Father inherite you the kingdome prepared for you for if there were not another reigning of Christ with the Saints in another place whereof him-selfe saith I am with you alway vnto the end of the world the Church now vpon earth should not bee called his kingdome or the kingdome of heauen for the Scribe that was taught vnto the kingdome of God liued in this thousand yeares And the Reapers shall take the tares out of the Church which grew vntill haruest together with the good corne which Parable he expoundeth saying The â—…est is the end of the world and the reapers are the Angels as then the tares are gathered and burned in the fire so shall it be in the end of the world The sonne of man shall send forth his Angels and they shall gather out of his kingdome all things that offend What doth hee speake heare of that kingdome where there is no offence No but of the Church that is heere below Hee saith further Who-so-euer shall breake one of these least commandements and teach men so hee shall bee called the least in the kingdome of heauen but who-so-euer shall obserue and teach them the same shall bee called great in the kingdome of heauen Thus both these are done in the kingdome of heauen both the breach of the commandements and the keeping of them â—…hen hee proceedeth Except your righteousnesse exceed the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisees that is of such as breake what they teach and as Christ 〈◊〉 else-where of them Say well but doe nothing vnlesse you exceed these that is â—…th teach and obserue you shall not enter into the kingdome of heauen Now the kingdome where the keeper of the commandements and the contemner were 〈◊〉 said to be is one and the kingdome into which he that saith and doth not shal not enter is another So then where both sorts are the church is that now is but where the better sort is only the church is as it shal be here-after vtterly exempt from euill So that the church now on earth is both the kingdom of Christ and the kingdome of heauen The Saints reigne with him now but not as they shall doe here-after yet the tares reigne hot with them though they grow in the Church â—…ngst the good seed They reigne with him who do as the Apostle saith If yee 〈◊〉 be risen with Christ seeke the things which are aboue where Christ sitteth at the 〈◊〉 â—…d of God Set your affections on things which are aboue and not on things 〈◊〉 are on earth of whome also hee saith that their conuersation is in heauen â—…ly they reigne with Christ who are with all his kingdom where he reigneth 〈◊〉 how do they reigne with him at all who continuing below vntill the worlds 〈◊〉 vntill his kingdome be purged of all the tares do neuer-the-lesse seeke their 〈◊〉 pleasures and not their redeemers This booke therefore of Iohnsâ—…th â—…th of this kingdome of malice wherein there are daily conflicts with the â—…my some-times with victory and some-times with foyle vntill the time of that most peaceable kingdome approach where no enemy shall euer shew his 〈◊〉 this and the first resurrection are the subiect of the Apostles Reuelation For hauing sayd that the deuill was bound for a thousand yeares and then was to bee loosed for a while hee recapitulateth the gifts of the Church during the sayd thousand yeares And I saw seates saith he and they sat vpon them and iudgement was giuen vnto them This may not bee vnderstood of the last iudgement but by the seales are 〈◊〉 the rulers places of the Church and the persons them-selues by whom it is gouerned and for the Iudgement giuen them it cannot be better explaned then in these words what-so-euer yee binde on earth shall be bound in heauen and what-so-euer yee loose on earth shall bee loosed in heauen Therefore saith Saint Paul 〈◊〉 haue I to doe to iudge them also that bee without doe not yee iudge them that 〈◊〉 within On. And I saw the soules of them which were slaine for the witnesse of Iesus 〈◊〉 for the word of God vnderstand that which followeth they raigned with Christ a 〈◊〉 yeares These were the martires soules hauing not their bodies as yet for 〈◊〉 soules of the Godly are not excluded from the Church which as it is now is 〈◊〉 kingdome of God Otherwise she shold not mention them nor celebrate their â—…ories at our communions of the body and bloud of Christ nor were it necessary 〈◊〉 â—…in our perills to run vnto his Baptisme or to be afraid to dy without it nor to seeke reconciliation to his church if a man haue incurred any thing that exacteth repentance or burdeneth his conscience Why doe we those things but that euen such as are dead in the faith are members of Gods Church Yet are they not with their bodies and yet neuer-the-lesse their soules reigne with Christ the whole space of this thousand yeares And therefore wee reade else-where in the same booke Blessed are the dead which dye in the Lord Euen so saith the spirit for they rest from their labours and their workes follow them Thus then the Church raigneth with Christ first in the quick and the dead for Christ as the Apostle saith