holy scriptures Collos 3. The holy scriptures cause vs to beare all tribulations paciently Little children ought to be taught the holye scriptures 2. Tim. 3. Euery one may dravve out of the holy scriptures that vvhich is needefull for his soules health VVe ought to teach one another in Gods vvord VVhat is the cause that manye doe profite so little in the scriptures No excuse from reading of scripture An admonition vnto the poore people to haue the holy bookes He ought to feare vvhich vvill not reade the Scriptures to be tormēted vvith eternall paynes Esay 5. 1. Cor. 14. Math. 25. Pro. 28. Hee that vvoulde be hearde of God ought first to heare God. Rom. 15. Rom. 1. 1. Cor. 10. The maried vvife ought to be an example to all those of hir house in holynesse of life and conuersation Ephe. 5. 1. Cor. 11. The vvicked lyfe of another to couer ours ought not to be alledged Rom. 2. Hovve vve ought to bring vp the yong daughters in reading The canonicall bokes Iohn 5. Christ is the vertue of God. The excuses that the temporall people doe make to auoyde from reading the holy scriptures Monkes vvere solitarie people vvho notvvithstanding did lead a common life not as the Monkes at this day Euen as the instruments of arte for to gayne the lyfe euen so are the bookes of the Apostles for the lyfe of our soules 2. Tim. 2. The profite that commeth vnto vs of the holy bookes Although that manye doe not vnderstand all the scripture they must not therefore leaue of to profit in it The Philosophers haue not searched that vvhich profiteth but to make themselues esteemed The Apostles and Prophetes haue vvritten clearely and plainly Iere. 31. Heb. 8. 1. Cor. 2. Math. 5. Act. 8. The diligence of the Eunuch reading the scriptures not vnderstanding them Act. 8. 1. Cor. 10. VVe ought not to follovve the error of oure forefathers This constitution in the bodie of the lavve is imprinted at Paris at the signe of the golden sunne The holye ordinaunce that Iustinian made touching the holy bokes to haue thē in al tōgues to the ende they should be reade of all men VVe ought to take hede of the malice of the interpreters The Emperour Iustinian giueth libertie vnto all men to read the holy scriptures and the reason vvherfore Those vvhiche vvoulde not suffer the scripture in all languages and tōgues vver punished through the confiscation of their goodes Iohn 6. Num. 11. Moyses enuyed not those vvhich had the gift of god Amos. 7. The Priestes doe say that it appertayneth not vnto the laye people to dispute in the Church behold diligently the contrarie Chrysostom vvould that all vvere doctors 1. Thes 5. Many doe learne sooner foolish and baudie songs than spirituall The excuse of many Math. 21 Rom. 13. Iam. 1. Iohn 3. Act. 5. Act. 16. The Christians neuer assembled themselues to the hurt of any man. If rhere happeneth any euill vnto the vvorlde the vvorldlings doe say that it is bicause of the faithfull Act. 16. Act. 20. Act. 2. Act. 1. Act. 21. In the auncient assemblies they prayed for the Emperors and magistrates Praier is the best sacrifice that one can offer vnto God. Plinie vvriteth vnto the Emperor of the lyfe and maner of the faithfull in their assemblies Eusebius Caesariensis in the ecclesiasticall historie lib. 11. Chap. 4. Theodorite lib. 4. cha 24. Historie tripartite lib. 10. chap. 20. Ievves burned in a caue 2. Mac. 5. Psal. 133. Math. 18. In this latter time the vvicked are called good the good vvicked Mortal man is vvoorth nothing Truth and force inseperable and righteousnes and crueltie To kill and exercise crueltie belongeth not vnto the good but to the euill The signe of the good and the euill Compulsion auayleth not God vvill auenge the griefes of his seruants Esay 59. Ezec. 34. Veritas odium parit VVhat patience is It is necessary that the righteous man be afflicted of the vvicked to the ende he haue pacience The cause vvhy aduersaries are stirred vp Through persecutions a great nūber is ioined to the gospell Rom. 14. Math. 13 Iesus Christ doth not require shedding of blud The persecutors do seke to put to death for feare that their malice shoulde bee vncouered and knovvn Genes 27. Exod. 2. The holye men haue fled from the handes of the persecutors 1. Reg. 21. 3. Reg. 19. 3. Reg. 18 Iohn 20. Act. 9. Num. 35. Iosua 20. Mat. 10. Iohn 8. Iohn 12. Math. 2. Mat. 12. Iohn 11. Iohn 8. Luc. 4. Men ought not to burn them that speake other vvise than the truth allovveth Mat. 14. The persecutors them selues are ignorant of the gospell Iohn 7. Iohn 2. Iohn 7. Math. 26 Sapien. 6. Rom. 10. An admonition vnto Kings Princes and Iudges Miche 3. Persecuters cruelly tormented Luk. 18. The despising of the poore people of God is pitifull Mat. 23. Esay 26. Eze. 22. Miche 7. Iohn 16. Mat. .12 Psal. 116. Esa. 26. Zacha. .2 Mat. .23 Persecution is prophecied to happen vnto the children of God. 3. Reg 21. Prou. 17. Esay 5. Prou. 29. Prou. 29. Prou. 31. Prou. 29. Ierem. 