioying onely in hope when shee ioyeth as she should many rebrobaâ—…e liue amongst the elect both come into the Gospells Net and both swim at randon in the sea of mortality vntill the fishers draw them to shore and then the 〈◊〉 owne from the good in whom as in his Temple God is all in all We acknowledge therefore his words in the psalme I would declare and speake of them 〈◊〉 are more then I am able to expresse to be truly fulfilled This multiplication 〈◊〉 at that instant when first Iohn his Messenger and then himselfe in person 〈◊〉 to say Amend your liues for the Kingdome of God is at hand He chose him disâ—… and named the Apostles poore ignoble vnlearned men that what great 〈◊〉 soeuer was done hee might bee seene to doe it in them He had one who abused his goodnesse yet vsed hee this wicked man to a good end to the fulfilling of his passion and presenting his church an example of patience in tribulation And hauing sowne sufficiently the seed of saluation he suffered was buried and 〈◊〉 againe shewing by his suffering what wee ought to endure for the truth and 〈◊〉 resurrection what we ought for to hope of eternity a besides the ineffaâ—…ament of his bloud shed for the remission of sinnes Hee was forty daies 〈◊〉 with his disciples afterwardes and in their sight ascended to heauen â—…es after sending downe his promised spirit vpon them which in the comming gaue that manifest and necessary signe of the knowledge in languages of 〈◊〉 to signifie that it was but one Catholike church that in all those natiâ—…â—…uld vse all those tongues L. VIVES 〈◊〉 a the ineffable For Christs suffrance and his life hath not onely leaft vs the vertue 〈◊〉 Sacraments but of his example also whereby to direct ourselues in all good courses 〈◊〉 Gospell preached and gloriously confirmed by the bloud of the preachers CHAP. 50. 〈◊〉 then as it is written The law shall goe forth of Zion and the word of 〈◊〉 Lord from Ierusalem and as Christ had fore-told when as his disciplies â—…onished at his resurrection he opened their vnderstandings in the scripâ—… told them that it was written thus It behoued Christ to suffer and to rise 〈◊〉 the third day and that repentance and remission of sinnes should bee preached in 〈◊〉 â—…mongst all nations beginning at Ierusalem and where they asked him of 〈◊〉 comming and he answered It is not for you to know the times and seasons 〈◊〉 father hath put in his owne power but you shall receiue power of the Holie 〈◊〉 hee shall come vpon you and you shal be witnesses of mee in Ierusalem and in 〈◊〉 in Samaria and vnto the vtmost part of the earth First the church spred 〈◊〉 â—…om Ierusalem and then through Iudaea and Samaria and those lights 〈◊〉 world bare the Gospell vnto other nations for Christ had armed them 〈◊〉 Feare not them that kill the body but are not able to kill the soule they had 〈◊〉 of loue that kept out the cold of feare finally by their persons who 〈◊〉 him aliue and dead and aliue againe and by the horrible persecutiâ—… by their successors after their death and by the euer conquered to 〈◊〉 â—…conquerable tortures of the Martires the Gospell was diffused 〈◊〉 all the habitable world GOD going with it in Miracles in vertues and 〈◊〉 of the Holy Ghost in so much that the nations beleeuing in him who 〈◊〉 for their Redemption in christian loue did hold the bloud of those Martires in reuerence which before they had shed in barbarousnesse and the Kings whose edicts afflicted the church came humbly to be warriours vnder that banner which they cruelly before had sought vtterly to abolish beginning now to persecute the false gods for whom before they had persecuted the seruants of 〈◊〉 true GOD. That the Church is confirmed euen by the schismes of Heresies CHAP. 51. NOw the deuill seeing his Temples empty al running vnto this Redeemer set heretiques on foote to subert Christ in a christiaÌ„ vizar as if there were yâ— allowance for them in the heauenly Ierusalem which their was for contrariety of Philosophers in the deuills BabiloÌ„ Such therfore as in the church of God do distast any thing and a being checked aduised to beware do obstinately oppose themselues against good instructions and rather defend their abhominations then discard them those become Heretikes and going forth of Gods House are to be held as our most eager enemies yet they doe the members of the Catholike Church this good that their fall maketh them take better hold vpon God who vseth euill to a good end and worketh all for the good of those that loue him So then the churches enemies whatsoeuer if they haue the power to impose corporall afflictioÌ„ they exercise her patience
doe better for the solution of this question to beginne at that time chiefly because then the Holy Spirit descended vpon that society wherein the second law the New Testament was to bee professed according as Christ had promised For the first law the Old Testament was giuen in Sina by Moyses but the later which Christ was to giue was prophecied in these words The law shall goe forth of Zion and the word of the LORD from Ierusalem Therefore hee said himselfe that it was fit that repentance should bee preached in his name throughout all nations yet beginning at Ierusalem There then beganne the beleefe in CHRIST crucified and risen againe There did this faith heate the heartes of diuers thousands already who sold their goods to giue to the poore and came cheerefully to CHRIST and to voluntary pouerty withstanding the assalts of the bloud-thirsty Iewes with a pacience stronger then an armed power If this now were not done by Magike why might not the rest in all the world bee as cleare But if Peters magike had made those men honour Christ who both crucified him and derided him