that hee might thence-forth rule both ouer the quick and the dead But the Apostle heere nameth the soules of the martyrs onely because their kingdome is most glorious after death as hauing fought for the truth vntill death But this is but a taking of the part for the whole for wee take this place to include all the dead that belong to Chrsts kingdome which is the Church But the sequell And which did not worship the beast neither his Image neither had taken his marke vpon their fore-heads or on their hands this is meant both of the quick and dead Now although wee must make a more exact inquiry what this beast was yet is it not against Christianity to interpret it the society of the wicked opposed against the com pany of Gods seruants and against his holy Citty Now his image that is his dissimulation in such as professe religion and practise infidelity They faigne to bee what they are not and their shew not their truth procureth them the name of Christians For this Beast consisteth not onely of the professed enemies of Christ and his glorious Hierarchy but of the tares also that in the worlds end are to be gathered out of the very fields of his owne Church And who are they that adore not the beast but those of whome Saint Pauls aduise taketh effect Bee not vnequally yoaked with the Infidells These giue him no adoration no consent no obedience nor take his marke that is the brand of their owne sinne vpon their fore-heads by professing it or on their hands by working according to it They that are cleare of this be they liuing or be they dead they reigne with Christ
condemne the wicked that not knowing this thing and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they might liue well and so there may bee some which may pray 〈◊〉 wicked how then doth hee performe it to them which hope in him seeing that 〈◊〉 they dreame by this sweetnesse he will not condemne them which doe not hope in him Therefore let vs seeke that sweetnesse of his which he performeth to them which hope in him and not that which hee is thought to effect vnto them which contemne and blaspheme him c In vaine therefore man inquireth that when he is departed out of the body which hee hath neglected to obtaine to himselfe beeing in the bodie That saying also of the Apostle d For God hath shut vp all in vnbeliefe that he may haue mercy on all is not spoken to that end that he will condemne none but it appeareth before in what sence it was spoken For when as the Apostle spake vnto the Gentiles to whom now beleeuing he wrote his Epistles concerning the Iewes who should afterward beleeue As yee saith hee in time past haue not beleeued GOD. Yet now haue obtained mercy through their vnbeliefe euen so now haue they not beleeued by the mercy shewed vnto you that they may also obtaine mercy Then he addeth whereby they flatter themselues in their errors and sayth For GOD hath shut vppe all in vnbeliefe that hee may haue mercy on all Who are they all but they of whom he did speake saying as it were Both yee and they Therefore GOD hath shut vp both Gentiles and Iewes all in vnbeliefe whom hee fore-knew and predestinated to bee made like the Image of his Sonne that beeing ashamed and cast downe by repenting for the bitternesse of their vnbeliefe and conuerted by beleeuing vnto the sweetnesse of the mercies of GOD might proclaime that in the Psalme How great is the multitude of thy sweetnesse Oh Lord which thou hast laid vp for them which feare thee but hast performed it to them which hope not in them-selues but in thee Therefore he hath mercy on all the vessells of mercy What meaneth of all That is to say of those of the Gentiles and also of those of the Iewes whom hee hath predestinated called iustified glorified not of all men and will conâ—…mne none of those L. VIVES FOr a some departed this life In the ancient bookes printed at Bruges and Coline those tenne or twelue lines which follow are not to bee found for it is written in this manner For the prayer either of the Church or of some godly persons is heard for some departed this â—…fe but for them whose life hath not beene spent so wickedly being regenerate in Christ c. Those things which follow are not extant in them neither in the copies printed at Friburge Neuer-the-lesse the stile is not dissonant from Augustines phrase peraduenture they are eyther wanting in some bookes or else are added heere out of some other worke of Augustine as the first Scholion afterward adioyned to the context of the speech Yet not so that they may b escape The particle of negation is to bee put formost that wee may read it yet not so that they may vnder-goe those punishments at any time In vaine c therefore man In the Bruges copie it is read thus In vaine therefore doth man inquire that after this body which hee hath neglected to get in the body d For GOD hath shut vp all in vnbeleefe Commonly wee read all things in the Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say all men Paul signifieth that no man hath any occasion to boast that hee is