in it self not to love thee Woe is me answer me for thy mercies sake O Lord my God what thou art unto me Say unto my soule I am thy salvation Speake it out that I may heare thee Behold the eares of my heart are before thee O Lord open them and say unto my soule I am thy salvation I will runne after that voice and take hold of thee Hide not thy face from me that whether I dye or not dye I may see it 2. My Soules house is too streight for thee to come into let it be inlarged by thee 't is ruinous but doe thou repaire it There bee many things in it I both confesse and know which may offend thine eyes but who can clense it or to whom but thee shall I cry Cleanse me O Lord from my secret sinnes and from strange sinnes deliver thy servant I beleeved and therefore I wil speake Thou knowest O Lord that I have confessed my sinnes against mine owne selfe O my God and thou forgavest the iniquity of my heart I will not pleade with thee who art Truth and I will not deceive my selfe lest mine iniquity be a falle witnesse to it selfe I will not therefore pleade with thee For if thou Lord shouldst be extreme to marke what is done amisse O Lord who may abide it CHAP. 6. That he hath received all blessings from God and how hee hath beene preserved by him YEt suffer me to pleade before thy Mercy seate even mee who am but dust and ashes once again let me speake seeing 't is thy Mercie to which I addresse my speech and not man who is a mocker Yet even thou perhaps doest smile at me but turning thou wilt pitty mee What is it that I would say O Lord my God but even this that I know not whence I came hither into this a dying life shall I call it or a living death rather And then did the comforts of thy mercies take me up as I have heard it of the parents of my flesh out of whom and in whom thou sometimes didst forme me for I my selfe cannot remember it The comfort therefore of a womans milk did then entertaine me yet did neither my mother nor nurses fill their own brests but thou O Lord didst by them afford a nourishment fit for my infancy even according to thine owne institution and those riches of thine reaching to the root of all things Thou also ingraftedst in mee a desire to sucke no more than thou supplyedst them withall and in my Nurses to afford mee what thou gavest them for they were willing to dispense unto mee with proportion what thou supplyedst them with in abundance For it was a blessing to them that I received this blessing from them which yet was rather by them than from them For all good things proceed from thee O GOD and from my GOD commeth all my healthfulnesse And so much I observed afterwards when thou didst cry unto me by those instincts of nature which thou induedst mee withall both inwardly and outwardly For then first knew I how to sucke and to hee contented with what did please me and to cry at nothing so much as what offended my flesh After wards I began a little to laugh first sleeping and then waking for thus much was told me of my selfe and I easily beleeved it for that we see other Infants doe so too For these things of my selfe I remember not 2. And behold by little and little I came on to perceive where I was and I had the will to signifie what I would have to those that should helpe me to it but I could not yet cleerely enough expresse my desires to them for these were within mee and they without me nor could the ghesse of their senses dive into my meaning Thereupon would I flutter with my limbes and sputter out some words making some other few signes as well as I could but could not get my selfe to be understood by them and when people obeyed mee not either for that they understood me not or lest what I desired should hurt me then how would I wrangle at those elder servants that were to tend thee and the children that did not aptly humour me and I thought to revenge my selfe upon them all with crying And this is as I have learn'd the fashion of all Children that I could heare of and such an one was I as those who brought mee up told me although they may be said not to know so much rather thā to know it And now behold my infancie is dead long agoe yet I live still But thou O Lord who both livest forever and in whom nothing dyes because that before the foundations of the World and before every thing else that can be said to be Before thou art both God and Lord of all which thy selfe hath created and in whose presence are the certaine causes of all uncertaine things and the immutable patternes of all things mutable with whom doe live the eternall reasons of all these contingent chance med leyes for which we can give no reason tell I pray thee O God unto me thy suppliant Thou who art mercifull tell mee who am miserable did my infancy succeed to any other age of mine that was dead before even to that which perhaps I past in my mothers belly for something have I heard of that too and my selfe have seene women with great bellies 3. What also passed before that age O God my delight Was I any where or any body for I have none to tell me thus much neither could my Father and Mother nor the experience of others nor yet mine owne memory Doest thou laugh at me for enquiring these things who commandest me to praise and to confesse to thee for what I knew I confesse unto thee O Lord of heaven and earth and I sing praises unto thee for my first being and infancy which I have no memory of and thou hast given leave to Man by others to conjecture of himselfe and upon the credit of women to beleeve many things that concerne himselfe For even then had I life and being and towards the end of mine infancie I sought for some significations to expresse my meaning by unto others Whence could such a living creature come but from thee O Lord or hath any man the skill to frame himselfe or is any veyne of ours by which being and life runnes into us derived from any originall but thy workmanship O Lord to whom Being and Living are not severall things because both to Be and to Live in the highest degree is of thy very essence For Thou are the highest and thou art not changed neither is this present day spent in thee although it be brought to an end in thee because even all these have a fixt Being in thee nor could have their wayes of passing on unlesse thou upheldest them And because thy yeeres faile not thy yeeres are but this very day
drops of time are precious with mee and I haue long since had a burning desire to meditate in thy law and by it to confesse both my skill and vnskilfulnesse vnto thee the morning light of thy enlightning mee and the relikes of darknesse in mee so long remayning swallowed vp by till infirmitie bee strength Nor will I suffer my houres to bee squandered away vpon any other thing which I finde free from the necessities of refreshing of my body and the recreating of my minde and the complying in those offices of seruice which wee owe vnto men yea also which wee owe not and yet pay them 2. Giue eare vnto my prayer O Lord my God and let thy mercy hearken vnto my petition because it stryueth not to entreate for my selfe alone but to be beneficiall also to my brethren Thou seest my heart that so it is and that I am ready to sacrifice vnto thee the best seruice of my thoughts and tongue now giue mee what I am to offer vnto thee For I am poore and needy but thou art rich to all those that call vpon thee who not distracted with cares thy selfe takest the care of all vs. From all rashnesse and lying doe thou circumcise both my inward and my outward lippes Let my chaste delights bee thy Scriptures let me neyther be deceiued in them nor deceiued by them Hearken Lord and haue mercy vpon me O Lord my God O thou light of the blind and the strength of the weake yea also the light of those that see and the strength of the strong hearken thou vnto my soule and heare mee crying vnto thee out of the Deepe For if thine eares bee not with vs also in the Deepe whither then shall wee goe to whom shall wee cry The day is thine and the night is thine at thy backe the time passes away 3. Affoord out of it some spure time for my meditations vpon the