come vnlesse there were some who although they haue no remission in this yet might haue it in the world to come But when it shal be said of the Iudge of the quick and the dead Come yee blessed of my father possesse the Kingdome prepared for you from the beginning of the world and to others on the contrary Depart from me yee curssed into euerlasting fire which is prepared for the deuill and his angells it were too much presumption to say that any of them should escape euerlasting punishment whom the Lord hath condemned to eternall torments so goe about by the perswasion of this presumption either also to despaire or doubt of eternall life Let no man therefore so vnderstand the Psalmist when he saith Will God forget to haue mercy or will he shut vp his louing kindnesse in displeasure that hee suppose that the sentence of GOD is true concerning the good false concerning the wicked or that it is true concerning good men and euill angells but concerning euill men to be false For that which is recorded in the Psalme belongeth to the vessells of mercy and to the sonnes of the promise of which the Prophet himselfe was one who when he had sayd Will God forget to haue mercy will he shut vp his louing kindnesse in displeasure straigth-way addeth And I sayd it is mine owne infirmity I will remember the yeares 〈◊〉 the right hand of the highest Verely hee hath declared what hee meant by these words Will the LORD shut vp his louing kindnesse in displeasure For truely this mortall life is the displeasure of God wherein man is made like vnto vanity and 〈◊〉 daies passe away like a shadow In which displeasure neuerthelesse GOD will not forget to bee gratious by causing his sunne to shine vpon the good and the euill and the 〈◊〉 to fall vpon the iust and vniust and so he doth not shut vp his louing kindnes in displeasure and especially in that which the psalme expresseth here saying I will remember the yeares of the right hand of the highest because in this most miserable life which is the displeasure of God he changeth the vessells of mercy into a better state although as yet his displeasure remaineth in the misery of this corruption because he doth not shut vp his mercies in his displeasure When as therefore the verity of this diuine song may be fulfilled in this manner it is not necessary that it should bee vnderstood of that place where they which pertaine not to the Citty of GOD shal be punished with euerlasting punishment But 〈◊〉 which please to stretch this sentence euen to the torments of the damned at least let them so vnderstand it that the displeasure of GOD remayning in them which is due to eternall punishment yet neuerthelesse that God doth not shut vp his louing kindnesse in this his heauy displeasure and causeth them not to 〈◊〉 tormented with such rigor of punishments as they haue deserued Yet not 〈◊〉 that they may b escape or at any time haue an end of those punishâ—… but that they shal be more easie then they haue deserued For so both 〈◊〉 â—…tch of GOD shall remaine and hee shall not shut vppe his louing â—…dnesse in his displeasure But I doe not confirme this thing because I doe 〈◊〉 contradict it 〈◊〉 not onely I but the sacred and diuine Scripture doth reproue and conuince them most plainely and fullie which thinke that to bee spoken rather by the way of threatning then truely when it is said Depart from mee yee wicked into â—…sting fire and also They shall goe into euerlasting punnishment and their 〈◊〉 shall not die and the fire shall not bee extinguished c. For the Niniuites 〈◊〉 fruitfull repentance in this life as in the field in which GOD would haue that to bee sowne with teares which should after-ward bee reaped with ioye And yet who will deny that to bee fulfiled in them which the LORD had spoken before vnlesse hee cannot well perceiue that the Lord doth not onely ouerthrow sinners in his anger but likewise in his mercy for sinners are confounded by two manner of waies either as the Sodomits that men suffer punishments for their sinnes or as the Niniuits that the sins of men bee destroied by repenting For Niniuy is destroied which was euill and good Niniuy is built which was not For the walls and houses standing stil the Citty is ouerthrowne in her wicked 〈◊〉 And so though the Prophet was grieued because that came not to 〈◊〉 which those men feared to come by his propehcy neuerthelesse that was â—…ought to passe which was fore-told by the fore-knowledge of God because 〈◊〉 which had fore-spoken it how it was to be fulfilled in a better manner But that they may know who are mercifull towards an obstinat sinner what that meaneth which is written How great oh LORD is the multitude of thy sweetnesse which thou hast hidden for them that feare thee let them also read that which followeth But thou hast performed it to them which hope in thee For what is Thou 〈◊〉 hidden for them which feare thee Thou hast performed to them which hope in thee but that the righteousnesse of GOD is not sweet vnto them because they know it 〈◊〉 which establish their owne righteousnesse for the feare of punishments which righteousnesse is in the law For they haue not tasted of it For they 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 themselues not in him and therefore the multitude of the sweetnesse of GOD 〈◊〉 hidden vnto them for truely they feare GOD but with that seruile 〈◊〉 which is not in loue because perfect loue casteth away feare Therefore hee performeth his sweetnesse to them which hope in him by inspiring his loue into them that when they glory with chaste feare not in that which loue casteth away but which remaineth for euer and euer they may glory in the LORD For Christ is the righteousnesse of God Who vnto vs of GOD as the Apostle saith is made wisdome and righteousnesse and sanctification and redemption That 〈◊〉 it is written Let him which reioyceth reioyce in the LORD They which will establish their owne righteousnesse know not this righteousnesse which grace doth giue without merrits and therefore they are not subiect to the righteousnesse of GOD which is CHRIST In which righteousnesse there is great aâ—… 〈◊〉 of the sweetnesse of GOD wherefore it is sayd in the Psalme Taste 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 how sweet the Lord is And wee truely hauing a taste and not our fill of it in this 〈◊〉 pilgrimage doe rather hunger and thirst after it that wee may bee saâ—… 〈◊〉 it afterward when we see him as he is and that shal be fulfilled which 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I shal be satisfied when thy glory shal be manifested So CHRIST efâ—… abundance of his sweetnesse to those which hope in him But if 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sweetnesse which they thinke to bee theirs for them which feare 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 will not
holde nothing more excellent But the other two the first and the third them he distinguisheth and confineth to the Stage and the Citty for wee see that that the pertinence of them to the Cittie hath no consequence why they should pertaine to the VVorld though there bee Citties in the VVorld for false opinion may gette that a beleefe of truth in a Citty which hath not any nature nor place in any part of the VVorld And for the Stage where is that but in the Cittie There ordained by the Citty and for what end but Stage-playes And what Stage-playes but of their goddes of whome these bookes are penned with so much paynes L. VIVES FIrst a fabulare The word Snetonius vseth Hee loued saith hee of Tiberius the reading of Fabular History euen were it ridiculous and foolish b Second The Platonistâ—… chiefly the Stoikes reduced all these goddes fables vnto naturall causes and natures selfe as their heads Plato in Cratylo Cic. de nat deor Phurnut and others But this they doe wring for sometimes in such manner that one may see they do but dally c Heraclitus an Ephesian he wrote a book that needed an Oedipus or the Delian Swimmer and therfore he was called Scotinus darke He held fire the beginning and end of all thinges and that was full of soules and daemones spirits His opinion of the fire Hippasus of Metapontus followed d Numbers Pithagoras held that God our soules and all things in the world consisted vpon numbers and that from their harmonies were all things produced These numbers Plato learning of the Italian Pythagoreans explained them and made them more intelligible yet not so but that the râ—…ader must let a great part of them alone This Cicero to Atticus calleth an obscure thing Plato his numbers c Or of Atomes Epicurus in emulation of Democritus taught that all things consisted of little indiuisible bodies called therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from which notwithstanding he excluded neither forme magnitude nor waight f Then which they hold Nature knoweth nothing more faire or more spacious Seneca Plato in Timeo Tull. de nat deor 2. and other Phylosophers hold this Of the fabulous and pollitike diuinity against Varro CHAP. 6. VArro seeing thou art most acute and doubtlesse most learned yet but a man neither God nor assisted by Gods spirit in the discouery of truth in diuinity thou seest this that the diuine affaires are to bee excluded from humaine vanities and yet thou fearest to offend the peoples vitious opinions and customes in these publike superstitions being notwithstanding such as both thy selfe held and thy written workes affirme to bee directly opposite to the nature of the Deitiâ—…s or such as mens infirmitie surmized was included in the Elements What doth this humaine though excelling wit of thine in this place what helpe doth thy great reading afford thee in these straits Thou art desirous to honor the naturall gods forced to worship the ciuill thou hast found some fabulous ones whom thou darest speak thy minde against giuing a the ciuill some part of their disgrace whether thou wilt or no for thou saist the fabulous are for the Theater the naturall for the world the ciuill for the citty the world beeing the worke of God the Theater Citty of men nor are they other gods that you laugh at then those you worship Nor be your plaies exhibited to any but those you sacrifice vnto how much more subtile were they diuided into some natural and some instituted by men And of these later the Poets bookes taught one part and the priests another yet notwithstanding with such a cohaerence in vntruth yâ— the diueâ—… that like no truth approue theÌ„ both but setting aside your natural diuinity wherof hereafter pleaseth it you to aske or hope for life eternall of your Poetique ridiculous Stage-goddes No at no hand GOD forbid such sacriligious madnesse Will you expect them of those goddes whome these presentations do please and appease though their crimes bee the thinges presented I thinke no man so brainlessly sottish Therefore neither your fabulous diuinity nor your politique can giue you euerlasting life For the first soweth the goddes turpitude and the later by fauouring it moweth it The first spread lies the later collect them The first hanteth the deities with outragious fixions the later imputeth these fixions to the honour of the deities The first makes songs of the goddes lasciuious pranks and the later sings them on the gods feast daies The first recordeth the wickednesses of the goddes and the later loueth the rehearsall of those recordes The first either shameth the goddes or fayneth of them The later either witnesseth the truth or delighteth in the fixion Both are filthy and both are damnable But the fabulous professeth turpitude openly and the politique maketh that turpitude her ornament Is there any hope of life eternall where the temporall suffers such pollution Or doth wicked company and actes of dishonest men pollute our liues and not the society of those false-adorned and filthyly adored fiendes If their faultes be true how vile are they worshipped If false how wicked the worshippers But some ignorant person may gather from this discourse that it is the poeticall fixions only and Stage-presentments that are derogatory from the Deities glory but not the Doctrine of the Priests at any hand that is pure and holy Is it so No if it were they would neuer haue giuen order to erect playes for the goddes honour nor the goddes would neuer haue demaunded it But the Priestes feared not to present such thinges as the goddes honours in the Theaters when as they hadde practised the like in the Temples Lastly our said Author indeauoring to make Politike Diuinity of a third nature from the naturall and fabulous maketh it rather to bee produced from them both then seuerall from eyther For hee saith that the Poets write not so much as the people obserue and the Phylosophers write too much for them to obserue both with notwithstanding they do so eschew that they extract no small part of their ciuill religion from either of them Wherefore wee will write of such thinges as the Poetique and the politique diuinities do communicate Indeed we should acknowledge a greater share from the Phylosophers yet som we must thank the Poets for Yet in anotherplace of the gods generations hee saith the people rather followed the Poets then the Phylosophers for he teacheth what should be don there what was done that the Philosophers wrote for vse the Poets for delight and therfore the poesies that the people must not follow describe the gods crimes yet delight both gods and men for the Poets as he said write for delight and not for vse yet write such thinges as the gods effect and the people present them with L. VIVES GIuing a the ciuill The Coleine readeth Perfundas which wee translate Varro's reproches of the fabulous gods must needes light in part vpon the politique goddes who deriue from
