there were brought vnto him more than sixe thousande heades of little children whiche had bene cast in there for to couer and hide the whoredome of the Priestes and other Ecclesiasticall persons Wherefore Gregorie seeing the same was constrayned to saye condemning the decree that he had made against the maryage of the ecclesiasticall persons The Apostle saithe it is better to marye then to burne And I say also for my part that it is better to mary then to giue occasion of death This Epistle was founde in a library of the towne of Hollande called Aldwater Of vowes S. Ambrose vpon the fyrst to the Corinthians 7. Chap. NO man ought to be constrayned least hauing forbid things that are lawfull he doe fall into thinges vnlawfull The counsell of Toledo .8 did permitte to breake the vowes and othes made against the faith Dauid sinned in swearing that he would put to death Nabal and all his men hee did very well to breake that vowe whiche was against God And therefore he praysed greatly God for that he letted him to shead bloud by Abigail Herode made a vowe to giue vnto the daughter of Herodias that daunced before him whatsoeuer shee would aske And she being before instructed of hir mother said giue me here Iohn Baptist his heade in a platter And the king sorowed neuerthelesse for his othes sake for their sakes which sat also at the table he commaunded it to be giuen hir He did euill in fulfilling that vowe against God. Saule did euill to vowe to put to deathe his sonne Ionathas who was hindred to accomplishe his vowe by the people God hath sayde and commaunded thou shalt not kill Iephtha vowed a vowe vnto the Lorde and sayde if thou shalt deliuer the children of Ammon into my handes then that thing that commeth out of the dores of my house against me when I com home in peace from the children of Ammon shall be the Lordes and I will offer it vp a burnt offring After the wars were ended he came home and see his daughter came out against him with Timbreles and daunces And when he sawe hir he rente his clothes and sayde Alas my daughter thou hast made me stoupe and art one of them that trouble me For I haue opened my mouth vnto the Lorde and cannot goe backe c. And he killed his daughter against the commandement of God which forbyddeth to kill Saint Cyprian the Martyr of Iesus Christ. 11. Epistle fyrst booke If the virgins haue giuen them selues with a good wil vnto Christ let them perseuere in chastitie not dissembling being so strong and constant that they attend the rewarde of their virginnitie if they will not or cannot perseuere it is better for them to mary then to be throwne hedlong into the fire through their pleasures The counsel of Arausique or Orenge the 11. chapter hath decreed that we can vowe nothing rightly vnto God but that which we haue receiued at his hand In asmuch as all thinges which we can offer vnto him are gyftes proceeding from him The counsell of Gangres in Galatia in a Canon and rule saith if any of those which keepe virginitie for the loue of Iesus Christe doe eleuate them selues against those that are maryed let them bee excommunicated or giuen to the diuell In an other Canon it is saide when a man bicause of dissembling countenance vseth strange apparell beleeuing that thereby he hath righteousnesse in him selfe and despiseth others which with honesty and reuerence doe weare caps and other comely apparell that he be excommunicated Iohn le Maire of the difference of schismes and of the counsels of the Churche Pope Gregory the seuenth was the first which made a lawe that priestes shoulde not mary Platyna in the life of Pope Pius .2 or Aeneas Syluius The Pope Pius borne at Senee aforenamed Aeneas Syluius among other prouerbes which he was wont to speake was accustomed also to saye by good right and by good cause they haue taken awaye maryage from priestes but for better cause they ought to restore it vnto them againe Iesus Christ sayth in vayne they worshippe me teaching for doctrines whiche are but mens preceptes All plantes whiche my heauenly father hath not planted shall be plucked vp by the rootes It is better to mary then to burne Of the church and howe it may be knowen and of hir authorytie Chrysostome vpon S. Mathewe .48 homily .24 Chapter THere be some who doe greatly seduce althoughe that it be through liyng yet neuerthelesse they doe preache Christe they declare the faith For they also haue orders and priestes aswell as the faithfull They doe also reade the holy Scriptures Also they doe thinke that they do giue the same Baptisme and the same Sacramentes of the body and of the bloud of Christe likewyse they doe honor the Apostles Martyrs and thereby doe cause the thoughtes of men greatly to erre not onely of the meane and simple people but also of the prudent and wyse Who shall he be whom Antechrist will not moue partly doing the workes of Christe and fulfilling al the offyces of the Christans before the Christians excepte it bee paraduenture hee which considereth that which the Apostle hath sayde Forasmuch then as Sathan himselfe is changed into the fashion of an angell of light Therefore it is no great matter though his ministers fashion them selues as though they were the ministers of righteousnesse whose ende shall be according to their deedes and not after the fayning and forme of their christianitie Chrysostome vpon S. Mathew 9. Homilie Chapt. 24. All the Christians in this present time ought to conferre themselues in the holye Scriptures For sithence the time that heresie hath obtayned and gotten hir churches men can haue no certayne proofe or triall of true christianitie And there can be no other refuge for the Christians who are willing to know the truth of the faith but the holy Scriptures Afterwardes he sayth Whosoeuer then will knowe what the true church of Iesus Christ is howe shall he knowe it but onely by the Scriptures Saint Augustine 2. Tome 166. Epistle In the holy Scriptures we haue learned Iesus Christ and in the Church we haue commonly those holye Scriptures Wherefore then is it that in them we kepe and holde not altogither in common both Iesus Christ and his Church S. Augustine .7 Tome in the Epistle against Petilian a Donatist Chapter 2. 3. 4. Amongst vs and the Donatistes is a question where the Church is What is it then that we shall doe Ought we to seke it in our wordes or in those of our heade Iesus Christ Truly we ought to seeke it in the wordes of him whiche is the truth and which also knoweth his bodie Chrysostome vpon Saint Mathewe 49. Homilie Chap. 24. Heresies are the bandes and troupe of the souldiers of Antichrist chiefly those whiche haue obtayned the place
of the church And it is holden in the holy place insomuche that it seemeth that they are there holden as the worde of truth but it is the abhomination of desolation that is to saye of the hoste and bande of Antichrist the which hath made the soules of many men desolate forsaken and destitute of God. And peraduenture that is that which the Apostle speaketh of which is an aduersarie and is exalted aboue all that is called God or that is worshipped so that he shall sit as God in the temple of God and beare in hande that he is god And so all his euils of diuerse heresies the which were before but only hearde of are afterwarde holden in the holye place in ouerthrowing the Churche of Iesus Christ c. Chrysostome vpon Saint Mathewe Chapt. 24. Homilie .49 He then which woulde knowe what is the true Church of Iesus Christ howe shall he knowe it in so great confusion of such likelyhoode but by the scriptures In the same The Lorde then knowing so great confusion to be come in the latter dayes therfore willed that the Christians which are in Christianitie which will take the surenesse of the true fayth should haue refuge vnto nothing but vnto the Scriptures Otherwyse if they regarded other things they shall be euill spoken of and shall perishe not vnderstanding what the true Church is and thereby shall fall headlong into the Abhomination of Desolation which standeth in the holye place of the Church c. In the same If any mā shal say vnto you behold here is Christ in the houses beleeue it not For nowe you doe iniurie and wrong to the Godheade if you seeke it in houses that which filleth both heauen and earth or if ye think that he which is come for to resist the proude and for to exalt the humble and meeke is hydde there shewing by suche things howe of his true Churche oftentimes doe ryse vp seducers Therefore we must in no wyse beleeue them if they saye not or doe not that whiche is agreeable to the Scriptures beleeue them not for as the smoke goeth before the fire and the battaile before the victorie euen so the temptation of Antichrist preceedeth and goeth before the glorie of Christ c. Saint Barnard vpon the Canticles 33. Sermon From whom shall the church hide hirselfe all are freendes and all are enemies all are kinsefolkes and al are aduersaries all are houshold seruantes and there is none at peace all are neighbours and all seeke but their owne profite They are the ministers of Christ and serue Antechrist they do walke in the honor of the gooneds of the Lorde vnto whom they doe no honor thereby commeth that beauty of the harlotte whiche thou seest dayly in their apparell as the players of Comedyes as in the apparell of a King thereby thou seest the golde in the brydels saddels and spurres Thereby are the tables beautified with meates and vessells Thereby commeth drunkennesse and gloutonye thereby proceedeth the harpe and the viol thereby are the priestes ouerrunning and the garners full aunswering the one the other Thereby are the boxes full of oyntmentes and sweete sauor thereby are the purses filled therefore would they be and are the princes of the Churches the Prouostes Deanes Archedeacons Bishops Archebyshoppes and such thinges come not lawfully but bicause they doe walke in the businesse of darkenesse By that before it hath bene forespoken