by way of Commentaries and Illustrations on them hee composed many Volumes therein following Origen of whom he was a diligent admirer and imitator Hee flourished under Constantine the Great and Constantius about the yeere of our Lord 320. And after a long and studious life hee surrendred his soule into his Makers hands His Life was written by Accacius his Successour and Eusebius Bishop of Emesen His Apologie is to be found in his Workes sacr a lib. 2. hist. there collected Now appertaining to the understanding of the divine Scriptures are these Works following 1 All the Canonicall Books of the old Testament translated into Greek 2 Of Hebrew places one Book 3 Of the description of the Holy Land one Book 4 Of the doctrine of the Ancients and another of collections of Divinitie 5 Learned Commentaries literally and mystically on the whole Psalmes 6 Fifteene Bookes of Commentaries on Isaiah the Prophet 7 Thirty Volumes in defence of either Testament opposed by Porphyrie in fifteen Books 8 Of Evangelicall preparation five Books 9 Of Evangelicall demonstration twenty books 10 Of the dissonance of the Evangelists one Book 11 Of Evangelical Canons one Book 12 Commentaries on the first Epistle to the Corinths An. Christi 330. L. Caelius Lactantius Firmianus LACT FIRMIANVS I Doe not finde any mention of the parents Countrey or education of this Father nor is his fame and reputation therefore diminished seeing that hee is registred and numbred amongst the ancient Pillars of the Church for his Pietie and Learning and hee is sufficiently praysed by those pens whose worth and veritie have been approved in all ages It is no small credit to be enrolled amongst a cloud of so divine and pious Fathers I finde by the testimony of Saint Ierome that hee was the Scholer of Arnobius who in the Reigne of Dioclesianus the Emperour was together with Flaviâ—s the Grammarian cald to preferment and that hee publikely taught Rhetorick in Nicomedia Hee addicted himselfe to writing Bookes amongst other his workes Saint Ierome speakes these words of his Treatise of Gods Anger Edidit Lactantius librum qui inscribitur Grammaticus pulcherrimum de Ira Dei that is Lactantius set forth a booke called the Grammarian and another beautifull and faire piece of Gods Anger and indeed his subjects which hee treates of and the stile in which he writes are both excellent divine and fluent savouring of a minde that was truly mortified and intended to bring his Auditors to a resolved course of sanctification and pietie For piety and holinesse is the true knowledge of God it was never yet saith hee rewarded with punishment or shame For true piety preserveth and defendeth every vertuous man from shame The party to whom he dedicates the most of his Workes addes no small testimony to his parts and learning for most of them were inscribed to no lesse person than to Constantine the Great an Emperour whose fame doth and will for ever flourish in the Church if for no other cause than even for his pietie and studie to preserve the professors of the Gospell and for his bounty and liberality to the Bishops of his time as also for his building of Churches for divine worship and his valour and heroicke constancie in opposing Hereticks and Schismaticks who began to grow potent And Saint Ierome leaves him not thus but proceeds further in his divulging his prayses in the translation of Eusebius under Constantinus the Emperour in these words Lactantius quasi quidam fluvius Eloquentiae Tullianae Crispum filium Constantini Latinis literis â—rudivit vir omnium suo tempore eruditissimus that is This Lactantius flowed with Eloquence and was as abounding as Tully himselfe and as famous for his stile of Latine Hee was Tutor to Crispus the sonne of Constantine and learned him the Latine tongue A man in his time of all others the most learned and dexterous for the education of Princes and well and deeply seene in the points of Divinity and againe Lactantium propter eruditionem hic legendum that is Lactantius therefore is approvedly read for his singular Learning Quis mihi interdicere potest ne legam institutionum ejus libros quibus contra Genies fortissimè scripsit quos silegeris stylum Ciceronis excerptum reperies that is who can forbid me to reade his Bookes of Institutions which with such a noble and valorous resolution Lactantius published against the Heathens which if you doe reade you shall finde a pure elegant and eloquent phrase no whit inferiour to that of Cieero Platina gives this Lactantius also a faire commendation in these words and to the same effect His verò temporibus floruisse Firmianum Lactantium constat Arnobii Discipulum c. that is about these times flourished Firmianus â— actantius Arnobius his Scholler who taught Rhetoricke in Nicomedia who upon some disturbance left that profession betaking himself to writing in which hee was so excellent that next to Cicero he bore away the name from any other Writer Hee writ many famous Treatises full of judgment and discretion so that in his old age hee was for his rare parts appointed to be Tutor to Crispus the sonne of Constantinus the Emperour a place of great weight and estimation and of no lesse carefulnesse and wisdome which arguâ—â—h this Lactantius to be able in his parts or else hee would scarce have beene admitted to a place of that dignity Saint Augustine and Ierome in severall places are not sparing to commend this Lactantius the latter of them speakes that although his parts were great and his preferments eminent and large yet he died very poore and so lived not gaping or greedily pursuing worldly preferments of honour and riches but as one who was willing to count all as dung and drosse so that hee might gaine the eternall inheritance For a quiet and peaceable life ought to be preferred before all other things and should be the chiefest study and care of every man so that hee might passe his life time in joy and tranquillitie that his soule might bee free from anguish and trouble at his death For it is impossible for that man to be excellent both in riches of this world and in the practise of godlinesse Honour and riches are the occasions of all kindes of mischiefs for they doe draw and seduce a man out of the right way In the time of the great persecution of the Church of Christ under Dioclesianus the Emperour begun against the Christians as Eusebius relates it in the nineteenth yeere of Dioclesian in which there was cruell demolition of Churches and sacred Temples burning of holy and godly Books inhumane tortures and torments inflicted against the Christians so that where any were found that were pious and Christian they were fetcht and most severely martyred for the truth as Cardinall Baronius averres and indeed all other Ecclesiasticall Historians that though the Tempest raged horribly yet this worthy constant Father retain'd his piety and
Tome 4. 1 Of Lying two books 2 Of Faith and Works one book 3 Questions 10 books 4 Of the consent of the Evangelists foure books 5 83 Questions one book 6 21 Sentences one book 7 Questions to Simplicianus two books 8 To Dulcitius one book 9 Questions 65. 10 Questions of the old and new Testament 11 Of the care for the dead one book 12 Of Catechising the rude one book 13 Of the word incarnate two books 14 Of the Trinity and unitie one book 15 Of the Essence of the Divinitie one book 16 Of the Faith of Invisibles one book 17 Of the substance of Love one book 18 Of Continence one book 19 Of Patience 1 book 20 Of the good of Widdowhood one book 21 Of true and false repentance one book 22 Of wholsome documents one booke 23 Of Friendship one booke 24 Of the Lords Sermons in the Mount two bookes 25 Exposition of the Epistle to the Romans 26 Exposition of some propositions on the Romans one booke 27 Exposition on the Galatians 28 Annotations on Iob. Tome 5. 1 Of the City of God 22 bookes The occasion was by Romes devastation under Alaricus King of the Gothes 25. Tome 6. 1 Of Heresies I Book 2 Aspeech of 5 Heresies A Sermon to the unlearned 3 Against the Iewes 4 Of the Church and a Synagogue 6 Of the profit of Faith 1 book 7 Against an Epistle 1 b. 8 Of the 2 soules 1 b. 9 Against Fortunatus 1 b. 10 Against Adimantus 1 b. 11 Against Faustus 33 b. 12 Of the passages with Foelix the Manichee 2 b. 13 Against Secundinus 1 b. 14 Of the Nature of God 1 b. 15 Of Faith against the Manichees 1 b. 16 Against an adversary of the Law and Prophets 1 b. 17 Against Priscilianists and Origenists 1 b. 18 Against the Arians 1 b. 19 Against Maximinus 1 b. 20 Against Felicianus 1 b. 21 Against Jovinian 1 b. 22 Of holy Virginity 1 b. 23 To Polentius 2 b. 24 A Tract of Epicures and Stoikes 25 Of that saying I am that I am a Tract Tome 7. 1 Against Donatus 1 b. 2 Against Parmenianus 3 b. 3 Against Petilianus 3 b. 4 Against Cresconius 4 b. 5 Again Gaudentius 4 b. 6 Against the Donatists 7 b. 7 Against Petilianus of Baptisme 1 b. 8 Of the Churches unity 1 b. 9 Briefe Discourses of Donatists 1 b. 10 Of Emeritus passages 1 b. 11 Against Fulgentius 1 b. 12 Of pardon of sinnes 3 b. 13 Of Nature and Grace 1 b. 14 Of the grace of Christ and of originall sinne 2 b. 15 Of Marriages 2 b. 16 Against the Pelagians 4 b. 17 Against Julianus 6 b. 18 Of the soule 4 b. 19 Of Perseverance 1. b. 20 Of Predestination 1 b. 21 Of Grace 1 b. 22 Against the Pelagians 6 b. 23 Against Caelestinus 1 b. 24 Of the Acts of Pelagius 1 b. Tome 8. A Tract upon al Davids Psalmes Tome 9. 1 On Saint John 124 bookes 2 On the first Epistle of John ten bookes 3 On the Apocalyps 18 bookes 4 Meditations 1. love of God 1. Soliloquies 1. a Mauâ—el 1. 5 Of Christian Discipline one booke 6 The sinners looking-glasse 7 Of the praise of Charity 8 Of Pastors 9 A Psalter to his Mother 10 Of the Tree of good and evill 11 Of the profit of Fasting 12 Of the fight of the soule 13 Of the destruction of the City Tome 10. 1 Of our Lords Words Hom. 64. 2 Of the Apostles Words 35. 3 Fifty Homilies 1. 4 Of Time Homilies 256. 5 Of Saints 51. 6 To his Brethren in the Wildernesse 76. 7 Of Clergy mens lives two bookes 8 Sermons newly printed 128. These are the fruits of this Fathers labour he who desires to know which are truely Saint Augustines and which are suspected for adulterine let him read Cardinall Bellarmines observations de scriptoribus Ecclesiastiâ—is in the life of Saint Augustine but these doe shew what a painfull labourer he was in the Vineyard of the Lord. He dyed in the yeare of Grace 430. An. Christi 432. Sanctus Cyrillus Alexand. S CIRILLVS ALEXAND THis eminent Father of the Church was Bishop of Alexandria a Grecian by Nation famous for his actions done in the Church As for his parentage no doubt but that also was in some sort suitable to his breeding for Theophilus the late Archbishop of Alexandria was his owne Uncle whom also hee succeeded in that See but not without opposition Some stood for one Timothy then Archdeacon of Alexandria others came in for this Cyrill partly because of his neere alliance to this former Archbishop who they esteemed highly and reverenced for his sanctitie and holinesse of life but chiefly because this Cyrill was a generall Scholer and one well qualified with all temporall vertues much adoe there was on both sides yet at three days end this good man obtained it and was conducted to the Episcopall Chaire with greater state than ever any Bishop that was at Alexandria He was vir doctus sanctus a learned and a holy man of life by Pope Celestines injunction he â—ate President in the Councell at Ephesus amongst two hundred Bishops in which with a great deal of learning and judgement hee absolutely confuted and condemned those two arch disturbers of the Churches peace Nestorius and Pelagius hee was admirably experienced in the holy Scriptures he flourished chiefly under the raigne of Theodosius the yonger â—Ì„ one gives him this faire Encomium Nestorii omnia occulta venena refellit he discovered all the secret poison of Nestorius There are some who have related that hee was a Monk a Carmelite as Tritenhem but Baronius the Cardinall doth absolutely hold that to be a ridiculous opinion for these are Baronins his own words Facessat igitur ejusmodi fabella de Moâ—achismo Cyrilli in Carmelo that fained fable of Cyrillus being a Monke of Mount Carmel falls to the ground and indeed it is strange that St. Hierome Palladius Euagrius Cassianus Theodoret with others that often mention the Monks that liv'd in Palaestine at that time yet not so much as once remember this great Father of the Church and indeed I doe much wonder that the Great Cardinall Baronius would condemne that Tenet if there had been but probabilitie of truth in it it making for their cause But to proceed this famous Cyrill was so admired for his singular piety eloquence and wit that Gennadius reports that the Grecian Bishops got some of his Homilies by heart and so recited them to the people with wonderfull delight and approbation and truly besides many other things which are reported of him to his praise let this also be one that Iohn the third King of Sweden gives him when as hee was sent into England by his brother Ericus then King When the Commentaries of Saint Cyrill upon the holy Gospell of Saint Iohn were delivered to his hands and hee had read them hee plainly and ingenuously confest that many new Writers had much swayed him but
from al the parts of the Christian World No generall Councell for a long time after wherein the very name of Cyrill was not precious as in that of Chalcedon after the repetition of the Nicene Creed they all cryed out This was Saint Cyrils Doctrine thus he beleeved this is true faith indeed and thus wee all believe blessed bee the memoriall of Cyril of Alexandria Yet the perfidious Nation of the Iewes dwelling within this City grew very tumultuous upon this second blow where after many mutinous uproares much slaughter having drawn a great party to their side to maintaine their tenents they tooke a Christian Boy and in derision of Christ they hung him on a Crosse mocked at him spit on him buâ—ffeâ—ed him and at last cruelly whipped him to death the Christians hereupon made head against the Iewes and the good Bishop himselfe all on fire with zeale for the Name of Christ leades on to their Synagogues where some of them were put to the sword the rest banished and all the spoile of their goods divided amongst the people and yet this is not all sedition and privy conspiracy of the Iewes false Doctrine and Heresie of the Novatians and Anthropomorphites being thus removed hee looked more neare home by reducing those Christians that were any way dissolute into better order by information of the simple by comforting the afflicted and by relieving the poore and needy as may appeare by his Sermons to the people upon severall occasions This and much more not unlike a Ship in the midst of a tumultuous Sea was the state of this reverend Prelate during the first foure yeares of his government at Alexandria So we may perceive that his paines were great and his care for the Churches good deserves perpetuall commendation And who shall read his Workes will finde them well stored with all sorts of Learning And here I can but observe two passages worth observation first that the Devil doth at all times strive to destroy the Church of of God and labours to sow Heresies and Schismes in the midst of it Secondly that it hath alwayes pleased GOD to stirre up at all times and upon aâ—l occasions some men who have resisted the malice of all opposers and have proved themselves resolute Champions in the truths cause so Athanasius against the Arrians so this Saint Cyrill against Nestorius and Pelagius Magna est Veritas praevalebit Hell gates shall not prevaile against it this House the Church being the Pillar of truth shall stand because it is builded on a rock which rock is Christ. After forty two yeeres government this Noble and Orthodoxe Father this great starre of Alexandria began at last to twinkle and yielded to death having sweat hard and laboured extraordinary for the space of twenty two yeeres in that Vineyard hee received the earnest peny of salvation in the yeere of Christ 448 and in the Reigne of Theodosius the younger Cyrillus his Sayings Cyrillus Alexand. de Fest. Pasch. Homil. 16. Wee must as it were graspe any occasion of doing well in both our hands nor let slip those precious opportunities wherein wee may doe good If a Seaman lose but the opportunity of a good gale hee is cast behind in the Voyage if the Husbandman neglect the season of the yeer he may sit at home and pick straws and if any who hath a Christian calling shall be a cunctator in Religion and procrastinate those more speciall employments I judge him fit for all reprehension and to undergoe such inconveniences as shal be conducible to such a negligent and carelesse condition Idem in Fest. Paschal Homil. 27. Admiration the Rich man wanteth in the midst of his abundance is more tormented with care than other taketh up the beggars note and cryeth out O what shall I doe yea rather how shall I dispose of my goods Where shall I lay them I have a plentifull crop this yeere and there is now a world of labourers in my harvest my Vineyard swels with store of Grapes and the Wine presse runs over with abundance here 's all things in plentifull manner yea but then life fails him what becomes then of his goods nay what becomes of himselfe better had it beene to have made the bellies of the poore his barns succoured the fatherlesse and needy to have laid up his treasure in heaven that so he might have beene received into everlasting habitations Idem adversus Anthropomorphitas cap. 2. Where the Scripture wants a tongue of expression we need not lend an eare of attention we may safely knock at the Councell doore of Gods secrets but if we goe further we may be more bold then welcome Idem de vita hom justificati The divell runs with open mouth upon Gods children seeking to devoure them they manfully resist him he thinketh to weaken their faith and they by his assaults are made so much the stronger he fights against them but they gain ground upon him and so by this meanes whatsoever he intendeth for their destruction ful sore against his will makes for their advantage Idem contra Julianum lib. 3. The great Creatour of all things forcing what would come to passe steps in betweene life and death how hee nips one in the bud newly grown ripe for heaven there an other to prevent the evill to come this man he frees from the miseries of a sinfull life that man hee suffers to goe on that he may fill up the measure of his wickednesse thus to God the Lord belong the issues of death but thanks bee given to God that affordeth us this comfort through Jesus Christ our Lord. Idem de Fortitudine quae in Christo est lib. 5. Hee that 's taken up with the pompes and vanities of this wicked world is one of the Devils Champions not worthy to bee listed under the Regiment of Christ Jesus the Captain of his salvation As for his Writings they were such as the whole Christian World at that time approved in so much that the Grecian Bishops got his Homilies by heart and so repeated them to the people his name became memorable for the Eastern and Western Churches have made room for it in their Calenders with this adjunct The Champion of the Catholike Faith But his Writings have the more eterniz'd him such as were printed at Paris 1605. Tome 1. 1 Explanations to the literall and mysticall sence on Genesis eleven books 2 On Leviticus 1â— books 3 On Esay five books 4 On Saint Johns Gospell 12 books 5 Sayings on the old Testament Anagogically explained Collected out of Cyrill Maximus and others 6 A booke against the Jewes with questions 7 Short explanations of those who flourished before the Law Tome 2. 1 Epistles of Saint Cyrill to divers with their answers to him 39 books 2 Homilies of the Incarnation being 10 books 3 An Apologie to Theodosius the Emperour 4 A Declaration of the twelve Anathematismes 5 An Apologeticall book for his Anathemaes 6 Another
