in the same stead that a Kings are to him his 〈◊〉 his mantle and his staffe his scepter The Donatists and the Circumcelliones beeing 〈◊〉 both of one stampe in Augustines time went so cloaked and bare clubbes to destroy 〈◊〉 Christians withall Of the blessing of multiplication before sinne which the transgression did not abolish but onely lincked to lust CHAP. 21. â—…D forbid then that we should beleeue that our parents in Paradise should â—…e full-filled that blessing Increase and multiply and fill the earth in that 〈◊〉 made them blush and hide their priuities this lust was not in them vntill 〈◊〉 â—…ne and then their shame fast nature hauing the power and rule of the 〈◊〉 perceiued it blushed at it and couered it But that blessing of marriage â—…rease multiplication and peopling of the earth though it remained in 〈◊〉 after sin yet was it giuen them before sin to know that procreation of 〈◊〉 â—…onged to the glory of mariage not to the punishment of sin But the 〈◊〉 are now on earth knowing not that happinesse of Paradise doe thinke â—…dren cannot be gotten but by this lust which they haue tried this is that 〈◊〉 honest mariage ashamed to act it 〈◊〉 a reiecting impiously deriding the holy scriptures that say they were â—…d of their nakednesse after they had sinned couered their priuities and b others though they receiue the scriptures yet hold that this blessing Increase and multiply is meant of a spirituall and not a corporall faecundity because the Psalme saith thou shalt multiply vertue in my soule and interprete the following words of Genesis And fill the earth and rule ouer it thus earth that is the flesh which the soule filleth with the presence and ruleth ouer it when it is multiplied in vertue but that the carnall propagation cannot bee performed without that lust which arose in man was discouered by him shamed him and made him couer it after sinne and that his progeny were not to liue in Paradise but without it as they did for they begot no children vntill they were put forth of Paradise and then they did first conioyne and beget them L. VIVES OThers a reiecting The Manichees that reiected all the olde Testament as I sayd elsewhere b Others though The Adamites that held that if Adam had not sinned there should haue beene no marying c Thou shalt multiply The old bookes reade Thou shalt multiply me in soule by thy vertue And this later is the truer reading I thinke for Aug. followed the 70. and they translate it so That God first instituted and blessed the band of Mariage CHAP. 22. BVt wee doubt not at all that this increase multiplying and filling of the earth was by Gods goodnesse bestowed vpon the marriage which hee ordeined in the beginning ere man sinned when hee made them male and female sexes euident in the flesh This worke was no sooner done but it was blessed for the scripture hauing said He created them male and female addeth presently And God blessed them saying Increase and multiply c. a All which though they may not vnfitly be applied spiritually yet male and female can in no wise be appropriate to any spirituall thing in man not vnto that which ruleth and that which is ruled but as it is euident in the reall distinction of sexe they were made male and female to bring forth fruite by generation to multiply and to fill the earth This plaine truth none but fooles will oppose It cannot bee ment of the spirit ruling and the flesh obeying of the reason gouerning and the affect working of the contemplatiue part excelling and the actiue seruing nor of the mindes vnderstanding and the bodies sence but directly of the band of marriage combining both the sexes in one Christ being asked whether one might put away his wife for any cause because Moses by reason of the hardnesse of their hearts suffred them to giue her a bill of diuorce answered saying Haue you not read that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female and sayd for this cause shall â—…man leaue father and mother and sleaue vnto his wife and they tvvaine shal be one flesh So that now they are no more two but one Let no man therefore sunder what God hath coupled together Sure it t s therefore that male and female were ordained at the beginning in the same forme and difference that mankinde is now in And they are called one either because of their coniunction or the womans originall who came of the side of man for the Apostle warnes all maried men by this example to loue their wiues L. VIVES ALL a which There is nothing in the scripture but may bee spiritually applied yet must we keepe the true and real sence otherwise we should make a great confusion in religion for the Heretiques as they please wrest all vnto their positions But if God in saying Increase c. had no corporall meaning but onely spirituall what remaines but that we allow this spirituall increase vnto beasts vpon whom also this blessing was laide Whether if man had not sinned he should haue begotten children in Paradice and vvhether there should there haue beene any contention betvveene chastity and lust CHAP. 23. BVt he that saith that there should haue beene neither copulation nor propagation but for sinne what doth he els but make sinne the originall of the holy number of Saints for if they two should haue liued alone not sinning seeing sinne as these say was their onely meane of generation then veryly was sinne necessary to make the number of Saints more then two But if it bee absurd to hold this it is fit to hold that that the number of Gods cittizenâ—… should haue beene as great then if no man had sinned as now shal be gathered by Gods grace out of the multitude of sinners as long a as this worldly multiplication of the sonnes of the world men shal endure And therefore that marriage that was held fit to bee in Paradice should haue had increase but no lust had not sinne beene How this might be here is no fit place to discusse but it neede not seeme incredible that one member might serue the will without lust then so many seruing it now b Do wee now mooue our hands and feete so lasily when wee will vnto their offices without resistance as wee see in our selues and others chiefely handicraftesmen where industry hath made dull nature nimble and may wee not beleeue that those members might haue serued our first father vnto procreation if they had not beene seazed with lust the reward of his disobedience as well as all his other serued him to other acts doth not Tully disputing of the difference of gouerments in his bookes of the Common-weale and drawing a simyly from mans nature say that they c command our bodily members as sonnes they are so obedient and that wee must keepe an harder forme
promiseth to â—…ie the minde by the inuocation of deuills 11. Of Porpheries epistle to Anebuns of Aegâ—…t desiring him of instruction in the seuerâ—… kâ—…des of Daemones 12. Of the miracles that God worketh by his Angels ministry 1â—… How the inuisible God hath often made â—…selfe visible not as hee is really but as wee câ—…ld be able to comprehend his sight 14. How but one God is to be worshipped for all things temporall and eternall all being in the pâ—…er of his prouidence 15. Of the holy Angels that minister to Gods prouidence 16. Whether in this question of Beatitude we 〈◊〉 trâ—…st those Angels that refuse the diuine â—…ship and ascribe it all to one God or those thâ—… require it to themselues 17. Of the Arke of the Testament and the miracles wrought to confirme the lawe and the promise 18. Against such as deny to beleeue the scriptures concerning those miracles shewen to Gods people 19. The reason of that visible sacrifice that the true religion commands vs to offer to one God 20. Of the onely and true sacrifice which the mediator betweene God and Man became 21. Of the power giuen to the deuils to the greater glorifying of the Saints that haue suffered martyrdome and conquered the ayrie spirits not by appeasing them but by adhering to God 22. From whence the Saints haue their power against the diuels and their pure purgation of heart 23. Of the Platonists principles in their purgation of the soule 24. Of the true onely beginning that purgeth and reneweth mans whole nature 25. That all the Saints in the old law and other ages before it were iustified onely by the mistery and faith of Christ. 26. Of Porphery his wauering betweene confession of the true God and adoration of the Deuils 27. Of Porphery his exceeding Apuleius in impietie 28. What perswasions blinded Porphery from knowing Christ the true wisdome 29. Of the inearnation of our Lord Iesus Christ which the impious Platonists shame to acknowledge â—…0 What opinions of Plato Pophery confuted and corrected 31. Against the Platonists holding the soule coeternall with God 32. Of the vniuersall way of the soules freedome which Porphery sought amisse and therefore found not That onely Christ hath declared it FINIS THE TENTH BOOKE OF THE CITTIE OF GOD Written by Saint Augustine Bishop of Hippo vnto Marcellinus That the Platonists themselues held that One onely God was the giuer of all beatitude vnto men and Angels but the controuersie is whether they that they hold are to be worshipped for this end would haue sacrifices offered to themselues or resigne all vnto God CHAP. 1. IT is perspicuous to the knowledge of all such as haue vse of reason that man desireth to be happy But the great controuersies arise vppon the inquisition whence or how mortall infirmity should attaine beatitude in which the Phylosophers haue bestowed all their time study which to relate were here too tedious and as fruitlesse He that hath read our 8. booke wherein we selected with what Phylosophers to handle this question of beatitude whether it were to be attained by seruing one God the maker of the rest or the others also need not looke for any repititions here hauing 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 memory if it fayle him we choose the Platonists as worthily held the most â—…thy Philosophers because as they could conceiue that the reasoâ—…ble 〈◊〉 soule of man could neuer be blessed but in participation of the light of God the worlds creator so could they affirme that beatitude the ayme 〈◊〉 all 〈◊〉 was vn-attainable without a firme adherence in pure loue vnâ—…â—…hangeable One that is GOD. But because they also gaue way to Pagâ—… 〈◊〉 becomming vaine as Paul saith in their owne imaginations and beleeâ—… oâ—… would be thought to beleeue that man was bound to honor many gods and some of them extending this honor euen to deuills whom wee haue indifferently confuted it reâ—…eth now to examine by gods grace how these immortall and blessed creatures in heauen be they in thrones a dominations principalities or powers whom they call gods and some of them good Daemones or â—…gels as we doe are to be beleeued to desire our preseruation of truth in religion 〈◊〉 piety that is to be more plaine whether their wills be that we should offâ—…r 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and sacrifice or consecrate ours or our selues vnto them or onely to god 〈◊〉 iâ—… both their God ouâ—… the peculiar worship of the diuinity or to speaâ—…e â—…preslie the deitie because I haue no one fit Latine word to expresse 〈◊〉 â—…d I will vse the Greeke b Latria which our brethren in all translatiâ—… doe translate Seruice But that seruice wherein we serue men 〈◊〉 by the Apostle in these words Seruants bee obedient to your 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 expressed by another Greeke word But Latria as our Euangeliâ—… 〈◊〉 â—…her wholy or most frequently signifieth the honour due vnto GOD. Iâ—… 〈◊〉 therefore translate it 〈◊〉 of Colo to worshippe or to tiâ—… wâ—… 〈◊〉 it with more then God for wee c worship coliâ—… 〈◊〉 men of honorâ—… memory or presence besides Colo in generall vse is propâ—…â—…o d things vnder vs as well as those whome wee reuerence or adore 〈◊〉 â—…omes the word Colonus for a husbandman or an inhabitant And the â—…lled Caelicolae of Caelum Heauen and Colo to inhabite not to adore or 〈◊〉 yet e as husband-men that haue their name from the village of the â—…ossesse but as that rare Latinist saith Vrbs antiqua fuit f Tyrij tenuêre 〈◊〉 being here the inhabitants not the husbandmen And herevpon the 〈◊〉 haue beene planted and peopled by other greater cities as one hiue â—…duceth diuerse are called colonies So then we cannot vse Colo with â—…o God without a restraint of the signification seeing it is communiâ—…â—…o many sences therefore no one Latine word that I know is sufficient 〈◊〉 the worship due vnto God For though Religion signifie nothing so 〈◊〉 the worship of GOD and there-vpon so wee translate the Greeke 〈◊〉 yet because in the vse of it in Latine both by learned and ignorant â—…erred vnto linages affinities and all kindreds therefore it will not â—…oyde ambiguitie in this theame nor can wee truly say religion is noâ—…t Gods worship the word seeming to be taken originally from huâ—… and obseruance So Piety also is taken properly for the worship of 〈◊〉 the Greekes vse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yet is it attributed also vnto the duty towards 〈◊〉 and ordinarily vsed for i the workes of mercy I thinke because â—…ands it so strictly putting it in his presence k for and l before 〈◊〉 Whence came a custome to call God Pious Yet the Greekes neuer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 though they vse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for mercy or piety often But in some 〈◊〉 more distinction they choose rather to say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gods worship â—…lainely worship or good worship But wee haue no one fit worde â—…sse either of these The Greeke
