And also we must wryte letters vnto our companions that the lawe of the Gospell and the doctrine of the Lorde be kept of euery one and that wee doe not goe backe from that the Christ hath taught and done c. Afterwardes he saithe If wee bee the priestes of God and of Christe I doe not finde that we ought to followe any other than God and Christ Forasmuch as especially he saith in the Gospell I am the light of the worlde he that followeth mee shal not walke in darkenesse but shal haue the light of life Lactantius Firmianus in the .6 booke of his godly institutions 8. Chapter We ought not to follow men but God. S. Augustine writing vnto Fortunatus 198. Epistle We ought not to holde or esteeme all the disputations of men as canonicall scriâ—tures although they haue bene made by learned men insomuch that it is lawefull for vs sauing the honor of men which is due vnto them to gainesay or reproue some thinges in their writinges if peraduenture we doe finde that they sauor otherwyse then the veritie conteyneth vnderstoode by others or of vs through the help of god I am such a one in other mens writings as I woulde that they shoulde be which doe vnderstand mine S. Augustine in his Prologue of the .3 booke of the trinitie Obey not my writinges as if they were the canonicall Scriptures but all that which thou shalt finde in them beleeue the same without doubting But giue no farther credit vnto myne than they do accorde and agree with them In the same booke I cannot denie but aswell in my greate workes as in my small workes there are many thinges which iustly and without any temeritie might be blamed S. Augustine in his Epistle vnto S. Ierome .19 Epistle .3 Tome folio .161 I doe confesse thorowe thy loue tâ—â—t I haue learned to beare that honor and reuerence only vnto the bookes of the holy Scriptures which are called canonicall And I doe beleeue most surely that no Authors of them writing them haue erred but if any thinges are found in them the which do seeme to be repugnant to the truth I doe esteeme it none otherwyse but that eyther the booke is euill written or that the interpreter hath euil vnderstode that which is saide therein or els that I doe vnderstande it nothing at all And as for others I doe reade them in such sort that with whatsoeuer holinesse or doctrine they be set and paynted forth yet I do not thinke that to be true which they saye bicause that they haue such an opinion but so farre as they coulde persuade me eyther by those canonical authors or by probable reasons which are not disagreing from the truth And as for thee my brother I doe thinke that thou thinkest none otherwise Yea I doe esteeme truly that thou wouldest not that we shoulde reade thy bookes as the bookes of the Prophetes and Apostles which haue written so certainly that it shoulde be a wicked thing to thinke that they haue erred or fayled in their wryting S. Augustine in the .112 Epistle written vnto Paulinus I woulde not that thou shouldest follow mine authoritie thereby to thinke that it is necessary for thee to beleue it bicause I haue spoken it but to the ende that thou beleeue the canonicall scriptures c. Saint Ierome vpon the Epistle vnto Titus .1 Chapter Without authoritie of the Scriptures babling and scoffing ought not to be beleeued Tertullian in his prescriptions agaynst the heretikes It is not in our desire or free will lawfully to bring in to chose or to alledge for witnesse that that another shall bring in or alledge for his will and pleasure For we haue the Apostles of the Lord for authors who haue brought in nothing for their pleasure neyther no newe thing but they haue faythfully taught vnto the people the discipline knowledge which they haue receyued of God. S. Augustine of one onely Baptisme in the Epistle vnto Vincent What is hee that knoweth not the holy scriptures c. My brother meddle not against so great heauenly things For the places are knowen by the Canon lawe of the Bishops Saint Augustine writing vnto Vincent in the .48 Epistle Gather not togither false accusations agaynst the brethren of the writings of the Bishops or of ours as of Hilarie or of that vnitie before that the part of Denatus be deuided or seperated as of Cyprian or Agrippin agaynst the heauenlye witnesses which are in so great number so cleare and not to be doubted First of al bicause that such kynde of letters ought to be discerned from the authoritie of the canonicall Scriptures For we do not read them after that sort as for to take witnes to whiche it is by no meanes lawfull to speake agaynst except peraduenture they haue perceyued any thing otherwyse than the truth requireth Immediatlye afterwarde he sayeth But neuerthelesse let vs walke in that in which we are come vnto that is to saye in that waye whiche is Christ For the integritie and the knowledge of letters of any Bishop howe noble and vertuous so euer he be cannot bee kept as the canonicall Scripture is kept through or by so many letters orders and tongues and through the susception of the ecclesiasticall celebration Against the which there are some notwithstanding who vnder the name of the Apostles haue inuented and imagined many things neuerthelesse it hath bene in vayne bicause that it is to well proued celebrated and knowen c. S. Augustine in his .2 booke of Baptisme against the Donatistes 3. Chapter You haue accustomed to put before vs the letters of Cyprian the sentence of Cyprian wherefore doe you take the authoritie of Cyprian for your schisme and do repeale and keepe backe his example for to trouble the churche And what is he but that he knoweth that the holy canonicall scripture aswel of the olde testament as of the newe is kept within his limits which are certaine and that the same is to bee preferred before all the writinges of the Byshoppes that are past insomuch that we must nothing doubt thereof neyther dispute to wete whither that all that which is written in the same be true But it is lawefull to rebuke the writinges of the byshops which haue bene written or whiche they haue written sithence the confirmation of the canonicall scriptures or by word peraduenture more full of wisedome of euery one better instructed in such things or by greater authoritie of other byshops or through the wisedome of the wyse or by the counsels if peraduenture they haue swarued in any thinge from the truth and also the counsels which are done through out euery region or prouince without all doubtes ought to giue place vnto the authoritye of the first counselles whiche are made through out all Christendome and the first generall determinations ought often times to be amended by those that follow after when through any experience of
the lawe of workes by the whiche none is iustified but to the lawe of faith by which the righteous man liueth Who shall be of so wicked opinion to thinke that the administration of death figured in the tables of stone is not saide of all the tenne commaundementes but only of one which appertayneth to the saboth Where shall we put then this place the lawe ingendreth wrath For where no lawe is there is no transgression and sinne hath bene in the worlde euen vntill the lawe and sinne was not imputed when there was no lawe c. Read the chapter all at length Reade also the same booke the .31 chapter Of purgatory It is written in the Hebrewes the first chapter which sonne being the brightnes of the glorye and the ingraued forme of his person bearing vp all thinges with the worde of his power hath by him selfe purged our sinnes and sitteth at the right hand of that most highe maiestie Through Iesus Christ we haue redemption through his bloud euen the forgiuenesse of sinnes of his ritch grace In whom we haue redemption through his bloud that is to saye the forgiuenesse of sinnes to reconcile all thinges vnto him selfe and to set at peace through the bloud of his crosse both thinges in earth and thinges in heauen For asmuch as ye knowe how that ye were not redemed with corruptible things as siluer and golde from your vaine conuersation which ye receyued by the traditions of the fathers but with the precious bloud of Christ as of a lambe vndefiled and without spot And the bloud of Iesus Christ his son clenseth vs from all sinne Vnto him that loued vs and washed vs from our sinnes in his bloud If the bloud of bulles and of goates and the ashes of an heyfar sprinkled sanctifieth them that are vncleane as touching the purifying of the flesh how much more shall the bloud of Christ which through the eternall spirite offered him selfe without spot to God purge your conscience from dead workes for to serue the liuing God Esay speaking in the person of God saith it is I it is I only that for mine owne selfe sake doe away thine offences and forget thy sinnes For I confirme that the afflictions of this life are not worthy of the glory which shall be shewed vnto vs. After that the kindnesse and loue of our sauiour God to manward appeared not of the deedes of righteousnesse whiche we wrought but of his mercy he saued vs by the fountayne of the newe byrth and with the renuing of the holy Ghost Nowe goe to saith the Lorde we wil talke togither Is it not so Though your sinnes be as redde as scarlet shall they not be whyter then snowe And thoughe they were like purple shall they not by like white wooll And hee put no difference betweene them and vs seeing that with faith he purified their heartes There is no condemnation to them which are in Christ Iesus Iesus Christ saith verely verely I say vnto you he that heareth my wordes and beleeueth on him that sent me hath euerlasting life and shall not come into damnation but is escaped from death vnto life Againe he that shall beleeue and bee baptised shall be saued Also enter in at the straite gate for wyde is the gate and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction and many there be which goe in there at Obiection Agree with thine aduersarie quicklye whiles thou art in the way with him least thine aduersarie deliuer thee to the iudge and the iudge deliuer thee to the sergeant and then thou be cast into prison Verily I saye vnto thee thou shalt not come out thence till thou hast payde the vtmost farthing Aunswere Saint Ambrose sayth vpon these words of Saint Mathewe When thou shalt go vnto the magistrate c. Chrysostome vppon S. Mathewe 5. Homelie 10. Doth expounde it of the reconciliation And Theophilact vpon the same place sayth as much Likewise S. Hilarie vnderstandeth it so in his Canons Obiection Verily I saye vnto thee thou shalt not come out thence till thou hast payde the vtmost farthing Answere In the first of S. Mathewe it is sayde that Ioseph knewe not his wife till shee had brought forth hir first borne sonne S. Augustine expoundeth that place by the Rauen that Noe did sende forth and sayth that the Rauen did neuer returne agayne euen so Ioseph neuer knewe the virgin Marie for she is a virgin Also Sit thou on my right hande vntill I make thine enimies thy footestoole Obiection Whosoeuer shall speake agaynst the sonne of man it shall be forgiuen him but whosoeuer shall speake agaynst the holye ghost it shall not be forgiuen him neyther in this worlde neyther in the worlde to come Aunswere Chrysostome in the 12. of S. Mathewe Homely 24. expoundeth it thus Forasmuche as this sinne is not veniall you shall be grieuously punished both in this lyfe and in the life to come Saint Augustine vpon Genesis 10. booke It is better to doubt of secrete things than to pleade of incertayne things I doe not doubt but that we must vnderstande that the riche man was in most cruell torments and that poore Lazarus in ioy c. Thoughe the righteous bee ouertaken with death yet shall he be in rest The soules of the righteous are in the hande of God and the payne of death shall not touch them In the sight of the vnwise they appeare to die and their ende is taken for very destruction The waye of the righteous is iudged to be vtter destruction but they are in rest Oure Lorde sayde vnto the woman Daughter be of good comforte thy fayth hath made thee whole go in peace Agayne vnto the theefe Verily I saye vnto thee to day shalt thou be with me in paradyse Man after his death goeth to his long home Also the bodie shall returne agayne vnto the earth from whence it came and the spirite shall returne vnto God whiche gaue it Put not your trust in Princes nor in any childe of man for there is no helpe in them For when the breath of man goeth forth he shall turne agayne to his earth and so all his thoughts perishe I woulde not brethren haue you ignorant concerning them which are fallen a sleepe that ye sorrowe not as other doe which haue no hope For if we beleue that Iesus died and rose agayne euen so they also which sleepe in Iesus God will bring with him Augustine of the Citie of God .13 boke 9. Chapter The soules of the good men being seperated from the bodie are at rest and we must nothing at all doubt of it But those of the wicked are punished vntil that the bodie of those shall ryse againe to eternall lyfe and of those here to eternal death which is called the seconde death Irenaeus sayth as much writing against the hereticke Valentine Augustine
and to me For I shall haue no great labor to declare vnto you the vertue and efficacie of the gospell so that the sentence before be made easy by you in your house And you shal be a great deale more wyse not onely to heare and vnderstande but to teach others For there are a great manye that heare and take great payne to keepe all the wordes of the Gospell and all that wee doe interprete vpon them yet neuerthelesse they profite not very much although wee shoulde remayne there with them a yeare Wherefore Bicause they giue not themselues vnto our sermons but a small time that onely in the Churche And if anye excuse themselues by reason of their businesse and occupations of publike and particular things First of all they erre very much chiefly in that they vnderstande so manye things and are so much giuen vnto temporall affayres and businesse as they doe nothing at all studie on the things whiche are moste necessarie and doe alledge a vayne excuse and of no force For one may rather accuse in this matter the long conuersation of frendes the long sitting in the theaters and gasing places the long time that men spende in beholding the running of horses in which vayne things they consume and spende manye times a whole daye and the which neuerthelesse they excuse not themselues by reason of their occupations Furthermore ye are to diligent in things that are vyle and nothing worth But when ye muste vnderstande heauenly things ye esteeme them vnprofitable and of no price insomuch as yee make none account to bestowe on them anye little care and diligence And howe are they worthie of victuals and to see the sunne which make so small account of it The negligent people haue yet another excuse but very euill that is to say that they haue no bokes That should be a ridiculous thing to answere here for the rich but bicause I doe thinke that many poore men doe vse manye times that excuse I will a little speake vnto them and aske them whether they haue not all the instruments and tooles that belong to their arts and sciences Although that pouertie letteth or hindreth them greatlye to buye them It is then a foolishe thing to excuse themselues through pouertie and to be diligent in lacking nothing necessarie for their occupations and sciences yet to excuse themselues vppon their occupations and pouertie in things whereof commeth vnto them so great vtilitie and profite Augustine in the .56 Sermon vnto the brethren being in sorrowe and care He which maketh none account to reade the holy Scriptures sent from paradise ought to feare that he do not only peraduenture receiue eternall retributions and rewardes but also that he escape not eternall paines For it is so dangerous not to reade the heauenly precepts that the Prophet with great mourning doth crye therefore commeth my folke into captiuitie bicause they haue no vnderstanding for he that is ignorant shall be ignorante still Without doubt he whiche maketh none accounte in this world to seeke God by heauenly reading God will scorne to knowe him in the eternall and euerlasting blessednesse We ought greatly to feare with the fiue foolish virgines who came after the gates were shutte when Christe saide vnto them I knowe you not depart from me ye workers of iniquitie What is that to saye I knowe you not I knowe you not Howe doth he not knowe those whom he sendeth to the fire not without cause both of them For as he saide not long sithence those whiche will not vnderstande in reading in this worlde God will not knowe them in the daye of iudgement We ought also to heare not negligently but diligently and with great feare that which is written in the prouerbes of Salomon hee that turneth saith he awaye his eare from hearing the lawe his prayer shal be abhorred He that woulde be hearde of God oughte first to heare God for howe would he that God should heare him considering that he dispiseth so much as he maketh none account to reade his holy commaundements And that what is it my brethren Some christians yea and which is worse some of the clergye when they would bring them into the right waye doe ordaine that bread wine and oyle and other necessarye things of coste be prepared for them And forasmuche as euery one prepareth so manye thinges for his terrestriall iorney for to nurrishe his fleshe wherefore hath he no care or desyre to reade so excellent a booke of whiche his soule shoulde be refreshed here eternally What soeuer thinges are written afore time are written for our learning that we through pacience and comfort of the scriptures might haue hope To all you that be at Rome he hath written vnto all that that he did write These thinges were written to put vs in remembrance whom the endes of the world are come vpon Saint Ierome writing vnto Caelantia a gentlewoman of Rome You demaund and redemand very carefully and earnestly that I should describe for you a certayne rule of the holy Scriptures to whiche you shoulde addresse and leade the course of your life to the end that knowing the will of the Lorde among the honors of this worlde and the pleasure of riches you should rather haue a heape and great store of good manners And to that end that you being maryed may please not onely your husbande but also him whiche hath permitted maryage And againe first of all that the authority of the husband be kept and that all his family doe learne of you how greatly they ought to honor him the Lorde declareth through seruice and great obedience by humilitie for the more you honor him the more you shalt be honored for the Apostle saith The husband is the wiues heade For the bodie hath more ornaments vpon the head than all the residue of the whole parts Againe S. Ierome writing vnto the sayde Caelantia Let all excuse of error cease the filthie the filthie and dishonest reioycing in sinne let them be put awaye for if we will excuse and defende our selues by the example of the multitude reciting many times the vices of others for our consolation and comfort saying that we haue none whō we may followe we doe nothing We are sent to the example of him who we doe all confesse ought to be followed And therefore the chiefest care is to knowe the heauenly lawe by the which thou mayest see the examples of the saints as if they were present Learne by the counsell of the same what we ought to do what to auoid For he helpeth greatly to iustice that is to say increaseth vertues that filleth his spirite and mynde with heauenly wordes and whiche hath alwayes in his heart that which he desireth to fulfill by works c. Immediatly after he sayth Let the holye Scriptures bee then alwayes in thy handes and continually in thy thought
