some that is from the b South signifyeth the heate of charity and the light of truth The thicke darke mountaine may bee taken diuersly but I rather choose to hold it meant of the depth of the holy scriptures prophecying Christ for therein are many depths for the industrious to excercise themselues in and which they finde out when they find him whom they concerne His glory couereth the heauens and the earth is full of his praise that is iust as the psalme saith Exalt thy selfe O GOD aboue the heauens and let thy glorie bee aboue all the earth His brightnesse was as the light His glorie shall enlighten the nations Hee had hornes comming out of his hands that was his extension on the crosse there was the hiding of his power this is plaine Before him went the word and followed him into the field that is hee was prophecied ere hee came and preached after his departure hee stood and the earth mooued hee stood to saue and earth was mooued with beleeuing in him He beheld the nations and they were dissolued that is hee pitied and they repented Hee brake the mountaines with violence that is his miracles amazed the proude the eternall his did bow the people were temporally humbled to bee eternally glorified For my paines I saw his goings in that is I had the reward of eternity for my labours in charity the tents of Ethiope trembled and so did they of Madian that is euen those nations that were neuer vnder Rome by the terror of thy name and power preached shall become subiect to Christ. Was the Lord angry against the riuers or waâ—… thine anger against the sea this implieth that he came not to iudge the world but to saue it thou rodest vpon horses and thy Chariot brought saluatiâ—… The Euangelists are his horses for hee ruleth them and the Gospell his Chariot saluation to all beleeuers thou shalt bend thy bowe aboue scepters thy iudgement shall restraine euen the Kings of the earth thou shalt cleaue the earth with riuers that is thine abundant doctrine shall open the hearts of men to beleeue them vnto such it is sayd Rend your hearts and not your garments The people shall see thee and tremble thou shall spread the â—…aters as thou goest thy preachers shall power out the streames of thy doctrine on all sides The deepe made anoise the depth of mans heart expressed what it saw the hight of his phantasie that is the deepe gaue out the voice expressing as I sayd what it saw This phantasie was a vision which hee conceiled not but proclaimed at full The Sunne was extolled and the Moone kept her place Christ was assumed into heauen and by him is the church ruled thine arrowes flew in the light Thy word was openly taught and by the brightnesse of thy shining armeâ—… thine arrowes flew For Christ himselfe had said What I tell you in darkenesse that speake in the light Thou shalt tread downe the land in anger thou shalt humble high spirits by afflicting them Thou shalt thresh the heathen in displeasure that is thou shalt quell the ambitious by thy iudgements thou wentest forth to saue thy people and thine annointed thou laidest death vpon the heads of the wicked all this is plaine thou hast cut them off with amazement thou hast cut downe bad and set vppe good in wonderfull manner the mighty shall crowne their heads which maruell at this they shall gape after thee as a poore man eating secretly For so diuers great men of the Iewes beeing hungry after the bread of life came to eate secretly fearing the Iewes as the Gospell sheweth thou puâ—…test thine horses into the sea who troubled the waters that is the people for vnlesse all were troubled some should not become fearefull conuertes and others furious persecutors I marked it and my body trembled at the sound of my lippes feare came into my bones and I was altogether troubled in my selfe See the hight of his praier and his prescience of those great euents amazed euen himselfe and hee is troubled with those seas to see the imminent persecutions of the church whereof hee lastly avoucheth himselfe a member saying I will rest in the daâ—…e of trouble as if hee were one of the hopefull sufferers and patient reioycers that I may goe vppe to the people of my pilgrimage leauing his carnall kinred that wander after nothing but worldly matters neuer caring for their supernall countrie â—…or the fig-tree shall not fructifie nor shall fruite bee in the vines the oliue shall faâ—…le and the fields shal be fruitlesse The sheepe haue left their meate and the oxen are not in their stalles Here hee seeth the nation that crucified CHRIST depriued of all spirituall goods prefigured in those corporall fertilities and because the countries ignorance of God had caused these plagues forsaking Gods righteousnesse through their owne pride hee addeth this I will reioyce in the Lord and ioy in God my Sauiour the Lord my God is my strength he will establish my feete hee will set mee vpon high places that I may bee victorious in his song What song euen such as the psalmist speaketh of hee hath set my feete vpon the rocke and ordered my goings and hath put into my mouth a new song of praise vnto GOD. In such a song and not in one of his owne praise doth Ahâ—…cuc conquer glorying in the Lord his God Some bookes read this place better 〈◊〉 I 〈◊〉 ioy in my LORD IESVS But the translators had not the name it selfe in Latine other-wise wee like the word a great deale better L. VIVES FRom a Theman Aquila Symmachus and the fifth edition saith Hierome put the very word so Onely Tâ—…tion expresseth it from the South c. Theman is â—…nder Edoâ—… in the land of Gâ—…bal named so by Theman sonne to Elyphaz the sonne of Esau and it holdeth the name vnto this day lying fiue miles from Petra where the Romaine garrison lyeth and where Eliphaz King of the Thebans was borne One also of the sonnes of Isaacs was called Theman Indeed the Hebrews call euery Southerne Prouince Theman Hieron loc Hebraic b Sâ—…th Such is that place also in the Canticles c The thick darke mountaine Sâ—… say the LXX but the Hebrewes from mount Paran which is a towne on the farre side of Arabia ioyning to the Sarazens The Israelites went by it when they left Sina The LXX rather expressed the adiacents then the place it selfe d Neuer vnder Rome India Persia and the new sound lands e I will ioy So doth the Hebrew read it indeed Iesus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Sauiour are all one In Tullyes time they had not the Latine word Saluator Act. 〈◊〉 in Verr. but Lactantius Auâ—… and many good Latinists doe vse it since Read Hierome of this verse if you would know further Prophecies of Hieromie and Zephany concerning the former themes CHAP. 33. HIeremy a is one of the greater Prophets so is Isayâ—… not of
fell a building of this tower to resist a second deluge if God should be offended And the multitude held it a lesse matter to serue man then God and so obeying Nimrod willingly began to build this huge tower which might stand all waters vncouered Of this tower Sybilla writeth saying When al men were of one language some fell to build an high tower as though they would passe through it vnto heauen But God sent a winde and ouerthrâ—… and confounded their language with diuers so that each one had a seuerall tongue and therefore that citty was called Babilon h All soueraignty The Princes words are great attactiues of the subiects hearts which if they bee not vnderstood make all his people avoide him And therefore Mithridates euen when hee was vtterly ouerthrowne had friends ready to succour him because he could speake to any nation in their owne language Of Gods comming downe to confound the language of those towre-builders CHAP. 5. FOr whereas it is written The Lord came downe to see the citty and tower which the sons of men builded that is not the sons of God but that earthly minded 〈◊〉 which we call the Terrestriall citty we must thinke that God remooued from no place for hee is alwaies all in all but he is sayd to come downe when he doth any thing in earth beyond the order of nature wherein his omnipotency is as it were presented Nor getteth he temporary knowledge by seeing who can neuer be igâ—… in any thing but he is said to see and know that which he laies open to the 〈◊〉 and knowledge of others So then he did not see that city as he made it bee 〈◊〉 when he shewed how farre he was displeased with it Wee may say GOD 〈◊〉 downe to it because his angells came downe wherein hee dwelleth as that also â—…ch followeth The Lord said Behold the people is one and they haue all one 〈◊〉 c. and then Come on let vs goe downe and there confound their language 〈◊〉 a recapitulation shewing how the LORD came downe for if he were come downe already why should he say Let vs go downe c. he spoke to the angells in whom hee came downe And he saith not come and goe you downe and 〈◊〉 confound their language but come let vs go c. shewing that they are his â—…rs and yet hee co-operateth with them and they with him as the Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we labour together with God The manner how GOD speaketh to his Angells CHAP. 6. THat also where God saith Let vs a make man in our Image may be meant vnto the angells because hee saith not I will make but adding in our Image it is 〈◊〉 to thinke that God made man in the angells Image or that Gods and 〈◊〉 â—…re all one This therefore is an intimation of the Trinity which Trinity being â—…thelesse but one God when hee had said let vs make he adioyneth thus â—…ed the man in his Image hee doth not say the Gods created nor in the image of 〈◊〉 Gods and so here may the Trinity bee vnderstood as if the Father had sayd 〈◊〉 and the Holy Spirit come on let vs goe downe and there confound there 〈◊〉 this now if there bee any reason excluding the Angells in this point 〈◊〉 whom it rather befitted to come vnto God in holy nations and Godly â—…ns hauing recourse vnto the vnchangeable truth the eternall 〈◊〉 â—…at vpper court for they themselues are not the truth but pertakers of 〈◊〉 that created them and draw to that as the fountaine of their life takeâ—… 〈◊〉 of that what wanteth in themselues and this motion of theirs is firme 〈◊〉 to that whence they neuer depart Nor doth GOD speake to his 〈◊〉 wee doe one to another or vnto GOD or his angells to vs or wee to 〈◊〉 God by them to vs but in an ineffable manner shewne to vs after our 〈◊〉 and his high speach to them before the effect is the vnaltered order of 〈◊〉 not admitting sound or verberation of ayre but an eternall power in 〈◊〉 working vpon a temporall obiect Thus doth God speake to his angells 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vs being farre of him in a farre other manner and when we conceiue aâ—… by the first maner wee come neare the angells but I am not here to disâ—…e of Gods waies opening his will to others the vnchangeable truth doth 〈◊〉 speake ineffably from himselfe vnto reasonable creatures or by reasonable â—…ures mutable or spirituall either vnto our imagination and spirit or to 〈◊〉 â—…dily sense and whereas it is sayd And shall they not faine many things they 〈◊〉 this is no confirmation but rather a question as we vse in threatning 〈◊〉 â—…is verse Virgill declareth b Non arma expedient totâque ex vrbe sequentur And shall not all my powers take armes and run We must therefore take it as a question Otherwise it sheweth not as a threatning we must needs therefore adde the interrogatiue point Thus then the progenies of Noahs three sonnes were seauenty three or rather as wee haue said three score and twelue Nations who filled the earth and the Islands thereof c and the number of nations was farre aboue the number of languages for now in Africa wee haue many Barbarous countries that speake all one language and who doubteth that mankinde increasing diuers tooke shippes and went to inhabite the Islands abroad L. VIVES LEt a vs make Hierome and Augustine doe both take this as an intimation of the Trâ—…y b Non arma Dido's words in Virgil. Aenead 3. c And the number But I thinke it is â—…der to shew any one language then any one nation but I doe not contend but onely speake my minde Whether the remote Iles were supplied with the beasts of all sorts that were saued in the Arke CHAP. 7. BVt now there is a question concerning those beasts which man respects not yet are not produced by putrifaction as frogs are but only by copulation of male and female as wolues c. how they after the deluge wherein al perished but those in the Arke could come into those Islands vnlesse they were propagate from them that were preserued in the Arke we may thinke that they might some to the nearest Iles but there are some far in the maine to which no beast could swim If men desired to catch them and transport them thether questionlesse they might doe it a by hunting though we cannot deny but that the angells by Gods command might cary them thether but if they were produced from the earth as at first because God said let the earth bring forth the liuing soule then is it most apparant that the diuersity of beasts were preserued in the Arke rather for a figure of the diuers Nations then for restauration if the earth brought them forth in those Iles to which they could not otherwise come L. VIVES BY a hunting In the Canaries and other new found Iles there were none of