hidden things of thy Law which I beseech thee shut not vp when they knocke for entrance at it For in vayne it was not that thou wouldest haue so many leaues full of darkesome secrets committed vnto wryting nor are those Fortests without their Harts which retire themselues into them making their range and walkes in them feeding lodging and chewing the Cud in them Perfect me O Lord and reueale them vnto me Behold thy voyce is my ioy yea thy voyce exceedeth the abundance of all pleasures Giue mee what I loue for verily I doe loue it and this loue is of thy giuing Forsake not therfore thine owne gifts nor despise thou him that thirsteth after thy herbage Let me confesse vnto thee whatsoeuer I shall finde in thy bookes and let mee heare the voyce of prayse and let me drinke thee vp and let me consider of the wonderfull things of thy law euen frō the very Beginning wherein Thou madest the heauen and the earth vnto that euerlasting kingdome of thy holy City which is before thee Haue mercy Lord vpon mee and heare my petition for it is not I suppose of the earth not for gold siuer or precious stones or gorgeous apparell or honors and offices or the pleasures of the flesh or necessaries for the body or for this life of our earthly pilgrimage all which shall bee added vnto those that seeke thy kingdome thy righteousnesse Behold O Lord my God what it is that I now desire The vngodly haue sometimes told mee what themselues delight in but they are not like the delights of thy Law See now whence my desire proceedes 4. See Father behold and approue and let it bee pleasing in the sight of thy mercy that I shall find so much grace with thee as that the Secrets of thy Word may bee opened vnto mee when I knocke By our Lord Iesus Christ thy Sonne I beseech thee that man on thy right hand that Sonne of man whom thou hast appoynted a Mediator betwixt thy selfe and vs by whom thou soughtest vs who little sought for thee yet didst thou seeke vs that wee might seeke thee and thy Word by whom thou madest all things and mee amongst them Thy Onely Sonne by whom thou hast called the beleeuing people vnto thee and mee amongst them by Him I beseech thee who sitteth at thy right hand and makes intercession for vs in whom are hid all the treasures of wisedome and knowledge Him doe I seeke in thy bookes of Him Moses wrote this hee sayes this Truth sayes CHAP. 3. Hee desires to vnderstand the holy Scriptures 1. LEt mee heare and vnderstand how thou In the beginning hast made Heauen and Earth This Moses wrote of he wrote and passed away hee passed from hence vnto thee for he is not at this present before mine eyes for if hee were then would I lay hold of him and intreate him and for thy sake would I beseech him to open these things vnto me yea I would lay mine eares vnto his mouth But should he speake in the Hebrew tongue in vayne should hee beate mine eares for neuer should he come neere my vnderstanding whenas if he spake Latine I should well enough know what hee sayd 2. But how should I know whether he sayd true or no and if I could learne this too should I know it by him For within mee in that inward house of my thoughts neither the Hebrew nor the Greeke nor the Latine nor any other language but euen Truth it selfe and that without any helps of the mouth tongue without any sound of sillables should tell me He sayes true and my selfe therupon assured of it would confidently say vnto that seruant of thine Thou speakest truth Seeing I haue not now the meanes to conferre with Moses I beg of thee my God inspired by whom he vttred these truths I beg of thee the pardon of my sinnes and thou that enabledst that seruant of thine to deliuer these Truthes enable mee also to vnderstand them CHAP. 4. The Creatures proclayme God to bee their Creator 1 BEhold the heauens and the earth are already they proclaime themselues to haue beene created for they are changed and altered from what they were Whereas whatsoeuer is not made and yet hath a being hath nothing in it now which it had not before which to haue were indeede to bee changed and altered They proclayme also that they made not thēselues but say Therefore wee are because we are made and therefore were wee not before our time was to bee as if we could possibly haue made our selues Now the euidentnesse of the thing is this voyce of the Speakers 'T is thou therefore O Lord that madest them thou who art full of beauty they beeing fayre also thou who art good they also beeing good euen Thou who hast Being seeing these haue their Beings yet are they neyther so fayre so good nor are so as thou their Creator art compared with whom they are neyther fayre nor good nor are at all Thus much wee know thankes to
wee remembring our selves of the humanity received from our friend and not allowed to reckon him in the number of thy Flock should be tortured with intolerable sorrow for him 2. Thankes unto thee O our God wee are now thine Thy inspirations and consolations tell us so Thou O faithfull promiser shalt repay Verecundus for his Countrey house of Cassiacum where from the troubles of the world we rested our selves in thee with the pleasantnesse of thy Paradise which is ever greene for that thou hast forgiven him his sinnes upon earth in that mountaine of spices thine owne mountaine that fruitfull mountaine Verecundus therefore was much perplexed but Nebridius was as joyfull as wee For although when as he was not yet a Christian hee had falne into the same pit of most pernicious error with us beleeving the flesh of thy Sonne to be fantasticall yet getting out from thence he beleeved as wee did not as yet entered into any sacraments of thy Church but a most zealous searcher out of the truth Whom not long after our conversion and regeneration by thy Baptisme being also baptized in the Catholike Faith serving thee in perfect chastity and continence amongst his owne friends in Africa having first converted his whole family unto Christianity didst thou take out of the flesh and now he lives in the bosome of Abraham 3. Whatsoever that estate be which is signified by that bosome there lives Nebridius my sweet friend thy child O Lord adopted of a freed-man lives there For what other place is there for such a soule In that place he lives concerning which hee sometimes demanded of me unskilfull man so many questions Now layes he his eare no longer unto my mouth but layes his spirituall mouth unto thy fountaine and drinketh as much of Wisedome as he is able to containe proportionable to his thirst now without end happy Nor doe I yet thinke that he is so inebriated with it as to forget me seeing thou O Lord of whom hee drinketh art still mindfull of us Thus fared it then with us sorrowfull Verecundus wee comforted reserving our friendship entire notwithstanding our conversion and exhorting him to continue in the fidelity of his degree namely of his married estate Nebridius we stayed for expecting when he would follow us which being so neere he might well doe and even now hee was about to doe it when behold those daies of Interim were at length come to an end For long and many they seemed unto me even for the love I bare to that easefull liberty that we might sing unto thee out of all our bowels My heart hath said unto thee I have sought thy face thy face Lord will I seeke CHAP. 4. What things he wrote with Nebridius 1. NOw was the day come wherein I was actually to be discharged of my Rhetoricke Professorship from which in my thoughts I was already discharged And done it was And thou deliveredst my tongue whence thou hadst before delivered my heart And I blessed thee for it rejoycing in my selfe I and mine going all into the Countrey What there in point of learning I did which was now wholly at thy service though yet sorely panting and out of breath as it were in following the Schoole of pride my bookes may witnesse both those which I disputed with my friends present and those which I composed alone with my selfe before thee and what intercourse I had with Nebridius now absent my Epistles can restifle And when shall I have time enough to make rehearsall