St. Augustine, Of the citie of God vvith the learned comments of Io. Lod. Viues. Englished by I.H.

Of the Honor that Christians giue to the Martires. CHAP. 27.

YEt we erect no temples alters nor sacrifices to the martirs, because not they, but their god is our God, wee honor their memories, as Gods Saints, stan∣ding

till death for the truth, that the true religion might be propagated, and all Idolatry demolished: whereas if any others had beleeued right before them, yet feare forbad them confesse it. And who hath euer heard the Priest at the al∣tar, that was built vp in gods honor, and the martires memories, say ouer the body, I offer vnto thee Peter or vnto thee Paul, or (a) Cyprian? hee offers to God, in the places of their memorialls, whome God had made men, and martirs, and aduanced them into the society of his Angells in heauen, that wee at that sol∣lemnity may both giue thanks to God for their victories, and bee incouraged to endeuor the attainement of such crownes and glories as they haue already at∣tained: still inuocating him at their memorialls: wherefore all the religious performances done there, at the martires sollemnities, are ornaments of their memories, but no sacrifices to the dead, as vnto gods, and (b) those that bring banquets thether, which notwithstanding the better Christians do not, not is this custome obserued in most places, yet, such as do so, setting them downe, praying ouer them, and so taking them away to eate, or bestow on those that neede: all this they do onely with a desire that these meates might be sanctified, by the martirs, in the god of martirs name. But hee that knoweth the onely sa∣crifices that the Christians offer to God, (c) knoweth also that these are no sacri∣fices to the Martires: wherefore we neither worshippe our Martires with Gods honors nor mens crimes, neither offer them sacrifices nor turne their (d) disgraces into any religion of theirs; As for Isis Osiris his wife, and the Aegyptian goddesse and her parents, that haue beene recorded to haue beene all mortall, to whome she sacrificing (e) found three graines of barley, and shewed it vnto her husband and Hermes her counsellour: and so they will haue her to be Ceres also, what grosse absurdities are hereof recorded, not by Potes, but their own Priests (as Leon shewed to Alexander and he to his mother Olimpia) let them read that list, and remember that haue read: and then but consider, vnto what dead persones and dead persons workes their diuinest honors were exhibited. God forbid they should in the least respect compare them with our Martirs, whome neuerthe∣lesse wee account no gods wee make no priests to sacrifice vnto them, it is vn∣lawfull, vndecent, and Gods proper due: neither do wee please them with their owne crimes, or obscaene spectacles: whereas they celebrate both the guilt that there gods incurred who were men, and the fayned pleasures of such of them as were flat deuills. If Socrates had had a god, he should not haue bin of this sort: But such perhaps as loued to excell in this damnable art of making gods, thrust such an one vpon him being an inocent honest man, and vnskilfull in this their pernicious practise. What need wee more? none that hath his wits about him will now hold that these spirits are to be adored for the attainement of eter∣nall blisse in the life to come. Perhaps they will say that all the gods are good, but, of these spirits some are good and some badde: and that by those that are good wee may come to eternity, and therefore ought to adore them: well, to rip vp this question, the next booke shall serue the turne.

L. VIVES.

OR (a) Cyprian.] Bishoppe of Carthage, most learned, as wittnesse his holy works. He•…•… receiued the crowne of Martirdome vnder Ualerian, so Pontius his Deacon writeth. (b) * 1.1 Th•…•…se] A great custome in Afrike. Aug. confess. lib. 6. where he saith that his mother at Millaine * 1.2 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉 •…•…otage, and bread and wine to the Martirs shrines, and gaue them to the porter: B•…•…

Ambrose forbad her, both for that it might bee an occasion of gluttony, and for the resem∣blance it had with paganisme. (c) Knoweth also.] Many Christians offend in not distinguishing betweene their worship of God and the Saints: nor doth their opinion of the Saints want much of that the Pagans beleeued of their gods, yet impious was Uigilantius to bar the Mar∣tirs, all honor, and fond was Eunomius to forbeare the Churches least hee should bee com∣pelled to adore the dead. The Martyres are to be reuerenced, but not adored, as god is. Hieron c•…•…tra vigilant. (d) Disgraces] [But now, euen at the celebration of Christs passion and our * 1.3 redemption, it is a custome to present plaies almost as vile as the old stage-games: should I be •…•…lent the very absurdity of such shewes in so reuerend a matter, would condemne it sufficient∣ly. There Iudas plaieth the most ridiculous Mimike, euen then when he betraies Christ. There the Apostles run away, and the soldiors follow, and all resounds with laughter. Then comes * 1.4 Peter, and cuttes off Malchus care, and then all rings with applause, as if Christs betraying were now reuenged. And by and by this great fighter comes and for feare of a girle, denies his Maister, all the people laughing at her question, and hissing at his deniall: and in all these reuells and ridiculous stirres Christ onely is serious and seuere: but seeking to mooue passion and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 in the audience, hee is so farre from that, that hee is cold euen in the diuinest mat∣ters: to the great guilt, shame, and sinne both of the priests that present this, and the people * 1.5 that behold it. But wee may perhaps finde a fitter place for this thaeme] (e) Found the graine of barley] And wheate also saith Diodor. lib. 1. and therevpon some Citties present them both in her ceremonies. But Osiris her husband first obserued their profit, and taught the world it, chiefly barley that maketh ale in such countries as want wine: and is now vsed in the North parts. But they made meate of it in old time. Plin. lib. 18. out of an Athenian ceremony that * 1.6 Menander reporteth; prouing it of elder inuention then wheate. For had they found wheate sooner (saith Pliny) barly would haue bin out of request for bread, as it was presently vpon the finding of wheate, thence-forth becomming meate for beasts.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Cyp•…•….
• * 1.2

  〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• * 1.3

  Martires not to be adored.]
• * 1.4

  Plaies of the passion of Iesus Christ, vn∣lawfull.
• * 1.5

  The Loua∣nists want this. [Isis. Ceres.
• * 1.6

  Wheate put barley out of cre∣dit.