the Historian came to see him so did Sulpitius Severus who highly commended him Apodemius out of France with many others with him Hee was full of Eloquence but hee that will read Erasmus commendation of him will admire how one man should be so generally expert in such rare gifts Quis docet apertius quis delectat urbanius quis movet efficacius quis laudat candidius quis suadet gravius quis hortatur ardentius c. that is who teaches more distinctly who delights more modestâ—â— who moves more effectually who prayses more candidly who perswades more gravely who exhorts more ardently Dalmatia Pannonia Italy may boast of him Stridon rejoyceth in him for bringing so great a Light to the world Italy comforts her selfe in three respects First that she instructed him next that shee baptized him lastly that shee reserves his bones as a memoriall of him France is glad that hee sent Epistles to her inhabitants all the world may bee comforted in having such an excellent Bulwark for the truth all ages and sexes may get profit out of his Volumes the best wit may hee helpe and all cannot but praise him except Heretikes whom hee detested Heare but what Trithemius speaks of him Vir in saecularibus valde eruditus in divinis Scripturis inter omnes doctores eruditissimus c. that is Hee was a man well seene in secular Learning but in Divinitie he carries the chiefe fame amongst all the Doctours of the Church famous for the knowledge in Languages he was the rooter out of all Hereticks the defender of the Truth a labourer in Vertue an hater of Vice a true Meditatour on Gods Law Baronius doth commend him deeply as you may read in his Annals So doth Prosper Sentences out of Saint Hierome Vpon Heresies Dead flesh is to bee cut off for feare of Gangreenes the scab'd sheepe is not to be admitted into the Fold lest it defile corrupt and spoile others Arrius at first was but as a sparkle but because he was not at first suppressed he proved the incendiary of the whole Church Of Innocence Wee must be like to children who forget hurts who doe not retaine anger look not on beauty to lust after it doth not speak one thing and think another so unlesse wee have puritie and such innocence we shall not enter Heaven Of Gods Word If according to the Apostle Christ is the power and the wisdome of God then hee that knows not the Scriptures knows not the power of God hee that is ignorant of Gods Word knows not Christ. Of simplicitie Thou must be a Dove and a Serpent the one not to doe hurt to others the other not to be hurt by others Vpon disgrace The Sonne of God endured the shamefull death of the Crosse and dost thou think to follow him and be where hee is and live here in pleasures Vpon Women Womens beauty is not to be respected but their chast modesty shee is truly chast who hath liberty and opportunitie to sinne and will not E duris ad placida He used to say of himselfe that whether hee did eat or drinke or whatsoever else he did that horrible voice was ever in his eares Surgite mortui venite ad jâ—dicium Arise you dead and come forth to judgement He saith the first Adam sinned by a Tree whereby we were lost and our second Adam to redeeme us dyed on a Tree If Adam was cast out of paradise for one sin O Lord what shall become of a sinner that hath a world of sins All Vertues are so united together that hee that wants one wants all and therefore hee that hath one hath all Whatsoever it is a shame to speake it is a shame also to thinke therefore the safest and perfectest course is to accustome the minde to watch over the thoughts and at their first motion either to approve or reject them that so good cogitations may be cherished and the bad extinguished Beware that thou hast not an itching tongue or eares Doe not detract from others nor harken unto them that doe detract from others He that doth afflict his body and yet forsake concord doth prayse God in the Cymball but doth not prayse him in the Quire He that gives almes to a poore sinner is truly mercifull For nature is to be respected not the person For he that gives to a poore sinner not as hee is a sinner but as hee is a man hee doth not relieve a sinner but a man Christ was a sacrifice ordained for our reconciliation and if thou dost contemne the mystery of the Sacrament thou contemnest the remedy contained in the Sacrament A just and valiant man should neither be deject in adversity nor puft up with prosperity but in both estates should be moderate When the body is strong the soule is weake and again when the body is weake the soule is strong The kingdome of Heaven suffers violence for it is great violence that men borne on earth should seek Heaven by vertue possesse it whereunto they have no right by nature I have here set out his Works as they are recorded by the Edition set forth 1567 contained in nine Tomes Tome 1. 1 Hortatory Epistles 42 2 To Heliodorus 3 To Rusticus and Laeta 4 To Salvina 5 To Ageruchia two Epistles 6 To Paulinus 7 To Paula 8 To Eustochius 3 Epistles 9 To Paulus Concordiensis 10 To Theophilus of Alexandria 11 To Castrutius 12 To Exuperantius 13 To Julianus 14 To the Virgins of Hermon 15 To Ruffinus 16 To Chromatius to Antonius of shunning suspected places 17 To Sabinianus Nepotianus 18 To Florentius Demetriades 19 To Furia Gaudentius 20 To Caelantia Eustochius two Epistles 21 To Lucinius Abigaus 22 To Julianus Castorina 23 To Theodosius Augustine 24 To Nycaeas Chrysogonus 25 To Rusticus 26 Twelve funerall Epistles in prayse of many Tome 2. 1 Against Heretikes 2 Helvidius Jovinianus 3 Apologie for his bookes against Jovinian 4 Apologie to Domnio 5 To Pammachius 6 Against Vigilantius 7 Against the same one booke 8 To Marcella against Montanus 9 Against the Luciferians 10 Originists 11 Against John of Jerusalem 12 To Pammachius to Theophilus 13 Apologies against Ruffinus three books 14 To Câ—esiphon against Pelagius 15 Against the Pelagians three books 16 Thirty Epistles of divers Arguments 17 Eight Epistles to Hierome Tome 3. 1 Prefaces and explication of questions 2 To Paulinus 3 Prefaces on the Pentateuch 4 On Jonah Kings Chronicles Esdras Tobiah Judith Hester Job Proverbs Ecclesiastes Canticles Esaiah Jeremiah Ezekiel Daniel 5 Twelve prophets and foure Evangelists 6 Then follow the explication of questions propouÌ„ded by divers as Damasus Dardanus Vitalis Amandus Miverius Alexander Cyprian Paula Euagrius Marcella Sophronius Hedibia Principia Fabiola Ruffinus Sunia Fretella Algasia Paulinus Desiderius 7 Then follow some questions out of Hebrew on Genesis Chronicles Kings 8 Also books of Hebrew names which are in the Old or New Testament
and slavery and got some of them to bee released from their torments Titus did so love him that he gave him great Possessions and Revenues and tooke him as his Companion when hee went for Rome Where hee was received with a great deale of Honour not only of Titus but of Vespasianus himselfe and Domitianus and his Empresse and had an Annuall pension very large given him by the Emperour and it was not taken from him during life he lived in Titus his owne Court in great esteeme but not without the envy of his own Nation his second Wife was of Creta a Iewesse and nobly descended by whom hee had two sonnes Nay even Domitianus himselfe continued favourable unto him and punished with death some of his Accusers Hee was excellent for Philosophy and Rhetorick and a famous Historiographer for his time he was for the excellencie of his Wit and Learning and singular uprightnesse of life much admired of the Senate and People of Rome though being a Iew yet hee did highly prayse Christians and gave a famous Testimony of our Lord Iesus Christ as you may read in his Works His Workes were so prized that they with great care were put into the publike Library by the Romans and hee after his death had a Statue of Brasse set up for him by the Senate and people of Rome His life was long and full of paine and labour for hee lived under Vespasian and Titus even to the times of Trajan in the hundred yeere after Christ. Eusebius is large in his praise and so is Ruffinus and Hierome and Nicephorus also and others and amongst all the turmoils of warre and destruction of his Country hee set time to write worthy things which the Church of God even to this day doe greatly esteeme for their reality fidelity and truth and here are registred as Eusebius hath exprest them 1 Of the Jews Antiquities 20 Books 2 Of the Wars of the Jews in seven Books which hee not onely writ in Greeke but also in his owne Language 3 Against Appion the Grammarian two accurate Books Of the force of Rhetorick one Book So after all things enjoying the love both of the Emperour and Citizens of Rome he departed this fraile and transitory life and had solemne Funerall Rites performed for him and was generally lamented of all good men An. Christi 71. S. Ignatius S. IGNATIVS IN the writing of this Fathers life I cannot but reverence his Antiquitie and admire his Christian fortitude he is of such ancient extraction that he was one of those that enjoyed that for which Saint Augustine wished that is to have seene the Lord Iesus in the flesh and though he did not as old Simeon take him up in his armes yet he beheld him with his eyes and embraced him with his heart and at last for his Name sake endured constant Martyrdome and indeed it was a great happinesse to behold Christ who was the hope of all and therefore he himselfe spoke it that even Kings and Prophets have desired to see the same This great Star of the Church is by other Reverend Fathers reputed to have been twelve yeeres old when our Saviour suffered Hee was the third Bishop of Antioch after Saint Peter or as Eusebius saith the second A man singular for his Pietie renowmed for his Love and Zeale Dionysius the Areopagite Saint Bernard and others report a famous saying of Saint Ignatius which hee uttered with sighes and is extant in his Epistle to the Romans and it is this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Amor meus crucifixus est That is My Love is crucified Either understanding by the word Love his Saviour Christ whom hee so dearly loved or else meaning that all his Affections of this World were crucified that is dead in him according to that of Saint Paâ—l Galat. 6. 14. The world is crucified unto mee and I unto the world And no question but that our Saviour was planted deeply in his soul and for certainty that he did see Christ after his Resurrection take his own words Ego verò post resurrectionem in carne â—um vidi credo quia sit And truly I did see after his Resurrection in the flesh and I do believe that it is He and hee sets down the time and persons when and before whom it was Et quando venit ad Petrum adeos qui cum Petro erant It was when hee came to Peter and to those that then were with him hee said Touch and see for a spirit hath not flesh and bones as you see mee have and they touched him and believed so that his own words are sufficient proofs but yet it is the consent of all the Church Historians as Eusebius and Saint Ierome testifie and Ruffinus As hee was led through Asia with great circumspection by ten Souldiers hee strived to do good in all places whither hee came for it may be said of him as of the Apostles That they went about and confirmed the Churches even so this godly Ignatius with holy Discourses and pious exhortations did establish the Churches in his Travels and chiefly because at this time Heresies began to be broached hee gave them speciall warning that they should beware and shun them keeping the Gospell of Jâ—sus Christ which they had received with simplicitie and sincerity And that they should Mordicus adhaerescere Traditioni Apostolorum Cleave close to the doctrine and tradition of the Apostles which that it might be truly kept for ever hee thought it fit to be written out he is stiled Divinus Ignatius Inclytissimus ferventissimus Martyr that is Divine Ignatius a most famous and fervent Martyr Nay Nicephorus goes beyond that title and cals him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one that saw God and one that was carried of God For when he was a Child Nicephorus reports that our Saviour would take him up and shew him to his Disciples And it may be that this was one of the little Children that were brought to Christ to touch them and why not that Childe that Jesus took and set in the midst of them to learne them Humility hee long time lived with the Apostle and succeeded Euodius whom Saint Paul mentions in the Bishoprick of Antioch on a time in a Trance he saw a Vision of Angels praising the blessed Trinitie in distinct courses alternis Carminibus by singing of Verses by turnes Whereupon he did bring into the Church of Antioch the forme of Antiphonies or Anthemes and from that the other Churches even to this day do observe them Hee sate Bishop of Antioch nine yeeres in which time he did maynly build up the Church of his Saviour being alwayes wondrous strict in reproving Superstition and Idolatry in so much that hee did not spare to reprehend the superstition of the Emperour Trajan himselfe who then was at Antioch and for that very cause commanded him to be carried to Rome to be torne and devoured