of all the great benefits which thou at that time bestowedst upon me especially seeing I am now making hast to tell of greater matters For my remembrance now calls upon me and most pleasant it is to me O Lord to confesse unto thee by what inward prongs thou hast thus tamed mee and how thou hast taken mee downe by bringing low those mountaines and hils of my high imaginations and madest my crookednesse straight and my rough waies smooth And by what meanes thou also subduedst that brother of my love Alipius unto the name of thy onely begotten Sonne our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ which he at first would not vouchsafe to have it put into our writings For rather would he have had them favour of the lofty Cedars of the Schooles which the Lord had now broken downe than of those wholesome hearbes of thy Church which are so powerfull against Serpents 2. Oh what passionate voyces sent I up unto thee my God when as I read the Psalmes of David those faithfull songs Oh what sounds of devotion quite excluding the swelling spirit of ostentation when namely I was yet but Rude in my kindly loving of thee as being â—uta Catechumenus as yet in the Country whither I had withdrawne my selfe together with Alipius a Catechumenus also and with my Mother likewise inseparably sticking unto us in a womans habit verily but with a masculine faith voyd of worldly care as a woman in her yeeres should be yet imploying a matronely charity and a Christian piety Oh what passionate expressions made I unto thee in the reading of those Psalmes Oh how was I inflamed towards thee by them yea I was on fire to have resounded them had I been able in the hearing of the whole world to the shame of the pride of mankind though verily they be already sung all the world over nor can any hide themselves from thy heate With what vehement and bitter sorrow was I angred at the Manichees whom yet againe I pittied for that they knew nothing of those Sacraments those Medicaments and for that they were so madde at that Antidote which had been able to recover them I heartily wished they had beene somewhere or other neere me I not knowing that they did then heare me or were then so neere me that they might have beheld my face and heard my words when as I read the fourth Psalme in that time of my leasure and how that Psalme wrought upon me 3. When I called upon thee thou heardest me O God of my righteousnesse thou hast enlarged mee in my distresse Have mercy upon mee O Lord and heare my prayer That they might heare I say what I uttered at the reading of these words I not knowing whether they heard me or no lest they should thinke I spake it purposely against them Because in good truth neither would I have spoken the same things nor in the same manner had I perceived them to have both heard and seene me But had I so spoken yet would not they so have understood how with my selfe and to my selfe before thee out of the familiar and ordinary affection of my soule I quaked for feare and boy led high againe with hope and with rejoycing in thy mercy O Father And all these expressions of my selfe passed forth both by mine eyes and voyce at what time as thy good Spirit turning himselfe towards us said O yee sonnes of men
how long will ye be dull of heart how long will yee love vanity and seeke after leasing For I my selfe had sometimes loved vanity and sought after leasing But thou O Lord hast magnified him that is godly raising him from the dead and placing him at thy Right hand whence from on high hee should send his promise the Comforter the Spirit of truth And he had sent him already but I knew it not 4. He had already sent him because he was now exalted by rising from the dead and ascending up into heaven For till then The Holy Ghost was not given because Iesus was not yet glorified And the Prophet cryes out How long O yee slow of heart Why will ye love vanity and seeke after leasing Know this that the Lord hath set apart his Holy one He cryes out How long he cryes out Know this whereas I so long ignorant have loved vanity and sought after leasing yea I both heard and trembled because it was spoken vnto such as I remeÌ„bred my selfe somtimes to haue beene For verily in those Phantasticall fictions which I once held for truths was there both vanity and leasing wherefore I roared out many things sorrow fully strangely whilst I grieued at what I now remembred All which I wish they had heard who yet loue vanity and seeke after leasing They would perchance haue beene troubled and haue vomitted vp their poyson and to Thou mightest haue heard them when they cryed vnto thee for Hee died a true death in the flesh for vs who now maketh intercession vnto thee for vs. I further reade 〈◊〉 angry and sinne not And how was I moued O my God I who had then learned to bee angry at my selfe for things passed that I might not sinne in time to come Yea to bee iustly angry for that it was not any other nature of a different kinde of darknesse without me which sinned as the Manichees affirme it to bee who are not angry at themselues and who treasure vp wrath against the day of wrath and of the renelation of the iust iudgement of God Nor indeede was my Good without me nor to be caught with the eyes of flesh vnder the Sunne seeing they that will take ioy in any thing without themselues doe easily become vayne and spill themselues vpon those things which are seene and are but temporally yea and with their hunger-starued thoughts like their very shadowes And oh that they were once wearied out with their hunger and come once to say Who will shew vs day good Let vs say so and let them heare The light of thy countenance is lifted vp vpon vs. For wee our selues are not that light which enlighteneth euery man that commeth into the world but wee are enlightened by thee as who hauing beene some times darknesse may now be light in thee 5. O that they might once 〈◊〉 that Eternall Eightâ—â— which for that my selfe had once tasted I guashed my â—â—th at them because I was not able to make them see it 〈◊〉 not though they should 〈◊〉 mee their heart in their 〈◊〉 eyes which are euer 〈◊〉 from thee that so 〈◊〉 might say Who will shew 〈◊〉 good 〈…〉 euen 〈◊〉 was 〈…〉 selfe in my chamber being inwardly pricked there offering my sacrifice there also my old man and the meditation of my newnesse of life now begunne in mee putting my trust in thee There begannest thou to grow sweete vnto me and to put gladnesse in my heart And I cryed out as I read this outwardly finding this gladnesse inwardly Nor would I bee any more encreased with worldly goods wasting away my time and being wasted by these temporall things whereas I had in thy eternall simplicity a store layd vp of Corne and Wine and Oyle 6. And with alowd cry of my heart called I out in the next verse O in peace O for that same peace O what sayd hee I will lay â—â—â— downe and sleeps 〈…〉 hinder vs when 〈…〉 saying shall be brought to passe which is written Death is swallowed vp in victory And thou surpassingly â—t that same Rest thou who art not changed and in thee is that Rest which forgets all 〈◊〉 labours nor is there any other besides thee no nor hast thou appointed mee to seeke after those many other things which art not the same that thou art but thou Lord after a speciall manner hast made mee dwell in hope These things I read and burnt againe nor could I tell what to do to those deafe and dead Manichees of whom my selfe was sometimes a pestilent member asnarling and a blind 〈◊〉 against thy Scriptures all behonyed ouer with the 〈◊〉 of heauen and all lightsome with thine owne light yea I consumed away with zeale at the enemies of these Scriptures when as I cald to minde euery thing that I had done in those dayes of my retirement 7. Nor haue I yet forgotten neyther will I passe in silence the smartnesse of thy scourge and the wonderfull swiftnesse of thy mercy Thou didst in those dayes torment me with the Tooth-ach which when it had growne so fierce vpon me that I was not able to speake it came into my heart to desire my friends present to pray for me vnto thee the