talked with this Theodorus at Antioch 〈◊〉 asked him if hee felt no payne who told him no for there stood a young-man behind me in a white raiment who oftentimes sprinckled cold water vpon me and wiped my sweat a way with a towell as white as snow so that it was rather paine to mee to bee taken from the racke q Ualens An Arrian when Augustine was a youth this Emperour made a law that Monkes should goe to the warres and those that would not hee sent his souldiors to beate them to death with clubbes An huge company of those Monkes liued in the deserts of Egipt Euseb. Eutrop. Oros r By their owne Immediatly after Ualens his death Arianisme as then raging in the church s In Persia Vnder King Gororanes a deuillish persecutor who raged because Abdias an holy bishop had burnt downe all the Temples of the Persians great god their fire Cassiod Hist. trip lib. 10. Sapor also persecuted sore in Constantines time a little before this of Gororanes Of the vnknowne time of the last persecution CHAP. 53. THe last persecution vnder Antichrist Christs personall presence shall extinguish For He shall consume him with the breath of his mouth and abolish him with the brightnesse of his wisdome saith the Apostle And here is an vsuall question when shall this bee it is a saucy one If the knowledge of it would haue done vs good who would haue reuealed it sooner then Christ vnto his disciples for they were not bird-mouthed vnto him but asked him saying Lord wilt thou at this time a restore the Kingdome to Israel But what said he It is not for you to knowe the b times or seasons which the Father hath put in his owne power They asked him not of the day or houre but of the time when hee answered them thus In vaine therefore doe wee stand reckning the remainder of the worlds yeares wee heare the plaine truth tell vs it befits vs not to know them Some talke how it shall last 400. some fiue hundered some a thousand yeares after the Ascension euery one hath his vie it were in vaine to stand shewing vpon what grounds In a word their coniectures are all humane grounded vpon no certenty of scripture For hee that said It is not for you to know the times c. stoppes all your accounts and biddes you leaue your calculations But c this beeing an Euangelicall sentence I wonder not that it was not of power to respresse the audacious fictions of some infidels touching the continuance of christian religion For those obseruing that these greatest persecutions did rather increase then suppresse the faith of CHRIST inuented a sort of greeke verses like as if they had beene Oracle conteyning how CHRIST was cleare of this sacreledge but that Peter had by magike founded the worship of the name of CHRIST for three hundered three score and fiue yeares and at that date it should vtterly cease Oh learned heads Oh rare inuentions fit to beleeue those things of CHRIST since you will not beleeue in CHRIST to wit that Peter learned magike of CHRIST yet was he innocent and that his disciple was a witch and yet had rather haue his Maisters name honored then his owne working to that end with his magike with toile with perills and lastly with the effusion of his bloud If Peters witch craft made the world loue CHRIST so well what had CHRISTS innocence done that Peter should loue him so well Let them answere and if they can conceiue that it was that supernall grace that fixed CHRIST in the hearts of the nations for the attainment of eternall blisse which grace also made Peter willing to endure a temporall death for CHRIST by him to bee receiued into the sayd eternity And what goodly gods are these that can presage these things and yet not preuent them but are forced by one witch and as they affirme by one c child-slaughtring sacrifice to suffer a sect so miurious to them to preuaile against them so long time and to beare downe all persecutions by bearing them with patience and to destroy their Temples Images and sacrifices which of their gods is it none of ours it is that is compelled to worke these effects by such a damned oblation for the verses say that Peter dealt not with a deuill but with a god in his magicall operation Such a god haue they that haue not CHRIST for their GOD. L. VIVES AT this time a restore So it must bee read not represent b It is not for you He forbiddeth all curiosity reseruing the knowledge of things to come onely to himselfe Now let my figure-flingers and mine old wiues that hold Ladies and scarlet potentates by the eares with tales of thus and thus it shal be let them all goe packe Nay sir he doth it by Christs command why very good you see what Christs command is Yet haue wee no such delight as in lies of this nature and that maketh them the bolder in their fictions thinking that wee hold their meere desire to tell true a great matter in so strange a case c Euangelicall Spoken by Christ and written by an Euangelist Indeed Christs ascension belongeth to the Gospell and that Chap. of the Actes had been added to the end of Lukes Gospell but that his preface would haue made a seperation d Child-slaughtering The Pagans vsed to vpbraid the Christians much with killing of Children Tertull Apologet. It was a filthy lie Indeed the Cataphrygians and the Pepuzians two damned sects of heresie vsed to prick a yong childes body all ouer with needles and so to wring out the bloud wherewith they tempered their past for the Eucharisticall bread Aug ad Quodvultd So vsed the Euâ—…hitae and the Gnostici for to driue away deuills with Psell. But this was euer held rather villanies of magike then rites of christianity The Pagans foolishnesse in affirming that Christianity should last but 365. yeares CHAP. 54. I Could gather many such as this if the yeare were not past that those lies prefixed and those fooles expected But seeing it is now aboue three hundred sixty fiue yeares since Christs comming in the flesh and the Apostles preaching his name what needeth any plainer confutation For to ommit Christs infancy and child-hood where in he had no disciples yet after his baptisme in Iordan by Ihon as soone as he called some disciples to him his name assuredly began to bee â—…lged of whom the Prophet had said hee shall rule from sea to sea and from the 〈◊〉 to the lands end But because the faith was not definitiuely decreed vntill 〈◊〉 his passion to wit in his resurrection for so saith Saint Paul to the Athenians Now hee admonisheth all men euery where to repent because hee hath appoinâ—…da daie in which hee will iudge the world in righteousnesse by that man in whom â—…ee hath appointed a faith vnto all men in that hee hath raised him from the dead Wee shall
sacriâ—…es 5. Of the obscaenaties vsed in the sacrifices offred vnto the mother of the gods 6. That the Pagan gods did neuer establish the doctrine of liuing well 7. That the Philosophers instructions are weake and bootlesse in that they beare no diuine authoritie because that the examples of the Gods are greater confirmation of vices in men then the wise mens disputations are on the contrary 8. Of the Romaine Stage-playes wherin the publishing of their foulest impurities did not any way offend but rather delight them 9. What the Romaines opinion was touching the restraint of the liberty of Poefie which the Greekes by the councell of their Gods would not haue restrained at all 10. That the Deuils through their settled desire to doe men mischiefe were willing to haue any villanie reported of them whether true or false 11. That the Greeks admitted the Plaiers to beare office in their commonweales least they should seeme vniust in despising such men as were the pacifiers of their 〈◊〉 12. That the Romaines in abridging thâ—…r liberty which their Poets would haue vpon men and allowing them to vse it vpon their Gods did herein shew that they prised themselues aboue the Gods 13. That the Romaines might haue â—…serued their Gods vnworthinesse by the 〈◊〉 of such obscane solemnitiâ—… 14. That Plato who would not allow Poets to dwell in a well gouerned Citie shewed herein that his sole worth was better then all the Gods who desire to bee honored with Stage-playes 15. That flattery and not Reason created some of the Romaine Gods 16. That if the Romaine Gods had had any care of iustice the Citty should haue had her forme of gouernment from them rather then to borrow it of other nations 17. Of the rape of the Sabine women and diuerse other wicked facts done in Romes most ancient honorable times 18. What the history of Salust reports of the Romains conditions both in their times of danger and those of securitie 19. Of the corruptions ruling in the Romaine state before that Christ abolished the worship of their Idols 20. Of what kind of happinesse and of what conditions the accusers of Christianitie desire to pertake 21. Tullies opinion of the Romaine common-weale 22. That the Romaine Gods neuer respected whether the Citty were corrupted and so brought to destruction or no. 23. That the variety of temporall estates dependeth not vpon the pleasure or displeasure of those Deuils but vpon the iudgments of God Almighty 24. Of the acts of Sylla wherein the Deuils shewed themselues his maine helpers and furtherers 25. How powerfully the Deuils incite men to villanies by laying before them examples of diuine authority as it were for them to follow in their villanous acts 26. Of certaine obscure instructions concerning good manners which the Deuils are said to haue giuen in secret whereas all wickednesse was taught in their publique solemnities 27. What a great meanes of the subuersion of the Romaine estate the induction of those Playes was which they surmized to be propitiatory vnto the Gods 28. Of the saluation attained by the Christian religion 29. An exhortation to the Romaines to renounce their Paganisme THE SECOND BOOKE OF THE CITTY OF GOD Written by Saint Augustine Bishop of Hippo vnto Marcellinus Of the method which must of necessity be vsed in this disputation CHAP. 1. IF the weake custome of humaine sence durst not bee so bold as to oppose it selfe against the reasons of apparant truth but would yeeld this languid infirmitie vnto wholesome instruction as vnto a medicine which were fittest to apply vntill by Gods good assistance and faiths operation it were throughly cured then those that can both iudge well and instruct sufficiently should not need many words to confute any erronious opinion or to make it fully apparant vnto such as their desires would truly informe But now because there is so great and inueterate a dâ—…sease rooted in the mindes of the ignorant that they will out of their extreame blindnesse whereby they see not what is most plaine or out of their obstinate peruersnesse whereby they will not brooke what they see defend their irrationall and brutish opinions after that the truth hath beenetaught them as plaine as one man can teach another hence it is that a there ariseth a necessitie that bindeth vs to dilate more fully of what is already most plaine and to giue the truth not vnto their eyes to see but euen into their heads as it were to touch and feele Yet notwithstanding this by the way What end shall wee make of alteration if we hold that the answerers are continually to be answered For as for those that either cannot comprehend what is said vnto them or else are so obstinate in their vaine opinions that though they do vnderstand the truth yet will not giue it place in their minds but reply against it as it is written of them like spectators of iniquitie those are eternally friuolous And if wee should binde our selues to giue an answer to euery contradiction that their impudencie will thrust forth how falsly they care not so they do but make a shew of opposition vnto our assertions you see what a trouble it would be how endlesse and how fruitlesse And therefore sonne Marcelline I would neither haue you nor any other to whom this our worke may yeeld any benefit in Iesus Christ to read this volume with any surmise that I am bound to answer whatsoeuer you or they shall heare obiected against it least you become like vnto the women of whom the Apostle saith that they were alwayes learning and neuer able to come vnto the knowledge of the truth L. VIVES Hâ—… 〈◊〉 iâ—… that a there ariseth a necessity The latine text is fit necessitus spoken by a Gâ—…e figure 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Demosthenes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 necessitas for necesse and it is an ordinary phrase with them though the Latynes say est necessitas as Quintilian hath it Arepetition of the Contentes of the first booke CHAP. 2. THerefore in the former booke wherein I began to speake of the City of God to which purpose all the whole worke by Gods assistance shall haue reserence I did first of all take in hand to giue them their answere that are so shamelesse as to impute the calamities inflicted vpon the world and in particular vpon Rome in her last desolation wrought-by the Vandales vnto the religion of Christ which forbids men to offerre seruice or sacrifice vnto deuills whereas they are rather bound to ascribe this as a glory to Christ that for his names sake alone the barbarous nations beyond all practise and custome of warres allowed many and spacious places of religion for those ingratefull men to escape into and gaue such honor vnto the seruants of Christ not only to the true ones but euen to the counterfeit that what the law of armes made lawfull to doe vnto all men they held it vtterly vnlawfull to offer vnto them
sexes it is hard for a male to become a female but not so hard for the other change For the masculine member to be drawne in and dilated into the feminine receptacles is exceeding hard mary for the female partes to bee excrescent and coagulate into the masculine forme may be some-what but not neare so difficulte as is thought though it bee seldon seene f It rained Often say authors Liuius Iul. Obsequ c. g chalke Consulls Q. Metellus and Tul. Didius Obsequ h Stones This is not rare First it did so in Tullus Hostilius his time and then it was strange But after it grew ordinary to perticularize in this were idle i Direct stones Some reade directly earth c. k Aetna Aetna is a hill in Sicily sacred to Vulcan casâ—…ing out fire in the night by a vent ten furlongs about the vent is called the cauldâ—…on Solinus saith it hath two of them Aetna Briareus Ciclops his son or Aetna sonne to Caelus and Terra otherwise called Thalia gaue it the name Seruius Uirgill describes it in a large Poeme which some say is Ouids but Seneca saith Ouid durst not deale with it because Virgil had done it before him Others say Cornelius Seuerus did it The fire doth much harme to the bordering partes of the Island This that Augustine declareth happened in the Consulships of Cn. Seruil Scipio and C. Laelius and in M. Aemilius and L. Aurelius their Consulships the flames burst forth with an earth-quake and the sea was heated therewith as farre as the Island Liparae so that diuers shippes were burnd and diuers of the saylours stifled with the sulphurous vapor It killed an inumerable company of fish which the Liparians feeding vpon got a pestilent disease in their bellies which vnpeopled almost all the whole Island Obseq This was a little before Gracchus his sedition and it was such that many were driuen to flie from their dwellings into other places Oros. l Sicily Oros. lib. 5. and 12. m Catina Or Catana it is called by both names though their be one Catina in Spaine and another in Arcadia This that Augustine relateth of is recorded by Pliny lib. 3. n That yeares And nine yeares more saith Orosius o Locusts This was in the Consulships of P. Plautius 〈◊〉 M. Fulu Flaccus before C. Gracchus his sedition Liu. lib. 9. Oros. Eutrop. Iul. Obseq p 80000. So saith Orosius but of Micipsa his Kingdome Of this sicknesse in al died 800000. men saith Obsequens 900000. saith Eutropius who is indeede no good computator in Numidia about Carthage 200000. of the Romaine souldiars that kept the legion there 30000. so saith Orosius putting onely 80. for 90. q Onely in Masinyssa's Or rather Micipsa's his sonne For Masinissa himselfe was dead But it might bee called his because Rome gaue it him for his worthy deserts r Many more Our historians write not so perhaps Augustine followed others or els like an Orator applied the history to his owne vse and purpose which Cicero doth allow in his Brutus and hath practised some-times himselfe as wee haue obserued in his Orations and as Pedianus hath noted therein also s 30000. Beeing left at Vtica as the Guarison of Afrike t a difference of reading we haue giuen it the truest sence Finis lib. 3. THE CONTENTS OF THE fourth booke of the City of God 1. Of the contents of the first booke 2. Of the contents of the second third booke 3. Whether happy and wise men should account it as part of their felicities to possesse an Empire that is inlarged by noe meanes but war 4. Kingdomes without iustice how like they are vnto theeuish purchases 5. Of those fugitiue sword-plaiers whose power grew paralel'd with a royall dignity 6. Of the couetise of Ninus who made the first war vpon his neighbours through the greedy desire he had to increase his kingdome 7. Whether the Pagan gods haue any power either to further or hinder the progresse increase or defects of earthly kingdomes 8. What pretious gods those were by whose power the Romaines held their empire to bee inlarged and preserued seeing that they durst not trust them with the defence of meane and perticular matters 9. Whether it was Ioue whome the Romaines held the chiefest GOD that was their protector and enlarger of their empire 10. What opinions they followed that set diuers gods to rule in diuerse parts of the world 11. Of the multitude of gods which the Pagan Doctors avouch to bee but one and the same Iupiter 12. Of their opinion that held God to bee soule and the world the body 13. Of such as hold that the resonable creatures onely are parts of the diuine 14. That the augmentations of kingdomes are vnfitly ascribed to Ioue victory whome they call a goddesse being sufficient of herselfe to giue a full dispatch to all such buisinesses 15. Whether an honest man ought to entertaine any desire to enlarge his empire 16. The reason why the Romaines in their appointments of seueral gods for euery thing and euery action would needs place the Temple of Rest or Quiet without the gates 17. Whether if Ioue bee the chiefe God of all victory to be accounted as one of the number 18. Why Fortune and Felicity were made Goddesses 19. Of a Goddesse called Fortuna muliebris 20. Of the Deification of Vertue and Faith by the Pagans and of their omission of the worship that was due to diuers other Gods if it bee true that these were gods 21. That such as knew not the true and onely God had better haue bin contented with Vertue and Felicity 22. Of the knowledge of these Pagan Gods which Varro boasteth he taught the Romaines 23. Of the absolute sufficiency of Felicity alone whome the Romaines who worshipped so many Gods did for a great while neglect and gaue no diuine honors vnto 24. What reason the Pagans bring for their worshipping of Gods guifts for Gods themselues 25. Of the worship of one God onely whose name although they knew not yet the tooke him for the giuer of Felicity 26. Of the stage playes which the gods exacted of their seruants 27. Of the three kinds of gods whereof Scauola disputed 28. Whether the Romaines dilligence in this worshippe of those gods did their empire any good at all 29. Of the falsenesse of that augury that presaged courage and stability to the state of Rome 30. The confessions of such as doe worshippe those Pagan Gods from their owne mouthes 31. Of Varros reiecting the popular opinion and of his beleefe of one God though hee knew not the true God 32. What reasons the kings of the world had for the permitting of those false religions in such places as they conquered 33. That God hath appointed a time for the continuance of euery state on earth 34. Of the Iewes Kingdome which one god alone kept vnmooued as long as they kept the truth of religion FINIS THE FOVRTH BOOKE OF THE CITTIE OF GOD Written by Saint
