would break the law that he bound him to and forsake his Maker yet did hee not take away his freedome of election fore-seeing the good vse that hee would make of this euill by restoring man to his grace by meanes of a man borne of the condemned seed of man-kinde and by gathering so many vnto this grace as should supply the places of the falne Angels and so preserue and perhaps augment the number of the heauenly Inhabitants For euill men do much against the will of God but yet his wisedome fore-sees that all such actions as seeme to oppose his will do tend to such ends as hee fore-knew to be good and iust And therefore wheras God is said To change his will that is to turne his meeknesse into anger against some persons the change in this câ—…se is in the persons and not in him and they finde him changed in their sufferances as a sore eye findeth the sun sharp and being cured findes it comfortable wheras this change was in the eie and not in the sun which keeps his office as he did at first For Gods operation in the hearts of the obedient is said to be his will where-vppon the Apostle faith It is God that worketh in you both will and deed For euen as that righteousnesse wherein both God him-selfe is righteous and whereby also a man that is iustified of God is such is termed the righteousnes of God So also is that law which hee giueth vnto man called his law whereas it is rather pertinent vnto man then vnto him For those were men vnto whom Christ said It is written also in your law though we read else-where The law of his God is in his heart and according vnto his wil which God worketh in man him-selfe is said to wil it because he worketh it in others who do will it as he is said to know that which hee maketh the ignorant to know For whereas S. Peter saith We now knowing God yea rather being knowne of God we may not hereby gather that God came but as then to the knowledg of those who hee had predestinate before the foundations of the world but God as then is said to know that which he made knowne to others Of this phraze of speach I haue spoken I remember heretofore And according vnto this Will wherby we say that God willeth that which he maketh others to will who know not what is to come hee willeth many things and yet effecteth them not The promise of the Saints eternall blisse and the wickeds perpetuall torment CHAP. 2. FOr the Saints doe will many things that are inspired with his holy will and yet are not done by him as when they pray for any one it is not hee that causeth this their praier though he do produce this will of praier in them by his holy spirit And therfore when the Saints do will and pray according to God wee may well say that God willeth it and yet worketh it not as we say hee willeth that him-self which he maketh others to wil. But according to his eternall wil ioined with his fore-knowledge therby did he create al that he pleased in heauen and in earth and hath wrought al things already as well future as past or present But when as the time of manifestation of any thing which God fore-knoweth to come is not yet come we say It shal be when God wil if both the time be vncertaine and the thing it selfe then we say It shall be if God will not that God shall haue any other will as than then hee had before but because that shall bee then effected which his eternall vnchanging will had from al eternity ordained The promise of the Saints eternall blisse and the wickeds perpetual torment CHAP. 3. VVHerefore to omit many wordes As we see his promise to Abraham In thy seed shall all nations be blessed fulfilled in Christ so shall that be fulfilled hereafter which was promised to the said seed by the Prophet The dead shal liue euen with their bodies shall they rise And whereas he saith I will create new heauens and a new earth and the former shall not be remembred nor come into minde But be you glad and reioice in the things I shal create For behold I will create Hierusalem as a reioycing and her people as a ioy c. And by another Prophet At that time shall thy people be deliuered euery one that shall bee found written in the booke of life and many that sleepe in the dust of the earth shall awake some to euer lasting life and some to shame and perpetuall contempt And againe they shall take the kingdome of the Saintes of the most High and possesse it for euer euen for euer and euer And by and by after His Kingdome is an euerlasting kingdome c. Together with all such places as I eyther put into the twentith booke or left vntouched All these things shall come to passe and those haue already which the infidels would neuer beleeue For the same GOD promised them both euen hee whome the pagan goddes do tremble before as Porphyry a worthy Phylosopher of theirs confesseth Against the wise men of the world that hold it impossible for mans bodie to be transported vp to the dwellings of ioy iâ—… heauen CHAP. 4. BVt the learned of the world thinke that they oppose this all-conuerting power very strongly as touching the resurrection when they vse that place of Cicero in his third booke de repub Who hauing affirmed that Romulus and Hercules were both deified yet were a not their bodies saith hee translated into heauen for nature will alow an earthly body no place but in the earth This is the wise mans argument which GOD knowes how vaine it is for admit that wee were all meere spirits without bodies dwelling in heauen and beeing ignorant of all earthly creatures and it should be told vs that one day we should be bound in corporal bodies might we not then vse this obiection to more power and refuse to beleeue that nature would euer suffer an â—…ncorporeall substance to bee bound or circumscribed by a corporeall one Yet is the earth full of vegetable soules strangely combined with earthly bodies Why then cannot God that made this creature transport an earthly body into heauen as well as he can bring a soule a purer essence then any celestiall body downe from heauen and inclose it in a forme of earth Can this little peece of earth include so excellent a nature in it and liue by it and cannot heauen entertaine it nor keepe it in it seeing that it liueth by an essence more excellent then heauen it selfe is Indeed this shall not come to passe as yet because it is not his pleasure who made this that we daily see and so respect not in a far more admirable manner then that shall be which those wise men beleeue not for why is it not more strange that a most pure
him thether replied saying the GOD that deliuered him from the Diuell hath power to restore him his eye which sayd hee put it into the place as well as hee could and bound it vp with his napkin wishing him not to loose it vntill seauen daies were past which doing hee found it as sound as euer it was At this place were many others helped whome it were to long to rehearse particularly I knew a Virgin in Hippon who was freed from the Diuell onely by anoynting with oyle mixed with the teares of the Priest that prayed for her I know a Bishoppe who by prayer dispossessed the Diuell being in a youth that he neuer saw There was one Florentius here of Hippo a poore and Godly Oldman who getting his liuing by mending of shooes lost his vpper garment and being not able to buy another hee came to the shrine of the twenty Martīres and praied aloud vnto them to helpe him to rayments A sort of scoffing youthes ouer-heard him and at his departure followed him with mockes asking him if hee had begged fifty g halfpence of the martirs to buy him a coate withall But he going quietly on spied a great fish a new cast vp by the sea and yet panting which fish by their permission that were by hee tooke and caried it to one Carchosus a cooke a good Christian and fold it to him for 300. halfe pence intending to bestowe this mony vpon woll for his wife to spinne and make into a garment for him The Cooke cutting vp the fish found a ring of gold in his belly which amazing him his conscience made him send for the poore man and giue him the ring saying to him behold how the twenty Martyrs haue apparelled you When Bishop Proiectus brought Saint Steuens reliques to the Towne called Aquae Tibilitanae there were a many people flocked together to honour them Amongst whome there was a blinde woman who prayed them to lead her to the Bishoppe that bare the holy reliques So the bishoppe gaue her certaine flowers which hee hadde in his hand shee tooke them putte them to her eyes and presently hadde her sight restored in so much that shee passed speedily on before all the rest as now not needing any more to bee guided So Bishoppe Lucillus bearing the reliques of the sayd Martyr inshrined in the castle of b Synice neare to Hippo was thereby absolutely cured of a fistula where-with hee hadde bene long vexed and was come to that passe that he euery day expected when the Chyurgion should lance it but hee was neuer troubled with it after that daie Eucherius a Spanish Priest that dwelt at Calame was cured of the stone by the same reliques which Bishoppe Posidius brought thether and beeing afterwardes layd out for dead of another disease by the helpe of the said Martyr vnto whose shrine they brought him was restored vnto his former life and soundnesse There was one Martialis a great man of good years but a great foe to CHRISTE who dwelt in this place This mans daughter was a Christian and marryed vnto a Christian. The father beeing very sicke was intreated by them both with praiers and teares to become a Christian but hee vtterly and angerly refused So the husband thought it good to go to Saint Steuens shrine and there to pray the LORD to send his father in law into a better minde and to imbrace CHRISTE IESVS without further delay For this hee prayed with great zeale and affect with showers of teares and stormes of religious sighes and then departing hee tooke some of the flowers from off the Altar and in the night laid them at his fathers head who slept well that night and in the morning called in all haste for the Bishoppe who was then at Hippo with me They tolde him therefore so hee forth-with sendes for the Priestes and when they came tolde them presently that hee beleeued and so was immediatly baptized to the amazement of them all This man all the time hee liued after hadde this saying continually in his mouth LORD IESVS receiue my spirite These were his last wordes though hee knew them not to bee Saint Steuens for hee liued not long after At this place also were two healed of the Gowte a cittizen and a stranger The cittizen knewe by example what to doe to bee ridde of his payne but the stranger hadde it reuealed vnto him There is a place called Andurus where S. Steuen hath a part of his body remaining also A child being in the Street certaine Oxen that drew a cart growing vnruly left the way and ouer-run the child with the wheel so that it lay all crushed and past al hope of life The mother snatched it vppe and ran to the shrine with it where laying it downe it recouered both life and full strength againe in an instant beeing absolutely cured of all hurt what-soeuer Neare this place at Caspalia dwelt a Votaresse who beeing sicke and past recouery sent her garment to the shrine but ere it came backe shee was dead yet her parents couered hir with it which done she presently reuiued and was as sound as euer The like happened to one Bassus a Syrian that dwelt at Hippo. Praying for his sicke daughter at Saint Steuens and hauing her garment with him worde came by a boy that shee was dead But as hee was at prayer his friendes mette the boy before hee hadde beene with him and bad him not to tell him there least hee went mourning through the streetes So hee comming home and finding all in teares hee layd her garment vppon her and shee presently reuiued So like-wise Ireneus his sonne a Collector being dead and readie to go out for buriall one aduised to anoynt him with some of Saint Stephens oyle They did so and hee reuiued Elusinus likewise a Captayne seeing his sonne dead tooke him and laid him vppon the shrine that is in his farme in our Suburbes where after hee had prayed a while hee found him reuiued What shall I doe my promises bindes mee to bee breefe whereas doubtlesse many that shall read these thinges will greeue that I haue omitted so many that are knowne both to them and mee But I intreat their pardon that they would consider how tedious a taske it is so that my promised respect of breuity will not allow it For if I should but beleeue all the miracles done by the memorials of Saint Steuen onely at Cala◅a and Hippo It should bee a worke of many volumes and yet not bee perfect neither I could not relate all but onely such as are recorded for the knowledge of the people for that we desire when wee see our times produce wonders like to those of yore that they should not be vtterly in vaine by being lost in forgetfulnesse and obliuion It is not yet two yeares since the shrine was built at Hippo and although wee our s◅lues doe know many miracles done there since that are recorded yet are there almost seauenty volumes
and in my selfe avowed Moreouer as they tell that haue tryed you are open-handed hearted to such kind of presents then which scarse any may be more welcome to you For who should offer you gold filuer or gems garments horses or armoâ—… should power water into the sea and bring trees to the wood And truely as in all other thinges so in this you do most wisely to thinke that glory beseeming your vertue and deserts is purchased with al posterity by bookes monumeÌ„ts of learned men if not by mine or those like me yet surely by shewing your selfe affable and gratious to learned men you shall light vpon some one by whose stile as a most conning pencill the picture of that excellent and al-surmounting minde purtraied and polished may be commended to eternity not to bee couered with the rust of obliuion nor corrupted by iniury of after ages but that posterity an vncorrupted witnesse of vertues should not be silent of what is worthy to bee spoken of both to the glory of your selfe when you are restored to heauen though that be the best and best to be regarded and also which is principall and most to be aspired to the example of them that shall then liue Besides all this this worke is most agreeable to your disposition and studies wherein Saint AVGVSTINE hath collected as in a treasury the best part of those readings which hee had selected in the ancient authors as ready to dispute with sharpest wits best furnished with choisest eloquence and learning Whereby it is fallne out that he intending another point hath preserued the reliques of some the best things whose natiue seate and dwelling where they vsed to be fet and found was fouly ouerturned And therfore some great men of this later age haue bin much holpen by these writings of AVGVSTINE for VARRO SALVST LIVY and TVLLIE de republica as HERMOLAVS POLITIANVS BLONDVS BEROALDVS all which you shal so read not as they were new or vnheard-of but recognize them as of old Adde herevnto that you and Saint AVGVSTINES point and purpose in writing seeme almost to intend attaine the same end For as you wrote for that better Rome against Babylon so Saint AVGVSTINE against Babylon defended that ancient christian and holier Rome This worke not mine but Saint AVGVSTINES by whom I am protected is also sutable vnto your greatnesse whether the author bee respected or the matter of the worke The author is AVGVSTINE good GOD how holy how learned a man what a light what a leane to the christian common-wealth on whom onely it rested for many rites many statutes customes holy and venerable ceremonies and not without cause For in that man was most plentifull study most exact knowledge of holy writ a sharpe and cleare iudgement a wit admirably quick and piercing He was a most diligent defender of vndefiled piety of most sweet behauior composed and conformed to the charity of the Gospell renowned and honored for his integrity and holinesse of life all which a man might hardly prosecute in a full volume much lesse in an Epistle It is well I speake of a writer knowne of all and familiar to you Now the worke is not concerning the children of Niobe or the gates of Thebes or mending cloathes or preparing pleasures or manuring grounds which yet haue beene arguments presented euen to Kings but concerning both Citties of the World and GOD wherein Angells deuills and all men are contained how they were borne how bred how growne whether they tend and what they shall doe when they come to their worke which to vnfold hee hath omitted no prophane nor sacred learning which hee doth not both touch and explane as the exploites of the Romanes their gods and ceremonies the Philosophers opinions the originall of heauen and earth of Angells deuills and men from what grounds Gods people grew and how thence brought along to our LORD CHRIST Then are the Two Citties compared of GOD and the World and the Assyrian Sicyonian Argiue Attick Latine and Persian gouernments induced Next what the Prophets both Heathenish and Iewish did foretell of CHRIST Then speaking of true felicity he refuteth and refelleth the opinions of the ancient Philosophers concerning it Afterwards how CHRIST shall come the iudge of quick and dead to sentence good and euill Moreouer of the torments of the damned Lastly of the ioyes and eternally felicity of Godly men And all this with a wonderfull wit exceeding sharpenesse most neate learning a cleare and polisht stile such as became an author trauersed and exercised in all kinde of learning and writings and as beseemed those great and excellent matters and fitted those with whom hee disputed Him therefore shall you read most famous and best minded King at such houres as you with-draw from the mighty affaires and turmoiles of your kingdome to employ on learning and ornaments of the minde and withall take a taste of our Commentaries whereof let mee say as Ouid sayd of his bookes de Faestis when he presented them to GERMANICVS CaeSAR A learned Princes iudgement t' vnder goe As sent to reade to Phaebus our leaues goe Which if I shall finde they dislike not you I shall not feare the allowance of others for who will be so impudent as not to bee ashamed to dissent from so exact a iudgement which if any dare doe your euen silent authority shall yet protect me Farewell worthiest King and recon VIVES most deuoted to you in any place so he be reconed one of yours From Louaine the seauenth of Iuly M. D. XXII AN ADVERTISMENT OF IOANNES LODOVICVS VIVES Of Ualentia DECLARING VVHAT Manner of people the Gothes were and how they toooke Rome WHERE AS AVGVSTINE TOOKE OCcasion by the captiuity of the Romaines to write of the Cittie of GOD to answer them which iniuriouslie slaundered the Christian Religion as the cause of those enormities and miseries which befell them It shall not be lost labour for vs sounding the depth of the matter to relate from the Originall what kinde of people the Gothes were how they came into Italie and surprized the Cittie of Rome ¶ First it is cleare and euident that the former age named those Getes whome the succeeding age named Gothes because this age adulterated and corrupted many of the ancient wordes For those two Poets to wit RVTILVS and CLAVDIAN when-soeuer they speake of the Gothes doe alwaies name Getes OROSIVS also in his Historie sayth the Getes who now are named Goths departing out of their Countrie with bagge and baggage leauing their houses emptie entred safely into the Romaine Prouinces with all their forces being such a people as ALEXANDER said were to be auoided PYRRHVS abhorred and CaeSAR shunned HIEROME vpon Genesis testifieth that the Gothes were named Getes of the learned in former time Also they were Getes which inhabited about the Riuer Ister as STRABO MELA PLINIE and others auerre possessing the Region adiacent a great part of it lying waste and vnmanured being
