city which heretofore have brought vs in sustenance Shall we refuse to feed these in the time of need and scarcity which all our lives time haue fed vs To bee punctuall and to touch what is present and now prefixed before our eyes how great and without number are the things It derogates from the honour of Christian religion and the power of the Gospell to beleeve that because strangers dwel among us we our selves shall want provision which at this very instance are supplied by them to our no small comfort and commodity e Deutr. 8.3 Man liveth not by bread only Manna was a light food and yet the Lord gave strength to it to nourish above the best graine the fattest flesh-pots of Egypt To feed few or many with little or much is all one to him that is All-sufficient of himselfe Among them remaines our family and for the most part of them they are our parents and progenitors But it is to bee feared lest in banishing them upon distrust of Gods all-sufficient providence in relieving so great a multitude wee being few may fall into the same lapse of distresse and bring thereby poverty and pinching hunger upon our selves For first the extending of mercy was never a detriment to any but ever an adjument to him whosoever he hath beene that hath exhibited the same Moreover the provision of corne wee are to impart to them let them make good to us by way of commutation and exchange according to the worth thereof in gold Is it so I pray you that these being sent away others must be bought with our money to till our grounds how much cheaper therefore is it for us to feed these then to buy others and feed them also Where maist thou find to furnish and fill up their places with the like where canst thou procure whom thou maist thus conforme to thy will so reforme bring to thy hand keepe under obedience make benefit of as thou dost of these Some thou maist get to fill up the number ignorantly to undertake looking rather for their wages then to thy worke but inexpert in the businesse of imploiment unable to manage the affaires of husbandrie What needs any larger discourse The gold of the stranger collated for it may bee in stead of the graine of our fields spent for their maintenance For so a revenew is regained into our treasurie Now in thus determining this holy Senior in his sage wisdome diminished not the stocke of the city yet subministred victuall sufficient for the stranger How laudable therefore was this his service to men but how much more acceptable to God f Deutr. 10.18 who loveth the stranger and giveth him food and raiment This great man deserveth great loue true approbation and shewing him the people of the whole Province might truly say to the Emperour All these have I reserved for thee these live by the benefit of thy Senate those this thy Court hath delivered from death How much more beneficiall was this to the Common-weale then that which was last of all concluded at Rome upon the like occasion where the strangers were cast out of the famous city and all of them with their children compelled to depart with weeping eyes Though they had spent the greater part of their dayes there and that with the good liking of the citizens though they deplored no lesse their unexpected banishment suddenly interrupted friendship violated affinity then if they had beene naturally borne inhabitants yet could no mitigation of the rigour take place but they must be gone No reason could be yeelded for it but that the old fashion and fancy of the vulgar must runne its course Yet see the event contrary to their expectation the fecundity of the yeare so favoured that the city solely wanted the importation of graine and the people of Italie living abroad in the countrie whose children they had expelled might have holpen them in with it which now they had just cause to be unwilling to doe Nothing is more odious and unadvised then this first to exclude such as alienated and estranged from their condition without whom their estate can in no wise subsist and then afterward to expect and exact duty and observance at their hands Why dost thou labour to cast him out who hath of his owne provision to feed himselfe Nay why dost thou seek to cast him out who feedeth thee With what countenance canst thou reteine him as thy servant whose parents thou strivest to extrude and throw out of dores Dost thou partake of his wheate and not impart to him thine affection with what face dost thou there extort maintenance where thou retortest unkindnesse How mishapen a monster is this and how fruitlesse a birth For how can that bee fruitfull or any way profitable which is not decent which is not honest And in truth how much ayde did Rome then defraud her selfe of by depriving strangers of her habitation Shee might have kept them and escaped the famine For so her hope of provision had beene no longer deferred then the opportunity of the winds had fitted the Sailers to bring in their ships To have dealt kindly therefore and indured forrainers had beene no lesse honest and profitable for her then was that done by the wise Senior Therein also had decency beene united to honesty For by the collation of the rich which had beene done by the wealthy among the forreiners through the exchange of moneys for graine to helpe the needy to administer food to the hungry and to suffer none to want is such honesty and decency as none can bee greater The tillers of the fields to have retained their places those borne in the countrie not to have beene removed and rooted out had beene so much benefit for the publicke good as nothing more Wherefore what is honest is profitable and what is profitable is likewise honest Contrariwise what is unprofitable is undecent and what is undecent is unprofitable CHAP. VIII Honesty to bee preferred before welfare is a thing established by God The examples of Ioshua and Caleb with the rest of the espialls extracted out of Scripture are brought to ratifie it WHen would our Ancestors have sought their freedome but that they beleeved it not only to bee shamefull but also discommodious to bee under the servitude of the King of Egypt Ioshua and Caleb sent out to search the land of Canaan reported it to bee very good and fruitfull but the other a Numb 15.7 Deut. 1.25 espialls that the people of the land were strong the cities walled and exceeding great the sonnes of Anak who came of the Giants were there which ate up the inhabitants In so much that the peoples hearts being affrighted and shaken into pieces with the terror of the warres refused to make entrance upon their promised possession But Joshua and Caleb did beate downe the evill report that these brought upon it willing their brethren not to b Num. 14.29.33.34 feare
in the Romans the holy things overcame then were they overcome in the Carthaginians if they were triumphed over in the Carthaginians then were they no ayde to the Romans h Dilemma Let therefore that envious complaint of the people of Rome cease 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the City of Rome in this her speech justly requiting the Gentile The City of Rome hath not commanded these things Shee interrupts them crying out with these other complaints Why doe you cast this imputation upon mee that I imbrue my hands daily in the wast bloud of the innocent flocke looking thence after the successe of battell For the trophees of your victories are raised not upon your divinations from the intrails of beasts but from the strength of your Warriours I have subdued the world with other discipline Camillus encountred the Gauls forced them with their Ensignes from the Capitoll and slaying the insulters upon the rock Tarpeia bare away the glory of the day Here prowes removed that evill which religion could not doe What shall I speake of Attilius who made his life a prey to purchase good to his countrey Africanus found matter of triumph not among the Altars of the Capitoll bur among the Armies of Hannibal What doe yee bring me the examples of old times I hate the rites of i Nero is a Sabin word and signifieth strength Gell. lib. 2. There were divers Emperors that were of that familie as Tiberius sonne to Nero and Iulia Augusta which came of the Claudij a noble house among the Sabins and famous for their fortitude Caligula Claudius and Nero that first and most bloudy persecutor styled for his bloudy practises an enemy to mankind Plin. Nat. Hist lib. 7. cap. 8. Nero. What should I speake of two k Galba Otho and Vitellius raigned all three but sixteen moneths Evagr. Schol. lib. 3. Cap. 41. moneths upstart Emperours who acting their Tragedies a little upon the Theatre vanished away and of l 30. Tyrants were slaine in one day in Athens by Theramenes Thrasibulus and Archippus and the Roman Kings were but seven in all Caeteri aut reges populi Romani excepto N. Pompilio Anco Marcio qui morbo interiêrunt quà m horrendos exitus habuerant Aug. de Civ Dei lib. 3. cap. 15. Kings who entring into and ending their raignes vent forth their first and last breath in a moment Or perhaps that is newes that the m 200000. of the Goths under their king Rhadagaisus which happened somewhat before this time Valens raigning Alaricus brake into Italie in Honorius time and Ataulphus his successor who married Placida Honorius sister afterward the Gaules and Brennus before who made Rome tributarie Funct Chron. Flor. Histor So that the Barbarians invaded their territories as well before when the Altar of Victorie stood as now Barbarians should come out of their owne borders and molest us Were they Christians also by whose miserable and unheard of example one Emperour was made captive and under the n He seemes to parallel that of Pompey and Caesar with this accident now of Gratian and Maximus when Gratian was slaine by Maximus the Tyrant this Tyrant made a cruell massacre of the Christians for were not all Ceremonies consulted and was not the Altar of Victorie prepared for Pompie Iusque datum sceleri canimus Luca. And if it be doubted how Pompie was Imperator he was so in the warres and so called by Crassus Plutarch in the life of Crassus 1. He that had the managing of an Army 2. Hee that being L. Generall had slaine one thousand of the enemies 3. The Monarchs in latter times were saluted by this name Allegations drawne from antiquitie confuted other the world became captive did not here their owne Ceremonies deceive them promising them victory Was there not then the Altar of victory I am much grieved that I have thus long runne into error mine old hoary head troubled at it hath dyed my face with Vermilion Yet need I not be ashamed though old and withered when all the world is growne to that to become converts No age so farre spent but may learne and blush likewise for mispending so many yeares And where these be and none amendment let him be ashamed now at the length in whom is no power of such performance Not white haires but white manners are commendable for ancientnesse to fall off from folly is no blemish The Barbarians and I were alike culpable of this one crime that we were both of us sometimes ignorant of the true God It is a rite used in your sacrifice to be sprinkled with the bloud of beasts why doe yee so and why doe yee seeke out divinations from their intralls Come and learne not to be thus earthly minded but in earth to make heavenly warfare Here in earth we live the life of the body there in the heavenly race we wage the warre of the spirit Let God himselfe who made mee teach mee not man o E coelo descendit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iuvenal who knowes not what himselfe is the heavenly mysterie whom shall I rather beleeve concerning God then God himselfe How can I beleeve you who confesse your selves to be ignorant what you worship By one journey saith he so great a secret cannot be attained unto Allegation of the new entrance of Christian Religion confuted Plauti jocus minuit in Casina Vnus tibi hic dum propitius sit Iupiter What ye know not that we by the voyce of God come to know what yee seeke yee get by gesse only and conjecture wee from the wisdome and truth of God upon infallible certainty There is therefore no congruity betweene us in our ground of religion Yee petition of the Emperours peace for your Gods wee of Christ peace for the Emperours yee adore the workes of your owne hands we hold it once to imagine to put what is made in the place of God who made us and these p Inistos minutos cave Deos flocci feceris Et Lucilij apud Lactantium lib. 1. cap. 22. Vt pueri infantes credunt signa omnia ahenea vivere esse homines sic isti omnia ficta vera putant credunt siquis cor inesse ahenis Vnde Calv. nec ita stupidi Ethnici credendi sunt ut non intelligerent Deum alium esse quà m signa lapides Instit lib. 1. cap. 11. Sect. 9. citatis excusationibus idolal ex August in Psalm 113. Conc. 2. That possessed their hearts at this day which that pestilent impostor Simon Magus first vented fictè putativè tantùm non verè Christum passum esse as St. Austin gathers out of the Comments of Euseb Epiph. Danaeus observeth from him Cap. 1. Catalogi Haeres Cujus Titulus Simoniani unde dicti Basilides more plainly apud Iren. lib. 1. adversus Haeres Cap. 23. nempe Simonem Cyraenem ejus vice passum esse Allegation for restoring old Ethnick Altars and other
