for the other the Romaines had those gods and this worship and the Grecians others the French others from theirs Spaine Scythia India Persia all seuerall Bâ—… all that professe CHRIST haue one GOD and one sacrifice d All for the world Liuing vnder Diocletian a sore persecutor of Christianity e Witnesses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a witnesse f â—…hy câ—…eth Why came it not ere now or so g Mountaine Some bookes leaue out of 〈◊〉 â—…se the 70. read it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. the mount of the Lord and house of our God h Iâ—…â—…er It was the beginning or seminary of Gods Church i Commanded Some adde the deuills to depart but it is needlesse k Maternall The mistery is that nothing that oâ—… Sauiour touched is stained or corrupted l In prophecies In Moyses lawe m Performances In our law by Apostles and other holy Preachers n Concerning health Or to befal the health better o Confirming or the rule of which they challenge to themselues in fitting wicked aâ—…fections with correspondent effects For they can vse their powers of nature farre mâ—…re knowingly then we in procuring health or sicknesse Finis lib 10. THE CONTENTS OF THE eleuenth booke of the City of God 〈◊〉 Of that part of the worke wherein the deâ—…ion of the beginnings and ends of the â—…es the Heauenly and Earthly are deâ—… 〈◊〉 Of the knowledge of God which none can 〈◊〉 but through the Mediator betweene â—…d Man the Man Christ Iesus 〈◊〉 Of the authority of the canonicall scripâ—…â—…de by the spirit of God 〈◊〉 â—…at the state of the world is neither eâ—… nor ordained by any new thought of 〈◊〉 â—…f he meant that after which he meant â—…re 〈◊〉 â—…at we ought not to seeke to comprehend â—…te spaces of time or place ere the world 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That the World and Time had both one â—…g nor was the one before the other 〈◊〉 Of the first sixe daies that had morning â—…g ere the Sunne was made 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we must thinke of Gods resting the 〈◊〉 â—…fter his six daies worke 〈◊〉 â—…is to bee thought of the qualities of 〈◊〉 â—…ording to scripture 〈◊〉 â—…e vncompounded vnchangeable 〈◊〉 Father the Sonne and the Holy 〈◊〉 God in substance and quality euer 〈◊〉 same 〈◊〉 â—…ether the Spirits that fell did euer 〈◊〉 the Angells in their blisse at their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 happinesse of the iust that â—…as yet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 reward of the diuine promise comâ—… the first men of Paradise before sins 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Whether the Angells were created in 〈◊〉 of happinesse that neither those that 〈◊〉 â—…hey should fall nor those that perseueâ—…â—…ew they should perseuer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this is meant of the deuill Hee aâ—… in the truth because there is no 〈◊〉 him 〈◊〉 Thâ—… meaning of this place The diuell 〈◊〉 from the beginning 〈◊〉 Of the different degrees of creatures 〈◊〉 â—…ble vse and reasons order do differ 17. That the vice of malice is not naturall but against nature following the will not the Creator in sinne 18. Of the beauty of this vniuerse augmented by Gods ordinance out of contraries 19. The meaning of that God seperated the light from the darkenesse 20. Of that place of scripture spoken after the seperation of the light and darkenesse And God saw the light that it was good 21. Of Gods eternall vnchanging will and knowledge wherin he pleased to create al things in forme as they were created 22. Concerning those that disliked some of the good Creators creatures and thought some things naturally euill 23. Of the error that Origen incurreth 24. Of the diuine Trinity notifying it selfe in some part in all the workes thereof 25. Of the tripartite diuision of all philosophicall discipline 26. Of the Image of the Trinity which is in some sort in euery mans nature euen before his glorification 27. Of Essence knowledge of Essence and loue of both 28. Whether we draw nearer to the Image of the holy Trinity in louing of that loue by which we loue to be and to know our being 29. Of the Angells knowledge of the Trinity in the Deity and consequently of the causes of things in the Archetype ere they come to be effected in workes 30. The perfection of the number of sixe the first is compleate in all the parts 31. Of the seauenth day the day of rest and compleate perfection 32. Of their opinion that held Angells to be created before the world 33. Of the two different societies of Angells not vnfitly tearmed light and darkenesse 34. Of the opinion that some held that the Angells were ment by the seuered waters and of others that held waters vncreated FINIS THE ELEVENTH BOOKE OF THE CITTIE OF GOD. Written by Saint Augustine Bishop of Hippo vnto Marcellinus Of that part of the worke wherein the demonstration of the beginings and ends of the two Citties the heauenly and the earthly are declared CHAP. 1. WE giue the name of the Citty of GOD vnto that society wherof that scripture beareth wittnesse which hath gotten the most excellent authority preheminence of all other workes whatsoeuer by the disposing of the diuine prouidence not the affectation of mens iudgements For there it is sayd Glorious things are spoken of thee thou Citty of God and in an other place Great As the LORD and greatly to bee praised in the Citty of our God euen vpon his holy mountaine increasing the ioy of all the earth And by and by in the same Psalme As wee haue heard so haue wee seene in the Citty of the Lord of Hoastes in the Citty of our God God â—…th established it for euer and in another The riuers streames shall make glad the Citie of God the most high hath sanctified his tabernacle God is in the middest of it vnâ—…ed These testimonies and thousands more teach vs that there is a Citty of God whereof his inspired loue maketh vs desire to bee members The earthly cittizens prefer their Gods before this heauenly Citties holy founder knowing not that he is the God of gods not of those false wicked and proud ones which wanting his light so vniuersall and vnchangeable and beeing thereby cast into an extreame needy power each one followeth his owne state as it were and begs peculiar honors of his seruants but of the Godly and holy ones who select their owne submission to him rather then the worlds to them and loue rather to worship him their God then to be worshipped for gods themselues The foes of this holy Citty our former ten bookes by the helpe of our Lord King I hope haue fully â—…ffronted And now knowing what is next expected of mee as my promise viz. to dispute as my poore talent stretcheth of the originall progresse and consummation of the two Citties that in this worldly confusedly together 〈◊〉 the assistance of the same God and King of ours I set pen to paper intending 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shew the beginning of these two arising from the difference betweene 〈◊〉 â—…gelical powers Of the
razed out Surely the loue of Saluting one another was great in Rome Highly was hee honored that was saluted and well was hee mannerd that did salute but great plausibility attended on both both were very popular and great steps to powrefulnesse Salust in Iugurth Truely some are verie industrious in saluting the people All the Latines writings are full of salutations b Sardanapalus The Grecians called Sardanapalus Thonos Concoloros Hee was the last King of the Assyrians a man throwne head-long into all kinde of pleasures Who knowing that Arbaces the Median prepared to make warres against him resolued to trie the fortune of warre in this affaire But beeing conquered as he was an effeminate fellow and vnfit for all martiall exercises hee fled vnto his house and set it on fire with himselfe and all his ritches in it Long before this when hee was in his fullest madnesse after pleasures hee causes this epitaph to bee engrauen vpon his tombe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Tully translates it thus Haec habeò quae edi quaeque exaturata voluptas Hausit at illa iacent multa et preclara relicta What I consum'd and what my guts engross't I haue but all the wealth I left I lost What else could any man haue written saith Aristotle in Cicero vpon the graue of an Oxe rather then of a King hee saith he hath that being dead which he neuer had whilest hee liued but onely while he was a wasting of it Chrysippus applies the verses vnto his Stoicisme hereof reade Athenaeus lib. 5. Tully his opinion of the Romaine Common-wealth CHAP. 21. BVt if hee be scorned that said their common-wealth was most dishonest and dishonorable and that these fellowes regard not what contagion and corruption of manners doe rage amongst them so that their state may stand and continue now shall they heare that it is not true that Salust saith that their common-wealth is but become vile and so wicked but as Cicero saith it is absolutely gone it is lost and nothing of it remaines For hee brings in Scipio him that destroied Carthage disputing of the weale-publike at such time as it was a presaged that it would perish by that corruption which Saluste describeth For this disputation was b at that time when one of the Gracchi was slaine from which point Salust affirmeth all the great seditions to haue had their originall for in those bookes there is mention made of his death Now Scipio hauing said in the end of the second booke that as in instruments that go with strings or wind or as in voices consorted there is one certaine proportion of discrepant notes vnto one harmony the least alteration whereof is harsh in the care of the skilfull hearer and that this concord doth â—…onsist of a number of contrary sounds and yet all combined into one perfect musicall melody so in a cittye that is gouerned by reason of all the heighest meane and lowest estates as of soundes there is one true concord made out of discordant natures and that which is harmony in musike is vnity in a citty that this is the firmest and surest bond of safety vnto the commonweale and that a commonweale can neuer stand without equity when hee had dilated at large of the benefit that equity brings to any gouernment and of the inconuenience following the absence therof then c Pilus one of the company begins to speake and intreated him to handle this question more fully and make a larger discourse of iustice because it was then become a common report d that a commonwealth could not be gouerned without iniustice and iniury herevpon Scipio agreed that this theame was to be handled more exactly and replied that what was as yet spoken of the commonwealth was nothing and that they could not proceed any farther vntill it were proued not onely that it is faulse that a weale publike cannot stand without iniury but also that it is true that it cannot stand without exact iustice So the disputation concerning this point being deferred vntill the next day following in the third booke it is handled with great controuersie For Pilus he vndertakes the defence of their opinion that hold that a state cannot be gouerned without iniustice but with this prouision that they should not thinke him to bee of that opinion himselfe And he argued very diligently for this iniustice against iustice endevoring by likely reasons and examples to shew that the part hee defended was vse-full in the weale publike and that the contrary was altogether needlesse Then e Laelius being intreated on all sides stept vp and tooke the defence of iustice in hand and withal his knowledge laboured to proue that nothing wrackt a citty sooner then vniustice and that no state could stand without perfect iustice which when hee had concluded and the question seemed to be throughly discussed Scipio betooke himselfe againe to his intermitted discourse and first he rehearseth and approueth his definition of a commonwealth wherein he said it was the estate of the commonty then he determineth this that this commonty is not meant of euery rablement of the multitude but that it is a society gathered together in one consent of law and in one participation of profite Then he teacheth f the profite of definitions in al disputations and out of his definitions he gathereth that onely there is a commonwealth that is onely there is a good estate of the commonty where iustice and honesty hath free execution whether it be by g a King by nobles or by the whole people But when the King becomes vniust whom he calleth h Tyranne as the Greekes do or the nobles be vniust whose combination hee termeth i faction or the people them-selues be vniust for which hee cannot finde a fit name vnlesse he should call the whole company as he called the King a Tyran then that this is not a vicious common-wealth aswas affirmed the day before but as the reasons depending vpon those definitions proued most directly it is iust no common-wealth at all for it is no Estate of the people when the Tyran vsurpeth on it by Faction nor is the commonty a commonty when it is not a society gathered together in one consent of law and one participation of commodities as hee had defined a commonty before VVherefore seeing the Romane Estate was such as Saluste doth descipher it to bee it was now no dishonest or dishonorable Common-wealth as hee affirmed but it was directly no common-wealth at all according vnto the reasons proposed in that discourse of a common-wealth k before so many great Princes and heads thereof and as Tully himselfe not speaking by Scipio or any other but in his owne person doth demonstrate in the beginning of his fift booke where hauing first rehearsed that verse of l Ennius where he saith Moribus antiquis res stat Romana virisque Old manners and old men vpholden Rome Which verse quoth Tully whether you respect the
