his workes which GOD began to make For we our selues also bee the seauenth day when wee shall be replenished and repaired with his benediction and sanctification There being freed from toyle wee shall see because hee is GOD which wee our selues would haue beene when we fell from him hearing from the Seducer Ye shal be as goods and departing from the true GOD by whose meanes we should be gods by participation of him not by forsaking him For what haue wee done without him but that we haue fayled from him and gone back in his anger Of whom we being restored and perfected with a greater grace shall rest for euer seeing that he is GOD with whom we shal be replenished when hee shal be all in all for our good workes also although they are rather vnderstood to bee his then ours are then imputed vnto vs to obtaine this Sabbath because if wee shall atrribute them vnto our selues they shal be seruile when it is sayd of the Sabboth Yee shall not doe any seruile worke in it For which cause it is sayd also by the Prophet Ezechiel And I haue giuen my Sabbaths vnto them for a signe betweene mee and them that they might know that I am the LORD which sanctifie them Then shall wee know this thing perfectly and wee shall perfectly rest and shall perfectly see that he is GOD. If therefore that number of ages as of daies bee accompted according to the distinctions of times which seeme to bee expressed in the sacred Scriptures that Sabbath day shall appeare more euidently because it is found to be the seauenth that the first age as it were the first day bee from Adam vnto the floud then the second from thence vnto Abraham not by equality of times but by number of generations For they are found to haue a tenth number From hence now as Mathew the Euangelist doth conclude three ages doe follow euen vnto the comming of CHRIST euery one of which is expressed by foureteene Generations From Abraham vnto Dauid is one from thence euen vntill the Transmigration into Babilon is another the third from thence vnto the incarnat Natiuity of CHRIST So all of them are made fiue Now this age is the sixt to bee measured by no number because of that which is spoken It is not for you to know the seasons which the father hath placed in his owne powre After this age GOD shall rest as in the seauenth day when GOD shall make that same seauenth day to rest in himselfe which wee shal be Furthermore it would take vp a long time to discourse now exactly of euery one of those seuerall ages But this seauenth shal be our Sabbath whose end shall not be the euening but the LORDS day as the eight eternall day which is sanctified and made holy by the resurrection of CHRIST not onely prefiguring the eternal rest of the spirit but also of the body There we shall rest and see wee shall see and loue wee shall loue and we shall praise Behold what shal be in the end without end For what other thing is our end but to come to that Kingdome of which there is no end b I thinke I haue discharged the debt of this great worke by the helpe of GOD. Let them which thinke I haue done too little and they which thinke I haue done too much grant mee a fauorable pardon But let them which thinke I haue performed enough accepting it with a kinde congratulation giue no thankes vnto me but vnto the LORD with me Amen L. VIVES HOw a great shall that felicity be Innumerable things might be sayd but Augustine is to bee imitated in this and wee must neither speake nor write any thing rashly of so sacred and holy a matter neither is it lawfull for vs to search out that by Philosophy and disputations of men which the LORD hath commaunded to be most secret neither hath vnuailed to the eies nor vttered to the eares nor hath infused into the thoughts and vnderstandings of mortall men It is his will that we should beleeue them to bee great and admirable and onely to hope after them then at last to vnderstand them when we being made partakers of our desire shall behold openly all things being present and with our eyes and so conioyned and affixed vnto our selues that we may so know as we are now knowne neither ought we to enquire whether that blessednesse be an action of the vnderstanding or rather of the will whether our vnderstanding shal behold al things in GOD or whether it shal be restrained from some things least if we enquire these things ouer contentiously there be neither blessednesse of our vnderstanding nor of our will nor wee see any thing in GOD. Althings shal be full of ioyes and beatitudes not onely the will and vnderstanding but the eyes eares hands the whole body the whole minde the whole soule Wee shall see al things in GOD which wee will and euery one shal be content with the degree of his owne felicity nor will enuy another whom hee shall behold to bee nearer vnto GOD because euery man shal be so blessed as hee shall desire I thinke a I haue discharged the debt of this great worke And I likewise thinke that I haue finished no lesse worke and disburdened my selfe of no lesse labour then Augustine thinketh hee hath done For the burden of these meane and light Commentaries hath beene as heauy to our imbecillity and vnskilfullnesse as the admirable burden of those volumes was to the vigor and strength of his wit learning and sanctity If I haue sayd any thing which may please let the Reader giue thankes vnto GOD for mee if any thing which may displease let him pardon me for GODS sake and let things well spoken obtaine fauour for things il-spoken But if he shall kindly amend and take away the errors he shall deserue a good turne of me and the Readers which peraduenture relying vpon me might be deceiued FINIS An alphabeticall Index pointing out memorable matters contained in these bookes of the Citty of God A ARion who hee was fol. 24 Ttilius Regulus fol. 26 Abraham no murtherer fol. 37 Agamemnon who hee was fol. 34 Atis who he was fol. 56 Alcibiades his law fol. 64 Aeschines who he was fol. 69 Aristodemus who he was ibid. Attelan Comedies fol. 73 Athens lawes imitated in Rome fol. 78 Agrarian lawes fol. 84 Apollo and Neptune build Troy fol. 108 Anubis who he was fol. 76 Aedile his office fol. 103 Athenian ambassadors fol. 90 Ages of men fol. 117 Aesculapius who he was fol. 120 Aetnas burning fol. 157 Assyrian monarchie fol. 161 Anaximander who hee was fol. 299 Anaximines who hee was fol. 300 Anaxogoras who he was ibid. Archelaus who hee was ibid. Aristippus who he was fol. 302 Antisthenes who he was ibid. Atlas who he was fol. 313 Aristole who hee was fol. 318 Academia what it was ibid. Alcibiades who he was fol. 507 Arke
vnto the consummation So then as there are two regenerations one in faith by Baptisme and another in the flesh by incorruption so are there two resurrections the first That is now of the soule preuenting the second death The later Future of the bodie sending some into the second death and other some into the life that despiseth and excludeth all death whatsoeuer Of the two resurrections what may bee thought of the thousand years mentioned in Saint Iohns Reuelation CHAP. 7. SAint Iohn the Euangelist in his Reuelation speaketh of these two resurrections in such darke manner as some of our diuines exceeding their owne ignorance in the first doe wrest it vnto diuers ridiculous interpretations His words are these And I sawe an Angell come downe from Heauen hauing the keye of the bottomlesse pitte and a great chaine in his hand And hee tooke that Dragon that old Serpent which is the deuill and Sathan and bound him a thousand yeares â—…d hee cast him into the bottomlesse pitte and shut him vppe and sealed the dores vpon him that hee should deceiue the people no more till the thousand yeares were fulfilled For after hee must bee loosed for a little season And I saw seates and they set vpon them and iudgement was giuen vnto them and I saw the soules of them which were slaine for the testimonie of IESVS and for the worde of GOD and worshipped not the beast nor his Image neither had taken his marke vpon their fore-heads or on their handes and they liued and reigned with CHRIST a thousand yeares But the rest of the dead men shall not liue againe vntill the thousand yeares be finished this 〈◊〉 the first resurrection Blessed and Holy is hee that hath his part in the first resurrection for on such the second death hath no power but they shall be the Priests of GOD and of CHRIST and reigne with him a thousand yeares The chiefest reason that mooued many to thinke that this place implied a corporall resurrection was drawne from a the thousand yeares as if the Saints should haue a continuall Sabboth enduring so long to wit a thousand yeares vacation after the sixe thousand of trouble beginning at mans creation and expulsion out of Paradise into the sorrowes of mortalitie that â—…ce it is written One daie is with the LORD as a thousand yeares and a thousâ—…d yeares as one daie therefore sixe thousand yeares beeing finished as the sixe daies the seauenth should follow for the time of Sabbath and last a thousand yeares also all the Saints rising corporallie from the dead to â—…elebrate it This opinion were tolerable if it proposed onely spirituall deights vnâ—…o the Saints during this space wee were once of the same opinion our selues but seeing the auouchers heereof affirme that the Saints after this resurrection shall doe nothing but reuell in fleshly banquettes where b the cheere shall exceed both modesty and measure this is grosse and fitte for none but carnall men to beleeue But they that are really and truely spirituall doe call those Opinionists c Chiliasts the worde is greeke and many bee interpreted Millenaryes or Thousand-yere-ists To confute them heere is no place let vs rather take the texts true sence along with vs. Our LORD IESVS CHRIST saith No man can enter into 〈◊〉 strong mans house and take away his goods vnlesse hee first binde the strong man and then spoyle his house meaning by this strong man the deuill because hee alone was able to hold man-kinde in captiuity and meaning by the goods hee would take away his future faithfull whome the deuill held as his owne in diuers sinnes and impieties That this Stong-man therefore might bee bound the Apostle sawe the Angell comming downe from heauen hauing the keye of the bottomlesse pitte and a great chaine in his hand And hee tooke sayth hee the Dragon that olde serpent which is the deuill and Sathan and bound him a thousand yeares that is restrayned him from seducing or with-holding them that were to bee set free The thousand yeares I thinke may bee taken two waies either for that this shall fall out in the last thousand that is d on the sixth daie of the workes continuance and then the Sabboth of the Saints should follow which shall haue no night and bring them blessednesse which hath no end So that thus the Apostle may call the last part of the current thousand which make the sixth daie a thousand yeares vsing the part for the whole or else a thousand yeares is put for eternity noting the plenitude of time by a number most perfect For a thousand is the solid quadrate of tenne tenne times tenne is one hundered and this is a quadrate but it is but a plaine one But to produce the solide multiply ten by a hundered and there ariseth one thousand Now if an hundered bee some-times vsed for perfection as wee see it is in CHRISTS wordes concerning him that should leaue all and follow him saying Hee shall receiue an hundered-fold more which the Apostle seemeth to expound saying As hauing nothing and yet possessings althings for hee had sayd before vnto a faithfull man the whole worlde is his ritches why then may not one thousand bee put for consummation the rather in that it is the most solide square that can bee drawne from tenne And therefore wee interprete that place of the Psalme Hee hath alway remembered his couenant and promise that hee made to a thousand generations by taking a thousand for all in generall On. And â—…ee cast him into the bottomlesse pitte hee cast the deuills into that pitte that is the multitude of the wicked whose malice vnto GODS Church is bottomlesse and their hearts a depth of enuie against it hee cast him into this pitte not that hee was not there before but because the deuill beeing shut from amongst the Godly holds faster possession of the wicked for hee is a most sure hold of the deuills that is not onelie cast out from GODS seruants but pursues them also with a causelesse hate forward And shut him vppe and sealed the dore vpon him that hee should deceiue the people no more till the thousand yeares were expired he sealed that is his will was to keepe it vnknowne who belonged to the diuell and who did not For this is vnknowne vnto this world for we know not whether he that standeth shall fall or he that lieth along shall rise againe But how-so-euer this bond restraineth him from tempting the nations that are Gods selected as he did before For God chose them before the foundations of the world meaning to take them out of the power of darkenesse and set them in the kingdome of his sonnes glory as the Apostle saith For who knoweth not the deuils dayly seducing and drawing of others vnto eternall torment though they bee none of the predestinate Nor is it wonder iâ—… the diuell subuert some of those who are euen regenerate in Christ and walke in his wayes For
not the for bidden meates rehearsing the gratiousnesse of the New Testament from CHRISTS first comming euen vnto this Iudgement we haue now in hand For first he tells how GOD saith that hee commeth to gather the nations and how they shall come to see his glorie For all haue sinned saith the Apostle and are depriued of the glorie of GOD. Hee sayth also that hee will leaue signes amongst them to induce them to beleeue in him and that hee will send his elect into many nations and farre Islands that neuer heard of his name to preach his glory to the Gentiles and to bring their bretheren that is the bretheren of the elect Israell of whome hee spake into his presence to bring them for an offering vnto GOD in chariots and vpon horses that is by the ministerie of men or angells vnto holie Ierusalem that is now spread through-out the earth in her faithfull Cittizens For these when GOD assisteth them beleeue and when they beleeue they come vnto him Now GOD in a simily compares them to the children of Israel that offered vnto him his sacrifices with psalmes in the Temple as the church doth now in all places and hee promiseth to take of them for priests and for leuites which now wee see hee doth For hee hath not obserued fleshly kindred in his choise now as hee did in the time of Aurons priest-hood but according to the New Testament where CHRIST is priest after the order of Melchisedech hee selecteth each of his priests according to the merit which GODS grace hath stored his soule with as wee now behold and these b Priests are not to bee reckned of for their places for those the vnworthie doe often hold but for their sanctities which are not common both to good and bad Now the prophet hauing thus opened Gods mercies to the church addeth the seueral ends that shall befall both the good and bad in the last iudgement in these w◅ds As the new heauens and the new earth which I shall make shall remaine before mee saith the LORD euen so shall your seede and your name And from month to moneth and from Sabbath to Sabbath shall all flesh come to worshippe before mee saith the LORD And they shall goe forth and looke vpon the members of the men that haue transgressed against mee for their women shall not die neither shall their fire bee quenshed and they shal be an abhorring vnto all flesh Thus endeth the Prophet his booke with the end of the world Some in this place for members read c carkasse hereby intimating the bodies euident punishment though indeed a carkasse is properly nothing but dead flesh but those bodies shal be lyuing otherwise how should they bee sensible of paine vnlesse wee say they are dead bodies that is their soules are fallen into the second death and so wee may fitly call them carkasses And thus is the Prophets former words also to bee taken The land of the wicked shall fall Cadauer a carkasse all knowes commeth of Cado to fall Now the translators by saying the carkasses of the men doe not exclude women from this damnation but they speake as by the better sexe beeing that woman was taken out of man But note especially that where the Prophet speaking of the blessed sayth all flesh shall come to worshippe Hee meaneth not all men for the greater number shal be in torments but some shall come out of all nations to adore him in the Heauenly Ierusalem But as I was a saying since here is mention of the good by flesh and of the bad by carkasses Verelie after the resurrection of the flesh our faith whereof these words doe confirme that which shall confine both the good and bad vnto their last limits shal be the iudgement to come L. VIVES AGainst a the vnfaithfull Hierome out of the hebrew and the seauenty readeth it Against his enemies b Priests are not to be It is not priest-hood nor orders that maketh a man any whit respected of GOD for these dignities both the Godly and vngodly doe share in but it is purity of conscience good life and honest cariage which haue resemblance of that immense that incorruptible nature of GOD those winne vs fauour with him c Carkasses So doth Hierome reade it But marke Saint Augustines vprightnesse rather to giue a fauorable exposition of a translation to which hee stood not affected then any way to cauill at it How the Saints shall goe forth to see the paines of the wicked CHAP. 22. BVt how shall the good goe forth to see the bad plagued Shall they leaue their blessed habitations and goe corporally to hell to see them face to face God forbid no they shall goe in knowledge For this implieth that the damned shal be without and for this cause the Lord calleth their place vtter darkenesse opposite vnto that ingresse allowed the good seruāt in these words Enter into thy Maisters ioye and least the wicked should be thought to goe in to bee seene rather then the good should goe out by knowledge to see them being to know that which is without for the tormented shall neuer know what is done in the Lords Ioye but they that are in that Ioye shall know what is done in the vtter darkenesse Therefore saith the Prophet they shall goe forth in that they shall know what is without for if the Prophets through that small part of diuine inspiration could know these things before they came to passe how then shall not these immortalls know them being passed seeing that in them the Lord is al in all Thus shall the Saints bee blessed both in seed and name In seed as Saint Iohn saith And his seed remaineth in him In name as Isaias saith So shall your name continue from moneth to moneth and from Sabbath to Sabbath shall they haue rest vpon rest passing thus from old and temporall types to new and euerlasting truthes But the paines of the wicked that eternall worme and that neuer dying fire is diuersly expounded either in reference to the bodie onelie or to the soule onely or the fire to belong to the bodie reallie and the worme to the soule figuratiuely and this last is the likeliest of the three But heere is no place to discusse peculiars Wee must end this volume as wee promised with the iudgement the seperation of good from badde and the rewards and punishments accordingly distributed Daniels prophecy of Antichrist of the iudgement and of the Kingdome of the Saints CHAP. 23. OF this Iudgement Daniel prophecieth saying that Antichrist shall fore-run it and so hee proceedeth to the eternall Kingdome of the Saints for hauing in a vision beheld the foure beasts types of the foure Monarchies and the fourth ouer-throwne by a King which all confesse to bee Antichrist and then seeing the eternall Empire of the Sonne of man CHRIST to follow Daniell saith hee Was troubled in spirit in the middest of my body and the visions of mine head made mee
there shall not bee that necessity but a full sure secure euer-lasting felicity shall be aduanced and go forward in the praises of God For then all the numbers of which I haue already spoken of the corporall Harmony shall not lye hid which now lye hid being disposed inwardly and out-wardly through all the members of the body and with other things which shall be seene there being great and wonderfull shall kindle the reasonable soules with delight of such a reasonable beauty to sound forth the praises of such a great and excellent workman What the motions of those bodies shall be there I dare not rashly define when I am not able to diue into the depth of that mistery Neuertheles both the motion state as the forme of them shal be comly decent whatsoeuer it shall be where there shall bee nothing which shall not bee comly Truly where the spirit wil there forth-with shall the body be neither will the spirit will any thing which may not beseeme the body nor the spirit There shall be true glory where no man shall be praised for error or flattery True honor which shall be denied vnto none which is worthy shall bee giuen vnto none vnworthy But neither shall any vnworthy person couet after it where none is permitted to bee but hee which is worthy There is true peace where no man suffereth any thing which may molest him either of him-selfe or of any other Hee himselfe shall bee the reward of vertue which hath giuen vertue and hath promised himselfe vnto him then whom nothing can be better and greater For what other thing is that which he hath sayd by the Prophet I wil be their GOD and they shal be my people but I wil be whereby they shal be satisfied I wil be what-soeuer is lawfully desired of men life health food abundance glory honor peace and all good things For so also is that rightly vnderstood which the Apostle sayth That GOD may bee all in all He shal bee the end of our desires who shal be seene without end who shal be loued without any saciety and praised without any tediousnesse This function this affection this action verily shal be vnto all as the eternall life shal be common to all But who is sufficient to thinke much more to vtter what degrees there shall also bee of the rewardes for merits of the honors and glories But wee must not doubt but that there shal be degrees And also that Blessed Citty shall see that in it selfe that no inferior shall enuy his superior euen as now the other Angells doe not enuie the Arch-angells as euery one would not be which he hath not receiued although hee be combined with a most peaceable bond of concord to him which hath receiued by which the finger will not bee the eye in the body when as a peaceable coniunction and knitting together of the whole flesh doth containe both members Therefore one shall so haue a gift lesse then another hath that hee also hath this gift that he will haue no more Neither therefore shall they not haue free will because sinnes shall not delight them For it shal be more free beeing freed from the delight of sinning to an vndeclinable and sted-fast delight of not sinning For the first free-will which was giuen to man when hee was created righteous had power not to sinne but it had also powre to sinne but this last free-will shal be more powerfull then that because it shall not be able to sinne But this also by the gift of GOD not by the possibily of his owne nature For it is one thing to be GOD another thing to bee partaker of GOD. GOD cannot sinne by nature but hee which is partaker of GOD receiueth from him that hee cannot sinne But there were degrees to be obserued of the diuine gift that the first free-will might be giuen whereby man might be able not to sinne the last whereby he might not be able to sinne and the first did pertaine to obtaine a merit the later to receiue a reward But because that nature sinned when it might sinne it is freed by a more bountifull grace that it may be brought to that liberty in which it cannot sinne For as the first immortallity which Adam lost by sinning was to bee able not to die For so the will of piety and equity shal be free from beeing lost as the will of felicity is free from being lost For as by sinning wee neither kept piety nor felicity neither truely haue we lost the will of felicity felicity being lost Truely is GOD himselfe therefore to be denied to â—…aue free-will because hee cannot sinne Therefore the free-will of that Citty shall both bee one in all and also inseperable in euery one freed from all euill and filled with all good enioying an euerlasting pleasure of eternall ioyes forgetfull of faults forgetfull of punishments neither therefore so forgetfull of her deliuerance that shee bee vngratefull to her deliuerer For so much as concerneth reasonable knowledge shee is mindefull also of her euills which are past but so much as concerneth the experience of the senses altogether vnmindefull For a most skilfull Phisition also knoweth almost all diseases of the bodie as they are knowne by art but as they are felt in the bodie hee knoweth not many which he hath not suffered As therefore there are two knowledges of euills one by which they are not hidden from the power of the vnderstanding the other by which they are infixed to the senses of him that feeleth them for all vices are otherwise knowne by the doctrine of wisdome and otherwise by the most wicked life of a foolish man so there are two forgetfulnesses of euills For a skilfull and learned man doth forget them one way and hee that hath had experience and suffered them forgetteth them another way The former if he neglect his skill the later if hee want misery According to this forgetfulnesse which I haue set downe in the later place the Saints shall not be mindefull of euils past For they shall want all euils so that they shall be abolished vtterly from their senses Neuerthelesse that powre of knowledge which shal be great in them shall not onely know their owne euils past but also the euerlasting misery of the damned Otherwise if they shall not know that they haue beene miserable how as the psalme sayth Shall they sing the mercies of the LORD for euer Then which song nothing verily shal be more delightfull to that Citty to the glory of the loue of CHRIST by whose bloud we are deliuered There shal be perfected Bee at rest and see because I am GOD. Because there shal be the most great Sabbath hauing no euening Which the LORD commended vnto vs in the first workes of the world where it is read And GOD rested the seauenth day from all his workes he made and sanctified it because in it hee rested from all