pouerty could not deserue to bee beleeued of the enemie yet should hee not bee put to this paine without an heauenly reward for his paines L. VIVES INward a man The minde being often so vsed in Pauls Epistles b Coueteousnesse of mony The vulgar translation hath Cupiditas but Augustine hath auaritia a better word for the Greeke is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 loue of money c Many sorrowes Thus farre Paul d Poore without He meaneth the Apostle Paul e Naked The words of Iob comforting himselfe in the losse of his goodes and children f elsewhere namely in the same chapter Verse 17. g Rich in good workes In these thinges they shall bee rich indeed h Kept more safely Laying vp the treasure of eternity for them-selues in heauen in that they haue giuen freely vnto the poore and needie Which is declared by that which followeth in the same chapter of Mathew beeing Christes owne workes i And therefore one Paulinus The Gothes hauing sackt Rome and ouer-running all Latium the 〈◊〉 Campania Calabria Salentinum Apulia or Aprutium spoyling and wasting al as they went like a generall deluge their fury extended as far as Consentia a Citty in Calabria called now Cosenza and forty yeares after that Genserike with the Moores and Vandals brake out again tooke Rome filling all Campania with ruine raized the citty of Nola. Of which Cittie at that time Paulinus was Bishop as Paulus Diaconus writeth a most holy and as Saint Gregory saith an eloquent man exceedingly read in humaine learning and not altogether void of the spirit of prophecie who hauing spent all hee had in redeeming Christian captiues and seeing a widow bewayling her captiue sonne and powring forth her pious lamentations mixt with teares his pietie so vrged him that hee could not rest vntill hee had crossed ouer into Affricke with the widow where her sonne was prisoner And there by exchange of him-selfe for hir sonne redeemed him and gaue him free vnto his mother Now his sanctity growing admirable in the eies of the Barbarians hee had the freedome of all his cittizens giuen him and so was sent backe to his country Thereof read at large in Gregories third booke of Dialogues But I thinke Augustine speakes not of this later invasion for then was Paulinus departed this life but of the first irruption of the Gothes k Whereby them-selues were good Namely their vertue which no man can depriue them off and that onely is the good which makes the possessors good For if riches bee good as Tully saith in his Paradoxes why do they not make them good that inioy them l Mammon Mammon after Hierome is a Syriake word signifying that vnto them that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth vnto the Greekes namely Ritches Augustine elswere saith that Mammon in the Punike language is gaine and that the Affrican and Hebrew tongues do accord in the signification of many wordes Serm. de verb. Dom. quaest Euang. Of the end of this transitory life whether it be long or short CHAP. 10. THe extremity of famine they say destroyed many Christians in these inuasions Well euen of this also the faithfull by induring it patiently haue made good vse For such as the famine made an end off it deliueuered from the euils of this life as well as any other bodily disease could doe such as it ended not it taught them a sparing diet and ablenesse to faste Yea but many Christians were destroyed by the foulest variety that might bee falling by so many sortes of death why this is not to bee disliked off since it is common to all that euer haue beene borne This I know that no man is dead that should not at lengâ—…h haue died For the liues ending makes the long life and the short all one neither is their one better and another worse nor one longer then another shorter which is not in this end made equall And what skils it what kind of death do dispatch our life when he that dieth cannot bee forced to die againe And seeing that euery mortall man in the daily casualties of this life is threatned continually with inumerable sortes of death as long as he is vncertaine which of them he shall taste tell me whether it were better to a suffer but one in dying once for euer or still to liue in continual feare then al those extreames of death I know how vnworthy a choice it were to choose rather to liue vnder the awe of so many deathes then by once dying to bee freed from all their feare for euer But it is one thing when the weake sensitiue flesh doth feare it and another when the purified reason of the soule ouer-comes it A bad death neuer followes a good life for there is nothing that maketh death bad but that estate which followeth death Therfore let not their care that needes must dye bee imployed vppon the manner of their death but vppon the estate that they are eternally to inherit after death Wherefore seeing that all Christians know that the death of the religious b begger amongst the dogs licking his sores was better theÌ„ the death of the wicked rich man in all his c silks and purples what power hath the horrour of any kind of death to affright their soules that haue ledde a vertuous life L. VIVES SVffer but one So said Caesar that hee had rather suffer one death at once then feare it continually b Religious begger the story is at large in Saint Luke the 16. Chapter beginning at the 19. verse of Lazarus and the rich glutton c. c Silks Byssus is a kinde of most delicate line as Plinie saith in his naturall history lib. 19. Of buryall of the dead that it is not preiudiciall to the state of a Christian soule to be forbidden it CHAP 11. OH but in this great slaughter the dead could not bee buryed Tush our holy faith regards not that holding fast the promise It is not so fraile as to think that the rauenous beasts can depriue the body of any part to be wanting in the resurrection where not a hayre of the head shall be missing Nor would the scripture haue said Feare not them that kill the bodie but are not able to kill the soule if that which the foe could doe vnto our dead bodies in this world should any way preiudice our perfection in the world to come Vnlesse any man will be so absurd as to contend that they that can kil the body are not to be feared before death least they should kill it but after death least hauing killed it they should not permit it buriall Is it false then which Christ saith Those that kill the body after they can do no more and that they haue power to do so much hurt vnto the dead carkasse God forbid that should be false which is spoken by the truth it selfe Therefore it is said they do something in killing because then they afflict the bodyly sence for a while but afterwards
it hath been done or no but de Iure whether it were to be done or no. For souÌ„d reason is before example al authorities to the contrary as wherevnto all examples do consent being such as by their excellence in goodnesse are worthily imitable neither Patriarch Prophet nor Apostle euer did this yet our Lord Iesus Christ when hee admonished his disciples in persecution to flie from city to city might haue willed them in such cases to make a present dispatch of themselues and so to avoide their persecutors hadd hee held it fitte But if hee neuer gaue any such admonition or command that any to whome hee promised a mansion of eternity at their deaths should passe vnto their deaths on this fashion lette then the heathen that know not God produce al they can it is plainly vnlawful for any one than serueth the onely true God to follow this course But indeed besides Luâ—…ia of whome I think we haue sufficiently argued before it is hard for them to find one other example worth prescribing as a fitte authority for others to follow besides that a Cato only that killed him-selfe at Vtica b not that hee alone was his owne deaths-man but because he was accounted as a c learned and d honest man which may beget a beleefe that to do as hee didde were to doe well VVhat should I say of his fact more then his friendes and e some of them learned men haue said who shewed far more iudgement in disswading the deed and censuring it as the effect of a spirit rather deiected then magnanimous And of this f did Cato him-selfe leaue a testimony in his owne famous Sonne For if it were base to liue vnder Caesars victory why did he aduise his son to this willing him to entertaine a full hope of Caesars clemency Yea why did he not vrge him to go willingly to his end with him If it were laudable in Torquatus g to kill his sonne that hadde fought and foyled his enemy though herein he had broken the Dictators commaund why didde conquered Cato spare his ouerthrowne sonne that spared not him-selfe VVas it more vile to bee a conquerour agaynst lawe then to indure a conquerour against honour What shall wee saie then but that euen in the same measure that hee loued his sonne whome hee both hoped and wished that Caesar woulde spare in the same didde hee enuy Caesars glory which hee h should haue gotten in sparing of him also or else to mollifie this matter som-what he was ashamed to receiue such courtesie at Caesars hands L. VIVES THat a Cato The Catoe's were of the Portian family arising from Tusculum a towne of the Latines The first of this stocke that was called Cato that is wise and wary was Marcus Portius a man of meane discent but attaining to all the honours of Consull Censor and of Triumph His nephewes sonne was Marcus Portius Cato both of them were great and yet innocent men The first was called Maior or the Elder the later Minor or the younger The younger beeing a Leader in the ciuill wars of Pompey tooke his that was the common weales and the liberties part against the vsurparion of Caius Caesar Now Pompey beeing ouercome by Caesar at Pharsalia and Scipio Metellus Pompey his father in law in Affrica this Cato seeing his faction subuerted and Caesar beare al down before him being retyred vnto Vtica a Citty in Affrike and reading Platoe's Phaedâ—… twise ouer together the same night thrust him-selfe through with his sword b Not because he alone No for many in other warres had slaine them-selues least they should fall into the hand of the enemie and in this same warre so did Scipio Metellus Afranius King Iuba c Learned A stoyke and excellently skill'd in the wisdom of the Greeks d Honest the wisdom and innocencie that was in both these Catoes grew into a prouerb and hereof saith Iâ—…all Tâ—…rtius 〈◊〉 Caelo cecidit Cato Now Heauen hath giuen vs a third Catâ—… Velleius Paterculus writing vnto Uinicius thus describeth this Cato Hee was descended from Marcus Cato that head of the Porcian family who was his great grandfather hee was a man like vertues selfe and rather of diuine then humane capacity hee neuer did good that he cared should be noted but because hee could not doe any thing but good as holding that onely reasonable which was iust free was hee from all the corruptions of man and euermore swayed his owne fortune to his owne liking Thus farre Uelleius to omit the great testimonies of Seneca Lucane Tully Saluste and others of this worthy man e some of them learned It is recorded that Apollonides the Stoike Demetrius the Peripatetike and Cleanthes the Phisicion were then at Utica with Cato For he loued much the company of the Greeke Philosophers and his great grand-father neuer hated them so much as he respected them And vpon the night that he slew himselfe on saith Plutarch at supper there arose a disputation about such things as really concerne the liberty of a man wherein Demetrius spoke many things against Cato's constant assertions of the praise of such as killed themselues which indeed was so vehement that it begot a suspicion in them all that hee would follow the same course himselfe f This did Cato himselfe Plutarch writeth that when Cato came to Vtica he sent away his followers by shipping and earnestly preswaded his sonne to goe with them but could not force him to forsake his father This sonne of his Caesar afterwardes pardoned as Liuy saith lib. 114. and Caesar himselfe in his Commentaries of the African warre Hee was as Plutarch saith in his fathers life much giuen to venerie but in the battaile of Phillipi fighting valiantly on his cozen Brutus his side for his countries freedome hee was slaine scorning to leaue the fight when the chiefest captaines fled g to kill his sonne Titus Manlius Torquatus made his sonnes head bee cut off for fighting contrary to the edict though he returned with victory But of this else-where h should haue gotten by sparing of him Commonly knowne is that saying of Caesar to him that brought newes of Cato's death Cato I enuy thy glory for thou enuiedst mine and would not haue it reckoned amongst mine other famous actes that I saued Cato Caesar wrote two bookes called Anticatones against Cato as Cicero and Suetonius testifie The Cardinall of Liege told mee that he saw them both in a certaine old librarie at Liege and that hee would see they should bee sent me which if he do I will not defraud the learned of their vse and publication That the Christians excell Regulus in that vertue wherein he excelled most CHAP. 23. BVt those whom we oppose will not haue their Cato excelled by our Iob that holy man who choose rather to endure all them horrible torments a in his flesh then by aduenturing vpon death to auoide all those vexations and other Saints of high credit and
great guilt shame and sinne both of the priests that present this and the people that behold it But wee may perhaps finde a fitter place for this thaeme e Found the graine of barley And wheate also saith Diodor. lib. 1. and therevpon some Citties present them both in her ceremonies But Osiris her husband first obserued their profit and taught the world it chiefly barley that maketh ale in such countries as want wine and is now vsed in the North parts But they made meate of it in old time Plin. lib. 18. out of an Athenian ceremony that Menander reporteth prouing it of elder inuention then wheate For had they found wheate sooner saith Pliny barly would haue bin out of request for bread as it was presently vpon the finding of wheate thence-forth becomming meate for beasts Finis lib. 8. THE CONTENTS OF THE ninth booke of the City of God 1. The scope of the aforepassed disputation and what is remaining to treate of chapter 1. 2. Whether amongst the spirits of the ayre that are vnder the gods there bee any good ones that can further a man in the attainement of true blessednesse 3. What qualities Apuleius ascribeth vnto the diuells to whom he giueth reason but no vertue 4. The opinions of the Stoikes and Peripatetiques concerning perturbatioÌ„s of the minde 5. That the Christians passions are causes of the practise of vertue not Inducers vnto vice 6. What passion the spirits that Apuleius maketh Mediators betweene the Gods Men are subiect vnto by his owne confession 7. That the Platonists doe but seeke contentions in saying the Poets defame the gods whereas their imputations pertaine to the diuells and not the gods 8. Apuleius his definition of the gods of heauen spirits of ayre and men of earth 9. Whether ayery spirits can procure a man the Gods friendships 10. Plotines opinion that men are lesse wretched in their mortality then the diuills are in their eternity 11. Of the Platonists that held mens soules to become Daemones after death 12. Of the three contraries whereby the Platonists distinguish the diuills natures from the Mens 13. How the diuills if they be neither blessed with the Gods nor wretched with Men may be in the meane betwixt both without participation of either 14. Whether mortall men may attaine true happinesse 15. Of the mediator of God and Man the Man Christ Iesus 16. Whether it bee probable that the Platonists say that the gods auoiding earthly contagion haue no commerce with men but by the meanes of the ayry spirits 17. That vnto that be atitude that consisteth in participation of the chiefest good wee must haue onely such a Mediator as Christ no such as the deuill 18. That the diuills vnder collour of their intercession seeke but to draw vs from God 19. That the word Daemon is not vsed as now of any Idolater in a good sence 20. Of the quality of the diuills knowledge whereof they are so proud 21. In what manner the Lord would make himselfe knowne to the diuills 22. The difference of the holy Angells knowledge and the diuills 23. That the Pagan Idols are falsely called gods yet the scripture allowes it to Saints and Angells FINIS THE NINTH BOOKE OF THE CITTIE OF GOD. Written by Saint Augustine Bishop of Hippo vnto Marcellinus The scope of the afore-passed disputation and what is remayning to treat of CHAP. 1. IN these controuersies of the gods some haue held deities of both natures good and euill others of better mindes did the gods that honor to hold theÌ„ all good But those a that held the first held the ayery spirits to be gods also and called them gods as they called the gods spirits but not so ordinarily Indeed they confesse that Ioue the Prince of all the rest was by Homer b called a Daemon But such as affirmed all the gods were good ones and farre better then the best men are iustly