and impious foulenesse of these deuills euen for honesties sake for if Plato's prohibition and proofe be iust then is their demand and desire most damnable So either Apulcius mistooke the kind of Socrates his Genius or Plato contradicts himselfe now d honoring those spirits and streight after abridging them their pleasures and expelling their delights from an honest state or else Socrates his spirit was not worth the approuing wherein Apuleius offended in being not ashamed to stâ—…le his booke e De deo Socratis of his god and yet proues by his owne distinction of Dij daemones that hee should haue called it De daemone Socratis of his diuell But this hee had rather professe in the body of his discourse then in his tiâ—…le for the name of a Daemon was by good doctrine brought into such hate that f whosoeuer had â—…ead Daemon in the title ere he had read the Daemons commendations in the booke would haue thought Apuleius g madde And what found he praise-worthy in them but their subtile durable bodies and eleuation of place when hee came to their conditions in generall hee found no good but spake much euill of them so that hee that readeth that booke will neuer maruell at their desiring plaies and that Iuch gods as they should be delighted with crimeâ—… beastly showes barbarous cruelty and what euer else is horrible or ridiculous that all this should square with their affects is no wonder L. VIVES REasonable a Creatures Plato reckoneth three sorts of gods the Deiâ—…yes the Daemones the Heroes but these last haue reference to men whence they arise De leg 4. Epinom Plutarch highly commends thoâ—…e that placed the spirits betwixt gods and men were it Orpheus some Phirgian or Aegiptian for both their sacrifices professeth it De defect oracul for they found the meanes saith he wherein gods and men concurre Homer saith he vseth the names at â—…don how calling them gods and now demones Hesiod fire made reasonable nature quadripartite into gods spirits Heroes and mortalles who liuing well arise both to Heroes and Daemones b The spirits Socrates in Platos Conuiuium mentioneth a disputation with Diotyma where hee affirmeth the spirits nature to bee meane betweene gods â—…nd mans c This power Socrates they say had a spirit that forbad him all acts whose euents it knew should not bee successefull but neuer incited him to any thing whatsoeuer d Honoring Teaching it also Epinom e De deo All that handled this before Apuleius called this spirit a Daemon not a deity him-selfe in aboue six hundreth places in Plato in Plato Zenophon also Cicero and Plutarch Maximus of Tyre who â—…rot a double demonstration hereof So did many other ca lit both Platonists and Philosophers of other nations â—…ecitall were tedious f Whosoeuer Whosoeuer reads the title before the booke ere he read the booke g Madde For the gentiles as then called the Demonyaks and such as were possessed with the deuill mad men That neither the ayry spirits bodies nor height of place make them excell men CHAP. 15. WHerfore God forbad that a soule that feares God should thinke those spirits to excell it because they haue more a perfect bodies So should beasts excel vs also many of which goe beyond vs in quicknes of sence nimblenes swiftnesse strength and long life what man sees like the Eagle or Vultur smells like to the dog is swifter then stags hares and birds strong as a lyon or an elephant or lines with the serpent b that with his skin put of his eares becomes yong again But as we excell these in vnderstanding so do wee the ayrie spirits in iust liuing or should do at least For therefore hath the high prouidence giuen them bodies in some sort excelling ours that we might haue the greater care to preserue and augment that wherein we excell them rather then our bodies and learne to contâ—…ne that bodily perfection which wee know they haue in respect of the goodnesse of life whereby we are before them and shall obtaine immortalitie of body also not for the eternitie of plagues to afflict but which purity of soule shall effect And for the c higher place they hauing the ayre and we the earth it were a ridiculous consequence to make them our betters in that for so should birds be by the same reason d I but birds being tyred or lacking meate come downe to earth to rest or to feede so doe not the spirits Well then will you preferre them before vs and the spirits before them if this bee a mad position as mad a consequence it is to make them excell vs by place whom we can nay must excell by pyety For as the birds of the ayre are not preferred before vs but subiected to vs for the equitie of our reason so though the deuills being higher then wee are not our betters because ayre is aboue earth but we are their betters because our saith farre surmounteth their despaire For Plato's reason diuiding the elements into foure and parting mooueable fire and immooueable earth by interposition of ayre and water giuing each an equall place aboue the other this prooues that the worth of creatures dependeth not vpon the placing of the elements And Apuleius making a man an earthly creature yet preferreth him before the water-creatures whereas Plato puts the water aboue the earth to shew that the worth of creatures is to be discerned by another methode then the posture of naturall bodies the meaner body may include the better soule and the perfecter the worse L. VIVES MOre a perfect Apuleius makes them of a meane temperature betweene earthly and aethereall more pure and transparent then a clowde coagulate of the most subtile parts of ayre and voide of all solidity inuisible vnlesse they please to forme themselues a groser shape b That with his skinne Casting his skinne he begins at his eies that one ignorant thereof would thinke him blind Then gettes he his head bare and in 24. houres putteth it of his whole body Looke Aristot. de gen anim lib. 8. c Higher place Which Apuleius gathers thus No element is voyde of creatures Earth hath men and beasts the water fishes fire some liuing things also witnesse Aristotle Ergo the ayre must haue some also but vnlesse those spirits bee they none can tell what they be So that the spirits are vnder the gods and aboue vs their inferiors our betters d I but birds Apuleius his answer thus Some giue the ayre to the birds to dwell in falsly For they neuer go higher then Olympus top which being the highest mount of the world yet perpendicularly measured is not two furlongs high whereas the ayre reacheth vp to the concaue of the Moones spheare and there the skies begin What is then in all that ayrie space betweene the Moone and Olympus top hath it no creatures is it a dead vselesse part of nature And-againe birds if one consider them well are rather creatures earthly
inflicted as sinnes punishment vpon the 〈◊〉 not the body it selâ—…e is heauy to the soule and if hee had not added it yet 〈◊〉 haue vnderstood it so But Plato affirming plainely that the gods that the â—…or made haue incorruptible bodies bringing in their maker promising 〈◊〉 as a great benefit to remaine therein eternally and neuer to bee seperated 〈◊〉 them why then do those neuer b dissemble their owne knowledge to 〈◊〉 â—…ristianity trouble and contradict themselues in seeking to oppose against â—…to's words c Tully translateth thus bringing in the great GOD speaking 〈◊〉 the gods hee had made d You that are of the gods originall whom I haue â—…d attend e these your bodies by my will are indissoluble although euery 〈◊〉 â—…ay bee dissolued But f it is euill to desire to dissolue a thing g compounded by 〈◊〉 but seeing that you are created you are neither immortall nor indissoluble yet 〈◊〉 neuer be dissolued nor die these shall not preuaile against my will which is a 〈◊〉 assurance of your eternity then all your formes and compositions are Behold 〈◊〉 â—…ith that their gods by their creation and combination of body and soule 〈◊〉 â—…all and yet immortall by the decree and will of him that made them If 〈◊〉 it be paine to the soule to be bound in any body why should God seeme 〈◊〉 â—…way their feare of death by promising them eternall immortality not 〈◊〉 of their nature which is compounded not simple but because of his 〈◊〉 which can eternize creatures and preserue compounds immortally froÌ„â—…on whether Plato hold this true of the stars is another question For h 〈◊〉 not consequently grant him that those globous illuminate bodies 〈◊〉 â—…ht day vpon earth haue each one a peculiar soule whereby it liues 〈◊〉 â—…ed and intellectuall as he affirmeth directly of the world also But this as 〈◊〉 no question for this place This I held fit to recite against those that 〈◊〉 the name of Platonists are proudly ashamed of the name of christians 〈◊〉 â—…e communication of this name with the vulgar should debase the 〈◊〉 because small number of the i Palliate These seeking holes in the coate â—…stianity barke at the eternity of the body as if the desire of the soules 〈◊〉 the continuance of it in the fraile body were contraries whereas their 〈◊〉 Plato holds it as a gift giuen by the great GOD to the lesser that they 〈◊〉 not die that is be seuered from the bodies he gaue them L. VIVES 〈◊〉 a is Philolaus the Pythagorean held that man hauing left his body became an 〈◊〉 God and Plato sayth our body depresseth our thoughts and calls it away from 〈◊〉 â—…emplations that therefore we must leaue it that in this life also as well as we can 〈◊〉 â—…her life where we shal be free we may see the truth loue the good Herevpon 〈◊〉 â—…th a man cannot bee happy without he leaue the body and be ioyned vnto God d 〈◊〉 An imitation of Terence tâ—… si sapis quod scis nescias a Tully translateth Tullies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a peece of Plato's Timaeus the whole worke is very falty in Tully He that will read Plato himselfe the words begin thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Plato had it out of Timaeus of Locris his booke after whom he named his dialogue for thus saith Timaeus God desyring to dâ—…e an excellent worke created or begot this God who shall neuer die vnlesse it please that God that made him to dissolue him But it is euill to desire the dissolution of so rare a worke d You that are of Deorum satu orti e These your Tully hath this sentence a depraued sence by reason of the want of a negatiue f It is euill Or an euill mans part g Compounded Or combined h We may not Augustine durst neuer decide this question Origen it seemes followed Plato and got a many of the learned vnto his side i Palliate The Romanes Toga or gowne was the Greekes Pallium and they that would seeme absolute Grecians went in these Pallia or clokes and such were obserued much for their Graecisme in life and learning For as wee teach all our arts in latine now so did they in greeke then They were but few and therefore more admired Against the opinion that earthly bodies cannot be corruptible nor eternall CHAP 17. THey stand in this also that earthly bodies cannot bee eternall and yet hold the whole earth which they hold but as a part of their great God though not of their highest the world to be eternall Seeng then their greatest GOD made another God greater then all the rest beneath him that is the world and seeing they hold this is a creature hauing an intellectuall soule included in it by which it liues hauing the parts consisting of 4 elements whose connexion that great GOD least this other should euer perish made indissoluble and eternall why should the earth then being but a meane member of a greater creature bee eternall and yet the bodies of earthly creatures God willing the one as well as the other may not bee eternall I but say they earth a must bee returned vnto earth whence the bodies of earthly creatures are shapen therefore say they these must of force be dissolued and die to be restored to the eternall earth from wheÌ„ce they were taken Wel if one should affirme the same of the fire say that al the bodies taken thence should be restored vnto it againe as the heauenly bodies thereof consisting were not that promise of immortality that Plato sayd God made vnto those gods vtterly broken by this position Or can it not be so because it pleaseth not God whose will as Plato sayth is beyond all other assurance why may not God then haue so resolued of the terrene bodies that being brought forth they should perish no more once composed they should bee dissolued no more nor that which is once taken from the elements should euer bee restored and that the soules being once placed the bodies should neuer for sake them but inioy eternall happinesse in this combination why doth not Plato confesse that God can do this why cannot he preserue earthly things from corruption Is his power as the Platonists or rather as the christians auouch A likely matter the Philosophers know Gods counsells but not the Prophers nay rather it was thus their spirit of truth reuealed what God permitted vnto the Prophets but the weakenesse of coniecture in these questions wholy deluded the Philosophers But they should not haue bin so far besotted in obstinate ignorance as to contradict themselues in publike assertions saying first that the soule cannot be blessed without it abaÌ„don al body whatsoeuer by by after b that the gods haue blessed soules yet are continually tied vnto celestiall fiery bodies as for Iupiters the worlds soule that is eternally inhereÌ„t in the 4 elements composing this vniuerse For Plato holds
it to bee diffused froÌ„ the midst of earth geometrically called the c center vnto the extreamest parts of heaueÌ„ through al the parts of the world by d misticall numbers making the world a blessed creature whose soule enioyeth ful happines of wisdom yet leaueth not the body wose bodie liueteh eternally by it and as though it consist of so many different 〈◊〉 yet can neither dull it nor hinder it Seeing then that they giue their conâ—…res this scope why will they not beleeue that God hath power to eternize 〈◊〉 bodies wherein the soules without being parted from them by death or 〈◊〉 â—…rdened by them at all in life may liue most in blessed eternity as they 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gods doe in firy bodies and their Iupiter in all the foure elements If 〈◊〉 â—…es cannot be blessed without the bodies bee quite forsaken why then let 〈◊〉 â—…ods get them out of the starres let Iupiter pack out of the elements if they 〈◊〉 goe then are they wretched But they will allow neither of these they 〈◊〉 â—…uerre that the Gods may leaue their bodies least they should seeme to â—…ip mortalls neither dare they barre them of blisse least they should conâ—…â—…em wretches Wherefore all bodies are not impediments to beatitude but 〈◊〉 the corruptible transitory and mortall ones not such as God made man 〈◊〉 but such as his sinne procured him afterwards L. VIVES 〈◊〉 a must This is scripture that the body is earth and must become earth Homer 〈◊〉 it the Grecians for he calls Hectors carcasse earth Phocylides an ancient writer 〈◊〉 thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Our body is of earth and dying must Returne to earth for Man is made of dust 〈◊〉 â—…er hath also the like recited by Tully Tusc. qu. 1. wherein the words that Augustine 〈◊〉 â—…xtant Mors est finitas omnibus quae generi humano angorem Nec quicquam afferunt reddenda est terra terra Of all the paines wherein Mans soule soiournes Death is the end all earth to earth returnes 〈◊〉 â—…t the gods Some bookes read terrene gods falsly Augustine hath nothing to doe 〈◊〉 â—…e gods in this place c Center A center is that point in the midst of a sphaericall 〈◊〉 â—…m whence all lines drawne to the circumference are equall It is an indiuisible point 〈◊〉 â—…d parts neither should it bee all in the midst nor the lines drawne from it to the cirâ—… equall as not beeing all drawne from one part Plato placeth the worldes 〈◊〉 the center and so distends it circularly throughout the whole vniuerse and then 〈◊〉 â—…ng his position makes the diuine power aboue diffuse it selfe downe-ward euen 〈◊〉 â—…ter d Musicall numbers Hereof see Macrobius Chalcidins and Marsilius Ficinus 〈◊〉 â—…at of Plato's Timaeus which he either translated or reformed from the hand of anâ—…â—…ese numbers for their obscurity are growne into a prouerbe Of the terrene bodies which the Philosophers hold cannot be in heauen but must fall to earth by their naturall weight CHAP. 18. 〈◊〉 but say they an earthly body is either kept on earth or caried to 〈◊〉 â—…th by the naturall weight and therefore cannot bee in heauen The first 〈◊〉 â—…de were in a wooddie and fruitfull land which was called Paradise But 〈◊〉 we must resolue this doubt seeing that both Christs body is already asâ—…d and that the Saints at the resurrection shall doe so also let vs ponder these earthly weights a little If mans arte of a mettall that being put into the water sinketh can yet frame a vessell that shall swim how much more credible is it for Gods secret power whose omnipotent will as Plato saith can both keepe things produced from perishing and parts combined from dissoluing whereas the combination of corporall and vncorporeall is a stranger and harder operation then that of corporalls with corporalls to take a all weight from earthly things whereby they are carried downe-wards and to qualifie the bodies of the blessed soules so as though they bee terrene yet they may bee incorruptible and apt to ascend descend or vse what motion they will with all celerity Or b if the Angells can transport bodily weights whether they please must we thinke they doe it with toile and feeling of the burden Why then may we not beleeue that the perfect spirits of the blessed can carry their bodies whither they please and place them where they please for whereas in our bodily carriage of earthly things we feele that the c more bigge it is the heauier it is and the heauier the more toile-some to beare it is not so with the soule the soule carrieth the bodily members better when they are big and strong then when they are small and meagre and whereas a big sound man is heauier to others shoulders then a leane sicke man yet will he mooue his healthfull heauinesse with farre more agility then the other can doe his crasie lightnesse or then he can himselfe if famine or sicknesse haue shaken off his flesh This power hath good temperature more then great weight in our mortal earthly corruptible bodies And who can describe the infinite difference betweene our present health and our future immortality Let not the Philosophers therefore oppose vs with any corporall weight or earthly ponderosity I will not aske them why an earthly body may not bee in heauen as well as d the whole earth may hang alone without any supportation for perhaps they will retire their disputation to the center of the world vnto which all heauy things doe tend But this I say that if the lesser Gods whose worke Plato maketh Man all other liuing things with him could take away the quality of burning from the fire and leaue it the light e which the eye transfuseth shall wee then doubt that that GOD vnto whose will hee ascribes their immortality the eternall coherence and indissolubility of those strange and diuers combinations of corporealls and incorporealls can giue man a nature that shall make him liue incorruptible and immortal keeping the forme of him and auoyding the weight But of the faith of the resurrection and the quality of the immortall bodies more exactly God willing in the end of the worke L. VIVES ALL a weight These are Gods admirable workes and it is the merit of our faith that we owe vnto God to beleeue them I wonder the schoolemen will inquire of these things define them by the rules of nature b If the Angells To omit the schooles and naturall reasons herein is the power of an Angell seene that in one night God smote 80000 men of the Assyrians campe by the hand of an Angel 4. Kings 19. Now let Man go brag of his weaknesse c The world big Here is no need of predicamentall distinctions hee vseth big for the maâ—… weight not for the quantity d The whole earth It hangs not in nothing for it hangs in the ayre yet would ayre giue it way but that it hath gotten the
Paradise Eden from the beginning This out of Hierome b No such No man denieth that Paradise may be spiritually vnderstood excepting Ambrose in his booke De Paradiso But all the Fathers professe that Paradise was a reall pleasant place full of trees as Damascene saith and like to the Poets imaginary Elizium Away with their foolery saith Hierome vpon Daniel that seeke for figures in truthes and would ouerthrow the reall existence of trees and riuers in Paradise by drawing all into an Allegory This did Origen making a spirituall meaning of the whole hiâ—…ory and placing the true Paradice in the third heauen whither the Apostle Paul was rapt c Foure riuers Nile of Egipt Euphrates and Tigris of Syria and Ganges of India There heads are vnknowne and they run vnder the Ocean into our sea and therefore the Egiptian priests called Niâ—… the Ocean Herodot d Read in the. Cant 4 12. My sister my spouse is as a garden inclosed as a spring shut vp and a fountaine sealed vp their plants are as an orchard of pomegranates with sweete fruites c. That the Saints bodies after resurrection shal be spirituall and yet not changed into spirits CHAP. 22. THe bodies of the Saints in the resurrection shall need none of the tree of life to preserue them in life health or strength nor any meate to keepe away hunger and thirst They shall haue such an euery way absolute immortality that they shall neuer need to eare power they shall haue to doe it if they will but no â—…ssity For so the Angels did appearing visibly and sensibly not of necessity 〈◊〉 of power and will to affoord their ministerie vnto man in more congruence 〈◊〉 we may not thinke that when a they lodged in mens houses they did but eare b seemingly though they seemed to eate with the same appetite that the 〈◊〉 did who knew them not to be Angels And therefore the Angell saith in Tobiâ—…n saw mee eate but you saw it but in vision that is you thought I had eaten as 〈◊〉 did to refresh my body But if the other side may bee probably held of the Angels yet verily wee doubt it not to bee true c of Christ that hee in his spirituall flesh after his resurrection yet was it his true flesh eate and dranke with his disciples The neede onely not the power is taken from those glorified bodies which are spirituall not because they cease to bee bodyes but because they subsist by the quickning of the spirit L. VIVES THey a lodged In the houses of Abraham Lot and Tobias b Eate seemingly They did not eate as we doe passing the meate from the mouth to the stomack through the throate 〈◊〉 so decoct it and dispâ—…rse the iuice through the veines for nutâ—…iment nor yet did they deâ—… mens eyes by seeming to mooue that which they had for their chaps and yet moouing 〈◊〉 not or seeming to chaw bread or flesh and yet leauing it whole They did eate really 〈◊〉 â—…ere not nourished by eating c Of Christ Luke the 23. The earth saith Bede vpon 〈◊〉 â—…ce drinketh vp water one way and the sunne another the earth for neede the sunne 〈◊〉 power And so our Sauiour did eate but not as we eate that glorious body of his tooke â—…te but turned it not into nutriment as ours doe Of bodies animate and spirituall these dying in Adam and those beeing quickned in Christ. CHAP. 23. 〈◊〉 â—…s the bodyes that haue a liuing soule though as yet vnquickned by the â—…it are called animate yet are our soules but bodyes so are the other calâ—…tuall yet God forbid we should beleeue them to bee spirit or other then â—…tiall fleshly bodies yet vncorruptible and without weight by the quickâ—… of the spirit For man shall not then be earthly but celestiall not that he shall 〈◊〉 his earthly body but because he shall be so endowed from heauen that he 〈◊〉 â—…habite it with losse of his nature onely by attaining a celestiall quality 〈◊〉 â—…st man was made earth of earth into a a liuing creature but not into b â—…ing spirit as â—…ee should haue beene had hee perseuered in obedience â—…lesse therefore his body needing meate and drinke against hunger and 〈◊〉 and being not kept in youth from death by indissoluble immortality but 〈◊〉 by the Tree of life was not spirituall but onely animaâ—…e yet should it not 〈◊〉 â—…ied but that it incurred Gods heauy sentence by offending And though he 〈◊〉 take of other meates out of Paradice yet had he bin c â—…bidden to touch 〈◊〉 of life he should haue bin liable to time corruption in that life onely 〈◊〉 had he continued in spirituall obedience though it were but meerely aniâ—… might haue beene eternall in Paradise Wherefore though by these words 〈◊〉 d When soeuer you eate thereof you shall dye the death wee vnderstand by 〈◊〉 the seperation of soule and body yet ought it not seeme absurd in that 〈◊〉 dyed not the very day that they tooke this deadly meate for that very 〈◊〉 their nature was depraued and by their iust exclusion from the Tree 〈◊〉 the necessitie of death entred vppon them wherein wee all are brought forth And therefore the Apostle saith not The body shall dye for sinne but The body is dead because of sinne and the spirit is life for iustice sake And then he addeth But if the spirit of him that raised vp Iesus from the dead dâ—… in you he that raised vp Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortall bodyes by his spirit dwelling in you Therefore then as the Apostle saith shall be in quickning of the spirit which is now in the life of soule and yet dead because it must necessarily dye But in the first man it was in life of soule and not in quickning of spirit yet could it not be called dead because had not he broken the precept hee had not beene bound to death But whereas God signified the death of the soule in leauing of him saying Adam where art thou and in saying Earth thou art and to earth thou shalt goe signified the death of the body in leauing of the soule therefore wee must thinke he spoake not of the second death reseruing that secret because of his new testament where it is plainly discouered that the first which is common to all might bee shewen to proceed from that sinne which one mans acte made common to all but that the second death is not common to all because of those holy onely whom hee hath fore-knowne and predestinated as the Apostle saith to bee made like the image of his sonne that he might be the first borne of many brethren whom the grace of God by this mediator had saued from the second death Therefore the first mans body was but animate as the Apostle witnesseth who desiring our animate bodies now from those spirituall ones that they shall become in the resurrection It is sowne in corruption saith he but
feare of the terrible 〈◊〉 following the breatch 〈◊〉 to speake in a word what reward what punishment is layd vpon disoâ—… but disobedience What is mans misery other then his owne disoâ—… to himselfe that seeing e he would not what he might now he cannot 〈◊〉 would for although that in Paradice all was not in his power during 〈◊〉 â—…dience yet then he desired nothing but what was in his power and so did 〈◊〉 would 〈◊〉 â—…w as the Scripture saith and wee see by experience man is like to vanity 〈◊〉 can recount his innumerable desires of impossibilites the flesh and the 〈◊〉 that is himselfe disobeying the will that is himselfe also for his minde 〈◊〉 â—…led his flesh payned age and death approcheth and a thousand other 〈◊〉 seaze on vs against our wills which they could not do if our nature were 〈◊〉 obedient vnto our will And the flesh suffereth g some-thing that hinâ—…â—…e seruice of the soule what skilleth it whence as long as it is Gods alâ—… iustice to whome we would not bee subiect that our flesh should not be 〈◊〉 to the soule but trouble it whereas it was subiect wholy vnto it before 〈◊〉 we in not seruing God do trouble our selues and not him for hee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…ice as wee neede our bodies and therefore it is our 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 body not any hurt to him in that wee haue made it such a body Be 〈◊〉 those that wee call fleshly paines are the soules paines in and from the flesh for what can the flesh either feele or desire without the soule But when wee say the flesh doth eyther wee meane either the man as I sayd before or some part of the soule that the fleshly passion affecteth either by sharpnesse procuring paine and griefe or by sweetnes producing pleasure But fleshly paine is onely an offence giuen to the soule by the flesh and a h dislike of that passion that the flesh produceth as that which we call sadnesse is a distast of things befalling vs against our wills But feare commonly forerunneth sadnesse that is wholly in the soule and not in the flesh But whereas the paine of the flesh is not fore-run by any fleshly feare felt in the flesh before yâ— paine i pleasure indeed is vsher'd in by certaine appetites felt in the flesh as the desires therof such is hunger thirst and the venereall affect vsually called lust whereas k lust is a general name to all affects that are desirous for l wrath is nothing but a lust of reuenge as yâ— ancient writers defined it although a maÌ„ somtimes without sence of reuenge will be angry at sencelesse things as to gag his pen in anger when it writes badly or so But euen this is a certaine desire of reuenge though it be reasonlesse it is a certaine shadow of returning euill to them that doe euill So then wrath is a lust of reuenge auarice a lust of hauing money obstinacy a lust of getting victory boasting a lust of vaine glory and many such lusts there are some peculiarly named and some namelesse for who can giue a fit name to the lust of soueraignty which notwithstanding the tyrants shew by their intestine warres that they stand well affected vnto L. VIVES 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a seruice For to be Gods seruant is to be free nay to be a King b Becomming 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…he best reading c the easinesse my friend Nicholas Valdaura told me that he had 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…hor I know not whome that the fruit that Adam eate was hurtfull to the body 〈◊〉 was rather an aggrauation of Adams sinne then any likelyhood of truth d Second man Christ called by Paule the second man of heauen heauenly as Adam the first was of earth earthly e He would not Torences saying in Andria since you cannot haue that you desire desire that which you may haue f Mind There is in the soule Mens belonging to the reasonable part and animus belonging to the sensuall wherein all this tempest of affects doth rage g Something Wearinesse and slownesse of motion whereby it cannot go cheerâ—… to worke nor continue long in action h A dislike Or a dislike of the euill procured by the passion i Pleasure Herevpon saith Epiourus Desire censureth pleasure pleasures are best being but seldome vsed saith Iunenall voluptates commendat rarior vsus k Lust 〈◊〉 a generall We shewed this out of Tully it comes of libet that extended it selfe vnto all deâ—… that are not bounded by reason l Wrath is Tusc. quest 4. Wrath is a desire to punish 〈◊〉 by whome one thinketh he is wronged It is a greeuing appetite of seeming reueng 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rhet. lib 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 euill of lust how the name is generall to many vices but proper vnto venereall concupiscence CHAP. 16. ALthough 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there be many lusts yet when we read the word 〈◊〉 alone 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the obiect we comonly take it for the vncleane 〈◊〉 of the generatiue parts For this doth sway in the whole body mouing 〈◊〉 â—…ole man without and within with such a commixtion of mentall afâ—…â—…d carnall appetite that hence is the highest bodily pleasure of all prodâ—…d So that in the very a moment of the consummation it ouer-whelâ—… almost all the light and power of cogitation And what wise and godly 〈◊〉 there who beeing marryed and knowing as the Apostle sayth how 〈◊〉 his vessell in holynesse and honour and not in the lust of concupiscence as 〈◊〉 â—…es doe which know not God had not rather if hee could begette his dâ—…n without this lust that his members might obey his minde in this acte 〈◊〉 â—…pagation as well as in the lust and be ruled by his will not compelled 〈◊〉 â—…upiscence But the louers of these carnall delightes them-selues canâ—…â—…e this affect at their wills eyther in nuptiall coniunctions or wicâ—…â—…purities The motion wil be sometimes importunate agaynst the will 〈◊〉 â—…e-times immoueable when it is desired And beeing feruent in the 〈◊〉 yet wil be frozen in the bodye Thus wondrously doth this lust sayle 〈◊〉 both in honest desire of generation and in lasciuious concupiscence â—…imes resisting the restraynt of the whole minde and some-time â—…ng it selfe which beeing wholly in the minde and no way in the boâ—…â—…e same time L. VIVES 〈◊〉 a moment Therfore Hippocrates sayd that carnal copulation was a little Epilepsy â—…ng sicknes Architas the Tarentine to shew the plague of pleasure bad one to imaâ—… man in the greatest height of pleasure that might be and auerred that none would 〈◊〉 to bee voyd of all the functions of soule and reason as long as delight lasted Of the nakednesse that our first parents discouered in them-selues after their sinne CHAP. 17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 man ashamed of this lust and iustly are those members which lust 〈◊〉 or suppresses against our wils as it lusteth called shamefull before â—…ed they were not so For it is written they were both naked and were not 〈◊〉 not that they saw
would break the law that he bound him to and forsake his Maker yet did hee not take away his freedome of election fore-seeing the good vse that hee would make of this euill by restoring man to his grace by meanes of a man borne of the condemned seed of man-kinde and by gathering so many vnto this grace as should supply the places of the falne Angels and so preserue and perhaps augment the number of the heauenly Inhabitants For euill men do much against the will of God but yet his wisedome fore-sees that all such actions as seeme to oppose his will do tend to such ends as hee fore-knew to be good and iust And therefore wheras God is said To change his will that is to turne his meeknesse into anger against some persons the change in this câ—…se is in the persons and not in him and they finde him changed in their sufferances as a sore eye findeth the sun sharp and being cured findes it comfortable wheras this change was in the eie and not in the sun which keeps his office as he did at first For Gods operation in the hearts of the obedient is said to be his will where-vppon the Apostle faith It is God that worketh in you both will and deed For euen as that righteousnesse wherein both God him-selfe is righteous and whereby also a man that is iustified of God is such is termed the righteousnes of God So also is that law which hee giueth vnto man called his law whereas it is rather pertinent vnto man then vnto him For those were men vnto whom Christ said It is written also in your law though we read else-where The law of his God is in his heart and according vnto his wil which God worketh in man him-selfe is said to wil it because he worketh it in others who do will it as he is said to know that which hee maketh the ignorant to know For whereas S. Peter saith We now knowing God yea rather being knowne of God we may not hereby gather that God came but as then to the knowledg of those who hee had predestinate before the foundations of the world but God as then is said to know that which he made knowne to others Of this phraze of speach I haue spoken I remember heretofore And according vnto this Will wherby we say that God willeth that which he maketh others to will who know not what is to come hee willeth many things and yet effecteth them not The promise of the Saints eternall blisse and the wickeds perpetuall torment CHAP. 2. FOr the Saints doe will many things that are inspired with his holy will and yet are not done by him as when they pray for any one it is not hee that causeth this their praier though he do produce this will of praier in them by his holy spirit And therfore when the Saints do will and pray according to God wee may well say that God willeth it and yet worketh it not as we say hee willeth that him-self which he maketh others to wil. But according to his eternall wil ioined with his fore-knowledge therby did he create al that he pleased in heauen and in earth and hath wrought al things already as well future as past or present But when as the time of manifestation of any thing which God fore-knoweth to come is not yet come we say It shal be when God wil if both the time be vncertaine and the thing it selfe then we say It shall be if God will not that God shall haue any other will as than then hee had before but because that shall bee then effected which his eternall vnchanging will had from al eternity ordained The promise of the Saints eternall blisse and the wickeds perpetual torment CHAP. 3. VVHerefore to omit many wordes As we see his promise to Abraham In thy seed shall all nations be blessed fulfilled in Christ so shall that be fulfilled hereafter which was promised to the said seed by the Prophet The dead shal liue euen with their bodies shall they rise And whereas he saith I will create new heauens and a new earth and the former shall not be remembred nor come into minde But be you glad and reioice in the things I shal create For behold I will create Hierusalem as a reioycing and her people as a ioy c. And by another Prophet At that time shall thy people be deliuered euery one that shall bee found written in the booke of life and many that sleepe in the dust of the earth shall awake some to euer lasting life and some to shame and perpetuall contempt And againe they shall take the kingdome of the Saintes of the most High and possesse it for euer euen for euer and euer And by and by after His Kingdome is an euerlasting kingdome c. Together with all such places as I eyther put into the twentith booke or left vntouched All these things shall come to passe and those haue already which the infidels would neuer beleeue For the same GOD promised them both euen hee whome the pagan goddes do tremble before as Porphyry a worthy Phylosopher of theirs confesseth Against the wise men of the world that hold it impossible for mans bodie to be transported vp to the dwellings of ioy iâ—… heauen CHAP. 4. BVt the learned of the world thinke that they oppose this all-conuerting power very strongly as touching the resurrection when they vse that place of Cicero in his third booke de repub Who hauing affirmed that Romulus and Hercules were both deified yet were a not their bodies saith hee translated into heauen for nature will alow an earthly body no place but in the earth This is the wise mans argument which GOD knowes how vaine it is for admit that wee were all meere spirits without bodies dwelling in heauen and beeing ignorant of all earthly creatures and it should be told vs that one day we should be bound in corporal bodies might we not then vse this obiection to more power and refuse to beleeue that nature would euer suffer an â—…ncorporeall substance to bee bound or circumscribed by a corporeall one Yet is the earth full of vegetable soules strangely combined with earthly bodies Why then cannot God that made this creature transport an earthly body into heauen as well as he can bring a soule a purer essence then any celestiall body downe from heauen and inclose it in a forme of earth Can this little peece of earth include so excellent a nature in it and liue by it and cannot heauen entertaine it nor keepe it in it seeing that it liueth by an essence more excellent then heauen it selfe is Indeed this shall not come to passe as yet because it is not his pleasure who made this that we daily see and so respect not in a far more admirable manner then that shall be which those wise men beleeue not for why is it not more strange that a most pure
miracles that the Pagans ascribe vnto their Idolds are no way comparable to the wonders wrought by our Martyrs But as Moyses ouer-threw the enchanters of Pharao so do our martyrs ouer-throw their deuills who wrought those wonders out of their owne pride onely to gaine the reputation of Gods But our Martyrs or rather GOD him-selfe through their prayers wrought vnto another end onely to confirme that faith which excludeth multitude of Gods and beleeueth but in one The Pagans built Temples to those Deuills ordeining Priests and sacrifices for them as for Gods But we build our martyrs no temples but onely erect them monuments as in memory of men departed whose spirits are at rest in God Wee erect no altars to sacrifice to them we offer onely to him who is both their God and ours at which offring those conquerors of the world as men of God haue each one his peculiar commemoration but no inuocation at all For the sacrifice is offred vnto Cod though it be in memory of them and he that offreth it is a Priest of the Lord and not of theirs and the offring is the body of the Lord which is not offred vnto them because they are that body them-selues Whose miracles shall wee then beleeue Theirs that would be accompted for Gods by those to whom they shew them or theirs which tend all to confirme our beleefe in one GOD which is CHRIST Those that would haue their filthiest acts held sacred or those that will not haue their very vertues held sacred in respect of their owne glories but referred vnto his glory who hath imparted such goodnesse vnto them Let vs beleeue them that doe both worke miracles and teach the truth for this latter gaue them power to performe the former A chiefe point of which truth is this CHRIST rose againe in the flesh and shewed the immortality of the resurrection in his owne body which hee promised vnto vs in the end of this world or in the beginning of the next Against the Platonists that oppose the eleuation of the body vp to heauen by arguments of elementary ponderosity CHAP. 11. AGainst this promise do many whose thoughts God knoweth to be vaine make oppositiō out of the nature of elements Plato their Mr. teaching them that the two most contrary bodies of the world are combined by other two meanes that is by ayre and water Therefore say they earth being lowest water next then ayre and then the heauen earth cannot possibly bee contained in heauen euery element hauing his peculiar poise and tending naturally to his proper place See with what vaine weake and weightlesse arguments mans infirmity opposeth Gods omnipotency Why then are there so many earthly bodies in the ayre ayre being the third element from earth Cannot he that gaue birds that are earthly bodyes fethers of power to sustaine them in the ayre giue the like power to glorified and immortall bodies to possesse the heauen Againe if this reason of theirs were true all that cannot flie should liue vnder the earth as fishes doe in the water Why then doe not the earthly creatures liue in the water which is the next element vnto earth but in the ayre which is the third And seeing they belong to the earth why doth the next element aboue the earth presently choake them and drowne them and the third feed and nourish them Are the elements out of order here now or are their arguments out of reason I will not stand heere to make a rehearsall of what I spake in the thirteene booke of many terrene substances of great weight as Lead Iron c. which not-with-standing may haue such a forme giuen it that it will swimme and support it selfe vpon the water And cannot God almighty giue the body of man such a forme like-wise that it may ascend and support it selfe in heauen Let them stick to their method of elements which is all their trust yet can they not tell what to say to my former assertion For earth is the lowest element and then water and ayre successiuely and heauen the fourth and highest but the soule is a fifth essence aboue them all Aristotle calleth it a fifth a body and Plato saith it is vtterly incorporeall If it were the fift in order then were it aboue the rest but being incorporeall it is much more aboue all substances corporeall What doth it then in a lumpe of earth it being the most subtile and this the most grosse essence It being the most actiue and this the most vnweeldy Cannot the excellencie of it haue power to lift vp this Hath the nature of the body power to draw downe a soule from heauen and shall not the soule haue power to carry the body thether whence it came it selfe And now if we should examine the miracles which they parallell with those of our martyrs wee should finde proofes against themselues out of their owne relations One of their greatest ones is that which Varro reports of a vestall votaresse who being suspected of whoredome filled a Siue with the water of Tiber and carried it vnto her Iudges with-out spilling a drop Who was it that kept the water in the siue so that not one droppe passed through those thousand holes Some God or some Diuell they must needs say Well if hee were a God is hee greater then hee that made the world if then an inferiour God Angell or Deuill had this power to dispose thus of an heauie element that the very nature of it seemed altered cannot then the Almighty maker of the whole world take away the ponderosity of earth and giue the quickned body an hability to dwell in the same place that the quickning spirit shall elect And where-as they place the ayre betweene the fire aboue and the water beneath how commeth it that wee often-times finde it betweene water and water or betweene water and earth for what will they make of those watry clowds betweene which and the sea the ayre hath an ordinary passage What order of the elements doth appoint that those flouds of raine that fall vpon the earth below the ayre should first hang in the clowds aboue the ayre And why is ayre in the midst betweene the heauen and the earth if it were as they say to haue the place betweene the heauens and the waters as water is betweene it and the earth And lastly if the elements bee so disposed as that the two meanes ayre and water doe combine the two extreames fire and earth heauen being in the highest place and earth in the lowest as the worlds foundation and therefore say they impossible to bee in heauen what doe wee then with fire here vpon earth for if this order of theirs bee kept inuiolate then as earth cannot haue any place in fire no more should fire haue any in earth as that which is lowest cannot haue residence aloft no more should that which is aloft haue residence below But we see this order renuersed We haue fire
for the thing it selfe and a flaggon a set in Libers 〈◊〉 to signifie wine taking the continent for the contained so by that huâ—… shape the reasonable soule in the like included might bee expressed of 〈◊〉 â—…ure they say that God or the gods are These are the mysticall doctrines 〈◊〉 â—…is sharpe witt went deepe into and so deliuered But tell mee thou accâ—…n hast thou lost that iudgement in these mysteries that made thee say that they that first made Images freed the Cittie from all awe and added error to error and that the old Romaines serued the gods in better order without any statues at all They were thy authors for that thou spokest against their successors For had they had statues also perhaps feare would haue made thee haue suppressed thy opinion of abolishing Images and haue made thee haue sought further for these vaine Mythologies and figments for thy soule so learned and so ingenious which we much bewaile in thee by being so ingratefull to that God by whom not with whom it was made nor was a part of him but a thing made by him who is not the life of all things but all lifes maker could neuer come to his knowledge by these mysteries But of what nature and worth they are let vs see Meane time this learned man affirmeth the worlds soule intirely to bee truly God so that all his Theologie being naturall extendeth it selfe euen to the nature of the reasonable soule Of this naturall kinde hee speaketh briefly in his booke whence we haue this wherein wee must see whether all his mysticall wrestings can bring the naturall to the ciuill of which he discourseth in his last booke of the select Gods if he can all shall be naturall And then what need hee bee so carefull in their distinction But if they be rightly diuided seeing that the naturall that he liketh so of is not true for hee comes but to the soule not to God that made the soule how much more is the ciuill kinde vntrue and subiect that is all corporall and conuersant about the body as his owne interpretations being dilligently called out shall by my rehearsall make most apparent L. VIVES FLaggon a Oenophorum of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wine and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to carry Iuuenall vseth the word Sat. 6. and Apuleius Asin. l. 2. 8. and Martiall Pliny saith it was a worke of the rare painter Praxitales but he meanes a boy bearing wine Beroaldus out of this place gathereth that they vsed to set a flaggon of wine in Bacchus temple It is more then hee can gather hence though it may be there was such an vse Of Varro his opinion that God was the soule of the world and yet had many soules vnder him in his parts all which were of the diuine nature CHAP. 6. THe same Varro speaking further of this Physicall Theology a saith that he holds God to be the soule of the world which the Greekes call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and b that this world is God But as a whole man body and soule is called wise of the soule onely so is the world called God in respect of the soule onely being both soule and body Here seemingly he confesseth one God but it is to bring in more for so he diuides the world into heauen and earth heauen into the ayre and the skie earth into land and water all which foure parts he filles with soules the skye c highest the ayre next then the water and then the earth the soules of the first two hee maketh immortall the latter mortall The space betweene the highest heauen and the Moone hee fills with soules ethereall and starres affirming that they both are and seeme celestiall Gods d Betweene the Moone and the toppes of the windes he bestoweth ayry soules but inuisible saue to the minde calling them Heroes Lares and Genij This he briefly recordeth in his prologue to his naturall Theologie which pleased not him alone but many Philosophers more whereof with Gods helpe we will discourse at full when wee handle the ciuill Theologie as it respecteth the select gods L. VIVES THeology a saith The Platonists Stoiks Pythagorians and the Ionikes before them all held God to bee a soule but diuersly Plato gaue the world a soule and made them conioyned god But his other god his Mens he puts before this later as father to him The Stoikes and hee agree that agree at all Thales and Democritus held the worlds soule the highest god b That this Plato the Stoikes and many Phylosophers held this c Skie the highest Aristotle puts the fire aboue the ayre and the heauen the Platonists held the heauen to be fiery and therefore called Aether And that the ayre next it was a hurtlesse fire kindled by it This many say that Plato heldâ—… following Pythagoras who made the vniuersall globe of 4. bodies But Uarro heere maketh ayre to be next heauen as the Stoikes did especially and others also Though the Platoâ—… and they differ not much nor the Peripatetiques if they speak as they meane and be rightly vnderstood But aether is the aire as well as the skie and fire as caelum is in latine Virgil. Illa leuem fugiens raptim secat aethera pennis With swift-wing'd speede she cuts the yeelding aire a 〈◊〉 the moone The first region of the Ayre Aristotle in his Physicks ending at the toppe of the cloudes the second contayning the cloudes thunder rayne hayle and snowâ—… the 〈◊〉 from thence to the Element of fire Whether it stand with reason that Ianus and Terminus should bee two godees CHAP. 7. I 〈◊〉 therfore whome I begun with what is he The a world Why this is a plaine and brief answer but why hath b he the rule and beginnings then and another one Terminus of the ends For therfore they haue two c months dedicated to them Ianuary to Ianus and February to Terminus And so the d Terminaâ—… then kept when the e purgatory sacrifice called f Februm was also kept 〈◊〉 the moneth hath the name Doth then the beginning of things belong to the â—…ld to Ianus and not the end but vnto another Is not al things beginning 〈◊〉 world to haue their end also therein What fondnesse is this to giue him 〈◊〉 â—…se a power and yet a double face were it not better g to call that double-faced statue both Ianus and Terminus and to giue the beginnings one face and the 〈◊〉 another because he that doth an act must respect both For in all actions 〈◊〉 that regardeth not the beginning fore-seeth not the end So that a respectiue memory and a memoratiue prouidence must of force go together But if they imagine that blessednes of life is but begun and not ended in this world and that therefore the world Ianus is to haue but power of the beginnings why then they should put Terminus amongst the selected gods before him For though they were both imploied about one subiect yet Terminus should haue
