Palace Varro de Ling. Lat. lib. 3. The building of this temple vexed the Romaines extreamly and at the building there was written in it Opus vecordiae the worke of sloath A fourth was built by Liuia Augusta vnlesse it were but Camillus his olde one which she repared Ouid. fast 1. Concords feasts were in Februaries Calends the xviii b In the place Appian saith in the pleading place and so doth Varro and Victor de region vrb puts it in the eight Region that is in the Romaine court the fight ending in Auentinus though it began in the Capitoll c Pleaders Tribunes and such as spake to the people in Couenticles that they should speake nothing but well of the Senate taking example by Gracchus whose memory that monument still remembered d She was Discord alone being not bidden to the mariage of Peleus and Thetis being angry hereat sent a golden ball into the feasters with this inscription 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let the fairest haue it Herevpon grew a strife betweene Pallas Iuno and Venus So they came to Paris to haue iudgment whence arose all that deluge of destruction that ouer-whelmed Troy Of the diuerse warres that followed after the building of Concords temple CHAP. 26. NOw they all thought that this new temple of Concord and testimony of Gracchus would be an excellent restraint vnto all seditious spirits But how farre they shotte wide let the subsequent times giue aime For from that time forth the Pleaders neuer went about to auoide the examples of the Gracchi but laboured to exceed them in their pretences L. a Saturninus Tribune b C. Caesar Seruillius Praetor and c not long after that d M. Drusus all these began more bloudy seditions whence there arose not onely ciuill slaughters but at last they brake openly out into the Confederates warre which brought all Italy vnto most miserable and desperate extremities Then followed the e Slaues warre and other ciuill warres wherein it is strange to recorde what fields were pitched what bloud-shed and what murther stucke vpon the face of all Italy as farre as the Romaines had any power or signorie And how small a company lesse then seuentie Fencers began this Slaues warre which mounted to that terrour and danger What multitudes of Generalls did this raskall crew ouer-throw what numbers of Romaine citties and Prouinces they destroyed it is more then worke enough for a professed Historian to declare For the warre held out not onely in Italy but these slaues ouer-ranne all Macedonia Sicily and the sea coastes And then what out-ragious robberies at first and what terrible warres afterwards were managed by the f Pyrates what penne is them sufficient to recapitulate L. VIVES L. a Saturninus This man being Tribune and troubling the state with the Agrarian law was killed by C. Marius and L. Ualer Flaccus Consuls to whom the Senate had committed the protection of the state yet did Saturninus preferre this law to doe Marius a pleasure b C. Caesar. This name is not in the old copyes but onely C. Seruilius Glaucia Praetor of Saturninus his faction Of the Seditious Lucius Apuleius Saturninus came nearest the Gracchi in eloquence for he attracted all mens affections by his gesture and apparell more then by his tongue or discourse But C. Sextâ—…lius Glaucia was the most wicked villaine that euer was and yet most suttle and quick witted but yet hee was very ridiculous He had beene Consull for all his filthinesse of meanes and manners if it had beene held fit hee should haue stood for it For hee had the people sure for him and had wonne the Gentlemen by pleasuring them But being Praetor he was publikely slaine on the same day with Saturnine Marius and Flaccus being Consuls All this is out of Tullies Orator But if some will haue it Caesar they are not much amisse excepting for the times mary hee that was L. Caesars brother mooued the Romaines against Sulpitius the Tribune which contention gaue beginning to the warre of Marius as Pedianus hath recorded This Caesar saith Tully being Aedile made euery day an Oration In Bruto c Not long after Seauen yeares passed iust betweene the Tribuneships of Saturnine and Drusus and from the Consulships of Marius and Flaccus to Flaccus and Herennius d M Drusus he was of good birth but the proudest man in Rome quicke to speake and being called to the Senate hee sent the Senate worde to come to him and so they didde The Senate called his father their Patron e Slaues warre It began in Cicilie before the Confederates warre by one Eunus a Syrrian that fained him-selfe to bee inspired with the Cibels spirit Hee gotte together sixtie thousand men ouerthrew foure Praetors and tooke their tents At length Perpenna besieged and conquered them A little after Cleon a Cicilian began such another warre in the same Iland getting huge powers ouerthrowing the Praetors as before and spoyling the Tents This warre M. Aequilius ended In Italy Spartacus and Chrysus began it who broke out of the schoole of Lentulus when hee was at Capua and gotte forth to the number of seauenty-foure to whome a great many slaues adioined them-selues soone after P. Varenus Praetor and Claudius Pulcher Legate that met them first in armes they ouercame Afterward Chrysus and his bands were defeated by Q. Uarius Praetor Spartacus continued the warre with great good fortune against Lentullus the Consull first and then against L. Gellius and Q. Arius Praetor and afterward with Cassius Vice-Consull and Cn. Manlius Praetor Lastly M. Crassus being Praetor ouercame him and put his armie to the sword f Pyrats The Cilician Pirats troubling the sea P. Seruilius Vice-Consul was sent against them who took Isaurum and diuers of their Citties but hee retyring home they rose with greater powers and boote-hal'd all the Coast vnto Caieta Missenum and Ostia to the great terror and reproch of the Romaine name At length Cn. Pompey beeing made Admirall by the Gabinian Lawe quitte the sea of them in forty daies Liu. lib. 99. Cicero pro leg Manil. L. Florus and others Of the ciuill warres betweene Sylla and Marius CHAP. 27. VVHen Marius being now imbrued with his countrymens bloud and hauing slaine many of his aduersaries was at length foyled and forced to flie the citty that now gotte time to take a little breath presently to vse a Tullies wordes vpon the sodaine Cinna and Marius began to bee conquerours againe And then out went the heart blouds of the most worthy men and the lights of all the cittie But soone after came b Sylla and reuenged this barbarous massacre but with what damage to the state and cittie it is not my purpose to vtter For that this reuenge was worse then if all the offences that were punished had bene left vnpunished Let Lucan testifie c in these wordes Excessit medicina modum nimiumque secuta est Qua morbi duxêre manus periêre nocentes Sed cùm iam soli possent superesse nocentes
manifest which are adultery fornication vncleannesse wantonnesse Idolatry Witch-craft hatred debate emulation b wrath contentions seditions heresies enuie drunkennesse gluttonie and such like whereof I tell you now as I told you before that they which do those things shall not inherit the Kingdome of God The due consideration of this place of the Apostle will presently giue vs sufficient demonstration as farre as here needeth what it is to liue according to the flesh for in the workes of the flesh which hee saith are manifest rehearsing and condemning them we finde not onely such as appertaine to bodily and luxurious delight as fornications vncleannesse luxurie and drunkennesse but such also as discouer the viciousnesse of the minde truly distinct from fleshly pleasures For who conceiueth not that Idolatry Witch-craft emnity contention emulation wrath enuy sedition and heresie are rather mentall vices thâ—…n corporall A man may for very reueâ—…ence of some Idolatrous or hereticall error abstaine from the lusts of the body and yet though hee doe so by the Apostles wordes hee liues according to the flesh and in auoyding the workes thereof committeth most damnable workes thereof Who hath not enmitie in his heart or who saith to his enemy or him that hee thinkes his enemie you haue an euill flesh against mee none you haue an euill minde against mee Lastly as all men that should heare those carnall vices recited would affirme they were meant of the flesh so none that heareth those mentall crimes but referreth them all to the minde â—…hy then doâ—…h this true and faithfull teacher of the Gentiles call them The workes of the flesh but in