mooued by the artes of the ayry spirits to hold firmely that the gods could doe no such matters and therefore of â—…ce â—…re must bee a difference betweene them and these spirits and that what euer â—…asant affect or bad act they see caused wherein these spirits doe shew thâ—… 〈◊〉 power that they hold is the diuills worke and not the gods But yet 〈◊〉 â—…ey place these spirits as mediators betweene their gods and men as if 〈◊〉 â—…an had no other meanes of commerce to carry and recarry praiers 〈◊〉 the one to the other this beeing the opinion of the most excellent â—…ers the Platonists with whom I choose to discusse this question wheâ—…â—…ration of many gods be helpfull to eternall felicity In the last booke 〈◊〉 how the deuils delighting in that which all wise and honest men abâ—… 〈◊〉 in the foule enormous irreligious fictions of the gods crimes not 〈◊〉 in the damnable practise of Magike can be so much nearer to the gods that 〈◊〉 must make them the meanes to attaine their fauors and wee found it â—…terly impossible So now this booke as I promised in the end of the other must 〈◊〉 â—…cerne the difference of the gods betwixt themselues if they make any 〈◊〉 â—…or the difference of the gods and spirits the one beeing farre distant from men as they say and the other in the midst betweene the gods and men but of the difference of these spirits amongst themselues This is the present question L. VIVES THese a that held Plato held all the gods to bee good but the Daemones to bee neither good not euill but neuters But Hermes hath his good angells and his bad And Porphery 〈◊〉 â—…s helpfull Daemones and his hurtfull as some of the Platonists hold also b Homer calâ—… Plâ—…arch de defect Oracul saith that Homer confounded the deities and Demones togeâ—…r â—…ng both names promiscually Hee calls Ioue a Daemon which word as one interpreteth it is sometimes vsed for good and sometimes bad And Iliad 1. hee saith Ioue with the other daeâ—… calling all the gods by that name vpon which place his interpretor saith Hee calleth 〈◊〉 Daemones either for their experience wisdome or gouernment of man So saith Iulius 〈◊〉 Homer called the Gods Daemones and Plato calleth the worlds Architect the great Daemon for Deity Daemon are both taken in one sence This Daemon Plato mentioneth De republ But it is a question whether he meane the Prince of al the world or the deuills Prince for they haue their Hierarchy also Euery spirit saith Proclus De anima et daemone in respect of that which is next vnder it is called a Daemon and so doth Iupiter in Orpheus call his father Saâ—… And Plato himselfe calls those gods that gouerne propagation and protect a man without mediation Daemones To declare saith he in Timaeus the generation and nature of the other Daemones were more then man can comprehend for each power that protecteth a man without anothers mediation is a daemon be it a God or lesse then a God Thus farre
â—…ledge of God which none can attaine but through the mediator betweene God and man the Man Christ Iesus CHAP. 2. IT is a grâ—… and admirable thing for one to transcend all creatures corporal or incorporall fraile and mutable by speculation and to attaine to the Deity it selfe and learne of that that it made all things that are not of the diuine essence For so doth God teach a man speaking not by any corporall creature vnâ—… 〈◊〉 â—…erberating the ayre betweene the eare and the speaker nor by any 〈◊〉 â—…ature or apparition as in dreames or otherwise For so hee doth 〈◊〉 â—…nto bodily eares and as by a body and by breach of ayre and distance 〈◊〉 are very like bodies But he speaketh by the truth if the eares of the 〈◊〉 ready and not the body For hee speaketh vnto the best part of the 〈◊〉 and that wherein God onely doth excell him and vnderstand a man 〈◊〉 fashion you cannot then but say he is made after Gods Image beeing 〈◊〉 God onely by that part wherein hee excelleth his others which hee â—…ed with him by beasts But yet the minde a it selfe wherein reason and 〈◊〉 â—…ding are naturall inherents is weakned and darkened by the mist of inâ—…â—…ror and diss-enabled to inioy by inherence b nay euen to endure that 〈◊〉 light vntill it bee gradually purified cured and made fit for such an 〈◊〉 therefore it must first bee purged and instructed by faith to set it the 〈◊〉 â—…in truth it selfe Gods Sonne and God taking on our man without 〈◊〉 god-head ordained that faith to bee a passe c for man to God by 〈◊〉 â—…at was both God and man d for by his man-hood is he mediator 〈◊〉 is hee our way For if the way lie betweene him that goeth and the 〈◊〉 â—…ch he goeth there is hope to attaine it But if e one haue no way nor 〈◊〉 way to goe what booteth it to know whether to goe And the oneâ—… infallible high way is this mediator God and Man God our iourâ—… Man our way vnto it L. VIVES 〈◊〉 a it selfe We call the minde mans purest and most excellent part by which 〈◊〉 â—…stand argue collect discourseâ—… apprehending things simply or comparing 〈◊〉 â—…g all artes and disciplines managing the whole course of life and inuenting 〈◊〉 the minde b Nay euen to endure So is the best reading c For by his This 〈◊〉 but all added by some other vnto the chapters end Of the authority of the canonicall Scriptures made by the spirit of God CHAP. 3. 〈◊〉 hauing spoken what he held conuenient first by his Prophets then 〈◊〉 â—…fe and afterwards by his Apostle made that scripture also which 〈◊〉 â—…icall of most eminent authority on which wee relie in things that 〈◊〉 â—…nderstanding and yet cannot bee attained by our selues For if things 〈◊〉 either to our exterior or interior sence wee call them things present 〈◊〉 owne in our owne iudgements b wee see them before our eyes and 〈◊〉 as infallible obiects of our sence then truely in things that fall not in 〈◊〉 of sence because our owne iudgements doe faile vs we must seeke out 〈◊〉 â—…rities to whom such things wee thinke haue beene more apparant 〈◊〉 we are to trust Wherefore as in things visible hauing not seene them 〈◊〉 we trust those that haue and so in all other obiects of the sences eâ—…â—…ngs mentall and intelligible which procure a notice or sence in man 〈◊〉 â—…omes the word sentence that is c in things inuisible to our exteriâ—…e must needs trust them d who haue learned then of that incorpoâ—… or e behold them continually before him L. VIVES 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sensible That power in man or other creature whatsoeuer that discerneth any 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 called sence Fiue exterior sences there are and one within the minde or soule feeliâ—… 〈◊〉 of sorrow or of ought that the exteriors present ioy praise glory vertue vice hope 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the exteriors as thus wee say what doe you thinke of this wine this musicke this â—…ure of such a mans iudgement or wisdome Philosophy diuinity or policy Thus much because our Philosophers will not endure the minde should bee called sence directly against Augustine But what hath a Philosopher of our time to do with the knowledge of speach 〈◊〉 is as they interpret it with grammar b Wee see them So it must be prae sensibus before oâ—… sences not prâ—…sentibus c In things inuisible Visible commeth of Videre to see that that is common to all the sences Saw you not what a vile speech hee made saw you euer worse wine and so the Greekes vse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So doth Augustine vse inuisible here for that which is no obiect to any exterior sence d Who haue learned The Saints of God their Maister e Behold The holy Angells Thâ—… 〈◊〉 state of the world is neither eternall nor ordained by any new thought of gods as if he meant that after which he meant not before CHAP. 4. OF things visible the world is the greatest of inuisible God But the first wee see the second wee but beleeue That God made the world whom shall wee beleeue with more safety them himselfe Where haue we heard him neuer better then in the holy scriptures where the Prophet saith In the beginning God created heauen and earth Was the Prophet there when he made it no. But Gods wisdome whereby hee made it was there and that doth infuse it selfe into holy soules making Prophets and Saints declaring his workes vnto them inwardly without any noise And the holy Angells that eternally behold the face of the Father they come downe when they are appointed and declare his will vnto them of whom he was one that wrote In the beginning God created heauen and earth and who was so fit a witnesse to beleeue God by that by the same spirit that reuealed this vnto him did hee prophecy the comming of our faith But a what made God create heauen and earth then not sooner b they that say this to import an eternity of the world being not by God created are damnably and impiously deceiued and infected For to except all prophecy the very c order disposition beauty and change of the worlde and all therein proclaimeth it selfe to haue beene mâ—…de and not possible to haue beene made but by God that ineffable inuisible great one ineffably inuisible beaâ—…teous But they that say God made the world and yet allow it no temporall but onely a formall originall being made after a manner almost incomprehensible they seeme to say some-what in Gods defence from that chancefull rashnesse to take a thing into his head that was not therein before viz to make the world and to be subiect to change of will he beâ—…g wholy vnchangeable and for euer But I see not how their reason can stand in â—…er respects chiefly d in that of the soule which if they doe coeternize with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 can neuer shew how that misery befalleth it
natures whome amongst other things it prophecied should beleeue it L. VIVES OR a Essentiall As hauing essence b As soone Hee plainely confesseth that the Angells were all created in grace De corrept et grat Before they fell they had grace Hierome also vpon Osâ—…a affirmes that the Deuills were created with great fulnesse of the holy spirit But Augustine De genes ad lit seemes of another mind saying the angelicall nature was first created vnformall The Diuines here vpon are diuided some following Lombard Sent. 2. dist 4. Ales and Bâ—…nture deny that the Angells were created in grace Saint Thomas holds the contrary I dare not nor haue not where withal to decide a matter so mightily disputed and of such moment Augustine in most plaine words and many places houlds that they were created in grace as that of Exechiel seemes also to import Thou sealest vp the sunne and art full of wisdome and perfect in beauty c Made it Shewing that God gaue them more grace when they shewed their obedience of this I see no question made in such measure as hee assured them of eternity of blisse d Receiued lesse If all the Angells had grace giuen them it then should haue bin distributed with respect of persons to some more and to some of the same order lesse But it was giuen gradually to the orders not to each particular Angell where-vpon some of the same order fell and some stood though both had grace giuen them alike e Secret Hee doubts not of the glory but of the glories place before the iudgement for they may be blesed any where God in whose fruition they are blessed being euery where Of the falsenesse of that History that saith the world hath continued many thousand yeares CHAP. 10. LEt the coniectures therefore of those men that fable of mans and the worlds originall they knowe not what passe for vs for some thinke that men 〈◊〉 beene alwaies as of the world as Apuleis writeth of men Seuerally mortall but generally eternall b And when we say to them why if the world hath alwaies beene how can your histories speake true in relation of who inuented this or that who brought vp artes and learning and who first inhabited this or that region they answered vs the world hath at certaine times beene so wasted by fires and deluges that the men were brought to a very few whose progenie multiplied againe and so seemed this as mans first originall whereas indeed it was but a reparation of those whome the fires and flouds had destroyed but that man cannot haue production but from man They speake now what they thinke but not what they know being deceiued by a sort of most false writings that say the world hath continued a many thousand yeares where as the holy scriptures giueth vs not accompt of c full sixe thousand yeares since man was made To shew the falsenesse of these writings briefly and that their authority is not worth a rush herein d that Epistle of Great Alexander to his mother conteining a narration of things by an Aegiptian Priest vnto him made out of their religious mysteries conteineth also the Monarchies that the Greeke histories recorde also In this Epistle e the Assyrian monarchie lasteth fiue thousand yeares and aboue But in the Greeke historie from Belus the first King it continueth but one thousand three hundred yeares And with Belus doth the Egiptian storie begin also The Persian Monarchie saith that Epistle vntill Alexanders conquest to whom this Priest spake thus lasted aboue eight thousand yeares whereas the Macedonians vntill Alexanders death lasted but foure hundred foure score and fiue yeares and the Persians vntill his victory two hundred thirty three yeares by the Greekâ—… story So farre are these computations short of the Egiptians being not equall with them though they were trebled For f the Egiptians are said once to haue had their g yeares but foure moneths long so that one full yeare of the Greekes or ours is iust three of their old ones But all this will not make the Greeke and Egiptian computations meete and therefore wee must rather trust the Greeke as not exceeding our holy scriptures accompt But if this Epistle of Alexander being so famous differ so farre from the most probable accompt how much lesse faith then ought we to giue to those their fabulous antiquities fraught with leasings against our diuine bookes that fore-told that the whole world should beleeue them and the whole world hath done so and which prooue that they wrote truth in things past by the true occurrences of things to come by them presaged L. VIVES SEuerally a mortall Apuleius Florid. l. 2. cunctim generally or vniuersally of cunctus all b And when Macrobius handleth this argument at large De somn scip and thinkes he puts it off with that that Augustine here reciteth Plato seemes the author of this shift in his Timaus where Critias relating the conference of the Egiptian Priest and Solon saith that wee know not what men haue done of many yeares before because they change their countrie or are expelled it by flouds fires or so and the rest hereby destroyed Which answer is easily confuted fore-seeing that all the world can neither bee burned nor drowned Arist. Meteor the remainders of one ancient sort of men might be preserued by another and so deriued downe to vs which Aristotle seeing as one witty and mindfull of what he saith affirmeth that we haue the reliques of the most ancient Philosophy left vs. Metaphys 12. Why then is there no memory of things three thousand yeares before thy memory c Full six thousand Eusebius whose account Augustine followeth reckoneth from the creation vnto the sack of Rome by the Gothes 5611. yeares following the Septuagints For Bede out of the Hebrew reserueth vnto the time of Honorius and Theodosius the yonger when the Gothes tooke Rome but 4377. of this different computation here-after d That Epistle Of this before booke eight e The Assyriâ—… Hereof in the 18. booke more fitly Much liberty do the old chroniclers vse in their accompt of time Plin. lib. 11 out of Eudoxus saith that Zoroaster liued 6000. yeares before Plato's death So faith Aristotle Herimippus saith he was 5000. yeares before the Troian warre Tully writes that the Chaldees had accounts of 470000. yeares in their chronicles De diuinat 1. 〈◊〉 saith also that they reckned from their first astronomer vntill great Alexander 43000. yeares f The Egiptians Extreame liers in their yeares Plato writes that the Citty Sais in Egipt had chronicles of the countries deedes for 8000. yeares space And Athens was built 1000. yeares before Sais Laertius writes that Vulcan was the sonne of Nilus and reckneth 48863. yeares betweene him and Great Alexander in which time there fell 373. ecclipses of the Sunne and 832. of the Moone Mela lieth alittle lower saying that the Egiptians reckon 330. Kings before Amasis and aboue 13000. yeares But the lie wanted