and nowe is come the time of the fulfilling of the same Behold nowe in peace my bitternesse is most bitter it hath bene before bitter in the death of Martyrs afterwardes more bitter in the controuersye of Heretickes now it is most bitter in the manners of those of our owne house we can neyther chase them nor driue them away they are so mighty and multiplyed without number The fores and plagues of the Church are entred into the inwarde partes and are incurable and therefore is hir bitternesse most bitter c. S. Hilary writing against Auxentius I doe admonishe you to take heede of Antechriste ye staye your selues to muche on the walles seeking the church of God in the fairenesse of buyldings thinking that the vnitie of the faithfull is there contayned doe wee doubte that Antechriste ought there to haue his seate The mountaines and the woodes lakes prisons and desertes are more sure vnto me and of better truste for the Prophets being therein hid haue prophecied Saint Barnard vpon the .90 psalm Qui habitabit verse .6 O Lorde Iesus thou hast multiplied the people and thou hast not increased theyr ioye for many be called but fewe bee chosen Al the Christians almost al doe seeke their owne profite not of Iesus Christe And haue remoued the offyces from the ecclesiastical dignitie into shameful gaine and into workes of darkenesse and the health of soules is not searched for in suche thinges but the pleasure of riches Therefore are they shoren therefore doe they frequent the Churches and doe celebrate masses and sing psalmes They stryue and contende most impudently dayly by proces for Byshoppryks Archebyshoppryks in somuch that the reuenewes of the Churches are bestowed and wasted in superfluyties and to vayne vses There remayneth nothing but that the man of sinne be reueled the sonne of perdition c. S. Barnard in his Sermon of the conuersion of S. Paule Alas O Lord God for these are the first which doe persecute thee whome we doe see to loue the hyest places in thy Church and to holde the principalitie They haue taken the Arches from Sion they haue occupied the Castle and afterwards haue freely by power and strength set all the citie on fire their cōuersation is miserable the subuertion of thy people is pitifull S. Ierome vpon the .9 Chapter of the Prophete Oseas I doe not finde in the olde hystories any other to haue seperated and diuided the Churche and seduced the people from the house of God than the Priests and Prelates which are placed of God for to bee the spyes and watchmen for the Christian people agaynst the enimies of the church S. Barnarde in his first booke De considera to Eugenius Speaking vnto Pope Eugenius what are those thy flatterers whiche saye vnto thee nowe vp boldly thou doste by them of the spoyle of the Churches The lyfe of the poore is sowen in the places of the riche Siluer shyneth in the myre they runne thither out of all partes the poorest sort doe not carie it awaye but the most strong or hee that runneth swyftest this custome or rather this mortall corruption hath not begon in thy time but I beseeche God that it may ende in thine In the meane time thou art apparayled and decked vp very gorgeously and sumptuously If I durst speake it thy seate is rather a Parke of diuels than of sheepe Did S. Peter so Did S. Paule mocke after that sort Thy Court ought rather of custome to receyue the
6. The diuels dvvell in the temples of Idolaters Leuit. 26. 2. Cor. 6. Iohn 14. Exo. 22. Esay 2. Those vvhiche doe honor images doe honor the deuill Psal. 97. Those are cursed that vvorship Images 2. Cor. 6. Exod. 20. Deut. 5. Psal. 81. 4. Reg. 18. Ezechias did burne the Image of Iesus Christ bicause it vvas abused The Canon lavve permitteth those vvhich can reade to haue the scriptures Abac. 2. Iere. 10. Marc. 7. Esa. 57. Gala. 3. VVe haue a true Image of the crucifixe in the Gospell Epiphanine entring into a temple of the christians founde there the Image of Iesus Christ the vvhich he did teare in peeces The heretikes had thought that it had turned to their dishonestie if they had persecuted Epiphanius for his holy life 1. Tim. 4. Those vvho doe forbid mariage and to eate of certayne meates doe teache the doctrine of diuels Faith is necessarie and not the obseruation of meates 1. Cor. 10. Mat. 15. Behold the order of the Monkes in times past 1. Cor. 6. VVe ought to giue meates according to charitie Titus 1. Collos 2. 1. Tim. 4. Spiridion durst eate fleshe in Lent. Rom. 14. 1. Cor. 8. Rom. 14. Rom. 14. 1. Cor. 8. 1. Cor. 8. Esa. 58. The true fast vvhich pleaseth god is to abstayn from all euils Math. 6. Col. 2. 1. Tim 4. Math. 9. Mar. 2. Luc. 5. Christian libertie is to fast alvvayes and not by obseruing of dayes VVe finde not in the Scripture in vvhat time vvee must fast Superstitious fastings The most strong fasting Iudg. 20. Zacha. 7. 2. Reg. 1. 2. Reg. 12 3. Reg. 21. Iudith 8. Hest. 4. Iere. 36. Math. 4. Esay 58. Ierem. 14. Luc. 21. Rom. 13. Gal. 5. 1. Tim. 4. Mat. 19. Genes 1. Genes 2. Ephes 5. 1. Cor. 6. No constraint from mariage Mat. 23. Pro. 18. Psal. 128. Tob. 6. Genes 9. The Apostles vvere maried Clement sayth that Saint Paule vvas maried Heb. 13. Iohn 2. Note vvhat chastitie is The Councell of Nice vvould not make a lavve that the Priestes shoulde not marie Priestes maried in France S. Hilarie bishop of Poictiers vvas maried 1. Tim. 3. S. Paule teacheth that the byshops may be maried The Deacons vvere maried in the primatiue church 1. Tim. 4. Titus 1. Naucler Albertus Crantzius Lambert Hirsued Genes 2. 1. Cor. 7. Virginitie not commanded but desired 1. Cor. 7. 1. Cor. 7. Note the fruite vvhich came of the forbidding of mariage vnto Priests VVe maye breake the vovves made agaynst the fayth 1. Sam. 25 The vovve of Dauid Mat. 14. The vovve of Herode 1. Sam. 14 The vovve of Saule Exod. 20. Iudg. 11. The vovve of Iephtha If the virgins vvil not or cannot perseuere in their virginitie let them marie If the Mones do think themselues more holy than the maried folk they ought to be excommunicated or giuen vnto the deuill The prouerbe of the Pope Mat. 15. Math. 15. 1. Cor. 7. The vvicked haue Churches Preachers Orders and Clarkes 2. Cor. 11. The true Church knovvne by the holye Scriptures The Church is in the vvordes of Iesus Christ Heresie the troupe of the souldiers of Antichrist 2. thess. 2 For to haue the surenesse of the true fayth vvee must haue regard vnto the holy Scripture Mat. 24. Mat. 24. VVe must beleeue no men if they do not teach the scriptures Iudges of the Church in our time The Priestes are apparalled pompously like harlots and those that play in comedies or tragedies vvhen they doe their diuine office Esay 38. VVe ought to take hede of Antichrist for if vvee doe marke vvell the scriptures vve shall finde him in the Church Esa. 9. Mat. 20. Philip. 2. The Priests are shoren and shauen and doe all their ceremonies for couetousnes Esay 1. The heades of the Church doe persecute the Church The Pope sayth that he hath povver to make lavves against nature and agaynst the Gospell 2. Thes 2. Iudge yee novve vvho is Antichrist according to the Canon and according to the vvord of God. Luc. 22. Alexander .6 Pope .227 in the yeare of our Lorde 1492. Reade Guliel Bud. Beholde the enormitie of the Popes and their life more than diabolicall The Popes may verye vvell erre Gregorie .7 vvas not chosen of God. Gregorie hath put in question the catholike fayth and hath bene a coniurer necromancer Note the lyfe of Gregorie The Papesse Iohn 8. Pope 107. Yeare 855. Apoc. 17. Esay 3. Beholde the goodly stuffe that hath bene holden by the popes Syluester 2. Pope 147. Yeare 999. The Pope giueth himselfe to the deuill Benet 8. Pope 152. Yeare 1012. The Pope did shevve himselfe a diuell being aliue and the diuell appeared Pope after his death The Pope vvas founde in a lie and proued a lier The Councell of Ariminū hath erred neuerthelesse it vvas general The Councell of Carthage in vvhich Saint Cyprian vvas present hath erred VVe are not holden by the authoritie of Coūcels but by holy scripture A lay man vvell instructed in the Scriptures may be obiected against the Councell or the Pope if they erre Articles of the faith not to be altred VVhat it is to sit vpon Moyses seat Iohn 15. Mat. 17. Christ alone ought to be hearde Esay 29. Mat. 15. Those vvhiche doe reiecte the vvorde of God haue none excuse Iohn 8. The vvritings of holy men are not to be preferred before the canonicall scriptures Augustine vvoulde not that vvee should obey his vvritings as canonical There is no fault in the canonicall scriptures Augustines opinion VVe ought not to bring the faults of the auncient doctors againste so great number of vvitnesses of the holy scriptures Custome ought not to be follovved Iere. 7. Mat. 17. 2. Pet. 1. Deut. 18. Deut. 17. Deut. 12. Deut. 12. Deut. 4. Apoc. 22. Mans doctrine hath great apparance in it selfe but compared to the truth is confounded Iohn 3. Iohn 5. Iohn 7. Iohn 8. Iohn 8. Iohn 10. Iohn 12. Iohn 14. Iohn 20. Galat. 1. Iohn 4. Act. 20. Mat. 15. All mans traditions ought to be plucked vp by the rotes Apoca. 1. Luk. 11. Psal. 119. Eccle. 1. Iere. 15. Ephes 6. VVe ought not to forbid any man to knovve the truth The ignorance of the Christians is the cause that the infidels doe not acknovvlege their error 1. Pet. 3. VVe ought to be readie to giue a reason of our fayth vnto those that aske vs Colos 3. Prou. 10. Common vvordes to be simple Mat. 10. 4. Reg. 22 Iudges 4. Iudith 13 Hester 7. The slothfulnesse of Christians in not reading diligentlye the vvorde of God. A great number of those vvhich doe cal themselues christians haue oftener the tables and dyce in their hands than holy bokes Prou. 7. Scriptures to be grauen in our harts and the bokes diligently read ouer Iere. 31. Psal. 1. 1. Tim. 6. Neighbours ought to take holye scripture in their handes to sprinkle their soules Ephes 6. Reading of the scriptures maketh children obedient Collos 3. The lay people ought to haue the