St. AVGVSTINE OF THE CITIE OF GOD WITH THE LEARNED COMMENTS OF IO. LOD. VIVES Englished by I. H. DISSIPABIT AVGVSTINVS Printed by GEORGE ELD 1610. TO THE HONORABLEST PATRON OF MVSES AND GOOD MINDES LORD WILLIAM Earle of Penbroke Knight of the Honourable Order c. RIght gracious and gracefull Lord your late imaginary but now actuall Trauailer then to most-conceited Uiraginia now to almost-concealed Uirginia then a light but not lewde now a sage and allowed translator then of a scarce knowne nouice now a famous Father then of a deuised Country scarse on earth now of a desired Citie sure in heauen then of Utopia now of Eutopia not as by testament but as a testimonie of gratitude obseruance and hearts-honour to your Honor bequeathed at hence-parting thereby scarse perfecting this his translation at the imprinting to your Lordships protecting He that against detraction beyond expectation then found your sweete patronage in a matter of small moment without distrust or disturbance in this worke of more worth more weight as he approoued his more abilitie so would not but expect your Honours more acceptance Though these be Church-men and this a Church-matter he vnapt or vnworthy to holde trafique with either yet heere Saint Augustine and his Commenter Uiues most fauour of the secular and the one accordingly to Marcellinus the other to our King Henry directed their dedications and as translators are onely tyed to haue and giue true vnderstanding so are they freer then the authors to sute them-selues a Patrone Which as to Scipio the staffe and stay the type and top of that Cornelian stemme in quam vt plura genera in vnam arborem videtur insita multorum illuminata sapientia your poore Pacuuius Terence or Ennius or what you list so he be yours thought most conuenient to consecrate VVherefore his legacie laide at your Honours feete is rather here deliuered to your Honours humbly thrise-kissed hands by his poore delegate Your Lordships true-deuoted Th. Th. HENRY King of England to IOANNES LODOVICVS VIVES greeting WORTHY Sir and our very welbeloued friend as soone as Saint AVGVSTINE de ciuitate Dei enlightned with your comments came to our hands being right welcome to vs it caused vs to doubt whom wee should most congratulate either you by whose so learned labour so ehoise a worke is finished or Saint AVGVSTINE who long time imperfect and obscure is now at last brought from darknesse to light and restored to his ancient integrity or all posterity whom these your Commentaries shall infinitely profit But whereas it pleased you to dedicate these Commentaries to our name wee cannot but retaine a gratefull minde and returne you great thankes in that especially your minde therein seemeth to manifest no vulgar loue and obseruance towards vs. Wherefore we would haue you perswaded that our fauor and good will shall neuer faile in your affaires whatsoeuer occasion shall bee offered that may tend to your auaile So fare you happily well From our Court at Greenwich the XXIIII day of Ianuary M. D. XXIII IOANNES LODOVICVS VIVES to the renowned Prince HENRY the Eight King of England Lord of Ireland c. Salutations IT is so ordered by nature of mens dispositions most famous King as we admire them truely and heartely whom wee perceiue excell in that knowledge which pleaseth vs most and is approued amongst all diuers are giuen to diuers studies and exercises nature doth so ordaine as by this variety the world should consist both beautifull and wonderfull and yet as hee speakes Euery mans owne is fairest to himselfe Your Maiestie long since hath beene esteemed yea and admired for your opulency and large extended Empire not conquered by armes homicide but lineally conuaied from your parents as also for your strengh of minde and body and for your warlike prowes But now since you haue also giuen good proofe and essaies how able are you in strength of wit and studies of wisdome you are growne much greater and more admirable among all learned men not but that they highly esteemed you before especially for that you ioyne mildnes with maiesty goodnes with gouernment therby to appeare a louelier and liuelier image of the Prince of Nature who as hee is greatest so is he best yea best before he proued greatest But men giuen to learning do not so much bewonder your wealth or your power as with exceeding loue they imbrace adore that you are good gracious not deeming it to be admired that you are King since euen wicked men haue oft beene Kings yea and remarkeable for fayre endowments of the body But when your defence of the Sacraments came forth thē which nothing can be more elegāt more pure more religious and in one word more christian the reputation of your minds goodnes was much more confirmed if more it might be for it was now infixed in the minds of al most firme assured by many examples as if fastned with nailes and admiration thereof arose in all men yea euen in those who thinke nothing more honorable more maiesticall then the power of a King those that place riches aboue al things that ascribe exceeding much to the gifts of the body to beauty brawny strength and agility and that are students in the arts of war as if war were the omnipotent cōmander of al things wher-hence it comes to passe that all Princes by all meanes mediations they may do ambitiously striue to hold frindship with you al affecting to be ioined to you or by confederacy or which is more wished by alliance Nor want you the studies of priuate men which by the splender of your vertues you haue raised alluring some with your beneficence or eather magnificeuce others with your humanity and sweetnesse of demeanor al with wisdom iustice two vertues indeed for a King You being such I do insooth confesse my impudency that oft times I did affect to be known vnto you for this is my opinion that it is no meane praise to be but knowne of you And whereas at all other times fit occasion was wanting it now voluntary presented it self my Commentaries vpon S. AVGVSTINES bookes de ciuitate dei being in a readines which whē I bethought me to whō I might dedicate in such sort as both I might win some fauor worth the esteeming for my labor and he to whō they shold be presēted might not think so much learning as leasing so much study as stubble not a book but a burthē or bundel were profered vnto him as also I might send them to a Censor as graue as gratious who only allowing thē they might seeme approued and commended by the applause of all men you onely came to mind for many reasons and respects First for that such is your vertue and learning as euen to you I should haue presented them if you had bin a priuate man next did I see this was the next way to attaine my desire which erst I had conceaued
not onely those of the weaker sort that liue in marriage hauing or seeking to haue children and keeping houses and families whome the Apostle in the Church doth instruct how to liue the wiues with their husbands and the husbands with their wiues children with their parents and the parents with their children the seruants with their maisters and the maisters with their seruants it is not these alone that get together these worldly goods with industry and loose them with sorrow and because of which they dare not offend such men as in their filthy and contaminate liues do extreamely displease them but it is also those of the highter sort such as are no way chayned in mariage such as are content with poore fare and meane attire Many of these through too much loue of their good name and safety through their feare of the deceits and violence of the wicked through frailtie and weaknesse forbeare to reprooue the wicked when they haue offended And although they doe not feare them so farre as to be drawne to actuall imitation of these their vicious demeanours yet this which they will not act with them they will not reprehend in them though herein they might reforme some of them by this reprehension by reason that in case they did not reforme them their owne fame and their safetie might come in danger of destruction Now herein they doe at no hand consider how they are bound to see that their fame and safety bee necessarily employed in the instruction of others but they do nothing but poyse it in their owne infirmitie which loues to be stroaked with a smooth tongue and delighteth in the e day of man fearing the censure of the vulgar and the torture and destruction of body that is they forbeare this dutie not through any effect of charitie but meerely through the power of auarice and greedy affection Wherefore I hold this a great cause why the good liuers do pertake with the bad in their afflictions when it is Gods pleasure to correct the corruption of manners with the punishment of temporall calamities For they both endure one scourge not because they are both guiltie of one disordered life but because they both doe too much affect this transitorie life not in like measure but yet both together which the good man should contemne that the other by them being corrected and amended might attaine the life eternall who if they would not ioyne with them in this endeauour of attaining beatitude they should be f borne with all and loued as our enemies are to be loued in Christianitie we being vncertaine whilest they liue here whether euer their heart shall bee turned vnto better or no which to doe the good men haue not the like but farre greater reason because vnto them g the Prophet saith Hee is taken away for his iniquity but his bloud will I require at the watch-mans hand h for vnto this end were watch-men that is rulers ouer the people placed in the churches that they should i not spare to reprehend enormities Nor yet is any other man altogether free from this guilt whatsoeuer he bee ruler or not ruler who in that dayly commerce and conuersation wherein humane necessity confines him obserueth any thing blame worthy and to reprehend it seeking to auoyde the others displeasure being drawne here-vnto by these vanities which he doth not vse as he should but affecteth much more then hee should Againe there 's another reason why the righteous should endure these temporall inflictions and was cause of holy k Iobs sufferance namely that hereby the soule may bee prooued and fully knowne whether it hath so much godlie vertue as to loue God freely and for himselfe alone These reasons being well considered tell me whether any thing be casuall vnto the good that tendeth not to their good vnlesse we shall hold that the Apostle talked idely when he said l Wee know all things worke together for the best vnto them that loue God L. VIVES IN something a yeelds The lust of the flesh is so inwardly inherent in our bodies and that affect is so inborne in vs by nature that great workeman of all thinges liuing who hath so subtilly infused it into our breasts that euen when our minde is quiet vppon another obiect we do propagate our ofspring in the like affection so that we can by no meanes haue a thought of the performing of this desire without beeing stung within with a certaine secret delight which many do make a sinne but too too veniall b by his Prophets and that very often as is plaine in Esay and Ieremy c But this is the fault Cicero in his offices saith There be some that although that which they thinke bee very good yet for feare of enuy dare not speak it d The hope As the guide of their pilgrimage e the day of man 1. Cor. 4. I passe little to bee iudged of you or of the day of man that is the iudgement of man wherein each man is condemned or approued of men whose contrary is the daie of the Lord which searcheth and censureth the secrets of all heartes f borne with and loued The wicked are not onely to bee indured but euen to bee loued also God commaunding vs to loue euen our enemies Mat. 5. g The Prophet Ezechiel Chap. 33. But if the watchman see the sword come and blow not the trumpet and the people bee not warned and the sword come take away any person from among them he is taken away for his iniquitie but his bloud will I require at the watch-mans hands h For vnto this end were watch-men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Greeke is Speculator in latin a watchman a discryer an obseruer and a Gouernor Cicero in his seauenth booke of his Epistles to Atticus saith thus Pompey would haue me to be the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Sentinell of Campania and all the sea-coastes and one to whome the whole summe of the busines should haue speciall relation Andromache in Homer cals Hector Troiae 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the watchman or guardian of Troy The Athenians called their Intelligencers and such as they sent out to obserue the practises of their tributary citties Episcopos Ouerseers and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 watchmen the Lacedemonians called them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Moderatores Gouernors Archadius the Lawyer cals them Episcopos that had charge of the prouision for vittailes Some thinke the preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to bee heere a Pleonasme whereof Eustathius one of Homers interpreters is one and that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is all one 1. Not spare to reprehend So saith saint Paul vnto Titus And so doe our Bishops euen in these times whome with teares we behold haled vnto martyrdome because they tell the truth in too bitter tearmes and persecute vice through all not respecting a whit their reuenues nor dignities Christ Iesus glorifie them k Iobs The history all men
with the good euents of these his wishes and yet none of them haue power to reforme his fowle conditions being then about to set abroach such mischiefes by these domestique armes as should not pollute but euen vtterly abolish the state of the weale-publike By this very acte doe they prooue them-selues as I said here-to-fore directly to bee deuils And wee doe know our scripture shewes it vs and their owne actions confirme it that their whole care is to make themselues be reputed for gods to be worshipped as diuine powers and to haue such honours giuen them as shall put the giuers and the receiuers both into one desperate case at that great day of the Lord. Besides when Sylla came to Tarentum and had sacrificed there hee descryed in the chiefe lappe of the Calues liuer a figure iust like a crowne of golde and then Posthumius the Sooth-sayer answered him againe that it portended him a glorious victorie and commanded that hee alone should eate of these intrayles And within a little while after d a seruant of one Lucius Pontius came running in crying out in Prophetike manner I bring newes from Bellona the victory is thine Sylla and then added That the Capitoll should bee fired Which when hee had sayd presently going forth of the rents hee returned the next day in greater haste then before and sayd that the Capitoll was now burned and burned it was indeed This now might quickly bee done by the deuill both for ease in the knowledge of it and speede in the relation But now to speake to the purpose marke but well what kinde of gods these men would haue that blaspheame Christ for deliuering the hearts of the beleeuers from the tyrranie of the deuill The fellow cryed out in his propheticke rapture The victorie is thine O Sylla and to assure them that hee spake by a diuine instinct hee told them of a sudden euent that should fall out soone after in a place from whence hee in whom this spirit spake was a great way distant But hee neuer cryed Forbeare thy Villanies O Sylla those were left free to bee executed by him with such horror and committed with such outrage as is vnspeakeable after that victory which the bright signe of the Crowne in the Calues liuer did prognosticate vnto him Now if they were good and iust gods and not wicked fiends that had giuen such signes then truly these entrailes should haue expressed the great mischiefes that should fall vpon Sylla himselfe rather then any thing else for that victory did not benefit his dignitie so much but it hurt his affections twise as much for by it was his spirit eleuated in vaine glory and he induced to abuse his prosperitie without all moderation so that these things made a greater massacre of his manners then he made of the cittizens bodies But as for these horred and lamentable euents the gods would neuer fore-tell him of them either by entrailes Prophesies Dreames or Sooth-sayings for their feare was least his enormities should bee reformed not least his fortunes should bee subuerted No theyr e endeuour was that this glorious conquerour of his Citizens might bee captiuated and conquered by the rankest shapes of viciousnesse and by these bee more strictly bound and enchained vnto the subiection of the deuils themselues L. VIVES SYlla a himselfe The Marian faction during their superioritie gouerned the common-wealth with such crueltie and insolence that all the desires and hearts of the people longed for Sylla and called him home to come and reuenge those tyrannies But his good beginnings lifted him vp vnto such intollerable pride and blood-thirst that afterwards they all acknowledged Marius as a meeke lambe in respect of him Lucane Sylla quoâ—… immensis accessit cladibus vltor Ille quod â—…xiguum restabat sanguinis vrbis Haâ—…it Then Sylla came to wreake the woes sustained And that small quantitie that yet remained Of Romaine bloud he drew And a little after Tâ—…â—…ta libertâ—… odijs resolutaâ—… legum Franis iâ—… a â—…uit non vni cuncta dabantur Sed fecit sibi quisquenefas semel omnia victor 〈◊〉 Then hate brake freely forth and lawes raines gone Wrath mounted not lay all the guilt on one But each wrought his owne staine the victors tongue Licenc'd all acts at once b Posthumius Cicero De diuinatione lib. 1. saith that hee was also a Sooth-sayer with Sylla in the warre called Sociale of the Associates or confederates In which warre Cicero himselfe was a souldiour Ualerius also affirmes this to bee true de prodigiis c Mithridates This was a most valiant King of Pontus against whome the people of Rome denounced warres first of all because hee chased Nicomedes out of Bythinia But afterwards brake the warre out beyond all bounds because that vpon one sette day all the Romaine Citizens that were found traffiquing in his dominions were murthered euery man by the command of Mithridates him-selfe This Kings fortunes did Sylla first of all shake then did Lucullus breake them and last of all Pompey did vtterly extinguish them subiecting his whole kingdome vnto the Romaine Empire the King hauing killed him-selfe Plutarch in the liues of Pompey Lucullus c. Appian Alex. in Mithridatico Florus and others d A seruant of one So saith Plutarch in his life of Sylla The Capitoll was built on mount Tarpeius by Tarquin the Proud and a Temple the fayrest of all them on the Capitoll was dedicated vnto Iupiter by Horatius Puluillus then Consull the first yeare of the Citties libertie It was burned in the Marian warre Cn Carbo and L. Scipio being Consulls Anno P. R. C. DCLXXI Repaired by Sylla finished and consecrated by Q. Caâ—…ulus onely in this as Sylla sayd did fate detracte from his felicitie Some thinke it was burnt by Sylla's meanes others by Carbo's the Consulls Appian saith that it was fired by meere chance no man knew how e Endeuoured Satis agebant had a diligent and aâ—…xione-care to effect it How powerfully the Deuills incite men to villanies by laying before them examples of diuine authoritie as it were for them to follow in their villanous acts CHAP. 25. WHo is he then vnlesse he be one of those that loueth to imitate such gods that by this which is already laide open doth not see how great a grace of God it is to be seperated from the societie of those deuils and how strong they are in working mischiefe by presenting their owne examples as a diuine priuiledge and authoritie whereby men are licensed to worke wickednesse Nay they were seene in a a certaine large plaine of Campania to fight a set battell amongst themselues a little before that the citizens fought that bloudy conflict in the same place For at first there were strange terrible noyses heard afterwards it was affirmed by many that for certaine dayes together one might see two armies in continuall fight one against the other And after that the fight was ceased they found
Cattell dyed also so sore that one would haue thought the worldes vtter vastation was entered And then there was a winter how strangely vnseasonable The snow lying in the Market-place forty daies together in a monstrous depth all Tiber beeing frozen quite ouer If this hadde hapened in our times Lord how it would haue beene scanned vppon And then for that o great pestilence how many thousand tooke it hence which maugre all Aesculapius his druggs lasting till the next yeare they were faine to betake them-selues to the bookes of the Sybils p In which kind of Oracles as Tully saith well in his booke De diuinat the expounders of them are oftener trusted then otherwise gesse they neuer so vnlikely and then it was said that the pestilence raged so because that q many of the Temples were put vnto priuat mens vses Hereby freeing Aesculapius either from great ignorance or negligence But why were these Temples turned vnto priuate habitations without prohibition but onely because they saw they hadde lost too much labour in praying to such a crue of goddes so long and so becomming wiser by degrees had left haunting of those places by little and little and at length abandoned them wholy for the priuate vses of such as would inhabit them For those houses that as then for auoiding of this pestilence were so dilligently repared if they were not afterwards vtterly neglected and so incroched vppon by priuat men as before Varro should bee too blame to say speaking of Temples that many of them were vnknowne But in the meane time this fetch was a pretty excuse for the goddes but no cure at all for the Pestilence L. VIVES A Few a of the greatest The Plebeians either through hate to the Nobles or ambition in them-selues disturbed the common state exceedingly to assure and augment their owne pretending the defence of the peoples freedome notwithstanding in all their courses the Patriots opposed them abstracting from the peoples meanes to share amongst them-selues pretending the defence of the Senates dignity which the state would haue most eminent but indeed they did nothing but contend bandy factions each with other according to his power b deserts Some books put in incesserant but it hurteth the sence c Where then were All this relation of Augustines is out of Liuie read it in him least our repitition becomme both tedious and troublesome d It was scaled Incensum scaled and not incensum fired e SP. Aemilius This must be Melius assuredly by the history f Bed-spreadings It was an old fashion to banket vpon beds But in their appeasiue and sacrifical banquets in the Temples and in the night orgies they made beds in the place for the gods to lye and reuel vpon and this was called Lectisterium Bed-spreading the Citty being sore infected with the plague saith Liuie lib. 5. a few yeares ere it was taken by the Galles the Sybils bookes directed the first Bed-spreading to last eight dayes three beds were fitted one for Apollo and Latona one for Diana and Hercules one for Mercury and Neptune But how this can bee the first Bed-spreading I cannot see seeing that in the secular games that Poplicola Brutus his Collegue ordayned there were three nights Bed-spreadings Valer lib. 2. Censorin de die Natall g Another In yâ— Consulship of C L. Marcellus T. Ualerius was a great question in the Court about poisons because many great men had bene killed by their wiues vsing such meanes h Then grew wars Against the Samnites Galles Tarentines Lucans Brutians and Hetrurians after al which followed Pyrrhus the King of Epirus his warre But now a word or two of the Proletarij the Brood-men here named Seruius Tullus the sixt King of Rome diuided the people into six companies or formes in the first was those that were censured worth C. M. Asses or more but vnder that King the greatest Censure was but C X M. Plin lib. 33. the second contained all of an estate between C. and LXXV Asses the third them vnder L. the fourth them vnder XXXV the fift them vnder XI the last was a Century of men freed from warre-fare Proletarii or Brood-men and Capiti-censi A Brood-man was hee that was rated ML Asses in the Censors booke more or lesse and such were euer forborne from all offices and vses in the Cittie beeing reserued onely to begette children and therefore were stiled Proletarii of Proles brood or ofspring The Capite Censi were poorer and valued but at CCCLXXV asses Who because they were not censured by their states were counted by the poll as augmenting the number of the Cittizens These two last sorts did Seru. Tullius exempt from all seruice in warre not that they were vnfit them-selues or hadde not pledges to leaue for their fealty but because they could not beare the charges of warre for the soldiers in those daies maintained them-selues It may be this old custome remained after the institution of tribute and the people of Rome thought it not fitte that such men should go to warre because that they accounted all by the purse This reason is giuen by Valerius and Gellius But these Brood-men were diuers times ledde forth to the wars afterward mary the Capite Censi neuer vntill Marius his time and the warre of Iugurthe Salust Valer. Quintillian also toucheth this In milite mariano And here-vppon Marius their Generall was called Capite Census i Pyrrhus Descended by his mother from Achilles by his father from Hercules by both from Ioue This man dreaming on the worlds Monarchy went with speed at the Tarentines intreaty against the Romaines hence hoping to subdue Italie and then the whole world as Alexander had done a while before him k Who asking Cicero de diuinat lib. 2 saith that it is a verse in Ennius Aio and as in the text Which the Poet affirmeth that the Oracle returned as answer to Pyrrhus in his inquiry hereof Whence Tully writeth thus But now to thee Apollo thou that sittest vpon the earths nauell from whence this cruel and superstitious voice first brake Chrysippus fill'd a booke with thine Oracles but partly fained I thinke and partly casuall as is often seene in ordinary discourses and partly equiuocall that the interpreter shall need an interpreter and the lotte must abide the try all by lotte and partly doutful requiring the skil of Logike Thus farre he seeming to taxe Poets verse with falshood Pyrrhus is called Aeacides for Achilles was son to Peleus and Peleus vnto Aacus Virgill ipsumque Aeacidem c. meaning Pyrrhus l Pyrrhus was conqueror Pyrrhus at Heraclea ouerthrew Valerius Consull but got a bloudy victory whence the Heraclean victory grew to a prouerb but after Sulpitius and Decius foyled him and Curius Dentatus at length ouerthrew him and chased him out of Italy m And in this This is out of Orosius lib. 4. hapning in the Consulship of Gurges and Genutiuâ—… in Pyrrhus his warre n Prince of
it from these there is no cause of despaire Who knowes the will of God herein L. VIVES THe a Medians By Arbaces praefect of Media who killed Sardanapalus as scorning that so many thousand men should obey a beast Iustin. Oros. Plutar. Euseb. c. b From them The Monarchy of Asia remained with the Medians from Arbaces to Cyrus Cambyses sonne CCCL yeares Astyages was the last King whose daughter Mandane Cambyses wife was mother to Cyrus Cyrus being borne his grand-sire through a dreame he had caused him to be cast out to the wild beasts in the woods But by chance he was saued And beeing become a lusty youth entring into Persepolis hee commanded the people to make ready their axes and cut downe a great wood next day he made them a delicate banquet and in the midst thereof asked them whether they liked this day better then the other They all replied this day well saith hee as long as you serue the Medians the world shal be as yesterday to you but bee your owne Lords your selues and it wil be this day Herevpon leauying an army he ouer-threw his vncle and transferred the Monarchy vnto Persia. c Persians Their Kingdome continued from Cyrus to Alexander Philips sonne CCXXX yeares Alexander ruled Asia VI. yeares his successors after him vnto Seleucus and Antiochus the two brethren that is from the 104 Olympiade vnto the 134. at which time Arsaces a meane but a valorous fellow set his country free by meanes of the two brethrens discord and raigned King himselfe Thence arose the Parthian Kingdome lasting vnto Alex. Seuerus Caesars time at which time Xerxes the Persian subdued them and annexed them to the Persian crowne and this Kingdome was during in Augustines time Whereof read Herodian in Antoninus d After those The text of some copies followes Eusebius but the old bookes doe leaue out et quadraginta So that Augustine did not set downe his opinion amongst this diuersity of accounts but onely the ouerplus to shew onely that it was more then MCC yeares but how much more he knoweth not surely it was not an C. e Though The name of it remaineth as yet in the ancient dignity but with no powre What precious gods those were by whose power the Romaines hela their Empire to bee enlarged and preserued seeing that they durst not trust them with the defence of meane and perticular matters CHAP. 8. LEt vs now make inquiry if you will which God or gods of all this swarme that Rome worshipped was it that did enlarge and protect this their Empire In a world of such worth and dignity they durst not secretly commit any dealing to the goddesse Cloacina a nor to the goddesse b Volupia the lady of pleasure nor to c Libentina the goddesse of lust nor to d Vaticanus the god of childrens crying nor to e Cunina the goddesse of their cradles But how can this one little booke possibly haue roome to containe the names of all their gods and goddesses when as their great volumes will not doe it seeing they haue a seuerall god to see to euery perticular act they take in hand Durst they trust one god with their lands thinke you No Rusina must looke to the country Iugatinus to the hill-toppes Collatina to the whole hills besides and Vallonia to the vallies Nor could f Segetia alone bee sufficient to protect the corne but while it was in the ground Seia must looke to it when it was vp and ready to mow Segetia when it was mowne and laid vp then g Tutilina tooke charge of it who did not like that Segetia alone should haue charge of it all the while before it came dried vnto her hand nor was it sufficient for those wretches that their poore seduced soules that scorned to embrace one true god should become prostitute vnto this meaner multitude of deuills they must haue more so they made h Proserpina goddesse of the cornes first leaues and buddes the i knots Nodotus looked vnto Volutina to the blades and when the eare began to looke out it was Patelena's charge when the eare began to be euen bearded because k Hostire was taken of old for to make euen Hostilinas worke came in when the flowres bloomed l Flora was called forth when they grew m white Lacturtia beeing ripe n Matuca beeing cut downe o Runcina O let them passe that which they shame not at I loath at These few I haue reckoned to shew that they durst at no hand affirme that these gods were the ordainers adorners augmenters or preseruers of the Empire of Rome hauing each one such peculiar charges assigned them as they had no leasure in the world to deale in any other matter How should Segetia guard the Empire that must not meddle but with the corne or Cunina looke to the warres that must deale with nought but childrens cradles or Nodotus giue his aide in the battaile that cannot helpe so much as the blade of the corne but is bound to looke to the knot onely Euery p house hath a porter to the dore and though he be but a single man yet hee is sufficient for that office but they must haue their three gods Forculus for the dore q Cardea for the hinge and Limentius for the threa-shold Be-like Forculus could not possibly keepe both dore hinges and threa-shold L. VIVES CLoacina a Some reade Cluacina and some Lauacina but Cloacina is the best her statue was found by Tatius who raigned with Romulus in a great Priuy or Iakes of Rome and knowing not whose it was named it after the place Cloacina of Cloaca Lactant. Cipriaâ—… calles it Cluacina but it is faulty I thinke There was Uenus surnamed Cluacina or the fighter for Cluo is to fight Her statue stood where the Romaines and Sabines agreed and ended the fight for the women Plin. lib. 15. b Uolupia She had a chappell at the Theater Nauall neare the gate Romanula Varro de Ling. Lat. lib. 3. Macrob. Saturn The 12. Cal. of Ianuary is Angeronia's feast kept by the Priests in Volupia's chappell Verrius Flaccus saith shee was so called for easing the angers and troubles of the minde Masurius saith her statue stood on Volupia's alter with the mouth sealed vp to shew that by the pacient suppressing of griefe is pleasure attained c Libentina Varro lib. 3. of Libet it lusteth there was Venus Libentina and Venus Libitina but Libithina is another d Vaticanus Not Uagitarius as some reade Gell. lib. 16. out of Varro As vnder whome saith hee the childes first cry is which is va the firstsyllable of Vaticanus whence Vagire also is deriued and in old bookes it is Uatiganus not Uagitanus e Cunina The cradle-keeper and wich-chaser f Segetia Or Segesta Plin. lib. 18. for those gods were then best knowne Seia to bee the goddesse of Sowing and Segetia of the corne their statues were in the Theater g Tutilina And Tutanus hee and she guarders
