The French Academie. Fvlly discovrsed and finished in foure bookes. I. Institution of manners and callings of all estates. 2. Concerning the soule and body of man. 3. A notable description of the whole world, etc. 4. Christian philosophie ... This fourth part neuer before published in English / All written by the first author Peter de la Primavday.

La Primaudaye, Pierre de, approximately 1545- Académie françoise. English

Date:: 1618

Credit: The French Academie. Fvlly discovrsed and finished in foure bookes. I. Institution of manners and callings of all estates. 2. Concerning the soule and body of man. 3. A notable description of the whole world, etc. 4. Christian philosophie ... This fourth part neuer before published in English / All written by the first author Peter de la Primavday. Source: Wellcome Collection.

1040/1094 page 994

$yeares,an inftant,in regard of the permanent benefites, which bee would beftow vpon bis Ifrael, as hee addeth in the wordes following , But witb enmerlaiting mercie baue I bad come paffion on thee, ay rJohna.18 Andtothefamepurpofetendeth that in Saint Jobw,where hee calleth the time fince the comming of Iefus Chriltthe la{t houre, asif he would deuide; all the time of the continu- ance of the world, into three or foure boures , whereof one was after the birth of our re deemer; vatill his lat comming in glory, which laft houre, bath already endured, ¥6 4 8. yecres,and yet itis not accomplifhed : wherein there is nogreat wonder, if wee can repre fent voto our mindsand vader{tandings,ewoeternities of times;to be confidered of by all chriftians, the one was before the foundation of the world, and that isaninfinitetime: (ifchat may becalleda time, which bath no beginning, and which fwalloweth vp mans vaderftanding when heonce thinketh how God wasthen all in all things, and all was ia him ) Then therefhall be an other cternitie , after che ende and changing of this greac earthly globe, when God fhall be all in his elect ; in the new heavens of celeftiall Ierufa- Jem, and that againeis aninfinitie of time,altogether incomprehenfibleto the capaciticof hamane fence. Wherefore when wee confides the continuance of the world, betweene thefe two eter- nities, which already is fiue thoufandyeares and vpwards; yea, let vs adde vnto it, onceos twice as much time more, (although the common opinionis,thatit thal not continue fixe thoufand yeares) all that isnot to bee accounted two or three houresin comparifon of that which is to. continue for ever; and fhall bee found to bee leffe then agraincof fand, in ree gard of all the fandin the world; or then adropof water, in comparifon of all the water in the Seas. Forin all thefe things which are created , there is number, weight, and mea- fure: butin the eternitie there is no fuch thing; becaufe init there is nothing but infitie, s.Pet.3.8,. Which Saint Peter teacheth vs,laying, That before Goda thom(and yeeres ts asa dayand a day _ a athonfand yeeres withthe Lord, And as Mo/es faith, Tbat a thou{and yeares in bis fight are as Pfal.90.4. yesterday, when it ts pastand as awatchin the sight, But that which bindreth man trom leos king clearely intothis notable meditation, to know and learne, that bis troubles and cuili time is but of {mall continuance, as well as his terreftriall dayes, and to comfort his foule with the certaine expectation of eternal beatitade,proceedeth {pecially from threethings. The firft is his naturall impatience,which mia ere bim of this proofe,and knowledge of Kem.s,3. the goad willof Godtowardshim : whereof the Apoftledifcourfeth to the Komanes,and which is the caufe that true hope neuer faileth, but alwayes hath an happy iflue. The fecond canfe of our euill is, becaufe nature leadeth vs vntoabeleeuing of nothing elfe but that which wee fee or fecle with our carnall fences, a thing altogether contrarie to Rom.8,22, faith,and the hope of faluation (as Saint Pas/ witneffeth.) Thelaft is, that. manis borne ~ with fo depraved aiudgement, (as Saint Chry/ostome eloquently difcourfeth) that hee fea- Chryf, Hom, reth that which he fhould not feare,and apprehendeth not that which is moreto be dovb- 4.ad popu, ted. He feareth humane miferies and afflitions,which are nothing (for they cannot fepa- Aatioch, —_ sate him from thegrace of God) but hee hath no féare of finne, which maketh a divifion betweene God andvs, and which drawes and bring vponvs all the euills which trouble and torment vs inthe world. Toconclude, every one complaineth much of the tribuia- tions ia this lite,and yet the greate(t part leaue it again{t their willes, and have more affe- ction thereunto then tolife eternall, Then what would they doe, if thisterreftriall habie tation had by God bin permitced tobe altogether peaceable,pleafant and delightfoll? Who would haue cared forthe kingdomeof heaven? or who would with all hisheart and affe- ction haue afpired to that glorious immortalitie? ] 7. he conclufion of this Chapter. To conclade this propofition, feeing wee ought alwayes to hold for a moftaflured troeth, that God our Father gouerneth and moderateth all things in the world generally; - and particularly tothat end and purpofe which it pleafeth him by his moft wife providence aad foucraigne love, toordaine and appoint with a fingularcare of men, but {pecially of his elect. Wee mutt from thence drawe this certaine doGrine, that the fame God is the hee kaowes how to draw great benefits, as hee doth from all the other evils which happen coman, by their meanes dilcoucring the treafures of his glorie: That his paternal loue is fuch, oa- , _ neo = = -— ee «ss FS — > =< Gao$

Licence and re-use

Contents