Ambrose but was withstood and intercepted in the execution thereof through the singular affection of the people toward him This Valentinian her sonne chosen by the souldiers after the death of his father it is to whom St. Ambrose here writeth being young in yeares yet now as it should seeme out of his minority during which time the prudent Governour Probus the Consull ruled Italie Here was the Empire first divided after the time of the three sonnes of Constantine the great into three severall Dominions Gratian his elder brother had the dominion over the East he over the West Theodosius over Egypt with the other parts of the South To him therefore Symmachus being Consul and head Senator of the city of Rome sent this Epistle labouring vehemently therein and he being of small iudgement might easily be seduced to obtaine his grant to receive a-againe into Rome the old Ceremonies and abominations of the Gentiles which from the time of Constantine the great save only in the dayes of Iulian the Apostate who raigned not three yeares they had forsaken and embraced the Christian religion Our renowned author Bishop of Millan the chiefe City of Insubria now Lumbardie lying in that part of Italy called Gallia Cisalpina a man of great fame in those dayes in the Church of God for his authority learning wisdome and courage no sooner heard of this seditious Epistle but straight way being moved in zeale for the Christian cause wrought the former of these two Epistles to the young Emperour desiring him to send him the relation of Symmachus wherein in the meane time hee meeteth stoutly and sharply with the subject and when it was sent him fully and effectually replieth to it worthily convinceth it in the second Epistle Which also tooke so good effect that the relator prevailed not though a man of rarest eloquence and highest estimation Notwithstanding such confidence had hee in his oratorie joyned with his reputation so presumptuous spirits and hot-spurres are Sathans proctors that to bring his precious enterprise to passe hoping Maximus the Britaine should have obtained the Empire hee gave another attempt For compiling a booke in his praise and pronouncing it before him with his best elocution hee sought to draw him strongly to him which was easily done hee being a barbarous tyrant specially when he saw this to serve as a baite to bring Rome to him But herein againe he was deceived and had not something happened better then he deserved hee had beene catched and strangled in his owne snare For Theodosius shortly after slew Maximus and then was he charged with treason for that libell of his and had sufferd death as his due guerdon had not Leontius the B. of the Novatian Church at Rome hee flying thither for sanctuarie intreated Theodosius for him who because he bare love to the priesthood and was a Prince full of clemency easily pardoned him And whether afterward he became a Christian convert the story shewes not but c Socrat. l. 5. c. 14. there it appeareth that hee wrote an Apologie to Theodosius d Plutarch de garrulitate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The e Prov. 16.9 heart of man purposeth his way but the Lord doth direct his steps Many f Prov. 19.11 devises are in a mans heart but the counsell of the Lord shall stand 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Or A further explication of the same TO passe by without the same regard the irruption of the a Plutarch in vita Camilli Marcelli Gaules into the Roman dominions under Brennus and thirteen years after that as at the first when overcome by Camillus and againe under Britomarus their King slaine by b Two hundred thousand of the Gauls joyning in battell were slaine by Vindex and Verginius Plutarch in Galba Marcellus neither of their rebellion wherein they were vanquished by Caesar because these tumults were before this Monarchie became Christian and to insist upon times those Gothes even from the utmost Climat under the North Pole and fennes of Meotis had in great multitudes broken into Italie and grievously infested the Roman c In the time of Valentinian the elder the Sarmatians troubled the Roman territories and in the raigne of Valens the Goths inhabiting beyond Ister But the Hunnes overcomming them when there was peace betweene their two Captaines Phritigernes and Athanarichus they crouching to Valens and he thereupon placing them in Thracia they rebelled against him Socr. Schol. lib. 4. c. 26. 27. 28. Empire Wherin when first d P Diacon 9. lib. 12. ◠Oros lib. 7. Rhadagaisus a Scythian by stock and an Infidell who having under him five thousand had cried out with his retinue that the city of Rome being destitute of the ayde of her Gods which shee had destroyed could not be able to resist him and his mighty power protected by the strength of his Demonaick Gods when next e True it is that Alarichus became a Christian and Vlphilas their Bishop turned the Bible into the Gothicke tongue yet Theodosius made him flie as a molester of the Roman state Idem lib. 4. cap. 27. loco quo supra Alarichus had taken the city of Rome it selfe thirdly when Ataulphus had devoured with his army swarming like locusts whatsoever the other had left and lastly Maximus the tyrant a Pagan likewise though of another Nation had now won no small part and had climed up even to the very throne of the Empire Symmachus a great Governour and a great Orator inamoured with the love of Paganisme riseth up as one ravished with the joy of such newes and takes occasion hereupon to defend the Religions of the old Romans and their flourishing idolatrous estate against the Christian faith And therefore eagerly moves and with all his rhetorick perswades to procure the Altar of victorie taken downe to be reedified and to be adored as of old for a Goddesse the stipends of the Vestall Virgins as heretofore to be repaid them all the rites of the Gods with their sacrifices priests and ministers to bee againe revived Against which his detestable and pernicious errors our author for gravity and authority a most eminent Divine for wisdome zeale and goodnesse of style joyned with all variety of learning a man incomparable opposeth himselfe the cause of religion now lying at the stake and necessarily requiring it in these his two Epistles which may serve all posterity as two strong bulwarkes for Apologie of the Christians faith against Gentilisme and all superstition Hee it was that stood in the forefront abode the sorest brunt and forced to silence that braving prolocutor Howbeit the matter being of highest importance needfull it was for succeeding times his Hydra's head still springing up that some should come in as champions to cut it downe Wherefore Aurel. Prudentius a worthy Poet inserting expresly this our Symmachus owne words beateth him every where from his hold in two bookes of heroicke verse St. Hierome in many passages of his workes
obeyed idols For he hath said unto you yee cannot serve two r Math. 6.24 masters Your priviledges the Virgins consecrated to God have not and do the Virgins of Vesta challenge them Why do you seek to the Bishops and Priests of God when you have preferred before them those prophane Petitions of the Gentiles We cānot receive the fellowship of a strange error What will you answer to these words That you are a child so mistake your selfe Every age hath its perfection ſ Tendernesse of age is not sufficient excuse where true religion hath beene before planted in such as fall into idolatrie in Christ All childhood replenished with faith is approved of God Objection Even little children caried with an t Daniel 3.16.18 1 Mac. 2.20 2 Mac. 7.2 undaunted courage have cōfessed Christ against their persecutors What wil you answer to your brother wil he not say to you I thought not my self brought under by u Gratian his brother was slaine by the wile of Adragathius the Captaine of Maximus the tyrant Socra Scholast lib. 5. cap. 11. trechery because I left thee Emperor I grieved not todye because I had thee mine heire I mourned not to part with the Empire because I beleeved my commands chiefly in the matter of divine religion should continue throughout all ages These titles of pious vertue had I erected these spoyles of triumphs over the world these trophees over the divell that booty plucked from the adversarie of all mankind in which stands eternall victory had I offered up what more could my greatest enemy take from me Thou hast abrogated my Decrees which hitherto hee which lifted up armes against me hath not done I receive in my body a more grievous wound now that my Statutes are condemned of a brother I am in danger by thee in the better part of my person That before was the death of the body this the darkning of vertue Now my Empire is abolished and which is more grievous it is abolished by those neere to thee by those neere to me and that is abolished which my adversaries said would come to passe in me If thou hast willingly yeelded thou hast condemned my faith if unwillingly thou hast betrayed thine owne Therefore which is more heavy in thee also am I in danger The complaint of his Father Valentinian who being in great honour with Iulian in his warres rather then he would doe sacrifice flung away his sword girdle Socrat. Schol. lib. 4. lib. 4. Cap. 1. What likewise will you answer your Father who in more bitternesse of heart will question you saying O my sonne thou hast judged too too much amisse of me imagining that I used connivency toward the Gentiles No man durst bring me such tydings that the heathenish Altar was set up in the Roman Court I never beleeved so great an impiety hereafter possibly to bee committed that in that common counsell of the Christians and Gentiles the Gentiles would be permitted to sacrifice that is that the Gentiles would be suffred the Christians being in presence to insult and that the Christians should be forced against their wills to bee present at their sacrifices Many and sundry crimes there were in the time of my raigne but whatsoever came to light I punished If there were some lurking in obscuritie whose deeds no man discovered to me may they be therefore said to have had my approbation Thou wrongest mee much in thy censure if thou judge that strange superstition not mine owne faith hath preserved the Empire Wherefore seeing you manifestly perceive O Emperour that if you shall suffer any such Decree to passe no small injury to be offered thereby first to God next to your renowned Father and brother I desire you would take into your princely care what you shall understand may specially further your salvation with the Lord for the time to come The Relation of a A man of great estimation in the City of Rome for his learning and eloquence Socrat. Schol. lib. 5. cap. 14. This is he whom that worthy Archbishop Hutton styleth a famous Senator but a sworn enemy to Christian religion in his Sermon preached at Yorke and printed Anno Dom. 1579. Symmachus the b Praefectus or Lieutenant hee which in the absence of the Emperour and Consull had all authoritie granted him and according to his proper office had power to heare and examine all causes of what nature soever within an hundred miles of Rome intra centesimum lapidem Governour of the City to the Emperours perswading them that the ancient rites about the Worship of the Gods ought to be kept WHen first the most Honourable Senate and alwayes at your service knew vices to be under the censure of the lawes and saw the tumour of the last times to bee used to bee launced by well devoted Princes following the authority of the good age it vented thereupon the griefe wherewith it was long pressed commending to me againe under their command the legation of their complaints To whom for that cause was the audience of the chiefe Prince denied heretofore by the malignant that your justice Lord Emperours Valentinian Theodosius Arcadius famous victors and triumphers alwayes * Soveraigne Augusti joyntly concurring might not afterward be wanting Wherefore performing a double office I doe both as your Leiutenant over the City further informe of her publick affaires and as her embassadour manage her imposed charge There is here no disagreement of wills because now men desist to give any credit to c Viz. to the Court Maxime that dissention among Princes servants is a great meanes of the Princes profit it and if there happen to bee a dissent the ministers of some d Cineas King Pyrrus Embassadour told his Master that the Roman Senate appeared to him a Councel-house of many kings Plutarch An allegatiō of the love of the Gentiles among themselves Kings are injoyned with their best indevour to accord the same To be loved reverenced is more worth then an Empire Who can indure such an opinion that the private emulation of vertue is against the good of the Common-weale The Senate doth deservedly pursue them who preferre their owne power before the reputation of the Prince But our travell doth attend with continuall care on your Clemencies renowne For to what is it more commodious that we defend the customes of our Ancestors the rites and destinies of our countrie then to the glory of the times of your Empire Which is then greater when yee acknowledge nothing to be lawfull that crosseth the manner of your parents proceedings Wee require againe therefore the forme of religions which for a long season were profitable to the state Surely let the Princes of both sects of both opinions bee numbred and ye shall find that he which raigned immediatly before embraced the Ceremonies of his fathers and that he which came up next after him removed e Allegation for the connivency of