that hee taketh flesh for man as the part for the whole L. VIVES SOme a misconceiuing Those were the Apollinarists Augâ—…n Ioan. Serm. in ArriuÌ„ 83. Qâ—… The Cerdonians also the Apelliâ—… held so de har ad quod vult DeuÌ„ b Wrath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hâ—… reades it irae but animus is vsed also for wrath Salust You saw last yeare how wrathfully quantis animis Lucutlus opposed L. Quintius hereof comes the word animositas that Augustine vseth for wrath Uirgil calls them East windes Animosi wrathfull Macrobius in Som. Scip. 2. vseth it so too That anger that the greekes call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is momentarie and of no continuance Tully calls it excandescentia a fury now beginning and presently ceasing there is in this text of Paul â—…ixae scoldings or altercations 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Augustine addeth not That sinne came from the soule and not the flesh and that the corruption which sinne hath procured is not sin but the punishment of sinne CHAP. 3. IF any man say that the flesh is cause of the viciousnesse of the soule he is ignorant in mans nature for the corruptible body doth but burden the soule therefore the Apostle speaking of this corruptible body whereof hee had sayd before although our outward man be corrupted we know quoth he that if our earthly house of habitation bee aestroyed wee haue a building giuen of God an house not made with hands but an eternall one in heauen therefore wee sigh desyring to bee cloathed with that habitation which we haue in heauen notwithstanding if we bee cloathed wee shall not bee found naked For wee that are in this habitacle sigh and are burdened because we would not be vncloathed but cloathed vpon that mortality might bâ—… swallowed vp of life Wee are therefore burdened with this corruptible body and yet knowing that it is not the bodies nature but corruption that causeth this burden wee would not bee despoiled of it but bee cloathed vpon it with the immortality thereof It shall then bee a body still but burden some to vs no more because it is become incorruptible so then as yet the corruptible bodie is heauy vnto the soule and the earthly mansion keepeth down the comprehensiue minde But yet such as thinke that the euills of the minde arise from the body doe erre For though that Virgill doe seeme to expresse a plaine a Platonisme in these verses Igneus est ollis vigor celestis origo Seminibus quamtum non noxia corpoâ—…a tardant Terrenique hebetant artus moribundaque membra Those seedes haue firy vigor heauenly spring So farre as bodies hinder not with fullnesse Or earthly dying members clog with dullnesse Seeming to deriue the foure knowne passions of the minde b Desire Feare Ioy and Sorrow as the originalls of all guilt wholy from the bodie by these verses following Hinc metuunt cupiuntque dolent gaudentque nec auraâ—… Suscipiunt clausae tenebris carcere caeco Heare-hence they feare desire displeas'd content Nor looke to heauen in darke-blinde prison pent Yet our faith teacheth vs otherwise For this corruption that is so burdensome to the soule is the punishment of the first sin not the causeâ—… the corruptible flesh made not the soule to sin but the sinning soule made the flesh corruptible froÌ„ which corruption although there do arise some incitements vnto sin some vicious desires yet are not all the sins of an euill life to bee laid vpon the flesh otherwise we shal make the diuil that hath no flesh sin-lesse for though we cannot c cal him a fornicator a drunkard or by any one of those carnally vicious names though he bee a secret prouoker of man vnto all those yet is he truely sâ—… most proude and enuious which vices haue possessed him so farre as therefore is hee destinate vnto eternall torment in the prisons of this obscure ayre Now those vices that domineere in him the Apostle calleth the workes of the flesh though sure it is that hee hath no flesh For hee saith that emnity contention emulation wrath and enuie are the workes of the flesh to all which pride giueth being yet rules pride in the flesh-lesse deuill For who hates the Saints more then hee who is more enuious contentious emulating and wrathfull against them then hee Doing all this without the flesh how are these the workes of the flesh but because they are the workes of man whom as I sayd before the Apostle meaneth by flesh for man became like the deuill not in beeing in the flesh for so was not the deuill but in liuing according to his owne lust that is according to the fleshly man for so chose the deuill to doe when hee left the truth to become a lier not through GOD but through himselfe who is both a lier and the father of lying For hee lied first and from him sinning and lying had their beginning L. VIVES PLaine a Platonisme No more then Pythagorisme both alike but of this in the 8. booke b Desire There are foure chiefe affects of the minde two delightfull and two sorrowfull Of the first the one belongs to things present ioy and is an opinion of a present good the other desire vnto future and is an opinion of a future good Of the two sad
fourth the goods of the soule sciences artes and good opinions But in the first he putteth measure moderation and oportunity All which as hee writeth to Dionysius import that GOD is the proportion cause measure author and moderator of all goodnesse And in his 2. de Repub. hee calleth GOD the greatest good and the Idea of good And therefore Apuleius defineth GOD to bee the professor and bestower of Beatitude Dogm Plat. And Speusippus defineth him to be A liuing immortall and supernaturall essence sufficing to beatitude and cause of nature and all goodnesse The contemplation of this good didde Plato say made a man happy For in his Banquet Diotima a most wise woman biddeth Socrates to marke her speach well And then falling into a discourse that our loue concerned beauty at last shee drew to a deeper theame affirming a beauty that was eternall immutable and vndiminished nor increased nor fayre in one part and not in another nor beeing subiect to any vicissitude or alteration of times Nor beautyfull in one respect and not in all Whose beauty is neyther altered by place nor opinion nor is as a part or an accident of that essence wherein it is But it is euer existem in one and the same forme and from thence flowes all the Worldes beauty yet so as neyther the originall of any thing decreaseth it nor the decay augmenteth it or giueth any effect or change to it This holy and venerable beauty when a man beginneth to behold truly that is beeing dislinked from the loue of other beauties then is not hee farre from the toppe of his perfection For that is the way to thinges truly worth desiring Thus must wee bee truly ledde vnâ—… it when a man ascendeth by degrees from these inferior beauties vnto that supreme one transporting him-selfe from one fayre obiect vnto two and so vnto all the rest of all beautyfull desires where-vppon the like disciplines must needes follow of which the onely cheefe and cheefly to bee followed is the contemplation of that supreme beauty and from thence to draw this lesson thus must a man internally beauteous direct his life Saw you but this once cleare you would scorne ritches honours and exterior formes Tell me now saith shee how great a happynesse should hee giue thee that should shew thee this sincere this purest beauty not circumscript with a forme of mortality nor with coullors nor mettals or such like trash but in it selfe meerely diuine and one and the same to all eternity I pray thee wouldst thou not admire his life that should haue his wisnes so full as to behold and inioy this gloryous beauty O gloryous pertaker of vnchanged solid vertue Friend of the all powerfull God and aboue all other Diuine and immortall These are the wordes of wise Diotyma vnto Socrates to which hee replyeth that hee beleeued her and that hee laboureth to perswade man-kinde that there is no such meane to attaine the possession of this pulchritude as the loue of it and that no man should thinke it were ynough to dispute of it in wordes or to contemplate there-vppon with an vnpurged heart Which things is hard nay neere impossible saith Plato yet teacheth hee that beatitude is attained by imitation of GOD De leg 4. where speaking of GODS friendes and enemies hee saith That it must bee a wise mans continuall meditation how to follow God and make him the rule of his courses before all mortall men to whose likenesse his cheefe