wife with-out all doubt his fathers obedience was of the greater merite so that for his sake God saith that hee will doe Isaac that good that he did him In thy seede shall all the nations of the world bee blessed saith he because thy father Abraham obeyed my voyce c. Againe saith he the God of thy father Abraham feare not for I am with thee and haue blessed thee and will multiply thy seede for Abraham thy Fathers sake To shew all those carnally minded men that thinke it was lust that made Abraham doe as it is recorded that hee did it with no lust at all but a chaste intent teaching vs besides that wee ought not compare mens worths by singularitie but to take them with all their qualities together For a man may excell another in this or that vertue who excelleth him as farre in another as good And al-be-it it be true that continence is better then marriage yet the faithfull married man is better then the continent Infidell for such 〈◊〉 one a is not onely not to be praised for his continencie since he beleeueth not but rather highly to bee dispraised for not beleeuing seeing hee is continent But to grant them both good a married man of great faith and obedience in Iesus Christ is better then a continent man with lesse but if they be equall who maketh any question that the continent man is the more exellent L. VIVES SUch an a One is not Herein is apparant how fruitlesse externall workes are without the dew of grace do ripen them in the heart the Bruges copy readeth not this place so well in my iudgement Of Esau and Iacob and the misteries included in them both CHAP. 27. SO Isaacs two sonnes Esau and Iacob were brought vp together now the yonger got the birth-right of the elder by a bargaine made for a lentiles and potage which Iacob had prepared Esau longed for exceedingly so sold him his birth-right for some of them and confirmed the bargaine with an oth Here now may we learne that it is b not the kind of meate but the gluttonous affect that hurts To proceed Isaac growes old and his sight fayled him he would willingly blesse his elder sonne and not knowing he blessed the yonger who had counterfeited his brothers roughnesse of body by putting goats skins vpon his necke and hands and so let his father feele him Now least some should thinke that this were c â—…lent deceipt in Iacob the Scripture saith before Esau was a cunning hunter 〈◊〉 â—…ed in the fieles but Iacob was a simple playne man and kept at home d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…lesse one without counterfeyting what was the deceipt then of this plaâ—… dealing man in getting of this blessing what can the guile of a guiltlesse true hearted soule be in this case but a deepe mistery of the truth what was the blessing Behold saith he the smell of my sonne is as the smell of a field which the Lord 〈◊〉 blessed God giue thee therefore of the dew of heauen and the fatnesse of earth â—…d plenty of wheate and wine let the nations bee thy seruants and Princes bow downe vnto thee bee Lord ouer thy bretheren and let thy mothers children honor thee cursed be he that curseth thee and blessed be he that blesseth thee Thus this blessing of Iacob is the preaching of Christ vnto all the nations This is the whole scope in Isaac is the law and the prophets and by the mouths of the Iewes is Christ blessed vnknowen to them because hee knoweth not them The odour of his name fills the world like a field the dew of heauen is his diuine doctrine the fertile â—…th is the faithfull Church the plenty of wheat and wine is the multitude â—…ed in Christ by the sacraments of his body and blood Him do nations serue and Princes adore Heâ—… is Lord ouer his brother for his people rule oâ—…r the Iewes The sonnes of his father that is Abrahams sonnes in the faith doe honour him For hee is Abrahams sonne in the flesh cursed bee hee that curseth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 blessed be he that blesseth him Christ I meane our Sauiour blessed That is â—…ly â—…ught by the Prophets of the woundring Iewes and is still blessed by oâ—… of them that as yet erroneously expect his comming And now comes 〈◊〉 â—…er for the blessing promised then is Isaac afraid and knowes hee had blessed the one for the other Hee wonders and asketh who he was yet complaineth hee not of the deceit but hauing the mysterie thereof opened in his heart hee forbeares fretning and confirmeth the blessing Who was hee then saith he that hunted and tooke venison for me and I haue eaten of it all before thou camest and I haue blessed him and hee shall bee blessed Who would not haue here expected a curse rather but that his minde was altered by a diuine inspiration O true done deedes but yet all propheticall on earth but all by heauen by men but all for God! whole volumes would not hold all the mysteries that they conceiue but wee must restraine our selues The processe of the worke calleth vs on vnto other matters L. VIVES FOr a lentiles There is lenticula a vessell of oyle and lenticula of lens a little fitchie kinde of pease the other comes of lentitas because the oyle cannot runne but gently lente out of the mouth it is so straite But the scriptures say that they were onely read poâ—…ge that Esau solde his birth-right for and therefore hee was called Edom redde b Not the 〈◊〉 of This is a true precept of the Euangelicall lawe Heere I might inscribe much not allow the commons any licentiousnesse but to teach the rulers diuerse things which I must let alone for once c Fraudulent deceipt For deceipt may be either good or bad Of Iacobs iourney into Mesopotamia for a wife his vision in the night as hee went his returne with foure women whereas he went but for one CHAP. 38. IAcobs parents sent him into Mesopotamia there to get a wife His father dismissed him with these words Thou shalt take thee no wife of the daughters of Canaan Arise get thee to Mesopotamia to the house of Bathuel thy mothers father 〈◊〉 thence take thee a wife of the daughters of Laban thy mothers brother My GOD blesse thee and increase thee and multiply thee that thou maist bee a multitude of people and giue the blessing of Abraham to thee and to thy seede after thee that 〈◊〉 maiest inherite the land wherein thou art a stranger which God gaue Abraham Heere wee see Iacob the one halfe of Isaacs seede seuered from Esau the other halfe For when it was said in Isaac shall thy seed bee called that is the seed pertaining to Gods holy Cittie then was Abrahams other seede the bond-womans sonne seuered from this other as Kethurahs was also to bee done with afterwards But now there was this doubt risen about Isaacs two sonnes whether
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
proper excellence to obtaine the last victorie and be crowned in perfection of peace haue I vndertaken to defend in this worke which I intend vnto you my deerest c Marcellinus as being your due by my promise and exhibite it against all those that prefer their false gods before this Cities founder The worke is great and difficult but God the maister of all difficulties is our helper For I know well what strong arguments are required to make the proud know the vertue of humilitie by which not being enhansed by humane glory but endowed with diuine grace it surmounts all earthly loftinesse which totters through the owne transitory instability For the King the builder of this Citty whereof we are now to discourse hath opened his minde to his people in the diuine law thus God resisteth the proud and giueth grace to the humble d Now this which is indeed only Gods the swelling pride of an ambitious minde affecteth also and loues to heare this as parcell of his praise e Parcere subiectis debellare superbos To spare the lowly and strike downe the proud Wherefore touching the Temporall Citty which longing after domination though it hold all the other nations vnder it yet in it selfe is ouer-ruled by the owne lust f after soueraignty wee may not omit to speake whatsoeuer the qualitie of our proposed subiect shall require or permit for out of this arise the foes against whom Gods City is to bee guarded Yet some of these reclaiming their impious errours haue become good Citizens therein but others burning with an extreame violence of hate against it are so thanklesse to the Redeemer of it for so manifest benefits of his that at this day they would not speake a word against it but that in the holy places thereof flying thether from the sword of the foe they found that life and safety wherein now they glory Are not these Romaines become persecutors of Christ whom the very Barbarians saued for Christs sake yes the Churches of the Apostles and the Martyrs can testifie this which in that great sacke were free both to their g owne and h strangers Euen thither came the rage of the bloudy enemie euen there the murders furie stopt euen thither were the distressed led by their pittifull foes who had spared them though finding them out of those sanctuaries least they should light vpon some that should not extend the like pitty And euen they that else-where raged in slaughters comming but to those places that forbad what law of warre else-where allowed all their head-long furie curbed it selfe and all their desire of conquest was conquered And so escaped many then that since haue detracted all they can from Christianity they can impute their cities other calamities wholy vnto Christ but that good which was bestowed on theÌ„ only for Christs honor namely the sparing of their liues that they impute not vnto our Christ but vnto their owne fate whereas if they had any iudgement they would rather attribute these calamities and miseries of mortalitie all vnto the prouidence of God which vseth to reforme the corruptions of mens manners by i warre and oppressions and laudably to exercise the righteous in such afflictions hauing so tried them either to transport them to a more excellent estate or to keepe them longer in the world for other ends and vses And whereas the bloudy Barbarians against all custome of warre spared them both in other places for the honor of Christ and in those large houses that were dedicated vnto him made large to containe many for the larger extent of pitty this ought they to ascribe to these Christian times to giue God thankes for it and to haue true recourse by this meanes vnto Gods name thereby to auoyde the k paines of eternall damnation which name many of them as then falsely tooke vp as a sure shelter against the stormes of present ruine For euen those that you may now behold most petulantly insulting ouer Christs seruants most of them had neuer escaped the generall massacre had they not counterfeited themselues to be the seruants of Christ. But now through their vngratefull pride and vngodly madnesse they stand against that name in peruersnesse of heart and to their eternall captiuation in darknesse to which they fled with a dissembling tongue for the obtaining of the enioying but of this temporall light The Commentaries of Iohn Lodouicus Viues vpon the first Chapter of the first booke of Saint Augustine of the City of God HE that liueth a by faith Habacuc 2. 4. The iust shall liue by faith so saith Paul in diuerse places for this indeed is the prouision of our liues voyage In the text it is diuersly read some-time by my faith some-time by his faith the seuentie Interpreters translate it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he shall liue by the faith of himselfe or his faith b Righteousnesse be turned into iudgement Psal. 19. The true Hebrew saith Because righteousnesse shall be turned into iudgement It is meant of the end of the world wherevnto that also belongs that followeth The last victory Thâ—… Church vpon earth warreth daily and conquereth daily but the end of one warre is but a step into another That shall be the last and most perfect victory when the Church shall be wholy translated into heauen to remaine for euer in peace with the King and peace-maker Iesus Christ. c Marcellinus There are extant in Augustines Epistles some dedicated vnto Marcellinus and againe some from him to Augustine Their acquaintance it seemes begun in Affrica for thus writeth Orosius of this Marcellinus In those dayes by Honorius his command and Constantines assistance there was a generall peace and vnitie throughout the whole Church of Affrica and the body of Christ which we indeed are was cured by a willing or thankefull consent on all sides this holy command being put in execution by Marcellinus a man full fraught with wisdome industry and endeuour of all goodnesse d Now this which indeed is onely Gods Either because such in their pride desire what is properly Gods namely to resist the proud or because pride in others is of it selfe so hated of the proud that the proudest nation of all the Romanes reioyced to haue this reckoned vp as parcell of their glories that they kept downe the proud That the Romanes were proud themselues and by reason of their owne pride hated it in all others the words of Cato Censorius do prooue in his Oration to the Senate for the Rhodians They say quoth he the Rhodians are proud obiecting that which I would not haue spoken of my children They are indeed proud what is that to vs Are you greeued that any should be prouder then our selues Vnto which words Gellius addeth this There is nothing can be spoken either sharper or gentler then this reproofe vnto those most proud high-minded men that loue pride in themselues and reprooue it in others e To spare Virgill hauing