Iohn and Bishop of Smyrna when Anicetus governed the Roman Church in the Reigne of M. Antoninus and Lucius Aurelius Commodus being Proconsul This Polycarpe came to Rome and had great conference with Anicetus about the Celebration of Easter as Irenaeus doth testifie and in his third Book against Heresies he speaks largely in his prayse and commendation This Polycarpe was instituted by the Apostles themselves and had great familiarity with them which had seene the Lord Jesus in the flesh hee was sent into Asia and there was made Bishop and lived a long while to a very ripe age so that the Almond-tree did flourish in his gray haires Hee was wonderfull in esteeme and repute for his reverend gravity and chiefly because hee taught nothing but what hee learned of the Apostles themselves and what the Catholike Church delivered and such points onely as were really true and orthodox And this all the Churches of Asia manifest and all the Bishops which succeeded him in that great dignitie Hee was not as Valentinus or Marcion but testis fidelis veritatis constansque a faithfull and a constant witnesse to the truth nay by his powerfull wisdome and singular piety he recall'd and did reduce many from Heresie and Errour It is reported for certain that Iohn the Lords Disciple and he going to a Bath at Ephesus and espying Cerinthus an Heretick in it that he said fugiamus ocyus c. Let us depart for feare lest the Bath wherein the Lords Adversary is doe suddenly dispatch us which indeed he had just cause to feare forasmuch as the places where wicked men are in a manner seeme to detest their wickednesse so that one of the Fathers made hast out of the house of a wicked man and soon after it fell to the ground Thus this holy man Polycarpus shewed a great zeale vigor of spirit for the defence of the truth And indeed those Primitive Fathers were very circumspect and cautious how they kept company with those whom they thought not to be sound in the faith imitating that rule of Saint Paul An Heretick after the first and second admonition shunne knowing that such an one is fallen away being condemned in his own conscience It is to be wondred to thinke how constant and couragious these Primitive Fathers were in their sufferings For they were not disheartned when their bowels were ript up when they rubd with shels and rough stones when their very heart-strings were crackt in the fire when there were beasts appointed to teare them nay per quodcunque supplieiorum genus whatsoever punishment was laid upon them they did rejoyce in the middest of them and so did this Polycarpus and Germanicus and Ignatius This blessed Martyr when the Heathens did cry out quaeratur Polycarpus kept his countenance and resolution so firme that it bred amazement in his Friends who would have had him gone out of the City into some place to avoid the fury of his Adversaries but hee continued in devout prayers night and day for the Church of God and for its peace hee did foretell to his Friend that hee should die in the flames for the Lord Jesus when as they that came to apprehend were entred something neere the place where hee was his Friends advised him to depart which hee easily might have done but would not and said Domine fiat voluntas tua Lord let thy will be done And so came to them whose countenance when they beheld they were abashed much but he commanded meat to be set before them and intreated them to eat heartily and desired them to give him respite but for one houre onely in which he prayed most fervently for the pardon of all his sinnes and for the Catholike Church and so was upon a solemne day brought into the Citie Herod being Prefect disswaded him not to suffer that death but to recant and to enjoy life and liberty he constantly after a little pause told him plaine hee would not yield to his suggestions which when they saw they drove him in a Chariot with violence to the place of Martyrdome and broke his leg in the journey but comming before the Proconsul he did aske him whether he was Polycarpus or not to whom he answered resolutely that hee was then hee bad him deny Christ and sweare by the Emperour to whâ—m Polycarpe replyed Octoginta sex annos illi jam inservivi c. I have served him these eighty six yeares and all this time hee never did mee any hurt how can I then speake ill of my King who hath kept me â—afe so long a time and cleerly did professe himselfe to be a Christian â—hen the Proconsull told that hee had beasts in readinesse to devoure him and Polycarpus answered Bring them for I am ready then the Proconsull said to him that he would tame him in the flames but Polycarpus told him that they were but momentany and that he neither feared beasts nor fire nor any other punishment Sâ— when they did see that hee would not be frighted they all with fury cryed out Iste Asiae Doctor Christianorum pater deorum nostrorum eversor This is the Doctor of Asia this is the Father of Christians this is hee that speaks against our gods and will not worship them So the fire being made hee was cast into it but it was a strange thing that the fire would not burne him but hee gave a smell as if of sweete Odours and Confections till at last they ranne him through the bowels with a sword and there issued our so great a quantity of bloud that it amazed them all and extinguished the flame Such was his holy detestation of Hereticks and Enemies to the Religion of Christ that when Marcion an Arch-heretick but one of his acquaintance met him in the street at Rome and wondring that he took no notice of him said unto him Dost thou not know mee Polycarpus yea said he I know thee well thou art the eldest sonne unto the Devill When the Proconsul had urged Polycarpus as much as in him lay to deny Christ Hee made this answer to him as before I have served him eighty six yeeres and hee hath not once hurt mee and shall I now deny him And when hee was come to the place of his Martyrdome the stake being fastned in the ground and the wood ready to be kindled they began to tie him to the stake with iron chains and he required to stand untied saying Let mee alone I pray you for hee that gave mee strength to come to this fire will also give mee patience to abide in the same without your tying Indeed that man which is accustomed to patience will never quit or forsake any place for any pain or trouble whatsoever for the paines and perplexities that good and vertuous men doe endure and suffer doe as it were prick them forwards to have a more earnest desire to loath and to leave this wretched and sinfull World whose sweetest pleasures as the wise man
his reigne but the ancient Martyrologies affirme that Saint Denis suffered martyrdome under Hadrianus as Cardinall Baronius hath well and judiciously obserued it And so secondly we may conclude safely that Denis lived one hundred and ten yeers His writings are extant yet not without some scruple or doubting howbeit those of the best judgment give good reason why they are his I will not rehearse any of those great Miracles which the papists doe ascribe to him however I must not neglect to recite unto you his works being so loftie and divine and relishing of a Spirit which was ruled by the Dictate of the Holy Ghost And indeed I could bee large if I should but recite the Testimonies of all Ecclesiasticall Writers who have commended this godly martyr Bellarmine saith that hee used often that saying of Ignatius of Christ Amor meus crufixus est that is to say My love and delight is crucified His Sentences follow And his Works as Cardinall Bellarmine hath registred them He used to say that hee desired of God but two things first to know the truth himselfe Secondly to preach it as he should to others No lesse observable was his speech to Timothy Hadst thou seene the Saints agonies at that time as I did speaking of their cruell persecutions of him thou couldst not but weep considering the sentence denounced against them that Peter was crucified and Paul beheaded that multitudes of the common Rabble smiting them did spit in their faces and it is worthy the remembring that at their parting after they had received the sentence of death from the Magisâ—rate Paul said to Peter Peace beâ— with thee thou Foundation of the Church and Shepherd of Christs Lambs and Sheep And Peter to Paul Go in peace thou Preacher of good things thou Mediator and Captain of our Salvation and chiefest Labourer in the Lords Harvest But at their departure saith he did follow my Master Paul And in the same Epistle Observe a Miracle my brother Timothy not to be slightly passed over I who was present at their parting after their death saw them hand in hand entring into the gates of the Citie clothed with a garment of light and wearing on their heads glorious Crowns 1 Of the Celestiall Hierarchie 1 Book 2 Of the Ecclesiasticall Hierarchie 1 Book 3 Of Divine Names 1. 4 Of Mysticall Divinity 1. 5 Epistles to Caius 4. 6 To Dorotheus 1. 7 To Sosipater 1. 8 To Polycarpus 1. 9 To Demophilus 1. 10 To Titus 1. 11 To Apollophanes 1 12 To John the Apostle 1. To confirme that these Works were his it is sufficient that they were allowed of Saint Gregory the Great in his 33 Homily on the Gospels and not only of him but of divers others who have writ of him as St. Maximus and others An. Christi 150. Iustinus Martyr IVSTINVS MARTER LOoke upon this effigies and you behold an acute Philosopher a Judicious Divine a constant Martyr a stout shield of the Christian Faith an Elegant ancient and eloquent Writer in the defence of the Truth Whom many of the Fathers have highly esteemed and deepely praised as Photius in his Book entituled the Library and Eusebius in his Ecclesiastical History S. Ierom likewise reckons him none of the meanest amongst those famous Champions of the Church so Epiphanius terms him Vir sanctus Dei a man an holy man and a lover of God Anastasius Paulus Orosius in his seventh Book and fifth Chapter and Plinius secundus in his Epistles in the tenth booke But Photius doth amongst the rest give and afford him a large Eulogie it begins in these words Est autem vir ille ad Philosophiae tum nostrae tum potissimum prophanae summum evectus fastigium c. which is That this man came to a great height not onely of our philosophy but also of that which is counted prophane flowing in the copiousnesse and abundance of all sorts of learning and histories and knew very well how to beautifie and adorn his words with Rhetoricall expressions Hence was it that hee was so able to deliver his mind in apt termes and significant phrases so that those things that came from him were wonderfull emphaticall patheticall and significant and work'd much upon the souls of his Auditors Hee was sonne to Prisâ—us Bacchius hee was borne in a certain little Towne in the province of Palestine called Naples But hee tooke great delight in Rome and therefore hee chose that to be the seat of his residence where both in speech life and habit he professed himselfe a Philosopher but he made his philosophy subservient to his sacred studie of divinity and would say He kept it for use and that in his studies he found great profit by it Tritenhemius the famous Abbat of Spanheim in his collections of the ancient fathers doth give this Iustin Martyr a very good report for he cals him Christi amatorem cultorem insignem a great lover and worshipper of Christ Jesus Cardinall Bellarmine and Baronius doe both highly prayse and exâ—oll him for his Learning in their Writings especially Baronius in his Annals doth commend him because Hee was the first Champion that set himself against the dangerous Heretick Marcion His words are these Caeterum non defuerunt qui statim adversus Marcionis venena pararent antidotum praestilit id quidem omnium primus Iustinus Martyr that is There wanted not those that presently prepared antidotes against the poyson and venome of â—arcion but the first that undertooke the cause was Iustin Martyr Nay hee not onely prayses him for that according to his due merit but also for his valour and prudence in discovering the Heresie of the Valentinians he cites Tertullian adversus Valent cap. 4. 5. to utter these words Viri sanctitate praestantia Insignes Haeresiarcharum contemporales instructissimis voluminibus prodiderunt retardarunt ut Iustinus Martyr There were men famous for sanctity worth and excellencie who by their dexterous Writings supprest the Heresie of Valentinus as Iustin Martyr so that it easily doth appeare that he did not onely suffer much for his Saviours cause but also did much study and accustome himself to defend it against all oppositions in his time For custome is a second nature and when the soule takes delight in any vertue it is gain'd upon by an usuall and customary iteration He began to flourish in the Reigne of Antoninus Pius and in the time of Telesphorus as doth appeare by his Apologie which hee dedicates to the same Emperour wherein hee grievously complains against the Prâ—consul in Asia because he did with such extream crueltie persecute the poore Christians with the sword as was thought against the minde of that good Emperour who was calme and gentle towards them and would not suffer them to read any Books of the Prophets which spoke of Christ upon pain of death But this Iustin Martyr lays him open to the Emperour and saith
it was Opera instinctu malorum Daemonum ut per timorem homines ab ill is absterrerentur By the helpe â—nd instinct of the Devils to skarre and affright men from reading such Books as would learn them goodnesse and happinesse Hee got much reâ—ute by being so constant against Idâ—lâ—try and Superstition and by perswading the Gentiles to leave it as a vaine and unprofitable service and declared unto them the exceâ—lency and benefit of the true worship of God so that hee did cause many to come out of that miserable condition and cherefully to embrace the Faith of our Saviour Christ crucified But to conclude the Bibliotheca veterum Patrum doth sufficiently speake for him and register his worth and parts to succeeding Ages One of the first after the apostles times whose writings wee enjoy was Iustin Martyr who florished in the time of Antoninus Pius and his successors Marcus Aurelius and Lucius Verus And in his apology to the senate and people of Rome he writes that there were from the nativity of Christ 150 yeares to his daies Hee did not live free from malicious men But the chiefe of all his adversaries and accusers Qui carbone notandus was Crefcens a Cynick Philosopher but no ways deserving the name who was a man of a corrupted life and wholly addicted and given up to Luxury and Gluttony and many other vices hee was the incarnate Devill that never left off his accusation of this worthy Instrument and at last by his malice and envy got opportunity against him because he was a faithfull Christian. It is observed that the envious man doth not beare envy so much to the persons of those whom they envy as they do to the good things which are in them Envy indeed is the Mistris of injustice and it inciteth both the thought and the hand to all kinde of ill and wicked actions for when the condition of another man is just upright and cheerfull then is envy most plotting and contriving sad and sorrowfull And whosoever beareth envy to any good man and doing well it may well be said of him That he is not only envious to the Common-wealth but to himselfe also and in the end will be his own destruction It is a principall point of wisedome truly to know how to esteeme of life for hee that esteemeth and loveth his life for the love of it selfe he lives not but to live But a wise man lives no longer then that his life may be worth more then his death A great part of life is lost to those that dâ— ill a greater to those that doe nothing and all to those that do that they should not do But the actions of a well grounded and advised man tend alwayes to some certain and good end and what he purposeth hee bringeth to perfection because his intendments end in performances of good and vertuous conclusions This Iustin Martyr used to say of the Christians in his time that which the soule is in the body that are Christians in the World for as the soule is in the body but not of the body so do Christians dwell in the World but are no part of it He had divers other Sayings especially these two First It is best of all not to sinne it is next to that to amend upon the punishment Secondly That it is the greatest slavery in the World to be subject to ones own passions But moderate passions are the most affable expressions of humanity passions must not be too fierie nor yet too dull but there ought to be a mean betwixt both For the first are like Horses that endanger those that ride them and the later prove a trouble to the Guide The one will not be backt by any and the other will be abused by any a good temper is a sure expression of a well composed Soule Therefore the onely way to live worthily and die with prayse is to be noble in our actions honest in our intentions and temperate in our tongues But this envy though of a long continuance no whit daunted Iustin for hee did suffer his Martyrd me cheerfully and willingly surrendred his soule into his Saviours protection Saying My life is neere finished and while I lived I made my chiefest study the only trumpet of his glory These Works are knowne to be his 1 A Dialogue with Triphon the Jew 2 An Apologie to the Roman Senate 3 An Apologie to Antoninus Pius 4 An Oration to the Gentiles 5 Of Monarchy 6 An exposition of Faith and the true confession of it 7 An Epistle to Zeno and Serenus 8 An Epistle to Diognetus 9 A Booke of Questions from Christians to the Gentiles with Answers 10 An explication of those questions which the Gentiles propounded to the Christians 11 Some Answers to some necessary Questions 12 A reproofe of certaine Sentences of Aristotle More questions to the Gentiles about God and the Resurrection of the Dead These be averr'd to be his by Eusebius Nicephorus Zozomâ—n Baronius Bellarmine and Bibliotheca Patrum Perionius and Tritenhemius and also by Robert Stephan in his last Edition An. Christi 170. Sanctus Irenaeus S. IRENAEVS IT is hard to finde out the Country parents the time of the birth and the habitation of Irenaeus in his yong yeeres But it is certaine hee was Bishop of Lions and a famous Writer and Martyr Oâ—â—umenius saith he was a Frenchman but most do take him to be of Asia a Grecian not a Latine as Cardinall Bellarmine and others because he was a constant Auditor to Polycarpus Bishop of Smyrna and his name doth denote him a Grecian and his Writings were Greeke not Latine if we will give credit to Iustin Martyr Eusebius Basil Epiphanius Ierome Theodoret Melissus Anastatius and Damascen His exquisite skill and dexterity in searching into the secrets of Heresies doth sufficiently manifest that hee was excellent for Philosophy For usually Heresies have had their springing from Philosophy his acute and witty Disputations with them and his cleere refutation of them do speake his learning besides the Order and Method hee uses with the Prefaces before his Books besides his demonstrating how that Heresies have not onely oppositions and some contradictions in themselves but that they do plainly thwart and crosse the truth of all Churches and the Writings of the Prophets Apostles and Evangelists which hee proves in his first and foure last Books but the nineteenth Chapter of his second Booke manifests his generality of Learning First by refuting all their sophisticated arguments and ungrounded positions which hee proves to be onely fetcht out of the Fables of Poets and Philosophers herein shewing that hee had well vers'd himselfe in Thales Anaximander Anaxagoras Democritus Empedocles Plato and Aristotle so also in most Tragick Comick and Lyrick Poets Seeing in the confutation of them in the defence of their Heresies He doth fitly and wittily use their Exclamations Proverbs and Examples hence is it that Tertullian doth stile
