it f Those that They are the true Philosopers and if they should rule or the rulers were like them happy should the states be saith Plato g Who gaue Iames. 1. 5 6. If any of you lacke wisdome let him aske of God which giueth to all men liberally and reprocheth no man and he shall giue it him But let him aske in faith and wauer not c. That vertue is as much disgraced in seruing humaine glory as in obeying the pleasures of the body CHAP. 20. THe Philosophers that a make vertue the scope of all humaine good do vse in disgrace of such as approued vertue and yet applied it all to bodily delight holding this to be desired for it selfe and vertue to be sought onely for respect to this pleasure to deliniate a Picture as it were with their tongues wherein pleasure sitteth on a throne like a delicate Queene and all the Vertues about her ready at a becke to do her command There she commands prudence to seeke out a way whereby pleasure may reigne in safety Iustice must go do good turnes to attaine friends for the vse of corporall delights and iniury none fortitudes taske is that if any hurt not mortall inuade the body she must hold pleasure so fast in the mind that the remembrance of delights past may dull the touch of the paine present Temperance must so temper the norishment that immoderation come not to trouble the health and so offend Lady pleasure whome the Epicures do say is chiefly resident in the bodies soundnesse Thus the virtues being in their owne dignities absolute commanders must put all their glories vnder the feete of pleasure and submit them-selues to an imperious and dishonest woman Then this picture there cannot be a sight more vild deformed and abhominable to a good man say the Phylosophers and it is true Nor thinke I that the picture would be so faire as it should be if humaine glory were painted in the throne of pleasure for though it be not a b nice peece as the other is yet it is turgid and full of empty ayre so that ill should it beseeme the substantiall vertues to be subiect to such a shadow that prudence should fore-see nothing iustice distribute nothing fortitude endure nâ—…thing temperance moderate nothing but that which aymeth at the pleasing of men seruing of windy glory Nor are they quite from this blot who contemning the iudgements of others as scorners of glory yet in their owne conceit hold their wisdome at a high prise for their vertue haue they any serueth humaine glory in another maner for he that pleaseth him-selfe is c but a man but he that builds and beleeues truly and piously vpon God whome he loueth applieth his thoughts more vpon that which hee displeaseth himselfe in then vpon those things which if they be in him do rather please the truth then him nor doth he ascribe the power he hath to please vnto other but vnto his mercy whom he feareth to displease giuing thankes for the cure of this and praying for the cure of that L. VIVES PHilosophers that a make The Stoikes as Cleanthes This picture Tully talketh of De finib l. 2. b Nice For glory is got by sweat and paines c But a man bends his affects no further then mans present being That the true God in whose hand and prouidence all the state of the world consisteth did order and dispose of the Monarchie of the Romaines CHAP. 21. THis being thus the true God a that giueth the heauenly kingdome onely to the godly but the earthly ones both to good and bad as himselfe liketh whose pleasure is all iustice he is to haue all power of giuing or taking away soueraignty ascribed vnto himselfe alone and no other for though we haue shewen somethings that he pleased to manifest vnto vs yet far far is it beyond our powers to penetrate into mens merits or scan the deserts of kingdoms aright This one God therefore that neither staieth from iudging nor fauouring of man-kinde when his pleasure was and whilest it was his pleasure let Rome haue soueraignty so did he with Assyria Persia b who as their bookes say worshipped onely two gods a good a bad to omit the Hebrews of whom I thinke sufficient is already spoken both of their worship of one God of their kingdome But he that gaue Persia corne without Sigetia's helpe and so many gifts of the earth without any of those many gods that had each one a share in them oâ—… rather were three or foure to a share he also gaue them their kingdom without their helpes by whose adoration they thought they kept their kingdome And so for the men he that gaue c Marius rule gaue Caesar rule he that gaue Augustus it gaue Nero it he that gaue Vespatian rule or Titus his sonne d both sweet natured men gaue it also to Domitian that cruell blood-sucker And to be briefe he that gaue it to Constantine the Christian gaue it also to Iulian e the Apostata whose worthy towardnesse was wholy blinded by sacriligious curiosity and all through the desire of rule whose heart wandered after the vanity of false oracles as hee found when vpon their promise of victory he burned all his ships that victualed his armie and then being slaine in one of his many rash aduentures hee left his poore armie in the â—…awes of their enemies without all meanes of escape but that God Terminus of whom we spake before was faine to yeeld and to remoue the bounds of the Empire Thus did he giue place to necessity that would not giue place to Iupiter All these did the True sacred and only God dispose and direct as hee pleased if the causes be vnkowne why he did thus or thus is he therefore vniust L. VIVES GOd that a giueth Here is a diuersity of reading in the text but all comes to one sence b Who as their The Persian Magi whose chiefe Zoroafter was held two beginnings a good and a bad that the God of heauenâ—… this the god of hell This they called Pluto and Ariâ—…anius the euill Daemon that Ioue and Horosmades the good Daemon Hermipp Eudox. Theoâ—…p apud Laert. Those Plato seemes to follow de leg l. 10. putting two sorts of soules in the world originalls of good and originall of bad vnlesse he do rather Pythagorize who held that the vnity was God the minde the nature and the good of euery thing the number of two infinite materiall multiplicable the Genius and euill The Manichees also Aug. de heres held two beginnings contrary and coeternall and two natures and substances of good and of euil wherein they followed the old heretikes c Marius He coupleth a good and a bad together Marius most cruell Caesar most courteous Augustus the best Emperor Nero the worst that could be d Both sweetly T. Vespatian had two sonnes Titus Domitian Their father was conceited and full of delicate mirth and Titus
intemperate through extremity of cold also the further parts of Ister to Scithia and the hether parts towards Thracia Where the Towne Tomus is famous by the banishment of OVID who often writeth that he liued amongst the Getes They also inhabited the Mediterranean parts towards Germanie and the spring head of the Riuer Ister STRABO writeth in his seauenth book that in former time they were named DACI and DAVI when those nearer vnto Pontus were named GETES by the Greeks and that both those people spake one kinde of language Although PLINIE intimateth vnto vs that there was no other difference betweene this people but that the Greekes named them Getes whome the Romaines called Daci But wee will follow STRABO in this place The Getes sayth hee are a barbarous and sauage nation strong and of a stout minde contemning death because they are perswaded that the soules doe returne againe as MELA writeth or if they doe not returne yet that they are not vttterly extinguished and that they remoue into better places But if neither happen yet that death is better than life It is reported that in later times the Getes were named Ostrogothes and the Daci called Visigothes after their countrey names because these bordered more toward the West and the other more toward the East But oftentimes these names are attributed as well to the one as to the other without any difference both by the olde and new writers They report that this nation when the Romaines did flourish most made an inuasion into a Prouince of the people of Rome in the warre of MITHRIDATES whome LVCVLLVS beeing Generall and managing the military affaires in Asia with a great armie expelled out of Misia After that they departed out of their owne countrey boundes with Baerebista their Captaine after hee had accustomed them to labour and millitary discipline and that they brought many Nations vnder the yoke of subiection And that hauing passed ouer the riuer Isther with a great armie they wasted and spoyled Thracia Macedonia Illiryum farre into the countries putting the Romaines in great feare of them And that while the Romaines were making ready their forces to goe out against them BaeREBISTA their Captaine dyed AVGVSTVS sent forth almost tenne Legions against them and so wasted and diminished their forces that hee brought them from two hundred thousand to forty thousand and sped so well against them that he had almost subiugated the whole Nation to the Romaine Empire But a few yeares after they entring into the boundes of the Romaines slew OPPIVS SABINVS and his armie who had borne the office of a Consull yet CORNELIVS FVSCVS DOMITIAN being Emperour after many bickerings at last repressed their fury TRAIANVS the Emperor warred often against them whereby he gotte him-selfe