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
his reigne but the ancient Martyrologies affirme that Saint Denis suffered martyrdome under Hadrianus as Cardinall Baronius hath well and judiciously obserued it And so secondly we may conclude safely that Denis lived one hundred and ten yeers His writings are extant yet not without some scruple or doubting howbeit those of the best judgment give good reason why they are his I will not rehearse any of those great Miracles which the papists doe ascribe to him however I must not neglect to recite unto you his works being so loftie and divine and relishing of a Spirit which was ruled by the Dictate of the Holy Ghost And indeed I could bee large if I should but recite the Testimonies of all Ecclesiasticall Writers who have commended this godly martyr Bellarmine saith that hee used often that saying of Ignatius of Christ Amor meus crufixus est that is to say My love and delight is crucified His Sentences follow And his Works as Cardinall Bellarmine hath registred them He used to say that hee desired of God but two things first to know the truth himselfe Secondly to preach it as he should to others No lesse observable was his speech to Timothy Hadst thou seene the Saints agonies at that time as I did speaking of their cruell persecutions of him thou couldst not but weep considering the sentence denounced against them that Peter was crucified and Paul beheaded that multitudes of the common Rabble smiting them did spit in their faces and it is worthy the remembring that at their parting after they had received the sentence of death from the Magisâ—rate Paul said to Peter Peace beâ— with thee thou Foundation of the Church and Shepherd of Christs Lambs and Sheep And Peter to Paul Go in peace thou Preacher of good things thou Mediator and Captain of our Salvation and chiefest Labourer in the Lords Harvest But at their departure saith he did follow my Master Paul And in the same Epistle Observe a Miracle my brother Timothy not to be slightly passed over I who was present at their parting after their death saw them hand in hand entring into the gates of the Citie clothed with a garment of light and wearing on their heads glorious Crowns 1 Of the Celestiall Hierarchie 1 Book 2 Of the Ecclesiasticall Hierarchie 1 Book 3 Of Divine Names 1. 4 Of Mysticall Divinity 1. 5 Epistles to Caius 4. 6 To Dorotheus 1. 7 To Sosipater 1. 8 To Polycarpus 1. 9 To Demophilus 1. 10 To Titus 1. 11 To Apollophanes 1 12 To John the Apostle 1. To confirme that these Works were his it is sufficient that they were allowed of Saint Gregory the Great in his 33 Homily on the Gospels and not only of him but of divers others who have writ of him as St. Maximus and others An. Christi 150. Iustinus Martyr IVSTINVS MARTER LOoke upon this effigies and you behold an acute Philosopher a Judicious Divine a constant Martyr a stout shield of the Christian Faith an Elegant ancient and eloquent Writer in the defence of the Truth Whom many of the Fathers have highly esteemed and deepely praised as Photius in his Book entituled the Library and Eusebius in his Ecclesiastical History S. Ierom likewise reckons him none of the meanest amongst those famous Champions of the Church so Epiphanius terms him Vir sanctus Dei a man an holy man and a lover of God Anastasius Paulus Orosius in his seventh Book and fifth Chapter and Plinius secundus in his Epistles in the tenth booke But Photius doth amongst the rest give and afford him a large Eulogie it begins in these words Est autem vir ille ad Philosophiae tum nostrae tum potissimum prophanae summum evectus fastigium c. which is That this man came to a great height not onely of our philosophy but also of that which is counted prophane flowing in the copiousnesse and abundance of all sorts of learning and histories and knew very well how to beautifie and adorn his words with Rhetoricall expressions Hence was it that hee was so able to deliver his mind in apt termes and significant phrases so that those things that came from him were wonderfull emphaticall patheticall and significant and work'd much upon the souls of his Auditors Hee was sonne to Prisâ—us Bacchius hee was borne in a certain little Towne in the province of Palestine called Naples But hee tooke great delight in Rome and therefore hee chose that to be the seat of his residence where both in speech life and habit he professed himselfe a Philosopher but he made his philosophy subservient to his sacred studie of divinity and would say He kept it for use and that in his studies he found great profit by it Tritenhemius the famous Abbat of Spanheim in his collections of the ancient fathers doth give this Iustin Martyr a very good report for he cals him Christi amatorem cultorem insignem a great lover and worshipper of Christ Jesus Cardinall Bellarmine and Baronius doe both highly prayse and exâ—oll him for his Learning in their Writings especially Baronius in his Annals doth commend him because Hee was the first Champion that set himself against the dangerous Heretick Marcion His words are these Caeterum non defuerunt qui statim adversus Marcionis venena pararent antidotum praestilit id quidem omnium primus Iustinus Martyr that is There wanted not those that presently prepared antidotes against the poyson and venome of â—arcion but the first that undertooke the cause was Iustin Martyr Nay hee not onely prayses him for that according to his due merit but also for his valour and prudence in discovering the Heresie of the Valentinians he cites Tertullian adversus Valent cap. 4. 