most was called the most learned of the Gowned men and which neuer man had besides him in his life had his statue set vp in the library which Asinius Pollio made publike at Rome c He saith not Varro as by his bookes left vs doth appeare either regarded not or els attained not any pleasing formality of stile d We saith hee Academ quest lib. 1 and the like is in Philippic 2. e Terentianus A Carthaginian liuing in Diocletians time hee wrote a worke of letters syllables and meeters in verse which is yet extant Seruius and Priscian cite him very often The verse Augustine quoteth is in the chapter of Phaleuciakes f hath written Gellius lib. 3. relateth out of Varro his first booke Hebdomarum that beeing foure-score and foure yeares of age hee had written 490. bookes of which some were lost at the ransacking of his library when he was proscribed The diuision of Varro's bookes which he stileth The antiquity of diuine and humaine affaires CHAP. 3. HE wrote one and forty bookes of antiquities diuiding them into affaires diuineand humaine these hee handled in fiue and twenty of them the diuine in sixteene so following the diuision that euery six bookes of humanity he diuided into a foure parts prosecuting the persons place time and nature of them all in his first sixe hee wrote of the men in the second sixe of the places in his third sixe of the times in his last sixe of the actions One singular booke as the argument of them all hee placed before them all In his d diuinitie also hee followeth the same methode touching the gods for their rites are performed by men in time and place The foure heads I rehersed hee compriseth in three bookes peculiar In the first three of the men the next three of places the third of the times the last of the sacrifices herein also handling who offred where when and what they offered with acuity and iudgement But because the chiefe expectation was to know to whom they offered of this followed a full discourse in his three last bookes which made them vp fifteene But in all 16. because a booke went as an argument by it selfe before all that followed which beeing ended consequently out of that fiue-fold diuision the three first bookes did follow of the men so sub-diuided that the first was of the Priests the second of the 3. of the fifteene d rite-obseruers His second three books of the places â—…dled 1. the Chappels second the Temples 3. the religious places The â—…hree bookes of the times handled first their holydaies 2. the Circensian gamâ—…s 3. the Stage-playes Of the three concerning the sacrifices the 1. handled â—…tions 2. the priuate offerings 3. the publike All these as the partes of thâ—…â—…recedent pompe the goddes them-selues follow in the three last they 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all this cost is bestowed In the 1. the goddes knowne 2. the goddes â—…ine 3. the whole company of them 4. the selected principals of them 〈◊〉 in this goodly frame and fabriâ—…e of a well distinguisht worke it is appaâ—… tâ—… all that are not obstinately blinde that vayne and impudent are they that begge or expect eternall life of any of these goddes both by that we haue spoken 〈◊〉 â—…at wee will speake These are but the institutions of men or of diuels not goâ—…â—…ells as hee saith but to bee plaine wicked spirits that out of their 〈◊〉 mallice instill such pernitious opinions into mens phantasies by abuâ—… 〈◊〉 sences and illuding their weake capacities thereby to draw their 〈◊〉 â—…to vanity more deepe and vnloose the hold they haue or might haue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 changeable and eternall verity Varro professeth him-selfe to write of 〈◊〉 before Diuinity because first saith hee there were Citties and sociâ—… â—…ich afterward gaue being to these institutions But the true religion 〈◊〉 â—…riginall from earthly societies God the giuer of eternall comfort inspiâ—… iâ—…to the hearts of such as honour him L. VIVES 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 parts diuided them into foure sections not inducing parts of contrarieties of 〈◊〉 b In his Diuinity also Identidem the old books read but it may be an error in the 〈◊〉 â—…m is better In like manner c Augurs Their order is of great Antiquitie deriâ—… 〈◊〉 to Greece thence to Hetruria and the Latine Aborigines and so to Rome Romuâ—… Augur and made 3. others Dionisius He set an Augur in euery Tribe Liu. In proâ—…â—…me they added a fourth and afterwards fiue more which made vp nine And so they 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Priests Consuls M. Valerius and Tarâ—…â—…he â—…he proud hauing bought the books of the Sybils appointed two men to looke in them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 need was those were called the Duumvirs of the sacrifices Afterwards these two were 〈◊〉 â—…enne by the Sextian Licinian law in the contention of the orders two yeares before the â—…ians were made capable of the Consulship and a great while after fiue more added wâ—…â—…mber stood firme euer after That by Varro's disputations the affaires of those men that worshipped the goddes are of farre more Antiquitity then those of the goddes them-selues CHAP. 4. Tâ—…is therefore is the reason Varro giueth why hee writes first of the men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…ter of the goddes who had their ceremonious institutions from men 〈◊〉 saith hee the Painter is elder then the picture and the Carpenter then the 〈◊〉 â—…re Citties before their ordinances But yet hee saith if hee were to write of 〈◊〉 â—…ll nature of the goddes hee would haue begun with them and haue dealt 〈◊〉 men afterwards As though heere hee writ but of part of their natures 〈◊〉 of all Or that a some part of the goddes nature though not all should 〈◊〉 â—…lwaies be preferred before men Nay what say you to his discourse in his 〈◊〉 lâ—…st bookes of goddes certaine goddes vncertaine and goddes selected 〈◊〉 hee seemes to omit no nature of the gods Why then should he say if wee 〈◊〉 â—…o write of all the nature of gods and men wee would haue done with the goddes ore wee would begin with the men Eyther hee writes of the goddes natures in whole in part or not all if in whole then should the discourse haue hadde first place in his worke if in part why should it not bee first neuerthelesse Is it vnfit to preferre part of the gods nature before whole mans If it be much to preferre it before all the worldes yet it is not so to preferre it before all the Romaines And the Bookes were written only in Romes respect not in the worlds yet saith he the men are fittest before as the Painter to the picture and the Carpenter to the building plainly intimating that the Deities affaires had as pictures and buildings haue their originall directly from man So then remayneth that hee wrote not all of the goddes natures which hee would not speake plainly out but leaue to the readers collection For where hee saith b not all Ordinarily it is vnderstood Some but may bee taken for None For none neyther
holde nothing more excellent But the other two the first and the third them he distinguisheth and confineth to the Stage and the Citty for wee see that that the pertinence of them to the Cittie hath no consequence why they should pertaine to the VVorld though there bee Citties in the VVorld for false opinion may gette that a beleefe of truth in a Citty which hath not any nature nor place in any part of the VVorld And for the Stage where is that but in the Cittie There ordained by the Citty and for what end but Stage-playes And what Stage-playes but of their goddes of whome these bookes are penned with so much paynes L. VIVES FIrst a fabulare The word Snetonius vseth Hee loued saith hee of Tiberius the reading of Fabular History euen were it ridiculous and foolish b Second The Platonistâ—… chiefly the Stoikes reduced all these goddes fables vnto naturall causes and natures selfe as their heads Plato in Cratylo Cic. de nat deor Phurnut and others But this they doe wring for sometimes in such manner that one may see they do but dally c Heraclitus an Ephesian he wrote a book that needed an Oedipus or the Delian Swimmer and therfore he was called Scotinus darke He held fire the beginning and end of all thinges and that was full of soules and daemones spirits His opinion of the fire Hippasus of Metapontus followed d Numbers Pithagoras held that God our soules and all things in the world consisted vpon numbers and that from their harmonies were all things produced These numbers Plato learning of the Italian Pythagoreans explained them and made them more intelligible yet not so but that the râ—…ader must let a great part of them alone This Cicero to Atticus calleth an obscure thing Plato his numbers c Or of Atomes Epicurus in emulation of Democritus taught that all things consisted of little indiuisible bodies called therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from which notwithstanding he excluded neither forme magnitude nor waight f Then which they hold Nature knoweth nothing more faire or more spacious Seneca Plato in Timeo Tull. de nat deor 2. and other Phylosophers hold this Of the fabulous and pollitike diuinity against Varro CHAP. 6. VArro seeing thou art most acute and doubtlesse most learned yet but a man neither God nor assisted by Gods spirit in the discouery of truth in diuinity thou seest this that the diuine affaires are to bee excluded from humaine vanities and yet thou fearest to offend the peoples vitious opinions and customes in these publike superstitions being notwithstanding such as both thy selfe held and thy written workes affirme to bee directly opposite to the nature of the Deitiâ—…s or such as mens infirmitie surmized was included in the Elements What doth this humaine though excelling wit of thine in this place what helpe doth thy great reading afford thee in these straits Thou art desirous to honor the naturall gods forced to worship the ciuill thou hast found some fabulous ones whom thou darest speak thy minde against giuing a the ciuill some part of their disgrace whether thou wilt or no for thou saist the fabulous are for the Theater the naturall for the world the ciuill for the citty the world beeing the worke of God the Theater Citty of men nor are they other gods that you laugh at then those you worship Nor be your plaies exhibited to any but those you sacrifice vnto how much more subtile were they diuided into some natural and some instituted by men And of these later the Poets bookes taught one part and the priests another yet notwithstanding with such a cohaerence in vntruth yâ— the diueâ—… that like no truth approue theÌ„ both but setting aside your natural diuinity wherof hereafter pleaseth it you to aske or hope for life eternall of your Poetique ridiculous Stage-goddes No at no hand GOD forbid such sacriligious madnesse Will you expect them of those goddes whome these presentations do please and appease though their crimes bee the thinges presented I thinke no man so brainlessly sottish Therefore neither your fabulous diuinity nor your politique can giue you euerlasting life For the first soweth the goddes turpitude and the later by fauouring it moweth it The first spread lies the later collect them The first hanteth the deities with outragious fixions the later imputeth these fixions to the honour of the deities The first makes songs of the goddes lasciuious pranks and the later sings them on the gods feast daies The first recordeth the wickednesses of the goddes and the later loueth the rehearsall of those recordes The first either shameth the goddes or fayneth of them The later either witnesseth the truth or delighteth in the fixion Both are filthy and both are damnable But the fabulous professeth turpitude openly and the politique maketh that turpitude her ornament Is there any hope of life eternall where the temporall suffers such pollution Or doth wicked company and actes of dishonest men pollute our liues and not the society of those false-adorned and filthyly adored fiendes If their faultes be true how vile are they worshipped If false how wicked the worshippers But some ignorant person may gather from this discourse that it is the poeticall fixions only and Stage-presentments that are derogatory from the Deities glory but not the Doctrine of the Priests at any hand that is pure and holy Is it so No if it were they would neuer haue giuen order to erect playes for the goddes honour nor the goddes would neuer haue demaunded it But the Priestes feared not to present such thinges as the goddes honours in the Theaters when as they hadde practised the like in the Temples Lastly our said Author indeauoring to make Politike Diuinity of a third nature from the naturall and fabulous maketh it rather to bee produced from them both then seuerall from eyther For hee saith that the Poets write not so much as the people obserue and the Phylosophers write too much for them to obserue both with notwithstanding they do so eschew that they extract no small part of their ciuill religion from either of them Wherefore wee will write of such thinges as the Poetique and the politique diuinities do communicate Indeed we should acknowledge a greater share from the Phylosophers yet som we must thank the Poets for Yet in anotherplace of the gods generations hee saith the people rather followed the Poets then the Phylosophers for he teacheth what should be don there what was done that the Philosophers wrote for vse the Poets for delight and therfore the poesies that the people must not follow describe the gods crimes yet delight both gods and men for the Poets as he said write for delight and not for vse yet write such thinges as the gods effect and the people present them with L. VIVES GIuing a the ciuill The Coleine readeth Perfundas which wee translate Varro's reproches of the fabulous gods must needes light in part vpon the politique goddes who deriue from
fact by the villens of his Court and amongst the rest the Christians whom Nero was assured should smart for all because they were of a new religion so they did indeede and were so extreamely tortured that their pangs drew teares from their seuerest spectators Seneca meane while begged leaue to retire into the contrie for his healths sake which not obtayning hee kept himselfe close in his chamber for diuers moneths Tacitus saith it was because hee would not pertake in the malice that Nero's sacriledge procured but I thinke rather it was for that hee could not endure to see those massacres of innocents b Manichees They reuiled the old Testament and the Iewes lawe August de Haeres ad Quodvultdeum Them scriptures they sayd GOD did not giue but one of the princes of darkenesse Against those Augustine wrote many bookes That it is plaine by this discouery of the Pagan gods vanity that they cannot giue eternall life hauing not power to helpe in the temporall CHAP. 12. NOw for the three Theologies mythycall physicall and politicall or fabulous naturall and ciuill That the life eternall is neither to be expected from the fabulous for that the Pagans themselues reiect and reprehend nor from the ciuill for that is prooued but a part of the other if this bee not sufficient to proue let that bee added which the fore-passed bookes containe chiefely the 4. concerning the giuer of happinesse for if Felicity were a goddesse to whom should one goe for eternall life but to her But being none but a gift of GOD to what god must we offer our selues but to the giuer of that felicity for that eternall and true happinesse which wee so intirely affect But let no man doubt that none of those filth-adored gods can giue it those that are more filthyly angry vnlesse that worship be giuen them in that manner and herein proouing themselues direct deuills what is sayd I thinke is sufficient to conuince this Now hee that cannot giue felicity how can he giue eternall life eternall life wee call endlesse felicity for if the soule liue eternally in paines as the deuills do that is rather eternall death For there is no death so sore nor sure as that which neuer endeth But the soule beeing of that immortall nature that it cannot but liue some way therefore the greatest death it can endure is the depriuation of it from glory and constitution in endlesse punishment So hee onely giueth eternall life that is endlessely happy that giueth true felicity Which since the politique gods cannot giue as is proued they are not to bee adored for their benefits of this life as wee shewed in our first fiue precedent bookes and much lesse for life eternall as this last booke of all by their owne helpes hath conuinced But if any man thinke because old customes keepe fast rootes that we haue not shewne cause sufficient for the reiecting of their politique Theology let him peruse the next booke which by the assistance of GOD I intend shall immediately follow this former Finis lib. 6. THE CONTENTS OF THE seauenth booke of the City of God 1. Whether diuinity be to be found in the select gods since it is not extant in the politique Theology chapter 1. 