16 Of the two wils in Christ. 17 How we are created in the Image of God 18 Of Images three speeches 19 St. Stephens life 20 A dispute of a Christian and Saracen 21 A fragment of Sentences 22 Of the eight naughty thoughts by Euagrius 23 Of the same by Nilus 24 Of the day of judgment 25 Damascens History 26 Of the holy Sabbath 27 An Oration by Damascen Cardinall Bellarmine amongst his Ecclesiasticall Writers calls him a man of great Holinesse and Learning And as Beda was admired in the West so was he in the East Hee suffered many things for the Faith under Constantinus Copronymus wrote many famous things before he died whom the Master of the Sentences and all the Schoole Doctours have imitated for his worth and wit An. Christi 828. Sanctus Nicephorus NYCEPHORVS HAving drawne the pictures of so many famous Fathers eminent in the Church for their piety sanctity and learning it is necessary leviter tantûm vitam S. Nicephori adumbrare lightly to shadow out the life of St. Nicephorus for indeed what praises can reach the height of his perfection who like a bright lampe of learning and of religious life shined forth in the Horizon of the Church in the yeare 840. for then he lived in his brightest lustre like the East starre leading both the vulgar by his Doctrine and the wise men by his writings to the knowledge of Christ for sapientes faciunt loquuntur sapienter omnia wise men doe and speake all things wisely and Nicephorus being really religious must needs bee wise in words wise in actions and which is the highest wisedome wise to salvation Neither was he inferiour to most of the Fathers for profound judgement and learning both in Humanity and Divinity having read much and spent many houres to adorne his soule with Art and Grace that so he might informe others in the Doctrine of Salvation and illuminate the world then being in great darknes and under the shadow of sin and death He was a Physitian to cure the miseries of humane life and especially those which are incident to the soule namely tenebras intellectus errores mentis vitia appetitus irrectitudinem voluntatis the errors of the understanding the viciousnesse of the appetite and the crookednesse of the will for all these maladies of the soule he cured by his powerfull Doctrine and religious exemplary life so that those that were blind through spiritual ignorance he made them see and abhorre their sinne the lame in Charity and good workes hee made chearefull and forward to doe good the stubborne hee convinced and confuted by Arguments the weake he comforted and instructed And as the Sunne doth with his chearefull beames soften waxe refresh the drooping flowers and cherish the new sowne seeds so with the beams of his life and learning hee did warme and soften the obdurate hearts of men refreshed wearied soules groaning under the burthen of their sinnes and by his Doctrine cherished the seeds of Grace to bring forth in others the fruits of good life and conversation The Philosophers were derided quia in librossnâ—s quos de gloria contemnenda scripserunt nomina sua inscripserunt because to those bookes which they writ of contemning glory they set their owne names shewing themselves thereby most vaine-glorious But Nicephorus Workes are a glory to his name living to eternity in his learned Volumes If therefore his great wisedome and learning which attracted generall admiration may deserve commendation If the gifts and graces of his soule were so wonderfull and divine If his life were so sanctimonious and exemplary hee being a spirituall Physitian and a Sunne to illuminate the ignorant world if all these may render his life perfect and glorious then Nicephorus may be acknowledged amongst the most famous Fathers of his time who after this Pilgrimage of life peregrè constitutus properabat in Patriam regredi being a stranger on earth made haste to returne to heaven leaving to the world his Sentences and Workes He lived in the time of the Emperour Andromicus senior to whom he dedicated his Ecclesiasticall History containing eighteen Bookes and survived after the yeare of our Lord 1300. not long after exchanging this life for eternall glory His Sayings Of Example The naturall man cannot attaine to the height and perfection of active vertue or contemplative unlesse he propose unto himselfe our Saviours example as perfect God and man equall in power and vertue to God the Father and beseech him to give him the power of operation and contemplation Of Security He that liveth in security is so farre from thinking of appeasing Gods just anger towards him that he heaps sinne on former sinnes as if God did not behold them and would not require an accompt of them Of Providence God doth behold and moderate our actions using the scourge of affliction for our castigation and conversion and after due correction sheweth his Fatherly affection to those that put their trust in him for salvation Of the Scriptures The Scriptures rightly conceived make us cheerefull and active in the performance thereof also good just quiet upright and conformable to our great example of righteousnesse Christ Jesus Of Christ. The Wisedome and Divinity of Christ was seene by his words and actions drawing his Disciples to divine contemplation and imitation and working Miracles for their Faiths confirmation so bringing them to perfection which consisteth in the love of God Of Martyrs The ancient Martyrs would not be so called though they suffered Martyrdome yet they would not bee called Martyrs ascribing that title onely to Christ and so by their humiliation deserved a glorious exaltation Of Faith None of the ancient Fathers and Patriarchs did please God but by Faith in Christ as appeareth by Abraham his faithfull obedience being his justification Of Peters denyall Christ asked Peter three times if he loved him not for his own knowledge or information but that by his three-fold profession he might help and heale his threefold negation of him These are those things which he writ Namely his Ecclesiasticall History which hee composed both for style and words in elegant Greeke Also a Synopsis of the whole divine Scripture digested into Trimeter Iambicks wherein he briefely contained the arguments of all the bookes This Worke beginneth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And Gulielmus Esingr in his Catalogue of Ecclesiasticall Writers doth adde that he did write of the Acts done after the Maccabees even to Christ and the destruction of Ierusalem The Genealogy of the Patriarchs unto David Of Mosaicall Rites A Catalogue of the Iudges of Israel A description of tbe Kings of Israel and of the Patriarchs of Constantinople The Genealogy of Christ. Of our Saviours Miracles according to the foure Evangelists An. Christi 1071. Sanctus Theophylactus THEOPHILACTVS THe birth place of this Father was the famous City of Constantinople which once was the glory of the Roman Empire and the bulwarke of Christendome against the Turkes but
Table with his hand and said jaâ— contra Manichoeos conclusum esse that now the Manichees were foyled He was one that may be a perpetuall patterne for refusing and contemning worldly honours and wealth for though he was young and had great wayes to helpe himselfe yet he regarded them not nay insomuch that when Clement the fourth Bishop of Rome would have made him Arch-bishop of Naples he did refuse it and when great promotions were offered to him his usuall answer was Chrysostomi in Matthaeum Commentarios mallem that is I had rather have the Commentaries of Saint Chrysostome upon Sâ—int Matthew He desired three things principally First that he might not be weary in well-doing Secondly that he might not dislike that calling though with poverty which hee had chosen thirdly what became of his brother Rainaldus who endured such a bloody death for the good of the Church and in this last he said hee was sure that his brother for that temporall death enjoyed eternall life In his teaching hee alwayes strove to frame his speech to the peoples capacity and that hee might avoid all pride and ostentation nay in his disputations he would seeme to yeeld that he might rather shew his humility than height of learning Hee had abundance of Auditors as Doctors Bishops Arch-bishops Cardinalls who counted themselves happy in being his hearers He was of spirit wondrous mild in his corrections and reproofes hee would hate the vice and spare the person When as he was deputed to be at the Councell of Lions hee fell sicke and was carryed on a Mule to Severinum where when he was entred into a Cloyster he writ his Commentaries on the Canticles and perceiving his death to draw nigh received the blessed Eucharist prostrate on the earth After when his sister asked him if he would have any thing answered he should within a little space enjoy all things This was his fiftieth yeare of his age He had many witty sayings as one asking him why he was so long silent under Albertus he answered because he had nothing of worth to say to him Another asked him what was the most pleasant thing to him Hee replyed to understand all he had read One telling him he was not learned as he was supposed hee answered I will study the more to prove his words false A woman reproved him that seeing hee was borne of a woman hee should so shunne them Yes said he even therefore because I was borne of them One asked him how he might live without blame hee told him if he would remember his reckoning to the great Judge of Heaven and Earth So when after great paines and studies hee had approved himselfe to the Church of God he yeelded to Nature and was honourably interred with all the Rites and Ceremonies due to so great a person as he was His Workes are of that value that he who hath them in his study is furnished for all manner of learning His Sayings A day will come when faire dealing shall be found a jewell and false dealing shall come to nothing when a good conscience shall be better than a good purse for the Judge will not then be put off with faire words nor drawne aside with hope of reward He that 's armed for the warres let him consider who it is that gives him strength and teacheth his fingers to fight then let him employ that strength to his glory so that by this means come life come death all 's welcome that God sends In all thy undertaking make much of time especially in that weighty matter of Salvation O how much would that man which now lies frying in Hell rejoyce if there were but possibility to obtain the least moment of time wherein he might compasse the favour of God and so be freed from those torments which seize upon him for evermore Thou that art young hast death at thy back whereas the old man hath it before his eyes and that must needs bâ— a more dangerous enemy that pursues thee than that which marcheth up towards thee face to face Remember therefore thy Creator in the dayes of thy youth and remember withall that though God