should be saued and who should be damned CHAP. 27. BVt now because we must end this booke let this bee our position that in the first man the fore-said two societies or cities had originall yet not euidentlie but vnto Gods prescience for from him were the rest of men to come some to be made fellow cittizens with the Angels in ioy and some with the Deuils in torment by the secret but iust iudgment of God For seeing that it is written All the wayes of the Lord bee mercy and truth his grace can neither bee vniust nor his iustice cruell Finis lib. 12. THE CONTENTS OF THE thirteenth booke of the City of God 1. Of the first Mans fall and the procurement of mortality 2. Of the death that may befall the immortal soule and of the bodies death 3. Whether death propagated vnto all men from the first bee punishment of sinne to the Saints 4. Why the first death is not with-held from the regenerate from sinne by grace 5. As the wicked vse the good law euill so the good vse death which is euill well 6. The generall euill of that death that seuereth soule and body 7. Of the death that such as are not regenerate doe suffer for Christ. 8. That the Saints in suffering the first death for the truth are quit from the second 9. Whether a man at the houre of his death may be said to be among the dead or the dying 10. Whether this mortall life be rather to bee called death then life 11. Whether one may bee liuing and dead both together 12. Of the death that God threatned to punish the first man withall if he transgressed 13. What punishment was first laid on mans preuarication 14. In what state God made Man and into what state he fell by his voluntary choyce 15. That Adam forsooke God ere God forsooke him and that the soules first death was the departure from God 16. Of the Philosophers that held corporall death not to bee penall whereas Plato brings in the Creator promising the lesser Gods that they should neuer leaue their bodies 17. Against the opinion that earthly bodies cannot be corruptible nor eternall 18. Of the terrene bodies which the Philosophers hold cannot bee in heauen but must fall to earth by their naturall weight 19 Against those that hold that Man should not haue beene immortall if hee had not sinned 20. That the bodies of the Saints now resting in hope shall become better then our first fathers was 21. Of the Paradice when our first parents were placed and that it may be taken spiritually also with-out any wrong to the truth of the historie as touching the reall place 22. That the Saints bodies after resurrection shall bee spirituall and yet not changed into spirits 23. Of bodies animate and spirituall these dying in Adam and those beeing quickned in Christ. 24. How Gods breathing a life into Adam and Christs breathing vpon his Apostles when hee said Receiue the holy spirit are to bee vnderstood FINIS THE THIRTEENTH BOOKE OF THE CITTIE OF GOD Written by Saint Augustine Bishop of Hippo vnto Marcellinus Of the first Mans fall and the procurement of mortalitie CHAP. 1. HAuing gotten through the intricate questions of the worlds originall and man-kindes our methode now calleth vs to discourse of the first mans fall nay the first fall of both in that kind and consequently of the originall and propagation of our mortality for God made not man as he did Angels that though they sinned yet could not dye but so as hauing a performed their course in obedience death could not preuent them from partaking for euer of blessed and Angelicall immortality but hauing left this course death should take them into iust damnation as we said in the last booke L. VIVES HAuing a performed Euery man should haue liued a set time vpon earth and then being confirmed in nature by tasting of the tree of life haue beene immortally translated into heauen Here are many questions made first by Augustine and then by Lombard dist 2. What mans estate should haue beene had he not sinned but these are modest and timerous inquirers professing they cannot finde what they seeke But our later coments vpon Lumbard flie directly to affirmatiue positions vpon very coniectures or grounds of nature I heare them reason but I see them grauelled and in darknesse where yet they will not feele before them ere they goe but rush on despight of all break-neck play What man hath now wee all know to our cost what he should haue had it is a question whether Adam knew and what shall we then seeke why should we vse coniectures in a things so transcendent that it seemes miraculous to the heauens as if this must follow natures lawes which would haue amazed nature had it had existence then What light Augustine giues I will take and as my power and duty is explaine the rest I will not meddle with Of the death that may befall the immortall soule and of the bodyes death CHAP. 2. BVt I see I must open this kinde of death a little plainer For mans soule though it be immortall dyeth a kinde of death a It is called immortall because it can neuer leaue to bee liuing and sensitiue and the body is mortall because it may be destitute of life and left quite dead in it selfe But the death of the soule is when God leaueth it the death of the body is when the soule leaueth it so that the death of both is when the soule being left of God leaueth the body And this death is seconded by that which the Scripture calles the b second death This our Sauiour signified when hee said feare him which is able to destroy both body and soule in hell which comming not to passe before the body is ioyned to the soule neuer to be seperated it is strange that the body can be sayd to die by that death which seuereth not the soule from it but torments them both together For that â—…all paine of which wee will speake here-after is fitly called the soules deaâ—… because it liueth not with God but how is it the bodies which liueth with the soule for otherwise it could not feele the corporall paines that expect it after the resurrection is it because all life how-so-euer is good and all paine euill that the body is said to dye wherein the soule is cause of sorrow rather then life Therefore the soule liueth by God when it liueth well for it cannot liue without God working good in it and the body liueth by the soule when the soule liueth in the body whether it liue by God or no. For the wicked haue liâ—…â—…body but none of soule their soules being dead that is forsaken of God lâ—…g power as long as their immortall proper life failes not to afforde them 〈◊〉 but in the last damnation though man bee not insensitiue yet this sence of 〈◊〉 â—…ing neither pleasing nor peacefull but sore and
in the same stead that a Kings are to him his 〈◊〉 his mantle and his staffe his scepter The Donatists and the Circumcelliones beeing 〈◊〉 both of one stampe in Augustines time went so cloaked and bare clubbes to destroy 〈◊〉 Christians withall Of the blessing of multiplication before sinne which the transgression did not abolish but onely lincked to lust CHAP. 21. â—…D forbid then that we should beleeue that our parents in Paradise should â—…e full-filled that blessing Increase and multiply and fill the earth in that 〈◊〉 made them blush and hide their priuities this lust was not in them vntill 〈◊〉 â—…ne and then their shame fast nature hauing the power and rule of the 〈◊〉 perceiued it blushed at it and couered it But that blessing of marriage â—…rease multiplication and peopling of the earth though it remained in 〈◊〉 after sin yet was it giuen them before sin to know that procreation of 〈◊〉 â—…onged to the glory of mariage not to the punishment of sin But the 〈◊〉 are now on earth knowing not that happinesse of Paradise doe thinke â—…dren cannot be gotten but by this lust which they haue tried this is that 〈◊〉 honest mariage ashamed to act it 〈◊〉 a reiecting impiously deriding the holy scriptures that say they were â—…d of their nakednesse after they had sinned couered their priuities and b others though they receiue the scriptures yet hold that this blessing Increase and multiply is meant of a spirituall and not a corporall faecundity because the Psalme saith thou shalt multiply vertue in my soule and interprete the following words of Genesis And fill the earth and rule ouer it thus earth that is the flesh which the soule filleth with the presence and ruleth ouer it when it is multiplied in vertue but that the carnall propagation cannot bee performed without that lust which arose in man was discouered by him shamed him and made him couer it after sinne and that his progeny were not to liue in Paradise but without it as they did for they begot no children vntill they were put forth of Paradise and then they did first conioyne and beget them L. VIVES OThers a reiecting The Manichees that reiected all the olde Testament as I sayd elsewhere b Others though The Adamites that held that if Adam had not sinned there should haue beene no marying c Thou shalt multiply The old bookes reade Thou shalt multiply me in soule by thy vertue And this later is the truer reading I thinke for Aug. followed the 70. and they translate it so That God first instituted and blessed the band of Mariage CHAP. 22. BVt wee doubt not at all that this increase multiplying and filling of the earth was by Gods goodnesse bestowed vpon the marriage which hee ordeined in the beginning ere man sinned when hee made them male and female sexes euident in the flesh This worke was no sooner done but it was blessed for the scripture hauing said He created them male and female addeth presently And God blessed them saying Increase and multiply c. a All which though they may not vnfitly be applied spiritually yet male and female can in no wise be appropriate to any spirituall thing in man not vnto that which ruleth and that which is ruled but as it is euident in the reall distinction of sexe they were made male and female to bring forth fruite by generation to multiply and to fill the earth This plaine truth none but fooles will oppose It cannot bee ment of the spirit ruling and the flesh obeying of the reason gouerning and the affect working of the contemplatiue part excelling and the actiue seruing nor of the mindes vnderstanding and the bodies sence but directly of the band of marriage combining both the sexes in one Christ being asked whether one might put away his wife for any cause because Moses by reason of the hardnesse of their hearts suffred them to giue her a bill of diuorce answered saying Haue you not read that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female and sayd for this cause shall â—…man leaue father and mother and sleaue vnto his wife and they tvvaine shal be one flesh So that now they are no more two but one Let no man therefore sunder what God hath coupled together Sure it t s therefore that male and female were ordained at the beginning in the same forme and difference that mankinde is now in And they are called one either because of their coniunction or the womans originall who came of the side of man for the Apostle warnes all maried men by this example to loue their wiues L. VIVES ALL a which There is nothing in the scripture but may bee spiritually applied yet must we keepe the true and real sence otherwise we should make a great confusion in religion for the Heretiques as they please wrest all vnto their positions But if God in saying Increase c. had no corporall meaning but onely spirituall what remaines but that we allow this spirituall increase vnto beasts vpon whom also this blessing was laide Whether if man had not sinned he should haue begotten children in Paradice and vvhether there should there haue beene any contention betvveene chastity and lust CHAP. 23. BVt he that saith that there should haue beene neither copulation nor propagation but for sinne what doth he els but make sinne the originall of the holy number of Saints for if they two should haue liued alone not sinning seeing sinne as these say was their onely meane of generation then veryly was sinne necessary to make the number of Saints more then two But if it bee absurd to hold this it is fit to hold that that the number of Gods cittizenâ—… should haue beene as great then if no man had sinned as now shal be gathered by Gods grace out of the multitude of sinners as long a as this worldly multiplication of the sonnes of the world men shal endure And therefore that marriage that was held fit to bee in Paradice should haue had increase but no lust had not sinne beene How this might be here is no fit place to discusse but it neede not seeme incredible that one member might serue the will without lust then so many seruing it now b Do wee now mooue our hands and feete so lasily when wee will vnto their offices without resistance as wee see in our selues and others chiefely handicraftesmen where industry hath made dull nature nimble and may wee not beleeue that those members might haue serued our first father vnto procreation if they had not beene seazed with lust the reward of his disobedience as well as all his other serued him to other acts doth not Tully disputing of the difference of gouerments in his bookes of the Common-weale and drawing a simyly from mans nature say that they c command our bodily members as sonnes they are so obedient and that wee must keepe an harder forme
Abraham was then but seauentie two yeares of age and his father begetting him when he was seauentie yeares old must needs bee a hundred fortie fiue yeares old and no more at his departure Therefore hee went not after his fathers death who liued two hundred and fiue yeares but before at the seauenty two yeares of his owne age and consequently the hundred forty fiue of his fathers And thus the Scripture in an vsuall course returneth to the time which the former relation had gone beyond as it did before saying That the sonnes of Noahs sonnes were diuided into nations and languages c. and yet afterwards adioyneth Then the vvhole earth vvas of one language c. as though this had really followed How then had euery man his nation and his tongue but that the Scriptures returne back againe vnto the times ouer-passed Euen so here whereas it is said the daies of Thara were two hundred fiue yeares and he died in Charra then the scriptures returning to that which ouer-passed to finish the discourse of Thara first then the Lord said vnto AbrahaÌ„ get thee out of thy country c. after which is added So Abraham departed as the Lord spake vnto him and Lot went with him and Abraham was seauenty yeares old when he went from Charra This therefore was when his 〈◊〉 was a hundred forty and fiue yeares of age for then was Abraham seauenty fiue This doubt is also otherwise dissolued by counting Abrahams seauenty 〈◊〉 when he went to Charra from the time when he was freed from the fire of 〈◊〉 Chaldaaens and not from his birth as if he had rather beene borne then 〈◊〉 Saint Stephen in the Actes discoursing hereof saith thus The God of glory apâ—… to our father Abraham in Mesopotamia before he dwelt in Charra and said 〈◊〉 him get thee out of thy country from thy kindred and come into the land which 〈◊〉 giue thee According to these words of Stephen it was not after Tharas death 〈◊〉 â—…od spake to Abraham for Thara died in Charra but it was before he dwelt 〈◊〉 â—…rra yet was in Mesopotamia But he was gone out of Chaldaea first And â—…eas Stephen saith Then came hee out of the land of the Chaldaeans and dwelt in 〈◊〉 this is relation of a thing done after those words of God for hee went 〈◊〉 Chaldaea after God had spoken to him for hee saith God spake to him in Mesopotamia but that word Then compriseth all the time from Abrahams departure vntill the Lord spake to him And that which followeth After that his father 〈◊〉 dead God placed him in this land wherein he now dwelleth The meaning of the place is And God brought him from thence wher his father dyed afterwards and placed 〈◊〉 â—…ere So then we iust vnderstand that God spake vnto Abraham being in Mesoâ—…tamia yet not as yet dwelling in Charra but that he came in to Charra with â—…er holding Gods commandement fast and in the seauenty fiue yeare of 〈◊〉 departed thence which was in his fathers a hundred forty fiue yere Now 〈◊〉 that he was placed in Chanaan not he came out of Charra after his 〈◊〉 death for when hee was dead he began to buy land there and became 〈◊〉 possessions But whereas God spake thus to him after hee came from 〈◊〉 and was in Mesopotamia Get thee out of thy country from thy kindred 〈◊〉 thy fathers house this concerned not his bodily remouall for that hee 〈◊〉 before but the seperation of his soule from them for his mind was 〈◊〉 â—…arted from them if he euer had any hope to returne or desired it this â—…d desire by Gods command was to bee cut of It is not incredible 〈◊〉 â—…erwards when as Nachor followed his father Abraham then fulfilled the â—…nd of God and tooke Sara his wife and Lot his brothers sonne and so 〈◊〉 out of Charra L. VIVES 〈◊〉 a inextricable doubt So Hierome calles it and dissolueth it some-what â—…sly from Augustine although hee vse three coniectures dissolâ—…â—…us â—…us Hierome dissolueth it out of an Hebrew history for that which we read the 〈◊〉 of Chaldaea the Hebrew hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ur Shadim that is the fire of the Caldaeâ—…â—…pon the Hebrewes haue the story Abraham was taken by the Chaldaeans and 〈◊〉 he would not worshippe their Idols namely their fire he was put into it from whence 〈◊〉 â—…ed him by miracle and the like story they haue of Thara also his father that hee 〈◊〉 he would not adore their images was so serued and so escaped also as whereas it is 〈◊〉 Aram dyed before his father in the land where hee was borne in the country of 〈◊〉 they say it is in his fathers presence in the fire of the Chaldaeans wherein beâ—…â—…ould not worship it he was burned to death And likewise in other places of yâ— text 〈◊〉 â—…hen he comes to this point saith the Hebrew tradition is true that saith that Thara 〈◊〉 came out of the fire of the Chaldaees that Abraham being hedged round about in 〈◊〉 with the fire which he would not worshippe was by Gods power deliuered from thence are the number of his yeares accounted because then hee first confessed the Lord God and contemned the Chaldee Idols Thus farre Hierome without whose relation this place of Augustine is not to bee vnderstood Iosephus writeth that Thara hating Chaldaea departed thence for the greefe of his sonne Arams death and came to dwell in Charra and that Arams tombe was to bee seene in Vr of the Chaldees The order and quality of Gods promises made vnto Abraham CHAP. 16. NOw must we examine the promises made vnto Abraham for in them began the oracles presaging our Lord Iesus Christ the true God to appeare who was to come of that godly people that the prophesies promised The first of them is this The Lord said vnto Abraham get thee out of thy countrey and from thy kinred and from thy fathers house vnto the land that I will shew thee And I will make of thee a great nation and will blesse thee make thy name great and thou shalt be blessed I will also blesse them that blesse thee and curse them that curse thee and in them shall all the families of the earth bee blessed Here wee must obserue a double promise made vnto Abraham the first that his seede should possesse the land of Canaan in these words Goe vnto the land that I will shew thee and I will make thee a great nation the second of farre more worth and moment concerning his spirituall seede whereby hee is not onely the father of Israel but of all the nations that follow his faith and that is in these words And in thee shall all the families of the earth bee blessed This promise was made in Abrahams seauentie fiue yeare as Eusebius a thinketh as if that Abraham did presently there vpon depart out of Charra because the Scripture may not be controuled that giueth