2. The selected gods and whither they be excepted from the baser gods functions 3. That these gods elections are without all reason since that baser gods haue nobler charges 4. That the meaner gods beeing buried in silence more better vsed then the select whose 〈◊〉 were so shamefully traduced 〈◊〉 Of the Pagans more abstruse Phisiologicall doctrine 6. Of â—…rro his opinion that GOD was the soule 〈◊〉 world and yet had many soules vnder 〈◊〉 on his parts al which were of the diuine nature 7. Whether it stand with reason that Ianus and Terminus should be two gods 8. 〈◊〉 the worshippers of Ianus made him two 〈◊〉 yet would haue him set forth with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…es power and Ianus his compared 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…ther Ianus and Ioue bee rightly diâ—… 〈◊〉 or no. 〈◊〉 Of Ioues surnames referred all vnto 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God not as to many 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iupiter is called Pecunia also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the interpretation of Saturne and 〈◊〉 â—…roue them both to be Iupiter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the functions of Mars and Mercury 〈◊〉 Of certaine starres that the Pagans call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Of Apollo Diana and other select gods 〈◊〉 â—…ts of the world 〈◊〉 That Varro himselfe held his opinions of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be ambiguous 18. The likeliest cause of the propagation of Paganisme 19. The interpretations of the worship of Saturne 20. Of the sacrifices of Ceres Elusyna 21. Of the obscaenity of Bacchus sacrifice 22. Of Neptune Salacia and Venillia 23. Of the earth held by Varro to be a goddesse because the worlds soule his God doth penetrate his lowest part and communicateth his essence there-with 24. Of Earths surnames and significations which though they arose of diuers originalls yet should they not be accounted diuers gods 25. What exposition the Greeke wise-men giue of the gelding of Atys 26. Of the filthinesse of this great Mothers sacrifice 27. Of the Naturallists figments that neither adore the true Diety nor vse the adoration thereto belonging 28. That Varro's doctrine of Theology hangeth no way togither 29. That all that the Naturalists refer to the worlds parts should be referred to GOD. 30. The means to discerne the Creator from the Creatures and to auoide the worshipping of so many gods for one because their are so many powers in one 31. The peculiar benefits besides his common bounty that GOD bestoweth vpon his seruants 32. That the mistery of our redemption by Christ was not obscure in the precedent times but continually intimated in diuers significations 33. That Christianity onely is of power to lay open the diuills subtilly and delight in illuding of ignorant men 34. Of Numa his bookes which the Senate for keeping their misteries in secret did command should be burned 35. Of Hydromancy whereby Numa was mocked with apparitions FINIS THE SEVENTH BOOKE OF THE CITTIE OF GOD Written by Saint Augustine Bishop of Hippo vnto Marcellinus Whether diuinity be to be found in the select Gods since it is not extant in the Politique Theologie CHAP. 1. VVHereas I employ my most diligent endeauor about the extirpation of inueterate and depraued opinions which the continuance of error hath deeply rooted in the hearts of mortall men and whereas I worke by that grace of GOD who as the true GOD is able to bring this worke to effect according to my poore talent The quicke and apprehensiue spirits that haue drawne full satisfaction from the workes precedent must beare my proceedings with pardon and pacience and not thinke my subsequent discourse to bee superfluous vnto others because it is needlesse vnto them The affirmation that diuinity is not to bee sought for terrestriall vies though thence wee must desire all earthly supplies that we neede but for the celestiall glory which is neuer not eternall
is a great matter This diuinity or let mee say deity for this a word our Christians haue now in vse as expressly traduced from the Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This diuinity therefore or deity is not in that politique Theology which M. Varro discourseth of in his 16. bookes that is the worship of any god there expressed will not yeeld to man eternall life hee that will not bee perswaded this is true out of our sixth booke last finished when hee hath read this I beleeue shall not finde any point of this question left vndiscussed for some perhaps may thinke that the selected gods of Varro's last booke whereof wee sayd some what and none but they are to bee honored for this eternall beatitude I say not herein as b Tertullian said with more conceite prehaps then truth if the gods be chosen like c scallions then the rest are counted wicked This I say not for I see that out of an elected sort another perticular election may be made as out of a company of elected souldiars one is elected for this office in armes and another for one not so weighty and in the church when the elders are elected the others are not held reprobate beeing all GODS good faithfull elect In architecture corner and foundation stones are chosen yet the rest are not refused but will fit other places Grapes are chosen to eate but they are not worth nought which we leaue for wine The matter is plaine and needes no farther processe Wherefore neither the gods nor their seruants are falty in that they are selected from many but let vs rather looke what the selected are and what is the end of their selection L. VIVES THis a word Vsed by Hierome Lactantius and Fulgentius the Greekes deriued the substantiue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 diuinity from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 diuine which substantiue the Christians tooke in as large a sence as the word it selfe Diuine and when the would expresse Gods nature with the fittest tearme they vsed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So doth Athanas. both the Gregories and other Grecians which they might rather do saith Quintillian then the Latines But yet all the strict rules of art could not keepe the latines from vsing Deitas the deity in expressing Gods proper nature nor is it extended so farre as Diuine is or diuinity for they are spoken of bookes deeds men c. But neither Deitas or Deus are praedicates for them though they bee diuine And therefore methinkes Ualla doth blame the Christian writers vndeseruedly to say they vse a new word not heard of before In Dialectica For to take away the Greekes authority of framing themselues words is to cancell their old priuiledges b Tertullian Of him read Hierome de scriptor Eccl. Hee was a Priest of Carthage Sonne to a vice consull quicke witted and vehement he liued in the times of Seuerus and Caracalla and wrot much which being recorded I surcease 〈◊〉 â—…count Ciprian the Martir passed not a day without reading a peece of his workes but called him his Maister yet fell hee to bee a Montanist through the enuy and malice of the clergy of Rome All this hath Hierome His bookes lay many ages lost at last this very yeare when this booke came forth Beatus Rhenanus of Sletstad a learned scoller found them in Germanie and set them forth at Frobenius his presse c Scallions Bulbus is a name to all rootes that are like onions Palladius vseth it for the lilly roote but the proper Bulbi are they that tâ—… Arabians all Mergarides and prouoke lust as Martiall shewes Plinny lib. 1. saith the chiefe of those Bulbi are the squillae or sea vnions of which sort the roote called Epimenidia is onely fit to eate Theophrast lib. 7. The rest are not for meate The selected gods and whether they be exempted from the baser gods functions CHAP. 2. THose a selected gods Varro commendeth in one whole booke and these they are Ianus Ioue Saturne Genius Mercury Appollo Mars Vulcan Neptune Sol Orcus Liber Pater Tellus Ceres Iuno Luna Diana Minerua Venus and Vesta In these 20 are 〈◊〉 males and 8. females Now b whether are they called select for their princiâ—…â—…arges in the world or for that they were more knowne adored then â—…he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because of their greater charges then may they not come to meddle 〈◊〉 â—…ty businesses of the baser gods But at the conception of the child 〈◊〉 those petty gods charges arise Ianus is making fit receit for the seede 〈◊〉 hath businesse in the seed also d Liber is making the mans seed flow â—…ly and Libera whome they say is Venus she is working the like in the 〈◊〉 all these are of your selected gods But then there is Mena the godâ—…â—…he female fluxe a daughter of Ioue but yet a base one And f this sway 〈◊〉 he giueth to Iuno also in his booke of the select ones amongst whom 〈◊〉 â—…eene and here is Iuno Lucina together with her stepdaughter Mena rule 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bloud And then there are two obscure fellowes of gods Vitumnus 〈◊〉 â—…us one giueth vitall breth and another sence to the child beâ—… These two base gods do more seruice here then all the other great 〈◊〉 gods for what is all that the heape together in the womans wombe 〈◊〉 life and sence but as a lumpe of g clay and dust L. VIVES THose a Selected To the twelue counsellor gods before remembred were twelue other added as Nobles but not Senators yet such as had greate charge in the world and greâ—… share in diuers consultations as others of other meaner sort haue sometimes Seneca 〈◊〉 that Ioue made Ianus one of the Conscript fathers and consull of the afternoone but 〈◊〉 â—…ee scoffeth though indeed all these god-stories are but meere fopperies And 〈◊〉 the couples Iupiter and Iuno Saturne and Tellus Mercury and Minerua but not â—…d but both of one science as Bacchus and Ceres Apollo Diana and are then Mars and Venus the two louers Uulcan and Vesta the two fires Sol and Luna the worlds two lights marry Ianus Neptune Genius and Orcus the goddesse vnchosen are all too base for them b Whether A problematique forme of argument c Saturne comming of Satuâ—… a thing sowne Var. de Lin. lat l. 4. d Liber Cicero de nat deor 2. saith that Liber Bacchus sonne to Ioue and Semele is one and Liber that the Romaines worship so reuerently with Libera and Ceres is another That these two later were Ceres children and so called Liberi Libera was daughter to Ceres and called Proserpina saith he In Uerr Actio 6. These three had a temple neare the great Circuite vowed by A. Posthumus Dictator and renewed by Tiberâ—… Caesar. Tacit. lib. 2. e Mena the Moone 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Greeke because the womens fluxe follows her motion Arist. de anima shee was the daughter of Ioue and Latona and therefore he calleth her Iuno's step-daughter But by this name she
for the thing it selfe and a flaggon a set in Libers 〈◊〉 to signifie wine taking the continent for the contained so by that huâ—… shape the reasonable soule in the like included might bee expressed of 〈◊〉 â—…ure they say that God or the gods are These are the mysticall doctrines 〈◊〉 â—…is sharpe witt went deepe into and so deliuered But tell mee thou accâ—…n hast thou lost that iudgement in these mysteries that made thee say that they that first made Images freed the Cittie from all awe and added error to error and that the old Romaines serued the gods in better order without any statues at all They were thy authors for that thou spokest against their successors For had they had statues also perhaps feare would haue made thee haue suppressed thy opinion of abolishing Images and haue made thee haue sought further for these vaine Mythologies and figments for thy soule so learned and so ingenious which we much bewaile in thee by being so ingratefull to that God by whom not with whom it was made nor was a part of him but a thing made by him who is not the life of all things but all lifes maker could neuer come to his knowledge by these mysteries But of what nature and worth they are let vs see Meane time this learned man affirmeth the worlds soule intirely to bee truly God so that all his Theologie being naturall extendeth it selfe euen to the nature of the reasonable soule Of this naturall kinde hee speaketh briefly in his booke whence we haue this wherein wee must see whether all his mysticall wrestings can bring the naturall to the ciuill of which he discourseth in his last booke of the select Gods if he can all shall be naturall And then what need hee bee so carefull in their distinction But if they be rightly diuided seeing that the naturall that he liketh so of is not true for hee comes but to the soule not to God that made the soule how much more is the ciuill kinde vntrue and subiect that is all corporall and conuersant about the body as his owne interpretations being dilligently called out shall by my rehearsall make most apparent L. VIVES FLaggon a Oenophorum of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wine and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to carry Iuuenall vseth the word Sat. 6. and Apuleius Asin. l. 2. 