greate glory and renowne ANTONIVS CARACALLA plagued them grieuously oportunity seruing his turne when they neither dreamed nor suspected any such matter Also in the daies of GORDIANVS they spread them-selues often into the bounds of the Romains But GORDIANVS the younger compelled them with little labour to depart out of their Prouince with great losse Now this stout and mutinous people discontented with the limits of their owne abode many times hunted after oportunity to inuade the possessions of other nations Therefore PHILIPPVS VOSTRENSIS being Emperor who first of the Romaine Princes professed Christian religion More then three hundred thousand of them making a great slaughter and spoyle entred forciblie into Thracia and Mysia adioyning neaerest vnto them DECIVS was sent to driue them away who had such bad lucke in his attempts that hee gaue ouer before he obtained his purpose which thing he closely smothered succeeding PHILIPPVS in his gouernment Afterward GALLVS the father and VOLVSIANVS his son concluded a peace with them vpon conditions vnprofitable vnto them-selues which the Gothes kept not very long bearing them-selues bolde vpon the slothfulnesse and idlenesse of GALIENVS the Prince and assayled not only to make an attempt against Thracia and Mysia but also against Asia Minor They wasted and spoiled Bythinia and returning 〈◊〉 Europe they made great spoyle and wast in Thrasia and Macedonia and when they were making towards Achaia MAâ—…RINVS incountred them discomfited them aâ—… put them to flight pursuing them so hard at the heeles that hee draue them into their owne boundes But they did not stay long there although now departing out of their bounds they were to deale with a most valiant Prince who had bone no lesse fortunate than he was valorous if he had liued longer in his Princely gouernment CLAVDI S was the man which partly destroyed and partly tooke CCC thousand of them Which is an argument that the number of this people were almost infinite For not many yeares after they rose vp in armes against AVRELIAVS possessing the Empire and were vanquished at the first encounter at Danubius 〈◊〉 COTANTINVS made such a slaughter of them that at last he inforced them to be at quiet for many yeres For the condit on of their fight was such that they did neither conquer without great harme done to 〈◊〉 enemies nor were ouercome without much hurt done to them-selues And these things were acted by the Gothes while they had proper places of their owne to inhabite Now in the raigne of Prince VALENS the Hunns which are likewise Scythians them-selues yet more cruell barbarous and rude in the affaires of humane Commerce remaining neare the Riphaean mountaines enclosed betweene Tanais and the people named Massagetae chased the Gothes by force out of the region which they did inhabite And although this region be not very commodious for the vse of men by reason of the extreme coldnes yet the Hunns did esteeme it to bee more wholesome and pleasant than all the rest being a people bred and brought vp in a soile seldome warmed with the beames of the sun Now the Gothes driuen out of their country houses and dwelling places hauing bene accustomed before time to inuade the bounds of other Nations were now in such a narrow streight that they must either valiantly lose their liues or remaine within the possessions of strangers hauing none of their owne There are some that affirme that those Getes which we said were named Ostrogothes came into the territories of the people of Rome but that the Visigothes dismayed and amated with the aduerse fortune of their associats aduised them-selues to shift their dwelling dreading to abide the like tempest that the Ostrogothes had suffered the forces of the Hunns ouerflowing al like the swelling Sea spoiling and destroying the neighbouring countries round about This matter induced the Visigothes to dispatch Ambassadors with spee dy expedition to VALENS the Romame Emperor who in the name of the whole Nation humbly intreated that he would grant them the countrey of Mysia which is on this side the Riuer Danubius for their habitation and dwelling â—…arnestly pretesting and vowing in the behalfe of all their Countrey-men that they would all receiue the
rereward of the armie of the Gothes and by that meanes hinder them from making any great slaughter or spoile of the country Afterward hee marched forward towardes them by the coast of the vpper sea with all the forces of his horse-men and foote-men The two armies pitch their Tents neere Rauenna the Gothes got that part which is named Pollentia via who in respect of their infinit number did farre exceed the Romanes but in regard of skill and militarie discipline they were in no sort comparable vnto them Now STILICO had often times gotte the vpper hand ouer the Gothes by his warrelike policie and had cooped them vppe in such a narrow place that sitting idlie at home hee might haue ended the warres at his pleasure if hee had beene willing But hee resolued to remaine with his armie vntill the Vandalls his friends and fauorites were come into France For hee was perswaded without any doubt that then good occasion would bee offered vnto him for obteyning the Empire for EVCHLRIVS his sonne Therefore he trifled away the time by making a few light skrmishes with the enemy But when HALARICVS had ferrited out his hidden drift by secret passages hee disclosed it to HONORIVS And when as by this good turne as by a ritch gift hee supposed hee should both calme the fury and insinuate himselfe into the fauor of HONORIVS hee was encoraged to make petition vnto him by the same ambassadors which he sent to reueale the treason of STILICO that hee would grant part of France vnto him for his people to inhabit there promising that they should liue after the lawes of the Romans to the aduancment of the Romane Empire and their warres and that they would be inferior to none of their Prouinces either in fealty or dutifull seruice The Emperour amazed with this doubtfull mischiefe made choice rather to admit the Gothes into part of his dominion then to procure a finall destruction to him and his by the disloyalty of perfidious STILICO But HALARICVS was not the first that discouered to HONORIVS what villanie STâ—… was forging Neuerthelesse he thought it was dangerous for him at any time to put such a man to death as was father in law vnto him by his two wiues beeing also so potent and mighty by his ritches farre aboue the highest degree of any priuat person Therefore hauing dispatched his letters hee sendeth them vnto STILICO by the ambassadors of the Goths willing him without delay to permit the Goths to haue free accesse into France STILICO gaue but cold entertainment to this newes for hee saw thaâ—… he was defrauded of his great hope and hee likewise suspected that his secret consultations some-time hidden in his brest were now divulged and dispersed into the ayre Yet for all that his stout and stuborne minde made some pause vpon the matter at last making choice of that which was safest for him hee answered that hee would obey the commaundement of his Prince Neuerthelesse being loath to giue ouer so and that the matter might not slippe wholie out of his hands hee suborneth one named SAVLVS and the souldiers of the Iewes to follow the Gothes hard at the heeles who killing some thousands of them oportunitie beeing offered might by that meanes exasperat the mindes of the people and mooue them to breake the league Now this SAVLVS vpon the LORDS Day which by the ancient institution of our religion wee obserue as sacred and holie wherein the Gothes were wholie intentiue to diuine seruices made a suddaine and violent assault against them and in the first tumult and vprore slew some of them The Gothes being terrified with this vnexspected accident consult suddenlie as well as they might in such a sudden and fearefull case whether they should arme themselues for their defence or not For they held it a haynous crime to touch any weapons to shedde mans bloud to make any slaughter of men on the festiuall day of Our Sauiour But when the furie of the Iewes was without any meane and measure in killing murdering and slaying then euery priuat person following his owne minde armed himselfe for his owne safety attending no longer what councell might asigne them to doe Now many of them beeing armed and come together HALARICVS hauing put his companies in arr 〈◊〉 so â—…ll as shortnesse of time would giue leaue casilie repressed the rage and madnesse of this 〈◊〉 and vnwar like people For the Gothes hauing a little conflict with them 〈◊〉 the Iewes and put them to flight Afterward hauing complained that they were enforced to pollute and contaminate the sacred and diuine law by the cruelty of them who had violated the lawes of men and also calling vpon Christ in whose name they tooke their oth when the league was confirmed betweene them whose holy day they had polluted against their will with effusion of bloud murders and slaughter then without 〈◊〉 inflamed with furie and rage they march thorough Italie to displate their bloudie colloures before the Citty of Rome Now not long before STILICO had dismissed some of his souldiers as men of small reckning and of no vse but in time of warre but by reason of the instant terror of imminent daunger hee was