glorious vnto GOD by his owne merits 〈◊〉 that it is wholy to be attributed to the goodnesse and bounty of GOD. Whether that such as beeing baptized by heretiques become wicked in life or amongst Catholiques and then fall away into heresies and schismes or continuing amongst Catholiques be of vicious conuersation can haue any hope of escaping damnation by the priuiledge of the Sacraments CHAP. 12. NOw let vs answer those who doe both exclude the deuills from saluation as the other before doe and also all men besides whatsoeuer excepting such 〈◊〉 are 〈◊〉 in CHRIST and made pertakers of his body and bloud and these they will haue saued bee their liues neuer so spotted by sinne or heresie 〈◊〉 â—…ostle doth plainely controll them saying The workes of the flesh are 〈◊〉 which are adultery fornication vncleanesse wantonnesse Idolatry c. 〈◊〉 such like whereof I tell you now as I told you before that they which doe such things 〈◊〉 not inherite the Kingdome of GOD. This were false now if that such men should become Saints at any time whatsoeuer But this is true scripture and therefore that shall neuer come to passe And if they bee neuer made 〈◊〉 of the ioyes of heauen then shall they bee euer-more bound in the â—…ines of 〈◊〉 for there is no medium wherein hee that is not in blisse might â—…ue a plaâ—… free from torment And therefore it is fitte wee see how our Sauiours words may bee vnderstood â—…ere hee sayth This is the bread that came downe from heauen that hee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of it should not die I am the lyuing bread which came downe from heaâ—… 〈◊〉 of this bread hee shall liue for euer c. Those whome wee 〈◊〉 answere by and by haue gotten an interpretation for these places somewhat more restrained then those whome wee are to answere at this present For those other doe not promise deliuery to all that receiue the Sacraments but onely to the Catholikes of what manner of life soeuer for they onely are those that receiue the bodie of CHRIST not onely sacramentally but 〈◊〉 alâ—… 〈◊〉 they as beeing the true members of his bodie whereof the Apostle saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are one bread and one bodie Hee therefore that is in this â—…ity of CHRISTS members in one bodie the sacrament whereof the faithfull doe daylie communicate hee is truely sayd to receiue 〈◊〉 bodie and to drinke the bloud of CHRIST So that Heretiques and 〈◊〉 who are cut off from this bodie may indeed receiue the same 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 them no good but a great deale of hurt in that great 〈◊〉 it will both make their paines more heauy and their continuance 〈◊〉 For they are not in that vnity of peace which is expressed a in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But â—…ow these that can obserue that hee that is not in CHRIST cannot receiue his body 〈◊〉 doe ouer-shoote themselues in promising absolution at one time or other to all the â—…ators of superstition Idolatry or heresie First because they ought 〈◊〉 obserue how absurd and farre from all likely hood 〈◊〉 that those bee they more or lesse that haue left the church and become 〈◊〉 heretiques should bee in beer estate then those whome they 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to bee heretiques with them before that they were Catholikes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 church if to bee baptized and to receiue CHRISTS body in the church bee
LORD shall weaken his aduersaries and make them be conquered by those whom Hee the most Holy hath made holy also i and therefore let not the wise glory in his wisdome the mighty in his might nor the ritch in his ritches but let their glory be to know God and to execute his iudgements and iustice vpon earth Hee is a good proficient in the knowledge of God that knoweth that God must giue him the meanes to know God For what hast thou saith the Apostle which thou hast not receiued that is what hast thou of thine owne to boast of Now hee that doth right executeth iudgement and iustice and hee that liueth in Gods obedience and the end of the command namely in a pure loue a good conscience and an vnfained faith But this loue as the Apostle Iohn saith is of God Then to do iudgement and iustice is of God but what is on the earth might it not haue beene left out and it haue only bin said to do iudgement and iustice the precept would bee more common both to men of land and sea but least any should thinke that after this life there were a time elsewhere to doe iustice and iudgement in and so to auoide the great iudgement for not doing them in the flesh therefore in the earth is added to confine those acts within this life for each man beareth his earth about with him in this world and when hee dieth bequeaths it to the great earth that must returne him it at the resurrection In this earth therefore in this fleshly body must we doe iustice and iudgement to doe our selues good hereafter by when euery one shall receiue according to his works done in the body good