study must bee to â—…old him-selfe what it is to be like GOD hee sheweth in his Thaeatetus it is to bee iust wise and holy And in his Epistle to Hermeas and his fellowes hee saith That if any man bee a Phylosopher hee aymeth at the knowledge of God and his father as farre as happy men can attayne it And in his Epinomis speaking of GOD hee saith Him doth each man especially admire and consequently is inflamed with the power of humaine witte to labour for this beatitude in this life present and expecting a place after death with those that haue serued vertue This saith Plato who placed the greatest beatitude in the life to come For hee sayth in the same booke That none or very few can attayn happynesse in this life but great hope there is after this life to inioy the happynesse for which wee haue beene so carefull to keep and continue our courses in goodnesse and honesty And towards the end hee saith It is wickednes to neglect God the reason of all beeing so fully already discouered Hee that can make vse of all this I câ—…t him truly wise and firmely avow that when hee dyeth he shall not be any longer in the common fashion of this life but haue a certayne peculiar excellence alloted him to bee both most wise and most happie And liue a man so where he will in Iland or continent hee shall pertake this faelicity and so shall he that vseth these directions wheresoeuer in gouernment of others or in priuate estate referring all to God But as wee sayd before so say wee still very few attaine this perfection 〈◊〉 this life this life this is most true and no way rashly spoken Thus much out of his 〈◊〉 In the end of his De Repub. thus Behold now the rewards stable and glorious which 〈◊〉 shall receiue both of god and man besides the particular benefits that his iustice doth reâ—… 〈◊〉 But all these are nothing neither in number nor quantity in respect of those after death 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Phaedon wherefore saith Socrates while wee liue here on earth let vs haue as little 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…h the body as may be for so wee shall get to some knowledge and keeping a good watch 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that God set vs free from it wee shall passe away pure from contagion to conuerse with 〈◊〉 â—…ies and by our selues haue full vnderstanding of that sincere and pure truth which 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is a going my way hath a great hope to bee there crowned with the fruition of 〈◊〉 â—…ch in his life he suffered so many afflictions And after If he be a true Philosopher that 〈◊〉 Gods must needs beare a great stroke with him namely that he cannot attaine the pure 〈◊〉 â—…ill after this life Thus much out of Plato in diuers places partly the words and 〈◊〉 â—…te which being assumed to shew his opinion out of his owne workes maketh 〈◊〉 â—…s to ad any quotations out of other Platonists b Euen those that loue I wounder 〈◊〉 his logike saith that their is no loue but delight the world controules him I 〈◊〉 â—…ent friend yet my delight departed with him But this is not the least nor the last 〈◊〉 â—…hat booke To enioy is to take delight of in any thing as Augustine writeth in his 〈◊〉 Wee enioy that wee take pleasure in of the vse and the fruit hereafter in the 〈◊〉 â—…ke c Whether the Ionian Though Plato had much from Pythagoras yet was 〈◊〉 Philosopher for hee followed Socrates more
these things testifie the Deity â—…ing to passe at the houre when this religion was taught that commaundeth â—…tion of one God the onely louing and beloued God blessing all limiâ—…â—…hese sacrifices in a certaine time and then changing them into better by 〈◊〉 Priest and testifiing hereby that hee desireth not these but their signifiâ—… not to haue any honour from them neither but that we by the fire of 〈◊〉 might be inflamed to adore him and adhere vnto him which is al for our 〈◊〉 good and addeth nothing to his Against such as deny to beleeue the scriptures concerning those miracles shewne to Gods people CHAP. 18. VVil any one say there was no such miracles all is lyes Hee that sayth so and takes a way the authority of scripture herein may as well say that the Gods respect not men For they had no meane but miracles to attayne their worship wherein their Pagan stories shew how far they had power to proue them-selues alwayes rather wonderfull then vsefull But in this our worke whereof this is the tenth book we deale not against Atheists nor such as exclude the gods from dealing in mans affaires but with such as preferre their gods before our God the founder of this glorious Citty knowing that he is the Creator inuisible imâ—…table of this visible and changeable world and the giuer of beatitude from none of his creatures but from him-selfe intyrely For his true Prophet sayth It is good for me to adhere vnto the Lord. The Phylosophers contend about the finall good a to which all the paines man takes hath relation But hee sayd not it is good for mee to bee wealthy honourable or inuested a King Or as some of the Phylosophers shamed not to say It is good for mee to haue fulnesse of bodily pleasure Or as the better sort sayd It is good for mee to haue vertue of minde But hee sayd It is good for me to adhere vnto God This had hee taught him vnto whom onely both the Angels and the b testimony of the law doe reach all sacrifice to bee due So that the Prophet became a sacrifice vnto him beeing inflamed with his intellectuall fire and holding a fruition of his ineffable goodnesse in a holy desire to bee vnited to him Now if these men of many goddes in the discourse of their miracles giue credence to their historyes and magicall Or to speake to please them Theurgicall bookes why should not the scripture bee beleeued in these other who are as farre beyond the rest as hee is aboue the others to whom onely these our bookes teach all religious honour to bee peculiar L. VIVES TO a which al Tully stoically diuided mans offices or duties into two parts absolute referred to the absolute vertues wisdome c. and so to good ends and this the Greekes call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Latines rectum a thing well done conteyning all vertuous acts the other is referred to the rules of commoÌ„ life and hath alwaies a probable reason why it hath this effect rather then that This is called medium a meane or community possible to be drawne to a wise or to a foolish euent Such actions concerne common weales honours ritches c. b Testimony of Miracles saith one copy and another otherwise all comes to one purpose The reason of that visible sacrifice that the true religion commands vs to offer vnto one God CHAP. 19. But as for those that thinke visible sacrifices pertaine to others and inuisible to him as onely inuisible as greater to the greater and better to the better 〈◊〉 the duties of a pure heart and an holy will verely these men conceiue not that the other are Symbols of these as the sound of words are significations of things VVherefore as in our prayses and prayers to him wee speake vocall wordes but offer the contents of our hearts euen so we in our sacrifice know that wee must offer thus visibly to none but him to whome our hearts must be an inuisible sacrifice For then the Angels and predominate powers doe a reioyce with vs and further vs with all their power and ability But if wee offer vnto them they are not willing to take it and when they are personally sent downe to men they expresly forbidde it And this the b Scriptures testifie Some held that the Angels were eyther to haue adoration or that which wee owe only to God sacrifice but they were forbidden and taught that al was only Gods lawfully giuen him And those Angels the Saints did follow c Paul Barnabas beeing in Lycaonia the people for a miraculous cure held them goddes and would haue sacrificed vnto them but they humbly and godlyly denyed it and preached that God vnto them in whome they beleeued But the wicked spirits do affect it onely because they know it to be gods onely due For as Porpâ—…yry and others thinke it is the diuine honours not the smels of the offerings that they delight in For those smels they haue plenty and may procure them-selues more if they list So then these arrogant spirits affect not the smoake ascending from a body but the honours giuen them from the soule which they may deceiue and domineere ouer stopping mans way to God and keeping him from becomming Gods sacrifice by offering vnto other then God L. VIVES