promise forgivenes to repentant sinners yet he doth not promise they shall have to morrow to repent I have set down his Works as Cardinall Bellarmine hath registred according to the Roman Edition Tome 1. Contains his life upon the Perihetmenias and the Analatickes Tome 2. Containes Commentaries upon the 8 bookes of Physicks Vpon the fourth book De Coelo Mundo and of the generation Tome 3. Contains his works upon the books de Meteoris Tome 4. Vpon the Metaphysicks 12 books Tome 5. Vpon the 10 books of Ethicks and upon the 8 books of Politicks Tome 6. Vpon the 1. and 2. books of the Sentences Tome 7. Vpon the third and fourth of the Sentences Tome 8. Vpon Disputaâ—ions and Quodlibets Tome 9. Containes his summes against the Gentiles with the Commentaries of Franciscus Ferrariâ—nsis Tome 10. The first part of his summes of Divinity with the Commentaries of Card. Caietan and the Exposition of divine names by St. Denis Tome 11. Containes primam secundae secundam secundae With Cajetans Commentaries Tome 12. Containes the tertiam partem summae Tome 13. Contains Commentaries on Iob on the 57. Psalme on the Canticles Esay Jeremy Lamentations Tom. 14. Commentaries on St. Matthew and St. Iohn Tom. 15. Contains his golden chain on the 4 Evangelists Tom. 16. On all the Epistles of S. Paul Sermons de tempore and of the Saints Tome 17. Contains 73 little Tracts and a little book upon the foure bookâ— of Sentencâ—s THus farre have we brought the lives of these holy Fathers and Doctors in every Century of yeares wherein they lived downe to our owne Moderne Writers whose vertues have shined on Earth like starres in the firmament by illuminating the darknesse of the blinde world with the light of the Coelestiall Doctrine These holy men I say did willingly and chearefully offer their lives and bodies as a living sacrifice to God not grudgingly or piningly but with alacrity of spirit for though by the hand of envy and tyranny they were judged to death yet they willingly dyed for his cause and yeelded their bodies as a debt due to Nature for they thought so long as the soule was in the body it was no better than in prison for the body at the best is is but a Coffin of the soule as the grave is a Coffin for the body Therefore let us strive by their examples to goe to heaven like them through persecutions tribulations and all worldly temptations for wee ought to desire with ardency as these holy Fathers did that joyfull day which all the Elect have and doe still long to enjoy For when Death and Time shall both cease and tender downe their Sâ—epters of authority as I doe now my self prostrate before God Almighty then shall I and never till then bee truely and really happy
Gather my Saints together vnto mee Psal 50. 5. THE GLORY OF THEIR TIMES OR The Liues of the Primitiue Fathers CoÌ„tayning their Chiefest Actions workes Sentences and Deaths Aske thy father and hee will shew thee Aske thy Elders and they will tell thee Deu. 32. 7. LONDON Printed by I Okes. and are to be sold in Pauls Church-yard at the white Lyon 1640. G Glouer fecit To the Reader on the Religious and Illustrious Lives of the Primitive Fathers THe publication of a Book doth draw on much expectation but this Worke doth not only satisfie the Readers curiosity but even draw him to wonder and admiration For was not the Creation of Heaven and Earth most wonderfull and glorious For when there was nothing but rudis indigestaque moles quam dixere Chaos a rude lumpe void of forme then God made the Sun Moon and Stars also and set them in the Firmament to give light upon the Earth and this natural Light the World enjoyed in the beginning but afterward out of the Chaos of blind Ignorance God to the Worlds greater amazement created and ordained the Firmament of Religion and placed therein the Sun of Righteousnesse our Saviour Jesus Christ then clouded under Types and Figures and also the Moon which was the Primitive Church round about which the Fathers shined like Stars of severall magnitudes but all glistering with light of Life and Learning Here is a poesie gathered out of old Gardens not decayed nor withered with Time or Age but as fresh and fragrant as from the newest stocke This savoury meat hath God brought to hand Here is sweeâ— out of the strong let your soule taste it and then blesse God for sending such able men into his Harvest in the innocencie of the Church and in the time of the hottest persecutions These were Gods Champions on earth who did fight his battails and defend his cause even reproving Kings and Princes for his sake These were called Fathers of honour and therefore let us honour them because they honoured God and though we cannot imitate them so neere in their lives as wee ought yet let us strive to imitate them as neere as we can in our minds and let us follow thousands of Martyrs through temporall death to eternall life and with Nazianzen give our selves wholly to the performances of all Christian duties For these Primitive Fathers they all gloried and tooke delight in their sufferings and bid large profers for Heaven come what torment could come even the losse of their lives for by their humility and patience they both triumphed over Tyranny and Death and now have obtained for their reward the eternall Crown of Glory which they enjoy and weare When any of these Holy Fathers met at Generall Councels concerning any weighty cause about setling Religion or suppressing of any Heresie sprung in the Church with what devotion reverence did they meet not trusting in their own knowledge sharpnesse of wit strength of brain deepnesse of judgement as it were in an arme of flesh they knew that there was a Divine power who ruled and governed all their actions and intentions they trusted in Him that hath the Key of David opening and no man shutting and prayed to the Lord the Father of our Lord Jesus to direct their cogitations this was the way they took and persevered in And should such good men as these bee forgotten such Pillars of Truth as these not seene and made manifest pity it were that their worth should be obscured or that the grave should bury their deserts All which time hath now brought to light and collected together in one Volume the use and fruit of which I wish to every Christian man This Work being then a Constellation of Divine Lights that were visibly seene in the East and Westerne Horizon of the Church and are here set in their severall places and Centuries of yeares wherein they lived shewing not onely their mortall aspect by curious and lively brasse Sculptures representing their Effigies and Countenances but also the divine influences of their souls in their lives actions and divine sentences for their Seraphick Contemplations were full of sublime and sweete expressions that as their faces were full of Reverend lines of gravity so did their Writings abound with sententious lines of Piety Insomuch that these words may justly be subscribed under their severall Pictures Exempla plus dictis valent facta mea non dicta vos Christianos milites sequi volo nec disciplinam modo sed exemplum etiam à me petere Examples prevaile more than Precepts I would have all Christian Souldiers follow my steps in works as well as words and in your lives make me your Rule and Example for Omnia prosperè Deum sequentibus eveniunt adversa spernentibus for Gods servants and followers are always fortunate and blessed but his foes miserable and wretched In a word the faces of the holy Primitive Fathers are here the object of your sight their Graces of your knowledge and understanding their Sentences may serve for your minds illustration and illumination and their Lives for your practice conversation and imitation and in all they have been and are accounted sacra Ecclesiae Lumina holy Lights of the Church shining once on Earth and now in Heaven and therefore all that would become Stars in glory after this life let them imitate these resplendent Stars of Grace that hereafter they may shine in glory with Christ Jesus the Sonne of Righteousnesse in his Fathers Kingdome for ever Amen Typographus The Names of all the Primitive Fathers contained in this Booke Philo Iudeus Ann. Mundi 4024. Iosephus 4057 Ann. Christi Ignatius 71 Polycarpus 71 Dionysius 71 Saeculum secundum ab anno 100 ad 200. Iustinus Mart. 150 Irenaeus 170 Ab 200 ad 300. Tertullianus 204 Clemens Alexandrinus 204 Origenes Adamantiâ—s 226 Gregorius Thaum 233 St. Cyprianus 250 Arnobius 285 Lactantius Firmianus 290 Ab anno 300 ad 400. Eusebius Caesari 329 St. Athanasius 340 Hilarius Pictav 355 Cyrillus Hieros 365 Ephrem Syrus 365 Basilius Mag. 370 Gregorius Nazâ—anzenus 370 Epiphanius 370 S. Ambrosius 374 Gregorius Nyssenus 380 Theodoretus 389 S. Hieronymus 390 S. Chrysostomus 398 Ab anno 400 ad 500. S. Augustinus 420 Cyrillus Alexan. 430 Petrus Chrysologus 440 Prosper Aquitan 445 Ab anno 500 ad 600. Fulgentius 529 Ab anno 600 ad 700. S. Gregorius Magnus 604. Isidorus Hispal 630 Ab anno 700 ad 800. Beda venerabilis 731 Iohannes Damascenus 731 Ab anno 800 ad 900. Nicephorus 828 Ab anno 900 ad 1000 ad 1100. Theophylactus 1071 Anselmus Cant. 1081 Ab anno 1100 ad 1200. Rupertus Tuitiensis 1119 S. Bernardus 1130 Petrus Lombardus 1145 Ab anno 1200 ad 1300. Alexander Hales 1245 Bonaventura 1265 Thomas Aquinas 1265 An. Mundi 4024. Philo Iudaeus PHILO IVDAEVS THis Philo was a Iew of Alexandria of the stocke of the priests and hee is deservedly placed among the Ecclesiasticall Writers because that in his workes hee