swaying of such Empires not so much for them-selues as for those ouer whome they are Emperors For them-selues their pietie and their honestie gods admired gifts will suffice them both to the enioying of true felicitie in this life and the attaining of that eternall and true felicitie in the next So that here vpon earth the rule and regalitie that is giuen to the good man doth not returne him so much good as it doth to those that are vnder this his rule and regalitie But contrariwise the gouernment of the wicked harmes them-selues farre more then their subiects for it giueth them-selues the greater libertie to exercise their lusts but for their subiects they haue none but their owne iniquities to answer for for what iniurie so-euer the vnrighteous maister doth to the righteous seruant it is no scourge for his guilt but a triall of his vertue And therefore hee that is a good is free though hee bee a slaue and he that is euill a slaue though hee bee a King Nor is hee slaue to one man but that which is worst of all vnto as many maisters as hee affecteth vices according to the Scripture speaking thus hereof Of what-so-euer a man is ouer-come to that hee is in bondage L. VIVES HE that is a good A Stoicall paradoxe mentioned by Tully In Paradox pro Muren Wherefore Hierome thinkes that Stoicisme commeth neerer to Christianitie then any of the Sectes besides it Kingdomes with-out iustice how like they are vnto theeuish purchases CHAP. 4. SET iustice aside then and what are kingdomes but faire theeuish purchases because what a are theeues purchases but little kingdomes for in thefts the hands of the vnderlings are directed by the commander the confederacie of them is sworne together and the pillage is shared by the law amongst them And if those ragga-muffins grow but vp to be able enough to keepe forts build habitations possesse cities and conquer adioyning nations then their gouernment is no more called theeuish but graced with the eminent name of a kingdome giuen and gotten not because they haue left their practises but because that now they may vse them with-out danger of lawe for elegant and excellent was b that Pirates answer to the Great Macedonian Alexander who had taken him the king asking him how he durst molest the seas so hee replyed with a free spirit How darest thou molest the whole world But because I doe it with a little ship onely I am called a theefe thou doing it with a great Nauie art called an Emperour L. VIVES WHat are a theeues The world saith Cyprian very elegantly to Donatus is bathed in flouds of mutuall bloud when one alone kills a man it is called a crime but when a many together doe it it is called a vertue Thus not respect of innocence but the greatnesse of the fact sets it free from penaltie And truly fighting belongs neither to good men nor theeues nor to any that are men at all but is a right bestiall furie and therefore was it named Bellum of Bellua a beast Cic. offic Fest. b The Pirates out of Tully de Rep. lib. 〈◊〉 as Nonninus Marcellus saith The King asking him what wickednesse mooued him to trouble the whole sea with one onely gally-foyst the same saith he that makes thee trouble the whole earth Lucane calles Alexander a happy theefe of earth and Terrarum fatale malum fulmenque quod omnes Percuteret populos pariterque sydus iniquum Gentibus Earths fatall mischiefe and a cloud of thunder Rending the world a starre that struck in sunder The Nations Of those fugitiue Sword-players whose power grew paralell with a regall dignitie CHAP. 5. I Will therefore omitte to reuiew the crew that Romulus called together by proclaming freedome from feare of punishment to all such as would inhabite Rome hereby both augmenting his citty and getting a sort of fellowes about him that were fitte for any villanous or desperate acte what-so-euer But this I say that the very Empire of Rome albe it was now growne so great and so powerfull by subduing of so many nations and so become sole terror of all the rest was neuer thelesse extreamly danted and driuen into a terrible feare of an inuasion very hardly to bee auoyded by a small crew of raskally sword-players that had fled from the fence schoole into Campania and were now growne to such a mightie armie that vnder the conduct of three a Captaines they had made a most lamentable and cruell waste and spoile of the most part of the countrie Let them tell mee now what God it was that raised vp these men from a fewe poore contemptible theeues to a gouernment so terrible to the state and strength of Rome it selfe will it be answered that they had no helpe at all from the Gods because they continued b but a while As though that euery mans life must of necessitie bee of long continuance why then the Gods helpe no King to his kingdome because that most kings dye very soone nor is that to bee accounted as a benefite which euery man looseth in so little a time and which vanisheth like a vapor so soone after it is giuen for what is it vnto them that worshipped these gods vnder Romulus and are now dead though the Romaine Empire be neuer so much encreased since seeing they are now pleading their owne particular causes in hell of what kinde and in what fashion they are there belongs not to this place to dispute And this may bee vnderstood likewise of all that haue ended their liues in few yeares and beare the burthens of their deeds with them how-so-euer their Empire be afterwards augmented and continued through the liues and deaths of many successors But if this be not so but that those benefits though of so short space be to be ascribed to the gods goodnesses then assuredly the Sword-players had much to thanke them for who by their helpe did cast of their bonds of slauerie and fled and escaped and gotte an army of that strength and good discipline together that Rome it selfe began to be terribly afraide of them and lost diuerse fields against them They gotte the vpper hand of diuerse generalls they vsed what pleasures they would they did euen what they lusted and vnâ—…ill their last ouer-throw which was giuen them with extreame difficultie they liued in all pompe and regalitie But now vnto matter of more consequence L. VIVES THree a Captaines Spartacus Chrysus and Oenomaus worthy of memory is that of Plinie lib. 3. 30. that Spartacus forbad the vse of golde and siluer in his Tents so that I wonder not that he became so powerfull That lawe in the tents of those fugitiues was better then all the other Midas lawes in the Cities of mighty Kings h But a while In the third yeare of their rebellion M. Licinius Crassus vtterly dispersed and killed them Of the couetousnesse of Ninus who made the first warred
cliffe Diodor. Sicul. i Because Saturne was sonne to Caelus and Terra a most vngratious flellow but quitted by his Sonne Ioue who expelled him as he had expelled his father and so made the prouerbe true Do as as you would be done vnto Hereafter he was called the god of time Hesiod Euhem Diod Cicero Saturne is he they say that diuides and distinguishes the times and therefore the Greekes call him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is spâ—…ce of time Hee was called Saturnus quasi Satur annis full of yeares and was faygned by the Poets to deuour his children because time deuoures all things He was imprisoned by Ioue that is limited by the starres from running too wild a course k their wisest Uarro de ling. lat lib. 3. calles Iuno both Terra and Tellus Plutarch interpreteth Iuno the earth and the nuptial coniunction of man and wife Euseb de prep Euang Seruius saith that Ioue is put for the sky and the ayre Iuno for earth and water l â—…Herein Terra Terra is the earth it selfe Tellus a diminutiue the goddesse of the earth though the Poets confound them yet they alwaies said Tellus her temple and not Terra's Pluto also and Proserp were called Tellumo and Tellus also Altor and Runsor were both his names and hee had charge of all earths businesse so that some say hee was Ceres Sonne Diodor. lib. 6. Porpheryus calles one part of the earth Uizy the fat and fertile Ceres and the craggy hilly and stony Ops or Rhea Euseb. de praep Euang where he saith much of these things lib. 3. m is also namely Rhea n Mother for as she was Iuno she was his wife and sister and as she was Ops his mother o Ceres the earth is called Ceres a Gerendo of bearing corne or of Cereo to create Varro Tully out of Chrisppus for the earth is mother to all Pluto in Cratyl She was daughter vnto Saturne and Ops Sister to Uesta and Iuno all these sisters and mothers they say is but onely earth Ouid. Fast. 6. Vesâ—… eadem est terra subest subit ignis vtrique Significat sedâ—… terra socusque suam Vaesta is earth and fire earth vndergoeth The name and so doth fire Vaesta's both And a little after Staâ—… vâ—… 〈◊〉 sud vi stando Vesta vocatur Earth stands alone and therefore Vesta hight To this doth Orpheus and Plato both assent p yet Vesta Cic. de nat deor for Uesta is deriued from the Greekes being called with them Hestia her power is ouer fires and altars de legib 2 Vesta is aâ—… the citties fire in Greeke which word we vse almost vnchanged Ouid East 6. Nec in 〈◊〉 Uestam quam viuam intellige flammam Nataque de flamma corpâ—…ra nulla vides Thinke Vesta is the fire that burneth still That nere brought creature forth nor euer will And being a fire and called a Virgin therefore did virgins attend it and all virginity was sacred vnto it first for the congruence of society and then of nature which was alike in both this custome arose in Aegipt and spred farre through the Greekes and the Barbarian countries Diodor. It was kept so at Athens and at Delphos Plutar. Strabo Uaestas sacrifices and rites came from Ilium to Latium and so to Rome by Romulus his meanes and therfore Virgill calles her often times the Phrigian vesta Sic ait et manibus vittas vestamque potenten Aeternumque adytis effert penetralibus ignem This said he bringeth forth eternall Fire Almighty Vaesta and her pure attire Speaking of Panthus the Troyan Priest There was then for euery Curia a Vaesta Dionis but Numa built the temple of the first publike Vesta In the yeare of the citty X L. as Ouid accompteth q Uesta Venus naturally for the naturalists call the vpper hemisphere of the earth Uenus and Vesta also the nether Proserpina Plotinus calleth the earths vertue arising from the influence of Venus Uesta Besides Vesta being the worlds fire and the fatnesse comming from Venns there is little difference in respect of the benefit of the vniuerse so that Vesta was euery where worshipped not as barren but as fruitfull and augmentatiue making the citties and nations happy in eternall and continuall increase r How should The punishment of an vnchast Uestall was great but after thirty yeares they might leaue the profession and marry s is there two so saith Plato In Conuiuio Heauenly procuring excellence of conditions earthly prouoking vnto lust the first daughter to Caelus the later to Ioue and Dione much younger then the first There was also a Uenus that stirred vp chast thoughts And therefore when the Romaine women ranne almost mad with lust they consecrated a statue of Uenus verticordia out of the Sibills bookes which might turne the hearts from that soule heate vnto honesty Ualer lib. 8. Ouid. Fast 4. t Phaenicians This Iustin reporteth of the Cipprians lib. 18. It was their custom saith he at certen set daies to bring their daughters to the sea shore ere they were married and there to prostitute them for getting of their dowries offring to Venus for the willing losse of their chastities I thinke this was Uenus her law left vnto the Ciprians whome shee taught first to play the mercenary whores Lactant. The Armenians had such anther custome Strabo and the Babilonians being poore did so with their daughters for gaine The Phenicians honored Uenus much for Adonis his sake who was their countryman they kept her feasts with teares and presented her mourning for him Macrob. She had a Statue on Mount Libanus which leaned the head vpon the hand and was of a very sad aspect so that one would haue thought that true teares had fallen from hir eyes That the deuills brought man-kind to this wil be more apparant saith Eusebius if you consider but the adulteries of the Phaenicians at this day in Heliopolis and elsewhere they offer those filthy actes as first fruits vnto their gods Euseb. de praeparat Euang which I haue set downe that men might see what his opinion was hereof though my copy of this worke of his be exceeding falsly transcribed This custome of prostitution the Augilares of Africke did also vse that maried in the night Herodot Solin Mela. The Sicae also of the same country ' practised the same in the Temple of Uenus the matron Ualer The Locrians being to fight vowed if they conquered to prostitute all their daughters at Uenus feast v Iunos Sonne It may bee Mars that lay with Uenus and begot Harmonias for hee was Iunos sonne borne they faigned without a father because they knew not who was his father It may be Mars by that which followes cooperarius Mineruâ—… for both are gods of warre but It is rather ment of Vulcan sonne to Ioue and Iuno though vsually called Iunos sonne and Apator who was a Smith in Lemnos and husband vnto Venus that lay with Mars So it were Vulcans wrong to
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
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
victories For any part of it that warreth against another desires to bee the worlds conqueror whereas indeed it is vices slaue And if it conquer it extolls it selfe and so becomes the owne destruction but if wee consider the condition of worldly affaires and greeue at mans opennesse to aduersity rather then delight in the euents of prosperitie thus is the victory deadly for it cannot keepe a soueraigntie for euer where it got a victory for once Nor can wee call the obiects of this citties desires good it being in the owne humaine nature farre surmounting them It desires an earthly peace for most base respects and seeketh it by warre where if it subdue all resistance it attaineth peace which notwithstanding the aduerse part that fought so vnfortunately for those respects do want This peace they seeke by laborious warre and obteine they thinke by a glorious victory And when they conquer that had the right cause who will not gratulate their victory and be glad of their peace Doubtlesse those are good and Gods good guifts But if the things appertaining to that celestiall and supernall cittie where the victory shall be euerlasting be neglected for those goods and those goods desired as the onely goods or loued as if they were better then the other misery must needs follow and increase that which is inherent before Of that murderer of his brother that was the first founder of the earthly citie whose act the builder of Rome paralleld in murdering his brother also CHAP. 5. THerefore this earthly Citties foundation was laide by a murderer of his owne brother whom he slew through enuie being a pilgrim vpon earth of the heauenly cittie Wherevpon it is no wonder if the founder of that Cittie which was to become the worlds chiefe and the Queene of the nation followed this his first example or a archetype in the same fashion One of their Poets records the fact in these words b Fraterno primi madâ—…erunt sanguine muri The first walles steamed with a brothers bloud Such was Romes foundation and such was Romulus his murder of his brother 〈◊〉 as their histories relate onely this difference there is these bretheren were both cittizens of the earthly cittie and propagators of the glory of Rome for whose institution they contended But they both could not haue that glory that if they had beene but one they might haue had For he that glories in dominion must needs see his glory diminished when hee hath a fellow to share with him Therefore the one to haue all killed his fellow and by villanie grew vnto bad greatnesse whereas innocencie would haue installed him in honest meannesse But those two brethren Caine and Abel stood not both alike affected to earthly matters nor