God of all manner of health And this I wrote in waxe and gaue it to them to read Immediately so soone as with an humble deuotion wee had bowed our knees that payne went away But what payne or how went it away I was much affrayed O my Lord my God seeing from mine infancy I had neuer felt the like And thou gauest me a secret Item by this how powerfull thy Beck was for which I much reioycing in sayth gaue praise vnto thy name And that sayth suffered mee not to bee secure in the remembrance of my forepassed sinnes which hitherto were not for giuen mee by thy Baptisme CHAP. 5. Ambrose directs him what bookes to read 1. AT the end of the vintage I gaue the Citizens of Millane faire warning to prouide their schollers of another Master to sell words to them for that I had made choyce to serue thee and for that by reason of my difficulty of breathing and the paine in my brest I was not able to goe on in the Professorship And by letters I signified to that Prelate of thine the holy man Ambrose my former errors and presentresolution desiring him to aduise mee what part of thy Scriptures were best for my reading to make me readier and fitter for the receyuing of so great a grace He recommended Esaias the Prophet to mee for this reason I beleeue for that hee is a more cleare foreshewer of the Gospell and of the calling of the Gentiles then are the rest of the Prophets But I not vnderstanding the first part of him and imagining all the rest to bee like that layd it by intending to fall to it againe when I were better practized in our Lords
kindly to mee call'd mee a dutyfull Child remembring with great affection of loue how that shee neuer heard any harsh word or reproachfull tearme to come out of my mouth against her But for all this O my God that madest vs both what comparison is there betwixt that honour that I performe to her and that carefull painefulnesse of hers to mee Because therefore I was left thus destitute of so great a comfort was my very soule wounded yea and my life torne in pieces as it were which had beene made one out of hers and mine together 3 That boy now being stilled from weeping Euodius tooke vp the Psalter and began to sing the whole house answering him the 101 Psalme I will sing of mercy and iudgement vnto thee O Lord. But when it was once heard what we were a doing there came together very many Brethren and religious women and whilest they whose office it was were as the manner is taking order for the buriall my selfe in a part of the house where most conueniently I could together with those who thought it not fit to leaue mee discoursed vpon something which I thought fittest for the time by applying of which playster of truth did I asswage that inward torment knowne onely vnto thy selfe though not by them perceiued who very attentiuely listning vnto me conceiued me to be without all sense of sorrow But in thy eares where none of them ouer heard me did I blame the weakenesse of my passion and refraine my flood of grieuing which giuing way a little vnto mee did for all that breake forth with his wonted violence vpon me though not so far as to burst out into teares nor to any great change of countenance yet know I well enough what I kept downe in my heart And for that it very much offended me that these human respects had such power ouer mee which must in their due order and out of the Fatality of our naturall condition of necessity come to passe I condoled mine owne sorrow with a new grieuing being by this meanes afflicted with a double sorrow 4. And behold when as the Corps was carried to the Burial we both went returned without teares For neither in those Prayers which we powred forth vnto Thee whenas the Sacrifice of our Redemption was offered vp vnto thee for her the Corps standing by the Graues side before it was put into the ground as the manner there is did I so much as shed a teare all the Prayer time yet was I most grieuously sad in secrete and with a troubled minde did I begge of thee so well as I could that thou wouldst mitigate my sorrow which for all that thou diddest not recommending I beleeue vnto my memory by this one experiment That the too strict bond of all humane conuersation is much preiudiciall vnto that soule which now feeds vpon thy not deceiuing Word It would I thought doe me some good to goe and bathe my selfe and that because I had heard the Bath to take his name from the Greekes calling of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for that it driues sadnesse out of the minde And this I also confesse vnto thy mercy O father of the fatherlesse because that after I had bathed I was the same man I was before and that the bitternesse of my sorrow could not bee swette out of my heart 5. I fell to sleepe vpon it and vpon my waking I found my griefe to bee not a little abated Wherevpon lying in my bed alone there came to my mind those true verses of thy Ambrose For thou art the God that all things doest create Who know'st the Heauens to moderate And cloath'st the day with beautious light With benefit of sleepe the night Which may our weakned sinewes make Able new paynes to vndertake And all our tyred minds well ease And our distempered griefes appease And then againe by little and little as feelingly as before calling to mind thy handmayd her deuout and holy conuersation towards Thee her pleasing and most obseruant behauiour towards Vs of which too suddenly I was now depriued it gaue mee some content to weepein thy sight both concerning her and for her concerning my selfe and for my selfe And I gaue way to these teares which I before restreined to ouer flow as much as they desired laying them for a pillow vnder my heart and resting my selfe vpon them for there were thy eares and not the eares of man who would haue scornefully interpreted this my weeping 6. But now in writing I confesse it vnto thee O Lord read it who will and interpret it how he will and if hee finds me to haue offended in bewailing my mother so small a portion of an houre that mother I say now dead and departed from mine eyes who had so many yeeres wept for me that I might liue in thine eyes let him not deride me but if he be a man of any great charity let him rather weepe for my sinnes vnto Thee the Father of all the brethren of thy Christ CHAP. 13. Hee prayeth for his dead mother 1. BVt my heart now cured of that wound for which it might bee blamed for a carnall kinde of affection I powre out vnto Thee O our God in behalfe of that handmayd of thine a farre different kind of teares such as flowed from a broken spirit out of a serious consideration of the danger of euery soule that dyeth in Adam And notwithstanding she for her part being quickened in Christ euen before her dissolution from the flesh had so liued that there is cause to prayse Thy name both for her sayth and conuersation yet dare I not say for all this that from the time of thy regenerating her by baptisme there issued not from her mouth any one word or other against thy commandement Thy Sonne who is Truth hath pronounc'd it Whosoeuer shall say vnto his brother Thou foole shall bee in danger of Hell fire In so much as woe bee vnto the most commendable life of men if laying aside thy mercy thou shouldest rigorously examine it But because thou too narrowly inquiredst not after sinnes wee assuredly hope to finde some place of pardon with thee But whosoeuer stands to reckon vp his owne Merits vnto Thee what reckons hee vp vnto thee but thine owne gifts Oh that men would know thēselues to be but men that he that glorieth would glory in the Lord. 2. I therefore O my praise and my life thou God of my heart laying aside for a while her good deedes for which with reioycing I giue thanks vnto thee doe now beseech thee for the sinnes of my mother Hearken vnto mee by him I intreate thee that is the true medicine of our wounds who hung vpon the tree and now sitting at thy right hand maketh intercession for vs. I know that shee hath doalt mercifully and to haue from her very heart forgiuen those that trespassed against her doe thou also