because that rain was procured by the prayers of the Christians so that they lived securely and held Councels and did preach freely in his reigne as also in the reigne of Commodus who succeeded Antoninus But divers weedes sprung up againe to disturb the Church of Lions and Rome and the Easterne parts Lions was troubled with the Valentinians and Gnosticks Rome it was molested with Blastus and Florinus and the Eastern Church was disquieted with a great deal of contention about the celebration of Easter but against all these did this Irenaeus proceed he setled Lions refuted Blastus and Florinus follies and was mightily studious to settle the Churches about Easters celebration He lived in Antonius Commodus and Severus Reignes being about 182 yeeres after Christ but this Severus being a cruel man against the Christians rais'd the fifth persecution against them wherein many Martyrs were crowned But most of all it raged at Lions in so much that the blood of slaughtered Christians ran down the streets so that their names could not be told nor numbred but God hath written them in the Book of Life at last this blessed Saint was by the slaughter-man laid out to death with the greatest part of that Citie on the fourth of the Calends of Iuly as Trithemius about the sixtieth yeere of his age other say the ninetieth There is great dispute among Historians about the yeere of our Lord in which he died but it is certaine that he with divers others were set betweene two Hils there being a Crosse on the one and an Idoll on the other being put to choice which way he would goe either to the Crosse and so suffer or to the Idoll and live Hee and all they chose to suffer Martyrdome and so were all put to death His bones as relicks were reserved with great care and laid in rest untill the yeare 1562. they were digd up in that furious and raging cruelty of the Hierognosticks who neither spared dead nor living nor Temples Altars nor any holy things but spoiled all and cast part of his bones into the River and his skull was kicked about the streets as a Ball but a Christian Chirurgion stole it up and kept it two yeers untill Charles the ninth got the City again and restored to Christians their former liberty who hearing where his skull was came and decently with great respect buried it and caused it to be registred in their common Register of the Citie His Sentences I have here placed with his Works Hee used to compare the Hereticks and Schismaticks of his time to Aesops dog that lost the substance of Religion by too earnest gaping after the shadow In a just consideration of the glories and honours of this transitory World What profit is there saith hee in that honour which is so short liv'd as that perchance it was not yesterday neither will be too morrow For such men that labour for it are but like froth which though it be uppermost yet is unprofitablest 1 Against the Gentiles 1 booke 2 Of Discipline 1 book 3 Of Schisme to Blastus 1 book 4 Against Heresies 5 books 5 Of the Monarchie of God 6 Of Ogdoades 7 Of Easter to Victor 8 Of the Apostolicall preaching An. Christi 204. Quinctus Septimius Florens Tertullianus TERTVLLIAN THis Tertullian flourished in the Reigne of Severus the Emperour and lived till the reign of Antoninus Caracalla as himselfe witnesseth in his first book against Marcion as also in other places Pamelius who wrote his life sayes That it was when Victor was Bishop of Rome who was an African borne and when as Septimius Severus was Emperour that then this Tertullian an African was famous also in the Church There have beene those who have striven about two Questions first concerning the knowledge of this Tertullian from one Tertullus a Consul and from one Tertyllianus a Counsellour as also from one Tertullinus a Martyr The second question is about the time wherein this our Tertullianus lived some will have him to be converted to â—e Faith in the yeere of Christ 160. but that is rejected but Eusebius and others do with better judgement place him in the yeere of our Lord 200. I cannot let passe in the first place the cause of the multiplicity of his names All Antiquaries do hold that he was called Quinctus à loco in quo natus from the place in which hee was borne which was his praenomenâ—sed â—sed by the Romans as Onuphrius testifies and cites some so called as Quinct a Septimia a famous Matrone Septimius was added to him à Gente from his stock which was amongst the Romans both Regall Plebeian and Consular So Septimius Mesius rex Aequicolâ—rum Lactantius in his Institutions and Saint Ierome in his Epistle to Fabiola doe suppose this Tertullians stock to be very noble The Cognomen or Sirname of Florens denotes a certain Family of that Race of Septimius As for his name Tertullianus it is a derivative of Tertullus as Octavianus of Octavus and as Septimius of Septimus It is concluded by Eusebius and Saint Ierome that this Tertullianus was an Affrican borne the sonne of a Proconsul which also is affirmed by Isidorus Nicephorus and Beda and more specially to be of the Citie of Carthage For his Institution he was happy for it was excellent and hee was as industrious to adde what could be had by study his Works against the Gentiles testifie his able parts which according to Saint Ieroms words Cunctam saeculi continent disciplinam that is they containe all sorts of Learning He was well read in Poets Grammarians Histories and Lawes Hee was well seene in Physicks and Philosophy Lactantius says hee was in omni genere doctrinae peritus well skild in all kinde of Learning Eusebius stiles him Peritia rerum legum Romanorum clarum He knew well and dexterously the affaires and Lawes of the Romans Saint Ierome sayes he was Acris vehementis ingenii vir eruditus quo nihil eruditius c. That hee had a sharpe and pregnant wit that there was none more learned than himselfe Saint Austine stiles him Disertissimum a most discreet man Nicephorus calls him Eloquentia acrem pollentem powerfull in his Eloquence and Oratory but hee that will see his large prayse let him read Vincentius Lyrinensis His words I have Englished Inter Latinos omnes hic facile princeps judicandus that is Amongst the Latine Writers hee is chiefly accounted of for what learning greater then his Who more exercised in all divine and humane knowledge For he was expert in all Philosophy He knew all Sects their Authors Defendors Abettors Arguments Fallacies hee was full of all History his wit was able to decide any Controversies and that with forcible Arguments hee convinced any Opposite hee undertook judiciously who can sufficiently blazon his prayses Each word is a Sentence all his constructions victorious He wrote many Workes that were necessary for Christians which are all
not intelligible And hence appeares the folly of them that forsake the Church and excommunicate themselves for feare of being excommunicate by the Church It was sometimes Saint Pauls saying Brethren I would they were cut off that trouble you but such there are in these dayes as cut off themselves they are so farre forth obnoxious in troubling of others among whom they live that being conscious to themselves they become a punishment to themselves in forsaking the Church that bred them that educated them that instructed them that defended them that had they continued in it with sincere and pure Religion would have saved them But they went out from us because they were not of us Of the love of God Such is the power of the love of God that it maketh us to bee of one spirit and affection with God as distance of place or time cannot alter or change a setled affection Magnes amoris amor The Load-stone of love is love Gods love allureth ours Prior nos dilexit Deus saith Saint Bernard tantus tantum gratis tantillos tales God first loved us and that in a high degree when wee were vile and contemptible A strong inducement to render love for so great love Of Election The Elect clothed with the wedding garment do shine in the newnesse of regeneration neither is our election merit but our merit proceedeth from election God electeth none for their owne sakes or any thing in them but of his meere free mercy Wherefore did he love Iaakob and hate Esau Search not into Gods secret counsell Scrutator Majestatis opprimetur à gloria Cannot the potter make one vessell for honour another for dishonour as the clay in the potters hand so we were in Gods who chose us or rejected us either for the magnifying of his mercies or the manifesting of his justice Of Hypocrisie The inward part of the cup is most usefull if it be foule within the outward washing is to no purpose and so the inward integrity of the conscience doth purifie the body God requireth truth in the inward parts and of all the sacrifices of the Old Testament most esteemed of the fat of the inwards he will have no dissembling That Harlot in the Kings would have all the childe or none she was the childes mother but that other Harlot said Let it be neither thine nor mine but let it be diuided God hateth divisum dispersum cor wee must not have one heart for God and another for the Devill give him all or none at all Of Self-deniall Christ is to be followed by taking up his Crosse and though not in act yet in will we should be ever ready to suffer with Christ as companions of his passion though not in act yet in affection for when Christ comes to judgement how shall eternall life be obtained by wealth gentilitie or dignity these things and the like are to be contemned and Christ to be followed whereby eternitie with losse of earthly felicitie is gained It is an hard matter at once to looke up to Heaven with one eye fixing the other upon earth we must either adhere to our selves and deny Christ or adhere to Christ denying our selves No man can serve two masters that is commanding contrary things Let us then denie our selves saying with the blessed Apostle We have forsaken all and followed thee Hilary on that in Matthew My yoke is sweet What is sweeter than Christs yoke what is lighter than his burthen to abstaine from wickednesse to desire that which is good to love all to hate evill to obtaine eternity not to be taken with things present and not to impose on another that which thou wouldest not thy self suffer Hilar. lib. 4. de Trinitate Words and sayings are to be understood according to their causes because the matter is not subject to the speech but the speech is subject to the matter Hilar. de Trinitate The flesh became the word that is man God his humanity is in Heaven his Deity was of Heaven this is in Heaven as it was and that is in Heaven which was not Hilary in principio Lib. de Trinitate All humane speech and eloquence is obnoxious to contradiction because such as disagree in manners disagree also in mind and the errour of their foolish will doth strive against the truth either not understood or offending their folly Hilar. lib. 1. de Trinit The beginning of Discipline is humility whereof there are three documents which especially belong to a Reader or hearer the first is that hee despise not any Science or Author Secondly that hee bee not ashamed to learne Thirdly that when he hath gotten knowledge he doe not despise others Hilar. super Mat. Christ did so highly commend concord and peace that he affirmed that Prayers made in the Unity of the spirit should bee heard and hath promised that where two or three were gathered together in his name hee would be in the midst of them An Epitaph on Saint Hilary collected out of an ancient Authour Hilarius cubat hac Pictavus Episcopus uâ—na Defensor nostrae terrificus fidei Istius aspectum Serpentes ferre nequibant Nescio quae in vultu spicula Sanctus habet Hilary of Poicters this Grave doth contain Our Faiths Defendor which he did mayntain His blest aspect did Serpents away chase Affrighted to behold his holy Face His Works 1 Against the Emperor Constantius 1 book 2 Two Books unto the Emperour 3 Against Auxentius the Arrian one booke and one concerning Synods against the Arrians 4 An Epistle to his daughter Abra and a Hymne 5 Commentaries on Matthew 6 The explanation of some places 7 Of the unitie of the Father and the Son 8 Of the â—ssence of the Father and the Son 9 Epistles to Saint Augustine He was abundantly eloquent as appeareth by his twelve Bookes of the indivisible Trinity written in a swelling stile as are his Commentaries on the Psalmes An. Christi 365. Sanctus Cyrillus Hierosolymitanus S. CIRILLVS BEfore the passages of this Fathers Life shall bee treated of 't will not be amisse to discover two things the first the time in which this St. Cyrill lived for Bellarmine placeth him in the yeare 365 his words are Sanctus Cyrillus Hierosolymae Episcopus c. St. Cyrill Bishop of Ierusalem under Constantius often cast out of his place by the fury of the Arrian faction but restored and at last dyed under Theodosius But Surius puts him in the yeare of our Lord 340. Now the difference is not to be accounted so great the one accounting from his birth till hee began to be esteemed of in the Church and the other reckoning from the time of his being first Bishop to the time of his Death The other is the distinguishing this St. Cyrill from the Patriarch of Alexandria and also from another St. Cyrill Deacon and Martyr which is thus to be knowne first he is knowne from St. Cyrill of Alexandria because this was but a Confessor that