Scirent longos vbi circumflectere cursus Saith Virgil. Here did Aencas sette vpon an oke A signall which inform'd the Saylers plaine How far to row and where to turne againe Aevead 〈◊〉 I haue seeene this place of the text read thus in an old copy Quâ mollis flexus et vnde which indeed is not much amisse Anthony of Lebrixa our industrious gramarian readeth it so d Wealthes meane Out of Plato whence Persius hath all his morallitie In the dialogue called Phaedo Socrates prayeth thus O my deare Pan and all you other goddes giue me that eternal beautie grant that all my externall adiuncts may bee confined to my affects within let me thinke him onely wealthy that is wise Let me haue but so much of riches as no man but he that is temperate can sway or dispose off Thus prayed Socrates and indeed moderat wealth is better worth wishing then excesse e And that for which This he hath from Alcibiades in Plato lib. 2. de voto Wherein Plato teacheth him what to pray for The said sentence of Socrates Valerius rehearseth also Lib. 7. Of prayers Iuuenall saith thus Orandum est vt sit mens sana in corpore sano Pray for a sound soule in as sound a breast Perhaps this limitation of Persius hath reference to that which followeth How to vse money f How to vse money Asper in the text ioyned with Nummus signifieth the roughnesse of the coyne being newly stampt and which is worne smooth by passing from hand to hand So Plinie calles carued vessells which are graced with any bosses or branches standing out Aspera rough Suetonius saith that Nero sought for tried gold and rough or new coyned money with exceeding greedinesse Whether it be taken heere for newlly coyned or because rough peeces were better then the smooth or what they were I know not But that the same vneuen'd peeces were called rough the definition of roughnesse in Plato his Timaeus doth shew Roughnes saith he is hardnesse commixt with vneuenesse g God in vs intends This is out of Plato also who maketh God the commander of al mankind assigning euery one his particular station as in a pitched field from whence hee may not depart without his command And it is a good help vnto the instruction of our life that each of vs know in what ranke of mankind he is placed so to adapt his life to his estate and discharge his function duly be he a husbadman or a citizen a free man or a seruant a craftsman a scholler a minister a soldiour an officer 〈◊〉 Prince or a priuate man That the Philosophers instructions are weake and bootlesse in that they beare no diuine authority because that the examples of the gods are greater confirmations of vices in men then the wise-mens disputations are on the contrary part CHAP. 7. DO you think they will mention their Philosophy schooles vnto vs as for them first of al they are deriued from Greece and not from Rome or if you say they are now Romaine because Greece is become a Prouince of the Romaines I answer againe that the instructions giuen there are not of the documents of your gods but the inuentions of man whose quicke wits especiall indeauour was to find by disputation a what secrets were hid in the treasury of nature b what was to bee desired and what to be auoided in our Morallity c And what was cohaerent by the Lawes of disputation or not following the induction or quite repugnant vnto it And some of these gaue light to great inuentions as the grace of God assisted them but yet they euermore erred as the frailty of man possessed them the diuine prouidence iustly opposing d their vain glory to shew the tract of piety to rise from humblenesse vnto height by their comparrison Which wee shall hereafter take an occasion to search into further by the will of the true and euerlasting God But if it were true that these Philosophers inuented any meanes sufficient to direct one to the attaining of a happy course of life is there not far greater reason to giue them d diuine honours then the other How much more honest were it for to heare Platoes bookes read in a Temple of his then the Galli gelded in the diuels To view the e effeminate consecrated the lunatike gashed with cuttes and each thing else either cruell or beastiall or bestially cruell or cruelly bestiall so commonly celebrated in the sollemnities of such goddes Were it not far more worthy to haue some good lawes of the gods rehearsed vnto the youth for their instruction in integrity then to passe the time in vaine commendations of the labours of illuded antiquitie but indeed f all the worshippers of such gods as soone as they are initiate vnto those luxurious and venemous adorations g As Persius saith do looke more after Iupiters deeds then either Platoes doctrine or Catoes opinions h And here-vpon it is that Terence bringes in the lustfull youth gazing vpon a table picture wherein was drawne how Ioue sent downe a showre of gold into the lap of Danae and this was a fit president for this youth to follow in his lust with a boast that he didde but imitate a god But what god saith he Euen he that shakes the Temples with his thunder since he aid thus shal I a meane wretch to him make bones of it No I did it with all mine heart L. VIVES WHat a secrets were hid Hee touches the three kindes of Phylosophy in this place the Naturall b what was to be desired Here the Morall c What was coherent Here the Rationall or Logicall Of these hereafter d Their vaine glory Because all that they inuented they ascribed vnto their owne wittes sharpnesse and not a whit vnto gods influence Of this Lactantius disputeth at large e Effeminate consecrated Al these Galli were al of them beastly villaines Sodomites giuen to al filthinesse in the world Of whome Apuleyus relates most abhominable things in the eighth and ninth book of his Asse So doth Lucian also whence Appuleyus had his argument f All the worships The examples of those whom we reuerence do moue vs much for we indeauor to imitate them in al things be they gods or men the people affects the fashion of the Prince the schollers of the maister they honour and all mortall men their conditions whom they hold immortall And here-vppon is our Sauiour Christ and his Saints set before al of our religion to be obserued and imitated Plato lib. de Repub. 2. amongst diuers reasons why he wil not tollerate Poets in his common-wealth brings this for one because their fictions of the gods giue examples very preiudiciall vnto the honesty of the readers as their warres thefts seditions adulteries and such like Out of which Lucian hath the words he giues to Menippus in his Necromantia I saith he being a boy and hearing Hesiod and Homer singing of seditions and wars not onely those
this and feare to doe well before men and so become lesse profitable by striuing to keepe their vertuous acts in secret then other-wise he saith againe Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good workes and glorifie your father which is in heauen Doe not well with an intent that men should see you doe so and so turne to behold you who are not what you are by them but doe so that they may glorifie your father in heauen vnto whom if they turne they may bee such as you are Thus did the Martirs that excelled the Scaeuola's Câ—…rtij and Decij not by punishing them-selues but by learning the inflictions of others in true vertue piety and innumerable multitude But the others liuing in an earthly citty wherein the end of all their endeuours was by them-selues propounded to themselues the fame namely and domination of this world and not the eternitie of heauen not in the euerlasting life but in their owne ends and the mouthes of their posteritie what should they Ioue but glory whereby they desired to suruiue after death in the e memories and mouthes of such as commended them L. VIVES THen yeeld a to it So must the sence be wee must resist the desire of glorie and not yeeld to it b Not onely not wee haue giuen it the best reading of all I thinke and the nearest to likelyhood c Before my father Matt. 10. 33. d Before the Angels of God Luc. 12. 9. e Memories and mouthes I flie as liuing through the mouthes of men â—…aith Ennius Of the temporall rewards that God bestowed vpon the Romaines vertues and good conditions CHAP. 15. SVch therefore as we haue spoken of if God did neither meane to blesse them with eternitie in his heauenly cittie amongst his Angels to which societie that true pietie brings men which affordeth that true diuine worship which the Greekes call a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to none but onely the true God nor to vouchsafe them an earthly glory or excellence of Emperiall dignity then should their vertues the good actes whereby they endeuoured to ascend to this glory passe vnrewarded But the Lord saith euen of such as doe good for humaine glory Verely I say vnto you they haue their reward These therefore that neglected their priuate estates for the common-wealth and publike treasurie opposing couetise hauing a full care of their countries freedome and liuing according to their lawes without touch of lust or guilt these seemed to goe the right way to get them-selues honour and did so honored they are almost all the world ouer all nations very neare receiued their lawes honored were they then in all mens mouths and now in most mens writings through the world Thus haue they no reason to complaine of Gods iustice they haue their reward L. VIVES Call a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to worship or to serue Of the reward of the eternall cittizens of heauen to whom the examples of the Romaines vertues were of good vse CHAP. 16. BVt as for their rewarde that endure reproches here on earth for the cittie of GOD which the louers of the world doe hate and deride that is of another nature That City is eternall No man a is borne in it because no man dieth in it Felicity is there fully yet no goddesse but a Gods guift of this habitation haue wee a promise by faith as long as wee are here in pilgrimage on earth and longe for that rest aboue The Sunne ariseth not there both vpon good and bad but the Sonne of righteousnesse shineth onely ouer the good There shal be no neede to respect the common treasury more then the priuate truth is all the treasure that lieth there And therefore the Romaine Empire had that glorious increase not onely to bee a fit guerdon to the vertues of such worthies as wee fore-named but also that the cittizens of heauen in their pilgrimages vpon earth might obserue those examples with a sober diligence and thence gather how great care loue and respect ought to bee carried to the heauenly country for life eternall if those men had such a deare affect to their earthly country for glory so temporall L. VIVES NO man a is borne That is their is no increase of them no more then there is decease theâ—… iust number being predestinate and fore-knowne by the eternall GOD himselfe The fruites of the Romaines warres both to themselues and to those with whom they warred CHAP. 17. FOr what skilleth it in respect of this short and transitory life vnder whose dominion a mortall man doth liue so hee bee not compelled to actes of impiety or iniustice But did the Romaines euer hurt any of the nations whom they conquered and gaue lawes vnto but in the very fury and warre of the conquest If they could haue giuen those lawes by agreement it had beene better but then had beene no place for triumph for the Romaines liued vnder the same lawes themselues that they gaue to others This a had beene sufficient for the state but that Mars Bellona and Victory should then haue beene displeased and displaced also if they had had no wars nor no victories Would not then the states of Rome and other nations haue beene all one especially that beeing done which was most grauely and worthyly performed afterwardes b euery man that belonged to the Romaine Empire beeing made free of the citty as though they were now all cittizens of Rome whereas before there was but a very few so that such as had no landes should liue of the common this would haue beene granted vnto good gouernours by other nations sooner by intreaty then force For what doth conquering or beeing conquered hurt or profit mens liues manners or dignities either I see no good it doth but onely addeth vnto their intollerable vaine-glory who ayme at such matters and warre for them and lastly receiue them as their labours rewarde Doth not their land pay tribute to the state as well as others Yes May they learne any thing that others may not No. c And are there not many Senators that neuer saw Rome True Take away vaine-glory and what are men but men Anâ—… if the peruersenesse of the age would permit the verie best meanes for 〈◊〉 beare away the greatest honours then should not this humaine honour bâ—… so prize-worthy howsoeuer beeing but a breath and a light fume But yet 〈◊〉 vs vse these things to doe our selues good towardes GOD. Let vs coâ—…sider what obstacles these men haue scornâ—…d what paines they haue takâ—… what affects they haue suppressed and onely for this humaine glorie which afterward they receiued as the reward of their vertues and let this serue to suppresse our pride also that seeing the cittie wherein wee haue promised habitation and Kingdome is as farre diffrent from this in excellence as Heauen from earth life eternall from mirth temporall firme glory from fuming vaine-glory angells