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
the reasonable soules which are parts in that order of nature are not to bee held for goddes Nor ought it to be subiect to those things ouer which God hath giuen it superiority Away with those thinges also which Numa buryed beeing pertinent to these religious ordinances and beeing afterwards turned vp by a plough were by the Senate buryed And those also to fauor our suspition of Numa Which Alexander the great wrote b to his Mother that hee hadde learned of Leon an Aegiptian Priest Where not onely Picus Faunus Aeneas Romulus Hercules A◅sculapius Bacchus Castor and Pollux and other mortal men whome they hadde for their goddes but euen the c gods of the greater families whom Tully not naming them though seemes to touch at in his Tusculane Questions Iupiter Iuno Saturne Vulcan Vesta and many other which Varro would make nothing but Elements and parts of the world there are they all shewne to haue beene but men For the Priest fearing the reuealing of these misteries warned Alexander that as soone as his Mother hadde read them hee should burne them So not all this fabulous and ciuill Theology shall giue place to the Platonists who held a true God the author of all thinges the clearer of all doubtes and the giuer of all goodnes but euen the other Phylosophers also whose grosse bodily inuentions held the worlds beginning to be bodily let al these giue place to those good god-conceiuing men let Thales depart with his water Anaximenes with the ayre the Stoikes with their d fire Epicurus with his Atomes his indiuisible and in sensible bodies and all other that now are not for vs to recount who placed natures originall in bodies eyther simple compound quicke or dead for there were e some and the Epicureans were they that held a possibility of producing the quicke out of the dead f others would produce out of the quick some things quick and some dead yet all bodily as of a body produced But the Stoikes held g the fire one of this visible worldes foure elements to bee wise liuing the Creator of the world whole and part yea euen God him-selfe Now these their fellowes followed euen the bare surmises of their owne fleshly opinions in these assertions For h they hadde that in them which they saw not and thought that to bee in them which they saw externally nay which they saw not but imagined onely now this in the sight of such a thought is no body but a bodies likenesse But that where-with our minde seeth seeth this bodyes likenesse is neither body nor likenesse and that which discerneth the other iudging of the deformity or beauty of it is more beautious then that which it iudgeth of This is the nature of mans minde and reasonable soule which is no body nor is the bodies likenesse revolued in the minde a body either So then it is neyther fire ayre water nor earth of which foure bodies which wee call Elements this visible World is composed Now if our soule bee no body how can God that made it bee a body So then let these giue place to the Platonists and i those also that shamed to say God was a body and yet would make him of the same essence that our s◅es ar being not moued by the soules mutability which it were vile to ascribe vnto God I but say they k the body it is that alters the soule of it self it is immutable So might they say that it is a body that woundeth the body for of it selfe it is invulnerable That which is immutable nothing externall can change But that that any body alters is not vnchangeable because it is externally alterable L. VIVES THey a make A difference of reading but not worthy the noting b Wrote this Cyprian affirming al y◠Pagan gods were men saith that this is so Alexander writeth in a famous volume to hi◅ mother that the feare of his power made such secrets of the gods to bee reuealed vnto him by that Pries◅ that they were he saw now nothing else but ancient kinges whose memories vsed to be kept at first and afterwards grew to sacrifices De Idoll Vanitate c Gods of the Tarquinius Pris◅s fist King of Rome added 100. Senators to the ancient Senate and these were called the fathers of the lesser families the former of the greater which phraze Tully vseth metaphorically for the ancient confirmed gods If we should seeke the truth of Greeke authors saith Tully euen these goddes of the greater families would be found to haue gone from vs here ◅n earth vp into heauen Thus farre he Tusc. Quaest. 1. Teaching the soules immortallity which beeing loosed from the body shall be such as they who are adored for gods Such were Romulus Hercules Bacchus c. And thus is heauen filled almost ful with men Tully also elsewhere calleth such gods of the greater families as haue alwaies bene held celestiall In Legib. Those that merit heauen he calleth Gods ascript d Fire Cic. de nat deor The Stoikes hold al actiue power fire following it seemes Heraclitus And Zeno their chiefe defineth the nature that he held for god to be a fire artificiall generatiue and moouing e Some The Epicureans held all men and each thing else to come out of Atomes flying about at randome and knitting together by chance f Others So the old Manuscripts do read it g Held the fire Cic. de ◅t de◅ h They had that They could not conceiue the soule to be incorporeall but corporall onely nor vniuersally that but sensible onely And it is triuiall in the Shooles Nothing is in the ◅derstanding that was not first in the sence That is our minde conceiueth but what is circumscribed with a body sensible or an obiect of our sence So we conceit incorporeall things corporally and corporall things neuer seene by imagination and cogitation of such or such formes as we haue seene As one that neuer saw Rome but thinkes of it he imagineth it hath walls churches buildings or such-like as he hath seene at Paris Louvaine Valencia or elsewhere Further Augustine teacheth that the thoughts are incorporeall and that the mindes internall sences which produce thoughts are both before thoughts and thinges them-selues which sences internal God being the Creator of must needs be no body but a power more excellent then al other bodies or soules i Those also Cic. de nat deor l. 1. for Pythagoras that held God to be a soule continuate diffused through al nature neuer marked the perturbations our soules are subiect to by which were God such he should be distracted and disturbed when the soules were wretched as many are so should god be also which is impossible but Plato deriued our soules frō the substance of the stars if they died yong he affirmed their returne theth◅ again each to the star whence it came and that as the stars were composed of the 4. Ele◅ so we◅e the soules but in a
far different manner then that composition of the bodies k The body Vâ—…gil Georg. 4. Aeneid 6. reciteth Pythagoras his opinion singing of God that is the worlds soule whence each one drawes a life at his originall and returnes it at his death But because it may be doubted how all soules haue one originall sence one vnderstandeth better then another and vseth reason more perfectly this difference he held did proceed from the body and not from the soules For these are his wordes Principâ—… Calum at Terras Camposque liquentes â—…temque Globune terrae Titaniaque astra Spâ—…s intus alit totamque infusa per artus Mens agiâ—…at moleâ—… magno se corpore miscet c. Heauen Earth and Sea each in his proper bound The Moones bright globe and all the spangled round A spirit within doth feed doth mooue and passe Through euery parcell of this spatious masse All â—…hich is explayned at full by Seruius the Gramarian Porphyry confesseth with Pythagoras 〈◊〉 the soule suffereth with the body whose affects good or bad redound in part vnto the 〈◊〉 yet denieth hee that they alter the soules nature De sacrificijs lib. 4. How the platonists conceiued of the naturall part of Phylosophy CHAP. 6. WHerefore ' these Phylosophers whom fame we see hath worthily preferred 〈◊〉 before the rest did wel perceiue that God was a no bodily thing therfore paâ—…â—…rther then al bodies in this inuestigatioÌ„ they saw that no b mutable thing 〈◊〉 and therfore went further then al mutable spirits and soules to seek for 〈◊〉 â—…gain they saw that c al formes of mutable things whereby they are what 〈◊〉 of what nature soeuer they be haue originall from none but him that is 〈◊〉 vnchangeable Consequently neither the body of this vniuerse the fiâ—…â—…alities motions and Elements nor the bodies in them all from heauen to 〈◊〉 â—…her vegetatiue as trees or sensitiue also as beasts or reasonable also as 〈◊〉 those that need no nutriment but subsist by them-selues as the Angels 〈◊〉 being but from him who hath only simple being For in him d to be and 〈◊〉 â—…ffer not as if he might haue being without life neither to liue and to 〈◊〉 â—…d as if he could haue life without intellect nor to vnderstand and to bee 〈◊〉 â—…s if he could haue the one and not the other But his life vnderstanâ—… beatitude are all but his being From this invariable and simple essence 〈◊〉 they gathered him to bee the vncreated Creator of all existence For they 〈◊〉 â—…ed that all thinges are eyther body or life that the e life excelleth the 〈◊〉 â—…hat sensibility is but a species of the body but vnderstanding of the life 〈◊〉 â—…fore they preferred intellect before sence Sensible things are those 〈◊〉 to be seen or touched Intelligible can only be vnderstood by the minde 〈◊〉 is no bodily sweetnesse be it in the body as beauty or in motion as 〈◊〉 â—…ll song but the minde doth iudge therof which it could not doe if this 〈◊〉 â—…ere not in it more excellent then eyther in that quantity of body or 〈◊〉 â—…se of voyces and keeping of tones and times Yet if it were not mutable 〈◊〉 â—…ld not iudge better then another of these sensible species nor one be wittiâ—…â—…inger or more exercised then another but he that began after should 〈◊〉 much as he that learned before and he that profited after should bee vnâ—… from his ignorance before but that which admitteth maiority or minoriâ—… angeable doubtlesse And therfore these learned men did well obserue 〈◊〉 first forme of things could not haue existence in a subiect mutable And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 beholding degrees of diuersity in the formes of soules and bodies and 〈◊〉 the seperation of al forme from theÌ„ directly destroied theÌ„ this infered aneâ—…ty of some vnchangeable and consequently an all-excelling forme this they 〈◊〉 the beginning of all thinges vncreated all creating exceeding right This 〈◊〉 they knew of God he did manifest vnto them by teaching them the graduâ—…â—…emplation of his parts invisible by his workes visible as also his eternity â—…inity who created all things both visible and temporary Thus much of 〈◊〉 Physiology or naturall Phylosophy L. VIVES GOD a was no body This Alcinous in Plato's doctrine argueth thus If God were a 〈◊〉 hee should haue substance and forme for so haue all bodies being like the Idea's wherein they haâ—…e a secret resemblance But to say God hath substance and forme is absurd for he should â—…thor be the beginning nor vncompounded Therefore hee hath no body Besides euery body is of some substance What then shall GOD bee of fire or ayre earth or water Nor of these are beginnings but rather haue a later being then the substance whereof they consist â—…ut these are blasphemies the truth is GOD is incorporeall If he were a body hee were generated and therefoâ—…e corruptible But farre are those thinges from GOD. Thus farre Alcinous b No mutable Plato in Timaeus calls God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c one the same and alwaies like him-selfe as Tully translates it Alcinous saith hee must needes bee an intelligible substance Of which kind the soule is better theâ—… what is not the soule but the power that is perpetually actual excelleth that which is potentiall such therefore is God c All formes In Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so Tully others interprete it d To bee and to liue Alcinous saith that God is supreme eternall ineffable selfe-perfect needing nothing eternally absolute Deity cause of all bâ—…ing truth harmony good and all these in one and one For I count them not as dis-ioyned but coessentiall And a little â—…ter he saith that God is incomprehensible onely apparant to the thought but conteyned vnder no kinde what-soeuer not definable nor specificall nor subiect to any accident to say hee is euill were wickednesse and to say hee is good is insufficient for then hee should participate of goodnesse but hee hath neyther difference nor accident This opinion did Dionisius the Diuine follow denying wisedome life or vnderstanding to be in god For these are the names of particular perfections which are not in God This seemes to bee grounded on Plato's wordes in Phadon that all good is such by participation of good but there hee excepteth true good that is doubtlesse God the Idea and essence of all beautifull goodnesse e Life excelleth He cals the soule life as Aristotle doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 perfection or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 any thing eternally actuall both may bee said of the soule But Plato speaking of soules meaneth it seemes onely the rationall The excellency of the Platonists aboue the rest in logicke CHAP. 7. NOw as concerning the other part of their a doctrine called logicke farre bee it from vs to ioyne them in comparison with those fellowes that fetched the iudgement of truth from the bodily sences and held all things to bee swayed by their false and
these deuills thus 〈◊〉 Men ioying a in reason perfect in speach mortall in body immortall in 〈◊〉 â—…onate and vnconstant in minde brutish and fraile in body of discrepant conâ—…â—…d conformed errors of impudent boldnesse of bold hope of indurate labour 〈◊〉 â—…taine fortune perticularly mortâ—…ll generally eternall propagating one anoâ—… of life slowe of wisdome sudden of death and discontented in life these dwell 〈◊〉 In these generals common to many he added one that he knew was false 〈◊〉 b slowe of wisdome which had he omitted hee had neglected to perfect â—…ription For in his description of the gods heâ—… saith that that beatitude 〈◊〉 men doe seeke by wisdome excelleth in them so had hee thought of any 〈◊〉 deuills their definition should haue mentioned it either by shewing them â—…ticipate some of the gods beatitude or of mans wisdome But hee hath no â—…ion betweene them and wretches though hee bee fauourable in discoueâ—…â—…eir maleuolent natures not so much for feare of them as their seruants 〈◊〉 â—…ould read his positions To the wise hee leaues his opinion open inough 〈◊〉 â—…hat theirs should bee both in his seperation of the gods from all temâ—… of affect and therein from the spirits in all but eternitie and in his â—…tion that their mindes were like mens not the gods nay and that not 〈◊〉 wisedome which men may pertake with the gods but in being proue to passions which rule both in the wicked and the witlesse but is ouer ruled by the wise man yet so as hee had c rather want it then conquer it for if hee seeke to make the diuells to communicate with the gods in eternity of mind onely not of body then should hee not exclude man whose soule hee held eternall as well as the rest and therefore hee saith that man is a creature mortall in body and immortall in soule L. VIVES IOying a in reason Or contending by reason Cluentes of Cluo to striue b Slow Happy â—…s hee that getts to true knowledge in his age Plato c Rather want A wise man hath rathâ—… haue no passions of mind but seeing that cannot be he taketh the next course to keepe theâ—… vnder and haue them still in his power Whether the ayry spirits can procure a man the gods friendships CHAP. 9. WHerfore if men by reason of their mortal bodies haue not that participation of eternity with the gods that these spirits by reason of their immortall bodiâ—… haâ—…e what mediators can their be between the gods men that in their best part their soule are worse then men and better in the worst part of a creature the body for all creatures consisting of body and soule haue the a soule for the better part bee it neuer so weake and vicious and the body neuer so firme and perfect because it is of a more excelling nature nor can the corruption oâ—… vice deiect it to the basenesse of the body but like base gold that is dearer thâ—… the best siluer so farre doth it exceed the bodies worth Thus then those ioly mediators or posts from heauen to earth haue eternity of body with the gods and corruption of soule with the mortalls as though that religion that must make god and man to meete were rather corporall then spirituall But what guilt or sentence hath hung vp those iugling intercedents by the heeles and the head downeward that their lower partes their bodies participate with the higher powers and their higher their soules with the lower holding correspondence with the Gods in their seruile part and with mortalls in their principall for the body as Salust saith is the soules slaue at least should bee in the true vse and hee proceeds the one wee haue common with beasts the other with gods speaking of man whose body is as mortall as a beasts Now those whome the Philosophers haue put betweene the gods and vs may say thus also Wee hâ—… body and soule in community with gods and men but then as I said they are bound with their heeles vpward hauing their slauish body common with the gods and their predominant soule common with wretched men their worst part aloft and their best vnderfoote wherefore if any one thinke them eternall with the gods because they neuer die the death with creatures let vs not vnderstand their boâ—… to bee the eternall pallace wherein they are blessed but b the eternall priâ—… wherein they are damned and so he thinketh as he should L. VIVES THâ—… 〈◊〉 a fâ—… For things inherent neuer change their essentiall perfection and I do wondâ—… that 〈◊〉 the Peripatetique schoole of Paris would make any specificall difference of souleâ—… b Dâ—… Not in the future tence for they are damned euersince their fall Ploâ—…ines opinion that men are lesse wretched in their mortality then the diâ—…lls are in their eternity CHAP. 10. IT is said that Plâ—… that liued but a lately vnderstood Plato the best of any Hee seaking of mens soules saith thus b The father out of his mercy bound them 〈◊〉 fâ—…r a season So that in that mens bonds their bodies are mortal he impuâ—… it â—…o God the fathers mercy thereby freeing vs from the eternall tediousâ—… of this life Now the deuills wickednesse is held vnworthy of this fauour 〈◊〉 passiue soules haue eternall prisons not temporall as mens are for they 〈◊〉 happier then men had they mortall bodies with vs and blessed soules with the Gods And mens equalls were they if they had but mortall bodies to their â—…hed soules and then could worke them-selues rest after death by faith and 〈◊〉 But as they are they are not only more vnhappy then man in the wretchednesse of soules but far more in eternity of bondage in their bodies c hee would 〈◊〉 haue men to vnderstand that they could euer come to bee gods by any grace or wisdome seeing that he calleth them eternall diuells L. VIVES Bâ—… a Lately In Probus his time not 200. yeares ere Honâ—…rius his raigne In Plotine 〈◊〉 saith him thought Plato's academy reuiued Indeed hee was the plainest and puâ—… â—…ists that euer was Plato and Plotinus Princes of the Philosophers Macrob. Porphiry 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wrot his life and prefixed it vnto Plotines workes b The father Plato said this of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gods in Timaeo but Plotine saith it was the mercy of yâ— father to free maÌ„ from this liues 〈◊〉 his words are these Ioue the father pitying our soules laâ—…s prefixed an expiration 〈◊〉 â—…ds wherein wee labour and granted certaine times for vs to remaine without bodies there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 worlds soule râ—…leth eternally out of all this trouble De dub animae c For hee Apuleius 〈◊〉 â—…th that which followeth 〈◊〉 the Platonists that held mens soules to become Daemones after death CHAP. 11. 〈◊〉 saith a also that mens soules are Daemones and become b Lares if their 〈◊〉 be good if euill c Lemures goblins if different d Manes But â—…tious this opinion is to all goodnesse who sees not for be men neuer so â—…ous
and in discourse he that repeateth one thing twise of one fashion procureth loathing but vary it a thousand wayes and it will stil passe pleasing This is taught in Rhetorike And it is like that which Q. Flamâ—…ius in Liuie saith of the diuers sauces Therfore the types of the old law that signified one thing were diuers that men might apprehend the future saluation with lesse surfet and the 〈◊〉 persons amongst so many might find one wherby to conceiue what was to come Of the power giuen to the diuels to the greater gloryfying of the Saints that haue suffered martyrdome and conquered the ayry spirits not by appeasing them but adhering to God CHAP. 21. THe Diuells hadde a certayne temporary power allowed them whereby to excite such as they possessed against GODS Citty and both to accept sacrifices of the willing offerers and to require them of the vnwilâ—…g yea euen to extort them by violent plagues nor was this at all preiudicial but very commodious for the Church that the number of Mar tirs might bee fulfilled whom the Citty of God holds so much the dearer because they speâ—… their blood for it against the power of impiety these now if the church admiâ—… the words vse we might worthily call our a Heroes For this name came from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iuno and therefore one of her sonnes I know not which was called Heâ—… the mistery beeing that Iuno was Queene of the ayre where the Heroes the well deseruing soules dwell with the Daemones But ours if wee might vse the word should be called so for a contrary reason namely not for dwelling with the Daemones in the ayre but for conquering those Daemones those aereall powers and in them all that is called Iuno whome it was not for nothing that the Poets made so enuious and such an opposite to c good men beeing deified for their vertue But vnhappily was Virgill ouer-seene in making her first to say Aeneas conquers men and then to bring in Helenus warning Aeneas as his ghostly father in these wordes Iunoni cane vota libens dominamque potentem Supplicibus supera donis Purchas'd great Iunos d wrath with willing prayers and e conquer'd her with humble gifts And therfore Porphyry though not of him-selfe holds that a good God or Genius neuer commeth to a man till the bad be appeased as if it were of more poweâ—… then the other seeing that the bad can hinder the good for working and must be intreated to giue them place wheras the good can do no good vnlesse the others list and the others can do mischeefe maugre their beards This is no tract of true religion our Martirs do not conquer Iuno that is the ayry powers that mallice their vertues on this fashion Our Heroes If I may say so conquer noâ—… Herâ—… by humble gifts but by diuine vertues Surely f Scipio deserued the name of African rather for conquering Africa then for begging or buying his honour of his foes L. VIVES Our a Heroes Plato in his order of the gods makes some lesse then ayry Daemones and more then men calling them demi-gods now certainly these bee the Heroes for so 〈◊〉 they called that are begotten of a god and a mortall as Hercules Dionysius Aeneas Aescâ—…pius Romulus and such one of whose parents being a god they would not call them bare men but somewhat more yet lesse then the Daemones And so holds Iamblicus Hierocles the Sâ—… relating Pythagoras his verses or as some say Philolaus his saith that Angels and Heroes as Pâ—…to saith are both included in the ranke of Daemones the celestiall are Angels the earthly Heâ—… the meane Daemones But Pythagoras held quoth he that the goddes sonnes were called Heâ—… Daemones And so they are in that sence that Hesiod cals the men of the golden age Terâ—… Daemones for hee putteth a fourth sort of men worse then the golden ones but better then the third sort for the Heroes But these and the other also he calleth men and Semi-gods saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A blessed kinde of Heroes they were Surnamed Semi-gods To wit those yâ— Plato meaneth for these ar more ancient venerable then they that â—…ailed 〈◊〉 Iason in the fatal ship sought in the war of Troy For Hesiod cals theÌ„ warlike and thence 〈◊〉 Meâ—…der saith were they held wrathful violent if any one went by their temples called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 must passe in reuerend silence least hee should anger the Heroes and set altogether by the â—…es And many such temples were erâ—…cted in Greece 〈◊〉 mentioneth diuers to Vlissâ—…s Tâ—…talus and Acrisius The Latines hadde them also Plin. lib. 19. mentioneth of one Plaâ—…o deriues Heros of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Loue because the loue betweene a god or goddesse and a mortall produced the Heroes Some draw it from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to speake because they were eloquent states-men Hierocles allowes the deriuation from loue but not in respect of the birth but their singular loue of the gods inciting vs to the like For Iaâ—…blichus saies they rule ouer men giuing vs life reason guarding and freeing our soules at pleasure But we haue showne these to be the powers of the soule and each one is his owne Daemon Some deriue it from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 earth they being earthly Daemones For so Hesiod calleth the good soules departed and Pythagoras also bidding 〈◊〉 â—…orship the earthly Daemones Homers interpretor liketh this deriuation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith he in one language is earth and of earth was mankind made Capella Nupt. lib. 2. sayth that all between vs and the Moone is the Kingdome of the Manes and father Dis. But in the highest part are the Heroes and the Manes below them and those Heroes or semi-gods haue soules and holy mindes in mens formes and are borne to the worlds great good So was Hercules Dionys Tryptoleâ—…s c. and therefore the name comes of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iuno because shee rules the ayre whither the good soules ascend as Hierocles witnesseth in these verses of Pythagoras or Philolaus relating their opinion herein 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If quit from earthly drosse to heau'n thou soare Then shalt thou be a God and dye no more But Plato thinketh them to become Sea-goddes I beleeue because hee holdes them grosser bodyed then the Daemones whome he calleth purely aâ—…reall and so thought fitte to giue them hâ—…bitation in the most appropin quate part of nature the water Hera also the Latines vse for a Lady or a Queene Vâ—…rg Aen. 3. and so Heroes if it deriue from Hera may bee taken for â—…ords or Kinges b One of her sonnes I thinke I haue read of this in the Greeke commentaâ—…es but I cannot remember which these things as I said before are rather pertinent to chance then schollership c Good mens As to Hercules Dionysius and Aeneas d Great The translation of Hera For Proserpina whom
should be saued and who should be damned CHAP. 27. BVt now because we must end this booke let this bee our position that in the first man the fore-said two societies or cities had originall yet not euidentlie but vnto Gods prescience for from him were the rest of men to come some to be made fellow cittizens with the Angels in ioy and some with the Deuils in torment by the secret but iust iudgment of God For seeing that it is written All the wayes of the Lord bee mercy and truth his grace can neither bee vniust nor his iustice cruell Finis lib. 12. THE CONTENTS OF THE thirteenth booke of the City of God 1. Of the first Mans fall and the procurement of mortality 2. Of the death that may befall the immortal soule and of the bodies death 3. Whether death propagated vnto all men from the first bee punishment of sinne to the Saints 4. Why the first death is not with-held from the regenerate from sinne by grace 5. As the wicked vse the good law euill so the good vse death which is euill well 6. The generall euill of that death that seuereth soule and body 7. Of the death that such as are not regenerate doe suffer for Christ. 8. That the Saints in suffering the first death for the truth are quit from the second 9. Whether a man at the houre of his death may be said to be among the dead or the dying 10. Whether this mortall life be rather to bee called death then life 11. Whether one may bee liuing and dead both together 12. Of the death that God threatned to punish the first man withall if he transgressed 13. What punishment was first laid on mans preuarication 14. In what state God made Man and into what state he fell by his voluntary choyce 15. That Adam forsooke God ere God forsooke him and that the soules first death was the departure from God 16. Of the Philosophers that held corporall death not to bee penall whereas Plato brings in the Creator promising the lesser Gods that they should neuer leaue their bodies 17. Against the opinion that earthly bodies cannot be corruptible nor eternall 18. Of the terrene bodies which the Philosophers hold cannot bee in heauen but must fall to earth by their naturall weight 19 Against those that hold that Man should not haue beene immortall if hee had not sinned 20. That the bodies of the Saints now resting in hope shall become better then our first fathers was 21. Of the Paradice when our first parents were placed and that it may be taken spiritually also with-out any wrong to the truth of the historie as touching the reall place 22. That the Saints bodies after resurrection shall bee spirituall and yet not changed into spirits 23. Of bodies animate and spirituall these dying in Adam and those beeing quickned in Christ. 24. How Gods breathing a life into Adam and Christs breathing vpon his Apostles when hee said Receiue the holy spirit are to bee vnderstood FINIS THE THIRTEENTH BOOKE OF THE CITTIE OF GOD Written by Saint Augustine Bishop of Hippo vnto Marcellinus Of the first Mans fall and the procurement of mortalitie CHAP. 1. HAuing gotten through the intricate questions of the worlds originall and man-kindes our methode now calleth vs to discourse of the first mans fall nay the first fall of both in that kind and consequently of the originall and propagation of our mortality for God made not man as he did Angels that though they sinned yet could not dye but so as hauing a performed their course in obedience death could not preuent them from partaking for euer of blessed and Angelicall immortality but hauing left this course death should take them into iust damnation as we said in the last booke L. VIVES HAuing a performed Euery man should haue liued a set time vpon earth and then being confirmed in nature by tasting of the tree of life haue beene immortally translated into heauen Here are many questions made first by Augustine and then by Lombard dist 2. What mans estate should haue beene had he not sinned but these are modest and timerous inquirers professing they cannot finde what they seeke But our later coments vpon Lumbard flie directly to affirmatiue positions vpon very coniectures or grounds of nature I heare them reason but I see them grauelled and in darknesse where yet they will not feele before them ere they goe but rush on despight of all break-neck play What man hath now wee all know to our cost what he should haue had it is a question whether Adam knew and what shall we then seeke why should we vse coniectures in a things so transcendent that it seemes miraculous to the heauens as if this must follow natures lawes which would haue amazed nature had it had existence then What light Augustine giues I will take and as my power and duty is explaine the rest I will not meddle with Of the death that may befall the immortall soule and of the bodyes death CHAP. 2. BVt I see I must open this kinde of death a little plainer For mans soule though it be immortall dyeth a kinde of death a It is called immortall because it can neuer leaue to bee liuing and sensitiue and the body is mortall because it may be destitute of life and left quite dead in it selfe But the death of the soule is when God leaueth it the death of the body is when the soule leaueth it so that the death of both is when the soule being left of God leaueth the body And this death is seconded by that which the Scripture calles the b second death This our Sauiour signified when hee said feare him which is able to destroy both body and soule in hell which comming not to passe before the body is ioyned to the soule neuer to be seperated it is strange that the body can be sayd to die by that death which seuereth not the soule from it but torments them both together For that â—…all paine of which wee will speake here-after is fitly called the soules deaâ—… because it liueth not with God but how is it the bodies which liueth with the soule for otherwise it could not feele the corporall paines that expect it after the resurrection is it because all life how-so-euer is good and all paine euill that the body is said to dye wherein the soule is cause of sorrow rather then life Therefore the soule liueth by God when it liueth well for it cannot liue without God working good in it and the body liueth by the soule when the soule liueth in the body whether it liue by God or no. For the wicked haue liâ—…â—…body but none of soule their soules being dead that is forsaken of God lâ—…g power as long as their immortall proper life failes not to afforde them 〈◊〉 but in the last damnation though man bee not insensitiue yet this sence of 〈◊〉 â—…ing neither pleasing nor peacefull but sore and
first forsaken of Gods grace and confounded with his ownenakednesse and so with the figge leaues the first perhaps that came to hand they couered their nakednesse aâ—…d shame their members were before as they were then but they were not a shameful before whereas now they felt a new motion of their disobedient flesh as the reciprocal b punishment of their disobedience for the soule being now delighted with peruerse liberty and scorning to serue GOD could not haue the body at the former command hauing willingly forsaken GOD the superior iâ—… could not haue the inferior so seruiceable as it desired nor had the flesh subiect as it might haue had alwaies had it selfe remained Gods subiect For then the flesh beganne to couet and contend against the spirit and c with this contention are wee all borne d drawing death from our originall and bearing natures corruption and contention or victory in our members L. VIVES NOt a shamefull Not filthy nor procuring shame they had not beene offenside had wee 〈◊〉 sinned but had had the same vse that or feete our hands now but hauing offended there was an obscaene pleasure put in them which maketh them to bee ashamed of and couered b Reciprocall Which disobedience reflected vpon them as they obeied not GOD to 〈◊〉 nature subiected them so should they finde a rebell one of the members against the rule of reason d With this Some bookes ads some-thing here but it is needlesse d Drawing 〈◊〉 That is vpon the first sinne arose this contention betweene the minde and their affects which is perpetually in vs wherein the minde is some-times victor and some-times 〈◊〉 some read without victory implying that the affections cannot be so suppressed but then they will still rebell against reason and disturbe it This is the more subtile sence and seemeth best to mee In what state GOD made Man and into what state hee feil by his voluntary choice CHAP. 14. FOr GOD the Creator of nature and not of vice made man vpright who being willingly depraued and iustly condemned be got all his progeny vnder the 〈◊〉 deprauation and condemnation for in him were we all when as he beeing â—…ced by the woman corrupted a vs all by her that before sinne was made of himselfe VVee had not our perticular formes yet but there was he seede of 〈◊〉 naturall propagation which beeing corrupted by sinne must needs produce man of that same nature the slaue to death the obiect of iust condeÌ„nation and therefore this came from the bad vsing of b free will thence aroâ—… all this teame of calamity drawing al men on into misery excepting Gods Saints froÌ„ their corrupted originall euen to the beginning of the second death which hath no end L. VIVES COrrupted a vs all A diuersity of reading Augustines meaning is that we being all potentially in hm and hee beeing corrupted by sinne therefore wee arising all from him as our first fountaine draw the corruption a long with vs also b Free will For our first parents abused the freedome of it hauing power aswell to keepe Gods hests eternally as to breake them That Adam forsooke GOD ere GOD for sooke him and that the soules first death was the departure from GOD. CHAP. 15. VVHerefore in that it was sayd You shall die the death because it was not sayd the deaths if we vnderstand that death wherein the soule leaueth the life that is GOD for it was not forsaken ere it forsooke him but contrary the owne will being their first leader to euill but the Creators will being the first leader to good both in the creation of it before it had being and the restoring of it when it had falne wherefore if we doe vnderstand that God meant but of this death where hee saith whensoeuer thou eatest thereof thou shalt die the death as if hee had sayd whensoeuer you forsake mee in disobedience I will forsake you in iustice yet verily doe all the other deaths follow the denunciation of this death For in that the soule felt a disobedient motion of the flesh and therevpon couered the bodies secret partes in this was the first death felt that is the departure of the soule from God Which was signified in that that when the man in mad feare had gone and hid himselfe God said to him Adam where art thou not ignorantly seeking him but watchfully warning him to looke well where hee was seeing God was not with him But when the soule forsaketh the body decaied with age then is the other death felt whereof God said in imposing mans future punishment earth thou wast and to earth thou shalt returne That by these two the first death which is of whole man might be accoÌ„plished which the second should second if Gods grace procure not mans freedome from it for the body which is earth returnes not to earth but by the owne death that is the departure of the soule from it Wherefore all christians b holding the Catholike faith beleeue that the bodily death lieth vpon mankind by no lawe of nature as if GOD had made man for to die but as a c due punishment for sin because God in scourging this sinne sayd vnto man of whom we all are descended Earth thou wast and 〈◊〉 earth thou shalt returne L. VIVES EArth a thou wast 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 say the Septuagints by the later article 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 implying the element of earth the graue of althings dying b Holding the Augustine often auerreth directly that man had not died had he not sinned nor had had a body subiect to death or disease the tree of life should haue made him immortall And S. Thomas Aquiâ—…as the best schoole diuine holds so also But Scotus either for faction or will denies it al making mâ—… in his first state subiect to diseases yet that he should be taken vp to heauen ere he died but if he were left on earth he should die at length for that the tree of life could not eternize hâ—… but onely prolong his life c A due deserued by his guilt Of the Philosophers that held corporall death not to be penall whereas Plato brings in the Creator promising the lesser gods that they should neuer leaue their bodies CHAP. 16. BVt the Philosophers against whose callumnies we defeÌ„d this City of God 〈◊〉 is 〈◊〉 church thinke they giue vs a witty scoffe for saying that the soules seperation from the body is to be held as part of the punishment when as they affirme 〈◊〉 â—…n a is the soule perfectly blessed when it leaueth the body and goeth vp pâ—… and naked vnto God If I should finde no battery against this opinion out of their owne bookes I should haue a great adoe to prooue not the body but the corruptibility of the body to be the soules burden wherevpon is that which we 〈◊〉 in our last booke A corruptible body is heauy vnto the soule In adding corâ—…le he sheweth that this being
shall rise againe incorruptible it is sowne in reproche but it is raised in glory it is sowâ—…n in weakenesse but raised in powre it is sowne an animated body but shall arise a spirituall body And then to prooue this hee proceedes for if there be a naturall or animated bodie there is also a spirituall body And to shew what a naturall body is hee saith The first man Adam was made a liuing soule Thus then shewed he what a naturall body is though the scripture doe noâ—… say of the first man Adam when God brâ—…athed in his face the breath of life that man became a liuing body but man became a liuing soule The first man was made a liuing soule saith the Apostle meaning a naturall body But how the spirituall body is to be taken hee sheâ—…eth also adding but the last man a quickning spirit meaning Christ assuredly who rose from death to dye no more Then hee proceedeth saying That was not first made which is spirituall but that which is naturall and that which is spirituall after-wards Here hee sheweth most plainly that he did meane by the liuing soule the naturall body and the spirituall by the quickning spirit For the naturall body that Adam had was first though it had not dyed but for that he sinned and such haue wee now one nature drawing corruption and necessity of death from him and from his sinne such also did Christ take vpon him for vs not needfully but in his power but the spirituall body is afterwards and such had Christ our head in his resurrection such also shall wee his members haue in ours Then doth the Apostle describe the difference of these two thus The first man is of the earth earthly the second is of heauen heauenly as the earthly one was so are all the earthly and as the heauenly one is such shall all the heauenly ones bee As wee haue borne the Image of the earthly so shall wee beare the image of the heauenly This the Apostle inferres vpon the sacrament of regeneration as hee saith else-where All yee that are baptized into Christ haue put on Christ which shall then be really performed when that which is naturall in our birth shall become spirituall in our resurrection that I may vse his owne wordes for wee are saued by hope Wee put on the image of the earthly man by the propagation of sinne and corruption adherent vnto our first birth but wee put on that of Heauenly man by grace pardon and promise of life eternall which regeneration assureth vs by the mercy onely of the mediator betweene God and man the man Christ Iesus whome the Angell calles the Heauenly man because hee came from Heauen to take vpon him the shape of earthly mortality and to shape it into heauenly immortality Hee calleth the rest heauenly also because they are made members of Christ by grace they and Christ being one as the members and the head is own body This he auerreth plainly in the chapter aforesaid by a man came dâ—…h and by a man came the resurrection from the dead for as in Adam all die euen so in Christ shall all bee made aliue and that into a quickning spirit that is a spirituall body not that all that die in Adam shall become members of Christ for many more of them shall fall into the eternall second death but it is said all and all because as none dy naturall but in Adam so none shall reuiue spirituall but in Christ wee may not then thinke that our bodies at the rusurrection shall be such as Adams was at the creation nor that this place As the earthly one was so are all the earthly is meant of that which was effected by the transgression for we may not thinke that Adam had a spiritual body ere he fell and in his fall was made a naturall one he that conceiueth it so giues but little regard to that great teacher that saith If ther be a natural body then is there also a spiritual as it is also written the first man Adam was made a liuing soule was this done after sinne being the first estate of man from whence the blessed Apostle tooke this testimony of the 〈◊〉 to shew what a naturall body was L. VIVES A Liuing a Or with a liuing soule but the first is more vsual in holy writ b A quickning â—…ssed and ioyned with God bâ—… which coniunction it imparteth integrity and immorâ—…â—…to the body c Forbidden Out of much diuersity of reading I hold this the best for 〈◊〉 â—…oule that liueth and the quickning spirit that giueth life d When soeuer Symmachus 〈◊〉 Hierome expounds this place better thou shalt be mortall But indâ—…ed we die as soone 〈◊〉 borne as Manilius saith Nascentes morimur finisque ab origine pendet Being borne we die our ends hangs at our birth How Gods breathing life into Adam and Christs breathing vpon his Apostles when be said receiue the holy spirit are to be vnderstood CHAP. 24. Sâ—…e therefore do vnaduisedly thinke that God when he breathed in his face the â—…th of life and man became a liuing soule did a not then giue him a soule but by the holy spirit onely quickned a soule that was in him before They ground 〈◊〉 Christs breathing vpon his Apostles after his resurrection and saying 〈◊〉 the Holy spirit thinking that this â—…was such another breathing so that 〈◊〉 â—…angelist might haue sayd they became liuing soules which if hee had 〈◊〉 it would haue caused vs to imagine all reasonable soules dead that are 〈◊〉 â—…kned by Gods spirit though their bodies seeme to bee a liue But it 〈◊〉 so when man was made as the Scripture sheweth plaine in these words 〈◊〉 â—…d GOD formed man being dust of the Earth which some thinking to 〈◊〉 translate c And GOD framed man of the Lome of the Earth because it was said before amist went vp from the earth and watred all the earth that lome should seeme to be produced by this mixture of earth and water for immediatly followeth And God framed man being dust of the earth as the Greeke translations d whence our latine is do read it but whether the Greeâ—…e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be formed or framed it maketh no matter e framed is the more proper word but they that vsed formed thought they avoyded ambiguity because that fingo in the latine is vsed f commonly for to feygne by lying or illuding This man therefore being framed of dust or lome for lome is moystned dust that this dust of the earth to speake with the scripture more expressly when it receiued a soule was made an animate body the Apostle affirmeth saying the man was made a liuing soule that is this dust being formed was made a liuing soule I say they but hee had a soule now already other-wise hee could not haue beene man being neither soule only nor body only but consisting of both T' is true the soule is not whole man
but the better part onely nor the body whole man but the worse part only and both conioyned make man yet when we speake of them disioyned they loose not that name for who may not follow custome and say such a man is dead such a man is now in ioy or in paine and speake but of the soule onely or such a man is in his graue and meane but the body onely will they say the scripture vseth no such phrase yes it both calles the body and soule conioyned by the name of man and also diuiding them calles the soule the inward man and the body the outward as if they were two men and not both composiâ—…gone And marke in what respect man is called Gods image and man of earth returning to earth the first is in respect of the reasonable soule which God breathed or inspired into man that is into mans body and the laâ—…er is in respect of the body which God made of the dust and gaue it a soule whereby it became a liuing body that is man became a liuing soule and therefore whereas Christ breathing vpon his Apostles said receue the holy spirit this was to shew that the spirit was his aswell as the Fathers for the spirit is the Fathers and the Sonnes making vp the Trinity of Father Sonne and Holy Spirit being no creature but a creator That breath which was carnally breathed was not the substantiall nature of the Holy Spirit but rather a signification as I said of the Sonnes communication of the spirit with his Father it being not particular to either but common to both The scriptures in Greeke calleth it alwaies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Lord called it here when by signifiing it with his breath hee gaue it to his disciples and I neuer read it otherwise called in any place of Gods booke But here whereas it is sayd that God formed man being dust of the earth and breathed in his face the spirit or breath of life the Greeke is g not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which word is read oftener for the creature then the creator and therefore some latinists for difference sake do not interpret this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 spirit but breath for so it is in Esay where God saith h I haue made all breath meaning doubtlesse euery soule Therefore that which the Greekes call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wee do sometimes call breath some-time spirit some-time inspiration and aspiration and some-times i soule but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 neuer but spirit either of man as the Apostle saith what man knoweth the things of a man but the spirit of a man which is in him or of a beast as wee read in the preacher Who knoweth whether the spirit of man ascendeth vpwardes and the spirit of the beast downewards to the earth or that bodily spirit which wee call wind as the Psalme saith fire hayle snow Ice and the spirit of tempests or of no creature but the creator himselfe whereof our Sauiour said in the Gospell Receiue the holy 〈◊〉 signifying it in his bodily breath and there also where hee saith Goe and bâ—…ise all nations in the name of the father the sonne and the holy spirit plainly and excellently intimating the full Trinity vnto vs and there also where wee read God is a spirit and in many other places of scripture In all those places of Scriptâ—… the Greeke wee see hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Latine flatus and not spiâ—…us And therefore if in that place Hee breathed into his face the breath of life tâ—… Greeke had not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it hath but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yet were it no consequent that wee should take it for the holy spirit the third person in Trinity because 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is vâ—… for a creature as well as the creator and as ordinarily O but â—…ay they hee â—…ld not haue added vitae of life but that hee meant that spirit aâ—…d whereas 〈◊〉 sâ—…id Man became a soule hee would not haue added liuing but that he meant the soules life which is giuen from aboue by the spirit of God for the soule haâ—…g a proper life by it selfe why should hee adde liuing but to intimate the 〈◊〉 giuen by the holy spirit But what is this but folly to respect coniecture and 〈◊〉 to neglect scripture for what need we goe further then a chapter and beâ—…old let the earth bring forth the liuing soule speaking of the creation of all eâ—…ly creatures and besides for fiue or sixe Chapters onely after why might 〈◊〉 â—…ot obserue this Euery thing in whose nosthrills the spirit of life did breath â—…soeuer they were in the drye land dyed relating the destruction of euery liuing 〈◊〉 vpon earth by the deluge If then wee finde a liuing soule and a spirit of life in beasts as the Scripture saith plainly vsing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in this very 〈◊〉 place why may wee not as well say why added hee liuing there seeing 〈◊〉 soule cannot bee vnlesse it liue and why added hee Of life here hauing â—…d spirit But wee vnderstand the Scriptures ordinary vsage of the liuing 〈◊〉 and the spirit of life for animated bodyes naturall and sensitiue and yet 〈◊〉 this vsuall phrase of Scripture when it commeth to bee vsed concerning 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of man Whereas it implieth that man receiued a reasonable soule of 〈◊〉 â—…ated by his breath k not as the other were produced out of water and 〈◊〉 and yet so that it was made in that body to liue therein and make it an aniâ—… body and a liuing soule as the other creatures were whereof the Scripture sayd Let the earth bring forth a liuing soule and that in whose nostrills was the â—…rit of life which the Greek text calleth not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 meaning not the holy spirit but their life But wee say they doe conceiue Gods breath to come from the mouth of God now if that bee a soule l wee must holde it equall 〈◊〉 â—…substantiall with that wisdome or Worde of GOD which saith I am come 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the mouth of the most high Well it saith not that it was breathed from 〈◊〉 â—…outh but came out of it And as wee men not out of our owne nature but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ayre about vs can make a contraction into our selues and giue it out 〈◊〉 in a breath so Almighty GOD not onely out of his owne nature or of 〈◊〉 â—…feriour creature but euen of nothing can make a breath which hee may 〈◊〉 most fitly said to breath or inspire into man it being as hee is incorporeall 〈◊〉 â—…ot as hee is immutable because it is created as he is not 〈◊〉 to let those men see that will talke of Scriptures and yet marke not what 〈◊〉 doe intend that some-thing may bee sayd to come