sick and maimed if thou dyest uncured it is thy own fault his mercy and goodnesse is open freely to thee as to Mary Magdalen and the penitent Thiefe His Workes are contained in three Tomes which containe matters of severall subjects all full of Divinity printed at Antwerpe 1619. Bellarmine doubts of many of them Trithemius doth thus record them 1 Of the Holy Ghost one book 2 Of compunction of heart one book 3 Of Contrition one book 4 Of Penitence one book 5 Of the strife of this World one book 6 Of the Day of Iudgment one book 7 Of the Resurrection one book 8 Of the blessednesse of the Soule one book 9 Of Thoughts Homily one 10 Of the difficultie of preaching one book 11 Of celebrating the mysteries one book 12 Lamentations for the Citie of Edissa An. Christi 370. Sanctus Basilius Magnus S. BASILIVS THe life of this great St. Basil is of worth and rarity that it is not only fit for imitation but also admiration and therfore I have excerpted it partly out of his owne works and partly out of those funerall Sermons which have beene made for him by St. Gregory Nyssen and Gregory Nazianzen the one his halfe brother the other his most faithfull and worthy friend as also out of St. Hierome Amphalochirs Bishop of Iconium and Helladius Bishop of Caesarea and successor to St. Basil I also take some passages out of Metaphrastes Suidas and Cardinall Baronius A Writer saith of this St. Basil that he wel deserv'd the name of Great for he was Magnus ingenio Magnus Eloquio Magnus Sapientia Magnus Sanctimonia Magnus Divina gloriae propugnande propagandaeque Zelo Magnus adversus Hareticos Constantiâ Magnus dein omnibus rebus negotiis idest Hee was great in Wit great in Eloquence great in Wisedome great in Sanctity great in defending great in propagating Gods glory great inconvincing Heriticks and great in all his imployments and undertakings He was born in Helleno-Pont in the Iland of Pontus of Noble Wealthy and Holy Parents his Fathers name was Basil his Mothers Emilia they had ten Children whereof the eldest was called Maâ—rina who dyed a Religioâ—s Virgin such as the trees were such were their fruit for all their off-spring are commended for piety and holinesse His grand-father and great grandfather endured heavy miseries and afflictions for Christs sake under the reigne of the Emperour Galerius Maximâ—s a sworne enemy to the Christians in his time these kept close in Desarts and Caves and endured all hardnesse as well for their lodging apparell diet as also expecting each moment when they should have beene apprehended and at last suffered constant Martyrdome for Religion So you see this St. Basil proceeded from an holy and religious progeny and what more is he was a grace even to them He was of a rare wit and grave judgement sweetly composed behaviour wondrously modest he got learning first at Caesarea then at Constantinople then he went to Athens where he gain'd and held the love of Gregory Nazianzen Well he was wholly bent to the study of Theology â—nd therefore left Athens and went into Aegypt to see and heare one Porphyrius read Divinity and here hee stayed one whole yeare He was of an excellent constitution but with much watching praying reading fasting and spare diet he did much wear down his strength He left this Porphyrius and travailed to see Ierusalem He converted his Master Eubulus to the Faith of Christ so that he travaild with him to Ierusalem where lodging at Antioch at one Libanius his house a great rich man this Saint Basil expounded to this Libanius some of Homers verses wondrous difficult to bee understood with such readinesse and wit that hee even astonished this Libanius so that hee made them a great banquet but Eubulus and Basil feasted with nothing but meere bread and water and this St. Basil strived to have wonne this Libanius from Idolatry to Christianity but could not so deepe was his wilfulnesse but he gave admirable directions and instructions to the young men concerning their behaviour and deportment in their studies and so tooke leave of Libanius and were wondrous kindly entertained of the Bishop of Ierusalem and were by him baptized Having ended this jâ—urney they returned to Antioch where Meletius the Bishop made this Basil a Deacon and being ordered he shewed by his able parts what a Prelate he in time would prove for Antioch was fild with his fame so that he went to Caesarea a City of Palaestine where Hermogenes the Bishop consecrated him a Priest who presently dying all mens expectations were upon Basil to have succeeded him but Factions arising one Eusebius a Catholike Christian but puft up with envy and vaine-glory succeeded Hermogenes and this Eusebius perceiving the admirable parts of Basil and withall the peoples affection to him began to hate him so that Basil retreated into Mataria beyond the River Iris a solitary place of Pontus Here he stayed some certain years with Gregory Nazianzen where they led such holy and godly lives that they were esteemed rather divine than mortall St. Gregory in his 8. Epist. hath lively described his life with S. Basil. Here they were both driven to that exigency that if it had not bin for S. Basils mother Emilia they had there perished Here St. Basil gain'd many schollers and was famous as well for his Doctrine as his pious example and in this place they had matter enough to exercise their patience not onely from their poverty but also from their adversaries for it happened that Musonius Bishop of NeoCaesarea dying when there were publick meetings for the election of another Bishop that might be worthy the place as St. Gregory Thaumaturgus was they all pitched their thoughts upon this Basil which so gald the Hereticks of that place who knew his Doctrine would overthrow theirs his life shame their doings that they presently with all the policy they could rais'd slanders and opprobrious disgraces against this man But Basil like another Lampe had so enlightned all Pontus with his vertues that though Valens the Empeperour favoured the Hereticks and though they did waste the Easterne Churches and daily accuse this Basil nay though this Basil was hated of Eusebius before and seemed to be well content with a solitary life yet as if stayed up at this time by God he reconciles himselfe to Eusebius who ever after highly loved and esteemed him and being departed this life all men concluded that there was none so worthy of this place as St. Basil so by their choyce and by the advice of Gregory Nazianzen he yielded to their requests and proved a worthy shepheard to that flocke as well by truely feeding them as by driving away all Hereticks which were as Wolves to devoure the Church But scarce was he setled in this Bishoprick but there arose a mighty famine in this City the rich and Merchants would not part with their provision so that there were miserable
that Saint Basil was so beloved of God that hee was kept in the midst of all dangers as an other Noah and as Moses Aaron and Iosuah Symeon Metaphr astes names him Praeclarissimam Ecclesiae facem splendidissimum purae Veritatis Solem qui suorum claritate radiorum omnes orbis terrarum or as illustret and also Excelsam Dei Columnam Theologiae Iâ—bar legitimum ipsius sapientiae filium Consummatam Intelligentiae perfectionem Patris aeterni Legatum Divini verbi Tubam Donorum Spiritus Sancti Dispensatorem fidelem that is The resplendent torch of the Catholike Church a bright Sunne to the truth by whose lustre and brightnesse all the parts of the world are enlightned a main Pillar for the trueth of God a bright beame of theologie the very sonne of Wisdome the perfection of Understanding the Embassador of the Eternall Father the trumpet of Gods Word a faithfull Steward and Dispensour of the guifts of the Holy Ghost Thus doe these and so have many others of the Primitive Fathers celebrated this Saint Basills praise Cardinall Bellarmine speaking of his Works calls them no otherwise then Basilii Magni opera praeclarissima the most famous works of Saint Basill the Great hee flourished under Valens died under Gratianus as Saint Hierome in his Ecclesiasticall Writers doth testifie Saint Basils Sayings To know thy selfe is a difficult consideration For as the eye can see all things but it selfe so some can discerne all faults except their owne Divine Love is a never failing treasure hee that hath it is rich and hee that wanteth it is poore The love of God is an excellent ointment to cure the infirmities of the minde and cleere the eyes of the understanding Basil. in Hexamero Hee that willâ—know true love let him learne to love Christ for Christ is love Basil ibid. Divine love is a never failing treasure he that hath it is rich and he that wants it is poore Basil in hom What shall I doe shall I pull downe my Barnes Who doth not pitie his unhappinesse He wants in abundance and is troubled with too much wealth and is unhappy in his present prosperitie and as his field brought him a great increase so that increase did augment his care and trouble Basil in Hexameron There are three things which nourish Humilitie daily subjection consideration of our own frailtie and the hope of reward Basil in Hom. Every Hypocrite is like Simon carrying the Crosse on his shoulders they afflict their bodies with corporall abstinence and yet through the love of glory they live to the World Basil ibid. Three things doe settle a wandring minde watching me ditation and prayer the assiduity and fervencie whereof doe establish and settle the soule Hee being asked why wee should love those that speak ill of us answered Because for their sakes it is that we are blessed according to those words of Christ Blessed are yee when men speak evill of you Mat. 6. He likewise being demanded of Eubulus the Philosopher what was the definition of Philosophie answered The meditation of death He being demanded again Quis est mundus made this answer Quâ— est super mundum Saint Basil speaking of the joyes of Heaven saith of the sweete harmony that is there the sweet melodie the heavenly musique they enjoy would ravish a soule on earth if it were but capable of it nay farther hee goes and sayes that it is sweeter than devotion more sweete than contemplation and farre sweeter than all things in this earthly Mansion Sanctus Basil in Psal primum When he had read the Bible over saith that it is a Physicians shop of preservatives against poysoned Heresies A patterne of profitable Laws against rebellions spirits a treasury of most costly jewels against beggerly rudiments a foundation of most pure water springing up unto everlasting life The originall thereof being from Heaven not from Earth the Author being God not man the matter veritie pietie puritie uprightnesse The forme is Gods Word Gods testimony Gods Oracles are effects light of understanding repentance from dead works newnesse of life peace and holinesse the end and reward of the studie The same Basil hearing of a Senator that had renounced the World and yet retained unto himselfe some part of his meanes to live within a Cloyster told him that he had left to be a Senatour that was not made a Monke I have here set downe his Works as they are contained in foure Tomes printed at Basile in the yeere of Grace 1540. Tome 1. 