Reioyce a with The Angels reioyce at mans righteousnes 〈◊〉 15. c Scriptures Iohâ—… would haue worshipped the Angel that was sent him but he sorbad him willing him rather to worshippe God whome he as his fellow seruant serued Apoc. 19. c Paul Being in Lyaconia a part of Asia preaching Gods word and curing a lame man by Gods power the people said they were gods calling Barnabas Ioue Paul that preached Merâ—…ury the pretended God of speach So they prepared them sacrifices but the Apostles were angry and â—…orbad it fearing to take to them-selues the due of God Of the onely and true sacrifice which the Mediator be tweene God and man became CHAP. 20. VVHerefore the true Mediator being in the forme of a seruant made Mediator betweene God and man the man Christ Iesus taking sacrifices with his father as God yet in in the seruile forme choose rather to bee one then to take any least some hereby should gather that one might sacrifice vnto creatures By this is hee the Priest offâ—…ring and offerer The true Sacrament whereof is the Churches daily sacrifice which being the body of him the head a learneth to offer it selfe by him The ancient sacrifices of the Saints were all diuers types of this also this beeing figured in many and diuers as one thing is told in many words that it might be commended b without tediousnesse And to this great and true facrifice all false ones gaue place L. VIVES LEarneth a to Or saith she offereth by him so the Coleyne Bruges copies haue it but the other is good also b Without tediousnesse For variety easeth that
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
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
The words of the Lord are pure words as sil â—…ied in the fire what is his words now that boweth to this Gods Priest and 〈◊〉 â—…od and Priest place me in some of fice about the Priest-hood that I may eate a morâ—… bread I will not haue my fathers honours they are nothing but place me any 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thy Priest-hood I would faine be a dore keeper or any thing in thy seruice and 〈◊〉 thy people for Priest-hood is put heere for the people to whom Christ the â—…or is the high Priest which people the Apostle called an holy nation and a royall Priest-hood Some read k Sacrifice in the former place for Priest-hood all is one both signifie the christian flocke Whereof S. Paul saith Being many 〈◊〉 are all one bread and one body and againe l Giue vp your bodies a liuing sacrifice So then the addition that I may eate a morsel of bread is a direct expression of the sacrifice whereof the Priest himselfe saith the bread which I will giue is my flesh c. This is the sacrifice not after the order of Aaron but of Melchisedech hee that readeth let him vnderstand So then these words Place me in some office about thy priest-hood that I may eate a morsell of bread are a direct and succinct confession of the faith this is the halfe penny of siluer because it is briefe and it is Gods word that dwelleth in the house of the beleeuer for hauing said before that hee had giuen Aarons house meate of the offring of the house of Israel which were the sacrifices of the Iewes in the Old Testament therefore addeth hee the eating of bread in this conclusion which is the sacrifice of the New Testament L. VIVES HIs a name It was Phinees â—…ay the Iewes or Helias Hierome b An Ephod Of this read Hierome Ad Marcellam Contra Iouinian Ad Fabiolam The Greekes called it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ioseph de Antiq. Iud. lib. 3. So do the LXX Ruffinus translateth it Superhumerale and it was open at the sides from the arme-pits downe-wards The high Priest onely wore such an one and it was embrothered with gold and silke of diuers collours The Leuits had a garment like it but that was of linnen Such an one did Anna make for Samuel and such an one did Dauid dance in before the Arke And herevpon I thinke our Rabbines or most Doctor-like sort of Friers haue got the tricke of wearing such â—…esture hanging loose from the shoulders as a badge of their super-eminent knowledg and then your Ciuilian and Pâ—…isitian in emulation of them got vp the like But the Seauenty call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c Honorest So was it in the time when the Iewes priests grew wealthy and so is it now with vs for who seeketh into the priest-hood for Godlinesse rather then gaine as the world goeth now and what sonne is perswaded by the father vnto an ecclesiasticall habite but onely in hope of ritches what â—…est thinketh he doth not well to sit and spend the churches goods as they call them frankly with his sonnes if he haue them and haue them hee will vnlesse he bee an Eunuch his brethren his sisters and his cousins let the poore goe shift where they can Thus thus will it bee whilest ritches rule in the hearts of men d To blesse The vulgar is not so read it each one hath the bookes I must proceed e An old man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an high priest saith Hierome f Romaines A diuersity of reading but nihil ad rem g Though Samuel His father was a leuite Chron. 1. 6. his mother of the tribe of Iudah This place Augustine recalleth thus whereas I said hee was not of the sons of Aaron I should haue said hee was none of the priests sonnes And they most commonly succeeded their fathers in the Priest-hood but Samuels father was of Aarons seede but he was no Priest nor of his seed otherwise then all the Iewes were the seed of Iacob Retractation lib. 2. h Prophecy and history And though these words seemed to another purpose yet aimed they at Christ. i We should thinke So thought by the Anthropomorphites k Sacrifiâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is both but rather Priest-hood l Giue vp This is not in some copies yet is it befitting this place The promise of the Priest-hood of the Iewes and their kingdome to stand eternally not fulfilled in that sort that other promises of that vnbounded nature are CHAP. 6. ALthough these things were theÌ„ as deeply prophecied as they now are plainly fulfilled yet some may put this doubt how shall we expect all the eueâ—… therein presaged when as this that the Lord said thine house and thy fathers 〈◊〉 shall walke before me for euer can bee no way now effected the priest-hood being now quite abolished nor any way expected because that eternity is promised to the priest-hood that succeded it hee that obiecteth this conceiueâ—… not that Aarons priesthood was but a type shadow of the others future priesthood and therfore that the eternity promised to the shaddow was due but vnto the substance onely and that the change was prophecyed to auoyde this supposition of the shadowes eternity for so the kingdome of Saul the reprobate was a shadow of the kingdome of eternity to come the oyle where-with he was annoynted was a great and reuerend mistery which Dauid so honored that when hee was hid in the darke caue into which Saule came to ease himselfe of the burden of nature he was affraid and onely cut off a peece of his skirt to haue a token whereby to shew him how causelesse he supected him and persecuted him hee feared I say for doing thus much least he had wronged the mistery of Sauls being annoynted Hee was touched in heart saith the Scripture for cutting off the a skirt of his rayment b His men that were with him perswaded him to take his time Saul was now in his hands strike sure The Lord kepe me saith he from doing so vnto my maister the Lords annoynted to lay mine hands on him for he is the annointed of the Lord. Thus honored hee this figure not for it selfe but for the thing it shaddowed And therefore these words of Samuel vnto Saule The Lord had prepared thee a kingdome for euer in Israel but now it shal not remaine vnto thee because thou hast not obayed his voyce therefore will he seeke him a man according to his heart c. are not to be taken as if Saul himselfe shold haue reygned for euermore and then that his sinne made God breake his promise afterwards for hee knew that he would sinne when hee did prepare him this kingdome but this hee prepared for a figure of that kingdome that shall remaine for euer-more and therefore he added it shall not remaine vnto thee it remaineth and euer shall in the signification but not vnto him for neither he nor his progeny