8. and Martiall Pliny saith it was a worke of the rare painter Praxitales but he meanes a boy bearing wine Beroaldus out of this place gathereth that they vsed to set a flaggon of wine in Bacchus temple It is more then hee can gather hence though it may be there was such an vse Of Varro his opinion that God was the soule of the world and yet had many soules vnder him in his parts all which were of the diuine nature CHAP. 6. THe same Varro speaking further of this Physicall Theology a saith that he holds God to be the soule of the world which the Greekes call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and b that this world is God But as a whole man body and soule is called wise of the soule onely so is the world called God in respect of the soule onely being both soule and body Here seemingly he confesseth one God but it is to bring in more for so he diuides the world into heauen and earth heauen into the ayre and the skie earth into land and water all which foure parts he filles with soules the skye c highest the ayre next then the water and then the earth the soules of the first two hee maketh immortall the latter mortall The space betweene the highest heauen and the Moone hee fills with soules ethereall and starres affirming that they both are and seeme celestiall Gods d Betweene the Moone and the toppes of the windes he bestoweth ayry soules but inuisible saue to the minde calling them Heroes Lares and Genij This he briefly recordeth in his prologue to his naturall Theologie which pleased not him alone but many Philosophers more whereof with Gods helpe we will discourse at full when wee handle the ciuill Theologie as it respecteth the select gods L. VIVES THeology a saith The Platonists Stoiks Pythagorians and the Ionikes before them all held God to bee a soule but diuersly Plato gaue the world a soule and made them conioyned god But his other god his Mens he puts before this later as father to him The Stoikes and hee agree that agree at all Thales and Democritus held the worlds soule the highest god b That this Plato the Stoikes and many Phylosophers held this c Skie the highest Aristotle puts the fire aboue the ayre and the heauen the Platonists held the heauen to be fiery and therefore called Aether And that the ayre next it was a hurtlesse fire kindled by it This many say that Plato heldâ—… following Pythagoras who made the vniuersall globe of 4. bodies But Uarro heere maketh ayre to be next heauen as the Stoikes did especially and others also Though the Platoâ—… and they differ not much nor the Peripatetiques if they speak as they meane and be rightly vnderstood But aether is the aire as well as the skie and fire as caelum is in latine Virgil. Illa leuem fugiens raptim secat aethera pennis With swift-wing'd speede she cuts the yeelding aire a 〈◊〉 the moone The first region of the Ayre Aristotle in his Physicks ending at the toppe of the cloudes the second contayning the cloudes thunder rayne hayle and snowâ—… the 〈◊〉 from thence to the Element of fire Whether it stand with reason that Ianus and Terminus should bee two godees CHAP. 7. I 〈◊〉 therfore whome I begun with what is he The a world Why this is a plaine and brief answer but why hath b he the rule and beginnings then and another one Terminus of the ends For therfore they haue two c months dedicated to them Ianuary to Ianus and February to Terminus And so the d Terminaâ—… then kept when the e purgatory sacrifice called f Februm was also kept 〈◊〉 the moneth hath the name Doth then the beginning of things belong to the â—…ld to Ianus and not the end but vnto another Is not al things beginning 〈◊〉 world to haue their end also therein What fondnesse is this to giue him 〈◊〉 â—…se a power and yet a double face were it not better g to call that double-faced statue both Ianus and Terminus and to giue the beginnings one face and the 〈◊〉 another because he that doth an act must respect both For in all actions 〈◊〉 that regardeth not the beginning fore-seeth not the end So that a respectiue memory and a memoratiue prouidence must of force go together But if they imagine that blessednes of life is but begun and not ended in this world and that therefore the world Ianus is to haue but power of the beginnings why then they should put Terminus amongst the selected gods before him For though they were both imploied about one subiect yet Terminus should haue
opinion of Idolatry and how hee might come to know thâ—… the Aegiptian superstitions were to be abrogated 24. How Hermes openly confessed his progenitors error and yet bewailed the destruction of it 25. Of such things as may bee common in Angells and Men. 26. That all paganisme was fully contaiâ—…d in dead men 27. Of the honor that Christians giue to â—…he Martirs FINIS THE EIGHTH BOOKE OF THE CITTIE OF GOD. Written by Saint Augustine Bishop of Hippo vnto Marcellinus Of the questions of naturall Theologie to bee handled with the most excellent Philosophers CHAP. 1. NOw had wee need to call our wittes together in farre more exacte manner then we vsed in our precedent discourses for now wee are to haue to doe with the Theology called naturall nor deale wee against each fellow for this is neither the ciuill nor stage-theology the one of which recordes the gods filthy crimes and the other their more filthy desires and both shew â—…lls and not gods but against Philosophers whose very name a truely iâ—…ed professeth a loue of wisdome Now if GOD b bee wisdome as 〈◊〉 scripture testifieth then a true Philosopher is a louer of GOD. But 〈◊〉 the thing thus called is not in all men that boast of that name for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are called Philosophers are not louers of the true wisdome we must 〈◊〉 as wee know how they stand affected by their writings and with â—…te of this question in due fashion I vndertake not here to refute all â—…ophers assertions that concerne other matters but such onely as perâ—… Theology which e word in greeke signifieth speech of diuinity 〈◊〉 that kinde either but onely such as holding a deity respecting matâ—…â—…iall yet affirme that the adoration of one vnchangeable GOD sufâ—… vnto eternall life but that many such are made and ordained by him 〈◊〉 â—…red also for this respect For these doe surpasse Varro his opinion in 〈◊〉 at the truth for hee could carry his naturall Theology no farther 〈◊〉 world and the worldes soule but these beyond all nature liuing acâ—… a GOD creator not only of this visible world vsually called Heauen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but of euery liuing soule also and one that doth make the reasonâ—… blessed by the perticipation of his incorporeall and vnchangeable 〈◊〉 that these Philosophers were called Platonists of their first founder Plato 〈◊〉 that none that hath heard of these opinions but knoweth L. VIVES Vâ—…y a name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wisdomes loue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wisdomes louer whose contrary is 〈◊〉 opposition to wisdome as Speusippus saith b Bee wisdome Wisdome the 7. Pâ—…o the Hebrewes chapter 1. Doe call the sonne the wisdome of the father by which hee â—…de the world c. The thing Lactantius holds this point strongly against the Philosophers 〈◊〉 â—…eins hath an elegant saying I hate saith hee the men that are idle indeede and Phiâ—…all in word But many haue handled this theme d All that A different reading all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pâ—…rpose e Word in greekâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 speech or discourse or reason concerning GOD 〈◊〉 is all these Of the two kinds of Philosophers Italian and Ionian and of their authors CHAP. 2. VVHerefore concerning this Plato as much as shall concerne our purpose I will speake in briefe with a remembrance of such as before him held the same positions The greeke monuments a language the most famous of all the nations doe record a two kinds of Philosophers th' Italian b out of that part of Italy which was whilom called Magna Grecia and the c Ionian in the country now called Greece The Italian had their originall from d Pythagoras of Samos e who also was the first author they say of the name of Philosophers For whereas they were before called wise men that professed a reformed course of life aboue the rest hee beeing asked what hee professed answered hee was a Philosopher that is a louer and a longer after wisdome but to call himselfe a wise man hee held a part of too great arrogance But the Ionikes were they whose chieÌ„fe was f Thales Milesius g one of the seauen Sages But the h other sixe were distinguished by their seuerall courses of life and the rules they gaue for order of life But Thales to propagate his doctrine to succession searched into the secrets of nature and committing his positions vnto monuments and letters grew famous but most admired hee was because hee got the knowledge of k Astrologicall computations and was able to prognosticate the eclipses of Sunne and Moone yet did hee thinke that all the world was made of l water that it was the beginning of all the elements and all thereof composed m Nor did hee teach that this faire admired vniuerse was gouerned by any diuine or mentall power After him came n Anaximander his scholler but hee changed his opinion concerning the natures of things holding that the whole world was not created of one thing as Thales held of water but that euery thing had originall from his proper beginnings which singular beginnings hee held to be infinite that infinit worlds were thereby gotten all which had their successiue original continuance and end o nor did he mention any diuine minde as rector of any part hereof This man left p Anaximenes his scholler and successor who held all things to haue their causes from the q infinite ayre but hee professed their was gods yet made them creatures of the ayre not creators thereof But r Anaxagoras his scholler first held the diuine minde to bee the efficient cause of all things visible out of an infinite matter consisting of s vnlike partes in themselues and that euery kinde of thing was produced according to the Species but all by the worke of the diuine essence And t Diogenes another of Anaximenes his followers held that the u ayre was the substance producing all things but that it was ayded by the diuine essence without which of it selfe it could doe nothing To Anaxagoras succeeded x Archelaus and y hee also held all things to consist of this dissimilitude of partes yet so as there was a diuine essence wrought in them by dispersing and compacting of this z consonance and dissonance This mans scholler was a Socrates Plato his Maister for whose sake I haue made this short recapitulation of these other L. VIVES TWo a kindes The sects of Philosophers at first were so great in Greece that they were distinguished by the names of the Seigniories they liued in One of Italy the country where Phythagoras the first Maister of one opinion taught another of Ionia Thales his natiue soile wherein Miletum standeth called also saith Mela Ionia because it was the chiefe Citty of that country So did Plato and Aristotle distinguish such as were of more antiquity then these b Out of that part At Locris saith Pliny beginneth the coast of that part of Italy called Magna Grecia it is extended into three bares and confronteth the Hadriatique sea now
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
hoping to become Lemures or Manâ—…s the more desirous they are 〈◊〉 the worse they turne into and are perswaded that some sacrifices will call 〈◊〉 to do mischiefe when they are dead and become such for these Laruae 〈◊〉 â—…e are euill Daemones that haue beene men on earth But here is another 〈◊〉 let it passe hee saith further the Greekes call such as they hold blesâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 good Daemones herein confirming his position that mens soules 〈◊〉 Daemones after death L. VIVES HE saith a Hauing often named Genius and Lar giuâ—… me leaue good reader to handle 〈◊〉 here a little Apuleius his words are these In some sence the soule of man while it is in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may be called a Daemon Dii ne hunc ardorem mentibus addunt Euriale an sua cuâ—…que deus sit dira Cupido Causen the gods Eurialus these fires Or beene those gods which men call loose desires Sâ—… thâ—… good desire is a good god in the minde Some therefore thinke they are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is whose soule is purest perfect I know not if I may translate it the Genius beâ—…se that god which is each mans soule though hee bee immortall yet hath originall after 〈◊〉 manner with each man and thether tend the praiers we offer to our genius at carâ—…â—…iunctions Some assigne the body and soule seuered whose coniunction produceth 〈◊〉 so that the second sort of Daemones is mens soules acquit from the bonds of body and 〈◊〉 these the ancient Latine call Lemures and such of these as haue a care of their proâ—… 〈◊〉 staies quietly about the house are called Lares But sâ—…ch as for their bad liues are bound to wander and vse to amaze good men with idle apparitions but to hurt the euill men call Laruae But when their merits are indifferent betweene the Lar and the Larua then they are called Manes and for honors sake are surnamed gods For such as liued orderly and honestly of those persons were first graced with diuine titles by their successors and so got admittance into the temples as Amphiarus in Baeotia Mopsus in Africk 〈◊〉 in Egypt others elsewhere and Aesculapius euery where And thus are gods that haue beene mortall men diuided Thus farre out of Apuleius from a most vnperfect copy though printed by one of good credit Plato also calles our soules least part a Daemon lâ—… Cratil His words you know whom Hesiod calls Daemones euen those men of the golden age for of them hee saith Mens an daemon At genus hoc postquam fatalis condidit hora. Demones hi puri terrâ—…stres tunc vocitantur Custode hominum faelices qui mala pellunt A Daemon or a minde But when set fate calld hence this glorious kinde Then hight they Earthly Daemones and pure Mans happy guides from ill and guards most sure I thinke they were called golden not that they were worth gold because they were iust and vertuous and in that respect are we called Iron But any good man of those daies shall stand in the ranke of Hesiodes golden men also And who is good but the wise I hold therefore that hee called them Daemons for their wisdome experience as the word imports wherefore well wrot hee and whosoeuer wrot it A good man dying is aduanced and made a Daemon in his wisdome So say I that a wise man dying and liuing so becometh a good Daemon as 〈◊〉 also affirmeth Thus far Plato in his Timaeus whence doubt not but Origen had his error that mens soules become Daemones and so contrariwse Plutarch Orig. Porphiry also saith that a proper part of the soule viz the vnderstanding is a Daemon which hee that hath wise is a happy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and hee that hath not is vnhappy that euill soules become wicked spirits and liers and deceiuers like them But Proclus distinguisheth of a Daemon and makes all plaine It is true saith hee that Plato saith there is a Daemon in the reasonable soule but that is comparatiuely true not simply for their is a Daemon essentiall a Daemon in respect and a Daeâ—… in habit Euery thing in respect of the inferiour as a Daemon is called a Daemon so Iupiter calls his father Saturne in Orpheus And Plato calls them gods that haue the immediate disposition of generation Daemones to declare the nature and generation of the other Daemones were more then man can comprehend saith hee for each power that affordeth a man immediate protection be it a god lesse or more is called a Daemon Now the habitual Daemon is the soule that hath practised it selfe wholly in actions rather diuine then humane and so hath had seciall dependance therevpon and in this sence Socrates calles the soules that liued well and are preferred to better place and dignity Daemons But the essentiall Daemon hath not his name from habite or respect but from the propriety of his owne nature and is distinct from the rest in essence proprieties and actions But indeed in Tymâ—…us each reasonable soule is called a Dâ—… Thus far Prâ—…clus who liketh not that a soule should be called a Daemon simply for that he restraines only to that essence that is a meane between the gods vs nor wil haue any thing but our soule called a Daemon compaâ—…atiue not that which worketh the chieâ—…e in it be it reason or affect in miâ—…ds sound or peâ—…turbed wherein Apuleius and hee agree not for that wâ—…ch Uirgill saith it is indeed a ridle or a probleme is like this of Plato law to the good 〈◊〉 is his god lust to the euill Seruius expounds Virgill thus Plotine and other Philosophers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…stion whether our minde moue of it selfe vnto affects or counsells or bee lâ—…d by sâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 first they said it is moued it selfe yet found they afterwards that our faâ—…iliar 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…stigator to all goodnesse and this wee haue giuen vs at our birth but fâ—… affectiâ—…s 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in those wee are our owne guides for it is impossible that the good gods shâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vnto euill Thus much Seruius But surely the affects that do mooue vs Plato calleth also Daemones And it is a wounder to see the controuersies of men of one sect in the question of gods and Daemones Apuleius hee contradicted pâ—… Plâ—… him Porphyry all of them nor can Iamblichus and he agree nor Proclus and Iamblichus 〈◊〉 them-selues setting difference amongst them as they please to teach them b Lares 〈◊〉 with the Genti saith Apuleius and Censorinus sheweth it in an old opinion De die nat 〈◊〉 â—…slates Daemones by Lares mary with a condition If I may say so Capella calls them 〈◊〉 and Angeli and Seruius in Aeneid 6. Manes it is said each man hath his good Geniâ—…â—…is â—…is bad viz reason that effecteth good and lust euill This is the Larua the euill 〈◊〉 that the Lar the good one If the Larua ouer-rule a man in