which had caused great discord betwixt two Breâ—hren that Hee by His prayer stopt the force of the River Lycus which overflowed and drowned the neighbouring fields and so brideled the swelling waves that ever after they did keep within their own bounds and banks That this Faâ—her likewise cast out Devils out of the bodies of men that He stayed the plague in places that were infected that he heald the sick and weak and that He also raised the dead and that Hee brought many souls to embrace the Gospel of Christ Iesus Whether he was so full of these Works and Wonders I doe not here intend to dispute but I have onely related what I have read of him and I have not much cause to suspect the wordes of so many Fathers of the Church who witnesse it of Him Take therefore I pray you the commendation which Saint Basil the great affords Him in His Booke of the Holy Ghost Chapter 29. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Where shall I find a fit place for this great Gregory and his praises May I not fitly set him with the Prophets and Apostles a man endued with the same spirit in great measure a man whose life paralled those former stars of Heaven a man who did powerfully shew the vigour of the Word of God We should do injury to the Truth if we should not account him amongst the blessed in glory and felicity which like an eminent Torch shined in the Church of Christ ope S. S. tremendam habuit adversus Daemones potestatem And who by the helpe of the Holy Ghost had mighty power against Devils Hee had received such a plentifull portion of the graces of Gods Spirit that by the helpe of seventeen more Christians he brought whole Cities and Countries to the obedience of the Gospel Hee also chang'd the course and bridled the force of Rivers and of a great Lake which was cause of dissention betwixt two brothers and his predictions of things to come makes him that hee may be reckoned amongst the Prophets If saith Saint Basil I should reckon up all His Wonders and Miracles which hee did in the sight of the people I should even attribute that title to him which his very adversaries afforded him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a second Moses for they are so fixed in the hearts of men and so knowne amongst all so faithfully registred amongst Historians that the envy of the Devill nor the length of time can ever abolish the memory of them Qui à tempore magni praesidis Ecclesiae vestrae Gregorii Who from the time of that Great President of your Church Saint Gregory have flourished Here I cannot but cite the admirable commendation that Eusebius the Historian giues him beginning thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 about the same time that Xistus ruled the Roman Church and Demetrianus who succeeded Fabianus in the Church of Antioch and Firmilianus the Church of Caesarea that this Gregory called Theodorus who was an Auditour of S. Origens together with his brother Athenodorus did wisely manage the Church of Pontus and in another place the said Eusebius reckons up this famous Gregories actions Verum quoniam Beati Gregorii historiae textus mentionem attulit c. But for as much as the Text of the History hath mentioned this Blessed Saint Gregory I will not omit the worthy Workes of so great a man There was a great Lake in Pontus full of all sorts of fish which came to be the Inheritance of two Brethren who fell to civill dissention about it so that many men had lost their lives in the quarâ—ell which thing when Gregory heard of he presently came to the place and uttered these words to the two contentious Brothers Nolite ô Filioli rationales animas pro multis animantibus viâ—lare Fraternam pacem quaestus cupiditate dissolvere Dei leges naturae pariter jur a temer are that is Do not ô my sonnes ô doe not destroy so many reasonable soules for a few mute creatures break not the bond of brotherly love and peace for transitory gaine doe not so rashly and desperatly violate the Laws oâ— God and Nature at once come wiâ—h mee to this fatall Lake and I will by the help of God reconcile you for ever Whither comming this good man upon his bended knees prayed heartily to God in the sight and hearing of all present and Eusebius sets down the words of his prayer That he desired of God that never any more fish might be in it but that it should be a field for corn that by this means these two Brethren might agree in love together whose prayer God heard and did immediatly grant his request to the amazement of all the standers by Such force have the prayers of a faithfull man with God this one action is enough to renowme him in all Ages but he was admirable likewise for ingenuity and dexteritie of wit as the same Eusebius gives testimony of him in these words Sed ingenii sui in parvo nobis maxima monumenta dereliquit But hee shewed in briefe the excellency of his wit For Magnificentissime scripsit that is He writ most elegantly upon Ecclesiastes and left a brief but an eloquent Exposition upon the Catholike Faith which hath beene and is a great edification of the Church of Christ His wordes begin thus Vnâ—â— Deus Pater Verbi Viventis that is One God the Father of the Living Word of the Subsisting Wisdome of the Ever-living Power the Perfect begetter of the Perfect One the Father of the onely begotten Sonne and so goes on expressing the Deitie and Triniâ—â— in most apt and significant judicious termes Saint Gregory Nyssen affords this man a singular Encomium and Eulogie in these words Sicâ—t de Mose ait Scriptura c. that is That as the Scripture speaks of Moses so may I of this Gregory Hee was seene in all the Learning of the Gentiles hee found how weake and unwise their opinions were and embraced with great ard our and sanctity the Gospel Saint Hierome also blazons 〈◊〉 his Works with prayse and commendation They begin thus Theodorus qui postea Gregorius a pellatus est Theodore who was after called Gregory was Bishop of Neocaesarea in Pontâ—s in his youth to learne the Greeke and Latine with his Brother Anthenodorus he passed from Cappadociâ— to Beritum and afterwards to Caesarea of Palestine where Origen seeing their admirable wit taught them Philosophie and so instâ—ucted them in Divinitie and sent them to their Mother this Gregory wrote an eloquent Letter to Origen extant yet And Hierome stiles him Virum Apostolicorum signorum virtâ—tum that is A man ful of signes and Apostol call Miracles And he that will read more of him let him accept of this cloud of Witnesses Sanctus Gregorius pap lib. 1. Dialogorum cap. 7. Socrates lib. 4. c. 22. Enagrius lib. 3. cap. 31. Cedrenus in anno 12. Anastasii Imp.
patternes could move those Heathens for Valerianus and Galienus Emperours The Proconsull Aspatius Paternus seeing of what great authority Saint Cyprian was in Carthage nor yet daring to lay hands on him commanded him to depart the City Wel Saint Cyprian obeyed his Injunction and went to Curubis for one yeere till the Proconsull died whom Galienus Maximus succeeded and then this Father returned and if the persecution had not hindred hee had sold all his Gardens and distributed the mony to the poore He told his friends the time of his Martyrdome But this Proconsul hearing where Saint Cyprian lived and how the people flocked to him commanded him to bee apprehended and carefully to bee watched in his owne house hither came a world of people supposing to have seene the Martyrdome of this Reverend Father but he knowing this purpose of the Proconsul did prevent him for he departed to Vtica and writ an Epistle to the Christians shewing the cause well though he suffered not Martyrdome in the Citie of Carthage but at Sextum six miles distant so called because the sixt great stone from Carthage was here erected as also it was called Saint Cyprians Table not for his banqueting there but because he was offered up there yet there was such an infinite multitude of people there as if it had beene in the middle of Carthage it selfe Nay this Father at the very time of suffering was so carefull to doe good as though death had not beene so neere to him witnesse his comforts that hee gave to Virgins at the same time Hee suffered under Galienus Maximus who when it was told him that the Emperour had commanded him to death answered joyfully doe fully what belongs to your office and one telling him he must lose his head Saint Cyprian answered God be thanked for delivering mee from the bonds of the flesh the people that accompanied him desired also to suffer with him When hee came to the place of Martyrdome hee put off his Bishops attire and gave them to his Deacons onely reserved one to die in and wisht them to give to his Executioner 25 pieces of Gold in testimony of his love to him All the Clergie and his friends wondrously deplored his death so that they laid their owne garments under his body because none of his bloud should fall to the ground hee covered his owne eyes and so kneeling down tooke the blow of the Executioner quietly and with all signes of joy All the Christians had a great care to see his body honourably interred not fearing all the threats of the Officers nor Heathens Hee was the first of all the Bishops of Carthage that suffered Martyrdome afterward there were two great Churches builded to his honour one was â—uilâ— in the plâ—ce of his Martyrdome the other where he was buried So many of the Fathers doe praise him that wee cannot comprehend all Saint Hierome calls him an holy and most eloquent man St. Augustine reckons him amongst the rarest and learnedst men a most sweet Doctour a most glorious Martyr an unconquered Martyr and such like glorious titles He suffered under Valerianus and Galiâ—nus on the eighteenth of the Calends of October His Sentences are these De Sanctorum passione The Psalmist tels us That preâ—ious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints Whereupon saith Cyprian that though they were vexed in small things they should be required with great maâ—tâ—rs and what though they were in the 〈◊〉 yet they should come forth with the more lusâ—re and glory we know that the Prophets and Apostles are our patterns in these bonds and we know That if wee doe suffer with him here wee shall be sure to reigne with him hereafter And as hee did encourage those that were in â—onds so hee advised those that were free to cherish those that were in misery Cyprian Epist. 2. de disciplina habitu Virginis Discipline is the preserver of hope the reins of Faith the guide of salvation the encouragement of a good disposition the mistresse of vertue making us cleave to Christ and live to God and to obtaine heavenly promises and divine rewards Cyprian in Epist. An open enemy is not so much to be feared as a secret enemy that creeps on secretly as the Serpent who is so called from his secret creepâ—ng on Cyprian de 12 abusionibus The justice of the King is the peace of the people the defence of the Countrey the freedome of the people the joy of mankind the â—almnesse of the Sea the fruitfulnesse of the â—arth the comfort of the poore the inheritance of children and the hope of future happinesse Cyprian de habitu Virginis Those that are clothed in silke and purple cannot be sincerely clothed with Christ and those that are so curiously dressed want the oâ—naments of the soule Cyprian de laud. poen O Repentance thou dost lose that which is bound open that which is shut mitigate adversitie heale after contrition enlighten confusion and enliven desperation Cyprian Ep. 5. de Oratione dominica Thy will be done Christ did practice and preach the will of God humility in conversation stability in faith modesty in words justice in deeds mercy in works discipline in manners innocencie in doing wrong patience in suffering wrongs to maintaine concord with our brethren to love God with all our heart to love him as a Father to feare him as a Lord to preferre nothing before Christs love as hee preferred nothing before our love His Workes follow as they are reckoned up by worthy Writers Foure Books of Epistles in number 83. 1 Of the habit of Virgins 2 One Treatise 3 Of such as are falne one booke 4 Of the simplicity of Prelats and the Churches unitie one book 5 Vpon the Lords Prayer one book 6 Against Demetrianus one book 7 Of the vanitie of Idols one book 8 Of mortalitie one book 9 Of Almsdeeds one book 10 Of the God of patience one book 11 Of Zeale and envy one book 12 Of exhortation to Martyrdâ—m one book 13 To Quirinus against the Jews three books 14 To Jubajanus of baptizing Hereticks one booke 15 To Pompeius against the Epistle of Stephanus the Pope one book Pamelius reckons these two amongst the Epistles 16 Sentences out of the Councel of Carthage concerning the baptizing of Hereticks There are some others which are doubtfull and supposititious 17 Of Syna and Sion one Tract 2 An Exposition of the Creed 3 Of the single life of Clergie men 4 Of the Workes of Christ twelve Sermons 5 Of the prayse of Martyrdome 6 Of Discipline 7 To Novatianus 8 Of a twofold Martyrdome 9 Of players at dice. 10 Of the disposing the Lords Supper 11 Of Playes and publike Shews 12 Verses on Genesis Sodome on the Paschall Lambe 13 A prayer for the Martyrs which begins Agios 14 Another prayer which begins Domine â—ancte pater But there cannot be any certainty of the truth of these and therefore I leave it to the Readers
led a Monastick course of life and was over the Church of Edissa as Trithemius reports in his booke of Ecclesiasticall Writers He was made Priest by Saint Basil the Great borne he was of Christian parents in the time of Constantine the Great a Syrian hee was by Nation even from his childhood abstemious and shunned the appearance of evill His parents in a Vision saw a fruitfull Vine branch spring forth of Ephraems mouth and they saw it spread as it were into most parts of the world and though all the fowles of Heaven came and eat of the fruit yet still there remayned a great quantity this as they verily judged shewed how his doctrine of the true Vine Iesus Christ should be so copious and delicate that all Nations in all ages might out of his Works gather nourishment and yet there would be store enough for others that should come after and certain it is that this man had admirable endowments whom all the worthy Fathers of the Church have so highly commended it will not therefore seeme false what here is recorded of this Father if so many worthy Writers may be credited and it hath alwayes been the custome of the Church to celebrate the memory of pious and religious men especially of those who did as this Ephraem optabat enim non videri sed bonus esse he did not onely desire to seeme but to be really good whose minde was as a golden Ring all enchased and decored with rich jewels heare therefore what a man he was of whom Gregorius Nyssenus speaks thus Celebrandus est mihi igitur Ephraem ille qui cunctis Christianis versantur in ore that is That Ephraem the Syrian must be praysed of me who is well known to all Christians in the World neither is hee ashamed of his Kindred whose Vertues are as a generall light to all whose life and doctrine have made most men wonder at him there are none but such as be ignorant of great Saint Basil but know him And as the same Father speaks the prayses which he gives this man are not small or such onely as are worldly neither doth hee speake of his education or forme of bodie or comelinesse of his person but as hee witnesseth they were Actio Contemplatio Fides Spes Charitas Pietas erga Deum c. that is Action and Contemplation Faith Hope and Charitie Pietie towards God Meditation on the holy Scriptures puritie of minde and bodie strict Mortifications privacie of life diligence in prayer often changing his place by trials and hardnesse a flying from evill being instant in preaching no lodging but the cold earth an incredible austeritie of life poverty with singular Humility mercifull in a manner beyond humane condition opposing and indeed not enduring the Broachers of Heresies in a word furnished with all the gracious endowments that should bee in the man of God how zealously did He in His Writings by sundry places of Scripture and severall undeniable arguments detest those furious and mischiefe working Hereticks as Sabellius Arrius Apollinarius Anomius Novatus and others in so much that He was stiled the Pancratiastes or the unconquered Souldier of Iesus Christ For his great love to God and his Neighbours the words of his own will do sufficiently declare which deserve to be engraven in Golden Characters Nullo modo in tota mea vita contra Deum contumeliosus extiti nec sermo stultus è labiis meis egressus est Neminem in tota vita maledict is onerari nec cum ullo Christiano homine contentiosum me praebus that is By no means in all my life saith hee have I reproached God or suffered foolish words to flie out of my mouth never did I burthen any man with curses nor did I ever