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

Of the langours of Gods Cittizens endure in earth as the punishments of sinne, during their pilgrimage, and of the grace of God curing them. CHAP. 6.

BVt the langour or disobedience (spoken of in the last booke) is the first pu∣•…•…ment of disobedience, and therefore it is no nature but a corruption: for 〈◊〉〈◊〉 it is said vnto those earthly prilgrimes and God proficients: Beare (a) yee 〈◊〉〈◊〉 •…•…hers burdens, and so yee shall fulfill the Law of Christ: and againe: admonish the * 1.1 〈◊〉〈◊〉 •…•…fort the feble, be patient towards all, ouer-come euill with goodnesse, see that 〈◊〉〈◊〉 hurt for hurt: and againe, If a man be fallen by occasion into any sinne, you that 〈◊〉〈◊〉 •…•…all restore such an one with the spirit of meekenesse considering thy selfe least 〈◊〉〈◊〉 be tempted: and besides, let not the sunne go downe vpon your wrath: and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Gospell: If thy brother trespasse against thee, take him and tell him his falt be∣•…•… 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and him alone.

〈◊〉〈◊〉 •…•…cerning the scandalous offenders, the Apostle saith: Them that sin, rebuke 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the rest may feare: and in this respect many things are taught concerning •…•…g. And a great charge is laid vpon vs to keep that peace there, where that 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of the (c) seruants, being commanded to pay the ten thousand talents hee

ought, because hee forcibly exacted his fellowes debt of an hundred pence. Vnto which simily the Lord Iesus addeth this cloze. So shall mine heauenly father doe vnto you, except you forgiue each one his brothers trespasses from your hearts. Thus are Gods cittizens vpon earth cured of their diseases, whilest they are longing for the celestiall habitation. But the Holy spirit worketh within to make the salue * 1.2 worke that is outwardly applied, otherwise though God should speake to man∣kinde out of any creature, either sensibly or in dreames, and not dispose of our hearts with his inward grace, the preaching of the truth would not further mans conuersion a whitte. But this doth God in his secret and iust prouidence, diui∣ding the vessells of wrath and mercy. And it is his admirable and secret worke, that sinne (e) being in vs rather the punishment of sinne as the Apostle saith, and dwelling in our members, when it doth not reigne in our mortall body, obeying the desires of it, and when wee doe not giue vp our members as instruments of iniquity to serue it, it is conuerted into a minde consenting not vnto it in any euill, by Gods gouernment, and man that hath it some-what quietly here, shall haue it afterwards most perfectly setled, sinlesse, and in eternall peace.

L. VIVES.

BEare (a) yee] The Greeke is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. (b) The spirit of meekenesse] Because of that which followeth: Considering thy selfe least thou also bee tempted. It is fitte that one that corrects sinne, should consider that hee might sinne him-selfe: least if hee growe proud because hee is more perfect then his brother, reuenge bee at hand, and make him fall worse. (c) The seruants] Our Sauiour treating of brotherly remission, reciteth this Parable. Math. 18. (d) Not disposing] Ecclesiastes the 7. 15. Behold the worke of God: who can make streight that which hee hath made crooked. And hence it is that a few rules serue to guide some in ho∣nestie, and none, other-some. If the minde bee not inwardly mooued to good, the outward words doe but little good. (e) Being in vs] for the pronenesse to badnesse that is in vs all, is the punishment of the first mans sinne, by which without great resistance, wee are harried into all enormity. Besides there is no sinne but vexeth him in whome it is. The first reuenge (saith Iuuenall) is, that no guilty man is quitte by his owne conscience. But this place is diuersly read. But the true sence is, If that originall promise to sinne which wee haue all from A∣dam bee not predominant ouer the whole man, nor reigne not (as the Apostle saith) in our members, but bee subiected •…•…o the minde, and the minde vnto God the gouernour, not con∣senting to that wicked procliuitie, but rather peaceably restraining it, and comming vnto the curing of GOD that good Phisitian, then that crazed affect becommeth sound perfection, and with the whole man attaineth immortality. For this aptnesse or inclination to sinne, which the schoole-diuines call fomes, is sinne in vs.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Gal. 6. 2. 1. Th. 5. 14 Gal. 6. 1. Mat. 18. 15. 1. Ti. 5. 20
• * 1.2

  Mat. 18. 35