nor must we at all beleeue what Apuleius would haue vs and others with him that the Daemones are so placed betweene the gods and men that they beare vp mens prayers and bring downe the gods helpes but that they are spirits most thirstie of mischiefe wholy vniust proud enuious treacherous a inhabiting the ayre in deed as thrust out of the glorious heauen for their vnpardonable guilt and condemned eternally to that prison Nor are they aboue man in merite because ayre is aboue earth for men doe easily excell them not in quality of body but in the faith and fauour of the true God Indeed they rule ouer many that are not worthy of the perticipation of gods truth such are their subiects wonne to them by false myracles and by illusions perswading them that they are gods But others that looked more narrowly into them and their qualities would not beleeue this that they were gods onely they gott this place in their opinion to be held the gods messengers and bringers of mens good fortunes Yet those that held them not gods would not giue them the honor of gods because they saw them euill and held all gods to be good yet durst they not denie them all diuine honors for feare of offending the people whose inueterate superstition preserued them in so many temples altars and sacrifices L. VIVES INhabiting a the ayre The olde writers placed all their fable of hell in the ayre and there was 〈◊〉 Proserpina the Manâ—…s and the Furies Capella Chalcâ—… saith the ayre was iustly called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 darke Peter also and Iude affirme that the deuills 〈◊〉 bound in darknesse in the ayre some in the lowest parts of the earth Empedocles in Plâ—… 〈◊〉 faith that Heauen reiected them earth expels them the sea cannot abide them thus are they â—…ed by being tossed from place to place Hermes Trismegistus his opinion of Idolatrie and how he might come to know that the Egiptian superstitions were to be abrogated CHAP. 23. FOr Hermes a the Aegiptian called Trismegistus wrote contrary to these Aâ—… indeed holds them no gods but middle agents betweene gods and men that being so necessary he conioynes their adoration with the diuine worship But Trismegistus saith that the high God made some gods and men other some These words as I write them may bee vnderstood of Images because they are the workes of men But he calleth visible and palpable bodies the bodyes of the gods wherein are spirits inuited in thereto that haue power to hurt or pleasure such as giue them diuine honors So then to combine such a spirit inuisible by arts vnto a visible image of some certaine substance which it must vse as the soule doth the body this is to make a god saith hee and this wonderfull power of making gods is in the hands of man His b words are these And whereas 〈◊〉 discourse saith he concernes the affinitie betweene gods and men marke Asclepius this power of man Our God the Lord and Father is the creator of the celestiall gods so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the terrestriall which are in the temples And a little after So doth humanity remember the originall and euer striueth to imitate the deity making gods like the oâ—…ne Image as God the father hath done like his Do you meane statues replied Asclepius statues quoth he doe you not see them animate full of spirits and sence d trust your eyes doing such wonders see you not statues that presage future euents farre perhaps e beyond all propheticall inspiration to fore-tell that cure diseases and câ—…se them giuing men mirth or sadnesse as they deserue Know you not Asclepius thâ—…t Egâ—…pt 〈◊〉 heauens Image or rather the place whereinto all the celestiall graces desâ—…end the very temple of the whole world And since wisdome should fore-know all I 〈◊〉 not haue you ignorant herein The time shall come that all the zeale of Egipt shall be â—…gated and all the religious obseruations held idle and vaine Then goeth hee forward prophecying by all likelyhood of christianity whose true sanctitie is the â—…tter subuersion of all fictions and superstitions that the Sauiours true grace might free vs from those humaine gods those handy-workes of man and place vs to gods seruice mans maker But Hermes presageth these things as the deuills confederate suppressing the euidence of the Christian name and yet fore-telling with a sorrowfull intimation that from it should proceed the wracke of all their Idolatrous superstitions for Hermes was one of those who as the Apostle saith Kâ—…ing GOD glorified him not as GOD nor were thankfull but became vaine in their imaginations and their foolish heart was full of darkenesse when they professed them-selues wise they became fooles For they turned the glory of the incorruptible God into the symilitude of the Image of a corruptible man and byrdes and foore-footed beasts and Serpents f For this Hermes saith much of God according to truth But how blindnesse of heart drawes him to affirme this I know not that these gods should bee alwayes subiect whome man hath made and yet to bewaile their abrogations to come As if man could bee more miserable any way then in liuing slaue to his owne handy-worke g it being easier for him to put off all humanitie in adoring these peeces hee hath made then for them to put on deity by being made by him For it comes ofteneâ—… to passe that a man being set in honor be not vnderstood to bee like to the beasts then that his handy-worke should bee preferred before the worke that God made like his owne Image to wit mans selfe Worthily then doth hee fall from his grace that made him that maketh that his Lord which he hath made himselfe Those vaine deceitfull pernicious sacriledges Hermes foreseeing should perish deploreth but as impudently as hee had knowne it foolishly For the spirit of GOD had not spoken to him as it did to the Prophets that spoke this with gladnesse If a man make gods behold they are no gods and in another place At that day saith the LORD I will take the names of their Idols from the earth and there shal be no remembrance thereof And to the purpose of Egipt heare Isaias The Idols of Egipt shal be mooued at his presence and the heart of Egipt shall melt in the midst of her and so forward Such were they also that reioyced for the fulfilling h of that which they knew should come to passe as Simeon Anna and Elizabeth the first knowing Christ at his birth the second at his conception and i Peter that by Gods inspiration sayd Thou art that Christ the Sonne of the liuing GOD. But Hermes had his knowledge from those deuills that trembling in the flesh sayd to Christ Why art thou come to vndoe vs before the time Either k because that came suddenly vpon them which they expected not vntill afterwards or that they called it their vndoing to bee knowne and so despised and this was
before the time that is the iudgement wherein they and all men their sectaries are to bee cast into eternall torments as that l truth saith that neither deceiueth nor is deceiued not as hee saith that following the puffes of Philosophy flies here and there mixing truth and falshood greeuing at the ouerthrow of that religion which afterwards hee affirmes is all error L. VIVES HErmes a Of him by and by b His words We haue seene of his bookes greeke and latine This is out of his Asclepius translated by Apuleius c So doth humanity So humanity adapting it selfe to the nature and originall saith Hermes his booke d Trust So hath Hermes it Bruges copy hath Mistrust not your selfe e Beyond Apuleius and the Coleâ—…ne copy haue it both in this maner onely Mirth the Coleynists haue more then he f For Hermes I would haue cited some of his places but his bookes are common and so it is needelesse 〈◊〉 It being easier A diuersity of reading but of no moment nor alteration of sence h Of that which Reioycing that Christ is come whom the law and Prophets had promised So Iohn bad his disciples aske art thou he that should come or shall wee looke for an other i Peter This confession is the Churches corner stone neuer decaying to beleeue and affirme THAT IESVS IS CHRIST THE SONNE OF THE LIVING GOD. This is no Philosophicall reuelation no inuention no quirke no worldly wisdome but reuealed by GOD the father of all to such as hee doth loue and vouchsafe it k Because Hee sheweth why the deuills thought that Christ vndid them before the time l Truth Mat. 25. 41. Depart from meâ—… yee cursed into euerlasting fire which is prepared for the deuill and his angells How Hermes openly confessed his progenitors error and yet bewayled the destruction of it CHAP. 24. FOr after much discourse hee comes againe to speake of the gods men made but of these sufficient saith hee let vs returne againe to man to reason by which diuine guift man hath the name of reasonable For we haue yet spoken no wonderfull thing of man the a wonder of all wonders is that man could fiâ—…e out the diuine nature and giue it effect Wherefore our fathers erring exceedinly in incredulity b concerning the deities and neuer penetrating into the depth of diuine religioÌ„ they inueÌ„ted an art to make gods whervnto they ioyned a vertue out of some part of the worlds nature like to the other and conioyning these two because they could make no soules they framed certaine Images whereinto they called either Angells or deuills and so by these mysteries gaue these Idols power to hurt or helpe them I know not whether the deuills being admited would say asmuch as this man saith Our fathers exceedingly erring saith he in incredulity concerning the deities not penetrating into the depth of diuine religion inuented an arte to make gods Was hee content to say they but erred in this inuention no he addeth Exceedingly thus this exceeding error and incredulity of those that looked not into matters diuine gaue life to this inuention of making gods And yet though it were so though this was but an inuention of error incredulity and irreligiousnes yet this wise man lamenteth that future times should abolish it Marke now whether Gods power compell him to confesse his progenitors error the diuills to bee made the future wrack of the said error If it were their exceeding error incredulity negligence in matters diuine that giue first life to this god-making inuention what wonder if this arte bee detestable and all that it did against the truth cast out from the truth this truth correcting that errour this faith that incredulity this conuersion that neglect If he conceale the cause and yet confesse that rite to be their inuention we if we haue any wit cannot but gather that had they bin in the right way they would neuer haue fallen to that folly had they either thought worthily or meditated seriously of religion yet should wee a ffirme that their great incredulous contemptuous error in the cause of diuinity was the cause of this inuention wee should neuerthelesse stand in need to prepare our selues to endure the impudence of the truths obstinate opponeÌ„ts But since he that admires yâ— power of this art aboue all other things in man and greeues that the time should come wherein al those illusions should claspe with ruine through the power of legall authority since he confesseth the causes that gaue this art first original namely the exceeding error incredulity negligeÌ„ce of his ancestor in matters diuine what should wee doe but thinke GOD hath ouerthrowne these institutions by their iust contrary causes that which errors multitude ordained hath truths tract abolished faith hath subuerted the worke of incredulity and conuersion vnto Gods truth hath suppressed the effects of true Gods neglect not in Egipt only where onely the diabolicall spirit bewaileth but in all the world which heareth a new song sung vnto the Lord as the holy scripture saith Sing vnto the Lord a new song Sing vnto the Lord all the earth for the c title of this Psalme is when the house was built after the captiuity the City of God the Lords house is built that is the holy Church all the earth ouer after captiuity wherein the deuills held those men slaues who after by their faith in God became principall stones in the building for mans making of these gods did not acquit him from beeing slaue to these works of his but by his willing worship he was drawn into their society a society of suttle diuills not of stupid Idols for what are Idols but as the Scripture saith haue eyes and see not all the other properties that may be said of a dead sencelesse Image how well soeuer carued But the vncleane spirits therein by that truly black art bouÌ„d their soules that adored theÌ„ in their society most horrid captiuity therefore saith the Apostle We know that an Idol is nothing in the world But the Gentiles offer to deuilis not vnto God I wil not haue them to haue society with the deuils So then after this captiuity that bound men slaue to the deuils Gods house began to be built through the earth thence had the Psalme the beginning Sing vnto the Lord a new song sing vnto the Lord all the earth Sing vnto the Lord and praise his name d declare his saluation e from day to day Declare his glorie amongst all nations and his wonders amongst all people For the Lord is great and much to be praised hee is to be feared aboue all gods For all the gods of the people are Idols but the Lord made the heauens Hee then that bewailed the abolishment of these Idols in the time to come and of the slauery wherein the deuills held men captiue did it out of an euill spirits inspiration and from that did desire the continuance of that captiuity
so that he that loues man seemes to loue God This precept is so congruent to mans nature that the Philosophers approoued it For Nature say they hath ioyned all men in league and likenesse togither And it is the first in the lawes of friendship to loue our friend as our selfe for wee hold him our second selfe m What doth it Mans desire beeing all vpon happinesse if he loue his friend as himselfe he ought to deâ—…e to lead him the same way hee goeth himselfe n Of adoration For euen men in the scripâ—…es haue a kinde of reuerend adoration allowed them Of the sacrifices which God requireth not and what he requireth in their signification CHAP. 5. BVt who is so fond to thinke that God needeth any thing that is offered in sacâ—…ce The scripture condemnes them that thinke so diuersly one place of the Psalmist to make short for all I said vnto the Lord thou art my God a because thou needest none of my goods Beleeue it therefore God had no neede of mans cattell nor any earthly good of his no not his iustice but all the worship that hee giueth God is for his owne profit not Gods One cannot say hee doth the fountaine good by drinking of it or the light by seeing by it Nor had the patriarches ancient sacrifices which now Gods people b reade of but vse not any other intent but to signifie what should bee done of vs in adherence to God and charity to our neighbour for the same end So then an externall offring is a visible sacrament of an inuisible sacrifice that is an holy signe And therevpon the penitent man in the Prophet or rather the penitent Prophet desiring God to pardon his sinnes Thou desirest no sacrifice though I would giue it saith he bâ—… thou delightest not in burnt offering The sacrifices of God are a contrite spirit a brâ—…ken and humbled heart O GOD thou c wilt not despise Behold here he saith God will haue sacrifices and God will haue no sacrifices Hee will haue no slaughtered beast but hee will haue a contrite heart So in that which hee denied was implied that which hee desired The Prophet then saying hee will not haâ—…e sâ—…ch why doe fooles thinke he will as delighting in them If hee would not hâ—…e had such sacrifices as he desired whereof a contrite heart is one to haue bin signified in those other wherein they thought he delighted hee would not haue giâ—…en any command concerning them in Leuiticus but there are set times appointed for their changes least men should thinke he tooke pleasure in them or accepted them of vs otherwise then as signes of the other Therefore saith another Psalme If I bee hungry I will not tell thee for all the world is mine and all that thâ—… in is wil I eate the flesh of Buls or drinke the bloud of Goates as who should say if I would I would not beg them of thee hauing them in my power But then addeth be their signification Offer praise to God and pay thy vowes to the most high And call vpon mee in the day of trouble and I will deliuer thee and thou shalt d gloryfie mee And in e another Prophet where-with shall I come before the Lord and bow my selfe before the high GOD Shall I come before him with burnt offerings and with Câ—…es of a yeare old Wâ—…ll the Lord bee pleased with thousands of Rammes or with ten tâ—…sand riuers of Oyle Shall I giue my first borne for the transgression euen the fruite of â—…y bodie for the sinne of my soule Hee hath shewed thee O man what is good and what the Lord requireth of thee surely to doe Iustice and to loue mercy and to humble â—…y selfe and to walke with thy God In these words are both the sacrifices plainely distinct and it is shewed that God respecteth not the first that signifie those he respecteth as the Epistle f intituled to the Hebrewes saith To doe good and to distribute forget not for with such sacrifices g God is pleased And as it is else-where I will haue Mercy and not sacrifice this sheweth that the externall sacrifice is but a tipe of the better and that which men call a sacrifice is the signe of the true one And mercy is a true sacrifice wherevpon it is sayd as before With such sacrifices God is pleased Wherefore all the precepts concerning sacrifices in the Tabernacle and the Temple haue all reference to the loue of God and our neighbour For in these two as is sayd h is contained all the law and the Prophets L. VIVES BEcause a thou He is his true Lord that needeth not his goods when the other needs his b Read So is the best copies c Thou wilt The Septuagints reade it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the third person and so doth Augustines text but not the vulgar nor our translation d Some say magnifie some honor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith the Greeke and so Hierome translateth it The difference is nothing e Another Prophet Micah 6. carefull to walke with thy God saith Hierome from the hebrew Theodotion hath it take diligent heede 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 stand firme to walke with thy God f Intituled Intimating the vncertainty concerning the authour thereof g God is pleased The old copies say let God bee pleased better then our vulgar God is deserued promeretur The greeke is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 propiciatur or placatur is appeased h Is conteyned For this is the end and scope of all the law and Prophets precepts Of the true and perfect sacrifice CHAP. 6. EVery worke therefore tending to effect our beatitude by a sinfull inherence with God is a true sacrifice Compassion shewn vpon a man and not for Gods sake is no sacrifice For a sacrifice though offred by a man is a diuine thing and so the ancient Latinists tearme it wherevpon a man consecrated wholy to Gods name to liue to him and die to the world is a sacrifice For this is mercy shewn vpon himselfe And so is it written Pity thine owne soule and please GOD. And when we chastice our bodyly abstinence if we doe it as we should not making our members instruments of iniquity but of Gods iustice it is a sacrifice wherevnto the Apostle exhorteth vs saying I beseech you therefore brethrenby the mercies of GOD that you giue vp your bodies a liuing sacrifice holy and acceptable vnto GOD which is your reasonable seruing of GOD. If therefore the body beeing but seruant and instrument vnto the soule being rightly vsed in Gods seruice bee a sacrifice how much more is the soule one when it relieth vpon God and being inflamed with his loue looseth all forme of temporall concupiscence as is framed according to his most excellent figure pleasing him by perticipating of his beauty This the Apostle adioynes in these words And fashion not your selues like this world but bee ye changed in newnesse of
not This I say is the way that will free all beleeuers wherein Abraham trusting receiued that diuine promise In thy seede shall all the nations bee blessed Abrahamâ—… as a Chaldaean but for to receiue this promise that the seede which was disposed by the Angells in the mediators power to giue this vniuersall way of the soules freedome vnto all nations he was commanded to leaue his owne land and kinred and his fathers house And then was hee first freed from the Chaldaean superstitions and serued the true God to whose promise he firmely trusted This is the way recorded in the Prophet God bee mercifull vnto vs and blesse vs and shew vs the light of his countenance and bee mercifull vnto vs. That thy way may be knowne vpon earth thy sauing health among all nations And long aftâ—…r Abrahams seede beeing incarnate Christ sayth of himselfe I am the way the truth and the life This is the vniuersall way mentioned so long before by the Prophets It shal be in the last daies that the g mountaine of the house of the Lord shal be prepared in the toppe of the mountaines and shal be exalted aboue the hills and all nations shall flie vnto it And many people shall goe and say come let vs goe vppe to the mountaine of the Lord to the house of the God of Iacob and hee will teach vs his way and wee will walke therein For the lawe shall goe forth of Syon and the word of the LORD from Ierusalem This way therefore is not peculiar to some one nation but common to all Nor did the law and word of God stay in Ierusalem or Syon but come from thence to ouerspread all the world Therevpon the mediator being risen from death sayd vnto his amazed and amated disciples Al things must be fulfilled which are written of mee in the law the Prophets and the Psalmes Then opened hee their vnderstanding that they might vnderstand the scriptures saying thus it behooued CHRIST to suffer and to rise againe from the dead the third day and that repentance and remission of sinnes should be preached in his name amongst all nations beginning at Ierusalem This then is the vniuersall way of the soules freedome which the Saints and Prophets beeing at first but a fewe as God gaue grace and those all Hebrewes for that estate was in a h manner consecrated did both adumbrate in their temple sacrifice and Priest-hood and fore-told also in their prophecy often mistically and some-times plainely And the Mediator himselfe and his Apostles reuealing the grace of the new testament made plaine all those significations that successe of precedent times had retained as it pleased God the miracls which I spoke of before euermore giuing confirmation to them For they had not onely angelicall visions and saw the ministers of heauen but euen these simple men relying wholy vpon Gods word cast out deuills cured diseases i commanded wild-beasts waters birds trees elements and starres raised the dead I except the miracles peculiar to our Sauiour chiefly in his birth and resurrection shewing in the first the mistery of k maternall virginity and in the other the example of our renouation This way cleanseth euery soule and prepareth a mortall man in euery part of his for immortality For least that which Prophyry calls the intellect should haue one purgation the spirital another and the body another therefore did our true and powerfull Sauiour take all vpon him Besides this way which hath neuer failed man-kinde either l in prophecies or in their m performances no man hath euer had freedome or euer hath or euer shall haue And wheras Porphyry saith he neuer had any historicall notice of this way what history can be more famous then this that lookes from such a towring authority downe vpon all the world or more faithfull since it so relateth things past as it prophecyeth things to come a great part whereof wee see already performed which giueth vs assured hope of the fulfilling of the rest Porphyry nor euer a Platonist in the world can contemne the predictions of this way albee they concerne but temporall affaires as they doe all other prophecies and diuinations of what sort soeuer for them they say they neither are spoken by worthy men nor to any worthy purpose true for they are either drawne from inferiour causes as 〈◊〉 can presage much n concerning health vpon such or such signes or cls the vncleane spirits fore-tell the artes that they haue already disposed of o confirming the mindes of the guilty and wicked with deedes fitting their words or words fitting their deedes to get themselues a domination in mans infirmity But the holy men of this vniuersall way of ours neuer respect the prophecying of those things holding them iustly trifles yet doe they both know them and often fore-tell them to confirme the faith in things beyond sence and hard to present vnto plainnesse But they were other and greater matters which they as God inspired them did prophecy namely the incarnation of Christ and all things thereto belonging and fulfilled in his name repentance and conuersion of the will vnto God remission of sinnes the grace of iustice faith and increase of beleeuers throughout all the world destinction of Idolatry temptation for triall mundifying of the proficients freedom from euill the day of iudgement resurrection damnation of the wicked and glorification of the City of GOD in 〈◊〉 eternall Kingdome These are the prophecies of them of this way many are fullfilled and the rest assuredly are to come That this streight way leading to the knowledge and coherence of GOD lieth plaine in the holy scriptures vpon whose truth it is grounded they that beleeue not and therefore know not may oppose this but can neuer ouerthrow it And therefore in these ten bookes I 〈◊〉 spoken by the good assistance of GOD sufficient in sound iudgements though some expected more against the impious contradictors that preferre 〈◊〉 gods before the founder of the holy citty whereof wee are to dispute The 〈◊〉 fiue of the ten opposed them that adored their gods for temporall respects 〈◊〉 fiue later against those that adored them for the life to come It remaines now according as wee promised in the first booke to proceede in our discourse of the two citties that are confused together in this world and distinct in the other of whose originall progresse and consummation I now enter to dispute eâ—…â—…oking the assistance of the almighty L. VIVES KInges a high or road the Kinges the Prâ—…tors and the Soldiors way the lawes held holy b Indian The Gymnosophists and the Brachmans much recorded for admirable deeds and doctrine c All the world Therfore is our fayth called Catholike because it was not taught to any peculiar nation as the Iewes was but to all mankind excluding none all may be saued by it and none can without it nor hath euery nation herein as they haue in Paganisme a seuerall religion But