and thinke it not sufficient for thee to remember or to haue in mynde the commaundementes of God and not fulfilling them by workes But knowe them to the ende you may learne that which ought to be done For before God they are not righteous which heare the lawe but the doers of the lawe shall be iustified Truly the fielde of the heauenly lawe is muche and without measure enlarged the which doth shyne with many witnesses of truth and as with a certayne heauenlye flower feedeth and nourisheth the spirite of him that readeth it with a marueylous delite All which things you shall knowe to be very good to keepe iustice S. Ierome writing vnto the Ladie Gaudentia of the bringing vp of hir daughter Pacantull When the little yong damsel shal come vnto seauen yeares of age and that she beginneth to be shamefast to knowe when she woulde keepe silence and to doubt of that that she ought to speake Let hir then learne by heart the Psalmes and vnto twelue yeares that shee doe make a treasure in hir hart of the bokes of Salomon of the Gospels of the Apostles and Prophetes Agayne writing vnto another good Ladie called Leta exhorting hir to instruct hir daughter from the cradle in the holy scriptures he willeth hir to loue the godly bookes in steade of precious stones and silke in which bookes let not the couers being embrodered with diuers colours please hir but the erudition distinct and corrected according to fayth Let hir learne first the Psalter and through such songs that shee doe withdrawe hir selfe from the worlde Let hir be taught to liue vertuously in the Prouerbes of Salomon And that shee doe accustome hirselfe to despyse and contemne worldlye things in Ecclesiasticus That she doe followe the example of vertue and pacience in Iob. That she doe learne the Gospell not letting it go out of hir handes That she willinglye learne the Actes and Epistles of the Apostles And when she hath enriched hir heart with suche riches to learne by heart the Prophetes and the bookes of Moyses the bookes of the Kings Paralipomenon Esdras also Hester and last of all the Canticles of Salomon called Cantica canticorum For if she should read them at the beginning it might hurt hir vnderstanding not the holye songs of the spirituall mariages vnder carnall words That she doe auoide all bookes that are apocrypha or hidden That shee haue alwayes in hir handes the workes of Cyprian Athanasius and Hilary S. Ierome in his Proeme of his commentaries vpon Esay vnto Eustachius I giue vnto thee that which I doe owe thee obeying the commaundementes of Christe whiche saithe seeke diligently the Scriptures seeke and you shall finde that it be not sayde vnto me as it was said vnto the Iewes you doe erre knowing not the Scriptures and the vertue of God and the wysedome of God and hee that knoweth not the Scriptures knoweth not the vertue of God nor his wisedome Ignorance of the Scriptures is ignorance of God. Chrysostome in his .3 Sermon of Lazarus I haue tolde you many times before nowe whereof we ought to speake to the ende that in the meane season you maye take the booke and consider it diligently and after that you haue vnderstoode that whiche shall be saide and that whiche shall remayne to be declared you shall make your spirites more instructed redy to heare the thing spoken of I doe exhort you and wil not cease to exhort you alwais to be attentife not only to that which shall be spoken here but also when you shall be in your houses alwayes giue good eare to the holy Scriptures which I haue not ceased to pricke forwarde cheefely those which haue bene with me and that none say vnto me his wordes are colde there are many things smally to be esteemed I am an aduocate I am let with publicke affaires I haue an occupation I haue a wyfe I doe bring vp my children I haue charge of my familie I am a temporall man it belongeth not to me to reade the Scriptures but for those that haue forsaken the worlde whiche dwell aboue the mountaynes which chastly leade a solitary life What saiest thou O thou man doth it not belong vnto thee to reade the Scriptures bicause thou art let and hindred with businesse and innumerable cares Therefore the more thou haddeste neede to reade them then they For those haue not so much neede of the ayde and helpe of the Scriptures as thou which art tossed through the middes of the waues of businesse troubles and cares for truely the Monkes and those that dwell in solitary places which liue without sute of lawe and other businesse and which dwell in the desertes haue none acquaintance with any man but studye philosophy in moste peaceable tranquillitie with safetie and haue the fruition of most safe thinges On the contrary we as in the middest of the sea tossed with innumerable sinnes haue alwayes neede of the perpetuall and continuall solace and comfort of the scriptures They are very farre of from the combat and therefore they doe not receiue many strokes and woundes but thou bicause thou art still in the battayle and that thou doest receiue many woundes thou hast the greater neede of remedy For thy wyfe doth prouoke thee and thy sonne doth make thee sad and doth styrre thee vp to anger and thy enemy goeth aboute to circumuent and deceiue thee and thy freende doth beare thee enuye and hatred thy neighbour doth persecute thee and thy companion doth deceiue thee and many times the Iudge doth threaten thee and pouertie doth molest and greeue thee the losse of the thinges in thy house dooth make thee sorowfull and prosperitie maketh thee proude and aduersitie draweth thee awaye to conclude diuers occasions and necessitie of cares troubles sorrowe boasting pride doe compasse and inuirone thee on euery side and rounde about innumerable dartes doe flye for whiche thinges it is necessary to take incessantly the weapons and armor of the Scripture Acknowledge thē that thou walke through the pinnacles that is to say the most high places of the citie For the concupiscences of the fleshe doe eleuate themselues more sharply against those which liue amongest the multitude of men whom the beauty of the face and the comlynesse of the bodye conceiued through looking on and dishonest wordes which entre in at the eares doe trouble muche And the harmonious and pleasant songes doe weaken often times the constancy of the spirite But to what ende doe I recyte this The sauor of the sweete smelles which seemeth to be a thing more vile then all that comming from those women whiche dwell at the stewes for gayne in playing the whores doth leade vs captife and ouercommeth vs by only meeting them so many things there be which doe assayle our soule And therefore we haue neede of heauenly remedyes not aswell to heale the hurtes wee receiued as for to keepe vs from them
holy scriptures Collos 3. The holy scriptures cause vs to beare all tribulations paciently Little children ought to be taught the holye scriptures 2. Tim. 3. Euery one may dravve out of the holy scriptures that vvhich is needefull for his soules health VVe ought to teach one another in Gods vvord VVhat is the cause that manye doe profite so little in the scriptures No excuse from reading of scripture An admonition vnto the poore people to haue the holy bookes He ought to feare vvhich vvill not reade the Scriptures to be tormēted vvith eternall paynes Esay 5. 1. Cor. 14. Math. 25. Pro. 28. Hee that vvoulde be hearde of God ought first to heare God. Rom. 15. Rom. 1. 1. Cor. 10. The maried vvife ought to be an example to all those of hir house in holynesse of life and conuersation Ephe. 5. 1. Cor. 11. The vvicked lyfe of another to couer ours ought not to be alledged Rom. 2. Hovve vve ought to bring vp the yong daughters in reading The canonicall bokes Iohn 5. Christ is the vertue of God. The excuses that the temporall people doe make to auoyde from reading the holy scriptures Monkes vvere solitarie people vvho notvvithstanding did lead a common life not as the Monkes at this day Euen as the instruments of arte for to gayne the lyfe euen so are the bookes of the Apostles for the lyfe of our soules 2. Tim. 2. The profite that commeth vnto vs of the holy bookes Although that manye doe not vnderstand all the scripture they must not therefore leaue of to profit in it The Philosophers haue not searched that vvhich profiteth but to make themselues esteemed The Apostles and Prophetes haue vvritten clearely and plainly Iere. 31. Heb. 8. 1. Cor. 2. Math. 5. Act. 8. The diligence of the Eunuch reading the scriptures not vnderstanding them Act. 8. 1. Cor. 10. VVe ought not to follovve the error of oure forefathers This constitution in the bodie of the lavve is imprinted at Paris at the signe of the golden sunne The holye ordinaunce that Iustinian made touching the holy bokes to haue thē in al tōgues to the ende they should be reade of all men VVe ought to take hede of the malice of the interpreters The Emperour Iustinian giueth libertie vnto all men to read the holy scriptures and the reason vvherfore Those vvhiche vvoulde not suffer the scripture in all languages and tōgues vver punished through the confiscation of their goodes Iohn 6. Num. 11. Moyses enuyed not those vvhich had the gift of god Amos. 7. The Priestes doe say that it appertayneth not vnto the laye people to dispute in the Church behold diligently the contrarie Chrysostom vvould that all vvere doctors 1. Thes 5. Many doe learne sooner foolish and baudie songs than spirituall The excuse of many Math. 21 Rom. 13. Iam. 1. Iohn 3. Act. 5. Act. 16. The Christians neuer assembled themselues to the hurt of any man. If rhere happeneth any euill vnto the vvorlde the vvorldlings doe say that it is bicause of the faithfull Act. 16. Act. 20. Act. 2. Act. 1. Act. 21. In the auncient assemblies they prayed for the Emperors and magistrates Praier is the best sacrifice that one can offer vnto God. Plinie vvriteth vnto the Emperor of the lyfe and maner of the faithfull in their assemblies Eusebius Caesariensis in the ecclesiasticall historie lib. 11. Chap. 4. Theodorite lib. 4. cha 24. Historie tripartite lib. 10. chap. 20. Ievves burned in a caue 2. Mac. 5. Psal. 133. Math. 18. In this latter time the vvicked are called good the good vvicked Mortal man is vvoorth nothing Truth and force inseperable and righteousnes and crueltie To kill and exercise crueltie belongeth not vnto the good but to the euill The signe of the good and the euill Compulsion auayleth not God vvill auenge the griefes of his seruants Esay 59. Ezec. 34. Veritas odium parit VVhat patience is It is necessary that the righteous man be afflicted of the vvicked to the ende he haue pacience The cause vvhy aduersaries are stirred vp Through persecutions a great nūber is ioined to the gospell Rom. 14. Math. 13 Iesus Christ doth not require shedding of blud The persecutors do seke to put to death for feare that their malice shoulde bee vncouered and knovvn Genes 27. Exod. 2. The holye men haue fled from the handes of the persecutors 1. Reg. 21. 3. Reg. 19. 3. Reg. 18 Iohn 20. Act. 9. Num. 35. Iosua 20. Mat. 10. Iohn 8. Iohn 12. Math. 2. Mat. 12. Iohn 11. Iohn 8. Luc. 4. Men ought not to burn them that speake other vvise than the truth allovveth Mat. 14. The persecutors them selues are ignorant of the gospell Iohn 7. Iohn 2. Iohn 7. Math. 26 Sapien. 6. Rom. 10. An admonition vnto Kings Princes and Iudges Miche 3. Persecuters cruelly tormented Luk. 18. The despising of the poore people of God is pitifull Mat. 23. Esay 26. Eze. 22. Miche 7. Iohn 16. Mat. .12 Psal. 116. Esa. 26. Zacha. .2 Mat. .23 Persecution is prophecied to happen vnto the children of God. 3. Reg 21. Prou. 17. Esay 5. Prou. 29. Prou. 29. Prou. 31. Prou. 29. Ierem. 26. Ieremy vvas accused by the priests Esa. 10. The torments of the vvicked princes 2. thess. 1 Sap. 5. The complaint of the persecutors at the day of iudgement Sapi. 5. The doctrin of the Apostles nevve doctrine Act. 17. Act. 28. Act. 24. Act. 24. The resurrection of the righteous and vnrighteous shall come Act. 17. 1. Tim. 4. 1. Sam. 31 Note the vengeance of God agaynst the vvicked persecutors Act. 1. Esay 37. 2. Mac. 8. Act. 12. Euseb li. 1 cap. 9. li. 2 cap. 10. 3. Reg. 22 4 Reg. 15.21.24.25 A Table to finde oute the principall things contayned in this present booke and first of the Letter A. ABstinence Pag. 229. Adam condemneth his posteritie Pag. 50. Adam not good of himselfe Pag. 59. Adam his free vvill Pag. 59. Aduocate for vs Iesus Christ Pag. 192. Aduocate any other is error Pag. 191. Aduocate for S. Iohn onely Christ Pag. 191. Aduocates none vvith God as Earles and Lordes vvith Kings Pag. 200 Angels not to be honoured Pag. 175 Angels vvould vve should honour god Pag. 175. Apostles maryed Pag. 245. Apostles teach the commaundements of god Pag. 284 Apostles vvrite clearely Pag. 325. Apostles praying for the Cananite Pag. 197. Apostles assembled secretly Pag. 340. Assemblies certified by Plinie Pag. 345. Assemblies of the Christians by night Pag. 342. Assemblies their deedes Pag. 343. Assemblies harmelesse Pag. 241. Assembled their prayers Pag. 343. Assemblie of Ievves burned Pag. 346. Ashes of Saints Pag. 186. Augustine counteth but tvvo Sacraments Pag. 38. Augustine his recantation Pag. 48. Augustine of free vvill Pag. 60. Augustine his exposition Pag. 171. Augustine his opinion Pag. 283. B. Baptisme purgeth not sinnes Pag. 23. Bishop of Bishops none Pag. 50. Bloude of Oxen. Pag. 37. Bodie of Christ not carnally eaten Pag. 3. Bodie of Christ not diuided Pag. 3. Bodie of Christ vvhole in
in faithe For vve ought not to maruayle if the auncient fathers haue done many thinges in that time vvhich novv can not serue nor profite vs any thing at all inasmuch as they haue serued but onely for their time For the Apostles haue ordayned some thinges vvhich novve ought not to be follovved nor kept As vve doe reade in the actes of the Apostles that the counsell that vvas celebrated by the Apostles in Ierusalem decreed that vve should abstaine from bloude and from the fleshe of beastes that vvere strangled VVe knovve vvell inough that this ordinance novv hath no more place and is not in force among the christians nor ought to haue bicause that all thinges are cleane and purified through the vvorde and prayer Then vvee see that that decree vvhich hath bene decreed by the holy spirite by the Apostles to haue bene made bicause of the personnes and to serue onely but for that time Iudge novve if an ordinance made by the Apostles to support the infirmitie of men hath bene set foorth and aftervvardes abolished vvhat oughte vve to iudge of those vvhich are of lesse importance vvhich haue bene ordayned by men a great deale inferior and of lesse estimation then the Apostles There is no doubt that forasmuch as they haue bene ordayned to serue onely for that time that novve vve may let them alone and forsake them bicause that there is neyther Ievves nor Turkes among vs but christians at the least as they saye Also vve ought not vpon this to holde our peace or hide the vnshamelesse malice of many vvho neuerthelesse calling themselues christians vnder colour of antiquitie and of the auncient doctors doe forge and inuent of their ovvne vvicked and filthye brayne naughty and most detestable errors and aftervvard say that the auncient fathers haue vvritten so and preached so and by that meanes make the poore vvorld being seduced to beleeue it And yet the malice is so great in them that all they that vvill not receiue and allovve that vvhich their brayne hath inuented vnder the name of holy men they crye after them vvith open mouth to the fire to the fire vvith the Heritickes They reiecte the doctrine of the fathers Alas O my God and Lord thou knovvest our hearts and the heartes of these lyers that vve doe not desire but that in all and through all be it through life or death that thy son Iesus Christ and his doctrine may be onely receiued loued and vvorshipped And for this are vve apoynted as sheepe to be slayne vve are nought set by mocked beaten banished chased from tovvne to tovvne To be short vve are esteemed and counted as the most vile stinking filthynesse of all the vvorld troden dovvne vnderneth the feete of the vvorldlinges But for all that vve possesse our soules in patience looking for the righteous Iudge vvhich vvill iudge all the vvorld not according to the doctrine of men but according to hys holy vvorde for vvhich vve are had novve in suche abhomination to the vvorlde Furthermore they vvhich dayly accuse vs vvith so greate rage and furye against the auncient doctrine of the Apostles and Doctors shall