aboundance at length hee concludeth thus they haue sayd Blessed are the people that bee so yea but blessed are the people whose God is the Lord. b Charity In the Apostle it is honesty 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The peace of Gods seruants the fulnesse whereof it is impossible in this life to comprehend CHAP. 27. BVt as for our proper peace we haue it double with God heere below by faith and here-after aboue a by sight But all the peace we haue here bee it publike or peculiar is rather a solace to our misery then any assurance of our felicity And for our righteousnesse although it be truly such because the end is the true good where-vnto it is referred yet as long as we liue here it consisteth b rather of sinnes remission then of vertues perfection witnesse that prayer which all Gods pilgrims vse and euery member of his holy Citty crying dayly vnto him Forgiue vs our trespasses as wee forgiue them that trespasse against vs. c Nor doth this prayer benefite them whose faith wanting workes is dead but them whose faith worketh by loue for because our reason though it be subiect vnto God yet as long as it is in the corruptible body which burdeneth the soule cannot haue the affects vnder perfect obedience therefore the iustest man stands in neede of this prayer For though that reason haue the conquest it is not without combat And still one touch of infirmity or other creepeth vpon the best conquerour euen when he hopes that he holds all viciousnesse vnder making him fall either by some vaine word or some inordinate thought if it bring him not vnto actuall errour And therefore as long as we ouer-rule sinne our peace is imperfect because both the affects not as yet conquered are subdued by a dangerous conflict and they that are vnder already doe deny vs all securitie and keepe vs dooing in a continuall and carefull command So then in all these temptations whereof God said in a word d Is not the life of man a temptation vpon earth who dare say hee liueth so as hee need not say to God Forgiue vs our trespasses none but a proud soule Nor is he mighty but madly vain-glorious that in his owne righteousnesse will resist him who giueth grace to the humble where-vpon it is written God resisteth the proud and giueth grace to the humble Mans iustice therefore is this to haue God his Lord and him-selfe his subiect his soule maister ouer his body and his reason ouer sinne eyther by subduing it or resisting it and to intreate God both for his grace for merite and his pardon for sinne and lastly to be gratefull for all his bestowed graces But in that final peace vnto which all mans peace and righteousnesse on earth hath reference immortality and incorruption doe so refine nature from viciousnesse that there wee shall haue no need of reason to rule ouer sinne for there shall bee no sinne at all there but GOD shall rule man and the soule the body obedience shall there bee as pleasant and easie as the state of them that liue shal be glorious and happy And this shall all haue vnto all eternity and shal be sure to haue it so and therefore the blessednesse of this peace or the peace of this blessednesse shall be the fulnesse and perfection of all goodnesse L. VIVES BY a sight Being then face to face with GOD. b Rather of sinnes For the greatest part of our goodnesse is not our well doing but Gods remission of our sinnes c Nor doth this For as a medecine otherwise holesome cannot benefit a dead body so this parcell of praier can doe him as little good that saith it if in the meane while hee bee not friends with his brother d Is not mans Our vulgar translation is Is there not an appointed time for man vpon earth but Saint Aug. followes the LXX as he vseth To liue sayth Seneca is to wage continuall warre So that those that are tossed vppe and downe in difficulties and aduenture vpon the roughest dangers are valourous men and captaines of the campe whereas those that sit at rest whilest others take paines are tender turtles and buy their quiet with disgrace The end of the wicked CHAP. 28. BVt on the other side they that are not of this society are desteined to eternall misery called the second death because there euen the soule being depriued of GOD seemeth not to liue much lesse the body bound in euerlasting torments And therefore this second death shal be so much the more cruell in that it shall neuer haue end But seeing warre is the contrary of peace as misery is vnto blisse and death to life it is a question what kinde of warre shall reigne as then amongst the wicked to answere and oppose the peace of the Godly But marke only the hurt of war it is plainly apparant to be nothing but the aduerse dispose and contentious conflict of things betweene themselues What then can be worse then that where the will is such a foe to the passion the passion to the will that they are for euer in-suppressible and ir-reconcileable and where nature and paine shall hold an eternall conflict and yet the one neuer maister the other In our conflicts here on earth either the paine is victor and so death expelleth sence of it or nature conquers and expells the paine But there paine shall afflict eternally and nature shall suffer eternally both enduring to the continuance of the inflicted punishment But seeing that the good and the badde are in that great iudgement to passe vnto those ends the one to bee sought for and the other to bee fled from by Gods permission and assistance I will in the next booke following haue a little discourse of that last day and that terrible iâ—…gement Finis lib. 19. THE CONTENTS OF THE twentith booke of the City of God 1. Gods iâ—…dgments continually effected his last iudgement the proper subiect of this booke following 2. The change of humaine estates ordered by Gods vnsearcheable iudgements 3. Salomons disputation in Eclesiastes concerning those goods which both the iust and vniust doe share in 4. The Authors resolution in this dicourse of the iudgement to produce the testimonies of the New Testament first and then of the Old 5. Places of Scripture proouing that there shal be a day of iudgment at the worlds end 6. What the first resurrection is and what the second 7. Of the two Resurrections what may bee thought of the thousand yeares mentioned in Saint Iohns reuelation 8. Of the binding and loosing of the deuill 9. What is meant by Christs raigning a thousand yeare with the Saints and the difference betweene that and his eternall reigne 10. An answere to the obiection of some affirming that resurrection is proper to the body only and not to the Soule 11. Of Gog and Magog whom the deuill at the worlds end shall stirre vp against the church of God 12. Whether
Sueton. g In that age Beeing two and thirty yeares old Saint Pauls doctrine of the resurrection of the dead CHAP. 20. BVt the Apostle saith nothing of the resurrection of the dead in this place mary in another place hee saith thus I would not haue you ignorant bretheren concerning those which sleepe that yee sorrow not euen as those which haue no hope for if wee beleeue that IESVS is dead and is risen againe euen so them which sleepe in IESVS will GOD bring with him For this wee say vnto you by the word of the LORD that wee which liue and are remayning at the comming of the LORD shall not preuent those that sleepe For the LORD himselfe shall descend from heauen with asâ—…te with the voice of the Arch-angell and with the trumpet of GOD and the dead in CHRIST shall arise first then shall we which liue and remaine be caught vp with them also in the cloudes to meete the LORD in the ayre and so shall wee euer bee with the LORD Here the Apostle maketh a plaine demonstration of the future resurrection when CHRIST shall come to sit in iudgement ouer both quick and dead But it is an ordinary question whether those whom CHRIST shall finde aliue at his comming whom the Apostle admitteth himselfe and those with him to be shall euer die at all or goe immediately in a moment vp with the rest to meete CHRIST and so be forth with immortallized It is not impossible for them both to die and liue againe in their very ascention through the ayre For these words And so shall wee euen bee with the LORD are not to bee taken as if wee were to continue in the ayre with him for hee shall not stay in the ayre but goe and come through it We meete him comming but not staying but so shall we euer bee with him that is in immortall bodies where euer our stay bee And in this sence the Apostle seemes to vrge the vnderstanding of this question to bee this that those whom Christ shall finde aliue shall neuer-the-lesse both dye and reuiue where he saith In Christ shall all bee made aliue and vpon this by and by after That which thou sowest is not quickned except it dye How then shall those whom Christ shall finde aliue bee quickned in him by immortality vnlesse they doe first dye if these words of the Apostle bee true If wee say that the sowing is meant onely of those bodyes that are returned to the earth according to the iudgement laide vpon our transgressing fore-fathers Thou art dust and to dust shalt thou returne then wee must confesse that neither that place of Saint Paul nor this of Genesis concernes their bodies whome Christ at his comming shall finde in the body for those are not sowne because they neither goe to the earth nor returne from it how-so-euer they haue a little stay in the ayre or other-wise taste not of any death at all But now the Apostle hath another place of the resurrection a Wee shall all rise againe saith hee or as it is in some copies wee shall all sleepe So then death going alway before resurrection and sleepe in this place implying nothing but death how shall all rise againe or sleepe if so many as Christ shall finde liuing vpon earth shall neither sleepe nor rise againe Now therefore if wee doe but auouch that the Saints whome Christ shall finde in the flesh and who shall meete him in the ayre doe in this rapture leaue their bodies for a while and then take them on againe the doubt is cleared both in the Apostles first words That which thou sowest is not quickned except it dye as also in his later Wee shall all rise againe or wee shall all sleepe for they shall not bee quickned vnto immortalitie vnlesse they first taste of death and consequentlie haue a share in the resurrection by meanes of this their little sleepe And why is it incredible that those bodies should bee sowen and reuiued immortally in the ayre when as wee beleeue the Apostle where hee saith plainely that the resurrection shall bee in the twinckling of an eye and that the dust of the most aged bodye shall in one moment concurre to retaine those members that thence-forth shall neuer perish Nor let vs thinke that that place of Genesis Thou art dust c. concerneth not the Saints for all that their dead bodyes returne not to the earth but are both dead and reuiued whilest they are in the ayre To dust shalt thou returne that is thou shalt by losse of life become that which thou wast ere thou hadst life It was earth in whose face the LORD breathed the breath of life when man became a liuing soule So that it might bee sayd Thou art liuing dust which thou wast not and thou shalt bee â—…lesse dust as thou wast Such are all dead bodyes euen before putrefaction and such shall they bee if they dye where-so-euer they dye beeing voyde of life which not-with-standing they shall immediatly returne vnto So then shall they returne vnto earth in becomming earth of liuing men as that returnes to ashes which is made of ashes that vnto putrifaction which is putrified that into a potte which of earth is made a potte and a thousand other such like instances But how this shall bee wee doe but coniecture now 〈◊〉 shall know till wee see it That b there shall bee a resurrection of the flesh at the comming of Christ to iudge the quicke and the dead all that are christians must confidently beleeue nor is our faith in this point any way friuolous although wee know not how this shal be effected But as I said before so meane I still to proceed in laying downe such places of the Old Testament now as concerne this last iudgement as farre as neede shal be which it shall not bee altogether so necessary to stand much vpon if the reader do but ayde his vnderstanding with that which is passed before L. VIVES WE shall a all rise againe The greeke copies reade this place diuersly Hier. ep ad Numerium for some read it We shall not all sleepe but wee shall all bee changed Eras Annot. Non. Testam et in Apolog. Hence I thinke arose the question whether all should die or those that liued at the iudgement daie bee made immortall without death Petrus Lumbardus Sent. 3. dist 40 shewing the difference herevpon betweene Ambrose and Hierome dares not determine because Augustine leaneth to Ambrose and most of all the greeke fathers to Hierome reading it wee shall not all sleepe And for Ambrose Erasmus sheweth how he stagreth in this assertion Meane while wee doe follow him whom wee explane b There shal be a resurrection This we must stick to it is a part of our faith How it must bee let vs leaue to GOD and yoake our selues in that sweet obedience vnto Christ. It sufficeth for a christian to beleeue this was or that shal be let
they can afflict it no more because there is no sense in a dead body So then suppose that many of the Christians bodies neuer came in the earth what of that no man hath taken any of them both from earth and heauen haue they No And both these doth his glorious presence replenish that knowes how to restore euery Atome of his worke in the created The Psalmist indeed complayneth thus The dead a bodies of thy seruants haue they giuen to be meat vnto the foules of the ayre and the flesh of thy Saintes vnto the beastes of the earth Their bloud haue they shedde like waters round about Ierusalem and there was none to bury them But this is spoken to intimate their villany that did it rather then their misery that suffered it For though that vnto the eyes of man these actes seeme bloudie and tyranous yet pretious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints And therefore all these ceremonies concerning the dead the care of the buriall the fashions of the Sepulchers and the pompes of the funeralls are rather solaces to the liuing then furtherances to the dead b For if a goodly and ritch tombe bee any helpe to the wicked man being dead then is the poore and meane one a hindrance vnto the godly man in like case The familie of that rich c gorgeous glutton prepared him a sumptuous funerall vnto the eyes of men but one farre more sumptuous did the ministring Angels prepare for the poore vlcered begger in the sight of God They bore him not into any Sepulcher of Marble but placed him in the bosome of Abraham This do they d scoffe at against whom wee are to defend the citty of God And yet euen e their owne Philosophers haue contemned the respect of buriall and often-times f whole armies fighting and falling for their earthlie countrie went stoutly to these slaughters without euer taking thought where to be laide in what Marble tombe or in what beasts belly And the g Poets were allowed to speake their pleasures of this theame with applause of the vulgar as one doth thus Caelo tegitur qui non habet vrnam Who wants a graue Heauen serueth for his tombe What little reason then haue these miscreants to insult ouer the Christians that lie vnburied vnto whom a new restitution of their whole bodies is promised to be restored them h in a moment not onely out of the earth alone but euen out of all the most secret Angles of all the other elements wherein any body is or can possibly be included L. VIVES DEad a carcasses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 morticinia the dead flesh b For if a goodly Et eternos animam collegit in orbes Non illuc auro positi nec thure sepulti Perueniunt Lucan lib. 9. The eternall spheres his glorious spirit do holde To which come few that lye embalmd in golde c. c Gorgious of whom in the Chapter before d Scoffe at The Romanes had great care ouer their burials whence arose many obseruances concerning the religious performance thereof and it was indeed a penalty of the law hee that doth this or that let him bee cast forth vnburied and so in the declamations hee that forsakes his parents in their necessities let him bee cast forth vnburied hee that doth not declare the causes of their death before the Senate let him bee cast forth vnburied An homicide cast him out vnburied And so speakes Cicero to the peoples humour for Milo when he affirmes Clodius his carcasse to be therein the more wretched because it wanted the solemne rites and honors of buriall e Philosophers those of the Heathen as Diogenes the Cynike for one that bad his dead body should be cast vnto the dogs and foules of the ayre being answered by his friends that they would rent and teare it set a staffe by me then said he and I will beate them away with it tush you your selfe shall be sencelesse quoth they nay then quoth he what need I feare their tearing of me This also did Menippus almost all the Cyniks Cicero in his Quaestiones Tusculanae recordeth this answer of Theodorus of Cyrene vnto Lysmachus that threatned him the crosse let thy courtiers feare that quoth he but as for me I care not whether I â—…ot on the ayre or in the earth and so also saith Socrates in Plato's dialogue called Phaedo f Whole armies meaning perhaps those legions which Cato the elder speake of in his Origines that would go thether with cheerfulnesse from whence they knew they should neuer returne Nay it was no custome before Hercules his time to burie the dead that fell in warâ—… for Aelian in his Historia varia doth affirme Hercules the first inuenter of that custome g Poets to speake with the peoples approbation Lucan in his 7. booke of the Pharsalian warre speaking of the dead that Caesar forbad should bee burned or buried after hee had brought forth as his custome is many worthy and graue sentences concerning this matter at length he speaketh thus vnto Caesar Nil agis hac ira tabesne Cadauera soluat An rogus hand refert placido natura receptat Cuncta sinu In this thy wrath is worthlesse all is one Whether by fire or putrefaction Their carcasses dissolue kinde nature still Takes all into her bosome And a little after Capit omnia tellus Quae genuit caelo tegitur qui non habet vrnam Earths off-spring still returnes vnto earths wombe Who wants a graue heauen serueth for his tombe And so saith the Declamer in Seneca Nature giues euery man a graue to the shipwrackt the water wherein he is lost the bodies of the crucified droppe from their crosses vnto their graues those that are burned quick their very punishment entombes them And Virgill who appoints a place of punishment in hell for the vnburied yet in Anchises his words shewes how small the losse of a graue is That verse of Maecenas Nec tumulum curo sepelit natura relictos I waigh no tombe nature entombes the meanest Is highly commended of antiquitie The Urna was a vessell wherein the reliques and ashes of the burned body was kept h In a moment 1. Corinth 15. 52. The reasons why wee should bury the bodies of the Saints CHAP. 12. NOtwithstanding the bodies of the dead are not to be contemned and cast away chieflie of the righteous and faithfull which the holy ghost vsed as organs and instruments vnto all good workes For if the garment or ring of ones father bee so much the more esteemed of his posteritie by how much they held him dearer in their affection then is not our bodies to be despised being we weare them more neere vnto our selues then any attire whatsoeuer For this is no part of externall a ornament or assistance vnto man but of his expresse nature And therefore the funeralls of the righteous in the times of old were performed with a zealous care their burials
slew him as hee was vpon going into Italy Hee was a religious Christian Prince This of him and the rest here mentioned I haue from Eutropius Paulus Diaconus Oros. and Pomp. Laetus l Pompey Ptolomyes guard flew him in a boate before all the people of Alexandria looking on them An vn worthy death for so worthy a man Liu. Flor. Plutarch Lucane Appian m Theodosius He was a Spaniard Gratian at Syrmium made him his fellow Emperor with the peoples great applause being a man both vertuous and valiant descended from Traian and they say like him in person He tooke Maximus at Aquileia and beheaded him n A yonger Valentinian Of the faith and deuotion of Theodosius Emperor CHAP. 26. SO he did not onely keepe the faith which hee ought him in his life time but like a Christian indeede receiued his little brother Valentinian into his protection and defence when Maximus his murderer had chased him from his state and held the care of a father ouer him which he needed not haue done but might easilyly haue taken all to himselfe had his ambition ouerpoysed his religion But he preserued his state imperiall for him and gaue him all the comfort honest courtesie could bestowe And when as the good fortune of Maximus begot him a terrible name Theodosius did not creepe into a corner of his Palace with wizards and coniurers but sent to b Iohn that liued in a wild ernesse of Aegipt whome he had hard was graced from God by the spirit of prophecy to him sent hee and receiued a true promise of victory So soone after hauing killed the tyrant Maximus he restored the c child Valentinian to this empire from whence he was driuen shewing him all the reuerend loue that could be and when this child was slaine as hee was soone after either by treachery or by some other casualty and that Eugenius another tyrant was vnlawfully stept vp in his place receiuing another answer from the prophet his faith being firme hee fetched him downe from his vsurped place rather by prayer then power for the soldiors that were in the battell on the vsurpers side told it vnto vs that there came such a violent wind from Theodosius his side that it smote their darts forth of their hands and if any were throwen it tooke them presently in an instant and forced them vpon the faces of those that threw them And therefore d Claudian though no Christian sings this well of his praise O nimiuâ—… dilâ—…cte deo cui militat aethaer â—…t coniurati veniunt ad clâ—…ssica venti O god's belou'd whomâ—… powers aereall And winds come arm'd to helpe when thou dost callâ—… And being victor according to his faith and presage hee threw downe certaiue Images of Iupiter which had beene consecrated I know not with what ceremonies against him and mirthfully and kindly e gaue his footemen their thunderboults who as they well might iested vpon them because they were glad and said they would abide their flashes well inough for the sonnes of his foe some of them fell in the fight not by his command others being not yet Christians but flying into the Church by this meanes hee made Christians and loued them with a Christian charyty nor diminishing their honoures a whit but adding more to them He suffered no priuat grudges to bee held against any one after the victory He vsed not these ciuill warres like as Cynna Marius and Syâ—… did that would not haue them ended f when they were ended but he rather sorrowed that they were begun then ended then to any mans hurt And in all these troubles from his reignes beginning hee forgot not to assist and succouâ—… the labouring Church by all the wholesome lawes which hee could promulgate against the faithlesse g Valens an Arrian heretike hauing done much hurt therein wherof he reioyced more to be a member then an earthly Emperour He commanded the demolition of all Idols of the Gentiles knowing that not so much as earthly blessings are in the diuells power but all and each particular in Gods And what was there euer more memorable then that religious h humility of his when being euen forced by his attendants to reuenge the iâ—…iury offered him by the Thessalonicans vnto whome notwithstanding at the Bishoppes intreaties hee had promised pardon hee was excommunicaâ—… and showed such repentaunce that the people intreating for him rather did lament to see the imperiall Maiesty so deiected then their feared his warâ—… when they had offended These good workes and a tedious roll of such like did he beare away with him out of this transitory smoake of all kinde of humaine glory their rewarde is eternall felicitie giuen by the true God onely to the good For the rest be they honors or helpes of this life as the world it selfe light ayre water earth soule sence and spirit of life this he giueth promilcually to good and bad and so he doth also with the greatnesse and continuance of the temporall Empires of all men whith he bestoweth on either sort as he pleaseth L. VIVES WHen a as Andragathius one of Maximus his Countes an excellent souldior and a cunning leader managed all the warre and with his trickes brought Theodosius to many shrewd plunges b Iohn An Anchorite that had the spirit of prophecie presaging many things and this victory of Theodosius amongst others Prosper Aquitan Theodosius sent often to him for counsell in difficult matters Diacon c The childe He made him being Gratians brother Emperor of the West but Arbogastes Count of Uienna slew him by treachery set vp Eugenius and with a mighty power of Barbarians stopped the passage of the Alpes to keepe Theodoâ—…s back The godly Prince fasted and prayed all the night before the battle and the next day fought with them though being farre their inferiour in number and yet by gods great and miraculous power gotte a famous victory Eugenius was taken and put to death Arbogastes slew himselfe d Claudian Most men hold him an Aegiptian and so Posidonius that liued with him and was his familiar affirmeth Not Posidonius the Rhodian but a certaine Prelate of Africa He was borne to Poetry elegantly wittied but a little superstitious There is a Poeme of Christ vnder his name perhaps he made it to please Honorius for he was a great flatterer The verses here cited are in his Panegyrike vpon Honorius his third Consulship written rather in his praise then vpon Theodosius though he speake of this victory at the Alpes which like a scurrilous flatterer hee rather ascribeth to Honorius his fate and felicity then to Theodosius his piety For thus hee saith Victoria velox Auspiciis effecta tuis pugnastis vterque Tu fatis genitorque manu te propter Alpeâ—… Inuadi faciles cauto nec profuit hosti Munitis haesisse lâ—…cis spes irrita valli Concidâ—… scopulis patuerunt claustra reuulsis Te propter gelidis Aquilo de monte procellis
in the same sence because saith Porphyry that the witches often practised their crafts vpon this member but I think rather because it kept away witch-crafts for in Dionysius his feasts Pryapus being rightly consecrated and crowned with a garland by the most honest Matron of the town this was an auoidance of al witch-craft from the corne as Augustine sheweth in the next book out of Varro and for the auoidance of witch-craft was the Bride bidden to â—…it vpon it for Pompeius Festus saith that the fescenine verses that were sung at marriages seem to deriue their name froÌ„ driuing away this fascinum so was Pryapus the god of seed in marriages as wel as the fields and worshipped that witch-craft should not hinder their fruitfulnesse Vnles it be as Lactantius saith l. 1. yâ— Mutinus was a god vpon whose priuy part the bride vsed to â—…it in signe that he had first tasted their chastity that this was Priapus we shewed in the 〈◊〉 book his office was toÌ„ make the man more actiue and the woman more patient in the first copâ—…ion as Augustin here implieth Festusâ—…aith â—…aith also that the bride vsed to sitte on 〈◊〉 sheep-skin to shew either that the old attire was such or that hir chief office now was spinning of wooll Plutarch saith that when they brought the bride they laid a sheep-skin vnder hir and she bore home a distaâ—…e and a spindle m Naenia It was indeed a funerall song sung to the fluâ—… in praise of the dead by the hired mourner all the rest weeping Simonides his inuention Hâ—… she was also a goddesse hauing a Chappel without Port Viminall hir name was deriued from the voyce of the mourners some it signifieth the end other thinke it is drawne from the collâ—… 〈◊〉 which is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the out-most and treble string in Instruments is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and hereof 〈◊〉 the last song sung to one called Naenia Fest. lib. 12. n Get a place The sence is Vaâ—…s 〈◊〉 vnder-hand is to worke out both the poetique and politique Diâ—…ity out of mens hearts and leaue place onely for the naturall Of Seneca's freer reprehension of the ciuill Theologie then Varro's was of the fabulous CHAP. 10. BVt the liberty that this man wanted in reprehending that ciuill diuinity which was so like to the stages Anneus Seneca whom some proofes confirme to 〈◊〉 liued in the a Apostles times wanâ—…ed it not fully though in part he did In his workes written he had it but in his life he lackt it For in his b booke against superstitions farre more free is he in beating downe the politicall kinde of Theology then Varro was against the poeticall For speaking of Images the Immortall and sacred gods saith he doe they consecrate in a vile dead and deiected substance confining them to shapes of men beasts fishes and ambiguous monster-like creatures calling them deities which if one should meete aliue wâ—…â—…sters and prodigies And a little after speaking of naturall diuinity 〈◊〉 reiected some opinions proposeth himselfe a question thus shall I beleâ—… â—…aith one that Heauen and Earth are Gods that their are some vnder the 〈◊〉 and some aboue it shall I respect Plato or c Strato the Peripatetique while this makes God without a soule and that without a body Answering then to the question what then saith he dost thou thinke there is more truth in the dâ—…eams of Romulus Tatius or Tullus Hostilius Tatius dedicated goddesse Cloacinia 〈◊〉 Picus and Tiberinus Hostilius Feare and Palenes two extreame affects of 〈◊〉 the one beeing a perturbation of an affrighted minde the other of the bodie not a disease but a colour Are these more like Gods inhabitants of heauen Aâ—… of their cruell and obscaene ceremonies how freely did hee strike at them One geldeth himselfe another cuts off his torne partes and this is their propitiation for the gods anger but no worship at all ought they to haue that delight in such as this is The fury and disturbance of minde in some is raised to that hight by seekeing to appease the gods that d not the most barbarous and e recorded tyrants would desire to behold it Tyrants indeed haue 〈◊〉 off the parts of some men but neuer made them their owne tormentors f 〈◊〉 haue beene gelded for tâ—…eir Princes lust but neuer commanded to bee their owne gelders But these kill themselues in the temples offring their vowes in 〈◊〉 and wounds If one had time to take enterview of their actions hee 〈◊〉 â—…ee them do things so vnbeseeming honesty so vnworthy of freedome â—…like to sobernesse that none would make question of their madnesse if they 〈◊〉 fewer but now their multitude is their priuiledge And then the capitoll 〈◊〉 that hee recordeth and fearelessly inueigheth at who would not hold 〈◊〉 mad ones or mockeries For first in the loosing of g Osyris in the Aegiptian sacrifices and then in the finding him againe first the sorrow and then â—…eir great ioye all this is a puppettry and a fiction yet the fond people â—…ugh they finde nor loose not any thing weepe for all that and reioice againe 〈◊〉 heartily as if they had I but this madnesse hath his time It is tolerable 〈◊〉 hee to bee but once a yeare madde But come into the Capitol and you 〈◊〉 shame at the madde acts of publike furor One sets the gods vnder their King mother tells Ioue what a clocke it is another is his serieant and another 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rubbing of him as if hee anointed him Others dresse Iuno and Minerua th aire standing a farre off the temple not onely of the Image and tricking wiâ—…â—…ir fingers as if they were a combing and crisping it another holds the glasse and another bids the gods to h bee his aduocates Some present them with scrolles and propound their causes to them One old i arch-plaier plaid the Mimike continually in the Capitoll as if the gods had found great sport in him whom the world had reiected Nay there yee haue all trades worke to the gods and a little after But these though they bee idle before the gods yet they are not bawdy or offensiue But some sit there that thinke Ioue is in loue with them neuer respecting Iuno 's poetically supposed k terrible aspect This freedome Varro durst not assume hee durst goe no farther then Theology poeticall but not to the ciuil which this man crusheth in sunder But if we marke the truth the temples where these things are done are worse then the Theaters where they are but fained And therefore Seneca selecteth those parts of this ciuill Theology for a wise man to obserue in his actions but not to make a religion of A wise man saith he will obserue these as commands of the lawes not as the pleasures of the gods and againe Wee can make mariages nay and those vnlawfull ones amongst the gods ioyning brother and sister Mars and l Bellona Vulcan and Venus Neptune and Salacia Yet some
fact by the villens of his Court and amongst the rest the Christians whom Nero was assured should smart for all because they were of a new religion so they did indeede and were so extreamely tortured that their pangs drew teares from their seuerest spectators Seneca meane while begged leaue to retire into the contrie for his healths sake which not obtayning hee kept himselfe close in his chamber for diuers moneths Tacitus saith it was because hee would not pertake in the malice that Nero's sacriledge procured but I thinke rather it was for that hee could not endure to see those massacres of innocents b Manichees They reuiled the old Testament and the Iewes lawe August de Haeres ad Quodvultdeum Them scriptures they sayd GOD did not giue but one of the princes of darkenesse Against those Augustine wrote many bookes That it is plaine by this discouery of the Pagan gods vanity that they cannot giue eternall life hauing not power to helpe in the temporall CHAP. 12. NOw for the three Theologies mythycall physicall and politicall or fabulous naturall and ciuill That the life eternall is neither to be expected from the fabulous for that the Pagans themselues reiect and reprehend nor from the ciuill for that is prooued but a part of the other if this bee not sufficient to proue let that bee added which the fore-passed bookes containe chiefely the 4. concerning the giuer of happinesse for if Felicity were a goddesse to whom should one goe for eternall life but to her But being none but a gift of GOD to what god must we offer our selues but to the giuer of that felicity for that eternall and true happinesse which wee so intirely affect But let no man doubt that none of those filth-adored gods can giue it those that are more filthyly angry vnlesse that worship be giuen them in that manner and herein proouing themselues direct deuills what is sayd I thinke is sufficient to conuince this Now hee that cannot giue felicity how can he giue eternall life eternall life wee call endlesse felicity for if the soule liue eternally in paines as the deuills do that is rather eternall death For there is no death so sore nor sure as that which neuer endeth But the soule beeing of that immortall nature that it cannot but liue some way therefore the greatest death it can endure is the depriuation of it from glory and constitution in endlesse punishment So hee onely giueth eternall life that is endlessely happy that giueth true felicity Which since the politique gods cannot giue as is proued they are not to bee adored for their benefits of this life as wee shewed in our first fiue precedent bookes and much lesse for life eternall as this last booke of all by their owne helpes hath conuinced But if any man thinke because old customes keepe fast rootes that we haue not shewne cause sufficient for the reiecting of their politique Theology let him peruse the next booke which by the assistance of GOD I intend shall immediately follow this former Finis lib. 6. THE CONTENTS OF THE seauenth booke of the City of God 1. Whether diuinity be to be found in the select gods since it is not extant in the politique Theology chapter 1. 2. The selected gods and whither they be excepted from the baser gods functions 3. That these gods elections are without all reason since that baser gods haue nobler charges 4. That the meaner gods beeing buried in silence more better vsed then the select whose 〈◊〉 were so shamefully traduced 〈◊〉 Of the Pagans more abstruse Phisiologicall doctrine 6. Of â—…rro his opinion that GOD was the soule 〈◊〉 world and yet had many soules vnder 〈◊〉 on his parts al which were of the diuine nature 7. Whether it stand with reason that Ianus and Terminus should be two gods 8. 〈◊〉 the worshippers of Ianus made him two 〈◊〉 yet would haue him set forth with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…es power and Ianus his compared 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…ther Ianus and Ioue bee rightly diâ—… 〈◊〉 or no. 〈◊〉 Of Ioues surnames referred all vnto 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God not as to many 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iupiter is called Pecunia also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the interpretation of Saturne and 〈◊〉 â—…roue them both to be Iupiter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the functions of Mars and Mercury 〈◊〉 Of certaine starres that the Pagans call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Of Apollo Diana and other select gods 〈◊〉 â—…ts of the world 〈◊〉 That Varro himselfe held his opinions of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be ambiguous 18. The likeliest cause of the propagation of Paganisme 19. The interpretations of the worship of Saturne 20. Of the sacrifices of Ceres Elusyna 21. Of the obscaenity of Bacchus sacrifice 22. Of Neptune Salacia and Venillia 23. Of the earth held by Varro to be a goddesse because the worlds soule his God doth penetrate his lowest part and communicateth his essence there-with 24. Of Earths surnames and significations which though they arose of diuers originalls yet should they not be accounted diuers gods 25. What exposition the Greeke wise-men giue of the gelding of Atys 26. Of the filthinesse of this great Mothers sacrifice 27. Of the Naturallists figments that neither adore the true Diety nor vse the adoration thereto belonging 28. That Varro's doctrine of Theology hangeth no way togither 29. That all that the Naturalists refer to the worlds parts should be referred to GOD. 30. The means to discerne the Creator from the Creatures and to auoide the worshipping of so many gods for one because their are so many powers in one 31. The peculiar benefits besides his common bounty that GOD bestoweth vpon his seruants 32. That the mistery of our redemption by Christ was not obscure in the precedent times but continually intimated in diuers significations 33. That Christianity onely is of power to lay open the diuills subtilly and delight in illuding of ignorant men 34. Of Numa his bookes which the Senate for keeping their misteries in secret did command should be burned 35. Of Hydromancy whereby Numa was mocked with apparitions FINIS THE SEVENTH BOOKE OF THE CITTIE OF GOD Written by Saint Augustine Bishop of Hippo vnto Marcellinus Whether diuinity be to be found in the select Gods since it is not extant in the Politique Theologie CHAP. 1. VVHereas I employ my most diligent endeauor about the extirpation of inueterate and depraued opinions which the continuance of error hath deeply rooted in the hearts of mortall men and whereas I worke by that grace of GOD who as the true GOD is able to bring this worke to effect according to my poore talent The quicke and apprehensiue spirits that haue drawne full satisfaction from the workes precedent must beare my proceedings with pardon and pacience and not thinke my subsequent discourse to bee superfluous vnto others because it is needlesse vnto them The affirmation that diuinity is not to bee sought for terrestriall vies though thence wee must desire all earthly supplies that we neede but for the celestiall glory which is neuer not eternall
that they would prouide that you should not bee ruled by any more gods but by many more deuills that delighted in such vanities But why hath Salacia that you call the inmost sea being there vnder her husband lost her place for you bring her vp aboue when shee is the ebbing tide Hath shee thrust her husband downe into the bottome for entertaining Venilia to his harlot L. VIVES LUst a flowes Alluding to the sea b Goeth and neuer returneth Spoken of the damned that neither haue ease nor hope at all He alludeth to Iob. 10. vers 21. Before I goe and shall not returne to the land of darkenesse and shadow of death euen the land of misery and darknesse which both the words them-selues shew and the learned comments affirme is meant of hell Of the earth held by Varro to be a goddesse because the worlds soule his god doth penetrate his lowest part and communicateth his essence there-with CHAP. 23. WE see one earth filled with creatures yet being a masse of elemental bodies and the worlds lowest part why call they it a goddesse because it is fruitfull why are not men gods then that make it so with labour not with worship No the part of the worlds soule say they conteined in her maâ—…eth hir diuine good as though that soule were not more apparant in man without all question yet men are no gods and yet which is most lamentable are subiected so that they adore the inferiors as gods such is their miserable error Varro in his booke of the select gods putteth a three degrees of the soule in all nature One liuing in all bodies vnsensitiue onely hauing life this he saith we haue in our bones nailes and haire and so haue trees liuing without sence Secondly the power of sence diffused through our eyes eares nose mouth and touch Thirdly the highest degree of the soule called the minde or intellect confined b onely vnto mans fruition wherein because men are like gods that part in the world he calleth a god and in vse a Genius So diuideth hee the worlds soule into three degrees First stones and wood and this earth insensible which we tread on Secondly the worlds sence the heauens or Aether thirdly her soule set in the starres his beleeued gods and by them descending through the earth goddesie Tellus and when it comes in the sea it is Neptune stay now back a little from this morall theologie whether hee went to refresh him-selfe after his toile in these straites back againe I say to the ciuill let vs plead in this court a little I say not yet that if the earth and stones bee like our nailes and bones they haue no more intellect then sence Or if our bones and nailes be said to haue intellect because wee haue it hee is as very a foole that calleth them gods in the world as hee that should â—…me them men in vs. But this perhaps is for Philosophers let vs to our ciuill theame For it may bee though hee lift vp his head a little to the freedome of 〈◊〉 naturall theologie yet comming to this booke and knowing what he had to â—…oe hee lookes now and then back and saith this least his ancestors and others should be held to haue adored Tellus and Neptune to no end But this I say seeing â—…th onely is that part of the worlds soule that penetrateth earth why is it not 〈◊〉 intirely one goddesse and so called Tellus which done where is Orcus 〈◊〉 and Neptunes brother father Dis and where is Proserpina his wife that some opinions there recorded hold to be the earths depth not her fertility If they say the soule of the world that passeth in the vpper part is Dis and that in the loâ—…er Proserpina what shall then become of Tellus for thus is she intirely diuided into halfes that where she should be third there is no place vnlesse some will say that Orcus and Proserpina together are Tellus and so make not three but one or two of them yet 3. they are held worshiped by 3. seuerall sorts of rites by their altars priests statues and are indeed three deuills that do draw the deceiued soule to damnable whoredome But one other question what part of the worlds soule is Tellumo No saith he the earth hath two powers a masculine to produce and a feminine to receiue this is Tellus and that Tellumo But why then doe the Priests as he sheweth adde other two and make them foure Tellumo Tellus c Altor Rusor for the two first you are answered why Altor of Alo to nourish earth nourisheth all things Why Rusor of Rursus againe all things turne againe to earth L. VIVES PUtteth three a degrees Pythagoras and Plato say the soule is of three kindes vegetable sensitiue reasonable Mans soule say they is two-fold rationall and irrationall the later two-fold affectionate to ire and to desire all these they doe locally seperate Plat. de Rep. l. 4. Aristotle to the first three addeth a fourth locally motiue But he distinguisheth those parts of the reasonable soule in vse onely not in place nor essence calling them but powers referred vnto actions Ethic. Alez Aphrodiseus sheweth how powers are in the soule But this is not a fit theame for this place But this is all it is but one soule that augmenteth the hayre and bones profiteth the sences and replenisheth the heart and braine b Onely vnto This place hath diuersities of reading some leaue out part and some do alter but the sence being vnaltered a note were further friuolous c Altor Father Dis and Proserpina had many names in the ancient ceremonies Hee Dis Tellumo Altor Rusor Cocytus shee Uerra Orca and Nâ—…se Tellus Thus haue the priests bookes them Romulus was also called Altellus of nourishing his subiects so admirably against their enuious borderers Iupiter Plutonius saith Trismegistus rules sea and land and is the nourisher of all fruitfull and mortall foules In Asclepio Of earths surnames and significations which though they arose of diuerse originals yet should they not be accompted diuerse Gods CHAP. 24. THerefore earth for her foure qualities ought to haue foure names yet not to make foure gods One Ioue serues to many surnames and so doth one Iuno in all which the multitude of their powers constitute but one God and one goddesse not producing multitude of gods But as the vilest women are some-times ashamed of the company that their lust calleth them into so the polluted soule prostitute vnto all hell though it loued multitude of false gods yet it som-times lothed them For Varro as shaming at this crew would haue Tellus to be but one goddesse They a call her saith hee the Great mother and her Tymbrell is a signe of the earths roundnesse the turrets on her head of the townes the seates about her of her eternall stability when all things else are mooued her 〈◊〉 Priests signifie that such as want seede must follow the earth
videri aut tangi quod careat solido Solidum autem nihil quod terrae sit expers quamobrem mundâ—… efficere moliens deus terram primam ignemque iungebat The same is Tymaeus his opinion in his work De Mundo anima f He meaneth Plato said heauen was of fire the stars of the â—…oure elements because they seemâ—…d more solid But he held not heauen of the nature of our fire for he held fires of diuers nature g Two meanes Water and fire must needs haue a meane of coherence But solid bodies are hardly reconciled by one meane but must haue two which may of theÌ„selues their accidents compose a conuenient third such is water ayre between fire earth for water to earth ayre to fire beare the same proportion and so doth water and ayre betweene themselues which combination rules so in the elements that in the ascending and descending innumerable and imperceptible variations of nature all seemes but one body either rarified vnto fire or condensate vnto earth h Ayre is a spirit But not of God of this hereafter i I am 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a perticiple as one should say I am he that is For wee can not transtate it by one word as Seneca affirmeth Epist. lib. 8. But wee may call it Ens of sâ—… as Caesar did being of to bee as potent of possum So did Sergius Quintil. GOD meaneth thâ—… hee hath beeing whereas as nothing else hath properly any beeing but are as Isayas saith of nothing and Iob hath it often GOD onely hath beeing the rest haue not their existencâ—… saith Seneca because they are eternall themselues but because their maker guardeth them and should hee disist they would all vanish into nothing Plato also sayth that corporal things neuer haue true beeing but spirituall haue In Timeo Sophista And there and iâ—… his Parmenides hee saith that GOD is one and Ens of whom all things depend that â—…ature hath not a fitte expressiue name for his Excellence nor can hee bee defined 〈◊〉 ascribed nor knowne nor comprehended that hee begotte all these lesser goâ—… whom in his Tymaeus he saith are immortall only by their fathers wil not by their own power Him hee calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is as he saith of a true Philosopher in his Phaedon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he conceiueth him which is and a little after 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pertake of them which is and in his Timaeus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the eternall beeing vnbegotten And all the Platonists agree that the title of his Parmenides De ente vno rerum prinoipio and of his Sophista 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are both ment of GOD which is the true being and the beginning of all things and 〈◊〉 being a perticile is of the presentence sâ—…gnifying that GOD hath no time past nor to come but with him all is present and so his beeing is That he saith in his Tymeus Time hath parâ—…es past present and to come and these times of our diuiding are by our error falsely ascribed to the diuine essence and vnmeetely For wee vse to say hee was is and wil be but indâ—…ed he onely is properly and truely was and wil be belong to things that arise and proceede according to the times and with them For they are two motions but the onely Lord of eternâ—…ty hath no motion nor is elder nor hath beene younger nor hath not beene hitherto or shall not bee hereafter nor feeleth any affect of a corporall bodie but those partes past and to come are belonging to time that followeth eternity and are species of that which mooueth it selfe according to number and space Thus much out of Timaeus hee that will reade the author let him looke till hee finde these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. there this sentence beginneth Gregory vsed part of it in his Sermon of the birth of Christ and handled it largely in that place GOD was alwaies and is and shal be saith he nay rather God is alwaies was and shal be are parts of our time and defects in nature But hee is eternally beeing and so he told Moyses when hee asked him his name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Then hee beginnes to mount and with diuine eloquence to spread the lustre of GODS eternity and inmutability but this worthy man is faine to yeeld vnder so huge a burden and shut his eyes dazeled wiâ—…h so fiery a splendor Plutarch tells that on one poste of the Temples dore at Delphos was written 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 know thy selfe and on the other 〈◊〉 thou art the first hauing reference to our preparation in matters of diuinity and the later vnto GODS nature which is alwaies sixt and firme whereas ours is fluxe and mutable Wherefore it may well bee said of him whose nature is not subiect to any alteration of time but alâ—…aies fixed and vnalterable thou art Thou art may also bee referred vnto the vnmoueable eternity without any respect of the time as Plato saith in his Parmenides who will not haue the time present made an attribute of GOD because it is a time nor will haue him called an essence but rather somewhat inexplicable aboue all essence to know what it is not is easie but what it is impossible Some thinke that Parmenides himselfe in his Philosophicall poeme meaneth of GOD there where hee saith all things are but one and so thought Symplicius for it is vnlike that so sharpe a wit as Parmenides found not the difference and multitude of things which hee setteth plainely downe in his poemes For hauing spoken largely of that onely Ens hee concludeth thus Thus much of the true high things now concerning the confused and mortall thing in which is much error Aristotle through desire to reprehend eâ—…roniously traduceth his opinion in his Physikes which Themistius toucheth at Parmenides saith he did not thinke an accident that hath existence but from another to bee the Ens hee meant of but hee spoke of the Ens which is properly especially and truely so which is indeed no other but Plato his very Ens. Nay what say you to Aristotle that saith himselfe that Parmenides ment of that one Ens which was the originall of all The other Platonists opinions I haue already related Now as for that sentence so common against them that the things intelligible onely not the sensible haue existence Alcymus in his worke to Amynthas declarâ—…th that Plato had both it and that of the Idea's out of Epicharmus his bookes and alledgeth the words of Epicharmus himselfe who was a Philosopher of Coos a Phythagorean who held that learning made a man as farre more excellent then others as the suâ—…ne excells the starres and all other light and the sea the riuers Plato himselfe in his Sophista auerreth the antiquity of that opinion that affirmed the essence of intelligibilities onely and that therevpon arose