blazoned armes your honourable Eagles the ensignes of Rome the friendly vertues to make effectuall prayers for all men and not to have the immunity of the lawes with all men Therefore the condition of bondage bestowed upon Vassals is much better 3. Branch of the generall division The Common-weale is hurt by the prophanation of what is hallowed But by this ingratitude wee hurt the Weale publick which hath never found it expedient for her to be unthankfull yet here let no man suppose that I undertake only the patronage of the cause of Religions All the discommodities and damages of the Roman Progenie proceed from the disastrous g Such accusations of the Ethnicks are frequently to bee found in the writings of the Fathers and histories of the Church Whereunto Tertul. in his Apologie contra Scap. pag. 81. and Cyprian contra Demetr replie that in truth the shedding of the innocent bloud of the Christians was the true cause thereof And Eusebius giveth an instance in Maximinus lib. 9. cap. 8. who sending out an arrogant Edict against them and promising to the servers of Iupiter and Mars plenty was pinched himselfe with his Pagans with an unheard of famine even to the utter perishing of many of them insomuch that had not the Christians themselves taken compassion on them they had in a manner all perished dealing The law of our parents had honoured the Vestals and ministers of the Gods with spare diet and just Priviledges The state stood intyre untill the time of the growing up of those base h Trapezitae mensarij not quaestores aerarij publick treasurers nor tribuni aerarij Martiall treasurers whose collections were laid up aede Saturni aerario sancto or aerario militari but put into the hands of some persons of inferior ranke deputed to bestow them For then in likelihood hee would not speake so broadly howbeith he toucheth before that filling the Exchequer with the spoyles of the enemies and so as may be conjectured the abuse of the Vestals portion in his opinion is by the Martiall treasurers and their bajuli bankers growne out of kind who have converted the provision of this sacred chastitie into the pay of paltrie bawling porters A publick famine followed this deed and a pinching harvest frustrated the expectation of all the Provinces This defect is not of the earth wee impute it not to the starres Neither hath blasting hurt the standing corne nor wild oates beene noysome to the good graine but plainly i Allegations against Christians as sacrilegious persons for that abuse His exclamation that plague penurie follows hereupon is a thread-bare imputation taken up from the mouth of the vulgar and ignorant and little for the credit of so rare an Orator sacriledge hath beene the bane of the fruits of this yeare For what is denied to the religions must needs be lost to all Surely if any the like examples of so strange event can be given then we attribute so great famine to the vicissitude of the revolution of times grievous scorching blast binding the wombe of the earth hath brought this barrennesse mens lives are maintained by wild and Forrest fruits the necessity of the countrey people make them flocke and flie together as of old to the k To the Dodonaean trees the oake the Beech whereof Iupiter is said to be the founder growing thicke in the forrest Dodona Symmachus imitateth Virg. lib. 1. Georg. Cum jam glandes atque arbuta sacrae Deficerent sylvae â—r Victum Dodonanegaret woods for Akornes Did the Princes ever suffer the like penurie when publike honour had a care to foster the Ministers of religions When were akornes beaten from the oakes for to feed men when were the rootes of grasse pulled up for dyet the people and sacred Virgins having their common provision supplied when did the mutuall fecunditie of the regions cease to helpe each others deserts The allowance of the Nunnes made for the commendation of the abundance of the fruits of the earth and was a remedy rather against want then any occasion of wastfulnesse Can it be doubted but that this was given ever to remaine for to bring in the plenty of all things which now the l He harpes upon the same string as before that not the Ethnick but the Christian profession cause of famine and all penurie The Jewes of old given over to idolatrie were sicke of this disease Ier. 44.17.18 To accuse the times without weighing the causes of evill is condemned of folly Eccl 7.12 penurie of all things which is the profession of the Christians hath claimed Some man will say the common charges of kingdome ought to bee denyed to the maintenance of a strange religion Let this be farre from good Princes to conceive that what of old was given to certaine by common consent should now be in the right and power of the m It appeares from hence and page 32. that the stipends of the Vestals came to the Emperours Fiscus or private coffers and to the hands of the Quaestores aerarij first and so might perhaps from them goe to the Tribuni aerarij Martial treasurers or Clerkes of the Band which did receive the souldiers pay Sig. de jure Rom. 1.2 c. 8. These this Lieutenant of the City might happily Ãronicè terme trapezitae and the common souldiers bajuli Exchequer to dispose When the Weale publick doth consist of severall persons what ariseth from it every of those hath a propriety therein Your dominion is over all but so that yee preserve in safety to every one what is his owne and that the rule of justice doe sway more with you then the libertie of your owne wills Consult truly your owne magnificence whether your bounty would permit those things to be esteemed as publike donations which yee have transferred n Allegation against the prerogative of Princes as unjust in turning over what was given by way of superstition to other better uses upon others then was intended The o Grants of Princes in writing under seale for ratifying of gifts bestowed to pious uses are termed compendia in like maÌ„ner as those with us upon reliefe for losses out of the Clemency of the King are called Breiffs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an anticipation to preoccupate their feare of envy compendies sometime imparted by certaine well affected to the honour of the City cease any longer to goe under the name of the donors and what from the originall was a benefit or gift by use and continuance is made a debt If any one therefore shall challenge your care of conscience toward the bestowers of these unlesse yee your selves shall be contended to undergoe with courage the envy of the detractors thereof hee goes about to strike a needlesse terror into your divine and undaunted spirits Let the secret aydes of all sects incline to your Clemencies and those above all who have assisted your Ancestors let them assist and guard you let them bee
defence then by her feasting provoked the enemy against her In u Insubria now Lumbardie in Gallia Cisalpina the countrie wherein Millan stood St. Ambroses seate could not bee farre from this Liguria because he being here Praeses Consularis was easily brought thither to make reconcilement and therefore Symmachus bruting abroad an universall famine especially when plenty abounded so neere is found the more untrue Liguria and Venice their Autumne brought forth such a croppe as astonished the beholders Wherefore it is not so that by our sacriledge committed against your consecrated things the fruits of that other yeare withered away and it is so that by the fruits of our faith this present yeare thus flourisheth Can they deny that the Vines beare their burden in the largest measure Therefore we injoy both an harvest bringing us in much advantage and possesse also the profits of a more liberall vintage If plenty then be a witnesse of the truth here it is in all plenitude The x Allegation against the prerogative of Princes as unjust in turning what was given to superstitious to other uses convinced last and chiefest proposition remaineth as yet unexamined whether of that our Emperours sometimes bestowed to the reliefe of the Vestals and Priests and is now converted to the benefit of the Empire there ought restitution to be made For he saith Let them defend y Objected that Ethnick Ceremonies be a defence of the Empire and here answered They argue thus if they bee a defence then to be restored Objected that all things under the Gentile rites prospered better and therefore to be kept but resolved to the contrary you and be adored of us This is that impiety Princes rightly renowned for your constancy in the Christian faith which when they speake it to our reproch wee cannot beare namely that they supplicate to their Gods in your names and thereby when you command it not interpreting your connivency for your consent commit detestable sacriledge Let them keepe their Gods for their owne gardians if they have any power let them preserve it to protect their owne vassals Where is no might to defend their owne suppliants were it not madnesse in us to expect it But he objecteth that the right of Ancestors ought to bee observed For as he affirmeth these duly kept all things thereupon prospered much better Did not the world it selfe which either at the first the seed of the elements being coacted our of the z Per inane the text Gen. 1.2 hath tohu Vebohu solitude and inanity which the Septuagints call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Philosophers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is not to be thought to intimate vacuity which nature admitteth not but to shew that the state of things was first confused untill the Lord in the consequence of his worke gave them forme wast grew together to a tender orbe or else a confused horror of an indigested worke in the beginning darkening it receive afterward a difference being made betweene the elements of the ayre the sea and the earth with the fire the formes of things for an ornament When the earth had cast off the moist garment of blacke obscurity how did it stand amazed at the appearing of the new Sunne in his brightnesse But this great a Gen. 1.14 15. luminarie shines not in the beginning b Not the creature the Sunne but the Creator which is God himselfe is the fountaine of light Gen. 1.3 first the light breakes forth afterward through the increase of light it shewes it selfe in its beauty and through the increase of heate in its nature of burning The other and lesser eye of the world the Moone which according to propheticall Oracles is a figure of the Church at its first arising labours after the repairing its monethly strength but hath its head soone covered over with the darknesse of the night yet by little and little filling up its hornes or For that in naturall course nothing stands at a stay no marvell is it that in religion the state of things alter Hither tends this discourse of the two lights the Sunne and the Moone of husbandrie of the seasons of the yeare and of the changings of the conditions of mans life And this is the only way to deale with an Ethnick and unbeleever to produce against him naturall reasons for his conviction being in a Diameter to the Sunne by vertue of his rayes making complete its body glistereth very goodly with the glory of his orient beames Men knew not at the first how to inure themselves in tillage at length the carefull husbandman