at the last acknovvledge their malice and liuing that they haue declared in their bookes corrupting and marring the bookes of the auncient fathers of the churche If I durst I vvould gladly name one vvho in that occupation or science hath serued out his prentyshyppe for that cause is called our maister in his booke that he hath intituled The bouckler of the faithe vvherein he declareth the subtiltie of his intent and craft alledging the auncient Doctors in Latine after translating them into Frenche and at euery place where he found Sacrificium or the like manner of speaking in steade to put in sacrifice or holy mysterie he hath translated them alvvayes the holy mysterie of the Masse and so by that meanes they finde that vvorde Masse in the bookes of those good fathers vvhich they neuer thought nor did I beleeue he thought that his booke should not come but only in the handes of yong children or else he thought that he had to doe but vvith beastes like vnto himselfe There is no man though he haue but small iudgement and vnderstanding vvhich reading that booke but that he may see at the first dashe hovv he lyeth and vnsayeth and reuoketh it agayne and neuerthelesse he is heard and accounted as halfe a God not only of the poorest sort but of the greatest in the vvorlde In the meane time vve ought not to maruayle at this that such gallants haue bene so hardy and ouerbolde forasmuch as they vvere supported and maintayned of Kings Emperors Princes and Magistrates and that they vvere the best vvelcome to their Court. I remember that I haue reade in the Ecclesiasticall histories that in the time of the auncient Doctors there vvere abusers and seducers of the people that sovved their pestilent venim amongst the doctrine of the auncients Of that Denise bishop of Corinth complayned very much saying that many haue sovvn in his Epistles much vvicked doctrine Therefore thinke that if they haue bene so hardy and bolde that they durst corrupt the vvrytinges of the auncientes yea vvhilest they vvere yet aliue VVhat vvill they doe novve at the least they vvill doe asmuch as their auncient fathers that is to saye those Apostates ennemies of the fathers Novv notvvithstanding their shamelesse malyce they rebuke and checke vs vvith a vvhores face that vve are ennemies of the fathers despisers and contemners of their doctrine and disturbers of the vvorld I vvould to God that they vvould permitte and suffer vs to compare our doctrine openly and before all the vvorld vvith theirs to the end that all men might knovve vvho be the contemners and ennemies of the fathers somuch it vvantith that vve should be found condemners and ennemies of those good fathers that altogither it vvoulde be seene that the same doctrine that vve hold keepe at this day is the very same for vvhiche manye of those good fathers haue shead their bloud and vvould shead it if they vvere novve aliue It seemeth that the same is not true that I haue spoken that if the fathers vvere yet aliue that men vvould put them cruelly to death as most vvicked Heritickes Yea they vvhich at this daye doe boste and brag them selues to be their obedient children and make bucklers of their bookes Vnderstand and hold fast in minde dearely beloued behold this present booke may serue vs for a certayne argument of that vvhich is composed and faithfully gathered togither out of the very bookes of the auncient Doctors That if I vvould present this present booke vvherein there is nothing in it of mine but altogither of the auncientes for confession of my faith to those enemies of the fathers I doubt not but presently I should be as a moste vvicked Heretick condemned to be burned quicke into ashes Novve see dearely beloued and iudge iustly before God according to your
ovvn conscience vvhether vve be the ennmies of the fathers or they The auncient fathers haue sayde that the breade of the supper abideth alvvayes breade not being transubstantiated or chaunged I doe demaund of you in good faith vvherefore or vvhat is the cause that they shead dayly so abundantly the bloude of the poore children of God Is it not vpon this only poynte or for this cause that the fathers haue beleeued and mayntayned vvith a common consent as you shall see in that booke vpon the artycle of the Lordes supper I leaue it to your ovvne iudgement Furthermore vve doe reade that the ancient fathers of vvhom these here doe aduance and bost them selues to keepe and mayntayne their doctrine haue broken in peeces the images of Iesus Christe and of the Saintes that haue bene set vp in the temple of the christians saying that it is against the Christian doctrine to haue Images in the Church VVhat is he that doubteth that if the good fathers vvere yet liuing and that they shoulde so breake the Images as they did in that time but that they shoulde be out of hande or vvith all speede condemned as heretickes to be burned yea if they escaped so For vve do see many dayly vvhich doe not escape so good cheape but they haue done vnto them all the torments and paynes that these vvorshippers of the fathers can inuent or imagin Then vvhen you shall reade the doctrine of the fathers contayned in this present booke iudge vvhether it may be confessed and maintayned openly before these vvorshippers of the fathers vvithout daunger of lyfe In the meane time I desire you my deare brethren that ye feare not to abandon your bodie and lyfe for a doctrine so iust holy and good and let vs reioyce in this that vve holde the true auncient doctrine of the Prophets Apostles and Doctors of the Church And as touching you O ye Princes Iudges and Magistrates betvveene vvhose handes this present booke shall happen to fall I desire and require you in the name of the liuing God and of his sonne Iesus Christ our Lorde vvhich hath shed out all his bloud vpon the crosse for the loue of vs that you doe giue right iudgement vpon the poore faithfull people of vvhome your prisons are at this time full through the furor and madnesse of those vvorshippers of the fathers and bee no more the hangmen of that vvicked Vermine for it is not counted a thing honest nor meete among men that the Kings Emperours Princes and Magistrates shoulde bee made the hangmen of beggers Be ye then more ashamed than euer you vvere bicause that you beare the name of God and the povver to gouerne the people is giuen you from God not for to abuse it in punishing the good and defending the vvicked but to maintayne and ayde the good and to punish the vvicked as the Apostles haue taught vs But alas my God into vvhat blindenesse is the vvorlde fallen into to esteeme and thinke that they vvhich holde and keepe the true auncient doctrine are heretikes O you Iudges and Magistrates doe you not see dayly in your prisons the poore children of God to eate and drinke very scarsly bread and vvater and to be cast most vilely and filthily into a lovve dunge on vvith the venimous beastes lying as the poore beastes vpon a little stravve hauing their armes and legges broken vvith the racke Doe you not see I say on the other side those goodly masters vvhich beare such great zeale to the auncient fathers to haue their bellye altogither stuffed vvith vvine and delicate fare coming forth from their bankets and feastes vvith a face as red as fire or like to a Butchers boule comming forth to passe avvaye the time for to examine the poore faythfull people vvhich are not sought for at the table vvhere good cheare is but in a most filthie and darke dungeon they are poore children of God tyed and bounde vvith chaynes vvith a pale face and thinne cheekes brought before those fat bellies and firie faces through their ouermuche drinking and quaffing of vvine and the first vvords they speake is come hither thou vvicked heretick avvay thou dāned seducer of the people thou hast the deuil vvithin thee And assone as the pore children of God did thinke to haue spoken for their defence the fatte bellies quicklye put their hands to their Bible but it is another Bible than the olde olde or nevve testament For they can do nothing but prouide faggots and crie to the fire to the fire vvith those vvicked heretickes I knovve not vvhere they haue learned to doe so Haue they learned that of the Prophetes and Apostles It appeareth no. Neyther haue they learned it of the auncient fathers For they shall finde vvithin this present booke that they haue spoken and done altogither othervvise therefore they declare that it is a rage and a madnesse that they haue conceyued against the truth for to extinguishe and abolishe it vtterly and all those that maintaine it For libertie to speake is taken from vs Those that vvould speake their tongues are cut out of their heades and aftervvardes are burned In the meane time O ye Iudges and Magistrates vvhich haue the publicke charge haue regard from henceforth vvhat you doe in condemning them to death You cannot condemne them to death except ye condemne all the good and auncient fathers to death vvith them VVhat order doe you call this to condemne to death as Heretickes the Saintes and their doctrine vnto vvhom they crye and dayly pray vnto in their Letanie saying O Sancte Augustine O Sancte Cypriane O Sancte Hieronime c. Ora pro nobis that is to say O Saint Augustine O Saint Cyprian O Saint Ierome and so consequently of the other pray for vs And in the meane time they condemne them and their vvritinges and all those that follovve theyr doctrine to be burned as the experience dothe dayly teach vs. Therefore ye that Iudge the people haue a good respect vnto that that you haue to doe for it is not onely vnto vs that you doe adresse your selues but also to the sonne of God vvhich hath sayd vnto vs he that toucheth you toucheth the apple or sight of mine eye The same hath bene vvell shevved to Paule VVhen he persecuted the poore faythfull crying from heauen after him Saule Saule vvhy persecutest thou me he did not persecute him in his ovvne person but he persecuted him in his members vvhich are all the faithfull that beleue in him Euen so my deare brethren vve shall rest in patience and shall not be ashamed to be condemned vvith all those good and auncient fathers of the church and not onely vvith them but also vvith all the Prophets and Apostles Then vvhen you see your selues bound and brought before the Iudges to receiue sentence of death and condemnation against you behold vvith you the Prophets Apostles and the auncient doctors bound vvith you to be condemned in the same
Doest thou thinke that the keyes of the kingdome of heauen are onely giuen vnto Peter and that none other of the blessed shall receyue them Augustine vpon the wordes of the Lord in S. Mathew in his 13. sermon Thou art then Peter and vppon this rocke which thou hast confessed vpon this rocke whiche thou hast knowne saying thou art Christe the sonne of the liuing God I will builde my church Vpon me I will buylde thee and not me vpon thee For those men which woulde be buylded vpon men doe saye I holde of Paule and I holde of Apollos and I holde of Cephas that is to saye rocke and the other which will not be builded vpon Peter but vppon the rocke doe saye I holde of Christ c. Iesus Christ is the heade of the church reade Ephes 4. Colos 1.2 Reg. 22. Augustine in his 3. booke of Baptisme the 3. Chap. And they are the wordes of S. Cyprian in the counsell of Carthage None of vs truly is establyshed Byshoppe of Byshoppes or none shall compell his companions by cruell tyranny through necessitie to come thereunto Gregory wryting to Eulogius Byshoppe of Alexandria in the 7. booke .3 Epistle Behold how you haue wrytten to me you haue put this worde of pryde in calling me vniuersall Pope but I pray your holinesse to call me no more so hereafter For all that which is giuen vnto an other aboue reason is taken from you Concerning my selfe I doe not repute that for honor wherein I doe see the honor of my bretheren weakened For my honor is that the estate of the vniuersall Church and of my bretheren be mainteyned in theyr strength If your holynesse doe call me vniuersall Pope you confesse that you are not in part of that which you attribute and giue vnto me for the whole Of free wyll of the merites of workes and of iustification by faith Iesus Christ sayth whosoeuer committeth sinne is the seruant of sinne Rom. 6. 2. Peter 2. All haue sinned and haue neede of Gods mercie Also Iesus Christ sayth without mee ye can doe nothing We are not apt to thinke any thing as it were of our selues but our abilitie commeth of God. The flesh ryseth agaynst the spirit and the spirite agaynst the flesh and these thinges are contrary one to an other so that ye cannot doe the same thinges that ye woulde Also he which beganne a good worke in you shall goe foorth with it vntill the day of Iesus Christ Agayne it is God which worketh in you both the will and also the deede according to his pleasure Likewyse I doe not that good thing which I would but that euill doe I which I would not Augustine in his Enchiridion to Laurence Chapter .29 This part of mankinde vnto whome God hath promised deliueraunce and the euerlasting kingdome can it be made better by his workes No no for what good can he doe which is lost but asmuch as he shall be deliuered from his perdition Can he doe by his free wyll the same the same also he cannot doe For man ill vsing his free wyll did lose him selfe and his free wyll and as he which killeth him selfe whiles he is liuing killeth him selfe but in putting him selfe to death he liueth no more and cannot rayse him selfe vp agayne when he is dead so when he hath sinned by his free wyll bicause that sinne hath bene victoryous hath free wyll ben loste For of whome soeuer a man is ouercom vnto the same he is in bondage This is truly the sentence of S. Peter And bicause that it is true I praye you what may be the liberty of a seruant that is in bondage but when he doth take pleasure to sinne For he serueth freely which doth willingly the wyll of the Lorde and therefore he is free to sinne which is the seruant of sinne and no man shall be free to doe iustly if first being deliuered from sinne he doe not begin to be the seruant of righteousnesse This is the true liberty for the bond of the worke that is wel done and also it is the faithfull bondage bicause of the obeying of the commaundement But from whence shall this libertie to doe well come vnto the man which is brought vnder and solde but by him who hath redeemed him of whom it is sayd if the son make you free then are ye free in deede Augustine vnto Paulinus in the .106 Epistle Let no man stumble agaynst the stumling stone as in defending subtelly free wyll and nature euen as the Philosophers of this world haue done with great force for to be esteemed or for to thinke to great the blessed life by vertue of theyr owne proper wyll Let such people then take heede to make through wysedome of wordes the crosse of Christe vayne and that the same be not vnto them to stumble against the stumbling stone For when humayne nature abydeth in that integryte in the which it hath bene made yet it cannot in any wise keepe it if his creator doe not ayde him Forasmuch then as it cannot keepe the health and saluation that it hath receiued without the grace of god How can it receiue that which it hath lost S. Augustine in the 107. Epistle vnto Vitalis If we will in deede defend free wyll let vs not fight against that whereof it is free for he which gaynsayeth the grace by the which our wyll is made free for to decline from euill and for to doe good he would that his free will be yet bond and captyue When man was in honor he did not vnderstand it he was compared vnto the beastes and was made like vnto them Augustine in his booke of corrections grace the 12. Chapter Now then forasmuch as that greate liberty is lost through the demeryte of sinne euen so doth remayne and abyde the infirmytie for to be ayded and holpen with greater giftes in truth It hath pleased God so to the ende cheifely to quenche the pryde of mans presumption that all flesh that is to say euery man should not glorie in himselfe before him c. The Counsell Mileuitan in two Canons Free will weakened to the first man can Canon 1 not be repayred and amended but thorow the grace of baptisme the which after that it is lost cannot be restored agayne but by him whiche hath power to giue it Wherefore the truth sayth if the sonne make you free then are you free in dede The seconde Canon sayeth God doth Canon 2 worke so in the heartes of men and to free will that if there be any godly cogitation any deliberation tending to the honor of God and any motion of good will all the same proceedeth from god For by him we may doe some good thing and without him we can doe nothing Augustine writing to Valentine of grace and free will. Chap. 18. To the end it should not seeme that men should doe any