durst nâ—… speake his mind freely of those gods because of the inueterat custome of his country k heauen and whome Tully with the Stoicks maketh the chiefe of the gods Of Varros reiecting the popular opinion and of his beleefe of one God though he knew not the true God CHAP. 31. ANd what say you to Varro whom we are sory should make plaies as an honor to true gods in religion though not in iudgment seeing he exhorteth men to the adoration of the gods so religiously doth not he confesse that he is not of the opinion of those that left the Romaines their religion and that if he were to leaue the citty any institutions hee would rather giue them their gods after the prescript of nature But seeing that the former hath beene of so long a continuance hee saith that it was but his duty to prosecute his discourse hereof from the eldest antiquities to the end that the people should â—…t be induced rather to honor then to contemne them wherein this iuditious writer sheweth that the things whereof he writeth would be contemptible to the people as well as to him-selfe if they were not kept in silence I should haue thought one might but haue coniectured this but that himselfe saith in many places that there is much truth which the people ought not to know nay and if it were all falsehood yet it were fit the people should neuer-the-lesse thinke that it were truth and therefore the Grecians shut vp their a Teletae and their b most secret mysteries in walles Here hee hath made a discouerie of all the politique gouernment of the world But the Deuills take great delight in this playing double making them-selues the maisters both ouer the deceiuers and the deceiued from whose dominion nothing freeth vs but the grace of God through Iesus Christ our Lord. This acute and learned man saith further that hee thinketh onely those to discerne God who teach that hee is a soule moouing and swaying the whole world and here-by though hee yet haue no firme holde of the truth for God is no soule but the soules maker yet if the Citties custome had permitted him assuredly hee would haue taught them the worship of one onely God and the gouernor of the world so that wee should but haue this onely controuersie wâ—…th him whether God were a soule or the soules maker He saith also that the old Romaines were a hundred three-score and ten yeares with-out Idols and had they beene so still quoth hee religion had beene kept the purer to prooue which hee produceth amongst others the Iewes and concludeth that who-so-euer they were that first inuented Images they freed the citty from all awe and added vnto errour beeing well aduised that the sencelesnesse of the Idols would make the gods them-selues seeme contemptible But whereas hee â—…aith they added vnto errour that prooues that there was some errour there before that Images came in And therefore his saying that these onely discerned God which called him a soule gouerning the world and his opinion that the gods honours would haue beene purer with-out Images these positions declare how neare the truth hee drawes For could hee haue done any good against such an ouer-growne error hee would haue shewed them how that one onely God should haue beene adored euen hee that gouerneth the world and thâ—… hee is not to bee pictured and the youth of the Cittie beeing set in so neâ—…e a path to the truth might easily haue beene perswaded afterwards that God was an vnchangeable nature creating the soule also These things being thus what euer fooleries those men haue discouered of their gods in their Bookes they haue beene laide open by the immediate hand of God compelling them to confesse them rather then by their owne desire to disswade them Wherefore that wee alledge from them is to controule those that will not see from what a damned slauery to the Deuill that same singular sacrifice of so holy bloud and the voutchsafing of the spirit hath deliuered vs. L. VIVES THE a Teletae A sacrifice most secret and most sumptuous so called because it consumed so much of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to end or to consume that some thinke they had their name from theâ—… perfection They belonged to the Sunne and Moone as Porphyry writeth and were besides expiations to Bacchus recorded in Orpheus and Musâ—…us Plat. de Rep. lib. 2. that tâ—…ght how to purge the sinnes of the Citties the liuing the dead and euery priuate man by sacrifices playes and all delights and the whole forme of it all was called â—…eletae Though Plaâ—… saith the Teletae belonged onely to the dead and freed men from all the euills in hell b Sâ—…cret Of Ceres and others c The old Numa forbad the Romaines to thinke that God had 〈◊〉 shape of man or woman Plut. in vit Num. Nor had they any picture at all oâ—… any God for the first hundred three score and teâ—…e yeares they built onely temples and little Oratories but neuer an Image in them for they held it a sinne to liken the better to the worse or to conceiue GOD in any forme but their intelligence Euseb Dyonys also saith that Numa built the gods temples but no Images came in them because hee beleeued that God had no shape Tarquinius Priscus following the Greekes foolery and the Tuscans first taught the erection of statues which Tertullian intimateth saying Goe to now religion hath profited For though Numa inuented a great deale of curious superstition yet neither was there temples nor statues as yet entred into the Romaines religion but a few poore thrifty ceremonies no skie-towring Capitols but a sort of little altars made of Soddes earthen dishes the perfumes out of them and the God in no place For the Greeke and Tuscane artes in Sculpture were not yet entred the Cittie What reason the Kings of the world had for the permitting of those false religions in such places as they conquered CHAP. 32. HEE faith also that in the gods genealogies the people followed the Poets more then the Philosophers and thence the olde Romaines their ancestors had their beliefe of so many sexes mariages and linages of the gods The reason of this I suppose was because the politique and wise men did especially endeuour to nousle their people in this illusiue maner and to make them not onely worshippers but euen immitators of the deuills that delighted to delude them For euen as the Deuills cannot possesse any but such as they haue deceiued so vniust and Deuil-like Princes perswaded their people to their owne vaine inuentions vnder the name of religion thereby to binde their affections the firmer to their seruice and so to keepe them vnder their soueraignties And what ignorant and weake man can auoide both the charmes of Princes and Deuils That God hath appointed a time for the continuance of euery state on earth CHAP. 33. WHerefore GOD that onely and true author of felicitie hee giueth
king domes to good and to bad not rashly nor casually but as the time is appointed which is well knowne to him though hidden for vs vnto which appointment not-with-standing hee doth not serue but as a Lord swayeth it neuer giuing true felicitie but to the good For this both a subiects and Kings may eyther haue or wante and yet bee as they are seruants and gouernours The fulnesse indeed of it shall bee in that life where b no man shall serue And therefore here on earth hee giueth kingdomes to the bad as well as to the good least his seruants that are but yet proselites should affect them as great maâ—…ters And this is the mysterie of his olde Testament wherein the new was included that c there all the gifts and promises were of this world and of the world to come also to those that vnderstood them though the eternall good that was meant by those temporall ones were not as yet manifested nor in whâ—… gifts of God the true felicitie was resident L. VIVES SUbiects a and Stoicisme A slaue wise is a free man a King foolish a 〈◊〉 b No man shall serue Some bookes wante the whole sentence which followeâ—… And therefore c. c There all The rewards promised to the kâ—…pers of the law in the old Testament were all temporall how be it they were misticall types of the Celestiall Of the Iewes kingdome which one God alone kept vnmoued as long as they kept the truth of religion CHAP. 34. TO shew therefore that all those temporall goods which those men gape after that can dreame of no better are in Gods hands alone and in none of their Idolls therefore multiplied he his people in Aegipt from a a very few and then deliuered them from thence by miraculous wounders Their women neuer called vpon Lucina when their children multiplied vpon them incredibly and when he preserued them from the b Aegiptians that persecuted them and would haue killed all their children They suckt without Ruminas helpe slept without Cunina eate and dranke without Educa and Potica and were brought vp without any of these puppy-gods helpes married without the Nuptiall gods begot children without Priapus crossed through the diuided sea without calling vpon Neptune and left al their foes drowned behind them They dedicated no Goddesse Mannia when heauen had rained Manna for them nor worshipped the Nymphes when the rocke was cleft and the waters flowed out they vsed no Mars nor Bellona in their warres and conquered not without Victory but without making Victory a goddesse They had corne oxen hony apples without Segetia Bobona Mella or Pomona And to conclude all things that the Romaines begged of so many false gods they receiued of one true God in far happier measure had they not persisted 〈◊〉 their impious curiosity in running after strange gods as if they had beene enchaunted and lastly in killing of Christ in the same kingdome had they liued happily still if not in a larger And that they are now dispersed ouer the whole earth is gods especiall prouidence that what Alters Groues Woods and Temples of the false gods he reproueth and what sacrifices he forbiddeth might all be discerned by their bookes as their fall it selfe was foretold them by their pâ—…phets And this least the Pagans reading them with ours might thinke wee had fâ—…igned them But now to our next booke to make an end of this tedious one L. VIVES FRom a very few The Sonnes of Israell that went into Aegipt were 70. Gen. 49. b Aegiptians Here is a diuersity of reading but all one sence and so is there often else-where which I forbeare to particularize or to note all such occurences Finis lib. 4. THE CONTENTS OF THE fifth booke of the City of God 1. That neither the Romaine Empire nor any other Kingdome had any establishment from the powre of Fortune nor from the starres chapter 1. 2. Of the mutuall Sympathie and dssimillitude of the health of body and many other accidents in twinnes of one birth 3. Of Nigidius the astrologians argument in this question of the twinnes drawne from the potters wheele 4. Of Esau and Iacob two twinnes and of the diuersity of their conditions and quallities 5. How the Mathematicians may bee conuicted of professing direct vanity 6. Of twinnes of different sexes 7. Of the election of daies of marriage of planting and of sowing 8. Of their opinion that giue not the name of Fate the position of the starres but vnto the dependance of causes vpon the will of God 9. Of Gods fore-knowledge and mans freedome of election against the opinon of Cicero 10. Whether Necessity haue any dominion ouer the will of man 11. Of Gods vniuersall prouidence ruling all and comprising all 12. How the ancient Romaines obtained this encrease of their Kingdome at the true Gods hand beeing that they neuer worshipped him 13. Of ambition which beeing a vice is notwithstanding herein held a vertue that it doth restraine vices of worse natures 14. That we are to auoide this desire of humaine honour the glory of the righteous beeing wholy in God 15. Of the tempor all rewardes that God bestowed vpon the Romaines vertues and good conditions 16. Of the reward of the eternall Cittizens of heauen to whome the examples of the Romaines vertues were of good vse 17. The fruites of the Romaines warres both to themselues and to those with whom they warred 18. How farre the Christians should bee from boasting of their deedes for their eternall country the Romaines hauing done so much for their temporall city and for humaine glory 19. The difference betweene the desire of glory and the desire of rule 20. That vertue is as much disgraced in seruing humaine glory as in obeying the pleasures of the body 21. That the true God in whose hand and prouidence all the state of the world consisteth did order and dispose of the Monarchy of the Romaines 22. That the Originalls and conclusions of warres are all at Gods dispose 23. Of the battaile wherein Radagaisus an idolatrous King of the Gothes was slaine with all his army 24. The state and truth of a christian Emperors felicity 25. Of the prosperous estate that God bestowed vpon Constantine a christian Emperor 26. Of the faith and deuotion of Theodosius Emperor 27. Augustines invectiue against such as wrote against the bookes already published FINIS THE FIFTH BOOKE OF THE CITTIE OF GOD Written by Saint Augustine Bishop of Hippo vnto Marcellinus That neither the Romaine Empire nor any other Kingdome had any establishment from the power of fortune or from the starres CHAP. 1. WHereas it is apparant to all mens discretion that felicity is the hope of al humane desires and that she is no goddesse but merely the gift of a god and consequently that there is no god worthy of worshippe but he in whose power it lieth to bestow this felicity vpon men so that if shee were a goddesse herselfe the worship of al the
Obruit aduersas aciâ—…s reuolutáque tela Vertit in auctores turbine repulit hast as O nimium dilecte deo cui fundit ab antris Aeolus armatas hyemes cui miâ—…itat aether Et coniurati veniunt ad classica venti Swift victory needs not be sought Shee 's thine this fight thou and â—…hy father fought Their natiue strength nor did it boote the foe To man his fortes the trench and rockes fell flatte And left away for thee to enter at For thee the North-winde from the heights descended In whiâ—…le-windes raining all the darts they bended At thee on their owne brests in pointed showers O Gods belou'd to whom the stormy powers Raisd from the deepe in armes ethercall And windes are prest to helpe when thou doost call Tâ—… Claudiâ—…n hath it differing some-what from Augustines quotation It may be the versâ—…s were spred at first as Augustine hath them for he liued in Claudians time In the copie of Colâ—… it is râ—…d lust as it is in the text O nimium dilecte deo cui militet â—…ther c. And so in Orosius and 〈◊〉 e Footemen An office in court that was belonging to the speedy dispatch of the Princes message not much vnlike our Lackeys at this day Footmen they were called both of old by Tully and of late times by Martiall Suetonius mentioneth them in his Nero He neuer trauelled â—…r made a iourney saith he of Nero without a thousand Caroches their mules shodde all with silâ—…r his muletours all in silken raiments and all his coatch-men and foote-men in their bracâ—…lets and ritch coates And in his Titus Presently he sent his foote-men to the others mother who was a farre off to tell her very carefully that her sonne was well The Romaine Emperor remoouing into Greece gaue Greeke names to all the offices about them and amongst others these foot-men were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 runners Such they had of old also as Alexander the great had Philonides that ranne 1200. furlongs in one day Plinie f When they were They would not be quiet when the warres were finished but hauing no foes left to kill made them-selues some continually to practise murther vpon g Valens A chiefe Arrian hee did extreame harme to the Bishops and religious men in the Church and put many of them to death and sent Arian Bishops to the Gothes that desired to be instructed in the Christian faith h Humilitie The Thessalonicans cittizens of a towne of Macedonia so called hauing by a tumult begun in the Theater expelled the Magistrates out of the towne Theodosius being here-at greeuously offended intended to punish this iniurious act most seuerely yet by the Bishops intreaties pardoned them Not-with-standing the wronged parties hauing many friends in court that ceased not dayly to animate and vrge Theodosius to this reuenge at length being ouer-come by their intreaties hee sent an armie and put a many thousands of the citizens to death For which deed Ambrose Bishop of Millaine on good-Friday excommunicated him â—…arring him the Church vntill he had satisfied for his crime by a publick repentance He obeyed and prostrating himselfe humbly before the world as the old custome was professed himselfe repentant and sorry for his offence intreated pardon first of God and the whole hoast of heauen next of the Bishop and lastly of all the whole church and being thus purged was restored to the vse of Church and Sacraments Augustines inuectiue against such as wrote against the Bookes already published CHAP. 27. BVt now I see I must take those in hand that seeing they are conuicted by iust plaine arguments in this that these false gods haue no power in the distribution of temporall goods which fooles desire onely now goe to affirme that they are worshipped not for the helpes of this life present but of that which is to come For in these fiue bookes past wee haue sayd enough to such as like little babyes cry out that they would faine worship them for those earthly helpes but cannot be suffred The first three Bookes I had no sooner finished and let them passe abroade vnto some mens hands but I heard of some that prepared to make I know not what an answer to them or a reply vpon them Afterward I heard that they had written them and did but watch a a time when to publish it securely But I aduise them not to wish a thing so inexpedient b It is an easie thing for any man to seeme to haue made an answer that is not altogether silent but what is more talkatiue then vanitie which cannot haue the power of truth by reason it hath more tongue then truth But let these fellowes marke each thing well and if their impartiall iudgements tell them that their tongue-ripe Satyrisme may more easily disturbe the truth of this world then subuert it let them keepe in their trumperies and learne rather to bee reformed by the wise then applauded by the foolish For if they expect a time not for the freedome of truth but for the licensing of reproch God forbid that that should bee true of them which Tully spoake of a certaine man that was called happy in hauing free leaâ—…e to â—…ffend c O wretched hee that hath free libertie to offend And therefore what euer hee be that thinketh himselfe happy in his freedome of reproâ—…hing others I giue him to vnderstand that farre happyer should he be in the lacke of that licence seeing that as now hee may in forme of consultation contradict or oppose what hee will setting aside the affecting of vaine applause and heare what hee will and what is fit in honest graue free and friendly disputation L. VIVES WAtch a a time Many write against others and watch a time for the publication to the hurt of the aduersary and their owne profit Such men writing onely to doe mischiefe are to be hated as the execrable enemies of all good iudgments For who cannot doe iniurie And what a minde hath hee that thinketh his guifts and learning must serue him to vse vnto others ruine If they seeke to doe good by writing let them publish them then when they may doâ—… others the most good and their opponents the least hurt Let them set them forth whilâ—… 〈◊〉 aduersary liues is lusty and can reply vpon them and defend his owne cause Plâ—…â—…tes that Asinius Pollio had Orations against Plancus which hee meant to publish 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 death least hee should come vpon him with a reply Plancus hearing of it tush saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is none but ghosts will contend with the dead which answer so cutte the combes of the â—…ions that all Schollers made ieasts and mockes of them b It is easye The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the voluntary censurer of the contentions betweene the greatest Schollers if 〈◊〉 silent presently condemne him and giue him for conquered without any other tryall and holding him the sufficient answerer that doth not hold his peace If both write