wee had notice of wee should not with so certaine a will desire it 3. But what is this If two men bee askt whether they would goe to the warres one perchance would answere that hee would and the other that he would not but if both were askt whether they would bee happy both of them would without all doubting affirme that they desire it nor for any other reason would this man goe to the warres and the other not but to bee happy For perchance because that as one man reioyces vpon this occasion and another vpon that so doe all men agree in their desire of being happy euen as they would agree it they were asked whether they desired to haue occasion of reioycing this very ioy being the thing which they call the blessed life and that ioy though one man obtaines by one meanes and another man by another meanes yet is this the thing agreed vpon that they all striue to attaine vnto namely that they may reioyce which for that it is a thing which no man can rightly say but that hee hath had some experience of being therfore sound in the memory is it called to knowledge wheneuer the name of a blessed life is mentioned CHAP. 22. True ioy is this blessed life 1. FArre be it O Lord farre be it from the heart of thy seruant who heere confesseth vnto thee farre be it from me to imagine that for euery ioy that I reioyce withall I should be made happy For there is a ioy which is not granted vnto the vngodly but vnto those onely which loue thee for thine owne sake whose ioy thy selfe art And this is the blessed life to reioyce vnto thee concerning thee and for thy sake this is the happy life and there is no other As for them that thinke there is another they pursue another ioy which is not the true one Howeuer their minde is not vtterly turned aside from some kind of resemblance of reioycing CHAP. 23. Ablessed life what and where it is 1. IT is not certaine therefore that all men desire to bee happy for that those who haue no desire to reioyce in thee which to doe is the onely happy life doe not verily desire the happy life Surely all meÌ„ desire this but because the flesh lusteth against the Spirit and the Spirite against the flesh that they cannot do what they would doe they fall vpon that which they are able to doe resting themselues contented therewith For because that they are not able to doe they doe not will so earnestly as were sufficient thorowly to make them able For I demand of euery man whether they had rather reioyce in the truth or in the falsehood They will as little doubt to say In the truth as they would to say that they desire to be happy For a happy life is a ioying in the truth For this is a ioying in thee who art the truth O God my light the health of my countenance and my God This is the blessed life that all desire this life which is only blessed doe all desire to ioy in the truth is all mens desire I haue had experience of diuers that would deceiue but not a man that would willingly be deceiued Where therefore gaynd they the knowledge of this happy life but euen there where they learned the truth also yea verily they loue this truth for that they would not be deceiued whenas they loue a happy life which is nothing else but a ioying in the truth then also doe they loue the truth which yet they would not loue were there not some notice of it remayning in their memory 2. Wherefore then ioy they not in it why are they not blessed euen because they are more strongly taken vp with other things which haue more power to make them miserable then that hath to make them happy which they remember so little of For there is a dimme glimmering of light yet vn-put-out in men let them walke let them walke that the darknesse ouertake them not Why now should truth bring forth hatred and thy Minister become enemy vnto them whom hee preaches the truth vnto when as a happy life is loued which is nothing else but a ioying in the truth vnlesse the reason bee because truth is in that kinde loued that all which loue any other thing would gladly haue that to bee the truth which they so loue who because they would not willingly bee deceiued would not therefore be conuinced of a falsehood Therefore doe they hate the truth for the same reason which they loue instead of the truth They loue truth when it enlightens them but they hate it when it reprehends them For because they would not willingly bee deceiued and fayne would deceiue doe they loue it when it discouers it selfe vnto them but they hate it when it discouers them to others But thus shall it pay them in their owne coyne because those who would not haue themselues discouered by it euen those in despite of their teeth shall it vncase and yet not reueale it selfe vnto them Thus thus yea very thus yea iust thus desires this pore-blinde this lazie this slouenly and this ill-behau'd minde of man to muffle vp it selfe from the view of others but that any thing should bee conceald from it it desires not But the quite contrary does befall it for that it cannot lye vndiscouered from the truth but the truth shall bee veyld vp from it Yet this minde of man not withstanding euen thus wretched as it is takes ioy rather in truths then in falsehoods Happy therefore shall it one day bee if no distraction interloping it shall settle its onely ioy vpon that Truth by which all things else are true CHAP. 24. That the memory containeth God too SEE now how I haue coursed ouer all my memory in search of thee O Lord and no where could I find thee without it Nor haue I found any thing at all concerning thee but what I haue kept in memory euer since the time that I first learnt thee nor haue I euer forgotten thee since the houre I first learnt thee for where I sound Truth there found I my God who is the truth it selfe which from the time I first learnt it haue I not forgotten Since therefore I learnd to know thee hast thou still kept in my memory and there doe I finde thee when euer I call thee to remembrance and delight my selfe in thee These be my holy delights which thou hast bestowed vpon me through thy mercy which had respect vnto my pouerty CHAP. 25. In what degree of the memory God is found 1. BVt whereabouts in my memory is thy residence O Lord where about there abidest thou what kiâ— of lodging hast thou there fâ—â—med for thy selfe r what manner of Sanctuary hast thou builded for thy selfe Thou hast afforded this honour vnto my memory as to reside in it but in what quarter of it that am I now considering vpon For I haue
strengtheneth me See here a souldiour indeed of thy celestiall armies on not of the same moulds that wee are made of but remember Lord that wee are dust and that of dust thou hast made man who was lost and is found Nor yet could Hee doe this of his owne power because hee was of the same dust him I meane whom I did so heartily loue for this saying by thy inspiration I can doe all things sayth hee through him that strengtheneth me Strengthen me that I may be able giue what thou commandest and command what thou wilt Euen S. Paul confesses to haue receiued and when hee glorieth in the Lord hee glorieth Another also haue I heard begging of thee Turne from mee sayth he the greedynesse of the belly By which it appeareth O my holy God that the power is of thy giuing when any thing is done which thou commandest to bee done Thou hast taught mee good Father that Vnto the pure all things are pure but that it is euill vnto the man that eateth with offence And that euery Creature of thine is good and nothing to bee refused which is receiued with thankesgiuing And that meate commendeth vs not to God And that no man ought to iudge vs in meat or drinke And that hee which eateth Let him not despise him that eateth not and let not him that eateth not iudge him that eateth These things haue I learned thankes and prayse bee to thee therefore my God and Master euen to thee that knockest at the doore of mine eares the enlightener of my heart doe thou deliuer mee out of all temptation 6. It is not any vncleannesse in the meate which I feare but the vncleannesse of mine owne gurmandizing I know that liberty was granted vnto Noah to eate of all kinde of flesh