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

Of the causes of such corrections as fall both vpon the good and bad together. CHAP. 8.

BVt tell me now in all this desolation what one thing did the Christians en∣dure, which due and faithfull consideration, might not turne vnto their edi∣ficātion? For first they might with feare obserue to what a masse iniquity was in∣creased, at which the iust God being displeased had sent these afflictions vpō the world & that though they them-selues were far frō the society of the wicked, yet should they not hold them-selues so purely seperate from all faults, that they should thinke them-selues too good to suffer a temporall correction for diuers faults that might be found in their conuersations: for to omitte this, that ther is no man how euer laudable in his conuersation, that in some things (a) yeelds not vnto the concupiscence of the flesh; and that though hee decline not vnto the gulfe of reprobate offence and habitation of all brutish filthinesse, yet slips now and then into some enormities, and those either seldome, or so much more ordinary as then they are lesse momentary: To omitte all this, how hard a thing is it to find one, that makes a true vse of their fellowship, for whose hor∣rible pride, luxury, auarice, bestiall iniquity and irreligiousnesse, the Lord (as his (b) Prophets haue threatned) doth lay his heauy hand vppon the whole world? How few do wee finde that liue with them, as good men ought to liue with them. For either we keepe aloofe, and forbeare to giue them due instruc∣tions, admonitions or reprehensions, or else wee holde their reformation too great a labour: either we are affraid to offend them, or else wee eschew their hate for our owne greater temporall preferment, and feare their opposition either in those things which our greedinesse longeth to inioy, or in those which our weakenesse is affraid to forgoe: so that though the liues of the wic∣ked be still disliked of the good, and that thereby the one do auoid that damna∣tion which in the world to come is the assured inheritance of the other, yet be∣cause they winke at their damnable exorbitances, by reason they feare by them to loose their owne vaine temporalities, iustly do they partake with them in the punishments temporall though they shall not do so in the eternall; Iustly do they in these diuine corrections, tast the bitternesse of these transitory af∣flictions with them, to whome when they deserued those afflictions, they through the loue of this life, forbare to shew them-selues better: indeed he that forbeares to reprehend ill courses in some that follow them, because he will take a more fit time, or because he doubts his reprehention may rather tend to their ruine then their reformation, or because he thinkes that others that are weake, may by this correction be offended in their Godly endeauours or diuerted from the true faith: In this case forbearance arises not from occasi∣on of greedinesse, but from the counsell of charity, (c) But their's is the fault indeed who liue a life quite contrary, wholy abhorring the courses of the wicked, yet will ouerpasse to taxe the others sins wherof they ought to be most seuere reprehenders and correctors, because they feare to offend them, and so be hurt in their possession of those things whose vse is lawfull both vnto good and bad, affecting temporalities in this kinde farre more greedily then is fit for such as are but pilgrimes in this world, and such as expect (d) the hope of a celestiall inheritance? for it is not onely those of the weaker sort that liue in

marriage, hauing (or seeking to haue) children, and keeping houses and fami∣lies: whome the Apostle in the Church doth instruct how to liue, the wiues with their husbands and the husbands with their wiues: children with their parents and the parents with their children: the seruants with their maisters and the maisters with their seruants: it is not these alone that get together these worldly goods with industry, and loose them with sorrow, and because of which they dare not offend such men as in their filthy and contaminate liues do extreamely displease them: but it is also those of the highter sort, such as are no way chayned in mariage, such as are content with poore fare and meane attire. Many of these through too much loue of their good name and safety through their feare of the deceits and violence of the wicked; through frailtie and weaknesse, forbeare to reprooue the wicked when they haue offended. And although they doe not feare them so farre, as to be drawne to actuall imi∣tation of these their vicious demeanours; yet this which they will not act with them, they will not reprehend in them (though herein they might reforme some of them by this reprehension:) by reason that (in case they did not re∣forme them) their owne fame and their safetie might come in danger of de∣struction. Now herein they doe at no hand consider how they are bound to see that their fame and safety bee necessarily employed in the instruction of others, but they do nothing but poyse it in their owne infirmitie, which loues to be stroaked with a smooth tongue, and delighteth in the (e) day of man: fearing the censure of the vulgar, and the torture and destruction of body: that is, they forbeare this dutie, not through any effect of charitie, but meerely through the power of auarice and greedy affection. Wherefore I hold this a great cause, why the good liuers do pertake with the bad in their afflictions, when it is Gods pleasure to correct the corruption of manners with the pu∣nishment of temporall calamities. For they both endure one scourge, not be∣cause they are both guiltie of one disordered life, but because they both doe too much affect this transitorie life; not in like measure, but yet both toge∣ther: which the good man should contemne, that the other by them being corrected and amended, might attaine the life eternall: who if they would not ioyne with them in this endeauour of attaining beatitude, they should be (f) borne with all and loued as our enemies are to be loued in Christianitie: we being vncertaine whilest they liue here, whether euer their heart shall bee turned vnto better or no, which to doe, the good men haue (not the like, but) farre greater reason, because vnto them (g) the Prophet saith: Hee is taken away for his iniquity, but his bloud will I require at the watch-mans hand, (h) for vn∣to * 1.1 this end were watch-men, that is rulers ouer the people placed in the chur∣ches, that they should (i) not spare to reprehend enormities. Nor yet is any other man altogether free from this guilt, whatsoeuer he bee, ruler or not ru∣ler, who in that dayly commerce and conuersation, wherein humane necessity confines him, obserueth any thing blame worthy, and to reprehend it, seeking to auoyde the others displeasure, being drawne here-vnto by these vanities which he doth not vse as he should, but affecteth much more then hee should. Againe, there's another reason why the righteous should endure these tem∣porall inflictions, and was cause of holy (k) Iobs sufferance, namely that here∣by the soule may bee prooued and fully knowne whether it hath so much god∣lie vertue as to loue God freely, and for himselfe alone. These reasons being