one world in that so infinite a space as to say that but one care of corne growes in a huge field This error Aristotle the Stoâ—…kes beat quite downe putting but that one for the world which Plato and the wisest Philosophers called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the vniuerse b Casuall Great adoe the Philosophers keepe about natures principles Democritas makes all things of little bodies that flie about in the voide places hauing forme and magnitude yet indiuisible and therefore called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Atomes Epicurus gaue them weight also more then Democritus did and made those indiuisible diuersly-formed things to 〈◊〉 about of diuers quantities and weights vp and down casually in the voyd and shuffling together in diuers formes thus produce infinite worlds and thus infinite worlds do arise continue and end without any certaine cause at all and seeking of a place without the world we may not take it as we do our places circumscribing a body but as a certaine continuance before the world was made wherein many things may possibly be produced and liue So though their bee nothing without this world yet the minde conceiueth a space wherein God may boâ—… place this and infinite worlds more c For wee With the Platâ—…nists he means d Out 〈◊〉 The ancients held the Platonists and Stoickes in great respect and reuerence Cicero That the world and time had both one beginning nor was the one before the other CHAP. 6. FOr if eternity and time be wel considered time a neuer to be extant without motion and b eternity to admit no change who would not see that time could not haue being before some mouable thing were created whose motion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 alteration necessarily following one part another the time might run 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 therefore that God whose eternity alters not created the world and 〈◊〉 can he bee said to haue created the world in time vnlesse you will say 〈◊〉 some-thing created before the world whose course time did follow 〈◊〉 holy and most true scriptures say that In the beginning God created heaâ—…â—…h to wit that there was nothing before then because this was the Beâ—… which the other should haue beene if ought had beene made before 〈◊〉 the world was made with Time not in Time for that which is made 〈◊〉 â—…s made both before some Time after some Before iâ—… is Time past afâ—…â—…me to come But no Time passed before the world because no creature 〈◊〉 by whose course it might passe But it was made with the Time if moâ—… Times condition as that order of the first sixe or seauen daies went 〈◊〉 were counted morning euening vntill the Lord fulfilled all the worke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sixth day and commended the seauenth to vs in the mistery of sanctifiâ—… Of what fashion those daies were it is either exceeding hard or altogeâ—…â—…possible to thinke much more to speake L. VIVES Iâ—… 〈◊〉 â—…euer Aristotle defined time the measure of motion makeing them vtterly inseâ—… Some Philosophers define it motion so doe the Stoikes b Eternity So saith Auâ—…â—…en â—…en Boetius also Nazianzene and others all out of Plato these are his wordes When 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this great mooueable and eternall vniuerse beheld his worke he was very well pleased 〈◊〉 â—…ake it yet a little liker to the Archetype And so euen as this creature is immortall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to make the world eternall as neare as the nature thereof would permit but his naâ—…â—…ll and squared not with this made worke But hee conceiued a moueable forme of eâ—… together with ornament of the heauenly structure gaue it this progressiue eternall Iâ—…â—…ity which he named Time diuiding it into daies nights monthes and yeares all which 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 heauen and none of them were before heauen Thus Plato in his Timaeus Time saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Image of eternity but time mooueth and eternity moueth not being naturally fixed â—…able towards it doth time passe and endeth in the perfection therof and may be dissolued 〈◊〉 â—…orlds creator will In dogm Platon Of the first sixe daies that had morning and euening â—…re the Sunne was made CHAP. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ordinary a daies wee see they haue neither morning nor euening but 〈◊〉 â—…e Sunne rises and sets But the first three daies of all had no Sunne for 〈◊〉 made the fourth day And first God made the light and seuered it from 〈◊〉 â—…nesse calling it day and darkenesse night but what that light was and 〈◊〉 â—…nne a course to make morning and night is out of our sence to iudge 〈◊〉 we vnderstand it which neuerthelesse we must make no question but beâ—… b for the light was either a bodily thing placed in the worlds highest paâ—… farre from our eye or there where the Sunne was afterwards made c or 〈◊〉 the name of light signified that holy citty with the Angells and spirits whereof the Apostle saith Ierusalem which is aboue is our eternall mother in heauen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 another place hee saith yee are all the children of light and the sonnes of the 〈◊〉 â—…re not sonnes of night and darkenesse d Yet hath this day the morne and eâ—… because e the knowledge of the creature compared to the Creators is 〈◊〉 â—…ery twilight And day breaketh with man when he draweth neare the loue and praise of the Creator Nor is the creature euer be nighted but when the loue of the Creator forsakes him The scripture orderly reciting those daies neuer mentions the night nor saith night was but the euening and the morning were the first day so of the second and soon For the creatures knowledge of it selfe is as it were farre more discoloured then when it ioynes with the Creators as in the arte that framed it Therefore euen is more congruently spoken then night yet when all is referred to the loue praise of the Creator night becomes morning and when it comes to the knowledge of it selfe it is one full day When it comes to the Firmament that seperateth the waters aboue and below it is the second day When vnto the knowledge of the earth and all things that haue roote thereon it is the third day When vnto the knowledge of the two lights the greater and the lesse the fourth when it knowes all water-creatures foules and fishes it is the fifth and when it knowes all earthly creatures and man himselfe it is the sixth day L. VIVES ORdinary a daies Coleynes coppy reades not this place so well b For the The schoole men Sent. 2. dist 24. dispute much of this But Augustine calleth not the light a body here but saith God made it either some bright body as the Sunne or eâ—…s the contraction of the incorporeall light made night and the extension day as Basil saith moouing like the Sun in the egresse making morning in the regresse euening Hug. de S. Victore de Sacram. lib. 1. c Or els Aug. de genes ad lit lib. 1. d Yet hath A diuers reading both to one purpose e
The knowledge De genes ad lit lib. 4. Where hee calleth it morning when the Angells by contemplating of the creation in themselues where is deepe darkenesse lift vp themselues to the knowledge of God and if that in him they learne all things which is more certaine then all habituall knowledge then is it day It growes towards euening when the Angels turne from God to contemplate of the creatures in themselues but this euening neuer becommeth night for the Angells neuer preferre the worke before the worke man that were most deepe darke night Thus much out of Augustine the first mentioner of mornings euenings knowledges What wee must thinke of Gods resting the seauenth day after his sixe daies worke CHAP. 8. BVt whereas God rested the seauenth day froÌ„ al his workes sanctified it this is not to be childishly vnderstood as if God had taken paines he but spake the word and a by that iâ—…telligible and eternal one not vocall nor temporal were all things created But Gods rest signifieth theirs that rest in God as the gladnesse of the house signifies those yâ— are glad in the house though some-thing else and not the house bee the cause thereof How much more then if the beauty of the house make the inhabitants glad so that wee may not onely call it glad vsing the continent for the contained as the whole Theaâ—…er applauded when it was the men the whole medowes bellowed for the Oxen but also vsing the efficient for the effect as a merry epistle that is making the readers merry Theâ—…fore the scripture affirming that God rested meaneth the rest of all things in God whom he by himself maketh to rest for this the Prophet hath promised to all such as he speaketh vnto and for whom he wrote that after their good workes which God doth in them or by them if they first haue apprehended him in this life by faith they shal in him haue rest eternal This was prefigured in the sanctification of the Saboath by Gods command in the old law whereof more at large in due season L. VIVES BY a that intelligible Basil saith that this word is a moment of the will by which wee conceiue better of things What is to be thought of the qualities of Angels according to scripture CHAP. 9. NOw hauing resolued to relate this holy Cities originall first of the angels who make a great part thereof so much the happier in that they neuer a were pilgrims let vs see what testimonies of holy wriâ—…t concerne this point The scriptures speaking of the worlds creation speake not plainly of the Angels when or in what order they were created but that they were created the word heauen includeth In the beginning God created heauen and earth or rather in the world Light whereof I speake now are there signified that they were omitted I cannot thinke holy writ saying that God rested in the seauenth day from all his workes the same booke beginning with In the beginning God created heauen and earth to shew that nothing was made ere then Beginning therefore with heauen earth and earth the first thing created being as the scripture plainely saith with-out forme and voide light being yet vn made and darknesse being vpon the deepe that is vpon a certaine confusion of earth and waters for where light is not darknesse must needes be then the creation proceeding and all being accomplished in sixe dayes how should the angels bee omitted as though they were none of Gods workes from which hee rested the seuenth day This though it be not omitted yet here is it not plaine but else-where it is most euident The three chilâ—… sung in their himne O all yee workes of the Lord blesse yee the Lord amongst which they recken the angels And the Psalmist saith O praise God in the heauens 〈◊〉 him in the heights praise him all yee his angells praise him all his hoasts praise 〈◊〉 sâ—…e and Moone praise him staâ—…res and light Praise him yee heauens of heauens 〈◊〉 the waters that be aboue the heauens praise the name of the Lord for hee spake the 〈◊〉 and they were made he commanded they were created here diuinity calls the â—…ls Gods creatures most plainly inserting them with the rest saying of all He spâ—…ke the word and they were made who dares thinke that the Angels were made after the sixe daies If any one bee so fond hearken this place of scripture confounds him vtterly e When the starres were made all mine angels praised mee with a loude voice Therefore they were made before the starres and the stars were made the fourth day what they were made the third day may wee say so God forbid That dayes worke is fully knowne the earth was parted from the waters and two â—…nts tooke formes distinct and earth produced all her plants In the second day then neither Then was the firmament made betweene the waters aboue and below and was called Heauen in which firmament the starres were created the fourth day c Wherefore if the angels belong vnto Gods sixe dayes worke they are that light called day to commend whose vnity it was called one day not the first day nor differs the second or third from this all are but this one doubled vâ—…to 6. or 7. sixe of Gods workes the 7. of his rest For when God said Let there be light there was light if we vnderstand the angels creation aright herein they are made partakers of that eternall light the vnchangeable wisdome of God all-creating namely the onely be gotten sonne of God with whose light they in their creation were illuminate and made light called day in the participation of the vnchangeable light day that Word of God by which they all things else were created For the true light that lightneth euery man that coÌ„meth into this world this also lightneth euery pure angell making it light not in it selfe but in God from whom if an Angell fall it becommeth impure as all the vncleane spirits are being no more a light in God but a darknesse in it selfe depriued of all perticipation of the eternall light for Euill hath no nature but the losse of good that is euill L. VIVES NEuer were a pilgrims But alwayes in their country seeing alwayes the face of the father b When the starres Iob. 38 7. So the Septuagints doe translate it as it is in the teâ—…t c Wherefore if The Greeke diuine put the creation of spirituals before that of things corporall making God vse them as ministers in the corporall worke and so held Plato Hierome following Gregorie and his other Greeke Maisters held so also But of the Greekes Basil and Dionysius and almost all the Latines Ambrose Bede Cassiodorus and Augustine in this place holds that God made althings together which agreeth with that place of Ecclesiasticus chap. 18. vers 1. He that liueth for euer made althings together Of the vncompounded vnchangeable Trinity the Father the Sonne
Abraham was then but seauentie two yeares of age and his father begetting him when he was seauentie yeares old must needs bee a hundred fortie fiue yeares old and no more at his departure Therefore hee went not after his fathers death who liued two hundred and fiue yeares but before at the seauenty two yeares of his owne age and consequently the hundred forty fiue of his fathers And thus the Scripture in an vsuall course returneth to the time which the former relation had gone beyond as it did before saying That the sonnes of Noahs sonnes were diuided into nations and languages c. and yet afterwards adioyneth Then the vvhole earth vvas of one language c. as though this had really followed How then had euery man his nation and his tongue but that the Scriptures returne back againe vnto the times ouer-passed Euen so here whereas it is said the daies of Thara were two hundred fiue yeares and he died in Charra then the scriptures returning to that which ouer-passed to finish the discourse of Thara first then the Lord said vnto AbrahaÌ„ get thee out of thy country c. after which is added So Abraham departed as the Lord spake vnto him and Lot went with him and Abraham was seauenty yeares old when he went from Charra This therefore was when his 〈◊〉 was a hundred forty and fiue yeares of age for then was Abraham seauenty fiue This doubt is also otherwise dissolued by counting Abrahams seauenty 〈◊〉 when he went to Charra from the time when he was freed from the fire of 〈◊〉 Chaldaaens and not from his birth as if he had rather beene borne then 〈◊〉 Saint Stephen in the Actes discoursing hereof saith thus The God of glory apâ—… to our father Abraham in Mesopotamia before he dwelt in Charra and said 〈◊〉 him get thee out of thy country from thy kindred and come into the land which 〈◊〉 giue thee According to these words of Stephen it was not after Tharas death 〈◊〉 â—…od spake to Abraham for Thara died in Charra but it was before he dwelt 〈◊〉 â—…rra yet was in Mesopotamia But he was gone out of Chaldaea first And â—…eas Stephen saith Then came hee out of the land of the Chaldaeans and dwelt in 〈◊〉 this is relation of a thing done after those words of God for hee went 〈◊〉 Chaldaea after God had spoken to him for hee saith God spake to him in Mesopotamia but that word Then compriseth all the time from Abrahams departure vntill the Lord spake to him And that which followeth After that his father 〈◊〉 dead God placed him in this land wherein he now dwelleth The meaning of the place is And God brought him from thence wher his father dyed afterwards and placed 〈◊〉 â—…ere So then we iust vnderstand that God spake vnto Abraham being in Mesoâ—…tamia yet not as yet dwelling in Charra but that he came in to Charra with â—…er holding Gods commandement fast and in the seauenty fiue yeare of 〈◊〉 departed thence which was in his fathers a hundred forty fiue yere Now 〈◊〉 that he was placed in Chanaan not he came out of Charra after his 〈◊〉 death for when hee was dead he began to buy land there and became 〈◊〉 possessions But whereas God spake thus to him after hee came from 〈◊〉 and was in Mesopotamia Get thee out of thy country from thy kindred 〈◊〉 thy fathers house this concerned not his bodily remouall for that hee 〈◊〉 before but the seperation of his soule from them for his mind was 〈◊〉 â—…arted from them if he euer had any hope to returne or desired it this â—…d desire by Gods command was to bee cut of It is not incredible 〈◊〉 â—…erwards when as Nachor followed his father Abraham then fulfilled the â—…nd of God and tooke Sara his wife and Lot his brothers sonne and so 〈◊〉 out of Charra L. VIVES 〈◊〉 a inextricable doubt So Hierome calles it and dissolueth it some-what â—…sly from Augustine although hee vse three coniectures dissolâ—…â—…us â—…us Hierome dissolueth it out of an Hebrew history for that which we read the 〈◊〉 of Chaldaea the Hebrew hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ur Shadim that is the fire of the Caldaeâ—…â—…pon the Hebrewes haue the story Abraham was taken by the Chaldaeans and 〈◊〉 he would not worshippe their Idols namely their fire he was put into it from whence 〈◊〉 â—…ed him by miracle and the like story they haue of Thara also his father that hee 〈◊〉 he would not adore their images was so serued and so escaped also as whereas it is 〈◊〉 Aram dyed before his father in the land where hee was borne in the country of 〈◊〉 they say it is in his fathers presence in the fire of the Chaldaeans wherein beâ—…â—…ould not worship it he was burned to death And likewise in other places of yâ— text 〈◊〉 â—…hen he comes to this point saith the Hebrew tradition is true that saith that Thara 〈◊〉 came out of the fire of the Chaldaees that Abraham being hedged round about in 〈◊〉 with the fire which he would not worshippe was by Gods power deliuered from thence are the number of his yeares accounted because then hee first confessed the Lord God and contemned the Chaldee Idols Thus farre Hierome without whose relation this place of Augustine is not to bee vnderstood Iosephus writeth that Thara hating Chaldaea departed thence for the greefe of his sonne Arams death and came to dwell in Charra and that Arams tombe was to bee seene in Vr of the Chaldees The order and quality of Gods promises made vnto Abraham CHAP. 16. NOw must we examine the promises made vnto Abraham for in them began the oracles presaging our Lord Iesus Christ the true God to appeare who was to come of that godly people that the prophesies promised The first of them is this The Lord said vnto Abraham get thee out of thy countrey and from thy kinred and from thy fathers house vnto the land that I will shew thee And I will make of thee a great nation and will blesse thee make thy name great and thou shalt be blessed I will also blesse them that blesse thee and curse them that curse thee and in them shall all the families of the earth bee blessed Here wee must obserue a double promise made vnto Abraham the first that his seede should possesse the land of Canaan in these words Goe vnto the land that I will shew thee and I will make thee a great nation the second of farre more worth and moment concerning his spirituall seede whereby hee is not onely the father of Israel but of all the nations that follow his faith and that is in these words And in thee shall all the families of the earth bee blessed This promise was made in Abrahams seauentie fiue yeare as Eusebius a thinketh as if that Abraham did presently there vpon depart out of Charra because the Scripture may not be controuled that giueth
at full and when the Sunne went downe there was a darkenesse 〈◊〉 behold a smoking furnace and a fire-brand went betweene those peeces Iâ—… that same day the LORD made a couenant with Abraham saying vnto thy seed haue I giuen this lande from the riuer of Egipt vnto the great riuer of Euphrates the Câ—…ites and the Chenezites and the Cadmonites the Hittites the Perezites the Reâ—…s the Amorites the Chaâ—…aanites the Gergesites and the Iâ—…busites all this did Abraham heare and see in his vision to stand vpon each perticular were tedious and from our purpose Sufficeth it that wee must know that whereâ—… Abraham beleeued before and that was counted vnto him for righteousnesse 〈◊〉 â—…ll not from his faith now in saying LORD how shall I know that I shall inheâ—… namely that land which GOD had promised him hee saith not from â—…ce shall I know but how or where by shall I know by what similitude 〈◊〉 I bee further instructed in my beleefe Nor did the Virgin Mary distrust 〈◊〉 How shall this bee seeing I know no man Shee knew it would bee but shee â—…red of the manner and was answered thus The Holy Ghost shall descend 〈◊〉 â—…ee and the power of the most high shall ouer shadow thee And in this manner had Abraham his simylie in his three beasts his Heifer 〈◊〉 and Ramme and the two birdes the Turtle-doue and the Pidgeon 〈◊〉 that that was to come to passe thus which hee was firmely perswaded 〈◊〉 come to passe some way Wherefore either the heifer signified the â—…s yoake vnder the law the b goaâ—…e their offending and the c Ramme 〈◊〉 dominion which three creatures were all three yeares olde because 〈◊〉 three spaces of time beeing so famous which lay from Adam to Noah from 〈◊〉 to Abraham and from Abraham to Dauid who was the first elected King of Israell Saule beeing a â—…eprobate of these three this third from â—…raham to Dauid conteined Israells full growth to glorie or else they may signify some other thing more conueniently but without all doubt the Turtle-doue and the Pidgeon are types of his spirituall seede and therefore iâ—… is sayd them hee diuided not for the carnall are diuided betweene themselues but the spirituall neuer whether they retire themselues from conuersing with the businesses of man like the d Turtle-doue or liue amongst them e like the Pidgeon Both these birds are simple and hurtlesse signifying that euen in Israell who sâ—… possesse that land there should bee indiuiduall sonnes of pâ—…omise and 〈◊〉 of the Kingdome of eterniâ—…y f The birds that fell vpon â—…he sacrifice 〈◊〉 nothing but the ayry powers that feede vpon the contentions and diâ—… of carnall men But whereas Abraham sate by them that signified 〈◊〉 should bee of the faithfull amongst these contentions euen vnto 〈◊〉 of the world and the g heauinesse that fell vpon Abraham toâ—… Sunne-setting and that fearefull darkenesse signifieth the sore trouble 〈◊〉 faithfull shall endure towardes the end of this world whereof â—…ST sayd in the Ghospell Then shal be a great tribulation such as 〈◊〉 â—…om the beginning c. And whereas it was sayd to Abraham know assuâ—… thy seede shal bee a stranger c. This was a plaine prophecy of Israâ—… in Egipt Not that they were to serue foure hundered yeares 〈◊〉 â—…uish affliction but that within foure hundered yeares this was 〈◊〉 them For as there where it is written of Thara the father of 〈◊〉 that hee liued in Charra two hundered and fiue yeares Wee must 〈◊〉 hee liued not there all this while but that there hee ended these 〈◊〉 so is it heere sayd They shal bee strangers in a Lanâ—… that is not theirs 〈◊〉 â—…dered yeares not that their bondage lasted all this time but 〈◊〉 â—…as ended at this time and it is sayd foure hundered yeares for the 〈◊〉 of the number although there were some more yeares in the account 〈◊〉 â—…ou recken from Abrahams first receiuing of the promise or from the 〈◊〉 son Isaac the first of the seed vnto whom this was promised for from 〈◊〉 seauenth yeare wherein as I sayd before he first receiued the promise 〈◊〉 â—…parture of Israel out of Egipt foure huÌ„dred thirty years which the Apostle mentioneth in these words This I say that the law which vvas foure hundered and thirty years after cannot disanul the couenant vvhich vvas confirmed of God before or make the promise of none effect Now these foure hundred and thirty years might haue beene called foure hundred because they are not much more especially some of them being past when Abraham had this vision or when Isaac was borne vnto his father being then one hundred years old It being fiue and twenty years after the promise so that there remained foure hundred fiue years of the foure hundred and thirty that were to come and those it pleased God to call foure hundred So likewise in the other words of God there is no man doubteth but that they belong vnto the people of Israell But that which followeth when the Sunne went downe there was a darkenesse and behold a smoking furnace and a firebrand went betweene the peeces this signifieth that in the end the carnall are to be iudged by the fire for as the great and exceeding affliction of the Citty of God was signified by the heauinesse that fell vpon Abraham towards Sunne-set that is towards this worlds end euen so at Sun-set that is at the worlds end doth this fire signyfie that fire that shall purge the righteous and deuoure the wicked and then the promise made vnto Abraham is a plaine mention of the Land of Canaan naming the eleauen nations thereof from the riuer of Egipt vnto the great riuer Euphrates Not from Nile the great riuer of Egipt but from that little one which diuideth Egipt and Palestina on whose banke the citty h Rhinocorura standeth L VIVES ABraham a sate by them The vulgar readeth and Abraham droue them away and so hath the Hebrew Hier. But the Seauenty read it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sate by them b The goate their This creature is in a perpetuall feuer Arist. ex Almaeone c The ramme This is the leader of the flock or rather that Kingly ram Dan. 8. d The Turtle-doue Those saith Pliny doe hide themselues when they cast their fethers Neither the Turtle nor the Pigeon saith Aelian will haue to doe with any but their owne cocke e The Pigeon That liueth tamely with vs. f The fowles This is a type saith Iosephus of his euill neighbours of Egypt g Heauinesse Some read it sleepe some an extasie and so the seauenty doe h Rhinocorura This word saith Hierome is not in the Hebrew but added by the Seauenty to make knowne the place Pliny lib. 5. calleth it Rhinocolura and placeth it in Idumaea Strabo in Phaenicia But without al question the Iewes and the Egyptians claimed it to themselues and peopled it with the Ethiopians whom they conquered and cut off