or bad in the body that is in the time that the body liued for if a man blaspheme in heart though he do no â—…urt with any bodily meÌ„ber yet shal not he be vnguilty because though he did it not in his body yet hee did it in the time wherein hee was in the body And so many we vnderstand that of the Psalme The Lord our King hath wrought 〈◊〉 in the midest of the earth before the beginning of the world that is the Lord Iesus our God before the beginning for he made the beginning hath wrought saluation in the midst of the earth namely then when the word became flesh and 〈◊〉 corporally amongst vs. But on Annah hauing shewen how each man ought to glory viz. not in himselfe but in God for the reward that followeth the great iudgement proceedeth thus l The Lord went vp vnto heauen and hath thundred he shall iudge the ends of the worlds and shall giue the power vnto our Kings and exalt the horne of his annoynted This is the plaine faith of a Christian. Hee 〈◊〉 into heauen and thence hee shall come to iudge the quicke and dead for who is â—…ded saith the Apostle but he who first descended into the inferiour parts of the earth Hee thundred in the clouds which hee filled with his holy spirit in his â—…ntion from which clouds he threatned Hierusalem that vngratefull vine to 〈◊〉 no rayne vpon it Now it is said Hee shall iudge the ends of the world that is the ends of men for he shall iudge no reall part of earth but onely all the men thereof nor iudgeth hee them that are changed into good or bad in the meane 〈◊〉 but m as euery man endeth so shall he beiudged wherevpon the scripture 〈◊〉 He that commeth vnto the end shall be safe hee therefore that doth iâ—…ce in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the earth shall not be condemned when the ends of the earth are 〈◊〉 And shall giue power vnto our Kings that is in not condemning them by â—…gement hee giueth them power because they rule ouer the flesh like Kings 〈◊〉 â—…quer the world in him who shed his blood for them And shall exalt the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his anoynted How shall Christ the annoynted exalt the horne of his anâ—… It is of Christ that those sayings The Lord went vp to heauen c. are all 〈◊〉 so is this same last of exalting the horne of his annoynted Christ thereâ—… exalt the horne of his annoynted that is of euery faithfull seruant of his as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 first my horne is exalted in the Lord for all that haue receiued the vncâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 grace may wel be called his annoynted al which with their head make 〈◊〉 annoynted This Anna prophisied holy Samuels mother in whome the 〈◊〉 of ancient priesthood was prefigured and now fulfilled when as the woâ—… 〈◊〉 many sonnes was enfeebled that the barren which brougt forth seuen 〈◊〉 â—…eceiue the new priesthood in Christ. L. VIVES SHâ—… that a had Multa in filiis b Nor had she The first booke of Samuel agreeth with 〈◊〉 but Iosephus vnlesse the booke be falty saith she had sixe three sons and three 〈◊〉 after Samuel but the Hebrewes recken Samuels two sonnes for Annahs also being 〈◊〉 â—…dchildren and Phamuahs seauen children died seuerally as Annahs and her sonne 〈◊〉 â—…ere borne c And my horne Some read mine heart but falsely the greeke is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 preachers there are Or nor in such as are bound by calling to bee his preachers the 〈◊〉 â—…py readeth but in his called prechers e No man knoweth Both in his foreknowledge 〈◊〉 â—…owlege of the secrets of mans heart f Are hired out The seauenty read it are 〈◊〉 g For the begger It seemes to be a word of more indigence then poore the latine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…ops or helpelesse hauing no reference in many places to want of mony but of 〈◊〉 Gâ—…rg 1. Terent. Adelpe Act. 2. scena 1. Pauper saith Uarro is quasi paulus lar c. 〈◊〉 â—…gens h The Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is both his and his owne the Greekes do not distinâ—… two as we doe i Let not the. This is not the vulgar translation of the Kings but 〈◊〉 cha 9. the 70. put it in them both but with some alteration It is an vtter subuersion 〈◊〉 God respects not wit power or wealth those are the fuell of mans vaine glory but let 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…th as Paule saith glory in the Lord and by a modest and equall thought of himselfe continually For so shall he neuer be pride-swollen for the knowledge of God that charity seasoneth neuer puffeth vp if we consider his mercies and his iudgements his loue and his wrath togither with his maiesty k And to doe iudgement The seauenty read this one way in the booke of Samuel and another way in Hieremy attributing in the first vnto the man that glorieth and in the later vnto God l The Lord went vp This is not in the vulgar vntill you come vnto this and he shall iudge Augustine followed the LXX and so did all that age almost in all the churches m As euery man As I finde thee so will I iudge thee The Prophets words vnto Heli the priest signifying the taking