this great huge masse that framed and guideth all the waters that set vp the sunne as the worlds clearest light and gaue it congruent act and motion c that taketh not all power from the spirits infernall that afforded nourishment moist or dry vnto euery creature according to the temperature that founded the earth and maketh it fertill that giueth the fruites thereof to men and beasts that knowes and orders all causes principall and secondary that giueth the moone her motion and hath set downe waies in heauen and earth to direct our change of place that hath grac'd the wit he created with arts and sciences as ornaments to nature that instituted copulation for propagation sake that gaue men the vse of the earthly fire to meet by and vse in their conuentions Tâ—…se â—…re the things that learned Varro either from others doctrine or his owne 〈◊〉 striueth to ascribe vnto the selected Gods by a sort of I wotte nere 〈◊〉 â—…aiurall interpretations L. VIVES WHâ—… a two parts Gen. 1. 1. In the beginning God created heauen and earth Which 〈◊〉 make the whole world including in heauen all things celestiall in earth all things mortall b And now An Epilogue of all the gods powers which he hath disputed of c That taketh Read Iob. 40. 41. of the deuills power from God The meanes to discerne the Creator from the creatures and to auoyde the worshipping of so many gods for one because there are so many powers in one CHAP. 30. BVt these are the operation of one onely and true God yet as one the saâ—…e god in all plaâ—… all in all not included in place not confined to locall quaâ—…tie â—…sible and immutable filling heauen and earth with his present power His nature a needing no helpe So doth he dispose of all his workes of creation â—…t each one hath the peculiar motion permitted it For though it can doe noâ—… without him yet is not any thing that which he is He doth much by his Angeâ—… 〈◊〉 onely he maketh them also blessed So that imagine he do send his Angelâ—…â—…o 〈◊〉 for some causes yet he maketh not the men blessed by his Angels bâ—… by hiâ—… selfe he doth the angels from this true and euerlasting God and from noâ—…â—…ther hope we for life eternall L. VIVES 〈◊〉 Nâ—…ding as the other gods do that must be faine to haue assistance in their faculty poweâ—… The Peeâ—…r benefits besides his coâ—…on bounty that God bestoweth vpon his seruants CHAP. 26. FOr of him besides these benefits whereof wee haue spoken partly such as 〈◊〉 left to the administration of nature and bestowed both vpon good and bad wee 〈◊〉 a particular bounty of his loue perticular only to the good for although we 〈◊〉 neuer yeeld him sufficient thankes for our being life sence and vnderstanding of him yet for that he hath not forsaken vs when we were inuolued in sinne turâ—…d away from his contemplation and blinded with loue of blacke iniquity for that 〈◊〉 hath sent vs his Word his onely Sonne by whose incarnation and extrâ—… passion for vs we might conceiue how a dearely god esteemed vs and 〈◊〉 singuler sacrifice bee purged from our guilt and by the illumination of 〈◊〉 spirit in our hears tread downe all difficulties and ascend to that eternall 〈◊〉 ineffable sweetnes of his contemplation what heart how many tounges 〈◊〉 to returne sufficient thankes for this last benefit L. VIVES 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dearely Rom. 8. 32. Who spared not his owne sonne but gaue him for vs all to death c. 〈◊〉 That the Mistery of our redemption by Christ was not obscure in the precedent times but continually intimated in diuers significations CHAP. 32. 〈◊〉 Mistery of Eternall life euen from the first originall of mankinde was 〈◊〉 the angells declared vnto such as God voutchsafed by diuers signes 〈◊〉 â—…all shadowes congruent to the times wherin they were shewed And 〈◊〉 â—…ebrewes being gathered into a common wealth to keepe the memory 〈◊〉 â—…ty had diuers that prophecied the things that should fall out from the 〈◊〉 of Christ vnto a this very day some of which Prophets b vnderstood 〈◊〉 â—…cies and some did not Afterwards they were pispersed amongst the 〈◊〉 leaue them c the testimony of the scriptures which promised eâ—…ernal 〈◊〉 Iesus Christ for not only al the Prophecies which were in words 〈◊〉 â—…epts which had reference to actions and manners were therein conâ—… but all their sacrifices also the Priesthoods temple or tabernacle altars â—…ies feasts and what euer hath reference to that diuine worship of God 〈◊〉 presages and propheticall significations of that eternall life bestowed by 〈◊〉 all which we now beleeue either are fulfilled or see are now in fulfilling 〈◊〉 shal be fulfilled hereafter in him L. VIVES 〈◊〉 a this very day For the Prophecies are not yet at an end and though the summe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all were fuâ—…filled in Christ yet by him diuers things since are to come to passe 〈◊〉 particularly beene intimated in the prophecies as that not in one prophet onely 〈◊〉 â—…ring together of the dispersed Israell at the end of the world b Understood All 〈◊〉 â—…phets vnderstood not their prophecies nor did those that vnderstood part vnderâ—… 〈◊〉 they spoake not them-selues but by Gods inspiraâ—…ion whose counselles they 〈◊〉 fully acquainted with nor did God vse them as men skilfull in future euents but 〈◊〉 as hee ment to speake to the poeple by yet deny we not but that the summe of all their 〈◊〉 thâ—…ing of the Messias was reuealed to them by God almighty The gentiles 〈◊〉 of opinion that the Sybills and the other Prophets vnderstood not all their presages 〈◊〉 â—…ey spake them at such times as they were rapt beyond their reason and hauing put 〈◊〉 proper mindes were filled with the deity And therefore Iamblicus saith that the 〈◊〉 and sober that the Sibilles and prophets are in their prophecying the dasker and obscurer their prophecies are and then they speake plainely and clearly when they are wholy Enthusiasticall In mysteriis c The testimonie That the scriptures might be dispersed throughout the world wherein the consequents of Christs comming and suffering were so plainely described that none that had seene or heard of Christs life and doings could deny that he it waâ—…of whom they were prophecied That Christianity onely is of power to lay open the Deuills subtilty and delight in illuding of ignorant men CHAP. 33. THis onely true religion is of power to lay open that the Gentiles gods are most vncleane spirits desiring vpon the occasion of some departed soules or vnder the shapes of some earthly creatures to bee accounted gods and in their proud impurity taking pleasure in those obscaenities as in diuine honours maligning the conuersion of all mens soules vnto the true God From whose beastly and abhominable tyranny a man then getteth free when hee layeth his beliefe vpon him who by his rare example of humillity declared from what height and
afflicted shall not perish for euer Their patience shall not be eternall such needeth onely where miseries are to be eternally endured But that which their pacience shall attaine shall be eternal So it may be that this pure feare is said to remaine for euer because the scope whereas it aymes is euerlasting which beeing so and a good course onely leading to beatitude then hath a badde life badde affects and a good life good ones And the eternall beatitude shall haue both ioye and loue not onely right but firme and vnmoouing but shal bee vtterly quit of feare and sorrow Hence is it apparant what courses GODS Citties ought to runne in this earthly pilgrimage making the spirit not the flesh GOD and not humanity the lanterae to their pathes and here also wee see their estate in their immortall future instalement But the Cittie of the impious that saile after the compasse of carnalitie and in their most diuine matters reiect the truth of GOD and relie vpon the t instructions of men is shaken with these affects as with earthquakes and infected with them as with pestilent contagions And if any of the cittizens seeme to curbe themselues from these courses u they growe so impiously proude and vaine-glorious that the lesse their trouble is by these passions the bigger their tumour And if any of them bee so rarely vaine and barbarous as to embrace a direct stupidity beecomming insensible of all affect they doe rather abiure true man-hood then attaine true peace Roughnesse doth not prooue a thing right nor x can dulnesse produce solid soundnesse L. VIVES FRom a Paganisme So did not Paul for hee was an Israelitie of the tribe of Beniamin and therefore some bookes doe fasly read He that came from paganisme c. b Taught There were maisters of fence that taught these champions Aug. alludeth to them c Anoynâ—…d from Some reade bound vnto in as Paul himselfe saith and this is more proper though his allusion run through the anoynting exercise and fashions of the champions d Crucified For they had certaine bounds that they might not passe in any exercise e Glorified Victorious f In the Theater Before a full and honorable viewe g Lawfull The champions had their lawes each might not play that would h Great fight They had their lesser fights and their greater as had the runners and the wrastlers i The marke That beeing perfect and hauing past daily more and more contentions hee might at length become Maister of the fiue exercises and haue his full degree Pauls wordes are in the Epistle to the Philippians 3. 13. 14. l Fightings Hee reckneth Pauls affects beeing all good m Yet shall wee weepe Either suddainely or forcibly for ioye or sorrow n For he He was God and Man and therefore had his affects in his power to extend or represse at pleasure ours are violent and whirle vs with them through all obstacles by reason of our owne impotent infirmity and therefore wee say our minde is impotent in yeelding herevnto o Such as want 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such as are senceâ—…se of misery or happinesse in themselues or friends and those stupidities much like the Greekes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of whom reade Pliny lib. 7. Socrates they say was neuer seene to change his â—…ance this continuall fixation of minde some-times turneth into a rigid sowrenesse of 〈◊〉 abolishing all affects from the soule and such men the Greekes call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p A great schâ—… Crantors opinion the Academike in Tully Tusc. quest 3. q Therefore the Sâ—… Epist. lib. 1. Explaine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with one worde and call it impacience wee cannot withoâ—… 〈◊〉 For so wee may come to haue our meaning to bee thought iust contrary to what it is Wee meane one that is sencelesse of all euill and wee may bee thought to meane one that iâ—… too sensible of the least thinke then whether wee may better say invulnerable or impatient This is that difference betweene vs and the Epicureans Our wise-man feeles 〈◊〉 but subdues them â—…l theirs are acquit from feeling them Thus Seneca 〈◊〉 â—…rime The difference betweene crime and sinne he declareth Tract 41. sup Ioan thus a 〈◊〉 saith hee is an act worthy of accusation and comdemnation And therefore the Apostle 〈◊〉 â—…der for the election of Priests Deacons or other Church-men saith not if any of you 〈◊〉 sinne for so he should exclude all Man-kind from beeing elected but if any bee 〈◊〉 â—…ime as man slaughter whoredome some kind of enuy adultery theft fraud sacriledge and 〈◊〉 Thus to explane this place s All feare Or this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to be expected t Inâ—… Some arts the deuills taught men as Magike Astrology and all diuination excepâ—…â—…phecy Plato saith that a diuell called Theut inuented Arithmetik Geometry Astroâ—…â—…d Dicyng and taught them to Thamus King of Egypt I doubt not but that Logike 〈◊〉 â—…uills inuention also it teacheth the truths opposition and obstinacy in falsenesse so â—…ly delighting to put verity to the worse by deceipte u They grow so Pride was â—…on vice almost of all the Philosophers x Stupidity or dulnesse The Phisitians when 〈◊〉 cure an hurt member do apply their stupes to avoyd the sence of paine onely but 〈◊〉 â—…sease of the part which they are often faynâ—…â—…ut of Whether man had those perturbations in Paradise before his fall CHAP. 10. 〈◊〉 is a good question whether our first parent or parents for they were 〈◊〉 in mariage had those naturall affects ere they sinned which wee shal bee â—…ed of when wee are perfectly purified If they had them how had they that â—…ble blisse of Paradise who can be directly happy that either feares or forâ—… how could they either feare or grieue in that copious affluence of blisse 〈◊〉 they were out of the danger of death and sicknesse hauing althings that a â—…ll desired and wanting althings that might giue their happinesse iust 〈◊〉 â—…fence Their loue to God was vnmoued their vnion sincere and 〈◊〉 exceeding delightfull hauing power to inioy at full what they loued 〈◊〉 in a peaceable avoydance of sinne which tranquility kept out all exâ—…â—…oyance Did they desire thinke yee to tast the forbidden frute and yet 〈◊〉 die God forbid we should thinke this to be where there was no sinne 〈◊〉 a sinne to desire to breake Gods command and to forbeare it rather for 〈◊〉 â—…unishment then loue of iustice God forbid I say that ere that sinne was 〈◊〉 be verified of the forbiddeÌ„ fruit which Christ saith of a womaÌ„ whosoeuer 〈◊〉 â—…ter a woman to lust after her hath already committed adultery with her in his 〈◊〉 How happy were our first parents being troubled with no perturbations 〈◊〉 nor no sickenesse of body euen so happy should all man-kind haue bin 〈◊〉 not transfused that misery which their sinne incurred into their posteâ—… any of their seed had committed an act worthy of codemnation And 〈◊〉 remayning vntill
