eldest holds them resolued into most pure ayre which S. Thomas dislikes for such bodies could neuer penetrate the fire nor the heauens But he is too Aristotelique thinking to binde incomprehensible effectes to the lawes of nature as if this were a worke of nature strictly taken and not at the liberty of GODS omnipotent power or that they had forced through fire and heauen by their condensed violence Some disliked the placing of an element aboue heauen and therefore held the Christalline heauens composed of waters of the same shew but of a farre other nature then the Elementary Both of them are transparent both cold but that is light and ours heauy Basill sayth those waters doe coole the heate of the heauens Our Astronomicall diuines say that Saturnes frigidity proceedeth from those waters ridiculous as though all the starres of the eighth spere are not cooler then Saturne These waters sayth Rede are lower then the spirituall heauens but higher then all corporeall creatures kept as some say to threaten a second deluge But as others hold better to coole the heate of the starres De nat◅rer But this is a weake coniecture Let vs conclude as Augustine doth vpon Genesis How or what they are we know not there they are we are sure for the scriptures authority weigheth downe mans witte c In stead of Another question tossed like the first How the elements are in our bodies In parcels and Atomes peculiar to each of the foure saith Anaxagoras Democritus Empedocles Plato Cicero and most of the Peripatetiques Arabians Auerroes and Auicen parcels enter not the bodies composition sayth another but natures only This is the schoole opinion with the leaders Scotus and Occam Aristole is doubtfull as hee is generally yet holdes the ingresse of elements into compoundes Of the Atomists some confound all making bodies of coherent remaynders Others destroy all substances Howsoeuer it is wee feele the Elementary powers heate and drought in our gall or choller of the fire heate and moysture ayry in the blood colde and moyst watery in the fleame Colde and dry earthly in the melancholly and in our bones solydity is earth in our brayne and marrow water in our blood ayre in our spirits cheefely of the heart fire And though wee haue lesse of one then another yet haue some of each f But there And thence is all our troublesome fleame deriued Fitly it is seated in the brayne whether all the heate aspyreth For were it belowe whither heate descendeth not so it would quickly growe dull and congeale Whereas now the heate keepes it in continuall acte vigor and vegetation Finis lib. II. THE CONTENTS OF THE twelfth booke of the Citty of God 1. Of the nature of good and euil Angells 2. That no essence is contrary to God though al the worlds frailty seeme to bee opposite vnto this immutable eternity 3. Of gods enemies not by nature but will which hurting them hurteth their good nature because there is no vice but hurteth nature 4. Of vselesse and reason-lesse natures whose order differeth not from the Decorum held in the whole vniuerse 5. That the Creator hath deserued praise in euery forme and kind of Nature 6. The cause of the good Angels blisse and the euills misery 7. That wee ought not to seeke out the cause of the vicious will 8. Of the peruerse loue wherby the soule goeth from the vnchangeable to the changeable good 9. Whether he that made the Angels natures made their wils good also by the infusion of his loue into them through his holy Spirit 10. Of the falsenes of that History that saith the world hath continued many thousand years 11. Of those that hold not the Eternity of the world but either a dissolution and generation of innumerable worlds or of this one at the expiration of certaine yeares 12. Of such as held Mans Creation too lately effected 13. Of the reuolution of Tymes at whose expiration some Phylosophers held that the Vniuerse should returne to the state it was in at first 14. Of Mans temporall estate made by God out of no newnesse or change of will 15. Whether to preserue Gods eternall domination we must suppose that he hath alwaies had creatures to rule ouer and how it may bee held alwaies created which is not coeternall with God 16. How wee must vnderstand that God promised Man life eternall before all eternity 17. The defence of Gods vnchanging will against those that fetch Gods works about frō eternity in circles from state to state 18. Against such as say thinges infinite are aboue Gods knowledge 19. Of the worlds without end or Ages of Ages 20. Of that impious assertion that soules truly blessed shall haue diuer s reuolutions into misery againe 21. Of the state of the first Man and Man-kinde in him 22. That God fore-knew that the first Man should sin and how many people he was to translate out of his kind into the Angels society 23. Of the nature of Mans soule being created according to the Image of God 24. Whether the Angels may bee called Creators of any the least creature 25. That no nature or forme of any thing liuing hath any other Creator but God 26. The Platonists opinion