constrained to send to the Emperor to haue them sent backe againe vnto him with a new supplie of other companies that hee might goe with all the strength they could make to withstand the enterprizes of the Gothes HONORIVS being throughly possessed concerning the plot of trayterous STILICO sendeth a great armie of souldiers vnto him hauing priuilie giuen the captaines in charge that watching fitte occasion they should suddenlie kill STILICO and his sonne Now they hauing consulted one with another concerning this action and appointed a certainâ—… day when they might coragiously execute the commaundent of their prince suddenly aâ—…dat vnawares set vpon STILICO and his sonne some on this side some on that and so slew them both and some of his kindered which made resistance to rescue them This quick dispatch of these two Traytors was acted at Rome in Foro Paci in the Market place of peace But the improuident and carclesse Emperour after his generall was slaine had no care to place another in his roome I think he did it to preuent that any other hauing the like powre should attempt the like practize So that now the army beeing destitute of a chiefe commander was pittifully discomfited by the Gothes who made such hauoke and slaughther of the souldiers that the very name of the Gothes bred an exceeding terror and discoragement in the hearts of them all Now the Gothes hauing put the Romanes to the foile bring their bloudie ensignes to the City of Rome and tooke the same afflicted with a long siege and beeing entered into the towne they beginne to rifle ransacke and spoile it beeing farre more greedy euery man to get a good bootie then to commit slaughters rapes adulteries and such like odious and filthy facts as are commonlie acted by
made greater by so great infelicity Now his oth of returne was taken c by those gods for the neglect of whose forbidden worship those infidells hold these plagues laid vpon mankind But if these gods being worshipped onely for the attainement of temporall prosperity either desired or permitted these paines to be layd vpon one that kept his oth so truly what greater plague could they in their most deserued wrath haue inflicted vpon a most periur'd villain then they laid vpon this religious worthy but why do not I confirme mine d argument with a double prooâ—…e If he worshipped his gods so sincerely that for keeping the oth which he had taken by their deities he would leaue his naturall country to returne not vnto what place he liked but vnto his greatest enemies if he held that religiousnesse of his any way beneficiall vnto his temporall estate which he ended in such horrible paines hee was farre deceiued For his example hath taught all the world that those Gods of his neuer further their worshippers in any prosperity of this life since he that was so deuout and dutifull a seruant of theirs for all that they could doe was conquered and led away captiue Now if the worship of these Gods returne mens happinesse in the life to come why then do they callumniate the profession of the Christians saying that that misery fell vpon the citty because it gaue ouer the worship of the old gods when as were it neuer so vowed vnto their worship yet might it tast of as much temporall misfortune as euer did Regulus vnlesse any man will stand in such brainelesse blindnesse against the pure truth as to say that a whole city duelie worshipping these Gods cannot bee miserable when one onely man may as though the gods power were of more hability and promptnesse to preserue generalls then perticulars e what doth not euery multitude consist of singularities If they say that Regulus euen in all that bondage and torment might neuerthelesse bee happie in the f vertue of his constant minde then let vs rather follow the quest of that vertue by which an whole cittie may be made truely happy for a citties happinesse and a particular mans doe not arise from any seuerall heads the cittie being nothing but a multitude of men vnited in one formality of religion and estate wherefore as yet I call not Regulus his vertue into any question It is now sufficient that his very example is of power to enforce them to confesse that the worship exhibited vnto the gods aymes not any way at bodily prosperity nor at things externally accident vnto man because that Regulus chose rather to forge all these then to offend his gods before whom hee had passed his oth But what shall wee say to these men that dare glorie that they had had one city of that quality whereof they feare to haue all the rest If they haue no such feare let them then acknowledge that what befell Regulus the same may befal an whole city though their deuotion may paralell his in this worship of their gods and therefore let them cease to slander the times of Christianity But seeing that our question arose about the captiued Christians let such as hereby take especiall occasion to deride and scorne that sauing religion marke but this be silent that if it were no disgrace vnto their gods that one of their most zealous worshippers by keeping his othe made vnto them should bee neuerthelesse depriued of his country and haue no place left him to retire to but must perforce bee returned to his enemies amongst whom he had already endured an hard and wretched captiuity was now lastly to taste of a tedious death in most execrable strange and cruel torments then far lesse cause is there to accuse the name of Christ for the captiuitie of his Saints for that they expecting the heauenly habitation in true faith knew full well that they were but pilgrims in their natiue soiles and g habitations here vpon earth and subiect to all the miseries of mortalitie L. VIVES MArcus a Attilius Regulus This is a famous history and recorded by many This Regulus in the first Carthaginian warre was made Consull with Lucius Manlius Uolsco vnto which two the Affrican warre was committed being the sole warre that the Romanes at that time waged Regulus was the first Romane that euer lead armie ouer the Seas into Affricke where hauing foiled the Carthaginians in many battailes hee droue them to seeke for helpe of Zanthippus of Lacedaemon a singular and well practised captaine by whose meanes the warre was renewed and in a set fight the Romane army ouer-come Attilius Regulus taken by his enemies Who hauing beene kept diuers yeeres prisoner in Carthage together with his fellow captiues in the foureteenth yeare of the warre and the 503. after the building of Rome was sent Embassador to the Romanes about the exchanging of their prisoners swearing vnto his enemies to returne vnlesse he attained the effect of his Embassage Comming to Rome and hauing a day of hearing appointed the Consull desired him to ascend the Consuls seate and thence to vtter his opinion of the Embassage which he at first refused to vtter but being commanded by the Senate to do it he did so and therevpon vtterly diswaded that which the Carthaginians desired because the Carthaginian prisoners at Rome were young and able for the warres but the Romanes at Carthage old past militarie vse and not very needfull in counsell To his opinion the whole Senate assented Now hee himselfe though hee were hindered by his children kinsmen seruants countrimen familiars clients and the most part of the people yet would not stay but needes would goe to discharge his othe which he had sworne to his enemies although hee knew that the Affricans would hate him deadly and so put him to death with some cruell torture or other So returning vnto Carthage and declaring the effect of his embassage he was put to death indeed with strange and intollerable torments b In a narrow barrell some relate it in another manner but all agree that hee was ouer-watched vnto death c By the gods It had beene more significantly spoken to haue said by those gods c. with an emphasis d Argument with a double proofe It is a Dilemma If man receiue the rewarde following the due worship of those gods in this life why perished Regulus being so deuout in that kinde if he haue it not vntill after this life why do they as whippers expect the prosperous estate of this life from them e What doth not each multitude How then can the multitude bee happy when euery particular man is miserable f Uertue of his minde So holds Tully in many places Seneca also and all learned and wise men speaking of Regulus g Habitations meaning these earthly ones Whether the Taxes that the holy Virgins suffered against their wills in their captiuities could pollute the vertues of their minde