26. Ieremy vvas accused by the priests Esa. 10. The torments of the vvicked princes 2. thess. 1 Sap. 5. The complaint of the persecutors at the day of iudgement Sapi. 5. The doctrin of the Apostles nevve doctrine Act. 17. Act. 28. Act. 24. Act. 24. The resurrection of the righteous and vnrighteous shall come Act. 17. 1. Tim. 4. 1. Sam. 31 Note the vengeance of God agaynst the vvicked persecutors Act. 1. Esay 37. 2. Mac. 8. Act. 12. Euseb li. 1 cap. 9. li. 2 cap. 10. 3. Reg. 22 4 Reg. 15.21.24.25 A Table to finde oute the principall things contayned in this present booke and first of the Letter A. ABstinence Pag. 229. Adam condemneth his posteritie Pag. 50. Adam not good of himselfe Pag. 59. Adam his free vvill Pag. 59. Aduocate for vs Iesus Christ Pag. 192. Aduocate any other is error Pag. 191. Aduocate for S. Iohn onely Christ Pag. 191. Aduocates none vvith God as Earles and Lordes vvith Kings Pag. 200 Angels not to be honoured Pag. 175 Angels vvould vve should honour god Pag. 175. Apostles maryed Pag. 245. Apostles teach the commaundements of god Pag. 284 Apostles vvrite clearely Pag. 325. Apostles praying for the Cananite Pag. 197. Apostles assembled secretly Pag. 340. Assemblies certified by Plinie Pag. 345. Assemblies of the Christians by night Pag. 342. Assemblies their deedes Pag. 343. Assemblies harmelesse Pag. 241. Assembled their prayers Pag. 343. Assemblie of Ievves burned Pag. 346. Ashes of Saints Pag. 186. Augustine counteth but tvvo Sacraments Pag. 38. Augustine his recantation Pag. 48. Augustine of free vvill Pag. 60. Augustine his exposition Pag. 171. Augustine his opinion Pag. 283. B. Baptisme purgeth not sinnes Pag. 23. Bishop of Bishops none Pag. 50. Bloude of Oxen. Pag. 37. Bodie of Christ not carnally eaten Pag. 3. Bodie of Christ not diuided Pag. 3. Bodie of Christ vvhole in
¶ 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
vnto me al ye that are wearye and laden and I will ease you While we haue time let vs doe good vnto all men S. Ambrose vpon the fyrst Epistle to the Romans fyrst Chapter Men haue of custome vsed a miserable excuse saying that by them men may goe vnto God euen as men come vnto kinges by the earles and lordes Is there anye man so mad and so obliuyous of his safety which doth attrybute and giue the honor of a king vnto an earle or lorde for if any such be found which dare saye the same they are worthely condemned as culpable of his maiestie And yet those doe not hold those men gyltye or culpable which doe attrybute the honor of the name of God vnto the creatures And in forsaking the Lord And in forsaking the Lord they doe worship those whiche are seruantes with them As though the seruing of God were worldly gaines For the same cause men doe finde to haue accesse and comming vnto the king by the meanes of the earles and lordes bicause that the king is a man and doth not well knowe whom he ought to truste of his common wealth But for to winne and obtayne the fauor of God vnto whome nothing is hydde for he knoweth the hearts of all men we haue no neede that any doe entreat for to present our supplication but with an humble and lowlye heart Of images Whether it be lawefull to haue them in the temples of the christians MOyses saide Take heede vnto your selues therefore that ye forget not the appoyntment of the Lord your God whiche hee made with you and that ye make you no grauen image of what soeuer it be that the Lorde thy God hath forbidden thee For the Lorde thy God is a consuming fire and a ielous god If after thou haste gotten children and childrens children and hast dwelt long in the land ye shall marrye your selues and make grauen images after the likenesse of what soeuer it be and shall worke wickednesse in the sight of the Lord thy God to prouoke him I call heauen and earth to record vnto you this daye that ye shall shortlye perishe from the lande c. Againe The Lord spake vnto you out of the fire and ye heard the voyce of the wordes but sawe no image but hearde a voyce onely And he declared vnto you his couenante which he commaunded you to doe euen tenne verses and wrote them in two tables of stone And the Lorde commaunded me the same season to teach you ordinances and lawes for to doe them in the lande whyther ye goe to possesse it Take heede vnto your selues diligentlye as pertayning vnto your soules for yee sawe no manner of image the daye when the Lorde spake vnto you in Horeb out of the fire least ye marre your selues and make you grauen images after whatsoeuer likenesse it be whither after the likenesse of man or woman I my selfe whose name is the Lorde which giue my power to none other neyther mine honor to the Gods. Thou shalt worshippe no strange God for the Lorde is called ielous bicause he is a ielous God c. Thou shalt make thee no Gods of mettall To whom then will ye liken God or what similytude will ye set vp vnto him shal the caruer make him a carued image and shall the goldsmith