and the Holy spirit one God in substance and quality euer one and the same CHAP. 10. GOod therefore which is God is onely simple and consequently vnchangeable This good created all things but not simple therefore changeable I say created that is made not begotte For that which the simple good begot is as simple as it is and is the same that begot it These two we call Father and sonne both which with their spirit are one God that spirit being the fathers and the sonnes is properly called in scriptures the holy spirit a it is neither father nor sonne but personally distinct from both but it is not really for it is a simple and vnchangeable good with them and coeternall And this trinity is one God not simple because a trinity for we call not the nature of that good simple because the father is alone therein or the sonne or holy ghost alone for that name of the trinitie is not alone with personall subsistance as the b Sabâ—…llians held but it is called simple because it is one in essence the same one in quality excepting their personall relation for therein the father hath a sonne yet is no sonne the sonne a father yet is no father c But in consideration each of it selfe the quality and essence is both one therein as each liueth that is hath life anâ—… is life it selfe This is the reason of the natures simplicity wherein nothing adheareth that can bee lost nor is the continent one the thing conteined another as vessels liquors bodies and colours ayre and heate or the soule and wisdome are for those are not coessentiall with their qualities the vessell is not the liquor nor the body the colour nor ayre heate nor the soule wisdome therefore may they all looâ—… these adiuncts and assume others the vessel may be empty the body discoloured the ayre cold the soule foolish But d the body being one incorruptible as the saints shall haue in the resurrection that incorruption it shall neuer loose yet is not that incorruption one essence with the bodily substance For it is a like in all parts of the body all are incorruptible But the body is greater in whoâ—…e then in part and the parts are some larger some lesser yet neither enlarging or lessening the incorruptibility So then e the body being not entire in it selfe incorruptibility being intire in it selfe do differ for all parts of the body haue inequalitie in themselues but none in incorruptibility The finger is lesse then the hand but neither more nor lesse corruptible then the hand being vnequall to themselues their incorruptibility is equall And therefore though incorruptibility be the bodies inseperable inherent yet the substance making the body the quality mâ—…ing it incorruptible are absolutely seuerall And so it is in the adiunct aforesaid of the soule though the soule be alwaies wise as it shall bee when it is deliuered from misery to eternity though it be from thence euermore wise yet it is by participation of the diuine wisdome of whose substance the soule is not For though the ayre be euer light it followeth not that the light and the ayre should be all one I say not this f as though the ayre were a soule as some that g could not conceiue an vncorporal nature did imagine But there is a great similitude in this disparity so that one may fitly say as the corporeall ayre is lightned by the corporeal light so is the incorporeal soule by gods wisdomes incorporeall light as the aire being depriued of that light becomes darke h corporeall darknesse being nothing but aire depriued of light so doth the soule grow darkned by want of the light of wisdom According to this then they are called simple things tâ—…at are truely and principally diuine because their essence and i their quality are indistinct nor do they partake of any deity substance wisdome or beâ—…titude but are all entirely them-selues The scripture indeed calls the Holy Ghost the manifold spirit of wisdome because the powers of it are many but all one with the essence and all included in one for the wisdome thereof iâ—… not manyfold but one and therein are infinite and vnmeasurable k treasuries of things intelligible wherein are all the immutable and inscrutable causes of al things both visible and mutable which are thereby created for God did nothing vnwittingly l it were disgrace to say so of any humaine artificer But if he made all knowing then made hee but what hee knew This now produceth a wonder but yet a truth in our mindes that the world could not be vnto vs but that it is now extant but it could not haue beene at all m but that God knew it L. VIVES IT is a Neither Words I thinke ad little to religion yet must we haue a care to keepe the old path and receiued doctrine of the Church for diuinity being so farre aboue our reach how can wee giue it the proper explanation All words are mans inuention for humane vses and no man may refuse the old approued words to bring in new of his owne inuention for when as proprieties are not to be found out by mans wit those are the fittest to declare things by that ancient vse hath leâ—… vs and they that haue recorded most part of our religion This I say for that a sort of smattring rash fellowes impiously presume to cast the old formes of speach at their heeles and to set vp their own maisters-ships being grâ—…ssly ignorant both in the matters and their bare formes and will haue it lawâ—…ull for them at their fond likings to 〈◊〉 or fashion the phrases of the fathers in matâ—…er of religion into what forme they list like a 〈◊〉 of waxe b Sabellians Of them before The hâ—…ld no persons in the Ternity c But in câ—…deration The Bruges copy reads it without the sentence precedent in the copy that Uiues commented vpon and so doth Paris Louaines and Basills all d The body Prouing accidents both separable and inseparable to be distinct from the substance they do adhere vnto e The body being not The body consâ—…sts of parts â—…t cannot stand without them combined and coâ—…gulate in one the hand is not the body of his whole nor the magnitude yet the incorâ—…bility of the hand is no part of the bodies incorruptibility for this is not diuisible though it be in the whole body but so indiuisible that being all in all the body it is also all in 〈◊〉 part and so are all spirituall things Angels soules and God their natures possesse no place so that they may say this is on my rigâ—…t haâ—…d this on the left or this aboue and this below but they are entirely whole in euery particle of their place and yet faâ—…le not to fill the whole whether this be easilier spoken or vnderstood â—…udge you f As though So Anaximenes of Miletus and Diogenes of Apollonia held Anaâ—…as held the soule was like
are wretched wee answere well because they stucke not vnto GOD Then is there no beatitude for any reasonable or vnderstanding creature to attaine but in God So then though all creatures cannot bee blessed for beastes trees stones c. are incapable hereof yet those that are are not so of them-selues beeing created of nothing but they haue it from the Creator Attayning him they are happy loosing him vnhappy But hee him-selfe is good onely of him-selfe and therefore cannot loose his good because hee cannot loose him-selfe Therefore the one true blessed God wee say is the onely immutable good and those thinges hee made are good also because they are from him but they are â—…able because they were made of nothing Wherefore though they bee not the cheefe goods God beeing aboue them yet are they great in beeing able to adhere vnto the cheefe good and so bee happy without which adherence they cannot but bewrteched Nor are other parcels of the creation better in that they cannot bee wretched For wee cannot say our other members are better theÌ„ our eies in that they cannot be blind but euen as sensitiue nature in the worst plight is better then the insensible stone so is the reasonable albeit miserable aboue the brutish that cannot therefore bee miserable This being so then this nature created in such excellence that though it bee mutable yet by inherence with God that vnchangeable good it may become blessed Nor satisfieth the own neede without blessednesse nor hath any meanes to attayne this blessenesse but God truly committeth a great error and enormity in not adhering vnto him And all sinne is against nature and hurtfull there-vnto Wherefore that nature differeth not in Nature from that which adhereth vnto God but in Vice And yet in that Vice is the Nature it selfe laudable still For the Vice beeing iustly discommended commendeth the Nature The true dispraise of Vice being that it disgraceth an honest nature So therefore euen as when wee call blindnesse a fault of the eyes wee shew that sight belongeth to the eye And in calling the fault of the eares deafenesse that hearing belonges to the eare So likewise when wee say it was the Angels fault not to adhere vnto God we shew that that adherence belonged to their natures And how great a praise it is to continue in this adherence fruition liuing in so great a good without death error or trouble who can sufficiently declare or imagine Wherefore since it was the euill Angells fault not to adhere vnto GOD all vice beeing against nature It is manifest that GOD created their natures good since it is hurt only by their departure from him That no essence is contrary to GOD though all the worlds frailty seeme to be opposite to his immutable eternity CHAP. 2. THis I haue said least some should thinke that the Apostaticall a powers whereof wee speake had a different nature from the rest as hauing another beginning and b not GOD to their author VVhich one shall the sooner auoyd by considering what GOD sayd vnto Moyses by his Angells when hee sent him to the children of Israell I am that I am For God beeing the highest essence that is eternall and vnchangeable gaue essence to his creatures but not such as his owne d to some more and to some lesse ordering natures existence by degrees for as wisedome is deriued from being wise so is essence ab ipso esse of hauing being the word is new not vsed of the old Latinists but taken of late into the tongue to serue for to explayne the Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which it expresseth word for word Wherefore vnto that especiall high essence that created all the rest there 's no nature contrary but that which hath no essence f For that which hath beeing is not contrary vnto that which hath also beeing Therefore no essence at all is contrary to GOD the cheefe essence and cause of essence in all L VIVES APostaticall a powers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A forsaker of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The diuels are such that fall from GOD. Theodoret writing of Goddes and Angells sayth the Hebrew word is Satan the Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hierome interpreteth it an aduersary or transgressor b Not GOD Least some should thinke GOD created not their nature c I am Of this already in the eight booke d To some Arist de mundo The nearest vnto GOD sayth Apuleius doe gayne from his power the most celestiall bodies and euery thing the nearer him the more Diuine and the farther the lesser Thus is GODS goodnesse deriued gradually from Heauen vnto vs. And our beleefe of this extension of GODS power wee must thinke that the nearer or farder off that hee is the more or lesse benefite nature feeleth Which the Phylosopher gaue him to vnderstand when hee sayd That Gods essence is communicated to some more and to some lesse For in his predicaments he directly affirmeth that essence admitteth neither intention nor remission more nor lesse A stone hath essence as well as an Angell This therefore is referred to the excellence and qualityes adherent or infused into the essence which admitte augmentation and diminution e The word is Not so new but that Flauius Sergius vsed it before Quintilian but indeed it was not in generall vse till of late when Philosophy grew into the latine tongue f For that Nothing saith Aristotle is contrary to substance taking contrary for two opposites of one kinde as blacke and white both colours for he reckneth not priuations nor contradictories for contraries as he sheweth in his diuision of opposites into foure species Of Gods enemies not by nature but will which hurting them hurteth their good nature because their is no vice but hurteth nature CHAP. 3. THe scripture calleth them Gods enemies because they oppose his soueraignty not by nature but wil hauing no power to hurt him but them selues Their wil to resist not their power to hurt maketh them his foes for he is vnchangeable and wholly incorruptible wherefore the vice that maketh them oppose God is their owne hurt and no way Gods onely because it corrupteth their good nature Their nature it is not but there vice that contratieth God euill onely being contrary to good And who denies that God is the best good so then vice is contrary vnto God as euill is vnto good The nature also which it corrupteth is Good and therefore opposed by it but it stands against God as euill onely against good but against this nature as euill and hurt also for euill cannot hurt GOD but incoruptible natures onely which are good by the testimony of the hurt that euill doth them for if they were not good vice could not hurt them for what doth it in hurting them but a bolish their integrity lustre vertue safety and what euer vice can diminish or roote out of a good nature which if it bee not therein vice taketh it not