that was good for foode That Eliah was fedde with flesh that Iohn Baptist endued with an admirable abstinence was not polluted by those liuing creatures the Locusts which were granted him to feede vpon And on the other side I know that Esau was deceiued by longing after the potage of Lintels and that Dauid was blamed by himselfe for desiring a draught of water and that our King was tempted not concerning flesh but bread and the people in the wildernesse therefore deserued to bee reprooued not so much for desiring flesh but for murmuring against the Lord out of a lust to lickorish meats My selfe therefore amidst these temptations doe striue dayly against mine owne appetite of eating and drinking For t is not of such a nature as that I am able to resolue to cut my selfe short of it once for all and neuer to touch it afterward as I was able to doe concerning carnall copulation The brydle of the throat therefore is to be held betweene a temperate slacknesse and a stiffenesse and who is he O Lord that is not some whit transported beyond the lists of necessity what euer hee is a great man hee is and let him magnifie thy name for it But for mine owne part I am not the man for that I am a sinner Yet doe I magnifie thy name too yea and Her makes intercession to thee for my sinnes who hath ouercome the world who accounts mee among the weake members of his body because thine eyes haue seene my substance being yet vnperfect and in thy booke were all my members written CHAP. 32. Of our delight in smelling 1. AS for the tempting delight of sweete-smels I am not too much taken with it When I misse them I doe not seeke them when I may haue them I doe not refuse them yea alwayes indifferent I am alwayes to bee without them At least to my selfe I seeme to bee though perchance deceiued I may bee For euen that naturall darkenesse is much to be lamented wherein the knowledge of mine owne abilities so farre lies concealed as that when my soule makes enquiry into her selfe concerning her owne powers it conceyues it not safe too lightly to giue credit vnto it selfe because that what is already in it lâ—es many times so closely muffled vp as nothing but experience can reueale it nor ought any man to bee secure in this lift which may well bee called one continued temptation whether that hee whom it hath beene possible of worse to make better may not likewise of better be made worse againe Our onely hope our onely confidence the onely assured promise that we haue is thy mercy CHAP. 33. The pleasures taken in hearing 1. THe delights of mine cares verily haue heretofore more strongly inucigled and ingaged mee but thou hast brought me off and freed mee Yet still at hearing of those Ayers which thy words breat he soule into wheÌ„as they are sung with a well tuned and a well-gouerned voyce I doe I confesse receiue a little contentment not so great though as that I am enchanted by it but that I can goe away when I please But yet for all this that those Ayers may together with these words by vertue of which they receiue life gaine full admission with mee doe they aspire to be entertained into a place of no meane honour in this heart of mine Nor can I scarce affoord them a roome be fitting for them At another time forsooth doe I seeme to my selfe to attribute more respect vnto them then is seemely yea euen whilest together with those sacred ditties I perceiue these mindes of ours to bee farre more religiously and zealously blown vp vnto a flame of deuotion whenas these ditties are thus sung then they would haue been had they not been so sung yea and I perceiue withall how that the seuerall affections of our spirit according to a sweete variety haue their proper Moodes answerable to them in the voyce and singing by I know not what secret familiarity whereof they bee stirred vp 2. But this contentment of my flesh vnto which it is not fit to giue ouer my soule to bee effeminated doeth very oft beguile mee when namely the sence goes not so respectfully along with the reason that it can with any patience endure to come behinde it but vpon this consideration onely that because Reason for the Sences sake gaynd admission therefore would the contentment of the Sence euen runne before Reason and bee her leader Thus in these things I sometimes sinne by surprize but afterwards I finde mine owne fault Againe at another time thorough an indiscreete wearynesse of being inueigled doe I erre out of too precise a seuerity yea very fierce am I sometimes in the desire of hauing the melody of all pleasant Musicke to which Dauids Psalter is so often sung banished both from mine owne eares and out of the whole Church too yea and the safer way it seem'd vnto mee which I remember to haue beene often told me of Athanasius Bishop of Alexandria who caused the Reader of the Psalme to sound it forth with so little warbling
therefore to bee deluded For they being high-minded haue sought thee in the pride of their learning strutting out rather then knocking vp on their brests and so by the agreement of their heart haue they drawne vnto themselues the Princes of the Ayre their fellow conspirators in pride by whom through the force of Magick they were decerued euen while they sought for a Mediator by whom they might bee purged but there was none to be found For the diuel it was transfiguring now himselfe into an Angel of light 2. Many wayes therefore was hee able to entice proud flesh for that him selfe was not of any fleshly body For fleshly men were mortall and sinnefulli but thou Lord to whom they this proud way sought to be reconciled art immortall and without sinne A mediator now betweene God and man must haue something like vnto God and something like vnto men lest that being like vnto man in both natures he should be too farre vnlike God or if like vnto God in both natures hee should be too farre vnlike vnto men and so be a Mediator neyther way That deceitfull Mediator therfore by whom in thy secret iudgement mans pride deserued to be deluded hath one thing indeed common with himselfe to men and that 's Sinne and desires to seem to communicate in another thing with God that because hee is not cloathed with any mortality of flesh he might thereby vaunt himselfe to bee immortall But for that the wages of sin is death this hath he common to himselfe with men for which he might together with them â—â— condemned vnto death CHAP. 43. Christ onely in the all-sufficient Intercessor 1. BVt the true Mediator whom out of thy secret mercy thou hast shewed forth vnto the humble and whom thou sentest that by his example they might learne the true humility that Mediator therefore betweene God and man the man Christ Iesus appeared betwixt mortall sinners and the immortall Iust One being mortall as men and iust like God that because the reward of righteousnesse is life and peace hee might by his righteousnesse which was ioyned to God make voyd the death of as many of the wicked as were by him iustified which death his will was to haue common both to them and him Hee was shewed forth vnto Holy men of old to the intent that they might be saued through sayth in his passion to come like as wee are through sayth of it already passed For how farre-forth he was a man so far-forth was hee a Mediator but so farre-forth as he is the Word hee is not meerely midway to God because he is equall vnto God and God with God together with the Holy Ghost one God 2. How hast thou loued vs O good Father that hast not spared thine onely Sonne but hast deliuered him vnto death for vs wicked men how hast thou loued vs for whom Hee that thought it no robbery to bee equall with God was made subiect vnto death euen the death of the crosse hee that was onely free among the dead that had power to lay downe his life and power to take it againe for vs was hee vnto thee both the Conquerour and the Sacrifice yea and therefore the Conquerour because the Sacrifice for vs was hee vnto thee both Priest and Sacrifice and therefore the Priest because the Sacrifice of slaues making vs thy children by being borne of thee and by becomming a seruant vnto