laborious worke Prayse thy LORD O Ierusalem praise thy LORD O Zion for hee hath made fast the barres of thy gates and blessed thy children within thee hee hath made peace thy borders When the barres of the gates are fast as none can come in so none can goe out And therefore this peace which wee call finall is the borders and bounds of this citty for the misticall name hereof Ierusalem signifieth A vision of peace but because the name of peace is ordinary in this world where eternity is not resident therefore wee choose rather to call the bound where in the chiefe good of this citty lieth life eternall rather then peace Of which end the Apostle saith Now beeing freed from sinne and made seruants to GOD you haue your fruite in holynesse and the end euerlasting life But on the other-side because such as are ignorant in the scriptures may take this euerlasting life in an ill sence for the life of the wicked which is eternally euill either as some Philosophers held because the soule cannot die or as our faith teacheth because torments cannot cease yet should not the wicked feele them eternally but that they haue also their eternall life therefore the maine end of this citties ayme is either to be called eternity in peace or peace in eternity and thus it is plaine to all For a the good of peace is generally the greatest wish of the world and the most welcome when it comes Whereof I thinke wee may take leaue of our reader to haue a word or two more both because of the citties end whereof we now speake and of the sweetnesse of peace which all men doe loue L. VIVES THe a good of peace Nothing is either more pleasant or more profitable more wished or more welcome Peace is the chiefe good and warre the chiefe euill Xenoph. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And the peace of minde is that which Democritus called the great faelicity The Stoikes make concord one of beatitudes chiefest goods That the bloudiest warres chiefe ayme is peaces they desire which is naturall in man CHAP. 12. VVHich hee that marketh but mans affaires and the a generall forme of nature will confesse with me For ioy and peace are desired a like of all men The warrior would but conquer warres ayme is nothing but glorious peace what is victory but a suppression of resistants which beeing done peace followeth So that peace is warres purpose the scope of all military discipline and the limmite at which all iust contentions leuell All men seeke peace by war but none seekes warre by peace For they that perturbe the peace they liue in do it not forâ—…e of it but to shew their power in alteration of it They would not disanull it but they would haue it as they like and though they breake into seditions from the rest yet must they hold a peace full force with their fellowes that are engaged with them or els they shall neuer effect what they intend Euen the theeues themselues that molest all the world besides them are at peace amongst themselues Admit one be so strong or suttle that he will haue no fellow but plaieth all his parts of roguery alone yet such as hee can neither cut off nor liâ—… to make knowne his facts vnto with those he must needs hold a kinde of peace And at home with his wife and family there must he needs obserue quietnesse and questionlesse delighteth in their obedience vnto him which if they faile in â—…e chafes and chides and strikes setting all in order by force if need bee or by cruelly which he seeth he cannot doe vnlesse all the rest be subiected vnder one head which is himselfe And might hee haue the sway of a citty or prouince in such sort as he hath that of his house he would put off his theeuish forme and put on a Kings albeit his couetousnesse and malice remained vnchanged Thus then you see that all men desire to haue peace with such as they would haue liue according to their liking For those against whom they wage warre they would make their owne if they could and if they conquere them they giue them such lawes as they like b But let vs imagine some such insociable fellow as the poets fable recordeth calling him c Halfe-man for his inhumaine barbarisme Now he although his Kingdome lay in a lightlesse caue and his villanies so rare that they gaue him that great name of d Cacus which is Euill though his wife neuer had good word of him hee neuer plaied with his children nor ruled them in their manlier age neuer spake with friend not so much as with e his father Vulcan then whom he was farre more happy in that he begot no such monster as Vulcan had in begetting him though hee neuer gaue to any but robbed and reaued all that hee could gripe from all manner of persons yea and f the persons themselues yet in that horred dungeon of his whose flore walls were alwaies danke with the bloud of new slaughters hee desired nothing but to rest in peace therein without molestation He desired also to bee at peace with himselfe and what hee had he enioyed he ruled ouer his owne bodie and to satisfie his owne hungry nature that menaced the seperation of soule and body he fell to his robberies with celerity and though he were barbarous and bloudie yet in all that he had a care to prouide for his life and safety and therefore if hee would haue had that peace with others which he had in the caue with himselfe alone hee should neither haue beene called Halfe-man nor Monster But if it were his horrible shape and breathing of fire that made men avoide him than was it not will but necessity that made him liue in that caue and play the thiefe for his liuing But there was no such man or if there were hee was no such as the poets faigne him For vnlesse they had mightily belied Cacus they should not sufficiently haue h commended Hercules But as I sayd it is like that there was no such man no more then is truth in many other of their fictions for the very wild beasts part of whose brutishnesse they place in him doe preserue a peace each with other i in their kinde begetting breeding and liuing together amongst themselues beeing otherwise the insociable births of the deserts I speake not here of Sheepe Deere Pigeons Stares or Bees but of Lions Foxes Eagles and Owles For what Tyger is there that doth not nousle her yong â—…s sawn vpon them in their tendernesse what Kite is there though he fly soâ—…ily about for his prey but wil tread his female build his nest sit his egges seed his young and assist his fellow in her motherly duety all that in him lieth Farre stronger are the bands that binde man vnto society and peace with all that are peaceable the worst men of all doe fight for their fellowes quietnesse and
aboundance at length hee concludeth thus they haue sayd Blessed are the people that bee so yea but blessed are the people whose God is the Lord. b Charity In the Apostle it is honesty 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The peace of Gods seruants the fulnesse whereof it is impossible in this life to comprehend CHAP. 27. BVt as for our proper peace we haue it double with God heere below by faith and here-after aboue a by sight But all the peace we haue here bee it publike or peculiar is rather a solace to our misery then any assurance of our felicity And for our righteousnesse although it be truly such because the end is the true good where-vnto it is referred yet as long as we liue here it consisteth b rather of sinnes remission then of vertues perfection witnesse that prayer which all Gods pilgrims vse and euery member of his holy Citty crying dayly vnto him Forgiue vs our trespasses as wee forgiue them that trespasse against vs. c Nor doth this prayer benefite them whose faith wanting workes is dead but them whose faith worketh by loue for because our reason though it be subiect vnto God yet as long as it is in the corruptible body which burdeneth the soule cannot haue the affects vnder perfect obedience therefore the iustest man stands in neede of this prayer For though that reason haue the conquest it is not without combat And still one touch of infirmity or other creepeth vpon the best conquerour euen when he hopes that he holds all viciousnesse vnder making him fall either by some vaine word or some inordinate thought if it bring him not vnto actuall errour And therefore as long as we ouer-rule sinne our peace is imperfect because both the affects not as yet conquered are subdued by a dangerous conflict and they that are vnder already doe deny vs all securitie and keepe vs dooing in a continuall and carefull command So then in all these temptations whereof God said in a word d Is not the life of man a temptation vpon earth who dare say hee liueth so as hee need not say to God Forgiue vs our trespasses none but a proud soule Nor is he mighty but madly vain-glorious that in his owne righteousnesse will resist him who giueth grace to the humble where-vpon it is written God resisteth the proud and giueth grace to the humble Mans iustice therefore is this to haue God his Lord and him-selfe his subiect his soule maister ouer his body and his reason ouer sinne eyther by subduing it or resisting it and to intreate God both for his grace for merite and his pardon for sinne and lastly to be gratefull for all his bestowed graces But in that final peace vnto which all mans peace and righteousnesse on earth hath reference immortality and incorruption doe so refine nature from viciousnesse that there wee shall haue no need of reason to rule ouer sinne for there shall bee no sinne at all there but GOD shall rule man and the soule the body obedience shall there bee as pleasant and easie as the state of them that liue shal be glorious and happy And this shall all haue vnto all eternity and shal be sure to haue it so and therefore the blessednesse of this peace or the peace of this blessednesse shall be the fulnesse and perfection of all goodnesse L. VIVES BY a sight Being then face to face with GOD. b Rather of sinnes For the greatest part of our goodnesse is not our well doing but Gods remission of our sinnes c Nor doth this For as a medecine otherwise holesome cannot benefit a dead body so this parcell of praier can doe him as little good that saith it if in the meane while hee bee not friends with his brother d Is not mans Our vulgar translation is Is there not an appointed time for man vpon earth but Saint Aug. followes the LXX as he vseth To liue sayth Seneca is to wage continuall warre So that those that are tossed vppe and downe in difficulties and aduenture vpon the roughest dangers are valourous men and captaines of the campe whereas those that sit at rest whilest others take paines are tender turtles and buy their quiet with disgrace The end of the wicked CHAP. 28. BVt on the other side they that are not of this society are desteined to eternall misery called the second death because there euen the soule being depriued of GOD seemeth not to liue much lesse the body bound in euerlasting torments And therefore this second death shal be so much the more cruell in that it shall neuer haue end But seeing warre is the contrary of peace as misery is vnto blisse and death to life it is a question what kinde of warre shall reigne as then amongst the wicked to answere and oppose the peace of the Godly But marke only the hurt of war it is plainly apparant to be nothing but the aduerse dispose and contentious conflict of things betweene themselues What then can be worse then that where the will is such a foe to the passion the passion to the will that they are for euer in-suppressible and ir-reconcileable and where nature and paine shall hold an eternall conflict and yet the one neuer maister the other In our conflicts here on earth either the paine is victor and so death expelleth sence of it or nature conquers and expells the paine But there paine shall afflict eternally and nature shall suffer eternally both enduring to the continuance of the inflicted punishment But seeing that the good and the badde are in that great iudgement to passe vnto those ends the one to bee sought for and the other to bee fled from by Gods permission and assistance I will in the next booke following haue a little discourse of that last day and that terrible iâ—…gement Finis lib. 19. THE CONTENTS OF THE twentith booke of the City of God 1. Gods iâ—…dgments continually effected his last iudgement the proper subiect of this booke following 2. The change of humaine estates ordered by Gods vnsearcheable iudgements 3. Salomons disputation in Eclesiastes concerning those goods which both the iust and vniust doe share in 4. The Authors resolution in this dicourse of the iudgement to produce the testimonies of the New Testament first and then of the Old 5. Places of Scripture proouing that there shal be a day of iudgment at the worlds end 6. What the first resurrection is and what the second 7. Of the two Resurrections what may bee thought of the thousand yeares mentioned in Saint Iohns reuelation 8. Of the binding and loosing of the deuill 9. What is meant by Christs raigning a thousand yeare with the Saints and the difference betweene that and his eternall reigne 10. An answere to the obiection of some affirming that resurrection is proper to the body only and not to the Soule 11. Of Gog and Magog whom the deuill at the worlds end shall stirre vp against the church of God 12. Whether