that held the Angels Gods creatures Man the Angels 27. That the fulnesse of Man-kind was created in the first Man in whome God fore-saw both who should bee saued and who should bee damned FINIS THE TVVELFTH BOOKE OF THE CITTIE OF GOD Written by Saint Augustine Bishop of Hippo vnto Marcellinus Of the nature of good and euill Angels CHAP. 1. BEfore I speake of the creation of man wherein in respect of mortall reasonable creatures the two Citties had their originall as we shewed in the last booke of the Angels to shew as well as wee can the congruity and conuenience of the society of Men with Angels and that there are not foure but rather two societies of Men and Angels qualitied alike and combined in eyther the one consisting both of good Angels and Men and the other of euill that the contrariety of desires betweene the Angels good and euill arose from their diuers natures and beginnings wee may at no hand beleeue God hauing beene alike good in both their creations and in all things beside them But this diuersity ariseth from their wils some of them persisting in God their common good and in his truth loue and eternity and other some delighting more in their owne power as though it were from them-selues fell from that common al-blessing good to dote vppon their owne and taking pride for eternity vayne deceit for firme truth and factious enuy for perfect loue became proud deceiptfull and enuious The cause of their beatitude was their adherence with GOD their must their miseries cause bee the direct contrary namely their not adherence with GOD. Wherefore if when wee are asked why they are blessed and wee answere well because they stucke fast vnto GOD and beeing asked why they
this great huge masse that framed and guideth all the waters that set vp the sunne as the worlds clearest light and gaue it congruent act and motion c that taketh not all power from the spirits infernall that afforded nourishment moist or dry vnto euery creature according to the temperature that founded the earth and maketh it fertill that giueth the fruites thereof to men and beasts that knowes and orders all causes principall and secondary that giueth the moone her motion and hath set downe waies in heauen and earth to direct our change of place that hath grac'd the wit he created with arts and sciences as ornaments to nature that instituted copulation for propagation sake that gaue men the vse of the earthly fire to meet by and vse in their conuentions Tâ—…se â—…re the things that learned Varro either from others doctrine or his owne 〈◊〉 striueth to ascribe vnto the selected Gods by a sort of I wotte nere 〈◊〉 â—…aiurall interpretations L. VIVES WHâ—… a two parts Gen. 1. 1. In the beginning God created heauen and earth Which 〈◊〉 make the whole world including in heauen all things celestiall in earth all things mortall b And now An Epilogue of all the gods powers which he hath disputed of c That taketh Read Iob. 40. 41. of the deuills power from God The meanes to discerne the Creator from the creatures and to auoyde the worshipping of so many gods for one because there are so many powers in one CHAP. 30. BVt these are the operation of one onely and true God yet as one the saâ—…e god in all plaâ—… all in all not included in place not confined to locall quaâ—…tie â—…sible and immutable filling heauen and earth with his present power His nature a needing no helpe So doth he dispose of all his workes of creation â—…t each one hath the peculiar motion permitted it For though it can doe noâ—… without him yet is not any thing that which he is He doth much by his Angeâ—… 〈◊〉 onely he maketh them also blessed So that imagine he do send his Angelâ—…â—…o 〈◊〉 for some causes yet he maketh not the men blessed by his Angels bâ—… by hiâ—… selfe he doth the angels from this true and euerlasting God and from noâ—…â—…ther hope we for life eternall L. VIVES 〈◊〉 Nâ—…ding as the other gods do that must be faine to haue assistance in their faculty poweâ—… The Peeâ—…r benefits besides his coâ—…on bounty that God bestoweth vpon his seruants CHAP. 26. FOr of him besides these benefits whereof wee haue spoken partly such as 〈◊〉 left to the administration of nature and bestowed both vpon good and bad wee 〈◊〉 a particular bounty of his loue perticular only to the good for although we 〈◊〉 neuer yeeld him sufficient thankes for our being life sence and vnderstanding of him yet for that he hath not forsaken vs when we were inuolued in sinne turâ—…d away from his contemplation and blinded with loue of blacke iniquity for that 〈◊〉 hath sent vs his Word his onely Sonne by whose incarnation and extrâ—… passion for vs we might conceiue how a dearely god esteemed vs and 〈◊〉 singuler sacrifice bee purged from our guilt and by the illumination of 〈◊〉 spirit in our hears tread downe all difficulties and ascend to that eternall 〈◊〉 ineffable sweetnes of his contemplation what heart how many tounges 〈◊〉 to returne sufficient thankes for this last benefit L. VIVES 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dearely Rom. 8. 