beeing crucified then I aske them when their three hundered three scorce and fiue yeares must haue an end CHRST died in the a two Gemini's consulshippe the eight of the Calends of Aprill and rose againe the third daie as the Apostles saw with their eyes and felt with their hands fortie daies after ascended hee into Heauen and tenne daies after that is fiftie after the resurrection came the Holy Ghost and then three thousand men beleeued in the Apostles preaching of him So that then his name beganne to spread as wee beleeue and it was truely prooued by the operation of the Holy Ghost but as the Infidels feigne by Peters magike And soone after fiue thousand more beleeued through the preaching of Paul and Peters miraculous curing of one that had beene borne lame and lay begging at the porch of the Temple Peter with one word In the name of our LORD IESVS CHRIST set him sound vpon his feete Thus the church gotte vppe by degrees Now reckon the yeares by the Consulls from the descension of the Holie Spirit that was in the Ides of Maie vnto the consulshippe of b Honorius and Eutychian and you shall finde full three hundered three score and fiue yeares expired Now in the next yeare in the consulship of c Theodorus Manlius when christianity should haue beene vtterly gone according to that Oracle of deuills or fiction of fooles what is done in other places wee neede not inquire but for that famous cittie of Carthage wee know that Iouius and Gaudentius two of Honorius his Earles came thether on the tenth of the Calends of Aprill and brake downe all the Idols and pulled downe their Temples It is now thirty yeares agoe since almost and what increase christianity hath had since is apparant inough and partly by a many whom the expectation of the fulfilling of that Oracle kept from beeing reconciled to the truth who since are come into the bosome of the church discouering the ridiculousnesse of that former expectation But wee that are christians re â—…re indeed and name doe not beleeue in Peter but in f him that Peter beleeued in Wee are edifyed by Peters sermons of Christ but not bewitched by his charmes nor deceiued by his magike but furthered by his religion CHRIT that taught Peter the doctrine of eternitie teacheth vs also But now it is time to set an end to this booke wherein as farre as neede was wee haue runne along with the courses of the Two Citties in their confused progresse the one of which the Babilon of the earth hath made her false gods of mortall men seruing them and sacrificing to them as shee thought good but the other the heauenly Ierusalem shee hath stucke to the onely and true GOD and is his true and pure sacrifice her selfe But both of these doe feele one touch of good and euill fortune but not with one faith nor one hope nor one law and at length at the last iudgement they shall bee seuered for euer and either shall receiue the endlesse reward of their workes Oâ—… these two endes wee are now to discourse L. VIVES IN the a two First sure it is Christ suffered vnder Tyberius the Emperor Luke the Euangelist maketh his baptisme to fall in the fifteenth yeare of Tyberius his reigne So then his passion must be in the eighteenth or ninteenth for three yeares hee preached saluation Hier. So â—…ith Eusebius alledging heathen testimonies of that memorable eclips of the Sunne as namely our of Phlegon a writer of the Olympiads who saith that in the fourth yeare of the two hundered and two Olympiade the eighteenth of Tyberius his reigne the greatest eclips befell that euer was It was midnight-darke at noone-day the starres were all visible and an earth-quake shooke downe many houses in Nice a city of Bythinia But the two Gemini Ruâ—… and Fusius were Consulls in the fifteenth yeare of Tyberius as is easily prooued out of Tacitus lib. 5. and out of Lactantius lib. 4. cap. 10. where hee saith that in that yeare did Christ suffer and him doth Augustine follow here But Sergius Galba afterwards Emperor and L. Sylla were Consulls in the eighteenth yeare b Honorius and In the consulship of these two 〈◊〉 draue the Gothes and Vandals into Italy Honorius the Emperor beeing Consull the fourth time Prosper saith this was not vntill the next yeare Stilicon and Aurelian beeing 〈◊〉 c Theodorus Claudian made an exellent Panegyrike for his consulship wherein hee sheweth that hee had beene Consul before Prosper maketh him Consull before Honorius his fourth Consulship but I thinke this is an error in the time as well as in the copie For it must bee read Beeing the second time Consul Eutropius the Eunuch was made Consull with him but soone after hee was put to death Wherevpon it may bee that Eutropius his name was blotted out of the registers and Theodorus Manlius hauing no fellow was taken for two Theodorus and Manlius as Cassiodorus taketh him but mistakes himselfe Yet about that time they began to haue but one Consull d Now 30. yeares Vnto the third yeare of Theodosius Iunior wherein Augustine wrote this e In him that Peter For who is Paul and who is Apollo the ministers by whom you beleeue Finis lib. 18. THE CONTENTS OF THE nineteenth booke of the City of God That Varro obserued 288. sectes of the Philophers in their question of the perfection of goodnesse 2. Varro his reduction of the finall good out of al these differences vnto three heads three definitions one onely of which is the true one 3. Varro his choise amongst the three forenamed sects following therin the opinion of Antiochus author of the old Academicall sect 4. The Christians opinion of the cheefest good and euill which the Philosophers held to bee within themselues 5. Of liuing sociably with our neighbours how
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