so shee was indeed both these and withall of such beauty that she was amiable euen at those years L. VIVES A Shower a of fire Of this combustion many prophane authors make mention Strabo saith that cities were consumed by that fire as the inhabitāts thereabout report the poole that remaineth where Sodome stood the chiefe city is sixty furlongs about Many of thē also mention the lake Asphalts where the bitumen groweth b Apiller Iosephus saith he did see it Of Isaac borne at the time prefixed and named so because of his parents laughter CHAP. 31. AFter this Abraham according to Gods promise had a son by Sarah and called him Isaac that is Laughter for his father laughed for ioy and admiration when he was first promised and his mother when the three men confirmed this promise againe laughed also betweene ioye and doubt the Angell shewing her that her laughter was not faithfull though it were ioyfull Hence had the child his name for this laughter belonged not to the recording of reproach but to the celebration of gladnesse as Sarah shewed when Isaac was borne and called by this name for she said God hath made me to laugh and all that heare me will reioyce with me and soone after the bond-woman and her son is cast out of the house in signification of the old Testament as Sarah was of the new as the Apostle saith and of that glorious City of God the Heauenly Ierusalem Abrahams faith and obedience proo◅ in his intent to offer his sonne Sarahs death CHAP. 32. TO omit many accidents for brenities sake Abraham for a triall was commanded to goe and sacrifice his dearest sonne Isaac that his true obedience might shew it selfe to all the world in that shape which GOD knew already that it bate This now was an inculpable temptation and some such there bee and was to bee taken thankfully as one of Gods trialls of man And generally mans minde can neuer know it selfe well but putting forth it selfe vpon trialls and experimentall hazards and by their euents it learneth the owne state wherein if it acknowledge Gods enabling it it is godly and confirmed in solidity of grace against all the bladder-like humors of vaine-glory Abraham would neuer beleeue that God could take delight in sacrifices of mans flesh though Gods thundring commands are to bee obeyed not questioned vpon yet is Abraham commended for hauing a firme faith and beleefe that his sonne Isaac should rise againe after hee were sacrificed For when he would not obey his wife in casting out the bond-woman and hir sonne God said vnto him In Isaac shall thy seede bee called and addeth Of the bond-womans sonne will I make a great nation also because hee is thy seede How then is Isaac onely called Abrahams seede when God calleth Ismael so likewise The Apostle expoundeth it in these words that is they which are the children of the flesh are not the children of God but the children of the promise are accounted for the seede And thus are the sonnes of promise called to be Abrahams seede in Isaac that is gathered into the Church by Christ his free grace and mercy This promise the father holding fast seeing that it must bee fulfilled in him whom God commanded to kill doubted not but that that God could restore him after sacrificing who had giuen him at first beyond all hope So the Scripture taketh his beleefe to haue beene and deliuereth it By faith a Abraham offered vp Isaac when hee was tryed and hee that had receiued the promises offered his onely sonne to whom it was said in Isaac shall thy seede bee called for hee considered that God was able to raise him from the dead and then followeth for when hee receiued him also in a sort in what sort but as hee receiued his sonne of whom it is said Who spared not his owne sonne but gaue him to dye for vs all And so did Isaac carry the wood of sacrifice to the place euen as Christ carried the crosse Lastly seeing Isaac was not to be slaine indeed and his father commanded to hold his hand who was that Ram that was offered as a full and typicall sacrifice Namely that which Abraham first of all espied entangled b in the bushes by the hornes What was this but a type of Iesus Christ crowned with thornes ere hee was crucified But marke the Angels words Abraham saith the Scriptures lift vp his hand and tooke the knife to kill his sonne But the Angell of the Lord called vnto him from heauen saying Abraham and he answered Here Lord then he said Lay not thy hand vpon thy sonne nor doe any thing vnto him for now I know thou fearest God seeing that for my sake thou hast not spared thine onely sonne Now I know that is now I haue made knowne for God knew it ere now And then Abraham hauing offered the Ram for his sonne Isaac called the place c the Lord hath seene as it is said vnto this day in the mount hath the Lord appeared the Angels of the Lord called vnto Abraham againe out of heauen saying By my selfe haue I sworne saith the Lord because thou hast done this thing lust not spared thine onely sonne for me surely I will blesse thee multiply thy seed as the starres of heauen or the sands of the sea and thy seed shal possesse the gate of his enemies and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed because thou hast a obayed my voyce This is that promise sworne vnto by God concerning the calling of the Gentiles after the offering of the Ram the type of Christ. God had often promised before but neuer sworne And what is Gods oth but a confirmation of his promise and a reprehension of the faithlesse after this died Sara being ahundred twenty seauen yeares old in the hundred thirty seauen yeare of her husbands age for hee was ten yeares elder then she as he shewed when Isaac was first promised saying shall I that am a hundred yeares old haue a child and shall Sarah that is foure score and tenne yeares old beare and then did Abraham buy a peece of ground and buried his wife in it and then as Stephen sayth was hee seated in that land for then began hee to be a possessor namely after the death of his father who was dead some two yeares before L. VIVES BY a faith A diuersity of reading in the text of Scripture therefore haue wee followed the vulgar b in the bushes This is after the seauenty and Theodotion whose translation Hierome approues before that of Aquila and Symachus c The Lord hath seene The Hebrew saith Hierome is shall see And it was a prouerbe vsed by the Hebrewes in all their extremities wishing Gods helpe to say In the mount the Lord shall see that is as hee pitied Abraham so will hee pitty vs. And in signe of that Ramme that God sent him they vse vnto this day to blow
the eyes of the spirit though not of the dull flesh hence it is that scriptures call a prophecy a vision and Nathan is called the Seer 1. Kings The Greekes some-times vse the name of Prophet for their priests poets or teachers Adam was the first man and the first Prophet who saw the mistery of Christ and his church in his sleepe Then followeth Enoch Noah Abraham Isaac Iacob and his children Moyses c. Yet are not these reckned amongst the prophets for none of them left any bookes of the visions but Moyses whose bookes concerned ceremonies sacrifices and ciuill orders also But these were all figures of future things nor were those the propheticall times as those from Samuel were wherein there neuer were prophets wanting whereas before God spake but seldome and his visions were not so manifest as they were from the first King vnto the captiuity wherein were foure great bookes of prophecies written and twelue of the small At what time Gods promise concerning the Land of Canaan was fulfilled and Israell receiued it to dwell in and possesse CHAP. 2. VVEE said in the last booke that God promised two things vnto Abraham one was the possession of the Land of Canaan for his seed in these words Goe into the Land that I will shew thee and I will make thee a great nation c. The other of farre more excellence not concerning the carnall but the spirituall seed nor Israell onely but all the beleeuing nations of the world in these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall all nations of the earth be blessed c. This we confirmed by many testiâ—… Now therefore was Abrahams carnall seed that is the Israelites in the 〈◊〉 promise now had they townes citties yea and Kings therein and Gods 〈◊〉 were performed vnto them in great measure not onely those that hee 〈◊〉 signes or by word of mouth vnto Abraham Isaac and Iacob but euen 〈◊〉 â—…so that Moyses who brought them out of the Egyptian bondage or any 〈◊〉 him vnto this instant had promised them from God But the proâ—…â—…cerning the land of Canaan that Israel should reigne ouer it from the 〈◊〉 Egipt vnto the great Euphrates was neither fulfilled by Iosuah that worâ—… of them into the Land of promise and hee that diuided the whole aâ—… the twelue tribes nor by any other of the Iudges in all the time after 〈◊〉 was there any more prophecies that it was to come but at this instant 〈◊〉 â—…ected And by a Dauid and his son Salomon it was fulfilled indeed and 〈◊〉 â—…gdome enlarged as farre as was promised for these two made all 〈◊〉 â—…ations their seruants and tributaries Thus then was Abrahams seed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so settled in this land of Canaan by these Kings that now no part of 〈◊〉 â—…ly promise was left vnfulfilled but that the Hebrewes obeying Gods â—…ements might continue their dominion therein without all disturâ—… in all security and happinesse of estate But God knowing they would 〈◊〉 vsed some temporall afflictions to excercise the few faithfull therein 〈◊〉 â—…ad left and by them to giue warning to all his seruants that the nations 〈◊〉 â—…erwards to containe who were to bee warned by those as in whom hee 〈◊〉 â—…llfill his other promise by opening the New Testament in the death of 〈◊〉 L. VIVES Bâ—…â—…id Hierome epist. ad Dardan sheweth that the Iewes possessed not all the lands 〈◊〉 promised theÌ„ for in the booke of Numbers it is sayd to be bounded on the South by the salt sea and the wildernesse of sinne vnto that riuer of Egypt that ranne into the sea by Rhinocorura on the west by the sea of Palestina Phaenicia Coele Syria and Cylicia on the North by Mount Taurus and Zephyrius as farre as Emath or Epiphania in Syria on the East by Antioch and the Lake Genesareth called now Tabarie and by Iordan that runneth into the salt sea called now The dead sea Beyond Iordan halfe of the land of the tribes of Ruben Gad lay and halfe of the tribe of Manasses Thus much Hierome But Dauid possessed not all these but onely that within the bounds of Rhinocorura and Euphrates wherein the Israelites still kept themselues The Prophets three meanings of earthly Ierusalem of heauenly Ierusalem and of both CHAP. 3. WHerefore as those prophecies spoken to Abraham Isaac Iacob or any other in the times before the Kings so likewise all that the Prophets spoke afterwards had their double refereÌ„ce partly to Abraháms seed in the flesh partly to that wherein al the nations of the earth are blessed in him being made Co-heires with Christ in the glory and kingdome of heauen by this New Testament So then they concerne partly the bond-woman bringing forth vnto bondage that is the earthly Ierusalem which serueth with her sonnes and partly to the free Citty of God the true Ierusalem eternall and heauenly whose children are pilgrims vpon earth in the way of Gods word And there are some that belong vnto both properly to the bond-woman and figuratiuely vnto the free woman for the Prophets haue a triple meaning in their prophecies some concerning the earthly Ierusalem some the heauenly and some both as for example The Prophet a Nathan was sent to tell Dauid of his sinne and to fortell him the euills that should ensue thereof Now who doubteth that these words concerned the temporall City whether they were spoken publikely for the peoples generall good or priuately for some mans knowledge for some temporall vse in the life present But now whereas wee read Behold the daies come saith the LORD that I will make a new couenant with the house of Israell and the house of Iudah not according to the couenant that I made with their fathers when I tooke them by the hand to bring them out of the Land of Egipt which couenant they brake although I was an husband vnto them saith the Lord but this is the couenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those daies saith the LORD I will put my law in their mindes and write it in their hearts and I wil be their GOD and they shal be my people This without aâ—…l doubt is a prophecy of the celestiall Ierusalem to whom God himselfe stands as a reward and vnto which the enioying of him is the perfection of good Yet belongeth it vnto them both in that the earthly Ierusalem was called Gods Cittie and his house promised to bee therein which seemed to be fulfilled in Salomons building of that magnificent temple These things were both relations of things acted on earth and figures of things concerning heauen which kinde of prophecy compounded of both is of great efficacy in the canonicall scriptures of the Old Testament and doth exercise the readers of scripture very laudably in seeking how the things that are spoken of Abrahams carnall seed are allegorically fulfilled in his seed by faith In b so much that some held that there was nothing in the scriptures fore-told and effected or
were to raigne there â—…ingly The Lord will seeke him a man saith hee meaning either Dauid or the mediator prefigured in the vnction of Dauid and his posterity Hee doth not say he will seeke as if hee knew not where to finde but hee speaketh as one that seeketh our vnderstanding for wee were all knowen both to God the father and his sonne the seeker of the lost sheepe and elected in him also before the beginning of the world c He will seeke that is he will shew the world that which hee himselfe knoweth already And so haue we acquiro in the latine with a preposition to attaine and may vse quaero in that sence also as questus the substantiue for gaine L. VIVES Tâ—… a skirt Or hemme or edge any thing that he could come nearest to cut the Iewes vsed edged garments much according to that command in the booke of Numbers The Greek word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the wing of his doublet Ruffinus translateth it Summitatem b His 〈◊〉 Which were three hundred saith Iosephus lib. 6. c He will seeke A diuersity of reaâ—… I thinke the words from And so haue we acquiro to the end of the chapter bee some 〈◊〉 of others The Kingdome of Israell rent prefiguring the perpetuall diuision betweene the spirituall and carnall Israell CHAP. 7. SAul fell againe by a disobedience and Samuell told him againe from God Thou hast cast off the Lord and the Lord hath cast off thee that thou shalt no more bee King of Israell Now Saul confessing this sinne and praying for pardon and that Samuell would go with him to intreat the Lord. Not I saith Samuell thou hast cast off the Lord c. And Samuell turned him-selfe to depart and Saul held him by the lappe of his coate and it rent Then quoth Samuell the Lord hath rent the Kingdome of Israell from thee this day and hath giuen it vnto thy neighbor which is better then thee and Israell shall bee parted into two and shall no more bee vnited nor hee is not a man that hee should repent c. Now hee vnto whome these words were said ruled Israell fourty yeares euen as long as Dauid and yet was told this in the beginning of his Kingdome to shew vs that none of his race should reigne after him and to turne our eyes vppon the line of Dauid whence Christ our mediator tooke his humanity Now the originall read not this place as the Latines doe The Lord shall rend the Kingdome of Israell from thee this day but the Lord hath rent c. from thee that is from Israell so that this man was a type of Israell that was to loose the Kingdome as soone as Christ came with the New Testament to rule spiritually not carnally Of whome these wordes and hath giuen it vnto thy neighbour sheweth the consanguinity with Israell in the flesh and so with Saul and that following who is better then thee implyeth not any good in Saul or Israell but that which the Psalme saith vntill I make thine enemies thy footstoole whereof Israell the persecutor whence Christ rent the Kingdome was one Although there were Israell the wheat amongst Israell the chaffe also for the Apostles were thence and Stephen with a many Martyrs besides and from their seed grew up so many Churches as Saint Paul reckoneth all glory fiing God in his conuersion And that which followeth Israell shall bee parted into two concerning this point assuredly namely into Israell Christs friend and Israell Christs foe into Israell the free woman and Israell the slaue For these two were first vnited Abraham accompanying with his maid vntill his wiues barrennesse being fruitfull she cryed out Cast out the bondwoman her sonne Indeed because of Salomons sin we know that in his sonne Roboams time Israell diuided it selfe into two parts and either had a King vntill the Chaldeans came subdued and ren-versed all But what was this vnto Saul Such an euen was rather to be threatned vnto Dauid Salomons father And now in these times the Hebrews are not diuided but dispersed all ouer the world continuing on still in their errour But that diuision that God threatned vnto Saul who was a figure of this people was a premonstration of the eternall irreuocable separation because presently it followeth And shall no more bee vnited nor repent of it for it is no man that it should repent Mans threatnings are transitory but what God once resolueth is irremoueable For where wee read that God repented it portends an alteration of things out of his eternall prescience And likewise where hee did not it portends a fixing of things as they are So here wee see the diuision of Israell perpetuall and irreuocable grounded vppon this prophecy For they that come from thence to Christ or contrary were to doe so by Gods prouidence though humaine concâ—… cannot apprehend it and their separation is in the spirit also not in the flesh And those Israelites that shall stand in Christ vnto the end shall neuer perâ—… with those that stayed with his enemies vnto the end but be as it is here said 〈◊〉 seperate For the Old Testament of Sina begetting in bondage shall doe them no good nor any other further then confirmeth the New Otherwise as long as Moses is read d the vaile is drawne ouer their hearts and when they 〈◊〉 to Christ then is remooued For the thoughts of those that passe from 〈◊〉 to him are changed and bettered in their passe and thence their felicitie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is spirituall no more carnall Wherefore the great Prophet Samuel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 had annointed Saul when hee cryed to the Lord for Israel and hee â—…d him and when hee offered the burnt offering the Philistins comming against Israell and the Lord thundred vpon them and scattered them so that they fell before Israell tooke e a stone and placed it betweene the f two Maspha's the Old and the New and named the place Eben Ezer that is the stone of 〈◊〉 saying Hetherto the Lâ—… hath helped vs that stone is the mediation of our 〈◊〉 by which wee come from the Old Maspha to the New from the thought of a carnall kingdome in all felicitie vnto the expectation of a crowne of spiriâ—… glory as the New Testamenâ—… teacheth vs and seeing that that is the sum â—…ope of all euen â—…itherto hath God helped vs. L. VIVES Bâ—… disobedience For being commanded by Samuel from God to kill all the Amalechites 〈◊〉 and beast hee tooke Agag the King aliue and droue away a multitude of Cattle 〈◊〉 lappe of his coate Diplois is any double garment c The Lord hath rent Shall rend â—…us But hath rent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is in the LXX d The vaile The vaile that Moiâ—…â—…ed â—…ed his face was a tipe of that where-with the Iewes couer their hearts vntill they bee 〈◊〉 1. Corinth 3. e Astone Iosephus saith that hee placed it at Charron and called 〈◊〉 lib. 6. f
In that d you did it to one of these you did it vnto me He saith thereâ—… â—…t he trusted in him as the Apostles trusted in Iudas when hee was 〈◊〉 Apostle Now the Iewes hope that their Christ that they hope for 〈◊〉 â—…er die and therefore they hold that the law and the Prophets prefigâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ours but one that shal be free from all touch of death whom they doe 〈◊〉 for and may doe long inough And this miserable blindnesse maketh 〈◊〉 take that sleepe and rising againe of which wee now speake in the literall sence not for death and resurrection 〈◊〉 the 16. psalme confoundeth them thus My heart is glad and my tongue reâ—… my flesh also resteth in hope for thou wilt not leaue my soule in hell neiâ—… 〈◊〉 thou suffer thine Holy one to see corruption What man could say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 flesh rested in that hope that his soule should not bee left in hell but 〈◊〉 presently to the flesh to saue it from the corruption of a carcasse excepting him onely that rose againe the third day It cannot be said of Dauid The sixtie eight Psalme saith also Our God is the God that e saueth vs and the issues of death are the Lords What can bee more plaine Iesus Christ is the God that saueth vs for Iesus is a Sauiour as the reason of his name was giuen in the Gospell saying Hee shall saue his people from their sinnes And seeing that his bloud was shed for the remission of sinnes the enemies of death ought to belong vnto none but vnto him nor could hee haue passage out of this life but by death And therefore it is said Vnto him belong the f issues of death to shew that hee by death should redeeme the world And this last is spoken in an admiration as if the Prophet should haue sayd Such is the life of man that the Lord him-selfe leaueth it not but by death L. VIVES ANd a praescience Some copies adde heere quia certa erant but it seemeeth to haue but crept in out of some scholion b Kicked at me Supplantauit me taken vp mine heeles as wrastlers doe one with another Allegorically it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to deceiue c One of you The Bruges copie hath One of you shall betraye mee and one of you is a deuill both they are two seuerall places in the Gospell Iohn 13. and Iohn 6. Iudas is called a Deuill because of his deceitfull villanie d In that you did it Or in as much as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 e That saueth vs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A proper phrase to the Greeke tongue but vnordinary in the Latine vnlesse the nowne bee vsed to say the God of saluation f Issues 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The obstinate infidelitie of the Iewes declared in the sixtie nine Psalme CHAP. 19. BVt all those testimonies and prefigurations beeing so miraculously come to effect could not mooue the Iewes wherefore that of the sixty nine Psalme was fulfilled in them which speaking in the person of Christ of the accidents in his passion saith this also among the rest They gaue mee gall to eate and when I was thirsty they gaue mee vinegar to drinke And this banquet which they affoorded him hee thanketh them thus for Let their table bee a a snare for them and their prosperitie their ruine let their eyes bee blinded that they see not and bend their backs for euer c. which are not wishes but prophecies of the plagues that should befall them What wonder then if they whose eyes are blinded discerne not this and whose backes are eternally bended to sticke their aimes fast vpon earth for these words being drawne from the literall sence and the body import the vices of the minde And thus much of the Psalmes of Dauid to keepe our intended meane Those that read these and know them all already must needes pardon mee for beeing so copious and if they know that I haue omitted ought that is more concerning mine obiect I pray them to forbeare complaints of me for it L. VIVES A a Snare Saint Augustine calleth it heere Muscipula a Mouse-trappe The Greeke is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dauids Kingdome his merit his sonne Salomon Prophecies of Christ in Salomons bookes and in bookes that are annexed vnto them CHAP. 20. DAuid the sonne of the celestiall Ierusalem reigned in the earthly one was much commended in the scriptures his piety and true humility so conquered his imperfections that he was one of whom we might say with him Blessed are thâ—…se whose iniquity is forgiuen and whose sinnes are couered After him his sonne Saâ—… reigned in all his Kingdome beginning to reigne as we said in his fathers 〈◊〉 a He beganne well but he ended badly prosperity the moath of wisdome did him more hurt then his famous and memorable wisdome it selfe profited him He was a prophet as his workes b namely the Prouerbs the Canticles and Ecclesiastes doe proue all which are canonicall But Ecclesiasticus and the booke of wisdome were onely called his for some similitude betweene his stile and theirs But all the learned affirme them none of his yet the churches of the West holds them of great authoritie and hath done long and in the booke of c Wisdome is a plaine prophecie of Christs passion for his wicked murderers 〈◊〉 brought in saying Let vs cercumuent the iust for he displeaseth vs and is contrary vnto our doings checking vs for offending thee law and shaming vs for our breach of discipline Hee boasteth himselfe of the knowledge of GOD and calleth himselfe the â—…ne of the LORD Hee is made to reprooue our thoughts it â—…reeueth vs to looke vpon him for his life is not like other mens his waies are of another fashion He 〈◊〉 vs triflers and avoideth our waies as vncleannesse he commendeth the ends of 〈◊〉 iust and boasteth that GOD is his father Let vs see then if he say true let â—…ue what end he shall haue If this iust man be GODS Sonne he will helpe him 〈◊〉 deliuer him from the hands of his enemies let vs examine him with rebukes 〈◊〉 â—…ments to know his meekenesse and to prooue his pacience Let vs condemne 〈◊〉 to a shamefull death for he saith he shal be preserued Thus they imagine 〈◊〉 â—…ay for their malice hath blinded them In d Ecclesiasticus also is the fuâ—…â—…th of the Gentiles prophecied in these words Haue mercy vpon vs O 〈◊〉 GOD of all and send thy feare amongst the Nations lift vppe thine hand 〈◊〉 the Nations that they may see thy power and as thou art sanctified in vs beâ—…â—…em so be thou magnified in them before vs that they may know thee as wee know 〈◊〉 that there is no God but onely thou O LORD This propheticall praier we see 〈◊〉 in Iesus Christ. But the scriptures that are not in the Iewes Canon are 〈◊〉 â—…d proofes against our aduersaries But it would be a tedious dispute and 〈◊〉
and thirtith of his reigne began Azarias or Ozias to reigne in Iuda Euseb. Eutropius differs not much from this so that by both accounts Ezechias his time fell to the beginning of Numa his reigne h But for the For these prophets prophecyed of the calling of the Heathens as he will shew afterwards Prophecies concerning the Ghospell in Osee and Amos. CHAP. 28. OSee is a Prophet as diuine as deepe Let vs performe our promise and see what hee â—…ayth In the place where it was sayd vnto them you are not my people it shâ—…ll bee sayd ye are sonnes of the liuing God This testimony the a Apostles â—…m-selues interpreted of the calling of the Gentiles who because they are thâ—… spirituall sonnes of Abraham and therfore b rightly called Israell it followeth of them thus Then the children of Iudah and the children of Israell shall bee gathered together and appoint them-selues one head and they shall come vp out of the land If wee seeke for farther exposition of this wee shall â—…loy the sweete taste of the Prophets eloquence Remember but the corner stone and the two wals the Iewes and the Gentiles eyther of them vnder those seuerall names beeing founded vppon that one head and acknowledged to mount vppe from the land And that those carnall Israelites that beleeue not now shall once beleeue being as sonnes to the other succeeding them in their places the same Prophet auoucheâ—…h saying The children of Israell shall sit many dayes without a King without a Prince without an offering without an Altar without a Priesthood and without c manifestations who sees not that these are the Iewes Now marke the sequele Afterwards shall the children of Israell conuert and seeke the Lord their God and Dauid their King and shall feare the Lord and his goodnesse in these later dayes Nothing can be playner spoken here is Christ meant by Dauid as he was the son of Dauid in the flesh sayth the Apostle Nay this Prophet fore-told the third day of his resurrection also Heare him else After two dayes will he reuiue vs and in the third day he will rayse vs vp Iust in this key spake Saint Paul saying If ye bee risen with Christ seeke the thinges which are aboue Such a prophecy hath Amos also Prepare to meete thy God O Israell for lo I forme the thunder and the windes and declare mine annoynted in men and in another place d In that day will I raise vp the tabernacle of Dauid that is falne downe and close vp the breaches thereof and will raise vppe his ruines and build it as in the daies of old that the residue of mankind and aâ—… the heatâ—… â—…ay seek me because my name is called vpon them saith the Lord that doth this L. VIVES THâ—… a Apostles Pet. 1. 2. 10. b Rightly called Israell For all that follow truth and righteousnesse are of Abrahams spirituall seed Wherfore such as descend from him in the flesh the scriptures call Iudah because that tribe stucke to the old Priesthood temple and sacrifices and such as are not Abrahams children by birth but by faith are called Israell For the tenne tribes that fell from Iuâ—…ahs King the Iewes named Israell and they differed not much from 〈◊〉 for they left their fathers religion and became Idolaters Wherfore the Iewes hated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 much as they did the 〈◊〉 who had no clayme at all of descent from Abrahâ—… c Manifestations So doe the seauenty read it The hebrew hath it Ephod The seauenty 〈◊〉 at that intimation of the losse of their prophecy doctrine and wisdome the greatest losse 〈◊〉 could befall a citty The hebrew at the abolition of their priest-hood dignity and ornaâ—… d In the day This place Saint Iames in the Acts testifieth to be meant of the calling of 〈◊〉 Nations Act. 15. 15. 16. The Apostles there avowing it who dares gaine-say it Esay his prophecies concerning Christ. CHAP. 29. ESaias a is none of the twelue prophets They are called the small prophets because their prophecies are briefe in comparison of others that wrote large â—…mes of whom Esay was one whom I adde here because he liued in the times 〈◊〉 two afore-named In his precepts against sin and for goodnesse his proâ—…cies of tribulation for offending hee forgetteth not also to proclame Christ 〈◊〉 his Church more amply then any other in so much that b some call him an â—…gelist rather then a Prophet One of his prophecies heare in briefe because I 〈◊〉 stand vpon many In the person of God the Father thus hee saith c Beâ—… my son shal vnderstand he shal be exalted and be very high as many were astonied 〈◊〉 thy forme was so despised by men and thy beauty by the sons of men so shall maâ—…ions admire him the kings shal be put to silence at his sight for that which they 〈◊〉 not heard of him shall they see and that which hath not beene told them they shall â—…stand Lord who will beleeue our report to whom is the Lords arme reuealed wee 〈◊〉 â—…clare him as an infant and as a roote out of a dry ground he hath neither forme â—…ty when wee shall see him hee shall haue neither goodlinesse nor glory but his 〈◊〉 â—…albe despised and reiected before all men He is a man full of sorrowes and hath â—…ce of infirmities For his face is turned away he was despised and we esteemâ—… not Hee hath borne our sinnes and sorroweth for vs yet did we iudge him as 〈◊〉 of God and smitten and humbled But hee was wounded for our transgressions 〈◊〉 broken for our iniquities our peace we learned by him and with his stripes wee are 〈◊〉 We haue all straied like sheepe man haâ—… lost his way and vpon him hath GOD 〈◊〉 our guilt He was afflicted vet neuer opened he his mouth he was led as a sheepe 〈◊〉 slaughter as 〈◊〉 Lambe before the shearer is dumbe so was he opened not his 〈◊〉 hee was out from prison vnto iudgement O who shall declare his generation 〈◊〉 shal be taken out of life For the transgression of my people was he plagued and â—…l giue the wicked for his graue and the ritch for his death because hee hath 〈◊〉 wickednesse nor was there any d deceite found in his mouth The LORD 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 him from his affliction e If you giue your soule for sinne you shall see the 〈◊〉 â—…tinue long and the LORD shall take his soule from sorrow to shew him light â—…firme his vnderstanding to iustifie the righteous seruing many for he bare their â—…ties Therefore I will giue him a portion with the great hee shall diuide the 〈◊〉 of the strong because hee hath powred out his soule vnto death Hee was reckoâ—…â—…ith the transgressors and hath borne the sinnes of many and was betraied â—…ir trespasses Thus much of CHRIST nâ—… what saith he of his church 〈◊〉 O barren that bearest not breake forth and crie out for ioy thoâ—… that bringest â—…th for