farre beyond our ayme if I should heere stand to referre all the propheâ—… Salomons three true bookes that are in the Hebrew Canon vnto the truth 〈◊〉 Christ and his church Although that that of the Prouerbs in the persons of the wicked Let vs lay waite for the iust without a cause and swallow them vppe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they that goe downe into the pit let vs raze his memory from earth and take 〈◊〉 his ritch possession this may easily and in few wordes bee reduced vnto CHRIST and his church for such a saying haue the wicked husbandmen in his euangelicall Parable This is the heire come let vs kill him and take his â—…tance In the same booke likewise that which wee touched at before â—…g of the barren that brought forth seauen cannot bee meant but of 〈◊〉 church of CHRIST and himselfe as those doe easilie apprehend 〈◊〉 snow CHRIST to bee called the wisdome of his father the wordes are Wisdome hath built her an house and hath hewen out her seauen pillers she hâ—…th killed her victualls drawne her owne wine and prepared her table Shee hath sent forth her maidens to crie from the higths saying He that is simple come hether to me and to the weake witted she saith Come and eate of my bread and drink of the wine that I haue drawne Here wee see that Gods wisdome the coeternall Word built him an house of humanity in a Virgins wombe and vnto this head hath annexed the church as the members hath killed the victuailes that is sacrificed the Mattires and prepared the table with bread and wine there is the sacrifice of Melchisedech hath called the simple and the weake witted for GOD saith the Apostle hath chosen the weakenesse of the world to confound the strength by To whom notwithstanding is said as followeth forsake your foolishnesse that yee may liue and seeke wisdome that yee may haue life The participation of that table is the beginning of life for in Eccelasiastes where hee sayth It is good e for man to eate and drinke we cannot vnderstand it better then of the perticipation of that table which our Melchisedechian Priest instituted for vs the New Testament For that sacrifice succeeded all the Old Testament sacrifices that were but shadowes of the future good as we heare our Sauiour speake prophetically in the fortieth psalme saying Sacrifice and offring thou dist not desire but a body hast thou perfited for me for his body is offered and sacrificed now insteed of all other offrings and sacrifices For Ecclesiastes meaneth not of carnall eating and drinking in those wordes that he repeateth so often as that one place sheweth sufficiently saying It is better to goe into the house of mourning then of feasting and by and by after the heart of the wise is in the house of mourning but the heart of fooles is in the house of feasting But there is one place in this booke of chiefe note concerning the two Citties and their two Kings Christ and the deuill Woe to the land whose King is a child and whose Princes eate in the morning Blessed art thou O land when thy King is the sonne of Nobles and thy Princes eate in due time for strength and not for drunkennesse Here he calleth the deuill a child for his foolishnesse pride rashnesse petulance and other vices incident to the age of boyish youthes But Christ he calleth the sonne of the Nobles to wit of the Patriarches of that holy and free Citty for from them came his humanity The Princes of the former eate in the morning before their houre expecting not the true time of felicity but wil hurry vnto the worlds delights head-long but they of the Citty of Christ expect their future beatitude with pacience This is for strength for their hopes neuer faile them Hope saith Saint Paul shameth no man All that hope in thee saith the psalme shall not be ashamed Now for the Canticles it is a certaine spirituall and holy delight in the mariage of the King and Queene of this citty that is Christ and the church But this is all in mysticall figures to inflame vs the more to search the truth and to delight the more in finding the appearance of that bridegrome to whom it is sayd there truth hath loued thee and of that bride that receiueth this word loue is in thy delights I ommit many things with silence to draw the worke towards an end L. VIVES HE a beganne well Augustine imitateth Salust In Bello Catil b Workes namely Iosephus affirmeth that he wrote many more viz. fiue thousand bookes of songs and harmonies three thousand of Prouerbs and Parables for hee made a parable of euery plant from the Isope to the Cedar and so did he of the beasts birds and fishes he knew the depth of nature and discoursed of it all God taught him bands exterminations and Amulets against the deuill 〈◊〉 the good of man and cures for those that were bewitched Thus saith Iosephus c Wisdome Some say that Philo Iudaeus who liued in the Apostles time made this booke He was the Apostles friend and so eloquent in the Greeke that it was a prouerbe Philo either Platonized 〈◊〉 Plato Philonized d Ecclesiasticus Written by Iesus the sonne of Syrach in the time of 〈◊〉 Euergetes King of Egipt and of Symon the high priest e For man to eate The Seauenty and vulgar differ a little here but it is of no moment Of the Kings of Israel and Iudah after Salomon CHAP. 21. VVE finde few prophecies of any of the Hebrew Kings after Salomon pertinent vnto Christ or the church either of Iudah or Israel For so were the two parts termed into which the kingdome after Salomons death was diuided for his sinnes and in his sonne Roboams time the ten Tribes that Ieroboam Salomons seruant attained beeing vnder Samaria was called properly Israel although the whole nation went vnder that name the two other Iudah and Beniamin which remained vnder Ierusalem least Dauids stocke should haue vtterly failed were called Iudah of which tribe Dauid was But Beniamin stuck vnto it because Saul who was of that tribe had reigned there the next before Dauid these two as I say were called Iudah and so distinguished from Israell vnder which the other ten tribes remained subiect for the tribe of Leui beeing the Seminary of Gods Priests was freed from both and made the thirteenth tribe Iosephs tribe being diuided into Ephraim and Manasses into two tribes whereas all the other tribes make but single ones a peece But yet the tribe of Leui was most properly vnder Ierusalem because of the temple wherein they serued Vpon this diuision Roboan King of Iudah Salomons sonne reigned in Ierusalem and Hieroboam King of Israel whilom seruant to Salomon in Samaria And whereas Roboaâ—… vould haue made warres vpon them for falling from him the Prophet forbad him from the Lord saying That it was the Lords deed So then that
doe better for the solution of this question to beginne at that time chiefly because then the Holy Spirit descended vpon that society wherein the second law the New Testament was to bee professed according as Christ had promised For the first law the Old Testament was giuen in Sina by Moyses but the later which Christ was to giue was prophecied in these words The law shall goe forth of Zion and the word of the LORD from Ierusalem Therefore hee said himselfe that it was fit that repentance should bee preached in his name throughout all nations yet beginning at Ierusalem There then beganne the beleefe in CHRIST crucified and risen againe There did this faith heate the heartes of diuers thousands already who sold their goods to giue to the poore and came cheerefully to CHRIST and to voluntary pouerty withstanding the assalts of the bloud-thirsty Iewes with a pacience stronger then an armed power If this now were not done by Magike why might not the rest in all the world bee as cleare But if Peters magike had made those men honour Christ who both crucified him and derided him beeing crucified then I aske them when their three hundered three scorce and fiue yeares must haue an end CHRST died in the a two Gemini's consulshippe the eight of the Calends of Aprill and rose againe the third daie as the Apostles saw with their eyes and felt with their hands fortie daies after ascended hee into Heauen and tenne daies after that is fiftie after the resurrection came the Holy Ghost and then three thousand men beleeued in the Apostles preaching of him So that then his name beganne to spread as wee beleeue and it was truely prooued by the operation of the Holy Ghost but as the Infidels feigne by Peters magike And soone after fiue thousand more beleeued through the preaching of Paul and Peters miraculous curing of one that had beene borne lame and lay begging at the porch of the Temple Peter with one word In the name of our LORD IESVS CHRIST set him sound vpon his feete Thus the