Open thy mouth wyde and I shal fill it And although that we cannot open the mouth except it be through the ayde of him without whome we can doe nothing Neuerthelesse wee doe open it through his ayde and through our worke but the Lorde doth fill it without our worke By and by after he sayeth God doth many good things in man which man doth not But man doth none which God doth not to the ende that man doth them Augustine vpon Saint Iohn in the 49. treatise Chap. 9. Let no man then flatter himselfe for of himselfe he is a deuill but of God he is blessed And what is that to be of himself but of sinne Cast awaye the sinne which is of thee thy righteousnesse sayth he is of me For what hast thou that thou hast not receyued Augustine in his contemplations of the soule with god Chap. 18. O Lorde I doe confesse as thou hast taught me that I am no other thing but altogither vanitie and a shadow of death and but a darke earth vayne and voyde the which without thy blessing doth not encrease and bring forth anye fruite but confusion sinne and death If I haue had any good thing I had it of thee All that which I haue receyued is from thee or I had it of thee If I doe any thing that is right that is through thee But when I am fallen I am fallen through my selfe and had alwayes remayned in the myre if thou hadst not lifted me vp I had bene alwayes blinde if thou hadst not illuminated mee When I did fall downe I shoulde neuer haue bene raysed vp againe if thou hadst not giuen me thy hande And afterwarde also when thou hadst raysed me vp I shoulde haue fallen agayne if thou hadst not sustayned mee I had bene oftentimes lost if thou hadst not gouerned me Euen so O Lorde euen so thy mercie hath alwayes gone before me in deliuering me from all euill keeping me from those that be past and in keeping me from those that be present and in defending and preseruing me from those whiche are to come breaking also in peeces before mee the snares of sinners in taking awaye the occasions and the causes for if thou hadst not done vnto me those things I had done all the sinnes of the worlde For O Lord I doe knowe verye well that there is no sinne that euer man hath done but that an other man dothe the same if the creator of whome man is made be absent But thou hast done it so to the ende that I doe not that which thou hast forbidden and hast shed out in me thy grace to the ende that I may beleeue in thee c. Augustine in his .2 boke of the remission of sinnes Chapter 18. Men doe take payne to finde in our wyll some goodnesse which is ours and not of God but I doe not knowe howe they can finde it Saint Barnarde in the first homily of the Annunciation of the Virgin Mary As touching good workes it is moste certayne that no man hath them of him selfe for if the humaine nature could not continue in his state when it was whole and perfect how much lesse can it rayse it selfe nowe in that it is marred and corrupted It is most certayne that all thinges drawe to their beginning asmuch as is possible for them Augustine vnto Vitalis in the 107. Epistle Aunswere I pray thee how saith the Apostle in giuing thankes to God the father which hath made vs fitte to be of the company of Saintes in light if it be not he which doth deliuer our free will but that the free will doth deliuer it selfe We doe render then faulsly thankes vnto the father as if he did that which he doth not and he hath erred whiche hath sayde that he doth make vs fitte Aunswere how we haue our free will for to deliuer vs from euill and for to doe good and when free wyll was vnder the power of darkenesse From which darkenesse if God hath deliuered vs as saith the Apostle truely he hath made the wyll free wherefore it followeth that euen as men are not faythfull but by free wyll Neuerthelesse they are made faithfull through the grace of God which hath deliuered free will from the power of darkenesse And so the grace of God is not denyed but is declared to be verytable and true although no merytes of men preceede it And free will is so defended that it is affirmed by humylitie and not ouerthrowen by pryde Then the grace of God is not geauen in the nature of free will nor in the lawe nor in doctryne as the wicked and peruerse Pelagian hath set foorth But is geiuen to all the workes through the will of him of whome it is wrytten O Lord God thou doest seperate from thy wyll the soule that is wylfull for we haue lost free wyll for to loue God through the greatnesse of the first sinne c. Afterwardes he sayth in that we doe beleeue in God or in that we doe liue faithfully it lyeth not then in mans will or running but in the mercy of God nor that we ought to wyll nor runne but bicause that he doth in vs both the wyl and the running Let vs not say then that the grace is the loue but let vs acknoweledge the grace which doth cause the doctrine and learning to profit for where that grace is absent we doe see that the same doth hinder and let the learning Augustine in his fyrst booke against Pelagius and Celestine Whosoeuer hath heard and learned of the father commeth vnto me The wyll of mā is so ayded not only in this that it doth knowe what it must doe but hauing knowen what it doth And therefore when the Lorde doth teach through the grace of his spirite he doth teach in such sorte that not only euery one doth see that which he hath learned in the knowledge thereof but of will he doth desire it and of worke fulfill it Augustine in the .3 booke vpon the wordes of the Apostle .3 sermō And in his booke of the spirite and the letter Chapter 3. How are these wicked men proude of free wyll before they are free or of their strength if they are already free they doe not consider that in this word of free wyll is signified a libertie For where the spirite of the Lorde is there is libertie If then they be the seruantes of sinne how doe they bragge and bost to haue free wyll For of whome soeuer a man is ouercome vnto the same is he in bondage If they are already deliuered how doe they boste them selues as it were of their proper workes Are they so free that they would not be the seruantes of him which sayth without me ye can doe nothing Iesus sayth No man can come vnto me except the father which hath sent me drawe him Saint Iames Euery good gift and euery perfect gift is from aboue and cōmeth
iustifie him Euen as Dauid sayth Blessed is the man whome the Lorde accepteth and iustifieth without workes and how is he iustified But forasmuch as he receiueth of God righteousnesse and what righteousnesse the righteousnesse of fayth the which God giueth without any good workes preceeding but not without good workes following after for righteousnesse of fayth profiteth not if after the fayth receiued man doth not exercise him selfe in all good workes In the same I doe not account thy workes good what soeuer they be if they doe not proceede from the good roote of fayth In the same God doth not giue vnto thee the payne and punishment whiche thou hast well deserued but he doth giue vnto thee the grace not deserued nor due He oweth vnto thee punishment and he giueth vnto thee mercie and doth pardon thee Begin then to be in fayth through the forgiuenesse of thy sinnes Gregorie vpon Ezechiel the first boke homilie 7. Then our iust aduocate doth defende vs for iust at the iudgement bicause that we shoulde acknowledge our selues and accuse our selues as vniust Let vs not then trust in our weepings nor in our works but in the allegation of our aduocate Augustine in his booke of meditations Chap. 14. This is lyfe eternall that they knowe thee to be the only very God and whome thou hast sent Iesus Christ through a right fayth and through workes worthy of fayth For thy inestimable loue exceedeth all knowledge the which thou hast shewed vnto vs throughe thy pietie and goodnesse vnto vs whiche are vnworthy For thy sonne our God in no sort toke the Angels but he tooke the seede of Abraham being made like in all things vnto vs without sinne This is verily all my hope and all my trust for the porcion of euery one of vs is to the same Iesus Christ our Lorde that is to saye the fleshe and the bloude and so where my porcion doth reygne there I doe beleeue that I shall reygne there where my flesh is glorified there I doe know my selfe to be glorified there where my bloude doth beare rule there I doe knowe that I shall rule Although I be a sinner yet I doe not distrust of the communication of this grace and if my sinnes do hinder or let it my substance doth require and aske it And if my offences doe shut me out the communion of the nature doth not dryue me backe but our Lord God is meeke and lowly and loueth his fleshe and his members and his bowels in himselfe which is God and in Iesus Christ our Lorde most meeke and louing and gentle in whome we are raysed vp and are already ascended into heauen and already sitting in the celestiall place Our fleshe doth loue vs and we haue in him the prerogatiue of our bloude for we are his members and his fleshe and finally he is our heade of whome all the bodie doth depende as it is written bone of my bones and fleshe of my flesh and they shall be two in one fleshe this mysterie here is great I saye in Christ and in the congregation sayth the Apostle Augustine in his manuel Chap. 22. All my trust and hope is in the death of my Lorde his death is my merite my refuge my helth my life my resurrection my merite is the mercy of god I am not poore of merite so long as the Lorde of mercie shall be in being if the mercies of the Lorde are great I am great in merites the more puissant he is for to saue so much the more am I assured Augustine in his manuel Chap. 23. I haue committed a great sinne and do feele my selfe culpable of a great many of sinnes and yet I will not despayre For where sinnes haue abounded grace hath more abounded He which hopeth not to haue pardon of his sinnes he denyeth that God is mercifull he doth great iniurie vnto God which distrusteth of his mercy as much as he can he denyeth that God hath loue truth and strength in whiche things consisteth all my hope that is in the loue that he hath towards me to make me his adoptiue sonne in the veritie of his promise and in the puissaunce of his redemption Let my foolishe thought nowe thinke and murmure as long as it will saying but what art thou and what is this glorie and by what merites thinkest thou to haue it Then I doe aunswere in good fayth I doe knowe verye well vnto whom I submit my selfe and that through great loue he hath made me his adoptiue sonne and is true in his promises and of power to fulfill them and it is lawfull for him to doe all that pleaseth him I cannot then bee afrayde of the multitude of my sinnes if I doe remember the Lordes death S. Ambrose in the booke of Iacob and of blessed life Euen as Iacob hauing not of his meate the eldershippe hid him selfe vnder the habite of his brother and apparayled him selfe with his coate the which did giue a most sweete sauour and in this manner presented him selfe vnto his father to receiue to his profite the blessing vnder the person of another so it is necessary that we doe cloth our selues and put on the righteousnesse of Iesus Christ through fayth and that we doe hide our selues vnder the deuine purite of our eldest brother if wee will be accepted and taken for righteous before God And truly the same is the true verytie for yf we doe appeare before God not clothed with the righteousnesse of Iesus Christ without doubte we shall be iudged worthy of eternall damnation S. Ambrose vpon the .4 chapter of the Epistle to the Romaines They are manifestly blessed vnto whom without laboure or without any workes iniquities and wickednesse are pardoned and the sinnes couered not requiring of them any works of penance but that they doe beleeue onely Ambrose vpon the 3. Chapter of the Epistle to the Romaines They are iustified freelye throughe his grace bicause that not doing anye thing and not rendring the lyke by onely fayth they are iustified through the gift of God. Augustine in his boke of 50. homilies Homilie 14. The Lord will giue vnto me the crown as a iust and righteous iudge For hee which beholdeth after that he hath beheld the worke cannot deny the reward I haue fought a good fight that is a worke I haue fulfilled my course that is a worke I haue kept the fayth that is a worke There remayneth for mee the crowne of righteousnesse that is the rewarde But thou doest nothing to the rewarde and in the worke thou hast not wrought alone thou hast the crowne of him but the work is of thee and yet it is not but throughe the ayde of him I haue fought I haue ended and fulfilled my course I haue kepte the fayth He doth rewarde the goodnesse but what goodnesse Such as he hath giuen Hath not he giuen vnto thee to fight a good
walke in we ought then rather to behold the goodnesse which we haue not yet done then those of which we doe reioyce our selues to haue already done and the elect are often times tempted with such vices and oftentimes it is rysen in their heartes to bring them in remembraunce of all the goodnesse that they haue done and to reioyce themselues of the band of assurance But if they be truly elected they will turn awaye their eyes from thinking of the same wherein they doe please themselues and keepe backe in them all the ioy of the goodnesse which is alreadye done and be sorie for those which they knowe to be by no maner of meanes done They doe esteeme themselues vnworthye and they onely do not see their goodnesse which are of all men seene by good example c. Of iustification of Fayth Augustine in the first Quinquagesima in the prologue of the 31. psal TRuly the Apostle Saint Iames in his Epistles hath praised the works of Abraham agaynst those which woulde not do any good and which presume them selues of fayth of which Abraham Saint Paule hath praysed his fayth and yet the Apostles are not contrarie the one to the other but he speaketh of the work which is knowne to all men that is to saye that Abraham did offer his sonne vnto God for to doe sacrifice That is a great worke but that is of fayth I doe prayse the buylding of the worke made vpon the foundation but I doe beholde the foundation of faith I doe prayse the fruite of the good and iust worke but I acknowledge the roote in fayth For if Abraham did those things without right fayth nothing woulde haue profited him whatsoeuer worke it hadde bene Furthermore if Abraham did keepe so the fayth that when God commaunded him to offer his sonne for sacrifice hee thought in himselfe I will not doe it and yet neuerthelesse I doe beleeue that God will deliuer me although that I doe contemne and despise his commaundements Fayth without workes shoulde be deade and shoulde abyde as a drie roote barren and without fruite What then we ought not to preferre workes before fayth that is to say nothing is sayde to be well done before fayth although that they are esteemed of men prayse worthye yet notwithstanding they are vayne And me thinketh that they are like vnto great strengths and vnto the easie course out of the waye Let none then esteeme his workes c. Afterwardes he sayth Let vs not then obiect the Apostle Saint Iames to Paule but the same Paule to himselfe and let vs say vnto him by this worde thou doest suffer vs somwhat to sinne without punishment when thou sayest wee doe esteeme man to bee iustified thorowe fayth withoute workes but thou wilt saye to the same faith worketh by loue How am I so much assured by the same if I doe nothing yea I shall not bee counted by the same to haue trust in the good fayth if I doe not worke by loue O Apostle I doe heare thee wilt thou here prayse vnto me fayth without workes But loue is the worke of fayth which loue cannot be ydle that it doe forsake all euill and doe all the good that it can And what maketh loue Declyne from euill and doe good Praysest thou then fayth without works And thou sayest in another place If I had all fayth so that I coulde moue mountaynes out of their places and yet had not loue I were nothing then if fayth doe not profite any without loue and that there where loue shall be it behoueth that it work for faith worketh by loue howe then is man iustified without workes The Apostle aunswereth O thou man therefore haue I sayde this thing vnto thee that thou doe not presume of thy workes and that thou doe not thinke to haue receyued the grace of fayth thorowe the merite of thy works Presume not then of workes before fayth acknowledge that fayth hath founde thee a sinner and if the fayth which hath founde thee a sinner hath made thee righteous then it doth finde him an infidell whiche it hath made righteous The fayth sayth he is counted for righteousnesse vnto him which beleeueth on him that iustifieth the vngodly Augustine in his booke of the 83. questions 76. Chapter If any man doe departe out of this life immediatly after that he hath beleued the iustification of faith abideth with him and commeth not to him by any workes precedent or going before for it is not giuen through merite but through grace nor through workes following bicause that he is not permitted to be in this life and therefore the two sentences of the two Apostles Paule and Iames are not contrary the one to the other For the one saith that man is iustified through faith without workes And the other saith that faith is dead without workes for Paule speaketh of workes whiche goe before faith and Iames speaketh of works which doe followe faith Origene vpon the Epistle to the Romans 3. booke 3. Chapter The onely iustification of God sufficeth so that he which beleeueth onely is iustified when in deede no workes shall be done by him For the thefe was iustified through faith without the workes of the lawe and vpon that faith the Lorde did not demaunde what that is that he had done before and did not tarry after that he had beleeued what worke he shoulde doe but receiued him as iustified throughe the onely faith for to enter with him into paradise Also that woman which is receited by the Euangelist the which did heare at Iesus feete thy sins are forgiuen thee And again thy faith hath saued thee go in peace But also in many places of the gospell Iesus Christ hath vsed such wordes where he sayth that the cause of saluation is the faith of him which beleeueth Man then is iustified through faith vnto whome the workes of faith serue nothing at all for iustification But where faith is not which iustifieth the beleeuing man when any one shall haue the workes of the law neuerthelesse bicause they are not buylded vpon the foundation of faith although that in appearance they are good yet they cannot iustifie the worke if it be without faith the which is the marke and token of those which are iustified of god And what shall he be which wyll boste him selfe of his righteousnesse when he heareth God and the Prophet saying all our righteousnesse are as a menstruous cloth wherefore the only right glorye is in the fayth of Christ Augustine in his .50 homilies homily 17. Peace be vnto the bretheren and loue with the faith of God our Father and of our Lorde Iesus Christ What hast thou that thou hast not receiued If thou hast receiued it why reioysest thou as though thou haddest not receiued it Did Abraham so reioyce He reioysed of faith what is the full and perfect faith The same which beleeueth that all our