which beeing dissanulled the Psalmist sung that gods house was built vp through the earth Hermes presaged it with teares the Prophet with ioy and because that spirit that the Prophet spake by is euer victor Hermes himselfe that bewailed their future ruine and wisht their eternity is by a strange power compelled to confesse their original from error incredulity and contempt of GOD not from prudence faith and deuotion And though he call them gods that in saying yet men did make them and such men as wee should not imitate what doth he despite his heart but teach vs that they are not to be worshiped of such men as are not like theÌ„ that made them namely of those that be wise faithful and religious shewing also that those men that made them bound themselues to adore such gods as were no gods at al. So true is that of the Prophet If a man make gods behold they are no gods Now Hermes in calling those gods that are made by such meanes that is deuills bound in Idols by an arte or rather by their owne elections and affirming them the handy-workes of men giueth them not so much as Apuleius the Platonist doth but wee haue shewne already how grosely and absurdly who maketh them the messengers betweene the gods that God made and the men that hee made also to carry vp praiers and bring downe benefites for it were fondnesse to thinke that a god of mans making could doe more with the gods of Gods making then a man whom he made also could For because a deuill bound in a statue by this damned arte is made a god not to each man but to his binder g such as he is Is not this a sweete god now whome none but an erroneous incredulous irreligious man would goe about to make furthermore if the Temple-deuills beeing bound by arte forsooth in those Idols by them that made them gods at such time as they themselues were wanderers vnbeleeuers and contemners of gods true religion are no messengers betweene the gods and them and if by reason of their damnable conditions those men that do so wander beleeue so little and despise religion so much be neuerthelesse their betters as they must needs bee beeing their godheads makers then remaineth but this that which they doe they doe as deuills onely either doing good for the more mischiefe as most deceitfull or doing open mischiâ—…fe yet neither of these can they doe without the high inscrutable prouidence of God nothing is in their power as they are the gods friends and messenger to and from men for such they are not for the good diuine powers whom wee call the holy angells and the reasonable creature inhabiting heauen whether they be Thrones Dominations Principalities or Powers can hold no frindship at all with these spirits from whom they differ as much in affection as vertue differeth from vice or h malice from goodnesse L. VIVES THE wonder a There also hee calleth man a great miracle a venerable honorable creature b Concerning the Or against the deities c The title The greeke saith A pray â—…g song of Dauid that the house was built after the captiuity Hieromes translation from the Hebrew hath no title and therefore the Greekes call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vntitled d Declare 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and afterwards 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Annunciate declare tell e From day A Greeke phraise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 f An arte Porphyry saith the gods doe not only afford men their familiar company but shew them what allureth them what bindeth them what they loue which daies to auoide which to obserue and what formes to make them as Hecate shewes in the Oracle saying shee cannot neglect a statue of brasse gold or siluer and shewes further the vse of wormwood a Mouses bloud Mirrh Frankincense and stirax g Such as he An euill man for such an one Hermes describes h Malice Malice is here vsed for all euill as the Greekes vse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but Tully saith he had rather interprete 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by vice then by malice for malice is a Species of vice opposite to honest simplicity and mother to all fraude and deceite Of such things as may be common to Angells and Men. CHAP. 25. WHerefore the deuills are no means for man to receiue the gods benefits by or rather good Angells but it is our good wills imitating theirs making vs line in one community with them and in honor of that one God that they honor though we see not them with our earthly eyes that is the meanes to their society and whereas our miserable frailty of will and infirmity of spirit doth effect a difference betweene them and vs therein wee are farre short of them in merit of life not in habite of body It is not our earthly bodily habitation but our vncleane carnall affection that causeth separation between them and vs. But when we are purified we become as they drawing neare them neuerthelesse before by our faith if we beleeue that by their good fauours also he that blessed them will make vs also blessed That all Paganisme was fully contained in dead men CHAP. 26. BVt marke what Hermes in his bewayling of the expulsion of those Idols out of Egipt which had such an erroneous incredulity irreligious institutors faith amongst the restâ—… then saith he that holy seate of temples shall become a sepulcher of dead bodies As if men should not die vnlesse these things were demolished or being dead should be buried any where saue in the earth Truly the more time that passeth the more carcasses shal stil be buried more graues made But this it seemes is his griefe that the memories of our Martires should haue place in their Temples that the mis-vnderstanding reader hereof might imagine that the Pagans worshiped gods in the Temples and wee dead men in their tombes For mens blindnesse doth so carry them head-long against a Mountaines letting them not see till they bee struck that they doe not consider that in all paganisme there cannot bee a god found but hath bin a man but on will they and b honor them as eternally pure from all humanity Let Varro passe that said all that died were held gods infernall c proouing it by the sacrifices done at all burialls d there also he reckneth the e funerall plaies as the greatest token of their diuinity plaies beeing neuer presented but to the gods Hermes him-selfe now mentioned in his deploratiue presage saying Then that holy seate of Temples shall become a sepulcher of dead bodies doth plainly auerre that the Egiptian gods were all dead men for hauing said that his fathers in their exceeding errour incredulity and neglect of religion had found a meane to make gods her evnto saith he they added a vertue out of some part of the worlds nature and conioyning these two because they could make no soules they framed certaine Images into which they called
great guilt shame and sinne both of the priests that present this and the people that behold it But wee may perhaps finde a fitter place for this thaeme e Found the graine of barley And wheate also saith Diodor. lib. 1. and therevpon some Citties present them both in her ceremonies But Osiris her husband first obserued their profit and taught the world it chiefly barley that maketh ale in such countries as want wine and is now vsed in the North parts But they made meate of it in old time Plin. lib. 18. out of an Athenian ceremony that Menander reporteth prouing it of elder inuention then wheate For had they found wheate sooner saith Pliny barly would haue bin out of request for bread as it was presently vpon the finding of wheate thence-forth becomming meate for beasts Finis lib. 8. THE CONTENTS OF THE ninth booke of the City of God 1. The scope of the aforepassed disputation and what is remaining to treate of chapter 1. 2. Whether amongst the spirits of the ayre that are vnder the gods there bee any good ones that can further a man in the attainement of true blessednesse 3. What qualities Apuleius ascribeth vnto the diuells to whom he giueth reason but no vertue 4. The opinions of the Stoikes and Peripatetiques concerning perturbatioÌ„s of the minde 5. That the Christians passions are causes of the practise of vertue not Inducers vnto vice 6. What passion the spirits that Apuleius maketh Mediators betweene the Gods Men are subiect vnto by his owne confession 7. That the Platonists doe but seeke contentions in saying the Poets defame the gods whereas their imputations pertaine to the diuells and not the gods 8. Apuleius his definition of the gods of heauen spirits of ayre and men of earth 9. Whether ayery spirits can procure a man the Gods friendships 10. Plotines opinion that men are lesse wretched in their mortality then the diuills are in their eternity 11. Of the Platonists that held mens soules to become Daemones after death 12. Of the three contraries whereby the Platonists distinguish the diuills natures from the Mens 13. How the diuills if they be neither blessed with the Gods nor wretched with Men may be in the meane betwixt both without participation of either 14. Whether mortall men may attaine true happinesse 15. Of the mediator of God and Man the Man Christ Iesus 16. Whether it bee probable that the Platonists say that the gods auoiding earthly contagion haue no commerce with men but by the meanes of the ayry spirits 17. That vnto that be atitude that consisteth in participation of the chiefest good wee must haue onely such a Mediator as Christ no such as the deuill 18. That the diuills vnder collour of their intercession seeke but to draw vs from God 19. That the word Daemon is not vsed as now of any Idolater in a good sence 20. Of the quality of the diuills knowledge whereof they are so proud 21. In what manner the Lord would make himselfe knowne to the diuills 22. The difference of the holy Angells knowledge and the diuills 23. That the Pagan Idols are falsely called gods yet the scripture allowes it to Saints and Angells FINIS THE NINTH BOOKE OF THE CITTIE OF GOD. Written by Saint Augustine Bishop of Hippo vnto Marcellinus The scope of the afore-passed disputation and what is remayning to treat of CHAP. 1. IN these controuersies of the gods some haue held deities of both natures good and euill others of better mindes did the gods that honor to hold theÌ„ all good But those a that held the first held the ayery spirits to be gods also and called them gods as they called the gods spirits but not so ordinarily Indeed they confesse that Ioue the Prince of all the rest was by Homer b called a Daemon But such as affirmed all the gods were good ones and farre better then the best men are iustly mooued by the artes of the ayry spirits to hold firmely that the gods could doe no such matters and therefore of â—…ce â—…re must bee a difference betweene them and these spirits and that what euer â—…asant affect or bad act they see caused wherein these spirits doe shew thâ—… 〈◊〉 power that they hold is the diuills worke and not the gods But yet 〈◊〉 â—…ey place these spirits as mediators betweene their gods and men as if 〈◊〉 â—…an had no other meanes of commerce to carry and recarry praiers 〈◊〉 the one to the other this beeing the opinion of the most excellent â—…ers the Platonists with whom I choose to discusse this question wheâ—…â—…ration of many gods be helpfull to eternall felicity In the last booke 〈◊〉 how the deuils delighting in that which all wise and honest men abâ—… 〈◊〉 in the foule enormous irreligious fictions of the gods crimes not 〈◊〉 in the damnable practise of Magike can be so much nearer to the gods that 〈◊〉 must make them the meanes to attaine their fauors and wee found it â—…terly impossible So now this booke as I promised in the end of the other must 〈◊〉 â—…cerne the difference of the gods betwixt themselues if they make any 〈◊〉 â—…or the difference of the gods and spirits the one beeing farre distant from men as they say and the other in the midst betweene the gods and men but of the difference of these spirits amongst themselues This is the present question L. VIVES THese a that held Plato held all the gods to bee good but the Daemones to bee neither good not euill but neuters But Hermes hath his good angells and his bad And Porphery 〈◊〉 â—…s helpfull Daemones and his hurtfull as some of the Platonists hold also b Homer calâ—… Plâ—…arch de defect Oracul saith that Homer confounded the deities and Demones togeâ—…r â—…ng both names promiscually Hee calls Ioue a Daemon which word as one interpreteth it is sometimes vsed for good and sometimes bad And Iliad 1. hee saith Ioue with the other daeâ—… calling all the gods by that name vpon which place his interpretor saith Hee calleth 〈◊〉 Daemones either for their experience wisdome or gouernment of man So saith Iulius 〈◊〉 Homer called the Gods Daemones and Plato calleth the worlds Architect the great Daemon for Deity Daemon are both taken in one sence This Daemon Plato mentioneth De republ But it is a question whether he meane the Prince of al the world or the deuills Prince for they haue their Hierarchy also Euery spirit saith Proclus De anima et daemone in respect of that which is next vnder it is called a Daemon and so doth Iupiter in Orpheus call his father Saâ—… And Plato himselfe calls those gods that gouerne propagation and protect a man without mediation Daemones To declare saith he in Timaeus the generation and nature of the other Daemones were more then man can comprehend for each power that protecteth a man without anothers mediation is a daemon be it a God or lesse then a God Thus farre
hoping to become Lemures or Manâ—…s the more desirous they are 〈◊〉 the worse they turne into and are perswaded that some sacrifices will call 〈◊〉 to do mischiefe when they are dead and become such for these Laruae 〈◊〉 â—…e are euill Daemones that haue beene men on earth But here is another 〈◊〉 let it passe hee saith further the Greekes call such as they hold blesâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 good Daemones herein confirming his position that mens soules 〈◊〉 Daemones after death L. VIVES HE saith a Hauing often named Genius and Lar giuâ—… me leaue good reader to handle 〈◊〉 here a little Apuleius his words are these In some sence the soule of man while it is in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may be called a Daemon Dii ne hunc ardorem mentibus addunt Euriale an sua cuâ—…que deus sit dira Cupido Causen the gods Eurialus these fires Or beene those gods which men call loose desires Sâ—… thâ—… good desire is a good god in the minde Some therefore thinke they are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is whose soule is purest perfect I know not if I may translate it the Genius beâ—…se that god which is each mans soule though hee bee immortall yet hath originall after 〈◊〉 manner with each man and thether tend the praiers we offer to our genius at carâ—…â—…iunctions Some assigne the body and soule seuered whose coniunction produceth 〈◊〉 so that the second sort of Daemones is mens soules acquit from the bonds of body and 〈◊〉 these the ancient Latine call Lemures and such of these as haue a care of their proâ—… 〈◊〉 staies quietly about the house are called Lares But sâ—…ch as for their bad liues are bound to wander and vse to amaze good men with idle apparitions but to hurt the euill men call Laruae But when their merits are indifferent betweene the Lar and the Larua then they are called Manes and for honors sake are surnamed gods For such as liued orderly and honestly of those persons were first graced with diuine titles by their successors and so got admittance into the temples as Amphiarus in Baeotia Mopsus in Africk 〈◊〉 in Egypt others elsewhere and Aesculapius euery where And thus are gods that haue beene mortall men diuided Thus farre out of Apuleius from a most vnperfect copy though printed by one of good credit Plato also calles our soules least part a Daemon lâ—… Cratil His words you know whom Hesiod calls Daemones euen those men of the golden age for of them hee saith Mens an daemon At genus hoc postquam fatalis condidit hora. Demones hi puri terrâ—…stres tunc vocitantur Custode hominum faelices qui mala pellunt A Daemon or a minde But when set fate calld hence this glorious kinde Then hight they Earthly Daemones and pure Mans happy guides from ill and guards most sure I thinke they were called golden not that they were worth gold because they were iust and vertuous and in that respect are we called Iron But any good man of those daies shall stand in the ranke of Hesiodes golden men also And who is good but the wise I hold therefore that hee called them Daemons for their wisdome experience as the word imports wherefore well wrot hee and whosoeuer wrot it A good man dying is aduanced and made a Daemon in his wisdome So say I that a wise man dying and liuing so becometh a good Daemon as 〈◊〉 also affirmeth Thus far Plato in his Timaeus whence doubt not but Origen had his error that mens soules become Daemones and so contrariwse Plutarch Orig. Porphiry also saith that a proper part of the soule viz the vnderstanding is a Daemon which hee that hath wise is a happy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and hee that hath not is vnhappy that euill soules become wicked spirits and liers and deceiuers like them But Proclus distinguisheth of a Daemon and makes all plaine It is true saith hee that Plato saith there is a Daemon in the reasonable soule but that is comparatiuely true not simply for their is a Daemon essentiall a Daemon in respect and a Daeâ—… in habit Euery thing in respect of the inferiour as a Daemon is called a Daemon so Iupiter calls his father Saturne in Orpheus And Plato calls them gods that haue the immediate disposition of generation Daemones to declare the nature and generation of the other Daemones were more then man can comprehend saith hee for each power that affordeth a man immediate protection be it a god lesse or more is called a Daemon Now the habitual Daemon is the soule that hath practised it selfe wholly in actions rather diuine then humane and so hath had seciall dependance therevpon and in this sence Socrates calles the soules that liued well and are preferred to better place and dignity Daemons But the essentiall Daemon hath not his name from habite or respect but from the propriety of his owne nature and is distinct from the rest in essence proprieties and actions But indeed in Tymâ—…us each reasonable soule is called a Dâ—… Thus far Prâ—…clus who liketh not that a soule should be called a Daemon simply for that he restraines only to that essence that is a meane between the gods vs nor wil haue any thing but our soule called a Daemon compaâ—…atiue not that which worketh the chieâ—…e in it be it reason or affect in miâ—…ds sound or peâ—…turbed wherein Apuleius and hee agree not for that wâ—…ch Uirgill saith it is indeed a ridle or a probleme is like this of Plato law to the good 〈◊〉 is his god lust to the euill Seruius expounds Virgill thus Plotine and other Philosophers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…stion whether our minde moue of it selfe vnto affects or counsells or bee lâ—…d by sâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 first they said it is moued it selfe yet found they afterwards that our faâ—…iliar 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…stigator to all goodnesse and this wee haue giuen vs at our birth but fâ—… affectiâ—…s 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in those wee are our owne guides for it is impossible that the good gods shâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vnto euill Thus much Seruius But surely the affects that do mooue vs Plato calleth also Daemones And it is a wounder to see the controuersies of men of one sect in the question of gods and Daemones Apuleius hee contradicted pâ—… Plâ—… him Porphyry all of them nor can Iamblichus and he agree nor Proclus and Iamblichus 〈◊〉 them-selues setting difference amongst them as they please to teach them b Lares 〈◊〉 with the Genti saith Apuleius and Censorinus sheweth it in an old opinion De die nat 〈◊〉 â—…slates Daemones by Lares mary with a condition If I may say so Capella calls them 〈◊〉 and Angeli and Seruius in Aeneid 6. Manes it is said each man hath his good Geniâ—…â—…is â—…is bad viz reason that effecteth good and lust euill This is the Larua the euill 〈◊〉 that the Lar the good one If the Larua ouer-rule a man in
Diuinity did not terrifie vs but take hold of our acceptance of this inuitation and so translate vs into ioy perpetuall But hee could neither haue bin inuited nor allured to this but onely by one like our selues nor yet could wee bee made happy but onely by God the fountaine of happynesse So then there is but one way Christs humanity by which all accesse lyeth to his Deity that is life eternall and beatitude Whether it be probable that the Platonists say That the gods auoyding earthly contagion haue no commerce with men but by the meanes of the ayry spirits CHAP. 16. FOr it is false that this Platonist saith Plato said God hath no commerce with man and maketh this absolute seperation the most perfect note of their glory and height So then the Diuels are left to deale and to bee infected by mans conuersation and therefore cannot mundifie those that infect them so that both become vnclean the diuels by conuersing with men and then men by adoration of the diuels Or if the diuels can conuerse with men and not bee infected then are they better then the gods for they cannot auoid this inconuenience for that he makes the gods peculiar to bee farre aboue the reach of mans corruption But a God the Creator whome we call the true God he maketh such an one out of Plato as words cannot describe at any hand nay and that the wisest men in their greatest height of abstractiue speculation can haue but now and then a sodaine and b momentary glimpse of the c vnderstanding of this God Well then if this high God d afford his ineffable presence vnto wise men sometimes in their abstractiâ—…e speculation though after a sodaine fashion and yet is not contaminate thereby why then are the gods placed so farre off sor feare of this contamination As though the sight of those ethaereal bodies that light the earth were not sufficient And if our sight of the starres whome hee maketh visible gods doe not â—…minate them then no more doth it the spirits though seene nearer hand Orâ—… mans speech more infectious then his sight and therefore the goddes to keepe them-selues pure receiue all their requests at the deliuery of the diuells What shall I say of the other senâ—…s Their smelling would not infect them if they were below or when they are below as diuells the smel of a quicke man is not infectâ—…s at all if the steame of so many dead carcasses in sacrifices infect not Their taste is not soÌ„ crauing of them as they should bee driuen to come and aske their meate of men and for their touch it is in their owne choyce For though e handling bee peculiar to that sence indeed yet may they handle their businesse with men to see them and heare them without any necessity of touching for men would dare to desire no further then to see and heare them and if they should what man can touch a God or a Spirit against their wils when we see one cannot touch a sparrow vnlesse he haue first taken her So then in sight hearing speech the goddes might haue corporeal commerce with man Now if the diuels haue thus much without infection and the gods cannot why then the goddes are subiect to contamination and not the diuels But if they bee infected also then what good can they doe a man vnto eternity whome beeing them-selues infected they cannot make cleane nor fit to bee adioyned with the gods between whom and men they are mediators And if they cannot doe this what vse hath man of their mediation Vnlesse that after death they liue both together corrupted and neuer come nearer the goddes nor inioy any beatitude either of them Vnlesse some will make the spirits like to spunges fetching all the filth from others and retayning iâ—… in them-selues which if it bee so the gods conuerse with spirits that are more vncleane then the man whose conuersation they auoyd for vncleanenesse sake Or can the gods mundifie the diuels from their infection vn-infected and cannot do so with men VVho beleeues this that beleeueth not the diuels illusions Againe if the lookes of man infect then those visible gods the f worlds bright eyes and the other stars are lyable to this infection and the diuels that are not seene but when they list in better state then they But if the sight of man not his infect then let them deny that they do see man we seeing their beames stretcht to the very earth Their beames looke vn-infected through all infection and them-selues cannot conuerse purely with men onely though man stand in neuer so much necessity of their helpe wee see the Sunnes and Moones beames to reflect vppon the earth without contamination of the light But I wonder that so many learned men preferring things intelligible euer-more before sensible would mention any corporall matter in the doctrine of beatitude VVhere is that saying of g Plotine Lette vs flie to our bright country there is the father and there is all VVhat flight is that h to become like to GOD. If then the liker a man is to GOD the nearer hee is also why then the more vnlike the farther off And mans soule the more it lookes after thinges mutable and temporall the more vnlike is it to that essence that is immutable and eternall L. VIVES GOD a the Creator Apul. de dâ—…o Sâ—…crat Dog Platon GOD is celestiall ineffable and vn-name-able whose nature is hard to finde ' and harder to declare words The of Plato are these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To finde God is hard but to comprehend him impossible Thus farre Apuleius Plato in his Timaeus that to finde out the father of this vniuerse is a hard matter but to expresse his full nature to another vtterly impossible And in his Parmenides disputing of that One Hee saith it can neyther bee named defined 〈◊〉 comprehended seene nor imagined b Momentary Signifieth that the dimme light sodainly with-draweth it selfe leauing a slender species or light impression thereof only in the mindes of such as haue seene it yet such an one as giueth ample testimony of the â—…ensity and lustre thereof c Vnderstanding In the world there are some markes whereby the 〈◊〉 Maker may be knowne but that a farre off as a light in the most thicke and spatious dâ—…ke and not by all but only by the sharpest wits that giue them-selues wholly to speculation thereof d Afford his Nor doth the knowledge of God leaue the wise minde but is euer present when it is purely sought and holyly e Handling Contrectation of Tracto to handle f Worldet bright Apulei de deo Socrat. For as their maiesty required he dedicated heauen to the immortall goddes whome partly wee see and call them celestiall as you the worlds bright eye that guides the times Vos O Clarissima mundi Lumina saith Virgill of the Sunne and Moone Georg. 1. g Plotine Plato saith hee Coleyne copy h To become The
set vp vpon a pole herein beeing both a present helpe for the hurt and a type of the future destruction of death by death in the passion of Christ crucified The brazen serpent beeing for this memory reserued and afterward by the seduced people adored as an Idol Ezechias a religious King to his great praise brake in peeces L. VIVES IN a the same This Augustine Retract lib. 2. recanteth In the tenth booke saith he speaking of this worke the falling of the fire from heauen betweene Abrahams diuided sacrifices is to bee held no miracle For it was reuealed him in a vision Thus farre he Indeed it was 〈◊〉 miracle because Abraham woudered not at it because he knew it would come so to passe and so it was no nouelty to him Of vnlawfull artes concerning the deuils worship whereof Porphyry approoueth some and disalloweth others CHAP. 9. THese and multitudes more were done to commend the worship of one God vnto vs and to prohibite all other And they were done by pure faith and confident piety not by charmes and coniuration trickes of damned curiosity by Magike or which is in name worse by a Goetia or to call it more honorably b Theurgie which who so seekes to distinguish which none can they say that the damnable practises of all such as wee call witches belong to the Goetie mary the effects of Theurgy they hold lawdable But indeede they are both damnable and bound to the obseruations of false filthy deuills in stead of Angells Porphyry indeed promiseth a certaine purging of the soule to be done by Theurgy but he d fâ—…ers and is ashamed of his text hee denies vtterly that one may haue any recourse to God by this arte thus floteth he betweene the surges of sacrilegious curiosity and honest Philosophy For now he condemneth it as doubtfull perilous prohibited and giues vs warning of it and by and by giuing way to the praisers of it hee saith it is vsefull in purging the soule not in the intellectuall part that apprehendeth the truth of intelligibilities abstracted from all bodily formes but the e spirituall that apprehendeth all from corporall obiects This hee saith may be prepared by certaine Theurgike consecrations called f Teletae to receiue a spirit or Angell by which it may see the gods Yet confesseth hee that these Theurgike Teletae profit not the intellectuall part a iot to see the owne God and receiue apprehensions of truth Consequently we see what sweete apparitions of the gods these Teletae can cause when there can bee no truth discerned in these visions Finally he saith the reasonable soule or as he liketh better to say the intellectuall may mount aloft though the spirituall part haue no Thâ—…ke preparation and if the spirituall doe attaine such preparation yet it is thereby made capable of eternity For though he distinguish Angells and Daemones placing these in the ayre and those in the g skie and giue vs counsell to get the amity of a Daemon whereby to mount from the earth after death professing no other meanes for one to attaine the society of the Angells yet doth hee in manner openly professe that a Daemons company is dangerous saying that the soule beeing plagued for it after death abhorres to adore the Daemones that deceiued it Nor can he deny that this Theurgy which hee maketh as the league betweene the Gods and Angells dealeth with those deuillish powers which either enuy the soules purgation or els are seruile to them that enuy it A Chaldaean saith he a good man complained that all his endeuour to purge his soule was frustrate by reason a great Artyst enuying him this goodnesse a diured the powers hee was to deale with by holy inuocations and bound them from granting him any of his requests So hee bound them saith hee and this other could not loose them Here now is a plaine proofe that Theurgie is an arte effecting euill as well as good both with the gods and men and that the gods are wrought vpon by the same passions and perturbations that Apuleius laies vpon the deuills and men alike who notwithstanding following Plato in that acquits the gods from all such matters by their hight of place being celestiall L. VIVES BY a Goetia It is enchantment a kinde of witch-craft Goetia Magia and Pharmacia saith Suidas are diuers kindes inuented all in Persia. Magike is the inuocation of deuills but those to good endes as Apollonius Tyaneus vsed in his presages Goetie worketh vpon the dead by inuocation so called of the noyse that the practisers hereof make about graues Pharmacia worketh all by charmed potions thereby procuring death Magike and Astrology Magusis they say inuented And the Persian Mages had that name from their countrimen and so had they the name of Magusii Thus farre Suidas b Theurgy It calleth out the superior gods wherein when wee erre saith Iamblichus then doe not the good gods appeare but badde ones in their places So that a most diligent care must bee had in this operation to obserue the priests old tradition to a haires bredth c Witches Many hold that witches and charmes neuer can hurt a man but it is his owne conceite that doth it Bodies may hurt bodies naturally saith Plato de leg lib. 11. and those that goe about any such mischiefe with magicall enchantments or bondes as they call them thinke they can hurt others and that others by art Goetique may hurt them But how this may bee in nature is neither easie to know not make others know though men haue a great opinion of the power of Images and therefore let this stand for a lawe If any one doe hurt another by empoysoning though not deadly nor any of his house or family but his cattell or his bees if hee hurt them howsoeuer beeing a Phisition and conuict of the guilt let him die the death if hee did it ignorantly let the iudges fine or punish him at their pleasures If any one bee conuicted of doing such hurt by charmes or incantations if hee bee a priest or a sooth-saier let him die the death but if any one doe it that is ignorant of these artes let him bee punishable as the law pleaseth in equity Thus farre Plato de legib lib 11. Porphyry saith that the euill Daemones are euermore the effectors of witch-crafts and that they are chiefly to bee adored that ouerthrow them These deuills haue all shapes to take that they please and are most cunning and couzening in their prodigious shewes these also worke in these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those vnfortunate loues all intemperancy couetice and ambition doe these supplie men with and especially with deceipt for their propriety most especiall is lying De animal abst lib. 2. d Falters As seeing the deuills trickes in these workes selling themselues to vs by those illusiue operations But Iamblichus beeing initiate and as hee thought more religious held that the arte was not wholy reproueable beeing of that industrie
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
the strangest for man is a a greater miracle then all that hee can worke Wherefore God that made heauen and earth both miracles scorneth not as yet to worke miracles in heauen and earth to draw mens soules that yet affect visibilities vnto the worship of his inuisible essence But where and when he will doe this his vnchangeable will onely can declare b at whose disposing all time past hath beene and to come is He mooueth all things in time but time adoreth not him nor mooueth hee future effects otherwise then present Nor heareth our praiers otherwise then he fore-seeth them ere we pray for when his Angells here them he heareth in them as in his true temples not made with hands so doth he hold al things effected temporally in his Saints by his eternall disposition L. VIVES MAn is a a greater The saying is most common in Trismegistus Man is a great miracle b At whose disposing Paul saith all things lie open and bare vnto Gods knowledge for all time is neither past nor to come but present to him So doth hee determine and dispose of all things as present nor doth yesterday or this day passe or come with him as it doth with vs. His power and essence admitreth no such conditions nor restraintes All eternity is present to him much more our little percell of time yet he that made our soules adapted them times fit for their apprehensions and though hee see how wee see and know yet hee neither seeth nor knoweth like vs. Shall wee run on in a Philosophicall discourse hereof wanting rather wordes then matter or is it bettâ—…r to burst out with Paul into admiration and cry out O the altitude of the ritches wisdome and knowledge of God! How the inuisible God hath often made himselfe visible not as he is really but as we could be able to comprehend his sight CHAP. 13. NOr hurteth it his inuisibility to haue appeared a visible oftentimes vnto the fathers For as the impression of a sound of a sentence in the intellect is not the same that the sound was so the shape wherein they conceiued Gods inuisible nature was not the same that he is yet was he seene in that shape as the sentâ—…e was conceiued in that sound for they knew that no bodily forme could b containe God He talked with Moyses yet Moyses intreated him a If I haue found 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thy fight shew meÌ„e thy face that I may d know thee And seeing it behouâ—… the law of God to bee giuen from the mouthes of Angells with terror not to a 〈◊〉 of the wisest but to a whole nation great things were done in the mount 〈◊〉 â—…he sayd people the lawe beeing giuen by one and all the rest beholding the â—…ble and strange things that were done For the Israelites had not that confidence in Moyses that the Lacedemonians had in d Lycurgus to beleeue that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his lawes from Ioue or Apollo For when that lawe was giuen the people that enioynes the worshippe of one God in the view of the same people were strange prooâ—… shewne as many as Gods prouidence thought fit to proue that that was the Creator whom they his creatures ought to serue in thâ—… 〈◊〉 L. VIVES 〈◊〉 a visible Iohn in his Gospell saith that no man hath euer seene God and Paul conâ—… it yet Iacob saith Hee saw the Lord face to face And Exod. 33. it is said Moyses 〈◊〉 God face to face as one friend with another which many places of Scripture teâ—… 〈◊〉 is so sure that man cannot behold Gods inuisible nature that some haue said that 〈◊〉 Angels nor Archangels doe see him Chrysost. and Gregor The fathers therefore 〈◊〉 such Maiestie of forme as they thought was diuine for that the Angels spoake 〈◊〉 â—…ers and gaue them the lawe Paul affirmeth to the Hebrewes in these words If 〈◊〉 â—…ken by Angels was stedfast c. The same saith Steuen Actes 7. Now this was no 〈◊〉 for none hee hath saith Chrysostome that Christ saith the Iewes neuer sawe 〈◊〉 was that visible shape that the Angels by Gods appointment take vpon them so 〈◊〉 â—…ing ordinary shapes that it seemes diuine and is a degree to the view of the 〈◊〉 saith he Christ saith they had not seene though they thought they had Exo. 19. 〈◊〉 A diuerse reading in the Latine c If I haue It is plaine saith Gregorie that 〈◊〉 life man may see some images of God but neuer him-selfe in his proper nature as 〈◊〉 â—…pired with the spirit seemeth some figures of God but can neuer reach the view of 〈◊〉 Hence it is that Iacob seeing but an Angell thought hee had seene God And 〈◊〉 for all he was said to speake with him face to face yet said Shew mee thy face that I 〈◊〉 whence it is apparant that hee desired to behold that cleare vncircumscribed 〈◊〉 â—…ch he had but yet beheld in shadowes and figures Moralan Iob. lib. 17. But the Anâ—… 〈◊〉 deputy answered Moyses thus Thou canst not see my face for there shall no man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lâ—…e But a little after Thou shalt see my back parts but my face thou shalt not see 〈◊〉 of the deity left in his creatures we may see and so aspire towards his inuisibility 〈◊〉 knowledge thereof as God giues more grace But his true essence is more amâ—… weake sence and intellect can comprehend or then can be so farre debased But 〈◊〉 â—…th God it is not so nor doe I thinke it impious or absurd to hold that God spake 〈◊〉 â—…he Fathers and after Christ to many of the Saints God euen that God of heaâ—… 〈◊〉 it is not against his Maiestie but congruent to his infinite goodnesse His face 〈◊〉 as Augustine declares d Know thee Or see thee knowingly e Lycurgus 〈◊〉 King of Sparta and Dionassa brother to king Polibites or Plutarch Poliâ—… 〈◊〉 whose death he reigned vntill his brothers wife prooued with child for then hee 〈◊〉 â—…o the childe vnborne if it were a sonne and proouing so hee was protector He gaue 〈◊〉 â—…nians sharpe lawes and therefore feyned to haue them from Apollo of Delphos 〈◊〉 Ioue because hee went into Crete to auoide the maleuolence of some of his 〈◊〉 and there they say learned hee his lawes of Ioue that was borne there Iustine 〈◊〉 in Creete But the Historiographers doe neither agree of his birth lawes nor 〈◊〉 Plutarch nor of his time nor whether there were diuerse so called Timaeus 〈◊〉 and both Lacedemonians but saith that both their deedes were referred to the 〈◊〉 â—…e elder liued in Homers time or not long after Of Lycurgus lawes I omitte to 〈◊〉 seeing they are so rife in Plutarch and Zenophon common authors both 〈◊〉 but one God is to be worshipped for all things temporall and eternall all being in the power of his prouidence CHAP. 14. 〈◊〉 true religion of all mankinde referred to the people of God as well 〈◊〉 hath had increase and receiued
more and more perfection by the sucâ—… and continuance of time drawing from temporalities to eternity and â—…ges visible to the intelectuall so that euen then when the promise of â—…wards was giuen the worship of one onely God was taught least manâ—…â—…ld be drawne to any false worship for those temporall respects for he is 〈◊〉 denyeth that all that men or Angels can doe vnto man is in the hand of â—…ghty Plotine the Platonist a disputes of prouidence prouing it to be deâ—…â—…om the high ineffable beautious God b vnto the meanest creature on earth c by the beautie of the flowers and leaues all which so transitory momentary things could not haue their peculiar seuerally-sorted beauties but from that intellectuall and immutable beauty forming them all This our Sauiour shewed saying Learne how the Lillies of the field doe growe they labour not neither 〈◊〉 yet say I vnto you that euen d Salomon in all his glory was not arayde like one of these Wherefore if God so cloathe the grasse of the field which is to day and 〈◊〉 â—…orrow is cast into the Ouen shall not hee doe much more vnto you O you of little faith Wherefore though the minde of man bee weake and clogged with earthlie affects and desires of those things that are so fraile and contemptible in respect of the blessings celestiall though necessaries for this present life yet doth it well to desire them at the hands of one onely GOD and not to depart from his seruice to obteine them else-where when they may soonest attaine his loue by neglect of such trifles and with that loue all necessaries both for this life and the other L. VIVES PLatonist a disputeth In foure bookes shewing that the least part of this inferior world is respected by the Prince of nature and that by the intelligible world which is with God this world of ours was made many that the depression hath altered it that the other simple world produced this multiplyed and dispersed b Vnto the meanest For some held that Gods prouidence descended no lower then heauen This same opinion some say was Aristotles of which else-where Others held that the Gods medled onely with the greatest affaires on earth and as Kings medled not with petty matters where-vpon Lucane maketh Câ—…sar speake thus to his mutinous soldiours Nunquam se cura deorum Sic premit vt vestra vitae vestraeque saluti Fata vacent procerum motus haec cuncta sequuntur Hâ—…i paucis vinit genus c. The gods doe not respect Your good so much as to permit the fates To tend on that they manage greater states Mankinde may liue with small c. c By the beauty Euery flower hath such an apte forme growth bud seede and spring that hee that obserues it must needs say the workman of this is none but God Gods prouidence saith Proclus descends from aboue vnto each parcell of the creation omitting none Bâ—… seeing Plato is for vs what neede wee cite his followers Hee affirmes Gods prouidence to dispose of euery little thing and euery great In Epniom hauing disputed of it De legib lib. 10. The summe whereof is this Seeing there are gods they must not be thought idle therefore they looke to humaine affaires and knowing all they know both little and great being farre from 〈◊〉 and sluggishnesse nor is their power a whit lesse in the least businesses nor doe they thinke it vnâ—…thy their maiesty to respect them for they are degrees to the highest Therefore they regard all things great and small d Salomon What purple silke or dye saith Hierome vpon this place 〈◊〉 â—…le to the flowers what is so white as the Lily what purple exceeds the Uiolet Let 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rather iudges in this then the tongue Thus farre hee And truly Arte can neuer attaine 〈◊〉 perfection imitate how it can though our esteeme preferre it and seeing it gette a 〈◊〉 by â—…lation attribute much more to it Of the holy Angels that minister to Gods prouidence CHAP. 15. IT â—…sed the diuine prouidence therefore so to dispose of the times that as I said and wee read in the actes the lawe should bee giuen a by the Angells mouths concerning the worship of the true God wherein Gods person not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 proper substance which corruptible eyes can neuer see but by certaine â—…sitions of a creature for the creator would appeare and speake syllabiâ—… a mans voyce vnto vs euen hee that in his owne nature speaketh not â—…lly but spiritually not sensiblie but intelligibly not temporally but as 〈◊〉 â—…y aeternall neither beginning speach nor ending whome his blessed â—…ortall messengers and ministers heard not with eares but more sincereâ—… intellects and hearing his commands after an ineffable manner they inâ—…â—…nd easily frame to bee deliuered vs in a visible and sensible manner 〈◊〉 was giuen as I say in a diuision of time first hauing all earthly proâ—…â—…hat were types of the goods eternall which many celebrated in visible 〈◊〉 but few vnderstood But there the true religious worship of one 〈◊〉 God is directly and plainely taught and testified not by one of the peoâ—… by him that made heauen and earth and euery soule and spirit that is not 〈◊〉 for hee maketh them that are made and haue neede of his helpe that 〈◊〉 in all their existence L. VIVES 〈◊〉 Angels mouthes Or by their disposing as Gods ministers in those myracles Of â—…-after Whether in this question of beatitude we must trust those Angels that refuse the diuine worship and ascribe it all to one God or those that require it to them-selues CHAP. 16. 〈◊〉 Angells shall wee trust then in this businesse of eternall blisse Those 〈◊〉 require mortall men to offer them sacrifice and honours or those 〈◊〉 it is all due vnto GOD the Creator and will vs most piously to giue 〈◊〉 it all as one in the onely speculation of whome wee may attaine 〈◊〉 â—…inesse For the sight of GOD is a sight of that beauty and worthy 〈◊〉 that Plato a did not doubt to call him that wanted this vnhappy 〈◊〉 â—…euer such store of goods besides Seeing then that some Angels reâ—… this religious worship to him and some would haue it them-selues 〈◊〉 â—…fusing all part of it and the second not daring to forbid him of part 〈◊〉 the Platonists Theurgiques or rather b Periurgikes for so may all 〈◊〉 bee fitlye termed or any other Philosophers answere which wee 〈◊〉 â—…llow Nay let all men answer that haue any vse of naturalll reason â—…her wee shall sacrifice to these Gods or Angels that exact it or to 〈◊〉 to whome they bid vs that forbid it both to them-selues and the 〈◊〉 If neither of them did any miracles but the one side demanded sacriâ—… and the others sayd no GOD must haue all then ought piety to discerne 〈◊〉 the pride of the one and the vertue of the other Nay I will say 〈◊〉 if these that doe claime sacrifice should worke vpon mens