shew my selfe contentious with any so that it doth plainly appeare what circumspection hee had over his wayes Hee was wondrous studious in the Word of God and made divers very comfortable and learned Commentaries and he was wonderfull eloquent to perswade men to embrace the Word of God hee kept his bodie and minde chaste and pure as doth appeare by repelling the shamelesse behaviour of a lewd woman which being instigated by the Devill thought to have entic'd him to lust but this grave Father what with his exhortations admonitions and divine speeches caught and overcame the Tempter so that shee which had beene light of behaviour by his fatherlike advise prov'd a grave modest religious Matron He would very often weep for and bewaile the calamities of men the losse of time his inbred corruptions Hee that reads but that one Tract of his of Humilitie seriously will if endued with any sparke of grace remove all pride and self-conceit and will with that King and this Father confesse That hee is a worme and no man corrupted with sinne and iniquitie Indeed Humility for her excellency should be the sister of true Nobility for God hath more respect unto them that with humblenesse of heart can cast themselves lowly before the presence of his Majesty For as the lowlinesse of heart maketh man highly in favour with God even so meeknesse of words maketh him to sinke into the hearts of men such was this our Ephraems condition of humilitie Who shall read his booke of Divine Love whose heart will not be inflamed For the greatest argument of godly love is to love that which God willeth and commandeth and contrariwise not to love that which God loveth not And the true lover of God which is properly the charitable person is under no rule but he is Lord above all inventions all precepts and all commandements that God hath given to man for love is not confined or limited within any bounds Who shal read his Tract of Chastity Virginity wherin it is praysed but wil studie to keep his body and soule free from adultery and lust and say as Saint Paul did that our bodies are the temples of the Holy Ghost For Chastitie is the beauty of mans life consisting either in sincere Virginity or in faithfull Matrimony For chastitie puritie of life continencie or refusing the corrupt pleasures of the flesh and of this witty wicked world are precious in the â—ight of our Creatour and doe possesse such as keepe their bodies cleane and undefiled and in life and conversation refraine from evill And who is hee that hath any sence in him or faith meditating his Divine Sermons of the last judgement and Christs second comming but will speedily prepare himselfe to appeare and strive ever so to live as if he was presently to give an account of his whole life for our whole life is nothing else but as it were a glue which in a man fasteneth the soule and body together which proceedeth of the temperament of the Elements whereof the bodie is made which if it bee not violently melted before through our owne distemperance or loosed with the moysture of our owne merits or suddenly consumed with the
stirre up their Spirits to Innocency of Life and Constancy in the Christian Faith For said He GOD would call him from this labour here and settle him in glory in Heaven and so after fervent prayers he embraced them sweetly much like as St. Paul did the Ephesians and uttered these words Salvi estote filii Epiphanius enim non vos amplius videbit in hâc vitâ that is God blesse you my Children for Epiphanius shall see your faces no more in this life and so it came to passe for hee did depart this Life shortly after being aged an hundred and fifteene yeeres and three moneths for a little before he went into the Ship Arcadius asking him of his age he answered Sexagesimo aetatis anno ad Episcopatum promoâ—um esse in eo autem per quinquaginta quinque annos tres menses vixisse that is that hee was promoted to the Bishopricke when he was sixty yeares old and he lived in it fifty five yeares and three Moneths The Ship that he dyed in arriving at Salamine and it being told abroad of the Bishops death all good men lamented his losse and so hee was buried with great lamentation and abundance of teares Manifold are the commendations that the Fathers have afforded to this Epiphanius St. Hierome saith Epiphanius Cypri Salaminae Episcopus scripsit adversus omnes haereses libros c. in extrema senectute varia cudit opera that is Epiphanius Bishop of Salamine in Cyprus Writ Bookes against all Heresies and in his extreme old age set forth many workes the same Father saith non tibi sufficit contra omnes detractio nisi specialiter contra beatum insignem Ecclesiae Sacerdotem styli tui Lanceam Dirigas that is Can it not suffice thee to have slandred all men but thou must needs direct thy Lance against that blessed and ever famous Father of the Church Epiphanius Saint Augustine speakes of him Epiphanius inter-Graecos magnos habitus et à multis in Catholicae fidei sanitate laudatus that is Epiphanius was accounted amongst those great Greek Fathers and is praised of many that are of the Orthodox Faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is about this time Eâ—iphanius flourished not onely famous for his Life but also for his singular parts of Learning So Photius speakes of him likewise in confuting all Heresies he excel'd so that hee stiles him for this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is the most Copious and Commodious So ex Menologio Graecorum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That great and admirable Epiphanius See you may what a worthy Man this was by that Epistle which Acacius and Pauâ—us writ to him in the times of Valentinian Valens and Gratianus It begins 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To our most Honoured Lord and in all things to our most religious Father Epiphaniâ—s Bishop Epiphanius his saying This Epiphanius used to say that he never let his adversary sleepe By which he meant not that he tooke any delight in disturbing of him when he was a sleepe but that without agreeing with his adversary as the Scripture speakes Agree with thy adversary and let not the Sunne goe downe upon thy wrath for without forgiving of him he would never let him goe to bed Wrath and revenge saith a Philosopher is a vice most ugly and furthest from all humanity for who beholding a man by fury changed into a horrible figure his face enforced with rancour his mouth foule and embossed his eyes wide staring and sparkling like fire not speaking but as a wilde Bull roring and braying out despightfull and venomous words forgetting his estate and condition if he be learned yea and forgetting all reason who I say will not have such a passion in extreame detestation For wrath and revenge taketh from man the mercy of God and destroyeth and quencheth the grace that God hath given him And he that is inclined to his owne passion and will more than to forgive and shew mercy is neare unto the wrath of God I have here annexed the Works of this great light of the Church 1 His Panacion against all Heresies being in number at that time fourescore 2 A Book intituled his Anchorite 3 The summe of his Books against Heresies 4 Of Measures and Weights 5 Of the life of the Prophets a short History 6 An Epistle to John Bishop of Hierusalem 7 An answer to Acacius and Paulus Epistle Of all these there is no doubt to bee made this Epiphanius is said to have written the life of Hilarion but it is not extant In the Epistle to the Bishop of Hierusalem there seemes something to be added who desires to know this let him read Bellarmines Controversies li. 2. de Sanctis cap. 9. These though they seeme to bee but few yet considering their worth and nature they are of all men of learning and judgement held to bee rare and admirable for use in all ages Hee flourished in the reignes of Valens Gratianus and Theodosius as St. Hierome witnesseth untill the fourteenth of the said Emperours reigne An. Christi 374. Sanctus Ambrosius S. AMBROSIVS PAulinus at the request of Saint Augustine did write the life and passages of Saint Ambrose in his prologue or entrance into it he useth these words Hortaris venerabilis pater Augustine c. that is you desire most Reverend Father Saint Augustine that as Athanasius and Saint Hierome did write the lives of Paulus and Antonius driven into the Wildernes so that likewise I would describe in my style and phrase the life of this most blessed Father Saint Ambrose Bishop of Millain but I am unable fully and compleatly to expresse the merits of these eminent men who were Ecclesiarum muri Eloquentiae fontes that is the Walles and Bulwarkes of the Churches and the fountaines and springs of Eloquence but I have collected this Life from Paulinus rather then from any other because hee was a present Witnesse of most and had instructions from Marcellina sister to Saint Ambrose His Father was made Prefect to administer the affaires of France when his sonne was born there appeared a swarme of Bees as hee lay in his Cradle who sate upon his mouth and covered his face all over and at last flew so high into the aire that they could not bee seene which wondrous thing his Father with his Mother and Daughter beheld commanded the Nurse not to drive them away and presently spoke these words Si vixerit infantuliâ—s iste aliquid magni erit that is if this infant live he will be some great man Which thing was truly fulfilled in his mellifluous Writings afterwards he came to Rome his Father being dead being accompanied with his Mother and his sister and another Virgin who had a sister called Candida where this yong man gained wonderfull knowledge in the liberall Arts and was not which is a thing too common with young beautifull personages infected with the sinnes of that populous
Commentaries on some Psalmes 21 Another apologie of David 22 Of Davids interpellation Bellarmine allows not of these apologies to bee Saint Ambroses Tome 5 1 On the Gospel of St. Luke ten books 2 Commentaries on all St. Pauls Epistles 3 Of the Resurrection 4 Holy Prayers 5 Hymnes holy 6 A Song of the Saints by Saint Ambrose and Saint Augustine that begins Te Deum laudamus Some of the Commentaries on Saint Pauls Epistles are doubted not to be of Saint Ambrose his Writings and as Bellarmine sayes well not without cause First because Saint Augustine against the Pelagians useth the authority of S. Ambrose and yet doth not use any out of these Commentaries So having done such famous things for the truth his memory will ever be sanctified and at the day of the Resurrection will be gloriously rewarded by our Lord Jesus Christ. An. Christi 380. Sanctus Gregorius Nyssenus S. GREGORIVS NYSSENVS THis famous Father of the Church was Brother to St. Basill the great he is called Gregorius Emisseâ—â—s by Honorius and Trithemius his Life Studies Actions and Sufferings though mentioned all by severall Writers yet by way of History none have compleatly done them but those things which Gregory Nazianzen remembers of him in His Epistle to him are so many great and large that they may serve in place of 〈◊〉 History Theodoret so Cratos Suidas Nicephorâ—s and the Roman Martyrologie with some later Writers as Volateranus Trithemius Possevinus have written most Honourably of his Life Doctrine Eloquence accounting of him as a Father of Fathers Gregory Nazianzen doth speake of Him in severall places with great commendation and approbation and did write many Epistles to him as his 34 35 36 37. 42 43. 95. 142. But if there were nothing else to set forth his praise and to cause him to be worthily ranked amongst the great Fathers of the Primitive Church it is enough that hee was sent into banishment by the Arrian Hereticks under the Emperour Valens and this Emperour dying he was appoynted the onely man by the Antiochian Synod to goe and settle and order the Easterne Churches had he not been eminent and faithfull the Fathers of that Councell would not have employed him in so weighty a charge for it is a labour full of difficultie and must be undertaken with a great deale of wisdome and patience and this honourable charge was not onely imposed upon his shoulders but also the Oecumenicall Synod of Constantinople under Theodosius the Emperour destined this man as most fit to visit the Churches planted in Arabia so that for these his actions hee is worthy to be accounted amongst the chiefest Champions of the Church this Father was likewise admired for his Eloquence and Rhetoricke by those that have the knowledge in the Greeke Photius sayes of him that hee alone carried away the Bell from all men for his elegant stile and eloquent expressions One calls him a learned man pervigilom Antistitem the faithfull and vigilant Prelate He was the elder brother of Basil the Great hee embraced a Monasticke life highly respected in those Primitive times and so joyning Theology to his other indowments he proved in short time an eminent Pillar of the Truth he did read the Scripture with all diligence reverence and strictnesse having a speciall regard to the genuine sence of it at all times so being made Bishop of Nyssa of which City he tooke name he did for a while surcease the reading of the old and new Testaments and addicted himselfe to the study of Rhetorique insomuch that Gregory Nazianzen in his 43 Epistle to him seemes a little to reprehend him for his time of comming to his Bishoprick it was under Valens when Gregory Nazianzen had the Bishopricke of the Sasimes allotted him by St. Basil This Gregory did as Theodoret relates it succeede his brother Basil in the Bishopricke of Caesarea which some have questioned for an improbability Well he was a man meriting commendation and so you shal heare what report the Ancients doe afford him Saint Hierome speakes of him thus Gregorius Episcopus Nyssenus c. That is Gregory Bishop of Nissa brother to Basil of Caesarea not long since reade to mee Gregory Nazianzen his learned bookes against Eâ—nomius who is said also to have written many other famous Treatises Nicephorus in his Ecclesiasticall History describes him in these tearmes Basilius habuit fratres c. That is Basil had brethren of whom Gregory Bishop of Nissa was one the light and ornament of the Nyssen Church a man answerable to his brother for Life Manners Learning Piety Faithfulnes Courage who though he was married yet he did not any waies neglect the care of soules He writ his book called Hexameron after his brothers death and also against Eunomius and Apollinaris he is greatly praised for his indefatigable labour and study especially for that funerall Oration in praise of Gregory Thaumaturgus Socrates also describes him by praysing his parts and abilities saying Basilius autem duos fratres c. That is Basil had two famous brethren especially this Gregory who finished the booke not perfected by his Brother called the Hexameron not without demonstration of singular learning and piety Theodoret writing of him prayses him for his strictnesse of life and purity of learning Photius in his Bibliotheca makes mention of this Gregory in these words Lectus est similiter Gregorii Episcopi prâ— Basilio adversus Eunomium liber That is we reade and approve of a Booke of St. Gregory Bishop of Nyssa for St. Basil against Eunomius he uses a stile that is so full of Eloquence and Rhetoricke that it doth even ravish the mindes of the Readers and captivates the eares of the Auditors Hee doth methodically beate downe Eunomius He is more concise than Theodore more copious than Sophronius full and abounding with Enthymemes and examples of all sorts so that I may truely pronounce it that as farre as Gregory for comelinesse splendour and pleasantnesse excells Theodore so farre doth this man surpasse in copiousnesse and confluence of vailed arguments and illustrating examples and the same Photius in another place goes on in his praise in these words Lectum est Alterum Gregorii Nysseni opus That is there is another worke of Gregory of Nyssens read of the same matter in which grappling with Eunomius he armes himselfe with all sorts of arguments dextrously so that overthrowes him by maine force of wit and learning and pulls downe and defaces all the said Eunomius tottering ill-grounded Conceits and fancies but the gracefulnesse of his speech and the lustie joyned with sweete pleasure doth manifestly shew it selfe in every line and amongst many others that testimony which Suidas doth yield unto him is not to be slighted or neglected it begins thus Gregorius Nyssenus Episcopus c. that is Gregory Bishop of Nyssa brother to Saint Basil of Caesarea a man excellent for his qualification being compleatly furnished