32. Who spared not his owne sonne but gaue him for vs all to death c. 〈◊〉 That the Mistery of our redemption by Christ was not obscure in the precedent times but continually intimated in diuers significations CHAP. 32. 〈◊〉 Mistery of Eternall life euen from the first originall of mankinde was 〈◊〉 the angells declared vnto such as God voutchsafed by diuers signes 〈◊〉 â—…all shadowes congruent to the times wherin they were shewed And 〈◊〉 â—…ebrewes being gathered into a common wealth to keepe the memory 〈◊〉 â—…ty had diuers that prophecied the things that should fall out from the 〈◊〉 of Christ vnto a this very day some of which Prophets b vnderstood 〈◊〉 â—…cies and some did not Afterwards they were pispersed amongst the 〈◊〉 leaue them c the testimony of the scriptures which promised eâ—…ernal 〈◊〉 Iesus Christ for not only al the Prophecies which were in words 〈◊〉 â—…epts which had reference to actions and manners were therein conâ—… but all their sacrifices also the Priesthoods temple or tabernacle altars â—…ies feasts and what euer hath reference to that diuine worship of God 〈◊〉 presages and propheticall significations of that eternall life bestowed by 〈◊〉 all which we now beleeue either are fulfilled or see are now in fulfilling 〈◊〉 shal be fulfilled hereafter in him L. VIVES 〈◊〉 a this very day For the Prophecies are not yet at an end and though the summe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all were fuâ—…filled in Christ yet by him diuers things since are to come to passe 〈◊〉 particularly beene intimated in the prophecies as that not in one prophet onely 〈◊〉 â—…ring together of the dispersed Israell at the end of the world b Understood All 〈◊〉 â—…phets vnderstood not their prophecies nor did those that vnderstood part vnderâ—… 〈◊〉 they spoake not them-selues but by Gods inspiraâ—…ion whose counselles they 〈◊〉 fully acquainted with nor did God vse them as men skilfull in future euents but 〈◊〉 as hee ment to speake to the poeple by yet deny we not but that the summe of all their 〈◊〉 thâ—…ing of the Messias was reuealed to them by God almighty The gentiles 〈◊〉 of opinion that the Sybills and the other Prophets vnderstood not all their presages 〈◊〉 â—…ey spake them at such times as they were rapt beyond their reason and hauing put 〈◊〉 proper mindes were filled with the deity And therefore Iamblicus saith that the 〈◊〉 and sober that the Sibilles and prophets are in their prophecying the dasker and obscurer their prophecies are and then they speake plainely and clearly when they are wholy Enthusiasticall In mysteriis c The testimonie That the scriptures might be dispersed throughout the world wherein the consequents of Christs comming and suffering were so plainely described that none that had seene or heard of Christs life and doings could deny that he it waâ—…of whom they were prophecied That Christianity onely is of power to lay open the Deuills subtilty and delight in illuding of ignorant men CHAP. 33. THis onely true religion is of power to lay open that the Gentiles gods are most vncleane spirits desiring vpon the occasion of some departed soules or vnder the shapes of some earthly creatures to bee accounted gods and in their proud impurity taking pleasure in those obscaenities as in diuine honours maligning the conuersion of all mens soules vnto the true God From whose beastly and abhominable tyranny a man then getteth free when hee layeth his beliefe vpon him who by his rare example of humillity declared from what height and
celebrated and their monuments prouided and they themselues in their life time would lay charges vpon their children concerning the burying or translating of their bodies b Tobye in burying of the dead was acceptable vnto God as the Angell testifieth And the Lord himselfe being to arise againe on the third day commended the good worke of that c religious woman who powred the precious ointment vpon his head and body and did it to bury him And the d Gospell hath crowned them with eternall praise that tooke downe his body from the crosse and gaue it honest and honorable buriall But yet these authorities prooue not any sence to be in the dead carcases themselues but signifie that the prouidence of God extendeth euen vnto the very bodies of the dead for he is pleased with such good deedes and do buildvp the beliefe of the resurrection Where by the way wee may learne this profitable lesson how great the reward of almes-deeds done vnto the liuing may be e since this dutie fauour shewen but vnto the dead is not forgotten of God There are other propheticall places of the holy f Patriarkes concerning the intombing or the translation of their owne bodies But this is no place to handle them in and of this wee haue already spoken sufficiently but if the necessaries of mans life as meate and clothing though they bee wanting in great extremitie yet cannot subuert the good mans patience nor drawe him from goodnesse how much lesse power shall those things haue which are omitted in the burying of the dead to afflict the soules that are already at quiet in the secret receptacles of the righteous And therefore when as in that great ouerthrow of Rome and of other Cities the bodies of the Christians wanted these rights it was neitheir fault in the liuing that could not performe them nor hurt to the dead that could not feele them L. VIVES a ORnament The Platonists held onely the soule to bee man and the body to be but a case or couer vnto it or rather a prison But Augustine holdeth the surer opinion that the body is a part of the man b Toby Toby the 2. and 12. c The good worke of that religious meaning Mary Magdalen Math. 26. 