Abraham was borne in a part of Chaldaea which belonged a vnto the Empire of the Assyrians And now had superstition got great head in Chaldaea as it had all ouer else so there was but onely the house of Thara Abrahams father that serued God truly and by all likelyhood kept the Hebrew tongue pure though that as Iosuah telleth the Hebrewes as they were Gods euident people in Egipt so in Mesopotamia they fell to Idolatry all Hebers other sonnes becomming other nations or beeing commixt with others Therefore euen as in the deluge of waters Noahs house remained alone to repaire man-kinde so in this deluge of sinne and superstition Thares house onely remained as the place wherein GODS Cittie was planted and kept And euen as before the deluge the generations of all from Adam the number of yeares and the reason of the deluge being all reckoned vp before God began to speake of building the Arke the Scripture saith of Noah These are the generations of Noah euen so here hauing reckoned all from Sem the sonne of Noah downe vnto Abraham hee putteth this to the conclusion as a point of much moment These are the generations of Thara Thara begot Abraham Nachor and Aram And Aram dyed before b his father Thara in the land wherein hee was borne being a part of Chaldaea And Abraham and Nachor tooke them wiues the name of Abrahams wife was Sarah and the name of Nachors wife was Melca the daughter of Aram who was father both to Melca and Iesea whome some hold also to be Sara Abrams wife L. VIVES WHich a belonged For Mela Pliny Strabo and others place Chaldaea in Assyria And 〈◊〉 onely a part of that Assyria which the ancient writers called by the name of Syâ—… 〈◊〉 countrie but of that Assyria also which Strabo calles the Babilonian Assyria 〈◊〉 maketh a difference betweene Syria and Assyria Cyropaed 1. b Before In his faâ—… 〈◊〉 So all interpretours take it Augustine might perhaps vnderstand it before his 〈◊〉 to Charra which is part of Chaldaea Charrah was a citty in Mesopotamia where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 killed Crassus the Romaine generall â—…hy there is no mention of Nachor Tharas sonne in his departure from Chaldaea to Mesopotamia CHAP. 13. 〈◊〉 the Scripture proceedeth and declareth how Thara and his family left â—…ldaea and came a into Mesopotamia and dwelt in Charra But of his 〈◊〉 â—…chor there is no mention as if he had not gone with him Thus saith the 〈◊〉 Thus Thara tooke Abraham his sonne and Lot his grand-child Abraâ—… 〈◊〉 and Sara his daughter in law his sonne Abrahams wife and hee led them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 countrey of Chaldaea into the land of Canaan and hee came to Charra and 〈◊〉 there Here is no word of Nachor nor his wife Melcha But afterward 〈◊〉 Abraham sent his seruant to seeke a wife for his sonne Isaac wee finde it 〈◊〉 thus So the seruant tooke ten of his maisters Camels and of his Maisters 〈◊〉 â—…th him and departed and went into Mesopotamia into the citty of Nachor â—…ce and others beside doe prooue that Nachor went out of Chaldaea alâ—…â—…led him-selfe in Mesopotamia where Abraham and his father had dwelt 〈◊〉 not the Scriptures then remember him when Thara went thence to 〈◊〉 where when it maketh mention both of Abraham and Lot that was 〈◊〉 â—…and-childe and Sara his daughter in lawe in this transmigration what 〈◊〉 thinke but that hee had forsaken his father and brothers religion and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chaldees superstition and afterward either repenting for his fact 〈◊〉 â—…secuted by the countrie suspecting him to bee hollow-harted deparâ—… him-selfe also for Holophernes Israels enemy in the booke of Iudith 〈◊〉 what nation they were and whether hee ought to fight against them 〈◊〉 answered by Achior captaine of the Ammonites Let my Lord heare the 〈◊〉 mouth of his seruant and I will show thee the truth concerning this people 〈◊〉 these mountaines and there shall no lye come out of thy seruants mouth 〈◊〉 come out of the stock of the Chaldaeans and they dwelt before in 〈◊〉 â—…ia because they would not follow the Gods of their fathers that 〈◊〉 â—…us in the land of Chaldaea but they left the way of their ancestors 〈◊〉 the God of heauen whom they knew so that they cast them out from 〈◊〉 their gods and they fled into Mesopotamia and dwelt there many 〈◊〉 their God commanded them to depart from the place where they 〈◊〉 to goe into the land of Chanaan where they dwelt and so forth as 〈◊〉 Ammonite relateth Hence it is plaine that Thara his family were perâ—… the Chaldaeans for their religion because they worshipped the true 〈◊〉 God L. VIVES Mesopotamia Mesopotamia quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 betweene two seas for it lay all beâ—… 〈◊〉 and Euphrates Of the age of Thara who liued in Charra vntill his dying day CHAP. 14. THara dyed in Mesopotamia where it is said hee liued two hundred and fiue yeares and after his death the promises that God made to Abraham began to be manifested Of Thara it is thus recorded The dayes of Thara were two hundred and fiue yeares and hee dyed in Charra Hee liued not there all this time you must thinke but because he ended his time which amounted vnto two hundred and fiue yeares in that place it is said so Otherwise wee could not tell how many yeares he liued because we haue not the time recorded when he came to Charra and it were fondnesse to imagine that in that Catalogue where all their ages are recorded his onely should bee left out for whereas the Scripture names some and yet names not their yeares it is to bee vnderstood that they belong not to that generation that is so lineally drawne downe from man to man For the stem that is deriued from Adam vnto Noah and from him vnto Abraham names no man without recording the number of his yeares also Of the time vvherein Abraham receiued the promise from God and departed from Charra CHAP. 15. BVt whereas wee read that after Thara's death the Lord said vnto Abraham Gette thee out of thy countrey and from thy kindred and from thy fathers house c. Wee must not thinke that this followed immediately in the times though it follow immediately in the scriptures for so wee shall fall into an b inextricable doubt for after these words vnto Abraham the Scripture followeth thus So Abraham departed as the Lord spake vnto him and Lot vvent vvith him and Abraham vvas seauentie fiue yeares old vvhen hee vvent out of Charra How can this be true now if Abraham went not out of Charra vntill after the death of his father for Thara begot him as wee said before at the seauentith yeare of his age vnto which adde seauentie fiue yeares the age of Abraham at this his departure from Charra and it maketh a hundred forty fiue yeares So old therefore was Thara when Abraham departed from Charra that citty of Mesopotamia for
Christian Religion and become true and faithfull Tributaries to the people of Rome manfully defending those bounds of the Romanes by their sword and goods from the violent inuasions of the rest of the Scythians VALENS pleased with their conutions sent LVPIâ—…INIVS and MAVINVS vnto them as Duumuiri to deuide the grounde and assignâ—… places of habitations to the Visigoths But they began to lay burthens of oppression vppon the necks of the people through their coueteousnesse and crueltie now for a while the Gothes did patiently beare and lightly regarded the wrong done vnto them because they were loath beeing but lately entered into the bounds of strangers to kindle any fire of sedition supposing that those greedy Captaines being glutted with wealth would make an end of their oppressions But while these coueteous wretches had little care for the distribution and prouision of victuals they caused such a greeuous famine as was not onely a destruction to those hungry Captaines them-selues but also to the Romaine prince For the Gothes being assailed with pinching famine like hungry beastes tooke vppe their weapons hastily killing the Romaine Captaines and their Guard and then hauing armed them-selues they range ouer all Mysia and so from thencepasse into the nearest Thracia which they compelled to become tributary vnto them Here VALENS encountred them and there was a sore and bloody battell on both sides so that the Romaines were scattered and put to flight and a great many of them slaughtered The Emperour him-selfe beeing wounded was taken prisoner by the enemie whome they burned aliue so great was their furie after the effusion of so much blood And then beeing proud of their victory they march forward to Bizantium and no repugnant forces stopping their passage they besiege the Cittie which held out for some space of time by her owne strength by the industry and councell of DOMINICA who was wife vnto VALENS for the hartes of the Cittizens were fast vnited toward the Prince by the great bounty and liberality of DOMINICA Afterward the siege beeing raized by the valour and power of VALENTINIANVS brother to VALENS they retired backe and departed VALENTINIANVS adopted THEODOSIVS a Spaniard sent for out of Spaine and made him partaker of his Empire He vanquished and putte the Gothes to the worst in many battels compelling them to bee humble sutors for peace which beeing graunted HALARICVS their King comming to visite THEODOSIVS beeing sicke fell him-selfe also into a disease of which hee died within a few moneths after Neither had they any other King or Captaine but such as the Romaine Emperor elected and appointed ouer them In the meane while THEODOSIVS of Millan who was a prince without all controuersie equall to the rest and inferior to none of the most renowned as well in warre as peaee departed out of this life leauing two sonnes behinde him named ARCHADIVS and HONORIVS and one daughter called PLACIDIA He made ARCHADIVS gouernour ouer Byzantium and the Orientall Regiment and HONORIVS ouer the Occidentall and the Cittie of Rome And because they were some-what young hee assigned Tutors and Gardians ouer them in his Testament for their better education namely RVFFINVS ouer ARCHADIVS and STELICO ouer HONORIVS both of them beeing crafty and wicked wretches and so qualified by nature as they could easily insinuate them selues into the bosome of Princes These two bad Protectors abusing the Minority of these Princes beeing an age subiect to iniury that they might increase their owne ritches and strengthen them-selues with great power did not bend their affects to the fruition of any priuate greatnesse but their ambitious and treacherous thoughts aymed at the highest steppe of Royall dignity RVFFINVS coueted the Empire for him-selfe STILICO for his sonne Thus both of them busied their wittes and stretched the sinewes of their strength to satisfie their aspiring thoughtes but they perceiued that they could not come to the vpshotte of their desires but in the time of warre because then the peaceable state beeing troubled with the tempest of warre their hatefull thoughts could not so well be discouered and might with farre greater facility bee effected the mindes of the Princes being perplexed with terrors of the warres which might bee an occasion to grant any thing to men nearest vnto them and such as should haue the chiefest command in the administration of all affaires For they were not ignorant that in quiet time of peace as in a fayre and calme day the darke cloudes of their blacke mindes would soone haue beene discerned and that punishment should with more expedition bee inflicted vppon them the Princes and Nobles hauing leasure of consultation concerning that matter Wherefore both of them solicite and incite the Gothes a people ready to blow the bellowes to kindle the flame of sedition and tumults of war that they would make war against their Prince setting an edge vpon their greedy appetit with hope of a great rich booty the Gothes supposing now that oportunity was their friend so that they might do some great good for themselues or at least the war not attempted returne home again with no smal prey betooke themselues to armes and hauing created HALARICVS to bee their King one of their owne bodie and of the famous house of the BALTHI depart out of their owne bounds not without great feare and terror of those which bordered neare vnto them And within a while after RADAGAISVS ioyned himselfe vnto their King with two hundered thousand Gothes and when as no one land was able to nourrish two such hugh armies the Generalls were constrained to seperate their Tents and one of them going one way and the other another way through Panonia Illiricum and Noricum they burne and spoile all things that commeth in their way and at last they come into Italy Now RVFFINVS foolishly executing his designments was slaine by those souldiers at Thessalonica But STILICO more craâ—…tilie concealed his wicked plot And now RADAGAISVS was come to the Cittie of Rome with his army marching through Etruria putting all in great feare and terror which way soeuer hee went The Citty of Rome troubled with exceeding feare sendeth mercenarie captaines against him at his first approch Now RADAGAISVS vâ—…isedly and rashly ordering his army threw himselfe as it were head-long into places of disaduantage So that the multitude of his souldiers pyned were consumed with famine depriued of their victual And he himselfe seeing things were come to this vnlucky euent attempted with a small company to escape by flight be a secret and priuate way but hee was intercepted and slaine by the Romane souldiers and a great multitude of Gothes were sold at a very low rate After this ouerthrow and slaughter of the Gothes HALARICYS entreth into Italy affrighting euery one with farre greater dread then RADAGAISVS had done before When tydings was brought vnto STILICO which was at Byzantium hee sent some of his souldiers before him which should set vpon the