5. to utter these words Viri sanctitate praestantia Insignes Haeresiarcharum contemporales instructissimis voluminibus prodiderunt retardarunt ut Iustinus Martyr There were men famous for sanctity worth and excellencie who by their dexterous Writings supprest the Heresie of Valentinus as Iustin Martyr so that it easily doth appeare that he did not onely suffer much for his Saviours cause but also did much study and accustome himself to defend it against all oppositions in his time For custome is a second nature and when the soule takes delight in any vertue it is gain'd upon by an usuall and customary iteration He began to flourish in the Reigne of Antoninus Pius and in the time of Telesphorus as doth appeare by his Apologie which hee dedicates to the same Emperour wherein hee grievously complains against the Prâ—consul in Asia because he did with such extream crueltie persecute the poore Christians with the sword as was thought against the minde of that good Emperour who was calme and gentle towards them and would not suffer them to read any Books of the Prophets which spoke of Christ upon pain of death But this Iustin Martyr lays him open to the Emperour and saith
as occasion served How full of Hospitality was he to strangers How humble how cheerfull and how liberall not onely refreshing their bodies but comforting likewise their soules with spirituall directions Did not all men knowing his excellencies send in reliefe to the Brethren either by shipping out of England or by Wills of men dying still was this Monastery supplyed There did likewise belong faire revenues to this Abby out of England to bring in which to the Cloyster this Anselmus came over in the first yeare that he was ordained Abbot and not onely for that reason but also to see and speak with Lanfrancus who was from being an Abbot preferred to the Arch-bishopricke of Canterbury Whither when Anselmus was come with what a confluence of all sorts of people was hee entertained at Canterbury so there was Discourse had betwixt Lanfranck and himself and this is said of them both to their commendations Non erat ullus eo tempore qui aut Lanfranco authoritate vel multiplici rerum scientiâ aut Anselmo praestaret in Sanctitate vel Dei sapientiâ that is There was none at that time that did exceede Lanfranck in authority and variety of knowledge nor Anselme in holinesse nor heavenly wisedome He proceeds now to effect that for which hee came and takes an account of all the meanes which did belong to their Monastery but it is to be wondred at with what expressions of joy and love was he every where entertained what grave Counsells and directions hee gave to all sorts of people especially to the Clergy there was not a Lord or a Lady in England at that time but did strive to expresse their loves to him by presenting him with rich presents nay William the Conquerour though otherwise sterne and rigid yet how did hee expresse his love to this great man So having beene joyfully received of all sorts in England he intends his journey for his Monastery againe having gained large meanes for his fellowes But now the Conquerour dying and leaving his sonne William King of England Lanfranck also the Arch-bishop being dead this William began fearfully to waste the Churches throughout England which Anselme having with griefe heard of did he not at the solicitation of Hugh Earle of Chester and other Nobles come againe into England and comming to the Court did hee not modestly and divinely tell the King what wrongs he had done and how such things would draw downe Gods heavy judgements upon him and his posterity but the King was for the present unflexible so this Anselme went to this Hugh Earle of Chester but the King falling sicke all men cryed up this Anselmes fame and that hee was the onely man to bee Arch-bishop of Canterbury By the Kings authority and the whole Kingdomes love he was consecrated the first Sunday in Lent in the yeare of Grace 1093. But he found this place at that time to bee full of troubles and cares yet he being sent for to Court did meekly beseech the King to cease from afflicting the Churches did not this man performe his charge with patience industry and with expressions of learning and fidelity he was not any wayes addicted to pride not ensnared with covetousnesse neither was he tainted with idlenesse He committed the administration of his houshold affaires to one Baldwine Hee did mainly lament the abuse that was offered to the Church by prophane covetous men who took the meanes of them into their owne possession The King return'd from forraine parts Anselmus humbly intreats of his Majesty that hee might have licence to go to Rome but at this the King was incensed and told him there should no Pope have any Authority over his subjects nor any power within his dominions hereupon there was a generall meeting of all the Bishops and Lords at Rothingam to decide this Here most to gaine the Kings favour were directly against this Arch-bishop onely the Bishop of Rochester stood with him But the King was so vexed that he told him he would not hold him as an Arch-bishop unlesse forthwith he would deny the Popes authority and again at Winchester desiring of the King the same thing the