church gotte vppe by degrees Now reckon the yeares by the Consulls from the descension of the Holie Spirit that was in the Ides of Maie vnto the consulshippe of b Honorius and Eutychian and you shall finde full three hundered three score and fiue yeares expired Now in the next yeare in the consulship of c Theodorus Manlius when christianity should haue beene vtterly gone according to that Oracle of deuills or fiction of fooles what is done in other places wee neede not inquire but for that famous cittie of Carthage wee know that Iouius and Gaudentius two of Honorius his Earles came thether on the tenth of the Calends of Aprill and brake downe all the Idols and pulled downe their Temples It is now thirty yeares agoe since almost and what increase christianity hath had since is apparant inough and partly by a many whom the expectation of the fulfilling of that Oracle kept from beeing reconciled to the truth who since are come into the bosome of the church discouering the ridiculousnesse of that former expectation But wee that are christians re â—…re indeed and name doe not beleeue in Peter but in f him that Peter beleeued in Wee are edifyed by Peters sermons of Christ but not bewitched by his charmes nor deceiued by his magike but furthered by his religion CHRIT that taught Peter the doctrine of eternitie teacheth vs also But now it is time to set an end to this booke wherein as farre as neede was wee haue runne along with the courses of the Two Citties in their confused progresse the one of which the Babilon of the earth hath made her false gods of mortall men seruing them and sacrificing to them as shee thought good but the other the heauenly Ierusalem shee hath stucke to the onely and true GOD and is his true and pure sacrifice her selfe But both of these doe feele one touch of good and euill fortune but not with one faith nor one hope nor one law and at length at the last iudgement they shall bee seuered for euer and either shall receiue the endlesse reward of their workes Oâ—… these two endes wee are now to discourse L. VIVES IN the a two First sure it is Christ suffered vnder Tyberius the Emperor Luke the Euangelist maketh his baptisme to fall in the fifteenth yeare of Tyberius his reigne So then his passion must be in the eighteenth or ninteenth for three yeares hee preached saluation Hier. So â—…ith Eusebius alledging heathen testimonies of that memorable eclips of the Sunne as namely our of Phlegon a writer of the Olympiads who saith that in the fourth yeare of the two hundered and two Olympiade the eighteenth of Tyberius his reigne the greatest eclips befell that euer was It was midnight-darke at noone-day the starres were all visible and an earth-quake shooke downe many houses in Nice a city of Bythinia But the two Gemini Ruâ—… and Fusius were Consulls in the fifteenth yeare of Tyberius as is easily prooued out of Tacitus lib. 5. and out of Lactantius lib. 4. cap. 10. where hee saith that in that yeare did Christ suffer and him doth Augustine follow here But Sergius Galba afterwards Emperor and L. Sylla were Consulls in the eighteenth yeare b Honorius and In the consulship of these two 〈◊〉 draue the Gothes and Vandals into Italy Honorius the Emperor beeing Consull the fourth time Prosper saith this was not vntill the next yeare Stilicon and Aurelian beeing 〈◊〉 c Theodorus Claudian made an exellent Panegyrike for his consulship wherein hee sheweth that hee had beene Consul before Prosper maketh him Consull before Honorius his fourth Consulship but I thinke this is an error in the time as well as in the copie For it must bee read Beeing the second time Consul Eutropius the Eunuch was made Consull with him but soone after hee was put to death Wherevpon it may bee that Eutropius his name was blotted out of the registers and Theodorus Manlius hauing no fellow was taken for two Theodorus and Manlius as Cassiodorus taketh him but mistakes himselfe Yet about that time they began to haue but one Consull d Now 30. yeares Vnto the third yeare of Theodosius Iunior wherein Augustine wrote this e In him that Peter For who is Paul and who is Apollo the ministers by whom you beleeue Finis lib. 18. THE CONTENTS OF THE nineteenth booke of the City of God That Varro obserued 288. sectes of the Philophers in their question of the perfection of goodnesse 2. Varro his reduction of the finall good out of al these differences vnto three heads three definitions one onely of which is the true one 3. Varro his choise amongst the three forenamed sects following therin the opinion of Antiochus author of the old Academicall sect 4. The Christians opinion of the cheefest good and euill which the Philosophers held to bee within themselues 5. Of liuing sociably with our neighbours how
yeares of discretion and is capable of good counsel then must he begin a fierce conflict with vices least it allure 〈◊〉 to damnation Indeede the fresh-water soldiour is the more easily put to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 practise will make him valourous and to persue victory with all his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which he must euermore assay by a weapoÌ„ called the a loue of true righâ—… 〈◊〉 â—…is is kept in the faith of Christ for if the command be present and the 〈◊〉 absent the very forbidding of the crime enflameth the peruerse flesh to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…er into it sometimes producing open enormities and sometimes b sectes ones farre-worse then the other in that pride and ruinous selfe conceit perswadeâ—… 〈◊〉 that they are vertues Then therfore sin is quelled when it is beaten downe by they loue of God which none but he and that he doth only by Iesus Christ the mediator of God and man who made him-selfe mortall that we might bee made eternall few are so happy to passe their youth without taynt of some damnable sinne or other either in deed opinion or so but let them aboue all seeke to suppresse by the fullnesse of spirit all such euill motions as shall be incited by the loosenesse of the flesh Many hauing betaken them-selues to the law becomming preuaricators thereof through sinne are afterwards faine to fly vnto the law of grace assistant which making them both truer penitents and stouter opponents subiecteth their spirits to God and so they get the conquest of the flesh Hee therefore that will escape hell fire must be both Baptized and iustified in Christ and this is his only way to passe from the Deuill vnto him And let him assuredly beleeue that there is no purgatory paines but before that great and terrible iudgement Indeede it is true that the fire of Hell shal be c more forcible against some then against others according to the diuersity of their deserts whether it be adapted in nature to the quality of their merits or remaine one fire vnto all and yet bee not felt alike of all L. VIVES THe a loue of This made Plato aduise men to vse their children onely to vertuous delights and to induce a hate of bad things into their mindes which were it obserued out loue would then be as much vnto vertue as now it is vnto carnall pleasures for custome is another nature and a good man liketh vertue better then the voluptuary doth sensuality b Secret ones far worse Plato hauing feasted certaine Gentlemen spread the Roome with mats and dressed his banqueting beds handsomely In comes Diogenes the Cynicke and falls presently a trampling of the hangings with his durty feete Plato comming in why how now Diogenes quoth he Nothing said the other but that I tread downe Platoes Pride Thou dost indeed saith Plato but with a pride farre greater for indeed this was a greater vaine-glory and arrogance in Diogenes that was poore then in Plato that was rich and had but prepared these things for his friends So shall you haue a many proud beggers thinke them-selues holyer then honest rich men onely for their name sake as if God respected the goods and not there mindes They will not be ritch because they thinke their pouerty maketh them more admired Diogenes had wont to doe horrible things to make the people obserue him and one day in the midst of winter hee fell a washing himselfe in a cold spring whither by and by there gathred a great multitude who seeing him pittied him and praied him to for-beare O no saith Plato aloud if you will pitty him get yee all gone for he saw it was not vertue but vaine-glory that made him do thus c More forcible According to the words of Christ 〈◊〉 â—…be easier for Tyre and Sydon c. Of some Christians