couer him with golde or cast him into a forme of siluer plates c. Knowe ye not this hearde ye neuer of it hath it not bene preached vnto you sence the beginning c. To whom nowe will ye liken me and to whom shall I be like saith the holy one lift vp your eyes on hie and consider who hath made those thinges Whome will ye make me like in fashion or image that I may be like him ye will take out siluer and golde out of your purses and waye it and hyre a goldsmith to make a God of it that men may kneele downe and worshippe it yet must hee bee taken on mens shoulders and borne and set in his place that he many stand and not moue Alas that men should crye vnto him which giueth no aunswere and deliuereth not the man that calleth vpon him from his trouble Consider this well and be ashamed Goe into your owne selues O ye runnagates Remember the things which are paste sence the beginning of the worlde that I am God and that there is els no God yea and that there is nothing like vnto me No man can make a God like vnto him for seeing he is but mortall him selfe it is but mortall that he maketh with vnrighteous handes He him selfe is better then they whom he worshippeth for he liued though he was mortall but so did neuer they The Lord hath saide ye shall make you no Idolles nor grauen image neyther reare you vp any pillers neyther ye shall set vp any images of stone in your lande to bowe your selues thereto for I am the Lorde your God. Beware that your heartes deceiue you not that ye turne aside and serue strange Gods and worshippe them Cursed be the man that maketh any carued image or image of mettall an abhomination vnto the Lorde the worke of the handes of the craftesman and putteth it in a secret place and all the people shal aunswere and say Amen The Images of the people are but siluer and golde euen the worke of mens handes The Lorde God sayde ye shall ouerthrowe their aultars breake downe their pyllers cut downe their groues and burn their grauen images with fire For thou art an holye Nation vnto the Lorde thy God. They hewe downe a tree in the woode with the handes of the workeman and fashion it with the axe they couer it ouer with golde or siluer they fasten it with nayles and hammers that it moue not c. All these things are the works of the craftie workeman But the Lorde is a true God a liuing God and an euerlasting king Ieroboam sayde Beholde your Gods O Israel which brought you out of the lande of Egypt And he put the one in Bethel and the other in Dan. And that doing was a cause of sinne Nowe then feare the Lorde and serue him in purenesse and truth and put away the Gods which your fathers serued on the other side of the floude and in Egypt and serue the Lorde But if it seeme euill vnto you to serue the Lorde then choose you this daye whome you will serue c. And the people aunswered and sayd God forbyd that we shoulde forsake the Lorde and serue straunge Gods. The honoring of abhominable Images is the cause the beginning and ende of all euill We ought not to thinke that the Godheade is lyke vnto golde siluer or stone grauen by craft and imagination of man. When they counted themselues wyse they became fooles for they turned the glorie of the incorruptible God to the similitude of the image
hasteth him to goe to that countrey common to all the Saintes in asking bicause of the filthynesse of that tarying that his sinns should be pardoned him before that he did depart from this life for he that shall not receiue here forgiuenesse of his sinnes he shal not haue it in the other life And he shall not haue it for he cannot come to eternall life bicause that eternal life is the forgiuenesse of sinnes and therefore he saith pardon me that I may be comforted before that I goe and that I be no more wherefore then doe we desire so greatly this life In the which the longer that any one shall be in it so much the more is he charged with the more sinnes c. S. Ierome in the Epistle of the Galatians 6. Chapter This little sentence doth declare vnto vs although that it be somewhat obscure a newe doctrine and hidde that is when we be in this world we may helpe our selues togither aswell through prayers as through counsell when notwithstanding when we shall come before the consistorye and iudgement of God neyther Daniell no nor yet Iob can praye for any one for euery one shall beare his burthen The Canon of the .3 councell of Toledo Chapter 22. and .23.2 chap. which beginneth Qui diu We doe commaund that those whiche depart out of this life through Gods calling should be carryed to the earth with psalmes only and not the song of those which doe sing for we doe forbyd altogither that prayer of the funeralles which they haue accustomed to sing commonly for the dead That it suffiseth that they doe giue vnto the bodyes of the christians the seruice of the heauenly songes in hope of the resurrection Epiphanius in his .2 booke Tome .1 Heresy .59 Vpon that place