began to get the mastery over the stubborne earth to put a new coate upon the wast ground and to cloath it with Vineyards so was the wildnesse thereof mollified and made pliant to his hand The yeare in his prime which hath dyed us with the like tincture in use and with the like inclination in generation puts on green array then buds and blossomes consequently follow and fall away but at last proceeds to the maturity of fruits We also our selves being of green age rude have our senses exercised after the manner of c 1 Cor. 13.11 3.2 Eph. 4.14 infants years cōming upon us we apply not our wits to theirs but reject the rudiments reaching no further then to them Let them then speake would they have all things rest in their owne beginnings would they the world to be overwhelmed still with darknesse and because the Sunne inlighteneth and disperseth the mists of blindnesse with his splendor would they have it knowne that nothing displeaseth them more then this And how much more acceptable ought it to be that not the darknesse of the body but of the mind hath beene scattered and that the illustrous brightnesse not of the Sunne but of the syncerity of faith hath thrust forth her beames Wherefore also the first beginnings of the world as of all things else have changed their course that we might understand the venerable age of hoary headed faith to have followed likewise that way to come to her ripenesse They whom this distasteth let them grow to displeasure against the harvest because it bringeth plenty late in against the vintage because its fruit is not ready untill the fall of the leafe against the fatnesse of the Olive it selfe the d Olivae non antefavonij afflatum increscentes hoc est ad 6. Idus febr tunc arbitrantur eas maturescere Plin. lib. 5. cap. 3. Semper virentis olivae Horat. Viriditas enim perpetua causa est qua succus exhauritur inde infirmior redditur ad fruges edendas He growes here to debate the controversie betweene the Christian and Gentile concerning the true religion slowest of all other before it fills the cruse Therefore also our Harvest is the faith of the soule the grace of the the Church the vintage of good Workes which from the beginning of the world was greene in the Saints in
sold themselves for perpetuall slaves incontinently perished with hunger Commiseration toward these was accounted no vertue but humane passion Plato himselfe knew not what charity meant Dionis Halic Deformed children by the law of Romulus were exposed and stifled Vedius Pollio Dion in Aug. fed Lampreyes with the bodyes of his slaves they were set vpon the Theater with naked swords to slay one another for to make pastime to the people no more regard therefore had they to them then to brute beasts In their politicall government they never speake of them Alexander Severus Lamprid. in Alex. poesie Quod tibi fieri non vis alteri ne feceris seemes to be learned from Christ because never put in practise among the Gentiles herein Christian princes and people exceed them For they erect Hospitals for them and Kings have their Almoniers Paynim religion fills men with pride perswades that naturally vertuous Christian abats pride of heart and shewes that naturally wee are sinfull Paynims perswade to revenge Christians to patience yet so that in the cause of holy religion they might shew themselves magnanimous It is false therefore which is Machiavel of Religion Maxime 3. objected that perswasion to patience breeds pusillanimity For who more valorous in undertaking the defence of a right cause then Abraham Ioshua David and in after times then Constantinus the great the two Theodosij Iustinian They which were guided by the rules of Ethnick Philosophie cared not to be inwardly vertuous as may appeare by the examples of those of greatest reputation for vertue among the Romans as of Caesar Pompey Cicero and even of Cato of Vtica himselfe for his heart no lesse then theirs was sore swolne with an aspiring desire devoide of humilitie and conscionable comportment But such as followed the precepts of Christian philosophie sought not outwardly onely but so to adorne their hearts and consciences with vertues as in truth they might best please God Numa Pompilius ceremonies were disavouched by Quintus Petilius hereupon it was resolved by the decree of the Senate that his bookes touching the same should be publikely burnt as damageable to the Roman cōmon-wealth Never truly affected councell did disallow the Christian faith the Doctors of the Christian Church have confuted the Heathens out of their own Aug. de Civ Dei Firmianus Lact. Institutions books which no man could the Christians out of sacred books None of the sacred bookes have at any time been lost but the Goths being enemies to all good letters making irruptions into Gaule Italie Spain burnt as many books of the ancient Paynims as they could find Ethnicks themselves confesse the truth of the Scriptures as Trebellius In Clau. Pollio that Moses was familiar with God Annal. l. 21. Cornelius Tacitus though calumniating the Iewish religion yet acknowledging that the King of Egypt made the Hebrewes depart out of his countrey for many maladies wherewith the Egyptians were infected not denying that Christ was put to death in the time of Tiberius by Pontius Pilat his Lieutenant in Iudaea Lib. Annal. 15. Moreover hee and Suetonius speaking of Vespasian say That it was a constant opinion through all the East countries that from Iudaea should come the Ruler of the world The antiquity of Christian religion is above the Pagan For there was no Greeke or Latin author but was after Moses who writ his bookes many hundred yeares before Homer Berosus Hesiod Manethon Metasthenes and whosoever beside Empedocles and Plato maintaine contrary to other heathen Philosophers that the world had a beginning yet by lean reasons and not of that solidity as do Christians The Gentiles aspired in their mindes to Cicero in Som. Scipionis Plato in Phaedo eternitie in some sort which may be seene in their worthy acts to keepe their names in perpetuall memorie some reasons they had which lead them to it as that God being just would not equally deale with the good and bad and from the brevitie and miserie of this life and thereby most unhappy of all creatures if no felicity were to be found after death but yet without assurance according to truth The resurrection of the body is a thing incredible to the Heathen Philosopher because he holds from A privatione ad habitum impossibilis est regressus Arist privation to habite regression to bee impossible But it is to bee considered the Supra rationem non contra potentiam facientis est ratio facti considera authorem tolle dubitationem Aug. Ep. 8. ad Volus power of God the author thereof to bee aboue not against reason thinke of the author and remove the doubt his omnipotency is reason sufficient The Epicurean Philosopher maintaineth Fortune to rule and over-rule in the world the Astrologer all sublunarie bodies to be governed by the efficacy and influences of the starres certaine Philosophers incorruptible bodies only not corruptible to be subjacent to Gods providence Stoicks the perpetuall connexion of causes the indeclinable order of things which they call Arost de mundo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because knit together without impediment which is fatall necessitie and unavoidable the enumeration whereof to every one that understandeth the first principles of Christianity is confutation enough The Ethnick had some knowledge of the corruption of man as that the soule is wrapped up in continuall perturbations and passions the body subject to innumerable troubles disquietnesse and violent untowardnesse but was ignorant the fall of our first parents to be the first and true cause thereof Plinies indefatigable study and for his profound knowledge in the mysteries of nature is such as few or none have attained unto worthy the penne and praise of learned Yet Tacitus commending him to posterity in his deniall of the immortality of the soule hath made himselfe a monster in nature and more prodigious then Vesuvius that devoured him One of his line or Not himselfe for he lived in the time of Vespasian to whom he dedicated his naturall history name that wrought for the Euseb 1.3 C. 30. ceasing of the persecution of the Christians to Trajan the Emperour knew as much Many things saith he Natur Histor l. 7. C 55. are found to live longer then men yet no man divineth of their immortality It was the vanity of Democritus to promise the reservation of the bodyes of men when himselfe being dead revived not Why must the body rise againe but for that it followeth the matter of the soule but after death where is cogitation where the sight the hearing or whereupon is it imployed The dead are made gods when they cease to be men what doe they else but as other living creatures doe vent out their last breath What a madnesse is this life to be iterated by death What rest shall there bee at any time to that is begotten and borne if the sense of the soule remaineth in sublimitie and the ghosts Post sepulturam aliae atque aliae manium ambages wander above and beneath
bloud sinne originall otherwise then by necessary collection yet not to beleeve what these import hath beene censured for heresie But what speake we of those high points this being a matter of small consequence whereupon we insist Ethnick Offices say they humanity morality civility conduce but a little to Christian duties divinity piety religion Yes nature is a guide to art and the workes of condignitie or of better note the knowledge of the Egyptians was a furtherance to Moses sacred study and Saint Paul learning the law at the feete of Gamaliel was made more capable of the Gospell and so Saint Augustine of the truth being trained up in the subtilties of the Maniches and Donatists St. Ambrose himselfe before he was elected B. of Millan was no more then a civill man and unbaptized but of rare temperance and disposition to peace g Cornelius observed not circumcision nor externall rites as did the Israelites Proselites but was of that number who were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 religious men Cornelius the h Luk. 7.1 Centurion i Iohn 4.64 that royall one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were all men of more moderate carriage and therefore pliable to holy discipline and surely Seneca a Stoick by profession and therefore it is surmised that he might write to St. Paul would have beene more easily drawne to have embraced the doctrine of mortification then an Epicurean Philosopher The Lord is able but this is not ordinary but miraculous to raise up stones that is of the obdurate and seared such as was the chiefe and jaylor children to Abraham The blessed Apostle more then once produces the sentences of their owne Poets k Acts 17.28 1 Cor. 15.33 Tit. 1.12 to convince the errors of the Heathens Tertullian Lactantius Augustine bring irrefragable arguments for confutation of these out of their owne bookes Some certaine seeds and small sparkes there bee of wisdome in the Ethnick Philosophers Histories Orators Poets writers of Tragedies but they all come farre short of that is delivered in the doctrine of the Church And to gather it into a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 first they faile in the knowledge of the essence will and true invocation of God they are ignorant how God is rightly to bee worshipped what workes please him and for what cause they please him as being to seeke of the matter of a Mediator no way able to discerne the persons of the divinity and the severall benefits received by them In the second place they have no right judgement what sinne is nor what justice is in respect of God For they cannot tell how sinne came in that doubting in the mind of Gods providence and power and that security and carelesnesse in regard of his anger is a sinne much lesse that ignorance of the Sonne of God and his contempt is so The righteousnesse of Christ not our owne to make us just before God they condemne as the corruption and cut-throate of good manners and discipline Concerning the calamities that befall mankind they attribute them to the untoward and crooked l Or to the next causes residing in the subject or object will not to the just judgement of God against transgressors as they ought to doe Remedies against which they can render none that are m Some 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 perhaps lenitives as light as nothing effectuall Disputing of the soules immortalitie they are like the waves of the sea tost with the tempests of n Plato in Phaedone much doubteth hereof himselfe and leaveth others his followers in a