that held that Hells paines should not be eternall CHAP. 17. NOw must I haue a gentle disputation with certaine tender hearts of our own religion who thinke that God who hath iuâ—… doomed the damned vnto 〈◊〉 fire wil after a certaine space which his goodnesse shal thinke fit for the merit of each mans guilt deliuer them from that torment And of this opinion was a Origen in farre more pittiful manner for he held that the diuells themselues after a set time 〈◊〉 should bee loosed from their torments and become bright 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…hey were before But this and other of his opinions chiefly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…-volution of misery and blisse which hee held that all 〈◊〉 should runne in gaue the church cause to pronounce him Anathema 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 had lost this seeming pitty by assigning a true misery after a while and 〈◊〉 blisse vnto the Saints in heauen where they if they were true could neuer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to â—…aine But farre other-wise iâ—… their tendernesse of heart which â—…old that this freedome out of hell shall onely be extended vnto the soules of the 〈◊〉 after a certaine time appointed for euery one so that all at length shall 〈◊〉 to bee Saints in heauen But if this opinion bee good and true because it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the farther it extendeth the better it is so that it may as well 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 freedome of the deuills also after a longer continuance of time Wâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it with man kinde onely and excludeth them â—…ay but it dares 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they dare not extend their pitty vnto the deuill But if any one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 goâ—… beyond them and yet sinneth in erring more deformedly and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…ly against the expresse word of GOD though hee thinke to shew the more pitty herein L. VIVES ORigen a in Periarch lib. Of this already b Include the freedome So did Origen 〈◊〉 likewise made good Angels become deuills in processe of time according to his imaâ—… circum-â—… Of those that hold that the intercession of the Saints shallsaue all men from damnation CHAP. 18. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with some that seeme to reuerence the Scriptures and yet are no 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who would make God farre more mercifull then the other For as 〈◊〉 the wicked they confesse that they deserue to bee plagued but mercy shall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hand when it comes to iudgement for God shall giue them all 〈◊〉 the prayers and intercession of the Saints who if they prayed for them 〈◊〉 they 〈◊〉 ouer them as enemies will doe it much more now when they 〈◊〉 prostrate aâ—… their feete like slaues For it is incredible say they that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mercy when they are most holy and perfect who prayed 〈◊〉 theyr foes when they were not with-out sinne them-selues Surely then they 〈◊〉 pray for them being now become their suppliants when as they haue no 〈◊〉 at 〈◊〉 left in them And will not God heare them when their prayers haue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Then bring they forth the testimony of the Psalme which the 〈◊〉 that held the sauing of all the damned after a time doe alledge also but 〈◊〉 that it maketh more for them the words are these Hath God forâ—…
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
so that he that loues man seemes to loue God This precept is so congruent to mans nature that the Philosophers approoued it For Nature say they hath ioyned all men in league and likenesse togither And it is the first in the lawes of friendship to loue our friend as our selfe for wee hold him our second selfe m What doth it Mans desire beeing all vpon happinesse if he loue his friend as himselfe he ought to deâ—…e to lead him the same way hee goeth himselfe n Of adoration For euen men in the scripâ—…es haue a kinde of reuerend adoration allowed them Of the sacrifices which God requireth not and what he requireth in their signification CHAP. 5. BVt who is so fond to thinke that God needeth any thing that is offered in sacâ—…ce The scripture condemnes them that thinke so diuersly one place of the Psalmist to make short for all I said vnto the Lord thou art my God a because thou needest none of my goods Beleeue it therefore God had no neede of mans cattell nor any earthly good of his no not his iustice but all the worship that hee giueth God is for his owne profit not Gods One cannot say hee doth the fountaine good by drinking of it or the light by seeing by it Nor had the patriarches ancient sacrifices which now Gods people b reade of but vse not any other intent but to signifie what should bee done of vs in adherence to God and charity to our neighbour for the same end So then an externall offring is a visible sacrament of an inuisible sacrifice that is an holy signe And therevpon the penitent man in the Prophet or rather the penitent Prophet desiring God to pardon his sinnes Thou desirest no sacrifice though I would giue it saith he bâ—… thou delightest not in burnt offering The sacrifices of God are a contrite spirit a brâ—…ken and humbled heart O GOD thou c wilt not despise Behold here he saith God will haue sacrifices and God will haue no sacrifices Hee will haue no slaughtered beast but hee will haue a contrite heart So in that which hee denied was implied that which hee desired The Prophet then saying hee will not haâ—…e sâ—…ch why doe fooles thinke he will as delighting in them If hee would not hâ—…e had such sacrifices as he desired whereof a contrite heart is one to haue bin signified in those other wherein they thought he delighted hee would not haue giâ—…en any command concerning them in Leuiticus but there are set times appointed for their changes least men should thinke he tooke pleasure in them or accepted them of vs otherwise then as signes of the other Therefore saith another Psalme If I bee hungry I will not tell thee for all the world is mine and all that thâ—… in is wil I eate the flesh of Buls or drinke the bloud of Goates as who should say if I would I would not beg them of thee hauing them in my power But then addeth be their signification Offer praise to God and pay thy vowes to the most high And call vpon mee in the day of trouble and I will deliuer thee and thou shalt d gloryfie mee And in e another Prophet where-with shall I come before the Lord and bow my selfe before the high GOD Shall I come before him with burnt offerings and with Câ—…es of a yeare old Wâ—…ll the Lord bee pleased with thousands of Rammes or with ten tâ—…sand riuers of Oyle Shall I giue my first borne for the transgression euen the fruite of â—…y bodie for the sinne of my soule Hee hath shewed thee O man what is good and what the Lord requireth of thee surely to doe Iustice and to loue mercy and to humble â—…y selfe and to walke with thy God In these words are both the sacrifices plainely distinct and it is shewed that God respecteth not the first that signifie those he respecteth as the Epistle f intituled to the Hebrewes saith To doe good and to distribute forget not for with such sacrifices g God is pleased And as it is else-where I will haue Mercy and not sacrifice this sheweth that the externall sacrifice is but a tipe of the better and that which men call a sacrifice is the signe of the true one And mercy is a true sacrifice wherevpon it is sayd as before With such sacrifices God is pleased Wherefore all the precepts concerning sacrifices in the Tabernacle and the Temple haue all reference to the loue of God and our neighbour For in these two as is sayd h is contained all the law and the Prophets L. VIVES BEcause a thou He is his true Lord that needeth not his goods when the other needs his b Read So is the best copies c Thou wilt The Septuagints reade it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the third person and so doth Augustines text but not the vulgar nor our translation d Some say magnifie some honor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith the Greeke and so Hierome translateth it The difference is nothing e Another Prophet Micah 6. carefull to walke with thy God saith Hierome from the hebrew Theodotion hath