the desolate hath more children then the maried wife Enlarge thae 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thy tents and fasten the f curtaines of thy Tabernacles spare not stretch out â—…des and make fast thy stakes spread it yet further to the right hand and thy 〈◊〉 thy seed shal possesse the Gentiles and dwell in the desolate Citties feare not because thou â—…t shamed be not afraid because thou art vp-brayded for thou shall forget thiâ—… euerlasting shame and shalt not remember the reproch of thy widdow-hood any more for the Lord that made thee is called the Lord of Hostes and the redeemer the holy one of Israel shal be called the God of all the world c. Here is enough needing but a little explanation for the places are so plaine that our enemies themselues are forced despite their hearts to acknowledge the truth These then suffice L. VIVES ESaias a is A noble man worthily eloquent more like an Euangelist then a Prophet he prophecied in Hierusalem and Iury. Hier. ad Eustoch Paulam Manasses King of Iudah made him be sawen a two with a wooden saw of him is that ment in the Hebrewes chp. 11. verse 37. They were sawen asunder The causes of his death Hierome relateth commâ—…n in Esa. lib. 〈◊〉 b Some Hierome ad Paul Eustoch for he speaketh not in misticall manner of things as if they were to come but most plainely as if they were present or past which is not ordinary in the other prophets c Behold All this quotation out of the 52. 53. and 54. chapters of Isay the Septuagints whome Saint Augustine followeth do some-times differ from the Hebrew truth But the scope aymes all at one end namely the passion of Christ wee will not stand to decide perticulars Augustine him-selfe saith all is playne inough and omits to stand vpon them to avoyd tediousnesse d Deceipt found The seauenty leaue out found e If you giue your soule The seauenty read it if you giue him for sinne your soule shall see your seede of long continuance f The curtaines The vulgar and the seauenty read the skins Prophecies of Michaeas Ionas and Ioell correspondent vnto the New-Testament CHAP. 30. THe Prophet Michaeas prefiguring Christ by a great mountaine saith thus a In the last daies shall the mountaine of the Lord be prepared vpon the toppes of the hills and shal be exalted aboue the hills and the nations shall hast them to it saying Come let vs goe vp into the mountaine of the Lord into the house of the God of Iacob and he wil teach vs his waies and we wil walke in his paths for the law shal go forth of Sion and the word of the Lord from Hieâ—…salem Hee shall iudge amongst many people and rebuke mighty nations a farre of The same prophet foretells Christ birth place also saying b And thou Bethleem c of Ephrata art little to bee amongst the thousands of Iudah yet out of thee shall a d captaine come forth vnto mee that shal be the Prince of Israel e whose goings forth haue beene euerlasting Therefore f will he giue them vp vntill the time that the child-bearing woman do trauell and the g remnant of her brethren shall returne vnto the children of Israell And he h shall stand and looke and feed his flocke in the strength of the Lord in the honâ—…or of Gods 〈◊〉 shall they continue for now shall he be magnified vnto the worlds end Now i Ionas prophecied Christ rather in suffering then in speaking that most manifestly considering the passion resurrection For why was he 3. daies in the whals belly and then let out but to signifie Christs resurrection from the depth of hell vpon the third day Indeed Ioels prophecies of Christ the Church require great explanation yet one of his and that was remembred by the k Apostles at the descending of the Holy Ghost vpon the faithfull as Christ had promised I will not oâ—…it Afterwards â—…ith hee I will power out my spirit vpon all flesh your sonnes and daughters shall Prophecy and your old men shall dreame dreames and your yong men 〈◊〉 visions euen vpon the seruants and the maids in those daies will I poure my spirit L VIVES IN a The last daies The same is in Esay 2. 2. b And thou Bethelem Augustine and the seauenty do differ here from the Hebrew S. Mathew readeth it thus And thou Bethleem 〈◊〉 the land of Iudah art not the least among the Trinces of Iudah for out of thee shall come the gâ—…rnor that shall feed my people Israel S. Hierome vpon Michaeas lib. 2. saith that this quoâ—…ion of Mathew accordeth neither with the Hebrew nor the seauenty This question putâ—…g the holy father to his plunges hee is fayne to say that either the Apostle cited it not haâ—…g the booke before him but out of his memory which some-time doth erre or else 〈◊〉 hee cited it as the priests had giuen it in answer to Herod herein shewing their negliâ—… the first hee affirmeth as the opinion of others It is an hard thing to make the Apostle â—…ke iust contrary to the prophet Neither Prophyry nor Celsus would beleeue this in a matter 〈◊〉 concerned not themselues But the scope of both being one maketh this coniecture inâ—…de the more tollerable But it is a weake hold to say the Priest spake it thus it were â—…ly absurd in their practise of the scriptures to alter a Prophecy intending especially â—…hew the full ayme of it But before the Apostle nay the spirit of God shal be taxed with 〈◊〉 an error let the later coniecture stand good or a weaker then it as long as we can finde 〈◊〉 stronger But if we may lawfully put in a guesse after Hierome that worthy in the exâ—…tion of those holy labyrinths to grant that the Hebrew and the seauenty read this place â—…matiuely and the Euangelist negatiuely read the place with an interrogation and they 〈◊〉 both reconciled I meane with an interrogation in the Prophet as is common in their â—…es and befitting the ardor of their affections but in the Euangelist the bare sence is â—…y fit to be layd downe without figure or affection c Of Ephrata The country where â—…leem stood which the Priests omitted as speaking to Herod a stranger that knew Iuda 〈◊〉 The Euangelist gaue an intimation of Christ whence he was to come by putting in 〈◊〉 for Ephrata there was another Bethleem in Galilee as it is in Iosuah Hierome vpon 〈◊〉 â—…hew noteth it as the transcribers falt to put Iudea for Iuda for all the Bethlems that are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iudea Galelee where the other is being a part thereof And the like falt it may be is in 〈◊〉 which followeth But when hee heard that Archelaus raigned in Iudaea for Iuda but â—…ed Iudaea after the returne from Captiuity kept not the old bounds but was contracted 〈◊〉 country about Hierusalem the metropolitane citty thereof d A captaine The Bruâ—… copy leaueth out a captaine and so do
the small of some of whom I now spake He prophecied vnder Iosia King of Iuda Ancus Martius being King of Rome hard before Israels captiuity vnto the fifth month of which hee prophecied as his owne booke prooueth Zephany b a small prophet was also in his time and prophecied in Iosias time also as himselfe saith but how long he saith not Hieremies time lasted all Ancus Martius his and part of Tarquinius Priscus his reigne the fift Romaine King For in the beginning of his reigne the Iewes were captiued This prophecie of Christ wee read in Hieremy The breath of our mouth the annoynted our Lord was taken in our sinnes Heere hee 〈◊〉 brieflie both Christ his deity and his sufferance for vs. Againe This is 〈◊〉 Gâ—…d nor is there any besides him he hath found all the wayes of wisdome taught 〈◊〉 to his seruant Iacob and to Israel his beloued Afterwards was hee seene vpon earth and hee conuersed with men This some say is not Hieremyes but d Baruchs his transcribers But the most hold it Hieremies Hee saith further Behold the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 come saith the Lord that I will raise vnto Dauid a iust branch which shall 〈◊〉 as King and be wise and shall exetute iustice and iudgement vpon the earth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dayes shall Iudah be saued and Israell shall dwell safely and this is the name that they shall call him The Lord our righteousnesse Of the calling of the Gentiles which we see now fullfilled he saith thus O Lord my God and refuge in the day of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thee shall the Gentiles come from the ends oâ—… the world and shall say Our fatherâ—… haue adored false Images wherein there was no profit And because the Iewes would noâ—… acknowledge Christ but should kill him the Prophet saith e The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in all things he is a man and who shall know him His was the testimoâ—… 〈◊〉 of the New Testament and Christ the mediatour which I recited in my 〈◊〉 Booke for hee saith Behold the dayes come that I will make a new couenant 〈◊〉 the house of Israel c. Now Zephany that was of this time also hath this of 〈◊〉 Wayte vpon me saith the Lord in the day of my resurrection wherein my â—…dgement shall gather the nations and againe The Lord will bee terrible vnto 〈◊〉 hee will consume all the gods of the earth euery man shall adore him from his 〈◊〉 â—…en all the Iles of the Heathen and a little after Then will I turne to the peoâ—… pure language that they may all call vpon the Lord and serue him with one conâ—… and from beyond the riuers of Ethiopia shall they bring mee offerings In that day 〈◊〉 thâ—… not bee ashamed for all thy workes wherein thou hast offended mee for then 〈◊〉 â—…use thee of the wicked that haue wronged thee and thou shalt no more bee proud of mine holie mountaine and I will leaue a meeke and lowly people in the mindes of thee and the remnant of Israell shall reuerence the name of the Lord. This is the remnant that is prophecied of else-where and that the Apostle mentioneth saying there is a remnant at this present time through the election of grace For a remnant of that nation beleeued in Christ. L. VIVES HIeremy a Of him already b Zephany Hee was a prophet and father to prophets and had prophets to his grand-father and great grand-father say the Hebrewes Chusi was his father who was sonne to Godolias the sonne of Amariaâ—… the son of Ezechias all prophets for al the prophets progeny named in their titles were prophets say the Hebrew doctors c The annointed There are many anointed many Lords but that breath of our mouth this annoynted is none but CHRIST our SAVIOVR the SON of GOD by whom we breath we moue and haue our being who if he leaue vs leaueth vs lesse life then if we lackt our soules d Baruchâ—… Hee was Hieremies seruant as Hieremies prophecy sheweth and wrote a little prophecy allowed by the Church because it much concerned Christ and those later times e Thâ—… heart This is the Septuagints interpretation Hierome hath it otherwise from the hebrew Daniels and Ezechiels prophecies concerning Christ and his Church CHAP. 34. NOw in the captiuity it selfe a Daniel and b Ezechiel two of the greater prophets prophecied first Daniel fore-told the very number of yeares vntill the comming of Christ and his passion It is too tedious to perticularize and others haue done it before vs. But of his power and glorie this he sayd I beheld a vision by night and behold the sonne of man came in the cloudes of heauen and approached vnto the ancient of daies and they brought him before him and hee gaue him dominion and honor and a Kingdome that all people nations and languages should serue him his dominion is an euerlasting dominion and shall neuer bee tane away his Kingdome shall neuer be destroied Ezechiel also prefiguring Christ by Dauid as the prophets vse because Christ tooke his flesh and the forme of a seruant from Dauids seed in the person of GOD the Father doth thus prophecy of him I will set vppe a sheapheard ouer my sheepe and hee shall feed them euen my seruant Dauid hee shall feed them and be their sheapheard I the Lord wil be their God and my seruant Dauid shal be Prince amongst them I the LORD haue spoaken it And againe One King shal be King to them all they shal be no more two peoples nor bee deuided from thence-forth into two Kingdomes nor shall they bee any more polluted in their Idols nor with their abhominations nor with all their transgressions but I will saue them out of all their dwelling places wherein they haue sinned and will cleanse them they shal be my people and I wil be their GOD and Dauid my seruant shal be King ouer them and they all shall haue one sheapheard L. VIVES DAniel a Hee was one of the captiâ—…ed sonnes of Iudah and so Daniel was named Balthazar by the Kings Eunuch that had charge of the children His wisdome made him highly esteemed of Balthazar the last King of Babilon and after that of Darius the Monarch of Media as Daniel himselfe and Iosephus lib. 10. doe testifie Methodius Apollinaris and Eusebius Pamphilus defended this prophet against the callumnies of Porphiry b Ezechiel A priest and one of the captiuity with Daniell as his writings doe record Of the three prophecies of Aggee Zachary and Malachy CHAP. 35. THre of the small prophets a Aggee b Zachary and c Malachy all prophecying in the end of this captiuity remaine still Aggee prophecyeth of Christ and his church thus diuersly and plainely Yet a little while and I will shake the heauens and the earth and the sea and the dry land and I will mooue all nations and the desire of all nations shall come saith the Lord of hostes This prophecie is partly come to effect and partly to bee effected
at the consumation of all The Angells and the starres are witnesse of heauens moouing at Christs birth The miracle of a Virgins child-birth mooued the earth the preaching of Christ in the Iles and the continent mooued both sea and drie land The nations we see are mooued to the faith Now the comming of the desire of all nations that we doe expect at this day of iudgement for first hee must be loued of the beleeuers and then be desired of the expecters Now to Zachary Reioyce greatly O daughter of Syon saith hee of Christ and his church shoute for ioy O daughter of Ierusalem behold thy King commeth to thee hee is iust and thy Sauiour poore and riding vpon an asse and vpon d a colt the fole of an asse his dominion is from sea to sea from the riâ—…er to the lands end Of Christs riding in this manner the Gospell speaketh where this prophecy as much as needeth is recited In another place speaking prophetically of the remission of sinnes by Christ he saith thus to him Thou in the bloud of thy testament hast loosed thy prisoners out of the lake wherein is no water This lake may bee diuersly interpreted without iniuring our faith But I thinke hee meaneth that barren bondlesse depth of humaine myseries wherein there is no streame of righteousnesse but all is full of the mudde of iniquitie for of this is that of the psalme meant Hee hath brought mee out of the lake of misery and 〈◊〉 of the myâ—…y clay Now Malachi prophecying of the church which wee see so happily propagate by our Sauiour Christ hath these plaine word to the Iewes in the person of God I haue no pleasure in you neither will I accept an offring at your hand for frâ—… the rising of the Sunne vnto the setting my name is great amongst the Gentiles 〈◊〉 in euery place shal be e incence offered vnto mee and a pure offering vnto my 〈◊〉 for my name is great among the heathen saith the LORD This wee see offered in euery place by Christs priest-hood after the order of Melchisedech but the sacrifice of the Iewes wherein God tooke no pleasure but refused that they cannot deny is ceased Why do they expect an other Christ and yet see that this prophecy is fulfilled already which could not bee but by the true Christ for he 〈◊〉 by by after in the persoÌ„ of God My couenant was with him of life and peace I 〈◊〉 him feare and he feared me and was afraid before my name The law of truth was 〈◊〉 his mouth he walked with me in peace and equity and turned many away from iniâ—… for the priests lips should preserue knowledge and they should seeke the law at his 〈◊〉 for he is the messenger of the Lord of hostes No wonder if Christ be called 〈◊〉 as he is a seruant because of the seruants forme he tooke when he came to men so is hee a messenger because of the glad tydings which hee brought vnto men For Euangelium in greeke is in our tongue glad tydings and he saith againe of him Behold I will send my messenger and hee shall prepare the way before mee the Lord whom you seeke shall come suddenly into his Temple and the messenger of the couenant whom you desire behold he shall come saith the Lord of hostes but who maâ—… abide the daie of his comming who shall endure when he appeareth This place is a direct prophecy of both the commings of Christ of the first He shall come suddenly into his temple his flesh as hee sayd himselfe Destroy this temple and in three daies I will raise it againe Of the second Behold hee shall come saith the LORD of hostes but who may abide the day of his comming c. But those words the Lord whom you seeke and the messenger of the couenant whom you desire imply that the Iewes in that manner that they conceiue the scriptures desire and seeke the comming of CHRIST But many of them acknowledged him not being come for whose comming they so longed their euill desertes hauing blinded their hearts The couenant named both heere and there where hee sayd My couenant was with him is to bee vnderstood of the New Testament whose promises are eternall not of the Old full of temporall promises such as weake men esteeming too highly doe serue GOD wholy for and stumble when they see the sinne-full to enioy them Wherefore the Prophet to put a cleare difference betweene the blisse of the New Testament peculiar to the good and the abundance of the Old Testament shared with the badde also adioyneth this Your words haue beene stout against me saith the Lord and yet you said wherein haue we spoken against thee you haue sayd it is in vaine to serue GOD and what profit haue we in keeping his commandements and in walking humbly before the LORD GOD of hostes and now wee haue blessed others they that worke wickednesse are set vppe and they that oppose God they are deliuered Thus spake they that scared the Lord each to his neighbour the Lord hearkned and heard it and wrote a booke of remembrance in his sight for such as feare the Lord and reuerence his name That booke insinuateth the New Testament Heare the sequele They shal be to mee saith the Lord of hostes in that day wherein I doe this for a slocke and I will spare them as a man spareth his owne sonne that serueth him Then shall you returne and discerne betweene the righteous and the wicked and betweene him that serueth GOD and him that serueth him not For behold the day commeth that shall burne as an oven and all the proud and the wicked shal be as stubble and the day that commeth shall burne them vppe saith the LORD of Hostes and shall leaue them neither roote nor branch But vnto you that feare my name shall the sonne of righteousnesse arise and health shal be vnder his wings and you shall goe forth and growe vppe as fatte Calues You shall tread downe the wicked they shal be as dust vnder the soles of your feete in the day that I shall doe this saith the LORD of Hostes. This is that day that is called the day of iudgement whereof if it please God wee meane to say some-what in place conuenient L. VIVES AGgee a Zachary Esdras nameth them chap. 6. 1. where he calleth Zachary the sonne 〈◊〉 Addo whom Zachary himselfe saith was his grand-father and Barachiah his father Thâ—… saith Hierome was doubtlesse that Addo that was sent to Hieroboam the sonne of Nabaâ—… in whose time the Altar cleft and his hand withered and was restored by this Addes prayers Kings 1. 1â—… Chro. 2. 12. But hee is not called Addo in either of these 〈◊〉 the Kings omit his name the Chronicles call him Semeius But a prophet of that time must bee great great grand-father at least to a sonne of the captiuity This Zachary was not the sonne of 〈◊〉 whome Ioash the King
translation of the Seuenty is most authenticall next vnto the Hebrew CHAP. 43. THere were other translators out of the Hebrew into the Greeke as Aquila Symmachus Theodâ—…tion and that namelesse interpetor whose translation is called the fift Edition But the Church hath receiued that of the seauenty as if there were no other as many of the Greeke Christians vsing this wholy know not whether there be or no. Our Latine translation is from this also Although one Hierome a learned Priest and a great linguist hath translated the same scriptures from the Hebrew into Latine But a although the Iewes affirme his learned labour to be al truth and auouch the seauenty to haue oftentimes erred yet the Churches of Christ hold no one man to be preferred before so many especially being selected by the high Priest for this work for although their concord had not proceeded from their vnity of spirit but froÌ„ their collations yet were no one man to be held more sufficient then they all But seeing there was so diuine a demonstration of it truely whosoeuer translateth from the Hebrew or any other tongue either must agree with the seauenty or if hee dissent wee must hold by their propheticall depth For the same spirit that spake in the prophets translated in them And that spirit might say other-wise in the translation then in the Prophet and yet speake alike in both the sence being one vnâ—…o the true vnderstander though the words bee different vnto the reader The same spirit might adde also or diminish to shew that it was not mans labour that performed this worke but the working spirit that guyded the labours Some held it good to correct the seauenty by the Hebrew yet durst they not put out what was in them and not in the Hebrew but onely added what was in that and not in them b marking the places with c Asteriskes at the heads of the verses and noting what was in the seauenty and not in the Hebrew with 〈◊〉 as we marke d ounces of weight withall And many Greeke and Latine â—…pies are dispersed with these markes But as for the alterations whether the difference be great or small they are not to be discerned but by conferring of the bookes If therefore we go all to the spirit of God and nothing else as is fittest whatsoeuer is in the seauenty and not in the Hebrew it pleased God to speake it by those latter prophets and not by these first And so contrary-wise of that which is in the Hebrew and not in the seauenty herein shewing them both to be â—…phets for so did he speak this by Esay that by Hieremy and other things by othes as his pleasure was But what wee finde in both that the spirit spake by both by the first as Prophets by the later as propheticall translations for as there was one spirit of peace in the first who spake so many seuerall things with discordance so was there in these who translated so agreeably without conference L VIVES ALthough a the Iewes No man now a daies sheweth an error and leaueth it Mankind is not so wise Againe time gayneth credit vnto many and nothing but time vnto some But it is admirable to see how gently hee speaketh here of Hierome whose opinion he followed not in this high controuersie O that wee could immitate him b Marking of this Hierome speaketh Prolog in Paralip Origen was the first that tooke the paines to conâ—… the translation and he conferred the seauenty with Theodotion Hier. ep id August where he inueigheth at what hee had erst commended saying that the booke is not corrected but rather corrupted by those asteriskes and spits But this he said because Augustine would not meddle with his translation but held that of the seauenty so sacred this power oftentimes 〈◊〉 affection in the holiest men c Asteriskes Little stars d Ounces It seemes the oâ—…ce in old times was marked with a spits character Isidoâ—…e saith it was marked with the Greeke Gamma and our o thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the halfe scruple with a line thus they noted those places with a spit thus 〈◊〉 to signifie that the words so noâ—…ed were thrust through as adâ—… falsefiing the text It was Aristarchus his inuention vsed by the Grammarians in their 〈◊〉 of bookes and verses Quinti lib. 1. Which the old Grammarians vsed with such seuerity 〈◊〉 they did not onely taxe false places or bookes hereby but also thrust their authors either 〈◊〉 of their ranke or wholy from the name of Grammarians Thus Quintilian Seneca did eleâ—… call the rasing out of bastard verses Aristarchus his notes Of the destruction of Niniuy which the Hebrew perfixeth fourty daies vnto and the Septuagints but three CHAP. 44. 〈◊〉 will some say how shall I know whether Ionas said yet forty daies and Niâ—… shal be destroyed or yet three daies who seeth not that the Prophet presaging 〈◊〉 destruction could not say both if at three daies end they were to bee desâ—… then not at fourty if at fourty then not at three If I bee asked the question I answer for the Hebrew For the LXX being 〈◊〉 after might say otherwise and yet not against the sence but as pertinent to the matter as the other though in another signification aduising the reader not to leaue the signification of the historie for the circumstance of a word noâ—… to contemne either of the authorities for those things were truly done 〈◊〉 at Niâ—…ie and yet had a reference farther then Niniuie as it was true that the Prophet was three dayes in the Whales belly and yet intimated the being of the Lord of all the Prophets three dayes in the wombe of the graue Wherefore if the Church of the Gentiles were prophetically figured by Niniuie as being destâ—…oyed in repentance to become quite different from what it was Christ doiâ—…g this in the said Church it is hee that is signified both by the forty dayes and by the three by forty because hee was so long with his disciples after hiâ—… resurrection and then ascended into heauen by three for on the third day hee aroâ—…e againe as if the Septuagâ—…nts intended to stir the reader to looke further into the matter then the meere history and that the prophet had intended to intimate the depth of the mysterie as if hee had said Seeke him in forty dayes â—…hom thou shalt finde in three this in his resurrection and the other in his asceâ—…sion Wherefore both numbers haue their fitte signification both are spokâ—…n by one spirit the first in Ionas the latter in the translators Were it noâ—… for â—…diousnesse I could reconcile the LXX and the Hebrew in many places wherein they are held to differ But I study breuity and according to my talent haue followed the Apostles who assumed what made for their purposes out of both the copies knowing the holy spirit to be one in both But forward with our purpose L. VIVES YEt a forty
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