10. 12. d Gospell Iohn the 19. 38. c. meant of Ioseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus e Since this a draught of colde water giuen in the name of the Lord shall not want reward Math. 10. 42. f Patriarches Iacob at his death charged his sonne Ioseph to carry his body vnto the Sepulcher of his elders and not to leaue it in Aegipt Genes 47. 29. 30. And Ioseph himselfe commanded his brethren that they should remember and tell their posteritie that when they went away into the land of promise they should carry his bones thether with them Genesis the last Chapter and 25. verse Of the captiuitie of the Saints and that therein they neuer wanted spirituall comfort CHAP. 13. I But many Christians say they were lead into captiuitie This indeed had been a lamentable case if they had been lead vnto some place where they could not possibly haue found their God But for comforts in captiuity the scriptures haue store The a three children were in bondage so was Daniel so were b others of the Prophets but they neuer wanted God their comforter No more did he here abandon his faithfull being vnder the command of barbarous men who forsooke not his c Prophet beeing euen in the bellie of a beast This now they with whom wee are to deale had rather scorne then beleeue yet of that fable in their owne bookes they are fully perswaded namely that that same excellent harper d Arion of Methymna beeing cast ouer boord was taken vp on a Dolphins back and so borne safe to land Is our history of Ionas more incredible then this yes because it is more e admirable and it is more admirable because more powerfull L. VIVES THe a Three children Dâ—… 1. 6. Ananias Azarias and Misael together with Daeniell himselfe were prisoners in Babilon vnder Nabuchadnczzar b Others of the Prophets As Ieremy Ezechiel and others c Prophet Meaning Ionas who was three daies in the Whales belly a figure of Christ our Sauiours resurrection from death to life d Arion The tale of Arion and the Dolphin is common amongst authors Herodotus was the first that wrote it Musar lib. 1. After him Ouid in his Fastorum and Pliny lib. 9. Gellius lib. 16. Aelian in his booke de animalibus and others Arion was a harper in Nethyniâ—… a towne of Lesbos in the time of the seauen Sages of Greece for Periander loued him dearely Some say he first inuented the Tragicke verse and the Chorus and sung in Dithyrambiques This Arion returning out of Italy with great wealth and perceiuing the saylers conspiring his destruction for his money intreated them to take all he had and saue his life which when he could not obtaine hee begged leaue but to play a little vpon his harpe to comfort himselfe therewith against death and vnto the sound of his instrument they say their gathered diuers Dolphins together and Arion being skild in the nature of this fish with his harpe and all as he was leaped out of the shippe vpon one of their backes who carried him safe and sound vnto Taenarus where yet is seene the Image of a Dolphin swiming with a man vpon his backe Pliny prooues by many examples that the Dolphin is a louer of man e Admirable To be kept so long in the Whales guts Of Marcus Regulus who was a famous example to animate all men to the enduring of volâ—…ntary captiuity for their religion which notwithstanding was vnprofitable vnto him by reason of his Paganisme CHAP. 14. YEt for all this our enemies haue one worthy exmaple proposed by one of their most famous men for yâ— willing toleration of bondagein the cause of religion a Marcus Attilius Regulus general of the Romanes forces was prisoner at Carthage Now the Carthaginians being more desirous to exchange their prisoners then to keepe them sent Regulus with their Embassadors to Rome to treat vpon this exchange hauing first sworne him that in case he effected not what they desired he should returne as captiue vnto Carthage so he went vnto Rome and hauing a day of audience granted him hee perswaded the direct contrary vnto his ambassage because he held it was not profitable for the Romans to exchange their prisoners Nor after this perswasiue speach did the Romaines compell him to returne vnto his enemies but willingly did he go backe againe for sauing of his oth But his cruell foes put him to death with horrible and exquisite torments for shutting him b in a narrow barrell strucken all full of sharpe nayles and so forcing him to stand vpright being not able to leane to any side without extreame paines they killed him euen with ouerwatching him This vertue in him is worthy of euerlasting praise being