Apostle saith Wee know but in part Besides it beleeueth the sence in obiects of which the minde iudgeth by the sensitiue organs because hee is in a grosse error that taketh all trust from them It beleeueth also the holy canonicall scriptures both old and new from which the iust man hath his faith by which hee liueth and wherein a wee all walke with-out doubt as long as wee are in our pilgrimage and personally absent from God and this faith being kept firme wee may lawfully doubt of all such other things as are not manifested vnto vs eyther by sence reason scripture nor testimony of grounded authoritie L. VIVES WE all walke a without doubt We haue no knowledge of it but beleeue it as firmely as what wee see with our eyes Of the habite and manners belonging to a Christian. CHAP. 19. IT is nothing to the Citty of God what attyre the cittizens weare or what rules they obserue as long as they contradict not Gods holy precepts but each one keepe the faith the true path to saluation and therefore when a Philosopher becommeth a Christian they neuer make him alter his habite nor his manners which are no hindrance to his religion but his false opinions They respect not Varro's distinction of the Cynikes as long as they forbeare vncleane and intemperate actions But as concerning the three kindes of life actiue contemplatiue and the meanes betweene both although one may keepe the faith in any of those courses yet there is a difference betweene the loue of the truth and the duties of charitie One may not bee so giuen to contemplation that hee neglect the good of his neighbour nor so farre in loue with action that hee forget diuine speculation In contemplation one may not seeke for idlenesse but for truth to benefite him-selfe by the knowledge thereof and not to grudge to impart it vnto others In action one may not ayme at highnesse or honor because all vnder the sunne is meere vanitie but to performe the worke of a superiour vnto the true end that is vnto the benefite and saluation of the sub ect as wee sayd before And this made the Apostle say If any man desiâ—…e the office of a Bishop hee desireth a good worke what this office was hee explaineth not it is an office of labour and not of honour a The Greeke word signifieth that hee that is heerein installed is to watch ouer his people that are vnder him Episcopus a Bishop commeth of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is ouer and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is a watching or an attendance so that wee may very well translate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a superintendent to shew that hee is no true Bishop who desireth rather to be Lordly him-selfe then profitable vnto others No man therefore is forbidden to proceed in a lawdable forme of contemplation But to affect soueraignty though the people must bee gouerned though the place be well discharged yet notwithstanding is b taxable of indecencie Wherefore the loue of truth requireth a holy retirednesse and the necessity of charity a iust employment which if it bee not imposed vpon vs wee ought not to seeke it but be take our selues wholy to the holy inquest of truth but if wee bee called forth vnto a place the law and need of charity bindeth vs to vnder-take it c Yet may wee not for all this giue ouer our first resolution least wee loose the sweetnesse of that and bee surcharged with the weight of the other L. VIVES THe a Greeke word of this before lib. 1. cap. 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 comes either of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to consider or of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is to visit The Scripture where the seauenty translated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doe read it a watch-man as in Ezechiel Osee chap. 5. where the Lord complaineth that they had beene a snare in their watching and a net vpon mount Thabor As if hee had spoken of the Bishops of these times who set snares for benefices and spread large netts for money but not too wide wasted least the coyne should scatter forth b Taxable of indecencie O but some fine braines haue now brought it so about that bishoprickes may not onely bee sued for but euen bought and sold with-out any preiudice at all vnto this lawe c Yet may wee not Hee sheweth that a Bishop should conuerse with the holy scriptures often and drawe him-selfe home vnto God now and then from all his businesses liuing if he did well as a pilgrim of Gods in this life and one that had a charge of Gods and his owne soules in hand not any temporall trash and yet ought he not to forsake his ministery to which he should be preserred by an heauenly calling and not by an heauy pursse Hope the blisse of the heauenly Cittizens during this life CHAP. 20. THen therefore is the good of the Holy society perfect when their peace is established in eternity not running any more in successions as mortall