most for abundance of Similitudes which adde lustre to ones speech and worke upon the Affections Comparisons and Metaphors to stirre delight in the Hearers He is not like St. Ambrose for his difficulties nor doth hee use Poets and their Fancies with St. Ierome nor yet Jests and pleasant Conceits with Tertullian but with a Father-like affection fits himselfe to edifie soules committed to his charge That famous Historian Theodoret stiles him Ioannem eximium orbis terrarum luminare Iohn the eminentest light of the whole world and againe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This great Iohn being made governour of the Church of Constantinople upbraided the wickednesse and lewdnesse of many men for wickednesse and lewdnesse in the heart of man maketh the Spirit of God dull and insensible that is not to worke in him according to his divine Nature Likewise he admonished the Emperour and his Empresse to stand in the faith for faith is the gift of God and breathed by the Holy Ghost which is the Spirit of God into the hearts of those that bee his Children and walke in his wayes Hee also exhorted the Priests to frame their lives according to the Canons of the Church and told them that such as would not should not enjoy their places and he used this speech unto them recorded by Theodorete 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is that it was not fitting that they should enjoy any Priestly honour who doe not live as true and zealous Priests should doe and by this meanes Saint Chrysostome did not onely reforme those of that place but also by his reverend carriage did also settle all the Thracian Churches which did containe sixe Bishopricks nay and by Authority rectified at the same time all the Churches in Asia which then had eleven Bishopricks and further his good patterne extended if you please to reade the aforesaid Theodorete in his fifth Booke before cited Ponticam praeterea Ecclesiam quae eundem habet Episcoporum numerum quem Asia eisdem legibus adornavit hee also adorned and graced the Churches of Pontus with the same institutions which did containe in it as many as Asia And here a little to digresse any one may see plainly these foure particular poynts and they deserve imitation 1. That if the Churches Discipline bee not strictly maintained corruption of manners presently breake in for want of Discipline ushers in Licentiousnesse 2. That when Churches are fallen from their pristine and ancient Government they are to bee reformed by Discipline For Discipline well managed settles Reformation 3. That the fittest and onely men who still have and alwayes should reforme Churches by good Discipline are Bishops for they have both power and discretion 4. That good examples are of admirable operation for doth it not easily appeare that by the wisedome of this one Reverend Bishop how all the other Churches strive to follow his patterne It is an old one yet a true saying Exempla magìs praevalent quam praecepta Examples make a deeper stampe than precepts In briefe the two first of these well considered our Zelots would not so much speake against such good meanes unlesse they bee ignorant The third well observed would teach all to afford those reverend Prelates more honour and to learne the fifth Commandement better and to practice that rule of Saint Paul Let such as rule well have double honour they would not surely if they had any insight into the Primitive Times so rashly and unchristianly murther their spirituall Fathers nor yet so deeply wound their Mother by Scandals Slanders Reproaches Schismes Factions Fractions Conventicles Libells and the like hasty hare-brain'd fancies The last will directly condemne them for not obeying and following such ancient and allowed Fathers But I will not insist upon this though it doth fairely offer it selfe to mee but returne to our Father Chrysostome as he hath begun a faire Reformation in the Church Having so fairely wrought upon these Churches he proceeds further he settles the Churches likewise in Phaenice though addicted to Idolatry nay though they worshipped Devils and gatherd together all the Priests and settle them to study Piety and send thither the Emperours Edicts obtained by him for that purpose to demolish and throw dowâ—e the Images of the Idols and to ruine their Temples and as for the Officers and workemen which should effect this great taske hee payed them not out of the Emperours Coffers but stir'd up the spirits of noble Matrons whom he had instructed in the Faith and flowing in wealth to give large summes of money to this purpose assuring them that it was a worthy worke to cast out the Devill by this meanes and this his Counsel was so powerful and wrought so effectually that in short space he left the Devil not an house to put his head in but level'd them to the ground And this able Enginiere left not off thus but proceeds further when as hee perceived the whole Nation of the Scythians to bee deepely intangled and insnared in the Arrian Heresie â—o expell this and the professors of it he took this course he ordeined many Priests and Deacons that could speake the Tongue expertly and placed them in several Churches and appoynted likewise Readers and thus hee by his care reduced many that were farre gone with that Heresie to the Orthodox Faith and often hee himselfe would give those Churches visits and speake to them learnedly by an Interpreter and still inducted others who had a faculty that way and thus as in Phaenicia he had expelled the Devil so in Scythia hee drove out his Champions and strongest upholders And now finding in these his undertakings such an happy successe hee being incouraged in his vertuous proceedings stops not here but stoutly workes whilst hee sees an opportunity which was as followes Hearing for certain that those Scythians who are called Nomades living by the River Ister eagerly â—hirsted after the knowledge of the truth and yet did want all meanes which should direct them to the knowledge of Christ being as those Children spoken of who cryed for bread but there was none to give it them This Saint Chrysostome sorrowing that the Devill should keepe their soules in the shadow of darknesse any longer sought diligently farre and neare for such men as imitated the footesteps of the Apostles labours and having found them sent them to bring those wilde people to the knowledge of the Gospell and sent his Letters with all speed to Lâ—ontius then Bishop of Ancyra wherein he signified that the Scythians had embraced the Truth and exhorted him to send able men to them to confirme them in the received Faith furthermore having heard of the Marcionists who had about his jurisdiction infected some people with their Heresie to stay this running soare hee dispatched Letters to the Bishop of the same place that He should carefully expell all of them out of their places and for feare least hee
ordained Bishop of that City so that Megalius Bishop of Calama and Primate of Numidia comming to visit the Church of Hippo with other Bishops this Valerius did obtaine of his hands what he desired with the generall rejoycing of all the Clergy though Saint Augustine did mainly at first refuse it and alledged it was not fitting neither was it the custome of the Church to ordaine any to be Bishop of a City before the other was dead but it was imposed upon him and so being ordained hee doubled his vigilance and not onely in that City but in every place hee taught and writ against the Donatists There was a sect of perverse and desperate people who under the colour of great continence were called Circumcellians who being not able to withstand the Writings nor Preachings nor Disputations of this Augustine they did by might and violence and force of Armes strive to stop Saint Augustines proceedings but all their Actions were in vaine for Gâ—d did still prosper and blesse the labours of this Augustine for he ordaind Orthodox Priests men approved and well knowne to him for Life and Learning and did give them promotion in the Church so that the sincere Doctrine of Faith Hope and Charity was not onely taught in the Affrican Churches but also in other Transmarin Regions Books being printed and sent abroad which made these Heretiques rage insomuch that they intended to have killed this Saint Augustine had hee not by the great providence of God escaped by missing that way in his Visitations which they had beset but such was their fury and power that they neither spared Clergy men nor Lay men but there was a meeting at Carthage appoynted and one Crispinus was the Donatists Champion against whom Saint Augustine opposed himselfe who did by force of arguments convince this Crispinus and so by the Proconsuls authority hee was adjudged as Hereticall and a fine imposed upon him and further it was ordered that all the Donatists should be accounted Heretiques and fined but by the Catholike Bishops perswasions with the clemency of the Proconsull their fine was remitted and peace restored happily to the Church under the Reigne of that glorious Emperour Honorius though there were some that gave out that the Donatists were unjustly condemned by the Bishops at the meeting at Carthage because they had not as these favourers pretended free liberty to speak their mindes Especially one Emeritus maintained this but not long after this Saint Augustine going to the City of Caesarea in Mauritania being sent for by other Bishops by Letters to determine some necessary affaires of the Church this Emeritus being then a Donatist and Bishop of the said place Saint Augustine told him that he had so given it out and wished him now before all those Bishops and all the people if he could to defend his assertions but he would not nor could not performe it onely said that what he should say would bee by the Notaries Registred at Carthage what a poore evasion was this for if it had beene truth it was the onely way to preserve it if it was a lye as indeede it was it would for ever bee his disgrace Possidonius reports an admirable passage of Saint Augustine it so fell out that preaching against the Manichees that there was one Firmus by name a Merchant by profession who was stiffe for that side and had given and spent amongst them much monies hearing Saint Augustine preach was touched in heart and presently came to this Father other men being then with him and did ingenuously confesse that he was infected a long time with that Heresie but by the blessing of God hee was fully resolved now to forsake it and with teares on his knees he desired Saint Augustine and the other Catholicke Priests to pray to God to pardon him and to give him grace to persist in the true Faith which was performed and he reduced from Heresie and leaving his former course of life and living with the faithfull obediently at last proved an eminent Preacher of the Orthodoxe Christians and not onely saved his owne soule but many others See saith Possidonius the wonderfull goodnesse of God that calls whom he will whom he will where he will and how he will to salvation God as he is Almighty so may he worke in all creatures and things after his owne Minde and Will for there is nothing that God cannot bring to passe and that without labour and travaile It was Saint Augustine by the preaching of the Word which caused the Merchant to forsake all and cleave to the Truth but it was chiefely the power of God which had that efficacy in that Word that by one knocke at the doore of the heart of this man that it should open and receive the seale and covenant of Grace which he did without any prorogation or delay or time to consider of it for in these cases delayes are dangerous for the devill the world or the Flesh may cast a baite in our way and so hinder us Therefore let all men in this be truely perswaded that God is the Moderator and Governour of all things both in heaven and in earth and that all things are done by his owne power and appoyntment and that he it is who most clearely beholdeth every man both what hee doth and what he admitteth in himselfe with what minde and godlinesse he doth love and favour Religion and that hee hath also a regard both of godly and wicked men So likewise one Foelix being one whom the Manichees called Electos came to Hippo and thought to have spread his Heresie there but Saint Augustine by publicke Disputation so solidly convinced him that he likewise acknowledged his error and was joyned to the Church This Augustine was termed Haereticorum malleus the Hammer against Heretiques How judiciously did hee overcome those two great Arrians Pascentius and Maximinus the one being full of wealth and authority at Court the other a great Bishop Pascentius who was great in Riches disturbed many poorer Christians and boasted in it that none could object any thing justly against the Arrians St. Augustine hearing this with other Priests went to him and desired to have some private conference with him before they should publickly dispute it this Pascentius admitted but hee was quite overthrowne and had no warrant for his poynts but afterwards bragged it how he had confuted this Augustine whereupon St. Augustine with speed sent in writing many great men being witnesses the grounds of Faith confirmed by the Scriptures to him which he never did replie against so also dealt he with Maximinus the Arian Bishop who had belyed him in the like manner The Pelagians likewise politique and subtle Sophisters who did seduce many and did great mischiefe to the Church how did hee the space of tenne yeares convince and overthrow that afterwards it was determined by Innocent of Rome and Zozimus that their poynts should be anathematized and sent Letters to the
Churches of Affrick to condemne them as Heretiques and that pious Emperour Honorius confirmed their Religious proceedings and adjudged them Heretiques so many of them returned to the bosome of the Church againe and dyed in the Faith Alwayes great was the care of St. Augustine for the good of Religion not onely in Hippo but in other parts of Affricke and not onely against Heretiques but also in winning Pagans to imbrace the Truth He was just in all his Counsels especially hee would determine according to the Truth Hee was not onely learned but also ready to instruct and to take off differences he would not spare likewise to reprove wisely and seasonably the sinners admonishing them to obedience and Christian Devotion so that as Possidonius reports it He may worthily be called a Watchman to the house of Israel to the Church of God preaching the Word in season out of season exhorting instructing rebuking with all long suffering Hee was excellent for deciding temporall causes and very circumspect to relieve the party wronged how divinely did he write to Macedonius a Priest of Affricke and granted his desire As hee had liberty hee would be present at the meetings of the holy Priests celebrated through diverse Provinces not seeking those things which were his but doing all for the glory of God doing as Saint Paul writes to the Corinthians not seeking yours but you taking care that the faith of the holy Catholicke Church should remaine unviolated and that unworthy men should be punished in ordaining Priests he would alwayes follow the custome of the Church and the generall consent of Orthodox Christians For his apparell it was neither too sumptuous nor sordid keeping a faire mediocrity saying that many were puft up with pride by the riches of their Garments and so did fall into sinne Hee kept a spare dyet and frugall being Broth and Roots sometimes for his guests he would have flesh or for the weake and sicke folkes He alwaies kept Wine alledging that of the Apostle Every creature of God is good and not to bee rejected being sanctified by the word and prayer And as hee speaks in his Confessions Hee did not so much feare the uncleannesse of his meate as the uncleannesse of his desires and useth many fine examples out of Gods Word to prove it his Utensils in which his meat was brought to table were either earthen or wood or Marble His Table was rather for disputation and discâ—urse than for any rich Banquetting or drinking and it had this Distich ingraven on it Quisquis amat dictis absentum rodere vitam Hanc mensam indignam noverit esse sibi That is Who shal their absent friends with words disgrace Are guests unworthy of this roome or place And therefore he would tell them that were faulty this way that either those Verses were to be blotted out or else he to depart Hee was ever mindfull of the poore and would either out of the revenues of the Church or out of the offerings of the faithfull distribute to their necessities His House was a Church Hee never bought land Possidonius speakes that there was an Honourable man of Hippo living at Carthage would give his possession to the Church an act used in those Primitive times now it is out of use and caused it to bee past under Seale and sent it to Saint Augustine but a few yeares after hee changed his minde and sent his Son to desire the deeds to be reversed and in liew of it his Father had sent to the poore an hundred shillings St. Augustine was sorry that the man should so suddenly bee weary of well-doing but withall restored to his Son the Acts and withall did rebuke him sharply and bad him take heed that God did not punish his proceedings He did not regard wealth but counted it combersome and therefore did as Mary did chuse the better part Upon a time he wanted monies to release some prisoners and Captives and caused the holy Vessells to be melted and given for their freedome Saint Ambrose saith that in such cases it may bee permitted He alwayes kept Divines in his house whom he fed and cloathed hee was wondrous severe against Oathes so that hee abated their portion and allowance that did commit it He never did admit women in his house no not those of his kindred Hee never entertained discourse alone with any but had some still with him In his Visitations hee kept the rule of the Apostle he relieved the Fatherlesse and Widowes in their distresse if they entreated him to pray to God for them and lay his hands on them hee would presently doe it He praised one who when hee was sicke said to those that stood about I have not lived so that I am ashamed to live with you nor doe I feare to dye having so good a Lord to goe to This Father before his death recounted strictly all his Books and those which he writ when he was not experienced in the affaires of the Church which would not agree with the Church hee himselfe corrected and reproved and hee writ two Volumes which carry this Title De recensione Librorum which are his Bookes of Retractations hee complained that some of his Books were taken away before they were well mended some he left imperfect being prevented by death Hee writ a Booke called the Speculum in which any one that reades it may find either his obedience or disobedience towards God Hee lived in the time of that barbarous invasion of the Goths and Vandals out of Spain into Africk and Mauritania in which were Cities Churches Monasteries laid wast Virgins defloured Matrons abused the Altars puld down the Priests slain the faithfull hiding themselves in Holes Dennes and Caves Hee saw almost innumerable Churches destroyed onely three escapt their out-rage Carthage Hippo and Cirtis yet after his death Hippo was burn'd it was besieged fourteen moneths Saint Augustine and all the faithfull did pray God either to free the Citie or give them patience to endure or to take him out of this life which last came to passe for in the third month of the siege he fell sicke of a Fever and died hee healed one possessed of a Devill and by prayer dispossest him Hee healed one readie to die by laying his hands upon him whereupon they said if any was sicke Vade ad AUGUSTINUM That is Goe to Saint AUGUSTINE and you will recover hee writ an Epistle to Honoratus his fellow Bishop who desired to know whether they might not fly in those dangerous times or not It is extant among those 180 Epistles wherein he declares largely his mind in this point Hee lived to the age of 76 yeeres hee continued Priest and Bishop almost forty yeeres hee dyed wondrous penitent and had Davids penitentiall psalmes before him which hee constantly read and would weepe hee suffered none to come to him but at such times as the Physitians came with refections for him ten days before