1 Homilies upon the work of the six days being eleven in number 2 Homilies upon the Psalmes 17. 3 Homilies of severall Arguments 28. Tome 2. 1 Of Virginity two books 2 Of Paradise one book 3 Against Eunomius three books 4 Against Sabellians and Arrians 5 Of the Holy Ghost one book 6 Of free will one book 7 Of Baptisme two books Tome 3. 1 Sermons seven 2 Of the judgement of God 3 Of the Confession of Faith 4 The summe of Morals 80. 5 Questions largely explained 6 Questions shortly explained 7 Monasticall Constitutions Tome 4. Epistles of Saint Basil and Gregory the Divine 180. 2 An Epistle to Chilo of solitary life 3 Other Epistles of the same 4 An Oration against them who calumniate those which say there is a Trinitie Cardinall Bellarmine thinks as Saint Hierom that there are but nine Homilies of Saint Basils the other two he supposes to bee Gregory Nyssens and so this great Light went out whose memory wil ever be fresh and honorable among the faithfull An. Christi 390. The Life of S. Gregory Nazianzen S. GREGORI NAZIANZEN GRegory first Bishop of Sasima a little Citie in Cappadocia then of Nazianzen in Cappadocia and then of Constantinople whom the Graecians for his singular learning and authority first after Saint Iohn the Evangelist sirnamed the Divine was a living Library of Philosophie and Divinitie and the most eloquent Oratour of his Time attayning to the high stile of Polemon Laodicenus a most famous Sophister So that as men exceed beasts in the ability of speech so hee excelled others in the facultie of Eloquence and sweetnesse of speech whereby he allured mens minds enclined their wills and affections defended the poor and oppressed comforted the afflicted and got himselfe a generall fame and good opinion using it also to the edification and instruction of others in Divinity For his eloquence was but the expression of his divine contemplations and conceptions Non enim tam nos ratio juvaret nec tam esset in nobis manifesta nisi quae mente concepimus proferre etiam loquendo possemus Ipsa vitae praecepta etsâ— natura sunt honesta tamen plus ad formandas mentes valeant quoties pulchritudinem rerum claritas orationis illuminat Reason would not be so helpfull to us nor so manifest in us unlesse wee could by speech expresse our conceipts Even moral precepts of life although naturally honest yet are more powerfull to fashion minds when
with Learning of all sorts chiefely addicting himselfe to the study of Rhetoricke in which he gained such an eminency that none of the ancient Fathers doe in this kinde exceede him He writ an admirable book against Eunomius as also another no lesse famous of the Creation of Man and many excellent Sermons did he make but that Treatise of the Soule which hee writ to his sister Macrinia deserves the prayse of all Learned men in succeeding ages Cardinall Bellarmine sayes that he writ in the fourteenth of Theodosius his Reigne and that he was present at the first Councell of Constantinople as Nicephorus doth report it he writ the Symboll of Faith set forth in the same Councell Sayings out of Saint Gregory Nyssen Of Vsury A Usurer that lends his money out is like a man who stands by another â—icke of a burning Fever who desires to drink water to ease him the other doth reach him it but it does him no good but a great deale of further mischiefe to increase his pain so hee though for the present he seemes to relieve his want yet he afterwards doth mainly torment him Against the same sinne Hee loves no labour but a sedentary life the pen is his plough parchment is his field Inke is his seed Time is the rain to ripen his greedy desires his sicle is calling in of Forfeitures His house the Barn where he winnows the fortunes of his Clients Hee follows his Debtors as Eagles and Vultures do Armies to prey upon the dead Corps Of the same sinne Men come to Usurers as Birds to heapes of corne they desire the corne but are destroyed in the nets laid for them so borrowers for a time may flourish and come and goe but at last lose all For Usurers are as fishers assoone as they have caught fish in one place let downe their nets in another Of relieving the poore There is no excuse to be found for hard heartednesse against the poore for where can the rich cast their eyes but they may behold them He therefore that despiseth the poore despiseth his Maker His Works as they are set forth in the Edition of Basil 1562. I have here set downe 1 An Epistle of a Christians name 2 Of the Lords prayer one book 3 Of the 8 Beatitudes on Mat. 5. 4 Sermons of the Nativity 5 Of Saint Stephen 6 Vpon the sixth Psal. 7 Of Easter 8 Of the Assumption of Christ. 9 Of the Trinitie and that the Holy Ghost is God 10 That there are not three Gods 11 Of the difference of the Essence and Hypostasis 12 Of the faith in the Trinitie 13 Vpon that of the Apostle Then shall the Sonne himselfe be subject unto him 1 Cor. 15. 14 Of Sleepers 15 Of Infants taken away 16 Of the Resurrection foure Sermons 17 Authour of the Lords Assumption 18 Vpon Matth. 25. As much as yee have done it to one of these you have done it to me 19 Disputation of the Soule and of the Resurrection 20 Of the Trinity against the Iews 21 Of holy Baptisme 22 Commendatory speeches upon Saint Basil 23 Vpon the 40 Martyrs 24 On Pulcheria 25 On Placilla 26 Gregory of Naeo-Caesarea 27 On Theodore a Martyr 28 On Meletius 29 Vpon the Creation of Man A supplement to his brothers Hexameron 30 Of Philosophy eight Books 31 Of the life of Moses one booke Here as Bellarmine observes want his books against Eunomius These are therefore in the Edition of Paris added in the yeere 1573. 1 Eight Sermons on Ecclesiastes 2 An explanation upon the Canticles 3 Of the form of a perfect Christian. 4 A Catechisticall speech 5 Against those that deferre the Baptisme of Children 6 Of avoiding fornication 7 Against those that will not be reprehended 8 Vpon the woman sinner 9 Of loving the poor 10 Of true Virginitie 11 An Epistle to Flavianus Concerning which Bellarmine doth give good observations for distinction of them Briefely this famous man was studious and well learned being excited by his brother Saint Basil lived gloriously and died piously in the yeer of Grace 380 Valentinian and Valens then swaying the Roman Eagle An. Christi 388. Theodoretus S. THEODORETVS NIcephorus the Historian hath taken the greatest paines and travell amongst all others to describe the life of this Theodoret at large and therefore I shall principally follow his steps This Theodoret saith hee was born at Antioch a famous place and an ancient Citie and renowmed for many things but specially for that in that the Disciples were first called Christians in this place as also for the Apostles determining that great question about Circumcision sent their resolutions to this place by Paul and Barnâ—bas with Iudas and Silas The Apostles and the Elders with the Brethren unto the brethren which are of the Gentiles in Antioch and in Syria and Cilicia c. so that this Citie is ennobled in this respect and as the place of his birth did grace him yet more did his parents Nobilitie and Religion for they were both great personages and both addicted to Christian Religion but his Mother as my Authour testifies was grieved in minde deeply because she was barren and was without any hope of issue to inherit their large possessions so that they both resolv'd to bequeath all their Revenues to the mayntenance of Christians and to Monasteries whereof there were many in Syria but by her prayers shee was heard and God did not deny her the request of her lips but did grant her her hearts desire and fulfilled her requests and sent her a sonne which shee said should be dedicated to God and shee was as good as her word for his name imports as much as a gift of God or Theodoret well this her sonne by the provident care of the parents and by the acutenes and excellencie of his own wit in a short time profited so in pietie and letters that though as Procopius testifies juvenis consecratus Episcopus Cyri c. hee was very young yet hee was chosen and consecrated Bishop of Cyrus which is a Towne of Syria of the Iews which was builded by Cyrus King of Persians and was by him enfranchised and endowed with many priviledges what hee did being now seated in this Reverend place you will by the sequell perceive what a worthy worke did he presently set forth call'd the Historie of the Lovers of God was hee not as vigilant to find out and discover nay to expell Heretikes out of the Church or reducing them to it At the same time there were whole Parishes in his Diocesse infected with the pestilent Heresie of the Marcionites and did not he by his sole wisdome and labour even to the hazard of his owne life bring them backe into the bosome of the Catholike Church which thing alone shews him to be an able and learned Prelate for it is a taske of tasks to learn men to swim against the streams of their own perverted wils and to make
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