fit it is and yet how subiect to crosses 6. The error of humaine iudgements in cases where truth is not knowne 7. Difference of language an impediment to humaine society The miseries of the iustest wars 8. That true friendship cannot be secure amongst the incessant perrills of this present life 9. The friendship of holy Angells with men vndiscernable in this life by reason of the diuells whom al the Infidells tooke to be good powers and gaue them diuine honors 10. The rewards that the Saints are to receiue after the passing of this worlds afflictions 11. The beatitude of eternall peace and that true perfection wherein the Saints are enstalled 12. That the bloudiest wars cheefe ayme is peace the desire which is natural in man 13. Of that vniuersal peace which no perturbances can seclude from the law of nature Gods iust iudgements disposing of euery one according to his proper desert 14. Of the law of Heauen and Earth which swayeth humaine society by councell and vnto which councell humaine society obeyeth 15. Natures freedome bondage caused by sinne in which man is a slaue to his own affects though he be not bond-man to any one besides 16. Of the iust law of souerainty 17. The grounds of the concord and discord betwixt the Cities of Heauen and Earth 18. That the suspended doctrine of the new Academy opposeth the constancy of Christianity 19. Of the habit and manners belonging to a Christian. 20. Hope the blisse of the heauenly Citizens during this life 21. Whether the Citty of Rome had euer a true common-wealth according to Scipio's definition of a common-wealth in Tully 22. Whether Christ the Christians God be he vnto whome onely sacrifice is to be offered 23. Porphery his relation of the Oracles touching Christ. 24. A definition of a people by which both the Romans and other kingdomes may challenge themselues common-weales 25. That there can be no true vertue where true religion wanteth 26. The peace of Gods enemies vsefull to the piety of his friends as long as their Earthly pillgrimage lasteth 27. The peace of Gods seruants the fullnesse wherof it is impossible in this life to comprehead 28. The end of the wicked FINIS THE NINETEENTH BOOKE OF THE CITTIE OF GOD Written by Saint Augustine Bishop of Hippo vnto Marcellinus That Varro obserued 288. sects of the Philosophers in their question of the perfection of goodnesse CHAP. 1. WHereas I am now to draw my discourse from the progresse vnto the consummation of the state of those two hierarchies the celestiall and the terrestriall I must therefore first lay downe their arguments as farre as the quantity beseeming this volume may permit who intend to make them-selues vp a beatitude extant euen in the continuall misfortunes of mans temporall mortality wherein my purpose is to paralell their vaine positions with our assured hope which GOD hath giuen vs and with the obiect of that assurance namely the true blessednesse which he will giue vs that so confirming our assertions both with holy scriptures and with such reasons as are fitt to be produced against Infidels the difference of their grounds and ours may bee the more fully apparant About that question of the finall good the Philosophers haue kept a wonderfull coyle amongst them-selues seeking in euery cranke and cauerne thereof for the true beatitude for that is the finall good being onely desired for it selfe all other goods hauing in their attainments a reference vnto that alone We do not call that the finall good which endeth goodnesse that is which maketh it nothing but that which profiteth it which giueth it fulnesse of perfection nor do wee call that the end of all euill whereby it ceaseth to bee euill but that point which mischiefe ariseth vnto still reseruing the mischieuous nature that we call the end of mischiefe So then the great good and the greatest euil are the ends of all good and euill the finall goodnesse and the finall badnesse About which two there hath beene wonderfull inquisition to auoide the finall euill and attaine the finall good this was the daily endeuour of our worldly Philosophers who though they were guilty of much exorbitance of error yet the bounds of nature were such limits to their Aphorismes that they sought no further then either the body the mind or both wherein to place this summum bonum of theirs From this tripartite foundation hath M. Varro in his booke De Philosophia most wittily and diligently obserued 288. sects to haue originall not in esse but in posse so many seuerall positions may bee drawne from those three fountaines of which to make a briefe demonstration I must begin with that which hee rehearseth in the booke afore named viz. That there are foure things which euery one desireth by nature without helpe of maister or industry or that habite of life which is called a vertue and is learned by degrees namely eyther sensible pleasure or sensible rest or both b which Epicurus calleth by one name of pleasure or c the vniuersall first positions of nature wherein these and the rest are included as in the body health and strength and in the minde sharpnesse of witte and soundnesse of iudgement these foure therefore pleasure rest both and natures first positiues are in the fabricke of man vnder these respects that either vertue the effect of doctrine is to be desired for them or for it selfe or they for vertue or for themselues And here are foundations for twelue â—…ects for by this meanes they are all tripled I will show it in one and that will make it apparant in all the rest Bodily pleasure being either set vnder vertue aboue it or equall with it giueth life to three diuers opinions It is vnder vertue when vertue ruleth it and vseth it for it is a vertue to liue for our countries good and for the same end to beget our children neither of which can be excluded from corporall delight for without that wee neither eate to liue nor vse the meanes of carnall generation But when this pleasure is preferred before vertue then is it affected in meere respect of it selfe and vertues ataynement is wholly referred vnto that that is all vertues acts must tend to the production of corporall pleasure or else to the preseruation of it which is a deformed kind of life because therein vertue is slaue to the commands of voluptuousnes though indeed that cannot properly bee called vertue that is so But yet this deformity could not want patronage and that by many Philosopers Now pleasure and vertue are ioyned in equallity when they are both sought for them selues no way respecting others Wheresore as the subiection preheminence or equality of vertue vnto voluptuousnesse maketh three sects so doth rest delight and rest and the first positiues of nature make three more in this kinde for they haue their three places vnder aboue or equall to vertue as well as the other thus doth the number arise d vnto twelue
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
God knoweth those that bee his and the deuill cannot draw a soule of them vnto damnation For this God knoweth as knowing all things to come not as one man seeth another in presence and cannot tell what shall be-come either of him hee seeth or of him-selfe here-after The diuell was therefore bound and locked vp that hee should no more seduce the nations the Churches members whom he had held in errour and impiety before they were vnited vnto the Church It is not said that hee should deceiue no man any more but that he should deceiue the people no more whereby questionlesse hee meaneth the Church Proceed vntill the thousand yeares bee fulfilled that is either the remainder of the sixth day the last thousand or the whole time that the world was to continue Nor may wee vnderstand the deuill so to bee barred from seducing that at this time expired hee should seduce those nations againe whereof the Church consisteth and from which hee was forbidden before But this place is like vnto that of the Psalme Our eyes waite vpon the Lord vntill hee haue mercy vpon vs for the seruants of God take not their eyes from beholding as soone as he hath mercy vpon them or else the order of the words is this Hee â—…t him vp and sealed the doore vpon him vntill a thousand yeares were fulfilled all that commeth betweene namely that he should not deceiue the people hauing no necessary connexion here-vnto but beeing to bee seuerally vnderstood as if it were added afterwards and so the sence runne thus And he shut him vp and sealed the dore vpon him vntill a thousand yeares were fulfilled that hee should not seduce the people that is therefore hee shutte him vp so long that he should seduce them no more L. VIVES FRom the a thousand Iohns mention of a thousand yeares in this place and Christs words I will not drinke hence-forth of the fruite of the vine vntill that day that I drinke it new with you in my Fathers kingdome together with many Prophecies touching Christs kingdome in Hierusalem made some imagine that Christ would returne into the world raise the Saints in their bodyes and liue a thousand yeares heere on earth in all ioy peace and prosperitie farre exceeding the golden age of the Poets or that of Sybilla and Esayas The first Author of this opinion was Papias Bishop of Hierusalem who liued in the Apostles times Hee was seconded by Irenaeus Apollinarius Tertullian lib. de fidelium Victorinus 〈◊〉 Lactantius Diuin Instit. lib. 7. And although Hierome deride and scoffe at this opinion in many places yet in his fourth booke of his Commentaries vpon Hieremy hee saith that hee dare not condemne it because many holy martyrs and religious Christians held it so great an authority the person some-times giueth to the position that we must vse great modesty in our dissention with them and giue great reuerence to their godlynesse and grauity I cannot beleeue that the Saints held this opinion in that manner that Cerinthus the heretique did of whome wee read this in Eusebius Cerinthus held that Christ would haue an earthly kingdome in Hierusalem after the resurrection where the Saints should liue in all societie of humaine lusts and concupiscences Besides against all truth of scripture hee held that for a thousand yeares space this should hold with reuells and mariage and other works of corruption onely to deâ—…iue the carnall minded person Dionisius disputing of S. Iohns reuelation and reciting some ancient traditions of the Church hath thus much concerning this man Cerinthus quoth he the author of the Cerinthian heresie delighted much in getting his sect authority by wresting of scripture His heresie was that Christs Kingdome should bee terrestriall and being giuen vp vnto lust and gluttony himselfe he affirmed nothing but such things as those two affects taught him That all should abound with banquets and belly-chere and for the more grace to his assertions that the feasts of the law should be renewed and the offring of carnall sacrifices restored Irenaeus publisheth the secresie of this heresie in his first booke they that would know it may finde it there Thus farre Eusebius Hist. Eccl. lib. 3. wherefore this was not Papias his opinion whose originall Hierome would otherwise haue ascribed vnto Cerinthus who was more ancient then Papias a little though both liued in one age nor would Iraeneus haue written against Cerinthus for he allowed of Papias his opinion neither did all the sects agree in one as touching this thousand yeares but each one taught that which seemed likeliest vnto him-selfe and no wonder in so vaine a fiction Dionisius of Alexandria as Hierome affirmeth In Esai lib. 18. wroâ—… an elegant worke in derision of these Chiliasts and there Golden Hierusalem their reparation of the temple their bloud of sacrifices there Sabbath there circumsitions there birth there mariages there banquets there soueraignties their warres and tryumphs c. b The cheare shall exceed So saith Lactantius The earth shall yeeld her greatest faecundity and yeeld her plenty vntilled The rockie mountaines shall sweate hony the riuers shall runne wine and the fountaines milke To omit Cerinthus his relations which are farre more odious c Chiliast 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a thousand d On the sixt day There is a report that in the bookes of Elias the Prophet it was recorded that the world should last 6000. yeares 2000. vnder vanity vnto Abraham 2000. vnder the law vnto Christ. and 2000. vnder Christ vnto the iudgement This by the Hebrewes account for the LXX haue aboue 3000. yeares from Adam to Abraham And in Augustines time the world lackt not 400 yeares of the full 6000. So that now our Vulgar accoumpt is aboue 6700. yeares Namely from Our Sauiour 1522. Whom Eusebius and such as follow the LXX affirme to haue beene borne in the yeare of the world 5100. and somewhat more Therefore Augustine saith that the later end of the 6000. yeares passed along in his time And Lactantius who liued before Augustine vnder Constantine saith that in his time there was but 200. of the 6000. yeares to runne Of the binding and loosing of the Diuell CHAP. 8. AFter that saith S. Iohn he must be loosed for a season Well although the Diuell be bound and lockt vp that he should not seduce the Church shall hee therefore be looosed to seduce it God forbid That Church which God predestinated and setled before the worlds foundation whereof it is written God knoweth those that be his that the Deuill shall neuer seduce and yet it shal be on earth euen at the time of his loosing as it hath continued in successiue estate euer since it was first erected for by and by after hee saith that the Diuill shall bring his seduced nations in armes against it whose number shal be as the sea sands And they went vp saith hee vnto the plaine of the earth and compassed the tents of the Saints about and
all this whole time from the vnion vnto him to the end of the time implyed in the thousand yeares The rest saith Saint Iohn shall not liue for now is the houre when the dead shall heare the voyce of the sonne of God and they that he are it shall liue the rest shall not liue but the addition vntill the thousand yeares be finished implieth that they shall want life all the time that they should haue it in attayning it by passing through faith from death to life And therefore on the day of the generall resurrection they shall rise also not vnto life but vnto iudgement that is vnto condemnation which is truly called the second death for hee that liueth not before the thousand yeares be expired that is he that heareth not the Sauiours voyce and passeth not from death to life during the time of the first resurrection assuredly shall be throwne both body and soule into the second death at the day of the second resurrection For Saint Iohn proceedeth plainly This saith hee is the first resurrection Blessed and holy is hee that hath part in the first resurrection and part of it is his who doth not onely arise from death in sinne but continueth firme in his resurrection On such saith he the second death hath no power But it hath power ouer the rest of whome hee sayd before The rest shall not liue vntill the thousand yeares bee finished because that in all that whole time meant by the thousand yeares although that each of them had a bodily life at one time or other yet they spent it and ended it with-out arising out of the death of iniquitie wherein the deuill held them which resurrection should haue beene their onely meane to haue purchased them a part in the first resurrection ouer which the second death hath no power An answer to the obiection of some affirming that resurrection is proper to the body onely and not to the soule CHAP. 10. SOme obiect this that resurrection pertaineth onely to the body and therefore the first resurrection is a bodily one for that which falleth say they that may rise againe but the body falleth by death for so is the word Cadauer a carcasse deriued of Cado to fall Ergo rising againe belongeth soly to the body and not vnto the soule Well but what will you answer the Apostle that in as plaine terms as may be he calleth the soules bettring a resurrection they were not reuiued in the outward man but in the inward vnto whom he said If yee then be risen with Christ seeke the things which are aboue which he explaineth else-where saying Like as Christ was raised vp from the dead by the glory of the father so wee also should walke in newnesse of life Hence also is that place Awake thou that sleepest and stand vp from the dead and Christ shall giue thee light Now whereas they say none can rise but those that fall ergo the body onely can arise why can they not heare that shrill sound of the spirit Depart not from him least you fall and againe Hâ—… standeth or falleth to his owne maister and further Let him that thinketh hee sâ—…eth take heed least hee fall I thinke these places meane not of bodily falls but 〈◊〉 the soules If then resurrection concerne them that fall and that the soule â—…y also fall it must needs follow that the soule may rise againe Now Saint 〈◊〉 hauing said On such the second death shall haue no power proceedeth thus But 〈◊〉 shall bee the Priests of God and of Christ and shall reigne with him a thousand â—…es Now this is not meant onely of those whome the Church peculiarly calleth Bishops and Priests but as wee are all called Christians because of our mysticall Chrisme our vnction so are wee all Priests in being the members of â—…e Priest Where-vpon Saint Peter calleth vs A royall Priest-hood an holy nation And marke how briefly Saint Iohn insinuateth the deity a of Christ in these words of God and of Christ that is of the Father and of the Sonne yet as hee was made the sonne of man because of his seruants shape so in the same respect was he made a Priest for euer according to the order of Melchisedech whereof wee haue spoken diuerse times in this worke L. VIVES DEity a of Christ For it were a damnable and blasphemous iniury to God to suffer any one to haue Priests but him alone the very Gentiles would by no meanes allowe it 〈◊〉 Philippic 2. Of Gog and Magog whom the Deuill at the worlds end shall stirre vp against the Church of God CHAP. 11. ANd when the thousand yeares saith hee are expired Sathan shall be loosed out of his prison and shall goe out to deceiue the people which are in the foure quarters of the earth euen God and Magog to gather them together into Battell whose number is as the sand of the sea So then the ayme of his decept shal be this warre for he vsed diuers waies to seduce before and all tended to euill He shall leaue the dennes of his hate and burst out into open persecution This shal be the last persecution hard before the last iudgement and the Church shall suffer it all the earth ouer the whole citty of the Diuell shall afflict the Citty of God at these times in all places This Gog and this Magog are not to bee taken for a any particular Barbarous nations nor for the Getes and Messagetes because of their litterall affinity nor for any other Countryes beyond the Romaines iurisdiction hee meaneth all the earth when hee saith The people which are in the foure quarters of the Earth and then addeth that they are Gog and Magog b Gog is an house and Magog of an house as if hee had sayd the house and hee that commeth of the house So that they are the nations wherein the Deuill was bound before and now that he is loosed cometh from thence they being as the house and hee as comming out of the house But wee referre both these names vnto the nations and neither vnto him they are both the house because the old enemy is hid and housed in them and they are of the house when out of secret hate they burst into open violence Now where as hee sayth They went vp into the plaine of the Earth and compassed the tents of the Saints about and the beloued City wee must not thinke they came to any one set place as if the Saints tents were in any one certaine nation or the beloued Citty either no this Citty is nothing but Gods Church dispersed throughout the whole earth and being resident in all places and amongst all nations as them words the plaine of the Earth do insinuate there shall the tents of the Saints stand there shall the beloued Ctty stand There shall the fury of the presecuting enemy guirt them in with multitudes of all nations vnited in one rage of