the founders of the citty did decree the same doe the destroyers of it And what if the one did it to increase the multitude of their cittizens when the other did it to preserue the multitude of their foes Let this then and what soeuer besides fitly may bee so vsed be vsed as an answer of our Lord Iesus Christ his flock and that pilgrim-citty of God vnto all their wicked enemies L. VIVES A a Sanctuarie It is a sacred place from whence it is not lawfull to draw any man for thence is the name deriued comming of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rapio to draw or pull and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the primiâ—… letter And so by a figure called Lambdacismus is made asylum for asyrum Seruiâ—… 〈◊〉 8. Aenead Though indeed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is tollere to take away as Homer vseth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. He tooke away the goodly armes After that Hercules was dead his nephews and postâ—…itie fearing the oppression of such as their grand-father had iniured built the first sanctuary at Athens naming it the temple of Mercy out of which no man could bee taken And this Statius testifieth also Now Romulus and Remus built one betweene the tower and the Capitoll calling the place where it stood Inter-montium intending hereby that the multitude of offendors flocking hether for hope of pardon would bee a meane to â—…ent the number of inhabitants in this new Citie To what God or Goddesse it was 〈◊〉 it is vnknowne Dionisius saith hee cannot tell Some say vnto Veiouis But the grâ—…e of the Saâ—…tie is honoured vpon the fourth of the Nones of February as Ouid writâ—… Pastorum 2. In Greece and Asia haue beene many sanctuaries Tiberius Caesar being out of liking with their too much licence tooke from them almost all their liberties and priuiledges as Tacitus and Suetonius do report Of such of Gods elest as liue secretly as yet amongst the Infidels and of such as are false Christians CHAP. 34. AND let this Cittie of Gods remember that euen amongst her enemies there are some concealed that shall one day be her Citizens nor let her thinke it a fruitlesse labour to beare their hate a vntill shee heare their confession as she hath also as long as shee is in this pilgrimage of this world some that are pertaker of the same sacraments with her b that shall not bee pertakers of the Saints glories with her who are partly knowne and partly vnknowne Yea such there are that spare not amongst Gods enemies to murmure against his glory whose character they beare vpon them going now vnto Playes with them and by and by vnto the Church with vs. But let vs not despaire of the reformation of some of these we haue little reason seeing 〈◊〉 we haue many secret and predestinated friends euen amongst our most 〈◊〉 aduersaries and such as yet know not themselues to be ordained for 〈◊〉 â—…dship For the two citties of the predestinate and the reprobate are in this world confused together and commixt vntill the generall iudgement make a separation of the originall progresse and due limits of both which cities what I thinke fitte to speake by Gods helpe and furtherance I will now beâ—… to the glory of the Cittie of God which being d compared with her 〈◊〉 will spread her glories to a more full aspect L. VIVES VNtill a shee heare their confession At the last discouery where euery man shall confesse himselfe which shall bee then when the bookes of mens consciences are opened that is in the world to come b That shall not be partakers According to the words of Christ Many are called but few are chosen c Untill the generall iudgement So it is in the Gospell The Angels shall seperate the euill from the middest of the iust in the end of the world d Compared with her contrary So Aristotle saith Contraries placed together shew both the fuller What subiects are to be handled in the following discourse CHAP. 35. BVt we haue a little more to say vnto those that lay the afflictions of the Romaine estate vpon the profession of Christianitie which forbiddeth men to sacrifice vnto those Idols For we must cast vp a summe of all the miseries or of as many as shal suffice which that Citie or the prouinces vnder her subiection endured before those sacrifices were forbidden All which they would haue imputed vnto our religion had it beene then preached and taught against these sacrifices when these miseries befell Secondly wee must shew what customes and conditions the true God vouchsafed to teach them for the increasing of their Empire a that God in whose hand are al the kingdomes of the earth and how their false Gods neuer helped them a iotte but rather did them infinite hurt by deceit and inducement And lastly we will disprooue those who though they be confuted with most manifest proofes yet will needs affirme still that their gods are to be worshipped and that not for the benefites of this life but for those which are belonging to the life to come Which question vnlesse I be deceiued will be b farre more laborious and worthier of deeper consideration in the which we must dispute against the Philosophers c not against each one but euen the most excellent and glorious of them all and such as in many points hold as we hold and namely of the immortality of the soule and of the worlds creation by the true God and of his prouidence whereby he swayeth the whole creation But because euen these also are to be confuted in what they hold opposite vnto vs wee thought it our dutie not to bee slacke in this worke but conuincing all the contradictions of the wicked as God shall giue vs power and strength to aduance the veritie of the Cittie of God the true zeale and worship of God which is the onely way to attaine true and eternall felicitie This therefore shall bee the method of our worke and now from this second exordium we will take each thing in due order L. VIVES THat God a in whose hand for Christ saith Math. 28. 18. All power is giuen vnto me in heauen and earth b More laborious Operosior harder of more toyle c Not against each one not against euery common Philosopher or smatterer for so is quilibet taken sometimes as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is often in the Greeke In this Chapter Augustine shewes briefly both what he hath done already and how he meanes to proceede Finis Libri primi THE CONTENTS OF THE SECND BOOKE OF THE Citie of God 1. Of the method that must of necessity be vsed in this disputation 2. A repitition of the contents of the first booke 3. Of the choise of an history that will shew the miseries that the Romaines endured when they worshipped their Idols before the increase of Christian religion 4. That the worshippers of Pagan gods neuer receiued honest instruction from them but vsâ—…d all filthinesse in their
man reade Liuy lib. 1. Dionysius and Plutarch of his whole life besides diuers others e all to insufficient This is plaine for they fetched lawes frō others f it is not reported Yes he fained that he conferred with Aegeria but she was rather a Nimph then a goddesse besides this is known to be a fable g the most learned Here I cannot choose but ad a very conceited saying out of Plautus his comedy called Persa Sagaristio the seruant askes a Virgin how strong dost thou think this towne is If the townsmen quoth shee againe bee well mannered I thinke it is very strong if treachery couetousnesse and extortion bee chased out and then enuie then ambition then detraction then periury then flattery then iniury then and lastly which is hardest of all to get out villanie if these be not all thrust forth an hundred walls are all too weake to keepe out ruine Of the rape of the Sabine women and diuers other wicked facts done in Romes most ancient and honorable times CHAP. 17. PErhaps the gods would not giue the Romaines any lawes because as Salust a saith Iustice and honestie preuailed as much with them by nature as by lawe very good b out of this iustice and honestie came it I thinke that the c Sabine virgins were rauished What iuster or honester part can be plaide then to force away other mens daughters with all violence possible rather then to receiue them at the hand of their parents But if it were vniustly done of the Sabines to deny the Romaines their daughters was it not farre more vniustly done of them to force them away after that deniall There were more equitie showne in making warres vpon those that would not giue their daughters to beget alliance with their neighbours and countrimen then with those that did but require back their owne which were iniuriously forced from them Therefore Mars should rather haue helped his warlike sonne in reuenging the iniury of this reiected proferre of marriage that so he might haue wonne the Virgin that he desired by force of armes For there might haue beene some pretence of warlike lawe for the conqueror iustly to beare away those whom the conquered had vniustly denied him before But he against all law of peace violently forced them from such as denied him them and then began an vniust warre with their parents to whom hee had giuen so iust a cause of anger d Herein indeed he had good and happy successe And albeit the e Circensian playes were continued to preserue the memory of this fraudulent acte yet neither the Cittie nor the Empire did approoue such a president and the Romaines were more willing to erre in making Romulus a deity after this deed of iniquitie then to allow by any law or practise this fact of his in forcing of women thus to stand as an example for others to follow Out of this iustice and honesty likewise proceeded this that g after Tarquin and his children were expulsed Rome because his sonne Sextus had rauished Lucresse Iunius Brutus being consull compelled h L. Tarquinius Collatine husband to that Lucresse his fellow officer a good man and wholy guiltlesse to giue ouer his place and abandon the Cittie which vile deed of his was done by the approbation or at least omission of the people who made Collatine Consul aswell as Brutus himself Out of this iustice and honesty came this also that h Marcus Camillus that most illustrious