Apologeticall booke to Euoptius against Theodoret 7 Exposition of the Nicen Creed 8 Schoole Notes on Christs Incarnation 9 Two Epistles to Succensus the Bishop 10 Twelve Synodall Epistles 11 Nestorius Tenets gathered out of his owne Works 12 A speech of the going out of the soul of the second comming 13 A famous Worke called Thesaurus containing fourteene books 14 Seven bookes of Dialogues with Hermias 15 Of worshipping in spirit and in truth 17 books 16 Against Julian the Apostate ten books 17 Of the right Faith to Theodosius and his Queens 18 Against the Anthropomorphites 19 Of the Trinitie Besides these there are extant printed at Ingolstadt his Commentaries on the lesser Prophets Greeke and Latine in Folio and five Books against Nestorius Greeke and Latine in the end of the first Tome of the Generall Councell of the Roman Edition And there shortly are expected thirty Paschall Sermons In these Workes you may finde Learning Wit and Eloquence in all which this Father excelled So that if a man call him the Magazine and store house of divine perfection hee shall not mistake himselfe nor transcend the bounds of modestie But of him ne me Crispini scrinia lippi Compilâsse putes verbum non amplius addam An. Christi 440. Sanctus Petrus Chrysologus S. PETRVS CHRISOLOGVS THis Worthy Fathers Birth-place was at Imola a village neare Revenna in France sprung from Parents who are commended for their uprightnesse and sincerity not of meane or dejected fortunes but having ability of meanes to support them with credit and reputation and they are prayse-worthy for their great care that they had to see their sonne vertuously brought up in study and good Arts. This Chrysologus had institution for good manners and learning from Cornelius who was Bishop of that City so likewise from the same Bishop he received holy Orders and was found wondrous able for that holy function insomuch as not long after hee was by Sixtus the third of Rome chosen to bee Arch-bishop of Ravenna and was the two and twentieth that had successively managed the affaires of that Sea Hee deserves high commendation for his rare parts and indefatigable paines and various studies Hee was present at two Councels the one was held at Ravenna the other at Rome by the authority of Caelius Symmachus then Pope of Rome and Theodoriâ—ns King of the Ostrogoths He sent Letters full of learning to the Synod of Calcedon against Eutiches the Heretique which are yet extant but what a copiousnesse of wit he did enjoy may easily be perceived as also what a measure of Eloquence he possessed by the number of his Homilies and Sermons full of Elegancy and matter being above 176. He sate Bishop the space of sixty yeares and governed the Church of God with admirable wisedome and industry Trithemius amongst his Ecclesiasticall Writers speakes thus of this Chrysologus Petrus Archiepiscopus Ravennas vir eruditus atque Sanctissimus c. that is Peter who was Arch-bishop of Ravenna a man full of learning and holinesse performed many worthy actions in the Church of Christ. He was so powerfull in Eloquence especially in his Sermons to the people and so holy in his conversation that he by both these did daily bring some to the imbracing the truth and did set forth many rare pieces pro edificationâ— fidelium that is for the edification of the Faithfull You have this Father sufficiently commended for his excellent parts in an Epistle set before his Workes which were printed at Paris with the Workes of Leo the Great the first of that name Pope of Rome as also of Maximus the Bishop of Taurinum and Fulgentius Bishop of Ruspa with the Workes also of Valerianus Bishop of Cemelium in one Volume where this Chrysologus is commended with these words En tibi Chrysologum c. that is behold this Chrysologus not onely famous for his Divine Eloquence and solidity of Learning but also for his honour'd antiquity and faithfulnesse in the Episcopall function He lived within a while after Saint Chrysostome and other famous pillars of the Church He got this name as Chrysostom got his for he is termed of all Divines 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the Golden spoken man for who wil but reade his Workes shal finde a lofty Majesty of stile and phrase absolute and profound Learning such purity of Divinity not stained or tainted with any vaine affectation nor any rigid and harsh Interpretation no obsolete deductions or conclusions but direct and even Natural so that if you compare Neotericks either Commentators or as my Author speakes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Homily Writers with this man you shall finde them as Pigmies to another Atlas for where have you a more modest Interpreter of the sacred Scriptures Where can you finde one so conspicuous for pious Eloquence or Eloquent PIETIE Who opens the most obscure places of the Text with a more apt consonant ingenuous sincere interpretation so that he doth not wrest the sence nor corrupt it nor unfitly expound it but with judgement integrity exact Learning and industry so that in these respects hee doth well deserve to bee ranked with the most eminent Fathers he doth not rashly or childishly heape together a few places of Scripture but doth where the place or matter wants testimony wisely and discreetly exhibit his proofs for confirmation As hee was studious in his preachings so always before he pend any thing he would with great ardencie and humilitie set himselfe to prayer Cardinall Baronius in his Annalls doth commend this Petrus Chrysologus for his Epistle writ to Eutyches dignam plane tanto viro Episcopo Epistolam that is An Epistle indeed worthy such a great Bishop and it doth begin in these words Tristis legi tristes literas tuas with grief of heart I have read thy heavy and dolefull Letters as the peace of the Churches the concord of the Priests the tranquillitie of the common people makes our joy to abound so no lesse doth the dissention of brethren arising out of such causes deeply afflict and torment us oh now why should the actions of Christ done so long since allowed and approved in all ages by your pen be calld to question How Origen too nicely searching into Divinity and how Nestorius disputing too curiously of the Natures fell your wisedome cannot but know the Wisemen câ—nfesse him to be a God though at that time laid in a Cratch by presenting their Mysticall presents the Priests do acknowledge him that should be borne of a Virgin the heavenly Army of Angels sing at his Nativitie Glory to God in the Highest And when as at the Name of JESUS every knee should bow both of things in heaven in earth and under the earth what a strangenesse is it that your pen should move a question of his beginning we do Beloved with the blessed Apostle safely conclude that though we have knowne Iesus after the flesh yet now know wee him no more nor
is it safe to search too farre when as wee are commanded to honour and feare him It is not the wisest course to gaze too much upon this resplendent Sun lest we be justly by his glorious beams beblinded it is easie to collect by the words and advise of this Epistle to judge what a singular man for Learning this Peter Chrysologus was Baronius saith that having with great pains long governed the Church and having beene always studious of his wayes hee died in December the second day which saith he hath a faire probability of truth in that because Leo then Bishop of Rome in the Consulship of Martianus a yeere after this is said to have sent Letters to Leo this Peters Successor as appeares in the Epistles of Leo hee was by all likelihood an upright man and of courage in matters of Religion For hee and Laurentius the Bishop of Millain would not communicate with Symmachus lest they should bee suspected to side with him against the other Orthodox Bishops when the Councell was held in Rome and Cardinall Baronius shall conclude all in a word Sed qui post Laurentium sequitur ordine Petrus Ravennas Episcopus his temporibus eximia sanctae vitae nituit claritudine that is but amongst those other worthy men after Laurentius in order is to be reckoned Peter Archbishop of Ravenna who in these times exceld for the conspicuous fame of his holy life and because many Students may the easier find upon what subjects Chrysologus hath written knowne to be all his owne Labours and not fathered upon him by them that were admirers of him I have here set them downe in order as they are registred in the Parisian Edition in the yeere 1623 which you shall find after his Sayings Chrysologus his Sayings Of an unprofitable Servant Hee is like the fig-tree that was well looked to by the Master yet was unfruitfull onely cumbred the ground suckt vertue from others troubled and grieved the Master was a disgrace to the Garden and at last cut down for the fire and what else is hee who hath Natures endowments the benefit of Reason of Sense of Judgement of good Education and Example but yet brings forth no fruites of a sanctified life but as that Tree who hindred others and hurt it selfe Of uncharitable Rich men Remember that Thou Foole this night shall they fetch away thy soule perplexe not thy selfe what thou shalt leave behinde but bee sure to send thy almes before thee bee rich in good Works Let not thy care be to have thy hands alwayes full and the poores alwayes empty The onely way to have full Barns is to have charitable hands Vpon Mildnesse and Meeknesse The Apostle Saint Paul hath I beseech you brethren by the mercies of God A good man uses intreaties rather than commands the heavenly Physician rather cures our wounds with divine salves than makes them with his punishing rods God had rather men should love him than feare him He had rather be called Father than Master Hee winnes by mercy that Hee might not punish by Justice If thou wilt be like thy Father doe likewise Of the meanes to grow in grace As neither in the flint alone nor in the steele alone any fire is to bee seene nor extracted but by collision and conjunction fire and light is brought so nor by faith alone nor by good works alone is salvation attaind but if ever you intend to come to that infinite light joine both together Against Drunkennesse and Gluttony Variety and satiety of dainty meates and drinks weakens the vitals spoiles the stomacke corrupts the bloud poisons the humors kindles choller ends in the scar-fire of burning feavers as the clouds darkens the Heavens so intemperate banquetings the minde as the violence of wind and waves drowne and sinke a ship into the bottome of the sea so doth drunkennesse and gluttony our souls and bodies to the depth of Hell Who sinn'd more grievously then Paul who offended more grievously than Peter yet they by repentance deserv'd not onely the ministery but also the mastery in holiness remember there is mercy with the Father in the Gospell shewed to the prodigall sonne returning home judge not therfore before the time before the Lord come c. for men know not the judgments of God for that which they praise hee doth condemne and that which they condemne he doth praise In God piety is not without justice nor justice without piety nor equity without goodnesse nor goodnesse without equity Vertues being separated are annihilated and perish For equity without goodnesse is severity and justice without piety is cruelty Some have lived commendably before their attaining to dignity but being set upon the Candlesticke of the Church they turne their light into darknesse and their fame into infamy and it had beene better for such Lights to have beene still hidden under