quandarie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 incertainty Seeing all things swarving from the diameter they conjecture and no otherwise of a judgement to come upon the world Of the restitution of the body after death and life eternall to accompanie it in all their volumes they say not so much as gru to it and as little credit they yeeld the same The Ethnick though hee gives this title to God that hee is o 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Xenophon beneficent and a lover of mankind yet hee brings it not home to have comfort of conscience by it when he reacheth not to the promise of gratuitall p Which must needs be had where is no full obedience of degrees not so much as in one duty and as for obedience of parts it is but a piece of performance looking indeed toward all but not keeping in perfection any of the Lords precepts remission Thus you have some survey of the weaknesse of their wisdome Now whereas justice is thought to q 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist ex Theoguide Nec Hesperus nec Lucifer formosior est justitia Arist comprehend all as that where it is there the whole ranke of vertues stand about it as attendants upon their Mistresse This her commendation extends no farther then to outward discipline and workes of what kind soever Aristotle places a man in a city and therefore speakes of civill justice Hee sets an order to a citizen living under Magistrates and lawes in a politicall society and so putting a difference betweene universall and particular justice drawes it downe to every member and then divides particular justice into r In the commutative he requires an equall communication of things in a proportion Arithmeticall in the distributive an ordination of persons in an equality Geometricall commutative and distributive These disputes are full of prudence howbeit but legall only and carnall not such as satisfie the law of God not of just weight in his sight but the justice of faith is that which tried in the ballance of the sanctuarie is approved for good Which relies not upon whatsoever action or quality of worth in us but upon the free mercy of God in the sole incomprehensible merit and mediation of Christ The allegation of ſ Zaleucus Phocensium legislator inquit Deus non colitur sumptu aut tragaedijs captivorum sed qui Deo vult placere eum oportet bonum esse non sulum actione sed etiam proposito justorum honestorum operum Plato in Epinomide 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Cato Si Deus est animus c. Hic tibi praecipuè sit purâmente colendus Zaleuchus Plato Cato for inward justice may bee as easily answered namely that no workes of our owne be they outward or inward will serve the turne to justifie us before God For fortitude and temperance in the one they sought their owne or some other ends not Gods glory in the other there was no more then a restraint as in the case of chastitie in Alexander toward Darius daughters so in the rest depending thereupon neither was that ever in their thought which moved Ioseph to that singular resolution Shall I doe this thing and sinne against God I conclude against all humane workes that our justification to consist only t Ita clamat universa Doctrina prophetica Apostolica Lament 3.22 Psal 88.1 89.1 Es 64.6 Mark
these nations whose hearts fainted and were provided for bread for them to feed upon They laboured also to perswade them that it was against decency a thing dishonourable and dishonest to yeeld to the inhabitants and therefore chose rather to bee stoned to death which they threatned then to give way to the false rumour of the other spies tending to the disgrace of the honesty comely and commendable carriage of so renowned a people who marched under the conduct of the Lord of hosts himselfe whose power is invincible Howbeit those misreporters caused the assembly pittifully to crie out into this complaint that they should fall by the sword their wives and children should be made a prey Whereupon the Lords indignation for nothing incenseth him more then incredulity waxed so hot against them that had not Moses interceded he had utterly destroyed them Neverthelesse upon his mediation his wrath was mitigated and executing his present judgement upon the perfidious and obstinate spared for a time the unbeleevers yet so that he denied them entrance into the land of Canaan permitting their c Numb 14.22 Cal haanashim omnes viri Arias Mont. but Trem. Iun. homines pueri mulieres qui non immurmuraverant vel sexu vel aetate veniabiles Whereby it appeares that he thought the women that murmured not spared because of the weaknes of their sexe children and women that murmured not together with Ioshua and Caleb to inherit it Whosoever among them was twenty yeares old and above fell in the wildernesse protraction of punishment was granted others The precipitious d Numb 14.44 presumption of them which went up with Joshua and had disswaded made a forfeiture of their carkasses But Ioshua and Caleb with the harmelesse age or e Cum innoxia aetate vel sexu sex entred into the land of promise wherefore the better sort preferred honour before welfare the worse present and soone perishing ease and safety before ever-living never dying honesty But f Divina autem sententia eos probavit qui honesta utilibus praestare orbitrabantur Eos verò condemnavit apud quos ea quae videbantur saluti poriùs quam honestati accommoda praeponderabant the approbation divine was for them who judged honesty to excell utility and the sentence of condemnation against them who when they were laied both together to make choice of did cast aside honesty and clave unto profit rather for the preservation of their health CHAP. IX Fraud and filthy lucre in the Clergy to bee a foule staine to their decency the comelines of Davids and Naboths honesty to be a faire ornament to all men and of right to be exemplary WHerefore nothing is more base then to carry no loue to honesty and love to be troubled daily with the gaine of merchandize degenerating from auncient simplicity nothing more ignoble then to have an heart boiling with covetousnes gaping after the wasting of anothers patrimonie when it should be elevated to behold the splendor of honesty and the orient beauty of true prayse Hence-ariseth the hunting after an inheritance gotten vnder the colour of continency and gravity which is abhorrent from the drift of Christian profession For in the mystery of science so cleped whatsoever is involved being set abroach and compounded of deceit is voide of what desert is due to simplicity In such as hold no office in the Church the ambitious affectation of purchase To leaue to posterity earthly possessions for inheritance not so convenient as to leave them the sound records vnder our testimony of true religion This is the duty of every good Christian and specially of those of the Clergy or hereditary possession is deemed incongruous It standeth with good congruity for such whose glasse of their life is neere runne out to testifie freely what they haue in their iudgement resolved and so solidly that it may need no second emendation because it is no honesty to keepe backe what abridgements were provided for others and what they might justly chalenge at their hands as a due debt Yea because it belongs either to a Bishop or minister to seeke to profit all as farre as possibly he may and to be against the good of no man Lastly in such a case where one side cannot be eased but the other must of necessity be damnified there it is more cautious and commodious neither to be releived then either to sustaine aggreivance Of this sort are pecuniarie causes for the most part Wherefore in these it is not for an Ecclesiasticall person to intervene because therein it cannot be but that he vpon whom the damages fall hath frequently the harder verdict and howsoever it is he so supposeth for that by the benefit of mediatorship his adversary prvaileth Now it belongs to a minister to hurt no man and to bee willing though he bee not able for this rests onely in the power of God to pleasure and profit all men In the cause of life to hurt one in daunger who ought to be holpen is not without great sinne In a pecuniary cause to purchase hatred is no parte of wisedome Indeed on the contrary side for mans safegard and preservation greivous troubles oftentimes arise and arising ought to be indured and being indured ought to be reputed an honourable and glorious peice of service For the ministeriall function this rule is to be set and to be observed constantly and inviolably that thereby no man sustaine hurt no not provoking unto it or by some injury done doth iustly offer offence For he is a good man and may be a tutor to the best doctor in the church that said If I haue recompensed a Psal 7.4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sept. him that rendred me evill yea I haue delivered him that vexed me without cause For what praise is it we haue not hurt him that hurt not vs But this is a vertue that being hurt we pardon the offence forgiue the wrong What an honest part was it in David the annointed of the Lord and heire apparent to the Kingdome when he could haue taken away the life of the King his enemy in whose throne he was assigned to succeed yet would hee spare b 1 Sam. 24.7 26.11 him How commodious was it both for himselfe and his successour and for all subiects to learne thereby loyaltie and fidelity to their owne Princes to dread and reverence them and not to rebell against them In this his action therefore honesty was put before utility and utility came behind honesty as lesse worthy But thinking this a small matter he had c 2 Sam. 1.21 22 23. Elegies of lamentation at his funeralls mourning and grievously complaining in this wise O yee mountaines of Gilboa upon you bee neither dew nor raine yee mountaines of d Sedei thereumoth of sadah ager rum elevari Hebr. agri elationum When hee styles them mountaines of death either it is his owne using Metonymia effecti or else in
service of God but leaving all slew his oxen and gave the rest for to feed the poore Off. l. 1. c. 30. p. 71. Egyptian learning because rejected by Moses may bee a caution for schollers evermore to mixe their humane studies with Divine Fr p. 25. line 20. Enemies called strangers Off. l. 1. c. 29. p. 67. to spare their lives is honestie Off. l. 3. c. 14. p. 44. Envie must be fled from and cast out Add. 139. Epicurus Off. l. 1. c. 13. p. 27. l. 2. p. 3. Equitie and justice confirmeth kingdomes Off. l. 1. c. 19. p. 48. Esau and Jacob Off. l. 1. c. 33. p. 82. Esters happy successe the companion of a good cause a comely and honest part was it in her to hazard her life to deliver her people Off. l. 3. c. 15. p. 55. Ethiopia its Etymologie Intr. p. 3. line 25. Ethnicks confesse the truth of the Scriptures Fr. p. 19. line 27. their constant opinion through all the East that the Ruler of the world should come from Iudea Ib. p. 20. line 9. They aspired to eternitie in some sort Ib. line 18. confuted out of their owne writings Pref. to 3. booke p 3. line 4. They come short of wisdome divine Ib. line 11. Euphrates Etymologie Intr. p. 4. line 25. there line 12. for confronting reade affronting Hebr. Perah from the roote parash expandere The confluence of rivers which Auxe Justice compared to it Ib. p. 5. Excommunication when to be denounced Off. l. 2. c. 27 p. 66. Exorcisme Off. l. 1. c. 44. p. 105. F Fables not to bee admitted according to Scripture Off. l. 1. c. 21. p. 50. Faith as mentioned Rom. 14.22 23. not to be expounded conscience Fr. p. 16 line 13. for place reade sense Faith because the foundation of good workes hath eternall life Off. l. 2. c. 2. p. 4 yet not as a worke but as an hand and instrument to take hold of Christ For so it Iustifieth Fr. p. 8. line 25. From the faith of Abraham Isaac and Jacob God himselfe takerh witnesse Christs tender love to support faith Off l. 2. c. 5. p. 11 12 13. Faith in keeping promise Off. l. 1. c. 29. p. 68. Faith implicite without sure confidence in our selves not conscience insufficient to salvation Fr. p. 10. line 2◠Famine in Samaria Off. l 3. c. 6. p. 19 22. c. 14. p. 53. l. 2 c. 11. p. 29. Favour gained by heedfull respect Off l. 2. c. 7. p. 21. To be shewed rather toward poore then toward rich Off. l. 2. c. 25. p. 65. Our Fathers of Christian Religion and among us whosoever is most sanctified hath nothing but what he hath received Fr. p. 4. line 32. p. 5. line 2. Fidelitie the way to procure love Off. l. 2. c. 8. p. 24. Fire sacred of Iewes Off. l. 3. c. 14. p. 49. Effects thereof Ib. p. 50. 