thinke this place obscure let him looke for no plainenesse in the Scriptures L. VIVES THy a victory Some read contention but the originall is Victory and so doe Hierom and Ambrose reade it often Saint Paul hath the place out of Osee. chap. â—…3 ver 14. and vseth it 1. Cor. 16. ver 55. b When shall death The Cittie of GOD shall see death vntill the words that were sayd of Christ after his resurrection Oh hell where is thy victory may bee said of all our bodies that is at the resurrection when they shal be like his glorified bodie Saint Peters doctrine of the resurrection of the dead CHAP. 18. NOw let vs heare what Saint Peter sayth of this Iudgement There shall come saith hee in the last daies mockers which will walke after their lusts and say Where is the promise of his comming For since the fathers died all things continue alike from the beginning of the creation For this they willingly know not that the heauens were of old and the earth that was of the water and by the water by the word of GOD wherefore the world that then was perished ouer-flowed with the water But the heauens and earth that now are are kept by the same word in store and reserued vnto fire against the day of iudgement and of the destruction of vngodly men Dearcly beloued bee not ignorant of this that one daie with the LORD is as a thousand years and a thousand yeares as one daie The LORD is not flack concerning his promise as some men count slackenesse but is pacient toward vs and would haue no man to perish but would haue all men to come to repentance But the daie of the LORD will come as a thiefe in the night in the which the heauens shall passe awaie with a noyse and the elements shall melt with 〈◊〉 and the earth with the workes that are therein shal be burnt vppe Seeing therefore all these must bee dissolued what manner of persons ought you to bee in holy conuersation and Godlinesse longing for and hasting vnto the comming of the daie of GOD by the which the heauens beeing on fire shal be dissolued and the elements shall melt vvith heate But vve-looke for a nevv heauen and a nevv earth according to his promise vvherein dvvelleth righteousnesse Thus sarre Now here is no mention of the resurrection of the dead but enough concerning the destruction of the world where his mention of the worlds destruction already past giueth vs sufficient warning to beleeue the dissolution to come For the world that was then perished saith hee at that time not onely the earth but that part of the ayre also which the watter a possessed or got aboue and so consequently almost all those ayry regions which hee calleth the heauen or rather in the plurall the heauens but not the spheres wherein the Sunne and the Starres haue their places they were not touched the rest was altered by humidity and so the earth perished and lost the first forme by the deluge But the heauens and earth saith hee that now are are kept by the same word in store and reserued vnto fire against the daie of iudgement and of the destruction of vngodly men Therefore the same heauen and earth that remained after the deluge are they that are reserued vnto the fire afore-said vnto the daie of iudgement and perdition of the wicked For because of this great change hee sticketh not to say there shal be a destruction of men also whereas indeed their essences shall neuer bee anniâ—…e although they liue in torment Yea but may some say if this old heauen and earth shall at the worlds end bee burned before the new ones be made where shal the Saints be in the time of this conflagration since they haue bodies and therefore must be in some bodily place We may answere in the vpper parts whither the fire as then shall no more ascend then the water did in the deluge For at this daie the Saints bodies shal be mooueable whither their wills doe please nor need they feare the fire beeing now both immortall and incorruptible b for the three children though their bodies were corruptible were notwithstanding preserued from loosing an haire by the fire and might not the Saints bodies be preserued by the same power L. VIVES THe a water possessed For the two vpper regions of the ayre doe come iust so low that they are bounded with a circle drawne round about the earthlie highest mountaines tops Now the water in the deluge beeing fifteene cubites higher then the highest mountaine it both drowned that part of the ayre wherein wee liue as also that part of the middle region wherein the birds do vsually flie both which in Holy writ and in Poetry also are called Heauens b The three Sidrach Misach and Abdenago at Babilon who were cast into a â—…nace for scorning of Nabuchadnezzars golden statue Dan. 3. Saint Pauls words to the Thessalonians Of the manifestations of Antichrist whose times shall immediately fore-runne the day of the Lord. CHAP. 19. I See I must ouer-passe many worthy sayings of the Saints concerning this day least my worke should grow to too great a volume but yet Saint Pauls I may by no meanes omit Thus sayth he Now I beseech you bretheren by the comming of our LORD IESVS CHRIST and by our assembling vnto him that you bee not suddenly mooued from your minde nor troubled neither by spirit nor by word nor by letter as if it were from vs as though the day of CHRIST were at hand Let no man deceiue you by any meanes for that day shall not come except there come a a fugitiue first and that that man of sinne bee disclosed euen the sonne of perdition which is an aduersary and exalteth himselfe against all is called god or that is worshipped so that he sitteth as God in the Temple of God shewing himselfe that he is God Remember yee not that when I was yet with you I told you these things And now yee know what withholdeth that he might be reuealed in his due time For the mistery of iniquity doth already worke onely he which now withholdeth shall let till he be taken out of the way and the wicked man shal be reuealed whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth and shall abolish with the brightnesse of his comming euen him whose comming is by the working of Sathan with all power and signes and lying wonders and in all deceiuablenesse of vnrighteousnesse amongst them that perish because they receiued not the loue of the truth that they might be saued And therefore God shall send them strong delusion that they should beleeue lyes that all they might bee damned which beleeue not in the truth but had pleasure in vnrighteousnesse This is doubtlesse meant of Antichrist and the day of iudgement For this day hee saith shall not come vntill that Antichrist be come before it he that is called here a fugitiue
and purely exhibited did signifie spotlesse and holy men such as Christ him-selfe onely was and no other Seeing therefore that in the iudgement all being clensed that neede clensing there shall not bee any sinne left in the Saints but each shall offer himselfe in righteousnes vnto God as an immaculate and pure oblation thus shall it be then as in the yeares afore when that was represented typically which at this day shal be fulfilled truely for then shall that purity be reall in the Saints which erst was prefigured in the sacrifices And thus of that Now as for those that are not worthy of being clensed but condemned thus saith the Prophet I will come to you in iudgement and I wil be a swift witnesse against the South-sayers and against the adulterers c. for I am the Lord and change not as if he said your fault hath now made you worse and my grace once made you better but I change not He will be witnesse him-selfe because he shall in that iudgement neede no other Swift because he will come on a sudden vnlooked for and when he is thought to bee farthest of and againe because hee will conuince the guilty conscience without making any words Inquisition shal be made in the thoughts of the vngodly saith the wise man Their conscience also bearing witnes saith the Apostle and their thoughts accusing one another or excusing at the day when God shall iudge the secrets of men by Iesus Christ according to my Ghospell Thus then shall God be a swift witnesse in calling that presently vnto the thoughts which shall forthwith condemne them L. VIVES NO a man except The question of the Uirgin Mary was not yet a foote but grew afterward betweene two orders of friers both fiery and led with vndaunted generalls the Dominicans by Thomas of Aquin and the Franciscans by Iohn Duns Scotus Now the councell of Basil decred that she was wholly pure from all touch of sinne But the Dominicans obiected that this was no lawfull counsell and the Minorites of the other side avowed that it was true and holy and called the Dominicans heretiques for slandering the power of the Church so that the matter had come to a shrewd passe but that Pope Sixtus forbad this theame to be any more disputed of Thus do these men esteeme councells or canons bee they againe their pleasures iust as an old wiues tale in a Flaxe-shope or at an Ale-house Gossiping Of the seperation of the good from the bad in the end of the last iudgement CHAP. 27. THat also which I alledged to another purpose in the eighteenth booke out of this Prophet belongeth to the last iudgement They shal be to me saith the Lord of Hostes in that day that I shall do this as a flocke for I will spare them as a man spareth his owne Sonne that serueth him then shall you returne and discerne betweene the righteous and the wicked betweene him that serueth God and him that serueth him not for behold the day commeth that shall burne as an Ouen and all the proud yea and all that do wickedly shal be stuble and the day that commeth shall burne them vp saith the Lord of Hostes and shall leaue them neither roote nor branch But vnto you that feare my name shall the sunne of righteousnes arise and health shal be vnder his winges and yee shall go forth and grow vp as fat Calues And yee shall tread downe the wicked for they shal be dust vnder the soules of your feete in the day that I shall do this saith the Lord of Hostes. This distance of rewards and punishments seuering the iust from the vniust is not seene by the transitory light of this worldly sunne but when it appeareth before that sunne of righteousnesse in the manifesation of the life to come then shall there bee such a iudgement as neuer was before Moyses Law to be spiritually vnderstood for feare of dangerous errour CHAP. 28. BVt whereas the Prophet procedeth saying Remember the law of Moyses my seruant which I commended vnto him in Horeb for all Israell with the statutes and iudgements this is fittly added both to follow the precedent distinction betweene the followers of the law and the contemners of it as also to imply that the said law must bee spiritually interpreted that Christ the distinguisher of the good and bad may therein be discouered who spoke not idly him-selfe when he told the Iewes saying Had yee beleeued Moyses yee would haue beleeued me for be wrote of me for these men conceyuing the Scriptures in a carnallience and not apprehending those earthly promises as types of the eternall ones fell into those damnable murmurings that they durst bee bold to say a It is in vaine to serue God and what profit is it that wee haue kept his commaundement and that wee walked humbly before the Lord of Hostes Therefore b wee count the proud blessed euen they that worke wickednesse are set vp c. These their words seeme euen to compell the prophet to foretell-the last iudgement where the wicked shall be so farre from all shadow of happinesse that they shal be apparantly wretched and the good so acquite from all lasting misery that they shall not be touched with any the most transitory but fully and freely be enthroned in eternal blessednesse For their words before seeme to say thus all that do euill are good in Gods eye and please him These grumblings against God proceeded meerely of the carnall vnderstanding of Moyses law Where-vpon the Psalmist saith that he had like to haue fallen him-selfe and that his feete slipped through his fretting at the foolish seeing the prosperity of the wicked in so much that he saith How doth God know it or is there knowledge in the most high and by and by after Haue I clensed mine heart in vaine and washed mine hands in innocency but to cleare this difficulty how it should come to passe that the wicked should bee happy and the iust miserable he addeth this Then thought I to know this but it was too painefull for me vntill I went into the Sanctuary of God and then vnderstood I their end At the day of the Lord it shall not be so but the misery of the wicked and the happinesse of the Godly shall appeare at full in far other order then the present world can discouer L. VIVES IT is a in vaine A wicked fond and absurd complaint of such as onely like brute beasts conceiue respect nothing but what is present looke but into the conscience of the wicked and you shall finde their hearts torne in peeces looke but vpon the time to come and you shall see a shole of plagues prepared for them which you may thinke are slowe but heauen assureth you they are sure b Wee count the wicked Your account cannot make them fortunate Helias his comming to conuert the Iewes before the iudgment CHAP. 29. NOw the Prophet hauing
〈◊〉 will be 〈◊〉 vp his 〈◊〉 in displeasure His displeasure say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all that 〈◊〉 vn 〈◊〉 of eternall life to eternall torment But 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 little or long how can it be then that the Psalme 〈◊〉 〈…〉 vp 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in displeasure It saith not Will hee shutâ—… 〈◊〉 vâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that hee will not shutte them vp at all Thus doe they 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of GOD is not false although hee condemne none no more then his threatning to destroy Niniuy was false though it was not effected say they notwithstanding that he promised it without exception Hee sayd not I will destroy it vnlesse it repent but plainely without addition Niniuy shal be destroyed This threaâ—…g doe they hold true because GOD fore-told plainely what they had deserued though he pake not that which he meant to doe for though hee spared them yet knew hee that they would repent and yet did hee absolutely promise their destruction This therefore say they was true in the truth of his seuerity which they had deserued but not in respect of his mercy which he did not shut vp in displeasure because he would shew mercy vnto their praiers whose pride hee had threatned to punish If therefore he shewed mercy then say they when he knew hee should thereby grieue his holy prophet how much more will hee show it now when all his Saints shall intreate for it Now this surmise of theirs they thinke the scriptures doe not mention because men should bee reclaimed from vice by feare of tedious or eternall torment and because some should pray for those that will not amend and yet the scriptures say they doe not vtterly conceale it for what doth that of the Psalme intend How great is thy goodnesse which thou hast layd vppe for them that feare thee Thou keepest them secret in thy tabernacle from the strife of tongues That is say they this great sweetnesse of GODS mercy it kept secret from vs to keepe vs in the more awe and therefore the Apostle sayth GOD hath shut vppe all in vnbeleefe that hee might haue mercy on all to shew that hee will condemne none Yet these Opinionists will not extend this generall saluation vnto the deuills â—…t make mankinde the onely obiect of their pitty promising impunity to their owne bad liues withall by pretending a generall mercy of GOD vnto the whole generation of man and in this they that extend Gods mercy vnto the deuill and his angells doe quite exceed these later Of such as hold that heretiques shal be saued in that they haue pertaken of the body of CHRIST CHAP. 19. OThers there are that cleare not hell of all but onely of such as are baptized and pertakers of Christs body and these they say are saued bee their liues or doctrines whatsoeuer wherevpon CHRIST himselfe sayd This is the bread which commeth downe from heauen that he which eateth of it should not die I am the â—…ing bread which came downe from heauen Therefore say these men must all such 〈◊〉 saued of necessity and glorified by euerlasting life Of such as allow this deliuerance onely to wicked and reuolted Catholikes CHAP. 20. ANother sort restraine the former position onely to Catholikes line they neuer so vilely because they haue receiued CHRIST truly and bin 〈◊〉 in his body of which the Apostle faith We that are many are one bread 〈◊〉 one body because wee all are pertakers of one bread So that fall they into neuer â—…o 〈◊〉 afterwards yea euen into Paganisme yet because they receiued the Baptisme of Christ in his Church they shall not perish for euer but â—…hall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 life 〈◊〉 shall their guilt make their torments euer-lasting 〈◊〉 temporall though they may last a long time and bee extreamly 〈◊〉 Of such as affirme that all that abide in the Catholique faith shall be saued for that faith â—…ly be their liues neuer so worthy of damnation CHAP. 21. THere 〈◊〉 some who because it is written Hee that endureth to the end hee shall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doe affirme that