a Bushell than with disgrace to have got into the Candlesticke for their wickednesse which was obscured by their poverty was manifested and divulged by their dignity As they increased in dignity so they did also in disgrace and infamy A private sinner is often spared but if a Prelate offend all tongues are sharpned to speak his disgrace Discretion should be used in making promises for a vain promise doth often make friends become enemies Where greatest losse is feared there greatest warinesse should be used Chrysologus his Workes 1 Homilies for Christmasse day 2 Vpon Saint Stephens day 3 Vpon Innocents day or Childernmasse day 4 Vpon New-yeares day 5 Vpon Twelfth day 6 First Sonday after Epiphany On the Second third and fourth Sondayes after Epiphany 7 Vpon the Septuagesima 8 Vpon Ash-wednesday 9 Vpon the first Sonday in Lent 10 Vpon all Lent Sondayes 11 Vpon Good-friday 12 Vpon Easter-day 13 Vpon all the Sondayes till Whitsontide 14 For Ascention day 15 For Sondayes after Whitsontide 16 Vpon St. Andrews day 17 Vpon St. Thomas day 18 Vpon our Lady day 19 Vpon St. John Baptists day 20 Vpon Saint Peters day 21 Vpon St. Mathews day 22 Vpon the beheading of Saint John Baptist 23 Vpon St. Luke the Evangelist 24 Vpon some Martyrs 25 Vpon one Confessor 26 Vpon a Virgin Martyr 27 Vpon the day of the Dedication of the Temple 28 A booke against the Heretique Eutyches 29 Some learned Epistles The time of this Fathers Life was long hee did as Trithemius reports of him flourish principally under Martian the Emperour and dyed in the yeare of Jesus Christs Incarnation 500. His body as was fitting was with great solemnity and lamentation buried hard by the body of that renouned Martyr Cassianus and doth with him expect a glorious resurrection amongst the just and upright men His Works are of great esteeme amongst the learned and are to bee reserved in the Church of Christ as Monuments of his great labour and learning An. Christi 445. Sanctus Prosper S. PROSPER THis famous Writer was of the same
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
the one side and the paines of hell on the other side and that he must of necessity bee cast upon one of them that he had rather bee thrust into hell without sinne where the drowned are tormented than goe to heaven cloathed with sinne where the Saints onely enjoy everlasting life Idem de Venatione Diaboli Cap. 183. The Devill goes out every day a hunting First he seizeth on them that never sorow for their sinne but he begins to let them goe that he perceiveth to be cast downe in the sight of their offences yet there 's a third sort that upon repentance are healed from their sinnes those hee looseth altogether Let the first sort lament and mourne let the second grieve on still but let the third rejoyce for evermore Id. de quadrato lapide Cap. 173. de similitud Every foure square stone hath sixe equall sides let it fall upon which it can it lyes fast so must a just man persist in his integrity for hee hath sixe sides to fall upon too Prosperity Adversity Liberty Subjection Private and publicke employment Now upon which of these soever the Dye turnes let him stand fast and immoveable maugre the Devill and all his opposition Id. de Iustitia Justice is the freedome of minde giving to every one his due To betters reverence to equalls love to inferiours instruction to God obedience to it selfe sanctity to enemies patience and to the poore workes of compassion Such was the detestation which this good man had of sinne that hee would use to say If I could see the horror of sin and the dolour of hell both with my bodily eyes before mee and must of necessity passe through one of them I would rather chuse Hell than sinne Another saying of his was I had rather enter Hell being free from sinne if it were possible than reigne in Heaven with the pollution of sinne upon me Likewise humane frailty made this good man thus to crye out O durus casus Heu quid perdidit homo quid invenit perdidit beatitudinem ad quam factus est invenit mortem ad quam factus non est O hard hap alas what did man lose what did he find He lost the blessednesse to which he was made and found death to which he was not made His Workes are thus registred by Cardinall Bellarmine Three Bookes 1 Of Truth 2 Of Free-will 3 Of the fall of the Devill then 3 more of 1 Grammar and prose 2 Enarrations on St. Matthew Explanations on some of the Evangelists Vpon the Canticles Tome 2. Vpon all the Epistles of St. Paul On the Apocalypse Tome 3. Of the contempt of the World Hymnes 4 Soliloquies 5 For an unwise man 6 Against an unwise man 7 Of the Incarnation 8 Why God was made man 9 Of the Virgins Conception 10 Of the Sacrament 11 Annotations on the same 11 Of the proceeding of H. G. 12 Of Similitudes 13 Of Gods will 14 Of the concord of Praescience and Predestination 15 Of mans misery 16 Of members and actions attributed to God 17 Of the measuring the Crosse. 18 Of Meditations 19 A meditation of our Redemption 20 Of the Passion 21 Pricks of divine Love 22 Homilies on Saint Luke 23 Of the Virgin Maries excellence 24 Of the Image of the World 25 Dialogues containing the summe of Christian Religion Tome 4. Divers Epistles in three bookes An. Christi 1119. Sanctus Rupertus RVPERTVS HE that reades this mans life must expect that nor my pen nor any other can compleatly in each particular act fully delineate it but yet as Authours have publikely blazoned his worth it hath beene my care to register it in our native tongue and I hop◠not in vaine for good examples prevaile much and are to an ingenuous spirit as a whetstone or patterne to imitate To begin therefore with his parents He was borne in Germany as Trithemius and Cocleius doe testifie but they were not so able for wealth as vertue they had an especiall care that this their sonne should be vertuously educated our birth-places nor our parents cannot diminish the worth that wee practise the house is never the worse for being little in Israel the Family disparages not so there be a David in it wee are not bound to answer for other mens faults neither is it to be concluded because our Fathers have halted that therefore wee should be lame Vertue deserves commendation as well in the Cottage as in the Court and many times is not accommodated with the affluence of worldly endowments The greatest Rivers flow from Springs and the Tree is not to be disliked because it is low if the fruit be good it makes not whither it grows on an Hill or a Valley According to that of Ausonius Non obstare locum cum valet ingenium Question not the Tree When the minde you good doe see This Rupertus was in his youth brought up in all offices of pietie and duty in the Monastery of Leige under the tuition of Heribrandus an upright and prudent man of whom hee acquired the principles of those Arts that were fitting his age and it seems his Tutor did not neglect his charge but finding him to be an ingenuous youth mildly imposed some duties of Religion upon him which he performed as carefully and reverently an admirable patterne the onely way to have men prove absolute is to have them well at first seasoned seldome fals that fruit by stormes which is cherished by a milde spring There are few that faile in age whose youth have been accustomed and inured to pious performances being by this good Instrument so fitted now hee proceeds to higher actions hee made godlinesse the very food of his soule and profited in the practice of it daily more and more so that following that he gained knowledge and reputation as it is said I bone quò virtus tua te vocat I pede fausto Grandia laturus meritorum praemia That is Proceed ô Goodman with an happy pace In tracks of vertue take th' rewards with grace He was not carelesse of any kinde of Learning that might conduce to Religion so was hee admirable for divine poetry as may appeare by his expressions of the Holy Ghost in excellent Verse as also the life of Saint Augustine and Odolia a Virgin as also his Hymnes upon Severus the Confessor so likewise hee alwayes thought upon that of Saint Paul give attendance to reading Did hee not also restore the Greeke Tongue at this time almost decayed in Italy nay did he not fairly recover them from their Barbarismes that were then encroaching upon the Latine so that it appeares this Rupertus was not onely famous for Poetry and the Greek tongue but also for Oratory in the Latin phrase a rare thing living in those barbarous times to restore Languages to their Genuine beauty And if I should but a little digresse it would not be an errour a little to insist upon the praise of Divine Poetry if there were nothing
till hee was very old and in this his old age he did with abundance of teares lament and bewail the vanities of his life still desiring God to pardon his sins to omit his errors to make him one of those of whom it is said Come yee blessed children of my Father c. all his desire was to be loosed from the Tabernacle of corruption so that it appeares he had hopes of a better possession in that Citie whose builder and maker is God So in fulnesse of dayes after many tedious labours and travels hee was struck with a Fever of which he died with great expressions of joy and comfort that at the day of accompts hee should rise to live with the just and upright men made perfect I have here set downe his Workes as they are registred before his books printed at Mentz in the yeer of our Lord 1631 in two Tomes Tome 1. Commentaries of the Works of the sacred Trinitie in fortie two books 1 On Genesis nine books 2 On Exodus foure books 3 On Leviticus two books 4 On Numbers two books 5 On Deuteronomy two books 6 On Josuah one book 7 On Judges 1 book 8 On the Kings five books With the Psalmes annexed 9 On Esay two books 10 On Jeremiah two books 11 On Ezekiel one booke 12 On Daniel one booke Haggay Zachary Malachy being added 13 On the foure Evangelists one booke 14 On the Works of the Holy Ghost nine books 15 Commentaries on the twelve lesser Prophets one and thirty books 1 On Osee five books 2 On Joel one book 3 On Amos foure books 4 On Abdiah one booke 5 On Jonah two books 6 On Micha three books 7 On Nahum three books 8 On Abacuck three books 9 On Zephaniah two books 10 On Aggee one book 11 On Zachary five books 12 On Malachie one book 13 Of the Canticles of the Incarnation seven books 14 On Ecclesiastes one book 15 On Job one book These are of late annexed Tome 2. 