did this procure enuie in them that if they both should reigne hee that could kill the other should arise to a greater pitch of glory for Abel sought no dominion in that citty which his brother built but that diuell enuy did all the â—…chiefe which the bad beare vnto the good onely because they are good for the possession of goodnesse is not lessned by being shared nay it is increased 〈◊〉 it hath many possessing it in one linke and league of charity Nor shall hee 〈◊〉 haue it that will not haue it common and he that loues a fellow in it shall hâ—… it the more aboundant The strife therfore of Romulus Remus sheweth the â—…on of the earthly city in it selfe and that of Caine Abel shew the opposition 〈◊〉 â—…he city of men the city of God The wicked opose the good But the good 〈◊〉 â—…e perfect cannot contend amongst them-selues but whilst they are vnperâ—…â—…ey may contend one against another in that manner that each contends aâ—… him-selfe for in euery man the flesh is against the spirit the spirit against 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So then the spirituall desire in one may fight against the carnall in anoâ—… or contrary wise the carnall against the spirituall as the euill do against the gâ—… or the two carnal desires of two good men that are inperfect may contend 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bad do against the bad vntil their diseases be cured themselues brought to â—…lasting health of victory L. VIVES Aâ—…type a It is the first pattent or copy of any worke the booke written by the authors â—…e hand is called the Archetype Iuuenall Et iubet archetypos iterum seruare Cleanthas And bids him keepe Cleanthes archetypes b 〈◊〉 Lucan lib. 8. The historie is knowne c His brother built Did Caine build a citty 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 meanes hee the earthly citty which vice and seperation from God built the latter I 〈◊〉 d The wicked This is that I say vice neither agrees with vertue nor it selfe for amity 〈◊〉 â—…ongst the good the bad can neither bee friends with the good nor with themselues Of the langours of Gods Cittizens endure in earth as the punishments of sinne during their pilgrimage and of the grace of God curing them CHAP. 6. BVt the langour or disobedience spoken of in the last booke is the first puâ—…ment of disobedience and therefore it is no nature but a corruption for 〈◊〉 it is said vnto those earthly prilgrimes and God proficients Beare a yee 〈◊〉 â—…hers burdens and so yee shall fulfill the Law of Christ and againe admonish the 〈◊〉 â—…fort the feble be patient towards all ouer-come euill with goodnesse see that 〈◊〉 hurt for hurt and againe If a man be fallen by occasion into any sinne you that 〈◊〉 â—…all restore such an one with the spirit of meekenesse considering thy selfe least 〈◊〉 be tempted and besides let not the sunne go downe vpon your wrath and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gospell If thy brother trespasse against thee take him and tell him his falt beâ—… 〈◊〉 and him alone 〈◊〉 â—…cerning the scandalous offenders the Apostle saith Them that sin rebuke 〈◊〉 the rest may feare and in this respect many things are taught concerning â—…g And a great charge is laid vpon vs to keep that peace there where that 〈◊〉 of the c seruants being commanded to pay the ten thousand talents hee ought because hee forcibly exacted his fellowes debt of an hundred pence Vnto which simily the Lord Iesus addeth this cloze So shall mine heauenly father doe vnto you except you forgiue each one his brothers trespasses from your hearts Thus are Gods cittizens vpon earth cured of their diseases whilest they are longing for the celestiall habitation But the Holy spirit worketh within to make the salue worke that is outwardly applied otherwise though God should speake to mankinde out of any creature either sensibly or in dreames and not dispose of our hearts with his inward grace the preaching of the truth would not further mans conuersion a whitte But this doth God in his secret and iust prouidence diuiding the vessells of wrath and mercy And it is his admirable and secret worke that sinne e being in vs rather the punishment of sinne as the Apostle
the Apostle calls sinne saying I do not this but the sinne which dwelleth in mee which part the Philosophers call the vicious part of the soule that ought not to rule but to serue the minde and bee thereby curbed from vnreasonable acts when this moueth vs to any mischiefe if wee follow the Apostles counsel saying giue not your members as weapons of vnrighteousnesse vnto sinne then is this part conquered and brought vnder the minde and reason This rule God gaue him that maliced his brother and desired to kill him whome hee ought to follow be quiet quoth he yâ— is keepe thine hands out of mischiefe let not sinne get predominance in thy body to effect what it desireth nor giue thou thy members vp as weapons of vnrighteousnesse there-vnto for vnto thee shall the desires thereof become subiect if thou restraine it by supression and increase it not by giuing it scope And thou shalt rule ouer it Permit it not to performe any externall act and thy goodnesse of will shall exclude it from all internall motion Such a saying there is also of the woman when God had examined and condemned our first parents after their sinne the deuill in the serpent and man and woman in them-selues I will greatly increase thy sorrowes and thy conceptions saith he in sorrow shalt thou bring forth children and then he addeth And thy desire shal be subiect to thine husband and hee shall rule ouer thee thus what was to Caine concerning sinne or concupisence the same was said here to the offending woman where wee must learne that the man must gouerne the woman as the soule should gouerne the body Where-vpon the Apostle said hee that loueth his wife loueth himselfe for no man euer hated his owne flesh These wee must cure as our owne not cast away as strangers But Caine conceiued of Gods command like a maleuolent reprobate and yeelding to his height of enuy lay in waite for his brother and slew him This was the founder of the fleshly City How hee further-more was a Type of the Iewes that killed Christ the true shepherd prefigured in the shepherd Abel I spare to relate because it is a propheticall Allegory and I remember that I sayd some-what hereof in my worke against Faustus the Manichee L. VIVES HE a vsed Sup. Gen. ad lit lib. 8. He inquireth how God spake to Adam spiritually or corporally and hee answereth that hee spake to him as he did to Abraham Moyses c. in a corporall shape thus they heard him walking in Paradise in the shade q No doubt How could Caine know sayth Hierome that God accepted his brothers sacrifice and refused his but that it is true that Theodotion doth say the Lord set Abels sacrifice on fire but Caines he did not that â—…ire had wont to come downe from heauen vpon the sacrifice Salomons offring at the 〈◊〉 of the temple and Elias his vpon mount Carmel do testifieâ—… Thus far Hierom. c If thou So do the seauenty read it our common translation is If thou do well shalt thou not be accepted 〈◊〉 if thou do not well sinne lieth at the doore Hierome rehearseth the translation of the seauenty and saith thus the Hebrew and the Septuagintes do differ much in this place But the Hebrew read it as our vulgar translations haue it and the seauenty haue it as Augustine readeth it d Be quiet Runne not headlong on neither be desperate of pardon sinnes originall is adherent vnto all men but it is in mans choice to yeeld to it or no. e Vnto thee shall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 say the seauenty Aquila hath Societas and Syâ—…achus Appetitus or Impetus The â—…g â—…ay be either that sin shal be our fellow or that sinnes violence shal be in our power to 〈◊〉 as the sequel declareth and this later is the likelier to be the true meaning f Giâ—… God God respects not the guift but the giuer and therefore the sacrifices of the wicked 〈◊〉 and neither acceptable to God nor good men as Plato saith g Such I meane For 〈◊〉 some Atheists but such wicked as beleeue a God thinke that they can meane God by 〈◊〉 to returne them the same againe ten-fould be it gold or siluer As Sylla and Crassus ofâ—… Hercules the tenth part of their good that they might be hereby enritched The reason why Caine was the first of mankind that euer built a city CHAP. 8. 〈◊〉 now must I defend the authority of the diuine history that saith that this 〈◊〉 man built a city when there were but three or foure men vpon earth 〈◊〉 had killed his brother there were but Adam the first father Caine himâ—… his sonne Enoch whose name was giuen to the citty But they that sticke 〈◊〉 consider not that the Scriptures a neede not name all the men that were 〈◊〉 earth at that time but onely those that were pertinent to the purpose 〈◊〉 â—…pose of the Holy Ghost in Moyses was to draw a pedigree and genealoâ—… Adam through certaine men vnto Abraham and so by his seed vnto the 〈◊〉 of God which being distinct from all other nations might containe all 〈◊〉 and prefigurations of the eternall City of Heauen and Christ the king and 〈◊〉 all which were spirituall and to come yet so as the men of the Earthly 〈◊〉 â—…ad mention made of them also as farre as was necessary to shew 〈◊〉 â—…saries of the said glorious citty of God Therefore when the Scripâ—…â—…on vp a mans time and conclude hee liued thus long and had sonnes 〈◊〉 â—…ers must we imagine that because hee names not those sons and daughâ—… might bee in so many yeares as one man liued in those times as many 〈◊〉 gotten and borne as would serue to people diuers cities But it 〈◊〉 â—…o God who inspired the spirit by which the scriptures were penned 〈◊〉 â—…guish these two states by seuerall generations as first that the seuerall 〈◊〉 â—…gies of the carnall Cittizens and of the spirituall vnto the deluge might 〈◊〉 â—…cted by them-selues where they are both recited their distinction in 〈◊〉 one is recited downe from the murderer Cayne and the other from 〈◊〉 â—…ous Seth whom Adam had giuen for b him whom Caine had murthered 〈◊〉 coniunction in that all men grew from bad to worse so that they deâ—…â—…o bee all ouer whelmed with the floud excepting one iust man called 〈◊〉 wife his three sonnes and their wiues onely these eight persons did 〈◊〉 â—…chsafe to deliuer in the Arke of all the whole generation of mankind 〈◊〉 therefore it is written And Caine knew his wife which conceiued and bare 〈◊〉 c and hee built a citty and called it by his sonnes name Henoch this proâ—… that hee was his d first sonne for wee may not thinke that because 〈◊〉 here that he knew his wife that he had not knowne her before for this is 〈◊〉 Adam also not onely when Caine was begotten who was his first sonne 〈◊〉 Seth his younger sonne was borne aso Adam knew
progresse to shew the proceeding of both 〈◊〉 Citties in their courses heauenly and earthly The generation of Iaphet the 〈◊〉 is the first that is recorded who had eight sonnes two of which had seaâ—…es further three the one and foure the other so that Iaphet had in all 〈◊〉 sons Now Cham the middle brother had foure sonnes one of which had â—…re and one of these had two which in all make eleauen These being reckâ—… the scripture returneth as to the head saying And Chush begat Nimrod 〈◊〉 a Gyant vpon the earth hee was a mighty hunter against the Lord whereâ—… it is said As Nemrod the mighty hunter against the Lord. a And the beginâ—… 〈◊〉 his Kingdome was Babilon and b Oreg and c Archad and Chalame 〈◊〉 â—…and of Seimar Out of that Land came Assur and d builded Niniuy and 〈◊〉 e Robooth and Chalesh and Dasem betweene Chalech and Niniuy 〈◊〉 great city Now this Chus the gyant Nembrods father is the first of Chams 〈◊〉 on that is named fiue of whose sons and two of his grand-children were 〈◊〉 before But he either begot this giant after all them or else and that I raâ—…d the scripture nameth him for his eminence sake because his Kingdom iâ—… 〈◊〉 also whereof Babilon was the head citty and so are the other citties 〈◊〉 â—…ons that hee possessed But whereas it is said that Assur came out of the 〈◊〉 of Semar which belonged vnto Nimrod and builded Niniuie and the oâ—…ee citties this was long after but named heere because of the greatnesse 〈◊〉 â—…yrian Kingdome which f Ninus Belus his sonne enlarged wonderfulâ—… 〈◊〉 was the founder of the great citty Niniuie which was called after his 〈◊〉 â—…niuie of Ninus But Assur the father of the Assyrians was none of 〈◊〉 â—…nes but of the progeny of Sem Noahs eldest sonne So that it is eurâ—… some of Sems sonnes afterward attained the Kingdome of this great 〈◊〉 went further then it and builded other citties the first of which 〈◊〉 Niniuie of Ninus from this the scripture returneth to another sonne 〈◊〉 Mizraim and his generation is reckned vppe not by perticular 〈◊〉 by seauen nations out of the sixt whereof as from a sixth sonne 〈◊〉 Philystiym which make vppe eight Thence it returneth backe aâ—… Chanaan in whom Cham was cursed and his generation is comprized 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and all their extents related together with some citties Thus casâ—… 〈◊〉 into one summe of Chams progeny are one and thirty descended Nâ—… 〈◊〉 remaineth to recount the stocke of Sem Noahs eldest sonne for the â—…ns beganne to bee counted from the youngest and so vpwards graâ—… him But it is some-what hard to finde where his race beginnes to 〈◊〉 â—…ted yet must we explaine it some way for it is chiefly pertayning to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 read it g vnto Sem also the father of all the sonnes of Heber and elâ—… of Iaphet were children borne the order of the wordes is this And 〈◊〉 borne vnto Sem and all his children euen vnto Sem who was Iaphets elâ—… Thus it maketh Sem the Patriarch vnto all that were borne 〈◊〉 â—…ocke whether they were his sonnes or his grand-sonnes or their 〈◊〉 or their grand sonnes and so of the rest for Sem begot not Heâ—… is the first from him in lineall descent For Sem besides others beâ—… â—…t hee Canaan Canaan Sala and Sala was Hebers father It is not â—…g then that Heber is named the first of Sems progeny and before 〈◊〉 â—…nes beeing but grand-childe to his grand-childe vnlesse it bee that 〈◊〉 Hebrewes had their name from him quasi