vs. Deseruedly therefore is my hope strongly setled vpon him that thou wilt by him cure all my infirmities euen by him that sits at thy right hand and maketh intercession for vs whereas otherwise I should despaire vtterly For many and great are those infirmities of mine yea many they are and great but thy medicine is more soueraigne 3. Imagine we might that thy Word was farre enough from being vnited with man and so despayre of our selues vnlesse It had beene made flesh and dwelt amongst vs. Affrighted thus with mine owne sinnes the burthen of mine owne misery I cast these thoughts in my heart bethinking my selfe of fleeing into the Wildernesse but thou for baddest me and strengthenedst mee saying Therefore Christ dyed for all that they which liue may now no longer liue vnto themselues but vnto him that dyed for them See Lord I hence forth cast all my care vpon thee that I may liue and consider the wonderfull things of thy law Thou knowest both my vnskilfulnesse and my infirmities Oh teach me and heale mee That onely Sonne of thine in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdome and knowledge hath redeemed mee with his blood Let not the proud speake euill of mee now for that I meditate vpon the price of my redemption and do eate drink and giue vnto the poore and being poore my selfe desire to be filled by him amongst those that eate and are satisfied and they shall praise the Lord who seeke him The end of the tenth Booke Saint Augustines Confessions The eleuenth Booke CHAP. 1. Why we confesse vnto God who knowes all CAnst thou that art the Lord of all eternity be ignorant of what I say vnto thee or doest thou see but for a time that which passeth in time To what end then doe I lay in order before thee so many â—arrations not to this end doe I it that thou mightest come to know them vpon my relation but there by to stirre vp mine owne and my Readers deuotions towards thee that wee may say all together Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised Now haue I sayd and againe say it I will For the loue of thy loue make I this Confession For we vse to pray also and yet Truth it selfe hath sayd Your Father knoweth what you haue neede of before you aske T is our affection therefore which wee hereby lay open vnto thee while wee confesse our owne miseries and thy mercies vpon vs that thou mightest thorowly set vs free seeing already thou hast begun to make vs leaue to bee wretched in our selues and to be happy in thee seeing thou hast called vs that wee may become poore in spirit and meeke and mournfull and bungry and thirsty after righteousnesse and mercifull and pure in heart and peace-makers See I haue told thee many things such as I could and such I was desirous to doe because thou desirest first that I should confesse vnto my Lord God For thou art good and that thy mercy endureth for euer CHAP. 2. He sueth to be deliuered from his sinnes and errors and to bee guided vnto the true knowledge 1. BVt when shall I bee able with the pen of my tongue to set forth all thy Exhortations and all thy terrors and comforts and directions by which thou hast brought mee vp to bee a Preacher of thy Werd and a Dispencer of thy Sacrament vnto thy people If I now bee able to declare these things to thee in order the very
euery thing is it that discouers the time of it but that matter was sometimes without forme but is now obserued to bee together in time with its forme And yet is there not any thing to bee sayd of that matter but as if it were its forme in respect of time whenas indeede it is considered of as the latter of the two Because doubtlesse better are things that haue forme then things that haue no forme yea they haue precedence in the eternity of the Creator that so there might be something out of nothing of which somewhat might be created CHAP. 30. The Scriptures are to be searched with honourable respect vnto the Penman 1. IN this diuersity of most true opinions let Truth it selfe procure reconcilement And our God haue mercy vpon vs that wee may vse the law lawfully the end of the Commandement being pure Charity By this if a man now demaunds of me which of all these was the meaning of thy seruant Moses such discourses were not fit to be put among my Confessions should I not confesse vnto thee I cannot tell and yet this I can tell That they are all true senses those carnall ones excepted of which I haue fully spoken mine opinion As for those little ones of good hopes them doe not the words of thy Bible terrifie which deliuer high my steries in so humble a phrase few things in so copious an expression And as for all those whom I confesse both to haue seene and spoken the truth deliuered in those words let vs loue one another yea and ioyntly together let vs loue thee our God the fountayne of truth if so bee our thirst bee after truth and not after vanities yea let vs in such manner honour this seruant of thine the dispencer of this Scripture so full of thy Spirit that wee may beleeue him when by thy reuelation he wrote these things to haue bent his intentions vnto that sense in them which principally excels the rest both for light of truth and fruitfullnesse of profit CHAP. 31. Truth is to be receiued whoeuer speakes it 1. SO now when another shall say Moses meant as I doe and another Yea the very same that I doe I suppose that with more religion I may say Why meant hee not as you both meane if you both meane truely And if there may bee a third truth or a fourth yea if any other man may discouer any other trueth in those words why may not Hee bee beleeued to haue seene all these Hee by whose ministery GOD that is but One hath tempered these holy Scriptures to the meanings of a many that were both to see true and yet diuerse things For mine owne part verily and fearelessely I speake it from my heart that were I to endite any thing that should attayne the highest Top of authority I would choose to write in such a strayne as that my words might carry the sound of any trueth with them which any man were apprehensiue of concerning these matters rather then so clearely to set downe one true sence onely concerning some one particular as that I should thereby exclude all such other sences which being not false could no waies offend mee I will not therefore O my God be so heady as not to beleeue that this a man obtained not thus much at thy hands Hee without doubt both perceiued and was aduised of in those words whenas hee wrote them what trueth soeuer wee haue beene able to finde in them yea and whatsoeuer we haue not heretofore beene able no nor yet are prouided that this trueth bee possible to bee found in them at all CHAP. 32. He prayes to obtaine the right meaning 1. LAstly O Lord thou that art a God and not flesh and blood what though a man should not see all yet could any part of that be concealed from thy good Spirit who shall leade me into the land of vprightnesse which thou thy selfe wert by those words to reueale vnto the Readers of all times to come notwithstanding that he that deliuered vs these words might among many true meaning pitche his thoughts perchance vpon one onely Which if so it bee let that meaning then bee granted to bee more excellent then the rest But doe thou O Lord eyther reueale that very same vnto vs or any other true one which thou pleasest that so whether thou discouerest the same vnto vs which thou diddest vnto that seruant of thine or else some other by occasion of those words yet do thou thy selfe edifie vs and let not error deceiue vs. 2. Behold now O Lord my God how much we haue written vpon a few words yea how much I beseech thee What strength of ours yea what ages would bee sufficient to goe ouer all thy bookes in this manner Giue mee leaue therefore brieflyer now to confesse vnto thee concerning them and to make choyce of some one true certaine and good sense that thou shalt inspire mee withall yea and if many such sences shall offer themselues vnto mee where many safely may leaue them also to bee confessed by mee that I may at length preach the same which thine owne minister intended both