the founders of the citty did decree the same doe the destroyers of it And what if the one did it to increase the multitude of their cittizens when the other did it to preserue the multitude of their foes Let this then and what soeuer besides fitly may bee so vsed be vsed as an answer of our Lord Iesus Christ his flock and that pilgrim-citty of God vnto all their wicked enemies L. VIVES A a Sanctuarie It is a sacred place from whence it is not lawfull to draw any man for thence is the name deriued comming of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rapio to draw or pull and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the primiâ—… letter And so by a figure called Lambdacismus is made asylum for asyrum Seruiâ—… 〈◊〉 8. Aenead Though indeed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is tollere to take away as Homer vseth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. He tooke away the goodly armes After that Hercules was dead his nephews and postâ—…itie fearing the oppression of such as their grand-father had iniured built the first sanctuary at Athens naming it the temple of Mercy out of which no man could bee taken And this Statius testifieth also Now Romulus and Remus built one betweene the tower and the Capitoll calling the place where it stood Inter-montium intending hereby that the multitude of offendors flocking hether for hope of pardon would bee a meane to â—…ent the number of inhabitants in this new Citie To what God or Goddesse it was 〈◊〉 it is vnknowne Dionisius saith hee cannot tell Some say vnto Veiouis But the grâ—…e of the Saâ—…tie is honoured vpon the fourth of the Nones of February as Ouid writâ—… Pastorum 2. In Greece and Asia haue beene many sanctuaries Tiberius Caesar being out of liking with their too much licence tooke from them almost all their liberties and priuiledges as Tacitus and Suetonius do report Of such of Gods elest as liue secretly as yet amongst the Infidels and of such as are false Christians CHAP. 34. AND let this Cittie of Gods remember that euen amongst her enemies there are some concealed that shall one day be her Citizens nor let her thinke it a fruitlesse labour to beare their hate a vntill shee heare their confession as she hath also as long as shee is in this pilgrimage of this world some that are pertaker of the same sacraments with her b that shall not bee pertakers of the Saints glories with her who are partly knowne and partly vnknowne Yea such there are that spare not amongst Gods enemies to murmure against his glory whose character they beare vpon them going now vnto Playes with them and by and by vnto the Church with vs. But let vs not despaire of the reformation of some of these we haue little reason seeing 〈◊〉 we haue many secret and predestinated friends euen amongst our most 〈◊〉 aduersaries and such as yet know not themselues to be ordained for 〈◊〉 â—…dship For the two citties of the predestinate and the reprobate are in this world confused together and commixt vntill the generall iudgement make a separation of the originall progresse and due limits of both which cities what I thinke fitte to speake by Gods helpe and furtherance I will now beâ—… to the glory of the Cittie of God which being d compared with her 〈◊〉 will spread her glories to a more full aspect L. VIVES VNtill a shee heare their confession At the last discouery where euery man shall confesse himselfe which shall bee then when the bookes of mens consciences are opened that is in the world to come b That shall not be partakers According to the words of Christ Many are called but few are chosen c Untill the generall iudgement So it is in the Gospell The Angels shall seperate the euill from the middest of the iust in the end of the world d Compared with her contrary So Aristotle saith Contraries placed together shew both the fuller What subiects are to be handled in the following discourse CHAP. 35. BVt we haue a little more to say vnto those that lay the afflictions of the Romaine estate vpon the profession of Christianitie which forbiddeth men to sacrifice vnto those Idols For we must cast vp a summe of all the miseries or of as many as shal suffice which that Citie or the prouinces vnder her subiection endured before those sacrifices were forbidden All which they would haue imputed vnto our religion had it beene then preached and taught against these sacrifices when these miseries befell Secondly wee must shew what customes and conditions the true God vouchsafed to teach them for the increasing of their Empire a that God in whose hand are al the kingdomes of the earth and how their false Gods neuer helped them a iotte but rather did them infinite hurt by deceit and inducement And lastly we will disprooue those who though they be confuted with most manifest proofes yet will needs affirme still that their gods are to be worshipped and that not for the benefites of this life but for those which are belonging to the life to come Which question vnlesse I be deceiued will be b farre more laborious and worthier of deeper consideration in the which we must dispute against the Philosophers c not against each one but euen the most excellent and glorious of them all and such as in many points hold as we hold and namely of the immortality of the soule and of the worlds creation by the true God and of his prouidence whereby he swayeth the whole creation But because euen these also are to be confuted in what they hold opposite vnto vs wee thought it our dutie not to bee slacke in this worke but conuincing all the contradictions of the wicked as God shall giue vs power and strength to aduance the veritie of the Cittie of God the true zeale and worship of God which is the onely way to attaine true and eternall felicitie This therefore shall bee the method of our worke and now from this second exordium we will take each thing in due order L. VIVES THat God a in whose hand for Christ saith Math. 28. 18. All power is giuen vnto me in heauen and earth b More laborious Operosior harder of more toyle c Not against each one not against euery common Philosopher or smatterer for so is quilibet taken sometimes as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is often in the Greeke In this Chapter Augustine shewes briefly both what he hath done already and how he meanes to proceede Finis Libri primi THE CONTENTS OF THE SECND BOOKE OF THE Citie of God 1. Of the method that must of necessity be vsed in this disputation 2. A repitition of the contents of the first booke 3. Of the choise of an history that will shew the miseries that the Romaines endured when they worshipped their Idols before the increase of Christian religion 4. That the worshippers of Pagan gods neuer receiued honest instruction from them but vsâ—…d all filthinesse in their
sacriâ—…es 5. Of the obscaenaties vsed in the sacrifices offred vnto the mother of the gods 6. That the Pagan gods did neuer establish the doctrine of liuing well 7. That the Philosophers instructions are weake and bootlesse in that they beare no diuine authoritie because that the examples of the Gods are greater confirmation of vices in men then the wise mens disputations are on the contrary 8. Of the Romaine Stage-playes wherin the publishing of their foulest impurities did not any way offend but rather delight them 9. What the Romaines opinion was touching the restraint of the liberty of Poefie which the Greekes by the councell of their Gods would not haue restrained at all 10. That the Deuils through their settled desire to doe men mischiefe were willing to haue any villanie reported of them whether true or false 11. That the Greeks admitted the Plaiers to beare office in their commonweales least they should seeme vniust in despising such men as were the pacifiers of their 〈◊〉 12. That the Romaines in abridging thâ—…r liberty which their Poets would haue vpon men and allowing them to vse it vpon their Gods did herein shew that they prised themselues aboue the Gods 13. That the Romaines might haue â—…serued their Gods vnworthinesse by the 〈◊〉 of such obscane solemnitiâ—… 14. That Plato who would not allow Poets to dwell in a well gouerned Citie shewed herein that his sole worth was better then all the Gods who desire to bee honored with Stage-playes 15. That flattery and not Reason created some of the Romaine Gods 16. That if the Romaine Gods had had any care of iustice the Citty should haue had her forme of gouernment from them rather then to borrow it of other nations 17. Of the rape of the Sabine women and diuerse other wicked facts done in Romes most ancient honorable times 18. What the history of Salust reports of the Romains conditions both in their times of danger and those of securitie 19. Of the corruptions ruling in the Romaine state before that Christ abolished the worship of their Idols 20. Of what kind of happinesse and of what conditions the accusers of Christianitie desire to pertake 21. Tullies opinion of the Romaine common-weale 22. That the Romaine Gods neuer respected whether the Citty were corrupted and so brought to destruction or no. 23. That the variety of temporall estates dependeth not vpon the pleasure or displeasure of those Deuils but vpon the iudgments of God Almighty 24. Of the acts of Sylla wherein the Deuils shewed themselues his maine helpers and furtherers 25. How powerfully the Deuils incite men to villanies by laying before them examples of diuine authority as it were for them to follow in their villanous acts 26. Of certaine obscure instructions concerning good manners which the Deuils are said to haue giuen in secret whereas all wickednesse was taught in their publique solemnities 27. What a great meanes of the subuersion of the Romaine estate the induction of those Playes was which they surmized to be propitiatory vnto the Gods 28. Of the saluation attained by the Christian religion 29. An exhortation to the Romaines to renounce their Paganisme THE SECOND BOOKE OF THE CITTY OF GOD Written by Saint Augustine Bishop of Hippo vnto Marcellinus Of the method which must of necessity be vsed in this disputation CHAP. 1. IF the weake custome of humaine sence durst not bee so bold as to oppose it selfe against the reasons of apparant truth but would yeeld this languid infirmitie vnto wholesome instruction as vnto a medicine which were fittest to apply vntill by Gods good assistance and faiths operation it were throughly cured then those that can both iudge well and instruct sufficiently should not need many words to confute any erronious opinion or to make it fully apparant vnto such as their desires would truly informe But now because there is so great and inueterate a dâ—…sease rooted in the mindes of the ignorant that they will out of their extreame blindnesse whereby they see not what is most plaine or out of their obstinate peruersnesse whereby they will not brooke what they see defend their irrationall and brutish opinions after that the truth hath beenetaught them as plaine as one man can teach another hence it is that a there ariseth a necessitie that bindeth vs to dilate more fully of what is already most plaine and to giue the truth not vnto their eyes to see but euen into their heads as it were to touch and feele Yet notwithstanding this by the way What end shall wee make of alteration if we hold that the answerers are continually to be answered For as for those that either cannot comprehend what is said vnto them or else are so obstinate in their vaine opinions that though they do vnderstand the truth yet will not giue it place in their minds but reply against it as it is written of them like spectators of iniquitie those are eternally friuolous And if wee should binde our selues to giue an answer to euery contradiction that their impudencie will thrust forth how falsly they care not so they do but make a shew of opposition vnto our assertions you see what a trouble it would be how endlesse and how fruitlesse And therefore sonne Marcelline I would neither haue you nor any other to whom this our worke may yeeld any benefit in Iesus Christ to read this volume with any surmise that I am bound to answer whatsoeuer you or they shall heare obiected against it least you become like vnto the women of whom the Apostle saith that they were alwayes learning and neuer able to come vnto the knowledge of the truth L. VIVES Hâ—… 〈◊〉 iâ—… that a there ariseth a necessity The latine text is fit necessitus spoken by a Gâ—…e figure 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Demosthenes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 necessitas for necesse and it is an ordinary phrase with them though the Latynes say est necessitas as Quintilian hath it Arepetition of the Contentes of the first booke CHAP. 2. THerefore in the former booke wherein I began to speake of the City of God to which purpose all the whole worke by Gods assistance shall haue reserence I did first of all take in hand to giue them their answere that are so shamelesse as to impute the calamities inflicted vpon the world and in particular vpon Rome in her last desolation wrought-by the Vandales vnto the religion of Christ which forbids men to offerre seruice or sacrifice vnto deuills whereas they are rather bound to ascribe this as a glory to Christ that for his names sake alone the barbarous nations beyond all practise and custome of warres allowed many and spacious places of religion for those ingratefull men to escape into and gaue such honor vnto the seruants of Christ not only to the true ones but euen to the counterfeit that what the law of armes made lawfull to doe vnto all men they held it vtterly vnlawfull to offer vnto them
light Infinite are the significations of words and the proprieties of phrase which onely Budaeus hath fetched out of deepest obliuion and exposed them to mens vnderstandings And yet all these singular and admirable guifts hath hee attained to by his owne industry alone without helpe of any maister O happy fertile witte that in it selfe alone found both maister and scholler and method of instruction That whose tenth part others can hardly leâ—…of great and cunning maisters he alone without helpe of others drew wholy from himselfe I haue not yet sayd any thing of his knowledge in the lawe which he alone hath begun to restore from ruine nor of his Philosophie whereof in his bookes De Asse he hath giuen such proofe as no man possibly could but such an one as had dayly conuersation with such reading of all the Philosophers and deepe instruction in those studies To all this may bee added that which indeed excells all things else an honestie congruent to all this learning so rare and so admirable that being but considered without the other graces of witte and learning it might seeme the worlds miracle his honesty no more then his learning acknowledgeth none his superior A man that in all the diuerse actions of his life giues his religion alwayes the first place A man that hauing wife and many children was neuer drawne from his true square with any profit or study to augment his estate but euer-more swaid both himselfe and his fortunes and directed both Fortune could neuer lead him away though she promised neuer so faire he had her alwayes in his power A man continually in court in Embassages yet neuer followed Princes fauours nor nousled them with flatteries Hee neuer augmented his patrimony because he would neuer depart an haires-breadth from honesty he was alwayes a seuerer censor of his owne conditions then of any others and hauing vndergone offices which were obiects of the greatest enuie he neuer found callumnie from any tongue nor incurd suspition of any error though he had to doe with a free nation and a people as ready to accuse as froward to suspect I see I haue forgot breuities bounds being whirled beyond them with the loue I haue to relate the vertues of mine honored friend now to our purpose Salusts meaning therefore is that as well this ciuill equitie which they call lawe as that naturall equitie which nature produceth in the mindes of the iudicious and then which nothing is better it being therefore called good were no more