â—…ledge of God which none can attaine but through the mediator betweene God and man the Man Christ Iesus CHAP. 2. IT is a grâ—… and admirable thing for one to transcend all creatures corporal or incorporall fraile and mutable by speculation and to attaine to the Deity it selfe and learne of that that it made all things that are not of the diuine essence For so doth God teach a man speaking not by any corporall creature vnâ—… 〈◊〉 â—…erberating the ayre betweene the eare and the speaker nor by any 〈◊〉 â—…ature or apparition as in dreames or otherwise For so hee doth 〈◊〉 â—…nto bodily eares and as by a body and by breach of ayre and distance 〈◊〉 are very like bodies But he speaketh by the truth if the eares of the 〈◊〉 ready and not the body For hee speaketh vnto the best part of the 〈◊〉 and that wherein God onely doth excell him and vnderstand a man 〈◊〉 fashion you cannot then but say he is made after Gods Image beeing 〈◊〉 God onely by that part wherein hee excelleth his others which hee â—…ed with him by beasts But yet the minde a it selfe wherein reason and 〈◊〉 â—…ding are naturall inherents is weakned and darkened by the mist of inâ—…â—…ror and diss-enabled to inioy by inherence b nay euen to endure that 〈◊〉 light vntill it bee gradually purified cured and made fit for such an 〈◊〉 therefore it must first bee purged and instructed by faith to set it the 〈◊〉 â—…in truth it selfe Gods Sonne and God taking on our man without 〈◊〉 god-head ordained that faith to bee a passe c for man to God by 〈◊〉 â—…at was both God and man d for by his man-hood is he mediator 〈◊〉 is hee our way For if the way lie betweene him that goeth and the 〈◊〉 â—…ch he goeth there is hope to attaine it But if e one haue no way nor 〈◊〉 way to goe what booteth it to know whether to goe And the oneâ—… infallible high way is this mediator God and Man God our iourâ—… Man our way vnto it L. VIVES 〈◊〉 a it selfe We call the minde mans purest and most excellent part by which 〈◊〉 â—…stand argue collect discourseâ—… apprehending things simply or comparing 〈◊〉 â—…g all artes and disciplines managing the whole course of life and inuenting 〈◊〉 the minde b Nay euen to endure So is the best reading c For by his This 〈◊〉 but all added by some other vnto the chapters end Of the authority of the canonicall Scriptures made by the spirit of God CHAP. 3. 〈◊〉 hauing spoken what he held conuenient first by his Prophets then 〈◊〉 â—…fe and afterwards by his Apostle made that scripture also which 〈◊〉 â—…icall of most eminent authority on which wee relie in things that 〈◊〉 â—…nderstanding and yet cannot bee attained by our selues For if things 〈◊〉 either to our exterior or interior sence wee call them things present 〈◊〉 owne in our owne iudgements b wee see them before our eyes and 〈◊〉 as infallible obiects of our sence then truely in things that fall not in 〈◊〉 of sence because our owne iudgements doe faile vs we must seeke out 〈◊〉 â—…rities to whom such things wee thinke haue beene more apparant 〈◊〉 we are to trust Wherefore as in things visible hauing not seene them 〈◊〉 we trust those that haue and so in all other obiects of the sences eâ—…â—…ngs mentall and intelligible which procure a notice or sence in man 〈◊〉 â—…omes the word sentence that is c in things inuisible to our exteriâ—…e must needs trust them d who haue learned then of that incorpoâ—… or e behold them continually before him L. VIVES 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sensible That power in man or other creature whatsoeuer that discerneth any 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 called sence Fiue exterior sences there are and one within the minde or soule feeliâ—… 〈◊〉 of sorrow or of ought that the exteriors present ioy praise glory vertue vice hope 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the exteriors as thus wee say what doe you thinke of this wine this musicke this â—…ure of such a mans iudgement or wisdome Philosophy diuinity or policy Thus much because our Philosophers will not endure the minde should bee called sence directly against Augustine But what hath a Philosopher of our time to do with the knowledge of speach 〈◊〉 is as they interpret it with grammar b Wee see them So it must be prae sensibus before oâ—… sences not prâ—…sentibus c In things inuisible Visible commeth of Videre to see that that is common to all the sences Saw you not what a vile speech hee made saw you euer worse wine and so the Greekes vse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So doth Augustine vse inuisible here for that which is no obiect to any exterior sence d Who haue learned The Saints of God their Maister e Behold The holy Angells Thâ—… 〈◊〉 state of the world is neither eternall nor ordained by any new thought of gods as if he meant that after which he meant not before CHAP. 4. OF things visible the world is the greatest of inuisible God But the first wee see the second wee but beleeue That God made the world whom shall wee beleeue with more safety them himselfe Where haue we heard him neuer better then in the holy scriptures where the Prophet saith In the beginning God created heauen and earth Was the Prophet there when he made it no. But Gods wisdome whereby hee made it was there and that doth infuse it selfe into holy soules making Prophets and Saints declaring his workes vnto them inwardly without any noise And the holy Angells that eternally behold the face of the Father they come downe when they are appointed and declare his will vnto them of whom he was one that wrote In the beginning God created heauen and earth and who was so fit a witnesse to beleeue God by that by the same spirit that reuealed this vnto him did hee prophecy the comming of our faith But a what made God create heauen and earth then not sooner b they that say this to import an eternity of the world being not by God created are damnably and impiously deceiued and infected For to except all prophecy the very c order disposition beauty and change of the worlde and all therein proclaimeth it selfe to haue beene mâ—…de and not possible to haue beene made but by God that ineffable inuisible great one ineffably inuisible beaâ—…teous But they that say God made the world and yet allow it no temporall but onely a formall originall being made after a manner almost incomprehensible they seeme to say some-what in Gods defence from that chancefull rashnesse to take a thing into his head that was not therein before viz to make the world and to be subiect to change of will he beâ—…g wholy vnchangeable and for euer But I see not how their reason can stand in â—…er respects chiefly d in that of the soule which if they doe coeternize with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 can neuer shew how that misery befalleth it
an ayre Heraclitus produced all soules out of respiration therevpon calling it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to refrigerate Plato in Cratyl The ancients tooke our 〈◊〉 wee draw for the soule Where-vpon the Poet said vxoris anima 〈◊〉 My wiues breth stinkes They called all ayre also the soule Uirgil Semina terrarum animaeque marisqâ—… 〈◊〉 As they had beene the seeds of earth ayre sea c. g Could not Câ—…c Tusc. qâ—…st lib. 1. They could not conceiue the soule that liues by it selfe but sought a shape for it h Câ—…â—…kenesse Arist de anima lib. 2. Darkenesse is the absence of light from a transpareâ—… body by which we see i Their quality The Greekes call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tully in his academikes taketh this for a body But Augustine here calleth all adherences to the substance which Philosophers call accidents qualities Quintil and others shew the name of Quality to bee generall and both in the abstract and conceite appliable to all accidents k Treasuries Store-houses or treasures themselues l It were All were hee a bungler and had no skill the word is any m But that God Wose care vpholds or else would it stand but a while But he cannot care for that hee knowes not nor any workeman supports a worke he is ignorant in or perfometh any such Whether the spirits that fell did euer pertake with the Angells in their blisse at their beginning CHAP. 11. WHich being so the Angels were neuer darknesse at all but as soone as euer they were made they were made light yet not created onely to liue and be as they listed but liue happily and wisely in their illumination from which some of them turning away were so farre from attaining that excellence of blessed wisdome which is eternall with full security of the eternity that they a fell to a life of bare foolish reason onely which they cannot leaue although they would how they were pertakers of that wisdome before their fall who can define How can wee say they were equally pertakers with those that are really blessed by the assurance of their eternity whome if they had beene therein equal they had still continued in the same eternity by the same assurance for life indeed must haue an end last it neuer so long but this cannot bee said of eternity for it is life because of lyuing but it is eternity of neuer ending wherefore though all eternity be not blessed for hel fire is eternal yet if the true beatitude be not without eternity their beatitude was no such as hauing end and therefore being not eternall whether they knew it or knew it not feare keeping their knowledge and error their ignorance from being blessed But if their ignorance built not firmely vpon vncertainety but on either side wauering betweene the end or the eternity of their beatitude this protraction proues them not pertakers of the blessed Angells happinesse b We ty not this word beatitude vnto such strictnesse as to hold it Gods onely peculiar yet is hee so blessed as none can bee more In comparisoâ—… of which be the Angells as blessed of themselues as they can what is all the beatitude of any thing or what can it be L. VIVES THey fell a to a life The Deuills haue quicke and suttle witts yet are not wise knowing 〈◊〉 them-selues nor their Father as they ought but being blinded with pride and enuy 〈◊〉 most â—…ondly into all mischiefe If they were wise they should be good for none is wicked in 〈◊〉 ignorance rules not as Plato and Aristotle after him teacheth b We tie 〈◊〉 The 〈◊〉 defined beatitude A numerically perfect state in all good peculiar to God in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Angells and Saints are blessed The happinesse of the iâ—…st that as yet haue not the reward of the diuine promise compared with the first man of paradise before sinnes originall CHAP. 12. NEither do we onely call a them blessed respecting all reasonable intellectâ—… 〈◊〉 for who dares deny that the first man in Paradise was blessed before his 〈◊〉 â—…ough he knew not whether he should be so still or not Hee had beene so 〈◊〉 had he not sinned for we call them happy b whom we see liue well in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hope of the immortalitie to come without c terror of conscience 〈◊〉 â—…rue attainment of pardon for the crimes of our naturall imperfection 〈◊〉 â—…ough they be assured of reward for their perseuerance yet they are not 〈◊〉 â—…seuer For what man knoweth that he shall continue to the end in actiâ—…â—…crease of iustice vnlesse hee haue it by reuelation from him that by his 〈◊〉 â—…ouidence instructeth few yet faâ—…leth none herein But as for present 〈◊〉 our first father in Paradise was more blessed then any iust man of the 〈◊〉 but as for his hope euery man in the miseries of his body is more blessed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whom truth not opinion hath said that he shall bee rid of all molestaâ—… pertake with the Angels in that great God whereas the man that liued 〈◊〉 â—…se in all that felicity was vncertaine of his fall or continuance therein L. VIVES 〈◊〉 a them blessed This reading is best approoued Augustine meanes that the Angels 〈◊〉 they were vncertaine of their fall or continuance yet were in a sort blessed onely 〈◊〉 â—…gh glorious nature as Adam was in those great gifts of God before his fall b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christ calls them blessed Mat. 8. c Terror of conscience The greatest blisse 〈◊〉 a pure conscience as Horace saith to blush for guilt of nothing and the greatest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…uilty conscience This was that the Poets called the furies Cic. contra Pisonem 〈◊〉 â—…er the Angels were created in such a state of happinesse that neither 〈◊〉 those that fell knew they should fall nor those that perseuered fore-knew they should perseuer CHAP. 13. 〈◊〉 â—…fore now it is plaine that beatitude requires both conioyned such 〈◊〉 â—…tude I meane as the intellectuall nature doth fitly desire that is to 〈◊〉 the vnchangeable good without any molestation to remaine in him 〈◊〉 with-out delay of doubt or deceit of error This wee faithfully beleeue 〈◊〉 Angels haue but consequently that the Angels that offended and 〈◊〉 lost that light had not before their fall some beatitude they had but 〈◊〉 knowing this wee may thinke if they a were created any while beâ—…y sinned But if it seeme hard to beleeue some Angels to bee created 〈◊〉 â—…ore-knowledge of their perseuerance or fall and other-some to haue 〈◊〉 â—…cience of their beatitude but rather that all had knowledge alike in their 〈◊〉 and continued so vntill these that now are euill left that light of goodâ—… verily it is harder to thinke that the holy Angels now are in themâ—… certaine of that beatitude whereof the scriptures affoord them so 〈◊〉 â—…einty and vs also that read them What Catholicke Christian but 〈◊〉 that no Angell that now is shall euer become a deuill nor any
commended before as fitt questians of euery creature viz who made it how and why the answeare to which is GOD by his word because hee is good whether the holy Trinity the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost doe imitate this vnto vs from their misticall body or there be some places of Scripture that doth prohibite vs to answeare thus is a great questian and not fit to bee opened in one volume L. VIVES THe a soules Origen in his first booke Periarchion holds that GOD first created all things incorpore all and that they were called by the names of heauen and earth which afterward were giuen vnto bodies Amongst which spirituals or soules Mentes were created who declining to vse Ruffinus his translation from the state and dignity became soules as their name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 declareth by waxing cold in their higher state of being mentes The mind fryling of the diuine heate takes the name and state of a soule which if it arise and ascend vnto againe it gaines the former state of a minde Which were it true I should thinke that the mindes of men vnequally from God some more and some lesse some should rather bee soules then other some some retaining much of their mentall vigor and some little or none But these soules saith he being for their soule fals to bee put into grosser bodies the world was made as a place large enough to exercise them all in as was appointed And from the diuersity and in-equality of their fall from him did God collect the diuersity of things here created This is Origens opinion Hierom reciteth it ad auitum b which good We should haue beene Gods freely without any trouble c Any ayry body Of this here-after Of the diuine Trinity notifying it selfe in some part in all the workes thereof CHAP. 24. VVE beleeue a faithfully affirme that God the Father begot the world his wisdom by which al was made his only Son one with one coeternal most good and most equall And that the holy spirit is both of the Father and the 〈◊〉 consubstantiall coeternall with them both this is both a Trinity in respect of the persons and but one God in the inseperable diuinity one omnipotent in the vnseperable power yet so as euery one of the three be held to bee God omnipotent and yet altogether are not three Gods omnipotents but one God omnipotent such is the inseperable unity of three persons and so must it bee taâ—… off But whether the spirit beeing the good Fathers and the good Sonnes may â—…e sayd to be both their goodnesses c heere I dare not rashly determine I durst rather call it the sanctity of them both not as their quality but their substance and the third person in Trinity For to that this probability leadeth mee that the Father is holy and the Son holy and yet the Spirit is properly called holy as beeing the substantiall and consubstantiall holynesse of them both But if the diuine goodnesse be nothing else but holynesse then is it but diligent reason and no bold presumption to thinke for exercise of our intentions sake that in these three questions of each worke of God who made it how and why the holy Trinity is secretly intimated vnto vs for it was the Father of the word that sayd Let it be made and that which was made when hee spake doubtlesse was made by the word and in that where it is sayd And God saw that it was good it is playne that neyther necessity nor vse but onely his meere will moued God to make what was made that is Because it was good which was sayd after it was done to shew the correspondence of the good creature to the Creator by reason of whose goodnesse it was made If this goodnes be now the holy spirit then is al the whole Trinity intimate to vs in euery creature hence is the originall forme and perfection of that holy Citty wherof the Angells are inhabitants Aske whence it is God made it how hath it wisedome God enlightned it How is it happy God whom it enioyes hath framed the existence and illustrated the contemplation and sweetned the inherence thereof in him-selfe that is it seeth loueth reioyceth in Gods eternity shines in his truth and ioyeth in his goodnesse L. VIVES VVâ—… a beleeue Lette vs beleeue then and bee silent hold and not inquire preach faithfully and not dispute contentiously b Begotte What can I do heere but fall to adoration What can I say but recite that saying of Paul in admiration O the deepnesse of the ritches both of the wisedome and knowledge of God! c Heere I dare not Nor I though many diuines call the spirit the Fathers goodnesse and the Sonne his wisedome Who dare affirme ought directly in those deepe misteries d Because it or because it was equally good Of the tripartite diuision of All Phylosophicall discipline CHAP. 25. HEnce was it as far as we conceiue that Phylosophy got three parts or rather that the Phylosophers obserued the three parts They did not inuent them but they obserued the naturall rationall and morrall from hence These are the Latine names ordinarily vsed as wee shewed in our eighth booke not that it followeth that herein they conceiued a whit of the Trinity though Plato were the first that is sayd to finde out and record this diuision and that vnto him none but God seemed the author of all nature or the giuer of reason or the inspirer of honesty But whereas in these poynts of nature inquisition of truth and the finall good there are many diuers opinions yet al their controuersie lieth in those three great and generall questions euery one maketh a discrepant opinion from another in all three and yet all doe hold that nature hath some cause knowledge 〈◊〉 and life some direction and summe For three things are sought out in 〈◊〉 nature skill and practise his nature to bee iudged off by witte 〈◊〉 â—…y knowledge and his practise a by the vse b I know well that â—…elongs to fruition properly and vse to the vser And that they seeme to â—…ently vsed fruition of a thing which beeing desired for it selfe onely deâ—… vs and vse of that which we seeke for another respect in which sence we â—…her vse then inioy temporalityes to deserue the fruition of eternity â—…e wicked inioyes money and vseth GOD spending not money for 〈◊〉 â—…ut honouring him for money Yet in common phraze of speech wee 〈◊〉 â—…ruition and inioy vse For fruites properly are the fieldes increase 〈◊〉 â—…ppon wee liue So then thus I take vse in three obseruations of an arâ—… nature skill and vse From which the Phylosophers inuented the seueâ—…â—…lines tending all to beatitude The naturall for nature the rationall 〈◊〉 â—…e the morall for vse So that if our nature were of it selfe wee should 〈◊〉 owne wisedome and neuer go about to know it by learning ab exterâ—… if our loue had
silence wee know them both this by a the eare and that by the eye but not by any formes of theirs but priuation of formes Let none then seeke to know that of mee which I know not my selfe vnlesse hee will learne not to know what hee must know that hee cannot know for the things that we know by priuation and not by forme are rather if you can conceit mee knowne by not knowing and in knowing them are still vnknowne For the bodyes eye coursing ouer bodyly obiects sees no darkenesse but when it ceaseth to see And so it belongs to the eare and to no other sence to know silence which notwithstanding is not knowne but by not hearing So our intellect doth speculate the intelligible formes but where they faile it learneth by not learning for who can vnderstand his faults This I know that Gods nature can neuer faile in time nor in part but all things that are made of nothing may decay which doe not-with-standing more good as they are more essentiall for then doe they some-thing when they haue efficient causes but in that they faile and fall off and doe euill they haue deficient causes and what doe they then but vanity L. VIVES BY the a eare Contraries are knowne both by one methode say the Philosophers and the primatiue is knowne onely by seperation of the knowledge of the Positiue Of the peruerse loue whereby the soule goeth from the vnchangeable to the changeable good CHAP. 8. I Know besides that wherein the vicious will is resident therein is that done which if the will would not should not bee done and therefore the punishment falls iustly vpon those acts which are wills and not necesâ—…ities It is not the a thing to which wee fall but our fall that is euill that is wee fall to no euill natures but against natures order from the highest to the lower and therefore euill Couetise is no vice in the gold but in him that peruersly leaueth iustice to loue gold whereas iustice ought alwayes to bee preferred before ritches Nor is lust the fault of sweete bautious bodies but the soules that runnes peruersly to bodily delights neglecting temperance which scornes all company with those prepares vs vnto far more excellent and spirituall pleasures Vaine-glory is not a vice proper to humaine praise but the soules that peruersely affecteth praise of men not respecting the consciences testimonie Nor is pride his vice that giueth the power but the soules peruersly louing that power contemning the iustice of the most mighty By this then he that peruersly affected a good of nature though he attaine it is euill himselfe in this good and wretched being depriued of a better L. VIVES THE a thing It is not the action but the quality and manner thereof that is vicious said Plato Whether he that made the Angels natures made their wills good also by the infusion of his loue into them through his holy spirit CHAP. 9. SEeing therefore there is no naturall nor a essentiall cause effecting the euill of will but that euill of mutability of spirit which depraueth the good of nature ariseth from it selfe being effected no way but by falling from God which falling also hath no cause If we say also that good wills haue no efficient cause we must beware least they bee not held vncreated and coeternall with God But seeing that the Angels them-selues were created how can their wills but bee so also Besides being created whether were they created with them or without them first if with them then doubtlesse hee that made one made both and b as soone as they were created they were ioyned to him in that loue wherein they were created And therein were they seuered from the other because they kept their good-wills still and the other were changed by falling in their euill will from that which was good whence they needed not haue fallen vnlesse they had listed But if the good Angels were at first with-out good wills and made those wills in them-selues without Gods working were they therefore made better of them-selues then by his creation God forbid For what were they without good wills but euill Or if they were not euill because they had no euill wills neither nor fell from that which they had not how-so-euer they were not as yet so good as when they had gotten good wills But now if they could not make them-selues better then God the best workeman of the world had made them then verily could they neuer haue had good wills but by the operation of the creator in them And these good wills effecting their conuersion not to them-selues who were inferiours but to the supreme God to adhere vnto him and bee blessed by fruition of him what doe they else but shew that the best will should haue remained poore in desire onely but that he who made a good nature of nothing capable of himselfe e made it better by perfecting it of himselfe first hauing made it more desirous of perfection for this must bee examined whether the good Angels created good will in them-selues by a good will or a badde or none if by none then none they created If by a badde how can a badde will produce a good if by a good then had they good wills already And who gaue them those but he that created them by a good will that is in that chast loue of their adherence to him both forming them nature and giuing them grace Beleeue it therefore the Angelles were neuer without good will that is Gods loue But those that were created good and yet became euill by their proper will which no good nature can do but in a voluntary defect from good that and not the good being the cause of euill either d receiued lesse grace from the diuine loue then they that persisted therein or if the had equall good at their creation the one fell by the euill wills and the other hauing further helpe attained that blisse from which they were sure neuer to fal as we shewed in our last booke Therefore to gods due praise wee must confesse that the diffusion of Gods loue is beâ—…owed as well vpon the Angells as the Saints by his holy spirit bestowed vpon them and that that Scripture It is good for me to adhere vnto God was peculiar at first to the holy Angells before man was made This good they all participate with him to whome they adhere and are a holy citty a liuing sacrifice and a liuing temple vnto that God Part whereof namely that which the Angells shall gather and take vp from this earthly pilgrimage vnto that society being now in the flesh vpon earth or dead and resting in the e secret receptacles of soules how it had first original must I now explaine as I did before of the Angels For of Gods worke The first man came all man kind as the scripture saith whose authority is iustly admired throughout the earth and those
by feare of misery My mother Blanche a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 had wâ—…t to tell me whâ—…n I was a childe that the Syrens sung 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 in faire wether hhoping the later in the first and fearing the first in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Our hope Not of vnhappinesse but vnhappy of the happinesse to come 〈◊〉 Gâ—… from Hee toucheth the Platomists controuersie some holding the soules giuen of GOD 〈◊〉 others that they were cast downe for their guilt and for their punnishment 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 k sportes of soules A diuersity of reading but let vs make good 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Of the state of the first man and man-kinde in him CHAP. 21. â—…rd question of Gods power to create new things without change of 〈◊〉 because of his eternitie being I hope sufficiently handled wee may 〈◊〉 that he did farre better in producing man-kinde from one man onely 〈◊〉 had made many for whereas he created some creatures that loue to be 〈◊〉 in deserts as Eagles Kites Lyons Wolues and such like and others 〈◊〉 rather liue in flockes and companies as Doues Stares Stagges a 〈◊〉 and such like yet neither of those sorts did hee produce of one alone 〈◊〉 many together But man whose nature he made as meane betweene Anâ—…asts that if hee obeyed the Lord his true creator and kept his hests 〈◊〉 be transported to the Angels society but if hee became peruerse in 〈◊〉 offended his Lord God by pride of heart then that hee might bee cast â—…h like a beast and liuing the slaue of his lusts after death bee destinate â—…all paines him did hee create one alone but meant not to leaue him â—…th-out another humaine fellow thereby the more zealously commendâ—… concord vnto vs men being not onely of one kinde in nature but also â—…dred in affect creating not the woman hee meant to ioyne with man â—…did man of earth but of man and man whom hee ioyned with her not of 〈◊〉 of himselfe that all man-kinde might haue their propagation from one L. VIVES 〈◊〉 Daâ—… in the diminutiue because it is a timorous creature neither wilde noâ—… 〈◊〉 God fore-knew that the first Man should sinne and how many people hee was to translate out of his kinde into the Angels society CHAP. â—…22 〈◊〉 was not ignorant that Man would sinne and so incurre mortallitye 〈◊〉 for him-selfe and his progenie nor that mortalls should runne on in 〈◊〉 of iniquitie that brute a beasts should liue at more attonement 〈◊〉 betweene them-selues whose originall was out of water and earth 〈◊〉 whose kinde came all out of one in honor of concord for Lyons neâ—… among them-selues nor Dragons as men haue done But God fore-saw 〈◊〉 that his grace should adopt the godly iustifie them by the holy spirit â—…ir sinnes and ranke them in eternall peace with the Angels the last 〈◊〉 dangerous death being destroyed and those should make vse of Godsâ—…g â—…g all man-kinde from one in learning how well God respected vnity in 〈◊〉 L. VIVES 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Any place will holde bruite-beasts without contention sooner then 〈◊〉 mâ—…n is Woolâ—…e to man as the Greeke Prouerbe saith Pliâ—… lib. 7. and all other â—…gree among them-selues and oppose strangers The sterne Lion fights not with 〈◊〉 nor doth the Serpent sting the Serpent the beasts and fishes of the sea aâ—… with their owne kinde But man doth man the most mischiefe Dicâ—… saith Tully wrote a booke of the death of men He is a free and copious Peripatetique and herein hauing reckned vp inondations plagues burning exceeding aboundance of beaâ—… and other externall causes he compares then with the warres and seditions wherewith man hath destroyed man and finds the later farre exceeding the former This warre amongst men did Christ desire to haue abolished and for the fury of wrath to haue grafted the heate of zeale and charity This should bee preached and taught that Christians ought not to bee as wars but at loue one with another and to beare one with another mens minds are already to forward to shed bloud and do wickedly they neede not be set on Of the nature of mans soule being created according to the image of God CHAP. 23. THerefore God made man according to his a image and likenesse giuing him a soule whereby in reason and vnderstanding hee excelled all the other creatures that had no such soule And when hee had made man thus of earth and either b breathed the soule which he had made into him or rather made that breath one which he breathed into him for to breath is but to make a breth then c out of his side did hee take a bone whereof he made him a wife and an helpe as he was God for we are not to conceiue this carnally as wee see an artificer worke vp any thing into the shape of a man by art Gods hand is his power working visible things inuisibly Such as measure Gods vertue and power that can make seedes of seeds by those daily and vsuall workes hold this rather for a fable then a truth But they know not this creation and therefore thinke vnfaithfully thereof as though the workes of ordinary conception and production are not strange to those that know them not though they assigne them rather to naturall causes then account them the deities workes L. VIVES HIs a Image Origen thinkes that man is Christs image and therfore the scripture calls man Gods image for the Sonne is the fathers image some thinke the Holy Ghost is ment in the simyly But truely the simyly consists in nothing but man and the likenesse of God A man saith Paul is Gods image It may be referred to his nature and in that he is Gods likenesse may be referred to his guifts immortallity and such wherein he is like God b Breathed It is a doubt whether the soule were made before infused after or created with the body Aug de gens ad lit li. 7. saith that the soule was made with the other spiritual substances infused afterwards and so interpreteth this place Hee breathed into his face the breath of life Others take it as though the soule were but then made and so doth Augustine here c Out of his Why the woman was made after the man why of his ribbe when he was a sleepe and how of his rib read Magister sentent lib. 2. Dist. 18. Whether the Angels may be called creators of any the least creature CHAP. 24. BVt here wee haue nothing to doe with a them that hold the diuine essence not to medle with those things at all But b those that follow Plato in affirming that all mortall creatures of which man is the chiefe were made by the lesser created Gods through the permission or command of the creator and not by him-selfe that framed the world let them but absure the superstition wherein thy seeke to giue those inferiors iust honors and sacrifices and they shall quickly avoid the error of this
opinion for it is not lawfull to hold any creature be it neuer so small to haue any other Creator then God euen before it could be vnderstood But the Angells whome they had rather call Gods though c at his command they worke in things of the world yet wee no more call them creators of liuing things then we call husband-men the creators of fruites and trees L. VIVES WIth a therâ—… With the Epicurists that held althings from chance or from meere nature without GOD althings I meane in this sublâ—…ary world which opinion some say was Aâ—…les or with the heretikes some of whome held the diuills creators of al things corporal b Those that Plato in his Timaeus brings in God the Father commanding the lesser Gods to make the lesser liuing creatures for they are creatures also and so they tooke the immortall beginning of a creature the soule from the starres imitating the Father and Creator and borrowing parcells of earth water and ayre from the world knit them together in one not as they were knit but yet in an insensible connexion because of the combination of such small parts whereof the whole body was framed One Menander a Scholler of Symon Magus said the Angells made the world Saturninus said that 7. Angells made it beyond the Fathers knowledge c Though The Angells as Paul saith are Gods ministers and deputies and do â—…y things vpon earth at his command for as Augustine saith euery visible thing on earth is under an Angelicall power and Gregory saith that nothing in the visible would but is ordered by a visible creature I will except Miracles if any one contend But Plato as he followeth Mâ—…s in the worlds creation had this place also of the creation of liuing things from the Scripures for hauing read that God this great architect of so new a worke said â—…et vs make 〈◊〉 after our owne Image thought he had spoken to the Angells to whose ministery he supposed mans creation committed But it seemed vnworthy to him that God should vse them in â—…king of man the noblest creature and make all the rest with his own hands and therfore he thought the Angels made all whose words if one consider them in Tullies translation which I vse he shal find that Plato held none made the soule but God and that of the stars which â—…ully de 〈◊〉 1. confirmes out of Plato saying that the soule is created by God within the elementary body which he made also and the lesser Gods did nothing but as ministers câ—…e those which hee â—…ad first created and forme it into the essence of a liuing creature Seneca explanes Plaâ—… more plainely saying That when God had laid the first foundation of this rare and excellent frame of nature and begun it he ordayned that each peculiar should haue a peculiar gouernor and though himselfe â—…ad modelled and dilated the whole vniuerse yet created he the lesser gods to be his ministers 〈◊〉 vice-gerents in this his kingdome That no nature or forme of any thing liuing hath any other Creator but God CHAP. 25. WHereas there is one forme giuen externally to all corporall substances according to the which Potters Carpenters and other shape antiques and figures of creatures and another that containeth the efficient causes hereof in the secret power of the vniting and vnderstanding nature which maketh not onely the natural formes but euen the liuing soules when they are not extant The first each artificer hath in his brayne but the later belongs to none but God who formed the world and the Angells without either world or Angells for from that 〈◊〉 all diuiding and all effectiue diuine power which cannot be made but makes and which in the beginning gaue rotundity both to the Heauens Sunne from the same had the eye the apple and all other round figures that wee see in nature their rotundity not from any externall effectiue but from the depth of that creators power that said I fill heauen and earth and whose wisdome reacheth from end to end ordering all in a delicate Decorum wherefore what vse he made of the Angels in the creation making all himselfe I know not I dare neither ascribe them more then their power nor detract any thing from that But with their fauours I attribute the estate of althings as they are natures vnto God onely of whome they thankefully aknowledge their being we do not then call husbandmen the creators of trees or plants or any thing else fot we read Neither is he that planteth any thing neither he that watereth but God that giueth the increase No not the earth neither though it seemes the fruitful mother of al things that grow for wee read also God giueth bodies vnto what hee will euen to euery seed his owne body Nor call wee a woman the creatrixe of her child but him that said to a seruant of his Before I formed thee in the wombe I knew thee although the womans soule being thus or thus affected may put some quality vpon her burthen b as we read that Iacob coloured his sheepe diuersly by spotted stickes yet shee can no more make the nature that is produced then shee could make her selfe what seminall causes then soeuer that Angells or men do vse in producing of things liuing or dead or c proceed from the copulation of male and female d or what affections soeuer of the mother dispose thus or thus of the coullour or feature of her conception the natures thus or thus affected in each of their kindes are the workes of none but God whose secret power passeth through all giuing all being to all what soeuer in that it hath being e because without that hee made it it should not bee thus nor thus but haue no being at all wherefore if in those formes externall imposed vpon things corporall we say that not workemen but Kings Romulus was the builder of Rome and Alexander of f Alexandria because by their direction these citties were built how much the rather ought we to call God the builder of nature who neither makes any thing of any substance but what hee had made before nor by any other ministers but those hee had made before and if hee withdraw his g efficient power from things they shall haue no more being then they had ere they were created Ere they were I meane in eternity not in time for who created time but he that made them creatures whose motions time followeth L. VIVES THat a all-diuiding All diuiding may be some addition the sence is good without it b As we Pliny saith that looke in the Rammes mouth and the collour of the veines vnder his tongue shal be the colour of the lambe he getteth if diuers diuers and change of waters varieth it Their shepehards then may haue sheep of what collour they will which Iacob knew well inough for he liking the particolours cast white straked rods into the watring places at Ramming
time that the sight of them might forme the Images of such collours in the conception and so it did Gen. 30. c Proceed The same Pliny lib 7. saith that the mind hath are collection of similitudes in it wherein a chance of sight hearing or remembrance is of much effect the images taken into the conceit at the time of conception are held to be powerfull in framing the thing conceiued and so is the cogitation of either party how swift soeuer it be wherevpon is more difference in man then in any other creature but the swiftnes of thought and variety of conceites formeth vs so diuersly the thoughts of other creatures being immoueable and like themselues in all kinds Thus much Pliny The Philosophers stand wholly vpon immagination in conception At Hertzogenbosh in Brabant on a certaine day of the yeare whereon they say there chiefe Church was dedicated they haue publike playes vnto the honor of the Saints as they haue in other places also of that country some act Saints and some deuils one of these diuels spying a pretty wench grew hot in al hast danceth home casting his wife vpon a bed told her he would beget a yong diuâ—…l vpon her so lay with her the woman conceiued the child was no sooner borne but it began to dance was rust of the shape that we paynt our deuills in This Margueret of Austria Maximilians Daughter Charles the 〈◊〉 told Iohn Lamuza King Ferdinands graue ambassador and now Charles his 〈◊〉 in Aragon a man as able to discharge the place of a Prince as of a Lieuâ—…enant d What â—…ctions Child-bearing women do often long for many euill things as coales and ashes I 〈◊〉 one long for a bit of a young mans neeke and had lost her birth but that shee bitte of his â—…ke vntill he was almost dead shee tooke such hold The Phisicians write much hereof â—…d the Philosophers somewhat Arist de animall They all ascribe it to the vicious humors in the stomake which if they happen in men procure the like distemper e Because So read the old bookes f Alexandria Asia Sogdia Troas Cilicia India and Egipt haue al cities called Alexandria built by Alexander the great this that Augustine meanes of is that of Egipt the most famous of all sytuate vpon the Mediterrane sea neare Bicchieri the mouth of Nile called now Scanderia or Scandaroun g Efficient Fabricatiuam pertayning to composition and diuiâ—… of matter in things created by it selfe for these are not the workes of creation Angells 〈◊〉 beasts and liuelesse things can effect them The Platonists opinion that held the Angells Gods creatures and man the Angells CHAP. 26. ANd Plato would haue the lesser Gods made by the highest to create all other things by taking their immortall part from him and framing the mortall themselues herein making them not the creators of our selues but our bodies onely And therefore Porphiry in holding that the body must be avoyded ere the soule be purged and thinking with Plato and his sect that the soules of bad liuers were for punishment thrust into bodies into beasts also saith Plato but into mans onely saith Porphiry affirmeth directly that these gods whom they wil haue vs to worship as our parents creators are but the forgers of our prisons and not our formers but only our iaylors locking vs in those dolorous grates and wretched setters wherfore the Platonists must either giue vs no punishmeÌ„t in our bodies or else make not those gods our creators whose worke they exhort vs by all meanes to avoid to escape though both these positions be most false for the soules are neither put into bodies to be thereby punished noâ—… hath any thing in heauen or earth any creator but the maker of heauen and earth For if there be no cause of our life but our punishment how a is it that Plato saith the world could neuer haue beene made most beautifull but that it was filled with all kind of creatures But if our creation albe it mortall be the worke oâ—… God how iâ—… iâ—… punishment then to enter into Gods benefites that is our bodies b and if God as Plato saith often had all the creatures of the world in his prescience why then did not hee make them all would he not make some and yet in his vnbounded knowledge knew how to make all wherefore our true religion rightly affirmes him the maker both of the world and all creatures therein bodies and soules of which in earth man the chiefe Piece was made alone after his Image for the reason shewed before if not for a greater yet was he not left alone for there is nothing in the world so sociable by nature and so iarring by vice as man is nor can mans â—…re speake better either to the keeping of discord whilst it is out or expelling it when it is entred then in recording our first Father whom God created single from him to propagate all the rest to giue vs a true admonition to preserue an vnion ouer greatest multitudes And in that the woman was made of his ribbe was a plaine intimation of the concord that should bee betweene man and wife These were the strange workes of God for they were the first Hee that beleeues them not must vtterly deny all wonders for if they had followed the vsuall course of nature they had beene no wonders But what is there in all this whole worke of the diuine prouidence that is not of vse though wee know it not The holy Psalme saith Come and behold the workes of the Lord what wonders hee hath wrought vpon the earth Wherefore why the Woman was made of Mans ribbe and what this first seeming wonder prefigured if God vouchsafe I will shew in another place L. VIVES HOw a is it that Plato His words are these GOD speaketh to the lesser Gods Marks what I say vnto you we haue three kindes remaining all mortall which if wee omit the creation will not bee perfect for wee shall not comprehend all kindes of creatures in it which wee must needs doe to haue it fully absolute b And if GOD There also hee saith that God hath the Ideas of all creatures mortall and immortall in him-selfe which he looked vpon the immortall ones when hee made the things that should neuer perish the mortall in the rest I aske not here whether that God be those Ideae or whether they bee some-thing else the Platonists know not them-selues c The concord that should Because the woman was not made of any externall parts but of mans selfe as his daughter that there might bee a fatherly loue of his wife in him and a filiall duty towards him in the wife shee was taken out of his side as his fellow not out of his head as his Lady nor out of his feete as his seruant That the fulnesse of man-kinde was created in the first man in whom God fore-saw both who
dying nor in death For this is sought as present in the change of the times and is found the one passing into the other without the least interposed space Doe we not see then that by this reason the death of the bodie is nothing If it bee how is it any thing beeing in nothin and whereing nothing can be for if we liue it is not any thing yet because wee are before it not in it if we liue not it is nothing still for now wee are after it and not in it But now if death bee nothing before nor after what sence is there in saying before or after death I would to God wee had liued well in Paradise that death might haue bin nothing indeede But now there is not onely such a thing but it is so greeuous with vs as neither tongue can tell nor reason avoide Let vs therefore speake according to c custome for so wee should and call the time ere death come before death as it is written d Iudge none blessed before his death Let vs call the 〈◊〉 when it is already come after death this or that was after his death and let us speake of the present time as wee can hee dying gaue such a legacy hee dying left thus much or thus much though no man could do this but the liuing and rather before his death then at or in his death And let vs speake as the holy scripture speaketh of the dead saying they were not after death but in death For in death there is no remembrance of thee for vntill they rise againe they are iustly said to bee in death as one is in sleepe vntill hee awake Though such as are in sleepe wee say are sleeping then may wee not say that such as are dead are dying For they that are once seperate wholy froÌ„ them bodies are past dying the bodily death whereof we speake any more But this that I say one cannot declare how the dying man may be sayd to liue or how the dead man can be sayd to bee in death for how can he bee after death if hee bee in death since wee cannot call him dying as we may doe hee that is in sleepe sleeping or hee that is in languor â—…guishing or hee that is in sorrow sorrowing or in life liuing But the dead vntill they arise are said to bee in death yet wee cannot say they are dying And therefore I thinke it was not for no cause perhaps God decreed it that mortor the latine word for to die could not by any meanes bee brought by e grammartians vnto the forme of other verbes f Ortor to arise hath ortus in the preterperfect tense and so haue other verbes that are declined by the participle of the pretertense But Morior must haue mortuus for the preterperfect tence doubling the letter V. for Mortuus endes like fatuus arduus conspicuus and such like that are no preterperfect tenses but nownes declined without tenses 〈◊〉 times and this as if it were a nowne decsinable that cannot be declined is put for the participle of the present tense So that it is conuenient that as it cannot effect the signification by act no more should the name be to bee g declined by arte Yet by the grace of Our Redeemer we may decline that is avoide the second death For this is the sore one and the worst of euills beeing no separation but rather a combination of body and soule vnto eternall torture Therein sâ—…all none bee a fore death nor after death but eternally in death neuer liuing neuer dead but euer dying For man can neuer be in worse death then when the death he is in is endlesse L. VIVES TOo a strange Insolens for insolitum vn-accustomed Salusts worde that antiquary and Gellius his ape b When is he Oh Saint Augustine by your fauor your witts edge is too blunt here you not our rare schoole diuines the first is the first is not the last is the last is not death is not in this instant for now it is done conceiue you not Why thus It was but now and now it is not not yet then thus but you must into the schooles and learne of the boies for those bables are fitter for them then for men But you and I will haue a great deale of good talke of this in some other place c Custome The mistresse of speach whom all artes ought to obserue d Iudge none Like Solons saying No man can bee called blessed and he be dead because hee knowes not what may befall him e Grammarians You are too idle in this chapter Saint Augustine First in commanding vs to apply our speech to the common sence and secondly in naming gramarians in a matters of diuinity how much more in drawing any argument pertayning to this question from them If any smatterer of our diuines had done it hee should haue beene hissed out of our schooles but you follow the old discipline and keepe the artes combined mixing each others ornament and no way disioyning them f Orior That comparison holdes in grammar it is a great question and much tossed Aristarchus a great grammarian defended it and Crates building vpon Chrisippus his Perianomalia did oppose it Varro's fragments herevpon lay downe both their reasons and Quintilian disputes of it Caius Caesar wrote also to Cicero concerning Analogie Doubtlesse it must be allowed in many things but not in all otherwise that art cannot stand nor hardly worldly discourse g Declined Alluding to the ambiguity of the worde declinari it cannot bee declined that is avoided nor declined that is varied by cases Of the death that God threatned to promise the first man withall if he transgressed CHAP. 12. IF therefore it bee asked what death GOD threatned man with all vpon his trangression and breach of obedience whether it were bodily or spirituall or that second death we answere it was all the first consisteth of two and the second entirely of all for as the whole earth consists of many lands and the whole Church of many Churches so doth the vniuersall death consist of all the first consisting of two the bodies and the soules beeing the death wherein the soule beeing foresaken of GOD forsaketh the bodie and endureth paines for the time but the second beeing that wherein the soule being forsaken of GOD endureth paines for euer Therefore when GOD sayd to the first man that hee placed in Paradise as concerning the forbidden fruite Whensoeuer thou eatest thereof thou shaâ—… die the death he comprehends therein not onely the first part of the first death wheresoeuer the soule looseth God nor the later onely wherein the soule leaneth the body and is punished after that seperation but also that last part or the second which is the last of deaths eternall and following after all all this is comprehended in that commination What punishment was first layd on mans preuarication CHAP. 13. FOr after mankinde had broken the precept hee was