1 On Saint Matthew of the glory of the Sonne of God thirteen books 2 Of the Trinity nine books 3 On Saint John thirteen books 4 On the Apocalypse twelve books 5 Of the victory of Gods Word thirteen books 6 Of divine Offices twelve books 7 Of the misery of his Monastery one book 8 Of the meditation of death two books 9 The life of Heribet Archbishop of Collen To these now are added 1 Of the losse of Virginitie one book 2 Of the Divine will one book 3 Of the Omnipotencie of God one book These are the demonstrations of the Labours of this man which are large enough to prove him an eminent man and so I end and shut up my discourse of him desiring those that reade his Life or his Works both to imitate his Learning and Holinesse that they with him may receive comfort at the second comming of our blessed Saviour Happy are they then when our Lord shall come shall be found so doing An. Christi 1130. Sanctus Bernardus S. BERNARDVS IT is not fitting that this great Light which God did set up should be hid under a bushell but that his pietie and vertues should be celebrated to all posteritie Hee was borne in those parts of Burgundie in which his Father held much land and large possessions His parents were noble and religious His Fathers name was Tecelinus a great Souldier and such a one as Saint Iohn wish'd others to be laid violent hands on none but kept himselfe within the bounds of civility and sobriety and so followed his Commanders here that hee did not neglect his chiefe Commander in Heaven his mothers name was Aleth sprung from a Towne not farre from the mountaine called Barrus shee following the rule of the Apostle was subject to her own husband and ruled her family with wonderful care and religion shee bare to her husband six sonnes all devoted to God and religion and one daughter which was also addicted to pietie all these shee lovingly did give suck to from her own brests the third of these was this Bernard whose Life I will now set forth In his minority hee was very obedient and dutifull to his parents wonderfull apt to learn and quick to conceive of an admirable memory accute wit ready apprehension ingenious of nature flexible to discipline of an excellent feature comely personage sweete behaviour courteous meeke all these shewing what a rich Harvest this Spring would produce when he was young he was troubled with a great pain in his head which a woman having long time used that way was brought to him who said she would remove that pain by certain verses by way of enchantment but when shee came before him hee utterly rejected her and her devise rather being willing to endure the hand of God then the hand of the Devill and God in short time after in great mercy did acquitt and free him of this pain and did comfort him and confirme him as he did Samuel in Shiloe being put forth to learning he was not onely as forward as the rest but exceeded and even in his youth did learne to mortify his head-strong affections he was as well by education as nature addicted to a solitary life hee was also full of charity for if hee had any money hee would privately give it away to the poor his master dyed in his youth and was honourably interred this Bernard was to be admired for his chastity and for quelling of lustfull thoughts so that hee did often use that speech of Iob I have made a covenant with mine eyes not to looke upon a maid which will appeare if you consider those two eminent demonstrations of it the one was thus by the instinct and suggestion of the Devill there was a young beautifull maid laid in bed which thing when Bernard perceived though then in height of bloud and she an object to incite him to violate his chastity yet hee never so much as tooke any notice of her but lamenting her impudencie lay on the other side remote from her and so kept himselfe continent to the astonishment of that bold intruder And the other passage is this It so fell out that Bernard with some other of his associates should lodge at a Matrons house but the woman being overcome with tentation viewing the comely countenance of Bernard and the beauty of his eyes and graceful deportments of his person when night came did prepare a more sumptuous Chamber for him than for the rest and shee burning in lust towards him in the middle of the night came to his bed which thing Bernard suspecting suddenly cried out as if there had beene Thieves in his Chamber so the people awaking and the woman fearing to be taken fled well they all goe again to rest but the woman not being daunted with this approached the second time but he as before cryed Thieves so the houshold rose again but found non nay shee was so impudent that shee adventured the third time but being by
satisfying Gods Justice and working our salvation Of serving God There are two ways of serving God when wee despise the World and love God onely this is Religion in perfection the other is when wee love God and the world and this is an imperfect affection and profession of Religion The former is perfection without imperfection which is not attainable in this life for since wee bee partly flesh and partly spirit our affections are divided in their operations I sleepe saith the Spouse but my heart waketh her better part was directed towards God her carnall part was lesse capable of heavenly raptures being sluggish and drowsie The good that we would do that doe wee not but the evill we would not doe that doe wee Wee love God and the World here as if the love of God and the World were competible but the good Christian labours as much as hee may to renounce the World to gaine God which is better then 1000 Worlds to lose God is to lose all Tolle meum tolle Deum to lose the World and get God by the losse of it is with Mary to choose the better part which never shall be taken away God is All in All. None but Christ. Of Christs Incarnation Christ that he might shew himselfe unto men and teach them the true way of adoring and worshipping his Father taking on him our nature came downe into the World his first Miracle being to shew God in the shape of a man And surely that was a great miracle farre beyond the reach of our capacitie that the Creatour should so farre stoop to the Creature as to take upon him the nature of man that hee that made woman should be borne of a woman that he whom the Heaven of Heavens cannot contain should be contained in the narrow wombe of a Virgin that God that made man should himselfe be made man in all things like us sin alone excepted that the Sonne should take upon him the nature of a servant that the King of Kings should be subject himselfe to the meanest vassals that he that was invested with the Robes of the Deity should be clothed with the rags of our humanity A wonder exceeding all wonder a Miracle without a parallell Of the Devils power The Devill doth worke upon the natural inclination and free will which men have unto evill thereby overthrowing States and Cities and by the flattery of pleasures drawing many soules to all kind of wickednesse taking their affections with pleasant and delightfull objects hee doth hold the World in captivity and subjection The Devill cannot compell us to commit sin hee may move externally by propounding objects but the tinder which taketh fire is our own naturall corruption We may thanke our selves for sin and the punishment of sin Eve blamed the Serpent the Serpent beguiled me this made her not excusable had shee not consented to the temptation the Serpent had not deceived her but the occasion of sinning being offered and the will consenting sin is committed and punishment for sinne is admitted Of the Apostles Christ chose illiterate men to convert the whole World which hee did that his divine counsell and power working and operating in them might be manifested and declared It is Gods ordinary proceeding by small or no meanes to bring great things to passe what were a few fishermen for converting the whole World What weake instruments were Rams Horns for the blowing downe of the walles of Iericho Elijahs Mantle divideth Iordan A little barley Cake tumbling downe the Hill overthrows the tents of Midian Thus Gods strength is perfected in weaknesse and his Majestie shines in meannesse and the more contemptible the means the greater is his glory manifested in the meanes that hee that glorieth may glory in the Lord. Of Christs Divinity Christs Divinity shined through his body as light doth through a Lanthorn with beams of humane and divine light illuminating the soules of men No marvell then that his Adversaries confesse saying Never man spake like this man his words argued his Divinity which were socelestiall and void of exception as mans wisdome could not contradict When his Adversaries would have apprehended him they went backwards and fell to the ground another argument of his Deity the rayes whereof confounded the faces and daunted the courage of malicious men When Pilate said Knowest thou not that I have power to condemne thee reply was made thou couldst have none except it were given thee from above My Deity stoops not to thine humanity Of Gods Word The Fountaines of Israel were the words which were delivered to Israel for to them the Oracles of God were first committed whence living waters should be drawn to water the Church of Christ. Therefore Saint Pauls caution was not in vaine that wee should not despise the Iewes they being broken off from the Olive tree wee being graffed in and partaking of the fatnesse of it their ruine is our rising Let us not be high-minded but feare least wee suffer by their example Of Gods Omnipotencie God doth order augment perfect penetrate and move all things in every place yet his nature is not thereby impaired or polluted and thus he becomes a Saviour and Physician to the wicked and as the Musician sheweth his Art in tuning a disordered Harpe so Christ declareth himselfe to be the soules Physician by curing mans discording affections and regulating them by his exemplary Life and Doctrine It is God that is able when and how hee will to dispose of the creature for his owne glory and our good If wee bee so fast bound with chains in prison that wee cannot get out hee turnes our captivity as the Rivers in the South if sicknesse oppresse God is our health Are we hungry God is the bread of Life to feed us thirsty God is water of life to refresh us naked his robes of righteousnesse cloath us he is every way able to relieve us Of Salvation Christ by his precious bloud wrought mans freedome and redemption his desertion by God on the Crosse was either to manifest the dignity of his passion or his miraculous affection to mankind laying downe his soule for mans salvation Admirable was his love to man in so great a worke and in the manner of performing it the worke was wonderfull that enemies should be saved who were to be destroyed and the manner of it as wonderfull that it should be procured with the shedding of his owne bloud a drop whereof is more precious then a thousand Worlds Our sins were of a deepe die which nothing but Christs bloud could expiate It was not the shedding of the bloud of Bullocks or Goats in time of the Law that was satisfactory to God they were types of the shedding of the bloud of the Lambe of God which taketh away the sins of the World manent actn tolluntur reatu This is Christ our Saviour And as hee was infinitely read in Books of Divinity so
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