well considered, tell me whether any thing be casuall vnto the good, that tend∣eth not to their good: vnlesse we shall hold that the Apostle talked idely when he said: (l) Wee know all things worke together for the best vnto them that loue God?

L. VIVES.

IN something (a) yeelds] The lust of the flesh is so inwardly inherent in our bodies, and that affect is so inborne in vs by nature (that great workeman of all thinges liuing) who hath so subtilly infused it into our breasts, that euen when our minde is quiet vppon ano∣ther obiect we do propagate our ofspring in the like affection: so that we can by no meanes haue a thought of the performing of this desire, without beeing stung within with a cer∣taine secret delight: which many do make a sinne, but too too veniall. (b) by his Prophets] and that very often, as is plaine in Esay, and Ieremy. (c) But this is the fault] Cicero in his offices saith: There be some that although that which they thinke bee very good, yet for feare of enuy dare not speak it. (d) The hope] As the guide of their pilgrimage: (e) the day of man] 1. Cor. 4. I passe little to bee iudged of you or of the day of man: that is, the iudgement of man, wherein each man is condemned or approued of men: whose contrary is the daie of the Lord, which searcheth and censureth the secrets of all heartes: (f) borne with and loued] The wicked are not onely to bee indured, but euen to bee loued also, God commaunding vs to loue euen our enemies. Mat. 5. (g) The Prophet] Ezechiel, Chap. 33. But if the watchman see the sword come and blow not the trumpet, and the people bee not warned: and the sword come & take away any person from among them, he is taken away for his iniquitie, but his bloud will I require at the watch-mans hands. (h) For vnto this end were watch-men] 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in Greeke is Speculator in latin, a watchman, a discryer, an obseruer, and a Gouernor, Cicero in his seauenth booke of his Epistles to Atticus saith thus: Pompey would haue me to be the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 the Sentinell of Campania and all the sea-coastes, and one to whome the whole summe of the busines should haue speciall relation. Andromache in Homer cals Hector Troiae 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, the watchman or guardian of Troy. The Athenians called their Intelligencers, and such as they sent out to obserue the practises of their tributary citties Episcopos, Ouerseers, and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, watchmen; the Lacedemonians called them 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Moderatores, Gouernors. Ar∣chadius the Lawyer cals them Episcopos that had charge of the prouision for vittailes. Some thinke the preposition 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 to bee heere a Pleonasme (whereof Eustathius one of Ho∣mers interpreters is one) and that 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 is all one. 1. Not spare to reprehend] So saith saint Paul vnto Titus: And so doe our Bishops euen in these times, whome with teares we behold haled vnto martyrdome because they tell the truth in too bitter tearmes, and persecute vice through all, not respecting a whit their reuenues nor dignities. Christ Iesus glorifie them (k) Iobs] The history all men know; and Hierome vppon the same saith: These thinges fell vpon Iob, that he might shew outwardly vnto men the loue that he held inwardly vnto God. (l) UUee know] Rom. 8. 28. Aduerse and prosperous fortune ar both assistants in the good mans saluation: and there is nothing befalleth them but he can con∣uert it vnto the augmentation of his vertues.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Ezech. 33.