the fire falling from heauen and deuouring them imply the last torments of the wicked 13. Whether it bee a thousand yeares vntill the persecution vnder Antechrist 14. Sathan and his followers condemned a recapitulation of the Resurrection and the last iudgement 15. Of the dead whom the sea and death hell shall giue vp to iudgement 16. Of the new Heauen and the new Earth 17. Of the glorification of the church after death for euer 18. Saint Peters doctrine of the resurrection of the dead 19. Saint Pauls words to the Thessalonians Of the manifestation of Antechrist whose times shall immediatly fore-run the day of the LORD 20. Saint Pauls doctrine of the resurrection of the dead 21. Esaias his doctrine concerning the iudgment and resurrection 22. How the Saints shall goe forth to see the paines of the wicked 23. Daniels prophecy of Antichrist of the iudgment and of the kingdome of the Saints 24. Dauids prophecies of the worlds end the last iudgment 25. Malachies prophecy of the iudgement and of such as are to be purged by fire 26. Of the Saints offrings which God shall accept of as in the old time and the years before 27. Of the separation of the good from the bad in the end of the last iudgement 28. Moyses law to be spiritually vnderstood for feare of dangerous error 29. Helias his comming to conuert the Iewes before the iudgment 30. That it is not euident in the Old Testament in such places as say God shall iudge that it shal be in the person of Christ but onely by some of the testimonies where the LORD GOD speaketh FINIS THE TVVENTITH BOOKE OF THE CITTIE OF GOD Written by Saint Augustine Bishop of Hippo vnto Marcellinus Gods iudgements continually effected His last iudgement the proper subiect of this booke following CHAP. 1. BEing now to discourse of the day of GODS last iudgement against the faithlesse and the wicked wee must lay downe holy scriptures first for the foundation of our following structure Which some beleeue not but oppose them with fond and friuolous arguments wresting them either quite vnto another purpose or vtterly denying them to containe any thing diuine For I doe not thinke that man liueth who vnderstanding them as they are spoken and beleeuing that GOD inspired them into sanctified men will not giue his full assent vnto what they auerre but hee must needes professe as much bee he neuer so ashamed or afraid to auouch it or neuer so obstinate that he would conceale it and study to defend mere and knowne falshood against it Wherefore the whole church beleeueth and professeth that Christ is to come from heauen to iudge both the quicke and the dead and this wee call the day of GODS iudgement the last time of all for how many daies this iudgement will hold wee know not but the scripture vseth Daie for Time verie often as none that vseth to reade it but well discerneth it And wee when we speake of this daie doe adde last the last daie because that GOD doth iudge at this present and hath done euer since hee set man forth of paradice and chased our first parents from the tree of life for their offences nay from the time that hee cast out the transgressing Angells whose enuious Prince doth all that hee canne now to ruine the soules of men It is his iudgement that both men and deuills doe liue in such miseries and perturbations in ayre and earth fraught with nothing but euills and errors And if no man had offended it had beene his good iudgement that man and all reasonable creatures had liued in perfect beatitude and eternall coherence with the LORD their GOD. So that he iudgeth not onely men and deuills vnto misery in generall but hee censureth euery perticular soule for the workes it hath performed out of freedome of will For the deuills pray that they may not bee tormented neither doth GOD vniustly either in sparing them or punnishing them And man some-times in publike but continually in secret feeleth the hand of Almightie GOD punnishing him for his trespasses and misdeedes either in this life or in the next though no man canne doe well without the helpe of GOD nor any diuill can doe hurt without his iust permission For as the Apostle sayth Is there vnrighteousnesse in GOD GOD forbid and in another place Vnsearcheable are his iudgements and his waies past finding out I intend not therefore in this booke to meddle with Gods ordinary daylie iudgements or with those at first but with that great and last Iudgement of his by his gratious permission when CHRIST shall come from heauen To iudge both the quicke and the dead for that is properly called the Iudgement-day because a there shal bee no place for ignorant complaint vpon the happinesse of the bad and the misery of the good The true and perfect felicity in that day shal be assured onely to the good and eternall torment shall then shew it selfe as an euerlasting inheritance onely for the euill L. VIVES THere a shal be no place for In this life many men stumble at the good fortunes and prosperity of the badde and the sad misfortunes of the good They that know not that fortunes goods are no goods at all as the wicked doe beleeue they are doe wonder at this But indeede the wicked neuer enioy true good nor doth true euill euer befall the good For the names of goods and euills that are giuen to those things that these men admire are in farre other respect then they are aware of and that makes their fond iudgements condemne the ordering of things But at the last Iudgement of CHRIST where the truth of good and bad shall appeare then shall good fall onely to the righteous and bad to the wicked and this shal be there vniuersally acknowledged The change of humane estates ordered by Gods vnsearcheable iudgements CHAP. 2. BVt here on earth the euills endured by the good men instruct vs to endure them with pacience and the goods enioyed by the wicked aduise vs not to affect them with immoderation Thus in the things where GODS iudgements are not to bee discouered his counsell is not to bee neglected Wee know not why GOD maketh this bad man ritch and that good man poore that hee should haue ioy whose deserts wee hold worthier of paines and hee paynes whose good life wee imagine to merite content that the Iudges corruption or testimonies falsenesse should send the innocent away condemned much more vn-cleared and the iniurious foe should depart reuenged much more vnpunished that the wicked man should liue sound 〈◊〉 the Godly lie bedde-ridde that lusty youthes should turne theeues and those that neuer did hurt in worde bee plagued with extremity of sicknesse That silly infantes of good vse in the world should bee cut off by vntimeâ—… 〈◊〉 while they that seeme vnworthie euer to haue beene borne attaine long 〈◊〉 happie life that the guilty should be honoured and the Godlie
it vnto one of the least of these my bretheren yee haue done it vnto mee Then shall hee say vnto them on the left hand Depart from mee yee cursed into euerlasting fire which is prepared for the deuill and his Angells for I was an hungered and yee gaâ—…e mee no meate I thirsted and yee gaue mee no drinke c. Then shall they also answere him saying LORD when sawe wee thee hungery or a thirst or a stranger or naked or in prison or sicke and did not minister vnto thee Then shall hee answere them and saie Verelie I saie vnto you in asmuch as yee did it not vnto one of the least of these yee did it not vnto mee And these shâ—…ll goe into euerlasting fire and the righteous into life eternall Now Iohn the Euangelist sheweth plainely that CHRIST fore-told this iudgement to bee at the resurrection For hauing sayd The Father iudgeth no man but hath committed all iudgement vnto the Sonne Because all men should honour the Sonne as they honour the Father hee that honoureth not the Sonne the sâ—…e honoureth not the Father that sent him Hee addeth forth-with Verelie verelie I say vnto you hee that heareth my Worde and beleeâ—…eth in him that sent mee hath euerlasting life and shall not come into c iudgement but shall passe from death to life Behold heere hee 〈◊〉 directly that the faithfull shall not bee iudged How then shall they by his iudgement bee seuered from the faithlesse vnlesse iudgement bee vsed heere for condemnation For that is the iudgement into which they that heare his word and beleeue in him that sent him shall neuer enter L. VIVES TYrus a and Sydon Two Citties on the Coast of Phoenicia called now Suri and Saiâ—… Postell Niger b Hee sayd not The accusers of the guilty persons are sayd to condemne him aswell as the Iudges c Iudgement but shall passe Our translation readeth it condemnation but hath passed Hierome readeth it transiet What the first resurrection is and what the second CHAP. 6. THen hee proceedeth in these words Verely verelie I say vnto you the houre shall come and now is when the dead shall heare the voyce of the Sonne of GOD and they that heare it shall liue For as the father hath life in himselfe so likewise hath â—…ee giuen vnto the Sonne to haue life in himselfe Hee doth not speake as yet of the second resurrection of that of the bodies which is to come but of the first resurrection which is now For to distinguish these two hee sayth the houre shall come and now is Now this is the soules resurrection not the bodies for the soules haue their deaths in sinne as the bodies haue in nature and therein were they dead of whome Our Sauiour sayd let the dead bury the dead to witte let the dead in soule bury the dead in bodie So then these wordes The houre shall come and now is when the dead shall heare the voice of the Sonne of GOD and they that heare it shall liue They that heare it that is they that obey it beleeue it and remaine in it Hee maketh no distinction heere betweene good and euill none at all For it is good for all to heare his voice and thereby to passe out of the death of sinne and impiety vnto life and eternity Of this death in sinne the Apostle speaketh in these wordes If one bee dead for all then were all dead and hee died for all that they which liue should not hence-forth liue vnto themselues but vnto him which died for them and rose againe Thus then all were dead in sinne none excepted either in originall sinne or in actuall either by being ignorant of good or by knowing good and not performing it and for all these dead soules one liuing Son came and died liuing that is one without all sinne that such as get life by hauing their sinnes remitted should no more liue vnto themselues but vnto him that suffered for all our sinnes and rose againe for all our iustifications that wee which beleeue vpon the iustifier of the wicked beeing iustified out of wickednesse and raysed as it were from death to life nay bee assured to belong vnto the first resurrection that now is For none but such as are heires of eternall blisse haue any part in this first resurrection but the second is common both â—…o the blessed and the wretched The first is mercies resurrection the second iudgements And therefore the Psalme saith I will sing mercie and iudgement vnto thee O LORD With this iudgement the Euangelist proceedeth thus Anâ—… hath giuen him power also to execute Iudgement in that hee is the Sonne of Man Loe heere now in that flesh wherein hee was iudged shall hee come to bee the whole worldes iudge For these wordes In that hee is the Sonne of Man haue a direct ayme at this And then hee addeth this Maruell not at this for the houre shall come in the which all that are in the graues shall heare his voice and they shall come forth which haue done good vnto the resurrection of life but they that haue done euill vnto the resurrection of iudgement This is that iudgement which hee put before for condemnation when hee sayd Hee that heareth my Worde c. shall not come into iudgement but shall passe from death to life that is hee belongs to the first resurrection and that belongeth to life so that hee shall not come into condemnation which hee vnderstandeth by the worde Iudgement in this last place vnto the resurrection of Iudgement Oh Rise then in the first resurrection all you that will not perish in the the second For the houre will come and now is when the dead shall heare the voice of the Sonne of GOD and they that heare it shall liue that is they shall not come into condemnation which is called the second death vnto which they shall all bee cast head-long after the second resurrection that arise not in the first For the houre will come hee saith not that houre is now because it shal be in the worldes end in the which all that are in the graues shall heare His voice and shall come forth but hee saith not heare as hee sayd before and they that heare it shall liue for they shall not liue all in blisse which is onely to bee called life because it is the true life Yet must they haue some life otherwise they could neither heare nor arise in their quickned flesh And why they shall not all liue hee giueth this subsequent reason They that haue done good shal come forth vnto the resurrection of life and these only are they that shall liue they that haue done euill vnto the resurrection of condemnation and these GOD wot shall not liue for they shall die the second death In liuing badlie they haue done badly and in refusing to rise in the first resurrection they haue liued badly or at least in not continuing their resurrection