¶ THE STAFFE of Christian Faith profitable to all Christians for to arme themselues agaynst the enimies of the Gospell and also for to knowe the antiquitie of our holy fayth and of the true Church Gathered out of the vvorks of the ancient Doctors of the Church and of the Councels and many other Doctors vvhose names you shall see here follovving Translated out of Frenche into English by Iohn Brooke of Ashe next Sandvviche With a Table to finde out all that which is contayned in the booke EPHES. 6. Put on the vvhole armour of God that ye maye stande stedfast agaynst the craftie assaultes of the Deuill Jmprinted at London by Iohn Daye dwelling ouer Aldersgate ANNO. 1577. Cum Priuilegio Sr. Richard Newdigate of Arbury in the County of Warwick Baronet 1709 To the Right honourable and his singular good Lorde and maister Edwarde de Vere Lorde d'Escales and Badlesmere Vicount Bulbecke Earle of Oxenforde and Lorde great Chamberlayne of Englande Iohn Brooke vvisheth long lyfe vvith the increase of honor c. ALTHOVGH VERtue the roote of well doing Right honorable Lorde hath of it selfe sufficient force to withstande repell and ouerthrowe both the open malice and secrete slaunders of euill tongues yet notwithstanding considering howe daungerous yea howe vnpossible a thing it is to escape that poysoned sting of Zoilus and also that nothing hath euer ben so well done but that this Scorpion hath eyther openly or priuily stong I nede not to doubt nay I may be right sure that these my labors shal come into the hands of some more curious than wyse more ready to nippe and tante yea euen withoute fault then frendly to admonishe or amende By occasion whereof right honorable and my singular good Lorde I haue not only thought it expedient for hope of your honours fauourable patronage towardes these also my laboures bestowed in translation But also for respect of my particular duetie towardes your honor to offer and dedicate the same likewyse to your fauorable allowance and well liking For if in the opinion of all men there can be found no one more fitte for patronage and defence of learning then the skilfull for that he is both wyse and able to iudge and discerne truly thereof I vnderstanding righte well that your honor hathe continually euen from your tender yeares bestowed your time and trauayle towardes the attayning of the same as also the vniuersitie of Cambridge hath acknowledged in graunting and giuing vnto you such commendation and prayse thereof as verily by righte was due vnto your excellent vertue and rare learning Wherin verily Cambridge the mother of learning and learned men hath openly confessed and in this hir confessing made knowen vnto al men that your honor being learned and able to iudge as a safe harbor and defence of learning and therefore one most fitte to whose honorable patronage I might safely commit this my poore and simple labours Likewyse remembring howe much and many wayes I am by dutye bounde vnto your honor as also howe vnable I am to discharge the same I haue thought it in respecte also of my behalfe and duty most meete to offer and exhibite such trauelles as my abilitie and skill can reache vnto to your Lordship as pledge and token of my dutifull and vnfained good wil To the ende that such profyt as by this my trauels may growe to my countrey and common wealthes may be receiued vnder your Lordshyppes approbation and defence that all men which doe reape benefyte thereby should owe thankes vnto you in whose duety and good will I am Wherefore hartely requiring and humbly beseeching your Lordeshippe to take on you the patronage and defence of these my labors by translation that by your approbation and well liking others may also the rather like thereof Crauing pardon for this my symple boldnesse or rather bolde symplicitie hoping also of the continuance of your honors accustomed goodnesse towardes mee and instantlye praying to God for your prosperous estate I cease further at this time to sollicite you Your honors obedient seruant Iohn Brooke Vnto the Church and congregation of God which is in L. Guido desireth grace and peace and the mercie of God through Iesus Christ our Lorde And perpetually to perseuere in the knovvledge of the holy Gospell of the sonne of god Amen KNOVVING AND CONsidering the vvarre and combat that yee daylye suffer to mayntaine and keepe the true and pure Christian doctrine of the ancient and true Church of God agaynst a sort and heape of glorious deceiuers vvhich hyde and boast themselues vvith false ensignes of the name and title of the auncient Church and of the auncient Doctors I haue dedicated vnto you my vvelbeloued frendes this present booke entituled The Staffe of the Faith gathered out of the vvorkes of the auncient doctors of the churche and of the counselles and out of many authors to the ende that thereby you may learne vvholy to fight against your ennemies vvith the same staffe vvith vvhich they doe fight agaynst you that is to say the auncientes I doe not tell you hovv this staffe shall keepe you from the danger of your ennemies only I vvill content my selfe in speaking but one vvorde touching the same that is to say that you shall not only obtayne and get victory of your ennemies but also send them avvay vvith their mouthes stopped Therefore I desire you in Gods name that ye be not slothfull nor negligent to study therein often and to haue those sentences therein alledged readily at yovr fingers endes that thereby the kingdome of Iesus Christe be auaunced and the dominion of the deuilles and infidels destroyed and abolished I doe knovve very vvell that manye people haue accustomed to saye vvhen it is spoken vnto them of the auncients speaking vvithout eyther iudgement or reason in saying that as touching the Auncientes they haue nothing to doe vvith them for they vvvere men as they but that they content themselues only vvith the vvorde of god I vvoulde not altogither denie or gainesaye them in that if they vvould not reiect thereby God and his giftes by thinking to reiect men and their doctrine Therefore vve ought to take good heede vnto men vvhen they speake of themselues and also vvhen God speaketh by them The same vve may knovve vvhen their doctrine is confirmable and agreeing to the rule of all right vvhich is the vvord of God the doctrine of the prophets Apostles Furthermore vve vvould not haue you ignorant that the auncient fathers haue ordayned and established a great many of ceremonies and thinges in the churche respecting the time and personnes and the infirmitie of those that dayly come vnto the knovvledge of the Gospell asvvell of Ievves as of panims and Idolaters But they haue done that onely but for a certaine time to the ende they might dravve to the Gospell all nations and let and stoppe the vvay of the Heritickes and ennemies of the catholyke faithe from gayning and vvinning the vveake
in faithe For vve ought not to maruayle if the auncient fathers haue done many thinges in that time vvhich novv can not serue nor profite vs any thing at all inasmuch as they haue serued but onely for their time For the Apostles haue ordayned some thinges vvhich novve ought not to be follovved nor kept As vve doe reade in the actes of the Apostles that the counsell that vvas celebrated by the Apostles in Ierusalem decreed that vve should abstaine from bloude and from the fleshe of beastes that vvere strangled VVe knovve vvell inough that this ordinance novv hath no more place and is not in force among the christians nor ought to haue bicause that all thinges are cleane and purified through the vvorde and prayer Then vvee see that that decree vvhich hath bene decreed by the holy spirite by the Apostles to haue bene made bicause of the personnes and to serue onely but for that time Iudge novve if an ordinance made by the Apostles to support the infirmitie of men hath bene set foorth and aftervvardes abolished vvhat oughte vve to iudge of those vvhich are of lesse importance vvhich haue bene ordayned by men a great deale inferior and of lesse estimation then the Apostles There is no doubt that forasmuch as they haue bene ordayned to serue onely for that time that novve vve may let them alone and forsake them bicause that there is neyther Ievves nor Turkes among vs but christians at the least as they saye Also vve ought not vpon this to holde our peace or hide the vnshamelesse malice of many vvho neuerthelesse calling themselues christians vnder colour of antiquitie and of the auncient doctors doe forge and inuent of their ovvne vvicked and filthye brayne naughty and most detestable errors and aftervvard say that the auncient fathers haue vvritten so and preached so and by that meanes make the poore vvorld being seduced to beleeue it And yet the malice is so great in them that all they that vvill not receiue and allovve that vvhich their brayne hath inuented vnder the name of holy men they crye after them vvith open mouth to the fire to the fire vvith the Heritickes They reiecte the doctrine of the fathers Alas O my God and Lord thou knovvest our hearts and the heartes of these lyers that vve doe not desire but that in all and through all be it through life or death that thy son Iesus Christ and his doctrine may be onely receiued loued and vvorshipped And for this are vve apoynted as sheepe to be slayne vve are nought set by mocked beaten banished chased from tovvne to tovvne To be short vve are esteemed and counted as the most vile stinking filthynesse of all the vvorld troden dovvne vnderneth the feete of the vvorldlinges But for all that vve possesse our soules in patience looking for the righteous Iudge vvhich vvill iudge all the vvorld not according to the doctrine of men but according to hys holy vvorde for vvhich vve are had novve in suche abhomination to the vvorlde Furthermore they vvhich dayly accuse vs vvith so greate rage and furye against the auncient doctrine of the Apostles and