his death and all that while hee prayed fervently at the time of his death his sight and hearing were good and divers priests being present and praying with him he departed this life in fulnesse of days and gave order to them for his buriall and so offered himself as a sacrifice to God hee made no Will at all but gave order that his Library and all his Bookes should be safely reserved to posterity for the Church he left an able Clergy after him his Epitaph was this Distich Vivere post obitum vatem vis nosse Viator Quod legis ecce loquor vox tua nempe mea est This doth sufficiently shew what a jewell this Saint Augustine was in the Church of God Sentences out of Saint Augustine What availes it to keepe the flesh entire if the minde be corrupted holy marriage is more excellent then proud virginity a solid hope a firm faith a sincere Charity is the virginity of the mind Of servitude Doest thou desire to have thy flesh serve the spirit let thy spirit then serve God that must be ruled that the other may rule Of Prayer If it be pure and holy it pierceth the Heaven it returnes not empty thy prayer is thy speech to God when thou readest God speaks to thee when thou prayest thou speakest to God More of Prayer It is the shelter and safeguard to the soule a sacrifice to God the scourge of the Devill Of Death There is nothing doth more abate sin then a frequent meditation of death hee cannot dy ill who lived well nor seldome doth hee die well that liv'd ill Of Riches If men want wealth it is not to bee unjustly gotten if they have wealth they are by Good works to lay it up in heaven a Christian must not be proud in their aboundance nor despaire for their absence Non verborum flores sedsequere Mores If thou wilt be perfectly purged from all vices strive to kindle in thy self the fire of divine love For if thou hast perfectly tasted the sweetnesse of divine love thou wilt not care for any temporall sweetnesse The reasonable soule made to the likenesse of God may find in this world much careful distraction but no ful satisfaction for it being capable of God cannot bee satisfied with any thing but God The covetous man like Hel devoures all and desires that there were no man else in the world that he might possesse all the World The blessednesse of this life doth consist in the heavenly wisedome quietnesse of conscience and sublimity of vertue For not to be without affliction but to overcome affliction is blessednesse Love is as strong as death for as death kils the body so the love of eternal life doth kil al worldly desires and affections for heavenly love grown to perfection grows insensible of earthly affection and he that will mortify his body must first mortify his mind Hee is a Christian that at home and in his own house thinks himselfe to be a stranger our countrey is aboue and there wee shall not bee strangers None can separate Christ from thee unlesse thou separate thy selfe from Christ. Our Redeemer was born like a child died like a Lambe rose from death like a Lion and ascended into heaven like an Eagle If Adam for one sin was cast out of Paradise O Lord what shall a poore sinner be become that hath a world of sins St. Augustine saith he that gave his son for his enemies surely hee will give his Sonne to his friends Reject not ô Lord the worke of thine own hand but be favourable and shew mercy upon me who hath been a sonne of perdition and a child of rebellion And though ô Lord I cannot weare out my tongue with praying nor my hands with lifting up to Heaven for my sins I may weare out my eyes with weeping for them And be thou ô my God more gratious to heare then the Devill is ready to be malicious to hinder Of Ingratitude Saint Augustine calls Ingratitude the Devils sponge wherewith he wipes out all the favours of the Almighty Saint Augustine was so great a lover and admirer of the seven Penitentiall Psalmes as wee call them those Psalmes that expresse the Prophet Davids sorrow for this grievous sin that hee commanded them to be written in a great letter and hung about the curtains of his death-bed within next unto him that so hee might give up the Ghost in the contemplation and meditation of them Saint Augustine speaking of the conversation of the wicked amongst the godly used to say For my part I am a man and live among men how dare I promise to my selfe that my house shall be better than Noahs Arke for there were in it both clean beasts and unclean good and bad Saint Augustine saith ô let ô let the Scriptures be my pure delight let mee not be deceived in them neither let me deceive by them Of Prayer Saint Augustine saith Lord give first what thou requirest and then require of mee what thou wilt And again saith Saint Augustine hee that prayes well cannot chuse but live well and prayers is a private expression of the soule to God for by prayer Gods eare is tied to the tongue of man we speak to God by prayers and he speaks to us by preaching I have here also set the Catalogue of his Works which are many and rare so that they may be called a little Library Tome I. 1 Retractations two books 2 Confessions thirteen books 3 Of Grammar one book 4 Of Logicke one book 5 Of the predicaments one book 6 Principles of Rhetorick one book 7 Of Musique sixe books 8 Against Academick three books 9 Of order one book 10 Of a blessed life one book 11 Soliloquies two books 12 Of a Master one book 13 Of the immortalitie the soule one book 14 Of the quantitie of the soule one book 15 Of Free Will three books 16 Of true Religion one book 17 Of the manners of the Church 18 Of the manners of Monks 19 Against the Manichees two books Tome 2. 1 Epistles of St. Augustine with rescriptions being 222. 2 Epistles to Deo gratias 49. 3 Two to Januarius 4 To Honoratus 120 5 To Paulinus 112. 6 To Boniface 150. 7 To Dardanus 57. Tome 3. 1 Of Christian Doctrine foure books 2 Speeches of holy Scripture 7 books 3 Of Faith one book 4 An Enchyridion 1 book 5 Of the Trinitie 15 books 6 Of Genesis twelve books 7 Of the wonderfull things of the Scripture three books 8 Of a Christian fight one book 9 Of the worke of Monks one book 10 Of the spirit and letter one book 11 Of Divination one book 12 Of Ecclesiasticall tenets one book 13 Of the spirit and soule one book 14 Of faith to Peter one book 15 His looking-glasse one book 16 Questions of the Trinitie one book 17 Of the Patriarchs blessings one book 18 Sentences one book
blasphemiae that name of blasphemy How did he wisely stop the fury of the Longobards and reduced them to peace by writing his book to Theudalinda the Queene in a word having with great care and piety amongst a world of troubles governed the Church thirteen yeers six moneths and ten days in the spight of all oppositions he died quietly and comfortably rendred up his soule into the hands of his Maker in the second yeere of Phocas the Emperour and was buried in the Cathedrall Church of Saint Peter in which Leo Simplicius Gelasius and Symmachus were formerly interred with a large Epitaph in commendation of his labours and studies His Deacon is highly to be praysed for preserving some of his Workes from the fire even to the hazard of his owne life Heare but what a man he was by the testimony of Paulus Diaconus Iisdem diebus sapientissimus ac beatissimus Papa Gregorius Romanae urbis Episcopus c. that is In these dayes that most wise and blessed Father Saint Gregory Bishop of the City of Rome which when he had written many things to the profit of the Church composed foure famous bookes of the lives of the Saints which he called his Dialogues which books he sent to Theodelinda the Queen whom he knew to be a Protector of the faithfull and which did much good to the Church for shee perswaded her husband to give meanes and Revenues to the Church and caused those Bishops which were in misery and cast out to be restored and peace was by her meanes procured to Gods people Sabinianus was the man that did succeed him in his Bishopricke and as one testifies there was a great dearth the next yeer after his death and hee saith debuit enim mundus famem sitimque pati c. The world must needs suffer a famine and thirst when such a Doctor as was both spirituall food and drink to their souls was taken away He wants not divers to afford him commendations and indeed there was a cloud of Witnesses who doe extoll him Isidore cals him timore Dei plenus humilitate summus that is full of the feare of God and chiefe for Humility endued largely with the gifts of the Holy Ghost and saith thus in conclusion Foelix tamen nimium foelix qui omnium studiorum ejus possit cognoscere dicta that is Happy is hee nay thrice happy that can know all his Works and Sayings Honorius Augustodunensis termes him no lesse then Organum spiritus Sancti c. that is The Organ of the blessed Spirit Incomparable for his wisdome who writ many things more precious than the refined Gold Trithemius cals him Theologorum princeps splendor Philosophorum Rhetorum lumen vitâ conversatione integer sanctissimus c. the Prince amongst Divines the beauty of Philosophers and the light to Rhetoricians of life and conversation most upright and holy And to shut up all heare but what Ildephonsus of Toledo saith of him Vicit sanctitate Anthonium Eloquentia Cyprianum Sapientia Augustinum that is he exceeded Saint Anthony in Sanctitie Saint Cyprian in Eloquence and Saint Augustine in Wisdome and so heare onely what Cardinall Bellarmine relates of him who calls him Doctorem eximium meritò magnum that is a most egregious Doctor and well deserving the name of Great Hee died in the yeere of Christ Iesus 604. Sentences out of Gregory Magnus Of Poverty Hee is poore whose soule is void of grace not whose coffers are empty of mony the contented poverty is true riches Of the holy Scriptures The holy Scriptures are direct and right for admonition lofty for promises terrible for threatnings Of God God is never absent though the wicked have him not in their thoughts where he is not by favour he is by punishment and terrour Of conversion to God Every convert hath a beginning a middle a perfection in the first there is sweetnesse to allure him in the second bitternesse to exercise him in the third fulnesse of perfection to confirme him Of the Incarnation Will you observe our Saviours motions hee came from Heaven into the wombe from the wombe to the cratch from the cratch to the crosse from the crosse to the Grave from the Grave to Heaven On the Crosse of Christ. Christ shewed patience in his passion commended humility fulfilled obedience perfected Charity those were the four Jewels that adorn'd his Crosse. Charitatis Humilitatis jubar These are onely true riches which make us rich in vertue therefore if thou desire riches love true riches If thou aspire to honour seek the Kingdome of Heaven If thou affect glory strive to bee enrolled in the high Court of Angels Hee that loves this present pilgrimage in the midst of sorrow knows not how to shew sorrow for the words of a just man are full of sorrow for in regard of present sufferings his speech and sighs aspire to heaven He is most perfect in piety that doth most perfectly feele anothers misery The best eloquence and expression is to declare the mind by good action for conscience doth not check the speaker when his life is better then his speech Hee that lives obscurely and doth not profit others by his example is like a burning coal but hee that imitates holinesse shewing the light of uprightnesse to others is like a lampe burning to himselfe and shining to others True Faith doth not onely consist in verball profession but in actuall operation The fortitude of the Just is to overcome the flesh to contradict the will to forsake the delights of this life to love affliction for an eternall reward to contemne prosperity and to overcome adversity Joy doth discover the mind but adversity as it doth outwardly oppresse so it doth inwardly suppresse the thoughts and make us more close and cautious Gregory Magnus would say of himselfe that hee could never reade those words in the Scripture which Abraham spake to Dives Sonne remember that thou in thy life time receivedst good things without horrour and astonishment lest having received such good things of this World meaning such dignities and honours as he had he should be excluded from having any part and portion in the happinesse or good things in the world to come Of Gods Word Saint Gregory saith and wishes all men that heare the Word of God to taste the Word of God with the palate of their hearts Not to have a slavish feare Feare not man who must die nor feare the sonne of man who is but grasse Of godly Desires Our desires saith this Father do sound more powerfully in the secret eares of God than our words Againe the more earnestly God is desired of us the more sweetly is he delighted in us Saint Paul saith Hee that searcheth the heart knoweth what is the minde of the spirit Rom. 8. I have here set downe his Works as they are set