King told him that hee should never have that liberty nor any other if he did persist in that minde So Baldwine was driven out of England and Anselmes servants misused and his lands alienated and hee himselfe derided and hated yet in the depth of this storme hee retained his piety and said that of our Saviour By patience possesse your soules at last he was forced by secret meanes to flye and so came to a place called Whitsands and so to Saint Bertine being glad that hee was out of England but then the King hearing presently ceized upon all his lands and goods and so Anselme came to Lions and was kindly entertained by the Arch-bishop of that place and so being weake in body and unfit to travaile to Rome hee sent his cause thither but stay'd in Lions till they returned They comming backe told him all excuses laid aside hee must himselfe goe in person to Rome So they came to Secusium and presented themselves to the Abbat of that place there were three of them Anselmus and Baldwine and Edinerus which writ this his life So after much travaile and danger we came to Rome and it was bruted abroad of this Fathers approach and all men desired to see him but it being extreame hot in the City of Rome this Anselme lived in a Village seated pleasantly called Schlavia a great deale of time was spent in deliberating for the Churches good but it was thought safest for Anselme not to returne into England while William lived neither did he but his successor Henry came into Normandy hearing that Anselme was there and did reinvest him into all his state and honours againe and he came into England and was entertained with great reverence of all the Lords of the Kingdome and the love of all the Common people So King Henry was very glad that hee had gained the peace of Anselme but hee was even spent with age labour and watching for age brings to us experience in one hand and death in the other and so did not live long after his return but with a great expression of holinesse and comfort did commend his spirit to God Time deales with man Arithmetically First he addes to beauty multiplies his graces and then he subtracts all these and makes a long lasting division between him and Nature And now he is dead it is high time to cover this sweet and heavenly Father with his first mother the Earth who being honourably attended to the grave with the Rose and the Violet is laid to sleepe in the bosome of the earth and shall enjoy though not so suddenly yet as certaine a Spring as they and which is more an everlasting one His Sayings S. Anselm de Malitia foeditate peccati Cap. 190. Saint Anselme was wont to say that if hee should see the shame of sinne on
restrained the persecution Did not he being sent for to Rome oppose the Schismaticks that hee stopt their mouthes and so by his care and diligence peace was restored to the Church Did hee not so gaine the love of Prince The obaldus that he was joyfull and ready to part with all his titles and dignities and means for the maintenance of Gods Churchâ—â— Oh should I or could I indeed reckon up all his eminencies and gracious endowments How incredible nay how unimitable are they For God brought mighty things to passe by this Saint Bernards meanes Take his commendation as one gives it him Serenus vultu modestus habitu circumspectus in verbis in sacra meditatione assiduus c. that is Of a gracious countenance a modest habit circumspect in his words assiduous in meditation devout in prayer strong in the faith patient in hope made up of charity chiefe for humility principall of all in piety in counsels provident powerfull in deeds never idle rejoycing when reproached modest to petitioners flowing with abundance of wisdome vertue and grace with God and men apt in speech fitting himselfe to his auditory admired for his dyet and not affecting any earthly promotions nay he is termed Olivaspeciosa Vitis fructuosa Palma florida Cedrus multiplicatâ— vas Electionis vas Honoris in domo Dei vas auri solidum c. that is A beautifull Olive-tree a fruitfull Vine a flourishing Palm-tree a lofty Cedar a vessell of Election a vessell of Honour in the House of God a pure vessell of solid Gold set with precious stones He foretold his death and hee that desires to read copioâ—sly of each circumstance there is an Epistle extant to Arnaldus an Abbot thus much in briefe after so many great labours in the Churches cause having happily finished his â—ayes being the first Abbot of that place at the age of sixty three yeeres having setled above a hundred and sixty Monasteries for Religion He sickned and commended his soule devoutly into Gods hands a great concourse of people shedding teares for the losse of such an Angelike man This hapned in the same yeere that Eugenius the third of that name an holy man departed this life Anastastus succeeding him in the Roman See then reigning that illustrious Fredericke over the Romans and Ludovicus that godly Prince the sonne of Ludovicus governing France Hee was buried on the Calends of September with great state and pompe Anno 1130. Bernard his Sayings Of sloth Sloth is a certaine languishing sluggishnesse of the minde whereby one neglects to begin that which is good or to finish that which is begun Of brotherly love Then selfe love is just and temperate when that which is withdrawne from pleasurable vanitie is bestowed to relieve our brothers necessity for true love regards the