ment hereby S. Augustine confesseth that he cannot define Sup. Genes lib. 8. These are secrets all vnneedfull to be knowne and all wee vnworthy to know them Of the new Heauen and the new Earth CHAP. 16. THe iudgement of the wicked being past as he fore-told the iudgement of the goodâ—…ust follow for hee hath already explained what Christ said in briefe They shall go into euerlasting paine now he must expresse the sequell And the righteous into life eternall And I saw saith he a new heauen and a new earth The first heauen and earth were gone and so was thesea for such was the order described before by him when he saw the great white throne one sitting vpon it froÌ„ whose face they fled So then they that were not in the booke of life being iudged and cast into eternall fire what or where it is I hold is vnknowne to a all but those vnto whome it please the spirit to reueale it then shall this world loose the figure by worldly fire as it was erst destroyed by earthly water Then as I said shall all the worlds corruptible qualities be burnt away all those that held correspondence with our corruption shall be agreeable with immortality that the world being so substantially renewed may bee fittly adapted vnto the men whose substances are renewed also But for that which followeth There 〈◊〉 no more sea whether it imply that the sea should bee dried vp by that vniuersall conflagration or bee transformed into a better essence I cannot easily determyne Heauen and Earth were read shal be renewed but as concerning the sea I haue not read any such matter that I can remember vnlesse that other place in this booke of that which hee calleth as it were a sea of glasse like vnto christall import any such alteration But in that place hee speaketh not of the worlds end neither doth hee say directly a sea but as a sea Notwithstanding it is the Prophets guise to speake of truths in misticall manner and to mixe truths and types together and so he might say there was no more sea in the same sence that hee sayd the sea shall giue vp hir dead intending that there should be no more turbulent times in the world which he insinuateth vnder the word Sea L. VIVES VNknowne a to all To all nay Saint Augustine it seemes you were neuer at the schoole-mens lectures There is no freshman there at least no graduate but can tell that it is the elementany fire which is betweene the sphere of the moone and the ayre that shall come downe and purge the earth of drosse together with the ayre and water If you like not this another will tell you that the beames of the Sonne kindle a fire in the midst of the ayre as in a burning glasse and so worke wonders But I doe not blame you fire was not of that vse in your time that it is now of when eâ—…y Philosopher to omit the diuines can carry his mouth his hands and his feete full of fire 〈◊〉 in the midst of Decembers cold and Iulies heate Of Philosophers they become diuines and yet keepe their old fiery formes of doctrine still so that they haue farre better iudgement 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hot case then you or your predecessors euer had Of the glorification of the Church after death for euer CHAP. 17. AND I Iohn saith hee sawe that Holie Cittie new Ierusalem come downe from GOD out of Heauen prepared as a bride trimmed for her husband And I heard a great voice out of Heauen saying behold the Tabernacle of GOD is with men and hee will dwell with them and they shal be his people and hee himselfe shal be their GOD with them And GOD shall wipeawaie all teares from their eyes and there shal be no more death neither teares neither crying neither shall there bee any more paine for the first things are passed And hee that sate vpon the Throne sayd behold I make althings new c. This cittie is sayd to come from Heauen because the grace of GOD that founded it is heauenly as GOD saith in Esay I am the LORD that made thee This grace of his came downe from heauen euen from the beginning and since the cittizens of GOD haue had their increase by the same grace giuen 〈◊〉 the spirit from heauen in the fount of regeneration But at the last Iudgement of GOD by his Sonne Christ this onely shall appeare in a state so glorious that all the ancient shape shal be cast aside for the bodies of each member shall cast aside their olde corruption and put on a new forme of immortality For it were too grosse impudence to thinke that this was 〈◊〉 of the thousand yeares afore-sayd wherein the Church is sayd to reigne with Christ because he saith directly GOD shall wipe awaie all teares from their eies and there shal be no more death neither sorrowes neither crying neither shall there bee any more paine Who is so obstinately absurd or so absurdly obstinate as to averre that any one Saint much lesse the whole society of them shall passe this transitory life without teares or sorrowes or euer hath passed it cleare of them seeing that the more holy his desires are and the more zealous his holinesse the more teares shall bedew his Orisons Is it not the Heauenly Ierusalem that sayth My teares haue beene my meate daie and night And againe I cause my bedde euerie night to swimme and water my couch with teares and besides My sorrow is renewed Are not they his Sonnes that bewayle that which they will not forsake But bee cloathed in it that their mortality may bee re-inuested with eternity and hauing the first fruites of the spirit doe sigh in themselues wayting for the adoption that is the redemption of their bodies Was not Saint Paul one of the Heauenlie Cittie nay and that the rather in that hee tooke so great care for the earthly Israelites And when a shall death haue to doe in that Cittie but when they may say Oh death where is thy sting Oh hell where is thy b victorie The sting of death is sinne This could not bee sayd there where death had no sting but as for this world Saint Iohn himselfe saith If wee say wee haue no sinne wee deceiue our selues and there is no truth in vs. And in this his Reuelation there are many things written for the excercising of the readers vnderstanding and there are but few things whose vnderstanding may bee an induction vnto the rest for hee repeteth the same thing so many waies that it seemes wholy pertinent vnto another purpose and indeed it may often bee found as spoken in another kinde But here where hee sayth GOD shall wipe awaie all teares from their eyes c this is directly meant of the world to come and the immortalitie of the Saints for there shal be no sorrow no teares nor cause of sorrowe or teares if any one
affraide Therefore I came to one of them that stood by and asked him the truth of all this so hee told mee and shewed mee the interpretation of these things These foure great beasts are foure Kings which shall arise out of the earth and they shall take away the Kingdome of the most high and possesse it for euer euen for euer and euer After this I would know the truth of the fourth beast which was so vnlike the other verie fearefull whose teeth were of Iron and his nayles of Brasse which deuoured brake in peeces and stamped the rest vnder his feete Also to knowe of the tenne hornes that were on his head and of the other that came vppe before whom three fell and of the horne that had eyes and of the month that spake presumptuous things whose looke was more stoute then his fellowes I beheld and the same horne made battaile against the Saints yea and preuailed against them vntill the Ancient of daies came and Iudgement was giuen to the Saints of the most high and the time approached that the Saints possessed the Kingdome All this Daniel inquired and then hee proceedeth Then hee sayd the fourth beast shal be the fourth Kingdome on the earth which shal be vnlike to all the Kingdomes and shall deuoure the whole earth and shall tread it downe and shall breake it in peeces And the tenne hornes are tenne Kings that shall rise and another shall rise after them and hee shal be vnlike to the first and hee shall subdue three Kings and shall speake wordes against the most high and shall consume the Saints of the most high and thinke that hee may change times and lawes and they shal bee giuen into his hand vntill a time and halfe a time But the iudgement shall sit and they shall take away his dominion to consume and destroy it vnto the end And the kingdome and dominion and the greatnesse of the Kingdome vnder the whole Heauen shal be giuen vnto the holy people of the most high whose Kingdome is an euerlasting Kingdome and all powers shall serue and obey him Euen this is the end of the matter I Daniell had many cogitations which troubled me and my countenance changed in me but I kept the matter in mine heart These foure Kingdomes some hold to bee a those of the Assirians Persians Macedonians and Romaines How fittly read Hieromes commentaries vpon Daniel and there you may haue full instruction But that Antichrists Kingdome shal be most cruell against the Church although it last but a while vntill the Saints receiue the Soueraignty none that reads this place can make question of The time times and halfe a time is three yeares and a halfe a yeare two yeares and halfe a yeare and this is declared by a number of daies afterwards and by the numbers of monethes in other places of the Scriptures Times in this place seemeth indefinite but the b duall number is here vsed by the LXX which the Latines haue not but both the Greekes and c Hebrewes haue Times then standeth but for two times Now I am afraid indeede that wee deceiue our selues in the ten Kings whome Antichrist shall find as tenne men by our account but there are not so many Kings in the Romaine Monarchy so that Antichrist may come vpon vs ere wee bee aware What if this number imply the fullnesse of regality which shal be expired ere hee come as the numbers of a thousand a hundred seauen and diuers more do oftentimes signifie the whole of a thing I leaue it to iudgement On with Daniel There shal be a time of trouble saith hee chap. 12 such as neuer was since there began to bee a nation vnto that same time and at that time thy people shal be deliuered euery one that shal be found written in the booke And many that sleepe in the dust of the Earth shall awake some to euerlasting life and some to shame and perpetuall contempt And they that be wise shall shine as the brightnesse of the firmament and they that turne to righteousnesse shall shine as the starres for euer and euer How like is this place vnto that of the Ghospell concerning the resurection that saith They that are in the graues This they that are in the dust of the Earth that saith shall come forth this shal awake that they that haue done good vnto eternall life and they that haue done euill vnto euerlasting damnation this some to euerlasting life and some to perpetuall shame and contempt Nor thinke they differ in that the Gospell saith all that are in the graues and the Prophet saith â—…t Many for the Scripture sometimes vseth many for all So was it said vnto Abraham thou shalt bee a father of many nations and yet in another place in thy seed shall all nations be blessed Of this resurrection it was said thus to Daniell him-selfe a little after Go thou thy way till the end be for thou shalt rest and stand vp in thy lot at the end of the daies L. VIVES THose of the a Assirians For the first beast was like a Lyonesse bloudy and lustful and like an Eagle proud and long liued and such was the Assirian Empire The second like a Beare rough and fierry such was Cyrus founder of the Persian Monarchy The third like a winged Leopard head-long bloudy and rushing vpon death such was the Macedon who seemed rather to fly to souerainety then goe on foote for how soone did hee bring all Asia vnder the forth the strangest strongest bloudiest c. Of all such was the Romaine Empire that exceeded Barbarisme in cruelty filling all the world with the rust of hir owne breeding with bones of her massacring with ruines of her causing b The Duall The ancient Greekes had but singular and plurall the duall was added afterwards which the Latines would not imitate Dionys. Grammat yet the Greeke Poets doe often vse the plurall for the duall as yee may obserue in Homer c. c Hebrewes haue So saith Hierome vpon Daniel Dauids Prophecies of the worlds end and the last iudgment CHAP. 24. TOuching this last iudgment we finde much spoken of it in the Psalmes but I omit the most of it yet the plainest thereof I cannot but rehearse Thou afore time layd the foundation of the earth and the heauens are the workes of thy hands They shall perish but thou shalt endure they shall all waxe old as doth a garment as a vesture shalt thou change them and they shall bee changed but thou art the same and thy yeares shall not faile What reason now hath Porphyry to praise the Hebrewes for their adoration of the greatest God and yet blame the Christians for auoutching that the world shall haue an end seeing that these bookes of the Hebrews whose God hee confesseth to bee terrible to all the rest doe directly auerre it They shall perish what the heauens the greatest the safest the highest part of the world shall perish and shall