holde nothing more excellent But the other two the first and the third them he distinguisheth and confineth to the Stage and the Citty for wee see that that the pertinence of them to the Cittie hath no consequence why they should pertaine to the VVorld though there bee Citties in the VVorld for false opinion may gette that a beleefe of truth in a Citty which hath not any nature nor place in any part of the VVorld And for the Stage where is that but in the Cittie There ordained by the Citty and for what end but Stage-playes And what Stage-playes but of their goddes of whome these bookes are penned with so much paynes L. VIVES FIrst a fabulare The word Snetonius vseth Hee loued saith hee of Tiberius the reading of Fabular History euen were it ridiculous and foolish b Second The Platonistâ—… chiefly the Stoikes reduced all these goddes fables vnto naturall causes and natures selfe as their heads Plato in Cratylo Cic. de nat deor Phurnut and others But this they doe wring for sometimes in such manner that one may see they do but dally c Heraclitus an Ephesian he wrote a book that needed an Oedipus or the Delian Swimmer and therfore he was called Scotinus darke He held fire the beginning and end of all thinges and that was full of soules and daemones spirits His opinion of the fire Hippasus of Metapontus followed d Numbers Pithagoras held that God our soules and all things in the world consisted vpon numbers and that from their harmonies were all things produced These numbers Plato learning of the Italian Pythagoreans explained them and made them more intelligible yet not so but that the râ—…ader must let a great part of them alone This Cicero to Atticus calleth an obscure thing Plato his numbers c Or of Atomes Epicurus in emulation of Democritus taught that all things consisted of little indiuisible bodies called therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from which notwithstanding he excluded neither forme magnitude nor waight f Then which they hold Nature knoweth nothing more faire or more spacious Seneca Plato in Timeo Tull. de nat deor 2. and other Phylosophers hold this Of the fabulous and pollitike diuinity against Varro CHAP. 6. VArro seeing thou art most acute and doubtlesse most learned yet but a man neither God nor assisted by Gods spirit in the discouery of truth in diuinity thou seest this that the diuine affaires are to bee excluded from humaine vanities and yet thou fearest to offend the peoples vitious opinions and customes in these publike superstitions being notwithstanding such as both thy selfe held and thy written workes affirme to bee directly opposite to the nature of the Deitiâ—…s or such as mens infirmitie surmized was included in the Elements What doth this humaine though excelling wit of thine in this place what helpe doth thy great reading afford thee in these straits Thou art desirous to honor the naturall gods forced to worship the ciuill thou hast found some fabulous ones whom thou darest speak thy minde against giuing a the ciuill some part of their disgrace whether thou wilt or no for thou saist the fabulous are for the Theater the naturall for the world the ciuill for the citty the world beeing the worke of God the Theater Citty of men nor are they other gods that you laugh at then those you worship Nor be your plaies exhibited to any but those you sacrifice vnto how much more subtile were they diuided into some natural and some instituted by men And of these later the Poets bookes taught one part and the priests another yet notwithstanding with such a cohaerence in vntruth yâ— the diueâ—… that like no truth approue theÌ„ both but setting aside your natural diuinity wherof hereafter pleaseth it you to aske or hope for life eternall of your Poetique ridiculous Stage-goddes No at no hand GOD forbid such sacriligious madnesse Will you expect them of those goddes whome these presentations do please and appease though their crimes bee the thinges presented I thinke no man so brainlessly sottish Therefore neither your fabulous diuinity nor your politique can giue you euerlasting life For the first soweth the goddes turpitude and the later by fauouring it moweth it The first spread lies the later collect them The first hanteth the deities with outragious fixions the later imputeth these fixions to the honour of the deities The first makes songs of the goddes lasciuious pranks and the later sings them on the gods feast daies The first recordeth the wickednesses of the goddes and the later loueth the rehearsall of those recordes The first either shameth the goddes or fayneth of them The later either witnesseth the truth or delighteth in the fixion Both are filthy and both are damnable But the fabulous professeth turpitude openly and the politique maketh that turpitude her ornament Is there any hope of life eternall where the temporall suffers such pollution Or doth wicked company and actes of dishonest men pollute our liues and not the society of those false-adorned and filthyly adored fiendes If their faultes be true how vile are they worshipped If false how wicked the worshippers But some ignorant person may gather from this discourse that it is the poeticall fixions only and Stage-presentments that are derogatory from the Deities glory but not the Doctrine of the Priests at any hand that is pure and holy Is it so No if it were they would neuer haue giuen order to erect playes for the goddes honour nor the goddes would neuer haue demaunded it But the Priestes feared not to present such thinges as the goddes honours in the Theaters when as they hadde practised the like in the Temples Lastly our said Author indeauoring to make Politike Diuinity of a third nature from the naturall and fabulous maketh it rather to bee produced from them both then seuerall from eyther For hee saith that the Poets write not so much as the people obserue and the Phylosophers write too much for them to obserue both with notwithstanding they do so eschew that they extract no small part of their ciuill religion from either of them Wherefore wee will write of such thinges as the Poetique and the politique diuinities do communicate Indeed we should acknowledge a greater share from the Phylosophers yet som we must thank the Poets for Yet in anotherplace of the gods generations hee saith the people rather followed the Poets then the Phylosophers for he teacheth what should be don there what was done that the Philosophers wrote for vse the Poets for delight and therfore the poesies that the people must not follow describe the gods crimes yet delight both gods and men for the Poets as he said write for delight and not for vse yet write such thinges as the gods effect and the people present them with L. VIVES GIuing a the ciuill The Coleine readeth Perfundas which wee translate Varro's reproches of the fabulous gods must needes light in part vpon the politique goddes who deriue from
VIVES MErcury a There were fiue Mercuries Cicero The first sonne to Caelus and Dies the second to Valens and Pheronis this is he that is vnder the carth calleth otherwise Tryphonius third sonne to Ioue and Maia fourth father to Nilus him the Egiptian held it sacriledge to name 5. Hee that the Pheneates worshipped hee killed Argus they say and therefore gouerned Egipt and taught the Egiptians lawes and letters They call him Theut Thus farre Tully Theut is named by Plato in his Phaedon and Euseb. de praeparat Euang. lib. 1. who saith the Egiptians called him Thoyth the Alexandrians Thot the Greekes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and that he first taught letters and looked into the secrets of Theology Diodorus saith hee first inuented spelling of words and giuing of names to things as also rites and ceremonies Lib. 1. for the wordes Horace dâ—… testifie it out of Alcaeus and therefore the Egiptians thought him the inuentor and god of languages calling him the interpreter of God and men both because hee brought religion as it were from the gods to men and also because the speech and praier passeth from men to the gods with which is no commerce Thence comes Aristides his fable there was no commerce nor concord between man and man vntill Mercury had sprinkled them with language and the inuenting of letters missiue was a fit occasion to make them thinke that hee was a god hauing power by their secrecy to dispatch things with such celerity b The speech onely Mercury they say is the power of speech and is faigned to bee straight seeing the tongue runnes so smoothe but in a set speech some will haue a solar vertue which is Mercury others a Lunary that is Hecate other a power vniuersall called Herâ—…is Porph Physiologus One of the causes of his beeing named Cyllenius is saith Festus Pâ—…s because the tongue doth all without hands and them that want handes are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 though this is a name common to all lame persons Others hold that he had it from some place c Mercurius quasi Of Merx marchandise saith Festus and I thinke truely it comes of Mercor to buy or sell whence our word Merchant also commeth d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to interprete This it is to be the gods messenger not to interprete their sayings but faithfully to discharge their commaunds which the speech can doe transferring things from soule to soule which nought but speech can doe and since soules were taken for gods thence was hee counted the gods interpreter Plato in Cratylo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. They that doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith he that is speake wee iustly call Ironies But now hauing gotten as wee thinke a better word wee call it Hermes Iris also may bee deriued 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to speake for shee is a messenger also Hee that dealeth in any other mans affaire is called an interpreter a meane and an arbitrator Ser. in Aeneid 4. and Cicero in diuers places Urigil also In Dido's words to Iuno the meane of attonement betweene her and Aeneas saith thus Tu harum interpres curarum et conscia Iuno Thou Iuno art the meane and knowes my grieues e Lord of Merchants Without language farewell traffique Diodorus saith that some 〈◊〉 Mercury to haue found out weights and measures and the way to gaine by trading There is a Greeke prouerbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 common gaine f Winged His feete wings are called Zalaria in Homere 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he had head-wings also behind each of his eares Apuleius Apologus his wings were aboue his hat as he saith in Plautus his Amphitruo I weare these fethers in my hat Beroald Sueton in August g Messenger Diodor. Sicul. lib. 6. Acron in Horat. Car. lib. 1. Of certaine starres that the Pagans call their gods CHAP. 15. PErhaps these a starres are their gods that they call by their gods names For one they call Mercury another Mars nay and there is one Ioue also though all the world be but Ioue So is there a Saturne yet Saturne hath no small place besides beeing the ruler of all seede But then there is the brightest of all Venus though they will needes make her b the Moone also though she and Iuno contend as much for that glorious star in their opinion as they did for the c golden apple For some say that Lucifer is Venus others Iuno but Venus as she doth euer gets it from Iuno For many more cal it Venus then Iuno there are few or none of the later opinioÌ„ But who wil not laugh to haue Ioue named the King of gods and yet see Venus haue a farre brighter starre then his His fulgor should haue beene as super-eminent as his power but it seemes lesse they reply and hirs more because one is nearer the earth then another Why but if the highest place deserue the honour why hath not Saturne the grace from Iupiter Oâ—… could not the vanity that made Ioue King mount so high as the starres So thâ—… Saturne obtaineth that in heauen which hee could neither attaine d in his Kingdome nor in the Capitoll But why hath not Ianus a starre aswell as Ioâ—… beeing all the world and comprehending all as well as e Ioue Did hee fall to composition for feare of law and for one star in heauen was content to take many faces vpon earth And if two starres onely made them count Mars and Mercury for deities being notwithstanding nothing but speech and warre no parts of the world but acts of men why hath not Aries Taurus Cancer Scorpio c. thâ—… are in the f highest heauen and haue more g certaine motions why haâ—… not they Temples Altars and sacrifices nor any place either amongst the popular gods or the selected L. VIVES THese starres Plato saith that the Greekes and many Barbarians whilom vsed to adâ—… no gods but the Sunne Moone and Starres calling them naturall gods as Beritius wrot to Sanchaniates affirming that of the ancient men the Phaenicians and Egiptians first began to erect temples and sacrifices for their friends and benefactors naming them by the stars namâ—… one Heauen another Saturne a third the Sun and so forth Thus far Plato Doubtlesse the gods themselues being cunning Astrologians either gaue themselues those names or such as held those great powers of theirs to be in the stars gaue the Inuentors of star-skil those names For the star Mercury they say maketh men witty eloquent and fitting to the planet hee is ioyned with and Seneca liketh this cause of his name of the gods interpretor For with Iupiter and the Sun he is good with Mars and Mercury maleuolent Mars is violent a war-breeder as Porphyry saith the Lo of wrath because of firy ardor ariseth fury and warre Hence is the Stoikes Theology referring all the gods natures to the worlds and consequently so obscure that the truth is not possibly to be
which is not God for the worship of it selfe is wicked That Varro his doctrine of Theologie hangeth no way together CHAP. 28. THerefore what is it to the purpose that so learned a man as Varro hath endeuoured to reduce all these gods to heauen and earth and cannot they slip from his fingers and fall away do what he can for being to speake of the goddesses seeing that as I said quoth he in my first booke of the places there are obserued two beginninâ—…s of the gods producing deities celestiall and terrestriall as befoâ—…e being to speake of the masculine gods we began with heauen concerning Ianus called heauen or the world so now of the feminine beginning with the earth Tellus I see how sore so good a witte is already plunged Hee is drawne by a likelyhood to make heauen the agent and earth the pacient therefore giueth the first the masculine forme and the latter the feminine and yet vnderstandeth not that hee that giueth those vnto both these two made them both And here-vpon he interpreteth a the Samothratians noble mysteries so saying that hee will lay open such things thereof to his nation as it neuer knew this he promiseth most religiously For he saith be hath obserued in Images that one thing signifieth earth another heauen another the abstracts of formes b Plato's Ideae hee will haue Ioue to bee heauen Iuno earth Minerua the Ideas Heauen the efficient earth the substance Idea the forme of each effect Now here I omit to say that Plato ascribed so much to these formes that he saith heauen doth nothing without them but it selfe was made by them This I say that Varro in his booke of the Select gods hath vtterly ouerthrowne this distinction of those three Heauen hee placeth for the masculine for tâ—…e feminine earth amongst which he putteth Minerua that but now was aboue heauen And Neptune a masculine God is in the sea therefore rather in earth then heauen Father Dis or c Pluto a male-god and their brother he is also in earth vpmost and Proserpina his wife vnder him How can those heauen-gods now be earth-gods or these earth-gods haue roomes aboue or reference to heauen what sobriety soliditie or certaintie is in this discourse And earth is all their mother that is serued with nothing but sodomy cutting and gelding Why then doth he say Ianus the gods chiefe and Tellus the goddesses where error neither alloweth one head nor furie a like time why goe they vainely about to referre these to the world e as if it could be adored for the true God the worke for the maker That these can haue no reference thether the truth hath conuinced referre them but vnto dead men deuills and the controuersie is at an end L. VIVES THe a Samothracians Of these gods I haue already spoken They are Heauen and earth Iâ—…e and Iuno that are the great Samothracian gods Uarro de ling. lat l. 4 And Minerua also To these three the stately temple of the Capitoll was dedicated In Greeke it is not well knowne who these Samothracian gods were Apollonius his interpretor hath these words they call the Samothracian gods Cahiri Nnaseas saith that their names are Axierus that is Ceres 〈◊〉 Proserpina Aziocersus father Dis and Mercury their attendant as Dionysodorus saith Aâ—…n saith that Ioue begotte Iasion and Dardanus vpon Electra The name Cabeiri serues to deriue from the mountaines Caberi in Phrygia whence these gods were brought Sâ—…e sâ—…y these gods were but two Ioue the elder and Dionysius the yonger Thus farre hee Hee that will read the Greeke it beginneth at these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Now Iasion they say was Ceres sonne and called Caberus the brother of Dardanus others say laâ—… loued and lay with Ceres and was therefore slaine by thunder Hee that will read more of the Cabeiri let him go to Strabo lib. 10. b Plato's Idaea So called of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a forme or shape for hee that will make a thing first contemplateth of the forme and fitteth his worke therein A Painter drawes one picture by another this is his Idaea and therefore it is defined a forme of a future acte The Ideae of all things are in God which in framing of the world and cach part thereof hee did worke after and therefore Plato maketh three beginnings of all the minde that is God the worker the matter or substance of the world and the forme that it is framed after And God saith he in his Tymeus had an Idea or forme which hee followed in his whole fabricke of nature So that not onely the particuler spaces of the world but the 〈◊〉 heauen and the whole vniuerse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 had the beginning from an Idea They are eâ—…all vncorporall and simple formes of things saith Apuleius Dogmat. Platon and from hence had God the figures of all things present and future nor can more the one Idea bee â—…nd in one whole kinde of creature according to which all of that kinde are wrought as 〈◊〉 of wâ—…e Where these Idea's are is a deeper question and diuersly held of the Platonists of that here-after c Pluto Of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gaine Dis in Latine quasi diues ritche for out of the 〈◊〉 bowels his treasurie do men fetch vp stones of worth and mettalls And therefore was â—…e said to dwell vnder the land of Spaine as Strabo saith because there was such store of mettalâ—…es corne cattle and meanes of commodity d One head for Ianus had two heads Cybels Prieâ—…s were mad e As if it or which if they could no godly person would worship the world That all that the Naturalists referre to the worlds parts should be referred to God CHAP. 29. FOr this their naturall theologie referreth all these things to the world which would they auoide scruple of sacriledge they should of right referre to the true God the worlds maker and creator of all soules and bodies Obserue but this we worship God not heauen nor earth of which a two parts of the world conâ—…h nor a soule or soules diffused through all the parts thereof but a God that made heauen and earth and all therein he made all creatures that liue brutish sencelesse sensitiue and reasonable b And now to runne through the operations of this true and high GOD briefly which they reducing to absurd and obscene mysteries induced many deuills by We worship that God that hath giuen motion existence and limits to each created nature that knowes conteines and disposeth of all causes that gaue power to the seedes and reason to such as hee vouchsafed that hath bestowed the vse of speech vpon vs that hath giuen knowledge of future things to such spirits as he pleaseth and prophecieth by whom he please that for mans due correction ordereth and endeth all warres worldly tribulations that created the violent and vehement fire of this world for the temperature of
