Arepetition of the Contentes of the first booke. CHAP. 2.
THerefore in the former booke, wherein I began to speake of the City of God, to which purpose all the whole worke (by Gods assistance) shall haue reserence, I did first of all take in hand to giue them their answere, that are so shamelesse as to impute the calamities inflicted vpon the world, (and in particu∣lar vpon Rome in her last desolation wrought-by the Vandales) vnto the religi∣on of Christ, which forbids men to offerre seruice or sacrifice vnto deuills: whereas they are rather bound to ascribe this as a glory to Christ, that for his names sake alone, the barbarous nations (beyond all practise and custome of warres) allowed many and spacious places of religion for those (ingratefull men) to escape into; and gaue such honor vnto the seruants of Christ, (not only to the true ones but euen to the counterfeit), that what the law of armes made lawfull to doe vnto all men, they held it vtterly vnlawfull to offer vnto them. And hence arose these questions: How and wherefore these gracious mercies of God were extended vnto such vngodly and vngratefull wretches as well as to his true servants, and why the afflictions of this siege fell vpon the godly (in part) as well 〈◊〉〈◊〉 on the reprobate? For the better dissoluing (a) of which doubtes, I stayd some∣w•…•… long in a discourse of the daily guiftes of God, and the miseries of man, •…•…ing out in the whole tract of this transitory life, (both which, by reason that they often light confusedly togither, alike, and vndistinguished both vpon good •…•…ers and impious, are very powerfull in moouing the hearts of many): and mine especiall intent herein was to giue some comfort vnto the sanctified and chast women, who had their chastities offended by some incontinent acts of the foldiours: and to shew them, that if those accidents had not wrackt their c•…•… resolutions, they ought not to bee ashamed of life, hauing no guilt in them whereof to be ashamed, and then I tooke occasion to speake some-what against those that in such villanous and impudent maner doe insult ouer the poore Christians in their aduersities; and chiefly ouer the deflowred women; these fellowes themselues beeing most vnmanly and depraued wretches, altogither degenerate from the true Romains, vnto whose honors (being many, and much recorded) these base creatures are so directly opposite. For it was these, that made Rome (which was first founded, and after increased by the care 〈◊〉〈◊〉 industry of her old worthies) to shew more filthy and corrupted in her pros∣per•…•…y, then shee was now in her ruine: for in this, there fell but stones, walles & houses; but in the liues of such villaines as these, al the monuments, al the or∣naments, (not of their walls, but) of their maners were vtterly demolished: as then did •…•…se fire burne in their affections, then this was now that did but 〈◊〉〈◊〉 their houes: with the close of this, I gaue an end vnto the first booke, and now (as I r•…•…ed) wil proceed, to cast vp a reckoning of the sundry mischienes that this City of Rome hath suffered since shee was first founded, either in her∣selfe or in some of the Prouinces vnder her command: all which those vile per∣sons would haue pinned vpon the backe of Christianity, if the doctrine of the gospel against their false & deceitfull gods had in those times beene reuealed and preached.
L. VIVES.
DI•…•…ing (a) of which d•…•…bs] The first of these, was ye chiefe questiō of those Philosophers