Page:St Augustine Of the Citie of God.pdf/24



Riumphant Rome, ruinated and deiected from her throne of Maiety, into a gulphe of calamity, by the violent irruption of the barbarous Gothes, managing their bloudy wars vnder the tandard of : the worhippers of fale, and many gods, (whom wee brand in the fore-head with the common name of the heathenih Pagans) began to breath out more damnable and vitulent blaphemies againt the true, then their betiall mouthes had euer breathed out before: labouring with might and maine to lay a heape of landers vpon the neck of Chritian religion, as the wicked Mother of all this michiefe, and murderer of their worldly happinee. Wherefore, the fire and the zeale of Gods Houe, burning within my bowells, I reolued to compile thee bookes of the Citty of God, to batter down the tronget hold of their bitter blaphemies, and dipel the thick clowds of their groe THE