common good Helpe is in vaine expected where punishment is deserved Expectation from others must be according to our dealing with others Of Ambition Ambition is a gilded misery a secret poyson a hidden plague the Engineere of deceit the mother of hypocrisie the parent of envy the originall of vices the moth of holinesse the blinder of hearts turning remedies into diseases and medicines into sicknesse Of Gods love God loved us sweetly wisely and valiantly sweetly because hee put on our flesh wisely because hee was blamelesse valiantly because hee suffered death Learne therefore O Christian from Christ how to come to Christ Learne to love him sweetly lest we be allured wisely lest we be deceived and valiantly lest we be subdâ—ed and vanquished The Soules three estates There are three estates of holy souls the first in the corruptible body the second without the body the third in the glorified body The first in warfare and unperfectnesse the second in rest and quietnesse the third in perfect felicity and happinesse Of the hearts Ascension There are foure degrees of ascension first to the heart secondly in the heart thirdly of the heatt and fourthly above the heart In the first God is feared in the second his counsel is heard the third is the desire of Christs comming the fourth is the fruition of Gods presence Saint Bernard when he entred the Temple or any other holy place when he came to the door of entrance said thus to himselfe Stay here all my worldly thoughts all vanity that I may entertain heavenly meditations His Works are these that follow registred by his owne Scholer who wrote his Life and by Cardinall Bellarmine Such as are reckoned by Godfrede his Scholer are these 1. Homilies in praise of the Virgin Mary 4 books 2 Of the degrees of Humilitie one book 3 Of loving God one book 4 Apologie to William one book 5 Of Precept and dispensation one book 6 Exhortations to the Souldiers of the Temple 7 Of grace and Free will 8 Of consideration five books 9 Sermons on the Canticles 86 books 10 Epistles to divers 351. 11 On Saint Malachies life the Bishop of Ireland These are of the second order and no doubt to bee made of them as Bellarmine Writes 1 Of the Lords comming seven sermons 2 On the Vigils of Christs Nativitie 6 sermons 3 On Christmasse day 6 sermons 4 On New yeeres day 3 sermons 5 On Twelfth day 4 6 On the first Sunday after the Epiphany two sermons 7 On St. Pauls conversion two sermons 8 On Candlemas day three sermons 9 On Septuagessima two sermons 10 On Quadragessima seven sermons 11 On St. Benedict one sermon 12 On our Lady day three sermons 13 On Palme-sunday three sermons 14 On Easter day foure sermons 15 Sunday after Easter two sermons 16 On Rogation weeke one sermon 17 On Ascension day one sermon 18 On Whitsontide one sermon 19 On St. John Baptists one sermon 20 On Saint Peter and Paul foure sermons 21 On David and Goliah one sermon 22 On the seven houres three sermons 23 On St. Victor two sermons 24 On St. Mary Magdalen one sermon 25 On our Lady day five sermons 26 On these words it is a great signe one sermon 27 On the Virgin Maries birth day one sermon 28 On Saint Michael two sermons 29 On All Saints day five sermons 30 On St. Malachies one sermon 31 On Esayes words five sermons 32 On St. Martine one sermon 33 On St. Clement one sermon 34 On Saint Andrews Eve one sermon 35 On Saint Andrews day two sermons 36 On Humbertus one sermon 37 At the Dedication of a Church six sermons 38 On the 90. Psalme seventeen sermons 39 On divers Arguments 35. 40 Of the depth of the heart foure sermons 41 Of conversion to the Clergie one sermon 42 Short sermons 66. 43 Of the gifts of the Holy Ghost one sermon 44 St. Bernards sentences 45 A Declamation on that saying We have left all Those of which there is some doubt made are these 1 To his Brethren 2 Meditations 3 Of the inward house the soule 4 Of the order of life 5 Of the Ladder of Monks 6 Form
of honest life 7 The Monks Looking Glasse 8 Divers sermons 9 A description of his Monastery 10 The lamentation of the blessed Virgin 11 The doctrine of St. Bernard 12 Homilies on them that went to Emaus 13 Of Gods love 14 Of the nature and dignitie of divine love 15 On the Lords Passion 16 A Tract of the Passion 17 St. Bernards Rhetorick 18 Of the manner of living well to his sister 19 Of Conscience 20 Sermons on divers Arguments 15. 21 Vpon that Salve Regina 22 An Epistle to one to shew what God doth require of us 23 Of Burtheâ—s Cardinall Bellarmines judgement of these is this some of these are known manifestly not to be Saint Bernards yet are full of weight and profit Some of them have their Authours names noted some are so slight and not any wayes relishing Saint Bernards stile nor spirit and some are so like his Works that it is hard to make distinction of them those that either for curiosity or satisfaction desire to know may see the Cardinals observation upon each Tract in his booke of Ecclesiasticall Writers pag. 142. 