called Golfo De Venetia which the Grecians vsed oftentimes to crosse ouer I wonder that sâ—…e haue held al Italy to be called so because Pliny doth write thus What haue the Greciaâ—…s a most vanie-glorious nation shewne of themselues in calling such a part of Italy Magna Grecia Great Greece Whereby hee sheweth that it was but a little part of Italy that they 〈◊〉 thus Of the 3. baies I spoke of one of them containes these fiue Citties Tarentum Meâ—…us Heraclea Croto and Turii and lieth betweene the promontories of Sales and Laâ—… Mela. It is called now Golfo di Taranto Here it is said Pythagoras did teach c Ioâ—… Ionia is a country in Asia Minor betweene the Lydians the Lycaonians and our sea â—…ing Aeolia and Caria on the sides this on the South-side that on the North Miletus is the â—…se Citty saith Mela both for all artes of warre and peace the natiue soile of Thales the â—…sopher Tymotheus the Musician Anaximander the Naturalist and diuers other whose wâ—…s haue made it famous Thales taught his fellow cittizen Anaximander he his fellow cittizen also Anaximenes hee Anaxagoras of Clazomene Pericles Archelaus and Socrates of Athens and Socrates almost all Athens d Pythagoras Aristoxenus saith hee was of Tyrrheâ—… in â—…e that the Greekes tooke from the Italians hee went into Egipt with King Amasis and râ—…ng backe disliking the tyrannous rule of Polycrates of Samos hee passed ouer to Italy â—…y who also Cicero Tnsc. 5. out of Heraclides of Pontus relateth that Pythagoras beeing â—…ked of Leontes the Phliasian King what hee professed hee answered that whereas the rest of his prosâ—… had called themselues wise men Sophi hee would bee called But a louer of wisdome a Pâ—…pher with a more modest respect of his glory And herevpon the name Sophi grew quite â—…of custome as ambitious and arrogant and all were called Philosophers after that foâ—… indeâ—… the name of wise is Gods peculiar onely f Thales The first Naturalist of Greece 〈◊〉 first yeare of the 35. Olympiad after Apollodorus his account in Laertius g 〈◊〉 A sort of youthes hauing bought at a venture a draught of the Milesian fishers 〈◊〉 â—…awne vp a tablet of gold they fell to strife about it each would haue had it so vnto 〈◊〉 his oracle they went who bad them giue it vnto the wise So first they gaue it vnâ—… 〈◊〉 whom the Ionians held wise he sent it vnto another of the seauen and hee to anâ—… and so till it came to Solon who dedicated it to Apollo as the wisest indeed And these 〈◊〉 had the same of wisdome ouer all Greece and were called the seauen Sages h The otâ—… Chilo of Lecedaemon Pittacus of Mitilene Bias of Priene Cleobulus oâ—… Lindus Periâ—… â—…orynthe and Solon of Athens of these at large in the eighteenth booke i Comâ—… 〈◊〉 Some say that the Astrology of the Saylers was his worke others ascribe it vnto Râ—…â—…f â—…f Samos Laban the Argiue saith he wrote 200. verses of Astrology k Astrologiâ—… Endâ—…s saith hee presaged the eclipses Hist. Astrolog Amongst the Greeks saith Pliny lib. 〈◊〉 Thales in the fourth yeare of the 48. Olympiade was the first that found their 〈◊〉 of eclipses and prognosticated that which fell out in King Halliattes time in the â—…XX yeare after the building of Rome So saith Eusebius and Cicero de diuinat lib. 1. Whâ—…e for Haliattes he writeth Astiages But they liued both at one time and had warres one â—…ith another l Water As Homere calls the sea father of all Plutarch in Placit Philos and oâ—…e giue Thales his reason because the seede of all creatures animate is moist and so is all â—…nt Nay they held that the seas moisture nourisheth and increaseth the stars m Nor did 〈◊〉 Velleius in Tully affirmeth that Thales thought all things to bee made of water and 〈◊〉 the essence that was the cause of all their production is God and Laertius saith that hee 〈◊〉 all things full of Daemones and beeing asked whether the gods knew not a mans euill â—…ds Yes said he and thoughts too But this proues Gods knowledge onely and noâ—… his operation to be auouched by him n Anaximander A Milesian also but not hee that wrote the Histories He held an infinite element was the substance of the production of all things but â—…er shewed whether it was fiery ayry earthly or watry Hee held besides that the partes of 〈◊〉 infinite thinÌ„g were successiuely changed but that the whole was imâ—…utable Aristot. Pluâ—… 〈◊〉 Euseb. o Nor did he Herein Plutarch reprehendeth him for finding the mattâ—… and â—…t the efficient cause For that infinite element is the matter but without some efficient cause it can doe nothing But Tully saith that hee affirmed that there were naturall gods farre distance East and West and that these were their inumerable worlds De nat deor lib. 1. So that these contraries their originall and there efficient are all one namely that eternall cold and heate as Euseb â—…e prâ—…par Euang. saith and Aristotle intymateth Phys. lib. 1. p Anaximenes Sonne to Eurystratus a Mâ—…lesian also borne Olympiad 64. He died in the yeare of Craesus his ouerthrow as Apollodorus counteth q Infinite ayre Infinite saith Eusebius in kinde but not in qualities of whose condensation and rarefaction all things haue their generation Hee held the ayre god generated infinite and eternally mouing The stars the Sunne and the Moone were created hee held of the earth Cicero r Anaxagoras Borne at Clazomene a towne in Ionia he died Olymp. 