51. Flights end to bee respected Flight from wrath of God Add. p. 140. Flatterie Off. l. 1. c. 47. p. 110. No part of fortitude Ib. c. 42 p. 103. Fornication flie from Add. p. 139. Fortitude Ethnick differs much from Christian Fr. p. 26. line 24. without justice no vertue Off. l. 1. c. 35. p. 84. fuel of iniquitie Ib. wherein consists Ib. c. 36. p. 86. described p. 87. line 4. reade is cast downe with no adversity Its effects Ib. At warre with vices Ib. c. 39. p. 93. Enters lists of duell not divell with anger no comma must be there before rifling Fortitude seene in suffering Off. l. 1. c. 41 p. 98. Fraud in dealing deserves expulsion by Davids example Off. l. 3. c. 10. c. 11 p. 38. Fraudulent friendship Ib. line last for prosecution reade persecution Friendship the upshot of all vertues and why Ill. p. 2. l. 31. p 3. line 1. Friendship Christian Fr. p. 28. line 19. Off. l. 1. c. 33 p. 82. Friendship and honestie sort well together so that honestie hath the preeminence Off. l. 3. c. 15. p. 56. Moderation to be kept therein Ib. c. 16. p. 57. Friend is a defence Off. l. 2. c. 7. p. 24. in the Margin for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 put 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and line 18. for but is reade but it is and line 30. for it reade he Friends part to open to his professed friend secrets of the kingdome of God Off. l. 3. c. 16. p. 62. Gods friend that doth his command Ib. Vnanimitie of mind in true friendship Ib. Disastrousnesse therein growes from ungratefulnesse Ib. Nothing so heinous in Judas the traitor as unthankfulnesse This traitor was prefigured in Achitophel Faithfull Friends commendation Off. l. 3. c. 16. p. 58. ought to bee prevented by his friend in every good office Ib. Friendships description Ib. harboureth not pride nor disdaine Tried in adversitie Ib. friend swell with pride to be taken downe by him that beares him good will True Christian friendship which is the Communion of Saints how gracefull Ib. p. 60. Ineffable friendship of the 3. children whom devouring fire could not divide Ib. Such David and Jonathan He that is unfaithfull to God cannot be a friend to man Ib. Friendship not to be valued by wealth Friendship of the poore better then of the rich Ib. p. 61. poore mans happinesse in friendship above the rich no man flattereth him Guardian of pietie Off. l. 3. c. 16. p. 60. Not found in disparitie of manners how to be ordered betweene superior and inferior Bitternesse to bee avoided betweene friends Ib. G Galatian and Tyrian Merchants in fame in old time Off. l. 2. c. 14. p. 35. Gate and gesture discovers what is in the heart Off. l. 1. c. 18. p. 37 38. Geometricall questions too farre carried Off. l. 1. c. 25. p. 58. Gibeonites Off. l. 1. c. 29. p. 2. 66. l. 3 c. 10. p. 34. how Joshua deceived by them Ib. p. 35. Gift good or bad according to affection Off. l. 1. c. 3. p. 71. Gihon Nilus the same Temperance compared to it Intr. p. 3. line 16. 21. Vaine Glorie Off l. 3. c. 5. p. 17. to be avoided by Christs example Ib. Gluttonie Add. p. 133. line 23. God one alone to be is agreed upon by all Nations the dissenting is about the Mediatorship Fr p. 3. line 8. God the giver of all vertue in the confession of Pagan and Papist together with us Fr. p. 4. line in Margin 1. Good and honest according to nature Off. l. 1. c. 46. p. 108. 109. Goodnesse doth more insinuate it selfe into our minds for the imbracing of it then ought beside Off. l. 2. c. 7 p 17. Gold taken in Scripture for wise inventions Intr. p. 2. l. 24. Goliah Off. l. 1. c. 35. p. 84. Gothes enemies to all good letters Fr. p. 10. Grace preventing Fr. p. 13. line 2. universall Graces sinister Tenet the more branne not braine for that misimprinted is found in it Fr. p. 13. line 29. Grave resting place Off. l. 1. c. 12. p. 23.
but specially in his Epitaph upon Neopotian unnestles him in his couch For what is his stuffe stript of some little flourish P. Diaconus and P. Orosius St. Hieroms schollar and set on worke by St. Augustine by their pithy historicall discourse pinched him on both sides to the hard bones And at last St. Augustine himselfe in that everlasting monument of his f De Civitate Dei 22. bookes hath sifted him to the branne hunted him out of all his starting holes and loosing the lists of his refined lines hath quite and cleane like to a few Spiders webbes swept them away with all their wiles Thus you see that all these and many more not now extant as so many malls are hammering still upon this stithy and though they batter it every one in his turne yet they never leave striking till they have driven it to powder But this was one of the least not of the last of our prudent Fathers labours For hee applied himselfe to profit posterity as long as hee was able to handle a penne Every of the foure and he in the first place had his excellency He in his Allegorie Gregorie in Tropologie Hierome in History Augustine in Anagogie Each of these is doubtlesse for utilitie if we had the like will and wisdome to use it accordingly The Apostle bids Timothie bring with him his g 2 Tim. 4.13 bookes specially his parchment Hee being exraordinarily inspired and his time of dissolution now at hand what should hee doe with bookes As the sacred so other godly bookes in their degree be for comfort instruction strengthening the judgement establishing in the truth the day of reckoning being come of principall use for preparation and committed to parchment more durable But that the providence of God is wonderfull for the benefit of his Church wee might justly admire that the Fathers in their continuall care of government of preaching disputing conferring reading had any time left them at all to write much more so many large volumes Varro in his time was a mirrour to the Ethnicks and our Author may bee a h Vsque ad ultimam aegritudinem non cessavit scribere unde scribens in illum psalmum magnus Dominus laudabilis nimis c. mortuus est Th. Aquinas in Comment in 2 Ep. ad Tim. cap. 4. greater to us For his i Aug. de Civit. Dei lib. 6. cap. 2. cōmendation with some additament may hee justly challenge Vir doctissimus undecunque Ambrosius qui tam multa legit tam multa toties concionando locutus est ut aliquid ei scribere vacâsse miremur tam multa scripsit eaque brevitate difficultate ut vix quenquam legere pauciores intelligere posse credamus But in so much pregnancy of wit as in our age what use is there of reading the Fathers themselves Pijs k Calvin Comment suo in 2. Epist ad Timoth. cap. 4 2.1◠omnibus commendatur l Continuall reading from which they may reape profit is commended to all the godly The furie also of fanaticall spirits is more refuted thereby who contemning bookes and condemning all reading boast only of the strong inward motion of the holy Ghost wherewith they are inflamed assidua lectio ex qua proficiant Magis etiam refellitur fanaticorum hominum furor qui libris contemptis damnataque omni lectione solos suos 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 jactant And where may we profit more then here whose assiduity is a wonderment to the world and so great that it had beene unpossible for them to have undergone it but that Vicit amor Christi fideique immensa cupido St. Ambrose to a Valentinian the second Socrat. Schol. l. 4. C. 26. Valentinian the Emperour earnestly craving Ex lib. 5. Epist Ep. 30. and effectually dealing with him that he would not at the Petition of the Gentiles bee induced to grant his Imperiall Decree for the restoring of their Altars shewing first by such a Decree no small injury to redound to God next to his b Valentinian the first brother to Valens the Emperour Father and c Gratian the Emperour Brother AMbrose Bishop to the most blessed and Christian Emperour d This young Emperour was very wavering in his religion here our Author feares his turning Pagan elsewhere mentioning with Auxentius that he would altogether become Arian as Orat. de Basil trad Epist ad Marcellin soror lib. 5. Epist Ep. 32. Ep. 34 ad Theodos Imp. to whom upō his decease he giving his testimonie plainly speakes it Quod ego non pro recordatione injuriae erga me veteris deprompsi sed pro testimonio conversionis Illud enim alienum hoc suum quod à te infusum sibi itatenuit vt matris persuasionem excluderet Now his mother was an Arian Valentinian Forasmuch as all men living under the dominion of the Roman Empire doe homage and service to you Princes and Potentates of the earth yee ought your selves in like manner to live under the command and obedience of the omnipotent God and to fight likewise under his banner for the maintenance of the holy faith For otherwise the weale of no man can possibly be in safetie unlesse he may be brought truly to worship the true God which ruleth all things by his power And hee only is the true God who in his devotion calleth for the e John 4.24 Psal 5◠6 heart and f Not regarding what is outward Micah 6.7.8 inward affections The Gods of the Gentiles as saith the Scripture are g 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 juxta Sept. Psal 95.6 Divels Whosoever therefore taketh up armes in the cause of the true God and sincerely embraceth his holy service he stayeth not upon dissimulation and connivency incident to outward ceremonie but his whole care in all fidelity consists in the imployment of his mind upon the study of pure religion and godly devotion Last of all if these things be not performed at the least this must be done that in no wise consent bee shewed to any idolatrous service and prophane h Prophane that is wicked not otherwise then chalelei in Hebr. equally used for prophane and polluted Fraternas acies Alternaque bella profanis Decertata odijs Stathius He is properly prophane who is held with no love of the Fane or Temple howbeit here used for that which is most beastly and abominable And is not idolatry abominable when as the learnedst of them which most strongly standeth for it confesseth that revera Diabolus in ipsis loquebatur the Divel spake out of their idols Bellarmine apud D. Rainolds l. 2. de Idol C. 3. Paragr 8. which appeareth clearely to be so Lev. 17.7 That idols called Vanities Ier. 14.22 because they beare the vaine images of the true God or as Zach. 10.2 they speake vaine things these expresse somewhat their dotage that run after them but laie not open fully the foule deformity of
Christian Princes at the Ceremonies of the Gentiles which is answered by St. Ambrose in the conclusion of the insuing Epistle them not If the Religion of the ancient make not an example let the connivency of their successors make it good Who among the Barbarians is so free from ambition a See what advantage is taken because not utterly removed but that he requires the erecting of the altar of Victory We are wary because of the time to come and does avoyd the ostentation of such things Howbeit * Or let us honour the name though the power and deity bee denied that honour which is denied to the divine power let it at least be given to the name Your eternity oweth many things to the Goddesse f Allegation for the defence of the Goddesse Victorie which is not answered because not so important as some other points untill toward the end of the Replie Mars Bellona and Victoria were called Dij communes Victory and shall yet owe more Let them bee against this power to whom it hath brought no profit but continue ye your friendly patronage to triumphs This power tyeth every one by vow let no man denie that to be had in adoration which he professeth to be in his vow and optation If so bee that likewise there be no just avoydance of all this it is meet at least that there be forbearance from the promotions of the Court. Performe I pray you that what we received being children the same being old men we may leave to our posteritie Great is the love of custome Very deservedly was it that the deed of g Constantius the Father of Constantine the Great was singularly affected toward Gods word Euseb Hist Eccl. lib. 8. cap. 14. was no partener with the enemy Maximinus in the persecution of the Church but a preserver thereof Euseb lib. 8. cap. 19. but hee is not here meant There was another Constantius who had to wife Placidia the daughter of Theodosius Magnus by whom hee had Valentinian the third of that name Emperour he was made Emperour by Honorius neither doth Symmachus meane him for hee dyed almost immediatly after his creation Socrat. Schol. lib. 7. cap. 24. But Constantius the sonne of Constantine the Great who was and dealt against the Ethnick sacrifices and for that cause was bitterly hated of such sacrificers Socrat. Schol. lib. 3. cap. 1. Though he were an Arian and an enemy to such as held the clause of one substance yet was hee likewise an enemy to Paganisme He therefore is the Prince the Relater here girdeth And whereas that seemes opposite hereunto when Ambrose in his replie reports