is truly happy mary there is great hope of partaking it in the life to come when wee are freed from the bodies bounds the sole impediment of the soules perfection But when we die so we die pure then in the sight of that it that truly existent truth God we shall inioy the height of our desires that is truth and vniuersall knowledge Wherefore as the eye wanting the light is vselesse and setteth the owner sadly affected in darkenes and perpetually sorrowfull but when the Sun the light comes it riseth with vigor to the function and vseth the office with cheerefulnesse and alacrity so our intellect beeing vngiued from the body if it want the light of Gods truth it must needes lament and languish but if it haue it it exulteth and ioyfully vseth that light which presents the formes of all the creation Whence it commeth that in our pleasures and felicities wherein we fulfill our affections and as it were inioy our selues we dâ—…ot reape that delectable comfort that we draw from the internall contemplation of that eternall good and from that attayning the pure light of so perfect a wisedome So that the soule that is absolutely blessed inioyeth not God in his beauty and loue which concerne pleasure an act of the will but in his truth which is an act of the intellect though then followeth his beauty and his loue intirely delectable nor can these be seperated For none knowes God but admireth him none admireth him but ioines loue to his admiration and delighteth in them all Thus much out of Plato in diuers places of his Respub leges Phadon and Philaebus who still preferreth the inquiry and contemplation of truth and that to men of pure life exhorting and exciting all there-vnto And this all the Academicks and Peripatetiques professe after him as Tully teacheth De finib lib. 5. Of that Phylosophy that commeth nearest to Christianity CHAP. 9. LEt it suffice now to remember that Plato a did determine that the end of al good was the attayning a vertuous life which none could but hee that knew and followed God nor is any man happy by any other meanes And therefore he affirmeth that to be a Philosopher is to loue God whose nature is incorporeal And consequently that wisedomes student the Phylosopher is then blessed when hee inioyeth God For though the inioying of each thing a man loueth doth not forth-with make him happy for many by placing their loue on hateful obiects are wretched and more wretched in inioying them yet is no man happy that inioyeth not that he loueth For b euen those that loue what they should not thinke not them-selues happy in louing but in inioying But he that inioyes what he loues and loues the true and greatest good Who but a wretch will deny him to bee happy This true and greatest good is GOD saith Plato and therefore hee will haue a Phylosopher a louer of GOD that because Phylosophy aimes at beatitude the louer of God might bee blessed by inioying GOD. Wherfore what euer Phylosophers they were that held this of the high and true 〈◊〉 that he was the worlds Creator the light of vnderstanding and the good of all action that he is the beginning of nature the truth of doctrine and the happineâ—… life whether they be called Platonists as fittest or by any other sect c â—…er the Ionian teacher held as this Plato did and vnderstood him well Or thâ—…e Italians held it from Pythagoras his followers or any other of the same â—…ine of what nation so euer they were and were counted Phylosophers d â—…tes Lybians e Egiptians f Indians g Persians h Chaldees i Scythiâ—… Galles l Spaniards or others that obserued and taught this doctrine tâ—… wee preferre before all others and confesse their propinquity with our â—…e For though a Christian vsed onely to the Scriptures neuer heard of 〈◊〉 â—…nists nor knoweth whether Greece held two sects of Phylosophers the 〈◊〉 and the Italian yet is hee not so ignorant in humanity but hee knowes 〈◊〉 Phylosophers professe either the study of wisedome or wisedome 〈◊〉 But lette him beware of those that dispute m of the Elements of this 〈◊〉 â—…ely and reach not vp to God that made them Elements The Apostle 〈◊〉 good warning of this Beware saith hee least any deceiue you by Philosophy 〈◊〉 deceipt according to the worlds Elements But least you should thinke 〈◊〉 held all Phylosophers to bee such hee saith else-where n For that 〈◊〉 â—…ich is knowne of God is manifest in them for God hath shewed it vnto 〈◊〉 For his invisible powers from the beginning of the world are manifested by 〈◊〉 and so is his p eternall vertue And hauing spoken a great matter conâ—… God vnto the Athenians which few of them vnderstood q In him we liue 〈◊〉 and haue our beeing he added as some also of your writers haue said Hee 〈◊〉 to beware of their errors For hee said that GOD had by his workes 〈◊〉 his invisible power to their vnderstanding there also hee said that they 〈◊〉 worship him aright but gaue the diuine honours with were his pecuriarly 〈◊〉 â—…her thinges theÌ„ was lawful because that when they knew God they glorified him 〈◊〉 â—…d neither were thankefull but became vaine in their owne imaginations O 〈◊〉 â—…sh heart was full of darkenesse For professing them-selues wise they prooued 〈◊〉 â—…d turned the glory of the incorruptible God into the similitude of the Image of 〈◊〉 â—…ible man and of birds and beasts and serpents r In this place the Romains 〈◊〉 â—…ns Egiptians and all that gloryed in their wisedome are iustly taxed But 〈◊〉 â—…d we will argue this hereafter as for those things wherin we and they conâ—… of one God the Creator of this vniuerse who is not only incorporeall 〈◊〉 all bodies but also incorruptible aboue all spirits our beginning our light 〈◊〉 goodnesse in these we preferre them before all others L. VIVES 〈◊〉 did determine That venerable and holy-teaching Plato surmounting all Phyloâ—…â—…rs in almost all other matters in defining mans greatest good out-stript â—…m-selfe in his first booke De Legib. Hee deuides good into diuine and humaine 〈◊〉 is quite seperate from vertue the first conioyned therewith Socrates in Gorâ—…â—…es â—…es that beatitude consisteth in learning and vertue calling onely the good happy 〈◊〉 wretched And in Menexenus in sixe hundred places and so all Plato through 〈◊〉 onely honest and beauteous As for other goddes without vertue they are the deâ—… of him that possesseth them But these are but Plato's common sayings in these 〈◊〉 â—…th with his fellowes But when he list he riseth in spirit and leaues all to other 〈◊〉 of wisedome beneath him His Philebus is a dialogue of the greatest good or as some intitle it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of pleasure Therein hee maketh sixe rankes of goods in the second standes the thinges proportionate faire perfect sufficient and such like In the third vnderstanding and sapience In the
then aâ—…reall on earth they feed rest breed and flye as neare it as may bee and when they are weary earth is their port of retirement This from an imperfect coppy of Apuleius yet Augustines reason of the place must stand for though the spirits bee aboue the birds yet the birds are â—…ill aboue vs but I meane not heare to play the disputant What Apuleius the Platonist held concerning the qualities of those ayrie spirits CHAP. 16. THis same Platonist speaking of their qualities saith that they are as men subiect to passions of anger delight glory vnconstancie in their ceremonies and furie vpon neglect Besides to them belong diuinations dreames auguries prophesies and all â—…gicians miraculous workes Briefly he defineth them things created passiue reasoâ—…le â—…reall eternall In the three first they perticipate with vs in the fourth with â—…ne in the fift with the gods and two of the first the gods share with them also 〈◊〉 the a gods saith hee are creatures and giuing each element to his proâ—…habitants hee giues earth to men and the other creatures water to the 〈◊〉 c. aire to these spirits and Aether to the gods Now in that the spirits are creâ—…res they communicate both with men and beasts in reason with gods and â—…in eternity with gods onely in passion with men onely in ayrie essence with 〈◊〉 So that they are creatures is nothing for so are beasts in that they are reasoâ—…able so are we equally in that they are eternall what is that without felicity b Temporall happinesse excells eternall miserie In that they are passiue what geâ—… by that so are we and were we not wretched wee should not bee so in tâ—…â—…ir bodies are ayrie what of that seeing a soule of any nature is preferrâ—… 〈◊〉 a body of what perfection so euer And therefore the honor giuen by tâ—…â—…le is not due to the soules inferiour But if that amongst these spirits qualitiâ—… 〈◊〉 had reckoned wisdome vertue and felicitie and haue made them communâ—… these with the gods then had he spoake some-what worth noting yet oâ—… we not to worship them as God for these ends but rather we should know him of whom they had these good gifts But as they are how farre are they from woâ—…h of worship being reasonable to be wretched passiue to be wretched eternall 〈◊〉 euer wretched wherefore to leaue all and insist on this onely which I said 〈◊〉 spirits shared with vs that is passion if euery element haue his creaâ—… and ayre immortalls earth and water mortalls why are these spirits 〈◊〉 â—…o perturbations to that which the Greekes call c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whence our 〈◊〉 passion deriueth word d of word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and passion being e a motion of 〈◊〉 â—…e against reason Why are these in these spirits that are not in beasts 〈◊〉 apparance of such in beasts is f no perturbation because it is not against 〈◊〉 which the beast wanteth And that it is a perturbation in men g their â—…esse or their h wretchednesse is cause For we cannot haue that perfecâ—… wisdom in this life that is promised vs after our acquittance from mortalâ—… 〈◊〉 the gods they say cannot suffer those perturbations because that their 〈◊〉 is conioyned wiâ—…h felicity and this they affirme the reasonable soule 〈◊〉 absolutely pure enioyeth also So then if the gods be free from passion beâ—… they are i creatures blessed and not wretched and the beasts because â—…e creatures neither capable of blessednesse nor wretchednesse it romaiâ—…â—…t these spirits be perturbed like men onely because they are creatures not â—…d but wretched L. VIVES THâ—… a Gods Plato also in his Timaeus saith that they are inuisible creatures Apuleius de deo Sâ—…cr makes some vncorporall Daemones viz. Loue Sleep b Temporal It is said that Chyron 〈◊〉 sonne refused immortality that Vlysses chose rather to liue and die at home with his â—…er and friends then to liue immortal amongst the goddesses Plato saith it is better to liue a 〈◊〉 little while then to be eternally possest of all bodily pleasures without iustice the other 〈◊〉 de legib the Philosophers haue a saying it is better to be then not to be of that hereafter 〈◊〉 So Tull. Tus. qu. translateth it Quintil. l. 6. termeth it affects holds yâ— most proper 〈◊〉 â—…ly of their ancients vseth passion for it but I make doubt that the copy is faulty li. 20. 〈◊〉 â—…ds are It helpeth the passions of the belly being 〈◊〉 thervpoÌ„ d Word of word as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 passio of pâ—…tior to suffer e A motion Tully hath it from Zâ—…no f No perturbation Tully Tusc. quaest The affections of the body may be inculpable but not the mindes all which arise out of the neglect of reason and therefore are existent onely in men for that which wee see by accident in beasts is no perturbation g Their foolishnesse For wee are ouer-borne with false opinions and our selues rather worke our affects then receiue them ab extra and as Sâ—…a saith we are euer worse afraide then hurt The Stoikes held all perturbations to haue their source from deprauation of opinion For desire is an opinion of a future good and feare an opinion of future euill sorrow of present euill ioy of present good all which we measuring by the fondnesse of our thoughts and not by the nature of things thence it comes that wee are rapt with so many violent thoughts h Their wretchednesse This is mans miserie that the very wisest is subiect to sorrow ioy and other affects doe he what he can i Creatures Socrates durst not confesse that these spirits were bad or wretched but hee boldly affirmes they are neither good nor happy Plato Conuiuio Whether it becomes a man to worship those spirits from whose guilt he should be pure CHAP. 17. WHat fondnesse then nay what madnesse subiects vs vnto that religion of deuills when as by the truth of religion we should be saued from participation of their vices for they are mooued with wrath as Apuleius for all his adoring and sparing them affirmes but true religion biddeth vs not to yeeld to wrath but rather a resist it b They are wonne with guifts wee are forbidden to take bribes of any They loue honors we are c prohibited all honors affectation They are haters of some louers of some as their affects transport them truth teacheth vs to loue all euen d our very enemies Briefly all the intemperance of minde e passions and perturbations which the truth affirmes of them it forbiddeth vs. What cause is then but thine owne lamentable error for thee to humble thy selfe to them in worship whom thou seekest to oppose in vprightnesse of conuersation and to adore those thou hatest to imitate when as all religion teacheth vs to imitate those we adore L. VIVES RAther a resist Christ in Mathewes Gospels vtterly forbids anger Abbot Agatho said that an angry
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we translate seruice but with 〈◊〉 it onely to God their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we turne it Religion but still with a â—…ence to God their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wee haue no one word for but wee may 〈◊〉 worship which wee say is due onely to him that is the true God and â—…uants gods Wherefore if there be any blessed immortalls in heaâ—…â—…ther loue vs nor would haue vs blessed them wee must not serue but 〈◊〉 loue vs and wish vs happinesse then truly they wish it vs from the 〈◊〉 they haue it Or shall theirs come from one stocke and ours from 〈◊〉 L. VIVES 〈◊〉 dominations Iamblichus diuides the supernall powers into Angels Archanâ—…s Heroes Principalities and Powers and those hee saith doe appeare in diuerse â—…ions In Myster All the other Platonists make them but gods and Daemones 〈◊〉 is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to serue but it grew to be vsed for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to worship Suidas But â—…e the seruice of men called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the place hee quoteth is 〈◊〉 c. Ephes. 6. 5. Hence ariseth the dictinction of adoratio Latria Dulia and â—…lla makes Latria and Dulia both one for seruice or bondage and sheweth it 〈◊〉 of Suidas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Seruice or bondage is mercenary For an â—…h in Xenophon I would redeeme this woman from slauery or bondage 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O Cyrus Cyripaed lib. 3. then the wife replied Let him redeeme himselfe from bonâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 With his owne life Ibid. The scriptures also vse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for to bee seruile 〈◊〉 You shall doe no seruile worke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And againe Thou shall make 〈◊〉 to bâ—… slaue to thy Prince 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And in Iob a begger is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 haue the last syllable but one long c Wee worship And so doth holy â—…tion d Things vnder vs Rightly for Colâ—… is to handle or exercise so 〈◊〉 all that wee vse or practise learning armes sports the earth c. It is also to inhabite 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Such as till hired grounds are called coloni as they are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in hired houses in citties and husbandmen that till their owne ground 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…nt forth to inhabit any where are called coloni Therevpon grew the name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…olonies to omit the Greekes and Asians The townes that send out the colonies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Metropolitane cities thereof f Tyrii The Tyrianâ—… built Carthage and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with Dido Elisa that â—…ed from Pigâ—…lion after the death of Sicheus her husband This 〈◊〉 is as common as a 〈◊〉 g 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All one with Latria saith Suidas and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 are all one belonging to the gods For Orpâ—… they say first taught the misteries of religion and because hâ—…e was 〈◊〉 Thracian hee called this duty 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or else of Threâ—… 〈◊〉 oâ—… word to see h It is refâ—…rred Being taken for piety which is referred to our country pâ—…rents and kiâ—…d i The workes The vulgar call the mercifull godly mercy godlinesse So do the Spaniâ—…ds and French that speake Latine thâ—… 〈◊〉 k Fore and. These two words some copieâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wherevpon it is said I will haue mercy and no sacrifice Osâ—… 6. 