hasteth him to goe to that countrey common to all the Saintes in asking bicause of the filthynesse of that tarying that his sinns should be pardoned him before that he did depart from this life for he that shall not receiue here forgiuenesse of his sinnes he shal not haue it in the other life And he shall not haue it for he cannot come to eternall life bicause that eternal life is the forgiuenesse of sinnes and therefore he saith pardon me that I may be comforted before that I goe and that I be no more wherefore then doe we desire so greatly this life In the which the longer that any one shall be in it so much the more is he charged with the more sinnes c. S. Ierome in the Epistle of the Galatians 6. Chapter This little sentence doth declare vnto vs although that it be somewhat obscure a newe doctrine and hidde that is when we be in this world we may helpe our selues togither aswell through prayers as through counsell when notwithstanding when we shall come before the consistorye and iudgement of God neyther Daniell no nor yet Iob can praye for any one for euery one shall beare his burthen The Canon of the .3 councell of Toledo Chapter 22. and .23.2 chap. which beginneth Qui diu We doe commaund that those whiche depart out of this life through Gods calling should be carryed to the earth with psalmes only and not the song of those which doe sing for we doe forbyd altogither that prayer of the funeralles which they haue accustomed to sing commonly for the dead That it suffiseth that they doe giue vnto the bodyes of the christians the seruice of the heauenly songes in hope of the resurrection Epiphanius in his .2 booke Tome .1 Heresy .59 Vpon that place of the songes O my Doue come out of the caues of the rockes which toucheth the wall out of the holes of the rocke in the loue of Christ and in the mercy of the Lord These are that caues of the rockes of faith of hope and veritie touching the wall That is to say before that the gate be shut before that the King being within the wall receiueth no person vnto him after the departing from hence and death when the gates are no more touching the wall but are shut and it is no more lawfull to correct And afterward he saith there is neither fasting nor almes nor penance nor righteousnesse neyther good nor euill which doth profite or hurte after that one is dead For Lazarus did not come vnto the ritch man nor the riche man vnto Lazarus And the rich did not receiue that that he demaunded although that he demaunded it through great prayer of the mercifull Abraham for the garners and cellers are shut vp and the time is accomplished and the combat ended and those whiche haue fought doe rest themselues c. S. Cyprian in his sermon of mortalitie We must not thinke that the deathe of the wicked is of such forme and condition as is of the good men The good men are called to rest and solace the wicked and vniust to paynes and torments safegarde and defence is sodainlye giuen vnto the faythfull and tormentes vnto the vnfaythfull We are verye much vnthankfull for the heauenly benefites not acknowledging that which is giuen vnto vs c. Afterward he sayth we ought not to mourne for our brethren deliuered frō this world through Gods vocation Forasmuche as I doe knowe very well that they are not vtterly lost but are onely sent before preceding those which depart and that wee ought to desire their companie and not to bewayle them euen as those do which go by lande or by sea and that we must not here take blacke robes in asmuch as they haue already taken vpon them whyte vestures c. Augustine of the Citie of God .1 booke 12. 13. Chapters and in the 4. of his sentences 45. Distinction It is also written in the Decretals and also by the Maister of the sentences The diligence and labor that some take about funerals the ornament and decking of burials the pompe of obsequies and burials are more for to comforte the liuing than for to ayde the deade If the costly burying doth profite any thing vnto the wicked the vyle and contemptible sepulture shall hurt the good or if they remayne vnburied c. Gregorie Neocaesarian vpon Eccles Chapter 9. Those whiche are departed out of this worlde haue no more any thing common with our affayres And it was so that the begger dyed and was caryed by the angels into Abrahams bosome The riche man also dyed and was buried c. Chrysostome vpon the Epistle vnto the Hebrues Chap. 13. In what place soeuer we be buried the earth is the Lordes and all that therein is that which a man ought to doe let him doe it But to bewayle weepe and lament for those whiche depart oute of this lyfe commeth of weakenesse and for lacke of courage and we cannot vnderstand it but that it cometh of none other thing but of a despayre of the resurrection to come c. Dauid prayed for his chylde that was sicke he fasted lying vpon the grounde But when they tolde him that he was deade he rose vp and ceased Nowe the chylde dyed without Circumcision the which Circumcision was vnto them as Baptisme is vnto vs yet Dauid did not despaire of the saluation of the chylde Obiection The Priestes say that we must offer for the deade S. Cyprian in the .4 booke of Epistles 5. Epistle Writing of Celerin which hath had almost all his houshoulde martyred and put to death for the name of Iesus Christ sayth thus It is alreadye a long time sithence that Celerin his grandmother hath bene crowned for a martyr his vncle by the father and Laurence his vncle by the mother Ignatius which once haue fought and haue bene men of armes in worldlye affayres but being true and tryed men of armes to fight in Gods quarrel hauing vanquished the diuell through the confession of Christ haue obteyned of the Lorde rewards and crownes through a glorious suffering We doe offer alwayes as you doe remember well inough sacrifice for them as often as we doe celebrate the passions of the martyrs and that we do make commemorations of their dayes yearely See diligently the commemoration that the priestes doe make for the dead which is the .10 part of the Canon Memento etiam domine famulorum famularumque tuarum N. qui nos praecesserūt cum signo fidei dormiunt in somno pacis ✚ ipsis domine omnibus in Christo quiescentibus locum refrigerij lucis pacis vt indulgeas deprecamur per eundem dominum nostrum Amen That is to say remember O Lorde thy menseruauntes and maydseruauntes N. which haue gone before vs with the signe of faith and do sleepe in peace ✚ vnto them O Lorde and vnto all
those whiche doe reste in Christe we desire thee that thou wylt giue them place of comforte through the same Christe our Lord amen Aunswere In the 4. of the sentences Distinction 45. and the 13. glose Iniuriam facit martyri qui or at pro martyre That is to say he which prayeth for a Martyr doth iniury and wrong vnto the Martyr S. Cyprian in his .4 booke of baptisme and the maister of the sentences 4. distinct .4 Chapter If all the deaths and all the tormentes that all men the Patryarckes Prophets Apostles Martyrs and confessors haue euer suffered should be put togither they shall not be sufficient to put out the leaste sinne of the world Knowe ye not that the vnrighteous shal not inherite the kingdome of God Bee not deceiued neyther fornicators neyther idolaters neyther aduouterers neyther wantons neyther abusers of them selues with the mankinde neyther theeues neyther couetous neyther dronkardes neyther euill speakers neyther extorcioners shall inherite the kingdome of god And such were some of you but ye are washed but ye are sanctified but ye are iustified in the name of the Lord Iesus and by the spirite of our God. Christe loued the church and gaue him selfe for it to sanctifie it and clensed it in the washing of water through the worde To make it vnto him selfe a glorious church without spot or wrincle or anye such thing but that it should be holy and without blame Iesus Christ sayth verely verely I doe saye vnto you except that a man be begotten of water and of the spirite he cannot enter into the kingdome of heauen Saint Iohn Baptist sayde of Iesus Christe he shall baptise you with the holy Ghoste and with fire which hath his fanne in his hand and will make cleane his floure and gather the wheate into his garner but will burne the chaffe with vnquencheable fire Iesus Christ saith nowe are ye cleane through the wordes which I haue spoken vnto you Also Peter saide vnto Iesus thou shalt neuer washe my feete Iesus sayde vnto him if I doe not washe thee thou shalt not haue parte with me Peter saide vnto him Lord not my feete only but also my hands and my head Iesus sayd vnto him he that is washed needeth not saue to washe his feete but is cleane euery whit He shall put downe our wickednesse and caste all our sinnes into the bottome of the sea Raymonde sayth Gratia magna dei veniamnon dimidiabit Aut nihil aut totum propitiando dabit That is to say God doth not pardon the moytie or halfe but his great mercye pardoneth all or nothing Moyses and Saint Paule doe say our God is a consuming fire The Pope in his Canons in the Glose of Baptisme and of his effect Chap. which beginneth maiores Causas Larga dei pietas veniam non dimidiabit Nam nihil aut totū te lachrymante dabit That is to say the great goodnesse of God wyll not giue pardon for the moyte for when thou commest vnto him with teares and weepings he will giue thee all or nothing Moyses saith The workes of God are perfect O Lorde thou forgiuest all our sinnes Chrysostome in the .2 homily vpon the 50. psalme When one demandeth mercy that is that he might not be examined of his sinne to the end he should not be handled according to the rigour of righteousnesse and to the ende that all punishment may cease for where there is mercie there is no more hell fire neyther rigour nor paine Chrysostome in his sermon of penance and confession The Lord doth punish vs for our sinnes not for to take anye recompence of oure sinnes but for to aduise vs of things to come S. Ambrose vpon S. Luke of repentance first distinction Chapter which beginneth Petrus Peter was sorowfull and did lament for he hath transgressed as man I doe not finde what he sayde I doe knowe verye well that he hath wept I doe reade of his teares and not of his satisfaction The Priestes doe sing in the beginning or prose of those that be deade such wordes Rex tremendae maiestatis qui saluandos saluas gratis salua me fons pietatis That is to saye O redoubtable king in maiestie whiche doest saue freely those which ought to be saued saue me O fountayne of goodnesse Blessed are the deade which hereafter die in the Lorde euen so sayth the spirite For bicause they rest from their labours and their works followe them Of a truth he onely taketh away our infirmitie and beareth our payne yet wee shall iudge him as though he were plaged and cast downe of God where as he notwithstanding shall be wondred at for our offences and smitten for our wickednesse For the payne of our punishment shall be layde vpon him and with his wounds shal we be healed As concerning the place of S. Paule 1. Cor. 3. That euery one shall be saued as it were by the fire S. Augustine in his boke of the Citie of God the 21. booke Chapter .26 And in his treatise of fayth and of workes Chapter .16 And in his Enchiridion Chapter 28. expoundeth it of the fire of tribulation and of the crosse and persecutions of this worlde by the which the Lorde examineth those that be his Gregory vpon Iob the .29 Chapter And in his morals the .28 booke the .17 chap. And in the .16 distinct Chap. whith beginneth Canones glossae atque As touching the bookes of the Machabees the church doth not hold them for canonicall saying we doe nothing vnorderly if we bring in the examples of the bookes which although that they be not canonicall yet neuerthelesse doe serue for the edification of the churche S. Augustine of the citie of god .18 booke 36. Chapter And of christian doctrine .2 booke .8 chapter Speaking of the number of the times which haue bene sithence the returne from Babilon vntill the comming of Iesus Christe the count and computation of them are not found in the holy Scripturs which are called canonical but in the other among whom are the bookes of the Machabees S. Ierome in the Epistle written vnto Chromatius and Heliodorus bishops And also in the Byble before the booke of the Prouerbes The Churche doth reade the bookes of the Machabees but it doth not receiue them as canonicall Also although that the Church doth reade the bookes of Iudith Tobie and of the Machabees yet neuerthelesse the Church doth not receyue them as Canonicall scripture And so the Church may read these two bokes for the edification of the people but not for to confirme ecclesiasticall doctrine Ierome in his Prologue Galeatus which is set before the booke of the Kings Sayth that he hath neuer founde the seconde booke of the Machabees in the Hebue tongue but he hath founde it in the Greeke tongue And writing against the Pelagians The seconde booke of the Machabees is written by Iosephus the Historiographer
of mortall man and of birdes and of foure footed beastes and of creeping beastes wherefore God gaue them euen vp vnto their heartes lust vnto vncleannesse to defile their owne bodies betweene themselues which turned the truth of God vnto a lie and worshipped and serued the creatures neglecting the Creator whiche is blessed for euer Amen For this cause also God gaue them vp vnto shamefull lustes c. Be yee no worshippers of Images as were some of them according as it is written the people sat downe to eate and drinke and rose vp agayne to playe Flie from idolatrie Babes keepe your selues from Idols We knowe that an Idoll is nothing in the worlde and that there is none other God but one And thoughe there be that are called Gods whether in heauen or in earth as there be many Gods and manye Lordes yet vnto vs there is but one God which is the father of whom are all things and wee in him and one Lorde Iesus Christ by whome are all things and wee by him Athanasius agaynst the Gentiles The Gentiles and Paynims saye vnto me how is God knowne by the Images is it by the thing or cause whiche is outwardly or by the forme and figure which is grauen and put within the thing If it be through the thing it selfe what nede is there to make the forme or figure For as much then as before that suche portraytures were made God was manifested and shewed forth by the meanes of all things Inasmuch also as all things doe giue witnesse of the glorie of god If the pourtracture be the cause of the heauenlye knowledge what needeth it painting or any other matter or thing And wherfore doe not men come vnto the knowledge of God by the true creatures rather then by figures and remembrances for truly the glorye of God should be more clearly knowen if it were manifested by the resonable and vnreasonable creatures then by those which are without soules and immouable Then when you doe engraue and make the images and pourtractures for to make vs to knowe God truely you doe a wicked thing Lactantius Firmianus of his godly institutions against the Gentils and idolaters 2. booke God is aboue man and is not set here by lowe but we must seeke him in the hie region and therefore it is most certayne that religion is not in the places where there are images For if religion cōsisteth in diuine thinges and that it is so that there is nothing diuine but in heauenly and celestiall thinges we must then conclude that there is no religion in images He saith further in his second booke and second chapter That God whose spirite and puissance is spreade abroade euerye where cannot be absent The image then is alwayes superfluous Lactantius Firmianus in the .2 booke and .4 Chapter Seneca did deryde and mocke the folly of the auncientes saying Wee are not twyse children as the prouerbe is ther◠is notwithstanding great difference by the same that we being old and of age to iudge and discerne the good shoulde occupye our minde to such follyes that to these great puppets beutified and decked vp men should offer oyntmentes incens and good smells to those that haue mouthes without teeth Clement in his .5 booke vnto Iames the brother of the Lorde We doe adore and worshippe the visible images in the honor of the inuisible God the which truely is false For if ye wyll truely worship the image of God in doing good vnto man you shall worship the true image of God in him For the image of God is in all men and the similitude is not in all But only there where the soule is gentle and the thought pure If thē you will truly honor the Image of God wee shall declare vnto you that which is veritable and true that you doe good vnto man which is made after the Image of God that you doe honour and reuerence him that you administer meate vnto him which is an hungred and drinke vnto him that is a thirst clothing vnto him whiche is naked visite those that bee sicke and lodge and harbour the stranger and helpe the necessities of him that is put in prison The same is the thing which shall be reputed truly to bee done vnto god And therefore those things doe come vnto the honor of the Image of God insomuche that he which hath not done them shall be esteemed to haue done iniurie vnto the Image of god What is that then to honor God to runne here and there after Images of stone and woode and to honor the vayne figures without soules as diuine things and to despyse man in whom truly is the Image of God And which is more be ye certayne that he which doth commit homicide or adultrie and all that which is payne or iniurie to men the Image of God is violated and defiled in all such things For it is great infidelitie agaynst God to hurt man Then when thou doest vnto another that whiche thou wouldest not suffer thou doest defile and marre the Image of God most wickedly Vnderstande then that such subiection is of the serpent which is hydde within you the which doth make you beleeue that you may be faythfull when you doe honor the insensible things and that you are not vnfaythfull when ye hurt those that be sensible and haue reason In the same booke Who is so wicked or so vnthankfull which to obtayne and receyue the benefite of God doth render thankes vnto woode or stones Therefore awake ye and gyue good eare vnto your health Trulye God hath no neede of any man and requireth nothing and is nothing at all hurt But it is onely we whiche are ayded or hurt in that that wee are eyther thankefull or vnthankefull Agayne in the same booke They are esteemed verilye to be righteous and iust whiche haue in veneration not the things which are done for the administration of the worlde but the creator of them and of the worlde also those thinges doe reioyce themselues when he is honoured and worshipped and cannot abide to see that the honor of the creator shoulde be giuen to the creature For adoration is a thing belonging vnto God alone who onely was not created And all things are his workes As then it is the propertie of him whiche onely was not created to bee God in lyke maner all that which hath bene made is not truly god We ought then before all things to vnderstande the deception of the olde serpent and his cautelous suggestions who as through wisedome hath deceiued you As by a certaine reason doth creepe into your senses And begynning at the head doth slyde vnto the interior partes esteeming your deception to be great gayne Lactantius Firmianus 6. booke 2. Chapter Woulde not a man iudge him to be out of his wit which doth offer candles of wax for an oblation and gift vnto God whiche is the author and giuer of light