Heberewes as it may bee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they were called Hebrewes quasi Abrahewes of Abraham But true it is they were called Hebrewes of Heber and Israel onely attained that language and was the people wherein Gods Citty was both prefiguted and made a pilgrim So then Sem first hath his sixe sonnes reckned and foure other sonnes by one of them and then another of Sems sonnes begot a sonne and this sonne of this last son was father vnto Heber And Heber had two sons one called Phalec that is diuision the scripture addeth this reason of his name for in his tiâ—… the earth was diuided which shal be manifested hereafter Hebers other sonne had twelue sonnes and so the linage of Seth were in all seauen and twenty Thus then the grand summe of all the generations of Noahs three sonnes is three score and thirteene Fifteene from Iaphet thirty and one from Cham and seauen and twenty from Shem. Then the scripture proceedeth saying These are the sonnes of Sem according to their families and their tongues in their countries and Nations And then of them all These are the families of the sonnes of Noah after their generations amongst their people and out of these were the Nations of the earth diuided after the floud Whence wee gather that they were three score and thirteene or rather as wee will shewe hereafter three score and twelue Nations not seauenty-two single persons for when the sonnes of Iaphet were reckned it concluded thus i Of these were the Islands of the gentiles diuided in their hands each one according to his tongue and families in their nations And the sonnes of Cham are plainely made the founders and storers of nations as I shewed before Mizraim begot all those that were called the Ludieim and so of the other sixe And hauing reckned Chams sonnes it concludeth in like manner These are the sonnes of Cham according to their tongues and families in their countries and their nations Wherefore the Scripture could not 〈◊〉 many of their sonnes because they grew vppe and went to dwell in other countries and yet could not people whole lands themselues for why are bâ—… two Iaphets eight sonnes progenies named three of Chams foure and two of Sems 〈◊〉 Had the other no children On wee may not imagine that but thâ—… did not growe 〈◊〉 into Nations worthy recording but as they were ioyâ—…ed themselues with other people L. VIVES ANd a the What those places were in Greekâ—… Eusebius Pamphilus and Iosephus 〈◊〉 whom 〈◊〉 also agreeth with what we neede wee will take thence the Reader may 〈◊〉 the â—…est in themselues for they are common bookes The field of Semar was in Chaldea in it was built the tower of Babel b Oreg The Hebrew is Arach but thus the seauenty 〈◊〉 Archad The Hebrew is Accad which they say is Nisibis in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 d 〈◊〉 Thaâ—… of 〈◊〉 for there was another 〈◊〉 one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nâ—…ue â—…wards That of Assyria Pliny calles Nâ—…s being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 standiâ—… 〈◊〉 Tygrâ—… and lying towards the 〈◊〉 â—…o saith 〈◊〉 also Diodorus calls it Nina and saith that Ninus Belus his sonne built it and that there was nâ—…er City since so â—…arge within the walls Their hight was one hundred foote they brâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 haue gone side by side vpon easily their compasse was foure hundred 〈◊〉 â—…ghty 〈◊〉 and
had the name from him and there wee must thinke that it was first vniuersall because the confusion of tongues was a punishment which Gods people were not to cast off Nor was it for nothing that Abraham could not communicate this his language vnto all his generation but onely to those that were propagate by Iacob and arising into an euident people of God were to receiue his Testament and the Sauiour in the flesh Nor did Hebers whole progenie beare away this language but onely that from whence Abraham descended Wherefore though there be no godly men euidently named that liued at the time when the wicked built Babylon yet this concealement ought not to dull but rather to incite one to inquire further For whereas we read that at first men had all one language and that Heber is first reckoned of all the sonnes of Sem beeing but the fift of his house downeward and that language which the Patriarches and Prophets vsed in all their words and writings was the Hebrew Verily when woe seeke where that tongue was preserued in the confusion being to bee kept amongst them to whom the confusion could be no punishment what can wee say but that it was preserued vnto this mans family of whome it had the name and that this is a great signe of righteousnesse in him that where as the rest were afflicted with the confusion of their tongues hee onely and his family was acquit of that affliction But yet there is another doubt How could Heber and his sonne Phalec become two seuerall nations hauing both but one language And truly the Hebrew tongue descended to Abraham from Heber and so downe from him vntill Israell became a great people How then could euery sonne of Noahs sonnes progenies become a particular nation when as Heber and Phalec had both but one langâ—… The greatest probability is that c Nembroth became a nation also and yet was reckned for the eminence of his dignity and corporall strength to keepe the number of seauenty two nations inuiolate but Phalec was not named for growing into a nation but that that strange accident of the earths diuision fel out in 〈◊〉 daies for of the nation and language of Heber was Phalec also We need not 〈◊〉 at this how Nembroth might liue iust with that time when Babilon was 〈◊〉 and the confusion of tongues befell for there is no reason because Heber was the sixt from Noah and hee but the fourth but that they might both liue vnto 〈◊〉 time in one time for this fel out so before where they that had the least 〈◊〉 liued the longest that they that had the more died sooner or they 〈◊〉 â—…ad few sonnes had them later then those that had many for wee must conâ—… this that when the earth was builded Noahs sonnes had not onely all 〈◊〉 issue who were called the fathers of those nations but that these also 〈◊〉 and numerous families worthy the name of nations Nor may wee 〈◊〉 then that they were borne as they are reckened Otherwise how could 〈◊〉 twelue sonnes another sonne of Hebers become of those nations if hee 〈◊〉 â—…ne after Phalec as hee is reckned for in Phalecs daies was the earth 〈◊〉 Wee must take it thus then Phalec is first named but was borne long 〈◊〉 brother Ioktan whose twelue sonnes had all their families so great that 〈◊〉 â—…ht be sufficient to share one tongue in the confusion for so might he that 〈◊〉 borne be first reckned as Noahs youngest sonne is first named nameâ—… Cham the second the next and Shem the eldest the last Now some of 〈◊〉 â—…s names continued so that we may know to this day whence they are 〈◊〉 â—…s the Assirians of Assur the Hebrewes of Heber d and some conâ—… of time hath abolished in so much that the most learned men can 〈◊〉 finde any memory of them in antiquity For some say that the Egyptiâ—… they that came of Mizraim e Chams sonne here is no similitude 〈◊〉 at all nor in the Aethiopians which they say came of Chus another 〈◊〉 Chams And if wee consider all wee shall finde farre more names lost 〈◊〉 â—…ayning L. VIVES 〈◊〉 a house Some thinke they consented not vnto the building of the Tower and 〈◊〉 â—…efore had the first language left onely to them Herodotus writeth that Psametiâ—…â—…yptian â—…yptian king caused two children to be brought vp in â—…e woods without hearing 〈◊〉 mans mouth thinking that that language which they would speake of themselues 〈◊〉 â—…ould bee that which man spake at first after three yeares they were brought vnto 〈◊〉 â—…ey said nothing but Bec diuers times Now Bec is bread in Phrygian wherevpon 〈◊〉 the Phrygian tongue to bee the first but it was no maruaile if they cryed 〈◊〉 continually brought vp amongst the goates that could cry nothing else 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prophecying of what was to 〈◊〉 saith Hierom. c Nembroth became 〈◊〉 it is vncertaine where hee raigned is playne Gen. 2. In Babilon and Arach that 〈◊〉 Hierom Edessa and Accad that is now called Nisibis and in Chalah that 〈◊〉 â—…d called Seleucia of Seleucus or else that which is now called Ctesiphon Perhaps hee was the father but doubtlesse the great increaser of those nations d And some So saith Hierome of all Ioctans sonnes And no maruell since that all the mountaines hilles and riuers of Italy France and Spaine changed their names quite into barbarous ones within the compasse of two hundred yeares e Ghams sonne Nay Egipt saith Hierome bare Chams owne name for the seauenty put the letter X. for the Hebrew He continually to teach vs the aspiration dew to the word and here they translate Cham for that which in the Hebrew is Ham by which name Egipt in the countries proper language is called vnto this day Thus farre Hierome But it might bee that Egipt was called Mizraim of him that first peopled it as Hierome saith the Hebrews call it continually Egipt was also called afterwards Aeria because as Stephanus saith the ayre was thicke therein it was called further-more Neptapolis of the seauen citties therein And lastly Egypt of Egyptus Belus his sonne Homer calles the riuer Nilus Egipt f Ethiopians The Hebrews call Ethiopia Chus Hieron It was called Atlantia of Atlas and Ethiopia afterwards of Ethiops Uulcans sonne as some say But I thinke rather of the burnt hew of the inhabitants for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Greeke is black Homer that old Poet saith there are two Ethiopa's Odyss 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. This lyes vpon the East that on the West There is also a part of the I le Eubaea called Aethiopon Of that point of time wherein the citty of God began a new order of succession in Abraham CHAP. 12. NOw let vs see how the Citty of God proceeded from that minute wherein it began to bee more eminent and euident in promises vnto Abraham which now wee see fulfilled in Christ. Thus the holy Scripture teacheth vs then that
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
the father of all the nations but the progenie of his body onely by Isaac and Israel for their seed possessed this land L. VIVES VNto a Sichem This lay in the tribe of Ephraims part and Abimelech afterwards destroied iâ—… Iudg. 9. 45. It was called Sicima in Greeke and Latine and there remained some memoâ—… 〈◊〉 iâ—… iâ—… Hieromes time in the suburbes of Neapolis neare vnto Iosephs Sepulcher there was 〈◊〉 Sichem also vpon mount Ephraim a citty of the fugitiues Hier. de loc Hebraec How God preserued Saras chastity in Egipt vvhen Abraham vvould not be knowne that she vvas his vvife but his sister CHAP. 19. THere Abraham built an altar and then departed and dwelt in a wildernesse and from thence was driuen by famine to goe into Egipt where he called his wife his sister and yet a lyed not For she was his cousin germaine and Lot being his brothers sonne was called his brother So that he did onely conceale and not deny that she was his wife commending the custody of hir chastitie vnto God and auoyding mans deceits as man for if hee should not haue endeuoured â—…o eschew danger as much as in him laye hee should rather haue become a b 〈◊〉 of GOD then a truster in him whereof wee haue disputed against 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Manichee his callumnyes And as Abraham trusted vpon God so came it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for Pharao the King of Egipt seeking to haue her to wife was sore afâ—… â—…d forced to restore her to her husband Where c God forbid that wee should 〈◊〉 her defiled by him any way his great plagues that hee suffered would no way permit him to commit any such out-rage L. VIVES 〈◊〉 a lied not For cousin-germaines are called brethren and sisters as wee shewed out of 〈◊〉 b A temple God would be trusted vnto firmely but no way tempted Thou shalt not 〈◊〉 Lord thy God saith Moyses in Deuteronomy which saying our Sauiour Christ made 〈◊〉 of Mat. 4. c God forbid Hierome sheweth by the example Hester that the women 〈◊〉 a full yeare to be prepared fit for the Kings bed ere hee touched them so that Phaâ—…â—…ght â—…ght be plagued and forced to returne Sara to her husband in the meane time Of the seperation of Lot and Abraham without breach of charity or loue betweene them CHAP. 20. 〈◊〉 Abraham departing out of Egipt to the place whence hee came Lot withâ—… any breach of loue betweene them departed to dwell in Sodome For beâ—…â—…th very ritch their sheppards and heard-men could not agree and so to aâ—… that inconuenience they parted For amongst such as all men are vnperâ—…â—…ere might no doubt bee some contentions now and then arising which eâ—… avoide Abraham said thus vnto Lot Let there be no strife I pray thee between 〈◊〉 me nor betweene my heardsmen and thine for we be brethren Is a not the 〈◊〉 â—…nd before thee I pray thee depart from me if thou wilt take the left hand I 〈◊〉 to the right or if thou vvilt goe to the right hand then I vvill take the left â—…ce b it may be the world got vppe an honest quiet custome that the elâ—…â—…ould euer-more diuide the land and the yonger should choose L. VIVES 〈◊〉 Abraham puttes him to his choice to take where hee would and hee would take 〈◊〉 b Hence it may bee This was a custome of old as the declamers lawes conâ—…â—…of this was one Sen. lib. declam 6. Of Gods third promise of the land of Canaan to Abraham and his seed for euer CHAP. 21. 