opinion for it is not lawfull to hold any creature be it neuer so small to haue any other Creator then God euen before it could be vnderstood But the Angells whome they had rather call Gods though c at his command they worke in things of the world yet wee no more call them creators of liuing things then we call husband-men the creators of fruites and trees L. VIVES WIth a therâ—… With the Epicurists that held althings from chance or from meere nature without GOD althings I meane in this sublâ—…ary world which opinion some say was Aâ—…les or with the heretikes some of whome held the diuills creators of al things corporal b Those that Plato in his Timaeus brings in God the Father commanding the lesser Gods to make the lesser liuing creatures for they are creatures also and so they tooke the immortall beginning of a creature the soule from the starres imitating the Father and Creator and borrowing parcells of earth water and ayre from the world knit them together in one not as they were knit but yet in an insensible connexion because of the combination of such small parts whereof the whole body was framed One Menander a Scholler of Symon Magus said the Angells made the world Saturninus said that 7. Angells made it beyond the Fathers knowledge c Though The Angells as Paul saith are Gods ministers and deputies and do â—…y things vpon earth at his command for as Augustine saith euery visible thing on earth is under an Angelicall power and Gregory saith that nothing in the visible would but is ordered by a visible creature I will except Miracles if any one contend But Plato as he followeth Mâ—…s in the worlds creation had this place also of the creation of liuing things from the Scripures for hauing read that God this great architect of so new a worke said â—…et vs make 〈◊〉 after our owne Image thought he had spoken to the Angells to whose ministery he supposed mans creation committed But it seemed vnworthy to him that God should vse them in â—…king of man the noblest creature and make all the rest with his own hands and therfore he thought the Angels made all whose words if one consider them in Tullies translation which I vse he shal find that Plato held none made the soule but God and that of the stars which â—…ully de 〈◊〉 1. confirmes out of Plato saying that the soule is created by God within the elementary body which he made also and the lesser Gods did nothing but as ministers câ—…e those which hee â—…ad first created and forme it into the essence of a liuing creature Seneca explanes Plaâ—… more plainely saying That when God had laid the first foundation of this rare and excellent frame of nature and begun it he ordayned that each peculiar should haue a peculiar gouernor and though himselfe â—…ad modelled and dilated the whole vniuerse yet created he the lesser gods to be his ministers 〈◊〉 vice-gerents in this his kingdome That no nature or forme of any thing liuing hath any other Creator but God CHAP. 25. WHereas there is one forme giuen externally to all corporall substances according to the which Potters Carpenters and other shape antiques and figures of creatures and another that containeth the efficient causes hereof in the secret power of the vniting and vnderstanding nature which maketh not onely the natural formes but euen the liuing soules when they are not extant The first each artificer hath in his brayne but the later belongs to none but God who formed the world and the Angells without either world or Angells for from that 〈◊〉 all diuiding and all effectiue diuine power which cannot be made but makes and which in the beginning gaue rotundity both to the Heauens Sunne from the same had the eye the apple and all other round figures that wee see in nature their rotundity not from any externall effectiue but from the depth of that creators power that said I fill heauen and earth and whose wisdome reacheth from end to end ordering all in a delicate Decorum wherefore what vse he made of the Angels in the creation making all himselfe I know not I dare neither ascribe them more then their power nor detract any thing from that But with their fauours I attribute the estate of althings as they are natures vnto God onely of whome they thankefully aknowledge their being we do not then call husbandmen the creators of trees or plants or any thing else fot we read Neither is he that planteth any thing neither he that watereth but God that giueth the increase No not the earth neither though it seemes the fruitful mother of al things that grow for wee read also God giueth bodies vnto what hee will euen to euery seed his owne body Nor call wee a woman the creatrixe of her child but him that said to a seruant of his Before I formed thee in the wombe I knew thee although the womans soule being thus or thus affected may put some quality vpon her burthen b as we read that Iacob coloured his sheepe diuersly by spotted stickes yet shee can no more make the nature that is produced then shee could make her selfe what seminall causes then soeuer that Angells or men do vse in producing of things liuing or dead or c proceed from the copulation of male and female d or what affections soeuer of the mother dispose thus or thus of the coullour or feature of her conception the natures thus or thus affected in each of their kindes are the workes of none but God whose secret power passeth through all giuing all being to all what soeuer in that it hath being e because without that hee made it it should not bee thus nor thus but haue no being at all wherefore if in those formes externall imposed vpon things corporall we say that not workemen but Kings Romulus was the builder of Rome and Alexander of f Alexandria because by their direction these citties were built how much the rather ought we to call God the builder of nature who neither makes any thing of any substance but what hee had made before nor by any other ministers but those hee had made before and if hee withdraw his g efficient power from things they shall haue no more being then they had ere they were created Ere they were I meane in eternity not in time for who created time but he that made them creatures whose motions time followeth L. VIVES THat a all-diuiding All diuiding may be some addition the sence is good without it b As we Pliny saith that looke in the Rammes mouth and the collour of the veines vnder his tongue shal be the colour of the lambe he getteth if diuers diuers and change of waters varieth it Their shepehards then may haue sheep of what collour they will which Iacob knew well inough for he liking the particolours cast white straked rods into the watring places at Ramming
freed a-many from it 2. Of the carnall life apparant in the soules viciousnesse as well as the bodies 3. That sinne came from the soule and not the flesh and that the corruption which sinne hath procured is not sinne but the punishment of sinne 4. What it is to liue according to man and to liue according to God 5. That the Platonists teach the natures of soule and bodie better then the Maniches yet they erre in ascribing sinne vnto the nature of the flesh 6. Of the quality of mans will vnto which all affections Good and Bad are subiect 7. That Amor and Dilectio are of indifferent vse in the Scriptures both for Good and Euill 8. Of the three passions that the Stoykes allow a wiseman excluding sadnes as foe to a vertuous mind 9. Of the perturbations of mind which the iust doe moderate and rule aright 10. Whether Man had those perturbations in Paradise before his fall 11. The fall of the first Man wherein Nature was made good and cannot bee repair'd but by the Maker 12. Of the quality of Mans first offence 13. That in Adams offence his Euill will was before his euill woorke 14. Of the pride of the transgressioÌ„ which was worse then the transgression it selfe 15. Of the iust reward that our first parents receiued for sinne 16. Of the euill of lust how the name is geâ—…rall to many vices but proper vnto venereall concupiscence 17. Of the nakednesse that our first parents discouered in themselues after their sinne 18. Of the shame that accompanieth copulation as well in common as in mariage 19. That the motions of wrath and lust are so violent that they doe necessarily require to bee suppressed by wisdome and that they were not 〈◊〉 our Nature before our fall depraued it 20. Of the vaine obscaenity of the Cynikes 21. Of the blessing of multiplication before sinne which the transgression did not abolish but onely linked to lust 22. That God first instituted and blessed the band of marriage 23. Whether if man had not sinned hee should haue begotten children in paradice and whether there should there haue bin any contention betweene chastity and lust 24. That our first parents had they liued without sinne should haue had their members of generation as subiect vnto their wills as any of the rest 25. Of the true beatitude vnattayne ablâ—… 〈◊〉 this life 26. That our first parents in Paradise migâ—… haue produced manking without any shamâ—… appetite 27. That the sinners Angels and men caâ—…not with their peruersenesse disturbe Gods prouidence 28. The state of the two Citties the Heauenly and the Earthly FINIS THE FOVRTEENTH BOOKE OF THE CITTIE OF GOD Written by Saint Augustine Bishop of Hippo vnto Marcellinus That the inobedience of the first man had drawne all mankinde into the perpetuity of the second death but that Gods grace hath freed a many from it CHAP. 1. WE said in our precedent bookes that it was Gods pleasure to propagate all men from one both for the keeping of humaine nature in one sociable similitude and also for to make their vnity of originall be the meanes of their concord in heart Nor should any of this kinde haue dyed but the first two the one whereof was made of the other and the other of nothing had incurred this punishment by their disobedience in committing so great a sinne that their whole nature being hereby depraued was so transfused through all their off-spring in the same degree of corruption and necessity of death whose kingdome here-vpon became so great in man that all should haue beene cast headlong in the second death that hath no end by this due punishment but the vndue a grace of God acquitted some from it whereby it comes to passe that whereas man-kinde is diuided into so many nations distinct in language discipline habite and fashion yet is there but two sorts of men that doe properly make the two citties wee speake of the one is of men that liue according to the flesh and the other of those that liue according to the spirit either in his kinde and when they haue attained their desire either doe liue in their peculiar peace L. VIVES VNdue a grace For God owes no man any thing and therefore it is called grace because it comes gratis freely and because it maketh the receiuer gratum thankfull Who hath giâ—… vnto him first and hee shall be recompensed Rom. 11. 35. If it were due he should not then giue but restore it Not by the workes of righteousnesse which wee haue done but according to his 〈◊〉 hee saued vs. Tit. 3. 5. Of the carnall life apparant in the soules viciousnesse as well as the bodies CHAP. 2. WE must first then see what it is to liue according to the flesh and what according to the spirit The raw and inconsiderate considerer hereof not attending well to the scriptures may thinke that the Epicureans were those that liued according to the flesh because â—…hey made bodily pleasure that summum boâ—… and all such as any way held corporall delight to be mans chiefest good as the vulgar also which not out of Philosophy but out of their owne pronenesse to lust can delight in no pleasures but such as are bodily and sensible but that the Stoickes that placed this summum bonum in the minde liue according to the spirit for what is mans minde but his spirit But the Scriptures prooue them both to follow the courses of the flesh calling the flesh not onely an earthly animate body as it doth saying All flesh is not the same flesh for there is one flesh of men and another flesh of beasts and another of fishes and another of birdes but it vseth the worde in farre other significations amongst which one is that it calleth whole man that is his intire nature flesh vsing the part for the whole as By the workes of the lawe shall no flesh be iustified What meanes hee by no flesh but no man hee explaineth him-selfe immediatly a man is iustified by faith without the workes of the lawe And in another place No man is iustified by the lawe The word was made flesh What is that but man Some misconceiuing this place held that Christ had no humaine soule For as the part is taken for the whole in these words of Mary Magdalene They haue taken away my Lord and I know not where they haue laide him Meaning onely the flesh of Christ which shee thought they had taken out of the Sepulchre so is the part taken for the whole when wee say flesh for Man as in the quotations before Seeing therefore that the Scripture vseth flesh in so many significations too tedious heere to recollect To finde what it is to liue according to the flesh the course being enill when the flesh is not euill let vs looke a little diligently into that place of the Apostle Paul to the Galathians where hee saith The workes of the flesh are
many things which were they not to bee seene and confirmed by sufficient testimony would seeme as impossible as the rest whereas now wee know them partly all and partly some of vs. As for other things that are but reported without â—…estimony and concerne not religion nor are not taught in scripture they may bee false and a man may lawfully refuse to beleeue them I doe not beleeue all that I haue set downe so firmely that I doe make no doubt of some of them but for that which I haue tried as the burning of lyme in water and cooling in oyle the loade-stones drawing of Iron and not moouing a straw the incorruptibility of the Peacoks flesh whereas Platoes flesh did putrifie the keeping of snow and the ripening of apples in chaffe the bright fire makeing the stones of his owne colâ—…our and wood of the iust contrarie these I haue seene and beleeue without any doubt at all Such also are these that cleare oyle should make blacke spottes and white siluer drawne a black line that coales should turne black from white wood brittle of hard ones and incorruptible of corruptible peeces togither with many other which tediousnesse forbiddeth me heere to insert For the others excepting that fountaine that quensheth and kindleth againe the dusty apples of Sodome I could not get any sufficient proofes to confirme them Nor mett I any that had beheld that fountaine of Epyrus but I found diuerse that had seene the like neere vnto Grenoble in France And for the Apples of Sodome there are both graue authors and eye-witnesses enow aliue that can affirme it so that I make no doubt thereof The rest I leaue indifferent to affirme or deny yet I did set them downe because they are recorded in our adâ—…ersaries owne histories to shew them how many things they beleeue in their owne bookes with-out all reason that will not giue credence to vs when wee say that God Almighty will doe any thing that exceedeth their capacity to conceiue What better or stronger reason can be giuen for any thing then to say God Almighty will doe this which hee hath promised in those bookes wherein he promiseth as strange things as this which he hath performed He will do it because he hath said hee will euen hee that hath made the incredulous Heathens beleeue things which they held meere impossibilities L. VIVES WHy then a cannot God Seeing the scope of this place is diuine and surpasseth the bounds of nature as concerning the resurrection iudgment saluation and damnation I wonder that Aquinas Scotus Occam Henricus de Gandauo Durandus and Petrus de Palude dare define of them according to Aristotles positions drawing them-selues into such labyrinths of naturall questions that you would rather say they were Athenian Sophisters then Christian diuines b Sufficient Mans conceipt being so slender and shallow in these causes of things in so much that Virgil