Doctors shall at the last acknovvledge their malice and liuing that they haue declared in their bookes corrupting and marring the bookes of the auncient fathers of the churche If I durst I vvould gladly name one vvho in that occupation or science hath serued out his prentyshyppe for that cause is called our maister in his booke that he hath intituled The bouckler of the faithe vvherein he declareth the subtiltie of his intent and craft alledging the auncient Doctors in Latine after translating them into Frenche and at euery place where he found Sacrificium or the like manner of speaking in steade to put in sacrifice or holy mysterie he hath translated them alvvayes the holy mysterie of the Masse and so by that meanes they finde that vvorde Masse in the bookes of those good fathers vvhich they neuer thought nor did I beleeue he thought that his booke should not come but only in the handes of yong children or else he thought that he had to doe but vvith beastes like vnto himselfe There is no man though he haue but small iudgement and vnderstanding vvhich reading that booke but that he may see at the first dashe hovv he lyeth and vnsayeth and reuoketh it agayne and neuerthelesse he is heard and accounted as halfe a God not only of the poorest sort but of the greatest in the vvorlde In the meane time vve ought not to maruayle at this that such gallants haue bene so hardy and ouerbolde forasmuch as they vvere supported and maintayned of Kings Emperors Princes and Magistrates and that they vvere the best vvelcome to their Court. I remember that I haue reade in the Ecclesiasticall histories that in the time of the auncient Doctors there vvere abusers and seducers of the people that sovved their pestilent venim amongst the doctrine of the auncients Of that Denise bishop of Corinth complayned very much saying that many haue sovvn in his Epistles much vvicked doctrine Therefore thinke that if they haue bene so hardy and bolde that they durst corrupt the vvrytinges of the auncientes yea vvhilest they vvere yet aliue VVhat vvill they doe novve at the least they vvill doe asmuch as their auncient fathers that is to saye those Apostates ennemies of the fathers Novv notvvithstanding their shamelesse malyce they rebuke and checke vs vvith a vvhores face that vve are ennemies of the fathers despisers and contemners of their doctrine and disturbers of the vvorld I vvould to God that they vvould permitte and suffer vs to compare our doctrine openly and before all the vvorld vvith theirs to the end that all men might knovve vvho be the contemners and ennemies of the fathers somuch it vvantith that vve should be found condemners and ennemies of those good fathers that altogither it vvoulde be seene that the same doctrine that vve hold keepe at this day is the very same for vvhiche manye of those good fathers haue shead their bloud and vvould shead it if they vvere novve aliue It seemeth that the same is not true that I haue spoken that if the fathers vvere yet aliue that men vvould put them cruelly to death as most vvicked Heritickes Yea they vvhich at this daye doe boste and brag them selues to be their obedient children and make bucklers of their bookes Vnderstand and hold fast in minde dearely beloued behold this present booke may serue vs for a certayne argument of that vvhich is composed and faithfully gathered togither out of the very bookes of the auncient Doctors That if I vvould present this present booke vvherein there is nothing in it of mine but altogither of the auncientes for confession of my faith to those enemies of the fathers I doubt not but presently I should be as a moste vvicked Heretick condemned to be burned quicke into ashes Novve see dearely beloued and iudge iustly before God according to your
memory of thy conscience and then finally haue hope to haue mercie And vpon the .51 psalm in the .2 Tome Confesse thy sinnes to the end thou doe put them away If thou art ashamed to tell vnto an other that thou hast sinned tell it alwayes vnto thy soule I doe not saye that thou shouldest confesse thy selfe vnto one like vnto thy selfe for to rebuke and checke thee of them tell them to God which wyll heale them But when thou wilt not tell them is God ignorant when thou doest them He is there present when thou committest them he knoweth them very well wyll not he that thou shouldest acknowledg them Thou wast not ashamed to sinne and art thou ashamed to confesse them Confesse them in this worlde that you may haue rest in the other Chrysostome in his sermon of penance and confession the .6 Tome It is not necessary to confesse it before witnesses only make the acknowledging in thine heart this examynation doth not require witnesses it suffiseth that God only doe see and heare thee Chrysostome in the 5. homilie of the incomprehensible nature of God agaynst the Anomians I doe not call thee before men for to discouer thy sinnes vnfolde thine owne conscience before God shewe thy wounds and strypes vnto the Lorde who is the Phisition and pray him to remedie it he it is which doth not checke and whiche gently healeth the poore sicke persons In the historie tripartite in the 9. booke and 35. Chapter It is sayde that auricular confession was vsed at Constantinople vntill suche time that a woman making as though she woulde be confessed was founde that she tooke that cloke for to lye with one of the Deacons of the same Church Bicause of which euill fact Nectarius bishop of the sayd place a man renoumed in holynesse and of great learning abolished that obseruance of confession The hystories doe declare that there was no lawe or constitution before the time of Innocent the thirde touching auricular confession Chrysostome in his 4. Tome of Lazarus I would not that thou shouldest confesse thy selfe vnto a man who afterward may rebuke or checke thee or defame thee in telling thy faultes but shewe thy griefe vnto God who is the good phisition Afterwarde he bringeth in God speaking in this maner I do not compell thee to come in the open assembly confesse to me onelye thy sinnes that I maye make thee whole The Church of Rome doth commaunde to confesse all our sinnes not exceptnig any Answere Dauid sayth Who can tell howe oft he offendeth O clense thou me from my secret faultes Saint Ambrose of the repentance of S. Peter in his .46 sermon Peter poured forth teares not praying in voyce I doe finde that he did weepe lament but I doe not find what he hath sayde I doe reade of his teares but I reade not of satisfaction Chrysostome in the 12. homilie of the Cananite Iesus Christ did heale him that had the Leprosie and sayde vnto him Go shewe thy selfe vnto the Priest and offer that which Moyses commaunded in the lawe for thy healing O thing neuer hearde the Lorde healed the disease yet neuerthelesse he did sende them to the lawe of Moyses Wherefore did he so For none other cause but that the Iewes might not reproue him as a transgressor of the lawe S. Ambrose in his 3. sermon vpon the 119. Psalme Go and shewe thy selfe vnto the Priest who is the true Priest but he which is the euerlasting Priest S. Cyprian in his 5. sermon of penitent sinners The seruant cannot pardon that whiche is committed agaynst the Lorde Ambrose in his booke of Cain and Abel The sinnes are pardoned by the worde of God of the which the Leuice is the expositor and as an executor Chrysostome in his 7. Tome in the homilie of repentance This is the place of healing not of iudgement Tell vnto God onely thy sinne who will giue no punishment but the remission of sinnes Of the power to bynde and vnbynde or loose Augustine in the 50. homilie vpon S. Iohn If the figure of the Church had not bene in Saint Peter the Lorde woulde not haue sayde vnto him I will giue vnto thee the keyes For if the same be spoken to Peter only the Church hath not the keys if the Church hath them it was figured in the person of S. Peter Augustine in the 11. homilie and in the 124. homilie Although it be that all were asked Peter alone aunswered thou art Christ and it is sayde vnto him I will giue vnto thee the keyes as though the power to bynde and loose had bene giuen vnto him onely But as he answered for all so he receyued the keyes with all as bearing the person of vnitie He is then named alone for all forasmuche as there is betweene them vnitie Augustine vpon S. Iohn in the 124. treatise Chapter 21. The rocke is not sayd of that name Peter but that name Peter is named of the rocke So Christ is not called Christ of a christian but the christian is called christian of Christe And therefore also the Lorde sayde vpon this rocke I will build my Church bicause that Peter had sayd thou arte Christ the sonne of the liuing God vppon this rocke then which thou hast confessed I will builde my churche and the rocke was Christ vpon the which foundation also Peter himselfe hath bene builded For other foundation can no man laye than that which is layde whiche is Iesus Christ The church then whiche is builded vpon Christ hath taken the keyes of the kingdome of heauen of Christ in Peter that is to say the power to bynde and loose Theophilact vpon Saint Iohn the 8. Chapter It belongeth to God onely to pardon sinnes therefore sayeth he whosoeuer committeth sinne is the seruant of sinne you are then seruāts for you be all sinners Saint Hilarie in his 6. booke of the Trinitie The father hath reuealed vnto Peter who sayth thou art the sonne of GOD wherefore the building of the congregation is vpon that rocke of confession that faith is the foundation of the church that fayth hath the keyes of the kingdome of heauen All that whiche this fayth shall bynde and loose in earth is also bounde and loosed in heauen This fayth is the gift of the fatherly reuelation Augustine in his first booke of retractation the 22. Chapter In the booke where I haue before time affirmed in a certayne place of S. Peter the Apostle that in him as in the rocke the church is builded The which sense also is song of many in the verses of Saint Ambrose there where he speaketh of the cocke But I doe knowe very well that oftentimes afterwarde I haue thus expounded it Thou art Peter and vpon that rocke that is to say the rocke affirming thou art Christ the sonne of the liuing God Origen vpon Saint Mathew the 2. homilie