88. beeing 62. yeares of age His worke saith Plutarch and Laertius beganne thus There was one vniuersall masse an essence came and disioyned it and disposed it For hee held a matter or masse including infinite formes of creation and parcells of contraries and others all confused together which the diuine essence did compose and seperate and so made flesh of many parcells of flesh of bones bone and so of the rest yet are these other parcells formally extant in the whole as in their bones there is parcells of flesh and fire and sinewes c. For should bread or meate giue encrease to a bone or the bloud vnlesse there were seedes or little parcells of bone and bloud in the bread though from their smallenesse they be inuifible Arist. Plutarch Laertius s Vnlike Or like either is right For as Aristotle saith Anaxagoras held infinite partes in euery body both contrary and correspondent which hee called Homogenia or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 similaria like Symilarities Gaza translateth it For in bodies they are partes that are similare as in fire water flesh bone c. and here the name of each part is the name of the whole each drop of water is water and each bit of flesh is flesh and so of the rest then are there also partes dissimilar as in a man an horse and so forth wherein are parts seuerally called as bones nerues bloud skin and such
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
such heate that it will ripen greene apples who gaue the fire that wonderfull power to make althings that it burneth blacke it selfe beeing so bright and to turne a shining brand into a black coale Neither doth it alwaies thus For it will burne stones vntill they bee white and though it bee redde and they whitish yet doth this their e white agree with the light as well as blacke doth with darkenesse Thus the fire burning the wood to bake the stone worketh contrary effects vpon obiects which are f not contrary For stone and wood are different but not opposite whereas white and blacke are the one of which collours the fire effecteth vpon the stone and the other vpon the wood enlighting the first and darkening the later though it could not perfect the first but by the helpe of the later And what strange things there are in a cole it is so brittle that a little blow turnes it to powder and yet so durable that no moysture corrupteth it no time wasteth it so that they are wont to g lay coales vnder bounders and marke-stones for lands to conuince any one that should come hereafter and say this is no bound-stone What is it that maketh them endure so long in the earth where wood would easily rot but that same fire that corrupteth althings And then for lyme besides that it is whitened by the fire it carieth fire in it selfe as taken from the fire and keepeth it so secret that it is not discouerable in it by any of our sences nor knowne to bee in it but by our experience And therefore wee call it quick lyme the inuisible fire beeing as the soule of that visible body But the wonder is that when it is killed it is quickned For to fetch out the fire from it wee cast water vpon it and beeing could before that enflameth it that cooleth all other things beeing neuer so hot So that the lumpe dying as it were giueth vppe the fire that was in it and afterward remaineth cold if you water it neuer so and then for quicke-lyme wee call it quenshed lyme What thing can bee more strange yes If you power oyle vpon it in stead of water though oyle bee rather the feeder of fire yet will it neuer alter but remaine cold still If wee should haue heard thus much of some Indian stone that wee had not nor could not get to proue it wee should surely imagine it either to bee a starke lie or a strange wonder But things occurrent vnto dailie experience are debased by their frequency in so much that wee haue left to wonder at some-things that onely India the farthest continent of the world hath presented to our viewe The diamond is common amongst vs chiefly our Iewellers and Lapidaries and this is i so hard that neither fire stone nor steele can once dint it but onely the bloud of a goate But doe you thinke this hardnesse so much admired now as it was by him that first of all descried it Such as know it not may peraduenture not beleeue it or beleeuing it one seeing it may admire it as a rare worke of nature but dayly triall euer taketh off the edge of admiration Wee know that k the loade-stone draweth Iron strangely and surely when I obserued it at the first it made mee much agast For I beheld the stone draw vppe an Iron ringe and then as if it had giuen the owne power to the ring the ring drew vppe an other