onely they that continue Catholiques how-soeuer they liue shall be saued by the merite of that foundation whereof the Apostle 〈◊〉 Other foundation can no man try then that which is laide which is Christ 〈◊〉 And if any man build on this foundation gold siluer precious stones timâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 stubble euery mans worke shall bee made manifest for the day of the Lord shall declare it because it shall bee reuealed by the fire and the fire shall try euery mans worke of what sort it is If any mans worke that hee hath built vpon abide hee shall receiue wages If any mans worke burne he shall lose 〈◊〉 hee shall bee 〈◊〉 him-selfe yet as it were by fire So that all Christian Caâ—… 〈◊〉 say â—…hey hauing Christ for their foundation which no heretiques 〈◊〉 off from his body bee their liues good or bad as those that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or stubble vpon this foundation shall neuer-the-lesse be saâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 iâ—… shall bee deliuered after they haue endured the paines of the 〈◊〉 which punisheth the wicked in the last iudgment Of such 〈◊〉 affirme that the sinnes committed amongst the workes of mercy shall not bee called into iudgement CHAP. 22. ANd some I haue mette with that hold that none shall bee damned eternally 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 aâ—… neglected to satisfie for their sinnes by almes-deedes alledging 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thâ—… shall bee iudgment mercilesse vnto him that sheweth no mercy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 say they though hee amend not his life but liue sinâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 full workes shall neuer-the-lesse haue so mercifull a iudgâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall either not bee punished at all or at least bee freed from his 〈◊〉 after his sufferance of them for some certaine space more or lesse And 〈◊〉 the iudge of quicke and dead would mention no other thing in his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those on both sides of him for the saluation of the one part and the 〈◊〉 of the other but onely the almes-detâ—…s which they had either done 〈◊〉 To which also say they doth that part of the Lords prayer perâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 trespasses as wee forgiue them that trespasse against vs. For he 〈◊〉 an offence done to him doth a worke a of mercy which Christ 〈◊〉 â—…ee sayd If yee doe forgiue men their trespasses your heauenly faâ—… 〈◊〉 but if yee doe not forgiue men their trespasses no more will 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 forgiue you 〈◊〉 trespasses So that here-vnto belongeth also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There shall bee iudgement mercilesse c. The LORD sayd not Your small trespasses say they nor your great but generally your trespasses and therefore they hold that those that liue neuer so viciously vntill their dying day haue notwithstanding their sinnes absolutely pardoned euery day by this praier vsed euery day if withall they doe remember freely to forgiue all such as haue offended them when they intreate for pardon when all those errors are confuted I will GOD willing make an
end of this present booke L. VIVES A a Worke of mercy For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the properly mercy of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to haue mercie as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 come of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in diuers more examples Against those that exclude both men and deuills from paines eternall CHAP. 23. FIrst then wee must shew why ' the church hath condemned them that affirme that euen the very deuills after a time of torment shal be taken to mercy The reason is this those holy men so many and so learned in both the lawes of GOD the Old and the New did not enuy the mundification and beatitude of those spirits after their long and great extremity of torture but they saw well that the words of Our Sauiour could not bee vntrue which hee promised to pronounce in the last iudgement saying Depart from mee yee cursed into euerlasting fire which is prepared for the deuill and his Angells Hereby shewing that they should burne in euerlasting fire likewise in the Reuelation The deuill that deceiued them was cast into a lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet shal be tormented euen day and night for euermore There hee saith euerlasting and here for euermore in both places excluding all termination and end of the time Wherefore there is no reason either stronger or plainer to assure our beleefe that the deuill and his angells shall neuer more returne to the glory and righteousnesse of their Saints then because the scriptures that deceiue no man tell vs directly and plainely that GOD hath not spared them but 〈◊〉 them downe into hell and deliuered them vnto chaines of darkenesse there to bee 〈◊〉 vnto the damnation in the iust iudgement then to bee cast into eternall fire and there to burne for euermore If this bee true how can either all or any men bee â—…iuered out of this eternity of paines if our faith whereby we beleeue the deâ—… to bee euerlastingly tormented be not hereby infringed for if those either all or some part to whome it shal be sayd Depart from mee yee cursed into euerlasting fire which is prepared for the deuill and his angells shall not continue for eâ—… in the fire what reason haue wee to thinke that the deuill and his angells 〈◊〉 Shall the word of GOD spoken alike both to men and deuills be prooued 〈◊〉 vpon the deuills and not vpon the men So indeed should mans surmises â—…of more certainety then Gods promises But seeing that cannot bee they 〈◊〉 desire to escape this paine eternall must cease to argue against GOD and 〈◊〉 his yoake vpon them while they haue time For what a fondnesse were it to value the paines eternall by a fire only of a long contiâ—… but yet to beleeue assuredly that life eternall hath no end at all seeing 〈◊〉 the LORD in the same place including both these parts in one senâ—… 〈◊〉 â—…plainely These shall goe into euerlasting paines and the righteous into life 〈◊〉 Thus doth he make them parallells here is euerlasting paines and there 〈◊〉 eternall life Now to say this life shall neuer end but that paine shall were groâ—…sly absurd Wherefore seeing that the eternall life of the Saints shall bee without end so therefore is it a consequent that the euerlasting paine of the damned shal be as endlesse as the others beatitude Against those that would prooue all damnation frustrate by the praters of the Saints CHAP. 24. THis is also against those who vnder collour of more pitty oppose the expresse word of GOD and say that GODS promises are true in that men are worthy of the plagues he threatens not that they shal be layd vpon them For he will giue them say they vnto the intreaties of his Saints who wil be the readier to pray for them then in that they are more purely holy and their praiers wil be the more powerfull in that they are vtterly exempt from all touch of sinne and corruption Well and why then in this their pure holinesse and powrefulâ—…se of praier will they not intreate for the Angells that are to be cast into euerlasting 〈◊〉 that it would please GOD to mitigate his sentence and set them free from that intollerable fire Some perhaps will pretend that the holy Angells 〈◊〉 ioyne with the Saints as then their followes in praier both the Angells and men also that are guilty of damnation that God in his mercy would be pleased to pardon their wicked merit But there is no sound christian that euer held his or euer will hold it for otherwise there were no reason why the Church should not pray for the deuill and his Angells seeing that her LORD GOD hath willed her to pray for her enemies But the same cause that stayeth the Church for praying for the damned spirits her knowne enemies at this day the â—…ame shall hinder her for praying for the reprobate soules at this day of iudgement notwithstanding her fulnesse of perfection As now shee prayeth 〈◊〉 her enemies in mankinde because this is the time of wholesome repentance and therefore her chiefe petition for them is that GOD would grant them peniâ—… and escape from the snares of the deuill who are taken of him at his will as the Apostle â—…aith But if the church had this light that shee could know any of those wâ—… though they liue yet vpon the earth yet are predestinated to goe with the deuill into that euerlasting fire shee would offer as few praiers for them as shee doth for him But seeing that shee hath not this knowledge therefore praieth 〈◊〉 for all her foes in the flesh and ye is not heard for them all but onely for those who are predestinated to become her sonnes though they bee as yet her 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If any shall die her impenitent foes and not returne into her boâ—… 〈◊〉 doth shee pray for them No because they that before death are not 〈◊〉 into CHRIST are afterward reputed as associates of the deuill And 〈◊〉 the same cause that forbids her to pray for the reprobate soules as then stoppâ—…â—…er for praying for the Apostaticall Angells as now and the â—…ame reason 〈◊〉 why wee pray for all men liuing and yet will not pray for the wicked nor 〈◊〉 being dead For the praier either of the Church or of some Godly persons is heard a for some departed this life but for them which being regenerat in Christ haue not spent their life so wickedly that they may be iudged vnworthy of such mercy or else so deuoutly that they may bee found to haue no neede of such mercy Euen as also after the resurrection there shal be some of the dead which shall obtaine mercy after the punishments which the spirits of the dead do suffer that they be not cast into euerlasting fire For otherwise that should not be truly spoken concerning some That they shall not be forgiuen neither in this world nor in the world to
talents and yet made him to lie for it afterwards because he would not forgiue his fellow a debt but of an hundred pence Wherefore in the vessells of mercy and the sonnes of promise the same Apostles words are truely effected mercy reioyceth against or aboue iudgement for those that liued so holily that they receiued others into the euerlasting habitations who had made them their friends with the riches of iniquity they themselues were diliuered by his mercy who iustifieth the sinner by rewarding him according to grace not according to merit He that professed this I was receiued to mercy that I might bee one of the faithfull was one of this iustified number Indeed such as are receiued by this number into the euerlasting habitations are not of that merit that they could bee saued without the intercession of the Church triumphant and therefore in them doth mercy more euidently eleuate it selfe aboue iudgement Yet may wee not thinke that euery wicked man being without reformation can bee admitted thether though hee haue beene beneficiall to the Saints and afforded them helpes from his riches which whether hee had gotten by sinister meanes or otherwise yet are no true riches but only in the thoughts of iniquity vnto him because he knoweth not the true ritches wherewith they abound that helpe such as he is into those eternall mansions Wherefore there must bee a certaine meane in the liues of such mercy that it bee neither so bad that the almes deeds done vnto those who being made friends to the doers may helpe them to Heauen be altogether fruitlesse nor yet so good that their owne sanctity without the mercies and suffrages of those whom they haue made there friends can possesse them of so hie a beatitude Now I haue often wondred that Virgill should haue vp this sentence of Christ Make you friends of the ritches of iniquity that they may receiue you into the euerlasting habitations Where vnto this is much like He that receiueth a Prophet in the name of a Prophet shall haue a Prophets reward c. for this Poet in describing of the c Elysian fields which they held the blessed soules to inhabite doth not onely place those there whose proper merits haue deserued it but also addeth this Quiâ—… sui memores alios fecêre merendo that is such as respecting their owne future estate deserued to be remembred by those others Iust as if hee had said as euery humble Christian saith commonly in commending him-selfe to some holy man or other Remember me and endeuoureth to procure this remembrance by desert But what the meane is here and what those sinnes are which hinder a man from heauen and yet are remitted by the intercession of his holy friends it is both difficult to finde and dangerous to determine I haue sought thus long my selfe and yet could neuer finde them out Perhaps they are concealed to stirre vs the rather to auoyde all sinne For if we knew for what sinnes we might expect the intercession of Saints our naturall idlenesse would drawe vs on securely in them and make vs relie so wholy vpon the helpe of others that wee should neuer seeke to auoyde them by reforming our selues but trust onely to those our friends whom wee had procured by the vnrighteous Mammon whereas now although our veniall sinne continue with vs and in what measure we know not yet our study to profit by prayer is both more feruent and our desire to win vs friends of the Saints better performed But both these deliueries both by our selues and others tend wholy to keepe vs out of the fire eternall not to free vs after we once bee in it For such as interpret that place of scripture Some fell in good ground and brought forth fruite some thirty-fold some sixty some an hundred by the Saints according to the diuersity of their merite that some should deliuer thirty men some sixty some a hundred neuer-the-lesse doe suppose that this deliuery shall bee at the iudgment and not after it By which opinion one obseruing what occasion diuerse tooke to liue in all loosenesse and exorbitance supposing that by this meanes all men might be saued is said to giue this witty answer Wee ought for this cause rather to liue vprightly to increase the number of the intercessors least otherwise there should be so few that euery one might saue his thirty his sixty or his hundred and yet an infinite company might remaine vnsaued of which why might not he be one that nousled him-selfe in his rash hope of helpe from another And thus much against those who not contemning the authority of our Scriptures doe not-with-standing wrest them to euill meanings following their owne fantasies and not the holy ghosts true intention But since we haue giuen them their answer we must now as we promised giue an end to this present volume L. VIVES HIs a ten pence Behold here Saint Augustine reckneth ten pence a day for a small almes but how many haue we now that giue so much how many potentates see you giue foure pence a day to the poore nay they thinke much with a peny or two pence But after the Dice let Ducates goe by thousands their fooles and iesters shall haue showers of their beneficence powred vpon them 't is a great mans part an embleame of Noblesse but aske them a peny for Christs sake and they are either as mute as stones or grieue at the sight of the guift they part from Respect of vertue now is low laid b They purchase So you shall haue diuerse take vp freely they care not where nor of whom nor in what fashion and then breake turne counterfeite banquerupts and satisfie their creditours with ten at the hundred and thinke they haue made a good hand of it and shall redeeme all with a little almes O fooles that thinke that God is taken with pence no it is the minde that hee respecteth such as is resident onely in honest brests Theeues and villaines haue now and then money good store and disperse it bountifully But let no man trust in his wealth or to purchase heauen with a peece of siluer c The Elysiâ—… fields Seruius deriues the name from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a dissolution of the soule from the body Where these fields are it is vncertaine Plato placeth them in the firmament full of all delights that can bee imagined Others place them in the hollow spheare of the Moone Seru. where the ayre is pure and vndisturbed Of this opinion Lucane seemeth to bee Phars 9. Pythagoras also and Plato were of opinion that this part of the ayre was inhabited with Daemones Demi-gods and Heroes Heare what Lucane saith of the spirit of Pompey Sequitur conuexa tonantis Quà niger astriferis connectitur axibus aër Quodque patet terras as inter lunaeque meatus Semidei manes habitant quos ignea virtus Innocuos vita patientes aetheris imi Fecit aternos animam collegit in