men doe in life and death one to another but confirmed vnto them together with their immortalitie for euer with-out touch of the least imperfection What is hee that would not accompt such an estate most happy or comparing it with that which man hath heere vpon earth would not auouch this later to bee most miserable were it neuer so well fraught with temporall conueniences yet hee that hath the latter in possession and applyeth it all vnto the vse of his hopeâ—… firme and faithfull obiect the former may not vnfitly bee called happy already but that is rather in his expectation of the first then in his fruition of the later For this possession with-out the other hope is a false beatitude and a most true misery For herein is no vse of the mindes truest goods because there wanteth the true wisdome which in the prudent discretion resolute performance temperate restraint and iust distribution of these things should referre his intent in all these vnto that end where God shall bee all in all where eternity shall be firme and peace most perfect and absolute Whether the Citâ—…y of Rome had euer a true common-wealth according to Scipio's definition of a common-wealth in Tully CHAP. 21. NOw it is time to performe a promise which I passed in the second booke of this worke and that was to shew that Rome neuer had a true common-wealth as Scipio defineth one in Tullyes booke De Repub. his Definition was A common-wealth is the estate of the people Respub est res populi If this be true Rome neuer had any for it neuer had an estate of the people which hee defines the common-wealth by For he defineth the people to bee a multitude vnited in one consent of lawe and profite what hee meaneth by a consent of lawe hee sheweth him-selfe and sheweth there-by that a state cannot stand with-out iustice so that where true iustice wanteth there can bee no law
the beloued citty but fire came downe from God out of Heauen and deuoured them And the Deuill that deceiued them was cast into a lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false Prophets shal be tormented euen day and night for euermore But this now belongeth to the last iudgment which I thought good to recite least some should suppose that the Diuell being let loose againe for a season should either finde no Church at all or by his violence and seducements should subuert all he findeth Wherefore the Diuells imprisonment during the whole time included in this booke that is from Christs first comming to his last is not any particular restraint from seducing the Church because hee could not iniure the Church were hee neuer so free other-wise if his bondage were a set prohibition from seduction what were his freedome but a full permission to seduce which God forbid should euer be No his binding is an inhibition of his full power of tempration which is the meanes of mans being seduced either by his violence or his fraudulence Which if hee were suffered to practise in that long time of infirmity hee would peruert and destroy the faith of many such soules as Gods goodnesse will not suffer to bee cast downe To auoyd this inconuenience bound hee is And in the last and smallest remainder of time shall hee bee loosed for wee read that hee shall rage in his greatest malice onely three yeares and sixe monethes and hee shall hold warres with such foes as all his emnity shall neuer bee able either to conquere or iniure But if hee were not let loose at all his maleuolence should bee the lesse conspicuous and the faithfulls pacience the lesse glorious briefly it would bee lesse apparant vnto how blessed an end GOD had made vse of his cursednesse in not debarring him absolutely from tempting the Saints though hee bee vtterly cast out from their inward man that they might reape a benefit from his badnesse and in binding him firmely in the harts of such as vow them-selues his â—…ectators least if his wicked enuy had the full scope hee should enter in amongst the weaker members of the Church and by violence and subtilty together deter and diswade them from their faith their onely meane of saluation Now in the end hee shal be loosed that the Citty of GOD may see what a potent aduersary she hath conquered by the grace of her Sauiour and redeemer vnto his eternall glory O what are wee and compare vs vnto the Saints that shall liue to see this when such an enemy shall be let loose vnto them as we can scarcely resist although hee bee bound although no doubt but Christ hath had some soldiors in these our times who if they had liued in the times to come would haue auoyded all the Deuills trapps by their true discrete prudence or haue withstood them with vndanted pacience This binding of the Diuell began when the Church began to spread from Iudea into other regions and lasteth yet and shall do vntill his time bee expired for men euen in these times do refuse the chaine wherein hee held them infidelity and turne vnto GOD and shall do no doubt vnto the worlds end And then is he bound in respect of euery priuate man when the