Doest thou thinke that the keyes of the kingdome of heauen are onely giuen vnto Peter and that none other of the blessed shall receyue them Augustine vpon the wordes of the Lord in S. Mathew in his 13. sermon Thou art then Peter and vppon this rocke which thou hast confessed vpon this rocke whiche thou hast knowne saying thou art Christe the sonne of the liuing God I will builde my church Vpon me I will buylde thee and not me vpon thee For those men which woulde be buylded vpon men doe saye I holde of Paule and I holde of Apollos and I holde of Cephas that is to saye rocke and the other which will not be builded vpon Peter but vppon the rocke doe saye I holde of Christ c. Iesus Christ is the heade of the church reade Ephes 4. Colos 1.2 Reg. 22. Augustine in his 3. booke of Baptisme the 3. Chap. And they are the wordes of S. Cyprian in the counsell of Carthage None of vs truly is establyshed Byshoppe of Byshoppes or none shall compell his companions by cruell tyranny through necessitie to come thereunto Gregory wryting to Eulogius Byshoppe of Alexandria in the 7. booke .3 Epistle Behold how you haue wrytten to me you haue put this worde of pryde in calling me vniuersall Pope but I pray your holinesse to call me no more so hereafter For all that which is giuen vnto an other aboue reason is taken from you Concerning my selfe I doe not repute that for honor wherein I doe see the honor of my bretheren weakened For my honor is that the estate of the vniuersall Church and of my bretheren be mainteyned in theyr strength If your holynesse doe call me vniuersall Pope you confesse that you are not in part of that which you attribute and giue vnto me for the whole Of free wyll of the merites of workes and of iustification by faith Iesus Christ sayth whosoeuer committeth sinne is the seruant of sinne Rom. 6. 2. Peter 2. All haue sinned and haue neede of Gods mercie Also Iesus Christ sayth without mee ye can doe nothing We are not apt to thinke any thing as it were of our selues but our abilitie commeth of God. The flesh ryseth agaynst the spirit and the spirite agaynst the flesh and these thinges are contrary one to an other so that ye cannot doe the same thinges that ye woulde Also he which beganne a good worke in you shall goe foorth with it vntill the day of Iesus Christ Agayne it is God which worketh in you both the will and also the deede according to his pleasure Likewyse I doe not that good thing which I would but that euill doe I which I would not Augustine in his Enchiridion to Laurence Chapter .29 This part of mankinde vnto whome God hath promised deliueraunce and the euerlasting kingdome can it be made better by his workes No no for what good can he doe which is lost but asmuch as he shall be deliuered from his perdition Can he doe by his free wyll the same the same also he cannot doe For man ill vsing his free wyll did lose him selfe and his free wyll and as he which killeth him selfe whiles he is liuing killeth him selfe but in putting him selfe to death he liueth no more and cannot rayse him selfe vp agayne when he is dead so when he hath sinned by his free wyll bicause that sinne hath bene victoryous hath free wyll ben loste For of whome soeuer a man is ouercom vnto the same he is in bondage This is truly the sentence of S. Peter And bicause that it is true I praye you what may be the liberty of a seruant that is in bondage but when he doth take pleasure to sinne For he serueth freely which doth willingly the wyll of the Lorde and therefore he is free to sinne which is the seruant of sinne and no man shall be free to doe iustly if first being deliuered from sinne he doe not begin to be the seruant of righteousnesse This is the true liberty for the bond of the worke that is wel done and also it is the faithfull bondage bicause of the obeying of the commaundement But from whence shall this libertie to doe well come vnto the man which is brought vnder and solde but by him who hath redeemed him of whom it is sayd if the son make you free then are ye free in deede Augustine vnto Paulinus in the .106 Epistle Let no man stumble agaynst the stumling stone as in defending subtelly free wyll and nature euen as the Philosophers of this world haue done with great force for to be esteemed or for to thinke to great the blessed life by vertue of theyr owne proper wyll Let such people then take heede to make through wysedome of wordes the crosse of Christe vayne and that the same be not vnto them to stumble against the stumbling stone For when humayne nature abydeth in that integryte in the which it hath bene made yet it cannot in any wise keepe it if his creator doe not ayde him Forasmuch then as it cannot keepe the health and saluation that it hath receiued without the grace of god How can it receiue that which it hath lost S. Augustine in the 107. Epistle vnto Vitalis If we will in deede defend free wyll let vs not fight against that whereof it is free for he which gaynsayeth the grace by the which our wyll is made free for to decline from euill and for to doe good he would that his free will be yet bond and captyue When man was in honor he did not vnderstand it he was compared vnto the beastes and was made like vnto them Augustine in his booke of corrections grace the 12. Chapter Now then forasmuch as that greate liberty is lost through the demeryte of sinne euen so doth remayne and abyde the infirmytie for to be ayded and holpen with greater giftes in truth It hath pleased God so to the ende cheifely to quenche the pryde of mans presumption that all flesh that is to say euery man should not glorie in himselfe before him c. The Counsell Mileuitan in two Canons Free will weakened to the first man can Canon 1 not be repayred and amended but thorow the grace of baptisme the which after that it is lost cannot be restored agayne but by him whiche hath power to giue it Wherefore the truth sayth if the sonne make you free then are you free in dede The seconde Canon sayeth God doth Canon 2 worke so in the heartes of men and to free will that if there be any godly cogitation any deliberation tending to the honor of God and any motion of good will all the same proceedeth from god For by him we may doe some good thing and without him we can doe nothing Augustine writing to Valentine of grace and free will. Chap. 18. To the end it should not seeme that men should doe any
S. Ambrose in his .4 Tome vpon the 118. Psalme 10. Sermon The Gentyles doe adore and worshippe the woode bicause they thinke that the same was the image of God but the image of the inuisible God is not in that whiche is seene but is altogither in that which is not seene Thou doest then see that we doe walke among manye of the images of Christ Let vs take heede that wee be not found to take the crowne from the image which crowne Christ hath put vpon euery one Let vs take heede to take nothing from them vnto whome we ought to adde and giue c. Ambrose of the death of Theodosius Tome 3. Helena then did finde the title she worshipped the king and not the wood For the same is the error of the Gentils and the vanitie of the infidels But shee worshipped him which did hang on the wood written in the tytle c. Lucyan Byshoppe of Antioche confessed his fayth before the Iudges as recyteth Eusebius in his ecclesiasticall history the. 9. booke and .3 chapter Saying thus among other thinges The omnipotente God who was not made by our handes but by whom we are created and composed hauing pitie of our error hath sent his wysedome in this world taking vpon him our fleshe for to shewe and teach vs that we ought to seke the same God who hath made heauen and earth not in images made with mans handes but in eternall thinges The counsell of Illyberis or Granado the .36 decretall It hath benne concluded that there shoulde be no painting in the temples to the ende that the same which ought to be worshipped and serued be not painted on the wals Augustine of the citie of God. 4. booke 9. and .31 Chapters Those which haue put forth first of all the images haue taken from the world the feare of God And haue augmented error Augustine vpon the .113 psalme No man can pray or worshippe beholding and looking so towards the images but that he is touched as if he were heard from thence or els he looketh and hopeth to haue that he doth demaunde Furthermore he saith men cannot place and set the images in hie and honorable places for to be looked on of those that praye and worshippe but that they doe drawe the senses of the weake as if they had senses and soules S. Augustine in his Cataloge of heresyes There was a woman named Marcelin one of the secte of the Carpocratines which did worshippe the image of Iesus Christe and of Saint Paule of Homer and of Pythagoras prostrating hirselfe before them and offering vnto them incence Shee is put in the rolle of the heresyes by Saint Augustine The counsel of Constantinople celebrated by Constantine the fift and by .38 Bishoppes of Asya and of Grece people excellently lerned amonge whome the cheefeste were the Byshoppe of Ephesus the Byshoppe of Perga and the Byshoppe of Constantinople and was begonne the .15 day of Februarye continuing vntill the 15. day of August decreed that it was not lawfull for those that beleeue in God through Iesus Christe to haue any images of the creator nor of creatures in the temples for to worshippe them But that all such thinges ought to be taken awaye out of the temples according to Gods lawe and for to auoyde offence Asmuch hath the second counsell of Toledo decreed condemning images The counsell of Illyberis or Granado in the .48 Canon We haue often times