middlemost place of the world and keepes there in the owne nature immoueable The Philosophers maruelled that the earth fell not seeing it hung in the ayre but that which they thought a fall should then bee no fall but an ascending for which way soeuer earth should goe it should goe towards the heauen and as it is no maruell that our Hemisphere ascendeth not no more is it of any else for the motion should be all one aboue and beneath beeing all alike in a globe But is a thing to bee admired and adored that the earth should hang so in the ayre beeing so huge a masse as Ouidâ—…ith â—…ith Terra pila similis nullo fulcimine nixa Aëre suspenso tam graue pendet onus Earths massy globe in figure of a ball Hangs in the ayre vpheld by nought at all â—… With the eye Plato in his Timaeus speaking of mans fabrick saith that the eyes were endowâ—…â—…th part of that light that shines burnes not meaning the suns for the Gods commanded 〈◊〉 â—…re fire brother to that of heauen to flow from forth the apple of the eye and thereâ—… when that and the daies light do meete the coniunction of those two so well acquainted 〈◊〉 produceth sight And least that the sight should seeme effected by any other thing 〈◊〉 â—…re in the same worke hee defineth collours to bee nothing but fulgores e corporibus maâ—…s fulgors flowing out of the bodies wherein they are The question whether one seeth 〈◊〉 â—…ission or reception that is whether the eye send any beame to the obiect or receiue aâ—…â—…om it is not heere to bee argued Plato holds the first Aristotle confuteth him in his 〈◊〉 De sensoriis and yet seemes to approue him in his Problemes The Stoickes held the first 〈◊〉 whom Augustine De Trinitate and many of the Peripatetiques follow Aphrodiseus held 〈◊〉 the eye sends forth spirits Pliny saith it receiueth them Haly the Arabian maketh the 〈◊〉 to goe from the eye and returne suddainely all in a moment the later Peripatetiquesâ—…ing â—…ing Occam and Durandus admit no Species on either side But of this in another place 〈◊〉 both would haue the eye send some-thing forth and receiue some-thing in Against those that hold that man should not haue beene immortall if he had not sinned CHAP. 19. 〈◊〉 now let vs proceed with the bodies of the first men who if they had not â—…ed had neuer tasted of that death which we say is good only to the good 〈◊〉 â—…s all men know a seperation of soule and body wherein the body of the 〈◊〉 that had euident life hath euident end For although we may not doubt 〈◊〉 â—…he soules of the faithfull that are dead are in rest yet a it were so much 〈◊〉 for them to liue with their bodies in good state that they that hold it most 〈◊〉 to want a bodie may see themselues conuinced herein directly For 〈◊〉 man dare compare those wise men that haue either left their bodies or are to 〈◊〉 them vnto the immortall gods to whom the great GOD promised perpeâ—… of blisse and inherence in their bodies And Plato thought it the greatest â—…ing man could haue to bee taken out of the body after a course vertuously 〈◊〉 and placed in the bosomes of those gods that are neuer to leaue their 〈◊〉 Scilicet immemores supra vt conuexa reuisant Rursus incipiant in corpora velle reuerti The thought of Heauen is quite out of their braine Now gan they wish to liue on earth againe Which Virgil is commended for speaking after Plato So that hee holds that 〈◊〉 â—…oules of men can neither bee alwaies in their bodies but must of force bee â—…d from them nor can they bee alwaies without their bodies but must bee 〈◊〉 successiuely now to liue and now to die putting b this difference that 〈◊〉 men when they die are caried vp to the stars and euery one staies a while in 〈◊〉 fit for him thence to returne againe to misery in time and to follow the 〈◊〉 of being imbodied againe so to liue againe in earthly calamity but your 〈◊〉 are bestowed after their deaths in other bodies of men or beasts accorâ—…g to their merits In this hard and wretched case placeth hee the wisest soules who haue no other bodies giuen them to bee happy in but such as they can neither bee eternally within nor eternally abandon Of this Platonisme Porphyry as I said else-where was ashamed because of the christian times excluding the soules not onely from the bodies of beasts and from that reuolution but affirming them if they liued wisely to bee set free from their bodies so as they should neuer more bee incorporate but liue in eternall blisse with the Father Wherefore least he should seeme in this point to be exceeded by the Christans that promised the Saints eternall life the same doth hee giue to the purified soules and yet to contradict Christ hee denies the resurrection of their bodies in incorruptibility and placeth the soule in blisse without any body at all Yet did hee neuer teach that these soules should bee subiect vnto the incorporated gods in matter of religion Why so because he did not thinke them better then the Gods though they had no bodies Wherfore if they dare not as I think they dare not preferre humaine soules before their most blessed though corporeall gods why doe they thinke it absurd for christianity to teach that our first parents had they not sinned had beene immortall this beeing the reward of their true obedience and that the Saints at the resurrection shall haue the same bodies that they laboured in here but so that they shal be light and incorruptible as their blisse shal be perfect and vnchangeable L. VIVES YEs a were it If the following opinion of Plato concerning them were true b This difference Plato saith that some creatures follow God well are like him and are reuolued with the sphere of heauen vntill they come belowe and then they fall Some get vp againe some are ouer-whelmed these are the foolish and those the wise the meane haue a middle place So the wise soule is eleuated to heauen and sits there vntill the reuolution bring it downe againe from seeing of truth others voluntarily breake their wings and fall ere the time bee expired The Philosophers soules at the end of 3000. yeares returne to the starre whence they came the rest must stay 10000. yeares ere they ascend That the bodies of the Saints now resting in hope shal become better then our first Fathers was CHAP. 20. THe death that seuereth the soules of the Saints from their bodies is not troublesome vnto them because their bodies doe rest in hope and the efore they seemed sencelesse of all reproach here vpon earth For they do not as Plato will haue men to do desire to forget their bodies but rather remembâ—…ing what the truth that deceiueth none said vnto them a that they should not loose an
forth of GODS mouth 〈◊〉 that which is equall and consubstantiall with him let them read or heare 〈◊〉 owne words Because thou art luke warme and neither colde nor hotte it will 〈◊〉 to passe that I shall spew thee out of my mouth Therefore wee haue to contraâ—… the Apostles plainenesse in distinguishing the naturall body wherein wee now are from the spirituall wherein wee shall bee where he saith It is sowen a naturall body but ariseth a spirituall body as it is also written The first man Adam was made a liuing soule and the last Adam a quickning spirit The first was of earth earthly the second of heauen heauenly as is the earthly such are all the earthly and as the heauenly is such are the heauenly And as wee haue borne the Image of the earthly so shall wee beare the Image of the heauenly Of all which words wee spake before Therefore the naturall body wherein man was first made was not made immortall but yet was made so that it should not haue dyed vnlesse man had offended But the body that shall bee spirituall and immortall shall neuer haue power to dye as the soule is created immortall who though it doe in a manner lose the life by loosing the spirit of God which should aduance it vnto beatitude yet it reserueth the proper life that is it liueth in misery for euer for it cannot dye wholy The Apostaticall Angels after a sort are dead by sinning because they forsooke God the fountaine of life whereat they might haue drunke eternall felicity yet could they not dye so that their proper life and sence should leaue them because they were made immortall and at the last iudgement they shal be thrown headlong into the second death yet so as they shal liue therin for euer in perpetuall sence of torture But the Saints the Angels fellow-cittizens belonging to the grace of God shall be so inuested in spiritual bodies that from thence-forth they shall neither sinne nor die becomming so immortall as the Angels are that sinne can neuer subuert their eternity the nature of flesh shall still be theirs but quite extracted from all corruption vnweeldynesse and ponderosity Now followeth another question which by the true Gods helpe we meane to decide and that is this If the motion of concupiscence arose in the rebelling members of our first parents immediately vppon their transgression where-vppon they saw that is they did more curiously obserâ—…e their owne nakednesse and because the vncleane motion resisted their wils couered their priuie partes how should they haue begotten children had they remayned as they were created without preuarication But this booke being fit for an end and this question not fit for a too succinct discussion it is better to leaue it to the next volume L. VIVES DId not a then This the Manichees held Aug. de Genes ad lit lib. 2. Caâ—… 8. b And GOD formed They doe translate it And God framed man of earth taken from the earth I thinke Augustine wanteth a word taken or taking Laurinus his copy teadeth it as the Septuagints do Yet the Chaldee Thargum or paraphraze reading it as Augustine hath it and so it is in the Bible that Cardinall Ximenes my patron Crâ—… his predecessor published in foure languages beeing assisted by many learned men but for the greeke especially by Iohn Vergara a deepe vprightly iudicious and vnvulgar Scholler Their Pentateuch Lewis Coronelli lent me forbearing al the while that I was in hand with this worke for the common good c And God framed Hieromes translation d Whence 〈◊〉 Shewing that in his time the Church vsed the Latine translation from the seauentie and noâ—… Hiâ—…s I wonder therefore that men should be excluded from sober vsing of diuerse translations e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Greeke is we vse it of those that forme any thing out of claye that is â—…gere and great authors vse it concerning men He made them finxit greedie and gluttonous Salust He made thee finxit wise temperate c. by nature Cic. 〈◊〉 Mâ—… speaking of Cato Maiâ—…r To forme I thinke is nothing but to giue forme property f Commonly If a moderne diuine had plaide the Gramarian thus hee should haue heard of it But Augustine may but if he and Paul liued now adayes hee should be held a Pedant 〈◊〉 a petty orator and Paul a madde man or an heretique Not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Chaldees read a speaking spirit Here Augustine shewes plainly how necessarie the true knowledge of the meaâ—…gs of words is in art and discipline h I haue made I say 57. 16. the 70. also read it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all breath Many of the Latinists animus and anima for ayre and breath Uirg Semina terrarumque animaeque marisque fuissent They had beene seeds of earth of ayre and sea And Tully in his Academikes vseth it for breath Si vnus simplex vtrum sit ignis an anima 〈◊〉 sâ—…guis If it be simply one whether is it fire breath or bloud Terenc Compressi animam I 〈◊〉 my breath Plaut Faetet anima vxoris tuae Your wiues breath stinkes and Pliny Anima 〈◊〉 virus graue A Lions breath is deadly poison i Soule I like this reading better then Bâ—…es copies it squares better with the following Scriptures k Not as the If we say that Augustine held mans soule created without the body and then infused as Aristotle seemes to â—…rre De generat animal S. Thomas and a many more moderne authors goe downe the winde But if wee say it is not created as the mortall ones are that are produced out of the â—…osition of the substances wherein they are but that it is created from aboue within man â—…out all power of the materiall parts to worke any such effect this were the most common opinion and Aristotle should be thus vnderstood which seemes not to agree with this assertion that it commeth ab externo nor with his opinion that holdeth it immortall and inborne if I vnderstand his minde aright whereof I see his interpretors are very vncertaine l We must hold There were not onely a many Pagans as wee haue shewen but some Chriâ—… also that held the soule to be of Gods substance nor were these heretiques onely as 〈◊〉 â—…risilliannists and some others but euen that good Christian Lactantius not that I or 〈◊〉 wiser then I will approoue him in this but in that hee seemeth to stand zealously â—…d vnto Christ. His words are these Hauing made the body he breathed into it a soule out of 〈◊〉 lâ—…ing fountaine of his owne spirit which is eternall Institut diuin lib. 2. wherein hee seemes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that mans soule was infused into him from the spirit of God Finis lib. 13. THE CONTENTS OF THE foureteenth booke of the City of God 1. That the inobedience of the first man had drawne all mankind into the perpetuity of the second death but that Gods grace hath
in the same stead that a Kings are to him his 〈◊〉 his mantle and his staffe his scepter The Donatists and the Circumcelliones beeing 〈◊〉 both of one stampe in Augustines time went so cloaked and bare clubbes to destroy 〈◊〉 Christians withall Of the blessing of multiplication before sinne which the transgression did not abolish but onely lincked to lust CHAP. 21. â—…D forbid then that we should beleeue that our parents in Paradise should â—…e full-filled that blessing Increase and multiply and fill the earth in that 〈◊〉 made them blush and hide their priuities this lust was not in them vntill 〈◊〉 â—…ne and then their shame fast nature hauing the power and rule of the 〈◊〉 perceiued it blushed at it and couered it But that blessing of marriage â—…rease multiplication and peopling of the earth though it remained in 〈◊〉 after sin yet was it giuen them before sin to know that procreation of 〈◊〉 â—…onged to the glory of mariage not to the punishment of sin But the 〈◊〉 are now on earth knowing not that happinesse of Paradise doe thinke â—…dren cannot be gotten but by this lust which they haue tried this is that 〈◊〉 honest mariage ashamed to act it 〈◊〉 a reiecting impiously deriding the holy scriptures that say they were â—…d of their nakednesse after they had sinned couered their priuities and b others though they receiue the scriptures yet hold that this blessing Increase and multiply is meant of a spirituall and not a corporall faecundity because the Psalme saith thou shalt multiply vertue in my soule and interprete the following words of Genesis And fill the earth and rule ouer it thus earth that is the flesh which the soule filleth with the presence and ruleth ouer it when it is multiplied in vertue but that the carnall propagation cannot bee performed without that lust which arose in man was discouered by him shamed him and made him couer it after sinne and that his progeny were not to liue in Paradise but without it as they did for they begot no children vntill they were put forth of Paradise and then they did first conioyne and beget them L. VIVES OThers a reiecting The Manichees that reiected all the olde Testament as I sayd elsewhere b Others though The Adamites that held that if Adam had not sinned there should haue beene no marying c Thou shalt multiply The old bookes reade Thou shalt multiply me in soule by thy vertue And this later is the truer reading I thinke for Aug. followed the 70. and they translate it so That God first instituted and blessed the band of Mariage CHAP. 22. BVt wee doubt not at all that this increase multiplying and filling of the earth was by Gods goodnesse bestowed vpon the marriage which hee ordeined in the beginning ere man sinned when hee made them male and female sexes euident in the flesh This worke was no sooner done but it was blessed for the scripture hauing said He created them male and female addeth presently And God blessed them saying Increase and multiply c. a All which though they may not vnfitly be applied spiritually yet male and female can in no wise be appropriate to any spirituall thing in man not vnto that which ruleth and that which is ruled but as it is euident in the reall distinction of sexe they were made male and female to bring forth fruite by generation to multiply and to fill the earth This plaine truth none but fooles will oppose It cannot bee ment of the spirit ruling and the flesh obeying of the reason gouerning and the affect working of the contemplatiue part excelling and the actiue seruing nor of the mindes vnderstanding and the bodies sence but directly of the band of marriage combining both the sexes in one Christ being asked whether one might put away his wife for any cause because Moses by reason of the hardnesse of their hearts suffred them to giue her a bill of diuorce answered saying Haue you not read that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female and sayd for this cause shall â—…man leaue father and mother and sleaue vnto his wife and they tvvaine shal be one flesh So that now they are no more two but one Let no man therefore sunder what God hath coupled together Sure it t s therefore that male and female were ordained at the beginning in the same forme and difference that mankinde is now in And they are called one either because of their coniunction or the womans originall who came of the side of man for the Apostle warnes all maried men by this example to loue their wiues L. VIVES ALL a which There is nothing in the scripture but may bee spiritually applied yet must we keepe the true and real sence otherwise we should make a great confusion in religion for the Heretiques as they please wrest all vnto their positions But if God in saying Increase c. had no corporall meaning but onely spirituall what remaines but that we allow this spirituall increase vnto beasts vpon whom also this blessing was laide Whether if man had not sinned he should haue begotten children in Paradice and vvhether there should there haue beene any contention betvveene chastity and lust CHAP. 23. BVt he that saith that there should haue beene neither copulation nor propagation but for sinne what doth he els but make sinne the originall of the holy number of Saints for if they two should haue liued alone not sinning seeing sinne as these say was their onely meane of generation then veryly was sinne necessary to make the number of Saints more then two But if it bee absurd to hold this it is fit to hold that that the number of Gods cittizenâ—… should haue beene as great then if no man had sinned as now shal be gathered by Gods grace out of the multitude of sinners as long a as this worldly multiplication of the sonnes of the world men shal endure And therefore that marriage that was held fit to bee in Paradice should haue had increase but no lust had not sinne beene How this might be here is no fit place to discusse but it neede not seeme incredible that one member might serue the will without lust then so many seruing it now b Do wee now mooue our hands and feete so lasily when wee will vnto their offices without resistance as wee see in our selues and others chiefely handicraftesmen where industry hath made dull nature nimble and may wee not beleeue that those members might haue serued our first father vnto procreation if they had not beene seazed with lust the reward of his disobedience as well as all his other serued him to other acts doth not Tully disputing of the difference of gouerments in his bookes of the Common-weale and drawing a simyly from mans nature say that they c command our bodily members as sonnes they are so obedient and that wee must keepe an harder forme
hee is thought to liue after the 〈◊〉 Where-vpon some thinke that hee liued this time not vpon earth 〈◊〉 was not a soule of those escaped but in the place to which his sonne 〈◊〉 â—…slated with him vntill the deluge were come and gone because they 〈◊〉 call the authoritie of these truthes into question seeing the Church 〈◊〉 â—…wed them nor beleeue that the Iewes haue the truth rather then we 〈◊〉 that this should rather bee an error in vs then in those oâ—… of whome 〈◊〉 it by the Greeke But say they it is incredible that the seuenty 〈◊〉 â—…ers who translated all at one time and in one senâ—… could erâ—… or would falsifie in a thing impertinent vnto them but that the Iewes enuying out translations of their lawe and their Prophets altered diuerse things in their bookes to subuert the authoritie of ours This opinionatiue suspicion euery one may take as hee please but this is once sure Mathusalem liued not after the deluge but dyed in the same yeare if the Hebrewes accoumpt be true Concerning the Septuagints translation I will speake my minde here-after when I come by Gods helpe to the times them-selues as the methode of the worke shall exact Sufficeth it for this present question to haue shewen by both bookes that the Fathers of old liued so long that one man might see a number of his owne propagation sufficient to build a cittie L. VIVES NOtable a question Hierome saith it was famous in all the Churches Hierom affirmes that the 70. erred in their accompt as they did in many things else and gathers out of the Iewes and Samaritanes bookes that Mathusalem dyed in that yeare wherein the deluge began Wherevpon Augustine doth iustly deride those that will rather trust the translation then the originall Of such as beleeue not that men of old time liued so long as is recorded CHAP. 12. NOr is any eare to bee giuen vnto those that thinke that one of our ordinary yeares would make tenne of the yeares of those times they were so short And therefore say they nine hundred yeares of theirs that is to say ninetie of ours their ten is our one and their hundred our tenne Thus thinke they that Adam was but twenty and three yeares olde when hee begot Seth and Seth but twentie and an halfe when hee begatte Enos which the Scriptures calles two hundred and fiue yeares For as these men hold the Scripture diuided one yeare into ten parts calling each part a yeare and each a part hath a sixe-folde quadrate because that in sixe dayes God made the world to rest vpon the seauenth whereof I haue already disputed in the eleuenth booke Now sixe times sixe for sixe maketh the sixe-fold quadrate is thirty sixe and ten times thirtie sixe is three hundred and sixtie that is twelue moneths of the Moone The fiue dayes remaining and that quarter of a day which b foure times doubled is added to the leape yeare those were added by the ancients afterwards to make vp the number of other yeares and the Romaines called them Dies intercalares dayes enterposed So Enos was nineteene yeares of age when hee begot Cayâ—…n the Scriptures saying hee was one hundred foure-score and ten yeares And so downe through all generations to the deluge there is not one in all our bookes that begot any sonne at an hundred or an hundred and twenty yeares or there-abouts but he that was the yongest father was one hundred and three score yeares of age because say they none can beget a childe at ten yeares of age which that number of an hundred maketh but at sixteene yeares they are of ability to generate and that is as the Scriptures say when they are one hundred and three-score yeere old And to prooue this diuersitie of yeares likely they fetch the Egiptian yeares of foure moneths the Acarnans of sixe moneths and the Latines of thirteene moneths c Pliny hauing recorded that some liued one hundred and fifty yeares some ten more some two hundred yeares some three hundred some fiue hundred some six hundred nay some eight hundred held that all this grew vpon ignorance in computation For some saith he made two years of summer and winter some made foure years of the foure quarters as the Arcadians did with their yeare of three monthes And the Egiptians saith he besides there little years of 4. months as we said before made the course of the Moone to conclude a yeare euery month Thus amongst them aithâ—…he are some recorded to haue liued a thousand yeares These probabilities haue some brought not to subuert the authority of holy writ but to prooue it credible that the Partiarches might liue so long and perswaded themselues thinking it no folly neither to perswade others so in like manner that their years in those daies were so little that ten of them made but one of ours a hundred of theirs ten of ours But I wil lay open the eminent falsenesse of this immediately Yet ere I do it I must first touch at a more credible suspicion Wee might ouerthrow this assertion out of the Hebrew bookes who say that Adam was not two hundred thirty but a hundred and thirty yeares old when hee begot his third son which if they make but thirteen years then he begot his first son at the eleauenth or twelfth yeare of his age And who can in natures ordinary course now beget a child so yong But let vs except Adam perhaps he might haue begotten one as soone as he was created for we may not thinke that he was created a little one as our children are borne But now his son Seth was not two hundred yeares old as wee read but a hundred and fifty when hee begot Enos and by their account but eleauen yeares of age What shall I say of Canaan who begot Malalehel at seauenty not at a hundred and seauenty yeares of age say the Hebrewes If those were but seauen yeares â—…at man can beget a child then L. VIVES EAch a part hath a A number quadrate is that which is formed by multiplication of it self 〈◊〉 three times three foure times foure and six times sixe The yeare hath 365. daies and sixe 〈◊〉 those computators did exclude the fiue daies and sixe houres and diuiding the three â—…dred sixty into ten partes the quotient was thirty sixe b Foure times Of this reade 〈◊〉 in Caesar. Censorin Macrob. and Bâ—…da Before Caesars time the yeare had three hundred â—…-fiue daies And obseruing that the true yeare required ten daies and six houres more it was put to the priests at the end of February to interpose two and twenty daies and because that these six houres euery fourth yeare became a day then it was added and this month was 〈◊〉 nothing but the intercalatory month In the intercalary month saith Asconius Tully 〈◊〉 for Milo Now this confused interposition Caesar beeing dictator tooke away comâ—…ding them to keepe a yeare of three hundred sixty fiue
fell a building of this tower to resist a second deluge if God should be offended And the multitude held it a lesse matter to serue man then God and so obeying Nimrod willingly began to build this huge tower which might stand all waters vncouered Of this tower Sybilla writeth saying When al men were of one language some fell to build an high tower as though they would passe through it vnto heauen But God sent a winde and ouerthrâ—… and confounded their language with diuers so that each one had a seuerall tongue and therefore that citty was called Babilon h All soueraignty The Princes words are great attactiues of the subiects hearts which if they bee not vnderstood make all his people avoide him And therefore Mithridates euen when hee was vtterly ouerthrowne had friends ready to succour him because he could speake to any nation in their owne language Of Gods comming downe to confound the language of those towre-builders CHAP. 5. FOr whereas it is written The Lord came downe to see the citty and tower which the sons of men builded that is not the sons of God but that earthly minded 〈◊〉 which we call the Terrestriall citty we must thinke that God remooued from no place for hee is alwaies all in all but he is sayd to come downe when he doth any thing in earth beyond the order of nature wherein his omnipotency is as it were presented Nor getteth he temporary knowledge by seeing who can neuer be igâ—… in any thing but he is said to see and know that which he laies open to the 〈◊〉 and knowledge of others So then he did not see that city as he made it bee 〈◊〉 when he shewed how farre he was displeased with it Wee may say GOD 〈◊〉 downe to it because his angells came downe wherein hee dwelleth as that also â—…ch followeth The Lord said Behold the people is one and they haue all one 〈◊〉 c. and then Come on let vs goe downe and there confound their language 〈◊〉 a recapitulation shewing how the LORD came downe for if he were come downe already why should he say Let vs go downe c. he spoke to the angells in whom hee came downe And he saith not come and goe you downe and 〈◊〉 confound their language but come let vs go c. shewing that they are his â—…rs and yet hee co-operateth with them and they with him as the Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we labour together with God The manner how GOD speaketh to his Angells CHAP. 6. THat also where God saith Let vs a make man in our Image may be meant vnto the angells because hee saith not I will make but adding in our Image it is 〈◊〉 to thinke that God made man in the angells Image or that Gods and 〈◊〉 â—…re all one This therefore is an intimation of the Trinity which Trinity being â—…thelesse but one God when hee had said let vs make he adioyneth thus â—…ed the man in his Image hee doth not say the Gods created nor in the image of 〈◊〉 Gods and so here may the Trinity bee vnderstood as if the Father had sayd 〈◊〉 and the Holy Spirit come on let vs goe downe and there confound there 〈◊〉 this now if there bee any reason excluding the Angells in this point 〈◊〉 whom it rather befitted to come vnto God in holy nations and Godly â—…ns hauing recourse vnto the vnchangeable truth the eternall 〈◊〉 â—…at vpper court for they themselues are not the truth but pertakers of 〈◊〉 that created them and draw to that as the fountaine of their life takeâ—… 〈◊〉 of that what wanteth in themselues and this motion of theirs is firme 〈◊〉 to that whence they neuer depart Nor doth GOD speake to his 〈◊〉 wee doe one to another or vnto GOD or his angells to vs or wee to 〈◊〉 God by them to vs but in an ineffable manner shewne to vs after our 〈◊〉 and his high speach to them before the effect is the vnaltered order of 〈◊〉 not admitting sound or verberation of ayre but an eternall power in 〈◊〉 working vpon a temporall obiect Thus doth God speake to his angells 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vs being farre of him in a farre other manner and when we conceiue aâ—… by the first maner wee come neare the angells but I am not here to disâ—…e of Gods waies opening his will to others the vnchangeable truth doth 〈◊〉 speake ineffably from himselfe vnto reasonable creatures or by reasonable â—…ures mutable or spirituall either vnto our imagination and spirit or to 〈◊〉 â—…dily sense and whereas it is sayd And shall they not faine many things they 〈◊〉 this is no confirmation but rather a question as we vse in threatning 〈◊〉 â—…is verse Virgill declareth b Non arma expedient totâque ex vrbe sequentur And shall not all my powers take armes and run We must therefore take it as a question Otherwise it sheweth not as a threatning we must needs therefore adde the interrogatiue point Thus then the progenies of Noahs three sonnes were seauenty three or rather as wee haue said three score and twelue Nations who filled the earth and the Islands thereof c and the number of nations was farre aboue the number of languages for now in Africa wee haue many Barbarous countries that speake all one language and who doubteth that mankinde increasing diuers tooke shippes and went to inhabite the Islands abroad L. VIVES LEt a vs make Hierome and Augustine doe both take this as an intimation of the Trâ—…y b Non arma Dido's words in Virgil. Aenead 3. c And the number But I thinke it is â—…der to shew any one language then any one nation but I doe not contend but onely speake my minde Whether the remote Iles were supplied with the beasts of all sorts that were saued in the Arke CHAP. 7. BVt now there is a question concerning those beasts which man respects not yet are not produced by putrifaction as frogs are but only by copulation of male and female as wolues c. how they after the deluge wherein al perished but those in the Arke could come into those Islands vnlesse they were propagate from them that were preserued in the Arke we may thinke that they might some to the nearest Iles but there are some far in the maine to which no beast could swim If men desired to catch them and transport them thether questionlesse they might doe it a by hunting though we cannot deny but that the angells by Gods command might cary them thether but if they were produced from the earth as at first because God said let the earth bring forth the liuing soule then is it most apparant that the diuersity of beasts were preserued in the Arke rather for a figure of the diuers Nations then for restauration if the earth brought them forth in those Iles to which they could not otherwise come L. VIVES BY a hunting In the Canaries and other new found Iles there were none of
vnto life and many are called but few are chosen Mat. 7. 14. e This handfull So Iohn saith that he saw a multitude which no man could number Apoc. 7. 9. f Nor the sands This the oraculous deuill of Delpho's amongst other perticulars of God ascribed to himselfe for the Lydians whom Crasus sent thether comming into the temple the Pythia spake thus to them from Apollo Nâ—…iego arenarum numerum spaciumque profundi My power can count the sands and sound the sea How Abraham ouerthrew the enemies of the Sodomites freed Lot from captiuity and was blessed by Melchisedech the Priest CHAP. 22. ABraham hauing receiued this promise departed and remained in another place by the wood of Mambra which was in Chebron And then Sodome being spoiled and Lâ—…t taken prisoner by fiue Kings that came against them Abraham went to fetch him backe with three hundred and eighteene of those that 〈◊〉 borne and bred in his house and ouer-threw those Kings and set Lot at liâ—… and yet would take nothing of the spoile though the a King for whome â—…rred proffered it him But then was hee blessed of Melchisedech who was 〈◊〉 of the high God of whome there is written in the Epistle to the Hebrews 〈◊〉 b the most affirme to bee Pauls though some deny it many and great 〈◊〉 For there the sacrifice that the whole church offereth now vnto GOD 〈◊〉 apparant and that was prefigured which was long after fulfilled in 〈◊〉 of whom the Prophet said before he came in the flesh Thou art a Priest 〈◊〉 â—…er the order of Melchisedech not after the order of Aaron for that was 〈◊〉 â—…emooued when the true things came to effect wherof those were figures 〈◊〉 L. VIVES 〈◊〉 King Basa King of Sodome whose quarrell Abraham reuenged Gen. 14. b Which 〈◊〉 â—…st Hierome Origen and Augustine do doubt of this Epistle and so doe others The 〈◊〉 Church before Hierome held it not canonicall Erasmus disputeth largely and learnedâ—… 〈◊〉 the end of his notes vpon it This bread and wine was type of the body and bloud of 〈◊〉 that are now offered in those formes Of Gods promise to Abraham that hee â—…ould make his seede as the starres of heauen and that he was iustified by faith before his circumcision CHAP. 23. 〈◊〉 the word of the Lord came vnto Abraham in a vision who hauing many 〈◊〉 promises made and yet doubting of posteritie hee said that Eliezer his 〈◊〉 should be his heyre but presently hee had an heyre promised him not 〈◊〉 but one of his owne body and beside that his seede should bee innumeâ—… as the sands of earth now but as the starres of heauen wherein the 〈◊〉 glory of his posteritie seemes to bee plainely intimated But as for their 〈◊〉 who seeth not that the sands doe farre exceede the starres herein you 〈◊〉 they are comparable in that they are both innumerable For wee canâ—…â—…e that one can see all the starres but the earnester he beholds them the 〈◊〉 seeth so that we may well suppose that there a are some that deceiue 〈◊〉 â—…st eye besides those that arise in other b horizons out of our sight 〈◊〉 â—…ch as hold and recorde one certaine and definite number of the starres 〈◊〉 â—…us or d Eudoxus or others this booke ouer-throweth them wholy 〈◊〉 is that recorded that the Apostle reciteth in commendation of Gods 〈◊〉 Abraham beleeued the Lord and that was counted vnto him for righteâ—… least circumcision should exalte it selfe and deny the vncircumcised naâ—…â—…esse vnto Christ for Abraham was vncircumcised as yet when he beleeâ—… and it was imputed vnto him for righteousnesse L. VIVES 〈◊〉 a some In the white circle of heauen called the milken way there are a many 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 eye can distinguish Arist. and others b Other horizons There are some stars that neuer appeare vnto vs as those aboue the South-pole Proclus and others Nor doe the Antipodes euer see our Charles wainâ—… nor our pole starre nor the lesse beare c c Aratus Two famous men there were of this name one a captaine who freed his country Sycione from the tyrrany of Nicoâ—…les the other a Poet of Pompâ—…iopolis a citty of Cilicia nere vnto which is this Aratus his tombe vpon which if you throw a stone it will leape off The reason is vnknowne He liued in the time of Antigonus King of Macedon and wrote diuers poemes which Suidas reckneth amongst others his Phaenomena which Tully when he was a youth translated into latine verses a fragment of which is yet extant Iulius Caesar saith Firmicus but the common opinion and the more true is Germanicus put all Aratus his workes into a pâ—…eme but perhaps Firmicus calleth Germanicus Iulius Anienâ—…s Ruffus in Hieromes time made a latine Paraphrase of it It is strange that Tully saith he was no Astronomer in the world and yet wrote excellent well of the starres his eloquence was so powerfull De Oratore lib. 1. d Eudoxus A Carian borne at Gnidus an exellent philosopher and deepely seene in physick and the Mathematiques he wrote verses of Astrology Suidas Plutarch saith that Arcâ—…tas and he were the first practical Geometricians Laërtius saith he first deuised crooked lines Hee went saith Strabo with Plato into Egipt and there learnt Astronomie and taught in a Rocke that bare his name afterwards Lucane signifieth that he wrote calenders making Caesar boast thus at Cleopatra's table Neâ—… meus Eudoxi vincetur fastibus annus Nor can Eudoxus counts excell my yeare Because he had brought the yeare to a reformed course Of the signification of the sacrifice which Abraham vvas commanded to offer vvhen he desired to be confirmed in the things he beleeued CHAP. 24. GOd sayd also vnto him in the same vision I am the Lord that brought thee out of the country of the Chaldaeans to giue thee this land to inherite it Then said Abraham Lord how shall I know that I shall inherite 〈◊〉 and God said vnto him Take me an heifer of three yeares olde a shee Goate of three yeares old a 〈◊〉 of three yeares old a Turtle-doue and a Pidgeon So hee did and diuided them in the middest and laid one peece against another but the birds hee did not diuide Then came soules as the booke saith and fell on the carcasses and fate therevpon and Abraham a sate by them and abount sunne-set there fell an heauy sleepe vpon Abraham and loe a very fearefull darkenesse fel vpon him God said vnto Abraham Know this assuredly that thy seed shal be a stranger in a land that is not theirs foure hundred yeares and they shall serue there and shal be euill intreated But the nation whom they shall serue will I iudge and afterwards they shall come out with great substance But thou shalt go vnto thy fathers in peace and shalt die in a good age and in the fourth generation they shall come hether againe for the wickednesse of the â—…orites is not yet
is the New Testament but the opening of the Old one Now Abraham is sayd to laugh but this was the extreamity of his ioy not any signe of his deriding this promise vpon distrust and his thoughts beeing these Shall he that is an hundred yeares old c. Are not doubts of the euents but admirations caused by so strange an euent Now if some stop at that where God saith he will giue him all the Land of Canaan for an eternall possession how this may be fulfilled seeing that no mans progeny can inherite the earth euerlastingly he must know that eternall is here taken as the Greekes take 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is deriued of c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is seculum an age but the latine translation durst not say seculare here least it should haue beene taken in an other sence for seculare and transitorium are both alike vsed for things that last but for a little space but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is that which is either endlesse at all or endeth not vntill the worlds end and in this later sence is eternall vsed here L. VIVES I Wil be a his God Or to be his GOD. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a grecisme hardly expressed in your latine b The very The gentiles had also their eight day wherevpon the distinguished the childs name from the fathers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is Seculum aetas annâ—…m eternitas in latine Tully and other great authors translate it all those waies from the greeke Of the man-child that if it were not circumcised the eight day iâ—… perished for breaking of Gods couenant CHAP. 27. SOme also may sticke vpon the vnderstanding of these words The man child in whose flesh the fore-skinne is not circumcised that person shal be cut off from his people because he had broaken my couenant Here is no fault of the childes who is hereexposed to destruction he brake no couenant of Gods but his parents that looked not to his circumcision vnlesse you say that the yongest child hath broken Gods command and couenant as well as the rest in the first man in whom all man-kinde sinned For there are a many Testaments or Couenants of God besides the old and new those two so great ones that euery one may read and know The first couenant was this vnto Adam Whensoeuer thou eatest thereof thou shalt die the death wherevpon it is written in Ecclesiasticus All flesh waxeth 〈◊〉 as a garment and it is a couenant from the beginning that all sinners shall die the death for whereas the law was afterwards giuen and that brought the more light to mans iudgement in sinne as the Apostle saith Where no law is there is no transgression how is that true that the Psalmist said I accounted all the sinners of the earth transgressors b but that euery man is guilty in his owne conscience of some-what that hee hath done against some law and therefore seeing that little children as the true faith teacheth be guilty of originall sinne though not of actuall wherevpon wee confesse that they must necessarily haue the grace of the remission of their sinnes then verily in this they are breakers of Gods coueâ—… made with Adam in paradise so that both the Psalmists saying and the Apostles is true and consequently seeing that circumcision was a type of regeneration iustly shall the childs originall sinne breaking the first couenant that 〈◊〉 was made betweene God and man cut him off from his people vnlesse that regeneration engraffe him into the body of the true religion This then we must conceiue that GOD spake Hee that is not regenerate shall perish from â—…gst his people because he hath broke my couenant in offending me in Adam For if he had sayd he hath broke this my couenant it could haue beene meant of nothing but the circumcision onely but seeing hee saith not what couenant the child breaketh we must needes vnderstand him to meane of a couenant liable vnto the transgression of the child But if any one will tie it vnto circumcision and say that that is the couenant which the vncircumcised child hath broken let him beware of absurdity in saying that hee breaketh their couenant which is not broken by him but in him onely But howsoeuer we shall finde the childs condemnation to come onely from his originall sinne and not from any negligence of his owne iucurring this breach of the couenant L. VIVES THere a are many Hierome hath noted that wheresoeuer the Greekes read testament 〈◊〉 Hebrewes read couenant Berith is the Hebrew word b But that There is no man so barbarous but nature hath giuen him some formes of goodnesse in his heart whereby to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 honest life if he follow them and if he refuse them to turne wicked Of the changing of Abram and Sara's names who being the one too barren and both to old to haue children yet by Gods bounty were both made fruitfull CHAP. 28. THus this great and euident promise beeing made vnto Abraham in these words A father of many nations haue I made thee and I will make thee exceeding fruitfull and nations yea euen Kings shall proceed of thee which promise wee see most euidently fulfilled in Christ from that time the man and wife are called no more Abram and Sarai but as wee called them before and all the world calleth them Abraham and Sarah But why was Abrahams name changed the reason followeth immediately vpon the change for a father of many nations haue I made thee This is signified by Abraham now Abram his former a name is interpreted an high father But b for the change of Sara's name there is no reason giuen but as they say that haue interpreted those Hebrew names Sarai is my Princesse and Sarah strength wherevpon it is written in the Epistle to the Hebrewes By faith Sarah receiued strength to conceiue seed c. Now they were both old as the scripture saith but c shee was barren also and past the age d wherein the menstruall bloud floweth in women which wanting she could neuer haue conceiued although she had not beene barren And if a woman be well in years and yet haue that menstruall humour remayning she may conceiue with a yongman but neuer by an old as the old man may beget children but it must bee vpon a young woman as Abraham after Sarahs death did vpon Keturah because shee was of a youthfull age as yet This therefore is that which the Apostle so highly admireth and herevpon he saith that Abrahams body was dead because hee was not able to beget a child vpon any woman that was not wholy past her age of child-bearing but onely of those that were in the prime and flowre thereof For his bodie was not simply dead but respectiuely otherwise it should haue beene a carcasse fit for a graue not an ancient father vpon earth Besides the guift of begetting children that GOD gaue him lasted after Sarahs death and he
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
〈◊〉 In signe of Dommes-day the whole earth shall sweate Euer to reigne a King in heau'nly seate Shall come to iudge all flesh The faithfull and Vnfaithfull too before this God shall stand Seeing him high with Saints in Times last end Corporeall shall hee sit and thence extend His doome on soules The earth shall quite lie wast Ruin'd ore-growne with thornes and men shall cast Idolls away and treasure Searching fire Shall burne the ground and thence it shall inquire Through seas and skie and breake Hells blackest gates So shall free light salute the blessed states Of Saints the guilty lasting flames shall burne No act so hid but then to light shall turne Nor brest so close but GOD shall open wide Each where shall cries be heard and noyse beside Of gnashing teeth The Sunne shall from the skie Flie forth and starres no more mooue orderly Great Heauen shall be dissolu'd the Moone depriu'd Of all her light places at height arriu'd Deprest and valleys raised to their seate There shall be nought to mortalls high or great Hills shall lye leuell with the plaines the sea Endure no burthen and the earth as they Shall perish cleft with lightning euery spring And riuer burne The fatall Trumpe shall ring Vnto the world from heauen a dismall blast Including plagues to come for ill deedes past Old Chaos through the cleft masse shall bee seene Vnto this Barre shall all earths Kings conueene Riuers of fire and Brimstone flowing from heau'n e Iudicii signo Act. 1. 11. This Iesus who is taken vp to heauen shall so come as you haue seene him goe vp into heauen f Scilicet This verse is not in the Greeke nor is it added here for there must be twenty seauen g Sicanimae The Greeke is then shall all flesh come into free heauen and the fire shall take away the holy and the wicked for euer but because the sence is harsh I had rather read it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so make it agree with the Latine interpretation h Exuret The bookes of consciences shall bee opened as it is in the Reuelation Of those here-after i Sanctorum Isay. 40. 4. Euery valley shall bee exalted and euery mountaine and hill shall bee layde lowe the crooked shall bee streight and the rough places plaine k Occultos High and 〈◊〉 shall then bee all one and neither offensiue pompe height and glorye shall no more domineere in particular but as the Apostle saith Then shall all principalities and powers bee annihilated that GOD may bee all in all For there is no greater plague then to bee vnder him that is blowne bigge with the false conceite of greatnesse hee groweth rich and consequently proud hee thinkes hee may domineere his father â—…as I marry was hee his pedigree is alway in his mouth and very likely a theefe a Butcher or a Swin-heard in the front of this his noble descent Another Tarre-lubber bragges that hee is a souldiour an ayde vnto the state in affaires military therefore will hee reare and teare downe goe whole Citties before him if any leaue their owne seates and come into his way or to take the wall of him not else l No word For the Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 beginning a word is alwayes aspirate now if we bring it into Latine aspirate wee must put H. before it and this deceiues the ignorant m Quadrate and solid A plaine quadrate is a number multiplyed once by it selfe as three times three then multiply the product by the first and you haue a solid as three times three is nine Heere is your quadrate plaine three times nine is twenty seauen that is the quadrate solide n Lactantius Lactantius following his Maister Arnobius hath written seauen most excellent and acute volumes against the Pagans nor haue wee any Christian that is a better Ciceronian then hee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To th'faithlesse vniust hands then shall hee come Whose impure hands shall giue him blowes and some Shall from their foule mouthes poysoned spittle send Hee to their whips his holy back shall bend 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thus beate hee shall stand mute that none may ken Who was or whence the worde to speake to men And hee shall beare a thornie crowne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They gaue him for drinke Vineger and Gall for meate This table of in-hospitalitie they set This is likewise in another verse of Sybills the Greeke is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thy God thy good thou brainlesse sencelesse didst not know Who past and plaid in mortall words and works below A crowne of thornes and fearfull gall thou didst bestow In the next Chapter following the words are these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Temples veile shall rend in twaine and at mid-day Prodigious darkned night for three full houres shall stay In the same Chapter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Death shall shut vp his date with sleeping for three daies Then rising from the dead he turnes to the Sunne rayes The resurrections first-fruites to th'elect displayes o Of the resurrection Making away for the chosen by his resurrection so the Greeke implyeth Christ as the Apostle saith being the first borne of many brethren and the first fruites of those that sleepe The seauen Sages in Romulus his time Israel lead into captiuity Romulus dyeth and is deified CHAP. 24. IN Romulus his time liued Thales one of those who after the Theologicall Poets in which Orpheus was chiefe were called the Wise-men or Sages And a now did the Chaldaeans subdue the ten Tribes of Israell fallen before from Iuda and lead them all into Chaldaea captiue leauing onely the tribes of Iuda and Beniamin free who had their Kings seate at Hierusalem Romulus dying and beeing not to bee found was here-vpon deified which vse was now almost giuen ouer so that b in the Caesars times they did it rather vpon flattery then error and Tully commends Romulus highly in that hee could deserue those in so wise and learned an age though Philosophy were not yet in her height of subtile and acute positions and disputations But although in the later dayes they made no new Gods of men yet kept they their old ones still and gaue not ouer to worship them increasing superstition by their swarmes of Images whereof antiquity had none and the deuills working so powerfully with them that they got them to make publike presentations of the gods shames such as if they had bin vn-dreamed of before they would haue shamed to inuent as then After Romulus reigned Numa who stuffed all the Citty with false religion yet could hee not shape a God-head for him-selfe out of all this Chaos of his consecrations It seemes hee stowed