soule that was his vassall cleareth her selfe of him nor ceaseth his shutting vpon when they dye wherein hee was shut for the world shall haue a continuall succession of the haters of Christianity whilest the earth endureth and in their hearts the diuell shall euer bee shut vp But it may bee a doubt whether any one shall turne vnto GOD during the space of his three yeares and an halfes raigne for how can this stand good How can a man enter into a strong mans house spoyle his goods exept he first bind the strongman then spoile his house if he may do it when the strong man is loose This seemeth to proue directly that during that space none shal be conuerted but that the diuel shall haue a continuall fight with those that are in the faith already of whome he may perhaps conquer some certaine number but none of Gods predestinate not one For it is not idle that Iohn the Author of this Reuelation saith in one of his Epistles concerning some Apostatas They went out from vs but they were not of vs for if they had beene of vs they would haue continued with vs. But what then shall become of the children for it is incredible that the Christians should haue no children during this space or that if they had them they would not see them baptized by one meanes or other How then shall these bee taken from the deuill the spoyle of whose house no man can attaine before he binde him So that it is more credible to auouche that the church in that time shall neither want decrease nor augmentation and that the parents in standing stifly for their childrens baptisme together with others that shall but euen then become beleeuers shall beate the diuell back in his greatest liberty that is they shall both wittily obserue and warily auoyde his newest stratagems and most secret vnderminings and by that meanes keepe them-selues cleare of his mercylesse clutches Not-with-standing that place of Scripture How can a man enter into a strong mans house c. is true for all that and according there-vnto the order was that the strong should first bee bound and his goods taken from him out of all nations to multiply the church in such sort that by the true and faithfull vnderstanding of the Prophecies that were to bee fulfilled they might take away his goods from him when hee was in his greatest freedome for as wee must confesse that because iniquity increaseth the loue of many shall bee colde and that many of them that are not written in the booke of life shall fall before the force of the raging newly loosed deuill So must wee consider what faithfull shall as then bee found on the earth and how diuerse shall euen then flie to the bosome of the Churche by Gods grace and the Scriptures plainnesse wherein amongst other things that very end which they see approching is presaged and that they shall be both more firme in beleefe of what they reiected before and also more strong to with-stand the greatest assault and sorest batteries If this be so his former binding left his good to all future spoile bee hee bound or loose vnto which end these words How can a man enter into a strong mans house c. doe principally tend What is meant by Christs reigning a thousand yeares with the Saints and the difference betweene that and his eternall reigne CHAP. 9. NOw doubtlesse whilst the diuel is thus bound Christ reigneth with his Saints the same thousand yeares vnderstood both after one manner that is all the time from his first comming not including that kingdome whereof hee saith Coâ—…e you blessed of my
come to him in the morning and they strengthening his spirit with as good consolations as they could giue him The feared morning was now come the holy men came according to their promises so did the Surgeons the terrible Irons were made ready and all things fit for such a worke whilest all the company sat silent in a deepe amazement The chiefe and such as had more authority then the rest comforted him as well as they could his body was layd fit for the hand of him that was to cut him the clothes vntyed the place bared the Surgeon veweth it with his knife in his hand ready to lance it feeling with his fingers where the vlcerous matter shouldlye at length hauing made an absolute triall of all the part that was before affected hee found the orifice firmely closed and euery place thereof as sound and as solid as it was first created Then ioy prayses vnto God with teares of comfort were yeelded on al sides beyond the power my pen hath to describe them In the same towne one Innocentia a deuout woman and one of the chiefe in the citty had a canker on her brest a kind of sore which the Surgeons told her is vtterly d incurable wherefore they â—…se either to cut the infected part away or for the prolonging of the life as Hippocrates they say doth aduise to omit all attempt of â—…uring it This a skillfull Phisitian her familiar friend told her so that shee now sought helpe of none but the Lord who told her in a dreame that at e Easter next which then drew neare shee should marke on the womans side