powerfull with the Romaines in their decretall lawes then in the naturall discretions of vnderstanding men b Out of this Iustice A most bitter Ironie a 〈◊〉 quippe c That the Sabine Virgins When as Romulus could not obtaine women of 〈◊〉 neighbouring nations for his cittizens to marry with by the aduise of his grand-father Numitor and the Senate hee gaue it out that hee would celebrate some games in honour of Neptune the horse-rider or Hippoposeidon so the women their neighbours comming to see the sports the Romanes tooke them all away by force especially the Sabines out of the middest of the exercises For so had Romulus and his companions resolued the fourth month after the building of Rome as Dionysius relateth out of Fabius Pictor Plutarch saith it was the 14. of the Calends of September and both agreed for the city was begun to be built the 12. of the Calends of May on the feast day called Palilia Though Gellius not Aulus with the Attican nights but another ancient writer affirmes it was in the 4. yeare that this was done which is the likelier to be true They tooke away as Dionysius saith six hundred and eighty which I do hold for the more likely then that which other talke of three hundred from whence the names of the Curiae or the wards Iuba addeth three more to the number before Antias Valerius names but fiue hundred twenty and seauen Some say that Thalassus was not a man but onely the signe giuen to shew them when to begin their rape Festus out of Varro saith it was so taken about spinning of woll as a man would say a panier or a basket d herein indeed Both those nations of whence the women were whom they forced away as also others whom the rest by their lamentable intreaties and the feare of their owne dangers moued tooke vp armes against the Romanes the Sabines the Ceninenses the Crustumerians and the Atennates all combined against them Romulus seeing so dangerous a warre likely to ensue vpon him confederateth with the Hetrurians whose powre at that time was very great Caelius Vibennus prince of Hetruria gaue Romulus aide of whom this Mount Caelius in Rome tooke the name His grand-father also sent him succors So that with small adoe he ouerthrew the forces of the Ceninenses the Crustumerians and the Attenuates and contending with the Sabines in a doubtfull and dangerous war vpon a sudden by the entreaty of the women themselues the war ceased and both the parties ioyned in league and amity together e the Circensian plaies Euery yeare was there plaies or games celebrated vnto Neptune Equéster and they were diuersly called the Circensian plaies the Great plaies the Romane plaies and amongst the ancients Consualia of Consus a God to whom they offered sacrifice and beleeued him to gouerne al Counsells and of him Romulus asked instruction in all his perills in the doubts of those marriages His alter was hidden in the earth because as Plato saith counsell ought not only to bee held â—…oly but secret also f after Tarquin Another Ironicall taunte g L. Tarquin Collatine The Kings being casheered out of Rome by the great Centuriall Parliament which Seruius Tullus had before instituted L Iunius Brutus and L. Tarquin Collatine Lucraetias husband were elected Consulls the later of which was son to Egerius Tarquinius Priscus his brother as Liuy saith But Nephew to him saith Dionysius Brutus being desirous not onely to expell the King himselfe but all his name with him disanulled the magistracy of his fellow because his name was Tarquin and so he willingly tooke his goods and departed the citie going to Collatium to dwell Now Tully Offic. lib. 3. confesseth that this was no very honest part of Brutus but because it was most profitable to the assurance of the coÌ„mon-wealth therfore it past for an act of honesty It hath bin obserued saith Iulius Obsequens that no man that euer abrogated his fellowes magistracy liued his yeare to an end the first that did so was this Brutus the next Tiberius Gracchus the third P. Tarquinius h Marcus Camillus This was he that tooke the City Veii after ten yeares continuall siege At that time began the Romanes first to lodge in tents vnder beast skins in winter because they hated this people so deadly that they would not depart thence vntill the warres were ended for euer since the raigne of Romulus for three hundred years
Augustine Bishop of Hippo vnto Marcellinus Of the Contents of the first Booke CHAP. 1. AT my first entrance vpon this Discourse of the Citty of God I held it conuenient first of all to stop their mouthes who in their extreame desire of onely temporall blisse and greedinesse after wordly vanities doe make their exclaime vpon Christianity the true and onely meane of saluation whensoeuer it pleases God in his mercy to correct and admonish them rather then in his iustice to punish or afflict them with any temporall inconuenience And because the vnlearned and vulgar sort of those persons are incited against vs the more by the endeuours and examples of those whom they holde learned thinking vpon their assertions that such calamities as haue befallen them of late neuer befell in times past and being confirmed in this error by such as know it for an error and yet dissemble their knowledge wee thought it fi◅e to shew how farre this their opinion swarued from the truth out of such bookes as their owne authors haue left vnto posterity for the better vnderstanding of the estates of precedent ages and to make it plaine apparant that those imaginary gods which they either did worship as then in publick or as now in secret are nothing but most foule vncleane spirits and most deceitfull and malignant deuils so that their onely delight was to haue most bestiall abhominable practises either published as their true exploits or faigned of them by poe◅icall muentions these they cōmanded to be publikely presented in playes at solemne feastes to the end that mans infirmitie presuming vpon these patternes as vpon diuine authorities might neuer be with-drawne from acting the like wickednesse This we confirmed not by meere coniectures but partly by what of late times our selfe hath beheld in the celebration exhibited vnto such gods and partly by their owne writings that left those reports recorded not as in disgrace but as in the honour of the gods So that Varro a man of the greatest learning and authoritie amongst them of any writing of diuinity and humanitie and giuing each obiect his proper attribute according to the worth due respect thereof sticketh not to affirme that those stage playes are not matters of humaine inuention but meerely diuine things whereas if the cittie were quit of all but honest men stage-plaiers should haue no roome in meere humanity Nor did Varro affirme this of himselfe but set it downe as he had seene the vse of these playes in Rome being there borne and brought vp L. VIVES NOw must we passe from the historicall acts of the Romaines vnto their religion sacrifices ceremonies In the first bookes we asked no pardon because for the Romaine acts though they could not be fully gathered out of one author a great part of them being lost with the writings of eloquent Liuie yet out of many they might But in the foure bookes following we must needes intreate pardon if the reader finde vs weake either in diligence or abilitie For there is no author now extant that wrote of this theame Varro's Antiquities are lost with a many more if wee had but them we might haue satisfied Saint Augustine that had his assertions thence But now we must pick y◠vp frō seuerall places which we here produce least comming without any thing we should seeme both to want ornaments bare necessaries If it haue not that grace that is expected we are content in that our want is not wholy to bee shamed at and our endeuours are to bee pardoned in this respect that many learned and great Schollers to omitte the vulgar sort haue beene willingly ignorant in a matter of such intricate study and so little benefite which makes our diligence the lesse faultie This Varro testifies Iuuenall seemes to bee ignorant whether Money were worshipped in Rome for a goddesse or no. Satyra 1. Et si funesta pecunia templo Nondum habitas nullas nummorum ereximus aras Though fatall money doth not sit Ador'd in shrine nor hath an altar yet Notwithstanding Varro reckoneth vp her with God Gold and God Siluer amongst the deities Who wonders then if we be not so exact in a thing that the goodnesse of Christ hath already abolished out of humaine businesses as some of those idolators were or as Varro himselfe was who not-with-standing did truly obiect vnto the Priests that there was much in their deities which they vnderstood not hee being the best read of all that age Besides humaine learning should sustaine no losse if the memory as well as the vse of those fooleries were vtterly exterminate For what is one the better scholler for knowing Ioues tricks of lust or Uenus hers what their sacrifices are what prodigies they send which God owes this ceremonie and which that I my selfe know as much of these dotages as another yet will I maintaine that the ignorance of these things is more profitable then in any other kinde and therefore I haue had the lesse care to particularize of the deities kindes temples altars feasts and ceremonies of euery God and Goddesse though I would not send the reader empty away that desireth to haue some instruction herein The contents of the second and third booke CHAP. 2. AND hauing propounded a methode of our discourse in the end of the first booke whereof we haue prosecuted some parcels in the bookes following now we know that we are to proceed in these things which our order obligeth vs to relate We promised therefore to say some-what against those that impute the Romaines calamities vnto Christianitie and to make a peculiar relation of the euills that wee should finde their cittie or the prouinces thereof to haue endured ere their sacrifices were prohibited all which questionlesse they would haue blamed vs for had they befallen them in the times of our religious lustre and authoritie This we performed sufficiently I thinke in the two last bookes in the former of them reciting the euills which were either the onely ones or the sorest and most extreame I meane those corruptions of manners In this last of those which these fooles haue so maine a feare to suffer as afflictions a of body and goods which the best men often-times pertake of as well as the worst But for the things that make them euill and depraue their soules those they detaine with more then patience with extremitie of desire Then I toucht a little at the citty and so came downe speedily to Augustus But if I would haue dilated not vpon these reciprocall hurts that one man doth to another as was desolations c. but vpon the things that befall them by the very elements and from nature which b Apuleius briefly speakes of in one place of his booke De Mundo saying that all earthly things haue their changes c reuolutions and dissolutions for he saith that by an exceeding earth-quake the ground opened at a certaine time and swallowed vp whole
besides his female rapes defamed heauē but with one d Ganimede but she hath both shamed heauen and polluted earth with multitudes of e profest and publike Sodomites It may be thought that Saturne that gelded his father comes neere or exceedes this filthinesse O but in his religion men are rather killed by others then guelded by them-selues He eate vp his sonnes say the Poets let the Physicall say what they will history saith he killed them yet did not the Romaines learne to sacrifice their sonnes to him from the Africans But this Great mother brought her Eunuches euen into the Romaine temple keeping her bestiall reakes of cruelty euen there thinking to helpe the Romaines to strength by cutting away their strengths fountaines What is Mercuries theft Venus her lust the whoredome and the turpitude of the rest which were they not commonly sung vpon stages wee would relate what are they all to this foule euill that the Mother of the gods onely had as her peculiar chiefly the rest being held but poeticall fictions as if the Poets had inuented this too that they were pleasing to the gods So the◅ it was the Poets audatiousnesse that recorded them but whose is it to exhibite them at the gods vrgent exacting them but the gods direct obscaenity the deuills confessions and the wretched soules illusions But this adoration of Cibele by gelding ones selfe the Poets neuer inuented but did rather abhorre it then mention i◅ Is any one to bee dedicated to these select Gods for blessednesse of life hereafter that cannot liue honestly vnder them here but lies in bondage to such vncleane filthinesse and so many dammed deuills but all this say they hath reference to the world nay looke if it be not to the wicked f ◅hat cannot bee referred to the world that is found to bee in the world But we doe seeke a minde that trusting in the true religion doth not worshippe the world as his God but commendeth it for his sake as his admired worke and being expiate from all the staines of the world so approcheth to him that made the world wee see these selected gods more notified then the rest not to the aduancement of their merits but the diuul ging of their shames this proues them men as not onely Po◅es but histories also do explaine for that which Virgill saith Aen. 8. Primus ab aethereo venit Saturnus Olympo Arma Iouis fugiens regnis exul ademptis An g Whence Saturne came Olimpus was the place Flying Ioues armes exil'd in wretched case d so as followeth the same hath h Euemerus written in a continuate history translated into latine by Ennius whence because much may bee taken both in Greeke and also in Latine that hath bin spoken against these error by others before vs I cease to vrge them further L. VIVES B◅g a Of. These Galli were allowed to beg of the people by a law that Metellus made O◅id shewes the reason in these verses Dic inquam parua cur stipe quaerat opes Contulit aes populus de quo delubra Metellus Fecit ait dandae mos stipis inde manet Tell me quoth I why beg they basely still Metellus built the shrine o' th' townes expence quoth he and so the begging law came thence Cicero in his sacred and seuerest lawes of those times charged that None but the Idaean goddesses Priests should beg his reason is because it fills the mind with folly and empties the purse of mony But what if Augustine or Cicero saw now how large and ritch societies go a begging to those on whome they might better bestow something