it take diligent heede 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 stand firme to walke with thy God f Intituled Intimating the vncertainty concerning the authour thereof g God is pleased The old copies say let God bee pleased better then our vulgar God is deserued promeretur The greeke is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 propiciatur or placatur is appeased h Is conteyned For this is the end and scope of all the law and Prophets precepts Of the true and perfect sacrifice CHAP. 6. EVery worke therefore tending to effect our beatitude by a sinfull inherence with God is a true sacrifice Compassion shewn vpon a man and not for Gods sake is no sacrifice For a sacrifice though offred by a man is a diuine thing and so the ancient Latinists tearme it wherevpon a man consecrated wholy to Gods name to liue to him and die to the world is a sacrifice For this is mercy shewn vpon himselfe And so is it written Pity thine owne soule and please GOD. And when we chastice our bodyly abstinence if we doe it as we should not making our members instruments of iniquity but of Gods iustice it is a sacrifice wherevnto the Apostle exhorteth vs saying I beseech you therefore brethrenby the mercies of GOD that you giue vp your bodies a liuing sacrifice holy and acceptable vnto GOD which is your reasonable seruing of GOD. If therefore the body beeing but seruant and instrument vnto the soule being rightly vsed in Gods seruice bee a sacrifice how much more is the soule one when it relieth vpon God and being inflamed with his loue looseth all forme of temporall concupiscence as is framed according to his most excellent figure pleasing him by perticipating of his beauty This the Apostle adioynes in these words And fashion not your selues like this world but bee ye changed in newnesse of
heart that yee may prooue what is the good-will of God and what is good acceptable and perfect Wherefore seeing the workes of mercy being referred vnto God bee they done to our selues or our neighbors are true sacrifices and that their end is nothing but to free vs from misery and make vs happy by that God and none other of whom it is said It is good for mee to adhere a vnto the Lord Truely it followeth that all the whole and holy society of the redeemed and sanctified Citty bee offered vnto God by that b great Priest who gaue vp his life for vs to become members of so great an head in c so meane a forme this forme he offered herein was he offered in this is he our priest or mediator and our sacrifice all in this Now therfore the Apostle hauing exhorted vs to giue vp our bodies a liuing sacrifice pure acceptable to God namely our reasonable seruing of God and not to fashion our selues like this â—…orld but bee changed in newnesse of heart that d wee might prooue what is the will of God and what is good acceptable and perfect all which sacrifice wee â—…re For Isay quoth hee through the grace that is giuen to mee to euery one among yoâ—… that no man presume to e vnderstand more then is meete to vnderstand but that hee vnderstand according to sobrietie as GOD hath dealt to euery man the measure of faith for as wee haue many members in one body and all members haue not onâ—… office So wee beeing many are one body in Christ and euery one one anothers members hauing diuers gifts according to the grace that is giuen vs c. This is the christians sacrifice wee 〈◊〉 one body with Christ as the church celebrateth in the sacrament of the altar so well knowne to the faithfull wherein is shewed that in that oblation the church is offered L. VIVES ADhere a It is the greatest good b Great priest Christ of Melchisedeochs order not of Aarons Hee went but once to sacrifice that with onely to wit his crucified body bought our peace of God c So meane Christs man-hood is the churches head his Godhead the life soule d We might proue So Augustine vseth this place wholy Epist. 86. which Erasâ—…s wonders at the greeke referring good and acceptable and perfect all to the will of God Bâ—…t Augustine referreth them either to the sacrifice or vseth theÌ„ simply without respect And in the later sence Ambrose also vseth it e Understand Or thinke of himselfe his breâ—…hren or other matters f Sobriety 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A mediocrity of the whole life is Sobriety 〈◊〉 Tully Offic. 1. out of Plato Some-time 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Tully else-where is translated tempâ—…e moderation and sometimes modesty but hee doubts whether he may call it frugality Tâ—…sc 3. That the good Angells doe so loue vs that they desire we should worship God onely and not them CHAP. 7. WOrthily are those blessed immortals placed in those celestial habitations reioyeing in the perticipation of their Creator being firme certaine and holy by his eternity truth bounty because they loue vs mortall wretches with aâ—…alous pity and desire to haue vs immortally blessed also and will not haue vs sacrifice to them but to him to whom they know both vs and themselues to bee sacrifices For we both are inhabitants of that in the psalme Glorious things are spoken of thee thou City of GOD part whereof is pilgrime yet with vs and part assisâ—…th vs with them From that eternall citty where Gods vnchanging will is all their-law and from that a supernall court for their are wee cared for by the ministery of the holy Angells was that holy scripture brought downe vnto vs that sayth Hee that sacrificeth to any but God alone shal be rooted out This scripture this precept is confirmed vnto vs by so many miracles that it is plaine inough to whom the blessed immortalls so louing vs and wishing as themselues would haue vs to offer sacrifice L. VIVES THat supernall a Court Whence the Angels descend and minister vs safety protection Of the Miracles whereby God hath confirmed his promises in the mindes of the faithfull by the ministery of his holy Angells CHAP. 8. I Should seeme tedious in reuoluing the Miracles of too abstruse antiquity with what miraculous tokens God assured his promises to Abraham that in his seed should all the earth be blessed made many thousand years ago Is it not miraculous for Abrahams barren wife to beare a son she being of age both past child-birth conception that a in the same Abrahams sacrifices the fire came down from heauen betweene them as they lay diuided that the Angells fore-told him their destruction of Sodome whom he entertained in mens shapes from them had Gods promise for a sonne and by the same Angells was certefied of the miraculous deliuery of his brother Lot hard before the burning of Sodome whose wife being turned into a statue of salt for looking backe is a great mistery that none beeing in his way of freedome should cast his eyes behinde him And what stupendious miracles did Moyses effect in Egipt by Gods power for the freedome of Gods people Where Pharaos Magicians the Kings of Egipt that held Gods people in thrall were suffered to worke some wonder to haue the more admired foile for they wrought by charmes and enchantments the delights of the deuills but Moyses had the power of the God of heauen earth to whom the good Angells doe serue and therefore must needes bee victour And the Magicians fayling in the third plague strangely mistically did Moyses effect the other 7. following and then the hard hearted Egiptians Pharao yeelded Gods people their passage And by and by repenting and persuing them the people of God passed through the waters standing for them as rampires and the Egiptians left al their liues in their depth being then re-ioyned Why should I reherse the ordinary miracles that God shewed them in the desert the sweetning of the bitter waters by casting wood therein the Manna from heauen that rotted when one gathered more then a set measure yet gathering two measures the day before the Saboath on which they might gather none it neuer putrified at all how their desire to eate flesh was satisfied with fowles that fell in the tents sufficieÌ„t O miracle for al the people euen til they loath theÌ„ how the holding vp of Moyses hands in forme of a crosse and his praier caused that not an Hebrew fell in the fight how the seditious seperating them-selues from the society ordained by God were by the earth swallowed vp quicke to inuisible paines for a visible example How the rocke burst forth into streames being strucke with Moyses rodde and the serpents deadly bytings being sent amongst them fâ—…r a iust plague were cured by beholding a brazen serpent