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 None of the learned vse it in that sence indeed The opinion of Plotine the Platonist concerning the supernall illumination CHAP. 2. BVt wee and those great Philosophers haue no conflict about this question for they well saw and many of them plainely wrot that both their beatitude â—…dours had originall from the perticipation of an intellectual light which they â—…nted God and different from themselues this gaue them all their light and by the 〈◊〉 of this they were perfect blessed a in many places doth Plotine ex 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that which we call the soule of this vniuerse hath the beatiâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with vs â—…ly a light which it is not but which made it 〈…〉 it hath al the intelligible splendor This he arâ—… 〈…〉 from the visible celestiall bodies compared with these 〈…〉 the 〈◊〉 for b one and the Moone for another for 〈…〉 held to proceed from the reflection of the Sunne So saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the reasonaâ—… or intellectuall soule of whose nature all the 〈…〉 that are contained in Heauen hath no essence aboue it bâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 creatâ—…d both it and all the world nor haue those supernall creâ—…tures their 〈◊〉 or vnderstanding of the truth from any other origâ—…ll then ours hath herein truly agreeing with the scripture where it is wriâ—… 〈◊〉 There was a man sent from God whose name was Iohn the same came for a witnesse to beare witnesse of the light that allmen d through him might beleeue e He 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the light but 〈◊〉 to beare witnesse of the light That was the true light f 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that cometh into the world which difference sheweth that 〈◊〉 â—…sonable soule which was in Iohn could not bee the owne light but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…tion of â—…ther the true light This Iohn him-selfe confessed in his 〈◊〉 where he said Of â—…is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all we receiued L. VIVES 〈…〉 the contemplation of that good father ariseth all beatitude Plâ—… 〈…〉 saith yâ— our soules after their temporal labours shal enioy 〈◊〉 〈…〉 with yâ— soule of the vniuerse b For one For the Prince 〈◊〉 〈…〉 ariseth the Mâ—… for the worlds soule c Ther was A 〈◊〉 〈…〉 〈◊〉 â—…ger from 〈◊〉 consequently Iohn an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he could bring no such newes from any but God d Through him not in him 〈◊〉 for cursed is the man that trusteth in man but in the light by his testimonie yet 〈◊〉 cannot be distinguished to either side e Hee was not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thâ—…ophilact will haue a misterie The Saints are lights You are the light of the Christ. for they are deriued from his light Thence followeth that That was the true 〈◊〉 saith Augustine because that which is lightened ab externo is light also 〈◊〉 true light that enlightneth Or the article 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may haue relation to the preceâ—…â—…the sence bee Iohn was not that light of which I spake f Which lightneth not that 〈◊〉 â—…ghtned but because none are enlightned but by this light or as Chrysostome 〈◊〉 each man as farre as belongs to him to be lightned If any doe shutte their â—…st the beames the nature of the light doth not cause the darkenesse in them but 〈◊〉 â—…licious depriuing them-selues of such a good other-wise so generally spred 〈◊〉 word g That commeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Origen allegorizeth vpon it it lightneth 〈◊〉 into the world of vertues not of vices 〈◊〉 worship of God wherein the Platonists failed in worshipping good or
saith he exceeding in power and goodnesse and the causes contayning all are wretched if they be drawne down by meale fond were their goodnesse if they had no other meanes to shew it and abiect their nature if it were bound from contemning of meale which if they can doe why come they not into a good minde sooner then into good meale d Doe hold Porphyry saith those euill Demones deceiue both the vulgar and the wise Philosophers and they by their eloquence haue giuen propagation to the error For the deuils are violent false counterfeits dissemblers seek to imbezell gods worship There is no harme but they loue it and put on their shapes of gods to lead vs into deuillish errors Such also are the soules of those that die wicked For their perturbations of Ire concupiscence and mallce leaue them not but are vsed by these soules being now become deuills to the hurt of mankind They change their shapes also now appearing to vs and by and by vanishing thus illuding both our eyes and thoughts and both these sorts possesse the world with couetice ambition pride and lust whence all warres and conflicts arise and which is worst of all they seeke to make the rude vulgar thinke that these things are acceptable to the gods And poesie with the sweetnesse of phrase hath helped them pâ—…tily forwardes Thus farre Porphyry de Abstin anim lib. 2. not in doubtfull or inquiring manner as hee doth in his writing to the priest but positiuely in a worke wherein he sheweth his owne doctrine e admirers The Philosophers whom hee saith erred themselues concerning the gods natures some in fauour of the gods and some in following of the multitude f Why the best Thus hee beginnes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Of those that are called gods but are 〈◊〉 wicked Dâ—…mones g The soothsaier Epoptes the proper word for him that lookes on thâ—…r sacrifice h The Sunne So saith Lucan his Thessalian witch that shee can force the gods 〈◊〉 what she list Lucans i Isis or These are the Sunne and Moone Their secret ceremonies being most beastly and obscene the deuills feare to haue them reuealed as Ceres did 〈◊〉 else delude their worshippe by counterfeite feare and so make vse of their fonde errour This of Isis and Osyris belongs to the infernalls also for Porphyry saith the greatest deuill is called Serapis and that is Osyris in Egipt and Pluto in Greece his character is a three headed dog signifying the deuills of the earth ayre and water His Isis is Hecate or Proserpina so it is plaine that this is meant of the secrettes of hell which haue mighty power in magicall practises These doth Erictho in Lucan threaten to the Moone the infernalls and Ceres sacrifices The Poet expresseth it thus Miratur Erichtho Has satis licuisse moras iratà que morti Uerberat immotum viuo serpente cadauer Perque cauas terrae quas egit carmine râ—…mas Manibus illatrat regnique silentia rumpit Tyâ—…iphone vocisque meae secura Megaera Non agitis sâ—…uis Erebi per inane flagellis Infelicen animam I am vos ego nomine verâ—… Eliciam stigiasque canes in luce superna Destituam per busta sequar per funera custos Expellam tumulis abigam vos omnibus vrnis Teque deis ad quos alio procedere vultu Ficta soles Hecate pallenti tabida formae Ostendam faciemque Erebi mutare vetabo Eloquar immenso terrae sub pondere quae te Contineant Ennaea dapes quo foedere moestum Regem noctis ames quae te contagia passam Noluerit reuocare Ceres tibi pessimé mundi Arbiter immittam ruptis I itana cauernis Et subito feriere die Erichtho wonders much At fates deâ—…ay and with a liuing snake She lasht the slaughtred corps making death quake Een-through the rifts of earth rent by her charmes She barkes in hells broad eare these blacke alarmes Stone-deaf Megaera and Tysiphone Why scourge yea not that wretched soule to me From hells huge depths or will you haue me call yee By your true names and leaue yee foule befall yee You stigian dogs I le leaue you in the light And see the graues and you disseuerd quite And Hecate thou that art neuer knowne But in false shapes I le shew thee in thine owne Whole heauen perforce shall see thy putred hew And from earths gutts will I rip forth to vew The feasts and meanes that make thee Pluto's whore And why thy mother fet thee thence no more And thou the worlds worst King al-be thou dead In darkenesse I will breake through all and send Strange light amid thy caues And Porphiry in Respons brings in Hecate compelled to answer the magician 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Why doâ—… thou blind vs so Theodamas what wouldst thou haue vs do Apollo also confesseth that he is compelled to tell truth against his will 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. I answer now perfore as bound by Fate Anâ—… by and by calleth to bee loosed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c loose the left ring Porphiry also saide as Iamblicus writeth in Mister that the Priests were wont to vse violent threats against the Goâ—…s as thus if you doe not this or if you doe that I will breake downe Heauen I will reueale Isis her secrets and diuulge the mistery hid in the depth I will stay the Baris a sacred shipin Egipt and cast Osiris members to Typhon Now Iamblichus saith those threates tend not to the gods but there is a kind of spirits in the world confused vndiscreet and inconsiderat that heareth from others but no way of it selfe and can neither discerne truthes nor possibilities from the contraries On these do those threatnings worke and force them to all duties Perhaps this is them that Porphiry giueth a foolish wil vnto Iamblichus proceedeth to the threats read them in him k Constellations Prophiry writeth out of Chaeremon that that astrology is of man incomprehensible but all these constellated workes and prophecies are tought him by the deuills But Iamblichus opposeth him in this and in the whole doctrine of deuills The man is all for this prodigious superstition and laboureth to answere Prophyry for Anebuns Of the miracles that God worketh by his Angels ministery CHAP. 12. BVt all miracles done by angells or what euer diuine power confirming the true adoration of one God vnto vs in whome only we are blessed we beleeue truely are done by Gods power working in them immortalls that loueâ—…s in true piety Heare not those that deny that the inuisible God worketh visible miracles is not the world a miracle Yet visible and of his making Nay all the miâ—…les done in this world are lesse then the world it selfe the heauen and earth and all therein yet God made them all and after a manner that man cannot conceiue nor comprehend For though these visible miracles of nature bee now no more admired yet ponder them wisely and they are more admirable then
that both the world and the gods made by that great GOD in the world had a beginning but shall haue no end but by the will of the creator endure for euer But they haue a b meaning for this they say this beginning concerned not time but substitution for c euen as the foote say they if it had stood eternally in the dust the foote-step should haue beene eternall also yet no man but can say some foote made this step nor should the one be before the other though one were made by the other So the world and the God there-in haue beene euer coeternall with the creators eternitie though by him created Well then put case the soule bee and hath beene eternall hath the soules misery beene so also Truly if there be some-thing in the soule that had a temporall beginning why might not the soule it selfe haue a beginning also And then the beatitude being firmer by triall of euill and to endure for euer questionlesse had a beginning though it shall neuer haue end So then the position that nothing can be endlesse that had a temporall beginning is quite ouer-throwne For the blessednesse of the soule hath a beginning but it shall neuer haue end Let our weaknesse therefore yeeld vnto the diuine authoritie and vs trust those holy immortalls in matter of religion who desire no worship to them-selues as knowing all is peculiar to their and our God nor command vs to sacrifice but vnto him to whom as I said often and must so still they and wee both are a sacrifice to be offered by that priest that tooke our manhood and in that this priesthood vpon him and sacrificed himselfe euen to the death for vs. L. VIVES ANd a necessary Plato subiects the soule both in the body and without the body vnto the power of the fates that after the reuolution of life death must come and after the purification of the soule life againe making our time in the body vncertaine but freeing vs from the body a 1000. years This reuolution they held necessary because God creating but a seâ—…nuÌ„ber of soules in the beginning the world should otherwise want men to inhabite it it being so 〈◊〉 and we so mortall This Virgill more expresly calls a wheele which being once turned about restores the life that it abridged and another turning taking it away againe both brâ—… things to one course This from death to death that from life to life but that worketh by death and this by life b A meaning It is well knowne that Plato held that God created the world But the question is whether it began temporally some yeares ago or had no temâ—…ll beginning Plutarch Atticus and Seuerus held that Plato's world had a beginning â—…porall but was neuer to haue end But Crantor Plotine Porphyry Iamblichus Proculus and 〈◊〉 all Platonists thought that it neuer beganne nor neuer should haue end So doth 〈◊〉 adioyning this and Pythagoras his opinion in one for Plato Pythagorized in all naâ—… questions This Cicero Iustine Martir and Boetius doe subscribe vnto also Plato â—…th Apuleius de deo Socrat. held all these gods to bee true incorporeall liuing and eternall 〈◊〉 neither beginning nor end Yet Apuleius in his Dogma Platonis affirmes that Plaâ—… taught vncertainely concerning the worlds beginning saying one while it had an origiâ—… and another while it had none c Euen as Our Philosophers disputing of an 〈◊〉 that is coequall in time and beeing with the cause compare them to the Sunne and the 〈◊〉 light Of the vniuersall way of the soules freedome which Porphyry sought amisse and therefore found not that onely Christ hath declared it CHAP. 32. THis is the religion that containes the vniuersall way of the soules freedome â—…or no where els is it found but herein This is the a Kings high way that leads to the eternall dangerlesse Kingdome to no temporall or transitory one And â—…reas Porphyry saith in the end of his first booke De regressu animae that there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one sect yet either truely Philosophicall b Indian or Chaldaean that teachetâ—… this vniuersall way and that hee hath not had so much as any historicall reaâ—… of it yet hee confesseth that such an one there is but what it is hee knoweth 〈◊〉 So insufficient was all that hee had learnt to direct him to the soules true â—…me and all that himselfe held or others thought him hold for he obserâ—… want of an authority fit for him to follow But whereas hee saith that 〈◊〉 of the true Philosophy euer had notice of the vniuersall way of the soules 〈◊〉 he shewes plaine that either his owne Phylosophy was not true or els 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wanted the knowledge of this way and then still how could it be true for 〈◊〉 vniuersall way of freeing the soules is there but that which freeth all soules 〈◊〉 coÌ„nsequently without which none is freed But whereas he addeth Indian or Chaldaean he giues a cleare testimony that neither of their doctrines contaiâ—… this way of the soules freedome yet could not he coâ—…ceale but is stil a telling 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the Chaldaeans had hee the diuine oracles What vniuersall way 〈◊〉 doth hee meane that is neither receiued in Philosophy nor into those Paâ—… disciplines that had such a stroke with him in matters of diuinity because 〈◊〉 with them did the curious fond superstition inuocation of all Angells 〈◊〉 which he neuer had so much as read of What is that vniuersall way not peculiar to euery perticuler nation but common to c all the world and giuen to it by the power of God Yet this witty Philosopher knew that some such way thers was For hee beleeues not that Gods prouidence would leaue man-kinde without a meane of the soules freedome He saith not there is no such but that so great and good an helpe is not yet knowne to vs nor vnto him no meruell for Prophyry was yet all d for the world when that vniuersall way of the soules freedome christianity was suffered to be opposed by the deuills and their seruants earthly powers to make vp the holy number of Martires e that is witnesses of the truth who might shew that all corporall tortures were to be endured for aduancement of the truth of piety This Porphyry saw and thinking persecution would soone extinguish this way therefore held not this the vniuersall not conceiuing that that which he stucke at and feared to endure in his choice belonged to his greater commendation and confirmation This therefore is that vniuersal way of the soules freedome that is granted vnto all nations out of Gods mercy the knowledge whereof commeth and is to come vnto all men wee may not nor any hereafter say why f commeth it so soone or why so late for his wisdome that doth send it is vnsearcheable vnto man Which he well perceiued when he sayd it was not yet receiued or knowne vnto him he denied not the truth thereof because he as yet had 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