no more any such vayles which are against our religion For it becommeth thy honestye and it is also reasonable that rather thou haue a care to take from the Church of Iesus Christ all scrupulous thinges which are not meete for the people giuen thee in charge S. Ierome doth giue witnesse of Epiphanius writing to Pammachius against the errors of Iohn Byshoppe of Ierusalem Thou hast Epiphanius the Byshoppe who by the letters that he hath sent vnto thee hath called thee openly Heriticke Truely thou art no greater then he neyther of age nor of knowledge neyther in holynesse of life neyther according to the testimonye of all the worlde during the time that the heresye of the Aryans and Eunomians did raigne in all the Easte countreys except Pope Athanasius and Paulin when thou wouldest not communicate or haue felowship with those of the West partes neyther with those that did confesse the name of God in exile Eyther he was not heard of Euticius during the time that he was but priest of the Monastery nor after that he was Byshop of Cypres he was not touched of Valens for he was alwayes so honored and esteemed that the Heritickes them selues being in their kingdome would haue thought that the same should haue turned to their ignomynie and sclander if they should haue-persecuted so excellent a man. Also the history Tripartite 9. booke Chapter 48. affirmeth That he did many myracles The saide Epiphanius hath written a booke called the booke of heresyes out of which Saint Augustine allegeth witnesses He liued in the time of Theodosius about the yeere of our Lorde 390. Of fastings and of meates THe spirit speaketh euidently that in the latter times some shal depart frō the faith and shal giue hede vnto spirites of error and doctrines of diuelles which speake false lyes through hipocrysie haue their consciences burned with an hotte yron forbidding to marrye and commaunding to abstayne from meates which God hath created to be receiued with giuing thanks of them which beleeue and knowe the truth For all creatures of God are good and nothing ought to be refused if it be receiued with thanks giuing For it is sanctyfied by the worde of God and prayer S. Athanasius in his expositions vpon the Epistle to the Hebreus 13. Chapter These are truly strange doctrines And he rebuked those which had brought in the Iewishe abstinences and obseruations of meates For he sayth you ought to be fortified with grace that is to saye with fayth and ye ought to be moste sure that nothing is defiled and that all thinges are pure and cleane vnto him that beleeueth and so that faith is necessary and not the obseruation of meates For those whiche doe abstayne from meates that is to saye those which haue their affection alwayes to obserue in such manner meates it is most manifest that such haue nothing profited no more then those which doe seperate them selues from the bonds and lymytes of the true faith and serue wholy a lawe altogither vnprofitable What soeuer is solde in the fleshe market that eate ye and aske no question for conscience sake S. Ierome vpon the first Chapter of Malachye Turne neyther to the right hand neyther to the left to decline and turne to the right hand is to abstaine from meates whiche God hathe created to bee vsed Also to condemne and forbyd marriage is to fall into that whiche is written in another place be not righteous in thy selfe beyonde measure Iesus Christ sayth that whiche goeth into the mouth defileth not a man but that which commeth out of the mouth defileth the man. The Councell of Bracara or Braga 2. 30. distinct Chapter which beginneth Si quis Helde in the yeare 619. Hath excommunicated those which did abstayne themselues from eating of fleshe through superstition Eusebius in the ecclesiasticall historie the .5 booke Chapter 3. Rehearseth that among those whiche were prisoners for the fayth at Lyons there was one named Alcibiades who led a very strayte life for he woulde eate nothing but breade and drinke water wyth salt the which lyfe he was willing to continue being in prison He was notified vnto Attalus the true martyr of Iesus Christ after his first confession that hee made in the theater that the same Alcibiades did euill in not eating those creatures which God hath made and that the same was an offence vnto others the which thing being come to the knowledge of Alcibiades he did eate by the admonishing of Attalus all things as others did rendring thankes vnto God for that the holy ghost reuealed vnto the same Attalus that which he did teach S. Augustine of ecclesiasticall maners 33. vpon the letter K. Speaking of the Monkes of Millaine whose straytnesse he sawe None is constreyned to beare a heauyer burthen than he can else let him refuse to beare it and he which is weaker than the other is not therefore condemned of them They all do knowe howe greatlye loue and charitie is commended They doe knowe very well that all meates are cleane to those that are cleane therefore all their industrie is not to reiect any meates as vncleane but only to tame their concupiscence and lust and to holde and keepe themselues in brotherly loue They do remember this sentence Meates are ordeyned for the belly and the bellye for meates neuerthelesse manye which are strong shall abstayne bicause of the weake Many haue another reason to wete bicause that they had rather to bee fedde with grosse meates and not with sumptuous and delicate therefore those which in health doe abstayne from one kynde of meate make no doubt being sick to eate of it Many doe not drinke wyne yet neuerthelesse they doe not thinke to be defiled therewith for they themselues doe ordeyne that one shoulde giue vnto those that are of a weake complexion and can none otherwise keepe their health if there be any that refuseth to drinke they admonishe them brotherly not to make themselues through vayne superstitions more weake than holye Euen so they doe diligently exercise themselues in the feare of god And as touching the exercise of the bodye they doe knowe verye well that it profiteth onely for a little time Loue is chieflye kept and therevnto is applyed meates words apparayle and the countenances euery one doth consent vnto a mutuall loue and charitie and doe abhorre to violate it as much as God doth if any one do resist the same he is cast out if any one doe disagree from the same they will not suffer him one day Rebuke them sharply that they maye be sounde in fayth and not taking heede to Iewishe fables and commaundements of men that turne from the truth Vnto the pure al things are pure but vnto them that are defiled and vnbeleeuing is nothing pure but euen the very mindes and consciences of them are defiled The Councell of Toledo 13. hath excōmunicated those whiche forbydde to eate fleshe The
is not for to obtaine righteousnesse the which inwardly is the beautie of the kings daughter Chrysostome in the 4. tome of fasting in Lent. Homilie 73. If we doe dayly here agree and that we doe fast all the Lent and doe not amende our lyues greater occasion of damnation shall be done vnto vs. Gregorie the 7. hath commaunded to fast the Lent vpon payne of deadly sinne Reade Platyna Pag. 171. in his life Apollonius the martyr of Iesus Christ in the ecclesiasticall hystorie 5. booke Chapt. 11. Rebuked the heretike Montanus bicause he was the first which made the law of fastings Saint Ierome to Nepotian first tome Laye vpon thee such maner of fasting as thou canst beare That thou haue pure chaste simple and moderate fastings not supersticious What profiteth it not to eate of the oyle and to seeke certayne dainties and difficult kyndes of meates as figges peares nuttes fruites of palmes or dates the flower of wheate of honie and such maner of meates There is no kynde of garden fruite wherewith we do not torment our selues to the ende we eate not of breade and whylest we doe folowe our pleasures we are drawen from the kingdome of heauen Furthermore I haue hearde of some who against the rule of the nature of men drinke not water and eate no breade but doe eate of delicate suppings and of punned Leekes and drinke not the pottage in a cuppe but in a dishe What shame is this howe are we not ashamed of such maner of follies how are we not weried with such superstitions Furthermore also we seeke in delicates the renowne of abstinence The strongest fasting is breade and water but bicause that there is no glorie therein and bicause all liue of breade and water as of a common thing we doe not esteeme it to be fasting In the olde time they fasted vntill night The fasting without workes of mercie displeaseth God. Cassiodorus reciteth in the 9. boke of his historie That the Romaynes had but three weekes for the Lent fasting euery day except the Sundaye and Saterdaye The Illerickes and the Grecians had sixe and the other seauen but they fasted by space betweene Reade of fasting Actes 13. 1. Cor. 16. Math. 4. Luc. 2. Tobi. 2. 1. Reg. 6. 2. Cro 20. 1. Esdras 8. Ioel. 2. Ionas 3. Hester 4. and .14 Psalme 35. and .69 and .109 Deut. 9. 3. Reg. 19. Dauid and his people fasted vntill euening hearing that Saule and Ionathas were dead Dauid fasted and prayed for the people which were stroken of God. Achab fasted and slept hauing on sackecloth walking comfortlesse and the Lord had compassion and pitie on him Iudith fasted all the dayes of hir life Hester purposing to enter vnto the king for to speake vnto him fasted three dayes and three nightes Iosias declareth the fasting to all the people and caused the wordes of the booke of Ieremye to be reade openly Iesus Christ humbled his soule with fasting psalm 35. and .69 and .109 Vnto whome is he like that fasteth and neuerthelesse ceaseth not to sinne Fasting profiteth nothing at all to the wicked and obstinate people Iesus Christ saith Take heede to your selues least at any time your heartes bee ouercome with surfeting and drunkennesse and cares of this worlde Ye haue bene called vnto liberty onely let not your libertye be an occasion vnto the fleshe but in loue serue one an other Of maryage and of vowes THe spirite speaketh euidently that in the latter time some shal depart from the faith and shal giue heede vnto spirites of error and doctrins of deuills which speake false lies through hipocrysie and haue their consciences marked with an hotte iron forbidding to mary Iesus Christe saithe haue ye not reade howe that he whiche made man at the beginning made them man and woman and sayde for this cause shall a man leaue father and mother and cleaue vnto his wyfe and they twayne shall be made one fleshe wherfore they are no more twayne but one fleshe Let not man therefore put asunder that which God hath coupled togither Origene vpon Saint Mathew 23. Homilye The Scribes and Pharyses are set in Moyses chayre c. He doth rebuke then such manner of preachers who doe not only that they saye but also doe cruelly and without mercy great thinges whiche one cannot doe not esteeming or iudgeing what is the vertue of euery one of the hearers as those which forbid to mary And doe constraine the people to a moste vyle vyllanye for that they doe forbydde that which is expedient Those also which doe teach to abstayne from meates and other such manner of thinges to the which the faithfull ought in no wyse to be constrayned They do laye great burthens through the worde of their expositions against the will of Christ saying my yoke is easie and my burthen is light And often times we doe see that those that doe teache suche thinges doe liue altogither contrarye to their sayings doing all thinges for the regarde of men and for vaine glorye as the word following doth shewe it saying All their workes they doe for to be seene of men Salomon in the .18 Chapter of the prouerbes doth describe the blessing of maryage The Prophet Dauid in the .128 psalme dothe describe the blessing of God vppon those that are maryed The angell Raphael did teache Tobie howe hee ought to marie as God commaundeth The confirmation of mariage is in the 9. Chapter of Genesis vnder the letter A. Eusebius in the Ecclesiasticall hystorie 3. booke .27 Chap. Saint Clement as Eusebius of Cesaria doth recite hath written agaynst those who doe despyse mariage Among other things that he hath written sayth as followeth Will they also reproue the Apostles Saint Peter and Saint Philip had wyues and maried their daughters and Saint Paule in one of his Epistles was not ashamed to make recommendations and salutations vnto his wife whom he sayth he woulde not leade with him about the countrie to the ende he might be the more free to preache the gospell And by and by after hee sayth that Clement in his 7. booke of his work sayth as followeth It is sayde that S. Peter when he did see his wyfe to be martyred reioyced seeing that by that meanes shee was of the number of the elect and that she returned vnto hir owne house of Paradise and that he cryed after hir when they brought hir to hir death calling hir by hir name saying vnto hir O deare wyfe remember god Such were the mariages of the Saintes and their affections perfect In the 4. of the sentences distinction .17 Chapter .4 and in the 27. decret question 2. Chapter which beginneth Cum societas c. The Pope in his Decretals calleth mariage vncleannesse pollution and carnall filthynesse Saint Paule answereth the Pope saying Wedlocke is to be had in honor among all men and the bed
thinges that which was secrete is declared and that which is hid is made knowen without any kinde of pryde which is no sacriledge not hauing a necke puffed vp with pride without any contention or enuye with holynesse humilitie with the catholicke peace with christian charitie Irenaeus in his .3 booke .4 chap. What would it be if there were any disputation or debate moued of anye lighte question must wee not haue our recourse vnto the moste auncient churches whiche were in the time of the Apostles and to take of them that which is cleare and certayne for to resolue the debate or question put foorth S. Augustine of baptisme against the Donatistes .3 booke .9 Chapter Honoratus Attuca hath saide forasmuch as Christe is the truth we ought rather to followe the truth then custome The Byshop Castus in the 5. Chapter He that presumeth to follow custome in condemning the truth eyther he is enuyous or wicked towardes the brethren vnto whom the truth is reueled or he is ingratefull towardes God through whose inspiration the church is instructed Trust not in false lying wordes saying here is the Temple of the Lorde here is the Temple of the Lorde here is the temple of the Lorde c But take heede howe ye doe trust in coūsels that beguile you and doe you no good God hath witnessed of his sonne saying This is my deare sonne in whome I delight here him The Lorde hath saide But the prophet which shall presume to speake ought in my name whiche I commaunded not to speake and he that speaketh in the name of strange Gods the same prophet shall dye Moyses saide ye shall doe after nothing that we doe here this daye euery man what seemeth him good in his owne eyes Moyses saide ye shall doe afer nothing that we doe here this daye euery man what seemeth him good in his owne eyes Ye shall put nothing vnto the word which I commaunde you neyther doe oughte there from that ye may keepe the commaundementes of the Lorde your God which I commaunde you Beholde I haue taught you ordinances and lawes such as the Lorde my God commaunded me S. Augustine writing vnto Orosus against the Priscillanistes and Originistes .11 Chapter The doctrine of man seemeth to haue reason so long as it is not compared vnto the heauenly knowledge but when the lye approcheth to the truth it is by and by deuoured and destroyed as a sparke of fire and all the teachinges of faulshod and lyinges the whiche nowe are called Idolles Forasmuch as they are made they shal be altogither broken He that commeth from an hie is aboue all he that is of the earth is earthly and speaketh of the earthe he that commeth from heauen is aboue all And what hee hath seene and heard that he testifieth but no man receiueth his testimony howbeit he that hath receiued his testimonye hath sealed that God is true For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God. Iesus Christ saith And his wordes haue ye not abiding in you for whom hee hath sent him ye beleeue not Search the scriptures for in them ye thinke ye haue eternall life and they are they which testifie of me My doctrine is not mine but his that sent me If anye man will doe his will hee shall knowe of the doctrine whither it be of God or whither I speake of my selfe He that speaketh of him selfe seeketh his owne prayse but he that speaketh his prayse that sent him the same is true and no vnrighteousnesse is in him He that sent me is true and I speake in the world those thinges which I haue hearde of him If ye continue in my wordes then are ye my disciples and shall know the truth the truth shall restore you to libertie c. I speake