〈◊〉 â—…hen Abraham and Lot were parted dwelt seuerall for necessities sake 〈◊〉 â—…ot for discord Abraham in Canaan Lot in Sodome God spake the 〈◊〉 to Abraham saying Lift vp thine eyes now and looke from the place where 〈◊〉 North-ward and South-ward and East-ward and to a the sea for all the 〈◊〉 seest will I giue to thee and thy seed for euer and I will make thy seed as the 〈◊〉 the earth so that if a man may number the sands of the earth then shall thy 〈◊〉 â—…bred also arise walke through the land in the length and bredth thereof for 〈◊〉 it vnto thee Whether these promise concerne his beeing the faâ—… 〈◊〉 nations it is not euidently apparant These words I vvill make 〈◊〉 the sands of the sea may haue some reference to that beeing a tropiâ—… of speech which the greekes call b Hyperbole But how c the 〈◊〉 vseth this and the rest not that hath reade them but vnderstandeth This trope now is when the wordes doe farre exceede the meaning For who seeth not that the number of the sands is more then all Adams seede can make from the beginning to the end of the world how much more then Abrahams though it include both the Israelites and the beleeues of all other nations compare this later with the number of the wicked d and it is but an handful though e this handfull bee such a multitude as holy writ thought to signifie hyperbolically by the sands of the earth And indeed the seed promised Abraham is innumerable vnto men but not vnto GOD f nor the sands neither and therfore because not onely the Israelites but all Abrahams seede besides which hee shall propagate in the spirit are fitly compared with the sands therefore this promise includeth both But this wee say is not apparant because his bodily progeny alone in time amounted to such a number that it filled almost all the world and so might by an hyperbole bee comparable to the sands of the earth because this multitude is onely innumerable vnto man But that the land hee spoke of was onely Canaan no man maketh question But some may sticke vpon this I will giue it to thee and thy seed for euer whether hee meane eternally here or no. But if we vnderstand this Euer to be meant vntill the worlds end as wee doe firmely beleeue it is then the doubt is cleared For though the Israelites bee chased out of Ierusalem yet doe they possesse other citties in Canaan and shall doe vntill the end and were all the land inhabited with christians there were Abrahams seed in them L VIVES TO the a sea Of Syria wherein Abraham was our sea is vpon the West so that hauing named the three quarters of the world before hee must needs meane that for the westerne sea which Pliny calls the Phaenician sea b Hyperbole When our words exceed our meaning Quintil. lib. 9. c The scriptures As in Hieremy the twentith an Hyperbole of many verses saith Hierome also Dan. 4. and Ecclesiastes 10. The foules of the heauen shall carry thy voice Origen saith that that place Rom. 1. 8. your faith is published through all the world is an hyperbole This figure is ordinary in the Ghospell also and vsed most to mooue the hearers Aug. contra Iulian. lib. 5. I wonder of some that had rather haue the scriptures speake rustically then learnedly d It is but Narrow is the way that leadeth
peace for mine eyes haue seene thy saluation Let the church then say I haue reioyced in thy saluation there is none holy as the Lord is no God like to our GOD for hee is holy and maketh holy iust himselfe and iustifyiâ—… others none is holy besides thee for none is holy but from thee Finally it followeâ—… speake no more presumptuously let not arragance come out of your mouth for the Lord is a God of knowledge and by him are all enterprises establisâ—…d 〈◊〉 none knoweth what he knoweth for he that thinketh himselfe to be some thing seduceth himselfe and is nothing at all This now is against the presumptuous Babilonian enemies vnto Gods Cittie glorying in themselues and not in God as also against the carnall Israelites who as the Apostle saith beeing ignorant of the righteâ—…sse of God that is that which he being onely righteous and iustifying giueth man and going about to establish their owne righteousnesse 〈◊〉 as if they had gotten such themselues and had none of his bestowing 〈◊〉 not themselues vnto the righteousnesse of God but thinking proudly to please 〈◊〉 â—…stice of their owne and none of his who is the God of knowledge and the 〈◊〉 of consciences and the discerner of all mans thoughts which beeing 〈◊〉 â—…eriue not from him So they fell into reprobation And by him saith the 〈◊〉 arè all enterprises established and what are they but the suppression of 〈◊〉 and the aduancement of the humble These are Gods intents as it folâ—… the bow of the mighty hath he broken and guirded the weake with strength 〈◊〉 that is their proud opinions that then could sanctifie themselues withâ—…â—…spirations and they are guirded with strength that say in their hearts 〈◊〉 on mee O Lord for I am weake They that were full are f hired out for 〈◊〉 that is they are made lesser then they were for in their very bread that 〈◊〉 â—…ne words which Israel as then had alone from all the world that saâ—…â—…thing but the tast of earth But the hungry nations that had not the 〈◊〉 â—…ing to those holy words by the New Testament they passed ouer the 〈◊〉 found because they relished an heauenly tast in those holy doctrines 〈◊〉 a sauour of earth And this followeth as the reason for the barren hath 〈◊〉 â—…rth seauen and she that had many children is enfeebled Here is the whole 〈◊〉 opened to such as knowe the number of the Iewes what it is to wit â—…ber of the churches perfection and therefore Iohn the Apostle writeth 〈◊〉 seauen churches implying in that the fulnesse of one onely and so it 〈◊〉 â—…uely spoken in Salomon Wisdome hath built her an house and hewen out 〈◊〉 pillers For the Citty of God was barren in all the nations vntill shee 〈◊〉 that fruite whereby now we see her a fruitfull mother and the earthly 〈◊〉 that had so many sonnes wee now behold to bee weake and enfeebled 〈◊〉 the free-womans sonnes were her vertues but now seeing shee hath 〈◊〉 â—…nely without the spirit shee hath lost her vertue and is become 〈◊〉 â—…e Lord killeth and the Lord quickneth hee killeth her that had so many 〈◊〉 quickneth her wombe was dead before and hath made her bring 〈◊〉 although properly his quickning be to be implied vpon those whom 〈◊〉 â—…d for she doth as it were repeate it saying hee bringeth downe to the 〈◊〉 raiseth vp for they vnâ—…o whom the Apostle saith If yee bee dead with 〈◊〉 the things that are aboue where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God 〈◊〉 â—…to saluation by the LORD vnto which purpose he addeth Set your 〈◊〉 vpon things aboue and not on things that are on the earth For you 〈◊〉 â—…oth hee behold here how healthfull the Lord killeth and then followâ—… â—…our life is hid with Christ in God Behold here how God quickneth I 〈◊〉 bring them to the graue and backe againe Yes without doubt all 〈◊〉 faithfull see that fulfilled in our head with whom our life is hidde in 〈◊〉 â—…e that spared not his owne sonne but gaue him for vs all hee killed 〈◊〉 manner and in raysing him from death hee quickned him againe 〈◊〉 we heare him say in the psalme thou shalt not leaue my soule in the 〈◊〉 â—…ore he brought him vnto the graue and backe againe By his pouerty 〈◊〉 â—…ched for the Lord maketh poore and enritcheth that is nothing else 〈◊〉 humbleth and exalteth humbling the proud and exalting the 〈◊〉 â—…or that same place God resisteth the proud and giueth grace vnto the 〈◊〉 the text wherevpon all this prophetesses words haue dependance 〈◊〉 â—…hich followeth He raiseth the poore out of the dust and lifteth the begâ—… dunghill is the fittliest vnderstood of him who became poore for vs whereas he was ritch by his pouerty as I said to enritch vs. For he raised him from the earth so soone that his flesh saw no corruption nor is this sequence And lifteth the begger from the dunghill meant of any but him g for the begger and the poore is all one the dunghill whence hee was lifted is the persecuting route of Iewes amongst whom the Apostle had beene one but afterwards as he saith that which was aduantage vnto mee I held losse for Christs sake nay not oneâ—… losse but I iudge them all dunge that I might winne Christ. Thus then was this poore man raised aboue all the ritch men of the earth and this begger was lifted vp from the dunghill to sit with the Princes of the people to whom hee saith You shall sit on twelue thrones c. and to make them inherite the seat of glory for those mighty ones had said Behold we haue left all and followed thee this vowe had those mighties vowed But whence had they this vow but from him that giueth vowes vnto those that vow otherwise they should bee of those mighties whose bow he hath broken That giueth vowes saith she vnto them that vow For none can vow any set thing vnto God but hee must haue it from God it followeth and blesseth the yeares of the iust that is that they shal be with him eternally vnto whom it is written thy yeares shall neuer faile for that they are fixed but here they either passe or perish for they are gone ere they come bringing still their end with them But of these two hee giueth vowes to those that vow and blesseth the yeares of the iust the one wee performe and the other wee receiue but this alwaies by Gods giuing wee receiue nor can wee doe the other without Gods helpe because in his owne might shall no man be stronge The Lord shall weaken his aduersaries namely such as resist and enuy his seruants in fulfilling their vowes h The greeke may also signifie his owne aduersaries for hee that is our aduersary when we are Gods children is his aduersarie also and is ouercome by vs but not by our strength for in his owne might shall no man bee stronge The LORD the holy
God So did Christ found her in his Patriarchs 〈◊〉 â—…hets before he tooke flesh in her from the Virgin Mary Seing therefore 〈◊〉 Prophet so long agoc said that of this Citty which now we behold come 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In steed of fathers thou shal haue children to make them Princes ouer all the 〈◊〉 so hath shee when whole nations and their rulers come freely to conâ—… 〈◊〉 proffesse Christ his truth for euer and euer then without all doubt there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…ope herein how euer vnderstood but hath direct reference vnto these 〈◊〉 stations L. VIVES 〈◊〉 a generation So read the 70. whom Augustine euer followeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and this reduplication is very emphaticall in the Hebrew b To those that hee neuer Christ while hee was on the earth neuer came nor preached in any nation but Israell Nor matterâ—… 〈◊〉 thaâ—… some few Gentiles came vnto him wee speake here of whole nations c Men shall call it The seauenty read it thus indeed but erroneously as Hierome noteth In Psalm 89. for they had written it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what is Sion which reading some conceyuing not reiected and added 〈◊〉 reading it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an other Siâ—…n and that the rather because it followeth hee was made man therein But the vulgar followeth the Hebrew and reads it with an interrogation Of the references of the 110. Psalme vnto Christs Priest-hood and the 22. vnto his passion CHAP. 17. FOr in that psalme that as this calleth Christ a King enstileth him a priest beginning The Lord said vnto my Lord sit thou at my right hand vntill I make thine enemies thy foote-stoole we beleeue that Christ sitteth at Gods right hand but we see it not nor that his enemies are all vnder his feete which a must appeare in the end and is now beleeued as it shall hereafter bee beheld but then the rest the Lord shall send the rod of thy power out of Sion be thou ruler amidst thine enemies This is so plaine that nought but impudence it selfe can contradict it The enemies themselues confesse that the law of Christ came out of Sion that which we call the Ghospell and auouch to be the rod of his power And that he ruleth in the midst of his enemies themselues his slaues with grudging and fruitlesse gnashing of teeth doe really acknowledge Furthermore the Lord sware and will not repent which proues the sequence eternally established thou art a Priest for euer after the order of Melchisedech The reason is Aarons priest-hood and sacrifice is abolished and now in all the world vnder Christ the priest wee offer that which Melchisedech brought forth when hee blessed Abraham who doubteth now of whom this is spoken and vnto this manifestation are the other Tropes of the psalme referred as wee haue declared them peculiarly in our Sermons and in that psalme also wherein CHRIST prophecieth of his passion by Dauids mouth saying they perced my hands and my feete they counted all my bones and stood gazing vpon me These words are a plaine description of his posture on the crosse his nayling of his hands and feete his whole body stretched at length and made a rufull gazing stock to the beholders Nay more they parted my garments among them they cast lots vpon my vesture How this was fulfilled let the Ghospell tell you And so in this there are diuers obscurities which not withstanding are all congruent with the maine and scope of the psalme manifested in the passion chiefly seeing that those things which the psalme presaged so long before are but now effected as it fore-told and euen now are opened vnto the eyes of the whole world For it saith a little after All the ends of the world shall remember themselues and turne vnto the Lord all the kindreds of the earth shall worship before him for the kingdome is the Lords and he ruleth among the nations L. VIVES VVHich a â—…st apeare In the end but now is onely beleeued Saint Paul writeth much of it vnto the Corynthians and Hebrewes Christs death and resurrection prophecied in psalme 3. 40. 15. 67. CHAP. 18. NEither were the psalmes silent of his resurrectioÌ„ for what is that of the third psalme I laid me downe and slept and rose againe for the Lord susteined me wil any one say that the prophet would record it for such a great thing to sleepe and to rise but that he meaneth by sleepe death and by rising againe the resurrection things that were fit to bee prophecied of Christ this in the 41. psalme is most plaine for Dauid in the person of the mediator discoursing as hee vseth of things to come as if they were already past because they are already past in Gods predestination a and praescience saith thus Mine enemies speake euill of me saying when shall he die and his name perish and if he come to see he speaketh lies and his heart he apeth vp iniquity within him and hee goeth forth and telleth it mine eneâ—… whisper together against me and imagine how to hurt me They haue spoken an vniust thing vpon me shall not he that sleepeth arise againe this is euen as much as if he had said shall not he that is dead reuiue againe the precedence doth shew how they conspired his death and how he that came in to see him went for to bewray him to them And why is not this that traitor Iudas his disciple Now because hee 〈◊〉 they would effect their wicked purpose to kill him hee to shew the fondnesse of their malice in murdering him that should rise againe saith these words â—…ll not he that sleepeth arise againe as if hee said you fooles your wickednesse procureth but my sleepe But least they should do such a villany vnpunished hee meant to repay them at full saying My friend and familiar whom I trusted and who eate of my â—…ead euen he hath b kicked at me But thou Lord haue mercy vpon me raise me vp 〈◊〉 shall requite them Who is hee now that beholdeth the Iewes beaten out of 〈◊〉 â—…nd and made vagabonds all the world ouer since the passion of Christ 〈◊〉 â—…ceiueth not the scope of this prophecy for he rose againe after they had 〈◊〉 and repayed them with temporall plagues besides those that hee reâ—… for the rest vntill the great iudgement for Christ himselfe shewing his 〈◊〉 to the Apostles by reaching him a peece of bread remembred this verse 〈◊〉 â—…alm shewed it fulfilled in himself he that did eate of my bread eueÌ„ he hath 〈◊〉 â—…e the words in whom I trusted agree not with the head but with the â—…ts properly for our Sauiour knew him well before hand when he sayd c 〈◊〉 is a diuell but Christ vsed to transferre the proprieties of his members 〈◊〉 â—…mselfe as being their head body and head being all one Christ. And therâ—… 〈◊〉 of the Ghospell I was hungry and you gaue me to eate hee expoundeth afâ—… thus