worthy of his time that with such ease sudued the warlike Veientes the greatest foes of the Romaines and tooke their cheefe citty from them after that they had held the Romains in ten yeares war and foiled their armies so often that Rome hir selfe began to tremble and suspected hir owne safety that this man by the mallice of his backe-biting enemies and the insupportable pride of the Tribunes being accused of guilt perceiuing the citty which he had preserued so vngrateful that he needs must be condemned was glad to betake him-selfe to willing banishment and yet i in his absence was fined at ten thousand Asses k Being soone after to be called home again to free his thankelesse country the second time from the Gaules It yrkes me to recapitulate the multitude of foule enormities which that citty hath giuen act vnto l The great ones seeking to bring the people vnder their subiection the people againe on the other side scorning to be subiect to them and the ring-leaders on both sides aiming wholy rather at superiority and conquest then euer giuing roome to a thought of iustice or honesty L. VIVES SAlust a saith In his warre of Catiline speaking of the ancient Romaines he saith thus The law is a ciuill equity either established in literall lawes or instilled into the manners by verball instructions Good is the fount moderatour and reformer of all lawe all which is done by the Iudges prudence adapting it selfe to the nature of the cause and laying the lawe to the cause not the cause to the lawe As Aristotle to this purpose speaketh of the Lesbian rule Ethic. 4. This is also termed right reason as Salust againe saith in his Iugurth Bomilchar is guilty rather by right and reason then any nationall lawe Crassus saith Tully in his Brutus spake much at that time against that writing and yet but in right and reason It is also called equitie ' That place saith Cicero for Caecinna you feare and flie and seeke as I may say to draw mee out of this plaine field of equitie into the straite of words and into all the literall corners in this notwithstanding saith Quintilian the iudges nature is to bee obserued whether it be rather opposed to the lawe then vnto equitie or no. Hereof wee haue spoken some-thing in our Temple of the lawes But the most copious and exact reading hereof is in Budaeus his notes vpon the Pandects explaining that place which the Lawyers did not so well vnderstand Ius est ars aequi boni This mans sharpenesse of witte quicknesse of iudgement fulnesse of diligence and greatnesse of learning no Frenchman euer paralleld nor in these times any Italian There is nothing extant in Greeke or Latine but he hath read it and read it ouer and discussed it throughly In both these toungs he is a like and that excellently perfect Hee speakes them both as familiarly as he doth French his naturall tongue nay I make doubt whether hee speake them no better hee will read out a Greeke booke in Latine words extempore and out of a Latine booke in Greeke And yet this which wee see so exactly and excellently written by him is nothing but his extemporall birthe Hee writes with lesse paines both Greeke and Latine then very good schollers in both these tongues can vnderstand them There is no cranke no secret in all these tongues but he hath searcht it out lookt into it and brought it forth like Cerberus from darknesse into
vshered in by such a mischieuous presage If this had befallen in our times wee should bee sure to haue had these faithlesse miscreants a great deale madder then the others dogs were L. VIVES ALtercations a and For before they did but wrangle reuile and raile their fights were only in words no weapons b Latium being associate when as the Senate had set vp M. Liuius drusus tribune against the power of the Gentlemen who had as then the iudging of all causes through Gracchus his law Drusus to strengthen the senates part the more drew all the seuerall nations of Italy to take part with him vpon hope of the possessing the citty which hope the Italians catching hold vpon and being frustrate of it by Drusus his sudden death first the Picenians tooke armes and after them the Vestines Marsians Latines Pelignians Marucians Lucanes and Samnits Sext. Iul. Caesar L. Marcius Philippus being consulls in the yeare of the citty DCLXII They fought often with diuers fortunes At last by seuerall generalls the people of Italy were all subdued The history is written by Liuy Florus Plutarch Orosius Velleius Appian b asociats the Latins begun the stirre resoluing to kill the consulls Caesar and Philip vpon the Latine feast daies c all the creatures Orosi lib. 5. The heards about this time fell into such a madnesse that the hostility following was here-vpon coniectured and many with teares fore-told the ensuing calamities d a prodigious signe Here the text is diuersly written in copies but all to one purpose Of the ciuill discord that arose from the seditions of the Gracchi CHAP. 24. THe sedition a of the Gracchi about the law Agrarian gaue the first vent vnto all the ciuill warres for the lands that the nobility wrongfully possessed they would needes haue shared amongst the people but it was a daungerous thing for them to vndertake the righting of a wrong of such continuance and in the end it proued indeed their destruction what a slaughter was there when Tiberius Gracchus was slaine and when his brother followed him within a while after the noble and the base were butchered together in tumults and vproars of the people not in formal iustice nor by order of law but al in huggermugger After the latter Gracchus his slaughter followed that of L. Opimius consull who taking armes in the Citty agaist this Gracchus and killing him and all his fellowes had made a huge slaughter of Cittizens by this meanes hauing caused three thousand to bee executed that he had condemned by law By which one may guesse what a massacre there was of all in that tumultuous conflict sith that 3. thousand were marked out by the law as orderly condemned and iustly slaine Hee that b killed Gracchus had the waight of his head in gould for that was his bargaine before And in this fray was c M. Fuluius slaine and all his children L. VIVES THe a Gracchi we haue spoken of them before Tiberius was the elder and Caius the younger Tiberius was slaine nine yeare before Caius read of them in Plutarch Appian Ualerius Cicero Orosius Saluste Pliny and others b killed Gracchus C. Gracchus seeing his band expelled by the Consull and the Senate hee fled into the wood of Furnia Opimius proclaiming the weight of his head in gold for a rewarde for him that brought it So Septimuleius Anagninus a familiar friend of Gracchus his came into the wood quietly and hauing talked a while friendly with him on a sudden stabbeth him to the heart cuts off his head and to make it weigh heauier takes out the braines and filles the place with lead Opimius was Consull with Q. Fabius Maximus nephew to Paulus and kinsman to Gracchus c M. Fuluius one that had beene Consull with Marcus Tlautius but fiue yeares before Of the temple of Concord built by the Senate in the place where these seditions and slaughters were effected CHAP. 25. A Fine decree surely was it of the Senate to giue charge for the building of Concords a temple iust b in the place where those out-rages were acted that the monument of Gracchus his punishment might bee still in the eye of the c pleaders and stand fresh in their memory But what was this but a direct scoffing of their gods They built a goddesse a temple who had she beene amongst them would neuer haue suffered such grose breaches of her lawes as these were vnlesse Concord being guilty of this crime by leauing the hearts of the citizens deserued therefore to be imprisoned in this temple Otherwise to keepe formality with their deedes they should haue built Discord a Temple in that place Is there any reason that Concord should be a goddesse and not Discord or that according to Labeo his diuision shee should not bee a good goddesse and Discord an euill one Hee spoake vpon grounds because he sawe that Feuer had a Temple built her as well as Health By the same reason should Discord haue had one as well as Concord Wherefore the Romaines were not wise to liue in the displeasure of so shrewd a goddesse they haue forgotten that d shee was the destruction of Troy by setting the three goddesses together by the eares for the golden Apple because shee was not bidden to their feast Where-vpon the goddesses fell a scolding Venus shee gotte the Apple Paris Hellen and Troye vtter destruction Wherefore if it were through her anger because shee had no Temple there with the rest that shee sette the Romaines at such variance how much more angrye would shee bee to see her chiefest enemie haue a Temple built in that place where shee had showne such absolute power Now their greatest Schollers doe stomacke vs for deriding these vanities and yet worshipping those promiscuall gods they cannot for their liues cleare them-selues of this question of Concord and Discord whether they let them alone vnworshipped and preferre Febris and Bellona before them to whome their most ancient Temples were dedicated or that they doe worship them both as well as the rest How-so-euer they are in the bryers seeing that Concord gotte her gone and left Discord to play hauock amongst them by her selfe L. VIVES COncords a Temple There were many Temples of Concord in Rome the most ancient built by Camillus for the acquittance of the Galles from Rome I know not whether it was that which Flauius dedicated in Vulcans court which the Nobles did so enuie him for P. Sulpitius and P. Sempronius being Consulls I thinke it is not that Another was vowed by L. Manlius Praetor for the ending of the Souldiers sedition in France It was letten forth to bee built by the Duum-viri Gn. Puppius Caeso and Quintius Flaminius were for this end made Duum-virs It was dedicated in the towre by M. and Gn. Attilii Liu. lib. 22. and 23. A third was in the Romaine court neere to the Greeke monuments built by Opimius Consull hauing dissolued Gracchi his faction and there also is the Opimian