ceasing and destruction ensuing which was performed by the Romanes as I erst related But the house of the New Testament is of another lustre the workemanship being more glorious and the stones being more precious But it was figured in the repaire of the old Temple because the whole New Testament was figured in the old one Gods prophecy therefore that saith In that place will I giue peace is to be meant of the place signified not of the place significant that is as the restoring that house prefigured the church which Christ was to build so GOD said in this place that is in the place that this prefigureth will I giue peace for all things signifying seeme to support the persons of the things signified as Saint Peter said the Rock was Christ for it signifyed Christ. So then farre is the glory of the house of the New Testament aboue the glory of the Old as shall appeare in the finall dedication Then shall the desire of all nations appeare as it is in the hebrew for his first comming was not desired of all the nations for some knew not whom to desire nor in whom to beleeue And then also shall they that are Gods elect out of all nations come as the LXX read it for none shall come truely at that day but the elect of whoÌ„ the Apostle saith As he hath elected vs in him before the beginning of the world for the Architect himself that sayd Many are called but few are chosen he spoke not of those that were called to the feast and then cast out but meant to shew that hee had built an house of his elect which times worst spight could neuer ruine But being altogither in the church as yet to bee hereafter sifited the corne from the chaffe the glory of this house cannot be so great now as it shal be then where man shal be alwaies there where he is once The Churches increase vncertaine because of the commixtion of elect and reprobate in this world CHAP. 49. THerefore in these mischieuous daies wherein the church worketh for his fu ture glory in present humility in feares in sorrowes in labours and in temptations ioying onely in hope when shee ioyeth as she should many rebrobaâ—…e liue amongst the elect both come into the Gospells Net and both swim at randon in the sea of mortality vntill the fishers draw them to shore and then the 〈◊〉 owne from the good in whom as in his Temple God is all in all We acknowledge therefore his words in the psalme I would declare and speake of them 〈◊〉 are more then I am able to expresse to be truly fulfilled This multiplication 〈◊〉 at that instant when first Iohn his Messenger and then himselfe in person 〈◊〉 to say Amend your liues for the Kingdome of God is at hand He chose him disâ—… and named the Apostles poore ignoble vnlearned men that what great 〈◊〉 soeuer was done hee might bee seene to doe it in them He had one who abused his goodnesse yet vsed hee this wicked man to a good end to the fulfilling of his passion and presenting his church an example of patience in tribulation And hauing sowne sufficiently the seed of saluation he suffered was buried and 〈◊〉 againe shewing by his suffering what wee ought to endure for the truth and 〈◊〉 resurrection what we ought for to hope of eternity a besides the ineffaâ—…ament of his bloud shed for the remission of sinnes Hee was forty daies 〈◊〉 with his disciples afterwardes and in their sight ascended to heauen â—…es after sending downe his promised spirit vpon them which in the comming gaue that manifest and necessary signe of the knowledge in languages of 〈◊〉 to signifie that it was but one Catholike church that in all those natiâ—…â—…uld vse all those tongues L. VIVES 〈◊〉 a the ineffable For Christs suffrance and his life hath not onely leaft vs the vertue 〈◊〉 Sacraments but of his example also whereby to direct ourselues in all good courses 〈◊〉 Gospell preached and gloriously confirmed by the bloud of the preachers CHAP. 50. 〈◊〉 then as it is written The law shall goe forth of Zion and the word of 〈◊〉 Lord from Ierusalem and as Christ had fore-told when as his disciplies â—…onished at his resurrection he opened their vnderstandings in the scripâ—… told them that it was written thus It behoued Christ to suffer and to rise 〈◊〉 the third day and that repentance and remission of sinnes should bee preached in 〈◊〉 â—…mongst all nations beginning at Ierusalem and where they asked him of 〈◊〉 comming and he answered It is not for you to know the times and seasons 〈◊〉 father hath put in his owne power but you shall receiue power of the Holie 〈◊〉 hee shall come vpon you and you shal be witnesses of mee in Ierusalem and in 〈◊〉 in Samaria and vnto the vtmost part of the earth First the church spred 〈◊〉 â—…om Ierusalem and then through Iudaea and Samaria and those lights 〈◊〉 world bare the Gospell vnto other nations for Christ had armed them 〈◊〉 Feare not them that kill the body but are not able to kill the soule they had 〈◊〉 of loue that kept out the cold of feare finally by their persons who 〈◊〉 him aliue and dead and aliue againe and by the horrible persecutiâ—… by their successors after their death and by the euer conquered to 〈◊〉 â—…conquerable tortures of the Martires the Gospell was diffused 〈◊〉 all the habitable world GOD going with it in Miracles in vertues and 〈◊〉 of the Holy Ghost in so much that the nations beleeuing in him who 〈◊〉 for their Redemption in christian loue did hold the bloud of those Martires in reuerence which before they had shed in barbarousnesse and the Kings whose edicts afflicted the church came humbly to be warriours vnder that banner which they cruelly before had sought vtterly to abolish beginning now to persecute the false gods for whom before they had persecuted the seruants of 〈◊〉 true GOD. That the Church is confirmed euen by the schismes of Heresies CHAP. 51. NOw the deuill seeing his Temples empty al running vnto this Redeemer set heretiques on foote to subert Christ in a christiaÌ„ vizar as if there were yâ— allowance for them in the heauenly Ierusalem which their was for contrariety of Philosophers in the deuills BabiloÌ„ Such therfore as in the church of God do distast any thing and a being checked aduised to beware do obstinately oppose themselues against good instructions and rather defend their abhominations then discard them those become Heretikes and going forth of Gods House are to be held as our most eager enemies yet they doe the members of the Catholike Church this good that their fall maketh them take better hold vpon God who vseth euill to a good end and worketh all for the good of those that loue him So then the churches enemies whatsoeuer if they haue the power to impose corporall afflictioÌ„ they exercise her patience
otherwise e But euer-more holding it selfe in higher respect then any other good what-so-euer mentall or corporall For it knoweth both the vse of it selfe and of all other goods that maketh a man happy But where it wanteth bee there neuer so many goods they are none of his that hath them because hee cannot giue them their true natures by good application of them That man therefore alone is truly blessed that can vse vertue and the other bodyly and mentall goods which vertue cannot be with-out all vnto their true end If hee can make good vse of those things also that vertue may easily want he is the happier in that But if hee can make that vse of all things what-so-euer to turne them either to goods of the body or of the minde then is hee the happiest man on earth for life and vertue are not all one The wise-mans life onely it is that deserues that name for some kinde of life may bee wholy voyde of vertue but no vertue can be with-out life And so likewise of memory reason and other qualities in man all these are before learning it cannot bee with-out them no more then vertue which it doth teach But swiftnesse of foote beauty of face strength of body and such may bee all with-out vertue and all of them are goods of them-selues with-out vertue yet is vertue desired for it selfe neuerthelesse and vseth these goods as befitteth Now f this blessed estate of life they hold to bee sociable also desiring the neighbours good as much as their owne and wishing them in their owne respects as well as it selfe whether it be the wiues and children or fellow cittizen or mortall man what-so-euer nay suppose it extend euen to the Gods whome they hold the friends of wise-men and whome wee call by a more familiar name Angels But of the ends of the good and euill they make no question wherein onely they say they differ from the new Academikes nor care they what habite Cynicall or what-so-euer a man beare so he auerre their ends Now of the three lines contemplatiue actiue and mixt they choose the last Thus saith Varro the old Academikes taught g Antiochus maister to him and Tully beeing author hereof though Tully make him rather a Stoike then an old Academike in most of his positions But what is that to vs wee are rather to looke how to iudge of the matter then how others iudge of the men L. VIVES THe a horsman But eques hath beene of old time vsed for equus Gell. Marcell Macrob. and Seruius all which doe prooue it out of Ennius Annal. lib. 7. and Uirgil Aenead 3. And it was the old custome to say that the horse rode when the man was on his backe as well as the man him-selfe Macrob. Saturnal 6. b Poculum Poculum is also the thing that is in the vessell to bee drunke especially in the Poets Uirg Georg. 1. c Uertue or methode Which ripening out of the seedes infused by nature groweth vp to perfection and then ioynes with the first positiues of nature in the pursuite of true beatitude thus held the Academikes hee that will read more of it let him looke in Aristotles Morality and Tullyes de finib lib. 5. Vnlesse hee will fetch it from Plato the labour is more but the liquor is purer d More or lesse Bodily goods lesse then mentall and of the first health more then strength quicknesse of sence more then swiftnesse of foote e But euer-more Nor is it arrogance in vertue to haue this knowledge of her-selfe and to discerne her onely excellence surmounting all f This blessed The Stoikes placed it in a politique manner of life but their meaning Seneca explaineth De vita beata making two kinâ—… of common wealths the one a large and comely publike one conteining GOD and Man and this is the whole world the other a lesser where-vnto our 〈◊〉 hath bound vs as the Athenian state or the Carthaginians Now some follow the greater common-weale liuing wholy in contemplation and others the lesser attending the state and action of that and some apply them selues to both Besides a wise man often-times abandoneth to gouerne because either the state respecteth him not or the maners thereof are vnreformable The latter made Plato liue in priuate the first Zeno Chrysippus and diuerse other g Antiochus An Ascalonite he taught Uarro Lucullus Tully and many other nobles of Rome all in forme of the ancient Academy together with some inclination to Zeno yet calling the men of his profession rather reformed Academikes then renewed Stoikes and therefore Brutus who was an auditor of his brother Aristius and many other Stoikes did greatly commend his opinion of beatitude Indeed it was very neere Stoicisme as wee sayd else-where and their difference was rather verball then materiall Some few things onely were changed which Antiochus called his reformations of the old discipline The Christians opinion of the chiefest good and euill which the Philosophers held to be within them-selues CHAP. 4. IF you aske vs now what the Citty of God saith first to this position of the perfection of good and euill it will answere you presently eternall life is the perfection of good and eternall death the consummation of euill and that the ayme of all our life must bee to auoyde this and attaine that other Therefore is it written The iust shall liue by faith For wee see not our greatest good and therefore are to beleeue and hope for it nor haue wee power to liue accordingly vnlesse our beleefe and prayer obteyne helpe of him who hath giuen vs that beleefe and hope that hee will helpe vs. But such as found the perfection of felicity vpon this life placing it either in the body or in the minde or in both or to speake more apparantly eyther in pleasure or in vertue or in pleasure and rest together or in vertue or in both or in natures first affects or in vertue or in both fondlye and vainely are these men perswaded to finde true happynesse heere The Prophet scoffes them saying The Lord knoweth the thoughts of men or as Saint Paul hath it of the wise that they are vaine For who can discourse exactly of the miseries of this life Tully a vppon his daughters death did what hee could But what could hee doe in what person can the first affects of nature bee found with-out alteration what hath not sorrow and disquiet full power to disturbe the pleasure and quiet of the wisest So strength beauty health vigour and actiuity are all subuerted by their contraries by losse of limmes deformitie sicknesse faintnesse and vnweeldinesse And what if a member fall into some tumor or other affect what if weakenesse of the back bend a man downe to the ground making him neere to a foure-footed beast is not all the grace of his posture quite gone and then the first guifts of nature whereof sence and reason are the two first because of the apprehension of truth how
much latine spoken in their Prouinces in so much that Spaine and France did wholy forget their owne languages and spake all latine Nor might any Embassage bee preferred to the Senate but in latine Their endeauour was most glorious and vsefull herein whatsoeuer their end was c Yea but Here hee disputeth against the Gentiles out of their owne positions That true friendship cannot bee secure amongst the incessant perills of this present life CHAP. 8. BVt admit that a man bee not so grossely deceiued as many in this wretched life are as to take his foe for his friend nor contrariwise his friend for his foe what comfort haue wee then remayning in this vale of mortall miseries but the vnfained faith and affection of sure friends whom the a more they are or the further of vs the more we feare least they bee endamaged by some of these infinite casualties attending on all mens fortunes We stand not onely in feare to see them afflicted by famine warre sicknesse imprisonment or so but our farre greater feare is least they should fal away through treachery malice or deprauation And when this commeth to passe and wee heare of it as they more friends wee haue and the farther off withal the likelier are such newes to be brought vs then who can decypher our sorrowes but he that hath felt the like we had rather heare of their death though that wee could not heare of neither but vnto our griefe For seeing wee enioyed the comfort of their friendships in their life how can wee but bee touched with sorrowes affects at their death hee that forbiddeth vs that may as well forbid all conference of friend and friend all sociall curtesie nay euen all humane affect and thrust them all out of mans conuersation or else prescribe their vses no pleasurable ends But as that is impossible so is it likewise for vs not to bewaile him dead whom wee loued being aliue For the b sorrow thereof is as a wound or vlcer in our heart vnto which bewaylements doe serue in the stead of fomentations and plaisters For though that the sounder ones vnderstanding be the sooner this cure is effected yet it proues not but that there is a malady that requireth one application or other Therefore in al our bewayling more or lesse of the deaths of our dearest friēds or companions wee doe yet reserue this loue to them that wee had rather haue them dead in body then in soule and had rather haue them fall in essence then in manners for the last is the most dangerous infection vpon earth and therfore it was written Is not mans life a b temptation vpon earth Wherevpon our Sauiour said Woe bee to the world because of offences and againe Because iniquity shal be increased the loue of many shal be cold This maketh vs giue thankes for the death of our good friends and though it make vs sad a while yet it giueth vs more assurance of comfort euer after because they haue now escaped all those mischieues which oftentimes seize vpon the best either oppressing or peruerting them endangering them how-soeuer L. VIVES THe a more they are Aristotles argument against the multitude of friends b Temptation The vulgar readeth it Is there not an appointed time to man vpō earth Hierom hath it a warfare for we are in continuall warre with a suttle foxe whom wee must set a continuall watch against least he inuade vs vnprouided The friendship of holy Angells with men vndiscernable in this life by reason of the deuills whom all the Infidells tooke to be good powers and gaue them diuine honours CHAP. 9. NOw the society of Angells with men those whom the Philosophers called the gods guardians Lars and a number more names they set in the fourth place comming as it were from earth to the whole vniuerse and here including heauen Now for those friends the Angels we need not feare to be affected with sorrow for any death or deprauation of theirs they are impassible But this friendship betweene them and vs is not visibly apparant as that of mans is which addes vnto our terrestriall misery and againe the deuill as wee reade often transformes himselfe into an Angell of light to tempt men some for their instruction and some for their ruine and here is need of the great mercy of God least when wee thinke wee haue the loue and fellowship of good Angells they prooue at length pernicious deuills fained friends and suttle foes as great in power as in deceipt And where needeth this great mercy of GOD but in this worldly misery which is so enveloped in ignorance and subiect to be deluded As for the Philosophers of the reprobate citty who sayd they had gods to their friends most sure it was they had deuills indeed whom they tooke for deities all the whole state wherein they liued is the deuills monarchy and shall haue the like reward with his vnto all eternity For their sacrifices or rather sacriledges where-with they were honored and the obscaene plaies which they themselues exacted were manifest testimonies of their diabolicall natures Thereward that the Saints are to receiue after the passing of this worlds afflictions CHAP. 10. YEa the holy and faithfull seruants of the true GOD are in danger of the deuills manifold ambushes for as long as they liue in this fraile and foule browed world they must be so and it is for their good making them more attentiue in the quest of that security where their peace is without end and without want There shall the Creator bestowe all the guifts of nature vpon them and giue them not onely as goods but as eternall goods not onely to the soule by reforming it with wisdome but also to the body by restoring it in the resurrection There the vertues shall not haue any more conflicts with the vices but shall rest with the victory of eternall peace which none shall euer disturbe For it is the finall beatitude hauing now attained a consummation to all eternity Wee are sayd to bee happy here on earth when wee haue that little peace that goodnesse can afford vs but compare this happinesse with that other and this shall be held but plaine misery Therefore if wee liue well vpon earth our vertue vseth the benefits of the transitory peace vnto good ends if we haue it if not yet still our vertue vseth the euills that the want thereof produceth vnto a good end also But then is our vertue in full power and perfection when it referreth it selfe and all the good effects that it can giue being vnto either vpon good or euill causes vnto that onely end wherein our peace shall haue no end nor any thing superior vnto it in goodnesse or perfection The beatitude of eternall peace and that true perfection wherein the Saints are installed CHAP. 11. WEE may therefore say that peace is our finall good as we sayd of life eternall because the psalme saith vnto that citty whereof we write this
God knoweth those that bee his and the deuill cannot draw a soule of them vnto damnation For this God knoweth as knowing all things to come not as one man seeth another in presence and cannot tell what shall be-come either of him hee seeth or of him-selfe here-after The diuell was therefore bound and locked vp that hee should no more seduce the nations the Churches members whom he had held in errour and impiety before they were vnited vnto the Church It is not said that hee should deceiue no man any more but that he should deceiue the people no more whereby questionlesse hee meaneth the Church Proceed vntill the thousand yeares bee fulfilled that is either the remainder of the sixth day the last thousand or the whole time that the world was to continue Nor may wee vnderstand the deuill so to bee barred from seducing that at this time expired hee should seduce those nations againe whereof the Church consisteth and from which hee was forbidden before But this place is like vnto that of the Psalme Our eyes waite vpon the Lord vntill hee haue mercy vpon vs for the seruants of God take not their eyes from beholding as soone as he hath mercy vpon them or else the order of the words is this Hee â—…t him vp and sealed the doore vpon him vntill a thousand yeares were fulfilled all that commeth betweene namely that he should not deceiue the people hauing no necessary connexion here-vnto but beeing to bee seuerally vnderstood as if it were added afterwards and so the sence runne thus And he shut him vp and sealed the dore vpon him vntill a thousand yeares were fulfilled that hee should not seduce the people that is therefore hee shutte him vp so long that he should seduce them no more L. VIVES FRom the a thousand Iohns mention of a thousand yeares in this place and Christs words I will not drinke hence-forth of the fruite of the vine vntill that day that I drinke it new with you in my Fathers kingdome together with many Prophecies touching Christs kingdome in Hierusalem made some imagine that Christ would returne into the world raise the Saints in their bodyes and liue a thousand yeares heere on earth in all ioy peace and prosperitie farre exceeding the golden age of the Poets or that of Sybilla and Esayas The first Author of this opinion was Papias Bishop of Hierusalem who liued in the Apostles times Hee was seconded by Irenaeus Apollinarius Tertullian lib. de fidelium Victorinus 〈◊〉 Lactantius Diuin Instit. lib. 7. And although Hierome deride and scoffe at this opinion in many places yet in his fourth booke of his Commentaries vpon Hieremy hee saith that hee dare not condemne it because many holy martyrs and religious Christians held it so great an authority the person some-times giueth to the position that we must vse great modesty in our dissention with them and giue great reuerence to their godlynesse and grauity I cannot beleeue that the Saints held this opinion in that manner that Cerinthus the heretique did of whome wee read this in Eusebius Cerinthus held that Christ would haue an earthly kingdome in Hierusalem after the resurrection where the Saints should liue in all societie of humaine lusts and concupiscences Besides against all truth of scripture hee held that for a thousand yeares space this should hold with reuells and mariage and other works of corruption onely to deâ—…iue the carnall minded person Dionisius disputing of S. Iohns reuelation and reciting some ancient traditions of the Church hath thus much concerning this man Cerinthus quoth he the author of the Cerinthian heresie delighted much in getting his sect authority by wresting of scripture His heresie was that Christs Kingdome should bee terrestriall and being giuen vp vnto lust and gluttony himselfe he affirmed nothing but such things as those two affects taught him That all should abound with banquets and belly-chere and for the more grace to his assertions that the feasts of the law should be renewed and the offring of carnall sacrifices restored Irenaeus publisheth the secresie of this heresie in his first booke they that would know it may finde it there Thus farre Eusebius Hist. Eccl. lib. 3. wherefore this was not Papias his opinion whose originall Hierome would otherwise haue ascribed vnto Cerinthus who was more ancient then Papias a little though both liued in one age nor would Iraeneus haue written against Cerinthus for he allowed of Papias his opinion neither did all the sects agree in one as touching this thousand yeares but each one taught that which seemed likeliest vnto him-selfe and no wonder in so vaine a fiction Dionisius of Alexandria as Hierome affirmeth In Esai lib. 18. wroâ—… an elegant worke in derision of these Chiliasts and there Golden Hierusalem their reparation of the temple their bloud of sacrifices there Sabbath there circumsitions there birth there mariages there banquets there soueraignties their warres and tryumphs c. b The cheare shall exceed So saith Lactantius The earth shall yeeld her greatest faecundity and yeeld her plenty vntilled The rockie mountaines shall sweate hony the riuers shall runne wine and the fountaines milke To omit Cerinthus his relations which are farre more odious c Chiliast 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a thousand d On the sixt day There is a report that in the bookes of Elias the Prophet it was recorded that the world should last 6000. yeares 2000. vnder vanity vnto Abraham 2000. vnder the law vnto Christ. and 2000. vnder Christ vnto the iudgement This by the Hebrewes account for the LXX haue aboue 3000. yeares from Adam to Abraham And in Augustines time the world lackt not 400 yeares of the full 6000. So that now our Vulgar accoumpt is aboue 6700. yeares Namely from Our Sauiour 1522. Whom Eusebius and such as follow the LXX affirme to haue beene borne in the yeare of the world 5100. and somewhat more Therefore Augustine saith that the later end of the 6000. yeares passed along in his time And Lactantius who liued before Augustine vnder Constantine saith that in his time there was but 200. of the 6000. yeares to runne Of the binding and loosing of the Diuell CHAP. 8. AFter that saith S. Iohn he must be loosed for a season Well although the Diuell be bound and lockt vp that he should not seduce the Church shall hee therefore be looosed to seduce it God forbid That Church which God predestinated and setled before the worlds foundation whereof it is written God knoweth those that be his that the Deuill shall neuer seduce and yet it shal be on earth euen at the time of his loosing as it hath continued in successiue estate euer since it was first erected for by and by after hee saith that the Diuill shall bring his seduced nations in armes against it whose number shal be as the sea sands And they went vp saith hee vnto the plaine of the earth and compassed the tents of the Saints about and
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
not the lesser and lower doe so too If Ioue doe not like this whose oracle as Porphyry saith hath condemned the Christians credulity why doth hee not condemne the Hebrewes also for leauing this doctrine especially recorded in their holyest writings But if this Iewish wisdome which he doth so commend affirme that the heauens shall perish how vaine a thing is it to detest the Christian faith for auouching that the world shall perish which if it perish not then cannot the heauens perish Now our owne scriptures with which the Iewes haue nothing to doe our Ghospels and Apostolike writings do all affirme this The fashion of this world goeth away The world passeth away Heauen and earth shall passe away But I thinke that passeth away doth not imply so much as perisheth But in Saint Peters Epistle where hee saith how the world perished being ouer-flowed with water is plainly set downe both what he meant by the world how farre it perished and what was reserued for fire and the perdition of the wicked And by and by after The day of the Lord will come as a thiefe in the night in the which the Heauens shall passe away with a noyse the elements shall melt vvith heate and the earth vvith the rockes that are therein shall bee burnt vp and so concludeth that seeing all these perish what manner persons ought yee to be Now we may vnderstand that those heauens shall perish which he said were reserued for fire and those elements shall melt which are here below in this mole of discordant natures wherein also he saith those heauens are reserued not meaning the vpper spheres that are the seats of the stars for whereas it is written that the starres shall fall from heauen it is a good proofe that the heauens shall remaine vntouched if these words bee not figuratiue but that the starres shall fall indeed or some such wonderous apparitions fill this lower ayre as Virgil speaketh of Stella a facem ducens multa cum luce cucurrit A tailed Starre flew on with glistring light And so hid it selfe in the woods of Ida. But this place of the Psalme seemes to exempt none of all the heauens from perishing The heauens are the workes of thine hands they shall perish thus as hee made all so all shall bee destroyed The Pagans scorne I am sure to call Saint Peter to defend that Hebrew doctrine which their gods doe so approoue by alledging the figuratiue speaking hereof pars pro toto all shall perrish meaning onely all the lower parts as the Apostle saith there that the world perished in the deluge when it was onely the earth and some part of the ayre This shift they will not make least they should eyther yeeld to Saint Peter or allow this position that the fire at the last iudgement may doe as much as wee say the deluge did before their assertion that all man-kinde can neuer perish will allow them neither of these euasions Then they must needes say that when their gods commended the Hebrews wisdom they had not read this Psalme but there is another Psalme as plaine as this Our God shall come and shall not keepe silence a fire shall deuoure before him and a mightie tempest shall bee mooued round about him Hee shall call the heauen aboue and the earth to iudge his people Gather my Saints together vnto mee those that make a couenant with mee with sacrifice This is spoken of Christ whome wee beleeue shall come from heauen to iudge both the quick and the dead Hee shall come openly to iudge all most iustly who when hee came in secret was iudged himselfe most vniustly Hee shall come and shall not bee silent his voyce now shall confound the iudge before whome hee was silent when hee was lead like a sheepe to the slaughter and as a lambe before the shearer is dumbe as the Prophet saith of him and as it was fulfilled in the Ghospell Of this fire and tempest wee spake before in our discourse of Isaias prophecie touching this point But his calling the heauens aboue that is the Saints this is that which Saint Paul saith Then shall wee bee caught vp also in the clouds to meete the Lord in the â—…yre For if it meant not this how could the Heauens bee called aboue as though they could bee any where but aboue The words following And the earth if you adde not Aboue heere also may bee taken for those that are to bee iudged and the heauens for those that shall iudge with Christ. And then the calling of the heauens aboue implyeth the placing of the Saints in seates of iudgments not their raptures into the ayre Wee may further vnderstand it to bee his calling of the Angels from their high places to discend with him to iudgement and by the earth those that are to bee iudged But if wee doe vnderstand Aboue at both clauses it intimateth the Saints raptures directly putting the heauens for their soules and the earth for their bodyes to iudge or discerne his people that is to seperate the sheepe from the goates the good from the bad Then speaketh he to his Angels Gather my Saints together vnto mee this is done by the Angels ministery And whome gather they Those that make a couenant with mee with sacrifice and this is the duty of all iust men to doe For either they must offer their workes of mercy which is aboue sacrifice as the Lord saith I will haue mercy and not sacrifice or else their workes of mercy is the sacrifice it selfe that appeaseth Gods wrath as I prooued in the ninth booke of this present volume In such workes doe the iust make couenants with God in that they performe them for the promises made them in the New Testament So then Christ hauing gotten his righteous on his right hand will giue them this well-come Come yee blessed of my Father inherite yee the kingdome prepared for you from the foundations of the world for I was an hungred and you gaue me to eate and so forth of the good workes and their eternall rewards which shall be returned for them in the last iudgment L. VIVES SStella a facem ducens Virg. Aeneid 2. Anchises beeing vnwilling to leaue Troy and Aeneas being desperate and resoluing to dye Iupiter sent them a token for their flight namely this tailed starre all of which nature saith Aristotle are produced by vapours enflamed in the ayres mid region If their formes be only lineall they call them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is lampes or torches Such an one saith Plynie glided amongst the people at noone day when Germanicus Caesar presented his Sword-players prize others of them are called Bolidae and such an one was seene at Mutina The first sort of these flye burning onely at one end the latter burneth all ouer Thus Pliny lib. 2. Malachies Prophecy of the iudgement and of such as are to be purged by fire CHAP. 25. THe Prophet a Malachiel or Malachi
inextinguible lampe This they may obiect to put vs to our plunges for if wee say it is false wee detract from the truth of our former examples and if wee say it is true wee shall seeme to avouch a Pagan deity But as I sayd in the eighteenth booke we need not beleeue all that Paganisme hath historically published their histories as Varro witnesseth seemeing to conspire in voluntary contention one against an other but wee may if we will beleeue such of their relations as doe not contradict those bookes which wee are bound to beleeue Experience and sufficient testimony shall afford vs wonders enow of nature to conuince the possibility of what we intend against those Infidells As for that lampe of Venus it rather giueth our argument more scope then any way suppresseth it For vnto that wee can adde a thousand strange things effected both by humane inuention and Magicall operation Which if wee would deny we should contradict those very bookes wherein wee beleeue Wherefore that lampe either burned by the artificiall placing a of some Asbest in it or it was effected by b art magike to procure a religious wonder or else some deuill hauing honour there vnder the name of Venus continued in this apparition for the preseruation of mens misbeleefe For the c deuills are allured to inhabite some certaine bodies by the very creatures of d God and not their delighting in them not as other creatures doe in meates but as spirits doe in characters and signes ad-apted to their natures either by stones herbes plants liuing creatures charmes and ceremonies And this allurement they doe sutly entice man to procure them either by inspiring him with the secrets thereof or teaching him the order in a false and flattering apparition making some few schollers to them and teachers to a many more For man could neuer know what they loue and what they loathe but by their owne instructions which were the first foundations of arte Magike And then doe they get the fastest hold of mens hearts which is all they seeke and glory in when they appeare like Angells of light How euer their workes are strange and the more admired the more to be avoided which their owne natures doe perswade vs to doe for if these foule deuills can worke such wonders what cannot the glorious angells doe then Nay what cannot that GOD doe who hath giuen such power to the most hated creatures So then if humane arte can effect such rare conclusions that such as know them not would thinke them diuine effects as there was an Iron Image hung e in a certaine temple so strangely that the ignorant would haue verely beleeued they had seene a worke of GODS immediate power it hung so iust betweene two loade-stones whereof one was placed in the roofe of the temple and the other in the floore without touching of any thing at all and as there might be such a tricke of mans art in that inextinguible lampe of Venus if Magicians which the scriptures call sorcerers and enchanters can doe such are exploytes by the deuills meanes as Virgil that famous Poet relateth of an Enchantresse in these words f Haec se carminibus promittit soluere mentes Quas velit ast aliis dur as immittere curas Sistere aquam fluuiis vertere sydera retrò Nocturnosque ciâ—…t manes mugire videbis Sub pedibus terram descendere montibus Ornos She said her charmes could ease ones heart of paine Euen when she list and make him greeue againe Stop flouds bring back the stars and with her breath Rouse the black fiends vntill the earth beneath Groan'd and the trees came marching from the hills c. If all this bee possible to those how much more then can the power of GOD exceed them in working such things as are incredible to infidelity but easie to his omnipotency who hath giuen vertues vnto stones witte vnto man and such large power vnto Angells his wonderfull power exceedeth all wonders his wisdome permitteth and effecteth all and euery perticular of them and cannot hee make the most wonderfull vse of all the parts of that world that hee onely hath created L. VIVES PLacing a of some Asbest Or of a kinde of flaxe that will neuer bee consumed for such there is Plin. lib. 19. Piedro Garsia and I saw many lampes of it at Paris where wee saw also a napkin of it throwne into the middest of a fire and taken out againe after a while more white and cleane then all the sope in Europe would haue made it Such did Pliny see also as hee saith himselfe b By art magique In my fathers time there was a tombe â—…ound wherein there burned a lampe which by the inscription of the tombe had beene lighted therein the space of one thousand fiue hundered yeares and more Beeing touched it fell all to dust c Deuills are allured Of this reade more in the eight and tenth bookes of this present worke and in Psell. de Daem d And not theirs The Manichees held the deuills to bee the creators of many things which this denieth e In a certaine temple In the temple of Serapis of Alexandria Rufâ—…n Hist. Eccl. lib. 21. f Haee se Aeneid 4. Gods omnipotency the ground of all beleefe in things admired CHAP. 7. VVHy then cannot a GOD make the bodies of the dead to rise againe and the damned to suffer torment and yet not to consume seeing hee hath filled heauen earth ayre and water so full of inumerable miracles and the world which hee made beeing a greater miracle then any it containeth But our aduersaries beleeuing a God that made the world and the other gods by whom he gouerneth the world doe not deny but auoutch that there are powers that effect wonders in the world either voluntarily or ceremonially and magically but when wee giue them an instance wrought neither by man nor by spirit they answere vs it is nature nature hath giuen it this quality So then it was nature that made the Agrigentine salt melt in the fire and crackle in the water Was it so this seemes rather contrary to the nature of salt which naturally dissolueth in water and crakleth in the fire I but nature say they made this perticular salt of a quality iust opposite Good this then is the reason also of the heare and cold of the Garamantine fountaine and of the other that puts out the torch and lighteth it againe as also of the Aâ—…beste and those other all which to reherse were too tedious There is no other reason belike to bee giuen for them but such is their nature A good briefe reason verely and b a sufficient But GOD beeing the Authour of all nature why then doe they exact a stronger reason of vs when as wee in proouing that which they hold for an impossibility affirme that it is thus by the will of Almighty GOD who is therefore called Almighty because hee can doe all that hee will hauing created so
and incorporeall soule should be chained to an earthly bodie then that an earthly bodie should bee lifted vppe to heauen which is but a body it selfe Onely because the first wee see daily in our selues the second we haue yet neuer seen But reason wil tel one that it is a more diuine work to ioyne bodies and soules then to ioine bodies to bodies though neuer so different in natures as if the one be heauenly the other of earth L VIVES YEt were not a their bodies But Romulus his body was not to bee found and therefore the vulgar beleeued that it was gone vp to heauen And the Greekes say that Aesculapius restored Hercules his body to the former soundnesse and so it was taken vp into the skies Of the resurrection of the body beleeued by the whole world excepting some few CHAP. 5. THis was once incredible But now wee see the whole world beleeues that Christs body is taken vp to heauen The resurrection of the body and the ascention vnto blisse is beleeued now by all the earth learned and vnlearned imbrace it only some few reiect it If it be credible what fooles are they not to beleeue it if it be not how incredible a thing is it that it should be so generally beleeued These two incredible things to wit the resurrection and the worldes beleefe thereof Our Lord Iesus Christ a promised should come to passe before that he had effected either of them Now one of them the worldes beleefe of the resurrection we see is come to passe already why then should wee dispaire of the other that this incredible thing which the world beleeueth should come to passe as well as that other Especially seeing that they are both promised in those scriptures whereby the world beleeued The maner of which beleefe is more incredible then the rest That men ignorant in all arts without Rhetorike Logike or Grammar plaine Fishers should be sent by Christ into the sea of this world onely with the nets of faith and draw such an inumerable multitude of fishes of al sorts so much the stranger in that they took many rare Phylosophers So that this may well bee accounted the third incredible thing and yet all three are come to passe It is incredible that Christ should rise againe in the flesh and carry it vp to heauen with him It is incredible that the world should beleeue this and it is incredible that this beleefe should bee effected by a small sort of poore simple vnlearned men The first of these our aduersaries beleeue not the second they behold and cannot tell how it is wrought if it bee not done by the third Christs resurrection and ascension is taught and beleeued all the world ouer if it be incredible why doth all the world beleeue it If many noble learned and mighty persons or men of great sway had said they had seene it and should haue divulged it abroad it had bin no maruaile if the world had beleeued them and vnbeleeuers should haue bin thought hardly off But seeing that the world beleeueth it from the mouths of a few meane obscure and ignorant men why do not our obstinat aduersaries belieue the whole world which beleeued those simple mean and vnlearned witnesses because that the deity it selfe in these poore shapes did work the more effectually and far more admirably for their proofs perswasions lay not in words but wonders and such as had not seene Christ risen againe and ascending beleeued their affirmations thereof because they confirmed them with miracles for whereas they spake but one language or at the most but two before now of a sodaine they spoke all the tongues of all nations They cured a man that had bin forty yerres lame euer from his mothers brests only by the very name of Iesus Christ. Their handkerchiefs helped diseases the sicke persons got them-selues laid in the way where they should passe that they might haue helpe from their very shadowes and amongst all these miracles done by the name of Christ they raized some from the dead If these things be true as they are written then may al these be added to the three former incredibles thus do we bring a multitude of incredible effects to perswade our aduersaries but vnto the beleefe of one namely the resurrection and yet their horrible obstinacy will not let them see the light If they belieue not that the Apostles wrought any such things for confirmation of the resurrection of Christ sufficeth then that the whole world beleeued them without miracles which is a miracle as great as any of the rest L. VIVES CHrist a promised In the house of Simon the leaper and when he sent out his Apostles to preach Mat. 27. and promised that his Ghospell should passe throughout the world and that he would rise againe the third day That Loue made the Romanes deify their founder Romulus and Faith made the Church to loue hir Lord and maister Christ Iesus CHAP. 6. Let vs heare what Tully saith of the fabulous deity of Romulus it is more admirable in Romulus saith he that the rest of the deified men liued in the times of ignorance where there was more scope for fiction and where the rude vulgar were far more credulous But Romulus we see liued within a this 600. yeares since which time and before also learning hath bin b more common and the ignorance of elder times vtterly abolished Thus saiâ—…h Tully and by and by after Hereby it is euident that Homer was long before Romulus so yâ— in the later times men grew learned and fictions were wel neare wholy excluded wheras antiquity hath giuen credence to some very vnlikely fables but our moderne ages being more polished deride and reiect al things that seeme impossible Thus saith the most learned and eloquent man that Romulus his diuinity was the more admirable because his times were witty and kept no place for fabulous assertions But who beleeued this deity but Rome as then a litle thing god knowes and a yong posterity indeed must needs preserue the traditions of antiquity euery one suckt superstition from his nurse whilest the citty grew to such power that sâ—…ming in soueraingty to stand aboue the nations vnder it shee powred the beliefe of this deity of his throughout hir conquered Prouinces that they should affirme Romulus to be a god how-soeuer they thought least they should scandalize the founder of their Lady and mistresse in saying other wise of him then error of loue not loue of error had induced hir to beleeue Now Christ likewise though he founded the Celestiall Citty yet doth not she thinke him a God for founding of her but she is rather founded for thinking him to be a God Rome beeing already built and finished adored her founder in a temple but the Heauenly Hierusalem placeth Christ hir founder in the foundation of hir faith that hereby shee may bee built and perfited Loue made Rome beleeue that Romulus was a god
both on the earth and in the earth the mountaine tops giue it vp in aboundance nay more wee see that fire is produced out of earthâ—… namely of wood and stones and what are these but earthly bodyes yea but the elementary fire say they is pure hurtlesse quiet and eternall and this of ours turbulent smoakie corrupting and corruptible Yet doth it not corrupt nor hurt the hills where-in it burneth perpetually nor the hollowes within ground where it worketh most powerfully It is not like the other indeed but adapted vnto the conuenient vse of man But why then may we not beleeue that the nature of a corruptible body may bee made incorruptible and fitte for heauen as well as we see the elementary fire made corruptible and fitte for vs So that these arguments drawne from the sight and qualities of the elements can no way diminish the power that Almighty God hath to make mans body of a quality fitte and able to inhabite the heauens L. VIVES A Fifth a body But Aristotle frees the soule from all corporeall beeing as you may read De anima lib. 1. disputing against Democritus Empedocles Alcmâ—…on Plato and Xenocrates But indeed Plato teaching that the soule was composed of celestiall fire taken from the starres and with-all that the starres were composed of the elementary bodies made Aristotle thinke else-where that it was of an elementary nature as well as the starres whence it was taken But in this hee mistooke him-selfe and miss-vnderstood his maister But indeed Saint Augustine in this place taketh the opinion of Aristotle from Tully for Aristotles bookes were rare and vntranslated as then who saith that hee held their soule to bee quintam naturam which Saint Augustine calleth quintum corpus a fifth body seuerall from the elementary compounds But indeede it is a question whether Aristotle hold the soule to bee corporeall or no hee is obscure on both sides though his followers â—…old that it is absolutely incorporeall as wee hold generally at this day And Tullyes words were cause both of Saint Augustines miss-prision and like-wise set almost all the Grecians both of this age and the last against him-selfe for calling the soule 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereas they say Aristotle calleth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is habitio perfecta and not motio pereâ—…nis as Tullyes word implieth But alas why should Tully be so baited for so small an error O let vs bee ashamed to vpbraide the father of Latine eloquence with any misprision for his errors are generally more learned then our labours Against the Infidels calumnies cast out in scorne of the Christians beleefe of the resurrection CHAP. 12. BVt in their scrupulous inquiries touching this point they come against vs with such scoffes as these Whether shall the Ab-ortiue births haue any part in the resurrection And seeing the LORD saith there shall noâ—… one haire of your headperish whether shall all men bee of one stature and bignesse or no If they bee how shall the Ab-ortiues if they rise againe haue that at the resurrection which they wanted at the first Or if they doe not rise againe because they were neuer borne but cast out wee may make the same doubt of infants where shall they haue that bignesse of body which they wanted when they died for they you know are capable of regeneration and therefore must haue their part in the resurrection And then these Pagans aske vs of what height and quantity shall mens bodies be then If they bee as tall as euer was any man then both little and many great ones shall want that which they wanted here on earth and whence shall they haue it But if it bee true that Saint Paul saith thâ—…t wee shall meete vnto the measure of the age of the fulnesse of CHRIST and againe if that place Hee predestinated them to bee made like to the Image of his Sonne imply that all the members of Christs Kingdome shal be like him in shape and stature then must many men say they forgoe part of the stature which they had vpon earth And then where is that great protection of euery haire if there bee such a diminution made of the stature and body Besides wee make a question say they whether man shall arise withall the haire that euer the Barber cut from his head If hee doe who will not loath such an ougly sight for so likewise must it follow that hee haue on all the parings of his nayles And where is then that comelinesse which ought in that immortality to bee so farre exceeding that of this world while man is in corruption But if hee doe not rise with all his haire then it is lost and where is your scriptures then Thus they proceed vnto fatnesse and leannesse If all bee a like say they then one shall bee fatte and another leane So that some must loose flesh and some must gaine some must haue what they wanted and some must leaue what they had Besides as touching the putrefaction and dissolution of mens bodies part going into dust part into ayre part into fire part into the guttes of beasts and birds part are drowned and dissolued into water these accidents trouble them much and make them thinke that such bodies can neuer gather to flesh againe Then passe they to deformities as monstrous births misse-shapen members scarres and such like inquiring with scoffes what formes these shall haue in the resurrection For if wee say they shall bee all taken away then they come vpon vs with our doctrine that CHRIST arose with his woundes vpon him still But their most difficult question of all is whose flesh shall that mans bee in the resurrection which is eaten by another man through compulsion of hunger for it is turned into his flesh that eateth it and filleth the parts that famine had made hollow and leane Whether therefore shall hee haue it againe that ought it at first or hee that eate it and so ought it afterwards These doubts are put vnto our resolutions by the scorners of our faith in the resurrection and they themselues doe either estate mens soules for euer in a state neuer certaine but now wretched and now blessed as Plato doth or else with Porphyry they affirme that these reuolutions doe tosse the soule along time but notwithstanding haue a finall end at last leauing the spirit at rest but beeing vtterly separated from the body for euer Whether Ab-ortiues belong not to the resurrection if they belong to the dead CHAP. 13. TO all which obiections of theirs I meane by GODS helpe to answere and first as touching Ab-ortiues which die after they are quick in the mothers wombe that such shall rise againe I dare neither affirme nor deny Yet if they bee reckned amongst the dead I see no reason to exclude them from the resurrection For either all the dead shall not rise againe and the soules that had no bodies sauing in the mothers wombe shall continue
