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BVt the Philosophers against whose callumnies we defēd this City of God, 〈◊〉〈◊〉
is 〈◊〉〈◊〉 church, thinke they giue vs a witty scoffe for saying that the soules sepera∣tion from the body is to be held as part of the punishment, when as they affirme 〈◊〉〈◊〉 •…•…n (a) is the soule perfectly blessed when it leaueth the body, and goeth vp p•…•… and naked vnto God. If I should finde no battery against this opinion out of their owne bookes I should haue a great adoe to prooue not the body, but the corruptibility of the body to be the soules burden: wherevpon is that which we 〈◊〉〈◊〉 in our last booke, A corruptible body is heauy, vnto the soule. In adding, cor∣•…•…le, * 1.1 he sheweth that this being inflicted as sinnes punishment, vpon the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 not the body it sel•…•…e, is heauy to the soule: and if hee had not added it, yet 〈◊〉〈◊〉 haue vnderstood it so. But Plato affirming plainely that the gods that the •…•…or made, haue incorruptible bodies, & bringing in their maker, promising 〈◊〉〈◊〉 as a great benefit) to remaine therein eternally, and neuer to bee seperated 〈◊〉〈◊〉 them, why then do those neuer (b) dissemble their owne knowledge, to 〈◊〉〈◊〉 •…•…ristianity trouble: and contradict themselues in seeking to oppose against •…•…to's words (c) Tully translateth thus: bringing in the great GOD, speaking 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the gods hee had made: (d) You that are of the gods originall, whom I haue •…•…d, attend: (e) these your bodies, by my will, are indissoluble: although euery 〈◊〉〈◊〉 •…•…ay bee dissolued. But (f) it is euill, to desire to dissolue a thing (g) compounded by 〈◊〉〈◊〉 but seeing that you are created, you are neither immortall, nor indissoluble: yet 〈◊〉〈◊〉 neuer be dissolued, nor die: these shall not preuaile, against my will, which is a 〈◊〉〈◊〉 assurance of your eternity, then all your formes, and compositions are. Behold, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 •…•…ith that their gods, by their creation and combination of body and soule 〈◊〉〈◊〉 •…•…all, and yet immortall, by the decree and will of him that made them. If 〈◊〉〈◊〉 it be paine to the soule, to be bound in any body, why should God seeme 〈◊〉〈◊〉 •…•…way their feare of death, by promising them eternall immortality? not 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of their nature, which is compounded, & not simple, but because of his 〈◊〉〈◊〉▪ which can eternize creatures, and preserue compounds immortally, frō •…•…on: whether Plato hold this true of the stars, is another question. For (h) 〈◊〉〈◊〉▪ not consequently grant him that those globous illuminate bodies, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 •…•…ht & day vpon earth, haue each one a peculiar soule whereby it liues, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 •…•…ed and intellectuall, as he affirmeth directly of the world also. But this, as 〈◊〉〈◊〉 no question for this place. This I held fit to recite against those that 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the name of Platonists, are proudly ashamed of the name of christians, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 •…•…e communication of this name with the vulgar, should debase the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 (because small) number of the (i) Palliate. These seeking holes in the coate •…•…stianity, barke at the eternity of the body, as if the desire of the soules 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the continuance of it in the fraile body, were contraries, whereas their 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Plato holds it as a gift giuen by the great GOD to the lesser, that they 〈◊〉〈◊〉 not die, that is, be seuered from the bodies he gaue them.
〈◊〉〈◊〉 (a) is] Philolaus the Pythagorean held that man hauing left his body, became an 〈◊〉〈◊〉 God, and Plato sayth our body depresseth our thoughts, and calls it away from 〈◊〉〈◊〉 •…•…emplations: that therefore we must leaue it, that in this life also as well as we can, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 •…•…her life where we shalbe free, we may see the truth & loue the good. Herevpon 〈◊〉〈◊〉 •…•…th a man cannot bee happy without he leaue the body, and be ioyned vnto God. (d) 〈◊〉〈◊〉] An imitation of Terence, t•…•… si sapis quod scis, nescias. (a) Tully translateth] Tullies 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉, is a peece of Plato's Timaeus, the whole worke is very falty in Tully. He that
will read Plato himselfe, the words begin thus: 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 &c. Plato had it out of Timaeus of Lo∣cris his booke, after whom he named his dialogue: for thus saith Timaeus: God desyring to d•…•…e an excellent worke, created, or begot this God, who shall neuer die, vnlesse it please that God that made him, to dissolue him. But it is euill to desire the dissolution of so rare a worke (d) You that are of] Deorum satu orti. (e) These your] Tully hath this sentence: a depraued sence by reason of the want of a negatiue. (f) It is euill] Or, an euill mans part. (g) Compounded] Or, combined. (h) We may not] Augustine durst neuer decide this question. Origen it seemes followed Pla∣to, and got a many of the learned vnto his side. (i) Palliate] The Romanes Toga, or gowne, * 1.2 was the Greekes Pallium: and they that would seeme absolute Grecians, went in these Pallia, or clokes: and such were obserued much for their Graecisme in life and learning. For as wee teach all our arts in latine, now, so did they in greeke then. They were but few, and therefore more admired.
Wis 9. 15
Palli•…•…i.