the owne reâ—…ion from which ridiculous mocking they cannot free the immortal nor the 〈◊〉 â—…oule but it must stil be tossed vnto false blisse beaten backe into true miâ—… how is that blisse true whose eternity is euer vncertaine the soule either 〈◊〉 â—…gnoraÌ„t of the returne vnto misery or fearing it in the midst of felicity But 〈◊〉 from misery to happinesse neuer to returne then is some thing begun in 〈◊〉 â—…hich time shall neuer giue end vnto and why not then the world and why 〈◊〉 made therein to avoide al the false tracts that deceiued wittes haue deâ—… distract men from the truth for c some wil haue that place of Ecclesiasâ—… 〈◊〉 â—…hat is it that hath beene that which shal be what is it that hath beene made 〈◊〉 â—…ch shall be made d And there is no new thing vnder the sunne nor any thing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may say behold this is new it hath beene already in the time that was before 〈◊〉 be vnderstood of these reciprocall reuolutions whereas he meant either 〈◊〉 things hee spoke of before viz the successiue generations the sunnes moâ—… the torrents falls or else generally of all transitory creatures for there were 〈◊〉 â—…ore vs there are with vs and there shal be after vs so it is of trees and 〈◊〉 Nay euen monsters though they be vnusuall and diuers and some haue 〈◊〉 â—…t but once yet as they are generally wonders and miracles they are â—…st and to come nor is it newes to see a monster vnder the Sunne Though 〈◊〉 â—…ll haue the wise man to speake of Gods predestination that fore-framed 〈◊〉 therefore that now there is nothing new vnder the Sunne But farre be 〈◊〉 from beleeuing that these words of Salomon should meane those reuoluâ—… they do dispose the worlds course and renouation by as Plato the Aâ—… Philosopher taught in the Academy that in a certeyne vnbounded 〈◊〉 yet definit Plato himselfe his schollers the city and schoole should after 〈◊〉 ages meete all in that place againe and bee as they were when hee taught 〈◊〉 God forbid I say that wee should beleeue this For Christ once died for our 〈◊〉 and rising againe dieth no more nor hath death any future dominion ouer him 〈◊〉 after our resurrection shal be alwaies with the Lord to whome now we say 〈◊〉 the Psalme Thou wilt keepe vs O Lord and preserue vs from this generation for 〈◊〉 The following place I thinke fittes them best The wicked walke in a circuit 〈◊〉 cause their life as they thinke is to run circularly but because their false doâ—… runs round in a circular maze L. VIVES â—…lutions a Of. Platonisme holding a continuall progression and succession of causes 〈◊〉 effects and when heauen hath reuolued it selfe fully and come to the point whence it 〈◊〉 first then is the great yeare perfect and all shall be as they were at first b Rotation 〈◊〉 a â—…it word of Uoluo to roule c Some Origen Periarch lib. 2. I will follow Hierome 〈◊〉 then Râ—…s in citying Origens Dogmaticall doctrines and that for good reasons we 〈◊〉 Origen that there was a world ere this shal be another after it wil you heare our 〈◊〉 for the later Here Esay saying I will create new heauens and a new earth to remaine in 〈◊〉 for the first Ecclesiâ—…stes What is it that hath bin that which shal be c. for al things 〈◊〉 as they are in the old ages before vs. Thus Origen yet hee doubts whether these 〈◊〉 shal be alike or somewhat different d And there is no. Simmachus hath translated 〈◊〉 then Hierome referring it vnto Gods prescience that al things of this world were first in the Creators knowledge though Augustine a little before take it as ment of the generality of things and toucheth Hieromes exposition Of Mans temporall estate made by God out of no newnesse or change of will CHAP. 14. BVt what wonder if these men runne in their circular error and finde no way forth seeing they neither know mankindes originall nor his end beeing not able to pearce into Gods depths who being eternall and without beginning yet gaue time a beginning and made Man in time whom hee had not made before yet not now maketh he him by any suddaine motion but as hee had eternally decreed Who can penetrate this a inscrutable depth wherein GOD gaue Man a temporall beginning and had none before and this out of his eternall vnchangeable will multiplying all mankinde from one for when the Psalmist had sayd Thou shalt keepe vs OLORD and preserue vs from this generation for euer then hee reprehendeth those whose fond and false doctrine reserue no eternity for the soules blessed freedome in adioyning The wicked walke in a Cyâ—…cuite as who should say what dost thou thinke or beleeue Should we say that God suddainely determined to make Man whom he had not made in all eternity before and yet that God is euer immutable and cannot change his will least this should draw vs into doubt he answereth God presently saying In thy deepe wisdome didst thou multiply the sonnes of men Let men thinke talke or dispute as they will saith he and argue as they thinke In thy deepe wisdome which none can discouer didst thou multiply mankinde For it is most deepe that GOD should bee from eternity and yet decree that Man should bee made at this time and not before without alteration of will L. VIVES THis inscrutable The text is inuestigabilem put for the iust contrary minime inuestigabiâ—… vnsearchable as indolere and inuocare in latine is vsed both for affirmatiue and negatiue Whether to preserue Gods eternall domination wee must suppose that he hath alwaies had creatures to rule ouer and how that may be held alwaies created which is not coeternall with God CHAP. 15. BVt I as I dare not deny Gods domination a eternall from euer so may I not doubt but that Man had a temporall beginning before which he was not But when I thinke what God should bee Lord ouer from enternity here doe I feare to affirme any thing because I looke into my selfe and know that it is sayd Whâ—… can know the Lords counsells or who can thinke what God intendeth Our cogitations are fearefull and our fore-casts are vncertaine The corruptible body suppresseth the soule and the earthly mansion keepeth down the minde that is much occupied Therefore of these which I reuolue in this earthly mansion they are many because out of them all I cannot finde that one of them or besides them which perhaps I thinke not vpon and yet is true If I say there hath beene creatures euer for God to bee Lord off who hath beene euer and euer Lord but thâ—… they were now those and then others by successe of time least wee should make some of them coeternall with the Creator which faith and reason reprooueth This must wee looke that it bee not absurd for a mortall creature to haue beene â—…uely from
before-said but he that kept the heards of King o Admetus with Hercules yet was hee afterwards held a God and counted one and the same with the other And then did p father Liber make warre in India leading a crue of women about with him in his armie called Bacchae being more famous for their madnesse then their vertue Some write that this Liber q was conquered and imprisoned some that Perseus slew him in the field mentioning his place of buriall also and yet were those damned sacriligious sacrifices called the Bacchanalls appointed by the vncleane deuills vnto him as vnto a God But the Senate of Rome at length after long vse of them saw the barbarous filthinesse of these sacrifices and expelled them the citty And in this time r Perseus and his wife Andromeda being dead were verily beleeued to bee assumed into heauen and there vpon the world was neither ashamed s nor affraide to giue their names vnto two goodly constellations and to forme their Images therein L. VIVES THe fiction of a Triptolemus His originall is vncertaine ignoble saith Ouid his mother was a poore woman and he a sickly childe and Ceres lodging in his mothers house bestowed his health of him Lactantius making him sonne to Eleusius King of Eleusis and Hionâ—… that Ceres bestowed immortality vpon him for lodging a night in his fathers house on the day she fedde him in heauen with her milke and on the night she hidde him in fire Celeus was his father saith Seruius But Eusebius maketh him a stranger to Celeus and landeth him at Eleusis Celeâ—… his citty out of a long ship But the Athenians generally held him the sonne of Celeus so did not the Argiues but of Trochilus Hieropanta who falling out with Agenor flying from Argos came to Eleusis there married and there had Triptolemus and Euboles Some hold him and so Musaeus did some say the sonne of Oceanus and Terra that Eubolis and Triptolemus were Dysaulis sonnes saith Orpheus Chaerilus of Athens deriues him from Rharus and one of Aâ—…hyctions daughters Diodorus from Hercules and Thesprote King Phileus his daughter Now Ceres they say gaue him corne and sent him with a chariot with two wheeles onely for swiftnesse sake saith Higin drawne by a teame of Dragons through the ayre to goe and â—…each the sowing of corne to the world that he first sowed the field Rharius by Eleusis and reaped an haruest of it wherfore they gathered the Mushromes vsed in the sacred banquets froÌ„ that field Triptolemus had his altar also and his threshing place there The pretended truth of this history agreeth with Eusebius for it saith that Triptolemus was sonne to Elusus King of Eâ—…s who in a great dearth sustained the peoples liues out of his owne granary which Trâ—…mus vpon the like occasion beeing not able to doe fearing the peoples furie hee tooke along ship called the Dragon and sayling thence within a while returned againe with aboundance of corne and expelling Celeus who had vsurped in his abscence releeued the people with come and taught them tillage Hence was he termed Ceres his pupill Some place Lyncus for Câ—…s He saith Ouid was King of Scythia because he would haue slaine Ceresâ—…ed â—…ed him into the beast Lynx which we call an Ounce b The Minotaure Minos of Crete â—…ied Pasiphae the Suns daughter he being absent in a war against Attica about his claime to the â—…ingdom the killing of his son Androgeus she fell into a beastly desire of copulation with a Bull and Daedalus the Carpenter framed a Cow of wood wherein she beeing enclosed bad her lust satisfied and brought forth the Minotaure a monster that eate mans flesh This Uenus was cause of Seru. For the Sunne bewraying the adultery of Mars and Uenus Uulcan came and tooke them both in a Wyre nette and so shamefully presented them vnto the view of all the gods Here-vpon Uenus tooke a deadly malice against all the Sunnes progenie and thus came this Minotaure borne but Seruius saith he was no monster but that there was a man either Secretary to Minos or some gouernour of the Souldiours vnder him called Taurus and that in Daedalus his house Pasiphae and he made Minos Cuckold and shee bringing forth two sonnes one gotten by Minos and the other by Taurus was said to bring forth the Minotaure as Uirgill calleth it Mistumque genus prolemque biformem A mungrell breed and double formed-birth Euripides held him halfe man and halfe bull Plutarch saith he was Generall of Minos forces and either in a sea-fight or single combate slaine by Theseus to Minos his good liking for hee was a cruell fellow and the world reported him too inward with Pasiphae and therefore after that Minos restored all the tribute-children vnto Athens and freed them from that imposition for euer Palephratus writeth that Taurus was a goodly youth and fellow to Minos that Pasiphaë fell in loue with him and hee begot a child vpon her which Minos afterwards vnderstood yet would not kill it when it was borne because it was brother to his sonnes The boy grew vp and the King hearing that hee iniured the Sheapheards sent to apprehend him but he digged him a place in the ground and therein defended himselfe Then the King sent certaine condemned Malefactors to fetch him out but he hauing the aduantage of the place slew them all and so euer after that the King vsed to send condemned wrâ—…ches thether and hee would quâ—…ckly make them sure So Minos sent Theseus thether vnarmed hauing taken him in the warres but Ariadne watched as he entred the caue and gaue him a sword wherewith he slew this Minotaure c The Labyrinth A building so entangled in windings and cyrcles that it deceiueth all that come in it Foure such there were in the world but in Egipt at Heracleopolis neare to the Lake Maeris Herodotus saith that he sawe it no maruell for it was remaining in Plinyes and Diod. his time These two and Strabo and Mela do describe it Mela saith Psameticus made it Pliny reciteth many opinions of it that it was the worke of Petesucus or else of Tithois or else the palace of Motherudes or a dedication vnto the Sunne and that is the common beleefe Daedalus made one in Crete like this Diod. Plin. but it was not like Egypts by an hundred parts and yet most intricate Ouid. 8. Metamorph. Philothorus in Plutarch thinketh that it was but a prison out of which the enclosed theeues might not escape and so thinketh Palaephatus The third was in Lemnos made by Zmilus Rholus and Theodorus builders The ruines of it stood after those of Crete and Italy were vtterly decayed and gone Plyn The fourth was in Italy by Clusium made for Porsenna King of Hetruâ—…a Varro d The Centaures Ixion sonne to Phlegias the sonne of Mars louing Iuno and shee telling Ioue of it hee made a cloud like her on which cloud Ixion begot the Centaures Sure
the desolate hath more children then the maried wife Enlarge thae 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thy tents and fasten the f curtaines of thy Tabernacles spare not stretch out â—…des and make fast thy stakes spread it yet further to the right hand and thy 〈◊〉 thy seed shal possesse the Gentiles and dwell in the desolate Citties feare not because thou â—…t shamed be not afraid because thou art vp-brayded for thou shall forget thiâ—… euerlasting shame and shalt not remember the reproch of thy widdow-hood any more for the Lord that made thee is called the Lord of Hostes and the redeemer the holy one of Israel shal be called the God of all the world c. Here is enough needing but a little explanation for the places are so plaine that our enemies themselues are forced despite their hearts to acknowledge the truth These then suffice L. VIVES ESaias a is A noble man worthily eloquent more like an Euangelist then a Prophet he prophecied in Hierusalem and Iury. Hier. ad Eustoch Paulam Manasses King of Iudah made him be sawen a two with a wooden saw of him is that ment in the Hebrewes chp. 11. verse 37. They were sawen asunder The causes of his death Hierome relateth commâ—…n in Esa. lib. 〈◊〉 b Some Hierome ad Paul Eustoch for he speaketh not in misticall manner of things as if they were to come but most plainely as if they were present or past which is not ordinary in the other prophets c Behold All this quotation out of the 52. 53. and 54. chapters of Isay the Septuagints whome Saint Augustine followeth do some-times differ from the Hebrew truth But the scope aymes all at one end namely the passion of Christ wee will not stand to decide perticulars Augustine him-selfe saith all is playne inough and omits to stand vpon them to avoyd tediousnesse d Deceipt found The seauenty leaue out found e If you giue your soule The seauenty read it if you giue him for sinne your soule shall see your seede of long continuance f The curtaines The vulgar and the seauenty read the skins Prophecies of Michaeas Ionas and Ioell correspondent vnto the New-Testament CHAP. 30. THe Prophet Michaeas prefiguring Christ by a great mountaine saith thus a In the last daies shall the mountaine of the Lord be prepared vpon the toppes of the hills and shal be exalted aboue the hills and the nations shall hast them to it saying Come let vs goe vp into the mountaine of the Lord into the house of the God of Iacob and he wil teach vs his waies and we wil walke in his paths for the law shal go forth of Sion and the word of the Lord from Hieâ—…salem Hee shall iudge amongst many people and rebuke mighty nations a farre of The same prophet foretells Christ birth place also saying b And thou Bethleem c of Ephrata art little to bee amongst the thousands of Iudah yet out of thee shall a d captaine come forth vnto mee that shal be the Prince of Israel e whose goings forth haue beene euerlasting Therefore f will he giue them vp vntill the time that the child-bearing woman do trauell and the g remnant of her brethren shall returne vnto the children of Israell And he h shall stand and looke and feed his flocke in the strength of the Lord in the honâ—…or of Gods 〈◊〉 shall they continue for now shall he be magnified vnto the worlds end Now i Ionas prophecied Christ rather in suffering then in speaking that most manifestly considering the passion resurrection For why was he 3. daies in the whals belly and then let out but to signifie Christs resurrection from the depth of hell vpon the third day Indeed Ioels prophecies of Christ the Church require great explanation yet one of his and that was remembred by the k Apostles at the descending of the Holy Ghost vpon the faithfull as Christ had promised I will not oâ—…it Afterwards â—…ith hee I will power out my spirit vpon all flesh your sonnes and daughters shall Prophecy and your old men shall dreame dreames and your yong men 〈◊〉 visions euen vpon the seruants and the maids in those daies will I poure my spirit L VIVES IN a The last daies The same is in Esay 2. 2. b And thou Bethelem Augustine and the seauenty do differ here from the Hebrew S. Mathew readeth it thus And thou Bethleem 〈◊〉 the land of Iudah art not the least among the Trinces of Iudah for out of thee shall come the gâ—…rnor that shall feed my people Israel S. Hierome vpon Michaeas lib. 2. saith that this quoâ—…ion of Mathew accordeth neither with the Hebrew nor the seauenty This question putâ—…g the holy father to his plunges hee is fayne to say that either the Apostle cited it not haâ—…g the booke before him but out of his memory which some-time doth erre or else 〈◊〉 hee cited it as the priests had giuen it in answer to Herod herein shewing their negliâ—… the first hee affirmeth as the opinion of others It is an hard thing to make the Apostle â—…ke iust contrary to the prophet Neither Prophyry nor Celsus would beleeue this in a matter 〈◊〉 concerned not themselues But the scope of both being one maketh this coniecture inâ—…de the more tollerable But it is a weake hold to say the Priest spake it thus it were â—…ly absurd in their practise of the scriptures to alter a Prophecy intending especially â—…hew the full ayme of it But before the Apostle nay the spirit of God shal be taxed with 〈◊〉 an error let the later coniecture stand good or a weaker then it as long as we can finde 〈◊〉 stronger But if we may lawfully put in a guesse after Hierome that worthy in the exâ—…tion of those holy labyrinths to grant that the Hebrew and the seauenty read this place â—…matiuely and the Euangelist negatiuely read the place with an interrogation and they 〈◊〉 both reconciled I meane with an interrogation in the Prophet as is common in their â—…es and befitting the ardor of their affections but in the Euangelist the bare sence is â—…y fit to be layd downe without figure or affection c Of Ephrata The country where â—…leem stood which the Priests omitted as speaking to Herod a stranger that knew Iuda 〈◊〉 The Euangelist gaue an intimation of Christ whence he was to come by putting in 〈◊〉 for Ephrata there was another Bethleem in Galilee as it is in Iosuah Hierome vpon 〈◊〉 â—…hew noteth it as the transcribers falt to put Iudea for Iuda for all the Bethlems that are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iudea Galelee where the other is being a part thereof And the like falt it may be is in 〈◊〉 which followeth But when hee heard that Archelaus raigned in Iudaea for Iuda but â—…ed Iudaea after the returne from Captiuity kept not the old bounds but was contracted 〈◊〉 country about Hierusalem the metropolitane citty thereof d A captaine The Bruâ—… copy leaueth out a captaine and so do
