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

That the bodies of the Saints now resting in hope, shal become better then our first Fathers was. CHAP. 20.

THe death that seuereth the soules of the Saints from their bodies is not troublesome vnto them, because their bodies doe rest in hope, and the efore they seemed sencelesse of all reproach here vpon earth. For they do not (as Plato will haue men to do) desire to forget their bodies, but rather, rememb•…•…ing what the truth that deceiueth none, said vnto them (a) that they should not loose an haire of their head, they desire and waite for the resurrection of their bodies wherein they suffred such paines and are neuer to suffer more. (b) For if they hated not their flesh when they were faine to bind it from rebelling by the law of the spirit, how much shall they loue it, becomming wholy spirituall? for if wee may iustly call the spirit seruing the flesh, carnall, then so may we call the flesh seruing the spirit, spirituall, (c) not because it shalbe turned into the spirit (as some thinke, because it is written: It is sowne a naturall bodie but it aris•…•…th a spirituall bodie): * 1.1 but because it shall serue the spirit in all wonderfull, and ready obeisance, to the fulfilling of most secure will of indissolluble immortality, all sence of trouble, heauynesse, and corruptibility beeing quike taken from it. For it

shall not bee so bad, as it is now in our best health: nor as it was in our first pa∣•…•…ts before sinne; for they (though they had not dyed but that they sinned) * 1.2 〈◊〉〈◊〉 •…•…aine to eate corporal meate as men do now: hauing earthly, and not spiri∣tual bodies: and though they should neuer haue growne old and so haue died (the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of life that stood in the midst of Paradise, vnlawfull for them to tast of, affor∣ding them this estate by GODS wonderfull grace) yet they eate of more 〈◊〉〈◊〉 then that one: (which was forbidden them, because it was bad but 〈◊〉〈◊〉 their instruction in pure and simple obedience, which is a great vertue in a •…•…ble creature placed vnder God the creator, for though a man touched no 〈◊〉〈◊〉 •…•…et in touching that which was forbidden him, the very act was the sinne 〈◊〉〈◊〉 obedence,) they liued therefore of other fruites, and eate, least their carnall 〈◊〉〈◊〉 should haue beene troubled by hunger, or thirst: but the tast of the tree 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉 was giuen them, to confirme them against death, and weakenesse by age, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 rest seruing them for nutriment, and this one for a sacrament: the tree of life 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉 earthly paradise, being as the wisdome of God is in the heauenly, whereof 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉 •…•…itten: It is a tree of life to them that imbrace it. * 1.3

L. VIVES.

VN•…•… them. (a) That] Luc. 21. 7. (b) For if.] Ephes. 5. 29 no man euer yet hated his owne flesh. (c) Not because Saint Origen faith that all our corporall nature shall become spirituall, and all 〈◊〉〈◊〉 •…•…ance shal become a body purer and clearer then the light, and such an one as man can∣•…•… •…•…ine: God shall be all, in all, so that euery creature shall be transmuted into that which 〈◊〉〈◊〉 then all, namely into the diuine substance, for that is the best. Periarch.

Notes

• * 1.1

  1. Cor. 15
• * 1.2

  What bo∣dies our first parents had.
• * 1.3

  Pro. 3. 18.