Iudgement shal be but the meanes whereby the soules shal be purified 14. The temporall paines of this life afflicting al man-kinde 15. That the scope of Gods redeeming vs is wholy pertinent to the world to come 16. The lawes of Grace that all the â—…regenerate are blessed in 17. Of some christians that held that hells paines should not be eternal 18. Of those that hold that the Intercession of the Saints shal saue all men from damnation 19. Of such as hold that heretiques shal be saued in that they haue pertaken of the body of Christ. 20. Of such as allow this deliuerance onely to wicked and reuolted Catholikes 21. Of such as affirme that al that abide in the Catholike faith shal be saued for that faith 22. Of such as affirme that the sinnes committed amongst the workes of mercy shal not be called into Iudgement 23. Against those that exclude both men deuils from paines eternal 24. Against those that would proue al damnation frustrate by the praiers of the Saints 25. Whether that such as beeing baptized by heretiques become wicked in life or amongst Catholiques and then fal away into heresies schismes or contynuing amongst Catholiques be of vicious conuersation can haue any hope of escaping damnation by the priuiledge of the Sacraments 26. What it is to haue Christ for the foundation where they are that shal be saued as it were by fire 27. Against those that thinke those sinnes shall not be laid to their charge wherewith they mixed some workes of mercy FINIS THE ONE AND TVVENTITH BOOKE OF THE CITTIE OF GOD Written by Saint Augustine Bishop of Hippo vnto Marcellinus Why the punishment of the damned is here disputed of before the happinesse of the Saints CHAP. 1. SEEing that by the assistance of Our LORD and SAVIOVR IESVS CHRIST the Iudge of the quick and the dead we haue brought both the Citties the one whereof is GODS and the other the deuills vnto their intended consummation wee are now to proceed by the helpe of GOD in this booke with the declaration of the punishment due vnto the deuill and all his confederacy And this I choose to doe before I handle the glories of the blessed because both these the wicked are to vndergo their sentences in body and soule and it may seeme more incredible for an earthly body to endure vndissolued in eternall paines then without all paine in euerlasting happinesse So that when I haue shewne the possibility of the first it may bee a great motiue vnto the confirmation of the later Nor doth this Methode want a president from the Scriptures themselues which some-times relate the beatitude of the Saints fore-most as here They that haue done good vnto the resurrection of life but they that haue done euill vnto the resurrection of condemnation and some times afterward as here The Sonne of man shall send forth his Angells and they shall gather out of his Kingdome al things that offend and them which doe iniquitie and shall cast them into a furnace of fire there shal be wayling and gnashing of teeth Then shall the iust shine like the Sunne in the Kingdome of the Father and againe And these shall goe into euerlasting paine and the righteous into life eternall Besides hee that will looke into the Prophets shall finde this ordeâ—… often obserued it were too much for me to recite all my reason why I obserue it heere I haue set downe already Whether an earthly bodie may possibly be incorruptible by fire CHAP. 2. WHat then shall I say vnto the vn-beleeuers to prooue that a body carnall and liuing may endure vndissolued both against death and the force of eternall fire They will not allowe vs to ascribe this vnto the power of God but vrge vs to prooue it to them by some example If wee shall answere them that there are some creatures that are indeed corruptible because mortall yet doe liue vntouched in the middest of the fire and likewise that there are a kinde a of Wormes that liue without being hurt in the feruent springs of the hot bathes whose heare some-times is such as none can endure and yet those wormes doe so loue 〈◊〉 liue in it that they cannot liue without it this either they will not beleeue vnlesse they see it or if they doe see it or heare it affirmed by sufficient authority then they cauill at it as an insufficient proofe for the proposed question for that these creatures are not eternall howsoeuer and liuing thus in this heate nature hath made it the meane of their growth and nutriment not of their torment As though it were not more incredible that fire should nourish any thing rather then not consume it It is strange for any thing to be tormented by the fire and yet to liue but it is stranger to liue in the fire and not to bee tormented If then this later be credible why is not the first so also L. VIVES A Kinde a of wormes There are some springs that are hot in their eruptions by reason of their passages by vaines of sulphurous matter vnder ground Empedocles holds that the fire which is included in diuers places of the earth giueth them this heate Senec. Quaest. nat lib. 3. Their waters are good for many diseases Many of those naturall bathes there are in Italy and likewise in Germany whereof those of Aquisgrane are the best Of these bathes read Pliny lib. 1. 32. In these waters doe the wormes liue that he speaketh of Whether a fleshly body may possibly endure eternall paine CHAP. 3. YEa but say they a there is no body that can suffer eternally but it must perish aâ—… length How can we tell that Who can tell whether the b deuills doe suffer in their bodies when as the confesse they are extreamely tormented If they answere that there is no earthly soule and visible body or to speake all in one no flesh that can suffer alwaies and neuer die what is this but to ground an assertion vpon meere sence and apparance for these men know no flesh but mortall and what they haue not knowne and seene that they hold impossible And what an argument it this to make paine the proofe of death when it is rather the testimony of life for though our question bee whether any thing liuing may endure eternall paine and yet liue still yet are wee sure it cannot feele any paine at all vnlesse it liue paine beeing inseperably adherent vnto life if it be in any thing at all Needs then must that liue that is pained yet is there no necessity that this or that paine should kill it for all paine doth not kill all the bodies that perish Some paine indeed must by reason that the soule and the body are so conioyned that they cannot part without great torment which the soule giueth place vnto and the mortall frame of man beeing so weake that it cannot withstand this c violence thereupon are they seuered But afterwards
〈◊〉 will be 〈◊〉 vp his 〈◊〉 in displeasure His displeasure say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all that 〈◊〉 vn 〈◊〉 of eternall life to eternall torment But 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 little or long how can it be then that the Psalme 〈◊〉 〈…〉 vp 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in displeasure It saith not Will hee shutâ—… 〈◊〉 vâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that hee will not shutte them vp at all Thus doe they 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of GOD is not false although hee condemne none no more then his threatning to destroy Niniuy was false though it was not effected say they notwithstanding that he promised it without exception Hee sayd not I will destroy it vnlesse it repent but plainely without addition Niniuy shal be destroyed This threaâ—…g doe they hold true because GOD fore-told plainely what they had deserued though he pake not that which he meant to doe for though hee spared them yet knew hee that they would repent and yet did hee absolutely promise their destruction This therefore say they was true in the truth of his seuerity which they had deserued but not in respect of his mercy which he did not shut vp in displeasure because he would shew mercy vnto their praiers whose pride hee had threatned to punish If therefore he shewed mercy then say they when he knew hee should thereby grieue his holy prophet how much more will hee show it now when all his Saints shall intreate for it Now this surmise of theirs they thinke the scriptures doe not mention because men should bee reclaimed from vice by feare of tedious or eternall torment and because some should pray for those that will not amend and yet the scriptures say they doe not vtterly conceale it for what doth that of the Psalme intend How great is thy goodnesse which thou hast layd vppe for them that feare thee Thou keepest them secret in thy tabernacle from the strife of tongues That is say they this great sweetnesse of GODS mercy it kept secret from vs to keepe vs in the more awe and therefore the Apostle sayth GOD hath shut vppe all in vnbeleefe that hee might haue mercy on all to shew that hee will condemne none Yet these Opinionists will not extend this generall saluation vnto the deuills â—…t make mankinde the onely obiect of their pitty promising impunity to their owne bad liues withall by pretending a generall mercy of GOD vnto the whole generation of man and in this they that extend Gods mercy vnto the deuill and his angells doe quite exceed these later Of such as hold that heretiques shal be saued in that they haue pertaken of the body of CHRIST CHAP. 19. OThers there are that cleare not hell of all but onely of such as are baptized and pertakers of Christs body and these they say are saued bee their liues or doctrines whatsoeuer wherevpon CHRIST himselfe sayd This is the bread which commeth downe from heauen that he which eateth of it should not die I am the â—…ing bread which came downe from heauen Therefore say these men must all such 〈◊〉 saued of necessity and glorified by euerlasting life Of such as allow this deliuerance onely to wicked and reuolted Catholikes CHAP. 20. ANother sort restraine the former position onely to Catholikes line they neuer so vilely because they haue receiued CHRIST truly and bin 〈◊〉 in his body of which the Apostle faith We that are many are one bread 〈◊〉 one body because wee all are pertakers of one bread So that fall they into neuer â—…o 〈◊〉 afterwards yea euen into Paganisme yet because they receiued the Baptisme of Christ in his Church they shall not perish for euer but â—…hall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 life 〈◊〉 shall their guilt make their torments euer-lasting 〈◊〉 temporall though they may last a long time and bee extreamly 〈◊〉 Of such as affirme that all that abide in the Catholique faith shall be saued for that faith â—…ly be their liues neuer so worthy of damnation CHAP. 21. THere 〈◊〉 some who because it is written Hee that endureth to the end hee shall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doe affirme that onely they that continue Catholiques how-soeuer they liue shall be saued by the merite of that foundation whereof the Apostle 〈◊〉 Other foundation can no man try then that which is laide which is Christ 〈◊〉 And if any man build on this foundation gold siluer precious stones timâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 stubble euery mans worke shall bee made manifest for the day of the Lord shall declare it because it shall bee reuealed by the fire and the fire shall try euery mans worke of what sort it is If any mans worke that hee hath built vpon abide hee shall receiue wages If any mans worke burne he shall lose 〈◊〉 hee shall bee 〈◊〉 him-selfe yet as it were by fire So that all Christian Caâ—… 〈◊〉 say â—…hey hauing Christ for their foundation which no heretiques 〈◊〉 off from his body bee their liues good or bad as those that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or stubble vpon this foundation shall neuer-the-lesse be saâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 iâ—… shall bee deliuered after they haue endured the paines of the 〈◊〉 which punisheth the wicked in the last iudgment Of such 〈◊〉 affirme that the sinnes committed amongst the workes of mercy shall not bee called into iudgement CHAP. 22. ANd some I haue mette with that hold that none shall bee damned eternally 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 aâ—… neglected to satisfie for their sinnes by almes-deedes alledging 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thâ—… shall bee iudgment mercilesse vnto him that sheweth no mercy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 say they though hee amend not his life but liue sinâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 full workes shall neuer-the-lesse haue so mercifull a iudgâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall either not bee punished at all or at least bee freed from his 〈◊〉 after his sufferance of them for some certaine space more or lesse And 〈◊〉 the iudge of quicke and dead would mention no other thing in his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those on both sides of him for the saluation of the one part and the 〈◊〉 of the other but onely the almes-detâ—…s which they had either done 〈◊〉 To which also say they doth that part of the Lords prayer perâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 trespasses as wee forgiue them that trespasse against vs. For he 〈◊〉 an offence done to him doth a worke a of mercy which Christ 〈◊〉 â—…ee sayd If yee doe forgiue men their trespasses your heauenly faâ—… 〈◊〉 but if yee doe not forgiue men their trespasses no more will 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 forgiue you 〈◊〉 trespasses So that here-vnto belongeth also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There shall bee iudgement mercilesse c. The LORD sayd not Your small trespasses say they nor your great but generally your trespasses and therefore they hold that those that liue neuer so viciously vntill their dying day haue notwithstanding their sinnes absolutely pardoned euery day by this praier vsed euery day if withall they doe remember freely to forgiue all such as haue offended them when they intreate for pardon when all those errors are confuted I will GOD willing make an