rightly and most profitably for that is the thing which my duty is to endeauor which if I may not attayne vnto yet let mee preach that which by those words thy Truth was pleased to tell mee which sometimes reuealed also vnto him that which it pleased The end of the twelfth booke Saint Augustines Confessions The Thirteenth Booke CHAP. 1 He calleth vpon God 1. I Call vpon thee O my God my mercy vpon thee that createdst me and who hast not forgotten him that had forgotten thee I enuite thee into my soule which by a desire that thy selfe inspireth into her thou now preparest to entertayne thee Forsake mee not now when I call vpō thee whō thou preuentest before I call'd hauing beene earnest with mee with much variety of repeating calls that I would heare thee from a far and suffer my selfe to be conuerted and call at length vpon thee that now calledst after me For thou Lord hast blotted out all my euill dseeruings left thou shouldest bee forced to take vengeance vpon my hands wherewith I haue fallen off from thee and thou hast Preuented all my well deseruings too that thou mightest returne a recompence vnto thine owne hands with which thou madest mee because that before I was Thou art Nor was I any thing vpon which thou mightest bestow the fauour to cause mee to bee and yet behold I now am meerely out of thine owne goodnesse preuenting both all this which thou hast made mee and all that too whereof thou hast made mee For thou neyther hadst any neede of mee nor yet am I of such good vse as any wayes to bee helpefull vnto my Lord and God nor am I made to be so assistant to thee with my seruice as to keepe thee from tyring in thy working or for feare thy power might
16. Gen. 1. 9. Here the Popish Translater notes That Truth is a Catholicke benediction I allow it if he excepts Roman Ioh. 8. 44. a T is a maruell that my Papist put not in some Romish pinacle higher then that the diuell set our Sauior on to ouertop this height of the Scriptures authority What neuer a marginall note out against the Scriptures that 's maruaile a See here â—e one part of the Angels office who are Ministring spirites to the heyres of saluation Heb. 13. 14 b Origine * Tunelesse noyses a Here my M. S. and Sommalius copy well reades it Per saciendi potentiam whereas other Editions haue it â—erfioiendi potentia 1 Tm. 1. 8. * This is the third time that St Austen hath giuen the Scriptures this stile and neuer mentioned any subiection of the Scriptures vnto the Church which the Papist would so fayne haue a Moses Ps 143. 10. a My M. S. reades it Easine confessionimeae and not Ea fide confessionimeae as the Printed copies doe b Mala merita bona Merita If Merita in the Fathers must needes signifie merites why did not my Papist here tanslate it Euilt merits and good merits The word anciently signifies seruice or deseruings good or bad If God prevents vs how can wee in a proper strict sence be sayd to merit of him and if the Recompence bee due to God where 's your condignity or confidence to be recompe need for yout merits Eph. 5. 8. Psol 36. 6 1 Cor. 12. 21. Eph. 3 19. b This sentence was most generally in the Church-seruice and communion Nor is there scarce any one old Liturgy but hath it Sursum cordas Habâ—mus addominum psal 69. 2. psal 84. 5. * The Holy Ghost and not a furious blind zeale psal 122. 1. * The Angels Iohâ— 1. 9. Rom. 6. 17. Psal 36. 6. Math. 3. 2. 2 His conceit here in putting Repentance and light together is for that Baptisme was anciently called illumination as Heb 6. 4 Psa 42. 6. a Christ Phil. 2. 6 7 Eph. 5 8. 1 Cor. 5. 7 Rom. 8. 24 Psal 42. 7. 1 Cor. 3. 1 Phil. 3. 13 Psal 42. 1 1 Cor. 5. 1. b Vpon mankind Rom. 12. 2 1. Cor. l 4. 20. Gal. 3. 1. Acts 2. Ephe. 4 â— Psal 46. 4 Iohn 3. 29 Rom. 8. 13 a One deepe calls vpon another mans misery vpon Gods mercie Other Scriptures as Apoc 14. 2. by waters vnderstand the people b 2 Cor. 11. 3. where St. Austen read castitate in steade of Simplicitat These words with others before would the Popish Translator wrest as if spoken by St. aul now in heauen and praying for and sauing of soules whereas they bee onely the Confession of St. Austens owne zeale borowed out of St. aul's words 1 Ioh. 3. 2. Apoc. 7. 17 Ps 42. 4 5. Ps 119. 105 Esa 26. 20 Eph. 2. 3. Eph. 5. 8. Rom 8. 10 Cant. 2. 17 Psal 42. 11 Rom. 8. 11 * Here the popish Translater fals foule vpon the Caluenists for affirming their Church to consist onely of the Elect. He should haue done well to haue quoted some Author Mr. Caluin himselfe sayth onely That the church properly consists of the Elect. though many wicked be of the outward Church with whom he sayth wee are commanded to hold communion Institut lib. 4. c. 1. §. 7. Rom. 9. 21 Apoc. 6. 14 The Popish Translaters note That by men the Scriptures came to haue authority ouer vs is false vnlesse men made the Firmament mans nay the Penmans authority is here called Ministery and that 's seruice not true authority Nay the next words shew that mans authority obscured the Scriptures authority which was eminenter after the Penmen were dead a Adam and Eue. a Here is my papist forced to confesse the Scriptures to be aboue all humane authority and that the churches power is but to declare which be Scriptures Psal 36. 5 Mat. 24. 3 Eay 40. 6 8. 1 Cor. 13. 12 1 Iohn 3. 2 Cant 2. 9. 1 Iohn 3. 2 Psal 143. 6 Psal 36. 9 a Here the other Translater mistoole a a little in turning it Bitter waters Genes 1. 9 Psal 143. 6 Psal 95. 6 a St. Austen still alludes to the manner of the creation Gen. 1 His meaning is that we should not onely doe slightly for our neighbour as we doe for an herb which hauing feede in it selfe needs but our setting but be like a tree to him affoord him fruite strength and shadow Psa 85. 11 Gen. 1. 12 Esay 58 7 2 Cor. 5. 17 Rom. 13. 11 12. Pal 65. 11 Math 9 38 Ma. 13. 3 Gen. 1. 16 1 Cor. 12. 8 10. a Sacraments are here taken in the largest signification b Moses sayth the other Translater St. Paul say I. The phrase is St. Pauls 1 Cor. 3. 1 a He alludes to the Primitiue practice which admitted not their Catechumenos or vnbaptized to heare the higher poynts of religion handled till they were enlightened that is baptized yet these he aduised to rest contented with their catecheticall knowledge The other Translater is puzled Esay 1 16 He alludes to the Sacrament of Baptisme Gen. 1. 11 30. Here the other Translater misread his copy populi for pabuli and mis poynts the next sentence Mat. 19. 16 17 a Here my papist foysts in the word Counsayle into St. Austens words very fayne would he countenance the popish vow of pouerly which they say is counsayled though not commanded Mat. 13. 7. 1 Cor. 1. 27 Rom. 10. 5 Psal 19. 2. Acts. 2. 2. These Allegories had some meaning against the Manichees seeing in his booke de Genesi contra Manichaeos they be againe repeated which see * Now what will the papists say to this most cleare authority of the Scripture Doe the popish Emissaries fly hither vnder this or with this authority No but rather with the popes Nay fly they not contrary to this authority If not why doe they so much complayne of and vilyfie the Scripture where its authority serues not their turnes Psal 19. 4. * I he same sentence may Râ—scius Act and Cicero describe seuerall waies a 1 Hoe aludes to Baptisme in water accompanyed with the Word of the Gospell of the Institution whereof mans misery was the occasion Hee meanes that Baptisme which is the Sacrament of Initiation was not so profitable without the Lords Supper which the Ancients called the Sacrament of perfection or consummation Gen. 1. 20 Gen. 2. 7. a Baptisme which is necessary generally though not alwaies and particularly where the meanes are not And the Schoole-men teach that Martyrdome and an earnest desire doe counteruaile the want of Baptisme 1 Cor. 14. 22 Psal 24. 2 Gods messengers a Hee meanes Christ the first letters of whose â—ames did in Sybiles Acrosticke verses make vp the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A Fish He was also resembled by Ionas drawn out of the Fish and Deepe And himselfe was raysed from the Graue and Hell He is fed vpon