before his Books printed at Rome 1588 distributed into six Tomes Tome 1. 1 Saint Gregories Life contained in foure books by Joannes Diaconus 2 Testimonies of sundry men given to him as Gregorius Turonensis Paulus Diaconus Venerabilis Beda Ado Viennensis Symo Metaphrastes 3 Eulogies and testimonies of his Works 4 The argument of all his Works 5 The argument on the second book of the Kings by him expounded Tome 2. 1 Morall Expositions upon Job in thirtie five books 2 Exposition on the seaven penitentiall Psalmes 3 Exposition on the Canticles 4 Twenty two Homilies on Ezechiel in two books Tome 3. 1 A booke of fortie most learned Homilies to Secundus a Bishop upon divers readings on the Gospels 2 A booke of the Pastors charge to the holy Father John Bishop of Ravenna 3 Foure books of Dialogues 4 Those translated into Greeke by Pope Zachary Tome 4. 1 Twelve books called his Registery of Epistles of severall subjects Tome 5. 1 Containing Anthems and a booke of the Sacraments With certaine Hymnes for Mornings and Evenings to give thankes For Lent For Palme-sunday For Good Friday Tome 6. 1 On Genesis in seventy nine Chapters with expositions 2 On Exodus in sixty two Chapters with Expositions 3 On Leviticus in fifteen Chapters with Expositions 4 On Numbers with twenty foure Chapters 5 On Deuteronomy in twenty eight chapters 6 On Josuah in two chapters 7 On Judges in eight chapters 8 On the first booke of Kings in 15 chapters 9 On the second of Kings in fifteene chapters 10 On the Chronicles twenty foure chapters 11 On the Psalmes two hundred eightie seven chapters 12 On the Proverbs thirty seven chapters 13 On the Canticles 49 chapters by Paterius On the New Testament 14 On Matthew a hundred and foure chapters 15 On Saint Marke 54. 16 On Saint Luke 99 chapters 17 On Saint John 59 chapters 18 On the Acts forty chapters On the Romans thirty chapters 19 On the 1 Corinthians 52 chapters On the 2 Corinthians 29 chapters 20 On the Galathians nine chapters 21 On the Ephesians 14 chapters 22 On the Philippians 11 chapters 23 On the Colossians six chapters 24 On the 1 of Thessalonians 7 chap. 25 On the 2 of Thessalonians 4 chapters 26 On the 1 of Timothy 13 chapters 27 On the 2 to Timothy 4 chapters 28 On the Hebrews 12 chapters 29 On Saint James 9 chapters 30 On the 1 of S. Peter 8 chapters 31 On the second six chapters On the 1 Epistle of St. John 12 chapters 32 On the second two chapters 33 On the Apocalypse 69 chapters And so I will conclude this famous St. Gregory his life with St. Damasceâ—s commendation Gregory was Bishop of the ancienter Roman Church a man admirable for his singular uprightnesse of life and purity of learning who had as hee laboured in the sacred Mysteries of Gods Word an Angell to direct him and was inspired by the Spirit of the Holy Ghost Damascenus in Oratione de iis qui cum fide dormierunt An. Christi 630. Isidore Hispalensis S. ISIDORVS HISPALENSIS HE was by birth a Spaniard of good and honest parents such was their condition that they had alwayes an especiall care in the educating of this their young sonne in vertue in his youth that hee might bee the more endued with it when hee came to maturity For many teach their children the liberall Sciences not because those Sciences may give any vertue but because they make the minde apt to receive any impression of vertue for many mens children be divers and of sundry conditions some bee of nature not prompt and forward wherefore by education they must thereunto bee formed This Isidore was of a quick wit and of an able memory pointed out by heaven in so much that he was admired and respected of all for his Learning and Eloquence And being come to yeeres and taken notice of by the Bishop who then sate in that See and other learned men gained much love and respect from them for his constancie descent and pietie whereupon hee was called to bee a Priest which he performed with a great deal of pietie circumspection and care To be brieâ—e the old Bishop falling sicke and dying many stood for some and more friends for the obtaining of it but at last it came to a generall election and by that meanes it was bestowed upon this Isidore who was successour and also Cozen to Bishop Leander Hee flourished in the Reigne of the Emperour Mauritius and of King Rivaredus and was so generally eloquent that hee could accommodate the quality of his speech fitly to discourse with the Ignorant or Learned His works were most famous for humane and divine Learning he was of a subtle sharpe wit a cleere apprehension and a composed speech excellent in verse and prose shining with the refulgent beams of sanctity and learning so that all those naturall gifts which lie scattered in others were in him collected into one subject He was called the younger to distinguish him from the senior Bishop of Corduba or from another Bishop of Siuill his predecessor When he perceived that hee was neere his end and did foresee by the quick sight of his soule that his body was spent wearied and decayed by continuall sicknesse hee gave such liberall Almes daily to the poore for six moneths together so that they tarried all day to receive his charity afterward his sicknesse increasing and his stomack through weaknesse refusing all kind of sustenance he desired to make his reconciliation with God by prayer publikely and amongst the Congregation and so was carried to S. Vincents Church where hee confessed himselfe and said Thou ô God which knowest the hearts of men and didst forgive the poore Publican that stood afarre off and knocked his owne brest who on the fourth day didst raise dead Lazarus from the grave and wouldst have him received into Abrahams bosome receive at this houre my confession and remove from thy sight the innumerable sins I have done remember not ô Lord the sins of my youth and because thou sayest Quod in quacunque hora peccator à viis suis reverterit omnes iniquitates suas traderes oblivioni I am mindfull of thy gracious promise I call unto thee with hope and confidence being in regard of my sinnes unworthy to looke up unto Heaven but ô Lord I beseech thee receive my prayer and pardon mee a sinner For if the Heavens bee not pure in thy sight much more am I impure who have drunke iniquitie like water Then hee asked pardon of the Clergie and Citizens saying I beseech the whole Congregation of the Clergie and people here present to pray unto the Lord for me a wicked sinner that I who am through my own merit unworthy to obtaine mercy may by your intercession receive pardon of my sins Forgive me I beseech you all the offences I have committed against you if I have contemned any one beene uncharitable if I have corrupted any one with bad
death by a contrary comparison For as death is violent in destroying so love is violent in preserving Of Corporall Exercise Corporall exercise as Fasting watching and abstinence which bridle the flesh are little profitable unlesse piety be added thereunto for it makes us shunne vices and so to be excusable for some vices but not for all but piety and good workes are gratefull unto God Of Christs Love There came one without sinne that saved us from sinne for the Sonne of man came to seeke and to save sinners because he came in love as he was man and was from eternity as he was God The instruction of words is not so powerfull as the exhortation of workes for if those that teach the truth well doe neglect to do well they shall hardly profit their audience For workes perswade more than words The Writings and Bookes of Peter Lombard may bee knowne by the Epitaph on his Sepulcher which is in Saint Marcels Church in Paris where these words may be read Here lies Peter Lombard Bishop of Paris who composed the Booke of Sentences Commentaries on the Psalmes and Saint Pauls Epistles Moreover there are foure bookes of Sentences which are the chiefe works of Master Peter The first containeth sentences of the Fathers concerning the Trinity and Unity of God The second of the Creation of the World and especially of Angels and men and of the grace of God The third of the incarnation of the Word and of vertues and vices The fourth of the Sacraments and of the last things the Resurrection and Judgement An. Christi 1245. Alexander Hales ALEXANDER HALES THis Irrefragable Piece of Learning was borne in England in a place called Hales in Norfolke where having had liberall and free education bestowed on him by his friends he wholly addicted himselfe to literature it seemes hee had not onely an excellent wit but as forward a will to study for he proved famous in a short time which argues that he was wondrous painfull in his studies and so gained the height of learning by his indefatigable care and labour And although England bred him yet hee travailed into other Countries and was as famous abroad as hee was at home for as it is testified of him Magno tempore Parisiis legit id est He read a long time in Paris He it was that made the summe of Divinity and divided it into foure parts which he performed so accurately profoundly judiciously and learnedly that hee was called in Paris Fons vitae the Fountaine of life So likewise others termed him Doctor Doctorum the Doctor of Doctors But the most generall Title of worth that was given him was this that he was Doctor irrefragabilis Sixtus Senensis saith that for his knowledge in all the liberall Arts and for his wisedome in Schoole-Divinity he was not onely not inferiour to any but indeed did farre excell all others so that he may wel be termed the guide of Schoole-Divinity Another entitles him Virum in Divinis Scripturis eruditissimum in seculari Philosophia nulli suo tempore secundum ingenio subtilem clarum Eloquiâ— id est a man most absolutely experienced in the Scriptures and inferiour to none of his time for Philosophy most acute in Wit most renouned for his Eloquence Possevinus saith of him that he writ the summe of Divinity Ea Methodo quam anteà nemo unquam attigerat id est in that dainty Method which never any before had done But abâ—ve all the pens that have writ in his praise Petrus Rudolphus hath gone the highest whose Encomium of it selfe is sufficient to cause this Author to be esteemed And since he was so famous a Writer I cannot let his name and fame dye without adding something of mine own knowledge to perpetu ate him to posterity There be three or foure remarkable things in him which praise him sufficiently as first his general Learning secondly the Scholars of note that hee was Tutor unto thirdly the various Workes that he writ fourthly the honest and sanctified life that he alwayes led and lastly his death For the first who can suspect his ability for any kinde of Learning when as hee is rather admired of all than yet equallized by any Who that is of solid judgement but doe allow of his authority who but subscribes to his Conclusions Who desires not to register his undenyable Sentences Who but spend themselves at the Lampe to have resolution of difficult points from his Treasury What Case doth hee leave unresolved what Science doth he not handle Is hee not absolute for Grammar fluent for Rhetorique deepe in Philosophy expert in Metaphysicks made up compleat for Divinity Who almost can reckon up the number of his scholasticke Questions with their wise and learned Answers satisfies he not any man in any poynt or head of Divinity Is not hee the Garden that 's variously decked with most sorts of sweet Flowers and wholsome Herbes so that while some have endeavoured to bee eminent in this or that Science and with great difficulty have scarce attained their desired perfection is not he made up of all as though Natures endowments and graces blessings attended him and did both strive to the utmost to enrich him And then secondly doe not those worthy Instruments of learning who proved such solid Scholars afterwards speak this Alensis praise especially those two more eminent Lights to wit Thomas Aquinas and Bonaventure the one being for his admirable parts stiled Doctor Angelicus and the other for his rare knowledge in Divinity is called Doctor Seraphicus of the first it is said Tolle Thomam dissipabo Ecclesiam take him away and the Church will bee weakned and take away both and how will the Schooles be darkned and their glory eclipsed and were not both these by their own confessions instructed and tutored by this Alexander of Hales the Master sure was an able man who gave learning in such a measure to two such Champions And thirdly doe not his numerous unparalleld Workes sufficiently renowne him Did not all the chiefe Divines and Masters of Paris to the number of sixty approve and seale to the allowance of his summe of Divinity Did not the same Alensis decore and illustrate the old and new Testament with Marginall Notes which Worke was called Postills on the whole Bible Are there not in Manuscripts in foure Tomes Expositions and Commentaries of his upon Saint Marke Saint Luke and upon all the Epistles of Saint Paul Did not his pen set forth the summe of vertues Hath not hee writ likewise on the Pentateuch Commentaries on the Booke of Iosuah on the booke of Iudges on the bookes of the Kings as also on the Psalms hath not his labour set forth Annotations on the lesser Prophets Are not those his Commentaries on Aristotles Metaphysicks knowne by the name of Alexander ab Alexandria Did not he write learnedly likewise on the foure bookes of the Master of the Sentences hath not he
sayes they did not nor should professe the faith Catholike nor would they suffer any objections to be brought in against this famous Cyril nay moreover those that were invited to the hearing the cause of Saint Cyrill decided who had also determined his deposition were not onely not there nor was there any who answered for them yet as Baronius reports St. Cyrill was driven from his place by the Arrians in the Councell of Constantinople Mark saith Nicephorus the admired integrity of this Cyrill who appeared to defend his innocency notwithstanding all his enemies bravadoes and menacings nay he was so farre from being daunted that he affrighted the hearts of all his enemies so that they durst not maintain their forged accusations before so many famous and learned Judges But when as they found the Emperour infected with their heresie then they grew potent and impudent and Cyrill being removed Heraclius was brought in and after him Hillarius as Nicephorus maintaines for they two administred the affaires of that Church untill the reigne of Theodosius and then Cyrill was again restored and how reverently and piously hee determined all affaires belonging to that place is easily seene And Epiphanius who was the Hammer of Heretiks gives this Cyrill a worthy Encomium in these words Qui praeter Acacium Arrianum cum multis aliis illius sectae Episcopis contendere religionis ergô non dubitavit that is who not onely not feared to encounter Acacius the Arrian but did Christianly and faithfully oppose divers other Hereticall Bishops nor is Saint Ierome wanting to commend him for Cyrillus saith he Fâ—rtissimus Christi athleta orthodoxae fidei Assertor constantissimus c. That valiant Combatant of Iesus Christ that most constant Mayntainer of the Orthodoxe faith for many yeeres together strove for the propagation of Divine Truth suffered various and heavy persecutions exercised in these dangers from the beginning almost of Constantius Reigne to many yeeres of Theodosius yet all this while in these manifold grievances kept his first resolution and died in the faith at last Thus he And saith Nicâ—phorus though the Arrians at that time by their flatteries policies and suggestions had corrupted the minde of the Emperour though the Court was also all of that Sect yet this Cyrill startled not which was an infallible demonstration that he preached not Christ out of vain glory or in hope of reward at Court noâ— yet that hee was desirous to follow the times but that thee strove to keepe the â—aith in a pure conscience as knowing that would be his recompence at last Cardinall Bellarmines testimony of him shal briefly conclude my discourse of this laborious and constant Embassadour in the cause of Christ. Saint Cyrill saith hee after he was made Bishop of Ierusalem for his singular parts and Learning the state of the Church at that time requiring faithfull Dispensers of Gods Word was often driven by the Arrians from preferment yet did hee hold the faith till his death which was under Theodosius the Emperour Hee preached every Sunday and all the Lent every day with great pains and profit These are some of his Sayings Sanctus Cyrillus Hierosolymitanus Praefatio in Cat. Be not curious in things of vanity seeke not to know what 's done in the Citie what the King doth at the Court what the Bishop in his Consistâ—ry what the Priest in his Parish it is high time to looke into thy selfe and then up to Heaven from whence thy salvation commeth Idem 16. Some come to Church for fashion others to meet their friends this man upon one pretence that man upon another yet it s better to come so then not to come at all in the meane time the net is cast out the Word being preached draws in them which came with no intent to be caught at all being thus taken they shall be preserved for it is Christ that hath catch'd them not that hee may destroy them but that being dead hee may bring them to life eternall Idem Cat. 16. Let every good Christian say thus within himselfe certainly now the mystery of iniquitie is wrought the rumour of warres affrighten mee the Schismes and divisions of the Church are ready to distract me the difference amongst brethren make me amazed surely the end is not far off Lord when thou commest let me be prepared for it Idem Cat. 16. What though thou suffer for Christs sake suppose that fire and swords racks and torture be now ready to seize thee harken what the blessed Spirit of God the Comforter saith unto thee Trust still in God those are but flea-bitings continue but a while and thou shalt be in Heaven for evermore Here follow the Treatises of his which are called his Catechismes by the Paris Edition Anno 1631. 1 An introductory to Baptisme and his Lecture out of Esay upon that Lavamini 2 Of Repentance and of remission of sin of the adversary of man Lectures upon that of Ezechiel Justitia justo 3 Of Baptisme Lectures upon that of the Romans Know ye not c. 4 Lectures upon that of the Colossians Cavete ne quis vos c. 5 Of faith out of that to the Hebrewes Chap. 11. 6 Of the soveraignty of God of Heresies and Lectures out of Esay upon that Turn unto mee ye Isles 7 Of the Father Vpon the Ephesians for this cause 8 Lectures upon that of Jeremy Deus magnus fortis 9 Lectures upon Job upon that who is he 10 Vpon that and in one Lord Jesus Christ. 11 Vpon that the onely begotten Sonne of God Vpon that of the Hebrews Multis multifariam 12 Vpon that Hee was incarnate and was made flesh 13 Lectures upon that He was crucified 14 Lectures on Christs Resurrection 15 Lectures upon that He shall come again to judge the quicke and dead And of Antichrist out of Daniel Aspiciebam Throni c. 16 Lectures upon the Holy Ghost Vpon the first of the Corinthians 17 Lectures upon the holy Catholicke Church the Resurrection of the body and the life everlasting Out of Ezechiel And the hand of the Lord was upon me 1 Lectures to those who are newly baptized out of that of Saint Peter Be yee sober and watchfull c. 2 Lectures upon the body and bloud of Christ out of that of the Corinths What I have received of the Lord c. 3 Lectures upon that of Saint Peter Cast away therefore c. These were the pious and learned Works of this Father which the Church hath always kept as a solid buckler against Hereticks and as a restorative to the faithfull members of our Lord Iesus Christ. An. Christi 368. Sanctus Ephraem Syrus S. EPHREM SYRVS IT is not fitting that such eminent Lights should be hid under a Bushel but that their renowmed and pious actions should be blazon'd to the World for admiration and imitation the time in which he died in the Church was under Valentinian and Valens He