said well Faelix qui potuit rerum cognoscere causas c Grenoble It was built by Gratian and called Gratianopolis Valens being Emperour of the East It standeth in Daulphine and reteineth part of the old name That the alteration of the knowne nature of any creature vnto a nature vnknowne is not opposite vnto the lawes of nature CHAP. 8. IF they reply that they will not beleeue that mans body can endure perpetuall burning because they know it is of no such nature so that it cannot bee said of it that nature hath giuen it such a quality we may answer them out of the scriptures that mans body before his fall was of such a nature that it could not suffer death and yet in his fall was altered vnto that mortall misery wherein now all man-kinde liueth to dye at length and therefore at the resurrection it may vndergoe such another alteration vnknowne to vs as yet But they beleeue not the Scriptures that relate mans estate in Paradise if they did we should not neede to stand long with them vpon this theame of the paines of the damned whereas now wee must make demonstration out of their owne authors how it is possible that there may bee a full alteration of nature in any one obiect from the kinde of being that it had before and yet the lawes of nature be kept vnviolated Thus wee read in Varro's booke De Gente Pop. Rom. Castor saith hee relateth that in that bright starre of Venus a which Plautus calles Hesperugo and Homer the glorious b Hesperus befell a most monstrous change both of colour magnitude figure and motion the like neuer was before nor since and this saith Adrastus Cyzicenus and Dion Neapolites two famous Astronomers befell in the reigne of Ogyges A monstrous change saith Varro and why but that it seemed contrary to nature such we say all portents to be but wee are deceiued for how can that be against nature which is effected by the will of God the Lord and maker of all nature A portent therefore is not against nature but against the most common order of nature But who is hee that can relate all the portents recorded by the Gentiles Let vs seeke our purpose in this one What more decretall law hath God laide vpon nature in any part of the creation then hee hath in the motions of the heauens what more legall and fixed order doth any part of nature keepe and yet you see that when it was the pleasure of Natures highest soueraigne the brighest starre in all the firmament changed the coulour magnitude and figure and which is most admirable the very course and motion This made a foule disturbance in the rules of the Astrologians if there were any then when they obseruing their fixed descriptions of the eternall course of the starres durst affirme that there neuer was nor neuer would bee any such change as this of Venus was Indeed wee read in the Scripture that the Sunne stood still at the prayer of Iosuah vntill the battle was done and went back to shew Hezechias that the Lord had added fifteene yeares vnto his life As for the miracles done by the vertues of the Saints these Infidels know them well and therefore auerre them to be done by Magicke where-vpon Virgil saith as I related before of the witch that she could Sistere aquam fluuiis vertere syder a retrò Stop floods bring back the starres c. For the riuer Iordan parted when Iosuah lead the people ouer it and when Heliah passed it as likewise when his follower Heliseus deuided it with Heliah his cloake and the sunne as wee said before went back in the time of Hezechiah But Varro doth not say that any one desired this change of Venus Let not the faithlesse therefore hood winck them-selues in the knowledge of nature as though Gods power could not alter the nature of any thing from what it was before vnto mans knowledge although that the knowne nature of any thing bee fully as admirable but that men admire nothing but rarieties For
and incorporeall soule should be chained to an earthly bodie then that an earthly bodie should bee lifted vppe to heauen which is but a body it selfe Onely because the first wee see daily in our selues the second we haue yet neuer seen But reason wil tel one that it is a more diuine work to ioyne bodies and soules then to ioine bodies to bodies though neuer so different in natures as if the one be heauenly the other of earth L VIVES YEt were not a their bodies But Romulus his body was not to bee found and therefore the vulgar beleeued that it was gone vp to heauen And the Greekes say that Aesculapius restored Hercules his body to the former soundnesse and so it was taken vp into the skies Of the resurrection of the body beleeued by the whole world excepting some few CHAP. 5. THis was once incredible But now wee see the whole world beleeues that Christs body is taken vp to heauen The resurrection of the body and the ascention vnto blisse is beleeued now by all the earth learned and vnlearned imbrace it only some few reiect it If it be credible what fooles are they not to beleeue it if it be not how incredible a thing is it that it should be so generally beleeued These two incredible things to wit the resurrection and the worldes beleefe thereof Our Lord Iesus Christ a promised should come to passe before that he had effected either of them Now one of them the worldes beleefe of the resurrection we see is come to passe already why then should wee dispaire of the other that this incredible thing which the world beleeueth should come to passe as well as that other Especially seeing that they are both promised in those scriptures whereby the world beleeued The maner of which beleefe is more incredible then the rest That men ignorant in all arts without Rhetorike Logike or Grammar plaine Fishers should be sent by Christ into the sea of this world onely with the nets of faith and draw such an inumerable multitude of fishes of al sorts so much the stranger in that they took many rare Phylosophers So that this may well bee accounted the third incredible thing and yet all three are come to passe It is incredible that Christ should rise againe in the flesh and carry it vp to heauen with him It is incredible that the world should beleeue this and it is incredible that this beleefe should bee effected by a small sort of poore simple vnlearned men The first of these our aduersaries beleeue not the second they behold and cannot tell how it is wrought if it bee not done by the third Christs resurrection and ascension is taught and beleeued all the world ouer if it be incredible why doth all the world beleeue it If many noble learned and mighty persons or men of great sway had said they had seene it and should haue divulged it abroad it had bin no maruaile if the world had beleeued them and vnbeleeuers should haue bin thought hardly off But seeing that the world beleeueth it from the mouths of a few meane obscure and ignorant men why do not our obstinat aduersaries belieue the whole world which beleeued those simple mean and vnlearned witnesses because that the deity it selfe in these poore shapes did work the more effectually and far more admirably for their proofs perswasions lay not in words but wonders and such as had not seene Christ risen againe and ascending beleeued their affirmations thereof because they confirmed them with miracles for whereas they spake but one language or at the most but two before now of a sodaine they spoke all the tongues of all nations They cured a man that had bin forty yerres lame euer from his mothers brests only by the very name of Iesus Christ. Their handkerchiefs helped diseases the sicke persons got them-selues laid in the way where they should passe that they might haue helpe from their very shadowes and amongst all these miracles done by the name of Christ they raized some from the dead If these things be true as they are written then may al these be added to the three former incredibles thus do we bring a multitude of incredible effects to perswade our aduersaries but vnto the beleefe of one namely the resurrection and yet their horrible obstinacy will not let them see the light If they belieue not that the Apostles wrought any such things for confirmation of the resurrection of Christ sufficeth then that the whole world beleeued them without miracles which is a miracle as great as any of the rest L. VIVES CHrist a promised In the house of Simon the leaper and when he sent out his Apostles to preach Mat. 27. and promised that his Ghospell should passe throughout the world and that he would rise againe the third day That Loue made the Romanes deify their founder Romulus and Faith made the Church to loue hir Lord and maister Christ Iesus CHAP. 6. Let vs heare what Tully saith of the fabulous deity of Romulus it is more admirable in Romulus saith he that the rest of the deified men liued in the times of ignorance where there was more scope for fiction and where the rude vulgar were far more credulous But Romulus we see liued within a this 600. yeares since which time and before also learning hath bin b more common and the ignorance of elder times vtterly abolished Thus saiâ—…h Tully and by and by after Hereby it is euident that Homer was long before Romulus so yâ— in the later times men grew learned and fictions were wel neare wholy excluded wheras antiquity hath giuen credence to some very vnlikely fables but our moderne ages being more polished deride and reiect al things that seeme impossible Thus saith the most learned and eloquent man that Romulus his diuinity was the more admirable because his times were witty and kept no place for fabulous assertions But who beleeued this deity but Rome as then a litle thing god knowes and a yong posterity indeed must needs preserue the traditions of antiquity euery one suckt superstition from his nurse whilest the citty grew to such power that sâ—…ming in soueraingty to stand aboue the nations vnder it shee powred the beliefe of this deity of his throughout hir conquered Prouinces that they should affirme Romulus to be a god how-soeuer they thought least they should scandalize the founder of their Lady and mistresse in saying other wise of him then error of loue not loue of error had induced hir to beleeue Now Christ likewise though he founded the Celestiall Citty yet doth not she thinke him a God for founding of her but she is rather founded for thinking him to be a God Rome beeing already built and finished adored her founder in a temple but the Heauenly Hierusalem placeth Christ hir founder in the foundation of hir faith that hereby shee may bee built and perfited Loue made Rome beleeue that Romulus was a god
there shall not bee that necessity but a full sure secure euer-lasting felicity shall be aduanced and go forward in the praises of God For then all the numbers of which I haue already spoken of the corporall Harmony shall not lye hid which now lye hid being disposed inwardly and out-wardly through all the members of the body and with other things which shall be seene there being great and wonderfull shall kindle the reasonable soules with delight of such a reasonable beauty to sound forth the praises of such a great and excellent workman What the motions of those bodies shall be there I dare not rashly define when I am not able to diue into the depth of that mistery Neuertheles both the motion state as the forme of them shal be comly decent whatsoeuer it shall be where there shall bee nothing which shall not bee comly Truly where the spirit wil there forth-with shall the body be neither will the spirit will any thing which may not beseeme the body nor the spirit There shall be true glory where no man shall be praised for error or flattery True honor which shall be denied vnto none which is worthy shall bee giuen vnto none vnworthy But neither shall any vnworthy person couet after it where none is permitted to bee but hee which is worthy There is true peace where no man suffereth any thing which may molest him either of him-selfe or of any other Hee himselfe shall bee the reward of vertue which hath giuen vertue and hath promised himselfe vnto him then whom nothing can be better and greater For what other thing is that which he hath sayd by the Prophet I wil be their GOD and they shal be my people but I wil be whereby they shal be satisfied I wil be what-soeuer is lawfully desired of men life health food abundance glory honor peace and all good things For so also is that rightly vnderstood which the Apostle sayth That GOD may bee all in all He shal bee the end of our desires who shal be seene without end who shal be loued without any saciety and praised without any tediousnesse This function this affection this action verily shal be vnto all as the eternall life shal be common to all But who is sufficient to thinke much more to vtter what degrees there shall also bee of the rewardes for merits of the honors and glories But wee must not doubt but that there shal be degrees And also that Blessed Citty shall see that in it selfe that no inferior shall enuy his superior euen as now the other Angells doe not enuie the Arch-angells as euery one would not be which he hath not receiued although hee be combined with a most peaceable bond of concord to him which hath receiued by which the finger will not bee the eye in the body when as a peaceable coniunction and knitting together of the whole flesh doth containe both members Therefore one shall so haue a gift lesse then another hath that hee also hath this gift that he will haue no more Neither therefore shall they not haue free will because sinnes shall not delight them For it shal be more free beeing freed from the delight of sinning to an vndeclinable and sted-fast delight of not sinning For the first free-will which was giuen to man when hee was created righteous had power not to sinne but it had also powre to sinne but this last free-will shal be more powerfull then that because it shall not be able to sinne But this also by the gift of GOD not by the possibily of his owne nature For it is one thing to be GOD another thing to bee partaker of GOD. GOD cannot sinne by nature but hee which is partaker of GOD receiueth from him that hee cannot sinne But there were degrees to be obserued of the diuine gift that the first free-will might be giuen whereby man might be able not to sinne the last whereby he might not be able to sinne and the first did pertaine to obtaine a merit the later to receiue a reward But because that nature sinned when it might sinne it is freed by a more bountifull grace that it may be brought to that liberty in which it cannot sinne For as the first immortallity which Adam lost by sinning was to bee able not to die For so the will of piety and equity shal be free from beeing lost as the will of felicity is free from being lost For as by sinning wee neither kept piety nor felicity neither truely haue we lost the will of felicity felicity being lost Truely is GOD himselfe therefore to be denied to â—…aue free-will because hee cannot sinne Therefore the free-will of that Citty shall both bee one in all and also inseperable in euery one freed from all euill and filled with all good enioying an euerlasting pleasure of eternall ioyes forgetfull of faults forgetfull of punishments neither therefore so forgetfull of her deliuerance that shee bee vngratefull to her deliuerer For so much as concerneth reasonable knowledge shee is mindefull also of her euills which are past but so much as concerneth the experience of the senses altogether vnmindefull For a most skilfull Phisition also knoweth almost all diseases of the bodie as they are knowne by art but as they are felt in the bodie hee knoweth not many which he hath not suffered As therefore there are two knowledges of euills one by which they are not hidden from the power of the vnderstanding the other by which they are infixed to the senses of him that feeleth them for all vices are otherwise knowne by the doctrine of wisdome and otherwise by the most wicked life of a foolish man so there are two forgetfulnesses of euills For a skilfull and learned man doth forget them one way and hee that hath had experience and suffered them forgetteth them another way The former if he neglect his skill the later if hee want misery According to this forgetfulnesse which I haue set downe in the later place the Saints shall not be mindefull of euils past For they shall want all euils so that they shall be abolished vtterly from their senses Neuerthelesse that powre of knowledge which shal be great in them shall not onely know their owne euils past but also the euerlasting misery of the damned Otherwise if they shall not know that they haue beene miserable how as the psalme sayth Shall they sing the mercies of the LORD for euer Then which song nothing verily shal be more delightfull to that Citty to the glory of the loue of CHRIST by whose bloud we are deliuered There shal be perfected Bee at rest and see because I am GOD. Because there shal be the most great Sabbath hauing no euening Which the LORD commended vnto vs in the first workes of the world where it is read And GOD rested the seauenth day from all his workes he made and sanctified it because in it hee rested from all