being military Praetor like a good seruant did al that his maister bad him vnder shew of calling a Senate killed them euery one b Mutius Scaeuola Liu. lib. 87. But Lucan lib 2. seemes to hold that Scaeuola was slaine by the elder Marius mary so do not the Historiagrahers but by the yonger c Almost quenshing In imitation of Lucan Parum sed fessa senectus Sanguinis effudit iugulo flammisque pepercit Nor did the aged sire Bleed much but spared the prophaned fire d In the common streete Liuie saith eight thousand and the author of the booke De viris illustribus saith nine thousand e One was This Eutropius and Oros. thinke was Q. Catulus Others say that C. Metellus trusting to his kindred with Sylla spake this in a youthfull forwardnesse Plutarch and Florus say it was Fusidius though Plutarch call him Offidius that is but a falt as a great many more are in him either through him-selfe his translators or the copiers Orosius saith Fursidus This Fusidius Salust remembers in his oration of Lepidus the Consull f A table The table of proscription shewing the certaine number of such as should bee slaine that each might know what should become of him Such as were proscribed it was lawfull to kill their goods were shared part to Sylla part to the executioner Their children were depriued of honors and forbidden by Sylla's law to sue for any This was the first proscription table that Rome euer saw g One This was Bebius a Marian the other was for Sylla and they died both one death For the Syllans returning like cruelty for like vpon the Marians vsed their Bebius after the same sort as the other was vsed by them Florus names them both h Another M. Marius Gratidianus Caius his kinsman This deed was Catilines at the Graue of L. Caculus vpon this Marius a most gratious and honest man hauing beene twice tribune and twice Praetor Q. Cicero in Paraenes ad M. Fratr He first cut off his armes and legges then his eares tongue and nose then puld out his eyes and lastly cut off his head i Put to the sacke Subhastatae doth Laurinus reade it most congruently to the history The fairest holds of Italy saith Florus Subhastatae sunt came to the souldiors spoyling Spoletum Interamna Praeneste Fluentia But Sulmo an ancient friend of Romes Oh vnworthy deede being vnbesieged euen as warres pledges beeing condemned to die are ledde forth to execution so was this City by Sylla singled out and appointed for a direct spoile and slaughter Flor. lib. 3. Liuie lib. 88. Saith that Sylla commanded all the Prenestines beeing disarmed to bee slaine Subhastate was a word of vse in Augustines time for Theodosius and Archadius Emperors doe both vse it C. de rescind vend A comparison of the Gothes coruptions with the calamities that the Romaines endured either by the Galles or by the authors of their ciuill warres CHAP. 29. VVHat barbarousnesse of other forraigne nations what cruelty of strangers is comparable to this conquest of one of their Cittizens What foe did Rome euer feele more fatall inhumane and outragious Whether in the irruptions first of the Galles and since of the Gothes or the invndations that Sylla Marius and other great Romaines made with the bloud of their owne citizens more horrible or more detestable The Galles indeed killed the Senate and spoiled all but the Capitol that was defended against them But they notwithstanding sold the besieged their freedome for golde where as they might haue extorted it from them by famine though not by force But as for the Gothes they spared so many of the Senate that it was a maruell that they killed any But a Sylla when as Marius was yet aliue sat on the very Capitol which the Galles entred not to behold from thence the slaughters which hee commanded to bee performed And Marius beeing but fled to returne with more powre and fury hee keeping still in the Capitol depriued numbers of their liues and states colouring all this villany by the decrees of the Senate And when he was gone what did the Marian faction respect or spare when they would not for-beare to kill old Seaeuola a cittizen a Senator the chiefe Priest embracing that very alter where on they say the fate of Rome it selfe was adored And for that b last table of Sylla's to omit the inumerable deathes besides it cut the throates of more Senators then the Gothes whole army could finde in their hearts but to offer ransacke or spoile L. VIVES BVt a Sylla In his first victory against Marius proclaming Sulpitius the Marii and diuers others his foes enemies to the state by a decree of the Senate b Last table Plutarch saith thâ—… as then in a little space were diuers proscription tables hung vp Of the great and pernicious multitude of the Romaines warres a little before the comming of Christ CHAP. 30. WIth what face then with what heart with what impudency folly nay madnes do they impute these later calamities vnto our Sauiour and yet wil not impose the former vpon their Idols Their ciuil discords by their own writers confessions haue beene euer more extreamely bloody then their forraine warres The meanes which did not afflict but vtterly subuert their state arose long before Christ by the combination of these wicked causes arising from the warre of Sylla and Marius vnto that of a Sertorius and b Cateline the one of whome Sylla proscribed and the other he nourished and then downe-wards to the wars of c Lepidus and Catulus wherof the one would confirme Syllas ordinances and the other would disanull them Then to the warre of d Pompey and Caesar whereof Pompey was a follower of Sylla and either equalled or at least exceeded him in state and power And e Caesar was one that could not beare the greatnesse of Pompey because hee lackt it him-selfe which notwithstanding after hee hadde ouerthrowne him and made him away hee went far beyond From hence they come downe to the other Caesar called f Augustus in whose raigne our Sauiour Christ was born This Augustus had much ciuil wars wherin were lost g many excellent men h Tully that excellent common-wealths-man was one amongst the rest For C. i Caesar the conqueror of Pompey though hee vsed his victory with mercy restoring the states and dignities to al his aduersaries notwirstanding all this by a conspiracy of the noblest Senators he was stabbed to death in the court for the defence of theiâ—… liberty who held him to affect a Monarchy After this k Antonie a man neither like him in meanes nor manners but giuen ouer to al sensuality seemed to affect his power Whome Tully didde stoutly with stand in defence of the said liberty And then l stepped vp that yonger Coesar the other Caesars adopted sonne afterwards stiled as I said Augustus Him did Tully fauour and confirme against Anthony hoping that hee would be the man who hauing demolished
company from mens and his light that made the Sunne Moone from the light of the Sunne and Moone then haue the cittizens of this heauenly region done iust nothing in doing any thing for attaining this celestiall dwelling seeing that the other haue taken such paines in that habitation of earth which they had already attained especially the remission of sinnes calling vs as cittizens to that eternall dwelling and hauing a kinde of resemblance with Romulus his sanctuary by which hee gathered a multitude of people into his cittie through hope of impunity L. VIVES THis had beene a The olde bookes reade Hoc si fieret sine Marte c. if this could haue beene done without Mars making it runne in one sentence vnto the interogation b Euery man The Latines were made free denizens of olde and from them it spred further into Italie ouer Po ouer the Alpes and the sea Claudius Caesar made many Barbarians free of Rome affirming that it was the ruine of Athens and Lacedaemon that they made not such as they conquered free of their Citties Afterwardes vnder Emperours that were Spaniardes Africans and Thracians whole Pâ—…ouinces at first and afterwardes the whole Empire was made free of Rome And whereas before all were called Barbarians but the Greekes now the Romaines beeing Lords exempted themselues and afterward the Latines and all the Italians from that name but after that all the Prouinces beeing made free of the Cittie onely they were called Barbarians which were not vnder the Empire of Rome And thus doth Herodian Spartianus Eutropius and later Historiographers vse it So the riuer Rhine had two bankes the neither of them was Romaine the further Barbarian Claudianus O 〈◊〉 doluit Rhâ—…nus quá Barbarus ibat Quod â—…e non geminis frueretur iudice ripis O how Rhine wept on the