the one whereof sinne came from our owne audaciousnesse and the other punishment from the iudgement of GOD we haue sayd sufficient already This place is for the goods which GOD hath giuen and doth still giue to the condemned state of man In which condemnation of his GOD tooke not all from him that he had giuen him for so hee should haue ceased to haue had any beeing nor did hee resigne his power ouer him when hee gaue him thrall to the Deuill for the Deuill him-selfe is his thrall he is cause of his subsistence he that is onely and absolutely essentiall and giueth all things essence vnder him gaue the Deuill his being also Of these two goods therefore which wee sayd that his Almighty goodnesse had allowed our nature how euer depraued and cursed hee gaue the first propagation as a blessing in the beginning of his workes from which hee rested the seauenth day The second conformation hee giueth as yet vnto euery worke which hee as yet effecteth For if hee should but with-hold his efficient power from the creatures of the earth they could neither increase to any further perfection nor continue in the state wherein hee should leaue them So then GOD creating man gaue him a power to propagate others and to allow them a power of propagation also yet no necessity for that GOD can depriue them of it whome hee pleaseth but it was his guift vnto the first parents of man-kinde and hee hauing once giuen hath not taken it any more away from all man-kinde But although sinne did not abolish this propagation yet it made it farre lesse then it had beene if sinne had not beene For man beeing in honour vnderstood not and so was compared vnto beasts begetting such like as him-selfe yet hath hee a little sparke left him of that reason whereby hee was like the image of GOD. Now if this propagation wanted conformation nature could keepe no forme nor similitude in her seuerall productions For if man and woman had not had copulation and that GOD neuer-the-lesse would haue filled the earth with men as hee made Adam with-out generation of man or woman so could hee haue made all the rest But man and woman coupling cannot beget vnlesse hee create For as Saint Paul saith in a spirituall sence touching mans conformation in righteousnesse Neither is hee that planteth any thing nor hee that watereth but GOD that giueth the increase so may wee say heere Neyther is hee that soweth any thing nor shee that conceiueth but GOD that giueth the forme It is his dayly worke that the seed vnsoldeth it selfe out of a secret clew as it were and brings the potentiall formes into such actuall decorum It is hee that maketh that strange combination of a nature incorporeall the ruler and a nature corporeall the subiect by which the whole becommeth a liuing creature A worke so admirable that it is able to amaze the minde and force praise to the Creator from it beeing obserued not onely in man whose reason giueth him excellence aboue all other creatures but euen in the least flye that is one may behold this wondrous and stupendious combination It is hee that giuen mans spirit an apprehension which seemeth together with reason to lye dead in an infant vntill yeares bring it to vse where-by hee hath a power to conceiue knowledge discipline and all habites of truth and good quality and by which he may extract the vnderstanding of all the vertues of prudence iustice fortitude and temperance to be thereby the better armed against viciousnesse and incited to subdue them by the contemplation of that high and vnchangeable goodnesse which height although it doe not attaine vnto yet who can sufficiently declare how great a good it is and how wonderfull a worke of the Highest beeing considered in other respects for besides the disciplines of good behauiour and the wayes to eternall happinesse which are called vertues and besides the grace of GOD which is in IESVS CHRIST imparted onely to the sonnes of the promise mans inuention hath brought forth so many and such rare sciences and artes partly a necessary and partly voluntary that the excellency of his capacity maketh the rare goodnesse of his creation apparant euen then when hee goeth about things that are either superfluous or pernicious and sheweth from what an excellent guift hee hath those his inuentions and practises What varieties hath man found out in Buildings Attyres Husbandry Nauigation Sculpture and Imagery what perfection hath hee shewen in the shewes of Theaters in taming killing and catching wilde beasts What millions of inuentions hath hee against others and for him-selfe in poysons armes engines stratagems and such like What thousands of medecines for the health of meates for the weasand of meanes and figures to perswade of eloquent phrases to delight of verses to disport of musicall inuentions and instruments How excellent an inuention is Geography Arithmetique Astrologie and the rest How large is the capacity of man if wee should stand vpon perticulars Lastly how cunningly and with what exquisite witte haue the Philosophers and the Heretiques defended their very errors it is strange to imagine for heere wee speake of the nature of mans soule in generall as man is mortall without any reference to the tract of truth whereby hee commeth to the life eternall Now therefore seeing that the true and onely GOD that ruleth all in his almighty power and iustice was the creator of this excellent essence him-selfe doubtlesse man had neuer fallen into such misery which many shall neuer bee freed from and some shall if the sinne of those that first incurred it had not beene extreamly malicious Come now to the body though it bee mortall as the beasts are and more weaker then many of theirs are yet marke what great goodnesse and prouidence is shewen herein by GOD Almighty Are not all the sinews and members disposed in such fitte places and the whole body so composed as if one would say Such an habitation is fittest for a spirit of reason You see the other creatures haue a groueling posture and looke towards earth whereas mans vpright forme bids him continually respect the things in heauen The nimblenesse of his tongue and hand in speaking and writing and working in trades what doth it but declare for whose vse they were made so Yet excluding respect of worke the very congruence and parilitie of the parts doe so concurre that one cannot discerne whether mans body were made more for vse or for comlinesse For there is no part of vse in man that hath not the proper decorum as wee should better discerne if wee knew the numbers of the proportions wherein each part is combined to the other which wee may perhaps come to learne by those that are apparant As for the rest that are not seene as the courses of the veines sinews and arteries and the secrets of the spiritualls wee cannot come to know their numbers for though some butcherly
Surgeons b Anotamists they call them haue often cut vp dead men and liue men sometimes to learne the posture of mans inward parts and which way to make incisions and to effect their cures yet those members whereof I speake and whereof the c harmony and proportion of mans whole body doth consist no man could euer finde or durst euer vndertake to enquire which if they could bee knowne we should finde more reason and pleasing contemplation in the forming of the interior parts then wee can obserue or collect from those that lye open to the eye There are some parts of the body that concerne decorum onely and are of no vse such are the pappes on the brests of men and the beard which is no strengthning but an ornament to the face as the naked chins of women which being weaker were other-wise to haue this strengthning also do plainly declare Now if there be no exterior part of man that is vse-full which is not also comely and if there bee also parts in man that are comely and not vse-full then GOD in the framing of mans body had a greater respect of dignity then of necessity For necessity shall cease the time shall come when wee shall doe nothing but enioy our lustlesse beauties for which we must especially glorifie him to whom the Psalme saith Thou hast put on praise and comlinesse And then for the beauty and vse of other creatures which God hath set before the eyes of man though as yet miserable and amongst miseries what man is able to recount them the vniuersall gracefulnesse of the heauens the earth and the sea the brightnesse of the light in the Sunne Moone and Starres the shades of the woods the colours and smells of flowres the numbers of birds and their varied hewes and songs the many formes of beasts and fishes whereof the least are the rarest for the fabrike of the Bee or Pismier is more admired then the Whales and the strange alterations in the colour of the sea as beeing in seuerall garments now one greene then another now blew and then purple How pleasing a sight sometimes it is to see it rough and how more pleasing when it is calme And O what a hand is that that giueth so many meates to asswage hunger so many tastes to those meates with-out helpe of Cooke and so many medecinall powers to those tastes How delightfull is the dayes reciprocation with the night the temperatenesse of the ayre and the workes of nature in the barkes of trees and skinnes of beasts O who can draw the perticulars How tedious should I be in euery peculiar of these few that I haue heere as it were heaped together if I should stand vpon them one by one Yet are all these but solaces of mans miseries no way pertinent to his glories What are they then that his blisse shall giue him if that his misery haue such blessings as these What will GOD giue them whome hee hath predestinated vnto life hauing giuen such great things euen to them whome hee hath predestinated vnto death What will hee giue them in his kingdome for whome hee sent his onely sonne to suffer all iniuries euen to death vpon earth Wherevpon Saint Paul sayth vnto them Hee who spared not his owne sonne but gaue him for vs all vnto death how shall hee not with Him giue vs all things also When this promise is fulfilled O what shall wee bee then How glorious shall the soule of man bee with-out all staine and sinne that can either subdue or oppose it or against which it need to contend perfect in all vertue and enthroned in all perfection of peace How great how delightfull how true shall our knowledge of all things be there with-out all error with-out all labour where wee shall drinke at the spring head of GODS sapience with-out all difficulty and in all felicity How perfect shall our bodies bee beeing wholy subiect vnto their spirits and there-by sufficiently quickned and nourished with-out any other sustenance for they shall now bee no more naturall but spirituall they shall haue the substance of â—…sh quite exempt from all fleshly corruption L. VIVES PArtly a necessary Such as husbandry the Arte of Spinning weauing and such as man cannot liue without b Anatomists that is cutters vp of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a section incision or cutting c Harmony The congruence connexion and concurrence of any thing may be called so it commeth of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to adapt or compose a thing proportionably Of the obstinacie of some few in denying the resurrection which the whole world beleeueth as it was fore-told CHAP. 25. BVT as touching the goods of the minde which the blessed shall enioy after this life the Philosophers and wee are both of one minde Our difference is concerning the resurrection which they deny with all the power they haue but the increase of the beleeuers hath left vs but a few opposers CHRIST that disprooued the obstinate euen in his proper body gathering all vnto his faith learned and vnlearned wise and simple The world beleeued GODS promise in this who promised also that it should beleeue this It was a not Peters magick that wrought it but it was that GOD of whome as I haue said often and as Porphyry confesseth from their owne Oracles all their Gods doe stand in awe and dread Porphyry calles him GOD the Father and King of GODS But GOD forbid that wee should beleeue his promises as they doe that will not beleeue what hee had promised that the world should beleeue For why should wee not rather beleeue as the world doth and as it was prophecied it should and leaue them to their owne idle talke that will not beleeue this that the world was promised to beleeue for if they say wee must take it in another sence because they will not doe that GOD whome they haue commended so much iniury as to say his Scriptures are idle things Yet surely they iniure him as much or more in saying they must bee vnderstood other-wise then the world vnderstandeth them which is as GOD both promised and performed Why cannot GOD raise the flesh vnto eternall life Is it a worke vnworthy of God Touching his omnipotencie whereby hee worketh so many wonders I haue sayd enough already If they would shew mee a thing which hee cannot doe I will tell them hee cannot lye Let vs therefore beleeue onely what hee can doe and not beleeue what hee cannot If they doe not then beleeue that hee can lye let them beleeue that hee will doe what hee promiseth And let them beleeue as the world beleeues which hee promised should beleeue and whose beleefe hee both produced and praised And how prooue they the worke of the resurrection any way vnworthy of GOD There shall be no corruption there-in and that is all the euill that can be-fall the body Of the elementary orders wee haue spoken already as also of the possibility of the swift motion
Therfore that vision is kept for vs beeing the reward of faith of which also the Apostle Iohn speaking saith When hee shall appeare wee shall bee like vnto him because wee shall see him as hee is But wee must vnderstand by the face of GOD his manifestation and not to bee any such member as wee haue in the body and doe call it by that name Wherefore when it is demanded of vs what the Saints shall doe in that spirituall body I doe not say that I see now but I say that I beleeue according to that which I read in the Psalme I beleeued and therefore I spake I say therefore that they shall see GOD in the body but whether by the same manner as wee now see by the body the Sunne Moone Starres Sea and Earth it is no small question It is a hard thing to say that then the Saints shall haue such bodyes that they cannot shutte and open their eyes when they will But it is more hard to say that who-so-euer shall shutte their eyes there shall not see GOD. For if the Prophet Heliseus absent in body saw his seruant Giezi receiuing the guifts which Naaman gaue vnto him whome the afore-said Prophet had cleansed from the deformitye of his leprosie which the wicked seruant thought hee had done secretly his maister not seeing him how much more shall the Saints in that spirituall body see all things not onely if they shutte their eyes but also from whence they are absent in body For then shall that bee perfect of which the Apostle speaking saith Wee know in part and Prophecie in part but when that shall come which is perfect that which is in part shall bee done away Afterward that hee might declare by some similitude how much this life doth differ from that which shall bee not of all sortes of men but also of them which are endewed heere with an especiall holynesse hee saith When I was a childe I vnderstood as a childe I did speake as a child I thought as a child but when I became a man I put away childish things Wee see now in a Glasse in a darke-speaking but then wee shall see face to see Now I know in part but then shall I knowe euen as I am knowne If therefore in this life where the prophesie of admirable men is to bee compared to that life as children to a young man Not-with-standing Heliseus sawe his seruant receiuing guifts where hee himselfe was not shall therefore the Saints stand in neede of corporall eyes to see those things which are to bee seene which Heliseus beeing absent needed not to see his seruant For when that which is perfect is come neither now the corruptible body shall any more aggrauate the soule and no incorruptible thing shall hinder it For according to the LXX interpreters these are the words of the Prophet to Giezi Did not my heart goe with thee and I knew that the man turned backe from his charriot to meete thee and thou hast receiued money c. But as Hierome hath interpreted it out of the Hebrew Was not my heart saith hee in presence when the man returned from his Charriot to meete thee Therefore the Prophet sayd That hee sawe this thing with his heart wonderfully ayded by the diuine powre as no man doubteth But how much more shall all abound with that guift when GOD shall bee all things in all Neuer-the-lesse those corporall eyes also shall haue their office and shall bee in their place and the spirit shall vse them by the spirituall body For the Prophet did vse them to see things present though hee needed not them to see his absent seruant which present things hee was able to see by the spirit though hee did shut his eyes euen as hee saw things absent where hee was not with them GOD forbid therefore that wee should say that the Saints shall not see GOD in that life their eyes being shut whome they shall all alwayes see by the spirit But whether they shall also see by the eyes of the body when they shall haue them open from hence there ariseth a question For if they shall bee able to doe no more in the spirituall body by that meanes as they are spirituall eyes than those are able which wee haue now with-out all doubt they shall not bee able to see GOD Therefore they shall bee of a farre other power if that incorporate nature shall bee seene by them which is conteined in no place but is whole euery where For wee doe not say because wee say that GOD is both in heauen and also in earth For hee saith by the Prophet I fill heauen and earth that hee hath one part in heauen and another in earth but hee is whole in heauen and whole in earth not at seuerall times but hee is both together which no corporall nature can bee Therefore there shall bee a more excellent and potent force of those eyes not that they may see more sharply then some serpents and Eagles are reported to see for those liuing creatures by their greatest sharpnesse of seeing can see nothing but bodies but that they may also see incorporat things And it may be that great powre of seeing was granted for a time to the eyes of holy Iob yea in that mortall body when hee saith to GOD. By the hearing of the eare I did he are thee before but now my eye doth see thee therefore I despised my selfe consumed and esteemed my selfe to bee earth and ashes Although there is nothing to the contrary but that the eye of the heart may be vnderstood concerning which eyes the Apostle saith To haue the eyes of your heart enlightned But no Christian man doubteth that GOD shal be seene with them when hee shal be seen which faithfully receiueth that which GOD the maister saith Blessed are the pure in heart because they shall see GOD. But it now is in question whether hee may bee seene there also with corporall eyes For that which is written And all flesh shall see the saluation of God without any knotte or scruple of difficulty may so bee vnderstood as if it had beene sayd And euery man shall see the CHRIST of GOD who as hee hath beene seene in bodie shall likewise bee seene in bodie when hee shall iudge the quicke and the dead But that hee is the Saluation of GOD there are also many other testimonies of the Scriptures But the wordes of that worthie and reuerent old man Simeon declare it more euidentlie who after hee had receiued the Infant CHRIST into his hands Now sayth hee lettest thou thy seruant O LORD depart in peace according to thy worde because mine eyes haue seene thy saluation Also that which the aboue recited Iob saith as it is found in many coppies taken from the Hebrew And I shall see GOD in my flesh Verelie hee prophecied the Resurrection of the flesh without all doubt yet hee sayd
not By my flesh For if hee had sayd so GOD CHRIST might haue beene vnderstood who shal be seene in the flesh by the flesh now indeed it may also be taken In my flesh b I shall see GOD as if hee had sayd I shal be in my flesh when I shall see GOD. And that which the Apostle saith Face to face doth not compell vs that wee beleeue that wee shall see GOD by this corporall face where there are corporall eyes whome wee shall see by the spirit without intermission For vnlesse there were a face also of the inwarde man the same Apostle would not say But wee beholding the glorie of the LORD with the face vnuayled are transformed into the same Image from glory into glory as it were to the spirit of the LORD Neither doe wee otherwise vnderstand that which is sung in the Psalme Come vnto him and bee enlightened and your faces shall not bee ashamed For by faith wee come vnto GOD which as it is euident belongeth to the heart and not to the body vniuersally But because wee know not now how neare the spirituall body shall approche for wee speake of a thing of which wee haue no experience where some things are which can-not otherwise bee vnderstood the authority of the diuine Scriptures doth not resist but succour vs It must needs bee that that happen in vs which is read in the booke of Wisdome The thoughts of men are fearefull and our fore-sights are vncertaine For if that manner of arguing of the Philosophers by which they dispute that intelligible things are so to bee seene by the aspect of the vnderstanding and sensible that is to say corporall things so to bee seene by the sence of the body that neither the vnderstanding can bee able to behold intelligible things by the body nor corporall things by them-selues can bee most certaine vnto vs truly it should likewise be certaine that God could not be seene by the eyes of a spirituall body But both true reason and propheticall authority will deride this manner of disputing For who is such an obstinate and opposite enemy to the truth that hee dare say that God knoweth not these corporall things Hath hee therefore a body by the eyes of which he may learne those things Further-more doth not that which wee spake a little before of the Prophet Heliseus declare sufficiently also that corporall things may be seene by the spirit not by the body For when his seruant receiued rewards though it was corporally done yet the Prophet saw it not by the body but by the spirit As therefore it is manifest that bodies are seene by the spirit what if there shall be such a great powre of the spirituall body that the spirit may also be seene by the body For God is a spirit More-ouer euery man knoweth his owne life by which hee liueth now in the body and which doth make these earthly members growe and increase and maketh them liuing by the inward sense and not by the eyes of the body But hee seeth the liues of other men by the body when as they are inuisible For from whence doe wee discerne liuing bodyes from vn-liuing vnlesse wee see the bodyes and liues together But wee doe not see with corporall eyes the liues with-out bodyes Wherefore it may bee and it is very credible that then wee shall so see the worldly bodyes of the new heauen and new earth as wee see GOD present euery where and also gouerning all corporall things by the bodyes wee shall carry and which wee shall see where-so-euer wee shall turne our eyes most euidently all clowds of obscurity beeing remooued not in such sorts as the inuisible things of GOD are seene now beeing vnderstood by those things which are made in a glasse darkly and in part where faith preuaileth more in vs by which wee beleeue than the obiect of things which wee see by corporall eyes But euen as so soone as wee behold men amongst whome wee liue beeing aliue and performing vitall motions wee doe not beleeue that they liue but wee see them to liue when wee cannot see their life with-out bodyes which not-with-standing wee clearely behold by the bodyes all ambiguity beeing remooued so where-so-euer wee shall turne about these spirituall eyes of our bodyes wee shall like-wise see incorporate GOD gouerning all things by our bodyes GOD therefore shall eyther so bee seene by those eyes because they haue some-thing in that excellencie like vnto the vnderstanding whereby the incorporall nature may be seene which is either hard or impossible to declare by any examples or testimonies of diuine Scriptures or that which is more easily to be vnderstood God shall be so knowne conspicuous vnto vs that he may be seene by the spirit of euery one of vs in euery one of vs may be seene of another in another may be seene in him-selfe may be seene in the new heauen and in the new earth and in euery creature which shall be then may be seene also by the bodies in euery body where-so-euer the eyes of the spirituall body shall be directed by the sight comming thether Also our thoughts shall bee open and discouered to one another For then shall that bee fulfilled which the Apostle intimateth when hee said Iudge not any thing before the time vntill the Lord come who willl lighten things that are hid in darknesse and make the counsels of the heart manifest and then shall euery man haue praise of GOD. L. VIVES OR a rather rest For there shall be a rest from all labours I know not by what meanes the name of rest is more delightfull and sweet than of action therefore Aristotle nominateth that contemplation which he maketh the chiefest beatitude by the name of Rest. Besides the Sabbath is that to wit a ceassing from labour and a sempeternall rest b I shall see God It is read in some ancient copies of Augustine I shall see God my sauiour But we doe neither read it in Hieromes translation neither doth it seeme â—…o be added of Augustine by those words which follow For he speaketh of God with-out the man-hood Further if he had added Sauiour hee should haue seemed to haue spoken of Christ. Of the eternall felicity of the Citty of God and the perpetuall Sabbath CHAP. 30. HOw great a shall that felicity be where there shall be no euill thing where no good thing shall lye hidden there wee shall haue leasure to vtter forth the praises of God which shall bee all things in all For what other thing is done where we shall not rest with any slouthfulnesse nor labour for any want I know not I am admonished also by the holy song where I read or heare Blessed are they oh Lord which dwell in thy house they shall praise thee for euer and euer All the members and bowels of the incorruptible body which we now see distributed to diuerse vses of necessity because then
all L. VIVES THe a rulers Into how excellent a breuiat hath he drawne the great discourses of a good commonweale namely that the ruler thereof doe not compell nor command but standing 〈◊〉 loâ—…t like centinells onely giue warnings and counsells thence were Romes old Magistrates called Confulls and that the subiects doe not repine nor resist but obey with alacrity b They were Some of the Poets and Philosophers drew the people into great errors and some followed them with the people c There is no No Philosophy Rethorike or other arte the onely art here is to know and worship God the other are left to the world to be admired by wâ—…ldings Finis lib. 14. THE CONTENTS OF THE fifteenth booke of the City of God 1. Of the two contrary courses taken by mans progeny from the beginning 2. Of the Sonnes of the flesh and the sonnes of promise 3. Of Saras barrennesse which God turned into fruitfullnesse 4. Of the coÌ„flicts peace of the earthly city 5. Of that murtherer of his brother that was the first founder of the earthly Citty whose act the builder of Rome paralell'd in murdering his brother also 6. Of the languors that Gods cittizens endure on earth as the punishments of sinne during their pilgrimage and of the grace of God curing them 7. Of the cause obstinacy of Caines wickednesse which was not repressed by Gods owne words 8. The reason why Cayne was the first of man-kinde that ouer built a Citty 9. Of the length of life and bignesse of body that â—…en had before the deluge 10. Of the difference that seemes to bee betweene the Hebrews computation â—…nd ours 11. Of Mathusalems yeares who seemeth to haue liued 14. yeares after the Deluge 12. Of such as beleeue not that men of olde Time liued so long as is recorded 13. Whether wee ought to follow the Hebrew computation or the Septuagints 14. Of the parity of yeares measured by the same spaces of old and of late 15. Whether the men of old abstained from women vntill that time that the scriptures say they begot children 16. Of the lawes of marriage which the first women might haue different from the succeeding 17. Of the two heads and Princes of the two Citties borne both of one Father 18. That the significations of Abel Seth and Enos are all pertinent vnto Christ and his body the Church 19. What the translation of Enoch signified 20. Concerning Caines succession being but eight from Adam whereas Noah is the tenth 21. Why the generation of Caine is continewed downe along from the naming of his son Enoch whereas the scripture hauing named Enos Seths sonne goeth back againe to beginne Seths generation at Adam 22. Of the fall of the sonnes of God by louing strange women whereby all but eight perished 23. Whether it bee credible that the Angells being of an incorporeall nature should lust after the women of earth and marrying them beget Gyants of them 24. How the wordes that God spake of those that were to perish in the deluge And their daies shal be an hundred and twenty yeares are to be vnderstood 25. Of Gods vnpassionate and vnaltering anger 26. That Noah his Arke signifieth Christ and his Church in all things 27. Of the Arke and the Deluge that the meaning thereof is neither meerly historicall nor meerely allegoricall FINIS THE FIFTEENTH BOOKE OF THE CITTIE OF GOD Written by Saint Augustine Bishop of Hippo vnto Marcellinus Of the two contrary courses taken by mans progeny from the beginning CHAP. 1. OF the place and felicity of the locall Paradise togither with mans life and fall therein there are many opinions many assertions and many bookes as seuerall men thought spake and wrote What we held hereof or could gather out of holy scriptures correspondent vnto their truth and authority we related in some of our precedent bookes If they be farther looked into they will giue birth to more questions and longer dispuâ—… then this place can permit vs to proceed in our time is not so large as to 〈◊〉 vs to sticke scrupulously vpon euery question that may bee asked by buâ—…s that are more curious of inquiry then capable of vnderstanding I think 〈◊〉 sufficiently discussed the doubts concerning the beginning of the world 〈◊〉 and man-kinde which last is diuided into two sorts such as liue accorâ—… Man and such as liue according to God These we mistically call Citâ—…â—…cieties â—…cieties the one predestinate to reigne eternally with GOD the other â—…ed to perpetuall torment with the deuill This is their end of which 〈◊〉 Now seeing we haue sayd sufficient concerning their originall both 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…ngells whose number wee know not and in the two first Parents of manâ—… thinke it fit to passe on to their progression from mans first ofspring vnâ—…â—…cease to beget any more Betweene which two points all the time inâ—… wherein the liuers euer succeed the diers is the progression of these two 〈◊〉 Caine therefore was the first begotten of those two that were man-kinds Pâ—…s and hee belongs to the Citty of man Abell was the later and hee beâ—… to the Citty of GOD. For as we see that in that one man as the Apostle 〈◊〉 that which is spirituall was not first but that which is naturall first and 〈◊〉 â—…he spiritual wherevpon all that commeth of Adams corrupted nature must 〈◊〉 be euill and carnall at first and then if he be regenerate by Christ becomâ—… good and spirituall afterward so in the first propagation of man and proâ—… of the two Citties of which we dispute the carnall cittizen was borne first 〈◊〉 the Pilgrim on earth or heauenly cittizen afterwards being by grace preâ—… and by grace elected by grace a pilgrim vpon earth and by grace a 〈◊〉 in heauen For as for his birth it was out of the same corrupted masse 〈◊〉 â—…as condemned from the beginning but God like a potter for this simyly thâ—…â—…ostle himselfe vseth out of the same lumpe made one vessell to honor and 〈◊〉 to reproach The vessell of reproach was made first and the vessell of honor â—…ards For in that one man as I sayd first was reprobation whence wee 〈◊〉 â—…eeds begin and wherein we need not remaine and afterwards goodnesse 〈◊〉 which we come by profiting and comming thether therin making our abode Wherevpon it followes that none can bee good that hath not first beene euill though all that be euill became not good but the sooner a man betters himselfe the quicker doth this name follow him abolishing the memory of the other Therefore it is recorded of Caine that he built a Citty but Abell was a pilgrim and built none For the Citty of the Saints is aboue though it haue cittizens here vpon earth wherein it liueth as a pilgrim vntill the time of the Kingdome come and then it gathereth all the cittizens together in the resurrection of the body and giueth them a Kingdome to reigne in with their King for euer and euer
Of the Sonnes of the flesh and the Sonnes of promise CHAP. 2. THe shadow and propheticall image of this Citty not presenting it but signifying it serued here vpon earth at the time when it was to bee discouered and was called the holy Citty of the significant image but not of the expresse truth wherein it was afterwards to bee stated Of this image seruing and of the free Citty herein prefigured the Apostle speaketh thus vnto the Galatians Tell me you that wil be vnder the law haue yee not a heard the law for it is written that Abraham had two Sonnes one by a bond-woman and the other by a free But the sonne of the bond-woman was borne of the flesh and the sonne of the free-woman by promise This is b allegoricall for these are the two Testaments the one giuen c from Mount Syna begetting man in seruitude which is Agar for d Syna is a mountaine in Arabia ioyned to the Ierusalem on earth for it serueth with her children But our mother the celestiall Ierusalem is free For it is written Reioyce thou barren that bearest not breake forth into ioye and crie out thou that trauelest not without Child for the desolate hath more Children then the married wife but wee brethren are the sonnes of promise according to Isaac But as then he that was borne of the flesh e persecuted him that was borne after the spirit euen so it is now But what saith the scripture Cast out the bond-woman and her sonne for the f bond-womans sonne shall not bee heire with the free womans Then bretheren are not we the children of the bond-womaÌ„ but of the free Thus the Apostle authorizeth vs to conceiue of the olde and new Testament For a part of the earthlie Cittie was made an image of the heauenly not signifying it selfe but another and therefore seruing for it was not ordeined to signify it selfe but another and it selfe was signified by another precedent signification for Agar Saras seruant and hir sonnewere a type hereof And because when the light comes the shadowes must avoide Sara the free-woman signifying the free Cittie which that shadowe signified in another manner sayd cast out the bond-woman and her sonne for the bond-womans sonne shall not bee heire with my sonne Isaac whom the Apostle calls the free womans sonne Thus then wee finde this earthlie Cittie in two formes the one presenting it selfe and the other prefiguring the Citty celestiall and seruing it Our nature corrupted by sin produceth cittizens of earth and grace freeing vs from the sinne of nature maketh vs celestiall inhabitants the first are called the vessells of wrath the last of mercie And this was signified in the two sonnes of Abraham thâ—… one of which beeing borne of the bond-woman was called Ismael beeing the sonne of the flesh the other the free-womans Isaac the sonne of promise both were Abrahams sonnes but naturall custome begot the first and gratious promise the later In the first was a demonstration of mans vse in the second was acommendation of Gods goodnesse L. VIVES NOt a heard Not read saith the Greeke better and so doth Hierome translate it b Allegoricall An allegorie saith Quintilian sheweth one thing in worde and another in sâ—…ce some-times the direct contrary Hierome saith that that which Paul calleth allegoricall â—…ere he calleth spirituall else-where c From mount So doe Ambrose and Hierome read it d Syna is I thinke it is that which Mela calles Cassius in Arabia For Pliny talkes of a mount Câ—…s in Syria That of Arabia is famous for that Iupiter had a temple there but more for Pomâ—… tombe Some thinke that Sina is called Agar in the Arabian tongue e Persecuted In Gâ—…sis is onely mention of the childrens playing together but of no persecution as Hieromeâ—…eth â—…eth for the two bretheren Ismael and Isaac playing together at the feast of Isaacs weaâ—…g Sara could not endure it but intreated her husband to cast out the bond-woman her â—…e It is thought she would not haue done this but that Ismael being the elder offered the yâ—…ger wrong Hierome saith that for our word playing the Hebrewes say making of Idols or â—…ing the first place in ieast The scriptures vse it for fighting as Kin. 2. Come let the children 〈◊〉 and play before vs whether it be meant of imaginary fight or military exercise or of a 〈◊〉 fight in deed f Bond-womans sonne Genesis readeth with my sonne Isaac and so doe 〈◊〉 â—…o but Augustine citeth it from Paul Galat. 4. 25. Of Saraes barrennesse which God turned into fruitfulnesse CHAP. 3. FOr Sara was barren and despaired of hauing any child and desiring to haue 〈◊〉 childe though it were from her slaue gaue her to Abraham to bring him â—…en seeing shee could bring him none her selfe Thus exacted she her a due 〈◊〉 husband although it were by the wombe of another so was Ismael borne 〈◊〉 begotten by the vsuall commixtion of both sexes in the law of nature and â—…-vpon said to be borne after the flesh not that such births are not Gods beâ—… or workes for his working wisdome as the scripture saith reacheth from 〈◊〉 to end mightily and disposeth all things in comely order but in that that 〈◊〉 the signification of that free grace that God meant to giue vnto man such a 〈◊〉 should be borne as the lawes and order of nature did not require for naâ—… denieth children vnto all such copulations as Abrahams and Saras were b 〈◊〉 and barrennesse both swaying in her then whereas she could haue no childe 〈◊〉 yonger daies when her age seemed not to want fruitfulnesse though fruitâ—…esse wanted in that youthfull age Therefore in that her nature being thus afâ—…d could not exact the birth of a sonne is signified this that mans nature beâ—… corrupted and consequently condemned for sinne had no claime afterward 〈◊〉 any part of felicity But Isaac beeing borne by promise is a true type of the â—…s of grace of those free cittizens of those dwellers in eternall peace where 〈◊〉 priuate or selfe-loue shall be predominant but all shall ioy in that vniuersall 〈◊〉 and c many hearts shall meete in one composing a perfect modell of â—…y and obedience L. VIVES 〈◊〉 a due by law of mariage b Age and For she was both aged and naturally barâ—… So some both men and women as Aristotle saith are borne so c Many hearts that â—…e concord of the Apostles of whom it is said The multitude of the beleeuers were of 〈◊〉 Acts. 4. 32. Of the conflicts and peace of the earthly Citty CHAP. 4. BVt the temporall earthly citty temporall for when it is condemned to perpetuall paines it shall be no more a citty hath all the good here vpon earth and therein taketh that ioy that such an obiect can affoord But because it is not a good that acquits the possessors of all troubles therefore this citty is diuided in it selfe into warres altercations and appetites of bloudy and deadly
persecution there shall the Church bee hedged in with tribulations and shut vp on euery side yet shall she not forsake her warfare which is signified by the word Tents L. VIVES ANy a particular Barbarous The Iewes saith Hierome and some of our Christians also following them herein thinke that Gog is meant of the Huge nation of the Scythians beyond Caucasus and the fens of Maeotis reaching as farre as India and the Caspian Sea and that these after the Kingdome hath lasted a thousand yeares at Hierusalem shalâ—… be stirred vp by the Deuill to war against Israell and the Saints bringing an innumerable multitude with them first out of Mossoch which Iosephus calls Cappadocia and then out of Thubal which the Hebrewes affirme to be Italy and he holdeth to bee Spaine They shall bring also the Persians Ethiopians and Lybians with them of Gomer and Theogorma to wit the Galatians and Phrigians Saba also and Dedan the Carthaginians and Tharsians Thus farre Hierome In Ezch. lib. 11. b Gog is an house So saith Hierome So that these two words imply all proud and false knowledge that exalteth it selfe against the truth Whether the fire falling from heauen and deuouring them imply the last torments of the wicked CHAP. 12. BVt his following words fire came downe from GOD out of heauen and deuoured them are not to bee vnderstood of that punishment which these words imply Depart from me yee cursed into euerlasting fire for then shall they bee cast into the fire and not fire be cast downe vpon them But the first fire insinuateth the firmnesse of the Saints that will not yeeld vnto the wills of the wicked for heauen is the firmament whose firmnesse shall burne them vp for very zeale and vexation that they cannot draw the seruants of God vnto the side of Antichrist This is the fire from God that shall burne them vp in that God hath so confirmed his Saints that they become plagues vnto their opposites Now whereas I said zeale know that zeale is taken in good part or in euill in good as here The zeale of thine house hath eaten mee vp in euill as here Zeale hath possessed the ignorant people And now the fire shall eate vp these opposers but not that fire of the last iudgement Besides if the Apostle by this fire from heauen doe imply the plague that shall fall vpon such of Antichrists supporters as Christ at his comming shall finde left on earth yet not-with-standing this shall not be the wickeds last plague for that shall come vpon them afterwards when they are risen againe in their bodies Whether it be a thousand yeares vntill the persecution vnder Antichrist CHAP. 13. THis last persecution vnder Antichrist as wee said before and the Prophet Daniell prooueth shall last three yeares and an halfe a little space but whether it belong to the thousand yeares of the deuills bondage and the Saints reigne with Christ or be a space of time more then the other fully accompted is a great question If we hold the first part then wee must say that the Saints with Christ reigned longer then the deuill was bound Indeed the Saints shall reigne with him in the very heate of this persecution and stand out against the deuill when hee is in greatest power to molest them But why then doth the Scripture confine both their reigne and the deuils bondage to the iust summe of a thousand yeares seeing the diuells captiuitie is out three yeares and sixe moneths sooner then their kingdome with Christ well if wee hold the later part that these three yeares and a halfe are beyond the iust thousand to vnderstand Saint Iohn that the reigne of the Saints with Christ and the deuils imprisonment ended both at once according to the thousand yeares which hee giueth alike vnto both so that the said time of persecution belongeth neither to the time of the one nor the other then we must confesse that during this persecution the Saints reigne not with Christ. But what is he dare affirme that his members do not reigne with him when they do most firmliest of all keepe their coherence with him at such â—…e as when the warres doe rage the more apparent is their constancie and the more frequent is the ascent from martyrdome to glory If wee say they reigne not because of the affliction that they endure wee may then inferre that in the times already past if the Saints were once afflicted their kingdome with their Sauiour ceased and so they whose soules this Euangelist beheld namely of those who were slaine for the testimonie of IESVS and for the word of God reigned not with Christ in their persecutions nor were they the kingdome of Christ who were Christs most excellent possessions Oh this is absurd and abhominable No the victorious soules of the glorious martyrs subduing all earthly toyles and tortures went vp to reigne with Christ as they had reigned with him before vntill the expiration of the thousand yeares and then shall take their bodies againe and so reigne body and soule with him for euermore And therefore in this sore persecution of three yeares and an halfe both the soules of those that suffered for Christ before and those that are then to suffer shall reigne with him vntill the worlds date bee out and the kingdome begin that shall neuer haue end Wherefore assuredly the Saints reigne with Christ shall continue longer then Sathans bondage for they shall reigne with God the sonne their King three yeares and an halfe after Sathan bee loosed It remaineth then that when we heare that The Priests of God and of Christ shall reigne with him a thousand yeares and that after a thousand yeares the deuill shall bee loosed we must vnderstand that either the thousand years are decretiuely meant of the deuills bondage onely and not of the Saints kingdome or that the yeares of the Saints kingdome are longer and they of the deuils bondage shorter or that seeing three yeares and an halfe is but a little space therefore it was not counted either because the Saints reigne had more then it conceiued or the deuills bondage lesse as wee said of the foure hundred yeares in the sixteene booke The time was more yet that summe onely was set downe and this if one obserue it is very frequent in the Scriptures Satan and his followers condemned A recapitulation of the resurrection and the last iudgment CHAP. 14. AFter this rehearsall of the last persecution he proceeds with the successe of the deuill and his congregation at the last iudgment And the deuill saith he that deceiued them was cast into a lake of fire brimstone where the beast and the false Prophet shall be tormented euen day and night for euer-more The beast as I said before is the city of the wicked his false Prophet is either Antichrist or his image the figmet that I spake of before After all this commeth the last iudgment in the second resurrection to wit the bodies
and this he relateth by way of recapitulation as it was reuealed vnto him I saw saith he a great white throne and one that sate on it from whose face flew away both the earth and heauen and their place was no more found He saith not and heauen and earth flew away from his face as importing their present flight for that befell not vntill after the iudgement but from whose face flew away both heauen and earth namely afterwards when the iudgment shall be finished then this heauen and this earth shall cease and a new world shall begin But the old one shall not be vtterly consumed it shall onely passe through an vniuersall change and therefore the Apostle saith The fashion of this world goeth away and I would haue you with-out care The fashion goeth away not the nature Well let vs follow Saint Iohn who after the sight of this throne c. proceedeth thus And I sawe the dead both great and small stand before God and the bookes were opened and another booke was opened which is the booke a of life and the dead were iudged of those things which were written in the bookes according to their workes Behold the opening of bookes and of one booke This what it was hee sheweth which is the booke of life The other are the holy ones of the Old and New-Testament that therein might be shewed what God had commanded but in the booke b of life were the commissions and omissions of euery man on â—…th particularly recorded If we should imagine this to be an earthly booke 〈◊〉 as ours are who is he that could imagine how huge a volume it were or how long the contents of it all would be a reading Shall there be as many Angells as men and each one recite his deeds that were commited to his guard then shall there not bee one booke for all but each one shall haue one I but the Scripture here mentions but one in this kind It is therefore some diuine power â—…ed into the consciences of each peculiar calling all their workes wonderfully strangely vnto memory and so making each mans knowledge accuse or excuse his owne conscience these are all and singular iudged in themselues This power diuine is called a booke and fitly for therein is read all the facts that the doer hath committed by the working of this hee remembreth all But the Apostle to explaine the iudgement of the dead more fully and to shâ—…w how it compriseth greate and small he makes at it were a returne to what he had omitted or rather deferred saying And the sea gaue vp her dead which were within 〈◊〉 and death and Hell deliuered vp the dead which were in them This was before that they were iudged yet was the iudgment mentioned before so that as I said he returnes to his intermission hauing said thus much The sea gaue vp her dead c. As afore he now proceedeth in the true order saying And they were iudged euery 〈◊〉 according to his workes This hee repeateth againe here to shew the order 〈◊〉 was to manage the iudgment whereof hee had spoken before in these words And the dead were iudged of those things which were written in the bookes acâ—…g to their workes L. VIVES OF a life So readeth Hierome and so readeth the vulgar wee finde not any that readeth it Of the life of euery one as it is in some copies of Augustine The Greeke is iust as wee â—…d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of life without addition Of the dead whom the Sea and death and hell shall giue vp to Iudgement CHAP. 15. BVt what dead are they that the Sea shall giue vp for all that die in the sea are not kept from hell neither are their bodyes kept in the sea Shall we say that the sea keepeth the death that were good and hell those that were euill horrible â—…dity Who is so sottish as to beleeue this no the sea here is fitly vnderstood to imply the whole world Christ therefore intending to shew that those whome he found on earth at the time appointed should be iudged with those that were to rise againe calleth them dead men and yet good men vnto whom it was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are dead and your life is hidden with Christ in God But them he calleth euill of whome hee sayd Let the dead bury their dead Besides they may bee called dead in that their bodies are deaths obiects wherefore the Apostle saith The 〈◊〉 is dead because of sinne but the spirit is life for righteousnesse sake shew that in a mortall man there is both a dead body and a liuing spirit yet said hee not the body is mortall but dead although according to his manner of speach hee had called bodies mortall but alittle before Thus then the sea gaue vppe her dead the world waue vppe all mankinde that as yet had not approached the graue And death and hell quoth hee gaue vp the dead which were in them The sea gaue vp his for as they were then so were they found but death and hell had theirs first called to the life which they had left then gaue them vp Perhaps it were not sufficient to say death onely or hell onely but hee saith both death and hell death for such as might onely die and not enter hell and hell for such as did both for if it bee not absurd to beleeue that the ancient fathers beleeuing in Christ to come were all at rest a in a place farre from all torments and yet within hell vntill Christs passion and descension thether set them at liberty then surely the faithfull that are already redeemed by that passion neuer know what hell meaneth from their death vntill they arise and receiue their rewards And they iudged euery one according to their deedes a briefe declaration of the iudgement And death and hell saith he were cast into the lake of fire this is the second death Death and Hell are but the diuell and his angells the onely authors of death and hells torments This hee did but recite before when he said And the Diuell that deceiued them was cast into a lake of fire and brimstone But his mistical addition Where the beast and the false Prophet shall be tormented c. That he sheweth plainly here Whosoeuer was not found written in the booke of life was cast into the lake of fire Now as for the booke of life it is not meant to put God in remembrance of any thing least hee should forget but it sheweth who are predestinate vnto saluation for God is not ignorant of their number neither readeth hee this booke to finde it his prescience is rather the booke it selfe wherein all are written that is fore-knowen L. VIVES IN a a place They call this place Abrahams bosome wherein were no paines felt as Christ sheweth plainely of Lazarus Luc. 16. and that this place was farre from the dungeon of the wicked but where it is or what is