whilest hee meane time that giueth it sitteth with a peece of browne bread and a few herbes drinking out of an earthen put full of nothing but water and a great sort of children about him for whose sustenance he toyleth day and night and he that beggeth of him is a ritch begger fed with white and purest bread patrridge and capons and soaked in spiritfull and delicious wines b Red any thing Of their interpretation c Monsters He seemeth to meane Priapus d Ganimede Sonne to Troos King of Phrigia a delicate boy Tantalus in hunting forced him away and gaue him to Ioue in Crete Ioue abused his body The Poets fable how Ioue catcht him vp in the shape of an eagle and made him his chiefe cupbearer in place of Hebe and Vulcan Iuno's children and turned him into the signe Aquary e Profest Openly avowing their bestiall obsc◅ity f What cannot There is not any other reading true but this g Whence Saturne E◅r to Aeneas Uirg Aenead h Euemerus Some read Homerus falsely for it was Eue◅rus as I said that wrot the History called Sacred Of the Naturalists figments that neither adore the true deity nor vse the adoration thereto belonging CHAP. 27. WHen I consider the Physiologies which learned and quick witted men haue endeuoured to turne into diuine matters I discouer as plaine as day that they cannot haue reference to ought but naturall and terrestriall though inuisible obiects all which are farre from the true God If this extended no further then the congruence which true religion permitted then were their want of the knowledge of the true God to be deplored and yet their abstinence from acting or authorizing obscaenity to be in part approued But since that it is wickednesse to worship either body or soule for the true God whose onely dwelling in the soule maketh it happy how much more vile is it to adore these things with a worship neither attaining saluation nor temporall renowne and therefore if any worldly element be set vp for adoration with temple priest or sacrifice which are the true Gods peculiar or any created spirit all were it good and pure it is not so ill a thing because the things vsed in the worship are euill as because they are such as are due onely to his worship to whom all worship is due But if any one say hee worshippeth the true God in monstrous statues sacrifices of men crowning of priuities gelding paiments for sodomy wounds filthy and obscaene festiuall games hee doth not offend because hee that hee worshippeth is to bee worshipped but because he is not to be worshipped so as hee doth worship him But he that with these filthinesses worshippeth not God the creator of all but a creature be it harmlesse or no animate or dead double is his offence to God once for adoring that for him which is not hee and once for adoring him with such rites as is a not to be afforded vnto either But the foulnesse of these mens worship is plaine but what or whom they worship is not so were it not for their owne history that recordes the gods that exacted those bestialities so terribly so therefore doubtlesse they were deuills called by their politique Theologie into Idols and passing from thence into mens hearts L. VIVES IS a not to be Nothing is to be worshipped in that manner neither God nor that
altogether execrable or els the gods were showne by them to bee none but men departed whome worm-eaten antiquity perswaded the world to bee gods whereas they were deuills that delighted in those obscaene mynisteries and vnder their names whom the people held diuine got place to play their impostures and by illusiue miracles to captiuate all their soules But it was by gods eternall secret prouidence that they were permitted to confesse all to Nâ—…a who by his Hydromancy was become their friend and yet not to warne him rather to burne them at his death then to bury them for they could neither withstand the plough that found them nor Varro's penne that vnto all memory hath recorded them For the deuills cannot exceed their direct permission which GOD alloweth them for their merits that vnto his iustice seeme either worthy to be onely afflicted or wholy seduced by them But the horrible danger of these bookes and their distance from true diuinity may by this bee gathered that the senate chose rather to burne them that Numa had but hidden then e to feare what hee feared that durst not burne them Wherefore he that will neither haue happinesse in the future life nor godlinesse in the present let him vse these meanes for eternity But hee that will haue no society with the deuill let him not feare the superstition that their adoration exacteth but let him sticke to the true religion which conuinceth and confoundeth all their villanies and abhominations L. VIVES TO a Hydromancy Diuination by water Diuination generally was done by diuers means either by Earth Gâ—…mancy or by fire Pyromancy or Ignispicina found by Amphiarans as Pliny saith or by smoake Capâ—…mancy or by birds Augury or by intrailes Aruspicina vsed much by the Hetrurians and by Ianus Apollo's sonne amongst the Heleans and after him by Thrasibulus who beheld a dogge holding the cut liuer or by a siue called Coscinomancy oâ—… by hatchets Axinomancy or by Hearbes Botinomancy the witches magike or by dead bodies Nâ—…mancy or by the starres Astrologie wherein the most excellent are called Chaldees though neuer borne in Caldaea or by lottes Cleromancy or by lines in the hand Chiromancy or by the face and body Physiognâ—…my or by fishes Icthyomancy this Apuleius was charged with or by the twinckling and motion of the eies called Saliatio the Palmique augury Then was there interpretation of dreames and visions or sights of thunder or lightning noyses sneezings voices and a thousand such arts of inuoking the deuills which are far better vnnamed Hydromancy I haue kept vnto the last because it is my theame It is many-fold done either in a glâ—…sse bottle full of water wherein a Childe must looke and this is called Gastromancy of the glasses belly or in a basen of water which is called Lecanomancie in which Strabo sayth the Asians are singular Psellus de damonibus affirmeth this also and sheweth how it is done that the deuills creepe in the bottome and send sorth a still confused found which cannot bee fully vnderstood that they may be held to say what euer 〈◊〉 to passe and not to lye Many also in springs did see apparitions of future things 〈◊〉 â—…aith that in Aegina a part of Achaia there is a temple of Ceres and a fountaine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wherein sick persons after their offring sacrifice behold the end or continuance of 〈◊〉 â—…ses Iamblichus tells of a caue at Colophon wherein was a Well that the Priest haâ—…â—…ifice certaine set nights tasted of and presently became inuisible and gaue anâ—…â—…at asked of him And a woman in Branchis saith he sat vpon an Axle-tree and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a rod that one of the goddesses gaue her or dipping her foote or skirt in the water so 〈◊〉 â—…d prophecied Apulcius writeth out of Uarro that the Trallians inquiring by 〈◊〉 of the end of the warre of Mithridates one appeared in the water like Mercurie 〈◊〉 that looked in it and sung the future successe of the war in 360. verses but because of â—…tion of the boy I thinke hee meanes Gastromancie Apolog. de Magia This last 〈◊〉 Nâ—…a vse in a fountaine Plutarch saith that there were women in Germanie that 〈◊〉 euents by the courses noyse and whirle-pittes of riuers In his life of Caesar. 〈◊〉 Pythagoras A carefull respect of the times for Numa was dead long before 〈◊〉 was borne Some say that he was Pythagoras his scholler and Ouid for one they all 〈◊〉 â—…ror is lighter in a Poet then in an Historiographer c Caesar Dictator and Priest 〈◊〉 dedicates his Antiquities d Aegeria Some held her to be one of the Muses 〈◊〉 called the wood where shee vsed Lucus Camaenarum the Muses wood Some 〈◊〉 but a water-nimphe and that after Numa his death Diana turned her into a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith she was called Aegeria ab egerendo of putting forth because the great 〈◊〉 sâ—…rificed vnto her for the ayde shee was thought to giue them in the deliueâ—… 〈◊〉 â—…estus e To feare For Numa durst not burne them for feare of prooâ—…â—…nger against him Finis lib. 7. THE CONTENTS OF THE eight booke of the City of God 1. Of the questions of naturall theology to be handled with the most excellent Philosophers chapter 1. 2. Of the two kinds of Philosophers Italian and Ionian 3. Of the Socraticall discipline 4. Of Plato the chiefe of Socrates his schollers who dâ—…d philosophy into three kinds 5. That the chiefe controuersie with the Plâ—…sts is about theologie and that all the Pâ—…rs opinions heereof are inferior to theâ—…y 6. How the Platonists conceiued of the naturall part of Philosophy 7. The excellency of the Platonists aboue the rest in logick 8. That the Platonists are to be preferred in Morallity also 9. Of the Philosophy that commeth nearest chrtianity 10. What the excellence of a religions christian is in these philosophicall artes 11. Whence Plato might haue that knowledge that brought hiâ—… so neare the christian doctrine 12. That the Platonists for all their good opâ—… of the true GOD yet neuerthelesse held thaâ—… worship was to be giuen to many 13. Of Platoes affirmation that the gods were all good and louers of vertue 14. Of such as hold three kinds of reasonable soules In the gods In ayery spirits and in Men. 15. That neither the ayry spirits bodies 〈◊〉 hight of place make them excell men 16. What Apuleius the Platonist held concerning the qualities of those ayry spirits 17. Whether it becomes a Man to worsâ—… those spirits from whose guilt he should be pâ—…e 18. Of that religion that teacheth that those spirits must bee mens Aduocates to the good Gods 19. Of the wickednesse of art magick depending on these wicked spirits ministry 20. Whether it bee credible that good Gods had rather conuerse with those spirits then wiâ—…h Men. 21. Whether the Gods vse the diuills as their messengers and be willing that they should 22. The renouncing of the worship of those spirits against Apuleius 23. Hermes Trismegistus his
then aâ—…reall on earth they feed rest breed and flye as neare it as may bee and when they are weary earth is their port of retirement This from an imperfect coppy of Apuleius yet Augustines reason of the place must stand for though the spirits bee aboue the birds yet the birds are â—…ill aboue vs but I meane not heare to play the disputant What Apuleius the Platonist held concerning the qualities of those ayrie spirits CHAP. 16. THis same Platonist speaking of their qualities saith that they are as men subiect to passions of anger delight glory vnconstancie in their ceremonies and furie vpon neglect Besides to them belong diuinations dreames auguries prophesies and all â—…gicians miraculous workes Briefly he defineth them things created passiue reasoâ—…le â—…reall eternall In the three first they perticipate with vs in the fourth with â—…ne in the fift with the gods and two of the first the gods share with them also 〈◊〉 the a gods saith hee are creatures and giuing each element to his proâ—…habitants hee giues earth to men and the other creatures water to the 〈◊〉 c. aire to these spirits and Aether to the gods Now in that the spirits are creâ—…res they communicate both with men and beasts in reason with gods and â—…in eternity with gods onely in passion with men onely in ayrie essence with 〈◊〉 So that they are creatures is nothing for so are beasts in that they are reasoâ—…able so are we equally in that they are eternall what is that without felicity b Temporall happinesse excells eternall miserie In that they are passiue what geâ—… by that so are we and were we not wretched wee should not bee so in tâ—…â—…ir bodies are ayrie what of that seeing a soule of any nature is preferrâ—… 〈◊〉 a body of what perfection so euer And therefore the honor giuen by tâ—…â—…le is not due to the soules inferiour But if that amongst these spirits qualitiâ—… 〈◊〉 had reckoned wisdome vertue and felicitie and haue made them communâ—… these with the gods then had he spoake some-what worth noting yet oâ—… we not to worship them as God for these ends but rather we should know him of whom they had these good gifts But as they are how farre are they from woâ—…h of worship being reasonable to be wretched passiue to be wretched eternall 〈◊〉 euer wretched wherefore to leaue all and insist on this onely which I said 〈◊〉 spirits shared with vs that is passion if euery element haue his creaâ—… and ayre immortalls earth and water mortalls why are these spirits 〈◊〉 â—…o perturbations to that which the Greekes call c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whence our 〈◊〉 passion deriueth word d of word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and passion being e a motion of 〈◊〉 â—…e against reason Why are these in these spirits that are not in beasts 〈◊〉 apparance of such in beasts is f no perturbation because it is not against 〈◊〉 which the beast wanteth And that it is a perturbation in men g their â—…esse or their h wretchednesse is cause For we cannot haue that perfecâ—… wisdom in this life that is promised vs after our acquittance from mortalâ—… 〈◊〉 the gods they say cannot suffer those perturbations because that their 〈◊〉 is conioyned wiâ—…h felicity and this they affirme the reasonable soule 〈◊〉 absolutely pure enioyeth also So then if the gods be free from passion beâ—… they are i creatures blessed and not wretched and the beasts because â—…e creatures neither capable of blessednesse nor wretchednesse it romaiâ—…â—…t these spirits be perturbed like men onely because they are creatures not â—…d but wretched L. VIVES THâ—… a Gods Plato also in his Timaeus saith that they are inuisible creatures Apuleius de deo Sâ—…cr makes some vncorporall Daemones viz. Loue Sleep b Temporal It is said that Chyron 〈◊〉 sonne refused immortality that Vlysses chose rather to liue and die at home with his â—…er and friends then to liue immortal amongst the goddesses Plato saith it is better to liue a 〈◊〉 little while then to be eternally possest of all bodily pleasures without iustice the other 〈◊〉 de legib the Philosophers haue a saying it is better to be then not to be of that hereafter 〈◊〉 So Tull. Tus. qu. translateth it Quintil. l. 6. termeth it affects holds yâ— most proper 〈◊〉 â—…ly of their ancients vseth passion for it but I make doubt that the copy is faulty li. 20. 