ment hereby S. Augustine confesseth that he cannot define Sup. Genes lib. 8. These are secrets all vnneedfull to be knowne and all wee vnworthy to know them Of the new Heauen and the new Earth CHAP. 16. THe iudgement of the wicked being past as he fore-told the iudgement of the goodâ—…ust follow for hee hath already explained what Christ said in briefe They shall go into euerlasting paine now he must expresse the sequell And the righteous into life eternall And I saw saith he a new heauen and a new earth The first heauen and earth were gone and so was thesea for such was the order described before by him when he saw the great white throne one sitting vpon it froÌ„ whose face they fled So then they that were not in the booke of life being iudged and cast into eternall fire what or where it is I hold is vnknowne to a all but those vnto whome it please the spirit to reueale it then shall this world loose the figure by worldly fire as it was erst destroyed by earthly water Then as I said shall all the worlds corruptible qualities be burnt away all those that held correspondence with our corruption shall be agreeable with immortality that the world being so substantially renewed may bee fittly adapted vnto the men whose substances are renewed also But for that which followeth There 〈◊〉 no more sea whether it imply that the sea should bee dried vp by that vniuersall conflagration or bee transformed into a better essence I cannot easily determyne Heauen and Earth were read shal be renewed but as concerning the sea I haue not read any such matter that I can remember vnlesse that other place in this booke of that which hee calleth as it were a sea of glasse like vnto christall import any such alteration But in that place hee speaketh not of the worlds end neither doth hee say directly a sea but as a sea Notwithstanding it is the Prophets guise to speake of truths in misticall manner and to mixe truths and types together and so he might say there was no more sea in the same sence that hee sayd the sea shall giue vp hir dead intending that there should be no more turbulent times in the world which he insinuateth vnder the word Sea L. VIVES VNknowne a to all To all nay Saint Augustine it seemes you were neuer at the schoole-mens lectures There is no freshman there at least no graduate but can tell that it is the elementany fire which is betweene the sphere of the moone and the ayre that shall come downe and purge the earth of drosse together with the ayre and water If you like not this another will tell you that the beames of the Sonne kindle a fire in the midst of the ayre as in a burning glasse and so worke wonders But I doe not blame you fire was not of that vse in your time that it is now of when eâ—…y Philosopher to omit the diuines can carry his mouth his hands and his feete full of fire 〈◊〉 in the midst of Decembers cold and Iulies heate Of Philosophers they become diuines and yet keepe their old fiery formes of doctrine still so that they haue farre better iudgement 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hot case then you or your predecessors euer had Of the glorification of the Church after death for euer CHAP. 17. AND I Iohn saith hee sawe that Holie Cittie new Ierusalem come downe from GOD out of Heauen prepared as a bride trimmed for her husband And I heard a great voice out of Heauen saying behold the Tabernacle of GOD is with men and hee will dwell with them and they shal be his people and hee himselfe shal be their GOD with them And GOD shall wipeawaie all teares from their eyes and there shal be no more death neither teares neither crying neither shall there bee any more paine for the first things are passed And hee that sate vpon the Throne sayd behold I make althings new c. This cittie is sayd to come from Heauen because the grace of GOD that founded it is heauenly as GOD saith in Esay I am the LORD that made thee This grace of his came downe from heauen euen from the beginning and since the cittizens of GOD haue had their increase by the same grace giuen 〈◊〉 the spirit from heauen in the fount of regeneration But at the last Iudgement of GOD by his Sonne Christ this onely shall appeare in a state so glorious that all the ancient shape shal be cast aside for the bodies of each member shall cast aside their olde corruption and put on a new forme of immortality For it were too grosse impudence to thinke that this was 〈◊〉 of the thousand yeares afore-sayd wherein the Church is sayd to reigne with Christ because he saith directly GOD shall wipe awaie all teares from their eies and there shal be no more death neither sorrowes neither crying neither shall there bee any more paine Who is so obstinately absurd or so absurdly obstinate as to averre that any one Saint much lesse the whole society of them shall passe this transitory life without teares or sorrowes or euer hath passed it cleare of them seeing that the more holy his desires are and the more zealous his holinesse the more teares shall bedew his Orisons Is it not the Heauenly Ierusalem that sayth My teares haue beene my meate daie and night And againe I cause my bedde euerie night to swimme and water my couch with teares and besides My sorrow is renewed Are not they his Sonnes that bewayle that which they will not forsake But bee cloathed in it that their mortality may bee re-inuested with eternity and hauing the first fruites of the spirit doe sigh in themselues wayting for the adoption that is the redemption of their bodies Was not Saint Paul one of the Heauenlie Cittie nay and that the rather in that hee tooke so great care for the earthly Israelites And when a shall death haue to doe in that Cittie but when they may say Oh death where is thy sting Oh hell where is thy b victorie The sting of death is sinne This could not bee sayd there where death had no sting but as for this world Saint Iohn himselfe saith If wee say wee haue no sinne wee deceiue our selues and there is no truth in vs. And in this his Reuelation there are many things written for the excercising of the readers vnderstanding and there are but few things whose vnderstanding may bee an induction vnto the rest for hee repeteth the same thing so many waies that it seemes wholy pertinent vnto another purpose and indeed it may often bee found as spoken in another kinde But here where hee sayth GOD shall wipe awaie all teares from their eyes c this is directly meant of the world to come and the immortalitie of the Saints for there shal be no sorrow no teares nor cause of sorrowe or teares if any one
what reasonable man doth not seee that in that greatest likenesse and most numerous multitude of one worke of nature the face of man there is such an admirable quality that were they not all of one forme they should not distinguish man from beast and yet were they all of one forme one man should not bee knowne from another Thus likenesse and difference are both in one obiect But the difference is most admirable nature it selfe seeming to exact an vniformity in the proportion thereof and yet because it is rarieties which wee admire wee doe wonder farre more when wee see two c so like that one may bee easily and is often-times deceiued in taking the one for the other But it may bee they beleeue not the relation of Varro though hee bee one of their most learned Historians or doe not respect it because this starre did not remaine long in this new forme but soone resumed the former shape and course againe Let vs therefore giue them another example which together with this of his I thinke may suffice to conuince that God is not to bee bound to any conditions in the allotting of particuler being to any thing as though he could not make an absolute alteration thereof into an vnknowne quality of essence The country of Sodome was whilom otherwise then it is now it was once like the rest of the land as fertile and as faire if not more then the rest in so much that the Scripture compareth it to Paradise But being smitten from lieauen as the Paynim stories themselues record and all trauellers couâ—… me it now is as a field of foote and ashes and the apples of the soyle being faire without are naught but dust within Behold it was not such and yet such it is at this day Behold a terible change of nature wrought by natures Creator and that it remaineth in that foule estate now which it was a long time ere it fell into So then as God can create what hee will so can hee change the nature of what he hath created at his good pleasure And hence is the multitude of monsters visions pertents and prodigies for the particular relation whereof here is no place They are called d monsters of Monstro to shew because they betoken somewhat And portents and prodiges of portendo and porrò dico to presage and fore-tell some-what to enshew But whether they or the deuills whose care it is to inueigle and intangle the minds of the vnperfect and such as deseâ—…ve it do delude the world either by true predictions or by stumbling on the truth by chance let their obseruers interpreters looke to that But we ought to gather this from all those monsters prodigies that happen or are said to happen against nature as the Apostle implied when he spake of the e engraffing of the wild Oliue into the Garden Oliue whereby the wild one was made partaker of the roote and fatnesse of the other that they all do tell vs this that God will do with the bodies of the dead according to his promise no difficulty no law of nature can or shall prohibit him And what hee hath promised the last booked declared out of both the Testaments not in very great measure but sufficient I thinke for the purpose and volume L. VIVES VEnus a with Here of already Some call this starre Uenus some Iuno Arist. De mundo Some Lucifier some Hesperus Higin lib. 2. It seemeth the biggest starre in the firmament Some say it was the daughter of Cephalus and â—…rocris who was so faire that she contended with Uenus and therefore was called Uenus Eratasthen It got the name of Lucifer and Hesperus from rising and setting before and after the Sunne Higinus placeth it aboue the Sunne the Moone and Mercury following Plato Aristotle the Egiptians and all the Old Astronomers b Hesperus So doth Cynna in his Smirna Te matutinis flentem conspexit Eous Et flentem paulo vidit post Hesperus idem The day-starre saw thy cheekes with teares bewet So did it in the euening when it set That this was both the day-starre and the Euening-â—…arre Pythagoras or as some say Parmenides was the first that obserued Plm. lib. 2. Suidas c Two so like Such two twins had Seruilius Cie Acad. Quaest 4. Such were the Menechmi in Pluatus supposed to be whome their very mother could not distinguish such also were the Twins that Quintilian declameth of And at Mechlin at this day Petrus Apostotius a Burguer of the towne mine host hath two toward and gratious children so like that not onely strangers but euen their owne mother hath mistooke them and so doth the father like-wise to this day calling Peter by his brother Iohns name and Iohn by Peters d Monsters Thus doth Tully expound these words De diuinat e Engraffing The wild oliue is but a bastard frute and worse then the other but it is not the vse to engraffe bad slips in a better stocke to marre the whole but good ones in a bad slocke to better the fruit So that the Apostles words seeme to imply a deed against nature Of Hell and the qualities of the eternall paines therein CHAP. 9. AS God therfore by his Prophet spake of the paines of the damned such shall they be Their worme shall not die neither shall their fire be quenshed Our Sauiour to coÌ„mend this vnto vs putting the parts that scandalize a maÌ„ for mans right members and bidding him cut them of addeth this better it is for thee to enter into life maimed then hauing two hands to go into Hell into the fire that neuer shal be quenshed where their worme dieth not and their fire neuer goeth out and likewise of the foote Better for thee to goe halting into life then hauing two feete to bee cast into Hell c. And so saith he of the eye also adding the Prophets words three seuerall times O whom would not this thunder from the mouth of God strike a chill terror into sounding so often Now as for this worme and this fire they that make them only mental paines do say that the fire implieth the burning of the soule in griefe and anguish that now repenteth to late for being seuered from the sight of God after the maner that the Apostle saith who is offended and I burne not And this anguish may be meant also by the worme say they as it is written As the moth is to the garment and the worme to the wood So doth sorrow eate the heart of a man Now such as hold them both mentall and reall say that the fire is a bodily plague to the body and the worme a plague of conscience in the soule This seemeth more likely in that it is absurd to say that either the soule or body shal be cleare of paine yet had I rather take part with them that say they are both bodily then with those that say that neither of them is so and therefore
that sorrow in the Scriptures though it be not expressed so yet it is vnderstood to bee a fruitlesse repentance conâ—…oyned with a corporall torment for the scripture saith the vengeance of the flesh of the wicked is fire and the worme hee might haue said more briefely the vengance of the wicked why did hee then ad of the flesh but to shew that both those plagues the fire and the worme shal be corporall If hee added it because that man shal be thus plagued for liuing according to the flesh for it is therefore that hee incurreth the second death which the Apostle meaneth of when hee saith If yee liue after the flesh yee die but euery man beleeue as hee like either giuing the fire truely to the body and the worme figuratiuely to the soule or both properly to the body for we haue fully proued already that a creature may burne and yet not consume may liue in paine and yet not dye which he that denyeth knoweth not him that is the author of all natures wonders that God who hath made all the miracles that I erst recounted and thousand thousands more and more admirable shutting them all in the world the most admirable worke of all Let euery man therefore choose what to thinke of this whether both the fire and the worme plague the body or whether the worme haue a metaphoricall reference to the soule The truth of this question shall then appeare plaine when the knowledge of the Saints shall bee such as shall require no triall of it but onely shal be fully satisfied and resolued by the perfection and plenitude of the diuine sapience We know but now in part vntill that which is perfect be come but yet may wee not beleeue those bodies to be such that the fire can worke them no anguish nor torment L. VIVES THeir a worme Is. 66. 24. this is the worme of conscience Hierome vpon this place Nor is there any villany saith Seneca how euer fortunate that escapeth vnpunished but is plague to it selfe by wringing the conscience with feare and distrust And this is Epicurus his reason to proue that man was created to avoyd sinne because hauing committed it it scourgeth the conscience and maketh it feare euen without all cause of feare This out of Seneca â—…pist lib. â—…6 And so singeth Iuuenall in these words Exemplo quodâ—…unque malo committitur ipsi Dâ—…splicet auctori prima est haec vltio quòd se Iudice nemo nocens absoluitur c. Each deed of mischiefe first of all dislikes The authout with this whip Reuenge first strikes That no stain'd thought can cleare it selfe c. And by and by after Cur tamen hos tuâ—… Euasisse putes quos diriconscia facti Mens habet â—…ttionitos surdo verbere caedit Occultum quatiente animo tortore flagellum Poena autem vehemens multo saeuior illis Quas Ceditius grauis inuenit Rhadamanthus Nocte dieque suum gestare in pectore testem But why should you suppose Them free whose soule blackt ore with ougly deeds Affrights and teares the conscience still and feeds Reuenge by nousling terrour feare and warre Euen in it selfe O plagues farre lighter farre To beare guilts blisters in a brest vnsound Then Rhadamant or sterne Ceditius found Nay the conscience confoundeth more then a thousand witnesses Tully holdes there are no other hell furies then those stings of conscience and that the Poets had that inuention from hence In l. Pis. Pro Rosâ—… Amerin Hereof you may read more in Quintilians Orations Whether the fyre of hell if it be corporall can take effect vpon the incorporeall deuills CHAP. 10. BVt here now is another question whether this fire if it plague not spiritually but onely by a bodily touch can inflict any torment vpon the deuill and his Angels they are to remaine in one fire with the damned according to our Sauiours owne words Depart from mee you cursed into euerlasting fire which is prepared for the deuill and his Angels But the deuills according as some learned men suppose haue bodies of condensate ayre such as wee feele in a winde and this ayre is passible and may suffer burning the heating of bathes prooueth where the ayre is set on fire to heate the water and doth that which first it suffereth If any will oppose and say the deuills haue no bodies at all the matter is not great nor much to be stood vpon For why may not vnbodyed spirits feele the force of bodily fire as well as mans incorporeall soule is now included in a carnall shape and shall at that day be bound into a body for euer These spirituall deuils therefore or those deuillish spirits though strangely yet shall they bee truly bound in this corporall fire which shall torment them for all that they are incorporeall Nor shall they bee so bound in it that they shall giue it a soule as it were and so become both one liuing creature but as I sayd by a wonderfull power shall they be so bound that in steed of giuing it life they shal frÌ„o it receiue intollerable torment although the coherence of spirits and bodies whereby both become one creature bee as admirable and exceede all humaine capacitie And surely I should thinke the deuills shall burne them as the riche glutton did when hee cryed saying I am tormented in this flame but that I should be answered that that fire was such as his tongue was to coole which hee seeing Lazarus a farre of intreated him to helpe him with a little water on the tippe of his finger Hee was not then in the body but in soule onely such likewise that is incorporeall was the fire hee burned in and the water hee wished for as the dreames of those that sleepe and the vision of men in extasies are which present the formes of bodies and yet are not bodies indeed And though man see these things onely in spirit yet thinketh he him-selfe so like to his body that hee cannot discerne whether hee haue it on or no. But that hell that â—…ake of fire and brimstone shall bee reall and the fire corporall burning both men and deuills the one in flesh and the other in ayre the one iâ—… the body adhaerent to the spirit and the other in spirit onely adhaerent to the fire and yet not infusing life but feeling torment for one fire shall torment both men and Deuills Christ hath spoken it Whether it bee not iustice that the time of the paines should be proportioned to the time of the sinnes and crimes CHAP. 11. BVt some of the aduersaries of Gods citty hold it iniustice for him that hath offended but temporally to be bound to suffer paine eternally this they say is â—…ly vnâ—… As though they knew any law chat adapted the time of the punishment to the time in which the crime was committed Eight kinde of punishments dâ—…th Tully affirme the lawes to inflict Damages imprisonment whipping like for like publicke