that I haue seene with my father and ye doe that which ye haue seene with your father Verily verily I saye vnto you if a man keepe my saying hee shall neuer see death My sheepe heare my voyce and I know them and they followe me I haue not spoken of my selfe but the father which sent me gaue me a commandement what I shoulde saye and what I shoulde speake And I knowe that this commaundemente is lyfe euerlasting Whatsoeuer I speake therefore euen as the father bade me so I speake The wordes that I speake vnto you I speake not of my selfe If ye loue me kepe my commaundements He that hath my commaundements and keepeth them the same is he that loueth me He that loueth me not keepeth not my sayings and the wordes which ye heare are not mine but the father which sent me Many other signes also did Iesus in the presence of his disciples which are not written in this booke These are written that ye might beleeue that Iesus is Christ the sonne of God and that in beleeuing yee might haue lyfe through his name Though that wee or an aungell from heauen preach vnto you other wayes than that whiche we haue preached vnto you holde him as accursed As we sayd before so say I nowe agayne if any man preache vnto you other wayes than that yee haue receyued holde him accursed The woman that was a Samaritane sayde vnto Iesus I wote well Messias shall come which is called Christ when he is come he will tell vs all things I haue kept nothing backe but haue shewed you all the counsell of God. Chrysostome in the first homilie vpon the Epistle vnto Titus The Gospell doth contayne all things the things present and things to come honor pietie and fayth c. Saint Hilarie vpon Saint Mathew 14. Canon Euery plant which my heauenly father hath not planted shall be plucked vp by the rootes that is to say all mans traditions ought to be plucked vp by the fauor of the whiche they haue transgressed the commaundement of the lawe And therefore he called them the blinde leaders promising the waye of euerlasting lyfe the which they see not themselues and sayth that the falling hedlong of those blind leaders and their conductors is common S Augustine vpon S. Iohn .49 treatise .9 Chapter Although that the Lorde Iesus Christe hath done many things which haue not bene written as also his owne Euangelistes doe witnesse it that the Lord Iesus Christ hath sayde and done many things whiche are not written neuerthelesse the things haue bene chosen to be written whiche were thought sufficient for the saluation of the beleeuers Of the holy scripture and howe it is lawfull for all men to reade it HAppie is he that readeth and happie are they that heare the wordes of this Prophecie and keepe those things which are written therein for the tyme is at hande Iesus Christ sayeth Happie are they that heare the worde of God and kepe it Thy worde is a lanterne vnto my feete and a light vnto my pathes Gods worde in the
that they doe not assault and afflict vs againe but to auoyde and giue the repoulse through the continual reading of the scriptures to the darts of the diuell comming a farre For if we be alwayes hurt take no remedy what hope of health shall we haue Doest thou not see the workers of mettal goldsmythes coyners and all those which doe exercise any occupacion to haue all the instrumentes of their occupacion readye and to lacke none Although that honger constrayneth them and pouertie doth afflict them they had rather to suffer all thinges then to sel any instrument of their occupacion for to nurrish them yea many had rather to borrowe mony vpon vsurye then to lay to gage any little instrument of their science or occupacion and for a good cause for they doe knowe that after that they haue solde it the occupacion shoulde be vnprofitable and all the foundation of their gayne taken away but in hauing them it may be that in time they will paye that they haue borowed of another in vsing alwayes their occupation But if they doe sell them to other before they haue payde that they doe owe they haue not whereby to excogitate or inuent any thing to helpe their hunger and pouertie Truly it behoueth vs to be of such courage for euen as to them the Hammers Anuiles and Tongs are instruments of their Artes euen so the bookes of the Apostles and Prophets are instruments of the Arte and waye of saluation and all Scripture being heauenly inspired is profitable And euen as they finishe all that they doe take in hande to doe by those instruments euen so truly by those bookes we frame our soule and amende and correct it when it is wicked and renue it when it is waxen olde For those can but onely by their Arte giue formes and fashions to things for they cannot chaunge nor alter the substaunce of the mettall neyther make golde of siluer but onely giue them their figures to be like But it is not so with thee but thou mayst doe more for thou mayest sometime of a vessell of wood make a vessell of golde of which thing S. Paule is witnesse speaking after this maner In a great house are not onely vessels of gold and of siluer but also of woode and of earth some for honour and some for dishonour But if a man purge himselfe from such fellowes he shall be a vessell sanctified vnto honor meete for the Lord and prepared vnto all good works Wherfore let vs not be negligent to buye vs bookes that we receyue not woundes in our heartes and let vs not lay vp our gold in the earth but let vs furnishe our selues with a treasure of spirituall bookes Truly when that golde aboundeth greatly then it deceyueth greatly those which possesse it but great store of bookes gotten togither doe bring great vtilitie vnto those that haue them euen as weapons in the roial assemblies although that none doe vse them yet neuerthelesse they giue great assurance vnto them which dwell in the house where they are when neyther theeues nor breakers of wals nor anye wicked persons dare not assayle the house Euen so in any house where these spirituall bokes shall be from them all the force of the deuill is driuen awaye and great consolation and comfort commeth vnto those that dwell there for the onely beholding of bookes maketh vs the slower to sinne And although that we haue done some things that are prohibited and haue defiled our selues the conscience doth condemne vs more sharplye when wee are come vnto the house and haue behelde the bookes and are made slower to committe at another time such things agayne If we doe persist in holynesse wee are made surer and stronger by the bookes For as soone as any hath touched the Gospell he hath by and by withdrawne his spirite from worldly things by the beholding of them and if he reade diligently the soule is by such meanes purged made better no otherwise thā being in the holy secrets it imploieth it selfe to holy things God speaking vnto it by such scriptures What thē say they if we vnderstand not that which is contayned in the bokes truly although thou vnderstād not that which is hid yet neuerthelesse great holines cōmeth of such reding For it cannot be that thou be ignoraunt of it altogither For trulye the grace of the holy spirite hath so dispenced and moderated it to the ende that the Publicanes and sinners makers of Tabernacles Pastors and Apostles Idiotes and the vnlearned shoulde be saued by those bookes And to the ende that none of those Idiotes might excuse themselues alledging the difficultye thereof he woulde that those things whiche are spoken shoulde be easie at the first sight and that the labourers seruants women wydowes and the most ignorante of all men should receiue some gaine and profite of the reading that they did heare For those whom God hath reputed from the beginning worthy of the grace of the holy spirite haue not done all these things through vayne glorie as gentilles but to the saluacion and healthe of the hearers Truely the Philosophers being ignorant of Christe good orators and composers of bookes not seeking that which profiteth all men but tending to make them selues esteemed although they haue saide some thing that is profitable yet not withstanding obscuritie hath kept it hid as in a certayne kinde of foolish wysedome but the Apostles and the Prophets haue done altogither therwyse expounding vnto all men the bookes clearly and manyfestlye that they haue written as publicke doctors of the worlde in such sort that euerye one may learne the thinges which are spoken by the onely reading That whiche the Prophet did pronounce saying al shall be taught of God and from thence foorth shall no man teache his neighbour or his brother and say know the Lorde But they shall all knowe me from the loweste vnto the hyest I brethren when I came vnto you came not in gloriousnesse of wordes or of wysedome shewing vnto you the testimonye of God And agayne my wordes and my preachinges was not with entising words of mans wysedome but in shewing of the spirite and of power And againe That which we spake is not the wisedome of this worlde neyther of the rulers of this worlde whiche goe to noughte For vnto whome are not all the thinges that are in the gospell manyfest who would haue a maister for to learne hearing any of these wordes Blessed are the meeke blessed are the mercifull blessed are the pure in heart and such other thinges The signes miracles and historyes are not they knowen and manyfest vnto euery one That is a colour and a cloked excuse of their slothfulnesse to saye thou vnderstandest not the thinges which are there how canst thou a-thing at all vnderstand when thou wilt not but with great paine lightly see it Take the bookes in thy handes reade all the hystory and keeping in memory
the thinges that are playne and knowen let passe the harde and obscure thinges And if thou canst not with continuall reading find out that whiche is there spoken goe vnto one that is wyser then thy selfe or vnto a doctor declare vnto him the thinges that are written declare vnto him thy feruent desire And if God would giue vnto thee so great promptitude of corage he will not dispise thy diligence and carefulnesse But yet although that no man will teache thee that whiche thou desirest to knowe yet without doubt he will declare it vnto thee Remember the Eunuch of the Queene of the Ethiopians who although he were a barbarous and rude man letted and hindred with innumerable cares and on euery side enuironed with worldly affaires and troubles and that he did not vnderstande that which he reade neuerthelesse he did reade it sitting in his charret If all the time as he went in the way he ceased not to reade much lesse when he was at rest in his house if he did reade vnderstanding not that which he reade and hath not ceased to reade muche lesse after that he hath learned Now to the ende that thou know that he did not vnderstande that which he did reade heare what Philip sayde vnto him Doest thou vnderstande sayth he that which thou readest And he hearing his wordes was not ashamed but confessed his ignorance and sayde Howe can I vnderstande except I had a guyde When there was none that coulde shewe him the way neuerthelesse he did reade and therefore he had immediatly a guyde God knowing his prompt and ready courage and louing his diligence incontinently did sende him a doctor but we haue not Philip ready Let vs not despyse my brethren and frendes our health and saluation all thinges are written for the loue of vs for our correction vnto whome the endes of the ages are come vpon The reading of the Scriptures is a great munition against sinne the ignorance of the Scriptures is a greate perill of falling headlong into hell to know nothing of the heauenly lawes is a great perdition of saluation This thing hath engendred heresyes this hath made vs lead a naughty life and hath mingled all thinges bothe high and lowe Truely it can not be that he shoulde be sent awaye without fruite which taketh pleasure in continuall and attentiue reading of the Scriptures S. Ierome in his .6 Tome vpon Ieremie Chapter .9 The error of our forefathers ought not to be followed but the authoritie of the Scriptures and the commaundement of God which he teacheth vs And agayne truly through the ignoraunce of the lawe they receyue Antichrist for Christ Chrysostome in the 29. homilie vpon Genesis There is neither the passion of the body nor of the soule in mans nature but that it maye take medicine of the holy Scripture Afterwarde he sayth Therefore I pray you come often hither and marke diligently the reading of the holy scripture not onely when you doe come hither but also in your houses take in your handes the holy Byble and receyue with greate diligence and care the vtilitie that lyeth therein hid for thereby you shall get great profite First trulye that by the reading your tongue bee reformed afterwarde your soule taketh wings and eleuateth hir selfe and is illuminated through the splendor and brightnesse of the sunne of righteousnesse And in the meane time it is deliuered from the inticementes and allurements of filthie and vncleane thoughtes reioicing with great rest and tranquillitie And furthermore that whiche the corporall meate doth vnto the body for to augment increase strength the same doth the reading of the holy scriptures vnto the soule The Canon lawe in the Chapter Praelatum de consecratione .3 Distinction That whiche the Scripture doth vnto the readers the same doth the Paynter vnto the Idiotes and ignoraunt in beholding it for in the same the ignorant people doe see that whiche they ought to followe in the same they doe reade whiche knowe not the letters The Emperor Iustinian in his newe Constitutions autentike in the 146. Constitution of the Hebrues sayth thus It was expedient that the Hebrues shoulde take great pleasure not of the hystorie onely when they gyue eare vnto the holy bookes but that they shoulde marke and beholde the sense hidde in them by the whiche they shewe forth the great God Iesus Christ sauiour of mankinde But although that by the interpretation among them dreamed they doe debate and reason it among them selues vnto this day neuerthelesse they haue erred from the right sentence And bicause we haue knowen that they haue amongst themselues debates we woulde not leaue them in such dissentions For wee haue known by the interpellation and reports whiche haue bene tolde vs that some of them would not receiue but the Hebrewe tongue onely and would that we shoulde vse them in the reading of holy bookes other doe holde an opinion that wee muste haue the Greeke tongue and there hathe bene for this thing of long time sedition among them We then hauing vnderstode this debate haue iudged those better whiche desire to haue the Greeke tongue in the reading of holy bookes and for to be short such a tongue as the place requireth moste fitte and meetest for the hearers we then doe ordayne that in what soeuer place the Hebrewes are it shall be lawefull for them in their assemblies to reade the holy Scriptures in the Greeke tongue and in the Italian tongue or translated and changed into any other tongue as the place shall require to the ende that all the continuation and order of that whiche is sayde be manifested vnto those which shal vnderstand the holy boks by the reading of them And according to these thinges they doe direct their lyfe and study and their interpretors whiche doe vse only the Hebrewe tongue may not after their owne fancie maliciously entreate and expounde them hiding and cloking their wickednesse by the ignorance of the people And a little after he saith let vs altogither forbyd that which they doe call Deuteros as the second tradition not contayned in the holy bookes not giuen from aboue by the Prophets but conteyning a certayne extracte of men whiche speake not but of earthly and terrestriall things not hauing in it any thinge of the heauenly spirite But truly we desire that they reade the holy sayinges when they declare the holy books not hiding the things that are therein contayned and not heape togither vaine wordes that are not written but excogitated and inuented by them to the destruction of the simple people which licence by vs giuen shall not turne to any mans hurt or dammage of those that receiue the Greeke tongue other tongues and that shall not be prohibited nor forbidden them by no man what soeuer he bee And ouer and besides those which are cal-Archpharasies or Auncients or maisters shall not haue licence to prohibite through their cautelous inuentions or