admonished the faithfull that they doe let and hinder asmuch as they can that there be no images in their houses which if they feare the force and strength of their seruants yet at the leaste they them selues auoyde from them And if they doe it not that they bee reputed as strangers from the Churche Origen against Celsus 8. booke Celsus sayth That we doe auoyde the Temples Aultars and Images to the end that they be not builded nor edified by vs forasmuch as hee esteemeth that the fayth of this our inuincible communion charitie and the which cannot be expressed that it is a faction or sect In the meane season notwithstanding hee doth not see that there is in vs a spirite of righteousnesse in stead of the Aultar and of the temple out of whom without doubâ—e doe goe most sweete sauors and encense thâ—t is to saye prayers and requestes proceeding from a pure conscience And to that effecte Saint Iohn saith thus in his Apocalips that the incense and odours are the prayers of the Saintes And Dauid prayed saying Let my prayer be set forth in thy sight as the incense Lorde Furthermore these are images and oblations agreable vnto God which are not made by vnclene workes but formed and fashioned in vs by the worde of God Euen so then all men haue such images in them I doe meane those which haue acquired and gotten by heauenly doctrine continency righteousnesse strength wisedome and a true feare of God And the buyldinges of all other vertues the which I doe beleeue to be reasonable to beare honor vnto that which is the true patron of all images to wete the image of the inuisible God which is the only God or rather those which doe kill the olde man with his workes putting on the newe man the which is renued in the knowledge of God after the image of him which hath created him And then they shall make such images as that great and soueraigne workeman desireth And incontinently afterwardes he saith to the ende that I may speake in fewe wordes all christians doe endeuer them selues greatly to buyld such Aulters as we haue spoken of and such images as we haue declared not of thinges insensible and without life neyther of Gods and Idolles of wicked spirites neyther of dwellinges where the diuells doe make their abiding But of places capable of the spirit of God which dwelleth where vertue is and also of that great God which hath created vs to his owne image and which doth approche nigh vnto vs as comming to his domesticall and familiar freendes And in such sorte that the spirite of Christ be resident in vs which are so figured and fashioned And the heauenly worde willing to set the same foorth hath described God making promise to the righteous and speaking vnto them after this manner I will walke among you and will be youre God and ye shall be my people And the heauenly word hath also described the sauiour saying thus He that hath my commandementes and keepeth them the same is he that loueth me and he that loueth me shall be loued of my father and I wil loue him and will shewe mine owne selfe vnto him manifestlye Whosoeuer then woulde haue suche aultars as I haue lately declared that he doe seeke diligentlye and if he thinke it good that he doe conferre with such aultars Immediatlye afterwardes he sayth speaking of Images Truly one ought to knowe that they are insensible and without mouing and in processe
vndefiled for whore keepers and adulterers God wyll iudge Iesus Christ allowed mariage for hee and his mother were at the mariage in Cana of Galile Augustine in his treatise of the goodnesse of mariage .21 chap. I dare not preferre the virginitie of Saint Iohn before the mariage of Abraham The historie tripartite 2. booke Chapt. 14. rehearseth or doth make declaration of the Councell of Nice how it hath decreed that Priests ought not to marry But the holy man of God named Pahnutius bishop of Egipt who had his right eye pluckt out and the right leg cut of in the hamme and condemned by the Emperour Maximine to be boyled in molten leade All these great euils did he suffer for the Gospell of Iesus Christ The same holy man seeing that the Councell had ordayned that decree resisted it boldly saying that mariage is honourable and that the companie of his owne wyfe was chastitie persuading the Councell neuer to establishe such a lawe saying that if they doe make such a lawe it will be vnto them a great occasion of fornication Then the Synode praysed the sentence and aduice of that holye man and woulde constitute nothing touching that matter but left it to vse at euery mans libertie not making lawe or necessitie yet notwithstanding the sayde Pahnutius was not maryed This Councell was celebrated in the yeare of our Lorde .328 Platyna in the lyfe of Siluester the first The Councell of Gangres in Galatia celebrated in the yeare of our Lorde 333. hath permitted mariage vnto Priests and hath excommunicated those whiche shall forsake their father and mother and wyfe vnder coulor of religion Distinction .31 Chapter which beginneth Quoniam The counsell of Constantinople the sixt hath in like manner ordayned not to make any vowes not to mary that the priestes which doe seperate them selues from their wyues bicause of their holy orders should be excluded from the communion Distinction .27 Chapter Quidam and in the Canon of the Apostles Chapter .6 The counsell of Anticyra whiche was celebrated the yeere of our Lord .304 like wyse did permit the Deacons to be maryed after that they haue taken their orders Iohn le Maire of the differences of schismes and of the counsells of the Church I founde in the library of the Abbey of Desnay at Lyons in an olde booke that in Fraunce in the time of Pope Formosus and King Lewes the second of that name who was surnamyd the stammerer or stutter the priestes were maryed The Canon of the Apostles saith if there be any which saith or teacheth vnder the title and cloke of religion that priestes ought to forsake their wyues let them bee cursed Long time after the counsell of Nice in the church of the Latines many Byshoppes were maryed among other S. Hilary Byshoppe of Poictiers as wee may see by his Epistle which he wrote being in exile vnto his daughter being a virgin in which Epistle he made also mention of his wyfe the mother of hir A Byshoppe therefore must be fautlesse the husband of one wyfe watching sober modest herberous apt to teach not giuen to wine no fighter not giuen to filthy lucre but gentill abhorring fighting abhorring couetousnesse one that can rule his owne house honestly hauing children vnder obedience with all honesty For if a man cannot rule his owne house how shall he care for the church of god c. Likewyse muste Deacons be honest not double tōgued not giuen vnto much wyne neyther to filthie lucre but hauing the mysterie of the faith in pure conscience and let them first bee proued then let them minister if they be founde faultlesse Euen so must their wyues be honest not euill speakers but sober and faythfull in all things Let the Deacons bee the husbande of one wyfe and such as can rule their children well and their owne housholdes After these wordes in the beginning of the fourth chapter he sayth the spirite speaketh euidently that in the latter times some shal depart from the fayth and shall giue hede vnto spirites of error and doctrines of deuils which speake false lyes through hypocrisie and haue their consciences marked with an hote yron Forbidding to marie Agayne For this cause haue I left thee in Creta that thou shouldest continue to redresse that which resteth and shouldest ordayne Elders in euerye citie as I appoynted thee If any be faultlesse the husbande of one wyfe hauing faythfull children which are not slaundered of ryote neyther that are disobedient that hee bee chosen Obiection Pope Gregorie the 7. Monke of Cluny otherwise called Hildebrande who was Pope in the time of the Emperor Henrie the 4. hath commaunded by letters vnto Otto bishop of Constance that he should forbyd in his Dioces the Priestes to marie and that he doe vnlose or make frustrate the mariages of those which were already maried Aunswere The Lorde aunswered vnto the same saying It is not good that man should be alone Extra de Cle. cons lib. 6. Cap. 1. Pope Boniface the 8. hath permitted all libertie vnto the religious people although they were maried Saint Ambrose in his first booke of Virgins As concerning Virgins I haue no commaundement of the Lorde but I giue vnto you myne aduice If the Doctor of the Gentiles had no commaundement what is he that can haue it And in very deede he had no commaundement but he hath had an example For virginite cannot be commaunded but be desired For the things whiche are not in our power are more to be desired than to bee commaunded c. After that Paule hath counsayled that it were good if we coulde liue vnmaried bicause that we are more free to thinke on God he sayth And this I speake to declare what is profitable for you not to tangle you in a snare but that ye followe that which is honest and comely and that yee maye quietly cleaue vnto the Lorde without separation To auoyde fornication let euerye man haue his wife and let euery woman haue hir owne husbande I woulde wish that all men were as I am but euerye man hath his proper gyft of God one after this maner another after that ▪ c. If they cannot abstayne let them marie for it is better to marie than to burne c. S. Vldaric bishop of Augspurge in the Epistle that he sent to Nicholas the first concerning the forbidding of mariage vnto Priestes The forbidding of mariage was altogither contrarie both to the worde of God the decrees of the Councell of Nice and to the auncient Church After he declareth vnto him the great euilles and daungers which therein were And among other things he declared that which chaunced in the time of Gregorie the first through the occasion of such forbidding whiche constrayned him to chaunge his mynde in that case At a certayne day the said Gregorie sent to his fishe ponde or stewe for to drawe fishe and