end of this present booke L. VIVES A a Worke of mercy For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the properly mercy of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to haue mercie as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 come of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in diuers more examples Against those that exclude both men and deuills from paines eternall CHAP. 23. FIrst then wee must shew why ' the church hath condemned them that affirme that euen the very deuills after a time of torment shal be taken to mercy The reason is this those holy men so many and so learned in both the lawes of GOD the Old and the New did not enuy the mundification and beatitude of those spirits after their long and great extremity of torture but they saw well that the words of Our Sauiour could not bee vntrue which hee promised to pronounce in the last iudgement saying Depart from mee yee cursed into euerlasting fire which is prepared for the deuill and his Angells Hereby shewing that they should burne in euerlasting fire likewise in the Reuelation The deuill that deceiued them was cast into a lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet shal be tormented euen day and night for euermore There hee saith euerlasting and here for euermore in both places excluding all termination and end of the time Wherefore there is no reason either stronger or plainer to assure our beleefe that the deuill and his angells shall neuer more returne to the glory and righteousnesse of their Saints then because the scriptures that deceiue no man tell vs directly and plainely that GOD hath not spared them but 〈◊〉 them downe into hell and deliuered them vnto chaines of darkenesse there to bee 〈◊〉 vnto the damnation in the iust iudgement then to bee cast into eternall fire and there to burne for euermore If this bee true how can either all or any men bee â—…iuered out of this eternity of paines if our faith whereby we beleeue the deâ—… to bee euerlastingly tormented be not hereby infringed for if those either all or some part to whome it shal be sayd Depart from mee yee cursed into euerlasting fire which is prepared for the deuill and his angells shall not continue for eâ—… in the fire what reason haue wee to thinke that the deuill and his angells 〈◊〉 Shall the word of GOD spoken alike both to men and deuills be prooued 〈◊〉 vpon the deuills and not vpon the men So indeed should mans surmises â—…of more certainety then Gods promises But seeing that cannot bee they 〈◊〉 desire to escape this paine eternall must cease to argue against GOD and 〈◊〉 his yoake vpon them while they haue time For what a fondnesse were it to value the paines eternall by a fire only of a long contiâ—… but yet to beleeue assuredly that life eternall hath no end at all seeing 〈◊〉 the LORD in the same place including both these parts in one senâ—… 〈◊〉 â—…plainely These shall goe into euerlasting paines and the righteous into life 〈◊〉 Thus doth he make them parallells here is euerlasting paines and there 〈◊〉 eternall life Now to say this life shall neuer end but that paine shall were groâ—…sly absurd Wherefore seeing that the eternall life of the Saints shall bee without end so therefore is it a consequent that the euerlasting paine of the damned shal be as endlesse as the others beatitude Against those that would prooue all damnation frustrate by the praters of the Saints CHAP. 24. THis is also against those who vnder collour of more pitty oppose the expresse word of GOD and say that GODS promises are true in that men are worthy of the plagues he threatens not that they shal be layd vpon them For he will giue them say they vnto the intreaties of his Saints who wil be the readier to pray for them then in that they are more purely holy and their praiers wil be the more powerfull in that they are vtterly exempt from all touch of sinne and corruption Well and why then in this their pure holinesse and powrefulâ—…se of praier will they not intreate for the Angells that are to be cast into euerlasting 〈◊〉 that it would please GOD to mitigate his sentence and set them free from that intollerable fire Some perhaps will pretend that the holy Angells 〈◊〉 ioyne with the Saints as then their followes in praier both the Angells and men also that are guilty of damnation that God in his mercy would be pleased to pardon their wicked merit But there is no sound christian that euer held his or euer will hold it for otherwise there were no reason why the Church should not pray for the deuill and his Angells seeing that her LORD GOD hath willed her to pray for her enemies But the same cause that stayeth the Church for praying for the damned spirits her knowne enemies at this day the â—…ame shall hinder her for praying for the reprobate soules at this day of iudgement notwithstanding her fulnesse of perfection As now shee prayeth 〈◊〉 her enemies in mankinde because this is the time of wholesome repentance and therefore her chiefe petition for them is that GOD would grant them peniâ—… and escape from the snares of the deuill who are taken of him at his will as the Apostle â—…aith But if the church had this light that shee could know any of those wâ—… though they liue yet vpon the earth yet are predestinated to goe with the deuill into that euerlasting fire shee would offer as few praiers for them as shee doth for him But seeing that shee hath not this knowledge therefore praieth 〈◊〉 for all her foes in the flesh and ye is not heard for them all but onely for those who are predestinated to become her sonnes though they bee as yet her 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If any shall die her impenitent foes and not returne into her boâ—… 〈◊〉 doth shee pray for them No because they that before death are not 〈◊〉 into CHRIST are afterward reputed as associates of the deuill And 〈◊〉 the same cause that forbids her to pray for the reprobate soules as then stoppâ—…â—…er for praying for the Apostaticall Angells as now and the â—…ame reason 〈◊〉 why wee pray for all men liuing and yet will not pray for the wicked nor 〈◊〉 being dead For the praier either of the Church or of some Godly persons is heard a for some departed this life but for them which being regenerat in Christ haue not spent their life so wickedly that they may be iudged vnworthy of such mercy or else so deuoutly that they may bee found to haue no neede of such mercy Euen as also after the resurrection there shal be some of the dead which shall obtaine mercy after the punishments which the spirits of the dead do suffer that they be not cast into euerlasting fire For otherwise that should not be truly spoken concerning some That they shall not be forgiuen neither in this world nor in the world to
hath related their opinion concealing their names haue said something which although it be false because the soules returning into the bodies which they haue before managed will neuer after forsake them not-withstanding it serueth to stoppe the mouth of those babblers and to ouerthrow the strong hold of many arguments of that impossibility For they doe not thinke it an impossible thing which haue thought these things that dead bodies resolued into aire dust ashes humors bodies of deuouring beastes or of men them selues should returne againe to that they haue beene Wherefore let Plato and Porphyry or such rather as doe affect them and are now liuing if they accord with vs that holy soules shall returne to their bodies as Plato saith but not to returne to any eiuls as Porphyrie saith that that sequele may follow which our Christian faith doth declare to wit that they shall receiue such bodies as they shall liue happily in them eternally without any euill Let them I say assume and take this also from Varro that they returne to the same bodies in which they had beene before time and then there shall bee a sweete harmony betweene them concerning the resurrection of the flesh eternally L. VIVES FOr a certaine Three things moued not only Greece but the whole world to applaud Plato to wit integritie of life sanctity of precepts and eloquence The b dead Euseb lib. 11. thinketh that Plato learned the alteration of the world the resurrection and the iudgement of the damned out of the bookes of Moyses 〈◊〉 Plato relateth that all earthly thinges shall perish a cercaine space of time being expired and that the frame of the worlde shall bee moued and shaken with wonderfull and strange â—…otions not without a great destruction and ouerthrow of all liuing creatures and then that a little time after it shall rest and bee at quiet by the assistance of the highest God who shall receiue the gouernment of it that it may not fall and perish endowing it with an euerlasting flourishing estate and with immortalitie c For he declareth Herus Pamphilius who dyed in battell Plato in fine in lib. de rep writeth that he was restored to life the tenth day after his death Cicero saith macrob lib. 1. may be grieued that this fable was scoffed at although of the vnlearned knowing it well ynough him-selfe neuerthelesse auoyding the scandall of a foolish reprehension hee had rather tell it that he was raized than that he reuiued d Labeo Plin lib. 7. setteth downe some examples of them which being carried forth to their graue reuiued againe and Plutarch in 〈◊〉 de anima relateth that one Enarchus returned to life againe after hee died who said that his soule did depart indeed out of his bodie but by the commandement of Pluto it was restored to his bodie againe those hellish spirits being grieuously punished by their Prince who commaunded to bring one Nicandas a tanner and a wrastler forgetting their errant and foulie mistaking the man went to Enarchus in stead of Nicandas who dyed within a little while after e Genethliaci They are mathematicall pettie sooth-sayers or fortune-tellers which by the day of Natiuitie presage what shall happen in the whole course of mans life Gellius hath the Chaldaeans and the Genethliaci both in one place lib. 14. Against them saith he who name them-selues Caldaeans or Genethliaci and professe to prognosticate future thinges by the motion and posture of the stars f 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Regeneration or a second birth Lactant. also lib. 7. rehearseth these wordes of Chrysippus the stoicke out of his booke de prouidentia by which he confirmeth a returne after death 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. And wee saith hee certaine reuolutions of time being complet and finished after our death shall be restored to the same figure and shape which we haue now Of the quality of the vision with which the Saintes shall see GOD in the world to come CHAP. 29. NOw lette vs see what the Saintes shall doe in their immortall and spirituall bodies their flesh liuing now no more carnally but spiritually so far forth as the Lord shal vouchsafe to enable vs. And truly what maner of action or a rather rest and quietnesse it shall be if I say the truth I know not For I haue neuer seene it by the sences of the bodie But if I shall say I haue seene it by the mind that is by the vnderstanding alasse how great or what is our vnderstanding in comparison of that exceeding excellencie For there is the peace of God which passeth all vnderstanding as the Apostle saith what vnderstanding but ours or peraduenture of all the holy Angels For it doth not passe the vnderstanding of God If therefore the Saintes shall liue in the peace of GOD without doubt they shall liue in that peace Which passeth all vnderstanding Now there is no doubt but that it passeth our vnderstanding But if it also passe the vnderstanding of Angels for hee seemeth not to except them when hee saith All vnderstanding then according to this saying wee ought to vnderstand that we are not able nor any Angels to know that peace where-with GOD him-selfe is pacified in such sort as GOD knoweth it But wee beeing made partakers of his peace according to the measure of our capacity shall obtaine a most excellent peace in vs and amongst vs and with him according to the quantity of our excellency In this manner the holy Angels according to their measure do know the same but men now doe know it in a farre lower degree although they excell in acuity of vnderstanding Wee must consider what a great man did say Wee know in part and we prophecie in part vntill that come which is perfect And wee see now in a glasse in a darke speaking but then wee shall see him face to face So doe the holy Angels now see which are called also our Angels because we beeing deliuered from the power of darkenesse and translated to the kingdome of God hauing receiued the pledge of the Spirite haue already begunne to pertaine to them with whome wee shall enioy that most holy and pleasant Cittie of God of which wee haue already written so many books So therefore the Angels are ours which are the Angels of God euen as the Christe of God is our Christe They are the Angels of GOD because they haue not forsaken God they are ours because they haue begunne to account vs their Cittizens For the Lord Iesus hath sayd Take heed you doe not despise one of these little ones For I say vnto you that their Angels doe alwayes beholde the face of my father which is in heauen As therefore they doe see so also we shall see but as yet wee doe not see so Wherefore the Apostle saith that which I haue spoken a little before We see now in a glasse in a dark speaking but then wee shal see him face to face