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
ceasing and destruction ensuing which was performed by the Romanes as I erst related But the house of the New Testament is of another lustre the workemanship being more glorious and the stones being more precious But it was figured in the repaire of the old Temple because the whole New Testament was figured in the old one Gods prophecy therefore that saith In that place will I giue peace is to be meant of the place signified not of the place significant that is as the restoring that house prefigured the church which Christ was to build so GOD said in this place that is in the place that this prefigureth will I giue peace for all things signifying seeme to support the persons of the things signified as Saint Peter said the Rock was Christ for it signifyed Christ. So then farre is the glory of the house of the New Testament aboue the glory of the Old as shall appeare in the finall dedication Then shall the desire of all nations appeare as it is in the hebrew for his first comming was not desired of all the nations for some knew not whom to desire nor in whom to beleeue And then also shall they that are Gods elect out of all nations come as the LXX read it for none shall come truely at that day but the elect of whoÌ„ the Apostle saith As he hath elected vs in him before the beginning of the world for the Architect himself that sayd Many are called but few are chosen he spoke not of those that were called to the feast and then cast out but meant to shew that hee had built an house of his elect which times worst spight could neuer ruine But being altogither in the church as yet to bee hereafter sifited the corne from the chaffe the glory of this house cannot be so great now as it shal be then where man shal be alwaies there where he is once The Churches increase vncertaine because of the commixtion of elect and reprobate in this world CHAP. 49. THerefore in these mischieuous daies wherein the church worketh for his fu ture glory in present humility in feares in sorrowes in labours and in temptations ioying onely in hope when shee ioyeth as she should many rebrobaâ—…e liue amongst the elect both come into the Gospells Net and both swim at randon in the sea of mortality vntill the fishers draw them to shore and then the 〈◊〉 owne from the good in whom as in his Temple God is all in all We acknowledge therefore his words in the psalme I would declare and speake of them 〈◊〉 are more then I am able to expresse to be truly fulfilled This multiplication 〈◊〉 at that instant when first Iohn his Messenger and then himselfe in person 〈◊〉 to say Amend your liues for the Kingdome of God is at hand He chose him disâ—… and named the Apostles poore ignoble vnlearned men that what great 〈◊〉 soeuer was done hee might bee seene to doe it in them He had one who abused his goodnesse yet vsed hee this wicked man to a good end to the fulfilling of his passion and presenting his church an example of patience in tribulation And hauing sowne sufficiently the seed of saluation he suffered was buried and 〈◊〉 againe shewing by his suffering what wee ought to endure for the truth and 〈◊〉 resurrection what we ought for to hope of eternity a besides the ineffaâ—…ament of his bloud shed for the remission of sinnes Hee was forty daies 〈◊〉 with his disciples afterwardes and in their sight ascended to heauen â—…es after sending downe his promised spirit vpon them which in the comming gaue that manifest and necessary signe of the knowledge in languages of 〈◊〉 to signifie that it was but one Catholike church that in all those natiâ—…â—…uld vse all those tongues L. VIVES 〈◊〉 a the ineffable For Christs suffrance and his life hath not onely leaft vs the vertue 〈◊〉 Sacraments but of his example also whereby to direct ourselues in all good courses 〈◊〉 Gospell preached and gloriously confirmed by the bloud of the preachers CHAP. 50. 〈◊〉 then as it is written The law shall goe forth of Zion and the word of 〈◊〉 Lord from Ierusalem and as Christ had fore-told when as his disciplies â—…onished at his resurrection he opened their vnderstandings in the scripâ—… told them that it was written thus It behoued Christ to suffer and to rise 〈◊〉 the third day and that repentance and remission of sinnes should bee preached in 〈◊〉 â—…mongst all nations beginning at Ierusalem and where they asked him of 〈◊〉 comming and he answered It is not for you to know the times and seasons 〈◊〉 father hath put in his owne power but you shall receiue power of the Holie 〈◊〉 hee shall come vpon you and you shal be witnesses of mee in Ierusalem and in 〈◊〉 in Samaria and vnto the vtmost part of the earth First the church spred 〈◊〉 â—…om Ierusalem and then through Iudaea and Samaria and those lights 〈◊〉 world bare the Gospell vnto other nations for Christ had armed them 〈◊〉 Feare not them that kill the body but are not able to kill the soule they had 〈◊〉 of loue that kept out the cold of feare finally by their persons who 〈◊〉 him aliue and dead and aliue againe and by the horrible persecutiâ—… by their successors after their death and by the euer conquered to 〈◊〉 â—…conquerable tortures of the Martires the Gospell was diffused 〈◊〉 all the habitable world GOD going with it in Miracles in vertues and 〈◊〉 of the Holy Ghost in so much that the nations beleeuing in him who 〈◊〉 for their Redemption in christian loue did hold the bloud of those Martires in reuerence which before they had shed in barbarousnesse and the Kings whose edicts afflicted the church came humbly to be warriours vnder that banner which they cruelly before had sought vtterly to abolish beginning now to persecute the false gods for whom before they had persecuted the seruants of 〈◊〉 true GOD. That the Church is confirmed euen by the schismes of Heresies CHAP. 51. NOw the deuill seeing his Temples empty al running vnto this Redeemer set heretiques on foote to subert Christ in a christiaÌ„ vizar as if there were yâ— allowance for them in the heauenly Ierusalem which their was for contrariety of Philosophers in the deuills BabiloÌ„ Such therfore as in the church of God do distast any thing and a being checked aduised to beware do obstinately oppose themselues against good instructions and rather defend their abhominations then discard them those become Heretikes and going forth of Gods House are to be held as our most eager enemies yet they doe the members of the Catholike Church this good that their fall maketh them take better hold vpon God who vseth euill to a good end and worketh all for the good of those that loue him So then the churches enemies whatsoeuer if they haue the power to impose corporall afflictioÌ„ they exercise her patience
WHerefore although our righteous fore-fathers had seruants in their families and according to their temporall estates made a distinction betwixt their seruants and their children yet in matter of religion the fountaine whence all eternall good floweth they prouided for all their houshold with an equall respect vnto each member thereof This natures order prescribed and hence came the name of The Father of the family a name which euen the worst Maisters loue to bee called by But such as merit that name truely doe care that all their families should continue in the seruice of GOD as if they were all their owne children desyring that they should all bee placed in the houshold of heauen where commaund is wholy vnnecessary because then they are past their charge hauing attained immortality which vntill they bee installed in the Maisters are a to endure more labour in their gouernment then the seruants in their seruice If any bee disobedient and offend this iust peace hee is forth-with to bee corrected with strokes or some other conuenient punishment whereby hee may bee re-ingraffed into the peace-full stocke from whence his disobedience hath torne him For as it is no good turne to helpe a man vnto a smaller good by the losse of a greater no more is it the part of innocence by pardoning a small offence to let it grow vnto a fouler It is the duetie of an innocent to hurt no man but withall to curbe sinne in all hee can and to correct sinne in whome hee can that the sinners correction may bee profitable to himselfe and his example a terrour vnto others Euery family then beeing part of the cittie euery beginning hauing relation vnto some end and euery part tending to the integrity of the whole it followeth apparantly that the families peace adhereth vnto the citties that is the orderly command and obedience in the familie hath reall reference to the orderly rule and subiection in the cittie So that the Father of the familie may fetch his instructions from the citties gouernment whereby hee may proportionate the peace of his priuate estate by that of the Common L. VIVES THe Maisters a are to endure It is most difficult and laborious to rule well and it is as trouble-some to rule ouer vnruly persons The grounds of the concord and discord betweenethe Citties of Heauen and Earth CHAP. 17. BVt they that liue not according to faith angle for all their peace in the Sea of temporall profittes Whereas the righteous liue in full expectation of the glories to come vsing the occurences of this worlde but as pilgrimes not to abandon their course towardes GOD for mortall respects but thereby to assist the infirmity of the corruptible flesh and make it more able to encounter with toyle and trouble Wherefore the necessaries of this life are common both to the faithfull and the Infidell and to both their families but the endes of their two vsages thereof are farre different The faythlesse worldly citty aymeth at earthly peace and settleth the selfe therein onely to haue an vniformity of the Cittizens wills in matters onely pertayning till mortality And the Heauenly citty or rather that part thereof which is as yet a pilgrime on earth and liueth by faith vseth this peace also as befitteth vnto it leaue this mortall life wherein such a peace is requisite and therefore liueth while it is here on earth as if it were in captiuity and hauing receiued the promise of redemption and diuers spirituall guifts as seales thereof it willingly obeyeth such lawes of the temporall citty as order the things pertayning to the sustenance of this mortall life to the end that both the Citties might obserue a peace in such things as are pertinent here-vnto But because that the Earthly Citty hath some members whome the holy scriptures vtterly disallow and who standing either to well affected to the diuells or being illuded by them beleeued that each thing had a peculiar deity ouer it and belonged to the charge of a seuerall God as the body to one the soule to another and in the body it selfe the head to one the necke to another and so of euery member as likewise of the soule one had the witt another the learning a third the wrath a forth the desire as also in other necessaries or accidents belonging to mans life the cattell the corne the wine the oyle the woods the monies the nauigation the warres the mariages the generations each being a seuerall charge vnto a particular power whereas the cittizens of the Heauenly state acknowledged but one onely God to whom that worshippe which is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was peculiarly and solly due hence came it that the two hierachies could not bee combined in one religion but must needs dissent herein so that the good part was faine to beare the pride and persecution of the bad but that their owne multitude some-times and the prouidence of GOD continually stood for their protection This celestiall society while it is here on earth increaseth it selfe out of all languages neuer respecting the temporall lawes that are made against so good and religious a practise yet not breaking but obseruing their diuersity in diuers nations all which do tend vnto the preseruation of earthly peace if they oppose not the adoration of one onely GOD. So that you see the Heauenly citty obserueth and respecteth this temporall peace here on Earth and the coherence of mens wills in honest morality as farre as it may with a safe conscience yea and so farre desireth it making vse of it for the attaynement of the peace eternall which is so truely worthy of that name as that the orderly and vniforme combination of men in the fruition of GOD and of one another in GOD is to be accompted the reasonable creatures onely peace which being once attained mortality is banished and life then is the a true life indeed nor is the carnall body any more an encombrance to the soule by corruptibility but is now become spirituall perfected and entirely subiect vnto the souerainety of the will This peace is that vnto which the pilgrime in faith referreth the other which he hath here in his pilgrimage and then liueth hee according to faith when all that hee doth for the obteining hereof is by him-selfe referred vnto God and his neighbour with-all because being a cittizen hee must not bee all for him-selfe but sociable in his life and actions L. VIVES THe a true life Ennius vsed the Latine phrase Uita vitalis to which Augustine alludeth Cicero That the suspended doctrine of the new Academy opposeth the constancie of Christianity CHAP. 18. AS for the new Academians whome Varro auoutcheth to hold no certeinty but this That all things are vncertaine the Church of God detesteth these doubts as madnesses hauing a most certaine knowledge of the things it apprehendeth although but in small quantity because of the corruptible body which is a burden to the soule and because as the