hath related their opinion concealing their names haue said something which although it be false because the soules returning into the bodies which they haue before managed will neuer after forsake them not-withstanding it serueth to stoppe the mouth of those babblers and to ouerthrow the strong hold of many arguments of that impossibility For they doe not thinke it an impossible thing which haue thought these things that dead bodies resolued into aire dust ashes humors bodies of deuouring beastes or of men them selues should returne againe to that they haue beene Wherefore let Plato and Porphyry or such rather as doe affect them and are now liuing if they accord with vs that holy soules shall returne to their bodies as Plato saith but not to returne to any eiuls as Porphyrie saith that that sequele may follow which our Christian faith doth declare to wit that they shall receiue such bodies as they shall liue happily in them eternally without any euill Let them I say assume and take this also from Varro that they returne to the same bodies in which they had beene before time and then there shall bee a sweete harmony betweene them concerning the resurrection of the flesh eternally L. VIVES FOr a certaine Three things moued not only Greece but the whole world to applaud Plato to wit integritie of life sanctity of precepts and eloquence The b dead Euseb lib. 11. thinketh that Plato learned the alteration of the world the resurrection and the iudgement of the damned out of the bookes of Moyses 〈◊〉 Plato relateth that all earthly thinges shall perish a cercaine space of time being expired and that the frame of the worlde shall bee moued and shaken with wonderfull and strange â—…otions not without a great destruction and ouerthrow of all liuing creatures and then that a little time after it shall rest and bee at quiet by the assistance of the highest God who shall receiue the gouernment of it that it may not fall and perish endowing it with an euerlasting flourishing estate and with immortalitie c For he declareth Herus Pamphilius who dyed in battell Plato in fine in lib. de rep writeth that he was restored to life the tenth day after his death Cicero saith macrob lib. 1. may be grieued that this fable was scoffed at although of the vnlearned knowing it well ynough him-selfe neuerthelesse auoyding the scandall of a foolish reprehension hee had rather tell it that he was raized than that he reuiued d Labeo Plin lib. 7. setteth downe some examples of them which being carried forth to their graue reuiued againe and Plutarch in 〈◊〉 de anima relateth that one Enarchus returned to life againe after hee died who said that his soule did depart indeed out of his bodie but by the commandement of Pluto it was restored to his bodie againe those hellish spirits being grieuously punished by their Prince who commaunded to bring one Nicandas a tanner and a wrastler forgetting their errant and foulie mistaking the man went to Enarchus in stead of Nicandas who dyed within a little while after e Genethliaci They are mathematicall pettie sooth-sayers or fortune-tellers which by the day of Natiuitie presage what shall happen in the whole course of mans life Gellius hath the Chaldaeans and the Genethliaci both in one place lib. 14. Against them saith he who name them-selues Caldaeans or Genethliaci and professe to prognosticate future thinges by the motion and posture of the stars f 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Regeneration or a second birth Lactant. also lib. 7. rehearseth these wordes of Chrysippus the stoicke out of his booke de prouidentia by which he confirmeth a returne after death 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. And wee saith hee certaine reuolutions of time being complet and finished after our death shall be restored to the same figure and shape which we haue now Of the quality of the vision with which the Saintes shall see GOD in the world to come CHAP. 29. NOw lette vs see what the Saintes shall doe in their immortall and spirituall bodies their flesh liuing now no more carnally but spiritually so far forth as the Lord shal vouchsafe to enable vs. And truly what maner of action or a rather rest and quietnesse it shall be if I say the truth I know not For I haue neuer seene it by the sences of the bodie But if I shall say I haue seene it by the mind that is by the vnderstanding alasse how great or what is our vnderstanding in comparison of that exceeding excellencie For there is the peace of God which passeth all vnderstanding as the Apostle saith what vnderstanding but ours or peraduenture of all the holy Angels For it doth not passe the vnderstanding of God If therefore the Saintes shall liue in the peace of GOD without doubt they shall liue in that peace Which passeth all vnderstanding Now there is no doubt but that it passeth our vnderstanding But if it also passe the vnderstanding of Angels for hee seemeth not to except them when hee saith All vnderstanding then according to this saying wee ought to vnderstand that we are not able nor any Angels to know that peace where-with GOD him-selfe is pacified in such sort as GOD knoweth it But wee beeing made partakers of his peace according to the measure of our capacity shall obtaine a most excellent peace in vs and amongst vs and with him according to the quantity of our excellency In this manner the holy Angels according to their measure do know the same but men now doe know it in a farre lower degree although they excell in acuity of vnderstanding Wee must consider what a great man did say Wee know in part and we prophecie in part vntill that come which is perfect And wee see now in a glasse in a darke speaking but then wee shall see him face to face So doe the holy Angels now see which are called also our Angels because we beeing deliuered from the power of darkenesse and translated to the kingdome of God hauing receiued the pledge of the Spirite haue already begunne to pertaine to them with whome wee shall enioy that most holy and pleasant Cittie of God of which wee haue already written so many books So therefore the Angels are ours which are the Angels of God euen as the Christe of God is our Christe They are the Angels of GOD because they haue not forsaken God they are ours because they haue begunne to account vs their Cittizens For the Lord Iesus hath sayd Take heed you doe not despise one of these little ones For I say vnto you that their Angels doe alwayes beholde the face of my father which is in heauen As therefore they doe see so also we shall see but as yet wee doe not see so Wherefore the Apostle saith that which I haue spoken a little before We see now in a glasse in a dark speaking but then wee shal see him face to face
translation of the Seuenty is most authenticall next vnto the Hebrew CHAP. 43. THere were other translators out of the Hebrew into the Greeke as Aquila Symmachus Theodâ—…tion and that namelesse interpetor whose translation is called the fift Edition But the Church hath receiued that of the seauenty as if there were no other as many of the Greeke Christians vsing this wholy know not whether there be or no. Our Latine translation is from this also Although one Hierome a learned Priest and a great linguist hath translated the same scriptures from the Hebrew into Latine But a although the Iewes affirme his learned labour to be al truth and auouch the seauenty to haue oftentimes erred yet the Churches of Christ hold no one man to be preferred before so many especially being selected by the high Priest for this work for although their concord had not proceeded from their vnity of spirit but froÌ„ their collations yet were no one man to be held more sufficient then they all But seeing there was so diuine a demonstration of it truely whosoeuer translateth from the Hebrew or any other tongue either must agree with the seauenty or if hee dissent wee must hold by their propheticall depth For the same spirit that spake in the prophets translated in them And that spirit might say other-wise in the translation then in the Prophet and yet speake alike in both the sence being one vnâ—…o the true vnderstander though the words bee different vnto the reader The same spirit might adde also or diminish to shew that it was not mans labour that performed this worke but the working spirit that guyded the labours Some held it good to correct the seauenty by the Hebrew yet durst they not put out what was in them and not in the Hebrew but onely added what was in that and not in them b marking the places with c Asteriskes at the heads of the verses and noting what was in the seauenty and not in the Hebrew with 〈◊〉 as we marke d ounces of weight withall And many Greeke and Latine â—…pies are dispersed with these markes But as for the alterations whether the difference be great or small they are not to be discerned but by conferring of the bookes If therefore we go all to the spirit of God and nothing else as is fittest whatsoeuer is in the seauenty and not in the Hebrew it pleased God to speake it by those latter prophets and not by these first And so contrary-wise of that which is in the Hebrew and not in the seauenty herein shewing them both to be â—…phets for so did he speak this by Esay that by Hieremy and other things by othes as his pleasure was But what wee finde in both that the spirit spake by both by the first as Prophets by the later as propheticall translations for as there was one spirit of peace in the first who spake so many seuerall things with discordance so was there in these who translated so agreeably without conference L VIVES ALthough a the Iewes No man now a daies sheweth an error and leaueth it Mankind is not so wise Againe time gayneth credit vnto many and nothing but time vnto some But it is admirable to see how gently hee speaketh here of Hierome whose opinion he followed not in this high controuersie O that wee could immitate him b Marking of this Hierome speaketh Prolog in Paralip Origen was the first that tooke the paines to conâ—… the translation and he conferred the seauenty with Theodotion Hier. ep id August where he inueigheth at what hee had erst commended saying that the booke is not corrected but rather corrupted by those asteriskes and spits But this he said because Augustine would not meddle with his translation but held that of the seauenty so sacred this power oftentimes 〈◊〉 affection in the holiest men c Asteriskes Little stars d Ounces It seemes the oâ—…ce in old times was marked with a spits character Isidoâ—…e saith it was marked with the Greeke Gamma and our o thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the halfe scruple with a line thus they noted those places with a spit thus 〈◊〉 to signifie that the words so noâ—…ed were thrust through as adâ—… falsefiing the text It was Aristarchus his inuention vsed by the Grammarians in their 〈◊〉 of bookes and verses Quinti lib. 1. Which the old Grammarians vsed with such seuerity 〈◊〉 they did not onely taxe false places or bookes hereby but also thrust their authors either 〈◊〉 of their ranke or wholy from the name of Grammarians Thus Quintilian Seneca did eleâ—… call the rasing out of bastard verses Aristarchus his notes Of the destruction of Niniuy which the Hebrew perfixeth fourty daies vnto and the Septuagints but three CHAP. 44. 〈◊〉 will some say how shall I know whether Ionas said yet forty daies and Niâ—… shal be destroyed or yet three daies who seeth not that the Prophet presaging 〈◊〉 destruction could not say both if at three daies end they were to bee desâ—… then not at fourty if at fourty then not at three If I bee asked the question I answer for the Hebrew For the LXX being 〈◊〉 after might say otherwise and yet not against the sence but as pertinent to the matter as the other though in another signification aduising the reader not to leaue the signification of the historie for the circumstance of a word noâ—… to contemne either of the authorities for those things were truly done 〈◊〉 at Niâ—…ie and yet had a reference farther then Niniuie as it was true that the Prophet was three dayes in the Whales belly and yet intimated the being of the Lord of all the Prophets three dayes in the wombe of the graue Wherefore if the Church of the Gentiles were prophetically figured by Niniuie as being destâ—…oyed in repentance to become quite different from what it was Christ doiâ—…g this in the said Church it is hee that is signified both by the forty dayes and by the three by forty because hee was so long with his disciples after hiâ—… resurrection and then ascended into heauen by three for on the third day hee aroâ—…e againe as if the Septuagâ—…nts intended to stir the reader to looke further into the matter then the meere history and that the prophet had intended to intimate the depth of the mysterie as if hee had said Seeke him in forty dayes â—…hom thou shalt finde in three this in his resurrection and the other in his asceâ—…sion Wherefore both numbers haue their fitte signification both are spokâ—…n by one spirit the first in Ionas the latter in the translators Were it noâ—… for â—…diousnesse I could reconcile the LXX and the Hebrew in many places wherein they are held to differ But I study breuity and according to my talent haue followed the Apostles who assumed what made for their purposes out of both the copies knowing the holy spirit to be one in both But forward with our purpose L. VIVES YEt a forty
dayes Hierome wonders that the seauenty would translate three for forty the Hebrew hauing no such similitude in figure or accent In these straites is the excellent witte of Saint Augustine now â—…n anglâ—…d nor can hee well acquit him-selfe of thâ—…m b At Niâ—…iuie A citty in Assyria built by Ninus Wee haue spoaken of it already The Iewes wanted Prophets euer after the repayring of the Temple and were afflicted euen from thence vntill Christ came to shew the Prophets spake of the building of the other Temple CHAP. 45. AFter the Iewes were left destitute of Prophets they grew dayly worse and worse namely from the end of their captiuity when they hoped to growe into better state vpon the repaying of the Temple For so that carnall nation vnderstood Agees Prophecie saying The glory of this last house shall bee greater then the first which hee sheweth that hee meant of the New Testament in the words before where hee promiseth CHRIST expressely saying I will mooue all nations and the desire of all nations shall come Where the LXX vsed a sence rather applyable to the members then the head saying And they that are GODS elect shall come out of all Nations to witte the men of whom Christ said in the Gospell Many are called but fewe are chosen For those chosen is the house of GOD built by the New Testament of liuing stones farre more glorious then that which was built by Salomon and repaired after the captiuity Therefore from thence had this nation no more Prophets but were sore afflicted by aliens euen by the Romaines them-selues to teach them that Agge meant not of that house which they had repayred For b Alexander came soone after that and subdued them who although hee made no massacre of them for they durst doe no other but yeeld at his first booke yet there was the glory of that Temple prooued inferiour to what it had beene in their owne free Kings times For in the Temple did Alexander sacrifice not in any true worship vnto GOD but giuing him a place in the adoration of his false deities c Then came the fore-named Ptolomey sonne to Lagus after Alexaâ—…ders death and hâ—…e lead many of them captiue into Egipt yet his sonne Philadelphus did courteouslie free them afterwards and had the seauentie to translate the Old Testament for him as I sayde before from whence it came to our hands After all this the warres mentioned in the Machabees lay vpon them And in d processe of time Ptolomy King of Alexandria sudbued them hee that was called Epiphanes and then were they extreamly plagued forced to offer to Idols and their Temple filled with sacriligious pollution by Antiochus King of Syria whose powers not-with-standing Iudas Machabeus vtterly subueâ—…ted and restored the Temple to the ancient dignity Within a while after did Alchimus a man borne out of the Priests bloud by ambition aspire to the Priest-hood and then about fifty yeares after all which were passed vnder the variable chance of warre did Aristobulus assume a diademe and became both King and Priest For all the time before euer since the captiuitie they had no Kings but Captaines and Generalls or Priâ—…ces though a King may bee called a Prince because of his preheminence but all that are Captaines and Princes f are not Kings as Aristobulus was To him g did Alexander succeed both in the kingdome and the Priesthood and is recorded for a tyrant ouer his people Hee left the regality to his wife Alexandra and from thence began the Iewes extremities of affliction For h her two sonnes Aristobulus and Hircanus contending for the Principalitie called the Romaine forces to come against Israell by the meanes of Hircanus demanding their ayde against his brother Then had the Romaine conquered all Affrick and Greece and hauing commanded ouer a multitude of other nations i the state seemed too heauie for it selfe and brake it selfe downe with the owne burden For now had sedition gotten strong hold amongst them breaking out into confederacies and ciuill warres where-with it was so maimed that now all declined vnto a Monarchike forme of gouernment But Pompey the great generall of Romes forces brought his powers into Iudaea tooke Hierusalem opened the Temple doores not to goe in to pray vnto God but to prey vpon God rather and not as a worshipper but as a prophaner entred the k sanctum sanctorum a place onely lawfull for the high Priest to bee seene in l And hauing seated Hircanus in the priest-hood and made Antipater prouost of the prouince hee departed carrying Aristobulus away with him prisoner Here began the Iewes to bee the Romaines tributaries Afterwards came Cassius and spoiled the Temple m And within a few yeares after Herod an Alien was made their gouernour and in his time was our Sauiour CHRIST borne For now was the fulnesse of time come which the Patriarch prophetically implyed saying The Scepter shall not depart from Iuda nor the law-giuer from betweene his feete vntill Shilo come and hee shall gather the nations vnto him For the Iewes had neuer beene with-out a Prince of their bloud vntill Herods time who was their first Alien King Now then was the time of Shiloh come now was the New Testament to bee promulgate and the nations to bee reconciled to the truth For it were vnpossible that the nations should desire him to come in his glorious power to iudge as wee see they doe vnlesse they had first beene vnited in their true beleefe vppon him when hee came in his humility to suffer L. VIVES THey that a are Gods elect 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 b Alexander came In the time of Dariuâ—… sonne to Arsamus Olymp. 112. which is a little more then two hundred yeares after Fâ—…r Alexander besieging Tyre and sending for helpe to Iaddus the Priest commanding him as 〈◊〉 were Lord of Asia seeing he had now chased Darius thence the Priest answered that he ought him no seruice as long as Darius liued with whome hee was in league A wise answer and befitting an Israelites faith it enflamed the valarous young King who hauing taken Tyre made straight to Galilee through Palestina tooke Gaza and set forward to Hierusalem where the Priests mette him in all their ceremoniall robes and saluted him so hee was pacâ—…fied and adored the Priest saying that hee was the Priest of the God of Nature who had appeared vnto him in his sleepe at Macedon and tolde him hee should attaine this Empire So tooke hee Iudaea into his protection Ioseph lib. 11. Antiq. c Ptolomy sonne to Lagus Vnder colour of desiring to sacrifice in the Temple vpon a Sabboth hee tooke the towne Ioseph d Epiphanes That is Illustrious Hee succeeded his Father Philopater and warred with Antiochus Epiphanes vntill they boâ—… were wearied and then hee marryed Cleopatâ—… Antiochus his daughter and had Iudaea for his dowrie c. e Antiochus Of him read the Machabees 2. 7 and 8. and