thinke this place obscure let him looke for no plainenesse in the Scriptures L. VIVES THy a victory Some read contention but the originall is Victory and so doe Hierom and Ambrose reade it often Saint Paul hath the place out of Osee. chap. â—…3 ver 14. and vseth it 1. Cor. 16. ver 55. b When shall death The Cittie of GOD shall see death vntill the words that were sayd of Christ after his resurrection Oh hell where is thy victory may bee said of all our bodies that is at the resurrection when they shal be like his glorified bodie Saint Peters doctrine of the resurrection of the dead CHAP. 18. NOw let vs heare what Saint Peter sayth of this Iudgement There shall come saith hee in the last daies mockers which will walke after their lusts and say Where is the promise of his comming For since the fathers died all things continue alike from the beginning of the creation For this they willingly know not that the heauens were of old and the earth that was of the water and by the water by the word of GOD wherefore the world that then was perished ouer-flowed with the water But the heauens and earth that now are are kept by the same word in store and reserued vnto fire against the day of iudgement and of the destruction of vngodly men Dearcly beloued bee not ignorant of this that one daie with the LORD is as a thousand years and a thousand yeares as one daie The LORD is not flack concerning his promise as some men count slackenesse but is pacient toward vs and would haue no man to perish but would haue all men to come to repentance But the daie of the LORD will come as a thiefe in the night in the which the heauens shall passe awaie with a noyse and the elements shall melt with 〈◊〉 and the earth with the workes that are therein shal be burnt vppe Seeing therefore all these must bee dissolued what manner of persons ought you to bee in holy conuersation and Godlinesse longing for and hasting vnto the comming of the daie of GOD by the which the heauens beeing on fire shal be dissolued and the elements shall melt vvith heate But vve-looke for a nevv heauen and a nevv earth according to his promise vvherein dvvelleth righteousnesse Thus sarre Now here is no mention of the resurrection of the dead but enough concerning the destruction of the world where his mention of the worlds destruction already past giueth vs sufficient warning to beleeue the dissolution to come For the world that was then perished saith hee at that time not onely the earth but that part of the ayre also which the watter a possessed or got aboue and so consequently almost all those ayry regions which hee calleth the heauen or rather in the plurall the heauens but not the spheres wherein the Sunne and the Starres haue their places they were not touched the rest was altered by humidity and so the earth perished and lost the first forme by the deluge But the heauens and earth saith hee that now are are kept by the same word in store and reserued vnto fire against the daie of iudgement and of the destruction of vngodly men Therefore the same heauen and earth that remained after the deluge are they that are reserued vnto the fire afore-said vnto the daie of iudgement and perdition of the wicked For because of this great change hee sticketh not to say there shal be a destruction of men also whereas indeed their essences shall neuer bee anniâ—…e although they liue in torment Yea but may some say if this old heauen and earth shall at the worlds end bee burned before the new ones be made where shal the Saints be in the time of this conflagration since they haue bodies and therefore must be in some bodily place We may answere in the vpper parts whither the fire as then shall no more ascend then the water did in the deluge For at this daie the Saints bodies shal be mooueable whither their wills doe please nor need they feare the fire beeing now both immortall and incorruptible b for the three children though their bodies were corruptible were notwithstanding preserued from loosing an haire by the fire and might not the Saints bodies be preserued by the same power L. VIVES THe a water possessed For the two vpper regions of the ayre doe come iust so low that they are bounded with a circle drawne round about the earthlie highest mountaines tops Now the water in the deluge beeing fifteene cubites higher then the highest mountaine it both drowned that part of the ayre wherein wee liue as also that part of the middle region wherein the birds do vsually flie both which in Holy writ and in Poetry also are called Heauens b The three Sidrach Misach and Abdenago at Babilon who were cast into a â—…nace for scorning of Nabuchadnezzars golden statue Dan. 3. Saint Pauls words to the Thessalonians Of the manifestations of Antichrist whose times shall immediately fore-runne the day of the Lord. CHAP. 19. I See I must ouer-passe many worthy sayings of the Saints concerning this day least my worke should grow to too great a volume but yet Saint Pauls I may by no meanes omit Thus sayth he Now I beseech you bretheren by the comming of our LORD IESVS CHRIST and by our assembling vnto him that you bee not suddenly mooued from your minde nor troubled neither by spirit nor by word nor by letter as if it were from vs as though the day of CHRIST were at hand Let no man deceiue you by any meanes for that day shall not come except there come a a fugitiue first and that that man of sinne bee disclosed euen the sonne of perdition which is an aduersary and exalteth himselfe against all is called god or that is worshipped so that he sitteth as God in the Temple of God shewing himselfe that he is God Remember yee not that when I was yet with you I told you these things And now yee know what withholdeth that he might be reuealed in his due time For the mistery of iniquity doth already worke onely he which now withholdeth shall let till he be taken out of the way and the wicked man shal be reuealed whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth and shall abolish with the brightnesse of his comming euen him whose comming is by the working of Sathan with all power and signes and lying wonders and in all deceiuablenesse of vnrighteousnesse amongst them that perish because they receiued not the loue of the truth that they might be saued And therefore God shall send them strong delusion that they should beleeue lyes that all they might bee damned which beleeue not in the truth but had pleasure in vnrighteousnesse This is doubtlesse meant of Antichrist and the day of iudgement For this day hee saith shall not come vntill that Antichrist be come before it he that is called here a fugitiue
not the lesser and lower doe so too If Ioue doe not like this whose oracle as Porphyry saith hath condemned the Christians credulity why doth hee not condemne the Hebrewes also for leauing this doctrine especially recorded in their holyest writings But if this Iewish wisdome which he doth so commend affirme that the heauens shall perish how vaine a thing is it to detest the Christian faith for auouching that the world shall perish which if it perish not then cannot the heauens perish Now our owne scriptures with which the Iewes haue nothing to doe our Ghospels and Apostolike writings do all affirme this The fashion of this world goeth away The world passeth away Heauen and earth shall passe away But I thinke that passeth away doth not imply so much as perisheth But in Saint Peters Epistle where hee saith how the world perished being ouer-flowed with water is plainly set downe both what he meant by the world how farre it perished and what was reserued for fire and the perdition of the wicked And by and by after The day of the Lord will come as a thiefe in the night in the which the Heauens shall passe away with a noyse the elements shall melt vvith heate and the earth vvith the rockes that are therein shall bee burnt vp and so concludeth that seeing all these perish what manner persons ought yee to be Now we may vnderstand that those heauens shall perish which he said were reserued for fire and those elements shall melt which are here below in this mole of discordant natures wherein also he saith those heauens are reserued not meaning the vpper spheres that are the seats of the stars for whereas it is written that the starres shall fall from heauen it is a good proofe that the heauens shall remaine vntouched if these words bee not figuratiue but that the starres shall fall indeed or some such wonderous apparitions fill this lower ayre as Virgil speaketh of Stella a facem ducens multa cum luce cucurrit A tailed Starre flew on with glistring light And so hid it selfe in the woods of Ida. But this place of the Psalme seemes to exempt none of all the heauens from perishing The heauens are the workes of thine hands they shall perish thus as hee made all so all shall bee destroyed The Pagans scorne I am sure to call Saint Peter to defend that Hebrew doctrine which their gods doe so approoue by alledging the figuratiue speaking hereof pars pro toto all shall perrish meaning onely all the lower parts as the Apostle saith there that the world perished in the deluge when it was onely the earth and some part of the ayre This shift they will not make least they should eyther yeeld to Saint Peter or allow this position that the fire at the last iudgement may doe as much as wee say the deluge did before their assertion that all man-kinde can neuer perish will allow them neither of these euasions Then they must needes say that when their gods commended the Hebrews wisdom they had not read this Psalme but there is another Psalme as plaine as this Our God shall come and shall not keepe silence a fire shall deuoure before him and a mightie tempest shall bee mooued round about him Hee shall call the heauen aboue and the earth to iudge his people Gather my Saints together vnto mee those that make a couenant with mee with sacrifice This is spoken of Christ whome wee beleeue shall come from heauen to iudge both the quick and the dead Hee shall come openly to iudge all most iustly who when hee came in secret was iudged himselfe most vniustly Hee shall come and shall not bee silent his voyce now shall confound the iudge before whome hee was silent when hee was lead like a sheepe to the slaughter and as a lambe before the shearer is dumbe as the Prophet saith of him and as it was fulfilled in the Ghospell Of this fire and tempest wee spake before in our discourse of Isaias prophecie touching this point But his calling the heauens aboue that is the Saints this is that which Saint Paul saith Then shall wee bee caught vp also in the clouds to meete the Lord in the â—…yre For if it meant not this how could the Heauens bee called aboue as though they could bee any where but aboue The words following And the earth if you adde not Aboue heere also may bee taken for those that are to bee iudged and the heauens for those that shall iudge with Christ. And then the calling of the heauens aboue implyeth the placing of the Saints in seates of iudgments not their raptures into the ayre Wee may further vnderstand it to bee his calling of the Angels from their high places to discend with him to iudgement and by the earth those that are to bee iudged But if wee doe vnderstand Aboue at both clauses it intimateth the Saints raptures directly putting the heauens for their soules and the earth for their bodyes to iudge or discerne his people that is to seperate the sheepe from the goates the good from the bad Then speaketh he to his Angels Gather my Saints together vnto mee this is done by the Angels ministery And whome gather they Those that make a couenant with mee with sacrifice and this is the duty of all iust men to doe For either they must offer their workes of mercy which is aboue sacrifice as the Lord saith I will haue mercy and not sacrifice or else their workes of mercy is the sacrifice it selfe that appeaseth Gods wrath as I prooued in the ninth booke of this present volume In such workes doe the iust make couenants with God in that they performe them for the promises made them in the New Testament So then Christ hauing gotten his righteous on his right hand will giue them this well-come Come yee blessed of my Father inherite yee the kingdome prepared for you from the foundations of the world for I was an hungred and you gaue me to eate and so forth of the good workes and their eternall rewards which shall be returned for them in the last iudgment L. VIVES SStella a facem ducens Virg. Aeneid 2. Anchises beeing vnwilling to leaue Troy and Aeneas being desperate and resoluing to dye Iupiter sent them a token for their flight namely this tailed starre all of which nature saith Aristotle are produced by vapours enflamed in the ayres mid region If their formes be only lineall they call them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is lampes or torches Such an one saith Plynie glided amongst the people at noone day when Germanicus Caesar presented his Sword-players prize others of them are called Bolidae and such an one was seene at Mutina The first sort of these flye burning onely at one end the latter burneth all ouer Thus Pliny lib. 2. Malachies Prophecy of the iudgement and of such as are to be purged by fire CHAP. 25. THe Prophet a Malachiel or Malachi
and purely exhibited did signifie spotlesse and holy men such as Christ him-selfe onely was and no other Seeing therefore that in the iudgement all being clensed that neede clensing there shall not bee any sinne left in the Saints but each shall offer himselfe in righteousnes vnto God as an immaculate and pure oblation thus shall it be then as in the yeares afore when that was represented typically which at this day shal be fulfilled truely for then shall that purity be reall in the Saints which erst was prefigured in the sacrifices And thus of that Now as for those that are not worthy of being clensed but condemned thus saith the Prophet I will come to you in iudgement and I wil be a swift witnesse against the South-sayers and against the adulterers c. for I am the Lord and change not as if he said your fault hath now made you worse and my grace once made you better but I change not He will be witnesse him-selfe because he shall in that iudgement neede no other Swift because he will come on a sudden vnlooked for and when he is thought to bee farthest of and againe because hee will conuince the guilty conscience without making any words Inquisition shal be made in the thoughts of the vngodly saith the wise man Their conscience also bearing witnes saith the Apostle and their thoughts accusing one another or excusing at the day when God shall iudge the secrets of men by Iesus Christ according to my Ghospell Thus then shall God be a swift witnesse in calling that presently vnto the thoughts which shall forthwith condemne them L. VIVES NO a man except The question of the Uirgin Mary was not yet a foote but grew afterward betweene two orders of friers both fiery and led with vndaunted generalls the Dominicans by Thomas of Aquin and the Franciscans by Iohn Duns Scotus Now the councell of Basil decred that she was wholly pure from all touch of sinne But the Dominicans obiected that this was no lawfull counsell and the Minorites of the other side avowed that it was true and holy and called the Dominicans heretiques for slandering the power of the Church so that the matter had come to a shrewd passe but that Pope Sixtus forbad this theame to be any more disputed of Thus do these men esteeme councells or canons bee they againe their pleasures iust as an old wiues tale in a Flaxe-shope or at an Ale-house Gossiping Of the seperation of the good from the bad in the end of the last iudgement CHAP. 27. THat also which I alledged to another purpose in the eighteenth booke out of this Prophet belongeth to the last iudgement They shal be to me saith the Lord of Hostes in that day that I shall do this as a flocke for I will spare them as a man spareth his owne Sonne that serueth him then shall you returne and discerne betweene the righteous and the wicked betweene him that serueth God and him that serueth him not for behold the day commeth that shall burne as an Ouen and all the proud yea and all that do wickedly shal be stuble and the day that commeth shall burne them vp saith the Lord of Hostes and shall leaue them neither roote nor branch But vnto you that feare my name shall the sunne of righteousnes arise and health shal be vnder his winges and yee shall go forth and grow vp as fat Calues And yee shall tread downe the wicked for they shal be dust vnder the soules of your feete in the day that I shall do this saith the Lord of Hostes. This distance of rewards and punishments seuering the iust from the vniust is not seene by the transitory light of this worldly sunne but when it appeareth before that sunne of righteousnesse in the manifesation of the life to come then shall there bee such a iudgement as neuer was before Moyses Law to be spiritually vnderstood for feare of dangerous errour CHAP. 28. BVt whereas the Prophet procedeth saying Remember the law of Moyses my seruant which I commended vnto him in Horeb for all Israell with the statutes and iudgements this is fittly added both to follow the precedent distinction betweene the followers of the law and the contemners of it as also to imply that the said law must bee spiritually interpreted that Christ the distinguisher of the good and bad may therein be discouered who spoke not idly him-selfe when he told the Iewes saying Had yee beleeued Moyses yee would haue beleeued me for be wrote of me for these men conceyuing the Scriptures in a carnallience and not apprehending those earthly promises as types of the eternall ones fell into those damnable murmurings that they durst bee bold to say a It is in vaine to serue God and what profit is it that wee haue kept his commaundement and that wee walked humbly before the Lord of Hostes Therefore b wee count the proud blessed euen they that worke wickednesse are set vp c. These their words seeme euen to compell the prophet to foretell-the last iudgement where the wicked shall be so farre from all shadow of happinesse that they shal be apparantly wretched and the good so acquite from all lasting misery that they shall not be touched with any the most transitory but fully and freely be enthroned in eternal blessednesse For their words before seeme to say thus all that do euill are good in Gods eye and please him These grumblings against God proceeded meerely of the carnall vnderstanding of Moyses law Where-vpon the Psalmist saith that he had like to haue fallen him-selfe and that his feete slipped through his fretting at the foolish seeing the prosperity of the wicked in so much that he saith How doth God know it or is there knowledge in the most high and by and by after Haue I clensed mine heart in vaine and washed mine hands in innocency but to cleare this difficulty how it should come to passe that the wicked should bee happy and the iust miserable he addeth this Then thought I to know this but it was too painefull for me vntill I went into the Sanctuary of God and then vnderstood I their end At the day of the Lord it shall not be so but the misery of the wicked and the happinesse of the Godly shall appeare at full in far other order then the present world can discouer L. VIVES IT is a in vaine A wicked fond and absurd complaint of such as onely like brute beasts conceiue respect nothing but what is present looke but into the conscience of the wicked and you shall finde their hearts torne in peeces looke but vpon the time to come and you shall see a shole of plagues prepared for them which you may thinke are slowe but heauen assureth you they are sure b Wee count the wicked Your account cannot make them fortunate Helias his comming to conuert the Iewes before the iudgment CHAP. 29. NOw the Prophet hauing
aduised them to remember the law of Moyses because he fore saw that would here-after miss-interprete much thereof hee addeth Behold I will send you a Heliah the Prophet before the comming of the great and fearefull day of the Lord and hee shall turne the heart of the fathers to the children and of the children to the fathers least I come and smite the earth with cursing That this great and mighty Prophet Elias shall conuert b the Iewes vnto Christ before the iudgment by expounding them the lawe is most commonly beleeued and taught of vs Christians and is held as a point of infallible truth For we may well hope for the comming of him before the iudgment of Christ whome we do truly beleeue to liue in the body at this present houre with-out hauing euer tasted of death Hee was taken vp by a fiery chariot body and soule from this mortall world as the scriptures plainly auouch Therefore when he commeth to giue the law a spirituall exposition which the Iewes doe now vnderstand wholy in a carnall sence Then shall hee turne the hearts of the fathers vnto the children or the heart of the father vnto the child for the LXX doe often vse the singular number for the plurall that is the Iewes shall then vnderstand the law as their holy forefathers had done before them Moyses the Prophets and the rest For the vnderstanding of the fathers being brought to the vnderstanding of the children is the turning of the fathers heart vnto the children and the childrens consent vnto the vnderstanding of the fathers is the turning of their heart vnto the fathers And whereas the LXX say c And the heart of a man vnto his kinsman fathers and children are the nearest of kindred and consequently are meant of in this place There may be a farther and more choice interpretation of this place namely that Helias should turne the heart of the father vnto the childe not by making the father to loue the child but by teaching that the father loueth him that the Iewes who had hated him before may hence-forth loue him also For they hold that God hateth him now because they hold him to be neither God nor the Sonne of God but then shall his heart in their iudgements be turned vnto him when they are so farre turned them-selues as to vnderstand how he loueth him The sequell And the heart of man vnto his kinsman meaneth the heart of man vnto the man Christ for hee being one God in the forme of God taking the forme of a seruant and becomming man vouchsafed to become our kinsman This then shall Heliah performe Least I come and smite the earth with cursing The earth that is those carnall thoughted Iewes that now are and that now murmure at the Deity saying that he delighted in the wicked and that it is in vaine to serue him L. VIVES HEliah a the Of him read the King 1. 2. The Iewes out of this place of Malachi beleeue that hee shall come againe before the Messiah as the Apostles doe shew in their question concerning his comming Matt. 17. to which our Sauiour in answering that he is come already doth not reproue the Scribes opinion but sheweth another cōming of Heliah before himelfe which the Scribes did not vnderstand Origen for first he had said that Helias must first come and restore all things But it being generally held that Helias should come before Christ and it being vnknowne before which comming of Christ our Sauiour to cleare the doubt that might arise of his deity in that the people did not see that Helias was come said Helias is come already meaning Iohn of whome hee him-selfe had sayd If yee will receiue it this is Helias As if he had said bee not moued in that you thinke you saw not Helias before me whome you doubt whether I be the Messias or no. No man can be deceiued in the beleeuing that Iohn who came before me was that Helias who was to come not that his soule was in Iohn or that Helias himselfe in person were come but in that Iohn came in the spirit and power of Helias to turne the hearts of the fathers vnto the children to make the vnbeleeuers righteous and to prepare me a perfect people as the Angel promised of him Luc. 1. 17 This great mistery the Lord being willing to poynt at and yet not laying it fully open hee eleuates the hearts of the audience with his vsuall phrase vpon such occasions Hee that hath eares to heare let him heare And truely Iohns life came very neare Helias his Both liued in the wildernesse both wore girdles of skins both reproued vicious Princes and were persecuted by them both preached the comming of Christ fittly therefore might Iohn bee called another Helias to forerunne Christs first comming as Helias him-selfe shall do the second c. b Conuert the Iewes Therefore said Christ Helias must first come c. to correct saith Chrisostome their infidelity and to turne the hearts of the fathers vnto the children that is vnto the Apostles And then hee maketh a question If Helias his comming shall do so much good why did not our Sauiour send him before his first comming Answ. because as then they held our Sauiour himselfe to be Helias and yet would not beleeue him wheras when at the worlds end Helias shall come after all their tedious expectation and shew them who was the true Messias then will they all beleeue him c And the heart of man Hierome and our English vulgar read it other-wise 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 speakes CHAP. 30. TO gather the whole number of such places of Scripture as prophecy this iudgement were too tedious Sufficeth we haue proued it out of both the Testaments But the places of the Old-Testament are not so euident for the comming of Christ a in person as them of the New be for whereas we read in the Old that the Lord God shall come it is no consequent that it is meant of Christ for the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost are all both Lord and God which we may not omit to obserue Wee must therefore first of all make a demonstration of those places in the prophets as do expressely name the Lord God and yet herein are euidently meant of Iesus Christ as also of those wherein this euidence is not so plaine and yet may bee conueniently vnderstood of him neuerthelesse There is one place in Isaias that hath it as plaine as may be Here me O Iacob and Israel saith the said Prophet my called I am I am the first and I am the last surely my hand hath laid the foundation of the earth and my right hand hath spanned the Heauens when I call them they stand together All you assemble your selues and heare which amongst
〈◊〉 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
the causes of those arch-heretiques deliuery For an Apostata 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the faith hee hath once professed is worse then hee that opâ—…â—…hat hee did neuer professe Secondly in that the Apostle himselfe 〈◊〉 them concluding of the workes of the flesh that They which 〈◊〉 â—…ll 〈◊〉 the Kingdome of GOD. 〈◊〉 therefore and wicked men secure themselues by their continuance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is written He thâ—… endureth to the end hee shal be saued nor by 〈◊〉 â—…quity renounce Christ their iustice in committing fornication and either 〈◊〉 any part of those fleshly workes which the Apostle reâ—… counteth or such vncleanesses as hee would not name for of all such hee â—…aith expressely they shall not inherite the Kingdome of GOD. Wherefore the doers of such deeds cannot but bee in eternall paines in that they are excluded from the euerlasting ioyes For this kinde of perseuerance of theirs is no perseuerance in CHRIST because it is not a true perseuerance in his faith which the Apostle defineth to bee such as worketh by loue And loue as hee sayth elsewhere worketh not euill So then these are no true receiuers of CHRISTS bodie in that they are none of his true members For to omit other allegations they cannot bee both the members of CHRIST and the members of an harlot And CHRIST himselfe saying hee that eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud dwelleth in me I in him sheweth what it is to receiue Christ not onely sacramentally but truely for this is to dwell in Christ and Christ in â—…m For thus hee spoke as if hee had sayd Hee that dwelleth not in mee nor I in him cannot say hee eateth my flesh or drinketh my bloud They therefore that are not members of CHRIST are not in him they that make themselues the members of an harlot are no members of CHRIST vnlesse they purge away their badnesse by repentance and returne to his goodnesse by a true reconciliation L. VIVES EXpressed a in this sacrament For all pertake of one bread which is a great bond of 〈◊〉 Againe this mysticall bread is made of many graines of corne loosing their proper formes to bee all incorporated into one masse or body So many are receiued into the church and at thâ—… entrance they put off their owne proper enormities and being linked to the rest 〈◊〉 loue and charity seeme now no more what they were before but are incorporate into one body the church Baptisme maketh vs both bretheren and one also and mutuall charity giueth forme collour taste and perfection to the whole body So that there could not haue bin giuen a more fit type of the Church then that which CHRIST gaue in his institution What it is to haue CHRIST for the foundation who they are that shal be saued as it were by fire CHAP. 26. I But christian Catholiques say they haue CHRIST for their foundation from whom they fell not though they built badly vpon it in resemblance of timber straw and stubble So that faith is true which holds CHRIST the foundation and though it beare some losse in that the things which are built vpon it burne away yet hath it power to saue him that holdeth it after some time of suffrance But let Saint Iames answere these men in a word If a man say hee â—…th faith and haue no workes can the faith saue him Who then is that say they of whom Saint Paul sayth Hee shal be safe himselfe neuerthelesse as it were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 well wee will see who that is but surely it is no such as these would haue 〈◊〉 for else the Apostles condradict one another For if one saith though a man haue liued wickedly yet shall hee bee saued by faith through fire and the other If hee haue no workes can his fayth saue him Then shall we soone find who it is that shal be saued by fire if first of all wee finde what it is to haue Christ for the foundation Togather which first from the nature of the simyly there is no worke in building before the fâ—…dation Now euery one hath CHRIST in his heart thus farre that 〈◊〉 â—…ct of temporall things and some-times of things vnlawfull still â—…eth Christ for the foundation thereof But if hee preferre these things 〈◊〉 CHRIST though hee seeme to hold his fayth yet CHRIST is no foundation vnto him in that hee preferres those vanities before him And if â—…ee both contemne good instructions and prosecute badde actions how much the sooner shall hee bee conuinced to set Christ at nothing to esteeme him at no value in vainer respects by neglicting his command and allowance and in preuarication of both following his owne lustfull exorbitances wherefore if any christian loue an hâ—…r lot and become one body with her by coupling with her hee hath not Christ fâ—… his foundation And if a man loue his wife according to Christ who can denie but that hee hath Christ for his foundation Admit his loue bee 〈◊〉 worldly concupiscentiall as the Gentiles loued that knew not Christ all this the Apostle doth beare with and therefore still may Christ bee such a mans foundation For if hee preferre not these carnall affects before Christ though hee build straw and stubble vpon his foundation yet Christ is that still and therefore such a man shal be saued by fire For the fire of tribulation shall purge away those carnall and worldly affections which the bond of marriage doth acquit from beeing damnable and vnto this fire all the calamities accident in this kinde as barrennesse losse of children c. haue reference And in this case hee that buildeth thus shall loose because his building shall not last and these losses shall grieue him in that their fruition did delight him Yet shall the worth of his foundation saue him in that if the persecuâ—… should put it to his choice whether hee would haue Christ or these his 〈◊〉 hee would choose Christ and leaue all the rest Now shall you heare 〈◊〉 describe a builder vpon this foundation with gold siluer and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The vnmaried saith hee careth for the things of the LORD 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the LORD And now for him that buildeth with wood straw and 〈◊〉 Hee that is married caretb for the things of the world how hee may please his wife Euery mans worke shal bee made manifest for the day of the LORD shall declare it that is the daie of tribulation for it shal be reuealed by the fire This tribulation hee calleth fire as wee reade also in another place The furâ—… proueth the potters vessell and so doth the temptation of tribulation trie mans thoughts So then the fire shall trie euery mans worke and if any worke 〈◊〉 as his will that careth for the things of the LORD and how to â—…ase him hee shall receiue wages that is hee shall receiue him of whome 〈◊〉 thought and for whome hee cared But if any 〈◊〉 worke burne hee shall 〈◊〉 because hee shall not haue his