〈◊〉 â—…ds are It helpeth the passions of the belly being 〈◊〉 thervpoÌ„ d Word of word as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 passio of pâ—…tior to suffer e A motion Tully hath it from Zâ—…no f No perturbation Tully Tusc. quaest The affections of the body may be inculpable but not the mindes all which arise out of the neglect of reason and therefore are existent onely in men for that which wee see by accident in beasts is no perturbation g Their foolishnesse For wee are ouer-borne with false opinions and our selues rather worke our affects then receiue them ab extra and as Sâ—…a saith we are euer worse afraide then hurt The Stoikes held all perturbations to haue their source from deprauation of opinion For desire is an opinion of a future good and feare an opinion of future euill sorrow of present euill ioy of present good all which we measuring by the fondnesse of our thoughts and not by the nature of things thence it comes that wee are rapt with so many violent thoughts h Their wretchednesse This is mans miserie that the very wisest is subiect to sorrow ioy and other affects doe he what he can i Creatures Socrates durst not confesse that these spirits were bad or wretched but hee boldly affirmes they are neither good nor happy Plato Conuiuio Whether it becomes a man to worship those spirits from whose guilt he should be pure CHAP. 17. WHat fondnesse then nay what madnesse subiects vs vnto that religion of deuills when as by the truth of religion we should be saued from participation of their vices for they are mooued with wrath as Apuleius for all his adoring and sparing them affirmes but true religion biddeth vs not to yeeld to wrath but rather a resist it b They are wonne with guifts wee are forbidden to take bribes of any They loue honors we are c prohibited all honors affectation They are haters of some louers of some as their affects transport them truth teacheth vs to loue all euen d our very enemies Briefly all the intemperance of minde e passions and perturbations which the truth affirmes of them it forbiddeth vs. What cause is then but thine owne lamentable error for thee to humble thy selfe to them in worship whom thou seekest to oppose in vprightnesse of conuersation and to adore those thou hatest to imitate when as all religion teacheth vs to imitate those we adore L. VIVES RAther a resist Christ in Mathewes Gospels vtterly forbids anger Abbot Agatho said that an angry
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we translate seruice but with 〈◊〉 it onely to God their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we turne it Religion but still with a â—…ence to God their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wee haue no one word for but wee may 〈◊〉 worship which wee say is due onely to him that is the true God and â—…uants gods Wherefore if there be any blessed immortalls in heaâ—…â—…ther loue vs nor would haue vs blessed them wee must not serue but 〈◊〉 loue vs and wish vs happinesse then truly they wish it vs from the 〈◊〉 they haue it Or shall theirs come from one stocke and ours from 〈◊〉 L. VIVES 〈◊〉 dominations Iamblichus diuides the supernall powers into Angels Archanâ—…s Heroes Principalities and Powers and those hee saith doe appeare in diuerse â—…ions In Myster All the other Platonists make them but gods and Daemones 〈◊〉 is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to serue but it grew to be vsed for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to worship Suidas But â—…e the seruice of men called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the place hee quoteth is 〈◊〉 c. Ephes. 6. 5. Hence ariseth the dictinction of adoratio Latria Dulia and â—…lla makes Latria and Dulia both one for seruice or bondage and sheweth it 〈◊〉 of Suidas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Seruice or bondage is mercenary For an â—…h in Xenophon I would redeeme this woman from slauery or bondage 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O Cyrus Cyripaed lib. 3. then the wife replied Let him redeeme himselfe from bonâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 With his owne life Ibid. The scriptures also vse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for to bee seruile 〈◊〉 You shall doe no seruile worke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And againe Thou shall make 〈◊〉 to bâ—… slaue to thy Prince 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And in Iob a begger is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 haue the last syllable but one long c Wee worship And so doth holy â—…tion d Things vnder vs Rightly for Colâ—… is to handle or exercise so 〈◊〉 all that wee vse or practise learning armes sports the earth c. It is also to inhabite 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Such as till hired grounds are called coloni as they are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in hired houses in citties and husbandmen that till their owne ground 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…nt forth to inhabit any where are called coloni Therevpon grew the name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…olonies to omit the Greekes and Asians The townes that send out the colonies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Metropolitane cities thereof f Tyrii The Tyrianâ—… built Carthage and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with Dido Elisa that â—…ed from Pigâ—…lion after the death of Sicheus her husband This 〈◊〉 is as common as a 〈◊〉 g 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All one with Latria saith Suidas and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 are all one belonging to the gods For Orpâ—… they say first taught the misteries of religion and because hâ—…e was 〈◊〉 Thracian hee called this duty 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or else of Threâ—… 〈◊〉 oâ—… word to see h It is refâ—…rred Being taken for piety which is referred to our country pâ—…rents and kiâ—…d i The workes The vulgar call the mercifull godly mercy godlinesse So do the Spaniâ—…ds and French that speake Latine thâ—… 〈◊〉 k Fore and. These two words some copieâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wherevpon it is said I will haue mercy and no sacrifice Osâ—… 6. 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 None of the learned vse it in that sence indeed The opinion of Plotine the Platonist concerning the supernall illumination CHAP. 2. BVt wee and those great Philosophers haue no conflict about this question for they well saw and many of them plainely wrot that both their beatitude â—…dours had originall from the perticipation of an intellectual light which they â—…nted God and different from themselues this gaue them all their light and by the 〈◊〉 of this they were perfect blessed a in many places doth Plotine ex 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that which we call the soule of this vniuerse hath the beatiâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with vs â—…ly a light which it is not but which made it 〈…〉 it hath al the intelligible splendor This he arâ—… 〈…〉 from the visible celestiall bodies compared with these 〈…〉 the 〈◊〉 for b one and the Moone for another for 〈…〉 held to proceed from the reflection of the Sunne So saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the reasonaâ—… or intellectuall soule of whose nature all the 〈…〉 that are contained in Heauen hath no essence aboue it bâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 creatâ—…d both it and all the world nor haue those supernall creâ—…tures their 〈◊〉 or vnderstanding of the truth from any other origâ—…ll then ours hath herein truly agreeing with the scripture where it is wriâ—… 〈◊〉 There was a man sent from God whose name was Iohn the same came for a witnesse to beare witnesse of the light that allmen d through him might beleeue e He 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the light but 〈◊〉 to beare witnesse of the light That was the true light f 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that cometh into the world which difference sheweth that 〈◊〉 â—…sonable soule which was in Iohn could not bee the owne light but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…tion of â—…ther the true light This Iohn him-selfe confessed in his 〈◊〉 where he said Of â—…is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all we receiued L. VIVES 〈…〉 the contemplation of that good father ariseth all beatitude Plâ—… 〈…〉 saith yâ— our soules after their temporal labours shal enioy 〈◊〉 〈…〉 with yâ— soule of the vniuerse b For one For the Prince 〈◊〉 〈…〉 ariseth the Mâ—… for the worlds soule c Ther was A 〈◊〉 〈…〉 〈◊〉 â—…ger from 〈◊〉 consequently Iohn an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he could bring no such newes from any but God d Through him not in him 〈◊〉 for cursed is the man that trusteth in man but in the light by his testimonie yet 〈◊〉 cannot be distinguished to either side e Hee was not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thâ—…ophilact will haue a misterie The Saints are lights You are the light of the Christ. for they are deriued from his light Thence followeth that That was the true 〈◊〉 saith Augustine because that which is lightened ab externo is light also 〈◊〉 true light that enlightneth Or the article 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may haue relation to the preceâ—…â—…the sence bee Iohn was not that light of which I spake f Which lightneth not that 〈◊〉 â—…ghtned but because none are enlightned but by this light or as Chrysostome 〈◊〉 each man as farre as belongs to him to be lightned If any doe shutte their â—…st the beames the nature of the light doth not cause the darkenesse in them but 〈◊〉 â—…licious depriuing them-selues of such a good other-wise so generally spred 〈◊〉 word g That commeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Origen allegorizeth vpon it it lightneth 〈◊〉 into the world of vertues not of vices 〈◊〉 worship of God wherein the Platonists failed in worshipping good or
euill angels though they knew the worlds creator CHAP. 3. 〈◊〉 thus what Platonist or other Philosopher soeuer had held so and 〈◊〉 God and glorified him as God and beene thankfull and not become 〈◊〉 conceits nor haue been an author of the peoples error nor winked at â—…re they would haue confessed that both the blessed immortalls and 〈◊〉 mortalls are bound to the adoration of one onely GOD of gods 〈◊〉 God and ours That sacrifice is due onely to the true God CHAP. 4. 〈◊〉 owe that Greeke Latria or seruice both in our selues and sacrifices 〈◊〉 all his temple and each one his temples he vouchsafing to inhabit 〈◊〉 â—…mme and each in particuler being no more in all then in one for he 〈◊〉 â—…ltiplied nor diminished b our hearts eleuated to him are his altars 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sonne is the priest by whom we please him we offer him bloudy saâ—… wee shed our bloud for his truth and incence when wee burne in 〈◊〉 c the gifts he giueth vs we doe in vowes returne him his benefits 〈◊〉 vnto him in set solemnities least the body of time should bring 〈◊〉 vngratefull obliuion we offer him the sacrifices of humility praises 〈◊〉 of our heart in yâ— fire offeruent loue for by the sight of him as we may 〈◊〉 to be ioyned with him are we purged from our guilty filthy affects 〈◊〉 â—…ted in his name he is our blessed founder our desires accomplishâ—… we elect or rather re-elect for by our neglect we lost him him thereâ—… re-elect whence religion is deriued and to him we do hasten with the 〈◊〉 to attaine rest in him being to be blessed by attainment of that fiâ—…â—…tion for our good whose end the Philosophers iangled about is noâ—… to adhere vnto him and by his intellectuall and incorporeall embrace 〈◊〉 growes great with all vertue e and true perfection This good are we â—…loue with all our heart with all our soule and all our strength To this 〈◊〉 â—…ught to be lead by those that loue vs and to lead those wee loue So is 〈◊〉 â—…mandements fulfilled wherein consisteth all the lawe and the Proâ—… Thou shalt loue g thy h Lord thy i God k with all thine heart with 〈◊〉 and with all thy minde and l Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe 〈◊〉 a man how to loue him-selfe was this end appointed where-vnto to referre all his workes for beautitude for he that loues himselfe desireth but to bee blessed And the end of this is coherence with god So then the command of louing his neighbour being giuen to him that knowes how to loue himselfe m what doth it but command and commend the loue of God vnto him This Gods true worshippe true piety true religion and due seruice to God onely wherefore what immortall power soeuer vertuous or otherwise that loueth vs as it selfe it desires wee should but bee his seruants for beatitude of whence it hath beautitude by seruing him If it worshippe not God it is wretched as wanting God if it do then will not it bee worshipped for God It rather holds and loues to hold as the holy scripture writeth Hee that sacrificeth to any gods but the one god shall bee rooted out for to be silent in other points of religion there is none dare say a sacrifice is due but vnto god alone But much is taken from diuine worship and thrust into humane honors either by excessiue humility or pestilent flattery yet still with a reserued notice that they are men held worthy indeed of reuerence and honor or at most n of adoration But who euer sacrificed but to him whom hee knew or thought or faigned to be a God And how ancient a part of Gods worship a sacrifice is Caine and Abel do shew full proofe God almighty reiecting the elder brothers sacrifice and accepting the yongers L. VIVES ALL a in summe The Chruch b Our hearts Therevpon are we commanded in diuine seruice to lift vp our hearts at the preparation to communion Herein being admonished to put off all worldly thought and meditate wholly vpon god lifting all the powers of our soule to speculate of his loue for so is the mind quit from guilts and lets and made a fit temple for God b His onely sonne Some read we and the priest please him with his onely sonne read which you like c The guifts What we giue to God is his owne not ours nor can we please him better then referre what hee hath giuen vs vnto him againe as the fount whence they slowed What shall I render ouer to the Lord saith the Psalmist for all his benefites towards â—…ee I will take the cup of saluation and call vpon the name of the Lord. This is the onely relation of grace if thou hast grace d Re-elect Tully deriues religion of relegendo reading againe and calles it the knowledge of GOD as Trismegistus doth Lactantiuis had rather deriue it of religando binding beecause the religious are bound to God in bonds of Piety Augustine of religendo re-electing I thinke because it was fittest for his present allusion e True perfection Plato saith that a happy man by speculation of the diuine pulchritude shal bring forth true vertues not any formes onely In conuiuio f Thou shalt loue O what a few lawes might serue mans life how small a thing might serue to rule not a true Christian but a true man indeed hee is no true man that knoweth not and worshippeth not Christ. What needeth all these Digests Codes glosses counselles and cauteles In how few words doth our great Maister shew euery man his due course Loue thee that which is aboue aswell as thou canst and that which is next thee like thy selfe which doing thou keepest all the laws and hast them persit which others attaine with such toyle scarcely keepe with so many iuitations and terrors Thou shalt then bee greater then Plato or Pythagoras with all their trauells and numbers then Aristotle with all his quirkes and sillogismes what can bee sweeter then loue thou â—…rt taught neither to feare fly nor shrinke g Thy. God to many yet the most properly to his seruants and yet euer common h Lord. And therefore to be reuerenced i God And onely God k Withal thine heart Loue God with all thine heart saith Augustine de doctri Christian. that is referre all thy thoughts with all thy soule that is referre all thy life with all thy mind that is referre all thine vnderstanding vnto him of whome thou hadst them all He leaues no part of vs to be giuen to another but wil haue the fruition ofall himselfe Origen explaines the hart viz the thought worke and memory the soule to bee ready to lose it for Gods sake The minde to professe or speake nothing but Godly things l Thou shalt Augustine de Doct. xpâ—…n saith that all men are neighbours one to another And so saith Christ in the first precept for as Chysostome saith Man is Gods Image