Bennet the .8 appeared damned after his death in a monstruous and horrible likenesse hauing an heade and tayle like vnto an Asse and the residewe of the body like vnto a Beare saying that he did shew himselfe after such sorte bicause that being Pope he hath liued beastly The yeere 457. The counsell of Carthage was holden in which S. Augustine ruled In the same a lawe was made vpon the appellations in Ecclesiasticall iudgement The Pope required that it might be lawfull to euery one that woulde to appeale vnto his seate And to the end that he might obtayne that which he demaunded did committe falshode in alledging a decree of his owne inuenting the which sayd that it was made in the counsell of Nice After that the lye of the Pope was knowen through the doublenesse of the Councelles brought from Constantinople the request of the Pope was refused denied The counsell of Ariminum or Rimino which was holden by .60 Byshops was generall condemned the counsell of Nice And did erre with Arius who was before condemned by the word of God in the said counsell In like manner the .2 counsell of Ephesus hath erred with Eutyches and Dioscorus The counsell of Carthage in which that holy man Cyprian was present with .86 Byshoppes that is to saye almost all the Byshoppes of Africa Numidia and of Mauritania decreed that Baptisme ministred by the Heritickes ought not to take place but that those which haue bene baptised by them should be baptised agayne The whiche sentence was afterwardes condemned as it appeareth in the .5 distinction chapter Quare S. Augustine writing against Maximian bishop of the Arians Lib. 3. Chapter 14. I ought not to preferre the Councell of Nice nor of Ariminum as though I shoulde preferre them before the Scriptures For by the authoritie of the same I am not bounde neyther thou likewise by the other But by the authorities of the holy Scriptures and not of men what soeuer they be But witnesse vnto both a lyke as the thing with the thing the cause with the cause reason with reason c. We ought also to obserue the decrees of Pope Alexander the 3. of Gelasius of Nicholas the 2. of the Councell of Illyberis of Toledo of Carthage of Chalons of Calcedonia the Lateran the which haue forbidden to take money and gyftes for the satisfaction of sinnes for baptisme for the temples for the sacramentes and giftes of god And haue ordayned that none shoulde be promoted and ordained in the Church by money and rewardes and that he shoulde be holden for an Apostate and not for an Apostolike which shall obtayne the seate of Rome eyther with money or fauour The Councell of Orleans hath determined that the poore the sicke and the weake shoulde bee nourished and clothed by the Bishoppes and that the Monkes shoulde possesse nothing of their owne Iohn Gerson in his first part of the examination of doctrines The first veritie shoulde be so sure that euery simple man not authorised might be so well instructed in the holy Scriptures that one ought rather to beleeue his assertion in the cause of teaching than the doctrine of the Pope For it appeareth that rather we should beleeue the Gospell than the Pope If then such a man doe teache any veritie which is contayned in the Gospell there where the Pope cannot greatly erre it is manifest of whether one ought to preferre the iudgement By and by afterwardes he sayth If it shoulde happen that there shoulde be a generall Counsell assembled in which such a man were present which is well instructed in case the greatest part should declyne through malice or ignorance to the opposition of the Gospell such a lay man may be obiected agaynst the sayde generall Counsell Panormitan in his Chapter Significasti extra de electionibus who was present at the Counsell of Basill and of Constance In matters which concerne the fayth the saying of a lay man ought to be preferred before that of the Pope if his saying be more probable by better authoritie eyther of the olde or newe Testament than that of the Pope Thomas of Aquino in the somme 3. parte 46. addition 6. article Bicause that the church is buylded vpon faith and the Sacramentes it appertayneth not vnto the ministers of the church to make new articles of the faith or to make newe Sacramentes or to chaunge or take awaye those that are made for that is the excellency and puissance which appertayneth onely vnto Iesus Christe which is the foundation of the churche The counsell of Gangres in Galatia doth curse those which abide not in the faith of the Lorde and which doe make euery day newe constitutions The Canons and Decretals of the Popes in the .9 distinction chapter Noli and chap. Ego and chap. Negare and .24 Q. 1. chapter Non afferamus We must holde our selues vnto the holy Scripture and not vnto the sayinges of men how holy soeuer they be Origene vpon the Prophet Ieremy in the first homilye It is necessary for vs to call to witnesse the holy Scriptures for vnto our senses and allegations without those one ought not to beleeue S. Ierome vpon S. Mathewe That which is spoken without authorytie of the Scriptures through the like facilitie may be despised as it is saide Saint Augustine vpon S. Iohn 46. treatise Chap. 10. Verily in sitting vpon Moyses seate if they doe teache the lawe of God it followeth that God teacheth by them but if they will teach that which is theirs heare them not neyther do them For truly such people do seeke the things which are their owne and not of Iesus Christ S. Cyprian vnto Cecill 2. booke of his Epistles 3. Epistle If you doe whatsoeuer I commaunde you I will not call you seruauntes but frendes and also that Christ ought to be onely hearde the father hath witnessed it from heauen saying this is my deare sonne in whome I delite heare him Wherefore if it bee so that Christ alone ought to be hearde we ought not to haue regarde what that is that others before vs haue thought good to be done but that which Christ which is before all hath don For we must not followe the custome of men but the veritie of God forasmuch as the Lorde speaketh by Esaye the Prophet saying They doe prayse me highly with their lippes teaching the commaundements and doctrine of men And againe in the Gospell ye haue made that the commaundement of God is without effecte through your tradition And therfore dere brethren if any of our predecessors either through ignorance or through simplenesse hath not obserued and kept that which the Lorde hath taught vs to doe by his example or doctrine the same maye be left of through the simplicitie therof and it may be pardoned him through the mercie of the Lorde But it cannot be pardoned vs which are now admonished and instructed of the Lorde
thinges that which was secrete is declared and that which is hid is made knowen without any kinde of pryde which is no sacriledge not hauing a necke puffed vp with pride without any contention or enuye with holynesse humilitie with the catholicke peace with christian charitie Irenaeus in his .3 booke .4 chap. What would it be if there were any disputation or debate moued of anye lighte question must wee not haue our recourse vnto the moste auncient churches whiche were in the time of the Apostles and to take of them that which is cleare and certayne for to resolue the debate or question put foorth S. Augustine of baptisme against the Donatistes .3 booke .9 Chapter Honoratus Attuca hath saide forasmuch as Christe is the truth we ought rather to followe the truth then custome The Byshop Castus in the 5. Chapter He that presumeth to follow custome in condemning the truth eyther he is enuyous or wicked towardes the brethren vnto whom the truth is reueled or he is ingratefull towardes God through whose inspiration the church is instructed Trust not in false lying wordes saying here is the Temple of the Lorde here is the Temple of the Lorde here is the temple of the Lorde c But take heede howe ye doe trust in coūsels that beguile you and doe you no good God hath witnessed of his sonne saying This is my deare sonne in whome I delight here him The Lorde hath saide But the prophet which shall presume to speake ought in my name whiche I commaunded not to speake and he that speaketh in the name of strange Gods the same prophet shall dye Moyses saide ye shall doe after nothing that we doe here this daye euery man what seemeth him good in his owne eyes Moyses saide ye shall doe afer nothing that we doe here this daye euery man what seemeth him good in his owne eyes Ye shall put nothing vnto the word which I commaunde you neyther doe oughte there from that ye may keepe the commaundementes of the Lorde your God which I commaunde you Beholde I haue taught you ordinances and lawes such as the Lorde my God commaunded me S. Augustine writing vnto Orosus against the Priscillanistes and Originistes .11 Chapter The doctrine of man seemeth to haue reason so long as it is not compared vnto the heauenly knowledge but when the lye approcheth to the truth it is by and by deuoured and destroyed as a sparke of fire and all the teachinges of faulshod and lyinges the whiche nowe are called Idolles Forasmuch as they are made they shal be altogither broken He that commeth from an hie is aboue all he that is of the earth is earthly and speaketh of the earthe he that commeth from heauen is aboue all And what hee hath seene and heard that he testifieth but no man receiueth his testimony howbeit he that hath receiued his testimonye hath sealed that God is true For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God. Iesus Christ saith And his wordes haue ye not abiding in you for whom hee hath sent him ye beleeue not Search the scriptures for in them ye thinke ye haue eternall life and they are they which testifie of me My doctrine is not mine but his that sent me If anye man will doe his will hee shall knowe of the doctrine whither it be of God or whither I speake of my selfe He that speaketh of him