Saint Augustine his enchiridion to Laurence, or, The chiefe and principall heads of all Christian religion a most profitable booke to all those which desire to haue a most compendious briefe of Augustines doctrine, out of Augustine himselfe, when he was old, being repurged, by the old manuscript, of many faults and vnusuall wordes, wherewith it formerly flowed.

TOVCHING OVR Reconciliation and Peace with the holy An∣gells.

CHAP. 62.

That all things bee restored by the blood and death of Christ: and that thereby, the blessed Angels, and faithfull amongst men, be reconciled.

IN like manner, the holy An∣gels doe knowe, being taught by God (through the eternall contemplation of whose truth, they are made happie) what an infinite supply the sanctitie of that Citie exspecteth from man∣kinde. Whereupon, the Apostle saith, All things are repaired in Christ, which were decayed, ei∣ther in heauen, or in earth. For, as touching the ruine in heauen∣ly things, all was made whole againe by Christ: in as much,

as whatsoeuer member was wā∣ting in heauen, by the fall of the Angels, was restored out of the inhabitants vpon earth. And, on the other side, they which liue vpon the earth, are restored to integritie: whereas mortall creatures, predestinate to eter∣nall saluation, be renewed, ha∣uing put off their auncient cor∣ruption. And so, by that sole sacrifice, wherein the Mediator was offered vp, (whereof, the manifold sacrifices vsed in the old lawe were but figures) there was an attonement made be∣tweene celestiall and terrestiall; earthly and heauenly things, or creatures; Because, as the same A∣postle saith, In him it pleased the fulnesse of the Trinitie to dwell, and through him to reconcile all things to himselfe, by his bloodshed vniting whatsoeuer either in hea∣uen, or vpon earth, in the bond of peace.

CHAP. 63.

That peace, is the fruit of this re∣conciliation; which peace with God, is alwayes aboue our vn∣derstanding: and that also which we haue with the good Angels, is a thing whereof wee are not capable in this life; although in that to come, wee shall vnder∣stand the same.

THis peace passeth (as it is written) all vnderstanding: neither can it be knowen of vs vntill wee come where it is. For, peace is alwayes in that place & ioyntly amongst all intellectuall Creatures, as also with the Crea∣tor therof. Which peace passeth (as is said) all vnderstanding, particularly ours, not theirs which alwayes see the face of the Father. For, wee mortall Creatures, notwithstanding we haue all the vnderstanding that man can haue, yet do we know

but in parte: our sight in this world being obscurely by a glasse. But, when wee shall bee associates to the Angels of God; Then, euen as they, shall we al∣so behould those things face to face, and beare as charitable an affection towards them as they do to vs, because we shall loue them as much as they do vs. And so shall their loue towards vs be made knowne vnto vs, because ours shall bee such, and as great towards them: Neither, shall it then passe our vnderstanding. But the peace, or loue of God which is in heauen towards thē, shall, without all doubt, exceede both theirs, and our vnderstan∣ding. For, by God, the reaso∣nable Creature which is blessed, is made happie: and not God by the Creature. Which being so, it followeth vpon that which hath beene said, that that say∣ing, The peace of God, which pas∣seth all vnderstanding, is taken in the better sense; when, in that

hee saith, all, no, not the vnder∣standing of the holy Angells, may bee exempted, but onely Gods. For, his owne peace, or loue passeth not his owne vn∣derstanding.