it selfe If you wil I wil proceed if not let it alone Then Glaucus replied that hee should go on with the son and leaue the father till another time So he proceeds to discourse of the birth and sonne of good and after some questions saith that good is as the sun and the son is as the light we haue from the sun And in his Epistle to Hermias he speaketh of such as were sworne to fit studies and the Muses sister lerning by God the guide father of al things past and to come And in his Epinomis hee saith that by that most diuine Word was the world and al therin created This word did so rauish the wise man with diuine loue that he conceiued the meanes of beatitude For many say that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is meant of the Word not of the world and so wee haue vsed it in the eighth book speaking of Plato's opinion of beatitude So that Plato mentions the father and the son expresly mary the third he thought was indeclareable Though hee hold that in the degrees of Diuinity the soule of the world the third proceedeth from the beginning and the begininnings sonne Mens which soule if one would stand for Plato might easily be defended to be that spirit that mooued upon the waters which they seeme to diffuse through the whole masse and to impart life and being to euery particular And this is the Trine in diuinity of which he writeth to Dionysius aenigmatically as him-selfe saith Al thinges are about the King of al and by him haue existence the seconds about the second and yâ— thirds about the third I omit to write what Trismegistus saith Iamblichus from him we are all for the Platonist but I cannot omitte Serapis his answer to Thules the King of Egipt in the Troian wars who inquyring of him who was most blessed had this answer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. First God and then the sonne and next the spirit All coëternall one in act and merit b The son Porphyry explaning Plato's opinion as Cyril saith against Iultan puts three essences in the Deity 1 God almighty 2. the Creator 3. the soule of the world nor is the deity extended any further Plato he both cal the Creator 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the fathers intellect with the Poets though obscurely touch at calling Minerua 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 borne without a mother the wisedom brought forth out of the fathers brain c Plotine he wâ—…ote a book of the three persons or substances yâ— first hee maketh absolute and father to the second that is also eternall and perfect Hee calleth the father Mens also in another place as Plato doth but the word arose from him For hee sayth De prouâ—…d lib. 2. in the begining all this whole vniuerse was created by the Mens the father and his Worde d Alme religion tyeth vs to haue a care how wee speake herein e Sabellians They said that the person of the father and â—…f the Son was all one because the scripture saith I and the Father am one Of the true onely beginning that purgeth and renueth mans whole nature CHAP. 24. BVt Porphyry beeing slaue to the malicious powers of whome hee was ashamed yet durst not accuse them would not conceiue that Christ was the beginning by whose incarnation wee are purged but contemned him in that flesh which he assumed to be a sacrifice for our purgation not apprehending the great sacrament because of his diuell-inspired pride which Christ the good Mediator by his owne humility subuerted shewing him-selfe to mortals in that mortal state which the false Mediators wanted and therefore insulted the more ouer mens wretcheds soules falsely promising them succors from their immortality But our good and true Mediator made it apparant that it was not the fleshly substance but sinne that is euil the flesh and soule of man may be both assumed kept and putte off without guilt and bee bettered at the resurrection Nor is death though it be the punishment of sinne yet payd by Christ for our sinnes to bee anoyded by sinne but rather if occasion serue to bee indured for iustice For Christs dying and that not for his owne sinne was of force to procure the pardon of all other sinnes That hee was the beginning this Platonist did not vnderstand else would hee haue confessed his power in purgation For neither the flesh nor the soule was the beginning but the word all creating Nor can the flesh purge 〈◊〉 by it selfe but by that word that assumed it when the word became flesh dwels in vs. For hee speaking of the mysticall eating of his flesh and some that vnderstood not beeing offended at it and departing saying This is a hard saying who can heare it Answered to those that staid with him It is the spirit that quickneth the flesh profiteth nothing Therfore the beginning hauing assumed flesh and soule mundifieth both in the beleeuer And so when the Iewes asked him who hee was hee answered them that hee was the a beginning which our flesh and bloud beeing incumbred with sinfull corruption can neuer conceiue vnlesse he by whome wee were and were not doe purifie vs. Wee were men but iust wee were not But in his incarnation our nature was and that iust not sinfull This is the mediation that helpeth vp those that are falne and downe This is the seed that the Angels sowed by dictating the law wherein the true worship of one God was taught and this our Mediator truly promised L VIVES THe a beginning 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Augustine will haue the Sonne to bee a beginning but no otherwise then the father as no otherwise GOD. And this hee takes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for Valla and Erasmus say that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 can be no nowne here but an aduerbe as in the beginning I wil speake my minde here of briefly though the phraze be obscure and perhaps an Hebraisme as many in the new Testament are Christ seemeth not to say hee is the beginning but beeing asked who hee was he hauing no one word to expresse his full nature to all their capacities left it to each ones minde to thinke in his minde what he was not by his sight but by his wordes and to ponder how one in that bodily habite could speake such thinges It was the Deity that spake in the flesh whence all those admirable actes proceeded Therefore he said I am hee 〈◊〉 the beginning and I speake to you vsing a mortall body as an instrument giuing you no more precepts by angels but by my selfe This answer was not vnlike that giuen to Moyses I am that I am but that concerned Gods simple essence and maiesty this was more later and declared God in the fâ—…me of man That all the saints in the old law and other ages before it were iustified only by the mistery and faith of Christ.
of Iuda kiiled Cbr. 2. 34. 21. he whome Christ said was killed betweene the Temple and the Altar Mat. 23. 35. b Malachi His name interpreted is His Angell and so the seauenty called him where-vpon Origen vpon this prophet saith that hee thinketh it was an Angell that prophecyed this prophecy if we may beleeue Hieromes testimony herein Others call him Malachi for indeed names are not to be altered in any translation No man calleth Plato Broade Or Aristotle good perfection or Iosuah the Sauiour or Athens Minerua Names are to be set downe in the proper Idiome other-wise the names of famous men being translated into seuerall tongues should obscure their persons fame by being the more dispersed which makes me wonder at those that will wring the Greeke names c. vnto their seuerall Idiomes wherein their owne conceit doth them grosse wrong Caesar was wise to deale plainely in giuing the french Germaine each his contries names only making them declinable by the Latine But to Malachi Some by concordance of their stides say that he was Esdras and prophecied vnder Darius the sonne of Histaspis Of Esdras in the next chapter c Reioyce greatly This whole quotation and the rest differ much from our vulgar translation d Upon a colt The Euangelist S. Mathew readeth it vpon a colt and the fole of an asse â—…sed to the yoke cha 21. ver 5. The Iewes that were yoaked vnder so many ceremonies were prefigured herein But the free and yong colt as the seauenty do translate it was the type of the Gentiles take which you will God sitteth vpon both to cure both from corruption and to bring both saluation e Shalbe incense offred The seauenty read it is offred because the Prophets often speake of things to come as if they were present yea and some-times as if they were past The translation of the seauenty is some-what altred in the following quotation Of the bookes of Esdras and the Machabees CHAP. 36. AFter Agee Zachary Malachy the three last Prophets in the time of the said captiuity a Esdras wrote but he is rather held an Historiographer then a Prophet As the booke of b Hester is also contayning accidents about those times all tending to the glory of God It may bee said that Esdras prophecied in this that when the question arose amongst the young men what thing was most powerfull one answering Kings the next wine and the third women for they often command Kings c yet did the third adde more and said that truth conquered althings Now Christ in the Gospell is found to bee the truth From this time after the temple was re-edified the Iewes had no more kings but princes vnto d Aristobulus his time The account of which times wee haue not in 〈◊〉 canonicall scriptures but in the others e amongst which the bookes of the Machabees are also which the church indeed holdeth for canonicall f because of the vehement and wonderfull suffrings of some Martires for the law of God before the comming of Christ. Such there were that endured intollerable â—…ments yet these bookes are but Apocryphall to the Iewes L. VIVES 〈◊〉 a A most skilfull scribe of the law he was Hierom saith he was that Iosedech whose 〈◊〉 Iesus was priest He they say restored the law which yâ— Chaldaees had burnt not without 〈◊〉 assistance changed the hebrew letters to distinguish theÌ„ froÌ„ the Samaritanes Gentiles which then filled Iudea Euseb. The Iewes afterwards vsed his letters only their accents differed from the Samaritans which were the old ones that Moyses gaue them b Hester 〈◊〉 â—…tory fell out saith Iosephus in the time of Artaxerxes other-wise called Cyrus for Xerxes was the sonne of Darius Histaspis and Artaxerxes surnamed Long-hand was sonne to him in whose time the Iewes were in such danger by meanes of Haman because of Mardochee Hesters vncle as there booke sheweth This Nicephorus holdeth also But Eusebius saith this could not bee that the Iewes should bee in so memorable a perill and yet Esdras who wrot their fortunes vnder Artaxerxes neuer once mention it So that hee maketh this accident to fall out long after in the time of Artaxerxes Mnemon bastard sonne to Darius and him the Hebrewes called Assuerus saith hee Indeed Bede is of this minde also But I feare Eusebius his accompt is not so sure as Iosephus but in this wee recite opinions onely leauing the iudgement c Yet did the third This was Zarobabel that said truth was about all Esd. 33. los. Ant. lib. 11. but the third and fourth booke of Esdras are Apocryphall Hierome reiecteth them as dreames d Aristobulus Sonne to Ionathas both King and Priest he wore the first diademe in Iudaea foure hundred eighty and foure yeares after the captiuity vnder Nabucadonosor e Machabees Hierome saw the first of those bookes in Hebrew the latter hee knew to bee penned first in Greeke by the stile Iosephus wrot the history of the Machabees as Hierome saith Contra Pellagian I cannot tell whether hee meane the bookes that we haue for scripture or another Greeke booke that is set forth seuerall and called Iosephâ—…ad Machabeos There is a third booke of the Machabees as yet vntranslated into Latine that I know of that I thinke the Church hath not receiued for canonicall f Because of â—…or there were seuen brethren who rather then they woold breake the law endured together with their mother to be flayed quicke rather then to obey that foule command of Antiochus against God The Prophets more ancient then any of the Gentile Philosophers CHAP. 37. IN our a Prophets time whose workes are now so farre diuulged there were no Philosophers stirring as yet for the first of them arose from b Pithagoras of Samos who began to bee famous at the end of the captiuity So that all other Philosophers must needes bee much later c for Socrates of Athens the chiefe Moralist of his time liued after Esdras as the Chronicles record And â—…o one after was Plato borne the most excellent of all his scholers To whom if we ad also the former seauen who were called sages not Philosophers and the Naturalists that followed Thales his study to wit Anaximander Anaximenes Anaxagoras and others before Pythagoras professed Philosophy not one of these was before the Prophets for Thales the most ancient of them all liued in Romulus his time when this Propheticall doctrine flowed from the fountaine of Israell to be deriued vnto all the world Onely therefore the Theologicall Poets Orpheus Linus Musaeus and the others if there were anymore were before our canonicall prophets But they were not more ancient then our true diuine Moyses who taught them one true God and whose bookes are in the front of our Canon and therfore though the learning of Greece warmeth the world at this day yet neede they not boast of their wisdome being neither so ancient nor so excellent as our diuine religion and the true wisdome we confesse not that