of the songes O my Doue come out of the caues of the rockes which toucheth the wall out of the holes of the rocke in the loue of Christ and in the mercy of the Lord These are that caues of the rockes of faith of hope and veritie touching the wall That is to say before that the gate be shut before that the King being within the wall receiueth no person vnto him after the departing from hence and death when the gates are no more touching the wall but are shut and it is no more lawfull to correct And afterward he saith there is neither fasting nor almes nor penance nor righteousnesse neyther good nor euill which doth profite or hurte after that one is dead For Lazarus did not come vnto the ritch man nor the riche man vnto Lazarus And the rich did not receiue that that he demaunded although that he demaunded it through great prayer of the mercifull Abraham for the garners and cellers are shut vp and the time is accomplished and the combat ended and those whiche haue fought doe rest themselues c. S. Cyprian in his sermon of mortalitie We must not thinke that the deathe of the wicked is of such forme and condition as is of the good men The good men are called to rest and solace the wicked and vniust to paynes and torments safegarde and defence is sodainlye giuen vnto the faythfull and tormentes vnto the vnfaythfull We are verye much vnthankfull for the heauenly benefites not acknowledging that which is giuen vnto vs c. Afterward he sayth we ought not to mourne for our brethren deliuered frō this world through Gods vocation Forasmuche as I doe knowe very well that they are not vtterly lost but are onely sent before preceding those which depart and that wee ought to desire their companie and not to bewayle them euen as those do which go by lande or by sea and that we must not here take blacke robes in asmuch as they haue already taken vpon them whyte vestures c. Augustine of the Citie of God .1 booke 12. 13. Chapters and in the 4. of his sentences 45. Distinction It is also written in the Decretals and also by the Maister of the sentences The diligence and labor that some take about funerals the ornament and decking of burials the pompe of obsequies and burials are more for to comforte the liuing than for to ayde the deade If the costly burying doth profite any thing vnto the wicked the vyle and contemptible sepulture shall hurt the good or if they remayne vnburied c. Gregorie Neocaesarian vpon Eccles Chapter 9. Those whiche are departed out of this worlde haue no more any thing common with our affayres And it was so that the begger dyed and was caryed by the angels into Abrahams bosome The riche man also dyed and was buried c. Chrysostome vpon the Epistle vnto the Hebrues Chap. 13. In what place soeuer we be buried the earth is the Lordes and all that therein is that which a man ought to doe let him doe it But to bewayle weepe and lament for those whiche depart oute of this lyfe commeth of weakenesse and for lacke of courage and we cannot vnderstand it but that it cometh of none other thing but of a despayre of the resurrection to come c. Dauid prayed for his chylde that was sicke he fasted lying vpon the grounde But when they tolde him that he was deade he rose vp and ceased Nowe the chylde dyed without Circumcision the which Circumcision was vnto them as Baptisme is vnto vs yet Dauid did not despaire of the saluation of the chylde Obiection The Priestes say that we must offer for the deade S. Cyprian in the .4 booke of Epistles 5. Epistle Writing of Celerin which hath had almost all his houshoulde martyred and put to death for the name of Iesus Christ sayth thus It is alreadye a long time sithence that Celerin his grandmother hath bene crowned for a martyr his vncle by the father and Laurence his vncle by the mother Ignatius which once haue fought and haue bene men of armes in worldlye affayres but being true and tryed men of armes to fight in Gods quarrel hauing vanquished the diuell through the confession of Christ haue obteyned of the Lorde rewards and crownes through a glorious suffering We doe offer alwayes as you doe remember well inough sacrifice for them as often as we doe celebrate the passions of the martyrs and that we do make commemorations of their dayes yearely See diligently the commemoration that the priestes doe make for the dead which is the .10 part of the Canon Memento etiam domine famulorum famularumque tuarum N. qui nos praecesserūt cum signo fidei dormiunt in somno pacis ✚ ipsis domine omnibus in Christo quiescentibus locum refrigerij lucis pacis vt indulgeas deprecamur per eundem dominum nostrum Amen That is to say remember O Lorde thy menseruauntes and maydseruauntes N. which haue gone before vs with the signe of faith and do sleepe in peace ✚ vnto them O Lorde and vnto all