by the fount what woman shee was that being then Baptized should first meete her and that shee should in treat her to signe the sore with the signe of the crosse She did it and was cured The former Phisitian that had wished her to abstaine from all attempt of cure seeing her afterwards whole and sound whome hee knew certainely to haue had that vncurable vlcer before earnestly desired to know how shee was cured longing to finde the medicine that had frustrated Hippocrates his Aphorisme Shee told him Hee presently with a voyce as if hee had contemned it in so much that she feared exceedingly that hee would haue spoken blasphemy replied Why I thought you would haue told me some strange thing she standing al amazed Why is it so strange quoth hee for CHRIST to heale a Canker that could rayse one to life that had beene foure dayes dead When I first heard of this it greeued mee that so great a miracle wrought vpon so great a personage should bee so suppressed where-vpon I thought it good to giue her a checking admonition thereof and meeting her and questioning the matter shee told mee shee had not concealed it so that I went and enquired of her fellow matrons who told mee they neuer heard of it Behold sayd I to her before them haue you not concealed it when as your nearest familiars do not know of it Where-vpon shee â—…ell to relate the whole order of it vnto their great admiration and the glorification of GOD. There was also a Phisitian in the same towne much troubled with the Goute who hauing giuen vp his name to bee Baptised the night before hee should receiue this sacrament in his sleepe was forbidden it by a crue of curled headed Negro boyes which he knew to bee Deuills but hee refusing to obey them they stamped on his feete so that they put him to most extreame payne yet hee keeping his firme resolue and being Baptised the next day was freed both from his paine and the cause thereof so that hee neuer had the Goute in all his daies after But who knew this man wee did and a few of our neighbour brethren other-wise it had beene vtterly vnknowne One of f Curubis was by Baptisme freed boâ—…h from the Palsie and the excessiue tumor of the Genitories so that he went from the font as found a man as euer was borne Where was this knowne but in Curubis and vnto a few besides But when I heard of it I got Bishop Aurelius to send him to Carthage notwithstanding that it was first told mee by men of sufficient credite Hesperius one that hath beene a Captaine and liueth at this day by vs hath a litte Farme called Zubedi in the liberties of fussali which hee hauing obserued by the harme done to his seruants and cattle to bee haunted with euill spirits hee entreated one of our Priests in mine absence to go thether and expell them by prayer One went prayed and ministred the Communion and by GODS mercy the Deuill was quit from the place euer after Now hee had a little of the earth wherein the Sepulchre of CHRIST standeth bestowed vpon him by a friend which hee had hung vp in his Chamber for the better a voydance of those wicked illusions from his owne person Now they being expelled hee knew not what to do with this earth being not willing for the reuerence hee bore it to keepe it any longer in his lodging So I and my fellow Maximus Bishoppe of Synica being at the next towne hee prayd vs to come to his house wee did hee told vs all the matter and requested that this Earth might bee buried some-where and made a place for prayer and for the Christians to celebrate Gods seruice in and it was done accordingly Now there was a country youth that was troubled with the Palsie who hearing of this desired his Parents to bring him thether They did so where hee prayed and was presently cured Victoriana is a towne some thirty miles from Hippo regium There is a memoriall of the two Martyres of Millayne Geruase and Protasius and thether they carried a young man who bathing him-selfe in summer at noone day was possessed with a Deuill Being brought hether he lay as one dead or very neare death meane while the Lady of the village as custome is entred the place vnto euening prayers with her maydes and certaine votaresses and began to sing Psalmes which sound made the man start vp as in an afright and with a terible rauing hee catched fast hold vpon the Altar whence hee durst not once moue but held it as if hee had beene bound to it Then the Deuili within him began mournefully to cry for mercy relating how and when hee entred the man and lastly saying that hee would leaue him hee named what parts of him hee would spoyle at his departure and saying these words departed But one of the mans eyes fell downe vpon his cheeke and hung onely by a little string all the puple of it with is naturally blacke becomming white which the people whome his cries had called seeing they fell to helpe him with their prayers and though they reioyced at the recouery of his wittes yet sorrowed they for the losse of his eye and aduised him to get a Surgeon for it But his sisters husband who brought