all the nations be blessed which the remainders of the haters of Christianity do know whether they will or no to haue beene fulfilled in Christ â—…escended from Abraham in the flesh It is that God whose spirit spake in 〈◊〉 whose prophecies the whole Church beholdeth fulfilled the whole Câ—… spred ouer the face of the whole earth beholds them and in that were tâ—… 〈◊〉 filled which I related in my former bookes It is that God whome Varro calâ—…h the Romaines Ioue though he know not what he saith yet this I adde because that so great a scholler thought him to bee neither no God at all nor one of the meanest for hee thought that this was the great God of all Briefly it is euâ—…n that God whome that learned Philosopher Prophiry albeit he was a deadly foe to Christianity acknowledged to bee the highest God euen by the Oracles of those whom hee called the inferiour gods Porphiry his relation of the Oracles touching Christ. CHAP. 23. FOr he in his bookes which he entitleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The diuinity of Philosopoy wherein he setteth downe the Oracles answeres in things belonging to Philosophy hath something to this purpose and thus it is from the Greeke One went saith he vnto the Oracle and asked vnto what God he should sacrifice for to obtaine his wiues conuersion from Christianity Apollo answered him thus Thou maist sooner write legible letters vpon the water or get thee wings to fly through ayre like a bird then reuoke thy wife from hir polluted opinion Let her runne after her mad opinions as long as she list let her honour that dead God with her false lamentations whome the wise and well aduised iudges condemned and whome a shamefull death vpon the crosse dispatched Thus farre the Oracle the Greeke is in verse but our language will not beare it After these verses Prophiry addeth this Behold how remedylesse their erroneous beleefe is because as Apollo said quoth he the Iewes do receiue God with meanes greater then others Heare you this hee disgraceth and obscureth Christ and yet saith the Iewes receiue God for so he interpreteth the oracles verses where they say that Christ was condemned by well aduised iudges as though hee had beene lawfully condemned and iustly executed This lying Priests oracle let him looke vnto and beleeue if hee like it but it may very well bee that the Oracle gaue no such answer but that this is a meere fiction of his How hee reconciles the oracles and agrees with him-selfe wee shall see by and by But by the way heere hee saith that the Iewes as the receiuers of God iudged aright in dooing Christ to so ignominious and cruell a death So then to the Iewes God sayd well in saying Hee that sacrificeth vnto many Gods shall bee rooted out but vnto one God onely But come on let vs goe to more manifest matter and heere what hee maketh of the Iewes God Hee asked Apollo which was better the word or the law And hee answered thus saith hee and then hee addeth the answer I will relate as much of it as needeth Vpon God the Creator and vpon the King before all things who maketh heauen and earth the sea and hell yea and all the Gods to tremble the lawe is their father whome the holy Hebrewes doe adore This glory doth Porphyry giue the Hebrew God from his God Apollo that the very deities doe tremble before him So then this God hauing sayd Hee that sacrificeth vnto many Gods shall bee rooted out I wonder that Porphyry was not afraide to bee rooted out for offering to so many Gods Nay this fellow speaketh well of Christ afterwards as forgetting the reproche hee offered him before as if in their dreames his Gods had scorned CHRIST and beeing awake commended him and acknowledged his goodnesse Finally as if hee meant to speake some maruellous matter It may exceede all beleefe saith hee which I am now to deliuer the Gods affirmed CHRIST to bee a man most godly and â—…ortalized for his goodnesse giuing him great commendations but for the Chriâ—…ns they auouche them to bee persons stained with all corruption and errour and giue them all the foule words that may bee Then hee relateth the Oracles which blaspheme the Christian religion and afterwards Hecate saith hee being asked if Christ were GOD replyed thus His soule beeing seuered from his body became immortall but it wandereth about voyde of all wisdome it was the soule of a most worthy man whome now those that forsake the truth doe worship And then hee addeth his owne sayings vpon this oracle in this manner The goddesse therefore called him a most godly man and that the deluded Christians doe worship his soule beeing made immortall after death as other godly soules are Now beeing asked why hee was condemned then shee answered His body was condemned to torments but his soule sitteth aboue in heauen and giueth all those soules vnto errour by desteny who cannot attaine the guifts of the Gods or come to the knowledge of immortall loue And therefore are they hated of the Gods because they neither acknowledge them nor receiue their gifts but are destin'd vnto errour by him now hee him-selfe 〈◊〉 godly and went vp to heauen as godly men doe Therefore blaspheame not him but pitty the poore soules whome hee hath bound in errour What man is there so fond that cannot obserue that these oracles are either directly faigned by this craftie foe of Christianity or else the Deuills owne â—…kes to this end that in praysing of Christ they might seeme truely to repreâ—…d the Christian profession and so if they could to stop mans entrance into Christianity the sole way vnto saluation for they thinke it no preiudice to their â—…y-formed deceipt to be beleeued in praising of Christ as long as they be belâ—…ed also in dispraysing the Christian so that he that beleeueth them must be a commender of Christ and yet a contemner of his religion And thus although hee honour Christ yet shall not Christ free him from the clutches of the Deuill because they giue Christ such a kinde of praise as who so beleeueth to bee true shall be farre from true Christianity and rather then other-wise of b Photinus his heresie who held Christ to be but onely man and no God at all so that such a beleeuer should neuer bee saued by Christ nor cleared of the deuils fowling nettes But we will neither beleeue Apollo in his deprauation nor Hecate in her commendation of Christ. He will haue Christ a wicked man and iustly condemned she will haue him a most godly man and yet but onely man But both agree in this they would haue no christians because all but christians are in their clutches But let this Philosopher or they that giue credence to those oracles against christianity if they can reconcile Apollo and Hecate and make them both tell one tale either in Christs praise or dispraise Which if they could do yet would we auoide
The name of God is principally his of whome by whome and in whome al things haue their existence shewing in part the nature and vertue of that incomprehensible Trine Secondly and as one may say abusiuely the Scripture calleth them gods vnto whome the word is giuen as our Sauiour testifieth in the Gospell and so are the Heauenly powers also called as seemeth by that place of the Psalme God standeth in the assembly of the gods c. Thirdly and not abusiuely but falsely the Deuills are called gods also All the gods of the heathen are Deuills Origen in Cantie This last question Augustine taketh from the seauenty for Hierome translateth it from the Hebrew Idols and not Diuells Psa 96. 5. e The Greeke Where wee read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nor is this superfluously added of Augustine for many Philosophers and many nations both held and honored the Sunne onely for God and referred the power of all the rest vnto it alone Macrob. f All that we do Our well doing benefiteth not God nor betters him so that there is nothing due vnto vs for being good but wee our selues owe God for all by whose grace it is that wee are good g Which worketh by It is dead and lacketh all the power and vigour when it proceedeth not in the workes of charity A definition of a people by which both the Romaines and other kingdomes may challenge themselues common-weales CHAP. 24. BVt omit the former difinition of a people and take this A people is a multitude of reasonable creatures conioyned in a general communication of those things it respecteth and them to discerne the state of the people you must first consider what those things are But what euer they bee where there is a multitude of men conioyned in a common fruition of what they respect there may fitly bee sayd to bee a people the better that their respects are the better are they them-selues and other-wise the worse By this definition Rome had a people and consequently a common-weale what they embraced at the first and what afterwards what goodnesse they changed into bloudinesse what concord they forsooke for seditions confederacies and ciuill warres History can testifie and wee in part haue already related Yet this doth not barre them the name of a people nor their state of the stile of a common-wealth as long as they beare this our last definition vnin-fringed And what I haue sayd of them I may say of the Athenians the Greekes in generall the Egyptians and the Assirian Babilonians were there dominions great or little and so of all nations in the world For in the Citty of the wicked where GOD doth not gouerne and men obey sacrificing vnto him alone and consequently where the soule doth not rule the body nor reason the passions there generally wanteth the vertue of true iustice That there can be no true vertue where true religion wanteth CHAP. 25. FOr though there be a seeming of these things yet if the soule and the reason serue not God as he hath taught them how to serue him they can neuer haue true dominion ouer the body nor ouer the passions for how can that soule haue any true meane of this decorum that knoweth not God nor serueth his greatnesse but runneth a whoring with the vncleane and filthy deuills No those things which shee seemes to account vertues and thereby to sway her affects if they bee not all referred vnto God are indeed rather vices then vertues For although some hold them to bee reall vertues a when they are affected onely for their owne respect and nothing else yet euen so they incurre vaine-glory and so loose their true goodnesse For as it is not of the flesh but aboue the flesh that animates the body So it is not of man but aboue man which deifies the minde of man yea and of all the powers of the heauens L. VIVES WHen a they The Stoikes held vertue to bee her owne price content with it selfe and to bee affected onely for it selfe This is frequent in Seneca and in Tullies Stoicysmes and Plato seemes to confirme it Tully setts downe two things that are to be affected meerely for them-selues perfection of internall goodnesse and that good which is absolutely externall as parents children friends c. These are truly deare vnto vs in them-selues but nothing so as the others are De finib lib. 5. It is a question in diuinity whether the vertues are to bee desired meerely for them-selues Ambrose affirmeth it In Epist. ad Galat. Augustine denieth it De Trinit lib. 13. Peter Lumbard holdes them both to bee worthy of loue in them-selues and also to haue a necessary reference vnto eternall beatitude But indeed they are so bound vnto Gods precepts that hee that putteth not Gods loue in the first place cannot loue them at all Nor can hee so loue them for them-selues that hee preferre them before God their author and their founder or equall the loue of them with the loue of him their nature is to lift the eyes of him that admireth them vnto GOD so that hee that seeketh for them-selues is by them euen ledde and directed vnto him the consummation vnto which they all doe tend But Saint Augustine in this place speaketh of the Gentiles whose vertues desiring externall rewardes were held base and ignominious but if they kept them-selues content with their owne sole fruition then were they approoued but this was the first steppe to arrogance by reason that heereby they that had them thought none so good as them-selues The peace of Gods enemies vse-full to the piety of his friends as long as their earthly pilgrimage lasteth CHAP. 26. WHerefore as the soule is the fleshes life so is God the beatitude of man as the Hebrewes holy writte affirmeth a Blessed is the people whose God is the Lord wretched then are they that are strangers to that GOD and yet 〈◊〉 those a kinde of allowable peace but that they shall not haue for euer because they vsed it not well when they had it But that they should haue it 〈◊〉 this life is for our good also because that during our commixtion with Babilon wee our selues make vse of her peace and faith doth free the people of God at length out of her yet so as in the meane time wee liue as pilgrims in her And therefore the Apostle admonished the Church to pray for the Kings and Potentates of that earthly Citty adding this reason That wee may lead a quiet life in all godlinesse and b charity And the Prophet Hieremy fore-telling the captiuitie of Gods ancient people commanding them from the Lord to goe peaceably and paciently to Babilon aduised them also to pray saying For in her peace shall be your peace meaning that temporall peace which is common both to good and bad L. VIVES BLessed a is Psal. 144. 15. Where the Prophet hauing reckoned vp all the goods of fortune children wealth peace prosperitie and all in