of time they will become rotten and corrupt and that ours shall dwell and abyde in the immortall soule as long as it shall haue any reasonable soule dwelling in it S. Cyprian wryting agaynst Demetrius first Treatise What beastlynesse of mynde is it or rather what blynde foolishe rage of madde men is it not to go from darkenesse for to come vnto the light And when those which are tyed and bounde with the bonds of eternall death will not receiue the hope of immortalitie and not to feare God threatening and saying that hee that doth sacrifice vnto anye Gods saue vnto the Lorde onely let him die without redemption Also They haue worshipped those which their hands haue made and fashioned and man did prostrate and humble himselfe before it and I will not pardon them Wherefore doest thou humble and bowe thy selfe before the false Goddes Wherefore doste thou bowe thy wretched body before Images that are filthye and that haue no vnderstanding and before the workes of the earth God hath made thee right and straight in comparison of other crooked creatures making them to looke downe on the earth Thou hast a hie looke and a face to beholde thy God beholde him fixe thine eyes on him seeke God on hie that thou mayst be exempted from the lowe hell lyft vp thine heart vnto celestiall and heauenly things Wherefore doste thou cast thy selfe agayne to the grounde in the fall of death with the serpent whom thou honourest why doste thou fall headlong in the ruine of the diuell throughe him Keepe the highnesse in the whiche thou art borne perseuere and continue to be such a one as thou wast made of God lyft vp thy hearte with the stature of thy bodye and the shape of thy visage that thou mayest knowe God knowe thy selfe first leaue and forsake Idols which mans error hath founde out Turne vnto God who will assist and helpe thee after when thou shalt call vpon him Beleeue in Iesus Christ whome the father hath sent for to quicken and amende vs c. Confounded be all they that worship Images and delite in their Idols Howe agreeth the temple of God with Images God did expressely forbid in the old lawe Images saying thus Thou shalt haue none other Gods in my sight Thou shalt make thee no grauen Image neyther any similitude that is in heauen aboue eyther in the earth beneath or in the waters that are beneath the earth See that thou neyther bowe thy selfe vnto them neyther serue them for I the Lorde thy God am a iealous God. Ezechias king of Iuda ordeyned that the Image of Christ shoulde bee burned that is to saye the brasen Serpent that God commaunded to be made in the wildernesse bicause that when it was borne about by the people they did burne sacrifice vnto it and honoured it yet the sayde Serpent was the image of Christ prefiguring him as he himselfe hath said in the Gospell Notwithstanding Ezechias brake it in peeces bicause that they abused it And he was greatly praysed for it of the Lorde Obiection The Canon lawe in the Chapter which beginneth Praelatum of consecration distinct 3. That which the Scripture doth vnto the readers the very same doth the payntor vnto the gasing fooles or Idiotes For in the same the ignorant people doe see that which they ought to followe in the same those doe reade which doe not know any letters Aunswere The Prophet Abacuc in his .2 chap. aunswereth to the same Canon What helpeth then the grauen images for the workeman hath left it it is molted and an image a thing shewing dreames and lyes Gregory writing vnto the Byshoppe Marsill in his .4 Epistle We had praysed thy doing if thou haddest forbidden to worship images which haue bene set in the Temple not for to worship but onely for to instruct the spirites of the ignorant c. The Prophet Ieremye in his .10 Chap. aunswereth vnto Gregory In that onely poynt they are altogither brutish and doe folishly for the wood is an instruction of vanitie Iesus Christe saith In vaine they worship me teaching for doctrines the commaundementes of men For ye laye the commaundement of God aparte and obserue the tradition of men S. Ierome vpon the Prophet Esay 57. Chapter There was not a place that was left vndefiled with the filthinesse of Idolatrye in such sort that behind the doores and postes of their houses they haue set vp images whom they doe call their priuye and familiar Gods. And by and by after he saithe The Cities of many countreys and prouinces are in that error and doe keepe that wicked custome of the elders Yea and Rome the mistres of the worlde doth the like honouring the image of Ceres as their sauegarde through out euery house with torches and candels to the ende that they haue memorialls which should admonish them of their inuented error aswel in the comming in as at the going out of the house c. O foolish Galatians who hath bewitched you that ye should not obey the truth to whom Iesus Christ before was descrybed in your sight and among you crucified Epiphanius the good Doctor in the Epistle written vnto Iohn Byshoppe of Ierusalem and afterwarde translated by S. Ierome out of Greeke into Latine Beside that that I