Barbarian shore I haâ—… both his bankes were not within thy powre c And are there not Many nations beeing made free of the Citty many of the chiefe men of those nations were made Senators though they neuer saw Rome no more then a many that were Cittizens How farre the Christians should bee from boasting of their deedes for their eternall country the Romaines hauing done so much for their temporall Citty and for humaine glory CHAP. 18. WHy is it then so much to despise all this worlds vanities for eternitie when as Brutus could kill his sonnes beeing not enforced to it for feare his country should loose the bare liberty Truely it is a more difficult matter to kill ones children then to let goe those things which wee doe but gather for our children or to giue them to the poore when faith or righteousnesse bids vs. Earthly ritches can neither blesse vs nor our children with happinesse we must either loose them in this life or leaâ—…e them to be enioyed after our death by one we cannot tell whom perhaps by those wee would not should haue them No it is GOD the mindes true wealth that makes vs happy The Poet reares Brutus a monument of vnhappinesse for killing his sons though otherwise he praise him Natosque pater fera bella mouentes Ad paenam patriá pro libertate vocabit Infaelix vtcumque ferent ea fata minores His sonnes conuict of turbulent transgression He kills to free his country from oppression Haplesse how ere succeeding times shall ringe But in the next verse hee giues him comfort Vicit amor patriae laudumque immensa cupido Conquer'd by 's countries loue and thirst of prey e The two things that set all the Romaines vpon admirable action So then if the Father could kill his owne sonnes for mortall freedome and thirst of praise both transitory affects what a great matter is it if wee doe not kill our sonnes but count the poore of Christ our sonnes and for that eternall liberty which freeth vs from sinne death and hell not for humaine cupidity but for Christian charity to free men not from Tarquin but from the deuills and their King And if Torquatus another Romaine slew his owne sonne not for fighting against his country but for going onely against his command beeing generall he beeing a valorous youth and prouoked by his enemy yea and yet getting the victory because there was more hurt in his contempt of authority then good in his conquest why should they boast who for the lawes of that neuer-ending country doe forsake onely those things which are neuer so deare as children namely earthly goods and possessions If Furius Camillus after his banishment by his â—…ngratefull country which he had saued from beeing oppressed by the valourous Veians yet would daigne to come to free it the second time because hee had no better place to shew his glory in why is hee extolled as hauing done great matters who hauing perhaps suffered some great disgrace and iniury in the church by his carnall enemies hath not departed to the churches enemies the Hereâ—…es or inuented some heresie against it him selfe but rather hath guarded it 〈◊〉 farre as in him lay from all the pernitious inuasions of heresie because their is no a other place to liue in vnto eternall life though there bee others â—…gh to attaine humaine glory in If Scaeuola when he saw he had failed to kiâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a sore foe to Rome and killed another for him to make a peace with him â—…t his hand into the fire that burned on the Altar saying that Rome had a multitude such as he that had conspired his destruction and by this speech so terrified him that hee made a present peace with them and got him packing why shall any man talke of his merits in respect of the Kingdome of Heauen if he loose not his hand but his whole body in the fire for it not by his owne choise but by the powre of the persecutor If Curtius to satisfie the Oracle that commanded Rome to cast the best Iewell it had into a great gulfe and the Romaines being resolued that valour and men of armes were their best Iewells tooke his horse and armour and willingly leaped into that gaping gulfe why shall a man say hee hath done much for heauen that shall not cast himselfe to death but endure death at the hands of some enemy of his faith seeing that GOD his Lord and the King of his country hath giuen him this rule as a certaine Oracle Feare not them that kill the bodie but are not able to kill the soule If the two Decii consecrated themselues to their countries good sacrificed their bloud as with praiers vnto the angry gods for the deliuerance of the Romaine armie let not the holy Martires bee proude of doing any thing for the pertaking of their eternall possessions where felicity hath neither errour nor ende if they doe contend in charitable faith and faithfull charity euen vnto the shedding of their bloud both for their brethren for whom and also for their enemies by whome
the sonne so gentle and indeed so full a man that hee was called Man-kindes Delicacy Sueton. I haue resolued saith Pliny the second in his prefaâ—… of his naturall Historie to Titus the sonne to declare vnto you most mirthfull Emperâ—… for that stile is the fittest as being your olde inheritance from your Father c. Domitian was neither like father nor brother but bloody and hated of all men e The Apostata a fugitiue or turne-coate for being first a Christian Libanius the Sophister peruerted him and from that time hee was all for oracles lottes with crafts and promises of Magitians where-by he came to destruction being otherwise a man of a great spirit and one as fitte for Empire as the world afforded That the originalls and conclusions of warres are all at Gods dispose CHAP. 22. SO likewise doth he with the times and ends of warre be it his pleasure iustly to correct or mercifully to pitty mankind ending them sooner or later as he willeth Pompeyes a Pirate warre and Scipio his b third African warre were ended with incredible celeritie The Slaues was also c though it cost Rome two Consuls and many Captaines making all Italy feele the smart of it yet in the third yeare after it was begun it was finished The Picenes Martians Pelignians Italians all sought to pluck their necks from their long and strickt seruitude vnto Rome though it now had subdued huge dominions and razed Carthage In this warre the Romaines were sorely foyled d two Consulls killed and many a tall souldior and worthy Senator left dead yet this warre had continuance but vnto the 5. yeare mary the second African warre lasted a great while eighteene yeares to the great weakning of the common-weale and almost the vtter ruine thereof 70000. soldiors falling in e two battels The first Afrâ—…can warre held three and twenty yeares Mithridates warre f forty yeares And least any one should thinke that in the ancient lawdable times the Romaines had any better rules to dispatch warre sooner then the rest the Samnites warre lasted g almost fiftie yeares wherein the Romaines were conquered euen vnto slauerie But because they loued not glory for iustice but iustice for glory they h broake the peace and league which they had made These I write because some being ignorant in antiquities and other-some being dissemblers of what they know might other-wise vpon discouery of a long warre since the time of Christianitie flie in the face of our religion and say if it were not so potent and if the old adorations were restored that warre would haue beene ended by the Romaines vertues and the assistance of Mars and Bellona assoone as the rest were Let them that reads of their warres recollect but what i vncertaine fortune the ancient Romaines had in the warres with the whole world being tossed like a tempestuous sea with thousand stormes of inuasions and armes and then let them needes confesse what so faine they would conceale and cease in this opposition against Gods power to possesse others with errors and be the butchers of their owne soules L. VIVES POmpeys a Pyrates warre Ended in fortie dayes after Pompeys departure from Brundâ—… Flor. Cic. pro leg Manl. b Third African Begunne and ended in three yeares c Although Arius the Prâ—…tor and two Consuls Cn. Lentulus and L. Gellius were ouerthrowne by Spartacus d Two Consuls L. â—…ul Caesar and P. Rutilius Lâ—…uie e Two battles At Thrasyâ—…ne and at Cannas f Forty yeares Florus but it was first staied by a peace made with Sylla then renewed by L. Lucullus and lastly ended by Pompey the great g Almost fiftie fortie nine as Eutropius and Orosius account Florus saith fiftie Appian eightie and he is neerest Liâ—…es account that saith the Romaines warre with the Sâ—…nites lasted neare an hundred yeares in vncertainty of fortune lib. 23. But if Fabius Gurges ended it in his Consulship it is but fiftie yeares from the Consulships of M. Val. Coruinus and Cornelius Cossus But indeed the Samnites ioyned with Pyrrhus and had had a conflict before with Dâ—…ntatus betweene Gurges his Consulship and Pyrrhus his comming into Italy h Broake the peace This Liâ—…ie she weth crookedly inough lib. 9. wherein hee saith that the Romaines childishly deluded the faith league and othe which they had passed to Pontius Captaine of the Samâ—…tes it was true For they sought forth childish euasions for their owne profit i Vncertaâ—… 〈◊〉 some haue Euentus here for Fortune I will not