143. An. Christi 1145. Peter Lombard PETER LOMBARD HEaven hath been pleased to send many famous Divines into the world who like Embassadours comming from our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ have expounded the Gospell of Salvation and defended it from the schismaticall interpretation of Hereticks As therefore Solomon saith memoria justi cum laudibus the memory of the just is pretious and praise-worthy it must needs follow that the praises of these deceased holy Fathers will encourage others to give God thanks for raising up such worthy instruments in his Church and also in their lives and conversations to follow their example Amongst the other renouned Fathers famous for Learning soundnesse of Doctrine Piety and integrity of life Peter Lombard deserves a prime place For as it is a Divine gift above the nature of man to instruct men concerning God and Religion and to move and incline their minde to piety and sanctimony of manners so it is necessary that Divines should bee furnished with Ecclesiasticke Eloquence and sentences to bring about this great work which famous men even from the first infancy of the Church have endeavoured and laboured to effect And from hence proceeded so many Greek and Latin Commentaries Meditations Homilies Precepts and Ecclesiasticall instructions written by the holy Fathers who that they might by their laborious writings illuminate the Church in mysteries of salvation were all brought up to scholasticke learning that some by Commentaries some by Sermons and some by Sentences might all helpe to edifie and build up the Church of God And this Father the most renowned Peter Lombard of Novaria Bishop of Paris was as Sixtus Senensis and others have written by all Schoole Divines for a certaine singular excellence of Veneration called the Master of the Sentences upon whose compendium of Divinity and Volumes of innumerable disputations the most learned Divines of the most famous Universities in the whole Christian World have elaborately written He was contemporary with Gratian and as hee gathered Canons and was the Master of the Canons so he collected out of the sentences of Ambrose Hillary Augustine Cassiodorus and Remigius suppressing their names most learned sententious Commentaries on all Davids Psalmes and on all Saint Pauls Epistles inserting some things of accompt of his owne The Commentaries on the Psalmes begin Cum omnes Prophetas Sancti spiritus revelatione constat esse locutos The Commentaries on Saint Paul begin Principia rerum sunt inquirenda So that this Peter Lombard being endowed with all naturall qualities improved by education and learning in the schools and being also painfull and industrious to advance Religion to increase spirituall knowledge and to furnish Students in Divinity with most exquisite and mellifluous sentences so sweet so admirable and patheticall hee I say to this end collected the Sayings and Sentences of the Fathers which may be thence gathered and cited to various and divers purposes either to confirme any Doctrine to amplifie matters or to delight the audience Sentences being the Creame of wit the abstract and epitome of words for instruction necessary easie to be retained in memory as briefe rules of Life and Religion How ought then posterity to be thankful to this famous Father Peter Lombard who out of so many learned Divines painfully collected so many Sentences out of their Gardens gathering Divine flowers which are all bound together in his Workes And therefore although Laus est or atio bona alicujus enumerans praise is but the repetition of particular vertues and goodnesse Yet the life of this worthy Father would deserve a whole volume of praises fild with Encomiums and sententious Eulogyes but because they cannot reach his desert both for Piety Religion and Sanctity it will bee his best commendation to read some of his sweet Sayings collected out of his owne Workes Peter Lombard his Sayings Of Sinne. Every sinne that is not speedily by Repentance discovered becomes a new Sinne and the punishment of former sinne Of the Will There can no good dwell in us that cannot will good nor can we perfect good that cannot desire good Of the Law Death is not by the Law but by the fault of man but sinne is the procurer and efficient cause of Death because it turneth that which is good into evill For so Physicke is not the cause of Death though it discovers deadly poysons nor the Law discovering the poyson of sinne in reprobate men There are in us evill concupiscences and desires which are the Devills weapons whereby when God for sakes us he overthrowes us and gives our soules a deadly wound Of Predestination God condemneth none before he sinneth he crowneth none before hee over-commeth but he hath a definitive prescience of every ones will whereby hee shall bee condemned or crowned If God be for us by predestinating us before our being by our vocation when we were enemies by justifying us when we were sinners by glorifying us when we were mortall nothing can hurt us but all things worke for our good Of Gods Love If nothing can separate us from Gods love what more certaine and greater good can there be For he that loveth God cannot dye but it is death not to love God or to preferre any thing before the love of God therfore the love of God is a right affection of the minde which joyneth us to God and God sheweth his love to us in Christ whom for us hee delivered to death Of gifts Let none glory in the gifts of Preachers or men in that they edifie more by them for they are not authors of grace but ministers Of Love The reall vertue of Piety is the love of a pure heart a good conscience and faith unfeigned This is vertue which nothing overcommeth no fire or windes of persecution no flames of temptations can extinguish of this vertue it is said Love is as strong as