and made it hang fast by it as it hung by the stone So did a third by that and a fourth by the third and so vntill there was hung as it were a chaine of rings onelie by touch of one another without any inter-linking Who would not admire the power in this stone not onely inherent in it but also extending it selfe through so many circles and such a distance Yet stranger was that experiment of this stone which my brother and fellow Bishoppe Seuerus Bishoppe of Mileuita shewed me Hee told mee that hee had seene Bathanarius some-times a Count of Affrica when hee feasted him once at his owne house take the sayd stone and hold it vnder a siluer plate vpon which hee layd a peece of Iron and still as hee mooued the stone vnder the plate so did the Iron mooue aboue the plate not moouing at all and iust in the same motion that his hand mooued the stone did the stone mooue the Iron This I saw and this did I heare him report whom I will beleeue as well as if I had seene it my selfe I haue read further-more of this stone that l lay but a diamond neare it and it will not draw Iron at all but putteth it from it as soone as euer the diamond comes to touch it These stones are to bee found in India But if the strangenesse of them bee now no more admired of vs how much lesse doe they admire them where they are as common as our lyme whose strange burning in water which vseth to quensh the fire and not in oyle which feedeth it we doe now cease to wonder at because it is so frequent L. VIVES THe a Salamander Of this creature you may read in Aristotle and Pliny I haue written of it else-where It quensheth fire with the touch and is in shape like a Lizart b In Sicily As Aetna and Hiera commonly called Volcania as also in Theon Ochema in Aethiope Vesuuius in Campania Chimaera in Lycia and in certaine places about Hercules pillers besides Hecla in Island c. c Admirable qualities Truely admirable for they are easie to bee wondered at but most intricate to bee searched out d A dead peacock Many of these examples here are beyond reason and at the most but explanable by weake coniectures which wee will omit least wee should seeme rather to oppose Saint Augustine then expound him e White agree It is a light collour and offends the eye as much as the light black is the darkest and strengthens the power visuall like the darkenesse f Not contrary Contraries are two opposites of one kinde as blacke and white both collours moist and drie both qualities c. but Substances haue no contraries in themselues g To lay coales As Ctesiphon did vnder the foundations of Diana's temple in Ephesus Plin. lib. 36. I thinke it should be Chersiphron and not Clesiphon For so say all the Greekes and Strabo lib. 14. h Quick lyme Sen. Nat. quaest li. 3. i So hard that neither Plin. lib. vlt. cap. 4. Notwithstanding Bernard Ualdaura shewed me diamonds the last yeare that his father broake with a hammer But I thinke they were not Indian nor Arabian diamonds but Cyprians or Syderites for there are many sorts k The Load-stone Hereof reade Pliny lib. 36. cap. 16. Sotacus maketh fiue sorts of it the Aethiopian the Macedonian the Baeotian the Alexandrian and the Androlitian This last is much like siluer and doth not draw Iron There is a stone saith Pliny called the Theamedes
were carnall in respect of the spirit indeede not meerely of the flesh to whom Saint Paul sayd I could not speake vnto you as vnto spirituall men but as vnto carnall So man in this life is called spirituall though hee bee carnall still and haue a lawe in his members rebelling against the law of his minde But hee shal be spirituall in bodie when hee riseth againe â—…o that it is soâ—… a â—…urall bodie but raised a spirituall bodie as the sayd Apostle sayth But of the measure of this spirituall grace what and how great it shal be in the bodie I feare to determine for it were rashnesse to goe aâ—… it But seeing wee may not conceale the ioy of our hope for the glorifying of GOD and seeing that it was sayd from the very bowells of diuine rapture Oh LORD I haue loued the habitation of thine house wee may by GODS helpe make a coniecture from the goods imparted to vs in this transitory life how great the glories shal be that wee shall receiue in the other which as yet wee neither haue tried nor can any way truely describe I omit mans estate before his fall our first parents happinesse in the fertyle Paradise which was so short that their progeny had no taste of it Who is hee that can expresse the boundlesse mercies of GOD shewen vnto mankinde euen in this life that wee all trie and wherein we suffer temptations or rather a continuall temptation be wee neuer so vigilant all the time that we enioy it Of mans miseries drawne vpon him by his first parents and taken away from him onely by CHRISTS merites and gratious goodnesse CHAP. 22. COncerning mans first originall our present life if such a miserable estate bee to bee called a life doth sufficiently prooue that all his progeny was condemned in him What else doth that horred gulfe of ignorance confirme whence all error