What subiects are to be handled in the following discourse. CHAP. 35.
BVt we haue a little more to say vnto those that lay the afflictions of the Ro∣maine estate vpon the profession of Christianitie, which forbiddeth men to sacrifice vnto those Idols. For we must cast vp a summe of all the miseries (or of as many as shal suffice) which that Citie, or the prouinces vnder her subiecti∣on, endured before those sacrifices were forbidden. All which they would haue imputed vnto our religion, had it beene then preached and taught against these sacrifices, when these miseries befell. Secondly, wee must shew what customes and conditions the true God vouchsafed to teach them for the increasing of their Empire, (a that God, in whose hand are al the kingdomes of the earth: and how their false Gods neuer helped them a iotte, but rather did them infinite hurt by deceit and inducement. And lastly, we will disprooue those who though they be confuted with most manifest proofes, yet will needs affirme still that their gods are to be worshipped, and that not for the benefites of this life, but for those which are belonging to the life to come. Which question (vnlesse I be deceiued) will be (b) farre more laborious, and worthier of deeper considerati∣on, in the which we must dispute against the Philosophers, (c) not against each one, but euen the most excellent and glorious of them all, and such as in many points hold as we hold, and namely of the immortality of the soule, and of the worlds creation by the true God, and of his prouidence, whereby he swayeth the whole creation. But because euen these also are to be confuted, in what they hold opposite vnto vs, wee thought it our dutie not to bee slacke in this worke, but conuincing all the contradictions of the wicked, as God shall giue vs power and strength to aduance the veritie of the Cittie of God, the true zeale and worship of God, which is the onely way to attaine true and eternall felicitie. This therefore shall bee the method of our worke: and now from this second exordium we will take each thing in due order.
L. VIVES.
THat God (a) in whose hand] for Christ saith, Math. 28. 18. All power is giuen vnto me in heauen and earth. (b) More laborious] Operosior, harder, of more toyle. (c) Not against each one] not against euery common Philosopher or smatterer, for so is quilibet, taken some∣times, as 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, is often in the Greeke. In this Chapter, Augustine shewes briefly both what he hath done already, and how he meanes to proceede.