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

Of the words becomming flesh, our Sauiours birth▪ and the dispersion of Iewes. CHAP. 46.

HErod reigning in Iudaea, Romes gouernment being changed, and (a) Augus∣tus Caesar being Emperor, the world beeing all at peace, Christ (according to the precedent prophecy) was borne in Bethelem of Iudah, beeing openly man of his Virgin-mother, and secretly God, of God his father▪ for so the Prophet had said: (b) Behold, a Virgin shall conceiue, and beare a sonne: and she shall call his name, Emanuel, that is, God with vs. Now he shewed his deity by many miracles, which as farre as concerneth his glory and our saluation, are recorded in the Gospell. The first is his miraculous birth, the last his as miraculous as•…•…ension. But the Iewes who reiected him, and slew him (according to the needfulnesse of his death, and resurrection) after that were miserably spoiled by the Romanes, cha∣sed all into the slauery of strangers, and dispersed ouer the face of the whole earth. For they are in all places with their Testament, to shew that we haue not forged those prophecies of Christ, which many of them considering, both be∣fore his passion and after his resurrection, beleeued in him, and they are the rem∣nant that are •…•…aued through grace. But the rest were blinde, as the psalme saith, Let their table be made a snare before them, and their prosperity their ruine: let their eyes be blinded that they see not, and make their loines alway to tremble. For in refu∣sing to beleeue our scriptures, their owne (which they read with blindnesse) * 1.1 are fulfilled vpon them.

(c) Some may say that the Sybills prophecies which concerne the Iewes, are but fictions of the christians: but that sufficeth vs that wee haue from the bookes of our enemies, which wee acknowledge in that they preserue it for vs against their wills, themselues and their bookes beeing dispersed as farre as GODS Church is extended and spread; in euery corner of the world, as that prophecy of the psalme which they themselues doe read, fore-telleth them. My mercifull GOD will preuent mee, GOD will let me see my desire vpon mine enemies: slay them * 1.2 not least my people forget it, but scatter them abroade with thy power, here did GOD shew his mercy to his church euen vpon the Iewes his enemies, because (as the

Apostle saith) through their fall commeth saluation to the Gentiles. And there∣fore hee 〈◊〉〈◊〉 them not, that is hee left them their name of Iewes still, although they bee the Romaines slaues, least their vtter dissolution should make vs forget the law of GOD concerning this testimony of theirs. So it were nothing to say▪ Slaye them not, but that he addeth, Scatter them abroade: For if they were not dispersed through-out the whole world with their Scriptures, the Church should want their testimonies concerning those prophecies fulfilled in our Messias.

L. VIVES.

AUgustus (a) Caesar] In the forty and two yeare of his reigne, and of the world fiue thousand one hundred ninety and nine, was Christ borne. Him-selfe, and M. Plautius be∣ing Consulls. Euseb. Cassiodorus referreth it to the yeare before, Cn. Lentulus, and M. Messala being Consuls. (b) Behold a Uirgin] Shall take a sonne into her wombe, say the seauentie. (c) Some may say] But not truly: for Lactantius and Eusebius cited them when the bookes were common in all mens hands. Where if they had quoted what those bookes conteined not, it would both haue beene impudence on their parts, and disgrace to the cause of Christ. Besides Ouid and Uirgil vse many of the Sybills verses, which can concerne none but Christ, as Uirgills whole fourth Aeglogue is, and his digression vpon the death of Caesar. Georg. 1. And likewise in Ouid wee read these.

Esse quo{que} in fatis 〈◊〉〈◊〉 affore terris Quo •…•…are, quo tellus corrept aque regia 〈◊〉〈◊〉, Ardeat èt mundi moles operosa laboret.

There is a time when heauen (men say) shall burne, When ayre, and sea, and earth, and the whole frame, Of this •…•…ge 〈◊〉〈◊〉 shall all to ashes turne.

And likewise this.

Et Deus 〈◊〉〈◊〉 lustrat sub imagine terras. God takes a view of earth in humaine shape.

And such also hath Luca•…•… in his Pharsalian warre. liber 12. Now if they say that all the as∣sertions of ours (recorded by great Authors) bee fictions, let mee heare the most direct •…•…th that they can affi•…•…, and I will finde one Academike or other amongst them that shall •…•…ke a doubt of it.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Psal. 69 22. 23
• * 1.2

  Psal. 59, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 11