hath birth and wherein all the sonnes of Adam are so deepely drenshed that none can bee freed without toile feare and sorrow what else doth our loue of vanities affirme whence there ariseth such a tempest of cares sorrowes repinings feares madde exultations discords altercations warres treasons furies hates deceipts flatteries thefts rapines periuries pride ambition enuy murder parricide cruelty villany luxury impudence vnchastnesse fornications adulteries incests seuerall sorts of sinnes against nature beastly euen to bee named sacriledge heresie blasphemy oppression calumnies circumuentions cousnages false witnesses false iudgements violence robberies and such like out of my rememberance to recken but not excluded from the life of man All these euills are belonging to man and arise out of the roote of that error and peruerse affection which euery Sonne of Adam brings into the world with him For who knoweth not in what a mist of ignorance as wee see in infantes and with what a crue of vaine desires as wee see in boies all man-kinde entreth this world so that a might hee bee left vnto his owne election hee would fall into most of the fore-sayd mischiues But the hand of GOD bearing a raine vpon our condemned soules and powring our his mercies vpon vs not shutting them vppe in displeasure law and instruction were reuealed vnto the capacity of man to awake vs out of those lethargies of ignorance and to withstand those former incursions which notwithstanding is not done without great toyle and trouble For what imply those feares whereby wee keepe little children in order what doe teachers rods ferâ—…laes thongs and such like but confirme this And that discipline of the scriptures that sayth that our sonnes must bee beaten on the sides whilest they are childeren least they waxe stubborne and either past or very neere past reformation What is the end of all these but to abolish ignorance and to bridle corruption both which we come wrapped into the world withall what is our labour to remember things our labour to learne and our ignorance without this labour our agility got by toyle and our dulnesse if wee neglect it doth not all declare the promptnesse of our nature in it selfe vnto all viciousnesse and the care that must bee had in reclayming it Sloath dulnesse and negligence are all vices that avoide labour and yet labour it selfe is but a profitable paine But to omit the paines that enforce childeren tolearne the scarcely vsefull bookes that please their parents how huge a band of paines attend the firmer state of man and bee not peculiarly inflicted on the wicked but generallie impendent ouer vs all through our common estate in misery who can recount them who can conceiue them What feares what calamities â—…doth the losse of childeren of goods or of credite the false dealing of others false suspect open violence and all other mischieues inflicted by others heape vpon the heart of man beeing generally accompanied with pouerty inprisonment bandes banishments tortures losse of limmes or sences prostitution to beastly lust and other such horred euents So are wee afflicted on the other side with chances ab externo with cold heate stormes shoures deluges lightning thunder earthquakes falls of houses furie of beasts poisons of ayres waters plants and beasts of a thousand forts stinging of serpents byting of madde dogges a strange accident wherein a beast most sociable and familiar with man shall sometimes become more to bee feared then a Lion or a Dragon infecting him whom hee biteth with such a furious madnesse that hee is to bee feared of his family worse then any wilde beast what misery doe Nauigators now and then endure or trauellers by land what man can walke any where free from sudden accidents b One comming home from the court beeing sound enough of his feete fell downe broke his legge and died of 〈◊〉 who would haue thought this that had seene him sitting in the court Heli the Priest fell from his chaire where hee â—…ate and brake his neck What feares are husband-men yea all men subiect vnto that the fruites should bee hurt by the heauens or earth or caterpillers or locusts or such other pernicious things yet when they haue gathered them and layd them vp they are secured notwithstanding I haue knowne granaries full of 〈◊〉 borne quite away with an invndation Who can bee secured by his owne innocency against the innumerable incursions of the deuills when as wee see that they doe some-times afflict little baptized infants who are as innocent as can bee and by the permission of GOD euen vpon their harmelesse bodies doe shew the miseries of this life and excite vs all to labour for the blisse of the other Besides mans body wee see how subiect it is to c diseases more then phisick can either cure or comprehend And in most of these we see how offensiue the very medicines are that cure them nay euen our very meate we eate during the time of the maladies domination Hath not extremity of heate made man to drinke his owne vrine and others too Hath not hunger enforced man to eate