woundes suche people haue more neede of Gods medicine or helpe c. Chrysostome vpon the .21 Chapter of S. Mathewe 39 homily And when he was come into the temple the cheefe priestes and the elders of the people came vnto him as he was teaching and sayde By what authoritie doest thou these thinges and who gaue thee this power They declared that there was some which did giue power vnto men be it corporall or spirituall As if they had said thus thou art not engendred of the sacerdotall family the Senat hath not permitted thee to doe this Ceasar hath not giuen it thee but if they had beleeued that all power is from God they woulde neuer haue asked who hath giuen thee this power knowing that euery good gift and euery perfect gifte is from aboue and commeth downe from the father of lightes and that a man can receiue nothing at all except it be giuen him from heauen Of the assemblies and congregations of the faithfull Saint Hilary against Auxentius I Praye you O ye Byshoppes whiche doe thinke your selues to be so what suffrages haue the Apostles vsed for to preach the gospell with what power were they ayded for to preache Christ and as it were to change all Gentils from images to God haue they taken any dignitie of the palace in singing of Himnes Psalmes vnto God in prison being in yrons and chaynes and afterwarde to be whipped and scourged Did Paule assemble the Churche of Christ by the Kings Edicte when he was as a spectacle in the theater He did defende himselfe as I beleeue by Nero or Vespasian or Decius through whose hatred and malice the confession of the heauenly preaching hath flourished they nourishing and keeping themselues with their owne handie labour in assembling themselues togither within chambers and secret places and by the stretes and villages did enuiron and compasse about almost all people by lande and by water against the decrees and ordinaunces of the Senators and Edictes of the Kings Tertullian in his Apologie against the Gentiles .29 Chapter This assemblie of the Christians should be very vnlawfull if it were like or equall vnto the vnlawfull things it shoulde bee worthilye condemned if it were complayned of as of a faction or sect But whome haue we endammaged or hurt by our assembling and meeting togither wee are the very same as when we were all dispersed asunder euerye one by himselfe not hurting any man When wyse men and good and faythfull people doe assemble themselues togither we must not call that a faction or sect but rather a court And on the contrary we must applye the name of faction vnto those which hate good mē that crie agaynste the bloude of the innocents vnder colour of their vnitie and for defence of their hatred forasmuche as they doe esteme and iudge that the Christians are the causes of all losses and common mishaps If the riuer Tyber mounteth or swelleth aboue the walles If the riuer Nylus doe not descende vppon the fieldes If the heauen doe stande still If the earth tremble If there be famine or pestilence by and by they crie after the Christians for to cast them into the lyons denne Saint Luke declareth in the Actes the order of the primitiue Church that the faythfull assembled themselues oftentimes in the fieldes saying thus On the Saboth day we went out of the citie besides a ryuer where they were wont to praye and wee sate downe and spake vnto the women which resorted thither c. They assembled themselues togither in the night within chambers for to preach the word celebrate the Lords supper as it appeareth by that which is written And the first day after the Saboth the disciples being come togither fo to breake breade Paule preached vnto them redy to depart on the morowe and continued the preaching vnto midnight And there were many lightes in an vpper chamber where we were gathered togither c. And when the dayes were ended we departed and went our wayes and they all brought vs on our way with their wyues and children till we were come our of the citie and we kneeling downe on the shore prayed c. Tertullian in his Apologie 39 Chapter We coming and assembling our selues togither doe pray for the Emperors for their seruants and for the magistrates for the estate of the worlde for peace c. We are assembled to make commemoration of the diuine scriptures we doe feede and nourishe the fayth with voyce and holye wordes we hope well we plant and graffe most stronglye our fayth and doe trauayle much to imprint in the hearts the discipline of the commaundements c. Tertullian in his Apologie 30. Chap. We christians haue our eyes eleuated vnto heauen and our handes streched out bicause they are innocente and the heade bare and vncouered bicause we are not ashamed and we doe it without bydding For we doe pray with the hearte we pray alwayes for all the Emperors that God would giue them long life and assured empyre and a trusty and sure house mightye in battayle a faithfull counsell good people a quiet worlde and all that man and the Emperour can desire I may not demaunde and aske these thinges but of him of whom I doe know I shal obtaine them for it is he onely that will giue it and I am he that ought to require it that is to say his seruant which doe honor him and which haue in reuerence him only which am killed for his doctrine and discipline and whiche doe offer the best and greatest sacrifice that he hath commaunded that is to saye the prayer that proceedeth from a chast body and from the innocent soule and from the holy ghoste Not with little graines of incence of small valew nor also with the teares of the tree of Arabie nor those two drops of wine neither the bloud of a wicked man that desireth his owne deathe c. Plinie in the .10 booke of his Epistles 317. Epistle The Emperor Traianus did sende him a commaundement commaunding him to make enquirye of the faithfull and of their manner of liuing and afterward to persecute them Plinie did write againe vnto the Emperor that after he had throughly enquired yea with most cruelty and tormentes vntill suche time as he deliuered them into the handes of the hangmen to see them executed he neuer did finde anye other thing but that the faithfull haue accustomed to assemble them selues togither at certayne times in the morning before daye and when they were come togither they did sing prayses and psalmes vnto Christe as vnto god c. If any wyll see more amplye these thinges let him reade the ecclesiasticall history and there he shall finde howe the faithfull did assemble them selues in the mountaines in caues and dennes for feare of persecutions As it is declared in the historye of Theodorite after this manner When that the faithfull
vnto whom they shoulde prouide and giue remedie Is it vnto the Gods they doe suche pleasure No for that whiche a man doth by compulsion is not a sacrifice forasmuch as if it be not done voluntarlye and with the heart it is most execrable and accursed Forasmuch as there are but they whiche are constrayned and compelled throughe banishments iniuries imprisonmentes and tormentes which doe it If they bee Gods which are so honored truly for that only cause they ought not to be honored in as much as they woulde be so adored and worshipped they are worthye to be detested of men vnto whome sacrifice is made with teares and sighings and with bloud running downe all their bodie But we to the contrarie require not that any will he nill he shoulde adore and worship our God which is the Creator of all things nor we are not angry if they doe not worship him For we doe trust in his maiestie that he hath also great power to auenge as well those that doe contemne and despyse him as the iniuries and troubles of hys seruants and therefore when we suffer such things so wicked and execrable wee doe not therefore repugne agaynst the worde but we referre the vengeance vnto God. The Prophete Esay sayeth Truth is fallen downe in the streete and the thing that is playne and open may not be shewed yea the truth is layde in prison and he that refrayneth himselfe from euil must be spoyled When the Lorde sawe this it displeased him sore c. The Lorde sayde by the Prophet Ezechel I will deliuer my sheepe from their mouth so that they shall no more be spoyled c. Lactantius Firmianus in his diuine Institutions Lib. 5. Chap. 22. They are not then madde or angry with vs bicause we adore not or worship their Gods. For there are many people that do not worship thē but it is bicause the truth is with vs the which as the Prouerbe is getteth hatred c. Lactantius Firmianus Lib. 5. Chapter .23 Pacience is a principall vertue the which is by the common voyce of the people and of the Philosophers and Orators exalted with great prayse If no man wil denie but that pacience is a soueraine vertue It is necessary that the righteous wise man be in the power of the vnrighteous mā for to haue that pacience for pacience is a volūtary suffring of euils which are done vnto any man or which doe happen vnto him whereby the righteous and the wyse man hath in himselfe pacience bicause that he receyueth the vertue of the which he shall be altogither depriued if he suffer nothing to the contrarie Although that he do no iniurie vnto anye man nor that he coueteth his neyghbors goodes and though he defende not his own goods if they be taken from him by force and violence forasmuche as he can quietlye ynough suffer the iniurie that is done vnto him bicause that he is garnished with vertue It is necessarye that the righteous man be subiect vnto the vnrighteous mā And the wyse be despised of the foole to the ende that the one doe sinne bicause he is vnrighteous and that the other be in seruitude and bondage bicause he is righteous For howe can a Captaine prooue and trie his souldiers if he haue no enimie And yet neuerthelesse the aduersarie eleuateth and exalteth himselfe maugre him bicause that he is mortall and maye be vanquished and ouercome but bicause we cannot repugne and striue agaynste God he himselfe moueth and stirreth vp the aduersaries agaynst his name not for to striue and fight against him but against his souldiars to that ende he maye proue and trye the faithe and deuotion of his vntill suche time as he doth correcte and amend in pressing and beating the discypline whiche was become colde There is also an other cause wherefore hee dooth permitte and suffer that we should be persecuted that is to the ende that the people of God shoulde bee augmented Some desire to know what that goodnesse is which is defended euen vnto death which is preferred aboue all the pleasant thinges and best loued and set by in this world of which goodnesse nothing can drawe them from it neyther the losse of their goodes nor the losse of their sight dolor of body nor anye other tormentes whatsoeuer they be all thinges are much worth but the greatest causes which followed haue alwayes augmented our number The people being rounde about the good christians hearde them saye in their tormentes that they should not do sacrifice nor offer vnto stons made and hewen with mans handes but vnto the liuing God which is in heauen many doe heare that the same is good and true they receiue it in their minds and vnderstandinges Afterwarde as men haue accustomed or vsed to doe in vncertayne thinges when they demaund and enquire within them selues what may be the cause of that perseuerance and constancie many things belonging vnto religion are spread abroade and knowen and declared from the one to the other by the report that they make And by that meanes they are taught who for asmuche as they are good it is necessary that they please Furthermore the vengeance that followeth as it happeneth often hath a greate vehemence to make them beleeue All these causes put togither haue gotten and drawen vnto God a maruelous great company of people S. Hilary in his booke against Auxentius Ambition doth ayde it selfe by the name of Christe The Churche doth feare and compell the people through banishements and imprisonmentes to beleeue hir the which they haue beleeued through banishmentes and prisons Shee dependeth vpon those that doe disdayne to communicate with hir She which is consecrated and made holy by the terror of the persecutors driueth awaye the prestes Shee which hath bene engendred by the running away of priestes doth glory and extoll hir selfe to be beloued of the worlde Shee whiche coulde not be beloued of Christe if the worlde had not hated hir Experience cryeth in all mens mouthes and declareth and sheweth the comparison of the church the which of late hath bene giuen vnto vs and neuer shall be destroyed All that which is not of faith is sinne Chrysostome in his first Tome vpon S. Mathewe .47 homily Chapter .13 Let them both growe togither till haruest come the Lorde did forbid them least while they wente aboute to weede out the tares they should plucke vp the wheate also whiche thing he spake to forbidde the sheading of bloude For if the Heritickes were put to deathe without alliance of peace warre shoulde bee without truce Wherefore he doth forbyd it for two causes the one bicause they shoulde hurte and hinder a little the corne The other is that if they doe not heale them selues they shal neuer escape the eternall and euerlasting punishmentes and tormentes wherefore if thou wouldest amend and in no wyse hurte the corne you must attend and tarry the time
Ierome vnto Chromatius in the 5. Distinct. Chapter which beginneth Sancta The Covnsell of Laodicea the 59. chap. doth not name them in the roll of the canonicall Scriptures and reciteth that which is of other canonicall bookes amongst his other Decretals The author of the boke of the Machabees in the ende of the sayde booke doth praye that if he haue sayde any thing whiche is not good to pardon him Let vs then willingly pardon his faultes Of honoring and worshipping of Saintes S. Augustine of true religion The last Chapter Let vs not loue the outwarde and visible spectacles for feare that in erring and straying from the truth and in louing the shadowes wee bee cast into darkenesse That our religion be not after our fantasies For whatsoeuer truth it be it is better than all that our will can feyne and inuent That our religion be not the worshipping of deade men For if they haue liued faythfully they are not suche to demaunde and aske suche honor but they woulde that wee shoulde honor him by whom they being illuminated are gladde that we shall be seruaunts with them of their holy lyfe We ought then to honour them bicause of their imitation and not to adore and worshippe them bicause of their religion For the same was done through temporall dispensation for our helth that the vertue of God and the immutable wysedome of God which is of one substance which is coeternall to the father toke on him mans nature by the which he would teach vs that man ought to honor the thing which ought to be honored of all creatures hauing vnderstanding and reason And let vs also beleeue that the varye Angells them selues the most good and excellent administrators of God woulde it so to wete that we should honor one onely God with them through whose contemplation they are blessed For we are not blessed in seeing and beholding the Angells but in beholding the verytie by the which we doe loue the Angells and doe reioyce of them wherefore we doe honor them through loue and charytie and not through seruice c. And let vs not buylde any temples for them for they woulde not be so honoured of vs for that they doe knowe when wee bee good wee are the temples of the soueraigne God And so it is rightly written that it was forbydden to men by the Angels that they should not worshippe them but one only God vnder whome they all were togither seruauntes I doe greatly feare least that I shoulde set the honor of a man in the steede of the glory of God and that I woulde worship none but only thee my God. Cornelius fell downe at Peters feete and worshipped him But Peter tooke him vp saying stand vp for euen I my selfe am a man. Barnabas and Paule sayde vnto the people whiche would haue done sacrifice vnto them O men why doe ye these thinges we are mortall men like vnto you and preache vnto you that ye shoulde turne from these vayne Idoles vnto the liuing God which made heauen and earth and the sea and all thinges that are in them Chrysostome vpon S. Mathewe .45 homilye .23 Chapter Howe shoulde ye escape the damnation of hell shal that be in buylding the sepulchres of Saintes or rather in making cleane your heartes from malyce dooth God iudge as man doth man iudgeth man in works but God iudgeth the heart But what is that righteousnesse to honor the Saintes and to contemne their holynesse The first degree of fidelitie is to loue sanctite afterwardes the Saintes for the Saintes haue not bene before holynesse but holynesse hath bene before the Saintes He then without cause doth honor the righteous which despiseth righteousnesse Shall the Saintes whose sepulcres ye decke and beutifie deliuer you The Saintes cannot be the freendes of those to whome God is an enemye Can the houshold be in peace and quietnesse when the Lord is an aduersarye Howe can ye doe it will the bare name deliuer you for asmuch as possible ye thinke that ye are the people of God What profiteth it the harlot if shee haue the name of a chast woman Euen so doth it not profite the sinner to be called the seruant of god In the same towardes the ende he sayth howe can ye escape the damnation of hell In buylding of churches and not holding the ende of the ecclesiasticall veritie In reading the Scriptures and not beleuing them In naming the Prophets Apostls and Martyrs and not following the works of the Martyrs nor their confession c. Augustine vpon Saint Iohn .23 Treatise .5 Chapter This is the Christian religion that one God onely be adored and worshipped and not many Gods. For nothing maketh the soule blessed but one onely god It is made blessed through the participation of God and the soule being feeble is not made blessed through the participation of an holy soule and also the holy soule is not made blessed through the participation of an angel but if the weake and feble soule requireth to be made blessed it must demaunde that whereof the holye soule is made blessed For thou shalt not be made blessed by an angel but thou shalt be made blessed by him of whome also the angell is made blessed Augustine of the Citie of God. 10. booke They which are constituted immortall and blessed in the heauenly places who togither doe reioyce themselues of the participation of their creator the which are made strong through his eternitie by good reason woulde not that wee shoulde make any sacrifice vnto them but onely vnto him of whom they doe acknowledge themselues with vs to bee the sacrifice For with them we are togither the Citie of God of the whiche it is sayde in the Psalme Very excellent things are spoken of thee O thou Citie of god c. Augustine in his 10. booke of the Citie of God. 16. Chapter Then if there be any angels which desire that any shoulde offer vnto them sacrifice truly we ought to preferre those which doe not desire that one shoulde sacrifice vnto them but vnto God the creator of all vnto whom they serue For therby they shewe how entire the loue is that they doe beare vnto vs for they pretende not to make vs subiecte vnto them thorowe sacrifice but vnto him throughe whose contemplation they are also blessed and they do go about to leade vs vnto him from whom they themselues are not turned Augustine of the Citie of God .8 booke Chapter .27 We doe not ordayne for the Martyrs temples neyther sacrifices of diuine seruice for they are not our God but their God is ours Truly we will honor their memorials as of the holye men of God which haue fought for the truth euen vnto death that true religion might bee knowne and that false religions might be vanquished Epiphanius agaynst the Colliridians The bodie of the virgin Marie was in dede holy neuerthelesse she was not god Of