dispute whether Euentus may haue the plurall number Ualla saith it is rare but yet sometimes it is so vsed he doth not deny it Of the battell wherein Rhadagaisus an idolatrous King of the Gothes was slaine with all his armie CHAP. 23. NAy that wonderfull mercy of Gods in an acte done with in our memories they will not so much as mention with thanks-giuing but endeuour as much as in them lieth to smother it in eternall obliuion which should wee doe wee should bee as gracelesse and vngratefull as they Rhadagaisus a King of the Gâ—…es hauing brought a huge armie euen before the walles of Rome and holding his sword euen ouer their necks as it were vpon one day was ouer-throwne so suddeâ—…ly that not so much as one Romaine being slaine slaine no nor yet wounâ—… his whole armie consisting of aboue ten thousand men was vtterly defeated â—…ee himselfe and his sonnes taken and iustly beheaded If this wicked Barâ—… had entred Rome with those forces whom would hee haue spared what places would hee haue honored what God would he haue feared whose bloud whose chastitie should haue escaped him But ô how these wretches boasted of his precedent conquests that he had beene so victorious that hee had gotten such and such fields onely because he was a dayly sacrificer to those gods which Christianity had chased from Rome For at his approach thether where by the bâ—…ck of Gods Maiestie hee was crushed to nothing his fame was so spacious that it was tolde vs here at Carthage that the Pagans beleeued reported and boasted that hee could not bee conquered by any of those that would not suffâ—… the Romaines to adore those gods whose good fauours he had obtained by the dayly sacrifices hee offered Thus they neuer gaue thankes for the mercifull goodnesse of God who hauing resolued to chastiâ—…e the worlds corruption with a greater Barbarian irruption yet did moderate his iustice with such mercy that at first he gaue their leader into the hands of his enemies because the Deuils whom he serued should gaine no soules by the perswasion of the glory of his conquests And then when such Barbarians had taken Rome as against all custome of hostiliâ—… defended such as fled into the holy places onely in reuerence of Christianity proâ—…ing them selues farre greater enemies for the name of Christ vnto the Dâ—…ls and sacrilegions sacrifices in which the other reposed his trust then vnto the opposed souldiers them-selues Thus God did
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
The two Maspha's Maspha the Old stood betweene the tribes of Gad 〈◊〉 Hier. de loc Hebraic There is another in the tribe of Iuda as you goe North-ward 〈◊〉 â—…lia in the confines of Eleutheropolis Maspha is contemplation or speculation The 〈◊〉 write it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Promises made vnto Dauid concerning his sonne not fulfilled in Salomon but in Christ. CHAP. 8. NOw must I relate Gods promises vnto Dauid Saâ—…ls successor which change â—…gured the spirituall great one which all the Scriptures haue relation 〈◊〉 â—…cause it concerneth our purpose Dauid hauing had continuall good forâ—…â—…ed to build GOD an house namely that famous and memorable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Salomon built after him While this was in his thought Nathan came 〈◊〉 from God to tell him what was his pleasurâ—… wherein when as GOD had 〈◊〉 Dauid should not build him an house and that he had not commanâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 time to build him any house of Cedar then hee proceedeth thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dauid that thus saith the Lord I tooke thee froâ—… the sheep-â—…e to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 my people Israell and I was with thee where-so-euer thou walked aâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all thine enimies out of thy sight and giuen thee the glory of a mighty mâ—…n 〈◊〉 I will appoint a place for my people Israell and will plant it it shall dwell 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mooue no more nor shall wicked people trouble them any more as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…ne since I a appointed Iudges ouer Israell And I will giue thee rest from all thine enemies and the Lord telleth thee also that thou shalt make him an house It shall be when thy dayes bee fulfilled and thou sleepest with thy fathers then will I set vp thy seede after thee euen hee that shall proceed from thy body and will prepare his kingdome He shall build an house for my name and I will direct his throne for euer I will be his father and hee shall be my sonne if hee sinne I will chasten him with the rod of men and with the plagues of the children of men But my mercy will I not remooue from him as I remooued it from Saul whom I haue reiected His house shall be faithfull and his kingdome eternall before mee his throne shall bee established for euer Hee that holdeth his mighty promise fulfilled in Salomon is far-wide For marke how it lyeth He shall build me an house Salomon did so and this he marketh but His house shall bee faithfull and his kingdome eternall before mee What is this this hee marketh not Well let him goe to Salomons house and see the flocks of strange Idolatrous women drawing this so wise a King into the same depth of damnation with them doth he see it theÌ„ let him neither think Gods promises false nor his prescience ignorant of Salomons future peruersion by Idolatry We neede neuer doubt here nor runne with the giddy brained Iewes to seeke had I wist and to finde one in whom these may bee fulfilled wee should neuer haue seene them fulfilled but in our Christ the sonne of Dauid in the flesh For they know well inough that this sonne of whom these promises spake was not Salomon but oh wondrous blindnesse of heart stand still expecting of another to come who is already come in most broad and manifest apparance There was some shadow of the thing to come in Salomon 't is true in his erection of the temple and that laudable peace which he had in the beginning of his reigne and in his name for Salomon is a peace-maker but he was b onely in his person a shadow but no presentation of Christ our Sauiour therfore some things are written of him that concerne our Sauiour the scripture including the prophecie of the one in the historie of the other For besides the bookes of the Kings Chronicles yâ— speake of his reigne the 72. Psalme is entitled with his name Wherein there are so many things impossible to bee true in him and most apparant in Christ that it is euident that he was but the figure not the truth it selfe The bounds of Salomons kingdome were knowne yet to omit the rest that Psalme saith hee shall reigne from sea to sea and from the riuer to the lands end This is most true of Christ. For hee began his reigne at the riuer when Iohn baptized and declared him and his disciples acknowledged him calling him Lord and Maister Nor did Salomon begin his reigne in his fathers time as no other of their Kings did but onely to shew that hee was not the ayme of the prophecie that said It shall bee when thy dayes are fulfilled and that thou sleepest with thy fathers then will I set vp thy seede after thee and prepare his kingdome Why then shall wee lay all this vpon Salomon because it is sayd Hee shall build mee an house and not thâ—… rather vnderstand that it is the other peace-maker that is spoaken of who is not promised to be set vp before Dauids death as Salomon was but after according to the precedent text And though Christ were neuer so long ere hee came yet comming after Dauids death all is one hee came at length as he was promised and built God the Father an house not of timber and stones but of liuing soules wherein wee all reioyce For to this house of God that is his faithfull people Saint Paul saith The temple of God is holy which you are L. VIVES I Appointed a Iudges Israell had thirteene Iudges in three hundred and seauentie yeares from Othoniel to Samuel who annointed Saul and during that time they had variable forâ—… in their warres b Onely in Hee was a figure of Christ in his peaceable reigne and â—…ding of the temple but hee was not Christ him-selfe A Prophecie of Christ in the eighty eight Psalme like vnto this of Nathan in the Booke of Kings CHAP. 9. THe eighty eight Psalme also intitled An a instruction to Ethan the Israelite reckoneth vp the promises of God vnto Dauid and there is some like those of Nâ—…n as this I haue sworne to Dauid my seruant thy seede will I establish for euer â—…s Then spakest thou b in a vision vnto thy sonnes and said I haue laid helpe 〈◊〉 â—…e mighty one I haue exalted one chosen out of my people I haue found Dauid 〈◊〉 â—…ant with my holy oyle haue I annoynted him For mine hand shall helpe him and 〈◊〉 â—…me shall strengthen him The enemy shall not oppresse him nor shall the wicked 〈◊〉 But I will destroy his foe before his face and plague them that hate him My 〈◊〉 â—…d mercy shall bee with him and in my name shall his horne bee exalted I will 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hand in the sea and his right hand in the flouds hee shall call vpon mee thou â—…t 〈◊〉 father my GOD and the rocke of my saluation I will make him my first borne 〈◊〉 then the Kings of the earth My mercy will I keepe vnto him for euer and my