delights that hee loued yet shall hee bee 〈◊〉 in that hee held his foundation maugre all tribulation but as it were by 〈◊〉 for that which hee possessed in alluring loue hee shall forge with 〈◊〉 sorrowe This thinke I is the fire that shall enritch the one and â—…ge the other trying both yet condemning neither If wee say thâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of heere is that whereof CHRIST spake to those on his left 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from mee yee cursed into euerlasting fire and that all such 〈◊〉 builded 〈◊〉 strawe and stubble vpon their foundation are part of the sayd cursed who notwithstanding after a time of torment are to bee dedeliuered by the merit of their foundation then can wee not thinke that those on the right hand to whome hee shall say Come you blessed c. Are any other sauing those that built gold siluer and precious stones vppon the said foundation But this fire of which the Apostle speaketh shall bee as a tryall both to the good and the bad both shall passe through it for the word sayth Euery mans worke shal bee made manifest for the day of the Lord shall declare it because it shal bee reuealed by the fyre and the fire shall try euery mans worke of what sort it is If the fire trye both and he that hath an abiding worke be rewarded and hee whose worke shal burne shall bee indamaged then cannot this be that euerlasting fire For into that shall none enter but the cursed on the left hand in the last iudgement whereas the blessed shall passe through this wherein some of them shal be so tryed that their building shall abide vnconsumed and other-some shall haue their worke burned and yet shal bee saued them-selues in that their loue vnto Christ exceeded al their carnall imperfections And if they bee saued then shall they stand on Christes right hand and shall bee part of those to whome it shall bee said Come you blessed of my father inherite the kingdome c. and not on the left hand amongst the cursed to whome it shall bee sayd Depart from me c. For none of these shall be saued by fire but all of them shall be bound for euer in that place where the worme neuer dyeth there shall they burne world without end But as for the time betweene the bodily death and the last iudgement if any one say that the spirits of the dead are all that while tryed in such fire as neuer moueth those that haue not built wood straw or stubble afflicting onely such as haue wrought such workes eyther here or there or both or that mans worldly affects beeing veniall shall â—…e the purging fire of tribulation onely in this world and not in the other if any hold thus I contradict him not perhaps he may hold the truth To this tribuâ—… also may belong the death of body drawne from our first parents sinne and inflicted vppon each man sooner or later according to his building So may also the Churches persecutions wherein the Martyrs were crowned and all the rest afflicted For these calamities like fire tryed both sorts of the buildings consuming both workes and worke men where they found not Christe for the foundation and consuming the workes onely and sauing the worke-men by this losse where they did finde him and stubble c. built vppon him but where they found workes remayning to eternall life there they consumed nothing at all Now in the last dayes in the time of Antichriste shall be such a persecution as neuer was before And many buildings both of gold and stubble being all founded vppon Christe shall then bee tryed by this fire which will returne ioy to some and losse to others and yet destroy none of them by reason of their firme foundation But whosoeuer hee bee that loueth I do not say his wife with carnall affection but euen such shewes of pyety as are vtter alliens from this sensuality with such a blinde desire that hee preferreth them before Christ this man hath not Christ for his foundation and therefore shall neither bee saued by 〈◊〉 noâ—… otherwise because hee cannot bee conioyned with Christ who faith playnely of such men Hee that loueth father or mother more then me is vnworthy of me And he that loueth sonne or daughter more then me is not worthy of mee But hee that loueth them carnaliy yet preferreth Christ for his foundation and had rather loose them all then Christ if hee were driuen to the losse of one such a man shall bee saued but as it were by fire that is his griefe in the loosing of them must needes bee as great as his delight was in enioying them But hee that loues father mother c. according to Christ to bring them vnto his Kingdome or bee delighted in thâ—… because they are the members of Christ this loue shall neuer burne away liâ—…â—…ood straw stubble but shall stand as a building of gold siluer and preâ—… 〈◊〉 for how can a man loue that more then Christ which he loueth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sake onely L. VIVES 〈◊〉 day of a the Lord Where-vnto all secrets are referred to be reuealed and therefore they are worthy of reprehension that dare presume to censure acts that are doubtfull 〈◊〉 â—…rable onely by coniectures seeme they neuer so bad 〈◊〉 thâ—…se that thinke those sinnes shall not be laid to their 〈◊〉 where-with they mixed some workes of mercy CHAP. 27. NOw a word with those that hold none damned but such as neglect to doe workes of mercy worthy of their sinnes because S. Iames saith There shall be 〈◊〉 mercylesse to him that sheweth no mercy he therfore that doth shew merâ—… say they be his life neuer so burdened with sin and corruption shal not withstanding haue a mercyful iudgement which wil either acquit him from al paines 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 deliâ—… 〈◊〉 after a time of sufferance And this made Christ distinguish 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…om 〈◊〉 â—…obate only by their performance and not performance of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the one wherof is rewarded with euerlasting ioy and the other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as for their daily sins that they may bâ—… pardoned through 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 the Lords praier say they doth sufficiently proue for as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 christian â—…aith not this praier so likewise is ther no daily 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when we say And forgiue vs our trespasses as we forgiue them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we perform this later clause accordingly for Christ saie they 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 forgiue men their trespasses your heauenly father will forgiue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but he said generally hee will forgiue you yours Bee they 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so 〈◊〉 neuer so ordinary neuer so continual yet works of mercy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 them al away wel they do wel in giuing their aduice to perform works 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 worthy of their â—…ns for if they should haue said that any works of mercâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the greatest and most customary sins they should bee 〈◊〉
the beleefe that CHRIST is GOD made his Citty to loue him So that euen as Rome hadde an obiect for hir loue which shee was ready to honour with a false beleefe So the Citie of GOD hath an obiect for her sayth which shee is euer ready to honour with a true and rightly grounded loue For as touching Christ besides those many miracles the holy Prophets also did teach him to be God long before his comming which as the fathers beleeued should come to passe so that we do now see that they are come to passe But as touching Romulus wee read that hee built Rome and raigned in it not that this was prophecyed before but as for his deifying their bookes affirme that it was beleeued but they shew not how it was effected for there were no miracles to proue it The shee Wolfe that fedde the two brethren with her milke which is held so miraculous what doth this prooue as concerning his deity If this shee Wolfe were not a strumpet but a brute beast yet the accident concerning both the bretheren alike why was not d Remus deified for company And who is there that if hee bee forbidden vppon paine of death to say that Hercules Romulus or such are deities had rather loofe his life then leaue to affirme it What nation would worship Romulus as a God if it were not for feare of Rome But on the other side who is hee that can number those that haue suffered death willingly in what forme of cruelty soeuer rather then deny the deity of Christ A light and little feare of the Romaine power compelled diuers inferior citties to honour Romulus as a god but neither feare of power torment nor death could hinder an infinite multitude of Martyrs all the world through both to beleeue and professe that Christ was God Nor did his Citty though shee were as then a pilgrime vppon earth and had huge multitudes within her euer go about to e defend her temporall estate against her persecutors by force but neglected that to gaine her place in eternity Her people were bound imprisoned beaten rackt burnt torne butchered and yet multiplyed Their fight for life was the contempt of life for their Sauiour Tully in his 3 De rep Or I am deceiued argueth that a iust Citty neuer should take armes but either for her safety or faith What he meanes by safety be sheweth else-where From those paines saith hee which the fondest may feele as pouerty banishment stripes imprisonment or so do priuate men escape by the ready dispatch of death But this death which seemeth to free priuate men from paines is paine it selfe vnto a citty For the aime of a citties continuance should bee eternity Death therfore is not so naturall to a common wealth as to a priuate man hee may often times bee driuen to wish for it but when a citty is destroyed the whole world seemes in a manner to perish with it Thus saith Tully holding the worlds eternity with the Platonists So then hee would haue a citty to take armes for her safety that is for her continuance for euer here vppon earth although her members perish and renew successiuely as the leaues of the Oliue and lawrell trees and such like as they are for death saith hee may free priuate men from misery but it is misery it selfe vnto a common-wealth And therefore it is a questioÌ„ whether the Saguntines did well in choosing the destruction of their citty before the breach of faith with the common-wealth of Rome an act which all the world commendeth But I cannot see how they could possibly keepe this rule that a Citty should not take armes but eyther for her faith or safety For when these two are ioyntly endangered that one cannot bee saued without the others losse one cannot determine which should bee chosen If the Saguntines had chosen to preserue their safety they had broken their faith If their faith then should they lose their safety as indeed they did But the safety of the Cittie of GOD is such that it is preserued or rather purchased by faith and fayth beeing once lost the safetie cannot possibly but perish also This cogitation with a firme and patient resolution crowned so many Martyrs for Christ when as Romulus neuer had so much as one man that would die in defence of his deity L VIVES VVIthin this a 600. yeares Tully speaketh not this of his owne times but in the person of Scipio Africanus the yonger and Laelius which Scipio liued about 602. yeares after the building of Rome which was not 600. yeares after the death of Romulus b More common For in those times liued Orpheus Musaeus Linus Philamnon Thamyris Orius 〈◊〉 Aristheas Proconnesius Pronetidas of Athens Euculus of Cyprus Phenius of Ithaca Hoâ—…r c. c Otherwise That is in saying he was but a man wheras the Romanes held him for a God Iames Passauant playeth the foole rarely in this place but it is not worth relating d Why was 〈◊〉 Remus Hee had a little Temple vppon Auentiâ—…e but it was an obscure one and rather like an Heroes temple then a gods e To defend She might haue repulsed iniuries by force and awed her aduersaries by power but shee deemed it fitter for such as professed the Ghospell of Christ to suffer then to offer to die then to kill to loose their body rather then the soule That the beleefe of Christes Deity was wrought by Gods power not mans perswasion CHAP. 7. BVt it is absurd to make any mention of the false Deity of Romulus when wee speake of Christ. But if the age of Romulus almost 600. yeares before Scipio were so stored with men of vnderstanding that no impossibility could enter their beleefe how much more wise were they 600. yeares after in Tulliestime in Tiberius his and in the daies of CHRISTS comming So that his resurrection and ascension would haue beene reiected as fictions and impossibilities if either the power of God or the multitude of miracles had not perswaded the contrary teaching that it was now shewne in Christ and hereafter to be shewne in all men besides and auerring it strongly against all horrid persecutions throughout the whole world through which the blood of the Martyrs made it spread and flourish They read the Prophets obserued a concordance and a concurrence of all those miracles the truth confirmed the noueltie beeing not contrary to reason so that at the last the World imbraced and professed that which before it had hated and persecuted Of the miracles which hath beene and are as yet wrought to procure and confirme the worlds beleefe in Christ-CHAP 8. BVt how commeth it say they that you haue no such miracles now adaies as you say were done of yore I might answer that they were necessary before the world beleeued to induce it to beleeue and he that seeketh to bee confirmed by wonders now is to bee wondred at most of al him-selfe in refusing to beleeâ—… what al the
alwaies good but Fortune not so Fortune Plutus lame and sound Fortunes Image did speake by the diuels meanes Fortuna Muliebris Faith Vertues Parts Habuc 3. Vertues Temple Mens a Goddesse Faith Scaeuola Curtius Decius Chastities Chappels Virtue what it is Vertue Hee louanists like not this but leaue it Arte whence Cato Mens her temple The nuptiall gods Peitho Hymenaeus Siluer when first coined Gold coine first Rubigo The sorts of the Nymphes Pittie The Capitol Summanus Lucullus Picus Faunuâ—… Tiberinus â—…la Feares and Pallors temple Pieties chappell Terminus Batylus Iuuentas Thunders of how many sorts Honours temple Ioues adulteries Titus Latinus history Mercurie The reâ—…all of the Romain Empires 〈◊〉 Rom. 1. Hadrian Iulian. Iouian Tullies dislike of images and fables of the gods The gods warâ—…es An accadeâ—… The Titanâ—… Religious Superstitioâ—… God no soule but the soules maker The Teletâ—… Who first brought Images to Rome Gen 46. The dipeâ—…sion of the Iewes Fortune Fate what What the vulger hold fate The Astrologianâ—… necessity of the starres Fate what it is The destenies 3. Epicurus Fortunes Casualties what they are as Aphrodyseâ—… thinketh The Starrs dominion Plotine Seneca Mars a Staâ—… Possidonius Horoscope what Nigidius Figulus The stars out run ouâ—… slacke thoughtes Gen. 25. Hipocrates his guesse The Angles of heauen Man is not conceiued after the first conception vntill the birth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Creatures superfaetanâ—… that is breediâ—…g vpon blood Twinnes both be gotten and borne The tide of the sea What male female is Astrologers how true presagers Hesiod â—…riters of husbandry Sup Gen ad lit et 2. de doct Chr. Godâ—… fore-knowledge The Stoiks fate Foure opinions of Fate God the changer of the Will Psal. 14. 1 Fâ—…te of no fâ—…rce Voluntary causes Genes 1. Spirit of life Euill willes not from God Our wills causes Deny gods praeâ—…cience and deny God 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 kindâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God 〈◊〉 God almighty indeed â—…raescience freedom of will also How man sâ—…neth Democritus Chrysippus Pluto Goâ—… pâ—…science no câ—… oâ—… 〈◊〉 Loue of glory Kings Consuls Vertues and honors temples Glory 2. Cor. 1. Galat. 6. True vertue Lib. 2. Cap. 18. Consulls 〈◊〉 Phthia Larissa Micaenae Argos Glory Cato of vtica Epist lib. 〈◊〉 Car. lib. 2 Glory a Princes nourishment Philosophy to be well read The loue of iustice should excell the loue of glory â—…o 5. 43. â—…o 12. 43. Mâ—…t 10. 33 Luc. 12. 9 Mat. 6. 1. Mat. 5. 16. True pietie Latria The eternall city Rom. 8. Mat. 5. 2. Cor. 5. Remission of sinnes Romulus his sanctuary All the Romaine subiects made free of the citty Barbarians who they are Rhines bankes God the mindeâ—…â—…rue wealth Torquatus Camillus Scaenola Curtius Mat. 10. 28 The Decii Reguluâ—… The praise of voluntary pouerty Valerius Poplicola Q. â—…incinatus Fabricius Act 4 Rom. 8. veâ—… 18. The dictatorship Fabricius a scorner of ritches Corn. Silla Desire of rule without loue of glory Desire of rule vvithout loue of glory Contempt of glory Gods prouidence is it that raisâ—…h the vvicked Pro. 8 15. Iob 34. True vertue serueth not glory Tyrannus Aneaâ—… The picture of pleasure Zoroafter Two kinds of soules in Plato's world Pythagoras his numbers The Manichees Vespasian Domitian Iulian. Warres soone ended Warres hardly ended Euentus Christian Emperors dying vnfortunately Constantine Pyzance Constantinople The Romaine world Iouinian Gratian. Pompey Theodosiuâ—… Iohn an Hermit and a Prophet A great wind ayded Theodosius 〈◊〉 hâ—…s humiâ—…y Iohn the Anchorite Claudian Fooâ—… Valens The massacrâ—… 〈◊〉 Thessalonica Thâ—…odosius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 more 〈◊〉 â—…hen truth In prâ—…at hâ—…stor nat Psam 40. 4. Life eternal in vaiâ—… asked of the gods Varro while he liued had his Seaâ—…e â—…p Terentianus Laurentina Hercules whoâ—…e deified Euemerus Adonis his death Venus her statue on mount Libanus Gingâ—…e what it iâ—… Thiâ—…le wiâ—… to â—…atinus a Mimike actor Saturne a deuourer of his sons * It signifies the enabling of the woman to bring â—…th a childe Bacchus Maenades Pilumnus Para 〈◊〉 Priapus Nâ—… Seneca's reprehension of the gods altars Iohannes and â—…eas Scraneus Strato 〈◊〉 Eternall life Diuinity wherefore to bee sought Mergarides perhaps our English potatoes A good minde better then memory Ianus Aeneas would haue Saturnia called Aeneopolis Berosus the Chaldean The nimph Crane Iohn 10. Sacrifices of men Falshood ouerthrowes it selfe Saturne The golden age Proserpina Ceres sacrifices Triptolemus The filthinesse of the 〈◊〉 sacirfices Perephatte 〈◊〉 Orgieâ—… Cerealia Politian Bacchus his sacrifices Phallus Philagogia Ithyphallâ—… Plostelum Lauinium Venilia Salacia Hel. Varro his degrees of soules The intellect The soules two parts Dis Proserpina Romulus called Altellus Earths surnames Libers sacriâ—…ces Cybeles sacrifyces Scapus Why the Gallâ—… geld themselues Plato hiâ—…â—…iddle The Louanists omit this Ganimede The Samothracian gods Cabeiri Platos Idea Pluto The workes of the â—…ue God Angels All things fulfilled in Christ. How the Prophets vnderstood the prophecy both Heathen others Who were the Gntiles gods Numa founder of the Romaine religion The reâ—…rence of Sepulchers Hydrâ—…mancie Necromancie Gods proâ—…dence Tâ—… religiâ—… 〈◊〉 the deâ—… Thâ—… kinds of Dâ—… Wisdome 7. 10. Heb. 1. Philosophy The Italian Philosophy The IoÌ„nike Philosophy Ionia Phythagoras Thales of Miletus The 7. Greeke Sages Anaximaâ—…der Anaximenes Anaxagoras Diogenes Archelâ—… the Naturalist The final good The Socratists of diuers opinions Socrates The true Phylosopher The Louanists leaue this Socrates his statue Aristippus Antisthenes The stuâ—…y of wisedom and what â—…t concernes Plato Effecting disciplines Plato This note the Louanists haue left out wholy Plato And this also for company All the phylosophers short ofâ—…lato The Stoikes sire The corporcal world The gods of the higher house Scoikes Epâ—…s Pyâ—… God onely hath true essence al the rest depend vppon him Things sensible and intelligible Mutable what Rom 1. 19. 20. God is no body Dieâ—…s the Diuine Cieâ—…r Acad Quest. lib. 1. The Phylosophers coÌ„â—…tion about the greatest good Knowledge of the truth Platosâ—… Phylosopher a louer of God Coloâ—… 28. Rom. 1. 19. 20. Act. 17. 18. Rom. 1. 21. 22. 23. Plato's opinion of the greatest good Valla. Loue. Delight Toenioy Atlantikes Atlas Egiptians Brachmans Persians Chaldees Scithians Druides Spaine Psal. 19. 1. This is no good doctrine inthe Louanists opinion for it is left out as distastefull to the schoolemen though not to the direct truth Plato heard not Hieremy Gen 1. 1. 2 Platos growndâ—… out of diuinity Exod. 3. 14. Rom. 1. 19 20. Hiâ—…emy Plato an Attike Moyses Plato held heauen fire One God Epicharmus Plaâ—…onists Aristotle Plato and Aristotle compared Speusippus Xenocrates Academy what and â—…ence The schâ—…les of Athens Plotine Iamblichus Porphyry Desires Labeo Why the euill gods are worshipped The supernall gods haue no creatures liuing offered to them The deuills community with gods and men The orders of the gods Mans hope aboue the deuils despaire The deuills bodies The serpents renouation Lib. 8. Apul de Doâ—… Socratis Olympus Plato's deuills Immortality worse then mortality Mat.