them as deceitfull deuills both in their good words and in their bad But seeing this God this goddesse cannot agree about Christ truly men haue no reason to beleeue or obey them in forbidding christianity Truly either Porphyry or Hecate in these commendations of Christ affirming that he destinied the christians to error yet goeth about to shew the causes of this error which before I relate I will aske him this one question If Christ did predestinate all christians vnto error whether did hee this wittingly or against his will If hee did it wittingly how then can hee bee iust if it were against his will how can hee then bee happy But now to the causes of this errour There are some spirits of the earth saith hee which are vnder the rule of the euill Daemones These the Hebrewes wise men whereof IESVS was one as the diuine Oracle declared before doth testifie forbad the religious persons to meddle with-all aduising them to attend the celestiall powers and especially God the Father with all the reuerence they possibly could And this saith hee the Gods also doe command vs as wee haue already shewen how they admonish vs to reuerence GOD in all places But the ignorant and wicked hauing no diuine guift nor any knowledge of that great and immortall Ioue nor following the precepts of the gods or good men haue cast all the deities at their heeles choosing not onely to respect but euen to reuerence those depraued Daemones And where-as they professe the seruice of GOD they doe nothing belonging to his seruice For GOD is the father of all things and stands not in neede of anything and it is well for vs to exhibite him his worship in chastitie iustice and the other vertues making our whole life a continuall prayer vnto him by our search and imitation of him c For our search of him quoth hee purifieth vs and our imitation of him deifieth the effects in our selues Thus well hath hee taught God the Father vnto vs and vs how to offer our seruice vnto him The Hebrew Prophets are full of such holy precepts concerning both the commendation and reformation of the Saints liues But as concerning Christianity there hee erreth and slandereth as farre as his deuills pleasure is whome hee holdeth deities as though it were so hard a matter out of the obscenities practised and published in their Temples and the true worship and doctrine presented be fore GOD in our Churches to discerne where manners were reformed and where they were ruined Who but the deuill him-selfe could inspire him with so shamelesse a falsification as to say that the Christians doe rather honour then detest the Deuills whose adoration was forbidden by the Hebrewes No that God whome the Hebrewes adored will not allow any sacrifice vnto his holiest Angels whome wee that are pilgrims on earth doe not-with-standing loue and reuerence as most sanctified members of the Citty of heauen but forbiddeth it directly in this thundring threate Hee that sacrificeth vnto Gods shall be rooted 〈◊〉 and least it should be thought hee meant onely of the earthly spirits whome this fellow calles the lesser powers d and whome the scripture also calleth gods not of the Hebrews but the Heathens as is euident in that one place Psal. 96. verse 5. For all the Gods of the Heathen are Diuels least any should imagine that the fore-said prohibition extended no further then these deuills or that it concerned not the offring to the celestiall spirits he addeth but vnto the Lord alone but vnto one God onely Some may take the words nisi domino soli to bee vnto the Lord the sunne and so vnderstand the place to bee meant of Apollo but the oriâ—…â—…nd the e Greeke translations doe subuert all such misprision So then the Hebrew God so highly commended by this Philosopher gaue the Hebrewes a â—…awe in their owne language not obscure or vncertaine but already dispersed through-out all the world wherein this clause was literally conteined Hee that sacrificeth vnto Gods shall bee rooted out but vnto the Lord alone What neede wee make any further search into the law and the Prophets concerning this nay what need wee search at all they are so plaine and so manifold that what neede I stand aggrauating my disputation with any multitudes of those places that exclude all powers of heauen and earth from perticipating of the honors due vnto God alone Behold this one place spoaken in briefe but in powerfull manner by the mouth of that GOD whome the wisest Ethnicks doe so highly extoll let vs marke it feare it and obserue it least our eradication ensue Hee that sacrificeth vnto more gods then that true and onely LORD shall bee rooted out yet God him-selfe is farre from needing any of our seruices but f all that wee doe herein is for the good of our owne soules Here-vpon the Hebrewes say in their holy Psalmes I haue sayd vnto the Lord thou art my GOD my well-dooing â—…th not vnto thee No wee our selues are the best and most excellent sacrifice that hee can haue offered him It is his Citty whose mystery wee celebrate 〈◊〉 â—…ch oblations as the faithfull doe full well vnderstand as I sayd once already For the ceasing of all the typicall offrings that were exhibited by the Iewes aâ—…d the ordeyning of one sacrifice to bee offered through the whole world from East to West as now wee see it is was prophecied long before from GOD by the mouthes of holy Hebrewes whome wee haue cited as much as needed in conuenient places of this our worke Therefore to conclude where there is not this iustice that GOD ruleth all alone ouer the society that obeyeth him by grace and yeeldeth to his proâ—…tion of sacrifice vnto all but him-selfe and where in euery member belongâ—… to this heauenly society the soule is lord ouer the body and all the bad afâ—… thereof in the obedience of GOD and an orderly forme so that all the 〈◊〉 as well as one liue according to faith g which worketh by loue in â—…ch a man loueth GOD as hee should and his neighbour as him-selfe 〈◊〉 this iustice is not is no societie of men combined in one vniformity of 〈◊〉 and profite consequently no true state popular if that definition holde â—…ch and finally no common-wealth for where the people haue no certaine 〈◊〉 the generall hath no exact forme L. VIVES 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is of Oraculous Phisosophy in which worke hee recites Apollos Orracles and others part whereof wee haue cited before b Photinus Hee was condemned by the counsell of Syrmium being confuted by Sabinus Bishoppe of Ancyra Cassiod Hist tripart He followed the positions of Samosatenus so that many accompted of both these heresies all as one c For our search Search is here a mentall inquisition whereby the mind is illustrate and purged from darke ignorance and after it hath found God studieth how to grow purâ—… and diuine like him d And whome the scripture
The name of God is principally his of whome by whome and in whome al things haue their existence shewing in part the nature and vertue of that incomprehensible Trine Secondly and as one may say abusiuely the Scripture calleth them gods vnto whome the word is giuen as our Sauiour testifieth in the Gospell and so are the Heauenly powers also called as seemeth by that place of the Psalme God standeth in the assembly of the gods c. Thirdly and not abusiuely but falsely the Deuills are called gods also All the gods of the heathen are Deuills Origen in Cantie This last question Augustine taketh from the seauenty for Hierome translateth it from the Hebrew Idols and not Diuells Psa 96. 5. e The Greeke Where wee read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nor is this superfluously added of Augustine for many Philosophers and many nations both held and honored the Sunne onely for God and referred the power of all the rest vnto it alone Macrob. f All that we do Our well doing benefiteth not God nor betters him so that there is nothing due vnto vs for being good but wee our selues owe God for all by whose grace it is that wee are good g Which worketh by It is dead and lacketh all the power and vigour when it proceedeth not in the workes of charity A definition of a people by which both the Romaines and other kingdomes may challenge themselues common-weales CHAP. 24. BVt omit the former difinition of a people and take this A people is a multitude of reasonable creatures conioyned in a general communication of those things it respecteth and them to discerne the state of the people you must first consider what those things are But what euer they bee where there is a multitude of men conioyned in a common fruition of what they respect there may fitly bee sayd to bee a people the better that their respects are the better are they them-selues and other-wise the worse By this definition Rome had a people and consequently a common-weale what they embraced at the first and what afterwards what goodnesse they changed into bloudinesse what concord they forsooke for seditions confederacies and ciuill warres History can testifie and wee in part haue already related Yet this doth not barre them the name of a people nor their state of the stile of a common-wealth as long as they beare this our last definition vnin-fringed And what I haue sayd of them I may say of the Athenians the Greekes in generall the Egyptians and the Assirian Babilonians were there dominions great or little and so of all nations in the world For in the Citty of the wicked where GOD doth not gouerne and men obey sacrificing vnto him alone and consequently where the soule doth not rule the body nor reason the passions there generally wanteth the vertue of true iustice That there can be no true vertue where true religion wanteth CHAP. 25. FOr though there be a seeming of these things yet if the soule and the reason serue not God as he hath taught them how to serue him they can neuer haue true dominion ouer the body nor ouer the passions for how can that soule haue any true meane of this decorum that knoweth not God nor serueth his greatnesse but runneth a whoring with the vncleane and filthy deuills No those things which shee seemes to account vertues and thereby to sway her affects if they bee not all referred vnto God are indeed rather vices then vertues For although some hold them to bee reall vertues a when they are affected onely for their owne respect and nothing else yet euen so they incurre vaine-glory and so loose their true goodnesse For as it is not of the flesh but aboue the flesh that animates the body So it is not of man but aboue man which deifies the minde of man yea and of all the powers of the heauens L. VIVES WHen a they The Stoikes held vertue to bee her owne price content with it selfe and to bee affected onely for it selfe This is frequent in Seneca and in Tullies Stoicysmes and Plato seemes to confirme it Tully setts downe two things that are to be affected meerely for them-selues perfection of internall goodnesse and that good which is absolutely externall as parents children friends c. These are truly deare vnto vs in them-selues but nothing so as the others are De finib lib. 5. It is a question in diuinity whether the vertues are to bee desired meerely for them-selues Ambrose affirmeth it In Epist. ad Galat. Augustine denieth it De Trinit lib. 13. Peter Lumbard holdes them both to bee worthy of loue in them-selues and also to haue a necessary reference vnto eternall beatitude But indeed they are so bound vnto Gods precepts that hee that putteth not Gods loue in the first place cannot loue them at all Nor can hee so loue them for them-selues that hee preferre them before God their author and their founder or equall the loue of them with the loue of him their nature is to lift the eyes of him that admireth them vnto GOD so that hee that seeketh for them-selues is by them euen ledde and directed vnto him the consummation vnto which they all doe tend But Saint Augustine in this place speaketh of the Gentiles whose vertues desiring externall rewardes were held base and ignominious but if they kept them-selues content with their owne sole fruition then were they approoued but this was the first steppe to arrogance by reason that heereby they that had them thought none so good as them-selues The peace of Gods enemies vse-full to the piety of his friends as long as their earthly pilgrimage lasteth CHAP. 26. WHerefore as the soule is the fleshes life so is God the beatitude of man as the Hebrewes holy writte affirmeth a Blessed is the people whose God is the Lord wretched then are they that are strangers to that GOD and yet 〈◊〉 those a kinde of allowable peace but that they shall not haue for euer because they vsed it not well when they had it But that they should haue it 〈◊〉 this life is for our good also because that during our commixtion with Babilon wee our selues make vse of her peace and faith doth free the people of God at length out of her yet so as in the meane time wee liue as pilgrims in her And therefore the Apostle admonished the Church to pray for the Kings and Potentates of that earthly Citty adding this reason That wee may lead a quiet life in all godlinesse and b charity And the Prophet Hieremy fore-telling the captiuitie of Gods ancient people commanding them from the Lord to goe peaceably and paciently to Babilon aduised them also to pray saying For in her peace shall be your peace meaning that temporall peace which is common both to good and bad L. VIVES BLessed a is Psal. 144. 15. Where the Prophet hauing reckoned vp all the goods of fortune children wealth peace prosperitie and all in