haue heard saith he that some did murmure against me for asmuche as when we did goe vnto a holye place which is called Bethel to the ende that I might make there with thee some prayer according to the ecclesiastical custome and after that we were arryued to the village which is called Anablatha I sawe in passing by a Lampe burning and after I demaunding what place that was one aunswered to me it was a Temple And when I was entred in for to praye I found therein a vayle hanging at the gate painted hauing the image of Iesus Christ or of some kind of Saint For I doe not well remember whose image that was Then as I sawe in the churche of Iesus Christe an image of a man hanging against the authorytie of the holy Scriptures I did teare and rent it in peeces and gaue counsell vnto the keepers of the sayd place rather to wrappe some poore deade body in it and to carry it awaye They did murmure against me saying if he woulde haue cut it of were it not reasonable that he should giue an other vayle in change I hearing the same promised to giue one and to send it incontinent But there was a little time betweene them whilest that I searched for a certayne vayle of price for to sende in steade of the other For I dyd thinke that I must sende one of Cypres but nowe I haue sent one such as I could finde and I desire thee that thou doeste commaund the priestes of the saide place to receiue this vayle of this bringer which is sent from vs And to commaunde fromhenceforth in the Churche of Christe that they doe hang
is not for to obtaine righteousnesse the which inwardly is the beautie of the kings daughter Chrysostome in the 4. tome of fasting in Lent. Homilie 73. If we doe dayly here agree and that we doe fast all the Lent and doe not amende our lyues greater occasion of damnation shall be done vnto vs. Gregorie the 7. hath commaunded to fast the Lent vpon payne of deadly sinne Reade Platyna Pag. 171. in his life Apollonius the martyr of Iesus Christ in the ecclesiasticall hystorie 5. booke Chapt. 11. Rebuked the heretike Montanus bicause he was the first which made the law of fastings Saint Ierome to Nepotian first tome Laye vpon thee such maner of fasting as thou canst beare That thou haue pure chaste simple and moderate fastings not supersticious What profiteth it not to eate of the oyle and to seeke certayne dainties and difficult kyndes of meates as figges peares nuttes fruites of palmes or dates the flower of wheate of honie and such maner of meates There is no kynde of garden fruite wherewith we do not torment our selues to the ende we eate not of breade and whylest we doe folowe our pleasures we are drawen from the kingdome of heauen Furthermore I haue hearde of some who against the rule of the nature of men drinke not water and eate no breade but doe eate of delicate suppings and of punned Leekes and drinke not the pottage in a cuppe but in a dishe What shame is this howe are we not ashamed of such maner of follies how are we not weried with such superstitions Furthermore also we seeke in delicates the renowne of abstinence The strongest fasting is breade and water but bicause that there is no glorie therein and bicause all liue of breade and water as of a common thing we doe not esteeme it to be fasting In the olde time they fasted vntill night The fasting without workes of mercie displeaseth God. Cassiodorus reciteth in the 9. boke of his historie That the Romaynes had but three weekes for the Lent fasting euery day except the Sundaye and Saterdaye The Illerickes and the Grecians had sixe and the other seauen but they fasted by space betweene Reade of fasting Actes 13. 1. Cor. 16. Math. 4. Luc. 2. Tobi. 2. 1. Reg. 6. 2. Cro 20. 1. Esdras 8. Ioel. 2. Ionas 3. Hester 4. and .14 Psalme 35. and .69 and .109 Deut. 9. 3. Reg. 19. Dauid and his people fasted vntill euening hearing that Saule and Ionathas were dead Dauid fasted and prayed for the people which were stroken of God. Achab fasted and slept hauing on sackecloth walking comfortlesse and the Lord had compassion and pitie on him Iudith fasted all the dayes of hir life Hester purposing to enter vnto the king for to speake vnto him fasted three dayes and three nightes Iosias declareth the fasting to all the people and caused the wordes of the booke of Ieremye to be reade openly Iesus Christ humbled his soule with fasting psalm 35. and .69 and .109 Vnto whome is he like that fasteth and neuerthelesse ceaseth not to sinne Fasting profiteth nothing at all to the wicked and obstinate people Iesus Christ saith Take heede to your selues least at any time your heartes bee ouercome with surfeting and drunkennesse and cares of this worlde Ye haue bene called vnto liberty onely let not your libertye be an occasion vnto the fleshe but in loue serue one an other Of maryage and of vowes THe spirite speaketh euidently that in the latter time some shal depart from the faith and shal giue heede vnto spirites