him nondum sacris initia tum mysterijs is thus to be understood that though he were not as yet baptized yet could he not abide to see the contamination of thr Ethnick altar And concerning Baptisme he followed therein his father and was not baptized untill a little before his death Socrat. Schol. lib. 3. cap. 37. Constantius stood not long You are to avoyd all examples which in your owne knowledge were soone after removed We have a care so to eternize your name and fame that the future age may find no cause therein of any correction Where shall we sweare to your lawes and words with what religion shall a false heart be terrified that he ly not in his testimonie All places are filled with the Majestie of God neither is there any place safe to the perfidious but to affright from offending the presence of religion availeth much That Altar it is that holds all men in concord that Altar it is that makes the faith of all men agree in one neither doth any thing bring more authority to our sentences then an orderly proceeding by oath which determines all things Shall therefore the civill seate lye open to perjury and shall my famous Princes whose persons by publike sacrament remaine secure thinke this allowable But divine Constantius is reported to have done the same Let us follow that Prince rather in matters of lesse consequence If some others h This vaine speaker feareth not to gird the good Emperour Constantine the great himselfe as Rabshekeh did Ezechiah Is 36. the Athenians Paul Acts 17. had not erred before him hee had never attempted any such thing * Allegations in former page and this that legally bound to keepe the Gentile Sacraments 2. concerning Constantius 3 of Gods presence by setting up an idoll 4 of the power of the Altar and Gods of the Gentiles for their meetings For the fall of the former stayeth up him that followeth the reprehension of the antecedent example is the emendation of him that succeedeth And as for the i His father Valentinian was of a mild disposition molested not the Arrians though hee himselfe held the faith of one substance Socra Schol. lib. 4. cap. 1 nor the Ethnicks as it should seeme but took this course to reverence and advance those of his owne profession father of your Clemency it had beene pardonable if in a matter then newly set abroach hee had little regarded the breath of some envious persons Is it fit that wee should make the same defence for our selves and shunning the envy of men imitate him in that which is disallowed Let your eternity take rather the deeds of the same Prince which you may more worthily draw into use Hee tooke away nothing from the priviledges of the holy Virgins hee filled the priesthoods with nobles he denied not expences to the Roman ceremonies and through all the passages of the eternall Citie he followed the joyfull Senate he saw with a pleasing countenance the places of the images hee read the titles of their Gods set on high demanded the originall of their Temples admired the founders of such monuments And whereas himselfe followed other religions these hee reserved for the Empire For every one hath his owne custome every one hath his owne rites The divine * Id est God the first mover as Aristotle the first beginning as Plato teacheth of all goodnesse mind bestoweth k Dij patrij sive tutelares upon the cities divers keepers divers kindes of worship As soules to children in the wombe so the fatall l 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Meander Quique suos patitus manes Virg. Genij good or bad Angells are assigned to the people of the world as their gardians To m Allegation of Vtility and prosperity this may we adde utility and profit which above all things tyes the Gods and men together For since the causes and reasons of things are obscure whence shall we suppose the knowledge of God was most commended to us but by the records and monuments of prosperity Now if antiquitie brings n Pagans are wont to alledge antiquity in defence of their superstition It was so with Romanus the Martyr by Galerius his captaine which made him make an apologie for the eternitie of Christ Foxes Monum 125. authority
rites confuted materials an extreame injury to him The everliving God abhorres it as abominable and will not abide that his most honourable service to bee tendred to dead stocks and stones What can bee said more your very owne Philosophers themselves have derided this your folly Wherefore if yee denie Christ therefore to bee God because yee doe not beleeve him to q have died as being ignorant that the death of his to have beene of the flesh not of his Deity and causing that no beleever should dye eternally what can be more unwise then you in this when you condescend to worship that which is to be scorned and had in vilest reproch and derogate from that which is to bee had in highest honour For you thinke your piece of wood to be God O reverence full of scorne and reproch you doe not beleeve that Christ could die O honourable obstinacy indeede not to beleeve him so to die to be subject to corruption But the old Altars saith he ought to be restored to the images and the ornaments to the Temples Let him require these things to be done againe of him that is confederate with him in superstition the Christian Emperour hath learned to honour the r Revel 8.3 Heb. 13.10 And it is frequent among the ancient Writers and Fathers so to style the communion table Socrat. Schol. lib. 1. Cap. 20. 25. August Tract in Iohn 26. multi inquit de altari accipiunt moriuntur Chrysost sermone de Euchar. Theophil in priore Epist ad Cor. cap. 11. Calvin renders the reason hereof Elegans est anagoge à veteri legis ritu ad praesentem Ecclesiae statum Altar of Christ only Why doe they compell pious hands and beleeving mouthes to exhibite their service to their sacriledges Let the voyce of our Emperour resound and ring out with a cheerefull Eccho Christ and his opinion being settled upon him let him in a word make profession of him only because the ſ Prov. 21.12 heart of the King is in the hand of God His deed already speakes for him for were the Emperour a Gentile would he have erected an Altar to Christ While they require againe what sometime they had they admonish the Christian Emperours by their example what reverence they ought to bring to that religion they follow being infallible because they themselves bestow together with all reverence their chiefest revenew upon their forged superstitions Now wee have begun joyne wee squarely with them Wee for the Christian cause glory in the effusion of our owne bloud A Collation between Ethnick and Christian religion the least losse susteyned for their imaginarie moves them to discontent That t The effusion of our bloud from them we esteeme in the place of victorie this u The least losse from us they account as a disgrace and injury Nay we may truly say they never did us a greater pleasure when they commanded us stripes proscription and present death Thus truth hath made that a reward which falshood a punishment Iudge where be magnanimous spirits wee under injury poverty torments beleeve they beleeve it not to be possible for their ceremonies any longer to subsist then they bring them in lucre Let x 2. Head of the Generall division That old emoluments and provision for Vestals ought to bee restored which also is confuted the Vestals saith he injoy their y Exemption from taxations Other priviledges also were given them by Numa as to make their Testaments without consent of parents after they were once elected which was betweene six and eleven yeares of age 2. To doe all things without a gardian 3. Going abroad to have a Mace carried before them for their honour 4. When meeting the greatest offendor to have power to pardon him Plutarch in Numa immunity Let them speake this that know not how to give credit to it for a truth that Virginity may be freest without reward such as have their vertues in suspition let them tempt them with gifts yet how few virgins have as some satisfaction to their benefactors made good their promises and vowes undertaken Scarcely z Numa assigned at the first but two Servius Tullus afterward foure Their office was to keepe the holy fire in the temple of the Goddesse Vesta And Vesta eadem est terra subest Vigil ignis utrique Ovid. lib. 6. Fast The same to goe out was thought ominous and therefore they were set to keepe it Reconciliation was another piece of their office by their mediation Syllas attonement was made with Caesar Sueton in Iulio A comparison betweene the Vestals and the Christian Virgins among them have seven young Vestals been made choice of Behold the whole number whom the pontificall Mitres with ribands of price for the head the richest purple garments the pompe of an horse-litter with the traine of attendants on every side greatest priviledges invaluable gaines with the prescribed times of the high honour of chastity have gathered together But now let them lift up the eyes of their mind and body and see among us an armie of chastity an ocean of integrity a world of virginity Here among our Virgins is no ornament of goodly riband for the head but a poore veyle yet pretious for the use of a pure life no curious setting out upon all advantages but a carelesse regard of beauty here are none of those purple robes none of those dishes of feasting and delicacy but in coorse habit the frequency of fasting no priviledges no rewards but rather all things so entertained as if whilst they practise chastity they meant to extinguish in all others the care of it Howbeit whilst they so seriously exercise this duty their care is not drawne away but provoked and drawne on to the performance of other imployments accompanying this their calling and the same accumulated with sundry disasters and losses these and nothing but these are the profits they reape For it is not Virginity which is purchased upon a price but taken up upon love of Vertue It is not integrity which as it were at a Faire or publike sale is for a time hyred for a summe of money Chastities first triumph is in the subduing of worldly lusts because the desire of lucre makes the strongest assault against the fort of shamefastnesse But let us admit that the ayde of augmentation ought to be bestowed upon their Virgins were they many in number what then will the surplusage be for the Christian Virgins what treasurie will accordingly suffice for so great expences Or if they suppose what is given ought to be conferred upon the Vestals only will it not turne to their open shame that they which challenged the whole under Gentile Emperours should now under Christian Princes thinke to abridge us and that against common humanity from sharing with them in publick benevolence They complaine also Allegation that their Priests are deprived of their maintenance confuted that their Priests with their