God knoweth those that bee his and the deuill cannot draw a soule of them vnto damnation For this God knoweth as knowing all things to come not as one man seeth another in presence and cannot tell what shall be-come either of him hee seeth or of him-selfe here-after The diuell was therefore bound and locked vp that hee should no more seduce the nations the Churches members whom he had held in errour and impiety before they were vnited vnto the Church It is not said that hee should deceiue no man any more but that he should deceiue the people no more whereby questionlesse hee meaneth the Church Proceed vntill the thousand yeares bee fulfilled that is either the remainder of the sixth day the last thousand or the whole time that the world was to continue Nor may wee vnderstand the deuill so to bee barred from seducing that at this time expired hee should seduce those nations againe whereof the Church consisteth and from which hee was forbidden before But this place is like vnto that of the Psalme Our eyes waite vpon the Lord vntill hee haue mercy vpon vs for the seruants of God take not their eyes from beholding as soone as he hath mercy vpon them or else the order of the words is this Hee â—…t him vp and sealed the doore vpon him vntill a thousand yeares were fulfilled all that commeth betweene namely that he should not deceiue the people hauing no necessary connexion here-vnto but beeing to bee seuerally vnderstood as if it were added afterwards and so the sence runne thus And he shut him vp and sealed the dore vpon him vntill a thousand yeares were fulfilled that hee should not seduce the people that is therefore hee shutte him vp so long that he should seduce them no more L. VIVES FRom the a thousand Iohns mention of a thousand yeares in this place and Christs words I will not drinke hence-forth of the fruite of the vine vntill that day that I drinke it new with you in my Fathers kingdome together with many Prophecies touching Christs kingdome in Hierusalem made some imagine that Christ would returne into the world raise the Saints in their bodyes and liue a thousand yeares heere on earth in all ioy peace and prosperitie farre exceeding the golden age of the Poets or that of Sybilla and Esayas The first Author of this opinion was Papias Bishop of Hierusalem who liued in the Apostles times Hee was seconded by Irenaeus Apollinarius Tertullian lib. de fidelium Victorinus 〈◊〉 Lactantius Diuin Instit. lib. 7. And although Hierome deride and scoffe at this opinion in many places yet in his fourth booke of his Commentaries vpon Hieremy hee saith that hee dare not condemne it because many holy martyrs and religious Christians held it so great an authority the person some-times giueth to the position that we must vse great modesty in our dissention with them and giue great reuerence to their godlynesse and grauity I cannot beleeue that the Saints held this opinion in that manner that Cerinthus the heretique did of whome wee read this in Eusebius Cerinthus held that Christ would haue an earthly kingdome in Hierusalem after the resurrection where the Saints should liue in all societie of humaine lusts and concupiscences Besides against all truth of scripture hee held that for a thousand yeares space this should hold with reuells and mariage and other works of corruption onely to deâ—…iue the carnall minded person Dionisius disputing of S. Iohns reuelation and reciting some ancient traditions of the Church hath thus much concerning this man Cerinthus quoth he the author of the Cerinthian heresie delighted much in getting his sect authority by wresting of scripture His heresie was that Christs Kingdome should bee terrestriall and being giuen vp vnto lust and gluttony himselfe he affirmed nothing but such things as those two affects taught him That all should abound with banquets and belly-chere and for the more grace to his assertions that the feasts of the law should be renewed and the offring of carnall sacrifices restored Irenaeus publisheth the secresie of this heresie in his first booke they that would know it may finde it there Thus farre Eusebius Hist. Eccl. lib. 3. wherefore this was not Papias his opinion whose originall Hierome would otherwise haue ascribed vnto Cerinthus who was more ancient then Papias a little though both liued in one age nor would Iraeneus haue written against Cerinthus for he allowed of Papias his opinion neither did all the sects agree in one as touching this thousand yeares but each one taught that which seemed likeliest vnto him-selfe and no wonder in so vaine a fiction Dionisius of Alexandria as Hierome affirmeth In Esai lib. 18. wroâ—… an elegant worke in derision of these Chiliasts and there Golden Hierusalem their reparation of the temple their bloud of sacrifices there Sabbath there circumsitions there birth there mariages there banquets there soueraignties their warres and tryumphs c. b The cheare shall exceed So saith Lactantius The earth shall yeeld her greatest faecundity and yeeld her plenty vntilled The rockie mountaines shall sweate hony the riuers shall runne wine and the fountaines milke To omit Cerinthus his relations which are farre more odious c Chiliast 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a thousand d On the sixt day There is a report that in the bookes of Elias the Prophet it was recorded that the world should last 6000. yeares 2000. vnder vanity vnto Abraham 2000. vnder the law vnto Christ. and 2000. vnder Christ vnto the iudgement This by the Hebrewes account for the LXX haue aboue 3000. yeares from Adam to Abraham And in Augustines time the world lackt not 400 yeares of the full 6000. So that now our Vulgar accoumpt is aboue 6700. yeares Namely from Our Sauiour 1522. Whom Eusebius and such as follow the LXX affirme to haue beene borne in the yeare of the world 5100. and somewhat more Therefore Augustine saith that the later end of the 6000. yeares passed along in his time And Lactantius who liued before Augustine vnder Constantine saith that in his time there was but 200. of the 6000. yeares to runne Of the binding and loosing of the Diuell CHAP. 8. AFter that saith S. Iohn he must be loosed for a season Well although the Diuell be bound and lockt vp that he should not seduce the Church shall hee therefore be looosed to seduce it God forbid That Church which God predestinated and setled before the worlds foundation whereof it is written God knoweth those that be his that the Deuill shall neuer seduce and yet it shal be on earth euen at the time of his loosing as it hath continued in successiue estate euer since it was first erected for by and by after hee saith that the Diuill shall bring his seduced nations in armes against it whose number shal be as the sea sands And they went vp saith hee vnto the plaine of the earth and compassed the tents of the Saints about and
all this whole time from the vnion vnto him to the end of the time implyed in the thousand yeares The rest saith Saint Iohn shall not liue for now is the houre when the dead shall heare the voyce of the sonne of God and they that he are it shall liue the rest shall not liue but the addition vntill the thousand yeares be finished implieth that they shall want life all the time that they should haue it in attayning it by passing through faith from death to life And therefore on the day of the generall resurrection they shall rise also not vnto life but vnto iudgement that is vnto condemnation which is truly called the second death for hee that liueth not before the thousand yeares be expired that is he that heareth not the Sauiours voyce and passeth not from death to life during the time of the first resurrection assuredly shall be throwne both body and soule into the second death at the day of the second resurrection For Saint Iohn proceedeth plainly This saith hee is the first resurrection Blessed and holy is hee that hath part in the first resurrection and part of it is his who doth not onely arise from death in sinne but continueth firme in his resurrection On such saith he the second death hath no power But it hath power ouer the rest of whome hee sayd before The rest shall not liue vntill the thousand yeares bee finished because that in all that whole time meant by the thousand yeares although that each of them had a bodily life at one time or other yet they spent it and ended it with-out arising out of the death of iniquitie wherein the deuill held them which resurrection should haue beene their onely meane to haue purchased them a part in the first resurrection ouer which the second death hath no power An answer to the obiection of some affirming that resurrection is proper to the body onely and not to the soule CHAP. 10. SOme obiect this that resurrection pertaineth onely to the body and therefore the first resurrection is a bodily one for that which falleth say they that may rise againe but the body falleth by death for so is the word Cadauer a carcasse deriued of Cado to fall Ergo rising againe belongeth soly to the body and not vnto the soule Well but what will you answer the Apostle that in as plaine terms as may be he calleth the soules bettring a resurrection they were not reuiued in the outward man but in the inward vnto whom he said If yee then be risen with Christ seeke the things which are aboue which he explaineth else-where saying Like as Christ was raised vp from the dead by the glory of the father so wee also should walke in newnesse of life Hence also is that place Awake thou that sleepest and stand vp from the dead and Christ shall giue thee light Now whereas they say none can rise but those that fall ergo the body onely can arise why can they not heare that shrill sound of the spirit Depart not from him least you fall and againe Hâ—… standeth or falleth to his owne maister and further Let him that thinketh hee sâ—…eth take heed least hee fall I thinke these places meane not of bodily falls but 〈◊〉 the soules If then resurrection concerne them that fall and that the soule â—…y also fall it must needs follow that the soule may rise againe Now Saint 〈◊〉 hauing said On such the second death shall haue no power proceedeth thus But 〈◊〉 shall bee the Priests of God and of Christ and shall reigne with him a thousand â—…es Now this is not meant onely of those whome the Church peculiarly calleth Bishops and Priests but as wee are all called Christians because of our mysticall Chrisme our vnction so are wee all Priests in being the members of â—…e Priest Where-vpon Saint Peter calleth vs A royall Priest-hood an holy nation And marke how briefly Saint Iohn insinuateth the deity a of Christ in these words of God and of Christ that is of the Father and of the Sonne yet as hee was made the sonne of man because of his seruants shape so in the same respect was he made a Priest for euer according to the order of Melchisedech whereof wee haue spoken diuerse times in this worke L. VIVES DEity a of Christ For it were a damnable and blasphemous iniury to God to suffer any one to haue Priests but him alone the very Gentiles would by no meanes allowe it 〈◊〉 Philippic 2. Of Gog and Magog whom the Deuill at the worlds end shall stirre vp against the Church of God CHAP. 11. ANd when the thousand yeares saith hee are expired Sathan shall be loosed out of his prison and shall goe out to deceiue the people which are in the foure quarters of the earth euen God and Magog to gather them together into Battell whose number is as the sand of the sea So then the ayme of his decept shal be this warre for he vsed diuers waies to seduce before and all tended to euill He shall leaue the dennes of his hate and burst out into open persecution This shal be the last persecution hard before the last iudgement and the Church shall suffer it all the earth ouer the whole citty of the Diuell shall afflict the Citty of God at these times in all places This Gog and this Magog are not to bee taken for a any particular Barbarous nations nor for the Getes and Messagetes because of their litterall affinity nor for any other Countryes beyond the Romaines iurisdiction hee meaneth all the earth when hee saith The people which are in the foure quarters of the Earth and then addeth that they are Gog and Magog b Gog is an house and Magog of an house as if hee had sayd the house and hee that commeth of the house So that they are the nations wherein the Deuill was bound before and now that he is loosed cometh from thence they being as the house and hee as comming out of the house But wee referre both these names vnto the nations and neither vnto him they are both the house because the old enemy is hid and housed in them and they are of the house when out of secret hate they burst into open violence Now where as hee sayth They went vp into the plaine of the Earth and compassed the tents of the Saints about and the beloued City wee must not thinke they came to any one set place as if the Saints tents were in any one certaine nation or the beloued Citty either no this Citty is nothing but Gods Church dispersed throughout the whole earth and being resident in all places and amongst all nations as them words the plaine of the Earth do insinuate there shall the tents of the Saints stand there shall the beloued Ctty stand There shall the fury of the presecuting enemy guirt them in with multitudes of all nations vnited in one rage of