delights that hee loued yet shall hee bee 〈◊〉 in that hee held his foundation maugre all tribulation but as it were by 〈◊〉 for that which hee possessed in alluring loue hee shall forge with 〈◊〉 sorrowe This thinke I is the fire that shall enritch the one and â—…ge the other trying both yet condemning neither If wee say thâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of heere is that whereof CHRIST spake to those on his left 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from mee yee cursed into euerlasting fire and that all such 〈◊〉 builded 〈◊〉 strawe and stubble vpon their foundation are part of the sayd cursed who notwithstanding after a time of torment are to bee dedeliuered by the merit of their foundation then can wee not thinke that those on the right hand to whome hee shall say Come you blessed c. Are any other sauing those that built gold siluer and precious stones vppon the said foundation But this fire of which the Apostle speaketh shall bee as a tryall both to the good and the bad both shall passe through it for the word sayth Euery mans worke shal bee made manifest for the day of the Lord shall declare it because it shal bee reuealed by the fyre and the fire shall try euery mans worke of what sort it is If the fire trye both and he that hath an abiding worke be rewarded and hee whose worke shal burne shall bee indamaged then cannot this be that euerlasting fire For into that shall none enter but the cursed on the left hand in the last iudgement whereas the blessed shall passe through this wherein some of them shal be so tryed that their building shall abide vnconsumed and other-some shall haue their worke burned and yet shal bee saued them-selues in that their loue vnto Christ exceeded al their carnall imperfections And if they bee saued then shall they stand on Christes right hand and shall bee part of those to whome it shall bee said Come you blessed of my father inherite the kingdome c. and not on the left hand amongst the cursed to whome it shall bee sayd Depart from me c. For none of these shall be saued by fire but all of them shall be bound for euer in that place where the worme neuer dyeth there shall they burne world without end But as for the time betweene the bodily death and the last iudgement if any one say that the spirits of the dead are all that while tryed in such fire as neuer moueth those that haue not built wood straw or stubble afflicting onely such as haue wrought such workes eyther here or there or both or that mans worldly affects beeing veniall shall â—…e the purging fire of tribulation onely in this world and not in the other if any hold thus I contradict him not perhaps he may hold the truth To this tribuâ—… also may belong the death of body drawne from our first parents sinne and inflicted vppon each man sooner or later according to his building So may also the Churches persecutions wherein the Martyrs were crowned and all the rest afflicted For these calamities like fire tryed both sorts of the buildings consuming both workes and worke men where they found not Christe for the foundation and consuming the workes onely and sauing the worke-men by this losse where they did finde him and stubble c. built vppon him but where they found workes remayning to eternall life there they consumed nothing at all Now in the last dayes in the time of Antichriste shall be such a persecution as neuer was before And many buildings both of gold and stubble being all founded vppon Christe shall then bee tryed by this fire which will returne ioy to some and losse to others and yet destroy none of them by reason of their firme foundation But whosoeuer hee bee that loueth I do not say his wife with carnall affection but euen such shewes of pyety as are vtter alliens from this sensuality with such a blinde desire that hee preferreth them before Christ this man hath not Christ for his foundation and therefore shall neither bee saued by 〈◊〉 noâ—… otherwise because hee cannot bee conioyned with Christ who faith playnely of such men Hee that loueth father or mother more then me is vnworthy of me And he that loueth sonne or daughter more then me is not worthy of mee But hee that loueth them carnaliy yet preferreth Christ for his foundation and had rather loose them all then Christ if hee were driuen to the losse of one such a man shall bee saued but as it were by fire that is his griefe in the loosing of them must needes bee as great as his delight was in enioying them But hee that loues father mother c. according to Christ to bring them vnto his Kingdome or bee delighted in thâ—… because they are the members of Christ this loue shall neuer burne away liâ—…â—…ood straw stubble but shall stand as a building of gold siluer and preâ—… 〈◊〉 for how can a man loue that more then Christ which he loueth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sake onely L. VIVES 〈◊〉 day of a the Lord Where-vnto all secrets are referred to be reuealed and therefore they are worthy of reprehension that dare presume to censure acts that are doubtfull 〈◊〉 â—…rable onely by coniectures seeme they neuer so bad 〈◊〉 thâ—…se that thinke those sinnes shall not be laid to their 〈◊〉 where-with they mixed some workes of mercy CHAP. 27. NOw a word with those that hold none damned but such as neglect to doe workes of mercy worthy of their sinnes because S. Iames saith There shall be 〈◊〉 mercylesse to him that sheweth no mercy he therfore that doth shew merâ—… say they be his life neuer so burdened with sin and corruption shal not withstanding haue a mercyful iudgement which wil either acquit him from al paines 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 deliâ—… 〈◊〉 after a time of sufferance And this made Christ distinguish 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…om 〈◊〉 â—…obate only by their performance and not performance of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the one wherof is rewarded with euerlasting ioy and the other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as for their daily sins that they may bâ—… pardoned through 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 the Lords praier say they doth sufficiently proue for as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 christian â—…aith not this praier so likewise is ther no daily 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when we say And forgiue vs our trespasses as we forgiue them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we perform this later clause accordingly for Christ saie they 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 forgiue men their trespasses your heauenly father will forgiue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but he said generally hee will forgiue you yours Bee they 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so 〈◊〉 neuer so ordinary neuer so continual yet works of mercy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 them al away wel they do wel in giuing their aduice to perform works 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 worthy of their â—…ns for if they should haue said that any works of mercâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the greatest and most customary sins they should bee 〈◊〉
and incorporeall soule should be chained to an earthly bodie then that an earthly bodie should bee lifted vppe to heauen which is but a body it selfe Onely because the first wee see daily in our selues the second we haue yet neuer seen But reason wil tel one that it is a more diuine work to ioyne bodies and soules then to ioine bodies to bodies though neuer so different in natures as if the one be heauenly the other of earth L VIVES YEt were not a their bodies But Romulus his body was not to bee found and therefore the vulgar beleeued that it was gone vp to heauen And the Greekes say that Aesculapius restored Hercules his body to the former soundnesse and so it was taken vp into the skies Of the resurrection of the body beleeued by the whole world excepting some few CHAP. 5. THis was once incredible But now wee see the whole world beleeues that Christs body is taken vp to heauen The resurrection of the body and the ascention vnto blisse is beleeued now by all the earth learned and vnlearned imbrace it only some few reiect it If it be credible what fooles are they not to beleeue it if it be not how incredible a thing is it that it should be so generally beleeued These two incredible things to wit the resurrection and the worldes beleefe thereof Our Lord Iesus Christ a promised should come to passe before that he had effected either of them Now one of them the worldes beleefe of the resurrection we see is come to passe already why then should wee dispaire of the other that this incredible thing which the world beleeueth should come to passe as well as that other Especially seeing that they are both promised in those scriptures whereby the world beleeued The maner of which beleefe is more incredible then the rest That men ignorant in all arts without Rhetorike Logike or Grammar plaine Fishers should be sent by Christ into the sea of this world onely with the nets of faith and draw such an inumerable multitude of fishes of al sorts so much the stranger in that they took many rare Phylosophers So that this may well bee accounted the third incredible thing and yet all three are come to passe It is incredible that Christ should rise againe in the flesh and carry it vp to heauen with him It is incredible that the world should beleeue this and it is incredible that this beleefe should bee effected by a small sort of poore simple vnlearned men The first of these our aduersaries beleeue not the second they behold and cannot tell how it is wrought if it bee not done by the third Christs resurrection and ascension is taught and beleeued all the world ouer if it be incredible why doth all the world beleeue it If many noble learned and mighty persons or men of great sway had said they had seene it and should haue divulged it abroad it had bin no maruaile if the world had beleeued them and vnbeleeuers should haue bin thought hardly off But seeing that the world beleeueth it from the mouths of a few meane obscure and ignorant men why do not our obstinat aduersaries belieue the whole world which beleeued those simple mean and vnlearned witnesses because that the deity it selfe in these poore shapes did work the more effectually and far more admirably for their proofs perswasions lay not in words but wonders and such as had not seene Christ risen againe and ascending beleeued their affirmations thereof because they confirmed them with miracles for whereas they spake but one language or at the most but two before now of a sodaine they spoke all the tongues of all nations They cured a man that had bin forty yerres lame euer from his mothers brests only by the very name of Iesus Christ. Their handkerchiefs helped diseases the sicke persons got them-selues laid in the way where they should passe that they might haue helpe from their very shadowes and amongst all these miracles done by the name of Christ they raized some from the dead If these things be true as they are written then may al these be added to the three former incredibles thus do we bring a multitude of incredible effects to perswade our aduersaries but vnto the beleefe of one namely the resurrection and yet their horrible obstinacy will not let them see the light If they belieue not that the Apostles wrought any such things for confirmation of the resurrection of Christ sufficeth then that the whole world beleeued them without miracles which is a miracle as great as any of the rest L. VIVES CHrist a promised In the house of Simon the leaper and when he sent out his Apostles to preach Mat. 27. and promised that his Ghospell should passe throughout the world and that he would rise againe the third day That Loue made the Romanes deify their founder Romulus and Faith made the Church to loue hir Lord and maister Christ Iesus CHAP. 6. Let vs heare what Tully saith of the fabulous deity of Romulus it is more admirable in Romulus saith he that the rest of the deified men liued in the times of ignorance where there was more scope for fiction and where the rude vulgar were far more credulous But Romulus we see liued within a this 600. yeares since which time and before also learning hath bin b more common and the ignorance of elder times vtterly abolished Thus saiâ—…h Tully and by and by after Hereby it is euident that Homer was long before Romulus so yâ— in the later times men grew learned and fictions were wel neare wholy excluded wheras antiquity hath giuen credence to some very vnlikely fables but our moderne ages being more polished deride and reiect al things that seeme impossible Thus saith the most learned and eloquent man that Romulus his diuinity was the more admirable because his times were witty and kept no place for fabulous assertions But who beleeued this deity but Rome as then a litle thing god knowes and a yong posterity indeed must needs preserue the traditions of antiquity euery one suckt superstition from his nurse whilest the citty grew to such power that sâ—…ming in soueraingty to stand aboue the nations vnder it shee powred the beliefe of this deity of his throughout hir conquered Prouinces that they should affirme Romulus to be a god how-soeuer they thought least they should scandalize the founder of their Lady and mistresse in saying other wise of him then error of loue not loue of error had induced hir to beleeue Now Christ likewise though he founded the Celestiall Citty yet doth not she thinke him a God for founding of her but she is rather founded for thinking him to be a God Rome beeing already built and finished adored her founder in a temple but the Heauenly Hierusalem placeth Christ hir founder in the foundation of hir faith that hereby shee may bee built and perfited Loue made Rome beleeue that Romulus was a god
an horne thus much Hierome In Spaine this Prouerbe remaineth still but not as Augustine taketh it The Lord wil be altogither seene but in a manner that is his helpe shall bee seene d Obeyed Ob-audisti and so the old writersvsed to say in steed of obedisti Of Rebecca Nachors neece whome Isaac maried CHAP 33. THen Isaac being forty yeares old maried Rebecca neece to his vncle Nachor three yeares after his mothers death his father being a hundred and forty yeares old And when Abraham sent his seruant into Mesopotamia to fetch her and said vnto him Put thine hand vnder my thigh and I will sweare thee by the Lord God of heauen and the Lord of earth that thou shalt not take my sonne Isaac a wife of the daughters of Canaan what is meant by this but the Lord God of Heauen and the Lord of Earth that was to proceed of those loynes are these meane prophesies and presages of that which wee see now fulfilled in Christ. Of Abraham marrying Kethurah after Sarahs death and the meaning therefore CHAP. 34. BVt what is ment by Abrahams marrying Kethurah after Sarahs death God defend vs from suspect of incontinency in him being so old and so holy and faithfull desired he more sonnes God hauing promised to make the seed of Isaac 〈◊〉 the stars of Heauen and the sandes of the Earth But if Agar and Hismaell did signifie the mortalls to the Old-testament as the Apostle teacheth why may not Kethurah and her sonnes signifie the mortalls belonging to the New-testament They both were called Abrahams wiues his concubines But Sarah was neuer called his concubine but his wife only for it is thus written of Sarahs giuing Agar vnto Abrahā Then Sarah Abrahams wife tooke Agar the Egiptian her maid after Abraham had dwelled tenne yeares in the land of Canaan and gaue her to her husband Abraham for his wife And of Kethurah wee read thus of his taking her after Sarahs death Now Abraham had taken him another wife called Kethurah Here now you heare them both called his wiues but the Scripture calleth them both his concubines also saying afterwards Abraham gaeue all his goods vnto Isaac but vnto the sonnes of his concubines he gaue guiftes and sent them away from Isaac his sonne while he yet liued Eastward into the East country Thus the concubines sonnes haue some guifts but none of them attayne the promised kingdome neither the carnall Iewes nor the heretiques for none are heyres but Isaac nor are the sonnes of the flesh the Sonnes of God but those of the promise of whome it is said In Isaac shal be called thy seede for I cannot see how Kethurah whome hee married after Sarahs death should bee called his concubine but in this respect But hee that will not vnderstand these things thus let him not slander Abraham for what if this were appointed by God to shew a those future heretiques that deny second mariage in this great father of so many nations that it is no sinne to many after the first wife be dead now Abraham died being a hundred seauenty fiue yeares old and Isaac whome hee begat when hee was a hundred was seauenty fiue yeares of age at his death L. VIVES THose a future The Cataphrygians that held second mariage to bee fornication Aug ad quod vult Hierome against Iouinian doth not onely abhorre second mariage but euen disliketh of the first for he was a single man and bare marriage no good will The appointment of God concerning the two twins in Rebeccas womb CHAP. 33. NOw let vs see the proceedings of the Citty of God after Abrahams death So then from Isaacs birth to the sixtith yere of his age wherin he had children there is this one thing to be noted that when as he had prayed for her frutefulnes who was barren and that God had heard him and opened her wombe and shee conceiued the two twins a played in her wombe where-with she being trou bled asked the Lords pleasure and was answered thus Two nations are in thy wombe and two manner of people shal be diuided out of thy bowells and the one shall bee mightier then the other and the elder shall serue the younger Wherin Peter the Apostle vnderstandeth the great mistery of grace in that ere they were borne and either done euill or good the one was elected and the other reiected and doubtlesse as concerning originall sin both were alike and guilty and as concerning actuall both a like and cleare But myne intent in this worke curbeth mee from further discourse of this point wee haue handled it in other volumes But that saying The elder shall serue the yonger all men interpret of the Iewes seruing the Christians and though it seeme fulfilled in b Idumaea which came of the elder Esau or Edom for hee had two names because it was afterward subdued by the Israelites that came of the yonger yet not-with-standing that prophecy must needs haue a greater intent then so and what is that but to be fulfilled in the Iewes and the Christians L. VIVES THe two twinnes a played So say the seauentie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or kicked Hierome saith mooued mouebantur Aquila saith were crushed confringebantur And Symmachus compareth their motion to an emptie ship at sea 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 b Idumaea Stephanus deriueth their nation from Idumaas Semiramis her sonne as Iudaea from Iudas another of her sonnes but he is deceiued Of a promise and blessing receiued by Isaac in the manner that Abraham had receiued his CHAP. 36. NOw Isaac receiued such an instruction from God as his father had done diuerse times before It is recorded thus There was a famine in the land besides the first famine that was in Abrahams time and Isaac went to Abymelech king of the Philistines in Gerara And the Lord appeared vnto him and said Goe not downe into Aegypt but abide in the land which I shall shew thee dwell in this land and I will bee with thee and blesse thee for to thee and to thy seed will I giue this land and I will establish mine oath which I sware to Abraham thy father and will multiply thy seede as the starres of heauen and giue all this land vnto thy seede and in thy seede shall all the nations of the earth bee blessed because thy father Abraham obeyed my voyce and kept my ordinances my commandements my statutes and my lawes Now this Patriarch had no wife nor concubine more then his first but rested content with the two sonnes that God sent him at one birth And hee also feared his wiues beautie amongst those strangers and did as his father had done before him with-her calling her sister onely and not wife She was indeed his kinswoman both by father and mother but when the strangers knew that she was his wife they let her quietly alone with him Wee not preferre him before his father tho in that hee had but one
from the face of the Lord for if all the vngodly deserue this name â—…y not hee most of all But in what temple of God he is to sit as God it is doubtfull whether it be the ruined Temple of Salomon or in the church For it cannot bee any heathen temple Saint Paul would neuer call any such the Temple of God Some therefore doe by Antichrist vnderstand the deuill and all his domination together with the whole multitude of his followers and imagine that it were better to say hee shall sit b in Templum dei as the Temple of God that is as though hee were the church as we say c Sedet in amicum hee sitteth as a friend and so forth But whereas hee saith And now yee know what with-holdeth that is what staieth him from being reuealed this implieth that they knew it before and therefore hee doth not relate it here Wherefore wee that know not what they knew doe striue to get vnderstanding of his knowledge of the Apostle but wee cannot because his addition maketh it the more mysticall For what is this The mystery of iniquity doth already worke onely hee that withholdeth shall let till hee bee taken out of the way Truely I confesse that I am vtterly ignorant of his meaning but what others coniectures are hereof I will not bee silent in Some say Saint Paul spoke d of the state of Rome and would not bee plainer least hee should incurre a slander that hee wished Romes Empire euill fortune whereas it was hoped that e it should continue for euer By the mistery of iniquity they say he meant Nero whose deeds were great resemblances of Antichrists so that some thinke that he shall rise againe and be the true Antichrist Others thinke he f neuer died but vanished and that he liueth in g that age and vigor wherein hee was supposed to be slaine vntill the time come that hee shal be reuealed and restored to his Kingdome But this is too presumptuous an opinion Onely these wordes Hee that withholdeth shall let till hee be taken out of the waie May not vnfitly bee vnderstood of Rome as if he had sayd He that now reigneth shall reigne vntill hee bee taken away And then the wicked man shal be reuealed This is Antichrist no man doubts it Now some vnderstand these words Now yee know what withholdeth and the mistery of iniquity doth already worke to be meant onely of the false christians in the church who shall increase vnto a number which shal make Antichrist a great people this say they is the mistery of iniquity for it is yet vnreuealed and therefore doth the Apostle animate the faithfull to preseuere saying let him that holdeth hold for thus they take this place vntill hee bee taken out of the way that is vntill Antichrist and his troupes this vnreuealed mistery of iniquity depart out of the midst of the church And vnto this doe they hold Saint Iohns words to belong Babes it is the last time And as yee haue heard that Antichrist shall come euen now there are many Antichrists whereby wee know that it is the last time They went out from vs but they were not of vs for if they had beene of vs they would haue continued vvith vs. Thus say they euen as before the end in this time which Saint Iohn calls the last of all many heretiques whom he calleth many Antichrists went out of the church so likewise hereafter all those that belong not vnto CHRIST but vnto the last Antichrist shall depart out of the middest of CHRISTS flocke and then shall the man of sinne bee reuealed Thus one taketh the Apostles wordes one way and another another way but this hee meaneth assuredly that CHRIST will not come to iudge the world vntill Antichrist bee here before him to seduce the worlde although it bee GODS secret iudgement that hee should thus seduce it for his comming shal be as it is sayd by the working of Sathan vvith all povver and signes and lying vvonders and in all deceiuiablenesse of vnrighteousnesse amongst them that perish For then shall Sathan bee let loose and vvorke by this Antichrist vnto all mens admiration and yet all in falshood Now here is a doubt whither they bee called lying wonders because hee doth but delude the eyes in these miracles and doth not what hee seemes to doe or because that although they may bee reall actions yet the end of them all is to drawe ignorant man-kinde into this false conceite that such things could not bee done but by a diuine power because they know not that the deuill shall haue more power giuen him then them euer he had had before For the fire that fell from Heauen and burnt the house and goods of Holie Iob and the whirlewind that smote the building and slew his children were neither of them false apparitions yet were they the deuills effects by the power that GOD had giuen him Therefore in what respect these are called lying wonders shal be then more apparant Howsoeuer they shall seduce such as deserue to bee seduced because they receiued not the loue of truth that they might bee saued wherevpon the Apostle addeth this Therefore shall GOD send them strong delusion that they should beleeue lies GOD shall send it because his iust iudgement permittes it though the deuills maleuolent desire performes it That all they might bee damned which beleeue not in the truth but had pleasure in vnrighteousnesse Thus being condemned they are feduced and beeing seduced condemned But their seducement is by the secret iudgement of God iustly secret and secretly iust euen his that hath iudged continually euer since the world beganne But their condemnation shal be by the last and manifest iudgement of IESVS CHRIST he that iudgeth most iustly and was most vniustly iudged himselfe L. VIVES A a Fugitiue The greeke is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a departing and so the vulgar reads it b In templum dei So doth the greeke read it c Sedet in amicum The common phrase of scripture Esto mihi in deum be thou my God c. d Of the state of Rome Lactant. lib. 7. It was a generall opinion that towards the end of the world there should tenne Kings share the Romane Empire amongst them and that Antichrist should be the eleauenth and ouercome them all Hier. in Daniel But these are idle coniectures e It should continue for euer As the old Romanes dreamed So saith Iupiter in Uirgil His ego nec metas rerum nec tempora ponâ—… Imperium sine fine dedi I bound these fortunes by no time or place Their state shall euer stand f Neuer died His death in deed was secret for vpon Galba's approach hee fled in the night with foure onely in his company and his head couered vnto his country house betweene via Salaria and Momentana and there stabd himselfe and was buried by his nurses and concubine in the Sepulchre of the Domitii neare to the field