poore crying out These are the pretious treasure of the Church But that example of the first Christian Emperour is worthy eternall memory who remitted the fourth part of his revenew to the reliefe of the poore poore Let the accounts be cast up how many captives your Temples have redeemed how much almes they have bestowed to how many exuls they have given maintenance and thereby it will appeare that their farmes were intercepted only and the right not detracted But h 3. Branch of the division generall viz. that Christian religion the cause of famine refuted behold what a fact what an heavy offence and which cannot be expiated for a publike famine say they is broken in as a revenge because what was appointed for the benefit of the Priests now begins to be converted to the use of the whole body politick This is the cause therefore as they report that the mouthes of the feeble people are faine to licke the very shrubbes when their barke is scorched away which is a miserable kind of food This is the cause that they changing i Frugem in our Author is taken for Cerealiaarma or frumenta corne Frugesque receptas torrere parant flammis frangere saxo Virg. lib. 1. Aeneid neither ought Chaoniam to be joyned with frugem but with glande viz. Chaonia as an Epithet to it Virg. lib. 1. Georg. Vestro si muneretellus Chaoniam pingui glandem mutavit aristâ corne for akornes are called backe againe to feed with beasts and to the diet of coorse fare For the shaking of an oake was the best comfort they had to refresh them in their k In this againe hee imitates Virgil in whom for his better expression hee seemes to take felicity Concussaque famem in sylvis solabere quercu famine That l Responsio ad objectionem Symmachi dicentis famem ingruisse propter cultum Christianum is to say to speake as the truth is when the Gentile superstition was eagerly followed in the world of all people then were there such new and strange affrightments of monstrous apparitions as never happened upon the earth before And in very deed when before that time did the deceitfull croppe of wild oates in stead of good graine even in the best furrowes of the fields frustrate the hope of the greedy husband-man and fill his hand with such base baggage And m Hee replies here to Symmachus objecting the feeding upon Akornes as a punishment the same to have beene reputed in former ages of the Greekes and other nations as a great benefit viz. when they injoyed them in much plenty whence was it that to the Greekes their oakes were had for Oracles but because they thought their helpe for nourishment growing out of the Woods to be the gift of holy religion For they beleeved increase of their fruits to proceed from the favour of their Gods Who n Dodona is a wood where many oakes grow and that way famous being in Chaonia which is one of the chiefest parts of Epirus Pyrrhus his countrie tertio Europae sinu inquit Plinius lib. 3 Cap. 1o. So called from Dodone Iupiters daughter and because of his Oracle seated there Dodonaeus is an Epithete of his and one of his appellations Therefore also is his Oracle placed among multitudes of oakes because this tree is principally dedicated to him save the people of the Gentiles did adore who save they did honour this coorse food of the sacred wood of Dodona It is not likely therefore that their Gods disdaining that which they were wont being pacified to present them withall as a reward namely the fruit of this tree should bee now inflicted as a punishment upon them But to grant them this though utterly voide of all reason what equity is there in this that maintenance being denied to a few Priests the gods displeased therewith should deny sustenance to all the world For this were to make the payment exceed the trespasse It is not fit therefore that the hope of the yeare growne up to maturity in her new crop should notwithstanding as a thing bound under so great punishment for the sake of the deceiving world suddenly wither away and perish to the hurt of all And verely many yeares are now passed over their heads since the abrogation of the rites of their Temples Doth it now and did it never before enter into the minds o The Oracles of the Gentiles became dumb upon the first shining forth of Christian Religion yet this Rhetorician thinkes to raise up againe being long agoe dead his God Pan and therefore our Author meets with him in a pious derision of their gods to quit and avenge their old quarrell Hath therefore the Egyptian river Nilus in his sevenfold streames not swelled a longtime over his accustomed bankes to vindicate his owne and shall hee now breake his bounds to wreake his furie for the revenge of the losses of the Priests of the City of Rome But let it be that the former yeare they thought the wrongs of their gods sufficiently vindicated why this present yeare are they contemned For now neither doe the countrie people pull up the grasse by the rootes to feed upon nor make narrow search for the berries of the Woods to comfort The third Generall part allegation of an universall famine convinced to be false in respect of continuance nor snatch off the sloes from the thornes to sustaine them but rejoycing in their happy labour and standing in admiration of their harvest have satisfied their hunger according to their hearts desire from the fruits of the earth and receive their owne againe with advantage Where therefore is there such a novelist to be found that stands amazed at the p A Document drawn from experience that there is an intercourse of natures burden vicissitude of times Howbeit the former yeare also in our q Gods providence for his Church is such that when the fruits of their owne countrie faile he furnisheth them from an other place so that this relator is proved a false reporter knowledge most of the Provinces abounded with increase What shall I speake of the three r I understand him speaking in the plurall number as Plinie lib. 2 cap. 80. Ideò Galliae Aegyptus minimè quatiunt quoniam hôc aestatis causa obstat illîc hyemis In tria populorum genera dividitur Gallia Plinie lib. 4. cap. 17. which by other Cosmogr more expresly are called Coniata Braccata Togata parts of Gallia more rich then usually What of ſ The lower part of it is now named Hungarie Pannonia which had to sell over and above for food and provision to serve her owne use Fruitfull t Incolìs Alpium contermini Rheti Thuscorum prolem arbitrantur Plin. lib. 3. cap. 20. The latter Cosmograph make it a piece of Germanie Rhetia knoweth how much she was then envied for her fecunditie For shee which was wont to have fasting for her
suffrage to the ceremonies of the Gentiles and now to bind not only the faith of such as are present but such likewise which are r He seemes to gather this from these words following in his relation omnia Deo plena sunt nec vllus perfidis tutus est locus absent which if it be so his project reacheth further and heaveth at O Emperours even your faith also For your commands be coactions and restraints no lesse to your ſ Trajan the Emperour is commended for a great observer of justice and for that hee commanded not only the sword to be drawn out against other offendors but if hee did unjustly even against his owne person The deed of Constantius answered How God is present Iohn 4.24 What belongeth to the Senate selves then to others Constantius of famous memorie not as yet baptized thought it a contamination to his royall person once to looke upon that Altar of yours Hee commanded it to be taken away commanded it not to be placed there againe The one beares the authority of a deed done the other hath not so much as the force of a Precept for the doing it at all Let no man flatter himselfe concerning Gods presence he is then present when he planteth himselfe in the heart not when he is placed before the eyes It is more to be affianced to him in mind then to be coupled to him in body The Senate attributeth to you supreame power to summon a Councell meetes at your command tenders their oath not to the Gods of the Gentiles but to you preferres you even before their owne children but reserves their faith to God intire This is their love toward you then the which nothing can be more desired this is their love which is to be valewed above the Empire it selfe namely if the Christian faith under your Scepter which preserves the same be kept in safetie But perhaps some man may bee here t This Ethnick Relator seemeth to bite at Theodosius Magnus the rarest Prince of all other next to Constantine Magnus moved to bemone our estate for that so faithfull a Prince as were to be desired is now wanting what is this else but to measure the price of the merit of religion with the vading and variable condition of the present government For what wise man doth not understand the state of humane affaires to be placed in a certaine orbe and round circuit of many returnes and wherein the successes of things follow not alwayes alike The prospering of things under the Gentile government answered as untrue but under very much vicissitude and mutability Whom did the Roman Temples send forth with more happinesse then Cneus Pompeius But he when after his compassing the world with his puissant army had thrice gloriously triumphed was at last beaten out of the field forced to flie the battell like a fugitive and standing in the state of a poore exul driven out of the utmost skirts of his owne Empire had his head that had beene mounted so high taken off by none other champion then an u Ptolomie a young man being King of Egypt at this time Photinus an Eunuch and groome of his chamber governing the kingdome under him assigned Achillas to kill Pompie the great but Septimius who was appointed with Salvius and certaine souldiers to assist him a man that had beene sometimes under Pompey was the first that thrust him thorow with his sword Plutarch in vita Pomp. This Author mentioneth the taking off his head which by all likelihood was done by Achillas to whom the charge of his death was committed Egyptian Eunuch Whom did the Gods of Persia make more noble then Cyrus bestowing upon him the whole Monarchie of the Easterne world yet he also when he had overcome the most mighty Princes his opposites and being overcome held them under captivity was himselfe by silly women unfit to beare weapon put to flight and slaine And that king likewise who had rewarded them whom hee had overcome with honourable inlargement his head being chopped off and throwne into a bottle full of bloud was bid glut himselfe with that which hee so much thirsted after Thus in this mans race not like for like but much unlike measure was repaid him No man was more devoted to sacrifice then Hamilcar the Captain of the Carthaginean host who when he was placed during the whole fight betweene the murdering armies and busied himselfe there in making sacrifice after he knew part of his army to be ouerthrowne threw himselfe headlong into the burning fire which he kindled for that purpose to the end because they profited him nothing he might utterly extinguish them with his bloud What shall I say of x Iulian the Apostate hearkening to Soothsayers tooke not the offer made by the Persians of yeelding him a part of their kingdome but dreaming through their conjectures of a golden world marching forward in insulting wise did miserably perish Socrat. lib. 3. Cap. 18. Iulian Who giving too much credit to the soothsayers deprived himselfe of the opportunity offered him whereby hee might have returned home in peace Wherefore in the common y Meaning that all as well good as bad are under afflictions yet in a divers manner the good for their tryall the bad for their offences or for that the godly are not to bee discerned from the ungodly nor true religion from superstition by outward casualties and events Eccles 2.14 25 16. Iob 21.23.15 Ierem. 12.1 Psal 27.1 Hab. 1.2 3 4. Gedaliahs Ierem. 41.2 With Iosiahs examples 2. Chro. 35. and Ezech. captivity shew it to be so calamitie of things the cause of offence is not alike Therefore thus rejoycing in our full answer wee have deluded no man in our z The cause of these words is the promise he made Detur mihi exemplum missae relationis ut ego plenius respondeam Ep. suâ superiore ad Valent. promise Wherein I have replied to the provokers in their challenge with that moderation I trust as one nothing provoked to passion For my care hath beene more to refell by strength of argument the weaknesse of the relation then to lay open to opprobrie the foulenesse of their superstition Howbeit O Emperour let this their relation or rather prevarication bring your Clemency to bee more cautious For when he had annexed this of the ancienter Princes that the former a The connivencie or toleration in Christian Princes toward the Ceremonies of the Gentiles answered Symmachus words are these Corrigit sequentem lapsus prioris de reprehensione antecedent is exempli nascitur emendatio number of them embraced the ceremonies of the Fathers the latter removed them not and had added withall if the Religion of the elder sort make not an example let the connivency of the next following them doe it he hath clearely taught you which also you owe to your Christian faith that in no wise you follow the patterne of the Gentile rites and that which you owe likewise to your Christian piety you violate not the b Which in effect were doubtlesse agreeable to that is written of the Decrees of the Ancyran Councell Continet Canones generales 24 contra eos qui inviti vel Dijs thurificabant vel immolabant Statutes of your c His great zeale for establishing the truth appeares by sending for St. Ambrose to come to him to confirme the holy Ghost to bee God Lib. Epist 50. v. 25. 26. and for choosing Theodosius so religious a Prince as a worthy assistant to him in governing the Empire In the time of these two Emperours was the sixt Councell at Constantinople one of the 4. principall and the next best to the ◠Nicene and whatsoever was decreed therein and the Ancyran ratified Brother For if they only in their owne respects have published to the world the connivency of those Princes who being Christians yet have not removed the Decrees of the Gentiles how much more ought they to attribute it to your love to your Brother whose part it is Yea were it so that there were peradventure something which you approved not to passe by it lest otherwise you might derogate from his Statutes and from that you now maintaine and judge both agreeable to your owne faith and to the neerest and deerest bond of tendrest regard you owe to your worthiest Christian Brother FINIS