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

L. VIVES.

SOuldiours and (a) taxe-takers] Luke 3. 12. 13. Then came there Publicanes to bee baptized, and sayd vnto him, Mayster, what shall wee doe? And hee sayd vnto them, Require no more * 1.1 then that which is appointed vnto you. Require in this place, in the vulgar Latine is Facite: in the Greeke 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉: which as Erasmus first of all noted, is to bee translated Exigite, ex∣acte, or require, and hence it is that Saint Augustine doth rightly name the Exactores, taxe-takers, which were the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, the Publicanes. (b) The stroaking hand of viciousnesse] Hee allu deth vnto Hesiods two waies to vice and vertue: which Virgill or as (some say) Au∣sonius immitated in that same poeme of Pythagoras his letter. (c) Imperiall] Augustissima * 1.2 it must needes bee, and not Angustissima, most straite or narrow: But withall take a certaine

Friars note with you, I had almost tould his name, who affirmed that heauens court is called Augusta heere, because the way is straight (as Christ our Sauiour saith) that leadeth vnto life: and few thera are that enter in thereat. And that his auditors might beare it the better a∣way, * 1.3 he shut it vp in this fine verse:

Arcta est via verè, quae ducit ad gaudia vitae. The way is straight and quickly mist, that leads vs vp to glories blist.

He shewed plainely that he cared not greatly for true position, or quantity of syllables, so that he made it goe roundly off, and sound well.]

Notes

• * 1.1

  Exactors or taxe-takers.
• * 1.2

  The verses of the leter Y.
• * 1.3

  [] No word of this in the editi∣on of Pa∣ris.