of error and doctrins of deuills which speake false lies through hipocrysie and haue their consciences marked with an hotte iron forbidding to mary Iesus Christe saithe haue ye not reade howe that he whiche made man at the beginning made them man and woman and sayde for this cause shall a man leaue father and mother and cleaue vnto his wyfe and they twayne shall be made one fleshe wherfore they are no more twayne but one fleshe Let not man therefore put asunder that which God hath coupled togither Origene vpon Saint Mathew 23. Homilye The Scribes and Pharyses are set in Moyses chayre c. He doth rebuke then such manner of preachers who doe not only that they saye but also doe cruelly and without mercy great thinges whiche one cannot doe not esteeming or iudgeing what is the vertue of euery one of the hearers as those which forbid to mary And doe constraine the people to a moste vyle vyllanye for that they doe forbydde that which is expedient Those also which doe teach to abstayne from meates and other such manner of thinges to the which the faithfull ought in no wyse to be constrayned They do laye great burthens through the worde of their expositions against the will of Christ saying my yoke is easie and my burthen is light And often times we doe see that those that doe teache suche thinges doe liue altogither contrarye to their sayings doing all thinges for the regarde of men and for vaine glorye as the word following doth shewe it saying All their workes they doe for to be seene of men Salomon in the .18 Chapter of the prouerbes doth describe the blessing of maryage The Prophet Dauid in the .128 psalme dothe describe the blessing of God vppon those that are maryed The angell Raphael did teache Tobie howe hee ought to marie as God commaundeth The confirmation of mariage is in the 9. Chapter of Genesis vnder the letter A. Eusebius in the Ecclesiasticall hystorie 3. booke .27 Chap. Saint Clement as Eusebius of Cesaria doth recite hath written agaynst those who doe despyse mariage Among other things that he hath written sayth as followeth Will they also reproue the Apostles Saint Peter and Saint Philip had wyues and maried their daughters and Saint Paule in one of his Epistles was not ashamed to make recommendations and salutations vnto his wife whom he sayth he woulde not leade with him about the countrie to the ende he might be the more free to preache the gospell And by and by after hee sayth that Clement in his 7. booke of his work sayth as followeth It is sayde that S. Peter when he did see his wyfe to be martyred reioyced seeing that by that meanes shee was of the number of the elect and that she returned vnto hir owne house of Paradise and that he cryed after hir when they brought hir to hir death calling hir by hir name saying vnto hir O deare wyfe remember god Such were the mariages of the Saintes and their affections perfect In the 4. of the sentences distinction .17 Chapter .4 and in the 27. decret question 2. Chapter which beginneth Cum societas c. The Pope in his Decretals calleth mariage vncleannesse pollution and carnall filthynesse Saint Paule answereth the Pope saying Wedlocke is to be had in honor among all men and the bed
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
in thee are like rauishing wolues to shead bloude and to destroy soules for their owne couetous lucre There is not a godly man vpon earth there is not one righteous among men they labour all to shead bloud and euery man hunteth his brother to death Iesus Christ saith The time shal come that whosoeuer killeth you will thinke that he doth God seruice If ye wist what this meaneth I require mercy and not sacrifice ye would not haue condemned innocentes Right deare in the sight of the Lorde is the death of his saintes The earth shall discouer the bloud that shee hath deuoured shee shall neuer hyde them that shee hath murthered The Lord sayd vnto the faithfull who so toucheth you shall touch the aple of his owne eye Iesus Christ sayd vnto those that persecuted the faithfull Fulfill ye likewyse the measure of your fathers ye Serpentes ye generation of vipers how should ye escape the damnation of hell wherefore beholde I sende vnto you prophetes and wyse men and Scrybes and of them ye shall kill and crucifie and of them shall ye scourge in your sinagoges and persecute from citie to citie That vpon you may come all the righteous bloud that was shead vpon the earth from the bloud of righteous Abel vnto the bloud of Zacharias the sonne of Barachias whome yee slewe betweene the Temple and the Aulter Verily I saie vnto you al these things shall light vpon this generation Ierusalem Ierusalem which killest the prophets and stonest them which are sent vnto thee The Iudges and gouernors willing to please and fulfil the wicked desire of Iezabel condemned the innocent Naboth to be put to death Augustine vnto Boniface 182. Epistle To doe well and not to let and forbyd