selfe seeketh his owne prayse but he that speaketh his prayse that sent him the same is true and no vnrighteousnesse is in him He that sent me is true and I speake in the world those thinges which I haue hearde of him If ye continue in my wordes then are ye my disciples and shall know the truth the truth shall restore you to libertie c. I speake that I haue seene with my father and ye doe that which ye haue seene with your father Verily verily I saye vnto you if a man keepe my saying hee shall neuer see death My sheepe heare my voyce and I know them and they followe me I haue not spoken of my selfe but the father which sent me gaue me a commandement what I shoulde saye and what I shoulde speake And I knowe that this commaundemente is lyfe euerlasting Whatsoeuer I speake therefore euen as the father bade me so I speake The wordes that I speake vnto you I speake not of my selfe If ye loue me kepe my commaundements He that hath my commaundements and keepeth them the same is he that loueth me He that loueth me not keepeth not my sayings and the wordes which ye heare are not mine but the father which sent me Many other signes also did Iesus in the presence of his disciples which are not written in this booke These are written that ye might beleeue that Iesus is Christ the sonne of God and that in beleeuing yee might haue lyfe through his name Though that wee or an aungell from heauen preach vnto you other wayes than that whiche we haue preached vnto you holde him as accursed As we sayd before so say I nowe agayne if any man preache vnto you other wayes than that yee haue receyued holde him accursed The woman that was a Samaritane sayde vnto Iesus I wote well Messias shall come which is called Christ when he is come he will tell vs all things I haue kept nothing backe but haue shewed you all the counsell of God. Chrysostome in the first homilie vpon the Epistle vnto Titus The Gospell doth contayne all things the things present and things to come honor pietie and fayth c. Saint Hilarie vpon Saint Mathew 14. Canon Euery plant which my heauenly father hath not planted shall be plucked vp by the rootes that is to say all mans traditions ought to be plucked vp by the fauor of the whiche they haue transgressed the commaundement of the lawe And therefore he called them the blinde leaders promising the waye of euerlasting lyfe the which they see not themselues and sayth that the falling hedlong of those blind leaders and their conductors is common S Augustine vpon S. Iohn .49 treatise .9 Chapter Although that the Lorde Iesus Christe hath done many things which haue not bene written as also his owne Euangelistes doe witnesse it that the Lord Iesus Christ hath sayde and done many things whiche are not written neuerthelesse the things haue bene chosen to be written whiche were thought sufficient for the saluation of the beleeuers Of the holy scripture and howe it is lawfull for all men to reade it HAppie is he that readeth and happie are they that heare the wordes of this Prophecie and keepe those things which are written therein for the tyme is at hande Iesus Christ sayeth Happie are they that heare the worde of God and kepe it Thy worde is a lanterne vnto my feete and a light vnto my pathes Gods worde in the
vnto whom they shoulde prouide and giue remedie Is it vnto the Gods they doe suche pleasure No for that whiche a man doth by compulsion is not a sacrifice forasmuch as if it be not done voluntarlye and with the heart it is most execrable and accursed Forasmuch as there are but they whiche are constrayned and compelled throughe banishments iniuries imprisonmentes and tormentes which doe it If they bee Gods which are so honored truly for that only cause they ought not to be honored in as much as they woulde be so adored and worshipped they are worthye to be detested of men vnto whome sacrifice is made with teares and sighings and with bloud running downe all their bodie But we to the contrarie require not that any will he nill he shoulde adore and worship our God which is the Creator of all things nor we are not angry if they doe not worship him For we doe trust in his maiestie that he hath also great power to auenge as well those that doe contemne and despyse him as the iniuries and troubles of hys seruants and therefore when we suffer such things so wicked and execrable wee doe not therefore repugne agaynst the worde but we referre the vengeance vnto God. The Prophete Esay sayeth Truth is fallen downe in the streete and the thing that is playne and open may not be shewed yea the truth is layde in prison and he that refrayneth himselfe from euil must be spoyled When the Lorde sawe this it displeased him sore c. The Lorde sayde by the Prophet Ezechel I will deliuer my sheepe from their mouth so that they shall no more be spoyled c. Lactantius Firmianus in his diuine Institutions Lib. 5. Chap. 22. They are not then madde or angry with vs bicause we adore not or worship their Gods. For there are many people that do not worship thē but it is bicause the truth is with vs the which as the Prouerbe is getteth hatred c. Lactantius Firmianus Lib. 5. Chapter .23 Pacience is a principall vertue the which is by the common voyce of the people and of the Philosophers and Orators exalted with great prayse If no man wil denie but that pacience is a soueraine vertue It is necessary that the righteous wise man be in the power of the vnrighteous mā for to haue that pacience for pacience is a volūtary suffring of euils which are done vnto any man or which doe happen vnto him whereby the righteous and the wyse man hath in himselfe pacience bicause that he receyueth the vertue of the which he shall be altogither depriued if he suffer nothing to the contrarie Although that he do no iniurie vnto anye man nor that he coueteth his neyghbors goodes and though he defende not his own goods if they be taken from him by force and violence forasmuche as he can quietlye ynough suffer the iniurie that is done vnto him bicause that he is garnished with vertue It is necessarye that the righteous man be subiect vnto the vnrighteous mā And the wyse be despised of the foole to the ende that the one doe sinne bicause he is vnrighteous and that the other be in seruitude and bondage bicause he is righteous For howe can a Captaine prooue and trie his souldiers if he haue no enimie And yet neuerthelesse the aduersarie eleuateth and exalteth himselfe maugre him bicause that he is mortall and maye be vanquished and ouercome but bicause we cannot repugne and striue agaynste God he himselfe moueth and stirreth vp the aduersaries agaynst his name not for to striue and fight against him but against his souldiars to that ende he maye proue and trye the faithe and deuotion of his vntill suche time as he doth correcte and amend in pressing and beating the discypline whiche was become colde There is also an other cause wherefore hee dooth permitte and suffer that we should be persecuted that is to the ende that the people of God shoulde bee augmented Some desire to know what that goodnesse is which is defended euen vnto death which is preferred aboue all the pleasant thinges and best loued and set by in this world of which goodnesse nothing can drawe them from it neyther the losse of their goodes nor the losse of their sight dolor of body nor anye other tormentes whatsoeuer they be all thinges are much worth but the greatest causes which followed haue alwayes augmented our number The people being rounde about the good christians hearde them saye in their tormentes that they should not do sacrifice nor offer vnto stons made and hewen with mans handes but vnto the liuing God which is in heauen many doe heare that the same is good and true they receiue it in their minds and vnderstandinges Afterwarde as men haue accustomed or vsed to doe in vncertayne thinges when they demaund and enquire within them selues what may be the cause of that perseuerance and constancie many things belonging vnto religion are spread abroade and knowen and declared from the one to the other by the report that they make And by that meanes they are taught who for asmuche as they are good it is necessary that they please Furthermore the vengeance that followeth as it happeneth often hath a greate vehemence to make them beleeue All these causes put togither haue gotten and drawen vnto God a maruelous great company of people S. Hilary in his booke against Auxentius Ambition doth ayde it selfe by the name of Christe The Churche doth feare and compell the people through banishements and imprisonmentes to beleeue hir the which they haue beleeued through banishmentes and prisons Shee dependeth vpon those that doe disdayne to communicate with hir She which is consecrated and made holy by the terror of the persecutors driueth awaye the prestes Shee which hath bene engendred by the running away of priestes doth glory and extoll hir selfe to be beloued of the worlde Shee whiche coulde not be beloued of Christe if the worlde had not hated hir Experience cryeth in all mens mouthes and declareth and sheweth the comparison of the church the which of late hath bene giuen vnto vs and neuer shall be destroyed All that which is not of faith is sinne Chrysostome in his first Tome vpon S. Mathewe .47 homily Chapter .13 Let them both growe togither till haruest come the Lorde did forbid them least while they wente aboute to weede out the tares they should plucke vp the wheate also whiche thing he spake to forbidde the sheading of bloude For if the Heritickes were put to deathe without alliance of peace warre shoulde bee without truce Wherefore he doth forbyd it for two causes the one bicause they shoulde hurte and hinder a little the corne The other is that if they doe not heale them selues they shal neuer escape the eternall and euerlasting punishmentes and tormentes wherefore if thou wouldest amend and in no wyse hurte the corne you must attend and tarry the time