the things which are vnlawfull is a verye consenting vnto error Origen in the 3. Homilie vpon Leuiticus Let vs take heede that we doe not consent vnto other mens sinnes I saye consent not only in doing the lyke things but also in holding our peace or winking at things that are euill done The Lorde hateth as well him that iustifieth the vngodly as him that condemneth the innocent The righteous considereth the cause of the poore but the vngodlye regardeth no vnderstanding The seate of the king that faythfullye iudgeth the poore shall continue sure for euermore With thy mouth defende the thing that is lawfull and right and the cause of the poore and helpelesse Many there be that seeke the Princes fauor but euerye mans iudgement commeth from the Lorde Moyses hath written what the Magistrates ought to be They must be sayth he vertuous men fearing God men of truth hating auarice and couetousnesse c. Chrysostome in his imperfect worke Chapter .23 vpon that text And say if we had bene in our fathers dayes we woulde not haue bene their cōpanions to shead the bloud of the Prophets When thou shalt heare any man saye that the doctors of the olde time be blessed proue and trye what good will or zeale he hath towardes those doctors for if he doe honor and reuerence those with whom he liueth without doubt he would also haue honored the other if he had liued with them In the same place he sayth moreouer the Iewes haue alwayes bene worshippers of the Saintes that be past and dead and condemners of those that be present and a liue S. Ierome in his .4 Tome in the rule of Monkes It is very true that the truth can be kept in and bound but it cannot be vanquished whiche is content with hir little number and is not a frayde of the great number of hir enemies Saint Ierome vpon Ieremie .5 Tome Chapter .26 When the congregation of the people were assembled togither the Priestes and false Prophetes accused Ieremie and the Priestes and false Prophetes would haue destroyed and killed the Prophete if the Iudges had had the power of iudgement By that we doe vnderstande that they which seeme to be altogither ordayned for religion being moued with enuie with the holynesse of the Prophet were more cruell than they that had the charge of publike necessities In the same Chapter he saith moreouer If at anye time for the commaundement of God and for the veritie of the fayth the Priestes or false Prophetes or the foolish people are angry with vs let vs not esteeme nor make any account of it but let vs execute the sentence of God not thinking on the euilles that are presente but beholding the goodnesse to come Wo be vnto you that make vnrighteous lawes and deuise things which be to hard to keepe thorow which the poore be oppressed on euery side and the Innocentes of my people are therewith robbed of iudgement the wydowes may be your pray and that ye may rob the fatherlesse What will ye doe in time of the visitation and destruction that shall come from farre To whom will ye run for helpe or to whom will ye giue your honour that yee maye keepe it that ye come not among the prisoners or lye among the deade After all this shall not the wrath of the Lord cease but yet shall his hande bee stretched oute styll It is verily a righteous thing with God to recompence tribulation to them that trouble you and to you whiche are troubled rest with vs when the Lord Iesus shall shewe himselfe from heauen with his mighty Angelles in flaming fire rendring vengeance vnto them that doe not knowe God neyther obey vnto the Gospell of our Lorde Iesus Christe Whiche shall be punished with euerlasting damnation from the presence of the Lorde and from the glorye of his power At the daye of iudgement saythe the booke of wisedome the righteousnesse shall stand in great stedfastnesse agaynst such as haue dealt extreamely with them and taken away their labours when they see it they shal be vexed with horible feare and shall wonder at the hastinesse of the sodayne health Groning for very distresse of minde and shall say within them selues hauing inward sorowe and mourning for very anguish of minde These are they whom we sometime had in derision and iested vpon We fooles thought their life very madnesse and their ende to be without honor But loe howe they are counted among the children of God and their porcion is among the saintes Therfore we haue erred from the way of truth the light of righteousnesse hath not shined vnto vs and the sonne of vnderstanding rose not vp vpon vs We haue weried our selues in the way of wickednesse and destruction Tedious wayes haue we gone But as for the way of the Lord we haue not knowen it What good hath our pride done vnto vs or what profite hath the pompe of riches brought vs all those thinges are passed away like a shadowe And towardes the ende of the Chapter he sayth his cruell wrath shall hee sharpen for a speare and the whole compasse of the worlde shall fight with